​Eger: You are well-known and respected in the Greater Philadelphia Area for bringing together kids,  talented young actors, and theater artists for a very intensive and powerful six-week summer session. Many theater people point out how humble you have remained, in spite of the hundreds of successful productions that attract thousands of visitors—in show after show.

Dietzler: I recently saw a movie about Beethoven. I was struck by his action after he conducted his glorious ninth Symphony and thinking of who he was and what he brought to the arts and to the world. He bowed to his audience—a sign of respect for those that we wish to honor. So I’d like to think of our theater as a way ofservingour community and bringing the arts and culture to young people especially.

Eger: You not only teach acting and directing, but the entire range of theater arts—with the help of experienced directors, choreographers, designers, etc., who are training kids from schools all over the Greater Philadelphia area as well as university graduates who are testing the theater arts waters.

Dietzler: We are seeing more and more of our Summer Stagers pursuing theater and music in college and we are happy that they return to us as teachers and staff.

Eger: Could you give an example of a former Summer Stage participant who became a young professional and who is returning to your program as a theater artist?

Dietzler: Our set designer, Timothy Bruno, created a wonderful design for our present Mainstage show. This was Tim’s first Mainstage design but he has been with the program since high school. Tim went on to Point Park College in Pittsburgh and returned to us as an experiences set and costume designer, now teaching our high school kids during the school year and designing props for our children’s shows. He’s a perfect example of the circle of talent, starting here, gaining professional experience, and then returning to teach our kids.

Eger: You also have experienced technical staff members on board who are contributing to your Mainstage production.

Dietzler: Yes, for example, in Nice Work, If You Can Get It, it’s worth mentioning our production values: the set, lighting, costumes, and sound are equal to anything you see in Philadelphia theater. Similarly, our prop master, Patrick Ahearn, went above and beyond by building most of the furniture that you saw on the stage.

Eger: The Upper Darby High School, one of the largest in the area, not only teaches academic subjects, but also practical skills. Are you integrating some of those students with their hands-on skills or, are you hiring young theater professionals from other colleges and theaters?

Dietzler: The staff we use in our costume shop and our set shop are professionals who are working at other theaters throughout the year. We are blessed to have their talents during the summer. But, we also give many students their first opportunity to work on our children’s shows as choreographers, set designers, or costume designers, etc.

Eger: It’s difficult for young theater artists who just graduated from college to get hired by theaters, develop their skills, earn another entry on their resume, and network with professionals and each other.
​
Dietzler: True. That’s why our program is a wonderful opportunity for young people in college or right out of college who have an interest in a career in theater—not just performing, but also to develop socially and to meet and work with other students with the same interests.

​Eger: Quite a few youngsters who “broke their legs” on your stage as participants in the much talked about Summer Stage program became well known artists in the theater, music, and educational world.

Dietzler: There is a page on our website that links to many professional websites of our alumni who are out there working in the arts. Summer Stagers are also successful parents, homemakers, lawyers, doctors, florists, priests, teachers, police officers, paramedics, community theater performers and directors, accountants, FBI and Secret Service employees, nurses, and members of many other professions.  Here are just a few of our successful Summer Stage alumni:

• Tina Fey, who directed children’s theater, star and writer of 30 Rock, was head writer and Weekend News anchor for Saturday Night Live and wrote the screenplay for and starred in Mean Girls.
• Terry Nolen and Amy Murphy who run the Arden Theatre.

​​

• Matthew Cloran was the Director of The Greater Philadelphia Cappies, taught theater at The Haverford School, and released a CD, Finally Free. He is a freelance director and choreographer.
• Tony Costandino is the production stage manager for The Pennsylvania Ballet.
• Donata Cucinotta is a professional opera singer.

​​

• Kevin Dietzler danced in the Walnut Street Theatre Upper Darby Performing Arts Center’s Forty Second Street and White Christmas. He is a freelance choreographer and director.
• Tom Donaghy is a professional playwright who has had his plays produced at the Arden and Philadelphia Theatre Companies and wrote and produced ABC-TV’s The Whole Truth.

​​

• Ed Fiscella runs a very successful program in New Jersey called Mainstage Center for the Arts which includes a Summer Stage program modeled after the Upper Darby Summer Stage.
• Steven Fisher is the founder and director of the Keystone Boys Choir and had a New York run of the musical he composed for Summer Stage, Izzie and the Pretty-Ugly Spell.
• Krissy Fraelich starred in the Arden Theatre’s recent Next to Normal, sang with the Summer Club, and performed with Linda Eder on a CD and at Carnegie Hall.

​​

• John Hoey directs one of Philly’s top bands, The John Hoey Orchestra.
• Tom Hoey II, a children’s theater actor and drummer for Joseph, has played for tours of Grease andWest Side Story. He is a drummer in Nashville and tours with top country stars.
• Damian Holbrook, TV Guide Magazine senior writer, who interviewed Summer Stage alumna Tina Fey.
• Monica Horan-Rosenthal was a regular on Everybody Loves Raymond. She recently produced The Three Maries in Philadelphia and the revival of Spring Awakening on Broadway.

​​

• Dr. Kevin Kane teaches theater at UCLA and in Los Angeles to underprivileged kids.

​​

• Vince Leonard has copied and arranged music for Peter Nero and the Walnut Street Theatre. He andTom Rudolph have authored several books on computer music.
• Garry Lennon is a professor of costuming at Cal State University and created the costumes for the LA version of Sister Act.
• Alyse Alan Louis performed on Broadway as Sophie in Mamma Mia. She will open on Broadway inDisaster.

​​

• Tim Mackay runs the eastern division of Flying by Foy and has supervised the flying for many shows on Broadway and television.
• Guy Mandia danced in the international tour of West Side Story.
• John McDevitt is a reporter and editor for KYW 1060.
• Mark Morgan created and runs the Moorestown Theater Company, which includes a Summer Stage program, modeled after the Upper Darby Summer Stage. He has won multiple awards at the National Junior Theater Festival, and has hosted a world premiere and several East coast premieres of new children’s musicals.
• Jeremy Morse starred in the Walnut Theatre’s production of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying andjust started on Broadway in the new musical Waitress.
• Stacy Moscotti starred in a national tour of The Unsinkable Molly Brown.

