It's time to RAGTIME again!
By Kimberly Katz
It’s time to RAGTIME Again!
By Kimberly Katz
And there was music playing,
catching a nation in its prime...
Beggar and millionaire
everyone, everywhere
Moving to the Ragtime!
A strange, insistent music
Putting out heat,
Picking up steam
The sound of distant thunder
Suddenly starting to climb...
It was the music
Of something beginning,
An era exploding,
A century spinning
In riches and rags,
And in rhythm and rhyme.
The people called it Ragtime...Ragtime!
The epic sweep of Ragtime is captured in its opening prologue, a nine-minute kaleidoscope of fictional characters mingling with historical figures from the early 20th century as originally captured in E.L. Doctorow’s novel. As the story continues, we meet pianist Coalhouse Walker Jr. and his child's mother, Sarah who has been taken in by a respectable family. Parallel story lines of the Latvian immigrant Tateh, the entertainer Evelyn Nesbit, and even Harry Houdini and Emma Goldman eventually mingle and merge.
I really enjoyed the Apollo Theatre’s production of Ragtime. The original broadway production was criticized for having too many special effects that demonstrated how blown away the people of the period were by new technological advances like the locomotive and automobile, but Chicago’s down to earth theatre companies have a way of making their talents shine more than the prop master as did Artistic Director Walter Stearns and Musical Director Eugene Dizon. This well-chosen cast all had exceptional singing voices and wonderful dancing skills. The story of three separate groups of immigrants merging together in a melting pot that isn’t really stirred very well still has a lot of political relevance today.
Alexis Rogers ("Sarah") and Jayson Brooks ("Coalhouse Walker") star
in Porchlight Music Theatre's Ragtime.
And although the newspapers called the shooting the
Crime of the Century, Goldman knew it was only 1906...
And there were ninety-four years to go!
We think we are as sophisticated as a country can be, but this is only the seventh year of our century too. We are all buzzing with our I-pods and Internet, just as they were back then about the car and refrigerator, and WE still have 93 years to go in this century, who knows what marvels lie ahead!
Of course the scenes with the Russian Jewish immigrant Tateh and the way he saves his only daughter from starvation and prostitution brought tears to my eyes. Tateh goes from rags to riches by turning his artwork into movie books and eventually moving pictures. My family came over at Ellis Island too. My grandfather was a cameraman for RKO pictures before his family made him quit for a more lucrative position, and my father a disabled physician also turned to documentary filmmaking in the last years of his life. Tateh’s story perfectly shows the Jewish people’s love of fantasy and storytelling to improve their difficult lives.
Ragtime was nominated for 12 Tony Awards in 1998, with wins for McDonald, original score, book, and orchestration. Tragic, touching, and ultimately triumphant in its exploration of race and prejudice issues, Ragtime is an American classic. It draws upon traditional Jewish folk sounds to color the haunting music and yearning lyrics of the immigrants, Vaudeville's outrageous style, and Joplin and Jazz to invoke the enlivened spirit of Harlem.
Ragtime has been held over till August 26th, be sure to see it with your family!
Muntu Dance Theatre Extravaganza
By A. Sic
On July 14, 2007, Muntu Dance Theatre of Chicago celebrated their 35th Anniversary with a concert and Gala at the famous Harris Theater in Millennium Park.
This Milestone featured the world premieres of Brazilian choreographer Rosangela Silvestre’s piece, which was titled “Guide” and “In Search Of Africa by Amaniyea Payne, Muntu’s artistic director.
As if Michelle Obama being the anniversary committee’s honorary chairperson and a letter from Mayor Daley speaking of the importance of Muntu Dance Theatre in Chicago wasn’t enough to prove that Muntu had accomplished what they had hoped to do thirty-five years ago, then maybe the fact that Life Diamonds created a special 35th Anniversary commemorative diamond ring for this special event was.
The Muntu group does something original yet traditional. They strive to embody the overall struggle and conflicting demands of African culture. 'Muntu' is loosely translated into "the essence of humanity”.
The Dance Theatre performs genuine and groundbreaking interpretations of both contemporary and ancient African and African-American dance, music, and folklore. The group not only performs professionally here in Chicago but travels extensively as well. They also have a variety of programs geared toward the public such as a community arts program, dance classes, and professional training for up and coming prospectives.
Since it’s founding in 1972, it has grown into a highly accomplished and valued dance theatre within the community. The company claims to hold a local reputation for making strong artistic statements of cultural and historical importance.
And it wasn’t long into the company’s celebratory performance until was I inclined to agree. Vibrant and Colorful, everything from the dancing to the costumes to the lighting and even the backdrops brought you closer and closer into a distant land. This Amalgamation of dance, rhythm, and dulcet song, both vocally by ensemble members and instrumentally by the talented musicians, kept giving.
One of my favorite moments was when one of the musicians played a Kora (a 21 to 29 string instrument), and the rest of the musicians made noises resembling the forest with both their instruments and vocals. At the same time the female dancers, wearing gorgeous and very specific costumes, did certain tribal like dances resembling different elements we see on earth. There were the snake ladies who moved in curves and the wind/fire girls who twirled. The finale of this was when all four groups of women came out to impress the 4 different men. It was tribal, animal, soft, and intense all at the same time.
The show was spectacular. It is apparent that the Muntu does in fact research these cultures and the implications of these extremely detailed and meaningful dances. And when I say dance, I mean for real. The best part about this is watching their body’s move like they mean it. They want to be up there dancing, sharing, and enjoying the origins of their ancestry and you can’t help but relish in it with them.
Buzz Theatre July 2007
Buzz Theatre June 2007
Buzz Theatre May 2007
Buzz Theatre April 2007
Buzz Theatre 03-08-07
Buzz Theatre 02-22-07
Buzz Theatre 02-08-07
Buzz Theatre 01-25-07
Buzz Theatre 12-28-06
Buzz Theatre 12-14-06