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Lynne Bernfield sings “The Sweet Single Life”
I spent much of my 20’s worrying about the fact that, although there were always men in my life, I wasn’t MARRIED! When I moved from NY – where I was born and raised – and moved to LA, I began a new life. One day I realized that I was not only very happy, I no longer cared that I wasn’t MARRIED. And I wrote this song in celebration.
The Sweet Single Life is the first cut on My CD “I Won’t Go With A Whimper”
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Interview with Cabaret Singer Anne Pringle Burnell
3-9-20 Singer and Cabaret Performer Anne Pringle Burnell thought she was going to be an actress. Listen to the ironic way she discovered that she is really a singer and was drawn to Cabaret where, unlike acting she can express herself. Anne was instrumental in creating the Chicago Cabaret Professionals and is currently its President. Along with many other music genres The Chicago Cabaret Professions will be participating in the Year of Chicago Music, and she and husband Mark Burnell will be performing along with 46 Cabaret performers at Chicago Cabaret Week, 3/20-39.
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Interview with Artistic Director Laura Kepley
2-17-120 Laura Kepley, is in Sarasota to direct Into the Breeches at the Asolo Repertory Company. Laura fell in love with theater the first time she saw a play at 3 or 4 years old, and she can still remember the sticks with twirling lollipops. Not basically an extravert Laura persevered studying acting and theater until she realized that what she wanted to be was an Artistic Director. Apparently the Cleveland Playhouse though so too and so now she its Artistic Director. Listen to this charming, dedicated professional talk about her journey to discover her destiny. And come see Into the Breeches a “big hearted comedy,” whose message is you can be more that you, or others think you can.
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Interview with Film Commissioner Jeannie Corcoran
2-24-20 Jeanne Corcoran is the director, Sarasota county film & entertainment office since 2007. She is an award-winning writer/producer/creative director and on-camera talent, in television and video productions, including dozens of concept-to-completion projects plus original tv and video content, music, books, electronic media, and web content. Listen to this amazing woman describe all the things she has done and is doing and come to the Film Commission’s 6 & a mix event – at Suncoast Technical College : 4748 S Beneva Rd, Sarasota, FL 34233 on Thursday Feb 27 – see details below
Featuring two upcoming young stars from Los Angeles, who have been on abc and other networks, cable and streaming, plus marvel and disney and numerous other major feature films and tv shows — Booboo Stewart (x-men, descendants, twilight saga and much more) and his sister Fivel Stewart (Hansel and Gretel, etc.) will speak on our vip panel in the conference center at 6:30 pm and if you’d like to just attend the beverages and nibbles mixer at 5:30 and then the vip panel, it’s only $12 total! if you’d like to come to any of the six workshops that run from 3:00 pm to 5:30 pm you can register for those too at a different total cost of $50 for everything including the workshop, but it is not required, of course!
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And if you have any questions, call the office at (941) 309-1200 extension 104
https://www.eventbrite.com/e/six-and-a-mix-tickets-86606968775 -
Interview with Actor Derek Speedy
2-17-20 Derek Speedy, is charming gregarious and very intelligent. As he says, he could have chosen and excelled at many careers which would have been more “secure,” but Derek was captured by the theater. And at twenty-three, only two years out of Harvard, he is steadily working. Come see him at the Asolo, along with two other wonderful actors, in Lifespan of a Fact, brilliantly directed by Celine Rosenthal. Come see him now, so in the near future you can say that you saw him before he was famous.
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Interview with Cabaret Performer extraordinaire Steve Ross
2-10-20 The Crown Prince of Cabaret, Steve Ross can be seen, remarkably for free, one night only – Thursday Feb 13th at Pritchard’s Piano Co 2108 Bee Ridge Rd, Sarasota, FL 34239, (941) 924-1204.Although he knew that music, he began playing piano very early, would always be a part of his life, his passion for performing the works in the Great American Songbook, the impact he would have on audiences and the success it has brought him, emerged slowly over time until even he could see it’s inevitability. Listen to this charming, thoughtful, self-deprecating man describe his ironic journey to becoming one of the best known Cabaret performers in the world.
