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REVIEW: ‘Rock of Ages’ struts through the ’80s any way you want it

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The second national tour of Broadway's "Rock of Ages" brought the explosive energy of the 1980s to the Paramount Theatre stage in Cedar Rapids on May 23, 2013. (Scott Suchman photo)

CEDAR RAPIDS — “Rock of Ages” was so much more fun than I remembered.

The national tour of the musical that stormed Broadway in 2009 hit the Paramount stage with its best shot Thursday night (5/23/13). It took a wildly cheering sold-out crowd on a 2-1/2 hour wild ride back in time, when every day was Halloween in the flashy, trashy 1980s.

I saw the show in Des Moines in April 2011, and while my archived review indicates that I liked it, I didn’t love it as much as I loved last night’s production.

I thought perhaps the difference was having an Eastern Iowa native and University of Northern Iowa alum in a lead role, with Monticello grad Jacob Smith, 30, strutting through nightclub owner/stoner Dennis Dupree. However, the 2011 tour had Dubuque native/UNI grad Travis Walker in the flamboyant featured role of Franz.

So what made this production so much better? Maybe the Paramount’s more intimate, ornate 1,700-seat venue framed it better than the larger, more modern 2,735-seat Civic Center in Des Moines. I don’t know. I felt much closer to the action last night, but shows always feel special in Des Moines, too.

I think it comes down to energy. If the 2011 production possessed the same kind of electricity as last night’s ensemble, I would have remembered it more fondly and would have been more eager to see it again.

I can probably count on one hand the number of shows I really want to see again. Imagine my surprise when I was totally blown away by last night’s show. I didn’t see that coming.

Eastern Iowa native Jacob Smith, a graduate of Monticello High School and the University of Northern Iowa, strutted his way through the leading role of nightclub owner Dennis Dupree in "Rock of Ages" at the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids on May 23, 2013. (Scott Suchman photo)

I loved everything about it. The music, the band, the strong principal actors, the high-kicking ensemble, the clothing, the hair, the wigs and makeup, but above all, the story.

Unlike other musicals built around the popular sounds of a band or an era, nothing feels contrived about “Rock of Ages.” This is one show that — refreshingly — feels like the story came first and the songs were chosen to fit, enhance and elevate the action, instead of vice versa.

I also think I liked the naivete of last night’s lead actor, Dominique Scott, better than “American Idol” star Constantine Maroulis in the role of Drew, the Detroit native working as a barback in Dupree’s seedy Sunset Strip club, The Bourbon Room. Maroulis is by far a better singer and exudes exotic sensuality, but Scott seems more like the shy boy-next-door dreaming of being a rock star, while slinging trash bags filled with vomit and writing dippy lyrics.

Shannon Mullen was infinitely adorable and sad as Sherrie, the Kansas innocent who steps off the bus in Hollywood hoping to land in a movie, but instead, lands in a downward spiral from Bourbon Room waitress to fading rock-star’s one-night-stand to pole-bumping lap dancer (Sherrie never quite got the hang of the pole, but her slutty twisted sisters did, indeed.)

It’s the classic story of boy meets girl, boy declares friendship instead of love, dreams are dashed then walk hand-in-hand in a new direction, set to a glam rock/metal soundtrack from Styx, Poison, Bon Jovi, Pat Benetar, Journey and more. Sherrie and Drew’s dating drama plays out against the demolition drama of zealots who want to tear down the city built on rock and roll and make the Sunset Strip respectable, in the way Times Square blossomed from seedy degradation to a tourist mecca wrapped in neon lights.

“Rock of Ages” is a costumer designer’s dream, a sort of modern-day Renaissance faire of stock characters — the punk with a mohawk, the KISS wannabe, the wenches clad more scantily than Madonna, the acid-washed jeans, the sparkly T-shirts and the glittering lame.

The choreography is as incendiary and explosive as the music. Amazingly, for a big burly guy, Smith dances really well, leaping with a grace that belies his macho stature. Offstage, he’s not quite so big and burly, but the way he embodies his larger-than-life persona fills the stage. With a wild wig of nearly waist-length curls, leather fringed vest and bell bottoms, he struts like a young Ted Nugent.

His partner in duets, the ever-present narrator Lonny (played with gusto and gas by Justin Colombo) looks and acts like Jack Black — lewd, crude and hilarious.

The Paramount’s multigenerational crowd embraced every aspect of this rock ‘n’ roll extravaganza, clapping, dancing and screaming louder than the music. The entire evening was nothin’ but a good time, from beginning to end.

Related story: http://hooplanow.com/2013/05/21/rock-of-ages/

 

 

 

 

 

Broadway musical will “rock” Cedar Rapids

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Jacob Smith by any other name would be — Dennis.

The last time we saw the Monticello native onstage, he was a Dennis. Next week, we’ll see him be a Dennis again.

But neither of these Dennises are menaces. Smith was knightly Sir Dennis Galahad when the national tour of “Monty Python’s Spamalot” played at his alma mater, the University of Northern Iowa, in January 2012. This time, he’s Dennis Dupree nightly in the national tour of “Rock of Ages,” coming to the Paramount Theatre on May 23.

“This Dennis is very, very different from the other Dennis,” Smith, 30, now based in New York, says by phone from a recent tour stop in Shreveport, La. “Dennis Dupree is basically a relic from late ’60s and early ’70s. He’s seen it all, he’s done it all, he’s been around the block a few times. He’s the owner of the bar where ‘Rock of Ages’ takes place, and really, really likes to indulge in the extracurricular activities, if you know what I mean.”

Enlighten us.

“He’s a big pot smoker; I show that a little bit in the show,” Smith says. “But for the most part, though, he’s a really cool guy. He’s very down to earth, he’s very chill — he’s not somebody you necessarily want to cross or upset, but for the most part, he’s really easy-going — a real stereotypical ’70s hippie kind of guy, like ‘Hey man, how ya doin’, what’s goin’ on.”

What’s going on is a rock ‘n’ roll trip through the music of Smith’s childhood — the overindulgent ’80s where big hair and sparkly clothes ruled both sexes, and musicians proved their mettle from glam to metal.

