PSA: Kith and Kin Auditioning for their Music and a Movie Series!

AUDITIONS: Music & a Movie info here: But no dawdling because the deadline is March 31st, 2023.

Seeking an ensemble of performers to bring the music of Beetlejuice, Hairspray, and La La Land to life this summer in the interactive screenings of popular movies during Kith & Kin Theatre Collective’s Music & a Movie series. The series rehearses and performs at Inspiration Studios.

If interested, please send the following to kithandkintheatre@gmail.com:

– One-minute cut performing a musical theatre song, with a backing track or accompaniment (no a Capella)

– Headshot and Resume

– Audition form

– (If interested in La La Land) Dance cut video. Dance cut begins at the one minute mark of “Another Day of Sun”

Audition Materials: https://drive.google.com/drive/folders/1CTP61XRRZTHOiy7LxIa5dlbqph2ZVqFp?usp=share_link

Please note that a) actors can be considered for more than one show, b) performance tracks in the screenings are not bound traditionally by character tracks from the shows, and c) actors are expected to be available for all rehearsal dates for their selected show.

Dates:

Beetlejuice: May 15th – 18th, directed by Anastasia Esther, music directed by Jim Van Deusen

Hairspray: June 5th – 8th, directed by Adrianna Jones, music directed by Jim Van Deusen

La La Land: August 14th – 17th, directed by Carmen Castello, music directed by Jim Van Deusen

PSA: Kith And Kin: Looking For Musical Directors For Their New Music & A Movie Series!

SEEKING DIRECTORS: MUSIC & A MOVIE

Currently seeking directors for our Music & a Movie series! Low-commitment, high fun! A screening of a movie-turned-musical paired with performances of songs from the show. All screenings run at Inspiration Studios.

Rehearsals are limited – directors with music experience are preferred. The quick turnaround is designed to accommodate artists who are often too busy for a whole rehearsal process, who would like to experience this bootcamp-esque musical workshop.

BEETLEJUICE: Rehearses May 15-17, performs Thursday, May 18

HAIRSPRAY: Rehearses June 5-7, performs Thursday, June 8

LA LA LAND: Rehearses August 14-16, performs Thursday, August 17

We are open to different styles of integrating the music into the evening – come with your ideas! A different director may be selected for each, or one for the series.

Please send a resume and shows of interest to kithandkintheatre@gmail.com to be considered. Deadline to apply is Sunday, February 26th.

Brett Morgen’s ‘Moonage Daydream’, a David Bowie documentary.

Some life events have been keeping me away from any number of arts activities that I had planned attending this summer and fall…but last night I made a spur of the moment decision to grab some Ed time and went to see Brett Morgen’s Moonage Daydream at the Avalon Theater. This is a documentary about David Bowie, but all of the film is based on actual videos and interviews of Bowie…not talking heads…no contemporaries reminiscing…just David Bowie.

First, the visuals are simply breathtaking, spectacular, and mesmerizing. Morgen has started with a base of archival David Bowie music videos, live concert performances, interviews, bits from his movie appearances, and some incredible bits from his Broadway performance in ‘The Elephant Man’. And then he’s deftly woven in other media snippets that illustrate or augment the story. So you will see things like bits from Metropolis, Pink Floyd’s The Wall, The Matrix, any number of B level Sci-Fi films, and of all people Fred Astaire!

And Second, the soundtrack (Tony Visconti helped with the music) will certainly meet the expectations of everyone who attends the film. It’s a great selection of Bowie tunes, as I said above, from his videos and performances, and a few just as part of the soundtrack! And the Avalon had the sound UP at the appropriate level!

Third? There were about a half dozen times that the audio didn’t work. At times, excerpts from a Bowie Interview was presented as a voice over with an underlying bit of one of his songs running underneath and at times, a third underlying bed of street noise, crowd noise, or industrial sounds. The result of these three tiers of sound devolves to din or cacophony and Bowie’s voice is just lost in the mix. Really a sad state since most of the interview bits were very interesting and good examples of his aesthetic.

And the movie does go beyond his music a bit and talks about his painting and his relationship with Iman. The total gives us a very clear view of the artist and man.

This movie is a must see for every Bowie fan. This movie is a must see for any fan or student of the music and culture of the period. And I highly recommend this to anyone just curious about Bowie…you won’t find a better time capsule that Moonage Daydream.

One warning: because of the loud soundtrack, bright colors, quick cuts, and rapid scenes, this might be triggering for some people.

and I just want to add one more thing. I think that this is the version used in the movie, but it’s where I want to end toay: