Category Archives: Pop Culture Ponderings

Sandra DeNise helps bring a familar tale to the stage with “Shrek the Musical”

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By Jonathan Williams

Updating the fairy tales of our youth with adult humor and a comically engaging story, 2001’s Shrek spawned an animated film franchise with characters that are familiar to adults and a story that can entertain their children. After debuting on Broadway in 2008, Shrek the Musical took to the road last July, setting out to bring the story of this misunderstood ogre to even broader audiences through song and dance. Having just had its 300th performance, the show makes its way to Atlanta for the first time this week. And helping bring this familiar tale to magical life is the Sugar Plum Fairy, played by Sandra DeNise, who returns to familiar territory herself having gotten her theatre and dance start while growing up in the Atlanta area.

Sandra DeNise plays the Sugar Plum Fairy. (Photo courtesy Brave Public Relations)

Were you involved with the original Broadway production of Shrek, or is the touring cast entirely different from the original show?

A majority of our cast participated in the Broadway show, but a lot of us are newbies and I’m one of them. I came into the production just for the tour and did rehearsals in New York City with the cast. We opened in July of last year in Chicago and just had our 300th show, so it’s been great.

A lot of your previous roles have been a bit more serious and have been set in more realistic environments. How did preparing for this role compare to preparing for your previous roles?

It’s been a lot of fun because my main role for the fairy tale creatures is the Sugar Plum Fairy. It’s much more of a fantastical world, the swamp in Shrek, than any other show I’ve done before. You have a larger world to create and there are not as many limitations, yet it’s still as real as you can make it because they have to be relatable characters. I’m covered in glitter every night, I have a wig that looks like an ice cream cone with candy all over the place and this fabulous sequined tutu and bodice with crazy-colored tights.

Even the way my character does things on stage, it only grows every single night because you get to do it eight times a week and it continues to evolve, as do the relationships you have onstage.

Blakely Slaybaugh as Pinocchio and the fairy tale creatues of Duloc. (Photo courtesy Brave Public Relations)

Is that the same Sugar Plum Fairy from The Nutcracker?

Yeah. The fairy tale creatures they’ve chosen to be part of this show are part of some other story, like Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Pinocchio is a central figure, the Sugar Plum Fairy, the Big Bad Wolf and the Three Little Pigs. So it’s quite a mixture of what we call freaks. There’s a number in the second act called “Freak Flag” where Pinocchio is pining about the fact that he can’t be a real boy and we help show him that it doesn’t matter if you’re different. It’s feeling loved and that you’re part of something that makes you strong.

Blakely Slaybaugh as Pinocchio and Kevin Quillon as a guard. (Photo courtesy Brave Public Relations)

Sounds kind of like a Lady Gaga concert.

Oh, yeah. Definitely, the song “Born This Way.” It sounds odd to relate Lady Gaga to Shrek the Musical, but it’s very true. That’s what I try to tell people about this show is it’s not just a stage adaptation of the movie. It’s a little bit deeper than that. Just as much as it’s a love story between Shrek and Princess Fiona, it’s also a story about how to have love for yourself and that you shouldn’t wish to be anything other than who you are. You have to love yourself because our differences are really what make us a stronger community, I think.

The Nutcracker is traditionally performed as a ballet. Being that you have a dance background, do you get to utilize those talents in this show?

Absolutely. My Sugar Plum Fairy routine is growing and I am continuously adding little ballet moves here and there. But I also do other ensemble roles within the show where I get to use my dance training.

Will this be your first Broadway show back in your hometown?

I’ve come through on two of the other tours I’ve done. One was my first big job, which was Rent. I got to do Rent at the Fox in ’99 and that was really exciting because I grew up seeing shows at the Fox and when I was a kid they were going to tear it down, but there was a bunch of promoting and fundraising to save the Fox. The second show I did there was when we actually opened the tour for Parade in 2000, which was extremely emotional for me to do because it’s actually a story written about little Mary Phagan, a girl who was killed and they blamed this one man, Leo Frank. It’s a true story that actually took place near Atlanta, in Marietta, and the opening song for that show is called “The Old Red Hills of Home.” So when we first opened and I was at the Fox singing a song about the old red hills of home, it was a very special experience and I got all mushy onstage.

So it’s been quite a while since you’ve performed at the Fox.

