Matt Ashford in GUYS AND DOLLS
If you’re one of the many of us who desperately need a Jack Attack right now, be assured that somewhere out there Matthew Ashford is bound to eventually show up in a theatrical production near you at some point. How many cappuccinos does that man drink to stay so busy?
This week, he stars as Sky Masterson in GUYS AND DOLLS at the California Musical Theatre starting today, July 21st up until July 26th. If any of you constant readers live in California or are willing to travel there and see the show, please write the Diva and let her know how Jacky-Boy is faring these days on the stage. Last I heard, there are still tickets available.
Thx for the info, Diva. Can't make the sure, but really wish I could.
ReplyDeleteI wish I could go too. I bet he is doing great!
ReplyDeleteOh my goodness - just saw Guys and Dolls and Jack/Matt was WONDERFUL! Who knew the guy could sing?!?!? He was GREAT! Sorry for those that cannot see the show - I'd even see it again..maybe I just will!
ReplyDeleteI knew, for I have seen him in several things. Though this was the first time as a romantic lead, singing romantic songs and as a lead. And he hit it out of the ballpark with LUCK BE A LADY. I saw him twice as Jefferson in 1776 (both in Sacramento) and then in A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC (in the Burbank area) -- where he sustained a note for a long time, and got a great review from the LA Times critic.
ReplyDeleteAnd yes, he sang the role fabulously. And had a great chemistry with his leading lady, who also had some fabulous pipes -- she was in the Broadway version of THE COLOR PURPLE.
Sadly, TIIC at DAYS never let Matt play Jack as he did the first run. Matt tried to keep Jack Jack but they did not want that. They wanted underwear models, not actors. Sadly JERk never thought his Jack was sexy and when JERk first came on he publicly stated he could not see how Jennifer could want him.
Any idea how we can find out where Matt will be performing next? I would certainly love to see more of him, and hear his wonderful singing. I'm still wowed from yesterday. Does he have a CD out?
ReplyDeleteNo word yet about where he will be next. Many times he does plays with his Interact Theater group in the LA area.
ReplyDeleteNo current CDs, that I have heard about. His wife did one several years back. And there is a very old thing he did back in the late 80s early 90s when he was first on DAYS but that was for all soap singers.
I am hoping he comes back next season. He was here in 07 and I was hoping he would return in 08, but did not. I spoke with him in 07 and he really praised the Music Circus, and said there are few places like this around, that even in the LA area there losing that type of venues. Reading the cast list for GUYS AND DOLLS they had some impressive talent, the actor playing Nathan Detroit won a Tony for THE PRODUCERS, Matt's co-star was on Broadway in THE COLOR PURPLE. Next year is listed as the 60th anniversary of the Music Circus, and they have a questionnaire of which shows fans want to see.
Sadly, since his return Langan and JERk did not care for Matt and wrote Jack the way they did. Jack was always a complex character. But for whatever reason they did not like him, as they did not like Thaao, and seemed to purposefully run their characters and then fire them. They seemed to also have issues with John Aniston, as well. So, unfortunately many people got the wrong idea about Matt.
I've never had the chance to see MA play another role on stage but would love to. There was a tape he made back in the early 90s where he sang songs with his wife, Christina. I know because I still have it around somwhere. I think it was called SIMPLE GIFTS.
ReplyDeleteHey, guys - Linda here! My daughter, Sarah, is working make-up, wigs and prosthetics for Music Circus this summer and is having a great time! I am sooo bummed that I missed the entire run of Guys and Dolls, because I'm out of town! Sarah told me that she checks Matt's makeup every night before his first entrance. He has been really great to work with. Sarah told him about me and that I'm a longtime Days fan and was sorry to have missed seeing Guys & Dolls. He suggested they take a picture together for me. I think she said they're both waving at me! LOL! Can't wait to see the photo! I checked the Sacramento Bee (local newspaper) for a review and it was very complimentary about the whole show. They said that Matthew added a light-heartedness to Sky Masterson that's not usually how he is portrayed. Not surprising, with Matt's flair for comedy. Sarah also says he has an awesome singing voice! Tonight's closing night. Hopefully he'll be back next season, Sarah will be working make-up there again next summer and hopefully I won't be out of town!
ReplyDeleteMatt's a great actor. His work in the late 80s up until Langan came and wrecked the character of Jack was stellar. Even after Jack was wrecked (that horrid Baby Howie storyline), Matt still put out a stellar performance.
ReplyDeleteIf you want to see it all, go to the http://thedeverauxclan.yuku.com
The clips from those early days are there so that you can watch the whole storyline that spanned a few years. Great acting from Matt, Missy, Stephen, Judi, Staci, Joy, MBE ... back when the actors ran their lines until they got it right, and the storyline was cohesive, made sense, wasn't insanely out there, and was about people and the bitterness of human relationships.
If you brought Matt, Stephen, Judi and MBE back to the show and let them run through the Jack/Steve story part two (where Jack and Steve finally TALK about their past, and Jack gets to apologize to Steve the way he finally did with Kayla at Alamain's villa) and then let them also go thrugh the process of finding out what really happened to Steve (bring back the incredible Michael Sabatino as well as Robert Mailhouse to play Brian Scofield...), you'd have an intensely watchable and incredible storyline.
Bring back Alexander as your young tormented character (raised by Adrienne and justin, but his mother was the complicated and not-so-nice Angelica who basically sold him to the Kiriakis family...
Wow, what a great storyline.
Hi! Linda again, with a photo of my daughter, Sarah and Matt from backstage at Music Circus. This was closing night, and Sarah mentioned to Matt that her mom was out of town and was bummed about missing the whole run of the show. He suggested they take a photo for me, and here it is. What a great guy!! :)
ReplyDelete[URL=http://s58.photobucket.com/albums/g254/fansince70/?action=view¤t=SarahandMatt.jpg][IMG]http://i58.photobucket.com/albums/g254/fansince70/th_SarahandMatt.jpg[/IMG][/URL]
Aaugh! It didn't work! Not sure why.
ReplyDelete