Results tagged “architecture” from Blogway Baby

The name says it all.

I am so excited to see Anne Allgood at COCKTAIL NUTS with your host Rich Gray on Monday September 28. Anne is the consummate performer. She has appeared on Broadway, national tours, every major theatre in Seattle, and now...COCKTAIL NUTS!

I first saw Anne onstage in THE WOMEN at ACT (see the picture below, that's Anne in the blue hat). She was hilarious. And then I saw her in MEMPHIS and SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE at The 5th Avenue Theatre, and most recently in DAS BARBECU at ACT Theatre. Anne can sing anything - from Sondheim to country and western! She'll make you laugh and then tear your heart out. Ouch!

And not only is Anne an amazing performer, she is an incredible voice coach.

Shine a Light on Camp Broadway!

My oldest daughter Myrna was lucky enough to attend Camp Broadway in New York a few years back and it was indeed a life-changing experience. Not only did she work with Broadway professionals, it was with Camp Broadway that she was able to attend the Tony Awards hosted by Hugh Jackman. And, her picture still comes up on the Camp Broadway website.

Camp Broadway has really grown over the years thanks to a dedicated and hard-working staff. So when I got this information from Susan Lee, I wanted to share it with y'all right away!

I wanted to make you aware of an exciting opportunity for Camp Broadway...

Later this afternoon Mrs. Patricia Smith (a mom whose daughter was given a scholarship to attend Camp Broadway this summer) is going to nominate Camp Broadway in American Express' "Shine A Light" Competition, a national search for a small business that has had a positive social impact on their community. To be eligible, (1) the company must be a private, independently-owned and operated business, (2) organized for profit and operates primarily in the US, (3) has less than 100 employees with revenues under $10 million and (4) accepts the American Express card. Camp Broadway is eligible.

The judging will be based on: An inspiring story about a small business that has devised a new way of working in order to survive tough times ("innovation"), still finds ways to give back to the community, even when staying afloat is a challenge ("community") and continually demonstrates a "customer first" mentality, and during challenging times recognizes that connections are more important than ever ("customer service).

Once the nomination is posted it needs to get a minimum of 50 votes NO LATER THAN September 13 at 11:59 PM ET to be considered by the judges. Our team is hereby requesting your support of our nomination... Please go to http://shinealight.ivillage.com/ later tonight or soon thereafter and vote for CB if you believe our work over the last 15 years merits consideration. We believe there is an opportunity for you to add your own comment about how we have helped you, your family, a person you know and/or the community at large. If you have something nice to say, we would appreciate your adding it to the nomination.

You might also take a moment to review the other nominations. I hope you agree that we are worthy to be considered in this group.

The winning small business will receive $50,000 and $50,000 in marketing support. Someone has to win...why not Camp Broadway? You can encourage your friends around the country to vote for us too if you believe that a little company that is dedicated to theatre arts education for kids, whether or not they can afford it, deserves a helping hand.

Our staff, teaching artists and all the kids we work with appreciate your support (now as always).

Love and thanks,

Susan

What are you waiting for? Vote!

SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE at The 5^th Avenue  Theatre

Putting It Together (and by “it” I mean a fabulous show!)

I was lucky enough to attend opening night of The 5^th Avenue Theatre's production of SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE (April 21 – May 10). Written by Stephen Sondheim (Music and Lyrics) and James Lapine (Book), directed by Sam Buntrock with musical direction by the 5th Avenue's resident musical genius Ian Eisendrath, this is a not-to-be-missed, only-in-three-cities-ever (London, New York, Seattle), stuffed-to-the-celing-with-talent-cast event!

From the 5^th Avenue Theatre website:

Only three cities in the world will experience this exciting new production of Stephen Sondheim's musical masterpiece Sunday in the Park with George. Developed in London and transferred to Broadway, this Pulitzer Prize-winning love story (inspired by the life and work of impressionist painter Georges Seurat) comes to Seattle April 21-May 10. Featuring revolutionary state-of-the-art scenic design the New York Post hailed "Unmissable! One of the most visually amazing shows ever!" this moving story answers the question: What does it take to create a masterpiece? Everything you have.

In a Parisian park on a Sunday afternoon in 1884, artist Georges Seurat does a study of his model and mistress Dot. He is obsessed with how the eye translates points of individual color into different hues, but his work is decried by critics and other artists as having "no life." For her part, Dot is obsessed with Georges, and frustrated that he's more connected to his studies of people in the park—a nurse, a servant, a fellow artist—than her. The scene shifts to Georges' apartment, where Dot powders her face for a trip to the Follies, and Georges paints her, enraptured by her beauty. But she's shocked when he announces he can't go out: he has to finish his painting. She leaves, and the scene returns to the park, where Georges does other studies: a boatman, a pair of soldiers, some dogs. Dot arrives with her new boyfriend Louie, hoping to make Georges jealous, but he ignores them and continues with his painting. Still later, Dot comes to Georges at his studio, pregnant with his child. She again entreats him to tell her not to go, but he won't, and she announces that she and Louie are emigrating to America. Later in the park, the dramas and conflicts of the people George has been sketching come to a head, with arguments and recriminations flying. Then Georges' mantra is repeated: "Order. Design. Tension. Balance. Harmony." With that, the artist moves each of the figures into position—the masterpiece is complete, and before us is "Sunday in the Park of La Grande Jatte."

