Dance in Review

Displaying items by tag: Auditorium Theatre

Sunday, 10 March 2024 15:35

MOMIX: ALICE is Spectacular!

I’ve seen quite a lot of wonderful, entertaining dance productions in Chicago lately - creations that include music and modern dance set to the compositions of great artists like David Bowie, Sting and also beautifully staged to outstanding selections by lesser-known musicians that undoubtedly deserve more recognition. This past weekend I was able to catch a very impressive dance spectacle by MOMIX, the Washington, Connecticut based company known for their dancer-illusionists. With incredibly spot on music by a host of talented artists, MOMIX brought their interpretation of Alice in Wonderland to life for a one night only performance at Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre. ALICE, by Artistic Director Moses Pendleton, really stood out as being a tremendously alluring and engaging piece of dancing, mixed media and an ingenious presentation - a unique experience of both modern and classical music. 

MOMIX: ALICE utilizes ingenious props involving full-length mirrors held by the dancers while gazing into them, silken fabrics, which seem to breathe like they are alive and glow as the dancers writhe beneath them in stunning shapes and subtle movements, and a massive whimsical swing for Alice to glide on while set in a sunny field of wildflowers and green grass. There are twenty-foot high mechanical lifts and gowns, which propel Alice high up into other worlds set to the music of Grace Slick’s “Go Ask Alice-White Rabbit” and giant rubber balls, which are bounced in unison by the seven dancers and manipulated in such a way that is both graceful and comical. Massive blood red silken roses come to life like puppets with no visible puppeteer, ever so gently brushing back and forth against the heads and shoulders of two beautiful dancers in Act Two’s “Bed of Roses” . 

Although this production is not a child’s production of the play or film Alice in Wonderland, it is marvelously colorful for a vibrant visual experience and spectacularly graceful in its execution. I loved that the final message given during this open interpretation of Alice comes in the words “feed your head, feed your head,” which was applauded wildly by the audience.

MOMIX: ALICE is a true ensemble piece and when the faces of the dancers are covered it is difficult to tell them apart, because Pendleton has cast a very specific body type and height in order to keep all of the movements and stunts unique to MOMIX as uniform as possible, yet the quality of their dance still allows for the fierceness and sensuality of individual dancers to shine through. 

All of the dancers, regardless of their dance background or number of years dancing displayed the highest quality of dance movement, which, to me, happens when the expression of each gesture and movement extends all the way through to the fingertips - the very tips of the fingertips and toes in the most elegant and intelligent way. This type of extension and attention to detail and grace in the hands particularly gives the entire production a hypnotic and floating quality that is not often seen in modern dance.

ALICE has dark moments, humorous moments and sensual moments that take us through Alice’s personal discovery in growing as a little girl into a woman experiencing different planes of consciousness. All the while, the production never veers into the realm of clowning or erotica that might tarnish the incredible combinations of superb young dancers mixed with art worthy projections and very interesting and exciting musical choices. 

Artistic Director Moses Pendleton says it perfectly in the program, “We see Alice as an invitation to invent, to dream, to alter the way we perceive the world, to open it to new possibilities. The stage is our rabbit hole. We welcome you to drop in!”

During the after-show Q&A, which was very interesting, an audience member asked why MOMIX does not have a permanent home in Chicago like Blue Man Group. Their answer was two-fold – to bring the show to wider audiences around the world by touring, and to leave the audience begging for more. I agree that the comparison to Blue Man Group (as far as being a resident show) is right on the money. MOMIX: ALICE is full of such spectacular illusions, marvelous video projections of nature and other psychedelic artworks accompanied by the highest quality of dance, that it is worthy of having its own permanent stage and is entertaining enough to see over and over again.

I highly recommend MOMIX: ALICE when it (hopefully) returns to Chicago or any MOMIX production for that matter. 

Published in Dance in Review

World renowned ambassadors of Dance and Culture, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater returns to its Chicago home – the landmark Auditorium Theatre at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive – for its 55th engagement here, with six dynamic performances, April 17-21, 2024.  Celebrating its 65th Anniversary season in 2023-24, the company will perform three distinct programs certain to appeal to both longtime Ailey fans and new audiences discovering this joyous company for the first time: AUDIENCE FAVORITES, ALL-NEW, and AILEY CLASSICS.  Tickets, starting at $40, are now on sale at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater | Auditorium Theatre.

In 1958, Alvin Ailey and a small group of young Black modern dancers took the stage in New York City and forever changed the perception of American dance and culture. One of the country's groundbreaking greats, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is recognized by US Congressional resolution as a vital American "Cultural Ambassador to the World", promoting the uniqueness of the African American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of American modern dance in a universal celebration of the human spirit.

Led by Associate Artistic Director Matthew Rushing, the acclaimed Ailey dancers will showcase their passionate spirit and extraordinary technique in three specially themed programs. AUDIENCE FAVORITES features Kyle Abraham's critically applauded Are You In Your Feelings? and a new production of Ronald K. Brown's tribute to Judith Jamison's profound influence Dancing Spirit, along with the Company's traditional program closer, Alvin Ailey's beloved must-see masterpiece RevelationsALL-NEW presents a pair of exciting new works commissioned especially for Ailey: Amy Hall Garner's rousing, high spirited tribute to her grandfather, CENTURY; and Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish's dreamlike duet reminiscence of romance, Me, Myself and You; in addition to updated productions of the audacious Following the Subtle Current Upstream by Alonzo King and the tour de force Solo by Hans van ManenAILEY CLASSICS offers a newly curated two-act program sampling a variety of classic works by Alvin Ailey culminating with his signature Revelations.

"Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's annual engagement at the Auditorium Theatre is a recognized highlight of the Spring arts season, and we're pleased to be able to announce the exceptional program lineup so far in advance to help the Company's legion of Midwest fans plan their schedules," said Auditorium Theatre CEO Rich Regan. "We look forward to welcoming back the Company led by Matthew Rushing, with whom we've had the pleasure to work for much of his 30 years with Ailey, with a diverse program for Chicago audiences."

"We're excited to return to our Chicago home with Ailey's 65th Anniversary season featuring new works by exciting choreographic voices, along with a special program of classics by our legendary founder Alvin Ailey," said Associate Artistic Director Matthew Rushing.  "I share the audience's excitement in watching the Company's extraordinary dancers, some of whom hail from the area, share their artistry on the Auditorium stage to carry on a cherished legacy of inspiration."

2024 AUDITORIUM THEATRE PROGRAM

 

AUDIENCE FAVORITES (Program A)

  • A new production of Ronald K. Brown's Dancing Spirit(2009), set to music by Duke Ellington, Wynton Marsalis, and War, which pays tribute to the women of Ailey by evoking the elegance, dignity, and generosity of Judith Jamison and borrowing the title of her autobiography.
  • Are You in Your Feelings?(2022) In his third commission for the Ailey company, Kyle Abraham's newest work is a celebration of Black culture, Black music, and the youthful spirit that perseveres in us all. Scored to a "mixtape" of soul, hip-hop, and R&B, it explores the connections among music, communication, and personal memory.
  • Alvin Ailey's American masterpiece, Revelations(1960) has been seen by more people than any other modern dance work and has moved audiences around the world through its powerful storytelling and soul-stirring music, evoking timeless themes of determination, hope, and transcendence. Springing from Ailey's childhood memories of growing up in the south and attending services at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Texas, Revelations pays homage to the rich cultural heritage of the African American and explores the emotional spectrum of the human condition.

AUDIENCE FAVORITES will be performed Opening Night, Wednesday, April 17, at 7:30pm, and Saturday evening, April 20, at 7:30pm.

ALL-NEW (Program B)

  • Amy Hall Garnerlaunches her residency with her first work for the Company entitled CENTURY (2023), a deeply personal piece inspired by her grandfather on the eve of his 100th birthday. Taking a cue from his spirited essence and set to the music of Ray Charles, Count Basie, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and more, CENTURY is a celebration of life, resilience, and joy.
  • Former Ailey dancer Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrishpremieres a new duet titled Me, Myself and You (2023). A dreamlike dance about reminiscence, it is set to Damien Sneed and Brandie Sutton's rendition of "In A Sentimental Mood," conjuring the memories of love and passion for a woman who is asking herself if she should let go or forge ahead.
  • Described by choreographer Alonzo Kingas "a piece about how to return to joy," a new production of Following the Subtle Current Upstream (2000) mirrors life's boisterous waves and reminds us that everything in nature seeks to return to its source. King's movement -- abstract but steeped in meaning -- sets the dancers in constant flow to an eclectic score by Zakir Hussain, Miguel Frasconi, and Miriam Makeba.
  • A new production of Hans van Manen's Solo(1997), a tour de force among three dancers that challenges the Ailey men's daring agility and grace.  An explosive display of virtuosity and wit launches the performers into an exhilarating whirlwind of movement and musicality.

ALL-NEW will be performed Friday, April 19, at 7:30pm, and Saturday, April 20, at 1pm.

  

AILEY CLASSICS (Program C)

This special two-act Ailey Classics program is comprised of excerpts from some of Alvin Ailey's beloved  20th century ballets including Memoria (1979)Night Creature (1974), Pas de Duke (1976), Masekela Langage (1969), Opus McShann (1988), Love Songs (1972), Reflections in D (1962) and For 'Bird' – With Love (1985). In Act 1 Memoria honors the life of a cherished friend and Night Creature fuses Ailey's buoyant choreography with Duke Ellington's sparkling music. Act II features the strong yet serene solo Reflections in D along with highlights from the spirited duet Pas de Duke, the commanding choreography in Masekela Langage, the comical meandering of Opus McShann, the lyrical solo from Love Songs, and the magical Charlie Parker tribute For 'Bird' – with Love. Ailey's American signature masterpiece, Revelations, concludes the program.

AILEY CLASSICS will be performed Thursday, April 18, at 7:30pm, and Sunday, April 21 at 3pm.

Performance Schedule and Tickets

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater performs at the Auditorium Theatre: Wednesday, April 17 at 7:30pm; Thursday and Friday, April 18-19 at 7:30pm; Saturday, April 20 at 1pm and 7:30pm; and Sunday, April 21 at 3pm. Tickets start at $40 and are now  available atAuditoriumTheatre.org, by calling 312.341.2300, or at the Box Office at 50 E Ida B Wells Drive in Chicago, IL. Click here for phone and in-person hours.

