‘Voice’ gives Wichitan an audience of millions

Denise Neil — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 13:11 CST

Wichita native Chris Mann’s singing career has been steadily building for years. In fact, this is the third column I’ve written about the Mann, a Southeast High grad and veteran of the Wichita theater scene, since I first became aware of him in 2010.

But now, really, really big things are happening for Mann, whose singing abilities were on display last Sunday in front of, oh, only about 37 million people.

Mann, 29, appeared on the post-Super Bowl episode of NBC’s hit show “The Voice,” an “American Idol”-esque competition whose star-powered panel of judges is populated by Christina Aguilera, Blake Shelton, Cee-Lo Green and Adam Levine. The episode of the show, which was its second season premiere, had the best rating for a show following the Super Bowl since a 2006 episode of “Grey’s Anatomy.” NBC hasn’t earned a higher rating for an entertainment show since the “Friends” finale in 2004.

Gig guide (Feb. 10)

Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:41 CST

BLUES/R&B

Betty’s Runway Lounge,

4000 S. Broadway

‘The Vow’ promises to be the perfect Valentine’s Day movie

Rick Bentley — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:39 CST

The new romance film “The Vow” suggests love means never having to say you can’t remember your spouse’s name. The film, loosely based on a true story, follows the life of a woman who comes out of a coma with no recollection of her married life.

“The Vow” has three things going for it: likable stars, a director who knows how to stay away from saccharine-sweet sentimentality and a compelling story.

The film’s biggest assets are Rachel McAdams and Channing Tatum. McAdams has the type of angelic face and sweet personality that make it easy to fall in love with her. Tatum brings both a rough physicality and surprising vulnerability to his role. They make it easy to root for this couple to stay together.

‘Safe House’ offers thrilling look at spycraft

Roger Moore — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:39 CST

He must have joined “The Agency” with an eye toward excitement, exotic locales and danger. But in Cape Town, South Africa, a backwater as far as foreign intrigue goes, agency newcomer Matt Weston is stuck — a one-man show, running a never-used “safe house” in the CIA’s real-estate portfolio.

“I’m staring at four walls all day,” Matt (Ryan Reynolds) complains to his boss.

Until the day he plays host to America’s “most notorious traitor,” a sell-to-the-highest-bidder rogue named Tobin Frost (Denzel Washington). Frost doesn’t want to be a “houseguest.” And a lot of ruthless and violent people want to get their hands on him in the worst way.

‘Journey 2’ an action comedy for preteens

Roger Moore — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:39 CST

Cast and crew err on the side of silly in “Journey 2: The Mysterious Island,” the amusingly childish sequel to that unlikely 2008 hit “Journey to the Center of the Earth.” They’ve rendered Jules Verne’s novel into a jokey lark, with broad, corny wisecracks, comic sidekicks and everybody riffing on the ginormous lizards, humungous spiders and the like.

For those who have forgotten the conceit, the idea here is that while “most consider” the stories of 19th-century novelist Verne “works of science fiction, Vernians know otherwise.”

Sean Anderson (Josh Hutcherson) certainly does. He lost his dad on an epic “Journey to the Center of the Earth.” Now, years later, living with his mom (Kristin Davis) and an over-compensating stepdad, Hank (Dwayne Johnson), the rebellious teen gets a coded radio message from his grandpa. Since contractor Hank used to be a Navy code breaker, they quickly realize the message is “The island is real.” That would be Verne’s “Mysterious Island.”

‘Asleep at the Wheel’ still spinning after 40 years

Ed Condran — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:30 CST

Asleep at the Wheel keeps rolling along since leader and lone original member Ray Benson won’t take his foot off the gas pedal.

The towering singer-songwriter — who checks in at 6 feet 7 inches — has kept the band together for more than 40 years.

The group, which has earned nine Grammy Awards and a lone top-10 single — the clever “The Letter (That Johnny Walker Read),” which hit the charts 37 years ago — keeps on going even though 24 musicians have left the act since it formed in 1970.

Oscar-nominated director to screen documentary in Wichita

Rod Pocowatchit — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:18 CST

James Spione is ecstatic.

