February 2012 Atlanta Jewish Film Festival Opening Night at the Fox Theatre

ThE FabulouS FoX Theatre

February 2012 FoxTheatre.org EncoreAtlanta.com

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Outstanding Music …

Superb Acoustics CLAYTON STATE UNIVERSITY, MORROW, GEORGIA

YEFIM BRONFMAN,

piano

Sunday, March 4, 2012 | 3PM | $65

Yefim Bronfman redefines the meaning of virtuosity, combining formidable strength and brilliance with natural sensitivity and grace, rendering performances of exceptional intelligence and elegance.

“There are some mighty fine pianists on the scene, capable not only of delivering technical fireworks, but of producing experiences rich in musical feeling.

One of the best in this regard is Yefim Bronfman” (The Baltimore Sun).

PROGRAM: BRAHMS Piano Sonata No. 3 in F minor, Op. 5 LISZT Transcendental Etudes (selections) PROKOFIEV Piano Sonata No. 8 in B-flat major, Op. 84

BRENTANO STRING QUARTET

Saturday, April 21, 2012 | 8:15PM | $50 Pre-concert Talk 7:15PM Mark Steinberg, violin Misha Amory, viola

Serena Canin, violin Nina Lee, cello

Among the world’s elite ensembles, the Brentano String Quartet consistently gives “exemplary performances” yielding “startling musical revelations.” (The Guardian, London) Program Fragments, a fascinating montage of pieces

by Dufay, Bach, Haydn, Mozart, Schubert, and Shostakovich and others. Visit www.spiveyhall.org for full program details.

TICKETS:

(678) 466-4200

For the complete 2011-2012 season schedule, visit www.SpiveyHall.org.

contents February 2012

10

14

Features

The Performance

10 Tear the House Down

17 Program and Notes

14 Memory and Family:

Departments

In Memphis, two Georgia natives explore the music of their soul.

The ‘New’ Era of Alvin Ailey This year’s engagement, the first under new artistic director Robert Battle, comprises premieres, new productions and directions.

48 Fox Fun Facts

How much do you know about the Fox’s historic lighting fixtures?

54 Graceland

The glorious (and slightly gaudy) side of Memphis.

6 EncoreAtlantA.com

38 Information 39 Staff/Etiquette 40 Dining Guide 62 Posh Dealz: Experience the best Atlanta has for less.

Cover photo by: Keith dorton

Paul Kolnik; Niels Gerhardt/shutterstock

54

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“Mommy your hair grew back.”

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managing editor

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TEAR THE

HOUSE

DOWN In Memphis, two Georgia natives explore the music of their soul By Bret Love

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I

n any Broadway-style production, the leading actors usually get more than their fair share of the limelight. But quite often it’s the lesser-known supporting players who help the headliners shine brightest. The national tour of Memphis features two ensemble members with deep Georgia roots – Christopher Gurr of Americus and Jody Reynard of Austell.

We caught up with them as they returned home, to learn more about their careers, what makes the Tony Award-winning Memphis special, and what they’re most looking forward while they’re in the Peach State.

Paul Kolnik

You were both raised in fairly small Georgia towns. How did you get interested in theater?

Christopher Gurr: I started very

young. The public schools in Americus had a very good music program, and I did my first play – an operetta, really – when I was 7. All I ever wanted to be is an actor … who sings … and maybe dances a little. That’s exactly what I’m doing in Memphis, 40-some-odd years later.

Jody Reynard: I started performing when I was accepted into the Cobb County Center for Excellence in the Performing Arts at Pebblebrook High School. I was a vocal major for three years and a dance major my senior year. I had many performing opportunities there, and I’ve been seeking out new ones ever since.

How did you break into the business?

CG: I left Americus right after high

school and went to Webster University in St. Louis. Four years later I had a BFA in musical theater. I booked my first professional gig the summer between my freshman and sophomore years … unless you count a few days I worked as Atlanta’s Performing Arts Publication 11

Memphis won a slew of awards on Broadway, including the Tony Award for best musical.

What makes the show special?

CG: What I responded to when I saw

the show in New York was the dancing and staging. The movement of this show is still, I think, my favorite part.

It’s the part I contribute the least to as a performer – I’m an actor/singer in

12 EncoreAtlantA.com EncoreAtlantA.com

this show – so I can stand back and just be a fan of the motion of the world of Memphis.

JR: It’s a simple, original story about a man with an idea to change things in a time when social change was imminent. That’s always an intriguing story in my book.

What’s the best part about coming back to Georgia to perform?

CG: My family and the Fox Theatre

because that’s where I saw my first Broadway show, the national tour of A Chorus Line. I still can’t believe I get to do what I’m doing in my life. I’m a very lucky man.

JR: I enjoy performing at the Fox tremendously, and I can’t wait to get some good Southern cooking.

Bret Love is the founder of ecotourism/ conservation site GreenGlobalTravel.com; the national managing editor of INsite magazine; and music editor for Georgia Music Magazine. He freelances for national and international publications and does improv with Jackpie at Relapse Theatre.

Paul Kolnik

an extra on a “Wonderful World of Walt Disney” TV movie shot in Lumpkin when I was a little boy. I’m pretty sure I got paid for that, too.

JR: I went to Kennesaw State University and graduated with a theater degree, all the while auditioning all around Atlanta and seeking out any and every performing opportunity I could find.

I worked with the Atlanta Opera, the Atlanta Shakespeare Tavern and Theater of the Stars at the Fox. That’s how I broke into the business – pounding the local pavement and getting enough experience under my belt to feel confident pounding the pavement of New York City.

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Kirven Boyd

Memory and family: The ‘new’ era of Alvin Ailey

By Danielle Deadwyler

C

Kirven Boyd, who has progressed from the education department, to the junior company Ailey II, to the main company in his 8-year-old Ailey career, was a high school freshman in 1998 when he first saw the modern-dance company. It calls it the “life-changing experience” that sparked his career.

Alicia Mack was 11 when she saw Ailey perform “Night Creature,” “Memoria” and other pieces on a VHS tape. She majored in history at New York’s Columbia University and studied nonprofit management in graduate school, but dance never let her go. She’s in her fourth season with Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

Continued on page 50

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Andrew Eccles

hildhood memories can whirl just as dancers do, undulating or striking like ocean waves we miss but long to be part of again.

Dancers make indelible impressions on children, even if the child never wants to be a dancer. Young fans can recall every detail of their first exposure: the house lights dimming, their favorite piece, how old they were, what they wore. Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater has had that affect on people ever since its namesake and a few friends opened eyes at New York’s 92nd Street Y in 1958.

Start your night with a standing ovation.

Enjoy a sumptuous pre-show dinner with our 3-course Prime Time Menu | $39.95 or $49.95 Offered nightly until 6:30pm.

Four Metro Atlanta Restaurants Sandy Springs • Buckhead Centennial Olympic Park • Kennesaw ruthschris.com

The things we do for

We all have the desire to create. Whether it be in the arts or commerce, our desire to achieve is the same. And the pursuit of that goal keeps us going day after day. That’s why we are proud to present Broadway in Atlanta. Like you, we know what it takes to reach your dreams, and we’ll do our best to help you achieve them.

Fifth Third Bank proudly presents Broadway in Atlanta.

53.com Fifth Third Bank, Member FDIC.

Equal Housing Lender.

AN

AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE PRODUCTION

ATLANTA JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL IN THEATERS NEAR YOU

FEBRUARY 8-29, 2012

THIS EVENING HAS BEEN RATED

OPENING NIGHT ROLLING OUT THE RED CARPET

WWW.AJFF.ORG

welcome Dear Friends, We are proud to be celebrating our 12th year of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival.

An even dozen, the number 12 is commonly used in film (e.g. The Dirty Dozen, Ocean’s Twelve, 12 Angry Men, Twelve O’Clock High), and is an important number in Jewish tradition (e.g. the Twelve Tribes of Israel).

For AJFF, our 12th year means yet another year of expansion, with two new theater venues (Tara and North Point), and 22 nights of film. But more importantly, it signifies that we are well into our second decade of showcasing diverse films that explore themes of Jewish culture, heritage and history.

