Milling About

Milling About goes behind-the-scenes with Pump Boys & Dinettes playing The Papermill Playhouse April 6-May 1. Joining host Robin Milling is James Barry (Jim), Julie Foldesi (Prudie), Jason Ostrowski (L.M.), Alysha Umphress (Rhetta) and choreographer JoAnn M. Hunter (School of Rock). All the action takes place on North Carolina's Highway 57. The Pump Boys at the gas station (James, Jason, Gabe Bowling as Jackson and Sam Weber as Eddie) are a musical foursome, playing all their own instruments in the show with styles ranging from the 30s to the 80s. On acoustic guitar is James who tells Robin he grew up playing in rock bands. He says the music in the show features ragtime to classic country, soul and funk. On piano, percussion, accordian and a 'little tap dancing' is Jason, an accomplished pianist who tells Robin tapping while playing accordian was a challenge, 'It's a funny moment because I'm playing accordian while I'm doing it in cowboy boots!' Jason goes from Sondheim to country rock 'n roll having played piano and bass in Company. And then there's the Dinettes of the Double Cupp Diner featuring Julie and Alysha as the Cupp sisters. Julie is musically inclined as well playing ukelele, guitar and piano but had to learn accordian and harmonica for the show. She tells Robin, 'I have my own 'Keep Your Eye on Foldesi' band, sort of bluegrassy folk. I have two albums on iTunes and Amazon!' Alysha trades in her taxi medallion in On The Town as a percussive dinette. She laughs, 'I play tubs, a cheesegrater and a whisk. I do oatmeal. Things you never thought could be played, I play!' Pump Boys and Dinettes premieres April 10 at The Papermill Playhouse. For more information visit www.PaperMill.org/PumpBoys Music provided by Pump Boys and Dinettes Original Broadway Soundtrack

New York Pops Music Director and Conductor Steven Reineke joins host Robin Milling to talk about the upcoming Carnegie Hall concert celebrating the music of 50 Academy Award nominee John Williams from Spielberg to Star Wars. John tells Robin he culled through much of Williams' extensive soundtrack catalogue but narrowed it down to collaborations with filmmaker Steven Spielberg to honor his 70th birthday. Steven says the music of John Williams is so powerful and visceral that if you close your eyes it just takes you back to the movies such as his most recent score for Star Wars: The Force Awakens. “Even the earliest memories from Jaws in 1975, I remember sitting in a movie theater being very young with my family watching Jaws for the first time and it was fantastic. Every time I conduct or hear that opening theme, 'Baadum, Baadum,' I am transported right back.” Four of Williams' Academy Award winning film scores will be played by The New York Pops orchestra on April 8 at Carnegie Hall including Jaws, ET: The Extraterrestrial, Star Wars, Schindler's List and much more. For more information visit  The New York Pops www.newyorkpops.org.

Alan Parsons joins host Robin Milling to discuss his personal and professional journey from Abbey Road Studios to The Alan Parsons Project and more. A renaissance man, Alan is also an author of 'Art & Science of Sound Recording' and hopes to pen his autobiography some day. With entertainnment in his family, he is also actively pursuing a career as an actor. Alan tells Robin how he landed his coveted job as an assistant engineer at Abbey Road Studios and would come to work with The Beatles on such projects as Let It Be, and the Abbey Road album. Listen for some great behind-the-scenes stories of what it was like to work with The Beatles in the recording studio,andwith Paul McCartney at his home studio. Plus Alan talks about embarking on a 'greatest hits' tour with The Alan Parsons Project, and much more. For more information visit http://alanparsonsmusic.com/

Legendary rocker DAVID BOWIE has died January 10, 2016 at the age of 69; just two days after his 69th birthday and his latest album release, following an 18-month battle with cancer. Blackstar, his 25th and final album released January 8th has been described as a 'parting gift to his fans.' His other most recent musical creation was the off-Broadway show, Lazarus featuring his music and starring Michael C. Hall; based on The Man Who Fell To Earth. Host Robin Milling dips into the archives to pay tribute to the Thin White Duke in this interview from 1992 with Bowie and Tin Machine bassist Tony Sales.

Taylor Kinney stars in The Forest, the first horror film in 2016. Taylor stars alongside Natalie Dormer as they search the famed Aokigahara suicide forest in Japan searching for her missing twin sister. Taylor tells host Robin Milling what he did during his off-time shooting the film in the Serbian mountains, his upcoming nuptials to Lady Gaga, his pride in playing a fireman in Chicago Fire, holiday traditions, and more. Movie stills courtesy of Gramercy Pictures by James Dittiger.

