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Conversations featuring authors and influential leaders in the arts, media and business.
Our Conversation this week comes in the form of a letter from Ron Keaton. Ron agreed to step in when business called me out of town. It was a chance for Ron to give his unique point of view on a big night of recognition for Chicago's professional theatre community and share comments from award recipients in many of the categories.
Read MoreThe excitement you feel these days in Joffrey Tower is kinetic energy. It has been steadily pulsing for ten years, since the company moved into their new home, under the artistic direction of Ashley Wheater, who took over the role held only by Robert Joffrey and co-founder Gerald Arpino before him. If that was a pivotal moment in the evolving story of the Joffrey Ballet – a seismic shift of sorts that rumbled across the performing arts world - then the announcement a few weeks ago that the Joffrey Ballet was forming a partnership with Lyric Opera was a bolt of lightning.
Read MoreAccording to Tom Dreesen, there's one essential rule for stand-up comedy: be funny. He's quick to add something he learned from Sammy Davis Jr. -- you can't make everyone love you -- which he says, particularly applies to comedians. And, if you are thinking about writing jokes, it helps to know that the setup line has to hide the punchline, that there are no "victimless" jokes, and, according to Mort Sahl, someone is always wrong.
Read MoreFor a moment, Ashley Wheater pauses to reflect on the journey that he has been on with the Joffrey Ballet for nearly 10 years.
It’s a short rehearsal break on April 19th during a very busy week, and yet he is thoughtful, generous and speaks passionately on a wide range of topics during our conversation. He calls the excitement generated by the superb debut of Christopher Wheeldon's Nutcracker last fall “incredibly gratifying.” However, his pride shines vividly through in acknowledging that the Joffrey dancers have had so many amazingly creative experiences this season. Like every arts organization, the Joffrey keeps evolving. “Art," says Wheater, “never stands still, and we keep moving forward.”
Things have been moving forward rapidly for the Joffrey Ballet when you consider the new take on Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet presented here last fall and in New York a few weeks ago, Wheeldon’s Nutcracker, the innovative Game Changers, and now, Global Visionaries, opening April 26th for a 10 performance run through May 7th at the Auditorium Theatre of Roosevelt University.
In our conversation, Wheater provides unique insight into the production development process, the world-renowned choreographers approach to the material and what’s ahead for the Chicago-based company that is raising the bar in the world of dance.
On the Miraculous Mandarin and choreographer Yuri Possokhov …
“Béla Bartók’s score was specifically written for dance. It is quite a dangerously, dark tale ... Yuri has this deep, theatrical flare to his choreography. He grew up in the Bolshoi. He was a principal dancer there, a magnificent artist. He has shown us a very different way of using movement to tell narrative story. It is incredibly gripping.”
Unique staging …
“When we did the collaboration with Cleveland, we did it at Severence Hall … the orchestra and the company on stage together … the logistics of how much space we could find within the confines of an enormous orchestra. The impact was monumental. We have brought it to Chicago at the Auditorium Theatre … We have the fantastic Chicago Philharmonic conducted by Scott Speck … We have raised the pit and built the floor out into the auditorium … The audience will feel like they are really close, both to the music and the action of the dance.”
Developing Episode 47 and Alexander Ekman ...
“Alex wanted to come in and workshop with the company and see what would come out of that dialogue, between Alex and the company. And it really is the entire company. He has them doing a lot of improv … He asked the dancers what it is about their work, their career and what they do every day that brings them joy. And so they are all open to their own interpretation of what is joy in their work. … The one thing about Alex’s work is that he is deadly serious about how it is executed. … His timing is incredible.”
Mammatus and Annabelle Lopez Ochoa ...
“We presented Mammatus (“Formation of Clouds”) in 2015 and it was part of a non-subscription program, so we only had a handful of performances. Coming back to it, we’re able to dig deeper, the company understands it better. … Annabelle, like Alex and Yuri, is a fearless choreographer with very clear ideas. … She started working with the company, took this huge group of people, and made it really evolve and gave stunning parts to everyone in it. … You can look at it as this incredible flood of blackbirds. There is aggression to it, but there is also an incredible beauty to it … All of this amazing push, and then, at the end of the work, two people seem to float within the clouds.”
