SONDHEIM UNPLUGS SARAH RICE AT 54 BELOW

Feinstein’s/54 Below continues to celebrate a New York event since 2010, with the BroadwayWorld and Bistro Award-winning monthly series Sondheim Unplugged featuring some of Broadway and cabaret’s most dynamic voices, accompanied by piano only, delving into the musical world of Broadway’s master composer. 

Expect tunes from A Little Night Music, Company, Into the Woods, Follies, Passion, Dick Tracy and more.  The show is hosted by series creator Phil Geoffrey Bond, who will fill the audience in on Sondheimien facts, history & assorted tidbits of theatrical lore! Come join the party!

Sondheim Unplugged will feature Sarah Rice, Sweeny Todd’s original Johanna at the 7pm April 21 Performance.“It began with Sondheim’s 85^th birthday and first at the Beecham Theatre running here for seven years,” said Rice. You get to enjoy performers who originated their roles and sharing their stories such as Lane Bradbury, Gypsy’s original Dainty June. “The show is at a high professional level, especially with Bond giving ‘dish’. I don’t only do songs from Sweeny Todd.  For instance I sang A Boy Like That as a duet from West Side Story.”

Rice said that she is singing “all over the place.”  “I have a booking in London in June doing my own show. I also participate in a weekly program called Peaceable Hour from 6-7pm and given free of charge to the community.  Music by world class singers is diverse and speaking is frowned upon. I sing as well as play the theremin . The location is the St. Clemens Church and non-secular.  www.peaceablehour.com
 
Rice describes 54 Below now being a fancy speakeasy having known years ago as Studio 54. Along with the featured performers cabaret singers are: Kristy Cates, Marquee Five, Alexa Green, Blaine Krauss, Rob Maitner, Julie Reyburn, Courter Simmons, and Lucia Spina. You never know who will stop by as well. 

For tickets and further information go to: www.54below.com  There is an additional $25 food and beverage minimum as well.  

 Sarah Rice is on the far left.

AIN’T TOO PROUD IS TEMPTATIONAL

                                       Illustration by Kennth Fallin

Stories of stars and groups have become the Broadway craze since the Jersey Boys.  Stories of their lives of both ups and downs are combined with what you would construe as a concert performed by actors rather than the artists themselves.  Ain’t Too Proud is the latest to hit the Broadway stage that follows the history of the Motown Group known as the Temptations that turned out to be and audience catcher.

 

Lights up on a stage with five men dressed in fly suits and smooth moves as the Temptations sing “The Way You Do the Things You Do,” the first hit on the charts.  It’s here that we have Eddie Kendricks (Jeremy Pope), as lead voice, David Ruffin (Ephraim Sykes), Paul Williams (James Harkness), Melvin Franklin (Jawan M. Jackson) and Otis Williams (Derrick Baskin) the men who built The Temptations. It is not mistakable that Melvin is the bass singer.  Otis begins the “story” growing up in Detroit and they sing, “Runaway Child Running Wild.”  

Let me first say that I grew up hearing the songs as I practically Velcro-ed the transistor radio to my ear and uttered every lyric.  I was able to remember which groups sang which songs but that faded away after many years.  Unless it was a group that had a name like Diana Ross and the Supremes, Gladys Knight and the Pips or Smokey Robinson and the Miracles, I wouldn’t be able to tell you the names of any other members. Did I care about any performer’s personal life?  Never. It was all about entertaining me.

Before I give you a rundown on the show itself, I want to share my critique.  I saw the show on a Wednesday afternoon and there wasn’t an open seat unless I missed the ones up in the rafters.  Talent was on the spot in regards to the songs, dance movements and acting.  Having never seen an actual performance of The Temptations, I cannot give a critique as to whether each of the parts that the actors played was spot on with the portrayals. One thing for sure was that the audience was more than reveling in the spectacle. 

A few times when “Diana Ross and the Supremes” made the scene, the leading woman did sound and sing like her….as in the songs, “Baby Love,” “You Can’t Hurry Love” and “Come See About Me.”  However, only a portion of these songs are sung. Huge kudos and much applause to Candice Marie Woods on sounding and somewhat looking like Ross.  

Sets were not a biggy, nor did they really need to be for this show.  They did have moving images in the rear to help portray actors running, etc and where they were at the time.  There was a stage mechanics that made it appear as though the group was in a bus and driving and although there was no helicopter, they did have the back of a red sedan make its way on the stage. 

