Wow, what a ride! After the months of preparation, the weeks of rehearsal, the opening night party, and nine sold-out performances, Plane Crazy has officially finished its debut at the 2005 New York Musical Theatre Festival.

To be honest, I'm left a little speechless by the whole experience, so I'm not going to say too much right now. I'll just revert to that old chestnut, the stew check!

Okay, girls, line up for inspection!

1. A wonderfully supportive and understanding family, and a husband-slash-marketer extraordinaire? Check!

2. Producers who believed in me these past couple of years, and who really dug in wherever they were needed to make the show happen? Check!

3. An outstanding creative team, who worked tirelessly to bring my vision of Plane Crazy to life? Check!

4. An amazing cast who breathed life and humor into my characters and made my music sing and soar? Check!

5. Support, both financial and emotional, from friends and colleagues? Check!

5. A genuine New York Times Review? Check!

6. Long walks home from rehearsals on perfect summer nights past Lincoln Center and Columbus Circle, all lit up like in the movies? Check!

7. Celebrity spotting on the Upper West Side? Check!

8. Standing in the longest express line in the history of the world for my dinner-to-go from Whole Foods? Check!

9. Rehearsing in the room next to Patti Lupone and the cast of Sweeney Todd? Check!

10. Late night grilled cheese at the diner across from my very own New York pad? Check!

11. Meeting Thommie Walsh, the original "Bobby" in A Chorus Line, at MY show! Check!

12. Delivering an invitation to Hal Prince's office in Rockefeller Center? Check!

13. Hot summer fling with a younger actor? Uh...well...no...but, hey, that wasn't in the budget anyway...

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Thanks guys! This totally made my day when I read this interview in Broadwayworld.com with Hunter Bell and Jeff Bowen, the creators of [title of show]:

HB What shows are you going to see at NYMF this year?

JB: Bonnie and Clyde, because Heidi Blickenstaff is starring...and I think Plane Crazy. We met Suzy Conn last year and she's awesome.

HB: We didn't talk much about [tos] or what NYMF means to us.

JB: Not really. But don't you think it's interesting that [title of show] takes some of its article and promotes Plane Crazy?

HB: It's not un-interesting.

In between seeing Plane Crazy and other awesome shows at NYMF, come see [title of show] at Ars Nova. For dates and ticket info, rock www.titleofshow.com.

For anyone who hasn't seen it, [title of show] is one of the most brilliant productions I have ever seen. I pissed myself and fell off my seat I was laughing so hard...and if you're a writer, it's doubly funny. I'm seeing it again on Tuesday the 27th...

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Our fabulous Opening Night party was covered by Broadwayworld.com, and they posted it today with TONS of pictures. Check out the cute one with my daughters!

The pic to the left here is of Hollie Howard, who plays Holly Banks, and Michael Rubinoff, producer of Plane Crazy.

Plane Crazy opened at the NYMF Festival on Saturday Night, September 17th and BroadwayWorld was there! With book, music and lyrics by Suzy Conn, Plane Crazy is directed by Jamibeth Margolis and features choreography by Randy Slovacek, with musical direction by Seth Weinstein.

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Here's a terrific post from Talkin' Broadway:

WOW! What a musical! If Broadway only had a musical like this, it wouldn't be in doldrums it is in now.

Fast, funny, with serious themes, this lively musical features excellent direction by Jamibeth Margolis, and knockout choreography by Randy Slovacek. Suzy Conn, a triple threat if ever there was one, has written the book, music and lyrics which are literate and intelligent, touching and very, very funny.

The design team—Jason Lee Courson (scenic), Elizabeth Payne (costumes), and Jesse Belsky (lighting)—are to be commended for creating a colorful, vital environment. Courson inventive design keeps this moving at a rapid clip.

Standout performers include Hollie Howard who is destined to go very, very far. She has a magical presence on stage, and is a born scene stealer. I see many Tony Awards in her future. Richard Todd Adams is exemplary as the romantic lead. His number with Sara Mugavero (as Janet Jones) is one of the evening's many show stoppers. William Broderick does well as the head of the airlines.

Everyone in the ensemble deserve kudos for their high-energy level. And, it looks like they are all having a great time on stage! I hope that "Plane Crazy" gets a run after the NYMF (with this entire cast, of course). It certainly deserves it.

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I'm still on Cloud Nine from Opening Night last night. Thank you to the cast and crew for an incredible performance, and thanks to the audience for such a generous reception.

So, onward: Tonight we're at Virgin Records, Union Square, doing a free "mini-performance".

According to this article in Broadwayworld.com:

Plane Crazy Cast to Perform at Virgin Records Megastore-Union Square Friday 9/16

This Friday, September 16, Plane Crazy, now playing the New York Musical Theatre Festival, will offer a free public performance of select musical numbers at the Virgin Records Megastore -- Union Square at 8:00 p.m.

The cast of this new musical comedy will perform: I WANNA GET MARRIED/MR. RIGHT NOW, DANCING ON AIR and VENUS FLYTRAP featuring Allison Spratt, Sarah Mugavero, Hollie Howard, Richard Todd Adams, Erin Crouch, Barbara Helms, Kathryn Mowat Murphy, Gina Philistine and Dana Saltzman.

(The Plane Crazy cast also features Erin Crouch, Kevin Kraft, Christopher Guilment, William Broderick, Eric John Mahlum, Craig Laurie, and Nicky Venditti).

With book, music and lyrics by Suzy Conn, Plane Crazy is directed by Jamibeth Margolis and features choreography by Randy Slovacek, with musical direction by Seth Weinstein.

