Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty: NY Pops Birthday Gala Interview

Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty won the Tony Award, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards and received two Grammy nominations for their score of the Broadway musical "Ragtime." They also garnered two Academy Award nominations and two Golden Globe nominations for the songs and score of Twentieth Century Fox's animated feature film, "Anastasia" (Gold Record and Number One Song). They are co-creators of the Broadway musicals "Once On This Island" (eight Tony Award nominations, London’s Olivier Award for Best Musical) and "Seussical" (Grammy and Drama Desk nominations. One of the most frequently performed show in America).

Other Broadway and off-Broadway credits include "My Favorite Year," "A Man of No Importance" (Outer Critics Circle Award, Best Musical); "Dessa Rose" (winner, 2005 Audelco Award for Best Musical, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle nominations); "Lucky Stiff" (Helen Hayes Award, Best Musical); "Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life," and "The Glorious Ones" (five Drama Desk nominations including Best Musical).

They were most recently represented on Broadway with the 2009 revival of "Ragtime."

Individually, Lynn Ahrens' credits include: co-book and lyrics for "A Christmas Carol" (ten years at Madison Square Garden); teleplay adaptation of "A Christmas Carol" (NBC/Hallmark Entertainment Special); mainstay songwriter/singer for "Schoolhouse Rock" and many other network shows. Emmy Award and four Emmy nominations.

Stephen Flaherty’s credits include: concert premieres at the Hollywood Bowl and Boston's Symphony Hall; commissions from the Guggenheim Museum, Carnegie Hall and  Symphony Space; incidental music for Neil Simon's Proposals on Broadway; musical score for "Loving Repeating: A Musical Of Gertrude Stein" (Chicago’s Joseph Jefferson Award for Best New Musical).

Lynn and Stephen are members of the Dramatists Guild of America, ASCAP, NARAS, Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences. They co-chair the Dramatists Guild Fellows program for emerging writers.

On Monday, April 30, the NY Pops will be celebrating their 29th birthday with a gala entitled "Journey On," honoring Lynn and Stephen. The event begins at 7:00 PM with a concert at Carnegie Hall featuring a spectacular lineup of guest artists under the baton of Music Director Steven Reineke including Liz Callaway, LaChanze,Jason Danieley, Boyd Gaines, Kecia Lewis-Evans, Darlene Love, Rebecca Luker, Marin Mazzie,Tiler Peck, Andrew Rannells and more! The New York Pops will also be joined by Bad Habit and the Ronald McDonald House Chorus, Camp Broadway Kids and Judith Clurman’s Essential Voices USA. Click here for tickets! For more on the NY Pops click here and follow them on Facebook and Twitter!

For more on Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty be sure to visit http://www.ahrensandflaherty.com and follow them on Facebook!

1. Who or what inspired you to become songwriters?

Lynn: I've been writing tunes and setting my own lyrics to other people's tunes since I was four. I have an old tape recording of me setting my own words to "Frosty The Snowman" to prove it. I guess it's genetic.

Stephen: I've always been around music, studying piano at age 7, seeing my first musical at 12, and writing my first musical at 14. I've always been inspired by my teachers - both Bill Chrystal, my childhood piano teacher, and Ted White, my high school drama teacher, unlocked doors for me at a crucial time and encouraged me to write music and find my own voice.

2. How did your partnership begin?

Lynn: We met at the BMI Musical Theater Workshop.

Stephen: Lynn and I met at the BMI-Musical Theater Workshop in New York City, a "mixer for composers and lyricists" in the fall of 1982 - I was hot off the bus from the midwest - and began working together shortly after that. 

2a. How has your partnership grown over the years? What do you feel is the reason you are still working together 20+ years later?

Lynn: We keep exploring new territory, and are by now very comfortable in our working relationship. We can comment on one another's work without getting huffy. It's all about the work.

Similar senses of humor, forgiveness and an enjoyment of each other's skills. 

Stephen: We've developed both as individuals and as a team over the years and still have that same sense of fun and discovery together. 

There are still many new shows for us to discover and write!

3. You are going to be musical honorees at the New York Pops 29th Birthday Gala on April 30th. What does this honor mean to you?

Lynn: I guess it means that we have created a body of work that's worth such  a full evening. It's extremely gratifying and humbling.

Stephen: It is thrilling and humbling and will be exciting to hear that amazing orchestra playing our music. We've also invited some incredible Broadway singers to join us, many of them dear friends. I am so happy that Terrence McNally will be hosting and excited that my mom will be in attendance. She's only seen the outside of Carnegie Hall - what a great way to see the inside!

