Showing posts with label 1st State Ballet. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 1st State Ballet. Show all posts
Friday, February 3, 2012
MISS SAIGON Premiere "ascends" by helicopter & ascendant voices
With great risks come even greater rewards. This has been the mantra for the last year at New Candlelight. “Miss Saigon” had never been staged by a local production company, mostly attributed to that pesky- but iconic – descending helicopter scene in Act 2. Design and engineering such a feat separates soldiers from civilians in the world of regional theatre.
The show was penned by the duo of “Les Miserables” (you may have heard of it). The plot is nearly as epic; the characters equally flawed; the emotions stirred similarly heart wrenching; the music and lyrics bear resemblance in power and majesty.
The duo of Sonny Leo (Director and Choreographer) and Chris Alberts (Producer and Lighting Design) have teamed once again to create transcendent musical theatre.
Leads were two newcomers Kim (Dana Kreitz) and Chris (Anthony Connell). Cast aside any notions of musical comedy; this is a serious show. (Vietnam never contributed a lot of yucks). These two characters must not only have soaring voices but must sell the pain, pity and pathos and of their relationship. They are superb.
Two locals that Aisle Say has seen in tens of productions give their finest performances. Engineer (Paul Goodman) who has been type cast historically as a 'nice guy', 'you can lean on my shoulder type”, sheds that golly gee image in this slimy, predatory, obsequious role. His “American Dream” was a come-to-Jesus show stopper. For Ellen (Sharon Brown Ruegsegger), the tragic but noble figure is this sorrowful triangle, Aisle Say always has admired her voice. She rose to another plateau above the clouds in this role.
Thuy (Rick Fountas) was strong of voice but his cartoonish and over the top stridency of evil incarnate was way out of balance of the naturalistic portrayals of the characters around him.
Staging is choreography, especially under Leo's direction. The fluidity of the fall of Saigon scene was ballet unto itself. Hours must have been spent in rehearsal to not only keep the masses flowing but to create the frenetic energy of the moment. This may have been the impetus for Leo's program book comment, “I've learned patience.”
The awe-inspiring highlight of the production was the opener of Act 2, “Bui Doi”. In Vietnamese it means 'the dust of life', the brand burned into the mixed race children spawned by American soldiers and Vietnamese women; those left behind. It's a horrific appellation but an incredible song. John (Dave Snyder) along with a men's chorus, OWNS that song. If there had been live action replay, I would have been there 4 more times.
In a drama this tense, there must be comic release. Peter Briccotto and Adam McLean ? (oh, I get it) were hysterical as American sex tourists. Their costumes, by Linda Reilly, were right on....as testimony, I still have a few memorabilia in my closet from the very plaid and brightly pallet-ed '70's.
Jonny Carroll (Tam) the offspring of the two weeks between Chris and Kim, was deemed 'adorable' by not one but two Elizabeth's at my table.
Now, back to the helicopter. Alberts pulls it off. It descends in the chaos of evacuation. His dramatic lighting (especially the spot lights searching the audience) give a strong sense of the abject fear in the hearts of the evacuees. During that time Chris screams out, “all I made a mess”, which to those who lived through this era, is a metaphor for the US involvement in Nam.
Thru March 11. NCTstage.org 302.475.23
NCT is staging their annual fund raiser on February 11. Call the box office for details.
Friday, May 20, 2011
Reader's Choice – The Most Reprehensible Contemporary Political Scandal
As readers over the past four years gratefully acknowledge, topicality and public interest are paramount to our mission here at Aisle Say. Thereby and therefore and without furthering adieus, we wish to give the readers a forum to express their opinions.
This weeks survey asks: “Rate Your Most Outrageous, Scurrilous, Hypocritical, Unseemly and Ignominious Scandal.”
In no particular order. Place them in YOUR order, #1 being THE WORST!
Eliot Spitzer - NY Governor pays $80,000 for prostitutes and resignation
Arnold Schwarzenegger - “The Sperminator” - pumping more than iron
Bill Clinton - Monica Lewinsky – Girl, launder that blue dress!!!
