V5 / Is4
APRIL 2017
THE THEATRICS OF
TODRICK HALL
A YouTube creation to a Broadway sensation, Todrick Hall continues to prove to everyone that his talents are grander than his productions.
Royal A. Wood III
A FREE Publication
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The Illusionists
New Mexico Entertainment • April 2017
Sonja Dewing
www.NMEntertains.com
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TABLE OF CONTENTS PG 10
COVER STORY Todrick Hall
A YouTube creation to a Broadway sensation, Todrick Hall continues to prove to everyone that his talents are grander than his productions, as his prepares for his appearance here in New Mexico PG 6
PG 9
The Illusionists This is not your Grandma’s magic show! Popejoy Hall brings the next level act to New Mexico
Royal A. Woods III Never lost in the comedy woods, Royal continues to bring the joy of laughter to his audiences.
LET US ENTERTAIN YOU
PG 13
PG 15
Logan The final chapter in the Wolverine saga brings a powerful surge of emotions.
Sonja Dewing’s Toy of the Gods Local writer, Sonja Dewing, takes us on a journey in the Amazon.
NOW SHOWING
PG 18 CALENDAR OF EVENTS
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MAKE ‘EM LAUGH
New Mexico Entertainment • April 2017
BETWEEN THE PAGES
www.NMEntertains.com
NME STAFF Teresa Robinson-Ewers Publisher/Editor-in-Chief NMEntertains@gmail.com Ariel Bisbee Photography & Mulitmedia Director Jan Baca Copy Editor CONTRIBUTORS Winter Elise Michael Radcon Sonja Dewing NME Board Teresa Ewers Ariel Bisbee Darlene Esquibel Winter Elise Eddie Robinson SUBSCRIPTIONS New Mexico Entertainment magazine is $24 a year within the Continental United States. Please place your order online at www.NMEntertains.com. Please note the first issue will take 4-6 weeks. All events submissions can be placed at NMEntEvents@gmail.com
4200 Silver Avenue SE, Suite C Albuquerque, NM 87108 505.450.4706
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LET US ENTERTAIN YOU: THE ILLUSIONISTS
© Joan Marcus, 2017
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n the heels of a highly successful multi-city tour and run on Broadway, the world’s bestselling touring magic show, The Illusionists - Live From Broadway™ (www.theillusionistslive.com), will play Popejoy Hall in Albuquerque for six performances May 4 – 7 as part of its North American tour to more than 50 cities in 2017. The Illusionists - Live From Broadway™ is produced by Simon Painter, Tim Lawson, and MagicSpace Entertainment. Conceived by Simon Painter, the show’s creative team also includes executive producer Tim Lawson, director Neil Dorward, and creative director Jim Millan. Full of hilarious magic tricks, deathdefying stunts and acts of breathtaking wonder, The Illusionists has shattered box office records worldwide and thrilled audiences of all ages with a mind-blowing spectacular showcasing the jaw-dropping talents of seven of the most incredible illusionists on earth. Creative Producer Simon Painter said, “We can’t wait to bring this electrifying show to Albuquerque for a truly entertaining experience for the whole family. The Illusionists is the most nonstop and powerful mix of outrageous and astonishing acts ever to be seen on the live stage.” The seven stars participating in this amazing show are Dan Sperry, The AntiConjuror, who is described as Marilyn Manson meets David Copperfield, Dan combines the art of magic with the macabre and is one of the top-10 most Googled people, thanks to a legendary “America’s Got Talent” appearance. The Trickster, Jeff Hobson is the epitome of glamor and showmanship. Don’t be fooled by his innocent appearance; Jeff has audiences laughing
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long after the curtain goes down. The Inventor, Kevin James, is known for innovative illusions, is an inventor, comedian, and collector of the strange and unusual. Kevin is one of the most prolific inventors of magic in the world and has created some of the most celebrated illusions of the last century. The show also includes Andrew Basso, The Escapologist, Italy’s star escape artist, Andrew considers Houdini his hero and is fast becoming one of the world’s most popular illusionists. He is the only person in the world to perform Houdini’s famous Water Torture Cell with absolutely no covers. Known as The Deductionist, Colin Cloud is one of the greatest thought readers of all time is a psychic savant known as a real-life Sherlock Holmes. Don’t play against him in a game of poker – he’s never lost. The Weapon Master, Ben Blaque, has established himself as America’s foremost master of the crossbow after appearing four times on America’s Got Talent. He performs incredibly dangerous acts of dexterity using highly powerful crossbows to shoot various objects supported by his assistant. Finally, The Manipulator, An Ha Lim is the first place winner at Korea’s Busan International Magic Competition (2006), Italy Club Convention Manipulation (2006) and World Magic Seminar in Asia (2007), An Ha Lim was also a Golden Lion Award winner at the World Magic Seminar in Las Vegas (2008). With this stellar cast, The Illusionists is such to be a show of non-stop excitement. Tickets for The Illusionists are on sale now and are available at UNM Bookstore and Pit ticket offices, online at unmtickets.com and over the phone at (505) 925-5858. NME - *Provided by Popejoy Hall
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MAKE ‘EM LAUGH: ROYAL A. WOODS III
© M. West, 2017
“...we are just working harder to make the scene better...”
polished well, but I felt confident on stage, which is what mattered at that point.
