Tuesday was a big day for War Horse's star! Joey (War Horse's life-size equine puppet) met a real horse named Jeffrey from CHAPS Academy, met some new friends around the Center and even took a little stroll on College Ave.
Watch as Joey meets a real horse named Jeffrey.
Joey meets the media. Photo credit: Bill Garvin.
Joey getting friendly with the TV cameras. Photo credit: Fox Cities P.A.C.
Joey puppeteers being interviewed by TV and radio stations. Photo credit: Bill Garvin.
Joey stopped by a special lunch for a live auction winner.
On Monday evening the community got a chance to journey inside the theatrical wonder of Disney’s The Lion King at ROAR: A 10th Anniversary Safari Event. Attendees were treated to a behind-the-scenes look at The Lion King's Pride Rock, puppets, masks and musical instruments. The event also featured a Survival of the Fittest live auction and Pick a Paw poster sale with proceeds benefiting the Center's mission-based activities.
Thank you to all who purchased tickets to support the Center's 10th Anniversary fundraising event and a special thanks to Disney, The Lion King cast and crew and the community for making this event a ROARing success!
The Lion King Production Stage Manager Ken Davis and
Fox Cities P.A.C Executive Vice President Maria Van Laanen emcee.
Photo Credit: Bill Garvin
The Lion King Head Carpenter Bill Kimberly describes Pride Rock.
Ken Davis and Bill Kimberly explain the mechanics of a Simba puppet.
Photo Credit: Bill Garvin
Flutist Kay Ragsdale explains the 15 different flutes
she plays during the performance.
Photo Credit: Bill Garvin
Disney's The Lion King Puppet Master Michael Reilly and Zazu Actor Tony Freeman
present about the puppets and masks used in the show.
See more about the masks and puppets used in The Lion King with a behind-the-scenes look from The Post-Crescent!
Live auctioneers Mike Weller and Beth Flaherty help raise
funds for the Center's 10th Anniversary.
Photo Credit: Bill Garvin
Funds were also raised through the Pick a Paw Poster Tent.
Photo Credit: Bill Garvin
Guests enjoyed a dessert reception after the presentation.
Photo Credit: Bill Garvin
Lion King Pride Little Known Facts About Broadway's Biggest Blockbuster
Did you know?
The
tallest
animals in the show are the four, 18-foot exotic giraffes from “I Just Can’t
Wait to Be King.” The two giraffes in
“Circle of Life” are 14 feet high. Two
actors trained in stilt-walking, climb 6-foot ladders to fit inside the
puppets, mount stilts and enter stage left to cross the stage.
“The Giraffes” in the opening number “The Circle
of Life” from THE LION KING National Tour. ÓDisney. Photo Credit: Joan Marcus.
Six Languages are spoken in the show: Swahili, Zulu, Xhosa (the click language),
Sotho, Tswana and Congolese.
The
North American touring production (launched in April 2002) uses 18 trucks to
transport puppets, set pieces and other materials from city to city. Fourteen
of the trucks are 53’ long semi-trailers.
The most complicated set piece is Pride Rock, which appears five times during each performance. On tour, Pride Rock is a battery-powered set piece which expands out like an accordion to 18’ wide at its fullest position onstage and compresses to 8’ when it is offstage in the wings. Learn more about Pride Rock at ROAR on April 22!
Disney's The Lion King is a worldwide phenomenon, and it
brings together a talented cast with ties around the globe. Vusi Mhlongo, a
member of the ensemble, sat down with us to share about his journey from his
home in Durban, South Africa to the Fox Cities P.A.C. stage.
Fox Cities P.A.C.: How long have you been performing with
Disney’s The Lion King?
Vusi Mhlongo: I've been performing with the show for 11
years.
FCPAC: What is your favorite role in the ensemble and how
does it add to the production?
VM: I enjoy all my ensemble roles in the show, but my
favorite is singing "Circle of Life." My part adds authenticity and
uniqueness to the show with my South African culture and experience.
FCPAC: How does The
Lion King remind you of South Africa?
VM: The music, the harmonies, the rhythm and all aspects of
the show remind me of South Africa. Also I'm reminded that I'm here because I'm
a South African and makes me proud to share my culture.
FCPAC: Do you think being from South Africa gives you a
unique perspective on the show?
VM: The songs to me have a profound meaning with themes of
courage and hope in the face of adversity.
FCPAC: As an actor you’ve toured Europe and now the United
States. What have been your favorite places to perform and why?
