IS COMING TO OTTAWA & OPENING TUESDAY MARCH 13th  AT THE NATIONAL ARTS CENTRE!
  
The tour of the smash hit Broadway revival of WEST SIDE STORY is coming to Ottawa.  WEST SIDE STORY will open at the National Arts Centre on Tuesday March 13th.  Tony Award-winning librettist Arthur Laurents’ Broadway direction will be recreated for the tour by David Saint, the Associate Director on Broadway. The original Jerome Robbins choreography is reproduced by Tony Award-nominee Joey McKneely (The Boy from Oz, The Life).
 
The new Broadway cast album of WEST SIDE STORY won the 2010 Grammy Award for Best Musical Show Album on January 31, 2010. The Bernstein and Sondheim score is considered to be one of Broadway’s finest and features such classics of the American musical theatre as “Something’s Coming,” “Tonight,” “America,” “I Feel Pretty” and “Somewhere.”

The new Broadway production began previews at the Palace Theatre on Broadway Monday, February 23, 2009, opened to critical acclaim breaking box office records at the Palace Theatre on Thursday, March 19, 2009, and recouped its $14 million investment after running only 30 weeks. The Broadway production played its final performance January 2, 2011. The musical played 27 previews and 748 regular performances, making it the longest-running production of the groundbreaking musical in Broadway history. The original production, which had held the record, played 732 performances on Broadway.  

WEST SIDE STORY features scenic designs by James Youmans (Gypsy), costumes by Tony Award nominee David C. Woolard (The Farnsworth Invention, The Who’s Tommy), lighting by Tony Award winner Howell Binkley (Gypsy, Jersey Boys), sound design by Tony Award nominee Dan Moses Schreier (Gypsy, A Catered Affair) and hair by Mark Adam Rampmeyer (The Farnsworth Invention).  
 
WEST SIDE STORY is written by three theatrical luminaries: two-time Tony Award winner Arthur Laurents (book) and multiple Tony and Grammy Award winners Leonard Bernstein (music) and Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) in his Broadway debut.  
 
WEST SIDE STORY is produced by Kevin McCollum, James L. Nederlander, Jeffrey Seller with Terry Allen Kramer, Sander Jacobs, Roy Furman / Jill Furman Willis, Robyn Goodman / Walt Grossman, Hal Luftig, Roy Miller and Broadway Across America.
 
Performances times of WEST SIDE STORY at The National Arts Centre are as follows:  Tuesday March 13th through Friday March 16th at 8pm, Saturday March 17th and 2 & 8 pm and Sunday March 18th at 2 & 7:30 pm. 
 
Ticket prices for WEST SIDE STORY range depending on performance date and time, seat location and date of purchase.  Tickets go on sale to the general public on Monday January 30th at 10 am at The National Arts Centre Box Office, via phone at 1.888.991.2787 or on line at www.ticketmaster.ca. 

American Express® Cardmembers have access to some of the best seats in the house for all WEST SIDE STORY performances. Advance tickets are available through Front Of The Line® by American Express January 18-24, 2012. 
 
 WEST SIDE STORY is a part of Broadway Across Canada’s 11-12 subscription season. 

About Broadway Across Canada:
Broadway Across Canada:  Owned and operated by British theatre producer John Gore (CEO) and entertainment industry veteran Thomas B. McGrath (Chairman), Broadway Across Canada, in association with Broadway Across America, presents first-class touring Broadway musicals and plays, family productions and other live events throughout a network of 43 North American cities.  Broadway Across America is also dedicated to the development and production of new and diverse live theatre for productions on Broadway, across America and throughout the world.  Current and upcoming productions include the Broadway premiere of Irving Berlin’s WHITE CHRISTMAS, Tony Award-winners BOEING BOEING and SPAMALOT, 13 A NEW MUSICAL, WEST SIDE STORY opening on Broadway in 2009, and DORA THE EXPLORER on tour.  For more information or to purchase tickets through an authorized agent go to BroadwayAcrossCanada.ca.
 

* Opening Night, Saturday July 16, 2011 *

It’s big. It’s bold. And it’s blatant. The first few lines of credits in the programme read: Disney presents The Lion King. Music & Lyrics by Elton John & Tim Rice. Additional Music & Lyrics by Lebo M, Mark Mancina, Jay Rifkin, Julie Taymor, Hans Zimmer. Book by Roger Allers & Irene Mecchi. Adapted from the screenplay by Irene Mecchi & Jonathan Roberts & Linda Woolverton. (Whew!)