Yeah, it’s been a while since I’ve played the Fox. I’m so excited to be back, and just excited to be home in general to visit my family.

Shrek the Musical. $30-$67.60. 8 p.m. April 26-30; 2 p.m. April 30; 1 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. May 1. The Fox Theatre, 660 Peachtree St. NE, Atlanta, Ga. 404-881-2100. www.shrekthemusical.com, www.foxtheatre.org.

Courtesy Academy Theatre

PCW uses a different kind of muscle this Saturday at Battle Acts

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By Jonathan Williams

Stephen Platinum is out to win the Battle Acts battle axe

Platinum Championship Wrestling takes its battles from the ring to the stage this Saturday for the culmination of its series with Laughing Matters‘ Battle Acts. Read the story I wrote for Creative Loafing at the link below.

http://clatl.com/culturesurfing/archives/2011/04/14/pain-its-funny-pcw-fights-for-laughs-in-battle-acts-improv

WWE All Stars offers an over-the-top-rope alternative to other WWE games

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With it’s over-the-top characters and art style, WWE All Stars rekindles memories of previous exaggeratedly stylized wrestling games such as WWF WrestleMania: The Arcade Game and WWF In Your House. Unlike THQ‘s more realistic WWE SmackDown vs. Raw series, WWE All Stars never takes itself too seriously and maintains a more lighthearted fantasy tone much like Power Stone and NFL Blitz.

The moves themselves are extremely cartoonish, many of which will have you knocking your opponent to unrealistic heights or bludgeoning foes with rapid succession combos. It is mindless fun anyone can enjoy weather they are diehard WWE fans or just casual gamers. That being said, it should be noted that a match can be won without administering a single wrestling hold, which may turn off some hardcore fans of wrestling games such as Fire Pro Wrestling.

The roster consists of both legends from the past and current superstars, allowing for the likes of Hulk Hogan, the Macho Man, and the Ultimate Warrior to square off against John Cena, Randy Orton, and the Miz. For superstars like Shawn Michaels and the Undertaker, whose careers have flourished during both eras, current and past outfits can be unlocked as you progress through the game.

Additional characters such as the Honky Tonk Man, the Million Dollar Man and his son, current superstar Ted DiBiase, can also be downloaded. Others that will be available to download in the future include the Road Warriors, Chris Jericho and Big Bossman. And with WWE’s extensive roster through the years, there will hopefully be many more downloadable characters such as my personal favorites Razor Ramon and Diesel.

Though it doesn’t feature as many different game play modes at SmackDown vs. Raw, WWE All Stars still offers plenty of fun to satisfy gamers for hours, with seemingly limitless things to unlock the more you play. All Stars‘ create mode may not be as robust as that of the SmackDown vs. Raw games, but it still gives plenty of enjoyable options that allow you to create your own challengers. All Stars also offers online play and features modes such as, Fantasy Warfare, where current superstars can do battle with those from WWE’s past, preceded by vignette videos. A personal favorite is the Path of Champions mode, which includes a series challenges over the course of ten matches. The three story options include a quest to earn a title shot at WrestleMania against Randy Orton, an attempt to topple the Undertaker at SummerSlam and a tag team option culminating in a showdown against D-Generation X. All three are accompanied with cutscenes that are  extremely well done, my favorite being one in which DX plugs the very game being played. Having played  many wrestling games prior to this one, I feel that the cutscenes in the Path of Champions mode are some of the best ever, though I would prefer to see more of them here.

As fun as All Stars can be, it does seem to have a few glitches and minor drawbacks (at least the PlayStation 3 version I played did). For instance, despite the otherwise comic book-like nature of the game, the ring entrances tend to be rather brief, especially in the Path of Champions mode. And when playing as a tag team, if you skip through the entrances the wrestlers are sometimes out of sequence, with partners and opponents coming to the ring in random order. Load times tend to take too long and, for some reason, the run button often just didn’t work when I played the game. Attempting to counter moves is usually ineffective and figuring out how to administer finishing moves can be quite daunting as well. The game also tends to lock up fairly often, which can deter extended play in the future.

Despite these complaints, All Stars is a fun fighting game, especially if you’re a WWE fan. While there are better fighting games out there, this one has its own unique offerings that help redeem its flaws. All Stars definitely offers something to build another WWE video game franchise on and offers some of the most enjoyable wrestling action since the old World Wrestling Federation and World Championship Wrestling titles for Nintendo 64. Like those games from the late ’90s and early ’00s, the presentation and mannerisms of the All Stars characters are accurate caricatures. And it’s good that today’s younger WWE fans can be introduced to some of the industry’s legends in such an engaging manner.

