I recently finished vocally rehearsing the wonderful Irene Cara's great from FAME, "Out Here On My Own". (Did you know that it was written by pop icon of yesteryear, Lesley Gore? I sure didn't!)
I had the pleasure of heading into the studio to record a music video, giving the whole song my own spin, as a tribute. I was saddened to read of her recent passing, late last year. We both studied with Phil Black at his dance studio on Broadway. She was already a Broadway Name by that stage, but in class we were all treated the same. I will never forget the two of us going across the floor with Phil yelling at us at the top of his lungs "STOP DANCING LIKE SINGERS!" I didn't know exactly what he was talking about but I had visions of Andy Williams and Robert Goulet floating in my head. Two singers that I had seen so often on TV and KNEW THEY COULDN'T DANCE.
Irene and I just laughed. But I never forgot it! I bet she didn't either.
Stay tuned for more!
Educating Rita (and Annie)
I'm so excited to bring you this first taste of my latest stageplay! Watch as I and my Educating Rita costar, Jack Rose, bring our characters, Frank and Rita, to life. Educating Rita is a wonderfully bawdy two-person production and has been a great time putting together. We can't wait to see all of you this November!
Annie Learns A Thing or Two
in "Educating Rita"
I am looking forward to starting rehearsals for this iconic play. Perhaps you remember the original movie with Michael Caine and Julie Walters?
It came out in 1983. Now, I didn't know it had been a play. Did you?
Aaaaaaaaaaaaaannnnnnnnndddddd it's only two characters. I'm the titular Rita, a Liverpool working class hairdresser who wants to better herself.
My co-star is Jack Rose who plays Frank, my very proper British tutor educated in the fine arts as well as the art of a good drink (or drinks) whose constant wish is to be witty at the local pub.
It's got alot more grit and no-holds-barred language.
It's, in its own way, very Pygmalion, but brought up to the present day!
What a ride this will be for the actors on stage and the audiences in the theater!
