SCERA Spotlight Podcast

On opening week of Noises Off!, we admit that performers sometimes fall short of perfection. It can lead to panic and humiliation when something goes wrong ... but it can make for a hilarious story later on!

On this episode, we confess our onstage flaws, hiccups and near-disasters! And we do it with the help of two hilarious performers and SCERA favorites, Brodee Ripple and McKelle Shaw! Plus, on the serious side, McKelle and Brodee share some of their wise-beyond-their-years insights about their craft.

Guests: McKelle Shaw and Brodee Ripple

Hosts: Rachael Gibson, Kelsey and Jake Thompson, Granite Ogborn, and Quin Swallow

Two of our favorite SCERA people-
McKelle Shaw and Brodee Ripple!

The pressure is on the cast of Noises Off! to pull-off a performance filled with chaos, physical comedy, and actors so funny they may just have a hard time keeping a straight face. But YOU don't have to, if you're in the audience ... You're more than welcome to laugh your head off.

On today's podcast, hear what the craziness is about as we talk to the cast of Noises Off! about scripted insanity on-stage.

Guests: Chase Ramsey (director), David Smith, Brittni Bills Smith, Shawn Mortensen, Rob Holcombe, Rex Kocherhans, Shannon Follette, Janessa Ramsey, and Zach Elzey.

Host: Quin Swallow

From left: Rob Holcombe, Rex Kocherhans, David Smith, Shawn Mortensen, Janessa Ramsey, Brittni Bills Smith, Chase Ramsey, Zach Elzey, Shannon Follette

Last week, you heard Allison Books (Ursula the Sea Witch) and Shawn Mortensen (Director, The Little Mermaid) talk about how they learned of Lily, a girl with a serious heart condition and a thing for Disney characters with purple skin like her own, namely Ursula from The Little Mermaid ... and how the cast of last year's Mermaid production arranged to bring Lily and her mother to Utah to meet her 'evil' idol.

This week, Allison and Shawn talk about Lily's visit to Utah, and meeting ... face-to-face ... the girl who dared to love a sea witch.

Lily and her mother meet Ursula, Flotsam and Jetsam.

Video message from Allison and Shawn to Lily

Video response from Lily in hospital

Lily, with a part of her Ursula collection

Guests: Allison Books, Shawn Mortensen

Hosts: Rachael Gibson, Quin Swallow

If you think theater is simply for entertainment, we have a story that will change your mind. One year afterwards, we talk about a summer that SCERA will never forget ... the one where Urusula the Sea Witch's heart was melted by Lily, a new friend from Pennsylvania who traveled to Utah with her mother just to meet her hero from Disney's The Little Mermaid.

It was an incredible experience and we invited Shawn Mortensen (Director, The Little Mermaid) and Allison Books (Ursula) to recount what happened in their own words. This week, enjoy part one of a two-part conversation that will show just how wonderful things can happen on and off stage, thanks to selfless people.

Correction: I mistakenly said in the introduction to the podcast that Lily was four years old ... She was actually six last summer when she came to Utah. I have posted correct audio, but just in case you heard an earlier version, Lily turned seven just before she passed-away in Spring of this year. -Quin

Guests: Allison Books (SCERA's Les Miserables, James and the Giant Peach, The Little Mermaid, Nunsense); Shawn Mortensen (Director, The Little Mermaid, Seussical the Musical)

Hosts: Rachael Gibson, Quin Swallow

Photography: Rachael Gibson

Production review / Administration: April Berlin

Shawn Mortensen and Allison Books

Lily and little Ursula

From Ursula's video message to Lily

Lily performing for Ursula on video

We've fallen in love with Scotland this summer, and we want to show you why. On the final weekend of Brigadoon at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre, we talk to director Jerry Elison, stage manager Julie Bonifay, and actors Vince Abbott and Caroline Glissmeyer. We also spent some time with SCERA performer Erika Bestor, who tells us why SCERA is such a special place to her and her family, why Jerry Elison is like another grandpa, and how the arts can be a perfect fit for someone with tough physical challenges.

