The top 8 Broadway Bound contestants will be competing Thursday night April 4^th for a chance to win a trip to NYC.  Your votes will help them make their way through the competition, so join us at 7:30 on Thursday, April 4th and help us decide the FANTASTIC FOUR!

The FANTASTIC FOUR will then belt it out on Friday April 5th at 7:30 pm to determine this year’s Broadway Bound Winner. 

We caught up with our top 8 and asked them a couple questions about their Broadway Bound experience and Broadway dreams.

Eric Morris

The Stage: What inspired you to compete in Broadway Bound?

 Eric: I was inspired to so Broadway Bound for several reasons. One of the reasons was because I had never performed at FMCT and I thought it would be a great experience. And one of the major reasons for auditioning was for the audition in New York. I have dreamed of nothing but being a performer in the big apple so I felt like this would be a great opportunity that I couldn’t pass up.

The Stage: What songs will you be performing on Thursday?

 Eric: I will be singing the song Epiphany from the musical Sweeney Todd I chose this song because I thought it would be awesome to show the scarier darker side of Theatre. And my Disney song that I will be singing is Proud of your Boy from the show Aladdin I chose this song because it is my all-time favorite Disney movie and the song was cut from the show so I feel like it needs stage time.

The Stage: What would be your dream role on Broadway? 

Eric: O gosh my dream role on the big Broadway would probably be Horton The Elephant in Seussical or Edna Turnblad in Hairspray or to just be in a Broadway Disney show. 

Katharine Strom

The Stage: What inspired you to compete in Broadway Bound?

Katharine: I heard about this opportunity from Scott Brusven and jumped at the chance to be audition. I feel the most myself when I’m on a stage and I thought the concept for Broadway Bound was awesome. Also, since I’m graduating in May, a free trip to the Big Apple might be just what I need to start my career in theater! 

The Stage: What songs will you be performing on Thursday?

Katharine: Just Around The River Bend from Pocahontas by Alan Menken and Stephen Schwartz and Not A Day Goes By from Merrily We Roll Along by Stephen Sondheim.

The Stage: What would be your dream role on Broadway? 

Katharine: It’s a tie between Ariel in The Little Mermaid and Dot in Sunday in the Park with George.

Andrea Peterson

The Stage: What inspired you to compete in Broadway Bound?

Andrea: Actually, I was coerced by my friends Crystal and Sam.  They were competing and pushed me to take that leap.  I wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t for their generous support.  Performing is my passion.

The Stage: What songs will you be performing on Thursday?

Andrea:  I will be performing The Ladies Who Lunch from Company and You’ll Be In My Heart from Tarzan.

The Stage: What would be your dream role on Broadway? 

 Andrea: I would love to play Elphaba in Wicked or Eve in Children of Eden.  But, I still love the oldies…..Mama Rose in Gypsy, Nora in Sunset Boulevard and Dolly Levi in Hello Dolly.  I don’t suppose I could play Annie anymore?

Jaylen Rick

The Stage: What inspired you to compete in Broadway Bound?

Jaylen: I’ve dreamt of both going to NYC, and auditioning for “American Idol” since early in elementary school. When I heard about this competition, I knew it was something I wanted to try.

The Stage: What songs will you be performing on Thursday?

Jaylen: For my Sondheim song, I’ll be singing Broadway Baby from The Follies and for my Disney song I am performing  A Change In Me from Beauty and the Beast.

The Stage: What would be your dream role on Broadway?

Jaylen: As a child, I would like to play Annie, but when I grow up, I would like to play Ariel.

Noelle McVicar

The Stage: What inspired you to compete in Broadway Bound?

Noelle: I just thought it would be a really great opportunity to challenge myself and do something different. There are not many opportunities in Fargo like this, especially in Fargo so I knew it would help me grow as a performer.

The Stage: What songs will you be performing on Thursday?

Noelle: Part Of Your World The Little Mermaid from and I Know Things Now from Into The Woods

The Stage: What would be your dream role on Broadway?

Noelle:  Where do I begin? So many, but I would actually take any role on Broadway! My top four in no order would be:  Millie, from Thoroughly Modern Millie because I love the twenties and the music in that show is so fun.  I think it really captures the feeling and atmosphere of that era. I love Millie as a character because I see a lot of me in her she is a big dreamer from a small town and she has high goals for herself and doesn’t let anything or any man get between her and her dreams . Belle or Ariel because I absolutely adore Disney and Alan Menken as a composer.  Also watching Disney princess movies is how I fell in love with musicals and then watching the stage shows made me fall in love with musical theatre;  they are also both so iconic. Lastly, Glinda from Wicked because she is sassy, cute and lovable all wrapped into one. I feel like we are kindred spirits and I think she would be so fun to play!

