THE GRINCH TOUR UPDATE, THE FALL RE-CALL, AND WHAT'S ON THE HORIZON...
.The Holidays as a Who.
Company Finale Shot! Found #Broadway on Instagram posted by a fan!
I can’t believe I’m currently kicking back at our final stop in Detroit. WOW. This whole experience has been an epic holiday adventure, surviving a little sickly down, but rejoicing in the ups. So I’ll start from the very beginning, since you know what, its a very good place to start :-).
THIS IS IT: Me in Detroit with my Detroit Lions hat on and Secret Santa Christmas Tree Earrings!
I arrived in New York about a week before we officially began rehearsals, settling into my boyfriend’s apartment in Astoria and kissing Philly goodbye (I really miss my roomies and neighbors!) for about 2 and half months! I used the down time to take dance class (Dana Moore!), have numerous coffee dates with my New York friends, take a few voice lessons, finish up Harry Potter and do a marathon of the films (a now Halloween tradition), and just relax, reading the Grinch script and teaching myself the score whenever my boyfriend Patrick went to work. I also got to see Patrick completely charm my pants off in AMERICA’S FUNNY GIRL: FANNY BRICE produced by The Ziegfeld Society at the Episcopal Actor’s Guild in Manhattan, which was adorable and had him playing a slew of characters. My whole transition to the Big Apple was pretty great, having the time to chill and adjust, but before Grinch started I just couldn’t help feeling waves of anticipation like I was awaiting the first day of school!
Patrick Roberts Performs at the Actor's Guild
It was an amazing sensation going to my first rehearsal in NY at Chelsea Studios and the cast, many returning for their 3rd or 2nd years, was greeted with such warmth and love from each other, the creatives, and producers. It instantly felt snug as a glove! The producers and directors gave a fabulous introduction speech about how the musical has the Dr. Seuss blessing (the pen name for the legendary poet, writer, and cartoonist Theodor Geisel) before he passed and is the Chrismtas classic to America as A CHRISTMAS CAROL is to England and THE NUTCRACKER to Russia. The 1957 children book and 1966 television special are iconic and the musical is truly becoming an American family tradition: an annual production is held at the Old Globe Theatre in CA (15th Anniversary!) and this is the first year there are two touring companies that rehearsed simultaneously directed by the original Broadway team (the other Grinch company, which includes my mentor and amazing NY vocal coach Rosemary Loar as “Grandma Who”, played Boston and are currently telling the Who tale at Madison Square Garden in NY)! Also, the best part about the Grinch is that it’s many children’s first ever show, which makes it uniquely special and an honor to be a part of. So on the first day, I was immediately put in the Christmas spirit, even if it was only October!
Rehearsals began splendidly with the score learned in two days with our dapper music director Jon Balcourt and just as we were beginning to get on our feet and start staging (I just learned the turned out Who walk!), Hurricane Sandy came into town and gave us and the entire city of New York an unexpected set back. Patrick and I were blessed to not be affected in Astoria, but my cherished Jersey Shore, which I’ve grown up vacationing on and even worked on an entire summer, was hit in disastrous amounts and my family in Middlesex, NJ had to live without power for almost 2 weeks. Its crazy what Mother Nature can whip up and I’m still praying for all the people, especially those in Jersey, Long Island, and Staten Island, whom lost their homes and businesses in a flash. I am still amazed by how quickly the city recovered from the flooding damages, diligently working on getting services like MTA back to normal, and came together in the proud New Yorker spirit to offer shelter and food to those having to evacuate their homes. New York cannot be deterred for long!
I also hope when I get home to volunteer in some way of rebuilding the Jersey Shore. Jersey Strong!
So after three days away from Whoville, I was ecstatic to get the good news of our return and from then on, we were off and running! It felt so good to dive back into our snow globe of a whimsical world (we have a ridiculously hilarious and inspiring team of directors) and eventually meet the actors playing the Grinch and our Old and Young Max respectively...basically our company’s rock stars who have been with the show for 3+ plus years. Then before I knew it, we were doing our final invited run-through in Chelsea, which my boyfriend got to see, and it was then that I was introduced to the true magic of the show and my favorite, the“Whoodle.” What’s a “Whoodle” you may ask? Well a “Whoodle” is the Who version of a huddle that happens at places on the stage behind the Cindy Lou back drop every show. Its quite amazing; we all hold hands as Whos love to do and take a moment together to dedicate the show, coming up with a word that will be our mantra for the performance. Now after 40 something shows, our words have run the gamut of being completely silly to tear jerkingly meaningful, especially with the recent tragedy at Sandy Hook Elementary making our jobs to entertain our innocent youth and families more important than ever. I think the “Whoodle” is my favorite part of being a Who. That and presenting Cindy Lou at curtain call and lifting her off of her rolling drum. Life is indeed good.
