Freeform
Trey McIntyre brings his fusion of classical and modern dance to Milwaukee
Trey McIntyre pauses on the phone, letting dead silence fill the air, when he’s asked about how he chooses the music for his choreography.
“I care about it a great deal. It’s kind of torturous,” he answers after some thought. “I’m easily maddened by it since the rhythm, and to some extent the melody, is what propels you to move.”
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Chris Tarjan and Lee E. Ernst in “The Seafarer.” – Photo: Jay Westhauser
‘The Seafarer’ is a brilliant voyage to hell in a bottle
The holidays can be hell for some people, literally, as they grapple with the sins of the past. And there’s usually a price to pay, especially when the past comes a-callin’ in the form of the Devil himself. That’s not exactly the Christmas celebration the characters in Conor McPherson’s “The Seafarer” have in mind amid their near constant drunkenness and non-stop insults.
Richard Harkin is the demanding family patriarch, blind and reliant on younger brother James, known as “Sharky.” Richard’s darkness extends beyond his inability to see; he’s incapable of feeling beyond his own needs as he berates and degrades his younger brother, who harbors his own secrets. Add in so-called friends Ivan and Nick, and this ill-mannered group in an unkempt house outside Dublin would make for a hellish way to celebrate anything. But it makes for a perfect setting for the mysterious and cunning Mr. Lockhart.
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Glenn Davis and Phillip James Brannon in Steppenwolf’s “The Brother/Sister Plays” (“The Brother Size”) by Tarell Alvin McCraney. – Photo: Michael Brosilow
‘Brother’ to brother
An interview with playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney
Gay playwright Tarell Alvin McCraney’s trilogy “The Brother/Sister Plays” is one of the most memorable theatrical experiences you are ever likely to encounter. Currently playing at Chicago’s Steppenwolf Theatre, the trilogy runs more than three hours. But it’s time well spent – as emotionally rewarding as it is refreshing.
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Joseph Corella, openly gay dance captain of the touring production of ‘Grease’ at Marcus Center.
Dancing up the ranks
For Joseph Corella, “Grease” is the word – in song and, in particular, dance.
Corella is dance captain and swing in the current national tour that plays the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts Feb. 23-28.
Last year was a big one for Corella, who’s openly gay and proud of it. He began touring non-stop in “Grease,” his first national tour. And on June 30, he married his husband, fellow actor Jonathan Sandler, who’s appearing on Broadway in “Mary Poppins” and is also a dance captain and swing.
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Angela Iannone and David Cescarini in “Purgatorio.”
‘Purgatorio’ is an epic struggle for forgiveness
What happens when the tormenter becomes the tormented? Is it possible to forgive someone who has brought about immeasurable pain and suffering? And can salvation truly be achieved by forgiving – and being forgiven?
These are but some of the questions playwright Ariel Dorfman probes in his intense, multi-layered play “Purgatorio,” which opened Jan. 28 at Next Act Theatre. Given the emotional complexity of this drama, only flawless acting and strong direction can make it work. For those fortunate enough to see this production, Next Act achieves that – and more – under Mary McDonald Kerr’s thoughtful direction and with actors Angela Iannone and David Cescarini’s total immersion into Dorfman’s characters – and wordplay.
Read more...Skylight’s ‘The Marriage of Figaro’ is a marriage made in opera heaven
Skylight Opera Theatre has much to celebrate these days. The current season marks its 50th anniversary. It’s survived more drama offstage this past summer only to return stronger and thriving. And its current production of “The Marriage of Figaro” is pure delight in sight and sound.
Skylight began this celebration this past fall staging the first part to the trilogy of stories written by Pierre Beaumarchais, “The Barber of Seville,” composed as an opera by Rossini. In the first part, the clever barber Figaro assisted Count Almaviva in finally winning the hand of the count’s true love, Rosina.
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