Come Fly Away’ at Segerstrom Center

Twyla Tharp Choreography Set to Frank Sinatra Mega-Hits

 

by Lydia E. Ringwald

 

Choreographer Twyla Tharp puts a spin on Frank Sinatra songs in the spectacular

‘Come Fly Away’ at Segerstrom Center January 31 to February 5.

 

In this hybrid dance/musical, intricate, exciting, sexy and very challenging jazzy ballet choreography is set into a succession of 27 hit signature Sinatra songs that ‘dance’ a story of love and romance to “Let’s Fall in Love’ and “I’ve Got a Crush on You’ that ultimately turns into a statement of independence and ‘going it alone’ in the two grand finale Sinatra theme songs ‘My Way’ and ‘New York, New York’.

 

Only highly- skilled ballet- trained “A AA….Number One…” dancers need apply to perform in Twyla Tharp roles. No ‘Little Town Blues’ here. Segerstrom Center, Lincoln Center, Kennedy Center and other world-renowned theaters are ‘Big Town/Big Time venues. Tharp’s choreography for ‘Come Fly Away’ requires that the entire cast perform spectacular feats throughout the show.

 

The musical version ‘Come Fly Away’ evolved from earlier Twyla Tharp compositions for American Ballet Theater. In 1976, Tharp choreographed, ‘Once More Frank,’ as a duet for American Ballet Theater that she performed with Mikhail Baryshnikov. In 1982, she expanded the concept with ‘Nine Sinatra Songs ‘ choreographed for cast of14 dancers.

 

When Sinatra received the Kennedy Center Honor’s Award in 1983, he requested that the Twyla Tharp composition ‘Sinatra Suite,’ a duet for American Ballet Theater stars Baryshnikov and Elaine Kudo, be performed at the awards ceremony in his honor.

 

In this monumental and very touching moment, during a presentation of his award, Sinatra had a chance to view an earlier version of a show that would later become the musical, ‘Come Fly Away,’ commemorating his legacy.

 

The commemorative musical version, ‘Come Fly Away’ which premiered in 2009 in Atlanta and opened on Broadway in 2010 is now on tour.

 

Most astounding at the Tuesday opening of the show at Segerstrom Center, was the performance of dancer Ashley Blair Fitzgerald, in the character of gravity defying ‘Kate’ who actually ‘flies’ between dance partners, living quite literally up to the title of the ‘Come Fly Away.’

 

Elegant dance artist Meredith Miles as ‘Babe,’ in a swirling red gown partners with Stephen Hanna as ‘Sid’ in elevating moments of romantic ecstasy, to contrast with comedic pair Romona Kelly in the role of ‘Betsy’ and Christopher Vo as ‘Marty’ who jive to the music lightened with a laugh and a touch of slapstick.

 

Southern California Audiences have a window of time to catch this spectacular show at Segerstrom Center with the voice of Sinatra and live full-band set to Twyla Tharp dance in an artistic tribute to the Sinatra Legend.

 

Pacific Symphony Celebrates Music in the Annual Pacific Coast Wine Festival on March 3

 

By Lydia E. Ringwald

 

To celebrate the arts, the Baron de Rothchild invited celebrity artists to design a label each year for the vintage wine from his famous vineyard in the south of France. Pablo Picasso, Salvador Dali, Jean Cocteau, Marie Laurencin, Georges Braque, Leonor Fini, Andre Masson, Henry Moore, Dorothea Tanning, Joan Miro, Marc Chagall, Wassily Kandinsky, Robert Motherwell and Andy Warhol from 1945 into the 1980’s contributed to the celebration with an artwork and hand signed toast in homage to the year and the wine.

 

An invaluable wine -dark bottle designed by American film director John Huston for the 1982 vintage includes a cheerful image of a dancing goat with vine of grapes with signed salute – “In celebration of my beloved friend Baron Philippe’s 60^th harvest at Menton.”

 

The cult of wine is intimately entwined with civilization and the ethereal mystique of ‘culture.’ It’s almost as though the generous earth mingled with the energy of the sun to inculcate into the luscious grapes the quintessence of the age, the encapsulation of time. Over the eons, in celebration of Spring and the awakening of Nature, artists have created art, dance and music to honor the fruits of time and wine.

 

Pacific Symphony’s annual Wine Festival, in harmony with this ancient Rite of Spring, honors this tradition inviting music patrons to attend the spectacular Gala on
 

March 3 at the Island Hotel in Newport Beach, for one of Orange County's most celebrated parties of the year.
 

 

A luxurious evening of fine wine tasting and elegant dining includes an auction of rare wines, a Mikimoto pearl necklace, theater tickets and luxury destination travel to raise funds for youth education in music.

