Sunday Scoop Week of 4/9/17 - What's Happening This Week or Coming Up Soon

Upcoming at the Lakewood BlueClaws:
Opening Weekend/Dollar Weekend
First Energy Park
2 Stadium Way
Lakewood, NJ

Opening Day Thursday April 13, 2017

Asbury Park Dollar Weekend April 14 & 15

Single game tickets to all 70 2017 BlueClaws on sale now!

There are three ways to order: on the phone at 732-901-7000 option 2, in-person at the BlueClaws Box Office, or online by clicking here.

For information regarding upcoming giveaways click here

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Upcoming at iPlay America:
Nocturnal

110 Schank Rd.

Freehold, NJ

Friday April 14, 2017
Starts 10:00 PM – 2:00 AM

By popular demand, Nocturnal is MOVING to FRIDAYS! Starting Friday April 14 and EVERY Friday after that - iPlay America’s premier 21 plus event will be taking over the park! Nocturnal combines all the excitement of iPlay America’s state of the art light show and sound system with its indoor boardwalk-city themed facility. A full-service Bar & Grill, Boardwalk Fare, Pizza, Specialty Coffees and Fro-Yo shop are all available during this event. Plus, at Nocturnal, you can party with top DJ’s! Entry to Nocturnal is free! And a POWER PLAY PASS is only $24.99! Giving our guests four hours of UNLIMITED non-redemption video games, one round of Cosmic Battle Laser Tag, one Go Kart ride on the Pine Belt Speedway, and one trip to the amazing 4D Theater! NO cover! NO one under 21! Fridays just got a whole lot more FUN!

For more information click here
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Upcoming at State Theatre New Jersey
Sesame Street Live: Make a New Friend

15 Livingston Ave.

New Brunswick, NJ

Friday April 14 - Sunday April 16

For more information or to purchase tickets click here

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Upcoming at Merkin Concert Hall:
New Asia Chamber Music Society

Kaufman Music Center

129 W. 67th St.

 New York, NY

April 15 8:00 PM

Seasons of Legacy

Vivaldi's charming "Four Seasons" plus New Asia's interpretation of the Seasons in a commissioned work titled "Spring" by Taiwanese composer Hung-Ping Chang.

For more information or to purchase tickets click here

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Opening Day Festivities at FDR Park

1500 Pattison Avenue
19145 (at Boathouse)
Philadelphia, PA

Featuring opening-day rates of 20% off rentals;* live music from local group Andorra; food, wine and beer for purchase (including some of Philly’s favorite mobile food vendors Cow and the Curd, Nic’s Roast Beef, and Farm Truck); and special activities for kids including the Claymobile, petting zoo, egg hunt and special appearance by the Easter Bunny.

* The first 100 guests will receive an annual Wheel Fun pass providing half-price rentals at both locations for the year.

For more information click here

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Broadway Workshop 

Junior Excel Program 

Registration Available Now

Ages: 8-14 

Dates: July 24 - July 28 

Times: 10:00am - 4:30pm 

Location: Ripley Grier Studios - 520 Eighth Ave. - 16th Floor  

Tuition: $825       

Junior Excel students will study the 3 disciplines of musical theatre in small groups, broken down by age. Students will prepare solo and small group pieces in preparation for their end of program showcase, where they will perform for a panel of New York agents, managers and casting directors, as well as family and friends. Their final presentation will take place in an off Broadway theatre venue in NYC.

Each day begins with a group warm up, students will then split up into smaller groups (by age) where they will have master classes in Song Interpretation/Musical Theatre Performance, Acting/Monologue preparation and Dance Master Classes making up their Core schedule. In addition to the Core classes, students will have special guest workshops with New York's top industry professionals! This fast-paced program will challenge each student and allow them to take the next big step in their training, while having an incredible time!

For more information or to register now click here

*Financial aid/full and partial scholarships are available for EVERY Broadway Workshop program throughPROJECT BROADWAY. Emailinfo@BroadwayWorkshop.com for more info. 

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IOC Calling All Budding Sports Reporters

The IOC yesterday launched the Young Reporters programme for young creatives to report on the forthcoming Youth Olympic Games Buenos Aires 2018. The IOC Young Reporters initiative will bring 30 young reporters from five continents to the Youth Olympic Games in Buenos Aires (Argentina), which will take place from October 14-16.

Once at the Games, the Young Reporters will have access to the Youth Olympic Village and all the sports, and will receive intensive training from some of the top names in Olympic reporting in print, photographic, television, radio and social media.