Built on  hits from Styx, Journey, Bon Jovi, Twisted Sister, Pat Benatar, Poison and their ilk, the 2009 Tony-nominated musical takes audiences back to 1987 on the Sunset Strip, where a naive girl with stars in her eyes steps off the bus and quickly finds out she’s not in Kansas anymore. Instead of landing a big role in Hollywood, she lands a job waiting tables at Dupree’s seedy club and hooks up with the busboy, a wannabe rocker. Their dreams and their loves harden their hearts until they just can’t fight their feelings in the heat of the moment.

“It’s a good time, it’s not deep theater,” Smith says. “You’re not going to see ‘Hamlet,’ you’re not going to see ‘Camelot.’  You’re going to see some of the most awesome rock songs from the ’80s with a great script, a lot of humor. It’s a great show for especially guys who aren’t necessarily into musical theater or haven’t really seen a lot of theater, because of the humor. The girls are gorgeous and the songs are just awesome.”

The details

But he warns that parents should think twice before bringing kids younger than 12 or 13 to this event filled with ‘80s excesses.

“There’s drug use in the show, there’s some very scantily clad ladies, there’s some foul language and a lot of sexual references that are really not appropriate for young kids. Everybody else going to have a blast,” he says.

He’s been a little worried about having his family see the show — including parents Joel and Sally Smith of Troy Mills. His mom saw it in Chicago and survived, so now he’s looking forward to seeing other familiar faces in the Cedar Rapids crowd, including his dad, and having them see “a really, really fun show.”

“It’s going to be a  bit of an eye opener for them, because I’ve never really done a role like this,” he says.

“When my mom came to see it for first time, I had to warn her, ‘Mom, I say some bad words on”stage and I smoke pot onstage. I don’t really smoke pot, but it looks like I smoke pot. And the girls are strippers. I’m really sorry, but this is my job.’ She was totally cool with it. She was fine, but I wasn’t prepared for that — to have my mother see me do something like that.”

 

Related:

 

♪ “Rock of Ages” Trivia:

 

♫ On July 1, 2009, after a matinee performance of “Rock of Ages,” the Broadway cast set a new Guinness World Record for what?

— It broke the Guinness World Record for the Largest Air Guitar Ensemble. A total of 810 participants, including audience members and fans make this record happen. It shattered the previous record of 440 people playing air guitar simultaneously.

 

♫ During the 2009 Tony Awards, what rock star was injured while performing with the Broadway cast of “Rock of Ages?”

— Bret Michaels of the band Poison was knocked down by a set piece that broke his nose.

 

 ♫ What Broadway star originated the lead role of Sherrie in the original Los Angeles production of “Rock of Ages?” Hint: She also played the lead in the Broadway production of “Legally Blonde.”

— Answer: Laura Bell Bundy.

 

♫ Chris D’Arienzo, the author of the book for “Rock of Ages” is also an actor. He appeared in a couple episodes of this popular 1990s sit-com. Name the TV show. Hint: The show is named after the first name of this gay comic and actress.

— Answer: “Ellen”

 

♫ “Rock of Ages”was made into a New Line Cinema film directed by Adam Shankman. What other film musical based on a hit Broadway show did he direct?

— Answer: “Hairspray” starring John Travolta.

 

♫ “Rock of Ages” was first produced in Los Angeles at what type of venue?

— Answer: At a Los Angeles night club called the Vanguard Hollywood in 2006.

 

♫ Name two songs in “Rock of Ages” that were first introduced by Pat Benatar.

— Answer: ”Hit Me With Your Best Shot,” and “Shadows of the Night”

REVIEW: ‘SPANK!’ makes sold-out Paramount audience cry with laughter

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Danielle Trzcinski is all wide-eyed innocence as virginal Tasha Woode in "SPANK! The Fifty Shades Parody," which had female fans swooning Friday night (5/10/13) at the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids. (Timn Greenway photo)

CEDAR RAPIDS — A full house of (mostly) female fans yelped and screamed throughout “SPANK!” last night (5/10/13) at the Paramount Theatre.

They weren’t in pain — although some of the singing and writing was purposely painful. Instead, this “Fifty Shades of Grey” theatrical parody makes its audience writhe in laughter.

I see no Tony Awards in its future. It’s more like a two-hour “Saturday Night Live” sketch with plenty of bumping, grinding and naughty bits, punctuated by pop songs with “new” trashy lyrics. “Tainted Love” is the perfect theme song for this show — a bit of fan-fic based on the wildly popular fan-fic trilogy that swept pop culture off its feet last spring and summer.

The play follows the path of E.L. James’ books, quickly dubbed “mommy porn,” in which brainiac college virgin Anastasia Steele’s educational path deviates when she trips and falls into the arms of Christian Grey, a debonair, dominating megamogul billionaire with an appetite for S&M whips and chains.

As with many parodies, the stage version isn’t endorsed by James or her publishing company, so the names have been changed to protect the not-so-innocent. The play’s onstage writer is E.B. Janet and the characters she creates are Tasha Woode and Hugh Hanson. Same basic plot, same grey silk necktie binding the lovers in knot after naughty knot.

Anne Marie Scheffler is hilarious as author Janet, a bored housewife determined to make the most of her weekend free of her husband and kids, kicking back and cranking out a sex fantasy trilogy. What could be so hard about that? Apparently, singing and dancing. Janet isn’t good at either, but I suspect the highly trained actress with an extensive comedy resume was trying to be bad, in which case, she was good, if not great. Especially hilarious were the moments following the steamy scenes, in which she batted her eyes with wide-eye innocence and simply said, “You’re welcome.”

Gabe Bowling sets plenty of hearts afire in "SPANK!" (Mills Entertainment photo)

Gabe Bowling was a hunka hunka burning love, dressed and undressed, gyrating through Hanson’s 50 shades of shadowy grey, blurring the lines of bad-boy goodness, kindling Woode’s fire. Danielle Trzcinski is his match as Tasha, adding spunky spark to their burning fires of passion.

The dialogue is as awful as in the books, which is no easy feat. It’s hard to write badly, unless you’re a bad writer to begin with — then it’s easy. This is hard.

Anyway, back to the story. Boy opens door, girl falls into his arms, he shows up at the hardware store where she works, buys some rope and duct tape, asks her out, ties her up, binding her heart and her hands as time goes on. They navigate his jet-set lifestyle in helicopters, hovercrafts, jetpacks and hang gliders, landing time and again in his Red Room of Pain.

