I had the good fortune to interview John O’Hurley (Seinfeld‘s J. Peterman). He is an extremely tall, extremely handsome actor who has, in his own words, “cornered the market on arrogance and pomposity.” My personal observations about his appearance are noted only because – yeah, right – his physical presence is a great part of […]
I transcend the three flights of stairs at 95 Empire Street and pass through the dance studio door at AS220, encountering yon Tande and Jude Sandy — together known as Denizen Arts in their creative endeavors — talking through a run of their premiere collaboration, “Walk the (pink) Elephant.” White quilts hang from the rafters […]
The Academy Players are staging a production of Singin’ in the Rain Jr. If you’re expecting to see Gene Kelly and Debbie Reynolds, you won’t find them here. Yet. What you will see is the next generation of Broadway stars before they leave for New York. These kids are going places! The “junior” production is […]
Jonas Hassen Khemiri‘s Invasion! holds a mirror up to our own preconceived notions about other races and cultures, particularly the Arabic male. One of the most acclaimed novelists and playwrights active in Sweden, Khemiri has been vocal about his discomfort in that largely homogeneous society as the bi-racial child of a Tunisian father and a […]
The Providence Performing Arts Center (PPAC) hosts the 20th Anniversary Tour of the classic musical, which features dazzling performances and a lot of heart. Composer Jonathan Larson did not live to see the global phenomenon his show would become, famously dying from an aortic aneurysm the night after the final dress rehearsal just before its […]
Encore Repertory Company has continued its winning streak with a dazzling, high-energy production of Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, a musical retelling of the story from the Book of Genesis. Composer Andrew Lloyd Webber and lyricist Tim Rice created a jaunty score for the show, which features several memorable tunes. This is a “sung […]
Head Trick Theatre’s latest production, She Would If She Could, is a comedy by George Etherege. Written in 1668 and set in Restoration London (which kicked off with the end of the Cromwellian Interregnum in 1660), the play is both satirical and enlightening in nature. The characters’ witty banter and often satirical dialogue underscores an […]
“All the world is a Sweet Little Variety Show and all of our LBGTQ friendly humans merely feminist, anti-racist, queer-positive, body positive players in a cabaret,” to paraphrase William Shakespeare. Aurora in DownCity PVD demonstrates their commitment to diversity and acceptance as host venue for the Sweet Little Variety Show, one of the biggest hits […]
Nominated for nine Tony Awards and winning two, Lend Me a Tenor by playwright Ken Ludwig is an unambitious and ridiculous farce that depends upon numerous perfect coincidences and character stereotypes. The central plot element is a case of mistaken identity that depends upon both parties to the confusion wearing blackface makeup to perform the […]
The Low Mountaintop Collective’s Ronald K. Lewis This month, AS220 LIVE ARTS presents its second annual MODERN MOVEMENTS Dance Festival, featuring 7 dance artists/companies which celebrate creativity and experimentation through the art of Dance. The festival began Saturday April 1st and continues through the month with performances, classes/workshops and discussions. I sat down with choreographer, […]