For more information click here

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PR FIRM ROUNDUP

News from DKC

Circus 1903 Now At Madison Square Garden

The Theater at Madison Square Garden

4 Penn Plaza

April 5-16

Welcome to the Circus of 1903

It’s the circus reimagined, a show for all ages!

Experience over two hours of edge-of-your-seat entertainment with an incredible cast of the most unique, spellbinding and dangerous circus acts from all four corners of the globe. Sensational puppetry puts elephants back in the ring as never seen before while Ringmaster Willy Whipsnade takes you on a mesmerizing journey through the magic of the circus.

From astonishing acrobatics and awe-inspiring aerialists, to heart-stopping high-wire feats, you won’t want to miss this thrilling, brand new show!

For more information or to purchases tickets click here
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News from DKC/O&M

THE BROADWAY PRODUCTION

OF LUCAS HNATH’S

A DOLL’S HOUSE, PART 2

ANNOUNCES FRONT ROW RUSH POLICY

AT THE GOLDEN THEATRE

$30 FIRST ROW TICKETS DURING PREVIEWS

NOW PLAYING FOR LIMITED 16-WEEK ENGAGEMENT

OPENING NIGHT APRIL 27

Producer Scott Rudin announced a special front-row rush ticket policy for the Broadway premiere of Lucas Hnath’s new play, A Doll’s House, Part 2, which began preview performances at Broadway’s John Golden Theatre (252 West 45th Street) on Thursday, March 30, 2017, ahead of its Opening Night on Thursday, April 27. All seats in the first row will be priced at $30 each during previews only, available for purchase the day of the performance, in-person at the Golden Theatre box office.

In the final scene of Ibsen's 1879 ground-breaking masterwork, Nora Helmer makes the shocking decision to leave her husband and children, and begin a life on her own. This climactic event — when Nora slams the door on everything in her life — instantly propelled world drama into the modern age.  In A Doll’s House, Part 2, many years have passed since Nora’s exit.  Now, there’s a knock on that same door. Nora has returned. But why?  And what will it mean for those she left behind?

For more information or to purchase tickets visit http://dollshousepart2.com/.

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JARROD SPECTOR AND KELLI BARRETT

BRING THEIR BRAND-NEW SHOW

“LOOK AT IT MY WAY”

TO FEINSTEIN’S/54 BELOW

APRIL 11 – 16, 2017

TICKETS ON SALE NOW

Feinstein’s/54 Below is proud to present Broadway veterans and married couple Kelli Barrett and Jarrod Spectorin their brand-new show, “Look at It My Way,” this April at Feinstein’s/54 Below (254 West 54th Street).

In a (mostly) true and hilarious reimagining of their platonic…errr...romantic journey (with inspiration from their favorite film), "Look at it My Way" gives Broadway’s Kelli Barrett and Jarrod Spector the chance to recount the story of how they ended up together — from each of their often wildly divergent perspectives. Fresh off the heels of their award-winning concert debut (“This Is Dedicated: Music’s Greatest Marriages”) where they were hailed as a “crackerjack duo of performing powerhouses,” this “palpably simpatico” Broadway couple uses the best of pop (Prince, Peter Gabriel), rock (REO Speedwagon, Beatles), soul (Stevie Wonder, Ray Charles), and even a little musical theater to discover what happens when you see through the eyes of someone who likes you a whole lot more than you like yourself.

Jarrod Spector and Kelli Barrett in “Look at It My Way” plays Feinstein’s/54 Below (254 West 54th Street) on April 11 – 16, 2017. There is a $45 – $55 cover charge and $25 food and beverage minimum. Tickets and information are available at www.54Below.com. Tickets on the day of performance after 4:00 are only available by calling (646) 476-3551.

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BILLY PORTER PRESENTS

THE SOUL OF RICHARD RODGERS

Release Date: APRIL 2017

ALBUM FEATURING SONGS FROM LEDISI, CYNTHIA ERIVO,

LESLIE ODOM, JR., RENEE ELISE GOLDSBERRY, PATINA MILLER,

JOSHUA HENRY, BRANDON VICTOR DIXON AND MORE

Tony and Grammy Award-Winner Billy Porter’s new studio album, Billy Porter Presents The Soul of Richard Rodgers, will be released April 14, 2017 and is available for pre-order tomorrow now.  The album, which features new, soulful takes on classic Richard Rodgers songs, includes solos and duets from the following artists  (in addition to Porter himself):  Tony and Grammy Award winners Cynthia Erivo (The Color Purple), Renée Elise Goldsberry(Hamilton) and Leslie Odom Jr. (Hamilton), Tony Award-winner Patina Miller (Pippin), Grammy Award winners Pentatonix and India.Arie, Tony Award nominees Brandon Victor Dixon (Shuffle Along), Joshua Henry (Violet), and Christopher Jackson (Hamilton), alongside YouTube sensation andKinky Boots star Todrick Hall and multiple Grammy Award nominees Deborah Cox and Ledisi.