It ain’t Shakespeare, but the Bard was bawdy in his own right, it’s just that he really could write, right?

“SPANK!” is trashy, flashy fun — two hours of escapism embraced by a mostly young audience ready to cut loose in best bachelorette party fashion. Even my inner goddess was ready for a cigarette at intermission, and I don’t smoke. This show does.

Miss it last night or desiring more tonight? It’s playing three times this weekend in Dubuque. Laters, baby.

FAST TAKE

What: “SPANK! The Fifty Shades Parody”

When: 4 and 7 p.m. Saturday (5/11) and 2 p.m. Sunday (5/12)

Where: Mississippi Moon Bar, Diamond Jo Casino, 301 Bell St., Dubuque:

Tickets: $29.75 to $39.75, (563) 690-4758 or Diamondjo.com

Show website: Spankshow.com

 

‘Spank!’

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"SPANK! The Fifty Shades Parody " (Copyright © 2013 50 Parodies LLC)

On the stiletto heels of “Fifty Shades of Grey,” which dominated last summer’s literary pop culture scene, comes “SPANK! The Fifty Shades Parody.”

Technically, it is not associated with or authorized by author E.L. James or Vintage Press, but considering James’ kinky trilogy made a mint in the fan-fiction genre and spawned plenty of print parodies, it only seems fitting someone would whip out a play in the same vein.

“SPANK!” is so popular that two casts are crisscrossing the country, with no end in sight. One troupe is landing at the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids on Friday (5/10). That show is nearly sold out, but it’s also playing tonight in Fairfield and Saturday and Sunday in Dubuque.

The details:

  • “SPANK! The Fifty Shades Parody”
  • 7:30 p.m. Friday (5/10)
  • Paramount Theatre, Cedar Rapids
  • Cost: $28 and $38 (nearly sold out), (319) 366-8203 or Paramounttheatrecr.com

Additional dates:

  • Fairfield: 7:30 p.m. Thursday (5/9), Sondheim Center, 200 N. Main St.; $20 and $25, (641) 472-2787 or FairfieldACC.com
  • Dubuque: 4 and 7 p.m. Saturday (5/11) and 2 p.m. Sunday (5/12), Mississippi Moon Bar, Diamond Jo Casino, 301 Bell St.; $29.75 to $39.75, (563) 690-4758 or Diamondjo.com

The books cranked up the heat on a 2012 summer already baking in record temperatures. The musical parody has been following suit since November, luring scads of middle-aged females and the men who submit to tagging along.

“You’d be surprised how many gentlemen get dragged to the show — there’s always a good number,” lead actor Patrick Whalen says by phone from a tour stop in Bethlehem, Pa. “I see them enjoying themselves, as well — at different parts than our female audience. I  don’t think I’ve seen any of our male patrons walk out disappointed.

“We tried to make sure show the show would be enjoyable not only to the people who have read the books, but to broader spectrum, as well.”

Patrick Whalen of Toronto is whipping up plenty of heat in “Spank! The Fifty Shades Parody,” coming to the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids on Friday night. (Photo credit: Aaron Cobb)

He plays Hugh Hanson, based on the books’ megamogul Christian Grey, who turns an innocent virgin into his S&M plaything, only to have her really lead him around by his gray silk tie. The play’s Anastasia Steele homage follows the same path.

“Our character, Natasha Wood, goes on an excellent emotional journey throughout this,” says Whalen, who helped write the musical. Like Steele, Wood becomes “more self-actualized as this show goes on,” evolving into a woman in control.

Christian Grey fans will like what they see in Whalen’s role, too.

“Hugh Hanson is, as we say in the show, ‘perfect, going on godlike,’ ” Whalen says with a laugh. “He’s impenetrable and impenetrably wealthy. … Things that seem absolutely ridiculous to you and I are absolutely commonplace to someone of his stature. And of course, (he’s) domineering.”

In keeping with the whole steamy sex thing, Whalen, 27, a Halifax native now based in Toronto, brings a burlesque background to the show and spends plenty of time shirtless in the spotlight.

“I was cast for a particular reason I guess,” he says, adding that he “works out constantly” while on the road. “I was cast in this show with my particular background, because what I love is combining sexy with funny. I love the comedy of sexuality and I don’t want to take any of this too seriously. The sexuality is meant to be enjoyed. Hugh Hanson probably finds that same parallel, but maybe with a little bit more of a steely look to my goofy chuckles.”

Whalen hadn’t really heard much about the books until diving into the writing project last August, but he did read them, and enjoyed them.

“What I liked about them is the permission that they give women to explore their sexuality on a broad spectrum,” he says. “… It’s good for people to start talking about things like that instead of it being a shrouded in mystery.”

The play employs a narrator to set up the show and get the audience involved.

“The whole show starts off almost like a rock concert,” Whalen says. “We have a sexy dance number right off the top of the show, where we get the audience involved. The narrator introduces the show and gets everything started with a good line of jokes. Then we start off right in the office, and it kind of departs from the typical narrative of the books for a bit. We tried not to hammer on every single point, but more like commenting on the movement of the books, more than the actual plotlines themselves. But we do hit on all those major plot points.”

He says it’s more like sketch comedy than a traditional Broadway-type musical. It “runs the gamut” from “The Sound of Music” to Marilyn Manson, with dances from waltzing to grinding. The set is plain and simple, with lots of red backdrops and black curtains.

“Lighting design is really what we use to paint our picture,” he says, along with lots of imagination, bound to evoke myriad audience reactions.

Reactions run the gamut, too, he says. “Anything from gasping in horror to toppling over to standing up and throwing their arms up in victory.”

His mother and his fiancee both love the show, and he hopes all of the audiences walk out of the theaters “either in a state of hysterical laughter or shocked or straight-up turned on, because this show has it all.”

"SPANK! The Fifty Shades Parody " (Copyright © 2013 50 Parodies LLC)

REVIEW: Daugherty’s ‘American Gothic’ paints new pictures with thrilling sonic sweeps

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Composer, pianist, teacher and Cedar Rapids native Michael Daugherty

CEDAR RAPIDS — Orchestra Iowa took a cheering audience on a wild ride through Grant Wood country Saturday night (5/4/13) with the world premiere of Michael Daugherty’s “American Gothic.”

