Most of the best in South Florida’s professional theater last year happened in Palm Beach County. That is the impression left by the 36th annual Carbonell Awards for theater excellence in the region, presented Monday evening at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts in Fort Lauderdale. Three Palm Beach County theaters -- the Maltz Jupiter, Palm Beach Dramaworks and the … [Read more...]
Paul Taylor Company masterful in Duncan show
The Paul Taylor Dance Company graced the stage of the Duncan Theatre on Friday night, presenting three works from one of the nation’s best and most prolific choreographer. Fortunately for us, the company was able to fill in for the Aspen Santa Fe Ballet, which was unable to make it here for the Duncan Theatre’s 25th anniversary season. Paul Taylor (b. 1930) has choreographed … [Read more...]
Violinist Hahn explores Ives, opens programs to new encores
She signed her first record contract with Sony at age 16, and her career has only climbed steadily into the empyrean of classical music stardom since then. But it is a mark of the unpretentious, hardworking, homemade character of the professional life Hilary Hahn has built that while she could easily pull back and let the machinery of big fame bring gift-wrapped opportunity to … [Read more...]
‘Rum Diary’ only a fingerful when it comes to depth
Why do filmmakers continue to adapt Hunter S. Thompson’s unfilmable pseudojournalism into movies? Critics and audiences alike lambasted the Thompson adaptations Where the Buffalo Roam and Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, but that hasn’t prevented the green-lighting of The Rum Diary, a screen version of Thompson’s first published novel, about a freelance journalist’s … [Read more...]
The Broadway season in review, and Hap’s Tony predictions
Recession? What recession? If the economy was in the doldrums this year, Broadway sure didn’t know about it. For the commercial theater season in New York that ended May 29, Broadway shows drew $1.08 billion in ticket sales, up 5.9 percent from last season to post record-breaking grosses. Of course ticket prices also set record highs, reaching a top of $140 for -- you … [Read more...]
Delray’s new Arts Garage a regular home for jazz
If you've parked your car in the Old School Square parking garage recently to go to one of Delray Beach's multiple clubs, theaters, galleries or restaurants, you were in close proximity of a major new downtown arts venue whether you knew it or not. The Arts Garage (www.delraybeacharts.org) was opened in the spring by the Delray Beach Community Redevelopment Agency and the … [Read more...]
Boca fest audience was wild about Jackie
Perhaps some were thinking of their own daughters, pre-teen rebellion, and others of their granddaughters, out of touch in distant states. Doubtless most had happier ideas in mind, though one thing was clear: The appearance Saturday of Jackie Evancho on the final night of this year’s Festival of the Arts Boca turned an audience of concertgoers into proud, teary parents. The … [Read more...]
‘Extraordinary’ apt description for Flagler’s Urban retrospective
Certain media, subjects and sizes benefit an artist more than others. And something in the creation process usually gets lost, while going from one to another. Some highlight skill while others harm it. Some encourage innovation while others enforce limits. It is hard to be consistently extraordinary. But the Flagler Museum’s current show focuses on a man who was. Named … [Read more...]
Broadway season was strong in new plays, weak in musicals
You know the drill by now. Sunday night’s Tony Awards ceremony will do its best to put a happy face on the Broadway season, but in fact, this was the worst year for musicals in a long time. Note the Best Score category, which could only find two musicals to nominate and had to settle for singling out two plays for their incidental music. Of the four shows nominated for Best … [Read more...]
‘Piano Puzzler’ maestro Adolphe to be featured at FAU concert
When Bruce Adolphe is in the middle of writing a batch of Piano Puzzlers for American Public Media’s Performance Today, he’s always listening for ideas. One came along while the composer and his daughter Katja were watching a Fred Astaire film in which the song-and-dance legend was performing Irving Berlin’s Cheek to Cheek. Suddenly, Adolphe realized that part of the Berlin … [Read more...]