Tap Dancer Kazunori Kumagai "Speak with Your Feet" & Guests Left Me Speechless

Kazunor Kumagai (b Japan 1977) put on a tap dancing performance with guests artists at the 92ndY.  Kumagai began tap at the age of 15.  He moved to NY at 19 & trained with Ted Levy, Buster Brown, Jimmy  Slyde & Gregory Hines. He was dubbed by the Village Voice as the "Japanese Gregory Hines."  Kumagai talent is definitely on tap with Hines but he brings his own incredible virtuosity and timing.  Perhaps his hat was an homage to his mentor.  Kumagai demonstrated a fast paced debonair flair.  His tight timing and precision was phenomenal.  I liked the duet he did with 24 year old Gabe Winns.  The two had their own distinct rhythms that paired together effortlessly.  Their dancing was phenomenal.  Winns showed a freer style which complimented nicely Kumagai's meticulous footwork.  Kumagai entered & exited their duet with skill & grace allowing Winns his sensational solo.  The dancing was accompanied by Brooklyn born Sabrina Clery on vocals; an amazing jazz singer.  Clery also did a profound reading of Maya Angelous poem "Touched by an Angel" to this heavenly  performance.  On guitar was Masa Shimizu also born in Japan.  And, Alex Blake( b Panama 1951)  played heartily on bass.  Unfortunately his enthusiastic playing caused him to fall off his seat but Kumagai didn't miss a beat.  The diptych wood platforms did not constrict the dancers.  They moved sleekly from platform to floor.  The platform's sides also served as a sounding board for their tapping.  "Speak with Your Feet" was so remarkable, overflowing with amazing artistry.  I was in awe of the artists & left speechless.  The sold out crowd gave a resounding standing ovation.

NYPhil Performs Bartok, Dvorak & Bruch's Violin Concerto #1; Violinist Frank Huang

The program for the New York Philharmonic, led by conductor Pablo Heras-Casada, was Bartok's Dance Suite, Dvorak's Symph #7 and Bruch's Violin Concerto #1 with violinist Frank Huang.  An interesting overlapping of composers all living between (1881-1904) in the Eastern Bloc vicinities.  Max Bruch's beautifully performed concerto belies the misfortune of its composer.  Bruch possessed musical genius a poor brain for business.  Having chosen to sell his composition to a publisher for a fixed price and no provisions for future royalties, Bruch did not reap the financial rewards for his magnificient composition.  At the end of WWI, Bruch was in need of funding and thought to raise money by giving the manuscript of his work to two unscrupulous American sisters to sell on his behalf in the states.  The sinister Sutro sisters were duplicit in their dealings and Bruch never received any payment for his manuscript.  Bruch (b Germany 1838-1920) also had the misfortune of being overshadowed by his contemporary Brahms.  When listening to Bruch's alluring Violin Concerto it is bittersweet to concede he didn't benefit from his delightful music.

"Vietgone" A Comedic Drop-in on the Viet Nam Conflict at MTC

A comedy about the Viet Nam War sounds unseemly.  "Vietgone" does away with political correctness and its wry, fast paced humor will annihilate your defenses should you surrender to this prickly & poignant play.  The cleverly staged production at Manhattan Theater Club is set in 1975.   The drama begins with the pandemonium of the last evacuation & fall of Saigon.   The play is bookend by the playwright (played with earnest humor by Paco Tolson.) The playwright starts with a comedic disclaimer to any characters portrayed as factual and any similarities, coincidental.   The ending is a touching interview between the playwright and his father, Quang (an excellent Raymond Lee) The son is asking his father for his account of the Viet Nam War.  The father's witticism turns into a fury that pulls together the play's solmen intent.  American/Viet Namese playwright, Qui Nguyen was born in AZ to parents who met in a refugee camp after being airlifted out of Viet Nam.  Tolson tells us "This is not a war story.  This is a love story."  In truth, it's an amalgamation of both with added heart, humor, satire and rap.  This unlikely, likeable play is set within the time warp of the 70's.  It's astute construct brandishes between Viet Nam, the confines of a refugee camp and the open roads between AZ & CA.  Viet Namese buddies Quang & Nhan form a pair of "Easy Rider"parodies; just one of the many eccentric, serious & silly scenarios.  Quang's love interest in the camp is Tong, a self-proclaimed bitch (played winningly by Jennifer Ikeda.)  Tong escapes the Viet Cong along with her overbearing mother (Samantha Quan) played intentionally over the top for laughs.  This politically incorrect play gets so many things right.  It gives us plenty to ponder regarding refugees, wars' brutalities, family & love in its many free forms.  All kidding aside, this funny & thoughtful play played for laughs, looms as an insightful perspective on the Viet Nam era; errors made and wisdom gained.  

Kerry James Marshall Retrospective "Mastry" at Met Bruer-Blew Me Away

Kerry James Marshall (KJM) is a black, American painter whose retrospective "Mastry" recently opened at the Met Breuer.  Did I need to point out the masterful painter is black?  No, but KJM, a classically trained painter, makes the black American experience a major point of his storytelling.  All KJM's figures are black.  Marshall doesn't mince metaphors.   The intent to solely paint black figures is to fill the void in art history. "If I didn't do it, how else were they going to be seen?…I had to do it."  I have to admit, I have never seen an exhibit to this extent or caliber that exmplefies black figures in history & daily living.  It's been too long over due.   KJM's skill & artistry knocked me out and blew me away.   There's a plethora of inferences be drawn from his complex compositions & storytelling.  KJM steers figurative paintings towards the forefront in a epoch veered towards contemporary abstraction.  The contents of his paintings contain social & historical commentary as well as literary & artistic references.  To encapsulate everything that resonated for me is futile.  I'll call attention to several large scale outdoor paintings on the upper floor:  "Past Times" and "Better Homes and Gardens."  There's  much to absorb & digest within each of his paintings.  In "Past Times" there is a sardonic messaging of exclusion from these elite, leisurely activities such as golf (the figure is facing away) and croquette (a young girl dressed all in white blatantly starring at the viewer in defiance.)  The painting's irony  compares & contrast with Seurat's "A Sunday Afternoon…"   "Better Homes and Gardens" unfurls urban decay & disintegration.  Graffitti and paint blotches appear as rubbish overtaking the landscape.  There are numerous ties to literary giants.  In Ellison's "Invisible Man," the black painting makes the figure all but disappear into the background except for his eyes which glow & appear to follow you.  In many of the works, the eyes portray the same powerful stare as in Da Vinci's "Mona Lisa."  The eyes honed in on me from all angles.  The two portraits "Frankenstein" and "Bride of Frankenstein," alluding to Shelly's novel were transfixing.  They confront the responsiblity of having created the monstrosity of slavery.  Now, how do we as a nation respond to what we've reared?  This masterful exhibition of KJM's works resonated profoundly with me.  I felt the echo of Shelly's words in the majority of his work:  "Beware, for I am fearless, and therefore powerful."  "If I cannot inspire love,  I will cause fear."

