Former Carousel House Now a Home for ‘Hair’ - New York Times

By GWEN OREL
Published: August 9, 2008



ASBURY PARK - THE Carousel House has been empty for years, but from Aug. 15 to 31, it will be filled with the sounds and sights of the Age of Aquarius. The recently restored building is the setting for “Hair,” the first fully staged production by the nonprofit ReVision Theater here.



ReVision’s founders, Tom Morrissey, David E. Leidholdt and Stephen Bishop Seely, came to know one another through the Genesius Theater Guild, based in Manhattan and started in 1995 by Mr. Morrissey, 52. ReVision became the new incarnation of Genesius this year. The three men, who share a house as well as the title of producing artistic director, moved to Asbury Park this spring.
They wanted to start a regional theater that could incubate work for Broadway, like the Barrington Stage Company in Massachusetts, where Mr. Leidholdt, 43, had worked as an associate producer. “We opened atlases, picking out cities,” said Mr. Seely, 35.



They sought a town that was developing, diverse and gay-friendly. Mr. Morrissey added: “All the other towns we looked at didn’t need us. We want to make an impact.”



The performance of “Hair” will be in the round; seats will be on risers and on floor cushions, with the cast performing on a platform and on three scaffolding towers. The director is Andy Goldberg, of “Bomb-itty of Errors,” the hip-hop Shakespearean play.



Built as part of the Casino entertainment complex on the Boardwalk, the Carousel House, which dates to 1929, had a carousel in place from about 1932 to 1990, according to Helen Chantal Pike, a historian and author of “Asbury Park’s Glory Days” (Rutgers University Press, 2005). Later occupants included a skateboard park and flea market.



According to Courtney Johnson, marketing director for the real estate company Madison Marquette, one of the owners of the Carousel House, it has been given a new roof and cupola, replacement glass and iron gates. Other performances and art exhibits will take place there in the future, she said.



ReVision’s plans include smaller shows during the year, a holiday show and summer musicals in a variety of places, with both new works and reimagined classics expected.



ReVision has a group, ReScript, that reads submitted plays and is run by Lou Liberatore, another Asbury Park resident. Mr. Liberatore also runs the Jersey Shore Writer’s Studio and was nominated for a Tony Award in 1988 for his featured role in Lanford Wilson’s “Burn This.”
ReVision’s three producers have other jobs: Mr. Leidholdt teaches at a summer theater camp in Manasquan and will be a producer for American Family Theater in Philadelphia in the fall. Mr. Morrissey teaches musical theater at Wagner College in Staten Island and at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy in New York. Mr. Seely tends bar in Asbury Park.



At a pool party fund-raiser for ReVision, George Hansel, the lighting designer for “Hair,” said he was happy to see the group in the city. A resident for 25 years — “I’m a townie,” he said — he runs a local performing arts company called the Black Box Theater. Noting that a lot of “carpetbagger” types have come through Asbury Park, he said, “ReVision fills a niche of quality.”
Besides, he added: “They pay everybody, which is rare.”



“Hair” runs from Aug. 15 to 31 at the Carousel House on the Boardwalk in Asbury Park, 700 Ocean Avenue at Asbury Avenue. Information: (732) 455-3059 or http://www.revisiontheatre.org/.








LET THE SUN SHINE IN Cast members of “Hair,” from left: Martin Gould Cummings, Julia Arazi, Mike Russo, Marah Meese and Spiro Galiatsatos. (David Hunsinger for The New York Times)

STAGE TROUPE FINDS A HOME IN ASBURY PARK

By TOM CHESEK • Correspondent • May 30, 2008 • Asbury Park Press

It's a classic Asbury Park story. A team of dedicated artists, boasting an impeccable set of credentials, leave the big city to seek their fortune on a new and unfamiliar frontier — and find a home here in the fabled city by the sea. Taken under their wing by a supportive local arts community, they make friends, forge connections and work to establish Asbury Park's place as the true heart and soul of the Shore artscape.

