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Close to my heart is the talented Raquela Burt who played my wife for most of the run.
"Raquii" is a multifaceted entertainer
who sings, dances, composes, writes and acts with incredible
mastery
and is a skilled video and audio tech.
She's currently busy in Sacramento teaching voice and is hosting on the new Intensi-T TV series on FOX.
A Festival of performance talent
Official Website
The Live and Stage productions at HTB were initially spearheaded and Directed by veteran Choreographer-Director Larry Billman. Along with daughter Saadia, they now run this organization in downtown Hollywood which sports one of the largest video archives featuring cinematic terpsichory. The library is available to anyone who may need it as a definitive reference to same. You can find out more about it by clicking the above link.
In June of '92, much of the original cast was replaced for various reasons with new performers excepting the variety artists. Rolling in with the new crew was this wiezened looking chap with a penchant for mild chicanery and a pointed love for Laurel and Hardy to rival my own. Although he was in the acting cast, Gene could also relate to the Circus guys and perfected his juggling with them also sharing talents in theater craft such as mask making and magic. He was given the role of the VOC liaison Victor Springel in the morning parade and the principle of Captain Kwakernak for the evening pageant and even played my role as my understudy for a day. Having great versatility in the performing arts, I felt much more at ease with him and we would frequently exchange L & H dialogues. He is the only male member of the acting cast that I keep in frequent touch with and now resides in Wisconsin after several years of service to Walt Disney World doing Ben Franklin in Liberty Square, Broom-The Butler at the Haunted Mansion and another role we shared at different venues: Father Christmas pictured above right. Like myself, Gene is what's known as a utility actor - a quick study and able to fill in any role of a show during the run when other principles were out sick.Variety Artists
Among the cast were a gifted group of ex-Ringling and wonderfully agile performers unique in their own talents. With the exception of Raquii (who also functioned in this arena as an adept mime) and the musicians, out of everyone involved, I came to rely on them for the most consistent and entertaining shows. Each of them could have at any time filled in for the other in any capacity. Starting in the back row left:
Mark Anthony: Talented musician-composer who with his trusty piano, led a parkwide serenade of pop and original tunes.
Steve Marshall: Comic, magician and lover of all things in the grand tradition of old cinema. Steve is still working around Japan. See Steve's NEW IMPROVED website: and download his latest music at Stevemania.
Dan Wiles: "Artist over Gravity"- known for his great high-wire tricks and unicycling. Dan is just what he implies, a One-Man Circus and is currently keeping busy around Grass Valley,CA. .
Bret Daniels Herz: Fire eater and balloon twister. Some days he'd eat balloons and twist fire! (Dr.) Bret is now married with two children and living in Holland with a Chiropractic practice.
and in the front row:
Terrell and Takako Hayes (in colorful spandex): A husband-and-wife juggling act who found each other one day in a pile of Indian Clubs. Terrell is known for his "Officer Handy" instructional shows and the zany "Professor Handy" and his ball balancing. Takako among other things is a master of the "Diablo" and if you don't recognize the implement, run (do not walk) to their next engagement. They've both been seen on numerous TV ads and had a successful run at the 2001 Los Angeles County Fair. And finally:
Steve Patient: Steve is what I call a GONZO juggler- fire eater etc. and trafficks the more off-the-wall routines. He's actually capable of juggling a bowling ball, knife and ball bearing combination! The only trouble is, you darn near have to stand on top of him so you can actually see the ball bearing. But take my word for it, he's one of the most versatile and hard-working of the bunch.
Steve Patient . com
Comedy Madman!!! Video Download
Around the Village
Bellowing in the town square
With resident Coppersmith
Theo Van Duyck (my "brother").
Huis Ten Bosch was an educational and cultural
experience in which I learned about Japan's place in world
history moreso than I could find in my secondary school books. As
the Mayor in the original cast's premiere season, I had a
remedial command of the spoken and written language before I
left. At close to $2 Billion (US) sum total, HTB was probably the
most expensive project that I have been involved with (from the
inception). We sang and spoke all parts in Japanese and every
major building landmark in the Netherlands was re-created to full
scale including the palace of Queen Beatrix and palace gardens
from the original blueprint which could not be included on the
original site. The park uses the palace name as its own
pronounced 'HA-OOSE TEN B-OH-S' translated as "House By The
Forest".
On top of everything else the 1992 Miss International Pageant was
held in our season in which I served as emcee for the Inaugural
Parade. Japanese celebrity Masumi Okada hosted the competition.
Huis Ten Bosch Mayor is a big "Astro Boy"
The Interview as it appeared in the "Daily Huis Ten Bosch" Sunday June 7, 1992
Translation:
The VOC Pageant (Dutch East India Company i.e Verenegde
Oostandische Compagnie) is the main event at Huis Ten Bosch. At
this event the Mayor Bronk (SIC-- "Pronk") arrests our
notice with his dignity and cheerful smile. Mr. Rowell Noel (SIC)
plays the part, who comes from L.A. He is an expert entertainer
with 21 years career. "I played 'Nuts Cracker' at Disneyland
for two years, however, aside from acting, I studied Broadcasting
and I was a disc-jockey at the local radio station".
As an actor Mr. Lowell respects Director Akira Kurosawa a lot, but, moreover, his favorite is ATOM! "In 1960's I had been watcthing at a lot of Japanese animations. Among them, I'm a big fan of Atom", He answers whistling the theme music of HTB. "Look at my coffee cup I painted actually." On the cup, there's an ATOM illustration almost the same as the original. "We have been enjoying Japanese animations for a long time. Now, it's our turn. I'm glad we can give pleasures to Japanese audience by our shows." He has a big body with tender pupils like a boy. His sociable smile makes him as if he were an Astro-Boy who became an adult.
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