The complete track listing for Billy Porter Presents The Soul of Richard Rodgers is as follows:

1. Oh, What a Beautiful Morning (Pentatonix & Billy Porter)
2. My Romance (Leslie Odom Jr.) 
3. If I Loved You (Renée Elise Goldsberry & Christopher Jackson)   
4. With a Song in My Heart (Brandon Victor Dixon & Joshua Henry)   
5. I Have Dreamed (Patina Miller)   
6. My Funny Valentine (Cynthia Erivo)   
7. I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair (Todrick Hall & Billy Porter)   
8. This Nearly was Mine (Deborah Cox)  
9. Bewitched (Ledisi featuring Zaire Park)  
10. Carefully Taught (India.Arie & Billy Porter)  
11. Lady is a Tramp (Billy Porter featuring Zaire Park)  
12. Edelweiss (Billy Porter)

In March, Porter launches a national tour that kicks off in Bayside, NY on March 19. Full tour schedule below.

March 19 – Queensborough PAC – Bayside, NY
March 29 – Embassy Theater – Fort Wayne, Indiana

March 31 – Ocean Reef Cultural Center – Key Largo, FL
April 2 – Aventura Arts – Aventura, FL
April 3 & 4 – Crest Theater – Delray Beach, FL
April 6 – Nugent-Custer Performance Hall – Columbus, IN
April 7 & 8 – The Columbia Club – Indianapolis, IN
April 21 – Adelphi – Garden City, NY
April 22 – Kean University – Union, NJ 
May 5 – Emelin Theater – Westchester, NY
May 14 – Venetian Room – San Francisco, CA
May 20 –Goodman Theatre Gala, Fairmont Hotel – Chicago, IL
June 17 – Playhouse Square Gala –Cleveland, Ohio

July 15 – Willow Valley Communities Cultural Center Theater – Lancaster, PA
August 14 – Bay Street Playhouse – Sag Harbor, NY

August 19 & 20 – Paramount Theater – Provincetown, MA

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News from Karen Greco PR

Stories of three women with ties to the Middle East make up the indelible ANGEL & ECHOES, part of Brits Off Broadway at 59E59 Theaters

59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer; Brian Beirne, Managing Director) is thrilled to host Henry Naylor’s ANGEL & ECHOES at the 2017 Brits Off Broadway festival. Directed by Michael Cabot (ANGEL) and Emma Butler (ECHOES), and produced by Redbeard Theatre Ltd with Gilded Balloon Production, ANGEL & ECHOES begins performances on Tuesday, April 11 for a limited engagement through Sunday, May 7. Press Opening is Sunday, April 16 at 3:15 PM. The performance schedule is Tuesday – Friday at 7:15 PM; Saturday at 2:15 PM & 7:15 PM; and Sunday at 3:15 PM. Performances are at 59E59 Theaters(59 East 59^th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Tickets are $35 ($24.50 for 59E59 Members). To purchase tickets, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or visit www.59e59.org. 

Presented in one evening, these two striking short plays about three women will challenge assumptions about women in the Middle East, and their stories will haunt long after the curtain comes down.
 
ANGEL is inspired by the story of a modern legend, the Kurdish freedom fighter The Angel of Kobane. According to lore, she shot 100 ISIS fighters when they overtook her small town of Kobane in Syria, striking fear in the heart of jihadists.
 
ECHOES, back by popular demand after its sold-out too-short run at Brits Off Broadway last year, tells the parallel stories of two women born 175 years apart: a Victorian pioneer woman who wants to build an Empire and a present-­day Islamist schoolgirl who wants to build a Caliphate.
 

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What's On at the Wild Project

On Now:

April 11
TIGUE X Randy Gibson: Resonating Apparitions 
Produced by Avant Media for their 2017 Tangents series
Performance schedule: Tuesday at 8pm
Tickets: $21 ($14 for students/seniors)

TIGUE performs the World Premiere of a new work for percussion, harmonic resonators, and projection by time-artist Randy Gibson.

