AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’
The “Fats” Waller Musical Show

 A Swingin’ Musical
conceived by Richard Maltby, Jr. and Murray Horwitz

April 15 – May 13, 2012

This joint is jumpin’ ya’ll! Picture it…

Harlem. The Cotton Club. Honky tonk dives, rent parties and sweet, sweet swing. That’s right, I am on my way back to the 1030′s to sing the songs of “Fats” Waller!!!  It is indeed some of the best American music ever written! A Broadway blockbuster brimming with hot jazz and powerhouse performances, this Tony Award®-winning revue is the perfect tribute to one of the most prolific musicians of the 20th century. Filled with 30 beloved tunes like “‘T Ain’t Nobody’s Bizness If I Do”, “Honeysuckle Rose”, “Mean To Me”, “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love” and “Black And Blue”,  it’s musical dynamite that will have you tappin’ your toes, snappin’ your fingers and singin’ along. Come see Soara-Joye in one of her favorite musical revues; you’re sure to love it!

 Get your tickets now!!

CHECK OUT MY PAST REVIEWS FOR…

AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ @ The Huntington Theater

Directed by Tony Award Nominated Marcia Migrom-Dodge

“When Soara-Joye Ross sings “Squeeze Me,” it’s easy to feel the hug.”

–Terry Byrne, Boston Herald   

“Even when Soara-Joye Ross’s rendition of the saucy “Squeeze Me” slows the pace early on, her breathy vocals, ample display of cleavage, and come-hither gestures keep heartbeats racing.”

–Ted Drozdowski, The Boston Phoenix

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Hey there Cats!!!

Soo, the run is almost over and boy have I had a ball! I absolutely LOVE working at Triad Stage and I adore the director, Donna Baldwin-Bradby. I certainly look forward to doing another exciting piece at the theater in the future!

The “Armelia McQueen” track has been titillatingly challenging filled with lot’s of lady like tendancies, sensuality, humor and charm! This is definitely one of my favorite shows!! Two of my favorite moments in the show are when I sing “Squeeze Me” accompanied by Stephanie Lindley, and the duet “Find Out What They Like” with Angela Birchett accompanied by North Carolina Agricultural & Technical State University Jazz Ensemble . They are both challenging and soo much fun!

Please check out the pics below of those moments, opening night cast shots and more!!!

“Never let go of the melody!!!” ~Fats Waller

March 2012

The show was a MEGA HIT and even though it is closed as of now it will RE-OPEN JULY 10th 2012!!!

Check out a little snip-it of the show!!

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January 2012

 HI EVERYONE!

We are open at last!!! From Rehearsals to Opening Night!

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December 2011

Cheers everyone!!!

I am gearing up to leave for West Palm Beach for a few months! Last week we had a cast photo shoot and it was a lot of fun!

I will be playing the part of Sheila in the World Premiere of

DIVORCE PARTY THE MUSICAL

at The Kravis Center.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?feature=player_detailpage&v=Bul0ru2fqJ0 
The actors of Divorce Party the Musical speak out! In this video, hear what Soara-Joye Ross who plays the role of Sheila has to say.

I love doing new shows and I am thrilled to be playing this sarcastic, boisterous, sassy older southern in charge woman who is desperately searching for answers while trying to retain her dignity. Here’s the blurb from the website: http://divorcepartythemusical.com/

“Still reeling from her divorce, Linda is rescued by her three friends who have come to turn her despair into a weekend of hilarity.  Linda has to pack up her house and memories while finding the courage to start over again when all she wants to do is bury herself in Ben and Jerry’s Chubby Hubby ice cream.  With the help of a delivery pizza boy, a groping massage therapist, a fabulous make-over guru, among others, they sing and dance their way through the wildest divorce party ever.  Nothing is sacred as the girls cut loose on the realities of divorce, long term relationships and moving on, coupled with a good dose of comic mayhem, and a touch of “naughty.”

