I started this blog with one daughter, kept it up with the other, to spend time together doing something we enjoyed.
However, things change and people evolve. My daughters are older, busier, and not as interested in writing.
From now on this blog will be mostly mom with occasional contributions from my daughters and maybe even my husband.
Nothing else will change. We'll still focus on sharing fun places to go, fun things to do, and more, and we would  still love to hear your views too

Friday, April 29, 2016

Funtivity Friday - If We Won the Lottery and a $50.00 Paypal Giveaway!

A fun thing we like to do is imagine what life would be like if we won the lottery.

Here are the top things we would do if we won the lottery

Me:

1) Get a dog.

2) Get another guinea pig.

3) Get a bass guitar.

4) Get bass guitar lessons.

5) Get every shoe in my size.

6) Go to Disneyland.

Mom:

1) Pay off all our debts

2) Put aside money for college.

3) Move or fix up the house we live in now (at least all the things we have been letting slide because we haven't had the funds to fix them)

4) Get rid of both of our cars neither of which is in very good condition and replace them.

5) Go to Disneyland or Disneyworld or maybe both. We have never been able to afford to go to either.

6) Put money in the bank and not live too extravagantly and spend it all. 

What would you do if you won the lottery?

Even if you don't win the lottery, every little bit of extra cash helps. It does for us,  and I'm sure it does for you too. That's why are participating in the below giveaway and  giving you the opportunity to win $50.00 Paypal cash. To enter just fill out the rafflecopter below.

Giveaway ends 5/16



Enjoy!

Tune in Sunday for this week's Sunday Scoop.

photo credit: Powerball now worth more than $1 BILLION via photopin (license)

Thursday, April 28, 2016

NBC Studio Tour and The Commedia Cinderella

We were given a free NBC Studio Tour for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own based on our experience.
Me - The NBC Studio Tour was so much fun.We followed the tour guides all around, and they told us interesting facts and showed us things. I liked how we got to see the sets of some of the talk shows and Saturday Night Live. We actually got to go on Seth Myers set and the Nightly News set. We didn't go to on the Saturday Night Live set but we got to look at it. I thought it was the biggest single room I've ever seen. I liked that we got to see the control rooms and things. That was cool. One of my favorite things was that we got to learn a lot of interesting facts. For instance, Seth Myers set is on a floating floor. They had to put in extra concrete between his floor and Jimmy Fallon's floor so they don't hear each other when they are taping. There were a lot of pictures of people who were on Saturday Night Live or are on Saturday Night Live now. There was one hall where on one side there were pictures of former Saturday Night Live actors and skits that had been performed on the show, and on the other there were pictures of  current Saturday Night Live actors and skits. We even got to make our own pretend talk show with the people on our tour and it was recorded for all of us and they sent it to us by e-mail. It was a very exciting and interesting tour.*


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We were given free tickets to The Commedia Cinderella for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own based on our experience.
Me- I liked The Commedia Cinderella. It was good. It was really funny. It's not like any Cinderella I have ever seen before. For one thing instead of the Fairy Godmother changing Cinderella into something beautiful she changed her into looking like a clown. Instead of glass slippers, she had clown shoes. Cinderella was not really princessy. She was tough and independent, but she still went for the prince. The stepsisters were really funny especially because they were played by guys. They acted like typical teenagers. They did stuff like try to outdo each other all the time and try to be better than each other. Also, they were gossipy. One of the funny parts was when the Fairy Godmother came in on roller skates to the song Xanadu. I liked that they kept bringing phrases from movies and other stories and bits of songs and other things into the show. It was hilarious, and I really recommend you see it.*

*The above posts are by Aurella.

Photo credits: All NBC Studio Tour photos supplied by NBC
                       All The Commedia Cinderella photos supplied by the RagTag Theatre Company

Tune in tomorrow for Funtivity Friday.

Wednesday, April 27, 2016

Where-To-Go Wednesday - NBC Studio Tour and The Commedia Cinderella

We were given a free NBC Studio Tour for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own based on our experience.
What: NBC Studio Tour

Where: 30 Rockefeller Plaza
             New York, New York

Who: Tweens and up

Mom's view: If you want to walk the same hallways, as Matt Lauer and Jimmy Fallon and other NBC personalities, this tour is for you. Who knows, you may even run into one of them. Even if you don't this tour is both interesting and fun. Not only will you learn how NBC Nightly News is put together, but you will have a chance to visit the set. You will also visit one or more of the sets of the NBC Talk shows that tape in New York including The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon and Late Night With Seth Myers and/or the Saturday Night Live set. It depends which shows are taping at the time of your tour as you will only be visiting the sets of shows that are not taping at the time of your visit. You will also learn interesting facts about NBC and its history. You will even get to put together a mock talk show along with your fellow tour guests which will be recorded and e-mailed to you. You won't need your camera because you are not allowed to take any pictures on the tour. You will need comfortable shows as you will be doing a lot of walking. This is not a good tour for young children as for the most part it is not very interactive and it does involve a lot of walking and a lot of listening to information. The information is interesting for adults and older children but not so much for little kids. Tweens and teens would probably enjoy the tour especially the last part when you get to make the mock talk show particularly if they are interested in going into television journalism some day. For more information or to book a tour go to http://www.thetouratnbcstudios.com/.


