New Interview with Matt Williamson

in
Come Back Little Sheba

(2007)

One of the stars/directors of Crown City Theatre's smash hit The Apple Tree - Matt Williamson -shares his love of theatre with us.

Q: How many plays have you done for Crown? Have you always alternated as actor/director?
MW: Since I met Bill and Gary in 1999 I've done 9 plays with them. We became CCTC in 2005 and since then I've done 4 shows. This is the first time I've directed but I really enjoyed the process so I'm sure it won't be the last. It is a challenge to do both simultaneously so next time I'll just do one or the other.
Q: What's your favorite role so far?

MW: I've been fortunate to do a lot of different roles but the ones that stand out are Lee from True West and Hamlet.

Williamson plays Adam in The Diaries of Adam and Eve in The Apple Tree.
Q: What are the challenges of playing Adam and making him interesting to the audience?

MW: My biggest challenge with Adam was to make him somewhat endearing. He's written sort of short tempered and mean on the surface but I tried to make all that come from being nervous, unsure, innocent, and very attracted to Eve. He's experiencing emotions that we all take for granted before anyone else, so everything that he feels is a surprise.

When asked if it was ever suggested that Adam and Eve be played in the buff, he responds:
It was suggested to go without longjohns and then quickly rejected. He's traditionally done wearing some sort of clothing which I think is a great idea. I don't think au natural is too risky, I just think it can be an unnecessary distraction. I personally feel that audience members miss much of what's being said when it's being said by naked people on stage. Or even mostly naked people.
Q: What is the appeal of the three musicals that make up The Apple Tree?

MW: I think there are several appealing aspects to this show. Variety. You get three shows for the price of one. Also, it's just a ton of fun. It deals with basic and powerful human emotions in a way that doesn't take itself too seriously. Finally, the music is really great. It's catchy and playful without being too overbearing.

In 2007 Williamson played the milkman to S. Epatha Merkerson’s outstanding portrayal of Lola in William Inge’s Come Back, Little Sheba @ The Kirk Douglas Theatre for CTG. (see top photo) In 2008 the production went to Broadway for a limited engagement.
Q: Talk a little about the difficulties of getting Come Back, Little Sheba to New York.

MW: Well, it's always a challenge to get any show on Broadway but Sheba was especially hard because it's not considered to be one of Inge's best works. I personally feel that it was S. Epatha Merkerson's beautiful performance that made it happen. I'm sure that the producers felt that it was a risk, but a risk worth taking. I'm glad they did because it was one of the most memorable experiences of my career.
Q: Did New York treat it differently from LA? I mean, both audiences and critics?

MW: Not really. If the critics on both coasts had any problem with it, it was with the play itself. I think it is a wonderful play that is funny and heartbreaking but many people don't agree. I was particularly impressed by the fact that people in both LA and New York quickly let go of the fact that Lola and Doc were a mixed race couple in the 1950s. That is a testament to the strength of the acting and directing.
Q: What role do you really want to play?

MW: Wow. Um, I kind of feel like Bottom in Midsummer in that I want to play all of them. I think acting is the most fun you can have with your clothes on so there are few roles that I wouldn't enjoy. If I had to make a short list though, I'd say McMurphy in Cuckoo's Nest, Brick from Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, Macbeth, and either one of the men in Pinter's Betrayal. Beyond that, I just love playing characters that allow me to break out of my comfort zone and really work. That was one of the things that made Apple Tree such a challenge was the fact that it was the first time in my life that I had to sing solo. I was terrified, but it made me work hard to avoid totally embarrassing myself and in the end it was a lot of fun.
Q: Who are your acting idols?

MW: I've always really looked up to people that can do it all and that really commit to whatever they are doing. The list is long but distinguished. Ben Kingsley and Meryl Streep are right up there at the top along with Anthony Hopkins, Kevin Kline, Sean Penn, Emma Thompson, Dustin Hoffman, and even Robert Downey Jr. The list could go on and on but those are the ones that pop out. Actually, S. Epatha Merkerson is someone that really impressed me. She brought her A-game 100% of the time and could draw on a huge range of emotions at will. I'm biased, of course, but she earned every bit of praise that she has ever received.
Q: Tell me about your film company - Nautaroc Films.

