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Candide,
by Leonard
Bernstein,
book by Hugh
Wheeler,
after Voltaire, lyrics
by Richard
Wilbur, Stephen Sondheim, John La Touche, Leonard
Bernstein,
at Jazz at Lincoln Center, is a delightful evening of
pure entertainment. Directed by Harold
Prince,
and choreographed by Patricia
Birch, the
scenes flow from one madcap adventure to another taking
place in a series of countries in Europe and Latin
America. The novel is a satire on religion, war and
morality in the eighteenth century, with the teacher Dr.
Pangloss (Gregg
Edelman),
who tells his four pupils, Candide (Jay
Armstrong Johnson),
Cunegornde (Meghan
Picerno),
Maximilian (Keith
Phares)
and Paquette (Jessica
Tyler Wright),
that they live in the best of all possible worlds and
that everything that happens in it is for the best.
Their adventures are very funny, but gruesome at times.
Also, contributing to the shenanigans in a variety of
roles, are Chip
Zien and Brooks
Ashmanskas,
plus a hilarious Linda
Lavin as
The Old Lady. All deliver splendid performances, but
outstanding is Meghan Piceno, with a magnificent voice
and superb acting, who brings down the house with her
soprano aria Glitter
And Be Gay. The fine voices of the chorus and
the energetic dancers, some perform acrobatics, add to
the success of the evening. Charles
Prince directed
the excellent orchestra that played the melodious and
sparking music marvelously. I enjoyed every minute of
this wonderful production. Welcome back the New York
City Opera!
Broadway, The
Present, after Anton
Chekhov's Platonov,
by Andrew
Upton, at
the Ethel Barrymore Theatre, is the Sydney Theatre
Company Production. Directed by John
Crowley,
it stars Cate
Blanchett as
Anna and Richard
Roxburgh as
Mikhail. It is an overlong (almost three hours),
unwieldy, hyperactive production, an updated version,
that takes place in modern-day Russia, at the birthday
party of Anna. The 13-member cast spend the time
drinking, smoking, and trying to engage in sex. The play
begins with Anna holding a gun, and as every theatre goer
knows, it will be used. Unfortunately, that does not
happen until the end of the play. She also fires a
shotgun twice in the second act. It makes a loud noise.
Finally, she threatens to blow up the dining room with
dynamite. Again, unfortunately, she does not. She is
bored. For audiences, who enjoy seeing famous film stars
on stage, the appearance of Blanchett may suffice.
Actually, it is Mikhail, who steals every scene. The
rest of the cast should not seek employment on the
Broadway stage. The use of the F--- word seems to be
very popular in Australia, but I am tired of hearing it,
repeatedly, on stage. Profanity and vulgarity was never
used by Chekhov, and that is why I, generally, enjoy his
plays.
Waterwell presented Blueprint
Specials: Soldier Musicals, music & lyrics
principally by Frank
Loesser,
book by Arnold
M.Auerbach,
original choreography by Jose
Limon,
directed by Tom Ridgely,
at the Intrepid Sea, Air & Space Museum. The
enormous cast, most of whom were or are members of the
armed forces of the United States, headed by Laura
Osnes and Will
Swenson,
was excellent. Their singing and dancing was a joy to
behold. Quinn
Mattfield as
Sad Sack was outstanding in the major comedy role. But
everyone deserved a standing ovation for one of the best
nights of musical theatre. It slyly made fun of army
life, while upholding the cherished values of
The American Way Of Life, which the armed forces were
defending around the world. The orchestra, conducted by Sonny
Paladino,
played the music wonderfully, and it was a pleasure to
listen to melodious popular music of 1944-45. It is, at
this point in time, my favorite musical of the season,
and I wish everyone of the cast and creative team much
continued success.
Mark Felt,
Superstar, book,
music, and lyrics by Joshua
Rosenblum,
who accompanies the five member cast at the piano, at
the York Theatre Company, is musical version of the
discovery of who was Deep Throat, who helped
force the resignation of President Richard
Nixon over
the Watergate scandal. Directed by Annette
Jolles,
the 90-minute show has a fine cast and pleasant music.
Confucius,
(551-479 BC), is a production of the China National
Opera & Dance Drama Theater, at the David H. Koch
Theater. It is 90-minute dance drama about the teacher
and philosopher, who shaped the nation. Directed by Kong
Dexin, the 77th-generation
direct descendant of Confucius,
it is spectacular production with 55 performers. The
costumes, dancing and recorded music is lovely to look
at and hear. The audience responded with a standing
ovation.