Natalie Dormer stars in The Forest, the first scary movie in 2016. Making her horror debut, she takes on double duty playing twins in the story about traveling to Japan to save her sister from impending doom in the famed Aokigahara suicide forest. Natalie tells Robin she tempted fate by visiting the forest prior to shooting the film by stepping off the path for a mere second. Not one to be put off by spirits, insects are another story as she had to fend off the creepy crawlers in the scene where she falls down the sinkhole. Coming off Cressida in Hunger Games, and playing Margaery Tyrell in Game of Thrones, Natalie tells Robin about changing her hairstyle for roles, reuniting with her family for the holidays, and more. Movie stills courtesy of Gramercy Pictures by James Dittiger

Milling About visits a special sneak preview of American Dance Machine where 22 dancers perform classic Broadway dance numbers reimagined by some of the dance world's best choreographers. Host Robin Milling speaks with dancer/singer Lori Ann Ferreri (On The Town, Wicked) who says she felt guided by her mentor, A Chorus Line's Donna McKechnie for her rendition of Music & The Mirror. Tyler Hanes (On The Town, A Chorus Line, Sweet Charity) who performs Tommy Tune's We'll Take A Glass from Grand Hotel, and duets with his favorite New York City Ballet soloist Gina Pazcoguin, says working on the New York stage is a dream come true. Director Wayne Cilento (Wicked, Sweet Charity revival, The Who's Tommy) who played Mike in A Chorus Line, reunites with the legendary Cassie, Donna McKechnie. They share what it's like coming full circle as dancers to behind-the-scenes, working with Artistic Director Nikki Feirt Atkins to bring a fresh approach to a dance theatrical experience. American Dance Machine premiering December 21 at The Joyce Theater in New York City, features works from A Chorus Line, Bubbling Brown Sugar, Singin' In The Rain, West Side Story, and The Who's Tommy; to name a few.

Narada Michael Walden grew up as Michael in Kalamazoo, Michigan in a house filled with music always playing. He would beat along on pie tins and table tops, and at five years old when he received his first Toyland drum kit, that set his musical path. Fast forward to 19 when he was discovered by John McLaughlin who introduced him to his guru, giving him the name 'Narada' which means supreme musician. That set his spiritual path. Producing pop music was just an extension of Narada's listening to what was hot coming up in Michigan, from 'Motown to Johnny Mathis and everything in-between.' He tells Robin how 12 year-old Stacy Lattisaw was his first big break as a producer; putting her and him on the map with Let Me Be Your Angel. He recalls, 'And then my phone started ringing from Clive Davis and you name it. Will you produce this person and this one? And I said yes to everybody. I blew up!' Narada treats Robin to stories about some of the incredibly talented artists he's worked with over the years including Elton John, Sting and his Rainforest productions, Lionel Richie, Barbra Streisand and Whitney Houston; to name a few. He also talks about his new album Evolution and says the songs were inspired by the changes in him since fatherhood.

Broadway star Kate Baldwin joins host Robin Milling for Let's Do Lunch! at Village Prime in New York City. On stage at 59 E. 59, Kate gets her honky tonk on as Tammy Trip, a former Nashville Grand Ole Opry queen in Songbird; music and lyrics by Lauren Pritchard. She tells Robin she has never been to Music City but studied Robert Atlman's film 'Nashville' to prepare for the role and read up on famous female country artists like Wynona Judd and being a woman in the world of country music. She reveals her ultimate inspiration for the character looking sinewy and fit was inspired by a pop star. Her country twang came from listening to a playlist of several country singers, and one in particular became her model. At Village Prime, the fresh baked bread on the table was tempting, but Kate abstained as she is keeping her strict carb-free diet that she began with her husband; fellow actor, Graham Rowat, who also got in shape to play a gladiator in A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum. A foodie herself, she jokes that they may look great but they're 'exhausted and starving!' She tells Robin how they met during a run of 1776 at the Fords Theater in Washington, D.C. playing Richard Henry Lee and Martha Jefferson. Kate says their four and a half year-old son Colin is an equalizer between career and motherhood. Kate tells Robin her Broadway debut was as a swing in The Full Monty, and then as a dancer in the ensemble of Thoroughly Modern Millie. Learning the line dance in Songbird was plenty for Kate who jokes that she is a 'recovering dancer.' The menu at Village Prime consisted of Pumpkin Bisque soup, Roasted Salmon with Hudson Valley spaghetti squash and artichoke puree, Vegetable Flatbread with grilled seasonal veggies and mozzarella cheese, and Tuna Nicoise with bonito tuna, hard-boiled egg, haricot vert, potato over mixed greens.

Broadway star Douglas Hodge makes his directing debut on the great white way with Old Times starring Clive Owen, Eve Best, and Kelly Reilly. Douglas joins host Robin Milling, taking time out of his hectic schedule for tea and a chat. Douglas tells Robin how impressed he was with Clive Owen and company who brought their own memories of loved ones into Harold Pinter's play about jealousy and obsession. He says he would love to make the piece into a film if only he could get the rights to it; taking the cast onto the big screen and opening it up onto the streets of London. Never settling on one thing, Douglas is shooting Penny Dreadful as Inspector Bartholomew Rusk, in Ireland through March; busy 'chasing Josh Hartnett across the desert!' In between he's off to France to work on a French film. And musically he's keen on performing a couple of gigs, writing a new commissioned musical, as well as anticipating his own musical 'Meantime' in London.