In the interest of keeping the focus on the current situation, we have decided to indefinitely postpone our joint and upcoming fundraiser for the AriZoni Theatre Awards of Excellence with the hopes that we can revisit it at a later date.
Tuesday, June 9, 2020
Seth Tucker and PHX Stages announce postponement of upcoming fundraiser
Monday, June 8, 2020
A Statement from Hale Centre Theatre
To our amazing community of actors and friends - we are listening! Our minds and hearts are open and we hear all of your comments and your grievances. We acknowledge our past mistakes and we are truly sorry. If we have hurt anyone through our production choices, casting choices, or made anyone feel marginalized in any way, again, we apologize with all our heart. We want the whole community to know that we stand with you in making sincere, conscious, and lasting change. As such, we have seen many of the issues that have been circulating and discussed recently on social media and elsewhere, and with love and good faith, we would like to address them now:
We recognize that our production of Lend Me A Tenor in 2015, was a poor choice. We weren’t being mindful of the insensitivities of this show and produced it anyway. We have no excuse. We are truly sorry. Also, as many know, it is a Hale tradition for a cast “meet and greet” with the audience after each performance. Most audience members and actors enjoy it. However, in this case, allowing the actor who played Tito Merelli to stand in line, in his costume and still in “black face” was abhorrent and extremely insensitive. We are sorry if anyone, cast member or audience was offended. It will never be repeated.
At the Hale, we have always tried to cast roles specific to the ethnicity for which they were written. We have always encouraged all ethnicities to audition for every show. That being said, we have failed on many occasions. In the past, while casting some shows, when we weren’t able to immediately cast roles intended for People of Color, we have taken short cuts and cast actors who were available, talented, and willing to play those roles. We acknowledge that we could have worked harder and looked longer to find actors whose ethnicity appropriately represented the characters they played. This too is cause for reflection and we commit to inclusive, appropriate casting going forward.
There is great consternation over our taking down the Hale Facebook page. While seeing, hearing, and understanding your pain and frustration, we felt hurtful comments towards our patrons were unjustified. We felt it appropriate to temporarily take it down. Facebook is a large platform that can be used for good or bad, to build up or tear down, to effect positive change or destroy it. We wish to use it as a means to build, encourage, and inspire. Please join us in our desire to effect positive social change.
Hale desires to bridge relationships and build trust with all actors, regardless of race, ethnicity, orientation, or creed. We love this community of actors, each and everyone of you. We are listening. We want to, and we will do better. Acknowledging our mistakes is the only path to correcting them. We pledge to move forward with acceptance, tolerance, inclusiveness and love. Please know that it has never been our intention to offend, hurt, or disparage anyone. We are human and make mistakes. Sometimes extremely important things and issues are missed by us and for that, we are truly sorry. We promise to be ever more aware and diligent to present productions that are family-friendly, uplifting, non-offensive, meaningful, enjoyable, and that reflect racial equality.
David and Corrin Dietlein
Zao Theatre presents a special one night only concert of ORDINARY DAYS on June 26
Zao Theatre is re-opening with a summer of great theatre!
Leading off with a special one night only performance of Ordinary Days on June 26th, followed closely in July with Actor's Youth Theatre's presentation of Les Miserables: School Edition, and rolling into the new season with Zao's long awaited Little Shop of Horrors in August.
Featuring the original Zao cast from our January 2019 production, Ordinary Days is a moving and appropriate tribute to the beauty and poignancy of the ordinary in our lives. There has never been a better time to remember. As Warren so aptly states "...for beautiful to happen, the beautiful has got to be seen."
You will enjoy Adam Gwon's wonderful music that tells the story of four young New Yorkers whose lives intersect as they search for fulfillment, happiness, love and cabs. Through a score of vibrant and memorable songs, their experiences ring startlingly true to life.
With optimistic information from the Arizona governor's office, Zao Theatre is gearing up to be part of the state's Phase Two reopening this summer. We have already developed and instituted a Protection Plan which complies with CDC recommendations, which includes:
• aggressive disinfection practices of all touchable surfaces including door handles, door frames, counter tops, all bathroom surfaces, and theatre seats;
• hand sanitizer available to our patrons and volunteers;
• theatre seating arranged to accommodate proper social distancing, with couples still seated together;
• suspension of the traditional actors meet and greet following the performance;
• entrance and exit plan for the lobby.
What can you do help? Buy your ticket now, wear your mask in the theatre, and, if you are feeling ill, please stay home. Notify the box office and we will work with you to move your tickets to another performance.
Check out the full 2020-2021 Season of shows at www.zaotheatre.com.
We look forward to seeing you at the theatre!
Saturday, June 6, 2020
Quarantine Q/A: DAMON J. BOLLING
Our series of "Quarantine" interviews, which focus on individuals involved in the Phoenix theatre community and their reaction to Arizona's stay at home mandate, continues today with a conversation with Valley actor Damon J. Bolling.
The COVID-19 virus and the recent protests in support of racial injustice have affected us all in many ways. The theatre community has been harshly impacted with show closures and postponements. We hope this series of daily interviews will be a way to provide some personal insight into what people are doing during this period of time while highlighting familiar individuals from the theatre community in town.
Was there a show you were in or involved with or preparing for when the stay at home order started?
Bolling: "I was in talks for some upcoming directorial projects - but I was not rehearsing a production at the time. We were out of town when this all went down! My husband was speaking at the Nevada State Bar conference, conveniently located in Bishop, California lol (they frown upon holding a law convention in a state that has legalized gambling.) Bishop is about 1/2 from Mammoth Lakes and so I go skiing during the day while he attends the conference. On the first day, the governor of California declares a state of emergency that: No group larger than 50 people may congregate in a public space. We were in the car the next morning, headed to home to Phoenix. It's a 9 hour drive, so we stayed over in Las Vegas- braved one of their local Costco’s- loaded up the SUV and hunkered down for the next 2 months. "
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| Damon J. Bolling in Company photo courtesy Desert Foothills Theater |
"FOUR of my family members in Los Angeles all tested positive, as a cluster, for COVID 19. My Grandfather who will be 90 in September, his wife, and two of his children (My Uncle and My Aunt.) My Grandfather was in a skilled nursing facility having had surgery 2 weeks prior to the pandemic. We couldn't see him or get him out of the facility in time. It turns out he contracted Corona-virus there, and when my Aunt and Uncle were tending to him at home, they then contracted the Virus, as well as my Grandfather's wife. My Grandfather and my Aunt were then hospitalized, while my Uncle and Step-Grandmother skated by with severe cold-like symptoms. Fortunately, everyone is home now and on the mend!"
How has your daily routine changed?
"I am at home now, so I have become VERY domestic! It turns out I am busier now than I was when I was going into the office every day. I am accomplishing a lot of home repairs and organizing neglected rooms in the house. "
What do you feel will be different when theater restarts?
