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March "WONG NOTES"
Well, what a Festive Month February was. We had Valentine's Day, Presidents' Day, Chinese New Year, fashion shows, readings, and luncheons. What's an old Dance Captain to do? Just sit back and enjoy it. There isn't anything like New York. We've got it all if you love the theater and the drama that goes with it. LOST: Chis Marshall Please write us if you know of his whereabouts. He was Mark and was going off to do the soap The Guiding Light in 1983. FOUND: 1) Cheryl Gillette (Wonderstudy-Atlanic City) she is living in Oregon and has 3 kids. 2) Christine Barker (Kristine -B'way) just graduated from Sarah Lawrence. 3) Crissy Wilzak (Original-Vicki Vicker) in Elyria, Ohio. She's happy as a lark and promises to come back east to see us this summer. We'll keep you posted. Merete Muenter (Judy-Atlantic City) will be coordinating the Michael Bennett Page on the Website. She's got the best resources coming from Buffalo. Happy we're getting it started and by the way we have lots of imput from Michael's brother Frank. Had lunch with our Jerry Nadel (Atlantic City-PSM) he came all the way from Australia just to visit. He's been Downunder for the past year with Cirque du Soleil. He's been out with them for 4 years and says he'll be glad to get back to the States and settle down in Vegas next year. His world travels have included all of Europe, US and Canada. Vegas is looking real GOOD !!!!!!!!!! By the way Jerry was the first to say he's coming to the Atlantic City Reunion in May. Speaking of Australia, Robert Ginn (Producer-Australia) writes us to let us know that he has put together a production of Pirates of Penzance. Rehearsals began Feb 18 with an opening in New Castle, Canberra on March 6. Tony Bartuccio (Greg-Australia) will be creating the choreography for Pirates Downunder. Tony, one of Aussie's most successful Choreographers has his own Dance School. He also designs his own Bartuccio Dancewear. Tony has sent the long awaited list of players in the 1977 production for our files. Thanks Tony. Mitzi Hamilton (Val-B'way) was in town for a few weeks. The City Grill on the upper westside was rocking and rolling when she and Thommie Walsh (original Bobby) arrived an hour late. They miscalculated the time and had seen more than a couple of glasses of Champagne with Gary Christ (Paul-B'way). We love our Mitzi. She and Thommie were a club act unto themselves. I never stopped laughing and they didn't let up for a moment. Stories, stories and more stories. They need to write that Gypsy book. Mitzi is in town to meet with Tony Stevens (Larry-Workshop) who's directing Something For the Boys in Chicago. Mitzi, who's living there for a while, will be Choreographing the Cole Porter Musical. Nadine Isseneger (Val -2001 Tour) call to say Hi. She closed in Kiss Me Kate in December and has gone right into 42nd St. That's a girl Nadine, keep tapping. Saw Lauren Wagner (Bebe-2001 Tour), she's been shopping and dancing with Debbie Gibson and having a great time. Lauren's sister Stacy is a make up artist who does Super Rock Stars . She is now helping out at Paper Mill and making Ben Vereen and Judd Hirsch look very old in I'm Not Rappaport. Justin Ross (Greg-B'way-Film) is headed back to LA. to pursue his dream of directing films. We wish you the best, Justin. Say Hi to all the ACL Members out there and please keep in touch. Fran Liebergal (Original Assist. to Marvin Hamlish) is Musical Director for Footloose in Butler, NJ. She says she's in rehearsal for 8 weeks. Fran do you know how many shows you can do in 8 weeks?! Called Parker Esse (Paper Mill 2001) and his son Jarrad was repeating everything his dad said on the answering machine. It was only yesterday in DC at Arena Stage (Animal Crackers) that his wife Marie was holding a little tiny bundle of joy. By the way Parker has just gotten home from the Fosse Tour. Sherman Frank (Musical Supervisor-Atlantic City) and Howard Livitsky (Musical Director-Atlantic City) both won't be able to attend the reunion in May because they are both playing in Damn Yankees at the Walnut Street Playhouse in Philadelphia. We'll miss you guys. Our Sue Natrass (PSM-Australia) has taken over from Peter Sellars as the Artistic Director of the Adelaide Festival. She had been head honcho over at the Melbourne Festival for years. We know if Sue's in charge things are gonna be done right. Hugo Tham (Don /Paul cover-Stockholm) writes he is now a Swedish Masseur and does work with mentally challenged children. He says that the show has been such an influence in his life. So happy so many of the Swedish Company are surfing the web and finding us. Moria Chapman (Dance Captain-European Tour) has been Matt West's Dance Captain for Beauty And The Beast in Argentina and Spain for 5 years. She's finally leaving Beauty to live in Spain permanently and be the Dance Captain for Phantom of The Opera. Moria grew up in Zimbabwe, danced in Paris, lived in Argentina (where she first did ACL) and has toured everywhere with the show. A citizen of the world, we love her and wish her the best. Went out to see Carnival at Encores with Peter Howard who did all the original dance arrangements back in the 60's. His music still stands the test of time and we hear the show will becoming to B'way. Good luck Peter. It was a wonderful suprise to sit next to Alice Playten (Henry, Sweet Henry) while watch the performance. The Tony Nominee recalls all sorts of Michael Bennett stories during rehearsals for the show. I guess we'll have to do an evening of catch-up