On September 26th, 2024 I will be performing with some wonderful artists at the Green Room 42. I am beyond thrilled to solo as well as perform in a few group numbers! The performance starts at 9:30 and is about 75 minutes.
Check out the link below:
I am beyond thrilled to share I will be performing with some incredible performers at the Gin Mill (442 Amsterdam Ave. on the Upper West Side of Manhattan) on September 15th 2024 at 9:00 PM.
CHECK OUT THE LINK BELOW:
I am beyond honored and thrilled to announce I will be playing Anne in Stephen Sondheim’s A Little Night Music at Theater 2020!
Not only am I excited to perform some of my favorite Sondheim music, I am honored to bring Anne, who has always captivated and intrigued me, to life.
If you are in NYC April 18 – May 12 come for a night of a Little Music Tickets here: https://www.tix.com/ticket-
The last 72 hours have really been an adventure. I flew back from WA to MA, saw family, had a Scoliosis re-evaluation (all good news!), drove and moved back to NYC, saw a show, AND helped with the MSM MT callbacks.
I have finally had time to take a moment to reflect on the gift these last three months have been. To say that the opportunity to portray three dream roles in one summer was beyond my wildest dreams is an understatement. Leavenworth Summer Theater placed their faith in me, entrusting me to lead their summer productions of “The Sound of Music,” “The Music Man,” and “The Secret Garden” this year. I am proud of my determination to grow, story-tell, and discover throughout the process.
The three incredible women I had the honor of portraying, have similar hearts. Each one is moved to heroic advocacy founded on their love for both children and life partners. Yet, each expresses themselves quite differently.
Maria Rainer, thank you for your story. It was an honor to meet your grandson, Stefan (see him below). He -and sisters from an abbey in Spokane- felt I uniquely captured your spunk. I discovered this dimension of your character in your book “The Story of the von Trapp Family Singers.” To hear this, I felt I had done my job well; to connect your voice and story while also honoring the beautiful interpretations of the great dame Julie Andrews. To tell this story IN the town of Leavenworth, literally IN the mountains, was a dream.
Marian Paroo, you and I are much alike. When we open our hearts to someone, it takes quite a bit of time to build trust and we always love fully; but boy… loving and trusting another takes quite a bit of courage. I loved reading several books by Meredith Wilson and I really feel I was able to use that research in my portrayal of Marian, and your vision. I grew up loving Shirley Jones, this musical, and I know she would have loved the show.
Lily Craven, words cannot express the heart and soul expressed in the music that I had the honor of singing. It was a great challenge portraying you; an ethereal spirit of another world, and to experience the tremendous yearning to reach your loved ones, yet to be invisible. I discovered so much through your experiencing the obstacle of never meeting someone’s eyes. Like the garden, shuttered and waiting, the veil has to be lifted. This barrier really pushed my emotional connection. I grew up listening and reading the book “The Secret Garden” and my inner child wept tears of happiness, and sadness, throughout the whole show. What a heart and tear jerker.
I think of this summer as “my Rebecca Luker summer.” Each of these roles she had once played. Knowing this kept me focused and present. I felt her guidance along with our dear SG assistant director Carolyn Wilson, who passed after actively creating the production with us.
I was blessed this summer with a true community of support, both in the very special connections made on stage and beyond; extending to dear friends made in the town of Leavenworth, my hosts, my co- worker, and the families of my cast mates who welcomed and supported me. I had incredible directors and scene partners.
I was artistically challenged. I successfully performed in all 36 shows, changing show every day (except Mondays where we had the day off!) I was encouraged to follow my instincts and to explore by my incredible directors: Kevin McKee, Tiffany Mausser, and John Wagner. I was buoyed by the love and support from the cast and crew. I made lifelong friends whom I will miss until I see them again. This summer was a dream and yet also very real. I will never ever forget. Thank you everyone who made this possible.
I also wanted to shoutout Carl Knowles, Drew Hope, and Barbara Roberts. They all made me feel and look beautiful in every single show, on and off the stage.
Carl: Thank you, and your wife, so much for being so attentive and sensitive to costuming Archibald Craven. I really appreciated when you took the time to talk with me about my experience with scoliosis, to find the most appropriate and respectful way to create a curve! I also appreciate how much time and effort you took to create the back brace for Colin. 
