All the world’s a stage, and all the men and women merely players: they have their exits and their entrances; and one man in his time plays many parts, his acts being seven ages.
— William Shakespeare.
This particular site will review theatrical performances that I see in various cities and venues in the United States. It will visually describe, compare, contrast and bring the shows straight from the stage to your screen. Sit back and get comfortable. Then, as the house lights dim and overture begins to play, prepare to be immersed in the world of theatre. Hopefully, you will find yourself standing at the curtain call, in resounding Ovation.
I got interested in theater when I took an intro to theater class my sophomore year in high school. It looked like something fun and at the time I was still fairly shy.
2. How long have you been doing it?
I started doing shows my junior year of high school. But didn’t really carry it over to college.
3. What is your favorite part of it?
I really loved the technical aspects of theater. I’ve been a props director, a stage manager for several shows and also a lighting technician for several shows. I love the magic of behind the scenes theater, and making people believe what you’ve done is actually happening. I love creating something beautiful and magical out of something as simple as leftover plywood, cardboard, paint, and lights.
4. What shows have you done and what had been your favorite?
My first show as props director was Noises Off, then stage-managed, And they danced real slow in Jackson, Oklahoma, and I never saw another butterfly. I feel like I’m leaving one or two out, but I can’t remember. I did lights for swing time canteen, and dearly departed. I actually acted in taming of the shrew. I participated my junior and senior year of high school in forensics.
5. What are you future plans for your art?
I currently don’t have any future plans on getting back into theater. I do continue to love it, and I’m interested in going to see shows. Maybe when my kids get bigger I might try to get back into it.
6. If you could give any advice to someone wanting to pursue your art, what would it be?
When it comes to theater, you either fall in love with acting or the technical side. Do what you love, but don’t be afraid to try the other side. Always believe in yourself!
Review of Newly Released Book “Witches of the Wood”
In the space where heritage meets hauntings, lives a book that brings you the best of both. Written by local Appalachian Authors; Brian Patrick Cooley, Amy N. Edwards, Bekah Harris, S.S. Marshall, Denver Muncey, Tracy Sue Needham, Dustin Street and J. Warren Welch, “Witches of the Wood” takes you off the beaten path and into run down houses, foreboding brush and into the darkest recesses of the mind. Each story is written with extreme professionalism and intense imagination. With every page turn, you find yourself in a different setting and nightmare.
The words within this book will become familiar and relatable as you find yourself in the middle of a horror story right in the heart of Appalachia. Readers will find themselves climbing creaky and dilapidated stairs, gazing into the worn side of a moonshine still or following the unknown further into the woods. You will be surrounded by screams, chills and echoes of the past within the paragraphs you immerse yourself in. Each author brings their own voice and experience to their personal stories and invite you in, if you dare, to be a part of the tale.
In a region that is rich with history and its own terrifying plot, inspiration for each story is laid out right before our eyes. The reader will hold in their hands one of the greatest compilations of horror stories to be set free into the wild. This book is not just ready for Halloween, but for every other time of year where tingles and taunts beckon to be a part of your reality. Sit by the fire or by your favorite lamp and crack open the cover to what will prove to be one of the most brilliant reads of your life.
My kindergarten Graduation play. My school had these performances for kindergarten Graduation. The play was some what felt like hours scene of a farmer getting a scarecrow to protect his garden. The lead was the scarecrow and he had a lot of lines. It was nerve racking for a 5 year old. It was also my first audition. The teacher took 4 of us and took us class to class and asked all the teachers who would make a great scarescrow. Some teachers would make us say scarecrow type line, stand like a scarecrow, and things like that. Well I booked it and was the lead in my Kindergarten Graduation play. That’s when I got the acting bug.
2. How long have you been doing it?
On and off since I was 5, so since I was 30. There have been some years where life took over, bills, marriage, trying to eat, house, cars, just life where I had to stop acting and be a responsible adult and take care of things. I did not like those times.
3. What is your favorite part of it?
Performing! I’m a very instant gratification actor. I love getting on stage and hearing the crowd laugh, cry, boo, or cheer me on the spot. The audience’s reaction is what I love to hear. So the only way I can get that is if I’m on that stage performing. To me there are very few feelings in the world like that.
4. What shows have you done and what had been your favorite?
Oh that’s a lot! Let’s see I’ve been in 12 Angry Men, both versions of Odd Couple, Lone Star, Godspell, The Boys Next Door, Rocky Horror Show, Cheaper By the Dozen, Squabbles, Murder at the Howard Johnson, I can keep going if you want but I don’t want to bored your readers. I really don’t have a favorite they are different, but if you are making me choose I have to say John from Who’s Life is it Anyways? It’s for a completely selfish reason too. John is an orderly maybe 25 lines in total in this 2 act 5 scene play. Artist becomes paralyzed from the neck down can’t continue to do his art so he wants the hospital to assist in killing him. Very dark except for me. My little role is the comic relief. But I had one moving line, just one and I nailed it. I remember the cast reading the reviews and hating me because everyone was blasted as being to boring and not convening the gravity of seriousness for this piece, but I was praised as the only part to say awake for. It gave my ego a real boost.
5. What are you future plans for your art?
Auditions, Auditions, Auditions, Auditions. I moved to Atlanta to try my hand at transitioning to film and television, but while that’s going on still audition for all the great theaters we have here. The 2 years I’ve been here I’ve done 3 plays, 2 movies, 4 tv shows and countless auditions. I hope my future looks bright.
