On Broadway, Fela! reopened for a limited
run during the summer. Sahr Ngaujah returns as the charismatic
star, with Melanie Marshall as his mother and Paulette Ivory
as one of his wives. They and the rest of the cast are terrific in this
exciting show about the leading singer and activist of Nigeria at his
last concert in 1978.
Off-Broadway, Nymph Errant, music & lyrics
by Cole Porter, is a rare opportunity to see his 1933 musical,
presented by the Prospect Theater Company. A fine ten member cast.
headed by Cady Huffman, perform the story of a young lady
traveling the world after finishing school, having many adventures and
returning home to England with her honor intact. It is a typical naughty
musical, that delights the audience wit Porter's wit and beautiful
melodies.
The opening night gala of the 2012 New York
Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) took place at Hudson Terrace. Many of
the artists from the musicals attended, and the delightful event was
hosted by Ben Vereen. Corbin Bleu and Karen Ziemba
were among the many guests, who enjoyed delicious hors d'oeuvres (which
include a large variety of Dunkin Donuts, one of the sponsors of the
event) and drinks, including Alacran tequila (another sponsor). It was a
fun occasion.
Opera singers Caranza and Melanie
Goerlitz performed a selection of opera arias and Broadway show
tunes in the Enrico Caruso Room at the Grotta Azzurra Ristorante. They
are talented singers with powerful voices, and it was a pleasure to
listen to them. Every Tuesday night, two different singers perform in
this intimate room, and I recommend it highly.
Clybourne Park cast members Frank Wood,
Jeremy Shamos and Crystal A. Dickinson tasted the new
Clybourne Park Neapolitan Sundae at Serendipity 3, and it was
indescribably delicious.
Also at Film Society of Lincoln Center, I attended two press screenings
of the opening night and closing films for NewFest, the 24th Annual
New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Film Festival July
27-July 31. Four, by Joshua Sanchez, USA, is a
film about two confused teenagers, who have a sexual affair one night .
A white teenager connects with an overweight, middle-aged black man on
the internet, whose daughter has sex with a petty teenage latino drug
dealer. Although, the film tries to show sexual confusion, the problem
is that the three teenagers, especially, are inarticulate and tiresome.
.
|
To spend 76 minutes with these four dull people is excruciating. The worst thing for any film is to be relentlessly dull. Young & Wild, by Marialy Rivas, Chile, is a vastly superior film, which follows a seventeen-year-old young high school girl, who is sexually obsessed, and tells all the details on her blog. We watch her sexual escapades with her boyfriend and girlfriend. It is amazingly frank, and the pretty actress Alicia Rodriguez is remarkable. As she comes from a religious, evangelical family, the conflicts between her and her parents are quite impressive. I recommend this film highly.
A memorial tribute to the Life of Bradshaw Smith was held at the Pershing Square Signature Center. Many of his friends and colleagues performed, including Karen Mason, Jeff Harner, Mario Cantone, Lee Roy Reams and Julie Halston, and among the speakers were Jamie deRoy, Sidney Myer and Richard Ridge. The program began with a video of Bradshaw as a cabaret performer. As one of the six founders of the Manhattan Association of Cabaret (MAC) 30 years ago, I was delighted that Bradshaw was one of the first recipients of the award. The program concluded with another video of his wonderful work in video on Broadway Beat. Afterwards a reception was held, where many of us could recall the delightful days we spent knowing a talented and honorable colleague. May he rest in peace. He will be missed.
The Clock, is a marvelous video installation in the David Rubenstein Atrium at Lincoln Center. It will be open to the public July 13-August 1. Do not miss it. Artist/musician Christian Marclay has included thousands of film excerpts with scenes of clocks showing time over a 24 hour period. I watched 40 minutes during the press preview and did not want to leave. It's a fascinating concept, but what is most wonderful is the opportunity to see clips from great films with brilliant actors over the 100 years of filmmaking.
At Film Society of Lincoln Center, the 11th New York Asian Film Festival June 29-July 15 held a screening of The Lost Bladesman, by Felix Chong and Alan Mak, Hong Kong, 2011, is the story of the legendary warrior, General Guan and the fight among the Three Kingdoms, when the Han Dynasty was collapsing. He remained loyal to Liu Bei of the Shu Kingdom, even when captured by Cao Cao of the Han Dynasty. When he is released, he managed to return home by riding thousands of miles, and he crossed five passes slaying six generals, who wanted to kill him. The film is a typical martial arts spectacular, filled with battle scenes, and beautiful photography. The star Donnie Yen attended a Q & A after the screening. All About My Wife, by Min Kyu-Dong, South Korea,2012, is a funny, tender, sentimental comedy about a husband, who is tired of his outspoken, angry wife after seven years of marriage. He persuades a neighbor to seduce her, in order to divorce her. It produces unexpected results. It is an entertaining film. Make Up, by Lien Yi-chi, Taiwan, 2011, is about a mortician (Nikki Hsieh), who is shocked to find that one of the dead bodies is a former high school teacher (Sonia Sui), who she loved as a student. Supposedly, the woman committed suicide. The mortician becomes involved in an investigation to learn how she died. It is a psychological thriller, and the actors are terrific. It is one of the highlights of a tremendous festival of glorious films, well directed, with beautiful photography and marvelous acting. I was fortunate to see nine of these excellent films.
Also at Film Society of Lincoln Center, I attended two press screenings of the opening night and closing films for NewFest, the 24th Annual New York Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender Film Festival July 27-July 31. Four, by Joshua Sanchez, USA, is a film about two confused teenagers, who have a sexual affair one night . A white teenager connects with an overweight, middle-aged black man on the internet, whose daughter has sex with a petty teenage latino drug dealer. Although, the film tries to show sexual confusion, the problem is that the three teenagers, especially, are inarticulate and tiresome. To spend 76 minutes with these four dull people is excruciating. The worst thing for any film is to be relentlessly dull. Young & Wild, by Marialy Rivas, Chile, is a vastly superior film, which follows a seventeen-year-old young high school girl, who is sexually obsessed, and tells all the details on her blog. We watch her sexual escapades with her boyfriend and girlfriend. It is amazingly frank, and the pretty actress Alicia Rodriguez is remarkable. As she comes from a religious, evangelical family, the conflicts between her and her parents are quite impressive. I recommend this film highly.
07-12-12
"Clybourne
Park"
cast
members
(L-R)
Frank
Wood.
Jeremy
Shamos.
his
son
Lester.
Crystal
A.
Dickinson
taste
the
new
Clybourne
Park
Neapolitan
Sundae
at
Serendipity
3.
225
East
60th
St.
Wednesday
morning
07-11-12 |