Plane Crazy is set against the backdrop and glamour of the swinging '60s jet age -- a time When Stews Were Sexy and the World Was Sexist. (TM)

Plane Crazy follows the adventures of two young Venus Airlines stews, Faith Hope and Janet Jones, as they learn about love and life in the high-flying airline business, circa 1965. Faith (played by Allison Spratt) is a naive, virginal Mid-western gal looking for Mr. Right; Janet (played by Sarah Mugavero) is a randy, cynical New Yorker who is just looking for a good time. Through their friendship, they both find the inner strength to overcome the obstacles and sexism encountered in the air and on the ground.

Plane Crazy is playing at the Beckett Theatre/ Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street).

Visit online at www.planecrazythemusical.com to meet the Plane Crazy team.

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The last couple of days have been Crazy...and now it's Opening Night! Yes, it's opening night!

I cannot honestly believe that Opening Night is finally here. On one hand, it feels like it's been a long time since I found out I had gotten into the Festival, and on the other: No time at all.

Part of me has been counting the days until this night, and part of me doesn't want it to come, so that this experience never ends (sort of like Christmas...).

But it came, just the same! (btw, does anyone ever get all these recursive references?)

How can I explain what this experience has meant to me? That despite the ups and downs, ins and outs, the forwards and backwards, there is nothing I would rather be doing. How can I really express how touched I am at all the support and encouragement I've received? And then there's the good old fashioned FUN I've had living and working on my musical in New York!

Because this is a festival, today is a long day. All festival shows tech and open on one day (which is certainly not the case on Broadway!) So I'll take a moment to say kudos to the creative team and cast who are running this marathon!

And here is my note that appears in our "Planebill". I think I summed it up pretty well:

A NOTE FROM THE AUTHOR

PLANE CRAZY opening on 42nd Street in New York City! A dream come true.

These last few months have been an emotional whirlwind of excitement, fun, hard work, and amazing collaboration. I have tried to savour each and every moment.

PLANE CRAZY is a very personal story about the challenges that women face as they are pulled between the demands of motherhood and opportunities of a career. I set Plane Crazy in America of the 1960s...the optimism and spirit of those times has always appealed to me, and it gave me an opportunity to really explore my four favorite aspects of that decade: the emergence of Feminism; the dawn of the Jet Age; the Golden Age of advertising; and the general explosion of pop art and culture. Writing PLANE CRAZY was a real labor of love, and seeing it come to life on the stage has been incredibly rewarding.

I have to thank everyone who believed in me, challenged me, and expected great things of me and wouldn't settle for less. My producers Michael Rubinoff and Kendra Bator who were willing to take the time to develop this project properly. My amazing creative team and cast who have worked tirelessly on my baby. My investors who were willing to put their money where my heart is. And NYMF for having such good taste.

But most of all I have to thank my greatest fans -- my family. My mom, my two beautiful daughters Myrna and Trinity and my wonderful husband Grad. Without their love, inspiration, and unconditional support, PLANE CRAZY would still be just an idea flying around in my head.

PLANE CRAZY is dedicated to my father, Thomas Ibronyi, who first introduced me to the excitement and glamour of transatlantic air travel at age five.

SUZY CONN

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Playbill posted a really nice news item about our opening tonight...with a great pic of the leads.

According to this article in Playbill:

Coffee? Tea? Do Re Mi? Plane Crazy, Musical About Ladies of the Jet Age, Takes Off in NYMF Sept. 15-25
By Kenneth Jones
15 Sep 2005

The high-flying good old days -- when flight attendants were called stewardesses and galley meals were made to order -- soar again with Plane Crazy, the new musical about a time "when stews were sexy and the world was sexist."

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) and Michael Rubinoff, in association with Kendra Bator, present the U.S. premiere of Suzy Conn's musical comedy, Sept. 15-25 at The Beckett at Theatre Row.

Plane Crazy features book, music and lyrics by Conn, direction by Jamibeth Margolis, choreography by Randy Slovacek and musical direction by Seth Weinstein.

"Plane Crazy is a very personal story about the challenges that women face as they are pulled between the demands of motherhood and opportunities of a career," lyricist-librettist-composer Conn told Playbill.com. "I set Plane Crazy in the America of the 1960s...the optimism and spirit of those times has always appealed to me, and it gave me an opportunity to really explore my four favorite aspects of that decade: the emergence of feminism; the dawn of the jet age; the golden age of advertising; and the general explosion of pop art and culture. Writing [it] was a real labor of love, and seeing it come to life on the stage is incredibly rewarding."

*

The musical is "set against the backdrop and glamour of the swinging '60s jet age -- the intersection between the dawn of transatlantic airline travel, the introduction of the Pill, the genesis of the modern Feminist Movement, and the Golden Age of Advertising -- a time in history when stewardesses represented an exclusive sorority of women with the freedom to choose their careers and their sexual partners," according to production notes.

Plane Crazy follows the adventures of two young Venus Airlines stews, Faith Hope and Janet Jones, "as they learn about love and life in the high-flying airline business, circa 1965."

Faith (played by Allison Spratt, of Good Vibrations) is billed as "a naïve, virginal Mid-western gal looking for Mr. Right," while Janet (played by Jodie Langel, once of Les Miserables) is a randy, cynical New Yorker who is just looking for a good time."

Plane Crazy also features Hollie Howard as Holly Banks, Richard Todd Adams as Brett Mansford, Kevin Kraft as Clive Miller, William Broderick as Sam Crenshaw and Christopher Guilmet as Larry Stevens.

The ensemble includes Barbara Helms, Craig Laurie, Eric Jon Mahlum, Sarah Mugavero, Kathryn Mowat Murphy, Gina Philistine, Dana Saltzman, Ryland Shelton and Nicky Venditti.

The design team for Plane Crazy is Jason Courson (scenic design), Elizabeth Payne (costume design), Jesse Belsky (lighting design) and Tony Angelini (sound design).

Lyricist-librettist-composer Conn divides her time between Toronto, New York, and Chicago, where she is enrolled in the Theatre Building Chicago, Musical Theatre Writer's Workshop. She's in the workshop process with a second musical, The Tale of Pigling Bland (co-written with Mitchell Kitz), "a classic coming of age pig story based on the Beatrix Potter story of the same name."

