Find Time to Dance Today!

Today's post is from Wolf Trap President and CEO Terrence Jones.

Happy National Dance Day!

"On Earth Together," by Ronald K. Brown

and his Company Evidence will be performed this

Tues.at Wolf Trap. Photo Credit: Kurt H. Leggard


Did you know that today, July 30th, is the second annual National Dance Day? Created by the hit reality TV show "So You Think You Can Dance," this grassroots initiative celebrates all styles of dance and encourages everyone, young and old, to move.

I'm pleased to join the nationwide celebration, but, of course, at Wolf Trap, we dance every day. Sometimes the dancing takes place on a stage, from our affordable dance season at the Filene Center to our programs in the Children's Theatre-in-the-Woods. Sometimes the dancing isn't done by professionals, but rather by the crowd grooving on the lawn or a master class student or a child enjoying a field trip at our Center for Education.

Dance brings people together, it marks special times and moments of celebration, and it's fun. Also, as First Lady and Honorary Chair of the Wolf Trap Foundation Board of Directors Michelle Obama reminds us with her Let's Move campaign, it is great exercise. In a recent NPR interview Mrs. Obama mentions a family pre-dinner routine of turning on the radio and dancing for an hour, saying there's "lots of dancing going on" in the White House.

Dance is extremely important to me and to Wolf Trap. This is evident in the hundreds of dance performances that have been presented here, starting with our opening season in 1971. When I joined as President and CEO, I encouraged Wolf Trap to start its tradition of annually commissioning new dance works. In the past 16 years, I have seen 18 new choreographic pieces come to life, right here on the Filene Center stage.

With each of our dance performances we offer Master Classes so dance students have an opportunity to learn from some of the best in the business, and observers can see just what's involved in perfecting these moves that the dancers seem to do with such ease and grace.

Wolf Trap also spotlights the importance of dance with our Face of America multimedia series. With a commissioned site-specific dance component in each program, Face of America provided the perfect content for a PBS Great Performances: Dance in America show. You can watch the 90-minute special in its entirety here. Stay tuned for more details on a new production, Face of America: Spirit of South Florida, premiering in 2012.

In the meantime, I hope you will join me next week for Ronald K. Brown's company Evidence. The second of Wolf Trap's three dance performances this season, this show will feature the D.C. premiere of a new work titled "On Earth Together" performed to the music of Stevie Wonder. This powerful piece, dealing with human healing, enrichment and compassion, joins the ever growing list of Wolf Trap dance commissions. If you know dance, you'll love Ron Brown's work and if you have never seen dance, you may just find your inner dancer that evening.

So what are you waiting for? Let's dance! And prepare to be moved!

Club 66 Checks Out Lynyrd Skynyrd

This post was written by Ginger Lackey, a leading member of Wolf Trap's Club 66.

Lynyrd Skynyrd brought their Dixie-fueled, triple-ax attack to the Filene Center on Wednesday night, and Club 66, Wolf Trap's Young Professional Society, was there in force rockin' out with them.

The Rock n' Roll hall of famers filled their two hour set with a steady stream of classics such as "What's your name," "That Smell," "Gimme Three Steps," and "Sweet Home Alabama." Lead singer Johnny Van Zant, younger brother of Lynyrd Skynyrd co-founder and former lead vocalist Ronnie Van Zant, paid tribute to our troops, dedicating a powerful performance of "Simple Man" to their service, as a giant scrim of armed forces insignias unfurled.

For an encore, the band delivered with an epic rendition of the much requested "Free Bird," complete with an enormous backdrop of an eagle carrying the American flag, a golden statue of an eagle on the piano, and another American Flag waved by Van Zant. Skynyrd doesn't skimp on the scrims.

Club 66 members convened before the show for barbecue and cocktails, generously supplied by Rocklands Barbecue and Grilling Company and the kind folks from Jim Beam, who provided their new Devil's Cut bourbon with cocktail specials. The bourbon and barbecue put the crowd of more than 50 Club members and their guests in the proper southern rock mindset on the perfect summer night.

A good time was had by all as, if only for one night, the South came to Northern Virginia.

After a night of serious rock, I am looking forward to a night of laughter: Instant Opera! (The Blue Show) on Saturday, August 6th at 8:30pm at Wolf Trap's Center for Education. If you like "Who's Line Is It Anyway?," you'll love this improvised opera - to be created and performed by the Wolf Trap Opera Company. With an open bar, delicious desserts, and cheap tickets, I'm already laughing. So join us for Instant Opera or better yet, become a member: please visit the Club 66 page on wolftrap.org for more information.

Here's a video snippet of their opening number "Working for MCA".

They had a date with fate in Casablanca!

Today's post comes from Wolf Trap's Copywriting Intern, Allison Killam.

When the title Casablanca is heard, images of a Paris romance, a dimly lit café, and Nazi invasions come to mind. It has been considered one of the greatest films of all time, encompassing multiple genres; a true Hollywood classic. What most viewers don’t know is the film was feared to flop upon release. You’re probably thinking, how could what was perceived to be a flop end up as one of the greatest films of all time?

It began with two timeless stars, Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman, as they placed the film low on their priority list. Bogart was acting in four films at the time, and the role of Ilsa was Bergman’s second choice. Paul Henried was loaned to Warner Bros. for the role of Victor Lazlo against his will. He thought as a supporting actor, it would ruin his reputation as a romantic lead. These conflicts obviously gave way to a rocky start.

