What We Wanted 2017 - Articles Page 12

Fast forward to 2017 and myself, Justin, Scott and Grant got into the studio and made the Mastersystem record 'Dance Music'.  This record and the short tour we did in early 2018, straight after TMOF 10 year anniversary tour, meant a great deal to me, to us.  

We wanted to take a moment to make you aware of some of the incredible theatre opportunities in our community. While this is not an all-encompassing list, these are a few with a proven track record of high-caliber theatre opportunities for young people.

Chelsea Wolfe has returned with another stunning track from her forthcoming LP, Birth Of Violence out September 13th on Sargent House.

Today, alt-pop phenoms PVRIS unveil their new track 'Death of Me.' The release gives a first look at a forthcoming full-length album, and marks the start of a new era for the band, who signed to Warner Records Reprise earlier this year. The track is released alongside the official video for the song, which was conceived by PVRIS frontwoman Lynn Gunn and directed by Katharine White. 'We wanted to match the seductive grittiness of the song with uncertain, tense and subliminal visual themes,' explains Gunn. 'We also hid, in plain view, references to the occult and divination, to be unpacked by the viewer... if they so choose.'

There is tremendous support in our audience for bringing younger people into the theatre, and we're having some success in that regard. I'm positive, but I'm also unsure of where we are headed with digital technologies and what they mean for our industry and the larger culture. Our challenge, I suppose, is to be adaptive to what comes along without giving up the wisdom and glories of the past.

Today Hippo Campus share Demos II, a collection of new songs written and recorded over the summer of 2017 and the winter of 2018. The new material came to life during the sessions around the band's most recent album Bambi, and includes such fan favorites and live staples as 'No Poms,' 'Chapstick,' and 'Joy.' The release follows that of Demos I -- eight early versions of Bambi songs -- which took fans into the world of Hippo Campus' creative process and demonstrated how the band crafted their latest album, a release which has already amassed almost 50 millions streams. 

French producer, composer, and songwriter Petit Biscuit has teamed up with director Pierre Saba-Aris and production company PANAMÆRA for an absolutely stunning visual take on his recent single,“We Were Young (ft. JP Cooper)”. Starring Rod Paradot and Marilyn Lima, as well as Petit Biscuit himself, the music video features gorgeous cinematic shots as it tracks nostalgic dreams of longing and love, a perfect complement to the audio which has quickly received widespread, global acclaim. 

Today, CRX have released the first single 'We're All Alone,' taken from their highly anticipated forthcoming sophomore album Peek, out on August 23

Atlantic Records' melodic heavyweight PnB Rock takes us on a futuristic ride in his innovative music video for “Go To Mars” (feat. Tee Grizzley), watch HERE! The visual sees PnB Rock and Tee Grizzley performing in outer space - complete with spaceships and aliens. “Go To Mars” is taken off of PnB Rock's full-length debut TrapStar Turnt PopStar, which was released last week. The double album highlights PnB Rock's trap beginnings (The TrapStar) and what we can expect from him in the future (The PopStar).

Izzy Bizu's Glita EP, her first official release in over three years, is available now worldwide via RED MUSIC/Sony Music UK.  Izzy also shares the late night video for lead single 'Lights On,' which she explains is 'about throwing caution to the wind and going with what you feel rather than what you think.' 

Atlantic Records has announced today's release of TrapStar Turnt PopStar, the eagerly awaited full-length debut from melodic heavyweight, PnB Rock. The LP – which includes the hit single “I Like Girls (Feat. Lil Skies)” – is available now for streaming and download HERE. TrapStar Turnt PopStar, a double album, highlights PnB Rock's trap beginnings (The TrapStar) and what we can expect from him in the future (The PopStar).

When it comes to developing a loyal fan base, Troubadour Theater Company has found the secret: do outstanding work, stay true to your aesthetic, and give the people what they want - a great time at the theater. Artistic Director Matt Walker started the troupe and, with the help of longtime friend and foil, Beth Kennedy, continues to lead his merry band into the great theatrical unknown. Next up for the company is JULIUS WEEZER, which combines Shakespeare's JULIUS CAESAR and the music of Weezer to tell its tale of political intrigue Troubie style. Today, they talk about what it's like putting together a new show and why they keep on coming back for more.