Like all NYMF shows, Plane Crazy runs in repertory at various times. The eight performances at The Beckett at Theatre Row, 410 W. 42nd Street, are Sept. 15 at 8 PM, Sept. 17 at 4:30 PM and 8 PM, Sept. 19 at 4:30 PM, Sept. 21 at 1 PM, Sept. 23 at 4:30 PM, Sept. 24 at 4:30 PM, Sept. 25 at 1 PM.

Tickets are $15 each and available through www.TheaterMania.com, or by calling (212) 352-3101 or visiting www.nymf.org.

For more information, visit www.PlaneCrazytheMusical.com.

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Well, we just added a ninth performance and **poof** it's SOLD OUT too! I don't even have a seat anymore!

We understand that a lot of people want to see the show, and we're now fielding tons of "special requests". Here's your best strategy for getting tickets to the show:

1. We have a few house tickets in reserve, which we will release 20 minutes before curtain. So, if you don't mind waiting a few minutes, come to The Beckett, Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street (Between 9th and 10th Avenues) at any of our show times:

DATES
Thursday September 15 at 8:00 pm
Saturday September 17 at 4:30 pm and 8:00 pm
Monday September 19 at 1:00 pm and 4:30 pm
Wednesday September 21 at 1:00 pm
Friday September 23 at 4:30 pm
Saturday September 24 at 4:30 pm
Sunday September 25 at 1:00 pm

The afternoon performances are your best bet for this strategy...

2. Send a special request to Plane Crazy's producer, Michael Rubinoff, at mrubinoff@mrubinoff.com. Michael will try to accommodate as many people as he can.

3. Find someone who already has a ticket, tie that person up with duct tape, assume their identity, and sneak into the show. Not recommended for people who are afraid of prison.

Photo by Ben Strothmann

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We are now SOLD OUT of our original six and two extended shows. But, our new NINTH performance date, Monday, September 19 at 1:00 pm still has availability.

Click this link for a nice article on Plane Crazy and other sell-outs at this year's Festival.

To get your tickets, click on this link to TheaterMania, and order online. Or, you can call Theatermania at (212) 352-3101 and ask for tickets to "Plane Crazy".

Photo by Ben Strothmann

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Wow, Playbill has done a special feature on our leading man, Richard Todd Adams. It sounds like he was cute in "ass-less chaps", but wait 'til you see him in his Captain's uniform! According to this article in Playbill.com:

MR. ADAMS' BUTT, MR. ADAMS...

Richard Todd Adams is one Broadway caliber "Leading Man" who's not afraid to work his rear end off -- literally. In last month's Fringe musical The Day the World Went Queer!, the six-foot-two hunk from Galveston, TX, did something cheeky: He wore a leather harness and "ass-less chaps" that bared his behind, and to top it off, the rich and robust baritone belted "Nobody Wants a Daddy [Who's a Bottom]." But it was all for laughs in this madcap satire by Jonathan Matthew Gilbert, Lavell V. Blackwell and Joshua H. Cohen. Adams was a riot playing Grant, a strait-laced straight guy who "turned gay" when his town legalized same-sex marriage. He says, "I can't believe I was onstage with my ass hanging out, but it was fun and I love doing comedy."

This month, Adams plays Brett Mansford, a jet-setting pilot and playboy in Plane Crazy, Suzy Conn's new musical comedy about stewardesses during the swinging sixties, "when stews were sexy and the world was sexist." It plays Sept. 15-25 at the New York Musical Theatre Festival and stars Allison Spratt, Hollie Howard and Jodie Langel. Adams says, "It focuses on Faith, who's a virgin from Toledo; Holly, an aspiring actress; and Janet, who jumps in bed with anyone. Brett falls for Janet, and she thinks he's a jerk, but he genuinely loves her. Jodie and I sing a great duet called 'Dancing on Air,' and I get a heartfelt and beautiful solo: 'I Will Take Care of You.'"

Next, Adams, 31, will sing at "Kurt Weill: Hard Times and War," a concert sponsored by the Lotte Lenya Competition for Singers, on Oct. 20 at Lincoln Center. "The first year I entered, [opera legend] Teresa Stratas was one of the judges and gave me unbelievable feedback. So when I went to the finals, I had a swelled head and faked my way through it. I didn't win and afterward, Stratas grabbed me and cussed me out: 'You're too good to do that crap. You always have to sing from the heart.' She really opened my eyes. The next year I said, 'I'm gonna f****** win this thing' and I did."

Adams has toured the U.S. and Canada in 2 Pianos 4 Hands, and for two years, played Raoul in both the Los Angeles and national touring companies of The Phantom of the Opera. "I learned more in those two years than my four years at Juilliard. I'd love to play the Phantom someday." However, as a sports fan who named his Lhasa apso Espen after the ESPN network, perhaps his most favorite role has been that of head coach for the Special Olympics: "An ex-girlfriend got me involved. It was a big challenge teaching basketball to people with learning disabilities. But if I had a horrible week, they always lifted me up. Even though the scoreboard was there, they'd ask: 'Did we win?' If we did, they'd embrace me and it was so rewarding."

For more information, visit www.rtadams.com.

Photo by Ben Strothmann.

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Flying the Sexy Skies just got cheaper!

According to this article on Broadwayworld.com, and from the official press release:

PLANE CRAZY (planecrazythemusical.com), the new musical comedy set during the swinging '60s Jet Age, and Points International Ltd. announced today that PLANE CRAZY will be the first client for the new Points.com AirIncentives program.

AirIncentives (airincentives.com) is a program that gives companies the ability to offer customers frequent flyer miles from six of America's most popular airlines. Participating airlines include Alaska, America West, Delta, Midwest, Northwest, and U.S Airways.

