“Girl Shock:I Dressed As A Girl For Halloween And She Took Over My Life”

By the book of the same name, “Girl Shock” The  Musical, debuted right before Pride, for two days to packed audiences at Pangea. The timing couldn’t have been better.  Because you see this is Maria Konner’s story…a brilliant entertainer, composer, pianist, guitarist, singer, explosively passionate and raw, and yet somewhat shy, and now somewhere along on her transgender journey, with her male alter ego “Dude” brilliantly played by the mega talented Jackson Sturkey,  who is the other creative collaborator on this show.

The musical, which is a work in progress is much like Maria. The complexity of the music she writes, along with lyrics by Jackson Sturkey, created a piece so layered in words, and melody,  that it had me wishing for a sing a long sheet so I could read those words again when I got home and examine their meaning. Because you see, Maria takes us from  her marriage, the annoyance, nag of a wife, symbolically represented by a muppet (controlled by the hilarious characterization created by actress Jessie Bangarang Atkinson) a marriage plagued with heteronormative expectations, and disgust at the monoculture virus that Maria was expected to live up to, and ultimately moving from a straight life in the suburbs all the way to San Francisco two blocks away from a Trans Bar (the Universe at play here)  after leaving this suffocating marriage. And along the way Maria finds a cure for the monoculture virus:Kink….and so begins Maria’s quest for her own truth from the Orgy Dome at Burning Man where she was “outslutted” and the realization that “no man can change the world, what about a woman”. The discovery of the joy and power of being a girl. But what about that male alter ego “Dude” played by Jackson Sturkey, always there as a reminder of the guilt, of knowing who you once were, but no knowledge of what’s next,  but a burning passion to find out! What will life be like when the outside matches the inside and will a boob job be the answer? And there’s the complexity again….
“Girl Shock” defines the personal journey of transition. Of the yin and the yang, of the whole choice or the parts of a choice. And which side in this gender contest will win or will aspects of who you once were exist with who you are now?

And the music!  Shout outs here to Omar Kabir, on sax trumpet and flute, turning those instruments into an organic living backround to the stories that were shared on stage, along with Bernice Bellows on accordion, punctuating moments in the story, with Rachael Kaufman on piano while Maria played guitar.
Thank you Maria Konnor for your brilliance and honesty. Your show is a piece that clearly defines how personal a journey transitioning is. Through the music and musicians, the characters you developed and the actors who played them, your audience took that journey with you. And we can’t wait to see what happens next. All aboard….

Shavonne Conroy Interview by Jen Bush

What do you get when you put together a Jewish resistance fighter in occupied Poland who falls in love with the daughter of a Nazi officer?  Aside from the obvious of a strange bedfellows situation, you get a compelling musical called Finding Helena.  The musical will have its premiere on July 30^th in Texas gearing up for a New York City run in October.  The musical is being produced by Shavonne Conroy.

Shavonne Conroy had done it all in the entertainment industry from fronting a band to cabaret and everything in between.  This gifted singer and actress holds an MFA in theatre/voice.  You can’t be a working actor in NYC for 20 years and not have a credit in the “Law and Order” franchise.  Ms. Conroy has several.  She’s equally as comfortable being on centerstage as she is behind the scenes.  This canine enthusiast is also a cosplayer.  We had a wonderful conversation about her life in the arts and this exciting musical.

“I’m Shavonne Conroy. After grad school for musical theatre and opera I toured with a Top 40 band before moving to New York where I did stage, cabaret, film and television for 20 years.  After headlining at the Waldorf, stints on Law & Order, David Letterman, Rescue Me, and some producing – I returned home to Texas to be near my mother after my father passed away.  In Texas I’ve performed in many regional productions and continue to produce shows and events of all sizes. Also, you Comic-Con fans may know me as the Baby Carriage Lady, Jasmine Jolene and other characters from the original edition Bioshock!, one of the biggest video games in history.”

In her own words, Ms. Conroy tells us about the show.  “Finding Helena is an epic love story about a Nazi officer’s daughter who runs away with a Jewish resistance fighter in 1940.” 

For this production, the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.  It’s a total family affair.  The decision to produce it was pretty much a no-brainer.  “My daughter, Alexandra (BFA in theater) started writing the piece years ago. It went through many versions and a few producers before my husband (who is a former television writer and had been one of Alexandra’s mentors) joined her as co-writer to bring it to fruition.”

This is an ambitious production in that the subject matter is delicate and controversial.  Ms. Conroy is not concerned because the ultimate message of the piece is hopeful and inclusive.  “We don’t feel like we’re pushing any envelopes. We love musicals and love making them.  It’s a beautiful love story that is born out of the tragic and horrible circumstances of World War II and the Holocaust.  We do realize antisemitism is still going on, and that context makes this story more relevant than ever.  The story does carry the message that we’re all equal and deserve dignity no matter our backgrounds.” 

There is always a personal outcome to every artistic journey.  For this particular production, it was all about support and Ms. Conroy couldn’t be more grateful.  “Gosh, I learned so much about myself!  One of the most profound things is fully realizing that I have amazing friends who are excited to help us bring this incredible story to the stage! The other is when you have a great family, working with them on a gorgeous common goal in the Arts is the most rewarding experience one can have.” 

