Funtivity Friday - 4th of July Online Activities

Here are some fun things to do online related to Independence Day: 

1) Read Independence Day poems - Here is a link to one website where you can find some 4th of July poems https://www.familyfriendpoems.com/poem/the-4th-of-july.

2) Look up some interesting 4th of July Trivia - Here's a link to one website where you can find some 4th of July trivia https://www.themanual.com/culture/4th-of-july-fun-facts.

3) Do 4th of  July puzzles - Here's a link to one website where you can find some 4th of July word games and puzzles http://www.planetozkids.com/ozzoom/wordgames/4th-july-word-search.htm

4) Play Independence Day games - Here is a a link to one website where can  you find some 4th of July online games 

http://www.primarygames.com/holidays/july4/games.php.

What fun online activities can you think of related to the 4th of July?

Enjoy!

Tune in Sunday for this week's Sunday Scoop.

photo credit: Romain Pontida Niagara Falls Summer Fireworks via photopin (license)

Theater Thursday - ComedySportz

We were given free tickets to ComedySportz for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: ComedySportz

Where: The Broadway Comedy Club
             315 W. 53rd St.
             New York, NY
            (Visit ComedySportz Worldwide at http://www.cszworldwide.com/find-csz-     
            worldwide for other locations)

Who: All ages

Me - ComedySportz was extremely entertaining! It was unlike any show I had ever seen before. There were two teams and they were competing in an improv comedy competition . Each round was a different challenge. All of the challenges had little parts that the audience got to help with. The audience offered suggestions like if they needed a color or a song title or other things like that.  There was one game where they were having a conversation about a particular topic, and then the referee would ring a bell. When he rang a bell, they would have to make up a song using the last line they had said. All of the challenges were hysterically amusing. I really enjoyed the show!  Everyone would love this show except for people who don't like to laugh.

Mom - ComedySportz is a family friendly interactive show.  However, it is not only for families. It is great for a night out with the friends, a date night or pretty much any gathering of people that just want to be entertained and amused. Two teams compete at improv challenges with the help of the audience. The audience is asked for information needed for the various challenges and also gets to vote on the winner of each challenge. At the end of of the night, an overall winning team is chosen according to which team has the most points. At times, throughout the night points are even awarded to audience members (although the points don't get you anything except maybe bragging rights at having received them).  The challenges the teams participate in are all delightfully fun. They included one in which the two teams have to make up rap songs and one in which they have to smoothly incorporate sayings chosen from audience suggestions into a scene.  At one point, a member of the audience even got to get up on stage and participate in a challenge. The show is all very tongue in cheek and very hilarious. If you are looking for a unique and enjoyable evening and you want a good laugh, ComedySportz is a great choice.

For more information about ComedySportz New York, visit http://csznewyork.com/ To find a ComedySportz location near you go to http://www.cszworldwide.com/find-csz-     

worldwide.

And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Funtivity Friday.

Where-To-Go Wednesday - Museum at FIT: Fashion Unraveled

What: Fashion Unraveled

Where: Museum at FIT
            7th Avenue and 27th St.
            New York, NY

Who: All ages

When: Now through November 17, 2018

 
 

Me - Fashion Unraveled at the Museum at FIT was nice.Some of the clothes I liked, and some I didn't. There were lots of dresses and there were a few coats. There was one dress that looked like a garbage bag. There was a purple dress. I liked the color and the bottom of the dress but I didn't really like the top. There was a pink dress and a top that was really busy. There was a pretty dress with the flowers. I wouldn't wearing something like that because it was really old fashioned but it was pretty. There was a dress and a jacket made out of a sack. There was another jacket made out of a quilt. There were outfits made out of old denim.There were outfits made out of rugby shirts. There was an outfit made out of old trousers, and it looked it. There was a dress  with fringe at the bottom. The fringe reminded me of bird feathers. There was a red jacket that reminded me of a circus. There was one outfit that looked like really badly done splatter paint. Another reminded me of  a very poorly wrapped birthday present. There were shoes in  a case. The exhibit over all was fascinating.