Then we take it inside to talk with Shawn Mortensen and Kelsey Mariner about their recent performing trip to Scotland's Fringe festival.

So grab your Scottish shortbread cookies, and enjoy some arts talk at the end of a long week! And scroll below for photos of today's guests!

Vince Abbott

Caroline Glissmeyer

From Left: Erika Bestor, Julie Bonifay, Chance Richter

Jerry Elison

Guests: Jerry Elison, Julie Bonifay, Caroline Glissmeyer, Erika Bestor, Shawn Mortensen

Hosts: Chance Richter, Kelsey Mariner, Quin Swallow

Garrett Smit is a jerk ... but only on stage. Between the foreman in Les Mis, the dad in Footloose, and George Banks in Mary Poppins, Garrett has had a lot of experience playing the grumpy curmudgeon. Thankfully, Garrett is far nicer and approachable in real life, though he admits he could easily relate to Mr. Banks in many ways. This week we'll share part of our conversation with Garrett, and you'll easily see why we like him so much.

Also, we can't Ask Kelsey this week ... she's in Europe. But we get questions all the time about SCERA. Today, we answer a few of them!

Guest: Garrett Smit

Hosts: Rachael Gibson & Quin Swallow

Recording this week's episode with Garrett (left), Rachael (middle),
and talking head Jake (right, on the laptop).

Crysta Powell is a veteran stage manager at SCERA ... and she's done some interesting work in New York, too! Christopher Gallacher is a talented singer, dancer and now choreographer! Together, they are two of the brilliant minds behind SCERA's production of Brigadoon, opening this week at the SCERA Shell Outdoor Theatre! On this episode, we'll talk with them both!

Guests: Crysta Powell and Christopher Gallacher

Host: Quin Swallow

What a great time we had this week meeting the Hixson Family- Parents Amy and Dan, and their family Zach, Sammy, McKenna, Izzy, Cole and Cade! They've quite at home on the SCERA Stage, and you'll see them (most of them, anyway) in Seussica the Musical. Find-out what makes this family tick, and how they manage busy lives on and off the stage. SCERA loves these guys ... you will too!

Note: This episode is being released two days early. Our next episode will be released on Friday July 28.

Guests: The Hixson Family

Hosts: Drey Means and Quin Swallow

This week's episode was delayed a bit, thanks to some technical trouble ... But we're back on track!

This week, we'll introduce you to more members of the Seussical the Musical cast, including Reed Hahne and Kelly Cook, and one of our SCERA managers, Megan Johnson. Plus, did you see the incredible National Treasures exhibit at the SCERA Center on July 1-4? If not, we'll take you back in time ... WAY back in time ... to see some of the fascinating artifacts that made their way to SCERA from the Brent Ashworth collection. What a treat for history nerds! And since our podcast is enhanced, you can see the artifacts as you hear about them!

Special segment: The SCERA Shell Song written and performed by Chance Richter

Guests: Kelly Cook, Reed Hahne, Megan Johnson and the Seussical Ensemble

Hosts: Quin Swallow, Kelsey Mariner, Drey Means

Photos courtesy of SCERA, taken by Rachael Gibson

Kendall Bowman has been our 'sound guy' for a stellar run, but we're losing him! Before he gets too far, we wanted you to meet Kendall to hear about his great work and some funny stories. He did not disappoint.

We've also been talking with some of the cast of Seussical the Musical ... And today we start with Seth Sherman, who plays JoJo!

ENHANCED PODCAST NOTE: This episode is enhanced, and will display various images at certain times in during playback in some podcast and audio players. A chime tone sounds when a new image is displayed.

Guests: Kendall Bowman and Seth Sherman

Hosts: Rachael Gibson, Kelsey Mariner, Drey Means, Chance Richter and Quin Swallow