"They are as singers unclothed with their instruments (voices) so mistakes cannot be hidden - pitches must be impeccable."

The actors in this show have the vocal ability and impeccable ear training that the composer's work demands and that's what makes this piece a thing of beauty and magic - not to mention the ability to grab a pitch out of the air and harmonize with singers that you've never met and make it seem like you've been singing together for years.

"Some of the best singers in the world have problems singing a cappella so having these actors prepare for walking a tight rope without a net was a daunting task. I play piano by ear so I needed some help from my assistants, Johnny Edwards and Renee Clark.

My job was not only to make sure they knew the music but to coach them so they could get the 60s style of singing."

J.D. Webster (Winston), who was last seen at the Alliance in the role of Annas along with Williams in Jesus Christ Superstar GOSPEL grew up in a family of singers but says that for a while he shied away from singing a cappella.

As an actor it is a thrill to nightly share our gifts in an artistic format that can educate and/or provoke a modern day audience - it's not just cotton candy. For me, this is the first role I have done that required significant work with a dialect, so in addition to learning my lines and music, I've also worked with a dialect coach. The biggest challenge, however, is performing (harmonies especially) a cappella.

There's no orchestra, there's not even a conductor. I liken it to trapeze artists performing without a safety net. It forces you to listen, not to your own voice as

Clayton is another Superstar alumnus, performing the role of Judas at Madison Square Garden and in regional productions of the show.

"One of the best things about this show is that it is not a typical musical," Clayton remarked. "It's really a play with music which means we have the task of pulling off the music without accompaniment and also telling a gritty story.

To prepare for my role (Roscoe Hines) the biggest thing I did was to listen to some of the groups from that era. They sang in a different kind of way -- the way they phrased musical lines and the kinds of riffs they sang.

Dynamics were different too. I used to sing with an a cappella group in college so I was familiar with the style.

But I still listened to some of the greats to prepare for this show - great quartets like the Soul Stirrers and the Persuasions.

Gleason delivers with a haunting interpretation of "The Phantom of the Opera," only to return with a vengeance in his second act-duet with Trista Moldovan (Christine Daae), "The Point of No Return." In fact, there are moments when his voice seems to rise from out of nowhere then soar high into the theater's rafters.

She is superb in the moving graveyard scene in which she longs for the presence and advice of her deceased father in "Wishing You Were Somehow Here Again."

The gowns she wears, including one that weighs in at over 35 pounds, are breathtaking and she is truly stunning when the second act opens to a masquerade party and she descends from a winding staircase.

And then there is Sean MacLaughlin (Raoul) whose good looks and powerful voice make him the perfect foil for the Phantom and a noteworthy adversary for Christine's love.

Over 80 million people in 124 cities in 25 countries have witnessed this Broadway thriller. Now, thru January 17th, citizens of or visitors to the Miami-Ft. Lauderdale area can experience the magic that is The Phantom of the Opera.

And then because of our connection with Collectif Masque we will be bringing some talented people to Chicago from Europe that a lot of folks have never seen before - Barbara Berlovitz who is with the Theatre De La Jeune in Minneapolis and Mariana Araoz and Christophe Patty, both from Collectif in France. And we have Marta Cicionesi, a Swedish set designer who is responsible for "Twelfth Night" - her sets are something to behold. They are like looking at a Salvador Dali painting."

Many Chicagoans are familiar with the director of the show, David Zak, who comes to us as a freelance director after working with Repertory Theatre."

The use of masks is actually as old as live theater itself - dating back to the Greeks and Romans. It became popular during the Renaissance period in Europe during the 15th and 16th centuries and while enjoying

"As an actor, the mask frees you to be something that is completely against who you are while bringing out the good things that are intrinsic about each actor," Trucano said. "It's very transformative for an actor - some say they feel almost naked.

But the thing is, you cannot just give an actor a mask and then point them to the stage. There is an aesthetic that is very particular and special and our six actors have grown with this technique over the last three years.

It takes a certain amount of study and time to understand how to perform the role and then to transmit a message to your audience that is real and true."

Soon he would be using today's latest technology to bring greater definition to each shot - removing undesired moles and blemishes before sending his finished product into cyberspace.

And while he is willing to take photos of just about anything, from the resplendent architecture and colorful foliage that has made Atlanta one of the most beautiful cities in America, a look at Gore's display or portfolio might suggest that he most enjoys shooting ordinary people. 

But for awhile, he turned his attention to other adventures until he could no longer escape the "photography bug."

"I attended Asbury College in Wilmore, Kentucky where I studied Spanish," he said. 

The family that hosted me spoke no English so it was a great was to get a grip on the language. And I had a wonderful time learning about their culture."

Gore would earn his bachelor of arts in Spanish Secondary English but never made it to the high school classroom. 

Instead, he left the country shortly after graduation with three friends and headed to Europe, settling in Barcelona, Spain.

