BroadwayWorld.com Costa Mesa Stories

Long Beach Opera to Stage Ernest Bloch's MACBETH, Beg. 6/15

Thu, 23 May 2013 18:16:03 PST

An overwhelming lust for power, a manipulative wife, and witches' prophecies spur a Scottish general onto a tragic path of betrayal, murder and madness. Long Beach Opera (LBO) closes its 2013 season with Macbeth, Swiss-American composer Ernest Bloch's re-discovered powerhouse, sung in English. Performances at the World Cruise Center in San Pedro, CA. begin on June 15, 2013 and continue on June 22 and 23.

Bringing the role of Macbeth to life will be Panamanian-American baritone, Nmon Ford, whose rich voice and handsome good looks has him in demand across the Americas, Japan, and Europe. Classique News said of his recent performance as Jochanaan in Salome, "Mr. Ford's great physique and chilling charisma made him the perfect prophet, both seductive and unattainable. Because he possesses and amazing and powerful voice, he creates a character that burns with the fire of a blinding faith."

LBO Artistic and General Director Andreas Mitisek will conduct as well as direct an original concept for the staging at the World Cruise Center in San Pedro, California, the largest cruise port on the West Coast. Mitisek comments, "The young Bloch, inspired by the likes of Wagner, Mussorgsky and Debussy, created a fiery score that heightens the bloody story and provides spectacular insight into the dark soul of Macbeth."

Premiered at the Opéra Comique in Paris in 1910, Macbeth has only recently been rediscovered in Europe and hasn't been produced in the United States since 1973.

CAST:

Macbeth: Nmon Ford Lady Macbeth: Suzan Hanson
Banquo, Duncan: Doug Jones
1st Witch: Ariel Pisturino
2nd Witch: Danielle Marcelle Bond
3rd Witch: Nandani Sinha
Macduff, 1ST Murdrerer: Robin Buck
Chorus: Long Beach Camerata Singers LBO Orchestra

NMON FORD (Macbeth)

Baritone Nmon Ford was featured on the 2010 Grammy-winning recording, Transmigrations (Telarc), and the three-time 2006 Grammy-winning recording, Songs of Innocence and of Experience (Naxos). His repertoire includes leading baritone roles in Tosca, Otello, Parsifal, Salome, Lohengrin, Il trovatore, Don Giovanni, and Carmen, with appearances at the opera houses of Bologna, Hamburg, Bordeaux, San Francisco, Los Angeles, Cincinnati and Detroit, as well as the appearances with the New York and Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestras and the Chicago, Pittsburgh and Atlanta Symphonies. He has also recorded for Universal/Decca, Koch and Concord.

Suzan Hanson (Lady Macbeth)

Suzan Hanson has sung many major roles with LBO, including Madeline (Fall of the House of Usher), Mrs. P (The Man who Mistook his Wife for a Hat), Margarita (Ainadamar), Medea (Cherubini's Medea), Mrs. Williamson (The Difficulty of Crossing a Field), Pat Nixon (Nixon in China), both women in Sound of a Voice/Hotel of Dreams), and Brünnhilde (Siegfried, Götterdämmerung). She has premiered several works by Philip Glass (including Fall of the House of Usher and Sound of a Voice/Hotel of Dreams), Rinde Eckert, Michel Legrand, and Henry Mollicone. Appearances at other opera companies include San Francisco, Connecticut, Arizona, Pittsburgh, Verona, Tel Aviv, Madrid, Spoleto, Florence, among others. She has had leading roles at major theatrical companies including The Old Globe, the Denver Center, San Jose Rep and many others. Ms. Hanson was Sharon in the National Tour of Master Class with Faye Dunaway. Her recordings include: The Tender Land (Koch).

PRODUCTION CREDITS: Conductor/ Stage Director/ Concept: Andreas Mitisek. Lighting Designer : Dan Weingarten Sound Designer: Bob Christian.

The show will run on Sat,. June 15 at 8:00 pm (limited availability) Sat . June 22 at 8:00 pm Sun. June 23 at 8:00 pm. Pre-opera talks one hour before each performance. All events take place at the World Cruise Center, 100 Swinford Way, San Pedro, Calif. Single tickets range in price from $39-$160 and are available online at www.longbeachopera.org/tickets or from the LBO Box Office at 562-432-5934. Group discounts can be purchased through the LBO Box Office.

ABOUT MACBETH (1904-1909)

Composer: Ernest Bloch Original French Libretto: Edmond Fleg English Libretto (published 1951): Ernest Bloch and Alex Cohen

Although he was a prolific composer, Ernest Bloch wrote only one opera, Macbeth. He began the work in 1904 at a time when he was occupied creating other pieces. Over the years, he kept returning to Macbeth, eventually finishing the opera in1909. The composer's daughter, Suzanne, wrote in Ernest Bloch: Creative Spirit, "His conception of the music was to express the inner ferments of the characters, more important to him than the actual external drama." Bloch scholar Dr. Alexander Knapp refers to Bloch's treatment of Macbeth and Lady Macbeth as "a fusion of music and psychology."

Swiss writer, playwright and essayist Edmond Fleg wrote the original libretto in French, basing the text on the original Shakespeare play.

In 1910, Bloch's Macbeth had its world premiere in Paris at the Opéra Comique at a time when Verdi's 1846 Macbeth was infrequently performed. After several performances, the opera closed amid rumors of disputes within the cast. In 1938, the first post-World War I staging of Macbeth took place at the Teatro San Carlo in Naples, only to be halted by a decree by Mussolini's Fascist anti-Semitic government. At the publisher's request following the decree, Bloch extracted from the full score the two Interludes, which had served as transitions between the first and second scenes of the first act and between the first and second (final) scene of the last act. The Interludes have since been presented in concert around the world and today are better known than the opera.

After World War II, Macbeth was once again rediscovered and performed, this time in an Italian translation. Stagings took place in Rome (1953), Trieste (1957), Brussels (1958) and, following Bloch's death, at La Scala in Milan (1959). In 1975, the opera finally had its United Kingdom premiere in a concert staging using the French libretto at the Royal Festival Hall in London. During the last decade, Bloch's Macbeth has enjoyed a revival in Europe. The most recent overseas production was in 2009 by the University College London.

Ernest Bloch emigrated to the United States in 1917. In 1950, he and Alex Cohen created an English version of the Macbeth libretto. Although essentially the same as the French libretto, some of the text was changed to bring it closer to Shakespeare's dialogue.

LBO will be the first professional opera company in the United States to stage Ernest Bloch's Macbeth. Previous US performances of the opera (each one using the English libretto) began in 1957 at Cleveland's Karamu House, a Black-American theatrical company that performed the American premiere of the work in a truncated version with a piano and no chorus or orchestra. The only other US performances have been at the University of California Berkeley (1960), at Baylor University (1970) and at the Juilliard School of Music (1973) in a production directed by John Houseman.

