Wichita Eagle: Denise Neil

Denise Neil: Warren Old Town Theatre’s upgrades make Director’s Suite even sweeter

Denise Neil — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 07:54 CDT

My favorite place to watch movies in Wichita just got better. And no, it’s not my living room.

This place is even more comfortable. Plus, people fetch me things.

It’s called the Director’s Suite, and it’s on the second floor of the Warren Old Town Theatre.

Wichitans stage citywide Harlem Shake event

Denise Neil — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 17:31 CST

The Harlem Shake trend has to be near its end. Doesn’t it?

Hasn’t it about outstayed its welcome, like so many homemade “Call Me Maybe” videos from last summer?

Fortunately, a group of Wichita buddies will likely get their effort in just in time.

‘Wonderful things happening’ for Wichita native Chris Mann

Denise Neil — Sun, 04 Nov 2012 09:14 CST

Chris Mann has an album now.

He also has a “team.”

When reporters want to talk to Mann on the phone these days, they must pre-arrange the chat with a member of the Chris Mann Team. Then a member of the Chris Mann Team will call the reporter at said time and identify herself as a member of the Chris Mann Team. Then, she’ll connect the reporter to the Mann.

After a year’s break, ArtAID is back

Denise Neil — Mon, 08 Oct 2012 16:46 CDT

Apparently, the year off from ArtAID did Graham Ross and Tod Ernst some creative good.

The Planet Hair owners, who are also the founders of and brains behind the over-the-top fashion show fundraiser and art auction, are bringing it back this year after a one-year hiatus intended to help them recharge their artistic batteries.

The recharge was a success, too, judging from the planned highlights Ross shared this week: performers on high-flying power stilts, a movie-themed runway show packed with Marilyn Monroes and Disney princesses, and the potential for airborne models. The event is scheduled for 7:30 p.m. Saturday in a new venue: ArtAID is moving from its longtime home at the Cotillion to the larger Century II Convention Hall.

Actress Barb Schoenhofer to take her talent on the road

Denise Neil — Sat, 15 Sep 2012 23:15 CDT

Years ago, local director Kathy Page-Hauptman faced a dilemma.

She had cast local actress Barb Schoenhofer in so many of her productions that Page-Hauptman was concerned she was featuring her too much. She was preparing to let Schoenhofer know she was going to have to offer her fewer roles for a while.

Then, the phone rang.

Events aim to boost Douglas Design District’s profile

Denise Neil — Mon, 23 Jul 2012 10:06 CDT

Old Town and Delano have become hubs of artsy, musical hipness over the past several years — aided in part by the Final Friday gallery crawl that draws big crowds downtown on the last Friday of every month.

Now, another near-downtown neighborhood on the rise is looking to join the cool kids club.

The Douglas Design District, which stretches along Douglas from one block east of Oliver to Washington, is developing a reputation as a fun place to mingle, dine on doughnuts and soup and listen to music. It’s a particularly interesting development, say business owners in the area, considering that just a few years ago, it was considered a place no one would — or really should — venture to after dark.

Chris Mann: Behind-the-scenes drama ‘overshadowed the music’ on ‘The Voice’

Denise Neil — Sun, 13 May 2012 07:42 CDT

Two days after he was named fourth place (or as I prefer to call it, third runner-up) on the season finale of the NBC singing competition “The Voice,” Chris Mann was still trying to sort it all out.

Calling from Los Angeles on Thursday, Mann was subdued and a little hoarse from what sounded like 36 straight hours of post-show festivities.

The Wichita native, who survived weeks of competition and dozens of other talented contestants to make it into the final four, said he was both relieved to be done with the strenuous process and still grateful and in disbelief about how far he made it and how much exposure he got.

FanCams have inventors, businesses smiling

Denise Neil — Sun, 15 Apr 2012 10:09 CDT

I’ve always loved those photo booths in the mall.

You cram as many people as possible onto the tiny bench, make three goof-tastic faces, then wait for the machine to spit out the hilarious results, which end up taped to your mirror or marking the place in your books for years to come.

Now, a Wichita trio has come up with the 2012 version of a photo booth that is catching on across Wichita — and catching attention across the country.

Wichita watch: ‘Voice’ contestant, video voice-over visit

Denise Neil — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 15:18 CDT

The Wichita excitement never ends.

Not only will hometown boy Chris Mann be back on television Monday night singing for his chance to continue on “The Voice,” but there’s also news this week that Wichita’s about to have a rather interesting visitor: Randall (just Randall), the voice behind the famous “Honey Badger Don’t Care” viral YouTube video, will be here later this month.

Can you stand it?

Concert ticket sales on a roll in Wichita

Denise Neil — Fri, 02 Mar 2012 15:04 CST

A happy problem is developing lately at music venues across Wichita.

