Film Review: “Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story

 

  • JAZZ FEST:  A NEW ORLEANS STORY
  • Starring:  Quint Davis, Jimmy Buffet, Verdine White
  • Directed by:  Frank Marshall and Ryan Suffern
  • Rated:  PG 13
  • Running time:  1 hr 35 mins
  • Sony Pictures Classic
 
They call it the Big Easy.  Home of Mardi Gras and Saints.  But New Orleans is known for one thing above all others…The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival – a celebration of the music, food and culture that has defined the city and surrounding areas for centuries.
In the early 1960s, George Wein, the organizer of the famed Newport Jazz Festival, was asked to bring his talents to New Orleans.  Unfortunately, the climate of the times postponed the first ever New Orleans Jazz Festival until 1971.  “Jazz Fest” is a look inside the event on it’s 50th Anniversary as well as the events that shaped it.
An event that draws 100,000 people a day for many days, the Festival is probably the only place on Earth where you can see everyone from Tom Jones to Pitbull to Bruce Springsteen on the same bill.  Those performers and many more talk about their pride in being asked to perform as well as the profound effect their performances have on not only on the crowd but also the musicians.
The film is full of great performances, both from previous shows and the 50th, including musical numbers by Ellis Marsalis and his sons, Earth Wind and Fire, Katy Perry, B.B. King, Samantha Fish, Al Green, and many others.  Yes, this is called a JAZZ Festival, but all kinds of music, from gospel to soul to folk are well represented and well received.  And a quick detour to the swamps gives viewers a taste of Cajun and Zydeco music.  It is amazing how much of the area’s culture revolves around music, including funerals.  I hope when my time comes that my trip to the cemetery is led by dancers and a big brass section!  Even the devastation of Hurricane Katrina in 2005 was dealt with musically as musicians like Jimmy Buffet, Paul Simon and Bruce Springsteen took to the newly built stage to give hope to, as Springsteen sang, the City of Ruin.
Also featured is the amazing food found at the festival, with pretty much everything either fried or made with cream.  I want to find the guy making the pork cracklings.
Due to COVID, the festival skipped two years but came roaring back earlier this year, with more than 7,000 musicians on 14 stages and didn’t skip a beat.  If you can’t make it down in person, this film is a great way to enjoy the show.
“Jazz Fest: A New Orleans Story” receives five out of five stars.

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Film Review: “Amsterdam”

 

  • AMSTERDAM
  • Starring:  Christian Bale, Margot Robbie and John David Washington
  • Directed by:  David O. Russell
  • Rated:  R
  • Running time:  2 hrs 14 mins
  • 20th Century Studios
 
They called it “the War to end all Wars.”  Of course, history will tell us that it wasn’t, but shortly after WW I things were looking up for a couple of former soldiers.  Burt (Bale) was a Park Avenue doctor who married above his station and only went to war when his father-in-law suggested that a man with medals would have some esteem.  Harold (Washington), now a lawyer, was part of the all-Black unit in Europe that Burt was given command of.  When their former commanding general dies suddenly, they are asked to investigate the death.  But they may not like what they find.
Smartly written, with a few odd quirks – the trademark of a David O. Russell film – “Amsterdam” is a who-dunnit with many possible suspects.  The trio of friends – Burt, Harold and Valerie (Robbie) – met shortly after the war, when Burt and Harold were patients in a hospital in which Valerie was the nurse.  Appalled by the treatment Burt and Harold received, Valerie takes them to a couple of bird-watching friends (Mike Myers and Michael Shannon), who treat them.  Because he lost an eye, Burt is given a box of premium glass ones, an item that becomes part of the plot every time Burt is punched – which is often – and they eye falls out.  Bale proves himself a fine master of physical comedy and, based on his work here, would be a great casting choice should they ever make a “Columbo” movie.
The cast is vast and at the top of their games, with fine supporting work by Rami Malek, Chris Rock, Zoe Saldana and Robert DeNiro.  Russell’s script is tight and he keeps the action moving at a nice pace.  You do have to pay attention, as every new twist takes you in a different direction.  That being said, head to the nearest cinema and book a ticket to “Amsterdam.”
“Amsterdam” receives five stars out of five.
 