NOTE: Information about the opera's history was graciously provided by members of the Bloch Family (Ernie Bloch II, Sita Milchev, and Lucienne Allen); Frank Geltner (Ernest Bloch Legacy Foundation); and Bloch scholars, Drs. Stanley Henig, Alexander Knapp and David Z. Kushner.)

ABOUT ERNEST BLOCH: (reprinted from the International Ernest Bloch Society)

Born 24 July 1880 Geneva Switzerland
Died 15 July 1959 Portland Oregon, USA

Ernest Bloch was so admired in his heyday that many considered him the fourth 'B' after Bach, Beethoven and Brahms. He was one of the most original composers of the 20th century whose music, whilst intellectually challenging, was accessible to a wide audience. His works were regularly performed from the 1920s to the 1950s, particularly in the USA, UK and Italy...

Bloch has often been referred to as a 'Jewish composer' because of the substantial number of his works that carry Jewish titles. Yet his repertoire incorporates a variety of influences such as Renaissance, neo-Classical, neo-Romantic, Swiss, Native American, Chinese, and Gregorian chant. Although he never founded a 'school' of composition, many of the most prominent American composers of the 20th century were his students.

He visited Britain in the 1930s, where concerts of his chamber music were presented. In 1949 his Concerto Symphonique for piano and orchestra was premiered at the Edinburgh Festival; he also conducted a major concert at the Royal Albert Hall, including Schelomo with cellist Zara Nelsova and The Sacred Service with baritone Aron Rothmüller and the London Philharmonic Orchestra and Chorus. Following the founding of the American Ernest Bloch society, an Ernest Bloch Society was founded in London in 1937 with Albert Einstein, Sir Thomas Beecham, Sir Arthur Bliss, Sir Arnold Bax and Sir John Barbirolli, among others, as honorary officers.

Amongst his many other attributes, Bloch was an accomplished photographer, a lover of mushrooms, a collector and polisher of agates and a prolific letter writer.

Additional information about Bloch's life and compositions is available in the Oregon Encyclopaedia, click here.

ABOUT William Shakespeare'S MACBETH:

Macbeth was written by William Shakespeare sometime between 1603 and 1607. The play is a psychological study of ambition, treachery and consuming guilt. Overcome by their lust for power, Scottish lord Macbeth and his wife Lady Macbeth plot the overthrow and murder of the King with the intention of taking his throne and controlling the country. Once Macbeth murders the King, the heinous act leads to more killing and eventual civil war. Haunted by their deadly deeds, Macbeth and his wife lose everything they wished to gain, including their lives. Famous lines from the play include:

--Fair is foul, and foul is fair --There's daggers in men's smiles --Double, double toil and trouble; fire burn and cauldron bubble --I have no spur to prick the sides of my intent, but only vaulting ambition, which o'erleaps itself and falls on the other --Is this a dagger which I see before me, the handle toward my hand? --Sleep no more! Macbeth does murder sleep

To-morrow, and to-morrow, and to-morrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day
To the last syllable of recorded time,
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more: it is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury,
Signifying nothing.

LBO COINCIDENCE (Special Event): AMBITION OR OBSESSION :

On Saturday afternoon June 1, 2013 at 1:00 pm, as a prelude to performances of Ernest Bloch's opera Macbeth later in June, LBO will explore how Macbeth blurs the border separating determination and madness. Shakespeare savants, psychologists and opera-philes will dissect the title character's wicked hubris and LBO cast members will present scenes from both Verdi and Bloch's illuminations of this bloody, cautionary tale.

When: Saturday, June 1, 2013 at 1:00 pm

Where: Art Theater of Long Beach, 2025 East 4th Street, Long Beach, CA.

Tickets: General Admission tickets are $20 and are available from the Art Theater on the day of the event or online at www.longbeachopera.org.

Long Beach Opera (LBO) is internationally known for cutting-edge interpretations of unconventional repertoire. LBO creates immediate, inventive and often boldly avant-garde productions for an adventurous audience and stands apart from most other companies in the number of world, American and West Coast premieres it has staged. Founded in 1979, LBO is one of the largest professional opera organizations in Southern California and the oldest in the Los Angeles/Orange County region. LBO's performance history includes more than 100 operas ranging from the earliest works of the 17th century to the new operas of the 21st.

CATCH ME IF YOU CAN Opens 6/25 in Costa Mesa

Thu, 23 May 2013 16:14:31 PST

Based on the hit DreamWorks film and the incredible true story that inspired it, the first national tour of the high-flying Broadway musical CATCH ME IF YOU CAN will land in Orange County with Stephen Anthony as Frank Abagnale, Jr. The show captures the astonishing true story of a world-class con artist who passed himself off as a doctor, a lawyer and a jet pilot-all before the age of 21.

With straight-arrow FBI agent Carl Hanratty on Frank's trail, we're off on a jet-setting, cat-and-mouse chase, as a jazzy, swinging-sixties score keeps this adventure in constant motion.

Free Movie Mondays Return to Segerstrom Center for the Arts, July-Aug 2013

Wed, 22 May 2013 22:10:48 PST

2013 summer movie line-up includes:

• The Wedding Singer - July 8
• Buena Vista Social Club - July 15
• The Lion King - July 22
• The Phantom of the Opera - July 29
• Evita - August 5

In what has become an annual favorite outdoor arts series in Orange County, Segerstrom Center for the Arts' Free Movie Mondays---returning for its seventh summer---will continue the popular summer pastime of providing great free entertainment on the Arts Plaza for OC audiences to enjoy.

The five famous films in this year's line-up include: The Wedding Singer, a romantic comedy paying homage to the awesome decade of the 80s; the Oscar-nominated musical documentary Buena Vista Social Club, profiling the legendary Cuban musicians who came out of retirement to reunite and perform together once again; Disney's The Lion King, the animated musical that celebrates the "Circle of Life"; The Phantom of the Opera, the winner of last summer's Audience Favorite Online Poll; and Evita, starring Madonna, Antonio Banderas and Jonathan Pryce, will conclude the 2013 Movie Mondays series.

The annual alfresco Movie Mondays is part of Segerstrom Center's Free for All series, and is held on the Center's inviting 46,000-square-foot Arts Plaza. During the last six summers, Movie Mondays has grown to attract thousands of families and movie fans from all over the Southland.

Additionally, as part of the Center's continuing partnership with the Newport Beach Film Festival, a selection of the best animated short films from this year's festival will be shown prior to each week's main feature.

