Tony Awards host Neil Patrick Harris’ closing rap is stirred up quite a buzz Sunday night. Many of us were left scratching our heads, wondering how writer Lin-Manuel Miranda (Broadway’s In the Heights) was able to pull together such an up-to-the-moment summation of the night seemingly on the spot. Miranda has posted a fun behind-the-scenes video shot backstage at the Beacon Theatre during the awards that provides some insight. Harris and the night’s heartbreaker, Nikki M. James (winner of Best Featured Actress in a Musical for her performance in Best Musical winner, The Book of Mormon) pop in as well.
An interesting glimpse into putting together an engaging live show.
If you’re in New York City this weekend and looking for something different, Suspended Cirque’s closing performances of SUBTERRANEA might be the ticket. Described as “Fuerza Bruta meets Avatar,” the performance piece is executed mid-air by Suspended Cirque’s troupe of artists, mixing aerial acrobatics, live music, dance, theatre, and circus. The cast, whose members have performed in dance companies such as Twyla Tharp, as well as on Broadway, includes Joshua Dean, Ben Franklin, Michelle Dortignac, Angela Jones, and Kristin Olness. The group is making an quite an impression, with recent profiles and positive reviews by NBC news and and Slant, among others.
SUBTERRANEA’s remaining performances at the Connelly Theatre in NYC are tonight through Sunday May 8th. Tickets are $20-$30, with discounts for students, children, seniors, etc.
Rich Mix and Havana Club the Authentic Cuban Rum are calling on amateur or professional artists to submit designs for a specially commissioned wall art project, taking place over the next twelve months at East London’s Shoreditch cultural hotspot, Rich Mix.
The art competition includes three commissions launched by three live events, hosted in conjunction with the start of Rich Mix’s new seasons.
Artist Remi/Rough launched the Havana Club Wall Project with his interpretation and vision of the values that make Havana so unique. The celebrated urban artist was specially commissioned to design and paint an interior wall that runs the entire length of the Rich Mix events space.
Artists are invited to submit their entries to panel of experts, led by Remi/Rough, who will select two winning designs to feature on the Rich Mix interior wall throughout the year. The design must embody the unique and inspiring attitude that reflects the true values of the Cuban capital – humanity, spontaneity and creativity, this refreshing attitude highlighting the informality, passion and generosity of the people of Havana.
The first deadline for submissions is this coming Monday, March 21st! Submit design sketches as a jpg to Rich Mix at visualarts@richmix.org.uk to be considered for the first wall design showing from May to August 2011. More info above.
The first winner has been announced for the Summer Season of the Wall Project. Artist LXOne’s artwork is now on display at London’s Havana Club.
LXOne’s winning wall art at Havana Club
LXOne described his piece. “I’ve used shapes and symbols that refers to my work and interpreted the brief using colour and movement. Orange is for the sun, red is for the passion and yellow is for the happiness—all characteristics I see in Cuban humanity. The geometrical patterns convey both accurateness but also spontaneity with my use of the arrow. The value of creativity can be seen in the finished product from submission to completing my work and the whole creative process been something I have hugely enjoyed having the opportunity to do”.
The next round of submissions are due Friday, August 5th, with the winning wall design on display from August to October, 2011.
Join stated as we live-blog the 83rd Annual Academy Awards. Watch this space throughout the awards!
8:00PM - Are you watching the red carpet coverage? Try as we do to dismiss the focus on what everyone’s wearing, it’s hard to ignore the style on display. Tim Gunn spoke with co-host Anne Hathaway and Valentino, whose “archival” gown she was wearing from 1981.
8:02PM - Nominee Natalie Portman is definitely showing… And looks beautiful.
8:08PM - Colin Firth seems to be the favorite for Best Actor. What do you think?
8:14PM - Gwyneth Paltrow says she’d like to sing a duet with Jay-Z…
8:27PM - Almost time…
8:30PM - Intro… Alec Baldwin can do no wrong. Remember when we didn’t think so?
Hellogoodbye first came to mass attention with their 2007 single “Here (In Your Arms)” off their debut album, Zombies! Aliens! Vampires! Dinosaurs!. The track had a decidely radio-ready dance feel complete with auto-tune effects, while their current setlist, laregely featuring their recent release, Would It Kill You?, sits more comfortably in the acoustic-heavy alt-pop veign of Vampire Weekend or Islands. This is not a bad thing. Their new material is fun and accessible, which matches the band’s onstage persona. It’s hard not to like these guys.
They did oblige the mostly young crowd with “Here (In Your Arms)” as their final encore, and it fit surprisingly well alongside their new material.
Ryan Swearingen | 
