R.I.P. Shrek the Musical

Ladies and gentlemen, I am sad to report that Shrek the Musical has closed on Broadway... After Seattle previews in September of 2008, the show opened on Broadway in The Broadway Theatre on December 14 of the same year. Generally favorable reviews brought the show over 440 performances before financial issues forced the show to close.

The original cast featured Brian d'Arcy James (Titanic, The Apple Tree, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels) as Shrek, Daniel Breaker (Passing Strange) Sutton Foster (Young Frankenstein, Little Women, Thoroughly Modern Millie) as Princess Fiona, Christopher Sieber (Beauty and the Beast, Chicago, Into the Woods, Spamalot) as Lord Farquaad, and John Tartaglia (Avenue Q, Beauty an the Beast) as Pinocchio, The Magic Mirror, and the Dragon Puppeteer. The ensemble and swings Broadway credits include shows such as Legally Blonde, Cats, Les Miserables, Annie Get Your Gun, Seussical, Annie, Grease, and Alter Boyz. Very few cast changes were made in the run of the show, with two notable replacements being Robb Sapp taking John Tartaglia's place during Tartaglia's leave of absence, and Ben Crawford (original stand-by for Shrek) replacing James as Shrek exactly one year into the show's run.

In June excitement was high for everyone in the show (and me!) when it was announced that the show was nominated for eight Tony Awards, including Best Costume Design, Best Musical, Best Leading Actor (Brian d'Arcy James), Best Leading Actress (Sutton Foster). Out of the eight nominations the show only received the award for Costume Design. A majority of the other awards went to Elton John's show "Billy Elliot" (against which I still have a grudge...)

The Original Cast Recording was released March 24, 2009, featuring (almost) all the songs from the show. "More to the Story" sung by Princess Fiona (Sutton Foster) was a song cut from the show in previews but recorded and released exclusively to iTunes. On October 4, 2009 the hit song "I'm a Believer" was added to the show as a post curtain call number, this song was recorded by most of the original cast and also released on iTunes. Dreamworks has also announced recently that they are planning to release the show on DVD this year. 

So, I want to say farewell to one of my favorite shows ever to grace the Broadway stage. First national tour is set to start this Summer, and I know I'll go see it when it comes to town! In the mean time, I'm going to be listening to the cast album, and singing at the top of my lungs.

2010

It's 2010, a new year! But, of course you already knew that...
Now that I've gotten used to 2009, they have to go and change it! Darn politicians!
Resolution time I guess... First I'd like to go on record by saying that I don't like to make resolutions, they are too easy to break. But 'll give it a shot! Soo...
- I'd like to make a short film, and finish it! Have a few ideas, not sure what I want to try first but I've always wanted to make one.
- I'd like to book a few shows, preferably solo ones, working on a new program specifically for a library Summer program.
-I want to lose 50 pounds, climb Mt. Everest, solve the Tiger Woods issue, and kick my smoking habit. :)
- And I'd like to get a lead in a Broadway musical (this one probably isn't going to happen this year, but I'll just put it out there...)
Looking forward to Seussical rehearsals starting next week, I've memorized all I can, I'm ready to go!

WOW! I can still figure this thing out!

Been forever since I've written on here! But I have a good excuse, I've been very busy. "It's a Wonderful Life" wrapped last weekend, great audiences, great show, terrific week (even in aspects other than the show). During the run of "It's a Wonderful Life" auditions for another show kept us busy(er).

Seussical Jr. at Auburn Area Community Theatre (worked with them last year on Fiddler on the Roof Jr.) was something I've wanted to do for a long time now. I'll give it a shot and maybe I'll get something good.... and I did, well, if you call The Cat in the Hat good (and I do!) Several different personas within the Cat, I get to play several bit roles and have a lot of fun (hopefully) doing it. And I get to sing, and not just sing belt! YES! YES! YES!

Well, that's all for now, and heaven only knows when I'll write again.

Puppet of the Week!

A while back (just over a year, to be exact) New Horizon Community Theatre presented Stephen Sondheim's "Into the Woods Jr". For those who aren't familiar with the show, it is basically a handful of Fairy Tales (Little Red Riding Hood, Cinderella, Jack and the Beanstalk, etc.) combined together in an interesting story about The Baker and his Wife and their quest for items to break a spell. One of the items they need to locate is "a cow as white as milk" and that was me!

It was my job to not only play but design AND build this cow. This was (and still is) this biggest puppet I've ever made, she had moving eye lids, and a hole in the throat so she could eat. I spent the entire duration of the show hunched over with my right hand operating the head, which as you can imagine got quite warm under the stage lights (I even had a fan inside with me but that didn't really help), so at the end of the show I was drenched. But in the end it was probably the funniest role I've played (to date).

