One of Broadway's favorite leading ladies is casting two nights of magic over the City of Angels...

Hi Natalie, thank you so much for taking the time to talk to us. We're so glad to have you here!  

Q: First of all, What brings you to LA?

A: I had an opportunity and some time to come out and see what LA is all about. My agents are out here as well. My new show got great reviews in NY and so I thought, hey, why not try to do it in LA as well!

Q: You're here to do a couple of shows at the Magic Castle, which is a rather exclusive Hollywood hot spot. Secret guest list, STRICT dress code...very mysterious. And not usually known for their cabaret acts. How did this all come about?

A: The Castle is trying out a new thing. Carol Channing was the first performer to try out her act and then one of the Sherman Brothers. I very good friend of mine knows the events coordinator there and I contacted him. I guess I will be the third to do a little singing there. I am intrigued by the Castle and I think it's very cool that I get to do my own kind of magic.

Q: Can you give us a hint as to what you'll be singing?

A: Oh... you never get to know a magician's secrets. You'll have to come, make a reservation and see for yourself. Remember the strict dress code!

Q: Have you/are you planning on doing anything touristy while you're here in LA?

A: I have been here before visiting friends, but I did get to go to Disney and the new California Park last week.

Q: You're quite the traveler. You've performed in some of the most prestigious and renowned venues all over the world. Do you have a particular favorite or one that was really significant to you?

A: A favorite venue (besides Carnegie Hall) has got to be the National Concert Hall in Dublin, Ireland. It's their rendition of Carnegie and I can't speak any higher about the people of that country.

Q: You've also had the distinction of playing many of Broadway's most beloved heroines. Eponine, Grizabella, Eva Peron, Mary Magdalene...do you have a favorite part?

A: I LOVED all of my roles. They were the meat of the show. But I gotta tell you, there was a role in this tiny dinner theater I performed in. I was offered the role of Mrs. Johnstone in Blood Brothers as an emergency take over. I had to learn it in five days, including the accent. But for me, because I would NEVER get cast in a role like that in a normal situation, I sunk my teeth into it.

Q: Is there a role out there that you haven't done yet, but you'd like to?

A: Oh yeah... I would have liked to play Elphaba. But the powers that be think I'm "too mature" for it. I mean really? She is in green makeup! So, they won't see me for it.

Q: You've released not only one, but TWO albums. I've always been curious about the process an artist goes through in choosing the songs for their CDs. What inspired your choices?

A: Recording an album is one thing. Producing it is another. It's a process that for me, was simple. Do the songs you are good at and that you will enjoy singing for a long time. I have great arrangements that were all my ideas and I needed them to get recorded somehow. I have some great friends that believe in me, and gave me the financial ability to go forward with no questions asked. The hard part is promoting and getting it in the right hands to be reviewed so the word can get out. I am in love with it and it's my best accomplishment!

Q: I love that you pay so much homage to your teachers and it seems like you accredit much of your success to them. How important do you think training is versus raw talent in aspiring singers? When should a singer really start to invest in professional training?

A: I am an advocate of going to school to study your craft. I mean, there is such a thing as being born with talent, but it's another to bear down the hatches and really learn it as a skill so you can last a long time in this business. If you don't know how to belt out your role eight times a week, then you are not going to last and can get fired. You NEED training to get the skill to be the best at everything possible. I think one should start as soon as they know that they want to get into the business! No time like the present!

Q: The story of your singing debut is so remarkable and unique. Will you share it with us?

A: Do you mean when I was five years old? Well, my father signed me up to do the Amateur Night at The Apollo. He hired a five piece band, we rehearsed a couple of times, and then I was on. I insisted that I hold the mic during my introduction and was saying it really loud into the mic. By the 3rd time, the audience was screaming for me to be able to hold the mic and when they gave it to me, I walked that stage like I owned it. A five year old singing about romantic love! WOW!

Q: Any future plans on the horizon that you can tell us about?

