Throw Back Thursday - Jonathan Pryce

This photo was taken backstage during My Fair Lady in Concert at the Kennedy Center.  Chris Sizemore, Chris Mueller, and myself knew that we were about to do Miss Saigon, so all of us squeezed in for a picture with Jonathan Pryce. As we took the picture, he softly sang, "What's that I smell in the air?...The American Dream..."
I will truly never forget it!

The past 4 months...in review

Like...whoa.  It's been four months since I have been on here. Why? That's an easy one...wedding planning.

Yes, my last entry was in February, which was the month that Matthew and I picked our theme, and hit the ground running, building a carnival out of things found around our house. All of that is finally done, and we are 6 days till wedding as I sit and type this from the Outer Banks, where we are on vacation before the madness that will be Monday, June 10th. So...what else has happened in the past four months?

1) Thunder Knocking on the Door...

 I had the honor of directing one of my favorite shows of all time at Creative Cauldron this past Spring. The show starred RaMond Thomas (my Ben from NOTLD at KAT), Shayla Simmons, Iyona Blake, Malcolm Lee, and Michael Mainwaring. It got fantastic reviews, and sold very well. It was such a joy to reconnect with this score, after falling in love with it fifteen years ago at Arena Stage.

My cast was amazing, and it was a complete joy to work with each and every one of them. This show also marked the thrid show that I have directed this past year.  I find that I am liking that more and more, and hope that I can continue directing more in the future.

2) My Fair Lady in Concert at the Kennedy Center

I was lucky enough to be involved in The Kennedy Center's Spring Gala, which this year was a production of My Fair Lady in Concert. The cast included Gregory Jbara, Michael York, Laura Michelle Kelly, Cloris Leachman, and Jonathan Pryce, and was Music Directed by James Moore, and Directed by Marcia Milgrom Dodge.  The orchestra was somewhere around 34 pieces.  It was truly sublime.  Having the honor to meet, be in the room with, talk with, and watch these amazing talents was something that I will never forget. 

 James Moore conducts The Kennedy Center Opera Orchestra, as Jonathan Pryce sings "I've Grown Accustomed to Her Face."

                Cloris Leachman and Laura Michelle Kelly as Mrs. Higgins and Eliza Doolittle.

3) The Wedding
While I won't post pictures of all the wedding arts and crafts that we have been working on, I will post a few photos from the actual legal wedding in DC, which took place at the Capital Yacht Club, on board the Lady Elizabeth. It was an absolutely perfect day, and I am so happy to say that Matthew Conner and I are legally married!!!

So this week I will do like I did last year, and give you some beach updates through the week. As I finally have some time to breathe this week, and leading up to our wedding ceremony on June 10th, we can officially say that the blog has come out of hibernation. For all three of you who might care.
xoxoSGS

BREAKING NEWS: Nevermore in Maryland!

THIS IN FROM KENSINGTON ARTS THEATRE...
"KAT will be taking on one of our most ambitious projects ever with NEVERMORE. Commissioned and produced originally by Signature Theatre, we will mount only the second staging of this edgy, new musical.

Audition dates: January 9 & 10, 2007 (callbacks on January 11). Click on the show image for more information. Character breakdowns are coming soon.

With music by Matt Conner, book by Grace Barnes and lyrics adapted from the writings of American fiction writer and poet Edgar Allan Poe, NEVERMORE uses Poe's poetry and short stories as its base and his shifting obsessions with the women in his life as its catalyst. With hauntingly beautiful melodies, NEVERMORE breathes new life into Poe's work and explores a twisted true-life tale as bizarre as his classic stories of the macabre."


Yes, Nevermore will be done for the second time at KAT. Only one year later, I can't wait to see my hubby's first musical created on stage again. Exciting!

MY FAVORITE TAP DUET EVER!

This is from the movie White Christmas. Vera Ellen, the lady dancer in the piece, is one of my favorite performers ever. This holiday classic is one of the best dance movie musicals ever. This movie inspired me to start taking tap lessons at age 8. Enjoy!