People can’t get tickets to concerts.

During the past several months, local venues such as the Cotillion, 11120 W. Kellogg, and the Orpheum Theatre, 200 N. Broadway, have been putting on a steady stream of sold-out shows, an unusual Wichita occurrence until recently.

DiDonato, Diablo in national TV spotlight

Denise Neil — Sun, 19 Feb 2012 08:13 CST

Two more Wichita natives have spent the past week in the nationally televised spotlight.

One of them doesn’t care.

He’s a honey badger, and he takes what he wants.

‘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.

Horror flick events aim for 'Wichitawesome'

Sun, 09 Oct 2011 09:34 CDT

A local filmmaker and horror movie aficionado is trying to make the Wichita movie scene more “Wichitawesome,” one Exorcist head spin, one set of creepy “redrum” twins at a time.

Leif Jonkers, the local man behind the cult movie “Darkness,” has organized two horror-flick events that will keep moviegoers in heebie jeebies through Halloween.

He’s arranged for Monday-and Tuesday-night showings of films such as “The Exorcist” and “The Shining” this month at the Warren Old Town.

Big Time Rush show brings some members close to home

DENISE NEIL — Sun, 18 Sep 2011 07:08 CDT

Today's Big Time Rush concert is the big-time ticket seller at this year's Kansas State Fair.

The group, which no doubt will take the stage to big-time screaming this afternoon in Hutchinson, has some pretty big-time Wichita connections, it turns out.

Two members of the group are from the area: Singer Kendall Schmidt, one of the four lead singers, hails from Andover. And his buddy Dustin Belt, from Wichita, plays lead guitar.

Cinemas Alfresco to feature films with a twist

Sun, 29 May 2011 00:08 CDT

Hard to believe it's been nine years since the first Cinemas Alfresco, an ingenious event that turned a bar parking lot into a drive-in movie theater, only with lawn chairs.

It was 2003, and the Wichita Association of Motion Picture Arts started showing movies under the stars, projected onto a wall next to Big Sky (the downtown bar now known as Rain.)

The first installation happened on Saturday nights and showed classics such as "Splash" and "The Graduate." (Note to self: Watch "Splash" and "The Graduate" again soon.)

Car dealers' promos adopt the style of 'reality' TV

Sun, 22 May 2011 00:06 CDT

Apparently, pop culture sells cars. Lately, I've noticed a couple of local car dealerships treading into reality television territory.

One is Eddy's Toyota, who until recently had been producing a series of slickly made webisodes featuring the staff, including owner Brandon Steven, goofing around and doing "man on the street" interviews. The episodes, which also aired on local television, still can be found on YouTube and at http://ictreality.tv.

Then, this weekend, Mel Hambelton Ford put on the finale of its "Mel Hambelton Idle." (Get it? Like a car idling?)

Wedding movies to remember

Sun, 15 May 2011 00:06 CDT

I love weddings — the fluffy dresses, the soft mints, the open bar, the inevitable public meltdown of at least one family member.

And I love movie weddings even more. The "You Can't Make This Stuff Up" factor that accompanies any real-life wedding is fabulously amplified when a screenwriter and a costume designer are, in fact, paid to Make This Stuff Up.

Even if a wedding-themed film gets trashed by the critics ("27 Dresses" comes to mind), there's very little chance I won't watch it eventually.

Stars show us aging's nothing to worry over

Sun, 08 May 2011 00:06 CDT

I'm beginning to think that 60 is the new 30. The evidence is overwhelming, especially in the entertainment world.

Cases in point:

* A week ago at Intrust Bank Arena, I watched an energetic James Taylor, age 63, jump, dance and harmonicate energetically about the stage for two and a half hours, full of charisma and magically free of body fat.

Wichita, think you've got talent?

Sun, 01 May 2011 00:06 CDT

We already know that "America's Got Talent," thanks to NBC's 6-year-old reality show that gives singers, dancers, jugglers, magicians, tumblers and yodelers prime time network exposure.

Now, we're about to find out what kind of wacky talent Wichita's got.

A new fundraiser by the Medical Service Bureau of Sedgwick County is a daylong talent show designed to fill the Orpheum stage with all types of human amazingness.

Von Trapp carries on musical tradition

Sun, 24 Apr 2011 01:55 CDT

When your last name is von Trapp, you get the question every single day. "The von Trapps?"

When you're Elisabeth von Trapp, the answer is "yes" and is always followed by a long inquisition about life as a member of the family from "The Sound of Music," one of the most popular movies ever made.

Von Trapp, the 57-year-old granddaughter of Maria and Baron von Trapp, whose story inspired "The Sound of Music," will be in Wichita on Friday to share stories about her family.