Top 10 Cultural Events for Jan '15

Here's my list of 10 events that I will be enjoying in NYC starting ofF the New Year in January:

Concert:  NYPhil. Open Rehearsal Rachmaninoff/Tchaikovsky w. pianist D. Trifonov

Movies:  2 Biopic Pictures, SELMA & MR. TURNER

Museum Exhibits:  Frick's El Greco paintings & Neue Gallery's Egon Schiele Portraits

Public Space:  A winter walk along the HIGH LINE

Sports:  NY Rangers - Go Rangers @ MSG

Theater:  BETWEEN RIVERSIDE & CRAZY, CONSTELLATION w. Jake Gyllenhaal, ON the TOWN w. principal dancers from NYC & ABT Ballet Co.

Holiday Movie Rental Reviews-Hot or Not?

Holiday times brings family members together. It might be a good idea to put on a movie to get people to shut up.  Some of the movies that you missed in the theaters (for good reason) now is the season to watch at home on TV.  Some are worth seeing, some are not.

THE MAZE RUNNER - NOT  Skip It!
This horrible mess rips off "Lord of the Flies," "Transformers" & The Lost Boys (one of which played Peter Pan from Once Upon a Time.) This is a wonder-less, star-less sci-fi flick except for Patricia Clarkson.  Clarkson, an always bankable actress has little on screen time, She must have dreamt of royalties for movies made for pimple face fans; dream on.  This movie gives Ms. Clarkson a blemish on her career.  I'd rather put up with family squabbles than sit through this shit.

THIS IS WHERE I LEAVE YOU - WHY NOT, It's Fun!
Ironically, this film is about a family forced to be together for a week.  Jane Fonda plays the matriarch.  Her husband has just died and she insists her dysfunctional family, 3 sons (one played by the irresistible Justin Bateman) and one daughter (the irrepressible Tina Fey) sit shivah, mourn their father for a week under her roof.  The scene where the family goes to temple & the brothers get high in the synagogue is hilarious. The rabbi of their synagogue, their childhood friend, they still call Boner much to his chagrin.  Rose Byrne (the beautiful comedic actress) plays Bateman's zany, likable old flame.  Sparks fly after his marriage shatters when Bateman finds his wife in bed with his boss.  "That'll do it," says Bryne.  This movie is worth watching, especially if you're stuck inside with your mishuganah  family.        

LOCKE - See It!
LOCKE refers to Ivan Locke, the only actor we see in this well crafted British Drama.  The entire film is filmed inside Locke's car while driving to the hospital where a woman he had a 1 night stand with is about to give birth. This is an intense drama, heightened by the confined space & continuous calls. Locke's multiple conversations are with his family, work & the woman about to give birth to his child.  His life is unraveling at the seams.  He's fired for not being present at the site for a crucial cement pour. He confesses to his wife his affair & intent to do right by this child.  She hangs up without a good-bye.  Watching this film while locked in with your family makes claustrophobia more bearable.  

Melinda's Top 10 Cultural Picks & Events in 2014

This is my top 10 list of cultural & special events in NYC from '2014 in alphabetical order:

Alvin Ailey Theater Dance Company - Still performing, don't miss The River & Bad Blood @ City Ctr

Banksy - Oct. brought a month of surprise works by the mysterious artist.

MoMA - Forever Now - Contemporary works from 2012-14 still on view.

Jewish Museum - Lee Krasner's & Norm Lewis' oil paintings.

Labyrinth Theater - A Sucker Emcee, autobiographical poetry rap.

New Museum - Paintings & sculptures by Chris Ofili still on view.

New York City Ballet - Sept. premiered Ratmansky's ballet "Pictures on Exhibition"

New York Philharmonic -Rouse's "Thunderstuck"

New York Yankees bid farewell to Derrick Jeter - Well deserved tribute & great way to end his career.

Shakesepeare in the Park - King Lear performed outdoors at the Delacourte Theater in Central Park.

Upright Comedy Brigade - Ronna & Beverly the funniest comedy duo, ever.

(okay 11)

Melinda's Top 10 Theater Picks in '2014

My 10 favorite theatrical events on & off Broadway in alphabetical order:

Beautiful - The Carol King Musical

City of Conversation - Politcal power play @ Lincoln Center

Father Comes Home from the War - Civil War play @ the Public by Pulitz. playwright S. Parks

Holler if Ya Hear Me - Musical based on Tupak Shakur's poems

Lady Day - Audra McDonald Tony winning performance as Billie Holiday

LBJ - Bryan Cranston as Pres. Johnson during the Civil Rights Movement & his run for election.

Mighty Real - Musical bio of disco star Sylvester who died of aids

Sex With Strangers - Anna Gunn as a writer trapped in a cabin with another writer.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Nighttime -Mystery solved by teen with Asperger's syndrome

The Elephant Man - Revival starring Bradley Cooper based on John Merrick

Melinda's Top 10 Movie Picks in 2014 are an Int'l Mix

This year my top 10 films that represent an international mix and ground breaking filmmaking.  In alphabetical order:

Belle - British film  True events in the mid 18th C that led to slavery being outlawed in the U.K.

Bethlehem - Israeli Film  A young Palestinian is torn between family & an Israeli intelligence officer.

Birdman - Michael Keaton gives a brilliant performance in an all star cast reviving a B'wy play.

Boyhood - Ground breaking movie that spans 12 years following the life a boy 6-18 yrs.

Honey - Italian film  Confronts the issues of euthanasia.

Keep on Keeping On - Doc. on the life of jazz trumpeter Terry Carter.

Land Ho - Icelandic film - Senior buddy road trip through the Iceland.

Le Passe - Iranian Dir. A. Farhadi's French film about a turbulent marriage.

The Lunchbox - A charming film from India that fortuitously connects people.

The Theory of Everything - British bio film on Stephen Hawking.

Alvin Ailey American Theater-All Ailey All Ellington, Alright Alright Alright!

Last night's Ailey program at City Center were pieces all choreographed by it's founder Alvin Ailey.  The music (albeit for Revelations) was by Duke Ellington.  Two geniuses whose works will remain  timeless and revered.  There simply are not enough accolades to describe the Ailey dancers.  They are without a doubt, the most talented, versatile, elegant & exciting dancers to watch.  Their performances will leave you astonished, inspired and wanting more.   On last night's program wasTHE RIVER, one of Mr. Ailey's pieces from the 1970's.  It is so luminescent & fresh it's amazing to consider how prescient it feels.  Mr. Ailey incorporates a lot of balletic moves in this stunning work.  The dancers  showcase their artistic skills & musicality merging both modern & classic styles.  The Ailey Co. is performing through the beginning of January with mixed programming of new works & iconic dances.  I strongly encourage everyone to see New York City's own world class Dance Theater Co.  My 10 favorite performances for 2014 will have Ailey atop the list.  

Chris Ofili is Back in a Big Way-NIGHT & DAY @ the New Museum

Back in 1999, then mayor Guiliani had time on his hands & his foot in his mouth.  Chris Ofili (b. Manchester 1968) a recent Turner prize recipient, had his sculpture, "The Holy Virgin Mary" at the Brooklyn Art Museum.   It was hailed as "disgusting and sick" by Guiliani.  Guiliani is entitled to his opinion & free speech but it was egregious for him to try (although unsuccessfully) to revoke $7 million in public funding to the Museum.  The mayor's vitriolic tirade precipitated the sculpture being desecrated and manure being splayed on the Art Museum.  Ofili's notoriety soared and his work became associated with implementing elephant dung and irreverent provocation.  Ofili vowed never to return to NY.  Thankfully, the New Museum is showing Ofili's strident & masterful works from the last 2 decades.  Do not be dismissive of this multi-talented painter, sculptor and current set & costume designer for the Royal Ballet.  The exhibit contains more than 30 of his strident paintings & arresting sculptures.  The 1st floor has Ofili's paintings with shlilacked mounds of excrement on the canvas & holding up the work.  Their titles appear on the dung requiring you to look down & closely at the work.  These paintings are magnificient, finely crafted and vexing.  These paintings cunningly appear like fine, shimmering beaded work.  The Blue Rider paintings are showcased in a dimly lit gallery and emit a magical, twilight affect.   Done in soulful blue tones, the haunting images quietly reveal themselves.  In 2001, Guiliani had to contend with the 9/11 tragedy.  Censorship of an artist's work seemed both minuscule & more meaningful, like day & night.    

Contemporary Painting in an Atemporal World @ MoMA is Stellar

The FOREVER NOW: Contemporary Painting in an Atemporal World at MoMA are vibrant works brimming with jocularity.  None of the works pre-date 2012.  The contemporary by various artists share an explosive, uninhibited approach to art.  Before entering the exhibit, register the large glass panels stacked against the walls by Kerstin Bratsch (b. Germany.)  These dynamic pieces are kalaidescopes of  colors & forms.  Several of these works are compiled on top of one another.  This exhibit is a dazzling spectacle to immerse oneself.  Bratsch's large installation in the center gallery is a colossal assemblage of sculpture/painting, art assortment rendering itself accessible from umlimited vantages.  The philosophical, whimsical text reads "Did I do it myself - If so - Help me If not join me."  Her works defy classifications and imbues the observer as a participant in the work.  Oscar Murillo (b. Columbia) has several colorful collage/paintings plus a large painted canvas on the floor asking people to handle & fold into different arrangements.  The work becomes accessible and interactive.  Joe Bradley's collective figurative hieroglyphic paintings are the only subdued paintings.  However, they are simultaneously primitive & futuristic.  Most works are a pastiche of effervescent colors & materials.  Mary Weatherford (b. Amer.)  paintings are embedded with neon lights which represent the vibe of LA & NYC.   The last gallery with 3 large paintings by Michael Williams embrace color, new materials & technologies and asks, "Does it hurt to be crazy?'  FOREVER NOW are prescient feverish works that defy constraints & reflect what is happening at this moment in time.  

Julliard DANCE presents 4 World Premiers

Last night was the opening dance program for the Julliard dance students.  Four new pieces made their world premiere by eminent contemporary choreographers.  Austin McCormick, Loni Landon, Kate Weare & Larry Kegwin.  All the choreographers worked directly with the students & were on hand to take a bow.  Both McCormick's work, "La Folia" and Loni Landon's "and then there was one," were accompanied by students in the Julliard music dept.  "And then there was one," was the one that I was most taken in with for its creativity & musicality.  The score for the string quartet was commissed by Jerome Begin.  Mr. Begin was present using a live electronic processing that resonated the score with a stirring melancholy.  Landon's collaborative choreography embraced a powerful sense of connection & isolation.  The dancers' eloquence & spatial relationships reverberated beautifully with every note.  In all the performances, the Julliard dance students danced with exuberance & a high degree of skill.  The program continues through Sunday and is NOT TO BE MISSED.    

