Must-see shows and talks at the Fox Theater

Photo courtesy of Fox Theater

Attending university in the heart of Midtown, Tech students are afforded the opportunity to be in walking distance to award-winning Fox Theater. With more than 250 shows a year ranging from touring Broadway shows to talks by world-renowned scientists, there is a little bit of entertainment for everyone. Here are some spectacular shows and events to check out this spring.

January

Jan 11 Ballet lovers rejoice as the State Ballet Theater of Russia graces the Fox with their production of Swan Lake. Now under the direction of award-winning dancer and Moiseyev dance company soloist Nikolay Anokhin, the State Ballet Theatre of Russia presents fifty of Russia’s ballet stars in the classical ballet. The romantic story follows Odette, a princess turned into a swan by a curse, and Prince Siegfried, the prince who frees her. Set to the familiar Tchaikovsky score, the production features the full-length ballet in four acts with choreography by Marius Petipa and Lev Ivanov.

Jan 20-25 Extra, extra, read all about it! Broadway’s beloved Newsies boys are headed to the Fox. The Disney musical, based on the 1992 film starring Christian Bale, tells the heartfelt story of Jack Kelly and the rest of the “newsies,” or newspaper delivery boys, as they take on publisher Joseph Pulitzer, when he increases the cost of the newspapers to the delivery boys.

Showcase songs, such as powerful ballad “Santa Fe” and the inspirational anthem “Seize the Day” will energize audiences to pursue their dreams and fight for justice. Featuring a Tony award-winning score by the Alan Menken, the show also has incredibly choreography by 2012 Tony Award Winner Christopher Gattelli that will impress even the grumpiest old newspaper owners.

Jan 31 Long live the King! The King of Rock and Roll, that is. In the year that would have been Elvis’s 80th birthday, the Elvis Lives show is a multi-media, live extravaganza, endorsed by Graceland, showcasing all the best elements of the famed performer.

This unique theatrical concert highlights four different stage of his career—young rocker, movie, “comeback,” and Vegas—and features the champions and finalists from Elvis Presley Enterprises’ worldwide Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Contest, complete with iconic glitzy outfits and deep soulful voices. Whether learned nostalgia from grandparents overplays records or genuine appreciation for the King, Elvis Lives is fit for all.

February

Feb 6 Soup for all when Jerry Seinfeld comes to the Fox in February. The everyman funnyman, best known for his eponymous show Seinfeld, will be performing his signature, side-splitting stand-up comedy that is now unique in its cleanliness.  Without needing to resort to coarse languages or dirty jokes, Seinfeld has the ability to quip about everything and, sometimes, absolutely nothing through his specialty of observational humor. Not that there’s anything wrong with that.

Feb 11-15 Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater is back at the Fox! Originating from a now-fabled performance in March 1958 at the 92nd and Street Y in New York City, the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater celebrates the uniqueness of the African-American cultural experience and revolutionized American modern dance, finding inspiration from Ailey’s “blood memories” of Texas, the blues spirituals and gospel.  Presently helmed by Robert Battle, the company’s repertory is simply powerful. Student tickets are available in advance for $10 with a valid ID for February 12 at 8 pm. Limit two tickets per ID, one ID per person.

March

Feb 18- Mar 8 Fly back into Oz with Wicked: The Untold Story of the Witches of Oz, the smash musical with an alternative telling of the classic L. Frank Baum story. Based on the 1995 Gregory Maguire novel Wicked: The Life and Times of the Wicked Witch of the West, the story follows two young witches, Elphaba and Glinda, better known as The Wicked Witch of the West and The Good Witch, who contrast in every way as they pursue their education at the University of Shiz, long before Dorothy set foot in Oz. Once they set aside their differences, the pair forms an unexpected, everlasting bond. Featuring fan favorites “Defying Gravity,” “The Wizard and I,” and “For Good,” this now classic musical is bound to give each viewer a new heart.

Mar 24 A full year after his sold out talk at Tech, award winning-astrophysicist, author and host of FOX’S Cosmos Dr. Neil DeGrasse Tyson is coming to the Fox Theater. For those who missed it last year, An Evening with Neil DeGrasse Tyson will feature an engaging, almost intimate discussion about the space exploration, science, and the wonderful world around us, in his humorous, but often direct manner.  Many blunt ideas may be said, but one of them is almost guaranteed to be how Pluto is definitely no longer a planet.

April

Apr 7-12 For a wild night out complete with neon paint, homemade instruments and provoking commentary on society, Blue Man Group is the show to see. Created by Chris Wink, Matt Goldman and Phil Stanton, the organization was first created part of a variety act in 1987 in Manhattan. Beyond the incredible synchronization of the performing members that will make way for Three Stooges inspired physical comedy, the Blue Man Group is a stunning audio and visual extravaganza that will delight all who attend. Many of the bits simply must be seen, not explained.

May

May 2 For one night only, Celtic Woman is in town to bring down the house. A six person, all-female Irish musical ensemble conceived and created by Sharon Browne and David Downes, the group’s repertoire ranges from traditional Celtic tunes to modern songs. Current members include four vocalists Mairead Carlin, Lisa Kelly, Susan McFadden, and violinist Mairead Nesbitt. Their ethereal and harmonious music is bound to take the audience to the Old Country.

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