In Rehearsal with Light Opera Works:Q&A with Jennie Sophia

Hello once again Blog Buddies! Kyle here again. Last week I chatted with the beautiful Emily Rogers who is playing Jane in our upcoming production of Brigadoon. The show is now in its fifth week of rehearsals. We have now officially moved into Cahn Auditorium! One more week until the show! If you don't have tickets now get them while you can! For our last week of rehearsals before our opening night on June 4th, I have our amazing leading lady, Jennie Sophia. Don't forget to check back next week for another Q and A!



Full given name:Jennie Sophia Grunseth

Hometown: Goshen, IN. Go Hoosiers!

Current audition song:" If I tell you then I will have to kill all the sopranos in Chicagoland."

Special skills: Falling on my face.

Skill/talent you wish you had or were better at: I have always wanted to be a Prima Ballerina so I would need to have greater flexibility, smaller feet, and years of training.

First musical you ever saw: When I was a wee little one, my Grandpa and Grandma Hepler took me to the Wagon Wheel Theatre to see my first production of Annie. I remember saying to myself, "One day, I want to be on that stage!" And guess what? For about 4 magical "summerstock" summers I was.

Current Chicago show you have been recommending to friends: Duh! Brigadoon at Light Opera Works. Oh, and any show or cabaret that has Doug Peck's name attached to it!

Three favorite musicals: Les Miserable, Ragtime, and Man of La Mancha,

Favorite showtune of all time: The Impossible Dream

The one performance – attended - that you will never forget: The one? There are so many!!!!!! Okay, it would probably be my first trip to New York as a teenager and I had front row tickets to Les Miserable. The story, the music, the marching, the flag, the voies, and the passion rendered me speechless, tearful, and outrageously inspired.

What has been your most embarrassing moment on stage? Fell flat on my face in a wedding gown during my final bow as Sarah Brown in Guys and Dolls at the Wagon Wheel Theatre. Yes, as I gracefully lilted down the "dog" aisle at the Wagon Wheel (theatre in the round), I somehow missed the step and ended up sprawled upon center stage with every cast member's arm extended to me! LOSER! After a moment on the floor and a million gasps, I gathered up my gown and me and humbly stood to take my final bow. You can only imagine what was said to me in the meet-and-greet (zoo) line afterwards.

Most played song on your iPod: Well my ipod says Viva La Vida by Coldplay and my only explanation for this is that it is the first song on my "workout playlist". I would say Jane Monheit's rendition of "Somewhere Over the Rainbow" is one of my absolute favorites. Can you tell I'm a dreamer?

Last book you read: Intent To Live by Larry Moss

Last good movie you saw: The King's Speech

Must-see TV show: I don't watch much TV, but I will watch anything that makes me laugh or cry.

Three greatest TV shows of all time: As a kid, it was the Cosby Show.

Performer you would drop everything to go see: Jesse Mueller

Tell me the story of your First stage kiss: Well lets see who was my first? Hmm.... I believe it was Ryan Caldwell in Arsenic and Old Lace at Goshen High School. I remember being very worried about which way to tilt, to the right or the left? Well we both tilted to the right and noses crashed, kids laughed, and to this day I get a little nervous about which way to tilt.

Worst job you ever had: Buffet attendant at Ponde"gross"a

Who would play you in the movie?Oh let's see.....the young Julie Andrews, Shirley Jones, Natalie Wood, or Audrey Hepburn? :) I would like to see Kate Winslet's interpretation of my life. Oh, and a recent reviewer said I looked like Barbara Parkins from A Valley Of Dolls.

Three things you can't live without: My dog, my Dan, and music.

Finish this sentence: "I'll never understand why... Eve ate the apple."

Step back in time

You've wanted to do it-- to step out of modern life into the simpler, forthright past, just like Tommy Albright in Brigadoon. To a time when men were men and women were women and toilets were outdoors.

Okay, maybe not so much.

But you can step into the past, not only with Light Opera Works' upcoming production of Brigadoon, opening on June 4, but also at numerous living history museums scattered throughout the 5-county area.