Using popular songs with clever new lyrics, the ladies deliver an evening of laughs as they drag their newly divorced friend up by her self-esteem and force her to face the world again, whether she likes it or not.  By the end of the show, women are dancing in the aisles and leaving with a smile on their face knowing they are not alone and there can be life-after-divorce.  It’s the “Ultimate Girls’ Night Out” for any person dealing with the before, during, or after phase of a broken relationship. It’s the “should I stay or should I go” married prisoners, or the best excuse to get those newly divorced friends out of the house!”

“Healing doesn’t happen in a vacuum…but through our interactions with other people. By giving, you are focusing on what you have to offer others, inviting more abundance into your life. Giving of any kind is taking a positive action that begins the process of change. It will shift your energy for life.”

~Mbali Creazzo

Howdy!

I am challenging you to give 29 gifts in 29 days? Are you up for the challenge?

My birthday was on August 16th and a dear friend of mine and her partner gave me the book “29 gifts -how a month of giving can change your life” by Cami Walker. The book is about a 33 year old woman who gets diagnosed with multiple sclerosis a month after her wedding day. Her life changes forever where she is all of a sudden constantly in and out of ER’s, barely able to walk, stressing about her marriage and dealing with bouts of depression. As a remedy for her condition, a close spiritual friend (Mbali Creazzo) who is also a medicine woman prescribes: Give away 29 gifts in 29 days. 29gifts.org 29GiftsBook.com

This  book has been nothing but a blessing in my life! I have been thriving at this challenge for almost 3 weeks now and it just feels good! We are blessed to be a blessing, right?!

I’ve been inspired to spread the love and challenge 29 people God has specifically put on my heart to share in this wonderful experience!

Are you up for the challenge? You can start when you feel the time is right! The gifts don’t have to be material things! The gifts can be anything from spare change to a kind word or thought, but their giving has to be both authentic and mindful. At least one gift has to be something you think is scarce in your life. Along with giving them, the challenge involves thinking of things to be grateful for each day and reflecting on the tradition of giving in your family. “Gratitude keeps your heart open. When you give with an open heart, you receive the profound gift of humility.” ~Mbali Creazzo

In addition to giving the gifts, you’re supposed to keep a journal for 29 days to record the experience and to be mindful of both the journal and the gifts so that they can do their work of transforming you. Also, starting each day with a short meditation/prayer and an affirmation (ex.” Today I give with joy.” “Today I give with patience.” “Today I give with abundance.”) can help.

AND, if you skip a day for some reason, Mbali says it’s best to start over, to release the energy this is building and allow it to begin building again.

Ok, that’s it!

If you decide to take the challenge and you’d like to share your experiences with me or the other 29 or possibly read about my experiences or anyone else’s experience keep coming back to this page or go to my “29 day challenge 29 day challenge web page on their site http://www.29gifts.org/profile/Soara_Joye. You can also sign yourself up on their website as well and have your very own page too! Please leave a comment on this page and the other if you like!!

Yay!

Blessings to you all… But most of all… LOVE!

Sincerely,
Soara-Joye

Cami Talks about 29 Gifts on the Today Show

Soara-Joye is now a member of 29-Day Giving Challenge

Click Here to watch “Summer of Love” @ Ogunquit Playhouse

‘Summer of Love’ a colorful, groovy musical

“…Another standout is Soara-Joye Ross, who plays Saige. Ross has an incredible voice, as  heard in “Everyday People” where she and Pope lead the ensemble to great effect. In her solo number “Piece of My Heart,” she is particularly outstanding and the emotion and power she puts into the piece induce chills…”

By Erin Sullivan

The Journal Tribune

Hip, hip (hooray!) for ‘Summer of Love’ at Ogunquit Playhouse

“…There is a story running under the 24 songs in the production. By the way, there is not a bad voice in the entire cast but special kudos should go to Soara-Joye Ross who has a set of pipes that set her apart from the rest of a very, very talented cast of vocalists…”