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We were given free tickets to the Commedia Cinderella for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own based on our experience.
What: The Commedia Cinderella

Where: Soho Playhouse
             15 Vandam St.
             New York, NY

When: July 16, 2016

Who: All ages
Mom's view: If you think fairy tales are too sappy, you have never seen The Commedia Cinderella currently playing at the Soho Playhouse in New York City. This show, full of references to other shows as well as movies, other stories and famous quotes, is definitely not just for children. It may be possibly be the funniest version of Cinderella every presented on stage. It is like one of those old cartoons where the story is enjoyable for young children, but a lot of the jokes go right over their heads and are meant for adults and/or older children. While the basic story is the same, Cinderella is a slave to her stepmother and stepsisters, her fairy Godmother casts a spell on her and sends her off to the ball to meet the Prince, the Prince falls in love with Cinderella and tracks her down by her lost shoe; this Cinderella is not like any other you have ever seen. Because of that young girls who are particularly fanatic about the Disney version might not enjoy the show. However. if you like your heroines with a little more spunk, and you want to see a Cinderella who is not just meekly sitting around wishing for her prince to come, but is active, feisty and has a mind of her own than you will love this show.  This Cinderella is a much better much more modern role model for young girls than has been presented in previous versions of the story. However, even if you are not looking for a role model for your daughter even if you don't even have a daughter, it's just a really fun show, and a greatly entertaining way to spend an hour or two.
And that's Mom's view. Tune in to tomorrow's Talking Topics post for Aurella's view of the NBC Studio Tour and The Commedia Cinderella.

Photo credits: Any and all NBC Studio Tour photos supplied by NBC
                      Any and all The Commedia Cinderella photos supplied by the RagTag Theatre Company

Tuesday, April 26, 2016

Giveaway: Win Two Humorous Parenting Books in the Super Mom Giveaway Hop!

This post may contain affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase we may be compensated.

Welcome to the Super Mom Giveaway Hop hosted by The Mommy Island and  The Kids Did It . Everybody knows that being a Mom is a tough job. The only way to get through it is with a generous dose of humor. That's why Says Me Says Mom is two humorous parenting books. The first is Kids Are Turds: Brutally Honest Humor for the Pooped-Out Parent by Jenny Schoberl.
For more about this book see this post: 

The second is Don't Lick the Mini Van; And Other Things I Never Thought I'd Say to My Kids by Leanne Shirtliffe.



For more about this book go to this link:

Giveaway open 4/26-5/10

Giveaway open to ages 18+ US only

ARV: $30.10


Says Me Says Mom received no monetary compensation for this giveaway. We were given a copy of the book Kids Are Turds: Brutally Honest Humor for the Pooped-Out Parent for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own. Says Me Says Mom is not responsible for prize fulfillment. Sponsor is responsible for prize fulfillment.

Once you have entered our giveaway, hop around to the other giveaway listed below to see what other great prizes, you can enter to win:




Tips for Tuesday: Books: Charlotte's Web and Kids Are Turds Brutally Honest Humor for the Pooped-Out Parent

This post my contain affilate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, we may be compensated.
Me - Today I am recommending Charlotte's Web by E.B. White. I really liked Charlotte's Web. It's about pig named Wilbur and his best friend, Charlotte the spider. When Charlotte first becomes friend with Wilbur she promises to save his life so that he doesn't become ham and/or bacon. The book has a nice story. I like the characters too. My favorite characters are Charlotte, Wilbur, a goose that repeats everything three times and Fern the little girl who owns Wilbur. This classic is a great book that I'd really recommend reading if you haven't already.
Mom - Today I am recommending Kids Are Turds Brutally Honest Humor for the Pooped-Out Parent by Jenny Schoberl. At times hilarious at times touching, Jenny Schoberl's book really capture the essence of what it is to be a parent. What parent can't relate to using the kids as an excuse to get out of social engagement or the art of  loving gifts just because they are from your child? With short quick chapters, this book is a great read even for the parent who doesn't have a lot of time to read. Just be aware that Ms. Schoberl's language is very frank and she doesn't shy away from cursing and vulgarity (as is evidenced by the use of the term "turd" in the title) so if that sort of thing bothers you, you may want skip this book. However, if you do you'll be missing out on a very funny read.

