Saturday, January 30, 2021

Ghostlight Series: "Twelve Blocks From Where I Live" streaming from Theater Latte Da

Theater Latte Da has launched a five-part virtual cabaret series called "The Ghostlight Series," with new installments to be released approximately every six weeks through the summer. The first one is out now and is available when you purchase a series pass, and can be viewed an unlimited amount of times through the end of the summer, along with the others when released. The series looks to be more than just a collection of great performances of our favorite musical theater songs, but rather an exploration of different ideas and themes using music. Which, of course, is something Theater Latte Da does very well. 

Twelve Blocks From Where I Live features #TCTheater favorite Regina Marie Williams, last seen on stage in Theater Latte Da's last show (not counting La Boheme, which closed the night before opening), the stunning Bernarda Alba. She tells a very personal story in this cabaret show, but one that many of us who lived through 2020 can relate to. Sitting on stage at the Ritz Theater, she talks about how when the pandemic started, she took to the streets with her camera to photograph wildlife in the sudden silence of the city. Then, on May 25 when George Floyd was murdered by Minneapolis police just "12 blocks from where she lives," she started photographing the protests and art that became a movement. With this show, that movement continues through music. 

Directed by Kelli Foster Warder, the show mixes scenes of Regina telling her story with performances from her, Aimkee K. Bryant, and Thomasina Petrus, all recorded individually at the Ritz with a live band directed by Sanford Moore. The 30-minute show features solo performances from each of the three artists (songs from musical theater, as well as other familiar favorites), with a finale that mixes video and audio from all three of them. We also see Regina's powerful photos play on the screen throughout the show. It's a beautifully curated collection of music, photography, and stories, and is an example of the great things that will come out of the adversity of this past year.

Thomasina Petrus, Regina Marie Williams, and Aimee K. Bryant