Ms. Alice. Michelle Kutchner Michaels Klein (Kristine-European -Tour) who gave up the business to become an entertainment lawyer, says she is out of that field too. She loves teaching and her first assignment was at Marymount School in New York. She's moved north with her family and is now teaching at Sacred Heart in Greenwich, Conn. Michelle, the baby of the company, was plucked right out of Bobby Longbottom's ACL company in Louisiana and shipped off to Europe. You've come a long way Baby. Anthony Inneo's (Zack-B'way) reading of his play was quite exciting. The actors were top notch and the piece, which he is still working on, will perform10 shows in March. We'll get you all the information so we can all support him. John Calder (PSM-2001) wrote to let us know he was on his way to Salt Lake City, Utah and the Winter Olympics. He says he's going to be in the "Artistic single luge curling ski jump stage management." He's there to stage manage Maury Yeston's Phantom at the Pioneer Theater Company in Salt Lake City. What a wonderful luncheon with Graciela Danielle (Michael Bennett's asst. on Coco and Follies) and Thommie Walsh at Rockerfeller Center's skating rink restaurant. We talked about starting an annual meeting of the Milliken Breakfast Show performers. Wouldn't that be wonderful? Gracie is directing Carnival for Radio City, an annual event that would replace the Easter Show. We said Happy Birthday to our Web Master Bruce Janiga (Feb. 7) at Libretti's, his favorite Italian restaurant in Orange, NJ. Ron Dennis (Original - Richie) Wrote to say he's back at The Academy of Dramatic Arts teaching and doing his thing 'til April. Michael Watson (Don-European Tour) has become a writer. His play Getting Close had a very successful reading with John Slattery, Beckie Ann Baker, Geoffrey Nauftts and Hugh Jackman. Congratulations, Michael, let us know about the progress of the piece. Deborah Athens (Diane-B'way Tour of America) writes that she left the business a decade ago and is now Senior Product Manager at Oracle Corporation. Hurrah, there is a life after A Chorus Line! Congratulation Deborah, there is nothing like doing the Opening Combination to get you ready for any Corporate event. Diane Duncan (Shelia-B'way) is coming to town from LA to celebrate her birthday. Matt West (Bobby-B'way-Film) will give her a bash at his apartment, which has views of Central Park, downtown Manhattan and NJ. Matt's production of Little Shop Of Horrors is a huge success in Argentina and we know how all of his companies of Beauty and the Beast are doing. Stephen Nackamie (Paul-Bus and truck) writes to tell us he's directing Chicago at the Capital Theater in Olympia,WA and has our Julie Graves (Val- Touring Company) as his star. Congratulations to you both. Richard Winkler (Light designer-ACL) says he has had a brillantly, spectular, artistic experience working on the play Wit at the Virginia Museum Theater in Richmond, Virginia. He's now off to work on Wavery Gallery at the Cleveland Playhouse. He recently had a reading of a new musical, Beach Radio, which Larry Fuller will be directing and says it's going be a winner. Richard we need more musicals. We'll keep our fingers crossed. Richard is Donna McKechnie's lighting designer for her one woman show. So, good luck on all your projects, Richard. Thommie Walsh (Original-Bobby) called to invite me to the Bob Mackie Fashion Show after getting his personal invite from the man himself. We waited half an hour for Liza M but she was a NO SHOW. Mackie's theme was Broadway and he had all the old tunes and new ones playing while we found our seats. It was truly a Broadway opening. The TV Show Style was on hand to interview all the stars before and after the show. It was so exciting to be there and the audience went wild over the clothes and presentation. The models delighted us by strutting their stuff to the music of each B'way show. The 3 Dream Girls, gave us choreography with Boas in their hands and the Big Spender Models gave us bugle beads and feathered boas stacked high on their heads. Everything was Stunning, the gowns were Sculptured, Textured and Designed beautifully and believe me there are no beads to be found anywhere on 7th Ave. Bob explained to us later that he wanted models that had more than your ordinary run way personality. Well, all performed for us like they were on a Broadway Show stage. We saw Michele Lee (Seesaw) jotting down a few numbers for her collection and afterwards we found time to chat a little about our experience together in Seesaw. She, of course, has fond memories of Michael. What a Fashion Show to remember. Thanks Thommie, hope I get to go next year. Saverio Marconi (Zack - Producer - Italy) writes that his productions of Hello Dolly, Little Shop of Horrors, Grease and Dance are all playing this season. His original production of Pinocchio is on the boards and will open in February 2003. Wow!!! We all need to go to Italy to find work. Hey, Chinese New Year was great. We had a parade that lasted half an hour on Mott Street in Chinatown. That's pretty good for us. Dragons danced all over the streets getting money from the store owners. It also was the first year we had lights decorating Mott Street with the New Year symbol. Oh, by the way, even the Chinese-American models had a float. Lots of feasting and many pounds later we are off to Bikram Yoga everyday. Come join me. Would love to hear from you all. Just write me: baayorkATachorusline.org and let me know how you all are doing. Baayork
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