Theatre ,
Quality Hill swings through Harry Warren tribute
There are a few things of which one can always be certain when attending a performance at Quality Hill Playhouse: First: the performance will be crisp, clear, impeccably rehearsed and skillfully managed. Second: pianist, singer, director and raconteur Kent Barnhart will charm the socks off the audience and play the keyboard like a house afire. Third: the evening will be full of wonderful familiar standards from the American Songbook. QHP's current showing: "Lullaby of 42nd Street-The Music of Harry Warren"-more than lives up to the standards Barnhart has set for the past fifteen years.
With Barnhart as vocalist and at the piano, Ken Remmert on drums, Steven Lenhert on the bass, and four other singers, "Lullaby of 42nd Street" works its way through Warren's career as a song-a-day composer for Hollywood to his definition of the Broadway milieu with 42nd Street. All of the singers in this show are QHP veterans: Lauren Braton, Molly Hammer, Julie O'Rourke and James Wright. They each have a sensitivity to the '30s and '40s style appropriate for this music. Remmert and Lenhert join Barnhart in providing a heart-thumping instrumental sound.
You have heard Harry Warren music all your life, but were probably hardly aware of him as a composer. However, he composed over 800 songs and was bested only by Irving Berlin in the number of hits on Your Hit Parade. You have heard his music in over three hundred films, on stage and even in Looney Tunes cartoons. His film work is associated primarily with 1930s and 1940s Hollywood, especially early musicals where he was required to compose for Busby Berkeley's outrageously elaborate production numbers. From "The Lady in the Tutti Frutti Hat" (composed for Carmen Miranda, of course) to "Serenade in Blue," Warren's music stretches from the ludicrous to the lyrical.
QHP's "Lullaby of 42nd Street" is an old-fashioned night-club performance, with sets of songs introduced by Barnhart and then performed in medley. The opening set begins with "I Got a Gal in Kalamazoo" and "I Found a Million Dollar Baby (In a Five and Ten Cent Store), featuring James Wright's smooth croon, so suited for the Warren songbook. Through "You're my Everything," "Boulevard of Broken Dreams" and "(You May Not Be an Angel But) I'll String Along With You" the cast establishes themselves both as soloists and as a integrated group capable of intricate harmonies and blended sound. At the piano, Barnhart is keyboardist extraordinaire, whose work celebrates the tradition of duet between pianists singers, especially needed in complicated jazz arrangements.
The selections before intermission are some of Warren's lighter moments: "You're Getting to Be a Habit with Me," "We're in the Money," "Young and Healthy," and a deliciously funny "Shuffle Off to Buffalo," ending with the eponymous "Lullaby of Broadway" and "42nd Street."
The songs after intermission establish a different tone and showcase Warren's command of the jazz ballad and lyricist Al Dubin's memorable words. Beginning with the really unfamiliar but absolutely lovely "Sweet Music" sung by Barnhart and followed by some of the most familiar Warren tunes, the singers have a chance to shine in meaty solo numbers. James Wright mixes it up again with "Lulu's Back in Town" and then "I Only Have Eyes for You." Lauren Braton hits a delicate, vulnerable sound with "September in the Rain," and Molly Hammer croons deliciously through "You'll Never Know." (Lyrics in this case by Mack Gordon.) Julie O'Rourke literally slithers over the piano in her quirky, fun duet with Barnhart "You're an Education," but delivers a sweet and lovely version of "There Will Never Be Another You." "Lulu's Back in Town" also features Steve Lenhert's knock-out jazz arrangement for piano, bass, drum trio.
To Molly Hammer, however, falls the juiciest Warren tune: "At Last." She lets loose with a Blues sound in true Etta James style that leaves the audience breathless.
The Company shows off their jazz chops yet again in two upbeat arrangements of "On the Atchison, Topeka and the Santa Fe" and "Chattanooga Choo Choo."
This celebration of the music of Harry Warren continues until May 23rd. Do not lose the opportunity to indulge yourself in Quality Hill Playhouse's music and memories. You'll be reminded how great is the depth and breadth of both Warren's music and Kansas City's musical talent.
REVIEW:
Quality Hill Playhouse
Lullaby of 42nd Street
Runs April 23 through May 23 (Reviewed Sunday, May 3, 2010)
Quality Hill Playhouse
303 W. 10th Street, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-421-1700 or online at www.qualityhillplayhouse.com
Cover photo: Lauren Braton, Molly Hammer, Julie O'Rourke and James Wright.
Classical,
Premiere performance by KCCO
With a program of modern classics for chamber orchestra and a world premiere, the Kansas City Chamber Orchestra performed in the sanctuary of the Old Mission United Methodist Church last Thursday. During the pre-concert talk, director Bruce Sorrell enthusiastically described the program as "lovely....not Baroque and not Classical" and gave the audience some personal insight into the evening's performance. Candles backlit the stage from the altar and prayer rails.
Quiet City by Aaron Copland was emblematic of Copland's soundscape. Though a precursor to his Appalachian Spring, it exhibited those aural images that sound so "American" to us now. This suite was a reorganization of incidental music written for an experimental play in 1941. It began with wide intervals, common in Copland's writing, with the familiar and calming movement in the strings, and peaceful interjections in the English horn, performed by Margaret Marco. This was interrupted by a trumpet's agitated rhythms coming from the back balcony.
Trumpeter Gary Schutza, was placed there in reference to the model for the piece, a lone trumpeter practicing somewhere in an upper floor in a busy, lonely city. Consequent entrances were more serene as the oboe and trumpet conversed. The trumpeter had a heavy vibrato, making the tone seem slightly unsupported, though each line came out clearly and soared through the space. I was worried that this positioning would negatively affect the balance, but his mellow tone mixed beautifully, echoing slightly off the front wall, enveloping the audience. The strings balanced well, sounding like a larger ensemble, though the cello soli had some intonation issues.
Benjamin Britten's Simple Symphony was comprised of four movements, each based on tunes written by the composer as a youth. Sorrell in his pre-concert talk mentioned that, while penned by a boy, the tunes were "innocent, not simple". The alliterative subtitles added to the youthful treatment of the tunes, even in more complex settings. "Boisterous Bourrée" was lively, with good section playing as the interwoven lines were passed around the orchestra. "Playful Pizzicato" was just that: whimsical folk-like melodies traded between voices in call and response. The accompanying voices played with heavy rhythms driving to each entrance. The ending came softly, with one misplaced note after all that. Sorrell had mentioned in the pre-concert talk that the string players preferred playing arco to pizzicato, but they couldn't get to their bows fast enough, not allowing the final chord to resonate before preparing for the next movement. "Sentimental Saraband" was a solemn contrast, becoming passionate with a descending line in the low voices. The final movement, ""Frolicsome Finale," started robustly, with a lilting melody described as a chanty, but I think too sweet to fit that term. There was some great playing in the low voices winding up to the climax. The violas, however, didn't quite balance within the section during their soli, a slight off putting moment during an otherwise well played piece.
Adagio for Strings by Samuel Barber was the billed piece of the evening, popular since its radio premier in 1938 and a continuing favorite through its use in movies and frequent programming. The orchestra had excellently gentle entrances, easy to misbalance. However, they seemed to be pushing through the lines, instead of playing each note with the appropriate weight. Within the measured rhythms, the players were not totally in sync, causing push and pull between players as opposed to in the line. I loved what Sorrell was going for at the final cadence, trying to suspend the space created by the lingering chord, but then some of the players moved their bows, breaking the ambiance too soon. I'm sure some performers have played Adagio tens of times, but each performance is new and should be given the same respect, instead of hurrying on to the next item on the program.
