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I start rehearsals for Interstate next week. It's one of the 12 shows chosen for the New York Musical Festival this season -- and the opening night show, taboot, taboot!
The music is wonderful and the story is one that is close to my heart, to say the least. Please contribute to the Kickstarter if you can and I hope to see you at one of the shows! #RepresentationMatters
Congratulations to Reiss Mikula, recipient of the second Ashley Baier Award in Percussion Excellence, presented by the Allegany High School Band Department. Good luck in the fall as you enter Frostburg State University as a percussion major! Here is Reiss pictured with ALCO Director of Percussion Studies, Mark Gauthier.
Thanks for having me, SOOP Theatre Company!
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It me!
From left to right: Brian Levels, reeds; Wendy Feaver, MD/keys; Yours Truly; Kurt Marcum, trumpet; Magda Kress, bass
We opened The Drowsy Chaperone at Pace last night. This show has been a fun one to work on: it's funny, it's short, and it swings!
This lighting almost tricks me into believing I haven't been sitting in a dark theater all day. Almost.
Ready for some In The Heights action this weekend. This book has been...a challenge!
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I had the pleasure of playing the drum book for In The Heights at Mepham High School on Long Island. My good friend and former PitchBlak band mate, Brian Lotze, is the band director there. He put together a pit consisting of both pros and some extremely talented high school students.
When I was in high school, I played in the pit for every high school musical. I also played professionally in the local summer stock, Cumberland Theatre. While I think I would've been able to stumble through the book for ItH, I really doubt I would've been able to do it justice. It is extremely demanding but very well written (no slashes!). I am thankful for the years I played in the Latin ensemble in college and for all the setup pics in the Musical Theater Facebook group! I really hope to play the show again, sooner than later so these Latin chops don't wear off 🤣
Ashley Baier is a NYC-based drummer and percussionist.