Discounted tickets forgroups of 10 or more people are available. The Auditorium Theatre offers $20student rushtickets to full-time college students and a Student Savings Clubfor both college and high school students. Click here for more information on discounted tickets.

About Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, recognized by U.S. Congressional resolution as a vital American "Cultural Ambassador to the World," grew from a now‐fabled March 1958 performance in New York that changed forever the perception of American dance. Founded by Alvin Ailey, posthumous recipient of the Presidential Medal of Freedom—the nation's highest civilian honor, and guided by Judith Jamison beginning in 1989, the Company was then led by Robert Battle from 2011 to 2023. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has performed for an estimated 25 million people in 71 countries on six continents, promoting the uniqueness of the African American cultural experience and the preservation and enrichment of the American modern dance tradition. In addition to being the Principal Dance Company of New York City Center, where its performances have become a year‐end tradition, the Ailey company performs annually at the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, the Auditorium Theatre in Chicago, The Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Zellerbach Hall in Berkeley, CA, and at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center in Newark (where it is the Principal Resident Affiliate), and appears frequently in other major theaters throughout the world during extensive tours. The Ailey organization also includes Ailey II (1974), a second performing company of emerging young dancers and innovative choreographers; The Ailey School (1969), one of the most extensive dance training programs in the world; Ailey Arts In Education & Community Programs, which brings dance into the classrooms, communities, and lives of people of all ages; and The Ailey Extension (2005), a program offering dance and fitness classes to the general public, which began with the opening of Ailey's permanent home—the largest building dedicated to dance in New York City, the dance capital of the world—named The Joan Weill Center for Dance, at 55th Street at 9th Avenue in New York City. For more information, visit www.alvinailey.org.

Bank of America is Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's Tour Sponsor.

About The Auditorium Theatre

The Auditorium Theatre, located at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive at Roosevelt University in Chicago, is an Illinois not-for-profit organization committed to presenting the finest in international, cultural, community, and educational programming to all of Chicago and beyond as The Theatre for the People. The organization also is committed to the continued restoration and preservation of this National Historic Landmark that originally opened in 1889. 

The Auditorium Theatre is grateful for the support of our 2023-24 Season Global and Made in Chicago Dance Series Sponsor: The Florian Fund; our Student Matinee Series Sponsors: Deborah and Bruch Crown, Denise Littlefield Sobel, and The Robert Thomas Bobins Foundation; our Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater Production Sponsor: Denise Littlefield Sobel; and our Ailey Opening Night Sponsor: Helen Hall Melchior.  The Auditorium Theatre 2023-24 Season is made possible in part by support from the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation, the City of Chicago Department of Cultural Affairs and Special Events, and the Illinois Arts Council Agency. The Auditorium's official hotel partner is the Palmer House, a Hilton Hotel.

This Auditorium Theatre's 2023-24 performance season features a dynamic mix of cultural events from ballet to rock and roll and everything in between. For more information on the Auditorium Theatre and a complete listing of events at the Auditorium Theatre, please visit AuditoriumTheatre.org.

Published in Upcoming Theatre

Blade Runner Live? Don’t worry, it’s not a musical adaptation of Ridley Scott’s 1982 sci-fi classic. It’s the inaugural film in The Auditorium Theater’s new series, Auditorium Philms, in which five films will be live scored by the Chicago Philharmonic. Performances are scheduled throughout the year and include a special 35th anniversary presentation of Tim Burton’s Batman Returns as well as Francis Ford Copolla’s 1992 version of Dracula.

Likely inspired by the success of Chicago Symphony Orchestra’s live scored film events, The Auditorium’s new series offers a unique way to enjoy classical music performance. In many ways, Hollywood film composers have kept the spirit of classical music alive, or at the very least made orchestra music more accessible to the masses. And who doesn’t sometimes put on their favorite film scores to get some work done?

The Chicago Philharmonic brings a small troupe of performers to the grand stage of The Auditorium, but however small they’re just as mighty. The score leaps off the stage and into the highest rafters of the enormous, gilded hall. Huge shows of percussion give an audience the feeling that the score is as big of a character as either Harrison Ford or Daryl Hannah. A musician also doubles as the vocalist, bringing a three dimensional element to the action-packed score.

Auditorium Philms creates a new hybrid movie theater-going experience. They’re blending the traditional theatre model (including a short intermission) with the “Imax” type rollercoaster ride audiences seem to clamor for with every passing superhero movie. The pandemic further cemented people’s love for not just film, but for also the sense of community that certain films create. Think ComicCon.  Blade Runner, Batman, etc there’s a fan-base that loves to cosplay and generally get to know each other. This series will provide a perfect place for film, theatre and music lovers to “nerd out” among like-minded folks.

Auditorium Philms run throughout 2024, check out the schedule here.

Published in Theatre in Review

I really enjoyed this unique program of ballet created and choreographed by Dwight Rhoden (formerly of Alvin Ailey) and Desmond Richardson and performed by Complexions Contemporary Ballet company that features an interesting combination of the music of Johann Sebastian and Carl Philipp Emanuel Bach along with the prolific rock icon, David Bowie. The choice to use music of classical composers, Bach, Vivaldi and Beethoven for the first half of this program before diving into the wonderful music of David Bowie was interesting and effective. 