He calls for a phone conversation on Jan. 26. Academy Award nominations were just announced two days earlier — and Spione’s name was on the list. The film he directed, “Incident in New Baghdad,” is nominated for best documentary short subject.

“I can’t quite believe it still,” Spione said, calling from New York City. “It really is incredible.”

New Cabaret Oldtown revue celebrates rock divas

Bob Curtright — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 15:18 CST

For more than a year, Cabaret Oldtown veterans Christi Moore and Angela Geer have been lamenting that there wasn’t a show that would let them showcase all the female pop and rock classics that they liked.

“We’d done several jukebox revues at Cabaret, like ‘One-Hit Wonders’ and a country show, but not one with all women,” says Moore, co-owner — as well as frequent director and sometimes star — of the intimate downtown theater. “We wanted to celebrate the women of rock ’n’ roll that inspired us.”

Adds Geer, a powerful belter and balladeer who has performed at Cabaret Oldtown since it first opened more than two decades ago: “We thought it would be cool to do divas.”

EquiFest, where horses reign

Denise Neil — Fri, 10 Feb 2012 07:36 CST

It’ll be horsey heaven this weekend at the Kansas Pavilions, which will be filled with horses, horse lovers, horse breeders and more as part of EquiFest of Kansas.

The annual event, now in its 15th year, runs Friday through Sunday and offers a long list of equestrian events designed for horse owners as well as horse enthusiasts.

It will include seminars by world-class clinicians, breed showcases, stallion reviews, lectures and demonstrations.

AVI expands Wichita’s high-end dining options

Denise Neil — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 19:46 CST

It’s easy for Wichita locals to forget about hotel restaurants.

They’re hidden inside, usually with no exterior signage, and in-towners tend to think of them only when it’s holiday brunch time. As a result, gems like Harvest Kitchen/Bar inside the Hyatt don’t get the traffic they deserve.

AVI Seabar & Chophouse could help change that.

“Il Trovatore” powerfully opens Wichita Grand Opera’s season

David Baxter — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 18:08 CST

The Century II Concert Hall was awash in glorious sound on Saturday night as the Wichita Grand Opera began its 10th season with a powerful performance of Giuseppe Verdi’s epic opera “Il Trovatore.”

The plot of “Il Trovatore” — “The Troubadour” — presents an implausible chain of action in a tale of jealousy and revenge. Without great performances by a strong cast, an audience would surely stare at the stage in disbelief of this story, no matter how beautiful the music.

Fortunately we were swept into the spell of drama and pathos that mark this 19th-century classic by four capable leads and many fine supporting performers. The set for this production was simplicity at its best, supporting the drama with strong elements of architecture and landscape with no distraction from the plot.

‘Mamma Mia!’ stars are ABBA fans

Bob Curtright — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 09:05 CST

Chloe Tucker wasn’t even a gleam in her father’s eye when the Swedish pop group ABBA ruled the airwaves and disco dance floors in the 1970s and 1980s with hits like “Dancing Queen,” “Waterloo” and “Super Trouper.”

But the Los Angeles native discovered that when she auditioned for “Mamma Mia!,” the romantic musical named after ABBA’s 1975 chart-topper and built on 22 repurposed ABBA classics, she already knew all the music.

“At first, I didn’t know why I knew the music, then I realized it was everywhere, from TV commercials to grocery stores,” says Tucker, 21, who plays Sophie, a starry-eyed bride-to-be who wants her father to walk her down the aisle — if she can determine just which one of her single mother’s former suitors he is.

Sunday Arts calendar (Feb. 5)

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 08:36 CST

THEATER

“The 39 Steps,” comic farce adapted from the 1915 novel by John Buchan and the 1935 film by Alfred Hitchcock, through Feb. 12, Wichita Community Theatre, 258 N. Fountain. Show times are 8 p.m. Thu.-Sat., 7 p.m. Sun. Tickets $12, $10 military, seniors and students. Call 316-686-1282.

