Tag Archives: lincoln center

PRESS RELEASE: ‘THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL’ WILL PLAY IN CONCERT FEBRUARY 2019

PRESS RELEASE
For Immediate Release

MANHATTAN CONCERT PRODUCTIONS ANNOUNCES

‘THE SCARLET PIMPERNEL’

IN CONCERT

Related imageNew York, NY, June 27, 2018 – Manhattan Concert Productions (MCP) is pleased to announce the seventh annual presentation of its beloved Broadway Series with the critically acclaimed musical The Scarlet Pimpernel, for one night only at David Geffen Hall, Lincoln Center on February 18, 2019 at 8:00 pm. Jeff Calhoun (Stage Director) and Jason Howland (Music Director) will lead this concert performance of The Scarlet Pimpernel featuring a chorus of over 200 singers from across the United States, a stunning professional cast and creative team, and the outstanding New York City Chamber Orchestra.

With music by Frank Wildhorn and lyrics and book by Nan Knighton, The Scarlet Pimpernel is based on Baroness Orczy’s famous 20th-century novel of the same name, which takes place at the peak of the French Revolution and the fight for liberty, equality and fraternity. Set in England and France, The Scarlet Pimpernel tells the story of an English nobleman, Sir Percy Blakeney, who adopts a secret identity to battle the forces of evil during the Reign of Terror of the French Revolution. The Scarlet Pimpernel serves as a brilliant window to life in 18th-century England, and was a precursor to the spy fiction and superhero genres, featuring a hero hiding under an alias. The musical made its Broadway debut at the Minskoff Theatre on November 9, 1997 and ran through January 2000 in several theatres, has had numerous regional U.S. productions, and has been produced internationally in Germany, Finland, the Netherlands, United Kingdom, Ireland, Sweden, Canada, Mexico, Malta, and Norway.

The Scarlet Pimpernel joins MCP’s previous Broadway Series concert performances, which include Broadway Classics in Concert (2018), Crazy for You  (2017), The Secret Garden (2016), Parade (2015), Titanic (2014), The Hunchback of Notre Dame workshop (2014), Broadway Classics in Concert (2013), and Ragtime (2013).

Tickets for The Scarlet Pimpernel will go on sale in July with cast and creative team to be announced soon.

ABOUT MANHATTAN CONCERT PRODUCTIONS

Manhattan Concert Productions (MCP) is an esteemed production company in its 20th Anniversary season. MCP has provided performance and travel opportunities to thousands of musicians in choirs, bands, and orchestras at famous venues throughout the United States and many countries abroad. The guest musicians of The Scarlet Pimpernel chorus will spend five days in New York City rehearsing and performing with the professional cast and crew as part of Manhattan Concert Productions’ continuing mission of student and professional collaboration. Visit www.mcp.us to learn more.

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REVIEW: “How to Handle a Woman” A review of Rogers & Hammerstein‘s Carousel at the Imperial Theatre

“How to Handle a Woman”

A review of the revival of
Rogers & Hammerstein‘s “Carousel”
at the
Imperial Theatre

Disclaimer:

I am not particularly fond of Rogers & Hammerstein‘s “Carousel”. 

Even though much of the music is among my favorite in the Rogers & Hammerstein catalogue, save for the Soliloquy which to me is a cringe worthy 6 minutes – I even joked pre-show that Soliloquy was my early intermission bathroom break, to hear a brilliant Rogers & Hammerstein score played by a Broadway orchestra is one of the reasons that I decided to attend this Revival, 

Much to my dismay I did not even get that.

The orchestrations were flat, two dimensional representations, and the sound design by Mr. Scott Lehrer woefully underwhelming. Sitting in the Orchestra I expected the music to be spectacular but I was sadly disappointed – especially after the recent multi-million dollar remodel of the Imperial Theatre.

I also could just not get past “Carousel’s” main character, Billy Bigelow, the dishonest, wife-beating, carnival barker not being portrayed by a white actor.