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Film Review: “Till”

  • TILL
  • Starring:  Danielle Deadwyler, Frankie Faison and Jalyn Hall
  • Directed by:  Chinonye Chukwu
  • Rated:  PG 13
  • Running time:  2 hrs 10 mins
  • Orion Pictures
In August 1955, Emmet Till left his mother’s home in Chicago to visit his relatives in Mississippi.  He never saw his mother again.
We first meet Emmett (Hall), known as Bo to his family, as he prepares for his trip.  A friendly, smiling boy who loves music and impromptu dancing with his mother, Mamie – an Oscar-worthy Ms. Deadwyler.  As he packs for his trip, his mother reminds him that the rules in Mississippi are much different for Blacks then they are in Chicago.  Not that Chicago is a haven of equality.  We learn this when, while shopping for shoes at a downtown department store, Mamie is informed that they also sell shoes in the basement.  Still, with a self-assured smile, and a stylish hat, Emmett boards the train and begins the journey south.  He learns first-hand how different the rules are when, once the train crosses the Mason-Dixon line, all of the Black passengers get up from their various seats and make their way to the back of the car.
Emmett discovers a whole new way of life when he arrives in the small town of Money, Mississippi.  Instead of playing with his cousins, he finds himself in the field, picking cotton, taking the new adventure in stride.  A stop at a local store brings Emmett face to face with a white woman that Emmett finds so attractive he tells her she could be a movie star, emphasizing her beauty with an innocent wolf whistle.  His cousins are mortified by this and quickly spirit Emmett away, the boy still not understanding their reaction.  Tragically, he soon will.
An important film that tells an important story, “Till” is both heartbreaking and inspirational, filled with an amazing cast of actors.  As Mamie, Ms. Deadwyler is a revelation.  Whether dancing quietly with her only child, or grieving at the sight of Emmett’s broken body, there is not a false note in her performance.  Her grief is genuine, leaving not one dry eye in the house.  But Mamie also has a quiet strength – a strength that has taken her to where she is in her life – and she feeds off of that strength every time she needs to.  The supporting cast is just as good, with nary a false beat among them.  Director Chukwu’s camera makes us a witness to everything going on and the musical score, by Abel Korzeniowski, is pitch perfect in setting the necessary moods.
A film that takes an unflinching look at one of the most horrific times in this country’s history, “Till” is a tale of two worlds, 650 miles apart.  It is a film that needs to be seen by everyone!
“Till” receives five stars out of five.

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Film Review: “CREED III”

 

  • CREED III
  • Starring:  Michael B. Jordan, Jonathan Majors and Tessa Thompson
  • Directed by:  Michael B. Jordan
  • Rated:   PG 13
  • Running time:  1 hr 56 mins
  • MGM

Sadly, it’s usually the third installment of a film series that doesn’t fare well.  Think “Jaws 3-D,” “Halloween III,” “Superman III” among others that, while they try hard, they tend to disappoint.  Welcome to the group, “Creed III.”

Having achieved greatness both in and out of the boxing ring, Adonis Creed (Jordan) is ready to relax.  However, that time off is interrupted when a mysterious man from his past returns and demands a shot at the title he thinks is rightly his.  Cue the music.

“Creed III” borrows a lot of its story from “Rocky III.”  The champion looking to quit, only to be bullied into “one more fight” and the emotional and physical damage this fight takes on everyone involved. All that is missing is a cameo from Mr. T.  The main thing missing is Sylvester Stallone’s Rocky.  Rocky was the heart of the first two films, and his presence is sorely missed, both on the screen and to the audience.  Because of this, there is not one likable person in the cast to root for, which makes the big fight moot, because you really don’t have a rooting interest.  Adonis and his wife are constantly bickering, his old pal Damian (Majors) is a bully and unlikeable.  It’s sad when the only character you root for is Ivan Drago’s son.

On the positive side, Jordan’s direction is fluid, and he covers the boxing scenes with the eye of an old pro.  He obviously has the chops to be behind the camera.  Unfortunately he didn’t spend enough time on character development, and the audience is stuck with one-dimensional character that don’t have a redeeming bone in their bodies, which is a shame for a franchise that earned it’s love by opening its heart.

 

“Creed III” receives two and a half stars out of five.

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Film Review: “WEIRD: the Al Yankovic Story’

 

  • WEIRD: THE AL YANKOVIC STORY
  • Starring:  Daniel Radcliffe and Lin-Manuel Miranda
  • Directed by: Eric Appel
  • Rated:  TV 14
  • Running time:  1 hr 48 mins
  • Roku

I often hear people talk about the music of their generation.  My dad grew up listening to Frank Sinatra.  My mom, Elvis.  I grew up in the time of the Beatles.  But there is another musician that influenced my life profoundly,  His name is Al Yankovic.

How do you make a film about a man whose stated life ambition is to write funny lyrics to existing songs?  It’s actually quite easy.  Picking various points of the accordion master’s life, it seems that

Al (a very good Daniel Radcliffe) has a talent that must be shared with the world.  Like my friends and I, Al was a fan of late-night radio host Dr. Demento (an unrecognizable Rainn Wilson) and sends him a tape of some of his songs.  Much to his surprise, the Doctor plays his stuff on the air, which leads to Al thinking this could really be the start of something big.