Tragic Reality TV Shocker "Christine (2016)" Stars Tracy Letts as the Station Mgr

For those who have come of age watching reality TV, unbeknownst to life before cellphones & modern technology, the tragic on air suicide of Christine Chubbuck in 1974 may not resonate with you. Yes, this is disturbing, but not likely shocking.  And those who remember the 70's without hi-tech all around us, the world felt awfully big & at times very lonely.  "Christine" is a film that captures the 70's antiquated ways & Watergate days.  Christine Chubbuck (an effectively volatile Rebecca Hall "The Gift") is a mentally unstable TV reporter at a small Saratoga station.  The film depicts her unraveling in the weeks before she shot herself on live TV.  Tracy Letts (actor & Pulitz Prize winning playwright "O'Sage County") plays the local station mgr Michael.  Michael & local news anchor, George (Michael Hall "Dexter") are both patient, perplexed and vexed at Christine's rants & inappropriate behavior.  No one, except for Christine's mother, fully comprehended her manic descent.  Yes, Christine is demanding & delusional, but no one at the network would have predicted her desperation leading to a publicized suicide.  Monday morning quarterbacking revealed things going off the rails.  The ensemble cast is first rate.  The movie's 70's soundtrack is sharply intune with what is happening.  The Watergate scandal mirrors Christine's deception & cover-up.  Nixon was the 1st Pres to resign and Christine's suicide the 1st ever televised.  Yes, these were all major news stories at the time, but now seem footnotes in history & a harbinger for the obsession of reality TV & life on the internet.   The film is a disturbing examination into mental illness.  You can never tell, but I don't think this well intentioned film is going to make it.

S Korean Film "The Handmaiden" Adapted from "Fingersmith"

A story is all about the journey.  And, you can't kid a kidder.  This sumptuous film is directed by award winning  S Korean  Park Chan-wook (b 1963.)  Chan-wook also wrote the screenplay adapted from Welsch writer Sarah Waters' (b 1966) novel "Fingersmith."  I'd describe this lovely to look at but discomforting film as sensual, erotic, brutal, mysterious, unexpected & exceptional.  Except, this is not made for the faint of heart or a prudish public.  The handsome and talented leads are all S Korean actors of immense talent.  The story is told as an overlying triptych meant to trick you.  You may think you know what plot twists will exist. Don't be so sure.  Lying to a liar extraordinare is never a fait accompli.  The Japanese/Korean language film with English subtitles swops tongues continuously.  The tale is in part Dickens' "Oliver Twist," part Bronte's "Jane Eyre" and has steamy scenes as seen in the French film "Blue is the Warmest Color." "Shades of Gray" is a pale comparison.  Mainly, the movie carves out its own class.  Sookie (Kim Tae-ri) is an artful dodger; an orphaned pickpocket under the tutelage of conniving conman, "Count" (Ha Jung-woo.)  The Count schemes in collusion with Sookie to snare the wealthy heiress, Lady Hideko (a scintillating Kim Min-hee) into marriage out from under her cruel & depraved uncle.  The old man has his own mendacious plans to wed his niece.  This is the least of his more devious distractions.  Lady Hideko has had a life of privilege albeit imprisoned in the majestic manor.  Once Sookie is entrenched as handmaiden to the Lady the movie becomes a sensual & surprising game of cat & mouse & cad culled in a manipulative, menage a trois.   "The Handmaiden" could stand alone on its voluptuous visions.  There's an aesthetic abundance to become enraptured with in the film.  I recommend this disquieting film,"The Handmaiden." It elicits a rich, tactile response that grabs you.  

THE HARVEST by Samuel Hunter at LCT3 Reams Religious Fervor

Playwright Samuel Hunter (b Idaho 1981) received the Drama Desk for "The Whale" ('13.)  His award winning plays delve into religious fervor with an unfavorable light.  His characters tend to be manipulative religious fanatics or vulnerable individuals seeking solace.  "The Harvest" is a laborious one act with some clever writing and several intriguing characters.  However, this loquacious play drives its biting commentary on religion through the head like a rusty nail.  Aida (the exceptional Zoe Winters "Red Speedo") is the driving, divine force for a group of maleable young people seeking to do good proselytizing Christianity to the world.  Aida assures her followers they're making a real difference in the world by spreading "the superior Christian faith." The play begins & ends with a feverish prayer session complete with convulsions & incoherent tongues.  In between, there's an intense reunion between Josh & his older sister Michaela.  Michaela, a former meth addict, didn't return home for the recent burial of their alcoholic father.  She's driven back 12 hours straight after Josh sent her a terse email.  She is on a mission to save him from throwing his life away in a war torn Arabic country converting Muslims to Christianity.  The play is set in the basement of a church.  The allegory of descending downward into darkness is apparent along with the total blackouts between multiple scenes.  There are other subplots:  a married couple with a controlling & cowardly husband and the sexual tension between Josh & Tom.  Tom is the tormented son of the church's patriarch.  Just before heading to the airport, Aida hands out childish, paper awards to the group.  "The Harvest" gleams secular views while scorning religious zealots.  Sadly, the seeds of satire lose zeal by the end of this belabored play.

New Zealand Film "Hunt for the Wilderpeople" Stars Sam O'Neill - A Must See

For those who missed this touching & uniquely funny film "Hunt for the Wilderpeople" which opened this summer, don't miss the opportunity to find it on DVD today.  This quirky, unexpectedly charming survival/adventure comedy thrusts a young orphan, Ricky (a breakout performance by Julian Dennison) into the begrudgingly, curmudgeonly care of "Uncle Hec" (an always captivating Sam O'Neill.)  Ricky's been shuffled through the foster care system without finding a permanent placement. (A troubling & poignantt problem highlighed in this thoughtful & wickedly hilarious flick.)  Hec's childless wife Bella wanted desperately to adopt a child.  She is indefatigable & understanding in bringing out the tenderness in Ricky, a closed off, overweight kid. Ricky makes a few feeble attempts at running away.  It's only a matter of days before Bella's big heart thaws Ricky's reserve like a hot water bottle on a frigid night.  The birthday celebration complete with cake, song & pitt bull dog as a present delight Ricky.  He happily claims, "This is the best birthday I've ever had," with an added epiphany, "It's the only birthday I've ever had."  The next day Bella unexpectedly dies.  The bereaved Hec informs Ricky  social services are coming to take him, "It was Bella who wanted you, not me."  Ricky pleads with Uncle Hec to stay, "They can't take me.  This is my home."  Oh, but they can & they will & they will stop at nothing.  Ricky & his dog, Tupac" run away for good sending the good hearted (which we sensed) out into the outback to bring him back.  Leaving Ricky to fend for himself would be fool hardy & dangerous.  The atypical survival/adventure ensues with more unexpected turns & pratt falls you don't see coming.  Meanwhile, social services along with the police are tracking the pair down to arrest Hec & put Ricky into "juvey" junvenile detention.  The New Zealand wilderness is breathtaking and shot beautifully in all the "majestical"seasons.  Psycho Sam (Rhys Darby "Flight of the Concords") is one of the zaniest encounters Hec & Ricky have during their flee from captivity.  Dir/screenwriter/ Taika Waititi (b. New Zealand 1975) also directed the hilarious "What We Do in the Shadows."  You may expect a familial bond to form between Ricky & Hec, but throughout the movie you don't know what you're gonna get.  Just expect, a beautiful & unique film that takes you through new territory & touches your heart.  Look for "Hunt for the Wilderpeople" on Amazon.  It's an amazing & totally entertaining movie.