MW: My brother and I started it several years ago to produce a short film that he wrote. It was called The Box and was directed by CCTC's Gary Lamb. We would like to make a few more shorts and eventually expand to features or documentaries. However, my primary focus right now is building up CCTC to be one of the most respected 99 seat theatres in the city.
Q: Any final comments about the future of theatre?
MW: I just hope that people continue to support live theatre in Los Angeles. We have such a well of talent in this city that it is a shame that the theatre scene isn't on par with New York or London. It would be nice to have more Equity houses in Los Angeles so that more actors, directors, and technical staff can earn a living applying their craft.

Catch Williamson and Fredricks in The Apple Tree @ CCTC on Camarillo in NoHo through the end of this month!

New Interview with Eduardo Enrikez

Eduardo Enrikez is a talented actor and producer whose company Canary Productions is currently producing Cabaret @ The Met. Enrikez is playing The Emcee, following an acclaimed performance last fall in Blood Brothers @ the Whitefire Theatre in Sherman Oaks. With British musical theatre training under his belt, Enrikez discusses theatre here and across the Pond.

Q: Tell me the challenges of playing the Emcee.
EE: The biggest challenge was knowing comparisons were going to be made. Joel Gray & Alan Cumming created an award winning role....I knew I had to trust my instincts and try to make it my own.

Q: Have you ever seen Joel Grey do it? Did that influence you in any way?
EE: I've never seen the movie..maybe once our production is finished I'll venture into it.

Q: What do you feel is special about Cabaret?
EE: Honestly Cabaret was not one of my favorite shows, because I'd seen too many bad productions that kind of alienated me from the material..It's a brilliant story when told correctly, that's what I told my producing partner Bonnie Mcmahan. We decided to create a Cabaret that's true to the story and the characters that live through those difficult times.

Q: Is this your favorite role in musical theatre so far? Why? If not, what is and why?

EE: This is way up there as one of my favorites...It's funny how things work in life. At first I was just going to produce the show...Then I was cornered into producing and becoming the EMCEE which I'm grateful for...
One of my favorite roles has been Bat Boy in Bat Boy the Musical...a very tragic and touching story about a being that just wants to feel loved and accepted. And Raoul from Eating Raoul was my first professional Job in London after I graduated from the Royal Academy of Music in London...Talk about being thrown into a lead at a very early stage in my career...that was an amazing experience...

Q: How do you feel about training in London? How is it different from the training one receives here?
EE: Theater in London or in the UK is an institution...People don't study to become film actors or TV actors over there..They study acting. I sometimes feel that in LA the training is all about how to get in FILMS and TV...I feel there's something missing.

Q: Have you been in New York to experience theatre there? Do you think there are differences?
EE: I've seen many productions in NY but I have yet to venture into The NY scene but it's on my List...Like every Actor that lives in LA will tell you, I came out here to do more films and TV work....I just was miserable not being on stage...It might not have the same financial reward but it feeds my soul and my passion for creation...I just can't do without it, whether it's in London, NY, or LA!

Q: Who are your favorite actors? Anyone had an influence on your work?
EE: I'm a huge Robert Downey J. fan, John Cusak, Sean Penn, Mandy Patinkin to name a few..
They are real talents that aren't fame seekers...They're true to their ART and Their Passion and that sometimes gets them in trouble...but they always stay real to WHO they are. I appreciate that!

Q: What role do you yearn to play and why?

EE: I'd Love to Play Che in Evita...George In Sunday in The Park with George..
Che because of the passion that comes from his presence in the story;
George because I truly believe life is white "a blank canvas"... what does he see?..."so many possibilities".

Q: Who is your favorite composer? Why?
EE: Sondheim...His ability to understand longing is brilliant.
Boubil and Shoneberg...They create anthems of love and passion... something greater than oneself.

Q: You seem suited to playing character roles? Is there a particular process that you use?
EE: Yes, I tell the truth...whether it's good, bad or ugly, my characters are always grounded in truth...When I am affected by something is when I become most effective.

Q: Anything else exciting in your life right now?

