MIKE JEKNAVORIAN Local Events

LA CAGE AUX FOLLES

SHADE-O-METER RATING

4 OUTTA 5 WERKS: “SHE GAVE GOOD FACE – SHE SERVED IT”

By Mike Jeknavorian

What’s La Cage aux Folles?  It’s a musical from 1983, which is based on a French play of the same name.  Harvey Fierstein wrote the book, and Jerry Herman wrote the music and lyrics.  The show is a farcical comedy about a gay couple’s son that’s marrying into a conservative family.  The original cast starred Gene Barry and George Hearn as the couple.  The play was also turned into the American film, The Birdcage.

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Michel Serrault and Ugo Tognazzi star as two partners torn between cross-dressing and chaos!

What’s the Lauderhill Performing Arts Center (LPAC)?  It’s a new-ish theater in Lauderhill, Florida.  The theater holds over 1,100 people, and it opened in 2016.  It has two levels.  Also, the orchestra pit, which was at the front of the stage, was the biggest one that I’ve ever seen, ready to gobble up a performer—who took one wrong step—like some kind of theatrical version of The Mighty Sarlacc.

How was the venue?  The theater is nice enough, but, given its size, it’s more suited to big road shows or for big stars.  The lobby is probably its most impressive feature.  How was the parking?  Weird.  You’re directed to meander all around the back of the venue, just to get to a parking lot that’s directly to the right of the venue.  Why can’t you just turn right and drive into the parking lot?  In any case, parking is free.

Does the venue serve liquor?  Only wine.  How were the drinks?  Fine, I supposed.  One glass of wine, which was served in a plastic cup, was $7.  Does the venue serve food?  Only finger food and candy.  Strangely, they have someone peddling popcorn.  How was the food?  We didn’t get any.  How much were the tickets?  $48 each.  Where were the seats?  They were in the orchestra.  And any seat offers a good view.  I can’t comment on the view from the mezzanine.  Was the show sold out?  Not even close.

How was the show?  Regarding the book, it’s not quite as strong or as clever with the situational comedy as the original French film is (I never saw the play, so I don’t know about that).  This is the first production that the Stage Door Theater, the longstanding theater company in Broward County, has had at their new residence, the LPAC.  There are issues that have to be worked out with the audio, as the sound was cutting in and out at times.  There were also some problems with the costumes.  Some didn’t necessarily look of sufficient quality to be worn in the “hottest drag club on the Riviera,” and there was one number where the back of Zaza’s dress was either ripped or it wasn’t zipped up.  In addition, strangely, some of the Les Cagelles dances—which are supposed to be drag performers—appeared to be biological women.  But despite these minor complaints, the show was excellent.  The production shinned in the numbers that featured the leads, Larry Buzzeo as Albin/Zaza and Jamie Michael Parnell as Georges, with appropriate humor and chemistry between them.  What singing expertise Buzzeo may have lacked in some numbers, he made up for in the famous, “I Am What I Am.”  And although Parnell might have looked too young to play Georges, rarely will one hear a voice of this caliber outside of the walls of a first-rate Broadway show.  His numbers were hands-down the most enthusiastically received of the evening.  Elijah Word cleverly channeled the edginess of the leads from the hit TV show, Pose, with his characterization of the couple’s longsuffering butler/maid, Jacob.  Regarding the ensemble, they gleamed the brightest in “La Cage aux Folles,” with wild can-can-type dancing.

How was the crowd?  They appeared to consist primarily of season pass holders, and, not to be ageist, they were rather on the elderly side.  The company could probably stand to market to a younger demographic to even out the crowd.  What could have improved the show?  The audio needs to be fixed, and more attention needs to be paid to the costumes.  Regarding the venue, to each his own, but, to me, much of the production’s energy is gobbled up by the vastness of the house.  Maybe the runs should be shorter, in hopes that the theater would be fuller?  It’s a shame that they didn’t build another house that held about 400.

What was surprising about the show?  The quality of Parnell’s voice, the size of the cast (over 20), and the number of people in the live band (seven).

The Lauderhill Performing Arts Center is located at 3800 NW 11thPlace, in Lauderhill, Florida.  The production runs to September 23.

