What if Juliet never picked up the dagger? 

That’s the playful premise behind & Juliet, the hit Broadway musical making its Segerstrom Center for the Arts debut in Costa Mesa Sept. 9–21, 2025. 

From the Emmy-winning writer of Schitt’s Creek and featuring the chart-topping hits of Grammy-winning songwriter Max Martin, this high-energy comedy reimagines Shakespeare’s heroine ditching her tragic ending for a bold new beginning.

With a soundtrack packed with pop favorites like “Baby One More Time,” “Roar,” “Since U Been Gone,” and “Can’t Stop the Feeling!,” & Juliet is a fun jukebox musical mixed with historical and hysterical pop culture references. 

Directed by Luke Sheppard and choreographed by Emmy Award-winner Jennifer Weber, the musical continues to break box office records from London’s West End to Broadway and beyond.

Taking on the role of Anne Hathaway—yes, Shakespeare’s real-life wife—is Broadway star Teal Wicks. Known for her powerhouse performances as Elphaba in Wicked, Mary Barrie in Finding Neverland, and Lady in The Cher Show, Wicks now brings wit, warmth, and a modern twist to Shakespeare’s partner-in-crime. 

A UC Irvine alum, she’s especially thrilled to return to Orange County for this run.

Backstage SoCal caught up with Teal to chat about coming full circle at UCI, why Anne Hathaway’s voice feels so fresh, and the moments in & Juliet that spark the biggest energy shifts in the audience.

Q: As a UCI graduate, what does it mean to you to bring this musical to Orange County?

Teal Wicks:
It’s so exciting, really fun, and it feels very full circle. I loved my time at UCI and in Orange County. As a drama major, that’s where I was truly discovering my voice as an artist. It laid the foundation for so much of my career. The training I received there is something I’ve been building on for the past 20 years as a professional actor, which is wild to say!

UC Irvine also has this incredible program called the New York Satellite Program, which I did twice. We spent four to six weeks in New York taking classes, auditioning, and seeing as many shows as possible. I always loved the idea of New York, but living there during that program made me really fall in love with the city. It showed me I could handle it, and it gave me the confidence that I could actually pursue this dream. So UCI was very much the launchpad for the career I’ve been fortunate to have.

And now, bringing & Juliet to Orange County feels extra full circle because, when I was in college, we did a production of Romeo and Juliet with music. I was part of a girl group trio that sang in the background for a lot of the big scenes. So here I am again, back in Orange County, doing another musical inspired by Romeo and Juliet. It’s such a funny, special connection, and really, really fun.

Q: Anne Hathaway gets to be Shakespeare’s witty, opinionated partner-in-crime. What do you love most about how she’s written in this story?

Teal Wicks:
What I love most is that Anne is written as a mature woman. She’s a wife and a mother, yet she still gets to have such a strong voice and so much fun. David West Read, our writer, really gave a lot of freedom to these characters. He created space for us as actors to interpret, to play, and to bring as much of ourselves into them as possible. That’s such a gift.

I also love how playful Anne is. So often when characters in their middle age are written, they can come across as stuffy or overly serious. But that’s not real life. I know 90-year-olds who are silly, playful, and still have that youthful spirit alive in them. That’s exactly what Anne embodies: a woman who embraces her joy and humor, even as she carries the wisdom of her life experience.

And then there’s her dynamic with Will. It’s not perfect; they’re in a stage of life where they’re both in very different places emotionally and physically. In the play, they’re on a journey to rediscover each other. Not by trying to go back to who they were when they were young, and not by trying to reinvent themselves into something they’re not, but by meeting each other where they are now. They embrace who they are in this moment, and in doing so, they find a way to keep their relationship alive.

Q: What’s your favorite moment on stage in this musical where you feel the audience’s energy shift the most?

Teal Wicks:
There are a few, but I’ll give you two.

The first is in Act One, when we introduce the character of May. Up until that point, the audience is following along with characters they already know from Shakespeare’s canon; it feels like we’re still inside Romeo and Juliet. But then Anne Hathaway decides we need someone new in this play, and May enters. May is non-binary, and the show simply celebrates May as they are. There’s no big explanation needed, and it’s a beautiful moment.

You can feel the audience shift when May arrives. Even if someone doesn’t fully understand them at first, by the end of the show they do, and they love May. For non-binary audience members, it can be especially powerful. We’ve had people at the stage door share that May was pivotal for them, sometimes the very first time they felt truly represented onstage. That makes the moment incredibly special.

The second is in Act Two, when I sing That’s the Way It Is with Juliet. Up until then, Anne has been more of a storyteller, pushing the plot forward and guiding the audience. But in this song, she lets her walls down and opens up about marriage and relationships. It’s her most vulnerable moment, and it shifts the tone of the show.

Yes, & Juliet is a comedy, but here we dive into something very real: mature love, the challenges of it, the realities of what it means to stay together. It’s not just about young, star-crossed lovers anymore; it’s about love in all its complexity. You can feel the audience lean in during that moment, and it’s so fulfilling to share that with them.

Q: What do you hope your audience will bring home with them after seeing & Juliet?

Teal Wicks:
I hope they leave with love and passion for theater itself, because & Juliet is also a love letter to theater and the power of shared stories. Theater is such a special, ancient space where stage and audience come together, and I hope people walk away reminded of that magic.

I also hope they leave with full hearts; feeling empowered to forge their own story. It’s never too late to take control of your own narrative, to decide who you are, and to shape the life you want to live. If audiences carry that with them, along with joy from the music and the comedy, then we’ve done something really meaningful.

_______________________

& Juliet 

Dates: September 9 – 21, 2025
Location: Segerstrom Hall, 600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Tickets: Starting at $44.07

Online: scfta.org

The post From UCI to Broadway: Actress Returns to OC with Broadway’s Hottest Musical ‘& Juliet’ appeared first on Backstage Socal.

The winner takes it all — and this week, that winner is Orange County.

The feel-good musical phenomenon Mamma Mia! returns to Southern California as part of its 25th Anniversary North American Tour, landing at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa May 13–18. 

The sun-soaked musical set in a Greek island paradise, features anthems by the Swedish pop group ABBA. 

For Christine Sherrill, who stars as the show’s beloved matriarch Donna Sheridan, the role is both a diva dream and an endurance challenge.

“Donna is 100% diva because she is modern and real. She’s a 10 on the diva scale,” Sherrill shares. “The ‘Donnathon’ is what we call the 20 minutes of the second act in which I perform three songs and three scenes without leaving the stage. It requires more endurance than Kate and about the same amount of energy and endurance as Norma. Best of all, Donna is fiercely independent and determined.”

Since the musical’s debut in London in 1999 and its Broadway premiere in 2001, Mamma Mia! has become a global hit, with more than 70 million people worldwide experiencing the show live, and over $7 billion grossed across 50 productions in 16 languages. 

The story — told through ABBA’s timeless catalog — has inspired two smash-hit movies and continues to bring generations of fans together for a night of love, laughs, and platform shoes.

“My favorite part is connecting with the audience,” Sherrill says. “There are different parts of Donna that appeal to different audience members. I honor her humor, regret and fortitude and hope I’m in turn honoring someone special in the audience.”

Behind the scenes, the cast has built a tight-knit, celebratory family — something that became especially clear to Sherrill during the tour’s Mother’s Day performance.

“I received so much love from the cast. Flowers, gifts, my favorite coffee and favorite whiskey, of course,” she says. “I felt like a queen receiving so many heartfelt words and cards. I am so supported on and offstage by this incredibly talented company. It wouldn’t be possible to do this job without their love.”