Natalie Shea

The Stage: What inspired you to compete in Broadway Bound?

Natalie: I have to say it was my passion for theatre! I love to sing and perform and I take every opportunity I have to do so. When I participated in the Fargo Star competition and made it to the top 10, I found out a lot about myself. It was a defining moment, you could say. I realized that my true passion was singing musical theatre. Since then, my dream has always been to be on Broadway and perform for a living! The chance to go to New York, audition, and get some feedback is too great of an opportunity to pass up. This could be my chance to get out there and have my big break!!  

The Stage: What songs will you be performing on Thursday?

Natalie: I will be singing The Miller’s Son from A Little Night Music for my Sondheim piece and Neverland from Peter Pan for my Disney selection. I am super excited to perform these great pieces of musical theatre.

The Stage: What would be your dream role on Broadway?

Natalie: Without a doubt my dream role is Peter Pan. When I was four years old I got to see Cathy Rigby star in this role. She inspired me and ever since then, I have identified with the boy who never grew up. This is a theme so many of us connect to. This role has motivated me to pursue my dreams of being on Broadway and always picked me up when I was down. The DVD performance of Cathy Rigby as Peter Pan is probably my most viewed movie and never “gets old”. Although my favorite piece is probably Neverland, I love all the fun, youthful songs. Peter Pan is my dream role and I hope I have the incredible opportunity to get to portray Peter someday soon! 

Samuel Krauth

The Stage: What inspired you to compete in Broadway Bound?

Samuel: I’m always looking for ways to challenge myself.   As artists, we must constantly be learning, exploring, and pushing ourselves, and I saw Broadway Bound as one more opportunity to do this.  Plus, who wouldn’t want a free trip to NYC?  It was a no-brainer!

The Stage: What songs will you be performing on Thursday?

Samuel: I’ve decided to really challenge myself this week and do 2 songs that I have never done before.  Sondheim and Disney are two genres that I don’t regularly keep in my rotating audition binder because they have become taboo.  Either they’re over-done by other auditioners, too difficult for an accompanist to sight-read (much like Jason Robert Brown), or they don’t make sense out of the context of the plot.  So it’s been a fun challenge and treat getting to pull out two songs and learn them almost from scratch, really getting to delve into characters and explore emotions rather foreign to me while still finding how I relate to them.

For Sondheim I will be performing Henrik’s melancholic Later from A Little Night Music. 

For Disney I decided to take a risk and will be jumping into the mind of notorious Disney villain Ursula, doing Poor Unfortunate Souls from The Little Mermaid.

I’m so excited!

The Stage: What would be your dream role on Broadway?

Samuel: There are so many stories that I would love to have the pleasure of telling.  I must confess, however, that my ultimate dream role does not actually exist yet.  I would love to originate a new role and be able to create a character from the bottom up in a new musical.  However, if you must know one that already exists, I would probably have to say Jean Valjean in Les Miserables.  It’s one of those meaty roles filled with passion and hope, placed in the center of a story dripping with inspiration!  Although, it will probably be a few years before I will be vocally up for the challenge.

Tiffany Sieu

The Stage: What inspired you to compete in Broadway Bound?

Tiffany: I learned about Broadway Bound from professors at Concordia. The opportunity to go to New York was too good to pass up! I have been debating pursuing a career in musical theatre and this is a great place to start!

The Stage: What songs will you be performing on Thursday?

Tiffany: I will be singing Another Hundred People from Company by Sondheim and Home from Beauty and the Beast! Sondheim and Disney are my absolute favorites, so I’m excited to sing BOTH on Thursday!

The Stage: What would be your dream role on Broadway?

Tiffany: My dream role on Broadway is Eponine from Les Miserables. Her character is so troubled and dynamic and everything she sings fits perfectly in my range!

 Tickets are only $5 and all proceeds go to the Summer Theatre Program Scholarship Fund.

Click Here for Tickets

Oh my God.  I cannot believe the events that took place last night.  Ken and I arrived early to Charley and Myra’s house.  Early, as usual.  Ken has so many qualities that I love, but I don’t understand his need to be early for everything.  We arrived, and that’s when we heard this enormous……well, it was quite terrifying.  The door was locked, so Ken had to break into the kitchen.  Even though I knew something was terribly wrong, I couldn’t help feeling pride for my husband – there he was – breaking into a house!  Is there anything he can’t do?

