Treefrog

I wondered why a show with such glorious music would not be more widely produced. I found the answer in the liner notes to my CD:

Eventually, Bersnstein's enthusiasm translated into one of the strongest scores he ever composed for the stage -- something that did not escape the attention of music-theater fans, who have long known that Candide is a brilliant show that was only the victim of its book and that deserved better than the 73-performance run it achieved on its first go-round.

The question of the book has often been a sore point in the musical theater and the reason behind many failures on the Broadway stage.  The creators of Candide seemed to be plagued by an almost insurmountable task, that of translating the satiric tones and the apparently nonsensical plot of the original work into terms that would be acceptable within the context of a Broadway show.  Try as they might, the many talented people who worked on that aspect of the show (Lillian Hellman, of course, but also the lyricists Richard Wilbur, John Latouche and Dorothy Parker (Dorothy Parker!!! -- T.F.) only rarely struck the right note.

Chief recollection: sitting in lighting booth during college production with friend who had had a few too many mint juleps on Derby Day. Got to help set lights (lots of fun). Got to hear director yell at friend over the headset when he missed his cues (also lots of fun). LOVED the music.

Better recollection: A choir singing "Make Our Garden Grow" at the wedding of two friends who had met while singing in the choir.

glebb, your query sent me running for my CD (to which I am listening this minute). I was surprised to see that the book was by Lillian Hellman. THE Lillian Hellman?

Amy, the new theater is not on Navy Pier. It is at the north end of Grant Park (or Millenium Park, as the northwestern part has been renamed), just east of Michigan Ave.

I don't know where/if River North performs downtown. I saw them last spring at the North Shore Center for the Performing Arts, in Skokie.

These ideas are fun!

I have a new-in-the-box version of "Make Your Own -Opoly". I'm happy to send it to anyone who wants to play with this idea and make up a version to play with. Just report back to us how well it works!

I think it requires a PC to print out the cards, probably with some type of very old software!

But would a ballet be desirable based on artistic merit, or audience draw?

Perky, I think that's exactly what they are doing! Airing it early gives the kids lots of time to pester Mom and Dad for the video. :green:

It's true, it wasn't really fair of me to post that clip out of context. It just struck me as ... weird, for lack of a more precise word.

Good guess, Watermill, but Mr. Smith is actually the first-string dance reviewer.

In his review of Ballet Nacional de Cuba, Sid Smith of the Chicago Tribune has this to say:

Expert technical stylists are hard to find in ballet, unless you're Ballet Nacional de Cuba, where they seem to proliferate like magic.

Take Laura Hormigon, whose exquisite portrayal of Odette in Act II of "Swan Lake" leads to a floating exit where her willowy, watery arms undulate with such unreal beauty that you could swear you were watching computer animation.

"Computer animation"? Is this a compliment?

Knowing that Altman is not everyone's cup of tea, I wondered what others are saying about this film. A friend clued me in to the website Rotten Tomatoes. The reviews in this link are from a more cintematographic perspective -- there's lots of reference to camera angles and such -- but they consistently appreciate and recommend the movie.

Interestingly enough, the Radio City Christmas Spectacular is NOT touring Chicago this year, for the first time in maybe five or six years. It used to be housed at the Rosemont Theater, a suburban venue that was home to the Joffrey Nutcracker before Joffrey was able to move downtown to the lovely, authentic-to-the-period Auditorium Theatre.

I think I understand now why there was a press release a few months back when the Auditorium and the Joffrey signed a multi-year contract. At the time, I thought "so what? They've been performing there for several years." Now I understand how fragile those relationships can be.

Oh my, that does sound disappointing! There's lots of excitement in our household about this movie (plans have already been made to go see it Christmas day, when it opens), but your review certainly tempers my expectations. My kiddos will be happy just to see "their" dancers up on screen, but one would like this movie to appeal to a wider audience.

I asked, Carbro, because the NY Times article linked in the first post says that ABT has the exclusive rights in New York (don't know if that's state or city -- I assume city). I was hoping that for once our provincial status would play to our advantage.

However, I can see that it would be difficult for the Cubans to transport two sets of costumes, etc., so I wondered if ABT's unfortunate decision had a much wider repercussion. If so, they really got a big bang out of their investment in the rights -- and have caused even more harm and ill will than they bargained for.

Anyone know what's happened in other stops on the tour?

Does anyone know if they are dancing Les Sylphides in their stops in other cities? My hopes were raised for the Chicago program when I read the program on some website (either Ticketmaster or at the venue, the Auditorium Theatre). However, the newspaper advertises Swan Lake Act II and the black swan pas de deux.

We saw it Sunday afternoon -- the closing performance. Maia Wilkins as Juliet, Willy Shives as Romeo, John Gluckman as Mercutio, Masayoshi Onuki as Benvolio, Michael Levine as Tybalt, and Samuel Pergande as Paris. We liked it so much that we really wished we'd seen an earlier performance, so that we could see it twice!

