Where-To-Go Wednesday- Penn Museum and 40 Winks With the Sphinx

We were given a free tickets to the Penn Museum for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: Penn Museum


Where: 3260 South Street
              Philadelphia

Who: 6 and up




Me - The Penn Museum was an interesting experience. It is an archaeology and anthropology museum. I never been to a museum of that type before. The Penn Museum is part of the University of Pennsylvania. There were a lot of really cool things there.  There were masks  from different cultures. There was also some clothing from a long time ago. It was very old fashioned but some of it was nice. There were a couple of handbags too. All around the museum there were different bits of jewelry.  That was one of of my favorite parts of the museum. The jewelry was so pretty.  I wouldn't mind owning some jewelry that looked like that. There were also a  lot of statues. Some of them didn't have heads. There was even a statue that was part of giant hand. That statute was a broken piece of what must have been a much larger statute. That must have been a really big statue! Another statue looked like a monkey. There was a whole room full of  mummies. The mummies were fascinating. When I was little I would have been afraid of them. There was a model of a house,but I am not sure what is was a symbol of. There was one thing that looked sort of like a bird house. I don't know what it really was though. In one room there was a Sphinx. There were a bunch of different looking coins. There was a piece of really old looking clothing. It looked so uncomfortable. There were some stones with hieroglyphics on them. There were some interactive parts of the museum too. There was a place where you could find out the exact translation of some Latin phrases. There was another place where you could learn about where different objects were found. Over all, it was a very fun museum, and I would extremely recommend going. 




Mom- If you are interested in the history of humans, then you will really enjoy the Penn Museum. The Penn Museum is the largest museum in the United States that is part of a college. Its focuses on archaeology and anthropology.  Its collection contains close to 1,000,000 objects. They include a wide variety of artifacts, such as, statues, pottery, tools, clothing, jewelry and much more. The museum provides a way for kids and adults as well to learn about the history of humankind in an entertaining way. For many people the highlight of the collection is the mummies. The museum houses quite a large collection of mummies. Children will probably find the mummies especially fascinating. I would not recommend them for children who are easily frightened, however. Some of them can be kind of scary looking up close. Another highlight of the museum is the Sphinx. It is the largest in the Western Hemisphere.  Children will enjoy the way it looks like a combination of a person and an animal. There are also some fun interactive exhibits throughout the museum where children can touch objects learn about Latin phrases, and/or see on a map where different objects were found among other things. While the Penn Museum may not be the best museum for very young children, school age children and above as well as adults would probably enjoy a visit. 


For more information about the Penn Museum go to https://www.penn.museum/
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We were given the opportunity to participate in 40 Winks with the Sphinx for free for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: 40 Winks With the Sphinx

Where: Penn Museum
            3260 South Street
            Philadelphia

Who: Children 6 to 12 and their parents or guardians

Me - 40 Winks With the Sphinx is a sleepover at the Penn Museum. It was really entertaining! We got to make Turkish tiles. We really didn't make them. We just decorated them. We learned about hieroglyphics and how to write our names in hieroglyphics. We saw some skulls and one of them was deformed. The forehead was really long. They liked to make their skulls grown like that purposely then because they thought it was a sign of being important. There was a flashlight tour. We walked around and looked at the museum on a guided tour but instead of having the lights on we used flashlights. It was fun. My favorite part of the flashlight tour was when they talked about this crystal ball. We got to sleep in the room with the Sphinx. That is why the sleepover is called 40 Winks With the Sphinx. We all got to participate in a game show although nobody from our family actual got to go on stage. None of us wanted to. Our team was red and blue. Our team lost so we didn't get a prize. We never found out what the winning team got. Breakfast was really good. They had bagels, eggs, French toast and donuts. They also had lots of choices for drinks. Most of it was tasty, but the donuts were just okay. Overall, it was fun a sleepover, and I would really recommend going.

Mom - 40 Winks with the Sphinx is the sleepover program of the Penn Museum. It is not just a name either. You actually get to sleep in the room with the Sphinx. The floor is very hard, however and cots are not provided so you if you have a yoga mat or something soft to place under your sleeping bag you may want to bring it. Air mattresses are not allowed, however. At the beginning of your night at the museum, there is an orientation followed by a fun game where the room is divided into teams and people from each team are chosen to come up on stage and answers questions. The first part  of the game involves guessing what an object is and where it is from. The second  part involves guessing the location of an object in a photograph. After each question a new set of people is chosen to go up and answer the question so as many people as possible have a chance to participate. The winning team is actually awarded some kind or prize but since we didn't win, we don't know what the prize is. After that, you can choose from variety of organized activities including designing a Turkish tile, learning to read and write hieroglyphics, participating in a yoga session, or getting up close to a mummy and learning more about it and maybe even touching it, if you a dare. You are able to participate in as many of these activities as you want and have time for or you can explore the museum on your own during this time as all the exhibits are open. You can also explore the museum the next day if you prefer. Adults attending 40 Winks With the Sphinx are provided with a guidebook and a map to help you find your way around the museum. Children are provided with a an interactive adventure booklet which includes a museum scavenger hunt which you can participate in if you want to and have time. It also contains a crossword puzzle and a museum map. Make sure to bring a flashlight for the fun night time flashlight expedition through the museum. During the expedition, you get to stop and learn more about different objects in the museum collection. The sleepover staff is made up of graduate students in the University of Pennsylvania's archaeology and anthropology department and they are very knowledgeable and friendly and happy to answer your questions. They definitely help make a sleepover at the Penn Museum a fun and entertaining evening for everyone.

