THE FRIDAY FIVE: STARLITE WALTZ's Brooke Gronemeyer & Morgan Robertson

Inspired by BroadwayWorld.com's Friday Six, welcome to BroadwayWorld Nashville's latest installment of The Friday Five: five questions designed to help you learn more about the talented people you'll find onstage throughout the Volunteer state. Today, we focus our virtual spotlight on Brooke Gronemeyer and Morgan Robertson, the stars of Starlite Waltz, the latest - and, unfortunately, last - production from GroundWorks Theatre, headed by artistic director Myra Stephens and managing director Jonathan Stephens, who took over the company from founders Sean and Bob O'Connell (2011 First Night Honorees).

Starlite Waltz, written by Keith Trawick, plays Nashville's iconic Darkhorse Theatre May 22-30.

Brooke Gronemeyer

What was your first taste of live theater? My first live theatre experience was my second-grade acting debut in the play Stuart Little. My sister starred opposite Stuart as Snowbell, while I appeared as Townsperson Number 8. I don't remember much, except for my one line. Oh, and I wore stage blacks and lipstick. Second-graders should never wear lipstick.

What is your favorite pre-show ritual? I enjoy a nice round of yoga and a solid prayer before a show, as well as a dance party and all the carrots off of the veggie tray in the green room.

What's your most memorable "the show must go on" moment? My 'show must go on' moment occurred at Birmingham-Southern College during a weekend of Rent. We'd reached the Saturday show, and I was experiencing some real-life Finale B Mimi Marquez symptoms. Let's just say, my voice went out that night...That's really bad. Luckily, there were copious amounts of honey and steroids and support at the Sunday matinee.

What's your dream role? This is the best/worst question. I have so many but can never choose just one. As a kid, it was always Rumpleteazer in Cats. Now, I would take Violet soon and Velma Kelly in about 15 years. Or at any point, Bobby in Company.

Who's your theatrical crush? The theatre crush varies from year to year and Tony Awards Ceremonies, but if I'm being totally honest, it's this Fred Brown guy who plays my love interest in Starlite Waltz. (Fun fact: We're a couple and have been for over three years.)

Morgan Robertson

What was your first live on stage taste of theatre? I rarely think of the theatre from an audience POV, so this one is kind of difficult, especially thinking back to the very first experience. I believe it was a version of Peter Pan done at a local high school. Peter Pan was my childhood crush, thanks to the Disney deception that taught me he was played by a boy. I remember that, in the high school production, Peter Pan asked us to clap if we believed in fairies - it was the only way we could save Tinkerbell! I couldn't believe I was listening to him, but I did it. In retrospect, it seems like that's when I realized that you must choose to let theatre affect you.

What is your favorite pre-show ritual? Brunch before the Saturday matinee. A big brunch with lots of coffee and bacon. In general, some sort of cast-bonding centered around warm drink or yummy food.

What's your most memorable "the show must go on" moment? Trying to cover my bare bum as I was running off of the field at homecoming halftime. I was dancing with a group as part of the festivities. My cargo pants weren't reinforced well enough to handle the pop lock and.... Split. Yep, right down the center.

What's your dream role? The Phantom of the Opera. I love the way high notes sound in a male voice. It's so full and powerful. Something that I could actually qualify for would be Molly in Ghost, the Musical. Caissie Levy is lovely and talented and I had the privilege of seeing her in the role almost five years ago. I also saw her in Les Mis last summer. Her career is certainly one I'd like to mirror.

Who's your theatrical crush? In keeping with my dream role, I crush on the character of Sam in Ghost. I'm a big Patrick Swayze fan, so that role has always been near and dear to me. My real person crush is Craig Fairbanks. He's a young actor from Michigan. Be on the lookout, you'll see what I mean.

About the production:

GroundWorks Theatre debuts Starlite Waltz this weekend, the company's farewell production to the Nashville theater community. Founded in 2004 by theatre veterans Bob and A. Sean O'Connell and handed over to Jonathan and Myra Stephens in 2012, GroundWorks Theatre "has been the source of much joy for many actors, writers, directors and hopefully audience members over the past eleven years," according to artistic director Myra Stephens.

"But the fact is, a theatre as a man, cannot live on joy alone, or love, or even hard work. Because we had all of that and more, and it just wasn't enough," she continues. "Unfortunately it came down to money, because everything always does, doesn't it? It reminds me of a joke I once heard about a farmer who won the lottery. A reporter asked him what he was going to do with all that money. The farmer thought for a moment and then he put his hands in his pockets, looked the reporter square in the eye and said, 'Wellll... I guess I'll just keep on farming 'till the money runs out.'

"That's how a small theatre company is - you pay the rent, you pay the royalties, you pay the expenses (and trust me I've become an expert on doing things on the cheap), you pay the theatre company ten percent and then you pay the actors, director and crew if there's any money left over. Sometimes there is and sometimes there isn't. Just know that we will miss all of our wonderful Nashville audiences."

Which brings us to the 1989 SARTS Award-winning play, Starlite Waltz written by Keith Trawick. The show opens at the Darkhorse Theatre Friday, May 22, and playing weekends through Saturday, May 30. In Starlite Waltz, Candy and Rhonda deal with life at the Starlite Motel and Supper Club, waiting on tables and the chance to get up on stage and show the world what they can do. But life isn't easy. Candy has run away from an abusive husband and Rhonda is running as fast as she can in her search for Mr. Right, which can wear a girl out, if you know what I mean. Can they run fast enough and in the right direction to make it all happen? Come find out.

Morgan Robertson, as Candy is relatively new to Nashville from Bellhaven University where she majored in Theatre. Brooke Gronemeyer as Rhonda was recently seen in Pull-Tight's production of Catch Me if You Can. Both women appeared in GroundWork Theatre's recent production of Being Ebenezer. Brad DeVore, Fred Brown, Christopher Sax and Jonathon Stephens round out the cast. The play is directed by Myra Stephens.

Evening performances are at 7:30 p.m. and are on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. The matinee performance is at 2:30 p.m. and is on Sunday, May 24. Ticket prices are $15 Adult and $12 Seniors (60+) and Students. It is suggested that tickets be purchased in advance as they sell briskly. Tickets may be purchased online at www.groundworkstheatre.com.

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