October FWSO Pop Series - Tony DeSare, Guest Performer

FWSO POP CONCERT
program

The October FWSO Pops Concert was recently performed at Bass Hall.  Maestro Ron Spigelman was the conductor for the performance.

Ron Spigelman
concert conductor

The guest performer was Vocalist/Pianist, Tony DeSare.  The program notes that 
Mr. DeSare, was named "a Rising Star Male Vocalist" in Downbeat Magazine.  His performance certainly proved that his acclaim was well deserved.  In the first half of the program, he sang and played hits such as "I Love A Piano", "She's Always A Woman", and "Philadelphia Freedom". 

Tony DeSare
Guest Performer

After a brief intermission, Mr. DeSare, returned to the beautiful piano sitting center stage and entranced the audience with various musical numbers..The performance included the very lovely "Clair de lune" and the jazzy "Rhapsody in Blue".  Tony certainly did  produce some sweet sounding music!

 He is indeed a very talented musical.  Here's hoping that the FWSO books him again soon!!!

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra

November Book Mark Book Review Meeting

The featured speaker at the November Book Mark Review Club meeting was Kathleen Cunningham.  Kathleen has been a speaker at the club before and was very enjoyable.  She is tall, elegant, sophisticated, a former model and champion ballroom dancer.  Her presentation was about the life story of two dynamic ladies in the fashion and modeling business.

The two women she spoke about were :

                            Eilieen Ford, who with her husband Jerry, co-founded the successful                                                             Ford Modeling Agency.


                          Diana Vreeland, noted columnist at Harper's Bazaar and Editor-in-Chief
                                                    at Vogue Magazine

Kathleen talked about how the tribulations of the early lives of these two ladies shaped them and how those trying times made them the successes that they became.  

One interesting tidbit about Diana, is that after she was dismissed from Vogue, she became famous for curating fashion exhibits at the Metropolitan Museum

Style may come and go, but these two women left their mark on the fashion world, and changed it forever.



.

Eileen Ford

Diana Vreeland

"Application Pending" presented by Circle Theatre

APPLICATION PENDING
play program

Well, The Travelling Toe and two Dear Friends are off again to see a play at Circle Theatre, located in the Downtown Area of Fort Worth.  The featured play was "Application Pending".  The play was written by Greg Edwards and Andy Sandberg.

Greg Edwards

Andy Sandberg

The following synopsis is from Goggle website:

Christine Evans is a kindergarten assistant at Edgely Prep, an elite Manhattan private school with an acceptance rate that puts Harvard's to shame. On the day applications are due, Edgely's head of admissions is ousted in a scandal, and Christine is unexpectedly thrust into the job. With phones ringing off the hook, Christine must balance beleaguered applicants, venal administrators, and an army of parents who will stop at nothing to get their kids in. Winner of the 2015 Broadway World Award for Best Off-Broadway Play, "Application Pending" explores the cutthroat world of kindergarten admissions and what it ultimately means to be a good parent.

Janelle Lutz played Christine Evans who is the new Director of Pre-Primary Admissions at Edgely Preparatory Academy.

Janelle plays all the other parts as well...at least 30 or more simply changing her voice as each character becomes part of the play.  How she kept each character separate in her mind as the play continues on is amazing.  Each one is very distinct.

What a great way to close the 2017 season at Circle Theatre!

Circle Theatre

"White Christmas" at Bass Hall

WHITE CHRISTMAS
play program

The touring show of Irving Berlin's "White Christmas" made a recent stop at Bass Hall.  The Travelling Toe and three Dear Friends attended the Sunday matinee performance.

Bass Hall

The musical is based on the movie made in 1954, starring Bing Crosby and Danny Kaye with Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen.

The stage version follows the movie script fairly well and tells the story of two soldiers and their general 10 years after the war ends.  A condensed version of the plot from the internet is as follows: 

Singers Bob Wallace and Phil Davis and singing sister act Betty and Judy Haynes join together to perform a Christmas show in rural Vermont. There, they run into Gen. Waverly, , the boys' commander in World War II, who, they learn, is having financial difficulties; his quaint country inn is failing. So what's the foursome to do but plan a yuletide miracle: a 

   fun-filled musical extravaganza that's sure to put Waverly and his business in the black!

One of the most enjoyable numbers was "I Love A Piano"...featuring the cast tap dancing throughout  the musical number. It was so much fun to watch them do those intricate tap dancing movements.

Of course one of Irving Berlin's most best beloved songs "White Christmas" was front and center for this namesake musical.

As it says on the play program, "A Holiday Card Come To Life" was all too true.  This production could have put the "Grinch" or "Scrooge" in a festive holiday spirit.

Must mention one familiar cast member, Conrad John Schuck, who played General Henry Waverly.  Mr. Schuck is very much a popular in demand character actor in television and movie and has had numerous theatrical roles, including playing "Daddy Warbucks" in "Annie".

Conrad John Schuck

What a marvelous way to start the holiday season!

Gutenberg Printing Press in Texas

Gutenberg Printing Press Replica 

An operating replica of the Gutenberg printing press was on display at a local church in the Fort Worth area recently.  The Travelling Toe and Dear Friend drove to the church to  attend the program and see the press in action.

