"It is best to act with confidence, no matter how little right you have to it." Lillian Hellman, American playwright (1905-1984) Happy Friday! You may notice with today's blog that it is a new name and a new look! I want to thank all of you who are currently following my blog. I hope you like the new name and look. I'm always interested in getting your feedback.Please forward my blog to at least 5 people today and help me expand my readership. Today, I wanted to present my friends Richard DeFonzo and Christine Pedi. We'll start with Richard DeFonzo!
Richard DeFonzo belts out live as he gives an exciting and fun filled performance as Liza Minnelli in LIZA'S BACK WITH TRUE CONFESSIONS! Funny and vulnerable, Richard bears more than just a resemblance to the legendary Liza. His show, a one-hour cabaret theater piece, gives you a taste of Minnelli at her best or should we say at his best. During the evening, DeFonzo pays tribute to Liza's famous mother and father along with some of the men in her life.
"One of NY's most glamorous entertainers." -- Herald & Post, London
"DeFonzo is the premier Liza impersonator." - HX MAGAZINE The creative team includes Musical director Jeff Buchsbaum, costume creations by Michael Louis, make-up design and photography by Devon Cass. Orchestrations are by Gene Sironen of the Vegas strip, production supervision and publicity by David Fobair. The show includes some of Minnelli's signature songs such as New York New York, Cabaret, Some People, Old Friends and The World Goes Round. Mr. DeFonzo has performed in London, Holland and Brussels.
"Thumbs up! You were wonderful!" - David Gest
In the U.S. he's played The Tropicana Casino and Resort, and prominent New York clubs including Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum, Tavern On The Green, The Plaza Hotel for Eloise and The Waldorf Astoria. In addition, he has also played some of the hot spots in New York such as The Cutting Room, The Triad and The Duplex. He performed for David Gest at his bachelor party and entertained at Bette Midler's Halloween Bash at the Marriot Marquis New York. He was featured in the VH1 special entitled Boys Will Be Girls. Visit http://www.rdasliza.com for more information. "DeFonzo does a rousing job as Judy's Daughter." -Time Out New York
"DeFonzo is the most fetching Liza impersonator." - New York Post
"One of NY's most glamourous entertainers." - Herald & Post, London
"You Were Incredible." - Brian Thomas (Liza's Choreographer)
Richard is also now appearing as Joan Rivers! Richard first discovered Joan River's
when she sat in for Johnny Carson. He loved and connected with her sense of humor, so much that he persuaded his Mother to let him stay up past his bed time to see her when she was on.
Not knowing that many years later he would be on the "red carpet" impersonating her.
Richard recently did the red carpet for Marc Ecko's birthday party and hosted the Gala for the "Stop AIDS" benefit in Cincinnati Ohio as well as the Marriage Equality Oscar Party in NJ. Most recently he was seen working the red carpet in Atlantic City at Trump Taj Mahal. He most recently went "Anchors Away"when he hosted and entertained on the Carnival Legend. He also donates his time to many great causes like raising money for the homeless shelter and soup kitchen in the East Village. At any given time, Richard will bring a splash of fun and humor to any private or corporate event from Fire Island to LA he'll make you'll feel like a STAR at your next event.
"One of NY's most glamorous entertainers." -- Herald & Post, London
Please contact Richard using following info : E- mail rd10025@aol.com or Richarddefonzo@hotmail.com VM 917-667-5782. At the age of eight Richard saw Cabaret for the first time and told his mother that he wanted to meet that lady, never imagining that he actually would one day be a Liza Minnelli female impersonator in New York City strutting his stuff as Liza some years later. He totally identifies with Liza Minnelli and when performing brings her electrifying stage personality to life when belting out such numbers as Cabaret, Some People and the show stopping New York, New York . When interpreting one of Liza's ballads, Richard possesses a sense of vulnerability that we have learned to identify with her legendary magnetic persona.
Richard got his start at West Chester University where he was a double major studying music and theatre. But at the same time he was longing to be in the hustle and bustle of New York and wanted to study with the best. He auditioned at the American Musical And Dramatic Academy. After he graduated he went on to study acting with Zina Jasper for eighteen years. At the same time he worked for many years in Musical Theatre, dramas, TV and Film. Twelve years ago Richard put on his first pair of eye lashes when he took the stage as the Legendary Liza Minnelli. Not long after that he started asking people "Who you wearing?" Since then he has performed to a standing ovation at the 13th Annual Reel Awards at the Roosevelt Hotel in Los Angeles.
He was featured on the VH1 special “Boys Will Be Girls" which played for many weeks. He also did a commercial for A&E when Liza's Biography aired. Richard entertained at Bette Midler's annual Halloween bash, he received great press in several of New York's major papers for his performance at David Gest's bachelor party, and played at The Tropicana Casino and Resort. Additionally he has performed at various hot spots in New York such as Don't Tell Mamas where he did "The Dueling Diva's Show" with Devon Cass(as Cher), "Liza's Back! With A Vengeance" and threw Liza a 60th Birthday party as well. He's also played such places as FEZ, Danny's Skylight Room, The Cutting Room, Therapy, The Triad, The Duplex, Lips, The Supper Club on Broadway, Barracuda, Splash, Webster Hall and Helens.
Our next Liza is a real woman! And truly one of the best, Christine Pedi! Christine's work as a musical theatre singer & comedienne in the off-Broadway satirical revues FORBIDDEN BROADWAY & FORBIDDEN HOLLYWOOD has earned her a Drama Desk nomination, an LA Ovation award & lots of frequent flyer miles (Tokyo, Singapore, Australia & London’s West End.) She spoofs a whole new stable of characters (real and imagined) this season in NEWSical the Musical off-Broadway, and her fun and festive annual holiday show THERE'S NO BIZNESS LIKE SNOW BIZNESS has become a beloved tradition at the Laurie Beechman Theatre. On Broadway she appeared in Eric Bogosian's TALK RADIO starring Liev Schrieber, and LITTLE ME starring Martin Short and Faith Prince. Other credits include FANTASY FOOTBALL at NYMF (NEW YORK MUSICAL THEATRE FESTIVAL) and PROJECT SHAW's presentation of GBS’s ON THE ROCKS at the Players Club. Other stage roles include several A TRAIN PLAYS, THE 24 HOUR PLAYS, Edith Wharton's XINGU, Fanny Brice, Audrey in LITTLE SHOP, DALLIANCE IN VIENNA at the American Theatre of Actors, A BROADWAY DIVA CHRISTMAS and Carlotta the Gypsy Cow (don’t ask.) She is the proud host of THE BROADWAY BREAKFAST on SIRIUS/XM RADIO where she plays the music of the stage & screen and interviews show biz legends (Mon-Fri, 9a-3p ET.) She shares the mic with the “amaaaaahzing” Seth Rudetsky on Saturdays for DUELING DIVAS (9a-3pET.)
NOW I HAVE EVERYTHING: THE LYRICS OF SHELDON HARNICK
This is a master class in musical theatre acting and a heck of an entertaining night out....we get an actress who digs deep into her material to reveal unexpected moments of emotional honestly and empathetic humor ...
-Michael Dale - Broadwayworld.com
She's naturally funny, she's a thoughtful and resourceful actor, and she's got a sturdy belt she can modulate at will... so good that she conjures a world around the songs simply through her actions.Taking a Harnick quote having to do with the "vast and inconceivable affair that is the universe" as her mantra, Pedi made the hour a fast and well-conceived affair.
