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Movies,Theater, Music, & Art
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Broadway, Theater, Dance, Museums~ 2022
I recently saw Trouble in Mind on Broadway. It was a limited run at the Roundabout Theater. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKDf1...
I enjoyed it.
I haven't heard of this but liked what i read. I found this about playwright Alice Childress. How neat that you saw it, Alias.https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/h...
madrano wrote: "I haven't heard of this but liked what i read. I found this about playwright Alice Childress. How neat that you saw it, Alias.https://www.encyclopedia.com/people/h......"
Yes, apparently it was a "1955 comedy-drama—planned for Broadway but canceled when the playwright wouldn’t tone down its message—"
It was a powerful play and I guess in 1955 the subject of racism was too hot to handle. I'm glad that Roundabout Theater was able to finally bring the production to Broadway.
She apparently led the way for many who followed in her playwright footsteps. I'm glad to know about her now, thanks to your post about the production.
George Balanchine! 
Balanchine PBS Documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ppICC...
Wiki
George Balanchine
Born: January 22, 1904
Died: April 30, 1983 (aged 79)
was a Georgian-American ballet choreographer who was one of the most influential 20th-century choreographers. Styled as the father of American ballet, he co-founded the New York City Ballet and remained its Artistic Director for more than 35 years. His choreography is characterized by plotless ballets with minimal costume and décor, performed to classical and neoclassical music.
Born in St. Petersburg, Balanchine took the standards and technique from his time at the Imperial Ballet School and fused it with other schools of movement that he had adopted during his tenure on Broadway and in Hollywood, creating his signature "neoclassical style".
He was a choreographer known for his musicality; he expressed music with dance and worked extensively with leading composers of his time like Igor Stravinsky. Balanchine was invited to America in 1933 by a young arts patron named Lincoln Kirstein, and together they founded the School of American Ballet. Along with Kirstein, Balanchine also co-founded the New York City Ballet (NYCB).
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_...
Beautiful card for celebrating this man.
Theater stars spring to life on the pages of 'B is for Broadway'A few years ago, a children's book called A is for Audra celebrated musical theater divas. Its creators have written a new book, B is for Broadway, celebrating theater from auditions to Ziegfeld.
B Is for Broadway: Onstage and Backstage from A to Z by John Robert Allman
A is for Audra: Broadway's Leading Ladies from A to Z by John Robert Allman--- NPR
https://www.npr.org/2022/01/29/107587...
What a terrific idea for a series. Thanks for posting about this. I can imagine these becoming hot gifts.
I 💜 Dance
International Dance Day | International Dance Day 2022
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aRYuq...
Alias, i was thinking about you & your Y dancing experiences in NYC. Our local Ys don't offer dance at all, i've come to find out. Does new Y have it available?
I no longer am at the Y. :( I am at Planet Fitness. They don't have any classes.
At least you have a place when the weather is inclement. And videos to watch, if not participate in dance.
I'm quite happy with Planet Fitness. The $10 a month price is crazy low. l I enjoy weight lifting and cardio. Which is what PF has. I did this at the Y, but now I do more since there are no classes. I am usually at the gym 7 days a week unless I have some other obligation.The plus of the Y was the swimming pool, classes, sauna, and most of all the wonderful friends I made there.
Alias <<<< Gym Rat
Yes, your Y in the City sounded great. Here in Dallas, it seems to be only pool, hot tub and gym for adults. There are classes for kids but not adults. Pity.That PF price is remarkable. We have a small gym in our hotel which satisfies our needs but i'm going to tell my brother about PF, as he has been wondering. I didn't realize you visited the gym daily. Cool.
Wiki
Fred Astaire was an American actor, dancer, singer, choreographer, and television presenter. He is widely considered the greatest dancer in film history. His stage and subsequent film and television careers spanned a total of 76 years.
Born: May 10, 1899, Omaha, NE
Died: June 22, 1987, Century City Doctors Hospital, Los Angeles, CA
Top 10 Iconic Fred Astaire Dance Scenes
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQFam...
Is it my imagination or not? It seems a remarkable number of musically-inclined celebrities were born in May. My mother-in-law loves watching Astaire dancing and will watch the same movies over & over for that pleasure. Cool.
madrano wrote: "Is it my imagination or not? It seems a remarkable number of musically-inclined celebrities were born in May. My mother-in-law loves watching Astaire dancing and will watch the same movies over & o..."I'm not sure deb. However, tomorrow is Martha Graham's birthday so I will be posting something to honor her.
