Thoughts on Theater: Ethel Merman
As far as classic Broadway performers go, Ethel Merman is not an unfamiliar name. A Broadway regular since the 1930s, Merman originated such iconic roles as Reno in Anything Goes, Annie in Annie Get Your Gun, and Mama Rose in Gypsy. She was featured in over fifteen Broadway productions and eighteen films throughout her life, [...]
Thoughts on Theater: The Gypsy Robe
Theater is known for its wide variety of colorful superstitious traditions: never uttering the title of William Shakespeare’s ‘Macbeth’; replacing ‘Good luck’ with ‘ Break a leg”. But one tradition outranks them all and it’s exclusive to Broadway. Before any Broadway show (which posses an ensemble) on opening night, everyone from the cast and crew [...]
Thoughts on Theater: Colorblind Casting
Colorblind casting is the term given to the practice of overlooking an actor’s race while casting a production. The goal of colorblind casting is generally to avoid racial profiling or denying opportunities to a certain group of potentially talented individuals solely for their skin color. Colorblind casting says, “Hey, we don’t see color. We only [...]
Thoughts on Theater: Actors & Podcasts
One thing that’s great about performance is that the theater and arts community is always on the hunt for new avenues with which to express them. With the Internet comes a whole new chance to look at and distribute narrative. YouTube channels such as Wigs are already breaking ground in terms of film but I [...]
Thoughts on Theater: Performance Art
When I was in Europe, I experienced as much theatre and art as I possibly could. While living in London, I saw an outrageous amount of West End productions, could often be found at modern art museums, and even sought out the theatre scene in Brussels and Paris, despite the fact that my French is [...]
Thoughts on Theater: Theater In Movie Houses
I just got back from seeing the acclaimed production of Danny Boyle’s Frankenstein, starring Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller. However not only was the production at the London National Theater, but it closed more than a year ago. This was a part of National Theater Live Initiative, a program that broadcasts outstanding theatrical productions [...]
Thoughts on Theater: The Tony Awards
Last Sunday was the 66th Annual Tony Awards and as always, they did not fail to provide entertainment to us faithful Broadway supporters. It was a night full of tearful acceptance speeches, aging divas, celebrities who have very little to do with Broadway, and Neil Patrick Harris just being brilliant. In years past, I have [...]
“Dee Does Broadway” by Dee Snider
I enjoyed seeing Rock of Ages, but its success has caused me a great deal of frustration. With the introduction of an 80s jukebox musical, all of this power rock began to infiltrate my beloved Standing Room Only Playlists. Then I heard news that Rock of Ages star and front man for Twisted Sister, Dee [...]
Thoughts on Theater: Matt Stone and Trey Parker
From television to movies, and even working on a video game, there seems to be no end to the output of South Park creators Matt Stone and Trey Parker. While they are typically associated with juvenile cut-out humor, I think that the real legacy that they will leave behind aside from their award winning television [...]
Private Lives at the Huntington Theater
I found it interesting that someone would try to stage a comedy like Private Lives at the Huntington Theater. In my mind, it’d be more fitting to play one of Coward’s comedies at a more intimate venue like the Lyric where one can see the nuances in the actors’ faces. Sure enough, Private Lives proved [...]
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Serenata de Amor Brings Cape Verde to Emerson
Serenata de Amor, a musical theater project spearheaded by visual media arts associate professor Claire Andrade-Watkins, was brought to Emerson this past year. The project is a tribute to the morna of Cape Verde and Brava set in the 1940s. Andrade-Watkins worked with a team of faculty and staff members from Emerson to bring Serenata [...]
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May 25
Boston Calling
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June 8
The XX / Grizzly Bear
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June 12
The Postal Service
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