Molly Shannon MAMA Inspiration
.Indiana.
We left New York the day after our final studio run, which was a blast, and with the news that Obama won the presidency! It would have been the most spectacular send off (I was elated and bought Obama pins to sport), except our flights were racing an incoming Nor’easter! I couldn’t believe that a week after a hurricane it was snowing! Our company manager was our hero, rebooking our flights to earlier so we would not be robbed of tech time as well. I packed as quickly as possible with the change of plans and was in Bloomington, Indiana by the evening, where we would tech for a week and begin our previews. I may or may not have had to distribute various items in my suitcase to various cast and crew to meet the weight requirement. ;-)
Indiana University Auditorium: Our Biggest Venue!
In Bloomington, IA, which is pretty much made up of Indiana University and Hoosier fans (the IU mascot that I don’t quite understand hahaha), we stayed right on the main campus in a IU Hotel connected to the Student Center and I felt like a college student all over again. This campus was breathtaking; in fact it looked like a campus I only thought existed in movies where the frat houses are stunning mansions, the campus buildings resemble castles alla Hogwarts, rambling brooks tumble, and fiery, sturdy trees shade the walk ways with a mean night life nearby that has the cheapest drink specials I’ve ever seen. It was a pretty awesome place to tech with access to bowling and a Starbucks right in the building we were staying and the gigantic IU Auditorium, our venue, just down the road.
Mama Who LIVING!
And tech is when all the pieces of the puzzle came together. I hopped into my pod for the first time (which instantly makes my figure a plump muffin top and limits my foot stepping-its the perfect costume to wear during the holiday splurges ;-) ), put on my Carol Burnett Eunice meets I LOVE LUCY meets Who wig, made my nose and cheeks a rosy frost bitten pink, put on my pretty in pink Mama Who dress covered in flowers and cherries (two of Mama’s favorite things), put on my curled up Who shoes, and took the stage that literally looked like the Dr. Seuss book leapt off the page. It was just incredible watching everything come together, especially our adorable Who community, and Stefan Karl, who gives a master class performance that is out of this world as the Grinch. He’s just delicious and its a treat getting to watch him do his thing, interacting with the audience, improvising, and just being a physical comedy genius. He is a constant reminder that this show is all for the kids and being present. Also, Bob Lauder’s voice is as velvety and rich as ever singing as Old Max the iconic tune “You’re a Mean One, Mr. Grinch” and Seth Bazacas is his energetic young counterpart who just shines. With all this happening during tech, I really was feeling like a Who, falling completely in love with my Who family (our four little girls that alternate are sooo adorable!) and the desire to make Christmas an everlasting treasure for us all. Yes, sometimes Mama gets OVERWHELMED and is a little bit of a compulsive perfectionist :-) , but nothing could ever rob her of the joys and simple cheer of sharing the holidays with loved ones. She’s been a delight to play. I highly encourage everyone to do a musical set on Christmas Eve and Christmas day; there is no way not to be happy!
In our time in Indiana away from the Grinch, the ladies of the cast had a Twilight Movie Marathon, which made our hotels feel appropriately like dorm rooms as we piled on beds, giggled, and ate too many oreos. I also enjoyed jogs in the last days of the warm weather about the campus, did a little shopping and a lot of eating about town, stuffed myself with the amazing Bloomington favorite Mother Bear’s Pizza, took yoga, and re-read THE PERKS OF BEING A WALLFLOWER, which I’m dying to see the film version of! I then started THE GIRL WITH THE DRAGON TATOO series, which is addictive and intense and still has my stomach tied in knots over what will happen! I also got a Grinch water bottle and built a Grinch doll at Build-a-Bear, which started a long chain of Grinch merchandise purchases. It’s a little bit of a problem :-).
Grinch Merchandise and my adorable Cindy Lou Whos!
.Hartford.
