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New Extremist Attack?
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Health Care Financing Reform: (97) Extent of Coverage and Subsidies in the House and Senate Bills
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Do IT this week: Layering
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What do you want for Christmas (part three)?
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All I want for Christmas…..
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Jim is looking for a place to go toboggan in Cleveland.
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On the Town – Top entertainment picks for the weekend
HRLite House:
Genetic Discrimination
Akron Gamer:
Video: Team Up in 'Splinter Cell: Conviction'
By Kerry Clawson
Beacon Journal staff writer
POSTED: 09:56 p.m. EDT, Oct 29, 2009
Families looking for a Halloween alternative may want to check out the Akron Youth Symphony performing in a free concert with Blue Steel, the United States Air Force Academy Band's pop music group.
The musical celebration will be from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday at Firestone High School, 333 Rampart Ave., Akron. Families arriving at the school commons by 6:45 p.m. can enjoy a free ''safe trick or treat'' organized by the city and sponsored by the Akron Peacemakers, a teen civic and anti-crime program.
Blue Steel recently has begun collaborating with youth symphonies while on tour in an effort to combine community service, educational outreach and inspiration through world-class music. This is the first time the Akron Youth Symphony will perform with the group.
''It was really an honor to be asked,'' said Jason Swank of the Akron Symphony.
Blue Steel, which hails from Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo., is spending the week in Northeast Ohio doing free performances and educational outreach. The five-member band performed during the Today show and Good Company on Cleveland's Channel 3, rocked out at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, and visited several Cleveland agencies and organizations.
By exploring musical genres from Bach to rock, Blue Steel's mission is to salute the Air Force and U.S. veterans, celebrate patriotism and build community spirit in each city it visits. The Akron program will include everything from patriotic classics to modern rock, with the youth symphony and Blue Steel collaborating on six tunes as well as service songs. Selections will include the songs of Paul McCartney, Norah Jones, Foo Fighters, Aretha Franklin and U2. The 100-member Akron Youth Symphony will perform on its own as well.
The Air Force Academy Band also supports the recruiting mission for both the Air Force and its academy.
''I have always known that our music is an invaluable vehicle in telling the Air Force story, especially when it's being offered to students — it's priceless,'' said lead vocalist Tech. Sgt. Victoria Bruyette.
''Music is such a great medium to instill patriotism in these young people and the audience as well.''
Blue Steel, which has operated for more than 30 years, currently features Sgt. James Bristow on guitar, Sgt. Jeremy Laukhuf on bass, Sgt. Christopher Gaona on drums and Sgt. Andrew Benton on keyboards. Sgt. Michael Riley is audio engineer.
'Wedding Singer' bombs
Adam Sandler's goofy charm is the only thing that makes the movie The Wedding Singer even slightly worth watching. It's a forced and unnatural story that attempts to tap into '80s nostalgia. But the translation to a stage musical is even worse.
The tour last weekend at the University of Akron's E.J. Thomas Hall left me feeling insulted. Why? Because Akron audiences don't have such embarrassingly low entertainment expectations.
First, the show by Prather Entertainment Group had some obvious sound problems, with echoey spots as well as microphone issues that left us unable to hear lyrics by secondary characters and ensemble members. The music, supposedly composed in the styles of '80s pop and rock icons, is almost entirely forgettable.
But most importantly, this musical has one of the most inane stories I've ever seen. Wedding singer Robbie Hart is jilted at the altar and thinks his life has gone down the tubes. Waitress Julia is a sympathetic ear but she's already engaged to a Wall Street shark. Will true love prevail?
Real-life married couple Michael and Jillian Zygo had a lovely chemistry together but the heartfelt emotion didn't begin until nine songs into the show, when Julia gives Robbie a sweet pep talk in Come out of the Dumpster. Everything outside of the two romantic leads felt soulless, including dynamics with the characters' friends and other love interests.
Julia's good-girl character also looks ridiculously out of step with all the heavy metal or Madonna-wannabe women in the show. She's like a headband-wearing Mickey Mouse Club member living in everyone else's rock star world. The costumer, who is not credited, at least could have made her look cute instead of downright dowdy.
I have another beef: You'd think a show infused with '80s-style pop music would be a big dance musical, but The Wedding Singer is not. Choreography by Amy Marie McCleary was basic, static and bland: In what should have been a huge club scene number, the ensemble stood with legs spread wide, simply swaying.
Let's hope the original Broadway choreography by Rob Ashford was far superior to what we're seeing on this non-Equity tour.
The only times the tour's choreography rose above pedestrian were with a couple of Michael Jackson moves and when character Linda executed some impressively vixenish moves in Robbie's bedroom.
The show had me chuckling a few times, especially at the '80s leather costumes with metal-stud detailing, which I'm sad to say I wore even into the early '90s. And the opening to Act II, showing a Pong game projected onto the curtain, was great fun.
Otherwise, this show wasn't too clever. The script actually has Robbie addressing characters as Fake Mr. T, Fake Tina Turner and Fake Imelda Marcos in a final scene with celebrity impersonators. Couldn't that information have been worked into the dialogue a little better?
Odds and ends
-- The Firestone High School Orchestra will perform with the Akron Pops Orchestra in a free concert at 3 p.m. Sunday at the high school. Call 330-873-3315.
-- Opera Cleveland will offer a contemporary twist on the tale of ladies' man Don Giovanni with productions today, Sunday and Nov. 7 at the State Theatre at PlayhouseSquare. Director John Hoomes will mix abstract, modern sets that evoke the feeling of a moonscape with period costumes for the Mozart opera. Tickets are $25-$130. Call 216-241-6000.
