http://dctheatrescene.com Washington DC's Liveliest Theater Website Sat, 11 Feb 2012 20:43:35 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 2009-2010 lorraine@dctheatrescene.com (DC Theatre Scene) lorraine@dctheatrescene.com (DC Theatre Scene) 1440 http://dctheatrescene.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/dcts.jpg http://dctheatrescene.com 144 144 http://dctheatrescene.com/?feed=podcast Lively up close interviews and audio plays Podcasts interviews and audio shows from the Washington DC area theatre scene. podcasts, DC theatre, radio plays, DC Theatre Scene DC Theatre Scene lorraine@dctheatrescene.com no no http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/05/16/giant-2/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/05/16/giant-2/#comments Sat, 16 May 2009 19:42:22 +0000 Alexander C. Kafka http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=6425 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/05/16/giant-2/feed/ 3 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/04/30/caught-in-their-acts-bernadette-peters-james-gardiner-james-zemarel-and-shannon-wollman/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/04/30/caught-in-their-acts-bernadette-peters-james-gardiner-james-zemarel-and-shannon-wollman/#comments Thu, 30 Apr 2009 14:11:32 +0000 Joel Markowitz http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=6071 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/04/30/caught-in-their-acts-bernadette-peters-james-gardiner-james-zemarel-and-shannon-wollman/feed/ 3 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/04/15/call-of-the-wild/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/04/15/call-of-the-wild/#comments Wed, 15 Apr 2009 15:03:31 +0000 Steven McKnight http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=5719 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/04/15/call-of-the-wild/feed/ 3 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/04/08/crowns-2/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/04/08/crowns-2/#comments Wed, 08 Apr 2009 21:04:41 +0000 Debbie Jackson http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=5617 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/04/08/crowns-2/feed/ 2 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/04/04/chicagos-charlotte-damboise/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/04/04/chicagos-charlotte-damboise/#comments Sat, 04 Apr 2009 15:03:55 +0000 Joel Markowitz http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=5469 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/04/04/chicagos-charlotte-damboise/feed/ 5 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/04/03/chicago/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/04/03/chicago/#comments Fri, 03 Apr 2009 11:06:28 +0000 Alexander C. Kafka http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=5452 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/04/03/chicago/feed/ 1 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/03/31/iolanthe-2/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/03/31/iolanthe-2/#comments Tue, 31 Mar 2009 13:05:32 +0000 Steven McKnight http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=5301 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/03/31/iolanthe-2/feed/ 4 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/03/29/rooms-on-opening-night/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/03/29/rooms-on-opening-night/#comments Sun, 29 Mar 2009 10:03:16 +0000 Joel Markowitz http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=5212 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/03/29/rooms-on-opening-night/feed/ 4 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/24/the-music-man/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/24/the-music-man/#comments Tue, 24 Feb 2009 14:51:39 +0000 Steven McKnight http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=4184 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/24/the-music-man/feed/ 5 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/18/next-to-normal-to-open-on-broadway/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/18/next-to-normal-to-open-on-broadway/#comments Wed, 18 Feb 2009 18:00:48 +0000 Lorraine Treanor http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=4093 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/18/next-to-normal-to-open-on-broadway/feed/ 4 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/15/following-the-tapioca-miracle/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/15/following-the-tapioca-miracle/#comments Sun, 15 Feb 2009 16:51:47 +0000 Joel Markowitz http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=4018 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/15/following-the-tapioca-miracle/feed/ 1 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/12/carole-shelley/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/12/carole-shelley/#comments Thu, 12 Feb 2009 18:35:02 +0000 Richard Seff http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=3983 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/12/carole-shelley/feed/ 0 0:21:06 An intimate conversation with Richard Seff Brought to America by Neil Simon as his original Gwendolyn Pigeon in The Odd Couple in 1965, the London actress fell in love with American theatre, and Broadway audiences have happily returned the favor ev[...] An intimate conversation with Richard Seff Brought to America by Neil Simon as his original Gwendolyn Pigeon in The Odd Couple in 1965, the London actress fell in love with American theatre, and Broadway audiences have happily returned the favor ever since.  