Go ahead, get it out of your system, start calling me all kinds of names (you’d be totally wrong) but here’s the thing – perhaps it’s conditioning, perhaps it’s purism, I’m not sure, but in my mind the connotations of such a vile character being played by a Black man is just wrong. The thought kept going through my mind, ‘Why would any person of color agree to play this role?” As far as performance goes, Josh Henry nails it, and nails it strong. His smooth, silk like, baritone voice in any other role would, and have, taken me to great heights emotionally.

 Throughout the entire show I felt like I was at a performance of MCC’s Miscast. Great voices cast in the wrong roles.

 Further, while I have always felt that the part of Julie Jordan, played by a delightful, if not completely doe-eyed and confused Ms. Jessie Mueller, is terribly underwritten, there were times Mr. Jack Doyle, the Director seemed to forget Julie/Jesse was even in the show. More disappointment came from Ms. Renée Fleming, whose gorgeous operatic soprano voice is just too prim and proper to be Aunt Nettie.

 Then there’s the casting of a Middle Eastern actor, the talented and graceful ballet dancer, Amar Ramasar, making his Broadway (and possibly acting) debut, to play “Jigger”, another monster of a character. This is yet another dangerous step towards stereotyping. Every time I heard Billy Bigelow call his name I thought he was using the N-word .

 There is some good news. The shining stars of the show were most definitely the lark-voiced Ms. Lindsay Mendez who portrayed Carrie Pipperidge with a delightful and quirky style to her that played extremely well off of Mr. Alexander Gemignani’s playfully-teasing Mr. Enoch Snow. As a matter of fact, Mr. Gemignani’s performance is award worthy in my opinion.

 I must also admit to you that while I tend to tune out the seemingly obligatory ballet sequences of most early 20th century musical theater, Ms. Brittany Pollock and Mr. Andrei Chagas were graceful and visually stunning in the Fairground Ballet sequence – a great tribute to the fabulous Choreography of Mr. Justin Peck.

Santo Loquasto’s scenic design was executed well, although there were too many ‘played in front of the curtain’ scenes while scenery was being noisily shuffled around Backstage. Note to Production: PLEASE Oil the stage right light motors and the sheer curtain pulleys.

Sadly, Ms. Ann Roth’s costumes look like they have been recycled from my high school production of ‘Oklahoma!’ And what’s with those baggy pants that come up to the men’s bellies?

 The lighting design by Brian McDevitt left me squinting many times to see what was happening on stage and again, that was from Orchestra Row M – I can only imagine what it was like up in the oxygen-tank seats.

Speaking of seats, it appears to me that when they remodeled the theater after “The Great Comet“ they added many more seats then there were before. In my cushy (read expensive) Orchestra seat I was sucking on my knees or more annoyingly to her, scraping the back of the chair of the lady in front of me.

All that being said, I haven’t told you the worst part:
I DIDN’T CRY!!!
Me – the person who “cries at everything” – DIDN’T CRY!!!

If you’ll remember, I said up front that I’m not the biggest fan of this show – BUT when I DO see it I always CRY – ALWAYS! This tells me everything I need to know.

All said, the audience seemed to love the show, hooting and hollering along with their thunderous applause, it was a Press Preview, so perhaps you too will enjoy Rodger’s & Hammerstein’s Carousel as much as they did.

Me, I’m still optimistically looking forward to Lincoln Center’s revival of “My Fair Lady”

* * * * * *

Rogers & Hammerstein‘s Carousel

Opens Thursday, April 12th 2018

To order tickets online
https://www.broadwayinbound.com/shows/carousel/ 

To order tickets by phone,
call 212-239-6200

IN PERSON
VISIT THE IMPERIAL THEATRE
249 W 45th St,
between 7th Avenue and 8th Avenue

BOX OFFICE HOURS
Monday–Saturday: 10am–8pm,
Sunday: Closed
(Beginning March 25: Noon–6pm)

BIG APPLE CIRCUS ANNOUNCES NEW RINGMASTER AND THE RETURN OF GRANDMA

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
CONTACT: Vivacity Media Group, 212-812-1483                                                       Leslie Papa, Leslie@VivacityNY.com
Whitney Holden Gore, Whitney@VivacityNY.com
Ailsa Hoke, Ailsa@VivacityNY.com