Our brand of storytelling, which we carefully hone each year, continues with several films focusing on Jewish-Muslim/Arab relations with both historical and contemporary contexts, as seen in David, Fracture, Free Men and Kaddish for a Friend. Free Men also explores the role of Righteous Persons … those who saved Jewish lives during WWII, a theme also found in Joanna, Max Schmeling, Nicky’s Family, The Rescuers, Sonny Boy and Turkish Passport. There are biographies of fascinating Jewish figures, from Jascha Heifetz to Otto Frank to Philip Roth and Paul Goodman, as well as our customary panorama of outstanding Israeli cinema (Dusk, The Fifth Heaven, The Flood, Intimate Grammar, My Lovely Sister and Restoration) and Israel’s first horror movie (Rabies). We continue our Classic Film Series with anniversary showings of The Cantor’s Son, Dirty Dancing and Sophie’s Choice. And we kick off AJFF with one of the best, the unusual and handsomely mounted WWII tragicomedy My Best Enemy, from the producers of the 2007 Best Foreign Language Film Oscar winner, The Counterfeiters.

As the largest film festival in Atlanta and the nation’s second-largest Jewish film fest, AJFF is proud to be a significant cornerstone of Atlanta’s arts and cultural calendar. AJC Atlanta’s 12-year experience of producing the film festival continues to confirm that film is among the most effective means of communicating our mission of building interfaith, interethnic and intergenerational bridges.

Understanding grows out of shared experiences, and stories and storytelling are often the best way to foster such experiences.

We are eternally grateful for our ever-growing list of sponsors, supporters, volunteers and moviegoers who make this dream possible year after year. We look forward to greeting you Opening Night at the Fox and throughout the festival. As we try hard to remind our viewers every year … buy your tickets early … it’s always a sellout!

Matthew Bernstein 2012 AJFF Co-Chair

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Kirk Dornbush 2012 AJFF Co-Chair

Leonard Silverstein AJC Atlanta Regional Office President

A WORD FROM THE OPENING NIGHT CHAIRS Dear Friends, Welcome to the Opening Night of the Atlanta Jewish Film Festival at the Fabulous Fox Theatre.

To each member of our enthusiastic audience, we extend a heartfelt thanks for being part of this cultural celebration. As returning AJFF Opening Night Chairs, our desire was to continue building a signature event that spotlights both the culinary and film arts, while bringing together the entire community.

We are particularly proud to have expanded the support of our friends and colleagues in the hospitality industry. Please express your appreciation to these supporters of AJFF through patronage during the year …

Sandra Bank Added Touch Catering

Bennett Hollberg DAVIO’s

Jonathan Jerusalmy St. Regis Hotel

Jimmy Meas AJA

Craig Richards ECCO

Kevin Rathbun Rathbun’s

Gerry Klaskala ARIA

Uri Navon Machaneyuda, Jerusalem

Peter Kaiser TWIST

Gary Donlick Bistro Niko

Piero Premoli Pricci

Gregg Brickman Wolfgang Puck Catering at the Georgia Aquarium

Jay Davis of National Distributing Company and Doug Hertz of United Distributors have been most generous in supplying the libations for our Opening Night soiree, a perfect complement to the fine food of our talented chefs.

An evening like this does not happen without the vision and tenacious effort of a wonderful team. We applaud the AJFF for bringing an unparalleled cultural experience to our community. It is our pleasure to serve alongside you.

Sit back, relax and enjoy the show!

Lynne M. and Howard I. Halpern

Atlanta’s Performing Arts Publication 19

AJFF OPENING NIGHT BREAKS NEW GROUND

ON HALLOWED TERRITORY

By David Lee Simmons

W

hen it comes to the Holocaust in film, it’s all a matter of perspective. Rarely has a topic depended so much on who’s making the film as well as on who’s watching it. For years, filmmakers have tried to approach the suffering of the Jewish people by avoiding conventional images of concentration camp horrors to better emphasize the triumph of the human spirit.

The results have been mixed, both commercially and critically, which is what makes the 2012 AJFF Opening Night screening of the Austrian film My Best Enemy such a compelling choice.

Working from veteran screenwriter (and Holocaust survivor) Paul Hengge’s script, director Wolfgang Murnberger presents the story of a Jewish Viennese art-dealing family hoping to outwit the Nazis and save a priceless drawing, in a film that walks a fine line between drama and comedy.

Though the subject is quite serious, much of the film is played for laughs as the protagonist, Victor Kaufmann (Moritz

Bleibtreu), plays a cat-and-mouse game with Rudi (Georg Friedrich), a family friend turned traitor—in a series of identity swaps, exposed forgeries, lucky breaks and a fair dose of Nazi buffoonery.

The producers of My Best Enemy covered similar territory in their 2007 Oscar-winning The Counterfeiters, a true story of a Jewish forger coerced by the Nazis to create bogus Allied currency to destabilize Allied financial markets. But that story was told from the concentration camp perspective, whereas My Best Enemy remains safely outside the prison confines.

Continued on Page 22

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Hengge, too, has mined similar themes, most notably with another Academy Award winner, 1990’s Europa, Europa, the true story of a young man who poses as a Hitler Youth recruit to avoid capture.

In both Europa and Enemy, the ultimate goal is reunification of the protagonist with his imprisoned family members—by any means necessary.

Hengge says he had asked himself over the years how the Jewish people survived despite so much persecution.

“I am convinced that it results from the cohesion of the family, and the ability to recognize [their imperfections]. This is the root of the [Jews’] self-irony and humor, which essentially exposes and defeats the physically superior enemy at the [spiritual level].”

As the film starts, Victor is more a fortunate son who gets by on his family name and money, but he’s forced to take life more seriously as the Holocaust approaches. Just before the family’s imprisonment, his father hides a valuable Michelangelo drawing that the Nazis covet in their negotiations with Italy (and he has a fake copy made). The double-crossing Rudi, who has become a Nazi and informed his superiors about the priceless artwork, oversees Victor’s release and expects his former friend will lead the Nazis to the drawing.

Thus begins the cat-and-mouse action among Victor, Rudi and the Nazis. The film takes on darkly comedic tones when Victor overtakes Rudi, exchanges clothes with him, and hoodwinks the Nazis into believing that he’s the officer and Rudi the prisoner. Wearing Rudi’s tailored fascist black regalia, Victor finds the uniform 22 EncoreAtlantA.com

very seductive. “Victor Kaufmann is not about his own life, but about [saving] his mother,” Hengge explains. “The moral force that grows in him emanates from the power of the foreign uniform.”

Much of My Best Enemy plays off little absurdist moments like these, and relies heavily on the audience’s willing suspension of disbelief as it cheers on the hero to outfox the bad guys. We’ve seen comedy used to this effect in movies before. The most conspicuous early attempt was Ernst Lubitsch’s To Be or Not to Be in 1942, in which a Polish theater company (led by Jack Benny and Carole Lombard) helps a partisan prevent a Nazi spy from delivering key information about the resistance.

More recent examples include Italian comedy legend Roberto Benigni’s Academy Award-winning 1997 work, Life Is Beautiful, in which an Italian Jew tries to safeguard his young son by turning their life inside a concentration camp into a game. And there’s Quentin Tarantino’s controversial and outlandish Inglourious Basterds (2009), in which an American officer (Brad Pitt) recruits a group of Jewish soldiers on a vengeful crusade against the Nazis.

In books such as Hollywood’s Image of the Jew and The Jewish Image in American Film, film scholar Lester D. Friedman discusses the risks taken in these movies when the Holocaust is, at some point, played for laughs. “Once you inject levity,” Friedman says, “it’s not at the expense of the victims; it’s done to make the Nazis look incompetent.

You diminish some of the evil. Once you make them into clowns, you’re doing something of a disservice to the conceptualization of the Holocaust. If you’re a clown, you’re not dangerous.”

For the record, Friedman says he despises Life Is Beautiful, and concedes that while he cheered on the avenging Jewish soldiers of Inglourious Basterds, he had serious problems with its historical inaccuracies. But he notes that however flawed films like these are—including Defiance (2008), about Jewish brothers who break out of a concentration camp, and wage war against the Nazis—they portray Jews not as hapless victims but as fighters, a good thing.

