By Retta Blaney Christopher G. Smith and his wife, Alana, stood in front of an empty theater on West 41st Street. Everyone else had gone and soon the marquee would be darkened. Amazing Grace, the musical that Christopher created and nurtured all the way to the Great White Way over a dedicated 17 years, was closing, its Broadway run concluding after only four months. “It … [Read more...] about ‘Lykz’ Offers Healing for the Digital Generation
theater
Artists Remain Essential, Says Mario Sprouse
By Retta Blaney Mario Sprouse is an essential worker in New York City. Although he hasn’t had a day off since the pandemic struck in mid-March, he is full of energy. His focus is to heal. The work that Sprouse sees as essential is that of an artist. In his case, a composer, musician, and musical director. What he is passionate about healing is the commonly held idea that … [Read more...] about Artists Remain Essential, Says Mario Sprouse
Bearing Witness to These Things: Actor Performs Gospel of John
By Retta Blaney When actor Ken Jennings was going through a rough patch two years ago, he began to memorize St. John's gospel as a way to take his mind off of his troubles. He saw this exercise as a form of prayer and a way to follow the guidance of the Jesuits who taught him at St. Peter's Prep and St. Peter's College in Jersey City, New Jersey. They had said, "No matter … [Read more...] about Bearing Witness to These Things: Actor Performs Gospel of John
A World of Grays
By Retta Blaney Kingfishers Catch Fire is a story about such extreme evil and amazing redemption that if it weren’t based on facts it might be hard to believe. Robin Glendinning’s play, which had its world premiere this fall at Off-Broadway’s Irish Repertory Theatre, portrays the soul-saving relationship that developed between two World War II adversaries in the years … [Read more...] about A World of Grays
The Art of Reconciliation
The Parish of Calvary–St. George’s has welcomed a theater company called Sea Dog, which seeks to “tell stories of alienation and reconciliation.” Plays are staged in the church, and Sea Dog hosts meals with wine for the cast, crew, and audience afterward. Sea Dog’s first production, Danny and the Deep Blue Sea, won Outstanding Revival of a Play at the 2018 New York … [Read more...] about The Art of Reconciliation
‘This Is My Life’
A play that depicts Lynda Blackmon Lowery’s heroism as a teenager seeks to inspire a new generation. By Retta Blaney Six young people walk on the stage of the Riverside Theatre in New York singing “Woke Up this Morning (with My Mind Set on Freedom).” At the end, one girl steps forward to address the audience. “By the time I was 15, I had been in jail nine times,” she says. … [Read more...] about ‘This Is My Life’
Tom Bair Delivers the Spoken Word
By Kirk Petersen Many churchgoers, if they are honest, will admit that their minds sometimes wander during the Scripture readings on Sunday morning. The typical Episcopal service includes four readings from the Bible, each about a dozen verses. Sitting through the recitation of an entire Gospel might seem an even greater challenge. But if the Gospel is Mark and the … [Read more...] about Tom Bair Delivers the Spoken Word
Joan of Arc’s Family Drama
By Retta Blaney When she was growing up, Jane Anderson had an odd role model for a young girl who was not Catholic. She looked all the way back to the 15th century and found inspiration from a French peasant who was burned at the stake for heresy. “Always when I was a teenager I looked at Joan of Arc as an iconic character,” Anderson said. “I wanted to be like that, with … [Read more...] about Joan of Arc’s Family Drama