My Proudest Producing Moment

The full company of Carner & Gregor's Barely Legal Showtune Extravaganza

I would call this specific performance my proudest producing moment thus far. This is Carner and Gregor's Too Much (the finale from their song cycle Island Song). This was the first time this piece was ever performed. I loved being a part of it and having the chance to work with Sam, Derek, Marlo (the director), and these super talented kids. 

Island Song deals a lot with the reality of living in New York City. There is beauty in every aspect of it, but there are times when it can become overwhelming. There is so much that we, as New Yorkers, have in common simply by just living in this city. Island Song streams together these connections that we all have with the thousands of strangers who are also trying to make it here. It's a beautiful work and I cannot wait to see it performed in its entirety. 

Here are a few other videos from the Barely Legal Showtune Extravaganza (which I produced) that are part of Island Song.

So Many Windows (Holland Mariah Grossman, Charlotte Maltby, Claire Kaiser, 

Zaccheaus Kimbrell, and Matthew Fracher)

Kathryn Boswell (CCM): So Far From Pennsylvania

Traffic Island (Matt Savoca, Tyler Lenhart, Blair Goldberg, 

Zacchaeus Kimbrell and Kathryn Boswell)

Host Andrew Kober performs After Hours

I hate talented people (including this one)

This past month, I was able to produce a show for my friend Luke. 

He is crazy talented and will one day be on Broadway. 

Mark my words.

He was in Idaho. I was here. Skype is a wonderful thing. 

I produced the whole thing via Skype.

Here is my absolute favorite song of the evening: After Hours by Carner and Gregor

Check out his YouTube Channel for more songs from Sweeney Todd, South Pacific, My Fair Lady, Next to Normal and more new musical theater material (Drew Gasparini, Jonathan Reid Gealt, Gaby Alter).

And since we're talking producing: Stay tuned for more videos from Carner and Gregor's Showtune Extravaganza, which will take place JULY 25th!

Composers Sing Composers

Working in theater, I have come to the conclusion that for every Stephen Sondheim, there are about 200 equally talented individuals who are capable of writing music that is just as beautiful. New musical theater is big in NYC, and while you may not have heard of many new musical theater composers, I am here to tell you that they run this industry. Years from now, their work will be produced on a Broadway stage and I hope to be the one who does that.

Last month, Ashley and I produced Composers Sing Composers. It's exactly what is sounds like. We took eight of the most talented new musical theater composers and gave them a stage to sing on... They sang their own songs and each other's songs and in the end, it was a fantastic night. It was rewarding to see these amazing composers take the stage, and share their music proudly rather than having another Broadway name perform it (as is usually the case).

The concert was held at Le Poisson Rouge, a very trendy venue, and the evening went quite well. We had the pleasure of working with some of our favorite people from Trails which was great...

Here are some of my favorite videos of the night:



Mrs. Sharp by Ryan Scott Oliver performed by the full cast


Drew Gasparini singing Run Away With Me by Kerrigan & Lowdermilk


Half a Gun written and performed by Zoe Sarnak, featuring Joey Contreras


My Best Friend written and performed by Jonathan Reid Gealt, featuring Drew Gasparini


Gaby Alter singing The Seraph by Ryan Scott Oliver


Alaska written and performed by Adam Gwon

take back the stage

I love Carner and Gregor (aka Sam and Derek) music. I do. A few months ago, I attended one of their "Barely Legal" concerts and we approached them about producing opportunities. Good thing I listen to no one because everyone told me they wouldn't be interested. After a few meetings we decided to collaborate on their Take Back The Stage series. TBTS features performers who are still working their way up to their big break. Sam and Derek cast the  show beautifully with people they'd been wanting to work with. 

I LOVED working on this project. Ashley, Rob and I really love their music and loved being so involved from start to finish. 

The show took place at The Underground Lounge on December 9th. Our TBTS cast rocked the house in front of a sold out crowd. Thanks to those of you who were there to support me (as a producer) and our amazing performers as they keep going with hopes to someday do the same thing on a Broadway stage. Here are a few videos of my favorite songs... 

Courtney Merrell sings "Sing But Don't Tell

Nick Gaswirth sings "After Hours"

Katelyn Ann Mullen sings "So Far From Pennsylvania"

Let's Blaze a Trail

My latest show, TRAILS, was part of the prestigious New York Musical Theater Festival (NYMF 2010). Every year, tons of musicals are submitted but only 30 are chosen...

About: Two friends make good on a childhood promise to hike the Appalachian Trail from beginning to end. Over the six month, 2000 mile journey, past and present intertwine as the two face both the elements and the ghosts that haunt their memories. As they sift through the ashes of their tumultuous history, a bond of brotherhood struggles to be reborn.

