‘Rent’ karaoke competition

rent17 — There will be a ‘Rent’ karaoke competition on Wednesday March 1 at The St Anthony Hotel for a chance to win tickets for the performance on Friday March 3. Photo: Gayle McCracken, used with permission.

The 20^th Anniversary Tour of ‘Rent’ is coming to the Majestic Theatre from March 3 through March 5 and to get things rolling The St Anthony Hotel is teaming up with the Majestic Theatre to bring the Broadway stage to Peacock Alley for one night. On Wednesday March 1 there will be a karaoke competition in the hotel’s famed Peacock Alley from 5.m. to 7p.m. The public is invited to enter for a chance to win two tickets to ‘Rent’ on Friday March 3 at 8p.m. Two winners will be chosen by crowd applause and judges from The St Anthony Hotel and the Majestic Theatre. Guests will be able to enjoy a “La Vie Boheim’ cocktail with a special twist on the classic French 75 for $7. (North Park Lexus Broadway in San Antonio, 2017)

‘Rent’ will play for five performances only as part of the North Park Lexus 2016-2017 season. The winner of the 1996 Tony Award for Best Musical, it is a re-imagining of Puccini’s La Bohème and follows an unforgettable year in the lives of seven struggling artists in New York’s Lower East Side. With its universal themes of love and hardships it has become a pop culture phenomenon that appeals to people of all ages. Its message of joy and hope in the face of fear reminds people to measure their lives with love, which is the only thing that matters. Prices for tickets begin at $35 and are available at the Majestic Theatre box office, online, through Ticketmaster online or by calling 1-800-745-3000.

The St Anthony Hotel
Peacock Alley aka temporarily as the ‘Life Café’
300 East Travis St
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 227-439

National Margarita Day at Pearl

dirtymextini — The Dirty Mextini is just one of the many margaritas that can be enjoyed on National Margarita Day this February 22. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

National Margarita Day is this Wednesday February 22 and the Pearl is making it easy to celebrate hump day with a margarita crawl. Guests can start with Sternewirth’s La Babia margarita which is usually given to Hotel Emma’s guests upon arrival. Boiler House has their version of a margarita made with local honey and orange bitters. Southerleigh has the citrusy Margarita Gose beer which has notes limes, oranges and tequila and is brewed in house. (Pearl, 2017)

The following are two margarita recipes featuring different Twang salts and seasonings.

Dirty Mextini
Ice
3oz anejo tequila
½oz olive brine
1 ½ oz fresh lime juice
1 ½ oz Cointreau
Splash of orange juice
TwangARita Gold Salt for rimming glass

Add ice to cocktail shaker.
Add in tequila, olive brine, lime juice and Cointreau. Shake vigorously for several seconds.
Moisten rim of glass with lime wedge. Turn glass rim a few times in TwangARita Gold Salt.
Strain martini into rimmed glass.
Top with a splash of orange juice. Garnish and enjoy!

Burro Borracho, AKA Mexican Mule
1 oz fresh lime juice
1 oz grapefruit juice
1 oz orange liqueur (such as Grand Marnier or Triple Sec)
2 oz ginger beer
2 oz tequila
Ice
TwangARita Paloma Salt

Dance lessons and drinks specials at Jazz, TX

jazzdance — Jazz, TX and Semeneya have partnered to offer dance lessons and drinks specials every Saturday. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Jazz, TX announces a partnership with Semeneya, San Antonio’s number one studio for Latin and Salsa dancing, to host salsa lessons and provide guests a special drink menu for them to enjoy after the lessons. These lessons are every Saturday from 1p.m. to 4p.m. and will feature a different style of salsa dancing taught by Semeneya. Following the lessons there will be a social free-style salsa dance with live music on the dance floor. Jazz, TX will have drinks specials including a Jazz, TX infused Bloody Mary, a Jazz, TX style Michelada, Fresh Fruit Mimosa, The Cha Cha made with blanco tequila, fresh lime, Mexican cola and crushed ice, an Aperol Refresher and La Isla Hernandez made with black strap rum, blanco rum, gin, Cointreau, fresh lemon, simple syrup and Mexican cola. Each session is $12 and drink specials are available for $8 to $12. Students of all levels are welcome to join the fun and learn new dancing skills. Tickets can be purchased at the door. (Jazz, TX, 2017)

The schedule for the dance sessions is:
1p.m. – Salsa 1 lesson
2p.m. – Salsa 2 lesson
3p.m. – 4 p.m. -Salsa Social with live music

Jazz, TX is the Pearl’s newest upscale music venue owned and operated by renowned musician Brent “Doc” Watkins. It is located in the cellar of the Bottling House and hosts musical acts include jazz, blues, big band, Texas swing, salsa, conjunto and Americana including Doc Watkins. It is open from Tuesday through Saturday and aside from music guest can enjoy a wide variety of food, beverages, wine and spirits.