Ms. Conroy recognizes that a project of this caliber comes with an added sense of responsibility toward getting the historical context accurate and presenting the material with sensitivity.  “Absolutely, that is also something we have realized.  We have an enormous responsibility to get this story right, make sure it is entertaining, heartwarming and dramatic – so the audience loves it – so it will get to as many people as possible.  And our closing number is “Spread the Word, Spread the Love.”  The final lines are “Spread the word. THIS cannot be forgotten!”

Ms. Conroy is originally from Texas.  That’s where she got her start in the arts.  After her 20-year stint in New York City, she moved back to Texas where she has been working ever since.  She is committed to making Finding Helena a success, beginning in her home state.  “We have a staged public reading with live music on July 30th in San Antonio, Texas; then New York City October 26th and 27th.”

If you’re in Texas in July or New York in October, find your way to Finding Helena.  You’ll be entertained and uplifted by discovering that an impossible love is actually very possible and beautiful.

Being a playwright requires the ability to see both ends of an argument. It really is that simple. Especially so, when the writer wishes to cover and comment about the seemingly-once-a-week phenomenon known as school shootings…especially so, when the playwright is also a lyricist and musical composer, and has set the play to music.

Larry Daggett, the aforementioned playwright/lyricist/composer, has set some lofty goals for himself, in this staged version reading of his work ‘Bullet Points’, being produced by CreateTheater and Prism Stage Company at the smart, slick theater complex housed on Theater Row, at 410 West 42nd Street.

Mr. Daggett has at least partially prevailed, successfully depicting the true horrors of these monstrous events, and the desire to swim against the current of the Second Amendment and other related Laws. These ‘liberal’ precepts are carried out and imbued in human form in the character of Sarah Horowitz (deftly played by Rita Harvey), a schoolteacher spending her time trying to enlighten her knucklehead local State Senator Jacob (well played by Tom Staggs), who also doubles as her husband.

The issue here is the ‘other side’…the ideas that seems conservative in nature, that want their right to bear arms protected at all costs, the side that is clearly way more popular in America’s Heartland than on the Coastal Cities (such as New York) This other side is embodied by a cartoon character named Alexa Wright (portrayed with gusto and fire and some brimstone by Janet Aldrich, as asked to by director Daggett). What was once promised to be a scintillating duel between the two female leads turned into a rout rather early–victory was assured by the liberal side mere minutes after curtain, and the rest of the battle, despite some interesting plot twists, was anticlimactic. When the playwright sets the play in Florida (an obvious easy shot at Governor DeSantis), when Alexa is the head of clubs with the dubious name of ‘Stand Your Ground Gun Club’, when there is another shot taken at a previous President who hasn’t been in office in about three years, then you know what the night is going to look like.

The two leads, Ms. Aldrich and Ms. Harvey, did what was asked of them, and even more so. Certainly, as director of a staged reading, Mr. Daggett’s talent really shines. It was expertly, smartly crafted, with more assorted successful movements and choreography than any theater-goer had a right to expect at a staged reading. He also has surrounded his two leads with a fine ensemble company, headed by Dylan Adams as the troubled Eric Ward, and the aforementioned Mr. Staggs, who also had a lovely singing voice to boot.

Interestingly, the music for the play actually worked, to some level, and Composer Daggett must receive the credit for that as well. While not particularly hummable, the music had a certain eeriness to it, a certain melancholy, and a song about something as inane as socks was particularly haunting and memorable.

School shootings are a serious matter, with no end of them in sight, and no antidote at the ready. But this subject matter–like most others–is not a one-way street. Shakespeare had the vision to see both Othello and Iago. Albee was able to write convincingly both Martha and George in ‘…Virginia Woolf’. Even dear old Euripides was able to see both Jason and Medea. Mr. Daggett hinted at the ‘other side’ during several stretches of dialogue throughout the play. But it must be more prominent; the ‘fight’–the drama at hand–must be in a place were both sides can vision a place to ‘win’. As a result, the audience then ‘wins’, and another successful theatrical experience would be blazed into the memory of many, while headed to the history books…and, eventually, revivals.

They’re back!
THE COCKETTES are “cumming” back to NYC!

JOE’S PUB AT THE PUBLIC THEATER, Saturday, Sept 9 @ 9:30pm, 425 Lafayette St, New York

The Cockettes were an avant garde psychedelic hippie theater group founded by Hibiscus (George Edgerly Harris III) in 1969. Their brand of theater was influenced by The Living Theater, John Vaccaro’s Play House of the Ridiculous, the films of Jack Smith and the LSD ethos of Ken Kesey’s Merry Pranksters. The troupe performed all original material, staging musicals with original songs inspired by classic Hollywood movie musicals.  We had a wonderful chat with founding member and performer, Scrumbly.

Born in California, this unique artist kept reinventing himself.  He settled upon being a “shockingly” good performer.  “I emerged from my good So-Cal Mormon upbringing, newly awakened and searching various belief systems to find acceptance for being who I am, energized to call attention to the Big Lies, as a folk-singing beat poet, then hippie, then androgynous Cockette. Since then, I’ve remained a musician and performer, composer of songs that purposely sound like they were written in the past, still delighting in shocking those who would call me wild or weird.”