Her first musical,  Noel Coward’s Sweet Potato, was far from her last. Most recently she has been featured in Cabaret, Wicked, and now Billy Elliot. Ms.  Shelley was starring in Absurd Person Singular on Broadway 35 years ago when she was introduced to Richard Seff by her director Eric Thompson. A year later, Thompson cast her in The Norman Conquests in which Richard was a standby to Barry Nelson. Their paths have crossed several times since, and recently they did so again, in Carole’s dressing room at the Imperial Theatre on Broadway where she is ensconced for the indefinite future as “Grandma” in the smash musical hit Billy Elliot. Their podcast is a laff-in as they chat about Carole’s long and varied career as a very special actor-singer whose legs still look just fine in tights. “They’re the last to go”, says she, with a hearty laugh. This podcast was recorded by Joel Markowitz Related: Richard Seff’s review of the Broadway version of Billy Elliot Richard Seff is author of Supporting Player: My Life Upon the Wicked Stage celebrating his lifetime on stage and behind the scenes, available through online booksellers, including Amazon.com. DCTS Podcasts featuring Richard Seff: Interview with Brian d’Arcy James Interview with Chita Rivera Interviews with and about John Kander, With Complete Kander Richard Seff: A Lifetime on Broadway Click here Inside Broadway: A Return Visit with Richard Seff Listen here Interviews, Podcasts DC Theatre Scene no no http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/11/cool-papas-party/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/11/cool-papas-party/#comments Wed, 11 Feb 2009 12:25:59 +0000 Debbie Jackson http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=3955 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/11/cool-papas-party/feed/ 5 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/10/tin-pan-alley-dante-tommy-tune-and-broadway-today/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/10/tin-pan-alley-dante-tommy-tune-and-broadway-today/#comments Tue, 10 Feb 2009 18:54:49 +0000 Joel Markowitz http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=3936 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/10/tin-pan-alley-dante-tommy-tune-and-broadway-today/feed/ 2 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/04/billy-elliot-august-osage-country-the-third-story/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/04/billy-elliot-august-osage-country-the-third-story/#comments Wed, 04 Feb 2009 22:14:38 +0000 Richard Seff http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=3853 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/04/billy-elliot-august-osage-country-the-third-story/feed/ 0 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/03/cool-papas-maurice-hines-and-tom-jones/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/03/cool-papas-maurice-hines-and-tom-jones/#comments Tue, 03 Feb 2009 17:12:19 +0000 Joel Markowitz http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=3836 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/02/03/cool-papas-maurice-hines-and-tom-jones/feed/ 4 0:18:29 Cool Papa’s Party A conversation with choreographer Maurice Hines and writer/director Thomas W. Jones II by Joel Markowitz It was late, the end of a long evening rehearsal, and the cast of Cool Papa’s Party had one more song in them [...] Cool Papa’s Party A conversation with choreographer Maurice Hines and writer/director Thomas W. Jones II by Joel Markowitz It was late, the end of a long evening rehearsal, and the cast of Cool Papa’s Party had one more song in them – “Sho’ Can Dance” which they recorded for us before quitting the stage, leaving just me, 12-time Helen Hayes Award-Winning writer and director Thomas W. Jones II, and the legendary dancer, director and choreographer Maurice Hines. Like verbal tappers, Maurice and Tom crack each other up with stories  about the history evoked by the show and putting this production together,  but what underscores their talk is the respect these artists hold for each other, their cast and those who have come before. Tom Jones who wrote as well as directed the piece says “Cool Papa’s Party is to Sammy Davis Jr, as Dreamgirls is to Barry Gordy and the Supremes … It’s a tone poem – a love poem to an era that’s gone, and the people who shaped it… This show feels like it came through me, not from me.”" Cool Papa’s Party was already underway when Tom mentioned it to his friend Maurice Hines, who immediately offered to choreograph it.  “It just came out of my mouth, and I said, “I’ll do it!” Maurice and his brother Gregory knew Sammy Davis Jr. “so it was easy for me to recreate the tap and jazz.”  