The Harry Potter Film series may have come to an end, but before it did the movie magic of Harry Potter made a pit stop at Discovery Times Square. I have yet to see all the films, but even a muggle novice like me can appreciate the lavish details it took to bring the J.K. Rowling series to the big screen. After touring Hogwarts, I wanted to get a wand and cast a spell. Abracadabra!
To view F.A.M.E NYC’s review, click https://famenycmagazine.com/2011/04/09/gettin%E2%80%99-muggle-wit-it/.
The season of Project Runway All Stars is underway and one of its brightest alums had an awesome 2011. That’s right, can you say…say…Siriano? He may not be New York born, but he’s definitely New York made. Commercials for Pay Less….a great showing at Lincoln Center, this kid is well on his way to becoming a fashion all-star.
To read F.A.M.E NYC’s full article about Christian Siriano, click https://famenycmagazine.com/2011/11/06/a-siriano-state-of-mind/.
Last year I visited more art shows than exhibit openings. The one I found most interesting was the last. The second annual Contemporary Art Fair NYC was great blending of art in different mediums.
To read F.A.M.E NYC’s full review of Contemporary Art Fair NYC, click https://famenycmagazine.com/2011/11/19/arts-crafts-and-more-at-the-contemporary-art-fair-nyc/.
Happy New Year FAMERS! I hope the first two weeks of 2012 have been marvelous for all of you. And it is my sincerest wish that all the resolutions and goals you have set for yourself are achieved. Last year I was the first time I felt the true speed of time. It seemed as if I had just been toasting the year in when it was time for beach season; I blinked my eye and we were back at the holiday season again. Whew!
As I looked at the posts for 2011, I noticed that I lived in the theatre. Perhaps it was because last year I realized a goal and wrote the first play I intend to put into production (more to come with that little tidbit). And there is no way I could start the New Year without give you my Top of 2011. So, let’s take one last look at 2011 shall we?
The 2011-2012 season of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater marked a new chapter in its vivid, far-reaching history when Robert Battle took the helm. Battle, the second person to become Artistic Director for the company since the passing of its founder in 1989, officially began his tenure in July 2011 after Judith Jamison transitioned to the role of Artistic Director Emerita. Previous to her 21 years of brilliantly preserving Alvin Ailey and AAADT’s legacy, Jamison had indelibly woven her spirit into the fabric of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater. As Ailey’s former muse and principal dancer, the choice to have one of AAADT’s most famous faces assume the position of Artistic Director was obvious, but Battles roots with Ailey also run deep.
Battle has been a periodic choreographer and artist-in-residence at Ailey since 1999. The works he has choreographed include Anew, The Hunt, Juba, In/Side, Mood Indigo, Love Stories and Takedeme, with The Hunt, In/Side and Love Stories (a collaboration with Judith Jamison and Rennie Harris) included the company’s current repertory. Like Ailey, Battle also possesses a southern background growing up in Liberty City, Florida. He studied dance in high school before entering Miami’s New World School of the Arts and moving on to The Julliard School. He joined the Parsons Dance Company, dancing with them from 1994 to 2001. In 2002, he premiered his own company, Battleworks Dance Company, in Düsseldorf, Germany. Along with the works he created for AAADT, Battle has also created and restaged ballets for Hubbard Street Repertory Ensemble, River North Chicago Dance Company, Koresh Dance Company, Introdans, PARADIGM, and Ballet Memphis. In 2005, he was the recipient of the “Masters of African American Choreography” by the Kennedy Center for the Performing Art and received the Statue Award from the Princess Grace Foundation-USA in 2007.
Along with the changes Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s have experienced this season, the New York City Center, AAADT’s New York City performing home, has also undergone a reconstruction of its own. This year marked the completion of the most extensive renovation project in the theater’s 70 year history. The alterations included a video gallery located in the orchestra lobby and the restoration of the ceiling and mural designs. The vibrancy that is felt in the new New York City Center definitely resonated on stage as Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater passionately placed the exclamation point on Robert Battle’s inaugural season.
This season AAADT presents a intricate mosaic of works which includes the premieres of Battle’s Takedeme, a blistering progression of fast-paced movements and vigorous jumps set to the rhythms of an Indian Kathak dance and a jazz score, Minus 16, choreographed by Ohad Nahirin and Arden Court by Paul Taylor. Along with these company premieres, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater also included the world premiere of Home by Rennie Harris. Home, an inspirational homage to people living or affected by HIV set to gospel house music, was inspired by stories submitted to the “Fight HIV Your Way” contest, an initiative of Bristol-Myers Squibb. Ulysses Dove’s Episodes, the late choreographer’s visceral tribute to the people that had passed through his life with AIDS, also appeared in this season’s repertory.