LOST LAKE by David Auburn starring John Hawkeshn

David Auburn is the Pulitize Prize, Tony Award winning playwright (PROOF '01)  LOST LAKE is a noteworthy 1 act 2 character play.  Veronica (Tracie Thoms) a no-nonesense negotiator contending for a summer rental in a "rustic" lake cabin not far from NYC.  Hogan (John Hawkes, Winter Bones & The Sessions) is broking the rental deal of his residence.  Hogan handles Veronica for more money but she's not buying his terms.  Hogan is an ingratiating and irritating "loser."  His interpretation of events & sense of boundaries are skewed.  Veronica's tolerance of his inappropriate comments & behaviors is enigmatic & problematic.   She calls him a freak & orders him out of the cabin she's now renting for a vacation with her son, daughter & daughter's friend.  Hogan confides his college age daughter with his ex has ex-communicated him and his brother & sister-in-law ordered him to stay away from his nieces. Still, he has unsolicited advise regarding Veronica's parenting skills.  Both actors spar, confide & commiserate with such skillful finness we become attached as they to form a connection.  Decency lies within each character.  Mistakes are made by both. Veronica strives to make amends & advises Hogan to try & correct his mistakes.  It would be a mistake to miss this engrossing & exceptionally well acted drama.

Rangers March Penguins Out

The NY Rangers beat the Pittsburg Penguins in overtime @ MSG last night.  The Penguins had the only goal in the 1st period.  The Rangers came roaring back in the 2nd period to find the back of the Penguins' net.  The 3rd period the Rangers added a safety goal to make it 3-2.  It was a mch needed goal.  With less than 8 minutes to play, the Penguins scored 2 goals just minutes apart.  At the buzzer the score was tied 3-3.  Fearing the tides had turned towards the Penguins, the NY Rangers came out fighting to score the winning goal in a well played matchup.  Rangers came off the ice victorious & the Penguins waddled out.

CUBISM-Lauder Collection @ MET-To Die For -Gifted upon Death?

Do NOT miss this jaw dropping Cubist exhibit consisting of more than 80 major works by the 4 preeminent artists whose artworks were key in the most influential art movement of the early 20th C.  Works by Picasso, Braque, Gris & Leger which have been held in the private Leonard Lauder.  This  collection is now on view to the public for the 1st time.  Don't even think about not seeing this remarkable, colossal, wonderment collection.   I did think about what is truly being gifted to the MET from the Lauder collection.  I noted several pieces that have been gifted this year to the MET but it's unclear whether the collection in its entirety has been promised to the MET.  Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.  Do see this rare exhibit of these master's works open til February.  We'll see what there is to see from this collection in the future.

The Babadook-Warning Do Not Look at the Book

The Babadook is a disturbing horror film that blurs the ghostly line between knock out terror and a  mental breakdown.  Australian dir/sreenwriter Jennifer Kent has made a bonafide nightmare that comes to life on screen & under your skin.  Widowed mother, Amelia, is stressed to the max working & caring for her deeply disturbed young son, Sam.  Both actors are completely convincing which makes this film incredibly unsettling.  Sam, a precocious unruly child, has been spurned by other children, teachers & relatives.  Every day is a struggle & every night there's a ritual of checking under the bed for monsters. Nevertheless, every night a terrorized Sam runs into his mother's bed.  What's a mother to do with a son  so completely out of control?  Sam appears to be dragging his mother down the rabbit hole & putting glass into her food.  This is a well crafted film that is uncomfortably treacherous.  Most disturbing is the mother's building terror & repulsion towards her son.  I left before the boogie man got me.  Not because I don't like a believable fright flick but because it makes me sick watching a parent lose her grip on reality & the love for her child.    

Cezanne's Portraits of His Wife-Defy Her Being the Love of His Life

Madame Cezanne is the subject of the Paul Cezanne (b. France 1839-1906) exhibit @ the MET.  Recognized for his landscape paintings, Cezanne produced a prolific body of still life paintings & portraits.  The greater number of Cezanne's portraits were of his wife, Hortense.  A picture may paint a thousand words, perhaps more than the amount of words exchanged between Cezanne & his estranged wife.  For more than 20 years, Cezanne used Hortense as his model.  After Hortense gave birth to  Cezanne's only child, Paul Jr. they were married.  Cezanne, being a devout Roman Catholic remained married to Cezanne although they lived apart.  Hortense was not embraced by Cezanne's family or friends.  Financial constraints and a shortage of available models availed Hortense to her husband's work.  The  24 oil paintings vary greatly with settings & painting styles but Hortense's rigid expression remained consistent.  Her expressions appear remote and unfriendly.  Her hair is pulled back in a severe style except for a very young portrait with her hair loose & one from '1892.  In 1902, Cezanne made Paul Jr. his sole benefactor.  Cezanne's exquisite paintings of his wife do not portray a model of happy life.

ZERO @ Guggenheim, Transformative Works by Mack, Pienn & Uecker

ZERO is the art group founded by German artists Heinz Mack, Otto Piene & Gunther Uecker in the late 1950's-mid 60's.  The name was chosen as Piene explained to represent "a zone of silence and pure possibilities for a new beginning as the countdown when rockets take off." Together these artists experimented with paintings using fire, monochromatic color schemes and architectural forms on canvas & spatial relationships.  There are numerous works by Uecker.  His intriguing works entail hammered nails into canvases & structures producing an illusion of movement and strength.  Mack & Piene sculptures utilize both mechanical movement and reflective materials that create a kinetic sense & optical illusions.  The ingenious & arresting works by these three German artists maintain a contemporary aesthetic.  The exhibit represents works by 40 other artists from 10 other countries from the post WWII era.  The two other artists whose works stood out for me were, French artist Yves Klein's monochromatic blue paintings and Italian artist Enrico Castellani's architectual paintings.  The combined artwork from the group Zero exudes energy, strength & broached new frontiers.  

PUNK ROCK by British Playwright Simon Stephens

PUNK ROCK the play closing at the Lucille Lortel Theater on Sunday, is a frenetic mess.  The rebellious theme of sex, drugs & rock & roll has now become  bullying, mental illness & gun violence.  Tackling these pervasive & unsettling issues by award winning playwright Simon Stephens (Curious Incident of the Dog) in his latest drama, attempts to address these matters.  Unfortunately, the play's characters' bombastic & rapid fire dialogue deluge what might have proved a provocative, topical  performance.  The one act, one set play takes place in an abandoned room in a private high school commandeered by 6 students.  New student Lily is simultaneously welcomed & interrogated by William whose erratic line of questioning sets a manic tone.  Fellow classmates include: a sexually demonstrative couple, Bennett & Cissy, Chadwick, the focus of of Bennett's cruel bullying, Tanya, overweight & outging and handsome Nicholas.  Tanya admirably tells Bennett to stop tormenting Chadwick who responds by spitting in her face.  Bennett's svengali hold upon his classmates is vile & outrageous.  Scenes are broken up by fevered pitched interludes of loud music, strobing lights & grotesquely masked characters.  The unsettling actions masque the climatic violent rampage & fail to provide any insight.  I commend the explosive contemporary issues tackled, but, I do not recommend the play.  The play's shock values titillate but demean their seriousness.      

THE RIVER with Hugh Jackman Meanders Incessantly

Hugh Jackman,  the huge movie star & Broadway veteran, is the star in the play THE RIVER which droned on; hook, line & stinker.  Playwright, Jez Butterworth's (Jerusalem '09) new play is a riff on Viriginia Woolfe's "To the The Lighthouse."  The Woman (a captivating Cush Jumbo) plays the 1st of 3 women who ephemerally fade in & out of the life of The Man, (a languid Hugh Jackman) lacking in impact.  The set is in a sparse cabin near an unseen RIVER.  Jackman extols the intoxicating pull of fishing; the one thing that sparks animation in his passiveness.  Jumbo's character is far more dynamic as she tries to lure Jackman a committed relationship.  She spent the day on the river letting Jackman teach her the beauty of casting.  At night when Jackman pleas for her to join him fishing on the perfect moonless night, she puts her waders down & opts to remain inside with her book by Woolf.  "It's just getting interesting.  It's about people setting out for the lighthouse.  Do they even get there or not?"  Does this play reach fathoms of artistry or intrigue?  No, THE RIVER is shallow & trickles along slowly.

THEORY OF EVERYTHING-Is NOT a BRIEF History of Stephen Hawking

The beautifully filmed movie THEORY of EVERYTHING includes quantum information on Stephen Hawking, but then it's all relative.  This wonderfully acted movie starring Eddie Redmayne as Hawking & Felicity Jones (think Reese Witherspoon as a brunette with an British accent) as his first wife Jane follows them from the time they were students at Cambridge to the present.  It didn't feel there were any darkholes in the story telling; it's long winded and not likely to appeal to the masses.  But, for those who love a biopic movie of a remarkable man & are interested to learn about his love life & philosophies, this movie will draw you to its epicenter.  Shortly after Stephen & Jane meet in 1963, Hawking was diagnosed with ALS.  The prognosis given by his physician was only 2 years to live.  This prognosis has been proven false.  Hawking also proves & disproves his own theories pertaining to blackholes.  As Jane so eloquently summarized her husband's objective, "to find a simple equation to explain everything since the beginning of time."  Everything in life is in a constant state of flux.  People have always craved an understanding of the underlying order of the world.  Hawking maintains there are no boundaries to the unvierse or human endeavor.  For those who wish to learn more about Hawking's personal history & have patience for this yawning yarn, there is hope that you will be rewarded.  Then again, "One never knows do one." (F. Walker)

Billy & Ray-Film Noir is Created, This Play I Hated

Billy & Ray @ the Vineyard Theater is behind the scenes look at the contentious collaboration between dir/screenwriter Billy Wilder & novelist Raymond Chandler on the groundbreaking film Double Indemnity.  Double Indemnity is the film that navigated around studio's stringent censorship restrictions and introduced the artistic film noir genre.  Sounded like an interesting premise for a play.  Unfortunately, this insipid and amateurish production was so bad it fit the trainwreck genre; so unbelievably bad you can't turn away.  I should have left at intermission.  The 1st act was annoying, terribly acted & cheesy melodrama.  The 2nd act was awful.  Garry Marshall directed this stinker & Sophie von Haselberg (Bette Midler's daughter) was cast as the wise cracking secretary.  There is nothing redeeming in this play.  It wouldn't fly in Poughkeepsie.  In retrospect, Billy & Ray was not a good idea in any way.

