HALF WAY THERE!!!! YOU GUYS ARE AMAZING!!!

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TIME FOR AN UPDATE

Well, or those of you saw my post about The Musical Stage Company, it’s an update.  For those of you who didn’t, welcome to something important to me (and hopefully to you too if you care about great musical theatre and kids and young people.

I’ll start with the update which is great news:  We are half way there to our goal of ANOTHER HUNDRED PEOPLE!!  WOOHOOOOOOO!!!!!  Only 50 more supporters to go.

For those of you who did not see this before or those that need a refresher, here is an amended version of the previous blog.

So I rarely have big causes or projects I believe in enough to write a blog about them.  But this one is so worth it.

I think many of you know… or maybe you don’t….  I shouldn’t assume that people keep up with my comings and goings…. who do I think I am???   But you peeps in the business of “show” know this; and in case you DIDN’T know, I’m on the board of directors of an extraordinary company called The Musical Stage Company.

This year, we’ve taken on a really exciting challenge that will “take a village” and we’re looking for people who believe in musical theatre to help get us to our goal.… [Continue reading]

TAIPEI BLOG

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Hi all,

Once again, I’ve been too long in writing.  This is a blog I wrote on the plane back from Taipei.  Since I wrote it, I felt like might as well publish with the pics for whoever is interested. Here we go:

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Well it’s been a while but my God the things that have been going on.  Where to start.  I finished Killjoys but just as I did, I was asked to be in the cast of Porgy and Bess: In Concert for Soulpepper.  For clarity, we didn’t sing specific roles. We sang a variety of the songs – sort of the greatest hits – and there was a narrative written that talked about the making of the original show.  But what a joy to work with this cast.  It’s one of those shows where I can’t believe these crazy, talented people are also my friends – Troy Adams, Neema Bickersteth, Alana Bridgewater and the  wonderful Jackie Richardson.  We had a ball.  And the show did really well.  I don’t know that anyone thought it would sell so well.  So great to sing that material.

And while we were running Porgy and Bess, I was offered the craziest gig. … [Continue reading]

NEW IS FUN

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It’s been a little while.  I know I said I would write more . . . . psych!  No… kidding.  I intended to.  But better late than never.  So I finished my last day of filming on Killjoys yesterday.

Amazing how fast 4 months goes by.  Sooooo much …. I can’t tell you about.  🙂 Sorry, kids.  It’s all top secret.  But loads of fun things happen this season.  We get Pree on some missions with the Killjoys, we get some more of his history, a little more of his personal life…. plus more fabulous costumes which you’ll see as we get into the season.

And on Monday, I start teaching again at Randolph Academy for the Performing Arts.  I’m really enjoying teaching and coaching these days.  It’s fun to see students “get” something or watching them figure out new skill sets.

But the really fun news is that I’ll be joining Soulpepper for the first time to perform in PORGY & BESS IN CONCERT.

https://www.soulpepper.ca/performances/porgy-bess-in-concert/2011

I’ll be joined by Jackie Richardson, Alana Bridgewater, Neema Bickersteth and Troy Adams as the singers and Walter Borden as narrator.  So thrilled to finally get to sing this music and work with old and new friends. … [Continue reading]

SOME OVERDUE NEWS

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Once again, it’s been so long since I wrote my blog. I always feel there is something I can’t say that I want to say so instead of talking about any of the other things I could say, I say nothing. Ummm . . . stupid. Okay that is a bit harsh, Thom. Let’s just say, . . dumb.

Aaaaanyway. It’s been an incredible year. OH MY GOD. I just peeked at my blog to see what the last thing was that was happening to me. We were in the middle of the run of Peter Pan in June. That literally feels like it was years ago. It’s been a funny year of piggybacking. On the day of our first performance of Elegies, I was offered Peter Pan. Then a week before the end of the first leg of Peter Pan in June, I got a call to fill in for the role of Javert in Les Miserables for Drayton. Then the day before we closed Les Miserable in Drayton and I was about about to go back to the second leg of the run for Peter Pan, I got some other news.

So whoever is reading this blog, (and since I may post this link to Facebook and Twitter, that could be .… [Continue reading]

PETER PAN AND LIFE

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Interesting times, my people.  I’m here in Penetanguishene in the middle of our run of Peter Pan.  It’s been a great and incredibly exhausting experience.  A great cast and great director/choreographer, David Connolly. Who, incidentally, will be choreographing the upcoming Broadway premiere of First Wives Club in 2015.  He’s great.  We only had two weeks but what he did in those two weeks was astonishing.  A cast of 14 (including the boys playing Michael and John Darling) plus two groups of 18 kids that play a multitudes of roles and alternate shows.  Lots to gather but he did an amazing job.  Fantastic Stage Management team and super musical director, Michael Barber, as well as a sweet, fun stage crew.  It’s been a hoot.  But my God, I didn’t think I’d be expending this much energy as Captain Hook.  The sweat is streaming down my face and I’m drenched after the first scene as Hook.

The good news is the audience is loving it and we’re a hit.

http://www.simcoe.com/whatson-story/4571129-review-a-silly-fun-adventure/

Here is a taste of the good Captain.

Captain Hook 3

And Penetanguishene is beautiful.  It’s been lovely here.  Right on the water of Georgian Bay.  The King’s Wharf Theatre is right on the water. It’s breathtaking.… [Continue reading]