Dance, Classical,
Music and Dance Fall Preview
In this article we will preview some of the terrific musical events that are coming up for your enjoyment over the first part of the seaon. Among the many outstanding events upcoming for the Fall season are a few that deserve asterisks on this audience member’s calendar: the Takacs String Quartet at the Carlsen Center at JCCC on September 10; opera diva Renee Fleming performing with the Harriman Jewell Series on October 9; elegant Czech pianist Ivan Moravec performing with The Friends of Chamber Music a week later; "Slaughter on Tenth Avenue," a parody of Broadway theatrics, Russian ballet and the mob, with the Kansas City Ballet on October 14-17; the Venice Baroque Orchestra in an interesting juxtaposition of Vivaldi’s classic "The Four Seasons" matched with Philip Glass’ modern "The American Four Seasons" on October 16; the Kansas City Symphony Chorus in Giuseppe Verdi’s wonderful and rarely performed "Four Sacred Pieces" in KC Symphony concerts of October 22-24; Kansas native Karen Armitage’s group "Armitage Gone!" Dance performing at the University of Kansas’ Lied Center in Lawrence on November 5; the Lyric Opera’s first-ever production of a work by bel canto master Vincenzo Bellini, "Norma," opening November 6; newEar’s concert of contemporary music classics of Corigliano, Higdon, Kirchner and others on November 13; and famed pianist Leon Fleischer at the UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance on December 2.
The Friends of Chamber Music
Mainly at the Folly Theater
12th and Central Streets, Kansas City, MO
For tickets and season information call 816-561-9999 or online at www.chambermusic.org
Celebrating their 35th Anniversary in 2010-11, founder Cynthia Siebert has an outstanding season planned for Kansas City. The elegant Czech pianist Ivan Moravec takes the Folly Theater stage on October 16, which this listener regards as the highlight of the fall portion of The Friends’ season. And probably a very close second will be Pinchas Zukerman and Yefim Bronfman in a duo violin/piano recital on November 19.
The Friends' season kicks off with the lyrical Russian pianist, Vladimir Feltsman on October 1, followed by the venerable, yet dynamic Kopelman String Quartet on November 6.
Harriman Jewell Series
Folly Theater
12th and Central Streets, Kansas City, MO
For tickets and season information call 816-415-5025 or online at www.harriman-jewell.org
The recent death of Richard Harriman, the founder of the remarkable Harriman Jewell Series of recitals, has left a deep sadness among those of us in the classical music community, but should not dissuade us from enjoying the outstanding season which he and his successor, Clark Morris, have planned for 2010-11.
Vocal music fans will enjoy today’s leading opera diva, Renee Fleming, in a recital on October 9 and the famed English group the King’s Singers in a holiday concert on December 11. Dance enthusiasts will enjoy the remarkably energetic Trey McIntyre Project (you may have seen them at the Carlsen Center last year) on September 18 and the more traditional Houston Ballet on October 30. Gautier Capuçon, cellist, and Gabriela Montero, pianist, appear in a duo recital on November 5.
In addition, the Harriman-Jewell program is offering two free community concerts, of violinist Chloe Hanslip on October 15 and pianist Alessio Bax on November 20.
Kansas City Ballet
Lyric Theatre
10th and Central, Kansas City, MO
For tickets and season information call 816-931-2232 or online at www.kcballet.org.
Kansas City’s premiere dance company inaugurates its season the weekend of October 14-17 with a program featuring Slaughter on Tenth Avenue, a parody of Broadway theatrics, Russian ballet and the mob, set to the music of Richard Rodgers. Also on the program are Bruce Marks’ The Lark Ascending, set to the transcendent music of Ralph Vaughan Williams, and two Balanchine works, Mozartiana and Tchaikovsky Pas de Deux, both of them (notwithstanding the name of the first) set to music by Tchaikovsky.
Also, of course, the Kansas City Ballet will bring back the evergreen holiday favorite, The Nutcracker (more Tchaikovsky!) from December 11-24, this time performed at the Music Hall.
Kansas City Chamber Orchestra
Old Mission Church
Shawnee Mission Parkway and Mission Road, Prairie Village, KS
& Unity Temple on the Plaza
707 West 47th Street, Kansas City, MO
For tickets and season information call 816-235-6222 or online at www.kcchamberorchestra.org
The Kansas City Chamber Orchestra opens its season with a “Baroque by Candlelight” concert on October 2 and will also present a concert of the music of Schumann and Chopin on November 30. No other information is available about these Kansas City Chamber Orchestra concerts at press time for this article.
Kansas City Symphony
Lyric Theatre
11th and Central Streets, Kansas City, MO
and some Sunday performances at
Yardley Hall at the Carlsen Center, JCCC
12345 College Boulevard, Overland Park, KS
For tickets and information call 816-471-0400 or online at www.kcsymphony.org
The Kansas City Symphony kicks off the 2010-2011 year with its usual pops concert at Shawnee Mission Park on September 4, but really gets its classical music season going on the weekend of October 8-10 with guest violinist Hilary Hahn playing the beautiful Sibelius Violin Concerto. That weekend the Symphony also performs music of Ravel and Stravinsky (Suite from The Firebird, one of this columnist's favorites) along with a new composition by Jonathan Leshnoff.
Another soloist featured with the Symphony this fall is pianist James Tocco in the Barber Piano Concerto (November 19-20).
The Symphony Chorus appears with the orchestra during the weekend of October 22-24 in a rare performance of the great opera master Verdi’s last compositions, the Four Sacred Pieces. That concert will also feature the overture to Verdi’s opera I Vespri Siciliani, another rarely done piece, Busoni’s Suite from Turandot and Respighi’s beautiful Roman Festival. That concert looks like one of the best of the season.
The November 19-20 concerts will include the Italian Serenade by Wolf and Berlioz’ Harold in Italy. For those performances, guest conductor Robert Minczuk will take the baton.
Lied Center at KU
University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS
For tickets or season information call 785-864-2787 or online at www.lied.ku.edu
Among the offerings by the Lied Center at the University of Kansas this fall are several performances of interest to classical music fans. On October 3, the Lied Center brings to the stage Adam Gyorgy, an exceptional 28-year-old classical pianist who won the first prize, grand prize and special prize at the first International Chopin piano Competition in Budapest. Then, on November 13 the Lied Center features Interpretiti Veneziani, an Italian chamber music group which plays the music of Vivaldi and other Italian baroque masters.
