Scattered Clouds with "The Sunshine Boys"

I think by and far my favorite line of the show comes from Willie, as played by Steve Shelton, and he delivered it perfectly: "I'm gonna drop dead from spite."

In fact, quite a few of Neil Simon's lines were delivered quite well - the pacing between Mike Stewart as Ben, Willie's nephew, clicked right along. The beginning of the show has a very long scene between just the two of them, but it was here that I saw Mr. Shelton deliver more of a variety of emotion/nuance in his voice as he speaks to his nephew - he seemed to lose the nuance as the show progresses, though still does a fine job as the cantankerous Willie. Mr. Stewart was able to maintain levels of variation in his performance throughout the show, and was fun to watch.

Once Charlie Ogar arrives as Al Lewis, however, the pace of the show comes to a near halt.

Although I thought Mr. Shelton did sound like he was from New York, and worked guilt and schtick as much as he could, I had a much harder time understanding Mr. Ogar and placing his accent. It was inconsistent, and his timing was very slow to pick up his cues from anyone on stage. While I realize this is his first performance, and he had a tremendously heavy line load, unfortunately he just didn't have the charisma that the role really needed. He and Shelton had, to say the least, an inconsistent chemistry. These were two vaudeville actors, and they should have slipped right back into their quick-tongued banter; unfortunately Mr. Shelton and Mr. Ogar just couldn't keep the tempo tight.

Director Kerry Waters put together a strong supporting cast - though they were in the show very little. Ron Lott as the Announcer used his voice quite well. Gary Mitchell as the TV Director was spot-on as a no-nonsense let's get this done kind of guy. Garrett Clinard and Faron Supanich were also adequate for what their roles needed.

The pace really picked up and some audible laughs were heard when Ms. Croff took the stage; she knows how to play the dumb blonde and she adds some much needed stimulation to the show, playing well off Mr. Shelton. She knows how to milk a scene - and the audience enjoyed it.

One of the better scenes in the show that could easily get overlooked fell between Marni Holmes and Steve Shelton; it was a great contrast from the over-the-top acting of Ms. Croff, who helped to propel the show along just after the act break. Ms. Holmes brought realism back into the story with the banter she had with Mr. Shelton. She was likeable and very laid back - and she helped to clip that scene along too.

One of the most disappointing thing about the show is the set. Willie is supposed to live in a dilapidated apartment and the set was painted in a mixture of pink and blue, so it honestly looked more like a nursery. More than likely the beige on the one wall where the bathroom was would have worked well for the entire apartment - a dull color, with dull furniture is what was needed. The construction of the set worked well, and the very few scene changes worked quite well too.

Overall I thought "Sunshine Boys" was a fair production; the biggest problem it faced was timing, and losing momentum in the scenes with just Willie and Al. However Ms. Croff, Mr. Stewart, Ms. Holmes and Mr. Mitchell help to jumpstart the show as it goes along and helps to propel the plot forward.

There are a lot of funny lines, and Mr. Shelton and Mr. Ogar get their laughs - but not nearly enough of them. For the most part their performances become predictable and dull when they are together. Perhaps it's just a matter of not having the right chemistry - I'm not sure.

I was also confused about the very end of the show; the director made a choice to make it look like Willie passes away on stage, perhaps hoping for a poignant wrap to the show; however this is a comedy, and the idea that these two old curmudgeons are going to be stuck in the same retirement home is part of the hilarity of the ending, and that just gets dropped. I'm not sure why that choice was made, but it really left me leaving the theatre confused and a little sad that these two never truly buried their demons - the final scene was confusing. Perhaps it was left open to interpretation, but it was too cloudy to really be able to make an assertion either way on the fate of these comedians. Well, except that they weren't quite as funny as I'd hoped.

Getting Perspective with Gary Mitchell

1. Tell us a little about yourself:

I was born in Detroit and served in Viet Nam shortly after graduating from high school. I was just a kid and very naïve while in the service, and it was a difficult time to be a teenager. I always tell people that I grew up hard and fast. I had no choice. Eventually, I moved to East Lansing and graduated from Michigan State University with a degree in Communications. Throughout my professional life, I’ve worked in various communication mediums.

2. People know what a director does, and a stage manager – but what does a producer do?

A good producer will do almost everything that is not directly related to what’s taking place on stage. A producer should be in charge of marketing and promotion, arranging publicity photos, media interviews, the programming of the production and just doing all that you can to make life easier for the director. Of course, it’s the producer’s responsibility to try and make sure the show is profitable (that’s means keeping a close eye on expenditures).

