When I was at the Walnut Street Theatre doing Born Yesterday in April of 2009 The Ritz Theatre was having auditions at the Walnut for Aida. The day I auditioned I had a show that night but Bruce Curless, the producing artistic director of The Ritz Theatre, allowed me to go first so I could make my call. I sang "Free At Last" from Big River. I love auditioning at the Walnut because their studios have great acoustics. The audition went well. Bruce wanted me to come to the call back to dance but I had a show down stairs so he let me go. I have done five shows at the Ritz. They know what I can do. Besides I hate dance calls! I am an actor who moves well. I'm not a dancer. Bruce called me a couple weeks later and offered me the role of Mareb who is the protector and confidant of Aida. They had the role of Aida cast but the actress was from the Caribbean Islands and had a problem with her visa and had to go back. So Bruce asked me if I had the number to Gnomia Gre (Lauren Brown). She was in Ain't Misbehavin' with me at The Ritz in 2004. She is a uniquely talented performer who is a legit triple threat. She had just done the national tour of Hair Spray and a regional production of Smokey Joe's Cafe. When Bruce asked me if he thought she'd be interested I said I don't know. I had just talked to her a couple weeks before and seemed she had alot going on. So I gave him her number. After they auditioned her they offered her Aida. She was perfect for the role but was conflicted about taking it. She some other auditions lined up. So I had to nudge her. I told her she had to take the part. I asked when she would get another oppurtunity to play the title lead in such a great show. So after relentess texts and emails from me she finally decided to do it and I was relieved. If Aida was mis-cast with a weak actress who could'nt carry the show it would kill the whole show. Marc G. Dallio was cast as Rademes the Eqytian capitan who falls in love in Aida. Marc was the equity guest artist with Broadway tour credits. He was very talented and was great in the role. Aida was one of the youngest casts I have ever worked with but so talented. The show was well recieved and recieved standing ovations almost every night! I loved playing the role of Mareb. A conflicted charecter who was split between his loyalty to Rademes who saved his life and his home land Nubia who Radames helped to enslave. My back story for Mareb was that he was deeply in love with Aida but out of respect for her postion as the princess of the Nubians he would never act on it. This was a show that hard to walk away from. Playing Mareb was one of the highlights of my career!
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