 

This year, in addition to traditional vintage wines of Rhone and Burgundy and two rare editions of Screaming Eagle, roaming Sommeliers share selections of a new cultivation of boutique California wines, expressing the taste of our time, procured by Advanced Sommelier Jim Huston from Charlie Palmer.

 

In harmony with music and arts patrons of the past, Festival Founder Mike Kerr along with Festival Board Member Alex and McKinnon and his wife DeDe and Pacific Symphony Administration and generous Sponsors, express their loyal support of Pacific Symphony energized by their passionate belief in the power of music to keep civilization in Orange County alive over the generations.

 

The evening, commencing with wine tasting followed by a gourmet dinner designed by Island Hotel Chef David Man and concert by Pacific Symphony Youth Orchestra cellist Philip Sheegog, culminates with a grand finale Live Auction of world renown wine wines.
 

 

For purchasing individual tickets or tables, please contact Ricki Shab at (714) 874-2364 or visit www.PacificSymphony.org or www.PacificCoastWine Festival

‘

Lonesome Town’ at Laguna Playhouse

Songs from The Great Depression to Occupy Wall Street

 

By Lydia E. Ringwald

 

A montage of images from the Great Depression to videos anti-war protesters on two large screens set the stage for ‘Lonesome Town,’ currently playing at Laguna Playhouse until
 

February 5.

 

‘Lonesome Town’ Writer/Director James O’Neil ‘s folk fest of historical American folk songs from the 1930’s through the early 70’s includes a song medley framed by a narration, adeptly handled by guitarist and singer Justin Flagg and talented cast of singers and musicians, linking eras in American history to the songs expressing the ethos of the time.

 

The chronological sequence of songs accompanied by period costumes and a screen of moving past news reels photos and images invites audiences to locate the songs in the morphing time warp. The Prologue, dated to 1958, sets the stage for a flashback of famous hits the magnitude of ‘Last Night I had the Strangest Dream,’ ‘Michael, Row the Boat Shore,‘ Tom Dooley,’ ‘ Early Mornin’ Rain, 'We Shall Overcome’ and 'Blowin'in the Wind' that follow in two acts.
 

 

O’Neil credits inspiration for the production to his father, who experienced ‘hard times’ during the Great Depression and who inculcated in his family the values of compassion and respect for others. Although O’Neil’s personal story is not directly integrated into the production, it is always there as an emotional foundation that augments the depth and imbues personal feeling into the medley and sequence of songs.

 

But while enjoying songs from the past, like ‘Puff, the Magic Dragon and ‘Blowin' in the Wind,’ one couldn’t help but wonder where we are now musically, economically and historically in America.
 

 

A few flashes of images of Wall Street protestors objecting to banking manipulations and a war industry that are spinning our economy into deficit brought me abruptly into the present with the question. “Where is our song Now? What are the folk songs now that express political and economic plight of our time?"

 

“Perhaps ‘Puff, the Magic Dragon' would be appropriate,” I think caustically, with the ‘magic Dragon’ as Wall Street bankers and ‘Puff’ as the value of our fiat currency. Or maybe the mournful harmonica and lyrics of Bob Dylan’s ‘Blowin’ in the Wind says it all.
 

 

Somehow these popular folk songs begin to live in a new dimension in our time. I felt a wave of despair at first, but then re-evaluated the situation with more compassion.

 

When I thought about it more deeply, the past was hard too. I remember, because I was there in the late 60’s and early 1970’s when friends I was in college with burned Draft cards and faced serious punishment for doing what they believed was right. There were moments of intense crises, yet somehow we prevailed by keeping a song alive in our heart.

 

Somehow we prevailed, by turning what appeared to be a serious problem into a hopeful solution. The most poignant memory was how we snatched victory out of the jaws of defeat, ending the Viet Nam war with the slogan ‘Peace, with Honor.’ The U.S. made contact with Communist China and now, less than 40 years later, former Communist China often seems to more Capitalistic that we are.

 

I felt inspired with the hope that we did it before and we could do it again. The ‘Lonesome Town’ singers performing the famous song, ‘We Shall Overcome’ seemed not only appropriate because of the upcoming Martin Luther King holiday on Monday but offered an uplifting message, ever more meaningful to us now, in the current economic environment with so many Americans underwater with consumer debt and our country in a downward spiral of deficit spending.

 

Somehow, we must turn our economic deficits into prosperity, and turn wars that seem to be making the situation worse, into a Humanitarian victory.

 

The nostalgic tunes in 'Lonesome Town' are alive with a message for the present. We must 'Win the Peace' and find our song again.
 

 

For tickets to ‘Lonesome Town,’ contact the Laguna Playhouse at (949) 497-2787 or visit www.lagunaplayhouse.com.