While Sherrill is no stranger to grittier screen roles — including FBI: Most Wanted and Red Dead Redemption — she says musical theater is where her heart lives.

“I’ll say the stage has always been easier for me,” she explains. “The energy the audience gives fuels my performance and sometimes can inform new choices. Audiences make me a better actor.”

And what should Southern California audiences expect when the lights come up on Skopelos Island?

“They can expect to escape the real world for the beauty and joy on the island,” she says. “Best of all, they can expect to be surrounded by their neighbors up on their feet singing and dancing by the end.”

According to Sherrill, there’s no mystery to what makes Mamma Mia! such a feel-good, multi-generational favorite — just a little ABBA magic and a lot of heart.

“First and foremost, the score. It’s been so rewarding on this particular tour to see three generations of women enjoying the show together,” she says. “The secret ABBA ingredient is magic to me. We have patrons who grew up with it, those who listened to it with their parents, and a new generation that discovered it through social media sound bites.

“Secondly, the story of finding strength in friendship. So many folks at the stage door comment on how touching the relationship between The Dynamos is to them and how it reminds them of the goodness friends bring.”

And if Christine Sherrill ever headlined her own jukebox musical?

“It would be called Next to Norma and would be a score by Brandi Carlile,” she says.

Until then, one can find her center stage — belting her heart out and leading one of the most feel-good parties on any stage.

‘MAMMA MIA!‘

Segerstrom Center for the Arts – Segerstrom Hall

600 Town Center Drive Costa Mesa, CA 92626

May 13 – 18, 2025

Tickets start at $55.37

scfta.org

The post ‘Mamma Mia!’ Returns to Costa Mesa with Dancing Queens and ABBA Magic appeared first on Backstage Socal.

His journey has been one of intellectual vigor, collaboration with remarkable students, and facing off against prestigious institutions like Harvard, USC, and Northwestern. The pinnacle of their success even found them on the front page of the Los Angeles Times. 

Yet, amid the discussions of international policy, war strategy, political elections, and legal arguments, Bruschke sensed a need for something more—a personal touch, an infusion of the students’ own lives and identities into the debates. 

This remarkable journey in the dual realms of academia and music has culminated in Jon Bruschke’s latest creation, the musical “Change The Game.”

Set against the backdrop of Orange County, this musical is a testament to Bruschke’s belief in empowering young people to navigate the complexities of the current political environment with a fervent desire to make the world a better place.

Beyond the academic corridors, Bruschke’s passion extended to the raw and unfiltered world of music. As a member of the 3-chord garage rock band, True To the Universe, he collaborated with fellow CSUF professor and exceptionally skilled guitarist, Andrew Howat.

Can you walk us through your creative process in developing the storyline for “Change The Game” and how you integrated Orange County and political themes?

The most romantic version is that during March of 2020, early in the pandemic I had a dream about debate and music.  I woke up, sketched out 3 pages of plot line, and sent it to Andrew.  To my amazement, he didn’t recoil in horror but pointed out some major plot concerns.  That 3 pages grew into a 12-page document which became an early script. 

We did 2-3 table readings in the family living room and added songs and dialogue until Joe Hufferd’s Troy High school’s theater class did a table reading.  After more revisions we did a table read with Hope International University’s theater group.  We then had the basic storyline and Andrew and I finished the music and recorded all the tracks at his home studio.

In August 2022 we did a workshop performance at the Maverick, and with a few more tweaks we ran 4 performances at the Chance theater in August of 2023.   With minor character tweaks essentially the same version of the play just finished at the Laguna Beach Cultural Arts Center in January of 2024.

How did the unique cultural and political landscape of Orange County influence the characters and overall narrative of the musical?

Orange County is still thought of as homogenous and Republican, maybe with some Latinx pockets, and maybe becoming a little more purple.  But in my college classes, diversity was exploding with Thai, Vietnamese, Chinese, African American, Southeast Asian, and Latinx people, often from mixed races.

So my story about Orange County is how this second generation of Orange County immigrants comes to grips with their passionate desire to change the world for the better while coming together with hosts of people who have no demographic similarity to themselves.

In one of my last year’s of coaching debate, I looked around the room at my team and saw that I was the only native English speaker in the room.  Two continental Indians, two Latinx students, an Iraqi and a distant member of the Kennedy clan (who spoke Japanese).  But, although they had never met before joining our debate team they were fast (and now lifelong) friends.

This, to me, is the story of Orange County and diversity done right: Uniting a hugely different group of people around a common cause that improves them as people while looking for a way to improve the planet.  And it worked.

Were there any specific elements of Orange County that you found particularly inspiring or challenging to incorporate into the story?

The goal was to identify both the elements of traditional homogeneity and housing-development culture AND the stories of the different ethnic pockets.  The thing that really strikes me is that we’ve seen the story about what happens to a cohesive group of immigrant people trying to survive in a dominant, and traditionally white, culture. 

What I wanted to do was ask: What happens when that second generation of folks from an array of different backgrounds, all partially Americanized, come together and try to figure out how to build a future for themselves and others?  This is what was happening in my college classes every day, and it’s a point of view that really needs to be expressed.

The musical is designed to tackle political ideas while maintaining a fun atmosphere. How did you approach balancing humor and serious political themes in the writing process? Can you share any specific scenes or characters where this balance is particularly evident?

In the middle of the second act, the evil political operative (Bannon Miller, played by Milo Bruschke) and the aspiring young campaign manager (Channing Tomtro, played by Cameron Conner) sing a song called “Killer In His Eyes.” 

In the story, the Governor has died in the Professor-Candidate’s office.  To Miller, this just convinces him that maybe the candidate isn’t too soft after all.  Neither Milo nor Cameron have much formal dance training, so they make the choreography out of big, gross motor moves. 

The only way to play it is campy and they really killed it in Laguna Beach…it takes on the nastiest party of politics, plays it as a joke, and when it’s done the audience is acutely aware who the bad guys are and what ideas have led them astray, but they arrived there after spending 4 minutes laughing hard at the song and the dancing.

How did you approach developing characters that are relatable and engaging for the audience?

My students—those on the CSUF speech and debate team—are the most engaging, lively, brilliant, friendly people I know.  The characters in the script are all modeled after some of them — Brenda Erendira, the lead female role, is based on Brenda Montes, once the 4^th speaker in the country and now the best immigration lawyer who ever lived.  Other characters are composites, or are based on stories students have told me about their lives.

Add to that a cast that is filled with their own incredible life stories, and the combination is pure magic.  The abuela character is based on the mother of Luis Andrade, one of my students.  She is played by Julieta Morales, who was literally fleeing gang violence in Mexico while we were running our workshop at the Maverick. 

Milo played Captain Hook against Brody Makua’s Peter Pan in the 5^th grade; Brody developed POTS and is now heavily reliant on a wheelchair to move and missed 2 years of school. But, she brilliantly plays a joint student/reporter role and gets so much out of each line you don’t even notice she’s in the chair while performing…she’s just a cast member who happens to be in a wheelchair most of the time.  I mean, if you can’t relate to these people, you just don’t like people.

The musical delves into political themes. Can you share your approach to incorporating political commentary into the narrative without becoming overly didactic?

Early on I latched onto the idea that the audience will spot you the first 10 minutes, so the opening scene is a lecture in the classroom.  It introduces the ideas and some of the characters and the point is to set up the ideas, which aren’t intended to make sense all the way.  The characters openly proclaim that they don’t get it. 

The idea is to introduce some rather difficult, high-end philosophy concepts so that they are named in the opening scene, and then the action for the next 2 hours demonstrates through jokes, dancing and music what the ideas mean. If it goes well, when the Brenda and Channing character split in the last scene over differences in how to empower a community, it’s a natural outgrowth of the action and relationships that have developed to that point in the show.