It didn’t help matters that Bogart’s wife, Mayo Methot, suspected her husband was having an affair with Bergman. Their on-screen chemistry certainly fulfills the classic Hollywood romance description, but off-screen the duo hardly spoke. In fact, the one time they connected was to commiserate about the film and how to get out of it. After production ended, the two actors never appeared in another film together.

*SPOILER ALERT!*

It’s rumored that Casablanca had an undetermined ending while in production, because the director and writers couldn’t agree on how to close the film. Today, most movies are filmed out of sequence for convenience, but not Casablanca. Bergman would repeatedly ask whom her character truly loved (and which man she would end up with), but was never given a straight answer. The truth was, the Motion Picture Production Code would never have permitted a married woman to go off with another man during the 1940s.

*END SPOILER ALERT!*

And oh, how times have changed. In the 1980s, the film’s script was sent to major studios and production companies under the title of the play the film is based on, Everybody Comes to Rick’s. The feedback included comments like “not good enough,” “too much dialogue,” and “not enough sex.”

Despite those criticisms of the film, Casablanca is a three-time Oscar winner (nominated for eight) and is considered the best screenplay of all time by the Writers Guild of America and one of the greatest movies of all time by the American Film Institute. In fact, six quotes from the movie have made the American Film Institute’s (AFI) 100 Years, 100 Movie Quotes list, more than any other film (See below.) The classic song, “As Time Goes By” earned the No. 2 spot on AFI’s 100 Years, 100 Songs list, second only to “Over the Rainbow.”

It is unmistakable that The New York Times review of Casablanca as “a picture which makes the spine tingle and the heart take a leap” is still true today. We hope your heart leaps as you revisit the Best Picture and Best Screenplay of 1943.

Movie Quotes

5 - “Here’s looking at you, kid”

20 - “Louis, I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship”

23 - “Play it, Sam. Play ‘As Time Goes By’”

32 - “Round up the usual suspects”

43 – “We’ll always have Paris”

67 - “Of all the gin joints in all the towns in all the world, she walks into mine”

Buy your tickets to see Casablanca at Wolf Trap on July 30 here!

NSO @ Wolf Trap: A Good Leading Man is Hard to Find

Today's post is by NSO @ Wolf Trap Festival Conductor Emil de Cou.

A good leading man is hard to find, and the great leading men of Broadway and Hollywood are always few. Why is that? Well, it takes a certain inexplicable mixture of charisma, charm, talent, good looks, humor and that special something called... a baton. For who could be called a better leading man of Broadway and Hollywood than Marvin Hamlisch, who has also, for more than a decade, served as the National Symphony Orchestra's principal pops conductor?

Marvin had provided some of the most memorable scores and songs of our time, and tonight he offers the full sweep of his career. A child prodigy as a pianist, Marvin was drawn to the theater at an early age and, barely out of his teens served as the rehearsal pianist for the original Broadway production of Funny Girl starring Barbra Streisand. He soon began scoring films and beginning in the early 1970s started knocking them out of the park with this score to The Sting, which earned him an Academy Award. While hit theme songs from The Way We Were and The Spy Who Loved Me were brewing so too was a score for the show that would revolutionize Broadway: A Chorus Line, the overture of which he will lead for us at this performance. We'll also hear selections from his scores to Sophie's Choice, Ice Castles, The Way We Were, and They're Playing Our Song, as well as two of the Joplin rags he popularized: "Pineapple Rag" and "The Entertainer."

Those of us who lead from the pit are always privileged to work with leading men and ladies of the stage, whose charisma, charm, good looks, and special something called... a spotlight... generally allows their remarkable talents to most deservedly outshine our own. Tonight, two of Broadway's brightest stars join us to share classics of the American musical theater.

Brian Stokes Mitchell, who tonight makes his debut with the NSO @ Wolf Trap, is a definitive leading man, has headlined several big time Broadway shows, including Ragtime and revivals of Man of La Mancha and Kiss Me, Kate for which he won a 2000 Tony Award. Tonight, he shares with us many of the greatest songs in the genre, including a Gershwin medley, two hits from Rodgers and Hammerstein's South Pacific ("Some Enchanted Evening" and "This Nearly Was Mine"), and two classics from Lerner & Loewe's Camelot, "How to Handle a Woman" and "If Ever I would Leave You." And no leading man could be without two of the greatest songs in the Broadway repertoire, "The Impossible Dream" from Man of La Mancha and "Soliloquy" from Carousel.

Stephanie J. Block may not be a household name - yet- but she is beloved on Broadway for her stellar performances in The Boy From Oz, The Pirate Queen, 9 to 5, and as Elphaba in Wicked, a role she originated in the pre-Broadway workshop of that smash hit. Tonight, she serenades us with two of the greatest Broadway diva turns, "Don't Rain on My Parade" from Funny Girl and "Defying Gravity" from Wicked. She'll also pay tribute to Marvin with the title song from his hit musical They're Playing Our Song and a charming but lesser known gem by Marvin called "If You Remember Me" from the 1979 film The Champ.

If it's Broadway you love, you've followed the right man to the right place.

The National Symphony Orchestra with Marvin Hamlisch, Brian Stokes Mitchell, and Stephanie J. Block appears Friday, July 29 at 8:15 pm.

A Day in the Backstage Life: The Goo Goo Dolls

This post is from Program & Production Assistant Liz Uyeda.




It's 8:30 am when we arrive to a parking lot full of buses and trucks waiting patiently for the building to open. Good morning, Goo Goos!

