Challenges of the actor life - with Susannah Mars

Monday May 4th 2009
Where has the time gone? I’m home, in Portland today, making dinners, carting kids to soccer, track and piano. Back to Seattle tomorrow for our final week of Sunday in the Park with George. I can’t believe that we’re in our final week. It has been such a joyous experience, from being cast, through our rehearsal process, and including our incredible run. Everyone involved with the show has been just fantastic. I’ve made new friends, and spent time with old friends too.

Tuesday May 5th 2009
I’m on the train heading back to Seattle. This train ride is GORGEOUS! I have a unique situation, I’m an “out-of-towner” but not too far out of town! I live in Portland, a 3 hour trip, which goes by quickly if you have LOTS of music to learn, or a good book on tape! Lucky for me I love Burgerville, so there’s always something to look forward to when I’m on I-5 :)I have two children, 15 and 9, so being out of town presents all sorts of wonderful opportunities for our family, as well as a few challenges.On the opportunity side, my kids have watched a gorgeous creative process; seen my interest in researching the time periods that we’re experiencing in the show, and they’ve had the chance to see, and hear, this beautiful piece. (My nine year old loves to sing all the parts of “It’s Hot Up Here") Both of my daughters have brought friends up for a visit. We’ve played in the fountain in the Seattle Center, and hit every clothing boutique within a 6 mile radius. (remember, I have a 15 year old!) We’ve hunted through Pike Place Market, and ridden the Elliot Bay Water Taxi. We walked to Ballard! My husband has had the opportunity to miss me, and I him, and that’s a good thing in the midst of a 21 year marriage! It shakes things up a bit, and makes the 36 hour visits home pretty exciting.

My husband is always coming up with fun trips for the girls, last week they hiked to Angel’s Rest in the Gorge. They sent pictures to my cell phone and great texts. They’re having some very special alone time with their dad. On the challenging side, we’ve had some extra work in scheduling. Getting the girls to their sports activities, piano, etc. etc. Making family time, while also giving the girls the time to spend with friends and all that good stuff, especially when my time home is very limited. My husband has taken on SO much at home, he’s a beloved Chiropractor, working long hours, and then, comes home, stays cheerful, does homework with the girls, puts them to bed, and then falls into bed himself. Meting out energy can be a challenge for both of us, I think especially him, right now.

All in all, this job is such a gift. I don’t even think of it as a job. Job connotes hard labor to me... there is hard creative labor, but it is most certainly a labor of love. It feels so good to be able to show our kids that we can all support each other, in our chosen professions, and interests, in all sorts of ways. That you can love your job.The girls contribute too. My older daughter helps my younger get ready for school when my husband leaves for work, and walks her out the door to her bus. They can make dinner, do their chores without a big whine-a-thon, be proactive about what needs to be done around the house. (okay, now I’m just dreaming, but we can head in that direction, right??)

It’s easier knowing that it’s a six week commitment, and that next week I’ll be back at home. Things will get back to a semblance of normalcy. I mean our family normalcy. Having a performing artist in our family, our sense of normalcy is different from most families. I’m a freelancer, so my work ebbs and flows. When I’m working, we refigure our home life again. It’s a great way to attempt to keep somewhat flexible!

SO, thank you 5th Avenue for availing us of this glorious opportunity, as a family, and for me, as an artist. It has been a dream date!

With love and thanks,
Susannah Mars

9 year old actress, Lauren Carlos

written by Lauren Carlos (Louise)

My name is Lauren Carlos and I'm 9 years old, and I am so excited to be part of this amazing show here at the 5th Avenue. My friend Keaton Whittaker and I both take turns playing Louise, the bratty daughter of Yvonne and Jules.

We worked a lot of long hours in the weeks leading up to opening night, and I can definitely say I've never learned so much from a production as much as this one! It has been so incredible seeing how bits and pieces of the show came together....I will always remember the first time I got to see how the scene "Putting it Together" looked on stage; with all the digital magic you almost don't know where to look first! My other favorite part was seeing the actors in their costumes and makeup for the first time; everyone looked like they'd stepped right out of the painting. (I think I'm glad I don't have to wear a bustle!)