By Joe Sheehan

Seacoastonline.com

Ogunquit Playhouse’s Summer of Love powerful, riveting, entertaining

“…Standout performances (and there were many) come from Soara-Joye Ross (Saige) and Bets Malone (Janis) who call on the spirit of 1960′s departed greats like Janis Joplin and Mama Cass…”

By Buzz Dietterle

Fosters.com

Lot’s To Love in ‘Summer of Love’

“…There was no question that Soara-Joye Ross (Saige) was a standout in her rendition of “Piece Of My Heart” — this native New Yorker, type 1 DIVAbetic wailed on those lyrics with raw emotion and powerhouse vocals! The audience went wild when the show started with a VW bus driving on stage, a group of colorful tribe members exploding on stage and a collective sound right out of Woodstock!…”

By Michael Tobin

The Portland Daily Sun

Peace, Love and Hot Summer Theater

“…It’s almost impossible to stop watching Soara-Joye Ross, who has her moment when at her whit’s end with a love triangle, she climbs cat-like around the scaffolding admonishing her lover to “Take a Little Piece of My Heart…”

By Tracey Dee Rauh
The Eagle-Tribune

Summer of Love

“…There’s so much to love here, including Ross, whose soulful rendition of “Piece of My Heart” pulsates…”

By Sheila Barth

THE THEATER MIRROR, New England’s LIVE Theater Guide

Hi everyone! 2011 is all about doing things that you only dream about!

That being said,

I will be cycling 30 miles in the American Diabetes Association’s Tour de Cure fundraising event and I am proud to say that I AM A RED RIDER!!!!

The purpose of the Red Riders…

…is to support everyone who lives with diabetes and showcase the courage it takes to live every day with this difficult condition.

Most of you already know that I was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes on September 18, 2007. It has been such a challenge living with this disease everyday, but I’m A SURVIVOR!! And am extremely excited to be participating in such an extraordinary event!

Please support me with a donation by clicking here and then hitting the “sponsor me” button under my pic!  Our efforts will help set the pace in the fight against diabetes. So let’s get in gear and ride to Stop Diabetes!

Help Make a Difference in the fight against diabetes!

Each mile I ride, and the funds I raise will be used in the fight to prevent and cure diabetes and to improve the lives of all people affected by diabetes.

No matter how small or large, your generous gift will help improve the lives of nearly 24 million Americans who suffer from diabetes, in the hope that future generations can live in a world without this disease. Together, we can all make a difference!

Thank you for making a generous contribution to this cause that is so important to me! I ride for diabetes as a diabetic for all diabetics!

Cheers and here’s to the year of dreams coming true!

http://main.diabetes.org/site/TR/TourdeCure/GreaterNewYorkCityArea?px=6670253&pg=personal&fr_id=7555

Meet Soara-Joye Ross: Award-Winning Broadway Actress… and Red Rider!

Posted on April 21, 2011 by nyctourdecure

“Let’s start at the very beginning, a very good place to start…”—as Julie Andrews sings in The Sound of Music.

My name is Soara-Joye Ross and I am a Type 1 diabetic (or “divabetic,” as I like to call myself). I am a daughter to five, a sister to three, a friend to many (especially Rokia, who wears a DIVABETIC t-shirt just to support me), and a mother to one (my gorgeous Pomeranian, Lyric). Soara-Joye means “singing bird soars joyfully,” which is rather fitting, since I’ve been singing since I was in kindergarten. I have an amazingly funny and supportive family. My mother called me this morning to tell me that she had bought some cotton swabs for me (to aid in checking my glucose levels) and that, if I really needed them, she’d come all the way from Queens to Brooklyn to give them to me … on public transportation! She’s a doll!

Soara-Joye Ross

I have also reunited with my birth family. I am adopted and always knew that one day I’d want to find my biological parents. In 2005 I hired a private investigator to find my birth mother—and he found her! Since then, I’ve also reconnected with my paternal grandmother, maternal grandfather, and—just recently—my birth dad. Yes, holidays can be a bit overwhelming!