The Cockettes are a wildly ambitious act comprised of likeminded friends that have been around for over 50 years.  “Late in 1969, Hibiscus, a musical flowerchild from a New York theatrical family, rounded up some friends who had the ‘spirit’ as he saw it, and we did a raucous kick-line at the Midnight Movies at the Palace Theater in San Francisco’s North Beach district. The audience went ballistic and soon we were doing full-out shows with lavish cardboard sets and amazingly creative thrift-store-sourced costumes. We became the Beatles of the San Francisco queer and avant-garde tribes, drawing huge, overflowing houses every show where the audience was as much a part of the fun as the under-rehearsed shows. We were anti-traditional theater, kids who foreshadowed the punk surge. As a troupe, we were young men, mostly in drag, but not trying to ‘pass’ as women, and women who were really doing the same over-the-top drag as the men. The press often referred to what we did as ‘gender role confusion’. Fame brought us to New York where we were marketed to the old-school Broadway first-nighters, who were more than shocked and insulted at our lack of professionalism, leaving us to please the audiences that found us and ‘got’ us after opening night. Then back home to complete our 2 ½ year run about 8 months later. Repercussions of the Cockettes were felt in the art, fashion and music worlds for several decades, and interest was renewed by the award-winning 2002 doc, “The Cockettes”, by David Weismann and Bill Weber. A few years after, I started reviving our shows with Thrillpeddlers’ director Russell Blackwood for nearly a decade and continuing the genre with alumna from those shows and more like-minded performer friends.”

This unique performance troupe sought inspiration from multiple sources that included big doses of camp.  “Our inspirations are thirties movie musicals, camp elements of classics like “The Women” and forties, art deco, the Rolling Stones and Tina Turner, fifties camp, and finally, John Waters and Divine, who joined in with us toward the end.”

With the underground movement walking hand in hand with the off-off Broadway movement, it makes The Cockettes and Scrumbly a part of history!  Scrumbly weighs in on that notion.  “I never felt much about being a part of history other than ‘What else would I have done?’ I suppose there is a certain satisfaction in doing what you feel you were made to do and letting the audacity of that affect history somehow. The Butterfly Effect.”

Every performer faces obstacles.  Here are some of the obstacles faced by The Cockettes during their artistic journey.  “Some people just don’t appreciate the thread of punk attitude that pervades our shows. We will never be mainstream and those who are successful swimmers in that stream resent the attention we garner. I never mean to put down someone who works hard and dedicates themself to refining their art. What we do is refined in another way, in a way of bringing performing back as a tribal ritual where everyone in the room is involved.” 

Scrumbly learned some beautiful things about himself while being on the path of a performer.  His fellow artists are lucky to have him around.  “That all I can do is all I can do. That I love people and I love helping to bring out their talent and making it shine.”

Scrumbly will continue to fill this world with compelling art.  His brain is on overdrive crafting future shows and music.  A maniacal ventriloquist from Vaudeville?  “Count me in!  I’m interested in writing in my style (genre-infused pastiche) doing musicals that bend towards opera, moving the plot along with many non-repeating melodies, setting dialogue to music, adding rhymes here and there at the most. I have a great project on the cooker with Cab Covay about a Vaudeville ventriloquist who goes maniacal”. 

“And I hope to retire soon. Maybe by the time I’m 90. Who knows?”

The inspiration for I Haunt You came from multiple places.  “I Haunt You was a long time coming kind of project. I was studying at Naropa University in Boulder, CO, and I saw a one-man show performed by one of my dance teachers. I was mesmerized. There was script and movement, props and strange set pieces, audience interaction, comedy, tears, big fucking life questions presented. He killed it. I drove home that night with a new goal – to produce a full-length stage show for just Raymond and I. We were typically producing shows with 20+ cast members at the time. This was a challenge I desperately wanted to take on. So I got a new notebook and wrote “Duet” on the cover. For about ten years, we would occasionally deep dive into concepts and daydream about the project. What is it? What could it be? But we’d always put it aside to focus on more immediate revenue generating projects.” 

“Then I woke up one morning, kind of like you wake up from a nightmare, with a gasp. It was January of 2020, I was five months pregnant with my second child, and I bought airfare to New York that morning. Something told me, we have to go now. We were there for Valentine’s weekend; we had lessons with one of our Argentine Tango coaches, we took in fabulous off-Broadway shows (ones that had resonance with our creative style). We were examining: how does our work fit into this landscape? Is it good enough? We were getting inspired, and choosing which project to focus on next: Experience ANNA 3 – yes a third production in our own story world, or Duet, whatever that old thing was going to be. I felt in my heart that it was time to focus on us. It was time to elevate our work and give this project the time it deserved. I wrote the first scene of Duet (working title) from our Jersey City Airbnb while I laid in bed one morning. And that was that. Duet was later named I Haunt You, a play on the expression “I heart you,” and we finally knew what it was going to be. Then we returned home, and the world closed due to COVID. What a brilliant nudge from the universe to insist that we go to New York when we did. And to choose Duet. What the hell else could we have even worked on?!” 

