Walter’s World: Fire Island Dance Festival 19

By Walter Rutledge The recent Labor Day holiday has heralded the unofficial end of summer. Kids have reluctantly traded beach balls for backpacks; and men (big kids) have cleaned the outdoor grills putting them away in anticipation of the unofficial start of the next summer season, Memorial Day 2014. Continue reading

Walter’s World: Motown The Musical (with video)

By Walter Rutledge After five weeks of previews Motown the Musical officially opened on Sunday, April 14. The show’s book by Berry Gordy is based on his autobiography, To Be Loved: The Music, The Magic, The Memories Of Motown by Berry Gordy, which chronicles his life and the Motown era. Director Charles Randolph-Wright takes us on a twenty-five year musical odyssey, telling the story of the people and the music that changed the world. Continue reading

Walter’s World: Honky Explores Exploitation And Racism

By Walter Rutledge A young black man is killed over a pair of expensive sneakers and his attacker, another teenager recites the sneaker commercial's slogan as he commits the crime. This sounds like something out of the current news headline, but it is really the opening scene from Honky, a new play presented at Urban Stages, 259 west 30TH Street.Continue reading