Call-Back with Geoffrey Short: Spiderman

Tuesday, November 30, 2010

Rooting for Spidey

I agree with Ken Davenport's blog entry yesterday "Superhero spotted on 42nd Street " about the new Spiderman Musical.

I'm rooting for it too. Pushing new boundaries is exciting. I like rethinking and reinventing the art form.

As Ken says, if Spiderman succeeds it could put a lot of people to work and bring many more people to the theatre. Could be a spectacular success or a spectacular failure - either way, both are spectacular!!

I trust the genius of Julie Taymor and I like what she said in the preview piece about Spiderman on 60 Minutes last weekend: "I like it when people say 'that's a terrible idea'"!

I'm sure the Wright brothers heard the same thing. And now, all these years later, you can get groped for free at any airport TSA checkpoint!
Genius.

ABOUT GEOFF

Geoff produces and hosts the video series "CALL-BACK", focused on local community theatre.

Geoff is also the producer of STAGES: Stories from the BW Music Theatre Program. "STAGES"is a documentary series that follows the stories of the students and teachers of the acclaimed Baldwin-Wallace College Music Theatre Program led by Victoria Bussert. 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.

STAGES: Stories from the BW Music Theater Program

Geoff has spent his career in television, radio, print and online advertising, sales and marketing. He has been responsible for the local advertising, branding and promotions for some of the biggest companies in the country including Wal-Mart, The Cleveland Clinic and McDonald's.

Geoff has also spent a lifetime in the performing arts. He is a singer, actor, director and songwriter who has performed in musical theater, pop groups and other performing groups since he was 10 years old. He has written music for radio and television as well as the stage and his jingles and parodies have been heard frequently on Cleveland airwaves.

In 2013, Geoff Directed Jesus Christ Superstar at Brecksville Theatre on the Square. In 2010 Geoff directed Gypsy at Brecksville Theater on the Square. In the 2009 season Geoff Directed the musical City of Angels at Brecksville Theater on the Square and Oklahoma! at Huntington Playhouse. In 2008 Geoff directed the Rodgers and Hammerstein musical revue Some Enchanted Evening at Huntington Playhouse in Bay Village, Ohio and Assassins with the Berea Grindstone Players at the Cassidy Theatre in Parma Heights, Ohio. Geoff also directed the musicals Violet and Dreamgirls both in 2007 and at the Cassidy Theatre. He has appeared in many area musical theater productions most recently in the musical revue The World Goes Round at Brecksville Theater on the Square. Other productions include Five Guys Named Moe (Big Moe, Beck Center) and Cassidy Theatre productions including Godspell, Carousel (Billy Bigelow), Ain't Misbehavin' ("Ken), Ragtime (Coalhouse Walker, Jr.), Cats (Old Deuteronomy) and as The Voice of Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors. Geoff also appeared in the 2007 Cleveland Playhouse Club cabaret Motown! and in 2006 developed his own musical cabaret act for Playhouse Square’s Cleveland Cabaret Project.

Geoff is proud to have served for two years as the Board President of Cassidy Theatre, Inc. and also served on the board of the Cooperative Alliance of Medina Entertainment Organizations.

Geoff has been the co-host of the weekly on-air television segment Cheap Date at seen on WKYC TV3’s Good Company program and is also currently one of the lead singers for the band The Avenue.