Understanding multiple layers…
“Our dancers want to understand the work at all the multiple layers. If we are going to do these works, we have to understand them … both in their choreographic language and also in their musical language. All too often we leave the musical phrasing out of things, which I do not agree with. … Whether it's this contemporary program we are doing ... whether it's opening our season next year with Giselle, one of the greatest romantic ballets of all time … whether it’s George Balenchine's Four Temprements, or Jerome Robbins|Philip Glass work Glass Pieces, there is so much in the repertory for the company. What I have found is that every single year they raise the bar because I raise the bar, and I think collectively, we really love the work we are doing here.”
MORE ABOUT
GLOBAL VISIONARIES TICKETS
The Miraculous Mandarin (Chicago Premiere)
Choreographed by Yuri Possokhov
In collaboration with The Cleveland Orchestra, San Francisco Ballet Resident Choreographer Yuri Possokhov has created a new work specifically for The Joffrey Ballet: The Miraculous Mandarin, a magnificent tale of a girl forced to act as a decoy by thugs, luring a wealthy mandarin to his tragic fate. Set to Béla Bartók’s 1926 score, Possokhov reimagines this story ballet for seven dancers to explore the tragic, dark passions between men and women.
Episode 47 (World Premiere)
Choreographed by Alexander Ekman
Brimming with Alexander Ekman’s trademark originality and humor, Episode 47 explores the feeling of joy through dance to serve as a remedy to our uncertain times. Incorporating movements based on improvisation, Ekman sets this large ensemble work to a modern mix of music including the Grammy-nominated Brad Mehldau Trio’s bluesy Since I Fell for You; Django Django’s psychedelic dance hit, First Light, Tiga’s pop hit Shoes and Moby’s LA5.
Alexander Ekman once again brings his unique vision to the Joffrey with the world premiere of Episode 47, April 26 - May 7 at Auditorium Theatre. More Video | Big Foot Media.
Mammatus
Choreographed by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa
This powerful, abstract piece features 20 dancers in a series of ensembles and duets set to contemporary composer Michael Gordon’s Weather One. A minimalist stage, equipped with tree branches lit with LED lights, sets the scene while dancers represent surreal insects and birds through organic movements to explore the nonlinear essence of nature and turbulent cloud formations.
Musical Director Scott Speck and Chicago Philharmonic
Images and profiles courtesy of Joffrey Ballet and The Silverman Group, Inc.
The Joffrey Ballet’s Global Visionaries opens Wednesday, April 26th for 10 performances through May 7th at the Auditorium Theater of Roosevelt University, 50 East Congress Parkway. For the full schedule or to order tickets, call 312.386.8905 or visit Joffrey.org.
You have seen Ed Kross. Everywhere. Dozens and dozens of times. Maybe on a cruise ship with Second City. Or during the three-year run of I Love You, You're Perfect, Now Change at Royal George, as the Tin Man in Wizard of Oz at Chicago Shakes, a tap-dancing monkey in Jungle Book at Goodman Theatre, or as the quirky studio host in I Love Lucy Live on Stage at the Broadway Playhouse.
There are two memorable roles as a bank manager on-camera opposite Tom Hanks, in Road to Perdition, and George Clooney in Oceans Twelve. Among his over 60 commercial appearances, Kross makes a copy machine selfie and shares a microphone with a dancing mini-wheat.
It is safe to say that Ed Kross is a natural born comic, actor, singer, and dancer. And while it was always part of the plan to pursue a theater and on-camera acting career, Kross says the key for him was to keep busy and apply some basic improv principles to his own life: be present, get out of your head, know the rules, learn skills, stay sharp and be sure to strive for balance in your life.
These days, as we found out in our conversation on April 14th, the witty Kross delivers a more serious turn as a police officer struggling with PTSD in the new Amazon Prime web series Patriot, a role that is on the other end of the acting spectrum from his early days aboard the Norwegian Epic with Second City.
Take an improv class …
“Even if you are not going to be an improviser or if you do not think you are funny, it teaches you to be present in the moment and to get out of your head … I am a big fan too of not following a linear path as far as training. Even if you are not a dancer, take a dance class. Take something just to move and get your body going. Take an improv class even if you are a dramatic actor because it may open up some parts of you that you had no idea you had. Take a pottery class … For Pete’s sake, take a class!”
