Richard Skipper Celebrates Gwyn Gilliss...and MORE!

January 24, 2019

Richard Skipper Celebrates Gwyn Gilliss...and MORE!

The beautiful thing about learning is nobody can take it away from you. – B.B King

Happy Thursday January 24th, 2019.
January 24 is the 24th day of the year. There are 341 days remaining until the end of the year. It is a rainy day here in New York. I haven't done a lot of writing recently. Today is a return to a bit of normalcy in my life, whatever that means. It has been a sad time with the passing of Carol Channing. Everytime I sit down to put my feelings and thoughts on paper, I get emotional. I am still working on a special tribute and hope to get that to you soon. In the meantime, I am thrilled today to celebrate Gwyn Gilliss.

Gwyn may not remember this but I took her class when I was more actively pursuing an acting career. One thing I love is finding her Monday Morning Marketing Tips in my mailbox every Monday Morning.

She truly kickstarts my week. Today I am thrilled to celebrate Gwyn Gilliss!

Gwyn Gilliss studied theater and play writing at Carnegie Mellon University, and was an Emmy Award nominated Daytime TV actress with over a dozen contract and recurring roles- as well as appearing on Prime time TV series. Favorites include: All My Children, (ABC), The Lucy Arnaz Show (CBS) and Woman of Valor (NBC) which received an Emmy Award.
In classical Repertory theater productions across the country Gwyn played roles from Shakespeare-Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing, Moliere- Elmire in Tartuffe, Tennessee Williams- Blanche in Streetcar Named Desire to Noel Coward- Elvira in Blithe Spirit and Arthur Miller- Maggie in After the Fall. On Broadway she was in Kaufman and Hart’s The Man Who Came to Dinner at the Circle in the Square and co-starred opposite Tammy Grimes and Ian Richardson in Joshua Logan’s (Mister Roberts, South Pacific) last play, Trick.

How did the idea for your Monday Morning Marketing Tips come about?

Most of my coaching clients and those actors I met at seminars and workshops were constantly
emailing me asking questions about the business- I felt it was easier to send out a weekly tip
than answering each one individually.

What made you realize that you wanted to be in this profession?
I was a top model from ages 12-19 doing print

work, runway and commercials (I actually was discovered and approached by an agent while shopping with my Mom). Then I studied theater at Carnegie-Mellon (with instructors from Yale) and spent a decade in NYC doing theater- on and off Broadway as well as great classical productions in Repertory/resident theater from Washington to Atlanta, Syracuse- all over the country before becoming a Daytime TV soap star
and then working in Prime time TV-pilots and new series . When I was dating and eventually

married a British man, I was in England and Europe so much my agents reminded me that I had to show up-be here to book and shoot TV and film roles.
So, I put my acting career on hold-
marriage and family came first- but created a coaching program to help friends find agents and
get in the door to meet and work with the Industry people I knew. Eventually my clients needed marketing tools so I started writing scripts-for sizzles- then formed a film company. Now I am writing and producing series and films. I shot a film in France recently hiring 5 clients for the major roles and just shot a comedy pilot (Netflix) hiring 4 clients. Another series I wrote is being optioned in Australia and produced by a former client whom I encouraged to become a producer. No I did not grow up thinking I would be a mentor or career coach.

Do you need to let some of your goals go and pursue something else or is everything as you
envisioned it?
Nothing is ever as you envision it…that's life. You simply go with the flow and learn along the
way- who you are and what appeals to you. I've always done what I felt was, well…FUN!
If it isn't, why do it? I do have an amazing resilience-the ability to adapt and move on. A lot of actors are stuck in the vision that they HAVE to be movie stars. There's a lot more interesting things to do. Everyone's path is different. When you let go-better things come to you than you could EVER have envisioned.

What are some difficult or fun roles that you have had in the past?

Mental patient, psychotic murderer, Southern horse woman, Cockney nurse, president of the
local D.A.R., ruthless NYC District Attorney, FBI agent, undercover cop, British radical activist,
French Prime Minister's wife, Cosmetic company billionaire CEO, Park Avenue Socialite, French
nun, Rural Ohio homemaker, Hot Air balloon pilot.

