2014 was a busy year! Ron and I were having a great time in rehearsal for “It’s Better with a Baritone!” and by this point in the year things were in FULL swing with more than just the tempo. Take a look.
August 2014 – Fundraising in San Fran is “The Best of Times”
I had to share this wonderful moment from the intimate fundraising Soiree this month for Unity in San Francisco this month. It was held at a memorable penthouse on Pacific and Franklin (Wow! Stunning!) Here, Rev. Ken Daigle sings “The Best of Times!” Which it was. Such a warm and generous group of people, and an entire room full of talent! Often the aim is to raise a couple thousand dollars through an event, and other times we look move the decimal point couple spaces! ALWAYS, it is the people in the room who REALLY make the event the JOY that it is. Stay tuned for the next bit of Fundraising Fun!
August 2014 – Fundraising Soiree in San Francisco Penthouse
In early August I zipped back down the Oregon Coast to San Francisco for rehearsals with Danielle Kane and Michael Grossman for the Unity Soirée on August 8th, 2014. It was a special show and very close to my heart. I am so blessed to work with such wonderful artists on a regular basis! My personal goal, to help raise one million dollars for charity, has been a personal intention for some time now – And every fundraising show adds up! A special thank you to ALL who have shown up to share your love, appreciation and treasure with so many great causes along the way. For more 2014 and 2015 show dates. please visit my Calendar Page.
August 2014 – Taking a Quick Break from Rehearsal
Rich and I enjoyed a little time off from rehearsals to join Elaine Wang Meyerhoffer at a performance of “Into the Woods.” Elaine was my glorious partner in music in “A Party with Betty Comden and Adolph Green” and it is always a pleasure to enjoy some down-time in her company. As I recall, we raised nearly $10,000 for the Siletz Bay Music Festival with this small-venue show – best described as a “comic thrill-ride through the music and lyrics of Comden & Green!” Jack Moore devised/directed the show with musical direction by Charlie Creasy.
July & August 2014 – PCO and the Siletz Bay Music Festival
Rehearsals all seem to blur together now! That happens every Summer. Oh, who am I kidding… It happens SEVERAL times each year! And thank goodness, because it keeps life interesting! With my fellow Baritone Ron Spivak and drummer Evan McHill at the ready, everything is right with the world! From the Fundraiser at Jimmy Mak’s for the Portland Chamber Orchestra, to the Artist’s Showcase and Fundraiser for the Siletz Bay Music Festival, it has been a whirl… And there is more to come! Soon, I head back to San Francisco for a Swank Salon Soiree with Danielle Kane and Michael Grossman. Check back for details!
June 2014 – PCO Fundraiser at Jimmy Mak’s is Tomorrow Night!
In preparation for the PCO (Portland Chamber Orchestra) fundraiser at Jimmy Mak’s tomorrow, Monday, June 30th, we are in rehearsal yet again! Fab pianist Rick Modlin (pictured here with me in our “selfie”), co-Baritone Ron Spivak, and drummer Evan McHill were running through numbers today, as we prepare special selections from “It’s Better with a Baritone!” Doors open at Jimmy Mak’s at 5:30pm. Check my Calendar Page for details! Or, you can catch us at The Siletz Bay Music Festival on Sunday afternoon at 4pm on Sunday, July 6th. Details about that, can be found here on my blog!
June 2014 – Siletz Bay Music Festival is Right Around the Corner!
The Siletz Bay Music Festival is all about bringing high quality music performances and music education to the Central Oregon Coast. Their goal is to create programming that excites, educates, and entertains. It is once again an honor to be a part of their Artist Showcase Fundraiser. This year, the showcase takes place on July 6th in Gleneden Beach, OR. Rick Modlin will be at the piano and Ron and I are rehearsing up a storm to be ready for this wonderful event. I anticipate a great evening! The show starts at 4pm and all the ticket info can be found on my Calendar Page.
June 2014 – Jimmy Mak’s – Can You Believe it’s Been a Year?
This picture was taken in June 2013, with Lindsay Deutsch & Susannah Mars, at Jimmy Mak’s in Portland, just after the fundraising performance of “Oh, Those Gershwin Boys!” – A fundraiser for the Portland Chamber Orchestra. On Monday, June 30th, 2014, I’ll be back at Jimmy Mak’s for this year’s PCO fundraiser! Only THIS time there’s a whole new cast of characters! Ron Spivak and I will perform select numbers from my current fundraising show, “It’s Better with a Baritone!” So, if you’re in Portland, this is a great opportunity to support the arts and hang with artists and music-loving locals at this Portland, OR jazz institution – Jimmy Mak’s
April 2014 – The Show Must ALWAYS Go On… The Scoop!
