NEW EPISODE! STAGES: Stories from the BW Music Theater Program - Pt. 16

STAGES Part 16: The Road to Broadway....this episode looks at preparations for the class of 2010 Showcase for casting agents in New York City. Go with the class to the Big Apple and see how Broadway stars are made!

GYPSY PHOTOS!

CLICK HERE to check out some cast and production photos from"Gypsy"!

For Mother's Day

In honor of Mother's Day and my mom, Linda, just sharing some thoughts from my Director's Note from the program for "Gypsy":

I dedicate this production to my mother Linda Short. Like so many strong and amazing women - including Mama Rose - she was a single mom raising two kids, my younger brother and me. When I think of Rose, it’s not the image of her as the epitome of a manic stage mother who won’t let anything – including her daughters’ happiness – get in the way of her dream of fame and fortune that I think of. I’ve always identified with Gypsy as simply the story of an extraordinary single mom doing whatever she thinks is necessary for her and her kids to survive. Just like my mom. And just like the extraordinary performer playing Rose in this production, Monica Olejko, the first and only person I wanted to play the part from the very beginning. It’s only now that I’m a parent of two daughters myself, that I can truly appreciate the fact that the sheer fear these incredible women - and so many others like them - must have felt while wondering where the next meal was going to come from, was tempered only by the pride, determination and strength to overcome it. It’s easy to judge an iconic character like Rose as being selfish and overbearing. Indeed, it may be a vast understatement to say the real-life mother of Gypsy Rose Lee - Rose Thompson Hovick - was, at times colorful, unusual and disturbing. But no one can doubt the love she had for her kids and the lengths she would go to to protect them. And no one who knows my family can doubt my mom has always been the same way. And when she sees this production I hope she knows that there is no doubt that the feeling is mutual.

This production wouldn’t be possible without the incredible work of our creative team – Music Director Georgiann Bodle, Choreographer Katie Kocik, Costumer David Glowe, Stage Manager Annmarie Steffes, Scenic Artist Michael Lenzo, Props Managers Mary Ann Hippsley and Judy Pekarik and the entire BTOTS team, Scott McPherson, Don Albainy, Hadden Hippsley, Michelle Albainy, Kim Bush and Pam Ciccarello. Thank you.

I am in awe of the talent and dedication of this cast and crew. Love and thanks to you all. But most of all, love and thanks to my family Lisa (another incredible mom) and my girls Mikey and Bailey…and of course to Mom. I love you.

Geoff

GREAT REVIEW FOR GYPSY!!

"GYPSY"! GREAT REVIEW & SELLING OUT!!

CLICK HERE for the Sun News review of "Gypsy"!

It's a hit!! Shows sold out this weekend!!!


(from left to right: Jeanette Luli as "Electra", Kim Bush as "Tessie Tura" and Heather Hersh as "Mazeppa" in "Gypsy" at Brecksville Theater on the Square. Photo by Geoff Short)

GYPSY: PRESS PREVIEW!

More great press for our production of "Gypsy" at Brecksville Theater on the Square!


CLICK HERE for a local newspaper preview from the Sun News!

Costumer David Glowe with Jeanette Luli
who plays "Electra" in Gypsy at
Brecksville Theater on the Square

Photo by INGRID SCHAEFER SPRAGUE

Fantastic Article on Cleveland Community Theater and Our Production of "GYPSY"!

My mind is truly blown to have been featured in this amazing article that was the lead story in the Cleveland Plain Dealer's Arts Section on Sunday April 25th about community theater and our production of "Gypsy"!

http://www.cleveland.com/arts/index.ssf/2010/04/community_theaters_in_northeas.html

Call-Back: Video Preview of "GYPSY"

A preview I produced looking at the upcoming production of "Gypsy" that I am directing at Brecksville Theater on the Square

http://geoffreyshort.com/Geoff_Short/Gypsy.html
Reserve your tickets now by calling 440•526•6436
Book by Arthur Laurents
Music By Jule Styne
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Suggested by memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee
DIRECTED BY GEOFFREY SHORT
MUSICAL DIRECTION BY GEORGIANN BODLE
CHOREOGRAPHY BY KATIE KOCIK
COSTUMES BY DAVID GLOWE

Video Preview I produced for important upcoming production of "Eat (It's Not About Food)"

www.fredsternfeld.com/eat.htm

A preview look at the upcoming Fairmount Performing Arts Conservatory production of "Eat (It's Not About Food)" by Linda Daugherty and Directed by Fred Sternfeld.

