CRASS COMMERCIAL CATCH UP

Hey everyone - 

Thanks for stopping by my little place in cyberspace. I haven't updated in awhile because I got married, and then went into rehearsals for a show.

I will be catching anyone who cares up in my catch up posts (see catch up #1 below) - a sort of serial style version of what happened at the wedding, and since (so I don't have to write it all in one post). But in the meantime, we must acknowledge the present and future!

I am currently in Miss Saigon at Signature Theatre, which runs through September 29th (just extended). I am in the ensemble, and was also Assistant Choreographer.  Here are some shots from the show, courtesy of Chris Mueller.

If you have not secured your tickets yet, I would do so ASAP.  The show is selling out like crazy. The cast is fantastic, and I am having a great time doing it.  It is an exhausting show, however. When you aren't on stage, you are changing clothes for the next time you come on. But to be a part of this epic show is a dream come true, and I am so grateful to be a part of this incredible cast.

Our musical, Night of the Living Dead is going to have its regional premiere in St. Louis this fall, at New Line Theatre. It runs October 10th to November 2nd. I am thrilled to see how it goes, and excited to see it having life since it's first full production last year.

I am involved in several other productions later this year and next, but I can't say what they are yet, because they haven't released the full casts yet, so ....details to follow. 

So in the meantime, come see Miss Saigon - it is not to be missed - TICKETS HERE.

If you want more info on New Line Theatre in St. Louis, check it out HERE.

Thanks for reading, and I will continue to update as we go through the run of Miss Saigon.

xoxoSGS

HUMP DAY CHECK IN - 2/20/13

So the great grey beast of February limps along here in Smith-Conner land. Is it Spring yet? By the look at the outside temperature right now, I'm guessing not. Working outdoors this Winter has really taken it's toll on me.  I am more than ready for warm weather to return before my skin starts to crack apart.

I finally cast the last male role in Thunder Knocking on the Door, so I am excited to unveil my cast very soon! It is an amazingly talented group of performers, and they are certain to rip the roof off of Creative Cauldron this Spring! I will give you two hints until then...the cast features two actors recently seen in Signature Theatre's Dreamgirls, and one actor recently seen in my production of the musical talked about below...Stay tuned for details...

                                                               (Photo by JoNell Franz)
Night of the Living Dead the Musical will play this Fall in St. Louis at New Line Theatre! We are beyond excited to have the full show make it's professional regional debut! I cannot wait to bring you more details through the coming months about the St. Louis NOTLD! Here is an article on Broadway World announcing it!




In the current installment of SH*T I LIKE, we have another film that yielded unexpected results...

This film is ridiculous and entertaining from minute one.  The film explores the genre of "no reason", as a tire raises itself up in a desert, and goes on a killing rampage with it's telekinetic powers. It makes no sense.  It isn't supposed to. It is my current favorite film. The always wonderful Stephen Spinella stars and narrates the film. It is currently on Netflix Instant, so check it out! (WARNING - if you are grossed out by over the top special effects such as exploding heads, skip this one.)

Stanford Mixed Company, an a cappella group I accidentally discovered, has an amazing CD on iTunes called, "The Other Side of Blue".  It features songs by the Indigo Girls, Dave Matthews Band, Madonna, Pat Benetar, U2, and others.  They are an incredible group, and I have NEVER been into a cappella until hearing this CD. Check them out on iTunes, and you can hear their cover of Madonna's Crazy for You HERE.

That is all for now, so until next time - keep battling the great grey beast...March is almost here!
xoxoxoxoxSGS

Mea Culpa

Oh dear readers (if any are still out there), forgive me, for I have sinned.  My last blog entry was 3 months ago. Well, much has happened. Cole Porter opened and closed to wonderful reviews, and a Helen Hayes Reccomendation. I was beyond proud.  I loved the show so much, and the performances that Carolyn Cole and Sean Thompson gave were magnificent. Whorehouse went chugging along well, until I fractured two toes near the end of September.  It happened in the middle of the Aggie dance on a matinee.  I finished out both shows (it was a Sunday), then on Monday I went to Urgent Care and got the x-rays proving the two fractures were indeed there. I was out of the show for around a week.

I almost went crazy laying flat on my back for the off time. I should have blogged then, but I was too busy in LivingDead world. The show was in the middle of rehearsals, and I was revising the book, and obsessing over it. And watching Walking Dead, The New Normal, and American Horror Story; Asylum. I finished out the last week of the show, then opened LivingDead, and obsessed over it for the entire run. The run was helpful for me to watch and learn from.  I had an amazing cast, and was very proud of the work we did. The show was well reviewed, and I am still revising it for it's next appearance in St. Louis this coming Fall. The good news is that I am not applying major surgery to the piece, as after the first reading, but merely nips and tucks.