Sounds inspiring, for sure — a pity it almost didn't happen in Asbury.

When Thomas Morrissey returned to Genesius Theatre Guild, the Manhattan-based stage company he founded in 1995, he and his fellow Genesius directors David Leidholdt and Stephen Bishop Seely made the rather daring decision to relocate the acclaimed troupe to a different city — one that could conceivably support the guild's innovative range of offerings, while offering in turn a more reasonable cost of doing business. The producing partners visited several locations on the West Coast, and researched dozens of others — including Paducah, Kentucky, a city that has lured a new generation of artists and entrepreneurs by renting vacant lofts for the price of one dollar a month.

"People kept mentioning Asbury Park to us," says Leidholdt, adding that "we had been here a couple of years ago and thought it wasn't quite ready yet."

Still, with an influx of artists and creative professionals finding friendly harbor here in recent years — people like Marjorie Conn, who relocated her Provincetown Fringe Festival lock-stock-and-name to Asbury Park — the prospect of setting up in such a manageably sized, conveniently located, artistically attuned place was ultimately too much to resist. Following Morrissey to town, Leidholdt and Seely rented a house and began to take a good look at their company's mission in this new locale.

With Tom, David and Stephen sharing the title of Producing Artistic Director, the principals took on Shore-based, Tony-nominated actor Lou Liberatore (who had worked with Morrissey at Circle Repertory Company) as their Literary Director — and, in what was perhaps their boldest move to date, decided to retire the Genesius name in favor of a new identity.

"We thought of things like Three Guys in a Theater, Three's Company," says Seely, a prolific actor and director who worked on the musicals "Tarzan" and "On the Record" during his tenure at Disney Theatrical Productions.

According to Leidholdt, a veteran freelance director and co-founder of the New York Musical Theatre Festival, "We settled upon ReVision, since this was going to be sort of a re-visioning of what we'd done before."

The partners officially opened for business late last year, moved to join such organizations as the Monmouth County Arts Council, ARTSCAP, and the local Chamber of Commerce, and applied for New Jersey non-profit status. They even set up temporary headquarters at Asbury Park's VFW building; where they've conducted workshops, classes and auditions. All that's been missing is a performance space to call their own.

Enter Mattison Park, the downtown martini lounge and restaurant whose owners "asked if we could recommend or supply an act," recalls Leidholdt. Taking the request and running with it, ReVision assembled what's slated to be the first East Coast staging of a buzzworthy new musical bio on one of the most iconic ladies of the silver screen — just in time for the gay pride celebration.

Presented for a single performance this Sunday, "Daydreaming: Channeling Doris Day" presents Broadway actress Kathy Morath (who co-scripted with director Dennis Bailey) as a successful but troubled businesswoman who "finds she has to channel Doris Day to get through the day."
It's a "musical journey" framework for a score of songs made famous by the wholesome golden goddess of Hollywood, including "Que Sera, Sera," "Secret Love" and the title tune.

Actor-accompanist Christopher Stephens co-stars in the 5 p.m. program, for which tickets are available at $10 each, and seating can be reserved by calling (732) 455-3059 or visiting www.ReVisionTheatre.org.

Asbury’s ReVision:

How a theatre company will garner national applause for the triCity region

By Steven Froias
Tri-City News
May 29, 2008

ASBURY PARK – Regular readers of this newspaper may be forgiven if they feel that our editorial coverage sometimes borders on hyperbole if not down right hyperventilation. Hey – we admit that our zeal to uncover the promise and possibility of the triCity area sometimes gives us the vapors.

This isn’t one of those times, however. Rather, with the ReVision Theatre Company, we’re bringing you the real deal, straight up. Because the vision – or ReVision, if you will – of this group has the potential to garner for itself, Asbury and the triCity region the sort of national attention all three deserve.

ReVision Theatre has set up shop in Asbury Park, with offices in the VFW Post 1333 building (which is becoming an arts haven under Lou Parisi, commander).

