Praise Be

Everything you need to know about attending Magic Mike Live and His Story: The Musical

In a tent erected in a shopping center parking lot, a muscled man is dancing for a screaming crowd. Less than five miles away, in a another parking-lot tent, a different muscled man is body-rolling to frenzied applause.

The difference? One man is part of Channing Tatum's Magic Mike Live. The other man is portraying Jesus in His Story: The Musical.

It's a unique time in North Texas, with these two wildly different — yet oddly similar? — productions pitching their tents so close to each other.

CultureMap recently attended both shows back to back, and is revealing what you can expect with each.

Magic Mike Live: The Tour
Where: Stonebriar Centre, parking lot C (near Dillard's)

When: ~~Through June 11~~ (extended through July 2)

The basic gist: A female emcee (either Crystal Powell or Nikki Lowe) empowers the audience while teaching "Mike" (Kalon Badenhorst) what women really want, with the help of an ensemble of very in-shape, attractive men.

The dancing and acrobatics are genuinely impressive and expertly executed, and there are several opportunities for the men to showcase other talents like drumming, singing, and piano playing.

Kiana De Van der Schueren contributes to two of the most jaw-dropping numbers, one in a pool of water and the other an aerial number high above the audience.

As expected, there is lots of audience participation both onstage and off, but if you do not wish to be touched or pulled onstage you can simply say the safe word ("unicorn") and the gents will back off. Consent is sexy!

The venue: A multi-story, 600-seat theater with a swanky lobby and indoor-outdoor courtyard for gathering before or after the show.

The release claims that "every fabric, every finish, every detail of the venue has been meticulously curated by Tatum and the Magic Mike Live creative team, led by co-director and film franchise choreographer Alison Faulk with co-choreographer Luke Broadlick." It's very easy to forget you're in a tent.

The vibe: Sexy, with terrific lighting, leather couches, and plenty of Instagram photo opps. The entire endeavor feels luxurious and high-end.

The concessions: Charcuterie boxes, wine, and signature cocktails utilizing Steven Soderbergh’s spirit brand Singani 63. We tried "Permission," a tequila concoction with cucumber and lychee, and the sangria-like "Seduction," each averaging $25 before tip.

The bathrooms: High-end portable toilets, with three times as many women's as men's — an excellent touch.

Key producers: Channing Tatum, Steven Soderbergh, Vincent Marini (who also co-produced the HBO Max reality contest series Finding Magic Mike)

Show length: 90 minutes, no intermission

Audience age: Strictly 18 and up

Souvenirs: Each seat is pre-staged with a few "Unicorn Bucks," the purpose of which is kind of unclear. The cast was unresponsive when audience members tried to give them the fake money (or stuff it down their waistbands), so the pink paper basically functions like confetti for Instagram boomerangs.

Tickets: $49-$299. Options exist for Ultra Seats (front-row seating, complimentary cocktails, personal concierge, post-show meet-and-greet with members of the cast) and the Mike's Exclusive Package add-on.

To order and more information: MMLTour.com or call 833-624-4265

His Story: The Musical
Where: Grandscape, by the Grandscape Wheel

When: Open-ended

The basic gist: "A Broadway-style theatrical event 2000 years in the making," touts the release, and the show recounts the birth, life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

Anna Miriam Brown was 17 when she wrote the musical, and the show is definitely youthful. Choreographer Eamon Foley works the young, non-union cast to near exhaustion, with knee pads that get plenty of use.

This is JC for Gen Z, with Hamilton-esque raps and costumes that range from tunics to track suits, accented with temporary tattoos and even a leather harness. Jesus (Max Kuenzer) wears a sleeveless hoodie and a man bun.

The voices are generally strong, though the tunes utterly forgettable. A program insert warns of violence though the least affecting part is the crucifixion, staged by director Jeff Calhoun with Jesus lying down and Judas hammering from several feet away.

Casey Lamont is especially transfixing as Lucifer, while Mat Blasio garners several laughs in a variety of small roles.

The venue: The Broadway Tent at Grandscape, a 1,300-seat theater tent designed by Matthew Churchill Productions, Ltd. with stadium seating, 360-degree overhead projection, and full A/C and heating. It is very easy to remember you are in a tent.

