SWEENEY TODD @ A.C.T.

Hey everyone - I haven't been able to post lately because things are just so crazy busy. I will always try to post on Sundays for sure and other days if I have time. This week rehearsals for The Secret Garden started and thank goodness the first two weeks of rehearsal are minimal for me. We are still looking for some men to join the cast. If you know of anyone who might be interested please e-mail me. I have come down with a nasty cold this week and it still haunts me this weekend. Hopefully it will go away soon.

On Friday I couldn't go to school because I was feeling awful but I could not miss seeing Sweeney Todd at A.C.T. You know that saying "good things come to those who wait"? Well I have been waiting a long time to see this production of Sweeney and it was well worth the wait. This was probably one of the greatest nights of the theatre I have ever had. Everytime I go see a show I just want to fix it - I notice all the wrong things with it (don't get me wrong I also notice the good things too =+) and in this production I only had two little beefs with it.

If you know me well, you know that I played The Beadle in FMT's production of Sweeney with the amazing James Iglehart & Diana Torres Koss. The Beadle's music is the most intricate in the show - he has the highest range to sing of all the performers but in this production they made The Beadle into a baritone - a light baritone which took away from Ladies in their Sensitivities. Benjamin Eakeley is a very handsome man and he played The Beadle like a suave con man which worked great - I loved his performance though it did take away some of the humor out of The Beadle. When I was cast in FMT's production I hesitated to say yes because I found the part to be quite boring but I found ways to make him more interesting. I just wish they could have found some more of that for him either by his choices or by Mr. Doyle. That's the only major quibble I had with the production and I didn't care for the staging in the Johanna/Anthony/Judge/Beadle Quartet.

NOW onto the things I LOVED...there are so many. John Doyle's amazing direction & set design. I was skeptical of how the score would sound but it was a revelation. The orchestrations are genius and the actors not only play the score by memory (only the pianist has music) but the play as their characters - simply brilliant. I got chills looking at Tobias watching the piece intensely and playing the violin at the same time, the same goes for Johanna & Anthony.

I loved how they cut the number of breaks in the songs. We are not allowed to clap until the middle of the first act when Anthony sings Johanna (beautifully done by Benjamin Magnuson who was also HOT to look at) and by then the audience couldn't contain their applause. Sondheim's score of Sweeney is his masterpiece - I don't care what anyone says (Sunday in Park and Passion come close but Sweeney is a masterpiece.)

The entire cast was brilliant - BRILLIANT!! Keith Buterbaugh played the Judge like I have never seen before - like a politician. It was a great choice to underplay the villain. Lauren Molina was perfect as Johanna and you could see the slow transformation into madness. I loved how she didn't play Johanna as a bumbling idiot until the Quartet. Diana DiMarzio was a kick-ass Beggar Woman with terrific chops. I loved the lighting, the blood, the minimal props, and most of all the performances of Judy Kaye and David Hess. Both were such brilliant actors.

I loved, loved, loved this production and even though it cost me and arm and a leg I will be seeing it again in two weeks. Can't wait. Get your ass to the Geary Theatre now!!!!

DIARY OF ANNE FRANK

Sorry I haven't posted in a few days folks - It was a monstrous week but it's a new week now and I start a new project which I am very excited about. Last week I saw a couple of shows which I realized I can't do anymore - I can't see more than 1 show a week - it's just too much but I am very glad that I was able to attend the opening night of The Diary of Anne Frank at San Jose Stage Company. Everytime I am there I feel like I am home - the people who run the theatre are like family to me and I love them dearly. My wonderful Urinetown director Rick Singleton has assembled a great cast for this production and he really did an amazing job staging this difficult piece. The entire cast was terrific but I must mention my friend Klahr Thorsen who played Miep - she had a scene with Mrs. Frank (played beautifully by Janis Bergman) that ripped my heart out. It was a scene in which Mrs. Frank tells Miep about her doubts & feels like giving up. The scene was played so honestly that It broke my heart. Marie Shell as Mrs. van Daan had another one of those beautiful moments when she had to give up her precious coat - heartbreaking stuff.

