New York City Center Encores! at 25 presented Me
and My Girl, book
and lyrics, L.
Arthur Rose and Douglas
Furber,
music by Noel
Gay. It
is a bubbly, entertaining, silly musical,
brilliantly directed and choreographed by Warren
Carlyle. The
cast was excellent, singing and dancing
happily, as they closed the first act with The Lambeth
Walk, with
some of them dancing in the aisles. The second
act opened with a lovely The
Sun Has Got His Hat On,
and towards the finale a memorable Leaning on
a Lamp-Post, which
was one of the most popular songs on the
wireless (radio to Americans) during World War
II in England, where I was born and bred in
Manchester. I sang it all through the war,
adding a last line Match
in a Gas Tank, Boom, Boom. It
was a joyous production with an energetic Christian
Borle in
the lead as a Cockney from London suddenly
becoming a posh duke. Three ladies deserve
special mention, Laura
Michelle Kelly, Lisa O'Hare,
both marvelous singers and dancers, and a very
funny Harriet
Harris.
I always enjoy Encores!, but this production was
extra special.
Four galas in one night. It's a tough job, but
someone has to do it! The first one was The
Actors Fund's Annual Gala at the Marriott
Marquis, 1535 Broadway, honoring Warren
Beatty, Kenny Leon, Chita Rivera and Uma
Thurman. Among the many guests were Andrew
Garfield and Annette Benning (photo
below with Warren). It is always a wonderful
affair.
The second was the Vineyard Theatre's 2018
Gala at Edison Ballroom, 240West 47th St,
honoring Michael Mayer, who posed with Tony
Kushner (photo below). Also among the
many guests were Kathleen Chalfant and
her husband Henry. Another wonderful
affair!
The third was at The Boathouse in Central Park
for the Urban Stages 2018 Gala, honoring Jim
Dale, with Simon Jones presenting him
with a Lifetime Achievement Award.
Finally to the Mutual of America, 320 Park
Avenue, 35th Floor, for The Origin Theatre
Company's Annual Gala, honoring Ed and Brigid
Kenney with the Community Leaders Award,
and Phil Burke with the Artistic Leader
Award. The food served was delicious, and the
fine wines and cocktails made a final gala the
end of a splendid evening!
Parsons Dance at the Joyce Theater was a special
occasion, with Stephen
Schwartz being honored. His song Stranger in
the Rain was performed by two dancers, and
sung by Shosahana
Bean, with choreography by David Parsons and with
Stephen accompanying them at the piano. The
other four dance pieces were Microburst,
music by Avirodh
Sharma playing a tabla with four dancers, Reflections danced
by Abby
Silva Gavezzoli, a magnificent Caught, danced
by Zoey
Anderson, and concluded with Ma
Maison, choreography by Trey
McIntyre, music by Preservation
Jazz Band, with eight dancers of the
company.
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The Parsons Dance's Annual Gala followed the performance
at La Sirena at the Maritime Hotel with all the
performers and the honoree Stephen, and guests Michael Wilson, Alan
Cumming, Phil Chan and Georgina
Pazcoguin. It was a lovely event.
The 2017 winner of Virtuosos, a classical music talent
show, Hungarian soprano Reka
Kristof made her debut at Weill Recital Hall at
Carnegie Hall, with baritone Aneas
Humm and Gergely
Boganyi at the piano. They performed a selection
of songs by many composers, most solos, and occasionally
duets, and two solos at the piano, named Boganyi,
one of the most innovative grand piano retrofits in the
last 150 years. It was impressive performance. Both
singers have fine voices, and Don
Giovanni Paraphrase, by Franz
Liszt was the highlight of the evening by Gergely.
He is a very talented pianist. The audience granted the
three artists a thunderous ovation.
Robbins 100 continued at the New York City
Ballet with three ballets. It began with Opus
19/The Dreamer, music by Sergei
Prokofiev, with two fine performances by the leading
couple, Sterling
Hyltin and Taylor
Stanley. It continued with Dances
at a Gathering, music by Frederic
Chopin, with ten of the finest members of the
company, and concluded with Glass
Pieces, music by Philip
Glass, with the terrific Maria
Kowroski and Russell
Janzen in the second part Facades. The
music is hypnotic. Andrews
Sill conducted the orchestra. The four programs that
I attended are a tribute to a magnificent choreographer.
I attended a rehearsal of Half
Time, which opens at the Paper Mill Playhouse in
Milburn, New Jersey on June 12th. We saw three
selections from the musical, and took a photograph of
the cast and creative team. It was quite delightful.
American Ballet Theatre presented Giselle, music
by Adolphe Adam, perhaps one of the most famous
ballets, first performed in Paris in 1841. The melodious
music was a delight for one's ears, and the orchestra
played it beautifully, under the baton of David
LaMarche. The dancing was superb by the leading
soloists and the ensemble. Highlights of the performance
were the marvelous dancing of Stella Abrera in
the title role, Cory Stearns as Count Albrecht,
the Peasant Pas de Deux by Cassandra Trenary and Joseph
Gorak, and the impressive debut in the second act
of Katherine Williams as Myrta, the queen of the
wilis. It was another one of the memorable nights at the
ballet.
The 84th Annual Drama League Awards was held at
the Marriott Marquis Times Square. It is always a
marvelous event with numerous celebrities from the
theatre. This years winners were Glenda Jackson,Harry
Potter and the Cursed Child, The Band Visit, My Fair
Lady and Angels in America, and special
awards to Idina Menzel and Casey Nicholaw. |