Just So 1990 - Articles Page 19

Today we are talking to a Tony Award-winning performer known around the world for her iconic original performance as Eponine in both the West End and Broadway editions of international stage sensation LES MISERABLES, copiously convivial chanteuse Frances Ruffelle. Discussing her legacy with the iconic mega-musical and her relationship with the show's director, John Caird, Ruffelle opens up about a life in the theatre, telling tales of her time spent treading the boards in the various incarnations of LES MISERABLES - winning the Tony for her Broadway performance - as well as working on the original London production of Stephen Schwartz's CHILDREN OF EDEN with Caird and fellow InDepth InterView participants Matthew Bourne and Ruthie Henshall in addition to shedding light on fascinating workshop experiences - STARLIGHT EXPRESS, SUNSET BOULEVARD and WHISTLE DOWN THE WIND among them - and her more recent roles, such as her run as the title character in PIAF and featured part making up the intricate ensemble of William Finn's entertaining revue MAKE ME A SONG. Ruffelle also discusses her solo album work and future recording plans and also comments upon the pop success of her daughter, UK star Eliza Doolittle. Most importantly, Ruffelle peels back the layers of the return engagement of her successful solo show BENEATH THE DRESS and clues us in on what we can expect from her upcoming dates at celebrated cabaret venue 54 Below. Plus, Ruffelle fills us in on her next cabaret piece and its inspiration, as well as shares the 411 about her new films coming out in the next couple of months. All of that, thoughts on Broadway versus the West End, sharing the screen with Anne Hathaway in the mega-hit big screen edition of LES MISERABLES, thoughts on some of her recent TV roles as well as much, much more in this all-access pass with a particularly lovely and lively star.

Last week I began a quest to unite two quintessentially American institutions; sports and musical theatre. Though this might be nothing more than an impossible dream, this is my quest, to follow that goal, no matter how hopeless, no matter how far... I have to take this metaphor. In this week's edition of TRASLATING SPORTS, I will attempt to provide you with enough college football information so that you won't be left with nothing more than a vegetarian bratwurst and a confused look on your face at your neighbor's Labor Day cookout.

CMA and Grammy winner Neal McCoy has a brand of pop country, catchy honky tonk and feel-good love ballads that brought him fame beginning in the mid-1990's and which continues to shine to this very day. His rich, bouncy baritone, million-dollar smile and charming Irish-Filipino looks, keeps him a favorite on the live concert stage. He's known to be forever fresh and freewheeling in performance, virtually thriving on audience interaction.

For four decades, the Dallas Cowboys were synonymous with winning and were the gold standard for how to operate a football franchise. Seemingly unhindered by the rest of the football universe, the names of Tom Landry, Roger Staubach, Troy Aikman and Emmitt Smith were exalted to legendary status along the path to earning a record five Super Bowl championships. They won with flair, grace, and a unique quality of football brain-trust that constructed teams with stamina and staying power. From the unprecedented stretch of twenty consecutive winning seasons under Landry, to Jimmy Johnson's group that captured three Super Bowls in a four year span during the 1990's, to the immaculate blue star on the helmet, and the famous hole in the roof, the Cowboys were a franchise that, not only had it all, they did it all.

When asked what his book How The World Has Impacted Me! was about, author Junior S. Jackson would almost instantly blurt out 'self-help'; but as the book was coming to an end, he realized that the book was more than just a self-help book. Jackson is a young African American male who has manfully wrestled with the issues that he has found within his people's communities. In them are complete societies which can totally work for their progress-yet for some reason they do not.

CMA and Grammy winner Neal McCoy has a brand of pop country, catchy honky tonk and feel-good love ballads that brought him fame beginning in the mid-1990's and which continues to shine to this very day. His rich, bouncy baritone, million-dollar smile and charming Irish-Filipino looks, keeps him a favorite on the live concert stage. He's known to be forever fresh and freewheeling in performance, virtually thriving on audience interaction.

First performed in 1990, PHILOSOPHY IN THE BOUDOIR became an immediate scandal, causing lots of debates in the Brazilian press. Throughout the years, the show was performed in several countries, with the same kind of reaction, and the current production in Hollywood is not for the faint of heart.

