Green Room On Air with Ray Renati

Interview with Krista Kamman Lowe and Suze Allen - San Francisco Theatre Artists

What a fun conversation I had with Krista Kammen Lowe and Suze Allen. Krista's new play is an excellent piece that uncovers the secrecy and struggle of a family tackling the issue of eating disorders. It's funny, touching, and thoughtful.
I hope you are all well during this struggle with COVID-19. Remember, we will get through this, and come out stronger on the other side.
Love and Peace,
Ray
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About Krista Kamman Lowe
A sample of Krista's art:  https://bit.ly/KristaKLowe
The idea for writing Infatuation was born in the year 2000 after performing a personal piece in the Edinburgh Fringe Festival production of the play Hanging on Your Every Word, by Suze Allen. The desire to tell a fuller story about eating disorders stuck with me but it was not until I was a mother of a child with the same body and eating issues that I grew up with that I was able to finish the play.
Growing up with family members who struggled with eating disorders and my own battles with a poor self-image, I hated what our society told girls/women about our bodies. The images of super models and celebrities were the ideal.  But if we failed and didn’t achieve this look, something was wrong with us. The transition of going from girl to woman has too much pressure. It doesn’t need to be this way!
We are more than a number on a scale or the size of our waist. Writing Infatuation became a deeply personal healing and an artistic way for me to express my frustration and anger about the repetitive internal voices that fill our heads with damaging thoughts. These distorted views that haunt young women leave deep scars, tear families apart, and ultimately can be deadly.
 
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About Suze Allen
Suze Allen is a published author, playwright, teacher, dramaturg and director with credits on both coasts.  She was the creator of Fresh New Works San Francisco, The Maine Playwrights’ Lab and Short Works Festival, Artistic Director for the SF Writers and Actors Lab, Director for Fertile Ground Writing Studio and the resident Dramaturge and playwriting instructor at The Playwrights’ Center of San Francisco.
Her work and the work she has directed have played the Dramatists Guild’s SF Footlights, Tides Theatre, Brava Theatre, 450 Geary, The Marsh, Intersection for the Arts, Noh Space, The Phoenix, OutNorth Contemporary Art House in Anchorage Alaska and The SF and Edinburgh Fringe Festivals.
Her show THE MANIC MAMA DANCE premiered at the Marsh Café and played Birthfest 2008. Suze co-authored the book, The Time-Starved Woman’s Guide to Emotional Wellbeing with SD Shanti and advises writers through her company Manuscript Mentor.
Suze’s short play program, THINGS WE DO FOR LOVE , was featured at 3Girls Theatre’s 2013 Celebration of Women’s History Month. In 2012, Suze directed AJ Baker’s THE RIGHT THING and Lee Brady’s WHAT ABOUT BEN? at 3GT’s inaugural 2012 Celebration of Women’s History Month. From 2012-2018 Suze was an Francisco’s representative to the Dramatists’ Guild.
 
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Green Room On Air Web Site: http://greenroomonair.com 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raysgreenroom/
Opening and Closing Music by Carly Ozard: http://carlyozard.com
Contact Ray at Green Room on Air: greenroomonair@gmail.com 

John Prine Tribute and Stuart Brown of the Internet Radio Station - Sounds of Broadway

What a few crazy weeks the entire planet has been experiencing due to this scourge we call COVID-19. I often feel like I'm a character in a science fiction film with multiple endings, none of which the author has decided upon yet. Everyone keep safe, and I know we will get through this together.
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But as they say, "The Show Must Go On". 
---My tribute to John Prine.
---So, today I present Stuart Brown of the 24/7 Internet radio station Sounds of Broadway. 
---You can learn all about Stuart's wonderful station at soundsofbroadway.com.
About Stuart and Sounds of Broadway:
The Sounds of Broadway offers the most wide-ranging listing of music from the Off-Broadway, Broadway, and London stages. Thousands of songs from hundreds of cast recordings stream online, 24/7. In addition to their programming schedules, listeners can make requests from our extensive song catalog.
The Sounds of Broadway was founded by Stuart Brown in March 2019. Brown has had a long association with terrestrial radio, beginning at WRSU-FM at Rutgers College in New Jersey in the late 1970’s. For the past 25 years, he had a weekly radio program, “On Broadway,” on WRTC-FM, Trinity College, in Hartford, CT.
The Connecticut resident is also a theater critic, reviewing shows in New York City and Connecticut. He is the current President of the Connecticut Critics Circle, and a member of the Outer Critics Circle, and the American Theater Critics Association.
His reviews on Connecticut and New York theater are published on his blog, stuonbroadway.blogspot.com.
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Also, I pay a tribute to the American treasure, John Prine, who has fallen victim to the COVID-19 virus and is currently hospitalized and on a ventilator. We all hope and pray he heals and come home soon.
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Green Room On Air Web Site: http://greenroomonair.com or http://raysgreenroom.com
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raysgreenroom/
Opening and Closing Music by Carly Ozard: http://carlyozard.com
Contact Ray at Green Room on Air: greenroomonair@gmail.com 

Michael Grant Interview and The Zombie Apocalypse

Today we discuss Ray's addiction to chocolate-covered berries, our current pandemic, and most importantly, we have a special interview with the UK based musician, Michael Grant.
 