​​

• Patricia Noonan is a busy actress, singer, and writer in NYC.

​​

• John Roney shared the role of Barnum with Burt Lancaster in the TV movie Barnum.

• Chris Sapienza was seen on Law and Order SVU and many other TV shows and commercials.
• Julianna Schauerman creates industrials for major corporations with her own company, Zakarak Productions. She recently produced The Three Maries at the Prince Theatre in Philadelphia.
• Amanda Snarski performed on CBS for a Hairspray live audition and played the leading role at Surflight Theatre in Beach Haven.
• Marcus Stevens is performing Off-Broadway in Forbidden Broadway. He wrote the book and lyrics toYo, Vikings!, which premiered at Summer Stage. He and Brian Lowdermilk won the Richard Rodgers Award for their musical, Red.
• Rachel Stevens, a freelance director, has worked at the American Repertory Theater, Lincoln Center, and Paper Mill Playhouse.

• Josh Young starred in the world premiere of Amazing Grace on Broadway.

Eger: Have some of the former Summer Stage actors and members of the artistic team who became successful in the professional world returned to your Performing Arts Center and given talks to the next generation of young theater artists?

Dietzler: I have heard them say that they value the pace at which we teach and put up a show. That has helped them work in many situations. They also valued the sense of teamwork and enthusiasm. Our Summer Stagers support each other in all areas.

Eger: You created scenes in your latest production of Nice Work, If You Can Get It that many smaller theaters could not afford, like involving a huge cast of over 40 actors, plus a large orchestra, and spectacular effects like releasing thousands of bubbles from the Performing Arts Center’s expansive ceiling during an entertaining bathroom scene with eight Bubble Girls dressed in expensive and highly innovative bathing costumes with glass globes of different sizes hanging from their bodies. All of those costumes and props cost a great deal of money. How do you finance these spectacular shows and the many intensive training programs?
​
Dietzler: We have many dedicated sponsors and donors who support us and the participants pay a fee. Our biggest income is from tickets sales and we are blessed with a large theater and can sell up to 1,200 seats per show, so that is a big factor. Of course, Upper Darby Township and School District provide us with a magnificent theater and the infrastructure to do our work.

​Eger: Similarly, how do you handle what could easily become an administrative nightmare, especially as a number of the participants in your many Summer Stage programs are underage?

Dietzler: We have a great staff of more than 100 who manage all of the various aspects of the program. Our Production Manager, Chris Luner, is amazing. He manages the staffs for all seven shows, oversees the technical rehearsals, and does it all with a positive attitude and boundless energy. Chris is another example of a former Summer Stage student who went on to Wagner College to study Arts Administration, then stage managed a Broadway show and tour, and then brought all of that experience back to our Summer Stage.

Eger: Great. Looking back at your over four decades of directing the Summer Stage, what did you change?

Dietzler: We’ve been adapting and changing all along. We’ve changed schedules, added an Apprentice and Rising Stars Program to train the actors earlier; added a Technical Theater Program to focus on training our tech students; and created a Marketing Department to sell our shows to a wider audience.

Eger: Given the many hundreds of performances with children, teenagers, and young professionals, what have parents, young actors, and theater artists who went through the Summer Stage experience told you about its impact on their lives?

Dietzler: They will all tell me that the program has given them life-long friendships. We bring together young people from many schools and communities who all share the same interests and passions and we set them loose to express themselves creatively. This creates a special bond that lasts long after the show is over.

Eger: In closing, could you share something with us about your life that very few people know?

Dietzler: I am very proud of my children, all of whom have been performers and staff members at Summer Stage. I met my wife here and Summer Stage has been a major part of our family life. My parents were involved in theater and all of my siblings participated in Summer Stage. My family is the reason I am successful.

Eger: Is there anything else you would like to share?

Dietzler: Thank you for your interest in our young people!
​
Eger: Harry, WE all owe you and your staff and volunteers a great deal of debt. Like many thousands of Summer Stage friends before me, I salute you.

​Originally published by Phindie. ​

​The Upper Darby Summer Stage just opened its 2016 season with NICE WORK, IF YOU CAN GET IT by Joe DiPietro, with music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin and based on materials from Guy Bolton and P.G. Woodhouse—which premiered on Broadway in April 2012. The Summer Stage show runs July 29 & 30 at 7:30 pm, August 5 at 7:30 pm, and August 6 at 1:30 pm and 7:30 pm.

The entertaining Gershwin farce is directed by Brian Walsh, choreographed by Mandie Banks and Kevin Dietzler, under the music direction of Gina Giachero. Lighting design is by J. Dominic Chacon, sound design by Amanda Hannah, set design by Timothy Bruno, props design by Patrick Ahearn, costume design by Julia Poiesz, with a huge cast of 45 actors, singers, and dancers—not to mention the orchestra of 15 musicians and the production crew of 22 members—all being stage managed by Chris Donnay, under the production management of Christopher Luner. Its star, Wesley Hemmann as the naïve but loving Jimmy Winter, and the entire cast all are so good that the audience left the theater happy and highly animated.

[Upper Darby Performing Arts Center, 601 N Lansdowne Ave, Drexel Hill, PA] July 29-August 6, 2016; udpac.org.

Originally  published by ​Phindie. 

​Eger: Many theatergoers seem to know little about the important work of dramaturgs. Could you describe the input on your work by your dramaturg, Maura Krause?
​
Murphy: Maura was a wonderful collaborator. Dramaturgs do lots of important things. They help develop new work, run theatre literary departments, research, and contextualize plays for artistic collaborators and audiences. I love the connection between the playwright and dramaturg during a rehearsal process. Maura helped me to think through the play, and often had very incisive observations about characters, themes, and the deeper intent of the work. She could help break down a scene—what felt interesting, rang true, or didn’t ring true. Her intelligent feedback was essential.

