JoAnne Tucker

Bridgerton, Jack Murphy and Movement’s Important Role

JoAnne Tucker / March 5, 2026 / Current Events, Dance History, dance on television

It’s fascinating how promotional ads for television shows have changed over time, including with today’s abundance of social media and streaming possibilities. Years ago, phrases about a show spoken by the leading performer were used to entice people to watch. Jackie Gleason’s, “And away we go” and “How sweet it is” are examples of how slogans were used to motivate an audience to tune in during the 1950s.

Today the ads can be fast-paced collages from the upcoming program with intense music or totally nonverbal with skillfully choreographed movement such as one I found for Season 4, Part 2 of Bridgerton. The two main characters’ faces open the 32-second ad. First Benedict and then Sophie’s eyes peer out at us. Soon we see one hand and then another trace the edge of the antique tub followed by embraces and kisses with a dramatic blurry background. There are no words or captions until the end: “Only on Netflix, Part 1: Now Playing, Part 2: February 26.” https://www.netflix.com/tudum/articles/bridgerton-season-4-cast-release-date-news

“The ball” is an important part of the story line in all four seasons of Bridgerton. It reaches a new level of importance in Season 4 where the first episode is called “The Waltz.” The use of choreography gives us insight into each character’s life, as well as the tension that will be an important part of the plot.

One of the first screen shots is of actors at the ball doing asymmetrical arm gestures in a period dance. I did a double take and thought, “WOW, that’s cool. Ah… the choreographer is letting us know this is not going to be a normal ball!” And indeed, I was right.

The plot basically follows the Cinderella outline when Sophie arrives as a masked figure at the season’s opening ball and Benedict immediately falls in love with her! As the episode progresses we learn that Sophie does not know how to dance. There is a very sweet scene where Benedict patiently teaches her. This is introducing us to a new side of Benedict, as in previous seasons he was very much the playboy.

I was delighted to find an article in The New York Times on February 4, 2026, timed between Part 1 and Part 2, that spoke about the important role of dance in Season 4 and introduced Jack Murphy, the choreographer of all four seasons.

In Bridgerton, dance reflects rituals and norms, connects characters, heightens emotions, advances plot, creates spectacle, and brings audiences — on the edges of the ballroom and the other side of the screen — into the action.

“It’s kind of the backbone of the show, not only when our main characters are going through their courtship,” said Tom Verica, an executive producer and director of the show. “There’s so much in the pomp and circumstance and the rules of the world that comes through dance,” he said, adding that it illustrates how people communicated and fell in love.

“It’s all about powerful nonverbal communication that extends beyond the limits of dialogue,” said Jack Murphy, the show’s choreographer, who trained as an actor.

“She’s spellbound by it,” Murphy said of how Sophie responds to the ball. “I made everything, as much as possible, asymmetric. So it’s very beautiful, but it’s broken, and that’s because, actually, we also know she doesn’t belong.” At the same time, “she’s not frightened,” he added. “She is desperately, desperately drawn to the movement of it, this freedom, this abandonment, this swirling. https://www.nytimes.com/2026/02/04/arts/dance/bridgerton-waltz.html

I immediately wanted to know more about Jack Murphy, and what led him to use period dance patterns in creative ways. He has an excellent website. I learned he is based in London and has worked in television, film and theatre. His approach is different than most choreographers as he trained as an actor. He has extensive knowledge of period dances from the Middle Ages to 20^th century social dance. I love how he lists all these different dance styles on this page of his website: https://www.jackmurphymovement.co.uk/dances

What makes him stand out is how he approaches his work with directors. In an interview on Shondaland.com he shared:

As movement director — or director of movement — I am there to collaborate with a director. I’m there to assist in realizing their vision of the piece physically. A lot of directors I work with are very good at mining the intention of the text, but they don’t have the same confidence with placing that into space.

I strongly suggest visiting both Murphy’s website and the Shondaland site and watching the videos available to get a good idea of his teaching style, and how he uses movement to help the actors realize the director’s concept. Also make sure to look at the list of the numbers of films he has worked on along with the actors he has helped.

Here’s a screenshot of Murphy working with the cast of Bridgerton taken from the video called Behind Bridgerton: Inside the Scene: A Dance Story, published on June 6, 2024, in an article written by Mia Brabham Nolan. https://www.shondaland.com/shondaland-series/bridgerton/choreographer-jack-murphy-explains-how-rage-runs-deep-in-a-bridgerton-ball

In closing: I am pleased to share that my blog “A Burning Desire to Choreograph” was reprinted in Stance on Dance: https://stanceondance.com/2026/02/02/burning-desire-to-choreograph/

Joy of Watching Olympic FIgure Skating

JoAnne Tucker / February 13, 2026 / Childhood, Personal Life

What a joy to be able to watch three hours of figure skating on Sunday afternoon. Most people were getting ready to watch the Super Bowl. I was thrilled to watch the Olympic team finals in real time and was mesmerized by both the technical skills and the artistic talents of the athletes. Yes, the top two in each category were outstanding but so were those that placed in third, fourth and fifth. Their scores count too. An example is the US pairs couple of Ellie Kam and Danny O’Shea who placed fourth. The extra point they made by placing fourth instead of fifth contributed to the United States winning the gold medal for the team competition. Kam and O’Shea caught my attention for their enthusiasm and commitment to helping their team.

Screenshot from the Olympics of Kam and O’Shea doing a lift.

Screenshot from the Olympics at the moment Kam and O’Shea finished their program.

Yesterday evening I was able to replay the three hours of pairs rhythmic skating. There were 23 pairs competing in this short program which is part of ice dancing. A lot of them were not outstanding, yet I enjoyed watching them and knowing how hard they worked to be able to represent their country at the Olympics even though they had no chance of winning a medal. The pride they took in completing their program and the enthusiasm with which their coaches greeted them after their performance was heartwarming. The crowd at the Milano Ice Skating Arena applauded the efforts enthusiastically. I thought of how much the skaters had given up for these few minutes so I was happy to be part of the audience watching them.