Ailey staples such as Cry, Night Creature, Memoria and Revelations also made an appearance this year. Some people go to Paris for inspiration, others the Big Apple. But me, all I need is my annual dose of Ailey. For the first time since I could remember, I felt as if I was watching AAADT with a new set of eyes. Robert Battle’s influence felt extremely tangible and refreshing. I felt his exuberance in every performance I witnessed and especially in Revelations. Each time I view it, another discovery shines through. This time is was the joy; under the directorship of Battle, Revelations was more celebratory than it has ever been. The waves of reciprocity between the company and the audience circle around the theater like a boomerang. By the encore of “Rock My Soul in the Bosom of Abraham” all I wanted to do was throw my hands up and say, “Glory hallelujah!” The legacy of Alvin Ailey is in well deserved and capable hands. I am excited to view Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s future with Robert Battle commandeering the most veracious dance company to ever exist.
Photos: Andrew Eccles and Paul Kolnik, Nan Melville
In October2001, a musical made its Broadway debut at the legendary Winter Garden Theatre. It boogied onto U.S. shores in 2000 after conquering London and Toronto, first playing at San Francisco’s Orpheum Theatre, then moving on to Los Angeles’ Shubert Theatre and lastly playing Chicago’s Cadillac Palace before bursting onto The Great White Way and globe-trotting to theatres all over the world. The musical is based on a Swedish pop/dance group’s songbook, and if you have not guessed which musical I am referring to by now, I am talking about no other than Mamma Mia!, the international smash homage to ABBA.
ABBA, comprised of Bjorn Ulvaeus, Anni-Frid Lyngstad, Benny Andersson and Agnetha Faltskog, is one of the most successful groups in pop music history. They were consistent chart toppers before disbanding in 1982. The fourth best-selling music artists in the history of recorded music, ABBA sold over 370 million records worldwide and still sell approximately two to three million records per year. Mamma Mia! was first conceived by producer Judy Craymer after meeting Bjorn Ulvaeus and Benny Andersson in 1982. She believed ABBA’s “The Winner Takes It All” showcased the theatrical ability of their music. In 1997, Craymer enlisted Catherine Johnson to write the book and in 1998, Phyllida Lloyd signed on to be the show’s director. Mamma Mia! first premiered in the West End at the Prince Edward Theatre on April 6, 1999. In June 2004, it moved to the Prince of Wales Theatre, where it currently plays. Since its London debut, Mamma Mia! has marched through the international theatre community like General Sherman on methamphetamines. It even spawned a 2008 movie starring Meryl Streep, Pierce Brosnan, Colin Firth, Amanda Seyfried, Dominic Cooper and Christine Baranski.
The musical takes place on the Greek Island of Calicos. It is the day before 20-year-old Sophie’s wedding to Sky, her fiancé. Her mother Donna is the proprietor of a taverna. Before guests start arriving for the big day, Sophie confesses to her two best friends and bridesmaids that she has written letters to Sam, Bill, and Harry, the three men whom she believes could have fathered her. She has a longing to know where she comes from, and desires her father to walk her down the aisle. The only problem is she sent the letters under the guise of her mother and Donna has no idea that the three men will be coming to the wedding. Tanya and Rosie, Donna’s ex-bandmates, are also there to help relieve the shock after Donna’s romantic past leaps off the pages of her journal and back into her life. The wackiness that ensues after Sophie’s potential sperm donors arrive takes everyone through the changes of love and back and ends with a new beginning for Sophie and Donna, but not the one that either of them anticipated. And of course the music of ABBA takes the audience through the journey, telling the narrative better than the characters themselves. At the end of the show, the audience is treated with a super-sized ABBA encore with Donna, Tanya, Rosie, Sam, Bill and Harry performing “Dancing Queen”, “Mamma Mia, and “Waterloo” in ABBA-styled costumes.