Dance fans will have an unusual experience on November 5, with Kansas native Karen Armitage’s group Armitage Gone! Dance. The troupe will perform Three Theories—a new, evening-long dance piece derived from theoretical physics (quantum mechanics, relativity and string theory are the three theories, if you must know).
Lyric Opera of Kansas City
Lyric Theatre
11th and Central Streets, Kansas City, MO
For tickets and season information call 816-471-7344 or online at www.kcopera.org
The Lyric's season opens on September 25 with Bizet’s classic Carmen, always one of the most popular operas with audiences around the world. In this case, familiarity does not breed contempt, as this classic always seems to have something challenging and fascinating to offer with every performance. Bizet’s timeless melodies will be sung by Sandra Piques Eddy as Carmen, a role she has sung with the Metropolitan Opera. Newcomer tenor Dinyar Vania, of the New York City and Dallas operas, portrays her lover Don Jose. Alyson Cambridge, a favorite with Kansas City audiences, will be Micaela.
The production I am most eagerly awaiting, however, is Bellini’s Norma, opening on November 6. With these performances the Lyric Opera will patch a longtime hole in its repertory, as the company has never previously performed Norma - or indeed any opera by Bellini. Fans of bel canto won’t want to miss soprano Brenda Harris in the title role. This opera features several of the greatest tunes of early 19th century Italian opera, in a gripping story that has held the stage for nearly 200 years. Laura Vlasak Nolen will sing Norma’s rival Adalgisa, while tenor Rafael Dàvila, who brilliantly sang Cavaradossi for the Lyric Opera a year ago, takes on Pollione.
NewEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble
All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church
4501 Walnut Street, Kansas City, MO
For tickets and season information call 816-235-6222 or online at www.tickets.cto.umkc.edu/
NewEar opens its fall season on September 11 with music of Bonnie Kisch, Edwards Jacobs, Yuan Peiying, Roderik de Man and Toru Takemitsu. The Takemitsu piece, Between Tides for piano trio, is one of the classics of contemporary music and is the centerpiece of the concert.
On November 13, NewEar will present works by John Corigliano, Paul Moravec, Jennifer Higdon, Steven Stucky, and Leon Kirchner, all significant modern composers whose works were selected by group member Robert Pherigo. Several of the numbers will be heard in Kansas City for the first time, so this concert should be a real treat.
The Performing Arts Series at JCCC
12345 College Boulevard, Overland Park, KS
For tickets and season information call 913-469-4445 or online at www.jccc.edu/TheSeries
The Carlsen Center sponsors a variety of different performing arts events throughout the year, but is featuring two notable classical music performances this fall.
On September 10, the Performing Arts Series is featuring the Takacs String Quartet, one of the world’s finest chamber music ensembles (the quartet has appeared here several times with the Friends of Chamber Music) in the music of Haydn, Shostakovich and Schubert. On October 16, the Series is featuring Robert McDuffie and the Venice Baroque Orchestra in an interesting juxtaposition of Vivaldi’s classic The Four Seasons matched with Philip Glass’ modern The American Four Seasons. Sounds like a delightful evening.
UMKC Conservatory of Music and Dance
Conservatory Artist Series
White Recital Hall at UMKC Campus
4949 Cherry, Kansas City, MO
For tickets and season information call 816-235-6222 or online at www.conservatory.umkc.edu
The Conservatory of Music’s Conservatory Artist Series, formerly known as the Signature Series, brings several performances to the White Recital Hall at UMKC this fall, including a Conservatory Orchestra concert on September 16 with guest conductor Michael Stern (conductor of the Kansas City Symphony). The program will include James Mobberley's Grand jete, commissioned by Sarah and Landon Rowland at the 2008 Crescendo! gala in honor of Todd Bolender, late artistic director of the Kansas City Ballet.
On October 24, the Sphinx Chamber Orchestra and Harlem Quartet will perform a joint program celebrating diversity in classical music, and on December 2 famed pianist Leon Fleischer will return to the Conservatory with a solo recital.
Wylliams/Henry Contemporary Dance Company
White Recital Hall, UMKC
4949 Cherry, Kansas City, MO
For tickets and season information call 816-235-6222 or online at www.wylliams-henry.org/
Mary Pat Henry’s Wylliams/Henry Dance Company opens the city’s dance performances this fall with The Cypress Avenue Concert on September 24 and 25. Narrated by Bill Shapiro, the longtime host of KCUR-FM’s Cypress Avenue rock music program, the evening will feature choreography set to classic rock numbers chosen by Shapiro.
Other Notable Music Groups
There are many other good performances coming up with other music and dance ensembles that aren’t listed above. This columnist recommends that you watch for The Alvin Ailey Dance Company’s Ailey II performances on September 10 and 11; a rare production of Mozart’s early opera Idomeneo by the Kansas City Civic Opera on October 15 and 17; Musica Sacra’s concert of choral classics by Charpentier and Monteverdi on October 17; the Kansas City Chorale’s premiere of a new Mass by Rene Clausen on October 17 and 19; the lovely eight-voiced a capella ensemble Octarium performing a concert called American Idyll on October 29 and 31 (featuring the music of America, its natives, its geography, and its traditions); Schubert’s Unfinished Symphony with the Kansas City Civic Orchestra on November 20; and the Owen Cox Dance Company’s inspired take-off entitled The Nutcracker and the Mouse King as a holiday treat from December 11-19. And much more...
So…fasten your seats belts and enjoy the ride through the best of classical music and dance in Kansas City…coming your way beginning in September!
Cover photo: Armitage Gone! Dance at the Lied Center.
KC Events this week and beyond
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Film,
FILM REVIEW: "Winter's Bone" is one for your must-see list
A recipient of the Grand Jury Prize at the 2010 Sundance Film Festival, Winter’s Bone is a tense, riveting drama set against a backdrop of poverty, drugs and an unrelenting code of silence. Shot entirely in the Missouri Ozarks, it is an intelligent work of cinema you will not soon forget.