This immersive performance in harmonic time, The Four Pillars Appearing from The Resonating Discs invoking The 72:81:88 Confluence in a setting of Quadrilateral Starfield Symmetry ATS4 Base 6:81, explores new methodologies in Randy Gibson’s ongoing work to expand and reconstruct the perception of the passage of time. Performed by TIGUE on nine metallic instruments discretely amplified to highlight the resonance of The Four Pillars from within the rich overtone cloud, the work asks performer and audience alike to consider their own perception of time and change.

April 12
NEW YORK NO LIMITS FILM SERIES
Performance schedule: Wednesday at 7:30 PM
Tickets: $8 in advance, $10 at the door
 
New York No Limits Film Series, an on-going collection of screening events, returns April 12th with its first short film program of 2017. New York No Limits programs films that embody the purest vision of the filmmaker without commercial interference. Concurrently, NYNL supports and nurtures the next generation of noteworthy filmmakers by providing a platform for artists to explore and develop his or her cinematic craft.
 
The April 12th event features a diverse program of eight short films imbued with the filmmakers vision:
 
AN ATRAMENTOUS MIND, Lonnie Edwards & Layne Marie Williams directors (U. S., experimental)
A police officer is confronted with his own abuse of power and his newfound perspective saves him from making a deadly mistake. The film tackles police brutality and the war on black bodies.
 
DEM DEM!, Christophe Rolin / Pape Bouname Lopy / Marc Recchia directors (Senegal/Belgium, narrative)
On a regular fishing day, Matar discovers a mysterious bag on a beach of Dakar. Inside he finds a passport of a Belgian man with African origins. He starts to imagine looking like him. Days are going by, the appearance of Matar is changing and he becomes more and more enigmatic to his wife Nafi. On his way he crosses N’Zibou a crazy wise man who measures the clouds. He questions Matar about his identity. One day, Matar disappears.
 
HUSH, Michael Lewis Foster writer / director (U. S., narrative)
A single mother struggles to raise her 8 year-old son, Caleb, who seems to be going out of his way to make her life a living hell.
 
LEAVING CHARLIE, Amanda Brooke Avery & Diane Calhoun directors, written by Amanda Brooke Avery (U.S., narrative)
A young queer woman discovers and re-evaluates her boundaries in life and in her job as a stripper.
 
PRYOR TIME, Aaron Sheer writer & director, (U.S.,narrative/comedy)
In 1986, a boy leaves his safe, suburban home to attend a Richard Pryor comedy show in New York City.
 
RYE MANHATTAN, Michael Goldburg director / Michael Goldburg & David Chan writers (U. S., comedy)
A young man waits for his dream date... at the wrong bar. In the vein of Martin Scorsese's "After Hours," RYE MANHATTAN is a charming, fast-paced comedy from the award-winning filmmakers of WHAT'S EATING DAD? about how finding the right person in the world of modern dating is tough.
 
THE SILENCE, Ali Asgari director & writer (Iran, narrative)
Fatma and her mother are Kurdish refugees in Italy. On their visit to the doctor, Fatma has to translate what the doctor tells to her mother but she keeps silent.
 
STOWAWAY, Kenneth Anderson director & writer (U. S., narrative/comedy)
A woman secretly embarks on a voyage at sea.
 

April 14 - April 15
TCS X ROYA CARRERAS: THE BIG BALLOON, conceived, directed and choreographed by Roya Carreras
With Caitlin Taylor, Elise Ritzel, Eloise DeLuca, Gregory Dolbashian, Maleek Washington
Produced by The CURRENT SESSIONS
Schedule: Friday at 7:30pm; Saturday at 5:30pm
Tickets: $15 - $25

The CURRENT SESSIONS is pleased to present the world premiere of The Big Balloon by Iranian-Hispanic artist and choreographer Roya Carreras.

In The Big Balloon, Roya Carreras reimagines a vanished childhood memory, surfacing a delicate world of fantasy and fragmented identity. Carreras’ choreography works within a series of deconstructed interiors, recalling domestic scenes from her childhood home in California. Set against field recordings of daily chores, intimate scenes captured on film register the vernacular of her daily routine. Persian rugs and astroturf line living spaces which—at once—act as stage and sanctuary, where Carreras’ distorted balletic gestures are worked into a detailed physical vocabulary. Forgotten vignettes resolve momentarily, before The Big Balloon is finally undone, opening a space to cross unseen cultural boundaries.

A limited-run booklet including translations in Spanish and Farsi, will be published as part of The Big Balloon performances. In the Living Room, a post-performance discussion between Carreras, moderator, and audience link process to upbringings on Friday, April 14; on Saturday, April 15 a Wrap Party will follow.