As the second act begins, a century has passed, and we see the painting on the wall of a museum, where the figures are caught in a perfect moment forever. Georges' great-grandson, also an artist named George, presents his multimedia sound and light art piece, "Chromalune #7." At the cocktail party afterwards, George engages in the real "art of making art:" high-powered cocktail schmoozing. As the crowd leave, George's grandmother Marie reminds him that the true legacies in life are children and art. Weeks later, George is in Paris in the Park of La Grande Jatte, commissioned to create another art piece. But his heart's not in it; Marie has died, and in the dark lonely park, he feels no inspiration. A woman approaches as he sits reading his great-grandmother's notebook—a woman wearing a distinctive and familiar dress...

The cast includes Hugh Panaro as George and Billie Wildrick as Dot. They were absolutely magnificent! The supporting cast is phenomenal and includes (to name a few) such Seattle luminaries as Carol Swarbrick, Rich Gray, Anne Allgood, Chad Jennings, Allen Fitzpatrick, Patti Cohenour, and Keaton Whittaker.

The set really is stunning. Watching the show unfold with moving animation behind, and around it, is thrilling. You literally have to see it to believe it! And if you are a high school student, that means you can see it for ten dollars!

I also had the pleasure to participate in the “connect the dots” cross promotion with local galleries! The opening night gallery was SAM Gallery, located at the corner of 3rd and University. The reception started at 5:30pm and I had a chance to meet the artists who had been commissioned to create new works based on Seurat's "Sunday in the Park of La Grande Jatte", see other new work, and drink wine and eat cheese catered by Le Pichet. It doesn’t get much better than that. Each night has a different gallery reception, so check the website!

OK, this is a bit of a stretch, but SO DAMN COOL. I would love this, if anyone is looking to give me a surprise...it's only 150,000 pounds.

I'm thinking this fort would make an amazing musical theater venue, just off the Welsh coast. It could be the new East West End...

Plus the guns that are still inside could come in handy with an unruly audience!

Stack Rock Fort, about 800 yards off the west Wales coast near Milford Haven, is for sale for 150,000 pounds.

The 19th Century fort -- complete with a couple of cannons -- dates back from the time of Napoleon, when it was initially built as a defence for the river Haven.

But it has nowhere to sleep at present, and the new owner will have to sort out sewage, water and power.

The fort, completely surrounded by water and with its own jetty, was built on a small island to protect the area from invasion.

Mary Joyce, manager at Haynes Agency in Pembroke, said they had never sold anything like it.The current owner bought it at auction, but hasn't done much with it -- I think he used to go there for picnics

"It is very rare -- inspection is going to be difficult, as it has to be by boat, although we have lined up someone up who runs a helicopter and they are checking out landing areas," she said.

"There are no services from what we can see -- there is damp inside and no accommodation, but there are a couple of guns inside."

Ms Joyce said there was no solid interest yet, but they had talked to a couple of developers, who had "talked about doing something in the tourist industry". "There has been a mention of a marine life centre, and someone talking about just using it as an island, a retreat," she said.

She explained that the previous Welsh-based owner had only visited the historic site a few times.

"The central part was built around Napoleon's time and the outer ring was built later -- around the 1850s," she said.

(via this post in BoingBoing)

The other night we went to see theCharActors Senior Elite performance of Bye Bye Birdie at the York Woods Library Theatre.

Not only was my daughter Myrna in the show, playing Randolph McAfee, but I was going to see the building that my dad, Thomas Ibronyi, had designed!

The library is a gorgeous building in the middle of a nondescript area. The lobby of the theater is circular with wonderful attention to detail in the theater (every seat is a good one!). Surprisingly, even the women's washroom is roomy! Wonderful job, Dad!

Myrna was her usual brilliant self. She was one of two grade 5 students amongst the grade 7 and 8 students (the other was a boy who played Conrad Birdie). She knew her marks, every move, every line of dialogue. Her voice in "Ed Sullivan" and "What's The Matter With Kids Today (Reprise)" was amazing! Wonderful job Myrna!

A real family affair!

My daughter Myrna's CharActors Senior Elite Musical Theater class (she's part Hungarian so of course her class would be elite!) is performing Bye Bye Birdie at the York Woods Library Theatre at 1785 Finch Avenue West on Thursday, May 12. She is playing Randolph McAfee, her second male role in a month, after Mr. Bumble!

This is interesting in its own right, but what makes it fascinating is that during the course of research for theLost Land John Malkovich post, I discovered that one of the buildings my father designed was the York Woods Library! Get outta town! How cool is that?

If only he was around to see one of his granddaughters sing and dance in one of his buildings! My father was a brilliant architect whose taste for mid-century modern design I seem to have inherited.

And I say to myself, it's a wonderful world...