Michael Grant's Web Site: https://www.michaelgrantmusician.com/
Michael A. Grant is a freelance musician, proficient on clarinets, bassoon, saxophones and flute. He is currently based in Manchester but available for work throughout the universe.Michael is an experienced performer in a variety of genres, including orchestral music, big band swing, and traditional jazz. He is also in high demand as a reed player for musical theatre productions, on account of his strong sight-reading ability and expertise across multiple instruments.Furthermore, he is a very capable arranger and orchestrator, as well as a keen composer.
Michael Grant's new Musical: https://www.michaelgrantmusician.com/inrta/
It’s Not Really the Apocalypse’ tells the story of four friends, who wake one day after the mother of all hangovers to discover they are the only humans left on the planet. Over the course of 14 songs they must adapt to their new lifestyle, whilst also overcoming a much greater challenge: learning to live with each other.
This dark subject matter is juxtaposed with a catchy, ragtime-influenced score that is sure to have you tapping your feet and singing along. Armageddon never sounded so good.
If Only Your Legs Were on Your Head: https://youtu.be/jM5zlL17TSw
The Jelly Roll Jazz Band: http://www.thejellyrolljazzband.co.uk/
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Green Room On Air Web Site: http://greenroomonair.com or http://raysgreenroom.com
Opening and Closing Music by Carly Ozard: http://carlyozard.com
 
 

Interview - Sara Moore

 
Today's guest is Sara Moore
Sara Moore is an award-winning American clown. 
Her new show is called "The Supers"
Moore has created, directed, and performed material for Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus, The Krofft Puppets, Royal Caribbean International, Tropicana Hotels and Resorts, The New Pickle Circus, Six Flags Show Productions, and Merv Griffin’s Resorts Casino and Hotels, among others. She also wrote, directed, and co-produced the independent feature film “Homo Heights” starring Quentin Crisp, which is widely considered a cult classic today. Her recent solo show, Show Ho, has earned critical and popular acclaim through several sold-out runs.
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Tickets for "The Supers": http://www.zspace.org/supers
THE SUPERS - A Science-Fiction Magical Realism Human Cartoon Opera - written by & starring Sara Moore will be performed Feb. 19 - 29, 2020- Limited Engagement – 10 Performances Only!
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Music by Carly Ozard: carlyozard.com
Green Room on Air Web Site: raysgreenroom.com
Please take a little time and rate my podcast on Itunes - http://bit.ly/GreenRoomOnAir
 

Ray's Shorts - Circle Mirror Trransformation Final Thoughts

As we close the show Circle Mirror Transformation at Livermore Arts, I reflect on the play and my experiences with it with it.
 
Music by Carly Ozard: https://carlyozard.com
Green Room on Air Web Site: http://raysgreenroom.com

Circle Mirror Transformation - Misty Megia and Emma Nelson

Circle Mirror Transformationby Annie BakerDirected by Misty Megia
Livermore Arts
Tickets: https://lvpac.org/
Synopsis:
When four lost New Englanders enroll in Marty’s six-week-long community center drama class and begin to experiment with harmless games, hearts are quietly torn apart and tiny wars of epic proportions are waged and won. Circle Mirror Transformation is a charming and beautifully-crafted diorama, a petri dish in which we see, with hilarious detail and clarity, the antic sadness of a motley quintet.
Taught by Marty, their free-spirited and supportive leader, the group — Schultz, a recently divorced, emotionally vulnerable carpenter, Teresa, an earnest and vibrant former actress, James, Marty’s quiet and genial husband, and Lauren, a reserved and self-conscious high schooler — move through a series of acting exercises, ranging from the heartbreaking to the ridiculous. Over the course of the seemingly trivial games, their emotional wounds are revealed, nursed, and healing slowly begins. Winner of the 2010 Obie Award for Best New American Play, Annie Baker’s quiet masterpiece explores the human condition and the subtle yet powerfully transforming effect we have on others through our words and indirect actions.
Directed by Misty Megia, Circle Mirror Transformation will run for eight performances at the Bothwell Arts Center from November 15-24, 2019. The East End of the Bothwell Arts Center provides the perfect setting for the play which is set in a similar community center in Vermont. Megia directed last year’s acclaimed production of RED by John Logan at the Bankhead Theater, the first play self-produced by Livermore Valley Performing Arts Center. Read an interview with Misty Megia here.
“Annie Baker’s play is an absolute feast… the kind of unheralded gem that sends people into thestreets babbling and bright-eyed with the desire to spread the word…”—New York Times
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Green Room on Air Web Site
Carly Ozard provides the music for this episode
 
 