Running April 15 - May 2, 2010

Video produced by Geoff Short (www.geoffreyshort.com)

EAT (Its Not About Food) is a humorous and poignant look at the dangerous and baffling world of eating disorders and our societys obsession with food, appearance and body image.

The play candidly explores causes and warning signs, and takes a hard look at the influences of society and the media. The play tells individual stories of teens and adults struggling with this epidemic and too often tragic problem.

LET US ENTERTAIN YOU!

As one (Blue) Door closes, another opens...and so another theater adventure begins as my next directing project begins. This time it's the musical "Gypsy" at Brecksville Theater on the Square (BTOTS). I love this historic theater because it's a smallspace which forces you to be very creative with staging. I prefer smaller casts anyhow and we will have 20 people in this cast. We've gotten through auditions and the cast is amazing, starring the only person I could envision in this role- the incomparable Monica Olejko as Rose. Meet the cast at: http://geoffreyshort.com/Geoff_Short/Gypsy_CAST.html

GYPSY
APRIL 30TH-MAY 16TH, 2010
Reserve your tickets now by calling (440) 526-6436 440•526•6436 440•526•6436

Book by Arthur Laurents Music by Jule Styne
Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Suggested by memoirs of Gypsy Rose Lee

DIRECTED BY GEOFFREY SHORT
MUSICAL DIRECTION BY GEORGIANN BODLE
CHOREOGRAPHY BY KIM BUSH
COSTUMES BY DAVID GLOWE

STARRING MONICA OLEJKO AS ROSE

with
ROB GIBB as Herbie

BRIDGET CHEBO as Louise
KATIE O'CONNOR as June
TIA KARAPLIS as Baby Louise
EMILY TABAR as Baby June
KIM BUSH as Tessie Tura
HEATHER HERSH as Mazeppa
JEANETTE LULI as Electra
SHANE SINISCALCHI as Tulsa
LUKE SCATTERGOOD as L.A.
DEBBIE LENARZ as Angie
NICK ROYAK as Yonkers
THERESA PEDONE as Marjorie May/Miss Cratchitt
BOB KENDERES as Pop/Goldstone/Cigar
MICHAEL PITT as Jocko/Weber/Kringlein/Pastey
JOEY STEFANKO as Young Tulsa
JORDAN STEFANKO as Young Yonkers
MEGHAN JOYCE as Young Angie
CAROLINA MANFREDI as Young Yonkers

NEW "STAGES" EPISODE - PT.13: Broadway Star Comes Back Home!

STAGES: Stories from the BW Music Theater Program - Pt. 13: Broadway star and Baldwin-Wallace Music Theater Graduate Steel Burkhardt (currently starring in "HAIR" on Broadway) comes back to campus for a visit with current MT students.

Produced by Geoff Short (www.geoffreyshort.com)

A "Blue Door" Closes...But so many have opened!

Thanks so much to everyone at Dobama Theater for the wonderful experience of "Blue Door". We closed the show last weekend and doing a show like this can be a really life changing experience. I learned so much from our Director Scott Plate and from my amazing co-star Rod Ingram, a performer over 20 years my junior but one taught me so much about depending on just one other actor on a stage. Of course we couldn't have done any of it without our incredible Stage Manager Sarah Nicholas - our "3rd cast member"! This truly was the most challenging theater experience of my life and one I'm definitely so grateful for.




Here's a cool audio recording of a scene from "Blue Door" heard on WCPN's Around Noon with Dee Perry - Scene starts at 26:22: http://bit.ly/c9oNfe

NEW "STAGES" EPISODE - PT.12: Call-Backs for "CHESS"!