Maurice talks briefly about his early career, stretching back to the days at the Apollo with the young Sammy Davis, Jr. and on through  “the golden years of Las Vegas” in the 50′s which the show re-creates. “This show is perfect for me …. it’s fanabulous!” Cool Papa’s Party is onstage Feb 5 – March 15 at MetroStage, 1201 North Royal St, Alexandria, VA. Interviews, Podcasts DC Theatre Scene no no http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/01/29/shreks-brian-darcy-james/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/01/29/shreks-brian-darcy-james/#comments Thu, 29 Jan 2009 17:30:13 +0000 Richard Seff http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=3764 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/01/29/shreks-brian-darcy-james/feed/ 1 0:24:36 Brian d’Arcy James Talks with Richard Seff Recorded by Joel Markowitz Sixteen years ago Richard Seff met Brian d’Arcy James when the two performed in Lend Me AaTenor at the Players Theatre in Columbus, Ohio. A bond was formed, an[...] Brian d’Arcy James Talks with Richard Seff Recorded by Joel Markowitz Sixteen years ago Richard Seff met Brian d’Arcy James when the two performed in Lend Me AaTenor at the Players Theatre in Columbus, Ohio. A bond was formed, and Richard has watched Brian grow from the Bellboy in Tenor to Shrek The Ogre in Shrek The Musical, now in its Broadway run. Here, they reminisce about some of the ups and downs of the seventeen years that have lapsed since they met,  in a career that has included plays as well as musicals on the road, regionally and in stock, to Titanic, The Sweet Smell of Success, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Shrek The Musical on Broadway. Some highlights:  those early Lend Me a Tenor days, workshopping today’s musicals, James as an unusual choice to play Shrek, and finding Shrek’s voice. Shrek:The Musical is at the Broadway Theatre, 1681 Broadway, NYC. Related: Brian d’Arcy James sings ‘Who I’d Be’ from Shrek on the Today Show (video) Richard Seff’s review of Shrek Richard Seff is author of Supporting Player: My Life Upon the Wicked Stage , celebrating his lifetime on stage and behind the scenes, available through online booksellers, including Amazon.com. Other DCTS Podcasts featuring Richard Seff: Interviews with and about John Kander, With Complete Kander Richard Seff: A Lifetime on Broadway Click here Inside Broadway: A Return Visit with Richard Seff Listen here. Interviews, Podcasts DC Theatre Scene no no http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/01/28/cody-green-from-west-side-story/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/01/28/cody-green-from-west-side-story/#comments Wed, 28 Jan 2009 14:08:32 +0000 Joel Markowitz http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=3749 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/01/28/cody-green-from-west-side-story/feed/ 3 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/01/27/rooms-set-for-off-broadway-run/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/01/27/rooms-set-for-off-broadway-run/#comments Tue, 27 Jan 2009 17:32:44 +0000 Lorraine Treanor http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=3729 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/01/27/rooms-set-for-off-broadway-run/feed/ 3 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/01/21/karen-olivo/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/01/21/karen-olivo/#comments Wed, 21 Jan 2009 15:33:17 +0000 Joel Markowitz http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=3633 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/01/21/karen-olivo/feed/ 5 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/01/09/west-side-story-2/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/01/09/west-side-story-2/#comments Sat, 10 Jan 2009 03:09:29 +0000 Gary McMillan http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=3457 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/01/09/west-side-story-2/feed/ 5 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/01/07/pal-joey/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/01/07/pal-joey/#comments Wed, 07 Jan 2009 15:44:49 +0000 Richard Seff http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=3531 http://dctheatrescene.com/2009/01/07/pal-joey/feed/ 6 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/31/the-fantasticks/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/31/the-fantasticks/#comments Wed, 31 Dec 2008 18:31:24 +0000 Ted Ying http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=3452 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/31/the-fantasticks/feed/ 0 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/24/shrek-cripple-of-inishmaan/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/24/shrek-cripple-of-inishmaan/#comments Wed, 24 Dec 2008 15:14:46 +0000 Richard Seff http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=3431 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/24/shrek-cripple-of-inishmaan/feed/ 1 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/21/alice-ripley-in-next-to-normal/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/21/alice-ripley-in-next-to-normal/#comments Sun, 21 Dec 2008 21:21:10 +0000 Joel Markowitz http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=3385 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/21/alice-ripley-in-next-to-normal/feed/ 11 0:25:11 Interviewed by Joel Markowitz Joel Markowitz sat down with Alice Ripley in her dressing room at Arena Stage prior to the December 16th evening performance of Next To Normal. They discussed her role as Diana, the changes that were made for the Arena[...] Interviewed by Joel Markowitz Joel Markowitz sat down with Alice Ripley in her dressing room at Arena Stage prior to the December 16th evening performance of Next To Normal. They discussed her role as Diana, the changes that were made for the Arena Stage production, the “Costco” song and “I Miss The Mountains,” working with Brian d’Arcy James in the NY show ” … what every leading lady wishes. You could just stand and watch him sing to you every night. It’s a really