MIKE JEKNAVORIAN Local Events

THE BITCH IS BACK!: JOE POSA AS JOAN RIVERS

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By Mike Jeknavorian

Joe Posa performed his one-man show, The Bitch Is Back!: Joe Posa as Joan Rivers, to a packed house at The Grille On The Drive this past Friday.  And although most people are aware that there’s no shortage of Joan Rivers impersonators, none of the other performers are likely as proficient at imitating Rivers as Posa was.  Through his own blend of alchemy, Posa captured Rivers—even down to her posture—to the point where there were moments that one forgot that they were seeing an impersonation and not the real deal.  Nevertheless, impersonations are one thing; it’s another to be able to think in someone else’s persona.  Mr. Posa successfully accomplished both.  No doubt, the astute observer realized that they were witnessing two things at once in Posa’s performance: an impersonation, and a layer beneath, a skilled improv comic at work.  If you missed Posa’s show, you can check him out at the Rrazz Room in Boca Raton on December 14.  The show should be listed shortly.  Manny Estralla accompanied himself nicely on the piano after Posa’s show.

 

MIKE JEKNAVORIAN Local Events

RASCAL FLATTS

Pop-country trio Rascal Flatts swung by West Palm Beach last Saturday to promote their new album, Back to Us

SHADE-O-METER RATING

4 OUTTA 5 WERKS: “SHE GAVE GOOD FACE – SHE SERVED IT”

Who are Rascal Flatts?  They’re a country-pop trio.  They formed in 1999.  What’s the Back to Us tour?  It’s their 15thheadlining tour.  The tour supports the Back to Us album from 2017.  What’s the Coral Sky Amphitheater?  It’s an outdoor theater in West Palm Beach.  The covered area holds 8,000, and the lawn area holds 12,000.  How was the venue?  It’s a typical outdoor amphitheater.

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How was the parking?  General parking is free!  Does the venue serve liquor?  Yes, and they have tons of bars.  How were the drinks?  We got a double tequila sunrise for $19, and double vodka cranberry for $19.  Does the venue serve food?  Yes.  How was the food?  We got a fried chicken strips meal.  It was about $12, and it came with fries.  The chicken had too much breading on it, but, overall, the food was what you’d expect.  How much were the tickets?  $80.  Where were the seats?  On the right side of the stage.

Was the show sold out?  For the seated area, just about.  The lawn was pretty full as well.  Who were the opening acts?  There was a slew of them.  We only caught the last couple of songs from Dan + Shay, who were the last opening act.  How were they?  The last song that they performed was, of course, “Tequila.”  The duo has a pleasant enough sound; however, to me, they sound almost exactly like Rascal Flatts, which probably isn’t a good thing.

How was Rascal Flatts?  The trio performed a no-nonsense show, composed of minimal sets—a rare thing for any contemporary big act.  They opened with the fun “Bob That Head,” and then, after a few songs in, bassist/vocalist Jay DeMarcus set the carefree tone of the night: “Why don’t we take a break for an hour and half from all the bullshit that you see on the new… It breaks my heart that people are fighting with each because, first and foremost, we’re all Americans…  None of us is perfect.  The last one who was was Jesus Christ—so let’s forget all the bullshit and have a party.”  And basically, they did.  The approximately two-hour set contained hits such as “Feels Like Today,” “My Wish,” “I’m Moving On,” and “Fast Cars and Freedom.”  Regarding the end of the show, it’s somewhat ironic that their two biggest hits, “What Hurts the Most” and “Bless the Broken Road” (performed as the last song), are cover songs.  However, this did not go unnoticed by them, as singer Gary LeVox joked, “They singer louder on that than our own songs—I’m a bit hurt.”   The encore was “Summer Nights”—a metaphor, if you would, for a summer outdoor show in Florida—and the optimistic, “Life is a Highway.”  The show ended with the trio taking selfies with people that were seated in front of the stage.

How was the crowd?  Enthusiastic. What stood out about the show?  There was a part, about two-thirds of the way through the show, when they sat on stools (I believe) and harmonized on some songs.  It was during this part that they most astutely displayed their collective talents as one, cohesive unit.  In addition, although it’s not much of an observation to point it out, but LeVox’s voice certainly is God-given.

What could have improved the show?  Despite the quality of LeVox’s voice, it seems at times that it’s too far back in the mix.  This might be a technique to preserve his voice, but the observant listener will not be tricked by this strategy of padded harmonies.

What was surprising about the show?  That with their unison high-top military haircuts, they look something like marines.  There were also some sets that looked almost exactly like the booths at Perino’s in Mommie Dearest—I wonder what queen came up with those.        

The Coral Sky Amphitheatre is located at 601-7 Sansburys Way, in West Palm Beach, Florida. 

