Fabrizio in ‘Light in the Piazza’!
Well, back at the beginning of the year, I started thinking about what my goals were for the year. I came to what personal goals I had and got around to thinking about what shows I was interested in doing this year.
Ever since I saw the show The Light in the Piazza a couple of years ago, I fell in love with it. And that was just watching the PBS video that they made - I still haven’t seen it live. But, everything about the show, from the music to the story to the characters - I was just captured by it. So, the role of Fabrizio, the Italian boy from the show, has been on my “Role Wish List” ever since then.
Well, this year, I decided that I really wanted to look into doing that role. So, I found that a theatre company was putting on the show down near Springfield, IL in July! I was pretty excited, so I got some more information, went down for auditions…and…got the part!
So, yes, come July, I’ll be performing in my first production outside the Peoria, IL area, and playing one of my dream roles. If you are interested in the show (and you should be - it’s an AMAZING show), check out their website:
http://www.theatreinthepark.net/show-the-light.html
More info to come soon!
1 commentMusic Man - Journal Star Review
Looks like Music Man received a good review in the Peoria Journal Star!
http://www.pjstar.com/entertainment/x785864146/Review-76-trombones-led-the-big-parade
No commentsMarcellus Washburn in ‘The Music Man’
As a kid, we grew up watching all of the classic musicals. All the Rogers & Hammerstein musicals, Singin’ In The Rain, Music Man, etc. We loved them!
So, it was really cool when I got to play Cosmo in Singin’ In The Rain a couple of years ago. This year, I’m tackling another one of the classics with The Music Man at Peoria Players Theatre. I’m playing the role of Marcellus Washburn, Harold Hill’s old friend and sidekick in the show.
It’s been a fun time as the role is more of a sidekick role like Cosmo was in Singin’ In The Rain. Mary Ellen Ulrich has been our fearless leader directing this production, with Aliesha Graves as our wonderful choreographer. Aliesha (at Mary Ellen’s suggestion) choreographed a great soft shoe dance for the “Sadder But Wiser Girl” song. I’m in that song with Harold Hill, and the dance is a BLAST. I get to dust off my tap dancin skills for the number, and it’s a really good time.
We open tonight, so, if you get the chance, come on out and check out the show!
No commentsTango Dancing in Evita
A few weeks ago, I got a call from Steve Bortolotti, a director I’ve worked with before at Peoria Players Theatre. He needed someone to perform an Argentinian Tango dance in Evita, his upcoming show that he was directing at Peoria Players Theatre.
It sounded like fun, so I agreed, and we’ve been rehearsing for these past few weeks. Michelle Loeffler choreographed the dance, and my tango dance partner, Samantha Zobrist, is really good, so it’s been a lot of fun. We played leads opposite each other back a few years ago in State Fair at Corn Stock, so it’s been fun getting together again to do this show.
I’ve never danced Argentinian Tango before, so it’s been really fun learning a new dance. I kind of feel like I’m on Dancing With The Stars! I’ve been watching a bunch of You Tube episodes from that show trying to get the finesse of this dance down.
Since tango is such a fun dance, we tried to take some pictures of our dance and some of the dance poses. The picture you see here is one that we took, and then I used my Photoshop skills to make it a little more dramatic. I thought it turned out pretty cool… ;-D
We open the show tonight, so we’ll see how it goes!
No commentsTopol in ‘Fiddler on the Roof’
Last weekend, my family went up to Chicago to see “Fiddler on the Roof.” But not just ANY production of “Fiddler on the Roof,” this show starred Topol, the original “Tevye” who also played the role in the movie.
It was an AMAZING production.
Well, first of all, it was awesome to see Topol live. We grew up watching the “Fiddler on the Roof” movie, so to see it live on stage with the original guy was really cool! Everything about the show was great - the orchestra sounded great, the scene design and lighting blew me away, the chorus and choreography was great - it was just a GREAT overall show.
I think “Fiddler on the Roof” is also special to me because my sister, Maria, and I were in the show at Peoria Players Theatre a few years ago. She played the role of Tzeitel, and I was a bottle dancer / chorus. It was a huge show with a lot of people in it, and it was a great time.
So, if you get a chance, Topol is on his farewell “Fiddler on the Roof” tour right now. Check out the website:
Fiddler on the Roof Farewell Tour
And see if you can make one of the performances. I guarantee you won’t be disappointed!
No commentsLebanon Part II
Here are the photos from the past few days in Lebanon - click on the picture to view the album.
Lebanon - The Arrival
Well, it’s been a very long time since I’ve updated this. But I thought this would be the perfect way to update some family members on my trip to Lebanon.
I just arrived yesterday, came in through Paris, and then Beirut. Let me tell you - Beirut is CRAZY busy. People drive like madmen. It was a blast to be in the car as my cousin was driving, but I would not want to drive. We met up with some cousins in Oaibe, and went eat at a small restaurant there. The food is amazing! Hummus, tabbouli, monoush, salads, vegetables, fresh fruit (like you’ve NEVER had before), and then fish at this place (with the heads still on - LOL).
Afterwards, we got a ride to Aitoo, where we are staying in the same house my grandmother grew up in. It’s so cool to be able to think that I’m in the same place my grandmother was 60 years ago. The views are magnificent, even from the house, and I’ve put some pictures up.
http://www.harryiwilliams.com/wpg2?g2_itemId=464
We finally got to sleep, and I feel halfway alive today now. We walked around Aitoo, saw some of the town, saw the main Church, etc., and are now at an internet cafe. The connection isn’t great, so I’m kind of limited as to how many pictures I can put up.