My own history with figure skating goes back to when I was a teenager taking lessons on Friday in an after-school program at the Duquesne Gardens in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh has a long history with ice skating, both figure skating and hockey. John Harris, an entertainment executive from Pittsburgh, got the idea for the Ice Capades when he brought in Olympic figure skater Sonja Henie to entertain the audience between periods of hockey games in the late 1930’s. The performance was so well received that in 1940 he got together with arena managers from eight other cities and proposed an ice show that could tour to each of their towns.

In researching I found that the Ice Capades held skate classes at the Duquesne Gardens in the 1940s on Saturday morning. I think that the figure skating class I went to on Friday after school was taught by a sister or family member of John Harris, but I don’t have any way to verify that. I loved it. It was a very technical class, where we learned how to use our inside and outside edges. We did lots of figure eights and made patterns of a three that I think required us to switch the side of edge we used. We had different skill levels we had to master and when you reached one level, you were promoted to the next. I quickly progressed to the highest level and was thrilled when I could do a little jump using the picks of my skate or going down with one leg in front in what was called “shoot the duck.” At the end of one semester of classes I was invited to continue in the advanced class. I dreamed of being in the Ice Capades. The problem was that it was held on Saturday morning, when I was expected to attend Rodef Shalom’s religious school (through confirmation, which was several years off). I begged to be able to take the ice-skating advanced class on Saturday but my parents’ response was once I was confirmed I could go. By then I was very serious about dance, and skating was just for fun.

The love of watching figure skating and understanding how hard it is has stayed with me. I have enjoyed going to ice skating shows like the Ice Capades and watching figure skating competitions on television. Indeed, it is a joy to be able to watch so much beautiful skating on TV right now.

Ballet of the Birds – A Visit to Arenal Observatory Lodge

JoAnne Tucker / January 22, 2026 / Costa Rica, Personal Life

On a recent visit to the Arenal Observatory Lodge, the balcony of my room gave me a perfect view of the birdfeeder on a deck outside of the restaurant, where the birds soared in to partake of their watermelon treat. The feeder, which is refreshed several times a day, is on a pulley system where it is lowered to the ground so a member of the staff can fill it with fresh-cut watermelon slices and then raise it twenty feet above ground.

The most spectacular time for watching both birds and people is at 6:30 a.m., before the restaurant opens. Two rows of about 40 or 50 people gather to photograph or watch through binoculars the solos, duets, and trios of birds that flutter in, quietly eat and depart, most likely to return. Sometimes there are several of the same species and other times a single bird.

I spent two awesome days at the lodge in early January and loved every minute of it. Hanging out on the deck and watching from my balcony were not the only highlights. I went with my grandson and his partner on a night hike. I had carefully asked at the desk whether the hike was fairly level and suitable for a senior in her early 80s. I was assured it was. Well, I am indeed grateful to our patient guide, my grandson and his partner and my two hiking sticks. I successfully handled the hike and delighted in the unusual frogs we saw. My grandson walked behind me and his partner in front shining his flashlight so I could clearly see the NUMEROUS steps we had to climb down.

Red-Eyed Tree Frog photographed on the night hike

A morning walk by the lodge provided an extraordinary opportunity to photograph a family of coatis and the fiery-billed aracari.

One member of the coati family scampering along to catch up with the others

Most of the time the peak of the volcano was covered in clouds. This presented a watercolor challenge that filled an afternoon as my two travel companions took off on a strenuous hike.

The bird list supplied by the lodge identified 500 species on the property. I added quite a few to my bird list. Here are a few of my favorite photos taken either on the deck or from my balcony. Hmm …. I wonder which ones will be references for new paintings.

Montezuma Oropendola watching the feeder, waiting for his turn to fly in.

Discovering Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice Read by Julie Andrews

JoAnne Tucker / January 1, 2026 / Book Review, Personal Life

Now that I am part of the Atenas Writers’ Group, I am aware of huge gaps in my reading background – works that would have proved useful to my skill as a writer. Since I was focused on dance and theatre in my teens and college years, I took only the absolute required courses in humanities, social studies and sciences. I have some catching up to do now, and I was thrilled when I saw that Dame Julie Andrews was reading Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice on the Noiser podcast channel. I subscribed and have loved every minute of listening to the 25 episodes. Here’s how Noiser describes it:

Jane Austen Stories is the new show from the Noiser podcast network, narrated by Dame Julie Andrews. In Season One, Julie reads Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen, one of the most beloved novels in English literature. Join us twice a week as we journey through the grand estates and glittering ballrooms of Regency England. Meet the Bennet family, spirited Elizabeth Bennet, and the enigmatic Mr. Darcy, in a world where romance, wit, and social scandal collide.

I hope this is just the beginning and that Dame Julie Andrews will read more of Jane Austen’s classics.

This past December marked the 250^th Anniversary of Jane Austen’s birth. She died very young – at the age of 41.

Julie Andrews celebrated her own 90^th birthday on October 1^st. As I began to think about writing this blog, I realized that not only has Julie Andrews had an amazing career, she has continued to do interesting things in her 80s and now as she is 90! I am in my 80s, and finding role models who continue fostering and sharing their creativity is important to me.

I have been following Julie Andrews’s career since I was 13, when my father took my Mom and me to New York City, where he had to attend a business meeting. Luckily, he had his evening free, and so off we went to see three Broadway shows: Diary of Anne Frank, Gypsy, and My Fair Lady. My parents patiently waited at the stage doors while I got autographs. The only program and autograph I kept over the years was Julie Andrews’s. I remember it was lightly raining and most of the actors rushed on, but Julie stayed to autograph my playbill, even sharing her umbrella with me. What fun I had over the next year playing the LP of My Fair Lady, pretending I was Eliza Doolittle and dancing enthusiastically to the songs in our downstairs playroom.

Over the years I have followed Julie’s career, seeing most of her films, including ones that are not so well known. While studying at Juilliard I saw her in Camelot and later, when I was living in the New York area, in Victor, Victoria.

While there is much I could write about how her performances entertained and inspired me over the years, what I want to focus on is what she has done since 2015 when she turned 80 and how that serves as inspiration to me now that I am in my 80s.

Voiceovers and children’s books are things that she started earlier and continues to do. This year she received an Emmy for her role as Lady Whistledown in Bridgerton. Among the films she has done voices for are Despicable Me, Shrek, Aquaman, Minions – The Rise of Gru, and (as narrator) The King’s Daughter.

