Wednesday, August 17, 2016
MUSICAL NEWS for Wednesday, August 17, 2016
NEW SEASONS
Latino Theatre Company celebrates its 30th anniversary by presenting Evelina Fernández’s award-winning trilogy, Faith, Hope and Charity, in its entirety as one unforgettable tour de force - A Mexican Trilogy: An American Tale. You can choose to experience the epic adventure over the course of two evenings or as one all-day immersive experience (box dinners available for purchase). Directed by Latino Theater Company’s artistic director José Luis Valenzuela, it features musical direction by Rosino Serrano and choreography by Urbanie Lucero. A Mexican Trilogy runs Sept 8 – Oct 9 (opening night 9/15).
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| A Mexican Triilogy: Faith. Photo by Pablo Santiago |
The story follows the Morales family through decades of the Mexican-American experience, from a remote mining town in Arizona during World War II, to the Phoenix family home during the Cuban Missile Crisis, and, finally to Los Angeles following the death of Pope John Paul II in 2005. Compelling, funny, with songs and a splash of magical realism, it touches on aspects of tradition, religion, labor issues, war and the clash between immigrants and their first and second generation American offspring. In just five hours, the twelve-actor ensemble portrays members of the Morales family over the course of 90 years and four generations. As the years fly by, we recognize the music of each era in classic songs ranging from the Andrews Sisters and Glenn Miller, to the Isley Brothers and Elvis, to Jimi Hendrix, all sung live. Cast stars Lucy Rodriguez, Olivia Cristina Delgado, Esperanza America, Ella Saldaña North, Sal Lopez, Kenneth Miles Ellington Lopez, Julio Macias, Sam Golzari, Evelina Fernández, Robert Beltran, Xavi Moreno, and Geoffrey Rivas. For a complete schedule of dates and times visit www.thelatc.org.
NEW WORKS
Overtone Industries, known for its development of contemporary music theatre and experimental opera, presents the next phase of its epic new multidisciplinary production, Iceland, in concert form, at the Ford Theatres’ newly renovated amphitheatre on Friday, October 7, 8:30pm. The new work is written and composed by O-Lan Jones, in collaboration with acclaimed Irish singer-songwriter Emmett Tinley. It is a modern love story, set in a mythical and timeless world, where ancient creatures challenge the hero and heroine on an archetypal journey. The work begins in an Icelandic airport before journeying off the map of the known world, into the realm of “The Hiddenfolk” and the vast mythic inner landscapes of Iceland.
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| Cesili Williams and the Hiddenfolk. Photo by Martha Benedict |
I saw the first half hour of the piece during REDCAT’s New Works Festival in 2014 and was quite taken with it. I’m excited to see this next phase of its development. This performance at The Ford will be the first time it will be heard with full orchestration and complete score. The performance is directed and choreographed by Ken Roht, with musical direction by David O. Cast includes Emmett Tinley as Mundi and Cesili Williams as Vala, with Patty Cornell, Matthew McCray, MJ Silva, and Silvie Zamora. www.fordtheatres.org
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Labels: latino theatre company, little candle productions, old globe, overtone industries, panic productions, valley performing arts center
Saturday, July 26, 2014
Review: REDCAT's NOW Festival Program One: Saana/The Foreigner, Still, Iceland
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| Cesili Williams and the cast of ICELAND. Photos by Steven Gunther |
REDCAT opened its eleventh annual New Original Works Festival this weekend with a trio of intriguing pieces incorporating movement, dance, music, and a variety of theatrical elements that push the boundaries of thought and creativity. Together they make up the first of three programs that will be offered now through August 9. Each weekend will introduce a new selection of works.
Choreographer Wilfried Souly’s Saana/The Foreigner explores the journey of an immigrant presented by one dancer (Souly) and two live musicians, Julio Montero and Tom Moose. Beginning in the lobby before moving into the theater, it is a dramatic expression of the challenging physical and psychological journey one makes when coming to this country. Souly winds and unwinds his body with shuddering intensity throughout the half hour piece, which is full of wild tribal outbursts, fragile lyrical moments, and harsh dissonances that melt into musical order as the journey progresses. A satiric video compilation integrated with the movement reveals the complexity of a couple’s interrogation as authorities determine the validity of their marriage. Raw, and unflinchingly honest, it is a powerful work of intensely personal nature.