On Being a Triple Threat …
“Thank you, that is very nice of you to say. I think I am more of a jack of all trades, master of none, type of guy but if you want to say triple threat, my mother will be thrilled.”
On Getting Noticed …
“Looking back I realize how hard it is when you are starting … That is why I always say take a class, do a play, keep yourself fresh because you never know who will be in the audience that night. Do good work. I honestly believe cream rises to the top.”
Working with the Wiz in Jungle Book …
“I understudied André [De Shields] and went on three times for him … let me tell ya, when people are expecting the Wiz and they get this kid from Brookfield, Illinois … I am not saying it was bad but people are always disappointed when there is any understudy on. I mean I was even disappointed when I was on … André won a Jeff for Jungle Book. He was so ridiculously good … We did eight shows a week and he busted his butt. I never saw him give any less at the Wednesday matinee than he gave on Saturday night. That is old school pro. When I went on for him, he sent me flowers. This guy is the real deal.”
On Building your Skillset …
“Skills can be learned … ear prompter, teleprompter, tap dancing and juggling can be learned. Learn some skills and I think the more skills you have the more you can work.”
Knowing your Strengths …
“I certainly love doing drama as much as doing comedy but it is about knowing your strengths. I am not going to kid myself. I have been a goof since day one. It is fun to flex some other muscles but I know where my bread is buttered.”
Making its 2017 Midwest debut on April 1st, ODYSSEO brings 65 majestic horses and a football field sized village to Chicago in what has been billed as the largest touring show on earth. As you enter the enormous production complex, you realize that at its heart, ODYSSEO is a unique experience between horse and handler and all of the mechanics that surround this production serve only to enhance the intimate relationship.
On March 27th, we had the pleasure of visiting Cavalia village to speak with the production team, artists and trainers involved in mounting the 2017 version of the show founded in 2003 by Normand Latourelle. An earlier version played here in 2009, but it has grown many times in size, scope and complexity since then.
For starters, there are nine different breeds of horses from seven countries that perform in free riding displays throughout. The four-legged stars of ODYSSEO were flown in on a 747 and then spent a leisurely two-week break at a local farm in Bristol, Wisconsin to recharge and relax before the run with matinee and evening performances through April 23rd under the white big top. Back at Soldier Field, the crew has worked for 17 days to mount the dazzling series of tents and staging that is transported in 110 semi trucks.
In this week's CONVERSATION, we spoke with Resident Artistic Director Darren Charles about the overall vision of ODYSSEO. It was a bit of a surprise to learn that Sam Alvarez, an electrical engineer, and Elise Verdoncq, an aspiring attorney, had both changed course in their careers and have been with the the show since its inception. Alvarez, an aerialist, performer and coach for the high-flying routines, took us through a few of the show's highlights. Verdoncq told us that after busy days in training, it all comes together for her as a featured performer in Liberty, a unique program element where horses respond only to her voice, body and hand movements.
With over 150 crew members, 50 performing artists, riders, aerialists, acrobats, stilt walkers, dancers and musicians, an enormous hydraulic carousel, 10,000 tons of stone, earth and sand … and horses, everywhere, Cavalia Odysseo is sure to please and not to be missed.
Rider Steven Paulson on the premise of the show …
“Liberty meaning freedom in French is the premise of our show … Horses at freedom … no bridle, no saddle … Following us based on cues of body language ... It is all about the bond between horse and rider.”
Darren Charles, Resident Artistic Director and Choreographer, on the epic scale of this production …
“We are back with the largest touring show in the world. We have 150 resident employees, 65 horses and 50 artists … aerialists, ground based acrobats, video, equestrians … amazing lighting … It is almost like you are watching a movie rather than watching a show … Something no one has ever seen before.”
Sam Alvarez, Aerialist and Coach, on his change in careers …
“I have been with the show since its beginning … I started as a gymnast, diver, dancer as a kid but I was not looking to be in any circus. I was studying to be a computer electrical engineer … and there was a chance occurrence … I happened to audition for circus … I decided my body is only going to be good at this for so long so why not. I have been in it for over 20 years now I would say.”