And that's our view. For a chance to win a copy of Kids Are Turds Brutally Honest Humor for the Pooped-Out Parent see this post:Giveaway: Win Two Humorous Parenting Books!

Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go Wednesday.

Monday, April 25, 2016

Monthly Mash-up April, 2016 - My Guinea Pig and Comfortable Shoes

Me - My topic for this month is my guinea pig, Maisy. She is so tiny and cute. She squeaks so loud that I can't imagine that such a tiny thing has such a loud squeak. I keep all her stuff in my closet but she doesn't have that much. Every day, I check her cage to make sure she has food, water, and hay. Unfortunately, she has a tiny water bottle, and she likes to drink a lot so I have to fill it about a million times a day. I love to play with her. One thing that I love about her is that if I put her on my bed right away she'll walk over to me and curl up in my lap. Once every week, I clean out her cage by taking everything out, throwing out all the bedding and stuff, and then putting in new bedding and putting all her stuff back. Sometimes, she likes to flip her house over. Instead of going in through the door of her house sometimes she likes to crawl under the back. It is funny when she does that! Guinea pigs are really fun pets.

Mom - My topic for this month is comfortable shoes. I love shoes. I have many many pairs of them. However, the problem is I do not have one pair of shoes that stays comfortable for a long period of time, and that includes sneakers. Since I do a lot walking especially because of all the places we go to review for the blog, I would really like to have at least one really comfortable pair of walking shoes. I think part of the problem is that feet are not really the same size. One is always a little bigger than the other. If one shoe fits comfortably the other is too big. If the other shoe fits comfortably the other is too tight. I also wear flat shoes a lot which I don't think is really good for my feet. Plus, I have a bump on the back of my larger foot which has a tendency to rub against my shoes and become uncomfortable even if I am wearing socks. The most comfortable shoes I own are two pairs of Skechers. They are the same kind of shoe in different colors. The bottoms are super comfortable and the back is high but soft so they don't even bother the back of my foot too much. They problem is the pattern on the top of shoe presses really hard into my foot so after a while these shoes hurt too. And so, the search continues.

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

Sunday, April 24, 2016

Sunday Scoop Week of 4/24/16 - What's Happening This Week or Soon Thereafter Plus a Giveaway!

OLATE DOGS WINNERS OF AMERICA'S GOT TALENT
The Concert Hall
2 W. 64th St.
New York, NY

May 6, 2016
Showtime: 7:00 pm. Tickets $25, $35, $77.50 

The Olate Dogs are the winning participants from Season 7 of America’s Got Talent in 2012.  Led by Richard Olate and his son Nicholas Olate, the Olate Dogs are America’s most recognized dog entertainers. They command standing ovations performing at high profile events sporting nationwide, including NBA, College Division 1, MLB, and other star-studded events.  The Olate Dogs,  many of which were rescued from shelters, are a high-energy, fast-paced canine theatrical act filled with doggie-friendly tricks, human acrobatics and humor that will entertain audiences of all ages. 

For more about Olate Dogs go to http://olatedogs.com/.

To order tickets available online at Ticketfly.com and by calling 877.987.6487.

To enter to win a family four pack of tickets, fill out the rafflecopter below. 

Giveaway runs from 4/24-5/2
Ages 18+ US only
ARV: $100 to $350.00
MUST LIVE IN OR BE ABLE TO TRAVEL TO NYC AREA ON 5/6/16
NEITHER LODGING NOR TRANSPORTATION PROVIDED

a Rafflecopter giveaway
Says Me Says Mom was not compensated for this giveaway and is not responsible for prize fulfillment. Sponsor is responsible for prize fulfillment.
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iPlay America Summer Season's Pass
110 Schank Road
Freehold, NJ


iPlay America has announced the the sale of a Summer Season Pass. Guests with the pass receive UNLIMITED RIDES on Kite Flyer, Sky Scraper, Go-Karts, Freedom Rider (the Brand New Spinning Coaster opening soon!) Spin Zone, Bumper Cars, Happy Swing, Jump Around, Dizzy Dragons, and Mini Carousel. The Summer Season Pass is good every day from Memorial Day (Monday May 30, 2016) through Labor Day (Monday September5, 2016) – Friday from 3:00 pm until close and all day Saturday and Sunday. Passes can be purchased in the park at the Welcome Center or online at iPlayAmerica.com/Special-Event/Summer-Season-Pass. The cost is just $49.99 each and guests receive valuable coupons valued at over $100 with every purchase – including vouchers to BYOF (Bring Your Own Friend!) for FREE!
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Jobs Available at Kelsey Theatre
1200 Old Trenton Rd.
West Windsor, NJ
Love theatre and people?
Don't sit at home weekends, join the gang at The Kelsey Theatre!

