Monthly Archives: December 2016

Dove earns (a few) positive notices for “Hairspray” performance

Reviews ran hot and cold for NBC’s “Hairspray Live,” which aired Wednesday night. But the notices were more positive for Bainbridge Island product Dove Cameron: The critics who noticed her seemed to like her.

The live-musical telecast, the fourth undertaken by NBC, was in many opinions the strongest so far. But it scuttled itself with many, many commercial breaks, lengthened by “behind-the-scenes” reports, that robbed it of its continuity and momentum.

I thought the New York Times’ review put it best: “NBC lassoed some talented performers with fine singing voices but sacrificed cohesion by cramming the evening with too much interstitial fluff.” The Times’ review, incidentally, made no mention of Cameron (at front in the blue party dress in the photo below), who played mean-girl Amber Von Tussle.

Newsday’s review made it sound like the reviewer would like to have seen more of her: “The great Kristin Chenoweth played Velma Von Tussle, though more as a Rockette than a racist. (Dove Cameron 636161081576933366-nup-176247-0879as her daughter, Amber, was good, but barely present).”

Hollywood Life’s Dina Sartore-Bodo seemed the most enthusiastic of any of the reviewers surveyed: “Speaking of duos that defied expectations, who didn’t love the chemistry between Dove Cameron and Kristin Chenoweth?! The Von Tussles haven’t looked this good since the original show in 2003!” That was the sentiment, although less gushing, in ew.com’s review: Kristin Chenoweth and Dove Cameron played the demonically blonde Von Tussles, a perfect pairing of mean-girl matriarch and fat-shaming teen fascist.”

Variety was quick to point out Cameron’s draw to younger viewers, owing to her successes on the Disney Channel — most notably playing both title characters in the sitcom “Liv and Maddie:” “It helped that Disney alums Ariana Grande, Dove Cameron and Garrett Clayton are all bona fide stars to the youngest members of the audience.”

Other review snippets:

USA Today: Those were just two standouts in what may be the strongest cast a TV musical has gathered. Veterans like Kristin Chenoweth, Jennifer Hudson, Derek Hough and Martin Short blended perfectly with Ariana Grande, Dove Cameron, Garrett Clayton and Ephraim Sykes — with each having a moment to shine.

The Hollywood Reporter: “The imbalance (between the show’s veteran stars and younger cast members) turned what has always been a tremendously entertaining musical into a lumbering vehicle, made worse by awkward ’60s-style “live” commercials and deadening segues to an over-enthusiastic Darren Criss with the studio audience.” Cameron, though, earned the terse positive “strong” in a parenthetical item.

Washington Post: “Dove Cameron … seemed particularly well-cast as Tracy’s nemesis, the bratty Amber Von Tussle.

St. Louis Post Dispatch: “Dove Cameron … was a great mean girl.”

 

Kelly Huddleston’s got a new career recipe

Kelly Huddleston‘s got something new cooking in Texas.

The former Silverdale resident, who went to college in southern California and stayed there to fashion careers as an actress and stand-up comedian, has moved her base of operations to the Design District of Dallas, where she’s opened a unique culinary school, “The Cookery.” She’s the owner and head chef instructor.

Huddleston, a Central Kitsap High School graduate, teaches her students an out-of-the-box approach to cooking. In her classes, students don’t learn to prepare a meal from a set recip229545_663905591069_2452024_ne. Instead, she’s interested in what a recent feature article at dallasnews.com called “a less linear, more organic approach to teaching and learning.”

“You come in, and there’s no recipe booklet,” Huddleston is quoted in the article. “I’m your guide.”

Huddleston studied acting at Chapman University in Los Angeles and built a strong resume of TV, theater, movie, Web series and commercial work. She was a YouTube sensation for a time as the sleewear-bedecked online college student / spokesperson for Education Connection. She then branched out into stand-up comedy, performing a number of gigs in some of the top clubs in southern California.

Just for variety, Huddleston also worked as a class V river guide on the Kern river (near Los Angeles) for Kern River Outfitters.

Dallasnews.com is the cyber entity of the Dallas Morning News, which published a print version of the article.

Read the story here: http://www.dallasnews.com/life/cooking/2016/12/06/hip-new-dallas-cooking-school-thinks-outside-recipe-box

— MM

‘Hairspray Live’ could be a breakout role for Dove Cameron

On NBC.com’s “Hairspray Live” page, Dove Cameron gets first billing.

OK, the list is alphabetical. But still …

The Bainbridge Island-raised Cameron is part of the all-star cast of NBC’s latest foray into live-theater telecasts. which airs at 8 p.m. Dec. 7. In the adaptation of John Waters‘ cult movie hit, she plays Amber Von Tussle, the lead dancer on the Corny Collins TV show who feels her top-of-the-heap status challenged by “pleasingly plump” newcomer Tracy Turnblad.

