Tag Archives: Charlie Goodrich

Narrated by Dell Goodrich

Performing is and has long been a common theme in our family dynamic. Growing up, I thought every family had a rule that prohibited singing at the dinner table. Don’t they? Was this a hint of the future for us?

James, “Aunt Dell” and Marshall enjoy a day a the beach.

As adults, conversation at our family gatherings often centers on who is involved or planning to be involved in a production. Usually at Town Theatre (and there’s a LOT of talking at these gatherings, as you might imagine)!) It is a bond that we all cherish. At family dinner, one Sunday late this past summer, I brought up the subject of auditioning for Buddy Holly. After finishing Beauty and the Beast in August, I was already craving an opportunity to get back to the theatre and hoped to be involved in this production in some capacity. My initial inquiry was whether my sister, Rebecca, or my brother, Charlie, planned to audition (I knew my talented youngest nephew, Jack, already a veteran of the TT stage, was too young for this one.) Imagine my surprise and delight when Rebecca informed me that her two oldest sons, my nephews James and Marshall Seezen, were interested in auditioning and planned to play their own instruments. They’d never appeared on the TT stage before. And Charlie was throwing his hat in the ring too! Yay!

That decided it for me right away. I was definitely auditioning. I really wanted us all to do this together. When Charlie was cast as Buddy Holly, the nephews as two of the Crickets, and me as a “Crickette”, I was over the moon and couldn’t wait to get started. The journey has been every bit as rewarding as I knew it would be. Every day and every performance, I grow more excited about the blossoming “grown-up” friendship I’m building with my nephews. [We just became Facebook friends!]. It’s great to see more of Charlie, too, as he has been so busy this last year, being both a newlywed and the new drama teacher at AC Flora.

It has been just amazing to go through this process together and to glimpse it through the eyes of newcomers like my nephews, after all these years…. Especially with dear friends Hans, Lou, and Shannon leading us. It is especially significant and memorable for me to get to share the stage with both of my families in Town’s 100th year.

Rebecca and I became part of the Town Theatre family more than 35 years ago, with Showstoppers I and The Sound of Music. I asked Rebecca to share her thoughts about the older boys joining their other family members as “Townies.”

A family shot after Willy Wonka, summer 2017.

She shared many of my same sentiments. “It has been so fun to watch y two older sons become a part of the Town family. They are joining not only their aunt and uncle, but me, their younger brother, and their dad as Townies. It is hard to describe how it feels to see all 3 of my kids finding joy on the stage where I grew up. I am proud, of course, but it also strengthens our bond as a family. We have this common experience that we share. We all know what it feels like to run those stairs to the dressing room, wait backstage for a cue, and hear the applause of a sold-out crowd from that historical stage. It is such an amazing theatre family, and I’m glad to welcome James and Marshall to it.”

In one of the first productions I did with my brother, Charlie Goodrich, I also played a music legend, Tammy Wynette. We have similar research and preparation styles for these roles, so I already knew what was ahead for Charlie as he met the challenge and enjoyment of portraying a known figure, whose music and sad story has touched so many people. I also knew he would nail it. I’d seen him do it with many roles before, most notably as Johnny Cash. As predicted, Charlie has thrown himself into the role and shines as Buddy Holly. James and Marshall, being such accomplished musicians themselves, enhance the experience as they share the musical spotlight with Charlie and bassist, Billy Bishop. But wait, there’s more! Not only is Charlie an accomplished actor, singer and musician, but he is making a name for himself as a director. And he’s darn good at it! (I know! Rebecca and I have both been cast in plays he directed.) He’ll be directing Mamma Mia in the spring. Hopefully, some of us will have the chance to collaborate again on that production.

This is what Charlie had to say about this particular experience. “What a joy to be involved in this fabulous production! This Season at Town is not only is the 100th Season for the Theatre, but also my 10th Season of continuous involvement. Initially, I only planned to direct this season (Mamma Mia), but when I saw the audition notice for Buddy, I instantly jumped at the challenge. I already knew that Dell was auditioning, as were my nephews, James and Marshall. At the callback we all attended I could feel that this would be a special production if we were all cast. To my delight, we all were!

