September 2010 - Posts

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Culture Vulture

• The Workplace Needs a Woman's Touch

  Have you ever finished the work week with a burning desire to strangle your boss with that ridiculous tie? If so, Dolly Parton's scheming, screamingly-funny workplace comedy is your must-see show of the month!
  
  9 TO 5: The Musical

  Fox Theatre
  Sept. 28 - Oct. 3
  Tickets: $20 - $65
  
  Set in the chauvinistic era of Rolodexes and coffee girls, this story unites three unlikely ladies in the funniest corporate coup since Office Space! 9 TO 5: The Musical centers around Violet, the multi-tasking matron; Judy, the bumbling beauty; and Doralee, the cubicle cutie. An empowering, feel-good show, it exposes the plotting, vengeful and feisty sides of the three friends who are treated as little more than pretty servants of Consolidated Industries. Together, the dictation dames dispose of their lecherous, churlish boss Frank Hart, Jr., proving that a woman's touch can fix even the trickiest situations.
  
  Featuring a Grammy-nominated score by the one and only Dolly Parton, 9 TO 5: The Musical is jam-packed with talent and anticipation. The proof? It has received nominations in four Tony Award® and 15 Drama Desk categories since its 2009 Broadway debut. As if you needed any extra incentive to see this charming, cunning show, Georgia's own darling diva - Diana DeGarmo - is headlining the production as the hardworking, slightly jilted Doralee!
  
  Showtimes are 8 p.m. Tuesday - Saturday, with matinees at 2 p.m. Saturday and 1:30 p.m. Sunday. The final show is Sunday at 7 p.m. Tickets range from $20 - $60, but truly, there is no bad seat at the Fabulous Fox!

  Sleuth Secret: Stop by any Publix Ticketmaster outlet and purchase tonight's ticket at a 50% discount! One night only folks, so hurry.
  

  Posted Sep 29 2010, 10:38 AM by Alyson Kate with no comments

  Filed under: 9 To 5, 9 TO 5: The Musical, arts, Atlanta, boss, coffee, comedy, Consolidated Industries, culture, Diana DeGarmo, discount, Dolly Parton, Doralee, Drama Desk, Fabulous Fox, Fox, Fox Theatre, Frank Hart, georgia, girl, Judy, ladies, matinee, musical, nomination, office space, plot, Publix, Rolodex, servant, showtime, Ticketmaster, tie, Tony Award, vengeful, Violet, woman, workplace

• PAGEANT: The Musical Rips the Pantyhose of Atlanta’s Glamour Scene

  PAGEANT: The Musical Comedy Beauty Contest
  
14th Street Playhouse

  Through Oct. 24
  

  PAGEANT: The Musical Comedy Beauty Contest is a side-splitting rendition of America's favorite pageant. In this farce, the lads ... erm, "ladies" compete in a 90 minute feat of talent, poise and fabulous fashions, all in hopes of being crowned "Miss Glamouresse." Like finding a rip in your last pair of pantyhose, the gorgeous gents drag audiences along the emotional rollercoaster of beauty and glamour. Delving into the culture and cattiness inherent to this celebration of charm, PAGEANT is an uproarious romp through shallow desires (and deep cleavage) of six lovely contestants.
  

  Aside from the daunting talent required for these delightful fellows to prance and preen on stage while wearing showgirl heels, what makes this a must-see is the interactive element. At the beginning of each performance, five audience members are chosen as judges. At the end, each contest turns her back; the appointed five then hold up scorecards as the audience votes for that night's "Miss Glamouresse" winner, ensuring each show has a different outcome. (What an excellent way to enact vengeance on that pretentious, rude "queen" which reminds us all of a certain high school classmate!)
  

