Live Artists Studio Book Signing

Well...it truly was a night to remember...yes, the book signing was an unqualified artistic success, but mother nature did everything in her power to make things difficult (is there a lesson there??), much like a night right our of our Hazel Moon novel, as a spring snow storm marched through Wisconsin closing schools, snarling traffic, meaning our most loyal friends and some new fans braved the elements to find our book-signing venue, but find it they did and we want to thank each and every one, and anyway sometimes an intimate event is the most magical! Also...sending a big big hug to Clive Promhows for hosting the signing in his super-cool warehouse studio.

Lori opened the "show" with a moon-themed song, adding the words "Hazel Moon" seamlessly to the lyrics without skipping a beat.

She followed that with a tribute acapella number written by Kent Parco, her husband, a musician and songwriter who sadly is no longer with us and provided much of the inspiration for our writing Hazel Moon. He wrote the song/lyrics for our brother Mark, our angel.

Next,the talanted Jimmy Iaquinta joined the Hazel Moon actors ensemble to perform dramatic readings from two of my favorite chapters, Tourmaline & Witches Broom.

Their acting talents made the already compelling copy from our book come alive to the delight of everyone attending! Then, as if by magic, Lady Luna stepped right off the cover of Hazel Moon and on to the stage to perform a reading in character!

The readings over, a lively series of questions from the audience keep us at the microphone for quite some time and something i thought would be daunting was actually liberating and revealing..

Among the many wonderful people who attended was an Internet expert named Ian who was adamant that targeted Facebook ads were were the way to begin realizing our book's potential to find a wide audience! Our marketing director, and cover photographer, Larry Zamba was there to embrace the idea and begin planning our first ad!

The signing over, everyone leaving the signing, we were left with the beautiful feeling of having shared some of our Hazel Moon visions with the world in terms of our literary art. I feel very blessed to be doing this with my sister and hope to share our message with a wide audience, so market Hazel Moon we're planning to do...SOON!!!

And finally, as if the Celtic Hazel Moon gods approved of the signing, despite the rain and snow that clouded the night skies for the past 48 hours, when we stepped outside the full Celtic Ash Moon was there to greet us!! And it was amidst a terrible storm that the most beautiful moon appeared...now there's a message for you!

MORE LIVE ARTISTS STUDIO BOOK SIGNING PICS

Full Moon Book Signing at the Live Artists Studio

Our March 24th book signing is coming up and when I first got the idea to have the signing at the Live Artist's Studio I realized Lori and I shared a vibe with our host and his historic digs, the fashionable Mr. Clive Promhows.

His powerful original art and Fab sound system along with an '80s Mix musical backdrop will enhance the staged readings from our novel, Hazel Moon's chapters, Tourmaline and Witches Broom, the ensemble featuring the acting talents of Jimmy Iaquinta and my gifted co-author Lori Minneti.

 

Getting the word out for this event Larry Zamba designed a poster that we have been dropping off at local businesses and lots and lots of Starbucks!!!

We're learning what it takes to create a media buzz around our book...the dedication it took to write Hazel Moon is also needed in finding our audience the overall process being equally exciting and satisfying in its own way.

 

Lori here, today I discovered a YouTube interview & song link for Kent Parco (second from the left in the back row), my late husband's band TAKE ME, and, I saw a comment that they were the best band the person had ever seen. I sure know that's how I feel about them! Well, TAKE ME was a major inspiration for our novel, HAZEL MOON, and I just know KENT's spirit will be at our book signing tomorrow!

Here we are at Starbucks working on this blog post, entering text and pictures.

We had a full rehearsal last night, under the experienced direction of my actress sister, Lori, along with Jimmy Iaquinta, so we feel ready for Thursday night's book signing!

Hope you all can join us for this special book-signing occasion which happens to take place on the night of a full Celtic Ash Moon in March!!

Zumbah Too...

Well, my talented sister, Lori, has been at it again, lending her writing/acting/singing/dancing chops to a new dinner theater murder mystery musical comedy, Zumbah Too...The Death Dance!!

I'm please to say that I was of some help, pitching in on the script (find some of the script dialog below) and I even have a dance number I'll be in, but along with our dear friend and Lori's acting mentor, Jimmy Iaquinta, and with the help of some of our other dear friends and acting colleagues, it all came together!

Our first performance is scheduled for this Friday & Saturday, February 5 & 6, at the Memories Dinner Theater in Port Washington.

Hope to see you all there for a fun fun time!! 

Always with magic...Lisa & Lori

PICS FROM THE FEBRUARY 5TH PERFORMANCE

 
FROM THE ZUMBAH TOO THE DEATH SCRIPT

(The latin music is pulsating and there is an electric vibe at Memories Ballroom as the fans and friends of the late great Antonio Bandana are excited to see the tribute to the man the music the legend!  The new Zumbah webcast is on the scene to share the energy internationally.  Zumbah  International Power Hour or ZIPH!  Is hosting a search for ZIPH dancers.  Cinnamon Sez , the former girlfriend of Antonio is the new host of ZIPH addresses  the crowd.)

