SHEN YUN PERFORMING ARTS
C1 January 22–28, 2016
What New York Audiences Say About
Shen Yun
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By Kati Vereshaka | Epoch Times Staff
ew York, culturally diverse and one of the most stimulating places on earth, has a new reason to rejoice—being home and host to the groundbreaking Shen Yun Performing Arts as it celebrates its 10th year. The company, whose home is upstate in Orange County, has cast a magic spell over audiences. Theatergoers get to experience the splendor of 5,000 years of a civilization epitomized in a single event that combines music and classical Chinese dance with vibrant costumes and digital backdrops. The heartfelt gratitude expressed by audience members after witnessing Shen Yun transcends cultural boundaries. See Shen Yun on C3
Edward Tricomi, top stylist
Five performances sold out in January, with 12 more coming in March.
(Top Left) Theresa Napolitano saw Shen Yun Performing Arts for the second year, and found hope for humanity in the performance at Lincoln Center on Jan. 13. (Top Right) Jerry Cammarata, Chief Operating Officer and Dean of Student Affairs at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, said it “doesn’t get any better” after seeing a soldout performance on Jan. 15. (Bottom Left) Top designer Geoffrey Bradfield said Shen Yun was “poetry in motion” on Jan. 14.
(Bottom Right) Stuart Weissman saw the “triumph of the human spirit” in Shen Yun at Lincoln Center on Jan. 15.
ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF NTD TELEVISION SHERRY DONG/EPOCH TIMES
This show resonates the divine within you.
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January 22–28, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts
Upcoming
‘Dragon’s Lair’ Film Seeks to Rekindle Lost Secrets of Walt Disney
DON BLUTH ANIMATION
By Joshua Philipp | Epoch Times Staff
W
hen Walt Disney was in a room filled with artists and musicians, something magical really did happen. The animators gathered around Disney were pioneers of a new artform, and they brought to that art the care and depth that was still the norm of craftsmanship. Director and producer Don Bluth remembers it well. He worked on “Sleeping Beauty” at Disney Studios when Disney was still there, and said in a phone interview the film was “supposed to be a new level of art” with a budget as high as “Ben Hur.” “Walt said animation is already getting too expensive,” Bluth said, “but I had a wonderful experience of watching the animators draw ... the whole thing had a sort of magic to it, but all of that has been pushed away.” “Maybe it’s time to bring it back,” he said. Bluth is hoping to do just that. He and director and producer Gary Goldman, known for films including “An American Tail” and “The Secret of N.I.M.H.,” are coming together once again to breathe new life into animation with their upcoming film, “Dragon’s Lair.” The film pulls its characters from their popular 1983 arcade game by the same name. And they plan to recreate the fantasy world of the bumbling knight and lost princess with traditional, hand-drawn animation, and with a few tricks that have otherwise been lost to time. They recently turned to crowdfunding to finance a “sizzle reel” for the movie, which they can bring to studios and use to pitch a full-length feature film. Just three days after they posted the project on crowdfunding website IndieGoGo, it reached half its quarter-million-dollar goal. At the time of writing this story, with 11 days still left on the campaign, it has already far surpassed that goal with $331,000. If the campaign’s success—and comments from backers—have shown Bluth and Goldman anything, it’s that the audience wants traditional animation back. The Secrets of Walt Disney There’s something about films in the days of Walt Disney that endured the test of time—in a way that no other films have. Think about it: when was the last time you and the family decided to sit down and watch a movie made in 1937, like you do each time you switch on “Snow White?” Or, for that matter, when was the last time you and the family watched another 1940 film like “Pinocchio,” a 1950 film like “Cinderella,” or a 1961 film like “One Hundred and One Dalmatians?” The films really are timeless. They’ve endured shifts in cultures and tastes, and they have something filmmakers today still try to replicate. Goldman said there were “lots of techniques that people with Walt were trained with, but that aren’t widely known outside of that [circle].” Classical animation, Bluth said, “is like visual music.” These days, animation is done more like a digital puppet show. A studio creates computergenerated bones and joints over a character, then program different animations for each part. When the filmmakers want a character to move across a scene, they use the computer to drag it across, then activate a preprogrammed walk cycle. With classical animation, there were many subtle tricks that haven’t translated well to computer animation. Yet, these tricks wove the production into harmony, and gave the films visual and musical depth that now is hard to find. In the days of Walt Disney, animators kept time by using a set tempo, which kept the animation in harmony with the music. Since the animation had a tempo, the musician could come in after and match it perfectly with a musical score. Bluth said sometimes a musician would even take the exposure sheet, mark in the rhythm of the music they would use, “then the animators would illustrate along the rhythm of the music too.” “If animators are trained to do that, the experience becomes more lyrical. It’s easier on the eyes, and I think Walt knew,” Bluth said. Watch carefully one of the films Bluth has directed, whether it be “The Secret of N.I.M.H.,” “The Land Before Time,” or “An American Tail,” and you can see this trick in action. Characters step and bob along with the beat, and the whole production moves together in a single orchestration.
Art is a reflection of the culture, and what happens is as soon as you start to behave a certain way in the community, it shows up in the art. Don Bluth, director and producer
Filmmakers Don Bluth (L) and Gary Goldman in front of posters of some of their works, including the games “Dragon’s Lair” and “Space Ace,” and the films “An American Tail” and “Rock-a-Doodle.” The two are now hoping to rekindle traditional animation with their upcoming film, “Dragon’s Lair.” DON BLUTH ANIMATION
With classical animation, there were many subtle tricks that haven’t translated well to computer animation.
Dirk, the main character of “Dragon’s Lair,” was actually inspired by Charlie Chaplin.