MIKE JEKNAVORIAN Local Events

TERRY HAMMOND DEBUT’S AT CHARDEES

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By all accounts, Terry Hammond is the longest-running pianist/singer in LGBT nightlife in Wilton Manors, if not LGBT nightlife in all of Broward County.  Hammond, who has not performed at any LGBT venue in South Florida for several years, debuted at Chardees on the Fourth of July.  And despite the show coinciding with a typically outdoor-centric holiday, many friends and fans came out for it.  One of the first songs that Hammond performed was the title song from the film Where the Boys Are, which was met with cheers of familiarity and a hearty singalong when Hammond reminisced about how the song was the first one that he ever sung at the beloved Marlin Beach Hotel.  Throughout the show, Hammond showcased his humor with comments such as, “The Sun Sentinel had a contest for the best song about Fort Lauderdale.  I submitted this next song for the contest.  And I won… (long pause) a t-shirt.  It didn’t fit then, and it still doesn’t fit.”  Hammond also did his own take on “My Favorite Things” from The Sound of Music, skillfully delaying his re-written naughty verse until the end of the song.

MIKE JEKNAVORIAN Local Events

2018 STONEWALL PRIDE PARTY

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Wilton Manors and elegant parties might sound anachronistic to some, but the organizations that hosted the Stonewall party at The Manor last Friday could be on the path to changing this precept.  The pre-Stonewall event, which featured many glitterati from Broward County, was held in the newly-christened Crystal Ballroom at The Manor. Guests were first received at the event in a small ground-floor bar, before a larger second-floor bar was eventually opened.  However, it wasn’t apparent that both of these bars were connected to the much-larger Crystal Ballroom until two employees dramatically and rapidly pulled back blackout curtains mid-way through the event, revealing that guests on the second-floor bar were actually standing on the balcony of the Crystal Ballroom the entire time.  The event was hosted by grand marshal Chuck Panozzo, and featured drag performer, Monet X Change.  It went from 7:00 p.m. to 11:00 p.m., and it was co-hosted by Stonewall National Museum and Archives, Island City Stage, and the Gay Men’s Chorus of South Florida.

MIKE JEKNAVORIAN Local Events

2018 STONEWALL FESTIVAL & PARADE

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Baked by blistering temperatures, which were possibly the hottest the event has ever seen, the Wilton Manors Stonewall Pride Parade and Festival happened last Saturday. The event saw a reduced vendor area as well, with—to some people’s chagrin—an entry fee of $5.  Nevertheless, it was well-attended.  Unlike other years, the event didn’t have any official entertainment.  However, local drag performer Misty Eyez hosted a show on a stage that was in between Southern Nights and The Pub, and Crystal Waters, a.k.a. the “Queen of House,” performed at Hunters.  Several other clubs also had stages set up near their venues, including a pulsing DJ set at The Manor.  This was the 19thyear for the Wilton Manors Stonewall Pride Parade and Festival.  The grand marshal was local resident and Styx bassist, Chuck Panozzo.

MIKE JEKNAVORIAN Local Events

AUDRA MCDONALD

Six-time Tony-winner Audra McDonald displayed her vocal abilities and charm in Fort Lauderdale last Wednesday

SHADE-O-METER RATING

5 OUTTA 5 WERKS: “10s ACROSS THE BOARD – LEGENDARY STATUS”

Who’s Audra McDonald?  She’s an actress and a singer.  At six Tony Awards, she’s won more of them than anyone other performer, and she’s the only performer to have won in all four acting categories.  What’s the Au-Rene Theater?  It’s the main theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts.  It holds about 2,600 people, and it has three levels.  How was the venue?  Elegant.  How was the parking?  They have valet, or you can park in the garage for $12.  The garage is about a block away.

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Sing Happy features many songs that are either new to McDonald’s repertoire, or have never before been recorded by her, such as “I Am What I Am” from La Cage aux Folles, “Vanilla Ice Cream” from She Loves Me, and “Children Will Listen” from Into The Woods.  The CD also offers a sneak peek at the repertoire she’s performing on her North American concert tour.

Does the venue serve liquor?  Yes, and there are multiple bars (guess they must want people drunk).  We got one double chardonnay for $19.  How were the drinks?  There was nothing special about it.  Does the venue serve food?  They have some snacks.  How was the food?  We didn’t get any.  Where were the seats?  At the back of the orchestra.  Was the show sold out?  It was about two-thirds full.  Was there an opening act?  No.

