BIG, BIG GALA SUCCESS!

So here's a clip (thanks Anne and Anne's iPhone!) from our 5th Bday party last Saturday.
I would have to call it a raging success, and thank all of the awesome performers who made it happen. Guy was the best emcee I have EVER seen and the cake, made by Jolaade Aboaba, was the most stunning thing ever. I cried. Like 3 times...
Major PROPS to J.A.D.A's Delights, LLC! THANK YOU!

More pix to come when I get them, but here is the birthday video.
Enjoy and thanks again all!

Update on the Gala

Hey y'all,

Every year when we throw our annual fundraiser, it's a lot of work. It's almost as much work as putting a show up. (Last year we did the Gala DURING the rehearsal period for Barefoot In The Park; it almost killed us.) This year's bash is going much easier. Perhaps we're getting the hang of it.

I'm so incredibly excited about the performers for this year's party. Normally we do one band, or something like that, but this year: a cabaret performed by Ground Uppers and friends.

Have you seen Molly Pope? She's a cabaret superstar who does an amazing show, aptly titled The Molly Pope Show, at venues like Joe's Pub. And sells them out. She's the real deal, people.

Rob Maitner has the funniest Facebook Statuses of anyone I know. And what he has prepared is so wacky - you're going to die. 90s style.

Natalie Douglas

asked me what she should do, and I asked her to do something classy. She's really well-known in New York. Did you know she's a MAC Award winner? Maybe she'll do some Nina Simone or Lena Horne.

You know our next play was written by Michael Walker. It's a drama. But, Michael also has a writing partner, with whom he writes amazing musicals. Check out Ewalt and Walker. There are going to be a few E&W songs performed at the gala. One by Eric Petersen, who is just about to go out on tour as the title character in Shrek: The Musical. We're lucky to have him!

Excited yet?

Who else? I don't want to give away all the secrets. But I'll tease you with these:

•A song extolling the virtues of New Jersey

•Something in French

•A dramatic reading of a beloved commercial

and

•A trip to The Frog Pad.

That's all you're getting, people.

Not too late to buy tickets. Hope to see you there.

Did I mention tons of food and all-you-can-drink?

The Frog Pad Lives On!

OK, so I never got a photo of the plaque that we apparently won from Cornell Business School for our Warehouse Project. However, I was at the WH this weekend getting stuff ready for the Gala and I found THIS!

So, in honor of our upcoming, Southern, 5 year anniversary, Gala to raise mula for the upcoming season.... I PROUDLY PRESENT.....
The FROG PAD HISTORIC LANDMARK Plaque!

For those of you who didn't see The People vs. Mona, this plaque commemorates the fact that the coolest juke-joint in Tippo, Georgia is now on the registry for historic places in America.

So congrats Ground UP for helping to make this happen!
...And here's to a FABULOUS Gala!

Vacation Weekend is Over, now it's back to work!

Hello,

I hope everyone is doing well? How was every one's Memorial Day weekend? Mine was pretty awesome. It was great to relax, go out, BBQ, hang with friends, and enjoy a weekend of pushing responsibilities aside. Well, that has ended today. It's time to get back to reality and back to work.

The next two weeks are going to be extremely busy for us. The entire company will gear up and do the work necessary to pull off our 5th anniversary Gala Bash (The Bootleg Revue). With just two weeks left to the big day we still have lots of planning and preparations to do, such as food, sound, decorations, auction items, rehearsals, script, PR, setup schedule, crew shifts, etc...

I know I talk about preparations and go into details about the behind the scenes action since this is the area I oversee, but I'm sure you, the reader is excited about one part. The talent!! The singers!! The performers who are going to be performing these wonderful musical numbers for you. We have incredible talent lined up. I have to personally thank Guy Olivieri who worked magic to put together an exciting and great show for you. What you see on stage will be there because of Guy. You might recognize some of the names (Kat Sherrell, Natalie Wilson, Natalie Douglas, Matt Hardy, Randy Klein, Gay Marshall, Marcie Henderson, Kyle Ewalt, Jillian Louis, Kevin McWilliams, Cole Burden, Rob Maitner, Molly Pope, Casey Densler, Michael Hicks, Karen Culp, Franklin Golden) and we also have the band "Happy Ending" singing some songs from their album Turn It On. Doesn't it sound like a great night???

Now here is the most important work we need to do this upcoming week - sell tickets!! Aren't you excited to see these talented individuals strut their stuff on stage? Let's make a deal, while I work with the company to get the show together, you work on getting people to join us for what will be an evening full of fun! Go to our website now to purchase tickets. Seats will go fast, so don't miss out. Again, our Gala is going be next Saturday, June 12th from 8-12, near Union Square, with great food, drinks, and of course, performances from all members of the company. Singing things from past shows, doing skits, and we are even going to have a pinata. Visit our website, http://www.groundupproductions.org/. to get tickets. Your purchase includes food, all you can drink, and a show. The truth is, your ticket will help us have another season and produce our upcoming world premiere. This is our biggest fundraising evening so we really need you there.

Come join us and in the meantime, I will forget my vacation weekend and get back to work!!


- Phil

Being on the other side

Everyone who knows us at Ground UP knows we love to do theatre! Our company is about putting on the best shows possible. It takes a lot of work behind the scenes to get a show up and running. Months of planning, scheduling, rehearsing, set building, all leading up to the performance. I love doing it, especially when I hear the audience laugh or even gasp. As much fun as it is behind the scenes, it's just as much fun to be on the other side. To sit back as an audience member, not worry about who's cue is next, what prop should be where, is quite a joy. Tonight I get to do such a thing. I get to be on the other side in the house. I'm going to see South Pacific at Lincoln Center. It's a musical theatre classic and this revival garnered tons of Tony awards. As an artist, we can only grow by looking at what others do, seeing their vision, and becoming part of the experience. Seeing other's visions mold us and influence us. So tonight, I will sit back and enjoy. Simply take in this masterpiece and all the joy it brings with it. It's a great change of pace from having to worry about budget, contracts, and ticket sales. Woo-Hoo.... you gotta love the other side.

Cornell Meeting at Pesce Pasta!

THE WAREHOUSE project is going great!

As I said, the awesome plaque that we won is on the way, but here is the dinner photo! Thanks again to Dan, Phil, Travis, Seth, Dean, Josh, Bill, and Liz Schuster!

Onwards and upwards to new, exciting things like leases and insurance! Yaaaay.

Blast from the past

Article from 2006 Playbill about our revival of Pump Boys & Dinettes at Manhattan Theatre Source in the West Village.

Pump Boys & Dinettes was our company's first production of a musical, and it was a resounding success. I still think its awesome we were the first company to revive it in New York City. I believe it did much to cement the bonds of friendship between GUP and the NYC theater community and it led to us producing The People vs. Mona the next summer.