Underwood and de Lavallade: Career, Politics and a Streetcar Named Desire
Two-time Golden Globe actor Blair Underwood and legendary dancer/actress Carmen de Lavallade shared the stage Thursday night at LIU's Kumble Theatre for an intimate conversation on their decades-long journeys as performers on stage and in film, and how a changing socio-political climate has impacted their careers.
The event, "Live & Outspoken," was a special edition of a series produced by 651 Arts and moderated by WBAI Radio host, Esther Armah.
Underwood and Lavallade were brought together specifically to discuss their roles in the upcoming Tennessee Williams play, A Streetcar Named Desire , opening April 3 on Broadway for 16 weeks only, and also starring Daphne Rubin-Vega (Rent) as Stella, Nicole Ari Parker ("Soul Food") as Blanche and Wood Harris ("The Wire") as Mitch.
Off the heels of her 81st birthday, de Vallade discussed her commissioned body of work and Blair shared his experience on NBC’s, Who Do You Think You Are .
Audience responds to Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre's 'Streetcar Named Desire'
It's rare when both a company and its audience rise to the occasion. But Pittsburgh Ballet Theatre brought John Neumeier's daring balletic version of "A Streetcar Named Desire" to a boiling point in its American premiere at the Benedum Center on Friday night.
More surprisingly, the audience, particularly one raised on a traditional menu of ballets such as "The Nutcracker" and "Swan Lake," responded mightily to the decidedly raw emotions on display, baring sex, homosexuality and mental instability as if under a microscope.
It wasn't easy. Alfred Schnittke's score for the second act could be termed Charles Ives on steroids, an aurally shocking patchwork quilt of symphonic music, ragtime and sometimes grating improvisation. But it was brilliantly appropriate, providing an uncompromising look into Blanche's mental state and its slow deterioration.
Mr. Neumeier remained faithful to Tennessee Williams' Pulitzer Prize-winning play, yet turned it on its head by starting at the end, with Blanche staring blankly for several uncomfortable minutes in a mental institution. That gave way to her memories at the Belle Reve plantation and her marriage to Allan, whose homosexual affair with a "friend" was witnessed by Blanche, which led to an argument and Allan's subsequent suicide.