As we open the doors to the loading dock letting the sun shine in, the crew begins to trickle in following their noses to the breakfast burritos and, most importantly, fresh coffee. Michelle Branch stops in for a second to say hello and tell us how excited she is to finally play Wolf Trap before returning to her bus to prep for "morning TV." I wonder what she watches until I realize that she's going to be on morning TV with Voice of America. That's why she looks so great at 9 am!

First order of post-coffee business is laundry. Fresh laundry is one of those luxuries that traveling Artists and crew can only enjoy when they've stopped driving for the day. We see a lot of nice buses come through Wolf Trap, but we have yet to see one with a washer and dryer. As the bags of dirty clothes drive away in an Escalade, the Goo Goo Dolls Production Assistant comments, "That may be the nicest car we've had all tour." (Thanks to GM for your continued support and sweet rides!)

At 4:30 pm, there is not one single ticket left to sell! The "Sold Out" sign goes up on the marquee. We have a sold out show, a great crew, and the best weather we've had in days. To no one's surprise, it's shaping up to be a fantastic day.

At 7:15 pm, we have a line at stage door waiting to meet and greet with the Goo Goo Dolls. How did these folks get so lucky as to score a wristband? We have some winners from 94.7 Fresh FM, some from Mix 107.3 and some very committed fan club members. We have 56 guests. One photo and one autograph each later, they are out of the building within 30 minutes.

The work backstage doesn't stop once the artists have taken the stage. The next order of business- more food. Food is always a hot topic around the theater on show days. We are lucky to have so many delicious and reliable restaurants to choose from in this area. Tonight, artists and crew choose food from some of our favorites: Silver Diner, Tara Thai, Church Street Pizzeria, and Papa John's. Yes, it does sound like a lot of food, but after rocking for close to 4 hours, you'd work up an appetite, too.

It's now 11:55 pm. We've been at work backstage for 16 hours. All the exhilarated patrons and backstage guests have long left the building. Load-out is wrapping up. We've loaded 4 trucks and a trailer in just under an hour and a half.

We're almost into a new day, and it's this time of night that one reflects on the events of the day. There are many personalities in this business. With about 100 shows a season, you truly appreciate certain ones. Today is one that is filled with wonderful, friendly, talented, and organized people. It was a good day.

A big thanks to the Goo Goo Dolls, Michelle Branch and Parachute- the artists and their crews! Come back soon!

Here's the set list:

And some amazing photos by Traci J. Brooks Photography.

Virginia boys Parachute make their Wolf Trap debut.

After the show, Michelle Branch tweeted: Really amazing crowd tonight @Wolf_Trap Dare I say, best of the whole tour so far?!

Johnny Rzeznick smiles at a sold out crowd.

NSO @ Wolf Trap: A Family Affair

Today's post is from NSO @ Wolf Trap's Festival Conductor Emil de Cou.


Beginning with the Bach family Four (Gottfried, Johann, Johann, and Carl) and continuing through the Von Trapp Family Singers (too many to name), there is a long and well-established tradition of family performers in European classical and folk music. In American culture, family performers have long been a mainstay of popular American culture, from vaudeville (the Gumm Sisters, who begat Judy Garland) to pop (the Jackson 5, who begat Michael). There is something quite beguiling about seeing all that talent swimming around the same gene pool, whether such expressions are from successive generations or are manifest simultaneously in the same generation.

Tonight's siblings, The 5 Browns, are making their NSO @ Wolf Trap debut, but Ryan, Melody, Gregory, Deondra and Desirae have already taken the classical and popular world by storm since they were students at Juilliard School, the first time five siblings were admitted together. They've captivated late-night television audiences on The Tonight Show and daytime audiences via the Oracle of Oprah. Their combination of talent and pizazz crosses back and forth across generational repertoire, making them worthy to carry the torch - or should we say, candelabra- of their spiritual forefather, the sequined Liberace, and his furry duo-piano descendants, Ferrante & Teicher.

We open with Mozart's Concerto for Three Pianos, commissioned by his neighbor Countess Antonia Lodron for her and her two daughters. Mozart defined the genre with delicate interplay, allowing the sister's talents to shine together and apart. Note his coy use of two bassoons, two oboes, and two horns to tie the duo theme together.

It was the King of Jazz, Paul Whiteman, who commissioned Gershwin for Rhapsody in Blue. Written at the height of the Roaring Twenties, the Rhapsody has become one of the most important concertos in the 20th century, an emblem of the fusion of European classical traditions and the American jazz idiom. Winnaretta Singer inherited a great deal of money from her father's invention (a little thing called the sewing machine) and developed also a champagne taste for music and art. Written at her Venetian palazzo, Francis Poulenc's Concerto for Two Pianos is a musical cocktail party, bubbling with witty references to everything from Keystone Cops pratfalls to a Balinese gamelan orchestra, with a bit of Mozart's sacred music for fun.

Before there was Dancing with the Stars, there was another giddy genre known as Dancing with Death. In Camille Saint-Saens' version, written in 1874, the Devil appears at midnight (note the harp's twelve strokes) and is symbolized both by the violin he plays and the rattling of his bones via the xylophone. Tonight, the Browns add their own touch with an exceptionally devilish arrangement for 50 fingers. But before we bring out the 5 Browns, we have 3 Bears to deal with. A composer beloved by the National Symphony Orchestra (and me, too) the inimitable Leroy Anderson is well known for his musical character pieces, The Typewriter, The Syncopated Clock, and Bugler's Holiday, but nearly forgotten is his one and only musical Goldilocks, which premiered on Broadway in 1958. Although heard now and then in staged concert versions, it has yet to have a full-scale revival.