3. Do you enjoy producing? What makes a producer sweat bullets and conversely make a producer smile to see?

I enjoy producing, especially if you personally know the director and have confidence in the director’s ability to put together a good production. A good producer should be well organized, pay close attention to details and be very time consensus, and always know what your deadlines are. Having produced a number of shows, I almost immediately know whether or not the show is going to be well received

4. What are you currently working on?

I’m currently producing and appearing in The Sunshine Boys. In May, I’ll produce Fiddler On The Roof.

5. You do a little acting too – when did you first get the “acting bug?” What was your first show?

My very first acting experience was in high school (it was a show about the Salem witch hunts, called The Lottery). But it took a very long time for me to get back on stage.

6. How do you think shows could better market themselves to the community?

I think shows can be better marketed by working closely and cultivating relationships with reporters and writers who cover theatre in print, radio and websites. I’m also a big believer in getting writers theatre information well before the production dates. It’s important to always get a good photographer to take publicity photos, and get someone who can write a good press release. A poor photo and release makes the entire theatre group look bad. It’s also best not to be too cheap with the comp tickets to those who can help promote your show.

7. What do you prefer to produce – comedy, drama, musical and why? Same question, but to be a part of?

I’m a renaissance man in a rock-n-roll age. I absolutely love good drama and the classic scripts. If given my choice, those are my favorite shows (both producing and acting). The trouble is drama is a tough sell on stage. It does very well on film and television and in more intimate surroundings, but theater groups seem to be putting most of their resources into comedies.

8. What do you consider, from a producer’s perspective, a successful show?

There’s nothing more gratifying than having produced a show that makes a profit and receives favorable reviews. That’s a combination that tends to put a smile on the face of the producer, director and the entire cast.

9. Why is theatre important to you?

There really is no business like show business. There’s an incredibly bonding that takes place among theatre people when you work together on a project…it’s like family.

10. Why is theatre important to the community?

Theatre is important to me because it gives you a venue to express your artistic talents. It also exposes you to a group of talented and creative people

Quick Questions:

1. Favorite role you’ve played?

Chief Sitting Bull in Annie Get Your Gun.

2. Favorite line from any show?

“I think I know what to do. Now the question is, who to do it to” (from How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying).

3. Favorite experience on stage with any actors/actresses?

Taking a curtain call with the cast of Annie Get Your Gun (it’s a special feeling when you see that audience on their feet. It doesn’t happen often and when it does, you cherish the moment).

4. What are you most proud of in your theatre experience?

I’m proud of my work ethic. I’m a quick study and always know my lines. I’m always ready and come prepared to work hard in every show.

5. If you could be in any a show, what would it be?

A powerful drama (maybe something like 12 Angry Men). As long as there’s a role for a middle age character actor in the show, I’m happy.

Jawing about Joyce with Mary Job

1. Tell us a little bit about yourself:

I was born in New Jersey, raised in Vermont, and have loved theater all of my life. I have a BA from University of Vermont in American Ethnic Studies, a law degree from Northwestern, and a MA in Theater from MSU. 10 years ago, after practicing labor, education and civil rights law for nearly 20 years, I decided to make my avocation my profession,got my MA in theatre and starting teaching at LCC and MSU. I love gardening, golfing (at which I am mediocre at best), skiing (at which I am very good), reading, knitting, Italy and cats.

2. What was the first show you directed?

Uncommon Women and others by Wendy Wasserstein in the early 80's-- on the principle that if you are going to direct a show, particularly as a new director, direct something you know something about. Since I am a feminist who graduated from a New England college in 1972, (albeit not a 7 sister), was fairly counterculture, it seemed like a good match. It was certainly a lot of fun. It was even more interesting teturn to the play a dozen years later, when I was the age of the characters as they appear in the beginning of the play -- professionals who are looking back on their younger years.

3. What attracts you to James Joyce - I understand you did your dissertation on his works (if that isn't correct please amend my misunderstanding)?

Actually, my undergrad honors dissertation was on the Irish in America, but I used Joyce as my staging area. (It seemed to me that to understand the Irish in America, you needed to understand the Irish in Ireland -- so I started with the Irish writers and thinkers. I first encountered Joyce in college when I took a course in Irish Lit., read his short stories, also Portrait of an Artist and Ulysses. I loved them all. I liked the lyricism of the language, the complexity of the characters, and the complexity and ambivalence of their relationships with their world. This of course mirrors Joyce's own ambivalence -- he first left Ireland in 1904, and permenantly in 1915, but never left off writing about it. (Although I freely admit I never got past the first couple of pages of Finnegans Wake!)