A: I am going back to NY do do a couple of concerts. There is talk of a PBS Special for A Tale of Two Cities this summer, and I booked a night at the famous Feinstein's in NYC on July 7th! YAY! Anybody on the East Coast should come!

Thank you so much again, Natalie, and we'll see you tonight & tomorrow at The Magic Castle!

Generally, tickets to shows at The Magic Castle are not available to the public, however if you email events manager Matt Patton (mpatton@magiccastle.com) he can walk you through the steps to get on the guest list. Please keep in mind that The Magic Castle has a VERY strict dress code, which you can read here. 

Eric McCormack, Emmy Award winner for Will & Grace, Lucas Grabeel from High School Musical, and Broadway star and Tony nominee Harry Groener will be featured in Reprise's upcoming production of The Fantasticks at the Freud Playhouse May 5-May 17.  This is a limited engagement with only 16 performances!
 
With music by Harvey Schmidt and book and lyrics by Tom Jones, The Fantasticks is the world’s longest-running musical. Directing the show is artistic director of the Reprise Theatre Company Jason Alexander. 
 
Single tickets are now available for The Fantasticks online at www.reprise.org or through the UCLA Central Ticket Office at 310/825-2101.
 
Eric McCormack (El Gallo) is most known for playing Will Truman on Will & Grace and won an Emmy Award for the role.  He played Professor Harold Hill on Broadway in the Susan Stroman revival of The Music Man, and later played the part as part of the Hollywood Bowl Summer Concert series.  McCormack currently stars in the series Trust Me.   
 
Lucas Grabeel (Matt) has played Ryan Evans in the Disney High School Musical films. Lucas also played “Danny Nicoletta” in the Academy Award-winning film Milk, directed by Gus Van Sant.
 
Harry Groener’s (Bellomy) Broadway credits include Is There Life After High School?, Will Parker in Oklahoma! (Tony Award nomination, Theatre World Award), Munkustrap in Cats (Tony nomination), Georges/George in Sunday in the Park With George, and Bobby Child in Crazy for You (Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Award nominations). Groener’s television appearances include Star Trek: The Next Generation, Star Trek: Voyager, Star Trek: Enterprise, Buffy the Vampire Slayer, and he was a regular on the series Dear John.
 
Jason Alexander is proud to be serving as Artistic Director for Reprise and is delighted to be working with its wonderful staff and Board of Directors. Jason is probably best known for his 9 year, award–winning stint as George Costanza on the hit TV series, Seinfeld. However, those who know him only as George will be surprised to learn of his extensive background as an actor, director, producer, and writer. His television credits also include: Bob Patterson (prod./co-creator); Listen Up (prod.); the TV films of Bye Bye Birdie, The Man Who Saved Christmas, Cinderella, and A Christmas Carol; guest appearances on Newhart, Friends, Monk, Star Trek-Voyager, Malcolm in the Middle, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and multiple episodes of the animated series Duckman, Aladdin, Dilbert, and Dinosaurs. His film credits include Pretty Woman; White Palace; North; Dunston Checks In; Love, Valor, Compassion; Rocky and Bullwinkle, Ira and Abby and the upcoming, Hachiko. Jason has starred on Broadway in the original companies of Merrily We Roll Along; The Rink; Broadway Bound; Accomplice; and Jerome Robbins’ Broadway, for which he won the Tony, Outer Critics, and Drama Desk Awards as Best Actor in a Musical. He also authored the libretto of the show, which received the Tony Award for Best Musical. On the L.A. stage, Jason has starred in Give ‘Em Hell, Harry; Defiled; the long-running hit of The Producers with Martin Short and the very first Reprise production, Promises, Promises. Jason has directed in every medium: Television (Seinfeld, Remember WENN, Campus Ladies, Everybody Hates Chris); Film (For Better or Worse, Just Looking) and Stage (The God of Hell at the Geffen; Sunday In The Park With George and the newly adapted Damn Yankees at Reprise and countless benefits). About “The Fantasticks”

The Fantasticks tells an allegorical story, loosely based on the play The Romancers (Les Romanesques) by Edmond Rostand, concerning two fathers who put up a wall between their houses to ensure that their children fall in love, because they know that children always do what their parents forbid. Elements of the play are ultimately drawn from the story of Pyramus and Thisbe, its story winding its way through Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet and A Midsummer Night's Dream as well as Donizetti's L'Elisir d'Amore and Rostand's play.
 