Eger: What impact did Shelley Butler, your PlayPenn director, have on the way you rewrote parts of your script?

Murphy: I did not know Shelley before PlayPenn, but Paul Meshejian [artistic director of PlayPenn] thought she would be a good match and arranged for us to have a phone conversation. We hit it off, and I immediately felt her instincts about the play were spot on. Once we started working together in rehearsal, I felt, more and more, as if I’d hit the director jackpot! She is smart, focused, creative, and an excellent leader. In her hands, we had a productive, collaborative rehearsal room. She is also completely relentless—in a good way. She always had a new question or insight that pushed me to work harder on the play. I don’t know if I would have made as much progress on this draft without her encouragement and support.

Eger: Tell us about your work with the actors—Megan Slater, Merri Rashoyan, Nancy Boykin, and Aubie Merrylees—especially anything they said that might have helped you in reshaping parts of your play or perhaps rephrasing something.

Murphy: Megan and Merri created a beautiful dynamic as the two young leads. They brought a palpable sense of intimacy to their characters’ connection, and it helped me develop their relationship. Nancy gave much insightful feedback about her 80-year-old character’s possible perspectives on aging, love, regret, and how she might empathize with the younger female characters. Aubie brought a depth to his role that enabled me to flesh out his character in a more interesting way. They were all great at bringing out both 33the humor and drama in the text. I loved our cast!

Eger: PlayPenn had invited a large range of theater artists, including stage designers.

Murphy: During pre-conference, we had three days of round-table readings of all the plays. This was an excellent opportunity to get to know the other artistic teams and plays. It made it easy to share feedback throughout the conference. The entire PlayPenn community was very supportive, intelligent, and so talented.

During mid-conference, Shelly, Maura, and I had a meeting with Paul [Meshejian], Michele [Volansky], and several of our talented designers. I was very much looking forward to their thoughts as GIANTESS offers potential design challenges—for example: how to stage a 30 foot tall character. Each of the designers discussed evocative images and themes from the play, possible staging and tech approaches, and gave me a sense of the questions designers or producers might ask moving forward. Their feedback helped me to rethink and refine my use of imagery in key scenes.

During post-conference, the core structure and characters remain, but I have made strides to hone in on the dramatic action in each scene and deepen the characters’ motivations. I think I have made the characters’ relationships and decisions more believable.

Eger: Among playwrights in North America, both Paul Meshejian and Michele Volansky are legendary for nurturing new plays. Could you give examples of how their work shaped part of your script?

Murphy: Both Paul and Michele were incredibly supportive throughout the conference and after each reading. Michele had some specific insights into how to maintain dramatic momentum in Act 2, and also counseled me to not shy away from the themes I wanted to explore, even when I felt unsure about my approach.

​Eger: One of the PlayPenn goals is to “provide as many resources and remove as many obstacles as possible.”

Murphy: PlayPenn did an incredible job of nurturing my work before and during the conference. They flew me out for casting so I could have a voice in that process, brought together an excellent creative team forGIANTESS, and provided ample opportunities for participating artists to connect at the conference. We were well fed, both literally and artistically. I felt embraced by the community [in Philadelphia], and this made it easier to work and write.

Eger: Could you tell us a bit about your experience with Jillian Schwab, your intern?

Murphy: Jilly was an energetic and hard-working addition to our team. I appreciated her contributions and insights in the rehearsal room as well as her presence during the readings—she voiced stage directions. I come from an arts education background, so I appreciate sharing space with young artists.

Eger: Each of your plays was given two public readings with professional actors. How much did that process shape your play?

Murphy: One major thing we noticed after the first reading—the play moves quickly. Shelley, Maura, and I realized we could remove the planned intermission. We did so for the second reading, and it made a huge difference, not just in the pacing, but also in keeping the audience grounded in the world(s) of the play.

Eger: Overall, how would you describe the PlayPenn process and its impact on your play? What were some of the best insights you gained from the PlayPenn team?

Murphy: PlayPenn provided the space, means, and opportunity to make GIANTESS a stronger play. I wrote this from a very intuitive place, but my team allowed me to look at the play in new ways, and with strategic, analytical perspectives. There are too many insights gained for me to list here. I have a whole notebook of detailed notes and feedback. I will say that I am happy with our progress and have a blueprint for future revision work.

​Eger: What do you think your play or your main characters would say about being looked over and reviewed extensively by theater experts?

Murphy: I think the characters in GIANTESS would dislike being observed and dissected in their moments of vulnerability—as most humans would. The two leads, Dee and Valentine, are teenagers on the cusp of adulthood, both dealing with great responsibility and tough family situations. Their connection to one another is at times sweet and natural, and at other times awkward, disorienting, and uncomfortable. My hope is that reviewers will respond not only to the metaphors and themes in the play, but to these characters as people: three-dimensional, messy, contending with complicated emotions and real life issues.

Eger: As a PlayPenn playwright, how has your participation in this intensive workshop series changed the way you might handle challenging situations differently in the future?

Murphy: I greatly benefited from meeting the other playwrights and learning more about the theater industry through their eyes. I gleaned perspective about the literary processes of other development opportunities and received tips on how and where to submit my work. My peers also reiterated that rejection does not necessarily define the future life of a play. Importantly, I saw how normal and perfectly okay it is for writers to experience a whole range of emotion during rehearsal and revision: excitement, fear, doubt.

​
Eger: How close do you consider your play to be production-ready? And what are the next steps you have taken to get it produced?

​Murphy: I think my play is closer to being production-ready, but I would benefit from a few more chances to revise and showcase the work before my peers—perhaps future festivals or conferences. Thankfully, through PlayPenn, I’ve met a host of talented artists who will likely give me good advice about next steps.

Eger: Where do you see yourself now in this process of becoming an even stronger playwright than before?

Murphy: I am still very early in my writing career, but I think I am on the cusp of significant growth as a writer. I’m also about to start grad school. I am gaining confidence in my storytelling ability and hope to better master dramatic action and structure.