Bringing a ‘classic’ Disney movie to the live theatrical stage poses two very big questions. Why? And how? Both magnified exponentially when the original film is animated and the characters are animals. Why would someone want to do a staged musical about animals? Although Cats has had a very long and successful run, my first point was going to be that it should have a strong story as a core. (And Cats didn’t. So go figure that one out. And then let me know.)

The Lion King‘s story is from Disney’s 1994 animated film of the same name, which is thematically from Shakespeare’s Hamlet (and that was probably from some earlier fable or lore) — a Prince’s succession is sidetracked by his father’s death at his uncle’s hand. Okay, with a story to tell, art to create, and money to make, the next question is: how?

Julie Taymor. Her name is all over this show – Director, Costume Design, Mask/Puppet Co-design, and Additional Lyrics. Very well known for risky, novel creativity, Ms.Taymor tapped deeply into the roots of Africa for concepts, style, and story-telling. Strong and stirring. Creative and courageous. And costly. So the questions is, still, how?  Money. Who has more money than Disney? And it is their property. So now I have another question. Were they trying to bring the story to the stage? Or the movie? (Which is, to me, a dangerous mix and misuse of media.) Or are were they fighting to do both?

In the staged production I saw on Saturday night, there were several powerful plusses. The opening pageant of animals was truly moving. And magical, in seeing through the rough and raw mechanics to the humans living inside. Also profoundly apparent were the strong feelings of this cast of fifty creating a village of tribal story-telling with their puppets, shadows, dance, and colourful cultural costumes. Even the highly-technical and complex staging of the wildebeest stampede worked well because it was dramatically countered with the bare, simple, human moments between Simba, his fallen father, and his sinister uncle, Scar.

Where the production struggled and clashed with itself was, ironically, in some of those same areas. Spectacle often trumped spirit. Machine over human. Being. The masks and puppetry of key characters were inconsistent in extremes ranging from the lions’ simple head-top masks allowing them full access to motion and emotion; through the awkwardly distracting and varied versions of the hyenas; all the way to an exact replica of the movie’s cartoony Timon the meerkat, leaving his puppeteer walking awkwardly and separately behind him in floppy feet, green camouflage and face paint. These extremes were also reflected in staging and characterization. Some characters were allowed to grow in the story and in the evolution of the production with new scenes and songs for the scheming Scar and for the maturing Simba and Nala. But that growth and life were completely absent in the characterizations of Timon and Pumbaa which ended up being a strict and rigid parroting of the movie’s original cast soundtrack. Even delicate design choices of organic fabric leaves and plants were slammed with glaring kiddie-kitsch when two giant plastic inflatable plants were pushed onstage, then deflated to sagging as an illustration of the thirteenth Pumbaa fart joke.

With such a sprawling show, there are bound to be bald spots. And when the show is as big and busy as The Lion King, over-mechanized devices and cloying gimmicks and jarring irregularities can mortally wound the story and the heart of the show. This fighting between indigenous African story-telling and American Disney-factory fodder may simply be the timeless friction between the piece of art being painted and the wall of money it’s hanging on. (See Woody Allen’s Bullets Over Broadway.) (I mean it. Literally. See it.)

Thankfully, there were also some individual spirited performances growing and glowing between the machines and the marketing. There were memorable notes in the performances of leading characters like Scar, Mufasa, Simba, and young Nala. But worthy of special mention were Buyi Zama’s playful charm and chants in the role of the mystical Rafiki. And Syndee Winters, who brought it all together, acting, singing and dancing (and fighting) with power, grace, and that “something else” in the way of believing and discovering it all as new. I would also like to spotlight the actor who played young Simba on opening night (no programme indication whether it was Niles Fitch or Zavion J. Hill). For a performer with smaller stature, age and experience on this big stage in a big show with big players to find real moments to be present and to believe (in a way few “Disney Channel actors” can or do), his character earned my sentiments; and his “character” earned my respect.

There is something deep in Disney’s The Lion King as it takes us on a spectacular walk along an earthy path. And something cheap in being served plastic-wrapped mechanically produced process cheese slices at every intersection.

MY ASSESSMENT: | Brilliant | Clear | Murky | Flawed | – a tangled charm bracelet.

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Disney’s The Lion King
continues at the N.A.C.’s Southam Hall
through August 7, 2011.