VM: That is a hard question because I've been to so many
places. I like a lot of the United States' cities because of a lot of good
people I've met in these places. And also I've learned a lot about the United
States because of the tour. Every city has its own experience.
FCPAC: What do you hope audiences take away from The Lion King and its portrayal of the
African savannah?
VM: With The Lion King experience
I hope the audience gets to appreciate Africa and the beauty that comes from it
through our diverse culture and the natural world.
You can see Vusi and more than 48 talented actors create
theater magic with Disney’s The Lion King tonight through Sunday, May 5.
For tickets, call the ticket office at (920) 730-3760 or visit
foxcitiespac.com!
Fun Things to See and Do at the Fox Cities P.A.C. Before Disney’s The Lion King
1. 10th Anniversary Timeline. Don’t pass by this 33 foot display located near the exterior valet entrance. Take a trip down memory lane and revisit some of the best and brightest moments from the Center’s 10 year history.
2. Tobias Keene Painting. On loan from The Trout Museum of Art, see the 72 inch oil painting “Girl on a Golden Swing.” It was created by third generation British painter Tobias Keene who currently lives and works in Los Angeles. His work is a part of the Generations Exhibition at The Trout Museum of Art though July 21. 3. Disney’s The Lion King Souvenirs. Take home your piece of the magic with a souvenir from the show. There is something for The Lion King fans of any age.
4. 2013-14 Season Ticket Table. The Fox Cities P.A.C. announced the 2013-14 Season just two weeks ago. Stop by the table in the main lobby to learn more about the upcoming shows and the many great benefits of becoming a Boldt Arts Alive! or Kimberly Clark Broadway Across America – Fox Cities Season Ticket Holder.
5. The Lion King Themed Concessions. No need to worry about going hungry or thirsty during your trip to the African pride lands. Try a “Hakuna Matata” specialty drink or snack on some tasty treats that would satisfy any king or queen.
6. The Illusion of Joey Display. Much like Disney’s The Lion King, the five-time Tony Award®-winning production of War Horse uses groundbreaking puppetry to tell a remarkable tale of courage, loyalty and friendship. Learn how the 6 foot, 120 pound horse Joey was developed and created by South Africa’s Handspring Puppet Company and how it takes three actors to bring the horse to life before your eyes onstage. The display is located near entrances 11 and 12 on the orchestra level.
7. Photo Station. The popular photo station is back! Grab a fun picture with your family and friends and show us your creativity using the props. The photo will be posted on the Center’s Facebook page the day after the performance for weeknight performances (Tuesday - Thursday) and the following Monday for all weekend performances (Friday - Sunday Evening).
The Fox Cities Performing Arts Center proudly presents some of the most popular touring productions with its Kimberly-Clark Broadway Across America – Fox Cities Series. The upcoming four-week engagement of Disney’s The Lion King is no exception, and tickets are in hot demand as the event draws near.
Tickets are still available through the only authorized online ticket seller, Ticketmaster.com, by calling (866) 870-2717 or in person at the Center’s ticket office.
Due to the popularity of touring productions like The Lion King, ticket buyers often find that tickets are available through third party ticket agencies or brokers, especially online, but the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center cautions consumers that Ticketmaster is the only authorized online ticket seller.
Ticket buyers who purchase tickets from a ticket broker or any third party, should be aware that the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center is unable to:
reprint or replace your tickets if they are lost or stolen.
contact you with information regarding time changes or other pertinent updates regarding the performance.
Tickets for Disney’s The Lion King are on sale now and start at $35. Tickets may be purchased at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center’s ticket office and online at ticketmaster.com or lionking.com. To charge tickets by phone, call (866) 870-2717.
Premium Ticket Packages, which include prime seat locations, a commemorative souvenir program and an exclusive merchandise item, are also available. Orders for groups of 15 or more may be placed by calling (920) 730-3786. Group discounts and additional fees may apply.
With three older brothers making names for themselves, how could Eddie, Ike, and Nat's youngest brother possibly avoid the jazz bug?
This weekend, the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center is pleased to welcome jazz great Freddy Cole as he performs two cabaret style performances Friday, March 22 and Saturday, March 23.
Inspired At An Early Age Lionel Frederick Cole was born on October 15, 1931, the youngest of Edward and Pualina Nancy Cole’s five children. “I started playing piano at five or six,” Freddy remembers. “Music was all around me.”
In the Chicago home of his youth, visitors included Duke Ellington, Count Basie and Lionel Hampton. He also credits Billy Eckstine as a major influence. “He was a fantastic entertainer,” Freddy recalls. “I learned so much from just watching and being around him.” After a possible career in the NFL was shelved due to a hand injury, he began playing and singing in Chicago clubs as a teenager. Although he was ready to hit the road at 18, his mother intervened, and he continued his musical education at Roosevelt Institute in Chicago.