"Well, this is indeed the "million dollar question." It's something that comes up almost daily with all of us. I don’t think we’ll see fully staged shows until we have the infection rate under control. There will be a lot of cabarets, and out door concerts for now. Things that Fountain Hills Theater is doing. To get back to before, we first we have to look at several factors, and the first (I believe) begins with TESTING. We cannot forecast the need for social distancing if we don't have a handle on our numbers. How do you social distance a cast/block a show with actors 6 feet apart? In order to get back to “normal” we need to address not only the creative teams and patrons but the internal operation as well. How do you ensure the safety of the ENTIRE organization of a theater from house attendants, box office team, operations team, ushers, and artistic and executive teams? So: Testing, Testing, and more TESTING made available to us. Second, if we had the technology for all social events like theatre, sporting events, and concerts to ensure the safety of each individual like:
a.) body temperature scanning (similar to a metal detector) everyone walks through and it scans for fever.
b.) a VACCINE! Having an ID card that you’ve been vaccinated would let you go straight to the front of the line, and if you don’t have get vaccinated, you could have an ID that you tested negative within the past 48 hrs or antibody test ID clearance, we would be able to gather in large groups again; but we need those resources readily available. Kind of like a passport! You can get creative with removing seats from existing houses- but if the show is pre-sold, how do you tell which patrons get to stay it get refunded? How do you decide that? What if they all bought their tickets at the same time?"
When do you think that’ll happen?
"Sadly, I don't believe we we will be back in the full swing of things, until 2021 "
What have you been doing to stay creative during this time?
"I have been dabbling in my songwriting skills- Chanel Bragg told me about this great app, and I started writing these silly little song snippets, about different experiences with our quarantine from baking to running out toilet paper! Kind of like SNL song parodies. I tried to sing in different genres from R&B to Epic Anthems. I had a good time writing them and I was REALLY humbled by the response from the community. A friend of mine noticed them, and sent them to her producer at fox 10 morning and they did a feature story. I called them Silly Quarantine Songs. I wanted to make people laugh and have fun at our quarantine unusual circumstances. We have to find the humor, and if I could make people laugh- I did my part!"
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| Damon J. Bolling, and cast, in Into the Woods photo courtesy TheaterWorks |
Any binge tv shows you’ve watched?
"Yes: ALL of the MARVEL MOVIES (in order!); Unorthoxed; Love is Blind, Tiger King (of course) Upload, Fleabag, Killing Eve, Hollywood, and currently watching Mad Men (second time through for me.)"
Any new hobbies you’ve taken on?
"Baking. I can make a flan with my eyes closed, and a pie from SCRATCH- crust and all. We have found great gluten free/sugar free alternatives using almond flour and monk-fruit sweetener instead of sugar. We have enjoyed staying in and cooking dinner together. It’s been nice. I’m getting better with my green thumb, nowhere near my grandmother it my dad- but I’m getting there!"
How has this experience changed you?
"Well, we are now experiencing 2 events as history unfolds. One: Covid 19. Maintaining social distancing and quarantining, learning to ZOOM as the new normal, visiting my mom and not being able to give her a hug or a kiss, not seeing friends in person and TWO: the racial injustices and social unrest being perpetrated to our communities of color here in this country, yet again. As a person of color who is Latino and African American, I am starting to see an awakening with my white friends- and THEY are starting to see the injustices through a new and URGENT lens, and are being pushed and tested to the limit, that we as people of color we have always felt, (even in the theatre community) and are starting to say, "ENOUGH!" What I DO know is, that art HEALS, and together we can DO SOMETHING ABOUT IT. We are past DIALOGUE. We have had allllll the dialogue, we wrote/starred in/sung about- all the plays, movies, songs, and television shows about this. We don’t need to talk about injustice anymore, we know it exists. It is right in front of our face. That's not working anymore. We need to FIX THIS. We need to DO SOMETHING. TOGETHER. I know we can."
What is the one thing you’re most looking forward to now that Arizona and most states have lifted the stay at home order?
"I got a haircut 2 days ago- I haven't had one since January. That was long overdue, and I wanted to wait until June 1st. This is far from "over" but all of the studies suggest that we may have peaked, but given the recent numbers..who knows? I still wear a mask, and practice social distancing, but I have to confess what I REALLY want is a pedicure. I've been running around this house barefoot for 2 months wearing T shirts and Swim trunks all day, like I'm on vacation! Toe nails are in check, I’ll never let that get out of control, because I wear flip flops a lot: but my feet are ROUGH! LOL. No lie."
Actor's Youth Theatre announces submissions for their virtual reading of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM
Auditions for a 100% Virtual Show of an AMAZING Shakespeare Play! Learn “how to shakespeare” with Directors Christian Bradford and Emmi Payne!
This is the final audition time for this show!
Rehearsals are Wednesday from 7-9pm and Saturday 1-3pm! Shows will be streamed to a FaceBook Group ($10 to view) on June 19 and 20th at 7:00!
If you have any questions, email boxoffice@aytaz.org
Southwest Shakespeare Company presents a Virtual Reading of RICHARD III, Saturday, June 6
SATURDAY, JUNE 6th
at 6:30pm via ZOOM!
Please click the link below to join the webinar:
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84038992593
Our weekly series of FREE readings of Shakespeare's plays continues!
We will bring theatre to the people!
If we can't bring people to the theatre,
Forget "Netflix and chill"...try an evening with Will!
Questions? Please email Stacey Walston @ info@swshakespeare.org
Friday, June 5, 2020
Quarantine Q/A: SHELBY AND BRIAN MATICIC
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| Brian, Rory and Shelby Maticic |
by Gil Benbrook
Our series of "Quarantine" interviews, which focus on individuals involved in the Phoenix theatre community and their reaction to Arizona's stay at home mandate, continues today with a conversation with actors, directors, writers and Brelby Theatre Company co-founders, Shelby and Brian Maticic
The COVID-19 virus and the recent protests in support of racial injustice have affected us all in many ways. The theatre community has been harshly impacted with show closures and postponements. We hope this series of daily interviews will be a way to provide some personal insight into what people are doing during this period of time while highlighting familiar individuals from the theatre community in town.
Was there a show you were in or involved with or preparing for when the stay at home order started?
Brian Maticic: "I was directing and scenic designing for Shakespeare in Love, and we were just getting rolling on rehearsals. We had blocked about the first quarter of the show when we hit pause. It was a very difficult call to stop a rehearsal in its tracks when we were just picking up steam, but it was definitely the only call that could be made. "
Shelby Maticic: "It’s strange to think about...but that was, what, three months ago? I am costume designing Shakespeare in Love, so that was my next project to hit the stage. I had a dressing room packed with rentals that we just returned before I was even able to have actors try them on."