Tickets available ONLINE
by phone through Ticketmaster 1-888-991-2787 (ARTS)
or at the NAC Box Office

The National Arts Centre

Broadway Across Canada

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[Requests for "APPRAISE of the Theatre" reviews should be directed to info@ottawatonite.com]

* Opening Night — Thursday April 7, 2011 *
Sheldon Currie’s Cape Breton born and raised script follows the unassuming life of Lauchie (pronounced “law-key”) MacDonald, a coal miner living with his widowed mother. A fateful evening at the bingo hall spins Lauchie into the arms of the vivacious Liza. Following a $500 bingo win, Lauchie and Liza announce their engagement and their plans to move in next door — just as Lauchie’s smooth-talking twin brother, Rory returns home. As the years pass, Liza’s choice of brothers weighs heavily on her and on the family.

The production design was aptly quaint and simple for the “company house” in a coal mine town. A little on the dark and drab side, it may have been too clay a base for life to grow or glow. An unfortunate wilting occurred with the choice of music. Although the play began with the acoustically brisk colour of Mairi Rankin’s mastery of the fiddle, she was then sat upstage in the dark as many of the musical moments underscoring the dancing, mood, atmosphere and scene transitions came from generic audio recordings. Director Mary-Colin Chisholm has been at the helm of this play from its 50-minute version; through its long and winding road; to this current full-length production by the Mulgrave Road Theatre in association with Frankie Productions. The direction is strong in the pleasant charm of the storytelling, but really thins out in want of focus, pace and energy on the stage. There are a few cleverly tight moments – the four-handed card game performed by two actors certainly stands out; and the bible/priest was good for a laugh. But with so many different staging styles (a parade of bits and bobs and tricks and schticks) the play as a whole was inconsistent and, at times distracting. The mother for example was portrayed as a painting (first by one actor, then the other actor, then a hand, then a fist). I thought perhaps she was dead and her portrait ‘coming to life’ was part of their memory, imagination and decor. I was wrong. Most of the production depended on the actors jumping back-and-forth between characters. So, when Rory Junior was played as an empty space with a disembodied voice, it took some getting used to. And then, in the next scene, he was played by one of the actors. I want to follow the “laws of the universe” created by a production, but when they drop them, they drop me.

Christian Murray, playing half of the characters in the play, brought physical, humorous, and crafty experience to his performance. His ability to snap fully between characters, especially the disparate twin brothers was often moving and memorable. Natasha MacLellan’s vocal and physical energy was lower and slower, but she did bring a sincerity to both the conflicted Liza and Lauchie’s plain-jane sister, Anne.

The line between the touching story at one end — and our theatre evening at the other — felt stretched and sagged with the loads of ideas clothespinned onto it.

MY ASSESSMENT: | Brilliant | Clear | Murky | Flawed | – a simple little stone buried in a brooch.

__________

“Lauchie, Liza and Rory” by Sheldon Currie continues at the NAC Studio through April 16, 2011

The NAC English Theatre

Tickets are available for purchase:
In person at the NAC Box Office
At all Ticketmaster outlets
By telephone from Ticketmaster, (613) 755-1111
Online through the Ticketmaster link on the NAC’s website (www.nac-cna.ca)
A service charge applies on all purchases made through Ticketmaster.

__________

[Requests for "APPRAISE of the Theatre" reviews should be directed to info@ottawatonite.com]

* Tuesday March 22, 2011 *
Michel Tremblay’s script has the elements of classic greek tragedy, iconic character types, and geographically cultural folklore that may see it studied and staged in 2500 years as well. This new translation by Linda Gaboriau is a smart balance of the 1976 fabled French characters as they live on a 2011 English stage. The “language” within the monologues and around the choral structure holds fast and strong as Carmen returns to her roots in Montreal’s “Main” nightclub scene with new ideals and ideas about herself, her world, and her role in it.

The National Arts Centre’s English Theatre, in co-production with Canadian Stage (Toronto), has brought together a powerful team of artists, designers and performers for this project. Set and costume designer Eo Sharp boldly threw the red-light district straight at us. Her creative costuming took a dozen uniquely human body types and dipped them in red hot wax giving the chorus strikingly individual uniformity. This was contrasted with the extreme blacks and whites of the antagonists and protagonist respectively. The powerful set was extremely clean and smooth (though possibly overly grand for a gritty burlesque inner-city night club). I especially appreciated the passionate marriage of those designs with Bonnie Beechers lighting – using the shapes and textures to bounce, reflect and shade her own electric visions. Director, Peter Hinton brought all of this together with clean, clear life and leadership. The daring style was not welded on as a sidecar to an older vehicle, but a texture and tone living in, around and through the entire ride. The high-heeled boots, pumps, and stilettos provided acoustic rhythms in the fluidly patterned staging. And the simple power-plays in the round room were efficiently effective most of the time. Featuring a full roster of the NAC English Theatre Acting Company, “Saint Carmen of the Main” was both ballsy and believable. Solidly surrounding Carmen were three sharp and angular performances from Diane D’Aquila as Harelip, Carmen’s dresser; Jean Leclerc as Maurice, her boss; and Jackie Richardson (rightfully) as the dangerous diva and Carmen’s early mentor, Gloria. These were performances that easily swept me away from my job as reviewer. Thank you. Now, with such tall towers, Laara Sadiq’s bar was set quite high in the title role. Although Ms. Sadiq stood with professional strength and stamina, she was not able to climb very far; or find her upper ranges – making Carmen’s fall less important and less involving.