Of course, not everyone thinks Al is a musical genius.  Only after he is challenged by legendary DJ Wolfman Jack (Jack Black) to create, on the spot, a parody of Queen’s “Another One Bites the Dust” that he is able to quiet the naysayers.   Think Eminem at the end of “8 Mile” and you have a good idea of how things go.

The film plays fast and loose with facts, but fans of Al wouldn’t want it any other way.  If you’re a fan of “the Weird one,” then, by all means, give this one a look.

“WEIRD’ receives three and a half stars out of five.

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Film Review: “5-25-77”

  • 5-25-77
  • Starring:  John Francis Daley, Austin Pendleton and Colleen Camp
  • Directed by:  Patrick Read Johnson
  • Rated:  PG 13
  • Running time:  2 hrs 12 mins
  • Filmio

A young man, enthralled by the rmagic of the movies, begins to make his own films with his family and friends.  If this sounds like Steven Spielberg’s film, “The Fablemans,” you would be right.  However, “5-25-77” has been around, in various forms, since 2007.

Film fans will recognize May 25, 1977 as the day “Star Wars” opened in the United States.  Like “Jaws” before it, the effect the film had on Hollywood would change it forever.  Thanks to the success of “Star Wars,” films like “Star Trek the Motion Picture” and “The Black Hole” were greenlighted by studios, bringing science fiction, once a stalple of 1950s Hollywood, back to the cinema.

 

Pat Johnson (Daley) takes in a showing of “2001: A Spsce Odysey” and is mesmerized by what he has seen.  He begins to make home movies in the neighborhood and finally saves the money to travel to Hollywood with one mission: to meet Douglas Trumball, the man behind the special effects of “2001.”  His trip doesn’t go exactly as planned, but what does happen changes Pat’s life forever.

The film follows Pat on his journey west – he lives in Illinolis – where, while waiting to meet Trumball he runs ito a young Steven Spielberg, who is currently finishing up the special effects on “Close Encounters of the Third Kind,” a film Trumball also did the special effects for.  He also stumbles into a room containing models for another upcoming film called “Star Wars.”  Impressed by the young man’s interest, one of the crew invite him to a screening room where he is given a peek at a very rough cut of “Star Wars.”  Overwhelmed by what he’s seen, Pat returns home where he does his best to make his friends and family as “Star Wars” crazy as he is.

 

The first act of the film is well done.  Daley captures the same enthusiasm that my 16-year old pals and I had in wating for the film to open.  It’s clear to the viewer that “Star Wars” really had an effect on Pat’s life, much the same way that “Jaws” had on mine.  So excited is Pat that he invites his entire class to be his guest at the theatre on opening day.

It’s the second act of the film where things begin to fumble.  Even though the film runs a healthy 132 minutes (11 minutes longer then “Star Wars”), Mr. Johnson has tried to cram too much into the final 45-minutes of the film.  It’s almost as if, after 15 years of working on the film, Mr. Johnson decided to use everything he had.  As someone who focuses on the minute trivia of films, I was disappointed to find a Cubs game on television late at night.  I lived in the Chicago area until 1974 and I don’t recall Cub games being re-broadcast.  Also, if my ears are working correctly, there is a batter in the game that has 98 RBIs – in mid-May.  I have other issues with the film but to list them would require a SPOILER ALERT notice.

 

I first became aware of this film when Mr. Johnon was interviewed for the “Jaws” documentary “The Shark is Still Working,” a film in which I also appear.  I was intrigued by the 5-25-77 poster behind Mr. Johnson and have eagerly been waiting for this film since then.  While I did have some quibbles with the film, it is definitely one that should be seen, not only for movie lovers who will find a kindred soul in young Pat Johnson but as a validation of Patrick Read Johnson’s perseverance.

 

I give “5-25-77” 3.5 stars out of 5.  

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Concert Review: Tenacious D – The Spicy Meatball Tour

 

  • TENACIOUS D: the Spicy Meatball Tour
  • Starlight Theater
  • Kansas City, Missouri

 

I first heard of Tenacious D 20-years ago when a friend of mine told me he was going to see the band along with Weezer.  The next day he raved about the “D,” and urged me to buy their CD.  I did.  And I loved it.  20 years later, I finally got to see what I was missing.

 

Consisting of the always manic Jack Black and the more reserved Kyle Gass, Tenacious D is best described as if Heavy Metal and Classical Music had a baby.  Both men are amazing musicians, each note from their guitars hitting your ears clearly.  Where Black’s input is mostly power chords, Gass plays as intricately, and as beautifully, as one of my favorite classical gitarists, the late Roy Clark.