Also, with All Stars THQ has the opportunity to please fans in two very different ways. If All Stars follows the path that the SmackDown vs. Raw series has taken, it can become the more fast-paced option, which gives SmackDown vs. Raw the chance to go back to the more methodical pace it once had, more along the lines of the Fire Pro series and the N64 favorites. But regardless of what happens with the SmackDown vs. Raw series, All Stars is definitely a unique alternative that explores the comic book aspects that have always been present in WWE programming.

WWE All Stars is available for PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, Wii and Xbox 360. Rated T. www.wweallstars.com.

Review by Jason Von Stein

WrestleMania XXVII delivers one of the greatest spectacles in entertainment

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John Morrison, Snooki and Trish Stratus celebrate their victory in one of WrestleMania's more unexpected moments. (Photo courtesy WWE)

WrestleMania has been one of the most anticipated events of the year for me for most of my life. But it wasn’t until I finally got to witness this sports entertainment spectacle in person (even getting to take part in a pre-show press conference where John Cena himself answered my question) that I truly felt the electricity and excitement that is in the air at a live WrestleMania. And now that a full week has passed and I’ve had a chance to fully digest the overall experience, it seems like the time is right to share my WrestleMania experience.

Already known as the grandest stage of them all, WrestleMania XXVII proved to be one of the grandest of the grand, breaking the Georgia Dome‘s attendance record with almost 72,000 people. And by the time Cena‘s extended entrance, featuring a full gospel choir, got the main event  underway, I had already felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up several times throughout the night.

Following Atlanta’s own Keri Hilson singing “America the Beautiful” to get things underway, WrestleMania host the Rock made his first appearance of the night.

The Rock electrifies as the WrestleMania XXVII host. (Photo courtesy WWE)

After that, it was moment after moment of breathtaking splendor. Surprisingly, the first match of the night was the much-hyped bout between World Heavyweight Champion Edge and this year’s Royal Rumble winner Alberto Del Rio. Despite its placement on the card, this title match proved to be one of the more exciting bouts of the night, with Christian helping Edge fend off Del Rio’s personal ring announcer Ricardo Rodriguez and his season four NXT rookie Brodus Clay to retain his title. Edge and Christian then joined forces in a celebratory vandalization of Del Rio’s Rolls-Royce, still parked on the entrance ramp.

Like a classic comic book story of good vs. evil, the second match pitted the allegedly disfigured (and previously “Dashing”) Cody Rhodes against Rey Mysterio, whose Captain America-inspired outfit was complemented by a Roy Lichtenstein-like pop art entrance video. While I don’t think Rhodes’ victory got him over as much as WWE would have liked (especially since he didn’t even try to unmask Mysterio as he had previously vowed to do), it did further establish Rhodes as a one-time pretty boy distraught over his marred appearance. The match itself was an early contender for match of the night, especially after Rhodes held Mysterio in the air for several seconds before backdropping him into the ring from the top rope. Ironically, it was Mysterio who removed Rhodes’ mask, using it as a weapon against Rhodes, before Rhodes hit Mysterio in the face with a leg brace behind the referee’s back to get the victory.

In one of the shortest matches of the night, the Corre fell to the team of Kane, the Big Show, Santino Marella and Kofi Kingston (replacing Vladimir Kozlov, who was injured by the Corre earlier in the weekend at WrestleMania Axxess). In a whirlwind of chaos in which all eight competitors hit big moves in and out of the ring, the Big Show quickly leveled Heath Slater with a punch to the face to get the pin.

CM Punk and Randy Orton put on another great match, with Punk further establishing his villainous persona by focusing on Orton’s injured knee and Orton hitting the mid-air RKO for an impressive victory.