Director Murnberger was all too aware of the pitfalls when he began work on My Best Enemy. In fact, he first found himself making two versions

One of Germany’s most charismatic lead actors, Moritz Bleibtreu (above) finds himself at the center of worldchanging events in My Best Enemy, the 2012 AJFF Opening Night film. of the film: a “realistic” version, and a “Chaplin” version. The more he got into the adaptation, the more he saw the film not as a comedy but a “tragicomedy.” “I had 90 percent decided on the realistic version, and did only a little with the lighter, more playful one. After a week we realized the realistic version was better because there wasn’t enough meat for a real To Be or Not to Betype comedy.”

Finding the right tone in a Holocaust film certainly remains a subjective endeavor. It will be interesting to see how AJFF audiences react to My Best Enemy, which ultimately shows—sometimes seriously, sometimes with a wink—how Jewish spirit can ultimately triumph against a supposedly superior enemy.

David Lee Simmons is an arts journalist in Atlanta. He is a regular contributor to WABE and ArtsCriticATL.com.

Atlanta’s Performing Arts Publication 23

program

prelude

Larry Douglas Embury Organist

WELCOME

Ingrid Saunders Jones Senior Vice President Global Community Connections, The Coca-Cola Company

GREETINGS FROM AMERICAN JEWISH COMMITTEE Leonard Silverstein AJC Atlanta Regional Office, President

2012 AJFF THEATRICAL TRAILER

Produced by Crawford Media Services, Inc. With special thanks to CineFilm, Cinema Concepts and FujiFilm

A MESSAGE FROM ATLANTA JEWISH FILM FESTIVAL

Matthew Bernstein and Kirk Dornbush 2012 AJFF Chairs

My Best Enemy

ATLANTA PREMIERE Directed by Wolfgang Murnberger Austria, Luxembourg • 2011 • 109 min.

German w/ English subtitles • Narrative Presenting Sponsors

The Marcus Foundation, Inc.

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Today, children are starving in the Horn of Africa.

But we can save them.

It’s the worst drought in 60 years. Food is scarce. And over 2 million children’s lives are at risk. $10 can feed a malnourished child for 10 days. If you believe the number of children dying from malnutrition should be ZERO, join us.

Please visit unicefusa.org or call 1-800-4-UNICEF

AJFF SPONSORS PRESENTING

The Arthur M. Blank Family Foundation The Coca-Cola Company The Kendeda Fund The Marcus Foundation, Inc.

EXECUTIVE PRODUCER

Greenberg Traurig, LLP Turner Broadcasting System, Inc.

PRODUCER

Fulton County Arts Council The Eliot J. Garber Foundation Edwin Gold Goldman, Sachs & Co. Macquarium Intelligent Communications National Endowment for the Arts The Rich Foundation The Luci and Stan Sunshine Family Foundation

DIRECTOR

The Argo Family Fund Arlington Memorial Park H.M. Patterson and Son Funeral Directors Arlington Chapel Bob Arotsky and Ilene Engel Audiological Consultants of Atlanta The Billi Marcus Foundation BNY Mellon Wealth Management Ron and Lisa Brill Family Charitable Trust Capital Investment Advisors Donna and Michael Coles Create a Jewish Legacy A campaign of the Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta Credit Suisse Georgia Film, Music & Digital Entertainment Office HBO Israel Ministry of Tourism David L. Kuniansky, Real Estate Broker Morris Family Foundation on behalf of FIDF Northside Hospital PJ Library Mark and Linda Silberman The Woodruff Arts Center The Zaban Family Judy Zaban Carol and Larry Cooper Laura and Marshall Dinerman Sara and Robert Franco

SCREENWRITER

Ackerman & Co. Anonymous in memory of Evelyn Catton Messer Atlanta Gastroenterology Associates Atlantic Trust Dana and Greg Averbuch Natalie and Matthew Bernstein Bone’s Restaurant Consulate General of the Federal Republic of Germany Elimilice Eternal Life – Hemshech Fifth Group Restaurants Georgia Production Partnership GlassRatner Advisory and Capital Group Goodbye Water Lynne M. and Howard I. Halpern Hertz Family Foundation JP Morgan Private Bank Mark Kopkin Sheri and Steve Labovitz Metro Alloys, Inc. Neil, Ozzie and Bruce Berman, and Gary Kamp Dedi and Julian Mohr Moncrief Heating & Air Conditioning Morgan Stanley Smith Barney Barbara and Sanford Orkin Pathstone Family Office Allan Zachariah Ellen Arnovitz and Michael Plasker Abe, Linda, Adam and Hana Schear The Selig Foundation Cathy and Steve Kuranoff Linda and Steve Selig Siegel and Dolt Comprehensive Dental Care UBS Financial Services, Inc. Wilmington Trust

OPENING NIGHT CHEF

Judith and Aaron Alembik Balentine Gerry and Vicki Benjamin Consulate General of Israel to the Southeast Debbie and David Dermer Harry Norman, REALTORS© Israel Ministry of Tourism NetJets Cookie B. Shapiro Weidmann Remodeling – Renovation

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CELEBRITY

Abrams, Davis, Mason & Long LLC Rosalyn and Saul Adler Diane and Kent Alexander Drs. Mimi Zieman and Jeffrey Allen and Family Allied Fence Co. Dorita and Hal Arnold Hugh and Kim Asher Spring and Tom Asher Teri and Steve Astren Dale and Wendy Bearman Eva and Gary Beldick Rabbi Peter Berg and Karen Kerness Candy and Stephen Berman Goldie and Lou Bertone Shirley Blaine Molly Blank Julie and Gary Blase Blonder Family Foundation Bodker, Ramsey, Andrews, Winograd & Wildstein, P.C. Judy Bozarth Robin and Yaron Brill Ellen and Michael Chalef City of Atlanta Office of Cultural Affairs The Cohen-Kogon Families Pull-A-Part Ann and Jay Davis Daniel and Suzanne Dinur Barb and Kirk Dornbush Dressler’s Jewish Funeral Care Dr. and Mrs. Ron Eichel Dawn and Gene Eidelman Ina and Harold Enoch Robert Mayer Evans Elisa and Bobby Ezor Ellen and Howard Feinsand Stacy and Manny Fialkow Marcy Bass and Scott Fisher Viki and Paul Freeman and Family Goldstein, Garber and Salama, LLC Stacey and Ron Geer Georgia Humanities Council Dina Gerson Edwin S. Gerson Linda and Nelson Gold Margo and Larry Gold Barbara and Joel Goldman Dr. Daniel and Judy Goodman Jane Schiff and Lon Gratz Billie and Mickey Greenberg and Family Lauren and Jim Grien GV Financial Advisors, Inc. Nanci and Bob Halper Lynne and Jack Halpern

Owen Halpern Mark Hennessey Henry & Etta Raye Hirsch Heritage Foundation Etta Raye Hirsch Lisa and Seth Greenberg Michele and David Hirsch Janie R. Hicks Homrich Berg Pearlann and Jerry Horowitz Kimberly Kaminsky Helen and Stan Kasten Suzanne Katz James and Lori Kilberg Dena and Josh Kimball Julie and Daniel Kleinman Eydie and Steve Koonin Bobbi Kornblit Cathy and Jeffrey Korotkin Debbie and Douglas Kuniansky Lois Kuniansky Phyllis and Wayne Lazarus Faye and Craig Lefkoff Andrea and Mike Leven Rabbi Brad and Rebecca Levenberg Susan Booth and Max Leventhal Nancy and Marshall Levine Randi and Sid Levy Brenda and Mark Lichtenstein Barbara and Eddie Mendel Caren and Michael Merlin Susan Kupferberg and Richard Mitchell Debbie and Lon Neese Melanie and Allan Nelkin Mr. and Mrs. Lynn G. Newport The Paradies Shops Joan and Rob Perkins Susan Arnovitz Plasker Publix Super Markets Charities, Inc. Paula and Marvin Rachelefsky The RADCO Companies Ruth Rauzin Rabbi Frederick Reeves and Ms. Lauren Rosenberg Jerry Richman, DDS Jerry and Dulcy Rosenberg Jennifer and Joel Rosenfeld, MD Louise and Edwin Rothberg Arnie and Judy Rubenstein Sanders Financial Management Lynn and Jan Saperstein Joyce and Jay Schwartz Marlene J. Schwartz and Family Tessa and Gary Shaban Ray Ann Kremer and George Shapiro Staci and Maury Shapiro Joyce and Sonny Shlesinger

