Podcasts about transcendence theatre company

A multi-talented comedic composer, vocalist, actor and the creator of the irrepressible Broadway Barbara, whose showbiz tales and classic show tunes have made her a social media sensation. Leah is an alumni of the renowned Groundling's Sunday Company and a founding member of the Transcendence Theatre Company, which earned her a Broadway World “Person to Watch” nomination and the opportunity to open for Rita Moreno and Ben Vereen in concert. She also sang alto in the premiere top 40 vintage trio The Beverly Bombshells. Leah's national tour credits include: Radio City Christmas Spectacular, 42nd Street and Happy Days. Regionally she has graced the stages of Paper Mill Playhouse, Goodspeed Opera House, Falcon Theatre and Eugene O'Neill Theatre. She has made television appearances on Maron, Jimmy Kimmel Live and Blackish. Find out much more by visiting @BroadwayBarbaraOfficial on Instagram and TikTok.

Starring Role: So we had these Broadway stars on our podcast. No biggie…. We lie Big Biggie! Maumee High School grad., Libby Servais went from playing a Peter Pan lost boy at The Toledo Rep., to one of the most iconic roles on Broadway, and falling in love with fellow Broadway Star Stephan Stubbins Libby Servais Libby was recently seen flying in a bubble as Glinda in the hit musical Wicked on Broadway. She was also in the original cast of the musical comedy, Lysistrata Jones on Broadway. Libby has also had the great honor of performing on stages all across America. Some favorite productions include Wicked (San Francisco Company and original 2nd National Tour), A Taste of Things to Come (Broadway in Chicago), Legally Blonde (Elle Woods, Broadway World Award Winner), Chicago (Roxie), How To Succeed (Rosemary), 1776 (Martha), Elf (Jovie), Gypsy (Dainty June). On TV Libby performed in NBC's A Very Wicked Halloween Special and MTV's Search For the Next Elle Woods. She is a graduate of Baldwin-Wallace University Conservatory of Music. This summer Libby will be performing in a new musical, The Magnificent Seven in NYC. She can also be seen performing across the country, alongside her husband, Stephan Stubbins in their two person show, Broadway in Love. Along with performing Libby has a great passion for teaching private voice lessons and musical theatre workshops. She is forever grateful to her family, friends, mentors and her sweet puppy Princeton. Follow along at @LibbyServais Stephan Stubbins Stephan's career as a performer has been highlighted by his time on Broadway in "Mary Poppins," in the pre-Broadway world premiere of the musical "Memphis," singing an opening act solo for Frank Sinatra, headlining an opening act for Rita Moreno, and working with Broadway, Music, TV and Film legends on and offstage including Dick Van Dyke, Kristin Chenoweth, Barry Manilow, Ben Vereen, Martin Short, Jason Alexander, Sutton Foster and Conan O'Brien. Stephan was the co-founder of Broadway Under the Stars in Wine Country and Transcendence Theatre Company, the co-founder of The Theatre Mafia, the co-creator and co-designer of the popular NYC acting industry webpage UltimateTheatreHomepage.com (in operation until 2010), and has appeared as a guest teacher for NYU, the University of Michigan, Webster University and the Educational Theatre Association (EDTA). In addition to performing, Stephan is a leadership coach and speaker, working with mission-driven leaders that span from the west coast of Australia to the east coast of the United States. Broadway in Love "Broadway in Love" is a musical celebration of Broadway's most touching, hilarious, and captivating love songs. With their unique talent for enchanting audiences, Broadway married couple, Libby Servais & Stephan Stubbins, bring lightness and depth to your favorite songs from Broadway and beyond. Contact Info www.BroadwayInLove.com @BroadwayInLove Show details Clara J's Tea Room on May 26 @ 7pm in Maumee, OH Stage Door on Facebook www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100071808249771 Stage Door on Instagram www.instagram.com/stagedoorpodcast/?hl=en

It is so cool to meet these wonderful people and talk about the amazing things that they are doing. Valerie Salgado es a dancer and educator based in San Diego with an incredible journey in movement and now special education. In this episode, we discuss what is considered good and bad behavior, the power of music and dance as well as her other zero, her small organizations to support, and causes to learn about. Check them out and give them the love: The Book Catapult in South Park Autism Speaks Guitars in the Classroom Give us the love as well if you have not already. Follow us on Instagram and Facebook. Subscribe to our YouTube Channel and check out everything we do in our bilingual and fabulous blog, the one that started it all www.fromanother0.com Valerie Salgado is a Choreographer, Performer, and Educator based in San Diego, CA. With an eclectic training background and experience in theater, television, and concert dance, Valerie brings a unique perspective to the creation process. Her passion for dance and leadership skills motivate and inspire those she works with. Recent projects include entertainment for Europa Park, Dorney Park, and Playland as well as regional productions of Hairspray and Footloose. Choreographer credits include entertainment for Europa Park, Playland, and Dorney Park, Hairspray, Footloose, Off-Broadway's Helen on 86th Street, and Transcendence Theatre Company's This Magic Moment. As an Associate, Valerie contributed to Season One of the Emmy award-winning series, Smash, the world premiere of Frozen on Disney Cruise Line, and the Off-Broadway premiere of Bunty Berman Presents. In 2019 Valerie began course work towards earning her Masters in Special Education with an Emphasis on Autism from San Diego State University. --- This episode is sponsored by · Anchor: The easiest way to make a podcast. https://anchor.fm/app --- Send in a voice message: https://anchor.fm/from-another-zero/message Support this podcast: https://anchor.fm/from-another-zero/support

In today's episode, I'm talking with the amazing Alicia Albright about intentional movement, the power of following your passion, and mermaids. Alicia Albright is a NYC based Broadway performing artist, choreographer, creator, avid traveller and theatre dance/dance/yoga/meditation and empowerment teacher and is starting her own company called, The Feed Your Soul Project. She has appeared on Broadway as an original cast member and swing in Disney's Frozen the Musical, and was also as the Dance Captain/Swing of Wicked on Broadway. She has also toured the US and globally teaching as well as performing in musicals and with dance companies such as Donald McKayle's company the Etude Ensemble. She has toured with Wicked, A Chorus Line, Jesus Christ Superstar, All Shook Up, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, as well as other regional jobs and has worked as a performer and Associate Choreographer at Transcendence Theatre Company. She is also a guiding light on a meditation app geared towards performers called La Luz. She teaches dance, yoga, musical theatre, and also teaches a new Feed Your Soul Project class using the modalities of meditation, breathwork, movement, intention setting, writing and collaboration. It is a unique merging of techniques that taps people into their authentic selves, mind, body and spirit to be present in their lives in a deeper, more connected way. Her passion and mission in her life is to live a life so connected, inspired and authentic and dedicated to being of service that her soul is truly fed. And that in the authentic living of that, she inspires others to do the same. And that all people she teaches, works with, loves and befriends feel seen, heard, valued, loved and appreciated, and know that they matter and make a difference in the world, simply by being exactly who they are. Alicia's website: http://www.feedyoursoulproject.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/aliciaalbright/ FaceBook: https://www.facebook.com/alicia.albright.9615 Link to Water Dance video:: https://youtu.be/nC62ZNHT3H4 --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/todayichoose/support