Julie has written over 30 books, many of them with her daughter Emma Walton Hamilton. She began to focus more on writing when botched surgery damaged her amazing singing voice. She rallied when her daughter Emma encouraged her to write, and she reported she had found in writing a new way to use her voice. Most recent books with her daughter Emma include: Home Work: A Memoir of My Hollywood Years (2019); The First Notes (2022); The Enchanted Symphony (2023) and Waiting in the Wings (2024).

In 2017 she and her daughter developed and produced Julie’s Greenroom, a 13-episode children’s program on Netflix, in which Julie appears with guests such as Bill Irwin, Idina Menzel and Tiler Peck. It is still available to watch.

In several interviews I watched, Julie talked about liking to direct. Some research led me to learn that in 2016 she directed a production of My Fair Lady for the Sydney Opera House. The program bill stated, “the 60^thanniversary revival recreates the original Broadway staging under the direction of its original leading lady.” And in 2024 she directed a sold-out production of The Great American Mousical, based on the book she and Emma wrote. It wasn’t the first time she directed The Great American Mousical. What fun to see she directed it again in her late 80s.

In 2024, “Blake Edwards: A Love Story in 24 Frames” was released, and Julie is interviewed throughout the film. It is a beautiful honoring of her husband of 41 years who passed away in 2010.

For the past four years I offered artist residency programs at my home here in Costa Rica. Part of my motivation for doing this was to have creative energy around me. Sometimes this force existed, and the house was filled with a freshness that was fun to be around. But I learned that I couldn’t predict when that would happen. Age was not the guiding factor, as I experienced this inspiring energy with artists in their 20s and others in their 70s and even 80s. Too often though there was a heaviness in the air. I’m not sure why. Was it the themes the artists were working on? Their frustration that their book hadn’t been published yet or a pressure that they needed to accomplish something special here, so instead of being playful and enjoying the opportunity, they were pressuring themselves? Sometimes the residency was just a convenience between residencies – having a place to stay without paying rent. (Yes, there are quite a few people who go from one residency to another, and rarely was the house filled with creative energy when hosting a residency hopper.)

Now that I’m taking a break from offering residencies, I find I am writing and painting more. I also delight in finding role models such as Julie Andrews who are older than I am, expressing themselves in new ways. It is invigorating to learn how they share their creative talents. A big thank you to Dame Julie Andrews for reading Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice for the 250^th anniversary of Austen’s birth. As I listened to each episode I felt like I was having a cup of tea with a friend and learning about the happenings of the Bennet family. With so much change and chaos in the world, these moments are most treasured.

I welcome you to share role models that are inspiring you, and special moments that are breaks from the chaos of the news. With wishes for 2026 that we might be inspired to explore new creative adventures.

The Beast in Me: Not My Usual Choice of TV

JoAnne Tucker / December 19, 2025 / Personal Life

I generally shy aware from psychological thrillers, either movies or series. My daughter Julie told me recently that she had finished casting a new limited series production for Netflix. She had really liked working on it and thought maybe I would enjoy it despite the violence.

OK, if Julie is recommending it, maybe I should check it out. I did and found myself quickly hooked to The Beast in Me. Before I get into some specifics about its subject matter and why I liked it so much, here are some suggestions if you are wimpy like me and don’t like violence. I did not binge watch it. When there was violence, I just closed my eyes and waited until the scene had passed. I watched an episode early in the evening and then followed it with a fun movie or even a few scenes from a movie that I had previously enjoyed, to make me laugh and put me in a good mood to go to bed.

About The Beast in Me. The main character, played by Claire Danes, is a writer. She is currently stuck on her next book, which is about the friendship between Ruth Bader Ginsburg and Antonin Scalia. That immediately got my interest as I am a fan of RBG and I’m in a writer’s group. We often share how hard it is to keep moving along on our projects and how easy it is to find ourselves blocked. Aggie, Claire’s character, recently lost an 8-year-old son to a drunk driver, and she is separated from her wife and living alone. The plot heightens when Niles Jarvis (played by Matthew Rhys), a multimillionaire real estate developer who is thought to have allegedly killed his wife, moves in next door. As the 8-part series progresses, Aggie will abandon her project on the friendship of the two justices and focus on writing about Jarvis. I don’t want to give away any of the plot. I encourage you to watch it unravel for yourself.

My husband Murray (who passed away five years ago) and I regularly shared the joy that raising our two daughters brought to us and how proud we were – and I am – of the lives that they have built for themselves with their families and strong dynamic careers.

As Mom, I can brag here that I am not at all surprised by the fine job Julie did with casting in The Beast in Me. She is well recognized in her field. You can check out her imdb page if you want to know about the shows she has cast and awards she has won. Each actor perfectly fit the part they played. The casting choice of Kate Burton and Bill Irwin as the parents of Niles’s missing wife delighted me. Kate Burton and Bill Irwin played roles in the development of Julie’s career when she was starting out. How wonderful that she was able to use their talent as guest artists in The Beast in Me.

Kudos for the writing, direction and use of music. The techniques used build the suspense.

The Golden Globe nominations were recently announced and The Beast in Me received three nominations: Best Limited Series; Matthew Rhys, for Best Actor in a Limited Series; and Claire Danes, Best Actress in a Limited Series. I’ll be watching in January, rooting for the series and actors to win.

**Promotional Poster from the Wikipedia Page**

Music Events that Tingle, Caress and Thrill – 1962 to 1965 Pittsburgh

JoAnne Tucker / November 19, 2025 / Music, Personal Life

In last month’s blog I mentioned how the outstanding concert of the Alma Duo reminded me of the musical events that I attended over 60 years ago. My husband Murray (who passed away in October of 2020) and I regularly attended the Pittsburgh Symphony and chamber music concerts when we dated and in the first few years of our marriage.

In September 1962, I had finished two years at Juilliard and returned home to begin work in the fall on my undergraduate degree at the University of Pittsburgh. Murray was starting his graduate studies in economics at the University of Pittsburgh. Our dating consisted of attending sports and music events. Murray’s father, Joe Tucker, was “the voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers” and worked at WWSW, a local radio station. He received passes to the Pittsburgh Symphony and the YM&YWHA Chamber Music Series, but he rarely went, and so he gave the passes to us. We loved going.