The final piece was Twelve Kisses by KU faculty member and composer Forrest Pierce, a six-movement symphony based on the Song of Solomon. This was the world premiere, written specifically for KCCO, under the direction of Bruce Sorrell, and coloratura soprano Sarah Tannehill. It is also a testament to the arts scene in and around Kansas City, with friendship, mutual respect, and quality musicians inspiring new works to be created and performed. The text for the piece was Pierce's "poetics transformation" of "Anglo-Saxon aural cousins" of the Hebrew text, as opposed to resetting the King James' Version. In the program notes, a transliteration of the Hebrew (along with a literal translation), the composer's transformations, and the KJV were all included, allowing the audience to follow the evolution of the text. This was helpful, as the composer deliberately made the English alliterative to the Hebrew, thus difficult to distinguish when the language shifted. Tannehill, however, sang both languages exquisitely, her voice filled the space, clear and full throughout.
Added to the ensemble was the oboe d'amore, a Baroque instrument akin to the English horn, played by Margaret Marco. The significance of this inclusion was probably lost on some people, as it was not mentioned in the program, the notes, or the press release, just a tidbit gleaned from the pre-concert talk. It would seem appropriate to include the "oboe of love" in a setting of love poetry, although the added timbre did not contribute significantly a majority of the time, and the sound was lost in the full ensemble, somewhat overpowered by the vocalist, and ultimately and unfortunately was pitchy by the end of the piece.
Each movement had a distinct individuality and one could hear many influences: Baroque, Middle Eastern, dance rhythms, 21st century practices. The piece was grand; and each movement held within itself a bit of that grandeur. The 1st movement was typical of chamber orchestra music, elaborate runs in the strings and a graceful melodic line in the soprano. The 2nd movement was more interesting, with tremolo effects in the strings and a dense chordal structure, sliding from pitch to pitch. Tannehill sang the disjointed phrases succinctly, giving each pitch and syllable it's due, flawlessly performing wide intervallic leaps and intricate ornaments. The 3rd movement was more song-like - triumphant and joyful. The bass solo began the 4th movement with an underlying dance rhythm that accompanied the melody. This movement was performed pizzicato by the strings and by the keyboardist, who reached inside the piano to strum the strings. In the 5th movement, with Middle Eastern texture, the text described war and questioning - the vocal line agitated. The oboe was added, followed by cello and then the rest of the ensemble; with each addition the soprano line intensified, becoming more distracted, when finally they reached a triumphant climax. The last movement had a sorrowful shift, with steadily paced rhythms in the strings. The final held note in the soprano and the enharmonics of the strings seemed to shimmer in the candlelight. Unfortunately, the composer added a final low chord, disposing of the delicate quality of the penultimate moment.
It's gratifying to see new work performed in a traditional ensemble. Too often, "classical" concerts perform tried and true pieces, adjusting to audience expectations, instead of heightening them. Pierce's piece and the programming of this concert were pleasing and presented some challenging moments that added interest to an otherwise traditional repertoire.
Kansas City Chamber Orchestra
Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings and Twelve Kisses, a Premiere
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Old Mission United Methodist Church
Shawnee Mission Parkway & Mission Road, Fairway, KS
For more information www.kcchamberorchestra.org
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Theatre ,
The write stuff
The 18th Annual Young Playwrights' Festival is a yearly celebration of young talent. Each year, the Coterie Theatre premieres 10 short works by local high school students. The festival took place this past weekend at the Coterie, and was an illustrious showcase for our talented local teens.
To begin with, the students attended "Reaching the Write Minds," a playwriting workshop sponsored by the Coterie. This program is a citywide in-school program to identify emerging playwrights. Facilitators of "Reaching the Write Minds" for the 2009-10 school year were Nancy Marcy, Vi Tran and Meghann Henry.
Selected participants of the workshops are then invited to join the Coterie's Young Playwrights' Roundtable, where they can workshop their own creations and swap feedback with their peers and Jeff Church, the Coterie's Producing Artistic Director. This group meets throughout the school year. When the festival nears, Church selects ten outstanding works to be directed and performed by professionals.
Having said that, I would like to highlight a few of the pieces presented, and recognize all the members of the Young Playwrights' Roundtable for putting on such a great show.
Black Coffee, written by Taylor Kay Phillips (Barstow School) explores the relationship between a boy with extraordinary abilities and the woman who serves him coffee every morning. I loved this piece, not only for the genuine relationship it presented, but because it touched on issues without being heavy-handed. Nick Grant, currently in the Coterie's Frindle, and Kelly Main worked well together and really brought a casual truth to the piece.
Just Friends, by Chelsea Muzar (Park Hill High) poses the challenges of ending a friendship. In a way, it's like ending a romantic relationship, except you can't say "Let's just be friends." What do you do if a friendship becomes destructive? This is a really interesting idea that Muzar poses, and absolutely rings true, for more than just high schoolers.
Stereotypes, by Taylor Ayers (North Kansas City High) retells the story of the nerd and the slacker finding common ground. However old the story may be, the script still held power for the audience, and said something slightly different.
Blonde Hair, Blue Eyed Blues by Casha Mills (Shawnee Mission North) ended the show. This script was tremendous, and was performed hilariously by the numerous actors onstage. While introducing the issue of interracial dating, the script kept the audience from getting too serious about it.
The show was great fun, and absolutely free. Reviewing or not, I will definitely be going next year.
Here is a list of students involved in the Coterie's Young Playwrights' Roundtable.
Members of the 2009-10 Young Playwrights Roundtable
Taylor Ayers (North Kansas City High), Olivia Broome (Trai:lridge Middle), Katy Brown (Park Hill High), John De Luca (Raymore-Peculiar High), Ally Eckert (Lansing High), Allison Enns (North Kansas City High), Rachel Ferencz (Shawnee Mission Northwest High), Chris Fielder (Rockhurst High), Haley Gober (Raytown South High), Jessica Goertzen (Lansing High), Day Harris (Sumner Academy), Jonah Jaax (Barstow School), Ethan Kaseff (Hyman Brand Hebrew Academy), Duncan Laner (Pembroke Hill), Noria McCarther (Notre Dame de Sion), Casha Mills (Shawnee Mission North High), Myracle Morris (Raytown High), Chelsea Muzar (Park Hill High), Natalie Null (Raytown High), Taylor Kay Phillips (Barstow School), Charles "Eli" Purdom (William Chrisman High), Morgan Salisbury (Raytown South High), Toby Sandford (Main Street Academy), Faith Slaughter (Ruskin High), Adavia Thornton (Cristo Rey), Zachary Weaver (Home Schooled), David White (Barstow School), Emma WitbolsFeugen (William Chrisman), Christine York (Grandview High).
REVIEW
Coterie Theatre
The 18th Annual Young Playwrights' Festival
April 28th and 29th
Crown Center, Level One
2450 Grand Blvd., Suite 144, Kansas City, MO
www.coterietheatre.org
Top photo: Members of the 2009-10 Young Playwrights' Roundtable. Photo by J. Robert Schraeder.
Classical,
KC Symphony Concertmistress resigns after ten seasons
The Kansas City Symphony announced this week that Concertmistress Kanako Ito will resign from her position effective August 31, 2010. Ito has served in her role with the Kansas City Symphony for ten seasons.
Ito is leaving Kansas City to join her husband, Martin Storey, in Glasgow, Scotland, where Martin has won the position of principal cello with the BBC Scottish Orchestra. Storey begins his new duties in Scotland in May, and Ito and their two children will join him in June at the conclusion of the current symphony season.
Reflecting on her departure, Ito said, "I would like to thank the many kind people who supported me and the Kansas City Symphony. Without an audience who love and support music we could not have achieved so much, and it has been an honor and a joy to play for the Kansas City audience. I will look forward to watching the Symphony's growth from the other side of the world."
Ito leaves the Kansas City Symphony one season before the opening of the new Kauffman Center for the Performing Arts. She commented, "I am extremely sad about not being able to play in the new hall, but I am very happy and feel lucky that I have been part of such an era of great changes in the KC Symphony's history. I am sure that the new concertmaster will lead to another great era of music making and I am very excited to think of the Kansas City Symphony's wonderful future."
