If there ever was a time to ‘seize the day,’ now is absolutely the time. Disney’s NEWSIES is playing an exclusive two-week premiere engagement at Segerstrom Center for the Arts with performances May 17 through May 29, 2016 in Segerstrom Hall.
Set in New York City at the turn of the century, NEWSIES is the rousing tale of Jack Kelly, a charismatic newsboy and leader of a ragged band of teenaged ‘newsies,’ who dreams only of a better life far from the hardship of the streets. But when publishing titans Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst raise distribution prices at the newsboys’ expense, Jack finds a cause to fight for and rallies newsies from across the city to strike for what’s right.
We were delighted to get a behind-the-scenes look into what it takes to get NEWSIES on the stage, as well as an exclusive visit with principal cast members, Joey Barreiro as ‘Jack Kelly,’ and Morgan Keene as ‘Katherine.’
We were excited to see all the exquisite attention given to even the smallest details that end up on the stage, from “grunging up” the NEWSIES’ 150 costumes by Wardrobe Supervisor, Gillian Austin to the presence of an actual antique 1200 lb. Chandler & Price printing press used in the show.
Production Stage Manager, Jeff Norman gave us a close up look at the fantastic set designed by Tobin Ost. The imposing three level set rises over 24 feet high and features three completely automated towers. Built of steel and aluminum, it weighs seven and a half tons. Its three towers can move 14 feet up and down stage, revolve 350 degrees and re-configure to create – among the show’s many locations – tenement fire escapes, a theatre’s backstage and the Brooklyn Bridge. The cast climbs 75 steps to reach the set’s nine distinct playing areas.
It was such a treat to see all the moving parts that come together so beautifully to bring this amazing show to life. The only thing missing from our backstage tour was the imaginative and unbelievable choreography that makes this show an absolute must-see.
The whimsical zany characters of Tim Burton’s Alice in Wonderland have returned in Disney’s ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS with a new director yet same colorful ‘bizarro’ cinematography and vivid stylization. The talented cast remains with a stronger emphasis on a plot focused around Johnny Depp’s Mad Hatter backstory and an equally as ridiculous new character Lord of Time played by the outrageous Sacha Baron. Alice, Mia Wasikowska, along with the rest of the over-the-top characters of Wonderland have returned in this sequel designed to be exactly what fans of the original would want. Alice Through The Looking Glass’s look and feel remains true to Tim Burton’s successful adaptation with the addition of a meaningful heartfelt story that can win-over the hardest critiques of the genre.
Director James Bobin, (THE MUPPETS, MUPPETS MOST WANTED), brings an Alice sequel that is to the ’T’ of what one should expect from this Disney sequel. A film shot almost entirely around green screens and endless visual effects and motion capture, can be challenging to not become too gimmicky while standing above the rest. Alice Through the Looking Glass excels in the genre with a theme that works to the style perfectly. There are endless amounts of gorgeously created scenery and gigantic action sequences that helps bring a broader appeal to those that may already not be a fan of the stylization. Still outlandish and strange, the movie is not for everyone, but an Alice movie probably should take some chances to fulfill the insanity quota the comes with the Alice characters. Just take a look at the animated film again.
Alice is once again seen not conforming to the societies social norms, but is faced to make a difficult choice between her father’s belongings and the families money. To find her answer she is chased back into the whimsical world of Wonderland or as some say, Underland. This time she must help save the Mad Hatter from losing all of his sanity in a tale that combines heart with several other subplots leaving interesting foot notes but a lack of investment.
Extreme close-ups of the Hatter and the Queen of Hearts brings some awkwardness, but helps prove that the filmmakers weren’t shy of taking chances. Johnny Depp shines again with an incredible performance that proves that he still can astonish with his acting. Helena Bonham Carter shows many sides of emotion in her Queen of Hearts character with a storyline that brings to light the reasoning behind the globe of a head and her hatred for just about everyone else. The incredibly animated animals of the tea party also return with more emotion than ever. Sadly, Anne Hathaway’s flailing and swaying of arms character remains just as annoying as before. Mia Wasikowska has more of a role model 19-year-old version of Alice that many girls should be looking up to. She’s more of a strong Dorothy of Oz demeanor than anything with the perseverance that she will accomplish her dreams no matter the obstacle.
