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State of the Arts goes behind the scenes of recent productions on Stage and Screen, from Young Frankenstein, now on Broadway, to Edward Albee’s new play, to heiress Doris Duke’s story on HBO. Also included, a preview of the New Jersey Film Festival.
| the creature of montclair |
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Tony Award winning actor Shuler Hensley has made a career out of playing monsters: he won a Tony, an Olivier, and a Drama Desk Award for his searing portrayal of the semi-psychopathic Judd Fry in the 2002 revival of “Oklahoma”. He’s been the Phantom in “Phantom of the Opera” – in German! – was a silverback ape in the Disney musical version of “Tarzan” on Broadway, and has played the Frankenstein creature no less than three times. He recorded a concept album for an off-Broadway adaptation of the Mary Shelley story; played the role in the sci-fi thriller film “Van Helsing”, and now is a song-and-dance creature in Mel Brook’s new musical “Young Frankenstein” on Broadway. The son of a football star and a ballet director from Georgia, the 6-foot-3 Hensley was classically trained in opera, and now lives in Montclair, New Jersey.
State of the Arts producer Amber Edwards visits Hensley at home, and also in his dressing room at the Hilton Theater, as he undergoes the nightly transformation from man to monster.
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Young Frankenstein
Shuler Hensley
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| he, himself & him |
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Three-time Pulitzer Prize winner Edward Albee returned to the McCarter Theatre in Princeton in January 2008 with a world premiere of his new play, "Me, Myself & I", about a pair of identical twin brothers, both named Otto. Starring Tony Award winner Tyne Daly as the mother struggling to keep them straight, the play put a dark but funny spin on the themes Albee has spent his career exploring: the absent parent, family dynamics, and the fine line between imagination and reality. State of the Arts producer Christopher Benincasa speaks with Albee as well as with the McCarter’s Artistic Director Emily Mann.
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Edward Albee and Emily Mann
Edward Albee
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| the evolutionary |
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Based in Montclair, New Jersey, Nick Rolfe is a highly versatile musician, currently playing with various R & B, jazz, gospel, funk and alternative groups in and around New York. Along with his musical talents Nick has added acting to his resume. Rolfe co-starred with Academy Award winners Susan Sarandon and Ralph Fiennes in the HBO feature film "Bernard and Doris," directed by Robert Balaban. Rolfe plays the young jazz-pianist lover of the late tobacco heiress Doris Duke. State of the Arts producer Eric Schultz talks to Rolfe about his transition to the big screen, and drops in on a recent recording session for an upcoming solo CD.
Nick Rolfe's award winning (SESAC National Performance Award) debut as a leader, "The Persuader" (Blue Jay Records) was the number 5 jazz record in the United States on multiple charts in 2001. Both as a leader and a sideman, Rolfe has toured extensively, nationally and internationally. He has received critical acclaim for performances in support of his most recent albums "The Remedy" (2003) and "The Mind of an Evolutionary" (2005) as well as his work as a highly sought-after piano player/keyboardist for other artists. Rolfe also tours with the Dizzy Gillespie All-Star Big Band.
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Nick Rolfe
Nick Rolfe
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| the new jersey film festival |
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The New Jersey Film Festival is a haven for movie fans and film connoisseurs alike, featuring big studio pictures, experimental animated shorts, and eye-opening documentaries. Festival curator and Rutgers University professor Albert G. Nigrin spoke with State of the Arts producer Christopher Benincasa about some of the films he’s excited about, and shows some clips and sneak previews to whet the movie-goer’s appetite.
- also visit
The New Jersey Film Festival
Rutgers University,
New Brunswick, NJ
732-932-8482
www.njfilmfest.com
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And Then She Was Gone
Dear Beautiful
Guide Dog
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Preview
