After four years at Broadway World Cabaret, quite a collection of photos has been amassed. These are the gasp-worthy pics.
Lea Salonga is a Tony winner and Disney Legend for a reason. Her gorgeous voice and grace will be evident if you are lucky enough to see her perform live. Don't delay, get tickets to her show as quickly as you can because you won't want to miss this wonderful opportunity. It really will be A Whole New World.
Blacklight Community is about empowering performers by way of education, opening doors to opportunities, and encouraging constructive dialogue and collaboration. I recently caught up with India and asked her some questions. Here are those questions along with her thoughtful answers.
Having a dream is like running with scissors. Just one false step and the journey, or even your life, can be over. I asked SALVAGE director Damian D. Lewis about his own dream and how much he was willing to do to achieve it. The same theme runs through SALVAGE centering around Harley, a singer-songwriter whose wife is expecting their first child and his journey to deciding what is more important - pursuing his dream or accepting the responsibilities of family life.
This Spotlight focuses on Elizabeth Adabale, a dedicated musical theatre entertainer who studied public health and theatre at the University of Southern California and taught high school biology with Teach for America, until the stage pulled her elsewhere. I first met her in 2013 when she began to audition for productions in Los Angeles and I knew with her talent and stage presence, Elizabeth was destined to a?oehit it biga?? on stages across the country! I reached out to her to find out how is she dealing with the cancellation of her national tour in 'The Color Purple' after 111 performances.
Sam Harvey is one cast member who has been with the show since the beginning. In a really fun interview session, I learned he comes back every year because he loves sharing Christmas with the world...and longs for the chicken nuggets at Japanese convenient stores??
'I've had several Japanese people come up to me before and say, 'This is our story.' They were an older married couple, and I thought, 'Oh? This is a New York story, why do you say that?' And they said, 'Because, back in the late 50s early 60s, our villages were feuding, and they wouldn't allow us to marry. So there was this tension, but seeing the movie in 1961 made us say, 'Let's do it!' And we eloped.'
Speaking with Seibi Lee and Rachna Nivas (of the Leela Dance Collective)
Performing in the Los Angeles Premiere of 'Son of the Wind'
An All-Female Production of India's Ancient Epic, the Ramayana
I had the great pleasure to speak with both Seibi Lee and Rachna Nivas, of the Leela Dance Collective, both directors, performers and disciples of the art form of Kathak, (pronounced Ka'ta'k'); both choreographers, followers, leaders, teachers; devoted, focused, grateful,
studied and deeply, intelligently guided artists. In the truest sense. I could go on, but I must write about the performance they are to give on September 14th, 2019 at The John Anson Ford Theatre, World Premiering the Indian saga 'Son of The Wind,' a full-length telling of a story through dance, emotions, traditions, belief, wisdom, beauty, ancestry, soul-searching, the tempered future, and perfected performance. I am so excited to witness this amazing piece of theatre.
“Pepperland” Premiered two years ago in Liverpool, the Beatles birthplace, when the famous 'Sgt. Peppers Lonely Hearts Club Band' album turned 50 and the UK celebrated it spectacularly.
It is coming to the Segerstrom Center Of the Arts this weekend, June 14th and 15th, 2019. Choreographed and Directed by Mark Morris, whose repertoire of creative work uses and melds music genres in innovative ways, with choreography that has unbridled enthusiasm mixed with stylish technique that immerses itself into the score and lyrics completely. It is his unique style, and the collaboration with Ethan Iverson, the Musical Director and Reconstructor of sorts, that has crafted this delicious and captivating romp through the '60s and The Beatles' 'Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band' album, with a new twist and dimension to the score and brilliant choreographic concepts and costuming.
At the 73rd annual Tony Awards, the best and brightest of the Broadway season was on full display. The show featured performances from the season's shows, plus a slew of powerful wins and speeches. I spent the night watching the broadcast closely to put together a comprehensive recap and review - ahead, check out some of the most talked-about moments of the night!