Today we are talking theater, mental health, diversity, and intention with Roy Lightner. Roy is an award-winning theatre creator, director, choreographer, and educator born and raised in Kansas City. He recently joined the Musical Theatre Faculty at the University of Alabama at Birmingham as an Assistant Professor. Previously, Roy served as the Associate Artistic Director for the Transcendence Theatre Company, and also on the Musical Theatre Faculty of Ithaca College. As a national director for Dancers Inc., he toured the country as a master class teacher. Roy has taught at New York City's Professional Performing Arts School, as well as created the contemporary/musical theatre dance program for the Astoria School of Fine Arts. As a director/choreographer his credits include: Transcendence Theatre Company's productions of Those Dancin' Feet, Best of Broadway Under the Stars, Fantastical Family Night, This Magic Moment, Wine Country Speakeasy (creator/director), Gala Celebration, Oh, What a Night! (2015 Winner Best Director Broadway World San Francisco), Superheroes in Love, and Music of the Night; New York City Opera's Lucky to Be Me (Lincoln Center, assistant to Peggy Hickey), Hairspray, Miss Saigon (Sondheim Center), Legally Blonde (Arizona State University) Hound of the Baskervilles (Cape Playhouse, New Jersey Rep, Westin Playhouse, Depot Theatre). University of Alabama at Birmingham Productions: Disconnect, HAIR, Savage, 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Working and Hairspray. Ithaca College productions: Dogfight, A Chorus Line, Under the Covers, How to Succeed…, Gone Missing, and Legally Blonde; Bring It On (Music Theatre of Kansas City), Pippin, Hairspray (Winner Best Director Broadway World KC), Thoroughly Modern Millie, Good News, Urban Cowboy, Starmites, Little Shop of Horrors, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and more. MTWichita: 2018 Festival Producer. Dance Concert choreographic credits include: two full-length original choreographic ballets Under the Covers (Ithaca College) and In Your Eyes (Miller-Marley Ballet Company), The Oklahoma City Dance Project, NYC's Community Dance Project, New York City's Jazz Choreography Enterprise, Astoria Fine Arts and B.C. Beat. Performance credits include: Babes in Toyland (Lincoln Center), a two time Kansas City Symphony principle soloist, You're A Good Man, Charlie Brown (Stages St. Louis), Alabama Shakespeare Festival, Holland America's Grand World Voyage (lead singer/dancer), Geva Theatre, Oklahoma City Rep. and Music Theatre of Wichita's CATS (Mungojerrie), 7 Brides for 7 Brothers(Gideon), West Side Story (Baby John), Seussical (Wickersham), Hairspray(IQ), The Full Monty, Phantom, Aida, Beauty and the Beast and more totaling over 40 professional productions. He graduated summa cum laude from Oklahoma City University with a degree in Musical Theatre; and received his Master of Fine Arts in Interdisciplinary Arts with a Concentration in Performance Creation from Goddard College. You can find Roy at www.roylightner.com. --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/todayichoose/support

Daniel J. Mertzlufft | Composer, Arranger, Music Director, Songwriterwww.danielmertzlufft.comInstagram/TikTok: @danieljmertzlufftDaniel Mertzlufft is a classically trained composer, arranger, music director, and songwriter based in New York City. He is most known for his viral sensations The Thanksgiving Musical on The Late Late Show with James Corden featuring Audra McDonald, Patti LuPone, Josh Gad, Josh Groban, and Kristin Chenoweth, as well as his arrangement of “Remy The Ratatouille” by Emily Jacobson that launched the TikTok Ratatouille musical movement, and The Grocery Store Musical, featured on ABC’s Good Morning America among other outlets, which is an arrangement of Lousia Melcher’s “New York Summer.” Most recently for Daniel is Ratatouille: The TikTok Musical, a live streamed concert benefiting the Actor’s Fund produced by Tony-winning Seaview Productions, for which he serves as music supervisor, songwriter, and arranger of the 10 song performance.Daniel’s original works include Breathe: Portraits from a Pandemic, Dot and the Kangaroo, commissioned by MTI Australaisa and iTheatrics, House Rules: A New Musical based on the New York Times Best Selling novel by Jodi Picoult, far memory, commissioned by Fall Island Vocal Arts Seminar for Stephanie Blythe and Alan Louis Smith, Construction Site on Christmas Night. He also wrote on a new score for The Lion, The Witch, and the Wardrobe, commissioned by Bay Area Children’s Theatre, The Letter; A New Opera, and a new score for Laura Eason’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer commissioned by MU Summer Repertory Theatre. He is a member of the advanced class of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop.Music Direction credits include; Off-Broadway: Sistas, 54 Below Sings – ABBA, Ariana Grande, Pop Hits of the 2000s, The Jonas Brothers. Readings: Monstersongs (NAMT), The Big One-Oh! TYA, and Hans Christian Anderson TYA (The Kennedy Center’s New Visions, New Voices). iTheatrics Music Direction credits include Off-Broadway: Sistas, 54 Below Sings – ABBA, Ariana Grande, Pop Hits of the 2000s, The Jonas Brothers. Readings: Monstersongs (NAMT), The Big One-Oh! TYA, and Hans Christian Anderson TYA (The Kennedy Center’s New Visions, New Voices). iTheatrics Workshops: Heathers HSE, Chicago HSE, Andrew Lloyd Webber for Young Actors Cats, Mary Poppins JR., G2K… Footloose, Newsies JR., Sister Act JR., The Drowsy Chaperone JR., My Fair Lady School Edition, Finding Nemo JR.Arrangement & Orchestration credits include “Princess” by Matthew Lee Robinson from Witches for the Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Hans Christian Andersen(additional arrangements and underscoring) The Big One Oh! (Off-Broadway – additional arrangements and underscoring), “Children Will Listen” by Stephen Sondheim, commissioned by the Junior Theater Festival for the 20th anniversary of Broadway JR. “Rainbow Connection” by Paul Williams on the occasion of his acceptance of the Junior Theater Festival Legacy Award, and over 50 songs for Oh, What a Night!, The Rhythm of Life, & Fantastical Families, and more, at Transcendence Theatre Company.As an educator, he leads workshops at the international Junior Theater As an educator, he leads workshops at the international Junior Theater Festivals, Junior Theater Celebrations throughout the United States, and specialized music workshops for the Shubert Foundation and the NYC Department of Education. Daniel also graduated valedictorian from The Crane School of Music at SUNY Potsdam. Born in Florida, Daniel has also lived in Germany, Las Vegas, and spent his formative years in Buffalo, New York before moving to New York City.

