Chances are, you have seen Rick Fountain's work at Playhouse on Park or at home in your living room, or both. Mr. Fountain is a featured performer at Playhouse on Park and also maintains our website.
His diversity has landed him roles like Mouse in "If You Give A Mouse A Cookie" and Amos Hart in "Chicago." A role he singles out as his favorite. He also performs with stop/time Dance Theater and he admits "Every show becomes a favorite."
By day Mr. Fountain uses his degree in Computer Science and his background in the HR information systems to work at The Hartford, supporting the company's Learning Management System, which is a tool that all employees use to register for and track courses. "I also give tours of the home office to new hires once a month. Being a tour guide is my dream job, so it's nice to get paid for it." He also gets involved in the creative aspects of company-wide initiatives, using his both his creative and technical skills.
By night, he's a triple threat, a seasoned and talented actor, singer and dancer. Mr. Fountain started acting in high school, he was the president of his drama club in his senior year and sang in the concert choir and started dancing in college, performing in shows at the University of Hartford "I didn't perform for a number of years after that, until I started auditioning for community theater. I First worked with the Mark Twain Masquers and has been doing shows ever since."
Enter the partnership of Rick Fountain and Playhouse on Park. "I have known Darlene Zoller for twenty years and have taken dance classes with her and been in shows she has choreographed." Having performed at the Park Road Playhouse, he was already familiar with the space. "When Darlene, Tracy Flater and Sean Harris took the reins, I found myself painting the dressing rooms, so I guess you could say I've been there since the beginning."
His performance talents are not just limited to the stage, he has performed at A.C. Petersens Main Stage Monday and is a regular at Falcetti Friday, a weekly, informal cabaret at Falcetti Music in Blue Back Square from 5:30 to 7:30. He credits that weekly singing with helping to keep his voice in shape. "I also sing in the choir at St. Peter Claver church in West Hartford."
Of course such success is hard work. Take for example the Playhouse on Park website, a website that is always changing, shows and casts come and go, special events pop up and need to be promoted, this requires a lot of updates to the site, especially with season number five fast approaching "When a new season is announced, which is happening about now, there are lots of new pages that need to be created and menus to update in order to present all the new season information. That's the biggest effort of the year."
The hard work continues on the performance side, there is the never ending task of auditioning, then if you get cast, the rehearsals and of course the culmination, the performances themselves. Enter the classic actor's nightmare, going blank. The lines you memorized sometimes suddenly jump ship from your brain. "I had a terrifying experience in a show where I forgot my lines in this one scene. I had done the show a few times already, so I knew them somewhere in my brain." Mr. Fountain admits to being "mortified" as he went off stage. "Of course no one in the audience knew and the pause wasn't nearly as long as my terror magnified it to be."
His dedication to the craft pays off with a great cast. "The best experiences for me are when I'm in a cast where everyone becomes such a team of close friends, all rooting for one another. No egos, just a genuine love for each other and respect for what everyone brings to the table." It also can pay off with the audience. "The other best experience, I think for any performer is knowing the audience is with you and giving you such support, love and hopefully, applause."
Then there's always the fun fan experiences, in particular after a children's show, such as the aforementioned "If You Give a Mouse A Cookie" when the cast greeted the children in the lobby. "The kids want your autograph and are just so sweet." A well produced show can leave an indelible mark in your mind. "I met one of the moms after this year's stop/time show and she told me how her daughter still talks about that show. Those are the experiences that make you smile and reward you with knowing that what you do impacts someone else." On a personal note, I thoroughly enjoyed that show and wish they'd return it to the stage, if for only a weekend and only if Rick Fountain and Kevin Barlowski reprise their roles of Mouse and Boy...Just sayin'
When asked about other shows Mr. Fountain would like to see Playhouse on Park produce "Well you know you can't ask that question without getting a suggestion that wouldn't include me!" He goes on to mention the following musicals: "Avenue Q", "Sweeney Todd", "Forever Plaid, "The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee" He adds "I have also been told that the two person chamber musical 'The Story of My Life' has a great role for me, so let's just put that out there in the universe."