AJFF SPONSORS Arthur B. Silver DDS, PC Orthodontics for Children and Adults Dr. Ellen Frauenthal and Leonard Silverstein Susan and Jay Smith Irene and Howard Stein Helen Stern Mary and Eric Tanenblatt Judith and Mark Taylor Nora and Wayne Taylor The Private Bank at Wells Fargo The Van de Grift Family Veracor Chris Broyles and John Ellard Deborah Spector and Jeffrey Victor Warren Epstein & Associates, Architects, Inc. Warren, Jan, Kyle and Glen Epstein Weber Jewish Community High School Felicia and Joe Weber Judy and Dan Wolbe Chuck Wolf Woodward Academy Ellyse and Warren Zindler

EVENT

Allison Boaz, Aunt Bobo Photography CinéBistro Color Reflections Consulate General of Israel to the Southeast Fine Food & Wine Cruise Georgia Theatre Company Merchants Walk Stadium Cinemas Goldberg’s Deli and Bagel Company Landmark Diner Lefont Theaters Nancy Jo McDaniel Photography Mirage Persian Cuisine National Distributing Company Paula M. Gould Photography Peachtree Tents & Events Regal Entertainment Group Ric Mershon Photographers David Selby Photography Ticket Alternative United Distributors, Inc.

MEDIA

AM 1690 “The Voice of the Arts” Atlanta Jewish Times The Atlanta Journal-Constitution Atlanta Magazine Creative Loafing In Sandy Springs/Dunwoody Newstalk 1160 “The Talk of the Town” Public Broadcasting Atlanta Reporter Newspapers WSB-TV, Family 2 Family

MARKETING

Atlantic Station Big Screen Media Branded by Smith Cool Blue Interactive Encore Atlanta Magazine Jewish Federation of Greater Atlanta Mailbox Marketing, Inc. Weber Shandwick Wit Advertising & Design XFINITY

MULTIMEDIA PRODUCTION

Cinefilm Cinema Concepts Crawford Media Services, Inc. Fuji Film VCS, Video Copy Services

TRAVEL

Cooper-Global Chauffeured Transportation Courtyard Atlanta Downtown Courtyard by Marriott Glenridge Perimeter NetJets Renaissance Atlanta Midtown Hotel SouthWest Airlines

AJFF committEes FESTIVAL CHAIRS Matthew Bernstein Kirk Dornbush

COMMITTEE CHAIRS

COmmunications Tom Karsch Brad Pilcher Shayne Walsey

COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT W. Imara Canady Sari Earl Sherry Frank

development Carol Cooper Michael Plasker

film selection Rabbi Brad Levenberg Max Leventhal

opening night Howard I. Halpern Lynne M. Halpern

PROGRAMMING Spring Asher Shelton Stanfill

Volunteers Devra Kolesky Walter Kolesky

Young Professionals

Avery Kastin Hannah Vahaba

STEERING COMMITTEE Edward Augustine Michael Coles Brennen Dicker Dawn Eidelman Randi Emerman Jan Epstein Marianne Garber Stan Kasten Eydie Koonin Mark Kopkin David Kuniansky Sheri Labovitz Steve Labovitz Phyllis Lazarus David Lewis

Rob Perkins Eleanor Ringel-Cater Cookie Shapiro Maury A. Shapiro Leonard Silverstein Howard Wexler

ADDITIONAL COMMITTEE MEMBERS

Ellen Arnovitz Jane Aronoff Bob Arotsky Hugh Asher Teri Astren Susan Standel Backer Jon A. Barash John Bare Marcy Bass Bradley Bauman Dale Bearman Wendy Bearman Bob Bell Liz Bell Judy Bozarth Ofira Buchman Allee Burka Mike Century Ellen Chalef Greg Changnon Bennie Cohen Mark Cohen Ruthie Cohen Scott Colbert R. Royal Craft Lisa Cremin Dan DeWoskin Laura Dinerman Carolyn Dix Janet Dortch Sara Duke Lauren Dyckman Penny Egel Ilene Engel Jason Evans Robert M. Evans Bobby Ezor Lenny Felgin Beryl Firestone Evan Fishman Aida Flamm Elizabeth Foster Rachel S. Fox Drew Frank Viki Freeman Alissa Funk Dianne Garber Ed Gerson Sara Ghitis Hazel Gold

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Barbara Goldman Marni Singer Goldman Katherine Goldstein Leslie Gordon Lisa Greenberg Katie Levitt Greene Jim Grien Lauren Grien Gary Gross Ruth Hackner Melissa Hall Naama Harel Anna Hartman Benny Hary Janice Hellmann Janie Hicks Adam Hirsch Marcie Hirshberg Bobbie Hollander Melissa Horen Jonathan Javetz Gloria Kantor Caren Kaplan Allison Katz Erica Katz Carole Kay Melanie Kelman Dena Kimball Helen Kraus Ray Ann Kremer Lindsey Kuniansky Michael Kuniansky Nadia Lancy Jane Leavey Allison Lerer Joan Lerner Roseanne Lesack Jennifer R. Leson Hassia Levin Esther Levine Sally Levine Simonie Levy Susan Levy Valerie Hartman Levy Catherine Lewis Mark Lichtenstein Nechama Lindenboim Kate Lipton Nafeesah Madyun Judy Marx Paul Mendel Seth Morganstern Patricia Mosier Rochelle Mucha Jackie Naggar Octavia Nasr Harrison Nathan Ellen Nemhauser Jamila Owens Seth Parker

Emily Pins Billy Planer Stefanie Pous Lesley Radov Steven Rau Jason Reingold Jessica Reis Martin Reish Evan Remer Steven Richman Eric Robbins Staci Robbins Amy Rosen Richard Rosenblatt Peggy Roth Shira Rothman Jan Saperstein Dave Schechter Caren Schiff Jane Schiff Julie Schneider Michael Schulder Marlene J. Schwartz Alan Serby Brenna Serby Nurit Shacham Stacey Shapiro Einat Shaul Valerie Siegel Saba Silverman Robyn Singer Jason Smith Barbara Snow Jeffrey Snow Ali Lauren Spizman Robyn Spizman Helen Stern Samuel Stern Betty Sunshine Luci Sunshine Jan Swanson Judith Taylor Ronnie Van Gelder Gabe Wardell Seth Weiner Melody Weinstein Matthew Weiss Ari Weitz Carol Wien Sue Winner Judy Zaban Bryan Zeitlin Sydney Ziff Marvin Zimmerman Ellyse Zindler Sara Zuk Jenah Zweig

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AJC ATLANTA BOARD Charles Ackerman Elaine B. Alexander Kent B. Alexander Miles Alexander Ellen Arnovitz Amy Arogeti Bob Arotsky Kasey Asarch Thomas J. Asher Greg Averbuch Lara Balser Marcy Bass Billy Bauman Rabbi Peter S. Berg Candy A. Berman Justin Berman Stephen M. Berman B. J. Bernstein Matthew Bernstein Shirley Blaine Lisa Brill Herbert Cohen Jamie Cohen Mark P. Cohen Richard W. Cohen Rabbi Scott E. Colbert Michael Coles Carol Cooper Lawrence E. Cooper Sandra H. Cuttler Justin S. Daniels

Mona Diamond Laura Z. Dinerman Kirk Dornbush Sari Earl Ilene Engel Jan Epstein William W. Epstein Robert Mayer Evans Ted V. Fisher Martin Fleischmann Sara Franco Lois Frank Sherry Frank Paul Freeman Viki Freeman Jonathan Ganz Stacey K. Geer Dina Gerson Burton Gold Joel Goldberg Jonathan Golden Burton B. Goldstein Lauren G. Grien Richard A. Guthman Jack Halpern Lisa Haynor Douglas J. Hertz Lila Hertz Betty Ann Jacobson Barbara Babbit Kaufman Jamie Kleber