 

For nearly two hours the boys rocked, combining beautifully written music with amazingly strong, often funny, lyrics.  Like “Weird” Al Yankovic, Jack Black has an amazingly strong voice, suited for the music he plays and reminiscient of the late, great Ronnie James Dio.  

 

 

The show also had it’s fun bits, including a recurring bit with the band’s pyro technician who always seemed to set of the effects at the wrong time.  Another highligh was the premiere of a new song, scheduled to be released the next day, called “Video Games.”  Later, Black produced a Sax-a-Boom, an oversized member of the horn family,  Not to be outdone, Gass emerged from the shadows with an enormous MAX-a-Boom and blew a great rendition of the Gerry Rafferty hit “Baker Street.”  The group also covered Chris Issak’s “Wicked Games” and did a kick-ass version of Led Zepplin’s “Good Times, Bad Times.”

 

 

I would also be remiss if I didn’t mention the D’s opening act, Steel Beans, a literal one-man-band who played guitar, drums and keyboards at the same time.  And very well.  

SET LIST:  Overture, Kickapoo, Low Hangin’ Fruit, Wonderboy, Tribute, Video Games, Rize of the Fenix, The Metal, Sax-a-Boom, Baker Street, Roadie, Dude (I Totally Miss You), Wicked Games, Beelzeboss (The Final Showdown), Double Team.  ENCORE:  Good Times, Bad Times, Master Exploder, The Spicyt Meatball Song, Fuck Her Gently.  

If you’d like to catch the “D” on tour, or learn more about the band, please click HERE.

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Concert Review: Tommy James and the Shondells

 

  • Tommy James and the Shondells
  • The Kaufman Center
  • Kansas City, Missouri 

 

I’ve said in the past that the “oldies” groups often put on the best shows.  Tommy James was no exception.

 

An AM radio staple in the 1960s, James and his group, the Shondells, gave the world such amazing songs as “Hanky Panky,” “Crimson and Clover,” “Crystal Blue Persuasion” and many more.

 

Looking much younger then his 75 years, James and his band played an amazing set of familiar hits and newer material.  As the music played, the audience sang along loudly.  The power of James’ music is that it is well known by many generations.  Not only was James and his music huge when I was a youngster, but three of his songs gained a new legion of fans in the 1980s.  Joan Jett hit #7 in 1982 with her version of “Crimson and Clover” while Tiffany and Billy Idol had back to back #1 hits with “I Think We’re Alone Now” and “Mony Mony,” respectively.  Don’t quote me but I believe this was the first time that back to back #1 songs were performed by different artists but written by the same songwriter (Ritchie Cordell wrote “I Think We’re Alone Now” and co-wrote “Mony Mony”).

 

James was in fine voice and his band was tight as any recent group of musicians I’ve seen.  Not only did they play the hits, they also put new spins on some old classics.  Talking about an upcoming film about his life, James played a sweet acoustic version of “I Think We’re Alone Now” and a spot on rendition of a cover version of “Hanky Panky” done by the Raindrops.  The music took me back to my youth, which is always a nice place to visit!

 

SET LIST:   Draggin’ the Line, Crystal Blue Persuasion,Say I Am, I Think We’re Alone Now (Acoustic), Tighter, Tighter, Crimson & Clover, Hanky Panky (The Raindrops cover), I Think We’re Alone Now, Do Something to Me, Mony Mony, Sweet Cherry Wine.   ENCORE:  Mirage/Mony Mony.

 

For tickets and information about Tommy James on Tour please click HERE.

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Kansas City Theater Review: “Tootise – the Musical”

 

  • TOOTSIE – the Musical
  • Starlight Theater
  • Kansas City, Missouri

 

While men often played female characters in the time of Shakespeare, it didn’thappen a lot in the late 20th Century.  Then came the 1982 film “Tootsie” which is often regarded as one of the funniest films ever.   The story:  Michael Dorsey is an actor who overthinks everything, from the smallest stage direction to the back story he has created for a character.  His reputation is such that he can’t find a job.  Until one day he puts on a dress and some makeup and is hired as an actress.   The rest, as the saying goes, is history.

 

Michael Dorsey (an excellent Drew Becker) is celebrating his 40th birthday with his two closest friends, former girlfriend Sandy (Payton Reilly) and his roommate Jeff (Jared David Michael Grant).  He is also celebrating his being fired from another show.  As he works with Sandy for an upcoming audition she has, he bemoans the fact that people don’t understand his talents.  When his agent tells him that no one will hire “him” he auditions for the role Sandy was up for and gets the job.  And the fireworks begin.

