Alberta Youth Theatre Collective reviews Victoria School's The Lightning Thief
Based on the book of the same title, one of the best-selling young adult books of all time, The Lightning Thief first premiered Off-Broadway in 2014. After years of revision, the Greek mythology-inspired musical finally opened on Broadway in 2019 for a limited run. Following the titular Percy Jackson, the musical begins with Percy's discovery that his father is a Greek God, and continues as he discovers the world of 'Half-Bloods'— that is, children with one Godly parent, and one mortal parent– and finds connection and understanding in this new world.
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Winnipeg Free Press
8 hours ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Sheer provocation
Neither Here Nor There, a liminal comedy from Sick + Twisted Theatre, will certainly divide audiences. That is by design: as guests walk into the auditorium at Prairie Theatre Exchange, they're given the option to sit on either side of a patchwork curtain, predetermining at least one dimension of the unconventional experience to come. Well before Thursday evening's hostess, the insightful, freewheeling Lara Rae, induces the first of many chuckles, the concept of choice is already introduced, the first steps down individual paths of desire to be trodden by theatregoers venturing together into the dark unknown of an original production. BROOK JONES/FREE PRESS Vivi Dabee (right) and Vivian Cheung are separated by a curtain, allowing the audience to see half the stage. Billed as a retelling of the legend of Tiresias, who was turned into a woman and stripped of vision after forsaking the Greek gods, Neither Here Nor There boldly challenges widely accepted narratives surrounding disability, gender, autonomy and desire. Starring a mixture of blind, low-vision and sighted actors, working alongside trans performers, the production is built with a mission to construct and then dismantle binary thinking, tearing down brick walls and replacing them with open windows. One needn't be a Classics scholar to feel included, because Neither Here Nor There, written by committee and directed by Debbie Patterson, is loosely professorial in style, best exemplified by Rae's hilarious, honest autobiographical asides about her transition and a registered therapist's (Gislina Patterson) impassioned stump speech about the true value of public bathrooms, given to a sex-obsessed Zeus (Tyler Sneesby), who, to be fair, has his fair share of mother-father-sisterwife issues to work through. There's a rich endowment of male appendage jokes, a treasure trove of vagina jokes and some achingly silly puns about French geography that might land les auteurs in writers' gaol. From start to finish, Neither Here Nor There is an oddly compelling and compellingly odd concoction that forces audience members to consider the bias of their own perspectives, and whether their sightline is as clear as they'd previously thought. Because the set is bisected by a sheer curtain, each audience member's field of vision is intentionally blurred. On one side is the ancient domain of Tiresias (Vivi Dabee), who was rendered blind and turned into a woman for seeing too much and angering the gods, becoming an oracle with the ability to communicate most easily with winged friends. On the other is Ty (Vivian Cheung), a trend forecaster with a power that could make even Zeus quake with envy: with a single phone call, she can make skinny jeans cool again. Both performers rest on chaise longue, which provides one of the best running, or sitting, jokes in the show. If a piece of furniture can exist at the nexus of chair and couch, can't we find our identities somewhere in the middle, too? The production, a tad overlong at about 100 minutes, is strengthened by all elements of design, which support one another in novel ways. Before the action begins, a digital assistant, voiced by sound designer Dasha Plett, describes the set, which includes Zeus's home on Mount Olympus and the office of Ty's tech overlord boss. Then Plett describes the colour, style and material of each costume, designed by Sarah Struthers, introducing the actors wearing them with a healthy dose of shtick. 'Lara Rae is five-foot-10, and unlike Cinderella, she can't find a single shoe that fits.' Taking surprising turns, which are usually fruitful and less often belaboured, Neither Here Nor There is ultimately a well-crafted forum for honest, intentional theatre, rooted in purposeful listening, curiosity and reconsideration. The gods will agree on that. Ben WaldmanReporter Ben Waldman is a National Newspaper Award-nominated reporter on the Arts & Life desk at the Free Press. Born and raised in Winnipeg, Ben completed three internships with the Free Press while earning his degree at Ryerson University's (now Toronto Metropolitan University's) School of Journalism before joining the newsroom full-time in 2019. Read more about Ben. Every piece of reporting Ben produces is reviewed by an editing team before it is posted online or published in print — part of the Free Press's tradition, since 1872, of producing reliable independent journalism. Read more about Free Press's history and mandate, and learn how our newsroom operates. Our newsroom depends on a growing audience of readers to power our journalism. If you are not a paid reader, please consider becoming a subscriber. Our newsroom depends on its audience of readers to power our journalism. Thank you for your support.
