All American 1962 - Articles Page 8

But beloved as it may be, why in the ever-loving hell has it taken so long for To Kill A Mockingbird to become a theatrical play that is actually worthy of its literary heritage? Sure, there’s been a 1990 (?!) version by Christopher Sergel that’s made it way through every high school auditorium, community theater playhouse and reginal theater over the intervening three decades that we are, quite frankly, sick to death of it. In fact, if we never see it again, we’ve seen it far too often: a warmed over, treacly and maudlin rehash that’s far too dependent on the title’s movie roots to really emerge from a darkened theater to become a consummate American play.

Since being introduced in the 1936 musical 'Swing Time,' the song has been recorded over the years by greats including Ella Fitzgerald, Anita O’Day, Frank Sinatra, Mel Tormé, and Gregory Porter. Nat King Cole first popularized the song and Welsman targeted Cole’s 1962 recording of “Pick Yourself Up” with George Shearing as her definitive template.

Since Kurt Vonnegut (1922 – 2007), the author of 'Slaughterhouse-Five,' would have been 100 this year, the Equity professional East Lynne Theater Company is celebrating the occasion by offering three of his charming stories in 'Who Am I This Time? (& Other Conundrums of Love.)'  Adapted by Aaron Posner, these humorous tales filled with heart take place in the small town of North Crawford, Connecticut in 1962.

Embracing people everywhere in the city that is its home, the Ailey organization will present Ailey Moves NYC! a summer celebration with free outdoor events throughout all five boroughs, July 23 – August 1, 2022.

A new report by the Institute for Composer Diversity, produced in partnership with the League of American Orchestras, confirms an increase in works by women and composers of color on stage.

The American Symphony Orchestra (ASO) continues its 60th anniversary season on Sunday, June 5 with American Masters, a free symphonic concert at Jazz at Lincoln Center featuring the world premiere of Roberto Sierra’s newly commissioned Concerto for Electric Violin performed by acclaimed electric violinist Tracy Silverman. The program will also offer works by three Pulitzer Prize-winning composers: Melinda Wagner, Richard Wernick, and Shulamit Ran.

The First National Tour has officially begun for the history-making production of To Kill a Mockingbird, Academy Award winner Aaron Sorkin's new play, directed by Tony winner Bartlett Sher and based on Harper Lee's classic novel. Read the reviews here!

Crawford again joins forces with pianist Victor Santiago Asunción, and on three tracks with guitarist JIJI, perform a survey of Latin American music that includes works by Leo Brouwer, Heitor Villa-Lobos, Carlos Guastavino, Manuel Ponce, Egberto Gismonti, and Astor Piazzolla.

Hairspray The Musical is based in 1962 Baltimore, the show answers the question, “Can a big girl with big hair and even bigger dreams, dance her way into changing the world?”

Lantern Theater Company will launch its 2021/22 Mainstage Season and return to live performances with an epic production of A Man for All Seasons by award-winning British playwright and screenwriter Robert Bolt.

The Jewish Museum will present New York: 1962-1964 , an exhibition that explores a pivotal three-year period in the history of art and culture in New York City, examining how artists living and working in New York responded to their rapidly changing world.

Music Director Leon Botstein will lead the American Symphony Orchestra on March 24 in a tribute to the genre-defying genius of the great Duke Ellington with an all-Ellington symphonic concert at Carnegie Hall, where the composer played a series of annual concerts and premiered many of his greatest works, including Black, Brown, and Beige and New World A-Comin'.

Featuring classic songs such as Till There Was You, Gary Indiana, Lida Rose, Goodnight My Someone, Pick-A-Little, Talk-A-Little, Shipoopi and Seventy Six Trombones, the show is an All-American salute to music, romance and fast-talking flim flam.

Just last week, The Music Man marched back to Broadway- the latest revival of a show from musical theatre's most glorious time- the Golden Age. What was the Golden Age of Broadway all about and what years did it cover? Study up!

The acclaimed Ailey American Dance Theater returns February 1-6 to the Kennedy Center Opera House stage, led by Robert Battle on his 10th anniversary as Artistic Director, with seven performances featuring a mix of new productions, a D.C. premiere, and enduring favorites.

It’s 1962 and perky, pretty and plump teen Tracy Turnblad has dance moves that will never be seen unless she can find a way to get on the local teen dance show, “The Corny Collins Show.” Niki Metcalf shines as the effervescent, strong and kind Tracy Turnblad who dares to cross boundaries (she’s often in detention for her big hair-don’t) to stay true to herself. Playing now thru November 28th at Broadway San Jose, there’s still time to get your tickets and be carried away on dance wave of laughter and music from a phenomenal show with a stellar cast. Review by Linda Hodges

Segerstrom Center for the Arts welcomes back Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Frankie Valli & The Four Seasons for a special night of his greatest hits! Oh, what a story! Valli, who came to fame in 1962 as the lead singer of the Four Seasons, is hotter than ever in the 21st century.

The American Symphony Orchestra celebrates its return to the stage and its 60th anniversary season in 2021-22 with four full-orchestra programs at Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Frederick P. Rose Hall, and a free opening concert titled Mahler in New York at the Cathedral of St. John the Divine on December 16. The opening program focuses on composers whom Mahler had championed during his years in New York.

This coming Saturday, October 23 is officially Tin Pan Alley Day in NYC. As a physical destination, Tin Pan Alley is five buildings at 47-55 W. 28th St. near the Flatiron building in the neighborhood called “NoMad,” north of Madison Square Park. But Tin Pan Alley is much more than a physical destination. It is a state of mind. It is the spot where the American music industry was born. From the 1890s to around 1910, this block of publishing houses and agent’s offices was where you went if you had written a song that you wanted the world to hear it. Many of our most illustrious Broadway composers got their start plugging songs in the offices of Tin Pan Alley including Irving Berlin, George Gershwin, and Jerome Kern.

The Kennedy Center's 50th Anniversary Celebration Concert, which was taped in the Concert Hall on Tuesday, September 14, is being broadcast across the nation on Friday, October 1 at 9:00 p.m. ET on PBS, PBS.org and the PBS Video App.

AMERICAN BARD THEATER COMPANY has announced that after a covid-shutdown on Opening Night, March 13, 2020, their production of Ross G. Hewitt’s ECHOES IN THE GARDEN, directed by Aimee Todoroff will have its World Premiere. 

AMERICAN BARD THEATER COMPANY is pleased to announce that after a covid-shutdown on Opening Night, March 13, 2020, their production of Ross G. Hewitt's ECHOES IN THE GARDEN, directed by Aimee Todoroff will have its World Premiere. ECHOES IN THE GARDEN will play a three-week limited engagement at The Chain Theatre (312 W 36th St 4th Fl, New York, NY 10018).

The lineup includes National Poetry Slam champion and 2018 National Book Award winner Elizabeth Acevedo; dancer, choreographer, and tradition-bearer of Black American social dance LaTasha Barnes; American Ballet Theatre principal dancers Herman Cornejo and Cassandra Trenary; Kennedy Center Artistic Advisor at Large Renée Fleming; and more!

Today we learn all about Alvin Ailey- a dancer, director, choreographer, and activist who is perhaps best known for founding the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater (AAADT). His work fused theater, modern dance, ballet, and jazz with black vernacular, creating hope-fueled choreography that continues to spread global awareness of black life in America.

Today we're learning all about ground-breaking African-American playwright Lorraine Hansberry- best known as the first African-American female author to have a play performed on Broadway.