I Can Cook Too/I Can Cook Too Reprise
(Music: Leonard Bernstein, Lyrics: Betty Comden and Adolf Green, Arrangement and Conducting: Brendan Milburn)
THE ORCHESTRA:
Brad Allison (Flugelhorn and Trumpets), Dane Anderson (Clarinet, Flute), Tom Dziekonski (Violin), Virginia Dziekonski (Cello), Stuart Hambley (Trombones), Kimberly Harrenstein (Violin), Brendan Milburn (Piano), Chris Monroe (Drums), Rick Neff (Viola), Jennifer Nelson (Bass Clarinet, Clarinet), Dave Pascal (Bass), Antonio Portella (Bass Trombone), Derek Smith (Bassoon, Clarinet, English Horn)
There aren’t many musicals of the Golden Age in which women get to be bossy, aggressive AND get the guy! I loved playing Hildy in On the Town. She’s a wisecracking cab driver who seduces a sailor while he is on shore leave in NYC. This tune is her “flex” as the kids now would say. We also recorded the reprise, which in our production was done after a 10-second blackout on stage and then the lights came up and I was wearing nothing but a sailor top and smoking a cigarette.
Now, let’s talk about this orchestra!
Seattle supports a full-time musical theatre orchestra! Whenever out-of-town directors and composers work at The 5th Avenue Theatre they are blown away that we have a full orchestra in the pit—most Broadway shows struggle to have seven to ten players on a show. We are LUUUCCKY. Between playing tours at The Paramount and local shows at Village Theatre and the 5th Avenue Theatre, these extraordinary musicians build careers playing for live musicals. Many of these musicians have played in the pit of every show I have ever done in Seattle; many of them play 150+ nights a year. I also love going to see something like Sigur Rós at The Paramount and seeing my friends onstage playing—and I know they probably had two days with the music and an hour of rehearsal to prep.
I didn’t have the capacity to commission eighteen illustrations of all the players but please go to my website and check out their bios. These players are truly the unsung heroes of our incredible musical theatre community in Seattle.
THE 5TH AVENUE THEATRE ORCHESTRA
Brad Allison
What instruments do you play? I play trumpet, flugelhorn, and piccolo trumpet.
How many shows have you played at the 5th Avenue? 110 different musicals at the 5th and 30 at the Paramount
Favorite Musical? Two of my favorites are Michael Jackson the Musical and West Side Story.
Any link that we can go to find out more about you or watch a performance?
You can check out my Bio here.
Virginia Dziekonski
What instruments do you play? Cello
How many shows have you played at the 5th Avenue? My first one was Addams Family. Probably something like 25+…
Favorite Musical? Westside Story, Sound of Music, Sweeney Todd, Pirates of Penzance.
Any link that we can go to find out more about you or watch a performance? I'm always in the pit for Pacific Northwest Ballet. Otherwise, I'm living the freelance life, so you never know where I'll show up next. I've played for Andrea Bocelli a couple of times, and this summer I'll play for Final Fantasy at Benaroya.
Chris Monroe
What instruments do you play? All things drum and percussion.
How many shows have you played at the 5th Avenue? Too numerous to list! More than forty…
Favorite Musical? Hair.
Any link that we can go to find out more about you or watch a performance?
Antonio Portela
What instruments do you play? Bass & Tenor Trombone
How many shows have you played at the 5th Avenue? Five, soon to be six shows. Playing in Mary Poppins next season.
Favorite Musical? West Side Story
Any link that we can go to find out more about you or watch a performance?www.thebrasshammer.com
Dane Anderson
What instruments do you play? Flute, piccolo, alto flute, clarinet, bass clarinet, saxophones, recorders and harmonicas.
How many shows have you played at the 5th Avenue? I’ve played for 79 shows for 5th Avenue productions.
Favorite Musical? So hard to say, I love The Drowsy Chaperone, West Side Story, Into the Woods, Company, A Chorus Line, 42nd Street, How to Succeed…
Any link that we can go to find out more about you or watch a performance?
No website but here is a fun post of me playing 14 instruments in Paint Your Wagon.
Stuart Hambley
What instruments do you play? Tenor Trombone, Bass Trombone, and Euphonium
How many shows have you played at the 5th Avenue? Too many to count! Been in the pit since the 2010 production of A Christmas Story, most recent was 2023’s White Christmas.
Favorite Musical? Guys and Dolls
Any link that we can go to find out more about you or watch a performance? Outside of a pit orchestra, I love performing jazz around the PNW, check me out here.
Jennifer Nelson
What instruments do you play? All the clarinets and all the saxophones.
How many shows have you played at the 5th Avenue? 30+ The first one I played was My Fair Lady in 1991, and the most recent was Sweeney Todd in 2023.
Favorite Musical? Isn’t West Side Story EVERYONE’S favorite?! I’ve played 3 productions at the 5th- it has been an indescribable privilege to that masterpiece.
Any link that we can go to find out more about you or watch a performance? You can often find me in the pit at PNB and the Opera and I am playing with Beck this summer.
Kimberly Rosenberg
What instruments do you play? Violin and Viola
How many shows have you played at the 5th Avenue? 7 full productions, 1 radio play, and subbed for 1.
Favorite Musical? This feels like an impossible choice, but I’d say Hair is a top contender!
Any link that we can go to find out more about you or watch a performance?www.kimmyrose.com
Tom Dziekonski
What instruments do you play? Violin, occasional viola double
How many shows have you played at the 5th Avenue? About 10
Favorite Musical? Hello Dolly
Any link that we can go to find out more about you or watch a performance? Here's a silly clip from another famous musical! You might call this "Music during Covid." Oklahoma!
Brendan Milburn
What instruments do you play? Piano, guitar, mandolin, ukulele, bass, drums, organ
How many shows have you played at the 5th Avenue? Zero! But they’ve almost produced one of mine twice.
Favorite Musical? Merrily We Roll Along
Any link that we can go to find out more about you or watch a performance?
Dave Pascal
What instruments do you play? Electric and upright bass.
How many shows have you played at the 5th Avenue? A good guess would be something like 50+…
Favorite Musical? Hair (but it has to be done right!)
Any link that we can go to find out more about you or watch a performance?
Mettle Lark:
https://www.youtube.com/@MettleLark
The Love Markets:
http://www.the-love-markets.com/
Carrie Clark and the Lonesome Lovers: https://www.carrieclark.com/
Derek Smith
What instruments do you play? Flutes, piccolo, clarinets, saxophones, oboe, English horn, bassoon.
How many shows have you played at the 5th Avenue? 19 shows at the 5th!
Favorite Musical? My favorite to play has been West Side Story. I love all of the songs and the orchestrations are just fantastic to experience down in the pit!
Any link that we can go to find out more about you or watch a performance?
The Cast of The 5th Avenue Theatre’s production of “On the Town” | 2010
“I Can Cook Too & Reprise” | Sarah Rudinoff as Hildy and Matt Owen as Chip.
Photos by Chris Bennion