by Karen Tortora-Lee on April 2, 2011
Do you love giving your opinion? Do you like free stuff? Well THM is going through a re-design … not huge … but significant. And in the next few weeks we’ll be working behind the scenes so that we can debut a brand new site.
BUT WE NEED YOUR HELP!
We’d need a few beta-testers to preview the site before it goes live. If you’d like to be part of this, please email karen@thehappiestmedium.com and put BETA TESTING in the subject line. We’ll respond to you directly with more information on what you’ll need to do.
As a token of our thanks you’ll receive a lovely THM bag and our eternal gratitude – as well as mention as one of our special testers when we debut the site.
So, join our team of testers! You want to be our best friend, don’t you?
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on April 1, 2011
I had seen Rabbit Hole Ensemble’s The Tragic Story of Doctor Frankenstein (written by Stanton Wood and directed by Edward Elefterion) just a few short months ago and was so deeply impressed with the way it was presented that I was eagerly anticipating the second of the series Doctor Frankenstein’s Magical Creature. Another joint venture between Wood and Elefterion, Magical Creature tells both the same tale as Tragic Story as well as a completely different one; in a Rashomon type undertaking it retells the events from the perspective of the creature. Fear not – while you’ll recognize the bones of the original story (if you saw it) you most certainly are in for an entertaining evening as you watch the events unfold from the other side.
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by Lina Zeldovich on April 1, 2011
“Ladies and gents, girls and boys, scalawags and scurvy dogs! Tis time fer Three By the Sea!” – this is how the new children’s play by Donna Latham begins as the eager audience settles down – some in chairs, others on the floor. The Looking Glass Theatre has a long history of children’s productions, going back to at least 1998. As many off-off Broadway venues, it won’t startle its patrons with extravagant décor, but will impress them with the unlimited creativity of its teams. Blue fabric stretched across the stage becomes the ocean, white and blue balloons deliver the impression of dangerous surf, whirling umbrellas help to master the waves that toss around a coyote – as a modest cast of seven actors brings the sea stories to life, creating over a dozen characters – some human, others animal, and even mystical.
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by Michelle Augello-Page on March 31, 2011
Bricken Sparacino is an award winning/nominated performer, writer and director. She is also a bright, confident woman who has been involved in theatre for most of her life. To watch her work is to watch an artist with a powerful command of her talents. I have seen her ability to transform a space, as well as her own persona, as she captivates and connects intimately with an audience, provoking a wide range of meaningful responses to her performances.
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on March 30, 2011
These women of the arts hail from different disciplines, but they all have an indomitable spirit and a luminescent spark that makes them amazing human beings who are out there every day, doing amazing work.
Today we continue our series with Jenn Boehm.
The first time I saw Jenn she was standing on the stage at the Planet Connections Festivity Awards Ceremony receiving thunderous applause from the Off-Off Broadway community along with hoots and hollers that filled the theatre that night. She graciously accepted the love. Right away I thought “Gosh, I have no idea who this woman is … but I better get to know her!”
Luckily, I was able to make that “gosh” a reality and while I’m sure there’s much more to learn about Jenn, I’m pleased to say that I’m in a position to do just that. What I can say is that Jenn is many things to many people, but seemingly an endless inspiration to most. Currently she’s the c0-artistic director and managing director of Looking Glass Theatre and has a hand in everything they do from the internship program to each season’s productions.
Well, that’s no small potatoes. Or wait … is it? You see - little did I know Jenn’s story starts not on the boards but in the barns … Jenn came to theatre by way of the farm. Oh, with a stop in pro football along the way. (What?) I better let her explain. Take it away, Jenn -
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on March 28, 2011
These women of the arts hail from different disciplines, but they all have an indomitable spirit and a luminescent spark that makes them amazing human beings who are out there every day, doing amazing work.
Today we continue our series with GiGi La Femme. The first time I saw Ms. La Femme it was December during the Burlesque Blitz and she was completely naked. I then watched, mesmerized, as she did the most seductive reverse strip tease I’d ever seen in my life. After Blitzing my way through the Burlesque offerings I though I understood what it meant to sit and watch a gal take her clothes off. Some do it with charm. Some do it with flair. Some do it with lights. Some do it with humor. Some do it with a touch of rage. Some do it better than others. Some do it better than most.
