Angel

Mark Evans, Ann Harada, Nikki M. James, and More Set to Star in Encores! I MARRIED AN ANGEL

New York City Center today announced casting for I Married an Angel, the second Encores! production of the City Center 75th Anniversary Season. In addition to Sara Mearns, previously announced as the Angel of the title, the production will feature Phillip Attmore (Peter Mueller), Max Baker (General Lucash), Mark Evans (Count Willy Palaffi), Ann Harada (Duchess of Holstein-Kuloff), Nikki M. James(Countess Peggy Palaffi), Hayley Podschun (Anna Murphy), and Tom Robbins (Harry Mischka Szigetti).

The ensemble includes Rachel Coloff, Barton Cowperthwaite, Jovan Dansberry, Alexa De Barr, Christine DiGiallonardo, Erica Dorfler, Kellie Drobnick, Julia Estrada, Ta'Nika Gibson, Stephen Hanna, Andrea Jones-Sojola, Naomi Kakuk, Francis Lawrence, Cory Lingner, Robin Masella, Gia Mongell, Lindsey O'Neil, Michelle Mercedes Russell, Ryan Steele, Christian Tworzyanski, and Kathy Voytko.

Rodgers and Hart's third major collaboration with choreographer George Balanchine (a decade before he would establish New York City Ballet at City Center), I Married an Angelis one of a handful of shows from the 1930s that was yearning to find the key to a new kind of musical. More sophisticated and innately theatrical than the average vaudeville-inspired productions of the Jazz Age, the originality of this show comes from the blending of a drawing room comedy with serious and extended dance sequences. The angel (Sara Mearns) of the title is just that, an emissary from heaven who descends to earth to melt the dyspeptic heart of an unscrupulous banker, Count Willy Palaffi (Mark Evans). Balanchine cast his soon-to-be-wife Vera Zorina (the two were married onstage following a New Year's Eve performance) as the Angel and created a series of spectacular dances to show her off. In a happy bit of symmetry and perfectly suited for City Center's 75th Anniversary Season, the Encores! production will be directed and choreographed by Joshua Bergasse for his wife, New York City Ballet principal dancer Sara Mearns who will be making her theatrical debut. Encores! Founding Music Director Rob Fisher returns to lead The Encores! Orchestra for the production.

I Married an Angel will run for seven performances only, March 20 through 24, at New York City Center. Tickets start at $35 and can be purchased online at NYCityCenter.org, by calling 212.581.1212, or in person at the City Center Box Office (131 West 55th Street between 6th and 7th Avenues).

Photo Credit: Mark Evans by Walter McBride, Ann Harada by Genevieve Rafter Keddy, Nikki M. James by Jennifer Brosky

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'Angel' teacher killed in mysterious animal attack during her daily walk

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'Angel' teacher killed in mysterious animal attack during her daily walk

Officials in Beaufort County, North Carolina, originally said a DNA test eliminated “any wild animals indigenous to the area.”

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Brenda Hamilton, 77, died from injuries sustained during a mysterious animal attack, police say. (Photo11: Courtesy of Pungo Christian Academy)

A beloved teacher was attacked and killed by a mysterious animal in North Carolina, and officials are still trying to figure out what happened.

On Friday, paramedics who responded to a 911 call for an animal attack found Brenda Hamilton, 77, suffering from serious injuries along a road in Beaufort County. Monday, the Beaufort County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement that Hamilton had died.

Officials originally said a DNA test eliminated “any wild animals indigenous to the area.” Later, they said test results did find canine DNA at the scene that could match anything from a wolf or coyote to a domestic dog. Sheriff’s investigators are currently testing dogs in the area. 

Hamilton was an English teacher for more than 50 years at a Christian school in Belhaven, North Carolina, where she is remembered by staff as their "angel." Coworkers said Hamilton was attacked during her daily morning walk. 

More: ‘Zombie’ deer disease: Will deer with chronic wasting disease attack humans?

Monday, the school shared a statement on Facebook: "It is with the heaviest of hearts that I share our precious Mrs. Hamilton has gained her wings ... Anyone who knew her has no doubt that when she enter the gates of heaven, she was welcome with these words...'Well done my good and faithful servant...well done.'"

