Tag "Frank Wildhorn"

  • Interview with Tony Award Nominee Jeff Calhoun

    11-19-18 Interview
    11-19-18 By the time he was 9 years old Jeff Calhoun knew what he wanted to do: he wanted to be Dick Van Dyke, he wanted to be Fred Astaire, he wanted to join the Ernie Flat dancers on the Carol Burnet show. He wanted to be a dancer! It was, he says, “in his DNA.” And, as if it was meant to be, a series of circumstances propelled him on the path of dancer, choreographer and director of musicals. Listen to unexpected way he became the protégé of the amazing Tommy Tune and the remarkable series of happenstance’s that led to his directing such musicals as Jekyll and Hyde, Grease, Big River, Bonnie and Clyde – The Musical, Newsies, and Pulse. And luckily nor us he is back at the Asolo, teamed once again with the incomparable Noah Racey, to direct the Broadway classic Music Man. Listen to this thoughtful, generous, self-deprecating man talk about a life spent “imagining” for the theater.

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  • Interview with Laura Osnes

    6-26-12 – Interview

    Director Jeff Calhoun describes Laura Osnes as “beautiful inside and out” and it is definitely true. The term unaffected is old-fashioned but seems to apply here; Laura seems almost unaware of her beauty, talent and sweetness. And her story is perfect for her; from the beginning others saw the potential star in her and encouraged it. Listen to the remarkable way her career simply unfolded, including how she won her starring role in Grease on a reality show! From there she captured roles in South Pacific and Anything Goes, but they were roles others had created. She finally got her chance to define the role, when she starred as Bonnie of Bonnie and Clyde the Musical of the same name and to be rewarded for her amazing performance with a Tony nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. Listen to her sing songs from Frank Wildhorn and Don Black’s beautiful score, and you will understand why.

     

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  • Jeff Calhoun and Bonnie and Clyde – The Musical

    Bonnie and Clyde, the Musical will open on Broadway December 1, 2011. In the weeks before the opening I will be re broadcasting interviews I did with the stars and the creative team when they worked on the show at the Asolo Theater in Sarasota FL., and adding new interviews. First up is my interview with the multi-talented, wonderfully engaging and generous director of Bonnie and Clyde The Musical, Jeff Calhoun.

    Interview with Jeff Calhoun 10-18-11 – By the time he was 8 years old Jeff Calhoun knew what he wanted to do: he wanted to be Dick Van Dyke, he wanted to be Fred Astaire, he wanted to dance with the Ernie Flat dancers on the Carol Burnett show; he wanted to be a dancer! It was “in his DNA.” And, as if it was meant to be, a series of circumstances propelled him on the path to becoming a dancer, choreographer and director of musicals. Listen to unexpected way he became the protégé of the amazing Tommy Tune and the remarkable series of happenstance’s that led to his directing such musicals as Jekyll and Hyde, Grease, Big River and most recently Bonnie and Clyde – The Musical, which will open on Broadway this December. Then hear one of the songs from Don Black and Frank Wildhorn’s wonderful score.

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  • Interview with Frank Wildhorn

    January 4, 2011

    Interview – Frank Wildhorn says “As soon as my hands hit the keys, although I didn’t know what I was doing, I knew I was making music.” He was 14 and living in Hollywood Florida where his family had relocated, and although terrifically enjoying all the things his new Florida home had to offer, Frank’s future was sealed; he would make music. One after another mentors came into his life; a friend’s musician father cautioned him to avoid having ‘something to fall back on’ as his parents suggested, because he says “if you do, you’ll fall back on it.” Miraculously, famous, talented and accomplished mentors like actor/director John Housman and lyricist Leslie Bricusse come into his life and “take him under their wing” Listen to the mysteriously directed life and the glorious music of Frank Wildhorn.

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