4. What excites you most about this upcoming evening?

Lynn: I'll be thrilled to hear our work done on such a large orchestral scale. And what an honor to be at the famed Carnegie Hall!

Stephen: Hearing the breadth of the material played by this orchestra. Sort of "This Is Your Life" but in musical technicolor!

5. How has this collaboration between you and the NY Pops had on your music? Has it brought it to a new level or added a new dimension to it?

Lynn: They're wonderful--full of great suggestions, extremely supportive and collaborative. We will hear some songs performed to new orchestrations. 

Stephen: I've been lucky in that I've had the opportunity to work several times with the NY Pops over the past decade, the last time being the premiere of "American River Suite" at Carnegie Hall in 2009. It's always a special experience to work with them, to hear the music played so richly and with such detail in that great hall.

6. What is your favorite part of the creative process in writing a song? Where is your favorite place to write? 

Lynn: Being together in the same room with Stephen and improvising a new song.

My desk. Pretty boring.

Stephen: Starting with a blank page with Lynn beside me and wondering "What If?"

I don't really have a favorite place. When I am "in the zone" and creating music, I am totally absorbed in the creative flow that I actually lose a sense of place - I could be doing it in the middle of the interstate or on the crosstown bus or dangling from a building - it wouldn't matter!

7. Who haven't you worked with that you would like to?

Lynn: Mozart, Bruce Springstein, Gershwin, Bernstein, any of the Beatles...

Stephen: Adele.

8. What have you learned about yourselves from being songwriters?

Lynn: That this is exactly who I am, and that I am perfectly happy doing nothing but this.

Stephen: That there are many stories to tell through music, many other lives to discover through the creation of characters. I get to be many other people in my one lifetime - how lucky is that?

9. What's the best advice you've ever received?

Lynn: Keep the cat out of the bedroom. But I can't bring myself to do it, unfortunately.

Stephen: Music is meant to be shared.

10. If you could dream about anyone while you sleep, who would it be?

Lynn: Beloved friends and family who've passed away. I'd like to spend a bit more time with them, and sometimes I do.

Stephen: I rarely remember my dreams, so it's sort of beside the point!

BONUS QUESTIONS:

11. You are working on the musical "Rocky." What made you want to be involved with this project? What is your approach to translate this movie to the stage?

Lynn: It's the only movie I ever stood up and cheered for in a movie theater. The screenplay turned out to be a brilliant piece of writing, emotional, funny, powerful and perfect for adaptation. And of course it's a transcendent love story. It's been an absolute joy to work on, and no one is more surprised than I am!

Stay true to the humble characters, soak up the local color, and don't try to make it too grandiose musically. 

Stephen: I re-read the script and had forgotten how beautiful, truthful, and touching it was - it is one of the great stories and really is a piece of street poetry. I grew up in Western Pennsylvania in the 70s and I know these people and know this world very well. It's an honor, being one of them, to bring this community to the stage.

There are moments of extreme muscularity and power alongside these small, human, fragile moments, and I've tried to incorporate that into the score. It's my first real rock score, which is exciting for me.

12. What is it like to be the award winning writers of such musicals as "Ragtime," "Seussical," and "Once on this Island?" What did mean to you when "Ragtime" was revived on Broadway for a second time? What does it mean to you when someone wants to do their own production of a show you collaborated on?

Lynn: I love getting letters from people who love the shows. It's a great feeling.

I loved seeing it again in a new incarnation, and also in a new time, politically. It had great resonance. We all did a little work on it , which I think made it even better and tighter.

As E.L. Doctorow quoted, "Art is a conversation through the ages." I love it when my work inspires someone to new thoughts.

Stephen: Working on the "Ragtime" revival at the Kennedy Center and then again on Broadway was an incredible experience. It was wonderful for Lynn, Terrence, and myself to have the opportunity to revisit the material, to re-explore it. That's one of the things I love about the theater - it is a living art form. So yes, I love seeing other people's takes on our shows. They bring their own ideas to it.

Lynn, Terrence, and I just saw a wonderful production of "A Man of No Importance" by the Gallery Players in Brooklyn, full of new life and new ideas.

I also greatly look forward to seeing new productions of "Once on This Island," directed by Thomas Kail, at Papermill Playhouse this May-June, as well as the exciting new Regents Park production of "Ragtime" this summer in London, directed by Tim Sheader. Both productions have bold, new ideas.