If Brigadoon gives you an urge to step into the past yourself, try these wonderful local museums:

Graue Mill, Oak Brook, an operating waterwheel grist mill and homestead, is "dedicated to maintaining a bridge between past and present generations in the belief that understanding our history is vital to our future. The Museum provides programs -- for school children and others -- that include milling, spinning and weaving and living history presentations, as well as artifacts which illustrate the way of life of area residents between 1850 and 1890 and the impact mills such as Graue Mill had on our culture."

Kline Creek Farm, DuPage Forest Preserve, where you can back in time and experience what life was like on a DuPage County Farm in the 1890s. You can visit restored farmstead structures and meet the historically-costumed interpreters operating this living-history farm using the tools and techniques of the past. Activities and events at the farm re-create the seasonal rhythms that have governed farm life for centuries.

Perhaps the best known local living history museum, Naper Settlement in Naperville portrays f 19th century community life based on the history of Naperville, Illinois.

Deerfield Historic Village in Deerfield has several buildings including the oldest house in Lake County, a mid-19th century farmhouse, and a one-room schoolhouse as well as antique carriages and farm equipment.

All of Illinois' history museums can be found on this Historic Museum Guide for Illinois.

In Rehearsal with Light Opera Works:Q&A with Emily Rogers

Hello once again Blog Buddies! Kyle here again. Last week I chatted with the beautiful Emilie Lynn who is playing Jane in our upcoming production of Brigadoon. The show is now in its fourth week of rehearsals. On Tuesday we had a designer run thru. So... that means we are getting close to getting into costumes and on a set at Cahn Auditorium! This week, I have interviewed one of the most beautiful dancers I have seen in a while, Emily Rogers, who is playing Jean( I am already humming "Go Home with Bonnie Jean") Well enough humming here is what Emily had to say! Don't forget to check back next Thursday for another Q and A!

Full given name:

Emily Ariel Kass DiVries Rogers

Hometown:

Evanston, IL

Current audition song:

The Lady is a Tramp

Special skills:

Putting babies to sleep, making cappuccinos, playing the piano

Skill/talent you wish you had or were better at:

Remembering things, break-dancing, and sign language

First musical you ever saw:

Anything Goes

Three favorite musicals:

The Last 5 Years, Cabaret, My Fair Lady

Favorite showtune of all time:

Maybe This Time, Cabaret

The one performance – attended - that you will never forget:

Fuerza Bruta

What has been your most embarrassing moment on stage?

While singing the most exciting part of Cabaret, I fell, face first, off of the bench I was standing on. I had to continue the song while swallowing tears, and bleeding from both shins.

Last book you read:

Overcoming Math Anxiety

Last good movie you saw:

Get Him To The Greek

Must-see TV show:

Downtown Abbey, PBS Mini-series

Three greatest TV shows of all time:

Jeeves and Wooster, The Office, Poirot-- A Mobile Masterpiece Mystery

Tell me the story of your First stage kiss:

Junior year of highschool, The Foreigner. I had just broken up with Reverend David Marshall Lee and was also an ex-girlfriend to Froggy LeSeur. The kiss was awkward for the both of us, and my ex-boyfriend watching. It's a fantastic memory to look back on.

Favorite or most memorable onstage role as a child/teenager:

Margot in Stuart Little. The boy who played Stuart was so little, and I was so tall, that he had to climb on my back as I "flew" around the stage. Priceless.

Worst job you ever had:

I was a night nurse for two years, and had to work 11p-7a Monday through Thursday!

Who would play you in the movie?

Shirley Temple

Three things you can't live without:

Liverwurst, sparkling water, and my partner in crime/fiance.

Finish this sentence: "I'll never understand why…"

...people shorten the word 'probably' to 'prolly'. It isn't cute...at all.