The 20-minute work in three movements — commissioned by the orchestra for its Paramount Theatre triumphant homecoming season — is brilliant and breathtaking in scope and virtuosity.

This Grammy-winning native son, Daugherty, now 59, is among the world’s most-often performed American classical composers. We are so very, very fortunate that he remains so grounded, so tied to his Cedar Rapids roots that he jumped at the chance to not only create a work for the orchestra, but to spend a week lecturing, conducting, performing, meeting and signing autographs with area students and audiences.

Saturday’s 1,000+ Paramount audience crackled with excitement in the lobby, in a packed Insight discussion before the concert and in the spontaneous eruption of cheers, applause and an immediate standing ovation following the final notes. In a break with tradition, the audience also applauded between movements of the work. It was that outstanding.

In a very smart and much-appreciated move, Daugherty, a professor of composition at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, came onstage before the piece to give us a slide show and explanation of the music we’d be hearing. He took us on a pictorial journey through his childhood, as the eldest of five brothers who are all now professional musicians scattered across the country, then moved into the Grant Wood paintings and lithographs that inspired his “American Gothic.”

We knew that when the snare drum rolled at the start of the piece, we were hearing a tribute to Daugherty’s late father, Willis, a dance band drummer of regional renown who also led a decade of tours at 5 Turner Alley, the Cedar Rapids studio where Wood painted “American Gothic.” When the three trombones and tuba united near the end of that movement, we knew it was in homage to Iowa’s barbershop quartet heritage, captured in Wood’s 1939 lithograph, “Shrine Quartet,” and that Wood, himself, sang in a Shrine quartet.

All the details Daugherty shared with us sprang to life as the music unfolded.

“On a Roll” took us on a roller coaster ride through the hills and valleys of Wood’s Eastern Iowa homeland. “Winter Dreams” painted a haunting, stirring picture of Depression-era desolation amid whipping winter winds and snowdrifts. “Pitchfork” — as sharp and witty as the iconic centerpiece of Wood’s “American Gothic” — gave us a rousing hoedown finale leading to a thunderous audience ovation.

Like Wood’s art, Daugherty’s work is complex, layered, evocative and laced with humor. The Paramount’s retooled acoustics let all the solo voices shine, from piccolo and alto flute to rapid-fire tuba. Oboe, French horn, clarinet, percussion, strings, trumpet — all had their moments of glory.

Grant Wood's stark 1940-41 lithograph, "January," was the inspiration for the "Winter Dreams" movement in Michael Daugherty's "American Gothic," a three-part work commissioned and premiered May 4, 2013, by Orchestra Iowa at the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids. (Cleveland Museum of Art)

A special shout out, however, goes to the guest concertmaster, Julliard student Luke Witchger of Omaha. Not only does he handle all the demanding classical and avant-garde violin demands with grace and impeccable style, he rips through some darned good orchestral bluegrass like an Appalachian pro. That summer he spent at fiddle camp — which he admits to with a shake of his head — really paid off.

That was the sheer joy of the final movement. Orchestral bluegrass. How many times do you see that in a sentence? Or the final crash of the harp on “Winter Dreams” or the opening mallets on everyday glass bottles from the farm on “American Gothic.” That’s typical Daugherty — full of surprises when you least suspect them. Listeners never know what to expect from him, but it’s always magnificent and a joy to behold.

The concert opened with “The Rock,” a lesser-known work by Sergei Rachmaninoff, and closed with Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony No. 7 in D minor. Both pieces tell stormy tales — the first of a blizzard, the latter punctuated by aural thunder and lightning — making them perfect pairings for Daugherty’s environmental theme.

With all the wildness crashing around, each composer gives us gorgeous, shimmering passages that just make you say, “ahhhh.” And Maestro Timothy Hankewich, always so focused and in command, especially during Daugherty’s demanding artistry, got to relax and dance in his signature style through the Dvorak, making this final work as fun to see as it was glorious to hear.

This triumphant concert repeats at 2:30 p.m. Sunday (5/5/13) at West High School in Iowa City and May 12 at Ottumwa’s Bridge View Center. Orchestra Iowa will record “American Gothic” next week, and CEO Robert Massey says it will air on Iowa Public Radio later this year.

Related: Orchestra Iowa premieres ‘American Gothic’

Orchestra Iowa premieres ‘American Gothic’

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Composer Michael Daugherty and violinist Luke Witchger rip through the virtuoso orchestral bluegrass of “Pitchfork,” the final movement of “American Gothic,” during an Art Bites preview at the Cedar Rapids Museum of Art at noon Wednesday (5/1/13). Orchestra Iowa commissioned Daugherty’s 20-minute sonic homage to Grant Wood and Eastern Iowa, and will stage the work’s world premiere Saturday in Cedar Rapids and Sunday in Iowa City.

CEDAR RAPIDS — Orchestra Iowa’s homecoming season comes full circle this weekend, with the return of Grammy-winning composer Michael Daugherty.

The Cedar Rapids native will be in the audience Saturday night (5/4/13) when Orchestra Iowa unveils his “American Gothic.” The commissioned work is a 20-minute homage to Eastern Iowa’s most famous artist, Grant Wood.

“The whole point of this concert is to bring back one of Cedar Rapids’ most cherished musicians and to create a work of art that would be particularly meaningful to Iowans,” says Maestro Timothy Hankewich, the orchestra’s music director.

The details

  • Orchestra Iowa presents “American Gothic”
  • Cedar Rapids: Saturday (5/4), 7:30 p.m., Paramount Theatre, 123 Third Ave. SE; Insight program, 6:45 p.m., Encore Lounge
  • Iowa City: Sunday (5/5), 2:30 p.m., West High School, 2901 Melrose Ave.; Insight program, 1:30 p.m., auditorium
  • Tickets: $20 to $50, Orchestra Iowa Ticket Office, (319) 366-8203 or Orchestraiowa.org
  • Ottumwa: May 12, 3 p.m., Bridge View Center, 102 Church St., no tickets required
  • Program: Sergei Rachmaninoff, “The Rock”; Michael Daugherty, “American Gothic” world premiere; Antonin Dvorak, Symphony No. 7 in D minor

Daugherty, 59, a professor of composition at the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, was a natural choice for the commission.