BIG APPLE CIRCUS
ANNOUNCES NEW RINGMASTER
AND THE RETURN OF GRANDMA

40TH ANNIVERSARY SEASON
BEGINS OCTOBER 26, 2017
AT LINCOLN CENTER

(NEW YORK – May 18, 2017) The search is over! Producers Big Top Works are thrilled to announce that Ty McFarlan will be the new ringmaster for the 40th Anniversary season of the BIG APPLE CIRCUS. It was also announced that McFarlan, who has extensive experience as a ringmaster including several years with Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus, will be joined by fan favorite Grandma (performed by Barry Lubin), who makes her triumphant return after a five-year absence. McFarlan and Grandma join the previously announced headliner Nik Wallenda, the legendary high wire walker and ten-time world record-holding daredevil, who will perform the seven-man pyramid with his family – a feat never before seen under the big top. BIG APPLE CIRCUS proudly returns to its long-time home at Lincoln Center’s Damrosch Park from October 26, 2017 – January 7, 2018 and will be followed by a national tour.

 No stranger to the big top, McFarlan served as ringmaster with Ringling Brothers for four years. He credits his thirteen-year tenure as an officer in the Army National Guard and a strict ‘‘military brat” upbringing with preparing him for the job of the evanescent emcee of the big top. After graduating from the University of South Carolina with a degree in criminal justice, McFarlan followed his heart into a theatrical career that included theatre, TV, films, and eventually a stint with a national theater group that lead him to where he truly belongs – the circus.

“There’s nothing quite like the rich history and family atmosphere that comes with a circus,” says Ringmaster Mcfarlan. “When you think about it, few things in America have more tradition than the circus, which predates baseball, apple pie and Coca Cola! I’m so honored to be able to join one of New York’s greatest traditions and to share this experience with my new BIG APPLE CIRCUS family.”

For 25 seasons, Grandma was an iconic staple of BIG APPLE CIRCUS. A member of the Clown Hall of Fame and the Sarasota Ring of Fame (the highest honor in American Circus), Lubin could not be more ecstatic to be returning to the Big Top after performing across Europe and the US. Aside from being widely known as the face of Big Apple Circus, Lubin has enjoyed a career performing and directing with Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey, numerous top circuses in the European market, and has developed shows for Nickelodeon, MTV, CBS, Sea World, Disneyland and Disneyworld.

“I’m over the moon to be re-joining one of New York’s most beloved organizations,” Lubin says. “There’s nothing like the BIG APPLE CIRCUS, and I can’t wait to bring Grandma’s old tricks – along with some fresh new material – to the shiny new BIG APPLE CIRCUS and their fantastic audience that I know and love.”

Big Top Works, an affiliate of Compass Partners LLC, became the new owners of BIG APPLE CIRCUS on February 14, 2017 following a live auction and approval from the Board of Directors.  Big Top Works is comprised of Compass Partners managing partners Richard Perlman, Jim Price and Barry Salzman (who is the lead partner on the Big Apple Circus venture), as well as industry veteran Larry Solheim – who has a 30-plus year career working on and general managing circuses including BIG APPLE CIRCUS’s 2015-16 season – and Neil Kahanovitz, a renowned spine surgeon, theatrical producer, and former circus performer. The new producers share a passion for, and history with, the circus arts and are building a sustainable business plan that will revitalize the BIG APPLE CIRCUS while also honoring the legacy of its 40-year history.  In addition to exceptional programing, Big Top Works is committed to maintaining BIG APPLE CIRCUS’s established community outreach programs including the Circus of the Senses, Autism performances and Circus for All – in New York City and on tour in the 2017-18 Season.

The BIG APPLE CIRCUS was founded in the summer of 1977 by circus performers Paul Binder and Michael Christensen, with a mission to present authentic and thrilling circus arts, in the intimacy of the one-ring Big Top, for audiences of all incomes.By 1979 the Circus was generating enough money to fund two Circus Arts Schools and in 1983, launched its first tour. Throughout its 40-year run, BIG APPLE CIRCUS distinguished themselves by offering many community outreach programs including providing free tickets to underprivileged children and underserved schools.

