Green Room On Air with Ray Renati – Details, episodes & analysis

ABOUT AfroSolo Theatre Company https://afrosolo.org AfroSolo Theatre Company’s mission is to nurture, promote and present African American and African Diasporan art and culture through solo performances and the visual and literary arts. Since 1994, we have presented the annual AfroSolo Arts Festival, a forum for African Americans and the larger African Diaspora as a way to give voice to the unique experience of being Black. Through art, we bring people of all ethnicities together to explore and share the human spirit that binds us all. AfroSolo Arts Festival is made possible through the support of the CA Arts Council, Grants for the Arts, Dream Keeper Initiative, Kenneth Rainin Foundation, SF Arts Commission, and The Friends of AfroSolo, AfroSolo's collaborative partners include AATAIN, Cultural Odyssey, Intersection for the Arts, Play Ground Theatre, The African American Art and Culture Complex, The Flow Fund, The Dr. George W. Davis Senior Center and the Yerba Buena Gardens Festival. AFROSOLO’S HISTORY AND MISSION: https://afrosolo.org/march2025 AfroSolo Theatre Company presents… AfroSolo ARTS FESTIVAL 31 - LET FREEDOM RING! PART 2 WHEN:

• Fri. March 28, 2025 – 7:00 pm
• Sat. March 29, 2025 – 7:00 pm
• Sun. March 30, 2025 – 3:00 pm

WHERE: Potrero Stage* 1695 18th St. (at Arkansas St.), San Francisco, CA 94107 WHO: Performers Include:

• Douglass Haynes - vocalist
• Augustene Phillips - writer
• Libah Sheppard - writer
• Thomas Robert Simpson - writer
• Hugh Leeman – filmmaker
• Dr. Carl Blake (piano for Douglass Haynes)

TICKETS: https://tickets.playground-sf.org/The... General Admission Seating. $0 - $35, pay what you can. No one turned away due to lack of funds. In Person & Live Streaming options available. WEB SITE: https://afrosolo.org FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?... INSTAGRAM:   / afrosolotheatrecompany   FOR INFORMATION VISIT: https://afrosolo.org or call 415-771-2376 _____________________ Thomas Robert Simpson, actor, director, producer, and writer, is the founder and artistic director of AfroSolo Arts Festival. Since 1991 he has concentrated on presenting African American and African Diasporan art and culture through solo performances and the visual and literary arts. For the past 17 years Mr. Simpson has produced the award-winning and critically acclaimed AfroSolo Arts Festival in SF, presenting over seventy-five artists. He has also showcased celebrity artists such as award-winning actor Ruby Dee, comedian and political activist Dick Gregory, beloved teacher, poet and social activist June Jordan, sensational black gospel singer Emmit Powell, and many others. In 2006 Mr. Simpson won a coveted Bay Area Jefferson Award for Public Service. In 2009 he was awarded a prestigious Certificate of Honor from the SF Board of Supervisor, as well as award from SF AIDS Foundation’s Black Brothers Esteem Program, The Reggie Williams Achievement Award and the Oakland Supper Club for his contributions to our community.

Hey there! Welcome back to Green Room On Air with your host, Ray Vernotti. It's been a crazy time, folks! I caught COVID again, got over it, but the insomnia was a kicker. Anyway, I'm here and thrilled to have the amazing Abigail Munn back on the show! 🎪

Today, we're diving into the world of Circus Bella with Abigail, the visionary director and ringmaster. This isn't just any circus, folks! "Kaleidoscope" is coming up and it's going to be a winter big-top spectacle. You're in for clowns, a mind-blowing slack rope act, breathtaking aerialists, and the heart-pounding beats of Circus Bella's live band.

We take a backstage tour and meet some of the extraordinary performers crafting magic under the tent. Plus, I've got a little plug for the show I'm in called "Truce," at City Lights Theater in San Jose. It's a moving tale from World War I that's capturing hearts.

So, join us for a fun-filled episode as we chat, laugh, and explore the amazing world of circus wonder! Oh, and don’t forget to snag your tickets to "Kaleidoscope" at circusbella.org. 🎟️

From the New York Times: "Sondheim was a titan of musical theater. But four recent shows onstage in New York argue for his place among classical music luminaries, too." Today we take a look at the genius of Stephen Sondheim and how he fits into the world of classical American music. But first I give you two huge thumbs up for a TV show I recently discovered.

Contact Ray at Green Room on Air: greenroomonair@gmail.com

Leave a review on Apple Podcasts (iTunes) Visit Green Room On Air website: http://greenroomonair.com Connect with us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/raysgreenroom/

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

 

 

 

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

 

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 by Annie Baker Directed 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 the streets 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

 

 

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.

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.

The rehearsal process. Insomnia and Stage Fright.