“We opened I Haunt You in the fall of 2021 in our ballroom in Eureka Springs, AR. We designed it to ‘travel-light’ with almost no set, only essential props, but a plethora of fabulous costumes! The creative choices we made to keep the show minimalist ended up working beautifully. It creates this unparalleled invitation for the audience to use their imaginations. It was a production risk, a different way of bringing a show to life. But it worked. Our audiences seriously resonated with it. And we’ve since produced another show in similar fashion, Silence in the Jungle – a show we wrote specifically to accommodate my third pregnancy! That show, also incredibly well received, I now perform with a fake belly.  My heart would love to open I Haunt You at the McKittrick Hotel, where Raymond and I felt so inspired and connected back on that NY trip in 2020. It would be a poetic full circle experience for us as creators. Although we’re not opposed to other fabulous spaces.” 

Considering that this couple connected through dance, dance is a very important element in their productions.  They teach dance at Melonlight studios and on Zoom.  They believe in the power of dance and feel confident that people who see their productions will connect with dancing in some way.   “Raymond and I have this silly catch phrase that we’ve repeated thousands of times throughout our careers, it’s actually a line from one of our scripts, and it goes like this: “you don’t even have to like dancing, you’ll love it!” And it’s so true. A lot of people, if you ask them if they like dancing (even just to watch it) they’ll often give a very ho-hum answer. But if you look to your right and there’s no one dancing, and you look to your left and there’s someone dancing, I promise, you’re going to keep looking left. Even people who “don’t like dance” like to watch dancing. It’s human, it’s ancient, it’s ingrained in us by now.” 

“I think our audiences receive our dancing so well because we use dance contextually. If there’s a dance number, it’s because it makes sense for our characters to be dancing right now. There’s always a love story; and if there’s a love story, then there’s a reason to dance. My husband and I have specialized in partnership dance styles for the last twenty years, so we have a bulky repertoire and a real life chemistry that is obvious on stage. We dance so close to our audience members that we can literally see the wave of emotion wash over them – whether it’s awe, desire, appreciation, or even feeling a little hot and bothered – the effect is palpable. It’s quality dancing, and often you don’t get that in a theatrical show, unless it’s a musical, which is a whole different animal!” 

“The second way we position dance into our shows contextually, is through spooky sequences. We often tell ghost stories, and there’s a sort of creative freedom that exists when we’re in unknown realms – like sleep, supernatural occurrences, or other dimensions. None of us are sure what those spaces hold, so everything is fair game, and thus we lace dance and unique movement into those spaces to create a haunting effect.” 

Obstacles certainly get in the way of artistic energy when trying to put together a production.  Emily discusses some of these obstacles.  “Kind of everything is an obstacle when you’re producing with a small team on your own budget (except for writing scripts, I could do that all day every day!) But we address what some would consider “limitations” by repositioning them as “creative challenges.” 

“For instance, we created I Haunt You with virtually no set. We did this on purpose so that we would be able to take this show on the road without a bus. It would’ve been easy to say “how in the hell are we going to let the audience know where we are without all these set pieces?” But instead, this very logistical limitation led to a very creative and successful artistic approach, in which the audience is given soundscapes, costuming, familiar lighting, and skillful acting to “display” the location. What happened (which is what we were hoping for) is that our audiences’ imaginations would be effortlessly ignited, and thus, the world (set) they imagined was so much more grand than any set we could’ve ever delivered. Also that “set” became unique to each audience member. Our minds know how to do this, we do it everytime we read a book. Now we often get the review that our guests “loved the set!” I laugh everytime. I’m so proud of their imaginations (and our ability to ignite them!) “

“Creative endeavors can always be tackled (fun!), but I think the biggest challenge we face is our location. I just don’t think that there are enough people with a heart for theater coming through our sweet little town. It is a tourist town, but I’m sure you’re not surprised that Arkansas is not known for theater. The guests that find us are definitely the right ones, those who totally resonate with our work. I know there’s more out there. Let us find you dear audience members.” 

“So the next challenge becomes how to take this little show to some big places. We’ll have to bring our brigade along as well (i.e. our three little boys and at least one nanny – oh my!)”

Emily recognizes that gothic romance is an enduring popular genre.  “Oh, I’ve asked myself this so many times, pondering why these are the stories I want to write. What is this dark nature within me? I’m not a particularly dark person, and like everyone, I don’t want to live out the tragedies that I write.” 

“To me, gothic romance hones in on the two most universal base emotions – love and fear. And they’re not just the undertones of the story (as those emotions are present in every story), but they are the story. I believe those emotions are two sides of the same coin. When I feel how much I love my husband and my boys, I’m simultaneously filled with fear, the fear of somehow losing it all. And when I think about how much I miss my dad, I can’ help but ponder what exists in the next dimension. None of us get to escape these questions and emotions, and gothic romance shines a spotlight on them. So if you’re inclined to go deep into your emotions – into your desire for love, your greatest fears, your philosophical wonderings about the unknown – gothic romance invites you to do exactly that, and often in a very poetic and visceral way.”