 

After LivingDead was done, I have gone back to my 3 day/night jobs (teaching/walking dogs/bartending). I choreographed a dance sequence for Creative Cauldron's production of "Christmas Cabin of Carnaween", which was reviewed well - "Driven gently ahead by excellent storytelling, folksy singing, and surprisingly good Irish-style dancing in a tiny space, this little production does the job explaining the reason for the season."

I was also featured in a tv spot on the after school classes that I teach.

After (thank GOD) President Obama was re-elected, and in our planning of our June wedding, I was interviewed by the Baltimore Sun about considering Maryland as a wedding location. We are still undecidied, and will probably wait until after the holidays to finalize plans.

The next theatrical project that I have in the pipeline is directing "Thunder Knocking on the Door" at Creative Cauldron this coming Spring. I saw this show at Arena Stage about 10 times in 1998, and am so excited to bring it back to the Washington area.

 

I am back in the blogging world, I promise. I will be doing year end wrap ups for the next few weeks leading up to 2013. Thank you to anyone who still reads this and gives a shit.

Talk soon, xoxoxoSGS

 

Kensington, Cole Porter, Jaylee Mead, Pug Chaises...

Hey everyone! Sorry I haven't written in a few weeks, but man, I've been a little crazy busy!
Where to begin?
Well, when last I wrote, you see we were missing a Tom for NOTLD at Kensington.  We found one, and the cast was finally announced on my Letters from the Living Dead series over at DCMetroTheaterarts.com - go check the article out over HERE.

Rehearsals have been going well, and I am always excited to get back into the rehearsal room with my awesome cast!


I recently took on another project, which is putting together a Cole Porter review and directing it at Creative Cauldron. The show will feature Carolyn Cole and Sean Thompson, and with that cast and the subject matter, what more could you want?  The show is called Cole Porter: You're the Top!
The show runs from October 5th through the 28th. For more information, click HERE.











The Whorehouse keeps chugging along over at Signature, where tonight we will be dimming the Signature marquee in honor of the passing of Jaylee Mead. Without the Mead's incredible support to Washington Theatre, I can't imagine what this town would have been like, except a lot less lucky.
I also had the distinction of being picked by Peter Marks for an article of 12 Actors that Washington Loves to Watch. For this article, I had a fashion photo shoot by Marvin Joseph that was incredible.  I am, as always, grateful for this and everything else that is happening in my life.  Oh, and also, Buddha has a new chaise lounge. Till later, my friends...

xoxoSGS

MISSING: TOM

Seeking non equity caucasian male, 20's, high tenor (A) for World Premiere of NightoftheLivingDead the musical at Kensington Arts Theatre (www.katonline.org)
Share this to your friends who fit the bill.  Non paying gig, but still a fantastic opportunity.
Needing to see actors for the role ASAP, maybe even as soon as tomorrow evening. Spread the word! Running out of time here!

Tuesday Check-in...Barbies, Marvin Hamlisch, Aggie Boys, Open House, Missing Ben...

Hey everyone! Well, we are heading into tech week for Whorehouse, so my world is about to get craaaazzzzy busy. Until then, here's what I know...

-Part three of my series, Letters from the Living Dead over at DCMetroTheaterArts.com is up and available to read right HERE.

-Award winning composer, Marvin Hamlisch has died at the age of 68.  So terribly sad to hear. I had the privilege of working with him once, at the Helen Hayes Awards. I will never forget the experience. Rest in Peace, sir.  You are much more than one singular sensation.

-Here is a nice picture taken of us at the Open House this past Saturday by Weslie Woodley!


-Over HERE is a quick glimpse into the Aggie dance from Whorehouse...

And other than that, we are still looking for a Ben for NightoftheLivingDead the musical, if I haven't mentioned that.  The search for Ben continues this week, with the clock ever ticking down.  If you know of an African American male tenor with a high A, good actor, strong physicality and Non AEA, then please send him our way. Until then, I have got to get down to Miss Mona's. I will check in from the Whorehouse very soon!

xoxoSGS

WE STILL NEED A "BEN"!!!

Finding Ben

I have posted my second entry in my Letters from the Living Dead series over on DCMetroTheaterArts.com - it concerns finding the lead role of our show, Ben. Go check it out over HERE!

