Broadway's "The Light in the Piazza" National Tour

Chris Danner is the Company Manager for the National Tour of "The Light in the Piazza." He works for the NETworks production company, bringing several tours to Orlando and all across the country. With many duties, Chris managed to find the time to sit down and share what it's like living on the road, why he does what he does and how much the set for "Light in the Piazza" cost. (You won't believe it!) We taped the interview in his office backstage at the Bob Carr. During the interview, Piazza star Christine Andreas walked into the office! We didn't get a chance to speak with her, but it was a thrilling moment nonetheless.

Mentioned in this episode:
Light in the Piazza
--Offical Site
--Chris Danner, Company Manager
--Christine Andreas, Margaret Johnson
Touring
--NETworks
--Current NETworks productions
--Florida Theatrical Association
--Broadway Across America
--Video of upcoming tours

Download
Chris_Danner.mp3

Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy

Ron Weaver is an instructor in Video Game Design at the Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy, a graduate video game design school offering an accredited master's degree in interactive entertainment. Areas of study include game design, development, art, programming and production Weaver focuses on game design and game programming, with an emphasis on theatricality. His experience with interactive entertainment includes the MMO Toontown Online from the VR Studio (of Walt Disney Imagineering, R&D), n-Space game studio, numerous R&D projects within Walt Disney World, and teaching the Interactive Entertainment and Game Engines courses at the University of Central Florida. After graduating with bachelor degrees in computer science and religion (and a dance minor) from Emory University, Ron earned his masters degree in Entertainment Technology from Carnegie Mellon's Entertainment Technology Center.

Mentioned in this episode:
Ron Weaver
--website
Florida Interactive Entertainment Academy
--website
--Ron's Page
--commercial
Massively Multiplayer Online Game
--Wikipedia Definition
--Toon Town Online
--World of Warcraft
--Everquest
--Ultima Online
--Second Life
Pal Mickey
--Article from CIOInsight.com
--Article from EWeek.com
Kim Possible
--First-hand accounts and photos
--Video clip
Download
Ron_Weaver.mp3

Central Florida Performing Arts Alliance

Jim Morris is the Executive Director of the Central Florida Performing Arts Alliance. Finding opportunities for the arts and cultural industry to collaborate and helping to ignite a cultural identity within the Orlando area are two key reasons Jim enjoys the Executive Director role. Jim spent 8 years working in the for profit world of marketing before realizing his passion for mission over profit. Jim was formerly a board member of the Central Florida Theatre Alliance, which later as its ED he expanded to become the Central Florida Performing Arts Alliance. The major focus of the Alliance: Building strategic community alliances, local advocacy, project management, facilities management and venues, audience development, consultation with members.

Mentioned in this Episode:
--Red Chair Project explained
--Red Chair Project (not live yet)
--Knight Images (created the Red Chair concept)
--Central Florida Performing Arts Alliance

Download
Jim_Morris.mp3

Mad Cow Theatre

Laura Hodos' Mrs Lovett in Mad Cow Theater's Sweeney Todd is a highpoint in the long professional musical theater career of this Orlando transplant. She's worked in Tokyo, dinner theaters and even a gigantic castle. The six week run of Sweeney Todd allows this sweet, charming belter a chance to wield knives, plot murder...and sing about it!

Mentioned in this Episode
--Dickinson School of Law
--American Musical and Dramatic Academy
--Barter Theatre
--American Vybe CD
--9/11 at Disney World
--Show Palace Dinner Theater
--Tokyo Disney Sea
--Encore photo album
--Mad Cow Theater
--Orlando Sentinel
--Mad Cow's Sweeney Todd

Download:
Laura_Hodos.mp3

Corporate Entertainment Producer SAK

Keith Dickerson is the Director of Corporate Entertainment for SAK Comedy Lab, creating and producing professional, custom events for Fortune 1000 clients all over the country with a staff of professional writers, producers and performers. This little-publicized arm of the 30 year old professional theater is a fascinating department where original works are created and sold.

Mentioned in this episode:
The Mayor Dyer Roast
--Photo gallery
--Press Release
--Invitation.pdf
Don't-It-Yourself Ad Campaign Launch Event
--Orlando Regional Realtors Association
--Knight Images
--Don't It Yourself.com
H. Wayne Huizenga's Floridian Golf Course Party
--New York Times articles on Huizenga
--Business Week article on The Floridian Golf Course
Red Chair Affair Benefit Dinner
--Event photo gallery
--Sentinel article
--United Arts
--Central Florida Performing Arts Alliance
--Bob Carr Theater

Download
--Keith_Dickerson.mp3

Off-Off Broadway's "Musical of Musicals" Orlando Cast

The Southeastern Premiere production of the Off-Off Broadway show "Musical of Musicals" has been invited to perform in Germany. Director Jay Hopkins talks about how the opportunity came about for his 2-year old Orlando-based theater.

Mentioned in this episode:
--Jester Theater
--Musical of Musicals the Musical
--American Association of Community Theaters
--Roadside Theater's One Act Play Festival Line-up
--Video made by the Roadside Theater
--Jim Rhinehart, musical director
--Natalie Cordone
--Kevin Kelly in Kid Simple
--Kate O'Neal

Welcome!

Wecome to the new Orlando Arts Podcast. My name is Mark Baratelli and I will be interviewing local Orlando arts makers and finding out what they're working on. My goal is to promote projects via audio and encourage new Arts patrons to try new things and explore the richness and diversity of the Orlando Arts community.



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