New York Metro Vocal Arts Ensemble Operation Opera by Ronald Sklar “Opera is the one art form that combines them all,” says José Alejandro Guzman, guest conductor for the New York Metro Vocal Arts Ensemble (NYMVAE). “If you like dance, singing, ballet, plays or orchestras — scenery or costumes — comedy or drama or melodrama … Continue reading
Holly Hunter Has Nine Livesby Brad Balfour In the nine vignette-composed feature Nine Lives by director Rodrigo Garcia, Oscar-winning actress Holly Hunter joins an ensemble cast of other established actors such as Glenn Close and Aidan Quinn, in talking about the lives of various women at moments of crisis. Since this project had a scant budget and time constraints, … Continue reading
PETER FALK REVEALS A FEW THINGS by Brad Balfour Though by now veteran actor Peter Falk may always be playing a bit of Peter Falk in every role he does, that archetype works perfectly well when he plays the oh-so-Jewish father in Paul Reiser’s feature, The Thing About My Folks. If any movie does a classic riff on the … Continue reading
United Stages Off Broadway by Ronald Sklar The New York small-venue theater scene is — as it has always been — vibrant with new and even established talent – both on and off the stage. However, small venue – or as it is sometimes called, off-off Broadway – is an artistic endeavor that faces many … Continue reading
LAURA LINNEY THE EXORCISM OF LAURA LINNEY by Brad Balfour Within two years, Oscar nominated Laura Linney has had several remarkable films released such as Kinsey and now supernatural courtroom drama, The Exorcism of Emily Rose. Once again, the 40-something actress grapples with lives in profound transition, this time playing a lawyer who defends a priest [Tom Wilkinson) … Continue reading
GIRL PLAY (2004) Starring Robin Greenspan, Lacie Harmon, Mink Stole, Dom Deluise, Katherine Randolph, Lauren Maher, Gina DeVivo, Shannon Perez, Domenic Ottersbach, Julie Briggs, Jessica Golden, Lynn A. Henderson, Sarah Bareilles and Katlin Belcher. Screenplay by Robin Greenspan, Lacie Harmon and Lee Friedlander. Directed by Lee Friedlander. Distributed by Wolfe Home Video. 80 minutes. Not … Continue reading
TOM WOPAT STATE OF BLISS By Ronald Sklar Tom Wopat had the nerve to forge a solid show business career that boldly defied the odds. Born and raised among seven other siblings on a dairy farm in rural Wisconsin, he is now – you’ll never guess — a veteran Broadway actor and singer who has played … Continue reading
Henry Rollins Out of the Van by Ronald Sklar “I could grandstand and tell you I’m The Man, but I basically don’t have a life,” Henry Rollins tells me in a recent phone interview. As usual, The Man is being too hard on himself. The rock legend, now in his early forties and still as tough … Continue reading
Mark Ruffalo, Peter Krause, Laura Dern and John Curran Adultery Education by Jay S. Jacobs We Don’t Live Here Anymore is a haunting, sometimes even devastating, look at modern marriage. Based on two short stories by Andre Dubus (“We Don’t Live Here Anymore” and “Adultery”), the movie focuses on two couples. The film chronicles the casually cruel … Continue reading
joe mantegna one of us by jay s. jacobs When Joe Mantegna was a student at the Goodman School of Drama in Chicago, he would to pick up a play and turn the page that listed the original cast. It always fascinated him. Who originated these roles? What did they do later? Did they become a star … Continue reading
