25 THINGS TO DO DURING THE FALL AND WINTER
Parade of divas warms up Atlanta
Janet Jackson, Tina Turner and Madonna all in concert
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Thursday, September 04, 2008
1. “Finn in the Underworld”
Will playwright Jordan Harrison’s psycho-sexual thriller match the heat of last year’s “Dark Play or Stories for Boys”? Actor’s Express opens its second season under Freddie Ashley with another kinky gay-boy play. Imagine that.
Peter Kramer/AP
Mary J. Blige ups the diva factor with a October concert at Lakewood Ampitheatre.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater celebrates its 50th anniversary with a live collaboration with Sweet Honey in the Grace in February.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s
• Actor’s Express, 887 W. Marietta St., Suite J-107, Atlanta. Sept. 4-Oct. 4. $12-$27. 404-607-7469, actorsexpress.com.
2. August Wilson Full Circle
The Alliance completes the August Wilson cycle with repertory productions of the opening and closing (1904 and 1997) installments of his 10-play epic about African-American life in the 20th century. Former artistic director Kenny Leon returns to direct “Gem” (which he staged on Broadway), while Alliance associate artistic director Todd Kreidler takes a swing at “Radio Golf.”
• Alliance Theatre. 1280 Peachtree St. N.E., Midtown. Previews Sept. 4-5. Sept. 6-28. $15-$45. 404-733-5000, alliancetheatre.org.
3. Roy Ayers
Anyone who complains about that blasted hip-hop generation not having enough respect for their elders needs to be here when this giant on the vibraphone eases into “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” and the baseball-caps-and-baggy-pants set sings along. Loudly.
• Sugar Hill, 50 Upper Alabama Rd. in Kenny’s Alley of Underground Atlanta, downtown. Doors open at 9 p.m. Sept. 6. $20 in advance. 404-658-0068, www.sugarhillatl.com.
4. Brad Paisley
The man’s phenomenal guitar prowess is often underutilized in his string of country hits, but it’s a major asset when he rips it up live — and on his upcoming album, “Play.” The largely instrumental disc comes out Nov. 4.
• Lakewood Amphitheatre, 2002 Lakewood Way, Atlanta. 7:30 p.m. Sept. 18. $54.50; $25 lawn; $75 lawn family four-pack. 404-443-5090, www.livenation.com.
5. Brian Culbertson, Lalah Hathaway and Rahsaan Patterson
This is one of those get-there-early events, as Patterson may very well be the male incarnate of Chaka Khan — in certain registers — and Hathaway has one of the loveliest voices in jazz and soul.
Atlanta Civic Center, 395 Piedmont Ave., Atlanta. 8 p.m. Sept. 19. $46, $56. 404-523-6275. www.atlantaciviccenter.com.
6. Fringe Atlanta
The chamber music ensemble offers nicely polished performances of mostly old classics, from Schubert to Shostakovich, but the setting is unlike anything going in classical music. Performances are introduced by videotaped interviews with musicians and short, artsy films, and the casual vibe (beer, wine and a club DJ) caters to a younger generation of listeners. And Mozart gets his proper respect, too.
• Church of the Redeemer, 5185 Peachtree-Dunwoody Road, Atlanta. Sept. 20, $7.50-$50. www.fringeatlanta.org.
7. Dead Confederate
This Athens-based quintet’s debut album, “Wrecking Ball,” is a moody, howling powerhouse that conjures up aural images of Nirvana and Pink Floyd sipping moonshine behind an Appalachian outhouse. The band has at least two Atlanta gigs scheduled around the time the album is released on Sept. 16.
• The EARL, 488 Flat Shoals Ave. S.E., Atlanta. 9:30 p.m. Sept. 20. $10; $8 advance. 404-522-3950, 1-800-594-8499, www.badearl.com.
8. “Looking Over the President’s Shoulder”
James Still’s one-man play tells the tale of Alonzo Fields, who served four U.S. presidents as the first African-American butler in the White House. Considering this year’s presidential ticket, expect an ironic subtext. Gary Yates (“Gee’s Bend”) directs.
• Theatre in the Square, 11 Whitlock Ave., Marietta. Oct. 1-Nov. 9. $18-$33. 770-422-8369, theatreinthesquare.com.
9. Janet Jackson
She calls her first outing in seven years the “Rock Witchu” Tour. We’ll call it the Probable Farewell. Which means the stand-out entertainer with the slipping record sales (of late) will probably give a must-see show.
• Philips Arena, One Philips Dr., Atlanta. 7:30 p.m. Oct. 5. $53.75-$129.75. 404-878-3000, www.philipsarena.com.
10. “Antigone”
Inspired by Broadway’s “Spring Awakening,” Georgia Shakespeare’s Richard Garner is adapting the classic Greek tragedy as a musical, with tunes by Atlanta composer Kendall Simpson. Now what would Sophocles think of that?
• Georgia Shakespeare, Oglethorpe University, 4484 Peachtree Road N.E., Atlanta. Oct. 9-Nov. 2. $15-$40. 404-264-0020, gashakespeare.org.
11. “The Louvre and the Masterpiece”
The final installment of Louvre Atlanta will explore how the definition of a masterpiece has changed over time, using works drawn from all corners of the Louvre, including a painting by Vermeer and a famous fake.
• High Museum of Art, 1280 Peachtree St., Atlanta. Oct. 12-Sept. 6, 2009. $18-11. 404-733-4444, www.high.org.
12. Mary J. Blige, Robin Thicke
Sixteen years into her professional career, this cleaned-up, slimmed-down and happily married queen of hip-hop soul is performing like each show is her last. Seriously — she lives each song out there in front of the audience.
