Indianapolis arts in 2022: The best fall music, theater and dance

Central Indiana arts organizations are going for bold this fall. With big beloved classics, tributes to iconic national artists and art focused on major historical moments, audiences are in for an impact.

The Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre's "Tick, Tick... Boom!" will come on the heels of the popular Netflix movie, and Indiana Repertory Theatre will produce a play that focuses on Chinese history in the U.S. with the story of Afong Moy. Star musicians — including Indiana's own violinist Joshua Bell and soprano Angela Brown — are among the performers.

Here are 12 concerts, plays and more that you don't want to miss.

Balancing Acts

Sept. 23-25 at the Toby at Newfields, 4000 Michigan Road. $35-$55. indyballet.org

Artistic Director Victoria Lyras has carried famous choreographer George Balanchine's legacy to Indianapolis Ballet. The company received permission from The George Balanchine Trust to stage selected works, and this performance will show some of his most iconic and challenging ones.

Joshua Bell

Sept. 29 at the Palladium, 1 Carter Green in Carmel. Tickets start at $45 and are available at thecenterpresents.org

Bloomington native and Indiana University graduate Joshua Bell will return to Indiana for a concert alongside pianist and NPR "From the Top" host Peter Dugan. The Grammy winner has released more than 40 albums across a 30-year career.

'Tick, Tick... Boom!"

Sept. 30-Oct. 30. Phoenix Theatre Cultural Centre, 705 N. Illinois St. $25-$45. phoenixtheatre.org

The recent Netflix movie has increased the profile of the musical by Jonathan Larson, who's most famous as the creative mind behind "Rent." "Tick, Tick... Boom!" is an autobiographical story that chronicles a composer who's facing challenges in his personal and professional life as he tries to fulfill his dream of writing the next great American musical.

'The Bodyguard: The Musical'

Oct. 1-2 at the Basile Theatre at the Athenaeum, 401 E. Michigan St. Starting at $30. ipacindy.org

A singing superstar hires a former Secret Service agent bodyguard to protect her, and love and a battle of the wills ensues. It's all set to a soundtrack with hits that include "Run to You," "I Wanna Dance with Somebody" and "I Will Always Love You." Indiana Performing Arts Theatre will produce the show, and KaidyDid Productions will direct.

Indy Jazz Fest

Oct. 1-2 at MacAllister Amphitheater in Garfield Park. Tickets range from $50-$200 and are available at indyjazzfest.net

The city's flagship jazz concert returns, with Robert Glasper, Tank and the Bangas, Lalah Hathaway, Norman Brown and more set to headline. The festivities also will include additional performances Sept. 30 at the Jazz Kitchen.

Santino Fontana

Oct. 7-8 at The Cabaret, 924 N. Pennsylvania St., $65-$105. thecabaret.org

The Tony winner, who's known for playing the lead in "Tootsie" as well as roles in The CW's "Crazy Ex-Girlfriend" and NBC's "Shades of Blue," will perform.

'The Chinese Lady'

Oct. 11-Nov. 6 at Indiana Repertory Theatre, 140 W. Washington St. Season packages are available, and watch irtlive.com for single tickets to go on sale.

Playwright Lloyd Suh, who is from the Indianapolis area, wrote this work that's inspired by the true story of teenager Afong Moy. She was recognized as the first Chinese woman to come to America, and she was seen as exotic for her customs and bound feet. The play's story chronicles the discovery of identity — of both the young woman and the young American nation.

Brahms and Mussorgsky's 'Pictures at an Exhibition'

Oct. 14-15 at Hilbert Circle Theatre, 45 Monument Circle. $16-$93. indianapolissymphony.org

Two of the Indianapolis Symphony Orchestra's best — Concertmaster Kevin Lin and Principal Cello Austin Huntington — will perform Johannes Brahms' celebrated Concerto for Violin, Cello & Orchestra in A Minor, Op. 102. Also on the program are Mikhail Glinka's Overture to Ruslan and Lyudmila, Carlos Simon's "Fate Now Conquers" and Modest Mussorgsky's "Pictures at an Exhibition." Student tickets are available for $10.

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Epic Playlist

Oct. 15 at Schrott Center for the Arts at Butler University. Season subscriptions are on sale, and watch icomusic.org for single tickets.

Jessie Montgomery's "Banner" draws on the National Anthem's music to explore many different 21st-century U.S. experiences. And Kenny Broberg, winner of the Indianapolis-based 2021 American Pianists Awards, will perform Robert Schumann's Piano Concerto, Op. 54 in A Minor.

'Carmina Burana'

Oct. 20-23 at Indiana Repertory Theatre, 140 W. Washington St. Subscriptions are available now, and individual tickets will go on sale Sept. 26. dancekal.org

The classic has become one of Dance Kaleidoscope's best-known works thanks to the vision of Artistic Director David Hochoy. It will return again in two acts — "The Day" and "The Night" — that include a mythical Wheel of Fortune, wedding, birth, war, witchcraft and an homage to victims of the AIDS epidemic.

OnyxFest

Nov. 3-6 and Nov. 10-12. IndyFringe Basile Theatre, 719 E. St. Clair St., and IUPUI Campus Center Theatre, 420 University Blvd. Watch for tickets to go on sale at onyxfest.com.

The festival that celebrates Black playwrights is back with six shows this fall. Plots include a suburban woman who encounters strange noises in her family's home, homelessness, a school shooting, divorce and an exploration of poet Mari Evans.

'Tosca'

Nov. 11-13 at the Tarkington Theater, 3 Carter Green in Carmel. Watch indyopera.org/tosca.html for tickets.

Indy's own soprano Angela Brown will play the leading role in the classic opera about a woman and her lover under threat from the chief of police during a political investigation.

Contact IndyStar arts reporter Domenica Bongiovanni at 317-444-7339 or d.bongiovanni@indystar.com. Follow her on Facebook , Instagram or Twitter: @domenicareports.

Contact IndyStar pop culture reporter Rory Appleton at 317-552-9044 and rappleton@indystar.com, or follow him on Twitter at @RoryDoesPhonics.

15 biggest comedians coming to Florida: Sarasota, Tampa Bay ...

We’re living in a golden age of stand-up comedy where at any given moment, you can pull up a killer Netflix special. Hours of additional material are available through the countless podcasts that comedians now host and appear on, with comics Joe Rogan and Marc Maron ranking among the world’s most popular podcasters. And after a long hiatus from live shows for many during the pandemic, star comedians are hitting the road again with plenty visiting Florida.

Starting this week, for instance, we have superstar Ron White performing six sold-out shows over four nights at the cozy McCurdy’s club in downtown Sarasota. He then embarks on a proper tour of much larger auditoriums, theaters and casinos that will bring him back to the region to play the Hard Rock in Tampa in December.

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This weekend also finds Dave Chappelle, who crushed here at Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall a few years ago, returning to Florida. It’s possible, without even flying, to see both these comedy greats perform this weekend.

Initially, we were going to offer a list of the biggest comedians coming to Florida through the rest of 2021. But there were just too many excellent options, so we kept the list to just the next two months. We also skipped all the great comedians just playing clubs, which might hold a few hundred, and focused on comics playing venues that typically hold more than a thousand.

Presented in chronological order, here are the 15 biggest comedians playing Florida in August and September, with their additional Sunshine State dates also listed.

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Ron White

Thursday (Aug. 5)-Sunday, McCurdy’s Comedy Theatre, Sarasota; Dec. 17, Maxwell C. King Center for the Performing Arts, Melbourne; Dec. 18, Hard Rock Live, Hollywood; Dec. 19, Hard Rock Event Center, Tampa

Best known as a member of the Blue Collar Comedy Tour that performed together in the early 2000s, Ron White established himself as a solo star with the smash 2003 album “Drunk in Public” and its follow-up “You Can’t Fix Stupid.” White’s latest release, “If You Quit Listening, I’ll Shut Up,” premiered on Netflix in 2018.

Dave Chappelle

Friday (Aug. 6)-Sunday; Hard Rock Live, Hollywood

Honored with the Kennedy Center’s Mark Twain Prize for American Humor in 2019, the 47-year-old Dave Chappelle reigns as the top comedian in the country. In recent years he’s won three straight Best Comedy Album Grammy awards, released five Netflix specials and hosted “Saturday Night Live” on the first episode after the 2020 U.S. presidential election. Also, local audiences will likely recall Chappelle’s stellar 2017 shows at Van Wezel, including the one during which he hilariously took down a couple hecklers.