“He is one of the most significant living composers,” Hankewich says. “He’s one of (the top 10) most-performed living composers worldwide and he’s from Cedar Rapids. It seemed only logical to include him in our inaugural season, in our return to the Paramount.”

The seeds for the commission grew out of a casual conversation with Daugherty, the eldest of five brothers, all of whom are professional musicians working coast to coast and even on the high seas.

“One of the advantages of having the Daughertys in the area is that you run into them all the time,” Hankewich says. “Two years ago, I ran into Michael Daugherty at Jazz Under the Stars, and told him we were interested in commissioning him. We started the conversations then, and a few meetings later, we had a direction that we wanted to pursue.”

Daugherty was eager to write another piece for the orchestra, where he served as composer-in-residence for the 1996-97 season, and jumped at the chance to help celebrate the reopening of the Paramount, a fixture of his formative years in town.

“I was wanting to come back to Iowa and give something back to Cedar Rapids after Cedar Rapids has given me so much,” he says in a recent phone interview.

The “American Gothic” composition allows him to do just that, as well as to “celebrate the arts of Iowa and channel that through Grant Wood.”

Daugherty has dedicated the piece to the memory of his father, Willis, who died in December 2011 — a dance band drummer who, like Wood, had rural roots.

Once the length and instrumentation were decided for the commission, Daugherty spent about a year researching and writing, seeking inspiration in Wood’s footprints.

“Last summer I came back to Eastern Iowa and did a Grant Wood tour, visiting various sites that he used to paint his paintings and to produce his lithographs,” Daugherty says. “I revisited Grant Wood country.”

He also traveled to the Art Institute of Chicago, home to the iconic “American Gothic” painting, which inspired his music.

“What I’m riffing off in my composition is not the Americana of ‘American Gothic,’ because that’s the obvious thing,” he says. “I’m riffing off the complexity of the painting — what does the painting mean, and what does it mean to be an artist from the Midwest.

“The thing about the painting is that it’s a mystery. No one really knows what it means. People never really understood Grant Wood as an artist either,” he says. “Some people took him seriously, (some critics) thought he was an amateur, partly because he was using the Midwest as his inspiration.

“I thought it would be interesting to explore, ‘what does it mean to be a composer like myself, coming from Iowa,’ and also, ‘what are some of those hidden secrets in that painting’ — to explore that in a musical way.”

Daugherty’s musical artwork paints sonic images in three movements, beginning with “On a Roll,” which he describes as “a rollicking melody with colorful orchestration,” evoking the rolling hills of Jones County, so prevalent in Wood’s paintings.

The middle section, “Winter Dreams,” is inspired not only by Wood’s black-and-white lithographs, but also by the bleak winters of Willis Daugherty’s rural Iowa youth, marked by soaring snowdrifts. It features the haunting sounds of alto flute and violins.

The final movement, “Pitchfork,” reflects the dour look of the duo in “American Gothic” and Wood’s wit. Daugherty kicks up the tempo with “very fast and very, very way-out bluegrass music.” He calls it “a window into my contemporary musical vision of ‘American Gothic.’ ”

“I really enjoyed writing the piece,” he says.

Also on the program are Sergei Rachmaninoff’s “The Rock” and Antonin Dvorak’s Symphony No. 7 in D Minor.

Hankewich says the overall feel for the concert will be “quite eclectic.”

“We have an unknown work of a famous composer, Rachmaninoff, with a famous work by a household name, Dvorak, and a brand-new work by a local celebrity, Michael Daugherty,” Hankewich says.  “I think it’s going to be eclectic, much like Michael’s personality. I think it will be exciting.  And it will be something for everyone.

“In many ways, it’s going to be a concert of discovery.”

 

Related Events:

Also hear Michael Daugherty at these events

— Today (5/2): McKinley Middle School Band Concert, 12:45 p.m., at McKinley, 620 10th St. SE, Cedar Rapids; Michael Daugherty conducts his middle school composition, “Alligator Alley”; free, reception follows

— Friday (5/3): Lunch & Listening, noon, Sedlacek Hall at Cottage Grove Place, 2115 First Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids; informal discussion with conductor Tim Hankewich and Michael Daugherty; $15, lunch included, (319) 366.8203

— Friday (5/3): First Friday Jazz featuring Tim and Michael Daugherty, 5 p.m., Opus Concert Cafe, 119 Third Ave. SE, Cedar Rapids; $10 at (319) 336-8203 or Orchestraiowa.org

Follies: From grassroots to glamour

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(Photo: VON PRESLEY STUDIOS)

 

The show must go on, and so it shall.

Follies, a Cedar Rapids tradition for more than 30 years, has come full circle, back in the hands of volunteers united by loyalty and a can-do spirit. And back at the Paramount Theatre, where it all began.

From the opening strains of “As If We Never Said Goodbye” to “We are Family,” Follies 2013 is a celebration of all that’s held the show together in good times and bad, brought it home and poised it for the future. Show times are 2 and 7:30 p.m. April 27 and 2 p.m. April 28.

More than 1,000 people have appeared in Follies past and present. Around 150 people auditioned for this year’s homecoming show, and 92 were cast, ranging from ages 7 to nearly 87.

That oldest cast member is Gene Whiteman, 86, of Cedar Rapids. He’ll sing “Beautiful Girls” as the women strut onstage in traditional feathered headdresses, led by another Follies favorite, Shirley Klemp of Cedar Rapids. Other returning soloists include Lori Ferguson, Doug Jackson, Tina Monroe, Tracy Price and Amy Stoner.

Keeping the show alive is “a labor of love for so many people,” says Jan McCool, a longtime cast member who has stepped into the co-producer role with Amy Blades. “So many people that have been involved in it for a long time have such a passion for it.”

The annual variety show began as a St. Luke’s Hospital Auxiliary fundraiser in the 1970s, moved into the hands of the Cedar Rapids Symphony Guild in 1980, and after that organization disbanded in 2008, into the purview of Orchestra Iowa.

The details

The elaborate production, rooted in vaudeville and Ziegfeld-styles, moved to Gallagher-Bluedorn Performing Arts Center in Cedar Falls in 2009 and 2010, after the Floods of 2008 slammed shut the Paramount doors. Upheaval didn’t kill the Follies spirit.