CTV News
21 hours ago
- CTV News
Patti LuPone's drama is dividing the Broadway community ahead of the Tony Awards
Patti LuPone arrives at an FYC screening for "Agatha All Along" on April 19, 2025, at the DGA Theater Complex in Los Angeles. (Andrew Park/Invision/AP via CNN Newsource) Patti LuPone may have apologized for some recent controversial remarks, but that doesn't mean the curtain has dropped on the drama. The actress sparked a major backlash after disparaging comments she made about fellow Broadway stars Kecia Lewis and Audra McDonald in a recent interview with the New Yorker. LuPone referred to Lewis as a 'b**ch' and said McDonald was 'not a friend.' Hundreds of performers from Broadway and other theater communities then wrote a letter in which they characterized LuPone's comments as 'degrading and misogynistic—it is a blatant act of racialized disrespect.' 'It constitutes bullying. It constitutes harassment,' they wrote. 'It is emblematic of the microaggressions and abuse that people in this industry have endured for far too long, too often without consequence.' The group called for LuPone to be disinvited from industry events, including Sunday's Tony Awards. LuPone apologized last weekend on social media, posting a statement in which she said she hoped to be able to speak with the pair to make 'sincere apologies.' 'I am deeply sorry for the words I used during The New Yorker interview, particularly about Kecia Lewis, which were demeaning and disrespectful,' Lupone wrote. 'I regret my flippant and emotional responses during this interview, which were inappropriate, and I am devastated that my behavior has offended others and has run counter to what we hold dear in this community.' The controversy ahead of the Tony Awards has raised interest in the event, sparking conversation about whether LuPone, who has long reigned as Broadway star, will make an appearance. But not everyone feels harshly towards her. Actress Mia Farrow has garned a Tony nomination for the Broadway play 'The Roommate' in which she costars with LuPone. In a recently published interview with Deadline, Farrow talked about her 30-year friendship with the woman she dubbed the 'goddess of Broadway.' 'We live near each other. Always have. Two of our kids were in the same class at school, at the same school, her son and my son, and I met her on New Year's Eve, actually,' Farrow told the publication. 'She and her husband gave a New Year's Eve party, and Steve Sondheim, who was one of my oldest friends, 50 years, he invited me to come to the party at Patti's 30 years ago, and that's how I met Patti.' Farrow, who mentioned the New Yorker interview in her conversation with Deadline without addressing the controversy, said working with her neighbor and friend was a positive experience. 'Patti and I never had a negative moment, by the way,' Farrow said. 'Working together didn't change our friendship. I think our friendship is deeper now.' 'Abbott Elementary' star Sheryl Lee Ralph, who is also a decorated Broadway performer, most notably playing the role of Deena Jones in the original 1981 production of 'Dreamgirls,' weighed in as well. 'Why not be nice?' Ralph said of LuPone. And while Ralph said she was 'not going to judge' LuPone, she did have some words of wisdom for the 'Evita' star. 'It was a moment where maybe you want to zip it,' she said. 'Inner thoughts don't always have to be outer thoughts, that might have been one of those moments.' British weekly conservative magazine writer Ella Whelan penned a piece with the headline, 'Patti LuPone is a diva – not a racist.' 'LuPone is notorious for putting the broad in Broadway – her loud mouth is infamous,' Whelan wrote, noting some of her other outspoken comments. 'Forget white privilege, this is diva privilege – when you're that good an entertainer, you can pretty much say what you want,' Whelan added. Lisa Respers France, CNN
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Winnipeg Free Press
Renée Elise Goldsberry talks new album, whether ‘Hamilton' return is an option and EGOT aspirations