I’m also an award-winning actress and have been with my agent, Renee Glicker, for 10 years. Performing on Broadway, at Lincoln Center, and Carnegie Hall in shows like Les Misérables, Dessa Rose, and Jerry Springer: The Opera have been highlights of my career. I was nominated for “outstanding performance by an actress in a leading role” when I played the title role in the Elton John musical Aida; what a dream come true! At 16 I traveled all over Europe, performing as a soloist in Hungary, Austria, and the Czech Republic. I’ve toured throughout Germany and the Netherlands in Smokey Joe’s Café and Ain’t Misbehavin’ and even played an American diva in the popular show Palazzo Colombino in Basel, Switzerland. I’ve been blessed to work with talents like Gladys Knight, Ashford and Simpson, Anika Noni Rose, Lea Solanga, Harvey Keitel, LL Cool J, Donna McKechnie, and even Natalie Portman in the feature film Garden State. I absolutely love performing!

I was introduced to my co-star (a.k.a. Type 1 diabetes) in my late 20s, and remember it as if it were yesterday. Before rehearsal on the morning of September 18, 2007 (which was my brother’s birthday and the day before my opening night), I wasn’t feeling very well. During the two weeks prior I had been dealing with an array of health issues, but was told by my doctor that I had a throat infection. As I walked up the subway stairs, my heart began to race at an unbelievable pace and I could barely walk! “This can’t be just a throat infection,” I thought. I hailed a cab and headed to Saint Vincent’s Hospital. Within an hour, I found out that my sugar was 650, I was in diabetic ketoacidosis—and I hadn’t gone into a coma solely because I’d kept myself extremely hydrated. I stayed in ICU for two days and wasn’t able to do the show, but was relieved that finally I knew what was wrong. I got cards and visits from family, of course, but even from members of Les Miz and the new musical I was not able to do. Thank goodness for all of their support; I couldn’t have done it alone!

Having to share the stage with my co-star has been challenging, to say the least, but I am stronger, wiser and better for it! I feel like I understand pain more, disabilities more—life more. I’m a better actress for it and a better human being. I know that every day is truly a gift from God and I’m grateful to still be alive!

In Central Park, ready to ride!

I am now part of an amazing nonprofit organization called ACT1 Diabetes (Adults Coping with Type 1 Diabetes), founded by another Type 1 diabetic, Katie Savin. I co-facilitate a wonderful support group for young women with Katie, and even serve as donations coordinator for the Supply Exchange Program!

Recently I rode on a training ride for the Tour de Cure. It was only my fifth time on a bike in Manhattan, and I decided to do my own thing since the other riders were a lot more advanced than I. I followed the exact route they were taking, but at my own pace: up to the George Washington Bridge via the Hudson River Greenway, which is the most amazing, car-free, bicycle and pedestrian pathway in New York City! It is such a wonderful resource and I’m proud to say that, even though it took me about four hours, I rode from 19th Street and 6th Avenue all the way up to the bridge and then back downtown to 14th Street and 8th Avenue! Yes, I stopped about eight times to check my sugar, eat, drink, rest, check, drink, check, rest, eat, drink, check, etc., but that’s how it is when you’re a diabetic training for an event like this… better to be safe. It was one of the most physically challenging experiences I’ve ever had, and I look forward to doing it many more times!

I must admit that if I weren’t a Type 1 diabetic, I don’t believe I ever would have ridden those 25 miles this past weekend. Sure, I’ve been on many walks (like the Aids Walk) before my diagnosis, but training to ride a bike 30 miles in the Tour de Cure? That’s a whole new level! And on April 30, I’ll be going to the Blessing of the Bikes at St. John the Divine, too. How exciting! Me, Soara-Joye Ross, actress, singer, Pomeranian owner, divabetic—and cyclist!

I guess my co-star and I are in another scene now; shucks, I think we’re in another play! It’s called “The Ride of a Lifetime!” Cheers, everyone!