New Year’s Eve 2020 with the great Judy Garland
Dec
31
2019
Madam, you are simply the greatest. In fact, you are ‘swell.’ Judy did this witty marvelous number to a song by Irving Berlin, coupled with Fred Astaire, in EASTER PARADE (1948). But she immeasurably upped the performance ante in this absolutely fantastic television rendition. Here it is (we love it) in EASTER PARADE.
Best movie of decade: “Can You Ever Forgive Me?” 1
Dec
29
2019
Our vote is perhaps suspect given a window of ten years — and the selected film dating allll the way back to 2018. Nevertheless, I just love this movie, and don’t feel enough has been made of it. It holds up well at second viewing (I just did that) and recommend it as such. In ...
Yo-ho-ho-liday recordings 2019!
Antonio “Tony” Covay, as “Singing Black Santa,” last week outside the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History. (Amanda Voisard for The Washington Post) Holiday-themed recordings haven’t made much noise in recording industry cash registers for a long time. Yet Mariah Carey’s 1994 song, “All I Want For Christmas Is You,” is number one on the ...
Justice & joy united by Contra-Tiempo 1
ed. note: this story was originally published on artsmeme Oct 21, 2018 Contra-Tiempo’s new work joyUS justUS is exuberant, activist dance-theater. Say the title out loud and you hear “joyous justice.” Dig deeper, and you discover it takes a stand on topics that are on the boil in America today: immigration, resistance, the power of ...
Death of a dancer: Elyse Borne
Dec
21
2019
Elyse Borne, after a long battle with cancer, passed away December 16, 2019. After her career as a soloist with New York City Ballet, Ms. Borne further distinguished herself as one of the world’s foremost George Balanchine repetiteurs, and over a period of 20 years from 1996-2016 she staged, with permission of the George Balanchine ...
post sponsored by the Carpenter Center
A minute + five years: ‘A.I.M. by Kyle Abraham’ to Long Beach 1
Dec
19
2019
Drive (2017) It’s been a minute since Kyle Abraham’s velvety, street-smart choreography hit the dance-friendly stage of the Carpenter Performing Arts Center. In 2015 at the Center, Abraham was one of four choreographers to partner ballet goddess Wendy Whelan in the much-heralded “Restless Creature.” That minute has now extended to five years. On January 25, ...
Hollywood New Year’s babies to convene @ The Barn
Dec
17
2019
Cora Sue Collins, with Freddie Bartholomew, Mickey Rooney and Jackie Cooper in the 1930s. A bunch of New Year’s babies will start our Super-Dooper Double-Double-Digit calendar year (hey! remember 1919?) at the Hollywood Heritage Museum with a very cool program, the latest “Evening at the Barn.” It’s Cora Sue Collins Hollywood Reunion Party! hosted by ...
Calling all Americans! See Oscar-shortlisted docs on the big screen
Dec
17
2019
American Factory “Oscars® Spotlight: Documentaries,” a screening initiative leading up to the 92nd Oscars gives audiences nationwide the opportunity to see Documentary Feature films shortlisted for an award in the 92nd Academy Awards.® The program, begun last year, is a really wonderful initiative by The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences in tandem with AMC ...
Purcell patois at Long Beach Opera
Dec
9
2019
We already have a king, right? Just ask any Republican in Congress. King Donald — aka Ronald McDonald I. So that part is taken care of. It’s just that this new (for America) form of government is unfamiliar; it’s time we learn how the kingly thing works. That, along with purely aesthetic reasons, attracts us ...
Bravo~! to the boyz of ballet
courtesy christian holder Former Joffrey Ballet dancer, costume designer, and choreographer Christian Holder, based in London, is a renaissance man of the arts in a way reminiscent of his very famous uncle Geoffrey Holder. It was my pleasure to see the indelible Holder dance with the Joffrey Ballet. And he has many further accolades beyond ...