Freddy moved to New York in 1951 where he studied at the Julliard School of Music and found himself profoundly influenced by John Leis, Oscar Peterson and Teddy Wilson. He got a master’s degree at the New England Conservatory of Music and then spent several months on the road as a member of an Earl Bostic band that also included Johnny Coles and Benny Golson.
It was back in New York that Freddy successfully laid the groundwork for a career that continues to flourish to this day. He developed a vast repertoire of songs in Manhattan bistros and concurrently began to supplement his live performances with television and radio commercial “jingle work.”
A resident of Atlanta since 1972, he currently leads a quartet made up o f himself, guitarist Gerry Byrd, bassist Herman Burney, and drummer Curtis Boyd that regularly tours the U.S., Europe, the Far East and South America.
Freddy has been a recording artist since 1952, when his first single, “The Joke’s on Me,” was released on the obscure Chicago-based Topper label. The following year, he produced a moderate hit, “Whispering Grass,” for Columbia’s Okeh subsidiary. After making singles and albums for Dot De-Lite, and other domestic labels in the ’50s and ’60s, Freddy recorded several albums for European and English companies during the ’70s that helped him to develop a loyal overseas following, especially in Brazil.
Unmistakable Similarities Freddy Cole doesn’t apologize for sounding so much like his brother, Nat “King” Cole. There are certain unmistakable similarities. He plays piano, sings and performs live with guitar and upright bass, just like Nat. Yet his voice is raspier, smokier and jazzier even. He has emerged from the awesome shadow cast by his elder brother. In truth, his phrasing is far closer to that of Frank Sinatra or Billie Holiday than that of his brother, and his timing swings a little more. With his sixth Fantasy release, Cole’s career continues to ascend. His vocals – suave, elegant, formidable, articulate and polished – are among the most respected in jazz, and he occupies a place in the front ranks of America’s homegrown art form with a style and a musical sophistication that are uniquely his own.
Don't miss your chance to see the Freddy Cole Quartet!
On Tuesday, March 12 the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center and Celebrating Abilities are proud to welcome Canadian singer-songwriter Justin Hines to the Fox Cities stage. Hines’ latest album, “Days to Recall,”
marks his American debut. His music is uplifting and heartfelt,
overflowing with natural optimism, although he is no stranger to
challenges.
Hines has Larsen Syndrome, a joint dislocation condition
that requires him to permanently use a wheelchair. He jokes, “I’ll never
be a guy who relies on choreography,” but his live performances are
delivered with honest emotion and a passion for music that shines
through every song.
Hines Embodies Celebrating Abilities Celebrating Abilities is a local Fox Cities nonprofit that raises awareness about the incredible abilities of individuals in the community, regardless of any apparent disability.
Since 2003, the organization has raised awareness of the contributions people with disabilities make in our community and the people who help make those contributions possible. Each year, Celebrating Abilities presents "A-bilities Awards" which recognize the individuals, organizations and businesses who make a positive difference in the way people with disabilities can develop and celebrate their abilities.
This week, watch our Facebook Page and join us in celebrating abilities!
Journey inside the theatrical wonder of Disney's THE LION KING. Discover how Pride Rock and the Tony® Award-winning puppets come to life and more amazing stagecraft secrets!
YOUR MISSION:
6:00 P.M. — Passport to the Pride Lands Enjoy a preadventure cocktail hour in the Main Lobby 7:00 P.M. — The Journey Begins Step inside Thrivent Financial Hall and into the Pride Lands 8:15 P.M. — Survival of the Fittest Live Auction Bid to win even more exciting Fox Cities P.A.C. adventures 8:30 P.M. — Disney Departure Enjoy a dessert reception fit for a king (or queen)
Click below for a sneak peek of some of the details you can look for at ROAR!
When most people are headed home
from work, theater professionals are just getting started. What is that like?
Musician Jim Geddes from The Addams
Family gives us an inside look at life on the road.
On The Road
I love being on the road because
every day can bring something different. Different cities, different venues,
different cafes and different hotel rooms. So to write about the average day is
quite difficult, but I will do my best!
This is my fourth national/international
Broadway musical tour. Most cities I've been to before, so I pretty much know
what to expect when I arrive at my destination. I know my favorite cafes and
diners in almost any given city. I'm starting to get used to people following
me or asking for my advice on places to go. I've always thought about writing a
book on these places, but alas I don't know if I could sit down long enough to
write something that long.