Transcendence Theatre Company: https://transcendencetheatre.org Epoch Creative NYC: http://www.epochcreativenyc.com/2016/5/19/when-youre-typed-out (Nikko's short film, La Morena will be available on Epoch Creative's website in May 2019!) Nikko's website: https://www.nikkokimzin.com Nikko's instagram: @nikkokimzin Website: https://www.lilitorre.com/the-dreaded-question-podcast Instagram: @thedreadedquestion Lili's instagram: @lili_torre Email: thedreadedquestionpodcast@gmail.com

Mark talks Washington, DC this week, to lobby on behalf of the travel industry. Delta Airlines decides to reduce conflict over reclining seats with a simple solution…reduce the amount of recline for their seats. And American quietly introduces a new plane. You know, the one with 15 more seats stuffed into the same sized cabin. Last week, United Airlines announced they are dropping their award chart. Tuscan Women Cooking is the name of a small company, offering first class full-immersion culinary experiences. Each summer in the Sonoma Valley, wonderful outdoor theater is presented at Jack London State Park by the Transcendence Theatre Company. This year's schedule is unveiled on the show, beginning with A Chorus Line.

Mark talks Washington, DC this week, to lobby on behalf of the travel industry. Delta Airlines decides to reduce conflict over reclining seats with a simple solution…reduce the amount of recline for their seats. And American quietly introduces a new plane. You know, the one with 15 more seats stuffed into the same sized cabin. Last week, United Airlines announced they are dropping their award chart. Tuscan Women Cooking is the name of a small company, offering first class full-immersion culinary experiences. Each summer in the Sonoma Valley, wonderful outdoor theater is presented at Jack London State Park by the Transcendence Theatre Company. This year’s schedule is unveiled on the show, beginning with A Chorus Line.

