I’d like to introduce a dear friend of mine, Audra George who is a guest writer for ATG.  Ms. George is an actor and acting teacher in New York City and I can say that she has the most electric personality. Her review of FELA! is honest and like her, I urge you to go out and see this show when you’re in the city visiting or if you live there. Enjoy Audra George for ATG and her review of FELA!

Fela!

By: Audra George

Like many Americans who experience Fela! on Broadway, I entered the Eugene O’Neill theatre knowing very little about the man who inspired the play, Fela Anikulapo-Kuti. Kuti took a political stand against the Nigerian military by speaking out through his music. He called it Afrobeat, a fusion of jazz, funk, psychedelic rock and traditional West African chants and rhythms. Kuti’s legacy is his music. Fela!, conceived by Bill T. Jones, Jim Lewis and Stephen Hendel, is undeniably propelled by the music. The placement of Kuti’s songs within the script leaves questions about the chronology of the events of his life but as Kevin Mambo’s Fela recalls his past, the memories illustrate the essence of Fela’s spirit and the songs build the story.

Fela’s mystical connection to his ancestors is woven throughout the play.  The theatre is transformed into Fela’s legendary nightclub, The Shrine.  Colorful masks, signs and photographs representing ancestors adorn the auditorium with watchful wisdom.  The spirit of Fela’s deceased mother, Funmilayo, enchantingly portrayed by Tony Award winning actress Lillias White, is a constant presence.  During the Dance of the Orisas, Fela makes a stunning, black light soaked ascent towards the spirit world to seek advice from Funmilayo’s spirit.  Scenic and costume designer, Marina Draghici, and lighting designer, Robert Wierzel, collaborate beautifully to create a multidimensional, eye-popping montage complete with puppets, video projections and Yoruba spiritual costumes.  With an intimate glimpse into Fela’s spiritual composition, it is difficult not to reflect on one’s own spirituality and connection with ancestors.

We see flashbacks into Fela’s life in London, his visit to America during the Black Power movement, his polygamous union with twenty-seven wives, and his apprehension towards James Brown’s music as it sweeps through Africa and leaves him fearful of its lack of African authenticity.  While reveling in the infectious energy of the Antibalas Afrobeat Orchestra’s rhythms, the erotic and exciting skill of the dance company and Bill T. Jones’ vibrant choreography, I still found myself desiring a dramatic glimpse into the raw emotion that inspired Fela’s music.  Kuti’s songs were an open attack on a corrupt and repressive Nigerian dictatorship.  In response to his song “Zombie,” the Nigerian government set fire to his commune, the Kalakuta Republic.  Kuti was severely beaten and his mother was killed.  In his lifetime, Kuti was sent to court over 200 times and spent several years in a maximum-security prison.  He died from AIDS in 1997.  Following a lifetime of suffering, this production succeeds in celebrating Fela’s achievements and joys by representing his hardships with humor, but it falls short of illustrating the incredible, inextricable struggle that fueled his determination to fight against corruption.

Fela! is an electric, kinetic experience.  Its message proves relevant to an American audience.  The script reinforces resistance against corrosive political and law enforcement entities that inflict violence and unregulated power over the innocent.  The design team makes sound vibrations visible through color, texture and light.  The strength of Kuti’s message is embodied by the dancers and musicians, whose stamina and grace is evident from the top to curtain.  Prompted to interact, dance and jive, the audience joins the ensemble in reveling the life and music of Fela Anikulapo-Kuti.

******CONTEST*****

In celebration of this fantastic new Broadway show ATG readers have been given the chance to win two tickets to a showing of FELA! in New York City.  Please email your contact information to the following email address with FELA! Contest in the subject line.  In two weeks we will choose a winner at random.  Good luck!!

ATGcontests@gmail.com

Just in case you haven’t seen OK Go’s brilliant new music video….

It feels like this is a bad year to be a celebrity, doesn’t it? Corey Haim is, I believe, the 4th relatively young person in Hollywood to die this year. It’s so sad, but in most cases, drugs were involved. The autopsy results haven’t come back yet, but it’s no secret Corey Haims struggle with drugs his entire life. So sad, my childhood just died. Thanks g-d Corey Feldman is still kicking.

RIP Corey Haim

To read more: http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/lanow/2010/03/actor-corey-haim-dead-at-38.html

This year I have been so behind in watching any movie associated with the Academy Awards I had definitely not seen any of the nominated shorts let alone the foreign language or documentary films.  Really they have been nominated so I can guarantee they are that good.  I am now attempting to find a screening of  “The Cove” because I had heard of it and now really wish to view it.  Before that I had really wished I had seen the Nominated Short film winner, Logorama.  It looked quite clever and thanks to Twitter I can now see it!  A link was posted to this site where you can view Logorama and it’s fellow nominees.  Since most of us do not live in cities where these great tpieces of cinema will view I suggest you quickly go view them here.  And I mean quickly just because who knows how long the site will be up!

And the picture is just to make you laugh!  I believe it’s from the 2009 ceremony.

