“Annul It” in rehearsal at Pearl Studios in Manhattan for the 2011 NYMF production of Marry Me, The Musical. The role of Duane Bean is played by Alex Brightman and that’s me singing with Alex. Off camera the back up singers and the band are Darren Korb, and Dana Haynes. Oh, and that’s the talented Logan Cunningham at the production table behind Alex and me. Dan Korb is shooting the video.
While rehearsing Merry Me, The Musical at Pearl Studios in Manhattan, a few of us in the cast and creative team originating from San Jose had a surprise visit from another native San Josean also working in New York, Chelsea Stock, who at the time this photo was taken just closed The Little Mermaid on Broadway playing the role of Ariel, and was about to go into Sister Act on Broadway, and in 2016 Chelsea was in the Something Rotten on Broadway. Pictured next to Chelsea is Dennis O’Bannion who has also peformed on Broadway in a recent production of White Christmas; I had never crossed paths with Dennis before and yet it felt like I’d known him forever because we have so many mutual acquaintances from San Jose in common; like Chelsea, Nick, Alex, Darren and Dan. Next to Dennis is Nick Spangler who was also in the NYMF cast playing the role of Neil Ferris. At the time this photo was taken, Nick was performing in The Book of Mormon on Broadway. Then that’s me standing next to Alex Brightman, who has also performed on Broadway in Wicked, Big Fish, Mathilda, and not long after this photo was taken landed the starring role in School of Rock (Tony Award nomination) at the Winter Garden Theatre. Alex has gone on to star in several Broadway shows including Bettlejuice where he received another Tony Award nomination for Best Actor. Alex is currently starring in Spamalot on Broadway.
I directed Nick, Alex and Chelsea, and The Korb Brothers (Dan and Darren) when they were just kids performing with Children’s Musical Theatre of San Jose. What a joy it was for me to work with them again and to finally meet Dennis and to bump into Chelsea. We even bumped into Hugh Jackman who just so happened to be rehearsing directly across the hall from us for his show, Hugh Jackman, Back On Broadway.