LOS ANGELES (AP) — Renée Elise Goldsberry is most inspired by artists bold enough to take a career leap, even when there's no guarantee of a safe landing. Over the years, Goldsberry spent her celebrated career surrounded by fearless risk-takers. Now, the Tony and Grammy winner, best known for her breakout role in the Broadway musical 'Hamilton,' is taking a bold move of her own. She's stepping into the spotlight as a solo artist: Her debut album, 'Who I Really Am,' was released Friday. 'I'm surrounded by friends that do really crazy, brave, 'I could fail miserably' things,' said Goldsberry, whose role as Angelica Schuyler in Hamilton won her a Tony in 2016 for best featured actress in a musical. In that same year, she earned a Grammy for best musical theater album. 'They jump off cliffs, they start to fly, we get to see it and it's so inspiring that you put out an album,' she said. Goldsberry has made her presence felt in other Broadway projects including 'Rent' and 'The Color Purple.' She's had standout work on 'Girls5Eva' and 'The Good Wife ' and was on the daytime soap 'One Life to Live.' With 'Who I Really Am,' Goldsberry is carving her own musical path. The album is a 13-track project filled with soul, funk, blues and gospel vibes featuring a reimagined version of her iconic 'Hamilton' song 'Satisfied,' which was originally penned by Lin-Manuel Miranda. In a recent interview, Goldsberry talks to The Associated Press about finding her identity through the album, whether returning to 'Hamilton' is an option and aspirations for an EGOT, a term for the rare person who's won an Emmy, Grammy, Oscar and Tony award during their career. This interview has been edited for length and clarity. ___ AP: You wrote 11 songs on the album. While creating this project, what did you discover more about yourself? GOLDSBERRY: I need to give myself license to be more than one thing. I think that's always been the case with recorded music for me. I've been writing since I was a kid. The challenge for me has always been feeling like you have to be extremely specific about a box when you're a recording artist. It has to all sound like one mood, one vibe. I had to give myself permission to not try to fit into a box that exists, or even a box that's specific. I gave myself license to express myself in all the ways it naturally comes out. AP: You started the album process in 2020. What was your initial thoughts on re-recording 'Satisfied'? GOLDSBERRY: Somebody said to me 'You could probably get a record deal and do an album if you re-record 'Satisfied.'' I said 'Absolutely no.' I'm absolutely not doing that. It already exists. It's perfect. The show is perfect. AP: What shifted your thinking? GOLDSBERRY: In the process of recording all the music, we rented a studio in Nashville. It's where Dolly Parton recorded 'Jolene.' It felt like all this history was there. We had all these great musicians there. We booked the studio for a week or two and we finished early, and they were going to let everybody go home. And I was like 'We might as well record this version of 'Satisfied' that I do in my concert, because we're sitting here.' And these cats are amazing. We started playing. They started playing, and our minds exploded. The control booth. Our brains exploded. It was so good. Then I started singing it. I said to us 'This belongs.' AP: Your 'Girls5Eva' co-star Sara Bareilles wrote the song 'Smiling.' How was it reuniting with her? GOLDSBERRY: I think she is one of the greatest singer-songwriters that has ever existed and might ever exist. I had the privilege of being in a concert with her. I opened for her at the Hollywood Bowl a couple of months ago. She was doing something new. I love artists and I'm one of them in this moment. But I love artists that do new things that might not work, bravely. She had orchestrated all of her music. She had a huge symphony orchestrated show. All the music that she had written. AP: What happened next? Weekly A weekly look at what's happening in Winnipeg's arts and entertainment scene. GOLDSBERRY: We got to see her jump off a cliff for the first time. It was one of the greatest things I ever saw in my life. I could start crying right now. It was so great. It's so brave. I'm surrounded by people like that, and it's so inspiring. They're all doing crazy things. All of them. Leslie Odom Jr. decided to go back to 'Hamilton.' Like that's insane. AP: Would you ever return to 'Hamilton'? GOLDSBERRY: That's what Leslie taught us: Never say never. AP: You're halfway to EGOT status. Is that something you feel like it's achievable? GOLDSBERRY: I'm not going to lie, I've thought of different ways I could slip in the back door, you know what I mean? Like I have a documentary called 'Satisfied' (which premiered at the Tribeca Film Festival last year) about the journey in my life when I was part of the original company of 'Hamilton' and also trying to raise my young family. We were like, 'What original song can we put in this movie to contend for slipping in the Oscar category. … It's possible. But I'm less interested in the results of a journey than the journey itself.