For folks looking for some respite from Christmas shopping or from becoming participants in the demolition derby that is mall parking, North Bay theatre companies are providing several seasonal entertainments to help keep you in the holiday spirit. Family-friendly musicals are the usual fare and there are several on tap. While not all would be classified as holiday-specific shows, they’ll still get the kids out of the house for a few hours and give adults some welcome relief. Santa Rosa Junior College Theatre Arts (theatrearts.santarosa.edu) is presenting Shrek, the Musical. Burbank Auditorium renovations continue to require them to do their shows “on the road”, so you’ll have to travel to Maria Carrillo High School to see this one. Spreckels Theatre Company (spreckelsonline.com) is doing The Tailor of Gloucester. This original holiday musical, based on the Beatrix Potter story, was originally commissioned and produced by Petaluma’s Cinnabar Theater back in 2004 and had several Youth Theatre productions there. Michael Ross directs (mostly) adults in this studio theater production. Sonoma Arts Live (sonomaartslive.org) brings Anne of Green Gables to their Rotary stage. This musical version of the L.M. Montgomery classic is about a spunky redheaded orphan winning over her new family and an entire Canadian island. Speaking of spunky redheaded orphans, 6th Street Playhouse (6thstreetplayhouse.com) assures us the sun’ll come out tomorrow with Annie. It’s Daddy Warbucks versus the evil Miss Hannigan with Annie - and her little dog, too – as the objects of their attention. The 12 Dates of Christmas will run in the 6th Street Studio Theater. It’s a single woman’s ‘holiday survival guide’. For nostalgia fans, Redwood Theatre Company (redwoodtheatrecompany.com) will be presenting It’s a Wonderful Life in the live radio play format. A plucky little girl – this time named Eve – takes center stage at the Cloverdale Performing Arts Center (cloverdaleperformingarts.com) in Yo Ho Ho: A Pirate’s Christmas. Can she rescue Santa and Christmas from the clutches of a gang of directionally-challenged pirates? If she doesn’t, the audience may mutiny. Over in Napa, Lucky Penny Productions (luckypennynapa.com) is presenting Scrooge in Love. This will be only the third fully staged production of this original musical after having been done twice by San Francisco’s 42 Street Moon. It musically answers all the questions you may have about what happened after the end of Dickens’s classic A Christmas Carol. Dyan McBride, the show’s original director, heads this production as well. Finally, for those in the mood for a big, splashy music and dance extravaganza, there’s always Transcendence Theatre Company (transcendencetheatre.org) and their Broadway Holiday Spectacular. They’ll be doing three performances at Santa Rosa’s Luther Burbank Center and two performances in Napa at the Lincoln Theatre in Yountville. Lots of entertainment options, and I’m sure the producing companies would like to remind you that theatre tickets make GREAT stocking stuffers. You can find links to all these shows and more on the calendar page of the North Bay Stage and Screen web site at northbaystageandscreen.com.

If you’re trying to avoid attending the umpteenth production of The Nutcracker in your lifetime, Marin theatre companies are providing several other entertainment options for this holiday season. Last year, the Marin Theatre Company (marintheatre.org) was one of the participants in the rolling world premiere of Lauren Gunderson and Margot Melcon’s Miss Bennet: Christmas at Pemberley. The continuation of Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice was a smashing success, so it’s no surprise that Gunderson and Melcon have returned to the material and created a companion piece entitled The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley. While Miss Bennet dealt with the folks celebrating Christmas ‘upstairs’ at the manor, The Wickhams is more of a ‘downstairs’ piece focusing on the estate’s staff as they deal with an unwelcome visitor and a potential holiday disaster. Megan Sandberg-Zakian directs the show which will no doubt be colorfully costumed and impressively designed. The College of Marin Performing Arts Department (pa.marin.edu) will be presenting the musical comedy Nuncrackers in their Kentfield campus’s studio theater. Yes, it’s a Nunsense Christmas musical. Creator Dan Goggins’s Little Sisters of Hoboken return to stage a Christmas special in their new basement cable access TV studio to raise funds for the Mount Saint Helens School. The nuns will be singing songs like “The Twelve Days Prior to Christmas” and “Santa Ain’t Comin’ to Our House”, dancing in their habits, and handing out fruit cake. I think Sister Amnesia makes a return appearance, but I can’t remember. Actors Basement is staging PacSun contributor David Templeton’s one-man holiday show Polar Bears at The Belrose (thebelrose.com) in San Rafael. It’s the autobiographical tale of a father’s attempt to keep his children’s belief in Santa Claus alive way past the point most others do. Templeton has performed the piece in Sonoma County several times in the past few years. For this Marin production of his “heartwarming holiday tragedy”, Templeton moves into the director’s chair and turns over the performance duties to actor Chris Schloemp. The Ross Valley Players (rossvalleyplayers.com) are giving audiences the chance to completely forget about the holiday season with their production of The Odd Couple. The Neil Simon classic comedy about a mismatched pair of middle-aged roommates that’s been a proven laugh-getter since it’s 1965 Broadway premiere. For those willing to travel and in the mood for a big holiday musical extravaganza, the Transcendence Theatre Company (transcendencetheatre.org) will be presenting their Broadway Holiday Spectacular with three performances up at Santa Rosa’s Luther Burbank Center and two performances out at the Lincoln Theatre in Yountville. There’s nary a Sugar Plum Fairy in sight on these North Bay stages. You can find links to all these shows and more on the calendar page of the North Bay Stage and Screen web site at northbaystageandscreen.com