Actress/director.producer Odalys Nanin presented her award-winning Frida: Stroke of Passion at Casa 0101 in February of this year to great acclaim. The play bowed originally in 2017 at the Macha Theatre and ran for 3 months. The Casa 0101 engagement was made possible by a grant from the Eastside Arts Initiative. Kahlo wrote the play and directs, produces and stars in it as Frida Kahlo. She will have a fundraiser in August and September so she and her team can continue their programming in 2020 and hopefully acquire a new space. In our interview she talks about her success and points to the difficulty in mounting good theatre in Los Angeles. How did your run of Frida go at Casa 101?

Curio Theatre Company closes its season out with a classic work by William Shakespeare and a trial of a new ticketing initiative. The 2018-2019 will close with a new production of William Shakespeare's The Winter's Tale. This story of forgiveness, folly, and redemption will start previews April 24. It will open Saturday, April 27 at 8 p.m. Industry Night is Monday April 29 at 8 p.m. There is a matinee Saturday, May 11 at 2 p.m. With this show, Curio wanted to look at ways to provide quality theatre programming at a fraction of a cost to the community. The company has introduced CuriosiTix: PLAY It Forward. With this initiative, Curio hopes to welcome new audience members that may have shied away from theatre previously due to financial constraints thereby creating a patron base that represents the evolving neighborhood of West Philadelphia. Tickets are available online at www.curiotheatre.org or by phone at 215-921-8243. All shows are performed at Curio's home theatre at the Calvary Center for Culture and Community, 4740 Baltimore Avenue.

Told entirely from the perspective of a dog, The Noises is a visceral new play about fear, courage, the nature of violence and what we're prepared to do for the ones we love. This new show, longlisted for the 2017 Bruntwood Prize for Playwrighting, will receive its world premiere at The Old Red Lion this April, starring Amy McAllister (Call the Midwife, Scorch). The Noises is a mother and daughter collaboration between TS Eliot Award shortlisted poet and playwright Jacqueline Saphra and director-dramaturg Tamar Saphra, and is a poetic and sensory piece with sound design from Tom Parkinson (I'm A Phoenix, Bitch; Super Duper Close Up). The sound is another character in the play, and the audience hear the world as Luna hears it.

Skylight Theatre Company's 2017 production of ROTTERDAM has been chosen to be remounted at the Kirk Douglas Theatre as part of Center Theatre Group's third annual BLOCK PARTY. The talented cast of four (under the very able direction of Michael A. Shepperd) have already begun reprising their respective roles. I grabbed the opportunity to chat with Miranda Wynne who essayed Alice at Skylight.

Philadelphia Theatre Company follows The Bridges of Madison County with the Philadelphia premiere of a new work from Christina Anderson. In a co-production with Baltimore Center Stage, PTC introduces local audiences to the talents of rising star Christina Anderson and her stunning new play How To Catch Creation, Philadelphia Theatre Company's pick from the 2017 Kilroys List. The "List" was created to give theatre producers a choice of underproduced works by women, with a recent focus on trans, and non-binary writers.  Producing Artistic Director Paige Price has tapped Nataki Garrett, former Associate Artistic Director of Denver Center for the Performing Arts Theater Company (DCPA), to direct this production. How To Catch Creation features a cast of local talent and actors with an impressive range of Netflix, television, and regional theatre credits.  The play runs March 22-April 14, with Opening Night on Wednesday, March 27 at 7 p.m. Single tickets and subscriptions are on sale now and available at the box office, online at philatheatreco.org or by phone at 215-985-0420. Tickets cost $10-$69.

Told entirely from the perspective of a dog, The Noises is a visceral new play about fear, courage, the nature of violence and what we're prepared to do for the ones we love. This new show, longlisted for the 2017 Bruntwood Prize for Playwrighting, will receive its world premiere at The Old Red Lion this April, starring Amy McAllister (Call the Midwife, Scorch). The Noises is a mother and daughter collaboration between TS Eliot Award shortlisted poet and playwright Jacqueline Saphra and director-dramaturg Tamar Saphra, and is a poetic and sensory piece with sound design from Tom Parkinson (I'm A Phoenix, Bitch; Super Duper Close Up). The sound is another character in the play, and the audience hear the world as Luna hears it.