Matt Lutz as Seth and Nick Dalton as Mike

Cast: Vanessa Ray (TONY winning revival or HAIR, Damages, As The World Turns), Nick Dalton (Hairspray Las Vegas, Legally Blonde Tour), Matt Lutz (Trails LA, A Walk to Remember, Bringing Down the House), Hollis Scarborough (Hairspray Las Vegas, Across the Universe), Kate Kearney-Patch (Law Abiding Citizen, The Sixth Sense) and David Atkinson (Trails LA, Heroes, Christmas with the Kranks).

Nick as Mike and Hollis as Faith

Writing team: Jeff Thomson (music), Jordan Mann (lyrics) and Christy Hall Lutz (book). 


Crew: Directed by the fabulous Jen Bender (artistic director of Broadway in South Africa). Co-produced by Sami Saltzman, Rob Intile, Ashley Mas and ME. (plus 2 others I'd rather not talk about...)

The lovely Kate Kearney-Patch as Grandma Harley

Favorite song: Stories in the Sky, closely followed by Run, Run, Run and Places in Between

Stories in the Sky- Performed by Matt Lutz (center), Autumn Hurlbert and Zachery Prince. Matt was in our NYMF cast as Seth.

The fabulous Hollis Scarborough at NYMF Open Mic Night at New World Stages. She was still learning the song, so she jumps around a bit but her performance is stellar.

Why I love it: The theme of forgiveness is present throughout the whole show... forgiveness and healing. Learning to let go. Love. Friendship. Honesty.

Vanessa and Matt 

Most unforgettable moment: The Saturday before our show opened at NYMF, we ran the entire show (without sets or costumes) and when Nick, Matt and Vanessa sang Stories in The Sky, it got me.... like A LOT. I got the lyrics, I got the meaning and since they were standing right in front of me, I could see how the beautiful lyrics affected them. The feeling in that room was electric. Even though we were in a tiny studio, I felt as though their words shot right out of the room and echoed far.

All good things must come in 3...

Greatest challenge: Thinking of ways to market the show... I got really good ones! I made our boys attend a Gay Men's Networking Event to promote our show there. Apparently, they had no clue it was a gay men's social. I sent them an email... Perhaps they should have read it :) Our lovely Hollis sang at the NYMF Open Mic Night (see video above). The fabulous Vanessa Ray sang Miles of Time on Sirius XM Radio on Seth Rudetsky's radio show...

David Atkinson is probably one of the nicest people I've ever met...

V Ray was a rockstar and learned this song in ONE day to have it ready for the Seth Rudetsky broadcast

Cast (minus Vanessa Ray) of Trails

Nick

Vanessa, Matt and Nick

AWARDS

Best of Fest Audience Choice: Runner-up

Excellence in Writing (Music): Jeff Thomson, winner

Excellence in Writing (lyrics): Jordan Mann, runner-up

The Stage Entertainment USA Development Award 

Small things count for more at journey's end...

Sing for The Cure: A Benefit

Rob and I put together a benefit concert on August 15th to benefit our Fringe festival play, and the American Cancer Society. I loved putting together a benefit concert! We did everything from scouting venues, to booking performers, to handling press. We also had my good friend Elise McKenna accompany everybody on the piano.

Our line up included Tommar Wilson (Hairspray, HAIR), Russell Fischer (Jersey Boys), Taylor Frey (Hairspray tour, Finian's Rainbow, South Pacific), my dear friend Rory O'Malley (Dreamgirls motion picture, The 25th Annial Putnam County Spelling Bee and more importantly, a co-founder of Broadway Impact), and the ever fabulous Julie Reiber (Wicked, Brooklyn, All Shook Up).

The evening was hosted by Josh Hemphill who played the role of Trent in How My Mother Died of Cancer, and Other Bedtime Stories.

Our concert received press coverage from Playbill.com, BroadwayWorld.com and Theatremania.com. For the stories, click on the links:

Playbill
BroadwayWorld
Theatremania
Jersey Boys Blog
Living Free in the NYC

Check out some of our performances...


Russell Fischer- Bridge Over Troubled Water


Rory O'Malley- Sittin' On The Dock Of The Bay


Tommar Wilson- What A Wonderful World


Taylor Frey- Halfway Home (by Andre Catrini)


Julie Reiber- When You're Around

Thanks to everyone who came to support our show (and probably their friends who sang in the show), particularly James, Tim, Jenny, Gerold, Nick, and the Cancer Play cast.

How My Mother Died of Cancer, And Other Bedtime Stories...

Rob found us a second project. This time, we were to produce a play called How My Mother Died of Cancer, and Other Bedtime Stories which was set to appear in the 2010 New York International Fringe Festival. The Fringe is one of the most prestigious theater festivals in the world and we were thrilled to be a part of the New York chapter.

