by Tracy Byrne | Apr 3, 2015 | Behind the Scenes
By special request from The Rosarito Theatre Guild, we created a Vaudeville style “Follies”, added our own wacky sense of humor,and created wonderful new scenes and scenarios featuring music from musicals written by Sapperstein and Murway and voila!… The “Fractured Follies” was born!
Hi, it’s me again, Tracy Renee, VP/CMO of J&G.
Did you know that back in the 1980’s, Judie and Gary were a musical duo, writing their own music and performing at more venue’s in the tri-state area than you could shake a stick at? Today, some of those songs work their way into their musicals such as Morning Song in Bloomin, but so much more is brand spankin’ new. By the way, if you clicked to listen to Morning Song, that’s Judie singing.
Music has been at the heart of their collaborations for … well, a long time, but don’t tell Judie I gave away anything about her age 😉 she swears she’s only 23 hehe.
Anyway, we’ve been working with The Rosarito Theatre Guild out of Rosarito California for several years now, a relationship that began when they discovered that our Press Play system enabled them to put on a musical for the first time ever.
After their huge success with Dancer the Footloose Reindeer, Sylvia called and said “you do know you are writing me a new musical for next Christmas, right?” and Santa’s Other Reindeer was born. Far be it for Judie to miss an opportunity to fill a need :).
While Santa was still being written though, Sylvia contacted Judie and started talking about how easy our works were to perform, and how amazing it was that she’s able to pack her theatre full when she performs our works. She wanted to know what else we had that wasn’t for the Christmas season, something simple to perform with a small cast size but that could include many more people if they chose.
As is wont to happen with a mind like Judie’s, the new show started instantly unfolding in her head, but we’d had a meeting just the day before about “no new musicals till we finish what we’re working on now!” The next thing I hear is the shout through the studio, “Oh No, I’ve Brainstormed and I can’t make it Stop!” Gary and I looked at one another, shook our heads with a chuckle and all we could seem to say was, “here we go again.” And though not yet named, that was the moment that Follies was born.
Keep in mind, it’s summer 2014. We’re still working on Santa — finishing the music, the Press Play CD, the performance versions of the music, the demo versions of the music and doing script clean-up and here we are with something new that needed to be done and ready to send to Sylvia for the 2015 summer season. We discussed how to make another musical in time (Judie just can’t help herself lol) … and still finish off Santa’s Other Reindeer for the up coming Holiday season.
And it hit them, “lets make it a follies” they said at about the same moment. It always fascinates me to see how their minds work so well together. “A funny skit-based show that could easily be broken down into demo performances so that theatrical groups could perform snippets ‘around town’ to garner more interest, and instead of writing new music that we just don’t have time to do right now, we’ll work music from our existing musicals into it.” It was brilliant, so much so I had to add, “you know, when a theatre wants to also do one of our other musicals, it ties their season together nicely and they can use Follies as a marketing tool for whats to come, or a recap tool for what just happened.” We’re always looking ways to help theatre’s fill seats!
Well, I’ve rambled quite a bit on this story, so sorry, thank you for your patience and for reading it through. I hope you enjoy these behind the scenes moments from here at J&G and that Follies brings you joy and keeps your toes a tappin’!
All my best,
Tracy Renee
by Tracy Byrne | Apr 2, 2015 | Behind the Scenes
This is the story of a family with a history steeped in the fire of war and the heartache of loss as they discover the importance of learning who they are by coming to know and understand who and where they came from…No matter how UNTHINKABLE it may be!
UNTHINKABLE! has a hint of the supernatural and a powerful message artfully crafted to bring tears to your audiences’ eyes while not letting them leave the theater depressed.
Over the years, many of you have said to me, “let me know when you have a powerful, serious drama.” Well, this is that day my friends.
I’ve read it myself, and listened to the live read-through’s. After the first read-through, I called it a 7-tissue piece (that’s how many tissues I needed for just the tail-end of it).
And then Judie calls me one afternoon, sobbing her heart out. I thought something was seriously wrong and was ready to speed over to rush someone to the hospital.
Thankfully that was not the case. Apparently, she’d just finished some reworks and edits of this piece to polish it and implement feedback from directors who had critiqued it for us … and she just couldn’t contain the emotion of it.
The thing that fascinates me the most with this work though, is not only do you get the intrigue and suspense of mystery; a sense of anger as you watch the jerk of the story trying to tear the family home apart out of greed; the pain of loss due to the unthinkable death of a child; the anxiety of regret and the spookiness of the hint of the supernatural (all the rage these days) — but in the end, somehow, Judie and Gary manage to leave you with a watery smile.
