Hair

Unemployment can be so rewarding. I recently discovered this when I took a trip to NYC, using what funds are remaining in my bank account. Since my friends living in NY are gainfully employed (and lets face it... you have to be when living there) I had lots of spare time to wander the snowy streets of my favorite city. I usually pop in and out of coffee shops (and bars) pretending I live there, avoiding the usual tourist traps. This time, the allure of Times Square was too strong. I was shamelessly snapping pictures of Broadway signs amidst a sea of foreigners, when I saw the Mecca for all musical theater nerds: The TKTS booth.

If you are unfamiliar with this little gem, let me enlighten you. There is small, red kiosk-type booth in the heart of Times Square that offers same-day Broadway show tickets at a discounted price. Within five minutes, I had one matinee ticket to the revival of Hair. Great seat, half the price. (insert me, prancing down the street, a la Charlie Bucket and his golden ticket)

Hair is above and beyond what I expected. This generation-defining show about America's youth, pushed boundaries and broke the mold of traditional Rogers and Hammerstein-type musicals in its 1967 debut. The plot faces issues of the time such as drugs, sex, race, war and most importantly, love.

The first act is almost entirely introductions of the colorful hippies, helping to build a personal connection between the audience and the characters. The ensemble, or tribe, lives life feeling that one should be free to do what they want, as long as it doesn't cause harm to others: A simple message that society cannot understand. Hugging, kissing, exchange of partners, and full frontal nudity is at first jarring, but the audience comes to find these moments beautiful. The in the second act, the tribe attempts to change worlds inequalities and oppression with the healing power of love.

Familiar songs like, Aquarius, Hair, Good Morning Starshine, and Let the Sun Shine In leave the audience singing and clapping along. This is the most interactive show I've ever seen. The characters speak directly with audience members and sing and dance up and down the isles. The dialogue, staging, and choreography appears organic, as if no two shows are alike. The constant display of hair-ography (choreography consisting of mostly shaking of the head) is actually quite visually appealing. The highlight of the show (and my whole trip to NYC) came after the bows when the lead character, "Berger" came down, took my hand and pulled me up on stage. (Did I mention I had great seats?) Okay, so it wasn't just me... anyone in the audience was welcome to come on the actual stage and sing Let the Sun Shine In. So there I was, swaying back and forth singing at the top of my lungs, peace-sign fingers held high, REAL broadway lights shining on my face, feeling so full of love.

http://www.hairbroadway.com/

Where We Live

I found myself back at the beautiful George Eastman House this holiday season. For those of you unfamiliar with this house, you definitely aren’t from Rochester. George Eastman was a man who made his fortune from his achievements in developing the first personal camera, the Brownie Box and eventually Kodak. His philanthropic contributions to our small city, as well as his breathtaking mansion/museum have made Eastman a Rochester icon. On a recent clear and cold night in early December, I visited the house for roughly the 12^th time. The beauty of the house was brand new to me during the holiday season. Poinsettias and gingerbread houses lined the grand hallways. The Christmas tree and dining room table were decorated, just as they were for George, nearly a century ago.

Even more exciting than the Christmas spirit of the house, was the new photography exhibition, Where We Live. This exhibit features photos of Rochester’s past in celebration of our city’s 175^th anniversary. Thanks to Eastman’s invention of the personal camera, Rochester is well documented with some of the earliest photographs of any city. I found it fascinating to see the exact streets and buildings I’m so familiar with— but 100 years ago. Horse and buggy running where cars now drive. The Erie Canal where the expressway now lies. As a first generation Rochesterian, I felt a sense of pride and belonging, knowing I’m a part of a city rich with history and culture.

One part of the exhibit features photos of Rochester submitted by members of our community. To contribute your photo to Where We Live, visit www.eastmanhouse.org. On display now through January 24, 2010.

Paint Made Flesh

The Memorial Art Gallery is currently featuring the exhibit Paint Made Flesh, a collection of paintings in celebration of the human body. Each piece of artwork uniquely represents the human spirit through the canvas of skin and body.

I enjoyed The Hobo by John Currin (1999). There is something about this hobo girl that makes the viewer automatically like her. She appears endlessly joyful with a cherub-like face and rosy cheeks. Her small bag contains all of her worldly belongings, but she is by no means deprived of anything. Her voluptuous body shows that she is healthy and happy. Her face is youthful and glowing, yet her body isn’t as perfect. She makes no apologies for her sagging breasts and full mid-section. Confidence exudes from her and her optimism is contagious. I imagine her travels have given her experience in many cultures- but has not worn her out. I want to know this hobo, and hear about her travels. I’m sure we would become great friends. She would always be up for a grand adventure, or at least a good laugh.

