Diane Patrone and Chris Zander have partnered to form The Family, New York. The pair is handling East Coast representation for Backyard Productions, Venice, Calif., Cut + Run, bicoastal and London, and stimmüng, Santa Monica….Marci Miles of Reelize Reps, Chicago, has been named to handle the Midwest for Los Angeles-based Rhythm & Hues Studios….Northern Lights Post, New York, has signed Rich Schafler of Schafler Artists Management, New York, for East Coast sales….New York-based animation studio Noodlesoup Productions has signed Perry Schaffer and Corey Rogers of independent rep firm SchafferRogers, New York, to cover the East Coast….Julie Vargo of Julie Vargo and Associates, Chicago, will handle Midwest representation for ONDA Music + Sound Design, New York….Finger Music, West Los Angeles, has signed Kristina Kovacevic of KK Reps, Chicago, for Midwest representation….Lauren Kretzmer has joined Convergence, New York, as director of client relations….Mitch Rabin has been named VP/sales and marketing for Opus 1 Music Library, Studio City, Calif….Graciella Creazzo at GoGoGo Films, Miami, will be repping director Sergio Guerrero on the East Coast and in Texas. Darcy/Fox Productions, Santa Monica, will rep Guerrero on the West Coast and in the Midwest….Global Production Network, Los Angeles, has taken on exclusive U.S. representation for Media Pro Pictures and its subsidiary Domino Films, both established in the Romanian and Eastern European production arena. Media Pro, which provides production services and facilities to theatrical features, is headed by Andrei Boncea. Domino Films is Media Pro’s commercial production arm, which is under the aegis of executive producer Mihai Cociasu….Production designer Marcos Lutyens has signed with Radiant Artists, Los Angeles, for representation in commercials and music videos….Wardrobe stylist Hala Bahmet has signed with Montana Artists, Los Angeles, for exclusive representation. Also, DP Crescenzo Notarile has finished work on the TV series Hawaii and is again available for spotwork via Montana Artists….
Review: Director Jon M. Chu’s “Wicked”
It's the ultimate celebrity redemption tour, two decades in the making. In the annals of pop culture, few characters have undergone an image makeover quite like the Wicked Witch of the West.
Oh, she may have been vengeful and scary in "The Wizard of Oz." But something changed — like, REALLY changed — on the way from the yellow brick road to the Great White Way. Since 2003, crowds have packed nightly into "Wicked" at Broadway's Gershwin Theatre to cheer as the green-skinned, misunderstood Elphaba rises up on her broomstick to belt "Defying Gravity," that enduring girl-power anthem.
How many people have seen "Wicked"? Rudimentary math suggests more than 15 million on Broadway alone. And now we have "Wicked" the movie, director Jon M. Chu's lavish, faithful, impeccably crafted (and nearly three-hour) ode to this origin story of Elphaba and her (eventual) bestie — Glinda, the very good and very blonde. Welcome to Hollywood, ladies.
Before we get to what this movie does well (Those big numbers! Those costumes!), just a couple thornier issues to ponder. Will this "Wicked," powered by a soulful Cynthia Erivo (owner of one of the best singing voices on the planet) and a sprightly, comedic, hair-tossing Ariana Grande, turn even musical theater haters into lovers?
Tricky question. Some people just don't buy into the musical thing, and they should be allowed to live freely amongst us. But if people breaking into song delights rather than flummoxes you, if elaborate dance numbers in village squares and fantastical nightclubs and emerald-hued cities make perfect sense to you, and especially if you already love "Wicked," well then, you will likely love this film. If it feels like they made the best "Wicked" movie money could buy — well, it's... Read More