4. What is it about "The Dead" in particular that you are drawn to?

The split focus between the obvious convivality of the party -- in which friends and family argue and celebrate and the sense of aloneness that a person can feel in the midst of all this humanity -- it always seemed so true to me about the way we live our lives. I love the way the story shifts from person to person in terms of the viewpoints.I also loved the view of Gretta, Gabriel's wife. She is initially seen from his perspective and through his eyes, so the assumption is that he knows her -- that she is completely 'knowable". When he realizes that she has had an emotional life of which he is and never has been a part, he is profoundly shaken, and the essential aloneness of being human is so beautifully portrayed at the end of the story. There is also a sense that something has changed forever -- an old life permenantly left behind. When I was 22 and read the story, I saw the elegaic mood at the end of the story as evocative of how the Irish who came to America must have felt in leaving Ireland -- their pasts and their dead behind them but still following them westward. So I used the story at the first reading in a Seminar I taught on the Irish in America. Now when I read the story at 58, I see it more in an intimate vein, I too have my dead and their memory is both sweet and haunting. In the play I love the way the authors use a sense of ebb and flow to create moments on which one character stands out before merging in the general flow of the party. I love the understated quality of the play, the sense of intimacy -- as if the audience is a member of the party. Riverwalk's thrust stage is made for this kind of production! I also encourage the audience to sit on the sides of the auditorium -- they will get the sense of intimacy of the play far better than if they sit in the 7th row of the front!

5. How do you think the audience will relate to these characters?

What do you hope the audience will walk away after the show feeling? I hope that the audience will both like the people and identify with them -- to see their interactions on this evening of a family party as universal of the human experience. Life is joy, conflict, song & celebration and death. The snow of life -- real or metaphorical covers us all. The story is about an epiphany that we all experience, even if that moment of epiphany is frightenly solitary. I also hope that the audience goes away having both experienced and shared in moments of life at its most celebratory and social and at its most quietly introspective.

6. What do you find difficult or challenging about directing this particular show, verus something like Shakespeare or other classical pieces of drama?

Plays like this one are almost anti-classical in the sense that it is all subtext-- the text certainly gives you clues , but the details about the emotional arc of the characters are unspoken or suggested whereas in Shakespeare or other classical plays like the Greeks, the emotional life of the character, his or her motivations are the words -- in the sounds, shapes, poetic devices of the language. So here the actors and I have to infer-to fill the gaps and build the characters and the relationships with a different creative process. It gives a lot of scope for individual actors to create the characters and is also incredibly challenging. The characters are not handed to you. You really have to work at it and not take the play for granted. I use not only the original short story, but other characters in other Joyce stories or what I know about Joycean literature in general.

7. What do you think James Joyce's opinion would be of this adaptation of his short story (considered by some scholars to be the most insightful piece of short literature in all of Western history)?

I think he would love the musicality because his language is so musical. I also think that his sense of humor and irony is stronger in the story. The characters in the play are less trivial than in the story,and I think Joyce would have preferred more astringency! On the other hand, Joyce was a notoriously difficult person to be around and I suspect Lansing audiences will love the play the way it is. More compassionate and closer to our sense of family and memory.

8. How would you describe Gabriel, and Gretta?

Gabriel is a urbane, slightly stuffy, but a likable man. He is used to being the favorite nephew and the center of attention. He is an intellectual and a watcher; this sense of being a bystander is partly because he is an intellectual, but also because he is risk adversive. I think that explains his cynicism about the Irish Nationalist movement. Although he is not a supporter of British rule, he is unwilling to commit to the messy reality of revolution, so he sits on the fence. While he is a devoted husband, he also takes his wife for granted. He thinks he knows everything about her-and there is a touch of the Pygmalion about their relationship-he has had a hand in turning a country girl into this gracious and elegant woman. Gretta is warm-a natural care-giver, with a quiet strength, but there is a sense of reserve as well. Something hidden or sheltered. She has acquired a sense of polish in the years of her wife and motherhood, but there is also hints of the "country-cute"girl she was. She is accustomed to being a bit of an outsider in this family, of once being the country girl in a household of urban sophiscates. In the course of the play, we discover the depths of her emotional life, how she treasures the moment when someone found her special, in a way that for all his devotion, Gabriel never did.

