Comment Archives: Stories: Arts
Re: “Local nightclubs and bars are increasingly opening their doors to budding standup acts”
Great read! It should be noted that the 1st comedian mentioned was doing an act-out of Celine Dion's "Titanic" theme song.
Re: “Raleigh Little Theatre's The Crucible serves as a dark mirror for our times”
The very best theater—the truly excellent—lets us lay hands directly on the problems of our (and other) times. Though this may come as a shock to rathla's cohort, there actually are one or two issues currently facing North Carolinians and Americans that are an awful lot greater—and graver—than whether a praise-starved artist got enough ego feed from a strongly positive review.
This production of "The Crucible" cast a strong light on those issues—which is entirely to the credit of the artists I mentioned in my commentary. That was and remains the most important news from this production. That's why I reported it.
Yes, readers, it is more than a little nauseating when grown artists involved in a show (or their stage mothers, wives and husbands) respond to a four-star review like true professionals—by stamping their little feet and whinging, "B-b-but you didn't praise us ENOUGH!!!"
Could someone please tell rathla's cohort that sometimes the theater is actually allowed to be about something bigger and more important than the size of their own personal ovation? And when it is, it actually means the artists did something _very_ right?
Re: “In Burning Coal Theatre's Jude the Obscure, Part I, the song remains (too much) the same”
As a new musical, I understand the need to critique the score and the book, but I was rather disappointed that more of the production team and production design was not discussed. I saw the show last Friday evening. While the show did have rough patches, the chemistry between LeTrent and Beckham was unmatched and Josh Martin is definitely someone to keep an eye on. He is brimming with talent and poise. The set was one of the most beautiful I've seen from a small company in the past few years, the lighting design was spot on, the projections were effective, and the costumes, particularly those seen in Christminster, were absolutely beautiful.
Kudos to Burning Coal, and to Ian Finley and Jerome Davis, on the premiere of a fantastic production.
Re: “University Theatre's The Arabian Nights offers insight”
Dear Zack, I suggest you do real research and read the script of the show. It is performed as written and all of the actors are only the picture of the the world that the director has created. For you to imply that the show needs to be type casted, you further prove the ignorance of the hipster reveiwers of this time. Arabian Nights wasn't written for Arabs; the diversity of the cast seems to actually help add to their creative accomplishments. Real criticism is based on extensive research and understanding. If they had forgotten a crucial element of the show, that is understandable, but to downplay all of their hard work is pathetic and is a low and unnecessary blow.
Re: “Raleigh Little Theatre's The Crucible serves as a dark mirror for our times”
Wow, four 'graphs of 'tude and pomposity before the production is even mentioned! Then a big finish for The Big Picture, in your profoundly important view! I was hoping for a r e - v i e w -- y'know, of the show, its merits? ...like the fine ensemble cast, other actors of great quality deserving mention in other major roles (besides those you did manage to aptly compliment); the ingenious, beautiful stage design; the compelling integrity of the costuming; and the shrewd intelligence of excellent direction, binding it all together. Perhaps, Byron, you should blink it again, and park your agenda by the door?
Re: “University Theatre's The Arabian Nights offers insight”
While the reviewer tries to be honest about what they saw, how they feel about it, and are entitled to their opinion, I believe they are missing the point of suspension of disbelief, and the point of the last part of the play. Similarly all those students worked very hard and gave up their free time to do more than simply "play dress up". There is no theatre major at NC State, the students come from all majors and all walks of life and many of them are new to the experience I don't think we should downplay their hard work as "dress up".
Re: “University Theatre's The Arabian Nights offers insight”
The point of the play was not supposed to be focused around Aladdin nor Disney. The playbill states that this is not the Disney version. Most of these complaints have to do with the script rather than the performance. Also it is kinda hard to actually expect everyone in the cast to be Arab... its called "Suspension of Disbelief." Also the end story of the play that you are referring to called "Confusion of Stories,' and in turn is supposed to be confusing. None of the stories are important to the story line and the point of that part of the play was supposed to be the progression of time.
Re: “Raleigh Little Theatre's The Crucible serves as a dark mirror for our times”
As a commentary on modern politics, I say Spot on! I'm looking forward to seeing the play Friday night.
Re: “El paseo: The incredible 5,000-mile journey of Saul Flores”
David Dean provided this information via our Facebook page:
Saul Flores at the first TEDxNCSU—the first time he told his story publicly:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyw0V2A4F7k…
Re: “El paseo: The incredible 5,000-mile journey of Saul Flores”
I just got back from Atencingo, where I taught 5th graders about the scientific method and led activities on water filtration and ecology.
I learned that one of the teachers in the school was brought out of retirement and is being paid by the proceeds from the sale of Saul's photos. This project is making a difference, and I'm glad to be part of it.
I encourage everyone to visit Saul's website: www.thewalkoftheimmigrants.com
Re: “El paseo: The incredible 5,000-mile journey of Saul Flores”
We should all act the way the indigenous man did, but we're not all going to do it. Nations aren't going to do it. You can't make someone else act that way, but you can act that way yourself.