Within the deep valleys and winding roads of the rural Ozarks, 17-year-old Ree Dolly (Jennifer Lawrence) finds herself in a bad predicament when her druggie father puts up his house and land for bond. If he fails to attend an upcoming trial, then Ree, her two younger siblings and her mentally ill mother will be turned out into the cold, unforgiving woods.
With a steely resolve Ree searches for her father despite warnings to quit asking questions. Through it all the one person she fears is Teardrop (John Hawkes, Miracle at St. Anna, Deadwood), her father’s brother and a man the entire community fears, including the sheriff. Even though he also threatens Ree, Teardrop proves to be the only person willing to help.
Films have tended to broadly depict hillfolk characters, whether they are from the Ozarks or elsewhere, merely as inbred simpletons. Think Deliverance. Co-written and directed by Debra Granik, Winter’s Bone goes far beyond typical Hollywood caricatures and fleshes out their human complexities, including the good, the bad and the ugly. Its overall pacing is steady as it never allows your attention to waver.
The film’s brilliant screenplay, which was adapted from Daniel Woodrell’s novel, is made even more memorable by Lawrence’s stand-out performance. A 19-year-old Kentucky native, she appeared with Charlize Theron in 2008’s The Burning Plain and will play Mystique in 2011’s X-Men: First Class. As Ree, Lawrence delivers a genuine portrayal of a girl who is burdened by tremendous demands which force her to relinquish her own dreams. Lawrence’s subtlety is remarkable for such a young actress, as is her consistency in maintaining a sense of believability as a rural Ozarker.
In the end, there is nothing neat or tidy about Winter’s Bone, but it will leave you with sense of fulfillment as a filmgoer and an urge to discuss its aspects hours later.
On a letter grade scale from “A” being excellent to “F” for failing, Winter’s Bone receives an A.
Winter’s Bone is rated R and has a running time of 100 minutes.
Now showing through August 5 @
Tivoli Cinemas
Westport Manor Square, 4050 Pennsylvania, KCMO
Visit www.tivolikc.com or call 913-383-7756 for more information.
Leawood Theatre
3707 W. 95th St., Leawood
Visit www.fineartsgroup.com or call 913-642-1133 for more information.
Classical,
Creating Kansas City’s Concert Organ
Kansas City’s Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts will open in the autumn of next year: nearly two decades since the first serious discussions for a new performing arts center and a superlative quality concert organ for Kansas City took place. It has taken about the same length of time to build a pipe organ for the Kauffman Center that it will take to erect the facility, itself. Nearly six years will pass after the groundbreaking for the facility on October 6, 2006 and a contract was signed with Casavant Frères to build the organ to when the building is dedicated in 2011.
These organs are very complex instruments. Every valve, every connector, and every wire has to be made expressly for each individual organ, and John Obetz is highly knowledgeable about these instruments and more than qualified to help design one for Kansas City. From the very inception of the idea nearly two decades ago through every step made thus far, this instrument reflects his vision of the perfect concert organ.
Dr. Obetz was the Director of Music at the Community of Christ (formerly RLDS) Auditorium and later, the Temple in Independence. When the RLDS constructed the Temple, Dr. Obetz was a key factor in both the design of that organ, and the design of the Temple itself.
Today, Dr. Obetz thinks fondly of the pipe organ he helped design for the Temple. His experience with the Temple organ gave him insight into the issues involved with creating a grand pipe organ for the future home of the Kansas City Symphony – the Kauffman Center.
David Peironnet: Why should Kansas City have a concert organ?
Dr. Obetz: There is a wealth of orchestra music and concerts, some recently composed, that call for an organ, including the much loved Saint-Saëns Organ Symphony. Additionally, there are many choral works that call for the organ. So Kansas Citians will, for the first time, be able to hear this great literature as conceived by the composers.
DP: Do many other cities have pipe organs in concert halls?
Dr. Obetz: When discussions of a new performance hall began in the early 1990s, a group of us approached Julia Irene Kauffman about including a pipe organ in the plans. At that time Dallas had just opened their new concert hall and received international acclaim as well as enthusiastic audience response for their fabulous organ. Since then Nashville, Philadelphia, Cleveland, Los Angeles, among others, have installed fine pipe organs in their concert halls. If Kansas City’s hall is to be among the very best, she acknowledged, we needed a pipe organ.
DP: How did you convince the architects and lead committees that a pipe organ should be included in the design?
Dr. Obetz: I invited them to the Community of Christ Temple in Independence, and played those incredible passages from Saint-Saëns organ symphony. They were overwhelmed with the sound. Then we explored the inside of the organ, all three stories of it, and right then they knew our hall had to include a fine pipe organ.
We were fortunate to get a commitment from Julia Irene Kauffman as well as the architects early in the process. I became involved with the review panel which chose James David Christie, the organist with the Boston Symphony Orchestra and a music professor at Oberlin College to be the organ consultant for Kansas City, and to develop specifications for the instrument. Later, that review panel accepted Casavant’s proposal.
We signed the contract with Casavant almost the same day as the groundbreaking for the Kauffman Center in 2006. If we had not been able to sign the contract then, our organ might not have been finished in time for the opening of the hall in 2011 since Casavant was then in contractual discussions for several other large instruments.
DP: What is unique and important about Kansas City’s pipe organ?
Dr. Obetz: Our organ will be very versatile. Besides being a very large instrument with over five thousand pipes, its tonal design is shaped by the diverse literature it must play: orchestral, solo, and accompanimental music that spans at least five centuries. The large number of pipes and thoughtful design will enable an organist to choose the tonal characteristics which are ideal for each piece of music. […] I know that our new organ will inspire those who play it. I’m equally certain that Kansas Citians will be inspired by the new sounds and experiences that it will bring to our city.
Theatre ,
Plucky new production premieres at the Coterie Theatre
The Coterie Theatre and Artistic Director Jeff Church have once again premiered an exciting new production aimed at young audiences. A Theatre for Young Audiences premier, Lucky Duck is an adaption of a larger production with music by Henry Kreiger, lyrics by Bill Russell, and book by Bill Russell and Jeffrey Hatcher. This production has been described as "The Ugly Duckling meets American Idol." I would have billed it as "a hilarious, sophisticated musical - with animals!"