Follow Ashley May on Twitter: @AshleyMayTweets

Read or Share this story: https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2019/02/20/teacher-attacked-mysterious-animal-while-walking-north-carolina/2924848002/

Watch: 50-Minute ‘Alita: Battle Angel’ Q&A with Producer Jon Landau from IMAX HQ

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About a week ago, Collider partnered up with IMAX and 20th Century Fox for a special IMAX 3D screening of Alita: Battle Angel before it was in theaters. While getting to show the film early was really cool, for me the highlight came after the screening, when I got to moderate an extended Q&A with producer Jon Landau.

During the 50-minute Q&A, he shared a ton of great behind-the-scenes stories about the making of the film including the long history of trying to get the story on the big screen, how they cast Rosa Salazar as Alita, the importance of modern VFX technology in bringing the story to life, why you should see the film in IMAX 3D, the importance of having practical sets and the look of the film, if they had difficulty getting a PG-13, the collaboration between James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez, and so much more. In addition, for Avatar fans, Landau talked about where they are in the production of Avatar 2 and the other sequels and how each of them is a standalone film.

Finally, I’ve seen Alita three times and absolutely loved it. James Cameron, Robert Rodriguez, and Jon Landau have crafted something special and it’s one of those rare films that’s actually worth seeing in 3D. Trust me, the visual effects are insane, the action set pieces are easy to follow and well shot, and Rosa Salazar is fantastic as Alita. In addition, the world of Alita is the type of place I wish I could visit, and I hope they’re able to make future installments. Finally, if you live near an IMAX theater, I strongly recommend seeing Alita in IMAX 3D because you’ll get to see about 26% more image in a number of scenes. Alita also stars Christoph Waltz, Mahershala Ali, Jennifer Connelly, Lana Condor, Keean Johnson, Jorge Lendeborg Jr., and Jackie Earle Haley.

Check out what Jon Landau had to say in the player above and below is exactly what we talked about followed by some recent links.

Jon Landau:

History of Alita and how long it has been in development.

Image via Fox

After paring down the script, one or two things he would have liked to see if the movie could have been three hours that didn’t make the cut, if any.

Could the movie have been made before now with the technology we have today?

Which sequences Jon was dreading to shoot because of how challenging they would be?

Challenges faced in the edit room for this project.

Why Alita should be seen in IMAX.

The importance of seeing Alita in 3D and the challenge of making it in 3D.

Casting Rosa Salazar as “Alita”.

Scenes that were cut and if there was any finished footage that was cut before it was completed.

The importance of having practical sets and the look of the film.

The realistic clothing of the movie and how the future looks in the film 500 years from now.

The last time Jon and James Cameron had a fight about something on a movie.

Image via Fox

How James Cameron is the smartest guy in the room and is always pushing the boundary with technology.

Where the Avatar sequels are in production.

Having all the scripts done for Avatar sequels before shooting.

Underwater performance capture in Avatar.

Audience Questions

Why the Titanic was built only 85% of the way through and not 100% for the film.

VR in film and if we might start seeing VR in movie theaters.

Without giving away spoilers, how they pulled off a certain scene with Alita and another character because it was not real.

Screening the movie for the creator of the graphic novel of Alita.

Why has it been tough for Manga and Japanese IP to be successful.

How Jon prepared for a movie of this size and scope.

Designing the look of “Alita”.

Image via Fox

How they were able to pull of a “PG-13” rating.

Physical preparation prior to shooting for action scenes.

Other Japanese IP or Manga that they are interested in making.

Creating a proper narrative when people are looking for sequels and big universes

How Disney buying Fox affects Jon.

Any sort of outlines or plans for sequels for Alita.

The decision to keep product placement out of the film.

The collaboration between James Cameron and Robert Rodriguez.

Involvement with Tim Miller on the new Terminator.

Latin actors in the film and if those decisions were made before or after Robert’s involvement.

Which of the Avatar sequels Jon is looking forward to the most.