Latest news with #Falsettos
Forbes
7 days ago
- Entertainment
- Forbes
Lincoln Center Theater Celebrates Four Decades Of Impact And Artistry
The cast of Falsettos with director and co-writer James Lapine. From left: Christian Borle, Brandon ... More Uranowitz, Betsy Wolfe, Andrew Rannells, Stephanie J. Block, James Lapine, Tracie Thoms and Anthony Rosenthal Ruthie Ann Miles will never forget how she felt when she saw the Light In The Piazza at Lincoln Center Theater. At the time, she was a student at New York University and purchased a rush ticket. 'The minute the orchestra and harp started to play, I began to feel emotional,' says Miles, who ultimately made a big splash on the very same stage making her Broadway debut in the King And I, winning a Tony Award for her performance as Lady Thiang. 'I began to feel swept away. It really did solidify for me that this is what I want to do. This is the kind of storytelling that I want to project out into the world,' added Miles of the Lincoln Center Theater production. 'That I got to play here at all, to start my career and do the King and I as my Broadway debut, has spoiled me for life. Coming to Lincoln Center Theater is like coming home.' Last week, at Lincoln Center Theater's Ruby Jubilee Gala, the theater's great artists who have performed on its stages shared their own reflections of being swept away at Lincoln Center Theater (LCT). Over four decades, the theater continues to bring that sense of joy on its three stages: the Vivian Beaumont, the Mitzi E. Newhouse, and its newest stage, the Claire Tow. 'This theater is the closest we have in this country to a national theater, and working here, you feel the history of the artists that you are sharing space with,' said Gabby Beans, who performed in two LCT shows, the Skin Of Our Teeth and Marys Seacole. One of her favorite memories working there was during the Skin of Our Teeth when the cast first entered the Vivian Beaumont Theater. '19 of us were making our Broadway debut. And seeing the set for the first time was so magnificent,' says Beans. Then Lileana Blain-Cruz, our director, played Drake's 'Started from the Bottom'and we were dancing in the theater and it felt like we were living that song.' Just by sheer numbers, LCT's contribution to American theater has been colossal. Since they began in 1985, they have produced 243 shows with nearly 28,000 performances shared with 16 million audience members. The productions have garnered 342 Tony nominations, 87 Tony awards, and a Pulitzer Prize. Their current production, Floyd Collins, is nominated for six Tony Awards. 'But beyond numbers, and perhaps much more important, our incredible artists over the past 40 years have evoked in our audience countless laughs and tears, endless debate and discussion, untold moments of angst and joy, and, infinite sparks of inspiration and creativity,' said LCT's board chair, Kewsong Lee. Over the years, writers and composers like Lynn Ahrens, Stephen Flaherty, Adam Guettel, William Finn, Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, Lynn Nottage, Stephen Adly Guirgis, John Guare, Sarah Ruhl, Ayad Akhtar, J.T. Rogers, David Rabe, Suzan-Lori Parks, Michael John LaChiusa, Wendy Wasserstein, Jason Robert Brown, Terrence McNally, and on and on, have worked there. The epic celebration, which honored producing artistic director André Bishop, was fitting for a Lincoln Center Theater production. Directed by Jason Danieley, the one-night-only gala featured songs from LCT productions spanning four decades. The cast of Falsettos reunited to perform 'The Baseball Game.' Nathan Lane and Roger Bart sang 'Invocation and Instructions to the Audience,' from the Frogs. Victoria Clark performed 'Fable' from the Light In The Piazza. Kelli O'Hara did a dreamy rendition of 'Hello, Young Lovers.' Norm Lewis sang 'I'd Rather Be Sailing,' from A New Brain. After Marc Kudisch performed 'I Was Here' from the Glorious Ones, an emotional André Bishop, who is stepping down after 33 years, took the stage. As the fitting lyrics of that song go: 'All that I have are my skill and my name/And this chance/To make both of them known/This is my key to the portal/How I can leave something immortal/Something that time cannot make disappear/Something to say I was here.' Bishop shared that LCT provided 33 years of 'great happiness, occasional terror, and constant, constant amazement,' he said. He went on to pay tribute to LCT's first leaders, Gregory Mosher and Bernard Gersten, and saluted the theater's incoming leaders, Lear deBessonet, Bartlett Sher, and Mike Schleifer. 'And I thank all of you, all of you here tonight—artists, staff, board members, friends, members of the audience. We all play a part in American theater,' said Bishop. 'And aren't we lucky?' Lileana Blain-Cruz and André Bishop Fitting for the Ruby Jubilee, the David Koch Theater lobby was bathed in ruby red for the dinner ... More after the performance in the Vivian Beaumont Theater From left: J.K. Brown, Marlene Hess and James D. Zirin From left: Jenny Gersten and Lear deBessonet
