Arts

BalletRox dancers (from l to r) Janelle Gilchrist, Rick Vigo and Beth Mochizula attended Company One’s Pushing the Envelope Gala May 4.

Pushing the Envelope:  The 2011 Company One Gala

It was touted as “the party of all parties” to benefit Company One’s Building the Base Fundraising Campaign and Company One did their best to live up to the hype at the very spacious Cyclorama in the South End.

The evening was filled with an almost circus-like atmosphere from live graffiti artist Percy 14e Wright to performances by Company One’s spoken-word-hip-hop-theatre troupe ARTiculation along with a much-anticipated performance by the BalletRox dancers.

And Company One’s own Keith Mascoll kept the night running smoothly as the very charming emcee and heads were bobbing throughout the place to the base-thumping music by DJ Keith Dickerhofe.  

There was also a live and silent auction (with an African safari up for grabs …. but it wasn’t meant for me on this night), to a dinner buffet from Flat Iron Tapas Bar, Shiraz Cuisine and very delicious fried chicken and greens from the Haley House Bakery Café. All in all, it was a good night!

MAGIC 106.7’s 14th Annual Exceptional Women Awards

They say timing is everything and I arrived just in time as lunch was being served at the Westin Waterfront Hotel for Magic 106.7’s Exceptional Women Awards, and it hit the spot, but lunch wasn’t the reason I was there.  It was for Miss Patti Labelle. She was one of six women being honored for their work in their respective fields by the soft rock station and she was being honored for her working in the area of Performing Arts.

The other honorees included Founder and CEO of Friends of Mel Pauline Alighieri for Community Service; President and founder of C. Stumpo Development Cindy Leonard Stumpo for Business; Arts and Entertainment critic Joyce Kulhawick was given a Lifetime Achievement award; Dr. Peggy Duggan for Health care and Duke University School of Medicine student Chikoti Mibenge for Courage, specifically for her work as part of the prestigious HIV/AIDS Vaccine research team.

It was just wonderful being in the presence of these inspiring women and hearing their stories and how they’ve overcome various life-altering experiences.  During the luncheon, the women swayed to the performance of singer and songwriter Richard Marx, especially when he sang “Right Here Waiting.”

But the real treat was Labelle taking to the stage. Her voice is just as thunderous and powerful as ever. 

Kathy Griffin

I needed a good laugh and I couldn’t wait to see comedienne and actress Kathy Griffin. She was in town taping her upcoming Bravo special at The Wilbur Theatre and it’s just what the doctor ordered.

Her style of comedy is celebrity-oriented and it was just what I expected and more. She lovingly teased her audience with stories about Oprah and Jennifer Hudson’s almost “no-show” on “O” and the Palins, Sarah, Bristol and Willow. She was hysterical with her stories about her run-ins with Rep. Michele Bachmann, R-Minn., in D.C., Kirstie Alley at Mr. Chow’s in Beverly Hills and Bill O’Reilly. You’ll be able to see it all when her special airs in a few months on the network.

Coming Up…

Tonight (May 19), En Vogue returns to Showcase Live at Patriot Place in Foxborough.  

The Celebrity Series of Boston and World Music/CRASHarts present Complexions Contemporary Ballet, which was founded by two former Alvin Ailey dancers Dwight Rhoden and Desmond Richardson. It’s this Friday, May 20 through Sunday, May 22 at the Cutler Majestic Theatre at Emerson College.  

Festival passes for The Roxbury International Film Festival go on sale this Friday, May 20 at www.roxburyfilmfestival.org.

Company One presents the play “Learn To Be Latina” by Enrique Urueta at Boston Playwright’s Theatre through June 5.

BalletRox presents “Linkup Wednesdays at Bella Luna” for a fun night of socializing on Wednesday, June 1 at 7 p.m.

Oleta Adams returns to Scullers Jazz Club the weekend of June 10-11 for two shows each night at 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.

If you would like me to cover or write about your event, e-mail me at inthemixwithcolette@gmail.com.