EE: After Cabaret I'm off to Miami to workshop a new musical by DESMOND CHILD called CUBA LIBRE...I'll playing Fidel Castro... very exciting!!!
To everyone out there, come see a Raw and Sexy production of Cabaret...NOT TO BE MISSED!

I'll second that! See my review on my review website!

New Interview with Judy Norton

Actress Judy Norton, best known as Mary Ellen Walton from the long-running hit TV series The Waltons, has an accomplished background in musical theatre. She recently co-starred in the acclaimed Blood Brothers at the Whitefire, a co-production of Music Theatre of Los Angeles and Canary Productions, headed by actor Eduardo Enrikez, and is currently director of their production of Cabaret at the Met.

Q: Tell me about life after The Waltons. Your involvement with theatre, and TV, and the kinds of roles you've been playing.

JN: Since The Waltons I have been branching out into both writing and directing as well as singing and acting. I spent 10 years living in Canada where I was the co-artistic director for two theatres. For 8 years I was responsible for co-writing and directing over 40 original productions. I have also been working in numerous television and film productions as an actor. On stage I’ve done many musical theatre roles such as Annie in Annie Get Your Gun, Dolly in Hello Dolly, Maria in Sound of Music...in non musicals I’ve done shows such as Social Security, Move Over Mrs. Markham and I Ought to Be in Pictures. As a singer, I’ve headlined my own concert style show and performed for numerous benefits.

Q: Talk briefly about the theatre company outside of LA that you have been active in for several years.

JN: For several years now I’ve been a guest writer and director for Texas Family Musicals. This company provides shows for theatres in Galveston, Texas and the Granbury Opera House. For Texas Family Musicals I have created the original musicals - Swinging With the Stars, Majesty of the Silver Screen, A Tribute to Patsy Cline, and Get Me John Denver.

Q: What do you like best about Cabaret?

JN: With CABARET – I love the characters. Being an actor, I’m always drawn to the characters and their journey. In CABARET you have a wonderful array of people who are all brought together at a major political turning point in history. To have these small stories set against the bigger picture provides a wonderful artistic challenge. The best part about working on this production has been the cast and production team. It has truly been a collaborative effort. The producers, Bonnie and Eduardo have been fabulous to work with. We have been so fortunate to have an incredibly talented cast who brought so much to the show. And the behind the scenes team has been everything a director could wish for. This has absolutely been a labor of love.

Q: Talk about the challenges of directing the show on a small stage.

JN: Set and transitions become the biggest challenge. There is no capacity to fly set pieces, or roll in large pieces, so the stage has to be very versatile. We wanted to keep it minimal yet define the two different spaces – in the Kit Kat Club and in the apartments, and yet blur the lines between the two. I wanted to keep the action moving, and as seamlessly as possible, move from one scene to the next.

Q: What do you feel makes it still stand up after almost 50 years? Are its themes timeless? What about Kander and Ebb's score in 2009?

JN: Man’s struggle for freedom, the feeling of being helpless against suppressive government elements are unfortunately as relevant today as in 1930 Berlin. The need to be able to express oneself, to have dreams but not be able to reach them, the small personal conflicts, I believe we can all relate to these issues. Kander and Ebb’s score is as fun, poignant and memorable as ever. These are songs you walk away humming. I have spent countless nights during rehearsals with one or another of the songs running through my head all night!

Q: What is your favorite musical of all time?

JN: This is a very tough question.... One of my long standing favorites is CAMELOT. Another timeless story, although with an element of fantasy. My other longtime favorite is My Fair Lady - hard to beat a book based on the great George Bernard Shaw’s work!

Q:What is the role that you like the most, that you've played?

JN: My favorite musical role so far was probably Annie in Annie Get Your Gun - I was such a tomboy growing up that I really related to the character, and it has so many classic songs.

Q: Any role that you're yearning to do? Like Lady Macbeth or Auntie Mame...?

JN: There are so many roles I’d like to do.... Desiree in A Little Night Music, Norma Desmond in Sunset Blvd, Kate in Kiss Me Kate, Auntie Mame, Rose in Gypsy. There are some terrific roles out there for strong women, I’d like to do them all!

Q: If you had your choice of filming a musical that hasn't been filmed, which one would you choose to direct?

JN: Great question.... I may need to think about that one for a while....