@BigAppleCircus
www.BigAppleCircus.com

BIOGRAPHIES

ABOUT TY MCFARLAN

Tyron ‘‘Ty” McFarlan credits his 13-year tenure as an officer in the Army National Guard and a strict ‘‘military brat” upbringing with preparing him to be a ringmaster with the Ringling Bros. and Barnum & Bailey Circus and the emcee of the Greatest Show on Earth. He graduated from University of South Carolina with a degree in criminal justice and then followed his heart into a theatrical career that included local theatre, TV, films and finally a stint with a national theater group, ultimately leading to his dream job as he became the 34th ringmaster in Ringling Bros.’ 138-year history.

Ty says that besides the thrill of performing live, the things he likes most about circus life are its family atmosphere and rich history. ‘‘When you think about, few things in America have more tradition than the circus which predates baseball, apple pie and Coca Cola.”

Ty has also tried his hand at acting as he can be seen as a recurring actor on Warner Bros.’ long running television series “One Tree Hill” where he plays a character named Charlie.  He also has landed an episode on one of America’s favorite shows “Army Wives” on the Lifetime network where he can be seen playing the character known as Paul Broman.

Although Ty enjoys and plans to continue acting on the silver screen and performing under the big top, he also plans to pursue his passion for pattern-making and clothing design.  He hopes that his fresh spin on cutting edge fashion and movable fabrics will appeal to the “on the move” athlete and modern day dare devil the world over.

ABOUT BARRY LUBIN

Barry Mark Lubin was born at Atlantic City Hospital in Atlantic City, New Jersey on July 3, 1952. His alter ego, Grandma was born on January 1, 1975 in Venice, Florida. Barry lived in Ventnor, New Jersey until attending Emerson College in Boston from 1970 to 1973, completing three years before taking a year off to try to figure out what to do with his life. Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Clown College auditions in Boston in the spring of 1974 changed his direction entirely.

Barry has enjoyed a professional relationship with Nickelodeon Networks co-creating, starring in, and executive producing two television pilots while partnering with renowned director, Yvette Kaplan. Barry developed and directed comedy segments for MTV, CBS’s Circus of the Stars, and many other projects both live and in television. Barry directed many routines for Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey’s touring units, for BIG APPLE CIRCUS, Sea World of Florida, Disneyland and Disneyworld, Clown College, and many others. Barry was recently featured in the PBS mini-series, “Circus,” which chronicled a year on the road with the BIG APPLE CIRCUS (www.pbs.org/circus) Barry has directed numerous shows for BIG APPLE CIRCUS outside the Big Top Touring Unit.

Barry enjoyed 5 seasons traveling with Ringling, a three year stand-up comedy stint in San Diego, Los Angeles, Boston, and New York, 25 seasons with New York’s famed one ring circus, BIG APPLE CIRCUS where he became the “Face of the Big Apple Circus,” and numerous other appearances around the world. Barry has continued to bring Grandma to audiences in theaters, on television, in Festivals, and in other circuses in America, Europe, Asia, and Oceania. He starred in “Stars en Der Manege” which was broadcast in 8 European markets, Circo Massimo in Italy two times, and numerous other international television appearances. In the US he has appeared on “Prime Time Live,” on the national broadcasts of the morning programs on NBC, CBS, and ABC, on PBS’s “Evening at Pops,” on “Late Night with David Letterman” 4 times, was featured on PBS’s mini-series, “Circus” produced by Show of Force, and many others.

Barry was inducted into the International Clown Hall of Fame in 2002, and the Sarasota Ring of Fame in 2012, the highest honor in American Circus. He received the Lou Jacobs Lifetime Achievement Award in 2007. He has appeared in the International Circus Festival of Monte Carlo twice, the only American clown to have received this honor. He has also appeared in the International Circus Festivals in Hungary, in Izhevsk and Moscow, Russia. He is one of only two American clowns to appear in the 80 year history of prestigious Wintercirckus of Circus Krone in Munich where he was named, “The World’s Funniest Grandma.” He was named only the 5th Legend of the Parade Award in the 75 year history of Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, where he was a featured character in 15 appearances both live and on NBC.

