#Dominic Dowdy-Windsor

[queenalexandraofdenmark]

"Beatrice now devoted herself wholly to her mother. It was said that the filial side of her nature overshadowed the maternal and that she cared for the Queen noticeably more than for her own children. In the last years of the reign this kind of reverence became the dominant note of the little group of women who gathered around the Queen at Windsor, Osborne, Balmoral, and Cimiez. Granddaughters had regular duty as well as daughters: Marie Louise and Helena Victoria of Schleswig-Holstein, Victoria of Wales, Victoria of Prussia; it was a high privilege as well as a duty. Looking at the snapshots of these Royal gatherings, on lawns, on terraces, in tents, with the huge hats, the dowdy, fussy dresses, the long equine Hanoverian faces, one can almost hear the gentle murmurs, the mild exclamations, the tempered laughter. I turn again to Marie of Romania who remembered her grandmother "surrounded by dogs, Indians, Highlanders, and also an aunt or two in nervous attendance or occasionally a curtseying lady-in-waiting, in correct black, all smiles and with the mellowed voice usu al to those who served or attended to the great little old lady".

Beatrice, however, for all her mildness, was capable of one great act of vandalism. The Queen bequeathed to her the hundreds of little volumes of her private journal, and she exercised the discretion so entrusted to her by destroying a large portion of it. When one considers how passionately interesting are the surviving pieces, one can only weep at what has been lost. The Queen, quite simply, was a great journalist. She had all the qualifications: a sharp eye, a total recall, a searching curiosity, a capacity for strong reaction, an overdeveloped ego and a matchless grandstand seat for the panorama of history. Obviously, the deleted material must have contained all the most exciting family and political dramas with all the Queen’s most strenuous comments. That this treasure-house should have been turned over to the tender mercies of a warped acolyte is one of the tragedies of literature.

But who is to blame but the Queen herself? Beatrice was what Victoria had made her. It is awesome to contemplate what the "great little old lady" could do to those of her immediate circle. Victoria must always fascinate those who read about her. I have discovered that every book, good or bad, on Albert is dull and that every one, good or bad, on the Queen is alive. Her vitality is astonishing.

Turn her around in different lights. Now she is heavy, middleclass, censorious ; now she is shrewd, worldly-wise, tolerant; now she is funny; now she is devoid of the least vestige of humour; now she is humble, human, deeply kind; now she is fiery, imperialistic, blood-thirsty; now she is generous; now she is mean; now she is politically astute; now she is reckless; now she is a hypochondriac; now she is full of vigour. The one constant seems to be her incomparable royal dignity; that never fails. She was always a queen and, I suppose, a great one. I am tempted to add "in spite of herself".

— From the book "Persons of Consequence", by Louis Auchincloss.

[stllimelight]

New Line Theatre Announces Casting and Season Tickets for 29th Season

New Line Theatre Announces Casting and Season Tickets for 29th Season

New Line Theatre, “the bad boy of musical theatre,” has announced casting for its 29th season of adult, alternative musical theatre, which opens with the return of the wild, comic rock musical CRY-BABY, based on the iconic John Waters film, a show which New Line first produced in 2012 in its American regional premiere, running Sept. 26-Oct. 19, 2019. The season continues with the electrifying…

[ismael37olson]

I've Come to Sing a Song About Hope

Out on Broadway: The Third Coming has come to an end. We closed the show tonight. I never thought in 1996, when I created the first Out on Broadway, that twenty-one years later, we would still feel the need for a show like this. But we do still need it. This has been a deeply personal show for all of us. These five actors and I all live openly gay lives, but it's so empowering, so gratifyingly defiant, putting our gay lives and emotions and challenges and insecurities and joys onstage, insisting that the Others aren't in fact Other at all. I'm monumentally proud of this show of ours. It didn't sell out like the first two editions, and we'll never know if that's because the gay community is more a part of mainstream culture now, because Will & Grace happened and is about to happen again, because there's so much more cool theatre in town now (including the Fringe Fest, Ragtime, In the Heights) than there was twenty-one years ago, or because we're still rebuilding our audience after our move a year and half ago. Whatever the reasons, we spent very little on this show, so it won't hurt us financially. Plus our audiences really loved our show. The word I heard most often in the lobby after performances was "wonderful." People both straight and gay found so much to connect to in these amazing theatre songs and in the honest, heartfelt performances of our five actors. The critics all agreed... “If you've ever been in love with musicals, don't miss this show.” – Richard Green, TalkinBroadway "Brassy, sassy, tender, and touching." – Lynn Venhaus, OnSTL “A wonderful evening of musical theatre.” – Kevin Brackett, ReviewSTL "A celebration of life and love for all." – Jeff Ritter, Critical Blast "An easygoing mood, favoring sophistication over splash." – Judith Newmark, St. Louis Post-Dispatch "Well-disciplined velvety voices." – Keaton Treece, St. Louis Limelight “A collection of songs which underscore the ever-changing musical vitality of Broadway." – Mark Bretz, Ladue News Keith, the only actor to appear in all three editions of our show, was scared shitless this time because I gave him three comedy songs. "I'm not funny!" he whined. "No," I replied, "You're honest." And he is, and so his comedy songs were really funny, but also really rich and truthful and human. More than anything, I just feel profoundly proud and grateful. Putting a song list together for a revue or concert is an art, and through the first two OOBs and the five concerts we've done at the Sheldon, I've gotten better and better at constructing an evening of songs. The guiding principle for the show has always been Dignity. Since the first edition all those years ago, there were just two rules. We didn't mock any orientation, or each other, and we didn't sing about how hard it is to be gay. Our OOB shows have always been about our shared humanity, more than anything else, the idea that a love song written for a hetero couple really doesn't change at all if two men sing it instead. (I hate the Broadway Backwards events in NYC. It's not "backwards.")