The bigger issue is bringing back the traditional style that Walt established, and not letting it disappear into the ether. Don Bluth, director and producer
Dirk, the main character of “Dragon’s Lair,” hides from a dragon in a still image from the 1983 video game. The creators of “Dragon’s Lair” are now turning it into a feature film. DON BLUTH ANIMATION
A poster for the “Dragon’s Lair” feature film. The film will use traditional animation techniques that were created by Walt Disney, but have been largely forgotten. Bluth said, “Classical animation is something Walt came up with himself—Walt actually brought it into a real artform.” He noted that Walt Disney called the director’s room the “music room,” and even had a piano in it. A Film With Soul “I think the computer generation hit us like a huge tsunami, and everyone is in with the machines and digital, and everything that went along with it,” Bluth said. “But after a while, computer animation—
unless it’s a wowee story—starts looking like the last one I saw.” You could probably take characters from one film, drop them into another, and they’d fit in just fine, he said. With classical animation, however, each film had a more distinct style. “I think what the difference is, is something called soul,” Bluth said. “If you get into the hand-drawn animation, it has something different in it, where you see the soul of the artist.” In animation, Bluth noted, computers tend to fade out the human touch. Animated characters are shaded by computer graphics. The physics of different objects are automated by the software. It’s something impersonal and practical that pulls away from the fantasy and imagination that’s the soul of art. “Art is a reflection of the culture, and what happens is as soon as you start to behave a certain way in the community, it shows up in the art,” Bluth said. With the upcoming “Dragon’s Lair” film, Bluth is looking to create a type of human connection, and this goes right down to the characters themselves. If you ever set foot in an arcade in the mid’80s, you’re likely familiar with the main character of “Dragon’s Lair.” He was Dirk the knight, armed with a backpack and a sword, who set off into a dark castle to rescue the Princess Daphne from a dragon. Goldman said, “We’re going to give the audience the backstory of who Dirk is, who is Daphne, what are their original stories.” Dirk is meant to be a sort of hero-at-heart, a bumbling everyman. He’s actually inspired by Charlie Chaplin, someone who Bluth said is a kind of “symbol of what life is,” and who Walt Disney had even modeled Mickey Mouse after. “When you watch Dirk, it should be like watching Charlie Chaplin perform,” Bluth said. “He always wins and shouldn’t be winning, but you love him because he triumphs all the time,” he said. “He sits down at a table and eats his shoes, and he’s happy as can be.” But Bluth also noted that he doesn’t want “Dragon’s Lair” to just be some form of empty entertainment. He said, “I think you have to tell stories that have some meaning. Stories should have a moral. Otherwise all you’re doing is tickling people’s funny bones and collecting their money.” With Dirk, that story is about growing up. Bluth described him as “kind of a reckless little guy who doesn’t know his value. He just wants to have fun, but he’s of royal birth. He has to learn to take things seriously.” At the same time, Bluth said he feels a real weight with the film. He noted that lately the box offices haven’t been kind to digital animation. For him, it’s not just about making another movie; it’s about showing Hollywood that traditional animation can still win over an audience. When it comes to Hollywood, he said, “money is the thing that fries fish,” and he said if they see money can be made in a film that’s traditional, “it will happen.” “We’re taking a big risk with this,” he said. “If it fails, it will harm the future of traditional animation.” But he added, while it would be a welcome sight to get people behind a traditional animated film, “the bigger issue is bringing back the traditional style that Walt established, and not letting it disappear into the ether.”
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January 22–28, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts LARRY DYE/EPOCH TIMES
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Shen Yun Performing Arts New York Company's curtain call at Lincoln Center, on Jan. 13.
Shen Yun Fast Becoming a New York Institution Shen Yun continued from C1 An Honor to See It “I just think it’s an honor to be in this audience,” said professor Jerrold Ross on Jan. 15 after he attended Shen Yun at the David H. Koch Theater at Lincoln Center. Dr. Ross is a scholar of the arts, dean of the School of Education at St. John’s and also the chair of the state’s Arts Education Advisory Panel for public schools in the city. This was not his first time seeing Shen Yun, and he regards it as an unparalleled opportunity to see classical Chinese dance. “The arts live for the expression of values, including spiritual values. So these dances are prepared to illustrate not only the artistic and story values of a civilization that preceded us, but they’re cultural and moral and spiritual values as well, and they all come through in the movement,” Dr. Ross said. ‘The Divine Within You’ A similar sentiment was also expressed by musician and top New York hair stylist Edward Tricomi. “What I really love about the performance is that it has a spiritual overtone to it,” Mr. Tricomi said on Jan. 16 at Lincoln Center. “This show resonates the divine within you.” He thought it was a shame that the dances, which show the spirituality of the traditional culture, cannot be shown in China today. In contemporary China, much of the traditional culture has been destroyed since the Chinese Communist Party took power in 1949. New York-based Shen Yun’s mission is to revive this divinely bestowed culture and its values through music and dance. Mr. Tricomi is one of the world’s top hairdressers, having worked with virtually every celebrity from Mick Jagger to Jimmy Fallon. It is said that a haircut from Edward Tricomi was Tim Burton’s inspiration for the film “Edward Scissorhands.” Whether You’re 10 or 90 Among audience members on Jan. 15 at Lincoln Center was Mr. Stuart Weissman, a pioneer in event-production space who serves as consultant to the NYC Mayor’s Office on event production. Founder of SWPnyc, Mr. Weissman has organized every sort of event, some with 350,000 attendees in the city—but none so large as to contain 5,000 years of history all in one night. He was impressed by what he saw. “I think everyone—doesn’t matter if you’re 10 years old or 90 years old— there’s something you can take away from this.” In Shen Yun, Mr. Weissman said he saw the human spirit through history. He saw characters working to overcome adversity from ancient times up to the present day. He saw the “triumph of the human spirit” presented through excellent stagecraft. “The message the show told was universal and extremely well put together,” he said. “It resonates with everybody.” Although Shen Yun concluded its January performances in New York City on Jan. 17, the company will be back by popular demand a few weeks from now, in March. Mr. Weissman said he already has
plans to bring his 13-year-old son when Shen Yun returns then. ‘Poetry in Motion’ When luxury interior designer Geoffrey Bradfield attended a performance opening night on Jan. 14, he found inspiration and poetry in motion. He has designed custom interiors for the regal and wealthy around the world, drawing inspiration from nature in pursuit of timeless beauty. The dance called “Poets of the Orchid Pavilion” stuck with him. Male dancers leaped and spun with strength and elegance. They portrayed poets of the year 353, playing a drinking game that resulted in a famous anthology of 37 poems. The dancers used white fans to mimic brushes and elegant strokes of calligraphy.