For more information about participating in an upcoming 40 Winks With the Sphinx sleepover  at the Penn Museum go to https://www.penn.museum/programs/kids-and-family/40-winks-with-the-sphinx-sleepover.

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Theater Thursday.

Tips for Tuesday- Misc.: Skinny Cow Simply Amazing Salted Caramel Pretzel and DeliBru Reusable K-Cups

We have been give some of the products mentioned below for review purposes. This post may also contain affiliate links. If you click on a link and make a purchase, we may be compensated.  Any and all opinions here are our own.

Me - Today I am recommending Skinny Cow Simply Amazing Salted Caramel Pretzel bars. There are so good. If you love the idea of caramel, pretzels, chocolate, and vanilla ice cream all in one bar, you will love them. Even though they are probably not super healthy for you either, they are probably healthier for you than regular ice cream bars. Besides, they are really delicious!

Mom - Today I am recommending DeliBru reusable K-Cups. They are a great money saving alternative to constantly buying single use K-Cup coffee pods. You can just use your own coffee and make it in your Keurig or other similiar machines. DeliBru is compatible with both Keurig 1.0 and 2.0 as well as other brands of K-Cup machine.It is also 100% PBA free so you can feel safe using it. It seals tightly and is dishwasher safe so it is not messy to use and is easy to clean when you are done using it. It makes coffee that tastes just as delicious as coffee made using any single use K-cup coffee pod. It is the best, the easiest and the most economical way to make single cups of coffee.


And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go Wednesday.

Monthly Mash-up May 2017 Seasons and Hedwig and the Angry Inch

Me - My topic for this month is seasons. I hate winter. It's cold, and it's snowy. There's a lot of ice so it's slippery. I do like sledding in the winter. I like ice skating too even though I have only been once in my life. Also, I like building snowmen. I don't like building them alone because it's lonely. I like building them with my sister. Fall is my least favorite season. The leaves fall and trees don't look as nice. Also, the leaves get in my hair. School starts, and it starts to get cold. I do like Halloween though because I love candy, and I like dressing up. I also like Pumpkin Pie which is in season in Fall. I like the middle of Spring weatherwise. It's usually not too cold and it's not too hot. I also like that the flowers grow in Spring because they're pretty. However, I don't like that it rains a lot. I love summer. Summer is my favorite season. It's warm, but I don't like that it gets really hot. I like that I have no school in the summer so I can go out and do fun things. Also, my birthday is in summer. Unfortunately, it's at the end. The weather is not really too great in any of the seasons. It is always too hot or too cold. There are very few days when it's just right. Over all, even though I like some seasons better than others, there are at least some good things and some bad things about every season.

We were given free tickets to Hedwig and the Angry Inch for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are my own.

Mom - My topic for this month is Hedwig and the Angry Inch I recently had the opportunity to see the touring show of Hedwig and the Angry Inch at State Theatre New Jersey. It was the last show of their 2016/2017 Broadway series. The show is a rock musical about an East German singer who takes on a female persona after a botched sex change operation which was performed so that she could marry a man and leave East Germany. Although this might seem to some like a strange subject for a musical, it is actually a very entertaining show. If you like to see shows that are unique, you would definitely enjoy this one. If you like to see moving shows that stir your emotions, you will like this show too. There is a lot more to Hedwig and her story then you learn from just that brief plot synopsis. The show was last on Broadway in 2014 and 2015. That production won a a bunch of awards including a Tony for Best Musical Revival as well as  a Tony for Neil Patrick Harris in the lead role. Euan Morton plays the lead role in the touring company of Hedwig and the Angry Inch. He played Boy George in the short lived musical about the singer, Taboo in 2003. He does a nice job with the character of Hedwig especially in the more emotional moments. Hanna Corneau is equally good as Hedwig's husband, Yitzak. The rest of the cast consists of Hedwig's band members but none of their characters is really developed. The show was at State Theatre New Jersey from May 19 through May 21 and is now in Boston.

For more information about the Hedwig and the Angry Inch or to find out about future tour dates go to http://hedwigbroadway.com/

For information about upcoming events at State Theatre New Jersey including their Broadway series for 2017/2018 go to https://www.statetheatrenj.org/events.

And that's our view. What's on your mind?

Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

Sunday Scoop Week of 5/28/17 - What's Happening This Week or Coming Up Soon

Stars in the Alley

FRIDAY JUNE 2, 2017

1:00pm

RAIN OR SHINE!

Free Outdoor Broadway Concert

In Legendary Shubert Alley

Featuring Musical Performances and Appearances

From Over 20 Broadway Shows!

STARS IN THE ALLEY^® is proud to announce that 2017 Tony Award^® Nominee for Falsettos Brandon Uranowitz will serve as social media correspondent for the 2017 concert. He will be on hand to cover the event live onTwitter and on Instagram bringing fans both exclusive backstage access and a unique perspective on all that’s happening on stage and in the audience this year.

The end of season celebration will also include scheduled appearances by even more 2017 Tony Award nominated performers including: Jenn Colella (Come From Away), Rachel Bay Jones (Dear Evan Hansen), Dave Malloy (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812), John Douglas Thompson and Ruben Santiago-Hudson (August Wilson’s Jitney), Richard Thomas (The Little Foxes), Eva Noblezada (Miss Saigon), Corey Hawkins (Six Degrees of Separation), Johanna Day and Michelle Wilson (Sweat) as well as performances from 2017 Tony Award-nominated musicals including: Anastasia, Bandstand, Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen, Groundhog Day the Musical, Miss Saigon, and Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812.

STARS IN THE ALLEY will take place on Friday, June 2nd at 1:00pm in Broadway’s legendary Shubert Alley, west of Seventh Avenue between 44th & 45th streets. The free outdoor concert with live music, produced by the Broadway League and sponsored by United Airlines, celebrates the end of the 2016-2017 Broadway season and adds to the festivities leading up to the 2017 Tony Awards. The event will consist of performances from over 20 musicals, including shows from this past season as well as numbers from current long-running shows, all accompanied by a 12-piece live orchestra.

PARTICIPATING MUSICALS* INCLUDE:

Aladdin, Anastasia, Bandstand, Beautiful: The Carole King Musical, A Bronx Tale, Cats,

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Chicago, Come From Away, Dear Evan Hansen,

Groundhog Day the Musical, Kinky Boots, Miss Saigon, Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812,

On Your Feet! The Story of Emilio and Gloria Estefan, The Phantom of the Opera,

School of Rock – The Musical, Sunset Boulevard, Waitress, Wicked

WITH ADDITIONAL APPEARANCES* FROM:

August Wilson’s Jitney, The Little Foxes, The Play That Goes Wrong,

Present Laughter, Six Degrees of Separation, Sweat, War Paint

INCLUDING PERFORMANCES OR APPEARANCES BY*:

Christy Altomare, Alistair Brammer, Nick Cordero, Trista Dollison, Barrett Doss, John Dossett,

Ali Ewoldt, Christopher Fitzgerald, Alyssa Fox, J. Harrsion Ghee, Alan H. Green, Ellen Harvey,

John Benjamin Hickey, Caitlin Houlahan, Rodney Ingram, Allison Janney, Telly Leung,

Kristolyn Lloyd, Bianca MarroquÍn, Tedra Millan, Sean Montgomery, Abby Mueller,

Laura Osnes, Mamie Parris, Will Roland, Charlie Russell, Athan Sporek, Douglas Sills,

Ana Villafañe, Michelle Wilson, Michael Xavier, Nancy Zamit

                                                                                               

*(subject to change)

For more details about STARS IN THE ALLEY or for Broadway information in NYC as well as for shows on tour across North America and internationally, visit Broadway.org.

The concert will come just nine days before the American Theatre Wing’s 71st Annual Tony Awards. The ceremony will air on the CBS Television Network on Sunday, June 11, 2017 (8:00-11:00 PM, ET/delayed PT) live from Radio City Music Hall in New York City, hosted by Tony Award-winner Kevin Spacey. The Tony Awards, which honor theatre professionals for distinguished achievement on Broadway, have been broadcast on CBS since 1978. The Tony Awards are presented by The Broadway League and the American Theatre Wing.  

For more information on the Tony Awards, visit TonyAwards.com and Facebook.com/TheTonyAwards and follow @TheTonyAwards on Instagram and Twitter.

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Upcoming at State Theatre New Jersey:

Dance Stop Love is All You Need and Warner Bros.Bugs Bunny at the Symphony

15 Livingston Ave.

New Brunswick, NJ 

Friday June 2, 7:00 PM

Saturday June 3 11:00 AM, 2:30 PM, 6:30 PM

Dance Stop

Love is All You Need

Presented by Dance Stop Education Center

For more information or to purchase tickets click here

Sunday June 4, 3:00 PM

Warner Bros. Presents Bugs Bunny at the Symphony

Created and conducted by George Daugherty

For more information or to purchase tickets click here

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Summer Camp Open House 

at TADA! Youth Theater

15 W. 28th St.

New York, NY

If you would like to learn more about TADA!’s Summer Camps join them for their next Open House on Saturday, June 3, 2017 from 10:00am-2:15pm. Come and join them for a sample class taught by their Professional Teaching Artists and a Q&A with the TADA! Education Staff. 