Barry is presently writing his memoirs about his remarkable life both in and outside the magical world of the circus.

ABOUT COMPASS PARTNERS LLC AND BIG TOP WORKS, LLC

Compass Partners LLC (“Compass Partners”), is a Sarasota-based merchant banking and advisory firm that specializes in middle market companies and corporate restructuring.  Founded by Richard Perlman in 1995, Compass Partners has had a successful track record revitalizing and growing a number of businesses across a wide range of sectors, from food equipment to healthcare services.  In addition to Perlman, Compass Partners includes Jim Price and Barry Salzman, who is the lead partner on the BIG APPLE CIRCUS Big Apple Circus venture.  Big Top Works, LLC (“Big Top”), is the latest affiliate of Compass Partners and is the official owner of the BIG APPLE CIRCUS. In addition to Compass, Big Top is comprised of a team of investors who share a common passion for the circus arts including Neil Kahanovitz, an orthopedic surgeon, theatrical producer and former circus performer, and Larry Solheim, a 30-year circus veteran.

ABOUT NEIL KAHANOVITZ

As a child, when asked what he wanted to be when he grew up, the answer never changed, “an orthopedic surgeon and a circus performer.”  He achieved both dreams.  While attending medical school, Kahanovitz took a leave of absence to perform in the comedy trampoline act and later as an aerialist in circuses across the country. Once he graduated, Kahanovitz went on to a distinguished career in the medical field. He has been published in over 50 articles in scientific journals, written about spinal disorders in eleven medical textbooks and published a book on the care and treatment of low back pain.  He has served as President of the North American Spine Society and has received the prestigious Volvo Award for Low Back Pain Research, as well as a Commendation from The United States House Physician’s Office for his care and surgery performed on members of the United States Supreme Court and Congress.  He was also awarded one of the Soviet Union’s most prestigious civilian honors, The Order of The Supreme Soviet Medal of Personal Courage, for organizing relief efforts following a devastating earthquake in Armenia. Despite the success of his medical career, his show business interests resurfaced in the late 1990’s.  He has since produced plays and musicals on Broadway, in London’s West End, Chicago, Los Angeles and Off-Broadway.   He is thrilled to bring the BIG APPLE CIRCUS to its rightful place among the most cherished New York City cultural icons. And for a chance to run away with the circus. Not once, but twice!

ABOUT LARRY SOLHEIM

A proud veteran, Solheim has worked in the travelling entertainment field –  as a performing artist, composer/arranger, conductor, educator and, most notably, a production manager – for over 35 years. Most recently, he was the Vice President and General Manager for BIG APPLE CIRCUS, brought in to oversee the touring unit and identify the issues responsible for its declining financial situation. As General Manager, Solheim oversaw the circus’ 17-million-dollar operational budget, managed and optimized all elements of the touring operations, including its 150+ team members, and coordinated research and communications with all corporate departments and directors. Prior to the BIG APPLE CIRCUS,Solheim worked for TZ Productions as Musical Director and General Manager for 26 years, where he coordinated and managed performances in up to 70 cities per year (45 building venues and 25 tent venues).

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__________________________________________ 

Ailsa Hoke
Vivacity Media Group
1650 Broadway, Suite 609, New York, NY 10019
212-812-1483 

    

From Jazz at Lincoln Center – Michael Feinstein presents: Bringing Jazz to Broadway – Cy Coleman

From Jazz at Lincoln Center – Michael Feinstein presents: Bringing Jazz to Broadway – Cy Coleman (Produced, Written and Directed by the multi-tallented Scott Siegel)

Here are the video interviews with 3 of the wonderful performers, Tamara Tunie, James Naughton and Michelle Lee. The official review of the concert can be found above this posting.

Enjoy!

