The Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater will be premiering two new works at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC): Amy Hall Garner’s first work for the Company, CENTURY, and former dancer Elizabeth Roxas-Dobrish’s duet, Me, Myself and You, on Mother’s Day Weekend with performances Friday, May 10 at 8pm, Saturday, May 11th at 8pm and Sunday, May 12 at 3pm.
Tickets Start at $20.00 NJPAC Prudential Hall One Center Street Newark, New Jersey 07102 www.njpac.org
The company will present these exciting premieres in a powerful new production in celebration of this year’s Max Roach Centennial, which will include such repertory favorites as Ailey’s must-see American masterpiece, Revelations.
CENTURY is a deeply personal piece inspired by Hall Garner’s grandfather on the eve of his 100th birthday. Taking a cue from his spirited essence and set to the music of Ray Charles, Count Basie, The Dirty Dozen Brass Band, and more, CENTURY is a celebration of life, resilience, and joy.
Me, Myself and You is a dreamlike dance about reminiscence. Set to Damien Sneed and Brandie Sutton’s rendition of “In A Sentimental Mood,” it conjures the memories of love and passion of a woman who is asking herself if she should let go or forge ahead.
New productions include the seven-minute tour-de-force, Solo, by Hans van Manen, the internationally celebrated choreographer long associated with the Dutch National Ballet, and Alonzo King’s Following the Subtle Current Upstream (2000), a non-stop piece that investigates deeply rooted affinities between Western and Eastern classical forms, elemental materials, the natural world, and the human spirit.
Described by choreographer Alonzo Kingas “a piece about how to return to joy,” Following the Subtle Current Upstream mirrors life’s boisterous waves and reminds us that everything in nature seeks to return to its source.
Also on the program are returning favorites: Survivors (1986) by Alvin Ailey and Mary Barnett, and Ailey’s signature masterpiece Revelations (1960). The former is Ailey’s impassioned tribute to the profound courage and terrible anguish of Nelson and Winnie Mandela. Max Roach’s richly varied drumming and Abbey Lincoln’s vocals set the emotional tone for this powerful work that lifts up those who resist oppression in any form.
Ending the performance is the finale, Revelations, which has been seen by more people around the world than any other modern dance work, moving audiences with its powerful storytelling and soul-stirring music and evoking timeless themes of determination, hope, and transcendence.
Springing from Ailey’s childhood memories of growing up in the south and attending services at Mount Olive Baptist Church in Texas, Revelations pays homage to the rich cultural heritage of the African American community and explores the emotional spectrum of the human condition. Tickets are now on sale and can be purchased by visiting NJPAC.org, calling 888-466-5722, or by visiting the NJPAC Box Office.
Monterey Bay Aquarium is perhaps the most celebrated aquarium in the U.S. and for good reason. Not only are there rare animals and other sea life on display, but all you have to do is walk outside and look out on Monterey Bay to see an area that is teeming with life because it’s a protected sanctuary.
Inside, you’ll see rare comb jellyfish that light up in rainbow colors from within, squid, and a giant Pacific octopus. There’s a wonderful kelp forest exhibit, as well as sea otters that you could watch playing for hours without a moment of getting bored.
Take a look at my photos below from my visit to the Aquarium, and you’ll see why you need to go there the next time you’re in this part of California.
Models of whales hang from the ceiling at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Comb jellies must be the most fascinating animal on the planet. I had always wanted to see one of these animals that generates its own inner light, and I finally got my chance at Monterey Bay Aquarium. The rainbow lights moved up and down within the animals and changed colors. Truly miraculous.
Comb jellies that light up. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Watching jellyfish swim is a meditative experience. Photo by Melanie Votaw.The aquarium has several different species of jellyfish on display. Photo by Melanie Votaw.A shark swims in a kelp forest at the Monterey Bay Aquarium. Photo by Melanie Votaw.After watching the happy little crab for a while, I saw the food chain in action, as this gull swooped in and turned the crab into a meal. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
It’s hard to imagine that there was no museum about the history of Broadway until late 2022, but that’s the truth. Thankfully, we now have the Museum of Broadway to commemorate the wonder of New York’s theater and located in the Times Square theater district where it belongs.
The museum has more than 1,000 costumes, artifacts, set pieces, and photos that pay tribute to 500+ productions. If you’re in New York City and love theater, this museum is a must-see.
Some of the exhibits are interactive, allowing you to put yourself in set pieces and take selfies. But I will let the photos and my captions speak for themselves.