The Big Balloon is part of the CURRENT SESSIONS’ 2017 curatorial focus “Resistance,” which looks to further classify movement into a broader spectrum by challenging systems of making and observing dance, and is first of a TCS-presented, solo-artist performance series.

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Meghan Finn directs Carl Holder’s CHARLESES for The Tank’s Save & Print Series

After the critically acclaimed production of The Offending Gesture, director Meghan Finn returns to The Tank (Rosalind Grush and Rania Jumaily, co-artistic directors) to helm the world premiere of CHARLESES by Carl Holder. Part of The Tank’s Save & Printseries, CHARLESES begins performances on Thursday, April 13 for a limited engagement throughSaturday, April 29.  Press Opening is Monday, April 17 at 8 PM. The performance schedule is Monday, Wednesday – Sunday at 8 PM. Please note, the performances on Saturday, April 29 are at 2 PM & 6 PM.  Performances are at The Brick (575 Metropolitan Avenue, at Lorimer). Tickets are $25 for general admission. ($15 for students with a valid ID.) To purchase tickets, visit www.thetanknyc.org.
 
Charles's son, Charles, has a son named Charles. 
 
In the present, three generations of fathers and sons struggle to communicate as their family line grows and ages across a vast ocean of time. How do individuals continue to exist through the passing of the years? Do I eat pickles on my sandwich because my great great grandpa did?
 
A curious look at three generations of Charleses, and the expectations they have of each other. What happens when one of them is…different?

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News from Michelle Tabnick PR

South Street Seaport Museum announces Summer Series of Seaport Walking Tours

The South Street Seaport Museum announces this summer's Seaport Walking Tours, illuminating the hidden, forgotten, and overlooked histories of New York's original seaport. Tickets are $15 for Seaport Walking Tours (members $12) and $25 for Special Walking Tours (members $20) and are available at https://southstreetseaportmuseum.org/seaportwalkingtours.    Take a Seaport Walking Tour and discover the seaport district's exceptional, wacky, and, at times, seedy history. Each tour takes attendees not only on a journey through the neighborhood, but through time as well. Hear stories about innovative merchants, hardened criminals, and incredible feats of engineering. Walking Tours are offered from May-July, every Thursday and Friday, and thirdSaturday of the month (Thurs at 12pm; Fri at 12pm & 2pm; Sat at 12pm, 2pm & 4pm).   The Secret Life of the Brooklyn Bridge The Brooklyn Bridge quietly rises above South Street, but beneath its great towers the bridge stands on nearly 150 years worth of secrets. Take a walk from the seaport district to the start of the Brooklyn Bridge promenade near City Hall*. Along the way, hear stories of the bridge's grueling construction, of the incredible lives of its builders, and of the long-forgotten vaults hidden deep within. *Please note this tour does not cross the Brooklyn Bridge.   A Wild Tour of the Wickedest Ward The Fourth Ward was 19th century New York's most infamous district of vice and crime, earning it the title of the Wickedest Ward. Take a walk through the Seaport District and discover its seedy past when it was home to rat pits, lady bouncers, and river pirates.   Hello, Havana! The Roaring Twenties transformed the piers of the East River into a haven for mobsters, smugglers, and tourists heading to the casinos of Havana, Cuba. From rum runners to luxury liners, discover the forgotten life of the East River waterfront during Prohibition, the Great Depression, and the Cuban Revolution.     Special Walking Tours:   Titanic's Seaport Join the South Street Seaport Museum's Historian for this special tour to commemorate the 105th anniversary of the sinking of RMS Titanic. From Schermerhorn Row to the Brooklyn Bridge, the Seaport District is full of surprising connections to many of Titanic's passengers. Come and discover these forgotten ties between the ill-fated liner and South Street. Friday, April 14 at 12pm and 3pm; Saturday, April 15 at 12pm and 3pm   Sex, Liquor, and Murder Have you been on the daytime tour of the Wickedest Ward? Now, join the Seaport Museum's Historian for an extended and darker tour of the Fourth Ward. This once a month adults-only (18 and older) evening tour takes you through 19th century New York's most infamous district of vice and depravity. Stories of sordid murders, notorious criminals, and about infamous houses of ill repute will be told as you take a walk through the Wickedest Ward. Fridays, May 26, June 30, and July 28 at 6:30pm    Building Tours:   Architecture of Trade: Schermerhorn Row and the Seaport Discover the treasures hidden inside Schermerhorn Row, one of the oldest warehouses of New York City, and home of the Seaport Museum. Walk up three floors, usually closed to the public, view selected artifacts from the Museum's permanent collection, and walk through the hidden hotels and saloon rooms made famous by New Yorker writer Joseph Mitchell's story "Up in the Old Hotel." Second Friday and Saturday of each month, through June (Fri at noon, Sat atnoon and 2pm).   All tours meet at the South Street Seaport Museum, 12 Fulton Street. Please wear weather appropriate clothing, comfortable shoes, and bring a bottle of water. *****************************************************

