Nikki Yanofsky: The Wolf Trap Interview

Nikki Yanofsky is certainly wise beyond her years. At the young age of 16, she has already accomplished more than most musicians achieve in a lifetime, and is a true teen idol in her native Canada. On a travel day during her current U.S. tour (in between breakfast and a much deserved spa treatment), she spent some time with me on the phone where I learned that she is remarkably poised for the future, no matter where this whirlwind of fame might take her. This shouldn't come as much of a surprise however, considering her musical heroes include Ella Fitzgerald, Aretha Franklin, and Marvin Hamlisch...a fairly atypical bunch for a high school sophomore.

She’s at The Barns tomorrow night for a sold-out performance. Unfortunately, we can’t get you into the show, but hopefully this interview will tide you over till next time, where, if her current level of success continues, we may see her at the Filene Center!

Check out the interview below...
Nikki Yanofsky: The Wolf Trap Interview by Wolf_Trap

Challenge the Flying Karamazov Brothers...They Dare You!

The Flying Karamazov Brothers are descending upon The Barns at Wolf Trap for a two-night residency, and they plan to pose a rather substantial challenge to the audience during both of their sold-out performances. Company members deem it "The Gamble", and in a nutshell, they contend that they are capable of juggling ANYTHING you bring to the performance, provided it weighs more than an ounce, weighs less than 10 pounds, is no bigger than a breadbox, and is not a live animal. "The Champ", otherwise known as the juggler, then attempts to juggle the items for an unbroken pattern of ten throws. If he is successful, he wins a standing ovation from the audience; if he fails in three tries, he receives a pie in the face.

"The Champ" is successful most of the time, but with two distinct performances at The Barns, I think we as an audience can get creative and emerge victorious! This is our home turf, let's not back down! Here are some examples of items that audience members at the Minetta Lane Theatre in NYC have offered up over the past few shows:

10/18/2010: Rubber Rat / iPhone / Hair Band with Snakes & Lights. VICTORY!
10/17/2010: Slice of Pizza / Extra Large Roll of Toilet Paper / iPhone. VICTORY!
10/16/2010: Pumpkin / Open Can of Tomato Soup / Dura-Flame Log. VICTORY!

I really like the slice of pizza idea, so I propose that both audiences collectively focus on presenting slippery items like a wet bar of soap or a mossy rock, or expandable, retractable things like slinkies or accordion file boxes. We are a smart city - I have all the confidence in the world.

For a visual of how "The Gamble" works - check out the video at the bottom of this page.

Have fun at the show(s) and please report back on the results of "The Gamble"!

Jeff Daniels: The Wolf Trap Interview

Jeff Daniels, the actor? Yes, the same, but in addition to starring in many household name films (The Squid and The Whale, Dumb and Dumber, Speed, Arachnaphobia, State of Play), he has been quietly and steadily building a catalogue of original songs that would make Woody Guthrie proud. And the guy CAN PLAY. He's currently in the midst of a three month solo tour hitting some of the finest opera houses in the country and smaller, more intimate rooms like The Barns.

I was lucky enough to be able to capture a window of his time in advance of his two night residency at The Barns at Wolf Trap on Thursday, October 14 and Friday, October 15. He was a great interview, and made sure to be very deliberate and comprehensive with his answers to my 10-12 questions. The biggest take away? If you attend his performances(s), aside from proving he's NOT just another actor turned musician, his ultimate goal is to make you laugh harder than you have in a long time.
Jeff Daniels Interview by Wolf_Trap