FATHER COMES HOME from the WAR @ The Public Theater

This Civil War play by Suzan-Lori Parks, a brilliant contemporary playwright, epitomizes the best of theatrical experiences.  Parks has been awarded the Pulitzer Prize for her Tony winning play Topdog/Underdog.  Withn this intense look at slavery during the Civil War, there is love, heartbreak and humor.  The play ingeniously shows the imbedded servitude of slavery & the unwavering contention of the plantation owner's sovereignty over his slaves.  Prior to & during the performance on a small, stark set a solo guitarist plays southern blues, setting the tone with his music & poignant lyrics.  The play opens on a pre-dawn gathering of 4 slaves excitedly wagering their prized possessions on whether Homer, their master's favored slave, will be going to war alongside the Colonel.  Homer appears contending he is staying on the plantation with Penny, the woman he loves.  Homer seeks advice from the oldest slave who has been like a father to him.  Homer reveals the Colonel's offer of freedom if he serves alongside him for the Confederacy. It takes little prodding to convince Homer to leave as he had intended.  The scene shifts to a small encampment.  The Colonel has lost his regiment but has captured a Union soldier.  Homer is servile & tends to the Colonel's every whim.  The pompous preening & preaching by the Colonel of white supremecy is appalling & comical.  Most shocking is the explanation Homer gives their captive for not running away.  Homer's warped sense of self-worth comes from the high monetary value deemed him by the Colonel.  "I'm worth something and if I ran away I'd be stealing."  Homer returns as a lordly freed man to the plantation after the Colonel has been killed.  Comic relief is brilliantly delivered by Homer's talking dog who relays the chain of events before his master's return.  The juxtaposition of grave issues & humor prove "truth is a funny thing." A refrain heard often among the slaves is "there are worse things."  This masterpiece is one of the best plays I've seen.                

ROSEWATER film & dialogue with Dir/writer Jon Stewart & Steven Colbert

Jon Stewart, host of the Daily Show, known for his sharp wit & politcal lambasting, has written & directed the astonishing film ROSEWATER.  The film recounts the harrowing events of Newsweek reporter, Maziar Bahari who in June 2009, traveled back to his native country of Iran to cover the Presidential election between incumbent despot leader Ahmadinejad & opposing candidate Moussavi.  Moussavi running on a platform of reform & social change was garnering strong support from the people of Iran.  Bahari interviewed supporters of both candidates.  He also did an interview with Jason Jones for the Daily Show.  Jones interview with Bahari was irreverant & humorous; perhaps something Americans take for granted.  The election declared Ahmadinejad the winner.  Many were convinced it was a sham & their votes weren't counted.  Bahari (played convincingly by Gael Garcia Bernal) filmed the protests following the election met with military force resulting in casualities & havoc.  Bahari released his footage which ran internationally.  He was arrested shortly afterwards at the home of his mother, played by the incomparable Iranian/Amer. actress, Shoreh Aghdashloo.  The agony Bahari endured during his 118 days of solitary confinement, torture & inquestions was traumatic.  Still, Bahari's sustained an insurmountable strength & dignity.   Bahari's brutal interrogator was only known as Rosewater. This is a remarkable storytelling.  The acting is phenomenal & the cinematography puts into the scenes.  Most importantly, the film is an omnipotent weapon against oppression.  The panel discussion following the film with Stewart, Colbert & Maziar Bahari made this an exceptional & memorable event.  After Colbert's & Stewart's mutual flaggelation, a serious topical discourse of events ensued.  This question was posed to Stewart, "Didn't you feel guilty for the interview that led to Bahari's imprisonment?"  Stewart answered forthrightly, "No, but we felt immediately responsible for getting him released."   A democratic society can only thrive when allowed freedom of expression, freedom to vote and the conscientious practice of both.          

THE ELEPHANT MAN starring Bradley Cooper

Bradley Cooper, the handsome, talented Oscar nom. movie star is cast as John Merrick, (b. England 1862-90) a horrendously disfigured man.  Merrick suffered from a condition called elephantitis resulting in massive swelling & bodily distortions.  The play begins on an ascetic set with Cooper dressed in only  shorts standing next to a life size photo of Merrick.  Dr. Frederick Treves is on the other side of the photo acerbically describing Merrick's maladies.   Cooper contorts himself to align with the disfigurements as they're being pointed out.  Cooper's transformation & performance are nothing short of miraculous.   Without the use of prosthesis, Cooper personifies the deformities and disabling speech & movements of Merrick; "The Elephant Man."  Dr. Treves finds Merrick being displayed & humiliated in a freak show.  He rescues Merrick from this degradation & brings  him to live at the hospital where he works.  However, Merrick's torment persists as staff come to gape or refuse to attend to him.  This deeply stirring philosophical play contemplates religion & humanity.   Mrs. Kendal, a famous actress  (the always illuminating Patricia Clarkson) is drawn to visit Merrick & a trusting friendship develops.  The moment Mrs. Kendal & Merrick first shake hands communicates the crucial role of physical contact.  Act I ends with Merrick's heartbreaking wails.  For all his prior suffering & humiliations, his newfound friendships & kindnesses of others reveal an endless chasm of despair.  Merrick comprehends the vast experiences his grotesque physique will deprive him of in life.  This inspirational & extraordinary play leaves you grateful for the joy & astonishment of ordinary things.    

Picasso & Jacqueline - The Artist, His Muse & Works 1st Time on View

The Pace Gallery on W 25th is exhibiting an extraordinary collection of works produced during the last 20 years of his life.  These years are arguably his most prolific & personally most rewarding.  The front entrance has a collection of black/white photos by David Duncan that reveal a private peek at the man at work & play with his wife, Jacqueline; more than 40 years his junior.   The exhibit is called "Picasso & Jacqueline:  The Evolution of Style."  It appears from both the photos & numerous paintings made with Jacqueline as his model, this was a profound relationship of love & admiration.  Many of these works are being viewed by the public for the first time as most are from the Picasso family estate as well as loans from private collections & major museums.   Jacqueline is painted in a myriad of styles; all attesting to her great beauty.  Included in this show are 11 paintings from the series of Picasso's "The Women of Algiers" (1954-55) inspired by Delacroix's painting & a tribute to his friend & rival Matisse.  This is a unique opportunity to get a rare glimpse of the great artist's paintings & personal life.    

New HOCKNEY PAINTINGS (never get old) @ PACE in Chelsea

The PACE Gallery on W 25th is presenting Hockney's newest paintings.  Hockney (British b. 1937) shows no signs of slowing down.  This collection is the 1st exhibition of new works since his return to LA from England.   There are new portraits in this collection along with some works of photography.  Pushing 80, Hockney is fascinated with current technology as seen in his recent iPad works: The Arrival of Spring.  Included in this exhibit are 5 photographic drawings on high-definintion screens.  New  technology is embraced by Hockney with masterful & absorbing effect.  The most arresting works in this show for me are the dancer paintings referencing Matisse's iconic painting DANCE.  Hockney's vibrant colors, shadowing & bodily configurations give a kinetic & joyous feel to these works.  Each figure has a unique position in space & relation to the other figures.  These latest works by Hockney are dynamic.  Do not miss the opportunity to view David Hockney Some New Painting (and Photography.)        

The BELLE of AMHERST- Emily Dickinson Kindly Stops for Us

Universally recognized as one of America's most important poets, Emily Dickinson lived a very sequestered & banal life.  Very little is known of Dickinson's personal life but her legacy of poetry attest to her intense feelings regarding her family, nature, religion & mortality.  The BELLE of AMHERST is a 1 woman play featuring Joely Richardson (in a shakey portrayal) of Emily Dickinson (ED.)  Emily enters the set of her home in MA in 1883 at the age of 53.  Emily immediately speaks to the audience as if on intimate terms.  For the next 2 hours, ED shares her cake recipe, desires & intimacies with a thread of her poems woven into her soliloquies.  The play is most rewarding during the  recitation of some of her most beloved poems.  Richardson falters often but redeems herself nobly when giving life to ED's poems & her strong desire to have them published.   ED produced more than 1,800 poems in her 56 years but fewer than a dozen were published during her lifetime.  Her her cache of poems were uncovered after her death. Higginson published her 1st collection although he spurned most of the work she had submitted to him.  Emily never married & lived nearly her entire life within her family home.  Her timid & banal existence belied her deep contemplations on life/death & connection with her surroundings.  "Hope is the thing with feathers that perches in the soul and seizes the tune without the words and never stops at all."  For those who enjoy poetry readings & learning about the poet, this charming show will delight.  Although most will not stop for poetry, it kindly arrested me.

WIESENTHAL-A Life Dedicated to Preserving Lives

Simon Wiesenthal was a Holacaust survivor who passed away in '05 at the age of 97.  He is remembered for his relentless pursuit to bring Nazi war criminals to justice.  Wisenthal is credited with aiding in bringing 1,100 Nazi's to trial who went into hiding after WWII.  In this moving one actor play, written & performed by Tom Dugan, we understand Wiesenthal mission to obtaining justice by alerting the world in the courts to Nazi atrocities. WIESENTHAL addresses us directly in the audience as if we were his last group of visitors to whom he is imparting his story & the legacy for the 11,000,000 people killed.  The play is set in his office in Vienna on the eve of his retirement in 2003.  He speaks while dissembling his office/files to be sent onto the Tolerance Museum in LA.  He confides to us that we are a special group as we are the last group he will be addressing.  He disarms us with a joke and a call from his wife whom he promises to remember to bring home the milk.  He writes it down as his wife asks so as not to forget.  We warm  to this disarming proud grandparent.  He tells us "I am often compared to James Bond except I don't  care for martinis."  What Wisenthal passionately cares about is imparting the knowledge of what happens when barbarianism meets with technology. He wishes to leave a permanent testament to serve against further genocides.  This is a compelling biopic enacted with grace, integrity & wisdom.  As Wiesenthal is about to leave his office, he reminds himself to bring milk home.  Far more importantly, he asks, who will remember after I am gone?  "I trust you to remember me."          

BIRDMAN-Soaring Bird's Eye View into an Actor's Hell

BIRDMAN is a piercing & unrelenting character study of a former celebrity film star striving to gain back recognition & maintain his sanity.  Riggan Thomson (an unforgettable Michael Keaton) played the superhero Birdman character in films which brought him fame, fortune & family dysfunction.  Now years later, he's desperate to prove he's a legitimate talent within the ranks of Broadway legends.  With the little money retained from his commercial action films, Riggan gambles everything on acting/directing an adapted Raymond Carver story on B'wy.  The smart acting & brilliant cinematography thrust you seamlesslly into the theatrical world & Riggan's head as he struggles with  demons & vicariously straddles a thin line with reality.  "I've crossed some kind of invisible line to a place…{that} has led me into consideration of death & annihilation."* The movie is a turbulent, exhausting yet rewarding experience.  Despite his relentless compulsion for adulation, Riggan is not without compassion for others.  The interactions between fellow actors (Ed Norton & Naomi Watts)  his daughter (Emma Stone) and legal advisor, (Zak Galifinakis)  reveal absorbing, multi-layers of addictive, compulsive behaviors.  The film soars into the angst & egos attributed to those in show businesss.  BIRDMAN is a phenomenal achievement in cinema.   Everyone involved in this crowning, artistic achievement should clearly be recognized by the Academy.  "To feel myself beloved on the earth,"* is what Birdman & everyman craves.

