Tony’s Plate

The scrappy kids from [title of show] aren’t just preparing their next project, And Now This Is Happening, for an off-Broadway berth next spring, but they are also lending their support to a good cause.  Susan Blackwell, that slayer of proverbial vampires, and the gang are helping out her brother John who has created an online application called  Tony’s Plate. John’s son Tony was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes and his parents have to monitor his food/carb intake in order to measure the amount of insulin Tony needs. Well, John came up with Tony’s Plate, a nutritional calculator that makes it easier for the whole family to keep tabs on Tony’s needs.

Well, Apps for Healthy Kids, part of First Lady Michelle Obama’s “Let’s Move” fitness campaign, is currently having a challenge. As per the website:Apps for Healthy Kids challenges software developers, game designers, students, and other innovators to develop fun and engaging software tools and games that drive children, especially “tweens” (ages 9-12) – directly or through their parents – to eat better and be more physically active.”

Tony’s Plate is one of those currently in contention. If it wins, John will get to go to the White House and meet with Mrs. Obama. Pretty nifty, eh? Of course, the [tossers] made a video to support John in his efforts and it is as hilarious as one would hope it would be. Enjoy. And most importantly, you can vote by clicking here.

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Casting Susan Blackwell

I’m gunning for [title of show] to get a little bit of Tony love on Tuesday. It was the first new musical to open this season and as you are well aware, I found myself enjoying it immensely. (Much to the surprise of my constituents). Here’s hoping that all four stars receive the Tony recognition they deserve.

In [title of show], Susan Blackwell (who this very moment is doing a “Die Vampire Die” workshop at The Brookfield Theatre for the Arts with our friend Alicia) presented an idiosyncratically madcap based on herself; one who loved to perform and sing, but was also told she doesn’t “sing good enough to be in a musical.” Contrary to that assessment, I found Blackwell to be a perfect musical theatre comedienne. She possesses a good character voice with succinct comic sensibilities rounded out by a vulnerability revealed during the showstopping “Die, Vampire, Die, ” one of the many audience favorites in the little musical that could.

Tall and lithe, Blackwell strikes an imposing classical figure onstage, I could easily see her taking on one of the Greek tragediennes or a drawing room comedy. Blackwell’s audience appeal lies in her fearless ability to be herself and I haven’t seen her onstage since the closing performance of [tos] back in October. That is far too long for my liking so I decided that I would take it upon myself to present the casting directors of the Broadway and the regionals with a brief list of ideas for future reference…

Auntie Mame/Mame: Vera Charles
Into the Woods: The Baker’s Wife or Witch
Damn Yankees: Gloria
Annie:
Miss Hannigan
Do Re Mi:
Kay Cramm
Bells Are Ringing:
Ella Peterson
Sail Away:
Mimi Paragon
The Mystery of Edwin Drood:
Princess Puffer
She Loves Me:
Ilona
The Man Who Came to Dinner:
Maggie Cutler, Lorraine Sheldon or Nurse Preen
A Little Night Music:
Charlotte
Flora, the Red Menace:
Flora
The Sound of Music:
Elsa
Grey Gardens:
Little Edie
On a Clear Day You Can See Forever:
Daisy
On the Town:
Hildy or Madame Dilly
I am the Camera/Cabaret:
Sally Bowles
My Sister Eileen/Wonderful Town: Ruth Sherwood
Follies:
(when she’s older) Phyllis
Holiday:
Linda Seton
The Philadelphia Story: Tracy Lord
Falsettos: Trina
City of Angels: Donna/Oolie
The Boys from Syracuse:
Luce

Well, dear readers, what roles would you like to see Ms. Blackwell take on?