For the past few weeks, 'the creators' have been in residence at the Coterie Theater reworking the show with a pared down cast, a smaller stage, and a tighter timeframe. The 28 characters were presented by 10 actors, the stage transforms from barnyard to forest to jailhouse to runway to stadium, and the fast pacing required the editing of songs and lines to a) get the show performed in 70 minutes and b) keep the attention of an audience with the mean age of nine.
The production began with a soft start - a duck quack soundtrack, some characters on stage schmoozing with the audience, and a warm up routine with the applause sign - to set the tone of "this is fun, be involved, have a great time." That was easy to do since the writing was witty, contemporary and light hearted, and had delivery to match (despite a few jokes I wouldn't want to explain to a seven-year-old).
Written with an adult audience in mind, but reconceived for the children's audience, the kid-friendly aspects of the show were obviously the personification of the animal characters and the broad themes of tolerance, equality, and that singing contests could make you a national hero. I had a feeling that some of the jokes were emphasized for younger audiences to catch, such as the pronunciation of Armand "Di-YO" and said Armand's reaction to a fright. Others, though, were so off-the-cuff and thrown in at such a rate, that I was laughing through a whole scene.
No poultry pun was left "unplucked," but the actors delivered the lines with aplomb.
The actors were well cast and the characters creatively divvied up. With a production of this scope and a company of this size, the challenges were to make a distinguishing character with wardrobe choices and allow the actors to switch (and change) on a dime. The cast did a skillful job of jumping from character to character. I especially enjoyed the performances from Julie Shaw as Goosetella and Katie Karel's brief but entertaining Chicken Little.
The main characters were relatable choices, though refreshingly atypical of fairy tales. Jenny Greenberry played Serena, the ugly duckling who transforms into a fashion model in her quest to be a superstar. The rejected gosling travels to the big city to "prove" something to everyone who mocked her - she may be angry and naïve, but also smart and knows what she wants. Wolf, played by Tim Scott, was smarmy, but his wit and sang-froid made him an incorrigibly likable character. It was obvious he couldn't be trusted, but darn it, he made a compelling case. Prince Drake, played by Seth Golay, was handsome, narcissistic, and unrepentantly shallow - or as he put it, "aesthetically acute." The language doesn't dumb down to children and I liked that.
The tunes were Broadway all the way, easy to latch on to, with creative lyrics and more punning, as in Wipe the Egg Off Your Face and A Helping Paw. I especially enjoyed the duet between Serena and Drake in Too Bad You're Not My Type. However, while the singing may have been the point of the plot, it wasn't exactly the star. I couldn't tell if it was a matter of projection or amplification, but solos were easily lost within group numbers. Miss Greenberry looked and acted the part, but while her voice was clear and natural, she couldn't quite land the Broadway belting. She had more success when she was singing in the Quackerdome (with the help of a microphone). There were some projection issues with other members of the cast, which makes me think it may have been a technical issue. (I’ll mention here that my husband is in ‘house band,’ so I won’t comment too much about them – except that if the band isn’t stealing the show in a production like this, they are doing their job!)
The choreography had some hits and misses. The two big dance breaks looked frantic and cramped, but the fashion show was convincingly over the top, glamorous and exuberant. The use of smaller gestures was the most productive in both the dancing and during scenes. The bit in which Serena chased the spot light in Average, Simple, Mega Superstar was effective for the number and the character.
Wardrobe and props went a long way to bolster the believability. Some aspects were scaled up, some down, some animalistic traits simply alluded to. Wedged in many a nook and cranny were nests of hay filled with goose eggs. The jail cell made of gigantic chick wire was inventive. The costuming was more streamlined and personal; rarely was a character festooned entirely with fur or feathers. A few of my favorite decisions were Goosetella in a golden, Vreelandesque suit and turban, Armand in a gray leather jacket, and the taupe and grey paisley fabric used in Serena's "before" look. Unfortunately, the "model" look was my least favorite choice. The kitten-heeled shoes and knee length skirt made her look stumpy, not statuesque. And her hair tightly pulled back in a bun was distractingly plain. Get the girl a wig, a headdress or some sparkly barrette. However, Serena's final "look" was spot on for a swan - an elegant construction of a swirling material that really looked like something a superstar would wear.
While the end was too succinct, it fit well within the fairy tale archetype - with the final revelation, all previous misadventures were forgotten and crimes forgiven. The final number was catchy, though, and I left humming the tune. Overall, it was an engaging performance, well written and enjoyably performed.
REVIEW:
Coterie Theatre
Lucky Duck
Runs through August 8th.
Friday, June 25 at 7:30 at p.m. (Reviewed)
First floor of the Crown Center Mall
2450 Grand Boulevard, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-474-6552 or online at www.coterietheatre.org
Cover photo: Clem (Keenan Ramos), Wolf (Tim Scott) and Carl (Greg Krumins) in Lucky Duck. Photo by J. Robert Schraeder/Coterie Theatre.
Theatre ,
How do you spell S-U-C-C-E-S-S?
Vocabulary enthusiasts and theatergoers alike get a scrumptious treat with American Heartland Theatre's production of The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. The show was superbly fun. The performers, some playing double duty, were likeable and played with increasing complexity as the show unfolded. Directed by Steven Eubank, with musical direction by Anthony Edwards, AHT presented a quirky, sprightly, engaging musical.
The show is rated PG-13 (and with a song discussing an erection, who can blame them), but it is still a family show, broaching many themes to which children and adults can relate: loneliness, meeting expectations, religious mania, developing bodies, and making friends. Keep in mind, however, because of the improvisatory aspect of the show, more adult material may appear should inspiration strike.
The musical’s stereotypical characters – overachieving, socially inept, brilliant but awkward – were played with cringe-worthy, but endearing, realism. In addition to the cast, four audience members were called to the stage to participate in the “bee.” These participants were guided through their “lines” and choreography, which added yet another element of gaiety.
The strong cast was led by Michael Dragen playing a delightfully congested and pompous William Barfée. Lauren Braton’s deeply touching “The I Love You Song,” and Olivia Marsh’s overall performance as the hyper-politically correct, lisping, signing daughter of two gay dads were also prominent. The maniacally over-the-top “I Speak Six Languages,” featuring Jamie Lin as Marcy Park, brought down the house.
Costuming and props aided the actors in their excellent depictions. Removing a cape and adding spectacles quickly asserted that an adult had walked out and helpfully prepared the audience for the brief vignettes of memory and aside which detail the spellers’ backgrounds.
