Off-Broadway, The Jammer, by Rolin Jones, is the closest thing to a cartoon in theatre. Not one of the characters in this silly play about Roller Derby characters is believable and many of the scenes are gross. The cast works energetically imitating the Roller Derby players and during an overlong scene on a roller coaster.
Bethany, by
Laura Marks, features an outstanding performance by
America Ferrera as a single mother struggling to survive in the recent recession of 2009. The intelligent play, with a splendid six member cast, looks at the economic problems of modern America with clear eyes. It is one of the more stimulating plays of the season. We celebrated the opening with a party in City Center Studio 5 with
Judith Light and
Amber Tamblyn.
The New York City Ballet presented a splendid Saturday at the Ballet with George, three of his finest ballets with music by Tschaikovsky, beginning with an exquisite Serenade. Mozartiana followed with Sterling Hyltin and Chase Finlay dancing brilliantly in the Theme et Variations. The program concluded with the superb Tschaikovsky Piano Concerto No. 2, in which Teresa Reichlen excelled. The orchestra played the music beautifully, under the baton of Roberto Minczuk.
Opera in Cinema from Emerging Pictures presented a superb cast in Lohengrin, by Richard Wagner from Teatro alla Scala from the opening night December 7, 2012. Headed by a splendid Jonas Kaufmann in the title role, they also included Rene Pape, Annette Dasch, Tomas Tomasson, Evelyn Herlitzius and Zeljko Lucic. Each one sang and acted magnificently. The orchestra, under Daniel Barenboim, played the score beautifully. The only fault was the gloomy set, but the singing made one overlook the strange visual element.