by Mark G. Auerbach
Cleavant Derricks in Hartford Stage’s The Piano Lesson
Hartford Stage Presents “The Piano Lesson”
Hartford Stage presents August Wilson’s powerful Pulitzer Prize-winning drama, The Piano Lesson, October 13 through November 13. Jade King Carroll, who helmed the theatre’s critically-acclaimed production of Having Our Say: The Delaney Sisters’ First 100 Years last spring, directs; Roscoe Orman, a 42-year veteran of Sesame Street, as “Gordon Robinson”, and Cleavant Derricks, who won the Tony Award for Best Actor in a Musical for the original production of Dreamgirls, co-star. Derricks is also known for his role in Sliders on Fox-TV.
Roscoe Orman in Hartford Stage’s The Piano Lesson
In August Wilson’s drama, a fractured family comes together to consider the legacy of their father, as his grown son and daughter argue over the heirloom he left behind. A ghost story with traditional African-American songs, The Piano Lesson exposes the family’s struggles as they attempt to exorcise the demons of the past and bring forth a new hope for the future. The Piano Lesson represents the 1930s decade in Wilson’s “The Pittsburgh Cycle” of 10 plays, each one representing African-American life over a decade in the twentieth century. Other titles include Fences, Ma Rainey’s Black Bottom, Two Trains Running and Seven Guitars.
For details: 860-527-5151 or www.hartfordstage.org.
Longmeadow Sculptor James Rosenthal Featured at Paradise City Arts
James Rosenthal
Festival
James Rosenthal, the Longmeadow, MA sculptor and photographer, has been selected to participate in the 22nd Annual Paradise City Arts Festival, October 8-10, at the Three County Fairgrounds in Northampton, MA. Only 250 artists are selected for this prestigious show. The applicants’ work was judged on the basis of imagination, technical excellence, design and originality. The artists travel from near and far to show off original works in ceramics, painting, decorative fiber, art glass, furniture, jewelry, metal, mixed media, photography, large-scale sculpture, wearable art and woodworking.
Rosenthal is participating in Paradise City Arts Festival for the first time, exhibiting some sculpture and some collaborative pieces with glass artist Sam Myers, also a WMass artist.
According to Rosenthal, “I will be exhibiting fine art stone sculpture, in marble and alabaster, as well as collaborative pieces with Sam Myers– my stone and her fused glass. My own work consists of both figurative pieces as well as abstract pieces. The collaborative pieces are either inspired by the ocean, or abstract allowing the patterns in the fused glass to play off the crystal structure of the stone”..
To preview James Rosenthal’s work: www.eyesandarts.com For details on The Paradise City Arts Festival: 800-511-9725 or www.paradisecityarts.com
Newsmakers
The Springfield Museums have been formally accepted as an Affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution. Smithsonian Affiliations is a national outreach program that develops long-term, high-quality partnerships with museums and educational organizations in order to share collections, exhibitions, learning opportunities and research expertise. The partnership has been made possible through the generous support of the MassMutual Foundation, which is providing a three-year, $145,000-plus grant to bring a wealth of resources and programming to Springfield. There are currently more than 200 institutions nationwide that have been selected to be Smithsonian Affiliates. For details: www.springfieldmuseums.org.
Kate Baldwin, star of Berkshire Theatre Group’s A Little Night Music, Bells Are Ringing and Constellations, will co-star with Bette Midler in the upcoming Broadway revival of Hello, Dolly!. Riley Costello, who starred as Finch in Connecticut Repertory’s production of How To Succeed last summer, has been cast in Hairspray Live, which airs on December 7. WAM Theatre and The River’s Monte Belmonte will be honored by the Association of Fund Raising Professionas/WMass Chapter for their outstanding philanthropy. Monte’s the power behind the renovation of the Shea Theatre.
Two UMass Theatre alums won Creative Emmy Awards. David Korins ’99 won for his production design of Fox’s Grease Live! broadcast, while Rob Corddry ’93 wrapped up the seven-year run of the Adult Swim series he created, Childrens Hospital, by winning an Emmy for his acting as Dr. Blake Downs, as well as picking up an award for Outstanding Short Form Comedy or Drama Series.
Mariza
Plan Ahead
Mariza, one of the most celebrated stars of the world music circuit, comes to Amherst’s UMass Fine Arts Center on October 20, to perform songs from her new album, Mundo, just released in the United States, as well as her greatest hits from the last 15 years. Mariza got her start singing fado, a 200-year-old Portuguese musical genre. From the outset, her fresh, original interpretations of these “torch songs,” along with her remarkable voice, have been key to her popular and critical success. For details: 413-545-2511, 800-999-UMAS or http://www.fineartscenter.com/
Patti Smith, writer, performer, and visual artist, discusses her second memoir M Train, as part of the Mark Twain House’s Mark My Words Series on October 13, at the Immanuel Congregational Church on Woodland Street in Hartford. Colin McEnroe from WNPR will join her in conversation. For details: www.marktwainhouse.org.
Patti Smith
Keep in Mind…
All That Jazz. The Mahaiwe Theatre in Great Barrington will screen a high-definition broadcast of The Bolshoi Ballet, performing The Golden Age on October 15. The choreography is by Yuri Grigorovich with music by Dmitri Shostakovich. A satire of Europe during the Roaring 20s, The Golden Age makes for an original, colorful, and dazzling show with its jazzy score and music-hall atmosphere. Jacob’s Pillow Scholar-in-Residence Brian Schaefer will give a pre-screening talk at 12:40pm. Shgowtime is 1PM. Advance tickets recommended. www.mahaiwe.org.
The Hartford Symphony Orchestra’s Pops Series kicks off at The Bushnell on October 22, with Sarah Hicks conducting Danny Elfman’s Music from The Films of Tim Burton. Ellfman and Burton have created a unique concert experience to celebrate their collaborations on movies like Edward Scissorhands, Beetlejuice, The Nightmare Before Christmas, and Alice in Wonderland. CONCORA Choir joins the proceedings. Elfman picked up two Emmy Awards last month. For details: 860-987-5900 or www.hartfordsymphony.org.
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Mark G. Auerbach studied theatre at American University and the Yale School of Drama. He’s worked for arts organizations and reported on theatre for newspapers and radio.
