LA LUNA NUEVA - A festival of Hispanic arts and culture from around the world in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Sponsored by PGE Foundation
Rundgren, IU's ninth Wells Professor, will teach the middle two weeks of a four-week, one-credit hour honors course designed for a maximum of 25 Wells Scholars and Hutton Honors Scholars. The class commences in late October and finishes in mid-November. Co-teaching the class will be IU Professor of Music Glenn Gass -- whose relationship with Rundgren helped make the professorship possible -- and IU Distinguished Professor of Sociology Bernice Pescosolido, who was instrumental in helping to plan the course.
Gass, a professor at IU's world-class Jacobs School of Music, said he sees Rundgren's engagement at IU as the start of a trend in which legendary rock stars share their knowledge with a new generation. Rundgren, who performs frequently, gave a concert at Clowes Memorial Hall at Butler University in Indianapolis on Sept. 11.
'Todd is a treasure trove of memories, knowledge, stories . . .,' Gass said. 'This class is a way for him to celebrate what he's done and allows him to share his experiences with students who really want to hear what he has to say.'
In addition to learning about the culture, politics and economics of the music business, from the 1970s through today, students will visit Professor of Anthropology Nicholas Toth at IU's Stone Age Institute to view some of the earliest tools used for making music.
'I think the students will love it. For us, the appeal of the class is really both Todd and Glenn,' said Professor of Physics Tim Londergan, director of the Wells Scholars Program. Londergan is a self-professed rock 'n' roll fan who has audited three of Gass' courses.
The Rundgren course is currently full with a waiting list, and course auditors/visitors, including IU students not registered for the class, cannot be accommodated.
During his stay in Bloomington, Rundgren will give a public lecture titled 'LONGHAIR: Todd Rundgren on the Beatles Effect' at 7 p.m. Oct. 28 in Ballantine Hall 013. He will also present a Halloween-night recital titled 'CLUSTER: The Birth of the T Chord' at 8 p.m. Oct. 31 in Auer Hall. Both are free and open to the public.
Gass said he asked Rundgren to talk about the Beatles both because of Rundgren's collaborations with various members of the band and because of the window it will provide into his own music. 'If it was going to be 'Todd talks about Todd,' he may have felt awkward,' Gass said. 'By asking him to talk about the Beatles, we can get more insight into his music, too.'
Rundgren's unique associations with the Beatles include a number of covers, participation in the Ringo All-Star Band and co-producing the power pop band Badfinger with George Harrison. When Harrison died, Rundgren did a highly acclaimed version of 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' for a tribute album. In 1980, Rundgren and his then-band Utopia, did a loving sendup of the Beatles (Deface the Music) that Gass calls 'just genius.'
Rundgren is also a longtime Beatles fan who credits Harrison with inventing the 'lead guitar' player, Gass said. 'When Todd was in the band Nazz, he wasn't the lead singer -- he was the lead guitar player -- which in the 50s meant one of the backup musicians. Because of George, lead guitar now means you're one of the band's leaders.'
Glenn Gass
Print-Quality Photo
Gass initially met Rundgren in Hawaii, when Gass and his wife were on sabbatical for a year (and where they spent the past two summers). 'The kids start taking the bus together and the next thing you know, you're going to cookouts at Todd's,' Gass said. 'I quickly learned that everything they said about him was true. He's brilliant, articulate, really interesting -- and interested in things far beyond his own work and even his music. He's just a really engaged human being.'
Rundgren is also known for staying true to his artistic muse. 'He refused to take the easy way out,' Gass said. 'The easy way would have been to do five more songs like 'Hello, It's Me.' He paid a price for that, but in the long run, in 50 years, I think that's why he'll matter more than starts who may have had more hits.'