*Raymond Carver

MTA's Poetry in Motion an untitled Poem by Jeffrey Yang

After a long day, riding home on the subway looking forward to a quiet, relaxing evening, I noticed a new posting of a magical, dreamlike poem by Jeffrey Yang (Amer. b'74.)  His somnolent untitled poem help set the tone for a peaceful evening.  The poem floated in a beautiful painting by artists Holly Sears that has elephants floating in air amongst sea horses & long tailed fish.  The otherworldly combined poem/painting was a lovely way to ease into the nighttime landscape.

            West of rest is sleep
             east, dream
             where waters meet
             north, emptiness,
             south, wakefulness,
             and out, rising up
             to the stars, peace

And to all a good night.

Sturtevant: Double Trouble @ MoMA, Don't Trouble Yourself

Elaine Sturtevant who passed away earlier this year at age 89, was an artist known for imitating the works of other great artists.  In this exhibit there are her works that replicate the styles of Duchamp, Johns, Warhol and contemporary artists such as Gober and Gonzalez-Torres.  She is credited with promoting or getting larger audiences familiar with famous artists & with adopting their techniques.  My question is why is she acclaimed for what other's would claim as plagiarism.  Instead of going to Double Trouble - or as I call it Copy Cat art, see Robert Gober's original works now in a major show @ the MoMA.  Don't trouble yourself to see art redux that isn't new.

"Hey White People" Hey Listen Up EVERYONE

The comedic social commentary film "Hey White People" by dir./writer Justin Simien is a funny, clever & insightful look at racial issues today.  Racism is viewed from multi-perspectives: black, white & mulatto.  "Does anyone say mulatto anymore?" The film parodies our cultural obsessions with reality TV, our electronic devicies & our opportunist drive for fame.  "Hey White People" is the radio talk show hosted by black co-ed, Sam, (Teyonah Parris.)  She is beautiful, brilliant & indomitable.    Simien's writing is superlative.  Listen up, "Using the term African Amer. is more racist than the word black." "Dating a black person to piss off your parents is a form of racism." Hair & skin tones were constantly lampooned.  The movie takes place at an elite college.  We see the events leading up to a racial riot on campus.  A white frat house throws a Halloween party with a "black theme."  Ironically, Cocoa a black co-ed conives the fraternity to host the party.  Cocoa wants to cut all her "ghetto roots" and get cast in a campus reality series aimed at hostilites drawn down racial lines.  This intelligent & sensitive film should've gotten real with younger actors & dismissed the son trying to please his daddy storyline.  I did like the homage to "Imitation of Life."  Most importantly, racial discussions are front & center and from both sides now.  Race is viewed by many as a non-issue regardless of a pervasive, malefic plantation mentality.  White frat brothers view affirmative action as unjust.  The repugnant Halloween party shows white students in black face, chains, gun laden, dancing to loud rap music.  Hey white people "don't dance." Satire here is the weapon of choice.   Simien sharp skills with dialogue drives home many a zinger.  This film is a winner.

DISGRACED Pulitz Prize Winning Play '13

Ayad Akhtar's brilliant play won the Pulitz. last year, and for good reasons.  DISGRACED dismantles the fragile facades of racial/religious tolerance & civility with commanding authortity.  Unlike the B'wy farce GOD OF CARNAGE which also reveals contemptuous behavior & prejudice, DISGRACED takes social issues seriously for a scorching impact.  Amir (played ferociously by Hari Dhillon) is an intense atty. of Muslim heritage at an all Jewish law firm.  He's hungry to place his name alongside the names of the firm's all Jewish partners.  Amir is married to a beautiful Emily (Gretchen Mol) an aspiring artist.  The young couple appear loving & living in an upscale NYC apt.  They are friends with another bi-racial/cultural couple Isaac, a Jewish art dealer, and Jory, a black atty. working at the same law firm as Amir.  "You can't start a fire without a spark."  Amir's nephew Abe implores his Uncle's for legal counsel for an Islamic friend charged as a terrorist.  Against his better judgement but at the urgings of his wife & nephew, he goes to the courthouse.   Amir is quoted in the Times linking his law firm with the case.  Soon the law partners question Amir's idenity (nationality & birth name.)  It appears Amir was not totally forthcoming in his bio details.  Soon after, the 2 couples are having a friendly, civilized dinner that combusts into flames igniting racial, religious & cultural hatred & violence.  Akhtar's play is an illuminating play on the precarious balance between justice & order;  self-loathing & disgrace.  Most of us are still dancing in the dark.  

Robert Gober: The Heart is Not A Metaphor @ MoMA

"The Heart is Not a Metaphor," the exhibit of Gober's work spanning 40 years is anything but subtle.   Gober is identified with his sculptures of of men's hairy leg's & white sinks.  This this show has a compelling narrative & makes you think.  Every item is constructed by his hand; incredible . The show contains a clarion commentary on sexuality and the sanctity of the church.  Gober throws out everything including kitchen sinks (some with running water) & discarded newspapers.  Sculptures of male legs protude from walls & other objects.  This monumental & groundbreaking (literally) collection of Gober's works (Amer. b.'54)  consists of sculptures, drawings, slides, & prints.  There are running water installations & decimated concrete floors with holes with works that had me agog.  Kudo's to the MoMA for its audacity to take extreme measures for maximum impact.  The craftsmanship & ingeniuty of Gober to construct every item which appears manufactured is astounding.  Some may ask why - everyone should be amazed & question how.  This maverick show of an ingenious artist's works are explosive & disturbing.  Many of the works are perturbing,  psychological conundrums.  Clearly, the sinks made in the 80's address the sanitizing, isolating & stigmatizing of AIDS patients.  Note the 2 sinks embedded in the grass glimpsed through a window appearing as tomb stones.  The gallery also contains cribs that are skewered.  Do these represent an abusive, rejected childhood or address the laws preventing  gays to adopt children or marry as the empty bridal gown suggests.  There are printed wall paper prints juxtaposing a white man slumbering serenly alongside a black man's lynching.   shows an image of a white man peacefully sleeping next to a lynching of a black man.   Kitty litter bags strewn demonstrate a tolerance of living with cat excrement within the home at the same time there is intolerance for variant human sexuality.  Sexual explicit prints & drawings of human genitalia are ubiquitous.  The large cigar made of tobacco winks at the Clinton/Lewinsky relation.  On a solemn note, the 9/11 tribute pays respect but mixed with some irreverence.  Still,  I felt a sense of healing.  "The Heart Is not a Metaphor" but the heart does register agitation & pulsation.  This exhibit will literally get your heart racing.  

Jean Luc Godard's "Goodbye to Language" Say What??

The French-Swiss Dir./Screenwriter Jean Luc Godard's "Goodbye To Language" won this year's Canne Jury Prize.  Godard is a highly regarded filmmaker whose been bestowed the Academy's Honary Award.  Words escape me while attempting to condense this pretentious film that is both arduous to watch & difficult to comprehend.  This French speaking film features a male/female relationship with its ups & downs but always in the nude.  "Animals are never naked because they are always naked." The real star of the film is a dog who showed real acting chops.  Philosphical enigmas are abound, most went right over my head.  I wasn't the only one befuddled, "I don't understand" was a recurring comment.  "Do something so I can speak," was another repetitive statement.  The visual style of the film was stunning except when it was blinding or blacked out.  The 3D effects of vivid nature scenes were astonishing.  Water was often used as a metaphor, for what I'm not sure "the water spoke to him in a deep voice trying to communicate."  The overall feeling was dreamlike and elusive, like fading memories.  I was drawn into this artsy film by its staggering visual concepts.  However, the more I was drawn into the hodgepodge of pleasing aesthetics the more obtuse any communication was conveyed like "a fog that stops us from seeing further."      

Beauty is Power: Helena Rubinstein's Art Collection @ The Jewish Museum

Beauty is power, no doubt about it.  Business pioneer, style maverick & promotional genius, Helena Rubinstein (HR) built an empire from cosmetics.  HR empowered women to discover their own, individual beauty utilizing make-up as a tool.  A cosmetic empire was founded by this dynamic woman whose stature was a mere 4'10.  This empire enabled Rubinstein to amass a remarkable collection of art while spanning the globe.  This exhibit hosts a remarkable myriad of works, many by Miro, Picasso, Matisse, Leger as well as African, Oceanic & Totonac sculptures & figureheads.  The plethora of art & objects share a unifying thread.  The works maintain a consistent agreeable aesthetic.   HR explains her unorthodox tastes "I like beautiful things & I'm not afraid to use them in unconventional ways."  An entire wall holds 8 large portraits of HR.  These kalaidescope jeweled paintings create a stunning canvas of fierce magnetism.  This can be construed as hubris but not without merit.  This self-made tycoon was a master of self-promotion motivated to "instill in women that beauty is attainable."  Note the 12 charcoal drawings of HR by Picasso; all unique yet similar in depicting this formidable dynamo.  Her selected works are alluring.  The seductive sculptures by Eli Nadelman were among my favorite pieces.  A surrealist painting shows a woman peering through a keyhole, viewing another woman adorned in glittering candles.  This voyeur may represent a woman seeking access to beauty.  An exquisite Venetian mirror centrally placed in the room with her jewels & fashions suggests everyone's power for enhancing their own beauty.    

NYPHIL. Rehearsal, A. COPLAND & C. ROUSE

Leonard Slatkin returning conductor for the NYPhil. rehearsed Copland's El Salon Mexico & the NY  premier of Chritopher Rouse's Flute Concerto.  Copland, is known as "Dean of American Composers" for his innovative compositions that evoke our pioneering spirit and expansive landscapes.  Copland  wrote El Salon Mexico after his travels through the Mexican in the early 30's.  While traveling through Mexico, he visited the famous dance hall El Salon Mexico which made a strong impression.  Copland's signature ballets; Appalachian Spring & Rodeo are clearly interwoven into El Salon Mexico but the flair of Mexican dance is evident.  I envisioned women dancers swirling in their long frilly dresses to mariachi melodies.  Christopher Rouse is finishing his 3rd year as the Philharmonic's composer-in-residence.  Rouse's Flute Concerto was making it's New York Premiere.  The opening flute solo was  innovative & serenely alluring.  A full orchestration came in suddenly but carried the flute along without overpowering it.  The majestic orchestration included bells, cymbals, a xylophone, a harp, a snare & tenor drum.  The glorious wind & string section were vibrant & stirring.   Sandpaper blocks had intermittent solos which accentuated the shifts in movements.  Rouse's innovative style contains surprising elements that delight & create fresh interpretations on classical compositions.  Rouse's departure at the end of this season will be missed.  I plan not to miss any of his other works in the Philharmonic's upcoming repertoire.      