Harris Konter Rabbi Philip Kranz Lewis Kravitz Ray Ann Kremer David Kuniansky Laura Kurlander Nagel Steve Labovitz Sheri S. Labovitz Michael A. Leven Elaine L. Levin Randi Levy Valerie Hartman Levy Marc J. Lewyn Mark Lichtenstein Lawrence E. Liebross Joan Lipson Bernard Marcus Sam Massell Rick May Justin Milrad Belinda Morris Michael A. Morris Andrew L. Much Deborah Neese Melanie Nelkin Rebecca Oppenheimer Sanford Orkin Beth H. Paradies Susan Arnovitz Plasker Ruth Rauzin Clyde Rodbell

Jennifer Rosenfeld Peggy Roth Arnie Rubenstein David Rubinger Jane Schiff Marc L. Schwartz William B. Schwartz, III Linda W. Selig S. Stephen Selig, III Cathy Selig Kuranoff Cookie Shapiro Marvin H. Shoob Arnold Sidman Tobyanne Sidman Leonard Silverstein Deborah Spector Helen Marie Stern Alvin M. Sugarman Betty Sunshine Luci Sunshine Cedric L. Suzman Eric J. Tanenblatt Judith G. Taylor Larry Thorpe Marc D. Weinberg Marvin Weintraub Charles Wolf Rita Goldstein Wolfson Judy Zaban Allan J. Zachariah

ajc atlanta

ajff

Rex Garrett Director of Events and Technology

Sue Anne Morgan Opening Night Reception Producer

Amanda Arnovitz La Kier Director of Development

Staci Brill Associate Director

Jeanette Gregory Administrative Coordinator

Maura Neill Social Media Coordinator

Itai Tsur Assistant Director

Elise Eplan Community Engagement Coordinator

Lauren McLeod Program Assistant

Nikoloz Kevkhishvili, Aleaha LaForme, Mark Rozeman, and Matthew Smith Interns

staff Dov Wilker Executive Director

Brenda Mitchell Office Manager

Kenny Blank Executive Director

Dina Fuchs-Beresin Guest Coordinator

Cynthia McGuinness Administrative Director Ali Mitchell Print Traffic Manager

FOR YOUR INFORMATION The Theatre A fully restored 1929 “Movie Palace,” the Fox Theatre, with 4,678 seats, is a multiple-purpose facility, housing Broadway shows, ballet, symphonies, concerts, movies, and private corporate events.

Lost and Found Lost and Found items are turned in to the House Manager’s office. To check on lost items, please call the House Manager at 404.881.2075. Lost and Found items will be retained for 30 days.

Private Rooms The Fox Theatre has three private rental spaces, with accommodations for 25 to 1,200 guests. Our Egyptian Ballroom and Grand Salon are beautifully decorated and can be set up to your specifications. The Landmarks Lounge is adjacent to the lobby and is perfect for a small pre-show and intermission event. To book your ”Fabulous Fox“ evening, please call 404.881.2100 or visit us at www.foxtheatre.org.

Emergency Information In the event of an emergency, please walk to the nearest exit. Do Not Run.

The Box Office The Fox Theatre Box Office is located in the arcade entrance to the theatre. The Box Office is open for walk up ticket sales Monday-Friday, 10:00 a.m.-6:00 p.m., and Saturday, 10:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. The Fox Theatre Box Office is not open on Sundays unless there is a performance. On event days, the Box Office opens two hours prior to show time. Doors to the Fox open one hour prior to show time.

Tickets for all performances at the Fox may be purchased at any TICKETMASTER outlet, by calling TICKETMASTER at 800.745.3000, or by visiting the Fox Theatre Box Office in person during regular Box Office hours.

Group Sales The Fox Theatre Group Sales Department offers discounts to Groups for most Broadway shows. The Group Sales office is open Monday-Friday from 9am to 5pm. Call 404 8812000 or email foxgroup@foxtheatre.org.

Concessions Concession stands are located in the Spanish Room, main lobby, and on the mezzanine lobby level.

Restrooms Restrooms are located off the Main Lobby (downstairs), Mezzanine Lobby levels, and the Gallery level. Accessible restroom facilities are located in the Spanish Room and Accessible/Family restrooms are located through the Office door in the main lobby.

Gift Shop The Fox Theatre operates a gift shop selling history books, T-shirts, sweatshirts, and an assortment of other theatre-related merchandise. The gift shop is located in the Spanish Room.

Tours Tours of the Fox Theatre are available through the Atlanta Preservation Center. Tours are conducted Mondays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays at 10:00 a.m. and Saturdays at 10:00 a.m. and 11:00 a.m. Tours begin in the Peachtree Street Arcade entrance to the theatre.

For more information on tours and to confirm the tour schedule, please call the Atlanta Preservation Center at 404.688.3353.

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Smoking In accordance with the Fulton County Clean Air Ordinance, the Fox Theatre is a smoke-free facility.

Smoking is only permitted in designated areas.

Special Needs Ken Shook, Patron Services Coordinator, is our liaison to the disabled community. He can be reached at 404.881.2118 and can provide information on the locations and prices of accessible seating and other programs for the disabled.

The Fox Theatre also has a brochure detailing all these programs for our patrons with special needs. This brochure is available at the Concierge Desk in the Arcade.

An audio clarification device (Phonic Ear) is available for patrons with hearing disabilities. It is available, free of charge, on a first-come, first-serve basis on the evening of a performance, or you may reserve a device by calling the Patron Services Director. A limited number of booster seats are also available free of charge.

Elevators Elevators are located at the north end of each lobby.

The elevators are available during all performances and make it possible to access each lobby without the use of stairs. Patrons should be aware that access to upper seating areas do involve stairs.

Parking Parking is available within a four-block radius in all directions of the Fox Theatre. Advanced reserved parking is available for sale at the Fox Box Office or by calling TICKETMASTER at 800.745.3000. The Fox Theatre assumes no responsibility for vehicles parked in any of the privately owned parking lots operating in the Fox Theatre district.

Performance Notes All patrons, regardless of age, must have a ticket in order to be admitted to the theatre. Not all events are suitable for children. Infants will not be admitted to adult programs/performances. Parents will be asked to remove children who create a disturbance.

Latecomers will be seated at the discretion of the management, in conjunction with the wishes of the producers.

Please turn off all pagers and cell phones prior to the beginning of each performance.

Camera and recording devices are strictly prohibited.

Backstage employees are represented by the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E.)

etiquette 1. Please arrive early. Latecomers may not be seated until intermission.

2. Take care of personal needs (drinks of water or restroom) before the performance begins.

3. Please silence or turn off all electronic devices, including cell phones, beepers, and watch alarms. We encourage you to share your experience at the Fox via social media, but please refrain from doing so or texting during performances; the glow from your device is distracting.

4. Most shows do not allow photography of any kind. Flash photography inside the theatre is never allowed as it is a distraction to those around you and a danger to the performers.

5. The overture is part of the performance.

Please cease talking at this point.

6. Dear Lovebirds, when you lean your heads together, you block the view of the people behind you. Please consider the people that will be seated behind you when choosing whether or not to wear a hat or what hair style you choose.

7. Please refrain from talking, humming, or singing along with the show, except when encouraged to do so by the artist or show.

8. Please wait for an appropriate moment to dig something out of your pocket or bag.

9. Go easy with the perfume and cologne, many people are highly allergic.

10. If you need assistance during the show, please go to your nearest volunteer usher.

If additional assistance is needed the usher will get the appropriate person to further help you.

11. Yes, the parking lot gets busy and public transportation is tricky, but leaving while the show is in progress or before the actors have taken their final bows is discourteous.

Wait until it is over and then exit with the rest of the audience.