A “Typical” Show Day
Every day we get to wake up in a
hotel with an unfamiliar scene outside the window. If we are lucky to be
sitting down in city for a week or two, we won't have to board a bus to our
next venue. If we are in a one nighter situation (in a city for only one
night), we will have to board the coach bus early to make it to the next city
in time to check into the next hotel and relax before heading to the venue.
Jim (far right) in the pit for The Addams Family
Sound Check
Sometimes the venue is a quaint
600-750 person theater and sometimes they can be as large as a 4,000-5,000
person arena. We have to play to every size theater, so sound checks are
extremely important at new venues. Usually when I get to a new venue, I rush to
the music pit to start setting up all my instruments. I usually average 3 to 5
woodwind instruments, but I've had up to eight instruments on shows before.
Once I’m set up and everything is in place, we check every line and then run
specific songs with the actors to make sure their mic packs are working and
that they can be heard over the musicians.
Jim (front left) with fellow The Addams Family musicians
Getting Ready for Each Performance
After the sound check is when I
usually have a minute to eat something light and prepare for the show. Eating
healthy on the road is vital as musicians do not have understudies to go on if they
aren’t feeling well. If we're sick, we still play. Being in good shape is a
must. Light eating of veggies and fruit is usually the case.
Right before the show, I will be
back in the pit doing light warm-ups on each instrument and maybe playing
through difficult passages. I'm mainly using this time to get all my ducks in a
row, so that I can play through the entire show without interruption.
After The Show
Once the show has been played, if
we are traveling to a new venue the next day, everything has to be packed up
once again. Everything is cleaned and all the instruments are put back in their
cases.
We return to the hotel, either
find a place to snack and have a few drinks, or we settle down in our rooms and
snack from our reserves of food we travel with. A full night's sleep will help
keep a musician in good health. Great hotels are always appreciated!
Then repeat!
With this current show, I am quite
lucky that we have quite a few week long sit downs. Also we are traveling
abroad to Asia this fall and the story of an average day changes quite a bit.
But as far as the show goes, that will remain at the highest level we are
capable of producing.
The Addams Familyis moving in February 26 - March 3 at the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center, but before you put your house up for sale, let's say hello and get to know the man who created them, Charles Addams.
The Broadway musical was
inspired by the creations of the legendary American cartoonist Charles Addams,
who lived from 1912 until 1988. In 1933, when he was just 21, his work was published
in The New Yorker, and over the course of nearly six
decades, he became one of the magazine’s most cherished contributors.
Bizarre,
macabre and weird are all words that have been used to describe Charles Addams’
cartoons. Yet adjectives such as charming, enchanting and tender can just as
accurately be employed to depict the same body of work, as well as the man
himself.
His
unique style and wonderfully crafted cartoons enabled his work to transcend
such dichotomies for his millions of fans worldwide.
Charles
Addams is most widely known for his characters that came to be called The
Addams Family, a group that evolved into multiple television shows, motion
pictures and now this Broadway musical. Gomez, Morticia, Uncle Fester, Wednesday,
Pugsley, Grandma and Lurch existed in various forms and aspects of Addams’
cartoons dating back to the 1930’s but were not actually named by him until the
early 1960’s, then the television series was created. Surprisingly, The Addams Family
characters appear in only a small number of the artist’s several thousand works.
The majority of his cartoons are occupied by hundreds of other characters, but
there is little doubt that those that come to life on this stage are his most
beloved creations. Over 15 books of his
drawings have been published around the world, including the new collection, "The
Addams Family: An Evilution," the first complete history of The
Addams Family, including more than 200 cartoons, many never previously published.
The collection also includes Addams’ own incisive character descriptions
(originally penned for the benefit of the television show producers) that remind
us where these oddly lovable characters came from and, in doing so, offer a
lasting tribute to one of America’s
greatest humorists.
There’s a moment in every artist’s life when he knows
that music is not only his path, but his destiny.
For Canadian singer-songwriter Justin Hineswho will perform next month at the Fox Cities P.A.C., his moment of realization came at the most unlikely
of places – a Toronto Raptors’ basketball game in his hometown 15 years ago.
A then14-year-old Hines won a vocal competition to
sing the National Anthem – both the Canadian and American – at the game and his
world opened up before him. “In that moment, it all seemed possible,” he
recalls. “The performance eliminated any stage fright.” Thrown in the deep end, Hines, who has
performed professionally ever since, realized he could not only survive, but
thrive.