The audience is left with a feeling of hope and a sense that while something truly UNTHINKABLE has happened, their is hope for the future. Out of all darkness some good must come.
I hope you enjoy it as much as I did! I just wish I could send you the tissues through email as well 😉
All my best,
Tracy Renee
by Tracy Byrne | Mar 21, 2014 | Comedy
What an amazing performance by Methacton Community Theatre who put the Sapperstein & Murway comedy, The Irish Wake of Patty O’Toole on stage from March 6 through 16.
Stage Magazine wrote their performance up, two times, found here: http://bit.ly/1d436ww.
“Sapperstein and Murway have written a fun filled evening of Irish themed humor. The cast is having a ball and it radiates to the audience,” — Arnie Finkle, Stage Magazine.
Patty O’Toole has passed on and the town gathers at his wake to mourn and remember this mischievous trouble maker and his leprechaun inclusive events when it seems, Patty’s not done creating mischief. He shows up at his own wake rather than wait in line at the pearly gates for his turn at his interview.
Check out “The Irish Wake of Patty O’Tool” in our catalog by clicking here.
by Tracy Byrne | Mar 21, 2014 | News
Mother Truckers hits the road in Florida with the Crane Point Museum and the audience laughs all the way to “Rosie Mae’s Truck Stop” where they “eat here and get gas.”
Loretta Geotis of Crane Point shared her input on what she and her group did:
“I had the pleasure of working with J&G Unlimited in creating a fundraising project for my organization. I decided to have a dinner and a play. I had read “Mother Truckers” a few years prior while working as Executive Director at a community theatre. I remembered the script and decided to use it for my event. The script is well-written and very funny and has a small cast which was a necessity in my case.
I was able to enhance the story by adding funny signs and props including a sign that said “Rosie Mae’s Truck Stop – Eat Here and Get Gas.” I created a “truck stop” environment with checked tablecloths and toy trucks and I-95 signs incorporated into the centerpieces. My truck was carefully constructed and lit up which added to the ambiance.
The PressPlay CD sound track [provided by J&G with materials] finished off a great product and the audience was surprised at the first “truck engine” sounds and was still laughing when the toilet flushed for the final time. The truck itself got an applause.
My audience loved it from beginning to end. Judith at J&G was fun to work with and made the whole process worthwhile. Thank you J&G and keep writing those terrific scripts!”
As a result of the Crane Point production, J&G is receiving calls from other states as far north as New York, wanting Mother Truckers because they have been hearing from friends and theatre professionals that it is an extremely funny ride for audiences!
Thank you Loretta, you and your entire cast and crew. What a magnificent job you’ve done!
You can find more information about Mother Truckers at the J&G Website by clicking here.
by Tracy Byrne | Nov 24, 2013 | News
Well, here we are driving home from the TANYS Festival of 2013 with smiles on our faces, great memories from an amazing event, and a plethora of fabulous new friends and acquaintances.
Although our intention was to introduce the plays and musicals we represent to the New York Community Theatre market, we wound out accomplishing so much more! The people of TANYS (The Theatre Association of New York State) were warm, welcoming and genuine to the core, while being wrapped up in a thick blanket of creativity, talent and presence!
We had so much fun getting to know the amazing actors, directors, producers, members and friends of TANYS while sharing our stories and music and watching the playful arguments of “no you can’t do that one, I want to put that one on,” (ANN) it was truly heart warming and endearing.
Thank you from all of us at J&G to every single person of TANYS for reminding us just what it means to be a part of the amazing world of Community Theatre — people, relationships and a dedication to the craft and storytelling excellence! As I said in my short speech given while awarding the raffled free show, “You are what Community Theatre is all about, you, the people in this room and others like you around the country, make Community Theatre possible!”
Even the meetings and events were entertaining with the great humor and anecdotes from speakers like Rob, and 2013 TANYS President Bob Frame. To open the Festival’s closing board meeting, Festival President, “Big Rob” Sharman introduced the drawing of the J&G Free Show Raffle. The amazing and talented Elisa Hunt of Auburn Players won the Raffle and the room oo’d and ah’d when we described in detail just what she’d walked away from the event with … one free J&G production of her choosing, up to 6 shows, and it includes all materials and even printed posters.
We will release a short interview with Elisa soon where she announced her selection of our musical, Bloomin which should be on stage under her skilled direction in August of 2014. Be sure to check back with us here for updates and to visit TANYS’ site to learn about the TANYS performance winners who are now moving up to ESTA!
See you all in Maryland in January 2014 where J&G will be giving away ANOTHER free show, all materials included, of up to 6 performances!
