Shadowland by Pilobolus. Photo by Ian Douglas
DWT Presents Judy Carmichael Trio and Shadowland by Pilobolus
Diana Wortham Theatre’s Mainstage Series, which features live performances by nationally touring artists, continues through January with the Judy Carmichael Trio on Saturday, January 21, at 8 p.m., and Shadowland by Pilobolus on Wednesday and Thursday, January 25 and 26, at 8 p.m.
Judy Carmichael, a Grammy-nominated pianist and vocalist, is one of the world’s leading interpreters of swing and stride piano, and one of the few jazz pianists honored as a Steinway artist.
“I loved the joy of it,” Carmichael says when asked what inspired her to learn this technically demanding style of jazz. “The first recording I heard of stride was Basie playing with Benny Moten’s band, back when he was still ‘Bill Basie’, not Count Basie. I was hooked immediately.”
Judy Carmichael
Carmichael is joined by Harry Allen on tenor sax and Chris Flory on guitar. Allen has toured or recorded with John Pizzarelli, Tony Bennett and John Mandel. Flory was guitarist with Benny Goodman for several years and has performed on more than 50 recordings. The trio will play ballads, Broadway standards and classics infused with Carmichael’s fresh, energetic interpretation.
Pilobolus Dance Theatre, a returning favorite of Asheville audiences, will perform Shadowland, a groundbreaking production that is acrobatic, comedic and intensely dramatic. With the humor of a child’s cartoon, Shadowland celebrates the strange and wonderful power of the dark and uses it to show us who we are.
“I believe our unexpected performances keep people coming back,” says Mark Fucik, Pilobolus’ creative director. “We like to push the boundaries of what people think can be done and surprise not only our audiences but ourselves.”
Pilobolus has won many awards and had numerous television appearances, including on 60 Minutes, Late Night with Conan O’Brien, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and the 79th Annual Academy Awards, during which the dance troupe used shadowplay to portray movies that were nominated or that had actors who were nominated.
“After creating the performance for the Oscars, it dawned on us that we could do so much more with the shadows,” says Fucik. “We could combine them with our signature movement to create an evening-length show that would transport the audience into an alternate dimension.”
Diana Wortham Theatre is at 2 South Pack Square, in Asheville. Judy Carmichael Trio tickets are $35 for adults, $30 for students and $20 for children. Shadowland by Pilobolus tickets are $50 for adults, $45 for students and $20 for children. Student rush day-of-show tickets are $10 with valid I.D. Purchase at dwtheatre.com or by calling 828.257.4530.
