Theater review: ‘Sister Act’ at the Woodlawn Theatre

sisteractpic — ‘Sister Act’ the musical is now playing at the Woodlawn Theatre until Sunday May 7, 2017. Photo courtesy of Woodlawn Theatre, used with permission.

Currently playing at the Woodlawn Theatre is the local production of ‘Sister Act’ starring Rebekah Williams as Deloris Van Cartier and Sherry Gibbs Houston as Mother Superior. It is based on the 1992 movie starring Whoopi Goldberg and is set in 1978 Philadelphia and has a disco/Motown feel to it. ‘Sister Act’ is the story of singer Deloris Van Cartier who witnesses a murder at her boyfriend’s nightclub and is put in protective custody in a convent.

The show begins with Deloris auditioning for her boyfriend Curtis in the hopes of singing in his nightclub. When he tells her she is not ready she breaks up with him and plans to leave town to pursue her dreams on her own. She stumbles upon Curtis and his crew as they kill someone they believe to be a snitch and she ends up going to the cops. To protect her until she can testify against Curtis in court they hide her in the last place he would look for her. Eventually she bonds with the nuns and helps them turn the troubled choir around which helps the church stay afloat.

This family friendly musical uses humor and the overall themes of dream fulfillment and the power of friendship to entertain audiences. The musical numbers vary from funny, like Mother Superior’s “I Haven’t Got a Prayer” and Joey, TJ and Pablo in “Lady in the Long Black Dress” to Sister Mary Robert’s poignant “The Life I Never Led.” “When I Find My Baby” by Curtis, Joey, TJ and Pablo is funny and disturbing at the same time and manages to elicit some nervous chuckles from the audience.

Rebecca Williams plays Deloris vividly and Walter Sanders III, as Curtis’ funny nephew TJ, steals every scene he is in. It is hard not to root for “Sweaty Eddie” as he tries to woo Deloris especially after he performs “I Could Be That Guy.” Overall it is a highly entertaining show full of humor, heart and show stopping songs.

‘Sister Act’ is now playing at the Woodlawn Theatre until Sunday May 7, 2017. Show times are Friday and Saturday at 7:30p.m. and Sundays at 3p.m. Tickets start at $18 and are available online or by calling the box office at (210) 267-8388.

A Night In Old Jazz Texas

flyerniojt — On April 19 and 26 Jazz, TX is hosting A Night In Old Jazz Texas. Photo courtesy of Jazz, TX, used with permission.

Fiesta time in San Antonio means days of parties and events to celebrate the city’s diverse cultures and this year Jazz, TX is getting in on the action. The Pearl’s upscale music venue announces its Fiesta celebration of A Night in Old Jazz Texas on Wednesday April 19 and Wednesday April 26 from 8:30p.m. to 11:30p.m. This event will feature a special menu by Executive Chef Lorenzo Morales and a special performance by Mariachi Las Coronelas. This high energy all female group has performed for shows such as The Jimmy Kimmel Show, Will Ferrel’s Funny or Die Music and Comedy Show and more. Guests will be able to enjoy a Fiesta inspired menu with items such as Corn in a Cup, Chicken Tinga Quesadillas, Beef Gorditas, Duck on a Stick and Carnival Funnel Cake. Tickets are available online for $20 each. (Jazz, TX, 2017)

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

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

Movie adaptation: ‘The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks’ by Rebecca Skloot

immortalhenrietta — The movie adaptation of ‘The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks’ by Rebecca Skloot will air on HBO on Sunday April 22, 2017. Photo: Amazon

Rebecca Skloot is a science writer who specializes in science and medicine and whose articles have appeared in The New York Times Magazine, O, The Oprah Magazine and others. Her first book “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” was on the best seller list for over two years on The New York Times. It has been translated into more than twenty languages and has been adapted into an HBO produced movie by Oprah Winfrey. Set to air on Sunday April 22 it stars Oprah Winfrey as Deborah Lacks and Rose Byrne as Rebecca Skloot.

According to Amazon, “The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks” is a nonfiction book about Henrietta Lacks and the immoral cell line known as HeLa that came from her cancer cells in 1951. She was a poor Southern tobacco farmer who worked the same land as her slave ancestors. Her cells were taken without her knowledge and became one of the most important tools in modern medicine. They are the first “immortal” human cells grown in culture and even though she has been dead for more than sixty years these cells are still alive today. HeLa cells were vital in developing the polio vaccine and helped paved the way to such medical advances as in vitro fertilization, cloning and gene mapping. Despite all this she remains virtually unknown and is buried in an unmarked grave. The author covers everything from the “colored” ward of Johns Hopkins Hospital in the 1950s to Henrietta’s family’s lives as they struggle with the legacy of her cells. Themes include the drama of scientific discovery, the ethics of experimentation and all its human consequences.