 

It’s had to believe that four decades after it premiered the ordeals of women working in male dominated roles continue.  As newly cast Dorothy Michaels, Michael has to deal with the sexism that exists in pretty much every aspect of his chosen profession.  However, that doesn’t stop “Dorothy” from interjecting her ideas into the new show – a musical based on the story of Romeo and Juliet, with Juliet survivng and falling for Romeo’s brother, Craig – from updating the time period to changing the costumes.  However, where Michael’s input would be seen as meddling, “Dorothy” has the support of the show’s femiale producer and soon the show is built around her.

 

“Tootsie – the Musical” won the Tony Award for its book, and deservedly so.  The story is altered enough from the film that it seems fresh, combining the best jokes from the film with some hilarious new bits.  The songs are well constructed and move the story along.

 

The show is well cast, with Mr. Becker pulling double duty as Michael/Dorothy.  Not only does he have to speak as both characters, but he has to sing also.  He is able to make both characters come to life as if you are watching two different performers.  Comedically the standouts were Mr. Grant as Jeff and Adam Du Plessis as Ron, the show director.

“Tootise – the Musical” continues in Kansas City through Sunday, May 21.  For tickets to these performances, or future shows on the tour, please click HERE.

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Kansas City Theater Review: “Les Miserables”

 

  • LES MISERABLES
  • Music Hall, Kansas City, Missouri
  • May 2, 2023

 

It is often referred to as one of the world’s most popular musicals.  And it is, with good reason.  In 1985, “Les Misérables,” a musical adaptation of Victor Hugo’s novel, premiered.  Full of brilliant music, amazing production design and a cast for the ages, the show became a phenomenon wherever it played.  That includes the current National Tour, which opened in Kansas City this week.

 

After 19-years of hard labor, Jean Valjean (Nick Cartell) is released from prison.  His crime?  He stole a loaf of bread to feed the hungry children in his family.  Free, but on parole, he clashes with one of his guards, the strict Javert (Preston Truman Boyd).  Once released, Valjean quickly steals again, but an act of kindness leads him to change his life.  And his name.  He becomes a prosperous businessman, but soon finds he will never escape the vengeful Javert.

 

Javert (Preston Truman Boyd) confronts Jean Valjean (Nick Cartell) (photo by Johan Perrson)

 

I’ve seen the show a few times, but this is the first opportunity I’ve had to review it.  And where do I start?  From a fan’s perspective, it is pretty much the perfect musical.  Not a false note – no pun intended.  The show is scaled back some from previous tours, but it is still a spectacle in every sense of the word.

 

The show is carried by the performances and amazing voices of it’s two leading men.  Both Mr. Cartell and Mr. Boyd put their own touch on roles that have been played the world over, taking the familiar and making it their own.  They successfully mix raw emotions and musical skills in two extraordinary performances.  Other stand outs include Haley Dortch as Fantine, Christine Heesun Hwang as Eponine and audience favorites Christina Rose Hall and Matt Crowle as Madame Thenardier and her crooked husband.

 

To sum it up, this production of “Les Misérables” is an amazing night at the theater, one that you will never forget.  

“Les Miserables” receives a score of 5 out of 5 stars.

 

To read my conversation with actor Preston Truman Boyd, please click HERE.

 

“Les MIserables” continues in Kansas City through Sunday, May 7th.  For informtion and tickets for this and future shows, please click HERE.  

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A Conversation with “Les Miz” actor Preston Truman Boyd

 

For Preston Truman Boyd, music runs in the family.  His grandfather was an opera singer so when the young man showed some talent in church, people noticed.  Eventually he made his way to New York City, appearing in “Sunset Boulevard” with Glenn Close as well as featured roles in the National tours of “Young Frankenstein” and “Jersey Boys.”

 

He is currently appearing in the National tour of “Les Misérables,” where he plays the “misunderstood” police inspector Javert.  I spoke with Mr. Boyd while he was in Washington D.C., performing at the Kennedy Center. 

 

 

 

MIKE SMITH:  “Les Miserables” is an iconic show, and Javert is a truly iconic role.  How do you prepare to tackle a role that so many people are familiar with and may have preconceived ideas on how it should be played?

 

PRESTON TRUMAN BOYD:  I try to bring as much gravita as I can to the role.  It IS an iconic role in an iconic show and I know there are fans who have their own ideas in how the want to see it done.  It’s the added pressure of people having their favorite Javert.  You definitely want to be the pivotal Ying to the Yang of Jean Valjean, which is not only important to the story but important in supporting the theme of the show.  The survival of the human spirit.  Javert is often referred to as “the bad guy” but I like to think he’s “the misunderstood guy.”  At the end of the day, he’s just a guy doing his job.  If you’ve fled your parole, I’ve got to come get you.  That’s just how it is. (laughs)

 

MS:  Javert the Bounty Hunter!

 

PTB:  Exactly, yes.