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hat the world needs now is more comedy and nobody knows that better than Royal A. Woods III. Woods took a moment to sit down with New Mexico Entertainment and share where his love of comedy came from and what upcoming projects are coming his way. Where did your love of comedy come from? My love of comedy came from my father. We would watch old Jamie Foxx and Sinbad sets and just crack up. Also, the SNL run with Will Ferrell and Tina Fey were my favorite shows to watch. Do you remember your first gig? What was it like? My first gig was actually my first time behind a microphone as a comedian. My set wasn’t really 9I
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What do you feel is missing when it comes to the comedy scene in Albuquerque? That’s hard to say, due to the fact that everyone is working hard for the scene. We have our open mics and our showcases, but a lot of it is DIY. Nothing is really missing, we are just working harder to make the scene better by putting on more quality acts. What is your inspiration when it comes to planning your sets? It’s mainly knowing what show I am on. I have jokes from almost every bit of the spectrum, but it’s knowing who I am telling these jokes to is what matters. I could have all my winning material in a set, but not knowing the show itself could make or break the set. What gigs do you have coming down the pipeline? I’m performing for Holly Byrd’s birthday party on the 14th at The Press Club. Also, I will be participating in the Make Me Laugh Albuquerque Comedy Contest the 15th through the 18th. NME - Teresa Ewers
COVER STORY: TODRICK HALL
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rom YouTube creation to Broadway sensation, Todrick Hall is bursting at the seams with talent. Currently touring with his new show, Straight Outta Oz, coming to New Mexico on May 1st at the National Hispanic Cultural Center, Hall is continuing to make a name for himself with his quality productions, whether on the stage or on the screen. America first witnessed Hall taking the stage for American Idol, making it to the semi-finals finishing 16th. Even though Todrick didn’t make it far, many got a glimpse into the soulfulness of the artist, who, before he was on American Idol, worked with AI alumni Fantasia on Broadway in The Color Purple. Hall found growing success with the social media outlet, YouTube, where he use the platform to expand on his talent and show the public what all he has to offer. Todrick’s first video, a rendition of Boyz 2 Men’s “It’s So Hard to Say Goodbye To Yesterday” was a simple production with just a background track, a camera, and his voice. The video was the start of a performance storm, bringing us some of the greatest flash mobs using the music of Beyoncé, who publicly praised Hall for his creativity and Arianna Grande. Along with creative production videos including The Hungry Games, 11 I
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Spell Block Tango and, my personal favorite, Beauty and the Beat. These videos, that started with views of over 100,000, have grown to over 2 million, turning Todrick into a YouTube sensation and looking to expand to other avenues. Hall produced and released a web series on his YouTube channel called Pop Star High, spawning several videos and his second studio album by the same title. MTV came calling offering Todrick a selftitled docuseries, following him and giving fans a taste of life as Todrick Hall. His stardom grew as Todrick was tapped to be a judge on the RuPaul’s Drag Race All-Stars. His addition to the panel added more flair to the already fabulous show. Along with fulfilling his role as a judge, Hall was offered the opportunity to play Lola, the role played by musical legend Billy Porter, in the Broadway production of Kinky Boots. His performance brought critical acclaim and help launch the musical into Tony® territory.
Hall took his career one step further by directing, choreographing and producing his own stage production, an homage to The Wizard of Oz titled Straight Outta Oz, which is
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also Todrick’s third studio album. This is production is one of the biggest projects Hall has created, featuring original songs like Papi featuring Nicole Scherzinger, Lyin’ to Myself and Expensive. The show has been well-received, being called “a triumph” by many critics. Todrick continuing to extend his brand and show the world that he is more than a contestant on a reality show. Todrick Hall is a phenomenon carving out a niche market for his talent and those who appreciate it. Hall’s confidence and power on stage are something to witness and if Hall has proven anything he is a force not to be reckoned with. NME - Teresa Ewers
NOW SHOWING: LOGAN
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olverine shows his depth in the fifth and final installment of the Marvel series titled Logan. I purposely held off on reading the synopsis of the movie, which left me wondering what I should expect. Entering the theater, I prepared myself for what the final chapter of this beloved character would bring. After some time, I still find myself in awe of the masterpiece I just witnessed. Time and age have caught up with Logan, slowing down the claws and reflexes at times. He has taken on the responsibility of looking after Xavier (Professor X) who is suffering from seizures that are earth-shaking, to say the least. Mutants are now on the endangered species list, leaving Logan to take on a job as a chauffeur for rude businessmen and drunken bachelorette parties. Prepared 13 I
for the big end, Logan soon finds something to fight for in 11-year-old Laura, who possess some familiar powers. In true Marvel fashion, the movie turned into an action fest as the main characters take a trip to discover the mutant Eden described in an X-Men comic book while outrunning the evil doctor Rice played by Richard E. Grant and henchman Donald Pierce played by Boyd Holbrook. The movie is an homage to the classic westerns like The Good, The Bad and The Ugly and Unforgiven. The movie Shane even made an appearance, adding to the storyline and showing the connection of the white hats vs. the black hats. No surprise when director James Mangold (3:10 to Yuma) is the running the charge. This movie did not sugar coat the violence factor.
