Boston.com -- Theater and arts news

Portraits of courage, in oil and words

Sam Allis, Globe Staff — 2009-11-29T01:59:42Z

Chris McGurk is number 31. He sits motionless in a chair, his back straight. A thin afternoon light from the north pours through the windows to his right, illuminating his shaved head and strong face. He carries on a conversation as Matthew Mitchell paints his portrait - the latest in a series on war veterans that will grow ...

Banking on show of holiday spirit

2009-11-29T01:42:21Z

To turn around a difficult year, Waltham’s Reagle Players troupe is hoping to sell every seat for its annual holiday spectacular.

A lot of kick in them yet

Denise Taylor, Globe Correspondent — 2009-11-29T01:33:22Z

A stack of donations sits on Robert J. Eagle’s desk, each with a hand-written note from its sender.

Memory in motion

Don Aucoin, Globe Staff — 2009-11-28T17:54:50Z

How do actors memorize their lines? It is a question audience members often ask ourselves. We may struggle to remember a three-item grocery list, and yet there the actors are onstage, smoothly reeling off Shakespeare soliloquies or delivering mouthfuls of dialogue as if they were making it up on the spot.

Critic's picks - theater

2009-11-28T17:54:37Z

Now playing HEROES Three old War War I soldiers in a nursing home in 1959 wage a battle against authority and mortality in this small comic gem by French playwright Gerald Sibleyras, translated by none other than Tom Stoppard. Through Dec. 13. Merrimack Repertory Theatre, Lowell. 978-654-4678, www.MerrimackRep.org.

Critic's picks - art

2009-11-28T17:54:27Z

BRETT WESTON: OUT OF THE SHADOW More than 100 black-and-white photographs (“Pines in Fog, Monterey,’’ left) taken over the course of 60 years by the accomplished second son of Edward Weston. Through Jan. 3. Currier Museum of Art, Manchester, N.H. 603-669-6144, www.currier.org

He changed the way we look at US

Mark Feeney, Globe Staff — 2009-11-28T17:54:21Z

NEW YORK - So what’s the big deal: It’s just a book, right? Well, yes and no. Robert Frank’s “The Americans’’ certainly is a book, one that consists of 83 photographs taken during 1955 and 1956. But to say it’s “just’’ a book is like saying the same thing about “Moby-Dick.’’ Both works are central, defining documents of American culture. ...

Old soldiers of ‘Heroes’ still have a battle plan for life

Don Aucoin, Globe Staff — 2009-11-27T17:38:51Z

LOWELL - Dylan Thomas famously counseled that “Old age should burn and rave at close of day.’’

Artists add vigor to poets’ verses

Cate McQuaid, Globe Correspondent — 2009-11-27T17:38:34Z

WELLESLEY - Poems can be so ephemeral: Songs, spoken into the air, heard and vanished. They usually occupy a page, perhaps two. They are not weighty objects. That’s part of their power: A good poem might be spare, but its grip on a reader’s imagination can be fierce.

Art of trash

June Wulff, Globe Staff — 2009-11-27T17:34:24Z

What creative things do you do with your trash? Some of the 40 artists at the Harvard Square Holiday Fair are very creative with recycled materials. Lenny Kamzha from Easthampton turns old tomato and coffee cans into electric light fixtures and candle lamps. Cambridge company Fussy Gussy makes fabulous aprons and housewares from vintage fabric. Stop by and check out ...

Poetry and emotion

June Wulff, Globe Staff — 2009-11-27T17:23:15Z

Will the fire in Mrs. Prothero’s kitchen burn the house down? Will the Christmas tree fit into the house without a hole cut in the roof? And who sent young Dylan that mysterious package? Does this sound like your neighborhood? It’s Swansea, Wales, in 1923, and the story is “A Child’s Christmas in Wales ’’ presented by Boston Playwrights’ Theatre ...