“The Spitfire Grill,” musical version of an inspiring 1996 movie about a young woman recently paroled from prison who begins a new life in a small Wisconsin town, presented by the Guild Hall Players. Performances Thu.-Feb. 12, St. James Episcopal Church, 3750 E. Douglas. Show times are 8 p.m. Thu.-Sat., 7 p.m. Sun. Tickets $10, $5 students. Call 316-683-5686.

Watermark Books: New & Recommended (Feb. 5)

Sun, 05 Feb 2012 09:08 CST

“Wild Thing,” by Josh Bazell (Little, Brown, $25.99) In this sequel to his best-seller, “Beat the Reaper,” Bazell once again applies his keen eye for irony and hypocrisy to murder, corruption, insanity, and the occasional lake monster. Fast-paced, violent, and hilarious, “Wild Thing” confirms Bazell’s reputation as one of the most unforgettable voices in crime writing.

“New York Diaries,” edited by Theresa Carpenter (Modern Library, $26) New York City: the Big Apple, the crossroads of America. What better way to experience this iconic metropolis than through diary entries by natives, visitors, tourists and philosophers? Beginning on January 1, Carpenter pulls entries from four centuries worth of archives, in order to provide a compelling snapshot of life in the Capital of the World.

Watermark Bestsellers

Children’s books: How much mischief can one dog cause?

Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:28 CST

What do you say when your dog misbehaves? “Eli, No!” words and pictures by Katie Kirk (Abrams Books, ages 3-8, $14.95) gives a pretty good answer.

Eli is a good dog who sometimes gets into bad trouble. Whether it is eating too much, making a mess, or hogging the bed, the owner’s response is the same: “Eli, no!”

Kirk writes an engaging story that explores the many ways a dog be a bother. Most two-page spreads are a simple five-word sentence followed by “Eli, no!” Her full-color block illustrations, however, greatly expand the story, giving ample detail.

‘A Good American’ tells a family’s history, set to music

Lisa McLendon — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:14 CST

“A Good American” by Alex George (Amy Einhorn Books, 387 pages, $25.95)

As a nation of immigrants, the United States has millions of stories of arrival, finding a way in a new country, creating a new self. Some are bold; some mundane. Some are tragic; others joyous. “A Good American” starts off with two of these stories.

‘The Demi-Monde: Winter’ posits a chilling future

Lisa McLendon — Sat, 04 Feb 2012 22:11 CST

“The Demi-Monde: Winter” by Rod Rees (William Morrow, 517 pages, $26.99)

“The last thing we wanted was peace breaking out in the Demi-Monde.”

Pre-Super Bowl rush maximizes advertisers’ reach but sacks viewers’ sense of surprise

Steve Johnson — Fri, 03 Feb 2012 15:51 CST

Here’s a new thought: Will the Super Bowl, the culmination of months of planning, research and spending, be kind of an anticlimax?

By the time the game airs Sunday on NBC, most everybody who really wants to will have seen the event’s most anticipated advertisement, Volkswagen’s follow-up to the peewee Darth Vader-starring, “Star Wars”-themed commercial that topped most ratings of the ads that aired during last year’s big game.

In the belief that the game is now just a point on the marketing continuum, VW planned to release the ad Wednesday morning, letting the world know just how dogs and “Star Wars” figure in its push this year for the new Volkswagen Beetle. Hint: Like more than 100 million Americans, folks at the “Star Wars” cantina apparently watch football, and the ads.

‘A Show of People’ celebrates commonality

Joanna Ramondetta — Sun, 05 Feb 2012 09:09 CST

There is something familiar about the faces in Dale Strattman’s photographs.

Looking at each face, you feel as if you have seen that person before – maybe it is someone you know or have seen out and about. Then you look at the location where the photograph was taken and do a double take: Moscow, New Zealand, Central America, Venice. And you realize that it only reminds you of someone you have seen.

Through the years – and through many travels – Strattman has become a master of capturing the essence and equality of people in his photographs. Whether it is a child with huge, soulful brown eyes from Ecuador or a decadently dressed street performer from New Orleans, Strattman’s 70 black-and-white photographs on display at CityArts capture emotion and the basic humanity in everyone.

Gig guide (Feb. 3)

Fri, 03 Feb 2012 08:07 CST