About this project

Backstory:
Early 2009, Eamonn Farrell wrote a musical for me called A Wonderland. I was to play Alice, the 34 year old administrative assistant with a cabaret show in Manhattan, who's world turns upside down when an important industry guest doesn't show. Alice then steps into the Wonderland in her head and tumbles down the hole to her own psychotic downfall of egotistical madness. Sound familiar?

Well, in March of that year we did a workshop showing for a few friends and colleagues and got some great reactions and serious criticism. Then in July we opened the 16th Annual Ice Factory Festival at The Ohio theatre in SOHO.

I finally got my first NY reviews and they were all raves! (www.janellelannan.com/reviews.html)

Present day:
William Antoniou, the composer of A Wonderland and collaborator with Eamonn Farrell, lives in Athens, Greece. He has an extensive network of artists friends and colleagues there and has been asked to put on a concert comprised of music from A Wonderland and last June's Anonymous Ensemble show The Return (also written by Antoniou and Farrell).

He immediately asked me if I would sing some of the music from A Wonderland. He also asked Isaias Matiaba (a well known emerging rock star in Greece who played the lead in The Return) if he would sing music from The Return. We will be headlining the concert together and sharing duets as well as singing solos from each others shows too! We are slated to perform the entire concert in Athens on December 14th of this year. So exciting!

This is such a great opportunity and we definitely are so very excited!

Where you come in:
My husband and I are both looking to make the trek (I will be 28 weeks pregnant the week of the concert and do not want to go without him).

Liz Davito was in A Wonderland last year and traveled to Athens in June to work on and perform in The Return. She will also be joining us in Greece to reprise her role as violinist, piano accompanist, ukulele player and singer... She will also be acting as guide for me and my husband.

With your pledge, we will be paying for the following:

$910 (x3) ............ round trip airfare
$0 ........................ FREE lodging - We found host lodgings!!
$450 .................... per diem
($450) ................. 11/17/10 Fund Raiser@Wicked Willy's (NYC) goal
$150 .................... metro fare (rehearsal travel +)
$2,880 ................ Total of the above (Pay out GOAL)
$3,200 ................ TOTAL GOAL (includes 10% processing/kickstarter fees)

If we raise funds for this amount we can be guaranteed to afford to go.

What this means for us and for the show:
I have never been to Greece nor has Luis - the cultural opportunity is immense. Not to mention getting to perform in a new culture with some of the most amazing musicians... wow. And for Liz to continue cultivating her already formed professional relationships with these musicians as well as their friendship and to see her family there is immeasurable.

Even more importantly, our presence can spark the interest of some of the most important backers in Athens - which can bring either or BOTH shows to Athens for a fully funded run in either 2011 or 2012. This is just a first step.

So...

Help me get to Greece with my husband and Liz. Thank you so very very much.