13. Favorite way to spend your day off? 

Lynn: Long walk by the river or in Central Park, great restaurant, good movie, a fire and a book. All on the same day. 

Stephen: Answering questionnaires? No. Seriously I'm taking a long, leisurely walk through Manhattan with my partner, Trevor Hardwick, with no final destination planned, which is what I'm going to do as soon as I finish this last question!

14. If you could have any super power, which one would you choose?

Lynn: Invisibility. So that I could surprise a few people.

Stephen: Flying! - and without the "Spiderman" wires!

Nicky Silver

After writing numerous plays Off-Broadway, Nicky Silver is making his Broadway playwrighting debut with "The Lyons," which recently enjoyed a sold-out, twice-extended run at the Vineyard Theatre. "The Lyons" was the ninth play by Nicky Silver to debut at The Vineyard. His other Vineyard premieres include "Pterodactyls," "Raised in Captivity," "The Eros Trilogy," "The Maiden's Prayer," "The Altruists," "Beautiful Child," as well as "My Marriage To Ernest Borgnine" and the "Agony and The Agony." Nicky's other notable plays include "Three Changes," "The Good Chain," "Fat Men in Skirts," "Fit To Be Tied," "Free Will," and "Wanton Lust." Nicky also wrote the new book for the Broadway revival of the Rodgers and Hart musical, "The Boys From Syracuse."

"The Lyons," produced on Broadway by Kathleen K. Johnson, is a funny and edgy work starring Tony and Golden Globe winner Linda Lavin as "Rita Lyons," the indomitable matriarch of a family at a major crossroads: her husband is dying, her son's in a dubious relationship, her daughter's struggling to stay sober, and on top of it all, she can't settle on a new design for the living room. "The Lyons" is currently playing at the Cort Theatre in NYC (138 West 48th Street, between 6th & 7th Avenue). Click here for tickets and follow "The Lyons" on Facebook and Twitter!

For more on Nicky Silver be sure to visit http://home.bway.net/dylanny!

1. Who or what inspired you to become a playwright? I wanted to find some way in to the theater -- as a playwright you have a product. I didn't know how to become anything else. (And I'm afraid of heights so I couldn't be a lighting designer).

2. Who haven't you worked with that you would like to? I don't know. I've worked with fantastic people. I mean, I guess I'd have to say Maggie Smith.

3. What made you want to write "The Lyons"? I was unhappy with the last play I opened. It was overly complicated and the production didn't come together.

4. What do you hope audiences come away with after seeing "The Lyons"? I hope they laughed a good deal and find, ultimately that they were very moved. If you mean, in terms of a "message," I'd  have to say that one ought to never give up on happiness. All of these characters find a new road to happiness, the familiar, familial road having failed them.

5. What continues to excite you about this cast who helps bring your work to life? I am so lucky, I could watch them all day every day. Six geniuses. Period.

6. "The Lyons" was first seen at The Vineyard Theatre. What made you want to premiere the show there? What does it mean to you to have it transfer for Broadway? I have such a long and deep relationship with the Vineyard that it's second nature to me to offer them a play. They are my family. A Broadway production alters the way the world sees you -- not who you are, or (hopefully, how you see yourself). You have a more permanent place at the table, I guess.

7. What is your favorite process in the creative process of writing a play? Where is your favorite place to write? I adore rehearsals, go to every one. I love the community. I always write at my desk in my office.

8. What have you learned about yourself from being a playwright? Well, that's a hard one. I guess I've learned that I have no control over how I am perceived. I mean, I try to write plays I believe in, that I would like to see. I have no control over how they are received -- and my place in the community is a direct result of that. By that I mean, I've had to develop a strong sense of self. Every writer has hits and flops and you need a strong sense of self to get through the flops.

9. What's the best advice you've ever received? You cannot control your career, you can only control your work.

10. If you could dream about anyone while you sleep, who would it be? I can dream about anyone when I sleep! (Can't you?) And I'm not going to answer that, except to say that the subject is seldom fully dressed.

BONUS QUESTIONS:

11. Favorite way to spend your day off? Eating and shopping.

12. Favorite way to stay in shape? I'm not in shape! I diet constantly.

13. Boxers or Briefs? Boxer-briefs.

14. If you could have any super power, which one would you choose? Is this a super-power? In that Woody Allen movie "Alice" Mia Farrow drinks a potion that makes EVERYONE attracted to her. I'd drink that.