News from Polk and Co.
AMÉLIE, A NEW MUSICAL NOW OPEN

AT BROADWAY’S WALTER KERR THEATRE

The new Broadway production of AMÉLIE, A NEW MUSICAL, directed by Tony Award winner Pam MacKinnon (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf), with a book by Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award nominee Craig Lucas (The Light in the Piazza), music by Daniel Messé and lyrics by Nathan Tysen & Messé, starring Tony Award nominee Phillipa Soo and Adam Chanler-Berat opened on  Monday, April 3, 2017 at Broadway’s Walter Kerr Theatre (219 W 48^th Street).

Amélie is an extraordinary young woman who lives quietly in the world, but loudly in her mind. She covertly improvises small, but surprising acts of kindness that bring joy and mayhem. But when a chance at love comes her way, Amélie realizes that to find happiness she’ll have to risk everything and say what’s in her heart. Come be inspired by this imaginative dreamer who finds her voice, discovers the power of connection and sees possibility around every corner. In these uncertain times, Amélie is someone to believe in.

Ticket Information

Tickets range from $49.50 - $169.50.

Tickets available at ticketmaster.com or by calling 877.250.2929.

Performance Schedule

The regular performance schedule for AMÉLIE, A NEW MUSICAL is: Tuesday – Thursday at 7:30pm (8pm during previews); and Friday & Saturday at 8pm; with matinees at 2pm on Wednesday & Saturday, and 3pm on Sunday. For changes to the schedule, visit AmelieBroadway.com.

For more information visit  AmelieBroadway.com.

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Ernest Shackleton Loves Me

Acclaimed New Musical to Play In New York

Beginning Performances April 14, 2017

ERNEST SHACKLETON LOVES ME, will begin performances on Friday, April 14, 2017and officially open on Sunday, May 7, 2017 at Off-Broadway’s Tony Kiser Theatre (305 West 43^rd Street).  This strictly limited engagement will play through Sunday, June 11^th only. 

ERNEST SHACKLETON LOVES ME is the epic musical adventure starring GrooveLily's fierce and funny electro-violinist Valerie Vigoda (Striking 12), and the courageous and charismatic Wade McCollum (Priscilla Queen of the Desert). This innovative, high-tech adventure tells the story of a sleep-deprived single mom who struggles to work as a video game music composer. Unexpectedly, she is contacted across time by the famous polar explorer, Ernest Shackleton. Inspired by her music, he shares his epic Antarctic journey with her in video and song.  Against all odds, they discover that their greatest inspiration lies within each other.  

Sir Ernest Shackleton (1874-1922) is widely known as one of the most inspirational leaders of the twentieth century, and is studied by Navy captains and business school students alike. While he never achieved his personal dream of being the first to reach the South Pole, his reputation as a leader of men is based on a still greater success: the survival and safe return of all of his team members, after their ship, the Endurance, was crushed in the middle of its 1,800 mile journey through the Weddell Sea. Whilst overcoming almost unimaginable odds, Shackleton’s men road an iceberg for months before landing on the deserted Elephant Island, exhausted and starving. Shackleton then took five of his strongest men and a twenty foot row boat, and crossed 720 nautical miles in one of the greatest open water traverses in history, landing on the remote South Georgia Island. The six men then spent 36 hours scaling previously unclimbed snowy peaks with nothing but 50 feet of rope and a carpenter’s hammer. Once they found safety, Shackleton rested only a single night before sailing back repeatedly out into the Antarctic ice floe to successfully rescue all 22 of his crew men. Shackleton’s name lives on as a synonym for courage, leadership and most of all, unquenchable optimism. 

At the behest of their expedition sponsor, the Royal Geographic Society, the crew of the Endurance brought 1915 vintage plate photography equipment with them to document their exploits. Despite the harshness of conditions and the loss of their ship, these photos still survive and, with the use of live green screen technology, place the actors into the actual Antarctic landscape of Shackleton. The crew also famously carted along both costumes and musical instruments and put on performances to keep their spirits up through long Antarctic winters. With these rich tools in hand, Ernest Shackleton Loves Me brings this indisputable and indomitable hero across space and time to intimate theatrical life in New York City for the first time.