Jazz,TX
312 Pearl Pkwy, Building 6 Suite 6001
San Antonio, TX 78215
(210) 332-9386

Artpace to host first Open Studios of 2017

Artpace is a contemporary art space located in downtown San Antonio created to support artists with residences, exhibitions and educational programs to foster the creative process. Since it opened in 1995 Artpace has housed more than 200 artists through the International Artist-in-Residence program. Every year they host three residencies that include a Texas-based artist, one national artist and one international artist who are each chosen by a guest curator. After an eight week residency the artists will have their exhibits on site for two months. The purpose of these residencies is to give artists every opportunity to grow by giving them the resources they need.

On Tuesday February 14 from 6p.m. to 8p.m. Artpace San Antonio will be presenting a first look into its first 2017 International Artist-in-Residence program. Visitors will be able to get an insight into each artist’s process by getting an informal behind the scenes look into their workspaces. The spring 2017 International Artists in Residence, Nicholas Frank from Milwaukee, Wisconsin, Robert Hodge from Houston, Texas and Kate Newby from Auckland, New Zealand, will be on site to speak with visitors about their work. There will be a panel discussion with the artists at 7p.m. where they will talk about their residencies and the works they created. It will be followed by a question and answer session with the audience. This event is free and open to the public with complimentary drinks and food for purchase from a local food truck. Doors open at 6p.m. This open studios event is for one night only and the exhibits will be be on view from March 16 to May 7, 2017. (Artpace,2017)

Artpace
445 North Main Avenue
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 212-4900

Book review: ‘The Bazaar of Bad Dreams’ by Stephen King

bazaarpic — ‘The Bazaar of Bad Dreams’ is Stephen King’s newest collection of short stories.

Stephen King is the bestselling author of more than fifty books and is known the world over as the master of horror. He received the 2014 National Medal of the Arts and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters. His body of work includes everything from short stories to full size novels that can be more than 1,000 pages long. Most recently he has written The Bill Hodges Trilogy: ‘Mr Mercedes,’ ‘Finders Keepers’ and ‘End of Watch,’ ‘Doctor Sleep’ and the collection of short stories ‘The Bazaar of Bad Dreams.’

This collection of stories have the universal themes of mortality, the afterlife, guilt and the questions of what would people do if they could see the future or go back and correct mistakes that they have made. Long time King readers, who he describes as ‘Constant Readers’ know that he starts each book with an introduction that describes what they are about to read. In these introductions he addresses the ‘Constant Reader’ and the tone is familiar, as if they have known each other for years.

“Everything you see is handcrafted, and while I love each and every item, I’m happy to sell them, because I made them especially for you. Feel free to examine them, but please be careful. The best of them have teeth.”

In this particular collection he also starts each story with comments on when, why and how each story was written, or in some cases rewritten. There is a total of twenty stories including Mile 81, Premium Harmony, Batman and Robin Have an Altercation, The Dune, Bad Little Kid, A Death, The Bone Church, Morality, Afterlife, Ur, Herman Wouk Is Still Alive, Under the Weather, Blockade Billy, Mister Yummy, Tommy, The Little Green God of Agony, That Bus Is Another World, Obits, Drunken Fireworks and Summer Thunder. As with any other collection of works, some appeal to readers while others may miss the mark completely. Standouts include Mile 81, which is similar to ‘Christine,’ Afterlife where the main character repeatedly relives his life and death with no chance to change anything and Ur where a Kindle is a portal to a parallel world. There is even a narrative poem in the mix ‘The Bone Church’ which proves that even Mr King has written poetry. Overall ‘The Bazaar of Bad Dreams’ will appeal to his faithful readers even though some stories are weaker than the others. It makes a perfect addition to any Stephen King library.

Sweethearts Dance at Pearl

pearlnewpic — Sweethearts Dance is a family friendly Valentine’s Day celebration that will be held at the Pearl on Saturday February 18. Photo courtesy of Pearl, used with permission.

On Saturday February 18 there will be a family Valentine’s Day celebration at the Pearl Stable especially suited for the little ones. This family friendly celebration will take place from 5p.m. to 8p.m. and will feature music and dancing, love-themed arts and crafts, a photo booth, sweet and salty treats and a champagne bar for the adults. Tickets are available online and are priced at $25 for one adult and two children, $10 for each additional adult and $5 for each additional child. Children under two years old are free. To make the evening extra fun, fancy whimsical attire is recommended. (Pearl,2017)

Pearl Stable
307 Pearl Pkwy
San Antonio, TX 78215
(210) 212-9539

Broadway In San Antonio announces 2017-2018 season lineup

North Park Lexus Broadway in San Antonio recently announced the line up for next season and theater fans are in for another unforgettable season of fabulous shows. The 2017-2018 season at the Majestic Theatre will include eight productions including four market debuts, Tony Award winning shows, family classics and returning favorites. It was also announced that the national tour of ‘Hamilton’ will play the Majestic Theatre as part of the 2018-2019 season. Season subscribers can choose a six show package starting at $211 or seven show package including ‘The Book of Mormon’ starting at $250. The benefits of being a season subscriber include avoiding possible ticket price increases closer to the show, priority ticket opportunities, lost ticket replacement and seat exchange privileges. More information is available online or by calling Broadway in San Antonio at 800-215-SHOW (7469) from 9a.m. to 5p.m. Monday through Friday. (North Park Lexus Broadway in San Antonio, 2017)

In 2017 the season begins with ‘The Bodyguard’ from September 19 through September 24, ‘The King and I’ from October 17 through October 22 and Irving Berlin’s ‘White Christmas’ from December 12 through December 17. ‘The Bodyguard’ is based on the hit film and tells the story of former Secret Service agent turned bodyguard, Frank Farmer, who is hired to protect superstar Rachel Marron from an unknown stalker. It includes the hit songs “Saving All My Love,” “I Have Nothing” and the iconic “I Will Always Love You.” ‘The King and I’ is set in 1860s Bangkok and is the story of the unconventional and tempestuous relationship that develops between the King of Siam and Anna Leonowens, a British schoolteacher who is hired to tutor his many wives and children. Irving Berlin’s ‘White Christmas’ is based on the 1954 movie starring Bing Crosby, Danny Kaye, Rosemary Clooney and Vera-Ellen. It is the story of a song and dance team who put on a show at a Vermont Inn and end up falling for a stunning sister act. Hit songs include “Sisters,” “Happy Holiday” and “The Best Things Happen While You’re Dancing.”

In 2018 the season continues with season option Rodgers + Hammerstein’s ‘Cinderella’ from January 12 through January 14, ‘The Color Purple’ from February 6 through February 11, ‘On Your Feet’ from March 13 through March 18, ‘The Book of Mormon’ from May 1 through May 6 and ‘An American In Paris’ from June 12 through June 17. Rodgers + Hammerstein’s ‘Cinderella’ is the Tony Award winning musical that has delighted audiences with its contemporary take on the classic fairy tale. It includes the beloved songs “In My Own Little Corner” and “Ten Minutes.” ‘The Color Purple’ won the Tony Award for Best Musical Revival and is about a young woman’s journey to love and triumph in the American South. ‘On Your Feet’ tells the story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan’s humble beginnings in Cuba and how they came to America and became a crossover success in the pop music world. ‘The Book of Mormon’ is the outrageous musical comedy that follows the misadventures of a mismatched pair of missionaries who are sent halfway around the world to share the good news. The season ends with ‘An American In Paris,’ the new hit musical about an American soldier, a mysterious French girl and an indomitable European city all longing for a new beginning after the war.

Majestic Theatre
224 E Houston St
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 226-5700

‘The Secret Garden’ at The Playhouse San Antonio

secretgarden17 — ‘The Secret Garden’ opens tonight at The Playhouse San Antonio. Photo by Daniel D Baumer, used with permission.

Tonight is opening night for The Playhouse San Antonio’s midseason musical ‘The Secret Garden.’ This family friendly musical will run through Sunday March 12 and is directed by Laura Michelle Hoadley. It stars Ashley Doyle as Mary Lennox and Nicholas Szoeke as Archibald Craven. Show times are Friday and Saturday at 8p.m. and Sunday at 3p.m. Tickets are available online or by calling the box office at (210) 733-7258. Prices are $23 for military with valid ID, $23 for seniors aged 60 and up, $15 for students with valid ID and $12 for children aged 12 and under. Group rates are available for groups of ten or more. (The Playhouse San Antonio, 2017)

‘The Secret Garden’ is a musical based on the 1911 book of the same name by Frances Hodgson Burnett with script and lyrics by Marsha Norman and music by Lucy Simon. The story is set in the early 20^th century and tells the story of Mary Lennox, a young English girl born and raised in the British Raj. When she is ten years old she becomes an orphan when a cholera outbreak kills her family. She is sent to live in England with relatives she has never met which include her tormented uncle Archibald Craven. While living at Misselthwaite Manor she and a young gardener tend a neglected garden back to life and she learns that a little kindness can make a big difference in her life and that of her family.

