"9 to 5" cast announcement!

Congrats to the cast of "9 to 5"!

Violet - Amanda Edwards
Doralee - Brittney Kelly
Judy - Leannis Maxwell
Franklin Hart - Matthew Sherman
Roz Keith - Katie Crozier-Theis
Joe - Michael Tremaine
Dick - Kirk Scott
Dwayne - Kevin Anderson
Missy - Laura D'Anieri
Josh - Brandon Hall
Maria - TBA
Margaret - Sue Addis
Kathy - Kelley Addis
Dolly - Kelley Addis
Candy Striper - TBA
Bob Enright - Brandon Friend
Detective - Randall Dees
Tinsworthy/Doctor - John Stirna
Ensemble:
Danielle Butter
Paula Turpening
Lily D'Anieri
Theresa Hanson
Dixie Lee
Jet Carter
Rikki Baynard
Lakesha Hobdy
Thomas White
Ishmael Geter
Xavier Shivers

"Chasing Manet" cast profile: Malcolm Sanford

Malcolm Sanford portrays two very different personalities in a dual role in "Chasing Manet"!

GCP Girl: Tell me a bit about your character.
MS: I am two characters, Maurice (pronounced like Morris) and Sherwood. Maurice is kind of the head of an extended Jewish family, keeping everyone together. He is somewhat bombastic and clearly the leader of the pack. Sherwood is a patient in the nursing home. Although supposedly the proverbial "dirty old man," I really don't necessarily see him that way, since he really can't do what he says he'd like to and so is harmless. He clearly gets "turned on" when references to the opposite sex appear in the play. We get no clue in the production of what he might have been like before living in the nursing home.

GCP Girl: Tell me about some of your previous shows..
MS: I have been in quite a few shows beginning in the early 1980s in most theatrical venues around Gainesville. You can see my acting resume at: http://apisenterprises.com/acting_index.htm

GCP Girl: Why did you audition for "Chasing Manet"?
MS: I audition for any production I have time to do. I also enjoy watching auditions.

GCP Girl: What is your favorite scene in the show?
MS: I don't have a favorite. Both are radically different, requiring two distinct approaches.

GCP Girl: What was your biggest challenge in preparing for this show?
MS: Most notes have indicated directors can't hear me as Sherwood, although they can as Maurice. I am attempting to understand why this character does not stand out enough.

GCP Girl: What does "Chasing Manet" say to you? Why should people see it?
MS: My mother (age 92 with advanced dementia) is in a similar home in Decatur, Georgia at one of many places under the Emeritus name: http://www.emeritus.com/ People should attend to get a better understanding of what people are going through as either patients or caretakers of those confined to "memory care" facilities. They also might see their own future in this; we as a people have really not come to grips with the downside of living longer and what it means to confront death in this society. Art imitates life good or bad. In some cases, we treat our pets more humanely than our closest human relatives.

GCP Girl: What plays or musicals would you like to see GCP produce in an upcoming season?
MS: I am open to anything that comes along.

GCP Girl: Tell me one of your New Year's resolutions.
MS: To not push so hard in physical activities that I get injured, a delicate balancing act.

GCP Girl: Tell me something you'd like everyone to know!
MS: Everyone should buy my book: http://apisenterprises.com/storey ; see my professional resume at http://apisenterprises.com/vita.htm

Thanks, Malcolm! "Chasing Manet" starts back up tonight for its second week!

xo xo GCP Girl

"Chasing Manet" cast profile: Andrew Gordon

Andrew Gordon returns to the GCP stage in the dual role of Catherine's son Royal and the Captain of the QEII in "Chasing Manet"!

GCP Girl: Tell me a bit about your character.
AG: I play Royal Lowell, Catherine Sargent's son, as well as the Captain of the QE II. Royal is a neurotic English prof and guilt-ridden son who has placed his difficult mother in a nursing home.

