REVIEW: A Night of Swing at UM-Dearborn

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Earlier this week, the University of Michigan-Dearborn campus came alive with the sounds of brass horns and swing beats, as Swing Dearborn hosted “Dance Night” with its own performances. What I witnessed was a vibrant celebration of dance, led by Swing Dearborn Vice-President Gabriel Fritz and while I did not know what to expect walking in the room, I walked out with my heart filled with appreciation.

The performances were split into four sets, each offering a different flavor of swing dance. The first routine opened with a classic Jitterbug, with Fritz leading the group. From the very first beat, I was being told a story. His movements were crisp and full of energy, and the way he was able to connect both with us, the audience, and his partner, was enthralling. There was a joyful bounce in every step, and the chemistry in the air was palpable. The playful dips and spins were perfectly timed with the music, creating a visual feast that drew me in. The movements were a conversation.

The second set introduced the Lindy Hop, a faster, more intricate dance style. Here, you could really see what Fritz specialized in. His footwork was precise, and his command of rhythm was impeccable. He transitioned from one complex move to another and it all felt very effortless and smooth. His partner mirrored his energy, and together they created a dynamic performance full of bold aerials and impressive lifts. It reminded me of the sheer physicality required for this style of swing, and I found myself in awe of their stamina and grace.

By the third performance, the mood shifted to something slower and more intimate, with a sultry blues number. The fluidity of his movements during the slower tempo was mesmerizing, and it showed me a different side of swing.—one that’s more about connection and subtlety. This performance felt personal, as if I was ”people watching” the dancers as they communicated with each other through their dance.

The final set was a group performance, featuring both experienced dancers and newcomers and although the ensemble was slightly less polished, it added to the charm of Swing Dearborn. It reminded me how swing was about having fun, rather than it being perfect all the time. I was surrounded by laughter, missed steps, and joyful recovery. Watching everyone be so immersed in the moment was beautiful.

After the performances, the audience was invited to join a 15-minute hands-on lesson and joining them is one of the best decisions I made that night. I thoroughly enjoyed the end of it all. Overall, the event showcased not just the technical brilliance of swing dance but also its capacity to connect people and spread joy. Whether you were an experienced dancer or stepping onto the floor for the first time, the energy of the evening was contagious, leaving everyone with a spring in their step.

REVIEW: The Apprentice

Abigail Goodman Leave a comment

Roy Cohn is a malicious vulture on screen: he flicks his tongue over his lips, piercing eyes bulging out of the sides of his face, head bobbing as he sizes up his prey. His philosophy can be summed up as “play the man not the ball,” and he backs up that worldview with a hidden backroom filled with incriminating tapes he uses to blackmail the necessary judge, politician, or prosecutor. In “The Apprentice,” we see how he turned a young, ambitious Donald Trump into the former president America knows today.

Director Ali Abbasi’s fantastic Donald Trump origin story is shepherded by the acting chops of its two stars: Jeremy Strong, tragic figure of  “Succession,” as Roy Cohn, and Sebastian Stan, squared-jawed Marvel hero, as Donald Trump. When the two meet in an exclusive NYC club in the 1970s – Cohn already an established lawyer and Trump a real estate upstart looking to impress his draconian father – thus begins a relationship that will last decades. Trump is struggling with a lawsuit alleging anti-black discrimination against his tenants. Cohn, the shrew political operator, makes his problem go away. Perhaps he sees something in the young man desperate to make a name for himself. Perhaps he simply likes having the tall, blonde, handsome – as he says, “thoroughbred” – Trump around. Either way, the apprentice is born. 

Aside from the first meeting scene, which sets the stage, the plot zooms through key points in the Trump timeline. He’s buying the decrepit Commodore hotel! He’s fighting for a tax break from anti-corruption mayor Ed Koch! He’s being interviewed on TV! He’s buying casinos! He went bankrupt! He’s back again! Roger Stone is convincing him to run for office under the slogan “Make America Great Again”….well, we know how that ends up. 