B: "Beyond that, I was working on rewrites and pre-production for Luna and Solis which we were supposed to take to the San Diego International Fringe and on tour over the summer. That project has been put on hold until (optimistically) next summer. "
S: "The tour was hard to press pause on. The entire Fringe was postponed to next summer. We were so excited about kicking off a partnership with Penguin Productions in Oregon, but we know that we’re all in this together. "
B: "Agreed. We’ve been looking forward to pushing our original shows outside of AZ for a long time, and this was to be our first real step towards that. But this is true of so many original projects we had in the pipeline for this year. "
S: "For me...this has most immediately affected the process of writing Echoes with Helen Morris. We were preparing for the first workshop of our new musical in mid-March when everything quickly spiraled. Canceling the workshop was heartbreaking. It’s been a challenge to figure out what our new collaborative process looks like. We work most effectively when we are writing together in person, and that isn’t an option right now. So we pressed pause, and we gave ourselves the grace to acknowledge that doing that was okay. We ended up doing a super secret Zoom reading of what we had, and it felt good to try to reignite some sense of artistic normalcy."
How have you been personally impacted by our current situation?
B: "It’s been a pretty significant change. We’ve always been the type that never stop moving, never stop working, never stop pushing toward the next goal. That stopped in its tracks. All of our theatre projects are on hold. We were in the early stages of planning for a second business. That’s on hold. I had to transition to teaching middle school math and science online, and we have been taking quarantining very seriously having a high-risk toddler in the house. So we went from being home a few hours a week, to 24/7. That said, pausing everything else has given us the opportunity to explore other ventures and ideas we’ve been talking about for a long time, but hadn’t had time to really explore, or implement."
S: "It certainly forced us to take more of a break than we have in the past...well, decade. Brelby is my primary job...and getting creative about how to keep my artistic community connected has been a challenge. I know that at this point people are burned out on virtual readings, but my artists are happy to be connecting in some way. So, I’m glad that we’ve been doing them. I also taught middle school theatre at Metropolitan Arts Institute. My students had just auditioned for their fall play before we left for Spring Break and quarantine hit. There was a small grieving process over the loss of that artistic experience. They were so ready to create a show together."
How has your daily routine changed?
B: "Completely. My day now has zero resemblance to my day before the lockdown, with the exception of chasing a toddler around. I’ve always been terrible at relaxing, so I spend most of the day wandering aimlessly feeling like I should be accomplishing things, but feeling guilty if I’m not giving Rory all of my attention. It's a time. Fortunately Shelby has been very good about reminding me to take care of myself, and pushing me to work on some new projects."
S: "I feel lucky that we’re a family that enjoys being together. We very quickly had a conversation about our needs as an extrovert (Brian) and an introvert (myself) during week 2 of quarantine. It’s helped us to stay on the same page about things. It’s us against the circumstances, never against one another. Rory (the aforementioned toddler) has an autoimmune disease that has been regressing a little bit lately, so we’ve been staying vigilant about social distancing. She hasn’t seen anyone in person other than the two of us since March. It’s hard on her. She misses her family. She misses her friends. She asks why there are no people around at the theatre when we pop in to do an odd errand here or there. She really misses our artists. (Many of them are her babysitters.) Brian and I adapt well under pressure. We are used to navigating crises. However, we lost our dog Rumor early on in quarantine, and having to explain the circle of life to a two-year-old has been one of my greatest challenges to date."
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| Shelby and Brian Maticic in Twelfth Night at Brelby Theatre Company photo by Devin Hanson Photography |
What do you feel will be different when theater restarts?
B: "This is a really difficult question that I don’t think anyone can fully answer yet. So much depends on how the science plays out. Best case scenario, a vaccine is discovered at some point, and things can return to some version of normal. Even in that circumstance, there will be huge changes. I think audiences will be more appreciative of the live event aspect, and also more hesitant/cautious about attending. "
S: "Some people are going to be nervous about gathering in groups with strangers. Rightfully so. One of the most beautiful things about live theatre is the shared experience with fellow audience members...and I worry that anxiety is going to rob so many of letting themselves be connected fully to the onstage storytelling. I’m also looking at this from an artist’s perspective. So many of us have gone through a grieving process over lost shows, jobs, experiences...will everyone be ready to leap back in when it’s time to start up again? Will we be overly cautious about the health risks? Or is there even such a thing as overly cautious when it comes to a pandemic?"
B: "It means theatres are going to have to really focus on community engagement and communicating their value, and the steps they are taking to make it a safe experience. It will force theatres to adapt. In the shorter time before a vaccine, I’m not sure. Hopefully very thoughtful programming with smaller casts, limited seating, and all sorts of precautions. Beyond that….. as regrettable as it will be, I’m nervous about how many theatres and arts organizations aren’t going to be able to come out of this. "
S: "I think that some theatres will have to scale back to survive. I hope that we all can survive. The Zoni Board has been trying our best to create opportunities to help ease the hardships, but there’s only so much we can do. "
When do you think that’ll happen?
B: "I hope not before it is truly safe. My best shot in the dark guess….. end of August for limited social distancing with ⅓ seating. Honestly with the way Covid spreads, and the ignorance in the behaviors I’ve seen on my few trips to the store, I believe it is a dangerous and reckless mistake for any organization to hold any indoor in-person performances or rehearsals before the state actually sees multiple weeks of substantially declining cases as reported by scientists and medical professionals... not politicians."
S: "I agree with Brian. I know that everyone is going to have to make the best decisions for their own businesses, but I hope that we’re prioritizing safety. My guess is that the soonest it’s okay to start rehearsing is late August. (Assuming that we can avoid a second peak here.) Once there’s a comfort level there...we still have to go through the process of actually preparing a show. I think what I’ll be hoping to do is ease into things with some small cabarets while we prepare for a MainStage. It’s going to require a serious change in the numbers before we’ll consider it. Our house only seats a little over 60 people...to practice social distancing in our venue would be impractical for economical reasons."
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| Brian Maticic and cast in Peter and the Starcatcher at Brelby Theatre Company photo by Anabel Olguin |
What have you been doing to stay creative during this time?