“Also, “people love to be scared.” Walt Disney, the man who created the happiest place on earth said that, and of course he’s right. We love to touch fear, and it’s especially fun when we know we’re still safe.” 

The goal is to bring I Haunt You to New York City where I’m sure it will be received well and have a successful run.  “Well, New York is the intention. One of my yoga teachers always says “do the thing you need to do to do the thing you need to do.” It’s the stupidest and simultaneously most brilliant (and always relevant) advice I’ve ever received. So if you want to take your show to New York, then don’t go to Cincinnati (thanks Jay.) Really, we hope to bring I Haunt You to New York for a successful run. We daydream about what doors may open following that. I think that our show Silence in the Jungle would be beautifully received in the Big Apple as well. And then…” 

The devil is in the details for Emily’s next production.  “I can’t not write. So, I’m currently working on a new script. It’s not a ghost story (as my last four scripts have been) so this is fresh! But it is the devil’s story. Think less Exorcist and much more avant garde burlesque with a killer philosophical message about the devil that exists within each of us. It promises to be incredibly sexy and laugh out loud funny, but this time around, scary will just be a side note. Dance may find a slightly more prominent role in this production. I play my burlesque persona, Miss M who is a ridiculously eccentric matriarch of her own burlesque company. But everything goes haywire when “The Devil” (played by my husband) joins her cast. More to come!”

Kevin Davis Interview by Jen Bush

Every day people pray to win the lottery.  Coming this fall to New York City is One In A Million: A New Musical!  Kevin Davis Productions presents a musical comedy about church goers who pool their money to try to win the Lotto jackpot.

BENEFIT AND DOCUMENTARY film about the making of this show premieres on June 23rd at 

EL Barrio Arts Space, 215 E 99th St, New York City, on June 23rd at 7pm. SAVE THE DATE!

Sisters Wanda and Zuzy invite several members of their church to their annual Christmas party including Wanda’s nemesis Priscilla.  Things get out of control and the group pin their hopes to a lottery ticket.

Kevin Davis, who wrote the book and the score was gracious enough to give us some time to discuss this musical and his craft.

How do you get to Carnegie Hall?  Be a gifted 13-year-old artist!  Mr. Davis entered the arts as a teenager and never looked back.  Since then, this multi-hyphenate talented individual is working his craft in some wonderful projects and on multiple continents.  He is just as skilled on the business side as well as the entertainment side of the industry having had experience in the corporate world. That was excellent training for opening up his very own production company.  Early showcases of One In A Million Musical have been well received.  It doesn’t get much better than getting an endorsement from Ken Davenport.

“I am a musician, composer, playwright and director.  I love creating stories that both entertain and encourage. My shows are truly diverse in character and content.” 

 “My artistic journey began at the age of 13, when I was chosen to participate in a theater arts program for gifted children at Carnegie Hall. In 2009, I formed Kevin Davis Productions, LLC in order to produce theater, films and TV shows that will inspire and impact the culture, as well as, illuminate the richness of those too often left behind.”

“My show, One In A Million Musical (OIAM), for which I  wrote the book and music, was showcased November 2017 to acclaim from critics and theater patrons. I just completed another showcase run of OIAM in September of 2022 and was again lauded by patrons and the professional Broadway community.  Two time Tony Award winner Ken Davenport said “It was a thrill to finally see his terrific show One In A Million Musical . Congrats to Kevin Davis and his entire company and crew.”

“Other recent projects include directing Dramatists Guild member Amy Drake’s Somewhere I Can Scream, and scoring the dance recital Polar Bear Fantasies that was staged at the Theater for The New City.  I composed the score for Greyson Matters, a new musical that was scheduled to open in London at Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Other Place Theatre in July of 2020. It was placed on hold due to the pandemic.  Greyson Matters was Optioned to a Broadway and West End Producer, who produced Death Of A Salesman on Broadway. I also directed the streamed reading of Saints Under Glass: Mystic or Martyr for the League Of Professional Theatre Women.” 

As former leader of the Brooklyn Tabernacle Choir horn section, Mr. Davis traveled the country sharing the joy of faith inspired music at many venues including Carnegie Hall. He currently leads the Jazz Catz, an ensemble that plays America’s classical music, Jazz, as well as, Gospel music. They have performed at many venues in and around NYC.

Part II in ArtsWRITES.com

Shakespeare Actors Talk Shakespeare by Jen Bush

“Friends, Romans, countrymen, lend me your ears.” Jake Minter and The American Theatre of Actors present an uncut version of Shakespeare’s infamous Julius Caesar.  This vision is set in the modern world with nods to Fascism and Communism overthrowing Democracy. Four talented members of the cast, Nicolas Capella, James C. Gavin, Sam Hardy and Jonathan Power gave us their insights on why Shakespeare is important in the 21^st century. 