The popular films are projected on the side of Segerstrom Hall. Guests are encouraged to bring beach chairs or other easily portable seating items. Set-up begins at 5:30 p.m., with the movie starting at dusk (approximately 8 p.m.). Guests may bring their own snacks and picnic suppers. Barbecues and similar food preparation appliances are not permitted.

And new for this year's series, Patina Catering will also be providing specially-themed menu items for each Movie Monday available for purchase.

Segerstrom Center will again hold entertaining themed contests before each screening. Past contests have included trivia games and dance competitions. Contests are open to all movie-goers and start at approximately 7:30 p.m. Prizes such as tickets to shows, DVDs and other fun-filled items are awarded to contest winners.

Photos courtesy of SCFTA.

For more info, visit scfta.org.

Now Playing Onstage in Costa Mesa - Week of 5/19/2013

Sun, 19 May 2013 10:00:00 PST

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L.A. PHILHARMONIC
Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall
5/24-5/24/2013
After a sold-out Orange County performance in 2011, Gramophone magazine's 2011 Artist of the Year Gustavo Dudamel returns with Los Angeles Philharmonic for its annual Orange County visit.
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STEEL MAGNOLIAS
The Laguna Playhouse
4/30-5/26/2013
This heartwarming true story follows a group of friends who gather each week at a salon in Chinquapin Parish, Louisiana. Truvy dispenses shampoo and advice to Ouiser, the town curmudgeon ("I'm not crazy; I've just been in a bad mood for forty years"), Miss Clairee, an eccentric millionaire with a sweet tooth, and M'Lynn, whose daughter Shelby is about to get married. Tough as steel and fragile as the blossoms of magnoliatrees, these hilarious characters gossip, tease, laugh, fight, cajole, and comfort each other as they go through life's big joys and challenges.
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Stevie Wonder & Ray Charles in Broadway" border="0" height="100" width="100" align="right"> THE MUSIC OF Stevie Wonder & Ray Charles
Old Town Temecula Community Theatre
5/26-5/26/2013
Cabaret at The Merc returns May 26th with The Music of Stevie Wonder & Ray Charles! Featuring some of the greatest hits by two of the most legendary songwriters of our time, this evening is not to be missed! Be sure to get your tickets soon, as our shows have been selling out on a regular basis! Sir Duke will be waiting for you! Other tunes you can expect to hear include Superstition, I Just Called To Say I Love You, Georgia On My Mind, I Got a Woman, Hit The Road Jack, and many more! Performers will be announced soon! Produced by Jordan Beck and J. Scott Lapp Tickets: $20.00 for reserved seating $15.00 Students with I.D. (available in back row only) Tickets Onsale Now!
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BWW Reviews: FLASHDANCE Splashes Down on the OC

Sat, 18 May 2013 09:43:42 PST

Ah, timing. Sometimes, it's awesome. Sometimes... meh, not so much.

Only just a few weeks ago, Orange County's Segerstrom Center for the Arts hosted the national touring company of BILLY ELLIOT, that Tony Award-winning musical about a young kid in a small, working class town, circa mid-1980's, with dreams of entering ballet school. Winning and downright hopeful, the musical is a smile-inducing treat, both as a stage musical and as a dramatized story of a talented pre-teen overcoming the odds under realistic dire circumstances.

It's an unfortunate, ill-timed happenstance, then, that the show that immediately followed it in the same theater space is the national touring company of the similarly-themed FLASHDANCE: THE MUSICAL---the new, Broadway-bound stage musical based on the popular 80's-era movie of the same name (it plays its final show in the OC on May 19). With one musical following the other so closely here in Costa Mesa, one can't help but notice just how many aspects both shows have in common. And, alas, the comparison---unfair as it may be to make---nonetheless reveal just how much one show isn't as successfully rendered as the other.

To wit, both shows have eerily similar traits: both are musicals based on previously-produced hit feature films; both take place in the same exact decade (albeit, in different continents); both feature storylines that highlight the struggles of having low-paying, antiquated, blue-collar jobs in a small town; and, finally, both musicals feature wishful central characters that long to get into ballet school to pursue their dreams and to fully express their natural talents.

But the similarities end there. When you strip away the comparisons and simply analyze FLASHDANCE on its own merits---which, in this case, sits squarely on its (newer) music, its staging, and its less than stellar book---what ultimately emerges is a show that lacks enough vitality and emotional punch to really pack a wallop. For a show that has the word "Flash" in it, there's just not enough of it, frankly.

Even the show's undeniably-talented ensemble---led by the incredible Jillian Mueller as the young lady with the penchant for dancing under a rainshower---can't disguise the fact that this musical needs a lot more refining before its planned Broadway bow later this year (and, perhaps, the show's creative and producing team have realized this, too: it was announced recently that its Broadway opening will now be postponed from its original summer start date, which you can read here).

On paper, turning Adrian Lyne's Flashdance---that 1983 surprise hit film that spawned a best-selling soundtrack of memorable, decade-defining chart toppers---into a full-blown stage musical seemed like an inspired idea. It's got infamous musical roots. It's got the potential for some really great dancing. And it's got a slightly naughty story with a hopeful, triumphant ending. And, wow, wouldn't it be fun to end act one with that infamous bucket-o'-water dance from the movie?

Alex is that oft-seen archetype of musical theater: the young girl with seemingly unattainable big dreams, yet somehow, thanks to a tuneful combination of luck, tenacity, and skill, achieves it by curtain call. FLASHDANCE's central character, more than anything, just wants to get into Shipley Academy, the local ballet school. A hoity-toity place that, apparently, looks down on people like her, she's both defiant of its elitist-ness yet she's achingly desperate to be accepted within its prestigious walls.Deviating only slightly from the film---which, like the movie, was also co-written by Tom Hedley, who came up with the original story--FLASHDANCE tells the tale of young Pittsburgh dreamer Alex Owens (Mueller), who earns a living both as a butch steel-mill welder during the day and as a sexy, um, uh... interpretive (?) dancer at a local dive bar at night. (Sorry for the confusion, but I'm still baffled as to exactly what kind of bar would showcase this type of dancing--it's not a strip joint, there are no stripper poles, there are outrageous costumes involved, but it's not exactly a "put a buck in my g-string" kinda exotic dancing establishment either).

Though she's a tough, independent, cool girl with a hip vibe and a gang of buddies that pretty much think she's all that, Alex is still somehow insecure about her prospects with Shipley. Will they ever let someone like her in since she's, well, economically-challenged, too blue-collar, basically self-taught, and have dance skills that skew more contemporary than classical (we see her enjoy pop-locking and breakdancing with her neighborhood pals)? We hear her sing about it, then dance about it, then bitch and moan about it... pretty much throughout the entire show. But, dang gurrll, she gots obstacles. Well, made up ones in her head, anyway.