Cinnamon:    Welcome you mambos, sambas, tangos, shake your money makers, booty shakers and fans of Zumbah!!!  I am Cinnamon Sez of the new hot webcast,  Zumbah International Power Hour or ZIPH
Michael:   That’s Ziph (making the ph louder)
Cinnamon:  Alright everyone let’s play Cinnamon Sez not Simon Says: Cinnamon Sez!  Let’s try it.  Cinnamon Sez put your right hand in.  Cinnamon Sez put your right hand out.  Cinnamon Sez put your right hand in.   And shake it all about.  Uh-oh, I didn’t say Cinnamon Sez.  Okay let’s go again: Cinnamon Sez: ZIPH (like Michael did)
Michael:  That’s Ziph
Crowd:  That’s Ziph!
Cinnamon:   wow it worked, Well we’re all here to honor the late great beautiful talented gifted Antonio Bandana here at Memories Ballroom where he danced his last…
Michael:  Say it again Cinnamon like you life your life depended on it!!!
Cinnamon:  Say what?
Michael:  ZIPH!
Cinnamon:  Do I have to say Cinnamon Sez again first
Michael: Of course!
Cinnamon: Okay   Cinnamon Sez ZIPH!
Crowd and Michael:  ZIPH!
(Cinnamon looks bewildered as what do next)
Michael:  Get on with interviews!

Cinnamon:   I am getting on with it and we have some special guests that would like to say a few words as we honor the legend Antonio Bandana.  We are here to celebrate the life and talent of the late great Antonio Bandana!  (applause)   We have the new dance sensation from the Ukrane Slabio to perform The Death Dance as a tribute to Antonio.  Slabio’s star is on the rise and this will be first performance in the U.S. and of course ZIPH ( Everyone re-echoes ZIPH)  is on the scene for the latest and greatest Zumbah excitement!    Antonio Bandana was the mentor of Slabio who worshipped him from Easter n Europe and will show his love for him as we all show our love by being here today!  Our first guest is Cindy Lovlotski!  (Interview)  Ladies and Gentlemen our next guest is Esmerlda Masticotti who has helped fund the feel the music message that is Zumbah and of course was Antonio Bandana.  (Interview)   We now would like to bring the esteemed Dr. Kraneal  to the stage.  (Interview)  We at ZIPH are searching for dancers to be part of the magic power and sex that is Zumbah and of course ZIPH!  But wait there’s more!   Digitale’ LeMans, reknown glass blower in the Chihuly but kooly style, has created a glass sculpture of Antonio Bandana and we will have that unveiling tonite!  Cinnamon Sez  WOW!
Michael and crowd:  Wow!

Cinnamon:  giggles  aw shucks it worked again!  Enough about me we have a great tribute tonite, Ladies and gentlemen let’s give a warm Wisconsin welcome to that new hot dance sensation from the..
Michael:   interrupting,  Mrs. Casmir is first
Cinnamon:   Who, oh yeah, sorry this is my first… never mind.   Mrs. Casmir is a “friend”  “shaman” and “dancer”  who is a magic madam!  She   To get this party started Zumbanites let’s give it up for Mrs. Casmir and her gold bust!
Michael:  Dust
Mrs. Casmir:  Sorry sir the lady was right I do have a gold bust…..( she shows her stuff with her own special  je ne sais qui ) 
SONG gold bust woman
Mrs. Casimir:  I am feeling the throbbing rush of international energy…I love its global feeling, the embodiment of the chakra of gold.
Michael:  throbbing chakra. Chaka Khan, Chaka Khan you can say anything you want (singing)
Mrs. Casimir: (speaking in tongues) silver spoons pieces home will not help
Fire water earth air save my lover Aphrodite goddess bright he is mine tonight…
( Michael is licking his chops)
Audience applauds Mrs. Casmir
Cinnamon :  ( clapping says)  Mrs.  Casmir is solid gold!  24 carat!  You betcha right here on the International Power Hour .  Cinnamon Sez Ziph!
Audience and Michael:  Ziph!

(Cinnamon interviews Mrs. Casmir)

Cinnamon:  Let’s continue as we search for our Ziph dancers.  I am looking for Debbie Jodphurs, Tawny Bucks, Amber Finnagan, and Pia Goldstain.    C’mon on down (Interview)  
Cinnamon:  C’mon everyone let’s conga!!
(Cinnamon sings Conga and goes through audience with Chilay Cuba Jr.)
Cinnamon:  Two people closest to Antonio were his driver and his personal assistant,  welcome Sven Swarthmore and Hunter Hippockets.
Hunter: Highpockets

(Interview Sven and Hunter)

Cinnamon:  Now what everyone has been waiting for the internationally acclaimed Zumbah artist extrodinare , Ukrane’s best kept sensation, the tongue wagging hip swinging split kick King,  the one the only Slabio performing his homage to his mentor the wonderful Antonio Bandana who danced his last dance right here at Memories, the one the only the man,  Slabio, performing The Death Dance!

A Very Merry Minneti Christmas Carol...