A decade is long time for any production to stay on Broadway, especially considering the time in which the musical premiered. It had only been a month since 9/11 and the theatre community suffered tremendous losses due to the lack of tourists. Somehow, Mamma Mia! survived, perhaps it’s due to the music, which harkens back to an era where people felt free and orange alerts were non-existent. This musical has created a world-wide phenomenon that is rarely seen today; it is safe to say that this light-hearted nod to love and the music of ABBA could be the musical of the first decade of the new millennium – and it is not done yet. With 10 years on Broadway and no end in sight, Mamma Mia! is giving an early Christmas gift to ABBA fans with its first Winter Sale. All orchestra seats have been discounted, ranging from $49 to $79, for performances from January 9 through March 4. The ordering deadline is Christmas Eve so there is still time to take advantage of this opportunity. In addition to the Winter Sale, Two Boots is offering it variation of dinner and a show with its brand new Mamma Mia! pizza. Founded in the East Village by two indie filmmakers in 1987, Two Boots is a staple in New York City. Their Hell’s Kitchen location, 624 9th Avenue, is known for their pizzas named after entertainers, within walking distance of the theatre, Two Boots serves to be a great finishing touch to an ABBA-filled evening.
Mamma Mia! is touted as being the ultimate feel-good show and over 50 million people around the world seem to agree. I must admit it would be hard for anyone to walk into the Winter Garden Theatre with an attitude and not do a 180 upon walking out at the end of the show. You can not help it, one of those ABBA songs is gonna get ya’ and if the music does not do it, then the energy will. The audience is so lively, they will take you on their sequenced, bell bottom jumpsuit journey with them whether you like it or not. Even a disco novice will be clapping by the encore. The hawk approaches swiftly from around the corner; winter is almost here. FAMERS, liven up your winter doldrums with a hot slice of pizza and a cool show.
Photos: Bruce Glikas, Jenny Anderson, Serino Coyne
To purchase tickets for Mamma Mia!, click
http://mammamianorthamerica.com/land/wintersale/
To view Two Boots menu, click
Words…Words…Words, the foundation plays are built on. Playwrights use them to create characters, discourse and plots that become microcosms for life. Actors absorb words and give them a voice, emotion and the breath of life. Words are the foundation of the Broadway community, and no words have been as deliciously scripted as those coming to life eight times a week at the Golden Theatre – Seminar is a seductive, sagacious comedy that is at the head of Broadway’s fall 2011 class.
Kate, Martin, Douglas and Izzy are four aspiring writers that gather together in Kate’s rent stabilized palace for a workshop with Leonard, a world-renowned literary genius who happens to be a venom-spewing, unconscionable scapegrace. Each session with Leonard has the potential to end disastrously, but throughout the course of Leonard’s brutal verbal boot camp, the foursome learns about their art, each other and about Leonard. If I had to sum up this production with a grade, I would be compelled to give an A with as many pluses as I could fit on the page.
How ingenious for a playwright to pen a play about four fledging writers taking a writing seminar with the hopes of elevating their style and becoming the next darlings of the literary world; only to be orally gunned down like the McLaury brothers at the O.K. Corral by the very person they admire and seek to impress. Every writer, including myself, has a story like that, which is why Seminar is a play that will be close to the soul of every writer who views it. But this production is not just for writers, it is for anyone in any creative field. Seminar is sophisticated; there is no doubt about it. Although, Rebeck’s luscious script may require some audience members to bring a thesaurus with them when attending a performance, the word play is a critical component to its allure. Her attention to detail and phrasing creates a world of its own – a linguistic oasis that I thoroughly enjoyed basking in.
In fact, every detail of this play is sublime. The foundation Theresa Rebeck supplies is impeccable. David Zinn’s costume and set designs are descriptive and complimentary to the characters. The direction of Obie Award winner Sam Gold provides the subtle nuances the really allows the actors to shine in their characters. This may be his Broadway debut, but this veteran needed no introduction to the Great White Way, this will be the first of many Broadway shows that will benefit from his skill. Additional members of this production who are making their Broadway debuts are television and film star Jerry O’Connell, Hettienne Park and Hamish Linklater. O’Connell’s portrayl of the name dropping, pseudo intellectual Douglas is extremely entertaining. From the first blistering monologue, he proves he deserves to be on the stage and should be welcomed into the theater community with open arms. Hettienne Park is excellent as Izzy. She makes using sex as a means to achieving success extremely comical. Hamish Linklater is totally convincing as Martin, the tragic genius. O’Connell, Park and Linklater did not make a Broadway debut, they made a Broadway coup! Lily Rabe puts the feminine in feminist/poor little rich girl Kate. She is always a pleasure to watch.
