The Angel City Chorale 20th Anniversary Concerts will feature the West Coast premiere of Grammy Award-winning composer Christopher Tin’s Calling All Dawns.  In addition to performing Tin’s highly acclaimed three-movement piece, which celebrates the circle of life in 12 languages, ACC will also perform “The Best of ACC,” highlighting much-loved and crowd-favorite songs from the choir’s 20-year history.  The Greatest Hits portion of the program will include performances of Randy Newman’s Louisiana and Toto’s Africa with a choir-created thunderstorm.  Conducted by ACC Founder and Artistic Director Sue Fink, the concerts will be held at the historic Wilshire United Methodist Church.

Tin’s Calling All Dawns saw its East Coast premiere in April at Lincoln Center.  Hailed by critics as a masterpiece, the song cycle includes songs of joy, mystery, sorrow, hardship and triumph – reflecting the complexity of our mortality.  Calling All Dawns contains 12 pieces in three uninterrupted movements – Day, Night and Dawn – corresponding to life, death and rebirth.  Sung in 12 languages, from Swahili to Polish, French to Farsi, the lyrics are sourced from diverse texts including The Torah, Bhagavad Gita, The Rubaiyat of Omar Khayyam, Japanese haiku and Maori proverbs.  Vocal traditions include African choral music, opera, medieval chant, Irish keening and more.

Tin’s debut album, Calling All Dawns, won two Grammys at the 53rd Grammy Awards for Best Classical Crossover Album and Best Instrumental Arrangement Accompanying Vocalists for the song “Baba Yetu,” which made history as the first video game theme to win a Grammy.  The song was originally composed in 2005 for the theme song to the Civilization IV video game.

Performing with the choir during the first half of the concert, for Calling All Dawns, will be an expanded orchestral ensemble with strings, French horn, flute, oboe, harp, piano and five percussionists.  In the second half of the concert, during ACC’s Greatest Hits, the choir will be accompanied by the ensemble’s stellar rhythm section.

Angel City Chorale was formed by Fink in 1993 at McCabe’s Guitar Shop with 18 singers. Today, with more than 160 members, ACC performs a diverse selection of music, including classical, jazz, folk, gospel, and rhythm and blues.

The Angel City Chorale 20th Anniversary Concerts will be held June 1 and 2 at Wilshire United Methodist Church, 4350 Wilshire Blvd., LA 90010.  The audience is invited to join the performers for a dessert reception after each performance.  General admission tickets are $30 in advance for adults, $27 for seniors and $22 for children.  For additional information about ACC, upcoming performances or tickets, call (310) 943-9231 or visit www.angelcitychorale.org.

Photo by Sandra Simon/Graphoart.com

Billed as 15 genres, eight musicians and 30 performers in a once-a-year extravaganza, “THE SHOW” will immerse audiences in a passionate display of live music and dance vignettes at King King in Hollywood May 20-23.

Sascha Escandon and Carolina Cerisola are the founders of Floor Productions and creators and directors of “THE SHOW.” They co-produce with Mario Melendez, whose nightclub venue is the dynamic setting for “THE SHOW.”

The overall mission of “THE SHOW” is to provide a respectful and creative platform where top-notch artists can pour their hearts out and create a visceral experience for audiences. Floor Productions also organizes “THE FLOOR Improv Night,” a monthly jam session dedicated to the magic of improvisation between musicians and dancers, and makes the cultural arts accessible to disadvantaged youth through its 501 c(3) non-profit organization, OPEN FLOOR SOCIETY.

Musical Director Carlos Rodgarman (Juan Gabriel, La India, Christopher Young) has composed all original music for “THE SHOW” and leads an eight-piece all-star band whose combined resumes include Stevie Wonder, “American Idol,” Christina Aguilera, George Lopez, “Tonight Show,” Jordin Sparks, Andy Garcia’s CineSon All-Stars and more.

The dancers are world travelers whose genres range from tap to cabaret, poppin’ to ballet, capoeira to samba, and many more in between! Their talents have been featured in a large variety of movies, commercials, music videos and TV shows like “Dancing With the Stars” and the Academy Awards, as well as performances on stage with the likes of Madonna, Lady Gaga, Black Eyed Peas, Pink and Broadway’s “Fela!” just to name a few.

Doors open at 8 p.m., and the show starts at 9 p.m. King King, 6555 Hollywood Blvd., Hollywood, kingkinghollywood.com. For more information and tickets, visit thefloorproductions.com.

