Fame or Famine

We’ve had our own insight into the brave dedication of the cast of Beirut’s High School Musical, including the gracious input of Milia Ayache, whose sister Rania plays Sharpay Evans. But ABC news has also taken note, and draws a correlation between the theme of the performance and the fact that literally during the performance the warring factions that caused the strife were agreeing to put aside their weapons in favor of talking over their differences.
There was another part of the article, a minor part, that I found very interesting from a theatrical point of view. Apparently, when the streets …read more

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“I just saw the production; it premiered tonight after being postponed due to the recent hostilities in the county. My sister plays Sharpay Evans and it was thrilling to be able to watch it in the midst of such an ugly national crisis – very emotional.” That’s the comment that Milia Ayache, from Lebanon, left in answer to my entry about a “Multi-cultural High School Musical.”
Milia also directed me to the event profile on Facebook, which I have happily added to my profile (though I don’t think I’ll be able to make it, sorry). Theatre de Mazitou, the production house …read more

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People are missing the point.

photo used with permission: FinalPixxx/Newscom
There’s a lot of buzz out there about a recent photo shoot that Julianne Moore did with Annie Liebovitz. The subject was Disney’s The Little Mermaid, and the copper-haired beauty was perched on a rock complete with a large rubber tail. Ms. Liebovitz has been doing a series of portraits like this, with people like Jessica Biels as Pocahontas. “It is about bringing great stories to life,” Leibovitz has been quoted as saying. “Working with great actors – these are stories that they know. It’s embedded in them. And when they …read more

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Image details: Opening Of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s “The Woman in White” – After Party served by picapp.com

Trevor Nunn (director of Les Mis, among others) has set his sights on the American Civil War and a musical adaptation of Margaret Mitchell’s Gone with the Wind. With an ensemble cast including veterans of Chicago and Guys & Dolls and a slew of other Broadway hits, it really seems destined for a fantastic opening tonight at the New London Theatre. No word yet as to when it will travel across the waves, but my girlfriend is going to the UK for a wedding …read more

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This blog is a bit of a balancing act. I try to cover general performing arts, and that’s a wide spectrum; so you end up with one day me talking about plays in London, another day about popular culture like Dancing with the Stars, and another day about the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre celebrating its 50th anniversary.
And then you have days like today, when I can talk about how the Alvin Ailey Dance Theatre performed part of its signature ballet Revelations on Dancing with the Stars. I have to say, this is one of the best …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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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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No, this is not some weird new musical, this is exactly what I’m saying it is: sex workers in western Maharashtra, India, have spent over a month taking acting lessons and then putting together a play about their lives.
Entitled  My Mother, the Gharwali, Her Maalak, His Wife, the play has the avowed message that “We too are human beings like you, and this is a profession like any other.” The play opens March 18, to portray the people who interact with the sex workers in everyday life.
“We are also humans” 
“We sell our bodies to earn money,” says Sangeeta, a sex …read more

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Dancer, Choreographer, Former U.S. Marine, and founder of the Giordano Dance Company of Chicago died yesterday morning of pneumonia. He was 84. One of the great pioneers of jazz dance in this country, he studied with Hanya Holm, Katherine Dunham and Alwin Nikolais, as well as appearing on Broadway in Wish You Were Here and Paint Your Wagon.
Semper Fi, Gus, and thank you.

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PULP, a musical spoofing 1950s novels stereotyping lesbian romance, 3/7-29, Bartell Theatre, showing at 7:30 pm Thursdays ($10) and 8 pm Fridays-Saturdays ($15). 661-9696 ext. 3
When: 03/07/08
Cost: $15/$10
Call: 661-9696
Email: pulp@stageq.com
More Information:
Singing Lesbians to set up Camp in March
Musical satire of 1950s Pulp Romance Novels opens March 7th
StageQ, Inc, the local not-for-profit LGBTQ Theater Company announces the musical comedy “Pulp” to run March 7 – March 29, 2008 at the Bartell Theater, 113 E. Mifflin Street in Madison.
“Pulp,” is a “comedy with music” spoofing the lurid 1950s novels of over-the-top stereotypes of lesbian romance. Everything from …read more

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