The cast of Lewis Carroll’s creations gets a chance to shine more-so than the 2010 film, however it’s Time that helps this sequel chug along. No no… I mean Time is what this film needed. Wait, okay, the name of the character is Time, part man part Universes clock, and the writers get to have endless amounts of fun at the expense of his name and inanimate sense. Sacha Baron Cohen was the right amount of silly for this performance. Much of his inner workings were very intelligent. The meaning behind himself and much of his jokes were actually quite brilliant. This witty comedy pushed the movie forward whenever a lag began.
The film moves right along and packs a little punch. This is highly important in a near two hour film. Everyone I spoke to seemed to agree that Alice Through the Looking Glass is incredibly entertaining, yet still struggles to make much of an impact. To be frank, we just didn’t care about the story as it’s all in her a fake mystery land anyway, right? While the touching story of the Hatter’s is a more meaningful plot, it remains on a mute point to the rest of the Time plot that outweighs the actual meaning and mere moral of the story. The final 20 minutes gives a saving grace to an otherwise little invested backstory of much of the main cast.
It’s utterly beautiful. It’s elusive Underland experience is impressive, but strange at times. The mystery of their histories is interesting yet lost in so many other absurdities and those strange faces that stretch from one screen end to another. Alice Through the Looking Glass is nothing that you shouldn’t already expect however, but is that what the audience wants? Above anything else, the moral behind the story is clear and delivers the right message for moviegoers. While the film may become forgettable its deeper meaning may resonate in the viewer forever.
I’ve always loved films that delve into the psyches of the true heroes of our world. Not action heroes or superheroes, but the real people who make the tough calls and are willing to put their lives on the line for the greater good. I’m talking about people like Bernie Webber, the remarkable man behind the true story of Disney’s The Finest Hours.
In 1952, Bernie led what is regarded as the “greatest small-boat rescue in Coast Guard history.” When a record breaking storm hits off the coast of Cape Cop, two oil tankers are simultaneously ripped in half. This unthinkable event propels Bernie into a rescue mission to that seemed like nothing short of a death sentence. Having been assigned to find and rescue the crew of the SS Pendleton, Bernie would have to overcome giant waves, a lost compass and the constant threat of hypothermia. In doing so, he had to constantly weigh the risks and make life-or-death situations that ended up saving the lives of almost seaman on board.
Making things even more tense, the sequences of Bernie trying to find the Pendleton are intercut with the struggle of the Pendleton’s crew itself. Their struggle to stay alive is just as harrowing as Bernie’s struggle to find them. The filmmakers have crafted an extraordinarily tense environment where every decision could lead to the destruction of their ship. With no communication to the outside world, they don’t even know if anybody is coming for them, and they are forced to just try to survive while waiting for the inevitable.
A film like this wouldn’t work without a fantastic cast for the audience to identify with. Every character in the film feels true-to-life.Their journey is an emotional rollercoaster that the filmmakers masterfully use to bring the audience to the edge of their seat. Particular standouts are Chris Pine as Webber himself and Casey Affleck as Ray Sybert, the man forced into the role of caption after the destruction of their ship. Both men convey a steely resolve to survive that is captivating to watch.
On a technical level, the film is a little sketchy. By nature of the story, there has to be a lot of CGI, and while it’s perfectly serviceable, it isn’t always what I’d call believable. Far more effective is the set built for the Pendleton. Practically a character in and of itself, this is a breathtaking setpiece, shot with a masterful eye. This set looks to be several stories tall with a great deal of moving parts. Throughout the movie, as the set is flooded, I couldn’t help but think of the incredible craftsmanship that must have gone into developing a set such as this.
However, despite what works and doesn’t work on a technical level, this is a movie all about the characters and story, and on that level, it’s a complete success. The movie takes it’s time to get out to sea, allowing us to get to know these characters, especially the relationship between Webber and his fiance, Mariam. This is one of those aspects of the film that I would have believed to be crafted for audience manipulation, but in researching the true story afterwards, I was amazed at how accurate the depictions of these characters actually was.