FOUND at the Atlantic Theater - Trash Transformed to Treasure

The new musical FOUND at the Atlantic Theater is quirky fun, spun from actual notes discovered on discarded debris.  These anonymous notes lay bare raw emotions & ironic candor.  The actual notes were collected & self-published in FOUND magazine.  The play centers on Davey, an unemployed writer who becomes engaged in finding scattered papers containing message fragments. These findings amass to reflect philosophical, quixotic comments.  Davy performs stand-up readings at the urging of his roommate, Denise (Barrett Weed in a marvelous performance.)  As the readings grow in popularility,  the idea to publish a collection of these notes flourishes into the magazine "Found" with the help of Davy's other roommate & lifelong friend Mikey (Daniel Everidge in a very comedic & likeable performance.)  The talented ensemble cast all play multi-characters with charm & wit.  The musical numbers are sung beautifully by the cast; Christina (Christina Anthony) was a standout with her lovely singing voice & mercurial transformations.  The show's themes:  finding success, trust, love & adhering to one's ideals are cleverly bound with a pastiche of readings & visual postings of these notes dispersed within the storyline.  The musical score & orchestration by Franka Galgano & Matt Castle is as good if not better than what is found in B'wy musicals. The "Cats Are Cats" song is a wink to CATS based loosely on poems by T.S. Eliot.  The jetsam uncovered here among the trash is no less profound or poetic.  Seek out this innovative & thoroughly entertaining show at the Atlantic Theater.  It is a rare gem to be treasured but may lose its way if moved to B'wy.      

THE JUDGE-Guilty of Predictable Pathos, Vindicated with Great Acting

THE JUDGE is a mixed bag of courtroom/family drama that might have robbed you of your time if it weren't for the phenomenal acting by its bankable stars & all parties involved.  Robert Downey, Jr. (Hank Palmer) plays an unctuous, fast-talking, indomitable atty.  Robert Duvall (Judge Palmer) is a long standing, highly respected judge in a small Indiana town & father to Glen, Dale & estranged son Hank.  Hank heads to Northwestern, becomes a successful lawyer in Chicago & never looks back.  After receiving a call regarding his mother's death, Hank begrudginly heads back to pay his respects. Hank leaves behind his vindictive soon to be ex-wife & his adoring daughter.  Hank braces himself before entering his father's home.  His older brother Glen (Vincent D'Onofrio) & younger, mentally challenged brother Dale (Jeremy Strong) are there to greet him; their familial bond intact.  But, the badblood between Hank & his father explodes as soon as they encounter each other.  Hank makes it clear his stay is merely temporary.  Once on board his return flight he receives a frantic call from Glen.  Their father has been arrested for murder & they need his help. A court room drama of unmitigating flair ensues.  Every ploy in the book of melodrama is thrown down. The opposing ominous atty. is played with oily perfection by Billy Bob Thornton.  Jeremy Strong as Dale is affecting in his genial, dimwitted confusion.  D'Onofrio is powerful as the steadfast family member. The entire supporting cast is magnificent but the heavy lifting is done with bravado by Downey & Duvall. There's no deliberation needed to determine the outcome of this quilty pleasure.  But, the acting returns a must see verdict.      

SOLAR RESERVE installation @ Linc. Ctr. "Here Comes the Sun"

Lincoln Center Plaza has incorporated added sunshine with the recent installation of John Gerrard's SOLAR RESERVE.  Gerrard (b. Ireland 1974) is an installation artist known for utilizing digital simulations mounted on large sculptures.  This intriguing & delightful video presents a solar reserve station in Nevada.  The station contains a central tower structure surrounded by 10,000 mirrors which reflect azure blue and form a surrounding circular shape.  As you watch, the mirrors turn towards the sun's rays immitating nature's ingenious beauty of a sunflower, shifting with the traversing of the sun.  The video changes hourly to reflect varying aerial views.  Hopefully, more solar reserve stations will become part of our landscape & staple energy sources.  Thankfully, SOLAR RESERVE is on view outside Lincoln Center; voila le soleil.

"Listen Up Philip," Jason Schwartzman Never Shuts Up, Worth Watching

The acerbic, self-indulgent character study of a writer who is his own worst enemy, is played winningly by Jason Schwartzman.  Schwartzman is one of Wes Anderson's featured actors who never disapoints.  The film "Listen Up Philip" is written/dir. by Alex Ross Perry.  Perry provides Schwartzman (Philip) self-indulgent, mean-spirited diatribe that spurns everyone in his wake.  Schwartzman makes his character impossibly fascinating with his ego-maniacal asshole behaviors.  Philip sharp witted tongue lashes insults & breaks hearts.  The fabulous cast includes Elizabeth Moss radiating both strength & vulnerability as Ashley, his dejected girlfriend.  Jonathan Pryce portrays Ike Zimmerman, an older acclaimed author & misanthropic asshole whom Philip emulates.   Philip achieves literary acclaim as a young writer & takes great pleasure in humiliating people from his past who doubted him.  Philip goes on to sabotage the success of his latest book & any opportunity for a meaningful relationship.  Ike's daughter tells Philip he's just like him, "you destroy the lives of people all around you."  Both writers obtain future critical & financial success while alienating those around them.  When Philip shows up at the aptmt. he shared with Ashley after a long absence he finds he's persona non grata; replaced by a cat she has to come cherish.  "You should love a human instead," Philip tells her.  Philip proves unloveable  but totally irresistible to watch.

"Whiplash" Drummed Up Trash - Take a Pass

The melodramatic film, "Whiplash" is a psychological mind game pseudo-thriller with jazz riffed into the mix.  Set in "the most prestigious music school in the world,"  we follow Andy Dunn (Miles Teller)  aspiring to be a great drummer.  May I have a drum roll please, tah dum... And Your Done from the 1st down beat.   Jazz dept. dir. Terrence Fletcher (J.K. Simmons) selects Andy to be in his elite jazz troupe & tells him "just have fun."  Chair throwing & abusive humiliation is no sane person's idea of fun.  Fletcher makes no apologies for his motivational methods of intentional emotional distress.  Andy asks  whether there is a harmful line to cross.  Fletcher reasons the ends justify the means. "I push people beyond what's expected.  It's necessary to bring in the next great Armstrong or Parker."  The movie's tempo is mired in platitudes & predicatable plodding plots.  En route to the jazz competition, everything goes wrong.  The collision you see coming leaves him a bloody mess.  Fear not, he makes it to there on time.  Oops, was that a buzz kill?  The entire movie is a train wreck unless watching a militaristic boot camp bully push students to the brink is your idea of fun.  Miles Teller is a talented young actor reminiscent of a young Robert Mitchum.  Hopefully Teller will get other gigs worthy of his talent.  Thankfully, this is whipped up fictitious trash.  See the doc. "Keep on Keepin on" instead to watch a truly great man & jazz mentor.  

Julliard Drama "By the Way, Meet Vera Stark," By the Way, See Future Stars

The Julliard Drama Dept. tackled the complex, mulit-layered play "By the Way, Meet Vera Stark," and scored a huge hit.  Vera Stark is the central character in a play, about the making of a movie in the 40's which becomes the subject of black history panel analyzing the roles depicting Negroes as subservient servants while subverting the subject of American slavery.  An ambitious play that looks at racial stereotypes from various angles and examines all the angles which people vie for their ambitions.  A cerebral play that resonated with political & racial messages in an engaging & insightful approach.   Pulitizer prize winning playwright, Lynn Nottage, (b. Amer. 1964) provided an outstanding play that examines racial relations & how/why Negroes, Afro-Americans have been portrayed in cinema.  The talented ensemble gifted performers with delightful singing voices.  The smaller dual roles of Lottie/Carmen (Chelsea Williams) & Leroy/Herb ((Brandon Hall) were played as if by B'wy veterans.  This amateur Julliard production was appealing for multiple reasons; most notably for its dazzling star quality performances.

FALL for DANCE $25 all Seats Best Dance Deal EVER

New Yorkers are pretty savy when it comes to dance, especially when there's a bargain.  But, unless you're in line the morning tickets go on sale (at least 6 hours beforehand) you're out of luck.  The tickets sell out in a NY minute.  I went 2 days later & managed to buy 2 seats in the very top row of City Center, just beneath the ceiling.  I wanted to see the SF Ballet Co. on the program Wed. Oct. 8th.  The FALL for DANCE brings in world wide 1st class dance companies providing a motley mix of dance.  This is an exciting & inexpensive way to see numerous companies rarely appearing in NYC.  The $25 to see SF Ballet perform "Variations for Two Couples" choreographed by Hans Van Manen with Benjamin Britten's score was the piece des resistance.  (I want to grouse that I paid the same as the audience seated in the orchestra for the nose bleed section.)  Having said that, the choreography & 4 dancers took my breathe away.  (It wasn't from the altitude.)  The BLACK GRACE Co. from New Zealand performed a tribal Samoan dance that was more calisthetics & mind numbing pounding.  I've never seen anything quite like it and I didn't like it, at all.  Mark Morris Dance Group was commissioned for FALL for DANCE.  Morris choreographed this world premier "Words" for which I only have derogatory words: silly, unimaginative and at it's best, banal.  I have much kinder words for  Sadler's Wells London Co.'s "TWO x TWO" choreographed by Russell Maliphant.  This U.S. premier features 2 female dancers.  Both are constricted to a lighted square; one downstage & the other further back.  The darkened staged & saturnine dance was hypnotic.  It created a very somber yet magical feel.  I was dazzled by this piece.  That scored a 2 out of 4 for my $25 which proved well worth it.  But hey, maybe for us seated up in the boonies - maybe we could be given a complimentary drink for the ascent required to get to our seats.