-David Finkle - Back Stage
Her cabaret show GREAT DAMES (2008 New York NightLife Award, Backstage Bistro Award, MAC nominaton and “Top Ten Memorable Theatre Moments of the Year” on BroadwayWorld.com.) has performed in South Africa (Cape Town, Jo'burg & Durban,) London's Jermyn Street Theatre and all over the U.S. SHOW BUSINESS WEEKLY named her 2007's “Best Female Cabaret Performer.” She’s performed on the NY Cabaret stages of Birdland, The Metropolitan Room, The Beechman & The Algonquin Oakroom, earning a MAC Award award & several nominations, as well as a guest spot on John McD's Cabaret Corner on the Rosie O'Donnell Show.
"I can't imagine any cabaret lover not having an absolutely wonderful time so long as Christine Pedi has a microphone in her hand. ...what makes it work so beautifully is the range of artistry she shows as a song interpreter when the masks are lowered and it's just Christine Pedi up there. It's not the first cabaret show where she's sung "as herself," but her latest stint shows she's truly coming into her own in matters of showing maturity, vulnerability and sex appeal."
-Michael Dale - Broadwayworld.com
Guest appearances include Avery Fisher Hall, the Broadway by the Year series at Town Hall, Sardi's, the Palace Theatre, the Queen Elizabeth 2 & the Queen Mary 2 and the BROADWAY UP CLOSE series at The Kaufman Center. She performed with Marvin Hamlisch & the Indianapolis Symphony as well as many other orchestras throughout the U.S. & Canada, and has sung for President and Mrs. Clinton (playing Hilary Clinton.)
"Christine Pedi's Great Dames at The Metropolitan Room was nothing but moments - every one a winner. If you missed it, you'll have to wait until fall to see her again unless she bows to pressure and provides an encore engagement. A veteran of Forbidden Broadway who co-starred in the revival of Talk Radio, Pedi is a deceptively versatile performer who's equal parts great actress and diva vocalist. Watch for her return soon!
-Next Magazine - David Hurst
SOPRANOS fans may recognize her as the dearly departed Mrs. Bobby Baccala (2 episodes, 4 scenes, 5 lines ... DEAD! But he loved her so much he couldn't defrost her ziti for months.)
Recordings include her soon-to-be-released studio album “Good To Mama,” as well as “GREAT DAMES: Live at the Metropolitan Room,” "Forbidden Broadway 2001: A Spoof Odyssey", "Forbidden Broadway Strikes Back," "Forbidden Hollywood," "Forbidden Broadway: Vol. 3," "Jekyll & Hyde," "Little Me," "Quel Fromage,” and “Broadway Musicals of 1962.”
Christine Pedi is one of New York's favorite performers, an accomplished singer and satirist who has appeared repeatedly in Forbidden Broadway. .... Pedi shifts gears as smoothly as a limo driver, from Garland to Merman to Katie Hepburn; from a saccharine- sweet When You're Good to Mama, to a chillingly vengeful warning to Henry Higgins, Just You Wait.
Thanks for being a loyal reader of my blog! I wanted to give you heads up on big news coming on June 5th.
GO SEE A LIVE SHOW TONIGHT! Become A Facebook friend of mine! Follow me on Twitter If you've seen one of my appearances/shows, add your thoughts to my guestbook at www.RichardSkipper.com
Tomorrow's blog will be about YOU TELL ME!! I'm open to suggestions
Please contribute to the DR. CAROL CHANNING & HARRY KULLIJIAN FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS: http://www.carolchanning.org/foundation.htm TILL TOMORROW...HERE'S TO AN ARTS FILLED SUMMER! Richard Skipper, Richard@RichardSkipper.com
“Never mistake activity for achievement.” ~John Wooden
Boy, have I been busy! A lot has happened since my last blog. As a matter of fact, I am two days late with this blog. I want to begin by writing about three outstanding shows I've seen the last two weeks, a show I did yesterday, and some exciting news I have to report.
As I've written before, I consider myself lucky that I have a wealth of LIVE shows to choose from every day here in NY. I wish I had the ways and means to see more, but I've seen some very impressive shows lately. As most of you know, I have been very involved with promoting The Dr. Carol Channing-Harry Kullijian Foundation For The Arts over the past several years. The goal is that EVERY KID in America be exposed to the arts in our schools. When budget cuts are made, the arts is ALWAYS the first to go. Winston Churchill once said, "If we're not fighting for the arts, what are we fighting for?". I was reminded of this twice this past week. (Pictured: Samantha Rehr as Rosalind in AS YOU LIKE IT at Weston High School)The first was a production of "AS YOU LIKE IT" at Weston High School in Weston, Ct. I know that some of you would rather have bamboo shoots placed under your finger nails than go to a high school to see a high school production of Shakespeare. But trust me, this production was superb! I have been following these kids, most particularly a young actress named Samantha Rehr (remember that name, she's going to be a STAR!), for two years. I first became familiar with this high school when I read on line that they were seeking out costume pieces for a production of "HELLO, DOLLY!" I contacted Helen Story who was in charge of costumes. I explained who I was and that I had a few pieces (including the Dolly headdress) that I would donate to the production. We arranged for me to go to the school to donate the costume pieces and for me to speak to the cast. I had a blast! I spoke about the show itself, Carol Channing, the historical time frame of the show, and the importance of arts in education. I went on to get Samantha and Damion Long, the director, on AT THE RITZ, Jeffrey C. Williams radio show in Connecticut. Patty Gay, from The Connecticut Times, did a fabulous article on me. I said to Patty at the time that if I could return the favor in any way, to let me know. She said she would like to interview Carol Channing. I called Carol and got her the interview! Carol even wrote a nice note to the school for the program. I am happy to report that the show was a SMASH. I LOVED IT! I even had Samantha sing at The Iguana. Debbie, Samantha's mom, has thank God, kept me in the loop. So last Spring, I went to see Samantha as Heddy LaRue in "HOW TO SUCCEED..." Incredible acting and direction from ALL involved. And that brings me to AS YOU LIKE IT which I saw last week. Samantha played Rosalind and again, I was blown out of the water by her performance. Their Spring show next spring is ANYONE CAN WHISTLE. I'm rooting for Samantha to play the Angela Lansbury role. Samantha is now submitting herself to colleges for a great drama education and ALL of us will be better for it. Kudos to all the kids involved both on and off stage and from the support of the community. A classic example of the importance of arts in our schools! This past Friday night, I went to see The Laramie Project at Nyack High School here in Rockland. I had been reading a lot about this particular production because of the impending protest from Phelps' church in Topeka, Kansas. (They didn't protest in the end). Because I had a friend coming in Friday night for dinner, and because I was seeing Liza Minnelli Saturday night (more about that later), and because of my appearance yesterday, The Laramie Project was not on my radar. Then I got a call from my friend Katherine McKenna. Her daughter was appearing in the show and she would love for me to see her. I called my friend that was coming over for dinner (who was now bringing a friend) and asked if they would like to go. I stressed that it was a high school production and that I could not vouch for the quality of the production. Since none of us had ever seen The Laramie Project, we decided to go. We ALL were glad that we went. What a cast! What a show! And boy, did I cry. How important is this show right now with all of the recent reports on teen bullying and gay related hate crimes and suicides. My hat is off to the Nyack Drama Club and Joseph J. Egan for having the courage and conviction to present this very important piece of theatre. The Laramie Project is a play by Moisés Kaufman and members of the Tectonic Theater Project (specifically, Leigh Fondakowski, Stephen Belber, Greg Pierotti, Barbara Pitts, Stephen Wangh, Amanda Gronich, Sara Lambert, John McAdams, Maude Mitchell, Andy Paris, and Kelli Simpkins) about the reaction to the 1998 murder of University of Wyoming gay student Matthew Shepard in Laramie, Wyoming. The students of Nyack High School gave an incredible performance wise beyond their years in The Laramie Project, held at Nyack High School's auditorium Friday and Saturday night.
