This weekend, October 23, 25, and 26, the Symphony welcomes back Conductor Laureate Hans Graf in his 2014-15 Season debut with the Houston Symphony in Ravel and Debussy.
Wheelock Family Theatre opens its 34th season with ALICE, a musical reimagining of Lewis Carroll's classics, ALICE'S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND and ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS. WFT veteran Andrew Barbato wrote the adaptation and directs the production featuring a garden of flower buds played by children who may one day follow in his footsteps, as well as some perennials on local theater stages who deserve to have more than a few bouquets tossed their way. From seedlings to adolescents to full-grown, the vibrant members of this ensemble are all ready to embark on the journey with Alice, down the rabbit hole and wherever it may lead.
As you know, Dear Readers, I have no love for the constant turning of movies into Broadway shows but I'm afraid that it's a trend that is not going away any time soon and sometimes results in some good shows (a certain blonde lawyer springs to mind). And the latest of those movie to stage conversions, "Kinky Boots" has hit the 5th Avenue Theatre with its tour and while the show's lack of songs that move the story along should kill it for me, somehow they've made it a raucous good time and I think I know why. But we'll get to that in a minute.
On October 23, 25, and 26, the Symphony welcomes back Conductor Laureate Hans Graf in his 2014-15 Season debut with the Houston Symphony in Ravel and Debussy. A program mixing French artistic imagery, evocative melodies and jazzy piano sounds, Ravel and Debussy promises a unique take on the two prominent Impressionist composers. Mr. Graf pairs the whimsical style of Ravel's Mother Goose with Debussy's famously nostalgic Images trilogy. The Symphony will also join forces with the Museum of Fine Arts, Houston (MFAH) on Images, enhancing the musical landscapes with imagery from their upcoming Monet and the Seine: Impressions of a River exhibit. Local favorite and Professor of Piano at Rice University's Shepherd School of Music, Jon Kimura Parker will delight audiences with Ravel's jazzy Piano Concerto.
During the first week of November, the Mariinsky Theatre returns to the UK for an operatic showcase of Wagner's Ring in Birmingham at the historic Hippodrome and three operas originally written for the Mariinsky including the most recent Levsha (The Left-hander) by Rodion Shchedrin. With a 300-strong troop of musicians, soloists and chorus starting the tour in Cardiff with Prokofiev's Betrothal in a Monastery, Valery Gergiev proceeds to London to present Russia's national epic Mussorgsky's Boris Godunov followed by the UK premiere of The Lefthander, both in concert versions at the Barbican.
The Canadian Opera Company's beloved production of Puccini's heartbreaking masterpiece of love, longing and loss, Madama Butterfly, comes to the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts this October. An exquisite production by Canadian theatrical legend Brian Macdonald, designed by Susan Benson with lighting by Michael Whitfield, the COC'sMadama Butterfly has become a Toronto favourite, playing to sold-out audiences at its 1990 premiere and subsequent revivals in 1994, 1998, 2003 and 2009. Madama Butterfly is sung in Italian with English SURTITLESTM and runs for 12 performances on October 10, 11, 15, 18, 19, 21, 22, 24, 26, 28, 30 and 31, 2014.
Sometimes jukebox musicals need to stay in the jukebox. There are some exceptions where it works. When it's a good review like “Smokey Joe's Café” or when there's a fun book like “Mamma Mia”. But when you take the songs of a classic rock band (such as Queen) and jam them into a completely contrived and nonsensical, thread thin plot the result (as with “We Will Rock You” currently at the 5th Avenue Theatre) is a barely entertaining mish mash of songs that left me less entertained and more embarrassed for those involved.
Now I love me some Queen. I'm a little too young to have been aware of them in their hay day but like many others discovered them after their run as their enduring songs continue to live on. Which is why I feel they deserve better than the show they got. A show where we're in a not so distant future and people live their lives online (not so different from now) and because of this, rock and roll has been outlawed. (And there's the main plot hole because what's on the Internet but lots and lots of music.) So when a hunky idealistic dreamer, Galileo (Brian Justin Crum) who keeps hearing the lyrics from long dead rockers meets another outcast Scaramouche (Ruby Lewis), the two set out to escape the clutches of the all powerful Killer Queen (Jacqueline B. Arnold) and find other rebels who want to bring back rock. And how will they do this? Um, play music. Yeah, that's ultimately what drives the bad guys away, music. But then we've had music through out the whole show including from the bad guys. See, plot hole.