Kurt Peterson and Victoria Mallory: When Everything Was Possible

Kurt Peterson as "Tony" and Victoria Mallory as "Maria" in the Lincoln Center Broadway revival of "West Side Story"Hal Prince, Victoria Mallory, Kurt Peterson in "Follies", Photo Credit: Van WilliamsFrom 1966-1974, Kurt Peterson and Victoria Mallory were creating theatrical history during this golden age of theatre. They would then not speak for 35 years. Reuniting for one night only, April 29, 2012, at New York City Center in "When Everything Was Possible," this is the story of Victoria Mallory and Kurt Peterson in the present but also the story of New York, 1966 -’74, the last gasp of the golden age of the American Musical, when everything was possible. Following their inner music, two kids came to the biggest city in the world and went to work. They didn’t want to be famous - they wanted to be good. Along the way they sang for Noel Coward, with Richard Rodgers, Stephen Sondheim, Jerry Herman, Betty Comden, Adolph Green and Leonard Bernstein; hung out with Liz and Dick; sat in the Oval Office and the Apollo capsule; flew the Lunar Lander and crashed on the faux surface of the Moon. And in the summer of ’68, as the world flew apart, these two unknowns held court at the State Theatre at Lincoln Center, captivating audiences as "Tony" and "Maria" in "West Side Story." Together with the talented gangs of "Jets" and "Sharks" they made a statement about the world’s bigotry and violence in a way that only words, music and dance can. They worked, lived, grew close, grew up, made mistakes and finally…parted. 35 years would pass until they would meet again, and they found they still had a few things left to say - and sing.

On, Sunday, April 29, 2012 at 7:30pm at New York City Center (131 West 55th Street, between 6th and 7th Avenues), James William Productions and Stephenie Skyllas will present "Kurt Peterson andVictoria Mallory in When Everything Was Possible, A Concert (with comments)" for one night only as a benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Click here for tickets!

Victoria Mallory made her Broadway debut when Richard Rodgers and Leonard Bernstein chose her to star as Maria in the first revival of "West Side Story" at Lincoln Center. She went on to play "Lili" in City Center’s revival of "Carnival."  For Harold Prince and Stephen Sondheim,Victoria originated the roles of "Young Heidi" in "Follies" and "Anne Egerman" in "A Little Night Music." She also re-introduced and first recorded Stephen Sondheim songs in "Sondheim - A Musical Tribute" and in "An Evening of Stephen Sondheim" at The Whitney Museum. Victoria has starred in the nation’s major theatres including Los Angeles Civic Light Opera, Pittsburgh CLO, St. Louis MUNY Opera, Atlanta’s Theater of the Stars, Kansas City Starlight, Dallas Summer Musicals, Utah’s Pioneer Theatre, and the Irish Rep in NYC, in roles as diverse as "Christine/Carlotta" in "Phantom," "Magnolia" in "Show Boat," "Kate" in "Kiss Me Kate," "Marian" in "The Music Man," "Lily" in "The Secret Garden," "Sarah" in "Guys and Dolls," "Maria" in "The Sound of Music" and "Abigail" in "1776." Television audiences know Victoria as the concert pianist, "Leslie Brooks" from the CBS daytime drama, "The Young and The Restless" and "Dr. Denise Foxworthy" on NBC’s "Santa Barbara." Other TV credits include guest starring roles on "Everwood," "Touched By An Angel," "Promised Land," the female lead in the made-for-television movie "The Unabomber," and three CBS musical specials: "The Emperor’s New Clothes," "Aladdin," and "After Hours." She received an Emmy nomination for "Singin’, Swingin, and All That Jazz." Victoria has been a professional director/choreographer for productions including "The Wizard of Oz," "Joseph…," "Side by Side by Sondheim," and "Yours, Anne," and choreographer for "Oliver,"  "Nuncrackers,"  "Mr. Popper’s Penguins," and "A Village Fable." Victoria is a founding member and teacher at The Voice Studio. Most recently, she was seen in "A Child’s Christmas in Wales" at the Irish Repertory Theatre. Victoria is slated to star in the new Broadway musical, "In the Summer of ’68," in 2013. For more on Victoria be sure to visit http://www.victoriamallory.com.