But Gigi? She does it with a breathtaking, hypnotic vamp that’s covered in a type of voodoo that has been living in the veins of women like her since the dawn of time. Women with names like Delilah, Jezebel, Aphrodite, and Cleopatra.She is a temptress whose power reaches like a vapor right out to each member of the audience and tickles them under the chin before, winking, it slinks back around her where it lives.
However behind all this glitter, glamour, sequins and feathers beats the heart of a businesswoman who has been able to take her show and transform it into a very successful monthly feature called Revealed Burlesque which runs at UNDER St. Marks.
I’ve been wanting to interview her for months, and this series gives me the perfect opportunity to celebrate a woman who is beautiful, smart, powerful, dynamic and amazing. Ladies and gentlemen – I give you – Gigi La Femme.
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on March 27, 2011
These women of the arts hail from different disciplines, but they all have an indomitable spirit and a luminescent spark that makes them amazing human beings who are out there every day, doing amazing work.
Today we continue our series with Diánna Martin.
Of course you’ve heard of Diánna Martin – she’s one of our contributors! But her connection to The Happiest Medium started in a much different place … back with The Oath: I was a reviewer for Neighborbee, and I was left emotionally drained by her performance as Deck. I later met her socially at a few of the Off Off Broadway industry events before I was lucky enough to snag her as one of our writers here.
Now she is a dear friend, but in terms of the acting community she is so much more … She is the name and the face behind Martin Acting Studios – a legacy handed down from her father, Ernie Martin. Today, we celebrate Diánna the actress, and the acting coach who is carrying on the tradition she was born into. Here is her story.
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on March 26, 2011
These women of the arts hail from different disciplines, but they all have an indomitable spirit and a luminescent spark that makes them amazing human beings who are out there every day, doing amazing work.
Today we continue our series with Dev Bondarin.
Like so many dedicated theatre women whose role is behind the scenes (rather than on the stage) I met director Dev Bondarin’s work long before I actually met Dev. It’s an interesting thing to meet a person via her work, especially when she’s a director … Because while her voice is all over the production, if she’s done her job right you walk away unable to separate her out from what you just saw. Sure, you may say “that was an amazing play” but unless you’re finely in synch with all the moving parts that make up a theatre piece you may never understand why you feel that way. And so, its important that I give particular accolades to Dev today – because she’s so often interpreting other’s words … and I’ve been looking forward to hearing her own words for a while now.
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on March 24, 2011
These women of the arts hail from different disciplines, but they all have an indomitable spirit and a luminescent spark that makes them amazing human beings who are out there every day, doing amazing work.
Today we continue our series with Brett Umlauf.
The first time I saw Brett she was decked out in a huge red velvet ball gown, had a powdery white wig upon which a black top hat was perched and she was singing along with two other identically dressed women. Together they were Charites, and they were singing everything from opera to standards to Lady Gaga for Austin McCormick’s take on fairy tales – Le Cirque Féerique. I found them utterly captivating, versatile and charming so when it came time to have my one year anniversary party I definitely knew I wanted them to perform, and I was thrilled when they accepted. Soon enough Brett and I kept in touch through various other things she was involved with, most notably the Diva Search produced by Morningside Opera.
As a lifelong devoted fan of Opera with season tickets to the Met, I’m thrilled that I now have a strong connection to the next generation of Opera via the lovely and talented Brett Umlauf. The more I get to know her, the more I’m continually drawn to her thoughtfulness, her dedication to her craft, and her supreme talent - the voice that floats so effortlessly from her tiny frame and fills a room with the most glorious, lilting, soaring notes that leave you astonished. Ahh, if only Brett could sing her answers for us …
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on March 24, 2011
These women of the arts hail from different disciplines, but they all have an indomitable spirit and a luminescent spark that makes them amazing human beings who are out there every day, doing amazing work.
Today we continue our series with Heidi G. Grumelot.
Heidi Grumelot is the Artistic Director of Horse Trade Theater Group. Horse Trade is comprised of three theatres that are like second homes to me: UNDER St. Marks, The Kraine and The Red Room. I had the pleasure of getting to know her after we sat on a panel together during FRIGID NewYork 2011 discussing Self Producing Artists. Honestly, I”m surpirsed it took me this long to actually meet her considering what a fan I am of Horse Trade and how much of my time is spent there.
Heidi is also a talented director; she was responsible for the extremely enjoyable Donnie and the Monsters which was held over last year. I’m happy to see someone so cool, so together and so strong being responsible for so much of the NYC downtown theatre scene. I can’t wait to continue working with her in the years to come. Now here’s Heidi’s story …
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