Pump up the Volume

If you're a lover of catchy choruses and colorful costumes, get out of your house and into a seat at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts for the Broadway musical Hairspray on Wednesday, Feb. 10 at 7:30pm.

Set in the 1962, Hairspray follows Tracy Turnblad, a vivacious high-schooler who dreams of starring on local TV. As she tries to sing and dance her way into stardom, she also fights racial segregation in her town. "It's a really fun show for someone who has never experienced a live Broadway performance," says Marilyn Patrick, marketing coordinator at the Phillips Center. "It's something that's been so successful in the past."

Part of that success comes from raking up eight Tony Awards in 2003, including Best Musical, as well as its adaptation into a major motion picture in 2007, starring John Travolta and Queen Latifah. "The story is just so uplifting," Marilyn says.

The Phillips Center is located at 315 Hull Road. Tickets start at $34, and can be purchased online or at the Phillips Center box office.

Oedipus Complex

The University of Florida’s School of Theatre and Dance kicks off the New Year with a story from years past. The school will start its spring season with performances of the classic Greek drama Oedipus the King at the Nadine McGuire Black Box Theatre. Written by Sophocles, this tragedy chronicles the life of Oedipus, who unknowingly slays his father and marries his mother. The play is directed by Yanci Bukovec and will be performed Jan. 29 through 30 and Feb. 2 through 6. Showtimes are at 7:30pm, and 2pm on Sundays. Tickets start at $13 and can be purchased at the University Box Office. Call 352-273-0500.

—Michelle Profis

Piano Gold Metalist Visits Phillips Center

Add some zest to your musical repertoire; 19-year-old pianist Haochen Zhang, the gold medalist of the 13th Van Cliburn International Piano Competition (and the youngest participant in the 2009 competition), visits the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts this weekend. “It’s really a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to see someone of this caliber perform,” says Amy Douglas, director of marketing at the Phillips Center. “It’s an incredibly prestigious event.”

Haochen debuted his musical abilities at the age of five at Shanghai Music Hall and has continued to astound audiences. The Van Cliburn competition, held once every four years, has become known for discovering the world’s finest young pianists. “We originally had one event scheduled, but because of the demand we’ve added a second performance,” Amy says. Haochen’s performances will be Jan. 28 and 29 at 7:30pm at the Squitieri Studio, 315 Hull Road. Tickets are $34 and can be purchased online.

—Michelle Profis

Dance Alive National Ballet: The Nutcracker

Last night, we were lucky enough to finally catch a performance of Dance Alive’s Nutcracker at the Phillips Center. It was at times romantic, exciting, mysterious—even funny. The elaborate sets, beautiful costumes and extensive cast (you won’t believe the number of toy soldiers) made for a refreshingly entertaining holiday performance.

For those unfamiliar with the classic story, it’s (loosely described as) the 19^th Century tale of Clara, whose family Christmas Eve party is followed by dreams of mice, soldiers, the eponymous Nutcracker and a fairy tale land of snowflake fairies and sweets. It’s set to famous music by Tchaikovsky (you’ve surely been hearing it in commercials and book stores these days) and this version is choreographed by Dance Alive Artistic Director Kim Tuttle. Last night, Rachel Ridley played Clara, who received a nutcracker doll from her Uncle Drosselmeyer (Tim Heflin). After her younger brother Franz (Elijah Eyerly) jealously breaks her doll, she falls asleep with it in her arms near the Christmas tree. At the stroke of midnight, she wakes to find her brother’s toy soldiers fighting a pack of mice. After saving her nutcracker, he comes to life as a handsome prince (Brian Hunter).

There are no dull moments, and both dance-lovers and willing novices would be wise to catch it while they can. The performance lasted about two hours with a 15-minute intermission—a perfect chance to get a glass of wine. There are performances ($15-$35) tonight (Dec. 18) at 7:30pm, Saturday and Sunday at 2pm; Sugar Plum Teas (when you can taste treats and meet the cast for $15) Sat. and Sun. at 4pm; and a Chocolate and Champagne Gala ($75) Sat. at 8pm. Call the Philips Center box office at 352-392-2787 or here for more info.

—Tim Carswell

Falala Cappella at the Orange & Brew

If you weren't at the Orange & Brew last night for the Falala Cappella Holiday Concert, then you missed out. Holiday spirit was in the air as traditional Christmas carols were mixed in with a cappella versions of popular songs for a fun and musically pleasing performance for all who attended.