For more information or to register click here

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Upcoming at iPlay America:

SASS: An Event for Today's Women

110 Schank Rd.

Freehold, NJ

It’s all about Style, Pampering, Prizes, and Fun! SASS is a day for Today’s Women. It is definitely NOT your mother’s Women’s Expo! Join the all new 107.1 The BOSS, Thunder 106, and B98.5 on Saturday, June 3rd, Noon – 4 PM at the iPlay America Events Center. Sass will feature live entertainment, shopping, and information centered around female consumers, 21 – 55+ years old. Admission is FREE!

For more information click here

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Continuing Through Next Weekend at Kelsey Theater:

Disney's The Little Mermaid
1200 Old Trenton Rd.
West Windsor, NJ 

Friday June 2, & Saturday June 3, 8:00 PM
Saturday June 3 & Sunday June 4 2:00 PM

Based on one of Hans Christian Andersen's most beloved stories and the classic animated film, Disney's The Little Mermaid is a hauntingly beautiful love story for the ages. The Yardley Players brings this underwater spectacular to life starring Ariel, Prince Eric, Flounder the fish, Scuttle the Seagull, Sebastian the Crab and, of course, the Evil Sea Witch, Ursula. With music by eight-time Academy Award winner Alan Menken, lyrics by Howard Ashman and Glenn Slater, and a compelling book by Doug Wright, this fishy fable will capture your heart with irresistible songs including "Under the Sea," "Kiss the Girl," and "Part of Your World."

For more information or to purchase tickets click here
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Upcoming at Symphony Space:

Thalia's Book Club Presents: Rachel Renee Russall, Author of Dork Diaries

2537 Broadway

New York, NY

Friday June 2, 6:00 PM 

with Special Guest: Sonia Manzano

The author of the Dork Diaries series stops by Symphony Space to discuss her New York Times best-selling series with Sonia Manzano (Maria from Sesame Street).The series follows Nikki Maxwell as she chronicles her life through hilarious stories and art in her illustrated diaries.

The event is co-produced with Bank Street Book Store. It's great for ages 9-13.

For more information click here

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Upcoming at Merkin Concert Hall:

Chinese Music Ensemble of New York

Kaufman Music Center

129 W. 67th

New York, NY

Sunday June 4, 3:00 PM

The 2017 Annual Spring Concert features a wide variety of compositions, from ancient Chinese to modern classical. Traditional Chinese instruments are featured in various settings from solo to full orchestra.

For more information or to purchase tickets click here

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PR Firm Roundup

News from BroadwayCon

BROADWAYCON ADDS

ANN HARADA, ADAM CHANLER-BERAT,

EMMA HUNTON, AND ANTHONY ROSENTHAL

BroadwayCon is pleased to announce that Adam Chanler-Berat, Ann Harada, Emma Hunton, and Anthony Rosenthal have joined the Special Guest lineup for BroadwayCon 2018. BroadwayCon will return to the Jacob K. Javits Convention Center Friday, January 26 through Sunday, January 28, 2018. Tickets for BroadwayCon 2018 are available for purchase now at www.BroadwayCon.com/register.

Previously announced Special Guests include Co-Creator Anthony Rapp, as well as Laura Benanti, Heidi Blickenstaff, Stephanie J. Block, Alex Brightman, Andrea Burns, Ben Cameron, Carolee Carmello, Andrew Chappelle, Jenn Colella, Lilli Cooper, Veanne Cox, Janet Dacal, Ben Fankhauser, Annie Golden, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Derek Klena, Raymond J. Lee, Joe Mantello, Lesli Margherita, Ruthie Ann Miles, Donna Murphy, Kelli O’Hara, Laura Osnes, Bryce Pinkham, Kyle Scatliffe, Leigh Silverman, and James Snyder. Additional Special Guests will be announced at a later date.

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News from DKC/O & M

BROADWAY ACROSS AMERICA, BROADWAY.COM

AND SIRIUSXM

TEAM UP FOR NEW CONTENT AND PROGRAMS

“SIRIUSXM ON BROADWAY…ACROSS AMERICA” PROGRAM

WILL DEBUT ON SIRIUSXM’S ON BROADWAY CHANNEL IN JUNE

Broadway Across America and Broadway.com announced new programming with SiriusXM that will deliver Broadway and theatrical content to markets nationwide. The new program,“SiriusXM on Broadway...Across America,” will feature exclusive content and interviews from Broadway’s hottest touring shows and events throughout the country, and will air exclusively on SiriusXM’s On Broadway channel.

