A to Z Challenge: Chicago the Musical

Today, I'm switching over to musical theater. At one time I did write about theater for this site. Why am I picking Chicago besides the fact it starts with a C? It was the first National Touring musical that I ever went to see back in 2002. I won tickets from a fabulous record store (remember them?).

What's not to like the musical has catchy songs, an easy to follow plot, eye candy, and "All That Jazz". We caught the show at The Lyric, a beautiful venue in Baltimore, Maryland.

It was back on mind since, I just watched another touring version of the show in February in Pensacola.

That tour is playing sat The Kennedy Center now through  April 16, with Grammy Award winning singer Brandy Norwood portraying Roxie.

 I notice there were some small differences since the last time I witness the performance, which was nice. Seeing the show before, watching the movie version you do get used to the show.

This is just a quick post on /c and /i will be back with a D post soon.

Happy Birthday Sean Connery!

Sean Connery celebrates his 85th birthday today. He is best known as his role as Bond, James Bond.

Here are 50 great James Bond quotes featuring Sean Connery..

He has been knighted and honored by the Kennedy Center. He has won a bunch of awards as well.

Here he is being honored at the Kennedy Center...

He starred in several movies after and during the time he played the role of James Bond. Here is a clip of him in "Highlander"..

What is your favorite Sean Connery film? Was he your favorite James Bond? Feel free to share in the comments. I will be back soon with a new post!

Thoughts on Shirley Temple

Shirley Temple passed away this week at the age of 85.  She will never be remembered as a 85 year old by most. However, she will live on as the sweetheart with the curly locks in old films. Being a parent of a six year old curly top girl creates yet another connection with Shirley Temple the comparison.

My daughter isn't Shirley Temple. My daughter is cute, she is taking ballet, and tap dance. Perhaps one day she will be a star. When and if that happens she will still be my little girl. However, there have been a few people who have said she reminds them of Shirley Temple. Looking back at the career and fame Shirley Temple achieved that is certainly a complement.

 

Above is part of The Kennedy Center program where they honored Shirley Temple. The Kennedy Center Honors is probably the best tribute to this star you can find.

 

Above is "Curly Top" I dedicate it to my daughter but present it in honor of Shirley Temple.
Below is perhaps her most famous tune...

I thank her for the memories that have become new to other generations. I am glad she lived a long life and I hope she rests in peace.

A Night of Dance at the Kennedy Center

Any excuse to go to The Kennedy Center is a good excuse. I went and covered a modern dance company called Monica Bill Barnes and Company. Lately I have been covering a lot of dance from traditional Chinese dance to ballett. The modern dance included a bit of comedy and a great soundtrack. 

Here is a preview of the group from NYU....

You can read my review here. Here is an another video..

I'll be back with another post soon.

Patti LaBelle

Well I also covered the legendary Patti LaBelle this week. She did a benefit concert for the Duke Ellington School in Washington which is an amazing school. First I wrote a preview. The school is named after the legendry Duke Ellington..

Hewre's a clip about the school (or featuring talent from the school),,,

You can read my review of the show here. Below Patti LaBelle visits the show from a clip produced by students...

Here is a video by Patti LaBelle

Well I hope you enjoy and I will be back soon...

Tampere Workers' Theatre Finland : The Warmblooded

A thre hour play in subtitles is a little tought to follow at times. My seats were good at the Kennedy Center but they were in a place where I couldn't see the larger print main subtitle boards. I had to depend on the smaller side ones which were a strain to read and follow with my aging eyes even with corrective lenses. The first half was a bit hard to follow. I did even if I missed some of the dialog. Luckily the bullitin had a synopsis. The second act was better and I follwed better. I ended up really liking the story.

It was a third one in a trilogy and March is a bit late for a Christmas theme play. The Warmblooded offered a look at Finish life through the eyes of a band of homeless folk living under a bypass. A crew made up of an Iraqi immigrant, Romanian gypsies, and Fins it shows their struggles, the way society looks at them, and along the way their is some comedy and their is a real story. It was interesting look.The play was written and directed by Sirkku Peltola.

Last night was the U.S. premiere but this group has been doing it for a while . Here is a clip from a shw a couple of years ago. Enjoy...

Norway's National Theatre and Hedda Gabler

It was an impulse thing. The opportunity to go see Hedda Gabler performed by  Norway's National Theatre at the Kennedy Center came my way. It was another cultural experience for me. I didn't have to review it and it simply became a date night. My Mom is Swedish so I could use all the Scandinavian culture I can get.

I must admit I expected the production to be in English. It is the American that is prominent in me. However, as I thought about it I am glad it was in Norwegian. English speaking musicians and other performing artists go all over the world and perform in English, why shouldn't they be able to come hear in perform in their native tongue. It was the second performance in a year I have seen in a foreign language, though it didn't feel as exotic as the Burmese concert.

