Movie Review: Encanto
Get ready to discover a new Disney favorite when Encanto comes to theaters November 24, 2021.
Mirabel Madrigal comes from an exceptional family—quite literally. A magic candle has blessed several generations of Madrigals with special powers, from super-strength to the ability to heal with just food. Unfortunately for Mirabel, she’s the only one without any said powers, which in turns causes some issues especially with her Abuela. When Mirabel starts to believe the magic in the candle is fading, she becomes determined to do whatever she can to save the family and its magical legacy.
Disney’s Encanto is a fun filled fairytale with a sweet story that is sure to warm your heart. I actually didn’t even want the movie to end it was so much fun. The animation is bright, beautiful and colorful. The songs will have you wanting to get up and dance and the story line is one that teaches us we all have a little bit of magic inside of us.
I can’t wait to wait Encanto over and over again.
About Encanto
Walt Disney Animation Studios’ “Encanto” tells the tale of an extraordinary family, the Madrigals, who live hidden in the mountains of Colombia, in a magical house, in a vibrant town, in a wondrous, charmed place called an Encanto. The magic of the Encanto has blessed every child in the family with a unique gift from super strength to the power to heal—every child except one, Mirabel (voice of Stephanie Beatriz). But when she discovers that the magic surrounding the Encanto is in danger, Mirabel decides that she, the only ordinary Madrigal, might just be her exceptional family’s last hope. Releasing on Nov. 24, 2021, the film features all-new songs by Emmy®, GRAMMY® and Tony Award® winner Lin-Manuel Miranda (“Hamilton,” “Moana”) and is directed by Byron Howard (“Zootopia,” “Tangled”) and Jared Bush (co-director “Zootopia”), co-directed by Charise Castro Smith (writer “The Death of Eva Sofia Valdez”), and produced by Clark Spencer and Yvett Merino; Bush and Castro Smith are screenwriters on the film.
Movie Review: Belfast
Focus Features will release Belfast in theaters November 12, 2021
Kenneth Branagh’s Belfast has been the talk of the town for the past couple of months. And it’s easy to see why Belfast is the winner of the Toronto Film Festival’s People Choice Award and has gone on to be nominated for other awards. So you know Belfast made it onto my must-see movie list quickly.
Belfast is packed with an all-star cast, a warm-hearted story, singing, dancing with the dash of nostalgia and historical reality. The film is set in black and white which makes for a unique movie watching experience. When it comes to highlighting moments of interest, the current day the movie uses light and reflection which I was highly impressed with.
The movie is set in 1969 through the eyes of a young boy who lived in the center of everything going on in Belfast. And the story focuses on his experience, his family’s and the interactions they go through summer through bring and the decision the family ultimately has to make.
Overall, Belfast offers an interesting look at the conflicts that changed the face of Belfast forever during the late ’60s. While the story and acting are wonderful, I think this type of story will have limited appeal to theatergoers. It’s slower than typical movies are and you go in and out of interest with it. That being said, if you like historical movies Belfast is for you.
Belfast will be in theaters this Friday, November 12tth.
Coming to Detroit: Hairspray
Detroit! Have you heard the news? Hairspray is returning and tickets go on sale Friday, November 19!
Hairspray performs at the Fisher Theatre
January 18-30, 2022
Tickets go on sale Friday, November 19, 2021
Broadway In Detroit announces the return of HAIRSPRAY, Broadway’s Tony Award®-winning musical comedy phenomenon, to the Fisher Theatre, January 18-30, 2022. Tickets start at $39 and will go on sale on Friday, November 19, 2021 online at Ticketmaster.com and in person at the Fisher Theatre Box Office.
The cast features Andrew Levitt aka Nina West (from “RuPaul’s Drag Race”)as Edna Turnblad, Niki Metcalf as Tracy Turnblad and Toneisha Harris (from NBC’s “The Voice”) as Motormouth Maybelle will be Billy Dawson as Corny Collins, Will Savarese as Link Larkin, Emery Henderson as Penny Pingleton, Brandon G. Stalling as Seaweed J. Stubbs, Kaelee Albritton as Amber Von Tussle and Addison Garner as Velma Von Tussle.
Christopher Swan will play Wilbur Turnblad and Kaléa Leverette will play Little Inez with Caroline Daye Attayek, Kelly Barberito, Helene Britany, Jamonté Bruten, Tanner Callicutt, Ryahn Evers, Michael Corey Hassel, Kaleb Jenkins, Greg Kalafatas, Gabriel Kearns, Caira Asanté Lakota, Stevie LeWarne, Jr., Brendan Morris, Faith Northcutt, Adam Blake Raque, Renée Reid, Sydney Simone, Christopher Swan, Gabriyel Thomas, George Vickers V, Mea Wilkerson and Emanuelle Zeesman as members of the ensemble.