Our seats were usually in the first row of the Syria Mosque Auditorium. While this seating may not have been the best for acoustics, it did give us an opportunity to witness the passion and intensity of the musicians, particularly the guest artists.

Syria Mosque was a 3,700 seat performance venue located in the Oakland neighborhood of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. Constructed in 1911 and dedicated on October 26, 1916, the building was originally built as a “mystical” shrine for the Ancient Arabic Order of the Nobles of the Mystic Shrine (the Shriners)…. It was recognized as one of the best examples of Exotic Revival architecture. …. It held numerous events over the years, mainly highlighted by concerts of the Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria_Mosque

William Steinberg was the conductor of the symphony during the time we attended. I knew he was very much respected by the members of the orchestra and was considered a top conductor. I had no idea of the extent of his reputation or how outstanding he really was. In reading about him I learned that he felt a deep connection to the members of the Pittsburgh Symphony. On his death in 1978 his stepson remembered him:

He moved to Pittsburgh in 1952. His career reached its zenith there. He built the Orchestra into an instrument totally sensitive to his will, his touch. He loved them like his children and criticized them as such. For twenty-five years he made beautiful music with that orchestra. Even when their sound was not as good as that of greater ensembles, they played for him beyond their capacities. He was desolate when he retired, he did not want to let go. https://www.pittsburghsymphony.org/pso_home/web/about-landing/history/history-of-the-pittsburgh-symphony-orchestra

In doing more research I learned that Steinberg was born in Cologne, Germany, in 1899. He showed musical talent at a very young age. He had excellent training and a blossoming career in Europe until 1933 when Nazi brownshirts interrupted a rehearsal and lifted the baton out of his hand while he was rehearsing an opera. The only place he could conduct was for the Jewish Culture League in Frankfurt and Berlin. In 1936 he and his wife left Germany for Palestine. Eventually he migrated to the U.S., where his longest standing position was in Pittsburgh. Reviews of his concerts show that he turned the Pittsburgh Symphony into one of America’s first-rank ensembles.

I have a clear memory of how he calmly conducted the orchestra. He was known for having rehearsed the musicians well – hence his quiet conducting style, just to remind the musicians of the dynamics he wanted.

Two of the amazing guest artists whose performances with the Pittsburgh Symphony were musical highlights in my life were violinist Yehudi Menuhin and cellist Mstislav Rostropovich.

Murray and JoAnne (1963 – dressed to go out, to a concert ??)

There were other very memorable musical events in Pittsburgh besides the evenings attending the Symphony. The one that stands out most in my mind was when Pablo Casals conducted musicians in two concerts which featured the full six Brandenburg Concertos. Pablo Casals, in 1965 at the age of 88, spent two weeks in Pittsburgh at Carnegie Institute of Technology (now Carnegie Mellon University) where he worked with musicians from the Pittsburgh Symphony, and faculty and students from the university’s music department, in all six Brandenburg Concertos.

I found a reference to a firsthand account online:

“Casals’ direction must be seen as well as heard,” the story said. “He was supposed to conduct from a seated position but the excitement of a phrase, the upsurge of a crescendo or the neat realization of a cadence brought him to his feet time and again.”

“He sings a bit here and there, and he is not above stamping his foot to bring an errant musician into the strict tempi he employs,” Mr. Steinfirst wrote. https://www.post-gazette.com/local/pittsburgh-history/2015/04/26/eyewitness-1965-cliburn-casals-credited-with-fine-week-for-culture/stories/201504260062

I remember thinking these were concerts that not only touched me musically but felt like a total theatre experience. Reading the firsthand account confirms why I felt that way.

I was first introduced to one of the Brandenburg Concertos while a student at Juilliard. It was the music that accompanied a piece by Doris Humphrey and Ruth Currier. Brandenburg No.4 was performed at Juilliard during the time I was there. I liked the piece very much, particularly how the movement fit Bach’s music. Doris Humphrey died while choreographing the piece in 1958. Ruth Currier finished the piece in 1959 and set it on selected students from Juilliard around 1961 or ’62. There is an excerpt on YouTube with students from the University of Utah performing the piece in 1991, set from a Labanotation score. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OPfiw8YK4H8

Screen shot from the 1991 Brandenberg No. 4 – University of Utah

I am not a big fan of listening to recorded classical music. I like to attend live concerts, and I like to sit up close, where I can see the musicians. It is the passion of the musicians as they play that inspires me and takes me to a magical place as I feel my breathing change, heart rate responding and limbs tingling. Indeed, the concerts in Pittsburgh were special shared time with Murray, and now I feel so lucky to have moments like that again in Costa Rica with Alma Duo. (Check out the last month’s blog if you haven’t already read it.)

An Amazing Concert – Listening for Two

JoAnne Tucker / October 12, 2025 / Uncategorized

Several years ago, I met Rubia Santos at a social event of Hacienda Atenas, the community where we both live. We immediately felt a connection. Rubia is an internationally known concert pianist whose home base is now Costa Rica, where she is on the music faculty of The University of Costa Rica. When her schedule permits, we enjoy coffee together and often share ideas about healthy vegan eating.

Shortly after meeting Rubia, I received an invitation to a concert she and violinist Lourdes Lobo were giving in a private home. The concert was part of a fundraising series they planned in order to record all the Beethoven piano and violin sonatas. That sounded interesting so I went, and I continued to go, including to the most recent concert this past August 31. I have enjoyed them all, but this last one was AMAZING.

The concert took my breath away not only for the violin and piano sonata they played but also for the Brahmstrio for piano, violin and cello.

The setting for the concerts is extraordinary, in an open-air room on the second level of a contemporary house in Santa Ana. The acoustics are excellent and there is the added treat of watching the sunset over San Jose. Sometimes it seems like the clouds are dancing to the music. As the room probably can only handle about 50 people, there is a very intimate feeling to the event. Following the concert there is a lovely reception with hors d’oeuvres and wine.

Rubia and Lourdes met in 2017 when they were adjudicating the Competition for Young Soloists at the University of Costa Rica. Shortly after, they started working together, referring to themselves as The Duo Alma. They promote Latin American music. At the earlier concerts I went to, music of Brazilian and Costa Rican composers was performed along with a different Beethoven sonata] for piano and violin.