The arts live for the expression of values, including spiritual values. Jerrold Ross, former dean of the School of Education at St. John’s Mr. Bradfield said the experience was very unique, and that it would be wonderful if Shen Yun could be performed in China one day. “I hope for the country that they will have a greater understanding truly for freedom, for freedom of talent and creativity,” Mr. Bradfield said. “This was very beautiful and a revelation.” ‘It Doesn’t Get Any Better’ For Jerry Cammarata, chief operating officer and dean of Student Affairs at Touro College of Osteopathic Medicine, “it doesn’t get any better” than Shen Yun. He shared his experience of watching the sold-out performance at Lincoln Center on Jan. 15. Within the performers, he saw the sincerity and the dedication that all the Shen Yun artists “have brought into their culture [to] honor their culture, and they really want everybody else to enjoy it,” he said. Mr. Cammarata has led a government
commission, worked as the associate director at Coney Island Hospital, served on the New York City Central Board of Education, written a book on fatherhood, and served as the United Nations liaison to the World Safety Organization. He felt the Shen Yun performers, through their art, perfectly conveyed an emotional and philosophical message of freedom—the freedom to express yourself in your community or country, he said. “They’re not only talented, but you can see the enthusiasm that just comes from their muscles, from their mind, and from their emotions,” Mr. Cammarata said. A Healing Experience The first time Theresa Napolitano, founder of an immigration law firm, saw Shen Yun Performing Arts, she reacted deeply to a profound spiritual message she saw in the art. Having seen Shen Yun twice, this time with her young daughter, Ms. Napolitano felt she gained a deeper understanding. “It’s phenomenal, it’s extraordinary,” she said with emotion in her voice after the performance at Lincoln Center, on Jan. 14. “The vitality of the performance really emphasizes that the art and music is not something that’s an option. It’s something that is essential to us as human beings,” she said. Ms. Napolitano plans to come back again next year and bring more friends to see Shen Yun.
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Shen Yun Performing Arts Lincoln Center David H. Koch Theater Tickets: Online: ShenYun.com/NYC Hotline: 800-818-2393 Running Time: 2 hours, 15 minutes (one intermission) Date & Time: March 2, 3, & 4 at 7:30 p.m. March 5 at 2:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. March 6 at 1:30 p.m. March 9, 10, & 11 at 7:30 p.m. March 12 at 2:30 p.m. & 7:30 p.m. March 13 at 1:30 p.m.
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Edward Tricomi with his wife attend Shen Yun Performing Arts at Lincoln Center on Jan. 16.
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January 22–28, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts ALL PHOTOS BY SAMIRA BOUAOU/EPOCH TIMES
To help a shy introvert bloom into a more confident self and to help the confident show off who they truly are.
A NEW YEAR, A NEW YOU
Starting With a Complete Makeover Session at the Amazing Federico Salon By Sibylle Eschapasse NEW YORK— A new year is always full of promises and hopes. We have wishes, dreams, and desires, all dear to our hearts. As one year has passed, so will another, and we all wish to experience the best year we have ever had. We start fresh and we make resolutions. We want to become a better version of ourselves from what we were and achieve personal goals. To start the new year and to create a new “me,” I met one of the most sought-after celebrity hair stylists in Manhattan at his flagship salon on 58th Street, a few steps away from the Plaza Hotel. Federico Calce is an institution in New York. The hair salon owner, originally from Milan, has cut the hair of some of the most famous celebrities and dignitaries in New York—or those visiting New York—because not only do Federico and his staff of international stylists operate at his flagship location and also at his Hair & Spa Salon at the Benjamin Hotel, but Federico Calce offers an unusual “24 Hour Beauty Service.” Yes, a 24 Hour Beauty Service! Because New York is the city that never sleeps and many of his international business travelers simply do not have the time to make it into the salon during regular business hours. In which case, elite hotels and clients may reach a member of his team via phone 24 hours a day, no matter the day or time, allowing them access to his full salon in the comfort of their own rooms. They currently serve clients at Manhattan’s finest hotels such as the Baccarat Hotel, Waldorf Astoria, Mandarin Oriental, Essex House, and New York Palace Hotel, where they provide in-room styling, color, massages, nail care, and a variety of hair treatments. This service, lauded by members of royal families and the world’s famous celebrities, has earned them the Concierge’s Choice Beauty Award. No wonder Federico has made a name for himself in the city … his haircuts have become a signature service. When I met Calce, he told me his goal is to have clients leave with self-confidence, feeling refreshed, and rejuvenated. To help a shy introvert bloom into a more confident self and to help the confident show off who they truly are. A true empowerment through the hair, using creativity to achieve personal enhancements—and sometimes true transformations—to complement their clothing and physical features, and achieve optimal style. Because style is indeed important to Federico, who even worked a few years (in a previous life almost) as artistic director at Bergdorf Goodman. Shortly after opening his first salon on the Upper East Side in 1989, he also forayed into styling hair at fashion shows for the likes of Oscar de la Renta and Valentino, and quickly moved onto the main stages of the Mercedes Benz Fashion Week and Olympus Fashion Week. Today he still covers Fashion Weeks and enjoys it.
Women need to embrace their hair. I’m not saying to let it go and turn into a gray mop but work with what you have. Federico Calce
New York is the city that never sleeps, so Federico Calce offers a 24 Hour Beauty Service.