GCP Girl: Tell me about some of your previous shows.
AG: I acted at GCP from 1978-1998 in "Enter a Free Man," "The Runner Stumbles," "Bell, Book, and Candle," "You Can't Take It With You," "Lovers and Other Strangers," "Diary of Anne Frank," and "Arsenic and Old Lace." At the Hippodrome in "As You Like It." I was one of the founders of the Acrosstown Repertory Theater, and played there in shows including "No Exit," "Galileo," and "Hamlet."

GCP Girl: Why did you audition for "Chasing Manet"?
AG: I know Jan Cohen and asked her about the show.

GCP Girl: What is your favorite scene in the show?
AG: Playing the Captain. I love the uniform and the British accent.

GCP Girl: What was your biggest challenge in preparing for this show?
AG: Having to dye my hair and beard!

GCP Girl: What does "Chasing Manet" say to you? Why should people see it?
AG: It's about people refusing to accept their fate and trying for their dreams, even against the odds or very late in life.

GCP Girl: What plays or musicals would you like to see GCP produce in an upcoming season?
AG: "The Music Man."

GCP Girl: Tell me something you'd like everyone to know!
AG: As a teenager, I performed in the chorus of "Bye Bye Birdie" at the Charlotte, NC Music Theater, starring Andy Williams.

Thanks, Andrew! Tonight is opening night at the Vam York - do you have your tickets yet?

xo xo GCP Girl

"9 to 5" auditions are this weekend!

Auditions for the musical "9 to 5" are coming up at 7 p.m. this Sunday, January 27 and Monday, January 28 at the GCP! Director Rhonda Wilson offers some advice for auditioners.

GCP Girl: Why did you want to direct "9 to 5"?
RW: I am a big fan of the movie and was thrilled to see this campy movie turned into a musical comedy. There are very few musicals that have the large number of principal roles for women that are not all-female shows. I was also glad that the show lends itself to a wide range of ages and cultures.

GCP Girl: What is your vision for this show?
RW: I want to remain true to the spirit of the movie, which is women's empowerment and equality. That being said, I am not looking to replicate the looks of any of the characters in the show. I want to encourage performers of all types to audition.

GCP Girl: Why should people audition for this show?
RW: The show is campy and fun. Not a heavy drama, but sometimes we need a break from the drama of life.

GCP Girl: Is there anything specific you are looking for in the actors who audition? If someone wants to impress you, what should she or he do?
RW: Be prepared for the audition. Show us what you can do. The bigger the better. The characters in this show are larger than life and funny. We would love to see that at the audition. Even though this is a Dolly Parton musical, you don't have to be Dolly.

GCP Girl: Any songs you do NOT want to hear?
RW: No "Les Mis," "Rent," "Phantom" or anything of that genre. More traditional musical theatre. Listen online to the style of music from the show.

GCP Girl: Anything you'd like to add?
RW: Everyone who is thinking about auditioning should come out.

Thanks, Rhonda! I think it's worth noting that although Dolly Parton wrote the music and lyrics for the show, it is not an all-country music show. (The Divine Ms. D is quite multitalented!) There is a wide range of ages, vocal styles and character types, so check out our event page on Facebook for a full list! Also, don't forget to read my earlier blog post on being prepared for auditions.  See you this weekend!

xo xo GCP Girl

"White Christmas" cast profile: Lauren Wilkinson

Lauren Wilkinson is one of the young actresses playing the general's granddaughter, Susan Waverly, in "White Christmas"!

GCP Girl: Tell me a bit about your character.
LW: I play Susan Waverly. She is very smart and then turns into a wannabe Martha.

GCP Girl: Tell me about some of your previous shows.
LW: This is my first show at GCP, but I have done school plays and summer camps for drama with GACA.

GCP Girl: Why did you audition for "White Christmas"?
LW: I felt like if I want to do this for a living I need to perform in a real theater.