wonderful thing.”, her NYC cast now at Arena Stage and new cast members Louis Hobson and J. Robert Spencer “”…He is so tall like a pine tree-something that shields you from the elements, something you can lean on…he has a great rock voice. He’s different from Brian in every way, and that’s why it works.”,  her theatre career, and great advice that the late Robert Prosky gave her when she met him working on Shakespeare in Hollywood at Arena Stage. DC theatregoers have seen some of Alice’s best work on our local stages. Alice was nominated for two Helen Hayes Awards in 2003 for her performances of “manic” Amy in Company, at the Sondheim Festival, and as Emma in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Tell Me On A Sunday, both at the Kennedy Center. The following year, in 2004, she was nominated for her performance as Lydia Lansing in Arena Stage’s production of Shakespeare in Hollywood. But it’s Alice Ripley’s mesmerizing performance of Diana Goodman in Arena Stage’s powerful production of Next To Normal, that has the local critics raving. Joel has been an Alice Ripley fan since he saw her play the roles of Mrs. Walker in the Who’s Tommy, Betty Schaefer in Sunset Boulevard,  and Fantine in Les Miserables on Broadway.  But, after seeing her “joint” Tony Award nominated performance as Violet Hilton (with Emily Skinner) in Side Show, Joel turned into an Alice Ripley groupie. Joel returned to NYC to catch her performances of Molly Ivors in The Dead and Janet in The Rocky Horror Show, as well as attend many concerts where Alice appeared. His love and respect for Alice Ripley shines in this podcast. Interviews, Podcasts DC Theatre Scene no no http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/20/legally-blonde-2/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/20/legally-blonde-2/#comments Sat, 20 Dec 2008 19:42:32 +0000 Debbie Jackson http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=3366 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/20/legally-blonde-2/feed/ 3 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/18/a-christmas-carol-2/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/18/a-christmas-carol-2/#comments Thu, 18 Dec 2008 12:10:23 +0000 Leslie Weisman http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=3223 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/18/a-christmas-carol-2/feed/ 0 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/17/les-miserables/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/17/les-miserables/#comments Wed, 17 Dec 2008 14:32:04 +0000 Gary McMillan http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=3264 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/17/les-miserables/feed/ 20 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/17/peter-pan/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/17/peter-pan/#comments Wed, 17 Dec 2008 12:46:03 +0000 Gary McMillan http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=3255 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/17/peter-pan/feed/ 0 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/12/next-to-normal/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/12/next-to-normal/#comments Fri, 12 Dec 2008 17:04:21 +0000 Gary McMillan http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=3106 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/12/next-to-normal/feed/ 0 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/11/chatting-with-the-creators-of-next-to-normal/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/11/chatting-with-the-creators-of-next-to-normal/#comments Thu, 11 Dec 2008 22:51:36 +0000 Joel Markowitz http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=3082 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/11/chatting-with-the-creators-of-next-to-normal/feed/ 2 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/09/white-christmas-and-saturn-returns/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/09/white-christmas-and-saturn-returns/#comments Tue, 09 Dec 2008 16:08:15 +0000 Richard Seff http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=3044 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/09/white-christmas-and-saturn-returns/feed/ 0 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/03/hairspray-philly-style/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/03/hairspray-philly-style/#comments Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:36:06 +0000 Joel Markowitz http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=2931 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/12/03/hairspray-philly-style/feed/ 0 0:17:06 Interviews with Amy Toporek (Tracy Turnblad) and Michael Walker (Edna Turnblad) by Joel Markowitz Thanks to the management of the beautiful Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia for arranging for me to meet the two stars of Hairspray. Part 1 [...] Interviews with Amy Toporek (Tracy Turnblad) and Michael Walker (Edna Turnblad) by Joel Markowitz Thanks to the management of the beautiful Walnut Street Theatre in Philadelphia for arranging for me to meet the two stars of Hairspray. Part 1 – A podcast with Amy Toporek It’s been an exciting journey from Edison, New Jersey for 24 year old Amy Toporek, from playing Grandma Tseitel in a camp production of Fiddler on the Roof, to the Shabbatones, to auditioning and finally nabbing the role of the spunky, zaftig dancing sensation Tracy Turnblad  in the National tour of Hairspray. Amy talks about playing