Critic's picks

2009-11-27T01:16:01Z

THEATER TRU GRACE: HOLIDAY MEMOIRS

Setting Warhol’s shooting, and his scene, to music

Joel Brown, Globe Correspondent — 2009-11-27T01:15:28Z

Ever wonder what went on inside Andy Warhol’s head? “POP!’’ - a world premiere musical at Yale Repertory Theatre - goes there. The show’s singing and dancing take place in Warhol’s mind, with his life hanging in the balance after he’s shot at his Manhattan studio/hangout, the Factory.

Bohemian atmosphere was artist’s forte

Cate McQuaid, Globe Correspondent — 2009-11-27T01:14:47Z

Paris, the 1890s. Electricity had just lighted up the Paris World’s Fair. The Eiffel Tower was brand new. And in the artists’ neighborhood of Montmartre, dancers kicked up their heels at the Moulin Rouge and other clubs, prostitutes made a good living, and absinthe, the heady, anise-flavored spirit, was the drink of choice.

A Capitol idea

2009-11-27T01:05:17Z

You can’t hide from these provocative, political pokers - and that includes the city of Cambridge, one of the targets on the Capitol Steps “Obama Mia’’ Tour . In “Officer Crowley,’’ a takeoff on the “West Side Story’’ song “Gee, Officer Krupke!,’’ the musical satirists go on about the Gates arrest. The award-winning troupe will also share songs from its ...

Heavy subjects

2009-11-27T01:04:12Z

According to Mike Dorval, “The only dates you can go on that have no food are almost impossible when you’re still heavy - ‘Let’s go rock climbing! A quarter of the way up you can give me CPR.’ It’ll be romantic!’ ’’ In his one-man show, “Death By Chocolate , ’’ the comedian shares his 30-year relationship with cake, candy, ...

Ghosts of theater’s past

2009-11-27T01:03:23Z

You know the story and the characters, but there are a couple of interesting tidbits about this staging of “A Christmas Carol.’’ The Dickens tale was the first show when Stoneham Theatre opened its restored doors in 2000, and this production celebrates the company’s 10th season. Director Diego Arciniegas played Marley in two of the productions, and this year’s adaptation ...

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2009-11-27T01:03:23Z

Cultures, textures interwoven in photos

Robert Knox, Globe Correspondent — 2009-11-25T20:00:00Z

Photojournalist Cary Wolinsky was on assignment in Benares, India, in the midst of a political crisis more than 30 years ago when a chance encounter led him to Bhadohi, one of the centers of India’s traditional carpet-weaving industry. The range and importance of textiles - their role in the “fiber’’ of human culture - has fascinated him ever since.

Wall ball

2009-11-25T17:40:41Z

From left: Sejuti Sengupta and Kris Red, both of Medford, and Emily Ware of Somerville and Ingrid Gustafson of Cambridge dance to the sounds of Berlin Electro during Rise & Fall, an art and music event at the Enormous Room last week to commemorate the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. ‘‘It is great music, but it ...

Arts

2009-11-25T17:24:46Z

THEATER TRU GRACE: HOLIDAY MEMOIRS Debra Wise delivers a poignant performance as Sook, a 60-something eccentric in rural Alabama who bonds with her 7-year-old cousin as they hunt for the ingredients to a holiday fruitcake in this adaptation of Truman Capote’s “A Christmas Story,’’ presented on a double bill with Grace Paley’s “The Loudest Voice.’’ Through Dec. 27. Underground Railway ...

Timeless classic

June Wulff, Globe Staff — 2009-11-25T17:14:29Z

We’re intrigued by the newly restored orchestra pit at the Boston Opera House. What exactly is a restored pit? Check it out when you visit with Clara and her friends at Boston Ballet’s “The Nutcracker,’’ which dances above the aforementioned orchestra pit for a month. The 40-year-plus tradition features more than 250 kids from the Boston Ballet School who will ...

At North Shore, the show may go on

Geoff Edgers, Globe Staff — 2009-11-25T05:59:12Z

The former North Shore Music Theatre - closed earlier this year after accumulating $10 million in debt - could be singing and dancing again by spring.