Unfortunately, the recently released Blu-Ray is pretty bare bones. There is a 15 minute short look at the real Webber featuring interviews with several people who were there for the real event, and most fascinating, an interview with his actual daughter. The pride in her face is evident, and it’s a joy to watch her speak about her family. Other than that, there are two short deleted scenes, and while nothing special, they do show some incomplete FX work that really demonstrates how the film was made. Rounding out the disc are several features running 1-2 minutes that play up the real heroes of the Coast Guard, but don’t provide any insight into the film itself. I would have liked to have seen some behind-the-scenes Making-Of type features, but there are none to be found. Picture and sound are as great as expected.
The Story of How They Met – Deleted Scene
Overall, the film is far better than the extras would lead you to believe. This feels like a slapped together disc of a great movie. This film is truly inspiring. While there are several options for Bernie and his crew to back out and go home, they never do. It’s amazing that there are people among us just like this, and if nothing else, that reminder makes this a worthwhile film.
Disney’s “Beauty and the Beast” is a live-action re-telling of the studio’s animated classic which refashions the classic characters from the tale as old as time for a contemporary audience, staying true to the original music while updating the score with several new songs. “Beauty and the Beast” is the fantastic journey of Belle, a bright, beautiful and independent young woman who is taken prisoner by a beast in his castle.
Despite her fears, she befriends the castle’s enchanted staff and learns to look beyond the Beast’s hideous exterior and realize the kind heart and soul of the true Prince within. The film stars: Emma Watson as Belle; Dan Stevens as the Beast; Luke Evans as Gaston, the handsome, but shallow villager who woos Belle; Oscar® winner Kevin Kline as Maurice, Belle’s eccentric, but lovable father; Josh Gad as Lefou, Gaston’s long-suffering aide-de-camp; Golden Globe® nominee Ewan McGregor as Lumiere, the candelabra; Oscar nominee Stanley Tucci as Maestro Cadenza, the harpsichord; Gugu Mbatha-Raw as Plumette, the feather duster; six-time Tony Award® winner Audra McDonald as Madame Garderobe, the wardrobe; Oscar nominee Ian McKellen as Cogsworth, the mantel clock; and two-time Academy Award® winner Emma Thompson as the teapot, Mrs. Potts.
Directed by Oscar® winner Bill Condon from a screenplay by TBD based on the 1991 animated film, the film is produced by Mandeville Films’ David Hoberman and Todd Lieberman with eight-time Oscar-winning composer Alan Menken, who won two Academy Awards® (Best Original Score and Best Song) for the 1991 animated film, providing the score, which will include new recordings of the original songs written by Menken and Howard Ashman, as well as several new songs written by Menken and three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice.
“Beauty and the Beast” will be released in U.S. theaters on March 17, 2017.
Genre: Live Action Musical
Rating: TBD
U.S. Release date: March 17, 2017
Running time: TBD
Cast: Emma Watson, Dan Stevens, Luke Evans, Kevin Kline, Josh Gad, Ewan McGregor, Stanley Tucci, Gugu Mbatha-Raw, Audra McDonald with Ian McKellen and Emma Thompson
Director: Bill Condon
Producers: David Hoberman, Todd Lieberman
Executive Producers: Jeffrey Silver, Thomas Schumacher, Don Hahn
Screenplay by: TBD
Based on the
1991 Animated Film
Music by: Alan Menken
Lyrics by: Howard Ashman and Tim Rice
The talented acrobatic singing paperboys of New York from the Disney cult-classic film are now onstage at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa until May 29th. This wildly popular upbeat musical has been bringing joy to theatergoers since its inception in 2011. There is no doubt Newsies is well deserving of its two Tony Awards for Best Choreography and Original Score. Disney legend Alan Menken and director Jeff Calhoun along with the rest of Disney Theatrical have teamed up to bring to stage something fans were craving for nearly 20 years. NEWSIES THE MUSICAL hits the stage running with one showstopper after the next. It’s a show filled with a plethora of bursts of high-flying dance numbers and songs you’ll be humming for an entire week. You’ll think there is nothing more they could do to impressive you and then the next song starts. NEWSIES contains nothing but pure adrenaline and joy until the lights come up!
Set in 1899 New York City, NEWSIES tells the story of Jack Kelly, a charismatic leader of the cities ‘newsies’, who only desires for a better life far from his troubled adolescent years on the streets of New York. Surrounded by the poor youth of the turn of the century, Jack rallies his boys against the ever powerful Joseph Pulitzer and William Randolph Hearst from their price hikes of their distribution of ‘papes’ at the expense of newsboys.
