We went “Behind the Persona” with Julia Mattison in New York City recently. She and Noel Carey wrote the lyrics and music for the musical Death Becomes Her, which will be presented at Straz Dec. 8-13. Here’s a lightly-edited transcript of our conversation. For the full discussion, see the video below. https://youtu.be/JxjWBNixPGk How did you... Continue Reading →
A couple of years ago, Jobsite added a one-woman show to its upcoming roster. It had a great run at Joe’s Pub in New York City, and David Jenkins, Jobsite’s producing artistic director, knew just who he wanted for the show’s only role. That play, Penelope: An Epic New Musical, with Jobsite Artistic Associate Colleen... Continue Reading →
A line of cars snakes along West Fortune Street across from the Barrymore Hotel and in front of Patel Conservatory as classes dismiss in the late afternoon. Performing arts parents wait behind their steering wheels for their actors or dancers or musicians to appear. A few parents, mostly dads, are free of their automobiles for... Continue Reading →
It’s August, when West Central Florida’s weather goes from unbearable to “Dear God, no!” The heat and humidity combine to make the walk to your car feel like a death march. Ours is not a dry heat that you barely notice. It is a heavy, sodden heat that can’t be avoided. Given all this, it may strike some residents as strange, perverse even, that so many songs actually celebrate summer. The list... Continue Reading →