Q: As an actress who grew up working on TV, what advice do you give kids interested in pursuing an acting career?

JN: Make sure it is YOUR idea and not your parents... And that you have a really strong sense of who you are. Being well grounded as a person and being able to handle rejection and criticism without taking it personally, I believe, are crucial to survival in this industry.

Q: Tell me briefly about your family. Any kids? Are they into the arts?

JN: I have one son – Devin – who is 13. Although he is quite talented with wonderful natural ability as a singer and actor, he is not interested in pursuing a career as a performer. Currently he is interested in writing.

Q: Anything else you would like to share?

JN: I’m currently developing a new musical ATARIA - music and lyrics by Raven Kane, book by Judy Norton and Raven Kane. I’m tremendously excited about this project. Folks can learn more about it and keep updated by checking out the website:

atariathemusical.com

You can also check out my website:

judynorton.com

And don't miss Cabaret at the Met! Check out my review of the show on my review site.

New Interview with Bill Pullman

Bill Pullman will open Friday, June 5 in David Mamet's Oleanna at the Mark Taper Forum. He has championed the common man in a variety of film roles over the last couple of decades, including Meg Ryan's unappealing finance in Sleepless in Seattle, and other memorable characters in classics like The Accidental Tourist, A League of Their Own and Sommersby. He's even played the Commander in Chief of the United States, but a very human one in the midst of peril, in the mega-grossing film Independence Day. No stranger to the theatre, on Broadway Pullman created the straying husband in Edward Albee's brilliant The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia? An actor's actor, Pullman recently earned an honorary doctorate from my alma mater the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. In our talk, he discusses Mamet's play, and his favorite roles on stage and screen.

Q: Why is Oleanna relevant to today's world?

BP: The play stands on its own as a very interesting document of two very personal responses to an issue that gets emtionalized in a very extreme way. But then also there are the issues of higher education and... sexual politics... and how they are functioning... It's a curious thing. The play was written in 1992 and a lot of the federal laws came into effect in '95 and a few years after. It seems like a lot of these issues about how you conduct yourself are almost more hyper-managed than they were at the time. So it has an interesting ramification in a world where maybe the magazine thing isn't talking about it as much but within corporations, institutions, a lot of internal politics are evolving...

(He cites the recent case of West Indies poet laureate and Nobel Prize winner Derek Walcott who withdrew his candidacy for Oxford professor of poetry due to a smear campaign of allegations of sexual harassment that actually occurred over 25 years ago. The opposing candidate who made the accusations Ruth Padel, after attaining the position, stepped down after only 9 days and offered an apology.)

Q: It's just a very powerful drama - in one-act, is that correct?

BP: It's got 3 acts and sometimes people take an intermission. When Julia (Stiles) did it before in London, they had an intermission. But we've chosen to play all 3 acts together.

Q: What is your favorite film role so far?

BP: I've had quite a few, and I've really liked them all for different reasons. I've been lucky to be a part of many blockbuster movies...in which it's hard to get to that level of being memorable, but I still have fond memories of Independence Day, to be sure. There are also many small ones I've had that give me many fond memories.

Q: What's your favorite film of all time?
BP: For different reasons there are many...Lawrence of Arabia...and then there are those that have been very influential and informative to me as an actor, like Bergman's Scenes From a Marriage...

Q: Any favorite actors?

BP: I've always been a fan of George C. Scott, who was working in movies when I was in college...films like Patton and Hospital. I was really impressed by him, and I had seen him onstage as well in Uncle Vanya. He was a champ to me.

Q: I saw him do the comedy Sly Fox on Broadway.

BP: Oh, yeah...

Q: He was so irascible...

BP: (laughs)

Q: Is there one play that stands apart from all the others for you?
BP: I really enjoyed doing Albee's The Goat. It's a powerful piece and a really exciting play to do...I did it originally on Broadway with the wonderful Mercedes Ruehl...no one had ever seen it before and audiences didn't know what to make of it. There were a lot of disagreements about it. There were a lot of people vocally disturbed, audibly groaning and complaining and other people hushing them up...

Q: I heard people laughing. I think..out of nervousness, not really understanding the

symbolism.

