Limelight – The Story of Charlie Chaplin

Limelight – The Story of Charlie Chaplin LaJolla Playhouse A sterling production now emerges from the middle of the LaJolla Playhouse’s season.  This musical improbably ... Continue Reading →

Van Morrison in California

Van Morrison in California   Some rockers get to a certain age and take a career left turn.  Queens’ guitarist Brian May completed his PhD thesis in astronomy, then ... Continue Reading →

Elton John and Leon Russell

Elton John and Leon Russell November 3, 2010, Hollywood Palladium Sometimes in rock music, it takes a while for things to come full circle. Four decades is an inordinately long time ... Continue Reading →

Chautauqua Institution

Chautauqua Institution Will it always be the case that every article about Chautauqua starts by calling it America’s best kept secret? Part of me hopes so, in the sense that this ... Continue Reading →

Montreal: Satisfying Juxtapositions

Montreal: Satisfying Juxtapositions   This is a town for acoustic motorbikes, which is what the underrated Irish singer Luka Bloom calls bicycles.  I spent ... Continue Reading →

Herbie Hancock

Herbie Hancock Carnegie Hall, CareFusion NYC Jazz Festival, June 24, 2010   George Wein is the godfather of the outdoor music festival. Well before Coachella, ... Continue Reading →

“Memphis” at Shubert Theatre, NYC

Memphis Shubert Theatre, NYC     The state of the musical theatre is enjoying a harmonic convergence of factors.  Kids, generally the least relevant ... Continue Reading →

“South Pacific” at Lincoln Center Theatre

South Pacific Lincoln Center Theatre at the Vivian Beaumont, NYC   One of the strongest revivals is the wonderful version of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s ... Continue Reading →