With AirIncentives, PLANE CRAZY ticket holders will get a "mileage code" certificate when they walk into the theater. To redeem the mileage code, customers must access the AirIncentives Web site at airincentives.com, and then enter the code from their certificate into the site, along with the account number of their frequent flyer program of choice. Once that simple step is completed, the miles are immediately deposited into the customer's frequent flyer account.

Suzy Conn, author of PLANE CRAZY, (hey, that's me!) says: "It's exciting to be able to integrate the theme of our musical, which features the glamour and sex appeal of '60s airline travel, with some of the leading airlines in the world. And I know that our audience is going to love getting the miles for attending the show: It's a perfect tie-in."

"We're excited about launching AirIncentives with PLANE CRAZY," says Christopher Barnard, President of Points International Ltd, "In fact, to the best of our knowledge, no one has ever used frequent flyer miles as an incentive on Broadway before. We believe that this will open up a whole new channel in the arts for using the world's most popular and powerful incentive -- miles and points -- for rewarding loyal theater- and concert-goers."

So there's another reason to go and see Plane Crazy (like you really needed another one...)

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Dear Diary,

Whew -- what a day! I spent most of the day delivering our industry contact invites (a brilliantly designed boarding pass plus lots of Plane Crazy swag!) to office buildings around Manhattan. It's interesting to see the different levels of security in different buildings. Sometimes you just drop it off with the doorman, sometimes you sign in and whisk it up in the elevator yourself, sometimes you have to go into the bowels of the building to locate the mailroom and leave it there. Sometimes the mailroom is on another street altogether (and unmarked) so that you end up walking around the block more than once! More of the same tomorrow!

As I was relaxing and catching up on my business news, reading Crain's New York Business, my eye went from a picture of Donald Trump to a headline "Plane musical gets off ground". What's this? An article on Plane Crazy in a non-theater publication -- that's so cool! The article goes on to say:

Plane Crazy, an off-Broadway musical comedy about jet travel during the swinging 1960s is taking theater marketing to new heights. In a first for theater, the show has teamed up with a number of airlines to offer frequent flyer miles. Tickets for Plane Crazy, which runs at the Beckett Theatre on West 42nd Street from Sept 15 through Sept 25 as part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival, can be redeemed for 100 points on airlines such as Delta and Northwest.

To build buzz, the show is admitting air crew in uniform for free. We're getting requests from flight attendants from airlines around the world," says Michael Rubinoff, a Toronto-based lawyer and producer of the show.

The marketing campaign isn't just targeting ticket buyers. Mr. Rubinoff is trying to raise money to eventually take Plane Crazy to Broadway. Shares can be bought on lthe Web for $1,000 each.

Then off to rehearsal where we finished blocking the last two scenes. Yeah!

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A new performance of Plane Crazy has been added!

We've already SOLD OUT six of the eight shows, and we have limited availability on the last two. Accordingly, NYMF has given us a NINTH show (in addition to the two that were already extended).

The additional performance will be Monday September 19 at 1:00pm.

Snap up your tickets NOW!

To get your tickets, click on this link to TheaterMania, and order online. Or, you can call Theatermania at (212) 352-3101 and ask for tickets to "Plane Crazy".

DATES
Thursday September 15 at 8:00 pm SOLD OUT
Saturday September 17 at 4:30 pm and 8:00 pm SOLD OUT
Monday September 19 at 1:00 pm ***NEW***AVAILABLE
Monday September 19 at 4:30 pm SOLD OUT
Wednesday September 21 at 1:00 pm LIMITED AVAILABILITY
Friday September 23 at 4:30 pm LIMITED AVAILABILITY
Saturday September 24 at 4:30 pm SOLD OUT
Sunday September 25 at 1:00 pm SOLD OUT

VENUE
The Beckett
410 West 42nd Street
South side of West 42nd Street
Between 9th & Dyer Avenues

Wow...another performance...that's just...Plain Crazy!

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Hey, here's a nice piece on Plane Crazy on Broadwayworld.com, as part of their series leading up to the Festival.

According to this article on Broadwayworld.com:

My whole world changed on May 10, 2005, when I got the happy news that PLANE CRAZY had been accepted into the 2005 New York Musical Theatre Festival.

I had been given the challenge of bringing to life, on a New York stage, the swinging '60s Jet Age, complete with randy pilots, hot stews, sleazy ad guys, and crusading feminists.

PLANE CRAZY is a very personal piece of theater for me, because it explores the fundamental question of the choices that women face, set in my favorite time. The mid-sixties represented a time of clashing values. It was the fault line between the traditional and modern worlds, and as an artist I am attracted to the natural dramatic potential in that conflict.

I will be forever in debt to my fabulous cast and creative team, my producers, my investors, and NYMF for helping me to get PLANE CRAZY off the ground!

Individual tickets for Plane Crazy are now on sale to the public! We're selling out quickly, so order yours now to avoid disappointment. If you can't get tickets online, we have some tickets in reserve at the door, available 30 minutes before showtime.

To get your tickets, click on this link to TheaterMania, and order online. Or, you can call Theatermania at (212) 352-3101 and ask for tickets to "Plane Crazy".

DATES
Thursday September 15 at 8:00 pm SOLD OUT
Saturday September 17 at 4:30 pm and 8:00 pm SOLD OUT
Monday September 19 at 4:30 pm SOLD OUT
Wednesday September 21 at 1:00 pm AVAILABLE
Friday September 23 at 4:30 pm AVAILABLE
Saturday September 24 at 4:30 pm SOLD OUT
Sunday September 25 at 1:00 pm SOLD OUT

VENUE
The Beckett
410 West 42nd Street
South side of West 42nd Street
Between 9th & Dyer Avenues

Photo by Ben Strothmann

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We've completely updated the Plane Crazy page at NYMF.org, and it contains the graphics, audio, press releases and cast/creative team listings from the show.