Henri Matisse: The Cut-Outs-Filled with Shapes & Color; Don't Miss Out

The MoMA's Matisse cut-out collage exhibit is the most comprehensive assemblage of Matisse's works in this medium.  In the 1940's, when Matisse's health & mobility waned, he veered from his oil paintings & began cutting & assembling painted paper into abstract & architectural forms.  Perhaps this facilitated the artist's ability to create from a more sedentary, eased position.   Perhaps this medium was liberating, allowing Matisse to manipulate his work easier than painting oil on canvas.  Regardless,  Matisse continued to experiment & expand from his body of work.  It may be assumed that great artists would contemplate their legacy in their later years with the aspiration for remaining relevant.  "I know it will only be much later that people will realize to what extent the work I am doing today is in step with the future."  Many of the 100+ works on display are easily identifiable as Matisse's.  The painted paper cut-outs resemble compositions & forms of his previous paintings.   It is intersting to note, however, that the rigid cut-out shapes have a fluidity & mobility in their composition.  And, the abstract, multi-layered child-like shapes are very joyful & intriguing.  Most refreshing & dynamic is Matisse's monumental cut-out "The Swimming Pool," (1952.)  I felt bouyant as though I were I floating through his configuration of swimmers.  The entire exhibit is delightful & exuberant; not to be missed.

NYC Ballet Premiers Ratmansky's "Pictures at an Exhibition"- A Masterpiece

The program for NYC Ballet "21st Century Choreographers I" featured new works by Scarlett, Schumacher, Peck & the World Premier (Sept. '14) of Ratmansky's Pictures at an Exhibition.  Ratmansky's brilliant ballet brought a vivid musicality to Mussorgsky's music.  The costumes, lighting & projection designs  created a stunning visual effect; a work of art in the making.  Ratmansky's choreography had a vitality & fluidity that reverberated with every note.  The dancing was lyrical, magical & fresh.  The entire  ensemble was first rate.  Wendy Whelan added her ephemeral grace & artistry.  The audience lauded Ms. Whelan who will be ending her long & illustrious career with NYC Ballet.  The dancing & visuals were altogether dazzling.  Sara Mearns & Tiler Peck are 2 prima ballerinas who continue to flourish and amaze.  I'm a huge fan of Ratmansky's ballets & will look forward to seeing this ballet again & any future works by this gifted choreographer.  I was deeply moved by Liam Scarlett's "Funerailles," melancholy pas de deux with music by Franz Liszt.  This stirring & eloquent ballet was danced with perfection by Tiler Peck & Robert Fairchild.  The pair created a powerful macabre aura. The costumes by Sarah Burton for Alexander McQueen & lighting by Mark Stanley added emotional gravitas.  Scarlett is another creative genius whose ballets never fall short of spectacular.  The program not to be missed this fall season is "21st Century Choreographers I."

NYPhil Rehearsal Premiers Rouse's "Thunderstuck"

Yes, "Thunderstuck" (no r) is a terrific, apropos title.   This was an exciting opportunity to hear the world premier of this magnificent work by Christopher Rouse (b. Amer. 1949.)  This stirring composition emulates Gerswhin's famous Rhapsody in Blue.  It is not a facsimile but it does build upon the indigenous American sound of industry, opportunity & swagger.  The piece begins with the solo sounds of sandpaper blocks, setting the tone for the brighter, richer resonance which builds to a crescendo.  The jubilant harmony elicits from orchestra bells, Chinese cymbals & cow bells (just enough cow bells.)   The bass drum, oboes, clarinets & bassoons enrich the score with a resounding swagger.  I was smitten with "Thunderstuck." It's clever composition & instrumentation creats a jocular jaunt.   Rouse is completing his 3 yr. Composer-in-Residence with the NYPhil.   He dedicated "Thunderstuck" to maestro Gilbert.  The other pieces on the program were Haydn's Symph. #103 & Brahms Violin Conerto in D.  This was a magnificent program.  It was thrilling to have been one of the 1st to hear Mr. Rouse's composition & to see him present at the rehearsal.

Leon Panetta Dellvers Direct Responses to Andrea Mitchell @ 92ndY

Leon Panetta's talk last night @ the 92ndY was timely, important, direct & engaging.  It was a privilege to be in the audience to hear NBC's chief foreign correspondent, Andrea Mithcell, ask pertinent, pressing questions to Leon Panetta at this precarious time.  Mitchell, is a former chief White House reporter & regular guest on "Meet the Press."  Mitchell's questions to Panetta were very direct & left Panetta free to answer.  Panetta, former dir. of the CIA & sec. of defense under Obama & Clinton's chief of staff, was well versed & cogent in his responses.  Panetta likened ISIS overtaking borders on Turkey yesterday to al qaeda's intention of attacking the U.S. "ISIS is the greatest fanatical terrorist threat."  He believes "the U.S. will be in a long & sustained war with ISIS."  Asked if removing troops from Iraq left a vacuum allowing ISIS to burgeon, Panetta answered, yes.  He maintained U.S. troops should have continued to be a presence in Iraq & Afghanistan.  Panetta faulted Obama with not following through on his threat to take action on Syria after al-assad gased & killed thousands. Panetta believes Obama gave a "terrible message to the world" by remaining passive, abetting aggressive leaders like Putin.  Panetta advised the U.S. to apply heavy sanctions against Russia & provide military equipment & financial support to the Ukranian people.  Panetta is vehement against allowing Iran to develop nuclear capabilities.  Tthe greatest threat to our nation," according to Panetta, "is the dysfunction in D.C." Obama must fight hard every day to get things through Congress & maintain a strong leadership role or the U.S. will be led instead crisis by crisis.  Panetta quoted Theodore Roosevelt "the best thing you can do is make the right decision, the 2nd best thing is to make the wrong decision & the worst thing you can do is make no decision."    

Off Bwy IT HAS to be YOU-$25 too GOOD to be TRUE?

I like NY in June, how about you?  I like a good bargain or two, how about you?  For $25 the off B'wy show IT HAS to be YOU will do.  Playwright, Catherine Butterfield (Joined at the Head) stars as Mindy in this droll, predictable play about familial ties & gigalo wiles.   Mindy & Frank (Adam Ferrara) are siblings driving up to check on their 75 yr. old widowed mom, Dorothy, after a neighbor alerted them to her nude dancing on the balcony.  Fearing that their mother may becoming senile & wistfully planning on inheriting her estate, they strategize together & bring each other up to date on their problematic lives.  Mindy is a neurotic, narcissitic single woman whose 10 yr. affair with a married man has been terminated.  Frank is struggling to keep his tuxedo business afloat & his marriage anchored.  When they arrive at their mother's home they find they have bigger fish to fry.  Their mom has a guy 30 years younger they fear will usurp them in her will.  Senility has not set in rather Burt (Peter Davenport) her young lover has moved in & Frank & Mindy want him out.  Jed their successful, gay brother arrives the next & the 3 siblings are in collusion to rid them mom of Burt.  Jed does just that by outing Burt as gay breaking their mother's heart in the process.  Mother may know everything but mother does not know best.  The acting by the cast elevates this comedic yawn; particularly Burt played with convincing charm & Frank with comedic chops.  I can see we may disagree on what to do you - I don't recommend, how about you?  

Doc. on Jazz Legend Terry Carter "Keep On Keepin On" Inspirating to Infinity & Beyond

Dizzy Gillespie, Quincy Jones, Miles Davis, Herbie Hancock & many others honor Terry Carter (TC) as the greatest jazz trumpet player to have picked up a horn.  As 1 of 11 children born into a very poor neighborhood in St. Louis.  TC at a very young age was so impassioned to play a trumpet, he assembled an instrument from lead pipes, & flotsam jetsam taken from the local dump & played his heart out.  The neighbors couldn't tolerate the abrasive noise & scrummaged together $12 to purchase him a trumpet from the local pawn shop.  Thus began a lifetime of love & dedication to performing & mentoring of music.  The countless other jazz artists in the film sing praises not only for his talent but for the man & his life.  This winning, heartwarming & inspirational doc. spans TC's illustrious career.  More importantly, the camera captures the loving mentoring of TC to Justin Kauflin, 20+ jazz pianist prodigy whose been blind since age 6.  Mr. Carter, now in his 90's, has dealt with diabetes for over 50 yrs.  The disease recently cost TC his eyesight & both his legs.  Still, this is a doc. that is a heartfelt tribute to determination, support, kindness, love and of course jazz.  What comes blazing off the screen is the love & respect between TC & his wife Gwen, the love they have for Justin and Justin for them & how this keeps the love & support for others paying forward.  Justin says "Thank you so much CT, for everything."  I watched this film & it touched me more than I can express.  I thought to myself, what a wonderful human being; what a wonderful world.

David Hockney's THE ARRIVAL of SPRING Just in Time for Fall

One of the most celebrated & renowned modern, pop artists living today, David Hockney (b. Britain 1937) is pushing 80 & still adding to his panoply of works that include painting, print making, set designs & photography.  THE ARRIVAL of SPRING @ PACE Gallery is an exhibit of videos & experimental iPad paintings that pay homage to his Yorkshire roots to which he has returned. Known for his splashy paintings & collages that represent his LA years, Hockney presents a sonnett to the transition from a wintery landscape to the rites of spring.  A large video installation in fragmented sections puts the viewer into the frame as the cameras continues down the road with trees shedding their melting snow.  The colorful, whimsical paintings ( 2011) were created on the iPad app for drawing. Some of the works resemble Van Gogh style of broken strokes & vivid colors.  Hockney's paintings are awash in color & playfulness.  This Renaissance man shows his perpetual interest in utilizing cutting edge technology in his art and a youthful spirit.  Hockney admits to his impatience for waiting on the passing seasons.  With this impatience Hockney found "It made me look much harder at what I was drawing." This delightful show is a breath of fresh air as we transition into autumn.

Jenny Holzer's "Dust Paintings" in Chelsea Leave a Solid Impact

Jenny Holzer, is a contemporary conceptual artist (b. Amer. 1950.)  Conceptual art is construed as potent social, political commentary.  Conceptual artists work in a multitude of mediums to express their intent.  Holzer's most recent works "Memory & Regret: Dust Paitings" are on view @ the Cheim & Read Gallery.  The 1st room is arresting; figuratively & literally.  The darkened room accentuates the audio/visual installation suspended from the ceiling. It has a fleeting text in flashing, white lettering on a black monitor.  Deciphering the message demands attention.  The word security stood out.  There is a pervasive siren sound.  The combined effect paired with the only other piece in the room, a large black/white painting, stirs up the tension of a police interrogation.  Holzer may be referencing the killings of black teen - Brown by a white officer in Ferguson or Martin - murdered by a white man exonerated of the crime.  It also references racial profiling.  The large, well lit gallery is deceptively more disturbing.  Holzer managed to obtain transcripts of interrogations of Muslim prisoners detained at Guantanamo Bay.  These men were interrogated & tortured with methods referred to as water boarding.  The texts on these paintings are verbatim transcripts with blackened censorship markings.  Jamal Nasser the prisoner who died while in custody is apparent.  The paintings resemble headstones with snowflakes or rushing water.  The final 2 galleries offer a respite from the macabre art.  Here Holzer's Mondrian style paintings have cheery colored lines & shapes. Tragically, our current military consequences in Iraq/Afghanistan stem from Bush/Cheny's hawkish invasions.  The message of concealment or disseminating of sensitive information is more obscured by hued aesthetic of the paintings.  Holzer's "Dust Paintings" are disturbing & provocative and serve as tangible, repentant reminders.      