“It’s a brand-new world we find ourselves in today, and HAIRSPRAY is even more relevant than twenty years ago when it first burst onto the scene. With the renewed, refreshed energy of the unforgettable “Nina West” as Edna and a whole new generation of wildly talented kids across the board, we cannot wait to raise the various roofs once more with dance, joy, music, and that glorious, famous, energy-packed score!” shared Director Jack O’Brien.
HAIRSPRAY is the story of 16-year-old Tracy Turnblad in 1960’s Baltimore as she sets out to dance her way onto TV’s most popular show. Can a girl with big dreams (and even bigger hair) change the world? Featuring the beloved score of hit songs including “Welcome to the 60’s,” “Good Morning Baltimore,” and “You Can’t Stop the Beat,” HAIRSPRAY is “fresh, winning, and deliriously tuneful!” (The New York Times).
This new touring production will reunite Broadway’s award-winning creative team, led by Director Jack O’Brien and Choreographer Jerry Mitchell, to bring HAIRSPRAY to a new generation of theater audiences. HAIRSPRAY is based on the New Line Cinema film written and directed by John Waters, who served as a creative consultant on the musical comedy. It features a book by Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan. HAIRSPRAY features an original score by Academy Award-nominated Marc Shaiman and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman. The tour is produced by NETworks Presentations.
Additional creative team for HAIRSPRAY includes Tour Director Matt Lenz, Tour Choreographer Michele Lynch, Set Designer David Rockwell, Lighting Designer Kenneth Posner, Tour Lighting Designer Paul Miller, Costume Designer William Ivey Long, Hair and Wig Designer Paul Huntley and Richard Mawbey, Sound Designer Shannon Slaton, Music Supervisor Lon Hoyt and Casting by Stewart/Whitley.
HAIRSPRAY premiered at Seattle’s 5th Avenue Theater in June 2002. The show was a smash hit when it transferred to Broadway, winning eight 2003 Tony Awards including Best Musical, and became the longest-running musical to play the Neil Simon Theater, running 2,642 performances from July 18, 2002, until January 4, 2009. It is the 22nd longest running show in Broadway history.
More information about HAIRSPRAY can be found at www.hairspraytour.com and on the following social media channels:
Facebook: @HairsprayOnTour
Instagram: @HairsprayOnTour
Twitter: @HairsprayOnTour
TikTok: @HairsprayOnTour
Hashtag: #HairsprayOnTour
Performance times for HAIRSPRAY appearing January 18-30, 2022 at the Fisher Theatre, located at 3011 West Grand Blvd., in Detroit are:
- Tuesday through Sunday evening performances at 7:30 p.m.
- Saturday & Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m.
- Open captioned performance on Sunday, January 23 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets for HAIRSPRAY start at $39 (includes facility and parking fees) and go on sale Friday, November 19, 2021. Tickets can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com and in person at the Fisher Theatre Box Office. A limited number of premium seats will be available through Ticketmaster and at the Fisher Theatre Box Office.
For group sales (10 or more) please email broadwayindetroitgroups@theambassadors.com or call 313-871-1132.
Tickets for the open captioned performance may be purchased in person at the Fisher Theatre Box Office or by phone at 313-872-1000, ext. 0.
Performance schedule, prices and cast are subject to change without notice.
Broadway In Detroit uses Ticketmaster as its sole, authorized ticketing agent. Individual tickets purchased from a ticket broker or “third party” ticket reseller involves risk and may not be authentic, sold at box office prices, or with correct performance and venue information. Broadway In Detroit box offices cannot verify tickets sold through a third party or ticket reseller. Broadway In Detroit is also unable to contact third party purchasers with pertinent updates or changes regarding performances.
Following the lead of Broadway and concert venues across the country, Broadway In Detroit theatre patrons will be required to show a photo ID and proof of a negative Covid test within 72 hours of the performance date or proof of full Covid-19 vaccination before they will be admitted into the venue. Additionally, all patrons will be required to wear a mask while inside the theatre regardless of one’s vaccination status.
All ticket purchasers will receive a Broadway In Detroit Health & Safety Guide via email in the weeks prior to their performance. This guide will also be posted on the company’s website (BroadwayInDetroit.com) and available at the Fisher Theatre box office. It will have the latest information on the company’s health and safety protocols as well as information on what to expect when you arrive at the theatre.
For more information on Broadway In Detroit, subscriptions, group sales and more, please visit www.BroadwayInDetroit.com
Follow Broadway In Detroit on Facebook, as well as on Instagram and Twitter @BroadwayDetroit.
Broadway In Detroit is a part of the Ambassador Theatre Group.