While the musical performance was excellent from the individuals, projection was an issue during ensemble or highly choreographed segments; the sound seemed to end at the foot of the stage. Early microphone issues were thankfully resolved during intermission.
The show presented genuine and eerily familiar characters we have all known (or may have been ourselves). Within the context of an afternoon spelling competition, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee highlighted the pressures and concerns of our youth and presented a touchingly comic musical.
REVIEW:
American Heartland Theatre
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Thursday, July 15 at 7:30 p.m. (Reviewed)
Runs through August 22
Third floor of the Crown Center Mall
2450 Grand Boulevard, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-842-9999 or online at www.ahtkc.com
Top photo: Lauren Braton as Olive Ostrovska in AHT's Putnam County Spelling Bee.
The late, great Buddy Holly
Buddy - A Buddy Holly Story has an interesting history. Paul McCartney, who owned the rights to Buddy Holly’s music, was unhappy with the movie made about Holly’s life, so he decided to support a new London production (which was conceived in an English pub) and helped pitch it to a West End producer. It was a hit, becoming the longest-running show ever in the West End, well before it ever came to American soil.
New Theatre Restaurant has a great new production about the four-eyed rock-n-roller. Starting with Buddy Holly’s early career, the show highlights important events in his life and in his rise to stardom. And of course, his music.
This play features a fantastic set list, including “Peggy Sue”, “Oh Boy”, “It’s So Easy to Fall in Love” and “That’ll Be the Day”. The whole audience was toe tapping, and I am sure that more than a few people were wishing the New Theatre had a dance floor.
The most unique feature of the show is that Buddy and gang do all their own stunts. And - being talented musicians, the actors can play all of Holly’s songs live. The bass player, Devon Goffman, did some particularly impressive bass stunts, including playing it sideways, front ways - and on his back.
Bennett Dunn stars as Buddy Holly. Dunn has played the be-spectacled legend over 250 times in the Buddy Holly Story National Tour. I appreciated Dunn’s subtle transition from his early career to the final concert. The script didn’t give him much of chance to have a full character arc, but he certainly played some fantastic music.
Set mostly on stages and in recording studios, Scott Heineman’s set design made each place memorable and unique. He created a proscenium arch of neon and chrome, reminiscent of the 1950s, which really added to the overall nostalgia.
Roger Stoddard’s sound design presented a challenge. Since sound equipment has changed over the years, how do you record a live performance and make it sound vintage? I don’t know, but Stoddard sure does.
Mary Traylor’s costumes were lovely. I especially liked the matching band uniforms in the Apollo theatre scene, and some of the women’s dresses complete with appropriate structure underneath.
Randy B. Winder’s lights were incredible. In addition to the basic lighting of each scene, Winder had to program lights for a rock show, including lights that kept time with the music, spots and a disco ball. The pseudo-neon around the stage also changed colors with each scene. The lighting made each number feel like a rock concert.
The Buddy Holly Story is produced with all the charm of an earlier time without the blind nostalgia some shows evoke. Although the production reflects well on the rock legend, it does not put him upon a pedestal. There is no agenda, except to allow Holly’s music to be played and enjoyed.
REVIEW
New Theatre Restaurant
Buddy - The Buddy Holly Story
Runs June 24 through August 29
New Theatre Restaurant
9229 Foster, Overland Park, KS
For tickets call 913-649-7469 or online at www.newtheatre.com
Cover photo: Bennett Dunn as Buddy Holly.
Local Arts News,
Missouri Arts Council announces 2011 grant recipients
For FY11 the Missouri Arts Council awarded $6.1 million in annual grants to nonprofit organizations throughout Missouri. In addition to the annual awards, nearly $480,000 is still available for monthly project grants, arts education monthly strategic grants, touring grants, and capacity building grants. Grants support programs in arts education, arts services, community arts, dance, electronic media, festivals, literature, multidiscipline, music, theater, visual arts, folk arts and minority arts.
A total of 323 applicants were awarded an average of 63 percent of the funds that were requested from the arts council. Grants range in size from $2,000 to Ozark Main Street Program for the annual Ozark Music Bluegrass Festival to $247,304 to the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra for the 2010-2011 performance season. Award letters notifying grant award recipients went out the third week of July.
Click here to see a full list of all the grant awards.
For more information on the Missouri Arts Council visit www.missouriartscouncil.org/
Local Arts News,
Owen/Cox Dance Group announces 2010-2011 season
Fall Performance: The Golem
On October 2 and 3, 2010 (8:00 p.m. Saturday, 2:00 p.m. Sunday) the Owen/Cox Dance Group will premiere The Golem at Jewish Community Center’s Lewis and Shirley White Theatre. Based on a centuries-old Jewish folktale which is widely believed to be the inspiration for Mary Shelley's Frankenstein, The Golem tells the story of a giant clay figure created by a powerful tzaddik in order to protect the Jewish people. This new production, in collaboration with Paul Mesner Puppets and Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy, features nine dancers of the Owen/Cox Dance Group, violinist Gregory Sandomirsky, experimental jazz musician Mark Southerland, designer Peggy Noland, and artist Nate Fors.
Winter Performance: The Nutcracker and the Mouse King
On December 10, 11, 12, 17, 18, & 19, 2010 the Owen/Cox Dance Group will present its modern jazz adaptation of The Nutcracker and the Mouse King with The People’s Liberation Big Band of Greater Kansas City. Fourteen musicians of The People’s Liberation Big Band, horn sculptor Mark Southerland, artists Peggy Noland and Peregrine Honig (costume design), child soprano Lilah Wilder, nine dancers of the Owen/Cox Dance Group, and six students of Paseo Academy of the Performing Arts will collaborate on this work. Returning to the original and notably darker E.T.A Hoffman story The Nutcracker and the Mouse King (1816), this production features both original music and radical rearrangements of Tchaikovsky melodies created by a host of innovative Kansas City jazz musicians. The performances will take place at Union Station’s H&R Block City Stage.
Spring Performance with newEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble
On April 29 & 30, 2011 Owen/Cox Dance Group will continue its tradition of collaboration with Kansas City's finest arts organizations in a performance of new works with newEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble. The program will feature four newly choreographed works by Jennifer Owen, and the music of HyeKyung Lee, Louis Andriessen, Jacob TV, and Brad Cox. The performances will take place at Union Station’s H&R Block City Stage Theater.