Philadelphia Theatre Company follows The Bridges of Madison County with the Philadelphia premiere of a new work from Christina Anderson. In a co-production with Baltimore Center Stage, PTC introduces local audiences to the talents of rising star Christina Anderson and her stunning new play How To Catch Creation, Philadelphia Theatre Company's pick from the 2017 Kilroys List. The 'List' was created to give theatre producers a choice of underproduced works by women, with a recent focus on trans, and non-binary writers. Producing Artistic Director Paige Price has tapped Nataki Garrett, former Associate Artistic Director of Denver Center for the Performing Arts Theater Company (DCPA), to direct this production. How To Catch Creation features a cast of local talent and actors with an impressive range of Netflix, television, and regional theatre credits. The play runs March 22-April 14, with Opening Night on Wednesday, March 27 at 7 p.m. Single tickets and subscriptions are on sale now and available at the box office, online at philatheatreco.org or by phone at 215-985-0420. Tickets cost $10-$69.

The Tony Award-winning Falsettos is on the move after its phenomenally successful Broadway revival. After winning two Tonys in its original run, it was nominated for five more in 2017, including Best Revival of a Musical. Leading the talented pack is Max von Essen as Marvin, the married dad turned gay man who learns to navigate his new roles and relationships. Von Essen is, perhaps, best known for his Tony-nominated role as Henri Baurel in An American in Paris. He is also a successful film actor and solo recording artist. Fresh off of a run on Broadway as Greb Vaganov in Anastasia, he agreed to speak with BroadwayWorld Sacramento about his upcoming album release, past roles, and what we can expect from Falsettos.

“We're Alive,” the new song from U.K. rockers Band of Skulls premieres today; listen/share it here. “It's impossible not to be affected by the fear of it all and the sense of powerlessness,” say the band. “But we made a concerted effort not to make a depressing record, because we don't think anyone wants to hear a dark, depressing record about these times. We wanted to have that feeling of euphoria in song, because we weren't getting it anywhere else.” The track appears on their fifth album, Love Is All You Love (produced by Richard X), which is set for release April 12 via So Recordings. Fans can pre-order Love Is All You Love here. 

Two works representing the sacred and the secular, and also representing the Los Angeles Master Chorale's past and present, will be performed in Walt Disney Concert on Sunday, March 17 at 7 PM. Maurice Duruflé's Requiem was written by the French composer in 1947 and has become one of the most-beloved choral compositions of the 20th century. The Requiem has been given storied performances by the Master Chorale since the 1960s. Dale Trumbore describes her work How to Go On as a “secular requiem” and the work — commissioned by the non-profit, Southern California-based Choral Arts Initiative — was premiered in July 2016 and subsequently saw Trumbore awarded the ASCAP Young Composers Award in 2017. The March 17 concert will be the Los Angeles Master Chorale's first performance of the work.

The Broad Stage presents the return of The 7 Fingers with REVERSIBLE for three performances only, February 15 - 17. The 7 Fingers, who performed Cuisine & Confessions at The Broad Stage in 2017, are the best in contemporary circus performers. The Boston Globe calls REVERSIBLE, "hypnotically beautiful..on both an aesthetic and emotional level." REVERSIBLE is also performing February 1-2 at Irvine Barclay Theatre.

Robbie Rozelle will return to Feinstein's/54 Below to record the album on February 23 and March 1, along with special guests Maya Days (AIDA) and Bonnie Milligan (HEAD OVER HEELS). Ahead of the performances, we spoke with Rozelle by phone about SONGS FROM INSIDE MY LOCKER, how intense heading up a Kickstarter can be, and his recent BWW Cabaret Awards success.

Told entirely from the perspective of a dog, The Noises is a visceral new play about fear, courage, the nature of violence and what we're prepared to do for the ones we love. This new show, longlisted for the 2017 Bruntwood Prize for Playwrighting, will receive its world premiere at The Old Red Lion this April, starring Amy McAllister (Call the Midwife, Scorch). The Noises is a mother and daughter collaboration between TS Eliot Award shortlisted poet and playwright Jacqueline Saphra and director-dramaturg Tamar Saphra, and is a poetic and sensory piece with sound design from Tom Parkinson (I'm A Phoenix, Bitch; Super Duper Close Up). The sound is another character in the play, and the audience hear the world as Luna hears it.