At the sold out, one night only Chicago performance of ‘Stardust: From Back to Bowie’ at Auditorium Theatre, the audience seemed anxious to absorb the quality of this highly trained company's talents while waiting for the David Bowie portion of the show to begin.

I have to say that David Bowie's music was a perfect choice for this beautiful and rare company to perform as they chose to cast many wonderful dancers of all races, genders and sizes, which was refreshing to see rather than the more traditional ballet productions that feature dancers of virtually the same structured dimensions. This marvelously diverse company danced with precision, grace and a high-level of artistry and it was just a pleasure to watch them in action.

I’ll admit I was mostly drawn to see this production because of the use of David Bowie's music, so the second half of the show that featured exquisitely executed dancing to the compositions from the man behind Ziggy Stardust really resonated with me. Bowie’s complex, expansive, modern, and often gender-bending music was a seamless match made in Heaven with these exiting dancers and choreography.

It was in the Bowie portion of the performance that, to me, the dancers all seemed to really come alive, including their facial expressiveness, as some were allowed to or chose to lip sync during their interpretive solos, with each dancer taking turns playing the Bowie lead role. The moment Bowie’s music hit the audience’s ears is when the show really burst into life.

Although the classical, Bach-driven first half of the program was well done, the excitement, DRAMA and exquisite storytelling of the Bowie segment begs the question, why aren't more high-quality ballet dance companies using Bowie's music and/or other modern popular musician’s music to dance to? Bowie’s portion of the show was absolutely inspirational. I saw many child dancers in the audience and could tell they were encouraged and inspired by the use of male and female leads to portray Bowie himself. 

I highly recommend this beautiful and astonishing production by a very unique and well-trained company for audiences of all ages. 

Published in Theatre in Review

“Sugar Hill: The Ellington/Strayhorn Nutcracker,” is a revelation, an absolutely delightful spectacle that may open for you a world of riches in music, choreography, and costumes—it did for me.

Just as the 1892 Tchaikovsky “Nutcracker Ballet” is a holiday dream told in dance, so is this new Americanized (and to me, much more accessible) version, having its world premiere at Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre through December 30. 

It is rooted in a 1960 holiday jazz album by Billy Strayhorn and Duke Ellington, whose reinterpretation of Tchaikovsky's ballet classic is filtered powerfully through bluesy and swinging jazz, while holding substantial elements of the Russian composer’s original.

SUGAR HILL Muata Langley Photo credit Michelle Reid

Muata Langley, one of the sumptuously trench-coated Hooligans.

The libretto and concept is by Jessica Swan, who has created a work for this century, and the ages—with direction and choreography by Tony nominees Joshua Bergasse and Jade Hale-Christofi. “Sugar Hill” features more than 30 dances in four scenes, each distinctive and substantial, expressing the music while advancing the adventurous story.

Strayhorn/Ellington’s 1960 “Nutcracker Suite” had just nine numbers, so “Sugar Hill” has infused the work with many other Strayhorn and Ellington pieces, including Strayhorn’s “Take the A Train,” which receives a show-stopping performance in dance, the whole production backed by a seventeen-piece jazz orchestra, conducted by Harold O’Neal and associate conductor Rob Cookman, both of whom also play piano during the show.

SUGAR HILL Nutcracker Brenda Braxton and the cast Photo Credit Michelle Reid

Brenda Braxton as Mother Sugar with her cat butlers.

Like the original “Nutcracker Ballet” the story of “Sugar Hill” centers on a poor little rich girl dreaming of adventures beyond the straight-laced confines of her home. But this little girl is Lena Stall, whose wealthy Black parents live on the Upper West Side; and her dreams take her to the 1930s Sugar Hill district in Harlem, where she experiences exciting music and characters. Nutcracker traditionalists will feel at home with the fine balletic performances by some of the greatest dancers, and mice, cats, dogs and the Nutcracker are all there.

Producers David Garfinkle and Dr. Ron Simons intended to preview this show in New York City in November. Instead, our city is blessed to enjoy this world premiere at Chicago’s historic Auditorium, a perfect setting for what I am certain will prove to be a ravishing cultural event of great import. “Sugar Hill” runs through December 30 at Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre.

Published in Theatre in Review

It’s a truth universally known that the holidays aren’t always a great time for everyone. Holiday traditions and expectations can often leave us feeling emotionally void or overwhelmed, particularly with how bleak 2023 has been for so many. But in every darkness there is joy to be sparked and light to be found, if one is willing to look for it. This holiday season I discovered a shining light in the The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show at Auditorium Theatre. 

The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show is an internationally acclaimed holiday variety show returning to Chicago following the massive success of their previous holiday tours. Co-written, co-created, and starring global drag icons and RuPaul’s Drag Race stars BenDeLaCreme and Jinkx Monsoon, fans braved the winter cold to witness a fabulous spectacle, whip-smart comedy, and creative song parodies embodying and cleverly critiquing holiday traditions. 