Mark Sanford - Governor of SC – We are ALL looking for our 'soul mate'
John Edwards - Sympathy for wife's cancer and then “love child” appears
Send your choices in order (with comments) to firestone@delaware.net
The Grand's mantra in 2011-2012 season is to bring world-class entertainment to Wilmington while strengthening local arts and community partnerships.
The three performing arts group that share space at 818 Market St. gave a first ever collaborated preview of their respective seasons. Representatives from OperaDelaware, First State Ballet and DE Symphony orchestra sat with Mark Fields, Managing Director of The Grand to announce both their individual seasons and some collaborations..
It is nothing if not an eclectic program, a broad diversity of that should appeal to virtually every segment. The Grand’s programming lineup will appeal to a wide range of audiences, offering classic rockers, R&B singers, popular comedians, magicians, folk and bluegrass virtuosos, multicultural entertainment, and expanded classical options.
There is obvious crossover with World Cafe Live, 3 blocks down the street, and the two entities must be vigilant to avoid the perception of one grabbing a gig before the other has a chance. One would hope the two institutions work to make Market Street a nexus for entertainment.
The 1300 seat theatre is a tweener; i.e. too small to afford major names. With the deft hand of a surgeon Executive Director Steve Bailey must look at the overall demographics of the market, seek out acts playing Baltimore or Philly and catch fill a spot between those dates and negotiate, negotiate, negotiate.
There are major consequences of The Grand's selections. It's $10 million capital campaign appears is in a holding pattern. Over $4 million was pledged the opening night of the campaign several months ago and it is hovering at $5 million presently.
Hard rocker and harder drinker George Thorogood has a September date. George and Tony Award winner Johnny Gallagher are the two most celebrated attendees of Brandywine High School...and neither graduated.
First State Ballet will stage Don Quixote in October and return with The Nutcracker in December. (Son Grant was 1st State Ballet's first Fritz in the late '90's – the scalawag who breaks sister Clara's nutcracker.)
OperaDelaware is staging far and away its most popular opera, Gershwin's Porgy and Bess in 2012, preceded by The Magic Flute in November.
TheGrandWilmington.org, OperaDE.org FirstStateBallet.com
1-800-37-GRAND ticketsatthegrand.org
As readers over the past four years gratefully acknowledge, topicality and public interest are paramount to our mission here at Aisle Say. Thereby and therefore and without furthering adieus, we wish to give the readers a forum to express their opinions.
This weeks survey asks: “Rate Your Most Outrageous, Scurrilous, Hypocritical, Unseemly and Ignominious Scandal.”
In no particular order. Place them in YOUR order, #1 being THE WORST!
Eliot Spitzer - NY Governor pays $80,000 for prostitutes and resignation
Arnold Schwarzenegger - “The Sperminator” - pumping more than iron
Bill Clinton - Monica Lewinsky – Girl, launder that blue dress!!!
Mark Sanford - Governor of SC – We are ALL looking for our 'soul mate'
John Edwards - Sympathy for wife's cancer and then “love child” appears
Send your choices in order (with comments) to firestone@delaware.net
The Grand's mantra in 2011-2012 season is to bring world-class entertainment to Wilmington while strengthening local arts and community partnerships.
The three performing arts group that share space at 818 Market St. gave a first ever collaborated preview of their respective seasons. Representatives from OperaDelaware, First State Ballet and DE Symphony orchestra sat with Mark Fields, Managing Director of The Grand to announce both their individual seasons and some collaborations..
It is nothing if not an eclectic program, a broad diversity of that should appeal to virtually every segment. The Grand’s programming lineup will appeal to a wide range of audiences, offering classic rockers, R&B singers, popular comedians, magicians, folk and bluegrass virtuosos, multicultural entertainment, and expanded classical options.