The creative brain trust behind the ReVision Theatres consists of David E. Leidholt, Thomas Morrissey, and Stephen Bishop Seely, its Producing Artistic Directors. Lou Liberatore is its Literary Director. They’re joined by other members of their Board of Directors in launching this impressive endeavor in Asbury Park.

Here’s how they came to be here, in a proverbial nutshell. Thomas Morrissey founded the Genesius Theatre Guild in New York City in 1995. For ten years he served as its Artistic Director, gathering much acclaim in the role before deciding to take a break and cast himself in another. When he decided a comeback to Genesius was in the stars, the timing was fortuitous; the folks he had given the keys to were ready to move on.

As was Genesius – now with the surname Theatre Group. Morrissey sized up the landscape in New York, evaluated it through refreshed eyes, and decided it was time to hit the road – this time with company in tow rather than solo.

The bottom line aspect of theatrical production has been shifting for some time. That movement is largely leading out of the city and toward regional theatre groups like the Barrington Stage Company in the Massachusetts Berkshires, which work shopped and developed the Tony award-winning “The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee” before it ended up on Broadway. The prohibitive cost of nurturing new theatre in a gentrified New York is largely the cause.
The effect is the ReVision Theatre in Asbury Park, the re-branded Genesius. Its significance to the city – and the triCity region – could be profound.

ReVision plans to be a regional theatrical resource, just like the Barrington Stage Company. A breeding ground for developing new shows, plays, talent, ideas, you name it. It’s the cultural equivalent of nationally recognized, great architecture on the waterfront, or even Asbury’s historic role in the music industry. This is exciting, heady stuff.

And the people behind ReVision have the professional credentials and chops to pull it off. Their list of accomplishments could fill this issue, so instead we’d rather direct you to the ReVision website (http://www.revisiontheatre.org/) where you’ll find a page dedicated to their bios. They will be operating as a professional regional theatre under Equity (Actor’s Equity Association, the union for professional actors and stage managers) and SSDC (Society of Stage Directors & Choreographers union) contracts. They will also be utilizing and contracting professional musicians, non-union professionals, interns and volunteers. They’re a non-profit 501(c)3 organization and are registered with both the NJ & NY Charities Registration Bureaus.
But forget about the technical and legal jargon. What most impressed us about the four men we met listed above last week, at their office in the VFW Building of Lake Avenue, was their enthusiasm, and urban as well as urbane attitudes.

Let’s be clear – this isn’t a gang on New Yorkers dropping down sixty miles to impose some sort of creative fiat on the triCities. Hardly.

Rather, they carefully searched and researched their move to Asbury and chose their new home based on what the region has to offer. Think about that.

This is a company of first rate theatre professionals with national, industry-wide reputations impressed by what they saw and excited by the opportunity to plant roots, harness the artistic vibe they sense and make some hay here. For Asbury, and the triCity region, it’s an opportunity to claim ownership of an organization that could bring national cultural attention to the area. It’s a win-win for everybody.

The diversity within and without Asbury makes the area appealing to ReVision, and is what will help fuel the company’s artistic destiny. Part of the new theatrical paradigm means finding and tailoring plays and performances to specific audiences, with an emphasis on outreach to the young, the hip, and the hip-hop. ReVision wants to embrace them all. Indeed, they’ll be looking to Asbury and the triCities for inspiration and guidance.

The guys told us that they very much want the city to “take ownership” of ReVision Theatre. In essence, that means participating in their workshops (they have writing, acting and script-reading events scheduled; see the website for a complete list), supporting them financially and, of course, attending their productions.

They’ve spent some time preparing the stage, as it were, and are now ready to fill the seats. On Sunday, June 1st, they’ll be presenting a touring production of “Daydreaming: Channeling Doris Day” at Mattison Park. (Ticket and reservation info follows the story.)