Therein lies one of the many frustrations with FLASHDANCE: the main character doesn't really have concrete, believable difficulties to battle. In essence, this version of the dreamer almost seems half-hearted, and we only start to really invest in her success once she gets to her final, full-out, no-holds-barred solo dance to the show's Academy Award-winning title song at the very end of the show.

Ultimately, there's no real character growth because, well, things just end up working out for her---as if it's her reward for all that whining and huffing and puffing she does to pursue her own ascent. While, sure, self-doubt, pride, lack of money, and having just street smarts are indeed genuine obstacles in realizing one's dreams (heck, I can honestly say this from personal experience that they are sometimes paralyzing), they are by no means strong enough traits to hang an entire dramatic arc on, and the way the show goes about to justify her motivations here isn't working at all.

Even the "taboo" romance with her handsome "boss" Nick Hurley (Matthew Hydzik) that she fights off at first isn't really being deterred by any real consequences. He is crazy mad for her but his co-workers try to persuade him not to pursue her. Uh, why?

Natch, they fall for each other anyway (quite rapidly, I might add, shown in a ridiculous sequence of dates set to the song "Manhunt,"). Their obstacle to love? Well, the guy is rich, dresses like a preppy, and is the poster boy for his family's business---which also means he's been tasked to hand out pink slips to most of her friends in the steel mill---well, except she doesn't get a pink slip, of course, because she's a good worker. Um, okay. Oh, and later, OMG, he has the audacity to offer to put in a good word for her at Shipley! The nerve of this man trying to do something nice for her! (Alright, sarcasm now off).

Yikes.

And, on top of all this, though Alex is the main character of the musical, she is often drowned in a sea of zig-zagging multiple peripheral characters with unnecessary B- and C-stories that pad the show with interruptive tangents that pull focus from the main storyline. There's the owner of the club Alex dances at, Harry (Matthew Henerson), who is constantly coming up with creative ways to keep his place open for business. There's his son Jimmy (the likable David R. Gordon), a layabout kid who dreams of becoming a comedian so he, uh, decides to move to New York after a scuffle. He's also in love with Alex's best friend and fellow dancer Gloria (pixie-voiced Kelly Felthous), a naive girl unsure of her own path (may I suggest a career as Kristin Chenoweth's voice double in a Vegas act, Gloria?).

Later we also meet an older curmudgeon in a wheelchair, Hannah (Jo Ann Cunningham), whom Alex visits. At first I forgot who the character was from the movie, but then I realized she was her mentor (while struggling to recall who she was, I thought she was an aunt or grandmother or something---the set up wasn't so clear there).

And while I genuinely enjoyed Alex's BFFs Gloria, Tess (Katie Webber), and Kiki (Dequina Moore)---especially when they perform as Alex's personal Greek Chorus from time to time or have their comedic side numbers---their separate storylines feel "dropped in," particularly Gloria's interactions with Jimmy, and her later descent down the stripper spiral via C.C. (Christian Whelan) owner of the Chameleon, a more tawdry, rival club down the street. (Was renaming the character for the stage show just an excuse to have the ensemble sing Laura Branigan's "Gloria" to her? Ha ha).

At one point during the show's first half, I actually thought to myself... "Gosh, will everyone just stop talking and just dance already?" Oh, but when the cast does, wow, that's when the magic truly happens in the show. With beautiful choreography from director/choreographer Sergio Trujilo, the show's dance numbers---which vary from old school hip-hop to lyrical to ballet---are spectacularly staged, and are clearly the true assets of this show. Also worth lauding: the show's dynamic sets that incorporate drops and projections designed by Klara Zieglerova and Peter Nigrini, respectively.

The music, however, is a bit mixed. Many of the familiar songs plucked from the movie's soundtrack have been fashioned---forcibly---to accommodate the story; some, really well (the finalé "What A Feeling"), others, not so much (the aforementioned "Manhunt" and the chaotic "Gloria"). Meanwhile most of the 16 brand new songs written specifically for this new production by Robbie Roth and Robert Cary are serviceable enough, but not entirely memorable. Funny, though, that the songs that do stick out for me in a more positive way don't service the forward movement of the story at all, but are nonetheless lots of fun: "Justice" which features Nick and a few male co-workers at the mill, and "Put It On" featuring Alex and her girlfriends having some fun in the dressing room of the club.

Luckily for the show, the songs have been handed to some power pipes, particularly leads Mueller and Hydzik (their riffs are magnificent, especially during the quieter ballads), and diva extraordinaire Moore---the show's best singer and most cheerful character in the bunch (incidentally, I thought Moore was also one of the best things about the little-seen Queen Latifah/Dolly Parton/Jeremy Jordan movie musical Joyful Noise).

But despite having this cast of incredible triple threats, overall, FLASHDANCE seems like a well-meant endeavor that needs a serious overhaul in its disjointed execution. It certainly needs a bigger jolt of joy to put some much-needed umph into its storytelling. And with its untapped kitsch factor feeling dulled down, perhaps the show could have used lots more winking, nostalgic nods to the era it's set in (perfect lesson: the ROCK OF AGES stage show). In this current iteration, every situation feels like a frustrating stretch, and not the kind these fabulously limber dancers extend themselves to frequently. Even the first act itself feels like it just trudges along merely to get us to the infamous chair-and-water downpour scene---which goes by so quick, it almost barely registers enough to be a proper homage.

Maybe that's exactly what this show needs: a lot of cleansing to wash away everything it doesn't need, and to have clean surfaces available to showcase a newer, improved treatment.

Follow this reviewer on Twitter: @cre8iveMLQ

Photos by Kyle Froman. Courtesy of SCFTA. From top: Alex Owens get drenched; Kiki (Dequina Moore) dons a maid's apparel; Nick (Matthew Hydzik) ponders his place in his family's legacy.

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Performances of FLASHDANCE: THE MUSICAL at Segerstrom Center for the Arts continue through Sunday, May 19. Tickets can be purchased online at www.SCFTA.org, by phone at 714-556-2787 or in person at the SCFTA box office (open daily at 10 am). Segerstrom Center for the Arts is located at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa.

For tickets or more information, visit SCFTA.org.

BWW Reviews: Tony Winner Betty Buckley Brings Her Class Act to Segerstrom's Samueli Theatre

Fri, 17 May 2013 18:46:58 PST

It is easy to understand why Betty Buckley has been called the "Voice of Broadway". To begin, she has an astounding instrument with an incredible range. She can belt out the lyrics from "Come Back to Me" from On a Clear Day You Can See Forever and then in the next breath bring her voice down to almost a whisper, like a prayer, in essaying "Maria" from West Side Story. Secondly, she is a dynamic actress who feels the story the song is telling. Most of all, through living this material, there's great soul, a deep sense of humanity lurking beneath. I have always said it takes a great actress to be a great singer. Betty Buckley is most definitely among the small group of Broadway divas who consistently hit the mark. Her unique contribution is an unparalleled grace and class which emanate from every phrase she utters.

