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Joined: Jan 2002
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Hi Folks,

Most of you know me as a vocalist and graphic designer, but my first real love was and is, theater.

I've worked as a pro actor in NYC and on tour doing mostly classical work (Shakespeare, Moliere) and experimental and development work. I've done a bit of directing in NYC too. I've also company managed some big touring productions.

Currently, each summer, I work with The Cape Cod Theatre Project, developing new American plays by some of our country's best new and established playwrights. We bring in the actors from NYC and LA and usually have a couple of celebs in the bunch.

I'm not doing a ton of acting lately myself, except for a couple of indie film projects. I've got a short shooting in a couple of weeks where I play the Mom of a kid having an anxiety dream about show and tell....lol I'm excited, the script seems fun and there should be some cool special effects.

Wondering if any other of you folks work regularly in pro theater or acting too?

Peace,
Christine


Christine Mascott
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Hi Christine,

I haven't acted in years, but I loved it and sometimes think about getting back into it. I started in community theater when I was 6 or 7 and fell in love with being on stage. I did school productions, including a few musicals, and some shows with the local YMCA. I also started playing guitar and writing songs around this time.

My mother and I moved to Arizona where I took a course in stunt work for films taught by stunt coordinator Ronnie Rondell and a course that taught fight choreography for live shows. My mother let me skip a week of school to spend on the set of the movie Used Cars where I learned a little about movie production. I did some more community theater productions then, when I was 15, I got involved with a group called The Poverty Gulch Outlaws that did re-enactments of old west gunfights in a fake town built behind a behind a bar and restaurant. I got to spend my weekends getting beat up and shot during the day and got to perform my songs in the bar at night between the house band's sets. That was probably one of the best times of my life even though I didn't make a dime for any of it. From there I got the chance to work at Rawhide Movie Ranch doing the re-enactments and got paid for getting beat up and shot, but it only lasted a month because I was only 17 and they found out that the insurance wouldn't cover me doing the stunt work. My last acting job was as an extra in the movie Gambler II. I got minimum wage and spent 12 hours a day on the set. It was a lot of fun and I was disappointed when production ended.

After that I moved to Florida, where I performed musically and met my wife, then moved back to Massachusetts. Family health issues and writing songs take up most of my time now. I haven't done any acting since Gambler II, but every once in a while I see a casting call and think about auditioning.

Thanks for reminding me of some great memories,
Todd

Last edited by Todd Cody; 04/09/07 05:09 PM.
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Hey Christine, I started out in musical theater when I was a kid and then moved to NYC, cruise ship, national tour, Industrials, sang with a girl group, local NYC stuff - I stopped quite some time ago to go back to school and have children.
Now I'm songwriting so it's a new world and I love it!
Grew up in MA and used to go to the cape every summer, I still try to get there every couple of years.
I'll look into The Cape Cod Theater Project-
Maureen

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Hi Christine (and Todd & Maureen..:>), I'm not an actor but I've been helping my son's high school drama club build sets for the last 4-5 years (feel's longer than that...). About 3 years ago I found out how much they pay in royalties (ouch!) and decided to try my hand at writing a script for them so they could save money.

I wrote a musical comedy (the script, the songs, designed the set, etc...) and now it's under production at the school.
I'll probably be able to write a small supermarket checkout pamphlet on the subject (not enough for a full book) with all the stuff I've learned getting this thing produced (none of it good except perhaps my newly attained knowledge).

I'll be real glad when it's over (I'm tired!) and know what not to do if it ever happens again (ie: if I'm involved with the production and how to say no to certain 'creative' suggestions...)

But overall I've accomplished my original goal for the drama club and learned a few things (like I can probably get it published and make a dollar from it for myself at some point).
It's also been my first experience working in an environment with literate musicians (I've always been in the usual 4 piece R&R/c&w bands) and my tunes that I expected to be played by a 4 piece is now being played by a 17 piece school orchestra.

There's been a lot of modifications all around due to circumstances of ability level, available stage & orchestra pit space, self-realization/outlook (as far as realizing I wrote the thing more from a 'camera' perspective than as an audience member) and probably more things i've no proper terminology for (at least at this time).
-Jim


The Tavern & The Storyteller - A Musical Comedy
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Jim,

Definitely jump in and share what you know here. These new boards all sort of remind me of the start of JPF where we learned a lot early together and developed the knowledge of the entire community as we went. We've got some great resources already, so go ahead and share what you know and we'll keep building on it!

Thanks to Christine for jumping in too! I know she has all sorts of hands on experience.

I myself have written, produced, directed and acted in about 30 different plays and musicals and will enjoy chipping in if I know the answers!

Brian


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Hi Maureen and Todd,

Nice to meet some other folks from MA.

Maureen, email me if you feel like checking out a play at CCTP this summer. Very often I have access to 2 for 1 tickets on certain nights. Let me know.

We don't have our season announced yet, but I'll post it when it is.

Last year we had some great offerings: a new play by Pulitzer nominee Adam Rapp that got picked up and is currently running at Playwrights Horizons in NYC. We also developed a play by the prize winning journalist Jimmy Breslin starring Lois Smith (legendary actress) and Skipp Sudduth (Third Watch) and two other plays too. The year before we did Neil LaButte's Autobahn and had Bill Pullman and Julie White (Grace Under Fire) come in to star.

Even though they're staged readings, I feel that CCTP does some of the most important theater in MA, continuing the legacy of Eugene O'Neill and contributing to the canon of New American Theater.