The holiday show harkens back to classic comedy variety shows that used to dominate television and stage. Jinkx and DeLa are an iconic and dynamic duo, with quick and witty banter and humor that is conflict free, a rarity in today’s comedic world. Even more impressive is that the show is entirely helmed by the queens themselves, with BenDeLaCreme in the producer and director’s chairs.  Too often, queer and drag stories are written and produced by people outside of the community. The Jinkx & DeLa Holiday Show and BenDeLaCreme Presents are reminders why authentic queer storytelling is not only necessary but should be widely celebrated. BenDeLaCreme says, “With all the hatred, darkness, and misinformation flying around our world today, it is an honor and a privilege to spend the holidays with tens of thousands of audience members each year, creating joyous community spaces where we can gather strength through laughter and celebration. Whether you consider it the most wonderful time of year or the most troubling, we’re here to tell you… you’re right! So let’s make it our own.” Monsoon adds, “It’s been a wild year, so let’s end it wildly. DeLa and I strive to entertain while we enlighten and enliven. The Jinkx & Dela Holiday Show is not only a moment of respite, but also of community, at a time where we need our chosen family and community most of all. So add us to your holiday plans, or let us BE your holiday plans— either way, you’re welcome to join us.”

DeLaJinkx 23050663 snow 8x10

The Jinkx & Dela Holiday Show is a shining light within the darkness, and truly a magnificent experience. The Auditorium Theatre audience were loyal followers of Jinkx and DeLa, many having seen their 2023 show in multiple cities on their tour, while others were back for their yearly tradition of seeing the iconic duo perform. In talking with Jinkx and DeLa, we learned this year’s holiday show changed the formula of the variety show, pairing the usual sweet vs. spicy duo as a united front, emphasizing the core message of togetherness and unity amidst an ever divisive and polarizing world. At the end of the show, the stars beseeched the audience to carry the joy, laughter, and love exuded and felt throughout the show out into the dark world; to spark that light within others and be the light so needed in the darkness. With everything that has happened in 2023, and the last few years,  Jinkx and DeLa have channeled their worry, frustration, and anxiety into a beautifully crafted show filled with lightness, and have created an enduring and worthwhile holiday tradition sure to be enjoyed for years to come.

Though the tour only visited Chicago for one night, this show is sure to become a staple in Chicagoland, only growing and getting better with time. One of the prevailing themes of this year’s variety show was that while our traditions anchor us to the holiday season, we can consistently look within ourselves and our communities to create new traditions or adapt and grow our old traditions. And most importantly, if we cannot find a light within the darkness, we ourselves can be the light for those around us. I cannot wait to add The Jinkx & Dela Holiday Show a must-see holiday tradition and I’ll see you all there in 2024.

This year’s tour will run through December 30 across the US, UK, and Canada with the show that proves they’re still the reigning “queens of Christmas'' (Entertainment Weekly). Tickets are available at JinkxandDeLa.com

Published in Theatre in Review

It’s hard to find words to describe DEEPLY ROOTED DANCE THEATRE’s performance. Phenomenal …  wondrous … magnificent … incredible – all these and more apply but even all together they’re insufficient to the task.

DEEPLY ROOTED DANCE THEATRE, a Chicago-based dance company, has been expressing the transformative power of art through dance education and performance since 1996. In their own words, Deeply Rooted Dance ‘reimagines and diversifies the aesthetics of contemporary dance by uniting modern, classical, American, and African American traditions in dance and storytelling’. That last word, storytelling, is uniquely cogent. Friday night in the Auditorium Theatre every dance told its own story within a program that formed an artistic digest of Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre’s history.

The first chapter was Junto [translation “Together], choreographed in 1990 by Kevin Iega Jeff.  Junto was comprised of three episodes: a duet with Rebekah Kuczma and Mekeba Malik, a quartet of Emani Drake and Ahmad Hill, Nyemah Stuart and Sam Ogunde, and a second duet with Alyssa MacCullum and Louis Pearson.  Costume Designer Victoria Carot expressed Pat Metheny’s jubilant music in vivid primary colors: each pair of dancers wore leotards of radiant blue, red, yellow, or verdant green. Sarah Lackner was Lighting Designer for this and every piece, and was masterful, including in some numbers of various images projected against the back of the stage. Stage Manager Gwenne Godwin, with Assistant Razor Wintercastle, molded all components into an exultant whole.

The revival of 53 Inhale, choreographed by Gary Abbott in 2009, recounted Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre’s middle years, expressing Abbott’s ‘heartfelt tribute to the artists in my life’. Cherae Grimes, Joshua L. Ishmon, Mekeba Malik, Sam Ogunde, Taylor Ramos, and Nyemah Stuart performed in costumes designed by Victoria Carot.

NOTE: The Aud Theatre had a program kerfuffle, and I had no program to refer to and make notes on until Intermission; apologies in advance for any errors.

Vespers, a perennial favorite, was choreographed in 1986 by Ulysses Dove; he also designed the original costumes, redesigned by Lea Umberger. The dance began in a pas de deux with Emani Drake and a straightback chair; gradually she was joined by Taylor Ramos, Alyssa MacCullom, Heather Cagle, Rebekha Kuczma, and Nyemah Stuart. Mikel Rouse’s “Quorum” provided an electronic percussive score that displayed the dancers’ lithe and dynamic elegance. Gravity-defying leaps and the interrelationships and energies between the six women combined beautifully.

