Iverson News

The knowledge that Mark Morris Dance Group's 'Pepperland' is based on the Beatles' a?oeSgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Banda?? album sets the expectation for a bright, vivid performance that's just edging into trippy. For the most part, the show lives up to that expectation, but with some twists.

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) continues its successful 57th season with a timeless jewel. William Shakespeare's beloved masterpiece, 'Romeo and Juliet' is now on the Madison stage through November 17. Directed by Ian Belknap, the show features a gifted cast.

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) continues its 57th season, entitled Incredible Journeys, with William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Directed by Ian Belknap, Artistic Director of New York's prestigious The Acting Company, this tragedy of heartbreaking beauty speaks to every person of every era. Patrons can purchase tickets at the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre Box Office located at 36 Madison Avenue in Madison, by calling the Box Office at 973-408-5600 or by going online at www.ShakespeareNJ.org. Performances begin on October 16th.

Following their 2018 engagement, the esteemed Mark Morris Dance Group returns for the D.C. premiere of its latest evening-length work Pepperland, a Kennedy Center co-commission, November 13a?"16 in the Eisenhower Theater. Renowned choreographer Mark Morris continues to explore the relationship between movement and music with Pepperland, which pays homage to The Beatles's 1967 trailblazing album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Often hailed as the first-ever a?oeart rocka?? album, the Beatles's groundbreaking work pushed the recording-studio technology of the late 1960s to the limit and is widely regarded as the best rock n' roll album in history. Created at the request of the City of Liverpool, England, home of the founding band members, the colorful, exuberant Pepperland includes Morris's elements of humor and musicality. Of the work, Mark Morris stated, a?oeThis great album set a radical new direction for popular music and thought. I was just a child. Fifty years later, with contemporary eyes and ears, we are presenting a comment on, and a rethinking of, this profound cultural artifact with all of the imagination, surprise, humor, and bizarrity intact.a??

The Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) continues its 57th season, entitled Incredible Journeys, with William Shakespeare's Romeo and Juliet. Directed by Ian Belknap, Artistic Director of New York's prestigious The Acting Company, this tragedy of heartbreaking beauty speaks to every person of every era. Patrons can purchase tickets at the F.M. Kirby Shakespeare Theatre Box Office located at 36 Madison Avenue in Madison, by calling the Box Office at 973-408-5600 or by going online at www.ShakespeareNJ.org. Performances begin on October 16th.

Actors, directors, writers, composers, choreographers and a live band combine to create four brand new musicals in a single day. Extraordinary artists from across the Twin Cities theater community join forces for an unmissable gala event to benefit musical theater scholarships for UMD Theatre and Spotlight Education. Chanhassen Dinner Theatres (CDT) and the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) School of Fine Arts partner to present a unique, engaging theatrical experience for our community a?" the inaugural performance of The 24 Hour Musicals in the Twin Cities on Monday, August 19, 2019 at 7:30pm on CDT's Main Stage. (Ticket information below.)

Actors, directors, writers, composers, choreographers and a live band combine to create four brand new musicals in a single day. Extraordinary artists from across the Twin Cities theater community join forces for an unmissable gala event to benefit musical theater scholarships for UMD Theatre and Spotlight Education. Chanhassen Dinner Theatres (CDT) and the University of Minnesota Duluth (UMD) School of Fine Arts partner to present a unique, engaging theatrical experience for our community a?" the inaugural performance of The 24 Hour Musicals in the Twin Cities on Monday, August 19, 2019 at 7:30pm on CDT's Main Stage. (Ticket information below.)

A potpourri of beautiful music from Gilbert & Sullivan to Broadway.

Today, Abiodun Oyewole (of The Last Poets) released a new version of his song 'New York, New York.' The track is taken from the Windows On The World Soundtrack, which will be released on August 2nd via Ropeadope. Windows On The World is a new film written by Robert Mailer Anderson and directed by Michael D. Olmos. Accompanying the single's release is a short clip of Oyewole performing 'New York, New York' in the movie.

On August 2nd, Ropeadope will release the soundtrack for Windows On The World, a new film written by Robert Mailer Anderson and directed by Michael D. Olmos. The album is an expansive mix of genres ranging from americana to R&B, electronic, a spoken word track from Abiodun Oyewole (The Last Poets) and original jazz music from members of the SFJAZZ Collective including Eric Harland, David Sanchez, Edward Simon, Obed Calvaire, Robin Eubanks, Matt Penman, along with Taylor Eigsti and Ethan Iverson (The Bad Plus).

