Mega Update: "City of Angels," Marquee Five, Definitely Dickens, and the best place *ever* for breakfast.

Here's an update on what's been going on here in Connecticut and in New York City! I'm still having a terrific time in East Haddam, performing in "City of Angels." I had two exciting understudy performances as Donna/Oolie while Nancy Anderson accepted her Noel Coward award, appeared on television singing in The Angel City 4 quartet with "Jimmy Powers," came back to New York to debut Marquee Five's CD, "8-Track Throwback" with a CD Release Party/Concert, am about to embark on the thing called the Holiday Season, and ate my weight in breakfast fare at The Whistle Stop Cafe in Deep River.  More on the latter place....later...

Here we are at the opening night party!  More pictures can be found at the Goodspeed Facebook album page of many other cast members. 

The "Angel City 4" at the Opening Night Party
Goodspeed Musicals
East Haddam, CT 06423
860-873-8664 ©2011Diane Sobolewski

— with Sierra Rein, Vanessa Parvin, Adam West Hemming, and Mick Bleyer.

We've had a huge number of stellar reviews, including a terrific ones from the New York Times, TheaterMania.com, Examiner.com (who gives the Angel City 4 some "exquisite harmony" praise), and ReminderNews.com.  Playbill.com also posted a gallery of backstage photos taken by castmember Robert J. Townsend, which shows some of the fun schenanigans happening off stage.  Plus, after understudying as Donna/Oolie for Nancy Anderson on October 22nd, I received a nice mention in this review from WMNR.

This past Monday, November 7th, the Angel City 4 returned to NYC to join forces with Julie Reyburn and meld back into the form of vocal group Marquee Five.  Along with our Throwback Band (Mark Janas, Tony Romano, Matt Scharfglass, and Wally Usiatynski), we rocked out at the Laurie Beechman for our "8-Track Throwback" CD Release Party and Concert.  We sang many tracks from the CD, a song from our first Kander & Ebb show, and a song from our future "swing" show.  We also offered some audience participation, giving them the opportunity to decide a "Grab Bag" song chosen from a short list from "8-Track" (they decided on "Jolene" by volume of applause).  We sold CDs and Tshirts, thanked our Kickstarter.com backers profusely, and had a wonderful time.  You can purchase CDs and tshirts yourself via MarqueeFive.com (we will soon have the CD up on Amazon.com and iTunes as well, but in the meantime we are manually taking orders).

My husband took this action shot of Marquee Five from his table.

Now that Marquee Five's CD child has been birthed unto the world, and in between acts of "City of Angels," I'm dusting off my music book and mentally putting on my Christmas Caroling hat (it's a bonnet actually) in anticipation of once again singing with the Definitely Dickens Holiday Carolers.  We specialized in memorized, a cappella, 4-part harmony carols in modern and classic styles, and are available to be hired for holiday parties and business events. 

Finally! It's time to mention The Whistle Stop Cafe (here in a brief mention at Courant.com).  It's a tiny shack of a restaurant on the Main Street of Deep River, CT.  Cash only, and a staff of about three cooking and serving a one room breakfast house (with some front and rear outside dining options).  The cook has been there for 19 years, and it has become a staple of many locals' morning eating rituals.  The food and decor is down-to-earth homestyle, the taste is always exquisite, the food is expertly made, with some unique specials mixed in each day.  They have about 10 omelette standards and equal number of choices in eggs benedict, pancakes, breakfast meats, drinks, etc.  This morning, I had the "Trifecta" omelette, which included shallots, garlic herb cheese, truffle oil, and shitake mushrooms. They don't play around!  In any event, to anyone visiting Goodspeed Musicals who wants to eat breakfast heartily, grab some cash and visit this place - and make sure to split their amazing french toast dish at the table!

The Whistle Stop Cafe at 108 Main St., Deep River,
open Thursday through Monday, 7:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. 860-526-4122.

And now...more pictures of us backstage at "City of Angels." Thanks for reading!

With female swing Becca Pesce, who is wearing her Angel City 4 outfit!

With leading man DB Bonds, who plays Stine

As Oolie

Cheers,
Sierra Rein
"I don't sing because I'm happy, I'm happy because I sing" - William James