“We all want continuity in our lives,” says McCool, 63, of Cedar Rapids, “and the flood’s not going to be the end of us.”

The reality, however, is that expenses have increased and revenues have decreased, especially since the flood, so this year, Orchestra Iowa decided to discontinue its sponsorship, says Robert Massey, the orchestra’s CEO.

When director Damon Cole heard that decision in mid-December, he gathered a core group of Follies performers to figure out the logistics of taking over production, marketing and design duties.

They dived right in, divvied up the tasks — from selling advertising to making business decisions — put on their tap shoes and hit the ground running. They’ve pulled off in four months what normally would have been done over the course of an entire year.

“We’ve all been kind of out of our element, but in a fun way,” says McCool, who is a lawyer by day.

St. Luke’s Auxiliary agreed to bring the show back under its umbrella, as presenting agent. That allows Follies to operate as a nonprofit venture, which aids in fundraising and reduces venue fees. In turn, proceeds will benefit the auxiliary.

Follies volunteers have raised $89,000 to bring the glitz and glamor to the stage.

“Thank God every time we asked for something, the answer was yes,” says Blades, 54, of Cedar Rapids.

Having the Follies Family step up to the challenge is gratifying, but no surprise to Cole, 62, of Cedar Rapids, who has been in charge of the music for all but the earliest years.

“I kinda knew they would,” he says, “just because they’re suckers for performing. … I think they’ve had a really fun time doing it. There’s a certain sense of accomplishment when you take a thing as big as Follies and are able to make it still happen. I think they’re proud of themselves and I’m proud of them, too, so that was cool.”

That’s the spirit Massey has seen first-hand, when he and Tim Hankewich formed a comedy duo for the 2010 Cedar Falls show.

“As a production, it always has been an incredible community-driven show, made successful by the people that come to rally around that event,” says Massey, 42, of Cedar Rapids.

He says the Follies belongs in the Paramount, but it just didn’t fit the orchestra’s mission of supporting symphonic music.

“At the end of the day, it’s not an Orchestra Iowa production,” Massey says. “It’s not something we’re designing, it’s not our musicians playing in the orchestra. It’s just the not best use of the orchestra’s fund-raised dollars to go to that production.”

The orchestra is still serving as the ticketing agent, as it does for all shows at the Paramount, and venue partners reserved a weekend for Follies when mapping out the year’s reopening events.

“It’s a wonderful home for it — and Follies is a wonderful production for the Paramount,” Massey says.

Twenty buses already have signed up to bring their Follies faithfuls, coming from as far as Ottumwa and Charles City. They will see a wide variety of musical styles, show-stopping dances, kids and teens choruses, comedy sketches, including a new take on “Who’s On First,” spotlight solos and elaborate full-chorus production numbers. Cole will lead an orchestra of 15 instrumentalists.

“Follies is an incredible institution, but it is as strong as the people who rise up and say, ‘We’re going to put on a show.’ And that’s why it’s so good, and that’s why people will come, and that’s why it will be around forever,” Massey says. “We’ve had a couple years’ break, but the Paramount is back and I think we’re going to see a great show.”

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Lori Ferguson

 

 

“I haven’t even been inside the Paramount yet, so I’m looking forward to that.” – Lori Ferguson, 56, of Vinton, 20-year Follies performer

 

Brian Glick

“The thing that’s great about Follies is that it’s unique. There isn’t anything like it anywhere else. To have such a show with a large number of talented people involved — who come together to put together this huge show — it’s quite magnificent.” – Brian Glick, 26, of Olin, production stage manager

 

Andrew Monroe

 

“I regret not starting earlier. … I love being onstage. I love performing. Theater people are crazy. They are so open (and) just so much fun.”  – Andrew Monroe, 20, of Cedar Rapids and Marion, started as a Follies Kid in fifth grade

 

 

 

 

 

REVIEW: Beatles keep going and growing new fans through Rain

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Beatles tribute band Rain captures the Fab Four's most iconic looks, including the psychedelic Sgt. Pepper phase. The band performed April 16, 2013, at the Paramount Theatre in Cedar Rapids (Rain photo)

CEDAR RAPIDS — Rain may be getting a little old outside our windows this week, but the Rain inside the Paramount Theatre on Tuesday night (4/16/13) will never grow old.

The tribute band that emerged on the Southern California club scene in the 1970s has gone through several incarnations and even landed on Broadway from October 2010 to July 2011. Three casts now tour the country, keeping Beatlemania alive for the ages.

A few under-20s dotted the full house crowd in Cedar Rapids, but the vast majority of fans were reliving their youth. One Boomer near me was moved to tears, saying she saw the Beatles in 1965, in one of the happiest years of her life. A gentleman a couple seats over was singing and dancing in his respectable grown-up suit. I suspect he was once part of the jeans and sandals set. One diehard aging hippie I knew in the crowd is still sporting a ponytail, but now it’s gray.

Whatever the ages, whatever the fashions, everyone was again a screaming teenager bowled over by the Mop Tops who looked and sounded like the real deal.

The concert flowed through the various ages and stages of the band’s evolution, augmented by vintage film footage and world news clips, from JFK through the moon landing and Vietnam. From the sublime to the ridiculous, the television commercials were hilarious, especially the sinking pearl touting the superiority of Prell shampoo.

I must admit I tanked on the preshow and intermission trivia quizes airing on the video screens flanking the stage. In my defense, I was just 5 when the Fab Four debuted on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” I do remember that broadcast — probably because it was really easy to sing along with “she loves you ya, ya, ya.”

We all got to sing those fun lyrics again, at the very top of the show. The four guys stepping into the iconic Beatle boots, black suits and bowl haircuts are every inch terrific and kept us singing, dancing and screaming for nearly 2 1/2 hours, right up through three encores.

Jim Irizarry, whom I interviewed for a preview article, was my spot-on favorite, channeling John Lennon. He came on especially strong in the first half finale, “A Day in the Life,” which ended with a crashing wall of sound and an atomic mushroom cloud video. Chilling, indeed.

Lennon’s star turn continued in the show’s final set, featuring the “Abbey Road” and “Let it Be” albums and beyond, starting with “Come Together” and ending with the first encore of “Give Peace a Chance.”