Tickets for ERNEST SHACKLETON LOVES ME start at $89 and premium tickets are available.  Tickets are available atwww.ernestshackletonlovesme.comTickets for ERNEST SHACKLETON LOVES ME start at $89 and premium tickets are available.  Tickets are available atwww.ernestshackletonlovesme.com

The playing schedule for ERNEST SHACKLETON LOVES ME is as follows: Tuesday at 7pm, Wednesday and Saturday at 2pm and 8pm, Thursday and Friday at 8pm and Sunday at 3pm.

For more information, visit: www.ernestshackletonlovesme.com

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NOW PLAYING AT THE PAPERMILL PLAYHOUSE

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET

LIMITED ENGAGEMENT 

THROUGH APRIL 23, 2017

Performances of Million Dollar Quartet began Wednesday, March 29, 2017, for a limited run through Sunday, April 23, 2017 at Paper Mill Playhouse (22 Brookside Drive) in Millburn, NJ.  Million Dollar Quartet  will be performed at Paper Mill Playhouse eight times a week, Wednesday through Sunday. Performance schedule: Wednesday at 7:30pm, Thursday at 1:30pm and 7:30pm, Friday at 8:00pm, Saturday at 1:30pm and 8:00pm and Sunday at 1:30pm and 7:00pm. Tickets are on sale now starting at $32. Tickets may be purchased by calling 973.376.4343, at the Paper Mill Playhouse Box Office at 22 Brookside Drive in Millburn, or online at www.PaperMill.org. Visa, MasterCard, Discover, and American Express accepted. Groups of 10 or more can receive up to a 40% discount on tickets and should call 973.315.1680. Students may order $20 rush tickets over the phone or in person at the Paper Mill Playhouse box office on the day of the performance.

The smash-hit musical inspired by the famed recording session that brought together rock ’n’ roll icons Elvis Presley, Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Carl Perkins for the first and only time. On December 4, 1956, these four musicians gathered at Sun Records in Memphis for what would be one of the greatest jam sessions ever. Featuring a score of hits including “Blue Suede Shoes,” “Great Balls of Fire,” “Walk the Line,” “Whole Lotta Shakin’ Goin’ On,” “Folsom Prison Blues,” and more, this thrilling musical brings you inside the recording studio for one unforgettable night.

Paper Mill Playhouse, a leader in accessibility, will offer audio-described performances for Million Dollar Quartet on Saturday, April 22, 2017 at 1:30pm and Sunday, April 23, 2017 at 1:30pm. Prior to these performances at noon, the theater will offer free sensory seminars. Sensory seminars offer an opportunity for patrons with vision loss to hear a live, in-depth description of the production elements of the show and hands-on interaction with key sets, props, and costumes.  There will be a sign-interpreted and open-captioned performance on Sunday, April 23, 2017 at 7:00 pm.  

 

Free Audience Enrichment Activities for Million Dollar Quartet

 

Conversation Club: Join us Thursday evenings, March 30, April 6, 13, or 20, one hour before curtain for an informal, informative gathering. You'll learn more about the performance you're about to see and perhaps catch a glimpse of the stage being set.

 

The Director's Viewpoint: One hour before curtain on Wednesday, March 29, we host a pre-show discussion in the Renee Foosaner Art Gallery.

 

Q&A with the Cast: After the matinee on Saturday, April 22, stick around for a lively Q&A with cast members directly following the performance.

For additional information, please visit www.papermill.org.

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CHURCH & STATE" AT NEW WORLD STAGES

 OPEN NOW POST PERFORMANCE DISCUSSIONS SCHEDULED

NEW WORLD STAGES (STAGE 5)

(340 WEST 50^TH STREET)

Church & State, the critically acclaimed play by Jason Odell Williams at New World Stages (340 W. 50^th Street – between 8^th & 9^th Avenues) began performances March 3, 2017 for an open-ended engagement.

Church & State is a fast-paced, seriously funny take on faith, politics, and “The Twitter.” Three days before his bid for re-election in North Carolina, a Republican U.S. Senator makes an off-the-cuff comment to a blogger that calls into question his belief in God. The Senator's devoutly Christian wife and liberal Jewish campaign manager try desperately to contain the damage with mixed results. This brutally honest and surprisingly funny new play sheds light on how religion, guns, and social media influence our politics and our politicians.