We had two awesome previews in Indiana to pretty full houses and then bused for two days from Indiana to Hartford, CT, our first of two state capital cities, for our official opening! All our creatives would be reunited for our opening, since they’d been splitting their time between both casts, and we were excited to have them all there! We also would be celebrating Thanksgiving in Hartford and my parents and boyfriend were coming down for the holiday! And we would also be faced with our first 9-show weekend beginning on Black Friday- WOOOOOOO!
The Bushnell Theatre!
Hartford was a jam-packed ball and I loved our concert hall venue at the Bushnell! I visited the historic Mark Twain House on our opening, which was an excellent trip to make me forget my nerves haha, and we had a glorious opening night party at this delicious jazzy restaurant and bar called Black Eyed Sally’s. It was so rewarding and marked an incredible beginning. And let me tell you this cast and crew cleans up pretty well...everyone looked runway beautiful!
Opening Poster Signed by Cast, Opening Celebration Cake, Our Playbill Collection, My Grinched Out Bedtime Gang!
My parents and boyfriend arrived the next day, loved the show, and then spent Thanksgiving with my Grinch company and I at a nearby restaurant our company manager rented out. It was pretty perfect and a nice refresh before beginning the 9-show weekend. On Thanksgiving, we got the sad news that we would be temporarily losing our Grinch due to a family emergency and that our Grinch understudy would be going on for the rest of Hartford and all of our next city, Richmond. I couldn’t believe how incredible our understudy Andrew Boetcher did, having performed the role 2 years ago, but with slim rehearsal this time around; he was just terrific and had the audience in the palm of his hand! Our cast and crew practically lived at the theatre the next 3 days, but it was amazing, and we ended it all with a group watching of LIZ AND DICK on Lifetime. No comment on what we thought of that (hehe), but our Hartford run was a pretty awesome accomplishment for all of us. I also started listening to Christmas music post-Turkey day, which made it the official beginning to my favorite time of year.
The Thanksgiving Roast Beast
.Richmond.
Next we were off to Richmond, VA. This is where I hit my major down. On the bus ride to Richmond, I developed a cough that had a funny taste and was deeper than most. I still felt physically fine and on the day we opened in Richmond, I decided to go to the doctor just in case it was a bug to begin fighting it asap. I was lucky that Richmond was our easiest performance schedule, having only night shows during the week and two double show days on the weekend, and thought I could manage the show with the cough. The doctor initially told me it was just a bad upper respitory infection that could be bacterial and gave me a precautious anti-biotic. Then after our opening, which was hard for me to get through, I felt even more under the weather as my cough got deeper and worse and then woke up with a fever, a sore throat, and little of a voice the next day. My stage manager, company manager, and I agreed it was best I called out and got better. It was a rough next three days as my symptoms got worse. I seriously hadn’t felt that sick since I was kid and was starting to worry. After rest and all the medication, steaming, liquids, lozenges, and vitamins were not providing any relief, I went back to the doctor who then diagnosed me with the flu! FLU WHO! I had never had the flu before! After I got put on TamiFlu, I started to get my voice back and feel relief. I couldn’t wait to get back to the show and asked if I could go on the next day for the night show. I watched the matinee in the pit and saw my amazing understudy Chelsea Vann kick Who butt until about half way through when there was a black out!!!! It was ridiculously crazy. Since it was the entire area our theatre was in, the show had to be cancelled and it was such a shame because there was 3,000 people there!
The Landmark Theatre Meets Flu Who: I definitely didn't look that cute.
I was nervous to do the night show, not quite sure if I was rushing it, but I knew I couldn’t stay away from Whoville for much longer without going stark crazy in the Holiday Inn. I have to thank my amazing and talented dance captain of a roommate Brooke Robyn Dairman, who was my savior through that whole week, giving me company in my stuffed up misery-bleh!, running to the drug store to stock me up with medication on her free time, and encouraging me along with my boyfriend to jump back into the show as soon as I had my turn around. She was heaven-sent. And of course, our company’s amazing covers Chelsea Vann, who had little rehearsal and sounded like an absolute angel , and fantastic swing Jackie Nguyen. Our “Whoodle” word was "home" the night I came back and thats exactly what it felt like- a warm welcome back to what has become my home this holiday season. I had so much fun that night since I missed the show so much, and am so thankful to the cast and crew (a HUGE shout out to stage and company management for being the ultimate best) for helping me get through that week and better quickly! Getting sick is never fun, but it was great to have something to get better for. :-)
Richmond Holiday Parade starring THE GRINCH!