Arts writer Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or kclawson@thebeaconjournal.com.
Families looking for a Halloween alternative may want to check out the Akron Youth Symphony performing in a free concert with Blue Steel, the United States Air Force Academy Band's pop music group.
The musical celebration will be from 7:30 to 9 p.m. Saturday at Firestone High School, 333 Rampart Ave., Akron. Families arriving at the school commons by 6:45 p.m. can enjoy a free ''safe trick or treat'' organized by the city and sponsored by the Akron Peacemakers, a teen civic and anti-crime program.
Blue Steel recently has begun collaborating with youth symphonies while on tour in an effort to combine community service, educational outreach and inspiration through world-class music. This is the first time the Akron Youth Symphony will perform with the group.
''It was really an honor to be asked,'' said Jason Swank of the Akron Symphony.
Blue Steel, which hails from Peterson Air Force Base in Colorado Springs, Colo., is spending the week in Northeast Ohio doing free performances and educational outreach. The five-member band performed during the Today show and Good Company on Cleveland's Channel 3, rocked out at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum, and visited several Cleveland agencies and organizations.
By exploring musical genres from Bach to rock, Blue Steel's mission is to salute the Air Force and U.S. veterans, celebrate patriotism and build community spirit in each city it visits. The Akron program will include everything from patriotic classics to modern rock, with the youth symphony and Blue Steel collaborating on six tunes as well as service songs. Selections will include the songs of Paul McCartney, Norah Jones, Foo Fighters, Aretha Franklin and U2. The 100-member Akron Youth Symphony will perform on its own as well.
The Air Force Academy Band also supports the recruiting mission for both the Air Force and its academy.
''I have always known that our music is an invaluable vehicle in telling the Air Force story, especially when it's being offered to students — it's priceless,'' said lead vocalist Tech. Sgt. Victoria Bruyette.
''Music is such a great medium to instill patriotism in these young people and the audience as well.''
Blue Steel, which has operated for more than 30 years, currently features Sgt. James Bristow on guitar, Sgt. Jeremy Laukhuf on bass, Sgt. Christopher Gaona on drums and Sgt. Andrew Benton on keyboards. Sgt. Michael Riley is audio engineer.
'Wedding Singer' bombs
Adam Sandler's goofy charm is the only thing that makes the movie The Wedding Singer even slightly worth watching. It's a forced and unnatural story that attempts to tap into '80s nostalgia. But the translation to a stage musical is even worse.
The tour last weekend at the University of Akron's E.J. Thomas Hall left me feeling insulted. Why? Because Akron audiences don't have such embarrassingly low entertainment expectations.
First, the show by Prather Entertainment Group had some obvious sound problems, with echoey spots as well as microphone issues that left us unable to hear lyrics by secondary characters and ensemble members. The music, supposedly composed in the styles of '80s pop and rock icons, is almost entirely forgettable.
But most importantly, this musical has one of the most inane stories I've ever seen. Wedding singer Robbie Hart is jilted at the altar and thinks his life has gone down the tubes. Waitress Julia is a sympathetic ear but she's already engaged to a Wall Street shark. Will true love prevail?
Real-life married couple Michael and Jillian Zygo had a lovely chemistry together but the heartfelt emotion didn't begin until nine songs into the show, when Julia gives Robbie a sweet pep talk in Come out of the Dumpster. Everything outside of the two romantic leads felt soulless, including dynamics with the characters' friends and other love interests.
Julia's good-girl character also looks ridiculously out of step with all the heavy metal or Madonna-wannabe women in the show. She's like a headband-wearing Mickey Mouse Club member living in everyone else's rock star world. The costumer, who is not credited, at least could have made her look cute instead of downright dowdy.
I have another beef: You'd think a show infused with '80s-style pop music would be a big dance musical, but The Wedding Singer is not. Choreography by Amy Marie McCleary was basic, static and bland: In what should have been a huge club scene number, the ensemble stood with legs spread wide, simply swaying.
Let's hope the original Broadway choreography by Rob Ashford was far superior to what we're seeing on this non-Equity tour.
The only times the tour's choreography rose above pedestrian were with a couple of Michael Jackson moves and when character Linda executed some impressively vixenish moves in Robbie's bedroom.
The show had me chuckling a few times, especially at the '80s leather costumes with metal-stud detailing, which I'm sad to say I wore even into the early '90s. And the opening to Act II, showing a Pong game projected onto the curtain, was great fun.
Otherwise, this show wasn't too clever. The script actually has Robbie addressing characters as Fake Mr. T, Fake Tina Turner and Fake Imelda Marcos in a final scene with celebrity impersonators. Couldn't that information have been worked into the dialogue a little better?
Odds and ends
-- The Firestone High School Orchestra will perform with the Akron Pops Orchestra in a free concert at 3 p.m. Sunday at the high school. Call 330-873-3315.
-- Opera Cleveland will offer a contemporary twist on the tale of ladies' man Don Giovanni with productions today, Sunday and Nov. 7 at the State Theatre at PlayhouseSquare. Director John Hoomes will mix abstract, modern sets that evoke the feeling of a moonscape with period costumes for the Mozart opera. Tickets are $25-$130. Call 216-241-6000.
Arts writer Kerry Clawson may be reached at 330-996-3527 or kclawson@thebeaconjournal.com.
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