Were there specific real-world events that inspired or influenced the political aspects of the storyline?

When I was living in Placentia between 2000-2013, a developer named “TOD properties” came in with the plan to basically move out all the residents and put in higher-end housing.  Very heavy-handed gentrification. 

The tiny city hired the most expensive lobbyist in California to make the project happen, and my wife and I attended a city council meeting at the local high school.  All these local and largely Latinx residents were there and angry, the polished Berkeley-grad mayor showed up with a developer, financier, and zone planning expert. 

It was a true clash of privilege against marginalization, and there was no doubt the rich guys though they’d have no trouble moving out the poor people.  The poor people totally knew the score and were there to speak up against the powerful. 

Whenever I think of Pedagogy of the Oppressed, that moment really brought the ideas to life for me.  The people won that round – the whole project collapsed in a heap of corruption and broken promises and the development never happened.

Are there moments or messages within the musical that you believe will resonate strongly with viewers?

There is a moment when the Professor realizes that, although he’s been put forward as the candidate, the real leaders need to be the students.  The song is “Moment of Clarity” and the cast tells me its one of the better songs.  Miles Henry really, really sells a middle-aged man coming to grips with his purpose in life.

Not to give too much away, but Abulea passes away during the second act.  This is visually demonstrated when a memorial picture is placed on a tripod at a funeral home, and there are audible groans of sorrow from the audience when the picture is placed for the first time.

The finale song – “Change the Game” – has a terrific build and when the all-cast vocals come together and the final chorus is really punched, it gets a standing ovation.

The overall question of the show is how can young and idealistic people survive and make any difference in the current cesspool of national politics; the answer in the show – which was the answer for our debaters – is that you have to be in it to change the game for the better, not just in it to win it.

What impact do you hope “Change the Game” will have on the audience, both in terms of entertainment and political awareness?

The goal is to introduce high-end ideas about empowerment in a totally enjoyable medium; they should come away with a much deeper appreciation for why a philosopher can say “reality is a social construction” and that can have such a profound impact on one of the leading pedagogical theorists of the past century. 

And they should do it while coming home with a smile and humming the songs to themselves in the shower the next day.

After the production of “Change the Game,” do you have any plans for future projects or aspirations for the musical’s continued success?

I’m not a professional theater guy – this isn’t a musical I tried to come up with, this is the story of the most meaningful parts of my life, integrated with my passion as a songwriter and garage-band enthusiast.  But I can’t express in words how much I believe in this show, and this cast.  My goal is to push this show as far as it can for as long as it has life and relevance.   

For more information on “Change the Game,” visit: https://changethegamemusical.wordpress.com/

The post Strumming Change: Musical Amps Up Orange County with Politics, Passion, and Rock ‘n’ Roll appeared first on Backstage Socal.

Dr. Seuss’ “How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical” is hitting the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa for nine shows from December 19–24, 2023, and guaranteed to be a sleigh-full of festive fun.

This heartwarming holiday musical has already made waves on Broadway, breaking box office records for two consecutive years at the St. James and Hilton theaters in New York.

The Grinch, that sneaky creature with a heart two sizes too small, has been charming audiences across America, with more than 2.1 million theater-goers having their hearts grow three sizes after experiencing the magic of this musical extravaganza.

What makes The Grinch such a hit? Well, it’s not just the catchy tunes and whimsical sets, but the spirit of Christmas that radiates from every Who in Whoville.

The Grinch’s antics and the infectious joy of the Whos make this musical a perfect treat for families looking to make lasting holiday memories.

Now, what can one expect at the Yuletide spectacle? Whos singing in harmony, a green curmudgeon plotting mischief, and a sleigh full of laughter and holiday spirit.

The Grinch may have a reputation for stealing presents, but in this musical adaptation, he’s also stealing the hearts of everyone in the audience. The costumes are as vibrant as a Christmas tree adorned with ornaments, bringing the whimsical world of Dr. Seuss to life on stage.

The sets are like a winter wonderland, complete with snowy landscapes and the Grinch’s lair, hidden high above Whoville. And let’s not forget the music – toe-tapping, heartwarming, and catchy enough to make even the Grinch himself break into a dance.

The melodies are sure to have its patrons humming all the way home with holiday cheer. Dr. Seuss’ How the Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical is not just a show; it’s a celebration of the true meaning of Christmas – love, joy, and the warmth that comes from being together.

_____________________________________________________

Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musical 

For more information about Dr. Seuss’ How The Grinch Stole Christmas! The Musicalat the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, visit scfta.org or call (714) 556-2787.

For additional information on the production, please visit GrinchMusical.com.

Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday at 7:30 p.m.

Saturday at 11 a.m., 2 p.m., and 7:30 p.m.

Sunday at 11 a.m. and 2 p.m.

The post The Grinch arrives in Costa Mesa to Steal Hearts in Musical Extravaganza appeared first on Backstage Socal.

Born in San Francisco and now residing in Costa Mesa, Mijares said she was inspired to pursue ballet when she first saw “The Nutcracker” at 3-years-old. At a young age, she set her sights on performing the role of Clara, and is thrilled to return in the principal role for the second time with American Ballet Theatre (ABT). 

Trinity performed last year in Alexei Ratmansky’s “The Nutcracker” under the direction of Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie and Regisseur Susan Jones. She will return to the center stage on Dec. 9-18 at Segerstrom Hall at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. 

Congratulations on reprising your dream role of Clara in this year’s “The Nutcracker”! What does it mean to you to return to this lead role?

I’m so excited and honored to be performing Clara with American Ballet Theatre and getting to experience it again. It’s always so exciting to perform onstage, but performing with a professional ballet company and dancing with professional ballerinas is so surreal. It’s still a dream come true.

Every artist brings something different to the table. What would you say you bring to the role of Clara that is unique?

I love being able to perform Clara because I get a chance to share my interpretation of the role through my acting especially. I also get to share my love for dance and performing for the audience while I take them through the story. I hope to make them feel as if they’re on the stage and experiencing it with me.

Are there any new elements in this year’s “The Nutcracker”?

Since I’ve had experience with the role from last year, I now find ways to make a scene better and give it more meaning. I also try to find ways that I can surprise the audience and also myself so I can present a more exciting performance.

What are some challenges you have faced in this role?

The challenge with this role is acting and staying true to the character Clara while also performing.

How has your confidence grown since you performed as Clara last year?

I have definitely grown more comfortable with doing this role. Since I was able to perform the role last year, I’ve become more confident in the choreography and my acting has matured but has also melded to the role of Clara. Now I’m able to find different and better ways to improve my performance.

Can you share your thoughts on this year’s cast? Who are the standouts, and what makes them special?

I’m once again so excited to be performing with the ABT company and with some of my favorite dancers. I’m especially excited to be performing with some of the principal cast that I’ve previously shared the stage with last year. 

James Whiteside will be returning to his role as Nutcracker Prince this year after his injury that occurred at our last Nutcracker show together last year. He injured himself during the Grand Pas de Deux and wasn’t able to finish the show. I was in the wings in so much shock and crying, but I had to compose myself to finish the ballet. I’m so happy for him that he gets to perform this role again with Isabella Boylston.

In your experience, how is ABT’s “The Nutcracker” unique from other productions of the classic story?

The American Ballet Theatre version of The Nutcracker is one of my favorites. Not only do I enjoy Mr. Ratmansky’s choreography but I love the storyline (since it’s slightly different from the traditional version).

Two of my favorite scenes are the Snow scene and Grand Pas de Deux. ABT’s Nutcracker Pas de Deux is one of the most difficult pas de deuxs, but when executed well, it’s so entrancing and magical and I can just get lost in it. I hope to be able to perform it someday.

