Listen & Be Heard Weekly Archives

Early 8/2006 – Hear a rumor that I?m nominated for an [tag]Arty Award[/tag] this year for playing Mrs. Potts in Solano College Theatre?s (SCT?s) Beauty and the Beast (B&tB). Would definitely be an honor but seems kind of unreal. That show was magical, and I loved the cast and design team. Must find out who is nominated.

Mid 8/2006 – It?s true! I?m nominated, but for the 22nd Annual Arty Awards, the Daily Republic is switching the event from the calendar year to match the theatre season (July through June). That means there are a year and a half of shows in contention and lots of talented people nominated not only against each other but often against themselves for work in different shows. Saw several of the performances in my own category. Wow! Decide it is honor enough to be nominated. Awards night should be exciting, but can?t pick whom among the beloved friends and colleagues to root for. Am rooting for everyone!

Late 8/2006 – On my lunch hour, discover that I missed calls, all of them from bestest buddy Robert Ponce who played Cogsworth in B&tB. He?ll be presenting awards at the Artys ceremony and orders me to join him. Giggle as I leave message accepting his command. I?m a little nervous, but Robert is wonderful. Am sure it?ll be okay.

9/5/06 – Must be official. Got an e-mail of the Artys script from Robert, and there we are. We?ll be presenting the high school awards, which are a new addition to the Artys this year. How special to be the premier presenters of the categories recognizing students? efforts in theatre!

9/6/06 – Have read through the script and asked Robert if we?re supposed to improvise or add the requisite ?witty banter? of awards shows. ?You come up with something. You?re the writer.? Am slightly panicked. Decide to try making fun of us as the decrepit duo presenting to these youngsters. Can?t work on it til Sunday, though. Yikes!

9/7/06 – Realize I have nothing to wear. Call Robert and urgently request info on his wardrobe. Says he?ll be in something like tweed, black or blue jeans, and/or something purple. How on earth do I match that? Decide to go shopping on Saturday morning.

9/9/06, 11:05 a.m. – Drag the boyfriend (BF) shopping. Level of hysteria slowly rises.

3:22 p.m. – BF insists that 4th from the last outfit I tried on is perfect.

9/10/06, Arty Night!, 7:45 a.m. – Wake up and feel well-rested, relaxed. Pick up latest leisure reading material and can?t put it down. Finally hop into the shower.

10:55 a.m. – Missed a voice mail message from wonderful friend and Musical Director Joe Anderson who will be playing piano for the Artys ceremony and is nominated for B&tB, Sweeney Todd & You?re a Good Man, Charlie Brown all with SCT. Agree to meet the ?gang? in Fairfield at 2:00 p.m. for late lunch/early dinner.

11:33 a.m. – If I weren?t on a laptop, would be surrounded by dozens of crumpled papers signifying a bad case of writer?s block. Was it my idea to try to be witty?

12:26 p.m. – Finally have a few additions to script, but printer is dead! Call Robert in a panic and
develop Plans B through D, one of which works. Breathe deeply and gather clothes/ make-up to take to theatre.

12:47 p.m. – Realize hair is a disaster. Hate hair. Flat iron won?t work! What is with electronics today?! Aarrrgh! Hope hair gel will help.

1:38 p.m. – It doesn?t.

1:51 p.m. – Call Robert. Explain hair disaster, and he promises to call me from restaurant. Will try to meet them there.

3:08 p.m. – Finally arrive at restaurant. Vivian McLaughlin, Musical Director for Solano Youth Theatre (SYT) as well as fellow presenter and nominee is there, expressing feminine solidarity in hair trauma. Love Vivian!

4:45 p.m. – Arrive backstage at the Fairfield Center for Creative Arts (FCCA). It?s bustling with activity. There are a dozen or so young dancers preparing for an upbeat opening medley culminating in ?You Can?t Stop the Beat? from Hairspray. Choreographer Stacie Arriaga (another nominee/presenter) is sick with nerves, but her number looks great! Presenters run around trying to make sure they?re pronouncing names correctly.

5:20 p.m. – Hate hair.

5:37 p.m. – Give up on hair and go out into house where there are many friends and family settling in. It?s starting to get exciting!

5:55 p.m. – The house is really filling up! Dan Clark of Benicia Old Town Theatre Group (BOTTG) is talking with Barbara Norris of Solano Repertory Company (SRC), possibly about their upcoming joint production of Greater Tuna. The high school kids are dolled up and racing into the theatre. There?s a buzz of excitement!

6:00 p.m. – Curtain up! A huge ovation follows the opening number, and then it?s on with the awards. Young Melanie Massoud is poised and lovely presenting the Youth Theatre Awards. First interlude is an intense excerpt from Missouri Street Arts Academy?s (MSAA?s) The Breakfast Club, that wins for its ensemble cast and Director/Lighting Designer Jon Tracy. SYT?s B&tB takes home a few, too!