It was a genuine privilege to work with these five amazing members of our gay community, Ken Haller, Keith Thompson, Sean Michael, and Mike and Dominic Dowdy-Windsor (and our token straight guy, our music director Nate Jackson). I am beyond grateful that I get to run a company like New Line, that I get to create theatre pieces like Out on Broadway, and that St. Louis audiences keep coming back for more. Thank you, St. Louis, for believing that what we do is important to you. I am a very, very lucky guy. Thank you. I'll leave you with OOB3C's penultimate number, "Everything Possible," by Fred Small, one of two non-theatre songs in our show, one of the few songs that has appeared in all three editions of Out on Broadway. This is why we did the show.

We have cleared off the table, the leftovers saved, Washed the dishes and put them away. I have told you a story and tucked you in tight At the end of your knockabout day. As the moon sets its sails to carry you to sleep Over the midnight sea, I will sing you a song no one sang to me; May it keep you good company. You can be anybody you want to be. You can love whomever you will. You can travel any country where your heart leads, And know I will love you still. You can live by yourself, you can gather friends around, You can choose one special one; And the only measure of your words and your deeds Will be the love you leave behind when you're gone. Some girls grow up strong and bold; Some boys are quiet and kind; Some race on ahead, some follow behind; Some go in their own way and time; Some women love women, some men love men; Some raise children, some never do. You can dream all the day never reaching the end Of everything possible for you. Don't be rattled by names, by taunts, by games, But seek out spirits true. If you give your friends the best part of yourself They will give the same back to you. You can be anybody you want to be. You can love whomever you will. You can travel any country where your heart leads, And know I will love you still. You can live by yourself, you can gather friends around; You can choose one special one. And the only measure of your words and your deeds Will be the love you leave behind when you're gone.

And now onward to Lizzie, directed by our associate artistic director Mike Dowdy-Windsor. We start rehearsals Monday. Another wild, awesome adventure. I'll keep you posted. Long Live the Musical! Scott from The Bad Boy of Musical Theatre http://newlinetheatre.blogspot.com/2017/08/ive-come-to-sing-song-about-hope.html

[stllimelight]

'La Cage Aux Folles' Embraces Freedom -- and Sparkle

‘La Cage Aux Folles’ Embraces Freedom — and Sparkle

By Lynn Venhaus Managing Editor There is a sparkle that emanates, not just because of the outward snazzy sequined outfits and shimmery set in New Line Theatre’s “La Cage Aux Folles,” but also inward from the all-male drag chorus, Les Cagelles. Their unbridled enthusiasm for a show celebrating “Be Yourself” is obvious, and underneath their wigs and cosmetic enhancements, it’s endearing.

In…

[stllimelight]

Frisky and fun 'Anything Goes' offers fresh interpretation

Frisky and fun ‘Anything Goes’ offers fresh interpretation

  A full moon illuminated the Friday night sky, and that moonglow permeated New Line Theatre’s production of “Anything Goes,” giving this timeless screwball comedy extra oomph.

Two obvious takeaways from opening night: Never take this old warhorse for granted, and the frisky ensemble is having tons o’ fun pretending to set sail.

All aboard the S.S. American for breezy songs, cheery dance and…

[stllimelight]

Talkin' 'Bout My Generation: New Line's Fresh, Funny 'Be More Chill' Has Real Heart

Talkin’ ‘Bout My Generation: New Line’s Fresh, Funny ‘Be More Chill’ Has Real Heart

By Lynn Venhaus Managing Editor

Every generation has a musical that captures the zeitgeist of the moment, that speaks to them in a special way. My generation of Baby Boomers had “Hair,” Gen X had “Rent,” Millennials had “Spring Awakening” and now Generation Z has the current cultural sensation “Be More Chill.” It’s fierce, fun and frisky.

This is not just another teen misfit story, although…

[stllimelight]

Living Dead Enliven a New Line Original - 'The Zombies of Penzance'

Living Dead Enliven a New Line Original – ‘The Zombies of Penzance’

By Lynn Venhaus Managing Editor Science Fiction, meet Musical Comedy, New Line Theatre-style, with a touch of Midnight Movie Madness.

Artistic Director Scott Miller co-directs musicals with Mike Dowdy-Windsor, and has certainly proven over the years that he beats to a different drummer. Hence, this calling card — an original and clever “The Zombies of Penzance,” where he makes the walking dead…