In honor of...
The 250th birthday of Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart will probably be celebrated worldwide. But in Chicago, Hubbard Street Dance Chicago and Hubbard Street 2 will give him their own tribute from Thursday to Sunday, Dec. 1-4, when they perform an all Mozart program by the world-renowned Chicago Symphony Orchestra under the direction of the great Pinchas Zukerman. The concert will be held at Symphony Center, 220 S. Michigan Ave.
The program, under the artistic direction of Jim Vincent, features the world premiere of “Strokes through the Tail” by Irish choreographer Marguerite Donlon. Also on the program is Jiri Kylián’s “Petite Mort,” an ode to love set to Mozart’s Piano Concerti No. 221 and 23. A duet from American choreographer Lar Lubovitch, “Concerto Six Twenty-Two” is set to Mozart’s Clarinet Concerto in A Major. It was created in 1986 but is a premiere with the CSO. Plus, Hubbard Street may add another piece or two to the program.
Hubbard Street Dance performs at Symphony Center at 8 p.m. Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, Dec. 1-3, and at 3 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 4.
Hubbard Street 2, HSDC’s second company under the direction of Julie Nakagawa Bottcher, will open (for the first time) the CSO’s Kraft Family Matinee Series “Magical Moments.”
Christian Spuck, resident choreographer of the Stuttgart Ballet, created and integrated the dance and music. Members of the CSO, under the direction of Duain Wolf, with HS2 will illustrate each of the five musical families using a score by Gary Fry; “Fanfare for the Common Man” by Aaron Copland (brass); the minuet from the Woodwind Quintet by Carl Nielsen (woodwinds); the first movement of “Eine Kleine Nachtmusik” by Mozart (strings); and “The Young Person’s Guide" (modern, tap, hip-hop/funk). Plus HS2 will also perform African and dance fitness for adults and teens.
If you're interested in attending any of the programs by Hubbard Street’s or HS2, call (312) 294-3000 or visit www.cso.org. A ticket to any of the Hubbard Street Dance Chicago programs is $20-$130. Tickets to the HS2 performances range $6-$27 and can be purchased by calling the above phone number or visiting the above Web site.
HS2 performs Saturday, Dec, 3 at 11 a.m. and at 12:45 p.m. These performances are part of the CSO’s MusicPlus Series and are sponsored by Chase.
'All That Jazz'... plus
“Chicago,” the musical about murder that has one of the all time best scores and is now playing at the Cadillac Palace Theatre, had a little something extra special that most folks don’t know about.
Its stars, Paige Davis as Roxie Hart, Tom Wopat as Billy Flynn, and the rest of the cast were terrific even though they performed in limited space on the orchestra-filled stage.
If you have seen the show and looked through the program or still want to see it, watch the orchestra and try to find the drummer, Cubby O’Brien, who gives a wallop on those drums! If you’re old enough you might remember him from the original “Mickey Mouse Club” on TV where he was one of the original Mouseketeers (which included Annette Funicello). He used his drumming skills on the show and really does a great job here in Chicago in “Chicago.”
It’s only playing a few more days, but the winner of six Tony awards is probably one of my all-time favorites with of course “Forty-Second Street.” I’d see it again and again AND again.
The Cadillac Palace Theatre is located at 151 W. Randolph St., and tickets are available at the box office there and at 24 W. Randolph St. A ticket ranges $25-$78. For more information go to www.broadwayinchicago.com.
The Hunk is here...
Hey, if you’ve already seen “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dream Coat,” with Donny Osmond or others, you haven’t until you see the best of all Josephs: Patrick Cassidy. Cassidy looks great in a towel on stage or wearing the very short rags that show his great legs and his topless chest and arms which reveal “perfection.”
One of the three Cassidy brothers (with singer Shaun and “Partridge Family” David), he has emerged on stage at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University—and I sure
am glad.
I’ve probably seen this show about 10 times, and every time I see it I like it more and more. Now with Patrick Cassidy in the lead as Joseph, I might have to go for an 11th viewing.
This musical by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice and is priceless, the characters memorable. This is music you can sing and remember after the show.
Tickets are available at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Congress Pkwy., or through www.broadwayinchicago.com, and range $25-$72. The show continues through Sunday, Dec. 4.
Piccolo Theatre...
“Jack and the Wild Goose Chase” will be presented at the Evanston Arts Depot, located at 600 Main St. in Evanston, through Saturday, Dec. 17. Show times are Fridays at 8 p.m., Saturdays at 3 p.m. and 7 p.m., and Sundays at 3 p.m. Ticket prices are $20, seniors and students are $15. For ticket reservations and group rates, call the box office at (847) 424-0089 or visit www.piccolotheatre.com. Email info@piccolotheatre.com for more information.
Please send information about local benefits to Paulette Wittenberg at PauletteWitt@aol.com. |