From jazz pianist and leader of a much-in-demand jazz trio to legendary Broadway composer, Cy Coleman brought the sound of big, brassy jazz to the Great White Way. One only need think of “Sweet Charity’s” Hey, Big Spender, and its bright blare of horns, to recognize Coleman’s Signature Sound, a musical style that dominated Broadway for more than a generation. Shows like “City of Angels,” “The Life,” and many others were permeated by Coleman’s propensity for jazz.

As part of its Jazz & Popular Song series, directed by five-time Grammy Award-nominated singer and pianist Michael Feinstein, Jazz at Lincoln Center will present Cy Coleman: Bringing Jazz to Broadway on Tuesday, May 15 and Wednesday May 16 at 7:30pm. Feinstein, who featured Cy Coleman as a vocalist and jazz pianist in his nightclub the month before the famed composer died, leads a cast featuring Michele Lee (Coleman’s Seesaw, Knots Landing), Tamara Tunie (Law & Order: Special Victims Unit), Broadway veteran Chuck Cooper, singer-songwriter Johnny Rodgers and, on May 16 only, James Naughton (The Devil Wears Prada) that illustrates Coleman’s profound jazz influence on contemporary Broadway.

For more information about this series, visit www.jalc.org/jazzandpopularsong.

Next up: Sweet & Low Down: How Popular Standards Became Jazz Classics
The show plays at The Allen Room at Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, Broadway at 60th Street, New York, NY. Ticket prices for this series, except for the family concert, are $75 for mezzanine concert seating, $95-120 for cabaret seating. Tickets for the family matinee are $25.

Tickets can be purchased through jalc.org or CenterCharge at 212-721-6500, open daily from 10am to 9pm. Tickets can also be purchased at the Jazz at Lincoln Center Box Office, located on Broadway at 60th Street, ground floor. Box Office hours: Monday-Saturday from 10am to 6pm (or 30 minutes past curtain) and Sunday from noon to 6pm (or 30 minutes past curtain). Limited subscriptions for the 2011-12 Jazz and Popular Song series are available. Visit jalc.org/subs for more information.

Video interview with Johnny Rodgers

Excuse me while I repeat myself;

Hello. My name is Elli, and I am a Johnny Rodgers-aholic.

Mr. Rodgers first appeared on my radar at the 2010 Nightlife Awards where I wrote,

“Act II brought out a new star that I had not had the pleasure of seeing perform, the fabulous Johnny Rodgers. Mr. Rodgers and his band brought down the house with an on-fire rendition of “The Birth of the Blues.” His rapid-fire piano skills, coupled with his great vocals, reminded me of a young Jerry Lee Lewis at work.”

Internationally known and always performing, I finally got the chance to sit down and have a chat with Johnny just before they called “Places” for his appearance in “Michael Feinstein’s Bringing Jazz to Broadway: Cy Coleman”. After you watch the interview, be sure to check out the rehearsal video below and look for the review of the evening elsewhere on this site.

The Johnny Rodgers Band will be performing in NYC on June 5th, 2010 at Iridium Jazz Club 1650 Broadway, NYC. Get your tickets before it sells out!
(P.S. It’s his birthday so make sure you don’t miss this!!!)

For more information, and to follow their International travels, check out the JRB website.

A gifted songwriter, Mr. Rodgers won ASCAP’s Jamie deRoy & Friends Foundation Award in 2009, The New York Sheet Music Society’s Gerald Marks Award and the Songwriters Hall of Fame Abe Oldman Award. Other honors include the Nitelife Outstanding Cabaret Vocalist Award 2010, Backstage Magazine’s Bistro Award and the MAC Award. Mr. Rodgers recently made his Broadway debut co-starring in the Tony Award winning “Liza’s At The Palace” with Oscar, Emmy and Tony Award winning superstar Liza Minnelli. JRB’s recently released CD, “Box of Photographs” (PS Classics) has won acclaim from critics and radio stations across the country.

PLAYBILL EXCLUSIVE:
In Rehearsal With Michael Feinstein and his Cy Coleman Tribute