Latest news with #BroadwayMusical
Pink Villa
26-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Pink Villa
Kevin Jonas Reveals He's Seeing Therapist Due to His Mental Health Struggles
Kevin Jonas opened up about his mental health struggles amid his career struggles. The musician talked about the post-show "blues" while in conversation with People Magazine, revealing that the constant adrenaline rush and being in action for over 100 shows in a tour can be brutal at times. The Jonas Brothers band member went on to admit that he is seeing a therapist to cope with the brain fatigue. While sitting down for an interview with the media portal, Jonas revealed that he was burnt out and suffered fatigue on the flight home after performing at nearly 130 concerts in Europe. Explaining further, the singer shared, "All the depression, blues—it's real, especially after a tour." He added, "After our last tour, we did over 100 and something shows — it was too many — and we ended in Europe. I got on my plane to come home after I believe 130 shows, and I got on my flight — which was delayed terribly, which is never fun." Kevin Jonas felt burnt out on his way back home Addressing his issues further, Jonas spoke about how his wife was concerned about him after he returned from his Europe tour. The musician shared, "I took the first flight out from Poland to go through Munich to get home and [was] delayed for like seven hours, and then they had to make a random stop in Nova Scotia. So it literally took me like an extra 18 hours to get home, and I was already fatigued and burnt out by the time I got home." The artist continued, "My wife was like, 'Something's wrong with you, are you okay?' I actually had to go start talking to a therapist about it, about how to process the highs and the lows. It's so jarring." In the midst of the ongoing mental struggles, Kevin Jonas, along with his two brothers, completed the seventh world tour last fall and promoted their sixth studio album, The Album. Kevin Jonas' plans to step into the Broadway Musical In his talks further, Jonas also opened up about his brother Nick Jonas' Broadway debut while revealing that he would never step into one. He shared that, more than him, it is his younger brother who has to carry the emotions and the fatigue back home too, so as to be in character for a longer period of time. Kevin explained, "[Nick] really has to live in this and I think he takes it home with him too, which is really hard if you know the show. It's emotional." He added, "Well, [Nick] leaves this theater — I think every single night — in a way, like, depressed and coming off of this emotional roller coaster. So, it's a lot to bear, and it's hard to take that with you." He said that he can only imagine what would go into preparing for a Broadway role. The Jonas Brothers will perform on the tour again for JONAS 20, once Nick is done with his Broadway shows.
Yahoo
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Creating a world for Helperbots: Dane Laffrey on the scenic design of ‘Maybe Happy Ending' (exclusive images)
'Making theater, especially musicals, can feel super mysterious and alchemical. You're looking for energy and you're trying to get lightning in a bottle,' says Dane Laffrey of the process of creating an original Broadway musical. He earned a Tony nomination for the scenic design of Maybe Happy Ending, a tuner which he also produced with director Michael Arden through At Rise Creative. Laffrey describes the show as the 'little engine that could' in a new interview with Gold Derby. 'There's just something so special about it,' he explains. "The idea, the score, what it stands for, and the humanity that it's trying to cause us to focus on by telling a story about non-humans.' Maybe Happy Ending tells a story of two retired Helperbots named Oliver and Claire, played by Darren Criss and Helen J Shen, respectively. These obsolete androids use their remaining battery power to venture out into the world and discover the sensations of wonder and love which make life worth living. More from GoldDerby 'It keeps me on my toes': 'St. Denis Medical' star Allison Tolman on walking a fine line between zany and 'incredibly heartfelt' 'Duster' divides critics: The 'skillfully executed' J.J. Abrams show is a 'messy delight' akin to an 'R-rated Hot Wheels series' Benito Skinner's 'Overcompensating' revives the college sex comedy for a new generation Photo by Matthew Murphy When hearing this short description, it's tempting to label the show as science fiction. But Laffrey cautions that for all the high-tech automation in his gargantuan sets, he is 'cautious' about describing the piece as sci-fi. 'When you get into science fiction, you're ultimately talking about an imagined world, or a world that is based in something we know, but that is greatly expanded and there's a lot of mythology that's needed,' he explains, 'But the story of Maybe Happy Ending is really, really focused. It's like a closeup on these two characters. And so we wanted to be really judicious with the world building around it.' One way that Laffrey conveys this closeup is in the specifically detailed living quarters of Oliver and Claire. They each exist within a small cube-like room in the Helpbot yards. 