This production has been an immensely special one for many reasons. Of course, getting the privilege to portray the legendary Buddy Holly‬ is an honor that I cannot express in words. However, getting the chance to share the TT stage with my nephews for the first time and with Dell for the third time has made it all the more enjoyable! Town Theatre has always held a special place in the hearts of my family. That place has been cemented even more by this wonderful production. I can’t thank Hans, Lou, and Shannon enough for giving all of us the chance to experience this awesomeness together!”‬‬

When I asked my nephews how it felt to be a part of this, their responses reflected that they have now found the same joy as the rest of us, being on the TT stage. The bug has bitten them and they plan to keep on rocking with TT in the days to come. They also look forward to a chance to work with cousin, Agnes Babb, in a future production.

James, playing the Crickets’ guitarist, shared how he cherished this opportunity on many levels. “I have had an absolute blast doing this play with my family. It was totally awesome to get to share a stage with some of my favorite people. I am ecstatic to get to jam out with my uncle, my aunt, and my brother in front of such an amazing audience. I want to thank Hans and Lou Boeschen for all the math help, Uncle Charlie and Aunt Dell for all the support backstage, and my little brother Marshall, for keeping me on tempo.”

Pictures 039 — James, “Uncle Charlie” and Marshall at USC graduation.

Marshall, playing the Crickets’ drummer, indicated he is still discovering what a gift it is to share this passion with the rest of us. “Working with my whole family has just been surreal. I remember when I was a kid when Charlie first started at Town. Since then it always seems like someone is doing a show. Whether it be one of Charlie’s, Mom’s, or Dell’s shows or one of my little brother’s (Jack)….or even both my parents, Charlie and my little brother all in one. Before this show, I have stuck primarily to the Cardinal Newman drama program. Now that I’ve started at Town Theatre, I look forward to many more shows with my great family.”

I can’t adequately express how incredibly proud I am of my talented family. (As anyone who knows me is well aware. I brag about them to anyone who will listen!) I’ve jokingly called us “The Von Goodrich Family Singers”, in homage to the Von Trapp Family (The Sound of Music). Now that the next generation is represented, I think I will be modifying that to “The Von Seezrich (Seezen-Goodrich) Family”. 😉

James, Marshall, Dell and Charlie together in The Buddy Holly Story.

We have many, many years ahead of us to enjoy working together and to share our love of performing. Thanks, Town Theatre, for making a place for all of us to join in the fun!

Main Stage

Enjoy the Ride

02/27/2017

Guest blog by Chip Collins

So what do you do when you are (arguably) the lead character in a musical, but you don’t sing any of the songs?

You enjoy the ride.

When I first saw that Town Theatre was going to produce Million Dollar Quartet, I immediately thought, “I want to be Elvis.” There was a reason for this – while playing Sandy in Elvis Has Left the Building back in 2014, my character was hypnotized and “became” Elvis.

Chip Collins as Sam Phillips. Photo courtesy of Megan Moore Memories.

Seemed like a natural progression, right?

Until I read that the characters have to play their own instruments. Uh-oh. The last time I touched a guitar was when someone taught me how to play the first couple of bars of “Hotel California” in high school (no, I don’t remember how to play it now). So, after obtaining a perusal script, I discovered that the character of Sam Phillips was perfect for me. And, boy, am I glad I made it, because these fellas (and lady) that are the real stars of this show are awesome. Our directors, Shannon Wills Scruggs and Jeremy Hansard, have put together an incredible group.

Ladies first. You can’t have a bunch of men sitting around in a group without a woman to keep them straight, and Sheldon Paschal certainly keeps all the guys in line. She brings a sultriness to the studio that keeps all of the guys just a touch off center (which is where artists are supposed to be, right?), and her rendition of “Fever” brings another dynamic to the show.