LETTERS FROM THE LIVING DEAD

I will be writing a feature on DCMetroTheaterArts.com about the process from page to stage of our musical, NightoftheLivingDead as it unfolds at Kensington Arts Theater. I wrote the first post last night, as we had out first night of auditions last night. This will be a fun series to write, and I look forward to the next entry. We have one more night of open call auditions for the show tomorrow night, so hopefully we have a fantastic turn out and will soon get to meet the inhabitants of the Farmhouse! Read the article HERE. XOXOSGS

NightoftheLivingDead Auditions!

If you are a non Equity actor, please come out and audition for Kensington Arts Theatre's production of the musical that Matt and I wrote, NightoftheLivingDead. I will be directing it!

NightoftheLivingDead (the musical) **WORLD PREMIERE**

AUDITIONS:
Time: July 30 & August 1 (7:30pm)
Place: Kensington Town Center | 3710 Mitchell Street | Kensington, MD 20895
...
CALLBACKS:
Time: August 2 (7:30pm)
Place: Crossway Community | 3015 Upton Drive | Kensington, MD 20895

PERFORMANCES:
October 26, 27, November 2, 3, 4, 9, 10, 11, 16, 17
Fri/Sat @ 8pm, Sun @ 3pm

THE STORY:
Six strangers are trapped in a house for eternity, reliving the last night of their lives over and over as a deadly force from the outside threatens to find its way in.

With book & lyrics by Stephen Gregory Smith and music & lyrics by Matt Conner (Nevermore, Partial Eclipse, The Hollow) and based on the classic 1968 American horror film, Night of the Living Dead, NightoftheLivingDead the musical re-imagines George Romero's iconic night and examines the relationships between the six doomed individuals, who are themselves, living dead.

Book by Stephen Gregory Smith
Music by Matt Conner
Lyrics by Stephen Gregory Smith and Matt Conner
Directed by Stephen Gregory Smith, Jenna Ballard
Music Direction by Leah Kocsis
Produced by Jenna Ballard

For More Info Visit www.KATonline.org, Call us at 206.888.6642 or e-mail us at katonline.email@gmail.com.

A sneak peak of the cast of NightoftheLivingDead the musical in NYC...

 Sean MacLaughlin is Tom.

 Yvonne Campbell is Helen.

 Aaron Ramey is Harry.

 Angelo Luis Rios is Ben.

 Ashley Picciallo is Judy.

 Melissa Carlile-Price is Barbara.

NightoftheLivingDead the musical runs from May 31st to June 17th on Thursdays through Sundays at the Richmond Shepard Theatre in the Village in NYC. For tickets and further details, please click HERE.

Hump Day Check In - Nevermore will the Boy Detective Fail...

Good Morning, interwebs! I am writing this blog from my new laptop! Yes, folks, the blog will lurch back from the dead now that I have a tool to write on again!

So what is going on? As always, very much.

The Boy Detective Fails is still running for 2 more weeks, so I have about 8 more performances as Billy Argo, Boy Detective. This makes me incredibly sad, and this role has been 2 years in the making. Letting go of this show is going to be like ripping off a very large band aid. Not looking forward to it.

Matt is directing a production of his first show, Nevermore at Creative Cauldron. It features many area favorites, including Priscilla Cuellar, Mary Payne Omohundro, Karissa Lynn Swanigan Upchurch, Katie Culligan, Dani Danger Stoller, and Sean Thompson. I had the priveledge of seeing a run through last wee, and am seeing another one tonight, and can assure you, it is money WELL spent.

It is, first of all, an incredibly SEXY cast. Secondly, the talent of the cast is overpowering. Matt has done some really amazing directing as well! So all in all, I am verrrrry excited about the entire production. Check out www.creativecauldron.org for details and tickets!

And in further Nevermore news, Musically Human Theatre Company, a new emerging company in NYC is looking to produce it's initial season using all Matt Conner shows! They are kicking this off with a concert version of Nevermore, featuring the original Edgar Allan Poe, Dan Cooney, and also Eleasha Gamble! The Concert is November 7th at the Duplex in NYC. Details will follow. After the concert, the group will do a reading of NightoftheLivingDead in December, followed by full productions of both in the spring/summer! The company is raising funds for the Concert over at our favorite fundraising page, Kickstarter - visit their Nevermore event page and donate anything you can!

In other news, I will be posting a look back at the summer, sharing some atrocious movies that I have had the pleasure of discovering, and much more, including coverage of the opening of Nevermore at Creative Cauldron, to coverage of the closing of the AMVP Rep at Signature next week! Please stand by!

xoxosgs

Conner and Smith in the News!

Matt and I are featured in an article by Kris Coronado that appears in the Washington City Paper this week. The article is about NightoftheLivingDead the musical, and the long process of writing it, and the actual reading of it at Kensington Arts Theatre this past October.