The Gutenberg printing press is what helped put the Bible into the hands of everyday people.

The press was built by exhibit curator and renowned Biblical authentication, Dr. F.J. Maisel.  

Besides the printing press other Biblical items were on display:

                                leaves from actual Biblical publications from reformers such as 
                                         Martin Luther, William Tyndale, John Rogers, 
                                         Miles Coverdale and John Calvin

                                an original, true first printing of the King James Bible

                                an actual page from the first book printed with movable type, the
                                             1450 Gutenberg Bible.

The presenter, whose name The Travelling Toe failed to get, made a few interesting points about several members of the English monarchy and the Bible.

Henry VIII, supported reformation of course due to his abolishing the Catholic faith so he could marry Anne Boleyn. The Great Bible of 1539, was the first authorized edition of an English version of the Bible.  It was read aloud at church services.

After Henry's demise, his oldest daughter took the throne and reverted the Empire back to Catholicism. Because so many Protestants were persecuted and executed during her reign, Mary I was know as Bloody Mary. 

Following her death, Elizabeth I came into power.  She once again returned the country to the Protestant faith. She was given a Geneva Bible, which predates the King James version by 51 years.  It was also one of the Bibles that the Puritans brought with them to the New World.

After the presentation, the presenter inked the typeset, placed a sheet of paper on it and had young boys pull the press arm around.  A Bible verse was printed out.  It was so fascinating to watch and view the results.

To learn more about this museum, log on to their Facebook page of Enduring Word Museum.  The Museum is located in Weatherford, Texas

Those that went before us stood tall for their faith and ensured that we today can have any type and as many Bibles in as many languages as we want without facing trials and tribulations....at least in some parts of the world.  We are so blessed!


Here are a few photos The Travelling Toe took of the presentation.

King James

Page from a Bishop's Bible

Story of William Tyndale

                                                     Story of John Wycliff

Blest Be The Tie That Binds

FWSO October 2017 Symphonic Concerts

OCTOBER 2017
symphony program

The Travelling Toe, along with several Dear Friends, attended two performances of the Fort Worth Symphony during the month of October.

Teddy Abrams

The first concert on October 8th, featured Teddy Abrams as guest Conductor.  The program began with "Agnegram" written by Michael Tilson Thomas, who is the current conductor of the San Francisco Symphony Orchestra.  According to the program notes,  the Maestro composed the music as a celebration for the 90th birthday of a parton of the orchestra.  

Michael Tilson Thomas

A short break followed this 8 minute introduction piece so the grand piano could be rolled to center stage.  The featured piece was the Piano Concerto in G Major written by Maurice Ravel.  Mr. Abrams conducted the orchestra while playing the solo piano piece. It was so interesting to watch as the piano was placed facing the audience instead of the normal side view. This placement allowed Mr. Abrams to direct the orchestra as well as play his part at the piano. It was an excellent view of him playing the piano keys.

Maurice Ravel
1875-1937

After a short intermission, the orchestra took stage again to play Sergei Prokofiev's Symphony No.5   The programs notes by Ken Meltzer, indicate that Prokofiev wrote this symphony at a time when the victory of Nazis was in sight.

Sergei Prokofiev
1891-1953

The second concert was on Oct 29th.  Miguel Harth-Bedoya was at the podium for this performance.  

Miguel Harth-Bedoya

Before the performance Maestro Harth-Bedoya, requested that all Military personnel and First Responders in the audience to stand and be recognized.  They were greeted with great applause and appreciation.. 

Edvard Grieg
1843-1907

The concert began with selections from "Peer Gynt" written by Edvard Grieg.  This music is very popular, such as "Morning Mood" and "In The Hall of The Mountain King".

Richard Strauss
1864-1949

Following a brief intermission, selections were played from "Ein Heldenleben" written by Richard Strauss. Mr. Meltzer notes in the program that this work of music"is one of Strauss's  most thrilling, virtuoso orchestral works".

Bass Hall

Fort Worth Symphony Orchestra

"Rent" 20th Anniversary Tour at Bass Hall

RENT
play program

The Travelling Toe and 2 Dear Friends attended the Sunday matinee of "Rent'. The production was at Bass Hall and is a travelling tour show which celebrates the 20th anniversary of "Rent".  

Rent On Tour

Below is a synopsis from the official website of "Rent' that provides an overview of the story and the playwright:

In 1996, an original rock musical by a little-known composer opened on Broadway… and forever changed the landscape of American theatre. Two decades later, Jonathan Larson’s RENT continues to speak loudly and defiantly to audiences across generations and all over the world. And now, this Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award^®-winning masterpiece returns to the stage in a vibrant 20^th anniversary touring production. A re-imagining of Puccini’s La Bohème, RENT follows an unforgettable year in the lives of seven artists struggling to follow their dreams without selling out. With its inspiring message of joy and hope in the face of fear, this timeless celebration of friendship and creativity reminds us to measure our lives with the only thing that truly matters—love.

Jonathan Larson
wrote book, music and lyrics

The Travelling Toe had previously seen a couple of touring productions of "Rent" some years back and was not sure this musical would stand the test of time. However it has been 

re-worked with the storyline being condensed, plus the orchestra is on stage left which also provides more energy to the production.

Bass Hall