Local Arts News,
newEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble announces new season
Concert 1: Between Tides
Saturday, September 11, 2010 8:00PM
All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church
In addition to works by Roderik de Man, Bonnie Miksch and Edward Jacobs, this engaging concert features a work by the student winner of the first newEar Composers’ Competition, Yuan Peiying: 5 Elements. The centerpiece of the evening will be Takemitsu’s coruscating, gorgeous Between Tides for piano trio.
Concert 2: Pulitzer Autumn Reflections
Saturday, November 13, 2010 8:00PM
All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church
Curated by long-time newEar pianist Robert Pherigo, this program features works by recent winners of the Pulitzer Prize in music. A bouquet of chamber and solo pieces by John Corigliano, Steven Stucky, Jennifer Higdon, Paul Moravec, and Leon Kirchner compose this distinguished and variegated collection, many of which are Kansas City premières.
Concert 3: Vocalissimus
Saturday, February 19, 2011 8:00PM
All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church
Grawemeyer Award-laureate Sebastian Currier’s massive soprano / chamber ensemble song cycle, Vocalissimus, tethers a concert of vivid aural bliss. Prismatic pairings by Sofia Gubaidalina, Leon Kirchner, and Sara Graef balance the program, along with a solo work by Tomas Svoboda.
Information about season ticket packages can be found at newear.org. To become a newEar season subscriber, please call the Central Ticket Office at 816.235.6222 or toll-free at 1.888.286.4849.
Chromatic Collaboration with Owen/Cox Dance Group
Friday, April 29 & Saturday, April 30, 2011 8:00PM
Union Station – H&R Block City Stage Theatre
newEar is thrilled to present a blockbuster partnership with Kansas City’s preeminent dance collective, the Owen/Cox Dance Group. For two performances only, this intense, vibrant event will be a brilliantly hued feast for the senses! Works by the never-dull Jacob TV (Garden of Love for sax and boombox) and Hyekyung Lee (Shadowing for alto sax and clarinet) will be performed, among other collaborative and solo gems, as well as Louis Andriessen’s stultifyingly amazing Worker’s Union. Don’t miss this dazzling intersection of music and motion!
This special event is separate from the newEar subscription season as tickets will be available from the Union Station box office ONLY. Please call 913-338-1500 for more information.
Local Arts News,
Kansas Arts Commission announces Kansas 150 grant recipients
“The Kansas Arts Commission is enthusiastic about being a part of our statehood commemoration,” said John Divine, chairman of the Kansas Arts Commission. “These events across the state not only recognize Kansas’ sesquicentennial, but also the talented artists that call Kansas home.”
Grant recipients and sponsored activities are:
- Birger Sandzen Memorial Gallery, Lindsborg, $800 to support an exhibition featuring Kansas landscapes by Kansas artist Birger Sandzen.
- Bowlus Fine Arts Cultural Center Trust, Iola, $1,000 to support an afternoon school concert and evening public performance by chamber ensemble Lyric Arts Trio featuring music by Kansas composer Robert Pherigo.
- The Depot Theater Company, Dodge City, $1,000 to support a performance featuring three Kansas artists: Ida Ellen Cox Rath (author), James King (tenor) and David A.R. White (actor and producer).
- Friends of the Mulvane Art Museum Inc., Topeka, $1,000 to support an exhibition and educational programs featuring the works of Kansas artist David Hicks Overmyer.
- Hays Arts Council Inc., Hays, $1,000 to support an exhibition entitled Prairie on Fire featuring works by Kansas artist Louis Copt.
- Hutchinson's Historic Fox Theatre Inc., Hutchinson, $1,000 to support Montana Repertory Theatre’s presentation of Kansas playwright William Inge’s Bus Stop followed by post-performance discussion and workshop for local theatre/drama students and the public.
- Imago Dei: Friends of Christianity & the Arts, Kansas City, Kan., $1,000 to support a theatrical performance of Franklin written by Kansas playwright Lori Lee Triplett.
- Kansas City Chamber Orchestra Inc., Prairie Village, $1,000 to support one public and one school concert featuring music by Kansas composer Jean Belmont Ford.
- Kansas Music Educators Association, Wichita, $1,000 to support a concert of an original composition by Kansas composer Dr. John Leavitt.
- Kansas State University, Beach Museum of Art, Manhattan, $1,000 to support an exhibition featuring photographs by Kansas artist George Kren.
- Lawrence Art Guild Association, Lawrence, $1,000 to support a reception and exhibition featuring Kansas artist Robert Ault.
- Lawrence Arts Center Inc., Lawrence, $1,000 to support an exhibition of prints by four notable charter members of the Kansas-based Prairie Print Makers – Birger Sandzen, Herschel Logan, Norma Bassett Hall and C.A. Seward.
- Lawrence Children's Choir, Inc., Lawrence, $1,000 to support a concert conducted and arranged by Kansas choir director Janeal Krehbiel.
- Manhattan Arts Center, Inc., Manhattan, $1,000 to support an exhibition of Kansas watercolors by Margaret Buie and the ceramics of Gene Sievers, both Kansas artists.
- Newton Fine Arts Association, Newton, $1,000 to support an exhibition featuring Kansas artist Albert Krehbiel.
- Newton Mid-Kansas Symphony Orchestra Association Inc., North Newton, $1,000 to support a concert featuring the music by Kansas composer Gary Fletcher.
- Ottawa Suzuki Strings Inc., Ottawa, $1,000 to support a concert of music by Kansas composer Charles Hoag, featuring a work commissioned for the occasion.
- Southwest Kansas Live on Stage, Garden City, $1,000 to support a concert featuring music of Kansas jazz musician and educator Frank Mantooth.
- Topeka Symphony Society, Topeka, $1,000 to support two, school day concerts, a family matinee and an evening subscription concert featuring music by Kansas composers Charles Hoag and Kirke Mechem.
- University of Kansas Center for Research Inc. (Lied Center), Lawrence, $1,000 to support Montana Repertory Theatre’s presentation of Kansas playwright William Inge’s Bus Stop and masterclass for KU theatre students.