  Adamant about being called anything but a "drag show", PAGEANT merely insists you take a look at the humorous side of glamor. As such, this Off-Broadway musical has garnered a cult following across the nation, as well as across the pond. Winner of the 2001 Olivier Award, (the European equivalent of a Tony,) PAGEANT is sure to bring even more accolades to the 14th Street Playhouse. Performances are offered through Oct. 24, and run every Wednesday through Saturday at 8 p.m., as well as each Sunday at 2:30 p.m. Shows are also offered at 5 p.m. on select Saturdays. Tickets can be purchased online or at the box office.
  

  PAGEANT and the 14th Street Playhouse have partnered with AID Atlanta to create a unique fundraiser benefiting the city's gay community. The 14th Street Playhouse, located in the heart of Midtown, is a long-time advocate of charities and alternative plays. I've got my fingers crossed that PAGEANT becomes a smashing success!
  

  Sleuth Secret: Just in case you're curious, I'd give Miss Deep South a solid 10 every time!
  

  Posted Sep 12 2010, 09:28 PM by Alyson Kate with 1 comment(s)

  Filed under: 14h Street Playhouse, 14th St, AID Atlanta, Atlanta, beauty, comedy, drag, gay community, glamour, glamouresse, interactive, lad, ladies, Midtown, Miss Glamouresse, musical, Olivier Award, Pageant, Pageant: The Musical Comedy Beauty Contest, showgirl

• Dragon*Con Sneak Peek

  Dragon*Con 2010
  September 3-6

  Downtown Atlanta


  Long before geek-chic hit the runways, Atlanta was home to the coolest nerds around! Dragon*Con (the largest multi-genre, pop culture fan convention in the universe) threw its inaugural parade in 1986. Today it draws tens of thousands of fans, fanatics and curious onlookers each year.
  
  Still aren’t quite sure just what Dragon*Con is? In short, it’s a four day convention celebrating the artists, gamers, writers and filmmakers within the science fiction and fantasy genres. Fans are rewarded for their tireless enthusiasm with surprise guest appearances, panel discussions, contests and meet-and-greets with favorite writers, artists and actors. Many fan(atics) appear in costume, from Stormtrooper gear and Leia’s famous metal bikini to the more obscure Sesame Street homages. (Suffice it to say, Halloween comes early for the imaginative Atlantans.)
  
  Here’s a quick overview of the can’t-miss event for con-goers and bystanders alike.

  Saturday 10 a.m. - Launching from Woodruff Park, the annual Dragon*Con Parade oozes through Downtown, showing off legions of costumes. Since it’s free to the public, why not grab a seat and have brunch as the festivities consume the streets? Also, keep an eye out for the latest Guinness World Records additions - each year Dragon*Con makes several valiant attempts to immortalize its rampant fandom.
  
  These costumed, festooned enthusiasts aren't the only ones making headlines. Annually, Dragon*Con brings record-setting revenue to the city. The 2009 convention boosted Atlanta’s economy with more than $25 million in profits. It also managed to sell out every Downtown hotel room during one of the worst hospitality recessions in recent memory. I’m crossing my fingers for an even larger turnout in 2010!
  
  Memberships (aka. tickets) can be purchased at the door, and discounts are offered for multi-day passes. Prefer to go badge-less? You can still hang out in the main corridors, and maybe even a devise a photo op with your favorite character, actor or writer.
  
  Follow me for liveTweets all weekend long. Plus, be sure to check back next week for interview snippets, tales and much more! (Maybe even a pic or two of my own costume.)

  Posted Sep 01 2010, 03:36 PM by Alyson Kate with no comments

  Filed under: 2009, 2010, actor, artist, Atlanta, badge, bikini, con, convention, costume, culture, Downtown, dragon, Dragon*Con, DragonCon, fan, fantasy, follow, Guinness, Guinness World Record, hotel, interview, Leia, Leonard Nimoy, meet-and-greet, membership, panel, parade, pass, photo, pop, profit, record, revenue, science-fiction, Sesame Street, stormtrooper, ticket, Twitter, William Shatner, Woodruff Park, writer