I was thrilled to see that the museum devotes real estate to “Show Boat,” a groundbreaking musical from the 1920s. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Costumes from “Hair,” another groundbreaking and beloved musical (one of my personal favorites). Photo by Melanie Votaw.“Let the Sunshine In” from “Hair. Photo by Melanie Votaw.A neon sign paying homage to “The Wiz” with “Ease on Down the Road.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.This photo from the Broadway play, “‘Night, Mother,” starring Kathy Bates and Anne Pitoniak was especially meaningful to me because Anne was a dear friend of mine. Photo by Melanie Votaw.As a tap dancer, I also loved seeing this photo of Savion Glover from “Bring in Da Noise, Bring in Da Funk.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.This is Bialystock’s office from “The Producers.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.And the door from “The Producers.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.Costumes from “Hamilton.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.A costume worn by the character of Satine in “Moulin Rouge.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.A model of the set of “Wicked,” one of the most successful musicals in Broadway history. Photo by Melanie Votaw.A set from “West Side Story.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.Puppets and masks from “The Lion King.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.Artifacts and the costume worn by the character of Mark in “Rent.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.Another display honoring “Rent.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.Costumes from the original Ziegfeld Follies! Photo by Melanie Votaw.Artifacts from the original Ziegfeld Follies. Photo by Melanie Votaw.A model of the set for “In the Heights.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.Costumes from “A Chorus Line. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Even my Lyft driver didn’t know about the Hollywood Cars Museum in Las Vegas, which is just a short drive from the strip. This little-known museum has a host of vehicles from TV and movies, as well as a room filled with cars and costumes once owned by Liberace.
A batmobile at the Hollywood Cars Museum in Las Vegas. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
You’ll find cars from “The Hangover,” “RoboCop,” “The Dukes of Hazzard,” and the Flintstones movie, among many others. They even have a DeLorean from Back to the Future. If you’re a movie fan or enjoy specialty and vintage cars, this is a must see.
An actual lifeboat used in the Tom Hanks film “Captain Phillips.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.A car made for the Flintstones movie. Photo by Melanie Votaw.A DeLorean from “Back to the Future.” Photo by Melanie Votaw.A rhinestone car owned by Liberace. Photo by Melanie Votaw.One of Liberace’s costumes also on display at the Hollywood Cars Museum in Las Vegas. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
If you truly need a break from the insanity of the Las Vegas strip, take a short drive to Springs Reserve, which is a peaceful oasis in the middle of all the chaos of the city. The 180-acre preserve contains gardens that attract all sorts of birds, including hummingbirds (usually Anna’s hummingbirds), and it includes an enclosed butterfly exhibit, as well as a Boomtown 1905 exhibit that’s a recreation of a Las Vegas street from that era.
It’s a wonderful place to get some fresh air and be in nature without venturing too far from the famous Vegas commercialism. I highly recommend it to help you decompress after a night at the casino. Take a look at images from my visit.
A female Anna’s hummingbird at Springs Reserve in Las Vegas. Photo by Melanie Votaw.A cactus at Springs Reserve in Las Vegas. Photo by Melanie Votaw.Flowers at Spring Reserve in Las Vegas. Photo by Melanie VotawA butterfly at Spring Reserve in Las Vegas. Photo by Melanie Votaw
Be sure to look up occasionally at the Museum of the American Revolution. There are exhibits over your head, such as this one of a Patriot working to rip down the statue of King George III in New York.
Philadelphia’s Museum of the American Revolution opened in the spring 2017, focusing on the movement and the war that resulted in the United States. Considering that some people didn’t recognize the Declaration of Independence July 4th when National Public Radio tweeted it 140 characters at a time, this museum is needed! I hope those who are unfamiliar with our country’s history will visit it.
One of the exhibits in the Museum of the American Revolution chronicles the difficulty of agreeing on a seal for the new United States. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
My visit started with a 15-minute orientation film called “Revolution,” which brought my patriotic spirit right up to the surface. You’re immediately reminded that the United States began as a result of resistance and defiance of oppressive leadership.
There are other short films throughout the facility, including one about the Indians’ role in the fighting. Called “People of the Standing Stone/The Oneida Nation, the War of Independence and the Making of America,” the film (narrated by Kevin Costner and directed by Ric Burns) tells us about the little-known contributions of Indians, some of whom fought with the Patriots and some of whom chose to fight on the side of the British.
The museum is full of quotes from figures of revolutionary times. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
My favorite film was “Washington’s War Tent,” which ends with the raising of a screen so that we see his actual tent. It’s amazingly well-preserved and quite moving to see it. In the film, we learn about its journey from the days of the war to today.
I was happy to see that the museum discussed the irony of the words “all men are created equal,” considering our early treatment of Africans and Indians. Many slaves at the time hoped those words would mean freedom for them, but it was a long time before that freedom would become a reality.
Exhibits include a life-size replica privateer ship, a life-size reproduction of the Boston Liberty Tree, where the revolution was first debated, original and reproduction artifacts, and models depicting scenes from various events. The main galleries cover the rumblings of the American revolution from 1760-1775, the darkest period of the war during 1776-1778, the final years of the war from 1778-1783, and the establishment of the new nation.