The Snow scene is also one of my favorites to both watch and perform. I love being able to dance alongside the company in this scene and also tell the story to the audience. It is unique compared to the other, more traditional Snow scenes.

What are your next goals that you hope to achieve as a dancer?

I would like to pursue a career in ballet and dance with a professional ballet company. I would like to perform in Nutcrackers and other ballets as a professional. My current favorites are Don Quixote and Romeo & Juliet.

‘The Nutcracker’

Where: Segerstrom Center for the Arts, Segerstrom Hall, 600 Town Center Drive,
Costa Mesa

When: Dec. 9-18, times vary

More info: https://www.scfta.org/events/2022/the-nutcracker

The post Young ABT dancer returns to dream role in ‘The Nutcracker’ appeared first on Backstage Socal.

Donning the iconic knee-high boots and curve-hugging mini dress, rising Broadway star Olivia Valli lights up the stage in the successful film-to-musical adaptation “Pretty Woman.”

Valli, granddaughter of Four Seasons frontman Frankie Valli, stars as the leading lady Vivian, famously portrayed by Julia Roberts in the 1990 romance film. The tour just had a three-week stop at the Hollywood Dolby Theater, before making its way to the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa through July 17.

Valli shared her excitement for her first time performing in the lead role,  her love for the musical’s fun fashion, and her favorite tour memories so far.

What does it mean to you to make your leading lady debut as Vivian? 

It’s really special to me. I have always wanted to be a leading lady and to play a character that is so loved and so memorable makes it even more special. Vivian and I are similar in a lot of ways so I feel like this role is a great way to introduce me into the theatre world. 

How have you made this role your own? 

My Vivian is strong and a little more modern. She has a Jersey girl flair and definitely has more comedy to her. I’m in a Jerry Mitchell musical so in some ways it’s more theatrical but at the heart of it I wanted to make sure that she is an underdog who finally gets her well-deserved chance at a better life. 

What has been your most treasured moment with the tour so far? 

Making incredible friends who I will carry with me for life. I didn’t expect to on tour because sometimes you just hang out with people to survive but I have made some of the best friends I could ever ask for. 

What challenges have you faced in this role?

Definitely how to be consistent in the role and show up every single day. Sometimes if I’m having a bad mental health day I still show up for the show so it’s learning to separate my personal feelings from the show. It’s also been a learning curve to advocate for myself. I didn’t want to seem like a diva because I was asking for things since I’m a young leading lady but I’ve learned that people want to help and it’s okay to set firm boundaries with people and still be kind. 

What elements make this production particularly special? 

The costumes. It’s so much fun to be in these iconic costumes and see the nostalgia on people’s faces. 

What is your favorite number to perform in “Pretty Woman”? 

“Anywhere But Here” and “I Can’t Go Back”. They are just IT. I love to belt them and have so much fun and round out Vivian’s story. 

One of the most iconic elements of both the film and Broadway show is Vivian’s fashion. What is your favorite outfit? 

It’s actually the white jumpsuit at the end of the show. It’s the only costume we don’t see from the movie and it feels refreshing to wear something completely new.

‘Pretty Woman: The Musical’

Where: Segerstrom Center for the Arts, 600 Town Center Dr, Costa Mesa, CA

When: July 5-17, 2022

More info: scfta.org

The post Olivia Valli shines in Broadway’s touring musical ‘Pretty Woman’ appeared first on Backstage Socal.

Adapted from the 1982 hit film of the same name, the Tony Award-winning comedy musical has been a Broadway hit since it hit the Marquis Theater stage in 2019.

The musical tells the story of a talented, out-of-work actor who, in an act of desperation, dresses as a woman to land the starring role in a Broadway musical. 

The lead role of “Tootsie” is performed by actor Drew Becker, and his ingenue who plays opposite him in the musical-within-the-musical is performed by actress Ashley Alexandra. 

Alexandra shared her excitement for performing in the hit national touring production as the leading lady.

What is your background in theater?

Ashley: I grew up in New Jersey, and I worked with Paper Mill Playhouse as a kid doing their summer program, went on to college to do musical theater in school, and then left school and actually started working for a hospitality company for a number of years and just worked in hotels. Then I auditioned for a cruise ship on a whim and got that, and then sailed the world for a while, came back and then just started acting full time.

That’s amazing. What does it mean to you to now perform in a national Broadway tour production?

It’s been really cool. I’ve always wanted to do a national tour, so being able to do a first national tour and kind of like put my own self and ideas into the role has been really cool and a really special opportunity.

What kind of unique components have you brought to the role of Julie?

We were really lucky that the writer was with us while we were in rehearsals. So we were able to tweak the script a little bit and it’s been nice. I think this version of Julie is just a little bit more vocal in how she feels and stands up for herself a lot more, which I think is really beneficial to the overall script as a whole.

Can you describe the set and costumes?

It’s really cool because we kind of built this world where everything kind of moves with our ensemble… it’s is a manual set rather than automatic. So we kind of change through locations very seamlessly. Everything is built on these rotating wooden buildings that kind of bring the magic to everything.

And then the costumes are absolutely stunning. Most of them are the Broadway costumes, but mine were specifically made for me. They made them from scratch in New York, which was a really cool process to go into these costume buildings that have legends on the walls. They have like costumes that they’ve made for “A Chorus Line” and other famous musicals. And I’m just like standing in this shiny room with a giant mirror with pieces of a dress on, and they make it around me. So it was really cool.

What a dream come true. What challenges have you faced in this role?

I think it’s just the last scene of the show, I think for me is definitely the most challenging one. I won’t say what it is just because it’s the end of the show. But a lot of the communication isn’t necessarily done through dialogue.

So that was something that I had to really wrap my head around. Also I’m the straight one in a comedy, so everyone gets to be funny around me and I’m usually the one kind of trying to knock sense into people. So you always want to have fun and I am having fun, but I definitely have to keep a straight face a lot longer than everyone else around me. <laughs>

Is there a musical number that you enjoy performing the most?

In act two, we have this really fun jazzy funk number and the band gets a chance to just let loose a little bit and improv in certain sections of it. So that’s always my favorite one. We all kind of just get to do what we wanna do for a little bit and make some really great music. So that’s always a really good one.

Is there a Broadway production that is your ultimate dream to be a part of?

It’s actually really funny because Hadestown is touring here with us. Not with us, but also in LA this week. And I used to sell t-shirts for Hadestown years ago, right before the pandemic. And I remember watching it and being like, “Oh, I would love to play Perce someday.” So that’s definitely a far-off dream. I’m not exactly old enough to play that part yet, but definitely something to look forward to.

‘Tootsie’

When: MAY 31 to JUNE 12, 2022

Where: SEGERSTROM CENTER FOR THE ARTS, 600 Town Center Drive Costa Mesa, CA 92626

Performance Schedule: Tuesday – Friday at 7:30pm; Saturday at 2pm & 7:30pm; Sunday at 1pm & 6:30pm

Tickets: Individual tickets start at $28 Ticket prices subject to change without notice.

Online: www.SCFTA.Org

Phone: 1-714-556-2787

The post ‘Tootsie’ actress Ashley Alexandra is living the Broadway dream appeared first on Backstage Socal.

The Southland tour already made its way through Los Angeles and Anaheim, and is currently performing at Toyota Arena in Ontario now through Dec. 27, before heading to the Long Beach Arena on Dec. 30 to Jan. 2. 

Backstage SoCal chatted with ensemble skater Morgan Johnson, a four-year Disney On Ice veteran, who is thrilled to be back on the ice after a year of canceled tours due to the Covid-19 pandemic. 