CAMARILLO, CA - The California Wine Club, America's most trusted wine club since 1990, named the 10 California artisan wineries that will be featured during the 2013 holiday season. These wineries represent some of the best small vintners in Sonoma, Mendocino, San Joaquin, Santa Barbara, and Napa counties, including the Stag's Leap District of Napa Valley. Also featured will be two international wineries from Argentina and Australia.

Stray Dog Theatre returns to their roots during their 10th anniversary season by presenting the first play they ever produced; John Guare's SIX DEGREES OF SEPARATION. Since this is a play set in 1990, it's particularly interesting to view it through the lens of the information age that we live in today. Guare's work emphasizes the importance of making personal connections with others, and we've definitely overachieved in the sheer volume of connections we have the ability to make these days, we've just managed to make them less personal, which really defeats the purpose. And, that's is why this work is still so vital and engaging.

No one knew legendary screen goddess Marilyn Monroe like costume designer William Travilla. The famous 36-26-36 hourglass silhouette of the bombshell would help secure Travilla's place in Hollywood history as one of the most important fashion designers of its time. Although Marilyn Monroe was Travilla's most celebrated muse he designed for over 270 celebrities but none like Monroe who catapulted to super-stardom while donning Travilla's most important costumes.Julien's Auctions, the premier entertainment and celebrity memorabilia auction house proudly announces this rare opportunity to own one of Travilla's masterpieces of fashion in the upcoming “Property from the Estate of William Travilla” auction to take placeFriday, October 11th, 2013 at the Julien's Auctions Beverly Hills gallery at 9665 Wilshire Blvd. The Hollywood icon was so enamored with Travilla that she once autographed one of her infamous calendars with the inscription “Oh Billy dear please dress me forever, Love Marilyn.”

The old adage that the show must go on was put to the test at Hudson Theatre during the opening night performance of Jonathan Larson's musical RENT presented by the 2Cents Theatre Group. Not only did the air conditioning go out, the sound equipment was on the blink! Even so, the produciton still packs a punch.

Deborah Boily is preparing for her cabaret performance of DEBORAH BOILY - ONE NIGHT ONLY.

The high-flying actress, and former award-winning gymnast, Cathy Rigby ends her decades-spanning reign as 'Peter Pan' in one final run in Boston April 23-28. She brings her relationship with the boy who won't grow up full circle by ending her national tour in the city where it all began in 1990 to rave reviews.

The summer festival season has begun and HARD SUMMER is just around the corner. Get festival-ready with the first entry of the 2013 HARD Summer Mixtape series with Busy P's HARDer Deeper Darker Summer Mix.

Sarah Brightman's new album 'Dreamchaser' will be released worldwide this month, and the track list for iTunes Deluxe Edition has just been revealed. Scroll down for the songs!

Playing now through April 21, 2013 at the No Exit Cafe in Rogers Park, and officially opening yesterday, the rarely seen Andrew Lloyd Webber musical 'Aspects of Love' has been very competently mounted by the consistently high-quality storefront non-Equity company, Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre. And this 1989 London show, receiving what I believe is the Chicago premiere of the revised version first mounted in the UK in 1993-4, has been clearly intended by the company to be a follow-up to its phenomenally successful, multi-Jeff Award winning, multi-BroadwayWorld Award winning 2012 production of 'A Light in the Piazza,' a show with a similar post-war, stylish Continental setting and the seduction of romantic melodies in the air--not much dialogue or dance needed.

A legendary trio of country veterans gets back to the roots of their music with stories and songs. With over one hundred songs on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, forty-two top singles and fourteen #1 songs between them, good buddies Aaron Tippon, Joe Diffie and Sammy Kershaw perform on stage together in an acoustic evening filled with 'You've Got To Stand For Something,' 'John Deere Green,' 'She Don't Know She's Beautiful,' and so many more.