The Kelsey Theatre seeks a Box Office Clerk to sell tickets, using Vendini Ticketing Program at the window during box office hours. Friday & Saturday evenings, Sunday afternoons and some
Saturday afternoons. 

MUST BE AVAILABLE WEEKENDS and have the ability to learn and operate computerized ticketing program (similar to Ticketmaster), work independently under pressure; have good customer service, ability to handle money accurately, and be able to multitask.  Dependability and punctuality necessary.


$10/hr + free tickets.

 Sign up online at https://jobs.mccc.edu/

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Sunday is Funday at the Lakewood BlueClaws
First Energy Park
2 Stadium Way
Lakewood, NJ
Next Sunday FUNDay: May 1st

The next Sunday FUNDay is coming up on May 1st at our 1:05game against Greenville (Red Sox).

As usual: Kids Eat Free thanks to ShopRite, Kids Run the Basesafter the game, you can bring your dog for Yappy Hour (yes, bring your dog), and adults can enjoy $2 Coronas during the game too!

Plus, it's a Kids Club Sundaywith Kids Zone Happy Hour and our Kick-Off Picnic (pre-registration required - Patrick, 732-901-7000 ext 171). More Information.
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ABIGAIL HARRISON OF RUTHLESS!
TO PERFORM IN TIMES SQUARE MAY 1

10-year-old Abigail Harrison, who currently understudies Tori Murray in the award-winning musical smash RUTHLESS!, is set to perform at the 5th annual “Tunes in Times Square” charity event on Sunday, May 1. The free show, to be held on Broadway between 42nd & 43rdStreets, will be a continuous sing-a-thon featuring Broadway performers to raise awareness about Magical Music for Life, a foundation dedicated to enriching the lives of children through the impactful and extraordinary power of music. The all-day event will run from 10 AM –6 PM and Abigail will be performing the showstopping number from RUTHLESS!, “Born to Entertain.” Additional performers to be announced.

Book and lyrics for RUTHLESS! are by Joel Paley with music by Marvin Laird. When THE BAD SEED meets GYPSY, it’s fun for the whole dysfunctional family! Tina Denmark is a pretty, charming and diabolical third grader who "was born to entertain." With the encouragement of slick and overbearing potential agent Sylvia St. Croix, Tina will do anything to play the lead in her school play. The question is, where does such remarkable talent and unstoppable ambition come from? The answer is shocking in this award-winning Stage Mother of all musicals.

The playing schedule is Mondays at 8 PM, Thursdays at 7 PM and Saturdays at 2 PM at St. Luke’s Theatre, 308 West 46 Street (just west of Eighth Ave.) Tickets are available through www.RuthlessTheMusical.com or by calling 212-239-6200.


For more information about Magical Music for Life, visit www.magicalmusic.org.
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Upcoming at the State Theatre
15 Livingston Ave.
New Brunswick, NJ

Sunday May 1, 2016 Golden Oldies Spectacular

Wednesday May 4, 2016 Robby Kreiger

For more information or to order tickets click here
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Circle Line America's Cup Official Spectator Cruise
Pier 83
W. 42nd St at 12th Ave.
New York, NY
May 7th/May 8th
12:30 pm - 4:30 pm

Catch all the action up close from the best seats on the water!

For more information or to book now go click here
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Mother's Day at the Trenton Thunder


For more information  or to order tickets click here
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News from Boneau/Bryan-Brown

Signature Theatre’s World Premiere of
Daphne's Dive
Written by Quiara Alegría Hudes
Directed by Thomas Kail

Run Dates: April 26 – June 5, 2016; Opening: May 15, 2016
In The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre
At The Pershing Square Signature Center

Signature Theatre (James Houghton, Founding Artistic Director; Erika Mallin, Executive Director) is pleased to announce casting is confirmed and tickets are now on sale for the world premiere of Daphne’s Dive, written by Pulitzer Prize winner Quiara Alegría Hudes (Water by the SpoonfulIn the Heights) and directed by Thomas Kail (Hamilton, Fox’s “Grease: Live”). The production runs April 26 to June 5, 2016 with a May 15 opening night in The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street between 9thand 10th Avenues). All tickets for the initial run of the production are $25 as part of the Signature Ticket Initiative: A Generation of Access. To purchase tickets for all Signature productions, call Ticket Services at 212-244-7529(Tues. – Sun., 11am – 6pm) or visit signaturetheatre.org

**
Incognito
The New Play by Nick Payne
Directed by Doug Hughes

Complete Cast To Feature
Geneva Carr, Charlie Cox, Heather Lind, Morgan Spector

Previews Begin Tuesday, May 3; Opening Tuesday, May 24
At MTC at New York City Center – Stage I

The four actors will play a combined 21 characters within Incognito’s three interwoven stories.