Since its inception in 1997, Reprise Theatre Company has been a focus of the Los Angeles musical theatre community, producing productions of great American musicals, and a wide variety off concerts, staged-readings, special events and outreach programs.  In May 2007, Jason Alexander became Artistic Director and he was joined by Susan Dietz, Producing Director.  

Theatre: The Freud Playhouse at UCLA (conveniently located in Macgowan Hall)

Dates: May 5 to May 17, 2009. Opening night is May 6
Tuesdays through Fridays at 8pm, Saturdays at 2:00pm & 8:00pm,
Sundays at 2:00 pm & 7:00 pm
 
Tickets: UCLA Central Ticket Office:  (310) 825-2101               
May 5 (preview) $60.00; Opening night - $75.00;
Tuesday through Thursday Evenings - $70.00;
Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, (all performances) - $75.00. 
Student/Senior rush $20, 15 minutes before showtime (subject to availability).

Evidently there really is no place like home. Eden Espinosa (Brooklyn, Wicked, RENT), who started her career at Disneyland, will indelibly leave her mark on the Magic Kingdom as the recording artist for the new fireworks spectacular. The new show will begin on the evening of June 12th, along with the premiere of a new and improved version of Fantasmic! No official showtimes have been announced, keep checking the Disneyland website for details.

Tomorrow night: Monday, April 27th, there will be a public reading of a new musical called The Water. Created by Tim Werenko, Jeff Hylton, and Georgia Stitt, The Water won ANMT’s 2008 SEARCH FOR NEW MUSICALS. Starring Julie Garnye, Chris Warren Gilbert, Vicki Lewis, Jeremy Kocal, Dan Callaway, Tim Gulan, Steven Hack, Allie Trimm, and Melissa Lyons.

When the residents of a small Missouri town confront the storm of the century, rain means something more than water, and a down-home diner becomes much more than a place to eat. With backwater wisdom and a compelling homespun score, this inspired new musical floods a tight-knit community with the triumphs and tragedies of everyday life, lived at a price and loved with a passion.

Showtime is at 7:30pm
The Colony Theatre
555 N. 3rd Street, Burbank
Tickets are $10 tickets
To purchase, click here

“HEDDATRON” AT THE DOUGLAS IS POSTPONED INDEFINITELY

 

“Heddatron,” originally scheduled for July 5 through August 2 as the final production of the Center Theatre Group/Kirk Douglas Theatre 2008-2009 season, will be postponed indefinitely, it was announced today by CTG Artistic Director Michael Ritchie.

“This was a tough decision,” says Ritchie. “‘Heddatron’ is an exceptionally creative play but it’s expensive and we are clearly experiencing financial challenges that other local and national non-profit arts organizations are feeling with this unprecedented global economic downturn.

“In consultation with our board of directors, we are continuing to trim our budgets and carefully plan for the next season so that we can safely ride out this bad economic cycle.”

 “Heddatron” ticket holders will be given a credit on their CTG account that can be used toward a donation to CTG, the purchase of tickets to any of the three CTG theatres or a refund. 

For further information, please contact CTG Audience Services at

(213) 628-2772.

The world premiere of “Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo” by Rajiv Joseph, directed by Moisés Kaufman, is currently in rehearsal at the Douglas Theatre and will begin previews on May 10. The opening is set for May 17 and the production will run through June 7.

So this Monday started off well enough. Had some laughtastic times at The Groundlings (see review), had plans to spend the entire evening with the light of my life, David, and the night was still young. So David and I ventured out into the wilderness of WeHo in search of libations and entertainment. What we found was paradise.