Lloyd Pedersen, Bert Emmett, Evan L.Smith / Photo by Sherry Netherland

Considering the proliferation of hostage-taking all over the world, from opportunistic drug lords in Latin America to militant groups in the Middle East and Africa, it doesn’t take much to identify with the characters of “Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me.” The Group Rep’s revival of Frank McGuinness’ Tony-nominated play etches the lives of three men locked up indefinitely by Islamic militants in 1980s Beirut.

Chained in a cell together, an American doctor, an Irish journalist and an English professor have little in common but their fate as pawns in world politics. They also have no one but each other. So cut off are they from the world that day and night are indistinguishable. For these men, time moves slowly, tedium is a daily test, uncertainty is torture, and despair will kill.

Director Gregg T. Daniel’s staging never bores, which is a feat, considering the limits of three men chained in a single small room. He’s created some deeply felt dramatic moments. In the best of all worlds, equally skillful attention given to some of the quieter moments would heighten tension and add nuance.

McGuinness’ wonderful characters have as much to say about the differences between the men as the commonality of their plight. At the beginning of the play, Adam, the American doctor, is following an exercise routine, determined to stay fit in all ways as he defies his captors’ efforts to “break him.” Evan L. Smith imbues Adam with an underlying disbelief that grows more feverish as despair sets in. At one point he cries out, “I am an American,” a mantra that surely seals his fate.

Bert Emmett’s Irish journalist begins full of sauce, and it’s admirable to watch as Emmett drains him of it and refills him with a selfless love for his companions. Lloyd Pedersen never makes the English professor prissy or annoying even as he compulsively folds and refolds the same two articles of clothing.

The cramped cell in which the men are kept is vividly bleak and dirty, thanks to design by Gary Lee Reed and lighting by Kim Smith. Elizabeth Nankin’s costumes convincingly mark the passing of time and the deterioration of the men’s condition.

Sound design by Steve Shaw is excellent, although I question how some of it serves the play. At the beginning of the play and before the second act, the audience is treated to sounds supposedly from the streets of Beirut. In addition, sound is used to “set the mood” at various points. Both uses of sound are more cinematic than theatrical. The characters cannot hear the sounds of the street. If they could, they’d know when it’s day and when it’s night. Such use of sound tends to separate us from them rather than invite us into their world. And the theater audience, which is in the moment with the characters, doesn’t need to be prepped as to how to feel by a soundtrack.

All in all, this is an excellent and moving production filled with deep emotion, humanity and, thankfully, comedy. We’d all like to believe we’d fare as well as these men under similar circumstances.

—Beverly Lafontaine, Culture Spot LA

The Group Rep’s revival of “Someone Who’ll Watch Over Me” continues through June 2 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre, 10900 Burbank Blvd., North Hollywood 91601. Show times are Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m., Sunday at 2 p.m. Talk-back after Sunday matinee on May 19. For tickets and information, call (818) 763-5990 or visit http://www.thegrouprep.com.

The inspiration of the musicians was to portray a vision of Miles Davis’ dreams.  Miller told us that Miles would never look back, so the group decided to create his dream of the future using loosely organized themes taken from throughout Davis’ career.  The tunes were sequential, but not tied to an historic timeline, and included dreamy swatches of familiar Davis repertoire magically spun from a collective improvisation.

Jones could be the next-generation Miles Davis.  His technique was like nothing I have ever heard — the range, the intensity, the control of his instrument, even on the most iconoclastic statements.  His boasts, his whimpers, his pointillist accents expressed an emphatic simpatico.  “Directions” rocked.  Jones’ searing energy and incredible technique created sounds that require superhuman skills.  His expressionist displays appeared effortless.  He has a special talent, and throughout the night I was mesmerized by his ability and the pure affect he portrayed.

Colaiuta was fascinating to watch.  His energy was boundless, and the ever-varying array of percussive nuance was extraordinary.  He would move from stick, to mallet, to his bare hands in a matter of beats, and he could also be deliberate and strong with tight, precise, focused timing.  His synchrony to the soloist was deeply perceptual, sometimes uncanny.