Tracy in the newly re-conceived production of the Tony Award winning musical now playing at the Walnut Street Theatre, her obsession with Broadway tunes, the frustration of coming so close to getting the role of her dreams and how a broken ankle gave her the biggest break of her professional career. With Hairspray’s themes of integration and civil rights permeating the Walnut Street Theatre on the first night of previews – which was also election night- Amy describes what it was like backstage and the cast’s response when they learned Barack Obama won and how the showstopping number ”I Know Where I’ve Been” has extra meaning for her now.” All of a sudden we heard screams coming from downstairs and we stopped, and we all cheered and everyone was crying.And then we went downstairs and watched his acceptance speech in the green room, and again more crying..and we changed the lyrics to “Welcome to the 60′s” to “Obama! Welcome to the White House!” How is she handling the demanding role of the teenager who is onstage for the entire 2 plus hours of the show? “The hardest dance number is You Can’t Stop The Beat, Those dances created by choreographer Mary Jane Houdina are very intense to get through..a lot of Ponys, The Boston, the Madison and jerks. It’s even more than the (national) tour.” “I’m still really new with the acting business, but I seem to be fitting in so far, and I’m really enjoying every second of it, and I really can’t see my self not singing and not performing for the rest of my life. Singing is the thing I think about in the morning  when I wake up, and I sing myself to sleep sometimes.. I just want to sing forever.” Listen to the podcast here. Part 2 – An interview with Michael Walker I caught up with the very funny and adorable Michael Walker in the green room after the Saturday night performance and asked him to talk about playing Edna – the Turnblad Matriarch. Joel: You played Edna recently at the Warner Theatre. Brad Hathaway in Potomac Stages said this about your performance: “Michael Walker was in as the mother, and he was having such fun it was infectious. He makes the emphatic line “For Me!” in the opening number of the second act seem like an Ethel Merman moment, and his work on the charm song of the show, the duet “(You’re) Timeless to Me” with Dan Ferretti as the love of her life is delightful.” Michael: I HOPE it was infectious.  This show has the ability to really carry you along and it’s very easy to get swept away by it. I know I do every time I step out onto the stage.  The show is so much fun to do, It’s not work.  Dan Ferretti will always be one of my favorite actors to share the stage with.  He is extremely talented, loving, and a very kind soul. Joel: How many times did you go on as Edna when you were at the Warner Theatre? Michael: I was on in DC as Edna a total of 6 times. (Note: Greg London played Edna on opening night. See Tim Treanor’s review of that opening night): Joel: How were the audiences in DC? Michael: The audiences in DC were AMAZING!!  First of all, the Warner theatre is an incredibly beautiful space to perform in.  Everyone there treated us like ro[...] Interviews, Podcasts DC Theatre Scene no no http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/11/20/grey-gardens/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/11/20/grey-gardens/#comments Thu, 20 Nov 2008 13:20:11 +0000 Gary McMillan http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=2776 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/11/20/grey-gardens/feed/ 4 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/11/03/mark-jacoby/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/11/03/mark-jacoby/#comments Mon, 03 Nov 2008 18:44:53 +0000 Joel Markowitz http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=2578 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/11/03/mark-jacoby/feed/ 2 0:20:23 A Chat with Mark Jacoby Interviewed by Joel Markowitz Joel Markowitz is a big fan of musical star Mark Jacoby, and was thrilled to sit down with him Saturday, October 17th before the evening performance of State Fair at The Walnut Street Theatre,[...] A Chat with Mark Jacoby Interviewed by Joel Markowitz Joel Markowitz is a big fan of musical star Mark Jacoby, and was thrilled to sit down with him Saturday, October 17th before the evening performance of State Fair at The Walnut Street Theatre, where Mark was playing the role of Abel Frake. “It came out of the blue and it’s not a kind of role I have played before…overalls and farmer in Iowa. I spent a lot of my youth in the Midwest, and I knew a lot of farmers, so I am drawing on that, that sense of the heartland. Joel has seen many of Mark’s most memorable roles: as the Father in the original Broadway cast of Ragtime, as Gaylord Ravenal in the 1994 revival of Showboat, as the Phantom in Phantom of the Opera, the Padre in the revival of Man of La Mancha, and as Judge Turpin in John Doyle’s orchestra pitless production of Sweeney Todd, where Mark played trumpet and orchestra bells. They talk about them all, and his most recent appearance in the Washington area as The Mayor in Signature Theatre’s production of John Kander and Fred Ebb’s The Visit. “It’s probably one of the most unusual love stories with one of the unusual plot lines you’ll ever see, but there’s no question that it’s a love story.  