Review: NC Theatre's 'A Chorus Line'

A Chorus Line is kicking off North Carolina Theatre’s 2014-15 season in a big way.  North Carolina Theatre is the region’s premiere nonprofit professional regional theatre and has been producing professional Broadway revivals for 30 years.  The current season includes some amazing titles beginning with the singular sensation that is A Chorus Line.

A Chorus Line tells the story of 17 dancers who are auditioning to be on the chorus line of an unnamed Broadway show.  The show centers on the dancers’ struggles and determination to get the job.   It is based on interviews of real chorus dancers by director and choreographer Michael Bennett.  Bennett transformed the stories he heard from dancers into a groundbreaking musical hit. Each character in the show is based off of the story Bennett heard from a dancer.

The woman who was the inspiration for the character of “Val”, Mitiz Hamilton, is the director and choreographer for NC Theatre’s production of the Broadway show.  Hamilton also played “Val” on Broadway and in the original London cast, and has directed more than 40 regional productions of A Chorus Line. 

NC Theatre is known for producing quality shows with casts of Broadway caliber talent, and A Chorus Line is no exception.  Every dancer in the show illuminates the struggles and hard work that it takes to be a dancer in the chorus line, while demonstrating the joy that comes from giving everything for your passion. 

Especially captivating is Jessica Lee Goldyn in the role of “Cassie”.  Her dancing was fantastic and even when she is in the line your focus easily falls to her.  The dance during “The Music and the Mirror” is long, but Goldyn’s movements kept it compelling throughout the entire number. 

Other standouts include Rachel Schur in the role of “Val” which can’t be an easy role to undertake when your director is the real-life inspiration for the character.  Schur hits her lines spot on and had the audience rolling during “Dance 10; Look 3”.  Hilary Michael Thompson played “Sheila” brilliantly and Alexandra Fassler in the role of “Diana” nailed the 11 o’clock number “What I Did For Love”.

The show culminates in a quintessential musical theatre number instead of the usual curtain call.  The final number is one of the best parts of the show and the set lends itself perfectly to making it a superb closing number.

Long story short, Mitzi’s still got it! This production is well worth seeing!

The show opened Tuesday night October 14 and runs through the 19^th at Duke Energy Center for the Performing arts. Buy tickets HERE.

Regular Season Game 1: Islanders Vs. Hurricanes

2014-2015 Carolina Hurricanes

183 days since the last regular season game was played in PNC Arena; a new coach and general manager have been added but the results remain the same; the Hurricanes lose 5-3 to kick off the 2014-2015 NHL season. Majority of the 18,680 fans in attendance were not pleased with the result but yet can't be to shocked.

Cam Ward was the starting goaltender and on the first 12 shots he allowed 3 goals. Playing the whole 60 minutes and facing a total of 26 shots Ward let in 5. Even thought the offensive pressure was hardly there and the defense hardly showed up the Hurricanes seemed to go 2 for 5 on the power play which is an improvement.

Johnny Boychuck

The Islanders made some big changes last Saturday with the additions of Nick Leddy from Chicago and Johnny Boychuck from Boston. Boychuck had a big debut tonight with 1 goal and 2 assist and helping the Islanders go 2 of 3 on the power play.

Elias Lindholm led the Hurricanes in the face-off circle winning 75% of the draws he took. The defensive pair of Sekera and Faulk led the Hurricanes in ice time both going over 21 minutes. Making his return to Raleigh tonight Tim Gleason showed he is still the roughest guy on the ice; throwing 6 big hits. There were also 3 players making their NHL debut tonight; Victor Rask and Patrick Brown for the Hurricanes and Griffin Reinhart for the Islander.

Hurricanes return to PNC Arena for the final home game of October (State Fair comes to town) on Tuesday to face Buffalo on National TV.

Reminder Caniacs its a 7:30 start due to being on NBC. 