Many Americans are only familiar with the third act of Trump’s story. “The Apprentice” introduces us to the first and second. The plot is certainly entertaining enough to captive audiences for its two-hour runtime. But the emotional core of the movie is the relationship between Cohn and Trump, played to perfection by both actors, and its evolution as Trump goes from apprentice to master of the universe. Trump’s intoxication with Cohn – who journalist Wayne Barrett described as having “the presence of Satan” – is plenty juicy. But Trump’s surpassing of Cohn, even betrayal of Cohn as Trump gains power, is much more poignant. 

Alongside actors Strong and Stan is an incredibly talented supporting cast. Fred Trump (Martin Donovan) is as terrifying as he is bushy-eyebrowed. Fred Trump Jr. (Charlie Carrick), Trump’s older brother who died young from alcoholism, should have his own movie. The best in the bunch is perhaps Maria Bakalova as Trump’s first wife Ivana, the Czechoslovakia-born powerhouse, who is a capable interior designer as well as socialite to the New York City elite. This hardworking drive would eventually lead to her divorce, with Trump, jealous of people seeing his wife as his business equal, leaving Ivana for his mistress. 

Obviously (at least in my opinion), Abbasi’s releasing of the movie just 25 days before the election is a political move. Trump’s campaign manager duly responded, calling the movie “garbage” and “malicious defamation” that “sensationalizes lies” about Trump. I certainly do not believe “The Apprentice” will sway any Trump voters to the other side. In fact, the movie will most likely contribute to his cult of personality. Who is this businessman, this charlatan, this leader of men, this future president, this bumbling idiot. To whom did we vest the most power in, perhaps, the entire world. Who is The Donald? Do we want to find out?

REVIEW: Glenn Miller Orchestra

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October 6 | 7:00pm | The Michigan Theater

 

 

Who says swing music is a thing of the past? Certainly not the hundreds of fans inside the Michigan Theater last Sunday, awaiting the legendary Glenn Miller Orchestra (GMO).

If you think you’ve never heard of them—think again. Hits like “In The Mood”, “Moonlight Serenade,” and “Pennsylvania 6-5000” have woven their way into American culture, appearing in films, TV shows, school band concerts, weddings—you name it. Iowa-born Glenn Miller formed the band in 1938* and quickly gained popularity as a jazz and dance band throughout the Northeastern United States. After Miller’s mysterious disappearance in 1944, the band continued to perform under various bandleaders, including Buddy DeFranco, and later Ray McKinley. 85 years later, the Glenn Miller Orchestra is still touring the country, delivering its timeless, heartwarming sound.

The band made the final stop of their fall tour here at The Michigan Theater, with a packed house of varying ages. The show was 2 hours with a 20-minute intermission—nicely paced with intermittent dialouge from Music Director Erik Stabnau and their vocal quartet “The Moonlight Serenaders”.

Stabnau led a busy evening as the lead tenor saxophone player and emcee, also performing a few vocal tunes as well as leading the vocal quartet.

Jenny Swoish performing with “The Moonlight Serenaders”.

“Unfortunately, there are no original members performing tonight…”, Eric joked. While this is true, each player remained a stand-out musician, sensitive to stylistic differences of the swing-era sound.

Joining the GMO was vocalist Jenny Swoish, a jazz singer by the way of Nashville, Tennessee. She performed well-known vocal standards including “I’m Beginning to See the Light” and “These Foolish Things” as well as an original song from her debut album entitled “Never Gone”. A glamorous and energetic performance, Ms. Swoish maintains the delightful charm of jazz vocalists.

While the Michigan Theater is gorgeous and historic, it does not always produce the best sound for live music. A few soloists were lost from the mics, and besides wishing there was a bit more resonance from the hall—there is not much else you can ask for from an establishment that is almost a century old.

This band has its schtick down. Their performance was complete with hat choreography (as seen above) and cheerful demeanor by each member—gimmicks that are well-received by audiences. Their focus is clearly on maintaining tradition, a commitment that has kept them touring into the 21st century. They’ve found success in many American audiences but as the changing music industry shifts away from older jazz styles, who knows if the future will leave this beloved band behind?

I hope to see the Glenn Miller Orchestra make it another 85 years. They serve as a joyful reminder of Glenn Miller’s lasting contribution to the tradition of big band music.

 

 

 

Photos thanks to Jaron Jenkins.

*A more cohesive history of the band is found here.

