Brampton Music Theatre's RENT Voted Best Community Theatre Production!

This post was originally published on my handmade jewelry blog, Design by Cassandra, on February 11, 2011.

The votes have been cast on BroadwayWorld.com's Toronto Awards, and Brampton Music Theatre's Rent wins big as best community theatre production!  Hard work pays off!

Check out the others that made the final cut:

Best Community Theatre Production: Rent, Brampton Music Theatre
*and bonus points for BMT's 2nd runner-up Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat!

Inspiration From Disaster: Gibson Guitars in Nashville Has A "Flood of Creativity"

This post was originally published on my handmade jewelry blog, Design by Cassandra, on January 11, 2011.

photos by Brian Wawzeneck

My heart went out to the people of Tennessee in early May 2010, who had experienced a torrent of rain and floods for two straight days, driving people out of their homes, drowning landmarks and causing millions of dollars of damage in its wake.  As a music lover, my heart sank even furthur to hear that the Grand Ole Opry House, the Schermerhorn Symphony Center and the Gibson Guitar USA factory in Nashville had suffered some terrible damage, as well.

But, as Bryan Wawzeneck, international editor for Gibson Lifestyle blog, had said, "Sometimes great beauty can be found in the strangest of places and under the most horrible of circumstances."

The Gibson USA factory, located in Nashville, Tennessee, the plant which crafts the esteemed and highly reputed Les Paul and SG guitar models, was ravaged by flood waters, leaving many guitars still left to be finished unsalvageable.  The receding waters revealed much damage that was heartbreaking to the staff and luthiers that had worked so painstakingly on these instruments, only to have them destroyed beyond rescue.  The seemingly endless destruction of months of hard work wasn't the only thing revealed - in the finishing department, where many guitars were stored to dry after paint and laquer were applied, the receding waters left an unexpected inspirational mark.  

It's Easy Being Green ... In 'Shout! The Mod Musical'!

This post was originally published on my handmade jewelry blog, Design by Cassandra, on November 27, 2010.

Please pardon the lapse of 'original' posts, but I do have some exciting news!

I had auditioned last week for LP Stage Production's run of Shout! The Mod Musical - and if you liked Jersey Boys, this one's right up your alley for a groovy girls' night out!  Shout! takes you back in time to the 1960s and 1970s, where women were awakened to a new independence never before experienced by previous generations.  In the wake of changing attitudes toward genders, the birth control pill to the evils of marijuana, mod fashions and big hair, heartbreak, true love and everything in between, this revolution of women is set to a soundtrack of the pioneers of the time from America and 'across the pond' in Great Britain.  Such great ladies as Dusty Springfield, Lulu, Shirley Bassey, Petula Clark, Cilla Black and so much more map out the timeline for these five girls growing up through changing times in a 'groovy age'.  With tongue in cheek and humour in check, this musical "will make you wanna throw your head back and Shout!"  Check out this video of the national tour hitting Ogunquit Playhouse in Maine, United States!

'With A Thousand Sweet Kisses,' An Open 'Thank You' Letter to the Cast, Crew & Musicians of Brampton Music Theatre's 'Rent'

This post was originally published on my handmade jewelry blog, Design by Cassandra, on November 24, 2010.

The thing with community theatre and their short run dates is that you never want that feeling to end; not just the rush of the applause and the spotlight, but the sense of family with the cast and crew after it all comes together, and the people you've shared the experience with become great friends in the end.  Rent was the perfect production to get myself back into the swing of things after such a long hiatus from theatre in general, onstage or off, and I am very humbled to have shared it with such glowing, talented people of all facets.

Jonathan Larson's masterpiece pays homage to the dramas that came before, deriving its plot from Puccini's La Boheme, set in 1830 Paris focusing on the love between Rodolfo, a poet, and Mimì, a seamstress.  Although they separate because of Rodolfo's disapproval of Mimì's flirtatious ways towards men, they reunite before she succumbs to the clutches of tuberculosis, dying in his arms, surrounded by their adopted family of artists and friends whom also shared their state of Bohemia.  A poignant piece that reminds us to live and appreciate each day to its fullest, we were reminded of the short time we would share together bringing Jonathan's message to our little corner of the world.  I don't think there was a finer group of artists that could have accomplished this in only the way we could.

Brampton Music Theatre's RENT: Video Sneak Peek of 'Take Me Or Leave Me'

This post was originally published on my handmade jewelry blog, Design by Cassandra, on November 9, 2010.

Have you bought your tickets yet for Rent?  If you haven't, you won't be seeing it for a long time - this will be the final North American production before its return to off-Broadway!  Click on the blog's Rent banner to take you to the Rose Theatre website to buy your tickets online - but hurry!  We're running the show this weekend only, opening Thursday, November 11th.

Here's something that should sell you - check out this video sneak peek featuring Erin Hyde as Maureen and Lumena Daniel as Joanne!  Enjoy, and see you at the show!

BMT's 'Rent' Video Sneak Peeks!

This post was originally published on my handmade jewelry blog, Design by Cassandra, on October 26, 2010.

Rehearsals are well underway with the cast of Rent, opening November 11 at the Rose Theatre in Brampton, Ontario!  Check out these videos of the talented cast, and follow Brampton Music Theatre's blog for more backstage awesomeness!

No Day But Today: Brampton Music Theatre Presents RENT!

This post was originally published on my handmade jewelry blog, Design by Cassandra, on October 10, 2010.

I'm excited to announce that I will be working on the production team for Brampton Music Theatre's production of Jonathan Larson's Pulitzer Prize-winning musical, Rent! I'm part of a two-person team in charge of acquiring necessary props - prop wranglin', so to speak.

Since community theatre is entirely volunteer work, we're working on a limited budget and aren't ashamed to go into 'beg, borrow and steal' mode.  Bartering isn't out of the question, either!