German Playwright/Poet Bertolt Brecht's "The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui"

 German playwright/poet Bertolt Brecht (b. 1898-1956) collective works are major contributions to dramaturgy of the 20thC. Dramaturgy is theatrical storytelling format incorporating classical works with historical & ideological references.  Brecht's play "The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui" was revived in an Off-Off B'wy production in the Lyra Theater.  The Lyra Theater is tucked away in a charming, cavern inside an old  Church next to Stuyvesant Park.  A clever setting for a political satire based on an Al Capone like figure, Arturo Uri.  Uri is a corrupt thug who manipulates politicians, police & local businesses through murder, extortion & intimidation.  The idea for reinterpreting Brecht's prescient political play was admirable but the production itself, regrettable.   I'm afraid I have come to bury this revival (conveniently underground) not to praise it.  The staging was a capricious circus.  The satire lost with its idiotic shenanigans.  The musical chair swopping of characters was distracting.  Matthew Van Gessel cast in the lead role of Ui & the judge did an admirable job.  The literary references included Shakespeare's plays "Julis Caesar"& "Richard III" and Goeth's tragic play "Faust." "The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui" felt like an acting class exercise not ready for prime time showing.  

A Stunning Film like "Moonlight" Doesn't Come Around that Often

"Moonlight" is one of those rare films that shines a light on life's brutal realities with such elegance it deserves to be called majestic.  This is a coming of age story which reaches beyond a single genre label.  Chiron, a kid growing up in an impoverish South Florida town.  Chrion is always cast as an outsider.  He's bullied or banished by the other black youths in the hood, except for one friend, Kevin.  Kevin befriends Chiron and tries to coach him on how to act so as not to be shunned.  "Don't be soft," Kevin tells him and Chiron tackles him and the two tussle good heartedly on the ground.  I have to draw parallels with another excellent film that is currently showing; the French film "17."  Both movies have  frenemies who become lovers knowing there is a sexual tension building between the young men.  "Moonlight" casts the movie as a triptych with Chrion at 10, again as a h.s. student & then as a virile, 20 something, drug dealer sporting gold grillz.  The film's cinematography casts the movie with an effervescent sheen which doesn't shield the alarming brutalities & struggles in society.  Chiron is an only child of a single mother whose a crack addict.  Constantly being chased & harassed by the other kids, Chiron finds a protector, father-figure in his mom's drug dealer.  The cyclical, pervasive problems of addiction, poverty, bullying, neglect & incarceration are credibly shown in their harsh light.  Nonetheless, there are powerful moments of raw & tender emotions that beam throughout this work of art.  "Moonlight" speaks to the deepest reaches of the human soul.  "At some point you have to decide who you are gonna be."  Chiron's choices are not always wise but we see everything through his sad & knowing eyes.

"American Pastoral" Starring Ewan McGregor, Jennifer Connelly & Dakota Fanning

Phillip Roth received the Pulitzer Prize for his novel "American Pastoral" ('97) has now been adapted to film.   Scottish actor Ewan McGregor stars & makes his directorial debut.  McGregor plays "Swede" the all American high school athlete & WWII veteran who falls in love with NJ beauty queen Dawn (the glowing Jennifer Connelly.)  Roth's alter ego, famous writer Nathan Zuckerman, is the novel & movie's bookend narrator.  Zuckerman returns for his 45th high school reunion & connects with his childhood friend, Jerry.  Jerry is the younger brother to the much admired, Seymour, dubbed Swede.  Swede is the golden boy; popular, handsome, athletic.  The world was his oyster.  Seymour is of Jewish heritage.  He is the son of a strong headed businessman (played by a likeable Peter Riegert.)  Oysters are not kosher which is how Swede's father feels about his son marrying a gentile.  But, Dawn's stalwart declaration of love wins over the father's religious objections.  The two are married, have a beautiful daughter, Mary (Dakota Fanning) and move into what appears an idyllic, bucolic lifestyle.  McGregor doesn't succeed in grasping the lay of the land for the tumultuous 1960's with its violent anti-war protests & civil unrest.  Mary's stuttering & outlandish behaviors as a girl are signs of the deeply disturbed young woman she will become.  When the local post house is bombed, killing its postmaster, Mary vanishes & the police pursue her as their prime suspect.  The crime/drama plot feels thinly fabricated.  The overwhelming angst of the movie is the father's steadfast devotion to finding & saving his daughter.  The actors are all well cast.   But, the demise of the American dream gets dried out & crumbles.  "Life is a short space of time in which you are alive."

Patrick O'Donnell author of "Washington's Immortals" Brings "The Battle of Brooklyn" to Life

Tonight at the NY Historic Socieity, concurrent with the exhibit "The Battle of Brooklyn," author Patrick O'Donnell "Washington's Immortals…" enlightened us on the largest battle between the American colonists & the British Royal Army.  The singles largest battle of the Rvolutionary War on Aug 27, 1776, occurred in our midst in Brooklyn.  This bloody battle nearly demolished Washington's army and may have terminated the colonial uprising within weeks of the signing of the Declaration of Independence.  O'Donnell is a best-selling military historian and served as a war correspondent in Iraq.  Hearing O'Donnell speak in conversation with Richard Brookhiser, author of "George Washington on Leadership" was a master class in the birth of our nation, nearly annihilated at its inception.  O'Donnell gave a fascinating overview on the Maryland regiment  formed of roughly 60 men; a secretive militia in 1774.  These courageous men, made a contract to assemble as a military unit, to obtain arms, uniforms & train for battle knowing these actions were all treasonous & punishable by death by the British.  It is this band of brothers who proved Washington's most reliant & self-sacrificing unit.  These men held the battlelines during  the Battle at Brooklyn enabling troops to retreat to safety.  The Royal Army formed a flank that could have demolished the entire regiment.  Fortuitiously, the British held back & under a heavy fog, Washington's men's fled by boat across the  Gowanus Canal. The Amer Revolution was a bloody & draining war lasting nearly 8 years.  Its outcome was bleak and uncertain.  Many Americans  abandoned the battlefields & other switched alliances, fighting for the British in order to save themselves & then switched back when able to rejoin their own troops. O'Donnell spoke of "the spirit of humanity" shown by the colonialist, "something we can learn from today.  O'Donnell believes the "Battle of Brooklyn" is not duly acknowledged for its immense signifigance because it was a crushing defeat, "and Americans like winners."  Nonetheless, The Battle of of Brooklyn was a decisive historic event that did not undermine the American Revolution.  O'Donnell was on hand to sign his book "Washington's Immortals:  The Untold Story of an Elite Regiment Who Changed the Course of the Revolution."

Chekov's "THE CHERRY ORCHARD" with DIane Lane Wasn't a Good Pick

The brilliance of Chekov is not in question.  However, the "CHERRY ORCHARD does not stand the test of time as one of Chekov's clever creations.  I don't agree with Artistic Dir Tood Haimes' claim that this version "is refracted through the sensibilities of 21st Century America."  I thought there were missed pickings with this play that would have planted this play on firm ground with current social relevance.  However, the play remained rooted as a period piece, one with vapid banter or pretentious posturing.  Chekov's play contends with themes of family tragedy & discord, financial ruin and class divides.  The subject of slavery/servitude was raked under foot.  Fate has note been kind to this staging  starring the lovely & talented Diane Lane in the lead as Ranevskaya.  Joel Grey as the abject servant Firs was absent in his role.  If I were to cherry pick the things I liked about this production, it would be Lane's admirable portrayal of a hapless heiress.   The original music composed by Nico Muhly (Acad. Award winner for scoring "The Reader) & the musical trio who added some life to a decaying masterpiece gone to seed.  "Who am I?  Why am I alive" asks Trofimov, the penniless, perpetual student.  I recommend you pick another play?  "The Cherry Orchard" proved to be a "slow march of time."  

