“When talking about theater classics, there is a musical from the 1950s that undoubtedly brings back good memories. Maybe that’s why, every time we know that a theater company puts on the stage, we do not hesitate to go see it.
Well, good news! Because the Pioneer Theater will be presenting the musical work Grease, from Friday 10 to Saturday 25 May . In this presentation a young Hispanic talent will be playing the role of Doody . His name is José Álvarez Nufrio, better known as Pepe Nufrio.”
“In a large practice studio inside Lincoln Center’s Koch Theater, Suzanne Farrell watches quietly as New York City Ballet principals Sara Mearns and Russell Janzen work through a series of supported poses. As Janzen kneels to face her, Mearns brushes through to croisé arabesque, extending her leg high behind her. ‘I wouldn’t penché there,’ says Farrell, gently. ‘You can, but I wouldn’t.’
‘I get so excited here,’ says Mearns with a laugh. The three are slowly working through the pas de deux of Diamonds, the ballet George Balanchine created on Farrell and Jacques D’Amboise in 1967 that makes up the third act of his full-length Jewels.
“The new stage musical version of DreamWorks’ The Prince of Egypt will make its London premiere next year, with a West End production set to begin previews Wednesday, February 5, 2020 at the Dominion Theatre. The 32-week limited engagement will officially open Tuesday, February 25.
The production is directed by Scott Schwartz (The Hunchback of Notre Dame) and choreographed by Sean Cheesman (So You Think You Can Dance).”
“From Shakespeare to Sondheim, from the grandeur of opera to small vignettes, Lorin Latarro constantly stretches herself.
‘I’m interested in the inner life of characters, but I’m also interested in kinetic functions,’ she says, which explains how she makes baking both frenetic and sensual in Waitress or how she renders writing both frustrating and blissful in Merrily. Here, the choreographer breaks down the movement behind five of her routines to get behind the psychology in the dance.”
“Actor/singer/dancer John Edwards is not just a triple threat, he’s also an awards-nominated one, and deservedly so. A current member of the Grammy-nominated Broadway Inspirational Voices gospel choir, Edwards was just recognized earlier this month for his exceptional work in the 2018 New York revival of Smokey Joe’s Cafe at Stage 42, with a nomination for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical from The Lucille Lortel Awards, to be presented by the Off-Broadway League on May 5.
I was very fortunate to be able to share fifteen minutes of John’s fame, to congratulate him on the prestigious nomination and to revisit his acclaimed role in Smokey Joe’s Cafe (the production itself just nominated this morning for a Drama League Award for Best Revival of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical), to which he brought his signature heart, humor, and humanity (I saw the show for a personal record of nine times, and only wish I could have been there for every single performance).”
“How do principal dancers handle their intense schedules? For New York City Ballet star Sara Mearns, honing her instrument is key. The company’s Tuesday-through-Sunday workweeks, lengthy performance seasons and extensive repertoire can make for longs days and late nights. ‘During performance weeks, I think about what I’m doing that night and make sure I don’t have a lot during the day—or if I do, I’m smart about it,’ says Mearns. ‘You do one or two things full-out and then take it easy so that you perform your best at night.’ Pointe spent a rehearsal day with Mearns to see how she does it all.”
“Upon discovering a long-lost Bizet score, Balanchine took only two weeks to choreograph the neoclassical masterpiece Symphony in C, which dazzles with dozens of dancers – the ballerinas in sparkling Swarovski gems – and brings down the house at each performance. Set to Bizet’s high-spirited score, last night’s finale showcased Ashley Boulder who radiated her joy in her on-the-money pirouettes. Both Jared and Tyler Angle dazzled. Nonetheless, my eyes kept watching Sara Mearns who dominated center stage as the curtain closed.”
“There were numerous standouts among the cast on opening night, chief among them Sara Mearns and Jared Angle in the ballet’s second movement, an adagio of impossible beauty. Mearns brought to bear the full force of her trademark mystery and elegance on this section and with Angle’s confident partnering she danced with an abandon that was at once steely and delicate. There was an audible sigh of awe among the audience at that movement’s end.”
“Tony Award-winning Broadway veteran Ben Vereen will bring his solo show, An Evening With Ben Vereen, to Jazz at Lincoln Center this spring with an eight-performance run at Dizzy’s Club.
Vereen will be joined by members of the Juilliard Jazz Ensemble for the engagement that runs April 4–7. Show times are 7:30 PM and 9:30 PM.”
“Rounding out the season next June will be the world premiere of The Outsiders. The new musical, based on the novel by S.E. Hinton and Francis Ford Coppola film of the same name, features a book by Pulitzer Prize finalist Adam Rapp, music and lyrics by Austin-based rock duo Jamestown Revival (Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance) and Justin Levine, direction by Tommy, and choreography by Waitress’ Lorin Latarro.
In The Outsiders, the hardened hearts, aching souls and romantic dreams of Ponyboy Curtis, Johnny Cade and their band of greasers take center stage in a fight for purpose and a quest for survival in 1967 Tulsa, Oklahoma. Performances will run June 20–August 2 in the Albert.”