Coming to Detroit: An Officer and a Gentleman
An Officer and a Gentleman will play Detroit’s Fisher Theatre
February 1-13, 2022
Tickets go on sale Friday, November 19
AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN, a new musical the Fisher Theatre in Detroit from February 1- 13, 2022. Tickets start at $39 and will go on sale on Friday, November 19, 2021 online at Ticketmaster.com and in person at the Fisher Theatre Box Office.
“A great movie can imbed itself into the cultural memory of a generation. Our goal was to build on that memory, finding new ways into the story through the lens of musical theater,” says producer Stephen Gabriel of Work Light Productions.
“Like all good stories, AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN is set in a specific world with its own culture, customs and costumes—the U.S. Navy,” says co-writer and director Dick Scanlan. “And like all great stories, its themes are universal: love, valor and the ways in which our reasons for pursuing a dream determine whether or not we’ll achieve it.”
Featuring a score based on the 1980’s catalogue of music that gave voice to a generation, the show includes hits from Rick Springfield, Styx, Debbie Gibson, Richard Marx, Wilson Phillips, Pat Benatar, and the Grammy-winning #1 hit single “Up Where We Belong.” AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN is written and directed by multiple Tony Awardâ-nominee Dick Scanlan (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Everyday Rapture), choreographed by Patricia Wilcox (Motown, A Night with Janis Joplin) and music supervised and arranged by Dan Lipton (The Band’s Visit, The Last Ship), with orchestrations by Dan Lipton and Nathan Dame, dance arrangements by Gary Adler. Matt Kunkel will serve as Associate Director.
The design team includes scenic design by Brett Banakis, costume design by Emilio Sosa, lighting design by Jen Schriever, sound design by Jon Weston, wig & hair design by Kelley Jordan, video design by Austin Switser and casting by Wojcik | Seay Casting. The live stage production is based on an original book by Douglas Day Stewart and Sharleen Cooper Cohen.
The cast for the North American tour will star Wes Williams as Zack and Mary Nikols as Paula in the title roles, along with Emily Louise Franklin as Lynette, Cameron Loyal as Sid, Amaya White as Casey Seeger, Roxy York as Esther and David Wayne Britton as Marine Gunnery Sgt. Emil Foley.
Rounding out the ensemble are Zare Anguay, William Warren Carver, J Travis Cooper, Christopher Robert Hanford, Kyler Hershman, Joey Ledonio, Nathaniel D. Lee, Logan Marks, Nicole Morris, Blake Sauceda, Elise Shangold, KD Stevens, Shelly Verden and Jillian Worthing. Miles Boone, Amanda Rose Gabriel, Andryi Nahirniak and Israel Orengo are the standbys.
AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN celebrates triumph over adversity. Zack Mayo has the raw talent and strength for the US Navy’s Officer Training School. Graduating from the elite program will secure Zack’s career and future. But only the brave and determined can endure the relentless commands of Drill Sergeant Foley, who is determined to weed out all those unable to pass the strenuous tests of knowledge, coordination and strength. On his journey of self-discovery, Zack finds comfort in the arms of a strong-willed local factory worker. But it isn’t until tragedy befalls a fellow candidate that Zack learns the importance of friendship, commitment and honor, finds the courage to be his best self, and wins the heart of the woman he loves.
AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN features an iconic score including the Grammy and Oscar-winning #1 hit “Up Where We Belong” (Joe Cocker/Jennifer Warnes) and your favorite 80’s hits including: “Higher Love” (Steve Winwood), “Owner of a Lonely Heart” (Yes), “Love is a Battlefield” and “Invincible” (Pat Benatar), “Lost In Your Eyes” (Debbie Gibson), “Right Here Waiting” (Richard Marx), “Venus” (Bananarama), “I Can’t Hold Back” (Survivor), “Never Surrender” (Corey Hart), “Do The Walls Come Down” (Carly Simon), “Fly By Night” (Rush), “Hold On to Your Dream (Rick Springfield), “Overkill” (Men at Work), “Renegade” (Styx), and more.
AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN is produced by Work Light Productions, in association with Jamie Wilson.
AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN was developed in part during a quarantined workshop on location in Cleveland, OH at Playhouse Square with the tremendous support from University Hospitals, the Cleveland Clinic, and the Crowne Plaza Hotel.
For more information visit http://officerandagentlemanmusical.com/.
Follow AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.
Performance times for AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN appearing February 1-13, 2022 at the Fisher Theatre, located at 3011 West Grand Blvd., in Detroit are:
- Tuesday through Saturday evening performances at 8:00 p.m.
- Saturday & Sunday matinees at 2:00 p.m.
- Sunday evening performance at 7:30 p.m.