And if this ridiculous story filled with so much bad, one repeated joke (how many times can we mention that the male leader of the rebels goes by the name Britney Spears?), sitcom humor and clunky exposition laden dialog from book writer Ben Elton weren't bad enough, but then they take these wonderful Queen songs and force them into the narrative often times changing the lyrics to try and make them fit. For example, they take the title song from the movie “Flash Gordon” and bastardize it so it's now all about giving the captured rebels electro shock therapy. Or how about Killer Queen singing “Fat Bottomed Girls” because, well I'm still not certain why she was singing it other than to check that iconic tune off the list. Did no one listen to the lyrics of the songs while trying to write the show? They're all quite narrative to begin with. And Elton couldn't come up with a story that fit in with those narratives? I mean he's even got characters names Galileo and Scaramouche but “Bohemian Rhapsody” (the thing all the bohemian rockers are striving for in the story by the way) isn't even performed until the end of the show as an after thought encore.
The cast does what they can. In fact they amp their energy and intent up to about a 17 in order to try and give this story some punch. Crum and Lewis certainly have incredible voices worthy of Freddie Mercury and they completely shred any numbers given to them. Arnold too has a gorgeous voice but doesn't seem as invested in playing the villain in this over the top melodrama. But I have to mention Ryan Knowles who not only lent some incredible pipes to his numbers but some delicious comedic timing and heart to his character making him completely “ROCK”. But even the infectious energy of this amazing cast can't polish away the stench of this turd try as they may.
The show is a somewhat fun ride but ultimately weighed down with such a horrible book and bastardized songs that it just feels insulting. Queen deserves better and smarter as do audiences, which is why I give “We Will Rock You” a NAH with my three letter rating system. Others may have enjoyed it but I just found it not worth the effort.
“We Will Rock You” performs at the 5th Avenue Theatre through July 13th. For tickets or information contact the 5th Avenue box office at 206-625-1900 or visit them online at www.5thavenue.org.
The worldwide smash hit 'rock theatrical', Queen and Ben Elton's We Will Rock You, built around 24 of Queen's biggest hits will rock The 5th Avenue Theatre July 8-13. We Will Rock You is produced by Queen Theatrical Productions, Tribeca Theatrical Productions, Phil McIntyre Entertainment and NETworks Presentations.
A Noise Within, led by Producing Artistic Directors Geoff Elliott and Julia Rodriguez-Elliott, announces its 23rd season of classic theater in Southern California. Informed by the climate of social and economic upheaval in which we live, the season's theme-reflected in a kaleidoscopic palette of plays-is REVOLUTION.
The Meritage Resort and Spa in Napa has invited select California wineries to participate in its second annual First Blush event, including a special celebration that will allow guests to “Taste the Lighter Side of Summer.” The tasting event will highlight California's lighter wines including rosé, Sauvignon blanc, pinot noir, Rieslings and sparkling wines, plus a few beers from Napa Smith Brewery, as the Napa Valley enters its summer season this Mother's Day Weekend, May 10-11, 2014. The tasting of more than 40 lighter California wines and local craft brews will be held on Saturday, May 10 from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. and a Mother's Day Brunch will be held on Sunday, May 11 from 9:30 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Delaware Theatre Company will close its 35th season with the 35th anniversary of the hit musical AIN'T MISBEHAVIN', conceived by Richard Maltby, Jr. and Murray Horwitz. Delaware Theatre Company's production will be directed by original Broadway director and co-creator Richard Maltby, Jr. and feature his own handpicked cast alongside the original designs from the 1978 Tony Award-winning production.
Delaware Theatre Company will close its 35th season with the 35th anniversary of the hit musical AIN'T MISBEHAVIN', conceived by Richard Maltby, Jr. and Murray Horwitz. Delaware Theatre Company's production will be directed by original Broadway director and co-creator Richard Maltby, Jr. and feature his own handpicked cast alongside the original designs from the 1978 Tony Award-winning production.