Rundgren was the highest paid producer of the 1970s, producing bands that ranged from the New York Dolls, The Band and Patti Smith to Meat Loaf, Hall & Oates and Cheap Trick. On Aug. 1, 1981 -- the evening MTV debuted with 'Video Kills the Radio Star' by the Buggles -- Rundgren was ready with his music video for 'Time Heals,' which premiered on MTV the same evening. Always a fan of technology, Rundgren made his music available through online downloads about 10 years before iTunes ('Everyone had dial-up connections then,' Gass commented. 'His fate is always to be just a few years ahead of his time.').
Gass said after the Beatles broke up, he was personally attracted to singer-songwriters like James Taylor, Neil Young, Carole King, Joni Mitchell -- and Todd Rundgren. 'Todd was always one of the best and most interesting performers. Even in those early albums, it was clear he wasn't just a singer-songwriter,' Gass said. At turns, Rundgren played with electric guitar or classical riffs, producing his own double album in 1972, on which he also played all of the instruments.
From the time he met Rundgren in Hawaii, Gass starting thinking of ways to bring the performer to IU. A confluence of events sparked by a Rundgren speaking engagement at DePauw University led to the IU professorship. DePauw's executive director of media relations, Ken Owen, is 'a huge Todd scholar -- Todd to him is like the Beatles to me,' Gass said.
'All of a sudden it went from being a day dream to being a real possibility, and now it's actually happening,' Gass said. 'He really can call himself Professor Rundgren. This is not a gimmick: He is the Wells Professor.'
About the Wells Professorships
The Wells professorships are made possible by gifts from the IU classes of 1941, 1942 and 1963. Previous Wells professors have included the Honorable Helen Suzman, a South African political leader (Class of 1941 Wells Professor in 1993), Sir Malcolm Bradbury, a novelist-screenwriter-critic (Class of 1942 Wells Professor in 1997), and Holocaust scholar Christopher Browning (Class of 1943 Wells Professor in 2003). The most recently appointed Wells Professors were Sir (now Lord) Timothy Garden (Class of 1941 Wells Professor) and artist Robert Colescott (Class of 1943 Wells Professor), both of whom taught at IU in 2004.
The American Theatre Wing announced today that applications are now being accepted for the 2011 Jonathan Larson® Grants. The grants, given annually to honor emerging composers, lyricists and book writers, help to continue Tony® Award-winning composer Jonathan Larson's dream of infusing musical theatre with a contemporary, joyful, urban vitality.
LA LUNA NUEVA - A festival of Hispanic arts and culture from around the world in celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month, Sponsored by PGE Foundation
Freddie Company in association with TKO Entertainment proudly presents the U.S. Premiere of the Japanese musical Freddie the Leaf, written and directed by Takashi Inuishi, conceived by Dr. Shigeaki Hinohara, with music and lyrics by Shoichi Tama and starring popular Japanese film actor, Akira Takarada, and a cast of 21 Japanese teens and children. Freddie the Leaf runs from August 13 - 15, 2010 in a limited engagement at John Jay College's Gerald W. Lynch Theater, located at 899 Tenth Avenue, between 58 and 59 Streets, in NYC. The show officially opens on August 13.
Freddie Company in association with TKO Entertainment proudly presents the U.S. Premiere of the Japanese musical Freddie the Leaf, written and directed by Takashi Inuishi, conceived by Dr. Shigeaki Hinohara, with music and lyrics by Shoichi Tama and starring popular Japanese film actor, Akira Takarada, and a cast of 21 Japanese teens and children. Freddie the Leaf runs from August 13 - 15, 2010 in a limited engagement at John Jay College's Gerald W. Lynch Theater, located at 899 Tenth Avenue, between 58 and 59 Streets, in NYC. The show officially opens on August 13.
Of the 25 plays to be presented in Theater for the New City's upcoming 'Dream Up Festival' August 8 to September 5 (www.dreamupfestival.org), one in particular indicates the expansion of TNC into the international arena.
Paul Roseby, Artistic Director of the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, today announced the company's 2010 season, entitled ‘The Five Elements', which will include a re-working of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Shanghai Expo, a 600-strong cast of young actors swarming around London, a new play about the superstar Victorian chef Alexis Soyer, and a new work from Rebecca Lenkiewicz about a female pop star in Afghanistan.
