“More Fog, Please” Musical Book Signing

The Pocono Cinema and Cultural Center was the site of an enjoyable and melodic evening of songs from several great musicals! The theater generously allowed us to host a “musical book signing” for “More Fog, Please”: 31 Years Directing Community and High School Musicals. A dozen performers from over thirty years of shows shared memories and music.

The theater set up a lovely display for all my books. This is one of the two tables.

Long-time friend and colleague Linda Schaller was pianist for the evening.

 

Jeff and Tassy Gilbert started the evening with a duet, “Heather on the Hill,” from Brigadoon, reprising the roles of Tommy and Fiona they had performed in 1985 for Pocono Lively Arts.

Jamie Snee performed “Christmas Lullaby” from Songs for a New World, the first production presented by Black Sheep in 2008.

Amanda and Melanie Meilinger sang “Hold On/You’ll Never Walk Alone,” a medley from The Secret Garden and Carousel, arranged by Marti Lantz especially for the evening. The sisters had never sung together on stage since Amanda was a senior when Mel was a freshman at ESHS South. Amanda was  Martha in 2010 and Melanie was Nettie in 2013.

Two great songs from Ragtime by the cast members from the 2011 Black Sheep Production: Rebecca Roeber as Mother singing “Back to Before,” and Rodney West as Coalhouse Walker, Jr. presenting “Make Them Hear You.”

 After all that drama, we needed to lighten the mood, so Kelly Foley and Jane Asher entertained us with “The Stepsisters’ Lament” from Cinderella, a show I directed three times: 1984, 1993 and 1999.

Back to more drama as John Coakley performed “The Impossible Dream” from Man of La Mancha. John performed the title role at ESHS South in 2004 and stopped the show every time!

We ended with Gilbert and Sullivan, the trio “Away, away! My heart’s on fire!”  from The Pirates of Penzance. Kurt Moucha reprised his role as Frederic and Kelly and Dale Foley their roles of Ruth and the Pirate King in the 1993 Pocono Lively Arts production. 

The audience adjourned to the lobby to select books!

(all photos by Tristan Flanagan)