Katt Williams

Aug. 20, BB&T Center, Sunrise; Aug. 21, Amalie Arena, Tampa; Aug. 27, VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville; Aug. 28, Addition Financial Arena, Orlando

The comic whose 2018 Netflix special “Great America” was recorded at Jacksonville’s Florida Theatre – with Williams riffing on the city for about 10 minutes at the start – returns to Florida for multiple arena shows. Along with his prior HBO specials, Williams has appeared on shows including an Emmy-winning turn on “Atlanta” and in films such as this summer’s “The House Next Door: Meet the Blacks 2.”

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Paula Poundstone

Aug. 21, Key West Theater, Key West; Dec. 4, Lyric Theatre, Stuart; Dec. 9, The Parker, Fort Lauderdale; March 19, Capitol Theatre, Clearwater

One of the top comedians to emerge in the 1980s, Paula Poundstone shot to fame with her 1990 HBO special “Cats, Cops and Stuff” and subsequent appearances as a correspondent on “The Tonight Show” and “The Rosie O’Donnell Show.” Ranked No. 88 on Comedy Central’s 2004 list of the 100 greatest stand-ups of all time, Poundstone has been heard in recent years on NPR programs “A Prairie Home Companion,” “Wait Wait ... Don’t Tell Me!,” and her own show “Live from the Poundstone Institute.”

Joe Rogan

Aug. 26, BB&T Center, Sunrise; Aug. 27, Amalie Arena, Tampa; Aug. 28, Amway Center, Orlando

Commanding an army of loyal followers thanks to his hugely popular podcast “The Joe Rogan Experience,” Rogan’s career as a stand-up comedian started in the late 1980s, before he first found national fame on “NewsRadio” in the 1990s and then as the host of “Fear Factor” in the early 2000s. Rogan has released a bunch of comedy albums and specials during the past two decades including the Netflix specials “Triggered” (2016) and “Strange Times” (2018).

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Bill Burr

Aug. 28, Hard Rock Live, Hollywood

Bill Burr’s many credits include co-creating and starring in the Netflix animated sitcom “F Is for Family” as well as memorable roles in the hit AMC series “Breaking Bad” and then Disney+’s “The Mandalorian.” Burr’s greatest gift, though, is stand-up comedy, which he’s been excelling at since the 1990s. Burr’s latest special “Paper Tiger” premiered on Netflix in 2019 and earned a Grammy nomination for Best Comedy Album.

Sebastian Maniscalco

Sept. 1-3, Hard Rock Live, Hollywood; Nov. 4-7, Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, Fort Myers; Nov. 18, Amalie Arena, Tampa

Before he plays a recently announced Tampa show and numerous Fort Myers dates in November, Sebastian Maniscalco will perform a string of September shows at Hollywood’s Hard Rock Live. The comedian has sold out venues such as Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall, where he recorded his latest Netflix special “Stay Hungry.” He also has acted in films such as Best Picture Oscar winner “Green Book” and Martin Scorsese’s “The Irishman.”

Brian Regan

Sept. 9, Broward Center for the Performing Arts, Fort Lauderdale; Sept. 10, Barbara B. Mann Performing Arts Hall, Fort Myers; Sept. 11, Saenger Theatre, Pensacola

The Miami-born comedian, who played Sarasota earlier in 2021 as Van Wezel’s first main stage act in more than a year, returns to Florida. Along with this year’s Netflix special “On the Rocks,” recorded during the pandemic at an outdoor Utah amphitheater, Brian Regan also recently appeared on the third season of the series “Loudermilk,” with co-creator Peter Farrelly calling it “the best performance on television this year.”

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Nikki Glaser

Sept. 10, Hard Rock Live, Orlando; Nov. 5, Tampa Theatre, Tampa

Nikki Glaser visits Orlando’s Hard Rock Live in September before returning to Florida later in November to play the historic Tampa Theatre. Along with her stand-up specials, most recently 2019’s “Bangin’” and a half-hour for the series “The Degenerates” on Netflix, the comic is known for her no-holds-barred appearances on Comedy Central roasts, as well as hosting the series “Not Safe with Nikki Glaser” on the same channel.

Whitney Cummings

Sept. 10, Ponte Vedra Concert Hall, Ponte Vedra Beach; Sept. 11, Capitol Theatre, Clearwater; Nov. 12, Coral Springs Center For The Arts, Coral Springs; Nov. 13, Hard Rock Live, Orlando

A talented comedian, writer and actress, Whitney Cummings’ career as a stand-up comic took off following her 2010 Comedy Central special “Money Shot.” She then created, produced and starred in NBC’s “Whitney” (2011-13) as well as co-creating the CBS sitcom “2 Broke Girls,” which also debuted in 2011 and ran through 2017. Cummings was a producer and writer for the 2018 revival of “Roseanne” on ABC, with her latest comedy special, “Can I Touch It?,” premiering on Netflix in 2019.

Hasan Minhaj

Sept. 17, Adrienne Arsht Center, Miami; Sept. 18, David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa; Sept. 19, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando

The comedian, who rose to fame on “The Daily Show” before hosting his own current events show “Patriot Act with Hasan Minhaj,” is set to kick off his The King’s Jester tour in Florida. Minhaj previously released the 2017 stand-up special “Homecoming King” on Netflix, earning Peabody Awards for it and “Patriot Act,” and headlined the White House Correspondents’ Dinner in 2017.

Taylor Tomlinson

Sept. 24, Hard Rock Live, Orlando; Sept. 25, Tampa Theatre, Tampa; Oct. 22, Florida Theatre, Jacksonville; Oct. 23, The Parker, Fort Lauderdale

The comedian visits Orlando’s Hard Rock Live and Tampa Theatre in September on her Deal With It tour, returning for more Florida shows the following month. Last year, she released her debut hourlong special “Quarter-Life Crisis” on Netflix, previously appearing on the streaming service’s series “The Comedy Lineup” as well as competing on the last season of “Last Comic Standing.”

Martin Lawrence

Sept. 24, Amway Center, Orlando; Oct. 1, VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena, Jacksonville; Oct. 2, FTX Arena, Miami

One of the biggest stars of the 1990s thanks to his hit Fox sitcom “Martin” and movies such as “House Party,” “Boomerang” and the blockbuster action film “Bad Boys,” Martin Lawrence also hosted “Def Comedy Jam” during the ’90s and issued his debut comedy album “Live Talkin’ S---.” In 2020, Lawrence returned to the spotlight with the hit film “Bad Boys for Life” and will bring his LIT AF tour back to Florida with a rotating cast that includes Rickey Smiley, DeRay Davis, Adele Givens and Clayton Thomas for the Orlando date.

Jeff Foxworthy

Sept. 29, RP Funding Center, Lakeland

The top-selling comedy-recording artist of all time, with his 1993 album “You Might Be a Redneck If...” certified triple platinum and subsequent releases selling nearly as well, Jeff Foxworthy also formed the Blue Collar Comedy Tour that made stars out of his pals Bill Engvall, Ron White and Larry the Cable Guy in the early 2000s. In 2017, Foxworthy and Larry the Cable Guy teamed up for the Netflix special “We’ve Been Thinking.”

Tom Segura

Sept. 30, Florida Theatre, Jacksonville; Oct. 1, Hard Rock Live, Hollywood; Oct. 2, David A. Straz, Jr. Center for the Performing Arts, Tampa; Oct. 3, Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts, Orlando

Tom Segura starts a string of Florida shows at the end of September at Jacksonville’s Florida Theatre. The comedian rose to fame with his numerous Netflix specials, most recently last year’s “Ball Hog.” He also co-hosts podcasts “Your Mom’s House” with his wife and fellow comic Christina Pazsitzky, and “2 Bears, 1 Cave” with the Tampa-born and raised comic Bert Kreischer.

Wade Tatangelo, the Herald-Tribune’s entertainment editor, may be reached by email at wade.tatangelo@heraldtribune.com. Email entertainment reporter Jimmy Geurts at jimmy.geurts@heraldtribune.com. Support local journalism by subscribing.

Netflix star Paul Rust returns to Iowa City for Floodwater Comedy ...

Floodwater Comedy Festival is back in Iowa City. This time, the festival will play host to one of the most well-known Iowa-born comedians.

The comedy festival is set to flood the streets of Iowa City with comedians from across the country Feb. 28 through March 2 at six different venues in town.

The three headlining performers include Paul Rust, the Le Mars native who became a comedy star after landing the co-lead role on the Netflix romantic comedy show "Love" alongside Gillian Jacobs in 2016.

Featuring more than 50 different comedians spread across over 15 events, proceeds from the festival will go to the Johnson County Crisis Center and the National Alliance on Mental Illness, NAMI.

Festival passes that get buyers into all events are $55 and can be purchased online through littlevillagetickets.com. Tickets to individual shows are also available.

