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Dance Sensation Juel D. Lane Thursday in Atlanta

2012 May 7

 

One of the most sensational choreographers this side of anywhere will host “A Night of Choreography with Juel D. Lane and Friends” on Thursday, May 10 at the Southwest Performing Arts Center in Atlanta.

Not since seeing Twyla Tharp’s “Come Fly With Me” have I been so blown away by dance. Like Tharp, Lane mixes modern, ballet, African and hip-hop styles, and each dance seems to tell its own story.

Thursday, Lane will present two of his dances, one performed by The Atlanta Ballet and one by The University of North Carolina School of the Arts. Other choreographers include Camille A. Brown, the current choreographer for “A Streetcar Named Desire” on Broadway; Ja’Malik of Balletboy Productions based in NYC; Kristin Taylor of KT Collective from Durham, North Carolina; Rachel Sherertz, freelance choreographer from Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Ursula Kendall Johnson of “SHE, Created It” in Atlanta; Meredith A. Moore, professor at Spelman College; and Daryl Foster of “LIFT” based in Atlanta.

Lane says, “This show will feel like a huge party with different choreographic styles.”

Lane’s dancers present graceful and quirky theatrical snippets of life, and have performed in grocery stores, bedrooms, retail outlets and rooftops. Click on the link to the above video to see what I’m talking about. Even if you’re not a dance fan, it will be hard to avert your eyes.

‘Always . . .Patsy Cline’ at The Onstage Playhouse in Monroe

2012 April 26

Deb Clark and Caroline Boyd Monroe; Photo: MagicStar Photography

Only a six-year career, yet she’s still a star. Although Patsy Cline died in 1963 in a plane crash, you can hear country singer-songwriter Caroline Monroe Boyd cover more than 20 of her songs in “Always . . . Patsy Cline” at The Onstage Playhouse in Monroe, Ga.

Boyd headlines as Patsy Cline with Deb Clark, who plays her friend and manager, Louise Seger. Based on the true story of these two friends, Louise recants the tale of how they met and the two relive their times together.

Boyd rings out some killer sounds on “Love Sick Blues” and on “Shake, Rattle and Roll.” And Clark shines in a few comedic scenes, especially when she’s emulating a tobacco-chewing gruff club manager and a woman bawling over dog-men.

The backup band features Harriet Kilpatrick, piano; Dylan Wheeler, guitar; Charles Sewell, bass guitar; John Garner, fiddle; and Chuck Lambert, drums.

Written by Ted Swindley and directed by Steven Johnson, “Always . . . Patsy Cline” runs Fridays and Saturdays through May 5 at The Onstage Playhouse.

‘A Wrinkle in Time’ at Theatrical Outfit

2012 April 23

Emma Jackson and Andrew Crigler

Many a child’s favorite book, “A Wrinkle in time,” comes to life in John Glore’s adaptation now playing at Theatrical Outfit.

Reminiscent of Rod Serling’s “The Twilight Zone,” takes three youngsters–Meg (Emma Jackson), her little brother, Charles Wallace (Andrew Crigler) and her new friend Calvin (Lowrey Brown) on a trip to rescue the siblings father who is on another planet.

As usual, Kate Donadio, who plays the siblings’ mother and Aunt Beast, is stupendous, but what was really surprising, is that every actor in the cast was really good.

Kudos to Anna Michalle Tucker for outstanding  creative costumes, especially her Aunt Beast, who looks like a mix between an exceedingly tall ET, with giraffe-like legs and an ostrich head.

Novel by Madeleine L’Engle, stage adaption by John Glore, directed by Justin Anderson, “A Wrinkle in Time” runs through May 6 at Theatrical Outfit.

Cast includes Mark Cabus as the father and Marianne Fraulo as Mrs. Whatsit.

 

Dave Douglas and the GSU Jazz Band
Play the Rialto

2012 April 17


One of the greatest and most diversified jazz trumpeters today, Dave Douglas, will perform with the Georgia State Jazz Band at the Rialto Center for the Arts this Friday. Click on the video above to hear the music of this prolific player.

