"Livin' Fat" presented by Jubilee Theatre

LIVIN' FAT
play program

The Travelling Toe and a Dear Friend attended the Sunday afternoon performance of "Livin' Fat" presented by the Jubilee Theatre.  The play was written by Judi Ann Mason in 1974 while a student at Grambling State University.  The success of the play capitulated her career into TV and film becoming the youngest TV sitcom writer, ever.  

Judi Ann Mason

The play program provided these notes:

Get out your double knit, polyester bell bottoms, hot pants and platform shoes and let's groove to the sounds of The Jackson 5, The Temptations, Earth, Wind and Fire.  "Livin' Fat" is a laugh-out loud hilarious 70's comedy about three generations of a poor, but             hard-working family bound together by strong religious faith and lots of love.  At heart, a comedic morality tale, the family faith is sorely tested when a windfall comes their way.

The play centers on the son, David Lee, who after graduating college finds work as a janitor at the local bank.  The bank is robbed and one of the robbers drops a strap of currency, $50.00 worth  near David Lee.  He grabs it up quickly hiding it in a rag.  At first he does not tell his parents about the money but after he starts buying presents for everyone they find out where the money came from.  So what do they do - keep the money or return it?  Well, Dear Readers, The Travelling Toe will not spoil the ending of the story for you as you will just have to find out for yourself.

We both laughed a lot during this play.  The stage setting was so good and reflected the decor of the 70's. And the costumes were awesome - including the platform shoes. Each actor fit their part perfectly and did a super job.  Another wonderful and enjoyable program at the Jubilee!


CAST:   


Yolanda David                              Mary Lee Cooper (Big Mama)

Kyndal Robertson                        Biddie Steen Carter (Mama)

Jerrold Trice                                 Calvin Ray Carter (Daddy)

Sydney Hewitt                              Candy Carter

Carlos Brumfield                           David Lee Carter

Djore' Nance                                 Ebeneezer Goodson (Boo)


              

Jubilee Theatre

Jubilee Theatre

"One Man. Two Guvnors" presented by NT Live sponsored Amphibian Stage Productions

ONE MAN.TWO GUVNORS

The Travelling Toe and a Dear Friend attended the Wednesday afternoon presentation of NT Live's production of "One Man.Two Guvnors".  The play starts James Corden, who you might recognize as the host of "The Late, Late Show" on CBS.  The play written by Richard Bean premiered in May of 2011.  From there the play toured numerous theaters and finally premiered on Broadway in March 2014.  

James Corden

The plot of the movie is described as follows:

In 1960s Brighton, a socially naive Francis Henshall becomes separately employed by two men – Roscoe Crabbe, a local gangster, and Stanley Stubbers, an upper class criminal. Francis tries to keep the two from meeting, in order to avoid each of them learning that Francis is also working for someone else. However, it turns out that Roscoe is really Rachel Crabbe in disguise, her twin brother Roscoe having been killed by her lover, who is none other than Stanley Stubbers. Mixed in with these chaotic events is Pauline Clench who was originally meant to marry Roscoe but is now set to elope with over-the-top amateur actor Alan Dangle. The play includes two extended passages of improvisation where audience members are recruited into the play

We two, along with our other fellow theater goers, must have really enjoyed this play judging by the amount of laughter that was going on during the performance.  It was really, really funny.  James is just perfect for this role and his character is the main focus for most of the story.  It has a sort of a slow start with a small band playing and singing various songs but they do set the stage for the rocking 60's.  

If you enjoy British humor and comedy, then Dear Reader you must see this play if at all possible. All the actors that are part of the play are indeed funny in their own roles which just makes the whole production even more enjoyable.

Amphibian Stage Productions

The play was telecast at the Magnolia Theater located in the Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth.

The Modern Art Museum of Fort Worth

"Wait Until Dark" presented by Stage West

WAIT UNTIL DARK
play program

On a hot and muggy Sunday afternoon, The Travelling Toe and 4 other friends decided to go to Stage West to see their latest production. The play currently showing is 'Wait Until Dark".  Well, Dear Readers, does the name of the play sound familiar to you? If so, perhaps you saw the original psychological thriller when the movie premiered in October,1967?  It starred Audrey Hepburn as Susan and Alan Arkin and Richard Crenna as the mean dudes. Alan was the really mean dude.  Henry Mancini wrote the music for the movie.

