Articles Tagged With: Bambi Johnson

RETURN TO THE JELLICLE BALL: MEETING THE NEWEST 2024 ADDITIONS TO THE CLOWDER OF COCKPIT IN COURT’S CATS: Griddlebone

Interviews July 5, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

More than half the cast’s new this year— but the crowd still cheers— opera! They’ve cut out old Growltiger, but dear Griddlebone is pleasantly still here! Had to borrow some other ALW lyrics there…sort of, as we are just thrillified to welcome yet another ‘Tidewater Cat’ to the ‘Return to the Jellicle Ball’ series this year!

Thank you for sitting with us! Remind us who you are, please?

Anne Acerno: I’m Anne Acerno.

RETURN TO THE JELLICLE BALL: MEETING THE NEWEST 2024 ADDITIONS TO THE CLOWDER OF COCKPIT IN COURT’S CATS: Etcetera

Interviews July 5, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

Pssp-pssp-pssp-pssp! Heeeere— Etcetera, Etcetera, Etcetera! Ooh— and here she is!

Thank you for joining us— one of the first ‘Tidewater’ Cats to sit with us this season. (A Tidewater Cat is black and white…a Tidewater Cat has moonlit eyes…no seriously, a Tidewater Cat was a part of Cats at Tidewater Players in 2022 and ascended the Heaviside Layer to Cockpit in Court for 2024)— please tell us who you are, who you are playing in this incarnation of Cats and who you were last time as a ‘Tidewater Cat’?

RETURN TO THE JELLICLE BALL: MEETING THE NEWEST 2024 ADDITIONS TO THE CLOWDER OF COCKPIT IN COURT’S CATS: Tantomile

Interviews July 4, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

They put a spell on you… wait— that’s not a stage musical (either). But these witchy cats could totally be a part of that stage show…when it becomes a stage show. You met Coricopat this morning…now it’s time to meet the other half of the Psychic Kitty Cat duo…

Thank you for joining us! Tell us who you are and who you play!

Lisa Rigsby Geiger: I’m Lisa and I am Tantomile.

RETURN TO THE JELLICLE BALL: MEETING THE NEWEST 2024 ADDITIONS TO THE CLOWDER OF COCKPIT IN COURT’S CATS: Coricopat

Interviews July 4, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

Double…double…toil and trouble…something meowy this way comes?

Thanks for joining us this morning! Tell us who you are and who you’re playing in Cats.

Anthony Case: I’m Anthony Case. And I’m playing Coricopat. You know, the one whose name I could not pronounce for a straight month.

I feel you. I feel like I also still cannot pronounce Coricopat…and I’ve interviewed a Coricopat before! But tell me about Coricopat!

RETURN TO THE JELLICLE BALL: MEETING THE NEWEST 2024 ADDITIONS TO THE CLOWDER OF COCKPIT IN COURT’S CATS: Pouncival

Interviews July 3, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

A troublesome kitty? Never. An inquisitive kitty? Perhaps! Meet the next in our long lineup of Jellicle Cats here at Cockpit in Court…

Thank you for joining us today, on I’m soon will be called the “CatClaw Takeover of TheatreBloom.” Could you tell us who you are and who you’re playing in this production of Cats?

Tristan Goodenaugh: I’m Tristan Goodenaugh and I play Pouncival.

Tell me a little bit about Pouncival.

RETURN TO THE JELLICLE BALL: MEETING THE NEWEST 2024 ADDITIONS TO THE CLOWDER OF COCKPIT IN COURT’S CATS: Aria

Interviews July 2, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

Meow.

Or— ♫Meoooow. That seems appropriate for this cat. No. It’s not Griz.

Thank you for joining us! Would you tell us your name and who you’re playing in this production of Cats?

Hanna Lyons: My name is Hanna Lyons and I play the kitten Aria.

Tell me a little bit about Aria.

Hanna: Aria to me is an anxious kitten.

Okay.

Return to the Jellicle Ball: Meeting the Newest 2024 Additions to the Clowder of Cockpit in Court’s Cats: Saffron

Interviews July 1, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

A pinch of sugar— and spice— and everything nice— and that’s how you get— whoa, whoa, whoa. Hold up. Is this cooking class or Cats? I think we got ourselves a little mixed up on account of this cat’s particular, more dignified name!