TICKETING INFORMATION
Single tickets for Incognito are available by calling CityTix at 212-581-1212, online by visitingwww.nycitycenter.org, or by visiting New York City Center box office (131 West 55th Street). All tickets are $90.

For more information on subscribing to MTC, call the Clubline at (212) 399-3050.

PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE
·         TUESDAY, MAY 3 – SUNDAY, MAY 8: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday at 7PM; Thursday through Saturday at 8PM; Matinee on Sunday at 2PM. There are only seven performances this week.
·         TUESDAY, MAY 10 – SUNDAY, MAY 15: Tuesday, Wednesday, and Sunday at 7PM; Thursday through Saturday at 8PM; Matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2PM.
·         TUESDAY, MAY 17 – SUNDAY, MAY 22: Tuesday and Wednesday at 7PM; Thursday through Saturday at8PM; Matinees on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2PM.
·         TUESDAY, MAY 24 – SUNDAY, MAY 29 (WEEK OF OPENING): Wednesday at 7PM; Thursday through Saturday at 8PM; Sunday at 7PM. Matinees on Saturday and Sunday at 2PM. The curtain time for the Tuesday, May 24 opening night performance is TBD. There are only seven performances on sale to the public this week.
·         TUESDAY, MAY 31 – SUNDAY, JUNE 5: Tuesday at 7PM; Wednesday through Saturday at 8PM. Matinees on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2PM.
·         TUESDAY, JUNE 7 – SUNDAY, JUNE 26: Tuesday and Wednesday at 7PM; Thursday through Saturday at8PM; Matinees on Wednesday, Saturday, and Sunday at 2PM.
**
Tickets Now On Sale For 
A Better Place

Performances Begin Wednesday, May 4
Opening Sunday, May 15
At The Duke On 42nd Street

A Better Place is a hilarious new play about Manhattanites' lust for real estate. A male couple becomes transfixed by their neighbors; they can't tear themselves away from the window. The lifestyle over there is sumptuous, and they have a quirky daughter whose tastes run to exhibitionism. Speculation begins...where did they get all that wealth? And what about the kooky brokers who regularly visit them? Who are these funny people in the glorious glass box? We all want what they have! Could it be they have attained- A Better Place?

PLAYING SCHEDULE AND TICKET PRICES:
A Better Place will play Tuesdays-Thursdays at 7PM and Fridays and Saturdays at 8PM, with matinees on Saturdays at 2PM and Sundays at 3PM.

Tickets for all performances are $55 and are now on sale at www.dukeon42.org, by calling 646-223-3010, and in person at the Duke on 42nd Street box office (229 West 42nd Street, between 7th and 8th Avenues). Regular box office hours at The Duke on 42nd Street are Tuesday-Friday 4pm-7pm and Saturday 12pm-6pm. On performance days, the box office remains open until showtime. For Sunday performances, the box office opens two hours prior to showtime.
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Signature Theatre
Announces 2016-17 Season

Residency One – Suzan-Lori Parks Series
The Death of the Last Black Man in the Whole Entire World

Venus

The Red Letter Plays: In the Blood and Fucking A (Presented in repertory during the 2017-18 Season)

Legacy Program
“Master Harold” ... and the boys by Athol Fugard

Residency Five
Everybody by Branden Jacobs-Jenkins

A New Play by Will Eno

The Antipodes by Annie Baker

Subscriptions on Sale Now
For More Information, Visit www.SignatureTheatre.org

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News from Michelle Tabnick Communications

Master Voices formerly The Collegiate Chorale
presents

Dido & Aeneas
By Henry Purcell and Nahum Tate 
Starring Kelli O'Hara, Victoria Clark, Elliot Madore, and Anna Christy 
With a World Premiere companion work by Michael John LaChiusa
Doug Varone, Director and Choreographer
Ted Sperling, Conductor
April 28 and 29, 2016 at New York City Center