Click HERE for tickets to Brigadoon

Another Wordless Wednesday

In Rehearsal with the Brigadoon Cast and Staff!
Click HERE for tickets to Brigadoon

No new stories

The things you find on line. Seems there's an older version of the story of a cursed (or blessed) village that appears only once in a century, and the modern traveler who stumbles upon it at just the right (wrong?) moment.

Alan Jay Lerner denies that he based Brigadoon on this story, but here it is. Judge for yourself.

Germelshausen
by Friedrich Gerstäcker

For tickets to Light Opera Works' production of Brigadoon, opening on June 4, visit us at www.LightOperaWorks.com

In Rehearsal with Light Opera Works:Q&A with Emilie Lynn

Hello once again Blog Buddies! Kyle here again. Last week I chatted with the hilarious Maggie Portman who is playing Meg in our upcoming production of Brigadoon. The show is now in its third week of rehearsals and is looking great. This week I have an interview with the beautiful, and extremely talented performer Emilie Lynn who is playing Jane, Tommy's sophisticated New York fiancee. Don't forget to check back next Thursday for another Q and A!

Full given name: Emilie Rose Frake (now Lynn)

Hometown: Vernon Hills, IL

Current audition song: Just one? “Let Me Be Your Wings” by Barry Manilow

Special skills: I can burp on command.

First musical you ever saw: The Sound of Music…my grandmother was Mother Abbess in the production!

Three favorite musicals: Spring Awakening, Into the Woods, Les Misérables

The one performance – attended - that you will never forget: Spring Awakening in St. Louis. First time I saw it…it just blew my mind. I had never seen something like it…it really opened up a new world of musical theater to me.

What has been your most embarrassing moment on stage? West Side Story in college…I was Maria and it was the last scene right after Tony dies. I screamed “Don’t you touch him” so loud that it “woke up” the dead Tony (he jumped) and everyone on stage started laughing.

MAC or PC? PC

Most played song on your iPod: I don’t own an iPod…wah waaaaaah

Last book you read: Ugh oh, you caught me! I don’t even remember!

Last good movie you saw: "Beauty and the Beast" Yes, that one. ;-)

Must-see TV show: Parenthood!

Three greatest TV shows of all time: "Rugrats", "Friends", "Parenthood"

Performer you would drop everything to go see: Martina McBride. LOVE. HER.

Tell me the story of your First stage kiss: BAHAHAHA. Um, totally awkward. Again, West Side Story…my Tony and I were so awkward kissing that our director instructed me to practice with him off-stage. SO WEIRD.

Favorite or most memorable onstage role as a child/teenager: It has to be playing Maureen in Rent. That cast became family and that role changed me as a performer. I was forced out of my box and had to stretch myself completely. It was so rewarding!

Worst job you ever had: Fitting room attendant at Target.

Who would play you in the movie? Rachel McAdams

Three things you can't live without: My husband, hard candy, red wine

Finish this sentence: "I'll never understand why…" my cats lick plastic.

Click here for tickets to Brigadoon

What pays for a theater?

Not to put too fine a point on it, you do.

Primarily through ticket and subscription purchases, it's the individual patrons who keep a theater alive. The best "fundraising" program in the world is no substitute for loyal ticket buyers who come year after year, and bring their friends and their families.

But as the trope from every fund appeal you've ever gotten says "your ticket purchase does not cover the full cost of our programs."

If they did, every theater would have "downtown" prices, not just for the best orchestra seats, but also for those seats up in the corner of the balcony. The half price tickets for kids, and the subsidized ones for low income and special populations would be a distant memory.

To support these seats, and to keep other prices down, we rely on a long list of sponsors. These include the individual patrons who give us gifts from $10 on up to ones with lots and lots of zeros (wow, thank you!), the retailers and restaurants that help with promotional sponsors and patron discounts, the foundations who support the arts, and our corporate sponsors, who offer cash support in exchange for promotion.

With the new season just weeks from Opening Night, we want to take a moment to thank our sponsors, and to urge you to patronize these businesses first when making your purchasing decisions! A complete list of our sponsors and Dining Partners is on our website. You'll also find them all listed in the program booklet for every show.