Stage West describes the play on their website as:

Susan Hendrix is working hard to become self-reliant, having lost her sight fairly recently in a car wreck.  It's no easy task--but things are about to get a whole lot harder. Her husband Sam has been called away on a job, so she's on her own.  And then some ruthless criminals show up, seeking a cache of diamonds hidden in a doll she has by accident.  Things go from bad to worse, and Susan is forced to fight for her life however she can, with a little help from a teenage upstairs neighbor.  This classic thriller is sure to have audiences on the edges of their seats.

The Travelling Toe will not reveal the ending but will just give a small hint - a refrigerator plays a large part in the very final scene!

The play takes place just after WWII and the hairstyles and costumes reflected that time period.

The acting was first rate.  Dana Schultes, as Susan, was amazing.  The way she moved about the stage must have required a lot of practicing in order to not look where she was going and not running into any furniture unless she was suppose to.  All the actors were excellent in their roles.  A great job by them all  There is nothing as exciting and enjoyable as live theater....plus they have the A/C on!

CAST:

Dana Schultes

                  Susan

Thomas Ward

                 Carlino

Mark Shum

                 Roat

David Wilson-Brown

                Sam

Jake Buchanan

                 Mike

Cate Stuart

                Gloria

Stage West

Vivian Maier: Lost and Found presented by The Arlington Museum of Art

Arlington Museum of Art

Arlington Museum of Art

With a Dear Friend along, The Travelling Toe visited the Arlington Museum of Art, located in Arlington, Texas.  One of the best things about living in the Metroplex area is that a lot of interesting art exhibits are scheduled at both the large museums and smaller museums.  We found that to be true with all the exhibits we have attended at AMA.

The current show centers on photographer, Vivian Maier.  Vivian was an armature street photographer. She worked as a nanny mostly in North Shore area of Chicago.  But she also photographed people and architecture not only in Chicago, but also New York City, Los Angeles and several other cities in the US and even abroad.  All of her photographs are in black and white and were taken during the 1950's and the 1960's.  

When she passed away in 2009, she left behind over 150,000 photographs, plus home movies, slides and even undeveloped film.  

The AMA's literature on the exhibit states that:

Her images represent an incredibly poignant glimpse into the lives of ordinary people going about the business of daily life.

There are 50 photographs in the exhibit and they are astonishing.  Her composition is amazing as is the focus chosen for the photograph.  She took numerous self-portraits using reflections in windows, mirrors and other ways.  There is an especially beautiful street scene of just fallen snow.  It was so much fun to see those beautiful old cars, the changes in fashion for both men and women and how much stays the same but still somehow changes.

The Travelling Toe admits to being a museum junkie and this small museum is a jewel in the culture diversity of our area.  What a wonderful and intriguing  exhibit!  

this wall tag explains the photograph process

this was a quote that the museum had displayed with the exhibit and certainly applied to Vivian's work

Side Note

There are several books published on her work and are available on the Amazon site.   

Amazon

"The Wizard of Oz" Presented By Broadway At The Bass

THE WIZARD OF OZ
play program

Bass Hall


The Travelling Toe and a Dear Friend attended the Sunday matinee performance of the travelling tour show of "The Wizard of Oz".  The play was performed as part of the Broadway At The Bass season.  Having seen the original movie numerous times, The Travelling Toe was indeed curious to see how it could be performed as a stage play.  Well, the answer to that question was,oh yes indeed and to great success.

Will not bore you with the whole story as Dear Reader you are probably already very familiar with it. So as you know a Kansas tornado plays a major part in the story.  They were able to achieve it by sounds of heavy wind rushing through and a screen projection of a tornado coming through the farm.  We got to see the munchkins and the flying monkeys. And of course Glinda, the Good Witch and the Wicked Witch of the West.  

All the favorite songs from the movie were included in it:

Over The Rainbow

Ding! Dong! The Witch Is Dead

Follow The Yellow Brick Road

If I Only Had A Brain

If I Only Had A Heart

If I Only Had The Nerve

We're Off To See The Wizard


Additional songs are included to help tell Dorthy's story through the Land of Oz. Andrew Lloyd Webber was one of the songwriters who wrote the score.

The makeup, the costumes and stage settings were so delightful.  And the live orchestra provided that extra layer to the performance that only live music can give!

This was a fun and enjoyable production.  All the actors did a super job in their roles.  The actress,Sarah Lasko, who played Dorothy did a credible job of singing "Over The Rainbow". But in full disclosure, being a true dog lover no one in the cast could out act "Toto".  He was a cutie pie Cairn Terrier.  Both the "actors" (Nigel and Loki) for Toto's part were rescues....AWESOME!