GCP Girl: What is your favorite musical number in the show?
LW: "White Christmas," the finale, because its the song that really gets you into that holiday spirit.

GCP Girl: Finish this sentence: "I know it's the holiday season when..."?
LW: All my friends are with me, it's cold outside, and there's happiness in the air.

GCP Girl: What is your favorite winter holiday tradition?
LW: Opening 1 present on Christmas Eve.

GCP Girl: What are you looking forward to the most about performing in "White Christmas"?
LW: The looks of happiness and cheer on the audience members' faces.

GCP Girl: What plays or musicals would you like to see GCP produce in an upcoming season?
LW: "Smokey Joe's Cafe" and "Wicked."

GCP Girl: Tell me something you'd like everyone to know!
LW: This is my life and this is what I want to do, and I'm just so happy that I get a chance to share it with the world. Merry Christmas to everyone!

Thanks, Lauren! Break a leg!

xo xo GCP Girl

"White Christmas" cast profile: Claudia Garcia

Claudia Garcia returns to the Vam York stage in the ensemble of "White Christmas"!

GCP Girl: Tell me a bit about your character.
CG: I am in the chorus of "White Christmas." :)

GCP Girl: Tell me about some of your previous shows.
CG: My very first show ever was "Les Miserables" at P.K. Yonge. I was also in "42nd Street," "Phantom," and "Ragtime." "White Christmas" is my second GCP show; "Singin' in the Rain" was my first.

GCP Girl: Why did you audition for "White Christmas"?
CG: I was really missing being on stage, just one of those things you can't take a really long break from, and I needed some "me" time.

GCP Girl: What is your favorite musical number in the show?
CG: "I Love a Piano." It's really cute and fun, and who doesn't love a tap dance?

GCP Girl: Finish this sentence: "I know it's the holiday season when..."?
CG: You go to the stores in September and see Christmas stuff out.

GCP Girl: What is your favorite winter holiday tradition?
CG: THE FOOD!!!!!

GCP Girl: What are you looking forward to the most about performing in "White Christmas"?
CG: The great cast I get to work with and be a part of.

GCP Girl: What plays or musicals would you like to see GCP produce in an upcoming season?
CG: "A Chorus Line" or "42nd Street" -- a big dance show!

GCP Girl: Tell me something you'd like everyone to know!
CG: I'm Cuban!! Born in Cuba and I speak Spanish and a great Spanglish.

Thanks, Claudia! "White Christmas" is still running at the GCP, but not for long, so get your tickets!

xo xo GCP Girl

"White Christmas" cast profile: Stephen Griffin

Stephen Griffin lives the dream by stepping into Bing Crosby's shoes in "White Christmas"!

GCP Girl: Tell me a bit about your character. 
SG: I play the role of Bob Wallace. Bob is the better-looking half of the Bob Wallace-Phil Davis duo. He is a kindhearted, ex-Army Captain that teams up with Phil after the war to form a world famous song and dance team. While Bob may be a star onstage, he has a few social problems when it comes to the ladies. He's often found putting his foot in his mouth.

GCP Girl: Tell me about some of your previous shows. 
SG: This is my fourth show at the GCP, after "Rent," "Thoroughly Modern Millie" and "Hairspray." The GCP has taught me everything I know about performing and much more beyond that.

GCP Girl: Why did you audition for "White Christmas"? 
SG: When I was in high school, I would often jokingly tell my friends that I was going to be in a musical, and if I had to choose a show and character to play, it would be Bob Wallace in "White Christmas." I've grown up watching the movie at least once every year. This is truly a dream come true.

GCP Girl: What is your favorite musical number in the show? 
SG: My favorite numbers would have to be "Count Your Blessings" and "Blue Skies." "Count Your Blessings" because it's been one of my favorite songs to sing long before this show. "Blue Skies" is also an awesome song to sing, and although I haven't seen it yet, I'm sure it looks really awesome with the cast dancing behind me. That is also another dream come true. This show has been full of them for me.

