Paul Kolnik News

Blue Man Group returns to Salt Lake City from Tuesday, April 1 to Sunday, April 6. Get a sneak peek at the show below!

The worldwide smash hit 'rock theatrical', Queen and Ben Elton's We Will Rock You, built around 24 of Queen's biggest hits, opens at the Murat Theatre at Old National Centre on Tuesday, May 20, 2014 and will stage seven performances through Sunday, May 25 (a full performance schedule is below). We Will Rock You is produced by Queen Theatrical Productions, Tribeca Theatrical Productions, Phil McIntyre Entertainment and NETworks Presentations.

Society for the Performing Arts welcomes Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater back to Houston for three performances in Jones Hall, tonight, March 14 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, March 15 at 2 p.m.; and Today, March 15 at 8 p.m. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek below!

NETworks Presentations, LLC and Blue Man Productions are pleased to announce a new theatrical touring production will visit Sacramento from today, March 11 - 16.

As a welcome surprise during the New York City Ballet matinee on Saturday, March 1st 2014 at the Koch Theater, the recently renovated orchestra pit rose so that Interim Music Director Andrews Sills could give us an interesting history lesson with the musicians in full view. Under the direction of Guest Conductor Henrik Vagn Christensen, they played passages from Debussy's "Prelude to an Afternoon of a Faun" and from works by Saint-Saens, Wagner, and Chopin while Sills explained that Debussy was "a bridge" between the legacy of the romantic age and the modern era.

Musical Theatre West just announced yesterday that for its 2014-15 season of shows, they will be presenting the first production of the Broadway musical BIG FISH since its New York debut. The California show will also feature the original Broadway sets and costumes. BIG FISH will run October 31 - November 16, 2014. Based on the film by Tim Burton, the musical features music and lyrics by Andrew Lippa and book by John August.

The worldwide smash hit 'rock theatrical', Queen and Ben Elton's We Will Rock You, built around 24 of Queen's biggest hits, opens at the Murat Theatre at Old National Centre on Tuesday, May 20, 2014 and will stage seven performances through Sunday, May 25 (a full performance schedule is below). We Will Rock You is produced by Queen Theatrical Productions, Tribeca Theatrical Productions, Phil McIntyre Entertainment and NETworks Presentations.

Balanchine once said, "See the music, hear the dance". The audience at the Koch Theater on the afternoon of February 22nd 2014 had the opportunity to do exactly that when the works of three very different choreographers brought treasured violin concertos to life. Kudos to Concertmasters Arturo Delmoni and Kurt Nikkanen, who offered admirable solo violin performances.

NETworks Presentations, LLC and Blue Man Productions are pleased to announce a new theatrical touring production will visit Sacramento from March 11 - 16. Tickets for Blue Man Group are on sale now. The theatrical tour features brand new content highlighted by classic Blue Man favorites. The new sound, set, and video design centering around a proscenium-sized LED curtain and high-resolution screen create an entirely new, high-impact visual experience for Broadway houses across the nation.

Society for the Performing Arts welcomes Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater back to Houston for three performances in Jones Hall, Friday, March 14 at 8 p.m.; Saturday, March 15 at 2 p.m.; and Friday, March 15 at 8 p.m. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek below!

With Fashion Week 2014 under way in the tents at Lincoln Center from February 6th to 13th, New York City Ballet dusted off Peter Martins' 2012 tribute to iconic designer Valentino for the evening performance at Koch Theater on Saturday, February 8th. A description of 'Bal de Couture' on the company's web site enthused that we would feel as though we were 'on a runway at the ballet'. Not so much. The unwieldy black and white ball gowns with red petticoats, described in a handout available in the lobby as 'dazzling', managed to make the svelte ballerinas appear to be thick-waisted as they maneuvered through Peter Martins' uninspired choreography along with male dancers in black suits. Three dancers in tutus darted in and out of the scenes set to the waltz and the polonaise from Tschaikovsky's Eugene Onegin, looking as though they had ended up at the wrong party. The central section, a cliched love triangle to Tschaikovsky's Elegie in G for Strings, went on far too long - as often happens in ballets by Martins.

Stephanie Saland entered The School of American Ballet just before her 15th birthday. Three years later she was invited by George Balanchine to join the New York City Ballet for the remarkable Stravinsky Festival. In a 21year career with City Ballet, she was showcased in leading roles under Balanchine's direction, as well as principal roles in Jerome Robbins' repertoire. Before moving to Seattle in the fall of 1993, she taught movement for student actors at Playwrights' Horizons and helped develop a body-awareness class for actors with theater teacher Caymichael Patten.

The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts will feature many exciting events as part of its April-June calendar.

I promise I'm going to give you a complete and serious review of the New York City Ballet's performance at the Koch Theatre on Saturday, February 1st 2014. However, I can't resist starting with the two most endearing and unforgettable moments of the evening. First, a pair of prodigiously talented little girls danced with astonishing precision and panache as the Pearly Princesses in Balanchine's "Union Jack". Kudos to Natalie Glassie and Phoebe Golfinos who are surely headed for stellar careers if the promise they showed that night does indeed come to full flower.

Nearly 31 years have passed since George Balanchine, the prolific and pioneering 20th century choreographer, died on April 30th 1983. Yet the New York City Ballet, the company he co-founded with Lincoln Kirstein 80 years ago, continues to revere and remember him with equal parts fondness and awe. That legacy of love and respect for Mr. B was especially evident on January 25th 2014, the 4th annual celebration of "Saturday at the Ballet with George" in honor of his birthday. He was actually born on January 22nd 1904 but scheduling the event on a Saturday allows for a daylong series of workshops and performances, all of them affordable and some of them free.

Segerstrom Center audiences attending the musical CHICAGO are in for some extra fun with special pre- show entertainment offered one hour prior to show time for each performance.

The national tour of WE WILL ROCK YOU, presented by Theatre Under the Stars, is continuing to rock Houston audiences for another week. This high-energy show, with a score made of Queen's hit songs, is sure to have you clapping for hands, stomping your feet, and signing along. Kick your winter blues in the face and check out this fun and frivolous night of theatre before it's too late. Forget the Super Bowl, grab your friends, and go to a party you won't regret.

Theatre Under the Stars is rocking the new year with the National Tour of Ben Elton's book musical WE WILL ROCK YOU, which proudly boats the songs of Queen as its score. The show had its world premiere in London in 2002, and celebrated its 10th anniversary on May 14, 2012 at London's Dominion Theatre. Despite being panned by critics, this raucous, loud, and irresistibly fun rock musical has proven to be an audience favorite. Last night's Houston premiere of the piece was a sparkling example of why this show has had such staying power.

Proudly announcing Theatre Under the Stars' (TUTS) 47th season, Artistic Director Bruce Lumpkin says, 'As Houston's largest homegrown musical theatre organization, there's a lot to be excited about!'Certainly, there simply is no denying that the season features a truly diverse array of audience favorites from Broadway's golden classics to contemporary hits. Bruce Lumpkin adds, 'We're presenting some of the most exciting things happening on the musical theatre stages! We've got some of the classics, some of the edgier shows, and we've got some of the freshest productions from New York. I don't think it gets any better than this! Trust me when I say that TUTS is moving and shaking things up!' At the bottom line, TUTS is in a unique position to offer Houston audiences 'both self-produced shows as well as national tours, so I think that the Houston audiences are going to enjoy the best of both worlds.'

Segerstrom Center audiences attending the musical CHICAGO are in for some extra fun with special pre- show entertainment offered one hour prior to show time for each performance.