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Art Kistler has a long history with Elvis

Jul 16, 2018

Northrop's Music on the Plaza concert series continues Wed, Jul 18, with Forever Elvis: Art Kistler and the EP Boulevard Show Band. We asked Art Kistler about his experiences entertaining us as Elvis:

Tell us about yourself and your band. What's your history and how did you decide on Elvis?

More than 22 years ago I started out singing in my church and members of the congregation kept telling me they thought I sounded like Elvis. A Valentine’s Day church social tongue-in-cheek performance was inordinately well received, then came karaoke and one thing led to another. I was going to quit the business about 5 years ago and our guitar player asked if I’d keep it up if I had a live band, and so here we are!  

My wife, Jean, has been an integral and essential supporter and without her I would have thrown in the towel a long time ago. 

We understand you used to work at the University. What are your most memorable experiences?

I was the manager of Parking Maintenance for 23 years, through many a snow storm, the technical evolution, maintenance and many improvements in University parking lots, structures and streets. I moved into project management during the 2 1/2 years I was at the University. I’m proud of having helped a great team within PTS and partnering with Landcare and some awesome vendors to keep around 22,000 stalls accessible, safe and clean. 

Discuss your transition into fulltime entertainment and how it has guided your work as an artist.

I thought retirement was going to be relaxing, but I’ve always been very task, goal and productivity-driven (and am a bit of a perfectionist), so my energies have largely been focused on improving and promoting the Elvis Tribute show with the EP Boulevard Show Band. For our theater and cruise ship productions, we incorporate multimedia, seeking to turn the concert into a live music video -- and I do all of the creative and technical production.  

What drives you to keep doing what you do?

I love to perform. About 90% of the time, the business requires creating, rehearsing, learning, accounting, investing, advertising, taxes, exercising, politics, promoting, planning, scheduling, insurance, negotiating… all the stuff that comes with running a small business. The 10% of the time I spend on stage makes it all worthwhile. It’s great music, a unique niche, our audiences and our fans are the BEST.  We love to be able to take people back to another time and make them smile. 

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Sawyer’s Dream guitarist: Music bridges the age gap

Erik Newman
Jun 07, 2018
Northrop's Music on the Plaza concert series kicked off Wednesday, Jun 6. The second band to perform as part of the series is Sawyer's Dream, starting at noon on Jun 13. We asked guitarist Erik Newman, a University of Minnesota graduate, to tell us about the band. Here's his reply:
 
Sawyer’s Dream is a rare band. It’s a 7-piece band that contains members who are in their 20s, 30s, 40s and 50s. It happened that way organically, over time. Members came and went and the ones who stuck chose to because they liked the talent and the collective vibe.

As the senior member, at age 56, I feel pretty lucky to be accepted by the younger band members. I’m sure for Buster and Ryan, in their 20s, it might be a bit weird being in a band with a musical dinosaur. But I think they appreciate the knowledge that myself and Sky (also on the older side) can share. Having been in successful bands in the past, we know the work ethic and attention to detail that it takes to be successful and can show them the ropes. They however, have to put up with our weird musical references. “Who the heck are the Go Gos, Bostonand Spanky and Our Gang?” they wonder.
 
For me, it’s nice to be around young positive energy and the bright-eyed aspirations of young musicians. It keeps things fresh and fun! And our three female singers--Monique, Tina and Adrianne--are simply amazing. When the harmonies gel, it’s a real honor to be in their presence.With a talented backing band mixed in, the whole thing becomes magical!
 
All in all, Sawyer’s Dream is a strange rag-tag bunch. Different ages, different walks of life, but we share mutual respect and a common goal to be a great band. Everybody is pretty cool with each other and I think it’s symbolic of where I hope the outside world can get to--a big melting pot of people learning cooperation, developing a spirit of kindness and creating something better.
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Alonzo King: 'We are larger than our definitions'

Apr 23, 2018

Ahead of Alonzo King LINES Ballet's performance May 1 at Northrop, listen to King talk about the limited scope in which we define ourselves in this TED Talks presentation in 2016.