I have seen Buckley several times before in concert. She usually sings "Memory" from Cats and other songs that the audience attributes to her, like "With One Look" from Sunset Boulevard or "He Plays the Violin" from 1776, her very first New York musical. In this concert she veers 360 degrees, singing songs that she has always wanted to sing from her new CD Ah, Men! The Boys of Broadway, songs usually associated with and sung by male singers. What makes the evening doubly engaging is Buckley's patter in between songs, the little stories of why a song was chosen for the album or how she first happened to hear it. In many cases it's from a show she was in, but as the female lead was not allowed to sing, as in Pippin, she stood in the wings listening to Michael Rupert sing "Corner of the Sky" and longed to perform it or in William Finn's Elegies at Lincoln Center in which she adored again Michael Rupert's interpretation of "Venice", a simply gorgeous ballad about three gay men and their quest for true happiness, as conveyed through beauty and art. No one could express these individual feelings better than Buckley whose lovely imagery leaves you breathless.

Other highlights of the 80-minute set includes: "I Can See It" from The Fantastiks, "Luck Be a Lady Tonight" from Guys and Dolls, "Hey There" from The Pajama Game and a beautiful three-song medley from Sweeney Todd: "Not While I'm Around", "Johanna", and "My Friends" representing Tobias, Anthony and Sweeney himself. Speaking of how Fred Astaire movies have always cheered her up, she performs "I Won't Dance". There is also a fun tribute to West Side Story with the aforementioned "Maria" and a truly fun rendition of "The Jet Song", and my favorite segment "A Hymn to Her" adapted from My Fair Lady. in which Buckley toots her own horn a la Professor Henry Higgins in performing male roles like Tevye from Fiddler, Nathan Detroit, Fagin, Harold Hill, Billy Bigelow from Carousel with a snippet of "Soliloquy", Max Bialystock from The Producers and L'il Abner, among others. Quite a variety of roles to the tune of "Why Can't a Woman Be More Like a Man?" Great stuff!!!

Virtuoso pianist John McDaniel accompanies Miss Buckley throughout, plays a delightful overture as well as other small solo sections in many of Buckley's numbers. He's terrific! There are two more chances to catch Betty Buckley in concert: tonight Friday May 17 and tomorrow night Saturday May 18 at the Samueli Theatre of Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa. It's worth the drive to see one of Broadway's greatest singing actresses Betty Buckley who will take you on an unforgettable journey through musical material you never dreamed a woman could sing with such power, conviction and delicate artistry. Brava...and Bravo!!

South Coast Repertory's Theatre for Young Audiences Series Closes with THE NIGHT FAIRY

Fri, 17 May 2013 16:54:58 PST

A very small fairy encounters very big creatures in South Coast Repertory's final production of the Theatre for Young Audiences series: a new adaptation by John Glore of Newbery Medal-winning author Laura Amy Schlitz's book "The Night Fairy." The production runs May 24-June 9 on the Julianne Argyros Stage. Schlitz's book is illustrated by Angela Barrett and published by Candlewick Press. Learn more online: http://www.thenightfairy.com.

Playwright John Glore, SCR's associate artistic director, was instantly drawn to adapting Schlitz's novel for the stage.

"I was immediately captivated by the illustrations. I read the first page. Then I read the next page, and then the next. I was drawn in, so I bought the book, took it home and knew that I wanted to adapt it", said Glore. He has also adapted The Stinky Cheese Man and A Wrinkle in Time for SCR's young audience series.

Flory is a fairy no taller than an acorn who loses her exquisite wings in a fight with a bat, falls into the garden of a "giant lady" and takes up residence in a birdhouse. This magical story is as visually bewitching as the night fairy herself. But Flory is as fierce as she is elegant, and she's about to discover that she needs every drop of bravery-and equal amounts of understanding and compassion-in her new life among the daylight creatures.

Director Oanh Nguyen's cast and design team utilizes a mix of puppets, projections and sound to create the giant world of Flory's garden and its animal inhabitants.

The cast includes Catherine Adell, Sol Castillo, Moira MacDonald, Nicholas Mongiardo-Cooper, JoNathan Williams and Emily Yetter.

The design team includes Sara Ryung Clement, set designer/costume designer; Matt Scleitcher, lighting designer/co-projection designer; Dave Mickey, sound designer/co-projection designer; Beth Peterson, puppet designer; and Sue Karutz, stage manager.

SCR's Theatre for Young Audiences program is made possible, in part, by grants from The Nicholas Endowment and The Segerstrom Foundation. The production of The Night Fairy is generously supported by Corporate Honorary Producer Nordstrom.

Tickets range from $20-32. Discounts are available for full-time students, patrons 25 years of age and under, full-time educators, seniors and groups of 10 or more. For complete information, visit: www.scr.org.

Photo Flash: Sneak Peek - Jillian Mueller Teaches FLASHDANCE on KTLA-TV Tonight

Thu, 16 May 2013 16:48:10 PST

Tonight during KTLA-TV 6 p.m. news broadcast, JillIan Barberie, host of the new Hollywood Mix, visits with Jillian Mueller "Alex" of Flashdance - The Musical. They go over the iconic splash-segment. Check out sneak peek photos from the taping below!

Local L.A. news station KTLA will air the segment tonight, and then in June when syndicated show "Hollywood Mix" airs, they will feature the full Flashdance The Musical segment taped at Segerstrom Center.

The Orange County engagement of FLASHDANCE - THE MUSICAL, the stage adaptation of the 1983 hit film that defined a generation, will feature Mueller as Alex and Matthew Hydzik as Nick, with Katie Webber as Tess, Kelly Felthous as Gloria, Dequina Moore as Kiki, Jo Ann Cunningham as Hannah, David R. Gordon as Jimmy, Matthew Henerson as Harry and Christian Whelan in the role of C.C.

Also joining the company are Holly Ann Butler, Claire Camp, Derek Carley, Ryan Carlson, Natalie Caruncho, Lynorris Evans, Thursday Farrar, Charlene Hoffman, Holly Laurent, Jakob Karr, Dan Kohler, Brandt Martinez, Nicholas McGough, Ariela Morgenstern, Rebecca Riker, Andrea Spiridonakos and Lawrence E. Street.

FLASHDANCE launched this year on January 1 at Pittsburgh's Heinz Hall with an official opening on Thursday, January 3 and continues on to more than 25 cities with additional bookings to be announced. In addition to the US national touring company, a Second Company of FLASHDANCE will be assembled on Broadway with performances beginning August 2013 for an open-ended engagement.