MFL CLOSES...

Here are some photos of closing night at the theatre, and then at the cast party.
This show has been a fantastic experience, and I am a better performer for having watched and learned from all involved.
This was the last full production in the old Signature Theatre, and as I left the theatre, I was suprisingly moved. I didn't expect this. I still have to perform in The Last Garage Hurrah in 2 weeks, so I never viewed this show as my last time in the building...but it would be the last full production. I don't know why...I just got all sad. This theatre has harbored many warm memories for me. This theatre has given me my chance in Washington. So strange to say farewell...one farewell of several to come, I know. I somehow think that the next and final farewell will be harder.
I think of how strange it will be to move into a brand spankin' new building that doesn't have the history that you can feel oozing through the cracks in the old theatre's walls...that will feel strange; to not feel the energy of the hundreds of performers who have passed through the space, but to be the first to give that initial energy to a brand new building. It makes me think of a quote sung in a show done in the old building, Allegro, " We have nothing to remember so far, but now we can look forward to the things we'll never forget."
Enjoy and God Bless,
Luv,
SGS

Mrs. Mig pays a visit...

( This Photo of Donna and I is from about January 2004, backstage at Signature Theatre during a performance of Allegro)
Donna came out to Arlington way yesterday. She and I had an interview at 3PM for the Signature Theatre Documentary which proved fun for the both of us. I did my best not to feel like I was in a Christopher Guest movie as the interview was going on. That was the most difficult part of it all. I kept wanting to crack up through the whole thing.
Another funny thing was that we both wore black, as it is the "artsy" and slimming thing to do, well...at least that is why I wore black, I can't speak for her. But halfway through the interview I noticed this, and looked around and saw that we were on an all black set, and directly behind us were two huge black doors. I thought that we might look like members of a satanic cult. This made me have to bite my inner cheek to stop the urge to giggle.
Then she had rehearsal for The Last Garage Hurrah, and I thankfully did not...I am still recovering vocally. I have been getting through the show fine, though. I went home and attacked my library.
I have been trying to reorganize my library shelves...it is a daunting task. One whole wall consists of VHS tapes...these used to be alphabetized, but that has long since has lost it's order. I also have an array of blank tapes that aren't labeled, so I have been going through them, finding out what is on them and labeling them.
Oh folks...I have found many a lost treasure.
Then I reported back to the show, which Mrs. Mig came to see after her rehearsal.
It was so good to see her. We chatted for a few fleeting moments about one of our next two endeavors together, Into the Woods...in which she will be playing my mother. What a hoot we will have together. I told her that I have spotted my "Milky White" cow being constructed in the scene shop. :) The prop designer told me that I will hopefully have my cow for the first rehearsal. :) I can't wait!
But before any of that happens, you can catch us singing together at The Last Garage Hurrah in December.Stay Tuned,
and have a Happy Turkey-Lurkey Day!
Luv,
SGS

Sally Murphy

I miss Sally already.
I love this woman. I learn from her every night.
I love watching her work.
I'm getting a little bit sad.
Close to the end.

Pumpkin Winners...

1st Place: Harry Winter's "Pacific Overtures" pumpkin...








2nd Place: Stevie Cupo's "Minimalist Pumpkin"









3rd Place: MY Cannabalistic Pumpkin







4th Place, Matt's Pumpkin Flower Basket...

MFL...Pumpkin Carving Night!

Tonight, Harry Winter and I organized a pumpkin carving extravaganza! All were invited, yet not all turned out...the turn out was still impressive, though.












These pumpkins will be on display Tuesday night in the lobby for the Halloween audience to vote on their favorite pumpkins. (Listed by title and number, not cast member's name).
There are still plenty of available tickets for Halloween night's performance of MFL, so if you haven't seen it yet, come and buy a ticket, and vote on America's Next Top Pumpkin!
Two teasers...