New Mexico Entertainment • April 2017
Besides Deadpool, this was one of the most bloody installments of any Marvel production, proving if this ending was going out with a
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bang, it was going big. One thing the movie provided was the waterworks for everyone in the audience. Logan provided some O s c a r- w o r t h y moments for a
New Mexico Entertainment • April 2017
comic book franchise. Jackman and Stewart gave some of the greatest performances - both comedic and dramatic - not only leaving viewers in a puddle of tears but begging for the adventures of Wolverine not to end. Logan exceeded expectations for myself and millions of fans. The depth of the acting and the script was magical and 20 Century Fox tapped into a side of this franchise that I would love to see with other avenues of the series. I know that when it comes to the Wolverine series, there were some hits and misses. When it comes to Logan, not only does it make up for the mistakes, but provided a triumphant farewell. NME -Teresa Ewers
BETWEEN THE PAGES: SONJA DEWING’S TOY OF THE GODS
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oy of the Gods follows the story of Leslie Kicklighter, as she and a group of tourists are stranded in the Amazon by a recently awakened Inca god. They’ll have to make it back to civilization on foot past bandits, angry villagers, and drunken monkeys. And what does a writer from New Mexico know about the Amazon? A few years ago I sold most of my belongings, moved out of my apartment, then me and my best friend headed to Costa Rica, Panama, and Peru for seven weeks. I had seven days in the Amazon basin in Peru and it was amazing! When we got off the boat in the Amazon, a long grey snake slithered across the muddy path. Just the kind of atmosphere I needed for an adventure novel. While there we visited local doctors growing herbs and practicing traditional methods, fished for piranha in an oxbow lake, and learned as much about the rainforest as we could. After years of editing it’s ready and 15 I
now I h a v e a unique opportunity. I was contacted by Publishizer, a company out of California wants to disrupt the publishing business by helping crowdfund authors as well as get them direct to publishers. The more books I sell, the more publishers I get connected to, which I think is a brilliant idea. Don’t get me wrong, I know agents take on an important role in the publishing industry, but it’s been difficult finding an agent that likes a strong female role in an adventure with a little supernatural thrown in. If you love adventure novels in the vain of Indiana Jones then you’ll want to check out the first two chapters (http://sonjadewing.com/toy-of-thegods-chapter-one/) or you can buy your copy now at https://publishizer. com/toy-of-the-gods/
New Mexico Entertainment • April 2017
NME - Sonja Dewing
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CALENDAR OF EVENTS
April 29, 2017
8TH ANNUAL ABQ RECYCLED ART FAIR Open Space Visitor Center
http://www.cabq.gov/openspace
UNTIL April 9, 2017 THE MOORS The Cell Theatre 700 1st St NW Albuquerque, NM 87102 http://www.fusionnm.org/box-office-fusionseason-subscriptions.html
April 8, 2017 ALBUQADBRA! AN EVENING OF MAGIC South Broadway Cultural Center 1025 Broadway Blvd SE Albuquerque, NM 87102 https://www.cabq.gov/south-broadwaycultural-center
UNTIL April 2, 2017 10TH EDITION FARE-THEE-WELL TAOS SHORTZ FILM FEST Taos Center for the Arts 133 Paseo Del Pueblo Norte Taos, NM 87571 www.taosshortz.com
April 14, 2017 TAJ EXPRESS Popejoy Hall 203 Cornell Dr Albuquerque, NM 87131 http://popejoypresents.com/2016-2017season/taj-express-the-bollywood-musicalreview
April 1, 2017 THE GREATEST FOOLS Guild Cinema 3405 Central Ave NE Albuquerque, NM 87106 www.guildcinema.com April 8, 2017 WALK MS Hoffmantown Church 8888 Harper Dr NE Albuquerque, NM 87111 www.walkMS.org April 8, 2017 UFC 210 The lineup features 13 match-ups. In the main event, champion Daniel Cormier (18-1) will fight to defend his light heavyweight title as he faces challenger Anthony Johnson (22-5). Lounge 54 54 Jemez Canyon Dam Rd Bernalillo, NM 87004 www.santaanastar.com/entertainment/ lounge-54
April 15, 2017 EXHIBIT OPENINGS: “LONG AGO…” “PUEBLO PEOPLE & OUR MODERN ENVIRONMENT” Indian Pueblo Cultural Center 2401 12th St NW Albuquerque, NM 87104 https://goo.gl/2cD6D9 April 23, 2017 HIV WALK AND FUN RUN UNM Golf course Alumni Memorial Chapel Albuquerque, NM 87106 http://hivwalknm.org April 23, 2017 KODO: DADAN 2017 Lensic Performing Arts Center 211 W San Francisco St Santa Fe, NM 87501 http://www.kodo.or.jp/index_en.html
Submit events to NMEntEvents@gmail.com • View full calendar at NMEntertains.com 18 I
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