It seems that since the dawn of the new millennium, there has been an incredible surge in the appearance of new 'jukebox musicals.' This genre is comprised of shows made up of previously recorded and released songs, usually by a single band or artist, or connected to a specific theme. While there were a few of these in the late 1900's, the genre took off once the clock turned to 2000. Now, theaters are filled with them, showcasing the music of anyone from Billy Joel to Queen to Janis Joplin and Bob Dylan. After seeing the touring production of the jukebox musical Rock of Ages at Providence Performing Arts Center, it's hard to imagine that anything in the genre is as exciting, fun and perfectly pieced together as this spectacular musical combination of the glam-band hits of the late 1980s.
On February 18, Sony Classical (USA) will release Arabesque, soprano Olga Peretyatko's second album on the label. Her new CD coincides with a 2013-14 season that not only showcases the young star in important European debuts—including Berlin and Milan—it also offers an opportunity to hear her eagerly anticipated Metropolitan Opera debut when she returns to New York in the spring. Olga Peretyatko's MET debut in I Puritani this coming April follows her acclaimed 2011 BAM appearances in Robert Lepage's production of The Nightingale, which the Financial Times cited as soaring “with effortless charm as the coloratura Nightingale.” Bloomberg News noted that she was “greeted with a thunderous ovation,” and The New York Times called her “sweet-voiced and technically agile.” Ms Peretyatko possesses a dazzling technique, a touching sensibility, a vocal richness, and a strong personality that the new recording highlights brilliantly.
WaterTower Theatre Producing Artistic Director and Loop Executive Producer Terry Martin today announced the line-up for the 2014 Out of the Loop Fringe Festival, March 6-16, 2014 at the Addison Theatre and Conference Centre.
Lauren Sobon and a talented trio of women performers bring well-known country hits to the Dutch Apple stage.
Vancouver, BC ~ Tickets are selling quickly for the first production of Vancouver Opera's 2013-2014 season: Puccini's electrifying drama, Tosca. Featuring lavish sets and costumes, a magnificent chorus of more than 50 voices, and with 60 players in the orchestra pit, Tosca is a thrill for the senses.
Vancouver, BC ~ Tickets are selling quickly for the first production of Vancouver Opera's 2013-2014 season: Puccini's electrifying drama, Tosca. Featuring lavish sets and costumes, a magnificent chorus of more than 50 voices, and with 60 players in the orchestra pit, Tosca is a thrill for the senses.
The Barns at Wolf Trap Presents Dave Mason; Battlefield Band; Kris Delmhorst & Jeffrey Foucault;
Tim O'Brien & Darrell Scott; The Wallflowers; and The Bobs
Joyce DiDonato stars as Mary, Queen of Scots, in the first-ever Met production of Donizetti's intensely dramatic historical opera Maria Stuarda, on Great Performances at the Met today, Sunday, July 14 at 12 noon on PBS (check local listings). (In New York, THIRTEEN will air the opera at 12:30 p.m.)
Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi leads a rare revival of Berlioz's epic Les Troyens, based on Virgil's Aeneid on Great Performances at the Met today, June 30 at 12 noon on PBS (check local listings). In New York, THIRTEEN will broadcast the opera at 12:30 p.m.
At today's official christening and launch of the nation's first mobile Hall of Fame Museum, the New Jersey Hall of Fame announced its new class of inductees for 2013. The event was held at Liberty State Park, Jersey City.
Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi leads a rare revival of Berlioz's epic Les Troyens, based on Virgil'sAeneid on Great Performances at the Met Sunday, June 30 at 12 noon on PBS (check local listings). In New York, THIRTEEN will broadcast the opera at 12:30 p.m.
Met Principal Conductor Fabio Luisi leads a rare revival of Berlioz's epic Les Troyens, based on Virgil's Aeneid on Great Performances at the Met Sunday, June 30 at 12 noon on PBS (check local listings). In New York, THIRTEEN will broadcast the opera at 12:30 p.m.
Joyce DiDonato stars as Mary, Queen of Scots, in the first-ever Met production of Donizetti's intensely dramatic historical opera Maria Stuarda, on Great Performances at the Met Sunday, July 14 at 12 noon on PBS (check local listings). (In New York, THIRTEEN will air the opera at 12:30 p.m.)
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