 

MS:  You mentioned that some people have a pre-conception of the role.  Do you try to model portions of your performance on how others have played the role?

 

PTB:  A lot of us in this business grew up listening to this show.  We’d seek it out whenever it came to town.  I was always a Philip Quast fan.  I’d like to think I sound a little more like him then other Javerts. (NOTE:  Philip Quast originated the role of Javert in the original Australian production of “Les Miz,” later playing the role on the West End in London.  He also appeared in the hugely popular  “Les Miserables: the Dream Cast in Concert).  His voice stuck with me.  That’s the beauty of our show.  So many people have seen the show in so many incarnations and in different companies.  The directors have looked at it from another angle.  It’s the same story but you can really push certain themes a bit more.  Even in the design.  Some of Victor Hugo’s paintings are now projected on stage. (NOTE:  Hugo wrote the novel “Les Misérables”).  

 

Javert (Preston Truman Boyd) confronts Jean Valjean (Nick Cartell) (photo by Johan Perrson)

 

MS:  What got you into musical theater?

 

PTB:  I grew up in the church singing and once I heard from people that weren’t my parents that I might have a gift I began to seek out other opportunities in the community.  I grew up in Fargo/Moorehead (North Dakota).  I got involved in school programs and did a lot of speech and debate.  A couple predecessors from my hometown ended up moving to the City and had some success so it didn’t seem like an absolute pipe dream.  I sought out scholarship programs and what schools to attend.  I did a program called The National Foundation for the Advancement of the Arts.  They bring in (10) kids from each discipline every year and I went down to Miami for opera.  We spent a week studying voice with Placido Domingo, which was absolutely incredible.  After that I had a few people seek me out for different programs like voice and theater and I ended up at the Cincinnati Conservatory of Music, where I did four years and a lot of great roles.  The show moves you out to New York where you put on  Senior Showcase for all of the casting directors and agents, who come each year to scout new talent.  I signed with an agent there and the rest is history!

 

MS:  Roger Maris left Fargo and went to New York.  He did well.

 

PTB: (laughs)  Exactly.

 

MS:  Was there a show you saw that kind of triggered the bug?

 

PTB:  Yeah.  I think the very first show I saw was a production of “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at the Guthrie Theater in Minneapolis.  I had never seen production value like that.  Ever.  I was just in awe at how good the show looked.  And once I was over that, I realized how much fun it looked like the people were having.  One of my teachers added, “and their getting paid.”  I realized I could live in New York , which sounded fun.  I think it was just me realizing that I could have a good time in a show.  That my job would be a really good time.  I’ll get to tell stories and, hopefully, at the end of the day change some lives. 

 

MS:  What was your first professional gig

 

PTB:  It was at the Muni in St. Louis.  When I was in college I got my Equity card and I sang “Beautiful Girl” in “Singing in the Rain.”  I did “Peter Pan” there.  I did “Oklahoma there.  I think I’ve done thirteen different shows at the Muni, mostly when I was in college, but I’ve been back a couple times since then.  That’s where I got my start.  When I moved to the City I went out on the National Tour of “Young Frankenstein.”  A week after that contract was up I signed up for the National Tour of “Jersey Boys.”  When that contract ended I went back to New York and did seven shows on Broadway.  I haven’t been back on the road in quite some time so it’s been fun to get my tour legs again. 

 

MS:  Is there a role you’d like to play?  Too bad “Phantom” just closed.

 

PTB:  (laughing) Maybe in four years when it comes back.  I’d love to play Sweeney Todd actually.  It’s back and it’s on Broadway.  Josh Grobin is doing it.  Maybe when he’s out of there I can get seen for it.  That would be great.  I’d also love to play George Seurat in “Sunday in the Park with George.”  I guess ultimately, I just want to do a Sondheim show!  I’ve never done a Sondheim show and I’m really itching to do one. 

 

“Les Miserables” opens in Kansas City on Tuesday, May 2.  For tickets and information about this and futurte shows, please click HERE.

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Kansas City Theater Review: “Annie”

 

  • ANNIE
  • Kauffman Center, Kansas City, Missouri
  • April 18, 2023

The first professional musical I saw was the first National Tour which came to Kansas City in 1981.  Reid Shelton, who had originated the role of Oliver Warbucks on Broadway, was in the cast along with future Tony Award winner Gary Beach, who played Rooster.  I had played the album endlessly for years so it was an amazing opportunity to see the show live.  42-years later, the show returned to Kansas City and I made sure I was there!

