Do It Again! - 1971 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 8

Roald Dahl wrote books for the children of his time and it is a wonder that many of his creations have remained as popular and well-loved as they have decades after his death. Although James and the Giant Peach, Matilda, The Witches, and The Twits can all trace thematic influence back to Dahl's involvement in World War II, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory seems to be the most heavily-informed by an unquestioning devotion to western industrialization and hope for the germinating seeds of our present-day capitalism. The 1971 movie, Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory is indicative of its time not only in its psychedelic colors and film effects but in its Vietnam-Conflict-era praise of Americanized consumerism. While Tim Burton's 2005 film adaptation reclaimed the title of the 1964 book and attempted to be a more faithful translation, its darkness and sterile settings have not garnered the cultural embrace of its predecessor, mainly because (I believe) of the public's common, shifting relationship with and disdain for industrialization and capitalism.

In a play on 'Sankofa', looking backwards to move forward served Dance Theatre of Harlem well in this sneak peek of the season to come. Returning to the Guggenheim Museum for the first time since 1971, the company revealed an incredible lineup of dancers who were eager to prove their mettle in ballets by George Balanchine and Arthur Mitchell.

Julien's Auctions, the world-record breaking auction house, honors one of the most celebrated and beloved pop culture icons of all time with their PROPERTY FROM THE COLLECTION OF OLIVIA NEWTON-JOHN (OBE, AC, HONORARY DOCTORATE OF LETTERS (LA TROBE UNIVERSITY)) auction event live at The Standard Oil Building in Beverly Hills and online at juliensauctions.com. Over 500 of the most iconic film and television worn costumes, ensembles, gowns, personal items and accessories owned and used by the four-time Grammy award-winning singer/Hollywood film star and one of the best-selling musical artists of all time who has sold 100 million records worldwide, will take the auction stage headlining Julien's Auctions' ICONS & IDOLS two-day music extravaganza taking place Friday, November 1 and Saturday, November 2, 2019.

On Friday, November 1, the venue will welcome the star for an intimate and elegant evening spotlighting Christian's vivid theatrical life in London and New York. His autobiographical performance features songs by Noel Coward, Cole Porter, Stephen Sondheim, Paul McCartney, Sting, Annie Lennox, and Al Green. These are interwoven with personal and surprising anecdotes and stories that illuminate the musical material. Christian was a star dancer with The Joffrey Ballet in New York in the 60s and 70s. He has choreographed and designed costumes for ballet companies across the US and Europe, as well as designing stage wardrobe for Ann Reinking and Tina Turner.

While Wonka's chocolates and candies can still be found in stores across the globe, the latest iteration of his now-classic story of succession tastes stale and a?' at times a?' lacks any taste at all.

The whole world is getting hip to Bobby Rush.  After decades of tearing up the chitlin' circuit on a nightly basis with his sweaty, no-holds-barred funkfests, Bobby has thoroughly broken through to the mainstream. He won a long-overdue 2017 Grammy Award for his spectacular album Porcupine Meat and consistently tours the globe as a headliner. What's more, Bobby's brand-new album Sitting on Top of the Blues on his own Deep Rush imprint (distributed by Thirty Tigers), due out August 16, 2019, promises to further spread the news that this revered legend, well past 80 years of age even if his stratospheric energy level belies the calendar, is bigger and badder and bolder than ever.

The whole world is getting hip to Bobby Rush.  After decades of tearing up the chitlin' circuit on a nightly basis with his sweaty, no-holds-barred funkfests, Bobby has thoroughly broken through to the mainstream. He won a long-overdue 2017 Grammy Award for his spectacular album Porcupine Meat and consistently tours the globe as a headliner. What's more, Bobby's brand-new album Sitting on Top of the Blues on his own Deep Rush imprint (distributed by Thirty Tigers), due out August 16, 2019, promises to further spread the news that this revered legend, well past 80 years of age even if his stratospheric energy level belies the calendar, is bigger and badder and bolder than ever.

A year shy of its 100th birthday, the Cabot Theatre in Beverly, a North Shore treasure for the performing arts, presented multiple Grammy Award-winning recording artist Dionne Warwick in concert before a sold-out house on Friday night. Now in the sixth decade of her singing career, Warwick and her virtuosic five-piece band played hit after hit after hit, each one of them a reminder to the devoted audience of the breadth of her discography and the reasons for her incredible longevity and staying power.

After wowing audiences at the Menier Chocolate Factory, Trevor Nunn's production of Fiddler on the Roof is going from strength to strength in its stint at the West End's Playhouse Theatre; not only has it extended its run until November, but it has now welcomed two new stars to Anatevka. Maria Friedman and Anita Dobson replace Judy Kuhn and Louise Gold as Yente and Golda, respectively, joining a cast led by Andy Nyman as Tevye.

The Women's Forum of New York will present the 9th Annual Elly Awards Luncheon benefiting The Education Fund of the Women's Forum on Monday, June 17th, at The Plaza Hotel in New York City. The awards, named for the Women's Forum founder Elinor Guggenheimer, will honor outstanding women leaders. This year marks the 32nd anniversary of the Education Fund of the Women's Forum, which has helped over 260 women, age 35 and over, whose lives have been disrupted by extreme adversity, complete their college degrees.

Celebrating its 37th anniversary, Outfest - the Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization promoting equality by creating, sharing, and protecting LGBTQ stories on the screen - today announced the complete programming lineup for the 2019 Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film Festival, presented by HBO. The nation's leading LGBTQ festival will be held July 18-28, 2019.

