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Stylin'...

host — Thu, 14 May 2009 21:29:00 GMT

It was a big week for fashion...

Movie time

host — Mon, 27 Apr 2009 16:32:00 GMT

You don’t have to be a studio bigwig to party with actors and rock stars—at least, you didn’t at the Atlanta Film Festival’s opening-night screening of “The People Speak” on Thursday, April 19. The film gives voice to various perspectives on key moments in American history, as read or performed by such celebrities as Eddie Vedder (pictured), Josh Brolin, Jasmine Guy, and the Black Crowes’ Rich Robinson—all of whom attended the screening and opening-night gala at the Rialto Center for the Performing Arts. And as if that weren’t enough movie mania for one weekend, the Fox Theatre hosted a 70th-anniversary screening of “Gone With the Wind” on Sunday, April 19, highlighted by a pre-show discussion with critics Molly Haskell and Michael Sragow and Turner Classic Movies’ Robert Osborne.

Photos/Spark St. Jude

Meet "The Piano Guy"

Mister Friendly — Wed, 15 Apr 2009 21:04:00 GMT

Scott Houston, "The Piano Guy," comes to Atlanta Friday, April 17.

BANGIN’ THE DRUM

host — Thu, 09 Apr 2009 15:02:00 GMT

The sense of history in was so thick you could cut it with a knife last Saturday, April 4, at the Drum Major for Justice Awards Dinner in the Omni Hotel’s Grand Ballroom. Environmental champion Laura Turner Seydel, educator Ron Clark and Emmy Award-winning actress Cicely Tyson (pictured, with activist Evelyn G. Lowery) were honored for their contributions to the cause of social justice. Kenny Leon served as master of ceremonies at the event, which also featured Reverend Joseph E. Lowery. The highlight of the evening, however, was the Ron Clark Academy Singers and their winning “You Can Vote However You Like,” which they also performed at President Obama’s inauguration.

PHOTO: SPARK ST. JUDE. To see more photos from this event, pick up the April 12 issue of The Sunday Paper!

Rockin' benefit of the week

host — Fri, 03 Apr 2009 04:01:00 GMT

An appreciative crowd going crazy for Stockbridge, Ga.’s favorite sons Collective Soul. Sounds like just another sweaty Friday night at the Tabernacle, right? Well, throw in up-and-comers Ben Deignan & Suburban Soul, the Less and high-school rockers Gypsum Groove, recruit Q100 personality Jeff Dauler to play host and make the whole thing a benefit for the Save Darfur Coalition. Doesn’t sound like business as usual now, does it? Frontman Ed Roland, guitarist Dean Roland and the band presented a $50,000 check to student organizers Katherine McKerrow and Megan Maziar (pictured) of the Galloway School’s Save Darfur Student Committee at the March 27 event. Kids and musicians raising 50 grand to combat the crisis in Darfur? We’d say that rocks.

PHOTOS/SPARK ST. JUDE

There's no business like show business

host — Thu, 26 Mar 2009 04:02:00 GMT

Spotting celebrities in the ATL isn’t exactly a big deal. Still, it’s not every weekend that newly minted “Late Night” host Jimmy Fallon pops into town, as he did last Saturday, March 21. The “Saturday Night Live” vet was the featured attraction at A Tony Evening, a 40th anniversary celebration/fundraiser for the Alliance Theatre at the W Midtown, where he performed for a crowd that included event chairperson Victoria Palefsky and Alliance Artistic Director Susan Booth.

Fallon wasn’t the only star making an Atlanta stop last weekend: Angel, the 4-and-a-half-year-old star of “Beverly Hills Chihuahua,” dropped by Centennial Park on March 20 to oversee canine auditions for an upcoming Disney “Buddies” flick. The event, which was tied to the release of “Chihuahua,” “Space Buddies” and “Bolt” on DVD, drew lots of hopeful hounds—as well as the lovely CJ, morning co-host for 95.5 the Beat, with her 4-year-old toy Chihuahua Zoe.

Photo by Jim Fitts

BLACK-TIE GALA OF THE WEEK

host — Thu, 05 Mar 2009 20:25:00 GMT

A recap of ATLexis 2009

Two starry nights

host — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 02:05:00 GMT

Big names and important causes were the order of the day at back-to-back events last weekend

Come out and play

host — Thu, 12 Feb 2009 17:36:00 GMT

Competing with professional athletes at their own game can be risky business. Going toe-to-toe at the blackjack table, though, evens the playing field a bit—or does it? The 17th annual Tom Glavine’s Spring Training, held Friday, Feb. 6 in the Oceans Ballroom at the Georgia Aquarium, offered gamblers-and comely pirates like the ones pictured—the chance to match wits with Glavine and other athletes at various casino games.