If you watched any part of the Vancouver 2010 Olympics you had to have seen British Columbia’s fantastic commercial promoting the Province.  The commercial features beautiful scenery and celebrities from here.  Many people were asking about where the locations were and which celebrity was which so being very nice and Canadian, HelloBC supplied detailed information on the entire commercial.  I found the information over at www.vancouverisawesome.com and decided to share it with you too.  And yes B.C is really that beautiful!

BTW you should check out their site.  I love it!  I find out more about what’s going on in Vancouver from them than from anywhere else and they were amazing at keeping people updated during the Olympics.

0:03, Hiking the beach on Flores Island, near Tofino.
0:05, Michael J. Fox, star of Family Ties and Back to the Future is a BC native. He stands in some of BC’s old-growth forests in MacMillan Provincial Park, also known as Cathedral Grove.
0:07, View of the Coast Mountains, near West Vancouver.
0:08, Heli-skiing in the Kootenay Rockies.
0:09 – 0:13, Downhill skiing is one of many winter activities in the Kootenay Rockies
0:15, Juno- and Grammy-award winning musician Sarah McLachlan on the beach in Tofino.
0:16, Horseback riding near Chilko Lake in the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast.
0:18, Fishing in the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast.
0:19, The Salmon Glacier is easily accessible via road from Stewart.
0:20, Canoeing in the Cariboo Chilcotin Coast
0:21, Whitewater rafting on the Chilko River.
0:22, Ryan Reynolds, star of films that include National Lampoon’s Van Wilder and X-Men Origins: Wolverine, at Emerald Lake Lodge, the only lodge on this majestic lake in Yoho National Park.
0:24, Tobiano Golf Course in Kamloops.
0:25, Kinuseo Falls near Tumbler Ridge.
0:26, Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars, just outside of Penticton. One of the many exceptional Thompson Okanagan vineyards.
0:27 Grizzly bear viewing in British Columbia.
0:28 Horseback riding on the Potato Range, west of Williams Lake.
0:29, Kim Cattrall, from Sex in the City, samples wine from one of the Thompson Okanagan’s nearly 150 vineyards.
0:31, Vancouver’s spectacular night skyline.
0:32, Vancouver Lookout at Harbour Centre in downtown Vancouver.
0:33 – 0:38 Mission Hill Family Estate Winery in Kelowna.
0:39, Sarah McLachlan on the beach near Tofino.
0:41, BC Ferries pass each other in Active Pass in the Gulf Islands.
0:43, Sailing and boating in the waters around Vancouver.
0:45, Flightseeing around Clayoquot Sound, near Tofino.
0:47, The Fairmont Empress Hotel in Victoria.
0:48, Parliament Buildings in Victoria.
0:49, Ocean kayaking in the Broken Group Islands of Barkley Sound, near Ucluelet.
0:50, Whale watching near Victoria.
0:52, Cox Bay near Tofino, an area popular for surfing.
0:55, Actor Eric McCormack, star of the TV series Will and Grace, on the Coal Harbour waterfront, a scenic walking area in Vancouver.
0:56, English Bay in Vancouver, one of the most popular kayak spots in the city.
0:57, Ryan Reynolds at Emerald Lake Lodge in Yoho National Park.
0:59, Boats pass through False Creek, which separates two of Vancouver’s most vibrant neighbourhoods: Yaletown and Granville Island.
1:00, Crown Mountain, in Lynn Headwaters Park is just one of the many great Vancouver view points.
1:02, Michael J Fox stands among old-growth trees in MacMillan Provincial Park.
1:03, Dancers in Vancouver’s Chinatown, which is home to great shopping, restaurants and the Vancouver Chinatown Night Market.
1:04, ‘Ksan Museum Historical Village in New Hazelton.
1:05, The Museum of Anthropology is one of the many places to learn about Aboriginal culture in Vancouver. The museum is home to more than 13,000 First Nations and international artefacts.
1:06, Kim Cattrall, see reference at 0:29
1:07, A chef serves up sushi at one of British Columbia’s great restaurants
1:08 Blue Mountain Vineyard and Cellars, just outside of Penticton. One of the many exceptional Thompson Okanagan vineyards.
1:10 Mission Hill Family Estate Winery in Kelowna.
1:11, Sarah McLachlan, see reference at 0:15
1:12, Flores Island, one of Vancouver Island’s many great hiking spots.
1:13, Wickannish Inn in Tofino.
1:15, Cowichan Bay just 10 minutes south of Duncan.
1:17, Steve Nash, two-time NBA MVP in front of the award winning Vancouver Convention Centre. The new Convention Centre is just a short walk to Stanley Park.
1:18, Whitewater rafting in Wells Gray Park in Clearwater.
1:19, Lake Okanagan, a large lake that borders Kelowna, Vernon, Penticton, Peachland and Summerland.
1:20, Big White Ski Resort in Kelowna.
1:21, Red Mountain Ski Resort in Rossland.
1:22, Ski jump, crowd, time clock, skeleton and luge track in Whistler.
1:26, Michael J Fox at MacMillan Provincial Park. See reference at :05.
1:27, Olympic rings sculpture, Richmond.
1:29, Ryan Reynolds at Emerald Lake Lodge. See reference at 0:22
1:30, Sarah McLachlan, see reference at 0:15
1:31, Eric McCormack, see reference at 0:55
1:32, Steve Nash, see reference at 1:17
1:34, Michael J Fox at MacMillan Provincial Park. See reference at :05
1:41, Pacific Rim National Park, near Ucluelet.

