It may be unfair, but one is judged by the company one keeps, and GableStage is currently in very good company. Long a booster of Miami-raised playwright-director Tarell Alvin McCraney, the Coral Gables theater is currently presenting this hot property’s latest audacious venture, his adaptation of Shakespeare’s Antony and Cleopatra. But at least as important as the work — … [Read more...]
Filmmaker Gibney examines truth about ‘The Armstrong Lie’
Opening this weekend locally is The Armstrong Lie, a documentary chronicling Tour de France cycling legend Lance Armstrong’s improbable rise and ultimate fall from grace for using performance-enhancing drugs. It was directed by Alex Gibney, winner of the 2007 Oscar for the documentary Taxi to the Dark Side. Gibney began this project as a positive story of one man’s comeback … [Read more...]
Theater roundup: ‘The Longing and Short of It,’ ‘Next to Normal,’ ‘Dial ‘M’ for Murder’
For more than 25 years, Lou Tyrrell has been discovering and showcasing new, young playwrights, developing their work for productions in South Florida and perhaps beyond. While the industry already knows Daniel Maté — the recipient of this year's Kleban Prize for most promising new lyricist and other awards — it is Tyrrell who has given Maté his first fully staged … [Read more...]
News briefs: Ballet Palm Beach, Palm Beach Pops
PALM BEACH GARDENS — Ballet Palm Beach, formerly Florida Classical Ballet Theatre, kicks off the season with “flash ballet” performances this week, beginning today at the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County in Lake Worth. A performance of “flash ballet” lasts no more than 10 minutes, and Ballet Palm Beach, led by Artistic Director Colleen Smith, will be performing at … [Read more...]
After 21 years, Palm Beach chamber fest opens fall series
A musical series that began almost the same way a kids’ lemonade stand does —as an activity for friends to have some fun in the long days of summer — expands after 21 years this week into the fall season. Tomorrow night at the Wold Performing Arts Center at Lynn University in Boca Raton, and Friday night at St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church in Lake Worth, the Palm Beach Chamber … [Read more...]
Terrific ‘In a World’ makes wise comedy from voice-over niche
Think about this: When was that last time you saw a trailer that contained booming voice-over narration explaining the film’s plot and major themes? Not text on the screen or movie dialogue taken out of context, but narration, recorded exclusively for the trailer? You may have to go back some time. Don LaFontaine recorded these epic orations for more than 5,000 titles, peaking … [Read more...]
Weekend arts picks: April 19-21
Art: A stunning series of space shuttle photos by photographer Mark Widick opens Saturday at the Cultural Council of Palm Beach County’s Lawrence A. Saunders Foundation Gallery in Lake Worth. The exhibition runs through May 18. The International Panoramic Photographic Society, Digital Imaging Association, and Google Earth have each published Widick’s photography. His … [Read more...]
‘War Horse’ is best bet for Kravis’ 2013-14 Broadway season
It was to be a routine announcement of the show titles for next year’s “Kravis on Broadway” series, the sixth season of touring productions since the West Palm Beach performing arts center began presenting road shows on its own. But the publicist kept frantically e-mailing a strong suggestion that I bring a camera to the event. Which headliner of which show had the center … [Read more...]
Frank Wildhorn: This time, the ‘Jekyll’ he’s always wanted
Theater and pop music composer Frank Wildhorn, who grew up in Hollywood, Fla., has eight Broadway shows to his credit — from long-running cult favorites like Jekyll & Hyde and The Scarlet Pimpernel to such one-month flops as Wonderland and Bonnie and Clyde. On Tuesday, a newly redesigned and reconceived production of Jekyll & Hyde arrives at the Kravis Center for a weeklong … [Read more...]
Jasper String Quartet has great night, brilliant future
The Jasper String Quartet is the young face of American chamber music, now and in the future. To my mind they are on their way to replacing the eminent, now disbanded, Emerson String Quartet. Formed at Oberlin College, they won the very prestigious Cleveland Quartet Award and the Astral Artists 2010 National Auditions, and sought out the daunting Tokyo String Quartet to learn … [Read more...]