Transcendence Theatre Company’s seventh season of “Broadway Under the Stars” continues with a dance-centric production entitled, appropriately enough, Shall We Dance. The show runs through August 19 at the Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen. Transcendence imports Broadway and national touring professionals to populate their productions so the caliber of performance is always quite high. Director Leslie McDonel and choreographer Marc Kimelman guide a cast of seventeen talented artists through a program featuring songs from eighteen Broadway shows like The King and I and Hamilton as well as pop hits from artists like Madonna and Ed Sheeran. The show opened, as is tradition, with a passage from the writings of Jack London as introduced by a coterie of tap dancers. The audience was then welcomed by the full company with an amusing adaptation of “Be Our Guest” from Beauty and the Beast that replaced banquet table staples with wine varietals, though I’m not quite sure what dancing strawberries were doing on the stage. The (mostly) fast-paced, forty minute first act included numbers from In the Heights, West Side Story, My Fair Lady and Kiss Me, Kate. The highlight of the act was an energetic production of Louis Prima’s “Sing, Sing, Sing” which incorporated a variety of dance styles that complimented its swing roots. Things then slowed down with “Mama Who Bore Me” from Spring Awakening, which seemed tonally out of step in a mostly joyous program, before concluding on a lighter note with the hilarious “A Musical” from Something Rotten. Act two featured dancing set to numbers from a diverse group of artists ranging from Janelle Monae (“Tightrope”) to Madonna (“Vogue”). The evening’s most visually striking moment came courtesy of a tango-infused production of Sting’s “Roxanne” from Moulin Rouge with the winery ruins bathed in red. The juxtaposition between the diversity in dance styles and music selection in this production with the lack of diversity among the cast is noticeable. For a company that imports a great deal of its talent from New York and the world, the relatively small number of artists of color utilized is disappointing. Simply put, it’s jarring to have Coolio’s “Gangsta’s Paradise” and Michael Jackson’s “Bad” sung and danced by a bunch of white guys, talented as they may be. It’s time for Transcendence’s casts to be as colorful as the costumes they wear. ‘Shall We Dance’ runs Friday through Sunday through August 19 at the Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen. Doors open for picnicking at 5pm; the show starts at 7:30pm. For more information, go to transcendencetheatre.org