A very talented and dear friend of mine si writing a novel  and is now attempting to get it published.  I have yet to read any part of her book but I know her and she does absolutely nothing unless she puts everything into it.  Therefore I know it will be great.  She is currently in the process of trying to get her work published and has decided to write a blog chronicling her journey.  She’s only 3 days into it and already I am hooked.  The subject of the proposed novel is under wraps for now but I can tell you it’s a young adult series but it’s not Twilight.  We absolutely do not need any more Vampire love stories.  Enough people.  But she’s funny and her blogs is truthful and funny so I’m sure we will all feel every joy and heartache of attempting to get something personal and precious out there to the world.  Maybe you’ll be inspired by her trials to move forward with a project you’ve been holding back on. You just never know…..

As we all know I am a little bit of a Tegan and Sara fan.  And while I try not to run you over with posts about them I had to share this little tidbit because it combines my two favorite things; Tegan and Sara and reading.  As many fans know both are avid readers and like to share the books they have been reading.  In the past they had done so via their myspace page but since the relaunch of their fantastic new website their myspace has become obsolete.  Many fans missed their reading updates and finally one fan site has solved this problem!   www.teganandsara.org has had a monthly piece for years where Tegan would answer a couple of fans questions.  Now Sara has started doing a monthly piece where she gives her latest great book find. Keep in mind that Sara’s reading tastes are extremely varied and almost always great reads.

Personally I love finding people who consistently give me great reading suggestions so I could not be more happy with this new monthly addition.  I’m excited teganandsara.org was able to make this happen!  To find the recommendations on the site can be a bit difficult so here are some directions.  Go to the site and clink on the top navigation bar on “library”.  Under that then choose, “From Tegan and Sara.”   Under that you will find a link to read “Ask Tegan” which is her montly Q&A or “Sara Reads” which is an archive of her monthly posts.  ”Sara Reads” has just begun so for now there is only one post but keep checking back.  I guarantee you’ll find more books you will want to read!

For this week’s edition of New Music Monday on Tuesday I thought I would share an opportunity which was sent to me with you!  Head On and Bonnaroo Music Festival have teamed together to promote awareness of the Climate Change Bill.  If you go to their website you can simply email President Obama our your State’s Senator in support of the bill and then you get a free download of songs from musicians who have performed at Bonnaroo.  It’s the best of the Fest!

• Bull Black NovaWILCO
• AnimalPEARL JAM
• Inaudible MelodiesJACK JOHNSON
• RapunzelDAVE MATTHEWS BAND
• Cath…DEATH CAB FOR CUTIE
• FuelANI DIFRANCO
• Kill Devil FallsPHISH
• Banks of the Deep EndGOV’T MULE
• Delicate FewO.A.R.

From the site:

The Time for Action is Now.

For the first time ever, a climate change-related bill has been approved by the U.S. House of Representatives. Now, it’s up to the U.S. Senate to vote on similar legislation. That’s why it’s never been more important for elected officials to hear from citizens on this issue. With that in mind, HeadCount and theNRDC Action Fund have teamed up with Dave Matthews Band, Pearl Jam, Phish, Jack Johnson and many other top acts to offer a free “Best of Bonnaroo” download compilation (see track list on right). To download “Best of Bonnaroo,” just send an original or pre-written email with a few clicks. It’s simple, free and a great way to make your voice heard. Download “Best of Bonnaroo.”

I’m, to quote the kiddies these days, ROFL

This is hilarious!! Read this post beginning to end.

Craigslist: My Law Degree (Seriously)

Ok, I was listening to the radio in the shower today and had to superman my way out of the shower because of something I heard that horrified me.

Apparently today, Gov. Schwarzenegger passed a legislation to ban swear words in California for the first week of March. If it’s approved by the assembly it will be effective immediately. There is no actual fine or ticket that can be given if you use a cuss word in front of a scab that would report you, but it’s been widely suggested to put a “tip” jar and to ask a cusser to add $.25 to it.

I have to give props to the kid who started it all, a southern Californian 16 year old. But I would hope that some adults in his presence would teach him about freedom of speech and about just HOW MUCH IT COSTS TO BRING A BULL SHIT LEGISLATION IN FRONT OF LAW MAKERS. Californians should know better than the rest of the country that money is tight, I don’t even think I’ve gotten my tax  rebate from LAST YEAR, the government is BROKE.

Just another horrifying way law makers in this state waste our G-D damned hard earned money.

This post cost me $.50 according to Schwarzie and the kid who gets offended too easily.