So let's see, that makes three bears, five pianists, 50 fingers, 85 NSO musicians... but only one conductor? Buckle your picnic baskets, it's going to be a busy night.


NSO @ Wolf Trap presents The 5 Browns with conductor Emil de Cou tomorrow night, July 28, at 8:15 pm.

Miranda Cosgrove Rocks - from the mouths of babes....photos too!!

Last night I had quite a time at the Miranda Cosgrove concert with my 8- and almost 10-year old daughters, Ella and Julia - joined by almost 6,000 other extremely excited girls and boys at the show.



I asked them to write something about their experiences, and here you go--two reviews below, as well as some amazing photos taken by Robert Boag at the show last night. Enjoy!

Hi, I’m Ella (pictured right in yellow shirt) and I want to tell you about my amazing night at Wolf Trap. Last night I had a great time there ‘cause I went to the Filene Center to see Miranda Cosgrove perform live. She was amazing! She played songs from her new album “Dancing Crazy.”

Her opener Greyson Chance was amazing, too--he’s only 13 years old! He was found on YouTube singing "Paparazzi,” and now he’s singing at Wolf Trap! He sang “Paparazzi” and told the crowd to sing along.

After he was finished singing Miranda Cosgrove came out! The crowd started cheering. I loved the concert. The last song was “Dancing Crazy,” and the crowd could sing along. Then she played what she said were her three favorite songs from her iPod (recorded by other artists) over the sound system and had the crowd sing along.

I had a great time so whoever is reading this should GO TO WOLF TRAP!!!

[from Julia - pictured left in navy]
The Miranda Cosgrove show at Wolf Trap was completely different from her TV show "iCarly." At Monday night’s show at the Filene Center, Miranda performed songs, not jokes. She sang accompanied by a band that included guitars and drums. There were a lot of dancers on stage who were totally high energy.

At one point, Miranda said to the audience, “Let me hear those girls.” All the girls in the audience screamed, and Miranda said, “Wow, that’s a lot of girls!” Then she sang “I’m Just a Girl.”

One of the most interesting things to me was when Miranda played three songs by other pop stars from her iPod over the loudspeakers. The first was Pink’s “So What if I’m a Rock Star.” Then she played Britney Spears’s “Dancing ‘Til the World Ends,” and Cee Lo Green’s “Forget You.” She told us all to sing along. It was really cool to find out what Miranda Cosgrove listens to—that she’s a star but a fan, too

Miranda’s last song was “Dancing Crazy,” which is also the title of her new album. Everybody really liked that song, and she invited kids from the audience up on stage. She hugged many of those who went up.

I really liked the show, and I really like Wolf Trap. Everybody should go there.

Wolf Trap News and Notes July 25: The 5 Browns, Sweeney Todd and Miranda Cosgrove

In today's news and notes, we take you back to the start of the heat wave on Friday, which was handled with tremendous grace by the Wolf Trap Opera Company presenting Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd. The New York Times Art Beat blog highlighted a few tricks the cast and crew deployed to ensure a successful show. NBC4 came out to get the scoop directly from the singers as well as some young troopers and their families who braved the weather at Children's Theatre-in-the-Woods.

Whether you play piano or not - you won't want to miss this Thursday's show at Wolf Trap when The 5 Browns take the stage all at once to play five pianos. Bob Madigan's Man About Town has a quick interview with NSO conductor Emil de Cou who will be conducting the orchestra for the show.

Finally, Miranda Cosgrove made a quick surprise visit yesterday to National Association of Children's Hospitals Family Advocacy Day to lobby for funding to be restored for a pediatric training program, as reported by the Washington Examiner.

Parachute: Speeding Up, Not Slowing Down

Today's post is from Jacqui Johnstone, Wolf Trap's invaluable Public Relations Intern.

You’ve heard the story plenty of times: a group of friends gets together, starts playing music, has some fun… and gets on with life, realizing their band doesn’t quite have what it takes to pay the bills.

And then there is the rare story of success.

Parachute is that high school band that not only sounded promising from the get-go, but kept up the hard work and made it big. After all, they are opening for the Goo Goo Dolls and Michelle Branch tomorrow night at Wolf Trap in front of a sold-out audience of over 7,000 people. That’s a pretty big leap from a group of guys who met in high school just a handful of years ago and started their first band in 10^th grade.

However, Parachute didn’t get to this point in one big bound—their rise to fame was more along the lines of numerous little hops. For a quick overview of how Parachute got to where they are today, here’s an easy-to-read list:

• 10^th grade: Lead singer Will Anderson and three of his best friends (Kit French, Alex Hargrave, and Johnny Stubblefield) form a band.

• College = new friends! Anderson meets guitarist Nate McFarland at the University of Virginia; the band expands from four best friends to five and they perform relentlessly at UVA.

• It’s 2007—junior year of college. While most students are prepping for the LSAT, applying to medical school, or worrying about where they’re going to find a job after graduation, the guys from Parachute are getting signed to the Mercury/Island record label.

• 2008—Time for a name change. The band forgoes the name “Sparky’s Flaw” to be called “Parachute.” Anderson and McFarland graduate from UVA (it never hurts to get your diploma).

• Enter advertising: the Parachute songs “She Is Love” and “Under Control” are used in a national TV campaign for Nivea skincare.

• New Year’s Eve 2008: Parachute shares the stage with the Jonas Brothers and Taylor Swift in front of over one million people in Times Square.