Sonoma’s Transcendence Theatre Company opened its seventh season of “Broadway Under the Stars” in Jack London State Park with Stairway to Paradise, the first of four staged concert events scheduled this year. The company takes performers with Broadway, touring company, film and television experience and creates an original themed musical revue around them. This year’s theme is ‘Every Moment Counts’ and director/choreographer Tony Gonzalez has designed 20+ production numbers full of memorable moments. Along with Broadway show tunes, the Transcendence play list includes a mix of recent and past pop hits, classic rock, and specialty numbers. They’re all done ‘Broadway style’ and occasionally with a twist. It often works well, but sometimes it doesn’t. The first act ran the gamut from numbers from Sunday in the Park with George, South Pacific, The Wiz, and Victor/Victoria to “Me and Julio Down by the Schoolyard” and “Feelin’ Groovy” by Paul Simon. Highlights included a recreation of the famous Judy Garland/Barbra Streisand duet of “Get Happy/Happy Days are Here Again” with Courtney Markowitz and Shaleah Adkisson, Christine Lavin’s popular “Air Conditioner” song, also done by Adkisson with Tim Roller, and a large-scale production number of “Blue Skies” with the entire company led by Joey Khoury singing and dancing to the Irving Berlin classic. In an amusing bit that allowed the performers (and audience) a break, the cast played a round of ‘Transcendence Family Feud’ with contestants pulled from the crowd. The act ended on a local note with a performance of “Everything”, a tribute song written by Sonoma County songwriters Mark Beynon and Joe Label and the Transcendence version of “Oklahoma!” which morphed the Rogers and Hammerstein classic into “Oh, Sonoma!” The second act included numbers from Cabaret, Into the Woods, and The Sound of Music mixed with Justin Timberlake, Van Halen and, in the evening’s one clear misstep, Don McLean’s “American Pie”. Sorry guys, but perky, Cheshire cat-like smiling performers singing “This’ll be the day that I die” just doesn’t work for me. It actually came off a little creepy. Things snapped back with a jaunty Michael Linden performing Drew Gasparini’s “A Little Bit” and large-scale numbers with Timberlake’s “Can’t Stop the Feeling” and Van Halen’s “Right Now” before concluding with “Finale B’ from Rent. Dress in layers, pack a picnic, indulge in some wine or food purchased from local food trucks and vintners serving on-site, then sit back and enjoy a unique north bay entertainment experience. 'Stairway to Paradise' runs Friday through Sunday through July 1 at Jack London State Historic Park in Glen Ellen. Doors open for picnicking at 5pm; the show starts at 7:30pm. For more info on this and the other three “Broadway Under the Stars” productions running this season, go to bestnightever.com

JBN sits down with Rachel Louise Thomas, an actress/singer/dancer residing in Los Angeles, California. Some of Ms. Thomas' credits include performances at The Rockwell in Los Feliz, The Cupcake Theatre in Hollywood, and this past week an event for "Travel and Leisure" Magazine at The Pelican Hill Resort and Spa in Newport Beach. In February she was a featured soloist in Joel Rieke's "Apsis Requiem", an interactive opera exploring grief and community healing. Recently, she began a new adventure as a background actress on tv, film, and commercial. If you didn't blink, you may have seen her on CSI: Las Vegas or Greys Anatomy. She also takes great Joy in teaching dance to the cutest two year olds in "The Valley" at Creation Station Studio City; as well as working with the community in various service projects. In the Fall of 2011, she began performing with the BroadwayWorld Award winning "Transcendence Theatre Company" located in the beautiful Sonoma Valley of "wine country" at Jack London State Park (www.transcendencetheatre.org). Song Premiere: "Easier" from Joel B. New's TO HELL AND BACK (www.joelbnew.com)

 The Transcendence Theatre company is curentally producing a 2012 Theatre Festival to play a part in preserving Jack London State Historic Park in Sonoma, CA. Jack London State Park was one of 70 California State Parks slated to close due to budget cuts. To donate to the campaign please visit http://www.transcendencetheatre.org The Transcendence Theatre Company (TTC) is a professional regional theatre company in Sonoma, California that specializes in producing Broadway Concerts and Musicals in the majestic open-air ruins of a historic winery in Jack London State Historic Park.  The company is made up of musical theatre artists with Broadway, National Tour, International Tour, Film, and Television credits. TTC's Inaugural 2012 Summer Festival will include a series of “Broadway Under The Stars” Concerts along with community service, engagement, and education programs throughout the entire Sonoma Valley. Through an innovative arts + parks partnership, TTC is partnering with a nonprofit park operator, the Valley of the Moon Natural History Association, to bring live theater and cultural education programming into Jack London State Historic Park, while saving it from slated closure as result of state budget cuts. The TTC summer season will play a vital role in keeping the park thriving. The Transcendence Theatre Company's core commitments are to art, community, health, and the environment