Catching up – 2011
I realized I haven’t posted since July. Oops. Here goes…
In August, I was privileged to work with the Summer Youth Intensive once again at Wheelock Family Theatre. With John O’Neil on my left and Sophie Rich on my right, how could I go wrong? I directed/choreographed Once on this Island, Jr. for 24 8-14 year olds. A wonderful, wild ride. And the icing on the cake was my daughter assisting me and my son playing a small role at the end. Fabulous.
September came and the rest of the year was like a train on fire for me. I taught my First Year Seminar at Wheelock College once again – Critical Thinking Through Movement – and met a wonderful new group of freshmen. The class is a pleasure to teach and my group of young women was truly special. While doing that, I performed in The Phantom Tollbooth for the Wheelock Family Theatre. WFT has become a second family to me and I worked with so many wonderful people that I dare not try to list them all. I played several roles though the Undersecretary of Understanding was my most prominent. During the process, I was lucky enough to meet the author, Norton Juster. As The Phantom Tollbooth was one of my favorite books as a child, this was really special for me. And as if it couldn’t get better, I got to have dinner with Sheldon Harnick. Yup, the Sheldon Harnick of Fiddler and She Loves Me fame. He was a co-writer of the play and happens to be a Northwestern Alum – my alma mater too. It was a wonderful, fun, entertaining, enlightening evening. Thank you, Jane Staab!
This past fall I took part in two benefits. The first was a reading of MOMologues to benefit Metro Stage. I was so pleased to help out and even more pleased to read these wonderful words. The monologues in this piece hit me like no others. They really speak to me as a Mom. Thank you, Lisa Rafferty for allowing me to add them to repertoire. AND I get to be a part of the maiden reading of MOMologues 3, The Final Push in January of 2012. Excellent! The second benefit was one dear to my heart – UpStage Lung Cancer. This year I took on a little more responsibility and directed/choreographed. It really was just a bit more of a hand in shaping the evening. It was a wonderful night that raised money to research early detection of lung cancer – an important cause.
As soon as Phantom Tollbooth closed, I went into A Christmas Carol at the Hanover Theatre in Worcester. I choreographed for my second year and once again played Mrs. Fezziwig. It was a wonderful cast and crew and a beautiful way to share the holiday season. The weather co-operated and with Brad Peloquin behind the wheel much of the time, the commute to Worcester was a breeze. Thank you to Troy Siebels and the folks at Hanover for having me as part of the family once again.
And now, it’s a new year. I’ll start my spring course at Wheelock soon and teach my class at Brandeis University. I’ll do the reading of MOMologues… and relax. No major projects until the end of March when I will choreograph and play the role of Pam in The Full Monty at Stoneham Theatre. Then I choreograph Avenue Q for the Lyric Stage and then back to Stoneham to work with Kathy St. George and Scott Edmiston on Dear Miss Garland. But for now… some family time. Happy New Year!