I’m not the only one who was hypnotized in Elvis Has Left the Building. My partner in crime, Charlie Goodrich, had that misfortune (or perhaps, fortune?) as well. But here, Charlie has traded in the white one-piece jumpsuit for an all-black wardrobe, playing a dead-on likeness of Johnny Cash. There are times when I close my eyes and listen, and I am really not sure whether I’m listening to Charlie or Johnny, and that is a testament to Charlie’s talent.

In this show, Elvis is played by Matthew Harter, who joined us later on in the process, and I am SO glad he did. There are some people you just look at or listen to the first time, and you know they’re special. Matthew is one of those people. Even though he is the youngest person in our cast, you would never know it. His voice is just pure, and he has really channeled all of the things that made Elvis the superstar that he became.

Of the four superstars in the Million Dollar Quartet, the one I knew the least about was Carl Perkins. However, after watching and listening to Alex Cowsert play him night after night, I want to know more. When I hear Cash, Elvis, and Jerry Lee Lewis, it’s only natural to compare the people playing them to the actual person. Well, when I listen to Carl Perkins, I will forever compare him to Alex. When he is playing and singing, the boy OWNS the stage. He performs with such a conviction that you want to focus on him and have him keep playing.

Jerry Lee Lewis? The man was overflowing with energy, and Jeremy Reasoner is no different. We’ve seen his singing talent on stage in Les Miserables and The Little Mermaid, but he will blow you away when you see him on the piano. There are some people who are musically talented in just about every way possible, and he is one of those people. He’s our de facto musical director on stage, and he really keeps things together.

I would be remiss if I did not talk about our killer rhythm section/studio band. Mikey Lowrey gives us a great steadiness as our drummer (and he chews his gum on the beat, too). Caleb Everson on guitar is such a talented guy with a quiet self-confidence about him, and you never know what he may be playing during down times (personally, I’ve heard both the theme song to “Jurassic Park” and Jimmy Eat World’s “The Middle” – goodness knows what else he has thrown in there. And Landon Osteen on the stand-up bass and acoustic guitar really makes these songs special.

It is truly a blessing to be able to sit back and hear these folks perform. Come to think of it, I’m glad I don’t have to sing.

It lets me enjoy the ride.

Events

Backstage… adding our talented cast

08/19/2016

Guest blog by Charlie Goodrich

With the discovery of so many rich musical pieces, I now had the building blocks to fully construct my narrative. Coming up with character names was a cinch because I could use the names of the characters that originated the songs in the original productions, and then apply these names to my newly created dramatis personae. However, my next step was the most important of all: developing and adapting the characters storylines so that everything worked together in one show.

At the forefront of the “drama” section of my story are 2 female leading characters: Margo (the mature, worldly, yet insecure star) and Eve (a young ingenue Production Assistant that is seemingly sincere). Here were my two ladies that had been inspired by all of the works mentioned at the beginning of this writing. It seemed appropriate to choose the names from the most famous work, All About Eve. Finding two actresses to portray these complex women was actually the easiest part of casting, believe it or not. For Margo, I had to look no further than my own sister, Dell Goodrich (Stand By Your Man). For Eve, I spotted what I was looking for immediately in Mary Joy Williams (Nice Work if You Can Get It). Other characters I included are a playwriting couple, inspired by Karen and Lloyd Richards in All About Eve, Maggie and Bert in42nd Street, and Georgia and Aaron Fox in Curtains (whose names I chose to use). These roles were perfect fits for Megan Douthitt (Mary Poppins) and Corey Langley (The Addams Family). I now needed to select an actor to portray the director of the “show within a show” and love interest to Margo, Mack Sanders, inspired by Bill Sampson from All About Eve and of course Mack Sennett from Mack & Mabel. After a wide search, I finally found the ideal actor for the role: Bill LaLima (Les Mis), who’s warmth and humor shine throughout the story. One more major character needed to be cast: the acerbic, witty, and pantomath critic influenced by Daryl Grady from Curtains, Feldman from The Magic Show and Addison DeWitt from All About Eve, who’s name I knew I had to use. Bob Blencowe (Spamalot) agreed to join the cast.