Today we are shifting our focus from the stages of Broadway and beyond to the stages of the previous 84 Academy Awards telecasts that have transpired to date, in anticipation of Sunday night's big, big, big show. After all, this year's Academy Awards is of particular interest and excitement to theatre fans around the globe, especially because super-producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are behind it - the men responsible for the hit stage-to-screen adaptations of CHICAGO and HAIRSPRAY, as well as the small-screen successes GYPSY, LIFE WITH JUDY GARLAND: ME & MY SHADOWS, ANNIE, and, most recently, NBC's musical series SMASH, to name a few of their many marvelous musical-friendly credits. They told me themselves earlier this week that this year's telecast would be the most music-packed Academy Awards show to date, and, just judging from the announced tributes, performers and presenters thus far it is clear to see that they were not kidding - reunions of the casts of the film versions of CHICAGO and LES MISERABLES live onstage, singing their film's most famous songs to Jennifer Hudson leading a DREAMGIRLS tribute all the way to a James Bond 50th anniversary celebration featuring Adele and Shirley Bassey on some famous Bond themes, as well as Barbra Streisand herself singing 'The Way We Were' in memory of friend and collaborator, three-time Oscar-winner Marvin Hamlisch.

Join Goodspeed Musicals as it celebrates its 50th Anniversary! Don't miss your chance to get the best seats at the greatest values for each of the three fantastic musicals specially selected to commemorate our Golden Anniversary season at the Goodspeed Opera House. Due to this extraordinary milestone, demand is expected to be high when tickets go on sale for the 2013 season so audience members are encouraged to call right away. The Box Office will open at 10 a.m. this Today offering great deals on three terrific musicals that are sure to delight theatre-goers: sweet and spirited Good News!; the beloved Hello, Dolly!; and The Most Happy Fella, a charming and romantic musical from the creator of Guys and Dolls. Be among the first to purchase tickets for all three shows at Goodspeed Musicals, the first regional theatre in the nation to receive two Tony Awards.

Join Goodspeed Musicals as it celebrates its 50th Anniversary! Don't miss your chance to get the best seats at the greatest values for each of the three fantastic musicals specially selected to commemorate our Golden Anniversary season at the Goodspeed Opera House. Due to this extraordinary milestone, demand is expected to be high when tickets go on sale for the 2013 season so audience members are encouraged to call right away. The Box Office will open at 10 a.m. this Sunday offering great deals on three terrific musicals that are sure to delight theatre-goers: sweet and spirited Good News!; the beloved Hello, Dolly!; and The Most Happy Fella, a charming and romantic musical from the creator of Guys and Dolls. Be among the first to purchase tickets for all three shows at Goodspeed Musicals, the first regional theatre in the nation to receive two Tony Awards.

The Film Society of Lincoln Center announced today a rare chance to take in the full measure of a master filmmaker with A CLOSE-UP OF ABBAS KIAROSTAMI from tonight, February 8-17.

Paul Reid, author of the just released conclusion to 'The Last Lion' trilogy begun by William Manchester, will speak at Burning Coal Theatre Company tonight, January 31st at 6 pm.

Columbia Records and Legacy Recordings announce the release of She's Got A Way: Love Songs, a new collection of 18 essential love songs drawn from three decades of recordings by music legend and composer/singer songwriter, Billy Joel. This collection comes just in time for Valentine's Day.

Actress Cathy Rigby was the highest-scoring American gymnast at the 1968 Olympics and became a favorite with American television audiences. She was U.S. National Gymnastic Champion in 1970 and 1972. Her greatest accomplishment was to become the first American woman to win a silver medal for the balance beam at the 1970 World Championships. In 1974, retired from gymnastics, she was offered the role of Peter Pan, which she has gloriously played for over 40 years, including Broadway with a Tony Award nomination as Best Actress in a Musical in 1990. She is about to open Peter Pan once more at the Pantages on January 15, having done it here in 2004. In our chat she talks about how she keeps the role fresh and why it has remained a favorite all these years.

Paul Reid, author of the just released conclusion to 'The Last Lion' trilogy begun by William Manchester, will speak at Burning Coal Theatre Company on Thursday, January 31st at 6 pm.