Mr. Fountain, a mild mannered IT Guy and tour guide by day, an unstoppable source of entertainment by night. All of it wrapped in to an affable man, for whom you'd gladly give the shirt off your back, if he asked you for it, and he has.
Needing a black shirt to wear for one Main Stage Monday at A.C. Petersens. Cut to me entering the playhouse that night, wearing a black shirt. That one Monday night, Mr. Fountain sang an strolled throughout the restaurant singing as good as he always does and dressed as sharp as ever. A couple days later the shirt was returned washed and ready to wear. That's just the sort of things you do for friends.
Five years from now, his daughter will just be graduating from college. He plans to continue working at the Hartford and hopes to still have opportunities to perform and travel. "Those are two of my passions."
Perhaps ten years from now when they are remaking "Les Miserables" he could play the role of Javert. When asked about what movie role you would have done a better job than who was actually cast, that one was a "No brainer. But who couldn't have done a better job."
This was a glimpse in to the life of Rick Fountain, and whatever he is doing, five, ten, fifteen, twenty and many more years from now he'll be doing it with the same level of excellence he has brought to everything he's done thus far. Stay tuned and sing along!
Thursday, June 13, 2013
Monday, June 3, 2013
My Cabaret Consternation
Cabaret, a groundbreaking musical set in 1920's Berlin at a seedy cabaret called the Kit Kat Club opens June 12th at Playhouse on Park. The show features svelte performers traversing provocatively across the stage and throughout the lobby.
Enter my consternation, a sudden alarming, amazement or dread. I am not svelte, and if I were to traverse provocatively anywhere in public, I would run the risk of being subjected to scorn and ridicule and possibly interrogated about my mental status. Let's face it, if I saw myself doing that, I'd do the same thing.
So back in April I decided to get in to Cabaret form, determined to strut my slender, house manager physique to the delight of all eager theater attendees. Confidently I vowed to myself and others that I would not be tempted by the momentary pleasures of sugary delights. Cake, candy bars, soda, ice cream and cookies be gone, you are the enemy of fitness, the forbidden fruit in the garden of sexiness.
Almost immediately problems occurred, namely I was hungry. I rushed to the grocery store to purchase low fat and fat free choices, with the intent to avoid the calorie laden treats of yesteryear...That was the intent, however it was not reality. My internal autopilot brought me to the first aisle of doom...the cookie aisle, oh the horror. My mind was filled with mega stuffed, double, triple chocolate chip, chocolate frosted bliss.
It was as though my shopping cart was possessed. It brought me to every aisle I wasn't supposed to be in, it seemingly refused to allow any healthy option to enter it. I was being held hostage by my shopping cart, a perpetual victim of its fat inducing tyranny.
My last bastion of hope was the checkout person. The disappearance of my fat ass rested solely on the meek teenager or the indignant geriatric. Certainly they would understand my plight and forcibly remove the offensive items from my demon shopping cart, replacing those items with the appropriate ones needed to achieve my goal...Wait, what's this, no, not the self-checkout line. Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Later that night, as I sat in my recliner, a satisfied junk food junkie, surrounded by empty packaging, my emotions were mixed. On the one hand, I sure did enjoy the greasy goodness of a not so bygone era. On the other hand that same greasy goodness just signed a twenty year mortgage with my hips.
Tomorrow is exercise day, unless it's raining, or chilly, or cloudy, or partly cloudy, or partly cloudy with a chance of sunshine, or a bright sunny day, then it could be too hot and I sweat too much. People can die from heat exhaustion. Besides, I have to work ALL day. By the time I get home it'll be dark. I can't exercise in the dark, I could get mugged. If I get mugged I may have to take time off work. If I can't work, I'll stay home all day. If stay home all day, I'll just eat. I could go out...nope the weather is outside. Anywhere I go, I'll just end up spending money, money I don't have because I'm not working. I could exercise indoors, but then my house will smell like sweat. If my house smells like sweat, people won't come over. I'll lose all my friends and be ostracized from polite society. I'll end up being a recluse with nothing more to offer society...Screw it, I'm having a hot fudge sundae. I can always just work the box office, there you can only see me from the waist up.