James C. Gavin

Just about every working actor in New York City has secured at least one credit in the “Law and Order” franchise.  After reading James C. Gavin’s bio, it begs the question, could he have a credit in that show?  In the criminal justice system, James C. Gavin enjoyed a long career as a criminal investigator, prosecutor and trial lawyer.  He taught English to Ugandan orphans, served as a pastoral care worker in Philadelphia and met his wife in jail.  Serendipity brought him to acting and he is a graduate of New York’s William Esper Studio.  Here is his take on why Shakespeare is important in the 21^st century:

“Despite the many technological, scientific, and cultural advances made by mankind over the past 400 years, the basic human emotional drivers that impel each of us through life remain unaltered. Shakespeare’s eternal themes of love, hate, lust, hubris, ambition, greed, and envy continue to resonate with us all. Shakespeare holds up a mirror before us and tasks each of us to see ourselves as we really are: noble but deeply flawed beings, constantly buffeted by strong and often conflicting emotional winds. Shakespeare will remain important and relevant as long as humankind continues to exist.”

 Sam Hardy

Sam Hardy’s entry into the arts was acting in school plays in Palmyra, PA.  That led to him being active in community theatre at the Hershey Area Playhouse.  His participation in oratorical competitions was definitely good training ground for his future as a connoisseur of Shakespeare.

While attending the University of Alabama where he received a B.A. in Theatre, the head of the undergraduate acting program, Professor Seth Panitch recognized that Sam had an aptitude for text analysis and emotional connection to heightened speech.  After some tutoring in the Shakespearean arts, he was cast in his first ever Shakespeare role as Iago in Othello.  He had the privilege of working with Michael Luwoye who was cast as Othello and who currently has numerous Broadway and television credits to his name. 

Sam took the University of Alabama’s department of theatre and dance by storm appearing in numerous productions there.  He hit The Bard hard garnering apprenticeships and internships at the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey and the Colorado Shakespeare Festival. 

 New York’s thriving artistic community called to Sam and after Colorado, he moved to Brooklyn to further pursue the arts.  After a period of stagnation, Sam came upon an artistic haven known as the American Theatre of Actors.  This landmark theatre has a stellar reputation for developing, supporting and promoting new artists and providing them with a creative atmosphere in which to grow and shine.

Sam is not all Shakespeare all the time.  Two of his proudest professional credits are Carmen Ghia The ‘Pourducers’, an early production of the now wildly successful Drunk Musicals and Hades in Alcestis Ascending. “Written and directed by Seth Panitch, it was a bilingual production featuring American and Cuban actors, performed in New York and Havana thanks to a collaboration between the University of Alabama and the Cuban Ministry of Culture.”

When not on stage, Sam will provide you with service with a smile in the hospitality industry.  His hobbies include Dungeons & Dragons, video gaming and exploring the incredible restaurants and bars that New York City has to offer.  Here is what Shakespeare in the 21^st century means to Sam:

“Shakespeare is important in this century, as in every century, because he reveals and ennobles the foundations of our shared human experience. Every emotion and scenario that can define a life can be found in Shakespeare’s text, turned into the most true and beautiful poetry there is. As long as humans can love, and fight, and grieve, and laugh, and die, we will have need of Shakespeare’s words.”

Jonathan Power

Jonathan Power will be playing the role of Octavius Caesar.  His superpower is being a multi-hyphenate artist.  Having grown up in a Christian homeschooled military family, his family supported his artistic endeavors.  Every new military station that his family moved to provided an opportunity for Jonathan to cultivate his craft.  The Virginia Children’s Chorus, California Ballet School and Arizona String Orchestra were just some of the places that facilitated Jonathan performing around the country before he even finished high school.  After studying musical theatre at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia, Jonathan moved to New York City to pursue his dream to be on Broadway.  Here is what he had to say about Shakespeare in the 21^st Century:

“An elemental form of communication is what makes us human. In Shakespeare we put people on stage and talk in language that is hard to understand and ask the audience to come to us. It seems to go against the grain of our current entertainment industry which serves up explosions and 3D interface on a screen to capture the attention of the viewer. When Shakespeare was writing his work, he probably thought the same as our current industry and tried to capture the modern mind in his explosive and 3D skill as a poet and dramatist. I believe Shakespeare today works because it delights the 21st century mind into thinking that we are still the same humans. If you peer into any Shakespeare play you watch live on stage, you will find delight and raptures of joy not because you know all of the complexity of his literary ability but because Shakespeare serves us love and beauty through the simple truth of the human experience.”

Nicolás Capella

Characters: Marullus/Cicero/Ligarius/Artemidorus/Octavius Servant/Plebians/Lucilius.

The force is strong with this one! Twenty-two years ago, in a country far, far
away… Nicolás Capella was born and raised in Santiago, Chile. He spent most of his
childhood playing around with the force, spaceships, and lightsabers. He then switched
to sports and played competitive soccer and basketball. Although he grew up, he kept
his eyes on the stars and was going to dedicate his life to Astronomy. But his heart
decided to take a leap of faith and he joined The American Academy of Dramatic Arts
where he completed the two-year training and was invited back and joined The
Academy Company. Some of his credits include Dracula in Dracula, Nic Muscolino in
Napoli, Brooklyn, and Alexander Kalabushkin in Dying for it.