“Pepperland” Premiered two years ago in Liverpool, the Beatles birthplace, when the famous 'Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band' album turned 50 and the UK celebrated it spectacularly. It is coming to the Segerstrom Center Of the Arts this weekend, June 14th and 15th, 2019. Choreographed and Directed by Mark Morris, whose repertoire of creative work uses and melds music genres in innovative ways, with choreography that has unbridled enthusiasm mixed with stylish technique that immerses itself into the score and lyrics completely. It is his unique style, and the collaboration with Ethan Iverson, the Musical Director and Reconstructor of sorts, that has crafted this delicious and captivating romp through the '60s and The Beatles' 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' album, with a new twist and dimension to the score and brilliant choreographic concepts and costuming.

Multi-platinum-selling and award-winning songwriter Lindy Robbins will join the roster of master teachers for the 14th annual Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriters Project, a partnership between the Johnny Mercer Foundation and the American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) at Northwestern University.

Well before The Met Gala's kitschy theme for 2019 inspired the likes of Lady Gaga, Jordan Roth and countess celebrities to strut their most outrageous stuff down the pink carpet, Mark Morris has been the reigning King of Camp in choreography, celebrating this gleeful genre in company classics such as The Hard Nut. This spring he elevated the playful style integrated with expressive movement in Pepperland, an exuberant homage to the 1960s counterculture and The Beatles' seminal 1967 concept album, Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band.

Before CLUE! Before Murder, She Wrote!  One writer penned the mother of all murder mystery whodunits, with an ending that still shocks readers today!  Watch Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None unravel LIVE at The Secret Theatre! David Engel* (Original cast of Forever Plaid/La Cage Aux Folles/Seussical) plays Dr. Armstrong and joins a delicious mix of characters,

Segerstrom Center for the Arts will present the renowned Mark Morris Dance Group performing the Center Premiere of Pepperland June 14 & 15, 2019 in Segerstrom Hall. Mark Morris, hailed as one of "the most successful and influential choreographers alive," (The New York Times) returns to Orange County with a groundbreaking dance tribute to the 50 th anniversary of The Beatles' Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Originally created for the City of Liverpool's Sgt. Pepper at 50 Festival in May 2017, this colorful piece resounds with the ingenuity, musicality, wit and humanity for which the company is known. Pepperland seems to revel in the eccentric charm and joyful optimism of the iconic Beatles album.

dick clark productions and NBC today announced nominees for the "2019 Billboard Music Awards," which honors the year's most successful artists in 56 categories across all genres of music.  "2019 Billboard Music Awards" host Kelly Clarkson and chart-topping duo Dan + Shay, kicked off the nominations this morning, live on NBC's "Today."  Last year's Top Rap Female Artist winner, Cardi B, leads the pack with 21 nods, followed by Drake and Post Malone, each with 17.  Other nominees and possible record-breakers include Ariana Grande, Taylor Swift, Travis Scott and XXXTENTACION. 

Fountain Hills Theater announces the opening of the extra-ordinary musical by Stephen Schwartz (Wicked) Pippin. Pippin will play April 19 - May 5, 2019. Performances are Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30PM and Sundays at 2PM. Individual tickets are $30.00 for Adults and $12.00 for Youth 17 and under.

Pepperland, a vivid work by the choreographer Mark Morris was created at the request of the City of Liverpool to inaugurate the "Sgt. Pepper at 50 Festival" in 2017, paying tribute to the Beatles' groundbreaking album Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band. Renowned for his profound understanding of musical forms, Morris teases out the album's colorfully avant garde motifs through spirited movement and an inspired score by jazz composer Ethan Iverson. 

Pepperland (Tuesday 9 & Wednesday 10 April) is legendary choreographer Mark Morris' unique tribute to the 50th anniversary of the release of the iconic LP. Hailed as the first-ever 'art rock' album and widely regarded as the best rock and roll album of all time, it spent 27 weeks at number one on the UK Albums Chart and 15 weeks at number one in the USA.

Before CLUE! Before Murder, She Wrote!  One writer penned the mother of all murder mystery whodunits, with an ending that still shocks readers today!  Watch Agatha Christie's And Then There Were None unravel LIVE at The Secret Theatre! David Engel* (Original cast of Forever Plaid/La Cage Aux Folles/Seussical) plays Dr. Armstrong and joins a delicious mix of characters,