Speaking of box office, get your tickets now for Cabaret which runs from June 12 to July 21, an astounding six week run. All the Playhouse on Park stars are aligned for this amazing show and you'll be a part of it from the moment you enter. Call 860-523-5900 x10 for tickets, or order them online at www.playhouseonpark.org
Don't forget, the first Sunday matinee of the run is a talk back, this your chance to ask the cast questions.
There's a free open mic night which starts ten minutes after the show on Saturday, June 22. Bring your own sheet music and sing along or just watch, either way you'll have a blast. I may even sing...along with people who can actually sing.
Enter my consternation, a sudden alarming, amazement or dread. I am not svelte, and if I were to traverse provocatively anywhere in public, I would run the risk of being subjected to scorn and ridicule and possibly interrogated about my mental status. Let's face it, if I saw myself doing that, I'd do the same thing.
So back in April I decided to get in to Cabaret form, determined to strut my slender, house manager physique to the delight of all eager theater attendees. Confidently I vowed to myself and others that I would not be tempted by the momentary pleasures of sugary delights. Cake, candy bars, soda, ice cream and cookies be gone, you are the enemy of fitness, the forbidden fruit in the garden of sexiness.
Almost immediately problems occurred, namely I was hungry. I rushed to the grocery store to purchase low fat and fat free choices, with the intent to avoid the calorie laden treats of yesteryear...That was the intent, however it was not reality. My internal autopilot brought me to the first aisle of doom...the cookie aisle, oh the horror. My mind was filled with mega stuffed, double, triple chocolate chip, chocolate frosted bliss.
It was as though my shopping cart was possessed. It brought me to every aisle I wasn't supposed to be in, it seemingly refused to allow any healthy option to enter it. I was being held hostage by my shopping cart, a perpetual victim of its fat inducing tyranny.
My last bastion of hope was the checkout person. The disappearance of my fat ass rested solely on the meek teenager or the indignant geriatric. Certainly they would understand my plight and forcibly remove the offensive items from my demon shopping cart, replacing those items with the appropriate ones needed to achieve my goal...Wait, what's this, no, not the self-checkout line. Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!
Later that night, as I sat in my recliner, a satisfied junk food junkie, surrounded by empty packaging, my emotions were mixed. On the one hand, I sure did enjoy the greasy goodness of a not so bygone era. On the other hand that same greasy goodness just signed a twenty year mortgage with my hips.
Tomorrow is exercise day, unless it's raining, or chilly, or cloudy, or partly cloudy, or partly cloudy with a chance of sunshine, or a bright sunny day, then it could be too hot and I sweat too much. People can die from heat exhaustion. Besides, I have to work ALL day. By the time I get home it'll be dark. I can't exercise in the dark, I could get mugged. If I get mugged I may have to take time off work. If I can't work, I'll stay home all day. If stay home all day, I'll just eat. I could go out...nope the weather is outside. Anywhere I go, I'll just end up spending money, money I don't have because I'm not working. I could exercise indoors, but then my house will smell like sweat. If my house smells like sweat, people won't come over. I'll lose all my friends and be ostracized from polite society. I'll end up being a recluse with nothing more to offer society...Screw it, I'm having a hot fudge sundae. I can always just work the box office, there you can only see me from the waist up.
Speaking of box office, get your tickets now for Cabaret which runs from June 12 to July 21, an astounding six week run. All the Playhouse on Park stars are aligned for this amazing show and you'll be a part of it from the moment you enter. Call 860-523-5900 x10 for tickets, or order them online at www.playhouseonpark.org
Don't forget, the first Sunday matinee of the run is a talk back, this your chance to ask the cast questions.
There's a free open mic night which starts ten minutes after the show on Saturday, June 22. Bring your own sheet music and sing along or just watch, either way you'll have a blast. I may even sing...along with people who can actually sing.
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