Well, the 2003-2004 year has been a full and slightly out of it experience here at UCLA. In fall, the Workshop did our annual benefit for the West Valley Food Pantry (another homemade Sondheim revue) and helped them raise some money for the hungry. Then, we had a very successful (seven sold out houses) production of Bernstein’s West Side Story in Schoenberg Hall. We had two amazing casts and a wonderful orchestra under the musical direction of Daniel Cummings. The choreography of Carlos Jones, the sets by Bob Deman and the costumes of Yoli Bennett were all first rate. You don’t have to take my word for it. There was a wonderful mini reunion of Workshoppers from the past that got together and came to the show. David Gunderman (from the bay area) met up with Suzanne Pellett, Luck Hari, Stephanie Morse, David Paul, Craig Woolsen and Eric Levition were all there cheering. It was really wonderful to see them and catch up on the gossip and news. We closed out the year with the Carol Burnett Awards performing for judge’s composer Billie Barnes, cabaret artist Marilyn Matz, producer/director Valentine Mayer and alums Tom Lenk and Scott Meckling!
Everything went well at the Burnetts and the next day I reported to the UCLA Santa Monica Hospital for spinal surgery, Oy! It seems that I had a severe compression of my spinal cord from deformed vertebrae in my neck. The surgeon had to remove several vertebrae and fuse five of them in my neck. All the nerve signals to my lower body were being affected and I was having trouble walking, my hands were numb, I was falling down and I won’t even go into the other body functions that were involved! I thought my surgery was a huge success, but no! When I went for my post-operative check two weeks later they found the fusion was pulling apart and I was back in the hospital for a second surgery that put titanium rods along the back of my spine to stabilize the fusion. Well, my friends, that second surgery really did me in and I have spent the summer trying to recover, retrain and renew my spirit. Having been blessed with really fine health doesn’t prepare you for huge trauma and what you have to learn about letting go when the chips are down. I’m learning.
One bit of news that I’d like to share with you is that I have a website that is slowly coming together and it features programs, history and photos of a lot of our productions. It is really amazing for me to see these archival remnants from the past. Damn! Some of them look better than I ever remembered. Just realizing I have produced and or directed over 100 titles boggles my mind. But, the wonderful talent I have been blessed to work with at UCLA comes shining through these silly photos. The site is still in progress but the Music Theater part is nearly finished…so, plug into www.johnhallmtw.com for some hot flashes and bits of the past that we share.
In the meantime I include some news that I have gathered this past year and hope you enjoy. If you have anything to add let me know at johnhall@ucla.edu.
Keep Singing, Keep Dancing! The planet needs that more than ever!
XOXO John
Carlos Avilas
(CB’01, Charlie Brown, Triumph of Love) got back from his cruise-line
gig and performed in the ensemble of the South Coast Repertory’s Jekyll
and Hyde. Presently he is working with on a new musical for children scheduled
for the Wadsworth Theater in September.
Gary Busby
(Flora, Charlie Brown, Triumph of Love) has a new position teaching Music
Theater at UC Irvine. This summer he was playing keyboard for the cabaret
show Remembering Paul Lynde for a month at the club Plush in West Hollywood.
He is currently music director for the Actor’s Co-Op production of Most
Happy Fella.
Soprano Khori Dastoor
(CB’04, West Side Story) has been touring to schools singing the lead
in the LA Opera production of Journey to Cordoba. She also gets extensive
credits (cause the show lasted soooooo long) in Terrence McNally’s The
Master Class, which finally closed at the Odyssey Theater. Busy girl that
she is, Khori also sang with the Pasadena Pops Orchestra, was featured in
concert with mezzo Susanna Guzman and thrilled Pulitzer Prize winning composer
John Harbison with a performance of his songs at SongFest at Pepperdine University
in June.
Kendra Doyle
After moving to the Big Apple last year, Kendra Doyle (CB’00, Charlie
Brown, Triumph of Love, Babes in Arms) was thrilled to land a job at the famed
Goodspeed Opera House in a production of Call Me Madam. Her next chapter seems
to be a cruise ship in the Caribbean for six months. Zowie!
Maria Eberline
(CB’98, Godspell, Flora, Into the Woods, Mattress) brought down the
house at the Coronet Theater this summer in the musical revue Funny Business.
Amazingly enough she shared the stage with her UCLA Flora cast mate Adam Harrington
(Flora, the Red Menace)! Maria is currently performing in a new musical, A
Portrait of Dorian Gray. However, her big news is that she was flown back
to NYC to audition for the National tour of Wicked and she landed the cover
of the leading role of Elphiba! She starts this coming January. Congrats to
Maria!!!