How was the concert?  A representative from the venue gave a short speech about upcoming shows, and then the concert began when a trio of musicians (a pianist, a drummer, and a bassist) came out, followed by McDonald a moment later.  McDonald walked onto the stage without fan fair, and then immediately launching into her first number, “When Did I Fall in Love,” from Fiorello!.  As this was a rescheduled concert from March, one of the first things that McDonald said when she spoke was to apologize for the delay, explaining how she loves her kids, but she doesn’t love their germs.  “You wouldn’t have wanted to hear me then, because I would have sounded like Bea Arthur.  But that’s not a criticism of Bea Arthur, because I love her.”  For those who were not familiar with McDonald’s personality, and, in direct contract to the loftiness of her voice, she had a surprisingly homespun charm about her.  She also joked and laughed about how her recent concert in Los Angeles was rainy, and how “the clouds have followed her” to Fort Lauderdale.  But enough talk about her personality; let’s get into the music.  It would be a mistake to interpret McDonald’s undramatic entrance as symbolic of a concert where the audience heard something that was anything less than extraordinary.  The concert was primarily composed of musical theater standards such as “Summertime,” “I Could Have Danced All Night,” and “Climb Ev’ry Mountain.”  McDonald also showcased new composers with Jason Robert Brown’s “Stars and the Moon,” amusingly prefaced with, “I think that we need to nurture new composers so that I still have a job.”  As McDonald would appear to be the vocal heir-apparent to Barbara Cook, it was no surprise that Cook’s legacy figured prominently in the concert: “She was my mentor.  I learned so much watching and performing with her.”  McDonald sung several numbers that Cook was known for, including the difficult, “Vanilla Ice Cream” (and if there were one number that got the loudest applause, this was it).  It was also obvious that McDonald inherited Cook’s humbleness and wit with the anecdote, “Kids, they keep you grounded.  When I called my oldest daughter after The Sound of Music Live! to see what she thought of it, she responded, ‘Mommy, where are the dryer sheets?’  So that was my review.”  But what also makes McDonald so great is her vocal versatility, and she showed off her talent in jazz with “Cornet Man” from Funny Girl.  And in the vein of that tradition of jazz and big bands, the encore for the evening was not a soprano classic but “Over The Rainbow,” which she dedicated to “Miss Judy Garland.”

How was the crowd?  Mostly middle-aged.  What could have improved the concert?  Given that most middle-aged people are not as enthusiastic as, lets say, a pack of teenage Shawn Mendes fans, the concert would have probably been more exciting if it was sold out and in a smaller venue.  Regarding the venue, it has too many ushers—they’re mulling about all over the place.  For, example, when I went to use the restroom halfway through the show (there was no intermission), I was faced with a line of about 20 seated ushers, and they all turned their heads towards me in unison, a la the The Stepford Wives, to see what I was up to.  My only critique about McDonald herself is that I would have liked to of heard at least one number from Lady Day at Emerson’s Bar and Grill.  Given her notoriety in the show, It was a bit disappointed that she didn’t do any numbers from it.  But a review can’t be based on what was omitted but what was presented.  And in that regard, McDonald’s voice sparkled to such a degree that she really is second-to-none.

What was surprising about the show?  It was hysterical and slightly shocking to hear McDonald cover the Kate Miller-Heidke song, “Are You Fucking Kidding Me? (The Facebook Song).”  When McDonald operatically enunciate the lyrics, “And so you want to be my friend on Facebook?  Oh you fucking, fucking fuck.  Click, ignore,” one knew that he or she wasn’t in Kansas anymore.

The Broward Center for the Performing Arts is located at 201 S.W. 5thAve., in Fort Lauderdale, Florida. 

MIKE JEKNAVORIAN Local Events

SHANIA TWAIN

Shania Twain gave a rousing performance in Fort Lauderdale on June 1 in her Shania Now Tour.  But the tour name is apropos if this is her last foray on the road, as she’s threatened.

SHADE-O-METER RATING

5 OUTTA 5 WERKS: “10s ACROSS THE BOARD – LEGENDARY STATUS”

Who’s Shania Twain?  She’s a cross-over country/pop star, who’s one of the best-selling female country artists—if not the best-selling female artist—of all time.  She’s also one of the best-selling female music artists of all-time.