Back to the story as they become a part of Motown and meet Berry Gordy (Jahi Kearse) and Smokey Robinson (Christian Thompson). As the show continues you take in the group’s ups and downs with who gets fired, who dies, etc.  I felt that the story line was really made for the younger generation that did not grow up hearing this group as well as getting a better sense of why the songs emerged. 

As for all of the songs in Ain’t Too Proud, here they are keeping in mind that some were sung by groups other than The Temptations.  “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg” “Baby Love” “Ball of Confusion (That’s What the World is Today)” “Cloud Nine” “Come See About Me” “Don’t Look Back” “For Once in My Life” “Get Ready” “Gloria” “I Can’t Get Next to You” “I Could Never Love Another (After Loving You)” “(I Know) I’m Losing You” “I Want a Love I Can See” “I Wish it Would Rain” “If I Could Build My Whole World Around You” “If You Don’t Know Me By Now” “I’m Gonna Make You Love Me” “My Girl” “Papa Was a Rollin’ Stone” “Runaway Child Running Wild” “Shout” “Since I Lost My Baby” “Speedo” “Superstar (I Remember How You Got Where You Are)” “The Way You Do the Things You Do” “War” “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” “You Can’t Hurry Love” “You’re My Everything” 

My biggest disappointment at this performance was not with the cast but the audience.  I realize that it was the Isley Brothers who made “Shout” a hit, but it was a feature in the show as sung by The Temptations. Nobody rose for the occasion, I didn’t see hands raising up or anyone yelling, “shout” loudly or softly even when it was encouraged.  This particular song become so popular that whenever or wherever you heard it being sung, you just automatically got ready to participate as if it was a Rabbi telling the congregation to stand for a prayer that indicated when what the participants were expected to recite.

Final number is “What Becomes of the Brokenhearted” that goes into the closing number, “I Can’t Get Next to You” that has the entire cast of Temptations, past and present, as well as all of the men and women. When it comes down to it, Ain’t Too Proud: the life and times of The Temptations is worth experiencing as it will certainly leave you with a feeling of great sound, talent and energy. 

Ken Fallin illustration: L to R: Derrick Baskin, Ephraim Sykes, Jeremy Pope, Jawan M. Jackson, and James Harkness

   

NANCY GESIMONDO CURATES LATEST EXHIBITION AT RAINFOREST ART FOUNDATION

The Rainforest Art Foundation is presenting Seas Trees Birds and Bees, an exhibition that according to artist/curator Nancy Gesimondo, “displays the interconnectedness of artistic vision in the age of the Anthropocene. Through a variety of different artistic practices these contemporary artist express a reverence for all things under the rocks and stars, the sky above and the earth beneath us. Each delicate flower is a gift to be cherished and preserved.” The opening reception was held on February 22 and will continue until Friday, April 5. 

 

Artists are abundant in the areas of Long Island City and Astoria. Long Island City Artists, (LIC-A), a non-profit organization, is based out of Plaxall Gallery, a 12,000 square foot gallery that opened in 2016. Neither Board member and artist Nancy Gesimondo, or artist Elsie Apacible realized that the Rainforest Arts Foundation existed in their own backyard…so to speak…until they were invited to the opening reception of the last exhibit, 80 and Still Going Strong.

Marlene T Yu is both a world-known artist and the founder of the Rainforest Art Foundation. Her husband, James is usually the curator.  “Global warming continues to be our greatest environmental hazard, causing destruction everywhere,” said Marlene. Her abstract artwork tends to depict energies in all of its forms and colors.  “Melting glaciers, rising sea levels, and forces of wind and fire are all too visible to ignore. My efforts in the Environmental Green Movement in art only provide a glimpse and appreciation for the awesomeness of the forces of nature.”  

Marlene and James invite artists to exhibit their themed related works set up in the large gallery and displayed a gratis.  James provides the printing of a color catalogue with information about the artists and photos of their artwork.  It is up to the curator to obtain the information and artwork photos of the featured artists.  As for the opening reception, James loves to cook and a hot and cold buffet of flavorful food fills the foreground.  I was unable to attend the reception but did go to the foundation to view the pieces.  

The first thing I noticed about this particular exhibit was that you saw the artists’ works in different areas, rather than simply next to the name and photo of the artist forcing you to allow your eyes to simply take in the artwork.   “I find it more interesting to arrange various artists work interspersed together so that it creates a dialog and a harmonious flow,” said Gesimondo . Each wall is a fresh celebration of colors and forms that play off of each other. I feel it helps the viewer ‘see’ the work better because details become more apparent as a result of the juxtapositions.”