Douglas has developed his own work for several unique ensembles with whom he’s currently active: the Dave Douglas Quintet, Keystone, Brass Ecstasy, and the Sound Prints Quintet with Joe Lovano, Lawrence Fields, James Genus and Joey Baron.

As well as playing his own compositions, Douglas plays tunes from a disparate group of artists–Stravinsky, Ornette Coleman, Rufus Wainwright, Hank Williams, Otis Redding–and puts a soulful seductive twist on them.

Earlier in his career, after studying at the Berklee School of Music and later NYU, he played with John Zorn’s Masada, Jon Faddis, Jimmy Heath and Horace Silver.

The two-time Grammy Award-nominated composer and trumpeter has been named “Artist of the Year” by the New York Jazz Awards, Down Beat, Jazz Times, Jazziz, and the Italian Jazz Critics’ Society. He has also been the recipient of a Guggenheim Fellowship, the Aaron Copland award and the Mid Atlantic Arts Foundation’s Jazz.NEXT grant.

Douglas performs Friday, April 20 at 8 p.m. at the Rialto Center for the Arts and will lead a free master class Friday at 3 p.m. in Room 002 of the Rialto Center (basement level, entrance on Forsyth Street) in downtown Atlanta.

Tickets range from $22-$48 (Georgia State students may receive 1/2 price tickets with ID) and are available in person at the Rialto Center Box Office, by calling 404-413-9849 or online at www.rialtocenter.org. Free parking is provided for this event at the Equitable Building deck on Fairlie Street.

Read my earlier review of Douglas’s album Spirit Moves here.

‘Hidden Man’ at 7 Stages

2012 March 24
Malcolm Campbell-Taylor and Adam Fiddler
Malcolm Campbell-Taylor and Adam Fiddler

Tthis is the last weekend to see award-winning playwright Pamela Turner’s  latest spectacle “Hidden Man” at 7 Stages.

Closeted punk rock gay artist Robert Sherer (Malcolm Campbell-Taylor) works with Rev. Howard Fenster (George Contini) in his Paradise Gardens. Based on the true story of both of these artists, the play is an esoteric maelstrom of Sherer’s affair with his lover and his close relationship with the ultra conservative, religious reverand.
 
An Associate Professor of Art at Kennesaw State University, Sherer lived and worked with Fenster in the 1980s. Playwrignt Russell Blackmon conducted a series of interviews with Sherer and worked with Turner to write the play.
Campbell-Taylor gives a stand-out and believable performance as the young, angry and depressed artist.
 
Written by Pamela Turner with Russell Blackmon, directed by Del Hamilton, “Hidden Man” runs through Sunday at 7 Stages.
 
Cast:
Jordan Harris
Adam Fiddler
Victoria L. Bennett

Atlanta Ballet Walks the Line to The Man in Black

2012 March 23


Roll over Beethoven. Atlanta Ballet is kicking up its heels to tunes by Johnny Cash, Jean Sibelius and  Quentin “E.Q.” Johnson.

The Man in Black , a compilation of three distinct works by three stand-out choreographers, runs this weekend at the Cobb Energy Centre.

The Man in Black – Choreography by James Kudelka, Music by Johnny Cash

James Kudelka, the former artistic director of the National Ballet of Canada, channels Johnny Cash in a tribute titled “The Man in Black.” It features heart-tugging, gallant, humorous choreography over an adventurous suite of Cash’s hits and hidden gems. Dancers even don cowboy boots as a nod to Cash’s country roots.

A 2010 Dance Magazine review called the piece “ingenious.” “One of the finest works I’ve seen this season,” said writer Steve Sucato.  “In smartly crafted and marvelously danced vignettes, Kudelka tied his choreography to the emotions expressed in Cash’s music.”