Rubia and Lourdes both have outstanding musical careers.

Rubia is currently on the faculty at the University of Costa Rica and has previously taught at universities in the U.S. and Germany. She has a passion for musical pieces of composers of her native county of Brazil, including them in her repertory and often premiering new piano works. She has collaborated with various artists and ensembles and been guest artist in music festivals throughout the world. Here’s a link to read more about Rubia’s extraordinary career.

Lourdes is from San Jose, Costa Rica, and has a bachelor’s degree from the University of Costa Rica with an emphasis in violin. She is a former violinist with the National Symphony of Costa Rica. She worked at Colegio Superior de Senoritas, an interesting high school for women founded in 1888. She has regularly performed in Costa Rica for the past 15 years, and since forming The Duo Alma with Rubia, the pair has toured in Latin America.

For the Brahms trio they were joined by the gifted cellist Ji Yon Shim Anderson, who completed her Doctorate of Musical Arts in 2004 at the University of Illinois, where she was a member of the University of Illinois Graduate String Quartet and a Cello Teaching Assistant. She has been on the faculty of several universities. She holds the highest prize “Virtuosite” by the Haute Conservatoire de Musique de Geneve in Switzerland. She has been a soloist with many orchestras In the U.S., and she is part of the Ko Trio. While in Brazil, Dr. Anderson was invited to be soloist with numerous symphonic orchestras, building a large classical repertory. It was during her time in Brazil that she got to know Rubia. Here’s a link to learn more about Dr. Anderson.

The program opened with The Violin Sonata No. 10 in G major, Op. 96, written by Ludwig van Beethoven in 1812, published in 1816. According to Wikipedia:

It is described as the loveliest of his violin sonatas, with “calm, ethereal beauty” and “a searching test for the players.” Everything must be right, from the very first trill. The opening trill is an integral part of the subject.

The sonata is in four movements and there are several excellent recordings on YouTube. The piece is nearly a half-hour long and often I found dance images filling my head as the musicians performed. I look forward to getting a copy of The Duo Alma’s recording when it is available. From the opening to the end, I was totally drawn in.

The second piece was Johannes Brahms’s Trio No. 1 in B Major, Op 8, written in 1854 when Brahms was only 20 years old. There is an excellent detailed description of each of the four movements in Wikipedia. I encourage you to check it out along with one of the videos on YouTube. It is a long piece – well over a half hour.

On this evening, more strongly than at any of the other Duo Alma concerts, and particularly during the Brahms trio, I felt like Murray was very much with me and that I was not only listening for myself but for him too. Murray was my husband, who passed away in October of 2020. When we dated in 1963, and during the first two years of our marriage (1964 and 1965), going to concerts was one of the things we loved doing. We attended the Pittsburgh Symphony on a regular basis as well as the YM&YWHA, which had an excellent chamber music series. Many great musicians were guest artists with the Pittsburgh Symphony under the direction of William Steinberg. Because Murray’s father, Joe Tucker, was “the voice of the Pittsburgh Steelers” and worked at WWSW, a local radio station, he had passes to the Pittsburgh Symphony and the YM&YWHA. He rarely went, and instead gave the passes to us. We loved going. In fact, in remembering those concerts and doing a little research on William Steinberg, I am inspired to do a separate blog on them.

Each time The Duo Alma has performed, I have left feeling like “my cup runneth over” with musical treats to last me for the next several months when hopefully they will perform again. Thank you, Rubia, Lourdes and guest Dr. Anderson for this stupendous musical experience.

l. to r. Lourdes and Rubia (Photo by Costa Rican photographer Yerick Calvo)

Barba: Brazilian Body Percussion Musical – Opening Night Review

JoAnne Tucker / September 15, 2025 / Costa Rica, Musical Theater

In spite of my limited Spanish, the nearly two-hour production kept me totally engaged. This is a creative retelling of the story of Fernando Barba, who developed a system of using the body as a musical instrument.

Among the evening highlights were two young actors playing the part of Barba and Barba’s sister. Young Barba is played by Saul Vega, whose excellent voice and stage presence light up the stage. Barba’s sister Young Tata is played by Samy Araya. She too captures our attention. The two young performers do a lovely duet establishing the strength of their characters’ relationship. Particularly strong is Samy’s ability to show how Tata goes from a healthy, playful child to a handicapped person, needing to spend the rest of her life in a wheelchair.

The lead is capably played by Rafael Esteban Arias Castro, who also produced the production in Costa Rica. The role of Barba’s sister Tata is ably played by Adriana Viquez Garcia.

It is the full ensemble’s body playing and engaging movement that stands out the most. From the very first number to the end, it is the well done musical and dance moments that I loved. Each has its own character and way of moving the story along. One highlight is the waterfall/echo number where the ensemble moves into the audience with only Barba and his romantic interest Dani (played by Betazbeth Rojas) center stage. The echo sounds done by the ensemble create a beautiful, dreamy setting leading Dani to think that Barba will be proposing to her, only to find out he has brought her to this special place to tell her that the Barbatuques have been asked to perform at the Olympics.

Another special ensemble time is when the Barbatuques are about to perform, and a car alarm goes off. Instead of letting this be a distraction, they build it right into their dynamic musical moment, adding another layer of texture.

While the whole ensemble does an excellent job, two members, Amy Lopez and Andy Gomez, stand out for their strong dance ability. Assistant Musical Director Matt Graham both plays the keyboard onstage and at other times joins the ensemble, moving and body playing with them.

Following the curtain call, Rafael welcomed the creative team to join the cast onstage. Carlos Bauzys, the composer and co-book writer, stepped out and ended the evening by directing the audience to become a symphony in the Barba style. It was great fun to follow his direction and so cool to see how everyone around me was enjoying it too. What a wonderful way to end the evening. I do hope that at any performance when Carlos can’t be there, either Matt Graham (the assistant musical director) or Rafael (who plays Barba) will guide the audience in body percussion.

Teatro Espressivo is a wonderful intimate venue. It is nicely sloped so there is not a bad seat in the house.