BP: Yeah...It really uncorked a lot of feelings, and then when the reviews came out, things started to even out. That period of my life is about as rock and roll as I've ever lived through and Oleanna is reminding me of that. It does feel like the audiences are being tweaked into a different level of engagement.

Q: Do you long to play any role...any Shakesperean role like King Lear?

BP: I did a lot of Shakespeare touring when I was in college in Montana..there are some great comical moments as in Measure for Measure, the duke. I've always liked Shepard's (Sam) plays too. I love his language, his word choice. One of the first things I did in New York that was a real breakout for me was The Curse of the Starving Class ...

...now I'm ready to play the older guy.

Q: Let's get back to Oleanna. What are the greatest challenges for an actor performing Mamet?

BP: I think you have to find where you're emotionalized personally and then make sure you don't make it become Talking Heads...and it's a bear too because the language is fractured and ...there's no hiding. During rehearsal...I have these 2 fast changes in the second act and my fly was down. And this is the kind of play where that can be dangerous. There's no place to hide and I turned upstage...and I just couldn't get it. (laughs)

...The play is very much a living organism. Rehearsals...explorations to find the execution ...and I'm looking forward to the run of it too. Theatre is such a privilege, for those of us who get the chance to do it. With an audience you learn so much and the challenges just get deeper.

Be sure to catch Oleanna starring Bill Pullman and Julia Stiles at the Mark Taper Forum from June 5-July 12. For tix call (213) 628-2772 or go online at www.CenterTheatreGroup.org

2002 interview with Jerry Herman

I am so thrilled that the 2009 Tony Award committee has decided to honor Jerry Herman with a special Tony for Lifetime Achieve-

ment.

In 2002 Mr. Herman opened up his home for interviews, just around the time that his concept CD Miss Spectacular was released. Also at that time he made a rare appearance with the Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles for an evening called Jerry's Boys.

Here is our interview, originally published in NoHoLA in the July 4, 2002 issue.

Q: How do you account for the incredible fame of the song "Hello Dolly"?

JH: The interesting thing about me is that it sounds like I intended all those songs that people know ... to be popular songs, but I honestly did not. The biggest surprise to me was "Hello Dolly". It was written for a very emotional moment where a woman is returning to the human race after mourning her husband for many years. She puts on her finery, comes down a staircase and says, "Hello, Harry!" "Well hello, Louie!" It's very 1890s. And Louis Armstrong is the reason that that's a popular song. He saw something in it and made a jazz classic out of it.

Q: One of my favorite shows is Dear World. The music is just enchanting. Why do you think it bombed back in the 60s?

JH: It was a charming idea that was so overblown. By the time the show opened, it was no longer a little chamber piece that Lawrence, Lee and I had intended. But it became a huge Broadway show in one of the biggest theatres at that time, the Mark Hellinger. I wanted a seven-piece ensemble to play it, and we had a huge, huge orchestra and chorus - and klunky big sets. It was not what I wanted, but now I have a second chance with that.

Q: There's a new production in the works. What changes did you make?

JH: We started to pare it down. We've gone a little further and have beautiful new orchestrations. It's going to play Sundance in Utah, and Maureen McGovern is going to sing it. When you hear these songs come out of her, it's really something gorgeous.

Q: Speaking of new productions of oldies but goodies, what's the latest on Mack and Mabel's move toward the Great White Way?

JH: We'll open it in Texas and have producers come and look at it.

Q: What's been the greatest problem in remounting it?

JH: Getting the book straightened out. We have it now. Michael Stewart's (now deceased) sister has done a beautiful job of making it tighter and clearer and more romantic. I love the new ending.

Q: Miss Spectacular is a breath of fresh air. How did that come about?

JH: I was commissioned to do a revue for Las Vegas where they wanted huge production numbers from me with a little storyline that went through it. So I made up this whole idea and did it, and just as the show was about to be mounted, the man that had commissioned it sold his entire interest to MGM, and my contract went along with it. MGM didn't have a venue for it, because they're doing FX.

This is a nice show business stroy: very kindly they called me and said, "We would like to return the rights to you". When they did that, I released the album that we had done, because I just wanted the world to hear the songs. Nancy Dussault is guesting with the Gay Men's Chorus and will perform "Where in the World Is My Prince?" This will be the first live performance of the song, recorded for the concept album by Faith Prince.