This production of Linda Gaboriau’s new translation of “Saint Carmen of the Main” by Michel Tremblay is positively charged in its words and its world, but Carmen herself was not hot enough to really ignite the core.

MY ASSESSMENT: | Brilliant | Clear | Murky | Flawed | – a classic crystal in a bold clasp.

__________

Saint Carmen of the Main by Michel Tremblay and translated by Linda Gaboriau plays at the NAC Theatre through April 2, 2011

The NAC English Theatre

Tickets are available for purchase:
In person at the NAC Box Office
At all Ticketmaster outlets
By telephone from Ticketmaster, (613) 755-1111
Online through the Ticketmaster link on the NAC’s website (www.nac-cna.ca)
A service charge applies on all purchases made through Ticketmaster.

__________

[Requests for "APPRAISE of the Theatre" reviews should be directed to info@ottawatonite.com]

Canadian Celebrity Chef Event 2011

On Monday January 24, 2011, the first annual Canadian Celebrity Chefs Event will be held at the National Arts Centre (NAC) (53 Elgin Street). It will showcase some of the best culinary talent in Canada.

This dynamic event will consist of a full day of live cooking demonstrations, followed by a food and wine tasting reception in the evening. Top Celebrity Chefs from across Canada, many familiar names from the Food Network and renowned local chefs, will come together to share their culinary creativity.

Ottawa’s own Debbie Trenholm (@savvydebbie) of Savvy Debbie will pair the dishes with wine. Together, they will create an unforgettable gastronomic experience.

The Canadian Celebrity Chefs Event is also a fundraiser, supporting the NAC’s National Youth and Education Trust. Celebrating a decade of investment in the future of the performing arts, the National Youth and Education Trust works to further artistic education, training, and mentorship of young Canadians.

Chefs have been partnered together, a national chef with an Ottawa one, and paired with an Ottawa food blogger:

• Claire (@gadgetgirl_ca) of foodiePrints will cover Chefs
  • David Rocco, Dolce Vita (Toronto)
  • Cesare Santaguida, Vittoria Trattoria (Ottawa)
• Jodi (@simplyfresh) of Simply Fresh will cover Chefs
  • Paul Rogalski, Rouge Restaurant (Calgary)
  • Robin Bowen, Empire Grill (Ottawa)
• Rachelle (@rachelleeats) of Rachelle Eats Food will cover Chefs
  • Brad Long, Café Belong (Toronto)
  • Charlotte Langley, The Whalebone Oyster House (Ottawa)
• Asha of beFOODled will cover Chefs
  • Michael Howell, Tempest Restaurant (Wolfville, NS)
  • Norm Aitken, Juniper Dining (Ottawa)
• Tracey (@thelemonkitchen) of the Lemon Kitchen will cover Chefs
  • Ray Bear, MIX (Halifax)
  • Clifford Lyness, Perspectives, Brookstreet Hotel (Ottawa)
• Lynne (@letwistedchef) of Le Twisted Chef will cover Chefs
  • Mathieu Cloutier, Kitchen Galerie (Montreal)
  • Marc Lepine, Atelier (Ottawa)
• Shari (@whisk_food_blog) of Whisk: A Food Blog will cover Chefs
  • Anthony Walsh, Canoe (Toronto)
  • Michael Moffat, Beckta Dining and Wine (Ottawa)
• Me and Jenn (@foodieprints) of foodiePrints will cover Chefs
  • Michael Lyon, Hotel Eldorado (Kelowna)
  • Michael Blackie, le café, National Arts Centre (Ottawa)

With the day divided in two main events, attendees can purchase tickets to one or both events. The schedule and ticket prices follow:
Live Demos
NAC Studio Hall
8:30am – 5:30pm