Barba runs until September 28^th. Here’s the link to buy your ticket: https://boleteria.espressivo.cr/eventperformances.asp?evt=476

BARBA in Costa Rica – An International Creative Collaboration

JoAnne Tucker / August 26, 2025September 4, 2025 / Costa Rica, Musical Theater

(Scroll to the bottom to read this post in Spanish. Thank you Jan Hurwitch for making this possible,)

One thing leads to another. As I mentioned in recent blogs, Casa Uno Artist Residency has hosted several graduates of New York University’s MFA program in Musical Theatre Writing. For the past two years, a faculty member from NYU’s program has sent out an email so alumni can apply for the Residency. In July, I received an email from Kim Bixler saying she knew of my interest in musical theatre and was going to be in Costa Rica working on a musical called BARBA: Brazilian Body Percussion Musical, inspired by the Brazilian musician Fernando Barba, and she would like to meet me. So we began corresponding, and on August 19, I attended a rehearsal of BARBA. What an awesome treat, and I’m so excited that the piece is being workshopped here and I will get to see a performance. I encourage all my Costa Rica friends and readers to make sure they go and see BARBA too.

There is lots of interesting history behind this production. Let me begin by sharing a bit about the two creators, Kim Bixler (Writer and Lyricist) and Carlos Bauzys (Composer, Co-Book Writer and Musical Director). I immediately identified with Kim, as she boldly tries new things in her life. She gave a TEDx talk this past February titled “Why I Couldn’t Be a Musical Theater Writer Until I Turned 50.” Besides our common interest in musical theatre, we share a love of Frank Lloyd Wright. The latest book she published is Growing Up in A Frank Lloyd Wright House. My mom often talked about seeing Frank Lloyd Wright walking around when Fallingwater was being created, as she had a friend with a summer home near the property. I visited the house many times, first as a teenager and most recently around 2018 with my daughter Julie and her family. You can learn lots more about Kim by visiting her website.

When I met Kim at the rehearsal, we had some time to chat, and she explained that COVID proved to be helpful in bringing her and her collaborator together. Because of COVID, potential NYU students could apply via Zoom, which opened the option for international talents to apply without the expense of making a trip to NYC to audition. Carlos Bauzys was one of those people and was awarded a full scholarship to attend. He already had an outstanding career in Brazil as an award-winning composer, arranger, musical director, conductor and educator. His resume of musical direction is very impressive and I encourage you to check out his website. Kim and Carlos met and were partnered to work together during the two years they were enrolled in NYU Tisch’s graduate Musical Theatre Writing program. According to Kim, the first year of the program is dedicated to working with a new collaborator every week on a musical project, then tackling a rewrite after receiving feedback. At the end of the first year, students are asked to rank their top 10 collaborators for their master’s thesis project. Carlos and Kim got their top choices—each other! Their final year is dedicated to completing a full-length musical. Their project became BARBA: Brazilian Body Percussion Musical. Their fellow classmate Matthew Graham from Edmonton, Canada, began working with them when BARBA was just one song and a dream. He is here in Costa Rica as their Assistant Musical Director and also performing in the show.

In February of 2024, BARBA: Brazilian Body Percussion Musical had sold out Off-Broadway performances in NYC where Raphael (Rafa) Esteban Arias Castro from Costa Rica was the lead actor (BARBA). He is the Producer of the Costa Rican production and again playing the lead role of Barba. At the rehearsal I attended in San José, the choreographer, Rodrigo Varandas (originally from São Paulo, Brazil, currently living in Los Angeles), was at work setting a section with Rafa and the ensemble. Rafa’s strong presence guides the scene with talented local Costa Rican actors, singers and dancers supporting him.

Rounding out the international creative team is Guy Retallack from London, England. He is director of the Costa Rican workshop production of BARBA.

Before closing the blog, I want to share more about the relationship of Carlos to Fernando Barba. Carlos found a way to notate the body percussion and showed that to Barba. That was the beginning of a long friendship and collaboration. On Carlos’s website he talks about how important that was and how committed he is. I quote from his webpage:

As the former co-musical director of the Barbatuques, and close friend of Barba, I’m excited to have the opportunity to tell Barba’s history in a musical, because it is also my history. Today, Barbatuques is a very well-known group in the world with reference to body percussion, but Barba’s influences are also in musical education across the country. The way he could create music from nothing, using just the body and the creativity coming from all people around him was so special, evolving and inclusive.

Kim showed a page of the notation to me, and it is fascinating. I look forward to asking Carlos about it. It looks as though “x” marks and “little circles” around notes, along with other small symbols on the musical staff, tell the performer what kind of body percussion to do.

While a graduate student at NYU, Carlos published “Songbook Barbatuques: Volume 1 featuring 12 scores and 4 lead sheets” in honor of the late Fernando Barba. The songbook provides for the first time what was played by the Brazilian group. Here’s a link to learn more about it.

Watching the rehearsal was a real treat and an excellent example of collaboration. Collaboration has been my focus in previous blogs. It is indeed very special that a future Broadway show is being workshopped here. I encourage all my Costa Rican readers to make sure to get tickets. The show runs in San Jose at Teatro Expressivo from September 11 to September 28. If you live in Atenas we are arranging for a bus to take us to the Sunday, September 21, performance. Here’s a link to buy tickets.

Thank you, Kim, for reaching out to me, and inviting me to a rehearsal! Following are a few of the pictures I took during the rehearsal. The international creative team is in black T-shirts while the local cast (which is doing an outstanding job) are in blue T-shirts.

Kim Bixler and Carlos Bauzys watching rehearsal. Assistant Musical Director and Performer
Matthew Graham on keyboard

Carlos conferring with Director Guy Retallack

Director Guy Retallack videotaping Choreographer Rodrigo Varandas
working with the cast. Actor Raphael (Rafa) Esteban Arias Castro is center.

Chorus surrounding BARBA (played by Raphael (Rafa) Esteban Arias Castro).

All photos taken by JoAnne during a rehearsal on August 19, 2025.