What is your favorite book? and Why?
A collection of Shakespeare-all plays and sonnets, collections of great writers- Jane Austen,
Charles Dickens, De Maupassant, Moliere, Swift, Sophocles, Robert Frost…the list is endless-
the Vedas, The Bible, The Koran, The Torah…love studying philosophy, poetry, literature- plays…the study of humanity to better understand alleviating suffering, the human condition

All Things Hollywood and Gwyn Gilliss at New Media Vault

What is the most important thing you have learned about yourself as a teacher?
You learn as you go- how to teach, what people need - how to provide that- and how to run a
business.

What are you most excited about with the work you are doing now?
Besides acting my passion is writing. Coaching and writing marketing tips- is a form of love and payback- helping actors. But as an artist- my driving force/passion is acting and writing. It's what I'm really good at. I have 3 films and 4 series I'm developing- all loads of fun and excellent.

What’s on your nightstand?

A collection of the original Arabian Nights- (I'm writing a modern adaptation), a paperback of
The Constitution, Yogananda's The Law of Success, The Sonnets of Shakespeare, Waking
from the Dream (Buddhist Path to Enlightenment),The Way to Freedom ( Tibetan Buddhism by the Dalai Lama) , the complete Fawlty Towers- scripts from the 12 episodes by John Cleese, Shakespeare's Self-Portrait by A.L.Rowse ( from my Oxford days), The Tirumantiram, Charles Schwab-Investing over 50.

Do you have any advice that you would give to aspiring actors or actresses who are just starting out?
Keep going…keep learning. ( Get advice from someone who's been there, done that- it will save you YEARS of suffering).

Can you share some of your thoughts and reflections on White Boarding (for those who don't receive your newsletter)?
Read the article…sign up for free marketing tips on my website-
https://www.gwyngilliss.com/contact as well as a FREE 15 minute career consult I offer- or go to Backstage and look up Expert's Advice columns- I'm listed and there are HUNDREDS of articles.

Visit Gwyn's website. Tell her I sent you!

Richard Skipper Also Celebrates...
On January 25th, 2019, Jacobs Brown Press will publish MARY: THE MARY TYLER MOORE STORY, by best-selling and critically-acclaimed author Herbie J Pilato (Twitch Upon a Star: The Bewitched Life and Career of

Elizabeth Montgomery, Glamour, Gidgets and the Girl Next Door: Television’s Iconic Women from the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s, among others.
Please tune in tomorrow afternoon for a special Richard Skipper Facebook Live. I will be interviewing Herbie J Pilato on his new book (being released tomorrow!) celebrating the life and legacy of #MaryTylerMoore Please Tweet your questions you would like asked to @RichardSkipper. Follow me here to tune in. Read more about the book HERE.

Singer Jennifer Roberts returns to Manhattan to toast legendary Broadway lyricist and composer Sheldon Harnick with She Loves Sheldon!, a tribute show at The Laurie Beechman Theatre on Wednesday, January 30th at 7PM . Roberts will be joined by musical director/pianist Tedd Firth and bassist Phil Palombi in celebrating Harnick’s impressive body of work.

If you are going to Jennifer Robert's show next Wednesday, January 30 or Tuesday, Feb 5, PLEASE Make Your Reservations!!! They need to know NOW how many to expect!
I'm attending on the 30th and I hope you'll join me!

I highly recommend this Documentary on the career of Carol Channing, Carol Channing: Larger Than Life. It's very entertaining and uplifting, she was a true original! And I am happy to say I'm in it.

This year's gender-reversing rendition of Broadway Backwards moves to a new home and our host, Tony Award nominee Jenn Colella, takes you inside the New Amsterdam Theatre to tell you about it. Click HERE

Join Colella and theatre's brightest stars on Monday, March 11, as they perform current and classic Broadway favorites with a twist: men sing songs originally intended for women, and vice versa.

The result is a joyous, emotional and once-in-a-lifetime experience celebrating the LGBTQ community and benefiting Broadway Cares and NYC's LGBT Community Center. I'll be there!