One of my favorite events is the Annual
Clive Barnes Awards, which
have been presented for seven years, at the Walter Reade
Theater. Michael
Riedel was
the Master of Ceremonies, and Joel Grey presented
the 2016 Theatre Award to Khris
Davis for
his performance in The
Royale, and Ashley
Bouder presented
the 2016 Clive Barnes Dance Award to Indiana
Woodward of
the New York City Ballet. |
At the reception following the awards
ceremony, I had the opportunity to chat and photograph
the talented people mentioned above.
I attended a photo op for Transport Group's upcoming
productions of Picnic and Come
Back, Little Sheba, at Clinton Cameo Studios. I had
the pleasure pf photographing one of my favorite
actresses Heather
MacRae,
who will appear in both plays. I plan to be there on
both opening nights.
I invited my good friend Victor
Callegari,
retired Head Make-Up Artist at the Metropolitan
Opera, to The Italian Cultural Institute, to hear Harvey
Sachs in a conversation
with the famous Metropolitan Opera conductor Gianandrea
Noseda.
Noseda gave Victor a warm embrace.
I was invited by my good friend Harry
Haun (I
have two!) to my favorite restaurant Chez Josephine,
414 West 42nd St, for a party for Animation Films. It
was a lovely event, where I met Michael Paz from
New Orleans, who gave me a wonderful CD, Players Ella
and Louie Tribute Band. My
beautiful wife Xiuli
Meng M.D.
loves jazz, and especially Ella
Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong.
A very funny Nathan
Lane was
the host for the unveiling of two caricatures of his
fellow cast members of The
Front Page John
Slattery and John
Goodman for
the wall at Sardi's. Most of the cast were present for
photos, and it was a joy to chat with Robert Morse, and
I reminded him of my visit backstage at Tru when
I photographed him with Tom
Cruise and
Tom's girlfriend at that time Nicole
Kidman.
I wonder whatever happened to her!
Film Society
at Lincoln Center presented
three press screenings for Neighboring
Scenes: Latin American Cinema, January 26-31. Panamerican
Machinery/Maquinaria Panamericana, by Joaquin
de Paso,
Mexico, 2016, takes place in a factory. When the owner
dies in his office, the workers discover that he has
been paying them out of his own pocket. Now, they are
without jobs, nor pensions or benefits. They take over
the factory, and what happens causes all types of
incidents. One incident, for example, is when they
decide to have a party. Five workers prepare the
alcoholic drink, and they add gasoline and the perfume
used by the dead owner. It would seem to be sickening
combination.
It is an unusual film.
A Decent Woman/ Los decentes, by Lukas
Rinner,
Austria/South Korea/Argentina, 2016, is about a maid
hired by wealthy woman, who lives in a private gated
community. A nudist camp, full of eccentric, uninhibited
people, live next to it. When the maid wanders through
the camp, she decides to join it, and she sheds her
clothes, along with her morals. The final scene is one
of violence between the two communities. It is
fascinating film, with many, many scenes of naked men
and women. Voyeurs will enjoy it.
This Time
Tomorrow/Manana a esta hora,
by Lina
Rodriguez, Colombia/Canada,
2016, is about a 17-year-old female teenager, who makes
her parents' lives miserable. When her mother dies
suddenly, she faces the real world. The portrait of a
typical, rebellious teenager is quite realistic. The
process to maturity is a long one. However, in spite of
the fine acting, especially by the young girl, the film
is slow moving, and some of the scenes are filmed in
semi darkness, which is hard on the spectator's
eyesight.
The Riverside Branch Library, 127
Amsterdam Avenue, presented Devotion,
by Curtis
Bernhardt,
USA, 1946, about the lives of Emily Bronte (Ida
Lupino)
and her sister Charlotte (Olivia
De Havilland).
Both actresses displayed their great acting ability in a
romanticized tale, that is mainly fiction. The Morgan
Library & Museum has just presented a wonderful
exhibition about Charlotte
Bronte.
It ended on January 2, 2017. It is too bad that the
filmmakers could not have visited it to improve the
film.
Rear Window, by Alfred
Hitchcock,
USA, 1954, is one of the director's finest films. James
Stewart is
a photographer confined to his apartment with a broken
leg. He is bored watching his neighbors out of his rear
window. A possible murder occurs, and we watch many
fascinating scenes develop. The added delight is the
presence of a beautiful Grace
Kelly as
Stewart's girlfriend. However, the new branch library,
opposite MoMA on West 53rd St, is the worst place to see
a film. It is uncomfortable sitting on hard wood, with
people walking up and down the stairs in the viewing
area, and mothers allowed to talk and feed their little
children, while the audience would like to enjoy the
screening.
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