The JCS Review: When it all comes together...

Just today, I received the Stage Magazine review of Jesus Christ Superstar from our opening night!

All in all, it's a good review. The reviewer touches on a number of points, all of them positive. The cast, as I have said previously, is spot on. Everyone is very supportive. There have been very few difficulties and everyone has attended with a positive attitude. I haven't worked with a group of actors like this in some time. It's probably one of my favorite casts, not only because of the material, but because of the people.

And because most of 'em are just plain NUTZ.

I have had the chance to reconnect with an old friend from the early days of my theater career. Joel Watson is playing Pilate to my Herod. Years ago, he was Dr. Einstein to my Jonathan Brewster in a production of Arsenic and Old Lace. That show was one of my first leads and was a blast back then too. He moved for a time to Atlanta due to work, but when we met again at auditions it was as if we had never parted company. Much to the chagrin of the production staff...

Dawn Shepard and Teddy Kogut are both in  JCS as Mary and Peter. I work with them for the first time this past holiday season for the Forbidden Broadway Christmas show we cobbled together at the Barn.

Some of the new people I have met and am proud to be working with include Samantha Moscony and Melissa Fernandez, who play the gender-bent Simon Zealots and Annas, respectively. Those two are both a hot mess... Others include Randy Marcheski and Anthony Vitalo, who are both powerhouse singers covering Jesus and Judas. And Nanci and Rebecca Smith, a mother and daughter who are both seriously fun people. There are others as well in the cast of 24, but I have regrettably been unable to spend any significant time with them.

But it's the cast as a whole which has made this fun. Very little in the way ego has been shown, everyone has been pulling for the best interests of the performance, and every action has been to support those on the stage at that moment. It's truly a rare feat in community theater. And should be celebrated, because it's really nice when all that comes together and is recognized.

I hope that this is the start of some new friendships and look forward to new theater adventures with this crew of crazies, long after JCS has folded.

Until the next audition... I will EXIT, PURSUED BY A BEAR.

Back on the air...!

Greetings!

I have been terribly busy over the past two months... So much so that I have not posted on this blog! Let me try to catch up just a bit.

I have been in rehearsals for Jesus Christ Superstar. The production just opened this past weekend at the Barnstormers Theater in Ridley Park, PA. I was cast as King Herod and have had an absolute BLAST in the role! I must thank several people:

Me as King Herod

First, my fellow actors who are my backup dancers for this hilariously irreverent number. All of you make my job easier and also make me look good. That is no easy feat.

Second to the choreographer, Lori, who understood the limitations of a non-dancer with bad knees and let me run with a few crazy ideas. Your faith and patience were greatly appreciated.

Third to my wife, Melanie, who made the zany idea of a Mardi Gras themed party a reality. The results are both striking and memorable. Your vision MAKES the scene.

I'm also in several other scenes. The directors used me as an anchor for several songs and I was able to offer support to a few of my few actors where it was needed.  I have five different costumes, and nine different changes. Considering that the cast of 24 has an average of three costumes per actor, I think I hold the record for this show!

With Judas: Damned for All Time 

Many other things have happened over the past two months which I will cover in upcoming posts. I have a number of things to share. I am looking to post an update every day for the month of April. And that is no April Fool.

Until the next time... tomorrow... I will... EXIT, PURSUED BY A BEAR.

Jesus Christ, Superstar... let the waiting begin...

Well, I've gone and done it again.

I've auditioned for another musical! My second in four months. With a bit of luck I'll be gracing the boards in late March and early April for a production of JCS. Its a show I am somewhat familiar with, having done it three times previous. And its a nice touchstone for my return to the stage. After spending the last five years either directing or running the technical side of shows, its nice to be able to just ACT.

Again, its a familiar show. How familiar I didn't realize until I went to callbacks.

"Jesus Christ, Superstar": it is such an iconic show, and also one that is frighteningly popular. However, it was interesting how quickly I was able to remember parts of it from almost 10 years ago. The music came back, much like an old friend who I hadn't seen in a long while, yet I easily fell back into a comfortable conversation with, despite having not seen in some time. It was a homecoming of sorts.

The very first time I performed in JCS was actually my final show in college. I was a senior and it was the selection Harrington Theatre Arts Company (HTAC) at UD had picked for it's spring production. I hafta say, it was a blast to perform. One of the biggest shows that was ever attempted. The set was big. (Two weeks of work in a desert canyon made of paper mache) The tech was big. (Try hanging an actor onstage, every night, and doing it SAFELY.) The cast was big. (35+ on a VERY small stage.) I was cast as one of the priests, a Pharisee conspirator who helped to plot the death of this "upstart messiah " from Galilee. We sold out almost every night we performed.

It was such fun! It was one of my first experiences playing a 'dark' character. And it was such a minor, yet inspiring role, I went on to perform several other iconic and dark roles in many shows that followed. Ken De La Maise in "The Musical Comedy Murders of 1940", Jonathan Brewster in "Arsenic and Old Lace", 'Rooster' Hannigan in "Annie",  Spider in "Jekyll/Hyde", Clifford Anderson in "Deathtrap",  The Headless Horseman in "The Legend of Sleepy Hollow".... all of these roles that I have played since have a basis in that first 'dark' role I played in JCS in the waning days of my college career.

That show has a special place in my heart.

The shows that followed, however... well, maybe not so much.

The two following times, I played the very same part, or very close to it. The furthest I was able to move was to portray Annas, the lieutenant of the Head Pharisee, Caiaphas. Sad to say, by the time I got to Annas, I was tired of the 'dark' roles, especially in JCS.  I could sleepwalk through the role. It wasn't FUN. I had a further chance several years back with another local production of JCS, which would have been my fourth. The assistant director was searching for interested men, post-casting, because of drops due to rehearsal conflicts. When I politely asked what roles they were looking to fill, his response was, "...well, we need to cover the priests..."

I almost hung up on him.

I just could not do it. I could not accept the part. I was gracious, but I politely refused.

This time is a little different. I was able to mention to the director of this upcoming production, who happens to be a friend, that I would audition on one condition... to please NOT be cast as Caiaphas, Annas or one of the three 'wise guys/priests/conspirators'. And I was able to offer the reason why when he said, "But you would be great in the role!"

I'm looking for challenges. Any other role would be a challenge. The audition and callback process has, to my best knowledge, followed this request. I might have a shot at either Pilate or Herod.

Either one will be fun. But the wait will be killer. Callbacks were on Thursday. The final call for who has been cast will be on Monday. More on waiting later....

In any event, it's gonna be a LOOOOONG weekend. Until then, I will simply...

EXIT, PURSUED BY A BEAR...