Teaser

Although my posts have been less frequent of late, that is about to change. I have been working hard on two new projects that will be featured on the blog, and one announcement for a staged reading.

1) Behind the scenes run up to the opening of Fanny Hill in Ohio at the Kalliope Stage. Fanny's First Time in the regional theater market. Interviews are underway with the creative staff and cast. This will be a great play by play for getting a show up and running. Should be a lot of fun.

2) I will be running a new feature on the blog with my dear friend Ed Dixon. There are 2 kinds of famous people out there, one being the celebrity that is known by legions of fans and exposure but has probably had little interaction with all the people who know them, and then there are those folks that literally KNOW legions of people, have actually worked with them and interacted with them. Ed is one of these people. And the stories he can tell about all of these legions, both famous and infamous, are amazing. Well we will be sharing those stories here on the blog under the new feature, "How do you know Ed Dixon?" (working title). This will be a blast. Check out his site at http://www.eddixon.biz/

3) I interviewed DJ Salisbury in December about his upcoming project Super Chix. They will be having a performance of the piece at the Zipper Theater on February 1st. Check out the following facebook event page for more details, http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=7919778004&ref=mf

See you again soon!

dreampeddler

DJ Salisbury directing Super Chix Reading

Web 2.0 is an amazing thing. Facebook, Linkedin and MySpace all allow for us to get back in touch with folks we have worked with from way back. It's just great. Recently, I was able to reconnect with DJ Salisbury who worked with me forever ago on GREASE! As so many of us who started as actors/performers in the theater, DJ too has moved "to the other side of the table" as a director/choreographer. This happens so much in the theater as I think about my friends from Scarlett Pimpernell. Many of that cast have gotten into producing, casting, directing and even writing. This is such a challenging business that you have to wear as many hats as possible just to stay in it!

I spoke with DJ about his new project in development:

DREAMPEDDLER: What is the name of your project?

DJ: Working title is SUPER CHIX. Written by Lourds Lane. She tours with her band Lourds and has developed a following in New York and elsewhere.

DREAMPEDDLER: What is it about?

DJ: A comic book artist, distraught over how a recent break up has robbed her of her self-worth, finds new strength and possibility through the irreverent 'wisdom' of a band of off-center superheroes.

DREAMPEDDLER: Do you have any actors or other name talent attached?

DJ: Frenchie Davis (American Idol) has agreed to play one of the Super Chix and all of the other singer/actors are front women for existing rock bands.

DREAMPEDDLER: What is your position for it? Director/Choreographer/Writer/Producer?

DJ: I am the director and dramaturg. There will be dance in the form of modern adagio (one couple appears throughout the show) and we are still in search of a choreographer. In our reading, we will not have dance but rather a person describing the dances and theatrical visuals.

DREAMPEDDLER: How did you find the project?

DJ: I was recommended by one of the attached actors. Her name is Kacie Sheik (yes, she has a famous music industry relative) and I directed her in a show about four years ago. She has been singing more often than acting since then and has developed a following. I recall hearing that I was one of three directors the writer/singer/actor met. We hit it off and she was drawn to my vision for the expansion of the piece.

DREAMPEDDLER: Do you have producers attached?

DJ: Since we are in the early stages, there is no producer attached as yet. Lourds has said that she has some interest and she does have an angel or two to help us put up a reading at the Zipper Factory in January.

DREAMPEDDLER: What are your goals or steps in place to get it up and running, i.e. staged readings, putting it into NYMF, doing a regional production to hopefully move?

DJ: Staged reading in late January. I do not think we'll go into a festival setting...given that the talent is from the music industry (i.e., of varying schedules) and that the visual concepts will be important to the overall experience, it would not be well represented in a minimal showcase. Our model is more like De La Guarda or a small scale Cirque in terms of visual realization. A multi-media theater "experience" more than a book musical.


Thanks again to DJ for spending some time on the blog. I'll check back in with him as the show progresses.