Whew.  Okay well we did it.  It’s now two days after Ragtime opening night.  How did it go, you ask?   I actually don’t know how to say how it went.  After I wrote my blog that day, I didn’t feel afraid anymore.  I felt like I could go in and tell Coalhouse’s story.  I had a good warm up.  I did feel a little dry; I hadn’t been drinking enough water.  But I didn’t feel bad.  The energy backstage was really good.  People were excited but not revving too high.  I was relaxed enough to do the show but I was keenly aware of being “watched” in a bigger sense of just having an audience.  I did feel like I was emotionally in the scenes in the moment but when I’d come offstage, I found I couldn’t remember what I just did.  That can be a good or bad thing.  I didn’t know which but I didn’t feel like I was doing a bad job.

But the weight of the event hit me before I went out to do the library scene where I have to sing Make Them Hear You.  I got out of my dressing room chair to go backstage, and was suddenly exhausted. … [Continue reading]

I can’t believe it’s here.  But here we definitely are.  It’s been an amazing experience coming from cupcake to Coalhouse.  This is where one would put the big retrospective of the emotional journey from being the glittering cupcake in Priscilla with shattered confidence to the leading man of Ragtime with the drive of a tiger.  Boring.  It’s opening night and we’ve been previewing for the last 17 years.  Let’s go!!!!    Yes, it’s been a journey, yes, it’s been revelatory, yes, it’s been rewarding.  But now it’s time to put it “officially” before the judges for the papers. And, although it would be nice to get good reviews, I realized something two nights ago . . . which I will now share with you . . . all.

An incident occurred after Coalhouse (I) get . . . well, I don’t want to spoil it for anyone . . . but something happens to me that is not good.  And when it happened that night, matinee actually, an audience member cried out, “no, it’s not fair, it’s not fair” (I may be paraphrasing but that was the idea and . . . well, it’s my blog so shut up.) And she burst into tears and had to be consoled by the people around her. … [Continue reading]

Here we go people.  Hot off the presses.  I just got the okay on this.  So here we go.

I’ll be hosting the Dora Awards this year!!!   They’ll be Monday, June 25 at the St. Lawrence Centre for the Arts, Bluma Appel Theatre.  For those of you who don’t know what the Doras are, they are Toronto’s Tony Awards but with no Hugh Jackman or Bernadette Peters.

33rd ANNUAL DORA MAVOR MOORE AWARDS

Toronto’s Theatre, Dance and Opera Awards

Monday June 25, 2012

Hosted by Thom Allison

6:30pm-7:30pm Pre-Show VIP Reception ­- Sony Centre for the Performing Arts Lower Lobby

8pm Dora Mavor Moore Awards Show at the St.Lawrence Centre for the Arts, Bluma Appel Theatre, 27 Front St. E.

10:30pm After-Party Under the Stars outside the St. Lawrence Centre on Front St. East.

Written by Chris Earle; Directed by Sandra Lefrançois; Musical Direction by Glenn Morley;

Lighting Design by Andrea Lundy; Produced by Jacoba Knaapen.
Regular Tickets on sale as of June 21, 2012: $65. Call the Box Office at 416-366-7723
VIP Tickets: $165 (includes pre-show VIP Reception). Call 416-536-6468 ext 27
For information visit www.tapa.ca

I’m very excited.  We are underway right now, putting it together. … [Continue reading]

Oh lord, people.  There is so much Ragtime in the air right now.  I’m not actually nervous but I’m so aware of being watched.  I know there are some people who don’t think I will pull it off and some are so sure I can.  I’m just telling a story and I hope I’m doing it well.  But it’s definitely time to get the opening over with so we can just do that – tell these great stories of these people’s lives.

Now having said that, an interview I did a couple of days ago came out and it’s a little overwhelming.  It’s written by Dennis Kucherawy who was a high-up in LiveEnt. when Ragime was created so he knows the show really well and has very personal ties to it.  I’m very touched and honoured by what he’s written. It’s very un-Canadian to point out nice things that are said about us but I’ve worked very hard for 28 years to have people say nice things about me so I’ll take it……  And if you’re going to be all judgy-pants  .  . .suck it. I’m not claiming what he says is true, I’m just doing my thing but it’s very sweet that one person thinks so .… [Continue reading]