- Youth Symphony Association of Kansas City Inc., Mission, $1,000 to support a concert featuring Fanfare by Kansas composer Mara Gibson
Only Kansas arts and cultural nonprofit organizations and government agencies receiving Fiscal Year 2011 Operational Support grants were eligible for the program, with funding awarded up to $1,000 per organization and matched 1:1. The program is sponsored by the Kansas Arts Commission, along with the National Endowment for the Arts’s American Masterpieces: Three Centuries of American Genius.
A special thank you to the Kansas Historical Society for spearheading the Kansas 150 celebration. For more information on the Kansas sesquicentennial celebration, visit http://ks150.org.
The Kansas Arts Commission is a state agency, funded by the State of Kansas and the National Endowment for the Arts, dedicated to promoting and supporting the arts in Kansas. Its mission is to provide opportunities for the people of Kansas to experience, celebrate and value the arts throughout their lives. For more information on the Kansas Arts Commission, please visit the KAC website at http://arts.ks.gov.
Auditions,
August Auditions
The Kansas City Symphony Chorus is auditioning for new members for the 2010-11 season
Saturday, August 21, 10am – 4pm
Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral
415 West 13th Street
Kansas City, MO 64105-1350
General Audition Information
- Bring a solo to sing (best is a classic piece in a foreign language, but you can also bring a favorite song of any kind that shows off your voice). We will provide the KCSC accompanist, so all you need to worry about is preparing your solo. It does not need to be memorized but please bring a second copy for the Accompanist.
- Some sight-singing (typically you will sing your voice-part while the piano plays the other three in a short choral work)
- Be comfortable chatting with chorus director Charles Bruffy and the Audition Panel (the easiest part of the audition)
The chorus rehearses every Monday night from the end of August through late May/early June at Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral. Rehearsals begin at 7:00pm and end at 9:30pm.
During performance week with the Symphony, the KCSC will typically have a piano-only rehearsal with the conductor on Monday evening, and have dress rehearsals on Wednesday and Thursday evenings from 7:30-10:00pm. Performances with the Kansas City Symphony are generally Friday, Saturday and Sunday.
If you are interested in auditing a rehearsal when the Chorus is "in session" to hear the chorus and watch Mr. Bruffy work, please make arrangements in advance by contacting the executive director Scott Mason at scottm@kcsymphonychorus.org or visit: http://kcsymphony.pmailus.com/pmailweb/ct?d=NB8l0QBzAAEAAANUAAQliA
Topeka Symphony Youth Ensembles Auditions
Auditions for the 2010-2011 Topeka Symphony Youth Ensembles will be Saturday, August 28, 2010 at Washburn University. The three youth ensembles are Debut Orchestra, Youth Philharmonic, and Youth Orchestra. Rehearsals begin September 7. All rehearsals are on Tuesdays with concerts on November 21, 2010 and March 6, 2011. Any musician 21 years of age and younger may audition. To be a member, a student must also play in his or her school orchestra or band, if such an organization exists. Conductors for the three groups are Carolyn Sandquist, Debut Orchestra, Carolyn Rich Voth, Youth Philharmonic, and Steven Elisha, Youth Orchestra.
There is a non-refundable $10 audition fee. Once accepted into one of the ensembles, there is a non-refundable tuition fee of $75 per student per year, which includes music charges and rental. Tuition assistance is available for those families with a need. Detailed information and registration forms are available at www.topekasymphony.org “Youth Ensembles” or by calling the Topeka Symphony Office at 785-232-2032.
Topeka Symphony Youth Ensembles are sponsored in part by the Kansas Arts Commission, a state agency, the National Endowment for the Arts, a federal agency which believes that a great nation deserves great art, and Washburn University.
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City Stage,
Theatre Listings through August
For complete Theatre listings through 2010, click here to visit the KC Events calendar.
Coterie Theatre's Lab for New Family Musicals
TYA Premiere: Lucky Duck
Runs June 22 through August 8 at Coterie Theatre
For tickets call 816-474-6552 or online at www.coterietheatre.org
Call or visit the website for performance days and times.
A singing swan supermodel! It's The Ugly Duckling meets Project Runway, with music by the composer of Dreamgirls! Homely songbird Serena is viewed as an odd duck by her family, and escapes these fowl days of barnyard mockery to seek her special destiny-success as a supermodel swan.
Click here to read the KCM review.
American Heartland Theatre
The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee
Runs July 9 through August 22 at American Heartland Theatre
For tickets call 816-842-9999 or online at www.ahtkc.com
Call or visit the website for performance days and times
This adorable tale of six young people in the throes of puberty, overseen by grown-ups who barely managed to escape childhood themselves, will have audiences in stitches. The show's Tony Award-winning creative team has created the unlikeliest of hit musicals about the unlikeliest of heroes for whom a spelling bee is the one place they can stand out and fit in at the sames time.
This quirky yet charming group of misfits and outsiders learn that winning isn't everything and that losing doesn't necessarily make you a loser. Spelling Bee is a light-hearted, feel-good show that prompts such easy to spell adjectives as charming, sweet, endearing and quirky.
Click here to read the KCM review.
Kansas City Actors Theatre
Sam Shepard's "True West"
Runs July 23 through August 15 at City Stage, Union Station
For tickets call 816-235-6222 or online at www.kcactors.org
Call or visit the website for performance days and times
Over twenty years ago, KCAT favorites Jim Birdsall and Mark Robbins brought Lee and Austin to life on the Missouri Repertory Theatre stage. Now see them again as they reprise their roles in this classic Sam Shepard play about a screen writer and his renegade brother, their testosterone-driven rivalries and what happens when the success of one brother means the failure of the other.
“True West has arguably become Shepard’s signature piece, the leanest, most pointed of his full length works.” ~ David Krasner, A Companion to 20th-Century American Drama. Directed by Bob Elliott
Starlight 2010 Broadway Series
Beauty and the Beast
Runs 10 through August 15 at Starlight Theatre
For tickets call 816-363-7827 or online at www.kcstarlight.com
Call or visit the website for performance days and times
A tale as old as time, true as it can be. The eye-popping musical spectacle of Disney's Beauty and the Beast has captured the hearts of more than 35 million people around the world. A smash hit on Broadway, this classic musical love story is filled with unforgettable characters, lavish sets and costumes, and dazzling production numbers including "Be Our Guest" and the beloved title song. Don't miss the romance and intrigue of Disney's Beauty and the Beast
The Producers
Runs 23 through August 29 at Starlight Theatre
For tickets call 816-363-7827 or online at www.kcstarlight.com
Call or visit the website for performance days and times
Outrageous, hilarious and unexpected... debuting on Broadway in 2001, this Mel Brooks musical quickly racked up a record-breaking 12 Tony® Awards including Best Musical. The Producers follows the adventures and misadventures of Max Bialystock and Leo Bloom, who set out to produce a full-fledged flop - and fleece their investors in the process - but unwittingly wind up with a hit on their hands. These two schemers will sing and dance their way through the greatest show biz scam there ever was!