What roles do you perform in this year’s “Disney On Ice”?

You can see me in a variety of different roles. I perform as a fish under the sea, one of Cinderella’s stepsisters, a citizen of Arendelle. So lots of quick changes and lots of numbers.

What is it like going from changing up roles and costume changes every show? 

I love it honestly; every day is kind of different too, with all of the changes. I love getting to portray different characters and getting into all of the happiness. It’s a lot of fun, lots of varying levels, and it’s a dream come true.

How long have you been performing with Disney On Ice?

This is my fourth year with the company. I’ve always been ensemble, but I’ve also been able to understudy principal roles as well. So honestly, you pretty much do everything if you’re ensemble. You can kind of make your rounds around different characters, which is a lot of fun.

Can you share a little bit about this show’s theme? 

Yes, this year’s show is called Disney On Ice presents Dream Big, and we feature some of your favorite Disney movies. We have Moana, Prince and the Frog, Disney and Pixar’s Coco, Aladdin, Sleeping Beauty, Cinderella, some of the classics and some new movies as well. And we end the show with Frozen, which is always a fan favorite.

What would you say makes this tour unique from past Disney On Ice shows?

I really enjoy that you get a taste of the classics, but then also the new stories as well. And we have so many special effects. We have, spoil alert, a dragon that comes out and sets the ice on fire. We also have people swinging from ropes from a top deck down to the ice. So a lot of special effects and just a lot of fun. 

What do you want people to talk about in the car after your show?

You know, I always like to say for the short time that they’re here, they’re immersed in the Disney magic and just can forget about their worries and just have so much fun. And I love that our show’s called Dream Big, because the whole premise is that if you have a dream and you work hard, you can achieve anything you set your mind to. So really the optimism and the positivity that our show tries to portray is really special. 

What does it mean to you to be back in live shows again?

Oh, this means everything to us. This is our livelihood. I grew up going to see Disney On Ice every single year as a kid. And the time off was hard, so to be back, it makes me not take a show for granted. I’m just extra thankful to be here. And we know audiences are just as happy to be back. So it makes the show even more special. On those days when you’re tired, that’s like the final push that gets you through, knowing that you’re impacting someone’s day and knowing that I get to do what I love again. To see how quickly it was taken away from us, it really puts everything in perspective of how thankful I should be for this life. And how amazing life is getting to skate for Disney.

Disney On Ice Presents ‘Dream Big’

WHEN: Wednesday, December 22 – Monday, December 27

Toyota Arena – 4000 Ontario Center Parkway, Ontario, CA 91764

WHEN: Thursday, December 30 – Sunday, January 2, 2022
Long Beach Arena – 300 E. Ocean Blvd, Long Beach, CA 90802

TICKETS: Family friendly ticket pricing available – tickets can be purchased online at Ticketmaster.com or in-person at the venue Box Office.

The post Disney On Ice returns to SoCal with ‘Dream Big’ appeared first on Backstage Socal.

There is nothing like the joy and excitement of young dancers performing the holiday tradition The Nutcracker every season, but especially after a full year of closed theaters and dark stages.

ABT Gillespie’s dancers have put in over a year of virtual training, transitioned to social distanced classes, and finally returned to the renowned company’s studios. They are more than ready to dazzle in the annual production of The Nutcracker on the Segerstrom Hall stage on Dec. 10-19.

The production will feature 47 youth dancers performing alongside the world-renowned ABT dancers for the 6th production at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. Principal children include Trinity Mijares and Brooke Treska as young Clara, Sawyer Sublette and Declan Wilding Cran as Nutcracker Prince, Carson Triplett and MacCallum Simanski as Fritz, and Indiana Foley and Katrina Carney as Little Mouse.

Carney, a 10-year-old ballerina from Buena Park, has been with ABT Gillespie since 2019 and says she has enjoyed every moment of it.  Someday, she would like to dance professionally and perform as Clara in ABT’s future productions, but for now, she is honored to perform as Little Mouse. 

Have you performed in The Nutcracker before? If so, where and when?

Yes, I have performed in the Nutcracker at Strong Dance Studios from 2016 to 2019

How long have you been dancing?

I have been dancing since 2015 (5 years).

What does it mean to you to be a part of this renowned production?

It means everything to me.  It’s an honor to be cast as a principal role. It will be a great experience!

What dance number is your favorite, and why?

My favorite dance number is the snow scene, because I love seeing Clara and the Nutcracker playing in the snow together right before all of the amazing dancers perform the snow scene.  

Why is this particular production special to you?

It is special to me because ABT’s Nutcracker is the ballet I see every year with my family during Christmas time. It is also the show I get to see my favorite ballerinas perform like Misty Copeland and Isabella Boylston.

What are you most excited for the audience to experience this year?

I am most excited for the audience to experience a live show after many months of the theater being closed.  

What do you want people to know about this production?

I want people to know that all of the dancers have been working really hard and are so excited to give them a great show!

American Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker feat. Pacific Symphony

Segerstrom Center for the Arts — Segerstrom Hall

600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

December 10 – 19

For times, dates, and ticket info, visit scfta.org

The post ‘Ready to shine’: ABT Gillespie’s youth dancers return to the stage for ‘The Nutcracker’ appeared first on Backstage Socal.

The dazzling, endearing holiday tradition presented by the renowned American Ballet Theatre, The Nutcracker, returns to Segerstrom Center for the Arts on Dec. 10-19 for 12 performances.

Based on The Nutcracker and the King of Mice by E.T.A. Hoffmann and scored by legendary composer Peter Ilyitch Tchaikovsky, the beloved Christmas ballet features ABT’s international superstars. This year marks the 6th time The Center will present the glorious production.

ABT dancer Skylar Brandt will make her debut as the primary role of Clara, the Princess in The Nutcracker. Her exceptional dance career began when she was just six years old at Scarsdale Ballet Studio in New York. She attended Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis School at American Ballet Theatre from 2005-2009 under the direction of Franco De Vita, spent five summers at ABT’s New York Summer Intensive, and was a National Training Scholar receiving the Bender Foundation Scholarship in 2009 and a silver medal at Youth America Grand Prix in 2004 and 2008.

Brandt is thrilled to make her debut as Clara on the Segerstrom Hall stage.

Have you performed in The Nutcracker before? If so, where and when? 

I have performed “The Nutcracker” so many times! I began at SUNY Purchase college, dancing the role of a baby mouse when I was probably six years old. From there, I played an angel, a party kid and Clara. When I joined ABT, I performed as one of the dolls, a snowflake, a flower, the Chinese dance and one of Nutcracker’s sisters. It has been a lot of fun to delve into so many characters within the same story ballet.

How long have you been dancing? 

I have been dancing for a little over 20 years. It has gone by in a blink of an eye!

What does it mean to you to be a part of this renowned production? 

I especially enjoy this version of “The Nutcracker” because it is different from most of the classic Nutcracker productions out there. In our production, it’s not just the tree that grows; the furniture and the mice grow too. Our Waltz of the Flowers includes bumble bees. The entire second act centers around Clara’s dream of growing up and getting married to her Nutcracker Prince. The production comes full circle which gives it a really human quality that I appreciate.

What dance number is your favorite, and why? 

So far, my favorite role in ABT’s version of “The Nutcracker” has been the Chinese dance. The choreography is fast and exciting and the music is whimsical and charming. It’s always a crowd pleaser, so it’s fun to perform. 

Why is this particular production special to you? 

This production holds a special place in my heart because it is the first ballet I performed with ABT when I joined the company as an Apprentice eleven years ago. I have many nostalgic feelings attached to my experiences rehearsing and performing it all these many years.