 
 

Mom - The current exhibit at the Museum at FIT, Fashion Unraveled is all about oncovering  the history of garments. Fashion is fluid. It does not alway stay the same. Garments change hands. They can be altered. They can be made out of other things. They can be made to look like other things. All of these possibilities are represented in the exhibit There are garments with an interesting history of ownership. There are garments that have had panels added or have been reshaped or have been altered in some other way perhaps to fit a new wearer. There are garments that have been made from other things: old jeans, rugby shirts, burlap sacks and more. There are garment that are made like something other than what they are. There are garments made too look like they are older than they are or garments made to look like they were haphazardly put together when they were just meant to look that way. There are even garments that are unfinished and/or ones that are meant to look unfinished. All in all, it is an interesting exhibit that anybody with an interest in fashion would  enjoy. It really makes you think about how clothes are made and why particular garments are made the way they are.

 
 
All Museum at FIT exhibits are free and open Tuesday to Saturday. For more information, visit www.fitnyc.edu/museum/exhibitions/fashion-unraveled.

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

Tips for Tuesday - Books: Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys and All We Ever Wanted

We may have been given one or more of the below mentioned books for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

Me - Today I am recommending Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys by Kate Brian. Megan Meade's Guide to the McGowan Boys is a cute story about a girl who has grown up as an army brat. When she decides she doesn't want to join her parents when they move out of the country, they put her in the care of their family friends, a family that consists of seven boys. The book starts off a little bit slow, but then it takes off into a really exciting and sweet story. Unfortunately, the end of the book is very disappointing. While it most likely would have been better if  there had been a sequel or some other form of closure, I would still say that the journey makes it worth the read.

Mom - Today I am recommending All We Ever Wanted by Emily Giffin. All We Ever Wanted is the story of two families trying to navigate a scandal involving their two children. Nina Browning seemingly has everything, a rich handsome husband, a son headed for Princeton, and more money than she could possibly need. Then, suddenly when Nina's son, Finch is implicated in a incident which could have him expelled from school and maybe even get his college acceptance revoked, Nina finds herself reliving a scarring event from her past and realizing that maybe the life she has isn't necessarily the one she really wants. Tom has been raising his teenage daughter alone since her mother abandoned them when Lyla was a young child. When Lyla suddenly becomes the focus of  scandal, Tom is determined to do everything he can to protect his daughter and her reputation whether she wants him to to or not. This is a very timely book that will really make you think. It presents a very realistic view of how hard it is to be a good parent and do what is best for your child and still do what is right especially in the oversharing world of today. This book will get into your psyche and stay with you long after you've read it especially if you are parent.

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

Monthly Mashup for June, 2018 Pencils and LM/DC

Me -  My topic for this month is pencils. I have used a lot of pencils in my time. I don't really like pencils. Pencils are always breaking. Lead pencils break so the lead runs out really quickly. Regular pencils are also always breaking too. It is so hard to sharpen them. First of all, my hand will start hurting because it takes so long. Second of all, you can never get a good pencil tip because either it breaks in the sharpener or it will break once you start writing. It is very hard to get the perfect tip. I, for one, only like using pencils that have the perfect tip. It needs to be sharp but not too sharp. It is very hard to maintain the perfect pencil tip. The problem with really sharp pencils tips is that there have been countless amount of times when I have been writing with a pencil or even just holding one that I have accidentally stabbed myself (although I have never gotten a serious pencil related injury).

The erasers on pencils are annoying too. They never stay on. They always break off. Lead pencil erasers are better though. They don't break off like wood pencils erasers do.  I actually love erasers but not that kind that come on pencils. I like the decorative kind. I have a collection of them, but I don't actually use them to erase.

I only use pencils for things that I know I might have to erase. I hate  it when you use a pen and you have to scribble out and write over thing so when I think I might have to change things I am writing I use a pencil.

What is the deal with colored pencils? Is is a crayon? Is it a pencil? I don't get it. Is it like if a crayon and a pencil had a baby? Don't even get me started on erasable colored pencils. Like seriously, what is with those? Although, I do actually like to use colored pencils because they are small and simple. and it's easy to stay in the lines with them. I do prefer the erasable kind because it is easy to get rid of a mistake if I make one.

All in all even though pencils are a pain, once in a while people should stop to think of the glory that is pencils. Even though pencils are annoying and confusing sometimes, this world would be a much harder place if it were not for the hard work pencils endure each and every day to make sure that we have a save and happy writing experience.