.Chicago.
The city everyone was waiting for: CHICAGOOO CHICAGOOO that toddlin’ town!!!
BROADWAYYYYYY........in Chicago :-)
I’m sure I could write an entire blog about Chicago. I fell head over heels. With TWO whole weeks of Grinchy performances, TWO golden days off to explore, Secret Santa underway with backstage elf deliveries and sneaky antics unraveling, and my health back (AMEN!), Chicago stood before us a twinkling wonderland ready to be our playground.
The Interior of the Cadillac Palace!
It was heaven: a true paid vacation with Whoville to cherish at night and on the weekends. Lets first start with our theatre: the Cadillac Palace, a Broadway in Chicago venue that had all the magnificent glitz of the Great White Way, but a warm intimate quality that brought us near and dear to our audiences! Our backstage staff was top notch and our show got a new twinkle and burst of energy. LIVING THE DREAM!
Theatre geek visit to Steppenwolf: Absorbed the genius!
I had been saving up my money for Chicago adventures and as a bonus, flew my boyfriend down for both our days off to have a Chicago Christmas date night! It was 24 hours of Chi-Town bliss, strolling the Magnificent Mile, dining 95 stories high in the sky at the John Hancock Observatory Tower, sipping Hot Chocolate at Navy Pier’s Winter Wonderland, and rolling with laughter at Second City’s All-Star Improv Comedy Night. It was the best, most romantic day off EVER.
Patrick and I on top of the world!
There really was never a dull moment in Chicago, going on a sight-seeing spree (listed next!), checking off Christmas shopping and spending too much time in the American Girl and Disney stores (eee child at heart!), taking Yoga (one class was to only Beatles music!), getting an AMAZING massage, eating a delicious bratwurst at the popular Christkindlemarket and also my first slice of the famed deep dish pizza (WOAH-MAMA!), going out on the town to Boystown for Kareoke and hilariousness, and visiting different neighborhoods like Wicker Park and Old Town, the home of Steppenwolf Theatre Company (pictured up above)! I went with cast and crew members to the Lincoln Park Zoo Christmas Lights, Shed Aquarium (I loved the otters), The Museum of Science and Industry- the most fascinating museum I’ve ever stepped foot in (the Charlie Brown exhibit and Christmas tress from around the world were my favorite), and the Art Institute of Chicago (I blasted “Sunday” from SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE when I took in Georges Seurat’s “A Sunday on La Grande Jatte” like the MT nerd I am :-) ). I finished purchasing all my Secret Santa gifts as well for the Grinch Company, my Middlesex friends, and Montclair State favorite girls and decorated my dressing room and hotel, courtesy of my own Secret Santa’s brilliant gifts including a tiny tree. Each pre-reveal gift my Secret Santa gave me came with a tiny ornament- I squeled every time! I also got to meet up with a wonderful actress friend Michelle Vezilj, on tour with SPANK: The Fifty Shades Parody (yeeaaaas!) in town the same time as us, and a former Walnut Street Theatre Apprentice JC Clementz, currently working at Milwaukee Repertory Theatre. I was so happy Michelle got to see the Grinch with her performance schedule and I hope I can see her show when it hits New York (and after I secretly read those books ssshhh!). It was just an unbeatable weak.
Charlie Brown and the Great Exhibit at the Museum of Science and Industry
.Detroit.
Chicago was a joyride hard to bid farewell (especially our venue and local staff), but I was looking forward to transitioning to a more low key life in Detroit for hotel holiday movie nights, relaxing, and most importantly, saving some dough (first city I got groceries in!). Our audiences, bubbling with anticipation, were getting larger as the holidays were quickly approaching! And to put the star on the Christmas tree, I was spending Christmas Eve and Day with the one and only Kellyn Uhl and her beyond wonderful family. Detroit was looking good.
The Detroit Opera House: Pretty magnificent!
We started our performance schedule at the dazzling Detroit Opera House right away, filled to the brim with press events including a post-show Q&A with Girl Scouts and hosting pre-show Broadway in Detroit Kids Night events in the lobby. I will always treasure teaching little ones and their families how to walk like a Who!