Kurt Peterson began his career when Leonard Bernstein and Richard Rodgers chose him to play "Tony" in the revival of "West Side Story" at Lincoln Center. On Broadway he starred opposite Angela Lansbury in "Dear World" and created the role of "Young Ben" in Stephen Sondheim’s "Follies." Off-Broadway Kurt starred in "Dames at Sea" and "By Bernstein," and appeared in the Town Hall productions of "Knickerbocker Holiday," "Music in the Air," and "I Married an Angel." Kurt starred opposite Patti LuPone in the Broadway-bound "The Baker’s Wife." He also starred in the highly acclaimed Canadian premiere of "Company" and Rob Marshall’s production of "Side By Side By Sondheim." Kurt was featured in the 75th birthday celebrations "Wall to Wall Sondheim" and "Children & Art" honoring Stephen Sondheim and has performed as a leading man in many productions around the country and in Europe. Kurt and his company, James William Productions (JWP), produced the acclaimed "Sondheim–A Musical Tribute," the first celebration of America’s foremost composer/lyricist, helped launch the NY and London productions of Angela Lansbury’s "Gypsy," produced the live tours of WPIX-TV’s classic children's show "The Magic Garden," and the National Tour of Rob Marshall’s innovative "Side By Side By Sondheim." Recent projects include co-producing the New York productions and National Tour of the Stephen Schwartz family musical "Captain Louie," the Off-Broadway production of the play "Capture Now," directed by Larry Moss, and the BC/EFA benefit "Alone At Last" featuring the music of Ian Herman. JWP is currently represented by the Helen Hayes and Drama Desk Award winning play, "Zero Hour," about theatre legend Zero Mostel, now touring the US andCanada.  In 2013 look for the new musical "In the Summer of '68." Kurt is the owner of New York City’s The Voice Studio, home to more than 300 students and some of Broadway’s greatest teachers and performers. For more on Kurt be sure to visit http://www.jameswillamproductions.com.

1. Who or what inspired you to become a performer?

Kurt: Gary Schroeder who played the Prince in a high school production of CINDERELLA in my hometown of Stevens Point, WI. It was the first musical I ever saw. In later years, John Raitt was really my inspiration.

Victoria: My father was a career soldier and band master. I inherited his love of music and grew up inspired by his musianship and discipline. I always wanted to please him. I always knew he was listening. And the slightest sparkle in his eyes let me know I was evolving as a young artist.

2. Who haven't you worked with that you would like to? 

Kurt: I would love to work with Adam Guettel. His LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA was brilliant.

Victoria: Meryl Streep. Of course. I also very much look forward to working with my daughter, Ramona Mallory.

3. How did the evening of "When Everything Was Possible Come To Be"? What do you hope audiences come away with after seeing the show? 

Kurt: It began after Victoria and I reunited after a 35 year period of not speaking to each other. During that reunion we discovered we still “got along” and in subsequent meetings we began to feel that our story and our unique perspective as young performers might be of interest to theatre audiences. I hope audiences will come away with an appreciation for the great musicals and talent of that era as well as a heartwarming story of reconnection and friendship.

Victoria: Kurt approached me with the concept. It draws upon a wonderful time in my life. I hope the audience will glimpse, through our reminiscences, what was a remarkable and important time in the history of the American Musical Theatre. And I hope they will agree that the craft demanded of stage performers in that period represented the foundation for a lifetime of artistic expression.

4. What has it been like to work together again? What have you learned from the time apart? 

Kurt: It's been great working with Victoria again and I believe we are both still at the top of our game. As Hal Prince, who will be a Guest of Honor at our concert, said recently, "Victoria Mallory is proof positive that time stands still." And from our time apart we have learned what FOLLIES is all about!

Victoria: Great special fun! In the time apart, I learned that there is a rich and satisfying life to be had outside the theatre. The lessons learned have placed many new colors on my palate.

5. You both have performed for some of the most well known composers in musical theatre history. What does it mean to you to have been able to have this experience? 

Kurt: We are so fortunate and spoiled to have had the opportunities we did. To have had songs written for us and originated roles in such amazing musicals is an honor and a privilige.

Victoria: Few performers...few people...ever have the opportunity to interact with greatness. It changes one forever. It is impossible for me to separate who I am from those experiences of working with true geniuses.

6. What was it like to have been personally chosen by Richard Rogers and Leonard Bernstein to make your Broadway debuts as "Tony" and "Maria" in Lincoln Center Revival of "West Side Story"?

Kurt: For me, it was thrilling and scary; if it were today, I would say "awesome!" The theatre was so huge and the show so important. In fact, when I was in high school I had suggested to my choir teacher that we do WEST SIDE STORY but he told me we couldn't as he, "had no one to sing Tony." So on opening night of WEST SIDE at Lincoln Center I bought him a ticket - next to Richard Rodgers and Leonard Bernstein.