Though it didn’t end with Michael Cole on the bad end of a Jerry Lawler piledriver as many had hoped, the next match definitely provided the comic relief it was meant to bring to the show. It all started with special guest referee “Stone Cold” Steve Austin riding to the ring on the ATV he used at WrestleMania 25 (which had also been on display for several days at WrestleMania Axxess) and almost running over Jack Swagger on the entrance ramp. The next few minutes basically consisted of Lawler showing Cole why he is “The King,” and “Stone Cold” showing a clear bias towards Lawler. After making Cole tap out, Lawler and Austin celebrated in the ring with a “Stone Cold” toast, only to have the anonymous Raw general manager reverse the decision and award the match to Cole via disqualification. But Lawler still had the last laugh as he and Tough Enough‘s new host celebrated with a
“Stone Cold” beer toast that resulted in Booker T and Josh Mathews receiving Stunners.

Things went from comical to serious as Triple H then made his grand entrance flanked by Spartan-like warriors and wearing a skull mask with a king’s crown, to the tune of Metallica‘s “For Whom the Bell Tolls.” The Undertaker then made his deliberate descent to the ring with little fanfare other than flames, smoke, a layer of fog hovering across the arena floor and that haunting Johnny Cash song that has become his new theme music. This match would become the most impressive match of the night, with Triple H dominating the early portions of the match, even going so far as to use the Undertaker’s own Tombstone Piledriver against him, followed by a confident mockery of the Undertaker’s pinning technique… only to have the Undertaker kick out just when it seemed that his undefeated WrestleMania streak had ended. There would be several more kick-outs and near finishes, proving that neither man was willing to give up this fight.

After putting each other through almost every possible physical test (including plowing through Michael Cole’s glass commentary case), Triple H eventually reminded the audience that this was a no holds barred match as he brought his signature sledgehammer into play. But Undertaker surprised us all as he clamped on his own previously-barred submission hold, the Hell’s Gate. Though he lasted longer than anyone else has ever lasted after having this chokehold applied, Triple H eventually had no choice but to tap out. And even though the Undertaker’s streak remained alive, it was the Undertaker who was carted out of the ring on a stretcher while Triple H was able to walk away in defeat.

This incredible athletic display was followed by the match that many fans were dreading: Trish Stratus, John Morrison and Jersey Shore‘s Snooki vs. Dolph Ziggler, Michelle McCool and Layla. This match served its purpose, however, providing a moment of silliness in which Snooki surprised many by hitting a series of backflips to get the pin over McCool. The match was over quickly and, even though neither male competitor was ever tagged into the match, Morrison and Ziggler got to show off a little with Morrison hitting Starship Pain outside the ring.

Snooki picks up the win over Michelle McCool. (Photo courtesy WWE)

Though I still don’t understand why Edge and Del Rio didn’t get the same fanfare that Cena and the Miz (or Triple H and the Undertaker) got in the main event for the WWE Championship, I was definitely impressed by the extended video package that preceded the Miz’s entrance, which featured the back of Miz’s head as he watched a wall of monitor screens displaying his rise from The Real World to WrestleMania main eventer. And even though I also still don’t quite get why Cena had a gospel choir sing for about ten minutes before he ever made it to the ring, it was yet another moment that sent chills down my spine.

This match lived up to the hype it had built up for the past several weeks, with the Miz proving that he’s a viable champion and Cena showing why he is one of the most respected (though clearly not one of the most popular) members of the WWE roster. After a surprise double countout that left both men lying outside the barricade, the Rock finally made his much anticipated appearance, restarting the match as a no disqualification match, exacting his revenge on Cena for the previous week’s Attitude Adjustment with a Rock Bottom that allowed Miz to get the victory.

Featuring superstars from at least three different eras, WrestleMania XXVII not only bridged the gaps between these different eras for fans young and old, it also allowed younger talents to prove their worth against more established competitors. WrestleMania XXVII had pretty much everything you could ask for from any type of entertainment show, with thrills, humor, drama and displays of athleticism that made this arguably one of the best WrestleMania’s of all time.

Though it was clearly catering to a broader audience than some traditional wrestling fans would like, this WrestleMania renewed my faith in what is now known as sports entertainment. And getting to experience it live in my hometown only made it that much more exciting.

Review by Jason Von Stein. WrestleMania press conference footage courtesy Russ Weakland of Hollywood Life.

STEAMFest and PCW set wrestling back more than a century

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As part of last weekend’s anachronistic festivities at the Steampunk Theatre Entertainment Art & Music Festival (STEAMFest) at Academy Theatre, Platinum Championship Wrestling put on a turn-of-the-previous-century-inspired catch wrestling show featuring three matches. With the Marquess of Queensbury himself refereeing the action, PCW’s show concluded the first day of STEAMFest on Saturday night.