Broadway in Detroit Kids Night: the Grinch rocks the Opera House, Walking like a Who, the After Party, and Green Eggs and Ham Reading in the Lobby
Then before we knew it, it was time to put our show on hold and actually celebrate the holiday we had been waiting for. CHRISTMAS!!!! Katy Vaughn and I, who share a dressing room, had been listening to all styles of Christmas music counting down the days (The Jackson 5 album was our most played!), and I had watched a handful of my favorite yuletide films on meal breaks and before I fell asleep. I was feeling a little homesick (first Christmas away from the Tags), but luckily I squashed it as best as possible with all the cheer bouncing between our company and coming from our audiences! It was a special week of performances.
I started Christmas Eve in the afternoon with the Grinch Company Christmas Party held at a local pub. Mostly everyone was clueless in guessing their Secret Santa’s true identity, so there was a consistent genuine shock at the reveal, followed by applause, giggles, and gasps as we opened presents. My Secret Santa was the sweet and amazing Amy Harris on the stage management team, who showered me with Christmas goodies and thoughtful gifts including Christmas socks (I procrastinated my laundry due to this gift!), a build-your-own Gingerbread House kit, a sky blue scarf I can’t stop wearing, the Charlie Brown Christmas Special and CD, and a holiday music book for my ukulele. I think Amy added another 10 pounds to my luggage-all worth it for I love everything I got!! I got my Secret Santa-our lovely assistant props gal Sara Trybulski- an assortment of gifts including penguin earrings, an owl necklace (currently on its way to Chicago- COMING SOON), some arts and crafts colored pencil notecards for her to design, a bottle of wine to accompany 12 Days of Christmas Drinking Games, a shirt with cats in Santa Hats on it, a Grinch Board Game (you have to sing Fah-Who-For-Aze and make the sleigh fall off Mt. Crumpet hahahahaha), and my favorite, a peanut butter and jelly sandwich made with love for a double show day snack. I had so much fun writing clues in the Seuss poem form and being as sneaky as they come!
Christmas Eve Company Party (That Grinch in the car was spotted parked near my Nana's House in my hometown by my family and boyfriend!)
My Prized Ukulele Music Book from my Secret Santa and company members!
Photo Bombing and Photo Bomb Blocking and Christmas Cheer!
.A Kellyn Uhl & Family Christmas Spectacular.
After the company party, I packed up my tiny suitcase (including my reindeer onesie and Grinch socks) and wheeled on out of the hotel smack into Kellyn’s arms! As soon as we hugged and screamed joy to the world, it hit me that Christmas was really here. It wasn’t just some urban myth Whoville created, which it was starting to feel like hahaha- but IT CAME JUST THE SAME! (Grinch quote hehe!)
The Best.
I had the most fantastic holiday away from home, welcomed into a handful of Kellyn’s family members’ homes from her Nema’s for a boisterous Christmas Eve Dinner (such an amazing big family!) to her cousin’s for Christmas Day and cheesy potatoes (sooo goood) all while staying with her sweet as pie parents and sisters. I felt like the Uhls’ adopted fourth daughter and had the most beautiful time sharing Christmas with them-they are one stunning family full of so much love. I even had my own stocking Christmas morning- I could have cried.
I talked to my parents, grandparents, and boyfriend (who was in Jersey with my family) via Skype and Facetime on both days, blowing the older folks' minds with the new technologies for communication. They couldn't get over that I was in Patrick's phone or computer! Gosh, I miss them!
I talked to my parents, grandparents, and boyfriend (who was in Jersey with my family) via Skype and Facetime on both days, blowing the older folks' minds with the new technologies for communication. They couldn't get over that I was in Patrick's phone or computer! Gosh, I miss them!
Kellyn made this gorgeous video that captured the White Christmas bliss we had. I did cry watching this. Thank you Kellyn and the Uhl family for being so good to me- I was honored to witness how special your family really is!
.Bye Bye Grinch.
So now, I’m on the Final Count Down-The Home Stretch, performing our last 10 post-Christmas shows. Christmas just isn’t over quite yet in Whoville! We have already said goodbye to our fearless leader, stage manager Rachel Sterner going on to her next gig, Amy Harris- my before mentioned Secret Santa, and Miss Bev- our little ones’ amazing tutor. I can’t believe it’s almost over.