There is obvious crossover with World Cafe Live, 3 blocks down the street, and the two entities must be vigilant to avoid the perception of one grabbing a gig before the other has a chance. One would hope the two institutions work to make Market Street a nexus for entertainment.
The 1300 seat theatre is a tweener; i.e. too small to afford major names. With the deft hand of a surgeon Executive Director Steve Bailey must look at the overall demographics of the market, seek out acts playing Baltimore or Philly and catch fill a spot between those dates and negotiate, negotiate, negotiate.
There are major consequences of The Grand's selections. It's $10 million capital campaign appears is in a holding pattern. Over $4 million was pledged the opening night of the campaign several months ago and it is hovering at $5 million presently.
Hard rocker and harder drinker George Thorogood has a September date. George and Tony Award winner Johnny Gallagher are the two most celebrated attendees of Brandywine High School...and neither graduated.
First State Ballet will stage Don Quixote in October and return with The Nutcracker in December. (Son Grant was 1st State Ballet's first Fritz in the late '90's – the scalawag who breaks sister Clara's nutcracker.)
OperaDelaware is staging far and away its most popular opera, Gershwin's Porgy and Bess in 2012, preceded by The Magic Flute in November.
TheGrandWilmington.org, OperaDE.org FirstStateBallet.com
1-800-37-GRAND ticketsatthegrand.org
Monday, March 22, 2010
First State Ballet stages 1st Full Length SWAN LAKE
Pasha Kambalov, co-founder with his wife Kristina and artistic director for 1st State Ballet, was being interviewed by a local arts reporter for the upcoming Swan Lake.
Reporter: “Who did the choreography”?
Pasha: “Well, I did a bit, but the majority was by Petipa.”
Reporter: “Will Mr. Petipa be coming?”
This interchange speaks to the dearth of knowledge by reporters of cultural arts in the state. Due to cutbacks high and low, untrained writers are sent out to cover issues light years from their ken.
If Marius Petipa was to attend Kambalov's passionate and exquisite production on March 26 and 27 at The Grand, it would be international news indeed. The iconic Russian choreographer, 'the father of classical ballet,' has been dead exactly 100 years!
Petipa, inspired in part by Tchaikovsky's music, created 50 enduring ballets which survive in whole today. They include “Sleeping Beauty,” “Giselle,” “Don Quixote" and the classic for the ages, “The Nutcracker.”
The ballets of Marius Petipa were lavish spectacles that could have only been produced in the opulent atmosphere of the Imperial Russian court of Tsar Alexander II, which was at the time the most resplendent in all Europe. The treasury of the Russian emperor — who was at that time the wealthiest person in the world — lavished millions on ballet. Each new theatrical season required that Petipa create a new grand ballet. His duties also called upon him to stage the dance sections for various operas, and to prepare galas and divertissements for court performances, royal nuptials, etc.
Pasha Kambalov himself trained at the St. Petersburg Imperial Ballet, home of Petipa's works and Aisle Say considers is infused with the Petipa DNA.
Son Grant and I danced as chorusers in the early origins of 1st State Ballet, now celebrating its 10th year of operation – no easy feat in this economic environment. Grant accompanied me to last year's “The Nutcracker.” Throughout the performance there was a permanent smile on his face as he remembered being a part of the cast nine years prior.
Needing a pulse and a warm body to fill the stage during the ballroom scenes, Pasha and Robert Grenfell, the volunteer 'everyman' for the organization who has been with them through both drought and tsunami, asked me to fill a role. A few months ago I was measured for my costume. “Why so early?” I asked. Grenfell replied that they were being built in St. Petersburg.
At first rehearsal I was greatly impressed by the ten young professionals of the cast and interns. They are fully engaged, mesmerized and dedicated to their art. Whatever Pasha asks them to do, they attack with artistic zeal.
"Swan Lake" is one of the world's most popular ballets and this is Delaware's first full-length performance of the work. More than 40 dancers will appear on stage at The Grand.
