Interview: Dora and Diego from ‘Dora Live!’

Posted on March 31, 2009 at 10:44 am

dora live.jpg
Children and their families are lining up across the country to see “Dora Live,” an interactive adventure that leads Dora the Explorer, her cousin Diego, Boots the monkey, and all their friends on a fun-filled journey in “Search for the City of Lost Toys.” As it prepares to open in my home town of Washington D.C., I was able to interview the performers who portray both Dora and Diego, who told me how much they enjoy appearing in a show that has such an enthusiastic audience.
Susan Oliveras plays Dora, the curious and adventuresome young explorer.
Tell me about what you were doing before Dora.
I am a Brooklyn native, born and raised, and I went to the performing arts high school, the “Fame” school. I got my bachelor’s in music from Five Towns College. After I graduated I started auditioning for any show and I’ve been on the road ever since. I did a couple of seasons with “Sesame Street Live” and got to tour the world, then I did Royal Caribbean cruises as a singer-dancer. Then I came home and start auditioning for other things.
Was the audition for Dora different from others?
Yes! It was a lot of fun because you get to play around at the audition and a different tone because of the nature of the show. So everyone was just very very friendly and playful. I would go in and sing pop songs, and then they asked me to sing a selection from the show. They played it for me a couple of times, and I sang it on the spot and then I did a dance audition and then I had to come back and do it for the director, and then come back again and do it for the producer and director.
Is this a show with a story and songs?
In some ways it is exactly like a musical that any adult would see. It has a story line told with characters and music. Dora has lost her teddy bear, her favorite toy, and she goes on a journey to find it through the number pyramid, the mixed-up jungle, and then the City of Lost Toys, which has every toy ever lost by any child, so that’s like the golden city. And she has her friends, Boots the monkey, her best friend and cousin Diego, and of course her map and backpack.
What does Dora’s famous backpack look like in the show?
It’s taller than me! It is a huge prop with someone inside operating it, making the mouth and eye movement and an actor doing the voice.
What is the audience reaction like to the show?
I don’t need a career as a rock star because I feel like I’ve had that! They’re screaming — of course in delight, calling Dora’s name as soon as I step on stage. They know all the songs and sing along. They come in their Dora gear, t-shirts and sometimes dressed like the characters. In Chicago I looked in the audience and someone was dressed in a Boots costume. It was adorable!
Is that distracting?
The show thrives on audience participation. The story could not move on if the children don’t respond to the questions we are asking. We encourage them to shout it out — this is a place where you don’t have to raise your hand and be called on. I can really hear their answers and respond to them and react to them.

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Interview: Ray Griggs of ‘Super Capers’

Posted on March 25, 2009 at 5:00 pm

‘Super Capers” is a cute film about a guy with no super powers who teams up with some super-heroes in need of assistance, the “Super Capers.” The story includes good guys, bad guys, stolen gold, a wrongly accused hero, and some surprises. Writer/director/star Ray Griggs says that his mission is “to tell compelling and captivating stories to a family audience so that they may be swept away from reality and lost in the silver screen for a moment in time. I spoke with him about the film.

How did this film come about?

I did an award-winning short, but studios aren’t really inclined to put their money on someone who’s really unknown, so I had to prove myself with an independent film. I tried to use all the resources I had, so I wrote, produced, directed, and starred in it. I thought I might as well do what inspired me to be a film-maker, take a little something from people like Spielberg and Zemekis, put them all into one big melting pot. So, there’s a little bit of “Back to the Future,” a little bit of “Star Wars,” and a little bit of “Superman.” There are a lot of homages to things, like a big 80’s film. Our score is from two guys who work with the great John Williams. And of course there’s Adam West!

Yes, there is! How did it feel to have TV’s Batman, Adam West, involved?

As a kid you’re into watching the shows but don’t think you’ll be one day working with him. I really enjoyed having him as the old superhero — in an adapted Batmobile — driving the young superhero. There are a lot of touches like that, in the costumes and characters, things that adults will recognize but little kids will fall in love with without needing to know where they came from.

The trend these days seems to be superheroes who are complex and troubled, as in “The Dark Knight” and “Watchmen.” But you’ve gone another way, more light-hearted and playful.