There are dozens of paintings that will touch the audience, like The Hobo touched me. Many paintings contain anti-war themes. I never realized how the look of flesh can send such a powerful message. The human body represents age and experience. I recommend touring with a docent to learn the full story behind each painting, and the influences each artist incorporated in their work.

Paint Made Flesh is on display now through January 3rd 2010.

500 University Ave. Rochester, NY 14607 (585) 276-8900

http://mag.rochester.edu/exhibitions/index.html#PaintMadeFlesh

Chicago

Electricity buzzes throughout the crowded lobby of the Auditorium Theater as audience members wait to see the opening night of Chicago. This classic Broadway show about sex, jazz, and murder brings out die-hard musical fans as well as new faces of every age. Starring former Dukes of Hazzard actor, Tom Wopat as criminal defense lawyer, Billy Flynn, and the competing villainesses Bianca Marroquin as Roxie Hart and Terra C. MacLeod as Velma Kelly.

According to its opening lines, Chicago the musical is a show about “Murder, greed, corruption, violence, exploitation, treachery and all those things we hold near and dear to our hearts.”

This production’s stage set and costumes are minimalistic, but still provide undeniable glamour and seduction. There are no mechanical tricks or complicated set designs; just the jazz band, and a few props tell the story of seven murderesses jailed for killing their husbands. Stylistically, this same production could be accomplished in a small vaudevillian café, which adds to the authentic feeling of sitting in a 1920’s speakeasy. Simple lighting changes or the drop of sequined confetti has dramatic effects, since so much of the show is without flashy staging. The dancers “barely-there” black lace bustiers and raunchy displays of flexibility are delightfully sexy in “it’s-good-to-be-bad” kind of way.

Bob Fosse’s original choreography, with his distinctive inward postures and subtle flick-of -the -wrist, roll -of -the –shoulder moves, plays an equally important role as the lead characters do. One moment the dancing is sensual and slow, the next it’s popping with show-stopping energy.

Marroquin as Roxie Hart, is able to portray incredible humor as her character is faced with un-funny things like murder, jail, and the American legal system. Her comedic timing steals the show while she remains innocent and lovable, not at all obnoxious. Class and poise exudes from MacLeod’s Velma Kelly, as she fights hard to maintain her starlet reputation behind bars. Wopats’ Billy Flynn personality was somewhat fatherly and gentle compared to the evil and greasy lawyer portrayals usually seen. There is a strong connection between Flynn and Hart where there is usually distance and lack of emotion. Each of the performers finds excellent ways to make their characters individual and unique.

Fosse’s choreography, combined with music by John Kander and Fred Ebb is a perfect match made in Broadway heaven. Songs like “All That Jazz” and “Razzle Dazzle” are widely considered classic Broadway tunes.

It’s easy to see how this shows 1996 revival has earned 6 Tony Awards, and a Grammy. Chicago’s 2003 motion picture adaptation starring Catherine Zeta-Jones, Renee Zellweger and Richard Gere earned 6 Academy Awards including Best Picture. More importantly, the movie brought musicals back into the homes of Americans and rekindled their popularity to the masses, as seen in sold out performances like this one.

Bottom Line: Stop for cocktails before the show, the bar and lounge in the Auditorium is congested. Come on down… Chicago is a Razzle-Dassling must see!

Special thanks to the Rochester Broadway Theater League for such a jazzy night.

Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra

1) Van Cliburn Victory!\

Th The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra is arranged specifically for the design of the beautiful architecture of The Eastman Theater for perfect acoustic quality. The Van Cliburn Victory performance featured featured piano soloist Haochen Zhang. At 19, he is the youngest winner of the Van Ciburn Award.

2) The show began with Shafer Mahoney’s Sparkle with a similar composition to Ravel’s Bolero. Each of these pieces started with a single, simple melody then continued to build upon it until it was a faster, more powerful orchestral piece. The backbone melody could still be heard throughout the song. Both of the songs had a happy and playful feel, major in key. Sparkle reminds me of the excitement and pace of New York City. Some may associate a big city with danger or stress, but I feel excited and liberated being there. This song represents my emotion for New York. Only in New York is heavy traffic and blaring taxi horns considered an enduring characteristic. The hustle and bustle is what people love about it. The brass section created the most dramatic and climactic portion of the music. According to the program, it was the most “majestic” part of the performance.