B: "Well…. I’m being repeatedly dressed in ridiculous hats and necklaces by Rory… does that count? I’ve definitely been more able to dive into creative outlets since school ended. Before that happened between online teaching, and keeping Rory occupied so Shelby could administer/host our virtual reads and other initial online projects I had trouble finding the time to sit and focus on any writing of substance. Fortunately since summer hit it's been a flurry of activity in our house. Next year I will be taking over the high school theatre and film program at my school, and that has thrown me back into film production which I haven't done much of since college. It's been exciting and lines up well with the next steps for Brelby. In the last few weeks I've been having some pretty late evenings after Rory crashes filming and editing content for our launch of a more robust digital branch of Brelby in the form of Brelby Productions. "
S: "We sort of reclaimed our YouTube presence early on during quarantine. We did live readings of our scripts, weekly jam sessions with our musicians, and I have an ongoing monologue project, Socially Distant, Artistically Connected. There are a handful of pieces in the hands of actors now, just playing the waiting game for them to finish so I have our next batch to post. It was recently featured on KJZZ thanks to one of our writers, Colleen Carnahan, so that was very exciting. Helen and I are still working on our musical, Echoes. I took a playwriting intensive with John Perovich...and I outlined a new thriller in there. I’m hoping to dive into writing it this month. Brian and I also play D&D with some of our actors, so we’ve been transitioning to an online format...and that’s been a fun adventure...or quest..."
Any binge tv shows you’ve watched?
B: "Not by choice, but so, so, so, so much Mickey Mouse Clubhouse…...And by extension, most things that Shelby has binged. "
S: "Gilmore Girls, Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist, Nancy Drew, The Newsroom, Avatar, The Magicians...and yeah...every episode of every Mickey Mouse series ever."
B: "And the new Scooby Doo movie just came out… and I live for Mystery inc, so I may have watched that more times than a reasonable adult should have been able to already. "
S: Very big Scooby Doo fan over there.
Any new hobbies you’ve taken on?
S: "The art of the Zoom call? Just kidding...sort of. I started resin casting and metal stamping. I reopened my Etsy shop. I’ve been painting again. I just started teaching myself the basics of digital art. Brian created an original board game that he’s been refining for a couple of years now...and I’m working on creating the artwork for it. Hopefully we’ll have a beta version ready for testing in the next month or so. "
B: "I haven’t really taken on any hobbies per se, but I have been playing so many make believe games with Rory. We’ve flown to the moon, she’s made me lots of invisible meals, and we’ve built and destroyed so many castles and towers out of blocks. "
S: "Lots of arts and crafts with Rory. I tend to paint with her, while Brian gets pulled into the super active play. Brian bought our family a set of ukuleles to paint and assemble, which has been fun. We try to stick as many loud noisy instruments in her hands as possible. She’s getting familiar with drums, guitar, uke and even was gifted a tiny accordion recently. "
B: "One thing that we have been doing frequently, about once a week, is escaping up north out to the middle of the woods somewhere just to get away from technology, and a change of scenery. Also, Viola (our dog) has been getting much more frequent walks. "
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| Shelby Maticic and cast in Peter and the Starcatcher at Brelby Theatre Company photo by Anabel Olguin |
How has this experience changed you?
B: "That has become an increasingly complex question with the events of the last week. I don’t know that I will be able to clearly see the ways the start of 2020 has changed me until we are past it. I hope I am more sensitive to the struggles of others, work harder to be aware of my privilege, and work harder to advocate for and hold space for those without. Regarding quarantine, the extra time with my family while Rory is developing so much has been an incredible gift (even if it is exhausting). I also hope that I will be better about focusing on self care and taking time to rest with my family once the world starts again."
S: "I’d like to believe that slowing down has been really good for us, and that we’ll be more intentional about giving ourselves this kind of time in the future...but I’m an Enneagram 3, so I doubt that slowing down is really a permanent state for me. I do think that I’ll be more intentional about committing to things that I’m passionate about. In light of the current climate, we also are having a lot of conversations about how we can be stronger allies to our artists of color...and become a safer and more welcoming space for those who haven’t auditioned for us yet. It shouldn’t have taken this kind of turmoil to prioritize these discussions, and that’s on us. I’m also looking forward to finding ways for the zonis to work to become better allies and advocates for our artists. Black Lives Matter."
B: "Seconded. Black Lives Matter. "
What is the one thing you’re most looking forward to when the stay at home order is lifted?
B: "People. I’m very much an extrovert, and I miss people so much. Also, getting back to work and allowing Rory to see her grandparents and family, and all the Brelby artists. I think she’s an extrovert too. That said, we will be sheltering at home well beyond the order being lifted to ensure our family’s health and safety. Also board games. I miss board games."
S: "Me too. I am a Settlers of Catan fanatic, and I can’t wait to beg everyone to just play that game with me for hours. I’m also looking forward to reconnecting with our community. I miss our people, even if I’m not a hugger. I’ll probably give a few out. Maybe. "
Fountain Hills Broadway Quarantine Cabaret this weekend presents a very special theater roundtable entitled “Reaching across the Racial Divide”
This weekend, Fountain Hills Theater's Broadway Quarantine Cabaret will be host to a very special theater roundtable entitled “Reaching across the Racial Divide.” Co-moderated by FHT’s Wallot and well-known Valley actor Damon J. Bolling, our panel of distinguished working artists will discuss the role of people of color in the arts - within the current environment, the past and a hopeful present. Panelists include Savannah Alfred (Kinky Boots/Phoenix Theater), Nathan Alfred (Big River/Hale Center Theater), Anne-Lise Koyabe (Americano/Phoenix Theater), Phoebe Koyabe (Broadway's Dear Evan Hansen), Racquel McKenzie (Southwest Shakespeare Company), and Sonia Rodriguez Wood (Americano/Phoenix Theater).
With 17 episodes under their belt, Broadway Quarantine Cabaret shows have included many local valley favorite performers who have previously appeared at Fountain Hills Theater, Phoenix Theater, Arizona Broadway Theater, Hale Center Theater, TheaterWorks, Mesa Encore Theater and many others. Also included have been numerous youth performers from our Fountain Hills Youth Theater productions, and various staff members sharing their insights. Making good use of Executive Director Wallot’s connections (a former Broadway performer himself), the show’s featured guests have included Tony Award winner Kelli O’Hara, Broadway performers Doreen Montalvo (Mrs. Doubtfire), Kelli Rabke (JOSEPH revival), Greg Mills (Phantom of the Opera), Gerry McIntyre (Spamilton) and the Emmy-Award winning star of NBC’s Day of our Lives, Eric Martsolf.
Broadway Quarantine Cabaret can be viewed LIVE on our new YouTube channel or follow us on Facebook and see it on Facebook LIVE at www.facebook.com/fountainhillstheater. Once shows have aired, you can watch then 24 hours a day on both YouTube and Facebook.
During each broadcast FHT asks viewers to help support the small non-profit theater by going to their website at www.fhtaz.org and clicking DONATE. All donations are tax-deductible.
Desert Stages Theatre Summer Camp 2020 to be held at Scottsdale Plaza Resort!
Desert Stages Theatre is excited to announce that we have partnered with Scottsdale Plaza Resort as the NEW LOCATION of our 2020 Summer Camp!
The large event spaces at the Scottsdale Plaza Resort will give our campers and counselors plenty of room to allow for social distancing and a safe camp experience for all.
Register today at desertstages.org! Session 1 begins on June 15th!