Featured artist, rider and trainer Elise Verdoncq on her relationship with the horses …
“There are horses that will be more sensitive about the way I move and talk. I would say to have a horse completely ready [for the show ] would take a year. If you just train one horse it will take less time but in this number all the horses need to learn their place and that is the longest process … I really enjoy spending my day with my horses. You learn every day with them.”
PODCAST
ODYSSEO by CAVALIA
Soldier Field South Lot
1410 Museum Campus Drive, Chicago
(Entrance at parking gates on East 18th Drive)
TICKETS|WEBSITE
CALL: 866.999.8111
NOW EXTENDED THROUGH JUNE 3, 2017
You probably know what “Break a Leg!” means to an actor, but what do you say to a dancer? If you are Rueben D. Echoles and Rashawn Thompson, who are portraying the legendary Nicholas Brothers on stage in Chicago next month, it’s “Take Wings!”.
They are headlining the highly-anticipated opening production of Jackie Taylor's Black Ensemble Theater’s 41st Season with My Brothers Keeper - The Story of The Nicholas Brothers. Written, directed, choreographed and starring Echoles as the younger Harold Nicholas with Thompson as Fayard Nicholas, the production has BE’s cultural center jump jivin’ night and day with a cast of 16 and the Black Ensemble Orchestra under the direction of Robert Reddrick.
They have been called the greatest tap dancers who ever lived and the most beloved dance team in the history of entertainment. Born seven years apart into a performing family, the brothers had front row seats to the talents of the great black Vaudeville acts of the day. A ground-breaking appearance at the Cotton Club in 1932, when the brothers were only teenagers, led to Hollywood a few years later and then to Broadway in the 1936 Ziegfield Follies. They would go on to headline in venues all over the world, in films and on television for over six decades.
During a break from rehearsals, we joined Rueben Echoles and Rashawn Thompson to talk about the creation and development of the show and what it is like to fill the shoes of these legendary entertainers.
Reuben on advancing the Black Ensemble Theater’s mission …
"We will eradicate racism by letting us all know that we have common things that bring us together, music is one of those things … And we are celebrating the greatness of who we are. When we are proud of who we are, other people can look at us and say the same and respect who we are.”
Reuben on the Nicholas Brothers dance style …
“In terms of choreography no one can duplicate what the Nicholas Brothers did. So, what I do is I watch carefully and then I use accents of the things that will remind people of the videos. We do a lot of tricks that they did but not as many. If they jump down ten stairs, we will jump down four because no one has been able to duplicate what they have done since then. And I just don’t think I want to risk it.”
Rashawn on the importance of the Black Ensemble Theater’s Education Program …
"I had a tough life growing up. When I came to the theatre it gave me a chance to speak my mind. It gave me a chance to talk and be heard because I felt I was not heard a lot as a child. In the theater, I was able to be as big as I want to be and everybody’s listening … I know that with me being a mentor … there’s a lot of kids like me … how I was … and I see it and pay attention to them. I understand how to work them through it … try to make it a little easier than it was for me.”
“Break a Leg!” or ...
Reuben: “We say “Take Wings!” because we literally need to fly on that stage.”
TICKETS AND INFORMATION HERE
LISTEN TO THE PODCAST
As it turns out, BEN HOLLIS has been having an on-going conversation with all of us for almost four decades.
He is the co-producer and original host of WTTW's WILD CHICAGO, and many other Emmy Award-winning programs, that feature his engaging interview style and zany humor, all mixed with unbridled excitement. A consummate storyteller, his focus is squarely on people and places, which is ultimately the point of his shows: to appreciate and learn a little bit more about ourselves and everything around us.
His near-legendary persona – that of the ever-vigilant explorer in pith helmet and khaki shorts with run and gun reporter microphone in hand – places him in a class all by himself. Hollis is smart, well read, spiritual, worldly and yes, hysterically funny, both on and off camera, about whatever topic he’s talking about … including his real-life experiences, which are front and center in his next project.
We caught up with Ben on January 9th as he was making final preparations for his upcoming solo show “How the Beatles Nearly Ruined My Life and How David Bowie Saved It” debuting later this month at the Skokie Theatre. The new live stage venture is a long time in coming, unexpectedly interrupted a year ago with, well … brain surgery!
