Her solo performance of Hamlet—yes, all the parts (Rosencrantz and Guildenstern)—should be accessible to everyone. “Shakespeare is presented to people these days as ‘this is good for you.’ I’ve heard the term ‘spinach theater.’” The trick? Avoid vegetables, emphasize history, preserve the beauty of the verse: words, words, words! Continue reading »
Monthly Archives: May 2024
490: Elizabeth Streb
“I don’t like dance,” says this choreographer, “but we saw the bull riders at Madison Square Garden and, boy, I really wanted to get on that bull.” Her combination of disdain and desire results in exciting and surprising—I hesitate to say “dance” lest I incur her scorn— “organized movement.” Continue reading »
489: Marc Norman
This expert on affordable housing asks challenging questions: “Would you want greater-density boxy buildings to replace brownstones in Park Slope, and if not, where do we put them?” Now my head hurts. In a good way. Produced with Open House New York. Photo: Ben Helmer. Continue reading »
488: Eduardo Vilaro
“I am Juan de Pareja,” says this choreographer (center) about the subject of his new piece, the Afro-Spanish painter enslaved by Velázquez. Multiple personalities? No. One artist fascinated by the life of another. We celebrate Vilaro’s fifteen years as artistic director of Ballet Hispánico. Music: Ahmed Alom (left). Continue reading »