On December 9th and 10th 2012, We Will Return With Our Crowd Favorite........
Rudolph’s Tale: A 1964 Christmas!
Journey back to 1964 for a nostalgic look at a holiday classic…with a comic twist! Rudolph and his merry ‘misfits’ investigate the real meaning of Christmas spirit vis-à-vis family relationships, grouchy elves, sinister Santas, and the ‘abominable’ pains of adolescence. Bumble’s not just a name for monsters in this hilarious satire!
Gotham Radio Theatre Presents “Rudolph’s Tale: A 1964 Christmas”Posted on December 6, 2011 By: Jessica Tiare Bowen
How I love a New York City Christmas. Not just for its twinkle lights, egg nog, or general sense of merriment that overcomes all the locals. What I most appreciate is the sense of nostalgia that takes over the city. It may be the one time of year where tradition runs deeper than trend, smiles are more frequent than smirks, and the old out-fashions the new. That said, you can imagine my excitement of viewing my favorite childhood Christmas movie, Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer, as a live theatrical performance. Talk about an early Christmas present!
Founded in 2010 by Laura Leopard and Victor Barbella, Gotham Radio Theatre is inspired by the Lux Radio Theatre of the 1930’s and 40’s. The audience is treated to a unique experience of actors and sound artists performing live in vintage radio style. On December 4th, 2011, Gotham Radio Theatre presented “Rudolph’s Tale: A 1964 Christmas” at the Upper West Side’s theater, The Triad. If you’ve turned on the TV during the month of December at all in the past fifty years, you’re sure to have seen the tried-and-true classic cartoon, Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer. Now imagine Rudolph and the gang…Yukon Cornelius, Hermey the Dentist, the lovely Clarice, Mr. and Mrs. Claus…all being brought to life by the voices and Foley sound effects of the members of Gotham Radio Theatre! There were moments throughout the show when I blinked, and could have sworn I was listening to the actual 1964 version of the movie!
The talented ensemble displayed their versatile talent by performing several different roles each, shifting voices and characters so dramatically it would have been virtually impossible to know it was the same person speaking had you not seen it with your own eyes.
Along with performing the Rudolph Tale, actors also re-created vintage commercials from the sixties. Some of my favorites included: Shake-N-Bake, Alka Seltzer, and Frosty Flakes. In the words of Tony the Tiger…“They’re greeaaaattt!” The commercials, show, and incredibly gifted group of actors and actresses that make up Gotham Radio Theatre, that is!
As if that weren’t nostalgic enough, the show ended with the ensemble leading the audience in a jubilant round of the famous carol, you guessed it, Rudolph The Red-Nosed Reindeer. On the last line of the song, I couldn’t help but shift my focus away from Rudolph’s red nose onto the fine folks of Gotham Radio. With talent like that, “you’ll go down in history”. Bravo, Gotham!
Vince Trani as Yukon Cornelius and Burl Ives
Vince Trani has been a professional actor since 1973. He appeared in the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera's revival of Kismet and sang Faust in the First National Tour of Ken Hill's Phantom of the Opera. He played Sancho Panza in twelve productions of Man of La Mancha and has worked at the Paper Mill Playhouse, Goodspeed Opera House, Cincinnati Playhouse, for Disney Entertainment Productions and the New York Shakespeare Theatre. For GRT he has appeared in seven shows, most recently as Inspector Fix in Around the World in Eighty Days. Vince is a founding member of the Project Rushmore Theatre Company.
Valerie Gilbert as Mrs. Claus & Clarice
Valerie Gilbert* has written and performed numerous solo shows in New York City. She has done theatre, independent film, stand up, competed in the Moth Storytelling Slams as well as being a regular in the Speakeasy Storytelling series. Valerie is a New York City native, a Harvard graduate, and a member of the Dramatist's Guild. Valerie's book "Raving Violet" will be published by Black Opal Books on January 19, 2013. Check out her blog, "Raving Violet".