Thank you kindly for sitting with us this morning and giving us a few moments of your time. Would you tell us who you are and who you play in this production of Cats?

RETURN TO THE JELLICLE BALL: MEETING THE NEWEST 2024 ADDITIONS TO THE CLOWDER OF COCKPIT IN COURT’S CATS: Electra

Interviews June 30, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

This is this and that is that…a fancier but sensible cat! Can you guess who? Or maybe just read along and see!

Thank you for joining us— tell us who you are and who you play here at The Jellicle Ball?

Emma Hammett: I am Emma Hammett and I am Electra!

Tell me about Electra!

Emma: Well, she’s a twin. She’s a kitten. She’s more on the skittish side.

RETURN TO THE JELLICLE BALL: MEETING THE NEWEST 2024 ADDITIONS TO THE CLOWDER OF COCKPIT IN COURT’S CATS: Bill Bailey

Interviews June 30, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

You’ve heard of several kinds of cats. And my opinion now is that— you should need no interpreter… to guess which fluffy ball of fur…is next!

Thank you for joining here at the Jellicle Ball! Or what will become the Jellicle Ball by the time folks read this interview and get their tickets to Cats! Why don’t you tell us who you are and who you are playing?

Shannon Lloyd-Ragan: I’m Shannon Lloyd-Ragan and I play Bill Bailey.

RETURN TO THE JELLICLE BALL: MEETING THE NEWEST 2024 ADDITIONS TO THE CLOWDER OF COCKPIT IN COURT’S CATS: Plato

Interviews June 29, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

Names must never belong to more than one cat! And that seems to be true at least for this cat…as we cannot find a cat with this name from the 2022 production… Can you guess which cat this might be?

Thank you for joining us today! Tell us who you are and which cat you’re playing and we’ll get going!

Erin Bourn: I’m Erin. Erin Bourn, because there are so many Erins in this show!

RETURN TO THE JELLICLE BALL: MEETING THE NEWEST 2024 ADDITIONS TO THE CLOWDER OF COCKPIT IN COURT’S CATS: Carbucketty

Interviews June 28, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

A knockabout cat. Rough and boisterous. If you delve into the source material for this particular kitty-cat, T.S. Eliot and his lovely book of poems will tell you that he made up the name Carbucketty! And so, are you ready today, dear readers, as we continue on with introductions in the clowder— to meet— Carbucketty?

Thank you for joining us! If you’ll tell us who you are, we can go ahead and get started!

Return to The Jellicle Ball: Meeting the newest 2024 additions to the Clowder of Cockpit In Court’s CATS: Sillabub

Interviews June 27, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

Memory! All alone in the moonlight! I can dream of the old days…life was beautiful then…

I remember the time I knew when Cats was on stage…

Now it’s time…for it to be back on stage again!

For those not yet privileged enough to experience one of Broadway’s longest running musicals, the Andrew Lloyd Webber sensation, Cats, you once more have your chance! Appearing live on the main stage at Cockpit in Court this summer,

Oliver! at Tidewater Players

Reviews May 10, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

I’m reviewing— the situation! Or as the case may be— the production! Of Oliver! at Tidewater Players this spring. And it is not your grandma’s Oliver! which is arguably one of the best things that can be said for a production of this show, as so many people write it off as either a children’s show or Annie with boys. This production is neither of those things and I’ll raise all the flagons of ale in the tavern in a grateful cheer to that!

Colton Roberts (left) and Hazel Vogel (right) after rehearsal for Oliver!

It’s A Fine Life: Interviewing Two Olivers- Colton Roberts & Hazel Vogel- On Playing The Title Role In Oliver! at Tidewater Players

Interviews April 25, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

Small pleasures! Small pleasures! Who would deny us these? (Not me!)

Two kiddos— large measures! No skimpin’ if you please! When you get to sit down and have a chit-chat with BOTH Colton Roberts and Hazel Vogel, it’s a fine, fine life! And these two young performers couldn’t be more of a delight to chat with! I got the pleasure of catching them at the end of their rehearsal for Oliver! to talk to them about playing the titular role,

Ryan Geiger (left) and Emily Jewett (right) at a post-rehearsal interview for Oliver!