Among the artifacts is a continental dollar. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
The museum is a bit smaller than I expected. Of course, any museum must capsulize such a complex and years-long series of events, so much had to be left out. There was a noticeable absence, for example, of Alexander Hamilton, which was surprising considering the recent interest in his legacy.
The museum also pays tribute to the women who participated in the Revolution. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
Nevertheless, the museum is well done and an important educational tool for students and adults who need a refresher course. It also provides information about some of the players who are usually left out of our textbooks.
A depiction of a brawl in Harvard Yard. Photo by Melanie Votaw.
She comes in a tiny package but with a huge voice. Pretty as a picture and full of good humor, Emmy and Tony Award-winner Kristin Chenoweth was in top form strutting her stuff on the NJPAC (New Jersey Performing Arts Center) stage during her recent appearance.
Chenoweth is perhaps best known for her dazzling performance as Glinda the Good Witch in Broadway’s long-running hit show Wicked. Previously, she had wowed critics and the theater-going audience during her breakout role in You’re a Good Man, Charlie Brown.
I also fondly remember her in the short-lived TV series, Pushing Daisies, which earned her an Emmy Award for Best Supporting Actress. Her comedic acting talents, along with the creative staging and visual design concepts, made this unusual fairytale memorable, and I was sorry to see it go after only two seasons.
Kristin Chenoweth at NJPAC. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
A classically trained singer, Chenoweth has a huge vocal range, allowing her to perform classical operettas in addition to her pop and showtune repertoire.
At the NJPAC performance, she delighted the audience when she stepped on stage wearing a black sequined mini-dress replete with long sleeves that engulfed her in feathers. Her sparkling microphone and matching stiletto shoes completed her outfit.
She immediately burst into the 1962 song, “I’m a Woman,” followed by Leslie Gore’s 1963 “You Don’t Own Me.” She toned down the “Woman’s Month” rhetoric with “The Way We Were” made famous in the eponymous 1973 movie by Barbara Streisand. Then, with a twinkle in her eye, she belted out the 1935 “Zing Went the Strings of My Heart,” which brought the house down.
Kristin Chenoweth at NJPAC. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
Chenoweth was accompanied on stage by her longtime associate, Mary-Mitchell Campbell, on the piano, along with an ensemble of talented musicians. Campbell is well-known as a conductor, music director, orchestrator, composer, and arranger. Also on stage were two backup singers who were worthy of star billing on their own.
After “Zing,” Chenoweth explained to the audience that she was working with famous composer Stephen Schwartz on a new production entitled The Queen of Versailles, which will have a pre-Broadway world premiere in Boston this summer.
Stephen Schwartz at NJPAC. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
She then surprised the audience by inviting him to join her on stage to accompany her as she sang “Caviar Dreams,” a song from the production that had never been sung before in public. To thunderous applause, Schwartz took the piano from Mary-Mitchell Campbell to accompany Chenoweth before returning to his seat in the audience.
Schwartz not only wrote the music and lyrics for Wicked, but he also wrote the music and lyrics for blockbuster hits such as Godspell and Pippin, along with many more Broadway productions, Disney films, and operas. He has been inducted into the Theater Hall of Fame and the Songwriters Hall of Fame. His awards include three Oscars, four Grammys, an honorary Tony, a Golden Globe, and a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame.
Kristin Chenoweth at NJPAC with Mary-Mitchell Campbell, one of her backup singers, and her drummer. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
The NJPAC performance hall is an engineering wonder with full-view seating from any of its tiers or boxes. It has true tonal sound quality and a talented and creative lighting crew, which is so necessary on a large stage bereft of design elements.
There was one song that required staging, and that was the Hanukah song that Chenoweth has made her own. The audience responded by waving their lit-up cell phones, turning the huge space into a festival of lights.
Of course, Chenoweth could not leave the stage without performing her signature song, “Popular,” from Wicked. It was as moving as when I first heard her sing it so many years ago on Broadway when that show was all the rage. Her rendition of “Somewhere Over the Rainbow,” famously sung by Judy Garland in the 1938 film The Wizard of Oz, was as good as it gets short of the original, which lives in the hearts of all who love the movie.
Kristin Chenoweth at NJPAC. Photo by Manos Angelakis.
The only negative aspect of the evening was that there was a torrential downpour all day long that did not abate before, during, or after the performance. It made getting to Newark, New Jersey and back home again a driver’s tour de force. Roads were flooded, and between the fog and rain, it was a nightmare.
But Chenoweth’s loyal, devoted fans were not deterred. Dripping shoes, coats, and umbrellas notwithstanding, the theater was packed with good-natured, albeit wet, fans cheering on their star. It was a testament to her popularity and fan affection.
