Clarissa Moon - Page 2

Orlando Shakes' reimagined version of A CHRISTMAS CAROL, originally produced in 2014, returns this holiday season. The production is set in an attic, where a family recounts Dickens' classic story to its youngest member.  I sat down with Laura Hodos (Mrs. Cratchit and others) to discuss her past, present, and future over Christmas tea. 

This Halloween season, the Garden Theatre presents THE BIRDS, a play inspired by the same short story that served as the basis for Alfred Hichcock's famous 1963 film.   I sat down with Bob Brandenburg (Tierney) and Sarah Lockard (Julia) to talk about rehearsals, the bird apocalypse, the art of building tension, and more! 

Zach Infante plays Sonny in IN THE HEIGHTS at the Orlando Shakes.  We sat down to talk about their connection to the show, growth as an actor, and cancer survivorship. 

The Garden Theatre opens its season with the classic musical GYPSY.  I sat down with Andrea Canny (Rose) and Andrea Stack (Louise) to talk about their characters' real-life counterparts, burlesque, and more!

Steven Lane (Horace), Ame Livingston (Regina), and Anneliese Moon (Alexandra) play the Giddens family in THE LITTLE FOXES at Mad Cow Theatre.  While the classic drama is all about family struggles and corruption, the actors couldn't be having more fun.

The Jimmy Awards celebrate outstanding high school performers from across the nation. Each year, around 80 students are chosen to participate in a week of workshops and masterclasses in New York City, all culminating in a final showcase at the Minskoff Theatre on Broadway.  The event is attended by members of the Broadway community. As one of this year's Student Reporters for the awards, I had the chance to chat with with Kyle Selig (MEAN GIRLS), Victoria Clark (CINDERELLA, THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA), and Betsy Wolfe (FALSETTOS, WAITRESS) on the red carpet.  Take a look!  

This summer, the Orlando Shakes takes audiences under the sea with Brandon Robert's new telling of Hans Christian Anderson's classic fairytale, THE LITTLE MERMAID.  I talked with the little mermaid herself, Jillian Gizzi, about what she's learned from playing Allura, human shoes, and more! 

More than twenty years after its opening on Broadway, RENT has been seen by millions of people and is a favorite among musical theatre lovers. Yet...until recently, I'd never seen it. I knew absolutely nothing about the musical except that it's based on the opera LA BOHEME. As I sat down, it occurred to me that I was probably the only person in the 2,700+ seat theatre that was more familiar with LA BOHEME than RENT. Nevertheless, I was ready to finally check out the musical my friends had been obsessing over for years.

The Orlando Fringe Festival is finally here! It began on May 15, and runs until May 28.  I sat down with Canadians Charlie Ross and Rod Peter Jr to talk about the shows they are bringing to the Fringe this year. Charlie will be doing ONE MAN STAR WARS as a fundraiser on May 28, as well as presenting ONE MAN PRIDE AND PREJUDICE and ONE MAN STRANGER THINGS: A PARODY. Charlie and Rod are also the co-writers/stars of 421 IS DEAD: A STORMTROOPER PARODY. 

SOMETHING ROTTEN! is at the Dr. Phillips Center this week.  With help from an ArtsLife Magazine article, I explore some of the show's connections to Orlando. 

ON THE VERGE opens this Wednesday, April 11 at Rollins College. The play follows three Victorian women as they explore Terra Incognita, an unknown land. Soon they find themselves traveling forward through time. I sat down with director Nicole Colangelo to talk about time travel, terrains, and more!

Valencia College's new docudrama, TRANSITION, opens this Friday. The show explores the experiences of trans people and the people in their lives. I sat down with three remarkable cast members--Skyler Diaz, Jessie Ehrenberg, and Sam Sunderly--to talk about the show and their personal experiences.

This weekend, producer Jeremy Seghers presents an evening of two one-acts by local playwright Ashleigh Ann Gardner. I interview Ashleigh Ann Gardner, the star of FUNERAL PARTY and director of GHOST, and Monica Mulder, the star of GHOST and director of FUNERAL PARTY. We talk about the balance between comedy and drama, and more!

As performances of Central Florida Community Art's anticipated production of THE HUNCHBACK OF NOTRE DAME draw closer, I sit down with Ian Patrick Gibb (Quasimodo) to talk about all things HUNCHBACK.

This week, I saw the national tour of SCHOOL OF ROCK at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts. The show follows Dewey Finn, who after getting kicked out of a rock band, poses as a substitute teacher at a prestigious private school. He forms his students into a rock band to compete in the Battle of the Bands. I had the chance to sit down with Christopher DeAngelis (Dance Captain, Swing) to talk about all things SCHOOL OF ROCK.

This is the second video in a series I'm doing about theater for social change. I talk with Jeff Revels, the Artistic Director at the Orlando Repertory Theatre. We discuss the Justice Project, the REP's season, and more!

This season, Gromalot Theatre Factory presents SLEIGH! at the Wayne Densch Performing Arts Center. The show follows a young couple spending their first Christmas together in a series of comedic scenes with no dialogue.

This December, the Orlando Shakespeare Theater has been transformed into a 1940s radio studio for IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE: A LIVE RADIO PLAY. The classic story is told through a live radio broadcast, complete with talented voice actors, commercials, and live sound effects. I sat down with Tyler Tanner, who plays Melvin, the sound foley guy, to chat about the show.

West Orange High School Theatre kicks off their season with the high school premiere of BRIGHT STAR. Written by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell, the musical follows the story of Alice Murphy at two different points of her life. I talked with director Tara Whitman about premiering the show, the live band, staging, and more!

J. Anthony Pyatt Jr. (Jack Kelly) and Daniel Tracht (Davey) star in the Orlando Repertory Theatre's production of DISNEY'S NEWSIES. We talk about the show, play a game, and take on the push-up challenge!