Feb 26

PROMO: Lucky Plush Productions’ “The Better Half”: March 8th and 9th

C/O Lucky Plush Productions Facebook Page

C/O Lucky Plush Productions Facebook Page

PROMO: Lucky Plush ProductionsThe Better Half: March 8th and 9th

Gillian Daniels

Since 1999, the Chicago-based dance ensemble theater company, Lucky Plush Productions, has sought to marry humor and movement.  The Chicago Tribune has not been shy with its praise, describing the company as “full of amusing, varied and tireless dancing by a troupe of dancers who ably double as comics.”  During the weekend of March 8th, Lucky Plush will bring its combination of wit and whimsy to Boston with The Better Half.

The show is described as an adaptation of the cult-classic noir film, Gaslight (1944).  In the movie, following the murder of her aunt, a woman is manipulated into believing she is mentally unstable.  Most would wring this concept for parody and stop there. The Better Half, however, promises to energetically take this plot and mine it for humor, heart, and surprising turns.  It drives to comment on tension in domestic relationships and the claustrophobia of contemporary living.  The mix sounds promising. Continue reading

Feb 25

SUCH TIMES a SEX FESTIVAL of new work by Boston’s SEXIEST Playwrights

Heart & Dagger Productions
presents
SUCH TIMES a SEX FESTIVAL of new work by Boston’s SEXIEST Playwrights

This is NOT a family show. If you aren’t convinced after reading the summary, please seek (sexy or non sexy) therapeutic assistance.

Friday, March 1st @ 8pm – Saturday, March 9th @ 8pm
The Boston Playwrights’ Theatre
949 Commonwealth Ave, Boston, MA 02215
Heart & Dagger Productions Facebook Page

Monologues, scenes, and dances based on sexual desires, situations, and dreams by:
Silvia Graziano, Mary-Ann Greanier, MJ Halberstaldt, Craig Houk, John J King, Grant MacDermott, Lesley Ann Moreau, Rick Park, Joey C. Pelletier, Mary ElizaBeth Peters, Devon Scalisi, Cassie M. Seinuk, Jesse Wood

Directed by: Devon Scalisi, Elise Weiner Wulff, Jesse Wood, Mikey DiLoreto, Danielle Leeber Lucas & Joey C. Pelletier

Featuring:  Amy Meyer, Jesse Coleman, Melissa De Jesus, Chuong Pham, Josh Coleman, Mike Budwey, Noah Tobin, Joey C. Pelletier, Elise Weiner Wulff, Erin Rae Zalaski
& MORE

Feb 20

Ana Moura at Berklee Performance Center on March 16, 8PM

World Music/CRASHarts presents
Portugal’s fado star Ana Moura

Photo borrowed from the lovely Ms. Moura's Facebook Page

Photo borrowed from the lovely Ms. Moura’s Facebook Page

Saturday, March 16, 8pm ONLY
Berklee Performance Center
136 Massachusetts Ave.,
Boston, MA
Ana Moura Facebook Page

Portuguese vocalist Ana Moura has emerged as a leading voice of traditional fado with her captivating interpretations of her country’s soulful answer to the blues. With a luxuriant voice and captivating stage presence, Moura has taken the art form in new directions and will be backed by Portuguese guitar, acoustic guitar, double bass, keyboards and drums.

Her mesmeric appeal radiates from within, even if you don’t know a syllable of Portuguese. Her ability to alternately whisper, growl and ring like a silver bell are the hallmarks of a fine singer.”—NPR Music

Continue reading

Feb 19

Revenge is a dish best served Shaken, Not Stirred.

Vaquero Playground: Fun, Cheap, Dirty Plays made just for Boston.
FROM DENMARK WITH LOVE
May 10 – June 1, 2013
Boston Playwrights’ Theatre

Vaquero Playground Facebook Page
http://bloodythawts.tumblr.com/

In Spring of 2013 Vaquero Playground will be bringing it’s biggest production yet: FROM DENMARK WITH LOVE, a mash-up parody of Shakespeare’s Hamlet and the one and only Bond, James Bond.
Written by John J King, the play stars Boston rising legend Daniel Berger-Jones and is directed by Barlow Adamson.

Feb 10

Snowpocalypse/Snowmageddon/Snowzilla 2013: Cabin Fever Edition

The New England Theatre Geek presents:

Terrific Moments in History

THE GREAT EMU WAR

They will get you

They will get you.

Ladies and gentlemen, I present to you an historic event of terror so great that the public school system deems it unacceptable teaching material.

In 1932, Australia was overrun by a population of emus so horrifying that soldiers recently returned from World War I were employed to eradicate the emu nuisance. The resulting conflict was dubbed the Emu War. My friends, the humans had machine guns, recent war experience, and the language skills; the emus had tiny brains and natural instincts.  Using guerrilla tactics such as remaining out of firing range and clumping into small groups, the emus outsmarted the humans. The emus WON.