Broadway Across America and Broadway.com announced new programming with SiriusXM that will deliver Broadway and theatrical content to markets nationwide. The new program,“SiriusXM on Broadway...Across America,” will feature exclusive content and interviews from Broadway’s hottest touring shows and events throughout the country, and will air exclusively on SiriusXM’s On Broadway channel.

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HIT MUSICAL PARODY

SPAMILTON

MOVES TO W. 47th STREET – JUST ONE BLOCK FROM ITS PRIMARY TARGET

THE SMASH SENSATION ALSO RECEIVES ITS WEST COAST PREMIERE

AT THE CENTER THEATRE GROUP’S KIRK DOUGLAS THEATRE IN

LOS ANGELES TO BE FOLLOWED BY A NATIONAL TOUR

 Following a run of nine months packing audiences in at The Triad on W. 72nd St., Spamilton, the comedic musical take on all things Hamilton and Broadway, announced its move to 47th Street Theatre/The Puerto Rican Traveling Theater with performances beginning June 2^nd, 2017. The show’s move to Off Broadway puts it just a stone's throw from the theater housing its inspiration and main punchline. The show is set for an open engagement.

In addition to the Off Broadway move in New York City and the recent launch of a Chicago production, Spamilton will get its West Coast premiere at the Kirk Douglas Theatre.  Produced in Los Angeles by Center Theatre Group, 

Spamilton will run November 5 through December 31, 2017, with opening set for November 12. That production will launch a national tour with additional cities and dates to be announced.

The new iterations in Chicago, New York, and Los Angeles will also see some updates to the show, keeping the references, music, and jest current and relevant to this crowded Broadway season.

For complete performance schedules, tickets, and pricing for New York and Chicago, you can visit www.spamilton.com.  For additional information about the Los Angeles production, please visit www.CenterTheatreGroup.org. 

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News from Michelle Tabnick PR

BALLET HISPANICO

School of Dance

announces

2017 Summer Programs

for students of all ages

Ballet Hispánico, the nation's premier Latino dance organization, announces this year's Ballet Hispánico School of Dance 2017 Summer Programs.  Celebrating 45 years of dance and culture, the Ballet Hispánico School of Dance is a leading center of excellence in dance education accessible to the community at large.  Located at 167 W. 89^th Street, NYC, the School offers something for students of all ages.

Summer Dance Camps, June 12 - July 8, 2017 - ages 3-8

Los Explorers (ages 3-5): Explorers will jump and create throughout the streets of Brazil, experience the wonder of moving through the mountains of Argentina, and learn the songs and dances of Spain in week-long camp adventures. Children are guided on a multi-sensory journey around the rhythms, stories, and natural wonders of these featured countries. Every week culminates in an open-studio invitation for loved ones to witness and celebrate their Explorer's journey. Monday through Friday, 9am-noon, with the exception of the final week (Wednesday, through Saturday). Cost: $425 per week-long camp. Fourth week is $350 due to shorter duration.

https://www.ballethispanico.org/classes/preschool-camps

Los Adventurers (ages 6-8): For the older traveler, Ballet Hispánico's Los Adventurers Summer Dance Camp offers the ultimate mix of movement and cultural exploration for the budding dancer. Attendees develop appreciation for the rich music and art of the vibrant cultures of Spain and Cuba while gaining a welcoming introduction into ballet, Flamenco, and Latin American dance styles. Each week culminates in an open-studio invitation for loved ones to witness and celebrate their Adventurer's journey. Monday through Friday,9am-noon. Cost: $415-475.

https://www.ballethispanico.org/classes/adventurers

ChoreoLaB, June 19 - 30, 2017 - ages 18+

An immersive, career-building program that places rising professional dancers in an intimate studio experience with distinguished choreographers and seasoned artistic staff.Artists in today's dance world must be more than just technicians. Beyond demonstrating skilled technique, dancers are frequently expected to contribute thoughtfully to a choreographic process, transition seamlessly between varied styles of repertoire, and possess strong partnering ability. Dancers can face challenges getting hired if they lack the business skills to communicate professionally with artistic directors, or create supporting application materials that best demonstrate their artistic strengths. In ChoreoLaB, hone both artistic skills and professional excellence through a holistic program that produces in-demand dancers ready to advance their careers. Collaborate with distinguished choreographers and seasoned artistic staff in an intimate two-week studio experience at Ballet Hispánico, receiving constructive feedback and guidance along the way. The program includes:classes in ballet, contemporary, improvisation, partnering, and Ballet Hispánico's Latin-fusion contemporary; work in a choreographic process with renowned guest choreographers (see below); excerpts of Ballet Hispánico's repertory from Company Dancers & Artistic Staff including works by Gustavo Ramírez Sansano, Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, and Artistic Director & CEO Eduardo Vilaro; forums and Q&A sessions with the Company Dancers and Artistic Staff regarding auditioning, professional communication skills, and other tricks of the trade; and participation in an open call audition for the Ballet Hispánico Company, with feedback from the Artistic Staff once the audition concludes. 