Inspired by the real ‘Newsboy Strike of 1899’ where newsboy Kid Blink led a band of orphan and runaways on a two week-long strike, Jack gets the rest of the boys to go up against the greedy Pulitzer with the help of new paperboy Davey and his younger brother Les. Along the way he gets a little help from a young reporter, Katherine, who may have a few tricks up her sleeves. However, it will take the support of all the Newsies to take down Goliath.
The stage version contains most songs from the film including the overall overture and theme “Santa Fe” to the powerful juggernauts of “Carrying the Banner”, “Seize the Day” and “Once and for All” along with seven brand-new songs by the original team. Also added for the tour is “Letter from the Refuge”, a brand new solo number for the now less featured newsboy, Crutchie. I couldn’t imagine this show without this added piece.
One cannot review NEWSIES THE MUSICAL without mentioning the most talked about change to the stage adaptation. While generally true to the film with a few songs omitted, the stage production writes out Jack’s original love interest Sarah Jacobs and the New York Sun reporter Brian Denton (Bill Pullman) who helped bring light to their cause. The two are replaced with new love interest Katherine Plumber, an overly sarcastic news reporter that serves as both purposes to the former.
While Jack Kelly’s character is played nearly identical to that of the film and lead by Joey Barreiro who carried the show well, the character of Katherine Plumber is absolutely rubbish. I wont put too much blame on Morgan Keene, who had a tough spot to fill. The character is written with such disgust toward Jack that she never comes off as kind. Her rude sarcasm and annoying undertones left toward Jack are downright irritating and uncharismatic. There was nothing redeeming about this character except that she had a heart to help with the ‘newsies’ strike.
We can dissect this adjusted plot line to no end, but overall I think it’s best to mention that Jack’s original love interest was clearly and afterthought in the film feeling pushed and hurried. The addition of Katherine could be nice if she was a more endearing counterpart. However, Denton the reporter is sorely missed with his devoted support for the boys as well as the bigger subtext of taking down the behemoth newspaper conglomerate that had such political power. Plus, there’s less of focus on Jack’s desire to have a caring family like Davey had in the film.
NEWSIES THE MUSICAL doesn’t have much to pick apart though. It’s a giant ensemble cast of incredible talent that somehow seems to outdo themselves with each dance number. The new adjusted storyline works, and works well, but it’s the strong musical numbers and amazing dance numbers that shine. All the ‘newsies’ are incredibly fun to watch with moments of astonishment as each choreographed routine gets bigger.
The whole production is meant to wow. Stage design is unique and LARGE with gigantic moving parts that surely will leave you impressed. The lighting, costuming, staging, and overall production value will just have you blown away. Even the curtain call is engaging and an act all on its own. This is non-stop fun that never tries to take things too seriously or push too much of a political undertone. The show could very easily add a large subtext but instead focuses on one boys dream to make things right with his band of brother.
Fans of the film can’t miss this production and theatergoers of all ages shouldn’t skip this refined and pristine show. Every number, every note, every dance step hits its beat. No flaws in the songs adaptations or characterization except for those previously mentioned. Be prepared to cheer with everything you have, these performers deserve it.
NEWSIES THE MUSICAL is now playing at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa until May 29th. Visit scfta.org for more information!
Universal Studios Hollywood reveals a behind-the-scenes look into the making of its new permanent walk-through attraction based on AMC’s record-breaking television series, “The Walking Dead,” and announces that the eagerly-awaited experience will debut on Monday, July 4, 2016.
The captivating two-minute video features insightful commentary from Greg Nicotero, executive producer and director of “The Walking Dead” as he tours his LA-based special effects studio, KNB Efx, which is responsible for masterfully creating the show’s—and now the attraction’s—realistic decaying walkers.
“After six years of working on ‘The Walking Dead,’ we have a great opportunity to take ‘The Walking Dead’ out of the studio, off the soundstage and into an attraction at Universal Studios Hollywood where guests can come face-to-face with walkers,” said Greg Nicotero.
He continued, “It’s very exciting to be able to make the attraction as 100 percent authentic as possible. We’re getting the chance to utilize molds that were created specifically for the show and translate them into parts of the attraction. We’re creating animatronic walkers that guests will be able to see…it’s never been done before….it’s one-of-a-kind, state-of-the-art….and I can’t wait.”