'There's a mid-century aesthetic that sort of permeates Oliver's world because it permeated his owner James' world,' describes the designer, 'it feels like it's an inherited visual vocabulary that he really glommed onto. It's in his clothes, it's in the objects in his place, it's his obsession with vinyl. It's all that stuff. It has a sort of beautiful nostalgia about it.' Photo by Matthew Murphy The design for these living quarters is inspired by a building from the 1970s in Tokyo, which imagined a world where every occupant could purchase an identical modular unit. These units could actually be removed from the building, should the residents decide to move, and slotted into other modular skyscrapers around the world. The idea never caught on, and only one such tower was ever built, which Laffrey was able to see in person before it was demolished. 'They were these little cubes that were these kind of all-inclusive modular things that had all of the top shelf conveniences of the day in 1972,' he remembers. 'So, an eight-track and a bench that became a desk. And it was all very carefully thought about to condense a life into the smallest amount of space possible. So that felt both practically, or logically, the right kind of architecture to imagine would exist for these Helperbots. But also there's some shared DNA there about a beautiful idea fallen into obsolescence.' Laffrey also conveys space and movement through what he calls 'irises' within his set design. He uses panels to direct the audience's eye to a small portion of the stage, before the view expands and opens up to reveal more of the world. The feeling is akin to scrolling through images on a smartphone or flipping through cells of a comic book. 'A big part of the reason why we wanted to start so small is to give us somewhere to go,' notes Laffrey. 'The first image of the story proper is a tiny little closeup. It's just a little frame around HwaBoon, Oliver's plant. And from there we open a bit more. And then when Claire first appears, we open a little further. It has a feeling of slowly expanding from something so small.' Photo by Matthew Murphy The backstage area is limited at the Belasco Theater, which requires Laffrey to play a precise game of Tetris in his use of space. This is especially true when the musical opens up into a road trip story which requires the set to feel expansive. 'I think what we were connecting with in the very early stages is that a big part of this show is not just about people who are trapped in a place, but it's that they decide to leave,' explains the designer. 'You've got to be really economical with how you use the space and how you expand it gradually so that when we get to the field of fireflies, which wants to feel kind of boundary-less, that it actually is. You can't really tell where things begin and end. It breaks the fourth wall and it includes the audience and the house, and it sort of has no edges.' Laffrey also mentions the 'enormous overlap' between physical, automated sets and the video elements. 'We were given an extraordinary opportunity here where the idea of analog versus digital, or human versus digital, is so much a part of the story that it felt like something we could really allow to grow out of the storytelling,' he describes, 'as opposed to be used as a tool to replace scenery that wasn't there.' Photo by Matthew Murphy One of his favorite digital elements is the proscenium arch, which most audience members don't identify as a series of LED tiles until a key moment in the story. He collaborated with video designer George Reeve on the function of the proscenium. 'There's this huge, surprising moment where for the first time we're sort of experiencing the way that the robots experience information exchange, that suddenly this whole thing comes to life,' Laffrey describes excitedly. 'We have license to not feel like it needs to be photorealistic, that actually we've kind of taught the audience that [Oliver and Claire] don't see things quite like that. They kind of see what's right in front of their face and they're processing information about it … it's an amazing gift to have all of those ways to set this up and build a visual vocabulary that was derived from the core of the storytelling.' SIGN UP for Gold Derby's free newsletter with latest predictions Best of GoldDerby Sadie Sink on her character's 'emotional rage' in 'John Proctor Is the Villain' and her reaction to 'Stranger Things: The First Shadow' 'It should be illegal how much fun I'm having': Lea Salonga on playing Mrs. Lovett and more in 'Stephen Sondheim's Old Friends' 'Death Becomes Her' star Jennifer Simard is ready to be a leading lady: 'I don't feel pressure, I feel joy' Click here to read the full article.