For audition details, visit www.ballethispanico.org/classes/choreolab.

Summer Intensive, July 10 - 28, 2017 - ages 8+ 

A one-of-a-kind Summer Intensive that challenges students to strengthen their

classical technique, experience contemporary forms, and develop professional

skills through specialized forums, all through a multicultural lens at one of the

nation's leading training programs

Led by Michelle Manzanales, Director of the Ballet Hispánico School of Dance, and Caridad Martinez, former principal dancer with the Cuban National Ballet, Ballet Hispánico's multifaceted Summer Intensive experience provides

• Daily Classical Ballet & Pointe classes founded in Cuban methodology, a specialty unique to Ballet Hispánico
• Classical Variations & Partnering
• Modern & Contemporary classes with leading artists in the field from Limón and Dunham to Improvisation and Contemporary Partnering
• Flamenco Series for both beginners and more experienced students, focusing on the cante, palmas, and palo studies
• Ballet Hispánico Repertory classes taught by Ballet Hispánico Company Members & Alumni
• Conditioning & Stretch
• Master Classes in Hip-Hop, House, Afro-Cuban, Salsa, Escuela Bolera, and more!
• Professional Development Seminars including:

How to Audition (Creating a Video Reel, Writing a Resume, Headshots)
College & Beyond
Ask the Pros: Q&A Sessions with Ballet Hispánico Company Members
Dancer Wellness & Self-Care

• Parent Forums: learn how to communicate with your child to support their journey through the dance world
• Open Studios on final day of Intensive

For audition details, visit www.ballethispanico.org/classes/summer-intensive.

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Downtown Jewish Life presents

INTO THE NIGHT

Tuesday, May 30, 2017

hosted by The 14th Street Y

Downtown Jewish Life presents INTO THE NIGHT: a contemporary spin on Tikkun Leil Shavuot, hosted by The 14th Street Y on Tuesday, May 30, 2017, from 7:00pm onward (into the night) at 344 East 14th Street, New York City.

The Tikkun is a night-long journey through culture in the vein of the many vernal "White Nights" of European traditions. The event will feature conversation and ritual led by artists, musicians, shamans, teachers, scholars, and rabbis. Downtown synagogues and community organizations will lead sessions and workshops designed to provoke philosophical discussion with attendees from all backgrounds.

From dance, music and poetry to mixology, text study, sacred chanting, events during the night will provide an environment of thought, culture, creativity, and an extension past one's daily life. While learning deep INTO THE NIGHT we will explore and challenge the notion of Jewish Ritual in inspiring new ways.

The "We the People" Track offers an engaging and revealing look at the issues facing audiences today through an anarchic knitting circle, a civil action / call postcard-making station, monologues by Flux Theater on immigrations issues, and a reading and workshop on the Constitution.

More than 20 downtown community partners, theater and dance companies, Argentinean Visual Artists, and French Theater Director, Astrid Bas, plus Frank London and Nadav Lev will join in the fourth-annual night-time journey through conversation, culture, and ritual.

"On this holy evening, we are presenting "The Gaga Poems" to share the feminine energy, poetry, and spirit of six women dancers. These are poems about love and hope. They were inspired by my transformative experience of Gaga, a cutting edge dance vocabulary created by the Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin."

-Lea Fridman & Astrid Bas, Artists

Admission is free and there will be programs for all levels of observance. A photo ID is required for entry. Advance RSVP is recommended. For more information and to reserve a spot, please visit http://www.14streety.org/IntoTheNight.

PROGRAM HIGHLIGHTS

We the People Track

* Activate the Constitution || Breathe Free - Flux Theater Ensemble--a vital part of the indie theater community brings their project "Breathe Free" to our Tikkun. This performance piece will activate our constitution while inspiring a discourse on immigration.

* New York Constitutional Convention - Benjamin Kamine and Atlantic Theater Company's, Abigail Katz read the constitution out loud - workshop

* Anarchic Knitting Circle

* Postcard Party Station -  make a postcard for a cause

* Deb's workshop Workshop: Service, citizenship, and the "We the People" initiative against hate

* Citizenshlep: Selected Readings on Jewish Immigration -- Author Gordon Haber invites you to read and discuss selected pieces on citizenship and the Jews from 20th century fiction

Arts/Performances

* Nadav Lev and the Corrections, featuring Jessica Kate Meyers and Frank London

present BIKURIM, a new musical adventure that explores Sephardic, Spanish and Israeli sounds, bringing them together to create a personal, innovative mesh. With Nadav Lev, guitar, Rene Hart, double bass, Satoshi Takeishi, percussion, Rabbi Jessica Kate Meyers, vocal, Frank London, trumpet.