Victor Barbella as Hermie
Victor Barbella*,* a founder of Gotham Radio Theatre, is thrilled to be onstage once again in the cast of Rudolph's Tale: A 1964 Christmas. His theatre credits include the title role in Anatol at London’s Lyric Theatre, Beirut at George Street Playhouse, Indians (directed by George Faison) at McCarter Theatre, Women of Manhattan at Greenwich Street Theatre,
Suicide, Anyone? at 45th Street Theatre, The Country Girl at Fleetwood Stage, A View From the Bridge at Oldcastle Theatre in Vermont and Side Man at Stamford Theatreworks in Connecticut.
His film and television work includes Law and Order, the ABC soap Loving, short films, independent films and commercials.
For Gotham Radio, Victor has appeared in Fallen Angels, Lady WIndermere's Fan and-as Madame Arcati-in Blithe Spirit.
Suicide, Anyone? at 45th Street Theatre, The Country Girl at Fleetwood Stage, A View From the Bridge at Oldcastle Theatre in Vermont and Side Man at Stamford Theatreworks in Connecticut.
His film and television work includes Law and Order, the ABC soap Loving, short films, independent films and commercials.
For Gotham Radio, Victor has appeared in Fallen Angels, Lady WIndermere's Fan and-as Madame Arcati-in Blithe Spirit.
J.T. O’Connor As Santa
J.T. O’Connor* is thrilled to return to GRT having played Maurice in Fallen Angels, and Sherlock Holmes in The Hound of the Baskervilles and The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes: Redheads and Bohemians and Nick Potter & Edward Seton in 'Holiday'. His theater credits include the 2000-2002 National Tour of Fiddler on the Roof (Label/Constable) W/ Theodore Bikel, Gypsy (Herbie) W/ Joyce DeWitt, A Christmas Carol (Scrooge), The Nerd (Axel Hammond), Rough Crossing (Ivor Fish), High Spirits (Charles Condo-mine), Uncle Vanya (Professor), Angel Street (Rough), Annie Get Your Gun (Frank Butler), Wait Until Dark (Mike Tal-man), Funny Girl (Nick Arnstein), Moon Over Buffalo (Paul), and Kiss Me Kate (Fred). Television and Film credits include One Life to Live (Officer Roy Pell), The Good Wife, The Other Guys, White Collar, Gossip Girl, Rabbit Hole and The Wolf of Wall Street.
Laura Leopard As Rudolph
Laura Leopard*, a founder of Gotham Radio Theatre, last appeared for GRT as Monica and Joanna in Present Laughter. She is excited once again play Rudolph and participate in all the reindeer games! From Nashville, Tennessee her credits include An Ideal Husband, at The Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey, Quartett at BAM (the Brooklyn Academy of Music), Amadeus at the prestigious Barter Theatre in Virginia, and Claire in Proof at Mill Mountain Theatre in Virginia. Favorite roles include, Mary Queen of Scotts in Mary Stuart, and Nan/Lina in Three Days of Rain, and for GRT, Joanna and Monica in Present Laugher, Elvira in Blithe Spirit and Lucy Warriner in The Awful Truth. Laura is a proud member of Project Rushmore.
Our Director Sydnie Grosberg Ronga
Sydnie Grosberg Ronga has adapted and directed most of Gotham Radio Theatre’s productions. As a director she has worked in New York, St. Louis, and regionally directing a wide variety of revivals and original plays. Sydnie is co-founder of Max & Louie Productions, and directed their critically acclaimed productions of It Had to Be You and The Lady With All the Answers and just returned from directing Richard Greenberg’s The Violet Hour. As Associate Artistic Director of The Phoenix Theatre Company, she directed Boy Meets Girl, Alone At The Beach, and The Nerd. Ms. Grosberg Ronga directed Branislav Tomich’s one-man plays; Blue Lanterns which had a highly successful run in New York fall '09, and Café God which played in NYC, St. Louis and won a Drama Logue Award in Los Angeles. She is on the steering committee for the Project Rushmore Theatre Company, NYC, and has worked with Manhattan Class Company and The Women’s Project. As an Arts Educator Sydnie works with students of all ages, directing shows from elementary school to college and designing theatre curriculum for in-school and after-school programs. An acting teacher and coach, Sydnie was born in St. Louis. She is a graduate of Webster University.