Comments on: Have you tried community theater?

By: Bob Hunt

Bob Hunt — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 22:23:07 +0000

Mona – Wow! A top-ranked barbershop chorus – I’m very impressed! I didn’t mention in my original post how barbershop played a major role in our Music Man involvement. I actually have three brothers, and we started singing barbershop just for the pure fun of it by learning our parts from SPEBSQSA cassette tapes. When we first heard about the local MM production, all four of us had a hankering to try out for the quartet. Unfortunately, two of us couldn’t quite bend our schedules to accomodate all of the rehearsals and performances. So, I have an inkling about the great amount of talent it takes to sing barbershop really well (we don’t sing it really well- but it’s great fun). Keep harmonizing!

By: Mona

Mona — Mon, 28 Jan 2008 18:36:12 +0000

First off – first comment in this blog – I just found it this morning, and am finding it incredibly entertaining

As for Community Theatre – I was in my first production in 1996, as the Widow Corney in Oliver. I think that it set roots in me that allowed me to do what I do now — I sing with a women’s barbershop chorus that is currently ranked 7th in the world.

My husband’s last major role was as Mayor Shinn in Music Man – back in 1999. He was 32 years old then, and totally colored his hair so that he could salt and pepper it, and look old enough to have the part. He was particuarly happy to be given the role as he had always considered himself a singer first, and an actor second, and this was very much an “acting” role. He had a LOT of fun with it. After a 9 year hiatus, he ventured back into community theatre this year, and has a lead role in Pippin that he is looking forward to playing. He’s playing… uh.. the father. A name that I cannot remember right at this moment.

By: Bob Hunt

Bob Hunt — Wed, 23 Jan 2008 02:16:31 +0000

Congratulations on your continuing participation in the world of theater. I’m glad that you consider the role of Mayor Shinn as a “bumbling fool” role. The TV production of a few years back totally flattened the character by portraying Shinn as competent and truly menacing. Where’s the fun in that?

By: Ontario Emperor

Ontario Emperor — Tue, 22 Jan 2008 20:52:08 +0000

My daughter joined a Los Angeles area group called Children’s Theatre Experience several years ago. During one of her shows, the director put out a call for adult men to populate the cast for “Fiddler on the Roof.” Because it appeared that all of the men were going to be assigned speaking roles, I purposely auditioned for the smallest speaking role in the production – Second Man, the one who was talking about a mule (or was it a horse?). Having been in several productions since (when work schedules permit), I’ve noticed the casting preferences of the director. My friend Terry is often cast in “cop” roles, my friend Norm is often cast in “tuxedo” roles, and I am often cast in “bumbling fool” roles. I will be playing Mayor Shinn for the second time in a production later this spring.

Since this is Barry’s site, it’s appropriate to mention that he closed his autobiography with praise for the theatre, where he ended up after his television acting heyday.