As you will hear on this episode of CONVERSATIONS, Ben’s life took a dramatic turn last January when he was diagnosed with arteriovenous malformation (AVM), a rare and life-threatening condition if left untreated. That medical journey, and the road to the new show, are among the many topics covered in our conversation.
As his ever positive and optimistic attitude will attest, we have only begun to scratch the surface of the many talents that Ben Hollis brings to the stage... and we are truly blessed that he is still here to tell the tale.
Ben Hollis on brain surgery ...
“I was the happiest brain surgery candidate I think anybody’s ever seen. I’m sure that those doctors and nurses and orderlies thought I was out of my gourd. Folks, imagine watching me with my pith helmet on the gurney being wheeled in there going ‘Woo hoo! This is the wildest journey I’d been on!’”
The gift of laughter …
“I’ve been given gifts. We’ve all been given gifts and talents … let me bring them fully to bear and trust that it’s the right thing to do … and that somehow it’s going to help other people too. Even if helping other people is only making you laugh and smile for an hour and a half, that’s not nothing.”
Jack Brickhouse’s influence on his career …
“Jack Brickhouse, Cubs announcer for many years on WGN, always used to say early in the broadcast ‘Put down your worries. Put your feet up and just be with us for a couple hours. You don’t have to worry about anything else’ ... As a kid, you hear that and you go ‘what a bunch of malarkey’ … [But] Jack was so right … that’s exactly what we get from a movie or watching a ball game. The older we get maybe the more we pile up in our brains. If I can lighten anyone’s load, I am there to serve.”
What to expect in his upcoming show at the Skokie Theatre …
“A lot of what people are going to take away is joy in remembering their own life story. It’s going to appeal to a lot of Boomers in particular … it’s really the story about how music saved my life ... The Beatles nearly ruined it. Bowie saved it by giving me another chance.”
HOW THE BEATLES NEARLY RUINED MY LIFE AND HOW DAVID BOWIE SAVED IT
TWO SHOWS:
January 21 8 pm January 22 2 pm
Skokie Theatre
7924 Lincoln Ave
Skokie, IL 60077
Tickets: $22 Online or Call: 847-677-7761
Ben Hollis Links
WEBSITE: Video Production
BUY: Rent-a-Friend
Somewhere between the on-stage chaos of his physical comedic persona and the satire laced lyrics and music of his one-man show, there is a wonderfully funny and madcap place that Bill Larkin calls home.
An accomplished and award-winning stage actor, comedian, club performer and writer, Larkin now has his sights firmly fixed on the release this week of his new comic album, Bill Larkin-Knowing Your Audience, recorded live at the Green Mill in Chicago. If you were lucky enough to have been there, you already know that Larkin’s humor is fresh, edgy, perceptive and highly charged. It could be rated “M” for “Mature” or “Manic” … take your pick.
Larkin’s stage credits in Chicago in recent years are extraordinary. He received his first Joseph Jefferson Award as Principal Actor in Porchlight’s A Class Act in 2013, and nominated again for A Funny Thing That Happened on the Way to the Forum in 2015. This year, he appeared as Max Bialystock in Mercury Theatre’s The Producers.
All this followed a multi-year career of theatre including Disney’s Aladdin at Chicago Shakespeare Theater, the 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee at Broadway in Chicago and shows at Second City, Davenport’s, the Green Mill and on television in Chicago PD and Comedy Central. Along the way, he has performed for 16 years at Howl at the Moon.
Bill Larkin joined the conversation on December 5th, 2016 to talk about how knowing your audience could help you to find out more about yourself.
SUBSCRIBE AND HEAR THIS PROGRAM ON: ITUNES & STITCHER
BUY|DOWNLOAD BILL LARKIN'S KNOWING YOUR AUDIENCE: HERE
On his award-winning role as Ed Kleban in Porchlight’s A Class Act …
“As I’m rehearsing and reading through the script and getting to know who Ed Kleban was … older, balding gentleman who was a songwriter, very neurotic, had his own problems ... I thought ‘This is perfect for me. Where do I sign?!’ … It was very odd how this show came to be at the time it came to be. I was going through my own issues at the time and the show was like therapy ... I felt like I was throwing myself into this performance trying to be true to Ed Kleban but throwing a lot of myself into it … It’s amazing how much I saw myself in him … amazing cast … amazing performance and Porchlight, you know, they do the best.”
