Nominated for a MAT Award

The 2008 Metropolitan Atlanta Theater Awards nominations were announced yesterday. The two plays that I was in and reviewed were Breaking Legs and A Christmas Story.

Breaking Legs at Kudzu Playhouse
Best Major Supporting Actor in a Play – Chris Arapoglou –  “Mike Francisco”
Best Minor Supporting Actor in a Play – Jay Croft –  “Frankie Salvucci”
Best Set Design in a Play – Wally Hinds

A Christmas Story at ACT1 Theater
Best Minor Supporting Actress in a Play – Martha Kennedy –  “Miss Shields”
Youth Award in a Play – Bobby Cookson –  “Ralphie Parker”
Youth Award in a Play – Andrew Hudson –  “Randy Parker”
Best Costume Design in a Play – Anne Voller
Best Set Design in a Play – Rich Vandever & Gayley Crockett
Best Lighting Design in a Play – Murray Mann
Best Sound Design in a Play – Murray Mann

Update for Octorber 2007

Since August 14th: Ramona Quimby has started and we are actually approaching our last weekend; I started a new job; And landed a lead role in A Christmas Story.

Ramona Quimby opened in Kudzu Playhouse’s old location but moved to Kudzu’s Stage 2 on September 22nd. I spent every night, and all of Friday the week before and around Saturday’s two shows building out the set and dressing room. I was exhausted after that week and skipped acting class that Monday night, more on that in a minute.

I also picked up another role in Ramona Quimby, that of MR FROST. Paul Komorner who was MR FROST always had a conflict on Sundays and Saturday nights. He was also in Bermuda Avenue Triangle on Kudzu’s Stage 1. MR FROST was being played by Jerry Harlow in the old theatre where he could escape from the tech booth for just long to do the 30 second part.

I purchased from a Halloween shop, a hat, Elvis glasses and beard to alter my appearance. With an overcoat I look completely different. One cast member said I looked like Hank Williams, Jr. I also use a Texas twang for a voice.

I started taking an acting class again with Chris Cole Harris. She called and said she was trying to get a class together and at the time I was not doing anything other than Ramona Quimby, so I said why not. The class started on September 17th and after a very long week, decided to skip the night of the 24th.

I also started a new job on September 4th.

Every year, Kudzu does A Christmas Carol for the Holiday Season. Last year, I was light and sound tech and had such fun with the 120+ light and sound queues that I wanted to do it again this year. I went as far as telling Wally and Jenny that I wanted to be tech again.

Well, it turns out that Act 1 Theatre in Alpharetta did not fill the roles of RALPH (Narrator) or THE OLD MAN (RALPHIE/RALPH’s dad) in A Christmas Story. I was recommended by several people to Rebecca Coffee who is directing the show. Working with Rebecca I scheduled an audition on Thursday, September 26th for ether role. Rebecca decided to cast me as RALPH.

If you remember from the movie by the same name, there is a narration all throughout the movie. The Narrator is the grown up RALPHIE. For the play, the narrator (RALPH) is on stage for most of the play.

I have finally landed a lead and I am very excited about the play. And a little nervous, there are a bunch of lines. Oh and this play is also being reviewed for the Metro Atlanta Theatre Awards.

Breaking Legs first weekend

Our lead was flying back to Atlanta on Friday. He was on stand by for an earlier flight but could not get a seat and then his scheduled flight was delayed by an hour. He landed at 6:30 and did not make it to the theatre until 8:30. South Atlanta to Roswell is a very long way.

So we started 30 minutes late and everybody had trouble with lines, but we survived. For Friday and Saturday most of the cast considered the plays as dress rehearsals with no calling for lines. And I believe that we were reviewed by a MAT Judge on Saturday.

Sunday’s audience was great. The laughed a lot. The cast had worked out tweaks that made the show better.

Not a bad weekend considering that we only had 3 or 4 rehearsals in July.

MAT Awards 2008 Season

The Metropolitan Atlanta Theatre Awards’ 2008 Season is underway. Kudzu Playhouse has submitted two plays for review. One of them is Breaking Legs. Looking over the award categories, I think BEST ACTOR IN A MINOR SUPPORTING ROLE, PLAY is what I would be looking at in the individual categories. That would be cool.

We have a great cast and I would hope we could get BEST OVERALL PERFORMANCE OF A PLAY.

Take a look at MATs website for more details.