“We tried to stuff as much as we can in three days. We’ll give everyone as many options as we can," Mike Lucas, a local comedian and one of the festival's executive producers, said Wednesday. "There’s sketch shows, improv shows, AV-type shows where we have stuff projected. There’s musical stuff, there’s the Paul Rust reading.”

Rust graduated from the University of Iowa in 2004 soon began performing comedy with the iconic Los Angeles comedy troupe The Upright Citizens Brigade. As an actor, he's performed in Quentin Trantino's Academy Award-winning movie "Inglorious Basterds," the comedy movie "I Love You Beth Cooper" in 2009 and numerous other TV and movie roles. He's best known as the co-star of "Love," which was created by Rust, his wife Lesley Arfin and comedy film-making heavyweight Judd Apatow.

He has also served as a writer on the beloved Emmy-winning sitcom "Arrested Development."

Rust's event at the comedy festival is slated for 6:30 p.m. March 2 at The Mill. Far from a traditional stand-up performance, the event will feature UI Theatre Department students helping perform Rust's original Upright Citizen Brigade sketches. Then Rust will take questions from the audience. Tickets are $8 now, $10 at the door.

"For me, adding him was like manna from heaven," Lucas said.

Leela Bassuk, co-executive producer of the festival and a junior at the University of Iowa, said that the festival collaborated with the UI Theatre Department last year to bring UI alum and Hollywood producer Spencer Griffin back to Iowa City. This year, they aimed to bring Rust to town. By messaging him through the festival's Instagram account, Bassuk was helped land Rust and bring him back to his alma mater.

"His career in comedy, or his career in general, is just inspiring to anyone in the arts," Bassuk said.

The other two headliners are musical comedian Catherine Cohen and the Seattle-based stand-up Solomon Georgio.

Georgio has performed on Conan O'Brien's late night show "Conan," acted in Comedy Central's "Drunk History" and the HBO show "Crashing." He's also worked as a writer on "SpongeBob SquarePants" and "Adam Ruins Everything." He will perform at 9 p.m. March 2 at The Mill. Tickets are $12 now, $15 at the door.

Cohen has performed on the HBO show "High Maintenance." The New York-based comedian was recently featured in a New York Times story about the resurgence of musical comedians, calling her performance character "a preposterously preening, rigorously self-regarding, sexually arrogant diva in Lululemon leggings" who makes "jokes you can hum." She will perform at 9 p.m. March 1 at the Blue Moose Tap House. Tickets are $12 now, $15 at the door.

Bassuk, a member of UI's Paberback Rhino comedy troupe, said she heard Cohen's name thrown around a lot while she was working in the NYC comedy scene as an intern last summer.

"She's just super unique, amazingly funny," Bassuk said. "I just have the sense that this is someone that will be the face of this next generation of comedy."

The festival is marked with a series of other non-traditional comedy events.

Festival favorite the Iowa City Police Log features, featuring local Christopher Patton whose Twitter feed shares often humorous passages from the Iowa City Police Department's daily activity log, will return this year. The event features comedians recreating some of the weirdest logs of the year. The event is at 10 p.m Feb. 2 at The Mill. Tickets are $5.

Panic! is an event that will feature comedians standing on stage with a screen behind them. They will improvise sketches to match the random images and videos shown behind them. The event is at 7 p.m. March 1 at the Iowa City Yacht Club. Tickets are $5.

The festival will also put a spotlight on about 35 local or Iowa-based comedians, Lucas said. Nearly half of those are college students, from both UI and Iowa State University.

For Bassuk, the festival is an invaluable opportunity for both the city and the comedians working inside town. For local comedians and students, the chance to meet and talk with nationally-touring comedians could be invaluable.

For the citizens of Iowa City, Floodwater can serve as an opportunity to see the comedy scene of Iowa City up close and under the bright lights.

"There's so much comedy going on in this city at all times," Bassuk said. "This is us showing the community that yeah, we're here and we're doing really good comedy. We're not just hobbyists here in Iowa City."

Reach Zach Berg at 319-887-5412, zberg@press-citizen.com or follow him on Twitter at @ZacharyBerg.

Jeopardy! Tournament of Champions: Why Amy Schneider felt ...

It’s the “Jeopardy!” matchup we’ve been waiting for: Amy Schneider, Matt Amodio and Mattea Roach throw down in a no-stakes exhibition game Tuesday, making their Tournament of Champions debut.

Participants include winners of at least four games since 2020's Tournament of Champions, as well winners of college, professors and second-chance tournaments. Schneider, Amodio and Roach received byes in the bracket and will each battle a pair of quarterfinals winners for the semifinals, beginning Wednesday with Schneider. Amodio plays Thursday, and Roach Friday.

Finals begin Nov. 14, and the first contestant to win three games will be awarded the $250,000 grand prize.

Schneider, who trails only tournament host Ken Jennings in consecutive games won (40 compared with Jennings' 74),says she was excited to return, but also intimidated. She was accustomed to competing against contestants who "had never played before," but now, "everyone I was going up against didn't just have experience, they'd won a bunch."

Amodio and Roach won an impressive 38 and 23 games, respectively.

Roach predicts exhibition game viewers will "be just eating it up. We all had a lot of fun. We all had moments where we really shone in the game."

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Tuesday's game coincides with the second anniversary of Alex Trebek's death from pancreatic cancer. The show dedicated a category to the longtime host, whom Amodio equates to "the Santa Claus of my childhood, the Easter Bunny."

Ahead of their friendly faceoff, USA TODAY chatted with the "Jeopardy!" legends about their tournament strategy, returning to the stage and how the quiz show has changed their lives. (Edited for length and clarity.)

Question: How did you prepare for the Tournament of Champions?

Matt Amodio: I think of preparing for "Jeopardy!" as something I do just by nature of my curious self. I hear about something I don't know in the world and want to go learn more. So I didn't focus on preparation so much as just imagining what kind of thing am I running into that they might ask about?

Mattea Roach: I started taking it a bit more seriously six weeks in advance, which was twice as long (as my first "Jeopardy!" run). I mostly did a lot of the same things in terms of just reviewing old games on the J! Archive. People have set up really ingenious ways of doing online practice games, and so I figured I might as well do some of those.

Amy Schneider: Mostly, it was the same stuff that I've been doing prior to my first run, just going through old games and looking for things I didn't know. I did practice writing down Final Jeopardy! answers, because the act of writing it down had thrown me off. I was just visualizing all of the scenarios that might happen.

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Did you alter your playing strategy?

Amodio: I don't think there's anything I could do to change it that would make it better. So I stuck with the same strategy.

Roach: I knew I wanted to wager bigger on Daily Doubles, because there were going to be some really big wagerers in this tournament. The other thing, too, is changing a bit the way I attack the board. I did want to try picking from higher values first.

Schneider: Not a lot. I did (decide) to be more conscious of looking for Daily Doubles and keeping that more at the top of my mind. But for the most part, it all seemed to work fine the first time, so I didn't want to mess with it too much.

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Did you feel rusty at all?

Amodio: I did feel rusty. Practicing at home just can never replicate the stress of being on the stage with the lights and everybody staring at you.

Roach: It is a little bit like riding a bike. But it takes a little while to get comfortable up there again. It was also nice that Matt, Amy and I had the exhibition match, which was a noncompetitive game. I was really worried about blowing the exhibition match and then having that affect my game playing the next day.

Schneider: Actually, a little bit. It took me longer than I expected to get back into the really, really focused state.

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What did you think your chances of winning it all were going into the tournament?

Amodio: I went in saying, don't judge your success on winning it all or not. Just try to acquit yourself well, play well and you can be happy with the outcome no matter what.

Roach: Very slim. I believe that there are players in this tournament who are better at "Jeopardy!" than me, and doing the finals over a best-of-seven series minimizes the influence of luck.

Schneider: Not as good as everybody kept telling me. I have people all the time being like, “Oh, you're going to crush it.” And I'm like, “That's really not helping me out, actually.” I went there (trying) to win. I definitely thought that I was capable of it, but I really just I didn't know.

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How has your "Jeopardy!" winning streak changed your life?

Amodio: I am continuing on my path to become a professor, and I got my Ph.D. So some parts of my life I'm trying to keep focus on, but it's become harder because there's this huge “Jeopardy!” component. I get stopped in the streets, which is surreal because I'm a shy, nerdy guy, so I'm not used to having strangers come up and say, “Can I take a picture with you?”

Roach: I'm not living high on the hog. I live in my same apartment. I did take a little vacation for the first time in a couple years. You never want to be the person who wins the lottery and then five years later is deeper in debt than they were before. My life has changed in ways that are going to continue making themselves known to me over the next couple of years, like the decision to not go to (law) school right away and to pursue other opportunities. I'm hosting a podcast now (The Backbench), which I would never have had the platform (to do).

