"Funny Money" cast profile: Malik Grady

As taxi driver Bill in "Funny Money," Malik Grady just wants to take someone to the airport. Anyone. Anyone at all...

GCP Girl: Tell me about your character. 

MG: My character's name is Bill, the increasingly exasperated cabbie from Fulham Taxis.  In the slightly altered words of Chick Hearn in Fletch: "You know this gritty kid from the streets of Fulham really creates excitement. $4 million dollars a year, that's true, but he earns 

every nickel of it." 

GCP Girl: Tell me about some of your previous shows.

MG: I'll always of course be eternally grateful to Susan Christophy for casting me in my first show ever, "Seven Brides for Seven Brothers."  I'd say that I've had three shows that really resonated with me the most.  Getting one of the leads in my second show, "Hot Mikado," and being able to sing alongside Justin Slack and Thomas Sanders was tremendous, and of course, the likely role of my lifetime as Leading Player in "Pippin."  I also loved stretching myself to play three roles in one play, "They Sing Christmas Up in Harlem" (Bob Crachit, Marley, and the speaker of the titular poem in the play).

GCP Girl: Why did you audition for this show?

MG: This was my latest attempt to finally get into a non-musical (straight, lol) play at the GCP, as well as the opportunity to work for a respected and accomplished director in Jan Cohen.

GCP Girl: What has been your favorite part of this experience so far?

MG: Managing (hopefully) not to be the weakest link and tarnish the great performances of the rest of the cast, as well as approximating an accent that doesn't embarrass me.

GCP Girl: If you discovered a briefcase with $1 million, what would you do with it?

MG: I'd pay off all of my debts, take Sarah on a trip around the world, put her through school and see what's left over!

GCP Girl: What do you hope audiences take away from this show?

MG: I hope that audiences are affected by the energy and fun of the show, and breathlessly hang on for the ride, laughing to themselves the entire time!

GCP Girl: What inspires you?

MG: I'm inspired by the opportunity every day to savor life and bring joy to others, and hopefully bring people together.  My hope is that I succeed in making my little corner of the world a brighter place.  I'm also inspired by basketball and boneless buffalo wings.

GCP Girl: Tell me something about yourself you'd like everyone to know!

MG: I not only drink the Kool-Aid, I make my own (secret ingredient: lemon juice).

Thanks, Malik! We'll have to try that sometime.  This is your last week to see "Funny Money" before it closes!!

xo xo GCP Girl

"The Producers" cast list!

Here it is, folks! Congrats to everyone!

Max Bialystock.....Esteban Alvarez III

Leo Bloom...........Thomas Sanders

Ulla.....................Leannis Maxwell

Franz Liebkind......Bryan Faux

Roger DeBris........Jonathan Gravely

Carmen Ghia........Alan Medrano 

Ensemble:

Kelley Addis

Sissy Bell

Dan Christophy

Crystal Coleman

Bobby Cook

Katie Crozier

Michael Glover

Malik Grady

Lola Hassan-Adams

Richard Healey

Ed Hunter

Paige Johnson

Stephanie Johnson

Molly Knisley

Nicholas May

Linda Moulton

Spencer Reeder

Laurel Ring

Carolyne Salt

Kevin Sario

Crystal Thompson

Nickolus Turner

Houston Wells 

"Funny Money" cast profile: Lola Hassan-Adams

Lola Hassan-Adams adds another character to her already impressive roster as Betty in "Funny Money"!

GCP Girl: Tell me about your character.

LHA: Betty Johnson is a fun-loving character who just wants that "something" more out of life.  

GCP Girl: Tell me about some of your previous shows.

LHA: Some? Well,.... most recently I was Calpurnia in"To Kill a Mockingbird" at GCP. Before that, I was Sister Robertanne in "Nuncrackers" at GCP, and before that I  was a bumbling pirate in "Peter Pan," also at GCP! And that's it for the past year! :)

GCP Girl: Why did you audition for this show?

LHA: Because I liked the script, REALLY wanted to work with Jan and Mercer, and thought it would be tons of fun to do another straight show.  And.... I had the itch after only one month of not working on a show.  How pathetic is that?