Washington Post
16-05-2025
- Entertainment
- Washington Post
A wonderfully sung musical from a late, great composer
They try all sorts of ways to be happy in the musical 'Falsettos': therapy, religion, fitness, chess, love many times over. At one point they even try willing it: As one repeated lyric advises, 'Why don't you feel all right for the rest of your life?' Can we? Why don't we? Characters flail about, 'itching for answers,' posing half-baked notions, throwing out metaphors, contradicting each other and themselves. They're all just as confused as we are about how to cope with flawed bodies and brains, especially as life becomes absurd, unfair and tragic. A wonderfully sung production at the Keegan Theatre is timed to D.C.'s WorldPride celebration, and comes just a month after songwriter William Finn died at 73. While he was known for the crowd-pleasing 'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,' 'Falsettos' is his main legacy, aided by a book co-written with James Lapine (known for 'Into the Woods' and 'Sunday in the Park With George'). The show arrived on Broadway in 1992, just a year ahead of 'Angels in America' — another brilliant, neurotic, messy, two-part show in which characters confront the AIDS crisis while dealing with the complexities of sexual orientation and religious identity. We start in the wake of Marvin (John Loughney) coming out as gay and leaving his wife, Trina (Katie McManus), for his lover, Whizzer (Kaylen Morgan), confusing their 12-year-old son Jason (the understudy Henry Winfield Gill in the performance I saw). Trina becomes the patient — and, eventually, wife — of Marvin's psychiatrist, Mendel (Ryan Burke). Jason is dragging his feet toward a bar mitzvah, leading to an unexpectedly heart-wrenching climax that shows him truly becoming an adult. (The characters are unabashedly Jewish but more culturally so, giving the religious aspect a begrudging nod: 'Days like this, we almost believe in God' they sing wryly at one point.) Joining them all in the second act is a lesbian couple: an eager bar mitzvah caterer (Kylie Clare Truby) and a doctor (Shayla Lowe) recognizing the unfolding AIDS epidemic. Unlike Stephen Sondheim's 'Company,' another New York-set show about romantic ups and downs, 'Falsettos' is more specifically of its time and place, with songs that are more rough around the edges, intentionally imprecise. A number of gems emerge. In the showstopper 'I'm Breaking Down,' Trina grapples with her marriage's sad, strange turn. In 'The Baseball Game,' the ensemble offers an amusing running commentary while 'watching Jewish boys who cannot play baseball play baseball.' The show culminates with the poignant 'What Would I Do?' in which Marvin, after some terrible decisions, finally seems to appreciate what he's had. The Keegan is an especially appropriate venue, given that when it was called the Church Street Theater it hosted an ambitious 1997 production consisting of all three shows in Finn's semiautobiographical Marvin trilogy: the two off-Broadway ones that got mashed together to create 'Falsettos' ('March of the Falsettos' and 'Falsettoland'), along with 'In Trousers,' a prequel about Marvin's upbringing. Kurt Boehm's new staging takes place in a simple, abstract, white cityscape (set by Matthew J. Keenan). At times the movement feels a little clunky, and the shifts in Marvin's feelings toward other characters aren't always clear (perhaps even to him) — especially when he hits Trina, which feels unconvincing no matter how hurt and confused he is. But the harmonies come through loud and clear, in the superb singing of the main foursome of McManus, Morgan, Burke and Loughney. This 'Falsettos' is a rare opportunity to hear the music of a sadly departed master, sung by characters who show us how complicated the search for happiness can be. Falsettos, through June 15 at the Keegan Theatre in Washington. Two hours, thirty minutes, with an intermission.