As for her own works, Gesimondo called it “an exploration of materials found in nature that results in new visceral narratives.”  Much of her art is in the application of display boxes, here with the use of feathers, shells, seedpods and semi-precious stones. “The afterlife of these materials, some of which are remnants of once living creatures, aim to suggest the sense of mystery of an archeologist assembling vestiges of a distant past with no true reference of their origin.” At this event she has a flower display titled, “Homage to O’Keefe.”

Elsie Apacible’s  Koi, oil on canvas, was filled with purple and green. “The world is my biggest canvas. Patience, indeed, is a virtue that most helped me reach that truth.  Now living in New York City as a full-time artist, I wish to share my work as a tribute to not just my Asian heritage but my biggest love for Mother Earth.”.  

Casey Concelmo paints in what is called a “traditional egg tempera medium” and also using 23k gold leaf, All seven of his framed works would be best described as “miniature” being the size of 7x5 inches. Titles included: “and the land creatures crawl,” “The sea creatures gilde,” “Isn’t this beautiful,” and “The earth 
is very nice.”

Inspired from her photographs of flowers, Karen Kettering Dimit is the co-founder of LIC Arts Open, a multi-day festival in LIC.  Her motif is mosaic and stone sculptures. Is it common for her to get materials imported from Italy.  Her two pieces titled, “Pink Lily” and “Yellow Lily” makes use of Smalti, minerals (mixed media), shells, and Cotisso glass. 

South Korean born Hyobin Kwon specializes in Asian calligraphy and brush painting and views nature as “the most beautiful present” saying that the meaning of her work is to express what she feels “seeing the beautiful images and moments of the nature. Most Asian painting materials are from nature, such as rice paper, ink, natural pigments and brushes. Pottery also requires the use of clay which is extracted from the soil.  Recently, she has been working with shattered pieces of potteries turning the fragments into a piece of art. Three of her artistry includes the title of “Blue and White Impression:” Peony; Nature and Garden.

Using bits of nature, leaves, weeds, and bits of dried flowers Dianne Martin places them on an etching press to make monotypes which she them develops with other materials to create her finished images. “These bits of nature, delicate though they are, leaving a strong embossing in the paper during the print process which allows me the opportunity to record their image by gentle rubbing on the surface of the paper, a magical process of allowing them to ‘draw themselves.’”  Four of her pieces are: “Wild Fan;” Storm Fan;” “Flying Fan;” and “Not Red.” 

“My paintings stem from my love of nature and concert for the environment,” said artist Helaine Soller.”I seek to capture nature at a moment in time to connect everyday environments with its beauty, drama, and metaphors for lifecycles.”  Her style combines realism, expressionism and abstraction using what she terms as “lyrical and spontaneous brush strokes” working directly on the canvas.  Two of her art pieces are: Yellowstone Falls,” and “Water Lilies In Golden Lights” both using acrylics. 

Hillary Waters Fayle wishes to revive and salvage our connection to the natural world.  “I study rich hand craft traditions, using them in collaboration with found botanical and organic material.  In this way I symbolically bind nature and human touch. It is my hope to inspire a shifted perspective on the way we view the natural world, to explore and appreciate what is too often overlooked and to realize the potential for existence in balance with nature.”  Fayle’s work includes: Connection” and “Give/Take – Poplars I” both leaf like using mixed media. 

Without actually viewing the artworks, it is difficult to give much of a detailed description. Gesimondo composed the brochure to which artists’ descriptions and statements were not all completed or followed a pattern.  Although the artists are supposed to be all members of LIC-A, I did notice that at least one artist stated that she lives and works in Brooklyn and does not comment on her connection with LIC-A. Many of the artists’ descriptions involved their bio. It is my view of the artwork and relationship to both the theme and how they see themselves connected with the Rainforest Art Foundation that personally made a difference when I viewed the many pieces. Nevertheless, I did enjoy and appreciate looking at all of them. 

Here are two more artists.  Suzanne Stroebe’s artistry stands out due it being 3-D with the use of adornments and talismans. You can see her use of metal and wood in two of her works, “We used to Talk Underwater” and “Stargazers.” 

Brian Soliwoda, a visual and performance artist displays one of his pieces called, “NuBee” using mixed media.  

Friday, April 5, 6:30 pm, is the closing event with an installation by artist Day Shildkret who will create a Mandala of complex patterns of symmetry using elements he has collected in nature. It is considered to be a meditative ritual that is part of his Morning Altars series. The public is invited.  

Rainforest Art Foundation is free to the public and located at 36-58 37^th Street.  Hours: Tuesday – Friday, 1pm – 5pm. Phone: 917-682 3630. 

Photos provided by Dan Yu.