In Rosanna Gamson/World Wide’s Still, four men and two women create an intricately beautiful dance of the psyche as light shifts, shadows move, and bodies intertwine with exquisite sophistication. REDCAT’s website describes Gamson’s work as a “kinetic investigation of the neuroscience of dreams…an evocative new work, rich with tender and violent movement, explosive athleticism, shape-shifting theatricality, and stunning moments of stillness. Still is set in, and against, an eclectic sonic landscape which sources viol, cello, and violin music ranging from French 17th century court composer Marin Marais, to new world post-rock band instrumentals.” Though a bit esoteric and cerebral, it is an accurate description. To see it in motion, however, is a very sensual and quite unforgettable experience.
Technically the dancers are a muscular marvel, whirling and connecting at a feverish pitch within a kind of androgynous visual collage. Staccato whisperings, the sounds of a train and an ethereal circus-like presence waft in and among the shadows while billowing fabrics drape and move to contain space. Even the female dancers’ long hair become characters of their own, moving through space with a kind of liquid presence that is astonishing, especially in combination with Tony Shayne’s masterful lighting design. Still is a beautiful example of movement and light partnering in a breathtakingly emotional way, highlighting the lines of the body like a canvas upon which to create a fluid design. And then in a moment, the frenetic movement stops and all is still.
The third selection on this program is one that will be of most interest for musical theatre lovers. It is a presentation of the first part of Overtone Industries’ Iceland, written and composed by O-Lan Jones and Emmett Tinley, which is scheduled for a full production in 2016. (Jones also directs.) The experimental work crosses genres and incorporates elements of musical theatre, opera, and storytelling with orchestral accompaniment and the bridging of two worlds – ancient and contemporary – to tell a haunting love story. If this short half hour is any indication of what’s to come, the final mounting of this piece will be an exciting event.
Cesili Williams (Vala) and David O (Mudar) bring to life the two characters who meet, experience a disaster, and emerge in a transcendent place. Williams has a rich, buttery voice that suits the music well and David O, normally seen in his capacity as composer and music director in LA, reveals a quiet intensity as Mundar that gives this pairing a very conscious and mindful appeal.
A twelve-member Hiddenfolk Ensemble of singers in Icelandic costumes, envisioned by Christina Wright and Christopher Tulysewski, moves around the lovers to create the world and provide suggestions of what the production design will include: airplane propeller props, a parachute with angel descending from the sky, and lengths of gray cloth to represent the path of a person seeking the right way in a life’s journey. There is an otherworldly quality to it that forecasts a richness of textural depth in the vision. Jones takes the abstract and unites these elements to create a story built from the imagination that is absolutely mesmerizing and leaves you wanting more. At an early stage in development like this, that is exactly what you want. I highly recommend you see this portion of the project now so you can experience the full impact the final production will have.
You can see one more presentation of these three works tonight at 8:30 pm at REDCAT downtown. Here is a full schedule of upcoming festival events.
REDCAT NOW FESTIVAL
Program 1: July 24, 25 & 26
Saana/The Foreigner - Wilfried Souly
Still - Rosanna Gamson/World Wide
Iceland - Overtone Industries
Program 2: July 31, August 1 & 2
The Singing Head - Carole Kim
Object of Her Affection - Marsian De Lellis
Electrogynous - D. Sabela Grimes
Program 3: August 7, 8 & 9
Blacktop Highway - John Fleck
For Now - Ate9 DanceCompany
REDCAT is located at 631 West 2nd Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012 in the heart of downtown Los Angeles on the northeast corner of the intersection of W. 2nd and Hope Streets. Housed in the Walt Disney Concert Hall complex, REDCAT has its own street entrance on 2nd Street. Tickets and information: (213) 237-2800 or www.redcat.org. Performances begin at 8:30 pm.
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Labels: overtone industries, redcat
Sunday, July 6, 2014
Musical News for Sunday, July 6, 2014
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Labels: hollywood fringe, la mirada theatre, nmi, overtone industries, performance riverside, redcat, repertory east, zombie joe's