I'm sure it's really all even but so many in the last couple of weeks impressed me.
Happy Birthday, Martha Graham !
--- Wikipedia
Martha Graham was an American modern dancer and choreographer. Her style, the Graham technique, reshaped American dance and is still taught worldwide. Graham danced and taught for over seventy years.
Born: May 11, 1894, Allegheny
Died: April 1, 1991, New York, NY
More info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martha_...
Martha Graham's 'Dark Meadow Suite' (excerpt
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iZ-OX...
Martha Graham on Technique
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=itKJX...
Martha Graham in Lamentation
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=I-lcF...
Amazing. Thank you for sharing these clips, Alias. I know i'm old when MY calves begin twitching just watching these works. :-)
You're welcome, deb.My teacher at the YMCA used to be a Martha Graham dancer. I know that arm pose well. He used it often in our easy short routines.
I went to see the Broadway show, Birthday Candles today. It stars Debra Messing. We all enjoyed it very much. https://www.roundabouttheatre.org/get...
Then we had a lovely dinner at Tony Di Napoli's. We love the food there. You will have to make reservations. It's in the heart of Times Sq. It can get a bit noisy and crowded. However, the food is worth it !
We'll make a point of visiting that restaurant. I don't recall seeing it but must have, since it's in Times Square.It sounds as though you had a good day in the Big City.
It was a nice day, deb. Broadway does a very good job with Covid. You have to show picture ID, Covid vax card and wear a mask at all times. I felt
very comfortable inside.
The restaurant has been around since 1959.
https://www.tonysnyc.com/
Happy Birthday, Isabella Duncan !
~~ Wikipedia
Angela Isadora Duncan was an American dancer who performed to great acclaim throughout Europe and the US.
Born: May 26, 1877, San Francisco, CA
Died: September 14, 1927, Nice, France
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isadora...
YouTube
Isadora Duncan Dancers
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kq2Gg...
I marvel at her talent but also that her legacy continues. Happy Birthday!🎂
Nominations for the 2022 American Theatre Wing's Tony Awardshttps://www.tonyawards.com/nominees/
Thanks for the link, Alias. Best of luck to the nominees. It’s a talented list of performances but i am only familiar with the revivals, sad to report.
madrano wrote: "Thanks for the link, Alias. Best of luck to the nominees. It’s a talented list of performances but i am only familiar with the revivals, sad to report."I've only seen:
Trouble in Mind
Caroline, or change
Fortunately we’ll be back in the US for the ceremony, as Dan really likes to watch it.
Today I saw the Roundabout's production of, What the end will be. It's about "three generations of Black, gay men together under one roof—along with all the love, conflict, and connection they share"
I thought this was a poignant play. There were quite a few sniffles that could be heard in the audience. The play runs to July 10th.
https://www.roundabouttheatre.org/get...
Sounds good. I like that they mentioned it was also a comedy, as it seemed unlikely. I'll bet it was a pleasure to be visiting the city again. And theater!
madrano wrote: "Sounds good. I like that they mentioned it was also a comedy, as it seemed unlikely. I'll bet it was a pleasure to be visiting the city again. And theater!"
Deb, there were a few light moments. The subject matter was sad. It deals with mortality and the characters sexuality. The gentleman in the wheel chair is dying of bone cancer and wants to end his pain with assisted suicide. His son the other man on the right in the photo can't accept that. He also is hiding his sexuality at work. The young man in the middle is his son. He also is gay and during the play come out to his grandfather and dad. The play is very moving. However, in what universe can this play be called a comedy, I don't know.
I went to see the show with my niece and my sister. My niece just lost an uncle who basically was given morphine to ease his pain. Though that hastened his death. Needless to say my niece was sobbing during the show.
I'm sorry to hear about your niece's reaction but can easily understand it. The power of art to move us is remarkable. It seems odd to me that two of the three critics cited in the link you provided mention the humor as much as the drama. I might feel that was misleading, to be honest. But since the play was good, i'd forgive!
Re. the morphine. We've had two family members in hospice and just a drop of morphine was the last both of them had. The providers were very clear that it was to ease pain but the coincidence was interesting, given other examples i've heard. I'm grateful to know this, personally.
madrano wrote: "It seems odd to me that two of the three critics cited in the link you provided mention the humor as much as the drama. I might feel that was misleading, to be honest. But since the play was good, i'd forgive!"I think given the plays subject matter I think they mention humor to bring people into the theater. Still, quite a stretch to call this play hilarious as one critic did.