With these theatrical stock characters in place, I knew I could easily develop my narrative. But, I needed additional characters, of course. To approach these personalities, I first looked at what songs needed soloists, and constructed from there. To sing the beautiful “Lion Tamer” from The Magic Show, I immediately thought of Town newcomer Robin Saviola. Her character, who is also inspired by Maggie from 42nd Street as well as Birdie from All About Eve would be named Cal, after the soloist from Magic Show. To sing the quintessential title song from Applause, the lovely and talented Allison Allgood (Sugar) came to mind. This character became a combination of the original soloist form Applause, Bonnie (who was portrayed by Bonnie Franklin. In like-fashion, all of the ensemble members of the original production went by their own names as a cheeky homage to their real-life gypsy status); and Gittel from Seesaw, who originated the hilarious “Nobody Does It Like Me.” To give credit to Applause, I named the character “Allison” after its actress and made her the bartender/owner of Backstage Bar. To be the soloist in the big dance number in the show: “It’s Not Where You Start” from Seesaw, Anthony Matrejek (Nice Work If You Can Get It) was a natural choice. His character, David, would be a combination of Duane from Applause and most importantly, David from Seesaw (a Tony Winning Role for Tommy Tune). To play the tap dancing bartender, Phoebe, Samantha Livoti, was selected. This character is partly inspired by a minor character from All About Eve, but will be featured much more prevalently in Backstage. A new addition to the utilized classic theatrical keynote is the character of the leading lady’s mother, Belle, whom is being portrayed by the great Kathy Hartzog (Driving Miss Daisy). Belle arrives a few times throughout the course of action in Backstage to keep her daughter, Margo, in check and administer to her a healthy dose of reality.

The remaining actors and actresses in the show include Nate Stern (The Addams Family) as Christopher, an aspiring director and member of the ensemble of the show within a show. Emily Northrop (Sugar) will portray Cathy, a struggling actress that gets to amuse and move the audience. Josh Kern (Grease) is back as Jerry, the leading man of the show within a show. Lisa Akly (The Little Mermaid), Tracy Davenport (White Christmas) and Town newcomer Rachel Rizzuti, play Broadway performers Wanda, Angela, and Jill, respectively. Rebecca Goodrich Seezen (Spamalot) will join Jennifer Davis (Spamalot) will bring to life the roles of Donna and Dina, two Broadway singers and dancers that get to “sparkle” with their soulful and upbeat songs. William Ellis (The Little Mermaid) will join Jalil Bonds and John Dixon (in their Town debuts), as ensemble members Herbie, Brick, and Oscar, respectively. These three gentlemen are clever and witty throughout the show. Town veterans Kristy O’Keefe (Peter Pan), Emily Clelland (The Little Mermaid), Roxanne Livingston (Nice Work if You Can Get It), and my lovely cousin Agnes Babb (Mary Poppins) will take the stage as featured dancers Arlene, Bambi, Nicki, and Marjorie, respectively.

The cast and crew of Backstage! Photo credit: William Refo

We hope these three blog entries have given you a little insight into how this show was conceived, constructed and put together. It’s been fun and we look forward to seeing you tonight! Visit www.towntheatre.com or call 803-799-2510 for tickets.

And don’t forget the pre-show reception at 7:15 PM!