What are you most excited for the audience to experience this year? 

Going to see “The Nutcracker” is such a classic family tradition during the holiday season, I’m happy for the audience to be able to experience the magic of it again after a year off. I think that the performances will be appreciated even more this year after the pandemic.

What do you want people to know about this production? 

I’d like people to understand how difficult the choreography is in Ratmansky’s production of “The Nutcracker”. Naturally, our job as dancers is to make the choreography look completely effortless, but it is the exact opposite. I think that it would give the audience even more appreciation for the production knowing how much effort and skill is required from everyone to perform it!

American Ballet Theatre’s The Nutcracker feat. Pacific Symphony

Segerstrom Center for the Arts — Segerstrom Hall

600 Town Center Drive, Costa Mesa, CA 92626

December 10 – 19

For times, dates, and ticket info, visit scfta.org

The post Meet Skylar Brandt: ABT’s new princess in ‘The Nutcracker’ appeared first on Backstage Socal.

The charming Alabama redhead is best known for her live comedy show “Dixie’s Tupperware Party,” in which she shares crazy stories, sells Tupperware, mixes cocktails and invites her audience members to join in on the interactive fun. With theaters currently closed sue to the COVID-19 pandemic, Dixie has developed a 95-minute virtual show of laughter, drink recipes, and adult humor that — according to Dixie — has literally had a theatergoer lose their dentures from howling at her antics.

The live stream is offered at an affordable price — $35 per household — which Dixie calls a “labor of love” to support theaters around the country. Get a taste of this worldwide-touring, gum-chewing, kind-hearted Southern gal on her Instagram and Backstage Q&A:

You’re so fun. I’ve really loved watching your videos on your Instagram and am very excited to see you in action on stage.

Oh my, how I appreciate that. Because everything’s closed down right now, the only way I can see anybody is through videos that I’m doing on social media or if I can do a virtual show. So this show is like my best effort to keep myself in front of people, and keep people smiling. 

How are you preparing for this virtual experience?

Well it’s crazy. I mean, I’ve been doing shows forever and with everything closed down, I thought, I wanted to do something to keep myself busy, keep occupied, and keep making people laugh.

But at the same time, I knew that all the art centers have been closed down since March, there’s no money coming in because there’s no shows on sale, and there’s no ticket revenues. And because I’ve been lucky enough to travel so much, I’ve met so many great people that work at the art centers, the box office, people in marketing, everybody. And so many of them are being laid off and furloughed. And I thought, well, if there’s anything I can do to bring some money back into the theaters, I’ll do it. So I thought let me write something on it, put it together, and I’ll work on it as a streaming thing, because then I can get it out to a bunch of theaters all at the same time. And the benefit is that the lion share of the ticket money goes to the arts centers. 

What were your challenges of putting on this virtual production?

I’ve been very lucky to have all these different theaters open their doors to me for the last 12 years that I’ve been on the road. So I want to give back to those who supported me. It’s been a real labor of love getting it all together because a lot of the art centers aren’t really equipped yet to do streaming. It’s been a lot of handholding and figuring out the best way to do it. I have some amazing people that I’m working with that have helped me put it all together. Now we’re up and running, and it’s all over the country. It was kind of mind-blowing. 

Are you ready to perform in front of the cameras? 

The show technically officially opened in Kansas City, Missouri. And it was just so weird to be doing the show. There’s no audience, just cameras. So it’s like, “Well, I hope you’re all enjoying it.” (laughs) Normally, the audience is laughing and responding to everything. And in all my shows, I would go out to the lobby to talk to people, like a separate party from the show. I would talk to people about Tupperware and help people with their food storage. But in this case, I’m not doing that either. I’m not like going out to the audience at the end and interacting. I thought this would be weird when it’s just the director there and I’m bound to silence. It’s all just weird, but I’m actually excited and making the most of it.

I take a bow at the end and I have a little inspirational quote that pops up at the end of the show. Definitely a little bit different than what I’m used to. Hopefully the audience will play along and be entertained, because obviously the audience is used to having other audience members there to drive their laughter and drive their experience. So it’s a little bit of a gamble, but I’m hoping it pays off and, more than anything, I’m hoping that brings some money into the art centers who need it so badly right now.

Well your personality shines. I don’t think you will have much of a problem bringing the entertainment on screen.  

I hope to fill that need for people that want to go out and see theater again. Sure, there’s plenty to watch on TV. There’s tons of Netflix and Amazon Hulu and all the networks, but I think there’s still that loyal thing with the patrons and ticket holders that love to go to the theater and have that experience. So one goal is to bring a little bit of that back to the stage, but put it in their living rooms. 

So, what would you say is your most memorable Tupperware party?

I’ve had so many funny instances. I was doing Tupperware parties before I ever did the show. That’s where I got my start. Oh my god, I had this one lady. I’ll never forget. She was an elderly lady and she laughed so hard at something I said, she coughed her false teeth out of her mouth! We thought she was choking or having a heart attack. So everybody ran over to her and made sure she was okay. And then she just lifted her head and her teeth were just sitting there. We laughed so hard, we could barely recover.

And then one time like I was doing, I was doing a live stage show. I’ve got people that sit on the couch with me on stage and there was this one lady was looking disinterested through the whole show. Not really laughing, not particularly being engaged, but just looking at me. And then after, I go into the lobby and I started talking to people and helping them with Tupperware orders and she makes a beeline to me. She says, ‘I have to tell you, I thought that was the funniest thing I’ve ever seen, and I may have tinkled on the seat.’ Then she walked away from it, so as soon as the show’s over, I ran up there and there it was — a little round wet spot.

So we took a picture of it, and I sent it to the people that ran the theater and they changed everybody’s screensaver in the entire theater organization to that picture for the week. We laughed so hard. How many shows get this kind of response? (laughs) 

And what is your best cocktail recommendation? 

Oh wow, any cocktail that makes it in your mouth. There’s good parts of this pandemic, I swear. It’s so funny. When I was writing this, I was like, I’m going to make some cocktails during the program. So I tested out all kinds of different house cocktails to decide what’s going to be the one that people know best, what’s going to be the one that people like, what’s most delicious. There’s a local store where I get the ingredients and the people that work there know be my name now. They’re like, ‘You spent so much this year, you’ve made in our platinum club!’ Oh my Lord. So as I was preparing this show I thought ‘Wait a minute. Technically, this is for my job. Does that mean I get to write my alcoholism off my taxes?’ 

‘Dixie’s Happy Hour’

A VIRTUAL PRESENTATION

February 9 – 21, 2021 at 8 pm

Tickets –   $35 per household

Online –  SCFTA.org 

Phone –  (714) 556-2787; Open Monday- Friday, 10 am – 2 pm

Advisory –  This show contains adult content.

The post Virtual ‘Dixie’s Happy Hour’ brings cocktails & laughs to your living room appeared first on Backstage Socal.

SCFTA has announced that Broadway shows will be back on the Segerstrom Hall stage beginning in the fall of 2021. The series will include Center premieres of “Mean Girls,” “Tootsie,” “Pretty Woman: The Musical” and “Hadestown,” as well as new productions of “My Fair Lady,” “The Band’s Visit” and a returning run of “Wicked.”

The annual Curtain Call Series will be announced soon, expanding the list of Broadway blockbusters coming to Orange County. Center President Casey Reitz said show producers and presenting colleagues across the country feel “the promise of effective COVID-19 vaccines will make it safe for companies to tour safely and audiences to return to theaters to enjoy their favorite shows once again.”

