Still More Theater Saturday - Total Vocal 2024

We were given tickets to Total Vocal 2024 for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: Total Vocal 2024

Where: Carnegie Hall

             881 7th Ave.

             New York NY

Who: All ages

This event took place on Sunday, March 24, 2024

This year's DCINY Total Vocal a cappella concert took place on March 24 at Carnegie Hall. The concert was as always conducted and arranged by Deke Sharon. Sharon is known for his work on the Pitch Perfect movies and In Transit, the first and only a cappella musical on Broadway to date, among other things. 

This year's special guests included Major Attaway, an actor best known for his turn as the Genie in the musical Aladdin; Kaila Mulladay, a beat boxer who appeared in Freestyle Love Supreme; and T3, an a cappella group made up of three seasoned Broadway performers. Musical numbers included Journey's Anyway You Want It, Billie Eilish and Phineas O'Connell's Nobody Like U, and Robert Lopez and Kristin Anderson Lopez's Into the Unknown. Stevie Wonder's Sir Duke provided an exhilarating finale. The event ended as usual with the performers and the audience joining in a rousing rendition of The Lion Sleeps Tonight. All in all, it was a delightful afternoon of song that ended much too soon.

For more about Total Vocal, visit dciny.org/events/total-vocal-with-deke-sharon-2024. For more about DCINY, to find out what events they have coming up next, and/or to purchase tickets, visit dciny.org.

Tune in tomorrow for this week's Sunday Scoop.

Theater Thursday - Witches!? In Salem?!

We were given complimentary tickets to Witches!? In Salem?! for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own. 

What: Witches!? In Salem? 

Where: Here 

             145 6th Ave. 

             New York, NY

Who: Recommended for Ages 13 and Up

When: Through March 30. 2024

Witches!? In Salem?!  is an irreverent look at the Salem witch trials and the events leading up to them. It was brilliantly crafted in the mind of playwright, Max Cox author of the similarly toned Harry Potter spoof, Puffs, which was extremely popular Off-Broadway from 2017 to 2019. The amazing cast is a well-oiled machine. They keep things moving steadily and hilariously along as they seamlessly slip in and out of a variety of extremely amusing roles.  

Andy Miller, in the role of an over-exuberant child narrator and of an actual witch trying to fly under the radar and avoid being accused of being a witch, is a standout. Another standout is Jessie Cannizzaro as a scarily possessed child and as a sweet elderly woman accused of witchcraft among others. Jessie previously appeared in a memorable turn as Harry Potter in Puffs. Andy was also in that production as were other cast members but not all of them.

There are a few problems with this show, however. First of all, there is entirely too much screaming in it. Accordingly, if you have issues with loud noise, you might want to skip it. Less screaming probably would have been more effective. 

The other problem with the play is its length. At 2 1/2 hours, even with an intermission,  it feels long for a show that is not a musical. Most performances don't start until  8:30 PM. The late starting time makes the show feel even longer. 

Despite the previously mentioned issues, on the whole, the show is a blast that fans of Puffs will particularly enjoy. Even so, you don't even have to be a fan of Puffs or even have seen Puffs to enjoy it.

And that's our view. For more about Witches!? In Salem?!  or to purchase tickets, go to witchesinsalem.com.

Tune in Saturday for Still More Theater Saturday. 

Photo credits:

All Witches!? In Salem?! production photos by Brian Metolius

Images used in this post have been sent to us from publicists, artists, and/or  PR firms and are used by permission. If there is a problem with the rights to any image, please contact us here, and we will look into the matter.

Where-To-Go Wednesday - Macy's Flower Show 2024

 

What: Macy's Flower Show 

 Where: Macy's Herald Square 

             151 W. 34th St. 

             New York, NY

Who: All ages

When: Through April 7, 2024

Spring has sprung but Mother Nature has not quite gotten the message yet. If you are ready for a taste of Spring head over to Macy's for their annual Flower Show.  Immerse yourself in a plethora of vibrant, beautiful, colorful, flowers. 

This year's exhibit includes interactive kaleidoscopes and a tunnel of mirrors. Upstairs, there is a display regarding how Dior makes their Miss Dior perfume from flower to fragrance. There is also a shop where you can buy flower-related products and clothing. 

The flower theme continues outside of the store where the windows have been decorated in floral themes. The displays were designed by students from the Fashion Institute of Technology. There are also giant fake flowers atop the famous Macy's sign where you see the giant turkey at Thanksgiving time and Santa at Christmastime. 

You can spend as much or as little time as you like exploring the fabulous floral displays. There is no fee to visit, and you don't have to purchase anything in the store to visit either. It's one of the few fun things you can still do for free in New York City, but it only lasts two weeks so if you want to attend don't hesitate.

And that's our view. For more about Macy's Flower Show, visit https://www.macys.com/s/flower-show

Tune in tomorrow for Theater Thursday.

All pictures used in this post are our own. If there is a problem with any image, please contact us here and we will look into the matter.