Post Performances discussion scheduled for Church & State:

Wednesday, April 12 (immediately following the 8pm performance)

EVERYTOWN FOR GUN SAFETY WITH CELEBRITY GUEST JULIANNE MOORE

Everytown is a movement of Americans working together to end gun violence and build safer communities. Gun violence touches every town in America. For too long, change has been thwarted by the Washington gun lobby and by leaders who refuse to take common-sense steps that will save lives. But something is changing. More than 3 million mayors, moms, cops, teachers, survivors, gun owners, and everyday Americans have come together to make their own communities safer. 

 

Julianne Moore became involved with Everytown for Gun Safety, the largest U.S. organization for gun violence prevention, which launched in 2014 through a combination of the groups Mayors Against Illegal Guns and Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America. Everytown, which boasts more than 3 million members, advocates for initiatives that would create stricter background checks and supports laws that keep guns away from domestic abusers and strengthen safety programs. Everytown President John Feinblatt will be in attendance. The discussion will be moderated by Charlotte Cohn (producer).

 

Wednesday April 19 (immediately following the 8pm performance)

NEW YORKERS AGAINST GUN VIOLENCE (NYAGV)

The mission of New Yorkers Against Gun Violence (NYAGV) is to reduce gun violence through legislative advocacy and education designed to encourage action, influence public opinion and lead to policy change. With a primary focus on New York State, NYAGV also advocates at the local and national levels for laws, policies and practices that protect New York State residents, particularly youth, from gun violence. NYAGV was established in 1993 by Brooklyn mothers galvanized by the senseless shooting death of a teacher in Prospect Park. It is a nonprofit organization.  The discussion will be moderated by Charlotte Cohn (producer).

 

Church & State is produced by Charlotte Cohn, SCS Innovations, LLC, Forty-Eight Theatrical Group, Neil Gooding Productions, Ralph Meranto/JCC CenterStage, Brierpatch Productions, Karen Cohen/Jack Hayflick, and Bonnie E. Lautenberg, in association withNewYorkRep.  Casting is by Wojcik | Seay Casting and Brierpatch Productions provides General Management.

Church & State plays the following performance schedule: Monday at 8pm, Wednesday - Friday at 8pm, Saturday 2pm & 8pm, Sunday 3pm & 7:30pm.

 

Tickets are $59 - $105 and are available for purchase through Telecharge.com/212-239-6200.  They may also be purchased in person at the New World Stages Box Office (340 West

50^th Street.  Visit www.newworldstages.com for box office hours.

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THE YORK THEATRE COMPANY CELEBRATES JAMES MORGAN WITH "FUN-RAISER" SET FOR APRIL 17

It’s a celebration!  The York Theatre Company, dedicated to the development of new musicals and preserving musical gems from the past, will honor its very own Producing Artistic Director James Morgan, on his 20^th anniversary in that position with a Special Spring Concert “Fun-Raiser” hosted by Charlotte Moore, Artistic Director at the Irish Repertory Theater, and award-winning lyricist/director Richard Maltby, Jr.  The special concert evening, directed by Pamela Hunt (Berlin to Broadway) with music direction by Eric Svejcar (Marry Harry) and produced by Bill Castellino (Cagney), is set for Monday evening, April 17, 2017 at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter’s (619 Lexington Avenue).

The Special Spring Concert "Fun-Raiser" will begin with a sit-down dinner at the intimate neighborhood Italian restaurant, Luna Piena (243 East 53^rd Street), for Premium ticket buyers, followed by a concert celebration at the York Theatre featuring Robert Creighton and the cast of Cagney, fan favorite Klea Blackhurst (York’s Happy Hunting), writers Gretchen Cryer, Nancy Ford, Sheldon Harnick, and Tom Jones, and a special segment featuring Nicholas Barnes (The Real Actors of NYC), Jillian Louis (It Shoulda Been You), and Debra Walton (York’s Storyville).  The evening will wrap up with a champagne and dessert reception immediately following the concert so everyone can toast Jim and his dedication to the York and the world of musical theatre.

 

Tickets for the Special Spring Concert “Fun-Raiser” are priced at PREMIUM: $275 (includes Dinner, Concert, and Dessert Reception) and PATRON: $125 (includes Concert and Dessert Reception).  Reservations, or donations can be made by calling (212) 935-5820, or by visiting the website at www.yorktheatre.org.

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And that's the scoop. Tune in tomorrow for another Talking Topic.