We could not be happier with the piece, and cannot thank all of our supporters enough. The article can be found HERE.

And in further Matt Conner news, his CD, WINTER was reviewed by Metro Weekly, placing it one star behind Annie Lennox, but 2 above Mariah Carey...yes, that's right...Annie Lennox= 5 stars, Matt Conner= 4 stars, Mariah Carey= 2 stars. Not bad placement for a first CD at all. The review is located HERE.

Check these out, and thanks so much for your continued support of both of us!!

xoxoxox

SGS

COMING UP!

FROM SIGNATURE THEATRE'S NEWSLETTER...

Page To Stage Monday: December 6

Conversation with STEPHEN GREGORY SMITH

Monday, December 6
7:00 – 8:00 PM

Arlington Public Library, Shirlington Branch
4200 Campbell Avenue

Arlington, VA 22206

Stephen Gregory Smith has performed on the Signature stage for over ten years! In 2004, he received the Helen Hayes Award for Outstanding Supporting Actor for his performance in 110 in the Shade. He was also a member of the Helen Hayes Award-winning cast for Best Ensemble in Les Misérables and in 2009, Stephen played the lead role in Signature's eagerly anticipated new musical The Boy Detective Fails, based on the book by Joe Meno.
Other work at Signature over the last decade has included Kiss of the Spider Woman, Into the Woods, Assassins, One Red Flower, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, and numerous cabaret performances.
Recently, Stephen has branched out in areas other than acting. He is the book writer for a new musical NightoftheLivingDead which had a reading at Kensington Arts Theatre in October. Stephen has been instrumental not only in the creation of the musical, but also in bringing it to life financially. He launched a Kickstarter online fundraising campaign that resulted in raising close to $10,000 to support the show. In addition, Stephen teaches art, creative drama, and improvisation to Fairfax County students through Creative Cauldron in Falls Church.
Now, Stephen Gregory Smith can be seen again on the Signature stage in Sunset Boulevard. Take this opportunity to talk with Stephen about any aspect of his varied career endeavors.
Page to Stage Mondays are free to the public. No tickets or reservations are required.





For tickets to see Stephen in Sunset Boulevard, click here or call 703 573 SEAT.





AND ALSO...



Matt Conner's Debut CD

Matt Conner, a Signature Theatre composer, actor and our lobby pianist, has recorded his first album, entitled WINTER. This Signature-produced CD of holiday favorites with two original songs by Conner is a perfect holiday gift for family and friends. If you've enjoyed Matt's music in the Signature lobby or saw his musical Nevermore, you'll love this mix of holiday songs played by Matt in his Signature style. The CD features 14 melodies including "Jingle Bells" and "O Holy Night" and is available in the Signature Shop beginning November 15.
Be one of the first to purchase this album by attending Matt's WINTER CD signing and release party on Monday, November 15 from 6:30 - 8:30pm in the Signature Lobby. Matt will be on-site to autograph CDs. Join us for a glass of wine and a special concert of the songs from 7:15 to 7:35pm.
WINTER is available for $20. If you purchase 4 CDs, you get one for free.
It's the perfect holiday gift for friends and family!

1ST ANNUAL SHIRLINGTON ZOMBIE WALK!!!

On Sunday, we begin a tradition in Shirlington. Silver Spring has one. DC has one. Now Virginia has one! The First Annual Shirlington Zombie Walk will begin on Sunday, Halloween Night at 9pm. We will meet at Ali's Bar in the lobby of Signature Theatre. Come to the sky bridge entrance on the second floor and bang on the door to get in. There will be drink specials on "Zombies" - my special recipe called the "Shirlington Zombie" - Gold rum, clear rum, agave nectar, pineapple juice, orange juice, amaretto, lime juice, triple sec and sour mix - $9 a drink. after we have hoarded our legions (and protest posters with blood spatters, no words, are recommended), we will walk to Capital City Brewing Company, have a round there, and work our way to Bungalow Billiards. Once finished, the final act of zombiedom will commence; we will walk en mass to Harris Teeter and purchase raw meat. Bring your cameras especially for this facet of the night. This tradition will be kept alive each year, so let's make the start of this one special. Bring your best zombie self, prizes awarded to the top 2 zombies.

For more information, email me at stephenishome@yahoo.com

xoxo

SGS

Snapshot

NOTLD Kickstarter Article

NightoftheLivingDead the musical was featured on DC Theatre Scene in an article about how the project was funded through Kickstarter.com. I was interviewed alongside another creative team who also raised funding for their show in the webite. To read the article, click HERE.