But then again, Hines has thrived all his life
against odds that would daunt someone with a less indomitable spirit. Hines has
Larsen Syndrome, a joint dislocation condition that confines him to a
wheelchair. “The reality is I don’t really look at my situation as that big a
deal,” he says. “We all have our things that challenge us, just some people’s
are a little more visible in the forefront. Mine is very apparent, whereas
others wear it on the inside.”
Hines has performed across the globe, throughout
Europe, China, the Middle East and North America. Although he admits his condition has provided challenges, he primarily
sees the good it has brought him and the inspiration he can provide others. “There
have been so many blessings. It’s afforded me so many other opportunities. It’s
a bit of an attention grabber,” he says. “But then my job is to keep people
interested and keep their attention with my music.”
That natural optimism permeates much of his American
debut, “Days to Recall,” the singer/songwriter’s collection of heartfelt songs
about life and love. “I don’t want to pretend that dark times don’t exist, but
I have a hard time leaving things negative,” he says. “I think every
challenging situation leads to something better. When I’m writing I don’t do it
consciously in the songs, it’s just how they evolve.”
The album’s 2011
release coincided with a PBS special of Hines in concert taped at Toronto’s
Royal Cinema with special guests Ron Sexsmith, Natalie MacMaster, Donnell
Leahy, Sierra Noble and the Canadian Tenors. The special has had over 400 airings across North America to date.Hines also appeared in a CBS Sunday Morning feature,
which aired December 18 and received an abundance of positive responses
nationwide.
Music has always been a big part of Hines’ life. His
parents had a jukebox— well stocked with tunes from the ’60s and ’70s that
provided their son with a music education from an early age. “I really listened
to such an eclectic mix,” he says. “What I most resonated with was James
Taylor. He’s definitely one of my heroes.”
Though Hines doesn’t remember it, his mom tells him
he wrote his first song when he was seven. “My grandmother still has the
lyrics,” he says. In his late teens, Hines
decided to teach himself how to play piano as a way to better express
himself, despite the obstacles Larsen
Syndrome provided. “I’d done a lot of writing with other people. The most
frustrating thing was I could hear the song in my head, but I was relying on
other people to write chords since I didn’t play anything,” he says. “I decided
for just about a year to focus on playing piano. I had to figure out my own
method of how to make it work. My fingers are unique. Sometimes I use up to
seven fingers. For a lot of songs I can get by with three.”
Hines recorded “Days to Recall,” his fourth album
overall, during a six month period in Toronto. The first single, lilting, instantly
catchy “Tell Me I’m Wrong,” tackles the fears that plague everyone and our desire
for reassurance. The music video for the
single was shot in Joplin, Missouri following the devastating 2011 tornado. To
support the American Red Cross, the music video displays a community coming
together to rebuild, following tragedy. The song climbed to #21 on the
Billboard AC Charts and the video has garnered hundreds of thousands of hits.
The second single from the album is “Say What You
Will,” an uplifting song that initially appeared on Hines’ second album. The
first video released for the song was filmed in Toronto’s Dundas Square and
showed everyday people writing personal messages on whiteboards and showing
them to the world. The whiteboard concept traveled to South Africa, where a new
video was filmed, featuring the Most Rev. Desmond Tutu and was partially filmed
at Oprah’s Seven Fountain School. The song took on a life of its own and was
used as part of a campaign to refurbish 20 schools in 11 days. Hines performed in South Africa spring 2011
and saw the schools that will educate more than 22,000 students. “It’s so
beyond an honor knowing that a song we did was part of this, that we get to be
part of that beauty,” he says. At the time of his visit, the song had hit
number one on South African commercial radio.
Following the success of “Tell Me I’m Wrong,” American fans quickly
fell in love with “Say What You Will” and began posting their own whiteboard
messages online, which inspired a U.S version of the music video to be
released. The new video was filmed from the east to west coast and features
appearances by athletes, as well as everyday people, each writing their own
messages of love and hope. Decca/Universal released the video in February.
“Say What You Will” was also highlighted in concerts
across the U.S. recently as The Tenors and National Symphony Orchestra joined
Justin to perform it in Boston, Portland, Minnesota, Cerritos and four nights
at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C.
“I get transformed to a different place when I
perform. I hope it just makes people feel something,” he says, adding that he
especially enjoys singing ballads. “Hopefully, that helps form an intimate
connection with the audience. I embrace those moments because it feels like
you’re having a unique conversation with people.”
That conversation begins anew with “Days to Recall.”
You can see Justin HinesWednesday, March 14 at the
