Robyn O'Neill » musical

A Grand Night for Singing

robyn — Sat, 03 Apr 2010 15:08:40 +0000

A Grand Night for Singing opens tonight at Swift Creek Mill Theatre. I was down there on Tuesday to take some pictures and got to hear the orchestra.
They sounded amazing!!!! I can’t wait to see the show!

Pete ‘n’ Keely – Snowed Out Again

robyn — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 23:26:17 +0000

This has been just the craziest month! First let me say that our rehearsal period for Pete ‘n’ Keely was really short. Three weeks – evenings only – couple of weekends. That’s 20 songs (120 if you count the Cross Country Tour), two people, and Robin Arthur choreography. It was pretty intense. Then, at the end of those three weeks, we did two preview performances (the first of which was actually reviewed – gotta love that) and THEN THE SNOW CAME.

There went our opening. A producer’s nightmare! On a personal note, I thought “fine with me!” I generally don’t enjoy the big opening night thing. I barely know the show at that point, and the fact that the critics (and so many of my friends) are in the house usually makes me want to throw up. However, I’ve got to say it was pretty strange to just… go home. No opening night party? No celebratory drinks? Kinda sad.

Fast forward to last night. Remember how we hardly knew the show last week? Well now we’ve been away from it for six days. Thank God our small, but lively audience didn’t mind. They seemed to be having quite a good time!

And today – more snow. And more cancellations. When did I move to New England?

It could be worse. It could be Mulan. They’re only scheduled to play three weekends and they’re losing two. That’s gotta hurt! At least we’ve got until mid-March. Russell and I are bound to hit our stride long before then!

A few more

robyn — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 22:43:39 +0000

I am finally finished with all of the Pete n Keely photos. Here are a few more of the production shots.

It’s Us Again!

robyn — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 19:12:00 +0000

That’s the opening number of Pete ‘n’ Keely. The “us” in the title refers to America’s swingin’ sweethearts – Pete Bartel and Keely Stevens – reuniting in 1968 for a live television special. The only catch: they haven’t spoken to each other since their big breakup at Caesar’s Palace five years ago. The “us” in Swift Creek Mill Theatre‘s production also refers to me and my leading man, Russell Rowland.

Our first show together was Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Cinderella produced by Theatre IV in 1998.

(Russell isn't in this photo. I just really like it.)

Seven years later, Russell was Frank Butler to my Annie Oakley in Barksdale Theatre’s mega-hit Annie Get Your Gun. (I like saying meg

a-hit.)

And now here we are in 2010. It seems we’re destined to play together every seven years. A magic number! I hope that’s a good omen for Pete ‘n’ Keely!

I’m going to be a little tied up for the next few weeks.

robyn — Tue, 05 Jan 2010 23:23:43 +0000

I’m off to rehearsal for Swift Creek Mill’s upcoming production of Pete ‘n’ Keely. I’ve got about three weeks to learn the show, come up with about 50 photo props, and lose 15 pounds. Yes, I know.

Summer of ’42

robyn — Wed, 01 Jul 2009 23:15:55 +0000

We opened Summer of ’42 (book by Hunter Foster, music & lyrics by David Kirshenbaum) at Stage 1 Theatre Company about two weeks ago. It’s my first show for Stage 1 and I’m really excited to take part in the theatre company’s premier season. I’ve known Artistic Director Chase Kniffen since he was ten years old, and I always expected he would do great things in the theatre. At 24 years old, he’s off to an amazing start, and I’m so proud of him!

I do have to admit though, that when Chase asked me to play the part of Dorothy, I had one very serious reservation, which my friend Dave Timberline nailed in his blog.

“You could certainly make a case for Robyn being too old for this role. “

Oh God!

However, he went on and totally made my day:

“But even if Dorothy is a character I would have pegged at being in her mid-to-late 20s, I think it works with Ms. O’Neill because she has always had the energy and a glow about her of someone many years younger. The key question for the show is: can you believe her being the object of a teenage boy’s crush? And the answer for me is unquestionably yes.”

Thanks, Dave! You made this old broad really happy!

(Photo by Chase Kniffen)

Blues in the Night at Swift Creek Mill Theatre

robyn — Sun, 24 May 2009 19:41:56 +0000

Just wanted to remind you that Altar Boyz and Blues in the Night are both closing on May 30, so make sure you get your tickets!

Altar Boyz

robyn — Sun, 03 May 2009 22:54:41 +0000

You may have missed Of Mice and Men, but there’s still time to see Swift Creek Mill’s currently running hit, Altar Boyz. They’ve really pulled out all the stops on this one and it is great fun!

Plaid Tidings

robyn — Sun, 30 Mar 2008 20:46:00 +0000

November 2007

I’m on the Board of Directors for Swift Creek Mill Theatre and do lots (and lots) of volunteer work for them. Last November, they opened Plaid Tidings, the holiday sequel to the extremely popular Forever Plaid. I went down during a dress rehearsal one night and took a few pictures.

Of course it was mostly about The Plaids (Brett Ambler, Brandon Becker, Durron Tyre, and Brian Vaughan), but I managed to get one with Tom Width and Paul Deiss in there as well.