In her mind’s eye

2009-11-24T18:31:31Z

This photo of a little girl looking mesmerized was one of several portraits by Randy Brogen of Burlington that helped make him a RAW Photographer of the Week. But Brogen’s portfolio is not limited to portraits: ‘‘I enjoy shooting just about anything, as long as it presents me with a unique opportunity,’’ he says. ‘‘I look for opportunities to be ...

All perspectives are still too few

Cate McQuaid, Globe Correspondent — 2009-11-24T17:58:16Z

“Self-Similar,’’ the title of Yu-Wen Wu’s expansive and exacting exhibit of mixed-media paintings and drawings at Miller Block Gallery, is a mathematical term describing an object that is similar to its own component part. A snowflake can be self-similar; so can a coastline.

A feminine palette

June Wulff, Globe Staff — 2009-11-24T17:31:19Z

Carolyn Harris and Laurel Hughes are in good company at Women Artists From the Cape Ann Museum Collection . Works (below, a Harris painting) by the two contemporary artists are on display along with pieces spanning 200 years of women in the arts. The collection features portraits by itinerant painter Susannah Paine, who traveled through the area during the first ...

Party Lines

2009-11-24T01:26:26Z

More than 250 guests attended the 22d annual Grand Drawing Gala at the Four Seasons Hotel in Boston on Saturday evening. The event, which included raffle drawings and a silent auction, raised about $175,000 for the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dorchester.

The presence of Christmases past

Don Aucoin, Globe Staff — 2009-11-24T01:07:59Z

CAMBRIDGE - More often than not, we find the heart of the holidays not in celebration but in remembrance.

A tall order

June Wulff, Globe Staff — 2009-11-24T01:01:11Z

Do you remember the difference between Doric, Ionic, and Corinthian columns? We do, though of course we couldn’t paint a column to save our soul, so we will have to admire Wendy Artin’s “Columnae’’ at Gurari Collections. For 15 years, the Boston-born artist has lived in Rome, where she paints watercolors of architecture, landscapes, nudes, and still life. Artin’s columns ...

Old soldiers never die

June Wulff, Globe Staff — 2009-11-24T00:57:14Z

When three World War I veterans get bored at their veterans’ home, they decide to go on a final adventure. In the Merrimack Repertory Theatre production of “ Heroes, ’’ the year is 1959, the escapees are Henri, Gustave, and Philippe, and the Olivier-winning comedy by French playwright Gerald Sibleyras has been adapted by Oscar-winner Tom Stoppard. Tonight there is ...

McKellen, Weisz win at London theater awards

Jill Lawless, Associated Press Writer — 2009-11-23T20:41:28Z

Rachel Weisz took top acting honors and Ian McKellen was recognized for a half-century in the theater Monday at London's Evening Standard Theater Awards.

B'way ticket availability through Sunday, Nov. 29

The Associated Press — 2009-11-23T16:55:57Z

Broadway ticket availability and capsule reviews of shows as of Nov. 23. Unless otherwise noted, tickets are available at the theaters' box offices for the shows listed. Details about how to obtain tickets appear at the end.

Ahead of the Bell: 'New Moon' lifts theater chains

2009-11-23T14:31:18Z

A surprisingly strong weekend opening for the second movie in the Twilight vampire series, "New Moon," led analysts to raise their box office forecasts and support a more upbeat outlook for theater chains.

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2009-11-23T14:31:18Z

Dream comes true

Wendy Killeen — 2009-11-22T03:48:59Z

DREAM COMES TRUE: They are 8-year-old best friends raised on the same street in Wakefield, and both named Isabella. They also are both dancers who have shared the dream of performing in Boston Ballet’s production of “The Nutcracker.’’

‘Nutcracker’ inspires sibling revelry

Lucy Barber, Globe Staff — 2009-11-21T17:32:35Z

On the top floor of the Boston Ballet School, three students show off their one-handed cartwheels in a sun-filled studio. The girls are electric with energy from an afternoon of dance rehearsals and excitement over Boston Ballet’s upcoming production of “The Nutcracker,’’ which runs Friday through Dec. 27 at the Boston Opera House. Delia, Fiona, and Bronwyn Wada-Gill are not ...

