NYT’s Larry Rohter writes on guitarist Gary Lucas
May
10
2011
So very very cool to see a New York Times piece on guitarist Gary Lucas written by film guy Larry Rohter: “The music business has never quite known what to make of Gary Lucas. Go to a site for streaming or downloading songs, and you may find his music consigned to a vague category called ...
She did the mash, she did the monster mash
May
9
2011
Most delighted by Arts Editor Kimberly Brooks’s banner headline fashioned for my story on today’s The Huffington Post. It’s a typical father-daughter tale, only it concerns two Karloffs: Boris and Sara. [click on the image for a better view …] You can also read this story on artsmeme.
The lucidity of Lucinda Childs
Kudos to choreographer Lucinda Childs, whose pristine and rigorous “Dance” — a glorious work of minimalist art from the late 70s — we so enjoyed Friday night at Royce Hall. Set to the music of Philip Glass, the reconstructed hour-long piece powers forth in real time, while, concurrently, a huge video projection displays giants performing ...
Mark Morris loves the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion
The choreographer whose troupe, the Mark Morris Dance Group, opened a four-day run last night at the Music Center, shared his affection for the theater when I interviewed him in 2007: “It’s fabulous to be performing at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion,” he told me then. “I just love the mid-century-modern touches,” he said, indicating the ...
“L’Allegro,” set to Handel, at the Music Center tonight
May
5
2011
Nostalgia reigns at the Dorothy Chandler Pavilion as we prepare to see Mark Morris’s landmark full-evening work from 1988, L’Allegro Il Penseroso ed il Moderato, set to an oratorio by Handel. The piece was made when the Seattle-born choreographer was 32 years old. The co-production with L.A. Opera features live orchestral accompaniment. A lovely preview ...
Una grandissima actrice: Sophia Loren honored at the Academy
May
5
2011
It was a cultural mash-up, a love connection, and a be-in of epic proportion as Billy Crystal, at the request of honoree Sophia Loren, hosted a fabulous and hilarious tribute to the screen love goddess Wednesday night at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences. They laughed, they cried, and then they cried ...
Movie musical talk with George Chakiris
I had the wonderful good fortune to interview singer/dancer/actor George Chakiris at TCM Fest this weekend. The resulting Los Angeles Times piece here. A few leftover niblets to follow… His passion for musicals when growing up: I used to love every movie musical I saw. There was one that stood out, The Barclays of Broadway ...
Chatting with Chakiris today … 2
I’m interviewing the great actor/dancer George Chakiris today. I only can use a sound bite from him and, believe me, it’s going to be devoted to his memories of working for Jack Cole! Read Chakiris’s stellar curriculum vitae … He was one of the dancers in Marilyn Monroe‘s “Diamonds Are a Girl’s Best Friend” number ...
My favorite brother of seven, Matt Mattox 3
Last night at TCM Fest: my first big-screen viewing of Stanley Donen’s “Seven Brides for Seven Brothers.” Especially fun since Jacques d’Amboise was just in Los Angeles on a book talk. He spoke quite a bit about making the film. Indeed d’Amboise’s name, well-known considering he’s “just” a dancer, buzzed around the TCM Fest screening ...
Last Remaining Seats: a quarter-century young 1
Lots of anniversaries this season at the Last Remaining Seats, the annual fun-in-the-city summer program hosted by Los Angeles Conservancy. The Wednesday-night classic-film series generates enthusiastic audiences mixing film buffs with fans of vintage L.A. architecture. The most significant birthday? The series itself is 25 years old! Linda Dishman, the Conservancy’s executive director, shares her ...