Events

Backstage… putting it together

08/16/2016

Guest blog by Charlie Goodrich
Part Two

Now came the task of determining which songs to include in this revue. Obviously, Applause’s entire score could be utilized. However, I wanted to select just the right songs to aid in the construction of the plot. I decided: “Applause,” “Welcome to the Theatre,” and “One Halloween” were the most stringent and pertinent tools to use. The title song from the show is a brilliantly written piece exploring the motivation that drives performers to perform. (Perfect, right?) Originated by the late, great Bonnie Franklin, “Applause,” cleverly asks, “What is it that we [performers] are living for?” “Welcome to the Theatre,” first introduced to audiences by Lauren Bacall, presents a means for a seasoned star to educate a new one about what working in the theatre is REALLY like. (Again, spot on for Backstage.) “One Halloween” is a harrowing soliloquy in which the young ingenue gets to let her guard down and explore a multitude of suppressed emotions dating back to childhood. (I could tell you in what context I am using this song in the show, but that would spoil the plot too much. )

Seesaw was another Broadway musical that I wanted to include in Backstage. The show, originally presented by Michael Bennett in 1973, tells the story of Gittel, a struggling dancer that works odd jobs to earn a buck until she gets her big break. Her stress is increased when she falls in love with a young man that has just arrived in New York, looking for a fresh start. The numbers in Seesaw deal less with performing, but with life in the city. While some of these descriptive songs obviously exhibit some character emotion (“Nobody Does It Like Me), others are better utilized as

a chance for the characters to workshop some performance ideas (“My City” and “It’s Not Where You Start”). I wasn’t even aware of Seesaw until I became a fan of the television series, Knots Landing, and learned that its leading lady, Michele Lee, had received critical raves for her performance as Gittel. Upon hearing one of Ms. Lee’s solos, I was hooked, and downloaded the entire cast recording.

Seesaw and Applause are both seldom-done, not oft-remembered musicals that were highly successful when they premiered in the 1970’s, but have not seen much action since. Keeping with that time frame and theme, I found many shows that were show business related. Several, like The Magic Show, The Act, and Barnum were largely prosperous. Some, like Mack & Mabel, So Long 174th Street, and Rachael Lily Rosenbloom…And Don’t You Ever Forget It, were considered flops, but contained some well-written, memorable tunes. I chose to use some songs from each of these shows except Rachael Lily Rosenbloom. Its score was never recorded ~ it closed before it opened ~ yikes!

I still needed a few more great selections so I expanded my search. From the 1950’s, I found Me and Juliet, a lesser-known Rodgers and Hammerstein gem about a Broadway troupe. From the 1960’s, Little Me, the brilliant screwball musical about Hollywood in which Sid Caesar played multiple characters. The 2000’s brought forth a resurgence of show business musicals, including: the murder mystery, Curtains; the relationship centered The Last 5 Years; and the biographical A Class Act and The Boy from Oz. Still seeking two heartfelt confession pieces for my two leading females, I found such songs in Evita and Grey Gardens. While neither of these is based on show business on the surface, they feature characters that either worked in the entertainment industry or dreamed about it.

With the exception of Evita and The Last 5 Years (both of which have been done in recent years in Columbia); and Grey Gardens (which will be presented this season at Trustus), all of the musicals from which I have chosen songs either have never been produced in Columbia or haven’t been produced in several years. To boot, several of the aforementioned shows are largely forgotten, but I believe that their songs and stories are simply too good to be banished to theatre oblivion.

More to come from Charlie — but don’t delay! Get your tickets for Backstage at www.towntheatre.com. A complementary reception will be held beginning at 7:15 PM. Curtain time is 8:00 PM!

Events

Backstage… under construction

08/15/2016

Guest blog by Charlie Goodrich

In 2014, I had the pleasure of directing a concert presentation of Stephen Sondheim’s Follies as a fundraiser for Town Theatre. It was an exhilarating, rewarding, creative and, above all else lucrative experience, that not only showcased over 30 of Columbia’s most talented singers and dancers, but exposed audiences to a number of Sondheim’s seldom heard (in Columbia) masterpieces.

