The Strong - 1924 - Broadway Articles Page 10

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, recognized by U.S. Congress as 'a vital American cultural ambassador to the world,' returns to Paris, Basel, several German cities, and Copenhagen to perform 15 ballets from July 4 - September 10.

GOOD MORNING, THEATERATI! It's Wednesday, June 7, 2017! Kathie Lee and Hoda are in town today to show their Today show audience what's happening in Nashville, which prompts the musical question: What's sights are on your list of places to go when newbies turn to you for advice? Let us know and we'll feature you in an upcoming story!

The last place you'd expect to find a ballerina is in the middle of the desert; in a bustling city center full of people to fill an audience, yes, but in Death Valley Junction population less than 20? No, in this cultural hot spot, art is found in the shifting sands and sunset-washed mountains where colors and textures create breathtaking views for but a moment and then are gone.

dell'Arte Opera Ensemble presents its 2017 UNTAMED! Opera Festival from August 12-27, 2017, as a summer share in downtown New York City's La MaMa Theatre. Spotlighting the unpredictable, wild characters of opera, this year's Festival explores parallels between human, animal and supernatural realms.

This upcoming June, the Israeli Opera will host the Budapest Operetta and Musical Theatre.

GOOD MORNING, THEATERATI! Welcome to the start of Memorial Day Weekend: It's Friday, May 26, 2017 and time to live life dramatically! It really sounds like we should be cutting a ribbon somewhere to herald the start of the long weekend that kicks off summer, but instead we sit here in front of a computer screen, remembering and reminiscing, in hopes of providing you with something to read while you sit by the pool, waiting for the SPF37 to kick in!

GOOD MORNING, THEATERATI! Down in the right-hand corner of my computer screen, it tells me that its Friday, May 19 - which means that Memorial Day Weekend is just a week away! - how in the world did we make it from New Year's Day to Memorial Day in what seems to me to be like 15 minutes? When you figure that out, please give me a heads-up so I can better prepare for Christmas shopping! And that, of course, has me wondering what shows we'll be seeing during the next holiday season which, in turn, prompts me to ask the musical question: What's your favorite Christmas or holiday-themed stage offering?

In a press conference held today at the One World Observatory at the top of One World Trade Center (the Freedom Tower), Lorraine Cortes-Vazquez, Chairperson of the National Puerto Rican Day Parade (NPRDP), alongside members of the Parade's Board of Directors, announced plans for the 2017 Parade, its 60th Anniversary celebration on Sunday, June 11.

Can a cow save a penguin? Stonyfield, the country's leading organic yogurt maker, is confident that it can and wants to inspire families to find out how they can help endangered species too. Today, on World Penguin Day, Stonyfield YoKids is pleased to announce its support of the Association of Zoos and Aquariums' (AZA) SAFE: Saving Animals From Extinction program which fosters conservation efforts for 10 endangered species, including the African penguin. As a proud supporter of AZA SAFE, Stonyfield has committed funds that will be used to help reverse the decline of the African penguin and drive conservation awareness. As part of a year-long effort, Stonyfield will not only be contributing funds to fieldwork but will also aim to encourage kids and their families to see animals and conservation projects first hand at zoos, aquariums, and on the ground where the research is happening.

Nearly a hundred years after Aline Barnsdall first envisioned an artist colony on Olive Hill in the middle of Hollywood, the public will have a rare opportunity to experience her dream come to life. Beginning May 6th, Hollyhock House, in partnership with Circle X Theatre Co. and J.U.S.T. Toys Productions, presents the Maria Irene Fornes play FEFU AND HER FRIENDS staged as an immersive theatrical event inside Hollyhock House. It is a first for this historical beauty and an exciting project that unites the past and present in more ways than one.

On Friday, April  28, 2017 at 7:30 pm Concerts at Saint Thomas Presents The Copenhagen Royal Chapel Choir. As one of Europe's leading choirs, this fine choir has delighted listeners since 1924 with its interpretation of the works of major composers of the renaissance and baroque eras, as well as 20th century choral music for boys' and men's voices. Since 1959, the choir has been resident at Copenhagen Cathedral and as part of its duties performs at state occasions and during royal visits abroad.

On Friday, April 28, 2017 at 7:30 pm Concerts at Saint Thomas presents the Copenhagen Royal Chapel Choir. As one of Europe's leading choirs, this fine choir has delighted listeners since 1924 with its interpretation of the works of major composers of the renaissance and baroque eras, as well as 20th century choral music for boys' and men's voices.

In keeping with the winery's focus on sustainability, family-run Delicato Family Vineyards (Delicato) is introducing Earth Wise Vineyards Red Wine Blend, its first three-liter bag-in-box wine made with organically grown grapes from Spain. Earth Wise Vineyards Red Wine Blend is certified organic by the California Certied Organic Farmers (CCOF), an organic certifying agency whose mission is to advance organic agriculture for a healthy world.

The Blue Hill Troupe, now in its 93rd season, brings “City of Angels” back to the stage. Set in the glamorous, seductive Hollywood of the 40s, the world of film studios and flimsy negligees, “City of Angels” chronicles the misadventures of Stine, a young novelist, attempting to write a screenplay of one of his detective novels. Each scene he writes comes to life on stage, starring his hardboiled detective alter-ego, Stone. As Stone's life in the film plot gets more complicated, so does Stine's personal and professional life, until the point when the two plots intersect.  The amazing double score and story do what all good movies should, eventually winding up to two happy endings.