Eger: What have you discovered about yourself through the PlayPenn process—not only as a playwright, but as a mensch?

Murphy: One of the reasons why I love theater is that—in its best form—it allows artists and audiences to be engaged in ideas together. It is an ideal forum for social change and community dialogue. It does not always work out this way, but when it does, it feels great. I always learn a lot about myself and other people when working on a play, and I find myself impacted greatly by the passion and work ethic of my collaborators.

I love the moments when I can forget that I am working on my own play and just be present with the artists in the room or the audience around me. Those moments remind me to approach theater, and my life, with a sense of focus, collaboration, accountability, and empathy—make it less about me, and more about thework, the ideas, the journey, and relationships with other people.

Eger: What advice do you have for the next generation of playwrights?

Murphy: For me, it’s been important to strike a balance between being an intuitive, passionate writer and one who is thoughtful and analytical. I think it is important for young writers to remember that a play—or any writing, really—has the potential to evolve in ways you may not fully understand when you first start writing. Your play might not quite work in its first iteration, or even its second or third or beyond—and that is okay. There may be scenes or lines or characters you love, but that do not serve your play.

Readers or audiences may respond in unique ways you do not foresee. Try to separate your ego from the work. Do not be afraid to cut and change and shift things around as you can always go back to an earlier draft if you don’t like a revision. Do not be afraid to experiment and even fail in service of the greater mission—making the best work you can. Also, don’t feel the need to paint yourself into a box or “type” of writer. Who knows what you will learn or how you will develop over time?

Eger: Thank you, Genne. May your GIANTESS grow by leaps and bounds and open creative perspectives for new audiences.

For more information on PlayPenn, click here: 

• PlayPenn, Theater, and “A comfortable place for misfits”: Interview with founder Paul Meshejian, Part 1
• Everything you always wanted to know about PlayPenn, but were afraid to ask: Interview with founder Paul Meshejian, Part 2
• How to Get Accepted into PlayPenn: Interview with founder Paul Meshejian, Part 

​Originally published by Phindie. 

​“Come swing with us back to an era when life was cooler, music was snappier, and everyone drank their martinis straight up and their bourbons neat.” Who could resist that announcement fromThe Summer Club—the musical treat of the East coast?

Summer Club events with Jeff Coon and some of the best singers and musicians in Philadelphia are drawing large crowds wherever they perform, whether recently at the Arden Theatre Company, or the three upcoming performances in Cape May and Avalon, NJ (for details, see below).

We asked some of the movers and shakers, on stage and off stage, to answer these three questions and reveal some of the secrets of why this group is so immensely popular:
​
What are you bringing to The Summer Club in terms of your background, your talent, and your joie de vivre—your cheerful enjoyment of life?
Tell us a bit about your role and/or performance.
Tell us one thing about yourself that might delight the audience.

​Singer and Executive Director Jeff Coon:
“I’d much rather become an audience member.”

Though, truth be told, I’d much rather become an audience member, listening to my super-talented friends sing with our incredible band. I love hearing all of our musicians play, and watching the other Summer Clubbers perform with them.
​
I grew up in Cape May, NJ, which was the place where we did our first shows, two summers ago. We’ll be there this Saturday night to kick off our third season at the shore.

Apart from the boat-loads of “training,” aka “practical experience,” the biggest asset I bring to the Summer table is a true love for the music of this era. For my taste, there really isn’t anything better. I owe a good deal of that love to my grandparents, who always had this music playing. I absorbed it like a sponge. Even more so, I have always had a deep appreciation of and fascination with the “behind the scenes” musical geniuses that helped create this sound: Nelson Riddle, Billy May, George Rhodes, Quincy Jones, Mort Lindsay, etc. Sadly, most of these names are largely unknown today. Without these remarkable talents, Frank Sinatra, Sammy Davis Jr., and Judy Garland would not be considered as iconic as they are today. Their arrangers and conductors were an essential, yet often overlooked part of the equation. They should be remembered and recognized for their contributions.
My role as music director with The Summer Club is two-fold: I’m charged with creating all of the arrangements (or in jazz terms, “charts”) for the show. My goal is usually to be as faithful as possible to the original arrangements with which we’re all familiar. I’m trying to re-create that first sound. Now, one might initially think such a task unnecessary—under the assumption that a person could simply rent or purchase charts for many of these tunes. However, unless you have access to Nelson Riddle’s private archives, authentic arrangements are hard to come by. Yes, some re-creations (aka “transcriptions”) can be found, on occasion. But, more often than not, the workmanship is poor—and more so, the authenticity is severely lacking. I’m not sure if this is due to laziness or lack of skill.
In any event: to get as close as possible to the sound we want, I need to build all of this music from scratch. That task can involve countless hours of listening to recordings, notating what I hear, and so on. The work can be incredibly tedious, but it is also enjoyable—taking apart how those original charts were built. I consider myself to be very knowledgeable in this arena, but I never fail to learn something different with each new arrangement. The individuals who created those originals were true masters.
Yet, I’m still a creative artist in my own right. So, while I wish to maintain many of the basic ideas and the spirit of the originals, I always try to put my own personal stamp on each chart. Even with my most faithful re-creations, there is always a little something new I’ve thrown in there. For many of our charts, I have ventured out entirely on my own, but these are usually for songs which have no “definitive” interpretation.
My second role with The Summer Club is as conductor in performance. In the jazz world, for big bands like this, the conductor is somewhat ornamental. These musicians are skilled enough that they don’t often need me up there—at least not to keep tempos. They listen to each other and can keep it together on their own. However, I like to think that the musicians glean something from my presence in front of them. They react to my enthusiasm and energy. When I’m excited about something, they see and feel that—and it affects their performance. It really is thrilling to connect and make music together with them. There’s nothing like it—especially with the caliber of musicians we’re lucky enough to have in our orchestra.

​BIO: Fran Prisco is a Philadelphia native, who has performed in over 20 productions at the Walnut Street Theater and garnered a number of Barrymore nominations—famous not only for his comedic acting and his great voice, but also for his quick-witted approach that makes him an audience favorite, especially when he interacts with the crowd.

