Tech Talk- Awaiting her Arrival

MARY POPPINS is making her way toward Tempe's ASU Gammage and my stress level rises by the day! The forklifts are reserved, the parking meters bagged and the travel arrangements made; I guess it's almost go time!!

The production, as you may have heard, travels with an enormous amount of special effects and scenic items (not to mention lighting and sound!). It will arrive in 13 semi-trucks and take two weeks to load-in, this compared to most shows that take a day or two for unloading and setting up. For the production we are removing a lot of "house gear" in order to make some additional room for the tour and all of this work begins next Monday. The trucks from New York will arrive next week and we will begin installing the specially designed equipment that will allow "Mary" to take her final flight at the end of the show. The company in New York has been working on this rig since August and we are about to see how the hard work has paid off!

Due to the enormity of the show and the technology involved I traveled to Los Angeles a week ago to tour the set, meet the people on the tour and see the show. To be completely honest, I was excited to bring my two daughters to the production but didn't think that it would end up being one of MY favorite shows. (My favorite number is "Step in Time"; you'll see why when you see the show!) The special effects are spectacular from "Let's Go Fly A Kite" t"Supercalifragalis"... (you know how it goes)and the dancing is great (definitely not something I notice that often!)

The show-to-show trucks, all 10, will be arriving in two weeks and the fun will begin and carry on until Sunday, Feb. 28. That's when we will spend from 10:30 p.m. to noon the following day putting it all back in the trucks and sending it on to another lucky city.

If I have a chance to write more when they get here I will. As always email me, I'm always willing to talk tech!

Kristina Wong Arrives In Tempe

There’s a buzz about Kristina Wong at ASU Gammage. We are all excited to meet this smart, funny and outspoken artist who is bringing her one-woman show, Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest to ASU Gammage on Saturday, January 30.

Take a minute and check out Kristina’s Web site http://www.kristinawong.com/ for a great look inside the mind of Kristina! From her laugh-out-loud funny blog, her fictional characters such as Fannie Wong, former Miss Chinatown, 2nd Runner Up, the fact that she once drove a pink Mercedes Benz named Harold that ran on vegetable oil (license plate WONGSTA), guerilla performance tactics, to her latest work in development, Cat Lady, it’s all in there – and more.

Yes, Kristina is a genuinely funny person, but there is much more to this artist and activist’s work.

In Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest Kristina’s powerful performance addresses the incredibly high incidence of anxiety, depression and mental illness among Asian American women, bringing awareness about mental health issues in marginalized communities and the lack of public resources available for mental health. And don’t leave the performance too quickly, you don’t want to miss the post-show talkback with Kristina.

Gammage’s work with Kristina isn’t limited to the January 30 performance. Kristina will be an ASU Gammage Artist-in-Residence for the week of January 25-30. While she is here she will give a variety of lectures and interactive workshops to ASU theatre classes, interdisciplinary performance classes as well as two workshops with South Mountain Community College’s Theatre and Storytelling students; Subversive Art and Activism and Finding Your Language: Playing with Different Performance Tongues.


You can get a sneak peek of Wong Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest at the Free Open Rehearsal on Friday, January 29 at ASU Gammage from 12-1:00 p.m. Participants will get a behind-the-scenes look at Kristina prepping for the show and have an opportunity to ask questions about her work and creative process. Don’t forget to RSVP to cpinfo@asugammage.com. Should be a great week!


Hope to see you at the show!
Kristen Markus

Hello from Ellen Harvey Starring in MARY POPPINS

Having toured the U.S. with 5 different shows, I have to admit I find myself getting a little excited when I see Tempe/Gammage on an itinerary! No it’s not the color of the building, or the fact that it’s shaped like a birthday cake, or that the Mill Avenue shopping district is so close… It’s because the audiences, and the city itself, are so welcoming.

My first experience at The Gammage was on the national tour of “Mamma Mia” playing Tanya. Being in that very first cast to play Tempe was a blast, and the audiences didn’t disappoint with their enthusiasm and love for that show. We had a rockin’ good time!

Then I had a wonderful time coming back to just 2 years ago with Disney’s “High School Musical” playing Ms. Darbus, the nutty the drama teacher.
That was an incredible experience because it welcomed in a whole new generation of theatre-goers. Nothing like looking out into the audience and seeing a sea of 10 year old faces just completely enthralled and enjoying everything live theatre has to offer.

And now coming back with “Mary Poppins” I think audiences, young and old, will be astonished. Theatre is one of those extraordinary art forms that allows us to experience things in the moment, to be affected by energy, and to tap our feet when the music gets going J “Mary Poppins” is one of those shows that comes along once in a lifetime. Not only does it tell the story of a family facing struggle, but encourages the child in all of us to follow our dreams because “anything can happen if you let it.” The cast is incredible, the sets are gorgeous, the music is catchy….and oh wait, and I get to play the villain. (Bet you never knew there was a villain in this story). My character is from the original books and adds a wonderful dimension to the play. A perfect reason to see the show!

Over the years I have found that Tempe audiences are always ready for a good show. And we love that. I encourage audiences of all ages to embrace this show and go on the journey that only Disney and Cameron Macintosh can take you on. It is truly “magical.”