And on Saturday, June 14th they’ll be producing a very special version of “Hello, Dolly”, with Richard Skipper as Carol Channing, at the Paramount Theatre as a fundraiser. (Again, info follows.)

So – what’s up with a new kind of theatre company doing “Hello, Dolly” as an introduction?
Leidholt belted out a laugh at that one, but then quickly explained that it’s done with a twist, as befits an outfit call ReVision. He was quickly baked up be the entire group with a chorus of clarification that, yes, the company will be on the edge at times, and yes, it’ll be dynamic and creative, but also every now and then they have to sell some tickets. That means some musicals.
As stated above, these guys are professionals; they know they have to turn a buck. And hey – what’s not to like about Dolly Levi? (Or Carol Channing for that matter.)

Immediately after saying “Hello,” ReVision will plunge into getting their next production ready. This will be one that serves to define they’re creative aspirations, as it will be a debut musical, developed from submission they’ve solicited and want to workshop. It’s scheduled for August and we’ll bring you more about it when we get the details.

Because reporting on ReVision Theatre is something we plan on turning into a long running production, it’s always been our contention that in order to be a great city, Asbury Park should act like a great city.

ReVision is just the stage to play upon.

Ticket and Show Information:

Daydreaming: Channeling Doris Day, a new musical starring Kathy Morath and Christopher Stephens at Mattison park Martini Lounge & Restaurant, 649 Mattison Avenue, Asbury Park, Sunday June 1 at 5pm. Tickets are $10, seating limited. Call 732 – 455 – 5039 or log onto http://www.revision.org/. Synopsis: Flash back to the “50’s” when Doris Day was one of the biggest names in show business. Kitsch is alive and well and has never been so much fun than at the east coast premiere of this intimate new musical directed by Broadway’s Dennis Bailey. The show is a rollicking musical journey through a roadmap of songs made popular by Doris Day. The musical features many Day songs including Daydreaming, I’ll Never Stop Loving You, I Gotta Sing Away These Blues, Someone Like You, Away the Wind Blows, Secret Love, and the Oscar winning song Que Sera, Sera (Whatever Will Be Will Be).

Richard Skipper as Carol Channing in Hello, Dolly! a one night only benefit performance for ReVision Theatre at the paramount Theatre, Saturday, June 14 8 p.m. Tickets are $50, $25, and $15. Call 732 – 455 – 5039 or log onto http://www.revision.org/. Synopsis: The show, you know. Let’s introduce you to Richard Skipper. He’s made impersonating Carol Channing an art form, winning numerous NYC cabaret performance awards in the process. His sell-out performances attract Senators (Lautenberg), gossip columnists, and even Ms. Channing herself.

Do You Know? Lou Liberatore

By JOANNE L. PAPAIANNI

The Coaster, March 20, 2008

Lou Liberatore is just one more example of the talent and commitment of some of the new residents to Asbury Park.

He’s an accomplished Tony-nominated actor who moved to the city full-time only a year ago, a board member of ArtsCap where he brings his years of experience as an actor and his new found love of writing and a member of the Black Box Theater Group.

Liberatore and his partner, Steve Albert, bought a home in the city three years ago, but did not make it their primary residence until a year ago. Albert, who has a masters degree in public health, is the residence director at The Center in the city.

Last year Liberatore, who continues to audition for parts, lent his expertise to the West Park Players cast of “The Laramie Project.”

When he learned of the controversy surrounding the play he stepped forward and offered to lend assistance, coaching the young high school actors and staging the set with the play’s director Bob Angelini.

Liberatore is also a member of the new Revision Theater, which moved from New York City, and he established the Jersey Shore Writer’s Studio which meets once a month at the Stephen Crane House, where aspiring writers can hear their words read out loud without being criticized.
Whoever shows up on a given night is given a part to read.

“It gives them an opportunity to hear their words out loud,” he said.

But for all his community minded activities, Liberatore still auditions for parts, mainly in New York and says he would love to become part of an ensemble cast for a television show.

