ModernMusicalTheatre

Archives: August 2013

Flashback Fridays - Patricia Zentilli on A New Brain

Jump back with us to 2009′s A New Brain, William Finn’s autobiographical end of the century musical about a songwriter with creative block who suddenly experiences an attack from an arteriovenous malformation, landing him in hospital and threatening his life. As he proceeds on the journey to wellness through surgery, we are transported through Gordon’t hallucinations, inviting us simultaneously into Finn’s head when he too was hospitalized for the same thing. Patricia Zentilli played Rhoda, Gordon’t agent and ex-girlfriend with charm, humour and a killer set of pipes - and she brought her own photos to the table this week as well! More

Monica Dottor’s Triple Threat

Introducing Monica Dottor, a true triple threat herself! When not seen across Toronto stages, Monica is a spectacular choreographer with a real understanding of stage physicality and movement. Monica has been nominated for six (!) Dora awards, including one for her choreography on Do You Want What I Have Got? A Craigslist Cantata which she will be working again when we launch our first national tour in the winter. Here’s what makes Monica’s musical theatre gears click. More

Producing Notes - Dress Big, Dress Bold, Dress Large

Two weeks ago, an article was published in the Guardian titled: “Edinburgh festival: what makes a memorable piece of theatre.”

The article suggests that the experience of seeing a show might actually be more important than the content of the show itself when it comes to memorability.

Some argue that immersive theatre is the future of our discipline. I am less sure. I think that it’s an important and exciting new form of art – one that allows for a superb artist/audience engagement. But can it replace the age-old art of spoken word storytelling that has stood the test of time? More

Thomas Tony Tuesdays - Gypsy

If I had the chance to go back in time to see one Broadway production that has passed me by, it would be the 2008 production of Gypsy. I know…I know…it has only been a few years but the divine casting choices of Patti Lupone, Laura Benanti, Boyd Gaines, and Leigh Ann Larkin put this show above the others for me. More

Wayne Gwillim’s Triple Threat

We love Wayne Gwillim: an Acting Up Stage perrenial, Wayne has music directed 4 of our shows, including our very first production Tick, tick… BOOM! Wayne could most recently be heard tickling the ivories for Mirvish’s Wizard of Oz, and will soon be heard doing the same for Les Miserables. Before he hits the barricades, we caught up with Wayne in anticipation of his return to Acting Up Stage for our reimagined revival of Elegies. More

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