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Archive for “Theater” news
Theatre Philadelphia Awards $39,000 to Local Artists
By Victor Fiorillo 10/22/2012
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On Monday night at the Kimmel Center, Theatre Philadelphia -- the new organization that is picking up where the now defunct Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia left off -- gave out the three biggest Barrymore Awards: the Lifetime Achievement Award, the $10,000 F. Otto Haas Award for an Emerging Theatre Artist and the $25,000 Brown Martin Philadelphia Award. The other Barrymore Award recipients were announced in September.
Here are the awards accepted at the Kimmel Center event:
Wilma Theater's Blanka Zizka accepted the Lifetime Achievement Award on behalf of her late ex-husband, Jiri Zizka, who died in January of liver failure. It's
Philadelphia Inquirer Theater Critic Howard Shapiro Takes Buyout
By Victor Fiorillo 10/12/2012
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On October 2nd, we told you that the Inquirer was making some very odd reassignments, most notably taking its full-time arts writer and theater critic Howard Shapiro and shuttling him off to exile in South Jersey, which most saw as a cutthroat move by newspaper management to make longtime and expensive staffers miserable and want to leave. And earlier this week, word came that eligible staffers of both papers had been offered buyouts. Today, we learned that Shapiro took the bait and after 42 years with the Inquirer has opted for a buyout. But according to a blog post on
Philadelphia’s Role in the Future of Opera
By Victor Fiorillo 10/02/2012
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"One should be crazy to choose this career,” says 28-year-old booming bass-baritone Musa Ngqungwana. He left his native South Africa in 2010 to study at Spruce Street’s Academy of Vocal Arts, which has quietly produced some of the brightest stars of the opera stage since its inception in 1934. Musa, who understandably goes by just his first name, would seem to be right. These days, orchestras are struggling to fill the seats for such crowd favorites as Tchaikovsky and West Side Story. When was the last time you just had to go see an opera?
The End of the Barrymore Awards?
By Victor Fiorillo 9/25/2012
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Today, the otherwise defunct Theatre Alliance of Greater Philadelphia announced the winners of what will probably be the last-ever Barrymore Awards, which are (were?) basically the Tony Awards of Philadelphia. Hopefully, some organization or institution will figure out a way to carry the Barrymore Awards forward in TAGP's absence. In any event, here are the 2012 Barrymore Award winners:
Outstanding Overall Production of a Play: Body Awareness, The Wilma
Outstanding Overall Production of a Musical: The Scottsboro Boys, Philadelphia Theatre Company
Independence Foundation Award for Outstanding New Play: Jacqueline Goldfinger, Slip/Shot, Flashpoint Theatre Company
Outstanding Direction of a Play: Anne Kauffman, Body Awareness, The
The Republican Theater Festival Isn’t Just Torture
By Victor Fiorillo 9/18/2012
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Back in July, the Philly Post broke the news that the city would host the country's (the world's, actually) first ever Republican Theater Festival, presented by 33-year old West Philadelphia theater artist Cara Blouin. Philadelphia Live Arts/Fringe founder Nick Stuccio asked, "Is she serious?" Her friends begged her to reconsider. Even Roger Ebert jumped in with some Twitter sarcasm: "At last! A theater festival with right wing plays."
10-Second Live Arts/Fringe Reviews: Bang, Zero Cost House and Red Eye to Havre de Grace
By Victor Fiorillo 9/10/2012
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Made it to three Live Arts Festival shows this weekend, and they couldn't have been more different.
In Charlotte Ford's Bang (Christ Church Neighborhood House, through Wednesday) three of Philadelphia's funniest clowns (think Lecoq, not Ringling Bros.) explore female sexuality with plenty of nudity (as in untrimmed, full frontal) and hilarious results. I laughed my ass off, although the show would have been much stronger without the final scene. Check it out while you can. Just leave the kids (and the hyper-conservative) at home.
Fans of Edgar Allan Poe and gorgeously designed theater won't want to miss Red Eye to Havre de Grace
Philadelphia Live Arts and Fringe Festival: 10 Artists to Watch
By Victor Fiorillo 9/05/2012
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The Philadelphia Live Arts and Philly Fringe Festival officially gets underway this week, with a dizzying array of theater, dance and performance art events throughout the city, with venues ranging from a church in Old City to a bar in Rittenhouse Square to a home in Northeast Philly (bring a covered dish!). Here, ten of the actors, directors and choreographers who make the festival worth going to tell you all about what they're up to, what events they're going to see (hint: these are the events you shouldn't miss), and where you'll find them throwing back beers after the show.
Bradley Cooper Hikes Up His Underwear and Contorts His Face in Elephant Man
By Mike Bertha 7/31/2012
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According to the Women of Edit here at Philly Mag/The Philly Post, Bradley Cooper has long been considered what many would call a "dreamboat." Though, some may be reconsidering that descriptor after gawking at some pictures of the Jenkintown native in his recent role in The Elephant Man. A shirtless Cooper hikes up his underwear and contorts his face during his portrayal of Joseph Merrick. A quick poll of the female staffers showed that all but one of those who responded are turned off by the pictures of Cooper in his latest role.
"It's really the high-waisted pants that are the
Your Accountant Might Secretly Be a Ballerina
By Victor Fiorillo 7/31/2012
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This month, should you catch your mechanic, accountant or dog walker spinning, leaping or in pirouette, you’re not dreaming. They’re probably just practicing their moves for Le Grand Continental, one of two upcoming Live Arts Festival productions starring ordinary residents instead of professionally trained dancers.
Republicans Get Their Own Theater Festival
By Victor Fiorillo 7/26/2012
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The call went out on Sunday via the Theatre Alliance of Philadelphia's community listserv:
And with that, 33-year old West Philadelphia theater artist and Forearmed Productions founder Cara Blouin created the Republican Theater Festival, the country's first-ever theater fest dedicated to producing plays that might make Ronald Reagan proud.
Forearmed Productions seeks one act plays for the Republican Theater Festival, November 2012, which aims to create a forum for a perspective not usually heard in theater. Forearmed will select 3 new one-act or 10 minute plays by living playwrights that represent ideas related to social or fiscal conservatism, issues considered part of the Republican Party, Libertarian or Tea Party platforms, or concerns of people of faith. Plays which have the ultimate aim of criticizing or satirizing conservative ideas will not be considered...
