Wendi Reichstein - Page 2

With the true irony of the world (and of primetime dramas), it only makes sense that the moment Rayna and Deacon reconcile, the truth emerges of his potentially life-threatening cancer. Following suit, the first arena the Triple Exes play (opening for Rascal Flatts- no small gig), is the same one Scarlett had her meltdown (cowering underneath the piano) in.

Nearly150 students filled the Rollins Studio Theatre at the Long Center Friday morning for an early- and unforgettable- Greater Austin High School Musical Theatre Awards (GAHSMTA) nominations ceremony. Surrounded by eager theatre students, excited teachers and directors, and local Austin media outlets, the GAHSMTA Select Ensemble (in true musical theatre fashion), under the direction of the Long Center's Education and Outreach Director Ginger Morris, performed an impressive Broadway-style opener leading up to the morning's big announcement.

Last week was a whirwind of backstabbing, WTF moments, and OMGs... in true NASHVILLE style, of course. Jeff Fordham is where the majority of us want him to be... screwed over and left with (almost) nothing. Except the opportunity to expose and humiliate Teddy, that is. Layla has been signed to Rayna's label, Highway 65, though what can come of that is anybody's guess. Sadie Stone has finally come clean to Rayna regarding her past, and the label has stepped up and in to hopefully solve all problems- though we know that's most likely not the case. Lastly, Gunnar, Avery, and Scarlett have temporarily reunited their band- to everybody's satisfaction- but especially the Bluebird Cafe's. The record labels' worlds are flipped upside down, but for the first time in a while, things at the Bluebird- and for Gunnar, Avery, and Scarlett, and their band, are right-side up.

'And the nominees are...' This Friday, March 6th, the Long Center takes a page from the Tony Awards handbook when it hosts the second annual nominations announcement for the Greater Austin High School Musical Theatre Awards. Surrounded by hundreds of talented Austin students, local sponsors and supporters, teachers, and representatives from the University of Texas, the Long Center for the Performing Arts, and ZACH Theatre's Education Director Nat Miller; nominees for 15 categories will be announced in preparation for the awards ceremony on April 14th.

There's nothing like a multi-thousand dollar diamond necklace to welcome your newest recruit to a record label… especially when it's send in care of her mother- Rayna James. We haven't seen Rayna as desperately passionate about anything this entire season (her wedding doesn't count- she handled that very calmly and rationally, albeit a bit emotionally). It's absolutely fantastic, and why I love Connie Britton. Rayna's fury isn't the only conflict of the night, however; Deacon is frantically Googling his potential life expectancy- while attempting desperately to avoid Maddie.

I've seen three productions of Avenue Q in my life, all of them ranging from the Broadway national tour to a local community theater performance, to Sunday's matinee performed by the Austin Theatre Project. Bottom line: Avenue Q smart, funny, and relatable show. It's crude, sometimes a bit cringe-worthy, but simultaneously downright hilarious. Throw in an equally humorous and catchy soundtrack, and it's no wonder the show won the 2004 Tony Award for Best Musical (beating Wicked, mind you).

ast week's episode- albeit insanely fast paced- dropped a lot of information without resolving too much. Sadie Stone, hiding from her abusive and violent ex-husband, is now armed with a gun. Will Chase is turning the wedding that didn't happen into a PR stunt (when he's not lashing out at Rayna), Rayna and Deacon are attempting to sort out their feelings for one another while Deacon secretly (against Scarlett's wishes) battles with his newfound, potentially terminal issue. Avery and Juliette, who we want to turn into the cutest and happiest newlyweds of all time, are slowly but surely trying to iron out some of their many petty issues. Gunnar confronts Micah about the truth regarding his paternity, and Layla and Will are (seemingly) off the hook for their incriminating reality show, following Layla's near overdose. With so much being squeezed into last wee's 45 minutes, here's hoping tonight the NASHVILLE writers slow it down a bit, and dive into the nitty gritty of the show's most intriguing story arcs.

To say the winter finale was full of cliffhangers, curveballs, and straight up anxiety (that last one was on my part, not NASHVILLE's) would be an understatement. The December 10th episode managed to catch up on the storylines of almost every major character, and still leave us patiently awaiting tonight's spring premiere.

"Mamma Mia- here I go again" weren't just familiar song lyrics I was thinking of when I walked into Bass Concert Hall Tuesday night. No, it was also literal thinking going through my head. Why? The opening night of Broadway in Austin's Mamma Mia! was my fifth time seeing the production. From seeing the first national tour back in 2002, to the dragging my dad to the production in Las Vegas, to seeing it twice more through Broadway Across America Houston before sitting in the audience at Bass, here I go again may have been the understatement of the evening.

Okay ya'll- it's winter finale time. We know a wedding is happening (I think it's safe to say this is the equivalent of Beyoncé and Jay Z's union to NASHVILLE's country world) and, it being the last episode for at least a couple of months, we know a pretty great cliffhanger is coming, as well. The skeptic in me things these two things will be one in the same- anyone else fantasizing about Deacon stopping the wedding?