Segerstrom Center for the Arts is excitingly welcoming the return of the Eifman Ballet of
St. Petersburg with the West Coast Premiere of The Pygmalion Effect May 24-26, 2019
A new ballet from the company's award-winning artistic director and choreographer, Boris Eifman, The Pygmalion Effect is inspired by the Greek mythological tale of Pygmalion - a sculptor who became infatuated with his own life-like carving of a beautiful girl. Renowned for works that are 'bold, psychological and highly theatrical' (The New York Times), Boris Eifman infuses his signature choreographic style into this dynamic new production, set to a score by 'The Waltz King' Johann Strauss II.
The Pygmalion Effect received its world premiere in St. Petersburg's Alexandrinsky Theatre on February 6, 2019. This new production marks choreographer Boris Eifman's return to the genre of comedy or, more accurately, tragicomedy; a form which the choreographer has perfected.
Eifman offers the audience a balletic interpretation of the archetypical story of Pygmalion. In the ballet the protagonist is a successful ballroom dancer who transforms a clumsy girl into a virtuoso performer. In this production, Eifman presents a comprehensive artistic and philosophical portrayal of a human personality's remarkable flexibility and ability to adjust in response to set aims and aspirations. The title is a reference to a well-known physiological phenomenon whereby a person's performance is positively influenced by the expectations of others.
Not all actors can boast credits in theatre, television, and film, but Angela Grovey can. Grovey, who plays stage manager Annie in the hilarious The Play that Goes Wrong, spoke with me over the phone about her life in entertainment and about her charitable work with Covenant House, a national shelter for homeless youth.
FAMOUS re-opened in April after a successful run in 2018. I decided to speak with the show's Creator/Director Michael Leoni (ML) and producers Michelle Kaufer (MK) and Cassidy Pepper (CP), about how the new production uses stylized movements by the characters, enhanced lighting and sound designs, to bring the play flow so much more fluid than last year's version. The result grabs the audience's attention to the point of being able to hear a pin drop, making the entire experience even more stunning and breathtaking than before. And, of course, its relevance to the #MeToo movement is immediately recognizable as power players move in and out of Jason's life during the party.
The King and I's Jose Llana dazzled in his return to Lincoln Center's American Songbook Concert Series on February 1st, four years after his sold-out appearance at the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse. Mr. Llana's glorious tenor filled The Appel Room, where he was accompanied by his Here Lies Love cast members Jaygee Macapugay, Jeigh Madjus, Renee Albulario and Billy Bustamante.
A new musical is being developed by a Nova Scotian writing team that will feature songs originally made famous by Anne Murray, the Grammy-award-winning singer from Springhill, Nova Scotia. The show just underwent a 2-week developmental workshop in Halifax with an 11-member cast of actors. The workshop culminated in a staged reading presentation at the Bella Rose Arts Centre this past Friday.
Marius (Justin Mouledous) begs Eponine
(Emma Pollet) for help finding Cosette
'Life-changing,' 'Engaging,' 'Rewarding,' 'Surreal,' 'Exciting,' 'Humbling,' 'Wonderful,' 'Extraordinary,' and 'A Blast and a Half' are just a few of the ways this extraordinary, young cast is encapsulating what it is like to be a part of The New Octavians production of the epic, grand, and uplifting, Les Miserables School Edition-The show that packs an emotional wallop that has thrilled over 65 million people worldwide. Winner of over 100 international awards, Les Miserables is an epic and inspiring story about the survival of the human spirit. The musical, based on Victor Hugo's novel, adapted for high school performers, features one of the most memorable scores of all time and some of the most memorable characters to ever grace the stage. This cast of nearly fifty students, hailing from twelve different schools from the Northshore area of the New Orleans Metropolitan area, is certainly fulfilling expectations. It is always a challenge to produce a show of this magnitude, but for Director, Brent Goodrich, being able to recruit talent from all over our community has made this production not only possible, but even more sensational.
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