Music Director Michael Stern commented, "Kanako Ito has been an integral contributor to our orchestra. Since I came in 2005, she has been a marvelous partner in helping to advance the quality of the Kansas City Symphony. I have the highest respect for her as a remarkable violinist, a probing musician, and an exemplary colleague. Working with her both in the orchestra and as a soloist has been a joy."
Symphony Executive Director Frank Byrne said, "We thank Kanako most sincerely for her many contributions to the musical excellence of our orchestra and to the Kansas City region. She is a wonderful musician and equally wonderful colleague. We will miss her and wish her and Martin all the very best in their future careers."
The process to identify a new concertmaster will begin immediately. Kanako Ito's final classical subscription concerts with the Symphony will be May 14-16 in concerts conducted by Associate Conductor Steven Jarvi. She will also perform for the Symphony's annual Contributor's Concert and Bank of America Celebration at the Station, which will be her final appearance with the Kansas City Symphony.
For Michael Stern's final two subscription concerts of the season (May 21-23 and June 4-6), the Symphony will welcome guest concertmasters who will perform all duties of concertmaster for each week and will also play solo repertoire, chamber music, and concertmaster excerpts for the Symphony's audition committee. The process will continue into the fall when additional guest concertmasters will come to Kansas City for those concerts conducted by Music Director Michael Stern. Byrne said, "Our goal is to have our new concertmaster with us when we begin tuning rehearsals in the Kauffman Center in the Spring of 2011. Michael Stern and I are confident that our acclimation to our new concert hall will be most effective with our new concertmaster in place."
ABOUT KANAKO ITO, MILLER NICHOLS CHAIR
Kanako Ito, Concertmistress of the Kansas City Symphony since 2000, has had a distinguished career as a soloist, chamber musician and orchestral leader. She has won prizes in many international competitions, including the Geneva Competition, the Lexus Violin Competition in New Zealand, the Japanese-American Association Competition in New York, and the Schöntal Violin Competition in Germany. Her solo appearances include performances with the Leningrad State Orchestra, the Suisse Romande Orchestra, Wiener Streicher Solisten, Romania Radio Symphony, the Chautauqua Symphony, the New Zealand Symphony, the Winterthur Orchestra, and the Suk Chamber Orchestra. She has also performed with many of the major orchestras in Japan and has appeared on NHK FM Radio and on Nippon TV (NTV) and NHK TV.
A frequent collaborator in chamber music, Ito is a member of Quartet Accorda, quartet in residence at Park University, and has performed in many formats from duo to octet with established artists around the world. She is a frequent guest artist at the International Music Arts Institute in Maine and the Corbridge Music Festival in the UK. She regularly travels to Europe and Japan, where she continues to give concerts and masterclasses.
A native of northern Japan, she started playing the violin at the age of five. After studying at the Toho-Gakuen Music High School in Tokyo with Ryosaku Kubota and Yoshiharu Kubo, Ito continued her studies at the Paris Conservatoire where her teacher was Michéle Auclair. She then completed the Artist Diploma Program at the New England Conservatory of Music in Boston, where she continued studying with Mme. Auclair. Ito has also taken part in master classes with Eric Rosenblith, Pinchas Zukerman, and Stefan Gheorghiu. After her study, she moved to London where she lived and worked for several years, performed as a member of the chamber ensemble Mobius, and toured with many of the major London orchestras.
Ito has recorded CDs for the Fontec label in Japan. These include the complete sonatas by Saint-Saëns and Grieg with the pianist Phillip Moll. She has also recorded for EMI, ASV and Naxos with Mobius.
ABOUT THE KANSAS CITY SYMPHONY
Led by Music Director Michael Stern, the Kansas City Symphony's 80-member orchestra performs more than 50 concerts on three series (Classical, Family, and Pops) during its 42-week season, September through June. In addition, the Symphony performs non-series concerts such as educational programs, free outdoor concerts, and outreach performances, and serves as the orchestra for the Lyric Opera and Kansas City Ballet. Classical performances are broadcast weekly on KCUR 89.3 FM during the Kansas City Symphony Hour, Thursdays at 9pm. Visit the Kansas City Symphony online at www.kcsymphony.org
Film,
The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers
Nominated earlier this year for an Academy Award in the Best Documentary category, The Most Dangerous Man in America is a well-made, thoroughly researched work that for years to come will be an important tool to show future generations the tragedy that was the Vietnam War. It will also prove to them that there are always inspirational Americans like Daniel Ellsberg who are willing to sacrifice everything in order for truth to prevail.
If you are under the age of 50 and have not been interested in American history, then you may be asking, "Who is Daniel Ellsberg?" After serving in the Marines in the 1950s, Ellsberg went to work for the Pentagon in 1964 and was a key figure in developing assessments for U.S. military involvement in South Vietnam. Gradually, he went from believing in the war effort to becoming an antiwar activist after growing tired of the lies the government kept repeating to America.
Risking life in prison, Ellsberg photocopied a top secret study in 1969 titled "United States-Vietnam Relations, 1945-1967: A Study Prepared by the Department of Defense," or "The Pentagon Papers." First published in 1971 by the New York Times, the papers revealed that every administration from Truman to Johnson had misled the public about their plans for Vietnam.
The documentary goes on to show how the The Pentagon Papers helped bring down Nixon's presidency and how it provoked a landmark Supreme Court case involving the First Amendment.
The Most Dangerous Man in America contains a good blend of archival war footage, photographs, recreations, and interviews with all the key players including John Dean, who was Nixon's White House Counsel, and Egil "Bud" Krogh, who led Nixon's special investigation unit, or Plumbers, that burglarized the offices of Ellsberg's psychiatrist in an attempt to discredit him.
Ellsberg comes across as a modest individual who doesn't shy away from his own culpability for the war's initial expansion in Vietnam. His narration is consistent and he divulges just enough personal history to allow us better insight into his makeup as a man without drifting too far away from the topic at hand.
For those who have studied American history, particularly the Vietnam War, there isn't a whole lot that is new in this documentary. However, the totality of it, plus the firsthand accounts of Ellsberg, make it fascinating nonetheless.
On a letter grade scale from A being excellent to F for failing, The Most Dangerous Man in America: Daniel Ellsberg and the Pentagon Papers receives an A-.
The Most Dangerous Man in America is unrated and has a running time of 94 minutes.
Now showing through May 6 @
Tivoli Cinemas
Westport Manor Square, 4050 Pennsylvania, KCMO
Visit www.tivolikc.com or call 913-383-7756 for show times.
Classical,
Flawless endings
The Brentano String Quartet concluded JCCC's Performing Arts Series 2009-2010 season with Brahms' Quintet for Clarinet and Strings in B Minor, Op. 115 (featuring Charles Neidich, clarinet) and Schubert's String Quartet in G Major, Op. 161 (D. 887) last Saturday night. Beyond that informational introduction, this otherwise could be, and - given my general tendency towards verbosity - maybe should be, a very short review.
Here is the very shortest version: The Brentano String Quartet was flawless.
Now - flawless can be a dangerous and misleading word. In the strictest sense, nothing is ever really flawless. And even after a "flawless" concert if you talk to the performers and ask for a self-critique, there will always (trust me...always) be things they felt weren't quite perfect. Such is the nature of the artistic pursuit of true perfection - an unattainable goal that remains ever elusive: more of a journey, as the saying goes, than a destination.
My definition (and general philosophy) of "flawless" follows: in a very large ensemble like an orchestra, some imperfections can get lost. In a Mahler symphony, for example, if the 22nd violinist is a little flat, or flabby on rhythm, or in a coma, it is possible that this could go unnoticed. Conversely, in a solo performance - like a piano sonata - the performer is very prominent and only has to be concerned with themselves (and with the possible exception of John Cage's "4:33", comas would be problematic). Perfection is what they make - or don't make - of it.