A remarkable, rare, and practically a command performance of the Charles Dickens classic holiday play, A Christmas Carol, was presented as an interactive, live show on Sunday, December 20, at The CATHE community center in Burlington, Wisconsin. How do I know...because I was there tending to the spotlights for the performance. My sister, Lori, was in the cast performing a series of characters, including Tiny Tim and the Ghosts of Christmas Past, Present, and Future, while also engaging the audience in this refreshing English Music Style of presenting a play.

This version, A Dickens of a Christmas Carol, presented by the Wisconsin Actors Ensemble, worked with the script actually used by Charles Dickens during personal performances on stage 170 years ago.

At times Lori had to "coach" someone in the audience who had a script sheet and was wearing props like a top hat or a dog's nose to get their lines right. At other times she would bring the play to the audience by selecting one or more to dance with her! 

In this version, there was a member of the cast, Ted Tyson, whose job it was to coach the audience, letting them know with signs and objects, like a match box when the audience was supposed to scrunch plastic pieces together to simulate the crackling of a log fireplace. He also played a small keyboard adding silent-film like organ music to various scenes.

The anchor of the remarkable performance was the versatile, talented and experienced actor, Jimmy Iaquinta, who in the Charles Dickens style, held a manuscript of the play and by switching hats and scarfs and vocal inflection, somehow managed to play three or more characters, including Scrooge and Bob Cratchit.

Manning the spotlights, I couldn't help but focus in on my sister and marveled at her professional determination to put on the very best performance possible no matter who was in the audience, from royalty to commoner and everyone in between. There were no songs to be sung by Lori, but her acting voice is so lyrical and styled that what comes out of her mouth has the quality and impact of singing. 

Her extreme range of projecting emotion and switching accents was also on full display from the sad scenes of Tiny Tim's illness to the enthusiasm of the street boy charged by a renewed Scrooge to go and buy a big fat goose for Christmas day dinner!

 

I suspect most actors, but especially for those in this acting troupe, you could tell they were performing in honor of their art form, joyously inhabiting the characters, and yes hopefully entertaining an audience, but even more to revel in the creative, artistic expression they thrive on during performances.

When the curtain finally came down and the actors took their well-deserved bows, instead of feeling drained and scurrying off to some private place to recharge drained batteries, they enthusiastically engaged with audience members, answering questions and switching characters once again to continue the "performance" with the mundane unscripted conversations of old and newfound friends.

 

It was all something to behold, especially from my perch in the balcony manning the spotlights, but when I finally came down to join the party after the performance, I was in something of a daze at having been a small part of a remarkable and inspiring theatrical event. There might not have been ten thousand people there, or a queen, or a famous celebrity, yet the Universe Smiled just the same and the world was enriched by the gift of their performance. 

Our Book Launch Party...

That's us above...Lisa and Lori around 6 years old. Can you tell us apart?? We eventually grew up and along with us grew a dream to tell stories to an appreciative audience. My sister, Lori, has been doing just that for years in her role as an actress, but last night that dream came true for me as well.

OMG...we just had our Hazel Moon book launch party and the event was absolutely Splendiferous!!! I had to make up a word with enough panache to even begin to sum up how delightful the entire happening was from start to finish! To begin with, we couldn't have asked for a more lush and beautiful setting...Peabody's Interiors (see decorated main entrance above).

I'm an interior designer with Peabody's and our fearless leader, Kelly Gallion, above standing next to our author poster which our gifted cover photographer and friend, Larry Zamba created, who arranged for our back cover author pic to be blown up as a book poster, was more than generous in agreeing to host our launch party there. It was a busy few days getting ready, but in the end it was all more than worth it.

I found an old wooden chest that served as the display case for our book, set up right in the front lobby so that when people came in they could buy one. 

Lori got the idea to make sure that some of the snacks were the same ones mentioned in the book as being provided for the RATT band after-party that character, Angela, attended, including Nacho Cheese Doritos and Striped Dainties (right)! Go Lori!

We'd written out a script for the program which went beyond the traditional signing by adding songs with moon themes sung by local professionals, including Rick Mach (above left) singing Frank Sinatra "moon" classics along with David E. Kirby and Lori.

We also had an acting troupe including professional Elvis tribute artist, David E. Kirby (seated right) as Hazel Moon character, Cash Reynolds, local actor Jimmy Iaquinta, dressed in a Santa costume, served as our narrator, with Lori as both Angela & Lady Luna, and me, Lisa, acting the part of November.

After introductions by our narrator covering the background for how Hazel Moon was inspired, Lori and I, David E. Kirby, Rick Mach, and Lori each sang a moon-themed song. Lori then sang acapella several lines from a song written by her husband, Kent, before he died, to honor our brother, Mark, who'd also died way too young.

That led to an opening monologue from the Hazel Moon Prologue. Lori and I took turns reading paragraphs from the book.

That was followed by our acting troupe reading lines from Chapter 1, White Chocolate and later Chapter 3 Tourmaline. (cover photographer Larry Zamba seated right)

After a few more songs, the formal part of the book signing ended, we took some questions, and signed books.

All in all, it was a surreal experience mainly because only a few months earlier being authors of a published book was literally only a dream...and as these magical months unfolded it became apparent that Dreams Can Come True...