The Fox Theatre 660 Peachtree Street, N.E. Atlanta, Georgia 30308 404.881.2100 • www.foxtheatre.org

STAFF

Allan C. Vella . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . General Manager Adina Alford Erwin . . . . . . . . Assistant General Manager Pat “Sunshine” Tucker . . . . Director of Ticketing & Box Office Robert Burnett . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Controller Rick Robbins . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assistant Controller Jennifer S. Farmer . . . . . . . . . Director of Sales/Ballrooms Oliver Diamantstein . . . . . Director of Food and Beverage Len Tucker . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Director of Operations Pat Prill . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . House Manager Greta Duke . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assistant House Manager Kristen Delaney . . . . . . . . . . . Director of Marketing & PR Ken Shook . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Patron Services Coordinator Shelly Kleppsattel . . . . . . . . Booking & Contract Associate Jamie Vosmeier . . . . . Director of Group Sales, Education & Community Outreach Molly Fortune . . . . . . . . Preservation Department Manager Amy Smith . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Production Manager Rebecca J. Graham . . . . . . Assistant Production Manager Gary Hardaway . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .Master Carpenter Larry Watson . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . House Flyman Scott Hardin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Property Master Ray T. Haynie . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Master Electrician Cary Oldknow . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assistant Electrician Rodney Amos . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Head Sound Engineer Larry-Douglas Embury . . . . . . . . . . Organist In Residence Tammy Folds . . . . . . . . . . . . Production Security Manager

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE AND BOARD MEMBERS Alan E. Thomas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Chairman of the Board Edward L. White . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . President Beauchamp C. Carr . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2nd Vice President John A. Busby Jr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3rd Vice President Julia Sprunt Grumbles . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4th Vice President Edward Hutchison . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Treasurer Robyn Rieser Barkin . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Assistant Treasurer Clara Hayley Axam . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Secretary Walter R. Huntley Jr. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Member at Large Robert E. Minnear . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Member at Large Carl V. Patton. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . Member at Large Ada Lee Correll, Richard Courts IV, Keith Cowan, Robert L. Foreman Jr., F. Sheffield Hale, John R. Holder, Florence Inman, Craig B. Jones, Steve Koonin, Charles Lawson, Starr Moore, Jay Myers, Joe G. Patten, Glen J. Romm, Sylvia Russell, Nancy Gordy Simms, Clyde C. Tuggle, Carolyn Lee Wills.

HONORARY BOARD MEMBERS Anne Cox Chambers, Arnall (Pat) Connell, Rodney Mims Cook Jr., Jere A. Drummond, Richard O. Flinn III, Arthur Montgomery, Joseph V. Myers Jr., Edward J. Negri, Edgar Neiss, Herman J. Russell, Preston Stevens Jr.

Official Beverage of The Fox Theatre

Official Airline of The Fox Theatre

Official Vehicle of The Fox Theatre

Official Hotel of The Fox Theatre

Official Restaurant of The Fox Theatre

Atlanta’s Performing Arts Publication 39

South City Kitchen

Fox theatre Dining Guide

Looking for a great night out? Try one of these local restaurants before or after the show. For Dinner and a Show packages, visit encoreatlanta.com/offers.

Neighborhood codes: A–Alpharetta, B–Buckhead, DK-Dekalb, D–Downtown, DW-Dunwoody, IP–Inman Park, M­—Midtown, OFW–Old Fourth Ward, P–Perimeter Mall area, SS–Sandy Springs, VH–Virginia-Highland, NA­—North Atlanta, V—Vinings, W–Westside

American Lenox Square Grill offers breakfast, lunch and dinner daily. DJ every Friday and Saturday night til 2am. Private meeting rooms accommodate up to 150. 3393 Peachtree Rd. NE, 404-841-2377, lenoxsquaregrill.com. B Livingston Restaurant and Bar It’s hard to beat the location (across from the Fox Theatre in the Georgian Terrace), and diners get complimentary parking, but the main attraction is the glamour of the main dining room, which has hosted the likes of Clark Gable, and the al fresco seating area, which is available in warm weather. 659 Peachtree St. NE, 404-897-5000, livingstonatlanta.com. M Lobby The menu focuses on seasonal fare at this sophisticated American restaurant in the lobby of TWELVE Atlantic Station. 361 17th St., 404-9617370, lobbyattwelve.com. M ONE.midtown kitchen Dine on fresh, seasonal American cuisine in a club-like atmosphere near Piedmont Park. 559 Dutch Valley Rd., 404-8924111, onemidtownkitchen.com. M The Melting Pot is the premiere fondue restaurant where guests can enjoy a choice of fondue cooking styles and a variety of unique entrees, salads 40 EncoreAtlantA.com

and indulgent desserts. Four Atlanta locations, including 754 Peachtree St. NE, 404-389-0099, meltingpot.com. M Murphy’s This restaurant has one of the city’s top brunch menus, but it’s known for great peoplewatching and its contemporary comfort food. 997 Virginia Ave., 404-872-0904, murphysvh.com. VH Taco Mac Atlanta’s favorite family friendly sports restaurant and bar since 1979. Consistently voted best wings and beer selection, Taco Mac has something for everyone. 25 metro Atlanta locations, including 933 Peachtree St. NE, blocks away from the Fox Theatre. 678-904-7211, tacomac.com. M Two Urban Licks “Fiery” American cooking meets live music at this hip hangout. 820 Ralph McGill Blvd., 404-522-4622, twourbanlicks.com. M

American/steakhouse Joey D’s Oakroom Near Perimeter Mall, this stylish steak house has a staggering selection of spirits and a hot after-dinner singles scene. 1015 Crown Pointe Pkwy., 770-512-7063, centraarchy.com. P New York Prime A Prime Time Top 10 USDA Prime Steakhouse known for its wine list, atmosphere and world class service. 3424 Peachtree Rd. NE, 404846-0644, centraarchy.com. B

Moderation shmoderation.

Just blocks from the Fox Theatre at 40 7th Street NE Sun.-Thurs. 5:30-10pm | Fri.-Sat. 5:30-11pm | Bar open daily at 4pm 404.347.9555 | ecco-atlanta.com | @FifthGrouper | facebook.com/eccoatlanta PRESENT YOUR TICKET STUB FOR 10% OFF YOUR MEAL!

VALID THROUGH FEBRUARY 2012

Prime Enjoy steak, sushi and seafood in a festive atmosphere near Lenox Mall. 3393 Peachtree Rd. NE, 404-812-0555, h2sr.com. B Ray’s in the City Set in the heart of Downtown, Ray’s in the City offers a selection of the freshest seafood flown in daily, hand-cut steaks and made-to-order sushi. 240 Peachtree Street, NW, 404-524-9224, raysrestaurants.com. D Ray’s on the River has been an Atlanta dining destination for more than 27 years! Enjoy signature cuisine including fresh seafood and prime cut steaks.

Sunday Brunch offers over 80 homemade items and a new Bloody Mary bar. 6700 Powers Ferry Rd., 770-955-1187, raysrestaurants.com. SS Ray’s at Killer Creek provides an unforgettable dining experience in an upscale, yet relaxed atmosphere.

Sunday Supper features gourmet comfort food including a choice of three entrees served with bottomless sides, biscuits and cornbread. 1700 Mansell Rd., 770-649-0064, raysrestaurants.com. A Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse A favorite local steak house with multiple locations near shopping and entertainment hotspots. Sides are generous, and the quality of the steaks and seafood is excellent.

Three locations: Buckhead, 3285 Peachtree Rd. NE, 404-365-0660; Sandy Springs, 5788 Roswell Rd., 404-255-0035; Centennial Olympic Park, 267 Marietta St., 404-223-6500; ruthschris.com.

B, SS, D The Tavern at Phipps This is one of Atlanta’s hottest after-work spots, and has been singled out for its happy hour and singles scene by Jezebel, InSite Magazine and the AOL City Guide. 3500 Peachtree Rd. NW, 404-814-9640, centraarchy.com. B

American/southern South City Kitchen With a stylish, Southerncontemporary menu, this DiRoNA restaurant helped make grits hip for the business crowd. Two locatons: Midtown: 1144 Crescent Ave., 404-873-7358; Vinings: 1675 Cumberland Pkwy., 770-435-0700, southcitykitchen.com. M, V Terrace celebrates American heirloom recipes through supporting local and regional farmers, fisherman and producers. It recaptures pure flavors and tastes of natural and organic ingredients while bursting with delicious flavors. 176 Peachtree St. NW, 678-651-2770, ellishotel.com/terrace. D

asian fusion Aja Restaurant & Bar Serving modern Asian cuisine, Aja has a 150-seat patio overlooking Buckhead and a huge lounge, where diners nosh on dim sum and sip mai tais. 3500 Lenox Rd., Ste. 100, 404-231-0001, h2sr.com. B Spice Market Inspired by the street life of Southeast Asia, Spice Market enchants with complex blends of seasonings and layers of flavor that ignite the taste buds served in a relaxed, alluring environment at W Atlanta — Midtown. 188 14th St. NE, 404724-2550, spicemarketatlanta.com. M

brew pub/goUrmet pub fare Drink Shop features cocktails in artistic divination, blessed with pure and homemade ingredients, complete with a visible fruit juicing and vegetable extraction station. Unique, freshy made mixers and a spirit selection of colorful, independent labels! 45 Ivan Allen Junior Blvrd., 404-582-5800, watlantadowntown.com/drinkshop. D Gordon Biersch Fresh-brewed beers are a tasty accent to this brewery-restaurant’s hearty pizzas, salads and sandwiches. For a small additional fee, pre-show diners can leave cars in the lot while they’re at the Fox. Two locations:

Midtown: 848 Peachtree St. NE, 404-870-0805; Buckhead: 3242 Peachtree Rd. NE, 404-2640253, gordonbiersch.com. M, B Tap A gastropub offering easy-to-share pub fare and an extensive beer selection. The patio is a great place to chill after work. 1180 Peachtree St., 404-347-2220, tapat1180.com. M

creole/cajun Parish New Orleans-inspired dishes served with a modern twist and a fully stocked raw bar; a Nawlins-inspired brunch is served on the weekends. Downstairs, a take-away market sells sandwiches, spices, pastries and beverages. 240 N. Highland Ave., 404-681-4434, parishatl.com.

european fusion Ecco Esquire Magazine named this casual, European-influenced bistro a “Best New Restaurant in America.” It’s also gotten raves for its killer wine list, wood-fired pizzas, and impressive meat and cheese menus. 40 Seventh St. NE, 404-347-9555, ecco-atlanta.com. M

mediterranean/latin/asian fusion Shout A young crowd keeps Shout’s rooftop lounge hopping every night. The menu reflects

Music and Lyrics by Adam Guettel; Book by Craig Lucas — Atlanta Lyric Theatre proudly presents the Atlanta premiere of the lush romantic musical The Light in the Piazza. Winner of 6 Tony Awards, this soaring musical,composed by the grandson of Richard Rodgers, whisks its audience away to Italy for a captivating tale, which celebrates the beauty and passions of the human heart.

It’s the summer of 1953, and Margaret Johnson, the wife of a North Carolina businessman, is touring the Tuscan countryside with her daughter Clara. In their travels, Clara meets and falls for a young Florentine boy, who is ardent in his pursuit of her. As the young couple’s love blossoms, Margaret is faced with a difficult choice: should she reveal a truth that could destroy her daughter’s happiness; or say nothing and let fate run its course?

404. 377.9948

www.AtlantaLyricTheatre.com

April 20 – May 6, 2012 117 N Park Sq. NE • Marietta, GA

The best restaurant Midtown has to offer ...

Located at 14th Street & Peachtree Street NE (404) 846-2000

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PRESENT YOUR TICKET AND RECEIVE 15% OFF FOOD ONLY AT SHOUT* Offer valid with your Atlanta Symphony Orchestra or Fox Theatre ticket stub. Expires 2/29/12.

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After the show, Enjoy some of our award winning...

Southern Hospitality

A Boutique Luxuryat Hotel West Peachtree 10th

regencysuites.com

a mix of Mediterranean, Far Eastern and South American influences. 1197 Peachtree St. NE, 404-846-2000, h2sr.com. M

seafood/sushi

La Tavola Serving classic Italian cuisine for lunch and dinner in the heart of Virginia-Highland. 992 Virginia Ave., 404-873-5430, latavolatrattoria. com. VH

Coast Seafood and Raw Bar serves Atlanta’s freshest seafood and island cocktails. The menu incorporates classics including crab and corn hush puppies, a signature seafood boil, and a variety of raw or steamed oysters, clams and mussels; along with signature fresh catch entrees. 111 W. Paces Ferry Rd. NW, 404-869-0777, h2sr.com. B

MEXICAN

steak/sushi

Cantina Tequila & Tapas Bar is located in the Terminus building on the corner of Peachtree and Piedmont roads. It features authentic Mexican cuisine and has become Buckhead’s newest watering hole. 3280 Peachtree Rd. NW, Terminus 100, Ste. 150, 404-892-9292, h2sr.com. B El Taco An eco-friendly watering hole serving fresh Mexican food made with all-natural meats and killer margaritas. 1186 N. Highland Ave.NE, 404-873-4656, eltaco-atlanta.com.VH

Goldfish This fun seafood/sushi restaurant has Happy Hour specials Mon-Fri and nightly entertainment in its lounge. 4400 Ashford Dunwoody Rd., 770-671-0100, h2sr.com. P Room This elegant restaurant serves steak and sushi on the ground floor of the TWELVE Centennial Park hotel. 400 W. Peachtree St., 404-418-1250, roomattwelve.com. D Strip This sophisticated steak, seafood and sushi restaurant offers an in-house DJ and a rooftop deck. Atlantic Station at 18th St., 404-385-2005, h2sr.com. M Twist This lively restaurant has a huge bar, satay station, tapas menu, sushi and seafood dishes; patio seating is first-come, first-served. 3500 Peachtree Rd. NW, 404-869-1191, h2sr.com. B

italian

spanish Noche A Virginia-Highland favorite known for its Spanish-style tapas dishes and margaritas. 1000 Virginia Ave., 404-815-9155, h2sr.com. VH

Our Professional Ensemble Bruce V. Benator, CPA, Managing Partner Kevin J. Hedrick, CPA, Partner Steven G. Horn, CPA, Partner Laura E. Speir, CPA, Partner Patricia A. Yeager, CPA, Partner

Certified Public Accountants and Consultants For over 25 years, the FIRM of CHOICE in Atlanta

NO rehearsals ONLY performances 1040 Crown Pointe Parkway, NE • Suite 400 • Atlanta, Georgia 30338 Phone: 770.512.0500 • www.wblcpa.com • Fax: 770.512.0200 Member of American Institute of Certified Public Accountants and Russell Bedford International

Fox fun facts:

HISTORIC LIGHTING FIXTURES Atlanta’s Fox Theatre lighting was a crowning achievement in its day. The light bulb was still relatively new and modern, yet the Fox’s fixtures were created to give the illusion of antiquity, foreign mystique and opulence. Some fun Fox lighting facts: The theatre lighting was designed to enhance the overall ambience of the architecture; it was not merely for the sake of illumination.

Original blueprints for the Fox specify bulb wattage for each fixture.

The Sterling Bronze Company was responsible for providing most of the original lighting still seen in the theatre’s interior today.

The auditorium’s ultramarine blue sky contains 96 twinkling stars that are 11-watt bulbs fixed above four-inch crystals that form actual constellations as they would be seen from the North African sky; the drifting clouds are produced by a special projector.

The jeweled proscenium lanterns hanging over the stage are reproductions of the chandeliers hanging in the St. Louis Fox Theatre.

48 EncoreAtlantA.com

Fox Theatre Archives, PhotoS by Yukari Umekawa

Many of the light fixtures you see in the theatre were handcrafted and hand-painted in 1929.

Continued from page 14 pretty much all day long — rehearsing, taking class and performing onstage, often beginning as early as 1 p.m.

The work ethic of dancers is extensive, as their schedule proves. It’s often augmented by a favorite workout. Boyd, for example, likes to go to the gym, is always stretching and always taking class.

He calls the repertory “very manheavy” in its physical demands. “You definitely have to be a strong dancer, a strong person, a strong artist to be “You definitely have an Ailey man.”

That strength to be a strong dancer, was called upon a strong person, often in 2011, as a strong artist to be Battle succeeded longtime artistic an Ailey man.”

Kirven Boyd and director Judith Rachael McLaren Jamison and nine The dancers always look forward to new dancers were hired. Mack, who visiting Atlanta, calling it a home away knows Battle through work with his from home, says Mack, who danced Battleworks Dance Company, called with Ailey from 2005 to 2008 and the transition seamless.

“The integrity of the work is still the returned in 2011. Boyd says they know where all the restaurants are and always same,” the new artistic director says of the Ailey way. “You always know what’s have a good time here.

At home in New York, Ailey dancers expected of you as a dancer.”