• May 2009—The band’s debut album, Losing Sleep, is released exclusively on iTunes.

• June 2009—Parachute appears on Live From Daryl’s House, a free monthly internet concert from Daryl Hall of Hall & Oates.

• Touring galore follows:

o Fall 2009—Parachute tours with Kelly Clarkson across North America.

o Spring 2010—Parachute tours with Kelly Clarkson across Europe.

o Fall 2010—Parachute tours with Joe Brooks and Hot Chelle Rae.

o Spring 2011—Parachute tours with the Plain White T’s.

• May 2011—The band’s sophomore album, The Way It Was, is released and cracks the Billboard Top 20.

• Summer 2011—Parachute comes to Wolf Trap while on tour with Michelle Branch and the Goo Goo Dolls!

So to all you young musicians out there—don’t give up! There are always success stories. Now that you’ve seen how one band made it to the top, maybe yours will too.

Quality Family Time - For Real!

This post comes from Wolf Trap PR Director Melissa Chotiner. 

So quality family time is usually meant as a joke or in a sarcastic way - right? When I was growing up what seemed like an endless 3-hour car ride to Lake George every summer was explained as quality family time. "Are we there yet?" "Can you change the radio station?"

Like most parents, I had a lot of ideas of how I'd do things differently when I had my own family and children. One of my visions was to have a lot of fun with my kids. Do "things" that kids enjoy, that I would have enjoyed as a kid. Think Disney World for spring break instead of Williamsburg.

Well let me tell you this week and next at Wolf Trap include exactly those kinds of "things,"-performances that will give kids a WOW experience. I know first hand about today's show because I took my girls to it last year. The Golden Dragon Acrobats are AMAZING. Not just for kids - for anyone. You'll see contortions that will have your draw hitting the ground, jumps and leaps that resemble humans flying, and one act from last year involving about 50 chairs stacked on top of each other and a ladder took the show in my opinion. My then 7- and 8-year olds were literally on the edge of their seats. They didn't even ask to go to the bathroom or get drinks during the performance.

Monday brings Miranda Cosgrove of "iCarley" fame. I'm sure anyone reading this with girls between 7 and 12 have their tickets already. If not--you can boost your rankings as the fun parent on the block with this one. To give our readers a review from some die-hard fans, we've enlisted my daughters to review the show here on the blog. Stay tuned. (It's really my attempt to start them building their college portfolio early - just kidding.)

The week after next, August 4 is a great opportunity to get younger ones excited about classical music with an NSO @ Wolf Trap Disney in Concert Magical Music from the Movies . The show will feature movie clips from some Disney favorites, including The Little Mermaid, Alladin and The Lion King, among many others, with the National Symphony Orchestra playing the score live. Think movies on the lawn on steroids.

I'll have another quality family time post in the coming weeks with a look at some shows later in August and September that are really good ones for the whole family (Peter Pan!). Plus there is Children's Theatre-in-the-Woods, Tuesday through Saturdays at 10 a.m. as well.

Until then, here's hoping your quality family time is REALLY quality time even for the kids!

Happy Birthday to Me: 34 Things I've Learned From Working at Wolf Trap

Today's post is from birthday girl Barbara Parker.

34 years ago today, I was born in Saint Mary's Hospital in Richmond, VA. I lived in that city until heading to George Mason University for college. Straight out of college, at the age of 20, I started working for Wolf Trap. For all intents and purposes, I've done much of my growing up at Wolf Trap.

Today, I turn 34 (although I fully intend to start lying about my age). Before I get a day older, here are 34 things I've learned from working at Wolf Trap. A little of what I know, a lot of how much more I have to learn....

1. Life doesn't always afford us an opportunity for a dress rehearsal.

2. The show must go on.

3. Art will never abandon you.

4. I couldn't be happier with where my career has brought me. I still don't know what I want to do when I grow up.

5. True office emergencies are limited to the following: vomiting, bleeding, catching on fire. Most other situations can be handled with grace.

6. The skills that have gotten me farthest in my career- proofreading, negotiating, walking in 5-inch heels.

7. Breakfast is the most important meal of the day. To the Surgeon General and to road crews.

8. With every ounce of genius, comes a little bit of crazy.

9. A love of music can be both genetic and contagious.

10. 'Tis better to be a fan than a fanatic.

11. Always have a mentor. We all need a cheerleader in our corner. (Thanks, Ann McKee, for being mine.)

12. Always be a mentor. Someone taught you what you know. Return the favor.

13. Have a vision and follow it. Did you know Wolf Trap was once farmland?

14. It is possible to fall madly in love at the age of 5 and have the relationship last. For me, it was with dance.

15. We can all dance. We can all sing. Some of us just may do it in front of our bathroom mirrors.

16. Flexibility is an integral ingredient to success both in ballet and in running operations backstage.

17. Talent + Hard Work + Being in the Right Place at the Right Time = Success. The equation doesn't really work any other way.

18. Say please and thank you. It gets you more of what you ask for.

19. Don't yell. Being louder does not make me listen to you.

20. We all have an occasional bad day or bad show. Tomorrow is a new day.

21. Artists are just like you and I. Only more talented and, mostly, with more money.

22. This isn't rocket science or brain surgery. We don't save lives in the music business. But whether it's touching your heart or soul or allowing you to forget about your problems or bills for a 2 hour show, we do change lives.

23. Often it's not what you know, it's who you know. But you do have to know something.

24. The Indigo Girls were right. "The hardest to learn is the least complicated." The Beatles were right. "All you need is love."