PLANE CRAZY is a musical comedy about the emergence of feminism set against the glamour and sex appeal of the swinging '60s Jet Age. The cast of PLANE CRAZY includes: ALLISON SPRATT (Faith); JODIE LANGEL (Janet); HOLLIE HOWARD (Holly); and RICHARD TODD ADAMS (Brett).

FAITH HOPE is a wholesome good girl from the Midwest -- naive but not stupid. Faith is very trusting and open to other people, qualities that she learned from her parents. She has been raised to believe in Mr. Right and fairytale happy endings. However, there is a thoughtful, serious side to Faith that separates her from the other marriage-track gals back home. There's a longing and surprising independence deep inside Faith that drives her -- a desire to experience life outside of Toledo. You'll enjoy getting to know Faith, she certainly did.

JANET JONES is a cynical, hard-as-nails New Yorker with a marshmallow-soft middle. She is very clever and always ready with a witty and sarcastic response. Having been hurt badly by her ex-fiance, she is trying to mend her broken heart by being the poster girl for the Pill. She is out to have fun, and to treat men the way they treat women (one-night stand heartbreakers). Deep inside she still harbors old-fashioned dreams of marriage and children. Janet puts on a very brave independent front, but really needs her relationships with Faith and Brett.

Of the three girls, HOLLY BANKS is the most like a man. She is very comfortable with her own sexuality and is willing to do whatever it takes to be an actress, climbing the ladder of success one casting couch at at time. She is an experienced stew and runway-wise in the ways of the airline business in particular, and the world in general. However, Holly hasn't let this get her down and she doesn't take these inequalities as a personal insult or obstacle. Holly is happy to find a new way to get ahead, or a new opportunity to seize. Holly is fun-loving, loves to laugh, and can always get a party started.

BRETT MANSFORD is the last, or should we say first, of the good guys. Perhaps this is because he still has a bit of the little boy in him. The dashing, romantic Captain Mansford is the sort of guy who is liked by both men and women. He is totally confident in his “manliness”. He freely discusses his feelings, he cooks dinner, and he treats women like human beings. Although he is a modern-thinking man, Brett still believes in chivalry, courting, and marriage.

Photo by Ben Strothmann

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Check out this cool online video on the NYMF press conference on Broadway.com.

The Plane Crazy vamp starts the piece off! And, if you watch the whole video, you'll see a certain author talking about why she thinks NYMF is such a great opportunity. Eeks...now I've started talking like Clive Miller, the sleazy ad guy from my show, when I say: Broadway Talent at Festival Prices!

Photo by Ben Strothmann.

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Well, it's been quite a day following the NYMF press conference.

First of all, there's this article on Broadwayworld.com with lots of great Plane Crazy pics by Ben Strothmann.

We've also got placements with the key NYMF sponsors, including this listing on TheaterMania and this listing on Broadway.com.

In addition, we've got listings in the following publications:

New York Theatre Guide.com News & Listing

OffOffOnline.com

Northern River (scroll down on the home page)

Newsday.com online local event guide

NYCVisit.com (type "Plane Crazy" under Search)

Photograph by Ben Strothmann. Ben Strothmann has been photographing portraits and live theatre for 10 years. Since building his first darkroom in his hometown of Milwaukee WI, his portrait studio now looks out over Manhattan where he shoots headshots for actors and cd covers for musicians. Born to a famous cheesecake lady (Suzy Strothmann of Suzy's Cream Cheesecakes), Ben is also an actor and pianist. Currently he lives in Astoria and studies guitar and Icelandic. See www.benstrothmann.com for more info.

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Plane Crazy now has a PHOTO CALL profile on Playbill.com. Check out the article since they have included publicity photos of Faith (Allison Spratt), Janet (Jodie Langel), Holly (Hollie Howard) and Brett (Rick Todd Adams), and they look great

According to this article in Playbill:

PHOTO CALL: New Musical Plane Crazy Gets Ready for Lift-Off at NYMF

By Morgan Allen
31 Aug 2005

Plane Crazy -- a new musical by Suzy Conn -- is currently in rehearsals for its debut as part of the upcoming New York Musical Theatre Festival.

The new piece, which features direction by Jamibeth Margolis, "explores clashing values in an engaging story that follows two young [airline stewards] who are learning about love and life in the high-flying airline business circa 1965", according to press materials.

At left and below, cast members Jodie Langel, Allison Spratt, Hollie Howard and Richard Todd Adams are seen in promotional photos for the production.

Plane Crazy runs Sept. 15 at 8 pm; Sept. 17 at 4:30 & 8 pm; Sept. 19 at 4:30 pm; Sept. 21 at 1 pm; Sept. 23 at 4:30 pm; Sept. 24 at 4:30 pm; and Sept. 25 at 1 pm at Theatre Row's Beckett Theatre.

All Photos by Ben Strothmann.

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Dear Diary,

Today was the official NYMF press conference! How exciting! And to top it off my fabulous husband flew in last night so he was able to attend as well!

Our first call was 10:15 am to participate in filming of a documentary for NYMF. The whole cast was there, looking fabulous, decked out in Plane Crazy t-shirts and black skirts for the gals and black pants for the guys! The cast was filmed at Dodgers Stages on the Altar Boyz Stage. First, Randy, our choreographer, re-spaced the 3-minute Plane Crazy number to fit the stage and then they ran it and filmed it a couple of times! Very cool.

Our next call was at 3:45 pm for sound check and walk through with the other shows and Kris Stewart and Isaac Horowitz from NYMF. You could feel the electricity building in the room. My hubbie and I brought down the Plane Crazy press bags (awesome Plane Crazy totes filled with important info) and gave them to Adriana from Shaffer-Coyle to distribute to the press. The press filed in around 4:30pm. I watched as they got their Plane Crazy bags, and started pulling out the poster and ooohing and ahhhing. Way to go to our graphic designer Michael Karst!

