Our Town - 1944 - Broadway Articles Page 11

Gigi, Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe's beloved Oscar and Tony Award-winning musical comedy, celebrates its opening tonight, April 8, at the Neil Simon Theatre (250 West 52nd Street). Let's see what the critics had to say...

Aurora Theatre Company continues its 23rd season with TALLEY'S FOLLY. In a season dedicated to his memory, the company pays homage to one of the most prolific and revered American playwrights of the 20th century, Lanford Wilson, with 'The Talley Trilogy,' of which TALLEY'S FOLLEY is the first entry in the series of three interrelated plays.

The Joyce Theater Foundation, Linda Shelton Executive Director, proudly presents the U.S. debut of Le Centre National de Danse Contemporaine-Angers (CNDC) from March 10 - 15. For this highly anticipated debut, CNDC, under the artistic direction of former Merce Cunningham dancer and prote?ge? Robert Swinston, will perform Event, a compilation of excerpts from pieces choreographed by Cunningham from 1965-1990. Tickets range in price from $10-$49 ($26-$37 for Joyce Theater members), and can be purchased through JoyceCharge online at www.Joyce.org , by calling 212-242-0800, or at The Joyce Theater box office at 175 Eighth Avenue at 19th Street.

LONDON

Aurora Theatre Company continues its 23rd season with TALLEY'S FOLLY. In a season dedicated to his memory, the company pays homage to one of the most prolific and revered American playwrights of the 20th century, Lanford Wilson, with 'The Talley Trilogy,' of which TALLEY'S FOLLEY is the first entry in the series of three interrelated plays.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The Washington School of Ballet teachers and students competed against hundreds of participants in the regionals of the world's largest international student dance competition held in Pittsburg, February 13-15. TWSB won 'Best School', an honor reflecting numerous individual competition winners. The distinction is one that TWSB has received in past years at regionals. The school's Director, Kee Juan Han, won 'Outstanding Teacher'- an honor awarded to an instructor whose students show excellent training and consistent quality in execution. The mission of The Washington Ballet includes growing the next generation of dancers through its school, The Washington School of Ballet. “We're proud of the accomplishments of our students and we are honored to have received this recognition at YAGP regionals,” says Managing Director, Arthur Espinoza, Jr.

Orange County, Calif.-Jan. 9, 2015-Composer, conductor and teacher Leonard Bernstein, one of the undeniable giants of 20th-century music, and the first American-born conductor to become a major star, becomes the focal point of Pacific Symphony's second "Music Unwound" concert this season, "For the Love of Bernstein." In 1985, a young Carl St.Clair met Bernstein as a conducting fellow at Tanglewood Music Center. A few years later in 1990, St.Clair stepped in for the ailing Maestro and conducted his "Arias and Barcarolles" during what turned out to be Bernstein's last concert. St.Clair would soon be named music director of Pacific Symphony, but the impact of Bernstein's mentoring to St.Clair has remained to this day.

Orange County, Calif.—Jan. 9, 2015—Composer, conductor and teacher Leonard Bernstein, one of the undeniable giants of 20th-century music, and the first American-born conductor to become a major star, becomes the focal point of Pacific Symphony's second “Music Unwound” concert this season, “For the Love of Bernstein.” In 1985, a young Carl St.Clair met Bernstein as a conducting fellow at Tanglewood Music Center. A few years later in 1990, St.Clair stepped in for the ailing Maestro and conducted his “Arias and Barcarolles” during what turned out to be Bernstein's last concert. St.Clair would soon be named music director of Pacific Symphony, but the impact of Bernstein's mentoring to St.Clair has remained to this day.

Broadway fans had plenty of reasons to celebrate this year, with dozens of shows having opened since January, hundreds of actors having made their debuts, and many more having returned to the stage for critically acclaimed performances. Not all news was good though, as we also suffered a loss of an incredible amount of talent. Below, BroadwayWorld sends a fond farewell to those who passed away in 2014.

The month of December has always been an emotional time of the year, especially for our military families; a period to deeply reflect on family and country. Over the past few months in New York cabaret, a few performers have offered up musical testimony on wars, patriotism, and US military veterans. Recently, two singers fairly new to the cabaret scene--Anna Marie Sell and Kim Sutton--staged shows saluting the brave men and women who serve our country now and in the past.

Independent Lens, which just won the IDA's Best Curated Series Award this weekend, announced its 2015 Winter/Spring season lineup today.