The Staff, UF's all-male a cappella group, opened the night with "Chomp With Me," a song to the tune of "Stand By Me" in which the line "Darling, stand by me" was replaced by "Gators, chomp with me." They also performed a cappella versions of T-Pain's "Buy U A Drank," One Republic's "Apologize" and N'Sync's "I Want You Back," among other songs.
The Sedoctaves, UF's all women a cappella group, joined The Staff on stage to sing "the version of Journey's "Don't Stop Believing" from the popular television show "Glee," before singing a few songs of their own, including Jordin Sparks' "One Step At A Time."

No Southern Accent, UF's only co-ed a cappella group, was the final group to perform. They sang a cappella versions of several songs, including the Miley Cyrus' hit single "Party In The U.S.A." and a medley of Michael Jackson songs arranged by Kurt Schneider that they dedicated to the late Jackson (listen to the arrangement on YouTube.) Audience members cheered and applauded throughout the concert at all the singers' entertaining performances.

Attendees also had the opportunity to donate money at the concert to benefit the Partners Program, a charity that funds the distribution of free tickets to performances presented by the University of Florida Performing Arts, for the physically and mentally challenged, at-risk students and other under-served populations.

-Story and photos by Sarah Hsu

Pan-hellenic Step-off

The stage at the packed Phillips Center quaked with resounding force as UF's fraternities and sororities went head-to-head at the annual Battle of the Greeks 2009 step show on Saturday (Nov. 7). This year’s theme was “Keep the Cameras Rolling,” and with inspiration from some of pop culture’s most well-known movies, TV shows and commercials, comic relief and nostalgia filled the room as the crowd sat on the edge of their seats—despite the Gator football game raging down the street.

In a quest for “the one,” to bring it to “stepping greatness,” Phi Beta Sigma took a trip into The Matrix. Dressed in black leather trench coats and dark shades, Phi Beta Sigma incorporated chairs and a black lights to emphasize the precision and difficulty of the moves. The frat also paid homage to Michael Jackson by dancing to his song “Jam.”

Zeta Phi Beta gave a glimpse of what it takes to earn a “Dove Ladies” jacket with an adaptation of Grease. Wearing black nylon leggings and royal blue jackets with “Dove Ladies” inscribed on the back, the ladies looked like they stepped right out of the late-50s. In a diner scene the women used lunch trays as props while doing intricate steps, and even created a human centipede.

Alpha Phi Alpha poked fun at EHarmony.com with its performance’s theme "getting married." They started the performance with a video showing the boy-meets-girl process, and fast-forwarded to being inside the church once the guys took the stage. In addition to having the groom and groomsmen they also had frat members dressed as bridesmaids, who won the crowd over with a performance of Beyonce’s “Single Ladies.”

Delta Sigma Theta brought out its detective skills with an Inspector Gadget-themed performance. Unlike the original clumsy inspector, these ladies' performance was precise and coordinated. In addition to gadgets such as the Go Go Gadget helicopter using four girls, the show had a girl acting as the inspector’s niece, Penny, calling out plans of actions to help the ladies complete the tasks. Another highlight was the human bicycle.

Iota Phi Theta brought a "revenge of the nerds" theme with its reinvention of the sitcom Family Matters, with a focus on the relationship between Steven Q. Urkel and Laura Winslow. With suspenders and thick-framed black glasses, the frat encompassed the essence of Urkel. The occasional pelvic thrust throughout the performance was icing on the cake. The Iotas also brought back the Urkel Robot, who popped-and-locked his way into drawing laughs and the ever-so-cool Stefan Urquelle.

In a voyage to find its way back to the Phillips Center, Alpha Kappa Alpha went into fairytale mode with its "Alice in Ivyland" theme. Dressed in pink and green polka-dot dresses, the sorority gave Wonderland a run for its money. As the women declared their “prettiness” through stepping and dance, the White Rabbit and Cheshire Cat were present, as was the Queen of Ivyland. The human staircase stood out, as one of the members ran up her sisters’ backs.

Kappa Alpha Psi had a "ninja" theme that was led by its version of the legendary Mr. Miyagi. With strobe lights, the frat created a Mortal Kombat battle scene that incorporated stepping with martial arts. Known for its use of red and white canes, the guys took on a challenge by Mr. Miyagi to use them while blindfolded, and without a flaw, the members executed the task, throwing and even swinging the canes within close proximity of one another.

