Well, here I am in Brno, 2nd largest city of the Czech Republic. Part of the Communist Eastern Block until 5 years ago, we all feel we have just stepped into a 1950s movie. Everything is gray and brown and then you go downtown and you are in a shopping mall in New Jersey. They are now bringing more western architecture to the city as well as Mc Donald's, and KFC. The Czech cuisine is quite hardy with large servings everywhere. We all have gotten into the goulash, chicken specialties and lots of egg dishes. Everyone has found something to eat, because when in doubt there are several Italian and Chineses restaurants in town. There are two hills, one has a church and monastery and the other a castle from the late Middle Ages. We are rehearsing JCSS at one of the most famous theater's in the Czech Republic, called Mestelic Devadlo. A repertory company of 200, they do 600 performances a year, with 4 productions running simultaneously. Renown for their inventive and risk-taking productions we were invited to see their production of CABARET. Certainly not the movie. My company went to Prague on their day off to see one of the most beautiful cities in Europe. However, I didn't go as I had to take a side trip to Dayton, Ohio to open the new Schuster Performing Arts Center. We were in the company of some heavy hitter is the business: Pattie Lupone and Bob Newhart, to name a few. Now let's see who's been writing in since I've been gone.
FOUND: STEVEN HACK - Greg, National company, 1980-81
FOUND: DOROTHY TANCREDI, now Dorothy Dybisz (married Broadway musician Kenny Dybisz many years ago after meeting him on the CATS tour), lives in Eastchester, NY, with her husband and 2 kids.
FOUND: WAYNE MELEDANDRI still lives in New York in his upper West Side apartment.
FOUND: DELYSE LIVELY, now Delee Lively, lives in Los Angeles. It's well-known that she was nominated for a Tony Award for Smoky Joe's Cafe several years ago. She has been cast in the musical Invasion of the Body Snatchers.
FOUND: KEVIN BLAIR He's gone back to his original name, Kevin Spirtus, and is now one of the stars of Days of Our Lives. He played Mike in the National company.
FOUND: STEVEN HACK - Greg, National company, 1980-81, moved from New York to Los Angeles about 12 years ago and has been working regularly in television and movies, including many of the top shows from Everybody Loves Raymond to The West Wing and several upcoming movies. Lives around the corner from Kay Cole and sees her every once in a while.
JO-ANNE ROBINSON (Val/Dance Captain /London), the English-born lass, married Australian John Diedrich (OKLAHOMA /London) 21 years ago. She writes she is still married and lives in Australia. One of the top Director/Choreographers Down Under she is about to direct SOUTH PACIFIC and enjoyed a success directing MACK and MABLE. Jo-Anne was the original Assistant on CATS. She writes she is still reproducing CATS all over the world.
RENE BAUGHMAN (Original-Krisitine) is coming to NYC in June with her husband, Dick Wobbe. They live in St. Louis now and she is involved in the Westin Hotel business. All of this information comes to us from her dear and talented friend MARK HUMMELL.
Cast list for the Schuster Performing Arts Center in Dayton, Ohio included:
- CARL ADAMS (Richie -London) ,
LESLIE BECKER (Cassie -New Jersey Art Center)
MICHELLE BRUCKNER (Sheila- B'way Tour of America)
PAUL BUSHMAN (Don- 2001 tour)
D.J.CHASE (AL- 2001 Tour)
CHEYNNE (Larry- Bus and Truck)
RANDY DONALDSON (Richie- Visa Tour)
PARKER ESSE ( swing- Paper Mill)
COLLEEN HAWKS (Judy- 2001 Tour)
MATT JOHNSON ( Zach- Atlantic City/Bus and Truck)
ZOIE LAMB (Connie - National)
ERIN MALLOY (Maggie- Bus and Truck)
REGAN PIERCE (Kristine- 2001 Tour)
SHANE RHODES (Mike - 2001 Tour)
MICHELLE SCARPA (Diana- Bus and Truck)
KIM SHRIVER (Sheila- 2001 Tour)
ROBERT TUNSTALL (Bobby- 2001 Tour)
LAUREN WAGNER (Bebe- 2001 Tour)
CLIVE (CLERK) WILSON (Original-Larry)
PETER VON MYERHAUSER (PSM-National) brought some of national company of PHANTOM OF THE OPERA to perform for the opening n the Schuster Performing Arts Center in Dayton, Ohio.
CYNTHIA ONRUBIA (Wonderstudy-B'way): We were so happy to hear Richard Gere on the Golden Globe Awards thank her for teaching him all his tap steps in the movie CHICAGO.
DENNIS EDEDENFIELD (Don-National) is now the Associate Director of the Cherry County Theater in Michigan.
RACHAEL SMITH (Judy/Val Bus and Truck) gave birth to a little girl named Grace Lorraine Murry. She was 6 lbs. and 11oz. and 20 inches long. Rachael says she has very long arms and legs (maybe a dancer in the making) So Mom, Dad and Grace are doing great. Thanks to MICHELLE SCARPE (Diane-Bus and Truck) for sending in that information. Congratulation to Rachael and Fran.
RON YOUNG (Don-International) e-mail us to say his friend Mary Jo Cattlet (original Hello Dolly) saw his name on the ACL Most Wanted list. He writes:"I left the business about 8 years ago. I began working as a professional organizer in homes and offices with Julie Morgenstern (the author of several books, including Organizing From the Inside Out), and I still work with her part time doing onsite work in homes; offices, giving seminars and training new organizers. However, my full time job is working in the Marketing Communications department of Merrill Lynch. I went through a year of work with Career Transition For Dancers and discovered abilities that I never knew I had. This May 1st I will have been at ML for 7 years."