We were given free tickets to the LM/DC concert for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

Mom - My topic for this month is LM/DC. LM/DC is Lea Michele and Darren Criss. The former Glee co-stars are currently in the midst of short concert tour which recently made a stop in Newark, NJ  at New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC). My older daughter and I were lucky enough to attend this concert. She was especially thrilled since Lea Michele is one of her favorite performers, and she had not expected to have the opportunity to attend the concert. It was a nice surprise for her.

We had never been to the venue before although it has been around for almost twenty years now.  It is a beautiful concert hall with great sound. It is also conveniently located within easy walking distance of the Newark train station.

The concert was a lot of fun. The two artists started off singing together. Then, they each did their own set. They finished up with a couple more numbers together. The songs were a good mix of different styles including rock and Broadway. They were also a good mix of more familiar songs and the artists own songs that only those who are huge fans of that particular artist would know. The show included a number of songs that they had previously sung on Glee including Don't Rain on My Parade (Lea Michele), Teenage Dream (Darren Criss) and Don't You Want Me (Both).  We really appreciate that  both performers embrace their Glee past and aren't trying to escape from it like some would.  Lea Michele does seem to be distancing herself from her Broadway past, however, whether by coincidence or by design, and we do hope that she returns to it some day. All in all , it was an enjoyable evening for all.

Photo credit for pencils picture: classroomcamera IMG_0038 via photopin (license)

Sunday Scoop Week of 6/25/18 - What's Happening This Week or Coming Up Soon

Upcoming at Franklin Institute

222 N. 20th St.

Philadelphia, PA

Science After Hours: 8 - Bit

Tuesday June 26 7:00 - 10:00 PM

Adults 21+ (Includes Cash Bar)

Enter the pixelated landscapes that once inhabited the cabinets of your local arcade. Explore the worlds of your favorite video games and discover how current games are bridging the gap between science and education.

https://www.fi.edu/event/2018-06-26/science-after-hours

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Upcoming at New York City Center

130 W. 56th St.

New York, NY

Songs for a New World

Five performances only!

June 27 – 30

Tickets start at $25

The first musical from three-time Tony Award-winner Jason Robert Brown (Parade, The Bridges of Madison County), Songs for a New World (1995) is a collection of powerful songs examining life, love, and the choices ordinary people make when faced with extraordinary moments. From the deck of a 1492 Spanish sailing ship to the ledge of a Fifth Avenue high-rise, each character faces the new world which follows the unique challenge they encounter.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit 

https://www.nycitycenter.org/pdps/songs-for-a-new-world

**

Tickets on Sale Now 

A Chorus Line

November 14 -18

A Chorus Line, the 2018 Annual Gala Presentation, is an ardent tribute to dance and musical theater—two art forms that City Center has been bringi

ng to New York audiences for 75 years.

In 1975, the stories of seventeen Broadway dancers were brought to life when A Chorus Line opened Off-Broadway. Directed and choreographed by Michael Bennett, with book by James Kirkwood, and Nicholas Dante, music by Marvin Hamlisch and lyrics by Edward Kleban, the musical was born of workshop sessions with actual Broadway dancers (eight of whom appeared in the original cast) who laid bare their personal stories and the challenges they faced in pursuit of their dreams.

This ultimate tribute to the life of the Broadway dancer received twelve Tony Award nominations, winning nine—in addition to the 1976 Pulitzer Prize for Drama. The creative team for this Annual Gala Presentation of A Chorus Line is led by Bob Avian (original co-choreographer) and Baayork Lee (Connie, original cast) with music direction by Patrick Vaccariello.

A Chorus Line is part of New York City Center's 75th Anniversary Season.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.nycitycenter.org/pdps/2018-2019/AChorusLine
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Upcoming at iPlay America

110 Schank Rd.

Freehold, NJ

Linda Shields, Grad Night and Jesse McCartney

Thursday, June 28
Linda Shields, The Jersey Shore Medium
Door Time: 5:00 PM – Start Time: 7:00 PM

Back by popular demand! Linda Shields is "The Jersey Shore Medium®" who helps people find peace after loved ones have passed. She learned of her gifts at a young age and helps audience members find peace, understanding and closure.  If you would like to experience this amazing Psychic Medium, tickets are available for $50.00 with buffet dinner included.

