Skagit County Tulip Festival 2023 in Mount Vernon, WA USA. Many people say this is the most beautiful time of the year in my hometown of Mount Vernon, WA. Truly breathtaking views of our tulip fields and local agriculture in Skagit County, WA.

Most photos taken with Sony A7 iv camera and Sony GM 14mm lens (I love this new lens for landscape photography!)

My upcoming musical theater opera, “Romeo and Juliet” was written with an Akai LPK25 two-octave USB keyboard. What? Muahaha, yes! In retrospect kind of hard to fathom, but there she is. I did all the music composition and beginning orchestration sketches in the Officer’s Bar of a cruise ship on my off time. The Akai LPK25 keyboard has convenient octave switching buttons on the side so I was able to easily navigate through bass and treble parts for fairly effortless composing. It was only a little tedious when doing soprano vocal lines; that’s when I really wish I had that extra octave. But hey, writing an opera on a two octave keyboard that fits in my computer bag – I’ll take that! Thank you Akai for an awesome product!

As in the photo, I use a MacBook Pro with three USB ports. I use each port for a mouse, external keypad, and the Akai keyboard. The music keyboard sits nicely on the front of the laptop. For notation I use Sibelius software because frankly, when I use Sibelius it feels like paper and I totally forget I’m at a computer. I can focus on my work.

Am I doing the whole Romeo and Juliet opera on the LPK25? Well, no. My initial sketch is over 100 minutes of music with over 3,200 measures of music. So the LPK25 was great for the grueling sketch. But for finishing orchestrations at my home studio it’s much more fluid to use a keyboard with five or more octaves.

The best part about this configuration is that once I opened my computer bag I was able to set everything up in under a minute. What a great portable workstation.

For those that want to follow the progress of my Romeo and Juliet opera scheduled to open October 17, 2014 visit Romeo and Juliet the musical (http://www.RJmusical.com).

The Producers at McIntyre Hall in Mount Vernon, WA from April 6-20, 2013. Presented by Theater Arts Guild of Skagit County, WA. A musical theater comedy by Mel Brooks following the antics and schemes of a broadway producer.

I had a lot of fun playing keyboards in the pit for this show, lots of fun sound effects and synth parts to play. Thank you to TAG and Dave Cross for inviting me to be part of this production. A truly stellar cast.

Wikipedia: The Producers play synopsis

CREW:

• Director – Trey Hatch
• Producers – Andrew Azure and Ria Peth Vanderpool
• Choreographers – Chris Tuohy and Rebecca Launius-Brown
• Music Director – Lynette McCormack
• Orchestra Conductor – Dave Cross
• Stage Manager – Lauren Hedlin
• Assistante Stage Manager – Sarah Bates
• Scenic Designer – Tim Brown
• Set Artist – Don Smith
• Set Painters – Vicky Fishbach, Tim Brown, Rebecca Launius-Brow, Blake Begin
• Sign Creation – Malcolm and Paula Taylor
• Costumer – Cally Holden
• Costume Assistants – Clarence Holden, Gale Cline, Melissa McPhaden, Nancy High, Kathy Gildness, Gussie and Gerties, Rebecca Launius-Brown, Char McRae
• Lighting Designer – Michael Nicholson
• Lighting Technician – Mike Stephens
• Sound Technician – Kyle Blevins
• Rehearsal Pianists – Ruth Backland, Lynn Rittenhouse
• Poster Design – Andrew Azure
• Program Design – Melinda Elliott
• Ad Sales – Susan Watson
• Reader Boards – Susan Watson
• Head Shot Photographer – Lindsey Bowen
• Hair – Tanya Larsen, Hortensia Zepeda, Katie Tully
• Construction Lead – Robin Begin
• Construction Crew – Tim Brown, Heath Bailey
• Spot Crew – Cameron Craig, Nick Patterson
• Fly Rail Captain – Roger Ragusa
• Fly Crew – Glenn Huschka, Leif Barem, Jason Leander, Alex Hollingsworth
• Properties Manager – Carol Garman
• Prop Team – Carole Lindberry, Amanda Curtis, Ria Vanderpool, Jerome Chandler

CAST

• The Usherettes – Diana Becerra and Susie Pollino
• Max Bialystock – Mike Jenkins
• Leo Bloom – Jeff Bradley
• Hold-me Touch-me – Carolyn Travis
• Mr. Marks – Lonny Graff
• Franz Liebkind – Ron Wohl
• Carmen Ghia – Peter Grace
• Roger De Bris – Trey Hatch
• Bryan – Keiran Faley
• Kevin – John Roberson
• Scott – Mike Latham
• Shirley – Nancy High
• Ulla – Rebecca Launius Brown
• Lick-me Bite-me – Kelly Bohon
• Kiss-me Feel-me – Jane Skinner
• Jack Lepidus – August Wolff
• Donal Dinsmore – Patriq Holahan
• Jason Green – Brian Ault
• Lead Tenor – Kieran Faley
• Sergeant – Scott Andrews
• O’Riley – Patriq Holahan
• O’Houlihan – Mike Antoine
• Guard – Lonny Graff
• Bailiff – Lonny Graff
• Judge – Steve Denzel
• Foreman of Jury – Scott Andrews