SUMMER CAMP SAFETY PROCEDURES include:
•Curbside check in & check out
•Screening questions before admittance
•Mandatory masks for all staff, counselors, and volunteers
•Sanitizing stations
•Social distancing measures
•10:3 camper to counselor ratio and more!
Scottsdale Plaza Resort is conveniently located at:
7200 N Scottsdale Rd, Paradise Valley, AZ 85253
Brelby Theatre Company launches Brelby Productions to offer Virtual Content
Hello to our artists & audience.
Thank for your support, for checking in while we’ve been dark, and for not giving up on theatre.
We all know that the arts are often at risk due to low funding and lack of beneficial legislation. 2020 has thrown an unexpected obstacle in our way in the form of a global pandemic. For the past few months, public gatherings have been closed down for the safety of the general public. We have watched our community, fellow theatres, and other valued arts organizations struggle as they strive to survive the impact of the pandemic.
It has taken us a little bit of time to strategize and figure out the best way forward.
Now that Arizona is lifting restrictions, we are seeing some venues begin to ease into public gatherings and season announcements. It is ultimately up to the leadership of each arts organization to make the choices to explore what is right for them.
Brelby is not opening. Not any time soon. We will continue to watch reputable sources for information about the progress of COVID-19 in our community.
There are some realities to face about how impossible it would be to safely practice social distancing in a venue our size, in a way that would be economical to our organization. We also must place the health and safety of our artists as our highest priority. There is just no safe way to resume rehearsals for our next production at this time that wouldn’t place their lives at risk.
In addition…due to the impact of COVID-19 our ticketing platform is going out of business. This means that we’ve been strategizing about how to replace our season subscriber plans.
What does this mean for Brelby?
As we always have when faced with seemingly insurmountable obstacles, we will adapt.
We will remain creative.
We have been remaining creative.
Brelby is pivoting our artistic ventures to include digital production.
We are delighted to announce the establishment of Brelby Productions, a virtual content branch of Brelby. This is something that we have been hoping to do for several years, and the prolonged closure has given us the opportunity to make this a reality.
We are excited about the possibilities of what this can do for Brelby’s content and exposure beyond the West Valley community. We are currently rolling out a new online sketch comedy show Just the Sketchy Bits, are in the writing stage of an original web series about the theatre world, are rolling out a talk show to highlight the AZ arts community called Finding Your Light, and have several additional projects in the works from music videos to artist spotlights and beyond.
We will be transitioning our subscription platform to be hosted through Patreon.
(Patreon is a membership platform that allows patrons to support their favorite creators through monthly memberships.)
We are offering six membership levels with different perks offered at each level.
You can learn more about what we’re offering at Patreon.com/Brelby
Our current subscribers were sent an email outlining steps to move forward. If you are a pass holder and do not believe that you received an email, please reach out to boxoffice@brelby.com.
Thank you for your support.
Shelby Maticic
Artistic Director
Brelby Theatre Company
Thursday, June 4, 2020
Quarantine Q/A: KATHLEEN BERGER
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| Kathleen Berger |
Our series of "Quarantine" interviews, which focus on individuals involved in the Phoenix theatre community and their reaction to Arizona's stay at home mandate, continues today with a conversation with Phoenix actress Kathleen Berger.
The COVID-19 virus and the recent protests in support of racial injustice have affected us all in many ways. The theatre community has been harshly impacted with show closures and postponements. We hope this series of daily interviews will be a way to provide some personal insight into what people are doing during this period of time while highlighting familiar individuals from the theatre community in town.
Was there a show you were in or involved with or preparing for when the stay at home order started?
"I was getting ready to music direct Suds at Fountain Hills Theater, and was music directing productions of Shrek, Jr. at schools in the Tolleson Elementary School District as part of a program offered by Theater Works. "
How have you been personally impacted by our current situation?
"Three people I know are dead. Many more have caught COVID-19 and are experiencing symptoms from extremely mild (headache, low fever) to severe (respirator).
I am closing my agency as of June 1, and have essentially lost all income for the rest of the year. It’s a time of horrible uncertainty for the arts, all my artists’ contracts for the foreseeable future were cancelled, and I cannot justify having babysitters at the house right now, so work isn’t possible. "
How has your daily routine changed?
"Honestly? It’s better. I feel horrible saying that, but it’s true. Before, I constantly felt guilty because I was either with my toddlers and felt I was neglecting my clients, or working and felt I was neglecting my kids. Now, I don’t have a choice. I mom all day (and all night), cook a lot, keep the house clean, and work out 6 days a week. If it weren’t for, you know, a highly contagious, potentially fatal virus raging throughout the world and my shrinking income prospects, I’d probably be pretty pleased with life. Provided I could still do shows, of course."
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| Kathleen Berger (right) with Hector Coris in A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder Fountain Hills photo by Stephanie "Tippi" Hart |
What do you feel will be different when theater restarts?
"Whew. That’s a tough question. I think we’re going to have to see smaller-scale works for at least a while, with smaller audiences permitted into the theater to encourage distancing. Outdoor theater, such as Fountain Hills is doing right now, is also a possibility with strict rules to keep everyone healthy. I don’t think theater as we know it will be back to normal for a long time."
When do you think that’ll happen?
"Best case scenario, I think, is rehearsals starting in September. Unfortunately, because we opened the state too early (thanks, Ducey!), I suspect we’re going to see a huge uptick in cases that will kill any possibility of starting in summer, and may extend the time frame to 2021, even. "
What have you been doing to stay creative during this time?
"Singing on quarantine cabarets for Fountain Hills Theater, and last weekend and the one coming up I’ll appear in their WONDERFULLY innovative Drive-In Theater! Park in the theater lot, sit in the comfort of your a/c, turn your radio to a specific station, and watch wonderful singers while you hear them over your speakers! We’ve put this together with minimal rehearsals, taking our temperatures as we enter the space, everyone masked except when singing, always observing distancing, and generally doing everything possible to make it a safe and comfortable environment for all. This is why Peter J. Hill has been my go-to director for more than 30 years.- I trust him absolutely to never, ever put me in danger. I spoke with several medical professionals, including an epidemiologist, about this project before committing to it and got their seal of approval, as well. "
In addition, I’m involved with a VERY cool recording project called Social Distance Opera (http://www.socialdistanceopera.com) run by my client and WONDERFUL tenor Joshua Collier. He’s engaged pianists/conductors to record piano/vocal scores of operas, and cast them all. Each singer will record their part, and he will mix it into a full recording for distribution! The first one I’m doing is one of my all-time favorite roles, crazy (like a fox) Donna Elvira in Mozart’s ingenious Don Giovanni. The second one…well, I can’t reveal what it is yet, but let’s just say it’s not a role I ever imagined singing, and, like Little Red, I’m both excited AND scared to take it on.:
Any binge tv shows you’ve watched?
"Um. Daniel Tiger. Dude. I have toddlers. And I’ve now seen Flushed Away and The Little Mermaid like…60 times each. Please send wine. "
Any new hobbies you’ve taken on?
"Exercising like a fiend. I’m doing Lynzee Foreman’s cardio dance classes 3x/week and her Stretch and Tone 1x/week on Zoom, and Phoebe Fennell’s Pilates classes (all the sway from Germany) on Skype. I will BY GOD go into the Apocalypse ripped AF. "
How has this experience changed you?
"I can’t decide if I’m actually angrier than before or just more vocal about it, but I’m pretty ragey. My best friend said it feels like the end of the world, in the sense that it feels like the fall of the Roman Empire or something. It does. It’s sad and infuriating. Worst of all has been the discovery that so many of our fellow human beings are happy to behave like selfish, shallow assholes. I mean, why? It’s so much easier and adds so much more to the world to look out for each other. To care. Like it or not, we’re all in the world and we have to live together, and we’d damn well better figure out a way to start being decent.
My heart is breaking for my Black friends right now. Not only are they disproportionately affected by COVID-19, they are traumatized by the murder of yet another Black person by a bad cop and the fact that it takes WORLDWIDE protests to get said officer and his enablers appropriately charged. I want nothing more than to be protesting at their side, but the pandemic is still raging and I still can’t risk the health of my mother or my children. So I’m trying to assuage my guilt by donating to relevant causes, calling out racism anytime I see it (even - ESPECIALLY - if it comes from someone I love.)
I don’t know, at this point, what it will take to effect true change in this country. I do know this: equality benefits everyone. There is exactly zero downside to racial equality and justice. None. The only reason to oppose them is our ingrained racism, and that’s not a good excuse.
I know this, too: Black Lives Matter."
What is the one thing you’re most looking forward to now that Arizona and most states have lifted the stay at home order?
"I’m not changing my behavior right now. I’m staying home and taking all the same precautions as before. We opened up way too soon, and I suspect by the second week of June we will see why that was a bad, bad idea. "
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| Kathleen Berger and her father Marty Berger in Follies - TheaterWorks photo by Wade Moran |
Desert Stages Theatre announces new Master Classes in June for teen artists!
Desert Stages Theatre announces new Master Classes in June for teen artists!
Both classes are for ages 14 and up. Class size is limited to 10 participants. COVID-19 measures in place – please check website at for details
Master Class Monday
Beginning on Monday June 15th, Broadway's Dear Evan Hansen star and former DST actor Sam Primack brings us Master Class Monday. This Master Class will focus on the general principles of acting through song. Participants will learn how to embody a character’s actions, integrating acting and singing components. Exercises will include how to establish objectives and actions and how to activate the imagination. This class will be on Mondays, June 15th, 22nd, and 29th 2020 from 5-7pm. Cost is $50 per class or $125 for all 3 classes. To register for classes visit desertstages.org
About Sam Primack- Sam is a native of Phoenix, AZ and comes straight from the Broadway and National Tour casts of Dear Evan Hansen where he has spent the last year and a half playing the Evan Hansen Alternate all around the country. Past credits include The Addams Family National Tour (Pugsley Addams), Catch Me If You Can (Frank Jr.), Spring Awakening (Moritz), American Idiot (Johnny), and he is also a 2017 Jimmy Award finalist. He also directed 13 the Musical and Grease for DST. Sam is grateful for amazing friends, teachers and his incredibly supportive family. Instagram: @samprimack
Technique Tuesday
Beginning on Tuesday June 16th, Broadway's Beautiful James D. Gish brings us Technique Tuesday. This Master Class will emphasize audition techniques to help each actor investigate, select, and prepare audition material appropriate to the individual and the audition call. The class includes exercises in handling audition material, learning to look at auditions from the casting director’s point of view, and understanding the business aspects and requirements of a musical theatre audition. This class will be held on Tuesdays June 16th, 23rd, and 30th 2020 from 5-7pm. Cost is $50 per class or $125 for all 3 classes. To register for classes visit desertstages.org
About James D. Gish-
James D. Gish: National Tour: Gerry Goffin (Beautiful: The Carole King Musical), Feuilly (Les Miserables). Recent Regional Credits: Tony (West Side Story, Phoenix Theatre Co.), Jack Kelly (Newsies), Bob Gaudio (Jersey Boys), and Toxic Avenger (The Toxic Avenger). Played Caesars Palace on Las Vegas Strip (nominated for five "Best of Las Vegas" Awards), performed concert series/tour featuring solo album So In Love (#6 on iTunes Classical Chart full week of release), produced by DW Music at Warner Brothers, Nashville. Instagram: @jamesdgish; www.jamesdgish.com
Special Concert in Benefit of ariZoni Theatre Awards Relief Fund Postponed
Out of respect for #BlackLivesMatter, we have made the decision to postpone our upcoming special "Garage Concert" fundraiser event until Saturday, June 13 at 7:00 PM.
ASU Summer Concert Series Kicks Off With Jason Derulo - Free Virtual Concert today, Thursday, June 4
It’s an exclusive free concert for ASU students, alum, faculty – and the entire ASU community to connect during this time.
The concerts will be produced live and will include a Q&A session following the performance.
Questions can now be submitted by using the hashtag #ASULiveJason for an opportunity to ask Jason Derulo a question during the Q&A.
Live from his studio, Derulo will perform for thousands of members of the ASU Community including students, faculty, alumni and staff. The ASU Summer Concert Series, Live from ASU, was conceived by ASU President Michael Crow as a way to engage with students and the ASU Community during the COVID-19 pandemic. Each concert will be an opportunity to reinforce ASU’s commitment to students, culture of innovation, as well as provide an interactive shared experience with artists.
Live from ASU / Jason Derulo
Thursday, June 4
6:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
asuforyou.asu.edu
“The live concert experience is part of being together – and now we will be together in new ways with technology and innovation,” says Colleen Jennings-Roggensack, ASU Vice President for Cultural Affairs. “We want to bring memorable experiences with lots of energy and fun and a great way to welcome new students, along with the record- breaking enrollment of 57,000+ ASU students for the summer session.
“ASU is focused on innovative experiences and we want to create opportunities for people to connect during this time” says Dr. Cassandra Aska, Deputy Vice President and Dean of Students Tempe. “We’re thrilled to generate this type of excitement to the ASU community and bring entertainment to the virtual live stage.”
With more than 190 million records sold worldwide, Derulo is a multi-platinum powerhouse singer, songwriter and entertainer. His debut single “Whatcha Say” has now earned 5x platinum status while “Talk Dirty,” “Want To Want Me” “In My Head,” and “Ridin’ Solo” [feat. 2 Chainz] have reached quadruple-platinum status. “Wiggle” [feat. Snoop Dogg] went triple-platinum and “Trumpets” earned a double-platinum certification. Platinum singles include “Marry Me,” “The Other Side,” “It Girl,” and “I Don’t Wanna Go Home.”