1st Flash – Choreography by Jorma Elo, Music by Jean Sibelius

Power, energy and athleticism are paramount in Finnish choreographer Jorma Elo’s ultra-modern “1st Flash.”

A former hockey goalie, Elo’s dance career began on the ice when he turned to ballet to improve his flexibility and found he was quite good. Elo has now become one of the most sought-after choreographers in the business and was even singled out as a “talent to follow” by Anna Kisselgoff in her 2004 Year in Review for The New York Times.

A daring physicality infiltrates his works, which are characterized by movements that swivel precariously off-kilter, only to resume balance with total grace and control.

Moments of Dis – Choreography by Juel D. Lane, Music by Quentin “E.Q.” Johnson

A product of metro Atlanta’s Tri-Cities High School, Juel D. Lane has become a mainstay of the city’s burgeoning dance scene.

His work – as a dancer and choreographer – has appeared on major stages around the country. Lane’s world premiere “Moments of Dis will be the first main-stage foray for Atlanta Ballet.

In this number, Lane examines the implications of the prefix “dis”: “Sometimes we become disillusioned, disrespectful, or dishonest with our personal choices in life,” said Lane. “When we start to discern what the truth is, we can truly explore and manage our psyche.”

Lane describes his style of movement as very physical with a flare of hip hop and modern dance. The choreography is set to music by fellow Atlantan Quentin “EQ” Johnson. “We wanted to go with a house style rhythm for the first section – really groovy – to capture the essence of discombobulated,” explained Lane. “The second section is really mellow, and has an acute feel for discipline.  The third section is up-tempo, very funky and blends catchy rhythms together to produce discernment.”

The Man In Black runs for four performances Friday, March 23 – Sunday, March 25 at the Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre. Tickets start as low as $20.  Call the Ticketmaster Arts Line at (404) 817-8700, stop by a Ticketmaster outlet or the Cobb Energy Centre Box Office.  To order on-line, visit www.atlantaballet.com.  Groups of ten or more may call Atlanta Ballet Group Sales at (404) 873-5811 ext. 207.

 

‘I Just Stopped By to See the Man’
Playing at The Hertz Theatre

2012 March 22
Charles Bevel and Dieterich Gray; Photo: Jeff Roffman

Charles Bevel and Dieterich Gray; Photo: Jeff Roffman

Not for blues lovers only, “I Just Stopped By to See the Man”  stands out for its interesting storyline and talented cast.

To increase his lagging popularity, a white British rock musician tries to exploit the talents of an old forgotten black blues player from Mississippi. Perhaps not too far from some truthful accounts, this fictional story is brought  to life at the Hertz Theatre.

The play, which takes place in the Mississippi Delta in the 1970s, mixes drama, comedy and just a couple of blues numbers, but in no way is it a Musical. British rock musician Karl (Dieterich Gray) plays guitar well and whips up images of Russell Brand, donning tight cranberry, velvety bell bottoms with a matching jacket. He’ll make you laugh and cringe. Gray has performed at Yale Repertory, the Goodman Theatre and this same role at Steppenwolf.

Jesse (Charles Bevel), who sold his soul to the devil to play guitar, faked his death 14 years ago to exorcise that demon. Since then, he has refrained from playing the blues as over time it became the source of his pain. Jesse appears to be the real thing, an original blues musician born in the early 1900s who likely can’t even write. When his college educated daughter, Della (Bakesta King), asks him to write a note to Karl, he asks her to write it. (In 1981 at a concert in New York, I asked Big Joe Turner to sign the album I had just purchased from him. He drew an “X.”)

Part of the reason Bevel is so believable as Jesse is that he is a native of the Mississippi Delta, he’s a blues musician–he has opened concerts for Taj Mahal and B.B. King–and he’s  a seasoned actor who has appeared on Broadway.

Written by Stephen Jeffreys and directed by Ron OJ Parson, “I Just Stopped By to See the Man” runs through April 8 at the Hertz Stage at the Alliance Theatre.