Victoria: Thrilling. A fantasy come true. Even today, I pinch myself when recalling that great and good fortune.

7. What have you learned about yourself from being a performer? 

Kurt: In this business a resiliency and knowledge of self is vital. I have learned the value of true craftmanship and that, whether as a performer or a producer, you have to take 100% responsiblity for your own journey and career, have pride in your work and remain true to yourself.

Victoria: I have learned the importance of living in gratitude.

8. What's the best advice you've ever received? 

Kurt: I think it was from my Grandfather, a stonemason, who said, "Whatever it is you love, do it very well."

Victoria: Say Yes to life. Show up. Do the work.

9. If you could dream about anyone while you sleep, who would it be?

Kurt: In my dream I would be playing opposite my friend Kelli O'Hara in a brilliant and moving new musical - that someone else produces.

Victoria: Future grandbabies.

10. If you could have any super power, which one would you choose?

Kurt: I would be FosseBennetRobbins - a drop-dead dancer choreographer.

Victoria: To fly.

Kurt Bonus Questions:

What made you want to move into producing and what made you want to start The Voice Studio? I have always had a business sense and it was natural to segue into producing as a means of allowing me greater opportunities to put forward projects I believed in as good theatre and promote great creative talents. With The Voice Studio I am continuing the legacy of the late Paul Gavert. He taught Victoiora and I at AMDA and we became his first "famous" students. Continuing to foster a home for new talent and craftmanship is important both to me personally and as a means of honoring Paul's legacy.

You produce the tour for one of my favorite TV shows growing up, "The Magic Garden." What made you want to "revive" this show? I was seeing Carol Demas, the original "Genevieve" in THE BAKER'S WIFE and observed a small party she and Paula Janis did as an outreach from their show. The kids were so happy and responsive that I thought why not take their musical stories out to a larger audience? So we did and the show still lives on in their live performaces today.

Victoria Bonus Question:

What was the best part about starring on "Santa Barbara" and "The Young and the Restless"? I loved it. Great variety, great people and steady ever changing work.

Billy Mitchell: Blood and Oil Interview

I first interviewed Billy Mitchell in 2009 when he directed "Bartholomew Fair, N.J." in the Midtown International Theatre Festival. Since that time he has gone on to direct productions of "The Pillowman" and "The Rocky Horror Show" (which he also starred in). Billy also designed the art work for the theatrical release of "Company," directed by Lonny Price and the film "40 West" featuring Wayne Newton.

Now, Billy's new show, "Blood & Oil," will be playing at the Attic Ensemble Theatre in Jersey City, NJ from April 20-29. Click here for tickets! (this show is not suitable for children).

For more on Billy be sure to visit http://www.bybilly.com!

1. Last we spoke, you were premiering your play "Bartholomew Fair, NJ." Since that time, you've directed productions of "The Pillowman" and "Rocky Horror" (which you also starred in). What attracted you to directing these two shows and starring in "Rocky Horror"? "The Pillowman" is one of my favorite, fairly recent, Broadway plays. I love Martin McDonagh's writing style and his dark, unpredictable take on relationships and the consequences of choices. When we picked that season for the Attic we had a comedy, a Pulitzer-winning drama, and a musical - and "The Pillowman" seemed like it would help round out the season with an intense, theatrical piece.

"The Rocky Horror Show" was part of The Theater Company's season (in Hoboken), and I was excited just to direct it. A few people commented that they would enjoy seeing me play Frankenfurter, and when Dave (Producing Artistic Director of TTC) also suggested it, I decided to take a leap and give it a try. It turned out to be a fun, ridiculous, incredibly enjoyable experience. Audiences had a great time at the show and seemed to unanimously enjoy our 'spin' on such a well-known cult hit.

2. Since our last interview, you became the president of the Attic Ensemble Board, where you direct many shows and many of your shows have premiered. What made you want to get more involved with the Attic Ensemble Theatre? The Attic Ensemble just celebrated its 40th anniversary of producing theater in Jersey City, and I've been involved with them for six or seven years. It's a creative, dedicated group of people who just really love creating theater, and that's an environment I find positive and productive.

3. Now, you are directing a new play, which you also wrote, "Blood & Oil," a wicked tale of a family's unraveling secrets and the choices that haunt them. How did you come up with the idea for "Blood & Oil"? What do you hope audiences come away with after seeing the show? "Blood & Oil" has been percolating in my head for a long time, and it has gone through a long, winding evolution. It's really the culmination of a couple of different ideas I've had over the years - but they never quite came together enough for me to write them down. There's a lot of humor in the play, but there are also some darker, more sinister events, and I hope to keep the audience engaged and surprised as the story is unraveled in front of them.