The play tells the story of Matthew Shepard, a 21-year-old University of Wyoming student who was kidnapped, beaten, robbed, tied to a fence and left for dead in Laramie, Wyoming in 1998. The play consists of over 200 interviews conducted over a nearly two year period by playwright Moises Kaufman and the Tectonic Theater Project, and examines Laramie residents' reactions to being in the hot zone of a political, religious and legislative debate.
The murder of Shepard—a gay man—by Laramie residents Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson sparked shock and outrage nationwide and called for increased hate crime awareness and legislation throughout.
It was the goal of Kaufman and company to portray Laramie as a place not made up solely of hate, and to take some of the stigma associated with others towns marred by tragedy and ripped apart by the media—such as Waco, Texas—and give them a human name and face.
The interviews vary immensely and feature everyone from local Laramie business owners, fellow University of Wyoming students and religious officials in the area to the police officers who investigated the case and those who last saw Shepard alive. One walks away from the show not knowing what to believe and truly in awe of the many sides to the story.
Each character speaks from a distinct point of view from an unseen and often unheard part of the country, and addresses the many distinct, uninformed and harsh perceptions people have toward those who are not like them. The show also put a direct spotlight on the hidden pockets of gay society in small towns, and gave a chilling profile of the accused Aaron McKinney and Russell Henderson.
The play consisted of an ensemble cast of over 100 characters played simultaneously by 19 actors and actresses. Each actor in the production played a multitude of roles, whose interchange from scene to scene, often from minute to minute, went seamlessly. Every one of the talented young men and women on the stage played their characters convincingly, from their accent to their attire.
From its subject matter alone, The Laramie Project transcends criticism. Each player in the Nyack production handled their roles with grace and maturity, giving justice to Shepard the person and victim and giving a gut wrenching, not always sympathetic voice to the people who were left to cope with the tragedy.
"This is a special group of students and a very special performance," said Joseph Spero, principal of Nyack High School, before the curtain went up. "[The audience] was in for a real treat with this play."
Principal Spero also addressed the controversy of a play such as this being performed in a high school setting.
"If we can't do this play here in Nyack, then where can we?" he asked.
The most resonant themes anyone can walk away with—especially after a performance such as this—is pity and regret at the magnitude of hate in some human beings' hearts, and awe that a group of young performers are able to get that message across so successfully. This was surely a remarkable and once in a lifetime performance to see, and while educating its audience and creating awareness, it reminded the gay community and heterosexuals alike that in the march toward equality, there is still much work to be done; it is difficult to see The Laramie Project in 2010 without perceiving it as a chilling prequel to the recent wave of much younger gay men who have committed suicide across the country. If anything, history will see The Laramie Project as an important historical document and tool for social change.
"[In the light of recent events] it's good [with this play] to bring focus back to acceptance and understanding--a focus that comes back to the center of the play," said Joseph Egan, the show's director and scenic designer. "It's good for the community to hear this message come out of the mouths of students, it's good for both their and the communities education."
Like most high school productions of The Laramie Project, this one was no stranger to controversy. Earlier this month, Reverend Fred Phelps--leader of the Westobro Baptist Church of Topeka, Kansas--stated his intentions to arrive with his followers to protest the production. Phelps, who ironically appears briefly as himself in The Laramie Project, has made numerous headlines in recent years for staging protests against homosexuality, among other ethnicities and religions, at various locales including the funeral services for fallen soldiers of the Iraq War.
Fortunately, Phelps' threats of showing up to picket the production never came to fruition, and the show proceeded normally and undisturbed.
"I wasn't disinterested or interested at the thought of the WBC showing up," Egan said. "When I found out that they weren't going to come that was fine. The publicity from [Phelps' threat] brought an audience out who may not have come otherwise, and for that I'm grateful." (SOURCE: Shane Fallon, New City Patch)The Laramie project [Book] by Moïsès Kaufman, Tectonic Theater Project in Books : http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=The+Laramie+Project&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&hl=en&cid=9825798760030118584&ei=bJXqTM3IOoT2wQX0_enTCw&sa=title&ved=0CAoQ8wIwADgA#p
Saturday Afternoon, I took a class at Primary Stages on Viewpoints. The Viewpoints technique was borne of the desire to heighten performance and create a vocabulary to define the way an actor exists in relation to space and time. The workshop was conducted by Kim Weild. Through technical and organic exercises, we examined and specified various elements of performance, in hopes of making me the most vibrant, focused, inquisitive and precise actor I can be. With a group of 12, it was a dynamic and exciting way to spend a Saturday morning. Thank you, Kim Weild AND Primary Stages. I then auditioned for Primary Stages' playwrighting department. Will keep you posted! I left there and went to the Sheet Music Society. I thought it was going to be a celebration of Will Friedwald's new book on Jazz. Somehow, Elliot Ames took the afternoon in a different direction with incredible singers. I had the pleasure of seeing Quinn Lemley, Pamela Luss, Eric Comstock and Barbara Fasano, Seth Weinstein, among others! Great show...but I can't help thinking how Will felt about all this. Left there and joined Michael Broad, Glen Charlow, and my partner, Danny for dinner. Everything was fine till I discovered Danny had forgotten to pick up my costumes for my show yesterday from the dry cleaners. Again, it all worked out in the end. I pulled something from the attic that I had not worn in some time. It worked out fine. After dinner we took the train and the Staten Island Ferry to Staten Island to see the one and only LIZA MINNELLI! Just as we were rushing to the theatre, we ran into Jim Caruso, Liza's co-star and friend, from LIZA'S AT THE PALACE which I also saw. We ran into Matt Berman, Liza's lighting designer. There was a great energy in the house. I thought the roof would blow off when Liza's 6 piece ORCHESTRA started playing NEW YORK, NEW YORK led by the always incredible Billy Stritch. Billy even got a chance to join Liza on I CAN'T GIVE YOU ANYTHING BUT LOVE. Great/ Liza did NOT disappoint. All of the Liza with a Z Pizazz was intact. I have lost track to how many times I have seen Liza perform over the years. I am one of the lucky ones. I have NEVER been disappointed. I was also happy to hear a few selections from her latest cd (also with Billy), CONFESSIONS. Liza, THANK YOU! For more about Liza, please visit the official LIZA MINNELLI website: http://www.officiallizaminnelli.com
Liza Minnelli - Confessions [Audio CD] by Liza Minnelli: http://www.google.com/products/catalog?q=Liza+Minnelli&oe=utf-8&client=firefox-a&hl=en&cid=2947107128607374080&ei=Pp_qTKqOMInWwwXcl4TZCw&sa=title&ved=0CAcQ8wIwADgA#p Yesterday, thanks to my friend , Jean Barlow, I appeared at The Nyack Center with HARMONY ON THE HUDSON's "Harmony Hit Parade" Harmony On the Hudson, Rockland's own close-harmony women's chorus, as part of their annual Fall Concert, "Harmony Hit Parade' under the direction of Bob Harris. In addition to Harmony's songs through the years in barbershop styling, their other special guests included Just4, the award-winning Sweet Adelines female quartet. Such fun! I performed for an audience that crossed ALL demographics and hit a home run! And now, we hurl toward the holidays! Tomorrow night, I am going to a producers networking event at Sardi's. My goal is to add a few more people to team Richard as we move towards my off Broadway run! And then to David Friedman's class after a LONG absence! It's OFFICIAL! I'm opening off-Broadway! Richard Skipper in "CAROL CHANNING" in Concert! My first preview is December 22nd! Mark your calendars now! Tickets go on sale next week! I will write on Thanksgiving Day before I shuffle off to Buffalo to spend Thanksgiving with Danny's family to let you know how tomorrow night went. THE FOLLOWING ARE COMMENTS FROM http://www.richardskipper.com/guestbook.html