The Doc. Film NEWTOWN is Anytown & Everytown

The doc. film NEWTOWN is not a film that will obtain universal viewing, althought it's intended for those who believe legislation that infringes on the 2nd Amendment is sacrosanct, for those who demand sensible gun restrictions and for those who have done nothing to ensure the passage of laws to eliminate the sale of assault weapons, insure criminal background checks and mandate against gun violence.  In other words, this film is intended for everyone.  December 14, 2012 is the day a heinous, bloody tragedy happened at Newtown Elementary School.  Twenty 1st students & 6 educators were murdered. This should've been prevented, could've been prevented and should never be permitted to happen again.  It's unconscionable & incredulous that this tragedy continues to play out & it hasn't resulted in sensible gun legislation outside the state of CT.  Despite Pres Obama's endorsement, regardless of testimony before congress of parents whose children were murdered by a mentally unstable individual with easy access to assult weapons & after he fatally shot his mother.  He broke into the local elementary school & causing a catastrophe that destroyed numerous lives forever.  The doc. doesn't depict gruesome details of the carnage.  There is heartbreaking testimony from parents & siblings of the victims hoping to keep alive the memory of loved ones.  It is also an in depth expression of grief, There are families fighting for a legacy aimed at ending gun violence.  We hear poignant interviews from first responders, educators and parents of students in school that devastating day.  A neighbor to the school ran out to dazed young students on his lawn, "They were quiet in their horror and abject fear."  The students told him "We can't go back we don't have a teacher."  The police chief said "Emotionally the world needs to know to understand it." This really happened and the families are terrified of forgetting their loved ones.  Society should fear complacency and the senseless continuous killings.  The doc. is a an empathetic, in-depth examination of grief.  Everyone should see this film.  I fear those who most need to see this film never will.  Worst, I fear adopting sensible gun restrictions will insensitively & insanely never come to pass.    

MET's "Max Beckmann in NY" More Like a Man Without A Country

"Max Beckmann in New York" opens at the MET. The tragic irony of Max in NY is macabre.  Enroute to the MET to see his most recent "Self-Portrait in Blue Jacket" on display, he suffered a fatal heart attack near his apt. on the UWS.  The colorful & bold works in this astonishing exhibit includes 7  self-portraits & all 14 paintings he made during the relatively short time living in New York.  Born in German 1884,  Beckmann had a modicum of success with his bold, colorful expressionistic paintings until the Nat'l Socialist deemed his work degenerate and conviscated his paintings from the National Musuems & precluded future sales of his work.  Beckmann emigrated to Holland in 1937.   He lived in Holland for 10 years until he was allowed to immigrate to the U.S.  He immigrated to the U.S. in 1947 to St Louis and then to NYC in 1949.  Beckmann served as a medic in WWI and his paintings, including his self-portraits in the 1920's contain a volatile energy, a sense of hostility and a hardened, aristocratic edge.  In his "Self-Portrait with White Hat" Bechmanns portrays strength & audaciousness.  The curation claims the artist favored himself as a subject.  I would argue his sense of urgency lent himself a ready & willing subject.   Within his self-portraitures he emotes strong feelings, contrary to the  dull eyed stares in many artists' self-portraits.  I also contend his favorite subject to be his beloved wife Quappi.  Quappi's beauty & resolve are highlighted.  She is pictured with vigor in a blue bathing suit & within luxurious settings, perhaps in homage to their more carefree lifestyle.  There are 2 very large triptychs on display.  The triptychs are remarkable for their imaginative & biographical storytelling.  A young Beckmann is pictured with a golden crown, mounted on a white stallion banishing a saber & in the classroom passing a nude drawing to another student.  Beckmann was intrigued with nightclubs, musicians, entertainers & nightlife.  Upon arriving in NYC Beckmann commented "NYC is a pre-war Berlin multiplied a hundred fold."  Perhaps this is meant to be harsh or liberating.  His paintings of the nightlife in NYC are similiar to paintings Nazi's termed corrupt.  I liked the portrait "The Old Actress" ('26) a melancholy, downcast woman with a cat on her   It reminded me of CATS & its song "Memories."  There are 4 picturesque NYC landscapes; rare subject in his oeuvre.  Make note of "Birds of Hell" ('38) & "Town and City Night" ('50.) Spurned in his homeland, at odds in Holland & relatively new to the US, Beckmann continued to paint with vivid colors & imageries with a bent towards debauchery & a feeling of detachment.

Joyce Theater hosts "Choreographers & Cocktails" A Winning Concoction

The Joyce Theater is home to a multitude of talented dance companies on a more moderate scale.  The talent, however, is extraordinary & often delightfully atypical.  For those who appreciate dance, and to all others who don't yet know how fabulous & crucial dance is, the opportunity to view in an intimate studio space, several dance companies rehearsing is spectacular.  The evening sparkled with creativity & champagne.  There were 6 dance companies/work shops opened to a free flowing format.  This was a rare & wonderful opportunity to see how the artistic director conveys their vision to their dancers & interactive/co-operative method that help shape the work.  Several of the studios had live musicians performing with their pieces.  I was completely blown away by the Dorrance Dance Co. which blends tap & contemporary.  Toshi Reagon vocal accompaniment was uncommonly evocative & effective, adding a mystical tonal aesthetic.  In another studio, the phenomenal Wendy Whelan, former NYC Ballet star.  Whelan worked on a pas de deux with Brian Brooks.  Gaining backstage access of this collaboration was a rare & stunning opportunity.  Sara Mearns a current soloist with NYC Ballet was in another studio working on a piece being created by Jodi Melnick. Melnick studio had the accompaniment of an oboist, flutist & trombone player with a commissioned score.  The delicious hors d'oeuvres & drinks were an added treat to an exceptional experience of behind the scene peeks at rehearsals & refinements.   Dance is in our DNA; the most colorful combination of artistic expressions and a unifying colorblind collaboration.    

Anna Deavere Smith's NOTES FROM THE FIELD An Unforgettable Reminder of Social Injustice

Anna Deavere Smith is an actress, writer, teacher who creates theater that puts a microscopic lens on current social issues to shake us up and shine a light for social justice.  Smith NOTES FROM THE FIELD achieves this by taking news footage and using verbatim dialogue from:  family members of victims, witnesses, social activists, inmates, psychologists, parents and people who have invoked postive change such as Cong John Lewis.  Smith seamlessly morphs into the character whose words she reiterates as that individual. "NOTES" uses multi-media, news reels, photographic images & displays names/titles of the person represented. The simple sliding sets have minimal props.  Composer performer Marcus Shelby's original music for bass adds beautiful, melancholy undertones to Smith's poignant staging of what I consider to be a Pulitz Prize worthy production.  Smith's majestic storytelling of current racial maelstroms doesn't render the play palatable.  On the contrary, you become an affronted party to a lost generation of American youth living in poverty without hope, caught in failing schools which feeds into the prison pipeline. We see  Freddy Gray being dragged into a police van & hear his wails of agony.  A witness tells us what he saw.  He questions why Gray was handcuffed & feet shackeled when he couldn't stand and tossed into a "steel box" to be thrashed around.  "They {the police} just don't care."  What is probably cause?  Just a glance, or a flippant remark can get your arrested or beaten.  "Look away.  Don't give em {police} anything."  Every character was memorable.  I was moved by the mother in Stockton, CA who was doing everything to keep her kids out of trouble; talking to the teachers regularly, following them to their friends home.  I admired the teacher who said when a student acts out, "you need to ask them why," not suspend them but bring them back in.  The female inmate receiving an education & training dogs to help the disabled spoke mournfully of realizing her past poor decisions.  We watch the disturbing footage of the black teen in a bikini being thrust face down on the ground by an officer & the black student yanked upside down in her desk.  We are reminded of these & other painful images.  We cannot forget nor turn away from racial & social injustice.  Smith gives voice to Cong John Lewis.  He recalls the man who beat him during the civil rights protests coming to him with his son seeking  forgiveness.  Cong Lewis forgave him.  Note, the important & inspiring message: there is a space where change can happen, change for social justice, investment in our youth & their education; ultimately change to advance social justice.  