Yahoo
15-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Wink Martindale Dies: Game Show Host Of ‘Tic-Tac-Dough', ‘Gambit' And ‘High Rollers' Was 91
Wink Martindale, one of TV's most beloved game show hosts whose name became virtually synonymous with the profession, died today in Rancho Mirage, California. He was 91. His death was announced by a spokesperson for Martindale's family. Though no cause was given, the statement said the host of such classic game shows as Tic-Tac-Dough and Gambit was 'surrounded by family and his beloved wife of 49 years, Sandra Martindale.' More from Deadline Alice Tan Ridley Dies: 'America's Got Talent' Singer, Mother Of Gabourey Sidibe Was 72 William Finn Dies: 'Falsettos', 'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee' Playwright Was 73 Clem Burke Dies: Blondie Drummer Was 70 Over a 74-year career in radio and television, Winston Conrad 'Wink' Martindale was born in Jackson, Tennessee on December 4, 1933. He launched his career as a disc jockey in Jackson at the age of 17, then rising through the ranks at Memphis' WHBQ, where, according to his family, on the evening of July 10, 1954, fellow DJ Dewey Phillips played Elvis Presley's very first record, 'That's All Right,' on the radio for the very first time, playing the tune repeatedly while Martindale phoned Presley's mother and asked if Elvis could come down to the radio station. 'Elvis soon arrived at WHBQ for his first interview, and music was changed forever,' the family statement reads. Martindale also found his own success as a recording artist, performing the spoken-word song 'Deck of Cards' in 1959, a track that went to #7 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart and #5 on the UK Singles Chart and sold over one million copies. Later that year, Martindale moved to Los Angeles as the morning host of radio station KHJ. The following year he joined the morning crew at KRLA and finally moved to KFWB in 1962. He also had lengthy stays at KGIL-AM from 1968-1971, KKGO-FM/KJQI and Gene Autry's KMPC from 1971-1979 and 1983-1987, KABC in 1989 and KJQI from 1993-1994. His additional radio credits include Hit Parade Radio and the syndicated programs Music of Your Life, 100 Greatest Christmas Hits of All Time, The History of Rock 'n' Roll, and recent recurring appearances on The Howard Stern Show. While he first found success in radio, the handsome Martindale found wider, national fame on television. Earlier in Memphis, he'd hosted a science fiction-themed kids series called Mars Patrol, and then hosted Teenage Dance Party, where his new friend Presley made an appearance on June 16, 1956. But it wasn't until 1964, when he landed his first game-show hosting job on NBC's What's This Song?, that Martindale found his niche. He followed the musical-contest show with NBC's Words and Music, CBS' Gambit, and his biggest success Tic-Tac-Dough. Martindale also went on to host such popular game shows as Headline Chasers, High Rollers, The Last Word, The Great Getaway Game, Trivial Pursuit, Debt, Instant Recall, and many more. In recent years, Martindale made appearances on such programs as Most Outrageous Game Show Moments, The Chase, and The Bold and the Beautiful, and appeared in commercials for Orbitz, KFC (alongside Rob Lowe) and more. In 1985, Martindale became a producer with the launch of the TV game show Headline Chasers, produced in association with Merv Griffin and syndication giant, King World. Martindale also supported numerous causes and produced and hosted annual telethons for Cerebral Palsy and St. Jude Children's Hospital, among other charities. In 2006, he received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, and in 2024, he was honored with a Beale Street Note on Memphis, Tennessee's Beale Street Walk of Fame – not far from where in 2015, he was presented with the Distinguished Alumni Award by his alma mater, the University of Memphis. He was also one of the first inductees into the American TV Game Show Hall of Fame. In addition to his wife, Martindale is survived by sister Geraldine, daughters Lisa, Lyn and Laura and a large extended family of grandchildren and great grandchildren, and his 'honorary son' Eric. Best of Deadline 'And Just Like That ...' Season 3: Everything We Know So Far Everything We Know About 'Only Murders In The Building' Season 5 So Far 2025 Deaths Photo Gallery: Hollywood & Media Obituaries
Los Angeles Times