MIGHTY REAL-A Fabulous Sylvester Musical-It's a Knockout Hit

Disco daze is back in a big way at the St. Clements Church on W 46th.  MIGHTY REAL is a  powerhouse, knockout performance packed with major talent.  The biopic show tells the life, legacy & tragedy of the multi-talented disco diva, Sylvester, known as much for his singing as for his flamboyant style.  Anthony Wayne gives a fabulous performance as the outcast, unlucky in love & determined entertainer who believed his music would make him a star.  Wayne co-wrote this musical while starring on B'wy in Pippin.  Anastaci McCleskey and Jacqueline Arnold are cast as his backup singers who go out on their own & found success as the Weather Girls.  Both McCleskey (Bwy Hair & Tarzan) & Arnold are phenomenal singing sensations.  This vibrant, pulsating show has Sylvester tell us his life's story.  Born in S. LA, the oldest of 6 siblings in a single parent home.  Home was a haven.  Here he found love & acceptance & the joy of music.  Outside the home he was felt rejected.  Sylvester's 1st musical influence was gospel from the church & then radio & TV.   The choir dir. at church sexually abused him as a child.  He left home at 16 feeling shamed, living for years on the streets of LA.  His  solace & pleasures were found through music & his new home in SF.  "Music transported me to joy, love & acceptance."  He idolized the well known divas which he used to define his own sound & style. Fame & fortune came with several major hits:  You Make Me Feel & Do Ya Wanna Funk.  This energetic, joy ride of a show is bitter-sweet.  We're reminded of the devastating AIDS epidemic.  It's also a prescient reminder of the pervasive intolerance in our society.  Most importantly, it makes you feel mighty real & appreciative of every moment.  

Neil LaBute's THE MONEY SHOT-Takes Aim at Women & Fame-But It's Lame

Amer. playwright/dir/screenwriter, Neil LaBute is a very crafty writer, highly regarded for his work.  His film IN THE COMPAN of MEN won the Sundance & Indept. Spirit Awards.  The Amer. Acad. of Arts & Letters was awarded LaBute in '13.  He's known for his verbose venom of political incorrectness laced with misogynistic & misanthropic vitriol.  I've admired his previous plays REASONS to BE PRETTY and REASON to BE HAPPY containing female dispersions & outlandish cruelty.  Still, I found these plays to have a biting credibility to their sharp dialogue.  Amidst the harshness in his previous works, there arose empathy & insight with his well drawn characters.  THE MONEY SHOT is much more ambitious in its targets for contempt.  The play is set in LA;  home to cinema - no, that's false hype; France has that claim to fame.  Look it up!  The casts' thin facade of glamour & intelligence their flaws are soon shorn.  The characters are egomaniacal, controlling, misogynistic, cruel & witless.  There are 2 couples: a lesbian couple with a fading ingenue & bombastic screenwriter, a hetero-sexual couple; an aging male movie star married to a much younger, blonde bimbo.  The broad material for parody is sprawling.   However, LaBute missed hitting intended marks by a long shot.  The striking impacts that resonate with scorching truths went awry.  THE MONEY SHOT missed the bull's eye.  Instead, it was botoxed full of bullshit.   Don't bother looking this one up.    

JETER You're Just 2 Good 2 B True

Derek Jeter will forever be synonymous with the number 2, with sportsmanship & leadership.  The fanfare for Jeter has been well deserved.  For the past 20 years his indefatigable spirit & winning smile have been inspirational.  Last night Jeter went out in style:  bottom of the 9th, game tied, runner on base - he hits a game winning walk-off single.  Hooray Hooray Hooray - say it's so Joe.  A fairy tale ending to a career built on hard work, good cheer & a love of the game which has been infectious.  We wish you success in your new ventures and hope you don't venture far from your home here in NYC.  You're just too good to be, all eyes are on you.

                      *Pardon the way that we stare
                    There's nothing else to compare
                   The sight of you leaves us weak
                    There are no words left to speak
                     You're just too good to be true
                   We can't take our eyes off of you.     (*Four Seasons)

Derek Jeter you will forever be in our hearts with each start of baseball season.   Number 2 is retired with the best.
               

Pres. & UN come to NYC it's Anarchy-Still we see Poetry in Motion

New Yorkers know that while our city has the distinguished honor of hosting the UN & the President of the U.S., it's a royal pain in the ass for us.  The rain only makes it more insane.  You cannot easily get around.  Don't even think aboud it; fohget aboud it!  What you need to do is take your Metro card out & get on the subway.  Not only will it get you around the city easier (& much cheaper) you may spot another jewel of poem tucked inside the cars.  Today I spotted this little gem by Dorothea Tanning (Amer. b. 1910-2012.)  Tanning is known for her writing as well as her surrealism paintings & sculptures.  Artist Max Ernest  (German b. 1891-76) known for his surrealism, modern & Dada art was also known as Tanning's spouse for 30 yrs.

                      Graduation
  He told us, with the years, you will come
                  to love the world
And we sat there with our souls in our laps,
                and comforted them.
       ---------------------------------------
Rain, rain go away, take the President with
        and allow beloved Jeter to play.

              Captain My Captain*            (*Walt Whitman Amer. b. 1819-1892)

           O Captain! My Captain!
   Your fearless career & grace we cheer,
    You've steered the team for 20 years.
        The prize you've sought is won.
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting.
            But O heart! Heart! Heart!
      Forever in our hearts you'll remain
as poetry in motion upon the leaves of grass.

IT'S ONLY A PLAY-Is Only Okay

Terrence McNally's new play IT'S ONLY A PLAY is clearly meant to thumb his nose at critics.  I agree, critics capitalize on critiquing other's works but don't have the talent to create the work themselves.  McNally has been awarded the Dramatists Guild Lifetime Achivement Award ('11)  and was inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame ('96.)  Some of his Tony winning plays are MASTER CLASS,  MOTHERS & SONS AND LOVE! VALOUR! COMPASSION! to name but a few.  McNally is one of the greatest living playwrights.  This should make for an intriguing play; hearing what he has to say about critics, actors, agents, producers and the merits of TV, movies vs. the stage.  He has talented actors clamoring to be in his productions.  This star studded cast included Nathan Lane, Matthew Broderick, F. Murray Abraham, Stockard Channing (disappointedly played by the understudy) Megan Mullally & Rupert Grint (best known for the Harry Potter movies.)  The play takes place following the opening night of a play.  The set is the stunning master suite in the home of the show's producer.  All the characters are constantly coming, going & bemoaning the decimating reviews hinging the panned play on the precipice of closing.  The cast consists of wealthy producer (Mullally,) playwright (Broderick) TV actor & close "friend" to the playwright (Lane,) narcisstic, ankle-monitored leading actress (Channing's character,) critic & wanna be playwright (Abraham,) director (Grint) & a young, naive wanna be actor (Micah Stock.)  Who knew Abraham could do comedy?  No one - he can't.  Perhaps it's McNally's aims to parody the critic with the most vitriol.  Broderick plays a one note, whiny writer (perhaps directed to act with minimal conviction.)  Grint as the dir. of the play did add a splash of lively British wry humor.  Lane's over the top antics are winning and the best reason to see this production.  Unfortunately, the play's banter becomes tiresome & dated despite McNally's clever current references; "Potato, potatho, tomato, tomahto." Let's just call the whole thing off as the play is only somewhat entertaining but more often draining.  Of course, it's much easier for me to say rather than write a play.

1st NYPHil Open Rehearsal-Mahler Symph #1 & US Premier Korean Composer Unsuk Chin

The 1st rehearsal for the NYPhil. is always cause for celebration.  Today marks the 1st official day of fall according to the calendar.  Is is also heralded with the start of the NYPhil. fall season.  The rehearsal this morning began with a major forte of Mahler's 1st Symphony a.k.a. the Titan Symphony.  I maintain Mahler's intent was to promote his majestic composition of orchestral grandeur.   Mahler (b. 1860)  was an accomplished conductor prior to the permier of his 1st Symphony in Budapest, 1889.  Mahler is a master amongst the world's great composers.  Mahler's work has movements of calm, steady tempos that are answered by robust, booming orchestration.  The second piece on the program was a Clarinet Concerto by Unsuk Chin (b. S. Korea 1961.)  The clarinet soloist was Kari Krikku (b. Finland 1960) an acclaimed interpreter of contemporary compositions.  I applaud Conductor Gilbert for his expansive reach into classical & contemporary.  Watching Mr. Gilbert conduct, particularily in rehearsal has its own artistic choreography.  Chin's concerto for the clarinet is so new & cutting edge, the soloist relied on a his musical score.  The clarinet resounded with a screeching, dissonant sound that made me curious to see the composition.  I thought I might find innovative new notes but not convinced the cacophonous concerto is something I would choose to hear again in the near future.

NYC Has Worlds Largest March On Global Warming-Sitdown on Wall St Has 100's Arrested

Yesterday in NYC, from early morning to early evening, more than 300,000 peaceful participants turned out to draw attention to global warming & the need for action to mitigate carbon emissions causing environmental catastrophes.  I commend peaceful participates in civil resistance in support of increased awareness & commitment to saving our planet.  Today's marchers converged on Wall St. where it appears a spontaneous sit-in occurred, resulting in a traffic gridlock & hundreds of protestors arrested.  The UN is meeting in NYC today & tomorrow with Obama in attendance to address this pressing issue with the intent of finding solutions to the problems of climate change.  Protestors on Wall St. contend that capitalism is the driving force & major culprit responsible for rising temperatures and environmental desecration.   Several months previously, there was the Wall St. takeover where inhabitant protestors blamed the elite 1% for the major woes of the vast majority.  Awareness, engagement & making your voice heard are all commendable.  However, I fail to hear viable solutions from the mass protestors for constructive actions that must be taken.

Doc. film ART & CRAFT-A Crafty Charlatan Character Study

Mark Landis is the central figure in this doc. film focusing on Landis' exploits passing off his 1st rate forgeries to major art institutions.  Landis has been "donating" his fak copies of master works to numerous prestigious art institutions for 30 yrs.  He's never been prosecuted.  According to Landis, "I haven't done anything illegal."  He has never accepted remuneration for his paintings.  They are appreciated gratefully having hit on "art's soft spot," acquisitions & endowments.  This lengthy & trying doc. by dir./prod./cinematographer Sam Cullum (The House I Live In; Sundance Grand Jury Prize) is tedious and pales as an entertaining art scandal film.  It relentlessly follows Landis through his squalid aptmt., psychiatric counseling, pathetically lonely, inebriated existence.  We watch his imitating process on canvas & his charades when presenting works as gifts to unsuspecting art institutions that should know better.  The exploration of the motivation or ineptness of these art professionals would have been much more intriguing.  Landis is pursued by a Matt Leninger, a former art registrar in OH who was terminated, perhaps for his relentless investigating of Landis.  Landis' work is given credibility by an extensive exhibit of his forged works entitled FauxReality at a Univ. in OH.  As a performance artist, Landis is an original piece of work.  But as Landis said "There is nothing new under the sun.  Everything goes back to something."  60 Minutes could have done an interesting investigative segment but as a 90 min. doc. it is a stretch & not worth your time or money.