As Long As We Need Them: An Interview with Ryan Geiger and Emily Jewett on Playing Bill Sikes & Nancy in Tidewater Players’ Oliver!

Interviews April 23, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

The grass is green and dense! On the right side of the fence! And it’s a fine life! A fine life— to be doing Oliver! at Tidewater Players this spring. You’re always going to get the raw and nitty gritty of a dark show when it comes to one directed by Bambi Johnson and that’s what we’re here for! Sitting down with Ryan Geiger and Emily Jewett, playing Bill Sikes and Nancy, respectively,

Escape to Margaritaville at Tidewater Players

Reviews February 24, 2024 Amanda N. Gunther

Reset your mind to island time. Because it’s five o’clock somewhere. And for the next two weekends, it’s five o’clock in Havre de Grace as the Tidewater Players presents Jimmy Buffett’s Escape to Margaritaville. Directed by Dickie Mahoney, with Musical Direction by Chris Rose, and Choreography by Evyo (and tap-choreo by Bambi Johnson), this ‘throw-your-cares-away’ silly good time show is just what the doctor ordered in these chilly winter months. And if you really want to be on “island time”?

Cabaret at Phoenix Festival Theatre

Reviews June 10, 2023 Amanda N. Gunther

The county known as Harford is so wide, mein Herr. They’ve got theatres up and down and side to side, mein Herr. I don’t always get them all, at least I tried, mein Herr. So I see… and I go… play by play… night by night…show by show… and this show— a truly remarkable and superbly stunning production of Kander & Ebb’s Cabaret is waiting to welcome you through its doors at Phoenix Festival Theatre.

Cats at Tidewater Players

Reviews September 17, 2022 Amanda N. Gunther

With Cats some say one rule is true: get your tickets for Tidewater Players’ production this fall. It is like no other production of Cats ever seen or that will ever be seen. The stunning immersive world of T.S. Eliot and Andrew Lloyd Webber come swirling together in a mystical, magical, Jellicle production directed and choreographed by Bambi Johnson with musical direction by Chris Rose. There are singing cats, there are dancing cats,

Jellicles Can And Jellicles Do: Meet Grizabella

Interviews September 16, 2022 Amanda N. Gunther

Turn your face to the moonlight…let your memory lead you…in a fitting finale for our feline features with the Tidewater Players’ cast of Cats, we finally get to feel the mind of the glamour cat. Meow.

Thank you for giving us a moment of your time! Please tell us who you are and who you play!

Ariel Chaillou: I am Ariel Chaillou and I play Grizabella.

Tell me about Grizabella!

Jellicles Can And Jellicles Do: Meet Gus

Interviews September 16, 2022 Amanda N. Gunther

For he was once a star of the highest degree… as we wind down to our last two felines remaining…are you ready to meet Asparagus? Or might you better know him as…Gus? MEOW!

Thank you for taking a moment of your time to talk with us, could you tell us who you are and who you play?

Mark Briner: My name is Mark Briner, you know that. Don’t I write for you?

Jellicles Can And Jellicles Do: Meet Mr. Mistoffelees

Interviews September 15, 2022 Amanda N. Gunther

Oh well I never! Was there ever a cat so clever? You might even call this cat…Meow-gical! Hehe. MEOW!

Thank you for giving us a few moments of your time! Please tell me who you are and who you play?

Sammi Flickinger: My name is Sammi Flickinger and I play Mr. Mistoffelees.

What is it like getting to play Mr. Mistoffeles?

Sammi: It’s really fun! I don’t usually get chances like this;

Jellicles Can And Jellicles Do: Meet Skimbleshanks/Macavity

Interviews September 14, 2022 Amanda N. Gunther

He’s the bafflement of Scotland Yard, The Flying Squad’s despair. For when they reach the scene of crime…Macavity’s not there! Macavity! Macavity! But also the railway cat? Meow-meow? Double trouble with this feline feature!

Thank you for giving us a moment of your time, if you could tell us who you are and who you play that would be a great place to start!

Stanley Evans: I’m Stanley Evans. I play Skimbleshanks and Macavity.