The Tik Tok star’s cumulative streams continue to soar, exceeding 18 billion overall and over 6 billion YouTube views. Jason’s single “Colors” served as the Coca-Cola Anthem for the 2018 FIFA World Cup reaching over 274 million streams across all platforms. At radio, his music has impacted a total audience of 22 billion-plus listeners with a staggering 4.4 billion spins. Jason was a featured performer for the Monday Night Football theme, is an investor in many enterprises, including Catch L.A. and Rumble Boxing with Sylvester Stallone and Ashton Kutcher, and he has a partnership with Warner Chappell Music through his publishing company, Future History. And now, Jason Derulo is back with his much-anticipated project 2Sides (Side 1) the prequel release complete with six all new bangers, which sets the table for the full length project 2Sides coming in early 2020.
The ASU Summer Concert Series, Live from ASU, will be announcing other artists for upcoming concerts in June.
Wednesday, June 3, 2020
Quarantine Q/A: ASHLEY WHITE
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| Ashley White photo by Andre Harrison II |
Our series of "Quarantine" interviews, which focus on individuals involved in the Phoenix theatre community and their reaction to Arizona's stay at home mandate, continues today with a conversation with Phoenix actress Ashley White.
The COVID-19 virus and the recent protests in support of racial injustice have affected us all in many ways. The theatre community has been harshly impacted with show closures and postponements. We hope this series of daily interviews will be a way to provide some personal insight into what people are doing during this period of time while highlighting familiar individuals from the theatre community in town.
Was there a show you were in or involved with or preparing for when the stay at home order started?
White: "I was preparing for a callback for Beauty & Beast at Hale Center Theater. I was heartbroken that the show had to be rescheduled."
"Regarding COVID-19 I have been blessed to still have my full-time job in which I currently work from home. I have also been able to start two businesses (a podcast called 'Life Around Us' and a livestream called 'Better Together Phoenix: A Live Stream Experience') however, my heart has truly been shattered regarding the recent events surrounding the deaths of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, and Ahmaud Arbery
I am very saddened to see the state of our society today. I am currently making use of my business platforms (my podcast and livestream) to let my voice be heard and speak out against the senseless violence that has taken place. It is time to make a stand and evoke change. This is where what we do as creatives is so needed and important. What we do can serve as platforms to speak out and also serve as healing for those who are hurting in this time. I encourage all of my fellow creatives to take a stand and let your voice be heard!
How has your daily routine changed?
"Due to COVID I am currently working from home for my full-time job however, it has not changed my daily routine too much. It has however allowed me more time in my schedule/day to record for my podcast and build my artist repertoire. "
What do you feel will be different when theater restarts?
"I can imagine that there may be a chance that we will potentially see more social distancing in theaters as to prevent the further spread of corona-virus."
When do you think that’ll happen?
"I am hoping that theaters will open sooner then later!!! I miss my theater family and the stage!"
What have you been doing to stay creative during this time?
"I have learned new monologues and songs to add to my audition repertoire."
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| Ashley White in Disney's Newsies - Hale Centre Theatre photo by Nick Woodward-Shaw |
Any binge tv shows you’ve watched?
"I am a huge fan of Law & Order: SVU, I have been re-watching the entire show from Season 1 to Season 21...never gets old andddd I hear that Elliot Stabler is RETURNING to Season 22!!"
Any new hobbies you’ve taken on?
"I have recently started a podcast called "Life Around Us" with my co-host Anthony Jones (Shameless plug: Be sure to follow us on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, Spotify and Sound Cloud). It is a podcast with two creatives talking about real life and how it "revolves" around us! I also host a bi-weekly live-stream show called "Better Together Phoenix: A Live-stream Experience". It is a platform that was created by creatives as a way for us to continue to operate in our craft amidst the pandemic while maintaining safety precautions. "
How has this experience changed you?
"This experience has definitely made me more appreciative for my loved ones and what I have. I appreciate even the small things. It has also allowed me to develop my skills as an actor and a singer and opened new doors for me to venture into areas that I have never experienced."
What is the one thing you’re most looking forward to now that Arizona and most states have lifted the stay at home order?
"I am most looking forward to theater ramping back up. WE NEED THE ARTS!!! As creatives, we are ESSENTIAL!!!"
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| Ashley White in Aida -Hale Centre Theatre photo by Nick Woodward-Shaw |
Monday, June 1, 2020
Quarantine Q/A: JT TURNER
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| JT Turner |
Our series of "Quarantine" interviews, which focus on individuals involved in the Phoenix theatre community and their reaction to Arizona's stay at home mandate, continues today with a conversation with Phoenix native, actor, and Valley arts publicist, JT Turner of JALT Media
COVID-19 has affected us all in many ways. The theatre community has been harshly impacted with show closures and postponements. We hope this series of daily interviews will be a way to provide some personal insight into what people are doing during this period of time while highlighting familiar individuals from the theatre community in town.
Was there a show you were in or involved with or preparing for when the stay at home order started?
Turner: “Where do I begin?! I've been very fortunate to work with an amazing client base that is always busy - so there was definitely a great deal going on when everything shut down.
Arizona Regional Theatre had just begun rehearsals for Five Women Wearing the Same Dress, and they were also in the pre-production phase for Spring Awakening. So there was work going on for both productions.
The Madison Center for the Arts was pretty much booked solid between their rental events and the Madison Presents Series. Sadly all of those events were either canceled or postponed and the Foundation was gearing up for their lavish second annual Imagination Gala, NOLA!. I was really sad that didn’t happen - I was looking forward to a New Orleans themed gala. Fortunately, that is slated to take place in November now.
Ballet Theatre of Phoenix was in the middle of their Spring semester while also ramping up to their end of the year recital. I give Jennifer Cafarella (the director of the school) and her staff huge props for hitting the pavement - so to speak - and not only getting all of the classes moved online, but also taking it a step further and reimagining an online version of their end of the year recital.
David Simmons and the UBU project were in the middle of their in-school residencies, which naturally had to be postponed when the schools suspended physical classes.
Like Jennifer though, David doesn’t let the grass grow underneath his feet. He got busy offering online workshops, writing new songs and performing in multiple online concerts and cabarets.
So yeah - there was a lot going on! Sadly, quite a bit of it was canceled or postponed.”
How have you been personally impacted by our current situation?
“My life, like the lives of many, has changed a lot. Permanently in some ways. Like many people in our arts community, it has affected both my personal and my professional life. I definitely have come to realize just how intertwined those two different parts of my life are. I’ve also learned that I take a lot for granted.
