By Sandi Durell
When you solo at the age of 5 as a performer, live in a household where Mom is a professional pianist (young Mark spending a fair amount of time in an orchestra pit), and fall in love with musical theater in high school after seeing Beauty and the Beast . . . well, I guess you are destined to be on the stage.
By the time Mark was in college, he was working at a summer theater, commuting and listening to the sounds of Ole’ Blue Eyes (Mark, too, has beautiful blue eyes), becoming more familiar with and enamored with the sounds of the Great American Songbook.
It isn’t often that one chats with someone as young (Mark is 22 years of age) who is bright, well-spoken, with a winning personality, and who has fallen head over heels with the songs and performers from an era that make people three to four times his age swoon. But, happily, there is a Mark William who thrilled audiences when he debuted at The Green Room 42 back in November 2018 and, after rave reviews and an audience who couldn’t get enough, he’s been asked to reprise his show ‘Come Croon with Me’ on March 29 at 7 pm with his amazing 5 piece band musically directed by Clint Edwards. The uniqueness of the arrangements and interweaving of old familiar tunes together with new ones is remarkable. And, just announced, Mark and Moulin Rouge co-star Robyn Hurder are in rehearsal for a specialty duet in this upcoming encore performance. VaVaVoom! Tickets: www.thegreenroom42.com
A lover of anything Jerry Herman, he studies the lyrics carefully and his head swirls into creative directions wondering. . . hmmm, can I swing this tune. . .
Mark is a triple threat. He sings, dances and certainly has a penchant for acting. What iconic show would he love to perform in – Guys and Dolls!
His booming base vocal gives him numerous options of which he’s well aware as his career moves forward.
Take a peek and listen to what Mark had to say at our interview at Sardi’s recently.
Interview by Sandi Durell
Filming by Shoshana Medney