Rain - September 7-12
Musical Theatre Heritage
1776, The Musical
Runs August 12 - 29 at Off Center Theatre, Crown Center
For tickets call 816-842-9999 or online at http://www.musicaltheaterheritage.com
Call or visit the website for performance days and times
Winner of 3 Tony Awards, including BEST MUSICAL, Musical Theatre Heritage breaks new
ground with 1776. Sometimes a new voice can bring new meanings to old stories. This story is about how much work and courage it took to get everyone off their "arses" to break it off with England. Sherman Edwards, developed lyrics and libretto for this insightful musical on the real struggle to write our Declaration of Independence. Directed by Sarah Crawford
Starring a "Revolutionary" all Female Cast
Deb Bluford, Karen Errington, Jessalyn Kincaid, Julie Shaw, Cheryl Weaver, Katie Karel, Sarah Kleeman Gulley, Vicky DeLaughder, Cathy Wood, Emily Harris, Megan McLain, Emily Shackelford,
Allison Moody, Chioma Anyanwu, Kati McCreary, Diane Bulan, Eleanor Hill, Devon Roberts, Christina Burton, Sarah Goeke, Kristen Janell Sullivan, Lena Andrews, Malena Marcase, and Nicole Rockstad!
For complete Theatre listings through 2010, click here to visit the KC Events calendar.
Local Arts News,
Heartland Men's Chorus named as Bacchus Foundation beneficiary
"What a great way to celebrate our 25th Anniversary Season!" said Rick Fisher, HMC executive director. "We are looking forward to expanding to a whole new audience group as we bring our musical message to a very enthusiastic Bacchus Foundation membership".
The Chorus, founded in 1986, currently has 135 singing members and performs three season concerts at the Folly Theater as well as dozens of outreach performances around the region with their smaller performing ensembles.
"It's such an honor to be recognized for our high quality entertainment which includes our unique and rich sound only a men's chorus can deliver," said Dr. Joseph Nadeau, HMC artistic director.
The Chorus will receive a grant of $25,000 at the end of the season from money raised during numerous fundraising events by the Bacchus Foundation, including the well-known Bacchus Ball in February.
"Through targeted advertising and marketing, we will publicize the HMC-Bacchus partnership to the advantage of both organizations," said Tom Lancaster, founder of KCDRM and marketing consultant to HMC. "There are so many opportunities for the very solid Bacchus name and brand to be delivered to a totally new segment of the Kansas City arts scene, and conversely, to bring the good name of HMC to the home of young philanthropists in the region."
The Silver Anniversary Season of HMC features guest artists including Broadway sensation Ann Hampton Callaway, premier female impersonator Christopher Peterson, and Kansas City's world-renowned legend Marilyn Maye.
"The Bacchus Foundation has been supporting non-profits in Kansas City since 1955, and frankly, it's a very bold step on their part to select a gay men's chorus. We consider this a giant leap in societal recognition for HMC and the entire community," said Cliff Schiappa, development director of HMC.
For more information about Heartland Men's Chorus, visit www.hmckc.org.
Off the Vine, Jazz,
Summer events at the American Jazz Museum
Atlantic Diaspora: The Musical and Social Influences of Africans in Mexico and the United States
“Atlantic Diaspora: The Musical and Social Influences of Africans in Mexico and the United States” is part of an expanding cultural diversity project between the American Jazz Museum, the Mexican Consulate, and the Mattie Rhodes Center. The exhibit is intended to: 1) promote further awareness and understanding of the cultural diversity within and outside the United States through: networking and professional development opportunities, research and scholarship in cultural diversity, curriculum and instructional development, and leadership in cultural diversity education through the organization of conferences and the development of appropriate resources; and 2) help students, educators, and community members acquire the competencies they need to communicate and interact effectively within a culturally diverse world.
This collaboration is centered on the presentation of Mexican photographer José Manuel Pellicer’s exhibit “Atlantic Diaspora: The Musical and Social Influences of Africans in Mexico.” The photographic exhibit will be housed in the American Jazz Museum’s Changing Gallery from June 4 through September 30, 2010. The exhibition is free and open to the public and features a collection of 80+ works: photographic digital compositions on canvas and photographs created by the artist from 1965 until today that present the life and culture of the Afro-mestizo populations of the Mexican states of Tabasco, Campeche, Veracruz, Guerro, and Oaxaca. The “Atlantic Diaspora” exhibit confronts the aesthetic, political and economic questions of origins. This fabulous exhibition will be augmented with the inclusion of artifacts from several personal collections that compare and contrast the elements of cultural ingredients in African-Mexican and African-American communities.
To further highlight the far-reaching impact of Africans in Mexico and the United States and their un-matched contributions, the American Jazz Museum and its partners, Mexican Consulate and Mattie Rhodes Centers, will host a series of public programs and conduct dedicated tours to support this important collaborative Initiative. The project demonstrates our collective commitment to developing, bridging and strengthening the cultural bonds in Kansas City and beyond through art and performance.
Showing now through September 30, 2010
American Jazz Museum Changing Gallery,1616 E. 18th Street, Kansas City, MO 64108
Exhibition Hours:
Tuesday – Saturday, 9:00 am - 5:30 pm; Sunday, 12:00-5:30 pm
Closed Mondays and national holidays. Free admission. School tours available.
In addition to the Changing Gallery and its public programs, make sure to check out the living exhibits – our jazz artists in action. The Blue Room continues to showcase stellar talent four nights per week including Monday, Thursday, Friday and Saturday and features the best of Kansas City and National talent. Bring a friend and stop in to hear why the American Jazz Museum is “Where it Lives”…
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