Susan Egan
(CB’89, By Strouse, 4 Saints in 3 Acts) was Sally Bowles when the long
running revival of Cabaret closed on Broadway. Later, she was back on Broadway
doing the lead in Thoroughly Modern Millie. Susan was the soprano soloist
in the Lord of the Rings Symphony by Howard Shore at the Hollywood Bowl this
summer.
Gary Gardner
UCLA Professor Gary Gardner joined the UCLA Music Theater Workshop in the
role of Doc; the owner of the drugstore, in this year’s sold out production
of West Side Story.
Willow Geer
Also continues to do good work out at her family’s theater Theatricum
Botanicum in Topanga, she is currently doing Winter’s Tale and getting
ready to move to NYC, with her buddy, Leah Sprecher.
Alan Gilbert
Sad news that my colleague of many years and the first director of the UCLA
Music Theater Workshop, Alan Gilbert, passed away in Carmel, California. He
was a real good guy, a wonderful colleague and performer.
Zina Goldrich
(CB’83, Salute to Hollywood) and her writing partner Marcy Heissman
will have a new show open off-Broadway this fall. Their cult hit song “The
Alto’s Lament” was a winner a couple years ago in the Carol Burnett
Awards for Minglie Chen (CB’01, Into the Woods, Triumph of Love) who
has been called back again to New York for the crazy Japanese social worker
in Avenue Q. Since Zina has been playing keyboards for that show, it would
be great to have another MTW alum on board. I’ve got my fingers crossed!
Susannah Hall
After doing Louise in Gypsy a couple of times, Susannah Hall (CB’98,
Into the Woods, Mattress) decided to get her Equity card when she does that
role for Downey CLO. Next, she will appear as Sally Bowles in the Moonlight
Amphitheater production of Cabaret.
Will Heermance
(Once Upon a Mattress) just finished filming a major motion picture in Czechoslovakia
this summer.
Karlan Judd
Earlier this season, Karlan Judd (Godspell) had a professional reading of
his original musical Lemonade. He was also appointed Artistic Director of
the West Coast Singers and took that group to the GALA convention in Montreal
this summer.
Tom Lenk
(CB’97,Penelope, Flora, Into the Woods) had a couple of international
trips with his costars of Buffy, The Vampire Slayer. It seems that show has
a huge following overseas. He appeared with the Blank Theater Company in their
production of funny…at the 2nd Stage Theater. He joins MTW alums Julia
Faussone (Into the Woods, Babes in Arms) Lesli Margarita (Dames at Sea), Tom
McMahon (CB’97, Penelope, Flora, Into the Woods) and Amy Rutberg (Into
the Woods) in a reading of a new musical Like You Like It at the Celebration
Theater. This season’s Tony in West Side Story, Ryan Scott Oliver, is
the musical director with Brett Ryback (The Wild Party, West Side Story) playing
keyboard. Ryan was also the musical director of the critically acclaimed production
of Hedwig and the Angry Inch at that theater earlier this summer.
Eric Leviton
Since his starring role in the National Company of The Full Monty, Eric Leviton
(CB’89, Merrily We Roll Along, Babes In Arms) has been busy polishing
up an act called ‘A Little Traveling Music with his buddy Michael Kostroff.
They make their Cinegrill debut this August! Eric was also in the Sacramento
Music Circus production of The Wizard of Oz!
Melissa Lyons
(CB’96, Flora, Penelope, Into the Woods) emailed me to tell of her new
direct to video movie as the voice of Princess Barbie in The Princess and
the Pauper. Zowie! She says that she gets a couple of good songs and that
it is perfect entertainment for those little ones who love Barbie dolls. Her
other good news was that she is back on the road singing Eponeme in the National
tour of Les Miz.
Ben Makino
(Triumph of Love, Wild Party) has spent the summer in Italy, where he has
been conducting all over the place.
Eric Martin
(Godspell, Penelope, Flora, Into the Woods) was recently discovered to be
doing Technical Direction for Universal Studios and lots of voice over work!
Jamie Martin-Chamberlin
(CB’02, Charlie Brown, Triumph of Love, West Side Story) premiered a
new work by Esa Pekka Salonen under his direction with the Los Angeles Philharmonic
this spring with huge success in the new Disney Hall. She is also singing
the role of the Cretan Woman with the Los Angeles Opera with Placido Domingo
in the title role. Not bad for her first year out of school.