25. Never listen to the critics.

26. Do what you say you're going to do. Be on time. There's always traffic, leave early.

27. I learn as much, if not more, from supervising interns as they do from their internship with me.

28. Everyone is a no one at some point. That can change quickly so be nice to everyone.

29. Things to splurge on backstage and in life: good coffee and good catering.

30. To every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The more you give, the more you get. The greater the risk, the greater the reward. With jobs and shows and life.

31. I've learned more from my failures than my successes. With all the mistakes I've made, none has resulted in death. Yet.

32. The one single thing that makes my job the best job in the whole world: the people I work with.

33. You never know where a life in music will take you, but you know it will be a hell of a ride.

34. The best is yet to come....

Interns: Are We There Yet?

Today's post is from Jackie Rucker, Wolf Trap's extraordinary Human Resources Director, and Cate Padgett, Program Assistant, Education Outreach, who (as most only dream of doing) turned her summer 2009 internship into a full-time job. Watch and learn.






Scenic Painting and Props intern Kristen Prescott-Ezickson prepares fabric backdrops for the production of Sweeney Todd. Photo by photography intern Teddy Wolff.

It's late July and you're halfway through the summer... you've found your way around a new city, made a few friends, and perhaps even figured out what is expected of you at your internship.

Now what?!

Take a good look at your list of intern responsibilities and tasks. It's a substantial list, right? Not quite! Now is the time to take your internship to the next level and see it for what it really is - an experience that will build professional and personal skills that will last you a lifetime.

Here are a few ways to take your internship to the next level and make yourself invaluable in any position.

Take off your blinders! While it's beneficial to be an expert in one area, it's even better to be experienced in multiple. If you're given the chance to help in other departments, be the first to raise your hand. Not only will you learn a new skill, you'll meet different people while you're doing it. This includes any volunteer opportunities outside of normal business hours.

Networking isn't limited to Facebook. It's surprising, we know, but before the Internet people managed to gain great contacts simply by sitting down and having a conversation with someone who sparked their interest. Be conscientious of the fact that people are busy with their own work, but know that they were once in your position. Take the time to meet as many people as you can and don't be afraid to ask for advice or guidance.

You're not just an intern. Don't underestimate the importance of your role within the organization you're working for. The assignments you complete over the duration of your internship should be added to your portfolio so that you can easily reference them during interviews. If you don't have a portfolio, start one now!

Work hard, play hard! Like we said, an internship isn't just about professional growth. It's a time for you to branch out from your usual friends, habits, and activities. Make sure to take time to relax when you can and enjoy everything that the experience has to offer!

What's next? You've had a great internship, learned a lot and now you're ready for the next step. Another internship? A job? Whatever may be in store for you, it's important to update your resume and cover letter to accurately reflect your experience and accomplishments. Align your future goals with your past experiences. Research organizations you'd like to work for and become familiar with their mission.

Hit the pavement. When looking for your next internship or job, put yourself out there. Make a few calls. Send a few e-mails. Introduce yourself to people who can put you into contact with others. Don't be a nuisance, but don't sit back and wait for something to fall into your lap- it won't happen.

Your internship doesn't end the minute you walk out of the doors on your final day. It is up to you to use the skills you've obtained to take advantage of the resources around you - professional and personal. Visit the employment center at your college/university, make an appointment with the Human Resources Department, or ask the CEO if they would be willing to meet for coffee. Use every experience as a networking opportunity and learn from all areas of the internship.

Then, and only then, will you have taken full advantage of the internship.

Lucinda Williams & Amos Lee Recap and video

For today's post we turn to our talented interns for recap of last night's show with Lucinda Williams and Amos Lee.

Program & Production intern Janice Leary shares her thoughts on the show:

Amos Lee is one of those musicians I have loved for a while but have never been in the right place at the right time to see him live- a pretty lame excuse for a fan considering he has toured with everyone from Norah Jones to Bob Dylan (both of whom have graced Wolf Trap's stage).

I am very lucky to have been at the perfect place to see him with Lucinda Williams. Williams is one of those names that I know to revere because respected music critics, magazines, and the all powerful Recording Academy members (who gave her the "GRAMMY-winning" part of her name) have told me to. Last night, I developed respect and admiration for her of my own accord.

There is simplicity in her performance style that complements her folksy music and demonstrates that she is a true storyteller. Her blues influence is so accessible that you cannot help but connect to the subjects of her songs, feeling the pain she once did.

Amos Lee was her perfect counterpart, sharing his own soulful stories, but with an added tinge of comic relief. Their collaboration on "Clear Blue Eyes," a song from Lee's latest album (reviewed here), is a testament of their incredible ability to empathize with others and is what captured me the entire show through.

Here's a video snippet from Amos Lee, captured by multimedia intern Irene Rojas.

And, finally, Lucinda's set list:

Wolf Trap Reviews of "Blessed" from Lucinda Williams & "Mission Bell" from Amos Lee

Blessed - Lucinda Williams

To me, Lucinda Williams has always fallen somewhere between the explorative, psychological songwriting of Aimee Mann, and the more rollicking pop-laden ballads of Bonnie Raitt. But in a lot of ways, she's nothing like either one of them. She's gritty. She's dark. She focuses on tragedy over triumph. Blessed, her first record since 2008's "Little Honey", is no exception--but in an effort to remain true to my Aimee Mann comparison--Williams redirects the storytelling away from her own life in favor of empathy filtered glimpses into the troubled souls of others. But, while Mann is more interested in writing about what makes other people tick, with Blessed, Williams wants us and the subjects of her songs to know that she is looking upon us/them with a watchful and sympathetic eye. She's a shoulder to cry on, because she's certainly been there before.