When we discovered Myra was missing and Charley was shot, I fell apart.  My nerves just unraveled.  Ken was doing his best to hold me together, but he was also tending to Charley.  I barely remember talking to Dr. Dudley, but I think I did okay – Ken was helping me find my words.

Ken decided we shouldn’t tell anyone what had happened, and, of course, he was right.   It would look very bad for Charley – for all of us!  Jesus, Glenn is running for State Senate!  This would ruin his career!  Can you imagine what Cassie would have done if the press got a hold of this story?  Ha!  She’s so worried about Glenn leaving her, but if his name were associated with an attempted suicide, she’d drop him faster than she dropped Ouija boards for her crystals.

I can’t express how badly I wanted to tell Claire!  She’s my best friend after all.  I was just about to spill the secret to her when Ken interrupted me.  I’m glad he did – I wouldn’t have gotten the words right.  It was better that Ken told the story, which he did.

The night gets a little fuzzy after that….Ken told me to fix a vodka, and because one really settled my nerves, I figured I’d be completely calm and cool after a few more.   I do remember that I broke out in hives again – damn anxiety.  Ken went deaf, Lenny’s neck was hurt, and Cookie…..well Cookie is Cookie.  Ernie was losing his temper – I can’t believe he is a therapist – analyst – whatever.  Glenn was trying to remove himself from the situation, and Cassie was plain crazy.  It was the worst social event of the year – of my life even!

When the police came, I thought I was going to have a panic attack.  I am easily intimidated, which is why I could never be a trial lawyer.  Thank God Ken was able to come up with the plan that saved us all.  He is brilliant.

I can’t wait to lunch with Claire today – She will fill me in on all the details I missed.  The rest of the story is for another entry, but I will say I have a new respect for Lenny.  For everyone really – I think we handled the situation beautifully…..and most importantly, with reputations intact.

RUMORS is Presented by The Fargo-Moorhead Community Theatre and will be performed at The Stage at Island Park February 1-10. to get show information visit www.fmct.org or call 701-235-6778!

I am a little concerned about my patients.  Okay, maybe they aren’t all my patients, but as an analyst how can I not try to help my friends in need–am I right.  First, a little about me.  I am a tall, dark, and handsome–wait a minute I think I was just describing Glenn Cooper.  I will talk about him later.  Boy, could I talk about him later, but client-patient privilege and all that nonsense.  As I was saying, I am a professional analyst on staff at Bellevue Hospital, very intuitive, and always totally in control.  Nothing ever get by me and I never lose my temper.  It is this piercing intelligence and to emotional control that makes me the professional others strive to be.

I did mention that I am a little concerned about some of my “we will call them friends”  thus side stepping that little doctor/patient privilege nonsense.  First of all, everyone of them are pathological liars.  The only time they are not lying is when they are asleep and my guess is that they lie in their own dreams too.  Lenny is probably the worst.  I mean this man could be caught with his hand in the cookie jar, crumbs in his beard and all over his chest and he could look you in the eye and say,  cookies, what cookies.  I haven’t seen a single cookie here in the kitchen.  I know he is lying because my wife is right beside him.  Her name is Cookie.  So, as you can see he is an obvious liar.

Speaking of my dear wife Cookie.  She is one of the most beautiful women I have ever known and a wonderful cook.  Now, I must admit that she is not the sharpest knife in the drawer (sorry for the cooking reference, but I can’t resist a good pun).  As I was saying, when they were passing out brains, she thought they said chains so she said just a little one please, they can be so heavy to carry around.  But her heart is in the right place and I would do anything for her.

As to a hearing problem. Ken seems to be set on ruining his hearing.  Only one thing needs to be said:  ears next to shaving cream, manholes, or guns—bad.  I do worry about Ken’s wife, Chris.  She is a dear, dear girl who needs to realize that one drink does not mean drinking every “ones” drink.  I feel if we can work one on one I could help her solve her “problem with alcohol’.

I mentioned Lenny the Liar, or as I list him in my notes LTL, but I forgot to mention his lovely wife Claire.  I know she means well, but she seems to say some hurtful things to my little  Cookie Wookie.  Claire is one of my most regular patients (I mean friends) and we will keep working on those issues.