This was Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre’s company premiere of Mama Rose, a solo performance by Emani Drake to the music of Archi Shepp / Jasper Van’t Hof. Victoria Carot designed the beautifully austere black costume. Choreographer Keith Lee dedicated this work to New York dance icon Thelma Hill. Emani Drake’s brilliance is, naturally, most gloriously appreciated in solo performances, but I’m just as enthralled by her ability to integrate with other dancers without eclipsing them – like Cassie in A Chorus Line.

A pause followed Mama Rose, giving the stage crew time to carefully sweep the floor so the finale could safely be performed barefooted. Deeply Rooted often performs barefoot, a striking feature one doesn’t commonly see in professional dance, for the obvious reason that a dancer’s feet must be as cherished as a pianist’s hands and a singer’s throat. I experienced the absence of footwear as a powerful statement for the final chapter in this chronicle of Deeply Rooted Dance Theatre.

The finale was a World Premiere of the entire 30 minutes of Madonna Anno Domini, choreographed by the company’s Artistic Director Nicole Clarke-Springer. Costumes, an ‘inspiration from Men Ca Acnem’ were stylized street clothes, eloquently drab. The soundtrack was unique, as much spoken as musical, began with excerpts from President Barak Obama’s 2008 victory speech in Grant Park and Aretha Franklin singing The Long and Winding Road. Culoe de Son and Alev Lenz were followed by Sinead O’Connor, with a rich narration running throughout, one phrase of which stays with me: “take my ex-cannibal’s kiss and make a revolution”. Madonna Anno Domini was an anthem to 200 painful and triumphant years of struggle for racial equality, and specifically three generations of civil rights work in Clarke-Springer’s family history. Madonna Anno Domini was about persistence and about community, about tyranny and leadership, and the complex aftermath of all that empowerment.

The audience is a vital part of any performance, and never more so than with Deeply Rooted Dance. I’m not given many opportunities to be, as a white woman, in the minority. In a crowd. As always it was both compelling and effectual, but as a reviewer it was challenging. The Auditorium Theatre was packed, yet within the throng there was a powerful atmosphere of kinship; a kinship that did not include me: the stranger at a family reunion, writing a review from the outside looking in. I mention it to put my views in context.

It seemed that every dancer – certainly every one of the principals – had a squadron of family and friends in the audience. They applauded for every brief solo or pas de deux, never disruptive, just enough to herald their specific and loving support. And after the final curtain the dancers beckoned everyone – Artistic Director, Rehearsal Director, Executive Director, Choreographers and Uncle Tom Cobbleigh and all – onstage for ovations, flowers, and hugs.

Family. Community.

Eloquent.

November 3rd’s was a single-night performance, but I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you attend DEEPLY ROTTED DANCE THEATRE at the first opportunity.

Published in Dance in Review

For so many children of the ‘80s, the revisiting and repurposing of our childhoods’ intellectual and emotional property is comforting. Maybe I’m more cynical, but so many of pop culture’s attempts to cash in on my nostalgia don’t do much for me. And so, when Tim Burton’s beloved tale of a recently deceased married couple and their debauched and equally dead ghostly exterminator became a Broadway musical, I was unsure about yet another attempt to take my fond memories and put them on the stage.

All that to say, I went into the Auditorium Theatre for Broadway on Chicago’s current production of Beetlejuice the Musical. The Musical.The Musical. a skeptic. And I came out smiling like I haven’t smiled in years.

For real, this is the most enjoyable production I’ve seen since before the pandemic.

It began with the set, which won me over immediately. I’ve found that shows put on in the Auditorium face the challenge of living up to such a large, looming, living house as Adler and Sullivan’s 19th-century masterpiece. Sometimes it can overshadow shows. Sometimes it can swallow them up. Sometimes it’s just too much, itself. Not in this case. The set, designed by David Korins, already faced the challenge of living up to the zany and iconic look of the film, straight from inside Tim Burton’s head. But the set does live up to Burton’s vision—from the BETELGEUSE sign and spooky lighting—designed by Kenneth Posner—that greets you to the ever-changing innards of the soon-to-be-haunted house that hosts the show, as do the costumes (by William Ivey Long), the projections (by Peter Nigrini), and especially the puppets (by Michael Curry). This production not only recreates the brilliance of Burton’s movie, but it also recreates the BIGNESS of it. This Beetlejuice is a real spectacle, as it ought to be.

The music, too, of this 21st-century reimagining of 20th-century classic totally works. Going in, I knew the songs would be good, as my daughters have played the original Broadway soundtrack around the house since it came out in 2018. With words and music by Eddie Perfect, these are really good songs. And the orchestra, produced and supervised by Matt Stine and Kris Kukul and directed by Andy Grobengieser and Julia Sunay, is really tight throughout, something as a musician myself I notice and appreciate.

Yes, if the wonderful scenic and sonic experience I had at Beetlejuice was all I had to talk about, it still might rank up there with the shows I’ve most enjoyed. But I haven’t even gotten to the show’s cast yet. And—as they would be filling roles first played by none other than Michael Keaton, Catherine O’Hara, Geena Davis, Alec Baldwin, and Winona Ryder—that was my main area of concern. Could anyone live up to those names and those performances?

This cast does.

