Richard Skipper's Friday Wrap Up! Community Media Day!
10Community Media Day is an annual celebration of voices that brings awareness to the importance of free speech and accessible media for all individuals to have their voices heard.\nAnd look at who is joining me to help celebrate this! \n\nRobert Brock: Robert Brock is the subject of the award winning documentary, “Marionette Land.” Spending his life working in Theatre as an actor/singer/dancer. He can easily switch to tech: Props, set dressing, costumes, hair & makeup. “I would take any job to work in Theatre,” explain Brock. For thirty years he was the Founder & Artistic Director of the Lancaster Marionette Theatre. His knowledge of tech work is utilized when building his marionettes. Creating costumes, designing sets, lighting and props for his Theatre. It was a sad day when the Lancaster Marionette Theatre closed to public performances. He is still trying to keep this ancient art form alive virtually.\n\n\nClaudine Cassan-Jellison\nRegional, stock and Off-B’way credits include Maltby & Shire’s Closer Than Ever (Cherry Lane), Peter Pan (Peter, ESIPA, NY & Moscow), Godspell (National, Italy & L.A.), Candide (Arena Stage), Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill, Tintypes, A Little Night Music, Showboat, Shenandoah, Brigadoon, Twelfth Night, and The Miser.\nClaudine performed in cabaret venues, some still standing and some\naffectionately remembered, including The Duplex, Barbarann’s, Brothers and\nSisters, Mickey’s, Michael’s Pub, and Gypsy’s, and in concert at Merkin Hall\nand The Old Vat (Arena Stage).\nIn 2012 Claudine returned to cabaret with, “Yes, and…” at the Metropolitan\nRoom with MAC/Bistro Award winning director, Barry Kleinbort and musical\ndirector David Gaines. Following this show, she was invited to participate in\nthe prestigious O’Neill Cabaret Conference. Claudine joined again with\nMessrs. Kleinbort and Gaines for five acclaimed shows at Don’t Tell Mama:\n“Idol Curiosity,” about her three singing idols, Mary Martin, Mabel Mercer, and Edith Piaf; “Just Visiting,” the woes and joys of being a first generation\nAmerican; “Packing Orders,” packing, moving, and ‘downsizing’ memories,\nand most recently a show that was honored with a 2022 Bistro Award for\nOutstanding Achievement in an Autobiographical show, “Hey Frenchy!\nStories and Songs from the Pantry,” stories about French chansons and her\nfather, Pierre.\nSandwiched between stage and cabaret work, Claudine earned master’s\ndegrees in Elementary Education, Literacy, and School Administration from\nBank Street and Baruch Colleges. She wore numerous hats as a teacher and\nadministrator for 25 years with the NYC Department of Education,\n\nRian Keating: Cabaret veteran Rian Keating will return to Don't Tell Mama with Womansongs, an evening of songs and stories about the women he has encountered in his life, both real and in song. The performances will benefit the Golden Door Scholarship Fund, which aids undocumented immigrants in their pursuit of a college education. \n\n\nValerie Serrao is a native NYer, who escaped the city in 2016 to find to the little town I had in my head and found it!\nI spent 37 years in hospitality and was even a Travel Agent for a few yrs.... So hospitable to others, but killed my body! Lol\nNow, going on 2 years in Real Estate and new challenges.\nWhen she was little, they moved back and forth from NYC to Reno, NV which was night and day and I went to 8 schools before graduating HS! So, I think, although, I hated it at the time... That and years in the restaurant world, made me very adaptable and thank God, I haven't killed anyone or lost my sense of humor!! \nPlacesshe has worked over the years...\nSfuzzi\nRainbow Room\nGuastavino's\nLa Fourchette\nWindows on the World\nMemphis\nTipsy Parson\nLandmarc\n\nAnd... Best memories from... 54 Below where we met!