REVIEW: Joker: Folie à Deux

Abigail Goodman Leave a comment

When Joker was released back in 2019, some even called it a masterpiece. The film’s high-definition realism and bleak nihilism offered a topical, fresh take on the much-beloved supervillain. Arthur Fleck (Joaquin Phoenix), an isolated-yet-gentle failed comedian with mental health problems, is failed by every system that is supposed to take care of him. His descent into lunacy is a result of society’s failings, not an inherent evil or psychopathy. Gotham is burned to the ground, and Thomas Wayne, father to the future Batman, is dethroned as a bully and false emperor. 

In 2019, this version of Joker’s struggle for Gotham’s soul worked. Covid-19 was making its way to the United States, condemning us all to a long period of isolation and stress. Donald Trump’s presidency was emboldening hate groups throughout America. George Floyd’s murder in mid-2020 resulted in widespread protests that reflected the outpouring of anger in Joker’s final scenes. The film offered genuine insight into the public mood, and was rewarded with generally good reviews and box office success. 

Joker: Folie à Deux does not work. Directed by Todd Phillips and with the same creative team as the original, it’s hard to tell how the sequel went so wrong, so fast. The costumes and sets are high-quality. Lawrence Sher’s cinematography is wonderfully grimy and dramatic. Lady Gaga is skillful as the deranged Harley Quinn to Fleck’s Joker. Even the decision to make the movie a musical feels appropriate in the context of Fleck’s break from reality. But while Joker had a hero’s (or anti-hero’s) story, Joker: Folie à Deux’s plot of Fleck’s imprisonment in the brutal Arkham State Hospital and trial for murder meanders on with no purpose or obvious audience. There is no more cultural mood to tap into, no fresh take on an over-renditioned cartoon. It’s just a nothingburger of horror. 

Unlike in Joker, which witnessed a full character transformation and societal upheaval, nothing actually ends up happening in Joker: Folie à Deux. Fleck is marched back and forth between courthouse and cell, terrorized by sadistic guards, falls headfirst into a relationship with so little chemistry I cringed every time Phoenix and Lady Gaga were on screen together. Harvey Dent, played by a handsome Harry Lawtey, is cast as the prosecutor on Fleck’s murder case, but has none of the yummy capitalist greed as the original’s Thomas Wayne. In fact, we find ourselves rooting for him over the obnoxious and defeated Arthur, who never even does anything as Joker: not a crime, not a murder, just one tepid escape attempt that goes nowhere. The film’s ending is random to the point of absurdity. 

As for the musical scenes, I felt they were used as an excuse to break up a script mostly just killing time. Lady Gaga’s immense talent was put to use on limp songs seemingly unconnected to the plot, while Phoenix’s acting chops were given nothing to work with – just a Potemkin village of meaningless violence that had audience members checking their watches for when we could finally go home. 

If this film had a message to tell, I would be all ears. But Joker already made his stand. There was no need to drag this killer clown out for an encore. 

REVIEW: Julius Caesar

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Thursday, October 3rd | 7:30pm | Arthut Miller Theater

 

It’s been 84 years since Julius Caesar was produced at Michigan, and I’m certain that production was much different than the Theater & Drama department’s in Arthur Miller last weekend.

A story about aggressively overthrowing power is a timely one,  and set in a matriarchal society is even more intriguing. In this adaptation by Pricilla Lindsay, she brings out a new edge from an entirely “female-presenting” cast. Pronouns are changed to “she” and words shifted to “sister” and “queen” in the script, breeding a new layer of complexity to the dialogue.

Oftentimes Shakespeare is so dense that it’s difficult to follow thoroughly, but I found this production quite accessible from the actor’s commitment to the text, especially with the adjustments.  I won’t say Shakespeare is my favorite thing to watch, but this production surely piqued my interest.

Contrary to the titular role, this story sheds most of its light on Brutus’ arc. She goes through a significant journey from a supporter of Caesar to a defiant adversary until her subsequent death in Act II. Katie Snowday (Brutus) brought a devoted, intense, and fully fleshed-out character into the theater. Her performance was beautifully concise and crucial to the production’s overall clarity.

Mary-Kate Sunshine Mahoney (Portia) and Katie Snowday (Brutus).