Schneider: The biggest thing about it is hearing from other trans people about what it's meant to them. It's something where I always felt like living in the Bay Area, things were kind of easy for me, and I felt like I should be giving back to my community more. "Jeopardy!" has given me the chance to really do that, and it means a lot to me.

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'Come From Away' theater show and comedians on bill for Columbus

Michael Grossberg

Special to The Columbus Dispatch

Greater Columbus theater companies, presenters and comedians aim to warm up the winter season with laughter and feel-good fare.

Brian Regan, Hasan Minhaj, John Crist and Trevor Wallace will bring their standup acts to town, while Short North Stage, CATCO,Abbey Theater of Dublin and Red Herring Theater Company will present new and newer plays that, respectively, find humor in boy bands, school girls, American presidents and Hollywood teen idols.

Perhaps the most anticipated winter show will be the delayed Broadway in Columbus tour of “Come From Away,” the heartwarming Broadway musical about the Canadian hospitality extended to stranded airline passengers after 9/11.

mgrossberg1@gmail.com

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'Altar Boyz'

SHORT NORTH STAGE, GARDEN THEATER, 1187 N. HIGHT ST.

Details: The off-Broadway musical comedy, a 90-minute concert-style one-act, parodies and pays tribute to the boy bands of the late 1990s and early 2000s.

Times: 7 p.m. Jan. 20-22; 2 p.m. Jan. 23; 7 p.m. Jan. 27-29; 2 p.m. Jan. 30; 7 p.m. Feb. 3-5; 2 p.m. Feb. 6; 7 p.m. Feb. 10-12; and 2 p.m. Feb. 13

Admission: $44 to $54, with $20 student-rush tickets available two hours prior to each show

COVID policy: Masks and proof of vaccination or negative COVID test required.

Contact: 614-469-0939, www.cbusarts.com, www.shortnorthstage.org

Brian Regan

PALACE THEATRE, 34 W. BROAD ST.

Details: The comedian, who plays Mugsy in the Amazon Prime series “Loudermilk” and appeared twice on Jerry Seinfeld’s series “Comedians in Cars Getting Coffee,” incorporates body language and facial expressions into his observational, sarcastic and self-deprecating humor about everyday events, childhood, sports and science projects.

Time: 8 p.m. Jan. 21

Admission: $35 to $210

COVID policy: Masks and proof of vaccination or negative COVID test required.

Contact: CBUSArts Ticket Center (614-469-0939, www.cbusarts.com)

Hasan Minhaj

PALACE THEATRE, 34 W. BROAD ST.

Details: The comedian, acclaimed for his 2017 performance hosting the White House Correspondents’ Dinner and his “Homecoming King” Netflix special, hosted and created the Peabody- and Emmy-winning Netflix comedy series “Patriot Act” and was a correspondent on “The Daily Show With Jon Stewart.”

Times: 7 and 9:30 p.m. Jan. 22

Admission: $45 to $179.50

COVID policy: Masks and proof of vaccination or negative COVID test required.

Contact: 614-469-0939, www.cbusarts.com

2021 in theater:Year in review/theater: Budget cuts, cancellations didn't stop theater groups from forging ahead

'School Girls: Or, the African Mean Girls Play'

CATCO, RIFFE CENTER'S STUDIO TWO THEATRE, 77 S. HIGHT ST.

Details: An acclaimed 2017 off-Broadway hit, Jocelyn Bioh’s comedy-drama revolves around conflicts among girls at a Ghanaian boarding school in 1986 in West Africa and issues of bullying and colorism (conflicts between dark-skinned and lighter-skinned Africans).

Times: 7:30 p.m. Jan. 27; 8 p.m. Jan. 28-29; 2 p.m. Jan. 30; 7:30 p.m. Feb. 3; 8 p.m. Feb. 4-5; 2 p.m. Feb. 6; 7:30 p.m. Feb. 10; 8 p.m. Feb. 11-12; 2 p.m. Feb. 13

Admission: $45

COVID policy: Masks and proof of vaccination or negative PCR COVID test within 72 hours of attending a production for all patrons 12 years of age and older required.

Contact: 614-469-0939, www.cbusarts.com, www.catco.org

John Crist

RIFFE CENTER'S DAVIDSON THEATRE, 77 S. HIGH ST.

Details: The comedian, a Georgia native, has created comedy-sketch videos for Buzzfeed, opened for Jeff Foxworthy and Seth Meyers, and often focuses on Christian subculture. His YouTube sketches include “Every parent at Disney” and “If golf and soccer switched announcers.”

Time: 7 p.m. Jan. 28

Admission: $49.75 to $149.75

COVID policy: Masks and proof of vaccination or negative COVID test required.

Contact: 614-469-0939, www.cbusarts.com

'Come From Away'

BROADWAY IN COLUMBUS, COLUMBUS ASSOCIATION FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS, OHIO THEATRE, 39 E. STATE ST.

Details: The inspirational one-act musical weaves true stories about the American airline passengers stranded in Gander, Newfoundland, on the day of the 2001 terrorist attacks, and the many Canadians who welcomed, housed and fed them with extraordinary hospitality.

Times: 7:30 p.m. Feb. 8-10; 8 p.m. Feb. 11; 2 and 8 p.m. Feb. 12; and 1 and 6:30 p.m. Feb. 13

Admission: $39 to $119

COVID policy: Masks and proof of vaccination or negative COVID test required; Bindle check-in app recommended.

Contact: CBUSArts Ticket Center (614-469-0939, www.cbusarts.com)

Mike Faist:Gahanna native Mike Faist garners rave reviews for breakthrough role in Spielberg's 'West Side Story'

'The Duchess'

ABBEY THEATER OF DUBLIN, 5600 POST ROAD, DUBLIN

Details: Warren G. Harding and his talented, ambitious wife are at the center of the new political comedy, by former Ohio Supreme Court justice Herb Brown (writer of the CATCO-produced plays “Henry Ford’s Model E,” “The Price of Power,” “The Final Table” and “You’re My Boy”), about the political career and romantic affairs in the early 1910s of Harding, the scandal-plagued Ohioan who became president in 1921.

Times: 7 p.m. Feb. 10-12; 2 p.m. Feb. 13, 7 p.m. Feb. 16-19, with on-demand streaming available Feb. 16-19

Admission: $15 to $25

COVID policy: Masks encouraged

Contact: 614-410-4550, dublinohiousa.gov/abbey-theater

'The Schedule'

Red Herring Theater Company, 3723 S. High St.

Columbus theater news:Eclipse Theatre Company unveils roster of 'thought-provoking' comedies for 2022 season

Details: The semi-professional troupe launches its 2022 season with Columbus writer-filmmaker Sheldon Gleisser’s farcical new comedy about a Hollywood teen idol whose manager tries to fix a potentially career-destroying mix-up between a Rolling Stone magazine interviewer and a high-class call girl.

Times: 8 p.m. Thursdays through Saturdays and 2 p.m. Sundays from Feb. 17 through March 6

Admission: $30

COVID policy: Masks and proof of vaccination or negative COVID test required.

Contact: 614-723-9116, www.redherringtheater.org

Trevor Wallace

RIFFE CENTER'S DAVIDSON THEATRE, 77 S. HIGH ST.

Details: The 29-year-old comedian-writer-actor, whose act is suggested for mature audiences because of frank sexuality and profanity, has attracted more than 1 billion views across his social-media channels and been featured on Comedy Central, MTV, and E! News.

Times: 7 p.m. Feb. 25

Admission: $29 to $75

COVID policy: Masks and proof of vaccination or negative COVID test required.

Contact: 614-469-0939, www.cbusarts.com

Illinois State Fair concerts: Disney star Demi Lovato among acts

Sammy Hagar & the Circle, Brooks & Dunn, Demi Lovato, Disturbed and TLC & Shaggy are among the acts coming to the 2022 Illinois State Fair Grandstand.

Sam Hunt will open the Grandstand on Friday, with Demi Lovato coming on Saturday. Brooks & Dunn will play on Aug. 14.

Jim Peterik brings The Ides of March on Aug. 15, with Willie Nelson making his long-awaited return to the fair on Aug. 16. TLC & Shaggy grace the stage on Aug. 17, Jon Pardi comes on Aug. 18 and Trevor Noah comes to Springfield on Aug. 19.

More:World-class linguist, journalist was a 'popularizer of language to the general public'

Disturbed performs on Aug. 20, with Sammy Hagar closing the fair on Aug. 21.

The Grand Central Stage will return to the state fair this summer, said spokeswoman Krista Lisser. The nightly free shows will be at the south end of the Reisch Pavilion.

