The Adventure Continues


TT in the Blue Mountains and Sheldy in New York.

Culture Shock.





Wednesday, December 28, 2016

Christmas in L.A.

I was invited to visit two extraordinary houses over Christmas courtesy of my friend Frank Vlastnik who was visiting from New York. Here is the wikipedia entry for where I spent Christmas night:
The Garcia House (also known as The Rainbow House) is a private home in the Hollywood Hills of Los Angeles, designed by architect John Lautner. Located on Mulholland Drive, it sits on stilts 60 feet above the canyon below. Also known as the "Rainbow House" for its parabolic roof over colored stained glass windows and a curved ceiling that rises to 30 feet in height, it has been described as "one of the 10 most important residences from the midcentury period in Los Angeles."

The building was originally designed in 1962 for Russell Garcia. By 2002 it had undergone many changes from its original design and was in need of renovation. In 2002, actor Vincent Gallo sold the house for $1.3 million to Bill Damaschke, a Dreamworks executive, and his partner, business manager John McIlwee. Damaschke and McIlwee then invested another $1 million on an extensive renovation, supervised by the Marmol Radziner design firm. They ultimately also added a fence to obstruct public views from the street into the glass-sided, transparent house.

That's Frank in the centre, and Bob Lambert on the left who played Tulsa in the Tyne Daly production of GYPSY on Broadway. He's now a top television casting director in L.A.
And this is Jeff Sumner, another old friend of Frank's who is appearing in a real English panto in Laguna Beach with Joely Fisher, sister of the late lamented Carrie Fisher.
Now this is one of the most famous photographs in modern music history, Carol King in the window seat of her home in the Hollywood Hills. And that, dear reader, is where I spent Boxing Day!
This gorgeous house now belongs to Catherine and Elizabeth, also great friends of Mr. Vlastnik, and they could not have been more kind and welcoming. And here we all are in the very window!
A lovely unexpected Christmas treat, thanks to dear Frank. Apart from being a terrific performer, here are two of his invaluable reference books which I heartily recommend!

Monday, December 19, 2016

Opening Night

Phillipa Soo takes her curtain call
And Aunty Helen was the first one backstage after the show.
An advantage of living in Downtown L.A. is that I can walk to work in the evenings.

Sport For Jove new season

TT has opened in not one but TWO Shakespeare plays in Sydney for the acclaimed company Sport For Jove. Their open air productions of JULIUS CAESAR and ANTONY & CLEOPATRA will be running into the new year.

The set being built at Bella Vista Farm Park where the plays until Jan 7th (followed by a season at the Leura Shakespeare festival until Jan 29th)
In rehearsal as The Soothsayer
pictured with Rupert Reid
and in performance!

Wednesday, December 14, 2016

Amelie



Opening at the Ahmanson Theatre this week. (Photos below from the L.A. Times)


Wednesday, November 30, 2016

One week down

I'm staying in Downtown L.A. So far it hasn't made me feel like this.

I've worked out the public transport but if all else fails it's only a brisk 20 minute walk to the theatre.
The famed Music Centre brings back wonderful memories of shows I saw during the years Mum was living in L.A. The original production of "They're Playing Our Song"; John Lithgow in "Division Street"; Lucie Arnaz, Stockard Channing & Sandy Duncan in "Vanities"; Robert Goulet and Joanna Gleason in "On A Clear Day..."
and now...us!!
There is a concert version of "Wonderful Town" rehearsing in the theatre next door so I was able to have a late night catch up with my gorgeous mates Ricky Bulda and Michael Starr who were with me in EMPIRE last year at La Mirada.

Monday, November 21, 2016

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Vale Russell Kiefel

Our condolences to the family of Russell Kiefel, a fine Australian actor. TT worked with him at the Sydney Theatre Company in SAINT JOAN and Russell and I played twins in TWELFTH NIGHT at Nimrod Theatre in 1977.

John Bell made the bold move of casting Russell (left) as Viola and because he was so fashionably thin I spent more time shading my cheekbones to look like him than working on my part.

Thursday, November 17, 2016

AMELIE on Broadway

It's official! After our Los Angeles season at the Ahmanson Theatre opening December 16, AMELIE is heading to Broadway.

Previews at the Walter Kerr Theatre from March 9th, opening April 3rd.

Thursday, November 10, 2016