11-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
Thank you, William Finn, for these ‘Falsettos' lessons: L.A. arts and culture this weekend
Since learning that the great composer-lyricist William Finn — who wrote 'A New Brain' and 'The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee' — died Monday, I've been revisiting a cast recording of 'Falsettos,' his 1992 musical comedy about family and friendship in the early years of the AIDS crisis. The Tony-winning stage show, created with James Lapine, combines two of Finn's earlier one-act musicals about Marvin and his loved ones — a new partner, an ex-wife, a teenage son, a psychiatrist and some neighbors — and follows their individual efforts to feel 'normal' in a time of personal change and societal uncertainty. I recommend a listen to anyone for whom our current state of crisis feels inescapable. With lyrics about lamenting the 'happy, frightened men who rule the world' and how 'I feel more helpless than I have in years,' it's a cathartic score that allows you to rage, cry and laugh about what is no longer, what could have been and what's still ahead. (The iconic 'I'm Breaking Down' — delivered here by Stephanie J. Block while cooking, kitchen knife in hand — is basically all of us.) And yet, the piece is also a reminder that the answer to it all, at least in the immediate and everyday, is to prioritize love. Invest in one another, create your community and embrace even the unlikeliest of bonds, as those relationships are the ones that might end up helping you get through it. As The Times' Barbara Isenberg wrote in 1994, 'Finn has long used his musicals to redefine both what a family is and how it's supposed to act. Family, says Finn, 'is the people who, when you need them, are there.'' I'm Ashley Lee, here with my fellow Times staff writer Jessica Gelt with a fresh Essential Arts newsletter. As the 'family' of 'Falsettos' sings, 'Let's be scared together.' 'Regency Girls'A Jane Austen-style road trip comedy? This new musical centers on a Regency-era woman who, pregnant and unmarried, gathers her best friends and sets off to visit a woman who helps those with 'female troubles' (a character based on a real-life 19th century figure). Directed and choreographed by Josh Rhodes, the world premiere features music by Curtis Moore, lyrics by Amanda Green and a book by Jennifer Crittenden and Gabrielle Allan. The production, which opened Thursday night, runs through May 11. Old Globe Theatre, 1363 Old Globe Way, San Diego. Sounds of L.A.: Celebrating the Jazz Legacy of AltadenaThis weekend, head to Brentwood to fete the vibrant jazz scene of Altadena, as the Getty Center's Harold M. Williams Auditorium is the site of two complementary and celebratory concerts. The Saturday evening lineup includes Tony Dumas, Quinn Johnson, Joel Taylor and Louis Van Taylor; the Sunday afternoon show is all about the Bennie Maupin Ensemble. Tickets to the performances are free with online RSVP (and make a day of it with The Times' guide to the museum's 22 must-see pieces). Getty Center, 1200 Getty Center Drive, Brentwood. Sai Anantam Devotional EnsembleThe year of Alice Coltrane Turiyasangitananda continues with an evening of music, readings and film dedicated to the legacy of the late musician and Hindu spiritual leader. The ensemble includes students of her former ashram, with featured performers Sita Michelle Coltrane, Radha Botofasina, Surya Botofasina and Shyam Reyes. The program is presented in connection with the Hammer Museum's exhibition 'Alice Coltrane, Monument Eternal' — a portion of which explores her spiritual transcendence, including televisions playing her famed broadcast 'Eternity's Pillar.' Sunday, 6:30 p.m. The Nimoy, 1262 Westwood Blvd, Westwood. — Ashley Lee FRIDAY After Hours/Desperately Seeking Susan Directed by Martin Scorsese and Susan Siedelman, respectively, this double bill pairs two essential portraits of downtown NYC life, each celebrating its 40th anniversary this year.6 p.m. Friday-Saturday; 6:30 p.m. Sunday. New Beverly Cinema, 7165 Beverly Blvd. A.I.M by Kyle Abraham The adventurous troupe presents a program that includes 'YEAR' by Andrea Miller and Rena Butler's 'The Shell of a Shell of the Shell.'7:30 p.m. Friday; 2 p.m. Saturday. The Wallis, 9390 N. Santa Monica Blvd., Beverly Hills. SATURDAY The Avett Brothers The eclectic folk-rock band is joined by Charles Wesley Godwin.7 p.m. Greek Theatre, 2700 N. Vermont Ave. Indian Classical Music Tanmay Deochake, Soham Gorane and Atharva Kulkarni perform on harmonium, vocals, keyboard and tabla.6 p.m.. Herrick Chapel at Occidental College, 1600 Campus Road. The Library of Maps: An Opera Long Beach Opera premieres a new performance edition of Pauline Oliveros and Moira Roth's innovative 2001 opera aboard the RMS Queen Mary.7:30 p.m. Saturday. 