Hair stylist Federico Calce.
I certainly felt very pampered during my make over session. After a few hours (... and a few great cappuccinos) of having him and also some members of his warm team all for myself, I went from my regular daily look of straight hair to a complete different look. A warm chocolate hair color, with beautiful and subtle highlights, and curly hair. A new hair style and color, all from organic products coming from Italy, which, in addition to a complete professional makeup session, made me look like a brand new woman. A lovely and fun experience that I recommend wherever you are, and not only for those who are in New York. But the key here is to embrace yourself and to take care of yourself, even if you do it by yourself at home, and start something new for this new year! For our readers who may not have the opportunity to reach out to Federico, he kindly answered a few questions. So here is to a beautiful new 2016 and to a beautiful new you! Sibylle Eschapasse: What should be our resolutions for our hair in the New Year? Federico Calce: Women need to embrace their hair. I’m not saying to let it go and turn into a gray mop but work with what you have. There is no reason to look at other women on the street and wish you had their curls or their straight hair. Embrace what you have and flaunt it with a little extra help from us. It is important for the hair to reflect who you are. Ms. Eschapasse: What’s the best daily routine you can have for your hair? Mr. Calce: Do not shampoo it every day. Less is more in most cases and for the hair it definitely applies. To keep it soft, I highly recommend investing in a mason brush and using it throughout the day. Brushing the hair 100 times or more helps close the cuticle of the hair gently, the same way an iron would but without the heat. Your hair will become stronger and shinier. Ms. Eschapasse: What do you recommend so that our hair can look better? Mr. Calce A great shampoo and conditioner is vital. In our salon we have created our own line of shampoos and conditioners while also carrying the shampoos and conditioners from our treatments. Milbon is a Japanese company that we have been using for years, and their Nue Due line is exceptional and comes in three different types for coarse, normal, and fine hair. It is one of the best products we have ever recommended to our clients. A great tip to keep your hair looking shiny is to have a glaze done every once in a while. A glaze is a semi-permanent color and sits atop the hair for about 24 washes. It creates a TON of extra shine without the heaviness of styling products. Our stylists are trained to assess the color of your hair and apply the perfect mixture to give that long lasting redcarpet look.
Ms. Eschapasse: What do you recommend to improve the quality of our hair? Mr. Calce: To find the perfect shampoo and conditioner for your hair, but also the perfect schedule. You don’t want to over-wash too frequently and strip the hair of its natural oils. This leads to long-term problems that are very expensive and difficult to fix. For those who color their hair, I would suggest using organic hair dyes such as the ones that we use at my salon on 58th Street. These dyes are less harsh and lead to less breakage, vastly improving the quality of color-treated hair. Ms. Eschapasse: Should we do something different at winter time, the same way we change our routine for summer? Mr. Calce: It depends on each person’s hair. With the winter New York is experiencing now, don’t change a thing from your summer routine. If you go up to northern Canada bring a lot of moisturizing shampoos and conditioners. I highly suggest investing in a good keratin treatment to tame the frizziness caused by the cold dry air outside and the hot dry air of heaters indoors. If not a keratin treatment, a good control balm to use in the hair pre-blow drying is a must. Ms. Eschapasse: What are the best colors in 2016? What are the trends? What’s hot and what’s outdated? Mr. Calce: The cool blondes are making a breakthrough. Blondes with red and yellow undertones are moving away from fashion. We are seeing more blue and steel undertones. It gives a very strong appearance to the hair, creating a dramatic look. The ombre is really out of style no matter how well it is done. We are seeing much more balayage in the hair now. That allows a sort of freedom for colorists to use multiple tones in the hair, to create a multidimensional look. Platinum blonde is outdated. But a cool blonde with steely streaks is very in. Ms. Eschapasse: What are the best colors for winter? Mr. Calce: Winter is usually a cold time of year and people’s faces are a little paler than usual. So why not try a few balayage highlights? Something soft to just brighten up the hair a bit. For brunettes something two tones lighter than their natural will bring out the glow in their skin while looking very natural. Ms. Eschapasse: Any additional advice if any you would like to share with our readers? Mr. Calce: Get a great haircut. You can have amazing color but without an easy-to-do athome haircut, you’ll never be able to flaunt it like when you walked out of the salon. Sibylle Eschapasse is from Paris and now lives in Manhattan. She is a journalist and a contributing writer to various publications. Sibylle is also the author of a children’s book, “Argy Boy!: A New York Dog Tale.” She may be reached at Sibylle.Eschapasse@gmail.com
Sibylle Eschapasse gets a new hair style by Federico Calce and her makeup done at the Federico Salon in Manhattan on Dec. 21, 2015.
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January 22–28, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts
Theater Review
Exploring the Consequences of an Evil Decision
CAROL ROSEGG
By Judd Hollander NEW YORK—It’s been said that tragedy and comedy are two sides of the same coin, and that a given situation can appear hilarious in one interpretation, while tragic in another. Such is the case with Red Bull Theater’s production of Thomas Middleton and William Rowley’s rarely performed 1622 Jacobean work, “The Changeling,” currently presented off-Broadway at the Lucille Lortel Theatre. In the port city of Alicante, Spain, the young nobleman Alsemero (Christian Coulson) has fallen in love with Beatrice-Joanna (Sara Topham), the beautiful daughter of Vermandero (Sam Tsoutsouvas). She quite happily reciprocates the feelings. Unfortunately, her father has already promised her to Alonzo (John Skelley), a nobleman and somewhat officious fellow. Alonzo is also clearly besotted with Beatrice, despite warnings from his brother, Tomazo (Paul Niebanck). Without his eyes clouded by passion, Tomazo sees Beatrice as she truly is—a beautiful, calculating, and at times rather cold individual. Tomazo’s observations are confirmed by Beatrice’s dismissive treatment of the family’s loyal and somewhat disfigured servant, De Flores (Manoel Felciano). Beatrice abhors the very sight of De Flores, even as he clearly loves her himself. Determined to make Alsemero her husband, Beatrice takes full advantage of De Flores’s desire for her, inducing him to kill Alonzo. However, once that deed is done, Beatrice finds she simply can’t go live a life of happily ever after—at least not before paying a very steep price. The price grows continually more expensive as factors keep cropping up that threaten to expose her past actions. A stern morality play, “The Changeling” takes the stance that once one starts down a path of deception and evil, one cannot avoid answering for those sins, no matter how laudable the motives might have been. True love is not an excuse for sinning.