I have to pinch myself whenever I realize I'm working side by side with the some of the best actors in Seattle as well as from Broadway. Keaton and I are even wearing the Louise costumes from Broadway! Everyone is so nice and really funny too - we have a lot of fun backstage. Keaton and I even have a quote list hung in our dressing room so we can write down and remember all the funny things people say.

Hugh Panaro gave us candy apple "Cromalumes" on opening night!

Keaton Whittaker, Hugh Panaro & Lauren Carlos

I hope everyone has the opportunity to go see Sunday in the Park With George, a show that I am really proud to be a part of. All the hard work that has gone into it, makes it really come alive and sparkle on stage!

Finishing The Hat - Nick DeSantis on his first role at The 5th

blog entry by Nick DeSantis (Franz/Lee Randolph)

On my very first show at The 5th Avenue:

I don't know how many auditions I have gone to where I have danced onstage at The 5th Avenue Theatre and looked out into that MASSIVE house and wondered what it would feel like to perform for an audience of over 2000 people on this stage - I finally got my chance to see what it's like! Now that I have, I'm not leaving. I'm never leaving. I'll just tuck myself up in a corner of the stage for Grease and stay there - they won't notice me I'm sure....I'll give myself big hair.

In all seriousness though - Sunday in the Park with George has been my favorite Broadway musical since I first saw it in my teens. I am profoundly moved EVERY time I see it (which is basically bi-monthly now that the DVD of the original broadway cast is available). I saw it on Broadway with Bernadette and Mandy, I saw it in Washington DC at The Kennedy Center with Raul Esparza and Melissa Errico and the DVD just stays on the shelf next to my TV so I can get a "Finishing the Hat" fix when I need it. I think it's a work that artists particularly, of any kind, can relate to in sort of a personal way. We've all had to sacrifice something to do what we do....time, money, a social life, whatever - so we've each, at some point, had to ask ourselves "why is it again that I love to do this?" Now that answer is, I'm sure, completely different for every artist, but we can all relate to the question as it is posed in the show. George can ONLY create art, to the exclusion of almost everything else in his life. When he sings "Finishing the Hat", he's trying to explain this very issue at the core of his soul - but the only concreate idea and words that he can come up with are simply that he has to Finish the Hat...and we kind of feel exactly what he means. It is such an honor for me to stand in the wings and hear Hugh Panaro sing this moving song so beautifully night after night. It's hard to keep my composure sometimes. Which can be a problem since the entire cast enters stage immediately after this song - and for any of us to be a blubbering mess might be a bit noticable.

One of the wonderful things about this experience is that this show holds such a dear place of almost everyone on the production team. Everyone is SO devoted and committed to creating a production that will do the work justice, it's a little overwhelming sometimes.

Actually, on that note - the first time we sang the Act I finale "Sunday," with a full orchestra, the sound and the emotion was so strong for each of us that many of the cast did begin weeping, myself included. I don't mean snivelly little soap-opera tears, but big, wracking, 7th-grader-who-didn't-make-cheerleader-after-practicing-her-pompom-routine-for-weeks-and-then-comes-home-to-find-her-puppy-ran-away sobs. I'm not sure but I think we might have frightened Ian Eisendrath (our impossibly talented music director and maestro) a little bit. Even though the tears have thankfully stopped, that moment at the end of the show as we all walk through "our" park one more time and inspire George to move ahead in his own life is one of the most personally gratifying and powerful things I have ever been given the privilege of doing onstage.

I hesitate to say this in an arena where it may come back to bite me, but if I never have the immense pleasure of doing another show at The 5th -or in my life really - this just might be enough.

Nah, that's stupid. I wanna do another!

a note from a board member

A note our board member emailed to staff today:

This is probably one of the most significant productions on our stage….ever! What a rare opportunity for our audiences to be able to experience the work of some of the major players in the musical theater world on our stage. The opening moments of Act I clearly indicate we are being taken on a journey into new visual territory. We are blessed with an abundance of riches during the entire production.

