John Simon News

Jacob's Pillow Dance and MASS MoCA co-present inventive, contemporary ensemble Shen Wei Dance Arts this weekend, October 26 and 27 at MASS MoCA's Hunter Center for the Performing Arts.

Roundabout Theatre Company has announced that Dinner with Friends by Pulitzer Prize winnerDonald Margulies, directed by Tony Award winner Pam MacKinnon will open on February 13, 2014. The cast will include Jeremy Shamos as 'Gabe,' Darren Pettie as 'Tom', Marin Hinkle as 'Karen,' and Maria Dizzia as 'Beth.'

On Saturday, December 7 at 9:30 p.m. in Zankel Hall, alto saxophonist, composer, and arranger Miguel Zenon examines the complexities and contradictions of the Puerto Rican experience with his latest work-a multimedia presentation honoring his homeland entitled Identities Are Changeable: Tales from the Diaspora. The evening-length song cycle and video installation-created in collaboration with video artist and co-founder of the Marginal Utility gallery in Philadelphia, David Dempewolf-explores the experience of Puerto Ricans who have moved to the mainland, particularly New York City, and was inspired by a series of interviews that Zenon conducted with them. Audio and video excerpts of these interviews are woven throughout.

The 2013/2014 National Tour of the new musical THE ADDAMS FAMILY, based on the bizarre and beloved family of characters created by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams, will make its Boise premiere December 14-15, 2013 at the Morrison Center as part of the Fred Meyer Broadway In Boise Series.

Counter Forms: Tetsumi Kudo, Alina Szapocznikow, Paul Thek, Hannah Wilke, Curated by Elena Filipovic is presented October 12 – November 16, 2013. opening reception: Friday, October 11, 6 - 8pm

Counter Forms brings together an extraordinary group of rarely seen works, predominantly from the 1960s and '70s, by four artists whose oeuvres remains as fresh and visceral today as they must have first appeared in their time. The exhibition gathers an unprecedented constellation of artists and exceptional historical material, provoking us to look at the innovation and continuing relevance of each artist anew while also highlighting the unexpected resonance of their oeuvres. Involving many loans from institutional and private collections, archives and artists' estates, Counter Forms continues the gallery's commitment to featuring influential historical artists whose full significance is growing both in the United States and internationally.

New York Live Arts will present the U.S. premieres of Israeli choreographer Arkadi Zaides and musical quartet Quator Leonis' A response to Dig Deep, tonight, October 10 at 7:30pm and French artist Jeanne Mordoj's La Poeme October 11 & 12 at 7:30pm. Co-presented with Villa Gillet's Walls and Bridges Festival, Live Arts continues its partnership with the Franco-American arts and ideas series.

Jacob's Pillow Dance and MASS MoCA co-present inventive, contemporary ensemble Shen Wei Dance Arts on October 26 and 27 at MASS MoCA's Hunter Center for the Performing Arts. Led by Chinese-born American choreographer Shen Wei, the New York-based dance company blends his signature movement vocabulary with elements of film, theater, new media, and visual art. The program includes Shen Wei's interpretation of Rite of Spring (2003), in honor of the original production's 100th year, and striking new work Collective Measures (2013). The company's performances coincide with the final weekend of MASS MoCA's Xu Bing: Phoenix exhibit, an installation featuring two monumental birds fabricated wholly from materials reaped from construction sites in urban China.

New York Live Arts will present the U.S. premieres of Israeli choreographer Arkadi Zaides and musical quartet Quator Leonis'A response to Dig Deep October 10 at 7:30pm and French artist Jeanne Mordoj's La Poème October 11 & 12 at 7:30pm.

Fort Worth Opera (FWOpera) revealed today the names of the eight composer and librettist teams from the Americas whose works have been selected for participation in the second season of the company's critically-acclaimed, annual new works program, Frontiers, taking place May 8 – 9, 2014, during the last week of the 2014 Opera Festival.

New York Live Arts will present the U.S. premieres of Israeli choreographer Arkadi Zaides and musical quartet Quator Leonis' A response to Dig Deep, October 10 at 7:30pm and French artist Jeanne Mordoj's La Poème October 11 & 12 at 7:30pm. Co-presented with Villa Gillet's Walls and Bridges Festival, Live Arts continues its partnership with the Franco-American arts and ideas series.

Counter Forms brings together an extraordinary group of rarely seen works, predominantly from the 1960s and '70s, by four artists whose oeuvres remains as fresh and visceral today as they must have first appeared in their time. The exhibition gathers an unprecedented constellation of artists and exceptional historical material, provoking us to look at the innovation and continuing relevance of each artist anew while also highlighting the unexpected resonance of their oeuvres. Involving many loans from institutional and private collections, archives and artists' estates, Counter Forms continues the gallery's commitment to featuring influential historical artists whose full significance is growing both in the United States and internationally.