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Interview with actress/singer Jannie Jones
1-27-20 – Actress/Singer Jannie Jones is one of a tiny percent of performers who actually make their living with their talent. Jannie was five years old when her mother taught her and her two sisters to sing Acapella. They became the sought after Ford Sisters performing at church and community groups. Known as the little girl with the Golden Voice, Jannie didn’t understand that she was “special.” Listen to this animated, vibrant woman describe how she came to appreciate her talent: how she accidentally became a theatre major and how, without any help or guidance, she found her way to her “place.” And come see her as Caroline in Caroline or Change at The Westcoast Black Theatre Troupe’s brand new building.
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Interview with director Celine Rosenthal
1-20-20 Celine Rosenthal, is an Associate Artistic Director at The Asolo Repertory Company. She was captured by theatre very young and predictably studied acting. Surprisingly, although she loved everything about acting; script analysis, the rehearsal process etc., she really didn’t like being on stage. And in tandem with her acting studies she was also a pre-med student. After graduation she spent a year in Mumbai India creating a children’s theater, then found her way into producing, achieving Tony nominations for her work on Leap of Faith and Seminar. She worked as a New York City Medic before and taking the plunge to get her Directing degree from the New School of Drama in NY. Listen to the thoughtful, serious, exuberant woman describe the circuitous path that lead to her true calling – directing – and hear her describe “Lifespan of a Fact” the unique play she has directed for the current season at Asolo Rep.
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Interview with Triple Treat Peter Amster talking about Murder on the Orient Express
1-13–20 Four year old Peter Amster decided that if Peter Pan could fly so could he and he had to be restrained from jumping out of the window. From then on he never stopped pushing his limits. Although he was to discover that his body was not designed to dance, he became a passionate dancer and choreographer. Although he says he wasn’t a very good actor – he nonetheless got work, and finally although already a working director – he questioned his technique and expanded his skill. Peter is not only a triple threat; he is a charming, delightful and funny man. Listen to his remarkable man talk about his journey. And hear what he has to say about his direction of one of the first productions of Murder at the Orient Express which is now playing to deservedly rave reviews at the Asolo Repertory Co.
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Interview with Entertainer Joe Plummer
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Interview with Wendy Lyons Sunshine co-author of Raising the Challenging Child
12-30-20 Wendy Lyons Sunshine is an award-winning writer whose creative journey has included visual art and songwriting. After a career as a technical writer, Wendy began reporting for local publications and partnering with experts on books. Her first book collaboration was The Connected Child: Bring hope and healing to your adoptive family, which has become a classic in its field. More recently, she partnered with leaders of the child welfare agency, Chaddock, on Raising the Challenging Child, coming out in January 2020. Listen to this thoughtful, intelligent, self-deprecating woman describe her journey to understanding how her unique abilities allow her to help other people tell their stories. Her website is polishedwriting.com
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Interview with Joseph Holt – Artistic Director of Artists Series Concerts
12-2-20 Joseph Holt is the Artistic Director of Choral Artists of Sarasota (formerly Gloria Musicae) as well as the Artistic Director of Artists Series Concerts, he is a virtuoso pianist who played all over the world before coming to settle in Sarasota. He was apparently a hyper active child, who was “scattered all over the place” and “something of a hellion.” So much so that a committee was formed in the church where his father was pastor to pray for “the soul of little Joey Holt.” Hoping that an extracurricular activity would give him an outlet (focus) for all his energy, Joey was given a choice of several activities; little league, cub scouts or piano lessons. Even though his family didn’t own a piano and he had to practice on a paper keyboard, with a little encouragement from his grandmother, a pianist herself, Joey choose piano. And from the very first lesson it was clear that the Joe and the piano were linked. Listen to this still exuberant man describe his amazing career, what’s next for the organizations he shepherds and come to see/hear Piano Grand IV, at the Sarasota Opera House on December 8th at 4:00 PM
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Interview with Saxophone Player Jim Wellen
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Interview with Dancer, singer, actor Josh Rhodes
11-12-19 Dancer, singer, actor and Broadway director/choreographer Josh Rhodes is in Sarasota directing his seventh show for the Asolo Repertory Theater; The Sound Of Music.. Listen to this charming story of a man who was drawn to musicals as a 5 year old boy, who dedicated his life to becoming the very best performer he could possibly be and was rewarded for his talent and his diligence with the Outer Critics Circle Award, the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Choreography, and the Astaire Award as well as nominations for the Drama Desk and LA Critics Circle Awards and a career in which he never had to have a straight job!