Melanie Spees, Margy Hesse, LST
NOVEMBER 20TH – DECEMBER 12TH
We had a wonderful opening weekend of Man of La Mancha! I am grateful to my fellow cast members and our audience which has made this show and my experience such a critical success (Reviews below).
I am performing the role of Antonia, the distraught niece of Quixote, and am the understudy for Aldonza!
In preparation for this role I read the original text “Don Quixote” (Almost 1000 pages) by Cervantes. The themes could not be more relevant today. The book gave me deeper understanding of the context in which the original character was created!
I look forward to continuing to share this story with more audiences!
Man of La Mancha performances are Thursday’s through Sunday’s with additional days and matinees. Tickets can be purchased at https://plazabroadwaylongisland.com .
Join us just outside the city at “Plaza Broadway Long Island” – Nassau County’s only AEA theatre!
The Reviews are in!
Pictured above: Lucy Simon and Marsha Norman (The Secret Garden) and Rodgers and Hammerstein (The Sound of Music)
I am extremely honored and blessed to share that will be performing the role of Lily in The Secret Garden as well as understudying the role of Maria in The Sound of Music in Leavenworth, Washington this summer 2021!
The run of these shows is from July through August at Leavenworth’s beautiful outdoor theater in the mountains- Weeeee!!
The Secret Garden is a beautiful musical. The story is part of my childhood and it’s message is lifelong. The role was originated on Broadway by Rebecca Luker, who passed away this year from ALS. I hope to carry her legacy – she was an true inspiration and idol.
Understudying the role of Maria is a dream come true. Not only did Rebecca Luker also play Maria in the Broadway revival but Julie Andrews has always been an inspiration as an artist and a person- I had the honor to watch her in her recent book interview live. The Sound of Music is a part of my life and part of what brought me to my calling.
I cannot imagine following the footsteps of two more gifted and genuine artists. I look forward to a summer of music in nature and in the mountains, not to mention my first time performing and sharing wonderful stories for a live audience in what feels like a life time
Recently I was the recipient, of a grant from the MA Cultural Council. My idea was to put on a entertaining performance, for all ages, while providing an outlet for artists to use their creative juices during the COVID-19 pandemic. I teamed up with the Cultural Council, MMTV, and asked some performers to join me to help create this vision. I chose the month of February (Valentine Month) for Love All Ways to celebrate the message of the universal and limitless language of Love and music. I described this experience as follows,
“We embrace the freedom to reinterpret songs, some of which may be familiar to you, and turning them on their head. We have fallen in love with these songs and are eager to share this new way of hearing and seeing them performed. The musical theatre term for most of what we are performing is “gender bending.” This is interpreting music that is traditionally attributed to male or female identifying characters and/or performers and rendering a more fluid interpretation. We have had a wonderful time singing songs we love and hope you will enjoy the experience as much as we have in assembling it for you. As we navigate through COVID-19 we find our friendships and music carry us through even though we cannot all be together and cannot celebrate in person.
Thank you MMTV, Melrose Cultural Council, and my fellow performers for making this possible, and spreading love and positivity as we navigate through this time. “
After my wonderful experience with Lynn Kao on “Think of Me” I heard of another opportunity to work with her. There was a wonderful creative team and full cast of Into the Woods in the search for a Rapunzel. Immediately I thought, ah yes, a tall, dark, brunette, soprano is just what one wants for Rapunzel. I have always wanted to play Rapunzel, but felt my features would restrict me, but I was wrong. So of course, I submitted and audition.
To my surprise, I was exactly what they were looking for. Finally someone was ready to break the stereotype and they were ready and eager to cast a brunette Rapunzel! The first one!
We filmed throughout MA and NYC, in some of the most gorgeous areas. With all the appropriate COVID-19 PPE, I would sweat through our masks and costumes, but I was just blessed to have another story to tell.
The Summer Institute of the Vocal Arts really taught me about the wonders of film making and movies. That is when my love for movies and story telling in this way grew! Not only do I love to share stories through live theatre, but I love the experience filming it too! That is when it lead me to my next project… a Netflix Film!