Cameron, a veteran of Disney Channel series “Liv and Maddie” — in which she plays both title roles as identical-twin sisters — and movies like “Descendants

HAIRSPRAY LIVE! -- Season: 2016 -- Pictured: Dove Cameron as Amber Von Tussle -- (Photo by: Brian Bowen Smith/NBC)
HAIRSPRAY LIVE! — Season: 2016 — Pictured: Dove Cameron as Amber Von Tussle — (Photo by: Brian Bowen Smith/NBC)

and “Cloud Nine,” again will be teamed with Kristin Chenoweth, a veteran Broadway and movie star and Dove Cameron supporter who played Cameron’s mother in “Descendants.” She’s cast as Velma Von Tussle, Amber’s bigoted mother.

The cast also features Harvey Fierstein, Ariana Grande, Martin Short, Jennifer Hudson and Andrea Martin. Tracy will be played by newcomer Maddie Baillio.

“Hairspray Live” will attempt to break a string of less-than-enthusiastic reactions to NBC’s earlier live-theater telecasts, which began with 2014’s “Peter Pan” and have also included “The Sound of Music” and “The Wiz.”

As part of the promotional blitz for “Hairspray Live,” the cast was featured in a remote performance during NBC’s coverage of the Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which you can watch here: http://www.nbc.com/hairspray-live/video/hairspray-live-macys-thanksgiving-day-parade-performance/3429754

Prior to relocating to Hollywood to pursue her acting and singing careers, Cameron performed in several productions at Bainbridge Performing Arts.

— MM

Sound Theatre Company’s new season includes Keiko Green play

Seattle’s Sound Theatre Company, founded by regular Bainbridge Performing Arts contributor Teresa Thuman, has taken Outstanding Theatre of the Year honors in the Gregory Awards two of the last three years.

So, having your play tabbed for their 2017 season is no small potatoes. But Bainbridge-based playwright and actor Keiko Green has accomplished that feat. Her original play “Nadeshiko” will lead off Sound Theatre Company’s 2017 season, with performances April 13-May 7 at Seattle Center House Theatre.

The world-premiere production of “Nadeshiko” is part of a season Sound Theatre have titled “Amplify! Raising Women’s Voices.” The three plays in the lineup all are written and will be direnicole-keiko-green-003-lcted by women.

“Nadeshiko,” directed by Kaytlin McIntyre, tells the story of “two generations of Asian women who are reclaiming their power from idealized perceptions of beauty.”

Green, a New York stage veteran who launched her Puget Sound career with a star turn in BPA’s “Private Eyes” in 2012. She has gone on to become one of Seattle’s busiest actor, and a charter selection for the core acting company at A Contemporary Theatre, where she recently completed a run of “Dangerous Liaisons.”

She also has appeared in recent shows at Seattle Repertory Theatre, Seattle Shakespeare Company and Seattle Public Theater. Her plays “Bunnies” and “Puny Humans” premiered at Seattle Rep’s Annex Theatre, where’s she’s a member of the Rep’s Writers’ Group.

Other shows announced for Sound Theatre’s upcoming season include “Hoodoo Love,” by Katori Hall, July 13-30, and “Goblin Market,” by Polly Pen, Peggy Harmon and Christina Roetti, directed by Thuman.

“I have been looking to dedicate 2017 toplays by women for some time,” Thuman said in a press release, “and the current events have only affirmed that this was the right direction for our next season.”

Information: soundtheatrecompany.org

— MM

Lemolo, with strings, in Seattle concert Dec. 2

Meagan Grandall has always defined her dream-pop music project, Lemolo, as a two-person thing: Just Grandall singing and playing guitar and keyboards, and a drummer.

Dec. 2, though, Grandall and drummer Adrian Centoni will have lots of backing for a concert at Abbey Arts at St. Mark’s Cathedral, 1245 10th Ave. E. in Seattle. The two will be backed by what Gra1202_ksfe_lemolondall describes as “a string ensemble and other orchestral elements” in an 8 p.m. show (doors open at 7) that also will feature Portland’s Loch Lomond and Seattle electronic duo NAVVI.

Orchestral arrangements for Lemolo’s set were supplied by Alex Guy of the band Led to Sea.

Tickets are on sale through Brown Paper Tickets, 800-838-3006, brownpapertickets.com, priced at $15 advance, $20 day of show and $13 student.

The concert is part of a series being produced by Abbey Arts at the historic cathedral. Lemolo’s show will be followed on Dec. 3 by Damian Jurado.

Information: 206-414-8325, fremontabbey.org, lemolomusic.com

— MM