Ernie Nolan

We all love a good surprise, and none of us deserves a happy one more than the great Ernie Nolan. Ernie has been working hard as the Artistic Director of Emerald City Children's Theatre, directing plays such as the popular Pinkalicious for the Broadway In Chicago collaboration, and writing children's plays. Eric and Andy got a chance to take Ernie on a mysterious car ride to the heart of the American Dream and discuss the things he so loves.

Hi Ernie! Thanks for getting into our car and putting on this blindfold!

Thanks for thinking of me. Very sweet of you fellas.

That's how we do it! Sweetly! And speaking of sweet, you work at the sweetest theatre company in Chicago, Emerald City! How long have you worked there?

Hmm... it's been about 6 years now I think. With all that sweetness, sometimes the years blend together. But I think it's 6 now.

Have you always been the Artistic Director there? How did you get that job? Eric, take a left here.

I started as a director for the company.... then an Artistic Associate.... then the Associate Artistic Director.... and now Artistic Director.... it's been a wild and crazy ride not unlike this car ride with you.

The exciting part is yet to come! So, Emerald City really works hard to provide theatre to young kids and inspire them to learn...have you always been interested in the childrens' theatre world?

It's kinda funny.... I started out as a musical theatre performer.... and then had fun doing sex, drugs, and rock n' roll plays in grad school... and then I worked and studied more about Theatre for Young Audiences at DePaul in grad school.... eventually interned at a well known TYA theatre in Kansas City... and the rest is history.

What is it that makes Emerald City different from other theatres like Adventure Stage and Chicago Children's Theatre?

I think that Emerald City really works at the overall experience... you know... kinda like this car ride. We really work hard at making sure your experience starts at the door and continues at home with the family. I also think that we pride ourselves on turning non-theatre goers into theatre lovers.

Look, there's the Arby's...pull into the alley next to it. So, let's talk about your gigantic Broadway in Chicago hit Pinkalicious...can you give us a quick sell of the show?

While we're by the Arby's is somebody gonna pick up curly fries?

Absolutely not.

Oh, ok.... I'll talk about Pinkalicious. Pinkalicious is a fabulously fun musical about a little girl who eats too many pink cupcakes and turns pink! Then we see how the whole family deals with their own PINK secrets.

Sounds a little racy for a Young Audiences show. Lots of showing pink, Ernie. Playboy can't do that.

I know. Somehow you get away with it when you do it for kids....everybody's pink on stage!

Ernie, we are going to ask you a few questions while we are pulling in here at the surprise location. The way this works is, we will ask you questions and you have to answer as fast as you can without thinking. Ready?

Favorite Children's book.

Charlotte's Web and Frindle.

Favorite candy:

Kit Kat.

Favorite Holocaust Movie:

Sophie's Choice.

Best Kenny Loggins soundtrack hit:

Ah hello... FOOTLOOSE!

What did you have for breakfast?

Frosted Mini Wheats.... coffee with chocolate almond milk.

Just how proud of you is your mom?

Very proud.... she approves of the picture that's on the inside jacket of my play that just got published.... that was important.

Wait. Time out. You just had a play published?

3. All licenced by Dramatic Publishing. Check them out online.

Ernie, I want to pitch you a play idea. It is a story about me and Eric and we are these junkyard cats that run a nightclub called Studio 54 inside an old '54 Buick and maybe we help save a fat Panda because everyone is picking on him and then we deal with the death of Eric the Cat's sister from Cat Diabetes. Does this sound like something that you would be interested in turning into a Children's show?

That sounds full of Emerald City Gateway theme possibilities.... plus we could turn the whole theatre into the junkyard.... the preshow could be making a cat mask.... or playing with a bowl of Friskies... it sounds like it has potential fellas...

IT'S A HIT, AMERICA! Ok, let's show you the surprise place!!!!.

I am a flutter!

It's a GRAVEYARD FOR VETERANS!!! Taaaaa dahhhhhhhhhhhhh!

Did you leave those flowers on the graves just for me? You are sweet!

Alright Ernie, well I hope you can find your way home in the dark. Thanks for talking to us!

CAR SPEEDS AWAY.


Visit EmeraldCityTheatre.com for more inforamtion on the Emerald City Theatre.

Eric Roach, Anderson Lawfer

Eric Roach and Anderson Lawfer are the founders of www.Reviewsyoucaniews.blogspot.com