2009-2010 Schedule of Events

Friday, December 4, 2009 "Souvenir" -- At Theatre Memphis The singer and recording artist Florence Foster Jenkins (1868-1944) was renowned throughout her career for one thing: singing badly. During her notorious private concerts, she mangled some of the world's greatest music. People ate it up. Performance Club will meet 7 p.m. at Theatre Memphis to hear some actual recordings of the singer and talk about how somebody so bad could end up being so legendary. We'll also look at contemporary equivalents.  Call Theatre Memphis at 682-8323 and ask for the Performance Club group rate tickets for $23. Friday, January 22, 2010 "Orpheus" -- At the Clark Opera Memphis Center It's a myth that returns again and again in Western art. Man loses girl. Man goes to hell and back to retrieve girl. Man (sigh) loses girl again, for good. Performance Club will attend Opera Memphis' chamber-sized production of Gluck's "Orpheus," meeting at 6:30 p.m. to discuss why this myth continues to be relevant to us, and how Opera Memphis envisions this latest manifestation. Call Opera Memphis at 257-3100 and ask for the Performance Club group rate tickets for $25. Sunday, February 28, 2010  "Abundance" by Ballet Memphis at Playhouse on the Square The city's professional dance troupe performs for the first time in Playhouse's new theater on the corner of Cooper and Union. This season's "Abundance" explores the theme of joy. One piece is set to a new score by Grammy-nominated jazz sax player Kirk Whalum. Performance Club meets at 1:30 p.m. to talk with executive director Dorothy Gunther Pugh about how she comes up with the themes, and how she expects choreographers to carry them out. Call Ballet Memphis at 737-7322 and ask for the Performance Club group rate tickets at a 20 percent discount off whatever seat you purchase.  March 26, 2010 "Frost/Nixon" at Playhouse on the Square In this taut drama by Peter Morgan, journalist David Frost has the ultimate "get," landing the first major interview with ex-President Richard Nixon after his resignation over the Watergate scandal. Performance Club meets at 7 p.m. to discuss how history is portrayed -- and perhaps skewed -- by playwrights and other artists. Call 726-4656 and ask for the Performance Club discount of $10 off the regular ticket price. April 16, 2010 "Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris" -- At Circuit Playhouse Jacques Brel was one of the greatest songwriters of the 20th Century, esteemed alongside lyrical greats such as Cole Porter and Tom Waits. His songs touch on eternal themes: love, war, death, time, etc. So why have you likely never heard his music? Maybe because he was French? Performance Club meets at 7 p.m. to watch video of Brel performing his own tunes, and discuss how his work was translated into English for a successful Off-Broadway run. Call 726-4656 and ask for the Performance Club discount of $10 off the regular ticket price.