The actors performed well. I was happy for the subtitles, but they were late and missed a line or too. Plus I didn't stare at it and missed some of the dialog. The Washington Post didn't care for it, but Peter Marks did have some valid points. You can read his review here. I liked it more than him, but I wasn't blown away by it. My review wouldn't have been a review. However, I give them props for performing it and doing the Henrik Ibsen play their way. The academic crowd same to rave about it in the Q&A afterwords. So, I guess everyone perceives things in different ways.

Some little things I noticed. The charecters alll stayed around the stage even when they weren't in the scene. I thought that was strange. I liked the homorous introductions before hand and the simple lift the curtain start. It ewas one of Norway's Top Theatre Companies performing the work of one of Norway's and the World's famous playwright.

Below is a trailer for a film version of the play,,

I'll be back with another post soon on something I review...

The Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour 55th Anniversary Celebration concert

I knew I hadn't been to a concert in January I didn't realize I hadn't been to one in nearly two months. Well I picked a great one to go to on Friday at the Kennedy Center! It was called the The Monterey Jazz Festival on Tour 55^th Anniversary Celebration concert. Featuring the vocals of the incredible Dee Dee Bridgewater and bassist extradonaire Christian McBride. Both of those talented musicians have won three Grammy Awards.

Here is Dee Dee in action singing "Bye Bye Blackbird"

Here is Christian McBride..

If that wasn't enough they had Benny Green on piano...

Drummer Lewis Nash who was outstanding specially with the brushes...

Then they added saxophonist Chris Potter, who has been Grammy nominated...here he is performing "Work"

It was rounded out with trumpeter Ambrose Akinmusire...

When you put all these musicians together and they went on stage and had fun together the results were incredible. You can read my review here. 

Stayed tune I will be back soon with more. I haave at least a play and a concert confirmed this month. I am waiting for a few more that are up in the air.

Irving Berlin's White Christmas

Last night I went to the theater for the first time in 2013. I went as a patron of the arts it was a simple date night for me and the wife. It was nice to be able to sleep in this morning sand not have to write a review. I went to the Kennedy Center to see Irving Berlin's White Christmas.

It was a show my wife really wanted to see. She is a big fan of Irving Berlin. The production was incredible. Just about everyone in the cast had Broadway experience. There was alive orchestra providing the music in the pit. The cast were full of talented singers and they cold dance as ell. The costumes were elegant. However, I was blown away by the  set design and how quickly they made changes.

Playing it forward a bit, Amanda Gunther wrote a review on the musical for DC Metro Theater Arts. She raved about the musical and gave it 5 stars wihich I concur. You can read her review here.

Here is a promo for the show. Which gives absolutly nothing away...

Here is a numberfrom the show during the Broadway Run...

Needless to say my wife and I enjoy the show. On are trek back home we drove through a couple of snow showers..

Kennedy Center Honors Music 2012

You know this year's Kennedy Center Honors was on my radar. Led Zeppelin and Buddy Guy being honored. The show alone would be interesting with one of Late Night Televisions best in David Letterman, actor Dustin Hoffman, and ballerina Natalia Makarov.

If you missed the show on PBS check it out on youtube. No none of the honorees performed. However, Tracy Chapman, Jimmy Vaughan, Gary Clark Jr, Bonnie Raitt, Beth Hart, and Jeff Beck played tribute to Buddy Guy. It is hard to say Led Zeppelin is my favorite band of all time, but they are at least the most influential band on my music taste. Now they were honored, I am a big fan of Buddy Guy, and then they add my favorite guitarist performing in Jeff Beck.

During the Led Zeppelin tribute part of the show. They had The Foo Fighters, Lenny Kravitz, Kid Rock, and Heart. Heart performed with Jason Bonham on drums and they brought the house down with their performance of "Stairway to Heaven." They even added a choir to the song.

Here is Lenny Kravitz...

That is just on the music side. Add in Tina Fey and Robert DeNiro and others and you have one fantastic show. Something to check out...

Jerry Seinfeld

I got to cover Jerry Seinfeld at the Kennedy Center. I ended up being doubled book for the night. So, I helped the band I manage set up for their gig in Hagerstown in the afternoon and navigated my way to Washington by 7PM. That my friends was comedy enough!

It was a treat since I rarely get out to see comedy. The last big name comedian I saw was George Carlin on his last tour. I hope this isn't Jerry's last one. Other than that I went to a comedy club in Florida and I watched a comedian open and emcee a jazz show in Jacksonville. Plus getting to go to the Kennedy Center for anything is pretty cool!

Chuck Martin, probably better known for producing and writing Arrested Development opened the show. He was pretty good at stand up and a wise choice for an opener.Here is a clip Chuck is in...

Everyone knows Jerry from his show Seinfeld. I had no clue he was 58! He has been doing stand up since he was 21 so he has a bit of experience. Anyway you can read my review here. Here is a clip of Jerry from 2008 talking about airports..

It was a great show if you get a chance check it out!