Archive for May, 2009
Will Ferrell not wearing speedos in the tundra?
I came across this on YouTube and thought it was amusing – especially remembering all the times we’ve unfortunately seen Will Ferrell running around in his speedos, sitting on people’s laps, etc. Well, certainly not this time. But even if he’s out of his (warm) comfort zone, he’s still as funny as ever!
Men vs. Wild premieres Tuesday, June 2, at 10 p.m. ET/PT. This video is described thus: In the harsh arctic tundra of Sweden, Bear Grylls and Will Ferrell from the Land of the Lost set out to conquer the wilderness … together. See if they make it out alive……
A moving dance performance…
This YouTube vid of ballet pair Ma Li and Zhai Xiaowei, she without an arm and he without a leg, is one of the most moving dances I have ever seen.
Something this ironic only happens on the internet…
Web advertising uses software that matches ads with the content on the user’s page. Unfortunately, sometimes this method isn’t a panacea. Here’s a screenshot of an ignorant interesting anti-gay op-ed from the Wasilla Frontiersman (Ms. Palin’s hometown newspaper) that features an inserted ad for a gay networking site in the body of the text!! How rich is that!!??
I spotted this on Andrew Sullivan’s uber-popular blog, with Sullivan adding:
Which just goes to prove, after all, that the Anti-Christ is almost certainly on Manhunt.
To paraphrase this for my blog:
If the Anti-Christ is gay, then the theatre is full of devils.
Lifeline Theatre’s new MARQUEE
Pretty cool, huh? Lifeline Theatre, which recently was awarded more Jeff Award nominations – a total of 14 – added this great marquee to their theatre edifice. My theory of theater is that it’s the ultimate live experience (okay, along with opera), and thus all parts of the experience must be taken into account when developing your outer persona. I always connect marquees to those theaters I went to when I was a kid, so seeing this brings back those joyous memories. And this priceless memory is added (usually subconsciously) into the ticket price, especially when person is assessing whether the ticket price is worth it. Way to go Lifeline Theatre!!
The Obamas are Broadway-bound
According to Politico.com:
The Obamas will fly to New York City Saturday to take in a performance of the August Wilson play Joe Turner’s Come and Gone [NY Times review], which chronicles African Americans’ search for identity after the end slavery. Details weren’t provided on the weekend public schedule, which said only that the Obamas would pay a “personal visit to New York City.
Productions info after the fold.
“Mary Poppins” cast to perform at Petterino’s
Cast members from Broadway in Chicago’s Mary Poppins will be participating in Petterino’s “Monday Night Live” on Monday, June 8 at 7:30 PM. From the press release:
The place will be “hoppin” when Petterino’s (150 N. Dearborn St.), located in the heart of the Theater District, presents guests singers from the cast of Mary Poppins, currently playing at the neighboring Cadillac Palace Theatre, at its “Monday Night Live” on Monday, June 8 beginning at 7:30 p.m.
The popular “open mic” weekly evening of talent is co-hosted by Denise McGowan and Beckie Menzie. Guests can enjoy the performance while sipping cocktails and enjoying Petterino’s lighter menu of appetizers, sandwiches and salads, as well as the full menu.
A $15 per person dining minimum is required for a table at “Monday Night Live.” Reservations are recommended but not required and can be made by calling Petterino’s at 312-422-0150
Polly Carl – Steppenwolf’s first DAD (Director of Artistic Development)
Polly Carl, Producing Artistic Director of the Playwrights’ Center of Minneapolis, will join the Steppenwolf staff in the newly-created position of Director of Artistic Development:
“We are delighted to have Polly Carl join the artistic team at Steppenwolf Theatre,” comments Steppenwolf Artistic Director Martha Lavey. “In her newly-created position, Polly will be overseeing our new play development efforts and spearheading our work on the artistic initiatives facilitated through our grants from the Duke and Mellon Foundations. These initiatives, dedicated to cultivating a new generation of artists and audiences and creating transparency in the process of new play development, will continue our engagement with audiences in the public square of Steppenwolf . We are honored to be able to welcome a leader of Polly’s acumen and experience to Steppenwolf and look forward to the contribution she will make to Steppenwolf and to Chicago ,” adds Lavey.
Polly K. Carl Ph.D. is one of the nation’s foremost experts in the field of new play development. She has served for eleven years at the Playwrights’ Center – the last seven as Artistic Director. Under her leadership, the Center has grown from a local playwrights’ service organization to a national hub for playwrights, theater artists and theater companies that write, develop and produce new work. Carl has sat on numerous boards, panels and committees including the Steinberg Advisory Committee to select their distinguished playwright award-the Mimi, the NEA Theater panel, the MAP Fund panel, and the board of Ten Thousand Things Theatre. Her Ph.D. in Comparative Studies in Discourse and Society with an emphasis on performance theory is from the University of Minnesota .