2:30 p.m. April 13. The Queen Mary, 1126 Queens Highway, Long Beach. Dune/The Flintstones Vidiots welcomes Kyle MacLachlan for screenings of the actor's first collaboration with David Lynch, the 1985 adaptation of Frank Herbert's sci-fi epic (followed by a conversation). MacLachlan will introduce the 1994 modern stone-age comedy.6 p.m. 'Dune'; 9:45 p.m. 'The Flintstones' (separate admissions). The Eagle Theatre, 4884 Eagle Rock Blvd. St. Matthew Passion Musica Angelica presents two Baroque orchestras and a cast of vocal soloists performing Johann Sebastian Bach's depiction of Christ's Passion story.6 p.m. Saturday. First Congregational Church of Long Beach, 241 Cedar Ave.; 3 p.m. Sunday. First Congregational Church of Los Angeles, 540 S. Commonwealth Ave. SUNDAYCorktown '39 A political thriller written by John Fazakerley and directed by Steven Robman about a Irish Republican Army assassin and a plot to kill the king of May 25. Rogue Machine at the Matrix Theatre, 7657 Melrose Ave., West Hollywood. Documentary Now! A 10th-anniversary event celebrating the mockumentary series with Bill Hader and Fred Armisen in person; part of the American Cinematheque's 'This Is Not a Fiction' festival.7:30 p.m. Egyptian Theatre, 6712 Hollywood Blvd. Every Brilliant Thing Amanda Zarr performs writers Duncan Macmillan and Jonny Donahoe's story about a little girl growing into a woman as she creates a list of things that make life worth living in an attempt to save her mother from depression.7:30 p.m. Bette Aitken Theater Arts Center, 5522 E. La Palma Ave., Anaheim. Gandolfini: Jim, Tony, and the Life of a Legend Critic, radio host and podcaster Jason Bailey marks the upcoming release of his new biography of the late 'Sopranos' star James Gandolfini with book signings and screenings of four of the actor's movies, which the author will introduce.'Not Fade Away' (2012), 1 p.m. Sunday. Alamo Drafthouse Cinema, 700 W. 7th St., Suite U240, downtown L.A. 'Crimson Tide' (1995), 8:30 p.m. Wednesday. The Frida Cinema, 305 E. 4th St., Suite 100, Santa Ana. 'The Man Who Wasn't There' (2001), 7 p.m. Saturday. Los Feliz 3, 1822 N. Vermont Ave. 'Killing Them Softly' (2012), 10 p.m. Saturday. Los Feliz 3 Hear Now Music Festival: Voices Raised The second of three shows devoted to new work by contemporary Los Angeles composers features a program of instrumental chamber music with Lyris Quartet and Brightwork Ensemble; the festival concludes with vocal chamber music on May 18.5 p.m. 2220 Arts + Archives, 2200 Beverly Blvd. Lost Cellphone Weekend Film noir-ish musical comedy written and composed by Stephen Gilbane about a man with an intense social media problem.2 p.m. Sunday; 7:30 p.m. April 18, 19, 25 and 26; 2 p.m. April 27. Write Act Repertory at the Brickhouse Theatre, 10950 Peach Grove St., Hollywood. The Last Play by Rickérby Hinds In the Afro Latino playwright's meta comedy, characters from his previous works throw his artistic process into chaos as he attempts to write a new play that stays true to the many aspects of May 25. Los Angeles Theatre Center, 514 S. Spring St., downtown L.A. What Is War A collaborative performance created by Eiko Otake and Wen Hui, who share their personal memories related to war, current and historic, through movement and projected video.8 p.m. UCLA Nimoy Theater, 1262 Westwood Blvd. Ashley Lee recently sat down for a Q&A with Georgia-born, North Hollywood-based playwright Keiko Green to discuss her approach to theater in advance of the world-premiere run of her play 'You Are Cordially Invited to the End of the World!' at South Coast Repertory. Lee described the play as 'an ambitious exploration of grief, climate change and individual significance, whether one is still on Earth or otherwise.' L.A.