6. If you could give any advice to someone wanting to pursue your art, what would it be?
Don’t give up! My biggest mistake was taking those 4-5 years off to take care of life. It was a huge step back for me. Take the risk and do it while you still can you dont want to look back and wonder what was.
I’ve been orchestrating and arranging music every since I was in 7th grade so when I had the opportunity to orchestrate for theatre I’d had many years of practice. I attended the Eastman School of Music and studied arranging with Rayburn Wright who’d been music director for Radio City Music Hall in NYC for 25 years. Frank Wildhorn gave me my first opportunity with Jekyll & Hyde – we did demos in 1986 and it reached Broadway in 1997!
How long have you been doing it?
see above!
What is your favorite part of it?
It’s like putting a puzzle together and adding color to that puzzle. Helping tell the story, advance the plot, delineate characters, etc. pretty much all of it!
What shows have you done and what have been your favorite?
For Broadway- Jekyll & Hyde (orig and revival), the Scarlet Pimpernel, Civil War, Little Women, Wonderland. Lots more both internationally and regionally. It’s like choosing a favorite child or ice cream- so many great memories of different aspects of each!
What are you future plans for your art?
I continue to work with several theatres doing new productions and re-orchestrating classics. Also working with lots of wonderful performers from the theatre world on a regular basis.
If you could give any advice to someone wanting to pursue your art, what would it be?
Compose, arrange and orchestrate every single chance you get- it’s all interwoven. Orchestration is a craft as well as an often under-appreciated art. Learn notation software like Finale or Sibelius but pursue live performances of your work. Listen, study and take chances by trying new things. Be flexible, kind and respectful to all- you’re usually not in charge and it’s a collaborative business.
My first conscious realization that I liked to perform was from back in kindergarten, when I was unfairly beaten out of the role of “Ringmaster” is our one-time only, fully improvised production of Circus, written and viewed by no one. I was relegated to the role of “Dog” instead, but it was enough for me to realize that I liked to perform. From there it was an organic development to REAL productions, which has been a fairly steady thing in the decades since.
Like most performers, I think what keeps me happy is finding things I’m good at, then being praised for them. Most of us seem to have that in common. As such, among my favorite roles would be when I was “Judas” in Jesus Christ Superstar and “Anthony” in Sweeney Todd. I’ve also discover that I enjoy (and am generally good at) sound design and stage management, so I’d also have to toot my own horn for some especially creative sound cues for Black Eagles and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. I’ve also learned/developed my own method for running both light and sound boards while also calling backstage cues, so I’m the only person needed in the booth, thanks to the program QLab.
I’m a theatre hobbyist and, despite the occasional stipend, have no plans on making theatre a full-time gig. As such, I’ll usually be heavily involved (acting or stage managing) in just a couple of productions a year, and sprinkle two or three less time-intensive projects (sound design) in there as time allows. For me, that is enough to keep me happy. I think it’s important for some folks to recognize that they don’t need to live in the theatre 24/7 to be appeased and, in many cases, being that deeply inundated could actually kill their love for the art. I’d also recommend to virtually anyone to make sure you get your feet wet in multiple facets of the arts. If you’re just an actor who never works backstage, you’ll never know what kind of mean things we techs are saying about your performance.
Actors, we are saying a lot of mean things about your performance.
In this special podcast, I sit down with Mike Baker, a local actor and writer in the area. Mike has been involved in the arts on stage, behind stage and in the form of writing and running his own personal blog, “Not of this World”. He’s also a pretty awesome brother-in-law too! Ladies and gentlemen, Mike Baker!
My brother has always been one that I have looked up to and tried to follow in the footsteps of. He introduced me to theatre when I was five years old as he was doing a production of The Wiz at Dobyns-Bennett High School where he was the theatre teacher. A little red headed girl danced in the aisles, eased on down the road and fell in love with the stage. Ladies and gentlemen, my amazingly talented brother, Rick Marshall!
I had the absolute honor of sitting down with local actor extraordinaire, Jon Luttrell, to hear about his experiences and gained knowledge within the realm of theatre. Listen to this incredible interview over breakfast, in the car or at the gym. Ladies and gentlemen, Jon Luttrell!
Have a seat and get ready to learn all you need to know about The Theatre Ovation. In my first vlog, I will explain what The Theatre Ovation is, what you can expect within the blog and who can be a part of the blogs and podcasts!
The venue was filled with chairs and tables as poetry loving patrons began flooding into the Bloom Cafe and Listening Room in Bristol, TN. This evening was one that would change the hearts, minds and outlook of a number of people. On the stage a microphone and small table; both begging to be utilized. The owner of Bloom, Em Fehr, stands at the microphone and excitedly introduces popular slam poet, Andrea Gibson. The crowd, that has now swelled to standing room only, fills the space with intense applause. Andrea Gibson steps onto the stage, humbly thanks Em, and takes her place behind the mic.
The poetry that flows from Andrea’s lips is raw, intense and real. The emotion behind every word and every pause craves to be noticed and acknowledged. Words fell from the microphone and crawled into the laps of those listening and revealed vulnerability and truth. From love, to no more love, from death, to new life, every single poem beckoned the heart to rip itself open and take in the words like a child clings to its mother’s bosom for comfort.
As the letters formed inescapable content, the music playing behind them enhanced the feeling you received through the speakers above. For nearly three hours, the audience sat in complete and total acceptance of what they were hearing. Every moment was mesmerizing and every poem a lesson. Afterward, you could line up to meet Andrea and buy her books or merchandise. The line to do so wrapped the back wall of Bloom and continued to grow. The sense of immersion that was felt that evening is one that a baptistery only imagines possible.
The Theatre Ovation 