The Pink Hippo Effect ...
“I tend to find roles, like the genie in Aladdin, that are very exhausting. I kind of call it the ‘pink hippo effect’ because I used to work at Disney world, and I was in a parade. It was Fantasia themed, and they needed someone to be the pink hippo … huge costume, huge dress … It’s a huge undertaking and no one else wanted to do it because they thought it would be tiring and, of course, me, I was like ‘I’ll do it!’ because I saw how silly the role could be. You just go out on the street and lift your dress and everyone laughs. I’m like ‘yay!’ … and it did take a toll … I still do that to this day. I take roles that are fun undertakings, but you quickly learn that you have to pace yourself … Forum, The Producers and Aladdin were like that. I was entering my 40s at that time, and you find out if you do not pace yourself, it will take a toll later.”
Early influence …
“I owned a lot of Tom Lehrer albums growing up. He has been my biggest influence. As a kid I would listen to his songs, and I wouldn’t understand half of what he was saying … all I knew was that the audience was laughing … he was sitting at a piano, saying things that made them laugh… and I thought ‘that’s what I want to do.’”
On Matt Crowle …
“I was in awe of him in Forum but Producers … I would watch on the sidelines as he would do “I Want to Be a Producer” … and I would listen to the audience’s reaction, I mean he may well be, I think he is, the most joyous performer I have ever seen … I would watch him in Bye Bye Birdie at Drury Lane and just grin from ear to ear watching him … watching his facial expressions, watching his dance moves, watching the joy that he has. It is infectious.”
What to expect from his new album Bill Larkin-Knowing Your Audience …
“This album is different from the first one … which was on the clean side … as I got older I thought ‘I’m a bit angrier now’ … it’s very therapeutic to write about something I’m not happy about and some of my stuff is Facebook rants set to music … a lot of these songs … there is definitely language … it definitely reflects the time … I’m very proud of the album because while there are songs about silly things here and there … there is a lot of myself in it … maybe too much of myself, but that’s what I like too. I’m breaking down walls … I’m very happy about it.”
On his song titled “Making a Difference” …
“You write what you know about ... one thing I know about is being online for too long … we write out how we feel online … you are venting … after a while you feel like ‘I’m really helping others in doing this. My taking a stand online is all I really need to do’ and of course that is not the case. It is called “Making a Difference” because we feel as if we are, but the actual ‘making a difference’ is leaving the house, going out there, volunteering, holding up a sign that says how you feel, contributing in a meaningful way. A post is a post, and it disappears in a few minutes. You get a few likes and you are like ‘oh I have done my part.’ No, no you have not. To actually make a difference requires a bit more.”
VISIT: BILLLARKIN.COM BUY|DOWNLOAD CD: HERE
On December 10th, the Joffrey Ballet opens a new version of The Nutcracker at the Auditorium Theatre. The highly-anticipated production, commissioned by the ballet company and penned by Brian Selznick, is under the direction of Tony Award winning choreographer, Christopher Wheeldon.
In Chicago and across the nation, The Nutcracker’s large cast provides a place for emerging dancers at every level. Considering that the Joffrey’s ambitious community engagement program headed by longtime company member and ballerina, Erica Lynette Edwards starts out with four-year-olds, it is no wonder that there is lots of excitement about Wheeldon's world premiere production, set in Chicago just before the World's Columbian Exposition in 1893.
Erica joined the conversation on Nov. 8 to talk about the Joffrey Ballet’s outreach program, how influential dance can be on young people’s lives and how to keep grounded when you are always on your toes.
Listen to podcast HERE
Erica on the importance of community outreach ...
“Some communities are not familiar with our work, and they hear the word ballet and are turned off a little bit … We are proud that we do not just bring ballet to our schools. We bring multiple dance styles, and students are surprised once we start moving that even though they are learning ballet, they are also learning emotional skills, building self-confidence, they are disciplined … We are looking to excite them by giving them a chance to dance and also enriching their lives by showing them something new that they might not have experienced before.”