The cast, led by Hugh (George) and Billie (Dot), gives us some incredible moments of ensemble work. It is hard for me to imagine how 15 actors can create such glorious music. Surely they are inspired by the full orchestration led by Ian (Musical Director)'s capable baton and 11 enormously talented musicians. I can only imagine how this production will improve during its run.

I continue to see and hear new elements of the show with each new viewing which make me want to see it again and again. The controlled composition of this show makes me appreciate the contribution made by every single element. In many ways I believe the show is somehow greater than the sum of its parts.

I understand a show like this is a risk, but I believe we have an obligation to our audience and to the talented pool of artists who work in the world of musical theater. We are developing more informed patrons and sending a message to our working actors that we recognize our mission and obligation to the community.

I am so proud to serve The 5^th Avenue,

George excitement!

We thought we'd post some interesting preview pieces & audience feedback that relate to Sunday in the Park with George, which opened last night and runs through May 10th.

George & all things orchestral
Ian Eisendrath (musical director) and Hugh Panaro (George) chatted with Misha Berson

KUOW PRESENTS
Misha Berson (Seattle Times) Theater Review: Mad Scientists, Quirky Painters and Accordions

Billie Wildrick (Dot)
Seattle Examiner interviews Billie Wildrick (Dot)
Slideshow of Billie Wildrick in a selection of 5th Avenue Theatre roles

Steve Wiecking interviews Sam Buntrock (director)
A walk in the park

Seattle Weekly Preview Piece

The Stranger Preview Piece

Audience comments are rolling in:

"Loved it....so beautiful...and the voices were fantastic!"

"My mom and I had the most amazing time at Sunday in the Park with George last night. What an incredible show! We LOVED it- no understatement. Lets just say there were tears."

"An awesome production, full of surprises and subtlety and very well performed."

"I saw this show last night and was BLOWN AWAY...relevant and interesting. This show is unparalleled."

***
Leonard Bernstein called his friend Sondheim's show "brilliant, deeply conceived, canny, magisterial, and by far the most personal statement I've heard from you thus far. Bravo."

Dot's Thoughts

written by Billie Wildrick, Dot
Now that everything is staged, we have our first full work-through today. Our run-throughs start this weekend!

Yesterday we said a very fond "bye-bye-safe-journey-thanks-for-the-incredible-musical-staging-hope-to-see-you-soon!" To Christopher Gattelli. I think Christopher is special not only because of his truly inspired musical staging but also because of his kind, hopeful, supportive, supremely non-judgemental countenance. I loved doing work with Christopher behind the table because he made it so evident and tangible that he wanted me to succeed and he wanted to do whatever he could to help bring my character to a fully realized, specific life. I am so happy and grateful that he is "in the Park" with us. (And happy that his assistant Lou Castro has joined us now too!)

I could go on with the love-fest of course, but suffice it to say I want to save all the "miis" involved to perpetually play "wii theatre" (oo - somebody should program that game!). Now where is the slow button on my life remote?

Goodbye Dolly and Hello, George!

Goodbye Dolly and Hello, George!

The final curtain has closed on our production of Hello, Dolly! and we thank all the wonderfully talented folks who came together to bring this heartwarming comedy to life. A special thank you to the audiences who came out to enjoy this classic as well.

Rehearsals have begun for our upcoming production of Sunday in the Park with George! The Seattle All-Star cast is led by Broadway star, Hugh Panero. Seattle favorite Billie Wildrick plays Dot, a character she refers to as "the role of a lifetime." Past Backstage at The 5th blogger, Allen Fitzpatrick also joins the cast.

Today is the first sing-through, where actors and director come together to read and sing-through the play around a table.

Billie's facebook status this morning included a fun rewrite one of the musical verses from the production:

"There are worse things than going to rehearsal on a Monday! There are worse things than going to rehearsal when you're gonna have a read-through and the process is amazing, and you love your Brit director and MD's really awesome and the cast is fabuloso and the role is of a lifetime, and I need to get a coffee on a Monday! On a Monday! In the park with Geoooooooorge!"