The musicians all took turns in the spotlight, some with blistering solos, others with quiet, gentle moments, like Mac Ruffing as the cute Beatle on the final encores of “Let it Be” and “Hey Jude.” I really think Paul McCartney would be pleased. In an impressive touch of authenticity, Ruffing played his bass left-handed throughout the show, just like McCartney.

Joe Bithorn from the original Broadway cast anchored George Harrison’s place out of the limelight until “While My Guitar Gently Weeps,” taking his guitar from weeping to wailing. Douglas Cox as Ringo Starr added his terrific drumming to that standout cover.

From my front-row loge seat, I couldn’t see Chris Smallwood on auxiliary keyboards, but his presence was felt not only through instrumental sound effects, but in piano lines lovely to funky for “In My Life,” “Get Back” and “Revolution.”

This tribute show has it all — recreating not only the music, but also the looks, with dead-ringer costumes and stage effects. My favorite visual was the Sgt. Pepper set, sporting the bright, gaudy costumes, swirling lights and fog that captured my inner little-girl fancy then and now.

All night long, I couldn’t help but wonder what it must have been like to experience the Beatles for real. Since we can’t jump in a yellow submarine and put it in reverse, thank goodness we have time travelers like Rain to keep the sights and sounds alive.

 

 

Weird Al Yankovic

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Weird Al Yankovic, that master of musical parody, is returning to Cedar Rapids, sure to shake up the Paramount Theatre with his “Alpocalypse” tour on Sunday night (4/21).

We wanted to give away a pair of tickets to see Weird Al, so we hit the streets and quizzed people about some of Al’s most popular songs. You gotta check out the video above to see their hilarious responses. (We’re also giving away another pair of tickets on our Facebook!)

Alfred Matthew Yankovic, 53, lives with his wife, Suzanne, and daughter, Nina, 10, in the Hollywood Hills and Maui. An only child, he grew up in a Los Angeles suburb, burst onto the musical comedy scene via radio’s Dr. Demento in the late ’70s and signed a record deal in 1982. His parody hits include “Eat It,” “Smells Like Nirvana,” “Amish Paradise,” “Like a Surgeon,” “White & Nerdy,” “Perform This Way” and “Polka Face.” He’s also had his own TV shows, legendary MTV videos, starred in the film “UHF” and has written a couple of children’s books.

The details

Hoopla’s Diana Nollen had a 10-minute phone quickie with His Weirdness last week, while he was backstage at a tour stop in Raleigh, N.C.

 

Al and his trusty accordian

Q: You grew up playing the accordion, you got straight A’s, you have a degree in architecture – now that you’re in your 50s, are you still white and nerdy?

A: Yeah, that stuff doesn’t go away, it doesn’t wash off. It’s to the core, pretty much.

 

Q: I came to know you through MTV in the ’80s. What have you needed to do to grow your career in the post-music video years?

A: MTV as a source of music videos is long gone — that kind of waned in the ’90s. It’s segued into the Internet age, so if you want to see a music video nowadays, it’s just a few mouse clicks away. It’s video on demand. Music video is still alive and well, it’s just on your computer screen instead of on your TV set.

 

Yankovic best-selling children's book

Q: What has sparked your recent move toward children’s literature?

A: Children’s literature is something that I’d always had interest in, and I always thought I’d be fairly adept at it. I wasn’t very proactive about it. I didn’t really put myself out there too much. I was contacted by Anne Hoppe, who was an editor at HarperCollins a few years ago. She was a fan, and she said there was something in the word play in my lyrics that indicated to her that I would be good in the field of children’s literature. I took a meeting with her and we got along great. I decided that I’d give it a shot. I pitched her several ideas and the one that she really liked was called “When I Grow Up.” I wrote the book, she paired me with an illustrator named Wes Hargis, and the book did very well. It was a New York Times best-seller. It was a very gratifying experience. In fact, I wrote another book called “My New Teacher,” and that’s going to be out in June.

 

Q: So have you grown up? We just see you as this big man-child, doing this fun thing.

A: I haven’t figure out what I want to do for a living yet. I’m still working on it.

 

 

'Weird' Al Yankovic, wife Suzanne and daughter Nina at The 54th Annual GRAMMY Awards, February 12, 2012 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Jeff Vespa/WireImage)

Q: Does (daughter Nina) think you’re cool or has she hit the eye-roll age yet?

A: Both. We’re starting to get the eye roll for the dad jokes, but she still thinks I’m pretty cool. She gets a kick out of the perks of being Weird Al’s kid. We head out to Hawaii when she’s not in school (in California).

 

Q: You’ve branched out in so many ways – how much of your career is musical parody these days?

A: It’s still mostly the music. I’ve got my fingers in a lot of pies, as it were. I’m trying to do more TV and feature films. But the lion’s share of my professional life is still the recording and making videos and the live performances. That’s always going to be the core of what I do. I enjoy it all, but I don’t think I’d ever want to get completely away from the music part.

 

Q: (He says he’s pretty good at unplugging, which is what he’ll do after this latest North American tour ends.) So what does Weird Al like to do?

A: I feel very fortunate, because I’ve been able to make a living doing what I do for a hobby. Comedy and music have been my two biggest passions. I feel very fortunate that I get to do that as part of my job. Other than that, it’s all about being a family guy, and spending time with my wife and my daughter. We spend time in Hawaii just looking at the ocean. It’s the good life and I’m very fortunate to be able to do that.

 

Q: Are you a surfer dude?

A: I don’t think I’ve ever actually been on a surfboard in my life, but I can wade pretty well.

 

"Amish Paradise"

Q: What sparks your desire to parody any given song – what do you hear that hooks you and reels you in?

A: It’s a little something every single time. There’s no way of really articulating when or how the muse is gonna strike, when an idea will hit. It’s just something that will strike me as a good candidate for parody, then when I’ve defined that, figuring out what direction I can take with it. There are a lot of songs that seem like they’d be good targets, and yet, no matter how much I rack my brain, I can’t think of a decent idea for a parody, so you really kind of have to wait for all the tumblers to fall in to place.

 

Q: Legally, you don’t have to, but I understand you seek artists’ permission to parody their music. How do they react?