Headlining the free Powerlight Festival at the Lincoln Stage is Jordan Feliz on Aug. 21. Adelaide and 7eventh Time Down are also on the bill.

Hagar and Tonic had been slated to open the 2021 state fair, but a storm rolled in that afternoon canceling the show along with the Twilight Parade and ribbon cutting.

Hagar is a Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee who was the lead singer of Van Halen after a solo career that included his 1984 hit "I Can't Drive 55." Hagar was previously part of the rock band Montrose and supergroup Chickenfoot.

The Circle features bassist Michael Anthony, along with drummer Jason Bonham and guitarist Vic Johnson. Anthony was also part of Van Halen.

Brooks & Dunn have played the state fair multiple times, the last time in 2008.

The duo parted ways in 2009 before getting back together in 2016.

Brooks & Dunn have had 20 #1 singles dating back to 1991, including "Boot Scootin' Boogie," "Play Something Country," "Only in America" and "A Man This Lonely."

The hard rock band Disturbed formed in Chicago in 1994. The band's hits include "Down with the Sickness" and a remake of Simon & Garfunkel's "The Sound of Silence." Simon praised the 2015 version as "powerful."

Opening for Disturbed is Nita Strauss.

TLC is known for its 1990s hits "No Scrubs" and "Waterfalls" while Shaggy charted with the 2000 hit "It Wasn't Me."

Country singer Sam Hunt is best known for his 2020 hit "Body Like A Back Road."

Jon Pardi struck No. 1 with "Dirt on My Boots" and sang on Brooks & Dunn's hit "My Next Broken Heart." Joining Pardi on the bill are Lainey Wilson and country trio Chapel Hart.

Well-known for some work on the big and small screens along with behind a microphone, Lovato got a start on "Barney and Friends," moved on to the Disney Channel and then to a multi-platinum recording career that has produced 14 platinum singles including "Skyscraper," "Give Your Heart a Break," "Heart Attack," "Cool for the Summer," "Confident" and "Sorry Not Sorry"; seven top-five albums; and over 4 million albums sold.

Lovato has also become a strong and strident advocate for mental health.

Rising star iyla – spelled undercase – will open for Lovato.

Getting its start in Berwyn, Peterik's Ides of March had several hits in Chicago during the 1960s before hitting it big with the 1970 hit, "Vehicle," which hit No. 2 on the Billboard charts.

The Ides of March have been continuously performing since 1990 with their original lineup, including Peterik, who went on to found Survivor, best known for "Eye of the Tiger" from the third "Rocky" film.

For much of the 1980s, Nelson was as much a part of the fair as the Butter Cow and Jim Thompson riding down the Giant Slide.

Nelson hasn't performed at the fairgrounds in 21 years, but all that changes as the American country music icon returns to the state fair Aug. 16 with Elle King.

Nelson has done just about everything one can do in the music industry and then some, with his advocacy for farmers and the legalization of marijuana.

Noah replaced Jon Stewart in the anchor chair at TDS in 2015, continuing the show's tradition of skewering American and international politics through groundbreaking satire. Noah's autobiography, "Born a Crime," became a bestseller in 2016 and reflects on his childhood as a mixed-race child in apartheid-era South Africa.

He has continued his stand-up work while behind the anchor desk, producing three Netflix comedy specials.

All shows start at 8 p.m. The Ides of March show has free admission; all other shows require admission.

Contact Steven Spearie: 217-622-1788, sspearie@sj-r.com, twitter.com/@StevenSpearie. Zach Roth contributed to the publication of this article.

First Stage, Milwaukee's children's theater restarts productions

As performing arts groups figure out how to return to in-person productions after being virtual, or closed, for months during the pandemic, audiences have been at the top of their minds — evaluating both how anxious they are to return to theaters and how comfortable they will feel with safety precautions as they come back.

For First Stage — whose audiences are made up largely of children who are too young to be vaccinated — that metric becomes more complicated.

Earlier this month, Milwaukee's major performing arts groups, including First Stage, announced that people 12 and older would either have to be vaccinated or test negative for COVID-19 to attend productions. Because First Stage can't require vaccines for much of their audience, they're emphasizing a strategy endorsed for schools by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention — layering protective strategies.

"Many of the things we're doing to protect people are similar to other theater groups," said Betsy Corry, First Stage's managing director. "But other things we're dealing with are different because our audience is different and who we put on stage is different, so we're adding all these other layers."

Corry said mask mandates will be in place, and noted that "masks all the time for everybody" is how First Stage has successfully staged theater academy classes and summer camps.

Additionally, there will be capacity caps in live performances to allow "distance between pods of families," and the first row of seats will be empty to provide distance between the audience and on-stage actors. There won't be intermissions, concessions or merchandise sales to cut down on places where people would naturally congregate, and when school field trips restart in January, there will only be one performance per day instead of two in order to allow for theater cleaning.

When the pandemic forced everything to close in March 2020, First Stage halted in-person performances. They took some time to pivot to recorded productions and virtual summer acting camps. When the 2020-'21 school year started, they provided virtual classes, performances and curriculum to schools that typically relied on them for field trips. They also restarted their in-person theater academy classes, with mask mandates, small class sizes and strict social distancing.

This season's typical run of plays for families will start with a holiday show in November, with school group shows beginning in January, but First Stage has already performed its first live production of the year, "How to actually graduate in a virtual world" at Milwaukee Black Theater Festival's youth night. The short play is the first of a series of three productions in "Amplify," the theater company's BIPOC series.

This year's Amplify series is the second time First Stage has produced its BIPOC short play series, but last spring's version was completely virtual. This year's plays have limited in-person performances and are also available on the company's YouTube channel.

"After our spring productions, we sat around to figure out what would be next and what we would be able to do in fall," said Jeff Frank, First Stage's artistic director. "We want to work our way back to full productions, and we decided these pieces are a logical step in that direction because they're shorter in length and less burdensome on production."

Frank also said these plays — focused on increasing representation of people of color both in the cast and in the content creation — are key to First Stage's mission.

"We've always prided ourselves on the representation of young people on our stage. We're in the minority of theaters for young audiences that utilize age-appropriate casts," said Frank. "It's important for young people to see themselves in the stories represented. We've done well over the years in trying to address that in all the things we're doing, but all of us still have work to do in making sure we emphasize inclusion."

"How to actually graduate in a virtual world" follows a group of Black students during the pandemic as they realize their graduation will have to be virtual. As the students brainstorm how to make their graduation special (through Zoom meetings), they speak to many of the difficulties children everywhere have experienced as a result of the pandemic.

The play was written by award-winning playwright Nikkole Salter. Frank says her involvement was one of the silver linings of the pandemic — that the Zoom-based world we've all embraced over the past 18 months has allowed artists across the country to learn about and participate in Milwaukee theater.

Frank said Salter researched Milwaukee as she wrote the play so she could insert references that would resonate for local audiences. After Frank and his production team read through a draft of the script and gave Salter notes, they brought the young actors into the picture to give their feedback.

"The young people were trying out the different voices and roles in the play and telling her what seemed authentic to them and what rang true," said Frank. "There were a few things where the kids would say, 'I don't know that this is something I would actually say,' and then Nikkole would make adjustments. It's an amazing gift for the young people and the artist that they got to share this camaraderie and the joy of creation."

While First Stage learned many ways to pivot during the pandemic — creating virtual platforms that will continue to supplement their traditional work and building relationships with new people throughout the country — Frank is excited to take steps toward getting (cautiously and safely) back to normal.

"Art has been so necessary these past 18 months, and we found ways to provide that art virtually, and now we're also finding ways to come back," said Frank. "These stories are more important than ever. It's not about escape, it's about seeking out experiences to deal with an increasingly complex world. Telling stories is the most effective way to do that."

What to know about Amplify: First Stage's BIPOC play series

"How to actually graduate in a virtual world": Available on First Stage's YouTube channel Sept. 1 through Dec. 5:

"Step Kids": A one-act musical about a group of students who meet at an audition for the school's competitive dance team. Available on YouTube Oct. 11 through Dec. 5; limited capacity at Milwaukee Youth Arts Center Oct. 2 at 4 and 7 p.m., Oct. 3, at 1 and 4 p.m.

"The tale of La Llorona as told by Consuelo Chavez:" A group of middle schoolers can't go trick-or-treating due to a thunderstorm, so they share their favorite ghost stories. Available on YouTube Oct. 30 through Dec. 5; limited capacity at Marcus Center's Todd Wehr Theater Oct. 23 at 4 and 7 p.m., Oct. 24 at 1 and 4 p.m.

Contact Amy Schwabe at (262) 875-9488 or amy.schwabe@jrn.com. Follow her on Twitter at @WisFamilyJS, Instagram at @wisfamilyjs or Facebook at WisconsinFamily.

