creativity
curtains up!
1976-2000 San Francisco, Hong Kong
SAN FRANCISCO OPERA - SPRING OPERA THEATER 1979
My first professional job in the theater was with the San Francisco Opera's spring production of "La Traviata". Quite the thrill. Conductor Richard Bradshaw oversaw the auditions. I sang "Glitter and Be Gay" from Candide and as a result was cast as a member of the chorus. I had to sneak a tape recorder into rehearsals so I could practice at home because I was the only person in the entire company who couldn't read music! This happy experience gained me that elusive SAG union card, kicking off my professional career in the theater.
THE ACTORS’ REP | Hong Kong 1984-1990
Founded by Seppie Hope and Sheelagh Cullen in the early 1980's, The Actors' Rep was Hong Kong's only fully professional English-language theater company. I made my debut as a frog in a children's show and went on to feature in most of the company's productions, performing in and contributed some sketches to a series musical, satirical revues that shocked, entertained and consistently performed to sold out audiences.
Skitsoid, Bastoid and Paranoid was directed by Barry Bakker who also wrote most of the lyrics. Peter Lally composed the score and was Musical Director. Writers included Harry Rolnick, Stuart Wolfendale and Barry. The casts for all three productions included Andy Chworowsky, Jenny Tarren, Claire Vousden , Hugh Trethowan, Hilary King and myself.
PARTNERS IN CRIME INTERACTIVE MYSTERY THEATER | Hong Kong | Australia | Singapore 1988-1994
Hilary King and I wrote, directed and produced seven rather psychedelic interactive mystery dinner theater productions, each culminating in either kidnapping, theft, poisoning, electrocution, stabbing or decapitation. The evening's entertainment was an exercise in improvisational theater for the actors who dined with guests relentlessly grilling them for clues. Too many performers and crew to list but we did gather many of them together for a Zoom reunion during Covid.
HARMONY & GLITZ | Hong Kong 1989-1993
Hilary and I also produced and directed a Broadway revue with songs from shows including "A Chorus Line", "Little Shop of Horrors", "Hello Dolly", "Oklahoma" and "Cabaret". We opened at Hong Kong hot spot, M at The Fringe. Casts included: Lindzay Chan, Martin Clarke, Dominic Holmes, Sheri Dorfman. Scott Gibson, Beth Blatt, Jane Fondiller, Allan Seiler and yours truly.
HONG KONG ACADEMY FOR PERFORMING ARTS | Hong Kong 1995 - 1996
My friend Betsy Fisher , who taught modern dance at the HKAPA, introduced me to her colleagues Mandy Petty and Mohammed Drissi; they invited me to teach acting to their dance students, and suggested I direct the Dance Department's first musical production, "Bye Bye Birdie". The script was all in Cantonese, lyrics in English and set in a Hong Kong housing estate. Many of those amazing young dancers went on to work for me after graduating from the APA.
BACK TO THE WALL
Philippines | Scotland | Australia | Hong Kong 1996
In 1995 I began work on a one-woman show about Hong Kong, the city that had truly become my home. The action took place on the night of the 1997 transfer of sovereignty from Britain to China and was based on an unrelated tragedy I witnessed on a quiet street in North Point which had a profound impact on my sense of what it means to be part of a community.
Back to the Wall is the theater project of which I am most proud and was made possible by sponsoring Angels: Allan Zeman, Daniel Ng and David Tang. The script was co-written with Nury Vittachi. Stage Manager, Susan Lim and I toured the production, and won this 5 star review in The Scotsman during our run at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival.
CAUGHT IN THE ACT | Hong Kong 1997-2000
This small professional company was originally formed with longtime pal and talented actor, Andy Chworowsky, who came up with the company's name. Directors Hilary King, flew in from France to direct "The Baltimore Waltz", and Scott Williams who joined us from to direct "Ancient History". Other plays included "Love Letters", directed by Doug Baker, "Sylvia" and "The Santaland Diaries", directed by me, and our last production "Closer Than Ever" directed by John Tustin.
Actors and Musical Directors for Caught in the Act included: Wendy Mok, Andrea Miller, John Tustin, Gus Scott, Sheri Dorfman, Charles Teo, Peter Lally and Scott Gibson.