Freddie Company in association with TKO Entertainment proudly presents the U.S. Premiere of the Japanese musical Freddie the Leaf, written and directed by Takashi Inuishi, conceived by Dr. Shigeaki Hinohara, with music and lyrics by Shoichi Tama and starring popular Japanese film actor, Akira Takarada, and a cast of 21 Japanese teens and children. Freddie the Leaf runs from August 13 - 15, 2010 in a limited engagement at John Jay College's Gerald W. Lynch Theater, located at 899 Tenth Avenue, between 58 and 59 Streets, in NYC.
Shadow Theatre Company present A CHANGE HAS COME, REMEMBER THE DREAM, on Saturdays and Sundays from July 9th to the 24th at 7PM. The production is presented in collaboration with Maxwell Theatrical, Inc. The Shadow Theatre is located on 1468 Dayton St. in Aurora. Tickets are $20.
Freddie Company in association with TKO Entertainment proudly presents the U.S. Premiere of the Japanese musical Freddie the Leaf, written and directed by Takashi Inuishi, conceived by Dr. Shigeaki Hinohara, with music and lyrics by Shoichi Tama and starring popular Japanese film actor, Akira Takarada, and a cast of 21 Japanese teens and children. Freddie the Leaf runs from August 13 - 15, 2010 in a limited engagement at John Jay College's Gerald W. Lynch Theater, located at 899 Tenth Avenue, between 58 and 59 Streets, in NYC. The show officially opens on August 13.
Paul Roseby, Artistic Director of the National Youth Theatre of Great Britain, today announced the company's 2010 season, entitled ‘The Five Elements', which will include a re-working of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Shanghai Expo, a 600-strong cast of young actors swarming around London, a new play about the superstar Victorian chef Alexis Soyer, and a new work from Rebecca Lenkiewicz about a female pop star in Afghanistan.
Taking a page from the High School Musical songbook, Executive Producers James Brolin and Dr. William Lewis, alongside Producer Diane Kirman, will soon present the 'Junior High School Musical' equivalent in the soon-to-be-released Standing Ovation family film. A positive tale of perseverance and passion, Standing Ovation arrives in theaters on July 16, 2010, featuring 20 original songs and 13 never-before-seen dance numbers that showcase a cast of talented young newcomers as they learn the importance of loyalty, friendship and family on a journey to fulfilling their dreams. Featuring actors, singers, songwriters, dancers, gymnasts and musicians from Philadelphia, Atlantic City and the surrounding areas, Standing Ovation reveals the undiscovered talent and drive of the East Coast's youth. Every cast member has their own success story to tell that embodies the Standing Ovation message to all young people who have a similar dream, 'If you are a Wannabe, then you Gonnabe!'
The American Theatre Wing announced today that applications are now being accepted for the 2011 Jonathan Larson® Grants. The grants, given annually to honor emerging composers, lyricists and book writers, help to continue Tony® Award-winning composer Jonathan Larson's dream of infusing musical theatre with a contemporary, joyful, urban vitality.
Of the 25 plays to be presented in Theater for the New City's upcoming 'Dream Up Festival' August 8 to September 5 (www.dreamupfestival.org), one in particular indicates the expansion of TNC into the international arena.
Shadow Theatre Company present A CHANGE HAS COME, REMEMBER THE DREAM, on Saturdays and Sundays from July 9th to the 24th at 7PM. The production is presented in collaboration with Maxwell Theatrical, Inc. The Shadow Theatre is located on 1468 Dayton St. in Aurora. Tickets are $20.
Shadow Theatre Company present A CHANGE HAS COME, REMEMBER THE DREAM, on Saturdays and Sundays from July 9th to the 24th at 7PM. The production is presented in collaboration with Maxwell Theatrical, Inc. The Shadow Theatre is located on 1468 Dayton St. in Aurora. Tickets are $20.