Mo Amer on his new Netflix show: 'It was so hard' | CNN

CNN —

You may already know Mo Amer for playing a sidekick on “Ramy,” for being the Muslim comedian who somehow got seated next to Eric Trump on a plane, or for being cast to appear alongside The Rock in the upcoming “Black Adam” superhero film.

But you’re about to know him as something else: the star of his own Netflix series.

“Mo,” which began streaming Wednesday, is a semi-autobiographical dramedy about a Palestinian refugee “laughing the pain away” as he tries to navigate life in Houston and the convoluted US immigration system.

Audiences who know Amer through his Netflix standup specials will recognize some of the storyline. Mohammed Amer was 9 years old when the first Gulf War forced his Palestinian family to flee Kuwait. They found a new home in the Houston suburb of Alief, Texas. And it took Amer 20 years to become a US citizen.

His character on the show, Mo Najjar, is still on a long journey fighting for asylum in the United States. And as Netflix says in its summary of the show, along the way he “straddles the line between two cultures, three languages and a ton of bullshit.”

Amer, 41, spoke with CNN about how he finds the humor in bleak situations, what he hopes viewers of his show will see, why language and authenticity were so important to him while making it and one key thing he has in common with his character. The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

You’ve said making this show was the hardest thing you’ve ever done. Why? What did you have to do to prepare?

So much was going on when the show got picked up. The pandemic broke out. We were one of the first shows that was greenlit to have a Zoom (writers’) room. And then not only do we have a global pandemic where everybody was at home, we also had civil unrest and George Floyd’s murder. The emotionality that was involved in it and the roller coaster rides that everybody was going through, my writers, everybody was having so many issues. It was incredibly difficult to work through that. And I was going through a divorce.

And then there was the weight of the story. This is the first-ever (American) show starring a Palestinian with a Palestinian family fleeing war. How do you handle that? How do you balance out all the stories that I’ve accumulated? We had an embarrassment of riches because it was based off of my life, and fortunately and unfortunately, it was a lot that we went through.

It was so hard. But also incredibly invigorating. I can’t tell you how many times I had 20-hour plus days. Sometimes there were two days in a row where I slept an hour.

In "Mo," Amer plays the semi-autobiographical character Mo Najjar, whose immigration woes force him to work under the table to support his family. Netflix

Has your family had a chance to see the show? What did they think?

To see these scenarios from my life recreated, it was incredibly emotional for my mom, but she’s also very happy. She’s so excited to have these stories being shared.

For people who aren’t related to you, or who are not as familiar with the Palestinian experience, what do you hope they’ll see when they watch the show?

This is a show about belonging. This is a show about identity and wanting to be seen. This is a show about somebody who just wants to feel like he’s part of something. I think that just relates universally to everyone, not just immigrants and refugees. There are people who are struggling to take care of their families, living paycheck to paycheck, people who have to take odd jobs under the table even though they are American citizens.

Also, I want people to take away that Houston (where the show largely takes place and was filmed) is an incredibly diverse city. It has a lot to offer and it’s exported of some of the best music in the world. Nobody really understands the depth that Houston has.

It was really important to factor in all these things and do them as much justice as possible, while also balancing the subject matter of Palestine, politics, religion, Catholicism, Islam and multicultural relationships. It was incredibly important that every piece of it was authentic.

And not only having a show that’s slapstick funny. This is a show that is a comedy, yes, of course. It’s hella funny. But it’s also very grounded. And whenever something emotional happens, we’re going to sit in it and we’re going to embrace it and we’re going to go through it. It’s very important to have those moments and let it breathe.

In “Mo” we see meetings with immigration lawyers, decades-long case delays and the struggle of trying to work under the table without papers. These aren’t topics that sound very funny on the surface. So how do you find the humor in them?

Whenever you hire a shitty attorney, the jokes really write themselves. And unfortunately, when you talk about immigration, it also writes itself, because the immigration process, I hate to say it, but it is kind of a joke. It’s just so incredibly unorganized. This is such a highly digitized world. But still there are all these documents sitting there. There’s such a waiting process that exists for these families.

It’s sad, but it really writes itself. And in deeply depressing or sad moments, comedy is a natural relief. You just naturally start laughing if you cry too much. Also, when you laugh too much, you start to cry. It’s just a natural thing that happens.

A flashback scene from "Mo" depicts the family as they're about to leave Kuwait for a new life in Houston, Texas. Netflix

The first time we hear you speaking on the show, you’re talking in Spanish with a coworker. And then we also hear you speaking Arabic at home. And then at different points we hear you speaking in English, sometimes in different accents, depending on who you’re talking to. How important do you think language is to the show and the story?

It’s so important to me. A lot of Arab immigrants that I know picked up Spanish really easily, just because it’s basically a common language. So many Spanish words come from Arabic. And it was just easy to speak that way, but also it was an idea of immediately assimilating into an area and connecting with people. And it was really important to highlight this code switching as well of assimilating and really wanting to be seen, and for another person to feel comfortable – whether it be the cowboy that you’re selling Yeezys to or with my girlfriend switching to speaking in Spanish and seeing that connection.

In scenes with his girlfriend Mexican-American girlfriend Maria (Teresa Ruiz), Mo often speaks in Spanish. Netflix

That’s how it is. You come home, you start speaking Arabic. You leave the house, you start speaking English. Millions of people across the world live this way. And what’s important is communicating that and to have that on television. Because I’ve never seen it.

Your character loves olive oil so much that he carries a bottle in his pocket. Is that based on real life?

Facts.

Do you have a bottle of olive oil in your pocket right now?

Not right now. I did bring one with me to L.A. where I’m shooting this movie (Black Adam). It’s from our home village of Burin. We get shipments every six months of fresh-pressed olive oil, unfiltered like you’ve never had before in your life. Yeah, that’s very, very real.

Mo's love of olive oil -- and hatred of strange hummus flavors -- is so strong that he pulls out his own bottle of olive oil to share at a grocery store sample table in the show's first episode. Rebecca Brenneman/Netflix

You wrote the flashback scene showing your family’s escape from Kuwait years ago. Why did you feel compelled to write that down and share it?

(Dave) Chappelle actually said, “You should do a short film in front of your special.” (“Vagabond,” which Netflix released in 2018) I couldn’t sleep for four days. I just kept thinking about it and thinking about it. Then I just had this moment of inspiration, and I wrote it out.

I showed it to Dave and I showed it to other people, I even shared it with Ramy (Youssef, the “Ramy” star who’s now an executive producer of Amer’s show). Everybody was like, “Man, you should save this for a TV show. It’s spectacular.” I just saved it and waited for the right time.

A real-life 'Squid Game' competition is coming to Netflix | CNN

CNN —

Netflix’s smash-hit “Squid Game,” a fictional South Korean series in which contestants compete in a series of schoolyard games that will kill them if they lose, all for a few billion won, is bleak, dystopian and searingly political.

So naturally, the streamer is turning the series – known for starring a ginormous laser-eyed killer doll – into a reality show.

Enter “Squid Game: The Challenge,” a new reality competition series apparently based on the original series, which became Netflix’s most popular show of all time upon its release in late 2021. The platform announced casting for the new series on Tuesday in a vague promo with appearances from the aforementioned “Red Light, Green Light” doll and a slew of masked guards who carry out killings.

“Squid Game: The Challenge” is set to offer the largest cash prize in reality TV history – $4.56 million – to one of its 456 competitors (the largest cast in reality TV history), the streamer said in a statement.

Do you want to play a game? Enter to join Squid Game: The Challenge at https://t.co/MaXfZnqmvb pic.twitter.com/6gYLXlplDC — Netflix (@netflix) June 14, 2022

The original “Squid Game” became an international phenomenon for its sharp social commentary as much as its arresting visuals and entertaining conceit. “Squid Game” sends up the wealthy ruling class and the harm they inflict upon the low-income and marginalized members of their society (though the low-income competitors are often corrupted by the lure of wealth). In the fictional show’s competition, the poor are literally disposable – they’re killed if they lose a game, and they continue to get picked off as they vie for a life-changing sum, all to the amusement of the game’s rich creators.

Netflix hasn’t announced how they plan to adapt the game in which a giant doll fatally zaps people or masked guards fatally shoot competitors in the head if they fail to carve a honeycomb candy correctly, but it’s safe to assume there will be no murder.

The series is casting now for brave, self-punishing souls interested in competing in harrowing games. And though the original show was created by South Korean director Hwang Dong-hyuk and primarily starred Korean actors who spoke Korean throughout, Netflix’s new “Squid Game” is seeking “English-language speakers from any part of the world.”