I told my baby sis who was with me that in theatre it's the little moments that I love - the big moments are great too but the little moments are golden. One of my favorite lines ever comes from Anne's diary (and I paraphrase) - "In spite of everything I still believe in the goodness of people." I know I used that myself in Man of La Mancha.

Another nice touch (and one I haven't seen before) is after the play is over and Randy King breaks our hearts with the final speech - no curtain call. I thought that was very classy. It's an ensemble piece that should be about remembering what happened. Theatre at its most poignant and theatre we must all see. The Diary of Anne Frank plays until October 14th - go see it.

Have a great week y'all!

Martin

LOSE SOME, WIN SOME

I recently found out that I will not be performing in the fall show I thought I would be doing - for reasons I can’t go into right now. I was very disappointed, upset & hurt but now I am over that. I have been offered the role of Archibald Craven in Coastal Repertory Theatre’s upcoming production of The Secret Garden and I said yes. I started my musical theatre journey at Coastal Rep (then known as This Side of The Hill Players) with The Secret Garden - this is back in 1996 when I played one of the dreamers - a very small role. I never dreamed that over a decade later I would be back to play my first lead role EVER. To top it off my beloved Patti Appel will be playing Lily opposite me. This is by far the biggest role I have ever been given with a lot of music. Oooh and a couple of my NDNU friends are in it as well: Laurie Nellessen will be playing Martha and Kris Hauck will be playing my brother Neville and I can't wait to sing "Lily's Eyes" with Kris. All’s well that ends well. Yay!!!! More details to come soon.

WHAT A WEEK

Oh thank GOD it’s Friday because this has been a long ass week. Here’s the buzz:

CASTING NEWS

Well I have some awesome casting news to report. I will be playing the role of Roscoe in a concert version of FOLLIES at Notre Dame de Namur University. This concert is made up of primarily professional performers who are contributing their time to raise funds for Music Theatre Conservatory scholarships. As you all probably know I am a blessed recipient of a couple of scholarships and grants so this is a cause close to my heart. I get to bring out these "beautiful girls:" Wesla Whitfield, Meg Mackay, Diana Torres Koss, Erie Mills and Debra Lambert, Dottie Lester-White to name a few.

I have been keeping my fingers crossed for this one ever since Marc told me about the possibility of it coming together over a year ago. When TheatreWorks had announced their last season I flipped out when I saw Follies in the season - I would have killed to have played any part in that production. Alas the show was replaced with Merrily We Roll Along and my little heart was broken. Now I am able to do the show, play a fabulous role with a great song that opens the show with a fabulous cast and fabulous production team: Marc Jacobs is directing, Dottie Lester-White is doing the choreography and Billy Liberatore is the musical director. I am so frickin’ excited over this one kids!!! There are only two performances - October 26 & 28 - more info to come.

I have been recruited to perform in the opera Orpheus in the Underworld. I had not planned on doing this show but Debra Lambert & I made an agreement that will keep me busy & sane for the next three semesters and we’re both cool with that. I will be playing a small role to make my operatic debut (I know, I know...flashback to Merry Wives... but I promise I will do this one) which is great. John Styx is the jailer in hell (hee hee =+) and he sings a great little song....and that’s it!! Who could ask for anything more? A "pub" part if you will. What’s really exciting about this one is that I will not only be playing the role in our school production but also the professional Pocket Opera production in San Francisco & Napa. Way cool!!

I have more casting news still stored away..stay tuned!!


MADAME JO & HER TRIO

I had one of the best evenings of my life last night. Performing with the Madame Jo trio was a total delight and to top it all off my beloved friends Jenna & Nicole - my main homegirls from Man of La Mancha were there to cheer me on -which was a lovely unexpected surprise. I sang a medley of Broadway love songs: All The Things You Are from Very Warm for May mixed with So In Love from Kiss me Kate and later a Carlos Gardel tango El Dia Que Me Quieras and finally a Peruvian song by Chabuca Granda - La Flor de la Canela. There were other wonderful guests stars and Madame Jo did an amazing set of French & Cuban songs. I was a little bit drunk by the end of the evening - overall one of the coolest Thursday nights ever! Here are some pics - me singing with Madame Jo & her trio and here’s a great shot at my girls rockin’ out wit the maracas.