The importance of thinking ahead as a dancer …
“A challenge for dancers is 'what are you going to do next' … If you do not become a professional dancer a lot of people are like ‘what do I do now?’ And even people who are professional dancers, when you are done you are like ‘what do I do now?’… Don’t become a ‘bun head.’ I would say you have to figure out what other things you enjoy ... where do your passions lie and continue to do that at the same time you are dancing … I think it is important to think toward the future because when you are young and living your dream you don’t think of much else.”
Her inspiration …
“I was four when I saw the Nutcracker for the first time … My mother said I loved the show so much that she put me in dance classes … Just by seeing the Nutcracker I was excited and wanted to partake in ballet, and we are trying to ignite that same flame in our students starting at kindergarten.”
What does the future look like …
“… We are excited to look forward and see how many kids we can impact with our programming because we have already seen such beautiful change from the students we work with right now.”
Purchase Nutcracker Tickets HERE
More on the Joffrey Ballet HERE
Matt Crowle, the multi-talented, award-winning veteran of musical theatre in Chicago for the past decade, has a backstory worthy of a Broadway musical all its own. Born and raised in Marshall, Michigan, where he discovered his love for ballet, tap, theatre and comedy at a very early age, Crowle eventually followed a calling to New York City, grinding through years of auditions, dance and voice classes and part-time jobs to make ends meet. His first real break would come as a member of the touring company of Dr. Dolittle and stage time with Tommy Tune. And then came the Broadway megahit, Spamalot.
These stories are just part of the fascinating conversation we had on September 27th with Matt Crowle, the six-time Jefferson award nominated actor, choreographer and dance instructor. In a wide-ranging discussion, Crowle talks about who helped to shape his performance philosophy, recognizing talent, the importance of training, and, working with one of his best friends, Bill Larkin.
Matt Crowle received the 2015 Jeff Award for his performance as Hysterium in Porchlight Music Theatre’s production of A Funny Thing Happened On The Way To The Forum and is nominated twice in 2016 -- for his tour-de-force performance as Leo Bloom in Mercury Theater’s The Producers, and, for his choreography in the Drury Lane Theatre production of White Christmas.
NEXT UP: Matt Crowle is merging all of his formidable talents and vast stage experience as director and choreographer of Drury Lane Theatre’s upcoming production of Crazy For You, running November 3rd though January 8th.
Matt Crowle on his New York miracle and unforgettable Spamalot audition:
"I was working at Ellen’s Stardust Diner and I got a call from Tara Rubin Casting saying we’d love for you to come in next week for Spamalot … and to be honest, it was an eye-rolling moment because I thought 'you’ve seen me… there’s nothing left to do.' I talked to my mom and said ‘I don’t think I’m going to go. I have a shift that night.’ My mom said ‘So, you’re going to sling burgers around when you can audition for a Broadway show !?!’"
"I almost didn’t make it … I was trapped on the N train, ran upstairs grabbed a cab and said ‘I will give you 50 dollars if you can get me to Chelsea faster than you should legally’ ... and he did … I think I was the first to go, did the first song, went well, did the first of two scenes, went well, and that was when my mentor Bruce kicked me in the back of the head and said ‘you’re not done yet.’ ... So I launched into the second one and the associate director at the time, Peter Lawrence, leaned in after I finished and said ‘I am very, very glad you did that.’ … So that was at about 11 … and at about 11:15, I had a phone call that said if you want to join the Broadway company Spamalot, you start in two days … So I went in there, quit my job at the restaurant, and there you have it.”
About physical comedy and streamlining simplicity:
"I had a knack at a very young age for falling down really well. I was doing prat falls for a very long time. My parents got a video camera … one day, when I played hooky from school all I did for the whole day was fall off from furniture or jump off of things and fall and then I’d go back and watch it in slow motion to see if it was believable enough."
"My mom found the tape. She was like ‘What were you thinking?!?!’ It was just before the night I had an opening in a show in high school. ‘And what if you had broken your arm !?!’ [I said] ‘I’m not going to break my arm. I know exactly what I’m doing. I’m a pro!’ … and she just rolled her eyes and said ‘Well, it’s your problem.’