With electrifying dance at its core, FLASHDANCE - THE MUSICAL tells the inspiring and unforgettable story of Alex Owens, a Pittsburgh steel mill welder by day and a bar dancer by night with dreams of one day becoming a professional performer. When romance with her steel mill boss threatens to complicate her ambitions, Alex learns the meaning of love and its power to fuel the pursuit of her dream.

Celebrating its 30th anniversary, the original Paramount Pictures film was a worldwide smash hit that became a pop culture phenomenon, grossing more than $150 million and featuring a Grammy Award- winning soundtrack. FLASHDANCE - THE MUSICAL features a score including the hit songs from the movie, all of which became Top Ten hits on the radio around the world including the Academy Award- winning title song "Flashdance - What a Feeling," "Maniac," "Gloria," "Manhunt," "I Love Rock & Roll." In addition to these hits, 16 brand new songs have been written for the stage.

Directed and choreographed by Sergio Trujillo (Jersey Boys, Memphis, The Addams Family), FLASHDANCE - THE MUSICAL features a book by Robert Cary and Tom Hedley (co-writer of the original screenplay with Joe Eszterhas).

The production features scenic design by Klara Zieglerova, costume design by Paul Tazewell, lighting design by Howell Binkley, projection design by Peter Nigrini and sound design by John Shivers and David Patridge. Hair & wig designs are by Charles LaPointe and make-up design is by Cookie Jordan. The production also features music supervision and vocal and incidental arrangements by Jason Howland, orchestrations by Doug Besterman and dance arrangements by Jim Abbott.

For more information, visit www.flashdancethemusical.com.

JillIan Barberie and Jillian Mueller

JillIan Barberie on stage as Jillian Mueller goes over FLASHDANCE moves.

JillIan Barberie host of the new show Hollywood Mix visits Segerstrom Center to learn about Flashdance The Musical.

JillIan Barberie

JillIan Barberie learns how to pose during the iconic FLASHDANCE water scene as Jillian Mueller goes over the moves. KTLA-TV is taping.

JillIan Barberie has had enough but definitely a great time at Segerstrom Center as she learns about Flashdance The Musical.

BWW Interviews: Tony Winner Betty Buckley Talks Upcoming OC Cabaret

Thu, 16 May 2013 06:32:55 PST

Tony Award-winning stage and screen star Betty Buckley---who has been called "The Voice of Broadway"---will be headlining a series of concerts as part of Segerstrom Center for the Arts' Cabaret Series from May 16 - 18 at the Samueli Theater.

Called Ah, Men! The Boys of Broadway, the show will feature the living legend giving her own inimitable spin on classic Broadway tunes that have traditionally been written for male characters (the show also has a companion CD with a similar title). Buckley will be accompanied on stage by John McDaniel, the Grammy and two-time Emmy winner who spent six years as the affable bandleader on Rosie O'Donnell's original hit syndicated daytime talk show.

On Broadway, Buckley appeared in 1776 (her Broadway debut), PIPPIN, SONG AND DANCE, THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD and CARRIE. Her Tony win, of course, was for her memorable performance as Grizabella in Andrew Lloyd Webber's international hit musical CATS. She received a second Tony nomination in TRIUMPH OF LOVE and an Olivier nomination for her portrayal of Norma Desmond in Webber's SUNSET BOULEVARD. TV audiences, though, know her best of all for playing Abby Bradford in the hit dramadey Eight Is Enough. And on top of her film, television, concert, and stage work, this busy "cowgirl" has 15 pressed CDs, along the way earning her two Grammy nominations. Her next album, the T Bone Burnett-produced Ghostlight will be released in 2014.

Before she took her male-centric cabaret concert to Orange County, the 2012 Theater Hall of Fame inductee fielded questions from BroadwayWorld's Michael Lawrence Quintos.

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BWW: Good morning, Ms. Buckley! What an honor it is to speak with you, especially today on Mother's Day since the world knows you for being one of TV's Best Moms!

Ms. Buckley: Ha ha, thank you.

So, can you tell me a little bit more about your upcoming cabaret show this week at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa?

Yes, it's a show I'm calling Ah, Men! The Boys of Broadway, and it contains some of my favorite men's songs from the Broadway songbook---songs that were written for men to sing in Broadway shows that I've been wanting to sing for a while. So I just decided to put together an evening of all men's songs. Some of these songs are known for being really beautiful, but some are really very funny, too. [The songs] are also off of my new album which was released last August by Palmetto Records.

What finally inspired you to do this kind of show?

Well, like I said, I've wanted to sings these songs for a long time and I've tried to sneak them into my [concert] repertoire from time to time [in the past] and people have said, "oh, no, you can't do that! It's written for a man!" But in truth, I first had the idea when I was in THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD, where I was playing a male impersonator in the British musical. So I was playing a woman playing a young man playing an older man. So that's when the idea first came because I had done all this research and discovered that there were these women who were impersonators and were very famous doing these British musicals. Their voices weren't right for the Opera or Operatas, so they thought, well, let's just put trousers on them to play the young boys in these musicals. It was pretty scandalous at the time in Britain, but they got away with it. I really love them.

Awesome! How interesting! Now, in terms of being someone who has consistently done both fully-staged musicals and more intimate, one-woman cabarets, do you prefer doing one more over the other?

Well, I try not to think like that. You know, we're really conditioned in our culture to always think in terms of comparisons... you know, "I like this better than that." I think that very foolish thinking because things don't compare; they are their own thing. And so I love doing concert work and I love being in musical theater as well. And... I love doing television... I love doing film. But, of course, there's nothing quite like standing on a stage and singing with brilliant musicians---in any form of that. But I try not to think comparatively.

I understand. Now among your many appearances on TV, I was so stoked to see you return as Hanna's Grandmother on Pretty Little Liars this season...

Yes, my first appearance was two seasons ago and then I came back again last year. It was fun.

And we got to hear you sing the National Anthem! Will we get to see more appearances of you in the show next season?

I don't know... they say so, but then, I don't know. It's just kind of however they decide to write Hanna's grandmother Regina into the script. So, we'll see...

Great! One thing I noticed is that you are quite active on social media, particularly on Twitter. Do you think it's a tool reluctant actors should embrace just as much as you have?

I don't know if they should or shouldn't, it's up to them. It was my brother who actually got me to do it. I think my brother is the King of Social Media---he's a television director in Hollywood and is very successful. A couple of years ago he just told me, "Hey, you really need to do this!" And so I said okay, and so first I tried Twitter. Then a couple of weeks later he said, "Okay, now you need to be on Facebook!" [Laughs]

And what a great way to interact with your fans!