Tom McMahon
When he returned from teaching in Japan for a year, Tom McMahon (CB’97,
Penelope, Flora, Into the Woods) was able to do the featured role of Gladhand,
the social worker in the MTW production of West Side Story.
Brianne Moore
Summer stock was very good for Brianne Moore (CB’04, West Side Story)
this year. She performed Julie Jordan in Carousel, the Baker’s Wife
in Into the Woods, a role in a G&S operetta that I don’t remember.
Peter Musante
(CB’03, Wild Party) is currently doing The Legend of Alex at the Powerhouse
Theater in Santa Monica.
Jeff Parker
(Babes in Arms, Charlie Brown) is part of the Lamb’s Players of the
Old Globe San Diego. He is also engaged to be married. What an optimist!
Will Pellegrini
(Into the Woods, Mattress) was accepted into the prestigious directing program
at Rutgers University and begins working there this fall.
Monica Quintanilla
This summer Monica Quintanilla (CB’03, The Wild Party) is doing her
faboo thing in the Moonlight Amphitheater’s production of Ain’t
Misbehavin’. She also did Bubbling Brown Sugar and was cast in a new
musical at San Diego Repertory!
Travis Robertson
(Triumph of Love) appeared Smokey Joe’s Café with the Moonlight
Amphitheater. He is then joined the European and the National tour of Mamma
Mia where he is still singing and dancing!
Tracy Rohrer
(CB, 00, Wild Party) is currently doing Most Happy Fella with music director,
Gary Busby, at the Actor’s Co-Op in Hollywood.
Elisabeth Rosenberg
The next chapter for Elisabeth Rosenberg (Triumph of Love, West Side Story)
will be full time employment with the ensemble of the Los Angeles Opera.
Teresa Marie Sanchez
Reprising the role that was her debut on Broadway was Teresa Marie Sanchez
(CB’97, Godspell, Flora, Penelope, Mattress) singing in the Sacramento
Music Circus production of Footloose this summer. She then left to tour with
her band on the next chapter of her pop-diva dream.
Jason Schafer
After his screenwriting success with Trick and Queer As Folk, Jason Schafer
(CB’92, Romancing Valentino, Candide) has returned to NYC to work with
the musical theater program at the Tisch School of the Arts.
Robert Sella
Getting rave reviews and a big picture in the LA Times was Robert Sella (Salute
to Hollywood) doing the leading role of Cotton Mather in the South Coast Repertory
production of Amy Freed’s new farce Safe In Hell.
Josh Silberman
(Into the Woods, Charlie Brown, Mattress) just got back from touring Scotland
with his H.S. students in Godspell and is preparing the leading role in Jekyl
and Hyde for Colorado Music Theater for this fall.
Two generations of Lolas! Leah Sprecher (Babes in Arms, Charlie Brown) was understudying alum Julie Connor (CB’92, Candide, Dames At Sea) doing Lola in Damn Yankees in Virginia this summer. Julie, along with best UCLA buddy Ray Hesselink (, CB’92, Candide), did a benefit tap show in NYC this past year as well as participating in this past season’s short-lived Broadway show Never Gonna Dance. Leah’s next gig is in Chicago on Hilton Head understudying Velma.
Sterling Suleiman
(Wild Party) recently performed in the new musical, 24 hours, at the Stella
Adler Theater.
Grant Tyler
(CB’01, Triumph of Love) was Barnaby in Hello Dolly at the Lawrence
Welk Theater in Orange County. Grant made headline news with his husband/partner,
Eric (Gumby) being one of the few couples who received marriage certificates
in San Francisco. The two recently had a ceremony in Fountain Valley and have
relocated to NYC. Best of luck, boys!
Sarah Uriarte-Berry
Receiving critical and popular acclaim for her role in the controversial Broadway
production of Taboo, Sarah Uriarte-Berry (CB’86, Merrily We Roll Along,
Candide) was back in California singing Laurie in the Sacramento Music Circus
production of Oklahoma. This gave Sarah a chance for her mother to enjoy her
gorgeous grandchild Madeleine-Grace.
Anne Warren
After leaving the Disney production of Snow White (as Snow White) Anne Warren
(CB’02, The Wild Party) joined the national tour of Thoroughly Modern
Millie in the role of Millie’s best friend Miss Dorothy. I went down
to Orange County Performing Arts Center with Karen Morrow and Gary Busby to
see her do her thing. Her three teachers sat there and glowed with pride.
Well, that’s all the news I have for now. If you know anything that might be of interest give me an e-mail at johnhall@ucla.edu and if you could pass this letter along to anyone you know who needs an update please do.
Best wishes for a happy life
John