-based conceptual artist David Horvitz's latest project, 7th Ave Garden, is on a vacant lot in Arlington Heights, just off Washington Boulevard. There, in the place of a house that burned down, Horvitz has created a landscape that, according to Times contributor Marissa Gluck, serves as a 'living ecological lab and art project.' The spot plays host to exhibitions, poetry readings and performances. But it might not be around for much longer. Read why in this dispatch about the novel art endeavor. When Elon Musk's Department of Government Efficiency made sweeping cuts to the National Endowment for the Humanities, downtown L.A.'s Japanese American National Museum lost a $175,000 grant for the museum's Landmarks of American History and Culture workshops. The museum — along with others across the country — is worried that more cuts are coming. JANM may lose up to $1.5 million in already approved federal funding, and it's looking for ways to fight back. The California Science Center this week unveiled three site-specific murals commissioned for the museum's upcoming immersive exhibition, 'Game On! Science, Sports & Play,' which highlights the dynamism of the body in motion. The free show, which begins May 15, offers 'hands-on activities and virtual guidance from a diverse team of well-loved Los Angeles-based mentor athletes,' according to a news release. Guests are encouraged to participate in activities related to baseball, softball, basketball, soccer, yoga and dance. The large-scale murals, the first commissioned by the Science Center for an exhibition, were created by artists chosen for their connections to L.A.: Moses X. Ball made a piece titled 'Motivation in Motion' that's 23 feet by 18 feet; Laci Jordan's 'For the Love of the Game' is 48 feet by 16 feet; and Gustavo Zermeño Jr.'s 'It's Time for Dodger Baseball' spans 60 feet and is 18 feet tall. The Huntington Library, Art Museum, and Botanical Gardens in San Marino is rebranding itself to — quite simply — the Huntington. The move reflects what legions of visitors have long called their favored refuge from L.A.'s urban hustle, although a news release announcing the move calls it 'the first comprehensive branding initiative in the institution's 100-year history.' The change is apparent in updated signs and merchandise, as well as on the website. The Broad officially broke ground this week on its major expansion downtown, set to be completed in 2028. Mayor Karen Bass was on hand for the ceremony, alongside the museum's Founding Director and President Joanne Heyler and co-Founder Edythe L. Broad. The expansion will increase gallery space by 70%. — Jessica Gelt Remember that 1984 episode of 'Press Your Luck' with the guy who won more than $110,000?
Yahoo
09-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Ben Platt pay tribute to musical composer William Finn
Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Ben Platt have led tributes to late Broadway composer William Finn. On Tuesday, a representative announced that the Tony Award winner had died at the age of 73 the previous day. Finn's longtime partner, Arthur Salvadore, told The New York Times that the cause of death was pulmonary fibrosis, a type of lung disease. Following the sad news, Ferguson took to Instagram to thank Finn for giving the world "infinite joy" with his productions, especially the 1992 musical Falsettos. The Modern Family actor also worked with the Boston native on his 2005 musical comedy, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee. "The first Broadway show I ever saw was William Finn's Falsettos," he wrote alongside a throwback photo. "I left that theater changed forever because of his work. It will always be one of the biggest honors of my career that I got to create with this brilliant artist. There will never ever, ever be another Bill Finn. Rest in peace my friend. I am so happy I knew you." In addition, Platt posted a black-and-white photo of Finn on his Instagram Stories and commented, "Gave us so many beautiful things." Director and playwright James Lapine, who worked with Finn on Falsettos, honoured his frequent collaborator too. "RIP - Bill Finn. Thank you for all you gave me and us. Your work lives on," he declared. Elsewhere, a spokesperson for the Tony Awards posted a clip of Finn receiving the prize for Best Original Score for Falsettos at the 1992 event. He also took home Best Book of a Musical that year. "His music sang of love, loss, and what it means to be fully alive," they added. Back in 1992, Finn suffered an arteriovenous malformation in his brain stem and underwent surgery. The experience inspired his 1998 musical, A New Brain.