Universal Studios Hollywood has worked collaboratively with AMC’s “The Walking Dead” for years as a signature “Halloween Horror Nights” maze. This newly enhanced venture will take the highly sought-after experience from a seasonal, limited time offering to an exciting 365-day opportunity, raising the bar for themed walk-through attractions.
To ensure authenticity of the attraction, Universal Studios Hollywood is partnering with “The Walking Dead’s” creative team, including Greg Nicotero and KNB Efx to develop prosthetics, utilize original molds and painstakingly apply paint and detailing to attraction walkers. The integral involvement of the creative team will not only inspire the emotional connection fans experience, it will be among the attraction’s key distinguishing characteristics that will define it as a living representation of the show.
Coupled with authentic walker make-up effects, sophisticated animatronic walkers, substantially more detailed set design and costuming, and highly recognizable props replicated from the series, “The Walking Dead” attraction will deliver an uncompromised realistic environment that brings guests even further into the most watched show in cable television history.
The “The Walking Dead” attraction will be located within an entirely new, custom built structure, situated within an expansive building complex just inside the theme park’s main entry. Due to the intense nature of this experience, the attraction is not recommended for guests under the age of 13.
The past five years have been a remarkable time for Universal Studios Hollywood as the destination embarked on an unprecedented revitalization that has substantially altered over 75 percent of its familiar footprint to effectively characterize it as an entirely new theme park experience. The introduction of the all-new “The Walking Dead” attraction continues the theme park’s unparalleled investment in its ambitious epic transformation.
AMC’s “The Walking Dead” depicts the story of survivors in a post-apocalyptic world overrun by hordes of terrifying flesh-eating walkers. It is the #1 show on television among adults 18-49 for the last four years and will debut its seventh season this October.
With a 46-year history of innovation at sea, Royal Caribbean International is today welcoming the arrival of its newest and most dazzling ship yet, Harmony of the Seas.
Harmony of the Seas is the world’s largest cruise ship with a bold and unexpected line up of experiences, and many ‘firsts at sea’. An architectural marvel, it hosts the best of the fleet’s features, combining the distinctive seven neighborhood concept that Royal Caribbean’s Oasis class ships are known for, with the most popular technological features from its Quantum class ships.
Innovative features include Ultimate Abyss, a thrilling 10 story slide – and the tallest at sea; Bionic Bar complete with robotic barmen, virtual balconies which provide guests in an interior stateroom with real-time views of the destination, and VOOM – the fastest internet at sea – so guests can stay connected, stream their favorite entertainment and share their adventures.
Unparalleled entertainment will keep guests wowed with exciting high-diving, acrobatic and aquatic performances in the deepest pool at sea at the iconic AquaTheatre; an ice show extravaganza and Broadway’s hit musical Grease.
Imaginative dining in the ship’s 20 venues include the widest variety of cuisine from Wonderland, a feast for all the senses to the popular Jamie’s Italian by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver.
In adapting Disney’s “Frozen” for the stage in “Frozen – Live at the Hyperion,” the team at Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Entertainment sought out new and exciting ways to tell Anna and Elsa’s story. Among other innovations, this dazzling theatrical production incorporates state-of-the-art projections and motion capture technology to create several “Wow!” moments for the audience.
Disney team members collaborated with award-winning video and projection designer Aaron Rhyne (“A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder,” “Tangled: The Musical”) to produce projection effects that open up the world of the story, propel the action forward and blend seamlessly with physical sets and, in some cases, the performers themselves!
That custom video wall covers 2,200 square feet and includes more than 4 million pixels. In fact, it weighs so much, the stage deck had to be reinforced with steel plates to secure it! It’s just one of the incredibly impressive set pieces that will make “Frozen – Live at the Hyperion” a not-to-be-missed spectacle.
The show makes its debut May 27 in the Hyperion Theater at Disney California Adventure park.
This was posted first by Shawn Slater, Senior Communications Manager, Walt Disney Imagineering Creative Entertainment on the Disney Parks Blog.
After getting covered in catnip, an unlucky Tsum must escape a feline monster with the help of his trusty Tsum Tsum friends.