Shadow Theatre Company present A CHANGE HAS COME, REMEMBER THE DREAM, on Saturdays and Sundays from July 9th to the 24th at 7PM. The production is presented in collaboration with Maxwell Theatrical, Inc. The Shadow Theatre is located on 1468 Dayton St. in Aurora. Tickets are $20.
Taking a page from the High School Musical songbook, Executive Producers James Brolin and Dr. William Lewis, alongside Producer Diane Kirman, will soon present the 'Junior High School Musical' equivalent in the soon-to-be-released Standing Ovation family film. A positive tale of perseverance and passion, Standing Ovation arrives in theaters on July 16, 2010, featuring 20 original songs and 13 never-before-seen dance numbers that showcase a cast of talented young newcomers as they learn the importance of loyalty, friendship and family on a journey to fulfilling their dreams. Featuring actors, singers, songwriters, dancers, gymnasts and musicians from Philadelphia, Atlantic City and the surrounding areas, Standing Ovation reveals the undiscovered talent and drive of the East Coast's youth. Every cast member has their own success story to tell that embodies the Standing Ovation message to all young people who have a similar dream, 'If you are a Wannabe, then you Gonnabe!'
Thrillpeddlers will present a production of a revival of the 1972 Cockettes musical extravaganza Hot Greeks, an original musical by Martin Worman and Richard 'Scrumbly' Koldewyn. This show is part of our 3rd annual Theatre of the Ridiculous Revival, which will play in repertory with performances of the long-running hit musical Pears Over Shanghai. Originally produced as a Nocturnal Dream Show and performed at midnight at the Palace Theatre in Chinatown in San Francisco, Hot Greeks was the fabled & fabulous Cockettes' only other scripted book musical besides Pearls Over Shanghai. Hot Greeks is directed by Russell Blackwood, and original Cockette and composer Richard 'Scrumbly' Koldewyn serves as Musical Director. The cast includes SF favorite Connie Champagne, and Thrillpeddlers stalwarts Birdie-Bob Watt, and the ever luminescent Michael Soldier as Lysistrata.
Thrillpeddlers will present a production of a revival of the 1972 Cockettes musical extravaganza Hot Greeks, an original musical by Martin Worman and Richard 'Scrumbly' Koldewyn. This show is part of our 3rd annual Theatre of the Ridiculous Revival, which will play in repertory with performances of the long-running hit musical Pears Over Shanghai. Originally produced as a Nocturnal Dream Show and performed at midnight at the Palace Theatre in Chinatown in San Francisco, Hot Greeks was the fabled & fabulous Cockettes' only other scripted book musical besides Pearls Over Shanghai. Hot Greeks is directed by Russell Blackwood, and original Cockette and composer Richard 'Scrumbly' Koldewyn serves as Musical Director. The cast includes SF favorite Connie Champagne, and Thrillpeddlers stalwarts Birdie-Bob Watt, and the ever luminescent Michael Soldier as Lysistrata.
Previews will begin today at Virginia's Signature Theatre for the world premiere musical Sycamore Trees written by Ricky Ian Gordon, the award-winning composer of the opera The Grapes of Wrath and the musicals Dream True and My Life with Albertine. A starry Broadway cast portrays Gordon's own family story - complete with a tough Bronx-born father and former 'Borscht Belt' singer/comedian mother - in a tale of two generations' struggles and triumphs in the decades from World War II through the 1990s.
Signature Theatre, the current recipient of the Tony Award® for Regional Theatre, presents the world premiere musical Sycamore Trees by Ricky Ian Gordon, composer of the acclaimed opera The Grapes of Wrath and the OBIE Award-winning Orpheus and Euridice, as well as the musicals My Life with Albertine and Dream True.
Come join us every Friday and Saturday from 11PM-2AM for our piano lounge. No cover, no minimum!
Come join us every Friday and Saturday from 11PM-2AM for our piano lounge. No cover, no minimum!
| 1997 | Broadway |
Original Broadway Production Broadway |
| Year | Ceremony | Category | Nominee |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1997 | Tony Awards | Best Choreography | Wayne Cilento |
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