A 20th-century modern dance genius is coming to town (good news—make that, great news!) and it will only cost you 200 bucks to see her work (bad news—make that sad news). The John Paul Jones Arena announces today that five national touring Broadway shows will make it here, starting October 6 with Chicago. Nothing really floats our boat (Jesus! Cats has got to be on its ninth afterlife, by now) until May 7, 2009 when Movin’ Out rolls in. Quick recap: Twyla Tharp, the aforementioned choreographic genius and creativity guru, listens to the songs of Billy Joel, onetime great lyric poet of Long Island, and realizes that embedded in "Scenes from an Italian Restaurant" and "Captain Jack" and "The Stranger" is a portrait of American manhood circa Vietnam War. What results is a two-hour dancing tour de force: No words, no dialogue, just nonstop dancing and Billy Joel songs. Seriously, don’t miss it. If you start saving now (that’s what we’re going to do), you have to put away only 54 cents a day for the next 374 days.
JPJ will be a big shot, all right, once Movin’ Out comes to town next year.