Steely Dan at the Beacon are Still Blazing-Preconcert Ricki Lee Jones Screeching It

The American jazz rock band Steely blends blues, funk & soul for its stupendous original sound. It's an exceptional, sophisticated style that resonates today.  Steely Dan was formed by Walter Becker on guitar & Donald Fagen on piano & vocals back in 1972.  Walter was sounded incredulous telling us he & Donald have been performing for 50 years.  Surely, as he looked out in the audience (with several shout outs to his dentist) he would have seen a senior crowd of mostly 60/70 somethings swaying in their seats & dancing in the aisles.  Their devoted fan base appreciates their music noted for its clear instrumentations from each of the individual talented musicians in the wind, brass, string & percussive sections.  A special shout out goes to the drummer, bass guitarist & alto sax.  Adding to their luxurious, jazzy soulful sound were the 3 backup singers; each given their own impressive solo spotlights.  Donald's amazing voice has not lost its strong gravely tone which lends itself perfectly to the satirical & witty lyrics.  Ricki Lee Jones opened and was fine until she opened her screeching voice.  Time has not been kind to her voice & neither am I.  Chuckie is not so lucky to be in love with Jones.  After a 1/2 break, Steely Dan took to the stage & regaled its adoring audience with a fantastic 2 hr performance.   The band had the audience eating of their hands.  Dressed in retro glory day styles, the fans took to the aisles swaying, singing & dancing.  I was somewhat surprised the audience did not draw a younger crowd (perhaps ticket prices was a factor.)  Steely Dan's music is still hitting all the right notes & crossing over into multi genres.  Had there been multigenerations at the concert, the younger crowd would have been wowed by the music but may have felt somewhat cringeworthy at the old folks seeming both happy & sappy.

The film CERTAIN WOMEN Will Appeal to Discerning Audiences

The film "Certain Women" is based on the brilliant short story collection of Maile Meloy's "Both Ways is the Only Way I Want It."  Director Kelly Reichardt adapts a triptych of stories that barely graze each other yet all share quiet shades of solitude.  The stories are set in small Montana towns during the bone chilling winter.  The vast open terrain serves as a blank canvas for its characters seeking solace by connecting with another warm body.  The scenes in a coffee shop are emblematic of a Hopper painting.  The separate stories have 3 strong lead actresses:  Laura Dern, Michelle Williams & Kristin Stewart.  All 3 working women are strong characters struggling with dissonance in their own lives. The pathos in each story is their interactions with another person who is in a very disconnected & pitable situation.  Stewart plays an atty who befriends a woman who walked into a class she was teaching just to be around other people.  Dern also plays an atty whose client has a violent meltdown & takes someone hostage.  Williams wants stones belonging to an elderly gentlemen at all costs but not without feelings for his solitude. The understated but strong performances emote empathy, compassion, & kindness.  CERTAIN WOMEN is a slow paced drama that delves into the human condition. "You just don't know how good it is to hold a letter in your hand," Dern's client tells her during a prison.  I certainly recommend this film with its harsh wintry countryside and warm hearths burning nearby.  

MET Presents Valentin de Boulogne: Beyond Caravaggio-Seems a Stretch

Don't get me wrong, the exquisite collection of works by Valentin de Boulogne (b. France 1591 - died Italy 1632) is a the 1st major exhibition of works by this master painter & it's puzzling why it's longtime  in coming.  The extensive collection contains 45 major works including an impressive altar piece from the Vatican.  (Unfortunately, the lighting cast on this piece makes it blurry.) What's more enigmatic is the curatorial commentary arguing Valentin's paintings as a major departure the prominent artist Caravaggio (b. Italy 1571-1610.)   Both artists of the Boroque epoch are more alike than unalike.  Having died at a young age, the assemblage of 45 of his 60 surviving paintings makes this a rare & remarkable exhibition.  Both accopmlished painters had a penchant for realistic depictions favoring biblical reenactments, mostly of bloody crucifications & martyrdoms.  I favored Valentin's paintings with more mundane subject matters; bar room scenes and gambling.  None of these paintings are lewd, rather they are much more subdued.  These paintings draw the viewer into the scene, making you part of the unfolding drama.  The absence of a floor makes the canvas expand past its frame & creates thinking outside the box.  However, my artistic eye did not discern a demarcation of Valentin's style from Caravaggio's.  Both used dark palettes & shadowy backgrounds.  Colorful accent came from a bold shade of red seen in fabrics or blood.  A hint of faded blue tones also breaks up the somber color scheme.  Even in Valentin's paintings with a musical partying motif, there is a pervasive sense of melancholy.  The show includes fascinating musical instruments from the 15th & 16th C.  An audio of the music from this period would have been an enhancement.  Valentin work is thought to influence the trend towards  the new naturalistic style of painting.  I can see where Manet's paintings may have been impacted by Valentin.  I wasn't certain how Valentin's paintings differed from Caravaggio.  Nonetheless, there is ample reason to go and see these glorious paintings and see if you think Valentin varied far beyond that of Caravaggio.

Julliard Panel with Conductors/Composers Salonen, Saariaho & Mendonca

The Julliard School hosted a evening of discussion with conductors/composers:  Kaija Saariaho & Esa-Peka Salonen (both born in Finland) and Vasco Mendona (born Portugal.)  Presently, Salonen is the inhouse composer for the NYPhilharmonic & Mendona is the in-house composer for the MET Opera.  The main topic was mentoring; mentoships they've received & have offered others.  The youngest on the panel, Mendona (b. 1977) was recently mentored by Mendona.  She clarified that it was a colloboration & sharing of ideas.  Mendosa praised Mendona's work & wasn't sure she'd of help but was happy to offer suggestions & support.  The short video shows them communicating ideas in a partnership.  It was fascinating to hear Mendosa explain her approach to composing which involved  a  great deal of contemplation regarding sounds she wished to expressed.  Salonen admitted to a major gaff when correcting his esteemed mentor for derivations in his composition.  He felt abashed and ashamed for his conceit.  The candid conversation was extremely interesting.  They shared insights into their creative genius.  I was struck by both their humility & hubris.  I was particularily taken by Ms Mendona who felt unsure of her potential for composing for the opera.  I favored her composition "Fight/Flight/Freeze "('14.)  A piece by all 3 composers was performed by Julliard students and alumni after their talk.  Saariaho's piece "Light and Matter ('14) was written for piano, violin & cello.  Salonen's "Homunculus ('07) was written for a quartet: 2 violins, a viola & cello.  All 3 pieces were performed molto gusto.   Salonen's piece adhered more to a classical chamber music aesthetic whereas Saariaho & Mendonca were contemporary with atonal measures flowing into harmonious resonance.  To be able to hear such highly acclaimed composers speak of their creative processes & praise those who took them under their wings was inspiring.  To hear Julliard students perform their compositions afterwards was priceless.  

