Abby Mueller in Beautiful. Douglas McGrath, film director (Emma, Infamous), screenwriter (Bullets Over Broadway, Nicholas Nickleby) and occasional actor (The Insider, Small Time Crooks), was skeptical when first approached about writingBeautiful: The Carole King Musical. But then so was singer-songwriter King. “I didn’t want to do it,” he says bluntly, sitting on the … [Read more...]
Strong choral work, fine soloists make Master Chorale’s Haydn one to remember
Horatio, Lord Nelson (1758-1805), by Lemuel Abbott. The Master Chorale of South Florida closed its current season with a remarkably energetic and gritty Haydn mass that said positive things about the chorus and augured good things for its future. Joined by a chamber orchestra from the Lynn Philharmonia in its concert May 1 at Lynn’s Wold Center for the Performing Arts, … [Read more...]
First-ever Florida Jazz and Blues Jam packs Grammy prowess in headliners
Victor Wooten. It isn’t very often that a festival features a combined 13 Grammy Awards between four iconic headliners, and that’s what gives the First Annual Florida Jazz and Blues Jam on Saturday instant name recognition and potential staying power. Its opening act is only John Mayall, the 82-year-old British blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player whose … [Read more...]
First-ever Florida Jazz and Blues Jam packs Grammy prowess in headliners
Victor Wooten. It isn’t very often that a festival features a combined 13 Grammy Awards between four iconic headliners, and that’s what gives the First Annual Florida Jazz and Blues Jam on Saturday instant name recognition and potential staying power. Its opening act is only John Mayall, the 82-year-old British blues singer, guitarist and harmonica player whose Bluesbreakers … [Read more...]
Chafin Music: The little music store that could celebrates 60 years
The staff at Chafin Musicenter; Sue and Jeff Chafin are second and third from left. (Photo by Bill Meredith) Much of the first half of the 60-year life span of Chafin Musicenter (www.chafinmusic.com) in Lake Worth was spent on the 900 block of Lake Avenue, just west of U.S. 1. But when owner Paul Chafin found a larger site — a defunct feed store on North Dixie Highway — in … [Read more...]
In Tony nominations, it’s all ‘Hamilton,’ all the time
Lin-Manuel Miranda and the cast of Hamilton. (Photo by Joan Marcus) With this week’s Tony Award nominations, the Hamilton juggernaut continues. The Lin-Manuel Miranda musical about the first Secretary of the Treasury has been a scorching hot ticket since it arrived on Broadway last summer. Now, with this year’s Pulitzer Prize for Drama in its pocket and only half-kidding … [Read more...]
Three world premieres make for fascinating New World outing
Michael Tilson Thomas conducts Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind at the New World Center on Saturday. (Photo by Gregory Reed) When the music had finished and the audience in the New World Center had risen to its collective feet, Michael Tilson Thomas knelt down on one knee and kissed the garment of his soloist, soprano Measha Brueggergosman. And well he might: … [Read more...]
Alabama Shakes outshines the fireworks at SunFest
SunFest 2016 offered an unpredictable mix of something old (Duran Duran on the Ford main stage) and something new (Meghan Trainor on the Tire Kingdom stage at the Meyer Ampitheater) with its April 27 opening night’s national acts, and continued the trend throughout its five days. Gifted area singer/songwriter Mike Mineo rocked the main stage before Train eventually … [Read more...]
Three world premieres make for fascinating New World outing
Michael Tilson Thomas conducts Four Preludes on Playthings of the Wind at the New World Center on Saturday. (Photo by Gregory Reed) When the music had finished and the audience in the New World Center had risen to its collective feet, Michael Tilson Thomas knelt down on one knee and kissed the garment of his soloist, soprano Measha Brueggergosman. And well he might: … [Read more...]
Alabama Shakes outshines the fireworks at SunFest
SunFest 2016 offered an unpredictable mix of something old (Duran Duran on the Ford main stage) and something new (Meghan Trainor on the Tire Kingdom stage at the Meyer Ampitheater) with its April 27 opening night’s national acts, and continued the trend throughout its five days. Gifted area singer/songwriter Mike Mineo rocked the main stage before Train eventually closed it … [Read more...]