Holiday Preview: Dance Picks

Karen Campbell, Globe Correspondent — 2009-11-21T17:32:27Z

THE NUTCRACKER For many, the holiday season doesn’t officially begin until the Sugar Plums dance and the Flowers waltz. Boston Ballet’s beloved production of “The Nutcracker’’ combines first-rate dancing with live music and extravagant production values, from the lavish oversize Christmas tree to the balloon that carries Clara aloft to the Land of the Sweets. Nov. 27-Dec. 27. $35-$132. Boston ...

Holiday shows’ various guises include off-color

Geoff Edgers, Globe Staff — 2009-11-21T17:31:22Z

There is no Santa Claus at the Ramrod. But starting next week, you’ll find the holiday spirit in a basement theater at this gay bar, where a gussied-up Ryan Landry and his Gold Dust Orphans bring back their camp-fueled comedy “All About Christmas Eve.’’

Holiday Preview: Theater Picks

Don Aucoin, Globe Staff — 2009-11-21T17:31:14Z

RECKLESS In this dark comedy by Craig Lucas, a woman hits the road in a hurry and keeps going when she discovers on Christmas Eve that her husband has taken out a contract on her life. Subsequent holidays are no picnic, either. Through Dec. 12. SpeakEasy Stage Company, Roberts Studio Theatre, Boston Center for the Arts. 617-933-8600, www.speakeasystage.com

Many images show a singular approach

Mark Feeney, Globe Staff — 2009-11-21T17:29:45Z

It’s a pretty funny joke. Harry Callahan must have the most recognized name of any photographer in history - except it’s not because of his photography. It’s because he shares the name with Clint Eastwood’s most famous character.

A model for the future with an eye to the past

Robert Campbell, Globe Correspondent — 2009-11-21T17:29:34Z

PETERBOROUGH, N.H. - Is this the way many of us will be living in years to come?

Idaho, yes; small potatoes, no

Karen Campbell, Globe Correspondent — 2009-11-21T05:24:59Z

Idaho must agree with Trey McIntyre. Though he’s one of the hottest modern dance choreographers on the international scene, he settled his five-year-old company not in a booming metropolis but in Boise, drawn to its remoteness and connection with nature.

Janacek’s haunting final opera finally arrives at the Met

Jeremy Eichler, Globe Staff — 2009-11-21T02:21:59Z

NEW YORK - Like the prisoners in the Dostoyevsky novel on which it is based, Janacek’s darkly transfixing final opera “From the House of the Dead’’ languished for too long in the operatic equivalent of Siberia. Introduced to the world in 1930, this remarkable score waited a full six decades for its first staged performances in this country, a 1990 ...

Melodies still soar in Gershwins' 'Girl Crazy'

Michael Kuchwara, AP Drama Critic — 2009-11-20T23:41:37Z

Let's salute one of the least appreciated conventions of musical theater -- the entr'acte. That's French, folks, for the mini-overture before the beginning of a show's second act. And the one that pops up after intermission at "Girl Crazy," the 1930 Gershwin musical, is a humdinger indeed. In fact, it's the highlight of the mild concert version of the show ...

Stage Stores posts smaller 3rd-qtr loss

2009-11-19T18:34:39Z

Department store operator Stage Stores Inc. said Thursday it posted a smaller third-quarter loss, as cutting costs and managing inventory improved its bottom line.

Stepping out of Idaho

Milva DiDomizio, Globe Staff — 2009-11-19T17:40:23Z

Trey McIntyre may be one of the biggest stars of today’s dance world, but he’s a country boy at heart. The Kansas-born choreographer chose Boise, Idaho, as the home base for his company the Trey McIntyre Project . The centerpiece of the troupe’s Boston debut, “(serious),’’ was inspired by a dream McIntyre had about director/screenwriter Charlie Kaufman. Dancers Chanel DaSilva, ...