BARBA en Costa Rica– Una colaboración creativa internacional

Una cosa lleva a otra. Como mencioné en blogs recientes, Casa Uno Artist Residency ha acogido a
varios graduados del programa de Maestría en Bellas Artes en Escritura de Teatro Musical de la Universidad de Nueva York. Durante los últimos dos años, un miembro del cuerpo docente del programa de la NYU ha enviado un correo electrónico para que los antiguos alumnos puedan solicitar la
residencia. En julio, recibí un correo electrónico de Kim Bixler en el que me decía que sabía de mi interés por el teatro musical y que iba a estar en Costa Rica

BARBA: Brazilian Body Percussion Musical, inspirado en el músico brasileño Fernando Barba, y que le gustaría conocerme. Así que empezamos a escribirnos y, el 19 de agosto, asistí a un ensayo de BARBA. ¡Qué maravilla! Estoy muy emocionada de que la obra se esté preparando aquí y de poder ver una representación. Animo a todos mis amigos y lectores de Costa Rica a que vayan a ver BARBA también.

Hay mucha historia interesante detrás de esta producción. Permítanme comenzar compartiendo un poco sobre los dos creadores, Kim Bixler (guionista y letrista) y Carlos Bauzys (compositor, coautor del libreto y director musical). Inmediatamente me identifiqué con Kim, ya que ella se atreve a probar cosas nuevas en su vida. En febrero pasado dio una charla TEDx titulada «Por qué no pude ser escritora de teatro musical hasta los 50 años». Además de nuestro interés común por el teatro musical, compartimos el amor por Frank Lloyd Wright. El último libro que ha publicado se titula Growing Up in A Frank Lloyd Wright House (Crecer en una casa de Frank Lloyd Wright). Mi madre solía hablar de haber visto a Frank Lloyd Wright paseando por Fallingwater cuando se estaba construyendo, ya que tenía una amiga con una casa de verano cerca de la propiedad. Visité la casa muchas veces, la primera cuando era adolescente y la última alrededor de 2018 con mi hija Julie y su familia. Puedes conocer mucho más sobre Kim visitando su página web.

Cuando conocí a Kim en el ensayo, tuvimos tiempo para charlar y me explicó que la COVID había resultado útil para unirla a ella y a su colaborador. Debido a la COVID, los posibles estudiantes de la NYU podían presentar su solicitud a través de Zoom, lo que abrió la posibilidad de que talentos internacionales pudieran solicitarla sin tener que incurrir en los gastos de viajar a Nueva York para hacer la audición. Carlos Bauzys fue una de esas personas y obtuvo una beca completa para asistir. Ya tenía una carrera destacada en Brasil como compositor, arreglista, director musical, director de orquesta y educador galardonado. Su currículum como director musical es muy impresionante y les sugiero que vean su página web. Kim y Carlos se conocieron y se asociaron para trabajar juntos durante los dos años que estuvieron matriculados en el programa de posgrado de Escritura de Teatro Musical de la NYU Tisch. Según Kim, el primer año del programa se dedica a trabajar cada semana con un nuevo colaborador en un proyecto musical y, a continuación, abordar una reescritura tras recibir comentarios. Al final del primer año, se pide a los estudiantes que clasifiquen a sus 10 colaboradores favoritos para su proyecto de tesis de máster. Carlos y Kim consiguieron sus primeras opciones: ¡el uno al otro! Su último año se dedica a completar un musical completo. Su proyecto se convirtió en BARBA: Brazilian Body Percussion Musical. Su compañero de clase Matthew Graham, de Edmonton (Canadá), comenzó a trabajar con ellos cuando BARBA era solo una canción y un sueño. Está aquí, en Costa Rica, como asistente del director musical y también actúa en el espectáculo.

En febrero de 2024, BARBA: Brazilian Body Percussion Musical había agotado las entradas para las representaciones fuera de Broadway en Nueva York, donde Raphael (Rafa) Esteban Arias Castro, de Costa Rica, era el actor principal (BARBA). Él es el productor de la producción costarricense y vuelve a interpretar el papel protagonista de Barba. En el ensayo al que asistí en San José, el coreógrafo Rodrigo Varandas (originario de São Paulo, Brasil, y actualmente residente en Los Ángeles) estaba trabajando en una sección con Rafa y el conjunto. La fuerte presencia de Rafa guía la escena, con el apoyo de talentosos actores, cantantes y bailarines locales costarricenses. Completa el equipo creativo internacional Guy Retallack, de Londres, Inglaterra. Es el director de producción del taller costarricense de BARBA.

Antes de terminar el blog, quiero compartir más sobre la relación de Carlos con Fernando Barba. Carlos
encontró una forma de anotar la percusión corporal y se la mostró a Barba. Ese fue el comienzo de una larga amistad y colaboración. En la página web de Carlos, él habla de lo importante que fue eso y de lo
comprometido que está. Cito de su página web:

Como antiguo co director musical de Barbatuques y amigo íntimo de Barba, estoy encantado de
tener la oportunidad de contar la historia de Barba en un musical, porque también es mi historia. Hoy en día, Barbatuques es un grupo muy conocido en el mundo de la percusión corporal, pero
la influencia de Barba también se extiende a la educación musical en todo el país. Su forma de crear
música de la nada, utilizando solo el cuerpo y la creatividad de todas las personas que le rodeaban, era
muy especial, evolutiva e inclusiva.

Kim me enseñó una página de la partitura y es fascinante. Estoy deseando preguntarle a Carlos sobre ella.
Parece que las marcas «x» y los «círculos pequeños» alrededor de las notas, junto con otros pequeños símbolos en el pentagrama, indican al intérprete qué tipo de percusión corporal debe hacer.
Mientras era estudiante de posgrado en la Universidad de Nueva York, Carlos publicó «Songbook Barbatuques: Volume 1 featuring 12 scores and 4 lead sheets» en honor al difunto Fernando Barba. El cancionero recoge por primera vez lo que tocaba el grupo brasileño. Aquí hay un enlace para obtener más información al respecto. Ver el ensayo fue un verdadero placer y un excelente ejemplo de colaboración.

La colaboración ha sido mi tema central en blogs anteriores. Es realmente muy especial que un futuro espectáculo de Broadway se esté preparando aquí. Animo a todos mis lectores costarricenses a que se aseguren de conseguir entradas. El espectáculo se presentará en San José, en el Teatro Espressivo, del 11 al 28 de septiembre. Si vives en Atenas, estamos organizando un autobús para ir a la función del domingo 21 de septiembre. Aquí tienes un enlace para comprar entradas.