The event, hosted by the pitching ace himself also featured live and silent auctions with such goodies as a football autographed by Mark Richt, a jersey signed by former UGA Bulldog David Greene, a baseball signed by Chipper Jones and guitars signed by Miley Cyrus and the Jonas Brothers. Jeff Francoeur, John Smoltz and the Atlanta Falcons cheerleaders were among the celebrities on hand at the shindig, which benefited the Georgia Transplant Foundation. Home run!

Photo by Gray Saunders

Free breakfast in west Midtown this weekend

Kristina Ackerman — Wed, 11 Feb 2009 21:10:00 GMT

Have you ever gone into your usual breakfast place and tried to get some delicious HÄM and BIISKÜS, or a nice SØSSIJ ÖMMLÂT? Even just some fresh FRÜUT?

Date like a man

host — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 02:28:00 GMT

Attention single women: Are movies like “He’s Just Not That Into You” making you question your own abilities to read men? Never fear: Attraction Principles and Dating Pitfalls: An Evening of Wisdom, Wit and Wine for Single Women will teach you how to pay attention to your instincts and outline the seven traits that keep the guys in hot pursuit. Hosted by Nancy Nichols, author of “Secrets of the Ultimate Husband Hunter: How to Attract Men, Enjoy Dating and Recognize the Love of Your Life,” and The Sunday Paper’s own Blane Bachelor (pictured), the event features wine, appetizers and affirmation. Admission is $25 in advance and $35 at the door. 6:30 p.m. Thursday, Feb. 12 at Le Tux Shop in Virginia-Highland. To register or for more information, visit www.ultimatehusbandhunter.com.

Photo by Spark St. Jude

Big laughs, big names, small venue

host — Sun, 08 Feb 2009 01:25:00 GMT

If you love comedy but aren’t into arena shows, you’re in luck. On Feb. 12, the Laughing Skull Lounge, adjacent to the Midtown Vortex Bar and Grill, celebrates its newest incarnation as an intimate (and we do mean intimate) setting for progressive comedy shows, kicking off a weekend of shows with quirky stand-up legend Emo Philips (pictured). The 74-seat space will feature eight shows weekly, including upcoming performances by Maria Bamford, Rick Overton, Ian Bagg and Donnell Rawlings. All shows are open to adults 18 and older. For tickets and more information: 877-523-3288. www.vortexcomedy.com.

'Menagerie' malaise

Bert Osborne — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 17:00:00 GMT

Blow out your candles, Laura. Aurora has "postponed" plans for its highly anticipated March production of "The Glass Menagerie" – which was to have been staged by Alliance artistic director Susan Booth, with an illustrious cast: Jill Jane Clements, Thomas Piper, Courtney Patterson and Chris Moses. What better (or, rather, worse) occasion to start a theater blog? Read it and weep . . . and/or comment!

Booth withdrew from the project a couple of weeks ago, apparently, but why? An e-mail inquiry with the Alliance’s Robert Saxon, associate director of communications, yielded a summary reply: "Best thing would be to have a conversation directly with Aurora to get the details of that decision." As though the decision wasn’t Booth’s?

According to an e-mail response from Aurora artistic director Anthony Rodriguez, "When (Booth) originally agreed to direct ‘The Glass Menagerie,’ she was not yet scheduled to direct ‘Jesus Christ Superstar GOSPEL.’ . . .  Although Susan made every effort to accommodate and accomplish both projects, she explained to me that she was mistaken in her belief that she could pull both projects off while ‘honoring her commitments to her theater and her family.’"

Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’ve always assumed a director’s job was technically finished once a production opens. ("Superstar" bowed on Jan. 21 and "Menagerie" rehearsals were slated to begin this week.) As someone who questioned where was Booth’s commitment to "her theater" when she bailed from the Alliance’s "Glengarry Glen Ross" two seasons ago – for a gig at the Humana Festival – news of her Aurora "Menagerie" had me preparing to take it all back.

Aside from doing a smashing job of it, Booth’s 2007 "Thom Pain" at Actor’s Express showed a sense of community on her part – the Atlanta community, that is – that I’ve not often felt about her. (Or about her approach to the work, I should say. We’ve never actually met.)  On the one hand, yes, of course, it’s remarkable that the Alliance won the regional Tony Award, or that it sent "The Color Purple" – if not (yet) "Sister Act" or "The Women of Brewster Place" – to Broadway. On the other hand, can someone tell me this: What is a "regional theater," anyway? Is the purpose of the Alliance to serve and support its own region? Is it to feed the theater scene in New York? Both?