- Open captioned performance on Sunday, February 6 at 7:30 p.m.
Tickets for AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN start at $39 includes facility and parking fees) and go on sale Friday, November 19, 2021. Tickets can be purchased online at ticketmaster.com and in person at the Fisher Theatre Box Office. A limited number of premium seats will be available through Ticketmaster and at the Fisher Theatre Box Office.
For group sales (10 or more) please email broadwayindetroitgroups@theambassadors.com or call 313-871-1132.
Tickets for the open captioned performance may be purchased in person at the Fisher Theatre Box Office or by phone at 313-872-1000, ext. 0.
Performance schedule, prices and cast are subject to change without notice.
Broadway In Detroit uses Ticketmaster as its sole, authorized ticketing agent. Individual tickets purchased from a ticket broker or “third party” ticket reseller involves risk and may not be authentic, sold at box office prices, or with correct performance and venue information. Broadway In Detroit box offices cannot verify tickets sold through a third party or ticket reseller. Broadway In Detroit is also unable to contact third party purchasers with pertinent updates or changes regarding performances.
Following the lead of Broadway and concert venues across the country, Broadway In Detroit theatre patrons will be required to show a photo ID and proof of a negative Covid test within 72 hours of the performance date or proof of full Covid-19 vaccination before they will be admitted into the venue. Additionally, all patrons will be required to wear a mask while inside the theatre regardless of one’s vaccination status.
All ticket purchasers will receive a Broadway In Detroit Health & Safety Guide via email in the weeks prior to their performance. This guide will also be posted on the company’s website (BroadwayInDetroit.com) and available at the Fisher Theatre box office. It will have the latest information on the company’s health and safety protocols as well as information on what to expect when you arrive at the theatre.
For more information on Broadway In Detroit, subscriptions, group sales and more, please visit www.BroadwayInDetroit.com.
Movie Review: Clifford the Big Red Dog
I grew up in the 80s and if you did too, then you probably remember the Scholastic book fairs. This is where I was introduced to all the greats Bernstein Bears, Mercer Mayer and of course Clifford the Big Red Dog. My parents (dad mostly) never allowed my brother and I to have a pet. So reading Clifford the Big Red Dog books really transported me to a different world without leaving my house.
You can imagine my excitement when I heard they were making a movie about Clifford the Big Red Dog, but I was a little skeptical. How would they capture the beloved Clifford for the big screen? What would he look like? Would he be the Clifford I had come to love from the books and show? Turning Clifford into an animated series was one thing, making him lifelike was different ball game.
I recently had the opportunity to screen Clifford the Big Red Dog early, and I’ve got all the details for you. Including the answer to the question on all our minds. Will I love this movie as much as the books and shows?
Clifford the Big Red Dog starts off by giving us a glimpse of where Clifford comes from and how he ends up with Emily (Darby Camp). Take note that it doesn’t follow the original story, however it does follow one thing, that Emily’s love makes Clifford grow.
Emily’s Uncle Casey (Jack Whitehall), a notorious screw-up is in charge of Emily while her mother is away. He takes her to school one morning and they come across an animal rescue tent helmed by the eccentric Mr. Bridwell (John Cleese)—for those of you that do not know Norman Bridwell created Clifford the Big Red Dog so it was nice to see the movie play homage to him. At the animal rescue tent is where Emily meets Clifford. Unfortunately Uncle Casey tells her that she can’t have a dog and end up leaving only for Emily to discover Clifford in her backpack.
At this point of the story, Clifford is tiny, that is until Emily wakes up in the morning. And now the fun starts. Once Emily has Clifford, the whole city seems to be after him! Poor guy! And so the chase begins, some want to save Clifford while others want him for devious reasons.
There are a couple of scenes that will tear your heart out—have some tissues ready because this movie will pull on your heart strings.
Overall, get ready to FALL in LOVE with Clifford the Big Red Dog all over again. The movie is super cute and definitely seemed like a story I could be reading in one of my Clifford the Big Red Dog books from my childhood.
Catch Clifford the Big Red Dog in theaters and on Paramount+ November 10th!
Synopsis
When middle-schooler Emily Elizabeth (Darby Camp) meets a magical animal rescuer (John Cleese) who gifts her a little, red puppy, she never anticipated waking up to find a giant ten-foot hound in her small New York City apartment. While her single mom (Sienna Guillory) is away for business, Emily and her fun but impulsive uncle Casey (Jack Whitehall) set out on an adventure that will keep you on the edge-of-your-seat as our heroes take a bite out of the Big Apple. Based on the beloved Scholastic book character, Clifford will teach the world how to love big! Rated PG
GIVEAWAY CLOSED
Fashion meets Food 