I figured out recently that I can take videos from my phone and upload them directly to youtube, so I now get to bring you with me where ever I go and show you theater rehearsals and show planning and museum exhibits and who knows what else?

I'm about to post a video blog! Check back in in an hour or so or follow my tweets on twitter to see it when it is posted! I'm going to start a new approach to this blog with a much heaver focus on video blogging! Let me know how you like it over the next few days! What do you think of a Shakespeare and theater oriented vblog?

Happy Thanksgiving!

Since Thanksgiving is a day of families and friends coming together I decided to blog about a show that gives you the warm feeling of being in your hometown all year round. Most people think that radio theater is a thing of the past, but Garrison Keillor proves that radio theater can be a modern form of entertainment. Garrison Keillor's radio show A Prairie Home Companion has witty and fun skits, beautiful music and the hilarious "Tales from Lake Wobegon" in which he tells stories about the goings on in his home town in Minnesota.

I absolutely love this show. Every Saturday at five I rush to the nearest radio and switch on Public Radio to hear Garrison Keillor's lovely voice. He has a face for radio, but oh, I could listen to his voice forever. Do you think I could persuade him to come to Naperville and perform Shakespeare?

Listen in to Garrison Keillor's wonderful shows at http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/
On this page there is a link you can click to listen to the entire show: http://prairiehome.publicradio.org/programs/2010/11/13/

I have been thinking about starting a video blog and posting it here and on youtube once or twice a week. What is your opinion of this? I could blog on location at rehearsal or at intermission at performances, I could film in stead of photograph. What do you think?
Here is the one video blog I have done, on the day A Midsummer Night's Dream opened:

Leave a comment and let me know if you'd like to see VBlogs on

Yesterday I blogged about some dance numbers I love and the actress who played Titania for us, Valerie Meachum, left a comment recommending these two wonderful tangos:

I hope you enjoyed these! Do you have any favorite dance numbers? What do you think makes a dance number great?

Today I've been thinking about dance numbers and what makes a dance number great. Here is one I enjoyed recently from this weeks Glee:

What constitutes a dance number? Does this one with Charlie Chaplin count?

Here is one I first saw while working out at the gym and I immediately fell in love with it. I think they had a "What would Fred Astaire do?" moment:

This dance number is great because everything comes together so well: circus tricks, dancing and video editing really makes this an amazing visual.

Here are some very talented people that I love and admire:

What is your favorite dance number? Do you have one that you particularly enjoy? Are there certain elements that you look for or would like to see in a good dance number?

P.S. How did you like Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows? I loved it!

One of the blogs I absolutely love to read is Duane Morin's Shakespeare Geek. He makes me feel like a slacker. Mr. Morin often writes more than once a day, and always has intelligent and educated things to say. On November 5th he wrote about something I thought you might find interesting. Someone donated an 8 volume collection of Shakespeare's work, published by the infamous Lewis Theobald, in 1773 and a volume of Shakespeare's poetry published by John Bell in 1774 to the The Springfield-Greene County Library District in Missouri at a recent library book sale. Here is the link to the Shakespeare Geek post about it and here is the link to the article he read about it.

Casting is almost complete now! I'll have a cast list for you soon! I can tell you that this show will have a great group of actors! (You think I'm a little excited?)

Have a beautiful day!

We had our last round of auditions yesterday and I only have a few more audition appointments to finish up before we officially have a cast! So, if you live in the Aurora - Naperville area, or are willing too drive there, today is the absolute last chance to make an appointment to audition!
Here is the audition scene from Shakespeare in Love to entertain you today:

I had a great time at the USO dance at Willowbrook Ballroom last night! Here are some photos from that event:

In other news, our by request auditions are today, so unless you make an appointment with me now, this will be your very last chance to audition! We've had a great group of actors come out so far and I can't wait to see who hows up today!

For a quick recap:
As You Like It is a funny, exciting tale about a young woman banished from court. She disguises herself as a man to conceal her identity and becomes the center of a confusing love triangle! Love, murderous plots, and confusion abound in this hilarious show.

Rosalind, the female lead is also the largest female role in Shakespeare's works. This show also features Touchstone the clever fool and the melancholy Jacques who has the great Seven Ages Of Man (All The World's A Stage) speech.
This production also has a Bollywood twist, so those who want to sing and dance will get to do so!
Performances will be February 11th through March 5th.
Rehearsal times will be based on actor availability.
Auditions will be at the Aurora Community Center 501 College Ave, Aurora
For a list of characters: http://nfs.sparknotes.com/asyoulikeit/characters.html/

See you at auditions and have a great day!

In honor of Veterans day Willowbrook Ballroom is hosting a USO dance, just like the USO dances during WWII!
Costumes are required (a dress for women a suit or uniform for men). Providing the music for the evening will be Jay Witcher Orchestra with vocalist Liz Goss.
Click here for more information!