Perhaps the greatest detail of the show is the return of Alan Rickman to Broadway. Whether he is Hans Gruber, the Metatron or the Sheriff of Nottingham, Rickman is nothing less than stupendous. No one can play a frosty, cheeky snob like he does. Watching Rickman exhibit his talent live is worth the price of admission and is a memory that is priceless. There is so much right with this show I doubt anyone could find a reason not to pass this play with flying colors. Words have never been wittier.
Photos: Jeremy Daniel
Marriage is an institution that heterosexuals constantly question – Is it antiquated? Why did I get married? Is there truly a happily ever after? When it comes to homosexuals, I believe only one question comes to mind when the subject of marriage is brought up – Why can I only marry in six states? Besides Washington D.C., Oregon’s Coquille and Washington State’s Suquamish Indian tribes, New York, Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Iowa are the only states in which same-sex marriage is legal. The movement to achieve marriage rights and benefits for homosexual couples in the US began in the early 70s and is still a hotbed political issue. Very often art uses real life situations as a muse to create a powerful piece of work that will provoke people to become inspired, think and be motivated enough to act. Such is the case with Standing on Ceremony the Gay Marriage Plays.
Standing on Ceremony is a compilation of nine plays that courageously, poignantly and hilariously attack the issue of gay marriage in America. The plays are written by Wendy MacLeod, Paul Rudnick, Jordan Harrison, Neil LaBute, Jose Rivera, Mo Gaffney and Doug Wright and are as unique as they are brilliant. Stage and screen veterans Beth Leavel, Richard Thomas, Mark Consuelos, Polly Draper, Craig Bierko and Harriet Harris passionately and exquisitely perform the material, taking the audience on a journey that spans the range of human emotion.
For me, what resonated more than the universal theme throughout the plays was the universal experiences that are the same for everyone whether heterosexual or homosexual. We all experience death, fear, head over heels affection, preconceived beliefs, bliss and outrage. Standing on Ceremony is by far one of the most relevant productions to hit the stage this millennium. It is The Normal Heart for this century. No one can view this production and not be moved.
A portion of ticket sales from each performance will go to Freedom to Marry and other organizations promoting marriage equality. Standing on Ceremony is playing at the Minetta Lane Theatre, located at 18 Minetta Lane east of 6th Avenue between 3rd Street and Bleecker. Buy a ticket and say, “You do too.”
Join Standing on Ceremony on Facebook and find out how to win a party for your party of 20, http://www.facebook.com/standingonceremony?sk=app_112053162216760.
Photos: Joan Marcus
Discovery Times Square has recreated the magical realm of Hogwarts. It has resurrected the secrets of the Titanic and Pompeii and has allowed Egypt’s boy king to have a starring role in heart of the Theater District. Currently, the large-scale exhibition center is bringing the world of forensics science right to New Yorker’s fingertips with CSI: The Experience.
Ever had the temptation to walk the grid of a homicide scene? Ever desire to play detective? Well, CSI: The Experience takes the game of whodunit to another level. It is the game of Clue on steroids. Gone is the notion that Professor Plum off the body with the candlestick as you roll dice and try to determine if your hypothesis is correct. CSI: The Experience is a true interactive murder mystery that is enjoyable for the entire family.
Before you get introduced to the crime scene, you receive a clipboard and sheet which you will use to record your findings. As new recruits, you receive a CSI vest and are briefed through a video featuring CSI: Crime Scene Investigation creator Anthony E. Zuiker and Dr. Gilbert “Gil” Grissom, played by William Petersen. After the video you and your class of neophytes are guided through one of three crime scenes. Each scene has five forensic lab stations and video messages from additional CSI: Crime Scene Investigation cast members as well as professional forensic experts all trying to assist you with the finding the poltroon that committed the heinous act, using the data you collect.
Totally engaging and enlightening, CSI: The Experience is by far the best exhibit I have witnessed at Discovery Times Square. Sure, it is fun and educational to peer at ancient artifacts and reflect how much humans have or have not changed since Eve bit the apple, but CSI: The Experience truly lives up to its name. You are not just walking through the exhibit; you are a part of the exhibit. CSI: The Experience is recommended for ages 12 and older. The video portions are presented in English and Spanish subtitles. CSI: The Experience has a limited run at Discovery Times Square, located at 226 West 44th Street, and is open Sunday – Wednesday from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and Thursday – Saturday from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. The average time to complete the exhibit is between 60 and 90 minutes.