Gerbe gets the 1st Hurricanes goal of 2014-2015 season

Three Stars 
1. Brock Nelson (Islanders): 2 Goals, 2 Assist
2. Johnny Boychuck (Islanders): 1 Goal, 2 Assist
3. John Tavares (Islanders): 3 Assist



Hurricanes Scoring
1st Period: None
2nd: None
3rd: Gerbe (1) ASST: Faulk (1) Sekera (1)
Terry (1) ASST: Sekera (2) Nash(1)
E. Staal (1) ASST: Lindholm (1) Tlusty (1)

Preseason Game 2: Sabres Vs. Hurricanes Recap

It was the last home preseason game of the season (Yes, we only had 2 this season) but that just means that opening night is a WEEK away!!! Tonights 5-1 victory over the Buffalo Sabres was a great team effort and a lot of good things that are direct reflections of the hard work the player and Coach Peters have put into play. Tonight was a night of firsts as well; Elias Lindholm in his second season got his first career hat trick and Chad LaRose made his first appearance in PNC Arena since the 2012-2013 season.

Chad LaRose makes his return

Chad LaRose is a beloved Hurricane among many in the organization and fans! Getting to start the game on the opening line LaRose only lasted a 1:08 until he received a 5 minute major of boarding and then a game misconduct. The first step toward his comeback fell short of his expectations but everyone was excited to see #59 back on the ice. Chad will get another chance to make the Hurricanes Opening Night Roster on Sunday afternoon when the Canes take on the Capitals in the final preseason game!

Congrats Lindholm!! 1st Career Hat Trick

The Hurricanes posted 37total shots on Michael Neuvirth who only stopped 32. The offensive pressure was very consistent and the Hurricanes were very active around the net. Passing was crisp and the breakouts from defense to offense were quick and crispy. Continuing with the positive success from the start of training camp, the PowerPlay was once again affective!

 One thing that really stood out tonight was the performance of Cam Ward who stopped 19 out of 20 shots he face and looked like the Cam Ward of old. What helped Ward with only seeing 20 shots was the defensive presence around the crease. Ward's preformance was great he was moving from side to side quickly and used his stick effectively.Another strong night in the face off circle for the Hurricanes winning 39 of 59. Riley Nash led the team with an impressive 79% winning 11-14. This has been another area that Assistant Coach Rod Brind'Amour has been working with the players on during practices.

Cam Ward

Important Dates:
Oct 10: OPENING NIGHT vs. Islanders
Oct 14: National TV Game (NBC) vs. Sabres 7:30 Start

2nd Star Nathan Gerbe 

Three Stars
1. Elias Lindholm - Hat Trick: 3 Goals
2. Nathan Gerbe - 1 Goal 1 Asst
3. Jeff Skinner - 1 Goal




Hurricane Goals 
1st Period: Gerbe (1) ASST: Semin (1) McClement (1)
2nd Period: Lindholm (1) ASST: Sekera (1) Rask (1)
Skinner (1) ASST: Gerbe (1)
Lindholm (2) ASST: Hainsey (1) Murphy (1) 3rd Period: Lindholm (3) ASST: Faulk (1) Sekera (2)

Preseason Game 1: Blue Jackets Vs. Hurricanes Recap

When 6,250 fans walked into PNC Arena on a beautiful Sunday afternoon everyone was happy to see the boys back on the ice for the start of another season. It was not just a hockey game it was fans seeing each other for the first time since April and catching up with arena staff and fellow fans. With this being the first preseason game and training camp only being open 2 days the expectations were not set very high. 

Cam Ward

Cam Ward, Elias Lindholm, Riley Nash, Jeff Skinner, Patrick Dwyer, Andrej Sekera, and Jay Harrison were the roster regulars that were in the lineup today and their veteran presence was felt. Ward started in net and played 22:45 allowing 3 goals on 13 shots; then for the final 24:01 Alex Nedeljkovic allowed 1 goal on 6 shots. The Canes scored a quick Power Play goal from Andrej Sekera in the 1st period; then Riley Nash added another goal in the 2nd and Chris Terry followed that with a tally in the 3rd to bring the Hurricanes within 1 goal of the Blue Jackets.

Jay Harrison all smiles to start the season

Even though the final score of 4-3 doesn't reflect the effort the Hurricanes put fourth; there was some improvement already from last year and that has to please the new coaching staff of Bill Peters and company. The passing was crispy with tape to tape touches, strong presence in the offensive zone, going after offensive zone rebounds, defensive players very involved on scoring chances, and the aggressiveness in the younger players. 

