Sue Scott and Tim Russell in "Voicematch"

Protocol in playwright Jeffrey Hatcher’s romantic comedy,”Voicematch” last Sunday, February 13th, at the Historic Fitzgerald Theater in St. Paul. They were joined by Prairie Home Companion’s Minnesota sound effects wizard Tom Keith who played the recording engineer offstage. Greta and Charlie work with each other long distance and develop a relationship that’s put to the test at a national voice over convention and award ceremony. A great crowd showed their appreciation at the very funny script crafted by Mr. Hatcher. This was a one time fully produced event flawlessly executed by The Fitzgerald staff of talented stagehands and sound and lighting designers, directed by Sarah Gioia. Our thanks to all who attended, perhaps we will do an extended theater run of the play somewhere down the road.

Jeffrey Hatcher, Sue Scott, Tim Russell, Tom Keith

Prolific local playwright Jeffrey Hatcher’s latest work gets a one-night-only production this weekend and features a pair of familiar voices for listeners of A Prairie Home Companion.

In Voice Match, two voice-over artists–you know, the people who warn you that the new wonder drug may cause you to develop telekinetic powers or who let you know that your call is important to the phone company–who have “worked” together for years finally meet face to face for a new beer campaign. Will aural fireworks fly? Well, the piece is referred to as a romantic comedy.

The production stars Sue Scott and Tim Russell, who play oodles of characters each week on A Prairie Home Companion and who also make a living in recording booths. They will be joined for this weekend’s performance by Tom Keith, who provides sound effects for A Prairie Home Companion.

For Hatcher, the idea has kicked around in his head for many years. “I did some voice-over work myself years ago when I first moved to New York to become an actor,” he says. “I made a demo tape and I had some nice gigs. I eventually segued into writing, but the voice work stayed with me.”

Last January, he approached Scott and Russell about crafting a play for them based on their shared voice-over world. Both were thrilled by the chance. The trio talked and Hatcher went to work on a script, which premiered in a one-hour staged-reading version last March on the Prairie Home Companion Cruise.

“We shared stories of voice jobs big and small, as well enlightening him on the process and ‘lingo’ of the voice-over biz,” Scott says.

Hatcher also joined Scott on one of her gigs. “Much of it ended up in the script verbatim,” Hatcher says.

So what’s it like in the business?

“People think that it’s easy money,” Russell says. “The fact is, you are in competition with up to thousands of actors across the country for each spot. The agency has the pick of the litter, so if you book a job you’ve really earned it.”

And, of course, it’s pretty anonymous work as well. “I wonder if folks are aware that the woman you hear prompting you through your voicemail messages is a voice actor who stood in a booth in a sound studio for hours and recorded all of those dates and times,” Scott says.

Both actors relish the chance to do well-written, clever spots. Of course, there’s a downside too. Sometimes, the clients may cause a tense environment that leads to hundreds of takes.

“The worst part is poorly written spots that don’t make sense, or really confusing directions, like, ‘Do it like Orson Wells, only with a hillbilly accent,’” Russell says.

Voice Match will be performed 7 p.m. this Sunday at the Fitzgerald Theater (10 E. Exchange St., St. Paul). Tickets are $28-$32.

The hat Tim chose was such a hit with his wife that he had to buy it for his own Birthday present. Tim’s birthday was also on September 25th. He was born on the same day and year as supermodel Cheryl Teigs, (how come she isn’t bald and grizzled?). The show was followed by the annual Street Dance on Exchange street. Several hundred fans from around the country who were part of a packaged pilgrimage to The Fitz joined the thousands who show up every year to enjoy a meatloaf dinner outside. The weather was great and everyone had a good time.

The second show, October 2 2010, was a real treat. Our guest star was new Rock and Roll Hall of Fame nominee, Dr. John and he was at the top of his game. Tune in across the country on your favorite Public Radio station for A Prairie Home Companion each Saturday at 5pm Central with repeats at varying times on Sundays.

don’t forget to mark October 21st on your calender for another Live Cinecast  of PHC at movie theaters across the USA and Canada. You’ll be able to see Sue Scott and Tim Russell in High Definition on the big screen. We’ll have both Tom Keith AND Fred Newman on hand for some sound effects magic.

The great singer/songwriter, John Prine joined us and performed some of his best songs including the powerful “Hello In There”. Another Chicagoan, Howard Levy added his harmonica virtuosity to the proceedings.