Quick Questions:

1. What is your favorite line from any show?

WAKE THE DEAD!

2. How does theatre enrich your life?

It is all about the communication. As a director, I communicate with the author and the actors, who communicate with the audience. I get to tell my take on a story by collaborating with other talents who in turn shape my understanding.

3. Why is classical theatre still pertinent to audiences?

Because it is part of what shapes current theatre. Because so many of the plays are good! They are often universal in theme and in the human experience. Thus they are both familiar and new. They can be wonderfully escapist. Wouldn't you like to be in the Forest of Arden right now, teaching a lover how to be a lover with wit and humor as in As You Like It? Or outwitting both fraternal authority and a lover's less than faithful tendencies in The Rover with wit and verve? (Frank Rutledge & I always thought The Rovers was essentially Spring Break in 18th Century Naples!)

4. What is your favorite part of directing a show?

The whole rehearsal period -- communicating with actors and collaborating with them and the designers deepens my connection with both the play and my fellow collaborators.

Pass the 7% Solution, Sherlock...

There are several reasons I love watching James Houska on stage: he can do just about any accent you can think of believably, he’s not afraid to look quite silly, he throws himself into the characters he plays, and seems to effortlessly float from character to character within the same show and make them distinctive from one another. I found Mr. Houska to be the most interesting actor to watch on stage for Riverwalk’s “Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure” because he jumped into his roles with gusto in a show that lacked energy and, well, suspense, or for that matter even all that much of a plot.

Of course, the fault of the script shouldn’t reflect on the actors, and mostly what I saw on stage was a very flawed script which attempted to create mystery, intelligence and an ultimate rivalry between a brilliantly deductive Detective Holmes and a maniacally evil mastermind, Moriarty. The problem is, Holmes was not terribly charming nor Moriarty terribly evil, and there was no real explanation for their rivalry. That makes for a difficult relationship to create then, since it is established superficially.

Terry Jones picks up most of the jokes in the show, making a really likeable Watson, however. He carried a heavy-line load, and he did a great job of showing his loyalty to Holmes and making the audience believe it. He also narrates the show, and keeps the audience abreast through all of the scene changes.

Kevin Burnham as Sherlock Holmes seemed to run through his lines, in fact to the point of stumbling over the lines of other actors on stage, and wasn’t as dynamic, or as funny, as I hoped. There wasn’t any chemistry between he and Irene Adler, played by his wife Tanya Burnham, which rather surprised me. It was as if they were walking through the play and rushed the scenes they were in. Mrs. Burnham didn’t have chemistry with Joe Dickson either. Mr. Dickson did a fine job of playing a doting husband and then a sniveling bad guy – unlikable and better off dead. Quite suitably played indeed. Another praiseworthy mention in a small role is Amy Winchell; she went from nosy housemaid to bitter sister looking for revenge with passion and again, provided a bit of emotion in a show that lacked the intensity one would think you would find between arch-enemies.

Mrs. Burnham did do a great job in the scene she shared with Michael Hays. She felt authentic, and though that scene was short, it was very well done. Mr. Hays as the King of Bohemia held his own and offered a good emotional foil to Mr. Burnham’s intellectual Holmes. He held himself in a worried kingly sort of fashion (though I was a bit confused by his entrance), and he was able to salvage some humor as well. Good job, Mr. Hays.

And then we have Mark Zussman as Dr. Moriarty, the mastermind criminal to Sherlock Holmes. Through no fault of Mr. Zussman, he seemed more like Moe of the Three Stooges rather than some sort of supra-intelligent human and the only man with enough ambition to take on Holmes. His character bumbles in and out of the play and talks a great deal about how intelligent Holmes is and how to prepare for him; however, it just isn’t well fleshed-out nor particularly "evil." In fact, his character as written seemed rather dull, and it was good to see Mr. Zussman breathe some life into it. He was superbly costumed, as were all of the characters in the cast, but I didn’t catch fear and awe from his performance. He and Mr. Burnham seemed to play stereotypes, which may have been a directorial choice, instead of taking their lines and putting emotion, depth, intonation and other resonances within their vocalizations. They seemed to be directed to be caricatures, rather than characters, on stage.