GCP Girl: Finish this sentence: "I know it's the holiday season when..." 
SG: My mom starts decorating. She has 13 trees up this year, and every room has its own theme. I just love taking down and putting up all the boxes every year.... my fingers are crossed.

GCP Girl: What is your favorite winter holiday tradition? 
SG: Along with watching "White Christmas," I also really enjoy hanging ornaments on the tree, especially this year with the addition of a very special lady! Also Christmas lunch, we do it big and have a whole melting pot of family and friends over to join us. If you need a place to spend Christmas day, let me know, all are welcome.

GCP Girl: What are you looking forward to the most about performing in "White Christmas"? 
SG: The thing I look forward to every night is blessing everyone in the audience. Whether it be a song that touches them or just being at the theater with their loved ones, I hope everyone leaves the show with a warm heart and a little Christmas spirit. 

GCP Girl: What plays or musicals would you like to see GCP produce in an upcoming season?
SG: I would love to see "Chicago" and "Into the Woods" come to the GCP.  I know we have the talent to do so both on stage and behind the scenes. I think we also need a "Rent" reunion!  

GCP Girl: Tell me something you'd like everyone to know! 
SG: If you have ever thought about doing theater, in any fashion, don't hesitate any longer. Find an upcoming show that you have time for and audition. My good friend challenged me to "Live the Dream" and that gave me the motivation to audition for "Rent." It's one of the best things that has happened to me over the last year. I've learned things I never expected, and met some of the most important people in my life right now through the GCP, including my beautiful girlfriend, for those singles out there that want to meet some talented co-eds. I was a total novice when I first came in; the theater is full of extremely genuine and talented people that will help open doors you never thought possible.
Thank you, GCP family. I am, truly, Living The Dream.

Thanks, Stephen! We love you, too! (sniffle)

xo xo GCP Girl

"White Christmas" cast profile: Kelly Belanger

Miss Florida Sr. Sweetheart Kelly Belanger struts her stuff in the ensemble of "White Christmas"!

GCP Girl: Tell me a bit about your character. 
KB: I play Tessie, Bob’s secretary. I also act in the ensemble.

GCP Girl: Tell me about some of your previous shows. 
KB: I played Esther Jane in "A Christmas Story" last year, and I’ve been heavily involved in GHS drama with Susan Christophy. This semester, I also joined the Santa Fe dance team, and I’ve been in a performance with them as well.

GCP Girl: Why did you audition for "White Christmas"? 
KB: I auditioned for "White Christmas" because I’ve always wanted to be in a GCP musical, and I figured this would be a great theatre experience for me.

GCP Girl: What is your favorite musical number in the show? 
KB: Oh goodness. I’d have to say that my favorite number in the show is “White Christmas” in the very end, because everyone is singing together, and when the audience sings along, I feel like the cast really comes together and has that bonding moment with the audience.

GCP Girl: Finish this sentence: "I know it's the holiday season when..." 
KB: I know it’s the holiday season when my friends and I start up our secret Santa, and the smell of pumpkin and cinnamon candles fill my house.

GCP Girl: What is your favorite winter holiday tradition? 
KB: I’ve always enjoyed putting the tree up with my family, because that’s something we’ve always done, and it gives us a time to set aside all of the other things going on in our lives and just be together.

GCP Girl: What are you looking forward to the most about performing in "White Christmas"? 
KB: Honestly, during the run of the show is when the cast bonds the most, so I’m really looking forward to getting closer with my fellow castmates, as well as performing on the GCP stage for the second time.
 
GCP Girl: What plays or musicals would you like to see GCP produce in an upcoming season? 
KB: I’d really like to see GCP do “Next to Normal” in the upcoming season.

GCP Girl: Tell me something you'd like everyone to know! 
KB: I am currently serving my reign as Miss Florida Sr. Sweetheart 2012 and will be soon receiving my crown for Miss Florida National Teenager 2013. :-) Merry Christmas!

