Convos Stories

September 20, 2018

‘Frankenstein’ production will address key morality question as part of Purdue’s Ideas Festival

September 25, 2018 ‘Frankenstein’ production will address key morality question as part of Purdue’s Ideas Festival WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. –  The Aquila Theatre’s production of “Frankenstein,” will be performed at Purdue University and address a key morality question: “Just because...

September 14, 2018

The inspiration for Les Violons du Roy upcoming performance

This ensemble gives contemporary audiences their most authentic comparison to chamber music as initially heard by monarchs and their courtiers. Here, they are joined by acclaimed countertenor Anthony Roth Costanzo—performing Handel arias and Glass songs in a collaboration Le Soleil...

September 7, 2018

The journey behind Alfredo Rodriguez’s “The Little Dream”

Humble Beginnings “The Little Dream,” the title track of Cuban pianist and composer Alfredo Rodríguez’s fourth studio album (Mack Avenue Records), gently builds into an uplifting statement – one that reflects the hope children hold in building a brighter future,...

September 5, 2018

Creating a big production number

Night after night on Broadway, the fifth number in the hit show Something Rotten! earns an early standing ovation. It’s called “A Musical”, sung by unreliable soothsayer Thomas Nostradamus as he explains to baffled Elizabethan-era writer Nick Bottom what the...

September 5, 2018

Q&A with “Something Rotten!” associate director Steve Bebout

Q – Can you take me back to when you started working on the big show-stopping number “A Musical”? A – I work with Casey [Nicholaw, director & choreographer], and he has an associate choreographer John MacInnis as well. And...

September 4, 2018

Q&A with “Something Rotten!” director and choreographer Casey Nicholaw

Q – What made you decide to say yes to Something Rotten!? Was it because of Kevin McCollum’s [producer] involvement and the potential you saw in the material? A – It sort of started with Kevin, just because of our...

September 4, 2018

Q&A with “Something Rotten!’s” Karey Kirkpatrick (Book, Music & Lyrics) and John O’Farrell (Book)

Q – Can you talk about the initial idea/concept? K – I think it was a series of conversations that happened over a series of meetings, Christmas dinners, since Wayne [Kirkpatrick, Karey’s brother] and I don’t live in the same town. We...

September 4, 2018

Q&A with “Something Rotten!” music and lyricist Wayne Kirkpatrick

Q – You and Karey [Kirkpatrick, Wayne’s brother] had this initial idea 20 years ago. Can you remember how it surfaced? A – We wish we could. It was such an organic process. We were in musical theater in high...

September 4, 2018

Creating an original musical in “Something Rotten!”

Something Rotten!, the Tony Award-nominated show that’s touring the country this season, is an increasing rarity among Broadway musicals: it’s a completely original work not based on a movie, play, book or other source material. The show originated from an...

September 4, 2018

The silly songs of “Something Rotten!”

Something Rotten! is brimming with countless references from some of the most beloved modern musicals throughout history. Jazz hands out! Below is a list of just some of our favorites from the show-stopping number “A Musical”.  “Some musicals have no...

September 4, 2018

Creating the completely new Broadway musical “Something Rotten!”

Most Broadway newcomers don’t get their first show produced by Tony Award-winner Kevin McCollum, and they don’t typically land Tony-winner Casey Nicholaw as their director-choreographer. But brothers Karey and Wayne Kirkpatrick and British comedy writer John O’Farrell, the creators of...

September 4, 2018

Get to know Argus Quartet

Argus Quartet is made up of Jason Issokson & Clara Kim, violins, Dana Kelley, viola, and Joann Whang, cello. First Prize, 2017 Concert Artists Guild Competition First Prize, M-Prize Chamber Arts Competition Praised for playing with “supreme melodic control and...