Celebrating Rosemary Loar!

"You are what your deep driving desire is. As your desire is, so is your will. As your will is, so is your deed. As your deed is, so is your destiny."  -Dupanishads

Happy End of November!,
Once again, how did that happen? This month, as this entire year has, has flown by in the blink of an eye. I went to two weddings, went to Buffalo, hosted a panel on Jerry Herman at the New York Sheet Music Society. Produced, along with Magda Katz a sold out show celebrating Jerry Herman at The Triad. (See yesterday's blog) Tonight, the Rockefeller Christmas Tree lighting happens and then we careen towards Christmas! Before we get to Christmas Day, however, we will be celebrating Christmas at The Triad on December 20th. I have an amazing cast and over the next few weeks leading towards that show, I want to introduce you the performers one at a time. All of these shows, of course, benefit the Dr. Carol Channing-Harry Kullijian Foundation For The Arts so I want you to know how the arts have shaped the lives of the people I have asked to be a part of our next celebration.

as Grizabella

Today, I'm celebrating Rosemary Loar. Rosemary began her singing career in the back seat of a station wagon with her other six brothers and sisters.  Her father would take the family on Sunday drives and the concert would begin. 

When she was in high school, she saw her first live shows on Broadway, A Chorus Line and Equus. 
Rosemary told me that when she saw these shows, it was as if an electric shock went through her body. She was so thrilled by the passion of the actors and the storytelling rivited her. She knew then, that she had to be a part of that.
 She was lucky to be exposed to the arts growing up. Music was very big in her house. 
Her mother bought a piano for her when she was in second grade and paid for piano lessons. Being Irish, they were always crowded around some piano singing all the Irish songs and the old standards. Her mother went to Broadway musicals with her aunt and she would bring back the cast albums sometimes. Rosemary would sit by the record player and listen. She would also listen to all the symphonic records they had and try to pick out all the instruments.

 

Rosemary's first time on stage was when she played Polly in Three Penny Opera. Rosemary's first professional job was in the national tour of Godspell. 
It was Rosemary's FIRST audition in New York City! She toured the US for 6 months. 

Rosemary wishes that Arts in Education was considered more important. She says she wishes that more would take "some" of the attention off sports" and place it on the arts. She says she would like to see more respect paid to LIVE performance. "There seems to be an idol worship of being famous and the arts seems to be getting crowded out by those beliefs."

Since we are benefiting Carol's Foundation For The Arts, I asked what her thoughts are on Carol Channing. Rosemary tells me that Carol was a big figure in her growing up as her family loved Hello, Dolly!  She feels, as I do, that Carol was/is bigger than life and a pioneer for women in musical theatre. 

I asked about her most recent appearance. She appeared as one of the leads in a staged reading of the new musical, Spoolie Girl, which she wrote with her partner Robert Atwood. Spoolie Girl was done as part of the Musical Mondays Series. Here is the story of how Musical Mondays Theatre Lab came to do the reading of Spoolie Girl.

Stephen Hanks had just become Board President of MMTL in June of 2010 after being friends with Bick Goss and Frank Evans since 2003. In October last year he decided to check out Wednesday Night at Iguana and that was really his first foray into the cabaret scene. The second time he went there a couple of weeks later, he was sitting at Rosemary's table but they didn't know each other. When Dana introduced Stephen up to sing, she mentioned his MMTL credential and Rosemary came to him later and said she had written a musical and could she send him info. He said yes. 

She sent Stephen a few MP3s of the score and a script and he liked it enough to recommend it to Bick and Frank.
A few meetings and one test run later and they booked it for this season. It's the first show Stephen introduced to MMTL and their creative team and he is really proud of that.

Stephen wrote to me, "

I think Spoolie Girl is a creative, fun musical and it went over really well with the MMTL audience on October 13. Karen Carpenter, who directed "Love, Loss, and What I Wore" directed the show and did a wonderful job. I think Rosie wrote a wonderful score and put together a terrific cast for the reading, including cabaret favorite Raissa Katona Bennett (Raissa is also part of our show on December 20th!), who did a great job playing a number of different roles in the reading. I know Rosie is hoping this show has legs as a live musical, either on or off-Broadway, but I also think it has potential as an animated movie for kids and adults. Rosemary has proven she is a lot more than an actress, cabaret singer and songwriter. The woman has "sting." LOL"

Her next appearance will be December 18th at The Mansion in Bloomfield, New Jersey.