We were breaking away from what the traditional movies do. With an independent film I could have had total freedom to do violence, nudity, whatever we wanted. But it also gave us independence to do what we wanted. I wanted it to be for little kids, to inspire them the way I was inspired. The idea comes from me as a kid, wanting to be a superhero and pretending to be one. The main character in this movie has no powers but wants to fit in. He wants it so much he pretends he has powers. A lot of us feel that way.

What superpower would you most like to have?

I’d like to fly, especially today with all the traffic!

How else does the movie reflect your own vision of the world?

Well, the G on the superhero uniform does not stand for Gruberman — it stands for God, the ultimate creator and the ultimate power.

Your short film is about Lucifer, so there is a religious element in both films.

All things are possible with God, and nothing without him. I am grateful to God for my talent. And I feel, why not promote God — there are so many films that don’t. When you do see a Christian on television or in the movies either they are making fun of him or he’s the bad guy.

I have a comic book “prequel” to the movie and will send it to the first person who sends me an email with moviemom@moviemom.com with “Capers” in the subject line.

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Interview: Stacey Oristano of ‘Friday Night Lights’

Posted on March 13, 2009 at 10:00 am

Stacy Oristano provides comic relief as the warm-hearted but slightly trashy Mindy on “Friday Night Lights,” one of the best shows on television. She was nice enough to take the time to answer some questions about the show and the character and about her influences.
How does your experience in Texas and football help you understand the subject of “Friday Night Lights?”
I think it helps me understand the mentality of this town and these people. Football has been such a huge part of my whole life… I’m just keeping the tradition going!
Why is high school football so important in Texas?
I wish I knew. We don’t question it… we just do it!
How do you bring comedy to a show that is essentially dramatic?
I think that’s the great thing about Mindy! She can find the fun in any situation.
She is inanely funny and I think on a show that tends toward the dramatic it’s a relief sometimes to laugh….
Can you create a comic character who is also believable and sympathetic?
Oh gosh…. I hope I am with Mindy! You tell me….. 🙂
What were some of the performances you saw when you were growing up that inspired you?
Billy Crudup in “The Pillowman” and Rufus Sewell in “Rock and Roll” changed my life! The most brilliant and inspirational performances I have ever seen.
What’s the best advice you ever got about acting?
Just keep showing up!
What do you do to help you create the character of Mindy? How does the costume help you create the character?
I just go to a tougher, darker side of myself. Ohhhhh the costume….. it helps!!! I could never get away with wearing what Mindy does. It helps to differentiate between me and her.
What inspires you?
Talent!

What makes you laugh?
Everything!!!
What’s on your iPod?
Billy Joel, Bob Dylan, Patty Griffin, loads of musicals…..

Who was the best teacher you ever had?
Dr. Alan Nielsen. He was a professor of mine in college that helped me get where I am today!

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Interview: Morgan Taylor of ‘Gustafer Yellowgold’

Posted on March 5, 2009 at 8:00 am

Morgan Taylor is the illustrator, animator, and musician who created Gustafer Yellowgold, the pointy-headed little yellow guy from the sun featured in DVDs and live concert performances.

Gustafer is a friendly creature who came to Earth from the sun and has an unusual magnetism for making friends with some of Earth’s odder creatures. His best friend is Forrest Applecrumbie the flightless Pterodactyl. Gustafer and Forrest built a small cottage-style home on the edge of an uncharted wooded area in Minnesota. He has a pet Eel named Slim (short for Slimothy) and a pet Dragon named Asparagus who lives in his fireplace and loves corn on the cob. Gustafer’s pals, the Mustard Slugs practice their math under the shrubbery.

Where did the name Gustafer Yellowgold come from?

I started drawing picture books illustrating the lyrics of some of my more humorous songs and I got to the point where I had to draw the cover for the book. I had this yellow pointy headed guy I had been drawing. I wanted his name to be unusual, slightly tongue-twistery, and warm-sounding. I love worldplay. Gustafer Yellowgold was fun to say and sounded friendly, and projected a confident image. I chose the name and googled it just to make sure it wasn’t taken!

When was this?

It was in the winter 2004, going into 2005. It began with the songs “Tiny Purple Moon” and “Pterodactyl Tuxedo.” I had already written them but they fit in with what I was doing with Gustafer. I looked over the songs I had and asked, “Which songs would fit with this project?” I had been subconsciously creating this whole fictitious world. I had a number of humorous pop songs sung in first person. I knew it wasn’t me, though. They were created in these moments of creative freedom. I had this character but no story around him, but there was something that I always doodled, and then I said “Okay so I’ll use that guy.” I had this “I’m From the Sun” song. Wait a second, the guy is from the sun!

