Can-Can 1953 - Articles Page 15

The Laguna Playhouse Executive and Artistic Directors, Karen Wood and Ann E. Wareham are thrilled to present screen legend Leslie Caron, in her first Southern California theatrical performance in over 25 years! SIX DANCE LESSONS IN SIX WEEKS, written by Richard Alfieri, with choreography by Donna McKechnie (A Chorus Line) and directed by Michael Arabian (Waiting for Godot). SIX DANCE LESSONS IN SIX WEEKS will also feature 6-time Ovation Award-winning actor David Engel. 'What an honor to have on our stage the incomparable Leslie Caron and the multi-talented David Engel,' remarks Wood. 'It's a dream cast and a dream come true. With Michael Arabian and Donna McKechnie directing and choreographing, this has to be one of the most anticipated productions in the Playhouse's storied history,' adds Wareham. SIX DANCE LESSONS IN SIX WEEKS will begin previews tonight, April 26 and will open on Saturday, May 3 at 7:30pm and run through Sunday, June 8, 2014 at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.

Teatro Vista begins their 2014 spring season with Arthur Miller's A View From the Bridge, playing at The Richard Christiansen Theater located within The Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., tonight, April 15 - May 18.

Beginning April 24th, 2014, Dominique Levy and Galerie Perrotin will jointly present Pierre Soulages, the first American exhibition in ten years devoted to the most significant and internationally recognized living artist of France. The show will fill the historic landmark building at 909 Madison Avenue where both galleries reside, presenting a group of new large-scale paintings that reveal the rigor and atemporal power of a 94-year old master known as "the painter of black and light." Born in 1919, Soulages is among the few artists still at work from the explosive postwar period when New York City emerged as the center of the art world, the place where American innovation and European traditions collided and coalesced into a new dominant school of gestural painting. By juxtaposing Soulages' revelatory recent paintings with a group of his important postwar works, Pierre Soulages will highlight profound inter-connections between Europe and America in modern and contemporary art while challenging certainties on the subject.

The Laguna Playhouse Executive and Artistic Directors, Karen Wood and Ann E. Wareham are thrilled to present screen legend Leslie Caron, in her first Southern California theatrical performance in over 25 years! SIX DANCE LESSONS IN SIX WEEKS, written by Richard Alfieri, with choreography by Donna McKechnie (A Chorus Line) and directed by Michael Arabian (Waiting for Godot). SIX DANCE LESSONS IN SIX WEEKS will also feature 6-time Ovation Award-winning actor David Engel. "What an honor to have on our stage the incomparable Leslie Caron and the multi-talented David Engel," remarks Wood. "It's a dream cast and a dream come true. With Michael Arabian and Donna McKechnie directing and choreographing, this has to be one of the most anticipated productions in the Playhouse's storied history,' adds Wareham. SIX DANCE LESSONS IN SIX WEEKS will begin previews on Saturday, April 26 and will open on Saturday, May 3 at 7:30pm and run through Sunday, June 8, 2014 at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.

'A man's reach should exceed his grasp. Or what's a heaven for?' once wrote the poet Robert Browning. The line is about setting goals, striving, and ambition, all of which can be commendable desires. But sometimes in the world of cabaret, the desire to achieve the next level or to raise one's personal bar can be an overreach and overly ambitious. Such was the case with two shows staged this past week by two accomplished singers-Shana Farr and Jillian Laurain--who over the past couple of years have garnered mucho kudos for their vocal prowess and solid shows. Nobody could fault these lovely ladies for pushing their performance envelopes, but in both cases they fell short of their goals.

Virginia Repertory Theatre revealed the new titles for the 2014/15 Season with a public announcement at the November Theatre last evening. The announcement marks Bruce Miller and Phil Whiteway's 40th season as Artistic Director and Managing Director. Miller reflects on this milestone, "I'm proud to be announcing my 40th season as Artistic Director. The 18 shows that comprise Virginia Rep's 2014/15 roster include several of my favorite comedies, dramas and musicals. Whether a renowned classic or an exciting new release, each selection will take us on a breathtaking journey. I can't wait to discover with our audience the adventures that lie ahead."