Hot Luck Festival in Austin

20161029_055829 — Hot Luck Festival, a live music and food festival, will take place in Austin from May 18 through May 21, 2017. Photo: Sandra Cruz

Hot Luck Festival is a live music and food festival that will take place in Austin from Thursday May 18 through Sunday May 21, 2017. It is a celebration of fire, food, music and camaraderie inspired by tailgates, family reunions, get togethers and potlucks and will be held at various locations in Austin. A portion of the festival’s proceeds will benefit The SAFE Alliance, a merger of Austin Children’s Shelter and SafePlace, agencies that serve the survivors of child abuse, sexual assault and exploitation and domestic violence. Tickets are available for purchase online and range from single tickets to music and food events for $12 to $550 for “The Whole Enchilada” package. More information on specific festival events and ticket information is available online. (Hot Luck Festival, 2017)

The festivities will begin on Thursday May 18 with the Black Lips performing. Other musical acts include Black Joe Lewis, Robert Ellis, Rayland Baxter and Shonen Knife at venues such as Barracuda, Mohawk, White Horse and more. One of a kind events include on Friday May 19 when Chef Yoshi Okai of Otoko who was recently named Food & Wine Magazine’s “Best New Chef” of 2017 will serve Japanese fare while fans enjoy the music of Japanese pop-punk band Shonen Knife. Other participating chefs include Elias Cairo, from Olympia Provisions in Portland, Jennifer Tucker from Jeffrey’s, Justin Brunson from Old Major in Denver, Ben Runkle from Salt and Time, Kristine Kittrell from Weather Up and Laura Loomis from Two Bros BBQ Market in San Antonio.

Fiesta parade dinner at Landry’s Seafood

20151003_025001 — Landry’s Seafood is hosting a Fiesta parade dinner for The Texas Cavaliers River Parade on April 24, 2017. Photo: Sandra Cruz

Fiesta is right around the corner and this year Landry’s Seafood is hosting a Fiesta parade dinner on Monday April 21 from 5:30p.m. to 10p.m. for parade goers who wish to have a front row view for the Texas Cavaliers River Parade either on the patio or inside the dining room. The evening will consist of a four course prix fixe menu for $110 per person and includes tax and gratuity. Tickets are limited and are available online. The courses consist of a house trio appetizer consisting of seafood stuffed jalapeno ,shrimp enbrochette and stuffed avocado, a grilled watermelon salad, a choice between Fiesta Mahi,ultimate surf and turf platter or Cornish game hen and for dessert a chocolate cake and cheesecake.(Landry’s Seafood, 2017)

Fiesta San Antonio started in 1891 as a one parade event to honor the memory of the heroes of the Alamo and the Battle of San Jacinto. Since then it has grown into one of biggest festivals with an economic impact of millions of dollars and celebrates the city’s rich and diverse cultures. It is called
a party with a purpose because it raises funds for non-profits around the city.

Landry’s Seafood
517 N Presa St.
San Antonio, TX 78205
(210) 229-101

Movie adaptation: ‘The Lost City of Z’ by David Grann

lostcityofzpic — The movie adaptation of ‘The Lost City of Z’ by David Grann will be out on Friday April 21, 2017. Photo: Barnes & Noble

David Grann is an American journalist, a staff writer for The New Yorker magazine and The New York Times’ best-selling author. His stories have appeared in several anthologies and he has written for The Washington Post, The Wall Street Journal and The Weekly Standard. “The Lost City of Z: A Tale of Deadly Obsession in the Amazon” is his debut non-fiction book and has been translated into more than twenty-five languages. It tells the story of the British explorer Percy Fawcett who disappeared with his son in 1925 while looking for an ancient lost city. The movie adaptation starring Charlie Hunnam as Fawcett, Robert Pattinson as his fellow explorer Henry Costin and Sienna Miller as his wife Nina Fawcett will be released on Friday April 21, 2017.

According to Amazon, “The Lost City of Z” is a narrative nonfiction that centers around the legendary British explorer who went into the Amazon jungle in search of a fabled civilization and never returned. In the decades that followed, explorers and scientists have tried to find any evidence of his party and the Lost City of Oz and as many as 100 people have died or disappeared. Eventually Grann did his own investigation and discovered new evidence about how Fawcett died and the location of the missing city. He combines stories the stories about Fawcett’s quest for the city and his own journey into the deadly jungle as he unravels one of the twentieth century’s biggest mystery.

Book review: ‘Mangrove Lightning’ by Randy Wayne White

The New York Times’ best-selling author Randy Wayne White is best known for his crime fiction and non-fiction adventure tales. He has written seven novels under the pen name Randy Striker and eleven novels as Carl Ramm. Written under his real name, his most popular is the Doc Ford series, crime novels featuring the retired NSA agent Doc Ford, a marine biologist living on the Gulf Coast of southern Florida. “Mangrove Lightning” is his most recent and twenty-fourth Doc Ford novel. In it Doc Ford is being haunted by the ghosts of a 1925 multiple murder.