• Lakewood Amphitheatre, 2002 Lakewood Ave., Atlanta. Doors open at 6 p.m. Oct. 12. $59.75-$93.75. 404-443-5000, www.livenation.com.
13. Zoetic Dance Ensemble
The contemporary dance ensemble debuts “dirty pretty,” which examines the ugly underbelly of a culture consumed with physical beauty.
• 7 Stages, 1105 Euclid Ave., Little Five Points. 8 p.m. Oct. 30-Nov. 1. $15-$10. 404-523-7647, www.7stages.org.
14. Coldplay
There’s a majesty in the widescreen pop of these Brits that has always been emboldened by the expanse of an arena. With one of the year’s best-selling albums (“Viva La Vida or Death and All His Friends”) to their credit, these guys should be even bolder this time around.
• Philips Arena, 1 Philips Drive N.W., Atlanta. 7:30 p.m. Nov. 5; 7:30 p.m. Nov. 11. $49.50-$97.50. 404-878-3000, 404-249-6400, www.philipsarena.com.
15. Tina Turner
Sure, she said she was retiring from touring several years ago, but we’ll gladly welcome Turner back. That voice and those legs seem to defy the laws of aging.
• Philips Arena, 1 Philips Drive N.W., Atlanta. 7 p.m. Nov. 9. $59.50-$152. 404-878-3000, 404-249-6400, www.philipsarena.com.
16. “Tutankhamun: The Golden King and the Great Pharaohs”
An exhibit of more than 130 artifacts from Tut’s tomb and other sites will have its U.S. premiere here. The show includes re-creations of four chambers of the tomb and the latest scientific research.
• Boisfeuillet Jones Atlanta Civic Center. 395 Piedmont Ave. Nov. 15- May 25, 2009. Ticket prices to be announced. 404-727-2623.
17. “La Cenerentola (Cinderella)”
Cobb County native Grammy Award-winner Jennifer Larmore makes her Atlanta Opera debut in Gioacchino Rossini’s interpretation of the rags-to-riches tale of Cinderella.
• Cobb Energy Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta. 8 p.m. Nov. 15, 7:30 p.m. Nov. 18, 8 p.m. Nov. 21, 3 p.m. Nov. 23. $25 and up. 404-881-8885, www.atlantaopera.org.
18. “The First Emperor: China’s Terracotta Army”
China’s First Emperor, Qin Shihuangdi, was a great warrior, and he took an army with him to his grave. Some 1,000 life-size terra-cotta figures have been uncovered since the first discovery in 1974. The High will feature 15 in an exhibit with other rarely seen and recently discovered objects from his tomb complex.
• High Museum of Art, 1280 Peachtree St., Atlanta. Nov. 16-April 19, 2009. $18-11. 404-733-4444, www.high.org.
19. “Ain’t Misbehavin’ “
If Clay Aiken can do “Spamalot,” why can’t Ruben Studdard do the Fats Waller musical revue? The “American Idol” winner from Alabama seems like an inspired casting choice for one of the best jukebox musicals ever.
• Broadway Across America-Atlanta, Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. N.E., Midtown. Nov. 18-23. $14-$43. 1-800-278-4447, broadwayacrossamerica.com.
20. John Adams’ “Doctor Atomic”
Robert Spano conducts Adams’ opera, which premiered in San Francisco in 2005, that explores physicist J. Robert Oppenheimer, the making of the first atom bomb and the power of man to play God. It’s likely to be the most talked-about event of the classical calendar.
• Symphony Hall, 1280 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. Nov. 21 and 23. $10-$73. 404-733-5000, www.atlantasymphony.org.
21. Madonna
She won’t call this the Farewell Tour – and the verdict is out as to whether that’s a good thing. What is clear, however, is that this pop icon is a much, much more interesting artist onstage than she is on record these days.
• Philips Arena, One Philips Drive, Atlanta. 8 p.m. Nov. 24. $57-$352. 404-878-3000, www.philipsarena.com.
22. Philip Glass’ “Akhnaten”
The Atlanta Opera’s first dip into “modern” opera is the hauntingly beautiful score about religion and politics, centered on the Egyptian pharaoh who introduced monotheism for the first time in history. Glass’s popular minimalist style — where little whirls of notes are repeated over and over, with glacial shifts in harmony — has never sounded more lush or intoxicating.
• Emory University’s Emerson Concert Hall, Jan. 23, 25. $57-$76. www.atlantaopera.org.
23. Momix
Hula hoops, swings, skis and exercise balls are among the props employed by this troupe of dancer-illusionists who use light, shadow, humor and the human body to fool the naked eye.
• Ferst Center for the Arts, 349 Ferst Drive N.W., Georgia Tech, Atlanta. 8 p.m. Jan. 24. $34, $44; $20 children. 404-894-9600, www.mosespendleton.com.
24.”Dracula”
Black hearts are set aflutter by the Valentine’s Day timing of the Atlanta Ballet’s production of Bram Stoker’s sordid tale of seduction and surrender.
• Cobb Energy Performing Arts Centre, 2800 Cobb Galleria Parkway, Atlanta. Time vary. Feb. 8-15. $15-$125. 404-892-3303, 404-249-6400, www.atlantaballet.com.
25. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s 50th Anniversary
Grammy Award-winning a cappella group Sweet Honey in the Rock performs live in collaboration on “Go in Grace,” choreographed by Hope Boykin.
• Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. N.E., Atlanta. 8 p.m. Feb. 19-21; 2 p.m. Feb. 21; 3 p.m. Feb. 22. Tickets TBA. 404-817-8700, 404-817-8700, www.foxtheatre.org.
Staff writers Wendell Brock, Catherine Fox, Shane Harrison, Sonia Murray, Pierre Ruhe, Suzanne Van Atten compiled this list.