"Now You See Me 2" (movie critique)

NOW YOU SEE ME 2
movie poster

The Travelling Toe and a couple of the Friday Movie Mavens had seen the first movie of "Now You See Me" in 2013, decided that we had to see this new one.  It has most of the same cast as the first movie but with a few new cast members.

The plot is rather intricate carrying over secrets from the first movie.  There we first met the Four Horsemen, who were magicians, illusionists and one hypnotist.  Their last scheme targeted a wealthy business man, Arthur Tressler.  A debunked of all things magical, Thaddeus Bradley also got burned.  At the end of the movie we find out who was really pulling the strings of the whole caper and why.   Due to a highly public escape, the Four Horsemen had to go their separate ways.  After a year in hiding, one of the Horsemen, Daniel Atlas, starts receiving communications from "The Eye", which is a secret society of Magicians. The group is assigned a new mission along with a new crew member, Lula May.  During their mission, they are exposed and have to make a fast get-away before being captured.  They slip down a tube they had set-up for the escape but somehow land in Macau. 

From there the story takes off at a fast pace.  Who is really in charge and calling the shots on this plan? Who is really on their side and who can they trust?  

The plot is full of twists and turns.  What is so fun is at the end of the movie they show how all the deception was done.  But Dear Readers, do not expect The Travelling Toe to reveal any of those secrets, you will just have to see the movie yourself!

it does help to have seen the first movie just so you are familiar with the characters, but it is not really necessary as this one pretty much stands on it's own.


CAST:

Woody Harrison
 Merritt McKinney

Jessie Eisenberg
Danny Atlas

Dave Franco
Jack Wilder

Lizzy Caplan
Lula May

Mark Ruffalo
FBI Agent Dylan Rhodes

Morgan Freeman
Thaddeus Bradley

Daniel Radcliffe
Walter Mabry

Michael Caine
Arthur Tressler

Jay Chou
Li

The Travelling Toe gives this movie 2 middle toes up with a deck of cards so you can practice some card tricks.....look, nothing up my sleeve!!

Disclaimer:  The Travelling Toe is not a professional critic and any opinions expressed are for entertainment purposes only.

":Cabaret" presented by the AT&T Performing Arts Center

The Travelling Toe and a Dear Friend decided to head East to that other town that is part of the DFW Metroplex, Dallas.  But be not afraid, we only venture over to the Winspear Opera House when the sun is out, for a Sunday matinee performance.

The reason for our journey East was to see the touring production of "Cabaret".  And The Travelling Toe must admit that it was an excellent presentation.

From the start, cast and orchestra members were on stage doing stretches, tuning instruments and other assorted things.  Then we hear a voice that calls out, "Welcome To The Kit Kat Klub".  The orchestra members take their places and with a few chords soon we are taken back in time to 1930's Berlin to that famous nightclub.  The "Emcee" walks on stage and with the cast they sing and dance to that exuberant number "Willkommen".  

The musical is based on a play called"'I Am A Camera: by John Van Druten's, and a novel by Christoper Isherwood's, "Goodbye to Berlin".  

Dear Reader if you are not familiar with with story line of "Cabaret", have you been living under a rock?  

OK, here is just a very brief overview of the musical.  The Nazis are beginning to rise to power and we slowly see scenes of this erosion of German life touch even the decadent "'Kit Kat Klub".  

The star performer at the club is Sally Bowles.  A newly arrived tourist,  American writer, Cliff Bradshaw, becomes enamored with her. When she is fired from the nightclub, Sally moves in with Cliff.  She tells him she is pregnant with his child. In order to support them, Cliff makes trips to Paris to bring back contraband items.  They live in a seedy rooming house. There we meet the landlady, Fraulein Schneider who is trying to stay afloat.  One of her tenants is a Jewish fruit vendor, Herr Schultz.  He is always bringing her fruit from his market. They too fall in love and decide to get married, but Fraulein Schneider is cautioned about marrying a Jewish man and the marriage is cancelled.  Cliff becomes more concerned about the political situation in Germany and tells Sally they are leaving for America.  But Sally has other plans.  She tells Cliff she has had an abortion and plans to go back to work at the Kit Kat Klub.  Cliff tries to talk her into coming with him but she refuses and he leaves without her.

Yes, it does sound like a deary story and it is.  But the music tells so much more than that. 

The actor who played the Emcee, Randy Harrison, was awesome.  He had the perfect voice for the role and really embraced that eccentric and decadent role.  His costumes and   make-up just accentuated the part he played even more.

Was it worth the hassle on the freeway to get to Dallas?  Well, for this performance, it is a resounding YES!!!

CABARET
(provided by Winspear Opera House)