Sunday, July 8

Katie Johannigman is at University of Michigan for three weeks for Musical Theatre Summer Intensive: “MPulse Ann Arbor.” The Wyoming High School senior is fresh back from Lincoln Nebraska (where else would you have a high school theater conference?) where she and Walnut Hills High School 2007 grad Michael Carr were among 47 students from 21 states who performed in the premiere of giddy, Roaring Twenties-set musical “Thoroughly Modern Millie: School Edition” for an audience of 2,500 students and teachers at the 2007 International Thespian Festival.

Johannigman played Millie chum Ethel Peas and was understudy for the title role. Carr was understudy for Millie’s pompous boss. They began the audition process more than a year ago, in March 2006.

“I wanted this part more than anything,” Katie e-mails. “For weeks all I could think about was wanting to be part of International High School Cast of Thoroughly Modern Millie: School Edition.” Katie’s mom and dad helped her prepare an audition video.

Michael auditioned because he saw Lauren Sprague in the national cast of “Ragtime” when she was a student at Lakota West. (She’s now in the musical theater program at CCM.) Carr asked what kind of experience it was, Sprague said it couldn’t be replicated, especially the friendships. “I knew it was something I’d never be able to do again,” Michael said.

“Millie has been my dream show for years,” Katie – a terrific correspondent – continues. She was originally called back for “the role of Miss Dorothy, a rich girly-girl from California, who plays Millie’s best friend.” Katie “seriously prepared” and auditioned in person at the 2006 International Thespian Festival. “This is where high school theatre is at its’ best, with thousands of students, completely and utterly obsessed with theatre attending.

“I ended up being changed to be called back for the role of Millie, so on the spot, I had to learn all of her songs and scenes for the audition as well. It was the most intense audition process I’ve been through yet. Everyone was so talented and incredible, but the amount of love and sincerity that circulated was unbelievable. I sincerely wanted every single person who auditioned to be cast. At night we would go back to our dorms and help each other work on the dance and songs. Even though it was nerve wracking, the kids and adults could not have been more encouraging. Everyone wanted a chance to perform in this show; I had no idea what a big deal this show was until I was actually there.”

Katie didn’t get the title role, and, yeah, she was disappointed, but says nice things about the girl who did get to star.

So how do kids from all over the country rehearse for a show? Three intensive rehearsals in March, May and June are held in Kenosha, Wisc. (Wisconsin? Nebraska? Apparently the show is also a lesson that showbiz ain’t all Broadway.) The kids stay with the families of students at the local high school and get plenty of social time when they’re not working.

“We rehearsed from 8-9:30 on those 14 days,” Michael reported, “which were not in a row. Months separated those rehearsals; therefore time spent

outside of rehearsals was a must.”

 “We had to put up this huge show and record a CD,” Katie explains.  “Our group included 36 cast members and 11 student technicians who did all the technical work. The adult staff of 20 came in from New York and Chicago and included acting coaches, lighting designers, conductors, make up artists, voice coaches, choreographers, costume designers, MTI representatives and the authors of the show, Dick Scanlan and Jeanine Tesori.

“When rehearsal would be over, we would say “No, let us do it one more time,”” Katie writes, and credits director Holly Stanfield. The advice Katie will hold on to most: “Love the art that you do, not yourself in the art.” 

It wasn’t all work. “There are so many things to do…,” Katie adds. “Every night there are dances after the shows, where we made many new friends. Outside of the dance there are games and hanging out or getting ice cream.”

Before the big debut on June 26, cast and crew had to load up the set on to a semi-truck then unload the morning of the performances. “Everyone was so nervous and excited. We were so tired from all the rehearsals, so we all drank energy drinks, and by the time of the opening, we were shaking we were so excited.”

“The adrenalin was incredible,” Michael adds.

“Was our show going to meet everyone’s expectations?,” Katie says. “Were the authors going to like it? We were so nervous. After doing a final sound check in the huge theatre and making sure the set was all functioning, we did our wigs and makeup and pre-set our costumes for the top of the show. Holly gave us a final inspirational speech with her usual tears, and then Dick and Jeanine came to speak with us. As they came in the room, there were gasps and beaming smiles. This is every musical theatre geek’s dream to meet Jeanine Tesori and Dick Scanlan. We asked them questions about Millie and writing music.”

And wouldn’t you know – the girl in the title role did get sick – briefly, and not on performance day.

“It was not always easy being Millie’s understudy,” Katie notes, “especially since Millie has always been the role that I would die to play. Also, knowing that many college representatives would see the show, playing Millie would have been a great way to be seen by colleges.

“I would watch Elizabeth in rehearsal and sometimes say to myself,  “Well I would do that differently”, or wonder why I hadn’t been cast as Millie… “Watching her in rehearsal sometimes made me a bit sad.  I got to sing a lot of Millie’s songs when she would be rehearsing in another room and they needed someone to play her part.