Despite its general pleasant nature, many cute moments, and a plethora of genuine talent on stage, this stage musical adaptation of CHARLIE AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY---Roald Dahl's beloved 1964 children's novel about a sweet, affable kid who wins a meet-and-greet (and more!) with an eccentric Candy Man named Willy Wonka--- comes off less magical and whimsical than one would hope it would be considering its source material. Is this national tour production---now continuing performances at Segerstrom Center for the Arts through June 9---joyful enough for kids and kids-at-heart to enjoy? Sure. But, overall, something about it feels just slightly under-baked, as if all the additional necessary ingredients that would have made this musical extraordinary didn't quite make it into the mix.

Craft Recordings is excited to announce a new deluxe reissue of Isaac Hayes' GRAMMY® Award–winning album Shaft. Set for a June 14th street date and limited to 5,000 copies worldwide, the two-CD collection will offer the newly remastered, classic soundtrack—as originally released in 1971—plus all of the original music from the film, which did not appear on the best-selling LP. In-depth liner notes from Ahmir “Questlove” Thompsonround out the set. A single-disc version consisting of only the remastered soundtrack will also be available.

1969 marked a year that was full of both trepidation and excitement for Stax Records. Just one year before, the Memphis soul outlet ended its relationship with musical giant Atlantic Records, effectively leaving the label as an independent entity, without a music catalog (which had previously included a formidable collection of hits by Otis Redding, Carla Thomas and Sam & Dave, among others). Under the guidance of co-owner Al Bell, the label proceeded to rebuild and release an impressive collection of 27 albums and 30 singles in just a handful of months—a period known as “Soul Explosion.” The gamble paid off, and at the 1969 Stax sales summit—themed “Getting It All Together”—the label reaffirmed its place as a soul powerhouse. Craft Recordings celebrates the 50th anniversary of this prolific, make-or-break moment for Stax—and its enduring legacy—with a wide selection of physical and digital reissues. Additionally, Craft will pay tribute to the label throughout the year with a series of playlists, original content, contests and more.

Now Nottage and director/choreographer Christopher Wheeldon are speaking up about their feelings in the New York Times. 'You can't watch the documentary without being profoundly disturbed by it, but again, we're not judge and jury,' says Wheeldon. 'In our process, we're facing it pretty much head on, but we're also studying the many facets of Michael Jackson.'

Theatre Royal Bath today announces four additional productions - Vienna 1934-Munich 1938, The Life I Lead, Trying It On and The Man in the White Suit, to complete its Summer Season 2019 programme and further casting with Katherine Parkinson, Janie Dee as well as Vanessa Redgrave, Miles Jupp and David Edgar among the stars set to take to the stage in both treasured classics and acclaimed new works.

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts today announced its 2019–2020 theater season, with more than 15 productions from New York, London, and across the globe, plus original Kennedy Center productions.

Asolo Repertory Theatre and the FSU/Asolo Conservatory for Actor Training have announced their 2019-20 seasons on March 25.

'Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of The Temptations' opened March 21, at Broadway's legendary Imperial Theatre. However, many fans of the Temptations music may not know the group's long and complicated history. 

The Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts and The Shubert Organization announced today the 2019/20 Broadway Philadelphia season, featuring a brilliant lineup of Tony Award -winning productions and the latest Broadway blockbusters.

“He would have wanted the show to go on,” Band of Friends bassist Gerry McAvoy laments about the passing of his lifelong friend and drummer, Ted McKenna. The two men had crisscrossed the globe together for decades playing high octane blues-rock at clubs, theaters, and festivals before McKenna passed away due to complications from a routine surgery he elected to undergo on his down time between tours.

A key component to the show's longevity is the work of Broadway marketing agency Serino Coyne. Below, Vice President of Creative Strategy Thomas Callahan and Director of Marketing and Communications, Diana Salameh tell us all about what goes into selling a musical with such staying power.

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director; Evans Haile, Executive Director), dedicated to the development of new musicals and rediscovery of musical gems from the past, will present a return engagement of the hit Off-Broadway musical, Enter Laughing: The Musical with book by Joseph Stein, music and lyrics by Stan Daniels, based on the play Enter Laughing by Joseph Stein from the novel by Carl Reiner, produced in association with Riki Kane Larimer and Alene Daniels. Enter Laughing: The Musical returns to kick off The York's year-long 50th Anniversary Celebration at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's (entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue).

Singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist and songwriter Pete Townshendtoday announce that they will be unleashing the combustible force that is The Who, with symphonic accompaniment this summer at London's Wembley Stadium on Saturday 6 July 2019 with special guests Eddie Vedder and the Kaiser Chiefs. For early access to tickets, pre-order an exclusive limited signed edition of the band's soon to be announced new studio album at https://store.thewho.com/. Pre-sale starts from Wednesday 30th January at 10am.Tickets go on general sale on Friday 01 February 2019 at 10am at LiveNation.co.uk.

For WHO fans everywhere, the announcement of a brand new tour means only one thing: the world's most untameable rock band is about to deliver the goods once again. Never ones for nostalgia, singer Roger Daltrey and guitarist and songwriter Pete Townshend will be unleashing the combustible force that is The Who, with symphonic accompaniment this summer and fall in 2019. Produced by Live Nation, The Who's North American MOVING ON! TOUR will bring their indelible brand of powerhouse rock to 29 cities beginning in May (see tour itinerary below). The kickoff date is May 7 in Grand Rapids, MI with the band wrapping up the first leg of the tour June 1 in Toronto, ON. A much-anticipated series of fall dates will launch on September 6 in St. Paul, MN and conclude on October 23 in Edmonton, AB. Tickets go on sale to the general public beginning Friday, January 18 at LiveNation.com.