​I bring to the show a sense of style. I love researching the period and making sure we pay as close attention as possible to the fashion and style of the genre. They’re as important as the music.

I also try to make sure our performers are carefree and don’t have a thing to worry about—except entertaining our audiences.

During my former life as a competitive acrobat, I won seven National Gold Medals as well as a Gold and Silver World Title from 1990-1994.

​Henrik: A big Summer Club thank you and three cheers—Martini or no Martini—to all of you musicians, singers, artistic support staff, and the comedian. Break a leg, three times—in two different locations.
​
You can meet all of these amazing contributors to The Summer Club during any of their three shows in New Jersey, which will present a brand new program, featuring Jeff Coon and his super-talented friends: J.P. Dunphy, Fran Prisco, Michael Phillip O’Brien, Rachel Brennan, and Tony Braithwaite—plus Larry Lees, conducting one of the best big bands on the East coast.

The upcoming New Jersey shows run for One hour and 40 minutes, with no intermission. The Cape May show offers a cash bar. Both Avalon shows are BYOB with room to dance, which always makes for a fun night.

July 23rd from 8 to 10 pm at Cape May Convention Hall – 714 Beach Avenue, in Cape May, NJ.
July 30th and August 5th at Avalon Community Center – 3001 Avalon Avenue, in Avalon, NJ.

For more articles on Jeff Coon, click the links below:

An Interview With Jeff Coon On The Arden’s ‘Secret Garden: Part 1: An Outstanding Father On and Off the Stage
An Interview with Jeff Coon: Part 2: Raising His Two Children in His Own Special Secret Garden
“My busy, wacky, wonderful life”: Parents on stage and off stage, THE ADDAMS FAMILY (Media Theatre)
SHOWTIME, from Cape May and back: Great theatre artists inspire the next generation

​Originally published by DCMetroTheaterArts. 

​Crazy, indeed. Fabulous crazy—the icing on the cake of the hot Summer Club at the Arden.

If you missed one of the two sold-out performances in Philadelphia, don’t miss one of the three upcoming shows in July and August, although you have to drive to Avalon or Cape May. Just fire up your GPS and drive through the hinterlands of New Jersey. I tell you, the journey is worth every gallon of gas—besides, it’s cheaper in our neighboring state.

More importantly, you can combine a trip to the beach with a Summer Club concert.These three shows in NJ present a brand new program, featuring Jeff Coon and his super-talented friends: J.P. Dunphy, Fran Prisco, Michael Phillip O’Brien, Rachel Brennan, and Tony Braithwaite—plus Larry Lees, conducting one of the best big bands on the East coast.  

All the shows are directed by Jeff Coon and produced by Marie (“Ree”) Carney Dunphy, who knows how to make good things happen. The three NJ shows run for about 100 minutes—no intermission. The Cape May show offers a cash bar. Both Avalon shows are BYOB with room to dance, which always makes for a fun night.

​Summer Club concerts:

• July 23, 8 to 10 pm, Cape May Convention Hall, 714 Beach Ave., Cape May, NJ.
• July 30 and August 5, Avalon Community Center, 3001 Avalon Ave., Avalon, NJ.

Visit summerclubshows.com for Summer Club tickets.

For more articles on Jeff Coon, click the links below:
​
 An Interview With Jeff Coon On The Arden’s ‘Secret Garden: Part 1: An Outstanding Father On and Off the Stage
An Interview with Jeff Coon: Part 2: Raising His Two Children in His Own Special Secret Garden
“My busy, wacky, wonderful life”: Parents on stage and off stage, THE ADDAMS FAMILY (Media Theatre)
SHOWTIME, from Cape May and back: Great theatre artists inspire the next generation

Originally published by Phindie.

Eger: Could you share one thing that only your best friends know about you?

Bonetti: I’m a notoriously slow eater and food studier.

Eger: What are your engagements as a director and/or actor for this year and 2017?

Bonetti: I’m directing the touring children’s show for the Walnut Street Theater in September; reprising my role as The Reporter in Bruce Graham’s Rizzo, the Theater Exile hit, which is being produced by Philadelphia Theater Company in October; playing

​Parolles in All’s Well That Ends Well with my company, the Philadelphia Artists’ Collective (PAC) in December; directing Proof at Rutgers University at Camden (opens April 2017); and directing The White Devil for the PAC (opens May 2017). In addition, I teach at Drexel, Rowan, and Rutgers.

Plus, look out for a series of commercials I’ve done for Quest Diagnostic, Aetna, and Sirius XM!

[Hedgerow Theatre, 64 Rose Valley Road, Rose Valley, PA] July 7-August 21, 2016; hedgerowtheatre.org.

Originally published by Phindie. 

Boeing Boeing, a 1960’s French farce by Marc Camoletti, translated into English by Beverley Cross, features Bernard, a self-styled Parisian Lothario who has Italian, German, and American fiancées—all beautiful airline hostesses with frequent “layovers.” He keeps “one up, one down, and one pending” until unexpected schedule changes bring all three to Paris and Bernard’s apartment at the same time. ​

We asked three questions of the Boeing Boeing cast members to share their responses to this delightfully wicked French farce: 

1. What are you bringing to Boeing Boeing in terms of your background, your skills, and your joie de vivre—your cheerful enjoyment of life?
2. Tell us a bit about your role and your performance.
3. Tell us one thing about yourself that few people know, but that would delight the audience. 

Boeing Boeing is a sexy French farce. I tend to err on the side of prim and proper, so I’m having a blast playing someone different from myself. Farce feels like a dance because there are so many marks to hit and the timing is sometimes vital to another actor’s safety. My character, Gloria Hawkins, an Air Hostess for TWA, is very physical, so it’s been fun using my dance background, since I was 4, to create bits.

As “the American,” Gloria is loud, affectionate, and bossy. Her manners leave something to be desired. She is competitive and interested in furthering her financial interests. It makes sense that Gloria and Bernard would be a couple because he is a successful architect living in Paris. Gloria finds life with Bernard to be fun and fancy.