Then Kris Stewart welcomed everyone and introduced Isaac who then introduced all the numbers. Plane Crazy kicked off the whole thing! It was so cool to hear Isaac announce my name in front of the press. Then the cast and Seth, our musical director, totally nailed the Plane Crazy number. They were so polished. Great applause, and I must confess a fair bit of hooting and hollering from the Plane Crazy supporter corner!

Then the other shows did their numbers -- The Ballad of Bonny and Clyde, The Mistress Cycle, Nerds, No Boundaries, The Big Time and an improv musical featuring the music of Brian Lowdermilk and lyrics of Kait Kerrigan. It was great -- the Festival is going to be amazing!

After the show part was over we went and mingled with the press, had our picture taken by Broadwayworld.com and I got interviewed by TheaterMania and Broadway.com!

Thanks to everyone who made Plane Crazy a smash at the press conference!
And thanks to NYMF!

Back to rehearsals tomorrow!

Photograph by Ben Strothmann. Ben Strothmann has been photographing portraits and live theatre for 10 years. Since building his first darkroom in his hometown of Milwaukee WI, his portrait studio now looks out over Manhattan where he shoots headshots for actors and cd covers for musicians. Born to a famous cheesecake lady (Suzy Strothmann of Suzy's Cream Cheesecakes), Ben is also an actor and pianist. Currently he lives in Astoria and studies guitar and Icelandic. See www.benstrothmann.com for more info.

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Individual tickets for Plane Crazy are now on sale to the public!

To get your tickets, click on this link to TheaterMania, and order online. Or, you can call Theatermania at (212) 352-3101 and ask for tickets to "Plane Crazy".

DATES
Thursday September 15 at 8:00 pm
Saturday September 17 at 4:30 pm and 8:00 pm
Monday September 19 at 4:30 pm
Wednesday September 21 at 1:00 pm
Friday September 23 at 4:30 pm
Saturday September 24 at 4:30 pm
Sunday September 25 at 1:00 pm

VENUE
The Beckett
410 West 42nd Street
South side of West 42nd Street
Between 9th & Dyer Avenues

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Virgin Atlantic has launched a campaign where they talk about "Jetrosexuals"...and reminisce about a time that is awfully familiar to me...

Maybe we should launch Venus Airlines as a real carrier. Hands up everyone who wants to fly like it's the '60s again...

Here's some of the Virgin copy: I LOVE IT...

Start at the golden dawn of commercial air travel: a time when the airplane was a majestic luxury ship that sailed through clouds, and when passengers dressed up and swilled cocktails on their way to exploring a newly accessible world. These fortunate few were the "jetsetters" of their day, and their progeny would be the jetrosexuals of a later age. They came from fast paced industries such as arts and entertainment, high technology, fashion and finance. And this new generation understood the need to leave terra firma behind each day in order to move business and culture forward. They embraced the challenge of travel. However, they did not wish to have their spirits (and other body parts) crushed in the process. They wanted and demanded a flying experience that combined the luxury and glamour of the jet set days with modern conveniences and innovative approaches.

1. Do you fly out of the country for business at least 3 times a year?
2. Do you know how to "work the airport"? (In other words, you aren't the person who is fumbling for things and holding up the security line?)
3. Do you speak some basic phrases in at least 3 different languages?
4. Do you ever worry that your passport will have too many stamps?
5. Do you have favorite hotels/restaurants in London, LA, NY, Milan, Paris, and Hong Kong?
6. Can you recall the last time you checked your luggage?
7. Do you know which of your shoes will set off the metal detector at the airport, and which ones will not?
8. Do you have a favorite airport?

(Did you answer yes to at least 5 of the above questions? You are a jetrosexual. Don't be alarmed.)

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Plane Crazy is one of only THREE Next Link shows chosen to perform at The New York Musical Theatre Festival's official press conference on Tuesday August 30 from 4:30 pm to 5:30 pm. This event, hosted by NYMF Executive Director Kris Stewart, is the big kick-off to the 2005 Festival.

There will be also be three invited shows and one commissioned show featured at the press conference.

The press conference will take place at Dodger Stages on 350 West 50th Street, where Altar Boyz is currently playing.

Plane Crazy will be performing a three-minute excerpt from the opening number of the show, and you guessed it, it's called "Plane Crazy"...

Kendra Bator, Associate Producer of Plane Crazy says, "...it is an honor to be one of only three Next Link shows profiled at the NYMF Press Conference. Our entire cast and creative team are thrilled to be a featured part of the event. It's a wonderful way to continue to share Plane Crazy with a broader audience and to get people humming Suzy's tunes!"

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People are loving our "Air Crew get into Plane Crazy for FREE" promotion. It got picked up today on Broadwayworld.com: According to this article on Broadwayworld.com:

Plane Crazy, the new musical comedy set during the swinging '60s Jet Age, has announced that all air crew can gain free admission to the show by wearing their uniform or wings. The offer applies to both current and former airline employees, and includes flight attendants and pilots.

The show will run at the Beckett Theatre (at Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street) from September 15th through 25th as part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival. Presented by NYMF and Michael Rubinoff in association with Kendra Bator, the show will feature book, music and lyrics by Suzy Conn. Directed by Jamibeth Margolis, Plane Crazy will be choreographed by Randy Slovacek and feature musical direction by Seth Weinstein. It stars Jodie Langel (Les Miserables) as Janet Jones, Allison Spratt (Good Vibrations) as Faith Hope, Hollie Howard as Holly Banks, Richard Todd Adams as Brett Mansford, Kevin Kraft as Clive Miller, William Broderick as Sam Crenshaw and Christopher Guilmet as Larry Stevens.

And on Saturday Cory posted it on BoingBoing (thanks Cory!):

Free admission to Plane Crazy musical in NYC for flight crews
I've blogged before about Plane Crazy, my friend Suzy Conn's new musical about 1960s airline stewardesses and the sexual revolution, currently playing at the New York Musical Festival in Manhattan.