GCP Girl: What has been your favorite part of this experience so far?

LHA: Working with Jan has been amazing! She gets right up there with you and gets her hands dirty.  It's so much fun to work with a hands-on director who knows her stuff!  We're all like a bunch of little kids who just want to please the teacher and make her happy and get that smile at the end of the day.

GCP Girl: If you discovered a briefcase with $1 million, what would you do with it?

LHA: Get myself and my family out of debt, toss some to a charity, and then get the heck out of dodge! 

GCP Girl: What do you hope audiences take away from this show?

LHA: A good time. Just laugh. Loud. LOTS. 

GCP Girl: What inspires you?

LHA: Right now, I'd say the drive to not disappoint my fellow actors or the production team.  

GCP Girl: Tell me something about yourself you'd like everyone to know!

LHA: Hrmmmmm,.....One of my pet peeves is when someone asks the same question, over, and over, and over, and over again, expecting a different answer!  Isn't that part of the definition of insanity?! :P  Totally drives me batty!  Also.... Kids and kitties make me happy.  Kids only if they're not mine, kitties, mainly if they're mine! 

Thanks, Lola! Break a leg tonight!

xo xo GCP Girl

Audition tips for "The Producers"!

Here's what director Erin Kleim had to say about auditions for "The Producers," which are this Sunday and Monday at the Vam York!

"Everyone needs to bring their "expressive faces" as that is what I will be looking for. Women need to bring their dancing abilities and men need to work on their 'swishy walks'. This show is all about characters and the ability to become different people. Most importantly, bring a sense of humor. Bashfulness and embarrassment can be left at home :)"

Thanks, Erin! See you this weekend! For more audition tips, check out my blog from January 2009.

xo xo GCP Girl

"Funny Money" preview article!

Check out the preview article for "Funny Money"! Great pic of Henry on the front of the Scene section today!

"Funny Money" cast profile: Adam Lishawa

Adam Lishawa branches out from the Acrosstown Repertory Theatre to make his GCP debut in the British farce "Funny Money"!

GCP Girl: Tell me about your character.
AL: My character is Vic Johnson, a loving (if not too quick) husband and friend to Henry and Jean. Vic is quickly swept out-to-sea by Henry's scheming but gamely dog-paddles along behind, always willing to lend a friend a hand, amongst other things!

GCP Girl: Tell me about some of your previous shows.
AL: This is my first GCP play. Lately I've been working in some darker shows: "True West," "Glengarry Glen Ross," and "Bug." I've also done "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Tape," "The Complete History of America (Abridged)," and "Dog Sees God (Confessions of a Teenage Blockhead)," not to mention a few independent films and various voice-work jobs within the radio and commercial industry.

GCP Girl: Why did you audition for this show?
AL: After playing the more than slightly terrifying Peter Evans in "Bug," I desperately needed a light comedy. I couldn't pass up the opportunity to work with such a well-respected director as Jan. 

GCP Girl: What has been your favorite part of this experience so far?
AL: The warmth and acceptance of such a wonderful and talented cast and crew. I came from the Acrosstown and everyone here has been so generous with their time and laughter that everyone already feels like family.

GCP Girl: If you discovered a briefcase with $1 million, what would you do with it?
AL: Move to and pay rent in NYC for a few months while auditioning my derriere off!

GCP Girl: What do you hope audiences take away from this show?
AL: Dreams are found around every corner. With a little luck, yours may be waiting where you least expect them to be.

GCP Girl: What inspires you?
AL: Every other theatre and film hopeful who wakes up each morning and tries to carve out a niche for themselves. It takes lots of hard work and more than a dollop of luck to make that aforementioned dream a reality, but it all starts with the work.

GCP Girl: Tell me something about yourself you'd like everyone to know!
AL: I'm a rollercoaster junkie and have made coaster treks through the States before. It's almost time for another one!

Thanks, Adam! Preview night is tomorrow – the box office opens at 7 p.m.!  Also, don't forget auditions for "The Producers" this weekend!

xo xo GCP Girl

"Funny Money" poster

Check out the new "Funny Money" poster! Preview is this Thursday - cast profiles and other goodies coming soon!