MasterVoices (formerly The Collegiate Chorale) continues the 2015-2016 season with Henry Purcell and Nahum Tate's tempestuous Baroque opera, Dido and Aeneas,on April 28, 2016 at 7pm and April 29, 2016 at 8pm at New York City Center, 131 W. 55th Street, New York City.  The performance will feature a World Premiere prologue to Dido and Aeneas by Michael John LaChiusa (The Wild Party, First Daughter Suite) that presents the three Fates that control Dido's destiny.  MasterVoices' production of Dido and Aeneas will be semi-staged, and will feature the direction and choreography of Doug Varone, the dancers of his company Doug Varone and Dancers, conducting by MasterVoices' Artistic Director Ted Sperling, the MasterVoices chorus, and Orchestra of St. Luke's.  The cast, hailing from both the Broadway and opera worlds, is comprised of Kelli O'Hara (Tony Award Winner,The King and I) as Dido, Victoria Clark (Tony Award Winner, The Light in the Piazza) as the Sorceress, Elliot Madore (Winner of the 2010 Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions) as Aeneas, and Anna Christy (Les contes d'Hoffmann, the Metropolitan Opera) as Belinda.  Set design by David Korins (Hamilton, Bel Canto).
Single tickets are $30-$130 and are available online at NYCityCenter.org, by calling CityTix® at 212-581-1212, or at the box office at 131 W. 55th Street (btwn 6th and 7th).
On April 28, MasterVoices will have its annual Spring Benefit in support of its artistic programming and education initiatives.  Benefit tickets include pre-concert cocktails, preferred seating at Dido and Aeneas, dinner, and live auction. Call MasterVoices at 646-435-9052 for details.

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NEW YORK THEATRE BALLET
presents
The Alice-in-Wonderland Follies
at 92nd Street Y
May 1, 2016 at 3pm
New York Theatre Ballet (NYTB) will perform The Alice-in-Wonderland Follieson May 1, 2016 at 3pm at the 92nd Street Y, 1395 Lexington Av, NYC. Tickets are $25 for children 12 and under and $35 for adults, and are available online at www.92y.org/Event/NY-Theatre-Ballet-Alice-in-Wonderland-Follies, by calling (212) 415-5500, or in person at the 92Y box office on Lexington Avenue at 92nd Street (hours of operation are Sun.-Thur, 12pm-8pm, & Fri. 12pm-5pm).  For ages five and up. 

Follow Alice's adventures through Wonderland as she meets some of the most beloved characters in children's literature.  Presented in a vaudeville setting, this eclectic ballet draws on many different dance forms - from Irish Step Dancing to African Juba to classical ballet - all of which combine to make a highly entertaining show.
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Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College
presents
Straighten Up & Fly Right:
The Nat King Cole Tribute
Featuring Ramsey Lewis and John Pizzarelli

Sunday, May 1, 2016 at 3pm
Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College concludes its 2015-16 Jazz Series on Sunday, May 1, 2016 at 3pm with three-time Grammy Award-winning pianist Ramsey Lewis and singer/guitarist John Pizzarelli, joining forces in a tribute to the titan of fifties vocal pop, Nat King Cole.  Tickets are $40 and can be purchased at BrooklynCenter.org or by calling the box office at 718-951-4500 (Tue-Sat, 1pm-6pm).
**

DANCE TO UNITE
presents
3rd Annual Benefit: One Way or Another
Dance to Unite to Perform with Debbie Harry Live
Avenues: The World School, 259 10th Ave, NYC
Tuesday, May 3, 2016 at 6pm

Dance to Unite presents the 3rd Annual Benefit: One Way or Anotheron Tuesday, May 3, 2016 at 6pm, featuring live music from Debbie Harry at Avenues: The World School, located in Chelsea at 259 Tenth Avenue, NYC, 10001.  The evening will be a celebration of artistic excellence and cultural diversity to benefit Dance to Unite's expanding free after-school dance and education programs.  This year, Dance to Unite proudly honors Jenny Morgenthau, who recently retired after 32 years as the Executive Director of the Fresh Air Fund.  As part of the celebration, students of Dance to Unite will perform to music icon and Blondie lead singer, Debbie Harry's biggest hits live.  Tickets can be reserved by making a $150 minimum donation per person at http://www.dancetounite.org/events/. The attire will be business casual.
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FLAMENCO VIVO CARLOTA SANTANA
presents
VOCES DE ANDALUCIA
2016 NYC Season at BAM Fisher
May 3-8, 2016

Featuring World Premieres of new dance and music works inspired
by Pablo Picasso and Federico Garcia Lorca; plus Angeles II, choreographed and performed by British National Dance Award nominee Ángel Muñoz

FLAMENCO VIVO CARLOTA SANTANA celebrates the fundamental power and diversity of flamenco in VOCES DE ANDALUCIA, the company's 2016 NYC season, May 3-8 at Brooklyn Academy of Music's BAM Fisher Building, 321 Ashland Place, Brooklyn, New York.

Founded in 1983, FLAMENCO VIVO CARLOTA SANTANA is one of this country's longest-established flamenco companies, dedicated to promoting flamenco as a living, evolving art form. Following its successful BAM Fisher debut last year, the company returns with a program featuring four commissioned works of contemporary Spanish dance and music, including two world premieres.