When I stepped into Eleven Restaurant (8811 Santa Monica Blvd.), I thought I'd died and gone to heaven. Now, before you go flogging me for my hyperbolic statements, understand something. I'm fairly certain that when I die, gorgeous go-go boys in white speedos and feathery angel wings will probably whisk me off to a White Party in the clouds where Broadway showstoppers will be playing for eternity. That's just me.

So when I walk into a joint and am surrounded by images of Audrey Landers singing about the benefits of T&A, I understandably questioned whether or not I was still breathing. When I sat down at a table just as the table next to me gets up and starts doing the choreography from the final scene of First Wives Club, I knew this was just too good to be true. And the night just got better and better. A singalong to "Skid Row" from Little Shop of Horrors, double-fisting kobe sliders and midori shots (aka Wicked shots) while watching Jennifer Hudson tell me she's not going...oh, and then some chick got up on a balcony stage in 4 inch rhinestoned heels and belted her boobs off. I think her name was Shoshana something-or-other.

I owe this magical land of wonderment to the hardworking efforts of St. Ryan O'Connor and St. Scott Nevins (mastermind behind Musical Mondays at NY's Splash Bar), who promise a new Broadway headliner at 11 O'Clock Spot every week. And I don't doubt it, based on the impressive guest list who showed up to witness the Spot's launch. Oh let's see, who else was there? The Upright Cabaret boys, Chris Isaacson & Shane Scheel, who are hosting concert events all weekend long at Mark's Restaurant. (I think that Shoshana girl is doing a concert with them in June too.) How about Tony-winner John Lloyd Young (Jersey Boys); vocalist favorites Billy Porter and Julie Garnye; Academy-Award winning screenwriters Bill Condon & Dustin Lance Black; and comedian Jack Plotnick (Reno 911). Those are the ones I can think of off the top of my head.

For those west coast skeptics out there who can't find any musical theater in LA, I have good news for you. I found it! (Un)shockingly enough, its in WeHo. Monday night. 8811 Santa Monica. Get there before 9pm and there's no cover. And when you get there, come find me. Maybe I'll buy you a drink...

When it comes to The Groundlings, my expectations are astronomically high. As a frequent patron of their Thursday night improv show Cooking with Gas, I've seen some of my all-time favorite comedians perform there. Cheryl Hines, Chris Kattan, Cheri Oteri, Mike McDonald, Mindy Sterling, Rachel Harris, Wendi McClendon-Covey, Karen Maruyama...the list goes on and on. (And if you don't know recognize the names of each and every person that I've just listed, shame on you. Google them immediately.) The Groundlings is where I go when I want to laugh. And I'm not just talking about the few hearty chuckles that would be elicited during an episode of Friends either. I'm talking about tears-streaming, ab-clenching, can't breathe, can't-even-hold-you-head-up, pee-your-pants kind of laughter. That, to me, defines The Groundlings.

So when my friend David asked me to accompany him to his high school buddy Zack's "farewell show" on a monday night (the Groundlings theater's usual dark day) I was intrigued, and perhaps slightly dubious. Who is this guy? I'd never heard of him. Although I did have to give him points for style naming his show after Liza's. Whoever he is, he's got some big ones.

Now, let me state for the record that there are 3 things that I find absolutely hysterical, any of which is guaranteed recipe to win me over every time.

1) Self-indulgence. I love it when performers play on their own vanity. So when Zack's opened with a musical number, complete with a trio of backup singers, and lyrics about his "self-indulgent farewell show", I'll admit that I was hooked. Incidentally, the "farewell" is in reference to Zack's moving to NYC to pursue a stage career.

2) Awkwardness. Too much information, uncomfortable silences, public humiliation...I can't get enough of it. And apparently, neither can Zack Oldham. A surprise party that reveals a couple's rampant heroin addiction, a man who's continually shot down by the woman he loves even as he's devoured by a snow leopard, and oversharing during an office game (See video below) are some of the fabulous conceits Zack came up with for his sketches. The writing was sharp, versatile, and sadistically funny.