There were some players that stood out in this first game and their future is bright for Carolina. One of those players was Jay McClement who signed as a free agent this summer coming over from the Leafs. Even though he was not been with the organization long he is all ready making an impact by earning the “A” for today's game and was 53% in the face-off circle. Others that stood out were Riley Nash and Chris Terry. They both showed that they took the new coaching staff messages to heart and really worked hard this summer conditioning and preparing for the season; their hard work and efforts have shown in training camp and were also shown in today's game.

Newcomer Jay McClement

The Canes return to action on September 23rd in Buffalo against the Saber and return home to PNC Arena on October 3rd to face those same Sabers. 

Reminder: Canes Carnival is Friday September 26th… Come out to meet the team and have some family fun!!!

Three Stars of the Night

Jeff Skinner with 2 Assist Today!

1. Cam Atkinson - 2 Goals 
2. Jeff Skinner - 2 Assist
3. Nick Foligno - 1 Goal & 1 Assist

Hurricanes Scoring

1st Period: Andrej Sekera (1) ASST: Ryan Murphy (1) Jeff Skinner (1)

2nd Period: Riley Nash (1) ASST: Jeff Skinner (2)

3rd Period: Chris Terry (1) ASST: Sergey Tolchinsky (1) Jay Harrison (1)

Carolina Hurricanes 2014-2015 Season Preview

The ice is down at PNC Arena and Opening Night vs the New York Islanders is right around the corner on October 10th at 7pm. As the Canes take the ice for training camp on September 19 there will be faces missing and some new ones.

Some key departures that happened this off-season were those of Manny Malholtra (Montreal), Justin Peters ( Washington), and Drayson Bowman (Try-Out Montreal). Some new faces that come to town ready for a fresh start are those of Jay McClement (Toronto) and Brad Malone (Colorado). Tim Gleason and Chad LaRose also signed back with the Hurricanes organization after both taking a year away from the franchise.

Bill Peters and Ron Francis 

With a new GM in Ron Francis and a new head coach in Bill Peters the horizon for the Hurricanes looks to be bright and make them a contender for the playoffs once again. Both Francis and Peters believe in the core group of talented players that are already within the system and believe there is a contending team in the locker room. Some of the key things that need to be fixed and will be looked at this season is the Power Play, Penalty Kill, Offensive  Scoring and Leadership within the locker room.  One of things that Coach Peters has spoke about this summer is that he is not afraid to replace a player with someone else who is working harder and deserves the spot.

We know that the top three scoring lines will looking something like this and leave the 4th line to be determined in Training Camp:

Tlusty- Eric Staal- Skinner

Gerbe- Jordan Staal- Semin

Lindholm- Nash- Dwyer

Eric Staal

We know that the top three Defensive pairings will looking something like this and leave the 4th pairing to be determined in Training Camp:

Faulk- Sekera

Harrison- Gleason

Hainsey-Murphy

Justin Faulk

There will also be a goal-tending competition in camp that will determine the Opening Night goalie as either Cam Ward or Anton Khudobin.

Anton Khudobin

Some key dates that fans need to keep in mind for beginning of the season:

• September 19th: Opening of Training Camp
• September 21st: Preseason Game vs. Blue Jackets
• September 26th: Canes Carnival
• October 5th: Preseason Game Vs. Saber
• October 10th: OPENING NIGHT vs. Islanders
• October 14th: Game vs. Sabers (National TV)

Thanks for reading the season preview and cant wait for the season of start! The motto we will stick with this season is one that the Canes used back in the 2006 playoffs when they won the Stanley Cup.. Whatever It Takes!!!!

~Julie

66th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards

The 66th annual Primetime Emmy Awards, hosted by Seth Meyers, took place Monday night.  NBC made the decision to switch to a Monday this year to avoid conflict with the MTV Video Music Awards (which Seth Meyers touched upon in his opening monologue).  The awards were presented during a live NBC telecast at the Nokia Theatre in Los Angeles.

Seth Meyers made more industry targeted jokes as host, and given his comedic writing and hosting experience he was well equipped to take on the job.  Some of the best moments of the night included Billy Crystal paying tribute to his friend, the late Robin Williams, Sara Bareilles singing Charlie Chaplin's "Smile" during the In Memoriam segment, and Julia Louis-Dreyfus and Bryan Cranston's "Seinfield Reunion".