SCFTA is staying creative with creating a safe environment for patrons, including air ventilation, circulation filtering systems, hands-free restroom fixtures, box office ticket purchasing and door check-ins, and hand sanitation dispensers throughout. Anxious to bring back Broadway and other notable stage productions, the theater says they will continue to monitor and evaluate progress and implement protocols for a safe return.

Backstage SoCal will feature Q&A’s for each show as the dates get closer. In the meantime, pull out your calendars, here are the dates:

2021 – 2022 BROADWAY SERIES

MEAN GIRLS – CENTER PREMIERE
October 26 – November 7, 2021

MY FAIR LADY – NEW PRODUCTION
NEW PRODUCTION
January 11 – 23, 2022

TOOTSIE – CENTER PREMIERE
May 31 – June 12, 2022

PRETTY WOMAN: THE MUSICAL – CENTER PREMIERE
July 5 – 17, 2022

HADESTOWN – CENTER PREMIERE
August 9 – 21, 2022

BONUS OPTIONS

WICKED
February 9 – March 6, 2022

THE BAND’S VISIT – CENTER PREMIERE
March 22 – April 3, 2022

For more info, visit scfta.org

The post Broadway’s Back: ‘Mean Girls,’ ‘Tootsie’ & More Will Premiere in Costa Mesa appeared first on Backstage Socal.

Most recognized for originating the role of George Washington in the musical phenomenon “Hamilton,” Jackson will bring live theater and music into the homes of many this weekend for the virtual concert “Christopher Jackson: Live From the West Side.” Proceeds from this event will benefit Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, as well as several performing arts centers and institutions throughout the country.

The one-night-only concert will feature Jackson and his live band performing Broadway show tunes, pop hits, original songs — including a tribute to his idol Harry Belafonte — as well as sharing stories about his adventures in hit musicals “Hamilton,” “In the Heights,” “Freestyle Love Supreme” and his role in the CBS television show “Bull.”

The Tony nominated and Grammy and Emmy Award-winning actor, singer and songwriter says he was “itching to get on stage” and is excited to help performing arts centers and their employees during the COVID-19 pandemic crisis. 

“The idea that we could actually safely pull this off was obviously very appealing to me. I think we’re all trying to find a lane by which we can get back on stage and share what we do with the public,” said Jackson, “The idea that we were going to be doing it in a way that allows people to stay at home and be safe, but still get a taste of a live experience means so much.” 

The livestream, a co-production of Dallas Summer Musicals and Entertainment Benefits Group, is being shared by a number of non-for-profit arts presenters around the country. The event will take place at New York’s New World Stages, the off-Broadway venue that has housed productions of “Jersey Boys,” “Avenue Q” and many others. 

Ticket holders will also have the opportunity to text questions to Jackson for a real time question-and-answer session. When asked what he wants his home audiences to feel when the concert is over, Jackson said there is a lot, but mainly that people have a great time.

“I want them to say we had a great time. Or that they feel a lot less heavy than they felt when they first sat down. That they want to have another glass of wine and listen to some Stevie Wonder or some ‘In the Heights’ or ‘Hamilton.’ That they are inspired to call someone up and tell them they love them. That they are inspired to tuck their kids in a little bit longer and spend more time with them. That whatever it is in their life that they are loving on or could love on more, that they are inspired to do that.”

The virtual event requires only one ticket per household, and the event is suitable for all ages.

“I think ultimately my hope is that everybody is reminded that it isn’t about some perfect scenario with theater or music or art or anything else, but that art is happening in real time and it only happens when someone is there to receive it, and someone can feel something. There’s always going to be better singers, there’s always going to be slicker productions. There’s always going to be a million other tricks that could be employed, but when you break it all down and simplify it, an artist shares something because they have to. It becomes something as essential as air,” said Jackson.

“And the center of that sharing is love and generosity, and that’s what we’re trying to promote. So, my hope is that everyone has a great time, crack a bottle of wine, have some dinner, and enjoy yourself. We’re going to enjoy ourselves. We just have to.”

Christopher Jackson: Live From The West Side
Presented by Segerstrom Center for the Arts

Tickets for are $40 per household and are available online at the SCFTA.org or by calling (714) 556-2787, Monday – Friday between the hours of 10 a.m. and 2 p.m. 

The post ‘Hamilton’ star Chris Jackson brings live show experience to homes for virtual benefit concert appeared first on Backstage Socal.

Pre-COVID-19 crisis, the OCSA students were three weeks into intensive rehearsals for their annual spring musical. When they received the news that schools and theaters were closing, the OCSA team and professional “Now. Here. This.” authors Hunter Bell, Susan Blackwell and Jeff Bowen pulled together to reimagine what the spring musical may look like in the modern world. 

Rehearsing over Zoom meetings, and shooting over six weeks from their own phones using smartphones and home computers, more than 30 OCSA students from musical theatre, acting, production, design and visual arts conservatories created a full-length digital theatrical experience for their audience, which will debut at 6 p.m. PST on Thursday, May 14 and can be viewed any time through Sunday, May 17. 

We chatted with writer, performer, and educator Susan Blackwell about the innovative theatrical production process.

Can you describe the process of creating a virtual theatrical experience? 

A little backstory: for the past year, the authors have been re-working our original musical NOW. HERE. THIS. We wanted to make it more flexible so that a theatre with any size cast could perform it, and musically it could be played on a keyboard or with a full band. We wanted it to be modular so that a theatre could do the full-length version, and then do a cutting for a theatre festival or competition. And we wanted it to be as non-gendered and inclusive as possible, so that many different performers could play all different parts. We were envisioning something with a ‘Choose Your Own Adventure’ element, with clear rules of engagement provided in the script. 

We were in the middle of testing this version of the show with an amazing team at the Orange County School of the Arts when the pandemic struck, and all live theatre was cancelled. At first we were devastated, but then we regrouped, and we all agreed to attempt one number virtually. Then one number became two, and two became four. 

Soon, the entire show was being recorded and shot on cell phones, home computers, and personal devices. It was rehearsed, costumed, location scouted, set dressed, lit, recorded and shot entirely by the OCSA high school students and their families in quarantine. 

Through the hard work and dedication of the creative team, the students, and their families, this virtual version of NOW. HERE. THIS. came into existence, one number at a time! 

How did the students react to the initial announcement that they will still be performing despite the COVID lockdown? 

We actually have footage of their faces when I suggested that they start thinking about what this show might look like in the virtual context. There were definitely some blank stares coming back at me through the Zoom conference. After the fact, I asked some of those students how they felt when I pitched the idea of creating a virtual musical.

Graduating senior Adam Castrillon said he was concerned about the logistics and how to get things completed and uploaded on time. 

Graduating senior Maggie Gidden said when I floated the idea, it seemed like an impossible task. She thought, “What happens when more than one person has to sing? What happens when I’m standing against a tan wall in my home, and someone else is standing in front of a neon orange wall in their home?”.

But I just had a sense, given the talent and creativity evident in this OCSA group, that this could be an excellent opportunity for all of us to stay engaged and creative during these strange times. AND it would be a great opportunity for the students to bring their awesome, weird, tech-savvy selves into the mix. It also could provide a chance for other departments to get in on helping make these pieces. And, it would give me and my fellow authors a chance to continue experimenting with this flexible version of NOW. HERE. THIS.

In what ways did this virtual theater open up the creative process for the students? 

Doing NOW. HERE. THIS. virtually from quarantine really gave the students a chance to be wildly creative and self expressed. 

For the number ‘Golden Palace’, lead performer Tristan Leach wanted each performer in the number to portray their ‘golden palace’–that space where they felt most creative. For Tristan, it was coloring. She put her colored pages up on the window of her home, making it look like a stained glass window–that was how she represented her ‘golden palace’ in her footage. 