Omega Psi Phi showcased its newsworthiness, literally. It's been said that the frat was “too wild and rambunctious,” so in an effort to show that they had a focused and hardworking side, it made the evening news, using Walter Cronkite to tell the story. As its signature gold boots pounded the stage, with every hop and step the guys took, the crowd was impressed with the members' athleticism. A standout move in the performance was the creation of a human tank wheel.

At the end of the night the eight judges had the last say. The winner in the sorority category was Delta Sigma Theta for its Inspector Gadget routine, and for the fraternities the winner was Alpha Phi Alpha for its EHarmony skit—good luck to them at the regional competition.

—Margaret Francois

Photos by Sarah Hsu

The Ten Tenors at the Phillips Center

Internationally acclaimed singing sensation The Ten Tenors sang, danced and entertained nearly a full house at the Phillips Center for the Performing Arts last night (Nov. 3) as part of their Nostalgica World Tour 2009.
The Australian-bred singers, dressed in black suits, sang a variety of pieces, including some opera, a medley of Australian folk songs and American classics like the rock-‘n’-roll hit “Great Balls of Fire,” “Danny Boy” and “Stand By Me,” which had the audience clapping and singing along. Live musicians and spotlights featured the Tenors individually as each intermittently sang solos throughout the night.
Following the first few songs, tenor Stewart Morris gave a brief introductory speech in which he said, “Forget about our suits and the fact that we’re so good-looking. Pretend you’re at a Gator game and have a good time tonight.” The atmosphere was a lighthearted one as the Tenors captivated the audience with the rich tones of their harmonious blended voices, as well as their many hand gestures, facial expressions and dance moves.

It was evident they were having fun on stage. In between songs, they told jokes and encouraged audience members to participate in their performance. Scattered chuckles could be heard as one Tenor said, “Clap. Cheer. Run around naked in the room if you want.” No one got naked, but applause and cheering certainly were abundant, as the singers were well received. At one point, a couple Tenors sang a line from “We Are The Boys From Old Florida,” which gained even more applause and whistling from the crowd.

The Tenors were also sporting mustaches, or at least the beginnings of them, to which Morris explained that that was not how they normally looked, but that they were participating in Movember, a mustache-growing charity event during the month of November, created to raise money and awareness for men’s health issues, specifically prostate cancer.

—Story and photos by Sarah Hsu

Free African Dance Performance

If you missed last Friday’s Brazilian and African music and dance show in Downtown Gainesville, then you are in luck. Tonight at the University Auditorium on UF’s campus, the two performing groups will take the stage again at 7:30pm.

Last weekend the Brazilian band and choir wowed the audience with their lively beats and beautiful harmonies during the Let's Go Downtown Plaza Series. Adults and children alike couldn’t help but get to their feet and dance to the cultural rhythms. Agbedidi Africa, a collaboration of African dancers and musicans at UF’s New World School of the Arts, also appeared on Friday. And for that brief hour, the crowd was transported to the exotic lands of Guinea, Senegal, Cote d'Ivoire Ghana and more.

Tonight’s show will have both groups, and it will also include even more performances than the last one. Admission is free, and everyone is welcome. For more information about Agbedidi or to learn how you can join and take classes, e-mail Mohamed Da Costa, dacosta1@ufl.edu, or Joan Frosch, jfrosch@arts.ufl.edu. UF students can become members by enrolling in DAA 2381: World Dance and Inercultural Performance.

—Christina McGinley; Photos: Nicole Safker

Let Your Inner Gator Growl!

This year’s University of Florida Gator Growl, the largest student-run pep rally in the world, will honor what’s called “the greatest senior class in college football history.” It’s only fitting that this year’s theme is “Legends of the Swamp.” The event, which is in its 86th year, is tomorrow (Friday, Oct. 16), at Ben Hill Griffin Stadium, and is the culmination of many Homecoming events leading up to the annual Homecoming football game on Saturday.

In planning for the event this year, the Gator Growl Production Team implemented an e-mail address for ideas and suggestions. The e-mails helped determine this year’s talent acts, including comedian Dana Carvey and musical act O.A.R. Another twist includes a performance by the winners of MTV’s America’s Best Dance Crew, the JabbaWockeeZ.

“It’s the first time we’ve ever had three acts,” says director of public relations Bryan Griffin. But what senior Becky Schneider looks forward to are the student skits, which are generally based on campus jokes and rivalries.

“I like how they make it so personable to UF students,” she says, “like last year when they joked about the Turlington preachers.”

Student, faculty and staff tickets cost $15, and all others are $25. And don’t forget to watch the Florida football team play Arkansas on Saturday, Oct. 17.

—Kate Ashby