Let this be a lesson to us all.

They look cute now. Will they be so cute in guerrilla warfare?

They look cute now. Will they be so cute in guerrilla warfare?

This posting of a random act of history is brought to you by cabin fever, a dearth of performances to review (due to the weather), and gross amounts of caffeine. The New England Theatre Geek will resume posting performance reviews once New England area theaters have been dug out of their snowy catacombs.

At least it isn’t raining spiders.

Jan 31

The US premiere of “Metáfora”: Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía

WORLD MUSIC/CRASHarts presents Flamenco Festival 2013 featuring

the Boston debut of

Photo credit: Ballet Flamenco de Andalucia

Photo credit: Ballet Flamenco de Andalucia

Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía
performing the US premiere of Metáfora

 BOSTON, MA — World Music/CRASHarts presents the Boston debut of Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía on Friday, March 1, 7:30pm, Saturday, March 2, 8pm and Sunday, March 3, 3pm at the Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College, 219 Tremont St., Boston.

Flamenco Festival 2013 returns for a 12th glorious season of world-class flamenco dance and music with the massively popular Ballet Flamenco de Andalucía, coming to Boston for the first time, direct from Spain. This renowned company of 17 dancers, singers and musicians, directed by award-wining flamenco star Rubén Olmo, presents the US premiere of Metáfora, a dazzling kaleidoscope of castanets, fans, traditional flamenco bata de cola dresses, powerful footwork, demanding technique and jaw-dropping athleticism. It is a program that will inspire the audience with the emotion, drama and passion of Andalucía, the cradle of flamenco. Continue reading

Jan 25

Concert/World Premiere: “The Cat and the Moon”

Photo credit: Ellen Mandel; Kitty companions should be left at home.

Photo credit: Ellen Mandel; Kitty companions should be left at home.

Daniel Neer sings music by Ellen Mandel at the ”Pianos Plus Concert”

New songs to poems by Thomas Hardy, Seamus Heaney, WB Yeats, e.e. cummings, and others, including a World Premiere of Yeats’ sweet  “The Cat and the Moon.”

New Gallery Concerts
Thurs January 31 at 7 PM
The Community Music Center of Boston
34 Warren Avenue, Boston, MA 02116

Ellen Mandel Facebook Page
more information:  (617) 254-4133
http://www.newgalleryconcertseries.org/
Available on Amazon.com

Also on the program: Pianists, Sarah Bob, Marti Epstein, and John McDonald, performing music by Barish, Epstein, McDonald, and Woolf, and an exhibit of works by multi-media artist Chelsea Revelle. REVIEWS: Continue reading

Jan 24

The Bad Plus premiere of “On Sacred Ground: Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring”

Photo: Cameron Wittig; not just handsome faces.

Photo: Cameron Wittig; The Bad Plus, not just handsome faces.

presented by World Music/CRASHarts

The Bad Plus
Performing the Boston premiere of On Sacred Ground: Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring
Friday, February 15, 7:00 PM and at 9:30 PM

Institute of Contemporary Art
100 Northern Ave
Boston, 02210
General admission $35.00
World Music/CRASHarts Facebook Page
The Bad Plus Facebook Page

Rule-breaking, genre-bending and thoroughly entertaining, the charismatic jazz trio returns with its daring take on Stravinsky’s Rite of Spring, accompanied by a mind-blowing video mix by lighting designer Cristina Guadalupe and film director Noah Hutton.

Jan 21

“Once” from Theater Communications Group

"Once" by Enda Walsh

“Once” by Enda Walsh

Once by Enda Walsh
Lyrics by Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova

Theater Communications Group (TCG)
January 2012
$13.95
520 Eighth Ave, 24th Floor
New York, New York 10018
www.tcg.org

This volume includes the book and lyrics but not the score. It includes a brief foreword by writer Enda Walsh about the workshop process in a church basement in Cambridge, MA.

The story revolves around an Irish man, “Guy,” who has almost given up on life, love and music. He is given new perspective by a passionate and sweet Czech woman, “Girl,” a single mother and music enthusiast. Together these unrequited lovers set on a course for life affirming change and success while renewing their faith in the power of creation and love. Continue reading

Jan 15

Ladysmith Black Mambazo: Feb. 9, 8PM

Ladysmith Black MambazoPhoto: Luis Leal

Ladysmith Black Mambazo, Photo: Luis Leal

presented by World Music/CRASHarts

From South Africa

Saturday, February 9, 8:00 PM ONLY
Sanders Theatre
45 Quincy St
Cambridge, 02138
Ladysmith Black Mambazo Facebook Page

With the power of gospel and the precision of Broadway, Ladysmith Black Mambazo is the undisputed king of mbube, South African a cappella singing. The group came together in the early 1960s and continues to thrill audiences around the world with its strong, proud melodies, harmonized in layers of call and response.