tagged w/ Public Theater
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It’s got trenchant insights into art and identity, and you can dance to it.
It’s a grand irony that you can live in New York, one of the greatest theater cities in the world, and not be able to swing the cost of tickets without taking out a second mortgage on your apartment. I’d heard the critics falling all over themselves in praise of Passing Strange — a hard-driving mix of rock concert and musical co-created by singer/songwriter Stew, his creative partner Heidi Rodewald, and director Annie Dorsen that tracks the semi-autobiographical story of a young, African-American man as he grows as both artist and human — and was forced to say to myself, “Sounds pretty cool. Too bad I’ll never get to see it.”
Fortunately, Spike Lee was a long-time fan of the show, and more than willing to commit the final performances to film. The result manages to convey what everyone was raving about, with an intimacy rare to see in stage-to-film productions. Even better, it’s available at a price that those of us with more constrained means can handle. (That eight dollar box of Junior Mints, however, is another issue.)
I got a chance to sit down with both Spike and Stew and, in a more informal than usual conversation, we discussed Spike’s motivation for taking on the show, the occasional bumps that occur when heavily invested creators turn their project over to an equally inspired filmmaker, and whether the sound of voices lifted in song will be heard in future Spike Lee joints.
Click the link above to hear the interview.It’s got trenchant insights into art and identity, and you can dance to it.... more
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After we spotted this van several weeks ago (click on link to see) we realized there is a hippy "trend" hitting the city this summer:
CSNY Deja Vu: In 2006, hippy icons Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young launched their "Freedom of Speech" tour to protest the war in Iraq. The film Deja Vu documents the tour. I look forward to seeing footage of the band antagonizing audiences in the red states with a little tune called "Impeach The President". CSNY Deja Vu hits the theatres July 10th.
Pure Yoga: Looking for a calm nurturing place for your Yoga practice? The recently opened Pure Yoga created a space redolent of vitality that can also calm the nerves and prepare members for a deep yoga experience. Right on!
Hair: The American tribal love-rock musical that rocked Broadway in the 60's returns to it's original off Broadway home July 22nd at the Joseph Papp Theatre. Get ready to see naked hippy people. For ticket information go to publictheater.orgAfter we spotted this van several weeks ago (click on link to see) we realized there... more
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