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Interview with Producer, Director, Author Rocky Lang
11-4-19 By the time he was 13 years old producer, director, and author Rocky Lang had fallen in love with storytelling and film making. He took his super 8 camera everywhere he went and documented everything in his life with it . Rocky came to his fascination with story telling and film naturally, as he was born into a prestigious show business family: his father was Film producer and screenwriter Jennings Lang and his mother was jazz Singer and Actress Monica Lewis. Jennings Lang had given Steven Spielberg his first film, and Steven became Rocky’s friend and mentor. Listen to this charming, talented man tell stories from the world of film and television and describe his most recent creation, the extraordinary book called “Letters From Hollywood.” https://www.lettersfromhollywood.com and come to Bookstore1 (call 941-365-7900 for reservations) on Sunday Nov 20th to get a copy and hear him talk about it.
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Interview with La Lucha Bassist Alejandro Arenas
Alejandro Arenas thought he wanted to play guitar, but when he tried to put a band together (he always wanted to make music with others) he could only find guitar players and drummers, so he picked up the bass, a fell in love. Listen to this thoughtful, interesting man describe the ironic way he discovered his true instrument – the upright bass, and listen to a cut from a CD by La Lucha the band (with John O’Leary on piano and Mark Feinman on Drums) with which he has been making amazing music for 10 years.
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And come see Alejandro and La Lucha open the Jazz Club’s kick-off of its 40th anniversary season with the fabulous Shelly Berg
Sat, October 26, 2019 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM EDT at Holley Hall, Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center 709 North Tamiami Trail Sarasota, FL 34236 -
Interview with Pianist John O’Leary with La Lucha
John O’Leary was surrounded by music; his mother was a concert pianist and the house was always filled with musicians; professionals and students. But John also enjoyed and excelled in math and science. His family wanted him to become a doctor and he thought he would. He began playing the Tuba in high school and in college double majored in Tuba performance and chemistry. In college he fell in love with Jazz. He changed his major and began to study Jazz Piano. Serendipitously he was placed in a combo with Mark Feinman and Alejandro Arenas, with whom he would one day be part of the oh so popular jazz trio La Lucha. An injury kept him continuing to study jazz piano after graduation. He applied to Graduate school and completed his MA and PhD in Neuroscience. Listen to this thoughtful, serious man talk about the soul searching which finally led to his choice to pursue his dream, a career as a Jazz musician and listen to a cut from his CD Crispr.
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And come see John and La Lucha open the Jazz Club’s kick-off of its 40th anniversary season with the fabulous Shelly Berg Sat, October 26, 2019 7:00 PM – 9:30 PM EDT at Holley Hall, Beatrice Friedman Symphony Center
709 North Tamiami Trail Sarasota, FL 34236 -
Interview with Intuitive Nora Hooper
9-9-19 Nora Hooper is an intuitive, she gets information about people in unconventional ways. When still a child Nora was knew things about people, that she had no way of knowing. Fascinated by “anything to do with altered states,” she began reading Edgar Casey and Buddha, gobbling up anything she “could get her hands on.” Although her family encouraged her it was a long time before she was able to accept her “mission,” which is “helping people through intuition.” Listen to this thoughtful woman describe the journey that took her from trying to make a living doing things she wasn’t good at, to finally accepting her calling and creating a “reading” practice with clients all over the world. And go to NoraHooper.com, to get a reading for yourself.
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Interview with Musical Director Assaf Gleizner
8-12-19 Pianist, Arranger, Composer, Musical Director Assaf Gleizner, can’t remember when he wasn’t involved in music. At 3½ he picked up a Melodica and played Happy Birthday, and he has been making a life with music ever since. Listen to this interesting, articulate man talk about his early life during which “he ate, slept and played piano,” his time in the Israeli army, his certainty that he had to come to New York, and the remarkable career his talent has allowed him to create. And come see him demonstrate that talent as the Musical Director of “Hollywood Serenade” with The Swingaroos at Florida Studio Theatre
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Interview with actor Jen Diaz