For the first time, Disney is giving a rare and special look into the adorable little lives of the Tsum Tsum when nobody’s watching. Today the first episode of “Tsum Tsum Kingdom,” a new digital series offers a look at the popular Tsum toys’ “natural habitat” while humans are away through the lens of expert zoologists.
Among the many resort choices you can stay at during your Walt Disney World vacation, Art of Animation is one of the most fun and vibrantly themed. The resort features themes from four different Disney and Pixar films including The Little Mermaid, The Lion King, Finding Nemo, and Cars. Each theme immerses you within its movie from large statues of characters and scenes to dramatically themed rooms. As well, the resort features large family suite style rooms in all themes except for The Little Mermaid. Today we will be taking a tour through the outside themed areas of these resorts as well as the lobby.
First on our tour is the lobby area. When you first enter the lobby to check in, you will notice a large wall that features different animation sketches and concepts from various movies. The chandelier found outside the gift shop features actual prints from there movies. The gift shop also has an inking theme to it that can be seen when looking all around the top of the walls.
Upon leaving the lobby, you dive right into the Finding Nemo area and are greeted by a view of the “Big Blue Pool.” This is the main pool at the resort and is also the largest pool on Walt Disney World property. It also allows you to listen to some of your favorite Disney music under water! Guests staying at any area of Art of Animation can access it using their magic band. The Finding Nemo area brings the movie to life and sizes you down to a fishes point of view. Walk, or swim, around and be surrounded by different characters and features from the movie.
If you head to the left of the Finding Nemo area, you will enter The Lion King area. In this area you will get lost in the mighty jungle as you are put in the perspective of a young lion. Throughout this area you will find many iconic characters including Rafiki, Simba, Scar, and even the Hyenas. some of the different landscapes and features also allow you to walk through or around them, like the elephant graveyard.
The next area places you right in the story of The Little Mermaid. You may notice a few gadgets and gizmos a plenty lying around here. You may also observe that the building and rooms themselves look different from the rest of the resort. This is because these buildings were built to be an addition to Disney’s Pop Century Resort (Right across the bridge). Disney decided to instead create an entirely new resort and theme instead, but these buildings were already completed.
The last area of Disney’s Art of Animation Resort is the Cars suites. This area takes you right into Radiator Springs to join Lightning McQueen, Sally, and the rest of the gang. If it’s a little warm along route 66, you can head to the Cozy Cone pool area. This area is unique because it is the only one that represents a dry climate. This creates a completely different scheme of colors compared to the many greens you see in the other three areas.
As you can see, Disney’s Art of Animation resort puts you right in the middle of each of these movies. Whether its cruising with Lightning McQueen or Swimming with Nemo, this resort has a little bit of everything. Have you ever stayed at Art of Animation? Which area is your favorite?
Interested in learning more about Disney’s Art of Animation Resort, or any of the other resorts at Walt Disney World? Then send an email to [email protected] and we’ll begin planning your next magical vacation together.
Just off the 405, across the street from one of Orange County’s most popular shopping destinations, sits a gem that many may take for granted. Many have grown up having this multicultural performing arts center formally known as the Orange County Performing Art Center right in their backyar. Now branded as the Segerstrom Center for the Arts, the campus has steadily transformed into a cultural center “deeply engrained in the fabric of our community, artistically ambitious, yet accessible to all…” thriving to “make the arts matter.” If you thought The Center just presents musical theater productions, you’re missing out.
This past week we were invited to a similar style of show of what one may find at the iconic Hollywood Bowl. Last week The Center proudly presented Star Trek: The Ultimate Voyage 50th Anniversary Concert Tour. Featured within the Segerstrom Hall, audiences found themselves walking into a seemingly silent theater with ominous sounds of what one could gather as Outer Space. While many of us know that Space contains no sound, the deep sounds of vastness seemed menacing building anticipation and suspense for the music about to be played.
StarTrek: The Ultimate Voyage 50th Anniversary Concert
To sum it up simply, it was a talented orchestra playing the many songs of the Star Trek universe from the early days of the original series through all incarnations to the new movies of today. With each song scenes were orchestrated to match the music or quite frankly played as background to memorable scenes of the TV series. I’m not really a fan of the show. I watched my fair share after getting home from school, but never really followed. However, I can appreciate good music just as much as the next. This performance captivated me and the rest of the audience. I was teleported into this musical universe for two and half hours before being beamed back to my seat.
