Elliot Lanes - Page 7

There are very few times in a reviewer’s career where he/she can honestly say they saw a perfect performance. This past weekend at The Music Center at Strathmore international star of stage, screen, and the concert stage Lea Salonga gave a perfect performance. Her Dream Again Tour has a song list that’s so well constructed it’s as if they had been planning it for over two years….oh wait!!! Seriously though, Salonga’s mix of pop, showtunes and of course, film songs made for a totally wonderful evening of music.  

Sometimes you have no idea where your career path will take you. Lee Mooring was just minding his own business serving our country as a member of the U.S. Air Force. When asked to produce a Christian event for believers in his community everything changed.

Twenty-seven years ago, the international dance phenomenon known as Riverdance began enchanting audiences. Twenty- five years ago it began touring the world and to this day millions of people have been enthralled by it’s mix of music, dance and musicianship. Oddly enough, it’s current engagement at Kennedy Center’s Opera House is the first time the show has played that particular venue so it was truly an experience seeing the show in this grand hall. Seeing it on St. Patrick’s Day also added a whole new level for sure. Oh, some of the audience outfits!! The full-blown leprechaun suit won my vote for most creative.

Today’s subject Bobby Smith is a prime example of someone living his theatre life to the fullest. Currently he is performing in Signature Theatre’s excellent production of She Loves Me as parfumerie clerk Ladislav Sipos. The production runs through April 24th in Signature's MAX space.

DC’S little jewel of a theatre company Washington Stage Guild (WSG) was built on producing the works of George Bernard Shaw. In its long and distinguished history of producing high quality theatre the company has produced over thirty productions of Shaw’s work.

Who says people are not giving back during this pandemic? Local singer/songwriter/actress is doing just that with the release of 'Ghost Light'. It's a song written about the struggles that theatres are having all over the world as the pandemic continues.

You know how many people in the performing arts think of themselves as Christlike or just consider themselves GOD? Today's subject Aaron LaVigne can actually get away with it because he is currently living his theatre life on tour playing the world's most famous carpenter Jesus in the North American Tour of Jesus Christ Superstar. The production runs through March thirteenth in the Opera House at Kennedy Center.

Today’s subject Luz Nicolas is currently living her theatre life onstage at GALA Hispanic Theatre in the World Premiere production of La Casa De La Laguna (The House on The Lagoon) where she once again is demonstrating her fierceness as one of the area’s best performers. The production runs through February 27th. El sujeto hoy, Luz Nicolás, actualmente vive su “vida teatral” en el escenario del Teatro Hispano GALA con el estreno mundial de La casa de la laguna, donde una vez más demuestra su ferocidad como una de las mejores actrices del área. La producción se presenta hasta el 27 de febrero.

Today’s subject Yesenia Iglesias is currently living her theatre life onstage at Signature Theatre in Daphne’s Dive which runs through March 20th in the ARK space. Last time Yesenia performed at Signature, she was getting beat up and bludgeoned to death in Masterpieces of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity. Read on to see how she decompressed nightly from such an intense experience.

Ok, I’m going to date myself. Growing up I remember watching a wonderful little film called The Red Balloon. It started out as a book by Albert Lamorisse for which he then turned into a movie starring his son in 1956. It told the story of a little boy and an unlikely friendship he ends up having with a red balloon. The film had no dialogue and also had some really good photography shot on location in Paris.

Anyone that has read my reviews or columns over the years knows that I always pay attention to the orchestrations and orchestrator of any given musical. Let’s face it, without the orchestrator, the score is only a piano. Today’s subject Doug Besterman has been living his theatre life for many years as an orchestrator for Broadway, regional, and West End theatre as well as doing scoring for films and TV.

There is almost nothing consistent anymore in life with the current state of affairs but when Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater comes to town, things almost feel normal again. The company will be performing in the Kennedy Center Opera House starting tonight through February 6th with four different programs to choose from.

Today’s subject Lisa Stephen Friday has a remarkable story to tell as she is currently living her theatre life as the writer and performer of Trans Am. The show begins performances at Keegan Theatre on January 29th and will run through February 26th.

Today’s subject Kenny Seymour is currently living his theatre life being immersed with the Motown Sound as the Musical Supervisor and Arranger for the US National Tour of Ain’t Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations while still serving as the show’s Musical Director on Broadway. The touring version can be seen through January 16th in the Opera House at Kennedy Center. Coincidentally, the show closes on Broadway the same day.

Today’s subject Courtney Balan is currently living her theatre life on tour as the self-absorbed Broadway star Dee Dee Allen in the TOTALLY original musical The Prom.  The show plays through January 16th in the Eisenhower at The Kennedy Center. It will then continue on locally to The Hippodrome in Baltimore, MD from Jan 18th through 23rd.

On December thirteenth, Signature Theatre put together a meaningful, moving and very musical tribute to legendary composer/lyricist/musical theatre god Stephen Sondheim entitled Everybody Rise: Signature Theatre Remembers Stephen Sondheim.

I am always happy when a recording artist thinks outside the box when it comes to planning their holiday concerts. Let’s face it, there is only so many times you can hear the same five carols that everyone seems to perform.

World renowned singer/actress/killer soprano Sarah Brightman has a voice that is so angelic sounding it literally takes you to a higher power. Her current tour A Christmas Symphony is a prime example of Ms. Brightman’s ridiculously high and soaring vocal range.

Today’s subject William T. Newman Jr. is currently living his theatre life portraying the esteemed African-American playwright August Wilson in How I Learned What I Learned at WSC Avant Bard. The production marks the company’s return to LIVE performances and runs through December 19th at Gunston Arts Center in Theatre Two.

The phrase “No one is irreplaceable” was shattered this past week when composer/lyricist/GOD of American musical theatre Stephen Sondheim passed away at age 91. Simply put, Sondheim was unique, groundbreaking and a true original that many tried to copy and never could.