On April 17 I will be participating in another "den" reading of Reunions, the latest script by my favorite playwright, Bill Cissna. This will be the 4th den reading I've done with Bill.

The reading itself is a reunion of sorts. Everyone but Zac was involved in the staged production of Bill's first play, Conversations In A Cafe.

The Female Cast is:
Gretchen – Mary Lea Williams
Susie – Cheryl Ann Roberts
Mary – Myla O’Brien
Denise – Carson Gregory
Chrissy – Rebecca Clark

The Male Cast is:
Cameron Williams
Scott Terrill
Paul O'Brien
Zac Hiatt

Did you notice that the male character names are not listed? It's not an oversight. I truly don't know the characters the men will be reading. Bill only provided us gender specific parts of the script. I'm very excited to see how the evening plays out!

The Cast of Conversations In A Cafe

Carl Wilson - Scott Terrill
Ellie Bledsoe - Cheryl Ann Roberts
Meredith - Carson Elizabeth Gregory
Gina - Mary Lea Williams
Joshua Martin - Michael Shapiro
Brad - Brad Phillis
Jenny - Rebecca Clark Mills
Don Jenson - Cameron Williams
Susan Porter - Kathy Anne Cissna

I'm extremely excited to be working with this cast. I've only worked with Rebecca previously. I've seen Kathy, Scott, Mary Lea and Cameron on various stages across the Triad, so I know how wonderfully talented each is. I'm looking forward to getting to know Carson, Michael and Brad.

First read-thru is tomorrow night!

It's Official!

Mallorie and I will be in the cast of The Laramie Project: Ten Years Later. It's the first acting role for Mallorie and I'm excited to be sharing the stage with her.

I'm also hugely honored to be part of this historical staged reading. Our castmates include some of the most talented folks in the Triad.

The reading will be one night only, on Monday, October 12, at the Arts Council Theatre. The performance is free, and you can reserve your tickets through Paper Lantern Theatre Company.

The Cast of Moonlight and Magnolias

David O. Selznick - Anthony Liguori
Ben Hecht - Chad Edwards
Victor Fleming - Don Gunther
Miss Poppenghul - Cheryl Ann Roberts

We are the first cast of the 75th Season, and the first mainstage cast for the renamed Twin City Stage.

I'm thrilled to be reunited with Chad and Don. I worked with both of them in The Foreigner, and Don and I just completed the extended revival run of Sordid Lives. And it's my dream come true to work with Tony. I am so honored to be working with these talented men. I can't stop smiling.

The Twin City Stage box office opens September 14, so mark your calendar! You won't want to miss this show!

The Cast of The Cemetery Club

Ida - Pat (Mathews) Garner
Lucille - Cheryl Ann Roberts
Doris - Pat Shumate
Sam - David Webster
Mildred - Debra Hanson

We might be able to start playing the Kevin Bacon game using me. I've shared the stage with everyone in this cast!

Pat Garner and I were in SGP's 2005 production of The Boys Next Door. Debra Hanson and I were in KLT's 2004 production of The Curious Savage. David Webster and I have been in 3 other SGP shows: Harvey, The Sunshine Boys, and The Diary of Anne Frank. Pat Shumate and I just appeared in The Little Theatre's production of The Foreigner. We also worked together in KLT's 2006 production of Grace and Glorie, where we went on to win Best Ensemble during the North Carolina Theatre Conference festival.

John Collier is directing The Cemetery Club, and even he and I shared a past stage. I played his dead wife in The Paramount Acting Company's 2004 production of Jake's Women.

This will be a funny, funny show so make your plans to attend now!

The Cast of The Velveteen Rabbit

The "no news is good news" philosophy is a double-edged sword for actors. Sometimes you never hear anything, find out by checking an online cast list, or you hear from other actors.

The Velveteen Rabbit auditions were Saturday morning. Not hearing for four days after an audition is usually not a good sign. I just figured that Reed decided to cast kids only. So, imagine my surprise when I got an email announcing the cast:

Boy - Gerrit
Rabbit - Elizabeth Wallace
Narrator 1 - Charli
Narrator 2/Mechanical Toy - Adam
Narrator 3/Uncle- Jeremy
Narrator 4/Aunt- Cheryl Ann Roberts
Nana/Boat Toy - Katlyn
Fairy - Jasmyn
Horse/Doctor - Sam
Bunny - Annemarie
Bunny - Britton

I can't tell you how thrilled I am to be a part of this production! And yes, I am the oldest cast member!

The Cast of Just Kidding

Auditions for Kernersville Little Theatre's first production of 2008, Just Kidding, were held last Tuesday and Friday. Since the Just Kidding cast includes two roles for kids, I mentioned auditions, on several occasions, to the cast of The Best Christmas Pageant Ever.

The promotion apparently paid off. There were 17 kids vying for the two roles, and there was quite a turn out for the adult roles.

Congratulations to the cast of Just Kidding:

Stephen Swoap - Calvin Rogers
Kaye Ward - Sandra Rogers
Scott Spencer - Wayne Maybrie
Luke VanHine - Todd Maybrie
Jean Burr - Monique
Macon Shirley - Jeff
Karen Price-Crowder - Jessica Finch
Morgan Robbins - Jenny Finch
Chuck Powers - Chris Gentry

Show dates are February 22-24 and February 29-March 2. Go ahead and mark these dates on your 2008 calendar. You won't want to miss this show!