Now I have used up all of my old songs. Four on Mellow Fever are the last of those. The songs for the fourth DVD are all new and almost totally written already.

You have a new baby. Is he your test audience?

He is just turning 11 months and he really perks up when we have the music on. He was there during the mixing and editing, sometimes on my lap. He is just now starting to realize that it’s something; he picks up the doll and looks at it.

Where does Gustafer’s mellow, laid-back sensibility come from?

It comes from my taste in music and song-writing. It is therapy in a way to think about that question and about the genesis of the creative process. When I am creating something, especially music, my creative nucleus exists in about 1976-78. My mom always had the radio on in the kitchen, a soft rock AM station. I think about how I felt at the time getting ready for school, interested in comics and music and filled with creative inspiration. I gravitate toward those feelings, chasing that feeling of safety, oblivious to everything except the immediate surrounding, when I am creating something.

You have some unusual collaborators including some of the people from Wilco and Lisa Loeb helping you with the music. How did that come about?

When I moved in NY in 1999 from Dayton, I met every musician, singer-songwriter in NY and made a bunch of new friends. One of the guys from Wilco was getting ready to tour and asked me to recommend a bass player. I said, “Well dude, I play bass!” “Oh really?” So I toured with them and I guested on their last record. I asked them to come in and mash harmonies for Gustafer. I also played bass on a band that was opening for Lisa Loeb. She became aware of Gustafer and came to our off-Broadway shows and we worked on a couple of songs together. I said, “Hey you want to sing on the new Gustafer record?” There was a song with a counter-melody that I thought would be good for her.

What do kids learn from Gustafer Yellowgold?

They learn the power of imagination, some abstract thoughts, they learn to read because all the text is on the screen, they learn to stop and appreciate some small things, the details in nature, they learn about relationships with people of all different backgrounds and colors. His world is kind of a little melting pot of weird personalities.

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Interview: Kerri Pomarolli

Posted on March 1, 2009 at 8:00 am

Kerri Pomarolli is a talented, funny, creative, enthusiastic actress/comedian who describes herself as an “out of the closet Christian.” She is a regular on Jay Leno’s Tonight Show and she is featured in the documentary Hollywood on Fire, about the the successes and failures of faith-driven actors, directors, producers, music artists, and executives. It presents “a different view on how Christians in the entertainment industry encounter secularist and Hollywood skeptics, yet do not compromise their faith.” It was a great pleasure to get a chance to talk to her.

What were some of the movies that influenced you when you were growing up?

I was one of those kids roller skating in the basement to “Grease” and “Annie.” At age 3 or 4 I told everyone I was going to Hollywood. I grew up on the classics, Cary Grant, William Holden — I loved his movie “Picnic,” and when I got older I got to be in the play. I had a wealth of knowledge of classics like “All about Eve” and stars like Angela Lansbury. The classics were not just kids movies but good family movies and that’s sort of been lost now. Everything is either a kids movie or an adult movie. And TV too — when I was growing up the sitcoms were for families, but now there are kid-specific channels and programs and the other sit-coms are more for adults and not for children or for families to share.

What do you look for in a project or part?

I came out here and had certain rules for myself as an actress and a Christian. At first, I thought of it in terms of “as long as my character isn’t doing anything bad,” it was all right but that evolved as my faith has evolved. A project can look clean but then you look behind it and it is not. There can be integrity issues behind the scenes. If integrity isn’t there on screen and behind it, it isn’t the right project. It has to be something that as a person of faith I feel like God says, “This is you, this is your task.”

I love working on the Leno show. He is great. It is pretty PG rated. They treat you with such respect there, too. The crew has been with him for 20 years, which really says something. I have never compromised my faith in my work on the show. The casting director is a Christian. I hear the new show will be more like the Ed Sullivan show, and I think it will be great.What is your dream project?

My book Guys Like Girls Named Jennie is being turned into a screenplay. It is a Christian romantic comedy, a really real romantic comedy, the kind of project a 14 year old girl or a 35 year old woman can watch. I’d love to play myself!

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