The vibe: Megachurch revival weekend meets traveling circus. The tent and revolving set are repurposed from 2015's Peter Pan 360, and the surrounding projections feel planetarium-like.

The concessions: Popcorn, soda, nachos, beer, and other circus-like fare, all allowed in the theater.

The bathrooms: Separate entrances for men and women ... which spill into one long row of portable bathrooms.

Key producers: Willie and Korie Robertson (of Duck Dynasty fame), Tony Award-nominated Bruce Lazarus

Show length: 2 hours, including a 20-minute intermission

Audience age: Recommended for ages 8 and up. Children under the age of 2 are not permitted in the theater.

Souvenirs: Take your pick: There's everything from T-shirts, hoodies, and baby onesies to prayer stones, crosses, and picture frames. If you can think of it, there's a branded version for sale here. Credit to the merch department for the deep-cut "James #1" and "James #2" shirts, though.

Tickets: $39-$239. VIP packages include access to the Nebraska Furniture Mart VIP Lounge, a free glass of champagne or sparkling juice, and a free gift.

To order and more information: HisStoryTheMusical.com or call 855-447-7867

Photo courtesy of Magic Mike Live

Giddy-up, girls.

theater

Movie Review

The life of an actor is far from rosy in dramedy Misty Green

Photo courtesy of A24

Rosalind Eleazar in Misty Green.

For every well-known/successful actor in Hollywood, there are thousands of others whose lives are more tenuous as they struggle to find work. The new film Misty Green is about one such actor who, after a period in the limelight, now finds herself on the outskirts of the industry, just hoping to find her way back in.

Misty (Rosalind Eleazar) won an Emmy for a 2000s-era TV show that still gets her recognition, but not much work. Still living in the apartment of a recently-deceased man with whom she was having an affair, Misty spends her days sleeping in and her nights getting blitzed on alcohol and drugs. She seems to be heading nowhere fast until a few things coincide to break up her routine.

The man’s wife (Amy Landecker) shows up and tells her she has seven days to vacate the apartment; Misty’s brother, Jay (Daniel Kaluuya) — who is bipolar — arrives after being kicked out of his facility for non-payment; and Jordan (Chris Rock), a former colleague with whom she had a falling-out, reappears in her life, offering a possible chance to rehabilitate her image.

Written and directed by Rock (his first feature since 2014’s Top Five), the film is a funny and excruciating look at how the entertainment industry might actually work. Misty is her own worst enemy thanks to late nights fraternizing with unsavory characters like Zach (Adam Driver), who deals in drugs and women in equal measure, but her frustration proves warranted when her agent, Randy (Topher Grace), and casting directors like Rhonda (Tracie Thoms) hardly give her the time of day.

Misty tries her best to stay positive, but when jobs like singing in a bar are the best she can do, the mountain seems insurmountable. Rock does an effective job of demonstrating the elements that are within and without Misty’s control that affect her ability to regain her position in the industry. The chip on her shoulder is almost as big as the bias some have against her, and other negative circumstances don’t help matters much.

There are many small touches that Rock and his crew put in the film to give it an air of authenticity. Filming in Los Angeles (a rarity these days), Rock uses both subtle and overt shots of homeless people in the city, suggesting that the line between the haves and have-nots is a fine one, especially with Misty on the verge of not having a place to live. He also has cameos from a few of his funny friends, including a bit of meta-casting of Anthony Anderson (who has faded a bit after starring in Black-ish) in a bit part as a cop.

Eleazar, a British actor best known for appearing on the Apple TV show Slow Horses, is a magnetic presence as Misty. The character herself is somewhat cringey in her decision-making, and Eleazar sells every bit of her righteous indignation and self-defeating actions. The supporting cast is great across the board, including Rock, Driver, Kaluuya, Thoms, Grace, Anna Kendrick, and Rich Sommer.

Misty Green makes you rage against the Hollywood machine, laugh at the various ways different people deal with its maddening quirks, and hide behind your fingers as Misty chooses options that don’t help, either voluntarily or because her back is against the wall. It’s a powerhouse of acting that gives a unique angle on the inner workings of Hollywood, one that ironically might be competing for awards at year’s end.

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Misty Green is now playing in theaters.

movies film