Richard, Congratulations on your great success Tuesday night (7/27/10). Your performance was a lovely example of true showmanship - funny, warm and completely Carol! Best, Peter Napolitano
Richard: Just wanted to say that David Star and I thought your performance at St. Luke's last night was just PHENOMENAL! What a joy it was to watch you. Richard, you are just great! Plus it was so wonderful to see your packed house! To quote a performer friend of mine: You are impeccable! Frank Torren, New York, NY
7/28 Last night's show was absolutely fabulous..Carol would have loved it and we certainly did too..one of the very best shows we've seen in a long,long time..and MarTina Vidmar was a perfect opening act.. the two of you worked so well together. BARB & ED KIRK, Donna,TX & Chicago, IL
Richard's class, wit and resourcefulness shines through, whether as "Carol" on stage at St. Luke's or as himself when he interviewed the "real, Carol at Barnes & Nobel last week. Always a joy to encounter Richard. Bart Greenberg, Special Events, BARNES & NOBLE LINCOLN SQUARE NYC
SEE FOR YOURSELF DECEMBER 22nd at ST. LUKE'S THEATRE, 46th Street, NYC
. . . the first time ever I have been shown with such love, respect and polish. Richard Skipper is a true musical comedy star! He is fabulous as me!"~ Carol Channing
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TILL NEXT WEEK...HERE'S TO A MUSICAL WEEK! With grateful XOXOXs for your support! Richard Skipper, Richard@RichardSkipper.com
Happy October 27th! It has been exactly one month since my last blog. A LOT has happened since then! I went to Palm Springs for Carol Channing's induction into the Palm Springs Walk of Fame. I stayed at their home! I left Wednesday Night At The Iguana! Which is KILLING ME...but had to be done! I dealt with our sick dog, Horace! We almost lost him! But he's great now! And like Dolly Levi, I feel like I'm just now rejoining the human race! I cannot believe it has been one month since my last blog! Where did the time go !?!?! This is the 300th day of the year! There are 65 days remaining until the end of the year. It blows my mind to think that in two months, we will have celebrated the holidays again and approaching a new year.
As I do each morning, I get up, start my coffee, and sit down to read my e-mails. I get google alerts on various topics: Carol Channing, Jerry Herman, HELLO, DOLLY!, Liza Minnelli, Provincetown, and ME! This keeps me in the loop when anything is in the news about any of these subjects. Because of a google alert about Provincetown, my first e-mail this morning was about Jimmie James (pictured here). It made me think about the first time I saw him perform. It was on my first vacation to Provincetown in August 1989. I arrived in Provincetown in the middle of Carnival to spend a few days with someone I was seeing at the time. Getting off the bus on Commercial Street, passing Cafe Blase on my way to The Crown and Anchor (where we were staying) as the sun was setting, made me instantly fall in love with P-town. There was an excitement in the air that is not there anymore. Don't get me wrong, I STILL love Provincetown. But somehow something is missing. I really felt that tug when I was there last month after 8 years. Getting back to that first trip, I went to see a different show each night. They ALL were great. But the one that stands out was Jimmy James as Marilyn Monroe. To this day, it is the gold standard with which I aspire to. Two things happened as I watched Jimmy: I knew that I wanted to do what he was doing AND I wanted to perform my show in Provincetown! That relationship that I was in in 89 did not work out (he has since passed on). A year later, I met Danny (we have been together going on 21 years!). We met in 90, in '91 we went on vacation in Provincetown. Getting up at an open mic, I met Steve Heath. We began a collaboration (with me as Judy Garland!). I performed for several years in Provincetown at The Ocean's Inn (which is no longer there). The owner, Mark Cross, recently passed away. I ended up going to Provincetown several years later (this time as Carol Channing)as a headliner for CabaretFest. As a result of that show, I got a run at The Crown and Anchor! Be careful what you wish for! That was 8 years ago. I was back last month, this time at The Madera Room/Vixen at The Pilgrim House. As I wrote in a previous blog, it was different. I guess you can't go home again. But that memory of Jimmy James will always stay with me and I dedicate this blog to him. If he is performing anywhere, GO SEE HIM! Check out his website at: http://www.jimmyjames.com.
LOVE YOU, JIMMY!
GOOD NEWS! Florida's ban on adoption by gays comes to end The only law in the United States prohibiting gays from adopting effectively came to an end Friday with Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum announcing his decision not to go to court to maintain the state’s 33-year-old ban. The issue played out in Florida courts in the name of Frank Martin Gill, a North Miami man seeking to adopt two brothers, now 6 and 10, that Gill and his partner had been raising for nearly six years as foster children. Florida had allowed gays to serve as foster parents but not to take the ultimate step of adoption. "I know that gays and lesbians can be good parents," Gill, 49, said Friday afternoon. "I really was just doing what was best for my kids ... but as of today, there is no state that has a categorical ban on gays adopting. Florida was the only blanket ban and now it’s gone. I’m hoping there’s no going back. Earlier this month, the Florida Department of Children & Families opted not to ask the state Supreme Court to rule on a loweourt decision allowing Gill to adopt the boys who came to him when they were 4 months old and 4 years old A Miami appellate court had ruled the law unconstitutional, relying on experts who said "gay people and heterosexuals make equally good parents," Judge Gerald Cope wrote for the three-judge appellate panel in a 28-page decision. The Florida law, which branded gays as unfit parents, was based on "junk science" that is being disproved nationwide, said Howard Simon, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Florida, which fought the ban over 18 years and five lawsuits. "The finality that we have today is an important part of bringing down this edifice of inequality," Simon said. Leslie Cooper, an ACLU attorney who argued the case on Gill’s behalf before the appellate court, said: "This victory means that the thousands of children in Florida who are waiting to be adopted will no longer be needlessly deprived of willing and able parents who can give them love and support of a family."
(Carol Channing speak to CSU costume designers) A DAY IN THE LIFE OF CAROL CHANNING
While individuals half her age are barely surviving the rigors of 9 to 5, musical comedy legend and icon, Ms. Carol Channing (along with husband, Harry Kullijian) starts her day on Oct 23rd with a 6:00am flight from Palm Springs , CA, to appear at a Barnes & Noble to speak and sign copies of her new CD entitled “For Heaven Sake” in Fort Collins, CO, followed by department tours and a sold out master class before the students and facility of Colorado State University (CSU) and wrapping her evening by hosting an exhibit unveiling dedicated to the fashions and life of her dear friend, the late Mr. Blackwell. Denver Post Theatre Critic, John Moore caught up with Ms. Channing backstage for his podcast (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IlzzpJHOHzA) and All About Fashion highlights Carol Channing taking Center Stage (http://ispey.com/fashion/2010/10/25/carol-channing-takes-center-stage-at-colorado-state-university).