Miller was the leader of the project, and usually set the tempos and grooves from his bass.  The treatment of Miles’ 1956 “Walkin’” made a great application of the performance philosophy — a dream of Miles looking forward.  With “Footprints,” he and Hancock turned over some nice moments together.  The bass was a whole-body experience; Miller was silky-smooth in his technique and as light on his feet as a dancer.  “In a Silent Way” wound down with Miller playing an extended solo on bass clarinet.  He was quite expressive, and his rubato solo over (under) Hancock’s synthesizer was an unexpected twist.  “Dr. Jackle” featured Colaiuta’s popping tempo, and Miller flaming on his upright acoustic.

Shorter’s tenor saxophone on “All Blues” was especially nice, and just watching him perform was a treat.  His playing was very deliberate as his contributions seamlessly flowed between ensemble, solo and duo.  He could still flash the technique we all know, although more carefully placed, and with an intentionality that was piercing.  His soprano saxophone style was similar, only the urgency was even more noticeable, especially in the high pitch range.   Something in the sound touched you; it focused your attention, almost unexpectedly.   “Someday My Prince Will Come” began with Shorter whistling the familiar theme, and contained some his finest moments of the evening.  This iconic tune, presented in this fashion, in Walt Disney Concert Hall, was really satisfying — just the idea.

Hancock spent much of his time on the grand piano, providing the elegance and sophistication of a language more harmonic.   Even his continuo was totally engaging.  Such mastery of harmony and its movement, coupled with his solo virtuosity, was wonderful to hear.  The synthesizer produced some memorable effects, even using some speech sounds in the mix.  For the encore, Hancock grabbed his keyboard-guitar synthesizer and soloed from front stage.

Bravo on an inspired performance!  A special memory.

~Theodore Bell/Culture Spot LA

Daniela Ruah, James Whitmore, Jr. and Dustin Seavey in “Proof” / Photo by Aliah Whitmore

Whitmore Eclectic mounts David Auburn’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play “Proof” at the Hayworth Theatre for a limited engagement.

“Proof” centers on Catherine, a possibly brilliant mathematician who may or may not have inherited her father Robert’s mathematical genius and/or his mental illness. Putting her own college education on hold, Catherine has been her father’s caretaker for the last five years.  He has long bouts of madness with intermittent spurts of sanity.  Catherine justifiably (or not) resents her older sister Claire who gets to live her own life in New York, all the while paying the many bills to support the unemployed Catherine and their demented patriarch in Chicago.

Present-day action takes place around Robert’s funeral, with flashbacks to various periods of time Catherine has had real conversations with her father alive (as opposed to imaginary conversations with him as an apparition).

“NCIS: Los Angeles’” Daniela Ruah has the unenviable task of making Catherine sympathetic enough to want to spend almost two hours in a theater with her.  James Whitmore, Jr. plays Robert as an oft-times lovable oaf with spells of intellectual virtuosity amidst his frequent states of confusion.  As Robert’s protégé Hal, Dustin Seavey succeeds in conveying his enthusiastic determination to uncover the significance in his mentor’s writings. Seavey also nails the geekiness in his so un-slick seducing of Catherine. Aliah Whitmore imbues Claire with just the right blend of sisterly concern and frustration with the ever-pendulant, combative Catherine. Whitmore also doubles as director, directing her two leads to perform their lengthy speeches with high intensity and volume.

Verbal references to the time of day made throughout the play seem to be the only way to determine the time of day in the detailed backyard set because lighting never changes. Curiously, a front door to the house and a kitchen door both lead to the backyard, with a skull-encrusted tree inexplicably standing on the side of the backyard. There are no attempts in technical production to telegraph present vs. flashbacks either.

—Gil Kaan, Culture Spot LA

Performances continue through May 12 at the Hayworth Theatre, 2511 Wilshire Blvd., LA 90057. Show times are Saturdays at 8 p.m., Sundays at 3 p.m., Thursday May 9 at 8 p.m., Fridays May 3 & 10 at 8 p.m. For tickets, www.whitmoreeclectic.com or (818) 826-3609.

With a motto of “Jobs not Jails,” Father Boyle built this successful non-profit institution from scratch. Though it faces enormous financial challenges each month, Homeboy Industries and its thriving Homegirl Café offer not only a refuge but a life-changing environment that puts young people on a new path in life. And it has become a global model for turning kids away from gang life and toward a future of hope. Father Boyle’s book “Tattoos on the Heart” is a New York Times Bestseller and PEN USA Winner for Best Creative Nonfiction.