Q: How did you feel about the film version of Mame?

JH: I hated it more than any performance of mine that I've ever seen. I'd like to burn all those films.

Q: By films, you're referring to Hello Dolly as well?

JH: I don't hate Hello Dolly; it's just not the Hello Dolly that I opened in 1964. It's about a young girl (the film) ... who for some reason (he rolls his eyes) ... is a matchmaker.

Q: Do you envision yourself composing another big musical?

JH: Oh, I certainly do. I feel great. I've got all the energy in the world. It's just a question of finding material that you want to live with for the rest of your life. I've been blessed with The Matchmaker, Auntie Mame and the original La Cage Aux Folles, the play. The three of those pieces of material are such a foundation that it was hard not to write a good show. Finding that is not as easy as it sounds. I would do another one if I found at least a character that I fell in love with.

Press release - The Unseen

THE ROAD THEATRE COMPANY

Contact: Mark St. Amant
213.309.2482 or press@roadtheatre.org

PRESS RELEASE
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE, PLEASE:

Playwright and creator of TV’s Dirty Sexy Money
CRAIG WRIGHT
Set to Direct the Road Theatre’s Mounting of
THE UNSEEN

4 MAY 09: Co-Artistic Directors Taylor Gilbert and Sam Anderson of The Road Theatre Company have announced the next presentation from the ever-ambitious company, where the long-extended west coast premiere of Keith Huff’s The Bird and Mr. Banks plays on to appreciative crowds and critical acclaim through May 16.

Opening at the Road on Friday, June 19 is Emmy and Drama Desk-nominated writer Craig Wright’s THE UNSEEN, which debuted at the Actors’ Theatre of Louisville’s Humana Festival 2007 and concluded a much-heralded off-Broadway run at the Cherry Lane in March. THE UNSEEN expands the Road’s association with Wright, as the playwright will make his directorial debut at the Road, continuing the company’s artistic collaboration with one of the American theatre’s most talented writers. The multi-award-winning company’s 2008 west coast premiere of Wright’s Lady received four Ovation Awards and five LA Weekly Award nominations, garnering two LaWee wins, including Best Supporting Actor for Matt Kirkwood, who will also be featured in THE UNSEEN.

Last season’s subsequent New York debut of Lady was recently nominated for a Drama Desk Award as Outstanding New Play and received a nomination for Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson Award. Wright’s other works for the stage include The Pavilion, also a Drama Desk nominee in 2006; Main Street; Orange Flower Water; Recent Tragic Events; Molly’s Delicious; Melissa Arctic, which won Washington, DC’s Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding New Play; Grace, a nominee for the Hayes Award and, for L.A.’s Furious Theatre, winner of the LA Drama Critics Award for Best Play and a TicketHolder Award for Wright as Best Playwright of 2006. Wright is the recipient of fellowships from the McKnight Foundation and the National Endowment for the Arts, and holds a M.Div. degree from United Theological Seminary. He has written for numerous television shows, including his Emmy-nominated work as Executive Story Editor for Six Feet Under; Supervising Producer for Lost; Co-Executive Producer for Brothers and Sisters; and he was the creator and Executive Producer of the ABC series Dirty Sexy Money.

THE UNSEEN is a Kafka-esque, darkly humorous examination of faith in an uncertain world, a curiously fascinating psychological thriller about two prisoners (Matt Kirkwood and Darin Singleton) incarcerated by a totalitarian regime. Mercilessly tortured for unknown crimes and living without hope of escape or release, they desperately try to crack the code of their cryptic imprisonment. Only familiar to each other by voice as they cannot see one another, the men try to keep mentally and emotionally stable through their cell walls by sharing stories of their interrogations and torture, putting the pieces together about their captors, and attempting to devise a plan of escape.

The puzzle is further complicated with the introduction of a new prisoner placed between them, who only poses more questions than answers, and a childish yet sadistic guard (Douglas Dickerman) who seems to regret his job as resident torturer as much as he relishes talking about the details of it. As noted of the Cherry Lane production in TimeOut New York Magazine, “[THE UNSEEN] demonstrates what the Greeks always knew: If the writing is good enough, violence needn’t be seen to be believed.”