The set was very well dressed and built, aptly thought out and designed for the show. The black stairs at the back seemed somewhat awkward, but then melded into the background since most of the action takes place downstage. Some of the tech sounds seemed out of place or a bit loud, but otherwise the technical aspects of the show went very well.

Overall I’m not impressed with Mr. Dietz’ script; if it had ended in the gas room I would have been happier, and it would have made more sense. It seemed to go on and on, without much purpose or drive. The actors did their best to breathe life into the show; I was left wanting Holmes to be more charming, more alluring to Ms. Adler, more of an adversary to Dr. Moriarty, and more of a mystery…

Rollin' on with Kelly Stuible

1. A lot of people have never even heard of "Urinetown," and the title is a little off-putting to some. What is the show about and why should people come see it?

It's funny you mention that, because the title is what I've been "fighting" since I first proposed to direct this. We're going to have to face the fact that if people don't know the show, the title might scare them away. Luckily, the national tour had a pretty well received run at Wharton a few years back, so it's better known here than in other places. The basic plot is: A terrible water shortage has led to a government-enforced ban on private toilets. The citizens must use public amenities, regulated by a single greedy company; amid the people, a hero decides he's had enough, and plans a revolution to lead them all to freedom. As for why people should come see it, first of all this is one of the most hilarious scripts I've ever read. Add to that a cast which I thank my lucky stars to have, and I think this is going to be quite an entertaining show. It's silly, it pokes fun of musicals... but at the same time, due to the status of the economy as well as the climate crisis, there is an actual message underneath all of the humor.

2. What are you strengths as a director?

Since this is my first time directing, and we're only a week into rehearsals, I can really only guess to what my strengths might be... for this production, so far I'd have to say it is the passion I have for this show -- I've been working for a year and a half to make Urinetown happen, and my directing debut just HAD to be this show.

3. What are your weaknesses?

So far, it's a mix between trying to wear too many hats and take on too may things (the things that directors don't typically handle), and just having too much fun with my cast. Already there have been a couple of nights where we all just wanted to laugh and have fun, and I know it will only get worse as we go along. I have to remember that it's my job to keep us all on task!!

4. What do you enjoy most about directing?

It's kind of a surreal to see these ideas I've been throwing around actually come to life in front of my eyes, but it's a very cool experience.

5. What do you find most challenging?

For me, it's knowing that in the end I have the final say. While I've been an assistant director and a vocal director before, I always had someone else to defer if needed. Now, I have to make the important decisions!

6. Pet peeves about theatre?

I guess it would be more like how people perceive theater, especially community theater. I got my degree in vocal performance, and trying to explain that to people not familiar with theater is pretty difficult. And when I try and invite people to shows or to get involved, they kind of brush it off as a silly little play or something. I think that the community theater scene here in Lansing is pretty remarkable, and I've been fortunate to be a part of some spectacular productions, so it's a pet peeve when people don't get that.

7. What you love about theatre?

Well like most of us involved on stage, I can be a bit of an attention hog, so that's a definite plus, and it's such a great experience to perform something that people respond to -- but most importantly it's the friendships I've made and the people I meet. I love how there can be people from so many different backgrounds, and with different day jobs, can come together for a common cause.

8. Why is theatre important to the community?

There's just something magic about live theater, or any of the performing arts for that matter, that just cannot be matched. I also sing with the Arts Chorale of Greater Lansing, and participating and attending live performances creates a shared experience for both the audience and the performers you can't get many other places.

9. Tell us about yourself!

Well, I grew up here and graduated from Holt in 2001. I went to CMU and graduated with a degree in vocal performance in 2006, and since then I've been living back here in Lansing. I work for Jackson National Life Insurance Co, and have been involved in 11 productions in a little over two years. I don't really know exactly what I want to do with my life :o) but for right now I'm really enjoying life here in Lansing!

Quick Questions:

1. What was the very first show you ever did?

Well I danced for 11 years growing up, but my first play was "Charlie and the Chocolate Factory" in 11th grade. Believe it or not, I was an Oompa-Loompa!

2. Favorite role you've played?

For very different reasons, it's a tie between Lilli/Kate in "Kiss Me, Kate" and Georgie Bukatinsky in "The Full Monty"

3. If you could play any role, what would it be?

Since I prefer musicals, those are the roles I want, and I actually have a top 5: Baker's Wife in "Into the Woods" Cathy in "The Last Five Years" Florence in "Chess" Mrs Lovett in "Sweeny Todd" and of course Tracy Turnblad in "Hairspray"

4. If you could direct any show, what would it be?

That's a tough one -- right now there aren't really any other shows I'm just dying to direct. We'll see how I handle this one and then take it from there :o)

5. Favorite lyric from any musical?

Some people analyze every detail

Some people stall when they can't see the trail

Some people freeze out of fear that they'll fail

But I keep rollin' on.