It all looks so smooth by the time it gets on stage! Here’s the real skinny… Preparing for tonight’s, April 1st performance of “It’s Better with a Baritone!” (video of show highlights here) has been a virtual roller-coaster ride! The show was originally scheduled to debut in July 2014. However, Ron and I shifted into high gear when a scheduling conflict caused my leading lady to pull out of a scheduled production of Oh, Those Gershwin Boys! Technical & artistic elements, including hundreds of pages of new orchestrations, had to be ready 3mos earlier than anticipated! Because we’re bi-coastal baritones, we planned every detail by phone and email, sometimes communicating a dozen times a day. Now you know what goes on BEHIND the scenes!
March 2014 – It’s Nearly Opening Night for the Baritones!
When we started rehearsals many moons ago, who knew that April would come so quickly? Well, I suppose it always does when you are having fun! “It’s Better With A Baritone, Broadway’s Best Boys!” showcases baritone duets and memorable solos in Broadway musicals, and will be performed with full orchestra! Ultimately the show is about friendship, one-upmanship, and sporting, good fun It has been an absolute treat to develop this show and we are ALL looking forward to our upcoming performance in Palm Desert. It will be great to see everyone, and it is always exciting to get a new show in front of a large crowd!
March 2014 – A New Song Opens “It’s Better with a Baritone!”
Many moths ago, as repertoire was selected and the show began to take shape, Ron had an idea for an opening number: a song that would state the central idea of the show, that everything (yes, everything) is “better with a baritone.” Little did he dream that his lyric would be set to music by veteran Broadway composer Michael Valenti (who wrote the tune overnight), and then arranged by the esteemed Broadway orchestrator Larry Blank. You’ll be hearing the world premiere in Palm Desert in a few days! We are honored to present its debut performance with the Coachella Valley Symphony under the direction Maestro Abravanel.
March 2014 – The Baritones Get Their Pictures Taken
The collaboration that’s become “It’s Better with a Baritone!” actually began a few years ago when Ron and I met in New York City, and then met again years later in Washington state! Ron and I each performed separately at a the same Walla Walla Symphony gala, and when we heard each other sing, our mutual admiration led to a novel idea… To perform, together, a selection of Broadway duets that had been written specifically for two men, and that feature this distinctive baritone voice. On another note… We had fun at our photo shoot today! A special thank you to Dave Stanfield for our new production stills. More info and pix in my Electronic Press Kit.
March 2014 – “It’s Better With a Baritone!” Comes to Palm Desert
Time flies when rehearsals are bi-coastal! I’m thrilled to say that my new show “It’s Better With A Baritone, Broadway’s Best Boys!” in opening soon! Our April 1, 2014 performance in Palm Desert with the Coachella Valley Symphony and Wayne Abravanel conducting is nearly sold out. The orchestrations and arrangements are spectacular and Coachella Valley Symphony is playing them beautifully. Collaboration is an exciting process; made even more special by the phenomenal talent on this project (Maestro Wayne Abravanel and Concertmistress, Pauline Schiff pictured here). Ron and I are really psyched about this show!
February 2014 – In Rehearsal Coast to Coast and Via Skype
The tradition of using multi-city musicians and collaborators continues in my 2014 show: “It’s Better With A Baritone!” My co-baritone, Ron Spivak, lives in Manhattan, and now that I live in San Francisco, we’re certainly the bi-coastal baritones! Our rehearsals in NYC and via Skype, wrapping up as we get ready for upcoming shows. As you may recall, Broadway, award-winning composer, Michael Valenti has composed our opening number (lyric by Ron Spivak), plus we are singing two of Michael’s original songs from his off-Broadway musical “Lovesong.” This show features music and lyrics from Loesser, Sondheim, Schwartz, Kander & Ebb, Andrew Lloyd Weber and Jerry Herman. Thanks to Alana Joos, the orchestra manager and librarian at CVS, we have a box FULL of charts!
Explore the Archives – In Rehearsal Now
I have been performing for, shall we say a few years, ok decades, now and there have been so many wonderful productions of which I have been a part. I hope you enjoy exploring The Archives. Please check back, as we plan to add more back through the years!
2013 Archives – In Rehearsal Now – More about “It’s Better with a Baritone!” & “Oh, Those Gershwin Boys!”
2012 Archives – In Rehearsal Now – More about “A Party with Betty Comden and Adolph Green”