I am anything but bored though, which is interesting because my day starts and ends at my kitchen counter. But thank G-d for computers! And thank G-d for an arts community that takes nothing lying down and that will also jump into action because between the various relief efforts and the explosion of online performances I was fortunate to have been swept up in helping to promote - not to mention the online efforts of my regular clients - I have been quite busy.”
How has your daily routine changed?
“You know what? I have learned that I had no routine and that it was a real problem.
I am finding that I have developed more of one, although compared to some of my friends, it is downright pitiful in that I didn’t suddenly become inspired to hike or garden. I bought a bike but couldn’t ride it because I couldn’t reach the peddles. So back it went and physical activity and I are still strangers.
I typically work from home, so that wasn’t much of a change, and while I am never late for anything, I am still always rushing out the proverbial door to get to whatever Zoom meetings I have lined up for the day. Between daily fellowship meetings and professional ones, I usually have an average of about eight. What’s mindblowing to me is how that number is consistent with the in-person meetings I typically would attend prior to all of this. I don’t know how I was doing that.
Food is always available so I spend a lot of time eating and my caffeine intake has probably tripled.”
You hit a couple of milestones during all of this, right?
“I did! May was a big month for me. I turned 40 on the 17th, which I am trying to adjust to as gracefully as possible, and then yesterday, May 31, I celebrated one year of sobriety. That second one is very important to me, so if I had to hit forty in order to get to it, it was completely worth it."
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| JT Turner (right) with Brett Dixon in Cabaret- Fountain Hills Theater photo by Chris Bendet |
“ Maybe - maybe not. I don’t know. I think the surprise is when they hear me say I’m in recovery. Then they have a chance to think about it for a moment and I think a lot of pieces come together and it makes sense. I would walk around with a drink in my hand at parties and events as if I’d been born with it and I could always make a case for why any time of the day warranted a drink of some kind. For the better part of four years, drinking was like a second career for me. I laugh, but it's not entirely untrue."
What made you decide to get sober?
“It was really sudden and rather strange because I haven’t had a history of doing good things for myself. It was a Friday and I was sitting in my office and something greater than me seemed to kick into gear and took it upon itself to do what I had never been able to do for myself. I am grateful for that. I am also extremely grateful for and am humbled by the support and encouragement I’ve received from so many people. I made a decision at the beginning to be very open and transparent about it all. Alcohol and addiction carry a stigma, and while I was prepared to receive some negative responses, I don’t think I’ve gotten any. Not to my face, anyway, and I’ve been pleasantly surprised by that.”
What has the last year taught you?
“So much! I have learned just how many people, and how many walks of life are affected by the disease of alcoholism and addiction. It’s an equal opportunity disease. It’s not interested in how old you are, how nice you are, what you look like or what gender you are. It pays no attention to sexual orientation and it doesn’t care how little or how much money you make - it just doesn’t care. In fact, some of the most successful and influential people are alcoholics and addicts, and some of the nicest people I have ever had the privilege of knowing qualify as such. What’s important to anyone silently suffering to know is that there is a variety of ways to get help. The best decision I made and that anyone can make is in seeking out that help.
I’ve also learned that there is nothing to be ashamed of. Certainly, there were shameful things that happened as a result of drinking that I had to come to terms with - and own - but alcoholism and addiction itself is nothing to be ashamed of. Most importantly, I’ve learned that alcohol was merely a symptom of a larger problem. I’ve really embraced the clarity I’ve gained over the last year and the opportunity to grow as a person. My way of doing things wasn’t working. Finding a different and better of living my life is what has saved my life. That’s a pretty powerful realization to come to. The truth is that the recovery process is neverending. It’s a lifelong commitment. Taking it one day at a time, I welcome it.”
That's great to hear. Let's talk some more about our current situation with the quarantines and the virus. What do you feel will be different when theater restarts?
“Honestly, I think things are just going to feel different for a while. I have friends in the community who worry that we may never again see theatre exist as we’ve known it. I don’t think that’s true. I definitely believe that things will return on a recognizable level, but I think we may see that happen slowly.”
When do you think that’ll happen?
“I think time will tell. There are still a lot of details that need to be ironed out. We just need to keep taking it a day at a time.
I can tell you that my hope is that things return to normal as soon as possible. What the Valley has going for it is a strong, vibrant and tight-knit arts community. We need one another. While I haven’t done so for a couple of years, performing on the Valley stages enriches me and feeds my soul, and that’s the most important part of a person. We need the arts, we need theatre, and I look forward to seeing everyone on stage together again as soon as it’s safe.”
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| JT Turner in Fiddler on the Roof - Mesa Encore Theatre photo by Daniel Perlmutter |
Any new hobbies you’ve taken on?
“Nothing new, really, but I have definitely returned to some old ones. I’ve started cooking again, which I really do enjoy. I hadn’t done it in years but I pulled out my own personal cookbook that I’d written all my recipes in years ago and I’ve been cooking a lot and eating really well - TOO MUCH, but really well. I also got a hankering for my blueberry scones a few weeks ago and have been baking those daily ever since. Yay carbs!”
What have you been doing to stay creative during this time?
“Aside from baking - and eating - copious amounts of scones, I also started a SoundCloud account and have been recording music using a cheap recording software. I’ve done three, because they take me a while. I don’t do it terribly well, but it’s been fun for me. I tried that Smule thing everyone else is using, but I didn’t like that I had to record videos of myself in the process.”
Any binge-watching?
“You know, that is something that has not changed about me during this. I still don’t watch a lot of TV. But I did find ER and Just Shoot Me! on Hulu and those are two of my all-time favorite shows. So I put them on at night and fall asleep to them. So far I think I’ve probably seen two episodes of each and have slept through about 50 of each!”
How has this experience changed you?
“I definitely know that I can’t take so much for granted. If this had happened a year ago, I probably wouldn’t have made it through alive. I don’t say that to be funny, or dramatic, it’s just the truth. I would have seen it as an opportunity to do nothing but sit at home and drink, and it would have ended badly.
I needed a slowdown and a time out, and it’s been priceless. I’ve also learned how valuable friendships and relationships of all varieties are. I’ve really come to recognize the village I’m privileged to have become a part of over the last four years. It is made up of a diverse, colorful, and amazing group of people, yes, that includes you, Gil, and I’m extremely happy. I am happy and I am extremely grateful.”
What is the one thing you’re most looking forward to now that the stay at home order has been lifted and some businesses have started to reopen?
"People. I miss people. Zoom has been a godsend in keeping the world connected, but it could never replace in-person interaction. I miss my clients. I love what I do and I love working one-on-one with them. I also can’t wait to see my family and my friends again. I see my family on Zoom every Sunday and I chat with my two best friends every day on Marco Polo, which is nice, but I want to see them all in person. I wanna give them real hugs."
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