Some people can't get success with their art

Some people never feel love in their heart

Some people can't tell the two things apart

But I keep rollin' on'

- From The Last Five Years

6. Favorite line from any show?

Pretty much anything from The Full Monty!!!!

I bet Carol Ferris could finish the quote..."Your mother was a hamster..."

1. What was the very first show you worked on - and were you in it, or working back stage?
I played Ginger in “Time Out for Ginger” in junior high school. After that I was hooked and managed to be in at least one show every year throughout high school and college. Three of those shows were at Okemos Barn Theatre.

2. What is it that you enjoy about being on stage?
I love making an audience laugh. There’s almost nothing better than that!

3. What is it that you enjoy about being back stage?
The teamwork; watching a production grow from day one. I’d never tried backstage work until a few years ago when I was asked to help with props for Lansing Civic Players’ production of “Annie.” Since then I’ve done props or set dressing - sometimes both - for seven shows at Riverwalk. It’s amazing when you realize how many local actors also have great talent in the technical side of theatre and, likewise, how many theatre techies are also veteran actors.

4. Tell us about yourself - anything you'd like to share!
In 1970 I married Tom Ferris; I worked for many years in newspaper advertising and later in school public relations; we raised a son. I returned to acting with a small part in “Anne of Green Gables.” Last year, no one was more surprised than I was when I won a Thespie for the role of Willie Mae Nettles in Riverwalk’s “The Sugar Bean Sisters.” Most people don’t know that when I’m not thinking about theatre, I’m a hard-core political junkie. Needless to say, this past year has been an exciting one. Last fall I spent way too much time online looking at polling data and reading political blogs.

5. So you are working on "Sherlock Holmes: The Final Adventure" - what are you doing for the show?
I’m designing props for a very prop-heavy production. Working with Addiann Hinds, who used to design props for Boarshead, has been a great pleasure! We’ve agonized over getting things as accurate as possible. It’s required a lot of research by both cast and crew.There are so many Sherlock Holmes fans out there who know what to look for. They won’t be disappointed in this show’s great cast. Kevin Burnham and Terry Jones make a fabulous Holmes/Watson team.

6. Have you ever given any thought to directing or co-directing? If so, what show would you like to direct, if you could pick anything?
I don’t think I’d enjoy directing very much. It’s too much hard work! I’d rather scout out a great script and then try to convince a good friend or family member to direct it.

7. What makes theatre important to you?
It’s a crazy, wonderful community. There’s a place for everyone, if you’re willing to work. It’s where I hang out with my family and friends.

8. Do you have a favorite genre?
Dark comedy, satire, even screwball comedy - I’m a huge Monty Python fan.

9. What draws you to a play - what are some plays/musicals you really enjoy, and some you really don't?
I’m often drawn to Lansing-area productions because I know and appreciate the talent of individual actors and directors. That’s sometimes more important to me than the script or the theatre company. I love it when friends I’ve come to see in shows manage their roles so well that I forget who they are. As for theatre I DON’T like - I actively avoid the recent crop of Broadway musicals based on movies, tv shows, or Disney themepark attractions. You know the ones I mean. (I will make an exception for Monty Python and the Holy Grail.)

Quick Questions:

1. Favorite experience ON stage:
It would have to be playing Willie Mae Nettles in “The Sugar Bean Sisters” at Riverwalk. What a hoot it was to work alongside that great comedienne, Jane Zussman.

2. Favorite experience BACK stage:
My best backstage experience was dressing the “Sugar Bean Sisters” set. For that show, I managed to cram half the contents of Riverwalk’s prop loft into the Nettles sisters’ attic.

3. Favorite line from any show?
“Time passes. Listen. Time passes.” - from “Under Milkwood”

4. Favorite lyric from any song?
Our house, is a very, very, very fine house.
With two cats in the yard,
Life used to be so hard,
Now everything is easy ‘cause of you.
- Crosby, Stills and Nash

5. If you could PLAY any role, what would your dream role be?
My dream roles have changed over the years, of course. Looking ahead, I’d love to be cast as Miss Daisy in “Driving Miss Daisy.”