The theater wasn't full as it usually is. Roundabout is a not for profit theater company and depends a lot on its subscribers. I am sure the pandemic has hurt them financially a lot.
As to morphine, deb, I also went through this with my mom who had lung cancer. The pain of cancer and not being able to breath is horrible. The morphine was a much needed gift, IMO. It's never easy to let go of loved ones. However, it can be the kindest thing you can do.
I 100% agree with those last three sentences, Alias.
madrano wroteas it seemed unlikely. I'll bet it was a pleasure to be visiting the city again. And theater!"
The theater checked Covid vax cards and also had mask requirement. So that made me feel more at ease. Though come July these mandates are going away. I am not clear if theaters can make their own rules. I can't say I am too happy about the change as theater seats are extremely close.
Mass transit still requires a mask. Though the majority followed the rules, it didn't seem an issue if you didn't. :(
Restaurants of course don't require masks or Covid vax at all. :(
I can understand the mask as people are eating. But I wish they
kept the vax mandate.
Other than the airlines we've not had to show our Vax cards for anything. However, we don't go out much, other than restaurants, so this is probably not surprising. I'm guessing around 55-60% of the customers at grocery and department stores wear masks, where staff is required to do so. Much less when the door suggests wearing a mask but employees are not doing so.
Happy Birthday, Twyla Tharp !
--- Wiki
Twyla Tharp is an American dancer, choreographer, and author who lives and works in New York City. In 1966 she formed the company Twyla Tharp Dance. Her work often uses classical music, jazz, and contemporary pop music.
Born: July 1, 1941 (age 81 years), Portland, IN
---YouTube
Twyla Tharp | Inside Look | American Masters | PBS
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jUKbZ...
What an expressive dancer. I'm glad you shared that piece, Alias, allowing us to find more. Happy Birthday, Twyla!
Happy Birthday, Agnes de Mille !
Agnes George de Mille was an American dancer and choreographer.
Born: September 18, 1905, New York, NY
Died: October 7, 1993, New York, NY
Wiki bio
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Agnes_d...
YouTube
Agnes de Mille Describes Her Choreography for RODEO
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJPuk...
Agnes De Mille talks about Oklahoma
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iW35n...
World Ballet Day in 2022 is on the Saturday, 1st of Oct
History of World Ballet Day
World Ballet Day has been in celebration since the year 2014. Ballet has its origins in Italy and France during the Renaissance years. However, there were no tutus, ballet slippers, and other iconic ballet costumes. The dance was performed in courts and incorporated formal gowns that descended to the ankle. Unlike the modern ballet performances, the audience often joined in the dance. Over the years, the dance was influenced by the French ballet de cour, a performance type performed by the nobility and blended with speech, verse, and pageantry.
Later, ballet spread across the globe and was well embraced for its intrinsic beauty. Today, the dance has taken a modern shape, driven to new artistic heights and adopted by different cultures globally.
The World Ballet Day encourages everyone to get out and experience the magical beauty of ballet.
Happy birthday, Jerome Robbins !
- Wikipedia
Jerome Robbins was an American dancer, choreographer, film director, theatre director and producer who worked in classical ballet, on stage, film, and television.
Among his numerous stage productions were On the Town, Peter Pan, High Button Shoes, The King and I, The Pajama Game, Bells Are Ringing, West Side Story, Gypsy, and Fiddler on the Roof. Robbins was a five-time Tony Award-winner and a recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors. He received two Academy Awards, including the 1961 Academy Award for Best Director with Robert Wise for West Side Story and a special Academy Honorary Award for his choreographic achievements on film.
Born: October 11, 1918, Manhattan, New York, NY
Died: July 29, 1998, New York, NY
--- Wiki bio: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerome_...
YouTube
Jerome Robbins and New York City Ballet
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZ3s5...
Jerome Robbins: In His Own Words
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9Chbv...
Jerome Robbins' Broadway - Tony Awards 1989
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AE8Kd...
Book Nook Cafe
Books mentioned in this topic
Collected Stories (other topics)B Is for Broadway: Onstage and Backstage from A to Z (other topics)
A Is for Audra: Broadway's Leading Ladies from A to Z (other topics)
Authors mentioned in this topic
John Robert Allman (other topics)Alice Childress (other topics)
Alice Childress (other topics)
The past year wasn't great year for the arts. Let's hope at some point in 2022 we can once again enjoy these great artists.
Share your local theater or Broadway experiences with us !
Heard some theater, dance, or museum news?
Have you been to a museum or read about new exhibits ?
Have you seen any dance companies or dance news?
Tell us all about it !