Arts In The City
IDOLS ON BROADWAY
Television’s American Idols
are proving that you can make
it big after reality TV. First
Carrie Underwood won
twice at the Grammy’s. Then
Jennifer Hudson took home
Oscar gold. Now, Fantastia
Barrino, winner of “American
Idol’s” third season, is headed
to Broadway. Starting April, 10,
Barrino is slated to star as Celie
in the “Color Purple” at the
Broadway Theater, with fellow
Idol alum LaToya London.
The musical, which is produced
by Oprah Winfrey, has grossed
over $60 million in ticket sales
since opening in December
2005. Barrino is not the
first idol to make it to
Broadway. Fan favorite
Constantine
Maroulis was a
member of the
international
touring
company
of “Rent”
before
Fantasia
Barrino is
slated to star as Celie
in the “Color Purple”
on Broadway
Courtesy of Barlow Hartman
SPOTLIGHT
The photographs and
film works by Lorna
Simpson explore issues
of identity through
the lenses of race and
gender. Now through
May 6, the Whitney
Museum of American
Art hosts a mid-career
retrospective of the
artist’s work, including
film installations and
pieces combining images
and text. whitney.org.
10 • Resident The Week Of March 5, 2007
appearing on the show. In fall
of 2006, he played the role of
Sammy in Broadway’s “The
Wedding Singer.” In January, he
was scheduled to take a role in
the off-Broadway production,
“Jacques Brel is Alive and Well
and Living in Paris,” but bowed
out due to a back injury two
weeks later. colorpurple.com.
– Heather Corcoran
NEW OPERA CHIEF
The New York City Opera
announced last week that
Gerard Mortier will take on
the role of general manager
and artistic director beginning
in the 2009 season. “Great
challenges have always
inspired me,” said Mortier
in a statement. “It will
give me pleasure to
serve a New York
institution that has
internationally
a special flavor
thanks to the
important
contribution
of artists
such as
Julius Rudel,
Christopher Keene,
and Beverly Sills,
or leaders such as
Paul Kellogg.”
Lorna Simpson, “Corridor (Phone),” 2003
Kellogg, the outgoing director, WEEKLY PICKS
is scheduled to retire in June,
after 12 years with the opera. Participant Inc. celebrates
Mortier’s contract with the City the 13th anniversary of
Opera extends through 2015. artist Renée Green’s
Since 2004, Mortier has been the Free Agent Media, an
director of the Opéra National endeavor that fosters
de Paris, where he made a collaboration between
splash by focusing on 20th- artists. The exhibition
“United Space of
century opera and innovative
Conditioned Becoming”
new productions, including evokes distant locales
collaborations with visual artists from Angola to Vienna.
and film directors. nycopera.com. Through April 8.
–H.C. participantinc.org.
art
CONTEMPORARY Speak up at the Film
CHRISTIE’S Forum’s screenings of
Christie’s made a bold move “Into Great Silence,”
in cornering the contemporary a documentary about
art market, when the auction Carthusian monks, an
giant purchased London’s order who live in near
Haunch of Venison Gallery last silence. Father Michael
week. The gallery, which boasts Holleran, a member
a roster of talents including of the order, will be in
the theater for a Q&A
video art pioneer Bill Viola,
on March 10 and 11.
will be opening a space in New filmforum.org.
film
York, just around the corner
from Christie’s Rockefeller
Philly favorites The
Center location. The New York
Roots, bring their jazzy
location will be Haunch of hip-hop sounds to Times
Venison’s fourth, joining galleries Square’s Nokia Theatre
in London, Berlin and Zurich. March 11 and 12. With
Critics of the deal say that by special guest Lupe
buying the gallery, the auction Fiasco. nokiatheatrenyc.
music
house will be crossing the line com.
from middleman to primary sales
agent. christies.com – H.C. The New York City
Opera kicks off its
63rd spring season
with Gilbert and
Sullivan’s “Pirates of
Penzance” on March 7.
nycopera.com.
opera
Author Lawrence
Wright presents “My
Trip to Al-Qaeda” a
multimedia performance
Courtesy of the artist
based on his bestselling
book “Looming Tower:
Al-Qaeda and the Path
to 9/11.” At the Culture
Project through April 14.
theater
cultureproject.org.