Thanks, Kelly! Break a leg tonight!

xo xo GCP Girl

"White Christmas" cast profile: Aubrianna Lee Spurgin-Kabinu

Meet Aubrianna Lee Spurgin-Kabinu, who makes her GCP debut in the ensemble of "White Christmas"!

GCP Girl: Tell me a bit about your character.
ALSK: I am in the ensemble, but at one point I do have a character named Ethel, who is a young adult who works at "The Ed Sullivan Show" as a secretary and works under Mr. Sheldrake, who she thinks is very sweet and funny, and she absolutely loves her job.

GCP Girl: Tell me about some of your previous shows.
ALSK: I just started doing shows halfway through the school year last year. My first show was "Cinderella," then at the beginning of this year I was in "The Three Musketeers" as d'Artagnan's mother, a wench, an old woman and, when needed, I was Adele and a sister. Now I am in "White Christmas," and I love it!

GCP Girl: Why did you audition for "White Christmas"?
ALSK: I auditioned for "White Christmas" in order to get as much theater experience I could before the end my senior year, because it is just so much fun being a part of shows and I will probably be doing musical theater in college. I also auditioned for "White Christmas" because it is a feel-good and comforting show and I really love entertaining people and making them smile.

GCP Girl: What is your favorite musical number in the show?
ALSK: I would have to say my favorite musical number in the show is "Snow" because it's so energized, intricate and full of happy thoughts of snow, which as a Floridian I don't get to see, and the song is full of lyrics about how I think it would be like to have snow every winter. A very close second to "Snow" is "Count Your Blessings;" it is such a beautiful song that teaches those who hear it to always stay positive!

GCP Girl: Finish this sentence: "I know it's the holiday season when..."?
ALSK: I know it's the holiday season when my mom, brothers, and I finally go pick out a nice Christmas tree all together and I smell that magnificent evergreen pine scent. When we strap that Christmas tree to the top of the car, carefully drive home, get it inside and decorate it, I know it's that magical time of year.

GCP Girl: What is your favorite winter holiday tradition?
ALSK: My favorite winter holiday tradition is waking up super early in the morning, crawling out of bed and going to find presents under the Christmas tree I decorated and finding my mom sitting there on the couch nearby waiting for me! After I come down, my mom goes through all the presents and tells me which ones are mine and which are my brothers', and I show her which ones are hers. After that we sit on the couch in our pajamas in the dark watching a Christmas movie waiting for my brothers to wake up to finally open presents.

GCP Girl: What are you looking forward to the most about performing in "White Christmas"?
ALSK: What I am looking forward to the most about performing in "White Christmas" is being able to perform with all these amazing and talented people like the handsome Thomas Sanders (Phil), the beautiful Victoria Sexton (Judy), the loud Kelley Addis (Martha), the sweet Giovanni Barrio (General Waverley), the awesome Stephen Griffin (Bob), the fantastic Susan Christophy (Betty), and of course everyone else who is handsome, beautiful, maybe not as loud as Kelley but sweet, awesome and fantastic cast members that make me smile every time I see them! I just want to start naming everybody off and saying what it is I love about each and every one of them and why they make me look forward to performing in the show every night but I would go on forever I did that, haha.

GCP Girl: What plays or musicals would you like to see GCP produce in an upcoming season?
ALSK: It would be so cool to see "Jekyll and Hyde" be done at GCP, because I totally love that show, but it does gets pretty intense. Other than "Jekyll and Hyde," I'd love to see "Ragtime," "Pal Joey," or "Chitty Chitty Bang Bang," which has been my favorite musical since I was little.

GCP Girl: Tell me something you'd like everyone to know!
ALSK: I would like everyone to know that this cast is marvelous and this show has been a blast so far and I will be very sad to see it be over; I love you all!

