This week’s Best Bets: June 2nd – June 8th begins with new music from South Korea and end with this year’s Tony Awards. Here they are:
SEOUL FESTIVAL – Los Angeles Philharmonic – Los Angeles, CA – June 3rd – June 10th
With movies like Parasite and Snowpiercer (which got adapted into a popular television series) and the massively popular Squid Game, South Korean artists have been breaking out onto international stages.
The Los Angeles Philharmonic launches a festival this week that will allow composers and other artists a chance to do the same. Their Seoul Festival is curated by composer Unsuk Chin. Her Gougalōn – Scenes from a street theatre, has its West Coast Premiere in the first concert on Tuesday, June 3rd.
Also on that program are works by Juri Seo, Sun-Young Pahg, Yie-Eun Chun (the world premiere of her Violin Concerto) and the world premiere of reflective – silky and rough by Dongjin Bae.
The second concert is on Friday, June 6th and features three world premieres: Clockworks and Fireeworks by Sunghyun Lee, H’on by Kay Kyurim Rhie and Viola Concerto “Ko-Oh” by Texu Kim. Pianist Sunwook Kim closes out the concert with a performance of the Brahms Piano Concerto. No. 1. (His work figures prominently in the remaining concerts.)
The third concert has two performances on Saturday June 7th and Sunday June 8th. They open with the world premiere of Spring Will Come Again by Whan Ri-Ahn. That is followed by the West Coast premiere of Unsuk Chin’s Clarinet Concerto. The program closes with the Brahms Double Concerto featuring soloist Inmo Yang and Jaemin Jan.
The final concert is on Tuesday, June 10th and features the Novus String Quartet along with new young artists starting to make a name for themselves. The program is all Western music: Debussy’s Cello Sonata; Schoenberg’s Intermezzo from String Quartet in D major; Brahms’s Clarinet Quintet in B minor and Schumann’s Piano Quintet in E-flat Major.
For tickets and more information, click on the dates above.
ALICE’S ADVENTURES IN WONDERLAND – Joffrey Ballet – Lyric Opera House = Chicago, IL – June 5th – June 22nd
Christopher Wheeldon’s ballet had its world premiere in 2011 by The Royal Ballet. For the first time it is being performed by the Joffrey Ballet in Chicago. They are the first US company to perform this ballet.
It is, of course, based on Lewis Carroll’s novel about the young girl who goes down a rabbit hole and has the strangest adventures with a White Rabbitt, the Cheshire Cat, a Mad Hatter, a March Hare and a Queen who wants Alice to lose her head.
The music was composed by Joby Talbot and the costumes and set design are by Bob Crowley.
Dancing the role of Alice will be Amanda Assucena, Anais Bueno, Gayeon Jung and Jeraldine Mendoza. Dancing the dual role Carroll/White Rabbit at Stefan Gonçalvez, Dylan Gutierrez and Zachary Manske. Dancing the role of Mother/Queen of Hearts are Anais Bueno, Lucia Connolly, Olivia Dureya and Victoria Jaiani. Dancing the roles of Magician/Mad Hatter are Edson Barbosa and Jonathan Dole. Dancing the roles of Jack/Knave of Hearts are Jose Pablo Castro Cuevas, Stefan Gonçalvez, Hyuma Kiyosawa and Albert Velazquez.
For tickets, casting and more information, please go HERE.
BEAU THE MUSICAL – Out of the Box Theatrics/Theatre 154 – New York, NY – June 6th – June 27th
The importance of grandparents cannot be overstated. But imagine if you had believed your grandfather to be dead, only to learn that he was, in fact, alive. That’s part of the premise of this musical from lyricist, book writer, creator and co-composer Douglas Lyons and composer Ethan D. Pakchar.
When Ace Baker (Matt Rodin) finds out the truth about his grandfather, Beau (Chris Blisset), he uncovers many a family secret and learns the joys of music when Beau shows him the power of music by giving him a guitar.
Lyons is one of our top writers, so this musical is bound to be interesting.
Josh Rhodes directs. The company also includes Amelia Cormack, Andrea Goss, Cory Jeacoma, Miyuki Miyagi, Derek J. Stoltenberg and Matt Wolpe.
For tickets and more information, please go HERE.
OPENING NIGHT AT THE BOWL: AN EVENING WITH HUGH JACKMAN – Hollywood Bowl – Los Angeles, CA – June 7th
Summer isn’t truly summer in Los Angeles until the Hollywood Bowl season begins. Thankfully that means summer starts this weekend with Hugh Jackman headlining the opening night.
It is likely that much of this concert will be similar to the shows he’s been doing at Radio City Musical Hall and elsewhere. If that holds true, audiences will get several songs by Pasek & Paul (who wrote the songs for The Greatest Showman); Peter Allen (whom Jackman appeared as in the musical The Boy From Oz) and there will probably be trouble in River City and Hollywood if he doesn’t perform songs from The Music Man.
Thomas Wilkins conducts the Hollywood Bowl Orchestra. They will be joined by Members of YOLA (Youth Orchestra of Los Angeles.)
For tickets and more information, please go HERE.
THE 78th ANNUAL TONY AWARDS – CBS/Paramount+ – June 8th at 8:00 PM ET/5:00 PM PT
Cynthia Erivo is the host for this year’s Tony Awards broadcast live from Radio City Musical Hall.
Performances from the following musicals will be part of the show: Buena Vista Social Club, Dead Outlaw, Death Becomes Her, Floyd Collins, Gypsy, Just in Time, Maybe Happy Ending, Operation Mincemeat: A New Musical; Pirates! The Penzance Musical, Real Women Have Curves and Sunset Blvd.
There will also be a celebration of the 10th anniversary of Hamilton with many of the original cast members performing.
Who will win this year? I think it will be a big night for Cole Escola and Oh, Mary! I also think Maybe Happy Ending is going to leave with multiple awards. I’m personally rooting for Gypsy to have a great evening, particularly Audra McDonald. Not that she needs another Tony Award, but she deserves one for the absolutely stunning performance she gives.
Harvey Fierstein and Celia Keenan-Bolger are amongst those receiving special honors this year.
There will also be a pre-show at 6:40 PM ET/3:40 PM PT on PlutoTV hosted by Tony nominee Darren Criss and Tony Award-winner Renée Elise Goldsberry.
That’s all for Best Bets: June 2nd – June 8th.
Have a great week and go see a show!
Main Photo: The Tony Awards (Photo courtesy Getty Images for Tony Awards Productions)