It's the small- to moderate-sized ensembles where the real challenge lies, and in that sense a string quartet (or quintet with a 5th instrument - like the clarinet) is kind of like flying a 747: a gazillion things have to go right for a successful "flawless" trip, but one misfire anywhere in the process can bring it crashing to earth really, really fast. And by that analogous measure - for pitch, intonation, rhythm, timing, dynamics, cohesion, virtuosity, execution, interpretation, etc., etc., etc. - I honestly could not hear or see a single flaw in Brentano's performances.
Having long been a fan of Brahms' string work - particularly his four symphonies and trios - I was looking forward to hearing the quintet with clarinet. The program notes indicate that by 1891, at age 58, Brahms was feeling like "it was time to prepare for the end." Whether this sentiment was literal or figurative on his part, the fact is Brahms would be dead within six years. But it was during these six years that he had a burst of energy directed specifically at chamber music (his last symphony wasbeen 6 years prior, in 1885), and directed even more specifically at the clarinet.
Brentano and Neidich melded seamlessly to produce a mature interpretation of this later work. It is hard to imagine a different instrumentation. Much like the difficulty picturing the actor who didn't get the part in what becomes an iconic role, the warm themes of the work are perfectly suited to the clarinet (try picturing Al Pacino - no kidding - as Han Solo and you'll get the idea). The personal warmth that comes through conveys not only that Brahms was writing for the clarinet, specifically, but for a specific clarinetist, as well (Richard Mühlfeld). While one could certainly discern a reflective, if not "mortal", disposition in the work, it is regularly interspersed with a glimpse of Brahms' trademark and upbeat rhythmic motifs. While the majority of the work focuses on reflective themes, nothing in the piece suggests that Brahms' was in any way - musically or otherwise - "preparing for the end."
The Schubert presented an entirely different mood and, written barely two years before his death, brought a more ominous sense of urgency. Invigorated by a nearly constant juxtaposition of tension and release, major and minor themes and pensive and reflective moods, Schubert's exhausting exploration of his themes received the full intensity of Brentano's meticulous scrutiny. The recurring, double-bowed themes were executed with surgical precision, particularly in the cello.
I came away from these performances feeling as though I had heard very near the interpretations that Brahms and Schubert intended, and applauded, in the most mature, technically-perfect executions of any classical repertoire I have heard anywhere this season. I've never been a particularly demonstrative concert-goer, but after both pieces completed, one man in the audience broke the silence - both times - with an extremely loud and enthusiastic "BRAVO!"
He was right.
REVIEW
The Performing Arts Series at JCCC
Brentano String Quartet with Charles Neidich, clarinet
Saturday, May 1, 2010
Johnson County Community College
12345 College Blvd., Overland Park, KS
www.jccc.edu/TheSeries
Classical, theSTEADY,
Another cohesive collaboration for newEar
newEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble ended their season of guest curators with "Regenerations" last Saturday night. Composer James Mobberley, a professor at UMKC's Conservatory, programmed this concert with "compositional lineage" in mind. In addition to one of his own, Mobberley selected works by his teachers and their influences as a look back, and a work by a former student as a look towards the future. The music heard was clearly reflective of connections between teacher and student.
Violinist Anthony DeMarco and pianist Robert Pherigo began the program with Charles Ives' Violin Sonata no. 4 ("Children's Day at the Camp Meeting"). The work's multiple simultaneous key signatures and unpredictable rhythms challenged the performers, with a few out-of-tune pitches in the violin in the first movement (this was remedied later, though) and slight rhythmic struggle in the piano in the second movement. However DeMarco and Pherigo were confident and emotive throughout and especially sensitive during the second movement's "Jesus Loves Me" theme.
Edgard Varèse's flute solo Density 21.5 was the least memorable piece of the evening. Lyra Pherigo played in tune with expressive body language and deftly switched between calm and intense moods, but the performance lacked the wide range of dynamics necessary to keep this short composition interesting.
Oh, Friends! by Roger Hannay served as a nice contrast to the rest of the concert's works. While not necessarily the most compelling music, the piece is pleasant in its simplicity and consonance. Unfortunately Oh, Friends! was fraught with balance issues. The instruments had similar lines throughout yet only the violin was individually conspicuous; it was unclear whether or not other lines were meant to come to the forefront.
DeMarco and Robert Pherigo returned for "Love Poem" from Donald Erb's Three Poems for Violin and Piano. Displaying similarly high energy as in their first duet tonight, DeMarco and Pherigo deeply embodied this work's intense atmosphere and were very well in sync with each other. DeMarco was impressive in his treatment of dynamic swells, executing large leaps, particularly the phrases with double-stopped moving lines.
Michael McFerron's Torrid Mix for piano and electronic playback was a highlight of the program. Robert Pherigo has an appealing stage presence and he stands out as one of newEar's star players. He was animated, gestural, and equally sensitive and forceful in his performance of Torrid Mix. The electronic opening features a blend of mysterious whispers and manipulated pitches and drones, followed by a section of driving, accented rhythms, and Pherigo matched his piano playing to the electronic part in each section with accuracy and expertise. The interplay between the electronic and piano parts was affective and appropriate.
The music resumed after intermission with the presentation of newEar's first composition competition winner from the professional division, Lansing McLoskey's Requiem v. 2.001 (the winner of the student division will be performed next season). Requiem v. 2.001's first and third movements were rhythmically and melodically similar and challenging, and it seemed difficult for the ensemble to lock in completely during these sections. The winding, rambling lines suffered with some intonation and balance issues as well. The second movement was stronger, however, and began with a very soft and very high clarinet entrance that was impeccably controlled by Tom Aber. Violinist Chun-Chien Chuang played her interlude ("Trope [virus]") with vigorous fervor, despite the totally unnecessary full-volume random single snare drum hit during her solo.
The final work of the evening, Mobberley's Two Studies in Perpetual Motion revealed the links between the preceding pieces (with the exception of McLoskey's). The dark first movement, "On Thin Ice" featured unexpected accents, complicated mixed meters, fantastic tension build-up, and strong climax points which the ensemble played with assurance and energy. Conductor Lee Hartman maintained the groove even during moments of silence. While differing in mood, "On Thin Ice" and "Cyclescape", the light and bubbly second movement, share rhythmic characteristics that bond them, creating a delightful complimentary contrast. The ensemble experienced some moments of diminished energy in "Cyclescape," perhaps because they seemed intensely focused on the less lyrical, more rhythmic spots in the work.
I hope that newEar invites more guest composers to curate concerts next season, as these are the most enjoyable and cohesive of any programs I have heard from the ensemble in the past few years. The performers and listeners are both challenged, and it is wonderful to gain some insight to a specific composer's viewpoint and aesthetic.
REVIEW:
newEar Contemporary Chamber Ensemble
Regenerations
Saturday, May 1, 2010
All Souls Unitarian Universalist Church
4501 Walnut, Kansas City, MO
www.newear.org
Top photo: James Mobberley
Visionary "Venice"
What if you could write a new theatre work that was an instant classic? Modern-day relevant and timeless? What if such a work had the potential to make Broadway (if it is smart, and paying attention) sniff the air with Pavlovian anticipation? Well - first, if that were possible I wouldn't be telling you any of this, because I would write it myself and become rich and famous. Second, and more importantly, I would tell you not to bother - because Eric Rosen and Matt Sax have already done it; and it is called Venice - the Kansas City Repertory Theatre's final production of the season.
In Venice, Matt Sax is cast as the Clown MC - a gaunt, macabre rap-narrator who guides the story along its developmental milestones. He introduces characters and provides context. Far more MC than clown (there is, in fact, nothing comically amusing about Venice), he engages directly with the audience, challenging them to consider what unfolds before them.