I’ll try to put pictures up and update as I go along. It’s definitely an amazing experience to visit the homeland, the country where both sides of my family are from.
No commentsPeoria, IL Chiropractor Doctor - Dr. Dan Joseph
OK, I realize I haven’t written in a while, but part of this reason is because I’ve been really busy with work. I’ve been doing a lot of work on websites, so I want to show you one of the sites I’ve been working on.
This site is for my friend, a Peoria, IL Chiropractor, Dr. Dan Joseph. Dr. Dan Joseph has been a Peoria, IL Chiropractor Doctor for the past several years. I’ve first went to him a couple of years ago as I was having some pretty bad back pain due to some past sports injuries.
Dr. Dan really took care of me, and got me back into shape (pun intended!). His chiropractic office is right in the center of Peoria, IL, so he has a really convenient location right off of University.
His Peoria, IL chiropractic office was also voted the #1 chiropractic office in Peoria, IL by the Journal Star Reader’s Choice Awards. He really knows his stuff, so if you’re having any trouble with headaches, migraines, back pain, neck pain, carpal tunnel syndrome, etc., you might want to check him out.
So, I recently have been expanding my internet work, so I did a website for his Peoria, IL Chiropractic office. Check it out below, and then schedule a Free Consultation with him if you think you might need his services.
Peoria Chiropractor - Dr. Dan Joseph
5001 N University St
Peoria, IL 61614
(309) 740-3208
Peoria, IL Chiropractor Doctor
Upcoming Disney / Pixar Animated Films
Anyone who knows me knows that I’m an animation nut. Maybe a part of me never grew up. But I think there’s a part of all of us that just loves the innocent fun of animated films, cartoons, etc.
And I’ve always been a huge fan of Disney musicals (from the good old days), and of course Pixar films, which are some of the best animated films ever created in my opinion.
Well, I stumbled upon the goldmine today.
Here is the listing of Disney / Pixar animated films coming out for THE NEXT FOUR YEARS! (OK, I’m settling down now…)
2009
UP
Pixar Animation Studios - May 29th, 2009
Click here for the trailer
TOY STORY in 3-D
Pixar Animation Studios - October 2nd, 2009
THE PRINCESS AND THE FROG
Walt Disney Animation Studios - Christmas 2009
TINKER BELL NORTH OF NEVER LAND - working title
DisneyToon Studios - 2009
2010
TOY STORY 2 in 3-D
Pixar Animation Studios - February 12th, 2010
TOY STORY 3
Pixar Animation Studios - June 18th, 2010
RAPUNZEL
Walt Disney Animation Studios - Christmas 2010
TINKER BELL A MIDSUMMER STORM - working title
DisneyToon Studios - 2010
2011
NEWT
Pixar Animation Studios - Summer 2011
THE BEAR AND THE BOW
Pixar Animation Studios - Christmas 2011
TINKER BELL A WINTER STORY - working title
DisneyToon Studios - 2011
2012
CARS 2
Pixar Animation Studios - Summer 2012
KING OF THE ELVES
Walt Disney Animation Studios - Christmas 2012
I’m especially excited about the new Pixar movies. Looks like they’re starting to roll out some of the sequals (which is great in my opinion - they’re one of the very few film companies that can actually do sequals right).
Not sure about the whole Tinker Bell series. I guess the first one came out this year, but I didn’t hear much about it, and haven’t seen it yet. Either way, looks like they have 3 more coming out in the future.
The Princess and the Frog looks like it might be a musical, which would be awesome. Disney really needs to bring back the animated musical genre that has sort of fallen by the wayside recently. They were always huge hits for them - I don’t know why they haven’t figured that out by now.
Anyway, click here to read the whole press release.
2 commentsChristmas Theatre in Peoria
It seems that once we reach fall every year, time just catapults you towards the end of the year. First Halloween whizzes by, then Thanksgiving, and finally Christmas and New Year’s. And so we find ourselves already in December with Christmas a little more than 3 weeks away (didn’t 2008 just start???).
There are a several different theatre productions going on this Christmas season. Be sure to check some of them out:
- Joseph - Eastlight Theatre
December 5, 6, 10, 11, 12 & 13 at 7:30 PM
December 7 & 14 at 2:00 PM - Christmas in the City - Peoria Players Theatre
December 18, 19 & 20 at 7:30 PM
December 21 at 2:30 PM - Oliver - Peoria Players Theatre
Community Children’s Theatre
December 5 at 7:00 PM
December 6 at 1:30 PM & 7:00 PM
December 7 at 1:30 PM - Willy Wonka Jr. - Corn Stock Theatre Lab
Corn Stock For Kids Production
December 5 & 12 at 7:30 PM
December 6, 7 & 13 at 2:30 PM - Trans Siberian Orchestra - Civic Center
Friday, Dec. 12, 2008 at 8:00 PM - Nutcracker - Civic Center
December 13 at 7:30 PM
December 14 at 2:00 PM - Peoria Civic Chorale - “An American Family Christmas”
Peoria Civic Center
December 19 at 7:30 PM
December 20 at 7:30 PM
December 21 at 2:30 PM