FX has set a date for the premiere of its new, theatre-centric limited series, Fosse/Verdon. The Sam Rockwell- and Michelle Williams-led show will premiere April 9 on the network.

Rockwell and Michelle—both Broadway alums themselves—play the iconic choreographer and dancer, who collaborated onstage with such shows as Sweet Charity, Damn Yankees, and Chicago and were also frequently a pair offstage as well.

Myriad theatre vets are set to play notable Broadway figures as well, including Kelli Barrett as Liza Minnelli, Bianca Marroquin as Chita Rivera, Norbert Leo Butz as Paddy Chayefsky, Ethan Slater as Joel Grey, and Laura Osnes as Shirley MacLaine. (Source: Playbill.com).

Now, go and do something nice for someone without expecting anything in return!

Richard Skipper Celebrates
Love Aquarian Style
February 10th (on the eve of Richard Skipper's 58th Birthday!)
1PM Brunch Show
Laurie Beechman Theatre
(Theatre Row, NYC)

Russ Woolley Proudly Presents Richard Skipper Celebrates...Love Aquarian Style featuring

Meg Flather, Lina Koutrakos Rosemary Loar, Karen Mack, Stacy Sullivan, All under the Musical Direction of Christine Talbott with Kacey Fassett on sax, Adi Myerson on bass, and Sherrie Maricle on bass. (The Aquarian Band with a Scorpio Rising)
(ALL Aquarians!) You never know who you might see there and what might happen! $30 Cover and $20 Minimum per person. The afternoons are also made possible by Wright Bros. Real Estate. Do yourself a favor and CELEBRATE! Reservations are a MUST

With music, reminisces and an afternoon of fun and show business! 90 minutes of merriment and excitement . . .As we Celebrate the Present, we Honor the Past!

THE LAURIE BEECHMAN THEATRE, 407 West 42nd Street (lower level of the WEST BANK CAFE) Producer: Russ Woolley $30 ticket plus $20 food/beverage minimum - exquisite and reasonably priced food and drink.

Kacey Fassett on sax

Richard Skipper has assembled a great cast to Celebrate and honor . . . RICHARD SKIPPER has become synonymous with "feel good entertainment of the highest quality". For decades Richard has entertained thousands and celebrated the careers of many of Theatre Row’s finest and most honored stars… The afternoon will prove to be an event where all will arrive and leave with smiles! This will be similar to the old-fashioned TV specials and series where we get to chat with and honor this Entertainment Icon.

RESERVATIONS A MUST!
https://web.ovationtix.com/trs/pe.c/10369464

A Few Audience Testimonials about Richard Skipper Celebrates

Richard, your Facebook Live interview program from the YORK Theatre Oscar

With the late great Rick McKay

Hammerstein Awards Gala honoring Susan Stroman was great fun and you were, as always, a charming and skillful pro. I couldn’t help but think what a much needed service (and interesting and fun) it is for events like that one, smaller than the Tony Awards but important to many! And the Tony Awards and anyone else would be lucky to have you, too!

Betsyann Faiella, Savoy PR

Richard Skipper, You are Absolutely Amazing!!! So kind and So loving. It was such a joy to watch you craft your show on October 14th. What a Masterful job Of Singing and Hosting You Did. You knew just the right questions to ask and statements to make to help each of us to feel so special. As others have said you were born for your role. I will never forget you bringing Reggie Whitehead on stage. I smiled from ear to ear with complete delight and laughed out loud! That was a brilliant moment! I am so grateful to you for inviting me to be a part of such a

with Eileen Fulton

Fabulous Show that brought together so much incredible talent on one stage. Thank You to both You and your wonderful Producer Russ Woolley. Kudos to Everyone in The Laurie Beechman Theater for taking such good care of us. Continued Blessings On Your Wonderful Journey Richard. Love You

Avery Sommers, Palm Beach, Florida

Love Richard Skipper Celebrates. Looking forward to a new season.

Bea Sonnenshein, Sparkill, New York

The show is also made possible by Wright Bros. Real Estate.

  

You never know who you might see there and what might happen! If you have attended a Richard Skipper Celebrates Event, please add your thoughts in the GuestBook at RichardSkipper.com

With grateful XOXOXs,