4. What do you get from directing that you don't get from performing? What is it like to direct a play you wrote? How are you able to separate yourself? Directing can be an amazing challenge, because I want to create a theatrical experience that's unique for the cast, the audience, and myself. I like to find new points-of-view in well-known scripts, but I also like developing and nurturing new material. As a performer I find myself able to be much more selfish with my time and energy - I get to focus on my character and my character's relationships with the characters he interacts with. Both are clearly important for the play to be successful, but they are different uses of creative energy. Directing a script I've written is a bit of a double-edged sword because of the danger of not effectively troubleshooting flaws in the writing or being blind to inconsistencies or problem spots. What I've done with this script is work through it scene by scene with the cast and ask them for honest criticisms: do the characters make sense, is the dialogue believable, do the facts add up, have I missed an opportunity to make a character or scene more dynamic, does anything confuse them or seem out of place. And I then detach myself from the words and watch/listen/experience the scenes as a director, asking myself the same questions as well as the question I ask myself in many situations: how can I make this better? ("Better" is a placeholder for any number of adjectives (more believable, surprising, authentic, shocking, etc.) The process of separating myself as playwright vs. director is made infinitely easier with a cast I trust, respect and admire - more on them in question #6!

5. What's your favorite part of the creative process in writing a play and in the rehearsal/preview period in a show? Where is your favorite place to write/rehearse on your own? Okay, I could write pages and pages in an attempt to answer these questions thoroughly, so I'll spare you that and go for concise answers as they apply to "Blood & Oil." My favorite part of writing is when I have a full vision of the story and I just write it the way I want it, without considering whatever might complicate the staging. There's always time to edit, revise, cut, etc., but I want the first draft to everything I think I need to tell they story. My favorite writing location, this time around, was actually my dining room table, listening to an all-Mozart web radio station.

6. What excites you about this cast, who will help bring your show to life? I LOVE MY CAST. The thing that excites me the most is that I have absolute, 100% faith that they are as committed to making this whole production the best experience it can be. They are talented, generous, focused, experienced, and - honestly - their creativity spoils me. The cast features Erin Flanagan Lind and Hank Morris as the fraternal twin sisters at the middle of the action, Art Delo as their father, Judith Moss as self-proclaimed pychic Miss Daja, and Broadway veteran Leah Greenhaus as fourteen-year-old runaway Camille. I am also incredibly lucky to have George Seylaz as my stage manager and a posse of other Attic folks onboard to bring the technical aspects of the play to life: set, sound, lighting, video effects, etc.

7. Who haven't you worked with that you would like to? Oh that's a complicated question. My professional theater work has been fairly limited in scope, so there's a whole catalog of people I wish I could work with! Oh, but one that comes to mind is multiple Tony-winning lighting designer Donald Holder who is also an alumni of the University of Maine.

8. What have you learned about yourself from being a director, writer, and performer? I have learned there is no limit to the number of ways creative expression can be produced, communicated, executed and enjoyed.

9. What's the best advice you've given, but not taken for yourself? Trust your instincts and believe in your vision.

10. If you could have any super power, which one would you choose? It's a tie between time travel and teleportation.

Rosebud Baker

Rosebud Baker is a New York City actress working in film, television, and stage. She earned her Bachelors in Acting from Emerson College in 2006, then completing a two-year conservatory training program at The Esper Studio, studying with William Esper directly. Rosebud is also an alumna of the LAByrinth Theater Master Class, where she workshopped LAByrinth Co. member, Rebecca Cohen’s "Into The Sunset" on the stage of The Public Theatre.

In Summer of 2010, Rosebud decided to tackle production; in the most ambitious project she had done in NYC, "Clandestine." Rosebud originated one of the roles, 'Lily' in Alex Goldberg’s award-winning play, "Lying Naked," which garnished her awards as "Best Actress," as well as an award for "Best Overall Production," in Planet Connections Theatre Festival in the Summer of 2010.

Being of good humor, Rosebud then plundered the world of reality television without a drop of shame, and starred in The Sundance Channel’s "Girls Who Like Boys*Who Like Boys"  alongside of Lisa Kudrow’s critically acclaimed HBO series "The Comeback," by "Sex and the City" writer, Michael Patrick King. In the fall of 2010, Rosebud was invited to become a member of The Indies Lab in NYC, founded by the award-winning actor George Katt. Through The Indies Lab, she produced an evening of one-acts, "Face Divided" by Edward Allan Baker, and "The Mutilation of Saint Barbara" by Mark Borkowski.