​I sing Irish music and play flute and percussion as part of the Galway Girls group.

I am a certified Actor-Combatant through the Society of American Fight Directors and, together with [director] Damon [Bonetti], I help ensure that the physical stunts we do are both safe and repeatable for a seven-week run.

 I play Gretchen, the German Lufthansa air hostess. She is “passion incarnate.” There’s no middle-ground with her. It’s all or nothing. I see a lot of myself in her, though I hope I’m a little more psychologically stable. The difficulty with Gretchen is making her intimidating to the characters on stage, but likeable to the audience. I worked carefully with Damon and Hedgerow’s artistic director, Jared Reed, to make sure that Gretchen’s intensity wasn’t so much that the audience would be distracted by it.     
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I grew up in a German American household and bring a lot of my German-ness to Boeing.

​I’m bringing the spirit of my big Italian family to life on stage. Gabriella and I share a passionate love of food. We’re good Italians. I will be wearing my Italian horns onstage.

​I bring a love of comedy to this production. In my opinion, comedy is harder than drama, and I prefer it when I get the choice, as I love making people laugh.

I play Berthe, Bernard’s overworked and under-appreciated housekeeper. She has a tough, no-nonsense exterior and is extremely disapproving of his playboy ways.
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Most people think I am very extroverted and confident, but I’m actually very shy and get extremely nervous speaking in public when I have to be myself. I do much better when I can hide behind a character.

​I received my training for the stage at the American Academy of Dramatic Arts, New York, and have performed in a number of plays and musicals, being the lead in two of them. At the Hedgerow alone, I performed in five plays. The role of Bernard requires a combination of raw comedic line delivery and physical comedy that I hope I bring to the stage. I am now pursuing a career in speech-language pathology.

I play Bernard [the womanizing Lothario], a man with an unusual, but very precise plan. And it doesn’t even cross his mind that there could ever be a glitch in his perfect system.
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I am a quieter person when I’m not on stage or in the rehearsal room. I save my energy for running and acting. Additionally, when I am a speech therapist, I will use some of my acting training to adapt to my clients.

​I have been studying comedy as far back as I can remember. As a child, I was always looking to make people laugh and even made my own toys. I made the decision to formally study acting, with a focus on comedy, at Rider University where I completed my B.A.

Running Time: About two hours, with one 15-minute intermission

Boeing Boeing plays through August 21, 2016 at Hedgerow Theatre – 64 Rose Valley Road, in Rose Valley, PA. For tickets, call (610) 565-4211, purchase them at the door, or online.

LINK:
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Boeing Boeing reviewed by Lisa Panzer on DCMetroTheaterArts.

Originally published by DCMetroTheaterArts. 

​Eger: How did you come up with the concept for your play, Prince Max’s Trewly Awful Trip to the Desolat Interior?

Struve: Karl Bodmer’s watercolors are a centerpiece of the Joslyn Art Museum in my hometown of Omaha, Nebraska. I had viewed the works as a child. As an adult wandering the museum, I came across Prince Maximilian’s journals and a piece of wall text describing the keelboat with live bears, a difficult winter, and a war. I knew then I wanted to learn more about this expedition and that it might be a play.

Eger: Describe the stages that your script went through, from your very first draft to the version that you submitted to PlayPenn.

Struve: While I researched the play assiduously, I did not want to be hemmed in by the history. The very first draft was more of a collection of responses to the prince’s journal. There were more scenes, more poetry, but fewer animals. I was struggling with how to write a history play and how to write a play about representation. Having both Karl Bodmer and Prince Maximilian played by women helped underline the perils of “true stories.” After all, who tells the history matters and this is my play, so it looks different than a history related by anyone else. I wanted it to have a wildness appropriate for a play that is both about the Missouri River of the 1830s and the current moment.

Eger: If you have taken other play development workshops, what made them different from your PlayPenn experience?

​Struve: I have had a few plays at Great Plains Theatre Conference, a week-long conference where plays are given a public reading. Approximately 25 playwrights from around the country are accepted each year with three or so rehearsals before a public reading. It is a wonderful way to learn about a larger community of writers in a shorter period of time. PlayPenn really immerses the writer in the world of the play. The amount of focus and attention given to text is extraordinary. The length of the experience (3 weeks) and the opportunity to have a reading midway through allows for a great deal of growth.

Eger: Each of your plays was given two public readings with professional actors. How much did that process shape your play?

Struve: Two public readings give permission to try more things—taking the pressure off for the first reading. We were very experimental. We tried an actor read stage directions as a character in the play. PlayPenn doesn’t necessarily solicit audience responses. There are no talkbacks. I didn’t really hear from audience members after the first read, but we listened closely to responses from the entire PlayPenn company during the first read and immediately adjusted the stage direction conceit as it was interfering with the pace of the play.

PlayPenn is a hive of theatrical activity. Someone is always rehearsing or meeting or just plain talking about theatre and everyone is very focused on getting the plays ready for readings. Having all of that buzzing energy behind you creates its own kind of momentum and helped me add more scenes, change more lines, and infuse more ideas than I might have had access to in a setting with fewer readings.

Eger: Overall, how would you describe the PlayPenn process and its impact on your play? What were some of the best insights you gained from the PlayPenn team?

Struve: The PlayPenn process is definitely immersive. It is deep sea diving. You get to put on scuba gear and explore the world of your play. The best insight I gained was how every image and piece of dialogue must be part of the play’s ecosystem. Keeping everything connected helps it live.​

​Eger: If there were moments where your play moved into a different direction than you had anticipated, how did you handle feedback and any possible misunderstandings?

Struve: Misunderstandings are so very, very useful. It is hard to get outside one’s own creation. There were a few moments in rehearsal when interpretation varied from my intention, but it was such a warm room and there was such respect for the process from all involved that it was easy to pipe up and say, “Oh, that isn’t what I meant at all.” Then we could discuss it and find ways to support what I meant to say.