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Now, the first studio album for Shania in nearly 15 years, releases on September 29th.  The new album offered as both a 16-track deluxe and a 12-track standard album, both feature Shania s current single, “Life’s About To Get Good,” playing on country radio now.  All songs on Now were written solely by Shania, who also served as co-producer on the project.

What’s the Shania Now Tour?  It’s Twain’s fourth tour.  Twain said on Good Morning America in 2015 that her next tour, which ended up being the Rock This Country Tour (her third tour), would be her last one.  What is the BB&T Center?  It’s an indoor sports an entertainment arena in Sunrise, Florida.  It’s holds about 20,000 people.

How was the venue?  It’s a nice venue.  The staff is certainly more friendly at the BB&T than they are at, for example, the Au-Rene Theater at the Broward Center for the Performing Arts (one can encounter cranky ushers there).  How was the parking?  They have ample parking.  The cost was included with the ticket.

Does the venue serve liquor?  Yes.  How were the drinks?  A double whiskey was $19, and a double wine (which was really more like a triple) was $20.  The drinks were fine.  Does the venue serve food?  Yes.  How was the food?  We didn’t get any.

How much were the tickets?  $115.  Where were the seats?  On the first level and directly on the side.  Was the show sold out?  It was about three-fourth fill.  Who was the opening act?  Bastian Baker.  How was the opening act?  We didn’t see him during his solo set, but he did a duet with Twain during her set.

How was the show?  It was apparent from the first moment that she was on the stage that there’s no one who’s more comfortable on the stage, or loves entertaining, more than Shania Twain.  Although certainly not a novelty—but nevertheless, impactful—Twain opened the show by walking through the crowd, starting on the opposite end of the stage, before making her way to it.  Twain then launched into a two-hour set, where she fluctuated through hits and lesser-known songs, which also featured an economy of performers, where they served different functions—sometime as an instrumentalist, sometimes as a dancer, and sometimes as a backup singer—in different numbers.  Regarding the visual element, the show could have rivaled Cirque du Soleil in set changes, a proliferation of costumes, and theatrics.  However, unlike some stars, where theatricality is strategically calculated to detract from the performer’s lack of aptitude, this was not the case with Twain—she’s the real deal.  Twain also did a fair amount of chit chating, which, at times, bordered on rambling.  In the hands of a less-skilled performer, it might have been irritating, but with Twain, it was actually endearing.  Towards the end of the show, a la Cher in her last tour, Twain flew over the audience on a guitar case, but she actually one-upped Madam “Half-Breed” when she not only sung but accompanied herself on the guitar during the flight.  Twain performed “Rock This Country” and the requisite “Man!  I Feel Like a Woman” for her encore, before she was consumed by a snowstorm of confetti.  And then, she was no more.

How was the crowd?  Composed of more woman than men, and with a fair representation of the LGBT community.  Strangely—and, I suppose, lazily—the crowd didn’t give as much as they took.

What could have improved the show?  I would have said that the dancers should have done same-sex dancing, but there was no couple’s dancing of any sort, either gay or straight.  The set design could have been a tad more varied.

What was surprising about the show?  Although Twain was recently a guest judge on RuPaul’s Drag Race, and her image is certainly consistent as a LGBT ally, Twain still is a country star.  And we all know that things are not as liberal in the country scene as they are in, for example, the world of pop music.  Considering this, it was commendable that Twain subtly, but frequently, advocated the LBGT community with comments such as, “Things are getting better all the time,” “I love men” [with an obvious nod to gay men in the audience], and, the more flagrant, this song is “dedicated to guys who like men.”

The BB&T Center is located across the street from the Sawgrass Mills, at 1 Panther Pkwy., in Sunrise, Florida.  The venue is only open when there’s an event.        

 

 

 

MIKE JEKNAVORIAN Local Events

SCANDALS’ LAST NIGHT

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March may have gone out like a lamb, but Scandals Saloon didn’t.  On a cloudy afternoon, and after a week of record-breaking rain, Scandals Saloon, the only gay country bar in South Florida, closed its doors for good last Sunday.  The sudden closing, with barely more than a week’s notice, was not without emotion.  Longtime patron and Gospel Jubilee cast member, Doug Blevins, said, “I’ve been crying all week.” Others lamented that the bar was one of the few places left where strangers actually talked and socialized with each other.  The closing may have been precipitated by the lack of public parking when Kmart—the neighbor across the street—closed, thereby forcing patrons to utilize valet.  Regardless, hoards came out of hibernation to say farewell to the popular bar, as it was more crowded than its been in years.

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