The obsessions of Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh, and the Wright Brothers in a new musical, an NFL player who sings opera in "Porgy and Bess," and art that questions reality. It's "Stranger than Fiction" on this episode of STATE OF THE ARTS.
On NJN1: Thursday, March 31, 2011
@ 8:00 pm On NJN2: Friday, April 1 - Thursday, April 7, 2011
@ 5:00 am • 11:00 am • 5:00 pm • 11:00 pm
Amelia Earhart, Charles Lindbergh and the Wright Brothers are the characters in a new musical, "Take Flight," that premiered at the McCarter Theatre in April 2010. STATE OF THE ARTS Producer Susan Wallner talks to the writers, a musical theatre dream team of Academy and Tony award-winners, composer David Shire ("Saturday Night Fever"), lyricist Richard Maltby Jr. ("Ain’t Misbehavin’"), and book writer John Weidman ("Assassins"). Also in the story, director Sam Buntrock, who's been involved with "Take Flight" since 2006, when he directed a very different first version of the musical in London. Footage from the production features Jenn Colella as Amelia Earhart, Claybourne Elder as Charles Lindbergh, and Benjamin Schrader and Stanton Nash as Orville and Wilbur Wright.
Celebrating its 45th anniversary season in May 2010, the New Jersey State Opera returned to Newark and historic Symphony Hall with a star studded performance of "Porgy and Bess." STATE OF THE ARTS producer Eric Schultz meets cast members during a rehearsal. Gregg Baker (Porgy), a football player before turning to the opera stage, has appeared at the Metropolitan Opera and sung the role of Porgy around the world. Laquita Mitchell (Bess) is a 2004 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions Grand Prize Winner. Baker and Mitchell sing some of the opera’s, and Gershwin’s, best know songs, including "Summertime," "My Man is Gone Now," and "Bess, You Is My Woman Now."
"Reality & Artifice," the 2010 New Jersey Arts Annual: Fine Art exhibition was on view at the New Jersey State Museum in Trenton from May 8 through October 31, 2010. The New Jersey Arts Annual is a unique series of exhibitions highlighting the works of visual artists and craftspeople in the state. Two exhibitions take place each year in alternating sequence. The series is open to any artist currently living or working in New Jersey. STATE OF THE ARTS producer Chris Benincasa talks with curator Margaret O’Reilly about how art can help us navigate a world in which technology seems to perpetually blur the line between “authentic” and “counterfeit”, and visits the studios of three New Jersey artists featured in the show: Franklin Township artist Hannah Fink, Bordentown artist Lucas Kelly, and Titusville artist Andrew Wilkinson.
On NJN1: Thursday, March 31, 2011
@ 8:00 pm
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