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Glendale residents take on ‘Domino Masters’
BY ANNIKA TOMLIN Glendale Star Staff
Gloria Robinson grew up with a special needs sister who doesn’t hear or speak, so she bored easily, she said.
What connected them was a love of dominoes.
“(My sister) loved heavy smooth things and still does to this day, and we used to set up dominoes and do topplings with her all of the time,” Robinson said. “I’ve had a lot of experience with topplings, not to this extent, but it just grew from there.”
Glendale couple Robinson and Robert Dehate are taking their love of dominoes to Fox’s new show “Domino Masters,” which premieres at 9 p.m. Wednesday, March 9.
Hosted by Eric Stonestreet, “Domino Masters” features domino enthusiasts going head to head in a toppling tournament. Stonestreet is joined by judges, including Danica McKellar, Vernon Davis and professional domino artist Steve Price. Sixteen skilled trios compete in building challenges to be crowned the country’s most talented amateur domino topplers.
In each episode, the teams are given a theme and custom elements to incorporate into their topple. In the fi nals, the top teams face off for a cash prize, the trophy and the title of domino masters.
Dehate recalled, “Growing up with three older brothers and being active children without internet, we entertained ourselves. We always played with dominoes, but back then they were just the gaming dominoes with the little dots on them and you only had a short amount of them.
“Nowadays to the advent of Amazon and other things, you can buy thousands of them and you can make some really nice geometric patterns.”
A couple of 13 years, Dehate and Robinson run Animal Motor Works. Dehate, a self-proclaimed “math nerd,” said his ability to create rockets for Animal Motor Works helped with the “Domino Masters” appearance.
“I like to calculate the math coeffi cients for the rockets and the different attributes of the rocket that you calculate,” Dehate said. “The geometric patterns that you put together with the dominoes is very interesting to do it and have enough dominoes that you could really make some big displays.”
Robinson received an email about appearing on the show. After what she called a “very detailed” interview process, she persuaded the showrunners to let her work with Dehate.
“Robert and I are partners in business, so I thought it would be a great idea for us to be partners in dominoes,” Robinson said. “As we put it, ‘Those who build together, stay together.’
“That was the big impression that we made with the crew on set, was that they were amazed as a couple that we got along so well. We really enjoy our time together.” The trio was rounded out with California native Richard “Rick” Mascheck, and they dubbed themselves Rocket Science, inspired by the couple’s rocket business. “We had to do many many topplings and video submissions to send them all in,” Robinson said about the process to get on the show. “That was during COVID that all of that was going on, so it was good because we had plenty of time to put toward doing topplings and sending videos in. It was quite a lengthy process.”
Dehate hails from California but spent 30 years in Boston. Robinson was born and raised in New England. The couple moved to the Valley in 2019.
“Our rocket business brought us out to the West Coast,” Robinson said. “Obviously, there is a lot more land without trees and the weather is more cooperative, so we found ourselves spending a lot of time out here with the business and got to really liking the weather and the people out here, so we relocated.
“We don’t know a lot of people, but I imagine after this we are going to know a lot of people. We’re proud to bring it to Glendale and put Glendale on the map. It’s a fairly small town and everybody has been great with us out here. We haven’t had a whole lot of chance to meet people because of COVID. We’ve been in lockdown so much.”
Outside of lockdown, the Rocket Science team went to California to fi lm “Domino Masters.”
Robinson and Dehate were nervous about inadvertently knocking over the dominoes while competing.
“That is a lot of the anxiety of it, especially when it is a display that you are doing for show,” Robinson added. “Such as the display on the show, you had to really be aware to not knock anything over because we were on a time constraint to complete our display.”
Each team is given 16 hours to complete the themed display. The Rocket Science team maxed out the 16-hour limit to create their display.
“If we were to knock something over in the meantime, that would just use up time that we didn’t have,” Robinson said. “You had to be very aware of where you placed your hand or feet or anything, because it was lot of time on the fl oor setting up the display.”
Another worry was a natural disaster like earthquakes.
“I was still concerned every night that there might be an earthquake that would knock down our build,” Dehate said. “We were in California, so I was like, ‘What if there happens to be an earthquake while we are building and everything comes falling down?’”
The trio did not witness an earthquake. But as far as how the toppling went, the couple wouldn’t reveal much.
“You’ll have to watch the show,” Robinson said.