If you are not aware of the show “Annie” or the song “Tomorrow,” you definitely were not around in the late 1970s.  The show took the world by storm, running for an amazing 2,377 shows and was so popular that the name of the Alvin Theater, where the show ran, was temporarily changed to the ANNIE.  For those not familiar with the show, it tells the story of Annie, an orphan in depression-era New York City who lives in an orphanage with other parentless children.  The place is overseen by Miss Hanigan, a woman who really has no reason to be raising children.  When billionaire Oliver Warbucks decides to have an orphan spend Christmas with him, Annie is chosen.  The rest, as the saying goes, is history.

Like any musical, the show is only as good as the people in it, and here “Annie” did not disappoint.  From the ragtag orphans to FDR, they did not miss a beat.  As someone that knows the score by heart, I was pleased at how the performers made the songs their own, adding an additional pause or small nuance to familiar songs, giving the show a new, but familiar, feel. 

 

Among the standouts – Christopher Swan as Warbucks, Stefanie Londino as Miss Hannigan, Julia Nicole Hunter as Grace Farrell and, of course, Ellie Pulsifer, who plays Annie with a little more street smarts then usual.  I also enjoyed the comic performance of Aidan Ziegler-Hansen, who played radio host Bert Healey. At least I hope it was Mr. Ziegler-Hansen.  On the cast board it was noted that the role of Bert Healey was being played by a different actor.  I didn’t write the name down becuase I expected a little note to be inserted in the Playbill.  Unfortunately, non-of the Playbills had one and by the time the show let out the board had been taken down.  Mr. Ziegler-Hansen is listed as the understudy for the role so that is who I’m tipping my hat too.

In 1993 I caught an early performance of the short-lived “Annie Warbucks,” a sequel to the original show, with a cast that included Donna McKechnie, the original Cassie in “A Chorus Line.”  Though well received, the show never made it to Broadway.  Oh well.  Maybe Tomorrow…it is only a day away!

I give “Annie” 5 stars out of 5.  A fun night at the theater for young and old!

 

“Annie” runs in Kansas City through April 23rd.  For tickets to this or future shows, click HERE.

“Annie” plays kc through.  buy tix here.

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Blu-Ray Review: Cocaine Bear

Starring: Keri Russell, O’Shea Jackson, Jr. and Ray Liotta
Directed by: Elizabeth Banks
Rated: R
Running time: 95 minutes
Universal

Normally when a film is advertised as “based/inspired by a true story,” you think to yourself, cool. However, when I first heard this comment used about “Cocaine Bear” I had to chuckle. Really? A beat that goes on a cocaine bender? Yeah, right. Then I spoke with a friend of mine who lives in Knoxville, Tennessee. She knew all about the story BECAUSE IT’S TRUE!

It’s sometime in the 1980s. America is in the middle of a huge drug epidemic. “Just say no,” is the message related by everyone from Nancy Reagan to Pee Wee Herman. Sadly there are no television in the woods.

A plane flies overhead in the darkness. Aboard is a man packaging up bundles of cocaine to drop into the woods below for his associates to recover and put on the street. An onboard mishap causes the plane to crash, with the wreckage (and drugs’) strewn all over. Anyone could come along and find the illicit cargo. Hikers. Kids. A bear.

A film that mixes dark humor and horror perfectly is indeed a rarity, but “Cocaine Bear” pulls this mixture off almost seamlessly. Director Banks and screenwriter Jimmy Warden have woven together a film that is both funny and terrifying.

The cast is full of colorful characters, ranging from Russell’s frantic mom searching for her daughter to Jackson’s almost too responsible drug runner to Margo Martindale as a park ranger with romance on her mind. Throw in recent Tony award winner Jesse Tyler Ferguson as a local wildlife expert and the late Ray Liotta in one of his final performances and you have a group of actors who, instead of going for camp, play the situations straight. And don’t forget the bear, who shows an amazing range of emotions. Add a soundtrack consisting of some of the era’s greatest hits and you have the formula for an entertaining night at the movies.

It is now available to own on digital, Blu-ray and DVD.
The ‘MAXIMUM RAMPAGE EDITION’ has the following features:
Alternate Ending
Deleted & Extended Scenes
Gag Reel
All Roads Lead to Cokey: The Making of COCAINE BEAR – Meet the hilarious ensemble brought together to bring the movie of what is soon to be the world’s most famous bear to life.
UnBEARable Bloodbath: Dissecting the Kills – From rigging to special effects makeup, to some of the actors doing their own stunts, we’ll get a bears-eye view into some of COCAINE BEAR’s hilarious and gory kill scenes.
Doing Lines – Cast and filmmakers read lines from the script to COCAINE BEAR, which was a work of art unto itself.
Feature Commentary with Director/Producer Elizabeth Banks and Producer Max Handelman

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Filed Under: DVD/Blu-Ray Reviews, Movies Tagged With: Blu-ray, cocaine bear, elizabeth banks, keri russell, mike smith, o'shea jackson jr., ...