Next time you're at one of these wonderful businesses, tell them thank you!

In Rehearsal with Light Opera Works:Q&A with Maggie Portman

Hello once again Blog Buddies! Kyle here again. Last week we gave you a peek at Rob Hunt who is playing Tommy in our upcoming production of Brigadoon. During this week of rehearsals, I have an interview with the funny, and extremely talented actor,singer, and dancer Maggie Portman who is playing Meg! Once we get to the interview you can tell why she was cast so brilliantly as the comic relief of Brigadoon!

Full given name: Maggie Anne Portman

Hometown: Marietta, Georgia

Special skills: I’m a mean roller skater and a great multi tasker!

Skill/talent you wish you had or were better at: Computer skills! I’m like a grandma on those things!

First musical you ever saw: Cinderella was first one I ever saw I was 6 and it was a Cobb County Choral Youth production of it. Stellar!

Current Chicago show you have been recommending to friends: Rodgers and Hammerstein Revue at the No Exit Café with Theo Ubique

Three favorite musicals: Sweet Charity, Hair, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (cheesy I know but come on that show is fun!)

Favorite showtune of all time: "Oom Pah Pah!" from Oliver or "Master of the House" from Les Misérables. I love a great drinkin' song and a dance number full of bar wenches! Ha ha ha!

The one live performance that you will never forget: Seeing Les Misérables with that revolving stage and that huge barricade! Oh and the voices and the show were so emotional, I cried my eyes out! Breathtaking!

What has been your most embarrassing moment on stage? Hello Dolly National Tour, I’m wearing a big pink strawberry shortcake poofy dress and it’s the courtroom scene. Suddenly, and most embarrassing, I need to go to the bathroom so bad I didn't know what to do. I had to try to sneak offstage without being noticed in the middle of a very quiet moment in a big pink poofy dress and bright red wig! and then I had to explain it to our company manager and stage manager and the cast after the show. Aaaaaaahhh!

Most played song on your iPod: Fiona Apple Extraordinary machine “I had to break the window”

Last book you read: Great and Terrible Beauty by Libba Bray

Last good movie you saw: 9-5 on rerun TV the other night was most recent! That copy machine scene is my life!

Must-see TV show: Americas Next Top Model

Three greatest TV shows of all time: all time ? really? Uh……. Cosby Show, Golden Girls, Lost

Performer you would drop everything to go see: Patti Lupone

Tell me the story of your First stage kiss: EW! He slipped me the tongue. It was the biggest soap opera drama moment ever! I had all the kids talking about it in our theatre company. I was dating a guy in the cast and I guess this other guy kinda had a crush and decided to take his moment. Unfortunately it was my first stage kiss so I was traumatized for quite a while after that. Took me years to build up trust again. He licked almost my whole face poor guy. He recently contacted me on facebook to apologize for that kiss that happened 20 years ago, literally!! Couldn’t believe he was still thinking about it!

Favorite or most memorable onstage role as a child/teenager: Dorothy in The Wiz

Worst job you ever had: Street surveying. People actually punched me. I have never felt so low in my life. I got screamed at, pushed, punched, and shunned. I don’t envy those people with the clipboards in the street! I called my temp agent and quit on the job!!

Who would play you in the movie? If she was younger than me I’d say Sissy Spacek, now it would probably be Natalie Portman just to piss me off. She stole my last name, it’s a silly petty thing but I’ve never liked her because of that and with my luck that’s what would happen. The universe is a comedian!

Three things you can't live without: Pepsi, Chocolate, my kitty cat Akasha Lily. Just try to take one of these my pretty….just try!

Finish this sentence: "I'll never understand why…" people walk around so unaware of their personal space and surroundings. I’m always shouting like a crazy bag lady about how everyone should be required to take drama classes to learn how to get around without bumping into people or how to weave through people to move through streets faster. And don’t just stop suddenly in the middle of the sidewalk! Look around you. Patience is not one of my virtues!

For tickets for Brigadoon go to www.lightoperaworks.com.