Justin Collette takes on the title role with ghoulish glee. While Collette nails the gravelly voice of the original, he doesn’t try to perfectly recreate the grubbiness of Keaton’s spectral chiseler. Collette’s Beetlejuice is a bit more modern, a bit more fun—more carnival barker or social media attention hound than used car salesman—while every bit as irreverent and foul-mouthed (and actually Rated R to the 1988 PG-rated poltergeist). And Collette can sing. He’s on all night long—all over the stage, interacting with the audience like a standup comic, dancing with the ensemble, shaking a leg, breaking off an arm, evading a sandworm, holding a minute-long note—without breaking a sweat. I was out of breath just watching him, but Collette proved himself a real pro.

Also, a real pro—in her professional debut—is Isabella Esler as poor little broken-hearted gothic girl, Lydia Deetz. Now, again, I’m a 1980s kid. And Winona Ryder will always be everything to me—especially as the original Lydia. In fact, in the clips I’d seen of other performances from other productions of Beetlejuice, Lydia was the one who could never live up to the original. But Esler does that. She not only keeps up with an ever-changing set and never-tiring ensemble, but she also leads them. Confident, coordinated, and with a face so expressive it seems to pop right off the Auditorium’s giant stage and right into the seats, Esler was every bit the star of the show as Beetlejuice. And like Collette, Esler can also really sing—always finding another gear and a higher or more emotionally compelling note—sing like someone who’s been doing this for decades.

The rest of this cast, too, are professionals, or even better than the great professionals I’ve come to expect in such productions. Baldwin and Davis were (and still are) reliable, benignly attractive icons in the film. But as recently deceased husband and wife onstage, Megan McGinnis and Will Burton play up the boring and benign, which only highlights how extraordinarily talented the two are. They sing, they dance, they act as ensemble side pieces when needed, but carry whole scenes themselves.

While those two expand on the film’s characteristics, the two other principal characters are much different, and for the better in this case. The book—by Scott Brown and Anthony King—takes license throughout, even referring to the fact that this isn’t the Beetlejuice many old fans like me might be expecting. Because of the big plot changes, the roles of Lydia’s parents completely change. Instead of sleezy Jeffrey Jones’ standard 80s sleaze he brought to this or other film classics, Jesse Sharp’s Charles Deetz is someone you can—or come to—root for. And as Catherine O’Hara (always the perfect film mom from that era) is inimitable, the show doesn’t even try. Kate Marilley’s Delia Deetz is a completely different character than O’Hara’s, and Marilley is a complete hoot—maybe the most fun physical comedian on a stage that’s full of them during this production.

So, yes, this production, wonderfully directed by Alex Timbers, not only won over this old, pessimistic grump (and completely charmed the audience, regardless of age), it wowed me. From the sights to the sounds to the stars on the Auditorium Theatre stage, Broadway in Chicago’s current production of Beetlejuice—running now through November 19—is an event you do not want to miss.

Published in Theatre in Review

 

It’s hard to go wrong with ballet. From a toddlers’ class giggling nervously through Swan Lake to the zaniest comic piece by Los Trocoderos, ballet excites, inspires, and delights us. All these occurred at the American Ballet Theatre performance April 14 at the Auditorium Theatre. I was very much looking forward to this performance; American ballet Theatre (ABT) is one of the most celebrated companies in the world. But I hadn’t anticipated just how vigorously and comprehensively they would blow my socks clean off.

The show was in three acts – unusual to have two intermissions in a two-hour show, but as the night unfolded it became clear why it had to be so. Act One was “Songs of Bukovina”. I couldn’t resist googling Bukovina: the region, sparsely populated since the Paleolithic (!), is located on the northern slopes of the central Eastern Carpathians and the adjoining plains, today divided between Romania and Ukraine. The language spoken is Romanian with influences of Moldovan, Transylvanian, and Maramureș. Whew! … try saying that three times fast! Any road, one expects a folk-dance sort of thing, and one would be correct. “Songs of Bukovina”, including ten dancers and led by principals Isabella Boylston and Daniel Camargo, was a celebration of the global genre of folk dance, with brilliantly colored costumes designed by Moritz Junge whirling about the stage. The music in “Songs of Bukovina” is excerpted by composer Leonid Desyatnikov from “Bukovinian Songs [24 Preludes for Piano]”, performed by pianist Jacek Mysinski.

Scene from Songs of Bukovina. Photo by Marty Sohl.

I had noted that the first dance in Act Two, “Touché”, listed Sarah Lozoff as Intimacy Director – a common role in theatrical productions but not, in my experience, customary for dance. I have mentioned in previous reviews my predilection for male pas de deux, and “Touché” gave me the pas de deux of my dreams. It began with Calvin Royal III and João Menegussi standing motionless on the stage and shouting individual words: “No!”, “Come”, “Fuck!”. Slowly they began to move, individually at first but with a gradual transition to synchronicity. Christopher Rudd’s choreography made it progressively more clear that we were witnessing a mating dance, so it was perfectly natural when they began to shed their clothes. Once they were near-naked the dance became more sensual, enhanced by Brad Fields’ inventive lighting – at one point the house lights came up while leaving the stage nearly dark.

In fencing, touché means “touched”. Fencers who have been hit may call out “touché” to acknowledge the touch. If, however, no hit was actually made, the fencer's adversary would say, "pas de touché" (in English: no touch) to indicate that the hit should not be counted. Via Woodkid and Ennio Morricone’s music, and the danseurs’ brilliantly controlled balletic motion, this spell-binding pas de deux was enhanced by the aura of pas de touché, a tempestuous ambience that saturated the dance. The standing ovation continued through three curtain calls.