Teatro Vista begins their 2014 spring season with Arthur Miller's A View From the Bridge, playing at The Richard Christiansen Theater located within The Victory Gardens Biograph Theater, 2433 N. Lincoln Ave., April 15 - May 18. A View From the Bridge is directed by Teatro Vista Artistic Director Ricardo Gutierrez.

Lost Note Theater Company, dedicated to presenting concert readings of obscure and forgotten musicals, is pleased to present CARNIVAL! with music and lyrics by Bob Merrill, book by Michael Stewart, based on material by Helen Deutsch, directed by Stephen Murray and musical direction by Charlotte Rivard-Hoster. CARNIVAL! will play three performances only March 22 - March 29, 2014 at Strawdog Theatre Company's Hugen Hall, 3829 N. Broadway in Chicago. Tickets are currently on sale at brownpapertickets.com. Last season, Lost Note Theater Company, presented its hit inaugural production, I Can Get It For You Wholesale.

Happy Birthday, Chita Rivera! A two-time Tony Award winner, Rivera made her Broadway debut in 1953 in Can-Can, launching one of the most celebrated and long-lasting Broadway careers. Her electric performance as Anita in the Broadway premiere of West Side Storybrought her stardom. She most recently starred as Princess Puffer in the Roundabout Theatre Company's celebrated Broadway revival The Mystery of Edwin Drood.

Triple threat Broadway legend Chita Rivera will bring her iconic class and showmanship to the Valley Performing Arts Center January 25 for one performance only at 8 pm. In our chat she tells us a little bit about the new show and talks in great detail about the joys of her career.

Lost Note Theater Company, dedicated to presenting concert readings of obscure and forgotten musicals, is pleased to present CARNIVAL! with music and lyrics by Bob Merrill, book by Michael Stewart, based on material by Helen Deutsch, directed by Stephen Murray and musical direction by Charlotte Rivard-Hoster. CARNIVAL! will play three performances only March 22 - March 29, 2014 at Strawdog Theatre Company's Hugen Hall, 3829 N. Broadway in Chicago. Tickets are currently on sale at brownpapertickets.com. Last season, Lost Note Theater Company, presented its hit inaugural production, I Can Get It For You Wholesale.

Avant-garde sax and voice duo, KOEK, featuring soprano Aliana de la Guardia and saxophonist Kent O'Doherty, present their inaugural concert entitled 'PILOT' live streamed by Equilibrium Concert Series tonight, Sunday, December 8, 2013 at 7:30pm EST from the Davis Square Theater, 255 Elm Street, in Somerville, MA. The program features solo and duo works by: Luciano Berio, the world premiere of works by Sergio Luque, Daniel T. Lewis, and Justin Barish, and haunting electronic interludes by Kent O'Doherty. This concert also features staging direction by the duo and punk lighting design. The Livestream of tonight's concert can be viewed online at http://new.livestream.com/accounts/3779764/events/2604231. Additional information available on the KOEK website at www.koek.us.

Orange County, Calif.—Dec. 3, 2013—One of Russia's most fascinating and complex composers—Dmitri Shostakovich—goes under the magnifying glass when Pacific Symphony partners with Chapman University's Global Arts Program to present “Decoding Shostakovich,” a festival dedicated to the iconic composer, whose life unfolded under the Soviet system. There are myriad reasons for a festival devoted to this fascinating man, beginning with the tremendous impact he had on classical music in Russia and beyond. Through classical concerts and a wide array of presentations (discussions, film, dance, lecture, piano recital, theater, symposium, book club and master classes), “Decoding Shostakovich” probes deeply into the man to reveal the composer's relationship to his home country, its culture and politics and the effects these had on his music. The festival, which began in November, continues into February 2014. For more information about “Decoding Shostakovich,” visit: http://www.pacificsymphony.org/shostakovich_festival. (See the complete festival schedule below.)

