In the span of three days, I've been able to see two of the most different dance forms imaginable.
On Saturday, my friend Cathy Woolbright and I went over to the Opelika Center for the Performing Arts to see "Classical Savion." This was the show I wrote about last week. Savion Glover dancing to classical music.
He is simply amazing.
I remember at the beginning of fall semester, a bunch of us went to see Andrew Zohn, the professor of guitar at Columbus State University, perform in Legacy Hall. My colleague Michael Owens wrote something like, "After seeing Andrew Zohn perform, I can say he is a guitar player. I am a guitar owner."
I felt the same way after watching Glover. He is a true tap dancer. I own a pair of tap shoes.
In his artist's notes, he wrote, "I would also like to thank you for your support as we celebrate my 25th year as a hoofer in the performing arts."
Is he kidding? 25 years? Well, I guess so. I remember watching him the movie, "Tap," with both Gregory Hines and the incomparable Sammy Davis Jr. He was what, 12?
Glover danced to the music of Bach, Dvorak,Vivaldi, Bartok, Shostakovich and Mendelssohn. Who else would have thought to tap to the classics?
Thank you Phillip Preston for bringing this great show to Opelika!
And Tuesday night, I got to see Momix, thanks to my friend Oz Roberts. It's good to have friends with tickets, no?
This show was completely different. I mean, completely, utterly different.
Using black light and what I call "theater magic," these 11 dancers did some amazing things.
They floated, rotated, spun, flew across the stage.
I really tried to figure out how on earth they did these mind-boggling dances.
I know there were some platforms. I know there was some "flying," a la "Peter Pan."
But some things are just ... I don't know how to describe it.
If you missed either show, I know that it's too late to see Momix in Atlanta. But you can still see "Classical Savion" Friday or Saturday in the Rialto Center for the Performing Arts, 80 Forsythe St. Tickets are $36-$62. Call 404-651-4727.
Tuesday, January 30, 2007
Wednesday, January 24, 2007
"The Member of the Wedding"
I just came from the final dress rehearsal of "The Member of the Wedding" at the Springer Opera House.
It's difficult to believe, but this was the first time the Springer had ever produced a play based on a Carson McCullers novel. Someone told me that the Springer had done "The Ballad of the Sad Cafe," but I couldn't find what season that may have been. If it had been done, it would have been a Studio Theater production, because I have a list of every Mainstage show.
"The Member of the Wedding" is a good production. The first thing you'll notice is the set. It's a wonderful set -- one of the few good ones since Peter Cranton moved to Atlanta. But that's another story for another time.
When I went to interview the cast, Scooter MacMillan, the Springer's marketing and sale director, told me that the two young actors are excellent. Summer McCusker as Frankie and Joey Goldman as John Henry are really good. And they are totally believeable playing younger than their years. Summer is 22 and is playing a very precocious 12-year-old and Joey is 11 and playing a lovable 6-year-old.
Theresa A. Cunningham is a very fine Berenice, who loves the children she looks after.
There are a couple of the actors on stage that I wished projected more. I was sitting toward the back of the house and couldn't hear some of the lines. There was some annoying feedback or something that lasted quite a while.
Because it was a rehearsal, I'm sure things like that will be taken care of by the time the paying audience comes in starting Thursday night.
I liked the play and I hope you go see it because it's important. It's important because McCullers was born and reared in Columbus and everyone should read her work. It's important because the Springer finally produced the play and I hope they do "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" and "The Ballad of Sad Cafe," too.
When you go see the play, I hope you share what you think of it with us.
It's difficult to believe, but this was the first time the Springer had ever produced a play based on a Carson McCullers novel. Someone told me that the Springer had done "The Ballad of the Sad Cafe," but I couldn't find what season that may have been. If it had been done, it would have been a Studio Theater production, because I have a list of every Mainstage show.
"The Member of the Wedding" is a good production. The first thing you'll notice is the set. It's a wonderful set -- one of the few good ones since Peter Cranton moved to Atlanta. But that's another story for another time.
When I went to interview the cast, Scooter MacMillan, the Springer's marketing and sale director, told me that the two young actors are excellent. Summer McCusker as Frankie and Joey Goldman as John Henry are really good. And they are totally believeable playing younger than their years. Summer is 22 and is playing a very precocious 12-year-old and Joey is 11 and playing a lovable 6-year-old.
Theresa A. Cunningham is a very fine Berenice, who loves the children she looks after.
There are a couple of the actors on stage that I wished projected more. I was sitting toward the back of the house and couldn't hear some of the lines. There was some annoying feedback or something that lasted quite a while.
Because it was a rehearsal, I'm sure things like that will be taken care of by the time the paying audience comes in starting Thursday night.
I liked the play and I hope you go see it because it's important. It's important because McCullers was born and reared in Columbus and everyone should read her work. It's important because the Springer finally produced the play and I hope they do "The Heart Is a Lonely Hunter" and "The Ballad of Sad Cafe," too.
When you go see the play, I hope you share what you think of it with us.
Tuesday, January 23, 2007
The Tap Dance King
In 1996, I made my first trip to New York City. I went with the students at Rivertown Dance Theater, which was my friend Janet Roddy's dance school. Yes, I actually took dance lessons. For those of you who have seen me in shows at the Springer Opera House, will probably not believe it, but it's not the teachers' fault. It's just me.