In a little town known as New York City, on a tiny street known as Broadway, the Roundabout Theatre Company took the 1930's Cole Porter classic Anything Goes and revived it on the Great White Way. Starring Tony Winner (soon to be two time Tony Winner) Sutton Foster as Reno Sweeney, Broadway's sweetheart Laura Osnes in the role of Hope Harcourt, and the legendary Joel Grey as Moonface Martin. The show went on to win the 2011 Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical, awarded Foster her second Tony, and also took home the prize for Best Choreography before closing in July 2012. Two years later, the award-winning revival hit the road in the U.S. national tour, surprisingly (coming from someone who saw the revival on Broadway) rivaling its New York counterpart.

If there was ever a timeless holiday tradition, specifically in the world of performing arts, it is The Nutcracker ballet. In fact, one of my first memories of the theatre was seeing the Houston Ballet with my mother and grandmother at the age of 8 (and hadn't seen it since). Whether you go for the sparkling costumes, the familiar music, the festive atmosphere, or the lovable story- most patrons of this ballet favorite have a story to tell or a memory to share, and Ballet Austin did a spectacular job of keeping that memory alive.

It's Christmas in NASHVILLE and slowly but surely- in true holiday spirit- everyone is getting back together (and I mean that only semi-literally). Juliette and Avery are at doctor's appointments together, albeit uncomfortably; Gunnar, Avery, and Zoey's band is reuniting, again, albeit uncomfortably; Will and Layla are adapting to life as spectacle reality stars, a situation that is surprisingly bonding them in a likable way (for once), and Rayna, finally getting a breath of fresh air before the wedding craziness, comes face to face with an inaccurate (in true paparazzi fashion) Rolling Stone feature about her and Deacon. Merry Christmas, y'all.

It's the day of the show y'all! Nearly two minutes in we're greeted with pre-show jitters, emotional flashbacks, glitz, glamour, and a lingering prenuptial agreement. Despite the nerves, unasked questions, and shaky confidences of our favorite characters, even a fictional Country Music Awards is a thrill. Especially because they include real-life country stars like Brad Paisley and Carrie Underwood.

While NASHVILLE's writers have been described (by me) as leaning on the cliché side, having a flair for the dramatic, and trying to multitask too much at once, at the start of this episode they've gotten it right. The quick, influential one-liners that pretty much perfectly depict where our favorite characters are right now lead the episode- starting with a stubborn Avery and Juliette.

If you follow the theatre scene of Austin, Texas at all, then you've most likely seen or heard something related to Dirty Dancing the Musical at Bass Concert Hall. The signage, the posters, the advertisements, even the ticket listings bill the production as a musical. As a part of Lexus' Broadway in Austin, it isn't far-fetched to assume the production, much like Legally Blonde the Musical or Once, is a musical version of the popular film. Which is why, after seeing the production's Austin opening, I took myself back to the internet to scour the details of the show.

Another year, another round of Country Music Awards, and a pretty accurate standing of how our favorite NASHVILLE characters are doing 6 episodes in. 6 inevitable nominations for superstar Rayna James- even more of a milestone since the launch of Highway 65. 5 nominations for her country icon Luke Wheeler- expected. The notion that the combined eleven nominations are only the result of the world-famous engagement sending Rayna into the doubt and turmoil we've seen for the past few episodes? Also expected. A nomination for the emerging Sadie Stone (ahem, otherwise known as our favorite Broadway star turned country queen Laura Benanti), who just signed to Highway 65 and has the most adorable gal-pal friendship with Rayna, a nomination for Will Lexington, whose not-so-stoked wife Layla Grant watches in (obvious) envy, and not a one nominations for the infamous Juliette Barnes. Sounds about right, no?

On any decently written drama, there's always that one character that you absolutely hate, but at the same time want them to stay on the show due to all of the engaging, crazy, can't-look-away drama they cause. On THE OC, it was Oliver. On GOSSIP GIRL, it was Georgina. And on NASHVILLE, it's Jeff Fordham. Not only is he about to attempt to sign Maddie and Daphne to his label- without Rayna's knowledge nor permission, but he's right on the heels of Will's alleged affair with his 'trainer,' and cockily shoving a non-disclosure agreement in his face. You want to punch Jeff in the face (along with several of the characters on the show), but at the same time, he is driving so much conflict that without him you wouldn't be half as interested. And that, fellow Nashies, is what you call superb acting on top of excellent writing.

At the beginning of the NASHVILLE episode we're left with a lot of questions (though I'm sure I say this every week…it being a high-intensity drama, and all). Gunnar and Scarlett have some sexual-tension-filled-quasi-romance going on, that Zoe is slowly but surely becoming more aware and jealous of, Avery is seconds away from an obvious alcohol binge-turned-addiction, Juliette is in search of an adoption agency, and Jeff Fordham shows up at Maddie and Daphne's school with a questionable $25,000 donation and a silent auction bid to golf with the mayor. The only question we don't have is whether we will see Ms. Broadway Baby Laura Benanti (Rayna's request to meet with Sadie Stone in the first scene of the evening solidifies this…thank goodness!).