A SUCKER EMCEE-Rap Performance that Strikes Hard to the Gut

The Labryrinth theater is presenting A SUCKER EMCEE, a rap hip hop performance that is written & performed by Craig 'muMs' Grant.  Grant, (b. NYC '68) is a best known for his recurring part on the HBO series "Oz" as a poetry reciting inmate.  He was also featured in the doc. film SLAM NATION that covered his team's performances in the '96 Nat'l Poetry Slam Competition.   Last night "muMs' shortened from mumbles; a short lived name & personna as a rapper reciting as if he had marbles in his mouth.  He said the best advise he received on his delivery was to slow it done.  His rap, hip hop delivery was clear, powerful, poetic, inspiring & deeply stirring.  Born Craig Grant in NYC '68,  he shares his poignant bio in an unforgettable poetry slam style; combining scorching poetry, rap, hip hop & music.  DJ (Rich Medina) is a platinum-selling record producer & renowned speaker/journalist.  He provided the undercurrent that enhanced Grant's performance  The artistry in this performance was fearless, disturbing & tender.  I felt his helpless pain at the unfair abuse his older received & the love he has for his mother now in the throes of Alzheimers.  Grant's performance had a visceral impact that smacks with a punch to the gut.  It nabs you with its indelible prose that pulses & flows.  Like Tupac's "A Rose that Grew from Concrete," Grant's poetry speaks of guns, rage, violence, drugs, broken families, poverty and the indefatigable desire to succeed.  Grant emphasized the need to push ourselves beyond the shackles of complacency.   He urges us to use our fear to drive ourselves forward.  "Money comes & money goes, money comes & money goes," you're a fool not to hear Grant in A SUCKER EMCEE bare his soul with immutable intensity, intelligence & artistry.

Chucho Valdes, Pedrito Martinez & Wynton Marsalis- Jazz @ Lincoln Center

Last night Aldes, Martinez & Marsalis all performed together for an unforgettable evening of jazz & it's connection to Latin jazz & Afro-Cuban percussive drumming & chanting.  The vocalists lead with their stentorian callings acknowledging their ancestry & spirituality.  The African drums were all 2 headed hour glass shaped in small/medium & large sizes.  The small drum kept a constant tempo, the middle drum emphasized the deep pulsing of the large, lead drum. This phenomenal concert connected Amer. jazz in its various modes with Latin jazz with it's fiery tempos to the gravitas of African vocals & drumming.  The syntax of scores blended and moved adroitly between each in a harmonious dialogue.  Each style played at the forefront & was then echoed in the other's syncopated style.  The connections had an intoxicating fluidity from the blending of richly layered sounds from the talents of great artists.  The wind section of the Jazz @ Linc. Ctr Orch. including Wynton, Ali Jackson on Drums & Carolos Hneriquez on bass demonstrated their multi-faceted skills.  World renown vocalist & percussionsit Pedrito Martinez (b. Cuba '73) has recorded with legendary artists & recieved the Sphinx Medal of Excellence '14.  The highlight of the evening was Chucho Valdes (b. Cuba '41.)  Valdes is considered Cuba's most famous pianist (arguably one of the world's finest.)  Valdes has received 8 Grammies & 16 nominations.  His gifts at the piano are legendary.  Two dancers performed to the Afro-Cuban percussion/vocals adding an elegant excitement.  Valdes, Martinez & Marsalis - who could ask for anything more?  I'd ask for more Valdes at the keyboard and forgo some of the African drumming & chanting.  

Ronna & Beverly @ Upright Comedy Brigade-Brought the House Down

Ronna & Beverly (R&B) are the funniest comedy duo performing live today.  Last night at Upright Comedy Brigade (UCB) for $5 (UnBelievable) they performed to a packed house with fans standing in the back, sitting on the stage & a making a mad dash for seats.  They play 50ish Jewish women from Boston.  They're life long friends in it for the duration; no matter how crazy their drive each other.  Beverly is the culprit with her zany physical comedy & spontaneous dialogue that stirs things up trying Ronna's patience without rancor.  Beverly's incredulous spin of events & their lives is hilarious & somehow credible.  Wherever they get their ideas from they've struck gold & mahjong magic.  R&B were glad to be here in NYC.  Beverly told us, "I love being here for the holidays - between 9/11 & Yom Kippur."  Of course they push boundaries setting off hysteria from an adulating audience.   Beverly's shenanigans in the Holacaust Museum were shamelessly funny.  Who else could be so cleverly irreverent combining comedy with the genocide of Jews?  "Just once I'd like to come through with my passport & survive, I've been there 4 times & I always die."  A comic's worst nightmare might be to die on stage - these ladies were killing it.  It's rare to find a team who play off each, the audience, and remain in character while suprising you with what comes next.  As on their weekly podcast, after jocular bantering they bring out a celebrity guest to interview.  Last night's guests were Mark Consuelos (a.k.a. Mr. Kelly Rippa) and Justin Kirk (best known for his role in Angels in Amer.)  The guests may try their best but they cannot upstage the ladies and are there for the joy ride.  Ironically, R&B drew a young, non-denominational demographic, proving their appeal comes from the gut.  They are uproariously funny.  Would I see them again?  Never again would I miss the opportunity to laugh so hard.

JEFF KOONS: A RETROSPECTIVE @ Whitney, More than Just Hot Air

Koons the Balloon man or the Michael Jackson & chimp guy, that's the one…there's a RETROSPECTIVE of his work at the Whitney through Oct. at which time the Whitney is packing up & moving down to the Highline.  There's more to this artist than meets the eye & perhaps more of him than you'd choose to see.  (There are large nude photos of Koons & his ex-wife; ex-Italian porn star.)  Koons is a brilliant self-promoter.  His middle class/middle Amer. upbringing formed the springing board for his prominent conceptual art.  His father's home goods business was where Koons developed a keen eye for displaying merchandise that grabs the consumer's attention.  Whimsy, pops of color, playful objects, iconic figures & lighting were all key elements he carried with him into his work over the years.  Koons greatly admired the artists Duchamp & Dahli.  Their impact is evident in Koons' transformation of mundane objects into art & the invention of his own bigger than life persona.  In fact, big is an adjective that would describe many of the works in the exhibit as well as colorful, shiny & whimsical.  Who doesn't respond to big & shiny objects that have a sense of humor?  What resonated most for me was his scientific approach to many of his works.  Take for example the floating basketballs (like a shark in a tank) and the large scale figures such as the hulk or gorilla made of steel or concrete that appear to be made of soft plastic like the rubber rabbits on the main floor. The large scale balloon sculptures are not only vibrant they appear likely to float away.  JEFF KOONS:  A RETROSPECTIVE is worth seeing, contemplating & enjoying.  Do I consider all of Koons' work or for that matter, that of Hirst or Oldenberg art?   Duh, dada - boundaries are meant to be pushed.  Kitch  has appeal for the filthy rich.

Mel Bochner-Strong Language-Blah Blah Yaddah Yaddah

Art is defined as the expression or application of human creative skill & imagination, typically in a visual form.  Does language constitute art?  Arguably, of course, what else would you call literary achievements, the spoken word on stage or poetry read aloud?  What do you call text painted on canvas?  I'm going to call it art for argument sake, for debate, up for discussion, discourse, course of action - reaction, subtraction, addition & endless possibilities.  Mel Bochner Amer. conceptual artist (b. 1940) whose paintings now on exhibit at the Jewish Museum, played, cajoled, rolled, fit, took part in the evolution of Conceptional art during the 1960's & '70's in reaction to the painterly abstract expressionist movement.  Mel Bochner's paintings are colorful words; synonyms to be exact, or merely to emphasize or enhance contemporary language as a social commentary.  The impact of the strong visual medium of paint clearly combines & compounds syntax with impact.   STRONG LANGUAGE - Bochner series of synonyms reverberate with easily deciphered words amassed to illuminate the idea of repetition as variation & the connection between the visual & verbal.  This is a fun exhibit meant to make you think & LOL but once inside, be quiet, silent, hushed or just SHUT THE FUCK UP!

Artists Lee Krasner & Norman Lewis Paired, Compared & Commanding

Painters Lee Krasner & Norman Lewis appear to have very little in common on paper.  Krasner, a white woman (b. 1908) in Bklyn to Russian Jewish immigrants was a painter of post WWII.  Lewis a black man (b. 1909) in Harlem to immigrant parents from Bermuda was a painter of the same epoch.  Delving into their stunning & prolific bodies of work, commonalities can be drawn from their oil paintings on paper.  Today, while $ is being taking out of the arts in public schools, both Krasner & Lewis benefited from the public-works programs under the Federal Art Project.  Whether taking the B or D line between Harlem & Bklyn, the use of lines figured prominently in both their works; both in a gridlike & organic style.  The influences of Lewis's Harlem neighborhood impacted his luscious & lyrical paintings.  Jazz's is reflected in abstract notes & figures amidst cool, vibrant color palettes.  "Painting like music has something inherent in itself which I had to discover."  Krasner used geometric figures, hieroglyphics & symbolic shapes in her designs, within a network of lines.  Both artists painted using both determined & random brush strokes.  Their textural layering of paint is prominent in both their works as seen paired opposite each other.  Note:  Krasner's painting "Noon" '47.  It's accumulated slabs of vibrant colors exudes the warmth of sunshine & Lewis' sensual painting "Magenta Haze" '49 is magnetic.  Both artists credit Picasso, Matisse as well as Hoffman & Pollack as major influences.  Lewis moved away from social commentary in his works, "I didn't move anybody by it." In the 50's Lewis & Krasner painted in a similar sfumato style; painterly smudging having a softer, smoldering effect.  As a child, Lewis told his father he aspired to be an artist. His father replied "art is a white man's profession."  Perhaps, Krasner lacked support as a female painter in an all boys club as well.  Despite hinging below the radar, both artists shared a tenacious talent and a comparative style that catapulted NYC to the epicenter of the art world.  The works of Krasner & Lewis are significant, preeminent achievements.  Presented together, their connections ferment an innovative advancement in abstract art.