Thank you, Aubrianna! "White Christmas" begins its third week tonight at the Vam York!

xo xo GCP Girl

"White Christmas" cast profile: Thomas Sanders

Thomas Sanders is full of holiday spirit - and mischief - as entertainer Phil Davis in "White Christmas"!

GCP Girl: Tell me a bit about your character.
TS: My character is Phil Davis. He’s the fun-loving, skirt-chasing half of the famous performing duo, Wallace & Davis! He usually tries to get his buddy Bob to go out and start having fun, which leads them into some interesting situations!

GCP Girl: Tell me about some of your previous shows.
TS: I’m wrapping up my sixth year at the GCP! I started here at the beginning of my college career in "Beauty and the Beast." Since then, I’ve played roles such as Leo Bloom in “The Producers,” Cornelius Hackl in “Hello, Dolly!,” Ko-Ko in “Hot Mikado,” Billy Crocker in “Anything Goes” and Don Lockwood in “Singin’ in the Rain.” All of these shows have acted as my training in theatre, acting- and dancing-wise!

GCP Girl: Why did you audition for "White Christmas"?
TS: Not only was I familiar with many of the talented people I knew were auditioning and was excited to work with, I also loved the message and the holiday spirit that the movie leaves you with each time you watch it. It’s one of those classics that never gets old around Christmastime. I knew how much people loved our last Christmas musical, "GI Holiday Jukebox," and I wanted to be a part of that special experience again!

GCP Girl: What is your favorite musical number in the show?
TS: That is a tough one. I really enjoy performing “I Love a Piano”, because I feel it to be one of the more impressive numbers that we pull off and tap dancing is just fun. But, I also would say that the song “Snow” has to be one of the more fun songs we perform, simply because, as a Floridian, it encapsulates all the fun I believe having snow for the holidays would be! Sure, your car might be frozen, and the storms are lame, but hey, you get to have snowball fights, skiing, and sledding!

GCP Girl: Finish this sentence: "I know it's the holiday season when..."?
TS: Well, I definitely know when Fall is here when you start seeing pumpkin being put into every beverage and pastry! But I would say I know when the holiday season is here when I start smelling mulled cider in the air. That aroma just does it for me. It’s not the holiday season until I start smelling cider, no matter how many Christmas songs I may hear, haha.

GCP Girl: What plays or musicals would you like to see GCP produce in an upcoming season?
TS: I would absolutely LOVE to see "Into the Woods" be produced at the GCP again! I feel a big cast show like that, coupled with a more contemporary musical such as "Next to Normal," would allow for a pretty awesome season! Bring in a kids’ musical, like "Annie," and that should round out the year perfectly!

GCP Girl: What is your favorite winter holiday tradition?
TS: Actually, one of my favorite traditions started only a few years ago, at the Christophys’ "White Christmas" party! The Christophys, who are all in this show, throw a party where we all come over and watch "White Christmas." Now, I can’t imagine the holidays without it. It makes doing this show even more special.

GCP Girl: What are you looking forward to the most about performing in "White Christmas"?
TS: I am most looking forward to now getting to enjoy doing the show and working with this wonderfully talented and friendly cast. Everyone has been so amazing to work with in this show, and we were really blessed to have everyone cooperate and meld as a team. I get to work alongside Stephen Griffin, who has worked his butt off for his starring role of Bob Wallace, and is amazing. Also, I get to fall in love with Victoria Sexton, our Judy Haynes, who has come from Ocala to share her simply outstanding talents with all of us. I guarantee the audience will also fall in love with her. Add in the constantly astounding talents of Susan Christophy, who is our Betty Haynes, and Kelley Addis, our Martha Watson, and you could see why I’m excited, haha.

GCP Girl: Tell me something you'd like everyone to know!
TS: Tap dancing is my absolute favorite! :-)

Thanks, Thomas! Celebrate the weekend by coming to see this holiday classic!

xo xo GCP Girl