The Laguna Playhouse is thrilled to present film great Leslie Caron (An American In Paris, Gigi, Fanny) in a comic and heartfelt valentine to the human condition, SIX DANCE LESSONS IN SIX WEEKS, written by Richard Alfieri and directed by Michael Arabian (Waiting for Godot). Additional exciting casting news to be announced shortly! SIX DANCE LESSONS IN SIX WEEKS will begin previews tonight, November 26 and will open on Saturday, December 7 at 7:30pm and run through Sunday, December 29, 2013 at the Laguna Playhouse, 606 Laguna Canyon Road in Laguna Beach.

Great news for Hollywood and Broadway fans: Hugh Jackman-who recently starred in the worldwide hit film version of 'Les Miserables'- can be seen again in his breakout musical role as cowpoke Curly in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, tonight, November 15 at 9 p.m. on THIRTEEN's Great Performances

BOSTON, MA (NOVEMBER 2013) – Avant-garde sax and voice duo, KOEK, featuring soprano Aliana de la Guardia and saxophonist Kent O'Doherty, present their inaugural concert entitled “PILOT” with Equilibrium Concert Series on Sunday, December 8, 2013 at 7:30pm in the Davis Square Theater, 255 Elm Street, Somerville, MA. The program features solo and duo works by: Luciano Berio, the world premiere of works by Sergio Luque, Boston composers Daniel T. Lewis and Justin Barish, and electronic interludes by Kent O'Doherty. Tickets are $10 general admission and can be purchased with cash or check at the door. For ticketing questions visit Equilibrium Concert Series online at http://equilibriumconcertseries.org.

Great news for Hollywood and Broadway fans: Hugh Jackman-who recently starred in the worldwide hit film version of "Les Miserables"- can be seen again in his breakout musical role as cowpoke Curly in Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, Friday, November 15 at 9 p.m. on THIRTEEN's Great Performances

Whatever happened to Tom & Huck? In his new novel released this month, "Sawyer and Finn: The War Years," author Richard DeLong Adams offers one possible answer, revisiting two of our the most beloved characters in literature, Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn, and placing them in Missouri at the dawn of the American Civil War. There, they harmonize with historic characters, including Congressman Frank Blair, the outlaw Jesse James, and Confederate guerilla Wild Bill Anderson, along with those borrowed from Mark Twain's original stories, such as the Widow Douglas, Judge and Becky Thatcher, and Jim, with a few inventions of his own. With this fascinating new story featuring a unique blend of familiar characters, Adams has created a wonderful tour of one of the most tragic episodes in American history. The voices that emerge from this dark storm are potent reminders of who we Americans are, where we come from, and why. With "Sawyer and Finn: The War Years," Adams has created authentically American voices on both sides of our most terrible conflict and has traced to their sources the most intractable of U.S. paradoxes, including the Westward Expansion, slavery, miscegenation, agricultural versus urbanized society, North versus South, and commercial against patriotic interests. Perhaps the most remarkable achievement of the book is a voice at once contemporary and authentic to the Missouri of the 1860s. The ever-changing aspects of America's turn from rural to urban, from slavery to freedom resonate today. We see in Adams's Huck and Tom not only Twain's America, but our own, and the thunderous collisions of the ongoing ominous tragedy we still can feel today. In an interview, Adams discussed the allure and challenges of imagining Tom and Huck approximately 15 years older, at the beginning of the Civil War. 'If you're a writer, Tom Sawyer and Huckleberry Finn are in, a sense, sacred texts," Adams said. "I could feel a little bit of awe and fear in dealing with them, but I didn't feel inhibited by what I was doing. I felt that Mark Twain was leading me onespecially after I ran across his quote saying it would be interesting to take these characters and visit them again when they're grown up. I felt like that was Mark Twain welcoming me to do my best.' This exceptional novel will delight readers and recall why we're proud-however silently, however provisionally-to be Americans. About The Author Richard DeLong Adams was born in Columbia, Missouri, in 1933. He graduated from Cornell University in 1953 and served as a lieutenant in the U.S. Army's 505th Parachute Regiment, 82nd Airborne Division, from 1954 to 1957. In 1958 he moved to Hollywood, where he entered the film industry. He worked on numerous film and television projects, both as an original writer and as a behind-the-scenes script doctor. His teleplay Honor Thy Mother was nominated for an 'Edgar' Award in 1993. Richard's extensive travels have taken him to Russia, Central and South America and Asia. He lived in Rome for five years, and spent several years in Mexico. "Sawyer and Finn" is his first novel. Sawyer and Finn: The War Years A novel by Richard DeLong Adams Publication: October 8, 2013 232 pages Paperback original 978-1-935212-46-1: $16.95 Ebook 978-1-935212-45-4: $9.99 Published by Prospecta PressDistributed by Perseus Distribution