For more information, visit DiscoveryTS.com/Exhibitions/CSI or www.CSIexhibit.com.
Photos courtesy of Edelman Public Relations
According to popular legend, Spanish explorer Ponce de Leon discovered the state of Florida while searching for the Fountain of Youth – the mythical spring said to promise longevity to anyone who drinks its waters. Tony Award-nominated director Kenny Leon appears to have found the secret for endurance on Broadway – choose to work with impeccable playwrights and extraordinary actors. When asked about his selection processes on choosing which plays he will work with, Leon states, “When I choose a project to spend time with, I first have to make sure that it will make a contribution to the world. At one time, in my career I had to say yes to anything and now I ask myself, ‘Is me doing this project going to make a difference? Is it going to touch people’s lives?’ I pray on it and wait for the answer to come back. Then I usually move forward with it knowing that it’s not what the critics say about it, it’s what the people say about it.”
Leon definitely has the ear of the people and the critics. Early this fall Leon’s brilliance was seen on Broadway when playwright Katori Hall’s The Mountaintop brought new meaning to the term British Invasion. After having a successful run on London’s West End, the play that provides a fictional account of the night before Dr. King’s assassination is now playing at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre with Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett in the lead roles and Kenny Leon as director. The play has been a hit with critics and audiences alike. One might have found the notion of tackling Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. as subject matter for a stage production an insurmountable task, but Katori, Leon, Jackson and Bassett wove a new stitch in the tapestry of Dr. King’s legacy with out blemishing the fabric of the man or his dream. “Originally when I received the offer to do [The Mountaintop] my first thought was I didn’t want to do anything that was destructive of the iconic nature of Dr. King. My agent said it’s about Dr. King and a sexy maid, and it’s like wait a minute,” he says. “Then I said to myself, if it’s a fictitious account it might work, but if it’s trying to be realistic then that may not work. Then when I read the script, what really convinced me was how I felt at the end. At the end of the script I knew Dr. King was a man who loved his family, who loved his wife, who loved his country and who loved God and those were the things that brought me to it because those were the things that uplifted Dr. King. And Katori had a way of making this man be human but at the same time showing those values that made him great.”
This Thanksgiving, Leon will have two plays on the Great White Way. Stick Fly began previews November 18, and has a scheduled opening date for December 8. Written by Lydia R. Diamond and produced by Alycia Keys, the play stars Ruben Santiago-Hudson, Tracie Thoms, Mekhi Phifer, Dule Hill, Rosie Benton and Condola Rashad and is about a family that comes to terms with themselves one weekend on Martha’s Vineyard. Right after The Mountaintop debuted on Broadway, Leon was hard at work at the Cort Theatre helping to bring this script to life. “Stick Fly is such a great project because Lydia Diamond is such a great writer,” he says. She is an intelligent writer and she’s very funny.”
Leon is widely known as one of the foremost African American directors, with the majority of his acclaim coming from the projects he has done on stage. And it seems to me that Leon has charted a course that keeps him loyal to the theater, despite the more lucrative mediums of television and film. “I have a T-shirt that says, ‘Film is art, theatre is life, television is furniture.’ That sort of summarizes it for me,” he affirms. “I love television and I love film; they all have there ups and downs and pros and cons. I’m getting ready to do a Lifetime movie for cable and I’m very excited about it. We’re going to be able to reach a millions of people with that story. In the theater you’re only able to reach a thousand people per night. It is the ultimate 3D experience. You don’t have to put on any funny looking glasses, you can just sit there and you can see Samuel L. Jackson and Angela Bassett or Denzel Washington. It’s the closest thing to life that we have.”
With all the successes and accolades that Leon has achieved, one thing has eluded him – a Tony win for Best Direction in a Play. I wondered if not bringing home a Tony still mattered to him. “It does, but you keep going you know,” he says. In certain ways, a director is similar to an explorer. A director is given a map – the script and is told to take it, get a crew together, go off and make a great discovery. Kenny Leon has allowed his innate sense of understanding the beauty and frailty of human nature to guide him in participating in productions that are great discoveries to theatergoers each night. In 2012, Leon promises to keep the tradition of surprising himself and his fans going by continuing to work with meaningful projects. I am sure any project he works with will feature Kenny Leon’s ability to bring the soul out of the work and rejuvenate the soul of the audience in the process.
Photos: Wire Image and stickflybroadway.com
F.A.M.E NYC Magazine 