Anyway, during that trip, I really, really wanted to see "Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk." And all of us went to see the matinee.
It was choreographed and starred the incomparable Savion Glover. The show was amazing and I loved it. I even bought the CD.
Now, Glover is going to be doing "Classical Savion" in the Opelika Center for the Performing Arts inside Opelika High School, 1700 LaFayette Parkway in Opelika.
I was surprised to find out that there are still tickets available for the show Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. EST (7:30 p.m. Central).
Tickets are $23-$35 and will probably go fast once word gets out that there are still seats left. So I recommend that you call the box office at 334-749-8105. It's open 11 a.m.-1 p.m. and 2-4 p.m. (all Eastern time) Monday-Friday.
You don't want to drive to Opelika Saturday night without tickets and find that it's sold-out.
Back to "Bring in da Noise, Bring in da Funk." I was watching "West Wing" when it first came on the air and I noticed a young black actor on the show. Dule Hill played Charlie on the show. He looked very familiar and when I looked online, I discovered that he was in the show. So I got my CD and there he was. Hill is a wonderful dancer, though you'd never know by watching "West Wing."
Monday, January 22, 2007
I want to be a producer
Well, not really.
A friend of mine, Jerry Klein, called me around noon last Thursday, asking if I'd like to join him to see "The Producers" that night. I said, "Sure."
And I'm really glad I went to see it. It just may have been the best of the Broadway in Columbus series I've seen. I overheard a man saying the same thing as we were leaving.
Now, I haven't seen all of the shows that have been here, but I've seen a great many of them. "Chicago" was really good, too, but this one seemed a little bit better overall.
The acting and singing were really good, but it was the choreography was that was spectacular.
Apparently, the show was not a sell-out, though it look like most of the seats were taken. One theory I heard was that the momentum was lost when Mel Brooks took the show off the road for a year after his wife, Anne Bancroft, died. Maybe.
No matter what, you missed a great show. And I would have missed a great show if Jerry hadn't offered a ticket.
You see, no matter what you think, I have to pay for my tickets!
A friend of mine, Jerry Klein, called me around noon last Thursday, asking if I'd like to join him to see "The Producers" that night. I said, "Sure."
And I'm really glad I went to see it. It just may have been the best of the Broadway in Columbus series I've seen. I overheard a man saying the same thing as we were leaving.
Now, I haven't seen all of the shows that have been here, but I've seen a great many of them. "Chicago" was really good, too, but this one seemed a little bit better overall.
The acting and singing were really good, but it was the choreography was that was spectacular.
Apparently, the show was not a sell-out, though it look like most of the seats were taken. One theory I heard was that the momentum was lost when Mel Brooks took the show off the road for a year after his wife, Anne Bancroft, died. Maybe.
No matter what, you missed a great show. And I would have missed a great show if Jerry hadn't offered a ticket.
You see, no matter what you think, I have to pay for my tickets!
Tuesday, January 16, 2007
My first time as a blogger
This is all new to me. I even had to ask a colleague what blog meant.
Now here I am, writing one.
Why is my blog called Simply Sandra? Because that's what another co-worker, photographer Mike Haskey, always calls me. And I thought it was a good enough name for a blog.
I'll be writing about what's going on in the arts locally and sometimes even regionally.
I often hear things about various local actors and directors that just won't make it in the newspaper, like when Christopher Wright and Katie Deal announced their engagement. I kind of thought I was too close to Christopher to write about it and passed the story to another reporter. I could have written about it first in a blog.
I will not, however, deal with gossip. So if that's what you're looking for, you're out of luck.
I'll tell you what I think of events that I go to because we really don't review things here. Trust me, I won't really be writing reviews because as I've told people, there's not enough money in the world for me to review anything in this town. But I will talk about what I thought of a play at the Springer Opera House, Liberty Theatre or Columbus State University, events at the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts or art exhibits at the Columbus Museum or Columbus State University.
I hope you will write me and tell me what you think of our arts coverage and maybe you can pass me some story ideas that I may not get from my usual sources.
I think we'll have fun doing this together.
Now here I am, writing one.
Why is my blog called Simply Sandra? Because that's what another co-worker, photographer Mike Haskey, always calls me. And I thought it was a good enough name for a blog.
I'll be writing about what's going on in the arts locally and sometimes even regionally.
I often hear things about various local actors and directors that just won't make it in the newspaper, like when Christopher Wright and Katie Deal announced their engagement. I kind of thought I was too close to Christopher to write about it and passed the story to another reporter. I could have written about it first in a blog.
I will not, however, deal with gossip. So if that's what you're looking for, you're out of luck.
I'll tell you what I think of events that I go to because we really don't review things here. Trust me, I won't really be writing reviews because as I've told people, there's not enough money in the world for me to review anything in this town. But I will talk about what I thought of a play at the Springer Opera House, Liberty Theatre or Columbus State University, events at the RiverCenter for the Performing Arts or art exhibits at the Columbus Museum or Columbus State University.
I hope you will write me and tell me what you think of our arts coverage and maybe you can pass me some story ideas that I may not get from my usual sources.
I think we'll have fun doing this together.
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