Love is the resonance of William's contentment these days, and also the root of her shift away from introspective songwriting. There are still a number of "I" songs, featuring the beautiful yet startling "Sweet Love", a tune penned in celebration of her new relationship, and "I Don't Know How You're Livin' " which leaves lyrical content open to subjective commentary. But the song that will really leave you praising the brilliance of this album is "Seeing Black", a stark remembrance of Vic Chestnutt, a close personal friend and colleague of Williams who took his life in 2009. This record is a gorgeous body of work, but it definitely strikes a mood. Williams may be a happier woman these days, but she definitely hasn't abandoned the melancholic themes that are synonymous with the majority of her songs. But that's ok - music isn't all about rainbows and sunshine! Oh and I did I mention she's got one of the best bands in the business? The electric and pedal steel guitar work is simply brilliant.

Mission Bell - Amos Lee

Right off the bat with "El Camino", track 1 from Mission Bell, Lee's 4th full-length in just six years, you feel like you're deep in the midst of a John Prine/Stevie Wonder collaborative record. Their influences on Lee are undeniable. I couldn't wait to dive in and listen to this because it was produced by Joey Burns, front man for Calexico, one of the few Tex-Mex bands that have been able to rise above the fold and penetrate a more mainstream community. There are some great stand out tracks on this album that really showcase Burns' involvement, namely "Violin", and "Hello Again". "Windows are Rolled Down", track two, is a nice, tight, rollicking pop song that evokes feelings of driving along the California coast line or the great southwest during sun set. It's the song that ties that album together. It's epic nature should translate very well tonight at the Filene Center.

Let us know what you think of the show by commenting here or on Facebook.

Wolf Trap News & Notes: Lucinda Williams, Rolling Stone Iconic Photos

In this week's news and notes you'll want to check out a review in the Tribune Chronicle of Lucinda Williams and Amos Lee show in Cleveland Saturday to get a taste of what's in store tomorrow night.


Rolling Stone has some not-to-be-missed historic photos just released from the first chief photographer at the magazine, including a number of artists who have played Wolf Trap in the past 40 years. Leave a comment of those you might have seen here or recognize as having graced the Filene Center stage.

Artists at Wolf Trap's Children's Theatre-in-the-Woods are getting rave reviews from mommy bloggers and local media, including the Fairfax Times and the Vienna Connection. It's hard to go wrong when you bring great artists together in a great setting for some fun with kids for just $8 (two shows).

Finally, last week Wolf Trap presented the first of two new dance commissions this season; this one from Aspen Santa Fe Ballet. On August 2nd audiences will be treated to a co-commission from Ronald K. Brown and his company Evidence. Looking back, last summer, Wolf Trap commissioned a new work from Paul Taylor and his company in celebration of his 80th birthday. The New York Times reports the legendary choreographer's archive of notes are being opened up to the public, providing a sneak peek into how works are created and much more.

Sweeney Todd: Yes, you want to come.

Today's post is from Wolf Trap Opera Company Administrative Director Lee Anne Myslewski.


On Friday, July 22, the Wolf Trap Opera Company will reveal their latest collaboration with the National Symphony Orchestra, Stephen Sondheim's Sweeney Todd. I'd like to encourage all of you to attend the performance, and, to assist you in your decision making process, I'd like to take this opportunity to answer some questions you haven't even asked.

So, you think opera is big and scary?

Don't worry, this isn't opera. It's musical theater. Or musical drama. Or a fantastic story. Heck, even Sondheim wasn't sure what to call it. He settled for "musical thriller," and that title is probably the most apt. Here's the gist: it's the story of a man done wrong, who takes revenge. As much as we'd all like to think that we're above that, seeing someone get their just desserts is pretty satisfying... and this is no exception.

Oh, you say you love opera?

Well, this is opera at its finest with the rising stars who will be populating major companies' rosters in a few short years. We do a nationwide audition tour every year, and of the more than 1,000 singers who apply, we accept the top 2%. These folks are at the outset of their careers, but you can see them now before you have to pay Met or La Scala ticket prices. We have alums performing in every major opera house in the world, and a full 12% of the Met roster is comprised of folks who have sung on our stages. To use a baseball analogy, think of it as Opera's finest Farm team.

You're really not into the arts, you'd rather sit in front of your computer?

Well, come see our computer designed set projections. projections and video designer S. Katy Tucker has created a unique video environment for Sweeney to inhabit- part film, part video game- totally original to this production.

Oh, it's Mortal Kombat you'd rather be playing?

Trust me. We've got all the guts and gore you could possibly need. C'mon, this barber kills the folks who have done him wrong, and his neighbor, Mrs. Lovett, makes them into meat pies. After this, you'll be several weeks away from enjoying an empanda, I promise.

You want to bring children, you say?

Oh, never mind. Probably not a good idea. But we would welcome you to our performance of the National Symphony Orchestra with Disney in Concert: Magical Music from the Movies.

You're still not convinced?

Take a chance. Lawn tickets are only $20 ($10 with our student discount). Bring your own picnic and enjoy an evening under the stars.

Hope to see you there!

Wolf Trap Book Club: 4 Fiction Picks

Today's post is the third in our Wolf Trap Book Club series and is brought to you by Barbara Parker.