Nicolas has immense gratitude toward his teachers, Nurit Monacelli, Michael Toomey,
Janis Powell and Barbara Rubin. They all provided him with invaluable tools that informed how
he uses his craft today. In a short period of time, he did his due diligence to learn, absorb,
integrate information and blossom into a skilled artist. He followed his heart into the arts, but he
will always have stars in his eyes as he reaches for the sky. Here is what he had to say about
Shakespeare in the 21 st century:
“I think Shakespeare’s plays are written from a general perspective and that is
why you’ll never see a production of a play being the same as another production of the
same play. It’s general content, but it can be the most specific in terms of how the
ensemble works the piece. The verse is the language of the heart, which for me it
means that it touches a very visceral part of our body, and the words are a full
embodiment. In today’s world where a lot is on the TV and the emotions are shown in a
square of energy, I think Shakespeare shows us a full power of our energy and emotion
in our entire body and makes it captivating to watch.”

These four intelligent, enthusiastic and talented actors are just a few members of
the brilliant ensemble of Julius Caesar at the American Theatre of Actors. These
interesting gentlemen who hail from diverse backgrounds have joined forces for the
common passion and pursuit of putting art out into this world. Hopefully hearing their
words has whet your appetite to see some good old Shakespeare. You’ll not only be
entertained but you’ll be supporting a landmark institution that has been supporting and
uplifting artists for decades.

Jake Minter and American Theatre of Actors bring an uncut version of Shakespeare’s JULIUS CAESAR. This version is set in the modern world with nods to Fascism and Communism overthrowing Democracy.
Starring: James C. Gavin (June 21-25)   and   Alan Hasnas (June 28-July 2)
June 21- July 2 only!
‘EarlyBird’ Tickets Here. = $17 + fees. Expires June 7th @ 1AM.
‘HailCaesar’ Tix Here. = $22 + fees. Expires June 14th @ 1AM.
General Tickets Here. = $27 + fees.
($30 Cash at at the Door)

BOBCAT MORETTI – Review by Marcello Rollando

I’ve only loved three films about boxing:  Sly as Rocky, Russell Crowe’s Cinderella Man and the one so good, I never want to see again:  Million Dollar Baby. And now, for my money, BOBCAT MORETTI directed and produced by Rob Margolies is entering that ring where the big boys and girls of boxing films – “settle their problems,” as no-nonsense “Jo” (played brilliantly by Vivica A. Fox with knock out tough love tells Bobby just before he’s caught cold by her drubbing him with the title role:  BOBCAT MORETTI (amazingly internalized by actor Tim Realbuto – as we witness his transition, without special effects, from Big Bobby to BOBCAT. 

Both Sally Kirkland (Helene Moretti) and Mindy Sterling (Jean) embody remarkable and noteworthy characters deserving to be remembered on and offscreen. 

BOBCAT MORETTI co-written by director Rob Margolies and Rob Margolies, is a sucker punch riddle, wrapped in a gut-wrenching mystery, inside the enigma of lost love, fringe families, and the blood, sweat and tears of forever friendships.

BOBCAT MORETTI is about the invisible people we walk past every day without notice, but if noticed:  only with temporary unwanted pity, demeaning, there but for the grace of whatever we believe saves us from becoming them.

BOBCAT MORETTI isn’t about crime on the streets but surviving crimes of the heart.  It’s not about what we think we know, but discovering our reflection in every life struggling for a comeback from unresolved dramas.

BOBCAT MORETTI is the reality check following the KO!

Producer Jake Minter teams with one of New York’s last original off-off Broadway theatre organizations, the American Theatre of Actors to bring one of Shakespeare’s politically charged and all-too-timely plays back to live theatre in a rarely seen uncut version. JULIUS CAESARJune 21 – July 2American Theatre of Actors 314 West 54th St, New York City Reminiscent of Orson Welles’ version of the 1930s, this modernized in timeframe version offers up a devastating hypothesis of how Fascism and Communism can overthrow Democracy. Shakespeare’s masterpiece about conspiracy, government overthrow, corruption, and greed, begs the ironic question being asked today in political arenas – which side is the right side?   Production directed by the founder and artistic director of the American Theatre of Actors, James Jennings with James C. Gavin as Caesar (June 21-28) with Alan Hasnas assuming the role after that. The ensemble cast includes David Allard, Nicolás Capella, Curtis Cunningham, Samuel B. Dolman, Billy Gillen, Leonardo Gómez, Sam Hardy, Meeno Morales, Sophie Morrison, Connor O’Shea, Dustin Pazar, and Jonathan Gregory Power — and featuring Jane Culley.* (Ms.Culley appears courtesy of Actors Equity Association) Tickets: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/julius-caesar-tickets-640241147507 $17(plus fees) use “EarlyBird” discount code online (offer ends June13)$22 (plusfees) use “HailCaesar” discount code online (offer runs June 14-20) $27 (plus fees) use “Et tu Brute” discount code online (General Admission) $30 at the door – CASH only

HEALTH& SAFETY at the ATA: ADA Access: please call 24 hours in advance if a wheelchair ramp is required to get over the 3 steps at the front of our facility: 212-581-3044. Masks in the theatre are optional until further notice. If you are feeling unwell or experiencing symptoms of COVID-19, have been exposed to anyone within 14 days of your visit, or have been instructed to self-isolate, we ask that you stay home and contact the ticket site (or producer of the show) to discuss a ticket refund or exchange. Ticket purchasers are responsible for informing and providing this information if they are providing the ticket for a guest. Anyone that does not abide by our protocols may be denied entry to our facility. We recognize that public health guidelines may change and therefore our policies are also subject to change without notice. If you test COVID positive within a week of being in our facility, you may have exposed others. Please call us as a tracing contact: 212-581-3044.