El Diablo Blanco issues a challenge!

Though the show featured regular PCW talents, even those carnival-like gimmicks were given a greater sideshow treatment for the STEAMFest crowd. The first match featured the masked El Diablo Blanco, who issued a challenge to members of the audience. A brave soul named LJ (who was clearly from another time given his jeans-and-T-shirt ensemble) accepted the challenge only to be forced into submission by the more experienced (and incredibly pale) masked Mexican.

Giving new meaning to the term “black Irish,” Brian the Brawler (looking an awful lot like PCW’s Brian Blaze) then introduced himself before doing battle with Mr. Roboto, a masked competitor from the future. After a hard-fought battle, Brian politely bowed to his fallen opponent, shook the referee’s hand and thanked the audience.

Brian the Brawler defeats Mr. Roboto

The main event featured Mason the Mauler (clearly an ancestor of PCW’s own demigod Mason) in battle against longtime rival Marko Polo. Mason and Polo exchanged verbal jabs about their various battles and other conquests around the world before finally locking up in the ring. The two grapplers exchanged numerous submission holds and counters for what was shaping  up to be a real mat classic. That is until Polo raked Mason’s eyes in a heinously unsportsmanlike manner, exited the ring, only to return with a strange object that appeared to be a collapsing metal chair. With both the referee and his opponent confused by this technological trickery, Polo then used the chair not for sitting, but as a weapon, hitting Mason first in the gut, then across the back. With no other option, the referee disqualified Polo, who vowed that he would be back at the Academy Theatre each and every Friday for further displays of his physical prowess in the ring.

Marko Polo and Mason the Mauler do battle

Thankfully, Mason was not injured too badly and was eventually able to make his way out of the ring at the conclusion of the show. And this action-packed display was a fitting way to conclude STEAMFest’s first day, which was followed on Sunday by the Thimblerig Circus and other performers. For those looking for more Victorian-era performances, this weekend’s Clockwork Carnival features music, fire dancing and other circus-like attractions. And you can a more contemporary version of PCW every Friday at Academy Theatre.

Review by Jonathan Williams. Photos by Lynda Davis.

Georgia wrestling supporter honored at Georgia Championship Wrestling show

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Last Saturday, Susan Meeks, a longtime supporter of Georgia’s independent wrestling scene, was honored with music, wrestling and other fun at Georgia Championship Wrestling’s Friends for a Friend: A Night for Susan, a benefit to help with Meeks’ fight with colon cancer. The night began with a musical performance by Tommy Ray Gurley and also included appearances by TV personalities and matches featuring some of wrestling’s past and present greats.

Susan Meeks with guest Ronnie Hicks from A&E's "Heavy"

Following Gurley’s in-ring performance, matches got underway as former World Championship Wrestling grappler Mike Sanders took on Sgt. Buddy Lee Parker in what was billed as Parker’s final match. This matched ended quickly with a double count out as Parker chased Sanders from the building.

The next match was a three-way in which Ryan Michaels defeated “Sensational” Matt Sells and Chris Lightning. “The Prodigy” T.J. Gray then defeated Scotty Beach, followed by a six-man tag match in which Rob Adonis, “The Real Deal” Jake Slater and “Loverboy” Lee Thomas defeated Convict Spike, Pretty Boy Floyd and “Pretty Young Thing” Frederick.

Terry "Rocker" Lawler and Bambi celebrate their victory

 

 

 

Terry “Rocker” Lawler and Bambi defeated “As Seen on TV” Nigel Sherrod (from MTV2’s Lucha Libre USA) and Peggy Lee Leather in mixed tag action. Southside Trash was victorious over Big Ron Studd and Too Tall Shorts before “Butcher” Bobby Hayes and “Texas Outlaw” Joel Deaton defeated Simon Sermon and Rick Michaels of the Exotic Ones. In the main event, Steve Corino defeated Glacier by disqualification when Mike Sanders interfered. As a result, an impromptu tag team match pitted Glacier and Parker against Corino and Sanders with Glacier and Parker getting the victory.

 

 

A standing ovation for Meeks

As a closing to the show, all the wrestlers returned to the ring. A standing ovation was given to Meeks as the Friend Award was presented to her by Parker on behalf of all the promotions, wrestlers and fans she has supported and befriended.

Review by Russ Massa. Photos by Hart Photography.