Casting for the four main characters was superb. Javier Muñoz as Venice Monroe delivers a sympathetic figure working to reunite his war-fractured city, projecting, in the process, a duality of confidence and vulnerability. Part of his reunification strategy includes marrying one of "the disappeared" (Andrea Goss as Willow Turner). Reference to "the disappeared" carries strong undertones to "los desaparecidos" during the Pinochet dictatorship in Argentina, one of many such artistic and historic touch-points used so well throughout the play. Nevertheless, to whatever degree politically-motivated, this is no marriage of convenience. The intended union has a uniquely non-political spin: they deeply love each other. Coming from disparate family circumstances there is a "Romeo & Juliet" quality to the romance - unfortunately with a nearly-similar tragic outcome. The wide-eyed innocence and vulnerability of Willow Turner is perfectly embodied in the waifish Goss, who quickly endears her character to the audience; at her tragic demise, there wasn't a dry eye in the house.
Evil incarnate arrives in the form of Clifton Duncan's malevolent Markos Monroe. Seething with acidic jealousy for his more successful brother, Duncan's portrayal is an instantly-classic villain - the kind of performance delivered so well you are forced to admit you really love hating how devious he is. The portrayal rightfully takes something away from an otherwise favorable opinion of Venice - for again you are forced to recognize that - in a real-world situation of political intrigue and skullduggery - one could say that Venice deserves what his ignorance has wrought. More accurately, Rosen comments that this "tragic flaw [is] not pride, but foolishness." In classic fashion where every capable villain needs unwitting pawns to manipulate, Markos makes good use of Theodore Westerbrook (J.D. Goldblatt) and Hailey Daisy (Angela Wildflower Polk) in bringing down his brother's well-intentioned reunification. Goldblatt delivers a sympathetic, naive character who is endearing despite his evil collusion, and Polk's Daisy jumps off the stage with a burlesque-like entrance that is part Marilyn Monroe, Mae West and Billie Holliday.
The combination multimedia/set design (Meghan Raham and Jason A. Thompson) was a visual tour-de-force, as was John Carrafa and Tanisha Scott's choreography. Matt Sax's score was deliciously provocative, with a maturity that shows great potential and has a very "Broadway" edge to it. Infused largely with rap and hip-hop elements, Sax also displayed impressive song-writing skills, best evidenced by Act Two's incredible The Wind Cried Willow. As a collective performance, and largely on the strengths of the Rosen-Sax collaboration, I could immediately envision Venice as a full-fledged Broadway production.
Flaws were minimal, and mostly structural. I only had trouble with some longer-than-necessary segments and a few awkward, abrupt cadences. There is some room for "tightening up" and I think the overall tremendous effect of Venice would be enhanced and intensified by being between 15 to 20 minutes shorter. But none of that takes away from my enthusiasm for this tremendous work. Few "masterpieces" achieve their status on their first, second, or even fifth or sixth iteration, but I think Rosen and Sax have the beginnings of one with this work.
But the most remarkable aspect for me was Venice's timeless relevance.
Venice portrays everything that is good and hopeful about human nature- and everything that is ugly and destructive about human nature. It is about peace, and the absence of peace. It is pre-war and post-war. It is revolution and post-revolution. It is pre-apocalyptic and post-apocalyptic (the analogies between Rosen's Venice and the biblical city of Har Magedon are intriguing - each being a physical place as well as a representation of impending doom). Venice is perfectly crafted to evoke similar emotions in every language and culture on earth, playing in any city in the world - today; 100 years ago; 500 years from now.
The end result is as predictable as any similarly-volatile arrangement of tragic characters and circumstances in all of history. And yet Rosen and Sax manage to deliver it with a freshness that feels visionary and ahead of its time. In one fell swoop - and notwithstanding all of the vibrancy that Rosen has already brought to The Rep since 2007 - Venice is the quantum leap that has every potential to redraw the map of Kansas City theatre. From here forward, it is fair and fitting to expect that Venice will be the work to which all subsequent new works should rightfully be compared.
As you read this, you will have 13 more opportunities to see Venice in its opening debut at Copaken Stage. Run, don't walk.
REVIEW:
Kansas City Repertory Theatre
Venice
by Eric Rosen and Matt Sax
Directed by Eric Rosen
Runs April 9 - May 9 (Reviewed Friday, April 23, 2010)
Kansas City Repertory Theatre
Copaken Stage
13th and Walnut Streets, Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-235-2700 or online at www.kcrep.org
Top photo: Don Ipock
Theatre ,
Thumb a ride in Becky's New Car
"When a woman says she wants a new car, she wants a new life," explains actress Kimberly King as Becky Foster in the New Theatre's latest production, Becky's New Car. Directed by Richard Carrothers, the show is a quirky and unique look at love and marriage.
Written by contemporary American playwright, Steven Dietz, Becky's New Car allows a middle-aged woman to try on a new life. Mistaking her for a widow, a millionaire widower woos Becky Foster at her workplace, a car dealership. She goes along with the flirtation, despite the fact that she loves her husband and her old life is perfectly fine. And what of the mysterious Mrs. Tipton, who just wants her expensive black car as quickly as possible? The play premiered in Seattle in 2008 with Kimberly King playing the lead. King reprises the role at the New Theatre.
The show was unusual and often surprising. King breaks the fourth wall often by asking the audience for advice or help. And she is magically transported from work to home with a light change and a sound effect, which she acknowledges with a wink. The mysterious Mrs.Tipton storyline was almost serious, but lighting and a fog machine sent it over the top, in a good way.
John Davidson, of Hollywood Squares and the Tonight Show, costars as eccentric millionaire, Walter Flood. His comic timing and his larger-than-life presence lent itself to this role perfectly. Steve, played by local favorite Craig Benton, is an offbeat car salesman who wears a pair of hiking boots everywhere. His puppy monologue, well, I can scarcely think of it now without chuckling.
The cast also includes New Theatre regular, Jim Korinke, as husband Joe. Korinke is wonderfully trusting; he was the average Joe (hah, just got that) that most women end up marrying. Todd Lanker plays son Chris in his first New Theatre appearance, and Ashlee LaPine, last seen in Run for Your Wife, is Walter Flood's daughter, Kenni. Jan Chapman, recently seen in Kiss of the Spider Woman at the MET, is Ginger, a society woman who is rapidly running out of money.
The set was fantastically abstract. Jason Coale's scenic design suggested many locations, while keeping in mind the fluid nature of the show. I felt as if I were viewing modern art that somehow represented the structure of Becky's life. Perhaps that's a stretch.
Randy B. Winder really had some fun with his lighting design, since the show did not have to look realistic. Color washes on the back indicated Becky's location, and spots showed the audience where to focus. My favorite lighting scenes were the driving ones, especially in the second act.
Roger Stoddard's sound was terrific. I chuckled at the "whooshing" sounds when switching locations. The phone noises, the driving, everything worked. And using Jason Mraz at the beginning? Fantastic. The whole crowd was bobbing along. Mary Traylor's costumes were quirky, and very creative to accomplish some of King's quick changes.
This show was a bit of a risk for the New Theatre, and I think it paid off. Becky's New Car was slightly abstract, and quite a change for audiences used to Neil Simon. Plus, with a new play, you cannot rely on name recognition to fill the seats. However, I think most people appreciate entertainment that is honest and witty; Becky's New Car is both. If all else fails, how could you not love John Davidson?
REVIEW
New Theatre
Becky's New Car
Runs April 15 to June 20
New Theatre Restaurant
9229 Foster, Overland Park, KS
For tickets call 913-649-7469 or online at www.newtheatre.com
Local Arts News,
NEA awards $25,000 for ArtsKC Fund Catalyst Grants
The National Endowment for the Arts latest round of funding for fiscal year 2010 includes a first-time ever $25,000 grant to The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City's ArtsKC Fund.
The money granted in the Access to Artistic Excellence category will be used for the ArtsKC Fund's Catalyst Project Grants. Catalyst Grants comprise 25% of the ArtsKC Fund and are awarded for a variety of arts programs, projects, and activities such as programs for youth, for families, or for fully accessible and inclusive audiences.