It is a lot of fun.

Now, along with your decades of work in TV and film, many of our readers here on BWW, of course, know you best from your work in musical theater. I mean, I can honestly say from personal experience that your legacy has inspired so many young girls and boys to pick up a hairbrush and belt out a showtune. Tell me, growing up did you yourself have idols that inspired you to pursue this career?

Yes, I loved Judy Garland and I love Barbra Streisand. I love Ella Fitzgerald, Nancy Wilson, and Sarah Vaughan. And I love Barbara Harris, a wonderful Broadway and musical theater actress... and Gwen Verdon... those are some of my heroes.

Great! Was there a point in your childhood when you thought... yeah, this is for me. This is what I want to do.

Oh, yes. When I saw my first musical---which was THE PAJAMA GAME---when I was 11 years old. I just had this epiphany watching Bob Fosse's choreography in "Steam Heat." These two guys who had worked with Fosse recreated the show for our regional theater Casa Manana. And later that was the first number I did in my Junior High Talent Show. Those same two guys [who had worked with Fosse] decided to settle in Fort Worth and become dance teachers here; and so my mother took me to [learn from] them. I had sung in my church choir but these guys became my mentors. So I had discovered at 11 that I had this unique voice. By the time I was about 13---having been consistently performing after that---I had a clear vision of what I was going to do and what my career and environment was going to be when I grew up and how I would affect people. Yeah, I had a pretty good vision that I was going to be on Broadway.

That's amazing! Along those same lines, do you have any specific advice for young people today who themselves have had this vision of their future and want to pursue a similar career in musical theater?

Just study hard and learn as much as you can. I think that you don't have to hit your stride when you're in your 20's. You have plenty of time to grow. But the best, most important thing is to seek the best teachers, and to also get a well-rounded education---not just musical theater studies. Just going to theater school is not enough. Just majoring in musical theater is not enough. You can do that, but you should also study psychology... sociology... world history... and have some sense of the world and your place in it and how you can best serve. Otherwise, you're not going to become a relevant artist. You need to have something to say. And to find what you want to say, you have to learn as much as you possibly can about the world around you, and how you can do something to serve others, I think. And beyond that, you know, is to... practice, and practice, and practice!

If you want to be in show business, you need to make choices based on your love for your craft---and not just because you want to be famous, by any means. There's a whole drive, I think, in our culture about being famous, and that's not a reason to do it. Even if you do achieve fame, it's momentary and it comes and it goes---and it's cyclical. One has to commit to what is a difficult path in show business, I think, because you love the art of it so much. You have to love the craft.

Great advice. Are these principles emphasized in your scene-study and master classes?

Oh, yes, absolutely.

So besides your concert tours, TV appearances, and master classes, what other projects can we look forward to in the very near future?

I'm coming to New York in mid-July to do THE OLD FRIENDS by Horton Foote, directed by Michael Wilson, and is also starring Lois Smith and H Allie Foote at the Signature Theatre . It'll be running through October. We start previews August 20 and it opens September 12. It's the world premiere of Foote's play.

Follow Betty Buckley on Twitter: @BettyBuckley
Follow Contributing Editor Michael Lawrence Quintos on Twitter: @cre8iveMLQ

Photos of Betty Buckley by Myriam Santos. Courtesy of SCFTA.

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"Ah, Men! The Boy of Broadway" is the season finalé of Segerstrom Center for the Arts' 2012-2013 Cabaret Series, performing May 16-18. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.SCFTA.org.

Ms. Buckley's touring master classes and workshops include upcoming stops in the following cities:

Los Angeles, CA: June 28 - July 2 // Tickets via info@collaborationfactory.com
Fort Worth, TX: June 5 - July 18 // Tickets via m@marjoriehayes.com
Denver, CO: July 8 - 12 // Tickets via becky@bettybuckleyworkshops.com

BWW Interviews: Jillian Mueller of FLASHDANCE National Tour Answers Our Silly Query

Tue, 14 May 2013 06:38:09 PST

After traveling the country in the national tours of AMERICAN IDIOT and MEMPHIS, and spending time in the Broadway casts of BYE BYE BIRDIE and HOW THE GRINCH STOLE CHRISTMAS, triple-threat actress Jillian Mueller can now be seen dancing up a (ha ha) storm in the National Tour production of FLASHDANCE, in which she plays leading Lady Alex Owens---yes, the sexy steel mill worker who moonlights as a maniac, maniac, on the floor. The stage incarnation of the hit movie of the same name continues performances through May 19 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts.

While settling into her final week of shows here in Orange County, Ms. Mueller agreed to some of our silly questions. Thankfully, she played along!

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Subject: Jillian Mueller
Nicknames: Jilli Jelly, Little J, Tink, JJ
Hometown: Marlboro, New Jersey... right near the Jersey Shore

Hi, Jillian! Tell me a little bit about Alex Owens, the character you play in FLASHDANCE...

Alex Owens was played by Jennifer Beals in the movie. She's independent, strong-willed and scrappy. She's come from a rough background with an alcoholic father. She leaves town and moves to Pittsburgh at 17 years old, where she then works at the steel mill by day and dances at Harry's Nightclub at night. Harry's is her escape, where she gets to express herself. She has a burning passion for dance and has dreams of going to Shipley, a ballet academy, to become a professional dancer.

You recently joined the cast. What was going through your mind on the night of your first performance?

Oh my god, Oh my god. Holy s***! (and repeat)... Wait, how does it start again?

Were you familiar with the film before you started the stage show?

Oh, yeah. For Christmas when I was 7, I got a few dance movies, one of them being Flashdance. I became fascinated and mesmerized and would watch it obsessively, several times a week/a day for, like, a year. I still don't understand why my parents weren't concerned that their 7-year-old was obsessed with Flashdancers and strippers ;)

The show contains lots of familiar 80's hits... which one is your personal fave to perform in the show?

I love doing "Maniac" and doing "The Final Dance" to "What a Feeling." But I think my absolute favorite number is when I get to do the iconic water dance. It's insane! I get drenched! It's iconic. And it's one of the only moments where I get to completely release. I LIVE for it!

Speaking of the 80's... are you a Madonna or a Cyndi Lauper or a Joan Jett?

Oh, this is a good question. I think I have to say I'm a little mix of all three. Love Lauper's music and style. And I love that she's, like, 60 and still dresses like that. And Madonna really made her mark and is so iconic. But I think more then anything I'm a Joan Jett/Pat Benatar hybrid. I'm all about a badass rocker chick. I think it's so empowering and sexy. Plus, I got my haircut "like Joan Jett" for a show a year and a half ago, and I've kept it ever since!

Have you ever "cried silent tears full of pride in a world made of steel, made of stone?"

