Prabodhi & other: June 2008

Thursday, 26 June 2008

"Three Hotels": New troupe shines with corporate marriage drama

The new troupe Our American Theatre has what's required for a fine liftoff in its first full production, "Three Hotels." A literate, provocative script by playwright-screenwriter Jon Robin Baitz. A strong lead portrayal by Todd Licea. And bargain ticket prices — as in, pay-what-you-will for every performance.

Now all the troupe needs is more of an audience for this bracing, deserving show, which runs through June 28 at Theatre Off Jackson.

A 1991 public TV drama, which Baitz adapted for the stage in 1993, "Three Hotels" gauges the moral and emotional toll on the family of Ken Hoyle (Licea), a top executive with an international baby-formula company.

We first meet Hoyle in a hotel room in Morocco, as he mixes and quaffs several stiff martinis while preparing to fire some of his co-workers.

In a caustic monologue, this sleek, globe-trotting "hatchet man" contemplates the task at hand and the devil's bargain he has made to rise in the ranks of a multinational company — one reviled by activists for its aggressive marketing of infant formula to the Third World poor. (Breast milk is not only free but much more healthful.)

One casualty could be his marriage to conscience-stricken wife Barbara (Lisa Carswell) — who later, in a Virgin Islands hotel room, reflects on their life together in her own searching monologue.

Barbara has just done her "duty" and addressed a group of other executive spouses. But haunted by grief and regret, she is far from the ideal corporate wife.

In the third scene, set in a modest inn in Mexico, Ken considers just how far the couple has traveled — and how much they have lost on the way.

Baitz knows whereof he speaks. His father was an executive of Carnation Company — a maker of baby formula, among other products — so the writer spent part of his youth abroad.

"Three Hotels" comes down squarely on the anti-corporate side, striking similar chords of moral dismay as John le Carré's later work "The Constant Gardener." It is wholly critical of Ken's choices and throws in a family tragedy for good measure.

But Baitz makes matters less cut and dried by endowing his characters with intelligence, eloquence and self-awareness. And in Licea's well-shaded performance, Ken is no cardboard villain, but a man trapped in the power and perks of a global workplace — at the price of self-loathing, and other scourges.

Like Licea, Carswell seems a few years young for her middle-age role. And her work as Barbara is a bit more tentative, without the tinge of bitterness the writing suggests.

But director Susanna Burney's cogent mounting of "Three Hotels" is a fine start for a new company dedicated to thoughtful American plays — like this one.

Misha Berson: mberson@seattletimes.com

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Monday, 16 June 2008

Joan Jett - Joan Jett To Appear In Law Order

Rocker JOAN JETT is set to make a cameo appearance in hit U.S. TV show LAW + ORDER: CRIMINAL INTENT.

The singer is currently in New York to shoot the episode, in which she will play a "boss from hell" who is murdered, with her personal assistant the prime suspect, reports the New York Post.

The I Love Rock N' Roll hitmaker made her acting debut alongside Michael J. Fox in the 1987 film Light Of Day.

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Monday, 9 June 2008

Cadacross

Artist: Cadacross

   Genre(s):
Metal

Discography:

Corona Borealis

Year: 2002
Tracks: 11

So Pale Is The Dark

Year: 2001
Tracks: 10

When they formed in 1997, Finland's Cadacross had it in their minds to play strong-growing death metal, merely after a set of sickly standard demos (1997's Power of the Night and 1998's The Bloody Way) they began veering toward availability, adopting more and more melodic ability alloy and kinfolk music elements that were at the same time becoming all the fad in their motherland. Thus transformed, Cadacross -- featuring screeching vocalizer Georg Laakso, guitar player Tommi Saari, keyboardist Mathias NygÃ¥rd, bassist Jarkko Lemmetty, and drummer Janne Salo -- made their debut with 2001's So Pale Is the Light album, which was released by the independent Low Frequency mark.

Cadacross' transfiguration was non in time fill in, however, and when singer Laakso informed his comrades that their side by side album would get hold of them even further away from their violent death metal roots, everyone in the banding either leave office or was fired. Unperturbed, Laakso picked up a guitar and proceeded to beleaguer himself with new members Sami Aarnio (vocals), Tino Ahola (guitar), Jukka-Pekka Miettinen (bass), Antti Ventola (keyboards), Nina Laakso (patronage vocals), and Kimmo Miettinen (drums) prior to recording 2002's epical metal musical composition Corona Borealis -- The Northern Crown.

Lopez picks names for her twin babies

Sasha and John Digweed

Artist: Sasha and John Digweed

   Genre(s):
Electronic

Discography:

Northern Exposure Vol. 2: West Coast Edition [Us Import]

Year:
Tracks: 11

By the final stage of the nineties, Sasha and John Digweed had become two of the to the highest degree recognised DJs in the world. A widespread interest in a way of up-tempo electronic music laden in synth melodies and pumping beats known as trance (or less frequently as progressive trance) propelled the British DJs to worldwide renown on with peers such as Paul Van Dyk and Paul Oakenfold. As trance began to hit its visor, both DJs began to diversify their cartroad pick in an effort to avoid organism pigeonholed as specifically trance DJs. Whereas their early mix CDs defined the sound of trance for the mid-'90s, they shortly took the situation as deuce of the genre's leadership, continually focalization on the modish records and evolving sounds of producers such as Breeder spell staying unfeigned to their musical roots.