In VOCES DE ANDALUCIA, Flamenco Vivo presents a suite of contemporary flamenco dance and music inspired by the cultural richness of Andalucia, the region of Spain known as "the cradle of flamenco." Voces - "voices" - explores this land of inspiration through the genius of two Andalucian-born artists, Pablo Picasso and the playwright-poet Federico Garcia Lorca. The suite features three new works: the world premiere PiCa, Susana di Palma's dance/fiction about Picasso; Federico, a celebration of Lorca's life, art and his profound connection to flamenco and its peoples; and Música Andaluza an adaption of Lorca verses, in a world premiere instrumental/vocal composition by Gaspar Rodriguez.  The program also includes Angeles II, choreographed and performed by British National Dance Award nominee Ángel Muñoz, praised by The New York Times for his "spontaneity, invention and surprise."
Flamenco Vivo's BAM Fisher season features a cast of twelve accomplished dancers and musicians from Spain and the US, including guest artist Ángel Muñozand company dancers Antonio Hidalgo, Charo Espino, Isaac Tovar, Eliza Llewellyn, Laura Peralta and Elisabet Torras Aguilera; guitarists Gaspar Rodriguez and Pedro Medina, singer Felix de Lola, flutist Diego Villegas and singer/percussionist Francisco ("YiYi") Orozco.
Performances take place May 3-8, 2016, (evenings, Tuesday-Saturday, 7:30pm; matinees, Saturday and Sunday, 2:00pm) at BAM Fisher, 321 Ashland Place, Brooklyn, New York.  Tickets are priced from $25, and can be purchased at flamenco-vivo.org, or through BAM.org.  

For the opening on May 3, guests can join the company for its First Night Fiesta, including premium seating and a post-performance tapas reception with the artists. Fiesta tickets, $125 and $250; for more information, call 212.736.4499 or visit www.flamenco-vivo.org.

Flamenco Vivo will also offer a post-performance artist talk immediately following the Thursday (May 5) show; free and open to all same-day ticket-holders. Pre-show Chats before the evening performances on Wednesday (May 4), Friday (May 6) and Saturday (May 7) offer insights by flamenco experts, Fisher Building Lower Lobby at 6:30pm; free for same-day ticket holders, with pre-registration required to fvcsinfo@flamenco-vivo.org.
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ChEckiT!Dance
now accepting applications for the
Sixth Annual
ChEck Us OuT Dance Festival
Deadline for Applications: May 6, 2016
ChEckiT!Dance is now accepting applications from female choreographers to the Sixth Annual ChEck Us OuT Dance Festival, an eco-friendly evening of dance celebrating female choreographers, on Saturday, July 23, 2016 at 5pm at Solar One on the East River, NYC (Rain date is Sunday, July 24th at 5pm). Pieces from any genre of dance that can be adapted to an outdoor space are encouraged to submit. The deadline to apply is May 6, 2016 and the application form is available atwww.checkitdance.com.

The festival seeks to showcase the talents of strong, female choreographers in a welcoming and fun environment. ChEck Us OuT Dance Festival is a carefully curated event that has featured the works of choreographers from across the globe, including California, Upstate New York, The Dominican Republic, Amsterdam, The Netherlands, and more. The festival seeks to showcase the talents of strong, female choreographers in a warm and welcoming environment. Last year's featured artists included: 


Cindy Sosa

Joya Powell/Movement of the People Dance Company
Jessie Sector/Tangent Dance
MJ/Innovate Dance
Bridge & Olive Dance
Ashley Sleeth
Cathy Allen/Red Desert Dance Ensemble
Victoria Brown/MashUp Contemporary Dance Company
Erica Hart
Jana Prager/Jana Prager Dance Theater
Kara Dudley/Kara Dudley Dance
InstaDance Collective
Allison Brzezinski/ChEckiT!Dance

The application deadline is May 6, 2016 to be considered for participation in the festival. 


Festival Application Guidelines:

1. Submit all materials listed on the application via email to checkitdance@gmail.com by Friday, May 6, 2016 (press kit, application form, link to performance/rehearsal footage), unless otherwise requested and approved by ChEckiT!Dance. 

2. Submit a non-refundable $65.00 application fee via PayPal on www.checkitdance.com, by Friday, May 6, 2016 or by check. Please send checks made out to Checkitdance LLC postmarked by May 6, 2016 to: 72-17 34th Avenue, Apt. 1R Jackson Heights, NY 11372


Choreographers must submit pieces no longer than 10 minutes in legth. For more information and to download a PDF of the 2016 Festival Application Form, please visit our website www.checkitdance.com.


