Greer Firestone - Page 3

Each time Aisle Say attends a rehearsal of First State Ballet Theatre, he is stunned by the athleticism, the precision, the synchronicity of movement, and, yes, the joy exuding from the faces of these young professionals.

Candlelight Theatre opens their third show of the season with an economical inhouse production of BEST OF CANDLELIGHT, a prudent decision with live theatre the world over attempting to gain financial stasis. This show has no ‘book’, saving licensing money. The show takes us down Broadway; a smorgasbord of solos, duets and production numbers. As previously reported, Candlelight is to be commended for being the first entertainment venue in the state to welcome back grateful guests.

Ain’t Misbehavin’: The Fats Waller Musical Show, is a different juke box show from Candlelight’s previous production of BEEHIVE. From the rock n’ roll of 60’s we time travel back 30- years to the American jazz pianist Waller. His innovations in the Harlem stride style laid the groundwork for modern jazz piano. In 1922, at the tender age of 18, he produced his first piano roll, “Got To Cool My Doggies Now.” (I had to mention that only because the title cracked me up).

A juke box collection of hits from the 60’s where pleasant memories were evocative from that less provocative era. The production was curated such that only ‘girl groups’ or female solo artists were featured. An ensemble of singers and dancers carefully cast by Director/Choreographer Jody Anderson.

103,000 deathsa??and counting, and still we want live theatre to return. More than 40 million Americans filed for first time unemployment benefits, and still we want live theatre to return. Consumer spending ground to a halt in the past 2 months, and that's a massive problem for the spending-addicted US economy; 14% down in April, equivalent to $1.9 trillion lost. And yet, we still want live theatre to return.

There is no one in the tri-state region with more live theater experience than Bob Kelly, Artistic Director at Candlelight Dinner Theatre. Founded in 1969 by John and Lena O'Toole and Julian and Annabelle Borris, it quickly became a nexus for hundreds of aspiring actors, where all were inspired to self-invent and where ambition was oxygen.

New Book musical JUDY GARLAND 'World's Greatest Entertainer' available for licensing. The musical stars Judy, Liza, Frank and Dean singing 24 Great American Songbook tunes

Convulsive events happen. Sometimes they turn from considerable to colossal. The implications generally tend to take years to play out and, in worse cases, spiral into unpredictable and unintended consequences.

This is the 3rd of Aisle Say's interviews with local arts professionals. Each organization has similar overarching concerns of cancellations, lost revenues, refunds, donations, personnel anxiety and the preposterous nightmare of rescheduling in uncertainty. On the other hand, each have specific issues relevant to their own procedures and organizational structures.

When Shakespeare's career was interrupted by the Black Plague, the Bard and his colleagues did three things: a?oeThey made plans for what they were going to do when theatres reopened. They toured the provinces, sold props, costumes, bundled plays and sold thema?"that's how the First Folio got made. And they went to the King and said, 'Help! History shows how confidence and point of view served Shakespeare and his company well.

With no performing arts to review, Aisle Say has taken to interviewing arts professionals. Here is a conversation with Kristina Kambalov, co-founder and ED of First State Ballet Theatre. (Go the bottom of the column for previous chats). In March Aisle Say celebrated' his 63rd year in Delaware performing arts as actor, producer, director, playwright and theatre critic. An organization that has a sweet spot in my heart is First State Ballet Theatre.

Who would have imagined my 73rd birthday would have been so calamitous? Yes, that was the day the world changed for all of us. 'Normality' will never be the same. There will be fond memories of yesteryear sequestered in your hippocampus. (A brief 2 wks ago).

For those of us who have visited Ireland and basked in the bountiful love and generosity of its people, the plays of its most famous authors are striking in contrast. There are no strangers when one visits the Emerald Isle. However, the plays of Brian Friel, Sean O'Casey and John Millington Synge are rife with meditation, mourning and melancholy. (The latter author's 'Playboy of the Western Worlda?? caused riots in Dublin when initially staged in 1907. When the actors came to America in 1911, they were jailed).

Aisle Say loves the ludicrous, is passionate for the preposterous, seeks the non-sequiturs, fancies the fool headed. Bring on LEND ME A TENOR, SPAMALOT, THE IMAGINARY INVALID and others of that genre.

For 11 years The Resident Ensemble Players of UD has produced plays of global renown. The majority of the actors have been there since the inception. Aisle Say has been privileged to attend most of them. Generally, the classics are performed; Shakespeare, Shaw, August Wilson, Alan Ayckbourn, Moliere, Tennessee Williams and the like.

Candlelight's stunning production on CABARET forces Aisle Say to ponder if he has ever seen a more polished and thoroughly professional production at this venerable Arden barn.

Founded in 1993 - and now under the artistic and musical leadership of Kerry Kristine and Joe Trainor a?" City-Theatre says close to its roots to take risks and eschew redundancy in staging PASSING STRANGE at Opera Delaware's Black Box on the Riverfront.

Resident Theatre Company of West Chester, in its 2nd year under the direction of Kristin McLaughlin Mitchell, staged a vibrant, harmonious and poignant rendition of one of Sondheim's most difficult to stage, INTO THE WOODS.

Aisle Say had the opportunity to visit a rehearsal for First State Ballet Theatre's NUTCRACKER at The Grand on December 21 and 22.

race Field, member of the  Broadway Inspirational Voices, 'graced' the stage at Milton Theatre last month. Appearing in a one-woman show with music director Charlie Alterman, she of the soaring, ethereal voice and Greek Goddess hair, Field had the packed house swooning over her Best of Broadway list of songs.