"The NEA grant received by the Arts Council for Catalyst Grants," says Harlan Brownlee, CEO & President of The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City, "demonstrates the important niche the smaller arts organizations occupy in the arts ecology of Kansas City. Much of the grant will go to support programs like Kansas City Youth Jazz that provide individuals and young people their first introduction to high quality experiences in the arts. Ultimately, many of those introduced to the arts, through these programs, go on to be lifelong supporters and audience members of the arts in our community."
The mission of 2009 Catalyst Program Grant recipient, Kansas City Youth Jazz, is to develop and maintain a multicultural music education program that perpetuates and promotes our jazz heritage. Beyond musical proficiency, participating students learn skills of cooperation, responsibility, respect for self and others, discipline and tolerance. Kansas City Youth Jazz uses musical instruction as a vehicle to transform student's lives.
The deadline for non-profit organizations seeking funds in the Catalyst category is June 3, 2010 with grant decisions announced in August.
About the ArtsKC Fund
The ArtsKC Fund, an initiative of the Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City, is a united arts fund that raises new money to support a wide range of arts organizations and programs. Its purpose is to provide stable sources of new financial support for the arts, broaden access to high-quality arts experiences, and sustain excellence in the arts and arts administration. The Arts Council of Metropolitan Kansas City is a not-for-profit organization that serves the five-county Kansas City metropolitan area and strives to strengthen and enrich the community by growing appreciation, participation, and support of its arts resources. For more information about the ArtsKC Fund, visit http://www.ArtsKC.org
Local Arts News,
Missouri Arts Council zero funded for FY11 budget
The state legislature passed the FY11 state budget with no funding for the Missouri Arts Council or the Cultural Partners (Public Broadcasting, Historic Preservation, Humanities, and State Libraries). The bill now goes to the Governor for his signature, usually in June. MAC did receive spending authority to utilize up to $9.95m in funds in the Missouri Cultural Trust Fund and the National Endowment for the Arts (NEA). MAC will receive $783,800 from the NEA next year. The Council will consider the FY11 MAC budget at their June board meeting in Hannibal.
When the legislature asked the state Director of Budget and Planning what the Governor's position was, she stated "that as much as the Governor supported the arts, they would have to rely on the Trust for funding next year."
According to Kyna Iman, Missouri Citizens for the Arts Governmental Consultant, Senator Mayer and Senator Schaefer hated to have to make the cut. They needed the money to help reach the $500 million budget gap. The legislators committed to help restore funding to the arts in better financial times.
Local Arts News,
Six Kansas arts programs receive NEA grants
Last week, the National Endowment for the Arts announced that six Kansas organizations, including the Kansas Arts Commission, will receive $931,200 in federal grants through the National Endowment for the Arts. These grants will support activities in communities throughout Kansas that effect our state's economy, quality of life and educational programs.
"Everywhere I have traveled over the past nine months, I have been encouraged by the resilience and adaptability of our arts organizations, as they strive to fulfill their missions in the midst of a challenging economy," said Rocco Landesman, chairman for the National Endowment for the Arts in Washington, D.C. "I've learned that a thriving arts sector brings with it economic and cultural vitality that helps drive community sustainability.
These NEA grants will help sustain art work and keep it working for the organization, its community, and the nation," he said.
"The arts contribute to the education of our children, the strength of our communities and the health of our economy," said Llewellyn Crain, executive director of the Kansas Arts Commission. "In Kansas, for every dollar invested in the arts, $9 are generated for the economy.
"These grants alone have an impact of over $8 million for Kansas," she said. "We are grateful to the National Endowment for the Arts for supporting the arts in Kansas."
FY 2010 Award recipients are:
Kansas Arts Commission, Topeka
$778,200 - To support Partnership Agreement activities.
Lawrence Children's Choir, Inc., Lawrence
$8,000 - To support the Cadenza choir. First- through third-grade choral students will attend weekly rehearsals, learning musical concepts and performance techniques such as singing with accurate pitch, dynamics, and phrasing.
Music Theatre of Wichita, Inc., Wichita
$30,000 - To support a production of Tony Award-winning musical Crazy For You. Producing Artistic Director Wayne Brown will collaborate with musical director Thomas Wesley Douglas to produce the work with music and lyrics by George and Ira Gershwin and libretto by Ken Ludwig.
University of Kansas Center for Research, Inc., Lawrence
$30,000 - To support Explorations in Art and Science: The Search for Beginning and Meaning, a series presented at the Lied Center of Kansas. Programs will explore human interaction with science through performance presentations, community conversations, and residency activities.
University of Kansas Center for Research, Inc., Lawrence
$40,000 - To support the series American Masterpieces: Pushing Form, Boundaries, and Expectations. Participating artists will include the Turtle Island Quartet with guest pianist Cyrus Chestnut and instrumentalist Mike Marshall, the Merce Cunningham Dance Company, and Montana Repertory Theatre.
William Inge Festival Foundation, Independence
$45,000 - To support the creation and performance of the community-based theater event The Other Side of Oz in Greensburg and Independence, Kansas. Artistic Director Peter Ellenstein will collaborate with Stacy Barnes, executive director of the 5.4.7 Arts Center, and Michael John Garces, artistic director of Cornerstone Theater.
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,
KC Rep to hold general equity auditions
Auditions by Appointment Only. To schedule an audition appointment for Kansas City Rep's Equity General Auditions, please call Sarah Cooper at 816-235-6087 weekdays between 10 am-4 pm.
Open Auditions for Equity Actors
Monday, May 17, 2010
4949 Cherry Street, Kansas City
Open Auditions for Kansas City Equity Actors
Tuesday, May 18, 2010
4949 Cherry Street, Kansas City
Open Auditions for Kansas City Non-Equity Actors
Wednesday, May 19, 2010
4949 Cherry Street, Kansas City
Your appointment should not exceed 5 minutes of material, which should include preparing a monologue (comedic or dramatic) and if you are a singer, please prepare 16 bars of a song that best shows off your voice. There will be an accompanist at the auditions.
Please bring a headshot and resume with updated contact info.
You will be auditioning for Kyle Hatley, Kansas City Repertory Theatre's Assistant Artistic Director.
Local Arts News,
State of the Arts in Kansas
TAKE ACTION NOW!
As the Kansas Legislature is shaping its budget bill this week, the Kansas Arts Commission is facing a serious cut to its Fiscal Year 2011 budget.
If the House bill passes, the Kansas Arts Commission's reduction of state general funds will be more than 50% since Fiscal Year 2009. That cut will absolutely impact organizations and the people of Kansas -- just when organizations, communities and artists across state badly need support.
Act now!
This includes board members, audience members, artists, arts administrators and everyone who cares about the arts in Kansas.
Call or email your legislators today and tell them to:
-
Pass the Senate's budget bill, which does not unfairly target the Kansas Arts Commission.
-
The arts are an economic driver -- for every $1 invested in the arts, $9 are generated for the economy in Kansas. If grants to organizations and artists are cut, jobs and spending will be reduced dramatically, reducing state income even further.
-
Kansans value the arts -- more people are engaged in the arts in Kansas than in any other state and they vote.
-
The arts are vital to communities. The state must support arts programs in the areas that need them most, which include rural communities, and cutting Kansas Arts Commission's programs impact rural and poor areas disproportionately.
City Classics,
Music and Dance through May 12
Kansas City Ballet
Who Cares?
Thursday, May 6 at 7:30 p.m.
Friday, May 7 at 7:30 p.m.
Saturday, May 8 at 2:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
Sunday, May 9 at 2:00 p.m.
Lyric Theatre
11th and Central Streets, Downtown Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 816-931-2232 or online at www.kcballet.org
Who cares? Well, the dance fans of Kansas City will certainly care about the Kansas City Ballet's spring production, set for five performances this weekend.