Eger: What do you think your play or your main characters would say about being looked over and reviewed extensively by theater experts?

Struve: My play would definitely address the audience directly, saying, “Check it out. While you have been looking at me, I have been looking at you. You are an audience observed. Boom.” My play would make the “I see you, you see me” gesture with its hand.

Eger: While the serious work might have been stressful at times, were there funny, perhaps even hilarious, moments?

Struve: Sabrina Profitt is hilarious, period. It is delightful and unexpected when an actor in rehearsal says, ‘You know, I do play accordion” and then you can incorporate that into the reading.

Eger: As a PlayPenn playwright, how has your participation in this intensive workshop series changed the way you might handle challenging situations differently in the future?

Struve: It is a miracle any script is ever chosen, in any situation. It is an alchemy that can’t be predicted. For me, the important thing will be to apply the kind of focus and rigor I observed at PlayPenn to all future writing. I found that level of scrupulousness incredibly satisfying.

Eger: Since 2005, PlayPenn has helped bring about 100 plays to a state they cautiously call “closer to production-readiness.” How close do you consider your play to be to that state? And what are the next steps you have taken to get it produced?

Struve: Participating in PlayPenn has made me rethink my submission strategy. I tend to focus on writingthe work and haven’t been as rigorous in contacting theatres or publication entities. The amount of other people’s energy that was poured into my play at PlayPenn will drive me to submit it. To have so many minds behind you is inspiring.  

I am thrilled to say that Prince Max’s Trewly Trip to the Desolat Interior will have its premiere in Chicago next year at Red Theatre. Artistic Director Aaron Sawyer is making great work happen there, and I am looking forward to working with director Elizabeth Lovelady.

Eger: What has become of your work as a playwright since the PlayPenn conference?

Struve: I had a production of a new script, Untitled Series #7: A Comedy, at Shelterbelt Theater this winter. The play is a mix of Dante, divorce, art, and decapitation. It’s a romp. I was also able to put my love of historical work to use by creating a couple of pieces for our Smithsonian affiliate, The Durham Western Heritage Museum, and a commission about the founder of Immanuel Hospital. Much of the year was spent researching a play about immigration and the changing face of rural Nebraska that I will be working on as playwright-in-residence at Creighton University in 2017. We received a Global Initiative Project grant and I’m very much looking forward to developing the play, The Dairy Maid-Right Drive-Thru, in a university setting.

Eger: What have you discovered about yourself through the PlayPenn process—not only as a playwright, but as a mensch?

Struve: It is tempting to use the word juggler. It’s all the regular dilemmas of balancing personal, professional, and community life. Then someone throws in a watermelon and a bowling pin. It gets weird. It’s such an odd thing to say you are a playwright in Omaha, Nebraska. I like writing silly plays in nursing homes and doing puppet workshops with refugee children. I am attracted to long-term connections and collaborations. The plays are where I can take risks and this experience at PlayPenn showed me I could use a little more risk in my work. I am curious about investigating, exploring, and blurring more worlds together as an artist.

Eger: What advice do you have for the next generation of playwrights?

Struve: Partner well. It helps to come home to dogs, cats, children, people and plants who don’t really care if that character’s arc was realized or if the metaphor is working. Nourish others, both literally and figuratively.

Eger: Is there anything else you would like to share?

Struve: For me, the important thing will be to apply the kind of focus and rigor I observed at PlayPenn to all future writing. I
found that level of scrupulousness incredibly satisfying. Leaving PlayPenn, I returned to work on a commission, set curriculum plans for workshops, and drove my children to three different kinds of music lessons. Diving back into everyday life made me realize how luxurious it had been to live in a three-week development process.

Eger: Many thanks, Ellen. Give my best to Prince Max, your other characters, your kids, and all your puppets and marionettes—and above all, a special WELCOME to all international refugees with whom you work.

For more information on this year’s PlayPenn conference, July 5-24, 2016, visit playpenn.org.

Read a three-part Phindie interview with PlayPenn founder and artistic director, Paul Meshejian:

• PlayPenn, Theater, and “A comfortable place for misfits”: Interview with founder Paul Meshejian, Part 1
• Everything you always wanted to know about PlayPenn, but were afraid to ask: Interview with founder Paul Meshejian, Part 2
• How to Get Accepted into PlayPenn: Interview with founder Paul Meshejian, Part 3

Originally published by Phindie. 

                                                                             “I live my life as a flawed character”
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Mary Martello started performing at the age of seven and “has continued through four kids and fifty years.” She began in Michigan (where she trained at BoarsHead Theatre in Michigan, performing everything from Shakespeare and musical comedy to original plays and musicals) and then performed all over the United States, including Virginia (Barksdale Dinner Theatre, Theatre IV, and Virginia Museum Theatre); New York (Light Opera of Manhattan, the Public Theatre and a variety of off-off Broadway); Colorado (Denver Center Theatre); New Jersey (Foundation Theatre, Passage Theatre, Theatre Intime, and seven seasons at McCarter Theatre).

In Philadelphia she found a creative home and considers it a “privilege” to have performed at the Arden, Azuka, InterAct, Lantern, Peoples Light and Theatre, Prince, Walnut, Wilma, and 1812. She also has performed with the Philadelphia Orchestra and continues to perform cabarets she developed over the course of time. Mary is one of the stars at the Walnut Street Theatre, America’s oldest, continuously running theater.
What were the first signs in your childhood that you liked to play and sing and dance? 
In 2nd grade, I gathered neighborhood kids together to sing. I specifically remember “Do Lord, O Do Lord, O Do Remember Me.” At 10, I used to get called out in class to sing responses for funeral masses. At age 7, I started performing.
Who were some of the most influential teachers in your life and what did you learn from them?
Dr. David Machtel, my first voice teacher; Ursula Klein, my choir director from grade school through adulthood; and Richard Thompson and John Peakes, my acting teachers in college. I learned to persevere and be present from them all.
How many shows have you performed in at the Walnut?
At least 20.
You’ve played a wide range of roles, from saints to sinners.
I live my life as a flawed character, so I embrace those characters with affection. And I can always see the good and the love in them.
Now, you are one step away from sainthood playing Mother Superior in the popular Sister Act. What did you do to get into this role?