Children in the audience

Doug Most, Globe Staff — 2009-11-19T17:31:50Z

When the lights went dark and the curtain went up and the gray-bearded Chaim Topol plodded onto the stage in his black boots to polite applause, I could see immediately it was going to be a long night. Not for him. And not for me, or my wife. But for the poor woman directly in front of us.

Merrimack Rep looks up to ‘Heroes’

Joel Brown, Globe Correspondent — 2009-11-19T17:20:55Z

Can a little comedy about three old guys standing around talking also be sophisticated and meaningful?

A historical holiday

Don Aucoin, Globe Staff — 2009-11-19T17:19:58Z

In an interview in October 1998, the year she won the Pulitzer Prize for drama for her remarkable memory play “How I Learned to Drive,’’ the playwright Paula Vogel said, somewhat surprisingly: “I want to start to write for musical theater.’’

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2009-11-19T17:19:58Z

Arts

2009-11-18T16:40:50Z

THEATER THE SALT GIRL John Kuntz gives a compelling performance in his one-man play about a guy wrestling with unresolved questions from the long-ago disappearance of his sister . Through Nov. 22. Boston Playwrights’ Theatre. 866-811-4111 . www.bostonplaywrights.org LADY Craig Wright dramatizes the polarizing effect of the Iraq war on three longtime buddies as they reunite for their annual hunting ...

‘World’s’ apart

June Wulff, Globe Staff — 2009-11-18T16:33:42Z

There are lots of ways to present Shakespeare’s works, and the American Repertory Theater chooses a musical in “Best of Both Worlds . ’’ Based on the Bard’s “The Winter’s Tale,’’ this family musical erupts with R&B and gospel delivered by Greater Boston choirs from schools, churches, and the community. Jealousy rears its ugly head in this story of heartbreak ...

Kander and Ebb have a new musical -- off-Broadway

2009-11-17T22:32:42Z

There will be a new Kander and Ebb musical -- off-Broadway. Vineyard artistic director Doug Aibel (ABLE) says "The Scottsboro Boys" will have its world premiere March 10 at the small nonprofit theater. Previews begin Feb. 12.

Broadway revival of 'Oleanna' to close Jan. 3

2009-11-17T21:02:01Z

The Broadway revival of David Mamet's "Oleanna" is folding after a 97-performance run. Producer Jeffrey Finn says the production, which stars Bill Pullman and Julia Stiles, will close Jan. 3 at the Golden Theatre. The play opened in New York on Oct. 11 after a successful summer engagement at the Mark Taper Forum in Los Angeles.

Sara Ruhl sets Broadway buzzing in two rooms

Leanne Italie, Associated Press Writer — 2009-11-17T13:01:55Z

"How extraordinary," Catherine Givings observes. "It looks like a farming tool. Where do you put it?"

'Hair' sets a London opening with its B'way cast

2009-11-16T17:02:11Z

The Tony Award-winning revival of "Hair" is going to London -- with its original Broadway cast.

B'way ticket availability through Sunday, Nov. 22

The Associated Press — 2009-11-16T12:31:19Z

Broadway ticket availability and capsule reviews of shows as of Nov. 16. Unless otherwise noted, tickets are available at the theaters' box offices for the shows listed. Details about how to obtain tickets appear at the end.

Native talent

Geoff Edgers, Globe Staff — 2009-09-30T03:20:13Z

Isaac Akiba doesn’t look like a star. At just 5 feet, 7 1/2 inches and 135 pounds, he’s undersized for a dancer, particularly at a major company such as Boston Ballet.

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2009-09-30T03:20:13Z

The sum of its parts

Sebastian Smee, Globe Staff — 2009-09-19T16:53:45Z

For Damián Ortega, ideas and things, far from being connected by logic, have a deeper, unaccountable relationship, amounting to a kind of magic act. It’s a relationship that’s destructive one minute and creative the next, but it’s never less than funny.