ORCHESTRA

• Piccolo, Flute – Gena Campbell
• Eb Clarinet, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet – Michelle Hanna
• Clarinet – Elizabeth Brooks
• Flute, Clarinet, Sax – Christian Volkman
• Oboe, English Horn – Chris Dirth
• Bassoon, Sax, Clarinet – Jerry Schreuder
• French Horn – Amanda McDaniel
• Trumpet 1 – Cindy Luna
• Trumpet 2 – Stan Relyea
• Trombone 1 – Bob Harper
• Trombone 2 – Zack Smith
• Trombone 3 – John Boblett
• Drums – Mary Ellen Hodges
• Percussion – Pam Moser
• Keyboard – Conrad Askland
• Violin 1 – Jenny Bergeron
• Violin 2 – Corey Henderson
• Violin 2 – Noam Moore
• Cello – Laura Henderson
• Bass – Kelly Siebecke

Steel Magnolias, the 1987 stage play by Robert Harling. Presented by ACT Theater in Anacortes, WA January 25 thru February 16, 2013.

A great presentation by ACT Theater of Anacortes. They gave fair warning to grab tissues at intermission in preparation for Act Two. Many around me were, as promised, “crying and then laughing through tears”.

All of the actresses were phenomenal in their respective dramatic and comedic moments. Carolyn Travis as M’Lynn had the juicy script lines to create the “laughter through tears” and the cast was very strong in supporting those moments.

CAST

• Anelle – Tiana Smith
• Truvy – Carla Hurst
• Clairee – Karen McCallum
• Shelby – Chloe Roberts
• M’Lynn – Carolyn Travis
• Ouiser – Valerie Thomas
• Cameo Cross Overs: Judy Crane, Willow McLaughlin, Melissa Bridges and Marilyn Pinquoch

CREW

• Director – Judy Hendrix
• Assistant Director – Susan Myers Buszta
• Production/Stage Manager – Mary Settera Hendrix
• Set Design/Construction Leader – Billy Hendrix
• Set Dressing – Jackie Anderson
• Set Painting – Malcolm Taylor, Nate Taylor, Jackie Anderson, Lora Haversack, Chris Nickerson, Russ Haversack, Raido McComas
• Set Construction – Billy Hendrix, Bruce Rolfe, Bud Anderson, Tim Brown
• Poster – Breanna Savage
• Costumes/Props – Cast and Crew
• Light Design – Tim Brown
• Light Technician – Nikolas Patterson
• Photography – Paula Taylor, Malcolm Taylor
• Sound Effects – Willow McLaughlin
• Front of House – Barbara Gully
• Dinner Theater – Sandy Childs, Rick Sohn, Vic Childs, Carol Lee Olsen, Les Olsen, Darla Pyke, Cheryl Reid

Wikipedia – Steel Magnolias

Auditions for “Witches! the Musical” June 5-6, 2012 at the Historic Lincoln Theater in Mount Vernon, WA.  Show dates will be Oct. 19-Nov. 3 at the Lincoln Theater. This is a world premiere show about the Salem Witch Trials of 1692. For more info and audition signups visit http://www.WitchesMusical.com.

Produced by TAG – the Theater Arts Guild of Skagit County.
http://www.theaterartsguild.org

I was sent these photos of tulip season in Skagit County, Washington (USA). I don’t know if it was the sender’s intention, but the photos sure make me homesick for the Pacific Northwest of the US. This is a normal spring view in Mount Vernon, WA. A view that even locals know better than to take for granted. Photos by Gary Brown, a great supporter of the arts in Skagit County.

Mount Vernon High School (Mount Vernon, Wa USA) Choir “Synergy” directed by Megan Lizama. I recognize some of these students from our production of Disney’s High School Musical in March 2007 at McIntyre Hall.

What a great sounding group and awesome arrangements. I’ve listened to quite a few high school choir videos on YouTube and I think this is one of the best. There’s a lot of talent in the Skagit Valley of Washington and at Mount Vernon High School. I’ve also worked with many student musicians from MVHS and they were excellent as well.

Soprano: Jana Collins, Rose Drummond, Kristin Hill, Emma Lynn.

Alto: Lindsey Aguilar, Shelby Celia, Allisha Nichols, Bianca Pimentel.

Tenor: Austin Dudley, Xitlalic Hernandez, Kyle Mitchell, Sam Scheibe, Karl Van Burkleo.

Bass: Nick Hayes, Jeff Huschka, Steven Marrinier, Marcus Padilla.

Shakespeare Northwest performs the Bard’s Midsummer Night’s Dream in Skagit County July 20 through August 10, 2008. They are fantastic and you won’t want to miss it. Click on image for full size flyer and location details.

Mount Vernon, WA – If you have ever been involved with a Theater Arts Guild Production, You Are Invited to our TAG Family Reunion! Please join us on August 2nd at the Conway Muse for fun, music, food and hangin’ out with fellow cast and crew members from every show we’ve ever done.

For more information and ongoing updates go to the newly renovated TAG Website at http://www.theaterartsguild.org.