While touring the facility she remarked, “The students here are so wonderful. They ask such interesting questions and seem so eager to learn. They are alive with a desire to absorb information,” and added, with regard to her dear friend, Mr. Blackwell, “it was an exciting and career confirming honor to be put on Mr. Blackwell's list in 1964. You knew you hadn't truly made it when you appear on “The List.” David Merrick would say sales were climbing anyway, but I think that Blackwell's remarks caused the public to buy DOLLY tickets to see the fashion fiasco he was talking about.” (Walt Jones conducts interview) Ms Channing's number one goal is to get the arts securely put back in the public school system. “The arts teach kids confidence, teamwork and communication skills, and you just know that the student who communicates best and relates well with others, will wind up getting those jobs in the fields of math and science.” When asked about politicians who want to eliminate Arts programs in schools, she remarks “It will be like the fall of the Roman Empire all over again. History will repeat itself.” adding, “President Obama said 'The future belongs to young people with an education and the imagination to create.” (Carol Channing addresses the audience) First Lady Michelle Obama adds "Learning through the arts reinforces critical academic skills in reading, language arts and math and provides students with the skills to creatively solve problems." And even US Education Secretary, Arnie Duncan, adds "It's important to me that we give our students a reason to be excited to come to school everyday. The only way that happens is if children have the exposure to a broad range of activities, and music is a huge, huge piece of that. What worries me the most is that children who often need the most access often have the least."
For more information on how to help, visit ChanningArts.org -- Photo Credits: CSU Photography Services (SOURCE: HARLAN BOLL)
On November 29th, Broadway Speaks OUT! will host it's 2nd Annual A Very MARY Holiday event in New York City at Dixon Place (www.dixonplace.org).
This event will benefit the Ali Forney Center (www.aliforneycenter.org) and we will be honoring Actress Judith Light.
To put on a gala of this magnitude, they are asking for additional "Producers" to help sponsor the event. All money raised will go into venue costs ($1000) and production costs (Ranging between 3k and 4k). The names of each person who donates will be placed in their programs and be verbally named in their sponsor section of their show, if you so choose.
Proceeds will NOT be used for anything other than the cost of the venue, and production costs which include purchasing of the actual award for Mrs. Light, a small elevated stage, step-and-repeat, and any additional technical aspects required to put on the gala this year.
Here are a list of A Very MARY Holiday's speakers and performers: Anthony Rapp, Rent Sandra Bernhard Jack Mackenroth, Project Runway (pictured)
Kate Shindle, Legally Blonde Matt Doyle, Spring Awakening; Bye Bye Birdie John Arthur Greene, West Side Story Matt Shingledecker, West Side Story Tracy McDowell, Rent Annie Golden, The Full Monty; Xanadu Michelle Dowdy, Hairspray Krystina Alabado, Spring Awakening Malan Breton, Project Runway Billy Bell and Ariana Debose, FOX's So You Think You Can Dance Scott Alan, Composer Scott Nevins The New York Voices Kate Pazakis Megan Reinking Alex Ellis Taylor Mac Marcus Simione
With special messages from Broadway divas, Alice Ripley (Next To Normal) and Orfeh (Legally Blonde)
Project location: New York, NY
AND HIGHLY RECOMMENDED THIS WEEK: Review: The songs of Marlene Dietrich in Montgomery
By MARCUS KALIPOLITES For the Times Herald-Record
MONTGOMERY — Marlene Dietrich, one of the most enduring and endearing screen and stage performers of the 20th century, was paid homage by opera singer Janice Hall in a special addition to the Grand Montgomery Chamber Music and Theatre Series on Sunday afternoon.
In the cabaret format that the icon herself used late in her career, Hall presented some of Dietrich's most memorable favorites, including "Falling in Love Again." But while this signature song brought the entertaining program to a warm close, Hall also included the breakthrough song that brought international fame and stardom to Dietrich. It was in 1928 at the age of 26 that Dietrich used "You're the Cream in My Coffee" to audition for, and win, a career-changing role in the German movie "The Blue Angel."
Beckoned to Hollywood, she went on to make screen history, followed by a stage career of cabaret shows from the 1950s to the '70s. She died a recluse in Paris in 1992.
Now, since there could only be one sultry and sexy Marlene Dietrich, Hall made no attempt to imitate her style in either body-clinging garments, seductive looks or German accent. And even as she recalled episodes of the star's life, she chose to relate them all in the third person.
Character acting aside, Hall brought to her performance the professional voice of an opera star born out of leading roles here and in Germany. Though Hall is listed as a soprano, many of her songs were actually delivered in Dietrich's own contralto range.
Especially intimate in delivery was "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face," the musing ballad accompanied only by the pizzicato strokes of Ritt Henn on the acoustic bass. As in a duet of voices, Hall and Henn counterpointed their respective lines with feeling, and with a touch of longing to close out the warm song, the voice alone faded to nothing.
Equally moving was "Where Have All the Soldiers Gone?," a wartime song that Hall sang both in German and in English. Adding drama to the performance was the punctuated piano playing of Paul Trueblood. Here, as in the entire concert, accompanists Trueblood and Henn were mood-perfect.
In a wholly different style, "I Can't Give You Anything but Love" began with a pizzicato bass background in slow tempo as Hall softly emoted, before the whole mood changed to double time, jazzy figures on the piano and a burst of enthusiasm by the vocalist.
Following their well-attended premiere performance at the Montgomery Senior Center, Hall, Trueblood and Henn continue their tribute in cabaret with several performances next month at Manhattan's Metropolitan Room.
THE FOLLOWING ARE RECENT COMMENTS FROM http://www.richardskipper.com/guestbook.html
It was great to see you again - this time in Provincetown. What a wonderful show!! Sam Sagenkahn, New York, NY
Enjoyed Richard Skipper's performances in Malibu; both as himself and as Carol Channing !!! (the Most Amazingly Accurate Characterization in the world !!!) keep on keepin' on ...David Dean, Phoenix, AZ
On Tuesday nite (7/27/10), I saw something at St Luke's theater I am still thinking about today. I saw Richard Skipper transform himself into one of the Grand Dames of American Theater, Ms. Carol Channing. From the moment he stepped on the stage, I BELIEVED I was watching Ms. Channing. This wasn't your typical tribute show. This was a show that was put together with love and respect and it showed. I learned more about Carol Channing from this show than I ever knew! This show was about music and life. The life of Carol Channing and all of the wonderful music she brought to the world and put her signature on. Who could imagine the role of Dolly Levi or Lorelei Lee with anyone besides Carol Channing...maybe Richard Skipper! Richard gives performers something to aspire to. He gives audiences something to enjoy. He gives the world the gift of Carol Channing with a touch of Richard Skipper thrown in for good measure. Thank you.
Fran Giannini Leonardis, Ringwood, NJ
. . . the first time ever I have been shown with such love, respect and polish. Richard Skipper is a true musical comedy star! He is fabulous as me!"~ Carol Channing
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TILL NEXT WEEK...HERE'S TO A MUSICAL OCTOBER!
With grateful XOXOXs for your support! Richard Skipper, Richard@RichardSkipper.com
"Give me 6 hours to chop down a tree, & I will spend the 1st four sharpening my axe." -Abraham Lincoln (stay inspired)
Liza Minnelli to Perform at St. George Theatre in November (SOURCE:Andy Propst)
Liza Minnelli will offer a one-night only performance of Liza Minnelli in Concert at the St. George Theatre on November 20. In the concert, Minnelli will offer a selection of American standards, accompanied by her quartet. Minnelli's most recent Broadway show, Liza's at the Palace, won a 2009 Tony for Best Special Theatrical Event, and Minnelli has also won Tony Awards for Best Actress in a Musical for Flora the Red Menace and The Act.
She also won a special Tony Award in 1974 "for adding lustre to the Broadway season." She was Tony- nominated for The Rink and additional Broadway credits include Victor/Victoria and Chicago. She won the Academy Award for Cabaret and the Emmy Award for Liza With a "Z".
For further information, visit: www.stgeorgetheatre.com.
Liza Minnelli Cancels Toronto Concert (SOURCE: Adam Hetrick, PLAYBILL.COM)
Liza Minnelli has canceled her Oct. 21 concert at Toronto's Sony Centre due to scheduling conflicts. Minnelli, who will be performing her latest show from Chicago to Tucson in the coming year, has not announced plans to reschedule the Toronto engagement. The Sony Centre is currently contacting ticket holders for the cancelled date. She presented a tribute to her late father Minnelli on Minnelli at the Palace, and has appeared in the films "The Sterile Cuckoo," "Arthur," "New York, New York" and "Stepping Out."
She was most recently seen on Broadway in her Tony-winning show Liza's at the Palace.
PLAYBILL.COM EXCLUSIVE: Cabaret Convention Sets Fall Dates; Elaine Stritch to Host Noel Coward Evening (SOURCE:Andrew Gans)
The 21st Annual New York Cabaret Convention, which salutes the best in Manhattan cabaret, will be held Oct. 7-9 at Jazz at Lincoln Center. The Friday, Oct. 8 performance will celebrate the songs of the late Noel Coward. Tony and Emmy winner Elaine Stritch, who appeared on Broadway in Coward's Sail Away, will host the evening, which is titled If Love Were All: Celebrating the Timeless Words and Music of Noel Coward.
The evening will also include the presentation of the first Noel Coward Cabaret Award: A grant of $5,000 will be given to the cabaret performer chosen to receive the award, which is funded by the Noel Coward Foundation and administered by the Mabel Mercer Foundation.
Details about the other two cabaret evenings will be announced at a later date. Elaine Stritch received Tony and Emmy Awards for Elaine Stritch at Liberty, which traces a stellar career that boasts roles in Company, The Little Foxes, Bus Stop, A Delicate Balance, Sail Away and Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
For more information about the upcoming convention, visit www.mabelmercer.org or call (212) 980-3026.
Produced by the Mabel Mercer Foundation, the first annual Cabaret Convention was mounted in 1989. Donald F. Smith is executive director of the Foundation, which is the "first to perpetuate the American popular song through the art of cabaret." White's Lies May Become a Sitcom
(SOURCE: Andrew Gans, PLAYBILL.COM) Although reviews for the new Ben Andron comedy White's Lies at Off-Broadway's New World Stages were mixed, the author is currently in negotiations to turn his new play into a situation comedy.
In a statement White's Lies producer Aaron Grant said, "I can't get into specifics for obvious reasons. "But it's not surprising, especially since so many people likened the play to a sitcom, our audiences rarely stop laughing and the cast list reads like a who's who of television talent and history."
Bob Cline directs a cast that boasts Tony winner Betty Buckley, Tuc Watkins, Peter Scolari, Christy Carlson Romano, Rena Strober, Andrea Grano and Jimmy Ray Bennett. "He's a divorce lawyer, representing one of his many ex-girlfriends and above all else, he's a bachelor who wouldn't have it any other way. So when his mother desperately wants him to start a family, he'll do the next best thing: make one up! What could go wrong?"
The production features set design by Robert Andrew Kovach, lighting design by Solomon Weisbard, costume design by Michael Bevins, sound design by Nathan Leigh and video design by Ron Eyal. Producers are Grant, Jeremy Handelman, Jana Robbins, Jeff Davis, Alan Laytner, Craig Haffner & Karl E. Held with Sneaky Pete Productions.
New World Stages is located in Manhattan at 340 West 50th Street. For tickets, priced $60 and $75, call (212) 239-6200 or visit www.whitesliesonstage.com.
Just days ago, a Boston third-grader's admission to a Catholic school was rescinded – solely because his parents are lesbians. But here's the worst part – this is no isolated incident. Just a few months ago, a Catholic elementary school in Colorado expelled two preschoolers (that's right, preschoolers) for the same reason.
And these are just some of the cases we know about. Has the Church hierarchy apologized? No. Have they come out and said it was wrong to target the children of LGBT families? No. Have they said that they won't discriminate against LGBT families in the future? Not one bit. Now, we understand that our constitution protects the right of religious institutions to make decisions that may be inconsistent with state nondiscrimination laws. But that doesn't make it right. The Golden Rule – do unto others as you would have them do unto you – should apply to us all. Will you help us take a stand against the Catholic Church hierarchy's deeply hurtful rejection and exclusion of those children's parents?
Please, send a letter to Cardinal Francis George, president of the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, urging him to not make this a nationwide trend and to end these hurtful practices targeting LGBT parents and their kids. For five years, HRC's Religion and Faith Program has worked with faith communities across the country to create a culture of acceptance for their LGBT members. By engaging religious leaders in difficult, yet faithful, conversations about LGBT equality, we've seen that transformation is possible, one congregation and one community at a time.
Please, send your letter today. Thank you for taking the time to fight this terrible injustice. Sincerely,
Harry Knox Director, Religion and Faith Program
Crane's Madoff Memories Make Off With Cabaret Cashout
(SOURCE: Andrew Martin, NITELIFE EXCHANGE) CynthiaBy now, so much has been said about cabaret legend (and 2010 MAC Award nominee) Cynthia Crane, that it's almost impossible to think of where to begin. But with the most recent performances of her show John Denver, Bernie Madoff, and Me at Don't Tell Mama, those who were already fans find themselves once again sailing along on the beautifully moonlit bay of her talents as a vocalist and communicator. And those who were previously unfamiliar have, as always, gotten a firm shot to the brain to let them know that this is a cabaret artist who, now and for always, will remain at the top of her game. A most unfortunate victim of Bernie Madoff's Ponzi scheme, in which she and family were taken for a great deal of money, Crane has taken the lemons handed her by life and turned them the sweetest pitcher of lemonade in town on any cabaret stage, before or since.
Crane is home before she begins when, aided by musical director Mark Janas at the piano and Bobby Kneeland's exquisite technical direction, she opens with the Duke Ellington/Marshall Barer composition "Spider & The Fly," which is still as marvelous as when she recorded it for her first CD, The Secret Life Of A WASP. Her medley of such songs as Joni Mitchell's "Big Yellow Taxi" and "Who's Sorry Now?" is as delectable as chocolate mousse, and her poignancy on Rodgers & Hammerstein's "How Can Love Survive" is as potent as a trip to Utopia and back. She also touches beautifully on love and marriage, as with "I'm Your Girl," sung as a love letter to husband Ted Story (who also directed the show, and gorgeously at that, to say the very least). By the time she gets around to "Pleurer des Rivieres" (a rendering of "Cry Me A River" en Francais), the audience is virtually weeping. And the little-heard Broadway gem "No, I Don't Think I'll End It All Today" (from Jamaica, written by Harold Arlen and Yip Harburg) may possibly be even more heartfelt than when Jeff Harnar premiered it in his Algonquin show, The 1959 Broadway Songbook, some years ago. Special mention must be made herein for guitarist Sean Harkness, in particular for his work on Billy Strayhorn's "Lush Life" besides a thoroughly-solid job throughout. Cynthia Crane, and the show, both serve as true testament that the cream always rises. Because, this time around, ladies and gentlemen, she is the cream of the crop and the top of the heap. Please take note if you hear she might be performing the show again somewhere soon.
Steinway Society Welcomes Board Members Clint Eastwood, Carol Channing
(SOURCE: John Hussar/PRNewsWorks)
The Steinway Society of Riverside County and the Coachella Valley has announced that actor-director Clint Eastwood, wife Dina and legendary entertainer Carol Channing have joined Advisory Board.
"We are so excited to have The Eastwoods and Channing on our advisory board because they are so dedicated to our mission to provide music to our children," said Ruth Moir, Steinway Society president and founder.
