In high school, I got into classic rock.  That was the cool thing to do in small-town Wisconsin and most of my friends went through that transition too.  Afterwards, I moved on to the emo scene and then to my new home, indie rock.  That’s where the glory lives.  But for about two years there, […]

read more from this topic.....

When most film viewers think about High Definition Blu-Ray technology and the crystal clear images it provides, their first thoughts don’t tend to be “I can’t wait to see the new Sondheim musical!” Most viewers are looking for Transformers or Rambo or some other blow-em-up, shoot-em-up actioner. But as many HDTV fans are finding out, […]

read more from this topic.....

“Quartermaine’s Terms”, currently on tour in the UK with a production directed by Harry Burton and starring Nathaniel Parker in the title role, takes place over a period of two years in the 1960s in the staffroom at a Cambridge English language school. It deals with the interrelationship between seven teachers at the school and, […]

read more from this topic.....

After more than a decade of sold out shows and ecstatic audiences, Blue Man Group decided to take their show on the road. And throughout 2006 and 2007 they did just that, showcasing the How To Be A Megastar Tour around the world for packed houses and equally satisfied audiences. This DVD/CD set is the result of a […]

read more from this topic.....

In 1989 Disney released a little underwater gem of a film that went on to become one of its most popular musicals. Now almost two decades later, composer Alan Menken revisits his hit show, revamping many of the favorites and writing 10 new songs. The result is now a larger-than-life Broadway version of The Little […]

read more from this topic.....

Opening Night of the 2008 San Francisco Ballet displayed a spectacular showcase of nine stellar performances in three acts, a fitting beginning to the 75th anniversary season of the oldest ballet company in the United States. The SF Ballet’s “Diamond Gala Celebration” included surprises like appearances of SF Ballet alumni dancers such as Jocelyn Vollmar, the first ballerina to perform as the “Snow Queen” in “The Nutcracker” in the United States. Vollmar danced with the SF Ballet from 1939 – 1948 and later taught at the SF Ballet School. While she no longer danced across the stage, Vollmar still appeared a queen on opening night with her snowy white hair and glowing white gown….

read more from this topic.....

As the 21st century quickly becomes the century of remakes, another unlikely movie adaptation takes the stage on Broadway: the 1980s classic? - and possible candidate for “worst movie ever” - Xanadu. Though director Douglas Carter Beane recalls being told that the show could very well be a “resume stopper,” that didn’t stop him from pushing forward […]

read more from this topic.....

Recorded on November 12th, less than a week after the lengthily titled The New Mel Brooks Musical Young Frankenstein opened at the Hilton Theatre in New York City, this original broadway cast recording captures the life, laughs and ludicrousness of Mel Brooks’ new musical adaptation (music and lyrics by Mel Brooks). Following on the heels of the […]

read more from this topic.....

Listen to Zach and Bill’s podcast review of Romance & Cigarettes at MovieBonfire
Filmed in 2005, John Turturro’s third foray into the writer/director realm of filmmaking is finally making the theatrical rounds as Turturro himself tours with the film - partly to garner exposure for the 2008 DVD release and partly to ensure that everyone involved in the production […]

read more from this topic.....

With 100 film composer credits to his name, including the upcoming epic fantasy film The Golden Compass, French composer Alexandre Desplat has quietly taken on Ang Lee’s erotic thriller Lust, Caution with all the strength and passion of the seasoned professional he has proven himself to be.
Each piece moves slowly and deliberately, expertly expressing the two key words in […]

read more from this topic.....

 
 
The world has lost its most famous and best-loved mime.
Marcel Marceau revived the art of mime after World War II and his “Compagnie Marcel Marceau” performed as the only mime troupe glabally until the late 1960s. Many performers were influenced by Marceau and he directed the Ecole Internationale de Mime before beginning Ecole Internationale de Mimodrame in Paris in the late […]

read more from this topic.....

Opera Diva Beverly Sills has passed away.
Unlike most opera singers, who seem to live in a world of elites, Ms. Sills delighted many people when she appeared on TV shows like Johnny Carson and the Muppets, bringing opera to popular culture.
Her nickname was “Bubbles” and indeed she brought a  bubbly joy to those around her.
But […]

read more from this topic.....

By Jefferson Flanders
As Jimmy Cannon, city columnist extrordinaire, used to say, “Nobody asked me, but…”
THE HUMAN IMPACT OF THE CONFLICT IN IRAQ rarely touches most of us, as relatively few Americans are connected with the volunteer military, (those who bear the brunt of the fighting and dying).
Two passengers on the southbound Amtrak Regional caught a […]

read more from this topic.....