In 2011, Rosebud began to book starring roles in various Independent features like "Turnabout" with Peter Greene ("Pulp Fiction"), Waylon Payne ("Walk The Line"), and "The Maladjusted," w/George Katt ("Percentage," "Valley of Angels"), & Tiffany Shepis. She also starred as "Skye Hanson," real-life murderess in Discovery I.D. Network’s Seven Deadly Sins: "Greed." Rosebud is currently making her Off-Broadway debut, in Urban Stages' "My Occasion of Sin" by Monica Bauer, directed by Frances Hill, which runs through April 15. Click here for tickets!

For more on Rosebud be sure to visit http://rosebudbaker.com and follow her on Facebook!

1. Who or what inspired you to become a performer? I don’t have anyone that inspired me, initially, to perform... I just was born with an instinct to do it. I honestly cannot remember a time when I ever wanted to be anything else. It’s crazy, actually. In a way I feel like I’ll never grow up...I look at my life and go, “How is this still going on?!?” But I’m lucky; being raised by another artist, I’ve never been told to go “get a real job”...in that respect I consider myself incredibly fortunate.

2. Who haven't you worked with that you would like to? ....How long are you willing to read this?? I could go on for days. Tarantino comes to mind immediately....so does Glenn Close. I have had the opportunity to work with some incredible actors this year, and I count my blessings. I have finally reached a place where I am working among professionals that intimidate me with their talent and experience...Peter Greene (Pulp Fiction), Waylon Payne (Walk The Line), and now Scott Robertson, who worked on Cabaret with Alan Cummings and Sam Mendes...and my friend and colleague at The Indies Lab, George Katt, who I’ve worked with more than anyone else this year -- these are all artists who I’ve seen are as generous in sharing their wisdom and experience as they are in sharing themselves through the honesty of their work...

3. What attracted you to "My Occasion of Sin"? What do you hope audiences come away with after seeing the show? I really was drawn to the character, "Mary Margaret." Monica Bauer, the playwright, approached me with the script months ago and I told her immediately how much I gravitated toward the character. There are so many themes present in Monica’s play, and I imagine everyone who comes to see it will draw something from it which will be uniquely their own. Ultimately, I think that it’s the universality of it that makes it a good play, and worth seeing.

4. What do you identify most with about your character "Mary Margaret"? ....A lot. The loss of her family, the lack of structure in her home, the search for a father, and the finding of herself through her art. Most of all, I could see in the play that she was a seeker, that she had what Martha Graham called the “blessed unrest” that is the mark of every artist - even before she discovers the drums, and jazz music. It’s that “blessed unrest” that leads her to Luigi, her first artistic mentor; and that “unrest” is what led me to acting, to New York, and eventually to this play...

5. What excites you about making your Off-Broadway debut? Well, i’m one step closer to health insurance, for one thing! I’m very excited just to be doing it...I’ve never had a run last this long, and it’s a gift, because you’re given four weeks to continually discover new levels to what you’re doing...which is fantastic. More than excitement though, I just feel an overwhelming sense of gratitude. I’m just ridiculously happy.

6. What do you get from stage performance that you don't get from television/film? Theatre is far more strenuous physically, but with that, there’s the reward that comes from using your entire instrument...not that you don’t use your entire instrument in film, but there’s just a greater level of sustained, physical energy required for theatre.

7. What have you learned about yourself from being a performer? The creative journey for me has never been separate from my personal growth as an individual. Whatever I have learned through my own life, I have put into my acting, and what I’ve learned from acting, I’ve put into my own life...My “goal” is to make it so my life’s journey and the journey of my creativity both amount to being one work of art...I don’t really care if I ever get there -- I think all that matters is that I try to live that way. I’ve learned that everything changes, and that it’s important for me to stay awake, alert, and aware of everything inside of myself, because it’s from within me that I express whatever I put into my work, and I just want to make sure that I am being truthful.

8. What's the best advice you've ever received? The best advice I ever received was from the book The Velveteen Rabbit... "...Generally, by the time you are Real, all your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out, and you get loose in the joints and very shabby...but these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand..."

BONUS QUESTION:

9. If you could have any super power, which one would you choose? Reading minds would come in pretty handy in this industry...but I’d choose the power of flight and/or the ability to run at lightning speed over telepathy, cause they’d be way, way more fun.