The title ballet, Who Cares?, consists of fifteen "show stoppers" by American songwriter George Gershwin. The Ballet is set to songs Gershwin composed between 1924 and 1931, including "Strike Up the Band," "Bidin' My Time," "'S Wonderful," "The Man I Love," "Stairway to Paradise," "Embraceable You," "Fascinatin' Rhythm," "Who Cares?," "My One and Only," "Liza," and "I Got Rhythm." Orchestrator Hershy Kay (Chorus Line, Evita) drew extensively on Gershwin's own piano arrangements of his songs taken from player piano rolls.
The music will certainly be familiar to any lover of Broadway shows, and the choreography by the legendary George Balanchine will "bring pizzazz, class, high kicks, and upbeat energy" to the Kansas City Ballet.
The program also features three other ballets, one a tried-and-true classic and the other two world premieres.
The classic ballet is the Donizetti Pas-de-Deux, choreographed by the Ballet's late, great artistic director Todd Bolender. Set to the music of the irrepressible Italian opera composer Gaetano Donizetti (from his opera La Favorita), the ballet demonstrates "playful musicality," according to current dance master James Jordan who will mount the piece. Since its original premiere in Kansas City the work has been performed by several other companies as well, including the Pacific Northwest Ballet and the Royal Winnipeg Ballet.
The first world premiere is the classically-named Concerto Grosso by choreographer Toni Pimble. Ms. Pimble is a noted American choreographer whose ballets have been performed by numerous American companies, including Two's Company for New York City Ballet as part of the prestigious Diamond Project. In Concerto Grosso she features fourteen dancers in four movements set to the 19th century German composer Ernest Bloch's Concerto Grosso No.1 for strings and piano.
The second world premiere is A Solo in Nine Parts by Jessica Lang. The dance is set to the music of Baroque composer Antonio Vivaldi (of Four Seasons fame). This ballet, performed in three movements, features a whimsical and touching play on the music of Vivaldi. About creating the ballet, Lang said "there are nine solo moments for one violin in the first and third movements in this Vivaldi score and I cast nine dancers so each dancer could have a moment to be that solo voice within the group. The dance is a reflection of the connection between working as a group and then taking your time in the front as a solo."
The Denver Post has written of the choreographer: "Expect big things from Lang. She is a major choreographic talent."
Members of the Kansas City Symphony will be accompanying the dancers in live music from the Lyric Theatre orchestra pit, always a good thing, at least to this audience member, who much prefers live accompaniment to the canned sort.
William Baker Festival Singers
Twelfth Annual Home Concert
Friday, May 7 at 8:00 p.m.
Grace and Holy Trinity Cathedral
415 West 13th Street, Downtown Kansas City, MO
For tickets call 913-403-9223 or online at www.festivalsingers.com
The William Baker Festival Singers closes out its season this weekend with a concert of choral works covering many periods and styles, ranging from those of the English Baroque master William Byrd to the early 20th Century Russian composer Alexander Gretchaninov to arrangements of religious music by contemporary American composer Alice Parker.
The concert will feature premieres by two Kansas City based composers, John Leavitt and R. Douglas Helvering. It will also include traditional spirituals and music recently discovered from 16th Century Mexico.
UMKC Collegium Vocale
Early French and Franco-Flemish Music
Sunday, May 9 at 7:00 p.m.
Our Lady of Sorrows Catholic Church
2552 Gillham Road, Kansas City, MO
Tickets available at the door. For more information visit www.kccollegiumvocale.com/
The UMKC Collegium Vocale is joined again this weekend by the Kansas City Baroque Consortium instrumental ensemble for a concert of the music of Perotin (a European composer, believed to be of Flemish origin, who lived at the end of the 12th and beginning of the 13th Century), the brilliant Renaissance composer Josquin Des Prez, the Baroque French master Marc-Antoine Charpentier and the 18th-century French composer Louis-Nicolas Clerambault.
The featured work on the program is an arrangement of Clerambault's Miserere by Josh Maize, a member of the Collegium Vocale. The conductor of the UMKC Collegium Vocale is the talented young Dr. Ryan Board.
City Stage,
May Theatre Listings
For complete Theatre listings through 2010, click here to visit the KC Events calendar
The Oil Boiler Collective
The Boiler Oil
Runs May 7- 9 at The Living Room in the Pearl (1818 McGee Street, KCMO)
For tickets visit www.theoilboiler.com or https://www.brownpapertickets.com/event/108058.
In a secret nightclub run by assassins, who lives? Who dies? And what does God have to say about that? Welcome to The Oil Boiler, the twisted tale of Leon Nesrac, neurotic hitman who has lost his mind and possibly his nerve. In the moments after killing his lover, Leon converses with God about the nature of free will and his attempt to come to terms with the person he was, is, and will remain.
The Oil Boiler is a new one-act play with original music debuting in Kansas City at First Fridays in the Crossroads district. Written by Tyson Schroeder and Christian Hankel with music by Hankel and Jeff Freling, it is the collaborative creation of local professional artists across the disciplines of theatre, music, and the visual arts. Staged on a set designed by award-winning architect James Pastine and visual artist Tyson Schroeder, the actors interact with and around a live jazz combo, puppets, a side show emcee and the omnipresent voice of GOD.
Showtimes: May 7 and 8 at 7:00 p.m. and 9:00 p.m. and May 9 at 7:00 p.m. for a special Service Industry Night performance.
The Coterie Theatre Elementary/Family Series
Frindle
Runs April 6 through May 23 at the Coterie Theatre, Crown Center Lower Level
For tickets call 816-474-6552 or online at www.coterietheatre.org
Call or visit the website for performance days and times.
Nicholas is ingenious. In Mrs. Granger's language arts class, Nick gets his best idea ever when his teacher explains how words end up in the dictionary. Nick decides to create his own word... frindle, and he gets other kids in the class to use the word. Before long Nick's word creates a buzz well beyond his school and town. But his teacher loves the dictionary, so a fierce power struggle ensues over a made-up word!
Read the KCMetropolis review here.
Kansas City Repertory Theatre
Venice
By Matt Sax & Eric Rosen
A co-production with Center Theatre Group
Runs April 9 through May 9 at the Copaken Stage, H&R Block Building
For tickets call 816-235-2700 or online at www.kcrep.org
Call or visit the website for performance days and times.
Matt Sax and Eric Rosen, creators of the phenomenal Clay, join forces once again to tell an explosive new story of struggle and redemption. Set in the not-too-distant future, Venice is the tale of two brothers who must lead a city out of a terrorist war. Though both are haunted by the memory of their mother, a leader of Venice whose call for peace was silenced in a massive attack on the city, one brother chooses to follow in his mother's footsteps and the other sets out to see his brother's plans undone.
An operatic story of war, love, treachery and the quest for peace, Venice boasts a powerful and highly original score of hip-hop, R & B, art song and opera that will make your heart pound. A cooperative effort with Los Angeles' Center Theatre Group, which originally commissioned Venice, this world premiere will rock Kansas City before heading west to its L.A. premiere. (Contains strong language & adult themes.)
Read the KCMetropolis review here
New Theatre Restaurant
Becky's New Car
By Steven Dietz
Starring John Davidson
Runs April 15 through June 20 at New Theatre Restaurant
For tickets call 913-649-SHOW (7469) or online at www.newtheatre.com/home.html
Call or visit the website for performance days and times.
To call John Davidson "a man of many talents" is to utter the understatement of the year. He has made a very successful career out of excelling in just about every form of entertainment there is. From Broadway to TV to movies and a dozen or so solo albums. John's talents prove him to be much more than just an incredibly nice, handsome man. And in BECKY'S NEW CAR, he's also very funny!
Becky Foster has a pretty good job, a pretty good husband and a pretty good life so when a charming, bumbling billionaire starts flirting with her, Becky is surprised that she allows him to believe that she is widowed.
Read the KCMetropolis review here
Theatre for Young America
The Monarchs of KC
Runs April 20 through May 15 at City Stage at Union Station
For tickets call 816-460-2083 or online at www.tya.org
Call or visit the website for performance days and times.