Film Review: “AIR”

 

  • AIR
  • Starring: Matt Damon, Ben Affleck and Viola Davis
  • Directed by: Ben Affleck
  • Rated: R
  • Running time: 1 hr 53 mins
  • Amazon Studios
  • (Five stars out of Five)

It’s been 26 years since a couple of kids named Ben Affleck and Matt Damon took Hollywood by storm when they won an Oscar for their original screenplay “Good Will Hunting.” In the time since winning, the two have battled through career ups and downs and today are among the most respected people in Hollywood. Especially Affleck, who went from being a punchline to becoming one of the best directors in the business. His non-nomination for directing the Oscar winning Best Picture, “Argo,” is a true mystery that I don’t even think Scooby Doo and his pals could solve.

Not including a brief appearance on the “set” of “Good Will Hunting 2’ in Kevin Smith’s “Jay and Silent Bob Save Hollywood,” the two have no appeared on screen together since GWH. That all changes now with the release of “Air.”

It may be hard to believe, but there was a time when Nike was almost an afterthought when it came to sneakers. Back in my youth the popular brands were Adidas and Puma. Sure, Nike was big with runners but, where I once as a kid asked my parents to buy me a pair of Lou Brock-model Keds, I cannot remember ever asking them for a pair of Nikes. Enter Sonny Vacarro (Damon), hired by the Beaverton, Oregon company to help increase the brand.l The 1984 draft has just been held and he is charged with finding three players to hopefully sign sponsorship contracts and get the word out. But Vacarro, going against everything he has been told, decides to put all of Nike’s eggs in the baseke of a certain young man from the University of North Carolina, one Michael Jeffrey Jordan.

Packed with great performances and backed by a killer soundtrack of 1984 tunes, “Air” asumes the audience knows that Jordan and Nike now go hand in handl, but are curious to know how they got together.

 

Damon is his usual solid self, giving Vacarro an empathy that you might not normally have for someone in his position. It is his persistance, as well as his genuine belief that Jordan is truly a once-in-a-lifetime talent, that keeps the film moving. Damon is joined by director Affleck, who plays Nike founder Phil Knight as a man who must balance his employee’s beliefs with the wishes of his stockholders. Also contributing: Jason Bateman, Chris Tucker and Chris Messina, who plays Jordan’s agent, David Falk. Messina’s scenes with Damon are comic gold, somehow making characters who should be unlikable anything but. And I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the award-worthy performance by Viola Davis, who plays Jordan’s mother, Deloris. Her quiet strength, and true belief in her son’s ability, give the film a great compass.

The script is tight and Affleck has given the film a quick, but even, pace. I’d put “Air” on the same shelf as “Argo” in both style and execution.

I know it’s only April, but I am not afraid to state for the record that “Air” is – nd will be – one of the best films of the year.

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I Was RIGHT About Adam Sandler

 

Let’s take a trip back in time.  It’s 2011 and this site was still known as MovieMikes.  I posted a review for the Adam Sandler film Jack and Jill and all hell broke loose.  The reason?  I had rated it as positive on Rotten Tomatoes.  Let me go more in depth.  I was the ONLY critic to give Jack and Jill a positive rating.

 

If you’ve learned anything about me in the 13-plus years this site has been in existance, it’s that, even though I’m now 62, inside I’ll always be a 13-year old boy.  I love Adam Sandler’s goofy brand of comedy.  Yes, some of his films are pretty, well, not-good, but I usually laugh at them.

 

That was the case of Jack and Jill.  Yes it was durmb, but come on….you had Al Pacino singing and dancing for Christ’s sake!  I gave it 2.5 stars out of 5, but instead of rating it as “Rotten” on RT I rated it “fresh.”  And the madness began.

 

I received so many negative comments on the post on RT that they stopped allowing people to comment.  I received a bunch of horrible emails, many of which I can’t quote here.  What I thought was odd was that these comments began piling up the moment I posted my review.  The day before the film even opened.  These people were criticizing me for liking a film they hadn’t even seen.  However, there is a certain silver lining to this adventure as Adam Sandler recently was awarded the Mark Twain Prize for American Humor.  That’s right.  Richard Pryor.  Steve Martin.  Carol Burnett.  ADAM SANDLER!!

 

 

As the ONLY critic to give Jack and Jill a “fresh” rating, this site was not only mentioned nationwide on the “Opie and Anthony” radio show, but was mentioned on “E!” Entertainment Television.  Adam Sandler, and Mike G’s series of “Walking Dead” interviews that same year put us on the map!  Thirteen years later we continue to be one of the most popular entertainment sites out there.  And for that I say, “thank YOU, Adam Sandler!”

 

And thanks to all of yolu for your continued support!

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