“G-DOG” was voted one of the Audience Favorites in the People’s Choice Awards at its world premiere at Toronto’s Hot Docs International Festival, the Aspen Film Festival and the San Luis Obispo International Film Festival. The film had its U.S. premiere at the Los Angeles Film Festival. “G-DOG” was selected by the U.S. State Department as one of 25 films for its American Film Showcase this year to tour U.S. Embassies around the world for cultural diplomacy.

“G-DOG” will screen at the following Los Angeles-area locations on Thursday, April 25, at 7:30 p.m. and Saturday, April 27, at 11 a.m.: Laemmle Claremont, Laemmle Monica, Laemmle NoHo, Laemmle Playhouse in Pasadena and Laemmle Town Center in Encino. “G-DOG” will also be opening at two additional Southern California locations in Palm Desert and San Diego.

Every screening begins with a three-minute short film from GE FOCUS FORWARD and is followed by a pre-taped Q&A with Mock. Father Boyle will participate in a Q&A following the 7:30 p.m. premiere screening on Thursday, April 25, at Laemmle Santa Monica.

For more information, visit http://gdogthemovie.com and http://www.newvideo.com/docurama/g-dog/.

UPDATE: “G-DOG” will continue with screenings at 11 a.m. on Saturday, May 11, and Sunday, May 12, in the Los Angeles area at Laemmle Claremont and Laemmle Monica and in Pasadena at Laemmle Playhouse. Filmmaker Freida Mock and/or film subjects will participate in a Q&A following every screening.

The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs examines the controversy of globalization through the rise and fall and resurrection of Apple, illuminating how Apple’s former CEO and his obsessions shape our lives. It follows the trail all the way to China to investigate the factories where millions toil to make iPhones and iPads, shining a light on the very human price we pay for our high-tech toys. After it was discovered by NPR’s Ira Glass that Daisey had embellished, for dramatic effect, certain events related as fact, the author revised and updated the material and released his script into the public domain. “Version 2.0,” adapted and performed by Lyras, packs an even more powerful punch.

The Agony and the Ecstasy of Steve Jobs continues through June 5, with performances on Wednesdays at 8 p.m. on April 10; May 15, 22 and 29; and June 5 (dark on April 17 and 24 and on May 1 and 8). There will be one Sunday performance, on April 28 at 7 p.m. General admission is $20; full-time students with ID and seniors are $15. Theatre Asylum is located at 6320 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood 90038 (1½ blocks west of Vine). For reservations and information, call (800) 838-3006 or visit http://agonyecstasy.brownpapertickets.com/.

Brian T. Finney in "Heart of Darkness" at the Actors' Gang / photo courtesy of the Actors' Gang

For all you armchair adventurers out there, here’s a tip: sharpen your machete and hack a path down to the Ivy Substation in Culver City. There, the Actors’ Gang is mounting an extraordinary version of Joseph Conrad’s classic novel Heart of Darkness. Brian T. Finney has adapted the book and performs it as a one-man show (directed by Keythe Farley), inviting theatergoers to accompany him to London, Brussels and, ultimately, the inner reaches of the uncharted Congo. So riveting and immersive is the harrowing journey that, by the end, you may find yourself mopping your brow and swatting imaginary tsetse flies from your forearm.

Finney is good at creating atmosphere. His character is Charlie Marlow, an 1890s riverboat captain who seeks fortune in the heart of Africa. In reminiscence, Marlow tells us the story of how he got to the Congo and what happened to him when he went upriver. While he begins the narrative in measured tones, tensions and passion build as he advances inland.

Finney is gripping as he is seized by paroxysms of near madness during his fateful encounter with Kurtz, the predatory ivory trader who is philosopher, prophet and lunatic all rolled into one. While few are likely to forget Marlon Brando murmuring “…the horror” during his turn as Colonel Kurtz in Apocalypse Now, Finney is equally memorable when momentarily inhabiting his own spooky persona of Kurtz, but adding different shades of meaning compared to the Coppola film.

Effective sound and visuals contribute to the humid and mysterious atmosphere on this journey. Three solitary masts with sails form the set, along with a battered table and chair and a steamer trunk, but these are used inventively, representing different objects at different times, with a pair of costumed helpers moving them in and out of position as needed. The sails form screens for various projections: old maps of Africa, grainy sepia photos and illustrations, clips of flowing water and, ultimately, leaping flames during the climax. Meanwhile, a soundtrack of rhythmic drumming, flowing water and twittering jungle sounds plays in the background, adding to the sense of foreignness and foreboding.