Re: “StreetSigns Center's Acts of Witness at The ArtsCenter”
I've seen the Sacrificial Poets twice in the past month, first at the Arab Springs Conference at Duke, where they did straight reporting of what they saw in Egypt and Tunisia last summer. It was as passionate as when they first returned. I sat next to a Tunisian professor, who was clearly moved by what she heard and saw.
I also saw Acts of Witness: Poetic Portraits of a Revolution Tuesday evening at the ArtsCenter. The theater piece is quite different from what they were trying to accomplish earlier: it's too bad that Woods doesn't understand the difference.
Woods doesn't understand that the world has changed since Kane, Will, Mohammed and Sameer returned from Egypt and Tunisia, and this theater piece has changed with it. It's already clear that the revolutions are threatened by reaction: so how can their stories simply recount the excitement and immediacy of their successes?
This piece is about much more than the revolutions: it's about the journeys of 4 young men, raised with certain beliefs about revolution, finally experiencing real revolutions, and finding themselves changed by them. They are no longer simply channeling the emotion they experienced in North Africa, as they were at first. This theater piece is a meditation on what we as residents of North Carolina have a right to say on behalf of our North African sisters and brothers. Did Woods even notice that the evening ends with images of Chapel Hill and Carrboro? What I saw at the ArtsCenter was the mature reflection of what has happened in the lives of these four witnesses. The panel discussion afterwards showed just how successfully they've done it.
Re: “Zelda Lockhart explores the shared histories of Native and African Americans”
However, slavery in the Indian nations differed in significant ways from American slavery. By most accounts, black families owned by Indians were not sold apart and usually were permitted to live together even if individual family members had different masters. Indian slaveholders generally did not use violence to control their slaves, and slaves were not regarded as dehumanized beasts of burden. Despite the nations' restrictive slave codes, blacks were allowed to gather on their own for religious services and were usually permitted to learn to read and write. Slaves who spoke and wrote English, furthermore, provided important services as translators for those Indians who were not fluent in English. Because many slaves had been born and raised in the Indian nations and had long family histories among the Indians, they shared many of the distinctive features of Indian culture and daily life. Black women in the Creek Nation, for example, prepared food according Indian customs and wore the same style of clothing as Creek women.
Although slaves did not have lives characterized by brutality and exploitation, they nonetheless occupied a degraded status as unfree people in the Indian nations, and their acts of resistance highlighted their desire to acquire freedom. In 1842 slaves in the Cherokee Nation took horses, supplies, guns, and ammunition and attempted to flee from the Indian Territory to Mexico, where slavery had been abolished. In 1850 Seminole leader Wild Cat left the Indian Territory with approximately three hundred blacks to establish a settlement in Mexico.
Re: “A revival of Reynolds Price's New Music in Greensboro”
Outstanding review...wish I had penned these words myself because I agree wholeheartedly with Woods' comments about the play! Folks, you shouldn't miss this trilogy about life in Carolina! Preston, you have done Reynold Price proud!
Re: “Lizard Lick Towing's Ron Shirley and the mythical promises of reality television”
The show isverygood its nice to have a good towing show on the air and espesially with people who actually care about the others and for those who think there not real people should rethink that ive been to nc the place is real ive never went in cus they were busy but ive seen them i was gettin fuel at the station accros the road u can see rons fleet and the office from there and all itsamazing
Re: “Lizard Lick Towing's Ron Shirley and the mythical promises of reality television”
I love it....it's like a 2012 ...Mayberry...with more action and Barney has a bullet..in his Gun...Good Job...Y'all...I go through Lizard Lick, on my way to Wilson...would love to stop by sometime...to see you folks...JJ
Re: “The blackness of tango”
Reagrding the quote from La Prensa.The first african music exposed to europeeans was called chaotic and primitive because europeeans felt threatened by it. Music-historians have proved that the african rythms where so complex that europeeans could not grasp them. That is was empty words like " original strange nature" is used to described this music in the article quoted. The african music simply was ahead of them and above their intellectual capacity.
It does not surpirse me that what is now called tango was danced with drums, the drums has an essential quality to them and their is no limit to the athmosphere they can create. Tango in it´s raw form is basically about base and rythmn, the strings and other instruments can realy be imagined in your head as far as I´m concerned. The tango music of today is about creating a feeling but truth is if you have that feeling within you, and I know the african community in argentine did, you don´t even need all the elaborate instruments, the music is within you when you dance.
Re: “Burning Coal's Man of La Mancha”
Great show with memorable songs -- aside from the gypsy scene you noted, which wasn't that well integrated. I forgot how much of an emotional wallop it delivered. Rand, Rabun and Henderson make this a must-see. This is what local theater is all about.
Re: “Lizard Lick Towing's Ron Shirley and the mythical promises of reality television”
Hope ron is all good after that stabbing, love the show.
Devin Spooner
Arlington wa
Re: “Thornton Dial's early drawings, at the Ackland”
Thank you for the thoughtful review, Chris. I was a student of Dr. Herman and was there the day when Dial demonstrated his technique to us. I'm so glad Dial is getting the acclaim he deserves.