One cannot avoid answering for one’s sins.
Berger demonstrates another nice touch with the opening sequences of both the first and second acts.
‘The Changeling’ Lucille Lortel Theatre 121 Christopher St. Tickets 212-352-3101 or RedBullTheater.com Running Time 2 hours, 10 minutes (one intermission) Closes Jan. 24
BeatriceJoanna (Sara Topham) and Alsemero (Christian Coulson) in "The Changeling." The point is made that love can blind one to the truth. Just as Alonzo disregards his brother’s warnings, Alsemero ignores comments from his own friend Jasperino (Justin Blanchard) concerning Beatrice. Similarly, the actions of both De Flores and Beatrice are based on the idea of blind love, so that they fail to recognize the wrongness of their actions, at least initially. That one cannot avoid answering for sins proves true both for Beatrice and De Flores, as well as for Franciscus (Philippe Bowgen) and Antonio (Bill Army), who are involved in the play’s subplot. The two men feign insanity in order to be thrown into a madhouse where they can woo the beautiful Isabella (Michelle Beck). She is kept there by her much older husband, Albius (Christopher McCann), a physician, for fear she will take up with another man. This second storyline runs parallel to the first as well as adding rather biting commentary on the conditions of such facilities at the time. This point is emphasized through the actions of Lollio (Andrew Weems), a servant of the doctor and keeper at the madhouse, where people are segregated into groups of fools and madmen. The madhouse scenes serve as an example of the close linkage between tragedy and comedy. Played mostly for laughs in this production, with conversations between Lollio and Antonio clearly echoing dialogue from Shakespeare’s “King Lear” (“Lear” pre-dates “The Changeling” by about 14 years), this writer remembers seeing a version of “The Changeling” in which a major scene at the hospital was presented in a quite dark and stomach-
Maurice Hines’s ‘Tappin’ Thru Life’
churning manner. Sadly these two stories, which eventually dovetail in an overly convenient way, never mesh well. Each takes too much time from the other with only Topham and Felciano given enough stage time to make their characters resonate. Much of the problem lies in Jesse Berger’s direction, which is unable to remove the feeling of disconnectedness. This disjointedness translates into the audience not knowing whether to cringe or laugh at certain points. During a particularly grisly piece of business involving a ring, the scene provokes laughs from some members of the audience and gasps from others. It should be noted that Berger’s work is much stronger in the Beatrice storyline. Those sequences show powerfully from what great heights people can fall. Berger demonstrates another nice touch with the opening sequences of both the first and second acts. The entire cast dances with one another before splintering apart to places they may not want to be. It’s almost as if Berger—and the play itself—are saying we are all pawns in a much bigger game, where one person’s actions are determined by the actions of someone else and so on unto infinity. For all its faults, the production remains thought-provoking with good performances. For students of Jacobean drama, it’s definitely worth a look. Also in the cast is Kimiye Corwin. Judd Hollander is a member of Drama Desk and reviewer for stagebuzz.com
ALL PHOTOS BY CAROL ROSEGG
(Top Left) The Manzari brothers surround Maurice Hines. (Right) Maurice Hines included musical numbers like “Luck Be a Lady,” “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” and “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got That Swing.”
Maurice Hines and his very percussive style of tap.
By Barry Bassis NEW YORK—“Tappin’ Thru Life” is a singing and dancing trip down memory lane by the dazzling Maurice Hines. The show, written and choreographed by the star, is a tribute to his family. At 72, Maurice is a remarkably spry dancer, and he is also a likeable singer and entertaining raconteur. Hines began dancing professionally with his younger brother, Gregory, when they were children. They eventually formed a team with their father, “Hines, Hines and Dad.” Later, the two brothers appeared together in nightclubs, Broadway shows, such as “Eubie,” and on film. Their last appearance together was in the 1984 Francis Ford Coppola movie, “The Cotton Club.” The Hines family took a lot of photos, and many are projected on the stage. When the brothers went to the Apollo Theater in Harlem to audition for Count Basie, they saw Joe Williams singing. Hines performs the number “Every Day I Have the Blues.” If he doesn’t match the richness of Williams’s voice, he certainly moves more gracefully.
The Hines brothers opened for the biggest stars. ‘Tappin’ Thru Life’ New World Stages 340 West 50th St., New York, NY, 10019 Tickets 212-239-6280 or NewWorldStages.com Running Time 80 minutes, no intermission Closes March 13
The Hines brothers opened for the biggest stars (Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, Judy Garland, Sammy Davis Jr., and so on), and Hines follows his stories about them with musical numbers they performed, including “Luck Be a Lady,” “I’ve Got You Under My Skin,” and “It Don’t Mean a Thing If It Ain’t Got that Swing.” Hines expresses his gratitude to Johnny Carson, who often featured the Hines Brothers on “The Tonight Show.” Speaking of his family history, he croons, “I Can’t Give You Anything But Love,” the song his father sang to his mother when they first dated. He recreates a dance step choreographed by his grandmother, a former Cotton Club showgirl who dated Cab Calloway and Duke Ellington before she “found Jesus.” Though most of the show is upbeat, Hines also recalls some painful events, including the New Yorker’s first exposure to segregation— in Las Vegas during the 1950s. He follows his telling of a humiliating incident with a sensitive rendition of Charlie Chaplin’s “Smile.” He also reveals that there was a 10-year period when he did not speak to Gregory, who died
in 2003 at age 57. To prove that the future of tap dancing is secure, Hines brings on a brother act, John and Leo Manzari, and they are later joined by two sisters, Devin and Julia Ruth. All are impressive, but none of them managed to outdo Mr. Hines. The show benefits from an onstage topflight jazz band: the nine-piece all-female Diva Jazz Orchestra under the direction of dynamic drummer Dr. Sherrie Maricle. Amy Shook contributes a standout bass accompaniment on “Honeysuckle Rose,” which recalls Lena Horne’s recording with George Duvivier. “Tappin’ Thru Life” is a class act all the way, from Jeff Calhoun’s direction to the stylish costumes by T. Tyler Stumpf, the snazzy set by Tobin Ost, the lighting by Michael Gilliam, the sound design by Michael Hahn, and the projections by Darrel Maloney. Barry Bassis has been a music, theater, and travel writer for over a decade for various publications.