Is watching a brilliant orchestra perform on a Space Age-like set to the tunes of Star Trek not your sort of thing, that’s okay as there are many fantastic shows and musicians lined up. While I want to showcase Newsies coming up May 17th-29th, I’ll focus on the other not so well-known shows.
Mind you there are several venues to attend. There is of course the Segerstrom Hall, the opera house still theater that features the biggest entertainment. However, as beautifully and cleverly designed as it is, one cannot go without noticing that gorgeous and stunning serpentine glass facade of Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall. The interior is intricately decorated with Spanish granite, a silver leak ceiling with warm wood accented walls and Swarovski crystal LED lighting topped off with 300 stainless steel pendants atop the stage, oh, and a pipe organ spanning the floor to the ceiling.
The Samueli Theater is a multifunctional space allowing for lounge type seating for smaller gatherings or special events, to risers for smaller performances. The Judy Morr theater acts the same though with a black box-style space and can feature some of the smaller productions.
With the places spoken for, here is a list of some of the entertainment offers coming up:
Alton Brown Live: Eat Your Science Live Segerstrom Hall
May 13th
Chris Botti – Jazz | Pop/Rock
Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall
May 13th and 14th
Yo-Yo Ma & Kathryn Stott in recital – Classical Music
Segerstrom Hall
May 14th
Vivaldi’s Four Seasons – Classical Music
Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall
May 19th-21st
Pictures at an Exhibition with Garrick Ohlsson – Classical Music
Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall
May 26th
André Watts Plays Beethoven– Classical Music
Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall
June 2nd-4th
Symphonie Fantastique – Classical Music
Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall
June 5th
Royal Swedish Ballet Juliet and Romeo Segerstrom Hall
June 10th-12th
Cathedral Echoes
Segerstrom Hall
June 12th
Classical Mystery Tour – Beatles Cover Band
Segerstrom Hall
June 17th and 18th
For more information on each show and for more future events, visit scfta.org.
Last month in Los Angeles Team Iron Man kicked off the MARVEL Captain America: Civil War press conference with laughs and even questions from Robert Downey Jr. himself. Producer Kevin Feige shared his feelings for the complete ensemble cast and Director Anthony Russo shared with us the flawless introduction of Spiderman in this movie.
Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War” finds Steve Rogers leading the newly formed team of Avengers in their continued efforts to safeguard humanity. But after another incident involving the Avengers results in collateral damage, political pressure mounts to install a system of accountability, headed by a governing body to oversee and direct the team. The new status quo fractures the Avengers, resulting in two camps—one led by Steve Rogers and his desire for the Avengers to remain free to defend humanity without government interference, and the other following Tony Stark’s surprising decision to support government oversight and accountability.
Based on the beloved Marvel comic book series, first published in 1941, Marvel’s “Captain America: Civil War” stars Chris Evans (“Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “The Avengers”) as the iconic Super Hero character Steve Rogers/Captain America; Robert Downey Jr. (“Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Iron Man 3”) as Tony Stark/Iron Man; Scarlett Johansson (“Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Captain America: The Winter Soldier”) as Natasha Romanoff/Black Widow; Sebastian Stan (“Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Black Swan”) as Bucky Barnes/Winter Soldier; Anthony Mackie (“Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “The Hurt Locker”) as Sam Wilson/Falcon; Don Cheadle (“Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “House of Lies”) as Colonel James Rhodes/War Machine; Jeremy Renner (“Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Mission: Impossible – Rogue Nation”) as Clint Barton/Hawkeye; Chadwick Boseman (“42,” “Get on Up”) as T’Challa/Black Panther; Paul Bettany (“Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Iron Man 3”) as Vision; and Elizabeth Olsen (“Avengers: Age of Ultron,” “Godzilla”) as Wanda Maximoff/ Scarlet Witch.