He was nominated for a Tony award, Broadway’s most prestigious, along with other awards, for his part in the four character play “Burn This.”

He played along side John Malkovich and Joan Allen.

When the play was taken to London, Liberatore was stopped by his union, Actor’s Equity, because of the organization’s rules.

Malkovich told the producers he would not do the play in London without Liberatore.
“John held out for me, I was very happy about that.”

He has also had minor parts in TV shows like “Sex and the City,” “Law and Order” and the daytime soap “One Life to Live.”

He would love to work with Malkovich, who he said has a very funny dry sense of humor, or Sean Penn.

“He’s done very well with the way he chooses roles.”

A graduate of Fordham University’s Lincoln Center campus, he worked as an intern at the famed Circle Repertory Theater in New York City.

He ended up doing a workshop with the group on a play by William Hoffman called “As Is.”
It was the first play produced on Broadway about the AIDS epidemic.

“I played eight different roles.”

Liberatore then spent 10 years acting in New York and 10 years in Los Angeles.

But today back in the city by the sea, the actor is focused on “raising the artistic profile of the city.”

He is very happy to advocate for artists living in the city through ArtsCap and to speak on their behalf to city officials and developers.

Although he grew up in Bergen County, he spent summers in Belmar. As a resident of Asbury Park he said he wants to make sure the arts aren’t forgotten during the city’s redevelopment.
So far he has been very impressed.

“I’m impressed with the attitudes and commitment…..I just want it (the arts) to contribute to benefit the town.”

New City Theater Company Hosting Open House Feb. 23

By TOM CARDINALE
The Coaster
Thursday, February 14, 2008 at 11:55 am

A new theater company in Asbury Park is offering performers of all age and skill levels the chance to learn from respected, experienced, award winning actors and instructors. The ReVision Theatre Company is the newest brainchild of Tom Morrissey, the founder of the Genesius Theatre Guild in New York City and a former professor at the American Musical and Dramatic Academy, Wagner College, and New York University.

Morrissey, who now splits his time living in New York City and Asbury Park, said the creation of the ReVision Theatre Company is the culmination of years of effort.

“We are in the process of starting the new theatre company in Asbury Park,” he said. “We wanted to find a place outside of New York where we could spread out. We spent two years looking for a place.”

Morrissey, along with fellow instructors David Leidholdt, Stephen Bishop Seely, and Lou Liberatore, will offer classes for children and adults of all skill levels at the VFW Hall on Lake Avenue in Asbury Park starting in March and Morrissey said every aspiring actor is sure to find something they can enjoy.

“Beginners are definitely welcome, it’s one of the things that’s great about the classes. It would be useful to people with experience or without,” he said.

Morrissey said the classes for middle and high school students will work on a musical and culminate with the performance of the play entirely by the students. The younger students will work on improvising fairy tales and other things they’re familiar with, Morrissey said, and then finish by creating their own show.

Morrissey said some highlights of the adult classes include a cabaret class which focuses on cabaret style songs as well as a comedy class that will include stand-up and improv.

The classes will run for eight to 10 weeks and tuition ranges from $150 to $200, Morrissey said. All the courses will be taught by Morrissey and his fellow instructors, who have extensive theatre experience.

Leidholdt has been a director and producer in New York City for over 14 years while Seely holds an MFA in acting from Michigan State University and has appeared in stage productions, television shows, and films. Liberatore has been an actor for over 25 years and was nominated for a Tony Award for his performance in “Burn This” alongside Joan Allen and John Malkovich.
He is also the founder of Asbury Park’s Jersey Shore Writer’s Studio and the Arts Coalition of Asbury Park.

A free open house will be held on Sat., Feb. 23 at 4 p.m. for anyone interested in classes or other upcoming events. The open house will be held at the VFW hall.

ReVision Theatre Company is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization. For more information or to register for classes visit their Web site at http://www.revisiontheatre.org/ or call 732-775-0635.