Attending the recent Sixth Annual Festival Winners Concert, Channing said, "I'll never forget this afternoon and the young performers' individual expressions of the most wonderful force in the world - music!"
Other distinguished members of the 13-member Advisory Board include Broadway songwriter Jerry Herman, actress Florence Henderson, conductor Carlo Ponti Jr. and pianist Bill Marx. The honorary chairman is the great entertainer Roger Williams.
In another exciting announcement, Moir said that The Steinway Society has received a $7,500 grant for their "Classics Concerts in Schools Program" from The Community Foundation serving Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
The Steinway Society of Riverside County, a non-profit 501 (c) 3 organization, is the premier music educational provider and serves more than 9,000 children annually.
For more information about becoming a proud sponsor of The Steinway Society of Riverside County, please call (760) 341-4130 or visit online at www.SteinwayRiverside.org
The Steinway Society of Riverside County, a non-profit 501(c)(3) organization, is the premier music education provider in Riverside County and the Coachella Valley and serves more than 9,000 children annually. The Classics Concerts in Schools Program showcases live, concert-level classical and jazz performances. The Piano Labs Program provides piano classes during daytime and after-school programs. The Outreach Program gives private piano lessons and provides pianos at home to deserving children with a financial need. The Docent Program teaches music appreciation classes at elementary schools. The Steinway Society of Riverside County, based in Palm Desert, Calif.. sponsors an Annual Festival Competition & Winners Concert. This exceptional competition features world-class judges, master classes, study awards and performance opportunities for piano students ages 7-18 from Riverside and San Bernardino Counties.
Now That You Mention It, Rock Hudson Did Seem Gay (EDITORIAL NOTE: THE VIEWS EXPRESSED IN THIS ARTICLE AREN'T NECESSARILY MY OWN, RS)
This is a sentence I never thought I would type: I'm coming to the defense of a theatre critic.
Newsweek's Ramin Setoodeh wrote an article last week titled "Straight Jacket" in which he argues that gay actors can't and shouldn't play straight characters. His "Exhibit A" in the piece is Sean Hayes, the stunningly gifted actor who came to our attention playing Jack MacFarland on the much beloved NBC half-hour comedy Will and Grace. (This was back when NBC broadcast television shows.) Mr. Hayes just opened in the Broadway revival of Promises, Promises, a 1968 musical by Neil Simon, Burt Bacharach and Hal David that was based on The Apartment, the Academy Award-winning film by Billy Wilder and I.A.L. (Izzy) Diamond that starred Jack Lemmon and Shirley MacLaine. Are you following so far?
It doesn't really matter, because all you need to know is that Sean Hayes plays C.C. Baxter in this great show, and that C.C. Baxter is a man who is attracted to women. Ramin Setoodeh, unlike the overwhelming majority of the people in the audience at the two preview performances I attended, was unhappy with Sean Hayes' performance. This reaction was not due to Mr. Hayes' acting, singing, dancing, comedy, unique charm and exceptional rapport with the audience.
Mr. Setoodeh's problem with the star's performance was that in real life, Mr. Hayes is gay. And as if the studio had given the screenwriter a note that the story had to be spicier, Mr. Setoodeh is gay as well. Much is being made of the Newsweek piece. Much should be. I'm proud to say that my friend, Kristin Chenoweth, who stars opposite Mr. Hayes in the show (and about whose performance I can't possibly be objective -- she's sensational and we'll leave it at that) led the charge -- posting an online rebuttal to Mr. Setoodeh in which she called him homophobic. For an actress who makes her living and her reputation on Broadway, throwing down with a prominent theatre critic isn't something you do as a career move. In her response to Setoodeh, Ms. Chenoweth made good point after good point after good point... ...and missed the point.
So did Setoodeh. First things first. An actor, no matter which sex they're attracted to, can't "play" gay or "play" straight. Gay and straight aren't actable things. You can act effeminate and you can act macho (though macho usually ends up reading as gay), but an actor can't play gay or straight anymore than they can play Catholic.
The most disturbing thing to me about this episode is that the theater critic for Newsweekdidn't know that. Of COURSE gay actors can play straight characters -- it's impossible to believe that Mr. Setoodeh would prefer if Ian McKellen would stop doing King Lear.
But with sincere respect to Ms. Chenoweth and the hundreds and hundreds of Internet posters who've crashed down on Setoodeh in the last few days -- some understandably passionate and some unfortunately hostile -- I don't think Setoodeh was being homophobic. Just wrong.
The problem doesn't have anything to do with sexual preference. The problem has everything to do with the fact that we know too much about each other and we care too much about what we know. In one short decade we have been reconditioned to be entertained by the most private areas of other people's lives. We've become the family dog who's allowed to eat anything that falls on the floor, and the press is the little kid in the family who keeps dropping food.
Sandy Bullock's life falls apart? That's for us. A golfer gets caught with strippers? We'll take that, thank you. Lindsay Lohan's an alcoholic? Mmm, mmm good! When Jennifer Aniston plays a movie character who's looking for love, her performance -- always sublime -- doesn't stand a chance against the real story we've been told it's okay to pay attention to, which is that Jennifer Aniston is looking for love. I can't hum a single John Mayer song but I can name five women he's slept with. Sean, for Setoodeh, the show began before you even showed up to the theater that night. The volcanic eruption of tabloids, Internet insanity and -- you better believe it -- reality TV, has made the private lives of public people -- in the vocabulary of television writers -- the "A" story. And in a not-so-convoluted way, the "A" story has an author -- thousands of authors in an extraordinary collaboration. When I need the audience to know that a piece of information they're about to hear is important, I can use words, a close-up, a push-in, music... when the authors of the no-longer-private-lives "A" story want the audience to know that something's important, it shows up on our Yahoo homepage. (The third story on my homepage yesterday was that Britain, our closest ally, has a new Prime Minister. The first story was about Justin Bieber. Unless the new Prime Minister is Justin Bieber, something's obviously gone wrong.) Is Sean Hayes' sexuality relevant to his performance? It has to be -- the "authors" told us it was important. (Though Setoodeh would have done well to have asked himself if Mr. Hayes' performance would have been any different if C.C. Baxter was in love with a man instead of Ms. Chenoweth's Fran Kubelik. It wouldn't have been.)
I would never presume to -- and those words are almost always followed by whoever said them proceeding to do exactly what they just said they would never presume to do -- but I would never presume to tell someone how they should feel about something. I can only imagine that Setoodeh's piece felt like a solid kidney punch, not to just Mr. Hayes and the other actors tagged in the story, but to teenagers -- kids who live in daily fear of what their parents are going to say, of getting the hell beaten out of them at school, of being an oddity. Gay actors, you'll forgive the expression, are caught between a rock and a hard place. Only criminals and adulterers should have to hide who they are. And in addition to living their own lives in sun and not shadow, these actors want to -- admirably -- be role models for these kids. But they also know the blanker their canvas the better their chance of marginalizing the "A" story. They know that even in 2010, there's still no such thing as an actor who's gay, a movie star and alive all at the same time.
So while I would never presume to tell someone how to feel, if it were me, I would re-direct my energy away from Mr. Setoodeh. (Ryan Murphy-- the very gifted creator of Glee whose cast member, the invaluable Jonathan Groff, was also smacked in the teeth by Setoodeh-- has called for a boycott of Newsweek. I get it completely, but I say please don't boycott Newsweek -- it's still one of the very last places left where we can find news. Boycott the red carpet instead. You're going to win the Emmy, Ryan, and you're going to get the whole publicity bump that comes with it. You and your cast should proudly walk past every microphone that's shoved in your faces. The people holding the microphones are writing the "A" story and you don't have script approval. Boycott In Touch and Us Weekly and Brangelina Daily and every other piece of crap that makes us feel like we're all sitting under hairdryers.)