The film also stars Paul Rudd (“Ant-Man,” “Anchorman 2: The Legend Continues”) as Scott Lang/Ant-Man; Emily VanCamp (“Captain America: The Winter Soldier,” “Revenge”) as Sharon Carter; Marisa Tomei (“My Cousin Vinny,” “Love the Coopers”) as May Parker; Tom Holland (“In the Heart of the Sea,” “The Impossible”) as Spider-Man; Frank Grillo (“Captain America: The Winter Soldier”) as Brock Rumlow/Crossbones; and Martin Freeman (“The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey,” “The Hobbit: The Battle of Five Armies”) as Everett Ross; with William Hurt (“A History of Violence,” Marvel’s “The Incredible Hulk”) as Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross and Daniel Brühl (“Inglourious Basterds,” “Bourne Ultimatum”) as Zemo.
Q: Even though Civil War has this unbelievable emotional pull, were there certain technological advances that allowed for this movie to happen in the extraordinary way that it does?
Part of the popularity of big special effects driven movies is the fact that technology is such an incredibly high value. You reap the benefits if you push forward on every film and this movie has a very remarkable sequence where Robert Downey Jr. plays a 20-year-old man, which is pretty incredible. It took months and months of work on that shot. In fact, it was the last shot completed for the movie and was dropped in just 5 days ago.
Q: Can you talk about bringing Spiderman into the mix? It was so flawlessly done. Did it feel forced at all or is this one of the amazing aspects of the film?
Spiderman was very important to us, all four filmmakers. We knew we wanted to tell a very complicated story between Captain America and Iron Man, a story that went to really dark places. For us it became very important to find a way to change the dynamic in the movie by bringing in characters that didn’t have the same emotional element that the Avenger’s have with the events that unfolded, very serious and complicated events.
To bring in characters like Spiderman and Ant-Man who don’t have that emotion, it gave us an opportunity as storytellers to bring new elements into the film at a deep place in the movie. I think it balanced that big fight they have with one another at the airport.
Making his first appearance in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is Spider-Man, played by Tom Holland. Playing Spider-Man is a dream-come-true for the 19-year-old Holland, who became a Spider-Man super-fan after seeing the first movie. “I remember watching that as a kid and just losing my mind,” says Holland. “It was the first superhero film I had ever seen and ever since then I’ve just been hooked. I have countless photos of me as a kid dressed as Spiderman. I have Spiderman toys everywhere and I used to have Spiderman bed sheets. So I remember when they were casting ‘The Amazing Spider-Man’—I was probably 15—I asked my agents if there was any chance. They said no, but then the third time it came around I was like, ‘Come on guys, third time lucky, can I please get an audition?’ And here I am today.”
For directors Anthony and Joe Russo, the opportunity to introduce Spider-Man in “Captain America: Civil War” was an interesting and exciting challenge. “We had a very strong point of view of what we wanted to do with the character in this film and what we felt Marvel should do with the character moving forward,” explains Joe Russo. “We were very aggressive on the casting front, looking for the right actor, the right age. I felt it was better to go much younger and to not have somebody who was 30 playing a 16 year old. It was more important to find somebody more age appropriate that would convey that energy and that naiveté that would come from being that age and having that kind of power. We also thought it was really interesting to take that naiveté and smash it into the cynicism of Tony Stark. What better way to bring that character into the MCU than through Tony Stark?”
Next up was Team Cap taking the stage. The cast seemed very excited to be there and even began to make fun of Team IronMan.
With the story of “Captain America: Civil War” taking place all over the world the production would find itself based in familiar territory, anchoring at Pinewood Atlanta Studios with various units shooting in Germany, Austria, Iceland, Puerto Rico, Indonesia, Brazil and the United Kingdom during the film’s production schedule.
Captain America: Civil War is now playing in theaters.
The talented acrobatic singing paperboys of New York from the Disney cult-classic film are now onstage at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa until May 29th. This wildly popular upbeat musical has been bringing joy to theatergoers since its inception in 2011. There is no doubt Newsies is well deserving of its two Tony Awards for Best Choreography and Original Score. Disney legend Alan Menken and director Jeff Calhoun along with the rest of Disney Theatrical have teamed up to bring to stage something fans were craving for nearly 20 years. NEWSIES THE MUSICAL hits the stage running with one showstopper after the next. It’s a show filled with a plethora of bursts of high-flying dance numbers and songs you’ll be humming for an entire week. You’ll think there is nothing more they could do to impressive you and then the next song starts. NEWSIES contains nothing but pure adrenaline and joy until the lights come up!
Chris Botti – Jazz | Pop/Rock