Best of luck to Ms. Carl!
Review: Court Theatre’s “The Piano Lesson”
Blossoming with music, Court’s ‘Piano Lesson’ mixes family tensions and struggles with a dash of the paranormal.
The Piano Lesson
Reviewed by Barry Eitel
Watching Court Theatre’s production of “The Piano Lesson,” by August Wilson, I couldn’t help comparing it to “The Cherry Orchard.”, by Anton Chekov. Although the play is distinctively American, elements in the Pulitzer Prize-winner are very similar to Anton Chekhov’s masterpiece. Set in 1936, characters descended from slaves attempt to move up in the world as the sons of plantation owners join the ranks of the rural poor; Wilson’s Boy Willie is sort of a black Lopakhin. Directed by Wilson veteran Ron OJ Parson, the Court’s “Piano Lesson” is a very effective snapshot of the American experience, with a tantalizing ghost story weaved in.
Along with “Wait Until Dark,” this is the second production in the Court’s season that has features of a thriller flick. The fourth entry in Wilson’s “Pittsburgh Cycle” but the fifth to be written, “The Piano Lesson” records family tension and the African-American struggle in the 20th Century with a dash of the paranormal.
Like most of the cycle, the central conflict pits progressing in the modern world against reverence for the past. This conflict is symbolized by a beautiful piano that has a haunting presence around it. The piano is inherited to siblings Boy Willie (the lively Ronald L. Conner) and Berneice (Tyla Abercrumbie), with the former wishing to sell it to buy land and the latter fighting to keep the ancestral instrument. It is slowly revealed that piano has cost a lot of blood over its lifetime, and a few of the deceased may have followed the piano to Berneice’s home in Pittsburgh.
Although no one actually teaches a piano lesson, the production blossoms with music. Mournful jazz numbers are played by musician Wining Boy (Alfred H. Wilson), and Boy Willie lays down a short dancehall tune. One of the best scenes of the play is when nearly all of the male characters join together in a powerful, rhythmic work song. Just like the piano, the music is a child of the characters’ heritage, offering them (and the audience) an escape, a celebration, and a shared experience. The songs are brilliantly scripted and nailed by this talented cast, tapping deep into the underlying themes.
The cast shines with many experienced August Wilson actors, many of whom have been in productions of “Piano Lesson” across the country. Conner is an energetic and stubborn Boy Willie, bristling with youthful drive. He’s grounded by his friend Lymon, played by a charismatic Brian Weddington. The older generation in the play, Alfred H. Wilson’s funny Wining Boy and A.C. Smith as the peacekeeping Doaker, add a deeper level of humanity to the play and present a welcome break from Boy Willie’s and Berneice’s constant bickering.
The fighting between the siblings is where the production falters. The battle quickly stalemates and the repeated arguments loose focus. Abercrumbie’s cold portrayal of Berneice doesn’t help, either. It seems like the production wants the play to be Berneice’s story, but Conner’s Boy Willie is much more interesting and sympathetic. Another stumbling block for the play is the character of Grace (Alexis J. Rogers), Boy Willie’s and Lymon’s 10-second love interest that doesn’t seem to have much of a point for the story.
Parson’s interpretation of the script, though, is layered and gives credence to both sides of the conflict. The realistic heart of the play, the music, and the campfire ghost story aspects are all well-realized. Keith Pitts’ set is intricate and allows for plenty of play for the actors. The physical presence of the paranormal is fascinatingly done, and the titular piano is elaborately detailed. The ghosts are far from a hokey gimmick. The invisible characters that encroach on the family’s struggle illuminate Wilson’s themes of family, tradition, and connection to the past.
Rating: «««
Other reviews of The Piano Lesson: TimeOut Chicago, SteadStyle Chicago
Cast List and Creative Team – after the fold…
Theater Thursday: Promethean’s “Measure for Measure”
Theater Thursday, May 28th
Measure for Measure by William Shakespeare
Promethean Theatre Ensemble at City Lit Theater
1020 W. Bryn Mawr Ave., Chicago (map)
Join Promethean before their intriguing new take on the Bard’s classic play to sample tasty baked sweets provided by Flourish Bakery Cafe. At 8 p.m. your entertainment begins: the company’s bold rethinking of the story of Isabella, who must choose between yielding to a corrupt ruler’s advances or sacrificing her brother’s life. Afterwards, the audience will have a chance to connect with cast member and other artistic staff, pose questions and share reactions in a discussion.
Event begins at 7 p.m. Show begins at 8 p.m.
TICKETS ONLY $20
For reservations call 773.305.2897 and mention “Theater Thursdays.”
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All Theater Thursday postings sponsored by this fine entertainment accessory retailer.