Fans of the original “Squid Game” who’d prefer not to compete in the game themselves got good news this week, too: Netflix officially renewed the series for a second season.

The best concert movies to stream now on Netflix, Hulu & Amazon ...

There are no actual concerts to enjoy for now. And there are things about the live experience that can't be captured in a livestream or a concert film — that whole communal vibe, the sensation of coming together as one nation under a groove, the traffic.

But we can relive the magic of actual performances while keeping a safe social distance from the comfort of our homes by watching classic concert films through streaming services like Netflix, Hulu and Amazon Prime without spending a dime. (If you're already a subscriber to those services.)

This list is based on things we found a way to stream easily and at no added cost. You can certainly pay to watch "Monterey Pop," the classic D.A. Pennebaker documentary that features that iconic scene of Jimi Hendrix setting fire to his Fender. And we highly recommend you do so if you've got the cash to burn like a Hendrix guitar.

But these won't put you over budget in these trying times.

'Stop Making Sense' (1984)

It's the essential concert film, a timeless document of Talking Heads in their prime and their element, artfully starting a show with David Byrne alone on stage performing "Psycho Killer" to a beat we're made to think is coming from the boom box he's carried on stage.

Then, bassist Tina Weymouth makes her entrance, sharing the edge of the spotlight on "Heaven," followed by drummer Chris Frantz on "Thank You For Sending Me an Angel" and guitarist Jerry Harrison on "Found a Job." It's a striking introduction to both the band and Jonathan Demme's masterfully directed film, a nearly 90-minute masterpiece overflowing with surprises.

By the time they hit the heavy-grooving arthouse funk of "Burning Down the House," the stage is crowded with auxiliary players, from Parliament-Funkadelic keyboard ace Bernie Worrell to Brothers Johnson guitar god Alex Weir.

After ceding the spotlight to Weymouth and Frantz for a crowd-pleasing "Genius of Love" by Tom Tom Club, their side gig, Byrne returns in what remains his most iconic stage look — the "big suit" — for "Girlfriend is Better."

Demme's film captures one of America's greatest live acts at their absolute creative zenith, clearly caught up in the joy of what they've managed to achieve. And at the center of that energy is Byrne, a dancing fool who remains one of the more endearingly idiosyncratic entertainers rock 'n' roll will ever know.

Where to stream: Amazon Prime.

'Wattstax' (1973)

Stax Records held this concert on the seventh anniversary of the 1965 Watts riots. Richard Pryor introduces this Mel Stuart documentary on the day's events as "a soulful expression of the black experience."

And it certainly feels that way, as the tone is set with a series of interviews about the black experience as it stood at the time.

As Jesse Jackson says, before leading the crowd in a call and response of "I am somebody" with fists held high: "This is a beautiful day. It is a new day. It is a day of black awareness."

Then he brings out Kim Weston to kick off the concert with "Lift Every Voice and Sing," which Jackson calls the Black National Anthem. The Staple Singers take the stadium to church while capturing the spirit of the black pride they were there to honor with a funky invocation to "Respect Yourself."

And after great performances by such Stax heavyweights as Rufus Thomas (lightening the mood with "Do the Funky Chicken"), an extremely charming Carla Thomas and the Bar-Kays, Isaac Hayes brings the film to a rousing conclusion with a very funky "Theme From Shaft" and the gritty social commentary of "Soulsville."

Where to stream: YouTube.

'LoudQuietLoud: A Film About the Pixies' (2006)

This documentary goes behind the scenes to capture all the awkwardness and tension that appears to have defined what life was like when Pixies chose to set aside the differences that cause them to implode in 1993 and launch perhaps the most successful indie-rock reunion tour in history 11 years later.

Kim Deal travels on a separate tour bus with her sister Kelley to preserve her own sobriety while David Lovering gets hooked on Valium and Joey Santiago struggles to keep his composure as the house of cards begins to fall in on itself.

That can make for some fairly uncomfortable viewing, if not quite on the level of the Beatles' "Let It Be" or Wilco's "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart."

But other than one scene of Black Francis storming offstage in a huff when Lovering has some kind of drug-related episode behind the kit, the time they spend on stage together, reconnecting with the songs on which their legend ultimately rests, it's obvious why this was such a celebrated tour.

It also serves as a thrilling reminder that these Boston rockers were a revolutionary force without whose often-duplicated whisper-to-a-scream dynamic it's hard to imagine what rock music in the '90s would've sounded like. It certainly wouldn't have been as explosive.

Where to stream: YouTube.

'The Last Waltz' (1978)

This Martin Scorsese film captures the Band signing off with a farewell concert for the ages on Thanksgiving Day, 1976. Whatever underlying tensions led them to leave all this behind don't come through in the playing, which is often joyous and as sharp as ever.

In addition to their own performance, they rounded up such iconic fans as Neil Young, Muddy Waters, Joni Mitchell, Eric Clapton, Dr. John, Van Morrison, Emmylou Harris and Neil Diamond to join them.

Bob Dylan’s performance alone would make this concert more than worth your while. Robbie Robertson squeezes out sparks at the helm of Dylan's most inspired backing band — the Band, of course — on a beautiful version of "Forever Young," which gives way to a fiery “Baby Let Me Follow You Down."

Then, everyone crowds the stage to join in on a stately, gospel-flavored version of Dylan's "I Shall Be Released," the perfect ending to a damn near perfect concert.

And Scorsese fleshes out those live performances with backstage interviews to put the show in context with an eye toward elevating both the Band and this particular concert to the mythic status they've enjoyed for decades now because of it.

Where to stream: Amazon Prime.

'Live at the Paramount' (2011)

This concert film captures Nirvana live in 1991, rocking Seattle on Halloween night in the midst of changing everything with "Nevermind," the breakthrough album they'd released just five weeks earlier.

It's a bracing reminder of just how undeniable a force these guys were at that point in not only their trajectory but rock 'n' roll's trajectory, arriving just in time to save the day. This is what history felt like before it was history, preserved on 16 mm film.

Granted, the concert gets off to a somewhat muted start with a cover of the Vaselines song, "Jesus Doesn't Want Me for a Sunbeam." But it feels more like the calm before the storm when Dave Grohl's drums kick in on an electrifying "Aneurysm."

Kurt Cobain sings like his voice is a raw nerve he can't stop himself from touching, shredding vocal cords with each intensely vulnerable cry, from "Drain You" to "Smells Like Teen Spirit" to "About a Girl." He sounds tortured and wounded and fully committed to coaxing some salvation from these songs.

His guitar work is just as cathartic, harnessing feedback while leading his bandmates through a steady stream of primal fuzz-guitar riffs.

It's the sound of rock 'n' roll ready to conquer the world again. And it did.

Where to stream: YouTube.

'Amazing Grace' (2018)

Director Sydney Pollack's documentary on the making of Aretha Franklin's classic gospel album of the same name, a live two-record set recorded in 1972 at the New Temple Missionary Baptist Church in Watts, was shelved for nearly 40 years due to technical problems.

Then they figured out a way to synchronize the audio and video and it was scheduled for release in 2011. That's when Franklin sued, delaying its release until after her death in 2018, at which point Franklin's family gave the film its blessings.

It's a stunning document of Franklin in her soulful prime, the daughter of a Detroit minister connecting with the gospel music of her youth with the assistance of a choir and a small soul combo while accompanying herself on piano at times.

She's clearly caught up in the spiritual transcendence of the moment, from the opening line of "Holy Holy" through "What a Friend We Have in Jesus" to "Amazing Grace" and more.

You don't have to be religious to get caught up in the spirit of a talent as timeless as Franklin's connecting with a higher power. You can feel her feeling it and that's what matters here.

Where to stream: Hulu.

'The Song Remains the Same' (1976)

How many concert films start with a series of fantasy sequences, one involving a gangster werewolf, another featuring John Bonham on a tractor? Fortunately, I can only think of one.

But it's worth it to get to the music Led Zeppelin performed at Madison Square Garden over the course of three nights in the summer of '73. Additional footage was shot later at Shepperton Studios.

You're 12 minutes into the foolishness before the concert starts, Bonham bashing his way through the opening beat of "Rock and Roll." Even that doesn't signal the end of the fantasy sequences. Not by a long shot.

Again, the concert footage is its own reward. It's Led Zeppelin in their misspent youth, on the road in support of "Houses of the Holy," rocking their way through such obvious highlights as "Black Dog," the Jimmy Page solo that ushers in a slow-burning "Since I've Been Loving You" and "Dazed and Confused."

Where to stream: YouTube.

'Shut Up and Play the Hits' (2012)

Do we really need to know how many Thomas Pynchon books James Murphy owns? We do not. But establishing shots are what they are in documentaries of this nature.