In “Mangrove Lightning” Doc Ford is approached by Tootsie Barlow, a charter captain and guide who is distraught and muttering something about a curse. His niece has disappeared and he fears she might be in danger because his extended family have always suffered due to his family’s shameful involvement with multiple murders dating back to 1925. Together with his sidekick Tomlinson, Ford begins to investigate by following the trail that leads them from Key Largo to Tallahassee where the connection takes them to a history of Chinese slavery and rum runners from Cuba. Eventually they find Gracie at the hands of a madman as they race to solve an old murder case and save her at the same time.

Randy Wayne White begins the story with an Author’s Note at the beginning where he writes about how the events in the book are based on events that occurred in Florida during Prohibition but that he has taken liberties with the details. Since this is not the first Doc Ford novel the emphasis is on the murder mystery rather than the characters. This does not change the dynamic of the story but readers who want character background and intention will be left wanting more. While the action is fast paced and easy to follow some of the details about what the captive women go through may be too graphic for some readers. This plays only a small part of the story and overall “Mangrove Lightning” is an interesting crime novel for fans of the genre.

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

Television adaptation: ‘The White Princess’ by Philippa Gregory

Philippa Gregory is an English historical novelist best known for her novel “The Other Boleyn Girl” which won the Romantic Novel of the Year Award. Her first novel “Wideacre” became an instant bestseller and gave way to her first trilogy, The Wideacre Trilogy. Since then she has written stand-alone novels, short stories, children’s books and non-fiction books. Her other series of novels include Earthly Joys, The Tudor Court Series and The Cousins’ War Series. “The White Princess” is part of The Cousins’ War Series, now known as The Plantagenet and Tudor Novels and has been adapted into a television miniseries for Starz that will premiere on Sunday April 16. It is a sequel to The White Queen, the BBC produced miniseries that adapted the novels “The White Queen,” “The Red Queen” and “The Kingmaker’s Daughter.”

According to Amazon, The White Princess” is the story of Elizabeth of York, daughter of Edward IV of England and Elizabeth Woodville and later the wife of Henry VII and mother of Henry VIII. After Henry Tudor kills the man she loves and becomes the new king of England, she must marry him to end the long running War of the Roses between the houses of Lancaster and York and guarantee the safety of her family. But Henry knows that she is still in love with his dead enemy and that her mother and half of England remain loyal to her brother, the missing heir. His greatest fear is that somewhere the rightful prince is waiting to claim his throne. When a young man who would be king invades England, Elizabeth must choose between the husband she has grown to love and the young man who claims to be her long-lost brother.

Mole & Mezcal Chef Series at Jazz, TX

jazzsign — Jazz, TX to host a Mole & Mezcal themed Chef Series with Executive Chef Lorenzo Morales on Tuesday April 18, 2017. Photo courtesy of Jazz, TX, used with permission.

On Tuesday April 18, Jazz, TX will kick off its Chef Series with Executive Chef Lorenzo Morales. Chef Morales will feature a special Mole & Mezcal inspired menu at Jazz, TX from 6p.m to 8p.m. It consists of a specialty pre-fixe menu for two including gratuity, tax, cocktail and a cover fee if guests are interested in staying for the 8:30 p.m. show of The Doc Watkins Trio. The five courses start with Duck Chilorio with tortilla and continue with Ensalada con Hierbas with Mole Amarillo Vin, Flor de Calabaza Quesadilla, Mole Rojo con Pollo and Tamale de Maize Dulce. Chef Morales will also serve bread and fried corn tortillas with salsa picante and mantequilla de champolines. The food will be paired with mezcal cocktails from the bar. This event is limited to 15 couples, or 30 guests. Tickets are available online and are $125 per person. (Jazz, TX, 2017)

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

Television adaptation: “The Son” by Philipp Meyer

Philipp Meyer is an American writer known for writing short stories and the novels “American Rust” and “The Son.” His short stories have been published in McSweeney’s Quarterly, The Iowa Review and Esquire UK and “The Son” has been adapted into a television series. It will premiere on AMC on Sunday April 7 and will star Pierce Brosnan as Eli McCullough, Henry Garrett as Pete McCullough, Zach McClarnon as Toshaway and Paola Nuñez as María García.

According to Amazon, “The Son” is a family saga of land, blood and power and follows a Texas family from the Comanche raids of the 1800s to the oil booms of the 20^th century. The main character is Eli McCullough who at the age of twelve is taken as captive after a marauding band of Comanche storms his Texas home and kill his mother and sister. During the years that he is kept captive he adapts to life with the Comanche by learning their ways and their language and after taking on a new name he eventually accepts his place as the chief’s adoptive son. Even though he fights alongside them he is conflicted by his sense of loyalty and vengeance. When the Comanche are annihilated by disease, starvation and westward expansion he finds himself in a world where he does not feel like he belongs. His story as an adult tells of his ruthlessness and his drive to power despite his status as an outsider. The McCullough family becomes one of the richest in Texas fueled by ranching and oil.

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