STAGES: Stories from the BW Music Theater Program - Pt. 12: A look at the Call-Backs for the Spring musical "Chess", including observations about the show from Conservatory Director Peter Landgren.

NEW STAGES EPISODE!!!

STAGES: Stories from the BW Music Theater Program - Pt. 11: "Breaking the Fourth Wall: Performing Off-Campus". In this episode, go on the road with BW music theater students as they perform at venues outside of Baldwin-Wallace, including a benefit for a local community theater and a play Directed by Asst. Professor & Dept.Chair Scott Plate.

STAGES: Stories from the BW Music Theater Program - Pt. 10 "Making a Buck"

Check out this week's new episode of STAGES: Stories from the BW Music Theater Program Pt. 10... "Making a Buck" ...Baldwin-Wallace Music Theater students have lives offstage too. This look at a not-so-typical day and working night of one of those students shows that students work just as hard outside the theater.

CHECK OUT LATEST EPISODE OF "STAGES"!

Episode 9 of STAGES: Stories from the BW Music Theater Program is a look at the Senior Class workshop production of the new musical "See Rock City" by Adam Mathias and Brad Alexander. Each Fall the Senior Class presents full staging of a new work in workshop form. This year's project "See Rock City" was a National Alliance for Music Theater (N.A.M.T.) winner. BW is a member of N.A.M.T. and "See Rock City" examines different relationships using the themes of traveling to various vacation destinations.

CLICK HERE TO SEE ALL THE "STAGES" EPISODES!

New Year...New Website!

I'm starting off the new year with a new website!! It's at:

WWW.GEOFFREYSHORT.COM

I'd love your feedback! Check out the pages for "Gypsy" my next directing project coming up in the Spring at Brecksville Theatre on the Square.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!!

Video: Planning Music Entertainment from Geoff Short and DJ Scott Jones

Check out this cool video courtesy of Mystic Image Video. Me and DJ Scott Jones hosting an information video about planning music entertainment from Jerry Bruno Productions.

Jerry Bruno Productions Preview Video from Mystic Image Video on Vimeo.

Check Out "STAGES" Part 8!

Enjoy Pt. 8 - A behind the scenes look at the Junior Class Songwriter's Showcase of new music called "First Takes" both at Baldwin-Wallace and as the class takes the show on the road to Night Town in Cleveland Heights.

This documentary series follows the stories of the students and teachers of the acclaimed Baldwin-Wallace College Music Theatre Program led by Victoria Bussert. Produced by theater artist and documentarian Geoffrey Short, STAGES gives viewers unprecedented access to this exclusive program that draws the very best talent from around the country to this small private college in Berea, Ohio (just southwest of Cleveland). Graduates of this program often go on to careers on Broadway. Learn more about Baldwin-Wallace College at www.bw.edu. See other theater video documentary series from Geoff Short at www.youtube.com/CallBackCleveland.

Cool AVENUE Pic from Genevieve Nisly!

Thanks Genevieve Nisly for the great Avenue pic!


The singers of The Avenue at the Hillbrook Club, 2009 (l. to r.) Leigh Peterson, Geoff Short, Tiffany Marchak).

CHECK OUT "STAGES: Stories from the BW Music Theater Program" - PART 7!!

Enjoy Pt. 7 - The big day for nervous high school seniors auditioning to get into the exclusive BW Music Theater program plus a look at the audition day master class with Broadway Casting Director Bob Cline including performances from a few BW seniors.

This documentary series follows the stories of the students and teachers of the acclaimed Baldwin-Wallace College Music Theatre Program led by Victoria Bussert. Produced by theater artist and documentarian Geoffrey Short, STAGES gives viewers unprecedented access to this exclusive program that draws the very best talent from around the country to this small private college in Berea, Ohio (just southwest of Cleveland). Graduates of this program often go on to careers on Broadway. Learn more about Baldwin-Wallace College at www.bw.edu. See other theater video documentary series from Geoff Short at www.youtube.com/CallBackCleveland.