I sang with Florence Henderson when she was on tour with the original Sound of Music. I went to Catholic school and sang with nuns and priests. At 12, I wrote to the Dominican Motherhouse in Adrian, MI, begging them to take me as a postulant. They said I was too young.

Is there one role that you haven’t had a chance to play, but that you would love to take on as a real challenge? 

Every role is a wonderful challenge and this year I get to do Shaw [at the Lantern Theatre in Mrs. Warren’s Profession, playing Mrs. Kitty Warren, who pulled herself out of the London slums and now lives a mysterious life abroad], Wilde [at the Walnut Street Theatre, playing the formidable, the larger than life Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest], and take on Mama Rose in Gypsy [at the Arden Theatre].

You’re one of the most beloved actors and singers in Philadelphia. Could you share one thing with us that only your best friends know? 

I’m a curmudgeonly book worm who goes to the library every two weeks.

Is there anything else you would like us to know about you and your life?

I have four kids and three grandkids. And I’m happy. Older is better!

​I second the motion. And everyone that I know has always been happy with any role you have ever tackled. Thank you for having enriched Philadelphia theater with your very personal way of making characters come alive.
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Running Time: Two hours and 45 minutes, including an intermission.

Eger: How did you come up with the concept for your play, Widower?

Jacobi: Professional wrestling, for better or for worse, was my introduction to theater. I was always fascinated with the manufacturing of the illusion, but learning more about the industry introduces you to some painful truths about the lifestyles of the performers.

Eger: Describe the stages that your script went through, from your very first draft to the version that you submitted to PlayPenn.

Jacobi: The play started as a ten-minute play about a father and son burning spiders in the New Mexico desert. One day, I challenged myself to take 48 hours and extend the play into a full length. It was there that I created Hattie, the female protagonist. She was the most fun to write, but that created a problem in which the focal character (Jonas, the boy) wasn’t really the focus anymore. The addition of the Exterminator, an existential boogeyman, came out of the Kennedy Center workshop.

Eger: I liked your play Widower a great deal. It is listed on the National New Play Register.
​
Jacobi: Cast: 3. Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 2 more. Keyword: coming of age, Alcoholism and Drug Abuse + 1 more. [Story:] Jonas is home alone. His drug addict father has disappeared. Hattie, a former professional wrestler who has fallen on hard times, shows up out of the blue. Stuck together in a home in the middle in the New Mexico desert, Jonas and Hattie wrestle with the truth of who they are and the lies they tell to get by. When the Exterminator arrives, Jonas and Hattie soon realize that the only allies they have may be each other. Widower explores what happens when villains turn into heroes, enemies turn into allies, and loss is transformed into something approximating redemption.
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Eger: How did you come up with the concept for your play, Widower?

Jacobi: Professional wrestling, for better or for worse, was my introduction to theater. I was always fascinated with the manufacturing of the illusion, but learning more about the industry introduces you to some painful truths about the lifestyles of the performers.

Eger: Describe the stages that your script went through, from your very first draft to the version that you submitted to PlayPenn.

Jacobi: The play started as a ten-minute play about a father and son burning spiders in the New Mexico desert. One day, I challenged myself to take 48 hours and extend the play into a full length. It was there that I created Hattie, the female protagonist. She was the most fun to write, but that created a problem in which the focal character (Jonas, the boy) wasn’t really the focus anymore. The addition of the Exterminator, an existential boogeyman, came out of the Kennedy Center workshop.

Eger: I liked your play Widower a great deal. It is listed on the National New Play Register.
​
Jacobi: Cast: 3. Genre: comedy, dark comedy + 2 more. Keyword: coming of age, Alcoholism and Drug Abuse + 1 more. [Story:] Jonas is home alone. His drug addict father has disappeared. Hattie, a former professional wrestler who has fallen on hard times, shows up out of the blue. Stuck together in a home in the middle in the New Mexico desert, Jonas and Hattie wrestle with the truth of who they are and the lies they tell to get by. When the Exterminator arrives, Jonas and Hattie soon realize that the only allies they have may be each other. Widower explores what happens when villains turn into heroes, enemies turn into allies, and loss is transformed into something approximating redemption.

​Eger: Could you tell us a bit about your experience with Anita Castillo-Halvorssen, your intern?

Jacobi: Anita’s great. She’s got a great head on her shoulders, and she’s so incredibly invested in new work.

Eger: While the serious work might have been stressful at times, were there funny, perhaps even hilarious, moments?

Jacobi: There’s a line in the play where Jonas says, “One time, this kid from school, Josh Hooper, broke his arm so bad the bone popped out of the skin.” While in the room, we decided to ask Anthony if he’d like to replace “Josh Hooper” with the name of someone he goes to school with. He enthusiastically agreed, and “Jasper Kekorian” was put in. That name . . . that name is pretty great.

Eger: What have you discovered about yourself through the PlayPenn process—not only as a playwright, but as a mensch?

Jacobi: I’ve always been more of a listener than a speaker. Writing plays has helped a ton, because it gives purpose to listening. It’s my ideal form of communication.

Eger: What advice do you have for the next generation of playwrights?

Jacobi: Writers block isn’t real. Never stop submitting. Find your tribe. You should only be doing this if (1) you’re unable to stop or (2) you’re absolutely rubbish at everything else.

Eger: Thanks, David. 谢谢你，大卫。

July 5-24, 2016; playpenn.org.
Read a three-part interview with PlayPenn founder Paul Meshejian

• PlayPenn, Theater, and “A comfortable place for misfits”: Interview with founder Paul Meshejian, Part 1
• Everything you always wanted to know about PlayPenn, but were afraid to ask: Interview with founder Paul Meshejian, Part 2
• How to Get Accepted into PlayPenn: Interview with founder Paul Meshejian, Part 3

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​Originally published by Phindie.