Results tagged “performingarts”

Neal Dandade is one of my heroes. Luckily for me, unlike most people's heroes, I know mine. Quite well, actually: Neal and I go back ten years and two thousand miles to Coronado High School in El Paso, Texas. We acted together then, and now I'm lucky to get onstage once a year, but Neal is doing it professionally, performing with a number of improvisational and sketch comedy groups in the Chicago area—including the career-launching Second City. As you'll see from his interview below, improv is a natural fit for Neal, who sometimes thinks so fast it's hard to keep up. ("He was always so bright," as Mamaist put it.) You may actually have seen some of his work: know those Boost Mobile commercials with the rapping George Washington? Neal actually originated the jingle (but hasn't, as of yet, been given any credit for his work).

Which conductor did you like better as a kid: Ringo Starr or George Carlin? We must say we have a much deeper respect for Carlin’s comedy now than we did when we were five years old, but that’s for another post.

Local professional choir Voces Novae et Antiquae presents "A Propitious Pairing: Palestrina and Poulenc." If the alliterative title doesn't pique your interest then the music certainly will—Palestrina's Dum Complerentur Dies Pentecostes and Missa Brevis and Poulenc's Salve Regina and Mass in G major certainly run the gamut of choral music. Voces Novae et Antiquae have two more performances of this innovative program:

Every Tuesday and Thursday, we'll be posting events that are going on sale during the current week. This Tuesday post only collects the early announcements, so definitely check back on Thursday for the latest ticket news.

What kind of octogenarian would you like to be? Us, we’ll be Merce Cunningham please. At 89 the famous choreographer is not only still creating works, but continues in his tradition of pushing the technological envelope by combining dance with accompanying music in unique and often fantastical ways (dude’s had Radiohead compose for him. That we’d love to see). Merilyn Jackson has a wonderful article tracing some of his collaborations and technological innovations in the Inquirer, which has served as a yummy appetizer. You see, we are lucky enough to be going to see the Merce Cunningham Dance Company when they perform at the Annenberg Center tomorrow and Friday nights. And our iPods are already in a flurry of excitement.

Three weeks ago the Super Bowl heralded the end of another football season.

Every Tuesday and Thursday, we'll be posting events that are going on sale during the current week. This Tuesday post only collects the early announcements, so definitely check back on Thursday for the latest ticket news.

We already know you dig Phillyist. You're here, aren't you?

Every Tuesday and Thursday, we'll be posting events that are going on sale during the current week. This Thursday post only collects the latest announcements, so definitely check the Tuesday post for any you may have missed.

We are torn. We are not usually torn. Usually, when something makes us rather uncomfortable, we use our prerogative as a (unpaid) blogger to ignore it. We have taken great license with our Phillyist byline, in that we write about what we like and think is important; we don’t pick up on the stuff that is out of our league or seems boring to us. Hence you’ll find a lot of arty stuff, charity stuff, and even some sports stuff under the below name. However, today, we are torn.

When a performer is a standard bearer and larger than life in his or her field, it's hard to escape knowing who that person is, even if you only have a passing interest in his or her art. This Phillyist isn't particularly interested in cinema or dramatic theater, for example, but still knows who Orson Welles and John Barrymore are, if only vaguely. Similarly, one cannot be familiar even in passing with modern dance and not have a clue about, and probably even an opinion on, Martha Graham. She, along with the likes of Isadora Duncan (you know, the one with the scarves) and Ruth St. Denis, is credited with laying the foundation for a dance revolution in America, and the world's been reaping the benefits ever since.

Every Tuesday and Thursday, we'll be posting events that are going on sale during the current week. This Thursday post only collects the latest announcements, so definitely check the Tuesday post for any you may have missed.

The Opera Company of Philadelphia finishes its run of Verdi's timeless and tragic Rigoletto.

The Dolce Suono Trio devotes an entire concert to Philadelphia composers, including Ned Rorem, George Crumb, Charles Abramovic, and Curt Cacioppo.

(Part One) (Elevator Repair Service) (Second half and future showtimes)

As this was Nickel Creek's farewell tour, I expected a concert full of Nickel Creek and their music. (Heaven forbid!) Though the concert was co-billed with Fiona Apple, I thought we would see Apple perform as sort of an opener, as well as at the end, where she would perform a couple of encore numbers with Nickel Creek. I was grossly mistaken. Everyone ultimately felt gypped, annoyed and frustrated regardless of who they went to...

, has been getting outstanding reviews. (Really. Google her.)

Earlier this week, we had the chance to check out bluegrass legend Alison Krauss, and now we get to see Nickel Creek's farewell tour with Fiona Apple (strange combination, I know.) Now Nickel Creek is also well-known in the bluegrass community with their standard instrumentation of fiddle, guitar, mandolin, and bass, but they've definitely jumped out of the standard bluegrass mold. They refer to their music as "progressive acoustic." I refer to it as "kick-ass bluegrass." Really, it's bluegrass with a twist - it's updated, interesting, and current. The band is made up of permanent (well, not anymore) members Chris Thile (mandolin), Sara Watkins (violin/fiddle), her brother Sean Watkins (guitar) and not-so-permanent Mark Schatz (string bass).

It is true. We have a love of fiddle-playing, banjo-picking bluegrass music. (Not country - that's a whole different story.) This week, Philadelphia has the privilege of hosting two of bluegrass' biggest acts: Alison Krauss (tonight) and Nickel Creek (Saturday night). Alison Krauss is known for basically transforming bluegrass music back into popular music. It's no doubt you have heard her Grammy-nominated tunes on movies such as O, Brother Where Art Thou? or Cold Mountain....

Every Tuesday and Thursday, we'll be posting events that are going on sale during the current week. This Tuesday post only collects the early announcements, so definitely check back on Thursday for the latest ticket news.

Chris Funk of The Decemberists

The Decemberists Giveaway
7/2/07-7/6/07

Every Tuesday and Thursday, we'll be posting events that are going on sale during the current week. This Thursday post only collects the latest announcements, so definitely check the Tuesday post for any you may have missed.

Tonight. 8 p.m. Damien Rice. Mann Music Center. Joygasm.

As mentioned in yesterday's News, the Kimmel Center will be getting a new President and CEO. Anne Ewers will commence her three-year contract in July and is replacing Janice C. Price, who left in September to manage an arts festival in Toronto.

Every Tuesday and Thursday, we'll be posting events that are going on sale during the current week. This Tuesday post only collects the early announcements, so definitely check back on Thursday for the latest ticket news.