¡Gracias, Kim, por ponerte en contacto conmigo e invitarme al ensayo! A continuación, algunas de las fotos que tomé durante el ensayo. El equipo creativo internacional lleva camisetas negras, mientras que el reparto local (que está haciendo un trabajo excepcional) llevan camisetas azules.

Foto n.º 1: Kim Bixler y Carlos Bauzys observando el ensayo. El director musical adjunto y actor Matthew Graham al teclado.

Foto n.º 2: Carlos conversando con el director Guy Retallack.

Foto n.º 3: El director Guy Retallack grabando en vídeo al coreógrafo Rodrigo Varandas
trabajando con el reparto. El actor Raphael (Rafa) Esteban Arias Castro está en el centro.

Foto n.º 4: El coro rodea a BARBA (interpretado por Raphael (Rafa) Esteban Arias Castro).

Todas las fotos fueron tomadas por JoAnne durante un ensayo el 19 de agosto de 2025.

Musical Theatre – Collaboration (Part III)

JoAnne Tucker / August 11, 2025 / "Let My People Go", Avodah's Early History, Dance Midrash, Musical Theater, Personal Life

I am fascinated with the collaborative process. How does a team work together to create a musical? Putting It Together: How Stephen Sondheim and I Created Sunday in the Park with George by James Lapine gives us an intimate look at how he and Sondheim worked together.

I never saw the show but had the original cast album and knew all the songs by heart. The songs really registered with me as they speak of the challenges of being an artist. “A blank canvas” for me is just like an empty space in a dance studio. The book goes into detail about how Lapine and Sondheim developed the show. Lapine was just beginning his career while Sondheim was already very successful. They had an easy time developing the first act but struggled with the second act. It is not usual for major stars like Mandy Patinkin and Bernadette Peters to participate in workshops to help develop a show, but both did. It was interesting to read how both Patinkin and Peters requested an additional song to develop their respective characters further.

The librettist who was part of the artist in residency at Casa Uno not only recommended the book but told me that there was a recording of Sunday in the Park with George online. And indeed, there is. What a joy to finally see the show with the original cast. It was made for PBS’s American Playhouse in 1986. Here’s the link so you can watch it too.

Reading about the Sondheim/Lapine collaboration reminded me of how many gifted collaborations there have been in the musical theatre world and how much joy collaborations like Lerner and Loewe, Rodgers and Hammerstein, and Kander and Ebb have brought us.

I found that my creative energy was pushed to a new level whenever I collaborated, which was most of the time. While my collaborations were not in musical theatre and took different forms they stand out as very meaningful parts of my creative life.

The beginning of Avodah Dance Ensemble was a result of a collaboration between me as choreographer/dancer and Irving Fleet as composer. Together we wrestled with what we wanted to say about the key prayers in a Shabbat Service for the piece In Praise. Here’s a Link to read about the beginning of In Praise. Those discussions happened in 1972. That is over 50 years ago and yet those beginning discussions are memories I cherish. We went on to collaborate on two other pieces, Shabbat Women and Sarah, that are also very meaningful to me.

Rabbi Richard Jacobs and I collaborated on a piece M’Vakshei Or with music by David Finko. Rick, then a rabbinic student and a member of The Avodah Dance Ensemble, introduced the concept of midrash to me and to the other company members. Drawing on his knowledge we worked together bringing ritual movement and improvisations on Biblical text to life.

Later a collaboration between me and Susan Freeman, also a rabbinic student and dancer in Avodah, would develop the idea of dance midrash used in M’vakshei Or into the book Torah in Motion: Creating Dance Midrash which is still available to buy on Amazon. Susan also contributed poetry and insight to a piece Sisters based on the Biblical sisters Rachel and Leah. Cantor Meredith Stone and dancers Kezia Gleckman Hayman and Deborah Hanna also collaborated on this piece and made it one of my favorites.

Often a collaboration has a key moment when you realize that you share a complimentary vision and that working together will take it further than you could alone. With Irving it was visiting him in his hospital room and talking about God. With Rick it was driving to Philadelphia and meeting composer David Finko.

Another important collaboration was with the choreographer Louis Johnson, for a piece based on Exodus. And the moment when we knew we could create something together was when we were having lunch and Louis, with a sparkle in his eyes said, “I can hear Go Down Moses with the Hebrew chant at the same time.” The resulting piece Let My People Go was performed many times during the next ten years.

Photo of JoAnne and Louis taken by Tommy Scott

Finding the collection of poems Wine, Women and Death: Medieval Hebrew Poems on the Good Life by Raymond Scheindlin was a different kind of collaborative experience. After choreographing five or six of the poems, I got to know Ray and he joined us on tour talking about the medieval period and introducing the piece before we performed it.

Newman Taylor Baker began as a substitute performer the first season of Let My People Go, and we felt an immediate connection over his approach to accompanying the piece. That led to a collaboration that has continued to recent years. I loved how I could work on choreography and then Newman would find just the right percussion sounds to take the movement to a new level. Working with him on the Forgiveness Project was one of those special experiences. Fast forward seventeen years and the film company I founded, Healing Voices – Personal Stories, was looking for the right music for a film we had completed on men who experience domestic abuse. Newman’s music came to mind. I’ve written a blog on how his approach enhanced the film. And then just three years ago Newman spent a month in Costa Rica and contributed to inaugurating Camino del Artista, the labyrinth on my property which is an important part of Casa Uno’s residencies.

When I began writing this blog about collaborations in the musical theatre world I did not anticipate that it would soon lead me on a journey to explore how meaningful collaborations have been in my creative life. Mostly Dance is filled with more examples than I am highlighting here. Each member of original casts, whether dancers or musicians, played a collaborative role in creating that new piece. I am so grateful for their willingness to try things and to make suggestions. And this blog is a collaboration too. For thirteen years Kezia, the blog’s editor, was a member of The Avodah Dance Ensemble and was part of the creative process on pieces like Let My People Go, Sisters, and Binding. Now I send her my first draft of a blog, she smooths my language out and makes suggestions, I go over it again, and she checks it before it is published. I could not do it without her. I love when she remembers a moment in the dance company’s history that I had forgotten to include.

I end with a deep bow of gratitude to the dancers, composers, and choreographers I have partnered with.