Christmas items started infiltrating stores before Halloween. Holiday music is already on the radio. Thanksgiving is next week. I know, I know; it’s depraved. The holidays are upon us, and it’s safe to say that none of us is ready for the mad rush that accompanies the end of another year. But ready or not, […]
Eric Rezsnyak
Posted inArts & Entertainment
Daily Choices: What to do on Thursday, November 15
SPECIAL EVENT: Who will it be? Dominoes?Lite-Brite?Magic 8 Ball?Pogo stick? Our money is on Clue. Find out at 10:30 a.m. today as the National Museum of Play (1 Manhattan Square) holds its annual induction ceremony for the Toy Hall of Fame. The ceremony is included in regular museum admission ($13, ages 2 and under free). […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
THEATER REVIEW: “Freud’s Last Session”
Historical fictions are tricky. On the one hand, using actual figures from history make it easier for an audience to invest in the characters — just about everyone has at least heard of, say, Pablo Picasso and Albert Einstein (both featured in Steve Martin’s “Picasso at the Lapine Agile”). On the other, these are real […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
THEATER REVIEW: “Melanie and the Record Man”
“Melanie and the Record Man” – a new musical receiving its world premiere at Blackfriars Theatre – tells the story of folk singer Melanie, her music career, and her relationship with her late husband and producer. This labor of love for Blackfriars’ John Haldoupis is a memorable and moving piece worth seeing.
Posted inMusic
BROADWAY/POP: Idina Menzel
Broadway fans know Idina Menzel as the original Maureen in “Rent,” and as the definitive Elphaba in “Wicked.” TV fans know her as Shelby Corcoran, the biological mother or Rachel Berry and leader of a rival show choir on “Glee,” and she was also a featured player in the movie “Enchanted.” What the uninitiated need […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
“RuPaul’s Drag Race All Stars” Episode 1: Pair shaped
A regular season of “Drag Race” is a ridiculous reality-TV spectacle like no other, so an “All Stars” season has the potential to be…pretty much the gayest thing ever. A dozen of our favorite queens (well, at least 11 of our favorite queens) are back for another chance at the “Drag Race” title and $100,000. […]
Posted inMusic
Jazz Fest 2013: Club Passes on sale Friday, October 26
The Xerox Rochester International Jazz Festival today announced that Club Passes for the 2013 edition of the festival will go on sale Friday, October 26. The passes will sell for a “holiday price” of $174 (plus $6 service charge) until midnight on December 31; as of January 1 the cost will increase to $194 (plus […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
“Face Off” Season 3: Borg this way
Well, THAT was a bummer. Last night’s “Face Off,” in which we went from five contestants to four, felt more like a slump to the finish line than a race to the finale. Burnout is to be expected at this stage of the competition, but it’s really starting to affect several of the competitors, and […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
THEATER: “Working, a Musical”
With the economy still struggling and a national unemployment rate of nearly 8 percent, work is on the mind of every politician — and voter. So the timing is smart for a revival of “Working,” a musical that first debuted in the 1970’s, based on the book “Working: People Talk About What They Do All […]
Posted inNews & Opinion
Work continues on MAG Sculpture Park
Work continued Monday on the installation of the Memorial Art Gallery’s Centennial Sculpture Park, specifically the large-scale piece by Tom Otterness that will be situated near the corner of North Goodman and University. A flatbed truck holding several large elements of the piece was parked alongside University Avenue, and a police car was out front […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
“The X Factor” Season 2: Top 24 Judges’ Houses performances
Having slogged through this week’s three hours of “The X Factor,” spread over two shows in which we winnowed the contestants down to 24 from 60, something struck me: how goddamned boring this show is. It just kept going and going and going, but it felt so repetitive and dull. The funny thing is, we […]
Posted inArts & Entertainment
“Project Runway” Season 10: Lower your avant-garde
It was the final challenge before Fashion Week, and the Final 5 – Dmitry, Sonjia, Christopher, Melissa, and Fabio – were hauled out to a castle in Long Island, given some nonsensical make-up-based inspirations (seriously, I have no idea), and then tasked with designing avant-garde looks. I think it blows that we got our avant-garde […]