On B'wy "The FRONT PAGE" Stop the Press Don't Go to this Mess

"The Front Page" is a slapstick comedy that is sappy & a political farce without fire.  The cast is packed with A list stage/movie actors:  Nathan Lane, John Goodman, Holland Taylor, Sherie Rene Scott & John Slattery.  Unfortunately, the ensemble cast doesn't jell.  Goodman as the Sheriff sleepwalks the role of a buffoon.  Lane does what he does so well.  I find Lane a tiresome pain.  As for Scott, Taylor & Slattery (as Hildy Johnson in an admirable performance as a die hard reporter,) their skills aren't enough to get this play to print.  It first premiered in 1928 written by journalist & Acad Award winning screening writer Ben Hecht in collaboration with author & Acad Award winning screenwriter Charles MacArthur.  They buried the lead:  political corruption & deceptive reporting for self-promotion & profit.  On the eve of the hanging of convicted killer Earl Williams, the bawdy bunch of reporters are gambling & bantering to kill time.  Williams manages to escape and a chaotic chase ensues.  The shocking news came in Act II (of an 3 Act windbag show.)  The Governor's reprieve order is clandestinely kept by the mayor & sheriff in order to gain glory & re-election.  Williams didn't manage to flee far.  He's holding out in the news room across from the prison, kept under cover (in a roll top desk) so that Johnson & his editor will have the exclusive scoop on the elusive escapee.  Mixed into this melee are mushy love stories moved aside along with obscure references to anti-communist rhetoric.  The facts of a great cast, celebrated playwrights and a prescient presidential race don't add up to making the grade.  The play is disappointingly dated & superscilious.  The lead on the leaded "Front Page" is yesterday's news.  

Agnes Martin Exhibit at Guggenheim-Minimalist Art with Expansive Ideas

The extensive show of Agnes Martin's (b. Canada 1912-2004) work is simply titled AGNES MARTIN in monochromatic pale blue.  I was expecting to see a lot of repetitive, pale toned, grid or lined paintings but her works evoked numerous responses from me as I explored the works over her career as an artist.  I found her works serene, contemplative, disruptive & manic and most of all surprising.  The exhibit begins without curation but with a single painting "Mid-Winter" ('54) which has biomorphic shapes with a palette of black, brown, white & grey and looked very much like a work by Gorky.  Martin's early paintings were portraitures, still lifes & landscapes.  I was disappointed there weren't any  shown she may have destroyed them.  She was known to destroy many works she deemed sub-stellular.  Martin's work is considered pivotal between abstract art & minimalism.  The 1st large gallery contained contained the 12 large paintings collectively titled "The Islands," ('79.)  These iconic pieces represent Martin's pared down paintings in undulating shades of white.  All are deceptively similar.   W Martin claimed she wanted her paintings "to conjure abstract emotions of freedom, happiness, innocence & perfection."  I had mixed responses.  To the majority of her detailed, repetitive grid paintings I felt a sense of frenzy from compulsive, meticulous grids & repetitions.  Martin struggled with schiophrenia throughout her life and I sensed this in her work.  I also felt her work served as a conduit for serenity.  The muted palettes appear soothing but they omit optical tricks. Looking upclose and then moving away, lines & shapes disappear.  Many of Martin's large paintings from the '70s have nature titles:  "Blue Flower" "On a Clear Day".  These were done shortly after Martin returned to painting after an extended hiatus.  Martin said "When I first made a grid, I happened to be thinking of the innocence of trees."  I was intrigued with Martin's thoughts &  expectations.  The body of Martin's work and its evolution was endlessly fascinating. Although, I didn't experience a Zen like response.  Martin maintained "art is the concrete representation of our most subtle feelings." With this sentiment, I am in full alignment.  

French Film "Being 17" by Director Andre Techine

Andre Techine (b France 1943) is a highly regarded & honored director/screenwriter following in the footsteps of famous French directors such as Truffaut & Malle.  "Being 17" captures the essence & range of human emotions, frailties & resiliencies.  The 2 main leads in the film are credible & intriguing  high school students.  The movie is set amongst the scenice backdrop of the French countryside.  The seasons are as much as vital to the movie as the plot.   You can feel the soft snow falling & your boots crunching and smell the fragrant dawning of spring.  Thomas trudges long distance & mountainous terrain to his familiy's dairy farm by bus & on foot.  The terrain is breathtaking, particularily the moonlight winter landscapes where Thomas finds solace & plunges into the icy lake.  He's time consuming commute to the high school is taking its toll on Thomas' studies.  Damien & Thomas are in classes together at the same school.  Damien lives in close proximity to campus & both his parents are professionals.  Damien's mother is a physician & his father an army helicpoter pilot.   Damien & Thomas have a very contentious & aggressive relationship.  Unaware of the animosity between Thomas & her son, Thomas' mother becames a patient & she offers to take Thomas into their home during his mother's convalescence.  It's no surprise that the battling foes eventually become infatuated lovers.  The delight of the film stems from the gamut of human emotions and quotidian experiences.  The dawning sexual awareness is the driving force to this artful & majestic film that conveys maturation, tribulations & the triumphant human spirit.  Some may consider "Being 17" as slow as watching snow melt.  I saw this film & it warmed my heart & enlivened my spirit.  Damien confides to his mother that Thomas punched him because he had attempted to kiss him.  Damien asks his mother if she has anything to say she replies "No, I'm listening to what you're have telling me."  C'est la vie.

MoMA's "How Should We Live?" Interior Design 1920s-1950s

The exhibits postulates how interior design was radicalized beginning in the late 1920's through the 1950's.  It's made evident in a German poster depicting a posh, living space stuffed with ornate furnishings & ornamentations with a large red X mandates against living in this fashion  No to ornate over decorated space & yes to less is the new norm.  Contributing to streamlined design were limited space, expenses & the necessity for multi-functional living space.  Design driven by feasibility was imperative.  The exhibition consists of furniture, architecture, art & household items from early to mid 20th C is impressive for its relevance & modern aesthetic.  You'll be familiar with many pieces by well known architects & designers:  Le Corbusier, Knoll, Weems, van der Rohe.   Florence Knoll (b Amer 1917) was amongst a growing number of women architects & designers who contributed greatly during this epoch.  Other leading women included Eileen Gray & Charlotte Perriand.  The collaborations between the sexes was extensive:  Lilly Reich & van der Rohe, Charles & Bernice "Ray" Eames and Le Corbusier & Charlotte Perriand.  Although the name recognition for the men is more prevalent, the collaborations culminated in iconic designs withstanding the test of time.  MoMA, in 1950  held a design contest which resulted in numerous creations by Knoll & van der Rohe.  The designs with new materials & technology facilitated mass productions.  The Bauhaus School (1919-1933) was at the forefront of working with cleaner lines, & making efficent use of space.  Art, architecture, industrial & graphic design were undergoing a seismic shift.  Less is more & there is more or less plenty to note in this show.  The posters are formidable in their design & messaging.  Note also art & household items created by Arp, Albers, Calder & Gorky. There is an int'l group of artists, architects & designers represented:  Germany, America, Switzerland, France & Japan.  George Nakashima (b Amer 1909-1990) derivated from items designed for mass production.  Nakashima was among the Americans of Japanese lineage egregiously interned during WWII.  During his captivity Nakashima met Gentano Hikoyawa who mentored him in woodworking craftsmanship.  Nakashima is credited with leading the American craftsmanship movement in the 1950's, an irony not lost by our nation's despicable treatment of Americans during this period.   MoMA's "How Should We Live?" did not address how we forced people to live.