We are larger than our definitions | Alonzo King LINES Ballet

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KEIGWIN + Company is a rare gem in today’s dance world

Nika Antuanette
Mar 26, 2018


KEIGWIN + Company is a fierce force in the contemporary dance world. With their dynamic and witty presence, they truly bridge the commercial and concert dance worlds. Art and entertainment come together as Larry Keigwin’s sense of imagination, joy, and positivity shines through in his work. The company’s dancers radiate with distinct voices in the repertoire, and this emanates as they continues to surprise audiences with innovative movement vocabulary and choreographic themes. Alive and rich with possibility, the company embraces humanity, humor, teamwork and collaboration as the foundation of their signature style. 

Beyond experimenting with fresh ideas in the studio, K+C also has an admirable history of community outreach and educational engagement. They understand the power of immersing everyday people - not just dancers - in the choreographic process. Through past projects like Bolero and the upcoming Dance at the Gym workshop anyone can share in the exciting opportunity to dance to iconic musical masterpieces, while directly engaging with Larry, the company, and professional dancers in the community. Their educational outreach programs continue to grow, offering accessible and valuable tools for professional/pre-professional dancers in the world today. Dance is supposed to be fun, not only technically demanding and precise! While these elements are integral and evident in the company’s dancers, it is clear to see that they transcend those limitations and expand beyond the norm while embracing the J.O.D. (Joy of Dance!) 

KEIGWIN + Company is a rare gem in today’s dance world. With power and grace, they are paving a path in the direction dance is heading. 

Want to see a show leaving you with a surge of inspiration and delight? Don’t miss them at Northrop on April 14!

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Spotlight on "Swan Lake"

Mar 19, 2018

houston_ballet_swan_lake_sara_webb_photo_amitava_sarkar_1.jpg

Sara Webb as Odette with Houston Ballet in Swan Lake Sara Webb as Odette with Houston Ballet in Swan Lake
Sara Webb as Odette. Photo by Amitava Sarkar

Good versus evil—driven by love and sorcery—is the heart of the famous ballet Swan Lake. And one of America’s most highly-regarded ballet companies, Houston Ballet, returns to Northrop to perform this sumptuous version Apr 7-8.

Here are some fact facts about the ballet, the company and the version Northrop fans will see.

  • Swan Lake is often considered the “epitome of classical ballets.” The ballet originally premiered in 1877 in Moscow, Russia, and has been adapted many times since.

  • The roles of the White Swan and Black Swan are typically played by the same ballerina, with the characters distinguished by their dance styles. Odette, the White Swan, is fragile, elegant and pure and represents perfection. Odile, the Black Swan is sharp, confident and mean-spirited and represents emotion.

  • Houston Ballet started off as a dance school in 1955 and became a professional company in 1969. Ben Stevenson, OBE became the Artistic Director in 1976 and remained the artistic director until 2003, when Stanton Welch AM took over the role.

  • The Houston Ballet has been performing Swan Lake since 1977, when it premiered the show at Jones Hall in Houston.

  • Welch reworked the original Swan Lake choreography in 2006 to give it a 21st-century pace. His work adds a third persona to the White Swan/Black Swan character: Odette as a maiden, before a curse condemned her to live as swan.

  • Welch’s Swan Lake set and costume designer, the late Kristian Fredrikson, drew from Pre-Raphaelite art and includes a dragon motif throughout the story to instill more magic and mysticism into the sorcerer's story.

  • A Houston Press review of Swan Lake declares, “The fairy world of Welch's Swan Lake is filled with mystery, intrigue, and an adult sense of whimsy that feels both magical and mature.”

  • This performance features the original score by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, performed by local musicians.

  • After the movie Black Swan premiered, demand for Swan Lake ballet performances skyrocketed. Black Swan, starring Natalie Portman and Mila Kunis, took an in-depth look at what it takes to play a character such as the Black Swan, and how truly committing to a character as dark as Odile can affect a dancer’s mental state.

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