* Israeli Folk Dance Unplugged -- Through dancing and discussion, we will examine the historic and political context of early Israeli folk dances, the choreographers' relationships to the diaspora and European folklore, and the role of appropriated gestures from Jewish Yemenite and Palestinians communities in the creation and dissemination of new national identity.

* REVIVAL -- REVIVAL is a spiritual folk rock performance that speaks to the urgent moral issues of our day and draws from Jewish, Christian, and secular themes of justice and healing.

* The Gaga Poems -- Created by French artist Astrid Bas  This work is a choreography of poetry, dance, and music.

* The composer and his Other: Wagner as Yiddish Opera - A concert performance of one scene from A Yiddishe Wagner followed by a discussion.

* Kaleidoscope: What Does Jewish Look Like to You?

Kaleidoscope is a narrative arts monologue showcase that foregrounds the stories of Jews of diverse racial and ethnic backgrounds. Come here a few of the Kaleidoscope cast members perform their monologues and engage in discussion around the intersection of storytelling, Jewish peoplehood, and diversity.

Lectures/Workshops

* LABA Buenos Aires presents: BORGES AND THE KABBALAH

Saul Sosnowski and Mirta Kupferminc will talk about this themes while sharing the artistic handmade book they made together with cabalistic concepts, poetry and etchings.

* LABA BA presents in the Gallery: The Other South

Artists from LABA-Buenos Aires  will present their work on The Other - Drawings, lithographies, installations and  Artist Books.

*Preparing for Revelation Through Sacred Chant with Rabbi Eva

We will joyfully prepare for revelation by opening our hearts and attuning ourselves to the Holy One of Blessings through Sacred Hebrew Chant. 

* Holistic Moroccan Belly Dance Workshop

The workshop combines Belly Dance with Moroccan Berber folklore, while focusing on the organic movement of the body and using elements of trance.

* A Talmud Shiur: Humanitarian vs. Halakhic Concerns Regarding Healing on the Sabbath

The gospels claim that the Talmudic rabbis prohibited healing on the Sabbath. We will read Mishnah and Gemara to see if that claim is correct.

* From Dystopia to Utopia: A Jewish Vision of a Better World

Rabbi Ross will draw from his first book, The Ten Commandments, to present a Jewish vision of a better world.

* Dinah in the Age of Trump - Come and learn the less popular Rabbinic traditions on Dinah, and what they have to teach us about being a woman in the age of Trump. Rabbi Bronwen Mullin Bronwen / Town & Village Synagogue.

* Do Not Follow Your Heart! [Numbers 15:39]  Our Torah offers important advice about personal restraint, only to be contradicted by Kohelet's admonition to "follow the desires of your heart." Given our over-heated political climate, which way do we go?  Join Rabbi Larry Sebert and Dr. Glen Millstein, CUNY Professor of Clinical Psychology, to explore a Jewish perspective on impulse and passion - where they can lead us astray and how they can make things right.

Throughout the night, there will be an open café, a postcard-making station, and LABA BA artists in the gallery.

A full schedule of participants and program can be found below and online at www.14streety.org/IntoTheNight.

**

Janis Brenner & Dancers

New York Season

featuring 2 New York Premieres

June 1-3, 2017

Janis Brenner & Dancers presents its New York Season from Thursday, June 1 - Saturday, June 3, 2017 at 8pm

 at Gibney Dance: Agnes Varis Performing Arts Center, 280 Broadway (entrance at 53A Chambers Street), NYC.  Tickets are $20 in advance, $25 at the door, and are available at 646-837-6809 or www.gibneydance.org/performance/pop/janis-brenner.

**

Doug Varone and Dancers

 Summer Workshop 2017

June 4 - 23, 2017

New York City's famed Doug Varone and Dancers will offer Summer Workshop 2017, an immersive, three-week workshop for pre-professional and professional dancers, at Purchase College.

The workshop includes:

Pilates/Morning Warm Up (optional): This class consists of a series of mat exercises developed by Joseph Pilates in combination with somatic and rehabilitation exercises that strengthen the body's core muscles and connect the mind and body. This class will prepare participants for a full day of dancing. Taught by former company member Stephanie Liapis.

Modern Technique: This highly technical, movement-based class investigates the line of human movement and how it can affect the broader strokes of our dancing. Through the expansive use of the back and limbs, Varone's style will be explored through an emphasis on breath, strength, dynamic lyricism and musicality.

Phrase Work: This class investigates individual phrases created on the spot as well as phrases from Company repertory. Students will focus on quick assimilation and exploration of movement in terms of quality and musicality.

Ballet: This class encourages the individual dancer to be their whole self within the material, and to nurture and expand the form's technical and expressive parameters from barre work to flight while exploring the ever shifting balance between rigor and ease. Each student will take ballet in the afternoon for half of the three weeks. Taught by Megan Williams.