I was most impressed by the speed of Haochen Zhangs hands! He made playing this difficult song appear effortless. I enjoyed how he seemed to play the piano with his entire body. I was amazed how he didn’t have to read any music- he played entirely from memory. This song begins with a feeling of romance followed by a melancholy tone, and then it suddenly becomes very playful. This is a metaphor for the changing of the seasons. You can sense moments of the song that are “rainy” and “sunny.” It captures the popular French song, “It faut s'amuser et rire” (We must enjoy ourselves and laugh) by returning to a major key after minor ones. Bouncing back from darkness to light is a theme throughout the piece.

Prokifiev's Symphony No 5 in B flat Major Op reflected the composer’s experience of a new life without war. He considers this work as “glorifying the human spirit.” Themes of resilience and strength are felt throughout the music- a direct result of a surviving war and treachery, and appreciation for life afterwards. Classical music dates back to a time before television and radio and other readily available forms of entertainment. Audiences used to turn to orchestral music as entertainment and this symphony provides the hope and encouragement war-survivors would have wanted.

PUSH Physical Theater

Dracula

When I sat down to watch Dracula, I was prepared for a frightful night of entertainment. The combination of two of my favorite things, dance and Halloween, seemed like the perfect evening. Anticipation turned into confusion when the opening scene showed the dancers moving to what sounded like track and field commentary. The performers were dressed in running suits. My immediate thought was, “This is a modern-day version of Dracula.” Much like the re-creations of Shakespeare. Soon, I realized they were performing short skits of physical theater. I enjoyed these small performances; I was just confused as to what was happening at first. I kept waiting for Dracula.

I thought I knew every kind of dance genre there was… Until I watched PUSH perform. I was expecting modern dancing, but I had never seen what they call “physical theater.” It’s a physically challenging style, but without any basic ballet fundamentals that most forms of dance are centered around. I could tell through the positioning of feet and postures, that most of the dancers didn’t have ballet training. It appeared that the main objective of physical theater is to tell a story through body movement. This goal is not achieved through the feminine and traditional dance steps of ballet, modern or jazz. There was not always music, and choreography didn’t follow the typical 4/4 timing. The stories can be told through literal physical representation, like in The Visit, or through abstract performances, like Galileo. The miming elements to the performances I found fascinating. I had never realized what an art form mime is, until I watched the stories being told. Mime forms a special connection with the audience because it’s asking us to use more imagination than we typically do during performances.

In many cases, the positioning of the dancers was just as important as their movements. The lines, circles, and scattered positions were beautifully incorporated as an important element of the choreography. The physical strength and ability to balance appeared effortless, and left the audience gasping at their incredible maneuvers.

During a small intermission, the owner and principal performer, Darren Stevenson, came center stage and spoke to the audience. He gave a brief introduction of himself, told a humorous story about a recent bout in the emergency room, and even joked about the audience wondering where Dracula was. This quick stand-up comedy routine was most likely a moment of stalling to provide time for costume changes. Sadly, this action was detrimental to the performance to come. When the “evil” Dracula took stage with his snarling fangs, I wasn’t scared. I couldn’t think of him as Dracula- just as Darren, the funny British guy who’s married with a son. He even talked about how his fangs were ready to be worn backstage. That just left me thinking about how he gets the fangs to stay on! The scary mystery of the story was lost for me, once we got to know the actor performing. Humanizing himself left me with no room for imagination with the character, and unfortunately affected the quality of the show.

I enjoyed my first experience of physical theater. The ability to send messages with the raw body movement and strength, without the help of rhythmic music and traditional dance moves was impressive. I would have preferred either a collection of short skits, or only Dracula. Not both, and certainly no personal introduction from Darren.

Bush Mango

By Katie Cummins

There was nothing unusual about dancing barefoot at St. John Fisher's Encounter with the Arts class. Every Thursday night, in any given semester, students are exposed to different artistic experiences throughout the Rochester community. A highlight of the semester was visiting Bush Mango, a West-African-style dance and drum studio. There, we participated in a dance class, accompanied by a trio of polyrhythmic drummers. One can imagine the hilarity of thirty Fisher students (most with no dance experience) jumping and thrusting barefoot across the dance floor. Any initial awkwardness melted away within the first few minutes, thanks to our colorful dance instructor, Colleen Hendricks. The inviting and liberating style of West-African dance gave comfort to anyone nervous about dancing “wrong." The only rules were to let go of your inhibitions and dance from the soul. Each dance had a story behind it, representing West-African coastal culture and celebration. This high-energy class was a great cardio workout, and much more exciting than the treadmill. Bush Mango offers dance and drum classes for all levels. Walk-in classes only $15. Visit www.bushmango.org for more information.

34 Elton St

Rochester, NY 14607-1219

(585) 235-3960