To view photos and videos from the past five years of the festival, please visit their Facebook page:www.facebook.com/checkitdance


You can also check them out on Instagram by following @checkitdance


If you would like to receive an MS Word version of the 2016 Application Form or if you have any questions regarding the application process of the festival, please feel free to email checkitdance@gmail.com.
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News from Richard Hillman PR
"C A G N E Y"
THE NEW HIT MUSICAL
NOW PLAYING AT THE WESTSIDE THEATRE
DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND
NEW BLOCK OF TICKETS NOW ON SALE
THROUGH SEPTEMBER 25!
THURSDAY MATINEE PERFORMANCES BEGIN JULY 7TH
Due to popular demand and following the announcement of its three 2016 Outer Critics Circle Awardnominations, including “Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical,” a new block of tickets is now on sale through September 25, 2016 for the new hit Off-Broadway musical, Cagney with book by Peter Colley and music & lyrics by Robert Creighton and Christopher McGovern, at The Westside Theatre - Upstairs (407 West 43rd Street).  In addition, beginning July 7, 2016Cagney will play Thursday afternoon matinees at 2:00 p.m.  

Cagney, a dramatic new musical, follows the life of the legendary James Cagney from the streets of New York to his rise from a vaudeville song-and-dance man to one of the brightest stars of Hollywood as the original tough guy. Broadway’s Robert Creighton, in the role he was born to play, leads a cast of six who tap dance through a score that blends original music with classic George M. Cohan favorites: Give My Regards To BroadwayYou’re A Grand Old Flag, and Yankee Doodle Dandy.  
Cagney plays the following performance schedule: 
For performances through July 3, 2016:  Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m., Thursday & Friday at 8:00 p.m., Saturday at 2:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 3:00 p.m. 
For performances beginning July 5, 2016: Tuesday at 7:00 p.m.Wednesday at 2:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m., Thursday at 2:00 p.m., Friday at 8:00 p.m.Saturday at 2:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m. and Sunday at 3:00 p.m. 
Tickets for Cagney are priced from $89- $109 and may be purchased by calling Telecharge: 212-239-6200, or by visitingTelecharge.com.  There are a limited number of $25 student rush tickets for each performance (2 tickets per person, cash only with valid student ID.)
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GET OUT YOUR SKIMPY CLOTHING!
NEW YORK’S HIT MUSICAL THEATER GAME SHOW
“T U N E   I N   T I M E”
CELEBRATES WARMER WEATHER
AT THE YORK THEATRE COMPANY AT SAINT PETER’S
CELEBRITY JUDGES WILL BE
NICK CEARLEY AND LAUREN MOLINA
FROM THE POPULAR PERFORMANCE GROUP ‘THE SKIVVIES’
AND TONY AWARD WINNER DAISY EAGAN
MAY’S SONGWRITER LIST INCLUDES
MARC ACITO, SAM CARNER, CLARE COOPER,
JIMMY FISHER, TERESA LOTZ, AND ADAM OVERETT
NEXT PERFORMANCE:
MONDAY, MAY 9, 2016 AT 7:30 P.M.
TICKETS ON SALE
The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director; Evans Haile, Interim Executive Director) welcomes the May installment of the game show for musical theater lovers,  Tune in Time, presented by Amy Engelhardt and Heather Shields, hosted by Emily McNamara, with Musical Director Nate Buccieri and annoyingly insistent timekeeper Sheila Head, celebrates warmer weather and skimpier clothing with celebrity judges Nick Cearley and Lauren Molina(from the popular performance group The Skivvies) and Tony Award winner Daisy Eagan (The Secret Garden), on Monday evening,May 9, 2016 beginning at 7:30 p.m. at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter’s (Citicorp Building, entrance on East 54thStreet, just east of Lexington Avenue). 

The May line-up of songwriters includes composers Clare Cooper (How to Marry a Divorced Man), Jimmy Fisher (Lasagna Mañana), and Teresa Lotz (She Calls Me Firefly), who will be teamed up with lyricists Marc Acito (Allegiance), Sam Carner (Unlock'd, 2016 MAC Award winner for "The Egg Nog Song"), and Adam Overett (My Life Is a Musical).
In this “Musical Theater Olympics,” three teams of composers and lyricists who have never worked together are forced to collaborate – and to beat the clock.  Their task?  They must write a song for a new Broadway musical, the title of which is picked from a hatful of audience suggestions – and in a style determined by a spin of the dreaded Genre Wheel – all within 20 minutes!  Tune in Time is an evening of edge-of-your-seat suspense, brain-frying bravery, and musical theatre magnificence.  Each edition of Tune in Time features a different roster of musical theater composers and lyricists as well as a panel of celebrity judges. 

General Admission tickets for Tune in Time are priced at $20 and can be purchased online at www.yorktheatre.com, or by visiting the York Theatre Company Box Office (Citicorp Building, entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue), or by calling the Box Office at (212) 935-5820 during regular business hours (Monday through Friday, 12:00 p.m. to 6:00 p.m.). 
For additional information, please visit www.yorktheatre.org.
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And that's the scoop. Tune in tomorrow for another Talking Topic.