in theater

Legally Blonde: The Musical

I write reviews all the time. But today I decided to do something different and present another person's viewpoint. My partner Nathan and I had a chance to see Legally Blonde: The Musical last month on Broadway and we both really enjoyed it. Rather than writing my own review this time, I decided to republish Nathan's review, posted on his new web site, nathanhalewilliams.com, which just launched last week.

If you've seen the movie version of Legally Blonde, you sort of know what you're getting into. It's fun, light-hearted entertainment. Personally, I liked the original movie better than the sequel, but I also loved the musical version of the original. As you will see in Nathan's review below, the musical is very entertaining as well. So today for the first time I present Nathan Hale Williams writing on this site.

Posted in theater on July 9 2007, 10:06AM | Read More

Radio Golf: (Not Really) A Review

I really wanted to like Radio Golf on Broadway. I really did. And I didn't dislike it after I saw it on Saturday. But I did leave the theater with mixed feelings about this last installment of legendary playwright August Wilson's collection of 20th century works.

Set in 1997 Pittsburgh, Radio Golf introduces us to real estate developer Harmond Wilks (Harry Lennix), who is planning to run for mayor. Harmond’s wife, Mame (Tonya Pinkins), is up for a job as communications director for the governor of Pennsylvania. And Harmond's longtime friend and golf buddy Roosevelt Hicks (James A. Williams) is trying to broker a big development deal in the 'hood to construct a major residential complex with a Starbucks, Barnes & Noble and Whole Foods on the street level.

The conflict comes when a local painter named Sterling Johnson (John Earl Jelks) is seen painting a house on the property slated to be developed. The house is occupied by Elder Joseph Barlow (Anthony Chisholm), an old sage who refuses to leave his home for the sake of "progress." Wilks, the politician and developer, is faced with a crucial choice of whom to support.

Posted in theater on June 4 2007, 1:23PM | Read More | Comments (6)

Complexions Wows New York

If there is one performance moment that could define the beauty of the Complexions dance company, it might be the moment when Desmond Richardson appears shirtless on stage in blue jeans during the company's run last week at New York's Joyce Theater.

Before he moves an inch of his taut, lithe body, the audience is already gasping in disbelief. It is not just Desmond's body that moves them. It is the knowledge that they are about to see one of the world's best dancers perform in a way that only he can. At the end of his performance of "Loose Change," Richardson brings choreographer Taye Diggs to the stage. But even Diggs's star power pales in comparison to the excitement of the performance itself.

Posted in theater on January 16 2007, 10:00AM | Read More | Comments (7)

A Slave Ship in Manhattan?

An Interview With Daniel Beaty

What would happen if an old slave ship rose up from New York Harbor next to the Statue of Liberty? That's sort of the premise behind Daniel Beaty's new play Emergence-SEE, now in its final week at New York's famed Public Theater.

Daniel Beaty is an actor, playwright, singer, orator and thinker, who brings all these talents together in a show that features 43 characters on stage. But there's a catch. Beaty plays all 43 characters. I had a chance to see the show last week and I spoke to Daniel Beaty this week for this special interview. I talked to him about his life, his family, his plays, and what inspires him to do the work he does.

Posted in theater on November 15 2006, 2:20AM | Read More | Comments (14)

Spend the Night With Erica Watson

I first met Erica Watson a few years ago when she moved to New York from Chicago. At that time she was a school teacher, and I kept asking myself how does she keep her students from cracking up from all her humorous anecdotes and life stories. Clearly I wasn't the only one who thought Erica was funny. She heard it so many times from so many people that she decided to take a spin at comedy. One night she walked on stage at a comedy club, and the rest, as they say, is history.

Described as "big, bold and beautiful," Erica is an opinionated and outspoken woman on the rise in entertainment. A woman of many talents, the Chicago native is not only a hilarious comedienne, she's also a social commentator, producer, writer and director. She hosts a set called Wicked Laughter and she has become a favorite at Caroline's on Broadway, Comic Strip Live and Gotham Comedy Club. Tonight, Erica will be performing her big GAY PRIDE SHOW at Carolines on Broadway, so I decided to sit down and talk to her. I learned a lot about her in our raw, uncensored and politically incorrect interview.

Posted in theater on June 20 2006, 1:19PM | Read More | Comments (14)

LaChanze Wins Tony for Color Purple

Despite 11 Tony nominations including best musical, the hit Broadway musical "The Color Purple" picked up just one award at last night's Tony Awards presentation. Lead actress LaChanze surprised some insiders by winning the award for best actress in a musical. "Oh, my God, I won it, I really won it!" LaChanze said. "I didn't rehearse the speech clearly." The New York Times even described the actress as "looking genuinely shocked."

LaChanze beat out the favorite, Patti LuPone of "Sweeney Todd," and also won over Sutton Foster of "Drowsy," Kelli O'Hara of "The Pajama Game" and Chita Rivera of "Chita Rivera: The Dancer's Life." In her acceptance speech, she thanked the show's most famous producer. "I want to thank Oprah Winfrey for bringing this story not only to the country but to the world," she said.

Posted in theater on June 12 2006, 11:24AM | Read More | Comments (7)

Vernard Gilmore: My Favorite Things

Last week we profiled Aubrey Lynch in the "My Favorite Things" series, so this week I thought we should continue the trend by recognizing another wonderful dancer. His name is Vernard Gilmore, and he dances for the prestigious Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

Born and raised in the southside of Chicago, Vernard began dancing at Curie Performing and Creative Arts High School and later studied at the Joseph Holmes Chicago Dance Theater. He attended Barat College as a dance scholarship recipient, received first place in the all-city NAACP ACT-SO Competition in Dance in 1993, and moved to New York City in 1995. Here in the city, he started as a student at the Ailey School and was asked to join the Ailey Repertory Ensemble (also known as Ailey II) in 1995, and after two years he became a member of the first company, where he has been a dancer ever since.