Peace,
Christine




Christine Mascott
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Well, I'm still pretty fresh out of college after geting my B.A. in theatre. Can't say I'm a professional yet, but I'm sure as hell trying. Been auditioning like crazy for the last few months. I'm mostly interested in musical theatre (duh!), and I am trying to make it here before thinking about moving to NYC or Chicago.

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Hi all,
It is great to hear from people in the theater background, I was hesitant to divulge because I really don't do it anymore and want to focus and songwriting.

Christine, I sent you an email, thanks1
Jim, good for you, I think it's amazing what we can do when we jump in head first.

Alison, you will be a pro just keep auditioning and working, networking etc. break a leg-

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Hey All,

I spent a couple of years in London, writing "the next great musical". Total flop, and never went anywhere, but I think the experience was invaluable. My wife was a professoional dancer at the time, so we had a common purpose, and got to hang out on the fringes.

Musicians are crazy, those who do musical theatre are doulbly insane. Why do it? It's just fun I guess smile

Best of luck to the crazy whacky people who love what they do, and won't take no for an answer. Break a leg !

cheers, niteshift

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Hi Christine,

Just briefly to let you know that I very keen on theatre as well. During my studies in Belgrade (Former Yugoslavia now Serbia) I worked on many plays (setting up stage) as well in a few plays as a support actor. Anyway, this love towards theatre I kept inside me and as a result of that I wrote 3 full lengths plays: 1. Leila; 2. Love Me Or Leave Me; 3. We're Having A Great Time? and a musical "I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT YOU".

A full manuscripts of all my plays and musical "I Can't Live Without You" can be downloaded (FREE OF CHARGE) from my own website as well all other details about my songwriting (I am registered songwriter as well).

The address of my own website is: http://rizo-songwriter.com

Please feel free to visit my website (look under LINKS) and if you like you are welcome to download any of my manuscripts there under name: My.Script.com

I am a new member with JPF and just wanted to let you know about me.

Thanks and good luck in everything you do.


Kindest regards,

Rizo Balic
(playwriter & songwriter)


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Hi Rizo,

Nice to meet you. I was interested in reading your play, Leila, but the download utility didn't seem to be working for my old MAC.

Do you ever send your work to production companies for development?

Peace,
Christine


Christine Mascott
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Hi Theater Folks -

I am a playwright as much as I am a songwriter. My specialty seems to be the Community Theater/Church/School markets, and in the last 9 years I have had full productions on 5 of my original musicals. With the church gig, I was a writer-in-residence with a small salary for six years. I recently had a musical commissioned by a private school (which is neat because they they actually pay money) and the middle school production was awesome. There is money in the smaller markets, especially for us "indie" types.

I have just put up a website for our most recent Christian album. But I'm still working on my website for my plays. They are not always Christian themed, but everything I write does have some sort of inspirational punch. I got my training in the Lehman Engles Musical Theater Workshop, which was wonderful.

Would love to hear from other musical playwrights and possible collaborators.

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Hey all,

I'm co-writer, with Allen Cohen, of "Writing Musical Theater," which Palgrave Macmillan published slightly over a year ago. The book is in two parts. The first part deconstructs musical theater into its components--the book, the lyrics, and the music, and how it all fits together. The second part of the book puts it all together, allowing the reader to "look over our shoulders" as we create two sample projects.

As a side note, I'll be in Germany in June in the capacity of show doctor. I'll be helping the creators of a musical based on Goethe's "Faust" tweak their show. (June is when they will have a workshop production.)

That's it for now.

All the best,
Steven

Last edited by slr3; 04/09/07 04:29 AM.

Steven Rosenhaus
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Hey Steven,

Have a great time in Germany! Where exactly? I've spent a bit of time there touring with Evita and Superstar.

Peace,
Christine


Christine Mascott
----------------------------
formerly just Christine
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Hey Rizo, Pat, Alan and Steven,

Best with what you do. It's a hard game, and I tried it for 1-2 yrs ( I know you'e laughing now )

I consider it probably the height/pinnacle of a songwriters' career, because of the complexity, and because of work that is involved.

Any tips ? I wouldn't go and try again, for me , but I would be glad of your experience.

cheers, niteshift

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Hi Christine,

I'll be going to Hamburg. This will be my third trip to Germany, the first time not dealing with my own music. (First trip, Munich and Rothenberg ob der Tober; Second trip, Dresden.)

As of today I will be there less than a week. Look over the production, make my comments/suggestions, and split. It's a tough life--not.


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Hi Niteshift,

Tips? Probably more than you'd want. Any specific topics?

While you're pondering that, here's a general thought about writing for musical theater: The shows that have longevity seem to have several things in common, some obvious and some not. Keep in mind that what follows are NOT rules, just what seems to have worked over the years.

* A good story that is made better (not just different) by adding music.
* Good characterizations, whether they are fully fleshed out or cartoon-like. (Compare My Fair Lady with A Funny Thing on the Way to the Forum.)
* Songs that serve at least one purpose, the LAST of which is "merely" to entertain. They should give us insight into the character[s], show a character's journey or growth, move the plot forward, set the time/place of the scene and after all that, entertain. Besides, if you write the song the way it needs to go, you will entertain.
* Variety from scene to scene, song to song, and within a song (unless for a specific instance, like a folk song). Not too many ballads in a row (unless they're sung by different vocal ranges).

How's that for starters?

Steven


Steven Rosenhaus
Singer/Songwriter
Composer/Conductor

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