Okay kids not much else to report at this moment - have a great weekend y’all!

Cheers

Martin

29 YEARS...

Wow - it’s just a countdown to thirty isn’t it? It’s just staring at me laughing. I never thought that I would like past 21 so to be alive at 29 is a fucking miracle.

I spent this past weekend celebrating life in a very quiet way. On Saturday evening I had the most wonderful meal with my family at my favorite restaurant The Spinnaker which is in Sausalito. The food is terrific and you can’t beat the view - looking over the SF Bay.

On Sunday night I played at Max’s and had some very special guest stars come and sing for me. My beloved Hilary Little busted out a showstopping rendition of Cabaret and reprised her out-of-this-world rendition of Adelaide’s Lament from Guys & Dolls which she performed at Cabrillo Stage last summer. One of my oldest friends in life Lacy Bender came with her boyfriend and sang a haunting rendition of I Don’t Know How To Love Him and a gorgeous I Dreamed a Dream. My NDNU pal (well she has graduated already) Julia Louise Hosack came and thrilled everyone with Vanilla Ice Cream and she made my heart melt with our duet My Heart Is So Full of You which we performed at her recital. Before the evening ended the entire staff came to sing Happy Birthday to me at the piano - quite lovely. After work my friend Tyler took me out for a couple of drinks. Overall - a wonderful quiet birthday.

I forgot to post this the other day with the final La Mancha post: I wanted to say thank you to everyone who came to see Man of La Mancha at SF Playhouse - I will not forget all of you who came to support my work. That’s called true friendship people. I forgot to mention that on the last week of performances my beloved friends Maryann, Natali and Betsy came to see the show and the day before closing my beloved Patti Appel.

I am very excited to be performing with Madame Jo on Thursday - it should be a fun night. That’s all for now folks, just a little bit older and none the wiser =+) Casting news coming soon...

Cheers

Martin

BE STILL MY HEART

It gives me great sadness to say that the world's greatest tenor, Luciano Pavarotti is dead at age 71 from pancreatic cancer. Pavarotti has given me so many moments of inspiration that they are indescribable. When I heard Pavarotti sing I would secretly wish that someday I would be a tenor of his caliber. In time I accepted that I would be a baritone but Pavarotti has continued to inspire me to reach for the stars. It gives me great sadness to say that I will never be able to see Luciano Pavarotti sing live - it has always been one of my greatest desires...to be able to hear him sing live - just once.

One of my favorite Pavarotti songs is the beautiful Neapolitan song "Non ti Scordar di Me" which means "Do Not Forget You." Querido Luciano, I know that the world will never forget you."

I know that at this moment, besides the tears that are falling from my eyes, there are also tears in heaven. The world has lost one of the greatest talents of any century. Luciano I forever bow in thy presence. Bravo, bravo, bravo Luciano Pavarotti.

Link to obituary.

REFLECTING ON "THE QUEST"

Fourteen weeks, lots of backstage drama, cast changes, an actor hurt backstage requiring 27 stitches...would I do It all over again? ABSOFUCKINGLUTELY!

I wouldn't trade this experience for the world. I have loved working at SF Playhouse and can't wait to be back. The last week of shows was very hard on me because I have come to love this show very much - more than I thought I would. Even on two show days when I thought I would just collapse from tiredness- this show will forever be a part of me. Working with an incredible cast, a genius director and a company that made me feel so welcome - I just can't say how grateful I am. Singing "To Each His Dulcinea" made me realize how powerful music can be. I will miss so many people but most of all the moments that I shared with my fellow cast mates on stage - moments that the audience may not see, but I know they are there because I felt them every night.

This is actually the 500th post on my little blog and it's only fitting that it is a tribute to one of the most memorable theatre experiences I have had. May we all find our quest and reach for the unreachable stars.

=+)

Martin

ADJUSTING

Sorry that I have not been able to write. The last few days have been crazy busy and filled with a lot of emotion. I am still adjusting to the show ending and I have a lot of things still to say about the show and I have some exciting future projects (if all goes well I will have steady theatre work until January of next year!!) that I will know more about in the next couple of weeks. I will write more in the next couple of days - way too tired right now.

Hope everyone is doing well.

Cheers

Martin