Gloria Rossi Menedes

February 29, 2012 Evalyn Hansen Leave a comment

Gloria Rossi-Menedes has developed a unique new musical theater venue: BROADWAY AT THE BLUE. The show features Laurelia Derocher, David Gabriel, Gloria Rossi, and often, a Surprise Guest. The show takes place twice a week at the Menedes family’s attractive Greek restaurant, BLUE – Greek on Granite.

One afternoon Gloria and I visited over a scrumptious lunch at her charming home. Her conversation is peppered with random imitations, various foreign accents, sporadic bursts of song, tales of Broadway celebrities, and an occasional Greek word of wisdom.

GRM: People are really responding to Broadway at the Blue. Iconic Broadway tunes are just so American. They describe the American spirit. We tell stories of Broadway, the way it used to be. It’s very different now. When Disney came in, they put in billions of dollars, and cleaned up 42^nd Street. Now it’s about operatic voices, that kind of sound. Continue reading Gloria Rossi Menedes →

Interview

Arlene Horwitz Warner

February 15, 2012 Evalyn Hansen Leave a comment

The highly successful production of The Decorator by The Next Stage Repertory Company (at the Craterian Theater in Medford)featured the delightful Arlene Horwitz Warner, along with Doug Warner and Presila Quinby. Arlene, an energetic, inventive, and skilled actress, was already a successful graphic artist in the San Francisco Bay Area when she decided to expand her horizons and develop her acting skills. We met for lunch at Organics on Main Street in Medford.

EH: How did you train as an actor?

AHW: I took an improvisation class, and I loved it. I love the whole concept behind improvisational theater. I think it’s a great help in life, because you don’t know what is going to come up. It teaches you how to respond to situations in the moment. It’s an opportunity to just let it go, find humor, and be yourself. While studying improvisation, I also enrolled in The American Conservatory Theater Studio Program in San Francisco, then some private acting classes, and a summer theater program through the Royal National Theatre in London.

Theater combined a lot of my interests: from psychology, to performing, to the visual art of the sets and costumes, and how everything worked together. It was a great outlet for me.

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Interview

Livia Genise

February 1, 2012 Evalyn Hansen Leave a comment

Camelot Theatre’s Artistic Director, Livia Genise, is directing “All The King’s Men”, which opens Friday, February 3^rd, at Camelot’s newly constructed theater in Talent. After building the new Camelot Theatre facility, in addition to her daily routine of acting, directing, and producing, Genise seemed remarkably rested and resilient. We chatted over coffee at Starbucks near Southern Oregon University one sunny afternoon.

LG: I’m doing what I think I was supposed to do with my life; and when you do that, you’re happy.

EH: Did you always know that you wanted to be an actress?

LG: I always knew what I wanted. But my focus shifted from wanting to be a star (which I think was more about low self-esteem) to wanting to make a difference. When I was given a George Bernard Shaw quote that said: “This is the true joy in life –being used for a purpose, recognized by yourself as a mighty one,” it changed my life. My life then became more about service.

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