I did do one touristy thing in Detroit that I don’t want to leave out! I went on the Fox Theatre Tour (organized by our current stage manager Graham Forden), the second largest theatre after Radio City in the whole country! Our tour guide called the Fox a show palace and that it indeed was. The theatre is a work of art itself, a crown jewel of theatre. I felt like Annie in the old 1980s movie version when Daddy Warbucks takes her to Radio City and its just the most luxurious experience ever. Our tour guide played “Sleigh Ride” for us on the Fox’s organ, which boomed throughout the entire house and transported us in time. We also went backstage to see the legendary Fox wall covered in signatures of some of the business’s best performers and the logo art of various musicals that have appeared in Fox seasons past. It couldn’t stop snapping photos- what a great perk to add to the ending of tour. Again, is it really almost over?
Gigantic.
Lobby, Backstage Wall Favorite Finds, and the Balcony
More Favorites Backstage and the Chandelier
A View from the Stage, the Organ, the Lobby Ceiling, and the Lobby Pipes
Well, I just wanted to say...
This tour has literally been a dream come true; I feel like a little girl at loss for words with all the magic and love frolicking around me! I have to pinch myself all the time and could not be any more grateful for the Grinch family this year and all our creatives. Experiences like this don't happen every day; I'm continually blown away by everyone on stage and off. What an amazing first National Tour: THANK YOU thank you THANK YOU!
Cast of Grinch Exposed: Non-Instagramed or Photo-Shopped :-)
.September-October Recap.
.Leading Men Don’t Dance.
But they sure did saaaang! Before departing for New York City to rehearse for the Grinch, I enjoyed the booming presences of four of Philadelphia’s finest Curlys, Billy Bigelows, Harold Hills, Phantoms, and Sky Mastersons coming together to wreak musical havoc at the Hedgerow Theatre and Society Hill Playhouse with their incredible talent and vocal instruments. I love these guys- they were simply fantastic and hilarious as a team and it was a pleasure to work with them all, including our MD Mark. I popped in to sing with them the witty“Sensitive New Age Guys,” Jerome Kern classic “All The Things You Are,” and to host a SO YOU THINK YOU CAN DANCE quiz that promised them full rides to Alvin Alley (hehe). It was just a good time filled with laughter from our end right out into the audience!
Leading Men Don't Dance Drawing by John D. Smitherman, Hedgerow Theatre, and the Society Hill Playhouse
I also couldn’t complain about our gorgeous venues! The Hedgerow Theatre in Media, PA on the outside reminds me of Miss Honey’s cottage in MATILDA, but a theatre of course :-) , in how precious, quaint, and enchanting it is. With roots from 1840, the Hedgerow use to be an old grist mill and on the inside has the appeal of Mr. Fezziwig’s home from A CHRISTMAS CAROL. It is so appropriate that A CHRISTMAS CAROL is their annual holiday tradition! The Society Hill Playhouse, located near the Italian Market (MUNGIA!) and in the heart of South Street wildness, is also laced in history and acts as Philly’s Off Broadway house. My first home in Philly was a hop, skip, and jump from this area, which looks especially alive and decadent in the fall. LEADING MEN DON’T DANCE really was the perfect send off to Whoville, thoroughly enjoying my beloved pumpkin season plus having a ton of my family and friends attend. It made my heart grow three sizes bigger for Philadelphia. <3 nbsp="nbsp">
.In Other News.
I’m overjoyed to return to my endearing little neighborhood and comfy bed in South Philly PLUS reunite with my wonderful roomies and friends! I anticipate a lot of brunch dates at my corner shop favorites and a lot of theatre to see my friends shine in! I’ll be making a pit stop in New York, flying back New Year’s Eve and spending about 10 days in the city with Patrick (ice skating dates, Harry Potter Exhibit, and relaxation to ensue), and then I will officially head back to Philly and get cracking.
.The Philly Agenda.
Don’t miss Patrick and I making our NEW VOICES CABARET SERIES debut with Trevor Pierce on the keys Tuesday January 15th at the Society Hill Playhouse! Patrick will be leaving to tour Italy pretty soon after with Teatro Delle Due in ROMEO AND JULIET, so this will be one of my last evenings being a goofball with the guy I love until I return from Florida in May. AAHH- I don’t want to think about it, but we promise to make this evening an ultimate celebration of the good things in life.
Feel free to contact me for ticket information: thetaratag@gmail.com
Feel free to contact me for ticket information: thetaratag@gmail.com
Shortly following, I’ll be performing a small run as the loving Mom and assistant choreographer of ALEXANDER AND THE TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE, NO GOOD, VERY BAD DAY at the Walnut Street Theatre with an ensemble of my best friends in Philly and a creative team I am very excited about! It will be the perfect way to spring my new year to life, loving any chance to work with the Education Office and Kid Series at the Walnut. They are family!
