Fame or Famine

It worked for the Medicis & Michelangelo. It even worked for Laurie Anderson and Larry Ellison, I believe. It’s a system of supporting the arts that is not public-funded, and therefore not subject to the vagaries and whims of the hoi-polloi.
It’s the literal term “patron of the arts,” meaning not so much someone who just frequently visits them, but actually takes steps to actively support them. Instead of the whim of the public eye and politicians screaming “save the children!” it’s the whim of the benefactor with the deep pockets.
Selling out? Maybe, but I should be so lucky as to …read more

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A Los Angeles based film production company has recently collaborated with a non-profit artist org, United States Artists, to work on a new video program featuring artists and their artwork throughout the U.S. The latest video streaming through the Web features Choreographer and Artistic Director of LINES Ballet in San Francisco, Alonzo King.

In an effort to share artists’ work around the globe, United States Artists (USA) and film company City Projects introduce Encounter: USA Fellows featuring video shorts profiling artists and their work. Unique in tone and content, each video provides a glimpse of the creative process.
United States Artists …read more

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AAADT: NEWS FROM THE ROAD AS 50TH ANNIVERSARY YEAR IS SET TO LAUNCH: On a 27-city tour, the company has critics raving “The Ailey troupe is one of few companies constantly capable of attracting viewers new to dance, and making converts of them.” Click for the AAADT North American Tour Schedule.
AILEY II GEARS UP FOR PERFORMANCES AT THE JOYCE THEATER: April 30-May 8, 2008, the Ailey II company program will include four New York City premieres including Fragile by French choreographer Stephane Boko, The External Knot by Ailey II’s Associate Artistic Director Troy Powell, Christopher Huggins’ …read more

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I can’t be right all the time. In fact, apparently in this case I’m not right any of the time – I had thought that Penn Jillette would last longer than Adam Carolla, but it was not to be. Last night in the elimination round of Dancing With the Stars, Penn and his partner Kym Johnson ended up going home.
As much as I admire the man’s performing skills (seriously, he is one of my idols) I have to say that…they were right. It is not that he couldn’t learn to be a great and graceful dancer – it’s just that …read more

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I realize that I may seem a little obsessed about Mary Poppins right now, strange during Dancing With the Stars season, but it is necessary. I’m crestfallen at Penn Jillette’s abysmal scores, his massive feet not as fleet as I’d hoped. There is some satisfaction at Adam Carolla’s similarly abysmal performance, but it doesn’t quite make up for it.
A Spoonful of Sugar
Which is why Broadway.com’s essay by Gavin Lee about his first two years on Broadway in the role of Bert makes me happy. A veteran of the London production, he reshaped the role for a Broadway audience and seemed …read more

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Don’t get your hopes up, as I did. It was just a backstage benefit/tribute honoring Disney Studio executive Robert Iger and star Annette Bening. The focus was entirely on them that night at the Geffen Playhouse in Chicago.
Still, there is something very poignant and wonderful about Julie Andrews (who chaired the event) and Dick Van Dyke being in the same theatre. All the moreso when Van Dyke chooses to get up on the stage and reprise Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious with Ashley Brown and Sierra Boggess, stars of the current Disney Broadway shows Mary Poppins and The Little Mermaid.
Apparently he even kept a …read more

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Just gotta gush a little here: a while back I mentioned that my girlfriend is singing lead in a lesbian musical called PULP put on by StageQ.
Well, the excellent writers over at Dane101.com have gone to the musical and have given their own review. And with apologies to my content editor, who hates it when I use block quotes (which is why, I’ll point out, I usually don’t) I’m going to include the full gush about my lady’s performance:
“Dana Pellebon’s sultry jazz numbers, as Vivian, sparkle. She literally sneaks up on you at the start of the second scene and …read more

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In what has got to be the oddest venue I’ve ever heard of, a group of actors are performing an award-winning play in the Bethesda Terrace bathrooms in Central park.
The appropriately-named Ladies & Gents, by Irish playwright Paul Walker, is actual more topical than it had expected to be. It’s about pious politicians who dally in prostitution on the side – set in Dublin of the 1950’s.
 Why a bathroom? Well, why not? The space is “intimate, unpretentious, and uncomfortable,” which I guess is a good thing…”There’s a reason plays aren’t put on in bathrooms all the time — you have …read more

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The Windy City has a strange batch of theatrical bedfellows coming up in the new season of the Chicago Shakespeare Theatre. Located on the historic Navy Pier in the shadow of the famous ferris wheel, the season is titled “A Season of Rivalry and Revelry.”
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From William to Willy
Really, need you go further than Shakespeare for either rivalry or revelry? The usual suspects are there from the bard:

Macbeth
Twelfth Night
Much Ado About Nothing (done hip-hop style, believe it or not)
A Midsummer Night’s Dream
Sweet William (a play about Shakespeae and his works)

There …read more

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While my attention is happily distracted by the joy of Dancing with the Stars (it’s interesting! It’s exciting! I can like Bruno and Carrie again!) there is some news from the original reality/talent show American Idol:
 
MARIAH CAREY, DOLLY PARTON, NEIL DIAMOND AND ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER TO MENTOR FINALISTS AND PERFORM ON “AMERICAN IDOL”
Whaddaya mean, “mentor”?
Apparently the stars will help guide the finalists through the final few weeks of American Idol, and even perform live on the show. While I can see some crass commercialism here – Dollie Parton’s recent album, Backwoods Barbie, certainly won’t suffer from this added exposure, and …read more

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