After eight minutes and change of precious little in the way of action, Murphy expresses his dissatisfaction at how slowly things are moving, speaking for us all when he says, “We want some of this time back."

Once they kick off the concert with "Dance Yrself Clean" a bit later, though, all is forgiven.

This was supposed to be LCD Soundsystem's final performance, a four-hour victory lap that finds them dusting off an awe-inspiring number of their greatest hits at Madison Square Garden. It's a brilliant performance that's beautifully captured by directors Will Lovelace and Dylan Southern.

And the interviews actually add to the experience, much like that earlier "Last Waltz," offering real insights into what makes Murphy tick.

Where to stream: Hulu.

'Homecoming: A Film By Beyoncé' (2019)

Beyoncé directed this film of her headlining set at Coachella. And she fully captured the impact of that moment, taking the stage as a queen, an image of Egyptian Queen Nefertiti on her cape, and as the first black woman ever to headline America's premier music festival.

Like Richard Pryor said of Wattstax, this performance is a soulful expression of the black experience. But it's just as much a celebration of Beyoncé as a galvanizing force in American culture, as well as a two-hour tribute to historically black colleges and universities.

She's in total command of the moment from the time she swaggers through her royal entrance to a stage that's packed with an array of dancers and a marching band and choir on stadium bleachers.

She's already undergone her first of several costume changes by the time she's sung her first word, the marching band's horn section lifting a stunning performance of "Crazy in Love" to new heights.

Highlights range from an uplifting "Freedom" to "Sorry," "Single Ladies (Put a Ring On It)" and a Destiny's Child reunion. Meanwhile, her behind-the-scene narration offers fascinating insights into her creative process.

If you still don't get what makes Beyoncé an iconic entertainer after watching this performance, maybe you're just not meant for Beyoncé's world.

Where to stream: Netflix.

'Heima' (2007)

This is a stunning document of Sigur Ros staging a homecoming tour of Iceland, which offers a breathtaking backdrop to the cinematic grandeur of the band's emotionally charged yet ethereal post-rock.

There are open-air performances and smaller events in unlikely locations — from a dimly lit cave to community halls and a deserted fish factory — and an unplugged performance for family and friends at a coffee shop. Even the indoor concerts often cut away to scenes of the Icelandic countryside.

The effect is transcendent in ways that couldn't hope to complement the music more effectively. At times they incorporate singers and musicians from the town they're visiting into the mix.

In many ways, this film could be the perfect introduction to the band for those who may not be familiar with their music. It's also the closest a 21st-century concert film has come to rivaling the artistry of Demme's masterful "Stop Making Sense."

Where to stream: Amazon Prime.

'Sign o' the Times' (1987)

This self-directed concert film was shot to hype the masterful two-record set with which it shares a name, capturing Prince in his late-'80s prime, with most songs (and between-song segues) filmed at Paisley Park.

Sheila E. makes her entrance on the title track, marching onstage at the front of a drum line and taking her place behind the drum kit for the second song, an exultant rendition of "Play in the Sunshine." Prince is in top form as he makes his way through several costume changes, tearing it up on guitar while showing off his sexiest James Brown moves.

The set draws primarily on "Sign o' the Times," including such obvious highlights as "U Got the Look," the title track and "I Could Never Take the Place of Your Man." But he throws in a smoldering, gospel-flavored re-imagining of "Little Red Corvette" for old time's sake.

It didn't set the multiplex on fire like he'd done with "Purple Rain" just three years earlier, but its stature has grown over time.

Where to stream: Amazon Prime.

'The Kids Are Alright' (1979)

This is the film that introduced my generation to the glory of the Who, first seen here on "The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour." Tommy Smothers asks Pete Townshend where he came up with his legendary windmill move. Townshend quickly answers, "That was bowling."

And so it goes, a series of loopy exchanges giving way to a truly explosive performance of "My Generation" that ends in an actual explosion as Townshend smashes his guitar. Keith Moon had rigged his kick drum to explode, which it does. Then when Smothers returns, Townshend grabs his acoustic guitar and smashes it to bits. It's the Who in a nutshell — the power, the humor, the chaos, the destructive urges.

Jeff Stein's film takes fans on a journey from their early days through Woodstock to their final performance with Moon, an epic "Won't Get Fooled Again" filmed just three months before his death.

It also features candid interviews with Townshend and the greatest live performance in the history of rock 'n' roll — "A Quick One, While He's Away" at "The Rolling Stones Rock and Roll Circus."

New York Times reviewer Janet Maslin dismissed it at the time as "willfully uninformative." But everything you need to know about the Who is right there in those live performances.

Where to stream: Amazon Prime.

'Live at the Isle of Wight Festival 1970' (1998)

Yes, this is a second entry on the Who. A lot of people still consider them the greatest live band in the history of rock (myself included). And a large percentage of those fans would point to this film, captured more than a year into touring on "Tommy," as the most compelling documented evidence to support such a claim in the form of a concert-length film.

It features them rocking a festival crowd within months of a similar concert at Leeds University that led to the seminal "Live at Leeds" release, an album often celebrated as the greatest live recording any rock act ever made.

You'd never know they took the stage at 2 a.m.

This is that rarest of all breeds of concert films where when nearing the end — they start "We're Not Gonna Take It," the anthem that brings "Tommy" to a close — there's an overwhelming sadness knowing it's almost over. I want every concert film to mess with my emotions that profoundly.

It helps that Moon and Townshend are such entertaining lunatics to witness. Their antics kept making me smile and laugh and gasp and, on occasion, blurt out a reaction at the screen while John Entwistle, rocking a skeleton shirt, was making my jaw hit the floor with his stellar musicianship.

The physicality of Townshend throwing his entire body into the performance makes the music that much more electrifying, with his endless stream of jumps and windmills. And Moon is a rock 'n' roll madman on the kit throughout. This is a document of everything that made the Who so special in the first place.

The only downside is director Murray Lerner edited it down from a three-hour set to not quite 90 minutes. Now that we're all stuck inside, it may be time for him to run that other 90 minutes up the flagpole and see who salutes.

Where to stream: YouTube.

'Under Great White Northern Lights' (2009)

This Emmett Malloy documentary follows the White Stripes' Canadian tour in the summer of 2007, both onstage and off, in support of "Icky Thump," the band's final album.

Did they know this was their final tour? There's no mistaking the emotion in that last scene, in which Meg White weeps on the piano bench as Jack White sits beside her singing "Easy come, easy go / Be a star of the show / I'm giving up all I know to get more."

It ends a hug that couldn't be more awkward or more genuine, a disarmingly bittersweet coda to a film that feels more like a celebration of the chemistry that made them the 21st century's most electrifying bet for keeping rock 'n' roll alive.

The action begins with the trash-rocking splendor of a raunchy "Let's Shake Hands." Guitarist Jack White turns to his partner, one of rock's most underrated drummers, coming out of a squealing guitar break to remind her "You can do what you want to, Meg."

They effortlessly live up to the promise of that opener on highlights as relentless as "Black Math," "Ball and Biscuit," "Icky Thump" and "Seven Nation Army."

And when they do ease up on the accelerator, those moments are just as engaging, from Meg's lead vocal on "In the Cold, Cold Night" to "We Are Going to Be Friends" and an electrifying rendition of Bacharach and David's "I Just Don't Know What to Do With Myself."

Where to stream: YouTube.

'If It Ain't Stiff, It Ain't Worth a F' (1977)

This documentary chronicles a U.K. package tour designed to hype the roster at Stiff Records, a pioneering indie label whose stars included Wreckless Eric, Ian Dury & the Blockheads, Nick Lowe, Larry Wallis and a bespectacled computer operator who'd taken the name of a previous rock 'n' roll legend in vain, a savage young Elvis Costello.

As a snapshot of an oft-neglected yet exhilarating moment in the history of the U.K music scene, it definitely rises to the challenge. As a concert film, it's even more engaging, lo-fi though it is.

Lowe leads a band of Stiff all-stars and his Rockpile bandmates Terry Williams and Dave Edmund, in "Heart of the City," a version that filters the reckless abandon of punk through the musicianship of pub-rock veterans.

Costello makes the most of the dramatic possibilities of "Watching the Detectives" at the helm of the freshly assembled Attractions, as talented a backing band as any in the history of rock.

And Ian Dury does his best to steal the show, leading his bandmates in an exhilarating rendition of "Blockheads" before calling back his label mates to join him on the star-studded finale, "Sex & Drugs & Rock & Roll."

Where to stream: Amazon Prime.

Reach the reporter at ed.masley@arizonarepublic.com or 602-444-4495. Follow him on Twitter @EdMasley.

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