It’s a love story between two people who are no longer young, and you don’t get to see a true passionate romance between two elderly people carry a show.” Will we ever see mega-musicals like Showboat and Ragtime again? “With Showboat, we had over 70 people in it. It was Ziegfeldian in its grandeur…It was hideously expensive, and I don’t know if they would have sold out every seat at full price if the show could have ever been profitable, so how that could be done in the commercial theatre again, I don’t know. Perhaps in an opera company or a not-for-profit situation you could do it.” Finally, this musical theatre star reveals the one role he is longing to play. Interviews, Podcasts DC Theatre Scene no no http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/11/02/president-harding-is-a-rock-star/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/11/02/president-harding-is-a-rock-star/#comments Sun, 02 Nov 2008 22:49:47 +0000 Tim Treanor http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=2571 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/11/02/president-harding-is-a-rock-star/feed/ 3 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/10/31/composer-jason-robert-brown/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/10/31/composer-jason-robert-brown/#comments Fri, 31 Oct 2008 14:08:57 +0000 Joel Markowitz http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=2545 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/10/31/composer-jason-robert-brown/feed/ 2 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/10/27/meet-the-altar-boyz/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/10/27/meet-the-altar-boyz/#comments Mon, 27 Oct 2008 16:18:27 +0000 Joel Markowitz http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=2498 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/10/27/meet-the-altar-boyz/feed/ 0 0:18:19 LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOYZ! Joel Markowitz interviews the cast of Altar Boyz Joel Markowitz had a heavenly time schmoozing with five talented young singers, actors and dancers who are burning up the Bethesda Theatre Stage, listening to confe[...] LET’S HEAR IT FOR THE BOYZ! Joel Markowitz interviews the cast of Altar Boyz Joel Markowitz had a heavenly time schmoozing with five talented young singers, actors and dancers who are burning up the Bethesda Theatre Stage, listening to confessions, and saving the souls of it’s wildly applauding audiences. Listen as Jared Zirilli (Matthew), David R. Gordon (Abraham), Patrick Elliott (Mark), Travis Morin (Luke) and Michael Busillo (Juan) talk about their journeys – from their  early love for the theatre, to their theatre training and performances, to auditioning and now becoming the Altar Boyz. Find out who really was an altar boy, who traveled to Europe to perform in a German production of Grease, who is a Catholic University graduate who starred in this year’s Round House Theatre production of Lord of the Flies, and who starred as Mr. Mayor in Seussical . Interviews, Podcasts DC Theatre Scene no no http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/10/24/irma-la-douce-a-body-of-water-romantic-poetry/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/10/24/irma-la-douce-a-body-of-water-romantic-poetry/#comments Fri, 24 Oct 2008 13:55:42 +0000 Richard Seff http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=2462 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/10/24/irma-la-douce-a-body-of-water-romantic-poetry/feed/ 0 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/10/20/erin-driscoll-2/ http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/10/20/erin-driscoll-2/#comments Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:18:40 +0000 Joel Markowitz http://dctheatrescene.com/?p=2414 http://dctheatrescene.com/2008/10/20/erin-driscoll-2/feed/ 2 0:12:31 Talking with Erin Driscoll performing in the Philadelphia production of Leonard Bernstein’s Candide  interviewed by Joel Markowitz  Busy DC actress Erin Driscoll left town two years ago for New York. We were excited to have a chance[...] Talking with Erin Driscoll performing in the Philadelphia production of Leonard Bernstein’s Candide  interviewed by Joel Markowitz  Busy DC actress Erin Driscoll left town two years ago for New York. We were excited to have a chance to talk with her in one of the final performances of that fabulous production of Candide at the Arden in Philadelphia. This locally trained actress took DC area theatre audiences by storm with her Helen Hayes Award winning performance as Hope Cladwell in Urinetown-The Musical,  let her hair down as a very manic Rapunzel in Into The Woods, and played Marta, the suffering wife in Kiss of The Spider Woman, all at Signature.  Other Washington theatres fell in love with her glorious voice. Who can forget her lovely Cinderella at Olney Theatre Center, and her adorable mouse in A Year with Frog and Toad at Round House Theatre?  Now red-headed and what the critics describe as “deliciously sultry”, Erin tells Joel Markowitz   ”I have a feeling that some of my DC contacts helped me get here… Paquette is a red-headed wench. I usually don’t get to play those kinds of roles. I usually play the ingenue…It’s been a lot of fun to switch gears.”   After singing many Sondheim scores, is Leonard Bernstein’s score as or more difficult to sing?   “I find Sondheim rhythmically challenging… it’s fast paced and a lot of words..but with Bernstein, vocally you have to have a lot of operatic chops to get through…”   And a role she hasn’t played but would “kill” for?    Listen to find out. Interviews, Podcasts DC Theatre Scene no no