This year, ASCAP brings its 100th birthday celebration into the holiday season by unwrapping the top 30 ASCAP holiday songs of all time. Topping the list is 'Santa Claus Is Coming to Town,' written by Fred Coots and Haven Gillespie.

The Hangar Theatre is delighted to announce its 2015 Mainstage Season.

This week, Mr. van Zweden will lead the Orchestra in Korngold's Violin Concerto, with Hilary Hahn as soloist; Beethoven's Symphony No. 7; and J. Wagenaar's Cyrano de Bergerac Overture, marking the Philharmonic's first time performing the work, tonight, November 26, 2014, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, November 28 at 8:00 p.m.; and Saturday, November 29 at 8:00 p.m.

Jaap van Zweden - music director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Hong Kong Philharmonic as well as former concertmaster of Amsterdam's Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - will return to the New York Philharmonic for the first time since his debut in April 2012 to conduct two weeks of concerts. In the first program, Mr. van Zweden will conduct Mozart's Sinfonia concertante for Violin and Viola, featuring Acting Concertmaster Sheryl Staples and Principal Viola Cynthia Phelps, and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 8, tonight, November 20, 2014, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, November 21 at 2:00 p.m.; and Saturday, November 22 at 8:00 p.m.

Our national ballet treasure, American Ballet Theatre, is celebrating its 75th anniversary this year. The 2014-2015 season is abundant in new works, classical masterpieces, and signature American Ballet Theatre masterworks.

The most recent revival of 'On the Town', the 1944 smash hit based on Jerome Robbins' 'Fancy Free' ballet about three sailors on 24-hour shore leave in NYC, is first-rate on all counts. Right from the moment that the booming bass-baritone voice of Phillip Boykin joins the audience singing 'The Star Spangled Banner' as he strolls down an aisle, the show captivates with professionalism and energy that are sustained throughout the evening.

Today we are turning our attention to the rapturously received Broadway revival of Golden Age classic ON THE TOWN.

ON THE TOWN has moments of classic dance, comedy and music, but it's the earthy country sailors who make this musical soar.

Jaap van Zweden - music director of the Dallas Symphony Orchestra and Hong Kong Philharmonic as well as former concertmaster of Amsterdam's Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra - will return to the New York Philharmonic for the first time since his debut in April 2012 to conduct two weeks of concerts. In the first program, Mr. van Zweden will conduct Mozart's Sinfonia concertante for Violin and Viola, featuring Acting Concertmaster Sheryl Staples and Principal Viola Cynthia Phelps, and Shostakovich's Symphony No. 8, Thursday, November 20, 2014, at 7:30 p.m.; Friday, November 21 at 2:00 p.m.; and Saturday, November 22 at 8:00 p.m.

A look at Harvard scholar Carol J. Oja's discussion of the development and wartime premier of Bernstein and Robbins' musical 'On the Town.'

In celebration of this season's ON THE TOWN, we've collected 10 of our favorite dance musicals. From classics like ANYTHING GOES, 42ND STREET, A CHORUS LINE and WEST SIDE STORY to modern marvels such as NEWSIES and STRICTLY BALLROOM, the way choreography is used to tell a story continues to evolve and inspire.

Alley Theatre Artistic Director Gregory Boyd announces the cast and creative team for Dracula, the Original Vampire Play, the second production in the 'Alley Theatre @ UH' season. Featuring iconic costume and set designs by Edward Gorey, the Alley's production is based on the original 1927 adaptation of the classic thriller that marvelously balances the menace of the horror tale with sophisticated satire.

The Old Globe will celebrate its 80th Anniversary as part of the Balboa Park Centennial Celebration with a 2015 Summer Season featuring Shakespeare onstage and in film. 2014 Tony Award winner for A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder and former Old Globe Shakespeare Festival Artistic Director Darko Tresnjak returns to direct the spectacular musical classic Kiss Me, Kate, with music and lyrics by Cole Porter, book by Sam and Bella Spewack, and choreography by Peggy Hickey, in association with Hartford Stage.

One of the wonderful things about live theater is that each audience member's experience is different. For me, a favorite aspect of live theater is its ability to suspend disbelief and to transport the audience to the world being presented onstage. When it's done well, immersion into the story-telling and production can make the audience forget, at least for a moment, that they are watching a bunch of actors in a play. The experience envelopes them, and before long the audience is crying and laughing along with the characters on the stage.