“A few days before opening night, (she) got really sick and they made me try on her costumes and made sure I knew all of her lines. I wanted that part more than anything you can imagine. My hopes were raised. However, I didn’t get to perform the part.

“But that was okay, because (she) was amazing and was a very sweet girl. Once the show closed, I was glad that I had been in the ensemble because I was able to dance in all the really exciting numbers and the leads weren’t always included in those. Also, what was really great was that being in the ensemble, I had the opportunity to become closer to the rest of the cast” something the star couldn’t do. “It ended up working out okay and I was able to audition for all the colleges there and that went well.”

This year, Katie hopes to bring Wyoming High School’s Thespian troupe at school to our state conference. (“A few lucky schools get to bring their shows to the Nebraska festival, after being chosen at their state conferences. What makes the experience so memorable is the energy in the theatre from all the theatre-crazed students packed in there. There is such energy and a buzz that everyone can feel. The students shriek as the curtain comes up and every time a joke is made or a high note is hit, there is wild applause. One will never perform for an audience like this ever again.”)

She’ll also be applying for scholarships, auditioning for theater programs, carrying four advanced placement courses and “being a normal teenager!”

Michael enrolls in the CCM Drama program in fall. This summer he’ll be road-tripping through the Midwest to visit some of the friends he made in “Millie.” He has new best friends in “Las Vegas, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Florida and Wisconsin!”

Monday, July 9

Not so WOW – Covedale Center for the Arts has temporarily pulled the plug on its WOW (With Out Walls) series intended to serve/lure an audience beyond the steady schedule of musicals and comedies.

The first entry, “That Championship Season” (a hit in the early Seventies) died in May, possibly a victim of blissful weather. Or maybe Covedale regulars just found drama a shock to the system.

Another oldie, “Extremities,” was scheduled for the beginning of September. Exec producer Tim Perrino says he’s still committed to artistically widening the Covedale’s spectrum of offerings, but he’s willing to chart the wiser course and “have an underwriter before we try it again.”

Covedale is currently shopping for its first full-time development/marketing staffer, so Perrino hopes to have WOW back on the calendar in 2008.

Tuesday, July 10

This from Playbill Online: Georgia Engel (who everybody loves from “The Mary Tyler Moore” and “Everybody Loves Raymond”) reprises her Broadway role of Mrs. Tottendale in the national tour of The Drowsy Chaperone. It’s the Broadway Across America holiday entry at the Aronoff, Dec. 4-16.

Wednesday, July 11

Tickets are scarce as hen’s teeth for Northern Kentucky University Summer Dinner Theatre entry “She Loves Me,” opening tonight and starring Rick Roedersheimer and Lesley Hitch. We’re talking single tickets for most performances. The show continues through July 29. Best chance: a group turned tickets back for July 13. Call the box office at 859-572-5464.

Thursday, July 12

Devon Carney, ballet master of Cincinnati Ballet, is one of 30 choreographers from across the U.S. invited to create new work “30x30” for Ballet Met in Columbus. From Aug. 6-26, audiences will be given three opportunities to experience the creative process, viewing rehearsals and showcases (Aug. 6-10) and performances (Aug. 23-26.) Cincinnati native Amy Seiwert, company dancer with Smuin Ballet and director of the contemporary ballet im-ij-re, will also participate.

Friday, July 13

Michael Shawn Starks, Fairfield native and Covington resident, is back to playing El Gallo. He starred in “The Fantasticks” at Greater Hamilton Civic Theatre two years ago and now he’s reprising the role for Jersey Productions, opening tonight at The Carnegie.

He’s been back in town after a few years of theatrical wanderlust. Starks tried his luck in New York where he starred in “Babes in Toyland” for the Little Orchestra Society at Lincoln Center and went on to  six months in a non-Equity tour of “Camelot.” Then it was on to Europe for a bit, including Italy and Germany.

Starks has been a regular on Cincinnati community theater stages since his return to town a few years ago, including “Chess” at Cincinnati Music Theatre and “Sideshow” for New Stage Collective. Next up it’ll be Cincinnati Music Theatre again, where he’ll play “young Ben” in Stephen Sondheim’s “Follies.”

And, no, he hasn’t given up on the New York dream, but Starks will be on local stages for at least the near-future.

For reservations and information call the Carnegie box office at 859-957-1940.

Saturday, July 14

Northern Kentucky native and “The Producers” veteran Angie Schworer closes out a summer run at the Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine in Crazy for You. 

Sign up for BACKSTAGE DRAMA at Second Sunday on Main Sept. 9. At the start of the 2007-2008 season, CinStages.com and League of Cincinnati Theatres take you behind the scenes to see how theater is made. Dish about “Dracula” with Paul Shortt, try your hand at stage combat, hang with theater gals including Dale Hodges and Sherman Fracher, come on stage for theater karaoke – and a whole lot more. Benefiting the Theatre Artists Project Fund. Watch for details – and Save the Date.

Jackie Demaline