Each Chef will have 45 minutes for a live demonstration of their signature culinary style followed by a Question and Answer (Q&A) session with the audience.
Tickets: $99 (For demonstrations only)

Food and Wine Tasting
NAC Main Foyer and Le Salon
6:00pm – 9:00pm

The reception will take a walk-around tasting format. The chef teams will create a series of eight dishes, paired with Canadian wines.
Tickets: $75 (For the reception only)

Combined Live Demo and Reception package: $145

For a sneak peak into the reception portion, Chefs Santaguida and Rocco will prepare “Beet risotto | crispy pig cheek | seared Qualicum beach scallop | Granny smith slaw”

Chefs Michael Blackie and Michael Lyon will prepare “Sweet grass cold smoked Charlevoix veal | crisp potato girdle | Clarmell on the Rideau feta + sage infused retention firecracker spotted prawn crisp | Cloud Horse mead-lychee sting”

You can expect more hints to come out in blog posts, tweets (watch for the #celebchefott hashtag), and Facebook updates. Fan the event’s Facebook page or follow its twitter account (@celebchefott) to keep up-to-date.

Do you have your tickets yet?

Particulars:
Canadian Celebrity Chef Event
National Arts Centre (NAC)
53 Elgin Street

It’s here, and it’s “AN ELLE OF A SHOW” (TIME Magazine). The hilarious MGM film is Broadway’s new smash hit musical, and now LEGALLY BLONDE THE MUSICAL is coming to you. LEGALLY BLONDE follows sorority star Elle Woods, an underestimated blonde who doesn’t take “no” for an answer. When her boyfriend dumps her for someone more “serious,” Elle puts down the credit card, hits the books, and sets out to go where no Delta Nu has gone before: Harvard Law. Along the way, Elle proves that being true to yourself never goes out of style. After turning Broadway and MTV hot pink, this “Feel-Good Song and Dance Juggernaut” (New York Magazine) is “The Best New Musical Around!” (WOR).

Access your ticket before the general public by visiting: http://www.ticketmaster.ca/venueartist/131211/1088449?brand=BAC and quoting the password OMG.

Don’t delay, this offer ends November 7th.

Paint New Year’s Eve Pink!

Turn your trip to the theatre into a full night. Enjoy a gourmet dinner before the show followed by a post-performance party with live music, a champagne toast, late night sweet table and countdown to 2011.

Pre-performance gourmet dinner

$67.49 per person (plus taxes and gratuity).

Call 613.232.5713 to purchase dinner tickets.

***

Post-show party

$32.31 (includes taxes and gratuity)

Tickets sold at NAC Box Office

*Dinner tickets only available upon purchase of show tickets

Fiddler on the Roof, The Tony Award® winning musical that has captured the hearts of people all over the world with its universal appeal, embarks on its National Tour.

Tevye’s wrestling with the new customs of a younger generation is punctuated by an unforgettable score that weaves the haunting strains of Sunrise, Sunset and the rousing If I Were A Rich Man with the exuberant Matchmaker, Matchmaker and triumphant Tradition. When his daughters choose suitors who defy his idea of a proper match, Tevye comes to realize, through a series of incidents that are at once comic and bittersweet, that his children will begin traditions of their own. At the story’s close, the villagers of Anatevka are forced to leave their homes and even the sturdy mores that have guided everyday life begin to crumble. Paradoxically, it is the enforced loss of the rigid traditions and home life that Tevye has tried so tenaciously to preserve that leads the family to reconcile and draw closer still.

A perennial hit since it first opened in 1964, Fiddler on the Roof has enjoyed critical acclaim for bringing to the stage a poignant story about the enduring bonds of the family. Now, the National Touring production of this timeless musical brings the wit and wisdom of Tevye and his family to audiences throughout the United States and Canada.

Fiddler on the Roof will be at the National Arts Centre for 8 performances only, November 23-28th. Tickets go on sale Monday, October 4th at 10 AM by visiting the National Arts Centre Box Office, calling 613 755 1111 or online at www.ticketmaster.ca.

As a special offer for Ottawa Tonite readers, you can get a headstart on the box office lineups by ordering online through this link using the presale code DANCE. This offer expires at 10pm on Sunday, October 3rd.

After appetizers, the NAC gave us a tremendous opportunity to capture a bit of the show from the press gallery and then meet the performers and producer after the show for some Q & A.

It was another great night on Blogger’s Row at the National Arts Centre!

More information on the show is available here.

Many thanks to Jen Covert at the NAC for the tickets!