A: Almost without exception, favorably, at this point in my career. When I first started out, it was a different story. Nobody knew who or what this Weird Al guy was all about, but I’ve got a three-decade long track record now, and people know that when I do a parody, not only is it all in good fun and an homage, but in many cases, it’s an indication that they’ve made it. Their career has reached that plateau where you’ve got your Grammy, you’ve got your platinum album, now you’re going to get your Weird Al parody.

 

Q: Anybody say no?

A: The only person who has consistently said no has been Prince, and in all honesty, I haven’t even asked him in about 20 years.

 

"Eat it"

Q: Anybody ever parody you?

A: Yeah, I’ve has some fans and some other artists do some parodies of my original stuff, which is very flattering.

 

Q: What will we be seeing in your Cedar Rapids show – a lot from “Alpocalypse”?

A: My show’s certainly going to focus on the new album, but my live shows are always overviews of my career, so I’m going to go deep into the catalog and do all the hits, a few deep cuts and a few surprises here and there, but we’ll be featuring a lot of material from the new album.

 

Q: Who’s your target audience these days?

A: What’s really great about my live shows is that the demographic is so wide. I would challenge you to find a more diverse crowd than at a Weird Al show. It’s literally everybody from toddlers to geriatrics, and everybody seems to be enjoying the show on a different level, so I feel very fortunate that way. The show wasn’t calculated to appeal to that kind of fan base, but that’s just sort of the way it worked out.

 

Weird Al's tour will be stopping in Cedar Rapids

Q: You’ve won Grammys and legions of fans – at this point in your life, what are you most proud of?

A: Career-wise? The Grammys are big. Being on “The Simpsons” was big for me — that’s sort of like my shot at immortality. I was thrilled to be on “30 Rock.” There are a lot of shows that I respect immensely that I was very fortunate to be on. To get even any kind of acknowledgement from rockers that I admired growing up is a big deal for me. I’ve done a couple (benefit) shows with Alice Cooper and Steven Tyler, which still blows my mind. It’s like Rock Star Fantasy Camp for me. All three of us — onstage at the same time singing — it’s just insane.

 

Q: What’s next – any more movies in the works?

A: Nothing currently in the works. I’ve got several things that are sort of in various stages of development, being pitched and bandied about, but nothing that I can really talk about right now. I learned the hard way that if you talk about things that might happen, 90 percent of the time they don’t.

 

Q: What do you hope people get from spending a couple hours in your weirdness?

A: Just a nice time out — some laughs. It’s just meant to be entertainment, and if you walk away feeling you’ve been entertained, then I’ve done my job.

REVIEW: Willie Nelson on the road again, rockin’ and reelin’ in fans in Cedar Rapids

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Willie Nelson

CEDAR RAPIDS — Willie Nelson is immortal.

Not only did he deliver the best hit parade ever Monday night (4/15/13) at the Paramount Theatre, but he’s never sounded better.

The gentleman seated next to me summed it up perfectly: “He may be 79, but he’s playing like it’s 1979.”

Sometimes concerts by our aging icons are a little bittersweet, as we see them slipping a bit, not quite as dazzling as we would like to remember.

Not Willie. He is at the top of his game and loving every minute in the spotlight.

From the moment he sauntered onstage and strapped on his battered guitar, Trigger, an air of excitement swept through the capacity crowd. Everyone jumped up and started screaming and clapping. That fervor continued throughout his two-hour show, with song after song bringing fans to their feet either at the opening strains or after particularly fabulous guitar solos.

To hear Nelson in concert is to experience a kind of guitar masterclass, as he puts his trusty Trigger through its paces. Whatever the gait, the instrument (named after Roy Rogers’ horse) is up to the task under Nelson’s deft touch.

This was an especially rare treat, with Nelson and his band playing amplified acoustic instruments — guitar, upright bass, piano, brush snare, auxiliary percussion and harmonica. Every note, every syllable and every nuance wafted over the adoring multigenerational audience.

Nothing fancy about the staging — just black curtains, a small platform for the percussionists and a polished black grand piano for Little Sister, as Nelson calls sibling Bobbie, with whom he’s performed since their childhood gospel days. Even Nelson was dressed in black from head to toe, with the only splashes of color being his signature red bandana tied around his long silver braids, and a huge Texas flag that was flown in at key moments in the show.

The stripped-down set-up was the only thing simple about the evening. The music contains layer upon layer of sophistication for all the instrumentalists, with lyrics so familiar that Nelson graciously encouraged many, many singalong moments.

Among the iconic melodies: opening song “Whiskey River,” “Beer for My Horses,” “Good Hearted Woman,” “Crazy” (my personal favorite), “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” “Mama, Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys,” “On the Road Again,” “Always on My Mind,” Hank Williams’ “Jambalaya” and “Move it on Over,” “Georgia on My Mind” and “To All the Girls I’ve Loved Before.”

His humor rang through especially when he blanked on “City of New Orleans.” “I forgot the words,” he said laughing, which made us all laugh, too. Who cares? The spirit was there, and the song was still wonderful, especially with some wailing harmonica.

He has a new disc out today, but only did a couple cuts off it. Both were great, of course.

Nelson and company brought it all home with a rousing gospel section, reaching back to his Texas roots. His “new” gospel song brought a lot of laughs — “Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die” — before he closed with a singalong on “I Saw the Light.”

Ever gracious, he tossed a couple of sweaty bandanas to women in the front row, before tossing a whole bunch at the end. In return, a female fan tossed her bra to him. I haven’t seen that since the ’80s hairband days. He looked pretty surprised, as well.

As the band faded out the music, Nelson worked the front of  the stage, signing autographs and posing for photos. His charisma is magnetic. Those who lingered in the hall even got to hear some “Happy Birthday,” in honor

Opening band, Pegi Young and the Survivors, worked hard to reel in an audience more interested in milling about and gabbing with friends, but after the first several songs, Young was grabbing our attention.

She has a bit of Loretta Lynn in her voice and a county fair look. Her really smart move is surrounding herself with a top flight band. Eventually, her edgy lyrics made us sit up and take notice, with such titles as “Better Living Through Chemicals,” “I Feel Like a Memory” and “Daddy Married Satan.”

With a big rockin’ finish, she had everyone pumped and primed for the headliner and an evening Nelson’s fans will never forget.