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January 22–28, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts ALL PHOTOS COURTESY OF WELL GO USA
(Top Left) Mike Tyson as Frank, a local gangster in “Ip Man 3.” (Top Right) Donnie Yen as Ip Man, practicing on the wing chun kung fu “wooden man” apparatus. (Bottom Left) Jin Zhang as Cheung Tin-chi, an ambitious practitioner jockeying for fame as the best wing chun kung fu teacher, in the knife-fighting portion of his epic match agains Ip Man. (Bottom Right) Jin Zhang (L) as Cheung Tin-chi vs. Donnie Yen as Ip Man, both practitioners of wing chun kung fu, in the classic testing of who’s kung fu is better.
‘IP MAN 3’ TYSON WING CHUN KUNG FU MEETS
Film Review
By Mark Jackson | Epoch Times Staff
“Bruce Lee is Kung Fu Elvis,” I said, in my review of “The Grandmaster.” Well, if Bruce was Elvis, Bruce’s teacher, Ip Man, was more like blues ground-breaker Robert Johnson— more original, more legendary, and until lately—more obscure. In “Grandmaster” Tony Leung plays Ip. Martial arts superstar Donnie Yen plays him in “Ip Man 3,” Donnie’s third film with director Wilson Yip about Ip. In the first “Ip Man,” he fought the Japanese. In “Ip Man 2,” he fought the British. In “Ip Man 3,” he fights Mike Tyson. Well—the shady property-kingpin Tyson tries to pretend to be. Tyson’s acting is, of course, ridiculous. The fight scenes? Stupendous! But don’t let the fact that Iron Mike didn’t attend Yale School of Drama deter you. Acting is one of the seven great arts; boxing is one of the great martial arts. Tyson can no more stand on a stage with Laurence Olivier and declaim Shakespeare, than Olivier could stand in a boxing ring and trade jabs with the erstwhile heavyweight champion of the world. Both are artists, though. We’ll come back to Tyson. The Goings On The setting is Hong Kong, the year 1959, and somehow, big, bad apparently American ex-pat Frank (Tyson), who happens to look like one of the greatest boxers of all time, and happens to speak some Chinese, well, his goons start leaning on a local school. “Sell us the school!” “No!” They beat everybody up. The police don’t help; most of them are in Frank’s pocket. But Ip Man’s kid goes there; Ip Man to the rescue! He does sentinel duty at night, which makes his wife quietly crazy, but he’s in dogooder, neglecting-his-family-for-others mode, which is a lesson he’ll have to learn. While on guard duty, Ip meets fellow Wing Chun kung fu practitioner Cheung (Zhang Jin), whose bullying son goes there as well (Wing Chun is the kung fu style Bruce Lee made famous). The two boys eventually get into it of course, and have a schoolyard dust-up. Difference is, Ip Man’s kid calls his dad “dad,” while Cheung’s kid calls his dad “shifu” (master/ teacher). Uh-oh. What kind of man calls his son “disciple?”
Beauty in martial arts can produce the same emotional response as a great leap in ballet, or that ‘Marriage of Figaro’ aria in ‘The Shawshank Redemption.’
