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Theater

'David Bowie Is' Exhibition Breaks the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago Attendance Record

The "David Bowie Is” exhibition broke the Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago’s attendance record with more than 193,000 people visiting in its 15-week run.“David Bowie Is” is the most successful exhibition in the MCA’s 47-year history, with some Bowie-related programs and performances selling out in less than an hour as well as the highest sales for the MCA Store.“We brought this exhibition to the MCA because it was an ideal bridge to connect with new audiences who are interested in the multidisciplinary arts that have always been a hallmark of the museum. We are thrilled that so many people from around the country visited us for the first time, and we are especially proud of the enthusiasm and support we had in Chicago, where members of the community had a chance to rediscover the MCA,” says MCA Pritzker Director Madeleine Grynsztejn.“David Bowie Is,” which opened Sept. 23 and ran until Jan. 4, is the first international exhibition of the career of Bowie, one of the most pioneering and influential performers of our time. According to MCA, the exhibition focuses on his creative processes and collaborative work with artists and designers, and demonstrates how his work has influenced and been influenced by wider movements in art, design, music and theater.
By Jaime Prisco

  • Young Boston Musicians Phoenix Try to Revamp the Orchestra for Modern Times with Kickstarter Campaign

    A group of young Boston musicians have formed a Kickstarter campaign to help revitalize orchestral music for a new, modern generation.Phoenix believes that modern audiences would be more interested in classical music if it was presented in a fresh atmosphere, so they opened a Kickstarter campaign to raise money for their launch event, Ignite.“Ignite will feature five, bite-sized sets of orchestral selections ranging from a Haydn symphony, written in 1775, to Osvaldo Golijov’s fiery 'Last Round,' written in 1996. Everything we play will be presented using lighting effects and choreography that’s reflective of the enthusiasm we have for this music,” says Phoenix.Phoenix only chooses musicians who have a high level of musicianship as well as a belief and passion for Phoenix’s mission. They then took a critical look at the modern concert experience and decided what they could change to make is more accessible for new listeners. Their website details some of these changes, which include getting rid of traditional concert hall uniforms, encouraging whistling, clapping and cheering and allowing refreshments at shows, along with many more.
    By Jaime Prisco

  • Douglas Dunn & Dancers Present 'Aidos' at the Brooklyn Academy of Music

    Douglas Dunn & Dancers will present the world premiere of "Aidos" at the Brooklyn Academy of Music in February."Aidos" is a new work by Douglas Dunn and is characterized as a highly stylized and elegant piece. Douglas Dunn & Dances describe the performance as a piece that allows Aidos, the Greek goddess of shame, to appear as a split personality danced by two 6-foot-tall women: Jin Ju Song-Begin and Jessica Martineau.Their ongoing duel, juxtaposed against six more affiliated dancers, is the focal point of the general suggestion of dance display as inherently embarrassing. The beauty of the Bach Suites played live by Ha-Yang Kim and the sleek black and gold costumes by Andrew Jordan keep the mordant theme from shredding the luxuriant texture of the hour-long dance.Dunn has been dancing and choreographing for 43 years and formed Douglas Dunn & Dancers in 1976. He stands out because of his collaborations with poets, painters, sculptors, musicians, composers and playwrights to help offer the audience a multifaceted theater experience. He has set pieces for the Paris Opera Ballet and composed numerous outdoor and site-specific events. For his work, he has won many awards, including a Guggenheim, a Bessie and Chevalier in the Ordres des Arts et des Lettres.
    By Jaime Prisco