“No grander figure can be found, in the entire history of the Reformation in this island, than that of John Knox” wrote the historian Froude. Yet, John Knox has suffered in the twentieth century from the common trick of the popular imagination that seizes on one aspect of a historical figure and elevates it into the whole man. At one time he was the foremost Scottish genius, but in our day there have been those who would have us believe that he was a renter, an iconoclast and perhaps a hypocrite. The author of this classic biography has sought to find the truth between these two extremes. He shows us Knox against the disturbed currents of the Continent, where medieval Christendom was at an end and no new order had yet emerged from its chaos of creeds and philosophies. No man could stem these currents, but John Knox in his own country gave them a direction. He became, if not the leader, at least the inciter of a revolution. He set his mark indelibly on history, and not only that of his native land; his influence upon the English court was considerable, but he also became a figure of European significance.

Spartacus is like camp. Not summer camp, but Susan Sontag camp, who wrote in that brainy, immortal essay , 'Camp helps account for the fact that opera and ballet are experienced as such rich treasures of Camp, for neither of these forms can easily do justice to the complexity of human nature. ' This could easily describe Spartacus, which, for all its breathtaking dancing, is reminiscent of a silent movie that could have starred Ramon Novarro, Theda Barra, Lillian Gish and Douglas Fairbanks Senior. To my knowledge, the only Spartacus on film is the 1959 version starring Kirk Douglas who, if he had been known by his birth name, Issur Danielovitch Demsky, would have been thrown to the lions along with the other slaves accompanying Spartacus.

Seattle Shakespeare Company's Much Ado About Nothing takes on the flavor of the Riviera in 1953 in Artistic Director George Mount's season opening. Highlights in the production include original music by Seattle Repertory Jazz Orchestra's Michael Brockman, and a lagoon with water in the Center Theatre. Check out a first look below!

“No grander figure can be found, in the entire history of the Reformation in this island, than that of John Knox” wrote the historian Froude. Yet, John Knox has suffered in the twentieth century from the common trick of the popular imagination that seizes on one aspect of a historical figure and elevates it into the whole man. At one time he was the foremost Scottish genius, but in our day there have been those who would have us believe that he was a renter, an iconoclast and perhaps a hypocrite. The author of this classic biography has sought to find the truth between these two extremes. He shows us Knox against the disturbed currents of the Continent, where medieval Christendom was at an end and no new order had yet emerged from its chaos of creeds and philosophies. No man could stem these currents, but John Knox in his own country gave them a direction. He became, if not the leader, at least the inciter of a revolution. He set his mark indelibly on history, and not only that of his native land; his influence upon the English court was considerable, but he also became a figure of European significance.

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 place today, 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.'

Perry Beekman sings and plays Cole Porter today, October 4th at 9:30 pm at The Metropolitan Room.

Progresso Soup is challenging America to participate in a 30-day "Lunch Make-OH!ver" where consumers are invited to take the Pledge and commit to making a month of smart lunch choices like Progresso Light.