3) Drag Queens. Ah yes, drag queens, my achilles heel, the comedic ace-in-the-hole. Anybody who knows me can tell you the lengths that I'll go to for a good drag queen. (Now I'm oversharing.) But needless to say, when Zack came out in a long blonde wig with pink barettes, 3 inch wedges, pink capris and a pink short-sleeved zip-up, I was dying. The concept was a classic: the study-buddy seduction. And with growled pick-up lines like "I don't wanna learn about history...I wanna make history", Zack Oldham will forever have my undying love and respect.

Overall it was just a truly enjoyable night of sketch comedy, one truly worthy of the Groundlings stage. I'm sad to see Zack go when I've only just discovered him. But no doubt we'll be seeing him again very soon. Best of luck back east, Zack, and thank you so much for a very entertaining evening! Tell the SNL kids I said "hi"!

One of Broadway's favorite leading ladies, Natalie Toro, will be performing an exclusive engagement at the Magic Castle in Hollywood this upcoming Monday, April 27th & Tuesday, April 28th. Generally, tickets are not available to the public, however if you email events manager Matt Patton (mpatton@magiccastle.com) he can walk you through the steps to get on the guest list. Please keep in mind that The Magic Castle has a VERY strict dress code, which you can read here.

Calm down, deep breaths! Okay...here we go. The divalicious Ellen Greene (the one and ONLY Audrey from Little Shop of Horrors, star of Pushing Daisies) will be joining Brian Stokes Mitchell, Scott Bakula, Ruth Williamson, and Jessica Biel (:raised eyebrow:) at the Hollywood Bowl Fri, July 31st through Sun, Aug 2nd. Tickets go on sale May 2nd.

The West Coast Debutante herself tells us what's its like to be Los Angeles' own Scarlett O'Hara and confesses about her "One Night Stand" with Upright Cabaret...

Hi Haviland! Thank you so much for agreeing to talk with us a little bit! Let's get things rolling, shall we?

Q: First of all, you're from the south and your name is Haviland. (such a pretty name, btw!) Is there any correlation between your name and another certain Southern Belle whom you're often compared to?

A: First of all, thank you! I was blessed with the name. I actually used to bring my birth certificate into auditions, because no one believed it was the real deal. I was named after my very southern grandmother, not after the actress Olivia de Havilland. But I don't mind being compared positively to her, as she is amazing! And yes, she was in the movie that features one of my favorite icons, Scarlett O'Hara. My parents clearly had a marquis in mind on my day of birth. HA!

Q: You went to school in NY and have been based out of there for quite awhile but now you're out here in Los Angeles...How are you enjoying LaLa land?

A: I love lala land! It's so bright!

Q: Why the change of scenery?

A: The main reason was that I needed to challenge myself and my structural habits and I wanted to open myself up to different professional opportunities. I've been really happy here, and it's also made me appreciate NYC more each time I'm there.

Q: Do you have an favorite local haunts yet?

A: I'm obsessed with Yogurtland! I should probably have a flavor named after me, I go so often. Was that what you meant by "haunts?" Hm, probably not...

Q: On Thursday, you're making your west coast concert debut at Upright Cabaret. Can you tell us about the show?

It's this Thursday at 8pm at Mark's on La Cienega. It's an hour or so of me singing, with amazing musicians. We're going to have fun. The set is really versatile with incredible songs. I'm excited to get to use so many different parts of my voice and my personality. I'm all about the style shifts. Just when you think you know, you realize you have no idea.

Q: Now, you say that you'll be singing (and I quote) "80's pop to opera to country to musical theatre, and back again". That's quite the spectrum! Any particular favorite artists/composers you'll be featuring?