Touché

There was a brief pause between “Touché” and “Some Assembly Required”, during which I reflected that I did not envy the dancers who would have to follow Royal and Menegussi’s sensational performance. But Katherine Williams and Jarod Curley rose to the challenge. “Some Assembly Required” could have been simply a hetero apologia to “Touché”, but Clark Tippet’s choreography and Amanda McKerrow and John Gardner’s staging did a fine job on its own merits. The brooding atmosphere of “Touché” was lifted by Kobi Malkin and Emily Wong’s performance of William Bolcom’s Second Sonata for Violin and Piano, setting a more frolicsome tone to ready the audience for “ZigZag”, a sprightly medley of Tony Bennett songs (with a very special duet with Lady Gaga).

“ZigZag”, a work for 14 dancers, premiered in October 2021. This performance included four of the original principals, Devon Teusch, Luciana Paris, Cassandra Trenary, and Joo Won Ahn, with the addition of Aran Bell and Blaine Hoven.

“ZigZag” was a perfect finale, a dazzling whirlwind of music and movement. The Tony Bennett medley included such favorites as What the World Needs Now, I Left My Heart in San Francisco, and It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing. Costumers Wes Gordon and Carolina Herrera dressed the chorus in bumptious black-and-white polka-dot tutus, setting off the principals in bright primary colors. Jessica Lang’s choreography evoked a blooming Spring season with It’s De-Lovely, Blue Moon and Springtime in Manhattan., and Derek McLane incorporated artwork by Bennett in the scenery. The final song, How Do You Keep the Music Playing, brought the audience to its feet, where we remained through several curtain calls.

I’ve made no secret that my favorite piece was “Touché”, and the ovation and curtain calls demonstrated that I wasn’t alone in that. However, the brilliance of “Touché” was intensified by all the works surrounding it, as a diamond’s luster is enhanced by its cut and setting.

American Ballet Theatre is only in Chicago for a brief stay, but where- and when-ever you have a chance to see them perform, you will not be disappointed.

Published in Dance in Review

You’ve never heard of Les Ballets Trockadero??

Les Ballets Trockadero (affectionately, ‘the Trocks’) is the ‘the World’s foremost all-male comic ballet company, and they’re playing at the Auditorium Theatre … wait, no … they played at the Aud on Saturday night, 2/11/23 – a one-night run But the Trocks are on tour through March 11, and it’s worth a trip to Asheville NC, or Tacomah WA, or New Haven CT to see them.

There are many remarkable things about the Trocks. Let’s start with their statement on Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Access – a testimony you don’t see for every ballet company. The Statement is key to their artistic practice: “[The Trocks] are not just an exceptionally skilled ballet troupe; they are radicals and proud of it.”

If that sort of thing doesn’t ring your bells, let’s talk about the ‘exceptionally skilled’ bit. It’s amazing to see cis-male dancers rise on full pointe to pirouette, piqué tour, relevé, and some outstanding arabesques – Trocks can hold a balance forever.

The Trocks are (justly) renowned for their comic routines, but the success of these zany routines is inextricably bound to their technical genius. One comic routine is brief: a dancer ‘accidentally’ kicks one of the chorus in the head. Burlesque simply isn’t funny if the actors are inept, this hilarious stunt will look like a true casualty with a bungling dancer.

Sometimes the entire routine is comic, as when the two tallest ‘ballerinas’ are in pas de trois with a very short ‘danseur’. Their voluminous skirts overwhelm him, and the hapless danseur is often completely concealed by the ballerinas; he appears totally preposterous. But when each of the pas de trois performs a variation, the small, gawky danseur is revealed as totally phenomenal: I swear his grand jetes soared to nearly half his entire height! And when he circled the stage in a series of barrel turns and sky-high grand jetes it brought the audience to its feet.

Ah yes: the audience; an integral part of any performance, and one that the performers cannot control, except (hopefully!) by their performance. The Auditorium Theatre was packed with a wonderfully responsive audience, who laughed, applauded and cheered, and delivered a unanimous standing ovation at the final curtain. The Trocks graced us with a brief encore: a hora danced to Hava Nagila traditionally a dance of joy.

It's tempting to dismiss the Trocks as a counter-culture oddity, a troupe of gay danseurs who have chosen a very in-your-face way to come out and declare themselves. To begin with, I don’t know if each of the Trocks is gay, bisexual, trans, or even Republican. The Trocks are a troupe of exceptionally talented dancers performing ballet impossible for a traditional company.

I often wished the Olympics would feature male/male figure skating teams. Wouldn’t it be glorious to see both skaters performing triple Lutz and quadruple Axel jumps? Even better would be to see both skaters jumping: quadruple Salchow. Best of all would be to see both skaters lifting and throwing each other.

The Trockaderos are a step ahead of the Olympics, performing some of the most difficult and spectacular moves in ballet without the gender restrictions that fetter traditional ballet. After all, I suspect most balletomanes are simply not ready to see Margot Fonteyn lifting Mikhail Barishnikov

Though here at Chicago's Auditorium Theatre for just a single performance, be on the lookout for their return.

Published in Dance in Review
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