(Above)“Domino Masters” team Rocket Science is Glendale residents Gloria Robinson and Robert Dehate, along with California native Richard “Rick” Mascheck. (Right) It took team Rocket Science the full 16 hours to create their build on “Domino Masters.” (Photos by Ray Mickshaw/FOX)
Local actors return to sing, dance in the rain
BY BRIDGETTE M. REDMAN Glendale Star Contributing Writer
The Phoenix Theatre has opened a classic on its stage with its biggest cast since 2019.
“Singin’ in the Rain,” directed by Jeff Whiting with music direction by Jeff Kennedy, opened on Feb. 2 and runs through Sunday, April 3.
Based on the 1952 movie starring Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds, the musical brings its tap dancing numbers to Phoenix as the theater opens the door to memory lane.
Set in 1927, Hollywood’s favorite silent movie stars are forced to adapt a new skill set as the “talkies” begin to push out the silent movies. Unfortunately, one of them has a voice that is never going to win fans.
For two ensemble members, it is bringing their hometown dreams to life.
Hahnna Christianson, who is now an internship coordinator at Arizona State University, spent most of her life in Peoria. She dreamt of being on the Theater Works stage each time she passed it.
“I remember as a really small girl driving by the building that had this copper roof,” Christianson said. “It was this fancy important building.”
Elizabeth Falk of Glendale grew up seeing nearly every show that The Phoenix Theatre put on because her father is its drummer and her mom did shows there, too.
“Being able to do a show with my dad is a check off the bucket list,” Falk said. “It’s so awesome. I basically dance to the beat of his drum. It’s a dream for us to be in a show together.”
Christianson — who has performed for The Phoenix Theatre for “Kinky Boots” and “Unwrapped” — is thrilled that she is in “Singin’ in the Rain,” as it is her favorite movie, and she confesses to being obsessed with Kelly.
“What an angel,” she swoons about the man who transformed Hollywood musicals. “I love that movie, and for one of my college courses, we had to choose a fi lm and analyze the music. I did ‘Singin’ in the Rain.’ I’ve watched it 60 times, and I am obsessed with it.”
She said she is elated about being cast as a member of the ensemble.
“I love The Phoenix Theatre,” Christianson said. “They are so professional in every sense of the term. They make all their actors feel very wanted and accepted in this very safe, professional setting.”
Falk credited The Phoenix Theatre with providing the foundation of her arts education. She says the quality of the shows there kept her eager to return.
“It was exciting to go as a kid, and it was exciting as an adult,” Falk said. “They’ve always been such a great company, and now I get to work with them.”
Falk left Arizona for a bit, attending Oklahoma City University, dancing on Princess Cruises for several years and then performing around the country. This is her fi rst time on stage at The Phoenix Theatre, and she is a part of the ensemble.
“I’ve always wanted to come back and do a show with them and be on the stage and not just watching from the audience,” Falk said. “It’s so awesome.”
Her parents put her into dance when she was 6 years old. She said she always wanted to be just like her parents, who were teachers by day and performers by night.
While she isn’t a teacher, she is living her dream.
For both actors, “Singin’ in the Rain” is a balm for those who have been suffering from two years of pandemic.
“This is something our director talked about in the room with us,” Christianson said. “Audiences want to come to a live show now that it is back up and running and escape and explode into something joyful. That was really such a positive motivator. We are blessed and lucky.”
Falk said it is nice to see people relax a little bit and enjoy the nostalgia that comes from “Singin’ in the Rain.”
“That’s one thing we are hearing a lot from our audiences,” Falk said. “Just how wonderful it is to kind of relax and get that nostalgic feeling back.”
She also said the show features actual rain, which is a delight for the performers.
“It’s just fun, because we literally do have rain, so we literally sing and dance in the rain,” Falk said. “You can’t get much more fun than that. Being onstage and performing the old production numbers where everyone is synchronizing, singing and tap dancing — it gives you that good energy back. When we’re onstage, we don’t have to be masked and worried.”
While she loves dancing without a mask, she also said she is grateful that Phoenix Theatre has done a good job with its COVID-19 safety and appreciates the precautions it has taken.
“Come see the show,” Falk said. “Have some fun and get some cheeriness back in your life and let the outside world fade away.”
Christianson agreed, “If you have some time and a few dollars, come check out the show and get washed away in the fun. It really is something everyone needs — some refreshing fun.”
“Singin’ in the Rain” runs through Sunday, April 3, at The Phoenix Theatre with its biggest cast since 2019. (Photo courtesy of The Phoenix Theatre)
WHEN: Various times through Sunday, April 3 WHERE: Phoenix Theatre Company, 1825 N. Central Avenue, Phoenix COST: Tickets start at $44 INFO: 602-251-2151, phoenixtheatre.com
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