‘Ip Man 3’ Director Wilson Yip Starring Donnie Yen, Jin Zhang, Patrick Tam, Lynn Hung, Mike Tyson, Kent Cheng, Kwok-Kwan Chan Running Time 2 hours, 25 minutes Not Rated Release Date Jan. 22
Cheung Shifu works the local underground fight scene to make ends meet, eventually signing up for some goon duty for Frank’s headgoon, Sang (Patrick Tam). Ip Shifu, on the other hand, has a school and commands a high degree of respect. This can only lead to one thing: jealousy. What else? A wicked man is born of jealousy, they say, and jealousy and competition fuel most wuxia (martial arts) films. Ramping Up So Cheung goes on a rampage, hiring a local reporter to be his photographer, challenging and smacking down the local shifus of other kung fu styles, one after the other, which ultimately leads to a challenge with Ip Man. Cheung declares himself the keeper of the holy Wing Chun purity, sets up a big showdown with Ip. And waits. And waits. Meanwhile Ip goes ballroom-dancing with his languishing wife, taking dance lessons from cha-cha champion Bruce Lee (yes, you read that right—Bruce was 1958 Hong Kong cha-cha champion). Ip’s finally learned to cherish his wife, as she’s taken ill. The Fights In a kung fu film you go to see fighting. “Ip Man 3” does not disappoint. It’s got 3 main fights: Wing Chun against Muay Thai (Thai boxing), Wing Chun against Mike Tyson, and Ip Shifu against Cheung Shifu. These are all awesome. Throughout, there’s a bit too much standard chop-socky-ness, where a whole crowd of baddies surround the hero, get roundly kicked and pummeled—and then he breaks away! And runs up a ladder! And runs over there! And then they all run over there too! And get roundly kicked and pummeled again! And so on and so forth. There was no Nintendo or “Wreck-it Ralph” back then; you had to wreck it yourself. So people would run around in crowds, hither and thither, to see whose kung fu was better. And things of that nature. The Fights Specifically As mentioned, whenever Tyson utters a line in that now-famous, high-pitched, lispy voice, you (naturally) can’t take it seriously. However, when the fight’s on, and we get an Iron-Mikeopponent’s-eye-view of the unleashed behe-
moth on attack; the size and power of a freight train combined with the lightning bob/weave moves of a mongoose—it’s like a horror movie. If you’re not familiar with Muay Thai, it’s sort of like karate plus boxing, plus knees, plus elbows, with massive, horned callouses built up on hands, feet, and shins. Incredibly lethal. Ip’s fight with a Muay Thai psychopath, in an elevator, with his wife in there too— is electrifying. Lastly, Wing Chun versus Wing Chun—wow. They run through some Wing Chun weaponry. Knife-blade on knife-blade produces a metallic scream that makes the children cry, and when Cheung pulls off an eye-poke, Ip shifts to supernormal abilities to combat the temporary blindness. This is some high-level kung fu. Why can he do this? The energy that enables supernormal abilities is built up through elevating one’s moral character. Ip Shifu says so in the movie. I won’t say who wins, but Ip, post-fight, says that there’s nothing more important than having the love of your life by your side. That may be true, but these three fights are the type that make you laugh from sheer awesomeness. And also cry. Just a little bit. “Why am I shedding a tear at the awesomeness of this fight?” Because it’s art. Beauty in martial arts can produce the same emotional response as a great leap in ballet, or that “Marriage of Figaro” aria in “The Shawshank Redemption.” Bruce Ip Man only became famous because of his most famous disciple, Bruce Lee. Danny Chan, who played Lee in a 2008 TV series called, “The Legend of Bruce Lee,” reprises the cliché, constant nose-thumbing characterization, which is seriously over the top for a former rabid Lee fan, but new audiences won’t know the difference. At least they didn’t use the computer generated Lee that had been discussed. The same way early-blues icon Johnson only recently became iconic, same goes for Ip Man, now claimed posthumously by Hong Kongers as their own, home-grown hero. Lee lived there too. The little taste they offer us of the Bruce/Ip dynamic is enticing. My guess is “Ip Man 4” will be all about that. That should be enough time for Danny to tone down the overt Bruce-isms and become excellently subtle.
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January 22–28, 2016 TheEpochTimes.com/EpochArts BENJAMIN CHASTEEN/EPOCH TIMES
In Light of Venice Through Feb. 12 Otto Naumann Ltd., 22 E. 80th St. More than thirty important works of the Renaissance, Baroque, and Rococo periods— many never before seen publicly—will be on view for this milestone event honoring David Rosand. OttoNaumannLtd.com
THINGS TO DO COMMUNITY EVENTS NEW IN MANHATTAN Stephanie Blythe: Sing, America! Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall Sing along with Stephanie Blythe in a lively concert of favorite American songs. You’ll raise your voice to the rafters with the always delightful mezzo-soprano in such classics as “Oh, You Beautiful Doll,” “Let Me Call You Sweetheart,” “By the Beautiful Sea,” and other favorites. It’s fun for the entire family, a great way to beat the winter doldrums, and you’ll be able to tell your friends, “I sang at Carnegie Hall!” $12–$50. CarnegieHall.org
ONGOING IN MANHATTAN Justice in Film Series Through Jan. 29 170 Central Park West This series will explore how film has tackled social conflict, morality, and the perennial struggles between right and wrong. Entrance to the film series is included with Museum Admission during New-York Historical’s Payas-you-wish Friday Nights (6 p.m.–8 p.m.) No advanced reservations. Tickets are distributed on a first-come, first-served basis beginning at 6 pm. NYHistory.org
NEW ELSEWHERE Music Makers: A Youth Concert Bushwick Campus Community School Auditorium 400 Irving Ave., Brooklyn New York City students from Bushwick Campus Community School collaborate with Balkan funk band Slavic Soul Party! and Haitian percussionist Okai for a performance of original songs they wrote that were inspired by the themes of the landmark American musical West Side Story. Free. carnegiehall.org/ WestSideStory
VISUAL ARTS NEW IN MANHATTAN The World in Play: Luxury Cards, 1430–1540 Jan. 20–April 17 Metropolitan Museum of Art Only three decks of European hand-painted playing cards are known to have survived from the late Middle Ages. Examples of cards from the earliest hand-painted woodblock deck as well as fifteenth-century German engraved cards, north Italian tarot cards of the same