1st State performs throughout the state. Regular venues include the Freeman Stage in Selbyville, Delaware Tech in Georgetown, the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts in Dover, the Grand Opera House in Wilmington, the Austrian-American Society's Blue Danube Gala in the Gold Ballroom of the Hotel DuPont and residencies in schools. They collaborate regularly with Opera Delaware, the Delaware Symphony Orchestra and the Grand Opera House.
They have a family-friendly ticket pricing policy with an unmatched 50 percent discount for students 18 and under and have not raised its ticket prices in five years.
Friday, Marcy 26 at 7:00 pm. and Saturday, March 27 at 2:00 pm.
$25.00 to $35.00 with a 50 percent discount for students 18 and under and $5.00 group and senior discounts.
TicketsAtTheGrand.org 1.800.37.GRAND
Reporter: “Who did the choreography”?
Pasha: “Well, I did a bit, but the majority was by Petipa.”
Reporter: “Will Mr. Petipa be coming?”
This interchange speaks to the dearth of knowledge by reporters of cultural arts in the state. Due to cutbacks high and low, untrained writers are sent out to cover issues light years from their ken.
If Marius Petipa was to attend Kambalov's passionate and exquisite production on March 26 and 27 at The Grand, it would be international news indeed. The iconic Russian choreographer, 'the father of classical ballet,' has been dead exactly 100 years!
Petipa, inspired in part by Tchaikovsky's music, created 50 enduring ballets which survive in whole today. They include “Sleeping Beauty,” “Giselle,” “Don Quixote" and the classic for the ages, “The Nutcracker.”
The ballets of Marius Petipa were lavish spectacles that could have only been produced in the opulent atmosphere of the Imperial Russian court of Tsar Alexander II, which was at the time the most resplendent in all Europe. The treasury of the Russian emperor — who was at that time the wealthiest person in the world — lavished millions on ballet. Each new theatrical season required that Petipa create a new grand ballet. His duties also called upon him to stage the dance sections for various operas, and to prepare galas and divertissements for court performances, royal nuptials, etc.
Pasha Kambalov himself trained at the St. Petersburg Imperial Ballet, home of Petipa's works and Aisle Say considers is infused with the Petipa DNA.
Son Grant and I danced as chorusers in the early origins of 1st State Ballet, now celebrating its 10th year of operation – no easy feat in this economic environment. Grant accompanied me to last year's “The Nutcracker.” Throughout the performance there was a permanent smile on his face as he remembered being a part of the cast nine years prior.
Needing a pulse and a warm body to fill the stage during the ballroom scenes, Pasha and Robert Grenfell, the volunteer 'everyman' for the organization who has been with them through both drought and tsunami, asked me to fill a role. A few months ago I was measured for my costume. “Why so early?” I asked. Grenfell replied that they were being built in St. Petersburg.
At first rehearsal I was greatly impressed by the ten young professionals of the cast and interns. They are fully engaged, mesmerized and dedicated to their art. Whatever Pasha asks them to do, they attack with artistic zeal.
"Swan Lake" is one of the world's most popular ballets and this is Delaware's first full-length performance of the work. More than 40 dancers will appear on stage at The Grand.
1st State performs throughout the state. Regular venues include the Freeman Stage in Selbyville, Delaware Tech in Georgetown, the Schwartz Center for the Performing Arts in Dover, the Grand Opera House in Wilmington, the Austrian-American Society's Blue Danube Gala in the Gold Ballroom of the Hotel DuPont and residencies in schools. They collaborate regularly with Opera Delaware, the Delaware Symphony Orchestra and the Grand Opera House.
They have a family-friendly ticket pricing policy with an unmatched 50 percent discount for students 18 and under and have not raised its ticket prices in five years.
Friday, Marcy 26 at 7:00 pm. and Saturday, March 27 at 2:00 pm.
$25.00 to $35.00 with a 50 percent discount for students 18 and under and $5.00 group and senior discounts.
TicketsAtTheGrand.org 1.800.37.GRAND
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