Every time I find myself at the In-N-Out drive-thru at 3 am.

Do you have any pre-show rituals that you do to prepare before a performance?

I do my makeup, pin-curl my hair, get my mic and wig put on, do a little vocal and physical warm up. Fun fact: Specific for this show, I actually put spray on self-tanner all over my body before every show. I have the skin complexion of Casper and I have to prance around the stage half naked most of the show. So, a girls gotta do what a girls gotta do!

Okay, imagine you've got an iPod and we stole it from you. What music will we find on it?

I'd probably be mortified. Because 1, sharing the music I listen to on my own when I'm in my own head-space feels so personal; and 2, because it will probably be some embarrassing, bizarre combination of Carly Rae Jepsen, Kings of Leon, 80's rock, and that random old stuff you have on there that you don't listen to but are too lazy to take off... like the cast recording of THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE because that was the first thing I ever uploaded onto iTunes.

Like I said... mortified. I do love me some Pandora though.

What is your favorite musical cast album of all time?

I don't think I have a favorite. But growing up, I was definitely that musical theater nerd that, after every show I saw, I would get the cast recording. And I would listen to it to the point where I had every song memorized. And I wondered why I had no friends in school?

Who were some of your icons/influences that have helped shape your journey as an actor?

Ahhh... there's too many. I really love actors that are truthful and genuine in everything they play. And can be super versatile. Like Jessica Chastain. I'm also a big comedy gal, and I love me some Tina Fey and Amy Poehler. They're gems.

What's the song that you like belting in the shower or when you're all alone in the car?

I love me some Jessie J. But... not gonna lie, I definitely enjoy working on a sensible "rock scream," along with singing high, male, 80's rock songs. I'm sure my neighbors love it.

What is your one guilty pleasure?

Sitting in my hotel bed, in my undies, eating delicious food, French macarons and/or a cupcake and frozen yogurt while watching Reality TV. Too much? That's a lot. I know. Don't judge.

What do you most like to do on your day(s) off?

Generally our day off is a travel day, so it's usually spent on an airplane or a bus. So glamorous, I know. But once we arrive in our next city, sometimes I like to get a massage because my body gets destroyed from doing the show 8 times a week. Other than that I love exploring the city and finding good eats with some of our cast and crew. It's my favorite thing to do in every city.

What or who irritates you the most?

Pet peeve: "Don't say it if you don't mean it." Don't make promises you can't keep or say things you know you don't mean. Just be genuine. It makes life easier. And don't run away from your problems. Put your big girl panties on and deal with it. That also makes life easier.

And what instantly puts a smile on your face?

A good day. That's the cheesiest thing I think I've ever said, but you know when you're just like "I had a great day"... when you did things you love and were around people you care about... I like those moments.

What makes you laugh uncontrollably?

It really doesn't take much. I'm a very giggly person. If laughing adds years to your life then I'm going to live forever. Put me around a bunch of funny people with big personalities and quick wit and I'm done. Big personalities? Yeah, that's hard to find in theater.

Name a dream role in another show you'd maybe like to play someday that you haven't done yet...

Honestly If I were ever to have a dream role it would be a brand new show that doesn't exist yet that was written with me in mind, and had stunning music written by someone, like, say Tom Kitt. Getting to do something like that would be a dream. But... something that actually exists... I would love to be Sherrie in ROCK OF AGES. How much fun would that be!
I would KILL to star in ANASTASIA. They're working on making that a musical, right? I would also want to make Moulin Rouge into a stage musical and be Satine. Maybe Sally Bowles in CABARET? Ahhh there's too many things I want to do!

If you could trade lives with someone for one day, who would that person be and why?

Emma Stone? Jennifer Lawrence could be cool? They seem like sassy ladies. But when I think about it my life is complicated enough, I don't know if I could deal with someone else's problems for a day. That's a lot. ;)

If you weren't an actor, what other career do you possibly see yourself doing?

I'm really not that good at anything else. I would be of no value to any other industry...I literally don't think I'm capable of doing anything else. I was that little girl who took dress-up and playing pretend way too seriously and now I just turned it into a career.

What has been the funniest or most embarrassing moment that has happened to you during a show (either FLASHDANCE or a previous show)?

During my put-in (which is a dress rehearsal before I actually start performances) I have, like, a 13-second full costume AND wig change right before the iconic water dance. It was the first time we ever rehearsed that change and I guess we ran out of time to put enough pins in my wig. I started doing the dance and mid-way through the number I saw a hairball laying on the stage. I kept going. I ended up doing half the dance bald with my wig laying on the stage like a dead animal. I mean if THAT isn't a sexy water dance, I don't know what is.

And, finally, do you have any advice for our budding young readers who want to pursue a similar successful career in musical theater?

This is always my favorite question. I talk a lot so I feel like I have so many thoughts to say for this one, but I'll spare you all my "diarrhea of the mouth" and only give you a few little helpful hints. Persistence really is key. Train, train, train...you want to always be at the top of your game, because "luck" is when preparation meets opportunity.

My other advice too is "Don't listen to anyone." I know that sounds weird, but what I mean by that is always listen to your gut and your instincts. You know what's best for you and what you can do. I used to go to open calls for Broadway shows when I was 15, 16 years old against people in their 20's and 30's. I didn't care. I knew I was capable and right for the part, so I went. People thought I was out of my mind and crazy. Other actors said it was a waste of time and I need to wait till I was older for people to take me seriously. But, if it weren't for me being a "lunatic" and having confidence in myself, I wouldn't have booked the show AMERICAN IDIOT when I was 16. Even FLASHDANCE! I don't think many people would even believe I could get an audition for Alex, let alone get it! This business is a crazy, weird industry and at the end of the day, no one really has any clue. And it really is unbelievable how far you can get if you just go for it, believe in yourself and back it up with being really good at what you do.

One more thing... Be nice to people. This is more of just life advice, but I think it's so important in this business. It really goes a long way. You want to be enjoyable to work with, to everyone. Whether it be to the security doorman, the dressers, other actors, your director... it makes people happy to be there and boosts morale. Just be kind. Gracious. It gets you so much further.

Follow Jillian on Twitter: @jillimueller.
Follow Contributing Editor Michael Lawrence Quintos on Twitter: @cre8iveMLQ

Photo of Jillian Mueller courtesy of SCFTA.

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Performances of the National Tour of FLASHDANCE: THE MUSICAL at Segerstrom Center for the Arts continue through Sunday, May 19. Tickets can be purchased online at www.SCFTA.org, by phone at 714-556-2787 or in person at the SCFTA box office (open daily at 10 am). Segerstrom Center for the Arts is located at 600 Town Center Drive in Costa Mesa.

For tickets or more information, visit SCFTA.org.