Month: November 2019

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Interview: Kaena Kekoa is experiencing a whole new world on tour with “Aladdin”

More than two decades after audiences fell in love with the Disney animated film “Aladdin,” the story continues to enchant all generations as a Broadway musical. Wharton Center in East Lansing will make way for the national tour of “Aladdin,” arriving December 4 and running through December 15. Click here for show and ticket information.

Hailing from Honolulu, Hawaii, Kaena Kekoa stars in her first national tour as Princess Jasmine. While her character is still the strong and independent woman we remember and love from the 1992 animated film, Kekoa is proud to say that the stage version has even more oomph to her.

I spoke with Kekoa about her experience leaving Hawaii for “Aladdin,” her favorite moment in the show, and what it’s like seeing a whole new world on the road.

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SnowStoppers, my new favorite children’s snow mittens

My holiday decor inside our house would suggest that it’s fall, but looking outside there are some serious winter vibes happening. We got our first big dose of winter in Michigan earlier this week, with several inches of snow falling on Monday and very chilly temperatures.

We had our first big snow play session with the girls after school on Monday, and it gave me a major revelation: we needed a better solution for winter gloves, especially for Margot. Her hands are still so small that most gloves slip off easily, making for very cold and wet hands very quickly. When we were at Target the next day, I tried to scope out a better option, but wasn’t finding what I was looking for.

Thankfully, my cousin Liz started a thread on her Facebook page the other day asking for recommendations about snowsuits. In that thread, our family photographer master Annmarie posted about her favorite snowsuits, but also included a recommendation for her favorite winter mittens/gloves: SnowStoppers.

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Review: Three takeaways from “Les Miserables” at Wharton Center

Tuesday evening marked the opening of “Les Miserables” at Wharton Center, nearly seven years after its last tour stop in East Lansing. The show runs through Sunday, November 17. Click here for show and ticket information.

Photo by Matthew Murphy

I’ve seen Les Mis a handful of times in the past, both in local theatre and national touring productions. It’s a show that has endured, rightfully so, as a Broadway classic and fan favorite since the 80s. Each time I see the show live, or listen to the soundtrack, I notice new things about it. Sometimes I can’t tell if they are elements that have always been there, or artistic choices by the performers and director. But either way, it makes for a unique theatre experience each and every time.

Here are three takeaways from last night’s performance of Les Miserables at Wharton Center.

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Interview: Matt Shingledecker on enjoying the ride as Enjolras in “Les Miserables”

This month, Wharton Center will welcome perennial favorite Broadway musical “Les Misérables” to the stage, with performances from November 12-17, 2019. Click here for show and ticket information.

Matt Shingledecker stars in this touring company of “Les Mis” as Enjolras, leader of the Friends of the ABC. Shingledecker has also tackled the roles of Fiyero in “Wicked” and Tony in “West Side Story” on Broadway, among others. I spoke with him about his experiences with the “Les Mis” tour, his must-have on the road, and how he casually just completed a marathon this fall.

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