"It is an honor for us to welcome these all-stars of the jazz vocal world, as they ascend on South Florida for this historic joint engagement."

"We have created this show for our Jazz Roots audience to honor the great legacy of National Endowment for the Arts Jazz Master Jon Hendricks," he said. "The Manhattan Transfer and New York Voices will perform separately and collectively, and will ultimately be joined by Jon Hendricks for an historic evening not to be forgotten."

The first time this writer experienced the beauty of vocalese was while attending a concert on the University of Michigan's Ann Arbor campus when Janis Siegel, lead singer for The Manhattan Transfer, led the group in the classic "boogie-woogie-bop" tune entitled "Birdland." It was an unforgettable event.

Technically speaking, vocalese is the practice of setting lyrics to previously recorded jazz instrumental standards and famous jazz solos and then arranging voices to sing the parts of the instruments, reproducing the sound and feel of the original instrumentation.

The ensemble just marked its 20th year in the business and is known in the jazz world for incorporating Brazilian, R&B, classical and pop influences in its unique sound.

Jazz Roots also features an in-depth educational partnership with Miami-Dade County Public Schools that allows more than 900 students to participate in a host of experiences as well as the development of practical skills essential for the establishment of a career in the arts.

I can remember the concerts that I have attended in my life that simply blew me away: Stevie Wonder in the round in an intimate Cincinnati nightclub; Prince with the Time and Vanity 6 at Detroit's Masonic Temple; the Jackson 5 on their first tour ever at the Michigan State Fair; and the "Battle of the Balladeers" which featured Teddy Pendergrass, Peabo Bryson and a then unknown singer named Luther Vandross.

But after witnessing vocalese performance at its best in the form of New York Voices, Manhattan Transfer and Jon Hendricks, the "father of vocalese," at the Arsht Center, I have another performance to add to my list of special musical moments.

And if you missed it, you owe it to yourself to search for a venue where these talented singers will be performing and then - get your tickets. This show was that good.

They even did a short tribute to the music of the 1970s with the Fifth Dimension's "Stoned Soul Picnic," Stevie Wonder's "Don't You Worry 'Bout a Thing," and the always beautiful ballad, "For All We Know."

But vocalese is their bread and butter and they did not disappoint us, particularly with their final selection, Ellington's 1940s showstopper, "Cotton Tail," which they performed with Hendricks who many years ago wrote the lyrics.

Could the older quartet, The Manhattan Trio, stand up to their top billing after such a brilliant performance by the mesmerizing, vocal showmanship of New York Voices? You bet they could and did!

Opening with a piece that made Al Jarreau a star, "Spain," the group next jumped into Count Basie's popular "Corner Pocket" and

Her colleague, Cheryl Bentyne, would have her own moment to shine with the hilarious "Doodlin.'" The quartet continued with several selections from their latest CD, "The Chick Corea Songbook, then invited Hendricks back to the stage where he would have his own solo and his opportunity to display his "scatting" excellence during their performance of a Sonny Rollins tune.

But the piece de resistance was Manhattan Transfer's always requested "Birdland." Cheryl Bentyne was in her element by this time and seemed to have the time of her life. But more than - she hit her notes seemingly without effort and gave the kind of passion that few singers can pull off - particularly after over an hour onstage.

Hendricks and New York Voices joined in on the final song adding even more harmony to an already beautifully arranged song.  It was indeed a night to remember!

With so many dance companies suffering in the midst of a struggling economy, one wonders how Villella has continued to be so successful. But this is no ordinary dancer turned director/ choreographer. According to Villella, he had a plan when he first accepted his position with the Ballet and he has stuck to it.

"I am so proud to be at a place where we will be celebrating our 25th season next year and we are going to do some really special things this fall," he said. "When we first began I selected my dancers based on three categories: those who were right out of school, those with two years of experience and those with more maturity. That way we were able to set up a natural rotation and therefore guarantee a continuum."

Villella, always the teacher, has since opened a school for dancers that trains over 400 students at any given time, some coming for an intensive summer program, many traveling thousands of miles from their native countries."

"You could say that the school was included in my original plan for Miami Ballet, but what mattered most to me was not making significant changes but rather making sure that the company and our dancers continued to develop as the years went along," he said.

"Sometimes the emphasis was on raising money, other times it was all about increasing our visibility and then of course there were times that my focus was on programming. But it's all been a series of planned steps from the very start."

Based on his many accolades and given the national recognition that he has earned for Miami Ballet, it's clear that Villella is no ordinary dancer.

"I suppose I was really inspired that day and later realized that I had gotten somewhere around 24 curtain calls," he said.

Villella, who has the kind of personality that instantly draws you in, admitted that while he loves what he is doing, teaching, directing and choreographing, that he still misses dancing on stage.
"I would pay the Devil if I could dance again."

For show times and ticket information visit www.miamicityballet.org.