The play, inspired by playwright Chris Kelly’s real-life loss of his mother and including elements of his own experience, reflects humorously and sometimes uncomfortably on the effects of death on a family. Structured as a play within a play, it depicts a group of loved ones trying to cope with a matriarch’s absence, each other’s presence, and the complications that ensue when we try to tell competing versions of the same life story. Part tragedy, part comedy, and part eulogy, the piece strives to take the audience on a revealing and personal journey through diagnosis, treatment, funeral, and everything after.

Given the subject matter, and the sometimes insensitive and straightforward humor, I wasn't sure how audiences would take to it. Still, I think this piece has lots of little nuggets hidden throughout and I really love the journey the family takes throughout the play. Well, audiences loved it! They couldn't get enough of it. They loved all our amazingly talented actors. People laughed and some even cried. At one of our performances, I sat next to a lady who literally sobbed throughout the whole thing. When she found out I was a producer for the show, she gave me a big hug. Our Fringe run was a success, and we sold out 4 out of 5 performances. The one performance we didn't sell out, we were only about 10 seats away from selling out. 

We got fantastic reviews! Theatre is Easy called it “a very funny, deeply tender work.” MusicOMH.com branded the show “a must-see,” citing that “the genius of Kelly's play is its ability to hold an audience assuredly in the palm of its hand.”

The success of our show was noticed by the heads of the Fringe Festival and they have invited us to take part in their FringeNYC Encores Series, meaning... we received an extension of 4 performances! We are thrilled! Out of the 197 shows that played in FringeNYC, only 21 were offered an extension. 

Major snaps go out to my amazing partner in crime Rob without whom, I would not have been involved in this production. Also, to Chris Kelly who really laid everything out on the table and didn't tip toe around what it means to lose someone you love to cancer. Having been there myself, I identified with his message more than I thought I would. A last round of thanks to the amazing actors and crew. This process was very much a learning experience for everyone involved and I am thrilled it has been such a success.

Opening number of How My Mother Died of Cancer, and Other Bedtime Stories. 

The cast of How My Mother Died of Cancer, and Other Bedtime Stories. 

Dylan Kammerer as Barry and Josh Hemphill as Trent

Mike Boland as Dad and Sharon Wyse as Eve Gerrity, the actress hired to play the role of Mom

Jim deProphetis as Tim Morgan and Elizabeth Romanski as Kate Morgan

Merrily Merrily Merrily...

Now that my Europe blogging days are gone, I can finally update you on life! My friend Rob (who is also my favorite person in the whole world*) sat down with me at brunch shortly after my return from Europe to talk business.

He had come up on an opportunity to produce a play written by his roommate, Becca Schlossberg called Merrily Merrily Merrily. On a certain Saturday morning over brunch at one of my favorite spots in the West Village, we finally decided we were ready to start producing theater. Rob and I are a perfect producing team. He's got the business mind and I have the creative/media brain. We work so well together.

Our first production as a partnership was part of the Midtown International Theatre Festival. Merrily Merrily Merrily is an exciting new work by an emerging playwright that explores the depths of a woman’s mind at the end of her life as she revisits the moments of joy in her past. It speaks of self acceptance as well as acceptance of other's beliefs and lifestyles, whether we agree with them or not. The play was based on the Laramie Project and I found extremely relevant to this specific time in history.

It was a good first experience. I really enjoyed working on this project. Our director Maddie taught me a lot about the backend of directing. My dear friend Ashley stage managed the production. I was also blown away by the actors. The subject matter was not exactly light, but they handled it graciously and did a fantastic job.

Amber LaCasse as Cade and Dylan Kammerer as Ben Medina

Dylan Kammerer as Ben Medina

Alex Enquist as Andrew Simmons, Amber LaCasse as Cade and Dylan Kammerer as Ben Medina

The Cast of Merrily Merrily Merrily

I wanna be a producer...Lunch at Sardi's every day

It's funny how things fall into your lap right when you most need them to... My friends, I am working as a producer for two plays that will run in two of New York's best known theater festivals. I am really excited to take on these projects and be able to work on what I love most.

My producing partner and I are working on Merrily, Merrily, Merrily (Midtown Theater Festival) and How My Mother Died of Cancer and Other Bedtime Stories (New York International Fringe Festival). We're excited and also very nervous... As producers, our job is to raise the funds necessary to put on a production and funding these two shows is a learning process for us.

The good thing about our shows is that both contain messages that resonate well with people and we're confident that the theater crowd will take a liking to our productions.

Some of you may get a letter from me soon... so look out for that!

In the mean time, I'll keep working my way to the Great White Way...