I am also back in business finalizing freelance projects as a Philly teaching artist and choreographer and will begin to conduct private coaching sessions again from my home! I will be assisting for my second year on the hilarious Purim Spiel at the Main Line Reform Temple in Wynnewood, PA as choreographer and also will be teaching audition workshops for teens at the Walnut. I am waiting on the results of my Independent Artist grant application with the Independence Foundation as well, requesting funding and further development of I CAN’T READ MUSIC!, the one-woman cabaret I developed throughout 2012. Applying for that grant was like applying for a grad school my imagination created, staying up to the wee hours of the morning typing away my project proposals and artistic statements, tingling head to toe with inspiration. No matter what happens, I’m so glad I found the guts to go for it, encouraged by my residency at 1812 Productions and my supportive friends and mentors in the community. If nothing else, it made me look into the future pretty boldly and map out what I want to accomplish and feel passionate about. Never a bad thing. A huge thank you to the Walnut Street Theatre and Tom Quinn for nominating me, Kate Galvin, Jennie Eisenhower, and Samuel Reyes for writing letters of recommendation, my roommates for acting as chief editors, and Pages for having the fanciest layouts I’ve ever seen to mess with!
I love this theatre wildly!
To keep my mind off the grant, I also registered for an acting class at the Walnut! I am so stoked; I truly miss being in class and I swear it makes me a more nuanced and confident performer. I hope to set aside one day a week to go to NY to take class and workshops, really hoping to get dancing as much as possible right after January 1st hits. I got to get this body ready for the Hand Jive! And eat cheeseburgers and twinkees...on stage...
Walnut Street Theatre Online Newsletter Feature for GREASE- COOL!
Also January-March, a lot of my friends National Tours are swinging through Philadelphia! I am looking forward to seeing and then kidnapping my friends from the AMERICAN IDIOT (Ashley Tobias-MSU 2010), CATCH ME IF YOU CAN (Nadia Vynnytsky- MSU 2010), PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT (Emily Afton and Brit West- Mac Haydn 2008/2009), and THE ADDAMS FAMILY (Shaun Rice-pictured below- GRINCH 2012) tours. I am going to be screaming like a lunatic in that audience- EEEEEEEEE!
Typical Mama Who and Grandpa Who for the Scrapbook :-) Shaun Rice is playing Fester on THE ADDAMS FAMILY National Tour!
Well 2013- we made it, despite the controversial Mayan predictions, and I think you are going to be a year that makes me feel young and alive. One of my New Years resolutions is to not take myself so seriously and to always find courage to overcome anything that scares me. Honestly, theatre use to freak me out as a kid; I was super shy and was at peace with only performing in the shower. But as soon as I tasted that adrenaline when I slipped on someone else's shoes, I knew I would never find anything as good as the stage. I never want to grow numb to that sensation and will keep working hard for it!
I thank Pic Stitch for being my New Year Favorite App in creating all these collages and my Grinch tour mates Katy Vaughn, Lauren King, Jonathan Nadolny, and Danielle Strauss for sharing some of their photos!
I picked the photo below as my favorite photo of 2012. My boys...I have no words for what you mean to me:
I picked the photo below as my favorite photo of 2012. My boys...I have no words for what you mean to me:
My Last Night in Philly before Tour with Two Boys Who Stole My Heart: Patrick and Matty!
Happy New Year!
May you laugh well into 2014. Here's a little something to get you started taken at my Christmas in October Party with my family: the Tony Tag singing his favorite show tune. I inherited everything this man got and am proud of it!
The wonderful Matthew Mastronardi on the keys!
May you laugh well into 2014. Here's a little something to get you started taken at my Christmas in October Party with my family: the Tony Tag singing his favorite show tune. I inherited everything this man got and am proud of it!
The wonderful Matthew Mastronardi on the keys!
Old Man River: The note he hits at 1:26 is perfection.
All My Love,
Tara Tag
PS: Getting excited for...
PS: Getting excited for...
Fox Theatre Tour: Collective Grease Casts Wall Art
AND
THE NEW AND IMPROVED WWW.TARATAG.COM: COMING 2013!