A: Oh, I love them all! I'm so fortunate to have singer/songwriter Kristy Hanson performing with me. She wrote a killer song for me to sing, and we're doing it for the first time in full, this thursday. I also am really excited about singing a song written by Ryann Ferguson and Steven Jamail from VOTE!, a musical that I've been involved with since the beginning of it's development.

Q: Which artists/performers would you say have had the most influence on you as a singer? Who are the people who made you want start singing and the ones you aspire to be like?

A: Bette Midler was the first person I watched whose entire being inspired me to the point that I consciously said, "That is what I want to do." I love her work, absolutely get it, connect to it. So, of course I'm doing one of her songs. I'm also covering Melissa Etheridge, Madonna, I'm going back to my classical roots with "Glitter and be Gay"...I'm telling you, it's all over the place! There is no spectrum like that of a West Coast Debutante.

Q: I have a friend who will kill me if I don't ask you this, so here ya go: What was it like performing on the Rosie Cruises and how did that experience come about?

A: I actually met Rosie back in the 90s while working on the film, NOW AND THEN, and became friends with her (and her beautiful family) when she joined the cast of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF with me on the Broadway. She asked me to come along, and I ended up doing four of them. I wish everyone could have the experience of going on the cruise. It's very special.

Q: You've also been in episodes of The Battery's Down. What was that like and will you be in the second season at all?

A: I had so much fun shooting THE BATTERY'S DOWN. It depends on many factors, but there is a strong possibility of my character "Ellen" returning later this season. You never know!

Q: So now that's you're here in LA, what's the plan? Any chances you'll be returning to the stage?

A: Of course, darling!

Q: For those readers who don't know, you were recently in the Broadway revival ofLes Mis and went on as Fantine a for Miss Lea Salonga (who will be performing with Tim Draxl at Upright Cabaret this upcoming Sunday.) What was that experience like?

A: Well, I actually stepped in for the fabulous Daphne Rubin-Vega before Lea joined us. Both Daphne and Lea were so lovely! The experience? Singing "I Dreamed a Dream" in the Fantine corset and blonde wig on the revolving stage, for an audience of 1100 people on Broadway, with a full orchestra, the conductor 3 feet in front of me, breathing...it was a rush everytime I got to do it, of course! When you're Fantine, you hit that stage and don't stop. Very fun role, that one.

Q: As someone who has played the role of Fantine and sung "I Dreamed a Dream", what do you have to say about the whole Susan Boyle phenomenon?

A: It's such a hard time right now in the world and everyone is grasping for hope. People want good news; they're rooting for the underdog. Obviously, life hasn't killed the dream Susan Boyle dreamed!

Q: Since you're in Hollywood, any plans to do any movie/TV work while you're out here? If you could have a part on any show, what would it be?

A: Yes, absolutely, big plans, massive plans. Some of my favorite shows are MAD MEN, BIG LOVE, PARTY DOWN, IN TREATMENT, ENTOURAGE, PRIVATE PRACTICE. I'm also excited for GLEE and LEGALLY MAD.

Q: Now, you've already got your own recurring series going on. And by that, of course I'm referring to Vlogs of you & Riese Bernard. Can you tell the readers what that's all about?

A: About a year and a half ago, Riese suggested we make a vlog, so we did, for fun, and it kind of took off from there. It's really her creation - she edits them and does all the structuring. I'm kind of along for the ride. We had a great time doing them and obviously continue to change lives right and left with our brilliance and insight. ;-)

Well, Miss Stillwell, thank you so much for chatting with us and I can't wait for your big debut at Mark's on Thursday! Break a leg!

Thank YOU. Good luck with the new site!

Everyone be sure to come see Haviland at Upright Cabaret this Thursday, 8pm! To purchase tickets, click here!

To hear all about the latest and greatest from Haviland, visit her official website: www.havilandstillwell.com! Also be sure to check out www.kristyhanson.com for more info on Kristy, who will be performing one of her own songs with Haviland at Upright Cabaret and www.autostraddle.com for more Riese & Haviland shenanigans!