 

 

Sophia Lane as Julius Caesar.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

The costuming was reminiscent of the 2010s, the Renaissance era, and Star Wars all at the same time—perhaps reflecting a deliberate ambiguity in setting. The use of textures and shapes is thoughtful, but the theatrical universe was hard to tie down. However, these elements evoked femininity, such as curved elephant tusks in the set rather than traditional columns, and Caesar’s banner of purple and yellow, akin to the suffragists of the early 20th century.

Caesar’s character lacked the piercing arrogance one might expect—perhaps lost in the direction of the re-adaptation. Instead, I encountered an indifferent and occasionally warm Caesar, who was aware of her own splendor, but only because others were telling her so. This portrayal made me question the true eminence of her reign shaped by the mercurial Roman ensemble. Is any form of leadership merely a glorified popularity contest?

Shakespeare’s intent to warn against violence as a means of political gain remains clear and this production offered more questions than answers with its feminine twist. Julius Caesar continuously begs the question: Do we become masters of our own fate? Perhaps, but it’s certain that Ms. Snowday has mastered hers.

 

 

 

 

“Julius Caesar” runs September 26 through October 6th in the Arthur Miller Theater.

Images thanks to Peter Smith & SMTD Marketing.

REVIEW: Stop Kiss

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Rude Mechanicals completes their 2023-24 season with the 1999 play by Diana Son, Stop Kiss. Seeing this play was a new experience for me, and quite a beautiful one.

Set from Stop Kiss in the Arthur Miller Theater.

The play follows two young women, Callie (Emilia Vizachero) and Sara (Victoria Vourkoutiotis), who meet in New York City and begin to have feelings for one another. One evening, they share a kiss in the West Village, and it results in a terrible hate crime leaving Sara with a life-altering injury. The play follows a non-linear storyline, jumping from Sara and Callie’s first interaction to weeks after the attack.

 

I am not cultured on much queer theater, so I haven’t been exposed to many pieces where characters are actively discovering their sexual identity during the show—rather many pieces I’ve encountered have characters come in with their sexuality seemingly decided. I enjoyed this piece’s honest and sincere exploration of queerness.

I was immediately struck by Audrey Tieman’s beautiful onstage set when I walked into the Arthur Miller. It brought me directly into the moment of the show with an ornate pink apartment—the 1990s, young, and within a metropolitan city. The major part of the set was far upstage, juxtaposing the thrust space. This left the apartment scenes feeling more presentational than personal, counteracting the intimacy of a thrust. All of the scenes outside the apartment were on the thrust, such as the detective’s office or moments when characters were strolling through the streets of New York City. An interesting choice, that sometimes led me out of the detail of the world that was created in the embellished apartment set.

Emilia Vizachero and Adam Rogers delivered individually exquisite performances. Rogers is effortlessly charming as Callie’s undefined partner, George, and Vizachero brilliantly leads us through a journey of Callie’s many complex emotions over two timelines—one I would be happy to experience again. Vourkoutiotis also played a sweet and gentle Sara, with wholesome chemistry alongside a witty Vizachero.

 

Emilia Vizachero as Callie.

Direction (by Reese Leif) was cohesive and thorough. Scenes and dramatic moments felt naturally paced, at times skimming on hyper-realism, making the play’s brutal contrast of content duly apparent to the audience.

 

The illuminating kiss that closes the play leaves a fully realized portrait of Callie and Sara’s relationship. This perfectly placed scene becomes charged over the duration of the play due to the revelations about what lies behind and ahead of these beloved characters. It was an unforgettable (and titular) moment of the piece, yet left my heart aching for the two women.

 

 

Leo Kupferberg (a fabulous and frequent SMTD Dramaturg) made a beautiful point in his dramaturgy note about the “in-between” of the piece, which I left the theater pondering. This show revels in the lack of certainty, unwavering bravery, and messiness many women navigate through. Stop Kiss can feel limited to its darkness and crucial messaging of the tumultuous experiences of many LGBTQ+ relationships, but Leif brings out the beauty in such darkness, reminding us that love always prevails.

 

 

 

 

 

April 20th, 8pm. Arthur Miller Theater. Images thanks to @umrudes on Instagram.