Matthew Kontur, who is featured in the number ‘Kick Me’, said the process was super-fun because he basically became the costume designer and prop master–he made his own prop flag out of a shirt and a broom. He loved having that much creative freedom, which he probably wouldn’t have had if they had performed the show traditionally on stage. He even cast his family in his piece, and he said they loved being in it, too!

What is the premise of the reimagined “Now. Here. This.”? 

NOW. HERE. THIS. is a musical that explores our pasts and futures, and why living in the present is life’s greatest gift. Timely lessons for today, to say the least. Told in over 20 mini-musical scenes that delve into life’s big questions with a lot of heart, humor and humanity. Because of the way it’s structured, it really lends itself to a flexible, virtual approach.

What do you hope the audience (viewers) will take from this production? 

First, I hope the audience will simply enjoy the show–that they will be moved by the material and the beautiful work of these young artists. 

Secondly, I hope that people will be inspired by what’s possible. I was talking with the Gidden family, including graduating senior Maggie Gidden, who thought at first that this whole thing would be impossible. Her mom, Gina Gidden, said, “This whole experience gave the students something they could control. It gave meaning to this time. It gave them purpose. This proved that impossible things can be done.”

I can’t say it better than Gina Gidden: I’d love for audiences to know that seemingly impossible things can be done, even during challenging times, even during a pandemic, even under quarantine. 

Are there any particular standout performers that you would like to share by name? 

The entire cast is stellar. Truly. But I do want to shout out the graduating seniors. This is their last high school musical, and I couldn’t be more proud of their hard work and their fine performances: Nathan Burke, Adam Castrillon, Therese Fontese, Emily Frazier, Cambria Gallo, Maggie Gidden, Audrey Hempel, Matthew Kontur, Tristan Leach, Noi Maeshige, and Mariah Williams. Each one of them is an excellent human AND a gifted creative. Plus, SENIORS RULE!

How were the general theatrical production elements — set, props, costumes, etc. produced/coordinated? 

It was all handled by the students and their families. Thankfully, the material is pretty contemporary — they weren’t trying to costume A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC. So the students could use things that they and their parents had around the house.

What do you want theatergoers/viewers/readers to know about this unique production? 

If anyone is moved to do something like this themselves, a great place to start is with one scene or musical number. If you enjoy the creative process, try two! If you’re really feeling it, keep going! And if you and your theatre would like to perform NOW. HERE. THIS. virtually, this new flexible version will be available for licensing through Concord Theatricals. We can’t wait to see what you do with your production!

Now. Here. This. will air exclusively on OCSA’s YouTube channel at www.youtube.com/weareocsa. The premiere begins at 6 p.m. PST on May 14, 2020, and the full presentation can be viewed anytime through Sunday, May 17, 2020. 

The Authors and OCSA are suggesting donations to the OCSA Foundation (Donation Link), Educational Theatre Foundation (Donation Link) and GenZStayHome (Donation Link) in lieu of tickets.

The post No theater? No problem! OCSA students will perform ‘Now. Here. This.’ virtually appeared first on Backstage Socal.

The fun love story features all of Buffett’s most famous hits, including “Fins,” “It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere,” “Why Don’t We Get Drunk,” “Son of a Son of a Sailor,” “Changes in Latitudes, Changes in Attitudes,” “Volcano,” “Cheeseburger in Paradise,” “Come Monday” and of course the title number “Margaritaville.”

Shining in the lead role of “Rachel,” the driven scientist who falls for the singing and songwriting beach bum Tully during her week stay at Margaritaville, is Upland-grown and Orange County School of Arts alum Sarah Hinrichson. Hinrichson shared her love for the show and excitement to return to her roots.

I saw you perform on Tuesday evening and you were wonderful.I’m so glad you enjoyed the show! Thanks for joining us!

As someone who grew up in the IE and OC, what does it mean to you to return to your roots to perform “Escape to Margaritaville”? A: Both of my parents are in theatre (they actually met playing Harold and Marian in The Music Man at a theatre in CA!), so I feel like the theatre community here raised me. I’ve been living away from this coast for school and work for almost 7 years now, so getting to come home, and seeing family, friends, teachers, and fellow performers that I’ve looked up to since before I can remember is the ultimate cherry on top of an already dream theatrical experience.

What challenges did you face in this particular role? A: Maybe I’m biased, but Amy Corcoran, our director, is the best director of our generation. She helped me shape Rachel so much, and I trust her opinion so much, that any concerns I had when we first started out immediately disappeared.

What is your favorite number to perform in this production? A: That’s tough! It really changes every night. I think my favorite song Jimmy performs doubles as my favorite song to perform onstage. It has to be Coast of Marseille – It’s a deeper cut from Jimmy’s songbook, and my favorite recording of it is from one of his live albums. It’s so sweet and simple. The version we do in the show is actually a duet between Tully and my character, Rachel. Our orchestrator, Chris Jahnke, outdid himself on the arrangement. He turned it into a duet, with a huge music swell and I think it’s the perfect musical end to the love story between our characters. Fun fact: it actually was the last song added into the Broadway show before it opened, replacing Come Monday. (Come Mondayis still in the show, just a bit earlier!)

What do you feel you bring special to the role of Rachel? A: I love Rachel because she’s so SMART. She’s funny, quick witted, and a great friend to Tammy. Then on top of all that, she’s also an award winning scientist who never gives up on her goals. The best nights for me are when he have mini Jimmy fans (children) come up to me and say “I want to be a scientist now because Rachel’s a scientist!” I’d like to think that I have some of those qualities as well – I hope I make Rachel proud!

Prior to this production, were you a fan of Jimmy Buffett’s music? Which song do you feel particularly fond of performing? A: I knew the obvious hits. I think I used to think it was all just background beach music – but since working so closely with his songbook, I’ve discovered that there’s a Jimmy song for just about every moment in life. Our ensemble is made up of some of the most incredible dancers I’ve ever worked with, and Cheeseburger in Paradise is a huge 11 o’clock production number. Shelly Walsh and Peter Michael Jordan play Brick and Tammy and lead that number with vocals. I sit in the wings and watch every night – you can’t help but smile and dance along with them.

Is there a Broadway production that you dream to be a part of? A: I’ve always love Music Man because of the connection my family has to the show. The revival that’s coming to Broadway looks amazing. We’ll see what comes to Broadway in the future! I always say my dream role hasn’t been written yet because I love getting to work on creating a new character in new work.

What inspired you to pursue musical theater? A: I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t surrounded by theatre. I remember driving to preschool with my dad and begging him to play the cassettes of Ragtime and Carousel on loops. I love the community of people that create theatre, and I love that it’s such a collaborative art form. We get to tell stories through song for a living – who doesn’t dream of doing that?

What was your experience like as an OCSA student? A: I am OCSA’s biggest fan. Jeff Paul was the head of the Musical Theatre Conservatory during my time there and he was the most incredible leader, teacher, and now lifelong friend. OCSA creates this magical environment where you feel safe enough to figure out who you are as a person and an artist. I was lucky enough to play some incredible roles and work with some unbelievable Broadway actors who have been amazing contacts for me in New York. While we were playing Segerstrom Center for the Arts, I stopped by the 9^th grade acting class to visit a former teacher and was blown away by the students and the school in general – it somehow feels completely different and simultaneously like nothing has changed since I left.

‘Escape to Margaritaville’

Segerstrom Center for the Arts: https://www.scfta.org/events/2020/escape-to-margaritaville

Dolby Theatre: https://dolbytheatre.com/events/details/escape_to_margaritaville

The post Magic of ‘Margaritaville’: SoCal-grown lead Sarah Hinrichsen appeared first on Backstage Socal.