AND THE BASIE GOES TO…
Oh, HER: Actress (and Count Basie Theatre board member) Siobhan Fallon Hogan, pictured next to Renee Zellweger in the film NEW IN TOWN, is the host of the 2009 Basie Awards going on Wednesday night in Red Bank.
By DOROTHY CREAMER
On Wednesday night, May 20, the red carpet will unfurl at the Count Basie Theatre. The nominees will nervously pat their hair and straighten their finest couture before telling their chauffeurs when to bring the car back around. These hopefuls are not established stars…yet. They’re teenagers who represent the area’s finest burgeoning talent — and those drivers are most likely the proud parents who will be sitting in the audience, cheering for their Broadway-bound babies.
Yes, it’s time for The Count Basie Theatre Awards, the annual affair honoring excellence in Monmouth county high school theatre. Known more simply as “The Basies,” the gala evening, sponsored by Farewell Mills Gatsch Architects LLC and Monmouth University, features performances by the casts of the best musical nominees, as well as individual musical actors and actresses.
Hosting the evening is Siobhan Fallon Hogan, an actress whose name might not be instantly recognizable — but one glimpse of the ubiquitous redhead and people invariably say, “oh her!” From television to movies, Hogan has done it all, from being a Saturday Night Live regular, to appearing in Oscar-winning films (remember bus driver Dotty in Forrest Gump?) and box-office blockbusters (remember alien-infiltrated farmer Vincent D’Onofrio’s wife in Men In Black?), to hit TV shows (remember Elaine’s annoying roommate on Seinfeld?), to name just a few memorable roles. It’s a long way to come in a career that started as “the last wheel of a locomotive,” in a third grade production of The Proud Train.
Among the list of presenters are Broadway star Fredi Walker-Browne, from the original cast of RENT, in addition to such Monmouth County celebrities as New Jersey Council of the Arts chairwoman Carol Herbert and local restaurateur/entertainer Tim McLoone.
The Count Basie Theatre’s Yvonne Scudiery (second from left) directs student performers in a rehearsal for Wednesday night’s Basie Awards extravaganza. (Photos above and below by Alicia Yerves)
According to education director Yvonne Scudiery, who sifts through 128 evaluation sheets from judges who attend more than 30 high school shows, “I like the fact that it’s not always the same schools winning — I’ve seen the level of professionalism increase across the board.”
In an era when many schools curtail competition to appease an “everyone’s a winner” society, Scudiery believes the real lesson for these students has nothing to do with being the one to grip an award in front of a podium.
“Winning is great, the trophy is wonderful, but it’s so much more,” Scudiery admits. “There are more important things…like the graciousness of losing and understanding that life isn’t fair, or one person’s perception of fair.”
The Red Bank area is well represented at this year’s awards with Red Bank Regional, Red Bank Catholic and Rumson-Fair Haven Regional pulling in many nominations in the evening’s top categories. RBR’s production of Thoroughly Modern Millie was recognized with nods for Dennis Chambers (lead actor in a musical), Melissa D’Anna (lead actress in a musical) and David Smolokoff (supporting actor in a musical). Kris Zook was also tapped for outstanding musical direction, along with Camille Thompson for outstanding student/adult orchestra and Joseph Russo for stage direction.
Stevi Incremona was nominated for her supporting actress performance in Rumson-Fair Haven’s send-up of Into The Woods, which also was lauded for outstanding costume design (Carole Malik) and outstanding student/adult orchestra (Eric Yves Garcia).
Red Bank Catholic’s The Wiz earned nominations for outstanding choreography (Kelly Gemellaro) and two outstanding ensemble group mentions for “The Crows” and “Emerald City Residents.”
On the non-musical side, RBR brushed up their Shakespeare with Romeo and Juliet and raked in another three actor nominations: lead actor (Tim Patten), lead actress (Phoebe Ryan) and supporting actress (Jazmyn Poole).
As for Hogan, the Middletown resident became involved with the Count Basie Theatre when she joined its board of directors at the recommendation of her friend and fellow board member, Beth Giannato.
“I did all the musicals (at Cazenovia High School),” says the comedic actress, a native of upstate New York. “I thought I would pursue musical theatre, but I could only sing to a G, so that wasn’t too helpful,” Hogan quips.
Hogan believes in supporting local theatre, and attends as many shows at the Count Basie as she can.
“It is such a beautiful theatre,” she praises. “I wanted to be part of the Basie Awards because I felt it was an honor to be involved with such a fantastic venue, and I also feel high school kids deserve to be rewarded and encouraged for their efforts.”
She will also be getting in on the act. In addition to hosting the event, she will be featured in the opening number. This year’s kick-off, featuring all 18 nominated schools, is a choreographed piece set to “I Got the Sun in the Mornin’ (and the Moon at Night)” from Annie Get Your Gun.
“I just hope the audience will not expect to see me in the orchestra pit,” Hogan laughs.
“I think the Basies are a fantastic way to congratulate the high schools for all their terrific work,” Hogan enthuses. “It gives them a chance to see their competition too, which is good because it is such a cut-throat business.”
Knowing all too well the pressures that come with show biz, Hogan offers some words of wisdom to the next generation of stars. “I would advise kids going into acting to realize it’s a long road,” Hogan warns. “And what goes around comes around, so treat people you work with the way you want to be treated.”
Hogan won’t be gone from Monmouth for long after the last Basie is handed out. She will return to Red Bank on June 18 and 19, to perform her one-woman show, The Salty Sea PTA at the Two River Theater. Based on her experiences with the PTA at her kids’ school, the satirical look at PTA life showcases Hogan as a variety of different characters from parents to coaches to school psychiatrist.
A complete list of Basie Awards nominees is available here. Tickets for Wednesday’s 7pm program are $15 and can be purchased at the box office, or right here.
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May 18, 2009
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