“I think the first real exposure to physical comedy for me would have been Steve Martin. My mom and dad loved Steve Martin, listened to his stand up albums, watched Roxanne, The Jerk and, of course, Three Amigos. So much of my generation is about vulgar humor… But I thought clever always spoke to me. Clever and simple because it’s not easy. It’s not easy to weed out all the stuff you don’t need just to find that nugget, that gold nugget of truth and streamline simplicity … And then I was turned on to Keaton and Chaplin and went back over and over again saying, ‘What is it that makes it so perfect'"
Working with Bill Larkin
"That rehearsal process [for Producers] was incredible because we had so much already from day one … Bill, as brilliant as he is, can be a bit awkward physically and he embraces this … There was a day when the director was trying to get him to lean on a wall a certain way. I felt like I was watching a Steve Martin or Buster Keaton comedy bit where he seriously didn’t know how to lean on the wall ... We had to take a break I was weeping … He’s such a natural, beautiful comedian … I adore him … He’s one of my dearest friends.”
The importance of training:
“I try to impress upon my students and colleagues that you are never done training … In New York, everyone is always in class … always in voice lessons… always training … I didn’t notice that here so I’ve really tried to change that approach … All you have is your reputation and if you rely on that as opposed to committing to push forward with it you lose, and we all lose … Any time I talk to young performers I say ‘Be the best you can. Then get better.’”
Matt Crowle Website
Peninsula Players Theatre - Peter and the Starcatcher July 2 - 23, 2017
André De Shields Photo Credit: Lia Chang
André De Shields returns to Victory Gardens Theater August 26-28 for a production of his one-man show, Confessions of a P.I.M.P.
On Broadway, De Shields originated the title role in The Wiz and had long runs in Ain’t Misbehavin', Play On! and The Full Monty -- Broadway performances that have earned him two Tony Award nominations and five Drama Desk nominations.
A multiple Chicago Jeff Award recipient, most recently for his show-stopping performance in Jungle Book, De Shields also received an Emmy Award for an NBC broadcast special on Ain’t Misbehavin’. During a break from rehearsals on August 15th, André De Shields talked about his show, an extraordinary 46-year career and what it is that keeps bringing him back to Chicago.
André’s advice to young performers at the beginning of their careers:
“It is not easy … it is hard for everyone. But remember there are two things that are guaranteed, absolutely guaranteed, in this industry … now here comes the punch line … It’s not fame and fortune … it’s rejection and insecurity … but that’s the test because when you get hungry, and you will get hungry, philosophically hungry and carnally hungry, your stomach will growl for nutrition. When you get hungry, if you can make your meal of rejection and when you get lonely, and you will get lonely, because this narrow path you’re walking is yours and no one else’s … if you can make a companion of insecurity then the universe will conspire to help you because you both will have realized that you have chosen the correct path.”
André shares a special moment with (Dreamgirl)Donica Lynn:
“In one of my Cabaret performances in New York I chose to sing ‘And I am Telling You I’m Not Going’ from a male’s perspective, but I didn’t change the pronouns ... and what I learned about that song is that it has very little to do with gender per se … the essence, the heart of that song is ‘I don’t want to be free.’ I shared that with Donica Lynn and with Doug Peck and during their (Dreamgirls)performance they sent a Facebook message to me and it was a photograph of that part of the music with a huge lip imprint of red lipstick from Donica and it meant the world to me ... because apparently she used that doorway as one of the means to get into that song. And when you hear that song with the emphasis on ‘I don’t want to be free’ it really changes what that song is about … it’s not about the man… it’s not about the woman… it’s about the human condition. ‘I don’t want to be alone. I need a companion’ … and that’s that message I was talking about earlier about rejection and insecurity. We need company … we need ensemble … we need community in this industry. Otherwise we can’t rise.”
André on the ‘power of effective storytelling’:
“If the story is told effectively then it will transcend the problem and transform the life of an individual … it will transcend the problem and alter the government … it will transcend the problem and change the world into the place you want it to be and you need it to be.”
Entire podcast HERE
André De Shields Website HERE
"... it was a photograph of that part of the music with a huge lip imprint of red lipstick from Donica and it meant the world to me ... because apparently she used that doorway as one of the means to get into that song. " André De Shields August 15, 2016
CONFESSIONS OF A P.I.M.P August 27, 2016 with Denise McGowan Tracy and André De Shields