Improvisation: The class will provide an opportunity for students to hone in on their individuality, creativity, and ability to make choices in the moment. Each student will take improvisation in the afternoon for half of the three weeks. Taught by former company member, Keith Johnson.

Each student will also choose one elective class from the list below for the entirety of the three weeks. 

Repertory - Large Work: Company members will stage a section of one of Varone's larger group works on participants for an informal performance at the end of the workshop. The class will focus on movement dynamics and spatial awareness within group choreography, as duets and solos gather seamlessly into group explosions of choreographed chaos.

Repertory - Exploring Excerpts: This class will spend short intense spans of time exploring excerpts (i.e. duets, trios, etc.) from a variety of pieces, offering an overview of Varone's work. Through this investigation, the class will experience the wide range of movement dynamics, emotional nuance and spatial architecture inherent in Varone's choreography.

Choreographic Devices with Doug Varone: The teacher will emphasize compositional structure and explore new devices for expanding and inventing material. A large body of material will be created, varied and manipulated both in and out of the studio, pushing towards the development of a new work utilizing the material built in class.

New Work: This class will focus on the creation of a new work by former company member, Keith Johnson. Participants will be involved in the creative process and will have the opportunity to explore the personal and performance aspects of the dance throughout the three weeks.

Performance Skills: In this class, dancers will examine how to use time, focus, awareness and identity as tools to explore the performance experience and build a performance practice. We will strive for authenticity and expressivity in daily discussion, observation and comprehensive movement exercises. Performance Skills will be taught by former company member, Stephanie Liapis.

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News from Richard Hillman PR

LAST WEEKS!

C H U R C H  &  S T A T E

A PLAY BY JASON ODELL WILLIAMS

DIRECTED BY MARKUS POTTER

TO PLAY FINAL PERFORMANCE

SUNDAY, JUNE 4, 2017

NEW WORLD STAGES (STAGE 5)

(340 WEST 50^TH STREET)

Producer Charlotte Cohn with SCS Innovations LLC, Franklin Theatrical Group, Neil Gooding Productions, Ralph Meranto/JCC CenterStage, Brierpatch Productions, Karen Cohen/Jack Hayflick, Bonnie E. Lautenberg, in association with NewYorkRep, announced today that Church & State, the critically acclaimed play by Jason Odell Williams, a “BEST PLAY” nominee from the Off Broadway Alliance, will play its final performance Sunday, June 4 at 7:30 p.m. Directed by Markus Potter (Stalking the Bogeyman), Church & State is currently running at New World Stages (340 W. 50^th Street – between 8^th & 9^th Avenues).  At the time of closing, Church & State will have played 29 previews and 81 regular performances.

Church & State plays the following performance schedule: Monday at 8pm, Wednesday - Friday at 8pm, Saturday 2pm & 8pm, Sunday3pm & 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.

**

NEW YORK PREMIERE

ATTACK OF THE ELVIS IMPERSONATORS

A NEW MUSICAL GUARANTEED TO BRING THE SPIRIT OF ELVIS BACK TO LIFE!

BOOK, MUSIC, LYRICS BY LORY LAZARUS

DIRECTED BY DON STEPHENSON

CHOREOGRAPHY BY MELISSA ZAREMBA

PERFORMANCES BEGIN JUNE 1, 2017

AT THE LION THEATRE AT THEATRE ROW

 Producer Lawrence Rosner will present the New York premiere of the new musical that will unleash your inner hound dog, Attack of the Elvis Impersonators, with book, music and lyrics by Lory Lazarus.  Directed by Broadway veteran Don Stephenson and with choreography by Melissa Zaremba, performances are set to begin Thursday, June 1, 2017 at The Lion Theatre at Theatre Row (410 West 42^nd Street, between 9^th & 10^th Avenues).  Opening Night is set for Thursday, June 15, 2017. 

When the soul of Elvis returns to Earth and inhabits the body of the most famous rock star in history, he instructs his disciples that to bring peace to the planet we must all unite as one -- and to do that the entire human race must impersonate Elvis.  Satirizing everything from idol worship to people who have experienced actual healing by their faith in Elvis, Attack of the Elvis Impersonators will make you howl (like a canine) as it converts you to Hound Dog, the new religion of peace.

 

Attack of the Elvis Impersonators will play the following performance schedule:  Thursdays at 8:00 p.m., Fridays at 8:00 p.m., Saturdays at 2:00 p.m. & 8:00 p.m., Sundays at 3:00 p.m. & 7:30 p.m., and Mondays at 8:00 p.m.  (There are no Tuesday or Wednesday performances.)

Tickets for Attack of the Elvis Impersonators are priced at $79 with Premium Seats available at $99. Tickets may be purchased at Teleharge.com /212-239-6200.

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