Nate Parker's Telling of Nat Turner's Story THE BIRTH of a NATION

The powerful, painful & must see film "The Birth of a Nation," is based on the true story of Nat Turner.  Turner, a slave in VA during the early 19th C led an uprising of slaves against their brutal & oppressive white "owners."  For who can own another human being?  The unqualified answer is no one. Neither can we deny the unconscionable, tyrannous treatment of African Americans considered property.  As property, white owners were free to abuse, torture & kill at whim.  This film mirror's American history at it's worst & most prescient relevance.  Nate Parker does a masterful job of acting, writing & directing a film that is incredibly affecting scrutiny of slavery.  The endless poignant & painful moments in the movie are harrowing and indelible.  For example: a young white girl "playing" with a young black slave by pulling her with a rope tied to her neck, the steel mouth harness & bashing in of teeth to force-feed slaves, witnessing men waiting for the wives to return from being forced concubines to white males, the debasing sale human beings.  The atrocious & cringe worthy beatings & lynchings are scorching.  Daily life was endless hardship.  The tender moments of love & family amongst the slaves heightens the atrocities we must endure.  Endure is being used lightly as bearing witness doesn't compare in any way to the suffering of slaves.  Nevertheless, this compelling historic film should be mandatory viewing.  We follow a young Nat Turner through his early years as a favored "house slave" taught to read.  He becomes a revered preacher & a courageous prophet who leads a bloody rebellion doomed to failure but not without the hope for  as a future with freedom.  Parker's film is 1st & foremost an accounting of our nation's abominable treatment of forced slavery.  It's also a commentary on the perversion of religious teachings capitalized for false & corrupt justifications for the domination of one race over human beings.  "To see a strong man broken down is a terrible thing."  There are many terrible truths deemed apprehensible that must be forever be maintained in our history.  Nate Parker's true story of Nat Turner's life is a piercing & unforgettable film "The Birth of a Nation," is the ongoing struggle for equality born out of the scourge of slavery.  "I tremble for my country when I reflect that God is just; that his justice cannot sleep forever."  (T Jefferson)

Chinese Pianist Lang Lang Performs Beethoven's Concerto #4 with NY Philharmonic

Lang Lang (b. China '82) is a world renown pianist.  He's performed before int'l Presidents including 4 US Presidents, 2 Chinese Presidents and Queen Elizabeth II to name but a few.  To be in the audience while Lang Lang is playing makes one feel like royalty.  His playing is transcendent and hearing his interpretation of Beethoven's Concert #4 is bliss.  To contemplate the miraculousness of Beethoven's  compositions fills one with complete wonderment.  He wrote this piece in 1806, several years after becoming completely deaf.  The great composer's genius defies conceivability.  Hearing Lang Lang play Beethoven's opening piano solo, a revolutionary contrivance at the time, gives one a visceral feeling sets one spirit soaring.  The familiar movements to the orchestration are majestic.  Conductor Gilbert led orchestra with grandeur.  Watching Lang Lang from the 1st tier box I was also privy to watching his "free" left hand rise above the keyboard as if to give count.  Seeing Lang's own rapturous expressions was stirring. (And, he did crack his knuckles before beginning.)  The mutual respect & admiration between Maestro Gilbert & the brilliant pianist was joyous to see during their 3 curtain calls to a standing ovation.  How incredibly sad to consider Beethoven's 4th Concerto premier would be the last concert he ever gave.  Beethoven became enraged by the audience's guffaws at an incident involving 1 of the boys on stage providing candlelight who was inadvertently struck by him.  Regardless, the heavenliness of the piano & orchestra was uplifting for my soul.

Swedish Film "A Man Called Ove" An Ogre with an Oversized Heart

The Swedish/Persian langue film "A Man Called Ove" with English subtitles is based on the book by Swedish author Frederick Backman (b. 1981.)  The simple, saccharine story starts out with several unsuccessful suicide attempts by the man named Ove, played by Swedish actor Rolf Lasgard.  Lasgard is able to lend credibility to his role as the captious, curmudgeon whose rough exterior melts away like  snow in spring.  His new neighbor who brings new life & purpose to Ove just as he wants his life over.  The Persian, pregnant wife & mother of 2 girls is played by Iranian actress Bahar Pars (b. 1979.)  Lasgard & Pars pair off as strong characters and carry the movie along in a cantankerous & convincingly caring manner.   Ove visits his wives' grave daily promising to join her soon but life gets in the way of that plan.  The flashbacks (mostly during his suicide attempts) give us an insight to a young Ove raised by a father who teaches Ove everything about engines & steers his son with a strong moral compass.   Also engaging are the happier scenes showing the blossoming love between Ove & his soon to be wife, Sonja.  Sonja is played by the lovely & talented Swedish actress Ida Engvoll. The endearing young daughters of Ove's new neighbors are also delightful.  This Swedish, symbiotic feel good movie is predictable and pulls at your heartstrings.  You have to decide if you want to be manipulated into falling in love with Ove.  But, if you should see this cinematic charmer & come away disgruntled, then you're an idiot.

Aspen Arts Conversations with Major Museum Directors Thelma Golden and Adam Weinberg

The Arts Program at the Roosevelt House on 65th held a very interesting talk with Thelma Golden, Dir & Chief Curator of the Studio Museum and Adam Weinberg Dir of the Whitney.  It was moderated by Damian Wetzel, Dir of the Aspen Instit Arts Prog.  Both Golden & Weinberg were engaged in a lively, candid discussion of the passion, privilege & power they feel in their prestigious positions Directors of the Studio Museum & the Whitney, respectively.  Both expressed their commitment to represent both the community & the artists with respect to what they bring to their "Institutions."  Firstly,  the term "Institution" was dismissed. It doesn't align with how they want the Studio & Whitney to be regarded.  The Museums are intended as a safe, welcoming public space.  Part of their mission is to support & represent artists.  Weinberg conceded to "glamour" in his position with exposure to artists & curators.  But, he maintains the ideal for the Whitney "to be a safe place for unsafe ideas - an arena for for conversation." Golden said the Studio "is a neighbor in the community that is up front with the idea of what a Museum can be."  Ms Golden stated the Studio's mission has always been to present works by African Amer artists who have been under represented in major museums.  The talk centered around the ways in which art is a major factor in affecting social change, providing new ways to challenge the status quo.  Weinberg explained the design of the Whitney was to provide a 360 view around the city, exposure looking into the building and realizing inside the building you are inbedded in NYC. "museum behavior" is being question & aimed at being flexible; allowing people to absorb works indidivudally.  To remain, faithful to their creative visions, they agreed every choice matters. "It's important to give art primary possibilities for openness for the future."  

Julliard Jazz Sextet Plays an All Monk Program

The Julliard Artist Diploma Ensemble performed a Thelonious Monk concert under the guidance of guest coach Eric Reed.  Reed is an award winning jazz pianist & composer.  He's performed with Wynton Marsalis & with the Lincoln Ctr Jazz Orch.  Thelonious Monk is a legendary pianist &  jazz composer, one of the most highly regarded jazz musicans of the 20th C.  As a pianist, his music often spotlighted the virtuosity of the keyboard.  Pianist, David Meder played admirably as did the other members:  Douglas Mariner on drums, David Neves on trumpet, Erikc Miller on trombone & Martin Jaffe on Bass.  All the students wrote their own arrangement of Monk's compositions for the band.  The cool jazz & innovative style was an exceptionally enjoyable evening of music.  The Julliard Jazz Artist Diploma Ensemble is comprised of Julliard Jazz's most advanced musicians.  The Ensemble will only be performing one more concert for the 2016-17 season.  Don't miss these accomplished artists while still students at Julliard.  "Round Midnight" was arranged by David Meder and was a favorite on the program.