Rosemary says her biggest success in show business was performing as a headliner on PBS in New Year's Eve with Guy Lombardo. Another Rosemary..this time,Rosemary Clooney got rushed to the hospital and Rosemary got a call at midnight to be her replacement! The special ran every holiday season for 7 years!!


The lowest point of Rosemary's career came when her agent dropped her after she made him a lot of money in commissions. The agent is no longer in the business and Rosemary is so I guess that says something. She took off some time and reassessed what she desired from and found one that meets her needs.

As Grandma Who in the National Tour of The Grinch Who Stole Christmas

Rosemary would like to see more musicals that are original stories and less remakes of movies and animations. I guess BOOK OF MORMON proves her point! 


Maureen Taylor says that Rosemary has "an absolute passion for sharing her gifts and for lifting people's spirits and for bringing people joy. She covers all mediums: opera, to pop rock, to jazz. She has a wide understanding for a wide array of music.And she also has a passion for the color red which is often associated with energy and allows her to do it all."

Raissa Katona Bennett: I was thrilled to work with such good friends on their project - they are talented and there is a lot of good stuff in this show and I'll be excited to be a part of it as it continues development. would say more, but must memorize 8 completely new songs with harmonies!!!!!
love you,
Ris"

 

I am Thrilled that Rosemary Loar is part of the amazing cast of Richard Skipper Celebrates...Christmas in New York! 

Rosemary and I are even doing a duet together! Call 845-365-0720 to reserve. Mention this blog and get two premium tickets for $75.00! That's a $25.00 savings!

Here are a few comments from Monday night's show:
 Once again, Richard Skipper (ref. his tribute to Jerry Herman at The Triad on November 28th, 2011) topped himself with yet another wonderful, beautifully staged and coordinated event; and on top of that, he also managed to fill it with some of the best talent NYC has to offer, too! I'd heard-in talking with some audience members, last night-that he is doing this type of tribute to other legendary Artists on a monthly basis. He can count on my being there to see each and every Show; as long as HE is hosting it! Keep up your great work Richard, and never stop bringing the kind of happiness, joy and magic that you give to all of us!
Ronald E. Giles
Hasbrouck Heights, New Jersey

Richard- YOU fill the bill (and more) as a ‘skipper’ who is responsible for the ‘voyage’, and with panache, know-how and talent makes sure those on the ‘journey’ have a fun-filled adventure!
MANY thanks for inviting me to have the experience.
Sincerely,
Your fan AND ally,
Arlene B. Isaacs
NYC

Walter Willison

 CONGRATULATIONS! You're a class act all the way. Thank you for asking me to be part of last night's most memorable Celebration!
You did us all -- and especially Jerry Herman and Carol  and Harry's Foundation -- proud. Wonderful cast, wonderful musicians, wonderful friends, wonderfully produced. Especially loved your show-stopping rendition of "Almost Young", which is now my new favorite song.
Love, Walter Willison


Like Dolly Levi, my friend Patricia Gay truly knows the meaning of paying it forward.  She could not attend Monday night so she bought two tickets for someone to attend in her place. I offered them to the first person on Facebook who contacted me. They went to Elli: The King of Broadway! I wish more people would take a lead from Patty.

Horace: Advice is cheap, Ms. Molloy. It's the things that come gift wrapped that count! 

 NO COPY WRITE INFRINGEMENT INTENDED.  FOR ENTERTAINMENT PURPOSES ONLY!
Please do what YOU can to be more aware that words and actions DO HURT...but they can also heal and help!

Thank you, to all the entertainers mentioned in this blog! Thanks for the gifts you give to the world!

Carol Channing (Seaners4real/Flickr Creative Commons)

I love you ALL!! 

  Here's to an INCREDIBLE tomorrow for ALL...with NO challenges!

Now, GO OUT AND DO SOMETHING FOR SOMEONE ELSE TODAY!

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                             Tomorrow's blog will be...CELEBRATING NICHOLAS KING!

Please contribute to the DR. CAROL CHANNING  and HARRY KULLIJIAN FOUNDATION FOR THE ARTS


TILL TOMORROW...HERE'S TO AN ARTS FILLED TOMORROW!
Richard Skipper, Richard@RichardSkipper.com