Take Me Along - 2008 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 14

Talking to Khori Dastoor, General Director of Opera San José brings to mind that old quote from Elizabeth Taylor when she was faced with unimaginable adversity, “Now is the time for guts and guile.” Just one year into her tenure as GD, Dastoor is faced with an almost impossible situation due to the Covid pandemic. Out of all the arts, opera, the artform which she has made her life’s work, arguably has the biggest challenges. After all, the act of singing operatically produces enormous amounts of aerosols, the core audience is older and thus especially at risk for Covid, and the population at large may not consider opera to be essential to their lives. Since creating new works is practically impossible, many GD’s are offering a sort of greatest hits of former glories, video snippets from past years that were already in the can. Or maybe something like a “reading” of an old holiday chestnut like Der Rosenkavalier, presented Brady-Bunch style on Zoom. So what does Dastoor do instead? She goes bravely programs a brand-new, beautifully-produced production of Jake Heggie’s Three Decembers, starring no less than world-renowned opera star Susan Graham, alongside two of Opera San José’s super-talented Resident Artists, soprano Maya Kherani and baritone Efraín Solis. This immensely moving chamber work is based on an unpublished play by Terrance  McNally, adapted by librettist Gene Scheer, and tells the story of a family struggling to connect during the early years of the AIDS pandemic. The work premiered in 2008, yet somehow feels more relevant than ever, given the parallels with what we’re all going through today, as evidenced by McNally’s death from Covid earlier this year. The opera is currently available for streaming through the end of December. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit operasj.org. BroadwayWorld spoke with Dastoor shortly after the filming of Three Decembers had been completed. Dastoor was remarkably open and forthcoming about the challenges of the opera world right now, even as her passion for growing the artform burns stronger than ever. We talked about how she managed to produce Three Decembers during Covid, her successful earlier career as a lyric soprano, and the imperative to keep the arts alive during these difficult times. Her responses to my questions were invariably thoughtful, often surprising and not without humor. And, as a rare woman of color leading an opera company, her understanding of the need to open up her artform runs deep. Above all, though, she is just plain fun to talk to - effortlessly engaging, whip-smart, emotionally transparent, and without an ounce of pretension.

Arena Stage at the Mead Center for American Theater announces its lineup of Winter classes featuring classes catered to families, theater lovers, students, adults and emerging theater artists. The Voices of Now Mead Ensemble for young artists will begin this winter, meeting virtually to contribute to a new original film. Just in time for the holidays, this robust line of programming has something for everyone and makes the perfect unique gift for the theater lover in your family.

Remote online learning during a pandemic has made for some comical situations.

The best gift isn’t under the Christmas tree, it’s on HBO Max! Celebrate Christmas Day with Wonder Woman 1984, starring Gal Gadot, when it flies onto the platform the same day it hits theaters around the country.

FANE has announced brand new live tour dates for 2021 with an eclectic array of some of the UK's most high-profile figures. Rescheduled tour dates for Sir Ranulph Fiennes, Sir Michael Parkinson and Fortunately…with Fi and Jane are on sale now. 

Six online concerts will replace 20 show in person... but you know with Urban Stages involved, the shows will be good.

Today (November 13) in live streaming: Nikki Renee Daniels visits Backstage Live, the Next On Stage Finale, and so much more!

BroadwayWorld put together a list of all the live action musicals you can stream on Netflix, Hulu, HBO Max, BroadwayHD, and Disney Plus. Are you looking for something to get your mind off… all of this? So are we. Because everyone needs some escape,

Iconic guitarist Steve Hackett releases his new acoustic album Under A Mediterranean Sky on 22nd January 2021.

An enchanted evening it sure was for those lucky enough to get to see the revival of South Pacific at the Vivian Beaumont Theater at Lincoln Center. Chocked full of A-List Broadway performers included the talents of Kelli O’Hara, Matthew Morrison, Danny Burstein, Liz McCartney and the golden voiced baritone making his Broadway debut, Paulo Szot.

Beloved by fans and the community, prolific artist and dedicated workhorse Meg Flather shares some chat about all the various ways she contributes to the industry.

The first theatre course I took at Princeton was Stacy Wolfa??s class a?oeThe Musical Theatre  of Stephen Sondheima?? during my freshman fall

Premium television network EPIX® announced today that four-part docuseries By Whatever Means Necessary: The Times of Godfather of Harlem will premiere on November 8, 2020 at 10 PM ET/PT.

This weekend (September 26-27) in live streaming: Fame reunites on Stars in the House, Irish Rep presents Belfast Blues, and so much more!

Now, as New York City struggles to get back on its feet after long COVID-19 shutdowns, and theaters are still months from being able to reopen, St. Ann's Warehouse, which turned 40 this year, has found a range of meaningful ways to program for New Yorkers and more far-flung audiences.

While the Covid-19 pandemic has shuttered many performing arts organizations around the world, Long Beach Opera (LBO) has been industriously devising live innovative performance opportunities for both its artists and audiences. 

In this wildly unprecedented year, Roy and Edna Disney/CalArts Theater (REDCAT), CalArts' center for contemporary arts in downtown Los Angeles, has announced its first-ever all-streaming and virtual season of experimentation, discovery, and lively civic discourse online this fall.

Craft Recordings announces the vinyl debut of Plain White T’s’ best-selling third album, All That We Needed.

TheatreWorks Silicon Valley's Artistic Director Tim Bond and Executive Director Phil Santora announced today that the Tony Award-winning theatre will postpone the opening of its 51st mainstage season to March 2021, with eight plays presented through May 2022.

Broadcast Music, Inc. (BMI)  today announced its continued support of the Sundance Institute Film Music and Sound Design Lab 2020 in collaboration with Skywalker Sound. The prestigious program returns with a new reimagined digital format on Sundance Co//ab from July 27–August 14, 2020.

BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the 101 greatest Motown songs from 1960-1994. See if your favorite songs or artists made the list!

The Invigorated Ingenue brought Joan Darragh back to the cabaret stage and community, where she belongs. Isolation has brought her talents as motivator and baker to the social media. Here, the Ingenue talks with Stephen Mosher about life before and after her return to the stage.

Every so often, great songwriters will take a leap of faith, allowing the songs themselves to steer the ship. When longtime Americana-leaning artist Treva Blomquist started recording her new album Snakes & Saints, she learned firsthand the scary-but-rewarding process of letting go and giving the songs what they deserve—and the result is stunning.

Today (May 27) in live streaming: Chad Kimball visits Backstage Live, Debra Messing and Victoria Clark visit Stars in the House, and so much more!

Today (May 26) in live streaming: Star Trek Voyager reunites, a new episode of It's the Day of the Show Y'all, and so much more!