Primary Stages continues its 29th season with a new production of their acclaimed 1995 OBIE Award winner, The Model Apartment, by Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies (Shipwrecked!, Time Stands Still, Dinner with Friends, Sight Unseen). Directed by Evan Cabnet (A Kid Like Jake at Lincoln Center Theater, The Performers on Broadway), the production will feature Mark Blum (The Assembled Parties and Gore Vidal's The Best Man on Broadway), Diane Davis (Old Acquaintance on Broadway, Regrets Only at MTC), two-time Obie Award-winner Kathryn Grody (The Marriage of Bette & Boo, Top Girls, A Mom's Life), and Hubert Point-Du Jour (Angels in America andThe Brother/Sister Plays Off-Broadway). The Model Apartment runs tonight, September 24 - November 1 at Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters.

Beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, September 24, Primary Stages continues its 29th season with a new production of their acclaimed 1995 OBIE Award-winner, The Model Apartment, by Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies (Shipwrecked!, Time Stands Still, Dinner with Friends, Sight Unseen). Directed by Evan Cabnet (A Kid Like Jake at Lincoln Center Theater,The Performers on Broadway), the production will feature Mark Blum (The Assembled Parties and Gore Vidal's The Best Man on Broadway), Diane Davis (Old Acquaintance on Broadway, Regrets Only at MTC), two-time Obie Award-winner Kathryn Grody (The Marriage of Bette & Boo, Top Girls, A Mom's Life), and Hubert Point-Du Jour (Angels in America and The Brother/Sister Plays Off-Broadway). The Model Apartment runs through November 1 at Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters. Opening night is Tuesday, October 15 at 7PM.

Riflettiamo su cosa vuol dire essere critico. Da un anno a questa parte, il Manifesto del Critico Teatrale e diventato la mia Bibbia. Di giorno in giorno, di recensione in recensione, cerco di attenermi ai punti elencati dall'americano Chris Caggiano: prima, per amore del teatro musicale tendevo a tacere sui difetti degli spettacoli che avevo davanti; adesso, proprio in virtu di quell'amore per il teatro musicale, mi sono reso conto che questo atteggiamento non e salutare. Il critico - specialmente in un periodo in cui la gente sceglie oculatamente cosa andare a vedere a teatro - deve fungere da guida per i suoi lettori e, pur non mettendo da parte il cuore, dev'essere onesto nei loro confronti.

Jacob's Pillow Dance and MASS MoCA co-present inventive, contemporary ensemble Shen Wei Dance Arts on October 26 and 27 at MASS MoCA's Hunter Center for the Performing Arts.

Primary Stages continues its 29th season with a new production of their acclaimed 1995 OBIE Award winner, The Model Apartment, by Pulitzer Prize winner Donald Margulies (Shipwrecked!, Time Stands Still, Dinner with Friends, Sight Unseen). Directed by Evan Cabnet (A Kid Like Jake at Lincoln Center Theater, The Performers on Broadway), the production will feature Mark Blum (The Assembled Parties and Gore Vidal's The Best Man on Broadway), Diane Davis (Old Acquaintance on Broadway, Regrets Only at MTC), two-time Obie Award-winner Kathryn Grody (The Marriage of Bette & Boo, Top Girls, A Mom's Life), and Hubert Point-Du Jour (Angels in America andThe Brother/Sister Plays Off-Broadway). The Model Apartment runs September 24 - November 1 at Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters. Opening night is Tuesday, October 15 at 7PM.

The Center for Contemporary Opera (CCO), founded in 1982 and recognized as a leading proponent of new opera, will present the World Premiere of 'Oration' by Danish composer Ms. Line Tjórnhój, and three operas-in-progress at its July 20-27 season at NYC's Cell Theater, 338 West 23rd Street. Conductor/Music Director of CCO is Sara Jobin.

Betty Cuningham Gallery has announced an exhibition of paintings by Beverly McIver. This will be McIver's second exhibition at the gallery. The artist will be present for the opening reception tonight, June 27, 2013; the exhibition will be on view through Friday, August 9, 2013.

Betty Cuningham Gallery is pleased to announce an exhibition of paintings by Beverly McIver. This will be McIver's second exhibition at the gallery. The artist will be present for the opening reception. on Thursday, June 27, 2013; the exhibition will be on view through Friday, August 9, 2013.