Humbled and Overwhelmed

Sterling Hyltin and Adrian Danchig-Waring in Lopez-Ochoa's Unframed Fall Season for the NYCB has coincided with one of the busiest, most frantic times I've ever experienced professionally. Too bad, because the fall season has by far the strongest programs compared to the somewhat repetitive Winter Season and the Spring Season which has the potential to be a lot of misses. I did make it to three programs -- two all-Balanchine, and the evening of new works that premiered at the fall gala. Lauren Lovette and Peter Walker are both dancers within the company making their choreographic debuts. Peck and Lopez-Ochoa are more well-known quantities. I saw the program on 9/27. My impressions: The four new works mixed the forgettable (Lauren Lovette's For Clara ), with the mediocre (Justin Peck's The Dreamers ) with the excellent (Peter Walker's ten in seven and Annabel Lopez-Ochoa's Unframed ).

The radiant Cynthia Erivo as Celie, photo @ Matthew Murphy I saw The Color Purple  last night on a total whim. I had heard wonderful things about this revival but I had been resistant because as a rule I dislike musicals that are based on beloved novels. Alice Walker's novel was/is so perfect that I thought any musical adaptation would seem shallow by comparison. I also didn't have any points of comparison -- I hadn't seen the original Broadway production.