Two of Kansas City's nationally known performers, Lonnie McFadden and Danny Cox, will appear together in Theatre for Young America's The Monarchs of KC.
Baseballs were bouncing and jazz was jumping in the 1930's and 40's in Kansas City. Step back to the glory days at 18th and Vine when every baseball player wanted to play bass and every bass player wanted to play ball! This musical is produced to honor the Negro Leagues Baseball Museum.
Quality Hill Playhouse
Lullaby of 42nd Street
Runs April 23 through May 23 at Quality Hill Playhouse
For tickets call 816-421-1700 or online at www.qualityhillplayhouse.com
Call or visit the website for performance days and times.
Harry Warren gave us the music for the show 42nd Street; we'll explore those songs plus others he wrote including "Chattanooga Choo Choo", "You Must Have Been a Beautiful Baby", "I've Got a Gal in Kalamazoo" and more. Featuring Lauren Braton, Molly Hammer, Julie O'Rourke and James Wright, with J. Kent Barnhart at the piano, Steve Lenhert on bass and Ken Remmert on drums.
Unicorn Theatre
And Her Hair Went With Her
Directed by Jacqueline L. Gafford
Runs April 30 through May 23 at the Unicorn Theatre
For tickets call 816.531.PLAY or online at www.unicorntheatre.org
Call or visit the website for performance days and times.
Wigs, weaves, and pop culture! Salon owner Jasmine and her radical assistant Angie dish the dirt on a salon of eccentric clients and discover how self-image affects us all. A wild range of women, personalities, hairstyles and trends emerge in this funny, poignant blowout of African-American sisterhood and identity. Another BOLDNEWPLAY from our In-Progress New Play Reading Series.
American Heartland Theatre
Dixie Swim Club
Runs May 7 through June 27 at Crown Center
For tickets call 816-842-9999 or online at www.ahtkc.com
Call or visit the website for performance days and times.
American Heartland Theatre presents the Kansas City Premiere of The Dixie Swim Club, May 7th through June 27th, 2010. Five Southern women, who were teammates in college swimming, reunite each year at the same beach cottage in North Carolina. Free from men, children, and jobs, they laugh, catch-up, and meddle in each other's lives. As their lives unfold and the years pass, these women increasingly rely on one another, through advice and raucous repartee, to get through the challenges (men, sex, marriage, parenting, divorce, and aging) that life flings at them.
The Dixie Swim Club is the newest "girl-friend" show to sweep the nation, playing in more than 45 theatres this spring alone. "This play is easily the hottest show in the country right now," proclaims the Danville News.
American Heartland Theatre brings this hilarious and touching comedy, about friendships that last forever, to life with five great women of Kansas City theatre: Starring Cathy Barnett, Debra Bluford, Missy Koonce Jennifer Mays and Cheryl Weaver
Metropolitan Ensemble Theatre
The Light in the Piazza
Runs May 20 through June 6 at METspace
For tickets call 816-569-3226 or online at www.metkc.org
Call or visit the website for performance days and times.
Kansas City Musical Premiere! Directed by John Staniunas - based on the celebrated novella by Elizabeth Spencer and set in the romantic cities of Florence and Rome, A Light on the Piazza tells the story of Clara Johnson, an American tourist who, in the summer of 1953 meets and falls for a young Italian man. When Clara's mother learns of the affair, she vigorously opposes it for reasons which only gradually become known. Lush, beautiful and courageous, A Light on the Piazza considers love as a many flavored thing.
For complete Theatre listings through 2010, click here to visit the KC Events calendar.
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Off the Vine,
May Events
Women In Jazz:
A collection of portraits, artifacts and films showcasing seminal women jazz artists from Kansas City & beyond
Far too long, women have been written out of the history books. Jazz venues and scholars have an obligation to strengthen the awareness of the many incalculable contributions women have brought to the music by showcasing their talents on stage, musing about their historical significance in text books and mounting meaning exhibitions spotlighting their images and personal artifacts.
To that end, the American Jazz Museum has proudly opened a groundbreaking exhibition, Women In Jazz: A Collection of Portraits, Artifacts and Films Showcasing Seminal Women Jazz Artists from Kansas City & Beyond. The exhibit runs through May 30, 2010. Curated by Sonie Ruffin together with Geneva Price and the American Jazz Museum staff, this opening marks an important milestone as the first multi-dimensional exhibition from the archive collections at the American Jazz Museum.
Elements of the exhibit include commissioned portraits by noted Kansas City visual artist Janet Kuemmerlein. Her work pays tribute to eleven celebrated Kansas City Women artists including Oleta Adams, Karrin Allyson, Queen Bey, Deborah Brown, Pearl Thuston Brown, Carol Comer, Angela Hagenbach, Lisa Henry, Marilyn Maye, Julie Turner and the Wild Women of Kansas City.
Priceless images and personal artifacts from the Museum's archives spotlight other seminal women jazz and dance artists including Mary Lou Williams, Julia Lee, Priscilla Bowman, Billie Mahoney, Betty Miller, Marsha Bland, Billie Holiday, Lena Horne, Carline Ray, Joanne Brackeen, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Melba Liston, Betty Carter, Shirley Horn, Abbey Lincoln, Anita O'Day, Cleo Brown, Carmen McCrae, Nancy Wilson, Toshiko Akiyoshi, Dorothy Donegan, Marian McPartland, Annie Ross, Gloria Lynn, Geri Allen, Nnenna Freelon, Alice Coltrane and Lil Hardin Armstrong. 
Women In Jazz also features rare film soundies from the American Jazz Museum's John H. Baker Jazz Film Collection along with recorded aural interviews and an exhibition text booklet with brief biographical support - soon to be released.
These portraits, images, artifacts and films serve as fitting exemplars of the significance women have brought to the music.
To further highlight the far-reaching impact of women and their un-matched contributions, the American Jazz Museum will continue to host a series of public programs, conduct dedicated tours and launch its Women In Jazz National Initiative. We hope you will make a point to visit the Museum and to experience, for yourself, why this exhibition is a fitting tribute to women in jazz.
Public Programs:
May 13, 2010 - 2:00 pm
Changing Gallery - American Jazz Museum
Women in Jazz Salon
An open, yet intimate discussion about your favorite women jazz artists, their barriers and accomplishments. Salon conversation with Geneva Price.
May 22, 2010 - 2:00pm
Atrium - American Jazz Museum
Marching on While Standing on Their Shoulders
Closing Session & Free Atrium Concert w/ Deanna Witkowski
With celebrated recording artist Deanna Witkowski live in concert and an all-star scholar panel including Dr. Tammy Kernodle (Miami University, Ohio), Dr. Sherrie Tucker (University of Kansas), Dr. Doris Wright Carroll (Kansas State University) and filmmaker Carol Bash (Paradox Films, NYC). A special Stories from the Vine event moderated by yours truly.
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.
All public programs are free and open to the public. Donations of $10 to support education programs are welcomed. For additional details and to RSVP for any of these public programs, please contact Glenn North at (816)474-8463, ext. 221 or for more information visit www.americanjazzmuseum.org
JAMMIN at the GEM SERIES
Bobby Watson and the 18th & Vine Big Band w/Ernie Andrews
Saturday, May 8 at 8:00 p.m.
Closing out the season "KC-style" is our town's very own 18th & Vine Big Band, led by Palmetto Recording Artist, renowned saxophonist and UMKC Director of Jazz Studies Bobby Watson. The Big Band, which features a rotating cast of some of Kansas City's best jazz musicians, will be augmented by the rich, bluesy baritone of special guest vocalist Ernie Andrews.
For tickets to any of these performances call 816-474-6262 or online at www.ticketmaster.com
Gem Theatre
1616 E. 18th St., Kansas City, MO
For information call 816.474.8463 or online at info@kcjazz.org
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