After seeing this, and Taming of the Shrew last year, I am a confirmed Cranko fan. The choreography accomplishes at least two objectives: 1) it tells the story, and 2) it develops the characters. I don't recall if in the original Shakespeare the Montagues were fun-loving jokesters and the Capulets were dour, stuffy, haughty aristocrats, but Cranko certainly conveys that in his choreography. Too, I like the fact that there's none of that annoying "let's insert a pas de deux for special effect and fireworks" stuff. There's lots of ensemble dancing, and duets occur to further the story: Juliet's introduction to Paris, or when Romeo and Juliet first see each other at the Capulet's ball -- and, of course, several tender love scenes between them.

Neither Wilkins nor Shives are what you'd call young -- indeed, they are both seasoned veterans of the company -- but they carry off the roles of teenage lovers very ably. Wilkins' is positively girlish in her initial appearance -- flighty, giggly, bashful. One of the delights of this ballet is watching Juliet mature. Her dancing transforms from simple and constrained (when she first meets and dances with Paris, her husband-to-be) to more elaborate and connected (in her first brush with Romeo) to sensous (as the relationship develops and peaks). Shives is blessed with a naturally boyish appearance, even at 41 (or thereabouts). He sports a shock of luxurious black hair and an omnipresent, infectious grin. His Romeo was clearly a little more worldly than Juliet, but still young and infatuated. The only time the illusion faltered was in a trio among the carefree Romeo, Mercutio, and Benvolio. Shives' tours were not quite as crisp, his jumps not as high. He lacked the elasticity of their 15-years-younger bodies. No matter.

This would be a great introduction to ballet for a young or teenage boy. Lots of swordfighting, for one thing (with every clash on the the beat, I might add!) . Lots of attitude. And one of the greatest displays of upper-body strength I've seen at the ballet, as Romeo pulls himself up to kiss Juliet on her balcony, lowers to a flexed-arm hang -- which he holds forever--and then pulls himself up for a second kiss.

Great set, luscious costumes -- except Juliet's shift, whose simplicity contrasted deliberately with the gowns of her elders -- and LIVE MUSIC! I would be remiss if I didn't mention John Gluckman's Mercutio -- athletic, whimsical, carefree. He looks to be a developing talent at the Joffrey.

Oh, my, I'll have to get my younger daughter to read this thread. Just last night, she and a ballet buddy were going on about "entrechacottes". I finally realized they meant "entrechat quatre". They were not to be dissuaded! Oh, the disdain of the young for their parents. "Mom, that's what our guest teacher from the Joffrey says it is, and he certainly knows better than you!"

We took a chance on Fourth Ring seats last summer when we visited NYC. We were glad we did! Even though you are too far from the stage to see nuances and expressions, the ability to take in the choreography more than makes up for that.

My advice would be to try it. If you like it, you can see lots of performances very cheaply.

One other suggestion I have is to try a variety of ballets. I always thought I liked the story ballets best. When I got a chance to see lots of ballet in a short time (on that trip to NYC), I found that I very much preferred the more abstract works.

Me too, Justdoit. In fact, this book was mentioned in a meeting about how to connect with and understand my Asperger's Syndrome student.

My principal has been recommending this book to the faculty. She feels it gives fascinating insights into how the autistic mind works.

This book is on my list, too. I plan to read it next, after I finish Three Junes (which you recommeded, and which I am enjoying so far).

That's great, Watermill! :hyper:

As for those Marlins: :nopity:

This from the Chicago Sun-Times' review of the JBC's opening performance of Romeo and Juliet:

The Auditorium Theatre was impressively full Wednesday, but announcements about the unfolding score at Wrigley Field were made at both intermissions, proving you can have your ballet and your baseball, too.

Ya gotta love it. Even the balletomanes take notice when the (formerly) hapless Cubs make the playoffs!

Second, and final, attempt:

The description says:

The other foot then pushes away from the floor so that both knees are straight and both feet strongly pointed for a moment

But here, both feet are pointed for just one frame, and the right one less strongly than the left in preparation for landing. It looks as though she is never completely "airborne"; the right foot lands immediately after the left leaves the floor. As you say, however, she appears to be dancing faster than the shutter speed, and we do not know what happens in between frames.

BW, PM me your address and I'll send you a copy of the ad from the newspaper.

Is it the arms? She sort of flaps them up and down.

Thank you, Paul. Your writing is incredibly descriptive and evocative! It helps me to envision what we'll experience.

Your description of the choreography is not too different from what I'd expect after seeing Cranko's Taming of the Shrew.

I will definitely report in. However, our tickets are for the closing performance (Oct. 19), so I hope no one will wait for my review before deciding to attend!

BW, the ad that you mention IS stunning. It's a single, unadorned pointe shoe (no ribbons or elastics, very spare). The toe and ground around it are splattered with blood. The copy reads, "Love. Passion. Murder. Nightly."