The show's been getting great reviews in places like Billboard, and now the producers have a new wrinkle: free admission for flight attendants who turn up in uniform.

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A couple of days ago, my husband was on an American Airlines flight (LAX to JFK) and, as usual, he was talking about the show, Plane Crazy.

As he told a group of flight attendants that the show was opening September 15 in New York (The Beckett, Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street between 9th and 10th) they got really excited.

One commented, "Finally, someone is telling OUR story..."

So, we thought, since Plane Crazy is really a loving tribute to flight attendants everywhere, why not let all flight attendants attend the show for free? While we're at it, why don't we let the captains in as well? IN FACT, WHY NOT LET ALL AIR CREW ATTEND PLANE CRAZY FOR FREE?

Yep, that's right, all air crew (current and former) get into the show for free...they just have to wear their uniform or wings to the show. For free air crew passes to the show, e-mail Plane Crazy's producer, Michael Rubinoff, at mrubinoff@mrubinoff.com (we have to subject this offer to availability just in case it gets out of control...thanks for understanding).

Here are the show dates:

Thursday September 15 at 8:00 pm
Saturday September 17 at 4:30 pm and 8:00 pm
Monday September 19 at 4:30 pm
Wednesday September 21 at 1:00 pm
Friday September 23 at 4:30 pm
Saturday September 24 at 4:30 pm
Sunday September 25 at 1:00 pm

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Wowee...Plane Crazy with its own posting on Playbill. I don't know what to say...this is so exciting.

So, according to this article in Playbill:

Coffee, Tea or Do Re Mi? Plane Crazy, New Musical About '60s Stewardesses, Takes Off in NYMF Sept. 15-25
By Kenneth Jones
18 Aug 2005

The high-flying good old days -- when flight attendants were called stewardesses and galley meals were made to order -- soar again with Plane Crazy, the new musical about a time "when stews were sexy and the world was sexist."

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) and Michael Rubinoff, in association with Kendra Bator, present the U.S. premiere of Suzy Conn's musical comedy, Sept. 15-25 for eight performances at The Beckett at Theatre Row.

Plane Crazy features book, music and lyrics by Conn, direction by Jamibeth Margolis, choreography by Randy Slovacek and musical direction by Seth Weinstein.

The musical is "set against the backdrop and glamour of the swinging '60s jet age -- the intersection between the dawn of transatlantic airline travel, the introduction of the Pill, the genesis of the modern Feminist Movement, and the Golden Age of Advertising -- a time in history when stewardesses represented an exclusive sorority of women with the freedom to choose their careers and their sexual partners," according to production notes.

Plane Crazy follows the adventures of two young Venus Airlines stews, Faith Hope and Janet Jones, "as they learn about love and life in the high-flying airline business, circa 1965."

Faith (played by Allison Spratt, of Good Vibrations) is billed as "a naive, virginal Mid-western gal looking for Mr. Right," while Janet (played by Jodie Langel, once of Les Miserables) is a randy, cynical New Yorker who is just looking for a good time."

Plane Crazy also features Hollie Howard as Holly Banks, Richard Todd Adams as Brett Mansford, Kevin Kraft as Clive Miller, William Broderick as Sam Crenshaw and Christopher Guilmet as Larry Stevens.

The ensemble includes Barbara Helms, Craig Laurie, Eric Jon Mahlum, Sarah Mugavero, Kathryn Mowat Murphy, Dana Saltzman, Ryland Shelton and Nicky Venditti.

The design team for Plane Crazy is Jason Courson (scenic design), Elizabeth Payne (costume design), Jesse Belsky (lighting design) and Tony Angelini (sound design).

Lyricist-librettist-composer Conn divides her time between Toronto, New York, and Chicago, where she is enrolled in the Theatre Building Chicago, Musical Theatre Writer's Workshop. She's in the workshop process with a second musical, The Tale of Pigling Bland (co-written with Mitchell Kitz), "a classic coming of age pig story based on the Beatrix Potter story of the same name."

Like all NYMF shows, Plane Crazy runs in repertory at various times. The eight performances at The Beckett at Theatre Row, 410 W. 42nd Street, are Sept. 15 at 8 PM, Sept. 17 at 4:30 PM and 8 PM, Sept. 19 at 4:30 PM, Sept. 21 at 1 PM, Sept. 23 at 4:30 PM, Sept. 24 at 4:30 PM, Sept. 25 at 1 PM.

Tickets are $15 each and available through (www.TheaterMania.com), or by calling (212) 352-3101 or visiting www.nymf.org.

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Attention, attention please...

In a wonderful bit of recursive marketing, the airline featured in Plane Crazy, the new musical comedy debuting at the New York Musical Festival, now has its own Web site.

The name of the airline is Venus Airlines, and it is run by Mr. Crenshaw (but you can call him Sam).

William Broderick plays Sam "Silver Fox" Crenshaw, as he is known among the stews (stewardesses) who have worked for him. As President and Founder of Venus Airlines he runs his airline with military precision. This of course reflects his history as a World War 2 flyer...no, no...World War 2 hero (yes, that's much better).

His wife, Trixie Crenshaw, also runs a tight ship in their family home in Connecticut where she reigns as esteemed social butterfly and legendary party thrower.

So, what is it like to fly Venus Airlines?

From its wildly-colored jets, adorned with a rainbow of stew legs, to the exclusive Venus offer of membership in their Mile High Club, Venus is an airline unlike any other!

Every year, thousands of perky young women fight tooth and manicured fingernail for the most glamorous job in the world: Venus Airlines Stewardess!

All the stews who work for Venus Airlines are gorgeous, groovy young ladies, meticulously groomed and ready to provide a Venus flyer with either a smile, a martini, or two eggs over easy, at a moments notice!

So go ahead, Fly the Sexy Skies and check out venusairlines.com.

