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Hello all and Happy Holidays!

Thought I’d share a little bit of my December project: working with the Holiday Variety Troupe at the Cincinnati Museum Center.  We do a whole lot o’ Christmas business – including a version of A Christmas Carol where I rock it out as the Ghost of Christmas Present – but one of our favorites is singing “The Twelve Days of Christmas” while acting out all those crazy gifts.  Here’s a taste  - try to watch it without smiling.  I dare you.

This is just the big finish – the whole thing is a sight to see and I’m not afraid to tell you we work up a holiday sweat!

Seasons Greetings to all.  See you for more theatrical adventures in 2012!

Why, hello again!  I’m so pleased to be back in Ohio just as we start rolling over to fall.  I’ve just returned from my summer tour with the Missoula Children’s Theatre and The Jungle Book.  Tour partner Heather Baker and I had a wonderful time journeying through Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, Kansas, and Nebraska – meeting a score of delightful young actors who embodied jungle

Me in my beautiful Baloo suit in The Jungle Book

creatures with gusto!  Plus we survived wildfires, hurricane warnings, and temperatures that reached up to 122 degrees.  In other words, we had quite the adventure.  It was a little sad to bid the MCT folks farewell at the end of the season, but I’m pretty sure our paths will cross again soon.

While I’m home I’m stepping in to Lebanon Theatre Company’s production of A Catered Affair.  My father tells me I’m becoming a theatrical paratrooper – by which he means I’m good at flying in to offer last-minute help – but I was too glad to join this beautiful piece created by some of my favorite writers!  If you aren’t familiar with the show, check out this video and you’ll be hooked.  We start tech rehearsals tomorrow for a run Sept. 9-18.  More information is available here.

Greetings from Manley, Nebraska!  I’m here working with a brand new set of tour actors as part of my continued adventures with the Missoula Children’s Theatre.

This weekend is extra exciting because it’s also the opening of my play, Reception, with She and Her Productions in Kansas City, Missouri.  I am so pleased to be part of their New Play Festival!  The show runs June 16-18.  Details and ticket info available here.  I’ve gotten nothing but wonderful reports from the production team.  I wish I could be there to celebrate opening night with them, but I’m sure they’ll do a fantastic job!

Next week I am off to Tinker Air Force Base in Oklahoma City to begin work on The Jungle Book with my new tour partner, Heather Baker.  Can’t wait to put on my bear suit and sing some jungle songs!

Seriously, you’d best be gettin’ your tickets for 8 Minute Musicals which opens TOMORROW.  Order them here - they are going fast!  My piece, written with composer Andy Roninson, is called “Zander” and features the lovely talents of Erin Leigh Peck and Sue Mathys.  You’re gonna want to see it – if nothing else, because playbill.com told you to.

So as we wait out these last cold winter days, I’ll be keeping warm by typing furiously.  That’s right, the big kick-off for 8 Minute Musicals is sooooo soon!  Friday night I will meet my writer partner and cast, get guidelines for the new script, and by Sunday night be sitting in its first read-through.  It’s a big weekend.  Wanna see it?  Tickets are already available here and the shows are March 13-14.

But if you’re not in New York City, I don’t want you to feel left out – there is some scripting going on for my midwestern friends too!  Encore Theater Company will be hosting a reading of Fear Clinic (music and lyrics by Alex Horton, book by me) on March 8th.  If you RSVP’d for the first attempt, which was snowed out back in January, then you’re set.  If you did not RSVP, God has granted you a second chance you should take advantage of.  Do it.

So there we go.  Feelin’ good.

Hello all!  Here’s a fun update on my adventures in New York City.  In a few short weeks I’ll be participating in 8 Minute Musicals as a writer.  8 Minute Musicals is a fantastic program that gives teams of writers 17 days to create a new musical piece!  I’m very excited to be joining in on the fun.  The performances will be March 13th and 14th.  Tickets are available already here.

So Encore Theater Company’s reading of Fear Clinic has been rescheduled for March 8 at the Litehouse Loft in downtown Dayton.  Fingers crossed we won’t get another snowstorm!

So the snowstorm that hit the Midwest on Tuesday means that Encore Theater Company’s reading of Fear Clinic has been postponed.  Keep checking back here for scheduling updates!

Don’t forget tomorrow is Fear Clinic’s reading in the Litehouse Reading Series with the Encore Theater Company.  Admission is free but you have to RSVP!

The fun begins at 7pm in the Firefly Building in downtown Dayton.  Please please please come support this fantastic series!

A little taste of the evening’s festivities: