AUNT DOTTIE

Click HERE to read an article from the Renton Reporter on my story.

I don't just talk about creativity, I live it! My hope is that the story of my own creative journey will hopefully help any of you working on your OWN creative projects to see that the behind-the-scenes is different than the onstage; and that we are ALL filled with self-doubt and worry when we create. My advice to you is KEEP GOING!

I also plan to answer the questions Aaron Buckner (Nephew Aaron) and I most often get about our show: "Aunt Dottie's Sing-along Cabaret". We performed our first show on November 9, 2008 and are still going strong!

WHY DID YOU DECIDE TO CREATE A SHOW?

Two reasons: sheer frustration AND time management! Sitting in a bar, in Upstate, NY in the summer of 2006, I was bemoaning the fact that I was at an "awkward" point in my career (not a lot of parts for my age range at the time) and that when I actually DID get cast, it kept me away from my husband and kids most nights. My wise -and talented- friend, Jim Greene, said, "Michele, make your own work." That advice stuck with me so much,  I doodled it in my journal. Of course, if you're keeping track at home I didn't actually follow Jim's advice until over 2 years later!

HOW DID YOU DECIDE WHAT TYPE OF SHOW TO CREATE?

I created it through trial and error and brainstorming! I kicked around LOTS of different ideas for scripted shows. Even (attempted) to write a couple scripts but, that wasn't fun for me. I then realized what I loved to do was improvisation -specifically character-based interactive improv. The kind of improv that I did for 7 years at Disney's Hollywood Studios as a part of their troupe of Hollywood citizens, at that time known as "Streetmosphere". I also realized that I wanted to involve music as a part of the show. Around this same time, I saw Arlo Guthrie in concert. As he concluded  a sing-along of his Dad's song, "This Land is Your Land," he commented that people don't just get together and sing with each other like they used to. That was the extra inspiration I needed. I decided right around then that my show would be a character-based improvised sing-along. Okay. Great. I then sat on THAT idea for about a year!

WHERE DID YOU AND AARON BUCKNER MEET?

We first met at Renton Civic Theatre during auditions for "Something's Afoot". Aaron was the audition pianist. I got cast in the show and Aaron was also the pianist for the show. As typically happens with any show, the musicians and cast hung around nearly every night after the show and we talked a little bit, then but, it was at the final cast party at my house when I talked to Aaron in my living room. I said something to the effect of, "I have this idea for an improvised show with music. Actually, that's as far as the idea has gone but, I'd love to have you play piano for it."

I was sure he'd think I was crazy but, Aaron just said, "Sure, call me when you're ready." Then, I sat and thought about WHAT the show would be for another 10 months! I actually had a hard time getting his phone number and re-connecting with him after that span of time, but, eventually we connected and had our first rehearsal in October of 2008.

HOW DID YOU COME UP WITH AUNT DOTTE?

Creativity inspires creativity. I was in a super-creative, super-performing mode at the time, I'd just completed the run of a show and started another. In fact, I was driving to a matinee performance when the idea for this crazy Aunt who is a little out of touch with the real world and just loves everyone and loves to sing hit me.

Once parked, I pulled out my journal and just scribbled ideas on the pages. I even drew a bad picture of this crazy Aunt. My scribbles turned into ideas. Some stuck. Some didn't. When you're creating an interactive, living, breathing alter ego, like Aunt Dottie, you have to build a back story to form a strong, believable character. Once I had that basic outline, I kicked around ideas, improvised until I came up with the character strengths, foibles and quirks that stuck.

WHERE DO YOU PERFORM?

We have performed Aunt Dottie's Sing-along Cabaret on stages large and small. Locally, we've appeared at Renton Civic Theatre, Carco Theatre, Luther's Table, Delancey's on Third and for private City of Renton functions. Beyond Renton, we've performed at the Vogue Theatre (CleElum, WA), Chopstix Tacoma, WA, Charley's on Central, Kent, WA, Kenyon Hall in West Seattle and at private events for Stafford Suites, Lakeshore Retirement Community and Chateau Valley Center.

We have been King County 4Culture Touring Artists since 2009 and have performed at many different events and venues in Washington State and even have taken two trips to The Breakthrough Theatre in Winter Park, FL to perform!

WHAT WAS THE REHEARSAL PROCESS LIKE?

The rehearsal process was probably the scariest time for me. I was still working on Aunt Dottie's character and trying to choose music and create a framework for the show. I was full of self-doubt during this time period and spent more than a couple nights lying on my living room floor and crying to my husband that this was "the absolute stupidest idea" I'd ever had!

I brought in piles of Broadway music for the first couple rehearsals. That was the music I'd always performed and that was the music I thought we'd sing. At that point in time, Aaron was playing in the pit of many musical productions and playing piano at the Bellevue Nordstrom. So, that music was stuff he was used to, also.

But, driving home from the second rehearsal, I decided that I wanted this show to last longer than 3 performances and I didn't think I'd have fun singing the Broadway stuff for very long! So, I did some research on what was popular in Karaoke and Piano Bars. I gathered up all that music and brought it to the 3rd rehearsal, along with what became our opening number.

From then on, it was pop and rock. We had 2 more rehearsals before we opened the show. I look back on that and think how crazy and naive that was!

In the early days, we had a special guest in each show. Our first special guest was my friend, Doug Mackey, who I'd worked with at Disney. He was at our second-to-last rehearsal. At that rehearsal, I confessed all my fears to Aaron and Doug. Doug was not sympathetic at all, "You're right," he said, "The show IS going to suck and everyone is going to hate it. They'll be asking for their money back."

Mean, right? But, it was exactly what I needed to hear because he was parroting my own fears back to me and that pissed me off and I was ready to prove those words wrong!

Aaron was dealing with his own worries. The piano playing part was easy-peasy, he's an musical outlier and has played for years. Nope, what was bothering him was that he did NOT want to speak or sing on the mic. And, he was worried about how he knew WHICH song I wanted to sing WHEN because I wasn't going to have a set list beyond the opening song, pre- and post- intermission songs and the closing number. Luckily, we figured it all out! Unless you saw our very first two shows, you know he speaks and sings all the time!

WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE PART ABOUT DOING THE SHOW?

It is absolutely the people we meet. We really encourage audience participation but, only at the level that people are comfortable participating. As an audience member, I hate being FORCED to do anything so we invite people to play along. Some just want to watch and some will jump up and join us. It is always the most satisfying to me when someone I've never met before comes up onstage and sings or dances and just SHINES and the rest of the audience cheers for that person.

WHAT IS THE HARDEST THING ABOUT DOING THE SHOW?

Advertising and getting an audience! And, I have stage fright. There's always that fear, always that no one will show up. We've played to 9 people and we've played to hundreds of people. When you're producing your own show, that's all part of the package. I've had to really pep talk myself after some shows. Also, I have terrible stage fright! (Weird, I know, I've been performing since I was 7!) I do. I cannot eat for hours before a show or I feel like I'm going to throw up. I shake. I get those "what the heck am I doing?" feelings again. I get scared that no one will laugh. No one will have a fun time. I have to push through that as well. But, as soon as I'm out onstage, things fall into place and we ALL have a good time!

HOW MANY SHOWS HAVE YOU DONE TOGETHER?

I stopped counting at 50 shows and that was a couple of years ago, so, over 50. But less than 100.

WHY RENTON?

In our show, Aunt Dottie sings about Renton and places in Renton. She has adopted it as HER hometown. However, if she's performing in another town, she LOVES that town, as well and will often sing about the new town!

On a personal note, I live in the Fairwood area of Renton and grew up in Newcastle (when it was still known as Renton!). Aaron has lived in Kennydale most of his life. We both went through the Renton School District and both still live here. My first non-school show was with the now-defunct Valley Community Players that used to perform at Carco Theatre and Aaron grew up playing piano at that same theatre with the Renton Summer Teen Musical program. Renton is home. Renton is our hometown. I love the City of Renton and believe in the arts in Renton so much that I've volunteered on the Board of Directors at Renton Civic Theatre and am a former Renton Municipal Arts Commissioner.

WHAT ELSE DO YOU TWO DO?

Aaron works for Keys On Main in their Seattle and Tacoma (and sometimes Salt Lake City) locations. He's also branched out into hosting and has hosted the Miss Washington Pageant two years in a row. He's also the worship leader at Champions Center, Bellevue campus. 

My son calls me a house-mama. When I moved back to the Pacific NW after 7 years performing at Walt Disney World, my husband and I got married and we had two kids who are now age 14 and 11. I worked for Wizards of the Coast for many years. I spent several years teaching performance classes for kids at Rainier Ballet Academy in Renton and Big Star Studios in Snoqualmie, WA. I've also taught Adult Improv for Non-Actors classes at Renton Civic Theatre. And, I volunteer. A lot!

ARE YOU REALLY RELATED?

Aunt Dottie and Nephew Aaron are definitely related by blood. Michele and Aaron aren't related by blood but, instead related by friendship and lots of time spent together. We go on family vacations together and spend hours at the kitchen table talking and laughing and doing life together with our families.

WHY DO YOU USUALLY DEDICATE A PORTION OF

YOUR PROCEEDS TO DIFFERENT NON-PROFITS?

Because, we wanted to make our mission of peace, love and rock n' roll more than something we just talked about, we wanted to make it something we DID. For most shows we do, we choose a non-profit that we believe in and give a portion of our proceeds to that organization. Here's a complete list of the non-profits we've given to: Champions Foundation, Vision House, The Red Cross, Lifelong AIDS Alliance, Heed Uganda, Washington Food Coalition, CryOut!

DO YOU STILL LOVE IT?

Yes, absolutely! Because the show is designed the way it is, we are constantly adding, removing and changing things. It is a constantly evolving, creative journey. In between shows, I blog, Facebook and post Instagram pictures AS Aunt Dottie. She has her own life now. Sometimes I don't know if she's my alter ego -or if I'm hers.

More info: auntdottie.com

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