6:25 p.m. – Robert and I hustle backstage during the interlude from Benicia High School?s Bye Bye Birdie. We miss the kids strutting their stuff as we rehearse our ?witty banter? which I have now redubbed simply ?banter.? The thunderous applause sounds like the number was a hit!

6:31 p.m. – We?re on! The banter seems to be working. We hand out numerous awards to Benicia High, accepted by their Director (another friend!) Christine Mani. Will C. Wood, Dixon High, and Vallejo High each take home one award, the most surprising of which is Vallejo?s choreography nod for the non-musical Neil Simon comedy The Odd Couple.

6:55 p.m. – Robert and I make it back into the theatre to catch the interlude from Tia Madison?s original work Brand New Shoes (SRC). Tia transforms into Rosa Parks before our eyes. Amazing! (She later wins for Outstanding Original Work. Kudos!)

7:00 p.m.-ish – Have lost track of exact time as we relax back in our seats. Vivian and Stacie present the Drama Awards. A variety of shows are recognized including Missouri Street Theatre?s (MST) Chatterbox: The Anne Frank Project and Miracle Worker, SCT?s A Raisin in the Sun (most enthusiastic speech of the night from Stewart Evan Smith), and Darkroom Productions? (DP?s) Trainspotting. The sole tribute to the tragedy of 9/11 comes from the recipient of Lead Actor in a Drama. Victor Lawhorn of Mira Theatre Guild?s Flyin? West is modest in his gratitude before he asks for a touching and heartfelt moment of silence to honor those who lost their lives. Beautiful!

7:25-ish – Intermission! Hugs and hellos to Shannon Kase (nominee, Lead Actress in a Comedy for DP?s Crazyface), Jon Tracy?s proud dad Rick, Seth Anderson (nominee, Supporting Actor in a Musical for SCT?s ?Charlie Brown), and SCT?s new Managing Director Chris Guptill, who has been up to the stage numerous times already for the company. This is a great opportunity to reconnect with wonderful theatre people and meet new ones!

7:45-ish – Act 2 opens with a vignette from Lily, the Virtuous Seamstress. The show marked the revival of the Old Time Gaslighter?s traditional melodrama in Vacaville. Mary Muehelenbruch?s labor of love after the passing of matriarch Alice Macdonald was sponsored by MST. The audience gets into it with boos and ahs.

7:55-ish – Comedy awards are presented with contagious levity by BOTTG?s Dan Clark and Steve Waranietz. Recognition is received across-the-board as FCT?s Snow White and the 17 Dwarfs, Elves and Hobbits takes three awards (including Director Barbara McFadden), SCT?s The Importance of Being Earnest garners two (one for perennial favorite John Carter Epperson), BOTTG takes a total of three (two for On Golden Pond and one for Farndale Avenue?), and MST wins for Lily?s costumes.

8:15-ish – Katie Winchell sings the ballad ?Home? from B&tB, and she?s as ?Belle? as ever!

8:20-ish – On to the musical awards. Sound, set, and lighting design awards go to The Rocky Horror Show (MST), and David Rodgers, Jr. bids farewell to the ?Susan Lucci? club. Seussical (SCT) is recognized for BJ Bandy?s fanciful costumes and Sheri Stockdale?s choreography. Crossin? my fingers for Robert or fellow B&tB cast member Justin DuPuis (?Lumiere?) as the Supporting Actor Award nominees are read. It?s Robert for Cosgworth! He?s so surprised!

8:30-ish – Darling Shannon is reading the nominees for my category. She gives a little smile and I think, ?Oh my gosh!? right before she announces my name as winner!

8:35-ish – Did I complete any of my sentences? I have no idea. Am certain I forgot important people from B&tB like Trevor Wright, Liz Andrews, and Patti Penrod. Think I remembered (1) the audiences, (2) the Daily Republic for recognizing community theatre, and (3) family and BF. Hope everyone else will forgive me. Saving grace: did not turn into Sally Field like last time.

8:45-ish – Cheer on Joe?s musical direction nod for B&tB just before George Maguire receives recognition for direction of Seussical.

8:50-ish – Serena Kreamer gives a touching speech accepting Outstanding Drama for Chatterbox, as does Mary Muehlenbruch for Lily. The awards round up with B&tB taking Outstanding Musical as well as Overall Production, followed by the closing number ?The Human Heart? from Once on This Island.

9:00-ish – Everyone pours out into the lobby with congrats and well-wishes. It?s been an eventful night! Performers, directors, presenters, family members, and supportive audience members compare notes and look forward to another year of marvelous Solano County theatre. A toast of champagne to all of the nominees from the [tag]2005-06 Arty Awards[/tag]!

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