We had some fun scripts to work with as noted in the “Evanston Review” this week. Reviewer Dorothy Andries wrote:

“The show included not only music, but dramas, vividly enacted by The Royal Academy of Radio Actors, two men and a woman who are a trio of a million sounds and voices. Tim Russell did a spot-on imitation of Chicago radio legend Studs Terkel and was a pretty good Ira (“This American Life”) Glass. He even mastered President Obama’s measured cadences, while Fred Newman did zany sound effects. Sue Scott played everyone from a sweet encouraging Montessori mother to a hard-boiled seller of Chicago hot dogs — and no, she would never serve ketchup on a Chicago dog.”Guy Noir-Chicago

A great end to a great season. Fred Newman will  join Garrison and “The Guys All Star Show Band” and singer/songwriter Sara Watkins for a late summer tour of over 20 cities across the country. Check out the schedule on the Prairie Home website.

Sue and Tim will hopefully rejoin the cast and crew for the annual Minnesota State Fair Grandstand performance on the Labor Day Weekend Show.

Kristin Chenowith joins us between performances of "Promises, Promises"

Kristin Chenowith, Debra Monk, Rob Fisher, Heather Masse, and a young star to be, Kate Beahen. Friday night  we wrapped rehearsal at 7pm, so I went to the TKTS Booth on 47th to get a half price seat for Christopher Walken’s play ” A Behanding in Spokane” by Micheal McDonagh. I met Micheal when I introduced a sneak screening of his Oscar nominated film, “In Brugge”, a lovely guy and amazing writer. Christopher Walken is off the charts with his “Walkeness” in this hysterically dark dramedy about a man in search of his missing hand for some 45 years. A couple of erstwhile drug dealers try to rip him off, and a hotel receptionist brilliantly played by Sam Rockwell adds to the grisly humor. If you are in New York and have a hankering for the quirky by all means see ” A Behanding in Spokane”.

After the show we found ourselves right in the middle of the car bomb threat in Times Square. A little more excitement than the City should really have. Thanks goodness the phrase “See something, Say something” meant something.

Tim Russell and the MS Ryndam

We visited the Western Caribbean with another Prairie Home Companion Cruise, a chance to commune with some amazing fans of Garrison Keillor and the show, we debuted a workshop of a play “Voicematch”, written for us by famed playwright Jeffrey Hatcher (“Complete Stage Beauty”) and we spent two weekends in Seattle and the days in between enjoying Washington State.

The Prairie Home Companion Cruise is always a special treat and this one had amazing talent. Robin and Linda Williams, Heather Masse, Jerlyn Steele, Connie Evinson, Beausoliel, Andra Suchy, the amazing Fred Newman, The Guys All Star Shoe Band, and Salsa Del Sol all kept the ship rockin’. and Garrison was seemingly everywhere.

We did our play three times to appreciative audiences. “Voicematch” is about the voice over business. Jeffrey Hatcher was intrigued that the business today knows no geographical bounds, two voice talents can and do record Ad Campaigns together in two different cities and never meet each other face to face.

“Voicematch” brings these two disparate actors , the pro and the newbie, together in more ways than one.

Opera singer Vern Sutton played the voice of several recording engineers. Jeffrey has plans to develop this into a fully produced stage play this summer or next fall, stay tuned!

Our Seattle experience allowed us to see the beautiful state of Washington, Tim and Judy visited Bellingham , Sue spent some time with her sister Nancy on a visit to lovely Whidby Island.

Thanks to computers we are always able to send mp3 auditions to our agents virtually anywhere. Next stop Nashville and the Historic Ryman Auditorium, then a series of shows from New York City. April beckons, like l said before, stay tuned.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXzaGPSFxQ0

www.youtube.com/watch?v=L68TnWmZ7j0

Harry Smith joins Sue Scott and Tim Russell on PHC

This past weekend Harry Smith of the CBS “Early Morning Show” joined the “Royal Academy Of Radio Acting” for a night. He performed flawlessly in “The Lives of the Cowboys”, even warbling a cowboy tune.  He also negotiated through a script replete with tongue twisters and the word Piscacadawadaquadimoggin.

Why would he subject himself to such treatment? It fulfills an opportunity to check off an item on a “Bucket List” of dream jobs he created for the “Early Morning Show”. His adventure will be told on that CBS show Thursday morning, October 29th.

Harry was a great guest and his film crew and producer Eric couldn’t have been nicer.