By Dale King The Delray Beach Playhouse doesn’t often delve into heavy drama. But its latest offering, Other Desert Cities, certainly pushes the confrontational envelope, pitting family member against family member in a challenge that seems hell-bent on destroying already tenuous relations. Director Randolph DelLago calls on three DBP veterans and a couple of theatrical … [Read more...]
Archives for February 2016
Pianist Moutouzkine stellar at Symphonia
Alexandre Moutouzkine. (Photo by E. Appel) Sunday afternoon’s concert by The Symphonia Boca Raton had a loose and handmade feel to it, with decent performances by the group of some unusual repertoire, and a standout appearance by a guest soloist. Alexandre Moutouzkine, a Russian-born pianist, was the soloist for two works, the rarely heard Ballade (in F-sharp, Op. 19) of … [Read more...]
Moore lights friendly fire under American way of life
Where has Michael Moore been since 2009’s Capitalism: A Love Story? Everywhere, apparently. In addition to writing his memoirs, the populist provocateur has been trotting the prettier regions of the globe to see how the other First World lives and comparing it to our star-spangled super-sized bootstrapped love-it-or-leave values. His conclusion? We suck. Where to Invade … [Read more...]
Director finds joy in bringing Gordy’s story to stage in ‘Motown’
As even Charles Randolph-Wright concedes, he was hardly the logical choice to direct Motown, the Musical, the tale of how Berry Gordy created the Detroit rhythm-and-blues empire that brought Diana Ross, Michael Jackson and so many other superstars into the international spotlight. A member of the original cast of Dreamgirls — the fictional history of The Supremes — … [Read more...]
Sinatra, Lennon remembered in upcoming Kravis shows
By Steven J. Smith Frank Sinatra and John Lennon, two iconic 20th-century figures in popular music, will be celebrated this month at the Kravis Center. Multi-platinum selling, five-time Grammy-nominated entertainer Michael Feinstein will bring his talents to the Dreyfoos Jr. Concert Hall at 8 p.m. Monday, Feb. 22, for his second of a three-concert series at the Kravis Center … [Read more...]
The View From Home 75: De Santis’ neorealism, Fonda and Hitch, Wim and Bruno, and Stoppard directs
Silvia Magnano in Bitter Rice. (1949) Bitter Rice: A tragedy on tenterhooks, Giuseppe De Santis’ Bitter Rice (Criterion, $22.99 Blu-ray, $17.99 DVD) is a slippery fusion of docu-naturalism and noir expressionism. And with its first proper Region 1 release now widely available, it should earn its rightful place in the feminist film pantheon. Released in 1949, Bitter Rice is … [Read more...]
MCB brings strength, variety to Program II
Miami City Ballet dancers in Twyla Tharp’s In the Upper Room. (Photo by Gene Schiavone) By Tara Mitton Catao This past weekend, Miami City Ballet closed its second program of the 30th anniversary season with well-attended performances at the Kravis Center. The strong and varied program was nicely balanced, flowing smoothly from one work to the next as well as highlighting … [Read more...]
‘The Choice’: Shallow, shameless, saccharine Sparks
Ross Katz’s adaptation of Nicholas Sparks’ The Choice opens with a bold, un-back-up-able statement: “I’m about to tell you the secret of life,” delivered in voice-over by a mournful man who shows up at a hospital with flowers for his beloved. He shares some vaguely cryptic, archly ponderous dialogue with a doctor, words delivered solely for the audience’s benefit. The brief … [Read more...]
Weekend arts picks: Feb. 6-8
George Clooney in “Hail, Caesar!” Film: Ever since they burst onto the scene in 1984 with their idiosyncratic take on film noir, Blood Simple, a new film by Joel and Ethan Coen has been a much anticipated event. Certainly that is true for the incessantly promoted Hail, Caesar, opening this weekend at area theaters, and it does not disappoint. This snarky valentine to the days … [Read more...]
Zukerman Trio’s regal Beethoven stands out at Broward Center
The Zukerman Trio, from left: Pinchas Zukerman, Angela Cheng and Amanda Forsyth. (Photo by Nicholas Brodard) By Robert Croan There was an atmosphere of disorder and disorganization about the Zukerman Trio’s performance on the Broward Center Classical Series in the Amaturo Theater on Sunday. It had little to do with the excellent performers — violinist Pinchas Zukerman, … [Read more...]