I mentioned Mr. tall, dark, and handsome Glenn Cooper earlier.  I guess he is quite a catch for a woman if one goes in for that successful, handsome, driven, perfectly coiffed kind of man.  Actually, I shouldn’t call him a pathological liar because he is going into politics and I think lying is a prerequisite so he would just be called a politician or in essence, someone who lies for a living.

Then, there is my little Cassie.  I call her that because I feel as an analyst she is the one who needs my help the most.  She has the beauty of an angel, but a personality that can start her head spinning in an instant, if you know what I mean.  I do feel it is a good thing for her to have her “little crystals” if they give her some kind of balance, but I know if she would just give me a chance I could help her with her insecurities.  In all my years as an analyst I am still dumbfounded as to why the most attractive women seem to be the most in need of reassurance.

We did get a chance to meet two very nice police officers.  Although I am a little concerned about one of them.  She doesn’t say much, just listens to what others are saying and analyzing eveything.  I don’t think people like that are very trustworthy.

FMCT’s production of Rumors by Neil Simon will run February 1,2,7,8 & 9 at 7:30pm and February 3 &10 at 2:00pm at The Stage at Island Park. Call 701-235-6778 to order tickets, or order online at fmct.org

A Thank You to the Bailey family, from the Martini family

Philomena & Dominick Martini

July 25, 1946

“Bread! So this house may never know hunger.

Salt! That life may always have flavor.

And wine! That joy and prosperity may reign forever. Enter the Martini castle!”

With those words from George and Mary Bailey earlier today, our new home was christened.

It’s late at night as we write this and we can’t sleep. We don’t want this day to end, our first day and night in our home. The party after the christening was enjoyable, all of our friends from Bedford Falls came to our home in Bailey Park to celebrate, Philomena cooked her famous cannelloni and we had bottle after bottle of wine.  But now, in the quiet of the night, reality is sinking in. We own a home.

The journey to home ownership was long. Our story starts in our birth country, Italy. Philomena and I are from the same small village, Predappio; but we were not members of Mussolini’s fascist political party. By 1930 it was apparent that we would need to leave Italy to escape the effects of fascism, and we chose America as our destination. We love and miss Italy, but America is now our home.

We moved to Bedford Falls for work, Dominick at the mill, Philomena as a seamstress. Not everyone in town was excited to welcome new Italian-Americans, some referred to us as “garlic eaters”. We lived in a small apartment above the bank, worked hard and saved as much as possible, but our landlord, Mr. Potter, increased our rent every year. Our life was happy and in 1935 we welcomed our daughter Olive. At that time Philomena had to reduce her hours to raise our baby and my wages at the mill were not sufficient to raise a family. We wanted to own our own business. I met with George Bailey and with his advice, a small loan and our savings, we opened our own business, Martini’s Bar. Our family worked together long hours and lived in the back. Over the years we built the business, but living in the back of a bar was not the way to raise our daughter. We dreamed of our own house, but thought that dream to be beyond our reach.

One night Mr. Bailey came into Martinis for a drink, he wasn’t a regular customer, but always drank the same thing, bourbon on the rocks. We talked about a new housing development, Bailey Park and the homes to be built. I asked George if we would qualify for a loan, and we scheduled a meeting at the Bailey Building & Loan for the next day. At the meeting George reviewed our finances and we were disappointed to learn that we could not qualify for a home loan. George analyzed my business finances and helped me understand where we could increase sales and reduce expenses, and if we could do that for an extended time period, we could reapply for a home loan.

One year later and we were qualified! We toured homes in Bailey Park, found a perfect two bedroom, submitted our loan application to the Bailey Building & Loan, and now are proud homeowners in Bedford Falls NY.

Olive now has her own room and quiet evenings to do her homework. Philomena has her dream kitchen and a washing machine. Our family has room to entertain our family and friends. We have great neighbors and are thinking of getting Olive a puppy. Our life is complete and we’ve realized the American dream of owning our own home.

The Bailey family and the Bailey Building & Loan helped us realize our dream.  But more important was the personal interest that George Bailey took to help us get there.

We wouldn’t have a roof over our heads if not for you George Bailey. Thank you from the Martinis.

To see the Martini’s receive their home, check out FMCT’s It’s a Wonderful Life: http://sa1.seatadvisor.com/sabo/servlets/TicketRequest;jsessionid=F433E2F7BDC96BC2E2C06A1E3A16C9AE?eventId=539485&presenter=FMCT&venue=&event=