See the comedic Gray and hear musician “Mississippi Charles Bevel.”

 

‘The Motherf**ker With the Hat’ at Actors Express

2012 March 19

Randy Cohlmia and Denise Arribas; Photo Mark DeLong

Actor’s Express has opened “The Motherf**ker With the Hat,” which premiered on Broadway last year with Chris Rock playing the role of Ralph.

Neal A. Ghant slips into that role beautifully in this production along with a handful of other fine actors.

Two volatile brawling New Yawk couples  with alcohol and drug problems trying to straighten their lives out can’t seem to stop fighting, lying and betraying one another. Welcome to darkness with an ex-convict, drug addicts and a deceitful, self righteous AA sponsor.

Epithets fly as the women spar with their mates and men spar with one another.

F you and your F’in #*@ and your F’in mother!

If you’re ready for a rough and tumble evening of theater, this one’s for you. A nice group of actors does a good job with this. I don’t know how funny Chris Rock was in this show, but when the somewhat effeminate character Cousin Julio (Luis Hernandez) rubs seductive circles on Ralph’s chest as he threatens him with violence, you will laugh your a** off!

Written by Stephen Adly Guirgis and directed by Freddie Ashley, “The Motherf**ker With the Hat” runs through April 14 at Actor’s Express.

Cast:

Veronica-Denise Arribas

Jackie-Randy Cohlmia

Victoria- Stacy Melich


 

 

 

 

‘Billly Elliott’ at the Fox Theatre March 13-18

2012 March 12


Oh, boy! Here it is, the show I’ve been dying to see since it rocked me out of my chair while watching the Tony Awards in 2009! “Billy Elliott the Musical”  ended up winning 10 Tony Awards, including one for Best Musical.

The play, adapted from the 2000 film “Billy Elliott,” is about an 11-year-old boy who struggles to become a dancer. His father, a coal miner who is out on strike during the 1984-1985 UK miners strike,  forbids him to take ballet and encourages him to take boxing lessons.  Against the odds, Billy struggles to pursue his dream of becoming a dancer in spit of his father’s wishes.

When Sir Elton John saw the film “Billy Elliott” screened at the Cannes Film Festival, he was so touched by Billy’s struggles–which he has said resembled his own personal struggles growing up–he began writing the music for “Billy Elliott the Musical.”

The musical has been playing in London consistently since 2005, and my mother said the Broadway show she saw was phenomenal.

The national touring company coming to the Fox Theatre played in Miami earlier this month, and the Miami Herald raved about it.

Music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, choreography by Peter Darling and direction by Stephen Daldry, the show runs at the Fox Theatre through March 18.

 

 

 

‘Jersey Boys’ Returns to the Fox Theatre

2012 February 20


Take it from Late Night With David Letterman band leader Paul Shaffer, who had seen “Jersey Boys” three times in its first year alone on Broadway, this is a show not to be missed. Out of all the shows I’ve seen in the past couple of years, there are less than a handful I’d see again this year. But I could not be more thrilled that “Jersey Boys” is coming back to Atlanta’s Fox Theatre.

Originally I was reluctant about seeing this show when I went a couple of years ago. I imagined a sappy, flat, dull script about Frankie Valli and corny songs. But from the moment the lights went up on the cast, I knew it was going to be terrific. The stage and the cast had that rare energy that was electrifying. The play floated seamlessly as it moved from scene to scene with more drama and more obstacles, enveloping me each step of the way. I don’t know when I have cared so much for so many characters.

Whether this cast is going to be as stellar as the one here in Atlanta in 2009, remains to be seen. But I’m getting my tickets now.

You can see my earlier review here.

“Jersey Boys” will play in Atlanta at the Fox Theatre May 22-June 10.
On sale now, ticket prices start at $28 and are available through the Fox Theatre Box Office, Ticketmaster outlets, online at BroadwayinAtlanta or by phone at 1-800-982-2787.