MADmuseum CROCHET CORAL REEF Toxic Seas

The exquisite & exciting environmentally conscience exhibit at the MADmuseum is so enticing I'm afraid the message gets washed away from what twin sisters Margaret & Christine Wertheim want to make clear.  We're destroying our environment by the endless detitrus we cast off regardless of our harmful & wasteful behaviors.  The beauty & wonder of these exotic, intricate & mystifying sculptures shaped from finely crafted crocheting, knitting and piecing together of plastic waste is a reminder the great coral reef in all its colorful splendor is being wiped out.  The damage being wrought comes from plastic & toxic waste as well as global warming that is threatening marine life and life as we know it.  The large, multi-medium sculptures call to mind Tim Burton creations or Audrey from "Little Shop of Horrors."  The pieces are both eerie & beautiful.  You might expect the objects to undulate or reach out & grab you.  You may even be tempted to touch these sculptures for their many enticing, tactile materials.  Warning:  Look, yeah, but don't touch.  The walls are painted blue to place you within the oceans.  There are glass displays resembling acquariums; another acquatic theme contrivance that is convincing.  The glass displays "Pod World" looked like jewelry displays; the beads, rocks, sand & wire objects are bedazzling.  The "Crohet Coral Reef" is rife with cause for conservation & reminders of our responsibilities to protect our planet from demise.  "The sea, the great unifier is man's only hope  Now, as never before the old phrase has a literal meaning.  We are all in the same boat."  (J Costeau)

BRIDGET JONE'S BABY Regurgitates Chick Flick Genre

The original "Bridget Jones Diary" ('01,) the 1st in the trifecta of fetching chick flick comedies was so chipper it spawned 2 sequels.  Dir Sharon McGuire (b Welsh 1960) directed both the original & the most recent, "Bridget Jone's Baby."  The latest installation begins with the funeral of Hugh Grant. The church is jam packed with a bevy of young beauties.  Also in attendance, is Mark Darcy (Colin Firth - oh Mr Darcy) with wife in tow.  Awkward, uncomfortable, adorable & endearing are but a few of Bridget's character traits played pitch perfectly by Renee Zellweger.)  Zellweger with her winsome charm is delightfully daffy.  However, Patrick Dempsy is miscast as Jack, a billionaire exec who seems more like a quack.  Bridget has had lengthy dry spell from men.  She hits the double derby with Mark & Jack and finds herself happily pregnant - except for the fact, she's not sure who is the actual father to her baby.  The brilliant, Acad Award winning actress & screenwriter, Emma Thompson does double duty on this film as screenwriter & actress in the role of Bridget's Dr.  Thompson is hilarious as the affable Dr willing to play along with Bridget's ruse since she's confused who the dad to be is going to be.  To see or not to see?  Here's the deal, the movie has a 50% chance to appeal to the general population.  But, bringing Hugh Grant back from the dead is a droll addendum.

Judith Light in "All the Ways to Say I Love You" Offers Nothing to Like

"All the Ways to Say I Love You," at the Lucille Lortel Theater is written by their mascot playwright Neil LaBute & stars B'wy & TV veteran Judith Light.  LaBute is a prolific playwright.  He received the Amer Acad of Arts Award in '13.   Some of his plays are brilliant "Reasons to be Pretty" ('08.)  Many more have been disappointing "The Money Shot," ('14.)  "All the Ways to Say I Love You" falls way short of brilliance or merit.  It's a 1 act, 1 character rant that I found irritating.  Light is a Tony & Emmy winning actress & will always be tied to her TV series "Whose the Boss?"  Her acting is usually full throttle which sometimes serves her well.  Here her hysteria & relentless carrying on about her life & lies would have benefited from better writing.  Labute's play is about a high school teacher, Mrs. Johnson.  But it lacks depth & veracity in its sole character.  Instead, Light's soulless portrayal fails to conjure empathy or repugnance despite her admission of an affair with "a 2nd year senior, a good looking boy named Tommy."  Nor are we interested with her professed love for her husband Eric.  Johnson's marriage was stagnant & yet they carried on to conceive a child.  The prognosis for success by their fertility Dr. "were within the realm of possibilities."  The contrivance of Light speaking directly to the audience (or aloud to herself) was forced & ill conceived.  I was not stirred by her sexual awakening for which she was unashamed.  Nor was I convinced she loved her husband or anyone other than herself.  "All the Ways to Say I Love You," had little of value to warrant any regard.  The one answer she gave a student who asked how much does a lie weigh was the only assertion with gravitas.  "A lie weighs 6 lbs 3 oz."

QUEEN of KATWE-Disney the Master of the Gotta Good Heart Genre

The true story of a young girl from Katwe, Uganda, Phiona from a dirt poor family is rich in heart & steeped with messaging the omnipotence of utilizing brainpower & tenacity.  Mind over matter is not all that matters in this poignant underdog story from which Disney has taken it's lion king share.  Phiona, played with a convincing awareness of her rising abilities by newcomer Madina Nalwanga.  An impressive & winning debut performance.  Acad Award winning actress Lupita Nyong'o's is Phiona's indomitable mother whose stern demeanor is born out of love & hardship.  Nyong'o is powerful in her role and British actor David Oyelowo (Selma) who plays Phiona's mentor is marvelous.  Oyelowo echoes Sidney Poitier (in talent) & Poitier's role in "To Sir with Love:" the movie of a gentleman whose compassion & altruism seems too good to be true.  Directed by Mira Nair (b. India 1958) who directed the "Namesake," takes the underdog story to new heights.  Instead of a sports hero, our heroine is an uneducated girl of little means who rises to become a master chess player.  Granted, she didn't do this on her own.  She had the support of a devoted mother and a selfless teacher.  Another feel good message of respect, commitment and gratitude.  The world of possibilities opens to Phiona as she soars & comes in contact with a broader & richer world outside her impoverished town. ("There much be more than this provincial life.")  There were loads of plattitudes that weighted down the movie "You belong where you think you belong."  "Losing doesn't mean you're a failure."  "Losing teaches me to do better."  Still, Nair didn't shy away from the shame Phiona felt as her pride in her accomplishments rose.  This real life story is inspiring.  It raised the bar on the triumph against all odds movie.

Jazz Pianist Brad Mehldau and Saxophonist Joshua Redman Perform at Jazz at Linc Ctr

The dreary, rainy night blues heading into the weekend were washed away by the cool & classical jazz performance of Brad Mehldau on piano and Joshua Redman on alto & soprano saxophone.  Both American, award winning & Grammy nominated musicians are accomplished composers & arrangers.  The program started without pomp & circumstance.  They walked out on stage without introduction or addressing the audience and simply proceeded to dazzle us with their innovative jazzy style.   Mehldau's playing had a strong classical musical influence that expanded jazz in unexpected & pleasing rhythmic designs.  Redman's virtuoso playing was enthralling on both alto & soprano sax.  His solo performances on the soprano sax were stupendous.  Playing together, Mehldau's piano melodies  highlighted Redman's strong saxophone playing. Both men received the spotlight for showcasing their own talents.  After the first few rich & comforting musical numbers, Redman told us they were performing original compositions off their latest CD. Redman is the son of jazz saxophonist Dewey Redman.  Mehldau & Redman mainly performed their own compositions.  They played pieces by Coltrane & Parker with their own ingenious arrangement.  My favorite pieces were the 2 original duo ballads.  The 2 played 1 non-stop set for nearly 2 hours.  This was not nearly long enough but it was a blazing way to start the weekend