The Cast of The Foreigner

Pat Shumate is Betty
Mikey Wiseman is Froggie
Chad Edward is Charlie
Cheryl Ann Roberts is Catherine
Mark March is Ellard
Don Gunther is Rev. David Lee
Ken Ashford is Owen

While I'm not surprised that Ken got cast, I'm so glad he decided to do the role. And since Kelly Wallace will be doing costumes, the entire cast of Bug will be involved with this show. The cast of Grace and Glorie is also reunited.

I am absolutely beyond myself. I am so uttely excited over this cast. And the fact that I (finally!) get to work with Stan. Mission, indeed missions, accomplished.

Notification, Steel Magnolias

I am finally going to get the opportunity to prove my worth as a Southern actress. Norm called me this morning and I did get cast.

I'm going to play M'Lynn! I'm including a picture of the actresses from the movie because few people remember the character names. My mom was like, "Now which one was she in the movie?" She was Sally Fields. M'Lynn is Shelby's mother. M'Lynn is a fabulous role. She's got a very nice emotional range and I am absolutely honored that Norm selected me to give life to this great character. I am really looking forward to this role.

At this point I don't have a full cast list, so I can't tell you who else was cast. As soon as I know the others, I'll let you know.

The Cast, Little Shop of Horrors

Please join me in congratulating the very talented cast of Little Shop of Horrors.

Gray Smith is love-struck Seymour and Cheri Van Loon is his love interest, Audrey. Ken Ashford is the shopkeeper, Mr. Mushnik. Zack Brown (damn, hippie!) is the crazy dentist, Orin. Winston Sims will be bringing Audrey II to life, and Dennis Raley will give voice to the plant.

Due to the outstanding talent by the women who auditioned, Jamie added a 4th girl. Vanessa Martinez is Crystal, Cary Newberry is Ronnette, Nichelle Wright is Shirelle and (the wonderful) Emily Snow is Chiffon.

Congrats everyone! I can't wait to see the show!

The Cast of Nuts

I absolutely hate when theatres don't bother to call those that weren't cast. After waiting for two and a half days (although I gave up hope yesterday afternoon), the cast list was finally posted, late this afternoon.

Officer Harry Haggerty - Don Scarborough
Aaron Levinsky - Anthony Liguori
Franklin Macmillan - Lee Huggins
The Recorder - Ellen Day
Rose Kirk - Mary Ann Luedtke
Arthur Kirk - John Collier
Dr. Herbert Rosenthal - David Polinsky
Judge Murdoch - Bill
Claudia Faith Draper - Shelley Segal

Big congratulations to Tony Liguori, Lee Huggins, and John Collier. Tony will be fabulous (as always). I've worked with both Lee and John and they are both good actors.

I can't wait to see the show!

Casting Results, Bug

Agnes: Kelly Wallace
Peter: Mark March
RC: Cheryl Ann Roberts
Jerry Goss: Don Gunther
Dr. Sweet: Ken Ashford



Yes, you are reading correctly. I didn't get Agnes. And it's okay, really. I mean, I am a little disappointed, but I trust Jamie and his vision. And I love Kelly. I've said before that she's an amazing actress and I'm honored, once again, to share the stage with her.

And I'm looking forward to working with Mark, Don and Ken again. All of us were in Sordid Lives. We have an amazing director, amazing cast and a very talented set designed. The show is going to be thrilling, and I'm very excited to be part of it.

I'll Tell You Who's Got the Will

It's a Divorce Southern Style, Sordid Lives and One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest cast reunion!

Dana Benson is Sara Lee Turnover, Mimi Cunningham is Evalita, and I'm playing Lurlene Sue Turnover Rogers. Ken Ashford is Orville Turnover and Ally Macaulay is his wife, Marlene. Mark March plays Buford, our Daddy, and Betsy Pugh is (grand)Mama Wheelis. Zack Brown rounds out the cast as Harmony.

Tonight was our first rehearsal. Jamie doesn't do a read thru; he just jumps right in with blocking. As he was explaining what "business" he wanted Lurlene to do, I couldn't help but smile. He noticed and immediately read my thoughts. I'm sitting in the chair fanning myself with a magazine, just like I did in Sordid Lives.

The Cast of...

Bill Pfefferkorn is Norman Thayer, Jr.
Karen Robertson is Ethel Thayer
I am Chelsea Thayer Wayne
Scott Spencer is Bill Ray
Tyler Canada is Billy Ray
Craig Dixon is Charlie Martin

I am especially excited to be working with Karen. She was Mattie in LTWS's production of Walking Across Egypt and she was outstanding! Craig and I haven't worked together since WSTA's production of Sordid Lives. He and I play childhood sweethearts in this show, so that will be fun. And working with Scott is always interesting.

When Opportunity Calls

Tonight I received a phone call from Ken, who is directing On Golden Pond for Stained Glass Playhouse. Two nights of auditions apparently didn't produce any viable Chelseas. He wanted to talk to me about doing the role. My concern was that due to the physical challenge of Debbie Does Dallas and the mental toll of Grace and Glorie I just wasn't sure I would have anything left in me to bring Chelsea to life. In the show, Chelsea is estranged from her father. One of the most memorable scenes is them finally coming to terms. My own father and I have periods of estrangements, which is sometimes difficult to deal with. I just wasn't sure I could tap more into my emotions.

After talking it over, I agreed to do the role. After Grace and Glorie closes, I'll move right over On Golden Pond.

One More Audition...

I auditioned for "Grace and Glorie" tonight. I won't keep you in suspense. I have been cast as Glorie! I am very excited as Pat Shumate will play the role of Grace. I've seen her in several area shows and her talent has always impressed me. I am looking forward to working with her and April.

And belated kudos to my DDD castmate, David Joy. He has been cast as Brick in "Cat on a Hot Tin Roof". Congrats, Dave!!