In the Spring of 2016, I approached Town’s Executive Director, Shannon Willis Scruggs, about another potential project for the Summer. I was itching to not only direct something again, but to also again reap the numerous benefits for both Town and the community that I had with Follies. I had a few specific musicals in mind, but Shannon suggested a more artistically stimulating idea: what if I found a common theme among several different musicals and crafted a story of my own, using the characters and motifs from these shows as a starting point. An idea dawned on me: show business! There are so many entertainment industry musicals with similar themes, characters and story lines. I had a plot constructed in my head in minutes. I would take the standard, often-used keynote of an older actress threatened by a younger one and place it in a context that would allow other performers to present entertaining and humorous anecdotes about life in the entertainment world.

Ruby-Keeler-George-Brent-and-Bebe-Daniels-in-42nd-Street-1933 — Ruby Keeler, George Brent and Bebe Daniels in 42nd-Street (1933)

The aforementioned keynote plot had been utilized in any number of plays, musicals, screenplays, and stories. Early movie musical star, Bebe Daniels, at the tender age of 32, was the “older” actress made to feel insecure upon the arrival of the pert, younger Ruby Keeler in 42nd Street. Vocally untalented Jean Hagen was green with envy toward the lovely Debbie Reynolds in Singin’ in the Rain. On a totally different level, the seasoned Susan Hayward fought tooth and nail against the rising star of Patty Duke in Valley of the Dolls. But perhaps the most famous story line that falls into this common motif can be found in both a motion picture and later a Broadway musical, both based on the same short story: “The Wisdom of Eve” by Mary Orr.

anne-baxter-bette-davis-all-about-e — *Anne Baxter and Bette Davis ~ All About Eve*

The movie is of course All About Eve and the musical is Applause. In both adaptations, the fabulous Margo Channing struggles to maintain her dignity, sanity and career when the young Eve Harrington infiltrates her world. The 1950 film deservedly won the Academy Award for Best Picture, and featured exquisite performances by Bette Davis as Margo and Anne Baxter as Eve. The 1970 musical won the Tony Award for Best Musical and allowed the usually dramatic actress, Lauren Bacall, a chance to sing, dance, and hold her own as a new Musical Star. Even more impressive, in my humble opinion, was the performance of the brilliant Penny Fuller, who seemed to take the character of Eve to a multitude of additional levels. When Bacall had decided her time with the successful musical had come to a close, she was replaced by none other than Anne Baxter, who was eager to portray Margo this time.

annebaxterpennyfullerapplause — Anne Baxter and Penny Fuller ~ Applause

These musicals and films rank among my favorites, and for good reason: they each narrate a similar show business fable characterized by age, jealousy, revenge and envy. As a performer, how many times had I been an eyewitness to backstage drama. Obviously, such drama would be a cornerstone in the plot that I began to construct. But, there’s more to show business than just drama: there’s passion. Performers, as all artists do, create because they are driven by a force that they cannot control. Rue McClanahan described the call to act on stage or film “a religious experience.” Rightly so, if you ask most artists, they’ll usually explain that they put in the time, work and endurance simply because they must. Their lives aren’t complete without fulfilling that urge to express themselves. As the original cast of A Chorus Line stated: “can’t regret what I did for love.” It was then that the second part of my plot dawned on me: allow my characters the chance to share stories, experiences, anecdotes, and general feelings about their lives in “the biz.” More than just recollecting, I also wanted to give my characters an opportunity to have some fun: workshop ideas, sing songs that they’ve always dreamed of singing. Where else would be the perfect place for my characters to accomplish these tasks other than a bar? More specifically, a bar owned by, run by, and catered towards actors. A bar that was constructed on the stage of an abandoned theatre in Brooklyn. A bar with a simple name, like “Backstage.” And why not make the name of this bar the title of the show? Most of the action will occur there anyways, and doesn’t that word bring to mind everything I am hoping to convey through my story? So there you have it: the show will be entitled Backstage: A New Musical Revue.

Get your tickets here… www.towntheatre.com!

Check back tomorrow for part 2 of Charlie’s blog which discusses more of the song selection for his show!