JOSE RIVERA (Costume Designer-ACL everywhere) told us he will be putting together a small touring company of GROUCHO: A LIFE IN REVUE starring the wonderful Frank Ferrante. He'll then start shooting a horror film entitled STORYTELLER. When that's over he'll go right into designing ANYTHING GOES at Cape Playhouse. José never sits around and he likes it that way. So do we.
RON DENNIS (Richie-original) e-mailed us to say: "I Danced twice last month for two events and that was great fun and I received wonderful compliments about still dancing this good, which is always good to be acknowledged about...and I still teach two mornings a week and take two mornings to keep in shape and go to my dance church worship. This coming Sunday Justin Ross has asked a group of dancer/actors to come and play with some ideas he has in the works and Ron Kuhlman is going to be one of us. I'll let you know how this goes."
DANNY HERMAN (Mike-B'way) saw the site for the first time and really liked it. He left all his information for us and says he is currently developing The NEW Revue premiering this summer at the Mountain Laurel Center for the Performing Arts in Tamiment, Pennsylvania.
Glad to hear from you Danny.
STEPHEN NACHAMIE (Paul-Regional) lets us know he just staged WEST SIDE STORY at North Carolina Theatre (directed by Jerome Vivona) - Eric Sciotto was Bernardo. He is now in Washington State Choreographing TOMMY for Capital Playhouse. Also will be Directing ACL this summer ... and later SUPERSTAR.
Glad to know you are having a good season.
REBECCA KUPKA (Maggie 2001 Tour) e-mailed to say she just finished a production of Children of Eden at the Arvada Center. She played Aysha and it was lots of fun! Between Mommy duties, she is doing lots of commercial and industrial work in Denver. She directs a Children's Choir at her church and takes lots of ballet classes... Rebecca says she's "Gotta keep in shape somehow, and it sure is harder after you've given birth!! " Read her e-note here.
MICHELLE LUI COUGLIN (Connie-Regional) was in the production of Children of Eden at the Arvada Center in Denver, and played the role of YONAH.
PATTIE FORD (Val- Bus and Truck) e-mailed to say: Miss Lilah Rose Wilcoxson arrived to Patti and Whit on February 28th, 2003 12:55pm. 6lbs 9oz and 20 inches long. Absolutely beautiful and perfect. New family doing great, pictures will follow. Congratulations to the new parents. Another ACL Baby.
ROBERT TUNSTALL (Bobby-2001 Tour) our NEW YORK REPORTER writes:
- Miracles
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- Always
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- Rejoice
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- Create
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- Happiness.
Thank you Baayork for the spectacular weekend in Dayton, Ohio!
I'm still (((glowing)))) from the experience!
Highlights included:
The infamous "Baayork warm-up"...Complete with leg lifts and super stretches that whipped us "Chorus-liner's" back into shape (then into traction) My favorite was when she yelled "too many eggs.....get those legs up!" (Hilarious!)
Rehearsals were a dream. PATTI D'BECK (Morales, Bebe, Cassie Broadway) did a great job being the extra pair of eyes. FRAN LIEBERGAL tickled the ivories like no other can. CLIVE "CLERK" WILSON led "the wedge" to perfection. I couldn't stop watching him in the mirror and hearing in my head "Larry has the exact style I'm looking for."... He's the real deal.
Hanging out with the National tour's Phantom (TED KEEGAN) and Christine (MARNI RAAB) was a treat.
Meeting BOB NEWHEART was exceptionally exceptional. He made sure that everyone who wanted a picture with him, got one. (Way Cool!)
PATTI LuPONE cheered us on from the wings during the dress rehearsal. Her number "I Was Here" from The Gorgeous Ones was stellar.
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- WALTER CRONKITE has that kind of speaking voice that goes right through you. He was asked to conduct the symphony when they performed "Stars and Stripes." I found out later that he is the only civilian to conduct the US Army/Navy band.
ALLISON JANNY gave a funny speech. She looked gorgeous, in a non-surgical way...
RAY CHARLES blew me away. I was standing just feet away from him during his performance. There's nothing like hearing him sing the classic "Georgia" live. What an incredibly talented man.
The after-party was like no other...It was held in a room that reminded me of a black box theater. Live band on one end, food and bar at another, and in the middle was CLIVE "CLERK" WILSON and PATTI D'BECK TEARIN' UP THA DANCE FLOOR!!!! They TRULY got the party started. PARKER ESSE (Roy, Paper Mill) whirled and twirled the girls with his partnering expertise. MICHELLE BRUCKNER (Shelia, National) and I began to dance when a Latin flavored celebration song started. I told her, "Let's get people to limbo under our arms." So we did. Next thing I know FRAN LIEBERGAL had passed her cane to us and the whole room exploded with excitement...Forming the longest limbo line known to mankind. COLLEEN HAWKS (Judy, Paper Mill) gets extra contortional credit for her "hair-2-the-floor" back-bend. Clive was the last one to go underneath when the song ended and he jumped into my arms for a final "That Jazz" pose...which ended the number - Perfectly!
Later on, we joined the Dayton Ballet at a club for the "after-after party." KIM SHRIVER (Shelia, Paper Mill) and ERIN MALLOY (Maggie, Niko tour) served up a delicious pole dance on top of the bar. MATT JOHNSON (Zach, Niko tour) and I had a good time catching up. It amazes me that he looks exactly the same as he did 8 years ago when we met.
Speaking of youth, I would like to remind you that:
"We turn not older with years, but newer each day."
Love to all,
Robert
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Well, that's all the news for this month thanks for all your e-mails and messages. It's so great to have two new ACL Babies this month and a host of new members logging on. Will catch up to you again next month. This time I'll be in Amsterdam with Superstar and getting them ready for thoses huge Jaffe Gates.
Would love to hear from you so please write me at
baayorkATachorusline.org
in loving spirit,
Baayork