Meet Lauryn Withnell!  Most toddlers start singing “Old Mcdonald” or “Mary had a Little Lamb”.  Lauryn went straight to Phantom of the Opera.  Born into a family of performing artists, she was destined to be on the stage.  At the age of seven, Lauryn joined her family to form the vocal quartet, The Withnells.  Things were right on track for this talented family when they were chosen to perform as artist on board across Canada on Via Rail for Canada’s 150^th birthday celebration.

Lauryn went on to study at the esteemed performing arts high school in Canada, the Etobicoke School of the Arts.  There was no role of fairy number three for this performing powerhouse.  She was one singular
sensation when she was given the leading role of Cassie from A Chorus Line.  The earth moved under her feet when she played Carole King in Beautiful. She graduated with awards and a scholarship.

The Boston Conservatory at Berklee welcomed Lauryn with open arms into their prestigious musical theatre program.  That led to roles in Cabaret and Pippin as well as dancing for Justin Timberlake and Tony nominee Constantine Maroulis.  Five agencies recognized her brilliance and made her offers.

Lauryn has played many juicy and substantial roles in her young career.  She shares some musical theatre and performance memories with us. 

Under the direction of a former Disney World Snow White, Fantasy Fables in Toronto, whose clients include Make A Wish and the Justin Bieber family.  She engaged young and old with hour-long performances as Disney princesses Elsa, Belle and Ariel.

Director Rachel Bertone hired Lauryn for the role of Graziella in West Side Story based on the strength of her singing, dancing, partnering and stage presence.  “This speaks to the top tier of training and talent that Boston Conservatory produces.  Our production of West Side Story received 8 Broadway World Regional Award nominations including Best Musical.”

When Lauryn was nine years old, she had the good fortune of being chosen to work with Tim Minchin, the Tony Award winning writer and composer of Matilda the Musical.  She got to revisit Matilda years later as an understudy for numerous parts, young and old, male and female.  She was up for the challenge with years of skill and experience under her belt. “This requires the highest level of a triple threat—our nickname in the show was “wonderstudy”!  With sometimes only two hours’ notice, I performed the show as a big kid and both male and female competition dancer, doing lifts and partnering.”

Fosse is to dance what Sondheim is to singing.  They are as complex as it gets.  For multiple roles in Pippin, Lauryn had to be fluent in Fosse.  “Having studied Fosse and performed Fosse choreography in Cabaret was an asset, as well as my vocal harmonizing adaptability.”

Lauryn said come to the cabaret when she was cast as Rosie in Cabaret at the Boston Conservatory.  “This show was directed and choreographed by renowned award-winning choreographer and Academy Awards director Otis Sallid.  Having worked with Broadway and Hollywood royalty (Aretha Franklin, Prince,
Stevie Wonder, Queen Latifah, Faith Hill, Debbi Allen), he expected us to be quick studies who were willing to push the envelope with our colourful, charismatic characters and marionette-like choreography.  He is a brilliant choreographer and visionary director, always seeking a new way of bringing a thought-provoking, authentic performance.  ”

What Lauryn did for love was take the role of Cassie in A Chorus Line.  This was a wise move. “Cassie is one of those roles that directors and choreographers instantly recognize.  She is multi-layered, gutsy, a powerful triple threat who commands the whole stage for a 9-minute solo, so they have a pretty good idea of your skill set!”

Lauryn tackled big roles in four mini musicals which included Beautiful and Rent.  “In Beautiful I played the leading role of Carole King.  I had to completely embody a famous, beloved icon – her look, her
voice, mannerisms and the way she is when she performs.  Not only was I singing stylistically like her, I had to accompany myself on the piano with complex chords.  My 10 years of Royal Conservatory classical piano training as well as pop vocals as a lead singer in The Withnells and Splash Show Choir were instrumental in winning and performing this role, as I knew how to read music well to learn these parts and play jazz and pop piano voicings.”

Lauryn never stopped believing and she got to sing “Don’t Stop Believin’” with the original star of Broadway’s Rock of Ages, Constantine Maroulis.  She also danced in his show Foreigeners Journey.  “This
was a concert at North Shore Music Theatre, so audiences were expecting a rock concert based on the music of Foreigner and Journey.  My musical theatre and dance emphasis training at Boston Conservatory as well as competitive dance in street funk and jazz were instrumental in being able to perform the jazz/commercial dance style required.”

Lauryn Withnell’s performance resume is already substantial and impressive.  There is much more to come from this bright multi-talented artist.  Having worked with and being hand-picked by top industry
professionals she’s proven her artistic worth and she’s ready for more.  Remember her name.  You’ll probably be seeing it in a playbill in the near future.