period, and the finest deck from the early sixteenth century will complete the display. $12–$25 suggested. METMuseum.org A New Look at a Van Eyck Masterpiece Jan. 25–April 24 Metropolitan Museum of Art This focus exhibition will present the findings of a recent study of Jan van Eyck’s “Crucifixion” and “Last Judgment” paintings (ca. 1440–41). These paintings and their frames have undergone technical investigations in an effort to solve long-standing mysteries about them. $12–$25 suggested. METMuseum.org The Power of Prints: The Legacy of William M. Ivins and A. Hyatt Mayor Jan. 26–May 22 Metropolitan Museum of Art This exhibition commemorates the centenary of the Department of Prints at The Metropolitan Museum of Art by celebrating the astounding legacy of its founding curator, William Mills Ivins, and his brilliant protégé A. Hyatt Mayor. Together, during their combined fifty-year tenure, Ivins and Mayor amassed a collection of many hundreds of thousands of prints that is both encyclopedic in its scope and studied in its many areas of focus. $12–$25 suggested. METMuseum.org
ONGOING IN MANHATTAN New York Ceramics & Glass Fair Through Jan. 24 Bohemian National Hall, 321 E. 73rd St. Thursdays–Saturdays at 11 a.m.–7 p.m. & Sundays at 11 a.m.–4 p.m. On display will be everything from 17th century to contemporary objects, including porcelain, pottery, glass, cloisonné and enamels. $20. NewYorkCeramics AndGlassFair.com Tenth Anniversary: Master Drawings in New York Through Jan. 30 Various locations Visitors will enjoy 29 separate world class exhibitions of drawings, pastel and oil sketches, and pen and ink artworks by masters of the 16th to 20th centuries, many newly discovered or on view for the first time. MasterdrawingsInNewyork. com/map
ENDING IN MANHATTAN
Ancient Egypt Transformed the Middle Kingdom Through Jan. 24 Metropolitan Museum of Art The reunification of ancient Egypt achieved by Nebhepetre Mentuhotep II— the first pharaoh of the Middle Kingdom—was followed by a great cultural flowering that lasted nearly four hundred years. $12–$25 suggested. METMuseum.org
ONGOING ELSEWHERE Greater New York Through March 7 MoMA PS1, 22-25 Jackson Ave., Long Island City, Queens MoMA PS1 presents the fourth iteration of its landmark exhibition series, begun as a collaboration with The Museum of Modern Art in 2000. Recurring every five years, the exhibition has traditionally showcased the work of emerging artists living and working in the New York metropolitan area. Suggested $10. MoMAPS1.org
MUSIC NEW IN MANHATTAN Judy Huang on Piano Jan. 23 at 2 p.m. Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall Grand prize winner of the 2004 Carmel Music Society Piano Competition, pianist Judy Huang has performed in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Program includes selected pieces by Mozart, Mendelssohn, Debussy, Rachmaninoff. $45. CarnegieHall.org Junghwa Park, Soprano Jan. 25 at 8 p.m. Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall This recital program surveys Junghwa Park’s singing career from Korea to Germany, Italy, and the United States over the past ten years. $20–$100. CarnegieHall.org Denis Matsuev on Piano Jan. 27 at 8 p.m. Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall
Tchaikovsky’s The Seasons is a collection of pieces that depict each month of the year. Schumann’s Kreisleriana is a collection of eight miniatures inspired by Johannes Kreisler, a fictitious character who appears in the writings of E. T. A. Hoffmann. Stravinsky’s piano transcriptions of the “Russian Dance,” “Pétrouchka’s Room,” and “Shrovetide Fair” from his great ballet are stunning showpieces that make daunting technical demands of the performer. $19–$117. CarnegieHall.org Orchestre National de France Jan. 28 at 8 p.m. Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall With daring harmonies and subtle orchestral strokes, Debussy set music on a bold new path in Prélude à l’aprèsmidi d’un faune, a work inspired by symbolist poetry. $18.50–$112. CarnegieHall.org The Orchestra Now Jan. 29 at 7:30 p.m.
Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall The Orchestra Now performs one of Beethoven’s famous works alongside pieces written by one of his friends, one of his students, and his favorite composer of the period. $12.50–$75. CarnegieHall.org Festival Chamber Music Concert Series Jan. 29 at 8 p.m. Weill Recital Hall at Carnegie Hall Festival Chamber Music, now in its 24th season, presents the third concert of its 20152016 five-concert series. The musicians speak informally about the music and the composers before each piece on the program. $45. CarnegieHall.org
Dear Readers If you have an event to suggest, please send details to NYC_Arts@ EpochTimes.com in the format you see here.
PERFORMING ARTS NEW IN MANHATTAN Cavalleria Rusticana/ Pagliacci Jan. 21–Feb. 26 Metropolitan Opera 30 Lincoln Center Plaza Opera’s indomitable double bill returns in Sir David McVicar’s searing production from the 2014–15 season. Tenor Yonghoon Lee and mezzo-soprano Violeta Urmana star in Cavalleria Rusticana, the tragedy of ancient codes and illicit love, Sicilian style. From $25. MetOpera.org
Explore the mystery of pre-historic life at Discover the Dinosaurs! Bring the entire family, and spend the day with dinosaurs!
ONGOING IN MANHATTAN Misery Through Feb. 14 Broadhurst Theatre, 235 W. 44th St. The Broadway thriller “Misery,” a stage adaptation of Stephen King’s novel of the same name, taps into that strength as well as the fear of being alone, helpless, and dependent on the kindness of a stranger. $69–$169. MiseryBroadway.com Les Pêcheurs de Perles Through Feb. 4 Metropolitan Opera Bizet’s gorgeous opera of lust and longing set in the Far East returns to the Met stage for the first time in 100 years. Soprano Diana Damrau stars as Leïla, the beautiful Hindu priestess pursued by rival pearl divers competing for her hand. From $27. MetOpera.org
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JANUARY SHOWS SOLD OUT.
SHEN YUN RETURNS IN MARCH! “5,000 years of Chinese music and dance, in one night!” — The New York Times
“Beautiful... a nimble mastery.”
“Superb... stunning!”
— Chicago Tribune
— WNYC
“Incredible... Groundbreaking!” — MSNBC
A sold out crowd at Lincoln Center applauds ShenYun on Jan. 13, 2016.
“I’ve never seen such vigorous, athletic dance be this graceful—so smooth it appears effortless. It’s as if Shen Yun can transport the audience to a universe where gravity and physics lend themselves more readily to the artistic expression of the human form. The vibrant music, brilliant digital backdrops, and exhilarating dances are an absolute feast for the senses, but the true, deeply affecting take-away is the spiritual uplifting the audience is gifted. I can’t remember the last time I experienced such a pure state of wonder and inspiration at the theater. Bravo Shen Yun!”
“An explosion of color and sound.” — Charlotte Observer
—Mark Jackson, Epoch Times Entertainment Critic
Experience a Divine Culture DAVID H. KOCH THEATER
LINCOLN CENTER • MARCH 2-13 NJPAC • APRIL 29-MAY 1
Tickets start at $80 800-818-2393 ShenYun.com/NY