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Plane Crazy will hit the stage at The Beckett, Theatre Row at 8 pm on September 15 with sixteen of the most talented, amazing (and gorgeous) performers in New York City!

Plane Crazy will star Allison Spratt as Faith Hope, and Jodie Langel as Janet Jones, the two young stews who learn about love and life in the high-flying airline business in 1965.

Plane Crazy will also feature:

Hollie Howard as Holly Banks
Richard Todd Adams as Brett Mansford
Kevin Kraft as Clive Miller
William Broderick as Sam Crenshaw
Christopher Guilmet as Larry Stevens

The fabulous ensemble will be played by:

Barbara Helms, Craig Laurie, Eric John Mahlum, Sarah Mugavero, Kathryn Mowat Murphy, Gina Philistine, Dana Saltzman, Ryland Shelton and Nicky Venditti.

Here's the lowdown on the cast...

CAST BIOGRAPHIES (Welcome Aboard):

ALLISON SPRATT (Faith). Broadway: Good Vibrations, Footloose. National Tours: Cabaret, Jekyll and Hyde. New York: Footloose (Westchester), Mask (reading, Dir. Richard Maltby, Jr.).

JODIE LANGEL (Janet). Broadway: Les Miserables. National Tour: Cats, Les Miserables, Martin Guerre, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

HOLLIE HOWARD (Holly). Broadway: Hairspray, Mamma Mia!, Annie Get Your Gun. National Tours: Fame.

RICHARD TODD ADAMS (Brett). National Tour: Phantom Of The Opera. New York: Little Fish (Second Stage), Listen To My Heart (Upstairs at Studio 54), Far From the Madding Crowd (NYMF). Regional: She Loves Me (Papermill Playhouse), Jekyll and Hyde (Seaside Music Theatre).

KEVIN KRAFT (Clive). Broadway: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum. Off-Broadway: Johnny Guitar, As You Like It (The Acting Company). Regional: Floyd Collins (Actors Theatre of Louisville), Master Harold and the Boys (St. Michael's Playhouse).

WILLIAM BRODERICK (Sam). New York: Far From the Madding Crowd (NYMF), Berlin (Theatre 315), Henry IV, Part One (Century Center). Regional: The Fantasticks (Stamford Center for the Arts), Jekyll & Hyde (Arvada Center for the Arts).

CHRISTOPHER GUILMET (Larry). New York: Have a Heart (Musicals Tonight), John Lennon's Gargoyle (NYTW). Regional: Camelot (Stages St. Louis), 1776 (The 5th Avenue Theatre), Vera Wilde (Edinburgh Fringe Festival).

BARBARA HELMS (Ensemble). Off-Broadway: The Watercoolers. New York: A Midsummer Nights Dream (Center Stage), Southern Discomfort (Neighborhood Playhouse). Regional: The Full Monty (Drury Lane, Chicago), Cabaret (Barn Theater), Kiss of the Spider Woman (Northshore Theater).

CRAIG LAURIE (Ensemble). National Tour: The Music of Andrew Lloyd Webber, Forbidden Hollywood, Miss Saigon. Regional: Forbidden Broadway (Gem Theatre), Jesus Christ Superstar (Mill Mountain Theatre), Cabaret (Barrington Stage).

ERIC JON MAHLUM (Ensemble). National Tours: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Wizard of Oz. Regional: Titanic (The Fireside Theatre), Sweeney Todd (Opera Kansas), South Pacific (Summer Lights Playhouse).

SARA MUGAVERO (Ensemble). Theatre: Carousel (New Jersey Performing Arts Center), New Voices (Paper Mill Playhouse), Bernstein's Mass (Boston Conservatory), Nine (Boston Conservatory), City of Angels (Boston Conservatory).

KATHRYN MOWAT MURPHY (Ensemble, Assistant Choreographer). Broadway: Fosse. National Tours: Chicago, Fosse. Regional: A Chorus Line, Whatever Happened to Baby Jane (Theater Under the Stars).

GINA PHILISTINE (Ensemble) Broadway: Bombay Dreams, Saturday Night Fever. National Tours: A Chorus Line, The Goodbye Girl. Regional: West Side Story, A Chorus Line.

DANA SALTZMAN (Ensemble). Theatre: Funny Girl, Showboat (Merry Go Round), The King and I (Cortland Rep), Gospel at Colonus (Ithaca).

RYLAND SHELTON (Ensemble). Theatre: The Winter's Tale (Looking Glass Theater), Martha and Me: A Musical (The Linhart Theatre, Fringe NYC), Caligula: A Glam Rock Opera (Zipper Theatre), New Stages at the York (The York Theatre).

NICKY VENDITTI (Ensemble). National Tours: Contact, Swing!, Holiday Celebration. Regional: Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (Tarrytown Music Hall), Fame (St. Patrick's Auditorium).

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Two Plane Crazy shows have been added due to popular demand!

Yes, you heard me right! Plane Crazy has added two performances in the New York Music Theatre Festival:

Monday September 19 at 4:30 pm
Saturday September 24 at 4:30 pm

Now you have two additional chances to see the Classic '60s Musical Comedy; two additional chances to learn to do "The Venus Flytrap", two additional chances to earn 100 free Air Miles on selected airlines, two additional chances to go back to a time When the Stews Were Sexy and The World Was Sexist!; and two additional chances to see Plane Crazy for only $15!

So get your tickets now before they sell out! For tickets call TheaterMania at 212-352-3101 or visit nymf.org

Here's the full eight-show schedule:

(All performances are at The Beckett, Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street, NYC)

Thursday September 15 at 8:00 pm
Saturday September 17 at 4:30 pm and 8:00 pm
Monday September 19 at 4:30 pm
Wednesday September 21 at 1:00 pm
Friday September 23 at 4:30 pm
Saturday September 24 at 4:30 pm
Sunday September 25 at 1:00 pm

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