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DC director/playwright Bob Bartlett on “MASTER HAROLD” … and the boys

April 7, 2011 By 2 Comments

Bob Bartlett is a big, friendly, generous guy who easily wraps his arms around every project and everyone.  As a friend, I’ve had a front row seat in his life for the last 10 years. I have watched actors readily sign on to be directed by him, and volunteers show up to sweep out a forest so that his show can go on. I have seen his own plays produced. We have shared so many ideas about theatre it’s probable that some his intellectual DNA is carried out on this site. Add to the list that Bob is fearless. A fall off a stage, which confined him to a wheelchair for a while, didn’t stop him from somehow climbing steep stone steps to catch a Rorschach show or from coming to my Fringe production. It was only a temporary redirection, and now his plays and his directorial ideas are wiser and more brilliant than ever.

After seeing his direction of Athol Fugard’s “MASTER HAROLD” … and the boys at Quotidian Theatre, I thought it was time you got to know him. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Interviews, UpClose

Oklahoma!’s showstoppers June Schreiner and Cody Williams

December 2, 2010 By 7 Comments

When I walked into the new Mead Center lobby during intermission on Oklahoma!‘s opening night, I heard several critics and theatergoers asking the same question over and over: “Who are these two young actors?” They were referring to June Schreiner and Cody Williams who had just ‘stolen’ the first act with their rousing performances of ‘I Cain’t Say No” and ‘Kansas City”. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Interviews, Theatre Schmooze Tagged With:

Harry Connick, Jr on his Happy Elf

November 16, 2010 By 2 Comments

There was plenty of excitement at Montgomery College on Saturday, November 13th when I arrived to interview  Harry Connick, Jr. before the press opening of The Happy Elf.

Harry Connick Jr. was very grateful that Adventure Theatre and Montgomery College were co-producing this first full production of his new children’s musical. [Read more...]

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Schmoozing with Felix and Oscar

November 5, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Rick Foucheux and J. Fred Shiffman on playing Oscar Madison and Felix Unger in Theater J’s The Odd Couple.

They are two of my favorite actors and two of the nicest people I know. What I respect most about Rick Foucheux and J. Fred Shiffman is that they are both eloquent and passionate about their work. Audiences are roaring (as I did) at Theater J as they watch Rick and J. Fred play the sloppy sports writer and the neatnick/gourmand Oscar Madison and Felix Unger. It’s such a joy watching them work together again in Neil Simon’s The Odd Couple. [Read more...]

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Ken Ludwig on A Fox on the Fairway

November 4, 2010 By Leave a Comment

If he had a theme song, it would be “Make ‘Em Laugh”, and Washington playwright Ken Ludwig has been doing just that for years.  So far, he’s had over 15 plays produced, with more to come. Perhaps his most famous are Lend Me a Tenor, which recently closed its Broadway revival, the adaptation of the restoration comedy The Beaux Stratagem and the Gershwin musical tribute Crazy for You.  [Read more...]

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Director Nicolas Kent talks about The Great Game: Afghanistan

September 23, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I attended the all-day presentation of The Great Game: Afghanistan, and, during lunch, met some of its performers. One of them said “You should meet him. This is his baby.” And, with that, I met Nicolas Kent, Artistic Director of Tricycle Theatre, and director of 6 of the 12 plays comprising The Great Game. [Read more...]

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Making their musical Shine!

September 21, 2010 By 7 Comments

Richard Seff, Greg Anthony, Roger Anderson, and Peter Flynn on polishing their musical SHINE! for NYMF

Many of our readers know Richard Seff as the columnist of ‘NY Theatre Buzz’ here on DC Theatre Scene, but what many of you don’t know is that Richard Seff is a playwright, and, in the case of SHINE! The Horatio Alger Musical , a book writer of a musical. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Interviews, New York City, Theatre Schmooze

Gavin Lee on playing Bert in Mary Poppins

August 10, 2010 By Leave a Comment

Kennedy Center audiences love Gavin Lee’s heart-warming, lovable performance as Bert, the chimney sweep in the national tour of Mary Poppins. Gavin originated the role in London, performed it on Broadway, and has been playing Bert all around the country on this tour. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Interviews, Theatre Schmooze

The Women of the national tour of Avenue Q

August 6, 2010 By Leave a Comment

An interview with members of the Avenue Q national tour: Kerri Bracken, Julianna Lee and Jacqueline Grabois

It was an hour before their call for the evening performance of  Avenue Q when cast members Jacqueline Grabois (Kate Monster and Lucy the Slut), Kerri Bracken (Mrs. T. and one of the two Bad Idea Bears), and ensemble member Julianna Lee, who performed the role of Christmas Eve when I saw the show on opening night, sat down with me in their dressing room. [Read more...]

Filed Under: Interviews, Podcasts

Charlie Ross on his One Man Lord of the Rings

July 8, 2010 By Leave a Comment

I saw it with my partner Alex and we still can’t believe how Canadian actor Charlie Ross condensed almost 12 hours of Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings (LOTR) trilogy into a little over an hour of non-stop hilarity. Here he was twisting and turning and humming and singing, falling on the stage – and quickly getting up – as he transformed himself into 42 characters, and performed dozens of hysterical sound effects. [Read more...]

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