The Road Theatre Company has enjoyed an amazing 17-year history, honored with 10 Critic's Choice selections from the LA Times, 5 Pick of the Week selections from L.A. Weekly, 12 Critic’s Picks from Back Stage, 61 Valley Theatre League Artistic Director Achievement (ADA) Awards, 8 LA Drama Critics Circle Awards, 4 LA Weekly Awards, 2 Back Stage Garland Awards and 32 Garland Critic’s Citations, 15 Ovation Awards, 4 TicketHolder Awards and 27 runners-up mentions from Entertainment Today, and 5 Robby Awards. The company was honored with the 1998 LA Drama Critics Circle Margaret Hartford Award for Sustained Excellence in Theatre and the 2003 Back Stage West Landmark Award for Excellence in Theatre. The Lankershim Arts Center is a facility of the Cultural Affairs Department of Los Angeles.

THE UNSEEN opens Friday, June 19, playing Fridays and Saturdays at 8pm and Sundays at 2pm through Saturday, Aug. 22 at The Road Theatre, located two blocks south of Magnolia Bl. in the historic Lankershim Arts Center, 5108 Lankershim Bl. in the heart of North Hollywood’s NoHo Arts District. General admission is $30.00 ($10.00 for special preview performances on June 16, 17 and 18 at 8pm). Visa and MasterCard are welcomed and discounts are also available for senior, student, 3-A union members, and groups. For further information, call 866.811.4111 or log on at http://www.roadtheatre.org/.

NEW - 2009 Interview with Jeff Trachta

My Entertainer of the Year 2008, singer/actor Jeff Trachta is my idea of the ideal night club performer. He is a fantastic singer, impressionist and one helluva funny man. His one-man show Jeff Trachta Live! plays the Spa Resort Casino in Palm Springs Fridays and Saturdays at 7pm in the Cascade Room. An alumnus of The Bold and the Beautiful, having played Thorne Forrester for 8 years, and Broadway as Danny Zuko in Tommy Tune’s acclaimed revival of Grease (mid 1990s), Jeff Trachta is at present happy to perform alone, except on occasion with his pet golden retriever who recently accompanied him to the Cascade Room. In our interview, Trachta talks about his idols and his newfound love of PS.

Q: How do you like working the Cascade Room in PS as opposed to performing in Las Vegas?

JT: I love living in Palm Springs so much. It's one of the most beautiful places on Earth.The spectacular mountains.The weather. The people. To be able to work and have a life here is perfect.

Q: Someone asked, "Do you think he'd go back to Broadway?" How about it? For the right role?

JT: Right now I am completely fulfilled doing my own show.I like the total creative control and the give-and-take I get with my audiences. I wouldn't want to do anything other than what I'm doing right now and in the venue I'm doing it.

Q: You bring the audience such joy when you perform. Is this your greatest high? If not, what is?

JT: I love crack actually (Kidding).I must admit performing in front of a live audience is right up there. Although I also love being close to nature. I enjoy hiking those mountains I mentioned earlier, and I really get a lift from animals and their honest energy.

Q: Who are your singing idols?

JT: I love Nat King Cole, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett. I'm also a huge fan of Boz Scaggs, Bon Jovi and Barry Manilow, not only as a singer but also as a songwriter and arranger.

Q: And your acting idols?

JT: Danny Kaye, Jim Carrey, and Kevin Spacey are all amazing.

Q: Which contemporary ones are appealing to you? How do you really feel about Justin Timberlake?

JT: I think Justin Timberlake is incredibly talented. I also love Usher and Gnarls Barkley.

Q: Is it nice to be away from LA, or would you bring the show back here sometime?

JT: Palm Springs is so laid back and has a comfortable, small-town feeling. You get very spoiled here.

Q: What is your mission as a performer?

JT: To put the audience in a great mood. It's that simple.

Q: Any TV offers?

JT: I'm not really pursuing any other opportunities. I love where I am right now. But I'm planning on living to 114, so I have a few more years to create new things.

Like George Burns, Trachta envisions a long life. I do as well. In 2o years time, Jeff Trachta Live! will still undoubtedly be one of the world's funniest & most popular night club shows.