Earlier they became pinups for the trance generation, the deuce had already been successful DJs and -- to a lesser degree -- producers. Their noted partnership began in 1993 patch both were spinning at the Manchester club Renaissance. As the iI DJs began to hone their admixture and meliorate their cartroad selections, increasing numbers racket of clubbers began to counterpane the word about the duo's euphony. Sasha + Digweed released a fuse album highborn Renascence in 1994 and began their steady rise to celebrity. It wasn't until the 1996 acquittance of Northerly Exposure that Sasha + Digweed began to truly be acknowledged as wizard DJs. The album's success light-emitting diode to several more and more successful sequels (Expeditions, Communicate) that defined the sound of trance in the late '90s, paralleling the Global Underground and Tranceport series in footing of popularity.

In the late '90s, the deuce DJs began their invasion of the U.S. with a high profile monthly residency at Twilo in New York City, along with more immix CDs as individuals. In addition to the residence, the dyad sporadically toured the U.S. and found themselves the topic of many articles and cover stories in magazines such as Urb and Mixer. An all-embracing tour of the U.S. in 2000 to supporting Commune only coagulated their condition as deuce of the near loved (and scorned) DJs in the world.

As if their reputation as the world's to the highest degree illustrious tag-teaming DJs wasn't sufficiency, Sasha + Digweed too get their own music and are recognized as prized remixers. Sasha's Xpander EP showcased his bent for creating some of the best trance epics the writing style has ever seen, while his remix of the Chemical Brothers' "Out of Control" re-established his role as a talented remixer. Similarly, Digweed on occasion produces music as Bedrock, marking an enormous hit with his hymn "Heaven Scent."

Patch the iI DJs increasingly focused on production and retaining their condition as superstars, they lento began to err apart, appearance less often as a duet. Sasha continued exploit on a long-awaited solo album, and Digweed focussed on his Bedrock club night in the U.K. [See Also: John Digweed, Sasha]

Madonna's New Music Video Debuts (Video)

Madonna has debuted the music video to her latest single 'Give It 2 Me', the second song to be released from her 'Candy Shop' album, this time steaming up the screen alongside Pharrell Williams who also produced the track. Catch the video here on The Celebrity Truth.

NEXT: Amy Winehouse Apologizes For Racist Video

Photo courtesy of Warner Bros.

Valley's Eve

Artist: Valley's Eve

   Genre(s):
Other

Discography:

The Atmosphere Of Silence

Year: 1999
Tracks: 11

Lost star Lilly signs perfume deal

Hayden Panettiere - Panettiere Goes Pop With Halliwells Hitmakers

HEROES star HAYDEN PANETTIERE has called on GERI HALLIWELL's hitmaking team to give her stalled music career a boost.

The actress signed deal with Hollywood Records years before her Heroes TV show became a big hit and now she is devoting her time to carving out a pop career.

Her new reggae-flavoured song - Wake Up Call - has been written by Andreas 'Quiz' Romdhane and Josef Larossi, who have previously churned out hits for Halliwell, Diana Ross and Westlife.

And the actress/singer has also landed a major sponsorship deal with U.S. fashion brand Candie's, who will feature the track in a new summer ad campaign.

The company will also pay for the star to shoot a video to accompany the tune.

Panettiere's debut album is set for release next year (09).

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The Kooks - The Things They Say 8478

"I find it funny she's a musician now because she never used to be into music at school. I don't really like her music all that much." THE KOOKS frontman LUKE PRITCHARD is not a fan of former classmate LILY ALLEN's music.

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Odium

Artist: Odium

   Genre(s):
Metal: Power

Discography:

Odium

Year: 2004
Tracks: 10

DreamWorks to redo hit Japanese film

Blu Cantrell

Artist: Blu Cantrell

   Genre(s):
Other
   R&B: Soul

Discography:

From L.A. To L.O.

Year: 2004
Tracks: 11

Bitter Sweet

Year: 2003
Tracks: 12

As she grew up in Providence, R.I., with her basketball team siblings, Blu Cantrell was toted from one jazz performance to another to observe her mother sing. From that point fore, she knew what she precious to do, and began auditioning for outspoken gigs and displaying her dynamic alto at talent shows. On a visit to Atlanta in 2000, Cantrell played her demonstration tape for A&R executive Tab and producer C. Stewart (aka Tricky) of RedZone Entertainment. They were so impressed that they immediately provided studio work to the loretta Young isaac Merrit Singer, and she panax quinquefolius backgrounds for artists including Gerald Levert, Faith Evans, Puff Daddy, and Aaron Hall. Meanwhile, Cantrell began recording tracks for what would at long last suit her showtime full-length album. Upon hearing the abridge "Public treasury I'm Gone," L.A. Reid, the CEO and president of Arista Records, signed Cantrell. Before the discharge of the full-length, the single "Hit 'Em Up Style (Oops!)" occupied the numeral two situation on the Hot 100 number. The bombilate was forbidden and Cantrell was invited to do on home television system programs. Her full-length debut, 2001's So Blu, reached the Top Ten on the album charts. Her side by side record, 2003's Bittersweet, didn't do as considerably on the charts merely did take in Cantrell a Grammy nomination for best R&B album.