Ray's Shorts - An Actor on the Road - Nov 17, 2019

The Two Show Day.
CAST
Rebecca Davis (Theresa) recently appeared as Christine Daaé in the Ohlone College/Stage 1 Theatre production of “Phantom of the Opera.” Other favorite credits include Eliza Doolittle in “My Fair Lady” at Contra Costa Civic Theatre, Laurey Williams in “Oklahoma!” at Altarena Playhouse, and Abigail Adams in “1776” for Tri-Valley Valley Theatre. Rebecca spends her free time hiking, playing video games, and eating all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue.
John Girot* (Shultz) make his debut with LVPAC in Circle Mirror Transformation. Recent credits include A Few Good Men (Hillbarn Theatre), Fifth of July (Aurora Theatre Company), Arcadia (Jewel Theatre Company). He has worked locally with Central Works, EXIT Theatre, Berkeley Theater Project, and PlayGround. John is a proud Bay Area native and member of Actors’ Equity Association. He lives in Oakland with his wife and two daughters.
Emma Nelson (Lauren) is so pumped to be part of the cast and crew of Circle Mirror Transformation. She loves to act, and has been doing it since she was about eight, thanks to her encouraging parents. So far, she has been in shows in and outside of Dublin High School, and one student film. She loves strawberries, rollerblading, and the color yellow. As a senior, she is remembering to take time for these little things in life while preparing for the next steps in pursuing a career in film.
Ray Renati* (James) has performed in major Bay Area and London theaters, as well as in several independent films and TV programs. Favorite stage roles include Henry Higgins in Pygmalion, Arthur in Superior Donuts and Neil in The Quality of Life, Burton in Burn This, Lee in True West, and Antonio in The Merchant of Venice. Ray studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London where he earned a certificate in Acting Shakespeare. Ray is a co-founder of the Pear Theatre in Mountain View and a proud member of Actors’ Equity. His theatre podcast is Green Room on Air (raysgreenroom.com).
Rhonda Taylor (Marty) recently appeared as Jacqueline in “Don’t Dress for Dinner” and Morticia in “The Addams Family Musical” both with Chanticleers Theater. Rhonda, a long time Pleasanton resident, has been active in community theater for over 20 years. Some of her favorite credits include Louise in “Always Patsy Cline,” Gloria in “Boeing, Boeing,” Evy in “The Gingerbread Lady.” Rhonda is a lead singer for The Pushbacks, a local classic-rock cover band and has her own jewelry design business called Under a Gypsy Moon.

Ray's Shorts - An Actor on the Road - Nov 16, 2019

Opening night of Circle Mirror Transformation at Livermore arts.
https://lvpac.org/event/circle-mirror-transformation/2019-11-15/
CAST
Rebecca Davis (Theresa) recently appeared as Christine Daaé in the Ohlone College/Stage 1 Theatre production of “Phantom of the Opera.” Other favorite credits include Eliza Doolittle in “My Fair Lady” at Contra Costa Civic Theatre, Laurey Williams in “Oklahoma!” at Altarena Playhouse, and Abigail Adams in “1776” for Tri-Valley Valley Theatre. Rebecca spends her free time hiking, playing video games, and eating all-you-can-eat Korean barbecue.
John Girot* (Shultz) make his debut with LVPAC in Circle Mirror Transformation. Recent credits include A Few Good Men (Hillbarn Theatre), Fifth of July (Aurora Theatre Company), Arcadia (Jewel Theatre Company). He has worked locally with Central Works, EXIT Theatre, Berkeley Theater Project, and PlayGround. John is a proud Bay Area native and member of Actors’ Equity Association. He lives in Oakland with his wife and two daughters.
Emma Nelson (Lauren) is so pumped to be part of the cast and crew of Circle Mirror Transformation. She loves to act, and has been doing it since she was about eight, thanks to her encouraging parents. So far, she has been in shows in and outside of Dublin High School, and one student film. She loves strawberries, rollerblading, and the color yellow. As a senior, she is remembering to take time for these little things in life while preparing for the next steps in pursuing a career in film.
Ray Renati* (James) has performed in major Bay Area and London theaters, as well as in several independent films and TV programs. Favorite stage roles include Henry Higgins in Pygmalion, Arthur in Superior Donuts and Neil in The Quality of Life, Burton in Burn This, Lee in True West, and Antonio in The Merchant of Venice. Ray studied at the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art in London where he earned a certificate in Acting Shakespeare. Ray is a co-founder of the Pear Theatre in Mountain View and a proud member of Actors’ Equity. His theatre podcast is Green Room on Air (raysgreenroom.com).
Rhonda Taylor (Marty) recently appeared as Jacqueline in “Don’t Dress for Dinner” and Morticia in “The Addams Family Musical” both with Chanticleers Theater. Rhonda, a long time Pleasanton resident, has been active in community theater for over 20 years. Some of her favorite credits include Louise in “Always Patsy Cline,” Gloria in “Boeing, Boeing,” Evy in “The Gingerbread Lady.” Rhonda is a lead singer for The Pushbacks, a local classic-rock cover band and has her own jewelry design business called Under a Gypsy Moon.

Ray's Shorts - An Actor on the Road Nov 14, 2019

The rehearsal process. Insomnia and Stage Fright.

Ray's Shorts - An Actor on the Road Nov 12, 2019

Dress rehearsal with the set.