Joy Smith News

From the creators of Broadway's RAGTIME and SEUSSICAL, 3-D Theatricals will present the eight-time Tony nominated ONCE ON THIS ISLAND.

From the creators of Broadway's RAGTIME and SEUSSICAL, 3-D Theatricals will present the eight-time Tony nominated ONCE ON THIS ISLAND.

New York's avant-garde Faux-Real Theatre, which specializes in staging the classics of Greek theatre with an immersive abandon that closely approximates how these plays were first experienced thousands of years ago, is pulling out the stops with Euripides "The Bacchae."  Returning to La MaMa, 74A East 4th Street, where it staged "Oedipus Rex XX/XY" in 2013, Faux-Real juices "The Bacchae" with music, dancing, masks, and titillating gender and costume malfunctions galore.   La MaMa, in association with The Faux-Real Theatre, presents "The Bacchae" by Euripides, beginning Thursday March 3 at 7:30pm, and running through Sunday March 20 at 2pm.  Directed by Faux-Real Artistic Director Mark Greenfield, "The Bacchae" features masks by Lynda White, musical direction by Tony Naumovski, and costumes by Irina Getz.

Without a resident theatre or base, Vienna Festival Ballet have achieved remarkable things over the last 35 years since its conception by Austria's most successful ballet dancer, Peter Mallek. They are very much a touring company living and working out of a suitcase but in doing so, have created a solid reputation in many countries. This production is a showcase of several of their favourite Tchaikovsky ballets within their repertoire to celebrate achievements made working independently for so many years.

Vienna Festival Ballet is currently in the midst of its 35th Anniversary Gala UK tour which celebrates their extensive repertoire and wonderful performers. I had the privilege of speaking to the company's principal female dancer, Emily-Joy Smith, who is presently enjoying performing some of her favourite characters all in one show!