Friday, April 15, 2011

Upcoming: The Producers at JCC


Mel Brooks' The Producers
Book, Music and Lyrics by Mel Brooks & Thomas Meehan

Saturday, May 7 at 8pm
Sunday, May 8 at 2pm
Thursday, May 12 at 7pm
Saturday, May 14 at 8pm
Sunday, May 15 at 2pm
Thursday, May 19 at 7pm
Saturday, May 21 at 8pm
Sunday, May 22 at 2pm

Area Premiere! When down-on-his-luck Broadway producer Max Bialystock and mousy accountant Leo Bloom hatch a scheme to get rich, by producing Broadway biggest flop, the result is the outrageous musical satire that is laugh-out-loud funny, and winner of a record 12 Tony® Awards.

Featuring: Steve Marsocci ("Tevye" from Fiddler on the Roof) as Max...Ed Popil (aka drag queen Kasha Davis) as Roger De Bris...Rochester's funniest musical theatre performers...the prettiest showgirls...and the most lavish sets and costumes you have ever seen at CenterStage.


Poetry, Poetry, Poetry

In celebration of National Poetry Month, I've read twice this week.

At St. Bernard's Park, with David Michael Nixon and Donna Marbach, I read a selection of poems from Within Reach. It was a lovely evening. We read in a former chapel, now community room.
We could hear birds in the eaves until sundown, then silence.


On Wednesday, I read at Monroe Community College, in the Theatre at Noon. A large and attentive audience, who asked thoughtful questions. It was such a gift, having the opportunity to
promote my new book at this college. Some of my former students, now professors there attended my reading. Cathryn Smith the chair of the English Department is a long time friend and fellow writer. So enjoyed seeing her and catching up. I'm grateful for her kind invitation to read.

A bit later, I visited Tony Leuzzi's creative writing class. He too is a terrific poet and teacher.
This visit gave me the opportunity to purchase his latest collection of poems. Steve Fellner wrote a positive review of his book a while ago, which intrigued me. At last, I have a copy of the book: Radiant Losses(New Sins Press 2009).


Poet, photographer, social activist Margaret Randall read from her recently released collections (4 of them!) at St. John Fisher College yesterday. What an honor having her on campus. She's a pleasure to be around and talk to -- about everything. I'm grateful for the literary collaboration with John Roche at R.I.T. We've done this quite a bit and it's allowed us to share visiting writers. Soon, we'll be celebrating John's newest poetry release at the Bug Jar on April 30. So glad I will be able to attend this reading, which will showcase some other poets and musicians too. So if you live in our area, I hope you will be able to make this reading.

On Saturday, April 16th, we will be celebrating Earth Day at Hamlin State Park.

Nine Just Poets :

Donna Marbach, David Michael Nixon, Karla Merrifield, Lori Nolasco, Colleen Powderly, Wanda Schubmehl. Anita Augesen, M.J.Iuppa, Cynthia Blair~ will be reading under the tent, 10:30 a.m. until NOON in Area 4. The admission to the park is free. Dady Brothers will be playing after the poetry readings. Think sun, sun, sun. Last year we have a beautiful day.


Next week will be a short week at St. John Fisher. Break for Easter will begin on Wednesday around 6 p.m. After this long weekend, we return to finals week. The way this semester is ending is difficult. It's hard to switch gears from chocolate rabbits back to the grind of studying for exams and final papers. Cross bunny ears that this will work out for all!

After the grading marathon, I will be off to NYC !









Saturday, April 9, 2011

RCP's Irish Players. Dublin Carol and Bedtime Story Directed by Jean Ryon


The Irish Players, a program of the Rochester Community Players, will be staging two productions this spring, a full-length play and a 'curtain warmer' one-act. The full length play is Dublin Carol by Conor McPherson, a three character play. This is a 90 minute play with no intermission. The play will be performed at MuCCC April 1 thru 16, 2011. This production will also be staged at the Acting Irish International Theatre Festival in Calgary, Alberta, Canada, May 20, 2011.

Preceding each performance of Dublin Carol at MuCCC will be a one-act curtain warmer, Bedtime Story by Sean O'Casey.

Cast list; Bedtime Story

John Jo Mulligan: Jamal Abdunnasir
Angela Nightingale: Stacy Homola
Halibut: Andy Cowen
Miss Mossie: Linda Loy
Policeman: John Jaeger
Nurse: Laura Smith
Doctor: TBA

Dublin Carol:

John: John Jaeger
Mary: Laura Smith
Mark: Jamal Abdunnasir

Dublin Carol Synopsis, from Wikipedia: John, a middle-aged employee of a funeral home in Dublin, returns from a funeral on Christmas Eve with Mark, a 20-year-old who has helped out that day and to whom John tells his sad history about how he has destroyed much of his life and damaged his family, through drink. Mary, John's grown daughter, who hasn't seen her father in 10 years, arrives to tell him that her mother, his long-estranged wife, is dying.

Bedtime Story Synopsis: A respectable Catholic bachelor invites a fun-time girl back to his room in a Dublin boarding house. Terrified that his land lady and a fellow lodger may discover his indiscretion, he tries to get the girl quietly out of the house in the middle of the night. Things go horribly wrong. This play was quite the scandal when written in 1951.


I'm going to see these plays tonight. Jean Ryon's direction never disappoints. Looking forward to seeing these plays!