So while much has changed, much is do their work and go their separate ways. On the road it’s different, Mack the same. This Ailey tour carries with it says. They eat, travel and stay together. the legacy that began in that New York Boyd and Mack want you to know Y so many years ago. two things about Ailey dancers: They are normal and they are amazing. Onstage Danielle Deadwyler is an Atlanta-based the dancers are larger than life; offstage, writer, actor and mother to a dancing says Mack, they are down to earth. machine. Read more of her stories at They’re amazing because they dance tinyurl.com/atldanielle.

50 EncoreAtlantA.com

Andrew Eccles

The company’s visits have become a post-holiday ritual in Atlanta as, over the years, dancers like Boyd and Mack continue to impress audiences of all ages. This year’s engagement, the first under new artistic director Robert Battle, comprises premieres, new productions and new directions. “This is the beginning of a new adventure — for the company, for me and for our audiences in Atlanta,” he says.

By Danielle Deadwyler

R

obert Battle, the third artistic director in Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater’s storied history, has been with the company since he was 12. Not literally, of course, but he was destined to connect with the company.

Battle was a 12-year-old in Miami, when, he says, he was bused to a “miniperformance” of Ailey’s signature piece, “Revelations.” It was a culminating moment that crystallized for him the poetry, music and activism he was learning from his mother, a choir pianist, and activist in her own right.

His real start with Ailey came in 2003, through an invitation to choreograph for Ailey II, the junior company. He’s been a disciple ever since.

Assuming the top artistic job has been “wonderful, cathartic ... constantly 52 EncoreAtlantA.com

surprising ... a healthy mixture of fear and confidence,” says the Juilliardtrained Battle. “I feel I had a calling to lead, [a] passion.”

His new life is multifaceted — and not just with a global menu of dance styles, foot positions and new dancers.

He’ s also involved in fundraising, board meetings, talking to reporters and nurturing dancers as well as imagining new things for upcoming seasons.

Like predecessor Judith Jamison, he wants to do good for Ailey as long as he can, and that doesn’t include getting back onstage. He stopped dancing in 2001 but is fulfilled through his dancers. “Watching them onstage is just enough,” he says.

Although he’s now a seasoned professional, Battle is back to watching Ailey the way he did as a boy, hoping to translate that sort of innocence to his art. After all, the innocence is what made that first indelible impression on him, and the sort of magic he wants to cultivate for the Ailey legacy.

Andrew Eccles

‘I feel I had a calling to lead’

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Graceland The glorious (and slightly gaudy) side of Memphis

By Kristi Casey Sanders

L

Whether you’re a devoted fan or a hipster in search of a kitschy holy grail, Graceland — one of Memphis’ most popular tourist attractions — delivers a hunka hunka burning surprises.

The first is that it’s not surrounded by the winding streams and oak-lined pathways you’d expect from a rock ’n’ roll Tara. It’s down a side street, between a couple of strip malls. And it’s kind of 54 EncoreAtlantA.com

hard to find. Here’s a hint: If you get to the blue barbecue restaurant with “TLC I *heart* Elvis” on its chimney, you’ve gone too far south.

Once you’ve found the proper turnoff to the parking lot and visitors’ center, you may be amazed by the number of activities Graceland offers. According to Foursquare app users, the best ticket is the Graceland Platinum Tour ($36

Niels Gerhardt/shutterstock

ove him or hate him, it’s hard to think of Memphis without Elvis Presley, its most famous son. To his credit, Elvis never felt he outgrew his hometown, even after becoming one of the biggest stars in the world. His family home, Graceland, which is on the National Register of Historic Places, gives visitors an interesting glimpse behind the black velvet curtain of his celebrity.

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regular basis, respecting Elvis’ rule that only family got to see the second floor while he was alive. Everyone else had to wait in the foyer for Elvis to descend from his blue velvet lair, something daughter Lisa Marie (who narrates much of the audio tour) says was an awesome sight.

kristi casey sanders

for adults; $32.40 for senior citizens and students; $17 for ages 7-12), which gives access to the mansion, Elvis’ airplanes and his car collection, among other attractions. If you check in on Foursquare, you’ll also unlock a special souvenir gift (we got a poster of young Elvis that’s pretty sweet).

Go see the customized airplanes first if you want an apt metaphor for Elvis’ meteoric rise to fame. Only two people at a time are allowed to view his first custom jet because it’s so cramped. In contrast, the tricked-out Lisa Marie II is like a flying tour bus, with goldplated sinks, toilets and seat belts, a boardroom, several bedrooms, even a bar (though Elvis drank soft rather than hard drinks).

You need to take a shuttle to see the house museum, and they’ll hand you an audio tour as you board. It’s a great soundtrack to the Elvis experience, but you can’t take it with you. Signs posted insist the audio tours will only work on the property.

You’d think that Graceland would be a sprawling monument to excess, but it’s surprisingly modest — at least from the outside. Inside, it’s obvious that the house is exactly as Elvis left it. It hasn’t been scrubbed and sanitized. It’s a living time capsule that’s firmly rooted in the early 1970s.

Elvis purchased the small ranchstyle home as a young man. As he found success, he built a second floor, expansions to the main house and outbuildings. The tour only encompasses the areas guests saw on a

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really like it, pick up your own branded apparel or trinket at one of Graceland’s numerous, themed gift shops.

Common areas, like Elvis’ racquetball court and office, have been converted into museums of film and music artifacts, jumpsuits, gold records and television interviews. Also on display

kristi casey sanders

Elvis’ interior design aesthetic is a mix of the practical (the best hangout space is next to the kitchen) with the slightly weird (big-eyed monkey dolls and clown statues) to the downright bizarre (shag carpet on the ceilings so that he could sing or record anywhere and not get echoes).

A good Southern boy, Elvis never forgot his mother, for whom he decorated a bedroom and bathroom in girly frills and poodle wallpaper. He loved hanging with his boys in the “Jungle Room” (monkeys, fake fur tiger seats and a waterfall just off the kitchen) and downstairs pool room, which looks like a bordello with its heavy tapestry-draped walls and ceiling. And he liked keeping on top of current events.

His blue-and-gold TV room has three television sets side-by-side on one wall (because he heard the president watched broadcast news that way). It also features his record collection and personal logo/ motto “TCB” (Taking Care of Business) painted alongside a lightening bolt on the wall. By the way, TCB pops up everywhere — on his microphones, jumpsuits and airplanes — and if you

The Tony Award-winning celebration of Thomas “Fats” Waller’s musical genius. An ensemble of energetic performers and the hottest jazz band in town, bring down the house with a musical parade of thirty of Waller’s greatest hits.

A joyously creative songwriter of the 1920s and 30s, Fats Waller penned over 400 songs in his career — many of which became classic jazz standards still performed today.

Ain’t Misbehavin’ pays tribute to his legacy and music, and includes the ever popular songs: “The Jitterbug Waltz,” “I’m Gonna Sit Right Down and Write Myself a Letter,” “‘T’Ain’t Nobody’s Biz-ness If I Do,” “Honeysuckle Rose,” “Find Out What They Like,” “Your Feets Too Big” and many more!

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’70s sedan originally commissioned

by Frank Sinatra — are an interesting testament to his peacock-like obsession with appearance and accouterments.

There are several other mini-museums, all attached to gift shops, that fans can meander through as well as restaurants.

But to do so would take all day. You can see the house museum, the airplanes and cars in less than two hours.

Graceland is a few miles from Memphis International Airport, so the next time you are in town or have a long layover, swing by. It’s a fun — and slightly freaky — memorial to the King of Rock ‘n’ Roll.

Details: elvis.com/graceland/.

kristi casey sanders

is some truly kitschy fan art and letters from people still mourning his death.

And then there’s the land. Acres of land that he raised horses on. And a pool area connected to a meditation garden where Elvis, his mother and father are buried, surrounded by flowers and gifts from individual fans and Elvis fan clubs from around the world.

After hearing funny anecdotes about Elvis on the audio tour — like how he and his friends used to race golf carts and lawn mowers in the backyard and often took their low-fi drag races to the street — you’ll probably wonder where those items are.

Head back to the main Graceland strip and the Elvis Car Museum to check out his souped-up mini-machines, automobiles and massive tractor. It’s telling that one of his earliest cars was a pink convertible Cadillac. Clearly, Elvis was no wallflower, but it must have taken some guts for a manly man to choose a pink car in the 1950s. Subsequent cars — a purple Caddy, a pink golf cart with a fringed roof and a Batmobile-looking

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