I had possibly the simplest costume to get into and would do so when "places" was called, typically I could get in with only one person assisting me I would then make my way to the wings to wait for the lights to go down, where "Cinderella" (Ellie Bird) would give the cow a kiss and the cow would flutter it's eyelids at her. By that point the lights would go down and I would (with a guide) make my way to center stage where I would be at the opening of the show. I stayed in the costume for the entire duration of the show, however I would take my hood off anytime I was off stage.

This costume actually doubled as a second cow after Milky White had "died" (which was the funniest part of the whole show, I've had quite a few people tell me they loved it when I died) to transform into the second cow a bell was placed around the neck and baby powder was sprinkled on the back (to be the flour). The "Witch" (Jessi Bridges) brought the cow back to life she then ordered "The Baker" (Matt Oleson), and "The Baker's Wife" (Lacey Amason) to feed the other objects they collected to the cow which the did. The audience screamed with laughter as "The Baker" shoved "A Slipper as Pure as Gold", "A Cape as Red as Blood", and "Hair as Yellow as Corn" down the cow's throat. I was trying to keep from laughing pretty much the whole time I was on stage in the last to scenes I've mentioned...

So take a look at the pictures and know that inside that cow is a very uncomfortable puppeteer sweating, but enjoying it all! Tune in next week for the next installment, you'll never know what's coming next (but then again, neither do I... )

Beauty and the Beast Jr. videos!

I recently posted two of my songs from Beauty & the Beast jr. on YouTube for the world to enjoy!

-"Be Our Guest" is here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MaIP8Ku5_g0

- is here is "Human Again":

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XI2X10PnMBU

When you see these videos you can tell the fun we ALL had while we were doing this incredible show.

Live @ White Plains!

Last Saturday (Oct. 10) I performed at The White Plains Country Fair in Lafayette, AL. I brought along a few of my puppets (Melvin & Scarlet 'O Fox), tried out a new bit (an audience participation routine "Big Red" see above photo), and tested out some of my new stand-up set. I also performed the song "Cartoons" with my friend Chase Golden.

It was a great time, the audience wasn't quite as big as I was used to, and since it was at the fair there was a lot of background noise, so I couldn't hear the reaction as well as I like, but I got a great response.

I also experienced a stage performance first: when I got my character Scarlet 'O Fox out of her case, introduced her but when she went to speak my voice went out, other ventriloquists will tell you that's not good! I got a drink of water, and the voice still wouldn't come, so I cut the bit short, I don't think the audience knew what happened- but it really bugged me!
You Tube has a video of the new material here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fqwRVU2RmdA

Be Our Guest!

It's been a busy few weeks... the 1-3 of October NHCT's "Beauty & the Beast Jr." performed at the Langdale Auditorium for a record-breaking audiences. Final house count was 1,368 people for the run of the show, incredible! The cast could not have been better, the audience got into the show every night, the songs and choreography were top-notch, all around it was by far my favorite, and the best show I've ever been a part of (no offence to Annie get Your Gun...)

As Lumiere I got to be part of three songs, one ("Be Our Guest") was a huge show stopper, which made my part in the show all the more worth while. All the principle characters (Belle: Bianca Alomar, Beast: Evan Johnson, Cogsworth: Haley Hamer, Babette: Racheal Foster, Madame Bouche: Casey Pruett, Mrs. Potts: Hope Tedescucci) had amazing chemistry among ourselves in our characters, and played with the characters as much as we could.

A great example of this was on our first dress rehearsal when a costume change took too long and Lumiere, Cogsworth, Belle, and the Beast were on stage standing in silence, we didn't have to stay in character (we didn't have an audience) but I just ran with it, by asking Belle why she went for the Beast when there was such a good looking candle in the castle, Babette came in and got angry, and Belle ended up with running away with Gaston! Hilarious stuff, even when you've been backstage in a bulky costume for the last two hours!

The costumes were fantastic (even as uncomfortable as they were) I had possibly the most free of the costumes, I did have "candles" on my hands with small battery operated lights inside (the idea of the wonderful costumes/props master Cherrell Batty) On my head I wore a "powdered wig" with a large candle that appeared to be coming out of my head which strapped under my chin (I was afraid it would fall off if I moved it too much)

It really was the best time I've had in a show, and would love to do it again, and again, and again, and.... oh, you get my point!

The following Monday NHCT held auditions for it's next production "It's a Wonderful Life: A Live Radio Show", I went and won not one, but FOUR roles in the show: "Young George", "Tommy", "Ernie", and "Martini"! Rehearseals are currently goinng on in West Point, and the show will be in December.

Whew, I'm tired just thinking back!