Gay actors are in absolutely no danger of losing parts in Broadway shows, so if it were me, I'd re-direct my anger to the real problem. The honest-to-God, no kidding around, small-minded, mean-spirited, hysterically frightened, pig-ignorant bigots who don't think homosexuals are fit to get married, adopt children or fight and die for their country. The ones who hold signs saying "God Hates Fags." Those people aren't in the backwoods of Idaho, they're in Congress. Fight THEM. I'll help.
And you know who else will help? Ramin Setoodeh. I promise you he's on the side of the good guys.
I'LL RELAX WHEN I'M DEAD. A reluctantly prolific cabaret. Music & lyrics by: Seth Bisen-Hersh.
Sat, 5/15 at 5:30; Sun, 5/16 at 7:15; Mon, 5/17 at 9:15
With: Elyse Beyer, Allison Linker, Gordon Maniskas, Ryan Neller, Jace Nichols, Rori Nogee, Mary Orzano & Brian Shaw
Directed by Laura Pestronk
$12 Cover/ 2 Drink Minimum (Cash Only) Don't Tell Mama, 343 W. 46th St. Call for reservations after 4: 212-757-0788 or online at donttellmamanyc.com
Seth Bisen-Hersh, composer of six cabarets including "Neurotic Tendencies," "Why Am I Not Famous Yet?" and "Writer's Block" returns to Don't Tell Mama this May to premiere his 7th cabaret: "I'll Relax When I'm Dead." With direction by Laura Pestronk and co-starring Elyse Beyer, Allison Linker, Gordon Maniskas, Ryan Neller, Jace Nichols, Rori Nogee, Mary Orzano & Brian Shaw, "I'll Relax When I'm Dead" features 10 new songs as well as 2 mini-musicals developed at The Small Pond Musical Theatre Writing Lab last fall.
"My New Computer" (book by Zachary Drummer) explores the exciting and exhilarating journey switching from PC to Mac.
"What If...?" (book and co-lyrics by Michael DiGaetano) follows the loves and lives of 4 New Yorkers at a crossroads. The ten new songs include both comedy numbers and tearjerkers: "Um, Yeah..." about an awkward okcupid first date, "Can You Believe I Was Ever Sad We Broke Up?", "To My Grandparents" and "The Wedding Song" which was dedicated to and performed at Bisen-Hersh's best friend's wedding last summer.
For more info, please visit: http://www.sethbh.com/relax .
Well, Hello, Cady!: Tony Winner Huffman to Star in Summer Dolly!
(SOURCE: Andrew Gans, PLAYBILL.COM)
Cady Huffman, who won a Tony Award for her performance as Ulla in The Producers, will star in Theatre By The Sea's upcoming production of the Tony-winning Jerry Herman musical Hello, Dolly!
Directed and choreographed by Kevin Hill, performances are scheduled to begin at the Rhode Island venue June 23. The creative team will also include musical director Bob Bray, lighting designer Aaron Meadow, set designer Kimberly Cox, costume designer Lou Bird and sound designer Ryan P. McGinty.
Opening night is June 25; performances will continue through July 11.
Hello, Dolly!, suggested by Thornton Wilder's The Matchmaker, features a score by Jerry Herman and a book by Michael Stewart. Directed and choreographed by Gower Champion, the original production opened in January 1964 at the St. James Theatre, playing 2,844 performances before closing Dec. 27, 1970. The original cast featured Carol Channing, Eileen Brennan, David Burns, Jerry Dodge, Alice Playten, Charles Nelson Reilly and Ken Ayers. The musical won ten Tony Awards, including Best Musical and Best Actress in a Musical (Channing).
(THIS CLIP CAME FROM YOU TUBE; I DID NOT TAKE IT) Cady Huffman received Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle awards for her performance in The Producers. She has also appeared on Broadway in The Will Rogers Follies, Steel Pier, Big Deal, La Cage aux Folles and Dame Edna: The Royal Tour and Off-Broadway in Surface to Air. Huffman has been seen on screen in "Curb Your Enthusiasm," "One Life to Live," "Sunday on the Rocks," "Hero," "Space Marines," "Itty Bitty Titty Committee" and "Romance & Cigarettes."
The theatre is located at 364 Cards Pond Road, Matunuck, RI. Tickets are $35 for preview performances and $39-$49 for all other performances. Discount rates for groups of 20 or more are available by calling (401) 782-3800, ext. 18. For more information visit www.theatrebythesea.com.
Scott Nevins, the "hilarious hottie" from truTV's hit show "The Smoking Gun Presents" brings his critically acclaimed one man comedy show to Key West for one night only!
Tickets are only $15
760-322-3554
www.bourbonlivekw.com
Support THE ARTS! LIVE THEATRE! Go see a show this week!
Send me your reviews and suggestions and I will put them in my next blog coming out May 15th Here's to an ARTS-filled week! Don't forget to contribute to the DR. CAROL CHANNING & HARRY KULLIJIAN FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS:http://www.carolchanning.org/Foundation.htm
With grateful XOXOXs for your support!
Richard Skipper
Follow me on Twitter @RichardSkipper HERE IS WHAT AUDIENCES ARE SAYING ABOUT MY WORK:
Sandee and I love Richard and Dana, We always have a good time at Iguana. The food is good and reasonable. Richard and Dana are the best host and Hostess in town. The talent is top notch, the jokes can make you laugh, and one can get home at a decent hour... Michael Janin, Long Beach New York
Every time I go to the Iguana it just gets better! It's always a fabulous night of amazing entertainment, and such a warm and supportive community that gathers there. Thank you for inviting me to sing! You can bet I'll be back soon. Catt John, http://www.cattjohn.com
Richard, Another evening of non-stop talent and non-stop fun. You and Dana were dripping with charm, humor and pizazz as usual and kept things moving and grooving. After missing two Wednesdays, I felt like I had missed a whole month. It's a wonderful way to break up the middle of the work week and regain some spirit to last the rest of the week. Thanks and congratulations again on your nomination. --Mary Lahti
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: NYC THE AWARD WINNING WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT THE IGUANA STARRING DANA LORGE, RICHARD SKIPPER, AND FRIENDS! Dana Lorge and I have put our OWN spin on the variety show format and are now hosting every Wednesday night in NYC at The Iguana VIP Lounge (http://www.iguananyc.com) in the heart of NYC (240 West 54th Street 8-11PM/with an intermission).
Cover: $12 - no food or drink minimums – but remember – the food is great! WINNER OF TWO 2010 MANHATTAN ASSOCIATION OF CABARETS AND CLUBS AWARDS (MAC) FOR OUTSTANDING VARIETY SHOW AND OUTSTANDING HOSTS! or more info, please call 845-365-0720 or visit _www.RichardSkipper.com_ RESERVATIONS A MUST!!!!!!!! 212-765-5454.
May 19th: Dana Lorge will be hosting without me due to a prior commitment. Jack Demonte, Adrienne Haan, Barbara Gurskey, Bobbie Horowitz, Evan Lawrence
May 26th: We celebrate 2010 MAC AWARD WINNER SUSAN WINTER'S BIRTHDAY!Michelle Collier, 2010 Bistro Award winner Danielle Grabianowski, and Catt John
June 2nd: D'Yan Forest and Tod Hall, Pam Palmieri
June 16th: 2010 Julie Reyburn, Lisa Raze returns and Lorinda Lisitza joins us for the first time!
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