Jellicles Can And Jellicles Do: Meet Bastet

Interviews September 13, 2022 Amanda N. Gunther

Spry as a kitten, sage as Old Deuteronomy, with talents and graces and kindness and joy…one could hardly wait to hear the words of the Director, the magical, Jellicle, Bambi Johnson-cat! We’ll call her… Bastet… mother and goddess of cats! MEOW!

Thank you so much for giving us some of your rehearsal time and all of your actors to participate in this series. We are just so excited to do this with you!

Jellicles Can And Jellicles Do: Meet Old Deuteronomy

Interviews September 12, 2022 Amanda N. Gunther

And his numerous progeny prospers and thrives, and the village is proud of him in his decline. Ancient and wise and the leader of the Jellicles…he took a little more time to get to you because he’s lived so very, very long… Meow.

Thank you for giving us some of your time, if you would tell us who you are and who you play, that would be great!

Bob Sullivan: I’m Bob Sullivan and I play Old Deuteronomy.

Jellicles Can And Jellicles Do: Meet Exotica

Interviews September 11, 2022 Amanda N. Gunther

Practical cats. Dramatical cats. Pragmatical cats. Fanatical cats. Purr? Mrow.

Thank you for giving us a moment of your time! If you could tell us who you are and who you play, that would be lovely.

Vera Roell: My name is Vera Roell and I play Exotica.

Tell me a little bit about Exotica.

Vera: The thing with Exotica is that she’s one of the more ensemble cats.

Jellicles Can And Jellicles Do: Meet Etcetera

Interviews September 10, 2022 Amanda N. Gunther

Jellicle Cats are white and black. Jellicle Cats are of moderate size. Jellicles jump like a jumping jack. Jellicle Cats have moonlit eyes. And they like to…dance. *hiss*

Thank you for giving us some of your time! If you could tell us who you are and who you play in this production, that would be wonderful.

Whitney Russell: My name is Whitney Russell and I play Etcetera.

Tell me a little bit about Etcetera.

Jellicles Can And Jellicles Do: Meet Bombalurina

Interviews September 8, 2022 Amanda N. Gunther

With a smokey belt, she purrs it out…that fiendish song about Macavity (who’s not there!) Yes, the feline feature we’ve all been waiting for…miss bombastic, miss dance-n-sing…well…you know. Meow!

Thank you so much for giving us a moment of your time! Tell us who you are and who you play in Cats.

Lindsey McCumber: My name is Lindsey McCumber and I play Bombalurina.

Tell us about Bombalurina.

Jellicles Can And Jellicles Do: Meet Pussywillow

Interviews September 7, 2022 Amanda N. Gunther

Can you ride on a broomstick to places far distant? Are you familiar with bell, candle, and book? Who better than to ‘know the book’ than the someone from the directing team? Purrpurr.

Thank you so much for giving us some of your time! Tell us who you are and how you got involved with this production of Cats.

Becky Flickinger: I’m Becky Flickinger and my role with this production is the assistant director and Tidewater Liasson/Production Manager.

Jellicles Can And Jellicles Do: Meet Quaxo/Rumpus Cat

Interviews September 6, 2022 Amanda N. Gunther

Do you tap like a beetle when dancing on paws? Do you sing narrations and ballads and songs? Are you Jellicle now and Jellicle hence and Jellicle before and Jellicle after? Meow…?

Thank you for giving us some of your time! If you could tell us who you are and who you’re playing that would be great!

Rob Tucker: I’m Rob Tucker and I’m playing Quaxo. And also I’m the Rumpus Cat.

Jellicles Can And Jellicles Do: Meet Bill Bailey/Ghengis

Interviews September 5, 2022 Amanda N. Gunther

Won’t you come home, Bill Bailey? Could it be that the 1902 song standard provided the ‘every day’ inspiration for T.S. Eliot when it came to naming this Jellicle Cat? Perhaps. Sometimes called Tumblebrutus (okay, on Broadway called Tumblebrutus, and in other countries sometimes called Smokkate!), this feisty young kitten is our next featured feline!

Thank you so much for giving us some of your time! Tell us who you are and who you play and we’ll get things going right away!