Breaking Bad was the night's biggest winner taking home five trophies: Outstanding  Drama Series, Outstanding Lead Actor in a Drama Series for Bryan Cranston, Outstanding Supporting Actress and Actor in a Drama Series for Anna Gunn and Aaron Paul, and Best Writing for a Drama Series for "Ozymandias" to Moira Walley-Beckett who beat out show runner Vince Gilligan to win the category.

Modern Family was named Outstanding Comedy Series the fifth year in a row, tying Fraiser for most consecutive wins in the category.  The show also took home awards for Ty Burrell for Lead Actor and Outstanding Direction of a Comedy Series for Gail Mancuso.

Sherlock: His Last Vow won three awards including Outstanding Lead Actor in a Mini Series for Benedict Cumberbatch.  Julianna Margulies winning Outstanding Lead Actress in a Drama Series was a major upset, beating out Lizzy Caplan for Masters of Sex, Robin Wright for House of Cards, and Kerry Washington for Scandal.  Netflix Series House of Cards and Orange is the New Black were all but shut outs. Orange garnered 12 nominations and only took home three awards, all at the previously held Creative Arts ceremony.

Full Winners List

FASHION 

Lizzy Caplan looked gorgeous in a Donna Karan Atelier gown with a sheer organza panel paired with Brian Atwood heels.











Anna Gunn looked flawless in a one-shouldered gown with a white beaded bodice and a blue skirt by Jenny Packman.  Paired with an Edie Parker clutch.

Claire Danes looked ravishing in a red custom made Givenchy Haute Couture dress.











Orange is the New Black star Taylor Schilling dazzled in a Zuhair Murad gown with hand-embroidered beadwork and a draped back.  Jewelry by Forevermark.

Fellow OITNB star, Uzo Aduba graced the red carpet in a Christian Siriano strapless gown featuring a dramatic train.











Kate Walsh lit up the carpet in a yellow Stephanie Rollan peplum waisted gown and Stuart Weitzman heels.











Debra Messing looked stunning in a sleeveless gown by Angel Sanchez.  The dress featured sheer slivers throughout and was paired with a Judith Leiber clutch.










Images by Getty Images.

Theater People: Jerry Mitchell

Patrick brings us another amazing episode this week starring Tony Award winner Jerry Mitchell! The man who choreographed Hairspray, Catch Me If You Can, directed and choreographed Legally Blonde and Kinky Boots, and started Broadway Bares which has raised over $12 million dollars for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights Aids (BCEFA).  Is there anything he can't do? (The answer is no.)

Jerry Mitchell tells the fantastic story of how Kinky Boots came be exist in its current form.  Harvey Fierstein writing the book, Cyndi Lauper writing the music, the casting, and of course Jerry directing and choreographing.  What does he look for when casting? He looks, first and foremost, to look at the person who's right for the part.  He does also tend to draw in people who look at the glass as half full and theatre is all about collaboration so that's an important aspect of casting as well. He goes on to discuss the technical process of the show in both Chicago and Broadway, the biggest changes that the show underwent from Chicago to Broadway and his Tony win.

Taking it back to the beginning, Jerry discusses touring with A Chorus Line, being an ensemble member in Brigadoon, getting a part in Woman of the Year with Lauren Bacall, doing the Best Little Whorehouse in Texas movie, being in Barnum and On Your Toes, and the incredible and dynamic story of becoming the assistant to the choreographer for Jerome Robbins' Broadway.  He discusses in detail how he got into choreography and dance in general.

The mentor-ship of Micheal Bennett, Jerome Robbins, and Jack O'Brien is a great story, and particularly interesting throughout the story is how they shaped him as a director and choreographer.

Patrick leads a comparison of Hairspray and Catch Me If You Can and specifically the process that went into choreographing them. And everyone wants a finale like "You Can't Stop the Beat" which can be paired with amazing choreography, but only if someone writes it.  Legally Blonde was a different journey and his directorial debut. It was his first time out as a director, but he was supported by the four lead producers who helped him prosper as a director and make his own directorial choices.  He also discusses the importance of the show in terms of what it teaches young girls.

He tells the story of how Broadway Bares, a great show for an even better cause, came to be. Creating the event also served as calling card for his career.  He encourages other choreographers who want to get involved in the community to do something from their heart because who knows how it could pay off for them.

For anyone who loves theater, this episode is a must listen!

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