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I read mostly fiction. There's so much to learn in non-fiction, I know, but to read the imaginary, pretend, make-believe, that's where it's at for me. Regardless of whether musicians are fiction or non-fiction, they make pretty great characters. Here are a few recent reads with some interesting made-up musicians in them. I think you'll agree, they could definitely exist in the real world.

1. Juliet, Naked by Nick Hornby. There's an obscure cult musician Tucker Crowe (think Bob Dylan) who disappeared from the music scene and the public eye two decades ago. Crowologist Duncan, i.e. obsessive fanatic, drags his girlfriend Annie on a quest to visit the sites of highlights and lowlights of his favorite musician's career. He's trying to impress upon her Crowe's musical genius, but instead opens the door for Annie's own, and much less fanatical, relationship with the musician. Hornby knows how to write about music as demonstrated in High Fidelity, which was later turned into a movie by the same name, and Songbook. He also knows how to write for music, as he did in Lonely Avenue his collaboration with Ben Folds. My favorite quote from the novel? "For the best part of 40 years she had genuinely believed that not doing things would somehow prevent regret, when, of course, the exact opposite was true."

2. Bel Canto by Ann Patchett. A world famous opera singer is performing at a private event in a South American country when terrorists invade the party and take everyone hostage, including the opera singer. You learn the story of each individual as this story unfolds and how this intersection of their lives will change them forever. Most touchingly, you learn how music unites them and frees their souls even as they are held hostage. Again, my favorite quote: "Never had he thought, never once, that such a woman existed, one who stood so close to God that God's own voice poured from her."

3. A Visit From the Goon Squad by Jennifer Egan. In this Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, each chapter is narrated by a different character. You get to hear from a former punk rocker turned record producer, his young assistant, a failed PR mogul, and a successful-then-failed musician who wants to make a comeback that will end his career. Perhaps the truest quote about our business from this book: "This is the music business. Five years is five hundred years."

4. Freedom by Jonathan Franzen. Richard Katz is a well written rock star character. He is basically a responsibility-free and moral-compass-free musician who slowly works his craft and builds his career until he makes it, and becomes famous, accidentally. At which point, he decides to throw it away and become a roofer. His story mixes with the story of a non-famous husband and wife who are trying to hold onto what they have while still having freedom, finding out along the way that it doesn't really work that way. While a long book, this is a fast read, and you might just catch a reference to an artist who performed here this summer. And my favorite line: "You may be poor, but the one thing nobody can take away from you is the freedom to (expletive deleted) up your life whatever way you want to."

So, those are four fiction picks for the weekend. Please let me know if you have any recommendations!

Two Great Opportunities to Introduce your Children to Timeless Musicals

Today's post is from Ben Schlesinger, avid theater goer/buff, and former D.C. Travel and Tourism Blogger for Examiner.com, Washington D.C.

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It is hard to figure out what concerts and shows to choose for your summer entertainment. That problem can sometimes become even more difficult when children are brought into the picture. Fortunately, Wolf Trap has the solution for parents who want an inexpensive, fun time out with the family, no matter how young the kids are.

Fiddler On The Roof is playing at the Filene Center July 15-17 and lawn tickets can be purchased for just $20. Fiddler is the perfect fit as an introductory classic musical for children who have not yet attended the theater. Not only are the songs fun and well-known, there are children of varying ages in the cast. Whether it be a young boy or girl, everyone has someone they can relate to in the show. And as a byproduct of a family night out to Fiddler, children might walk away having learned about the dangers of intolerance and value of acceptance.

Similarly, Guys and Dolls, playing August 11-14, is another great choice to serve as an entry to the theater for children. The show, which also has $20 lawn seats, does tackle issues such as gambling, but ultimately serves as an important lesson for children. The show is also chock-full of catchy show tunes children can enjoy. “Luck Be A Lady,” “Sit Down, You’re Rocking The Boat,” and “If I Were a Bell” are classics that will have people of all ages singing along. “Adelaide’s Lament” is another great number where kids might enjoy mimicking Adelaide and singing about “the wheezes, and the sneezes, and a sinus that’s really a pip!” I know I recited that line frequently after I saw the show for the very first time.

All in all, Wolf Trap is providing several fun musicals this summer that will entertain each and every member of the family. Of course, don’t forget that anybody can bring in a blanket and food to Wolf Trap and make their own picnic right on the lawn. No other major concert venue around allows that. Who knows, if your family likes the performance so much, making an annual trek to Wolf Trap might become, well, “Tradition.”

June Video Highlights PLUS an Exclusive Moment with Huey Lewis

There were 23 distinct performances at the Filene Center and another eight at Children's Theatre-in-the-Woods throughout June at Wolf Trap. We'd love to hear which ones you made it out to and some of the best moments, so leave us a comment. Anyone who made it out for all our June shows -- we want to name you Wolf Trap's No. 1 fan for the month and send you a special prize -- so let us know. Our team has put together this June at Wolf Trap (Wolf Trap At-A-Glance) highlight reel for your viewing pleasure. Featured performances include Aretha Franklin, The Ultimate Doo Wop Show, Mormon Tabernacle Choir, Southside Johnny & the Asbury Jukes, Dawes, and more!




And as a bonus, our videographer Irene and I caught up with Huey Lewis last night to capture some choice sound bites about his new record, Soulsville, a high energy collection of soul covers from the Stax Records catalog in Memphis, TN. This clip also features a hefty portion of his very apt opening number from last night's show, "The Heart of Rock and Roll". It still seems to be beating quite loudly.