The Playhouse San Antonio
800 West Ashby Place
San Antonio, TX 78212
(210) 733-7258

Book review: ‘The Waiting Room’ by Leah Kaminsky

Leah Kaminsky is a physician, an award winning author of poetry, short stories and literary non-fiction and the poetry and fiction editor at the Medical Journal of Australia. She edited ‘Writer M.D.,’ an anthology of contemporary doctor-writers and is the author of the award-winning poetry collection ‘Stitching Things Together.’ ‘The Waiting Room: A Novel’ is her debut novel about an Australian doctor named Dina who was born to Holocaust survivors and struggles to cope with daily life in Haifa.

‘The Waiting Room’ chronicles a day in the life of Dina, the daughter of Holocaust survivors whose daily life in Israel includes difficult patients, a six year old son and another one on the way, a strained marriage, the ghost of her dead mother and the ever present threat of a terrorist attack. It is the personal journey of a woman whose past is interwoven with her present as she learns to deal with her mother’s traumatic experiences. The story begins with a Prologue that recounts a memory from her past. Chapter 1 has Dina busy at work gathering evidence at a crime scene and Chapter 2 rewinds the action to six hours earlier and the beginning of the longest day in her life. The scenes where she interacts with her dead mother show how important and influential family is in her decision making.

It is not often that readers get a front row seat to witness daily life in Israel where citizens live under the constant threat of a terrorist attack yet they still go on with their day. This is evident as the radio announcement issues an alert for a possible attack as casually as it does the weather report when Dina and her family are getting ready in the morning. When the attack does come it is impossible not to feel the fear and dismay that the citizens experience. Overall it is a heartbreaking and poignant story of a woman who is close to her breaking point but somehow manages to keep it together. The action flows effortlessly through the pages making it hard to put down. ‘The Waiting Room’ by Leah Kaminsky is an easy to read novel and recommended for readers looking to gain insight into the Israeli conflict and the Holocaust experience from the survivors’ point of view.

*A copy of this book was given for an honest review. The opinions expressed here are solely the author’s.

Book review: ‘No Place to Pray’ by James Carpenter

noplacepic — ‘No Place to Pray’ is the new novel by James Carpenter. Photo: amazon.com

James Carpenter began his career teaching middle and high school English. After fourteen years teaching computer programming, system design and entrepreneurship at The Wharton School he retired to write fiction. His writing has appeared in publications such as “The Chicago Tribune,” “Fiction International,” “Fifth Wednesday Journal,” “North Dakota Quarterly” and “Ambit.” Three of his stories were nominated for the Pushcart Prize and he is a recipient of Descant’s Frank O’Connor Prize. His new novel ‘No Place to Pray’ tells the story of two young men who meet when they spend a night in the same jail cell.

This is a Southern gothic tale about two young men, LeRoy who is bi-racial and Harmon who is white. LeRoy comes from a poor background and never knew his father because his mother was a prostitute. When they both end up in jail overnight they end up becoming the best of friends. They share a lifetime of experiences that includes working together and drinking together. Towards the end of Harmon’s life they both become involved with Edna, a wealthy widow who takes them into her vacation home by the river. Their stories are similar in the sense that they both have a hard life and struggle to survive and rely on alcohol to help them cope which only makes life more difficult for them. The people and experiences that make up their lives are intertwined with race, class and religion.

‘No Place to Pray’ by James Carpenter is a gritty and dark tale of American life peppered with issues dealing with class, race, alcoholism and friendships that endure the test of time. It contains adult language and situations that may not be appropriate for all readers. The story is told through a series of flashbacks and has shifting points of view mixed in with LeRoy’s fantasy and adventure stories. At times this makes it hard to follow the story but it does not take away from the richness and impact of the overall tale. The characters are relatable and well developed and the prose is rich with imagery. It is recommended for fans of Southern gothic stories that deal with deep friendships, survival, as well as race and class struggles.