Rather than going on with the show under another director, Aurora has substituted "Duets" (featuring Marianne Fraulo and Don Finney).  "Susan and I are meeting to find a suitable time to reschedule ‘The Glass Menagerie’ in the future," Rodriguez writes. "(We) chose together for her to direct, a project for which she has a great passion and a distinct vision. That is the ‘Glass Menagerie’ I wanted to produce and the one I look forward to producing when Susan and I can find a slot in her schedule and ours that works for us all."

Meanwhile, there’s talk that "Superstar" is on the New York track, too, which would explain a lot. If it’s some kind of ongoing work-in-progress, then clearly Booth’s job isn’t over as the director of the show. (Then again, if that's the case, why wouldn’t the Alliance come right out and say it?)

At any rate, better so-called "scheduling conflicts" than the ol’ "creative differences," I suppose. But does this mean we should be holding our breath to see a Booth-directed "Menagerie" at Aurora . . . or her "Superstar" on Broadway?

One person's 'Bravo!' is another's 'Boo!'

Bert Osborne — Fri, 06 Feb 2009 16:37:00 GMT

Oh, I am just so happy for Kate Warner! After five seasons as artistic director at Dad’s Garage – after a prior 10 years as managing director for Theatrical Outfit, and as one of Atlanta’s most prolific "freelance" directors all the while – Warner will be packing it up at the Garage and leaving town altogether in April, when she becomes the new senior artistic director for Boston’s New Repertory Theatre. In my head, I know that it’s a terrific opportunity for Warner, a step up for her, a really big deal, and I’ve no doubt she’ll do a fine job.

Yeah, it’s great for her, but what about the rest of us (which is to say, of course, what about me)? Outside my head – I almost wrote "in my heart," but critics don’t have those, right? – there’s a selfish part of me that doesn’t feel much like celebrating the fact we’re losing one of our better directors. I review Atlanta theater. What happens in Boston stays in Boston. Out of sight, out of mind, to put it rather (yes) heartlessly. Will we ever see her again? What’s to celebrate?

Although I wasn’t always the biggest fan of her work, more recently I’d come to appreciate quite a lot of it. (Whether that means something about her evolution – or mine, perhaps – is another blog . . . .) Her exhilarating "Indulgences" was one of last season’s best productions. So was her sensuous "Skin" the season before that (one of several collaborations with Atlanta playwright Steve Yockey). From the classic drama "One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest" to the zombie musical "Song of the Living Dead" to last fall’s high-school satire "Class," Warner ran the gamut.

Her latest Garage show, "Mojo," opens this week in the troupe’s Top Shelf space, and Warner is also directing next month’s mainstage "B-Team" (opening March 13) – before heading off to Bean-Town. Details are forthcoming about who will now direct this summer’s "Boy Groove," and about whether the company’s Board of Directors might name an interim artistic director to carry through the season until they can find a permanent replacement by next fall.

"I’m very sad to move on but also very proud of how we have raised our audience’s expectations and changed how they go to the theater," Warner says in a press release issued today about her departure. "Most importantly, I’m proud to move on from Dad’s at a time when they are best positioned to take their own work to the next level."

I wish Warner all the best. Really, I do. No less so, just because I feel like sulking a little, too.

Super Bowl party of the week

Mister Friendly — Thu, 05 Feb 2009 18:52:00 GMT

While most of Atlanta watched Super Bowl XLIII with chips and dip, a case of cheap beer and some uninvited dudes chest-bumping each other after every play, your humble Radar correspondent partied it up with an A-list crowd of celebrities, athletes and, yes, a terracotta warrior at the inaugural Stewper Bowl at Luckie Food Lounge. Hosted by Doug and Ryan Stewart, hosts of 790 the Zone’s “2 Live Stews” (Pictured, flanking the aforementioned warrior), the shindig drew the likes of Bone Crusher, Rozonda “Chilli” Thomas, Fantasia, “Project Runway” vet Mychael Knight and former Atlanta Falcons Bob Whitfield and Chuck Smith, who bonded over Crown Royal cocktails, cash giveaways, video games and music by DJ Don Cannon. This was probably the only Super Bowl party at which no one paid attention to Bruce Springsteen, thanks to a halftime lingerie show courtesy of the Blue Corset Co. Score!

Photo by Spark St. Jude

The life aquatic: the Atlanta Boat Show

host — Wed, 21 Jan 2009 18:44:00 GMT

The Atlanta Boat Show cruised into town this past week at the Georgia World Congress Center. Of the many shapes and sizes of nautical craft on display, one thing seemed to remain a constant: the astronomical prices. I guess it's good to know that in these difficult financial times and the potential of Lake Lanier becoming a big mud puddle over the next few years, many Atlantans still feel that all-important need to own the latest and greatest toys for the water.—Jason E Kemp