Chicago Tribune
14-04-2025
- General
- Chicago Tribune
Community news: Nazareth Academy hosts FISH Prom, Leyden teachers lauded, and more
FISH Prom deemed a success in La Grange Park Forty people 13 to 21 years old attended the seventh annual FISH Prom for Teens with Disabilities recently at Nazareth Academy in La Grange Park. The Campus Ministry Department invites previous attendees and spreads the word via local organizations that work with teens who have developmental disabilities. The event is free but attendees don't need to bring a date. Each guest is accompanied by a Nazareth student 'buddy' and receives a photo and flowers, followed by two hours of games, dancing and food. More than 100 Nazareth students, faculty, staff and community members volunteer for the semiannual event. The prom, which first took place in 2011, was inspired by ASPIRE of Illinois and the Nazareth Friends in Service and Hospitality Service Team, or FISH. 'That night, when young adults walk up the green carpet dressed up like stars and dance the night away, their smiles and laughter fill my heart with happiness,' Nazareth Social Studies Department Chairman Anthony Gonzalez shared in a news release. 'Their excitement at experiencing what every teen should reminds me of why I am in education and why I love being involved at Nazareth.' Leyden High School teachers earn excellence awards Teachers Teagan Lyke and Eric McFadden of Leyden High School District 212 have been honored by the Illinois State Board of Education as part of its Those Who Excel program. Lyke, who focuses on vocational training and independent living skills in the special education department, earned an Award of Excellent in Early Career Educator. She's been with the school since 2021. Recognized teachers must have 'demonstrated a commitment to equity and to the success of students,' a news release noted, as well as collaborating with students, colleagues and families and being lifelong learners 'who connect their schools to the community at large and who inspire other education professionals within and beyond their schools.' McFadden, who began as a substitute at Leyden in 2005 and joined the staff in 2007, received the Award of Special Recognition as a Classroom Teacher. He focuses on video game design and digital literacy in the business department. His award is given to educators who 'are valued members of their school community who have been recognized by their colleagues, students, families, and administrators for the skills, passions, and talents they bring to their school community,' the release shared. 'Mary Poppins, the Broadway Musical' set at Hinsdale Central Learn how to make the medicine go down when Hinsdale Central High School Drama presents 'Mary Poppins, the Broadway Musical' Performances are at 6 p.m. April 24, 25 and 26 and at 1 p.m. April 27 at the school, 5500 S. Grant St., Hinsdale. A holiday party with a character meet and greet is planned after the Sunday matinee. Children and families can meet the cast, explore the sets and enjoy treats and snacks. The musical is based on the stories of P.L. Travers and the film by Walt Disney. Tickets cost $20 for regular admission and $10 for organization group sales and students in kindergarten through 12th grade. They are available at Enrichment series features author speaking about suffrage The Nineteenth Century Charitable Association's Monday Enrichment Series offers 'Suffrage Song: The Haunted History of Gender, Race, and Voting Rights in America' at 1:15 p.m. April 28 in the second-floor ballroom at its building, 178 Forest Ave., Oak Park. Featured speaker Caitlin Cass, an author and illustrator, will read excerpts from her book and share images from the process. The Oak Park River Forest High School graduate, a cartoonist and installation artist, publishes 'Great Moments in Western Civilization Postal Constituent,' a bimonthly comic periodical. The Monday Enrichment Series, which features art, literature, science, social sciences and music, is free to the public although donations will be accepted. The association was established in 1891 by a group of women who believed charitable activities, civic involvement and education were vital for a community to thrive. Information is at U of C Divinity School hosts bestselling author for lecture New York Times bestselling author Cole Arthur Riley will give a lecture and book signing at 6 p.m April 25 on the University of Chicago campus in Swift Hall, 1025 E. 58th St., Chicago. The writer, poet and culture critic is being hosted by the Martin Marty Center for the Public Understanding of Religion at the University of Chicago Divinity School. A reception follows, and copies of Riley's books will be available to buy before and after the lecture. Riley wrote 'This Here Flesh: Spirituality, Liberation, and the Stories that Make Us' and 'Black Liturgies: Prayers, Poems, and Meditations for Staying Human.' Her writing has been featured in 'The Atlantic,' 'The Washington Post' and 'Guernica.' Riley is also the creator and writer of Black Liturgies, a project that integrates spiritual practice with Black emotion, Black literature, and the Black body. RSVP at Information is at 773-702-7049.
