DENVER – Disco Biscuits founding member Aron Magner has told interviewers that he invited bassist Jason Fratacelli and drummer Matt Scarano to form Spaga, because he wanted to get back to his roots as a pianist. As anyone who’s listened to the trio’s silky jazz infused melodies since they began playing together in October will […]
REIMS, FRANCE – Driving up from Paris on A4, one of the first things the visitor sees upon entering this ancient city is the Manège de Reims with its distinctive 16-sided polygon circus. Completed in 1867, the beautifully balanced stone building is more than a captivating national landmark, it is also a bustling hub of cultural […]
MELBOURNE, FL – Located adjacent to Florida Institute of Technology’s beautiful Joy and Gordon Patterson Botanical Garden, the Gleason Performing Arts Center is among the first places students go during orientation. As the site of graduation ceremonies, it is also one of their last touchpoints with the school before heading out into the world. In between, […]
LONDON – Laurence Olivier called Sam Levene’s portrayal of Nathan Detroit in the original 1950 production of Guys and Dolls the greatest stage performance he had ever seen. More than two decades later, Sir Laurence himself was eager to play the role of the irrepressible rogue with a heart of gold in a 1971 revival of the play […]
FORT WORTH, TX – A motorists who last drove down Blue Mound Road three or four years ago, could be forgiven for not recognizing it today. To keep up with the phenomenal growth of its surrounding community, the once sleepy rural pass was transformed last year into a modern suburban thoroughfare with four lanes instead […]
BELGIUM – Cordeel knows how to finish projects with a flourish. The Belgian construction company demonstrated this in convincing fashion recently when it completed the Temse shipyard dry dock headquarters. After finishing the construction of the building at ground level, Cordeel’s engineers hoisted the 1,200 ton still and glass megastructure into its final position where […]
HALIFAX, UK – Based on the 2001 DreamWorks Animation film Shrek, and harboring elements of sequels Shrek 2, Shrek Forever After and William Steig’s 1990 book Shrek! the lavish stage adaptation of its hit animated movie received unanimous praise for its colorful set design and costumes throughout its sell-out 441-night run on Broadway. Mark Johnson […]
MARION, IL – Just about everyone who saw the Adam Sandler movie Happy Gilmore, left the theatre with the soft sensuous lyric line of “Kiss You All Over” running through their heads. Familiar as they became with the soundtrack hit, however, few connected it to Exile Band, the Kentucky quintet that recorded the song more […]
DEINZE, BELGIUM – The historic medieval architecture, idyllic green open spaces of this quaint Belgian city, along with its rich schedule of engaging events, have consistently attracted a steady stream of visitors from nearby Ghent. But for its 40,000 culture-savvy residents, something was missing from their picture-perfect hometown: a city cultural center with theatre. After […]
GREENSBERG, PA – Rarely has a scenic element woven its way as neatly around the essence of a play as the chandelier in Phantom of the Opera. Assuming almost an identity of its own, the giant centerpiece holds sway above the stage, exerting a gravitational pull on the emotions of the characters below, as it […]
LONDON – Tight deadlines! Sure, they can be stressful, but they often serve as a spark that ignites the creative engine. Robert Henderson’s work lighting the South London Youth Theatre’s recent production of West Side Story offers vivid proof of that. The Basingstoke-based LD captured the swirling passions of the classic Leonard Bernstein/Stephen Sondheim musical […]
SARASOTA, FL – “Practice is a means of inviting the perfection desired” the immortal Martha Graham once observed. Every day, dancers at Sarasota Contemporary Dance live out these words as they gather at the acclaimed company’s studio to rehearse intricately choreographed routines that will later be performed before appreciative audiences. On some occasions, the company’s […]