Residents of International House in upper Manhattan treasure its intimate neighboring Sakura Park, with its cherry trees, meandering paths and gazebo making it one of the most romantic spots in the neighborhood. Small wonder that over the decades such young residents as Paul and Daisy Soros met and fell in love while living at International House (I-House). Now Sakura Park is the inspiration for "Sakura Sweethearts," a celebration of love through the seasons of the year as well as the emotional cycle of the I-House Resident experience. With music, poems and stories of actual Sakura sweethearts, it will be performed by residents of International House for one night only on Thursday, April 20 at 7:30 PM as part of its new music performance series, Music at I-House: Then and Now.

Residents of International House in upper Manhattan treasure its intimate neighboring Sakura Park, with its cherry trees, meandering paths and gazebo making it one of the most romantic spots in the neighborhood.  Small wonder that over the decades such young residents as Paul and Daisy Soros met and fell in love while living at International House (I-House). Now Sakura Park is the inspiration for "Sakura Sweethearts," a celebration of love through the seasons of the year as well as the emotional cycle of the I-House Resident experience.  With music, poems and stories of actual Sakura sweethearts, it will be performed by residents of International House for one night only on Thursday, April 20 at 7:30 PM as part of its new music performance series, Music at I-House: Then and Now.

The Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts celebrates the musical legacy of Henry Mancini, one of the world's greatest composers, conductors and arrangers, on Saturday, April 1, 2017. From 'Moon River' to 'The Days of Wine and Roses' to the 'Peter Gunn Theme,' the music of Henry Mancini has helped define American film and television soundtracks for nearly five decades, and earned the legendary composer four Academy Awards, twenty Grammy Awards and numerous other honors, including a U.S. Postage Stamp. The evening not only honors Henry Mancini, but also celebrates Ginny Mancini and the Mancini family with a special performance by the Henry Mancini Institute Orchestra from the Frost School of Music at the University of Miami-their first Los Angeles appearance since their move to Florida-with all proceeds benefiting the artistic, educational and outreach programs of The Wallis.

Sarasotan, Evelyn Christina Tonn Comes to the Van Wezel in Chicago the Musical

Balanchine choreographed 425 works over the course of 60-plus years, and his works are considered masterpieces and performed by ballet companies all over the world. So you can image how thrilled I was to find out Los Angeles Ballet was going to present BALANCHINE: MASTER OF THE DANCE as their final selection of their 2016/2017 season. In it, three of his most outstanding ballet choreographies are presented: Divertimento No. 15 featuring music by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart; Prodigal Son with music by Sergei Prokofiev; and Who Cares? with music by George Gershwin, adapted and orchestrated by Hershy Kay.

The halls of the Curtis Institute of Music are certainly alive with the sound of gifted young performers, but these days Curtis is putting digital preservation top of the agenda to ensure that their art will be available on-demand and preserved indefinitely.

The suspenseful mystery genre of theatre is one that should always be approached with caution; the mixture of sprinkling around clues without giving up the ending to the audience is one that can be difficult to get just right. However, at Little Theatre of Mechanicsburg, their production of LOVE FROM A STRANGER has managed to grip the attention of the audience, and the reviewer in particular, in ways they may not have imagined.

BROADWAY BY THE YEAR, the musical revue series created, written, directed, and hosted by Scott Siegel and which pays tribute to a different era of Broadway composers each program, is a stroke of brilliance. Occurring once a month, each evening is dedicated specifically to one decade of American musical theater, and features some of the most talented stars currently working in American musical theater. The series' most recent installment (and the first of 2017) on February 27 at its usual home, The Town Hall, paid tribute to the 1920s. The decade, which inducted into the theatrical cannon the likes of George and Ira Gershwin and Richard Rodgers, brims with melodically-rich scores including songs of yearning and joviality. The tunes selected for the evening certainly felt of their era; however, put into the hands of such skilled performers as Carolee Carmello, Beth Malone, and Robert Cuccioli (to name a few), they could be heard with fresh and non-cynical ears.

A staged reading of The Suburban Set, formerly called Constellations, will be held at the Omaha Community Playhouse as part of the Alternative Programming series Monday, March 27 at 7:30 p.m. in OCP's Howard Drew Theatre.

There's something oddly life-affirming about the character of Zobra. He's a cheerleader for living life to its fullest. ZORBA the musical (lyrics by Fred Ebb, music by John Kander, and book by Joseph Stein) impresses an audience with the realization that time never stands still, and therefore, life goes on despite the nasty curves it may lob our way. New Line Theatre's production is a real revelation, because even though this show received its fair share of award nominations, it's really not revived that often. Perhaps it's the darker elements that pervade the show that turn some people off, but then life isn't always sunshine and roses, so I like that they are present. This kind of presentation is something that New Line does better than anyone else, and that's to revive a neglected or forgotten show for a new audience to appreciate, and their track record is impeccable in this regard. This show is a genuine must see, and taking it in I've come to realize that we all need our own personal 'Zorba' to prod us into taking risks and fully investing ourselves in whatever we do, even if things might go awry on occasion.

A fictitious Patti Lu Pone is the central character in The Internationals, a new musical by musical theater writer and comedienne Emily Rose Simons, directed by Alexander Notkin, and with musical direction by Kengchakaj Kengkarnka, which will be performed by residents of International House (I-House) on Thursday, March 23 at 7:30 PM as part of its new music performance series, Music at I-House: Then and Now.