Conrad packed Heart of Darkness with heaping helpings of metaphor, making the book a longtime favorite of English lit teachers everywhere. On the surface, it is about conquest and colonialism, dealing with Belgium’s exploitation of its former colony’s vast resources. It also contrasts the ideas of darkness and lightness; this can refer to many things, from skin color and primitive versus modern societies, to the way we rationalize/whitewash the deeds that emanate from the darkest places of the soul. Finney has wisely avoided making the play into a polemic against Western greed and environmental destruction, instead focusing on the possibilities of how we can respond when confronted with abject horror.

I most appreciated the psychological aspects of the work. Conrad published Heart of Darkness in 1899, a time when intellectual interest in the mysterious realm of the subconscious was percolating throughout fin de siècle Europe. Sigmund Freud published his seminal work Studies on Hysteria in 1895, and it is through this lens that we can see how Conrad was, in his own way, exploring the darkest recesses of the mind. It occurred to me as I watched that Bram Stoker’s Dracula (published two years earlier in 1897) was covering similar psychological ground as presented in the journal of Jonathan Harker, who describes the horrors that follow meeting a charismatic yet gruesome character, very similar to how Marlow experiences Kurtz.

Whatever tributary of meaning you choose to embark upon, this performance of Heart of Darkness takes you to places remote and exciting and a little dangerous. What more could you ask for from an evening at the theater?

—David Maurer, Culture Spot LA

Heart of Darkness continues through June 1 at the Ivy Substation, 9070 Venice Blvd., Culver City 90232. Show times are Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8 p.m. For tickets or information, visit http://theactorsgang.com/ or call (310) 838-4264.

András Schiff / Photo courtesy of LA Phil

On April 17, pianist András Schiff continued his survey of Bach’s complete solo keyboard works at Walt Disney Concert Hall with a performance of the Six French Suites and the French Overture.

Schiff’s program was singular in its organization – so singular, in fact, that the audience was unsure whether to applaud after the end of each piece.  Instead of settling for a shorter program with three French Suites for each half, as a lesser mortal might have done, Schiff completed all six Suites in a marathon first half lasting an hour and a half, and followed with a sizable second half consisting of the French Overture and an extended encore of – surprise! – more Bach.

The performance was quintessential Schiff in many respects – it showcased his thoughtful lyricism, crystal-clear articulation, and even his signature black mandarin-collared suit; however, the most remarkable aspect of Schiff’s performance Wednesday night was his ability to unite these disparate and seemingly unrelated dance movements in a coherent manner.  While it is unlikely that Bach intended for these pieces to be played together, Schiff brought the diverse styles and sentiments of the different Suites together to tell a surprisingly compelling musical story.

The first three of Bach’s French Suites are in the minor key, and Schiff struck a generally somber tone throughout them.  The moods in the dances were at times pensive – particularly during the slower Sarabande movements – and at times more agitated.  The Third French suite in B minor culminated with a lively and slightly turbulent Gigue, and the audience could not resist offering their applause at its dramatic ending.

The Fourth, Fifth and Sixth French Suites are in the major key and possess a warmer disposition; as if to clear the air after the vehement ending of the Third Suite, Schiff started the Allemande of the Fourth Suite in a subdued manner and let the dynamics increase progressively with its rising melodic line.  Letting the energy build up gradually throughout these pieces, Schiff eventually burst into vigorous dance towards the end of the Fourth Suite and maintained this energy throughout the Fifth and Sixth Suites.

For the second half, Schiff played Bach’s French Overture in B minor, essentially an extended French suite with a regal overture at the beginning and a few additional dance movements.  To cap off this Bach marathon, he then encored – to the palpable delight of the audience – with all three movements of Bach’s Italian Concerto in F major.

—Hao Yuan Kueh, Culture Spot LA

Daniel Talbott’s “Slipping,” published by Dramatists Play Service, was named one of the top 10 NYC plays of 2009 by The Advocate, and a 2011 Lambda Literary Award finalist for drama. Considered one of off-Broadway’s most respected companies, the OBIE Award-winning Rattlestick Playwrights Theater is proud to be presenting its first Los Angeles production.

Culture Spot LA readers can see “Slipping” for free! Email editor@culturespotla.com with your choice of date and show time for a chance to win a pair of tickets. Performances continue through May 5 at the Lillian Theatre in Hollywood. Read our review for further information about the show, location and more.