Please note that all members of the audience may not receive a reading.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit 

https://www.iplayamerica.com/event/linda-shields-jersey-shore-medium

Friday, June 29
iPlay America’s Grad Night
Doors: 4:00 PM – Event: 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM

Friday, June 29, iPlay America wants to celebrate with ALL GRADS and their families by offering graduates the opportunity to celebrate graduation by choosing from two fantastic ride packages! Be a part of ALL the FUN and EXCITEMENT!  Both of these special Grad Night packages are available for just $20.18!

Ride Package options

Option A: includes

• Unlimited rides
• $10 game card
• $5 Food voucher

— Valid towards food purchases at Sonny’s, Broadway Sweets, Boardwalk Ice Cream, and Rob’s Pizza

$20.18 (a value of $44.99)

Option B: includes

• Power Play Pass
• $10 game card
• $5 Food Voucher

— Valid towards food purchases at Sonny’s, Broadway Sweets, Boardwalk Ice Cream, and Rob’s Pizza

$20.18 (a value of $44.99)

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.iplayamerica.com/event/grad-night

Saturday, June 30                                
Jesse McCartney – Event Center
Door Time: 6:00 PM – Start Time: 7:00 PM

Jesse McCartney’s Better With You (US Tour) is coming to iPlay America’s Event Center! His new single Better With You is his first new music since his 2014 album In Technicolor.The New York-born singer, songwriter, producer and actor has had the kind of career that most young artists aspire to have. With multiple platinum-selling tracks and a songwriting credit on Leona Lewis’ Bleeding Love under his belt, McCartney is ready to introduce his fans to who he is today. Tickets are on sale NOW! General Admission, Gold VIP Experience and Platinum VIP Experience packages are available.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit 

https://www.iplayamerica.com/event/jesse-mccartney-better-us-tour

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Upcoming at the State Theatre 

New Jersey

15 Livingston Ave.

New Brunswick, NJ

The Pop Ups and Funny as a Mutha Comedy Series Headlined by Michael Blackson

Saturday June 30, 10:00 AM & 12:00 PM

The Pop Ups

Get ready for the Pop Ups! Two-Time Grammy® nominees for Best Children’s Album, this dynamic duo are bringing their rock and roll puppet musical fun to the State Theatre. Kids and their families will be moving and grooving along to the catchy, upbeat songs, and having a laugh with the whimsical, wonderful puppet characters. And did we mention balloons? 

These are Milk & Cookies Autism-Friendly Relaxed Performances.

Milk & Cookies is a lively, interactive storytelling and music series for families. This program is the perfect way to introduce children to live theater. Performances are offered on Saturdays at 10am and 12pm.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit 
https://www.stnj.org/event/pop-ups

Saturday June 30, 8:00 PM
Funny as a Mutha Comedy Series
Headline by Michael Blackson

hosted by

Tami Roman

featuring
MeMe Simpson
Rashaun Reese
Majah Hype
Toya Turnup

Please note: This performance contains adult language.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.stnj.org/event/funny-as-a-mutha.

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Upcoming at Feinsteins/54 Below

254 W. 54th St.

Cellar

New York , NY

June 26 -30 7:00 PM 

Paulo Szot

June 26 - 29 9:30 PM 

Luann De Lesseps#CountessAndFriends

June 30 9:30 PM

54 Sings Broadway's Greatest Hits

June 30 & August 10 

Lindsay Mendez and Ryan Scott Oliver's Actor Therapy

July 1 7:00 PM

Mauricio Martinez

July 1 9:30 PM

The Songs of Silver and Stein

featuring Jai' Len Christine Li Josey, Matt Rodin, Ryan Vazquez and more

For more information and to purchase tickets, visit

https://54below.com/calendar/?month=June+2018

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Discovery Room: Summer Hours at the American Museum 

of Natural History

Central Park at 79th St.

New York, NY

Sunday, July 1–Sunday, September 2

Bring children of all ages to these hands-on environment mornings as well as afternoons during the public-school holiday break.

The Discovery Room offers families, and especially children ages 5-12, an interactive gateway to the wonders of the Museum and a hands-on, behind-the scenes look at its science. Every major field of Museum science and research, from anthropology to zoology, is represented. Children, accompanied by adults, can explore an array of artifacts and specimens, puzzles, and scientific challenges. Activities for older visitors are located on the upper level.

For more information, visit https://www.amnh.org/learn-teach/families/discovery-room

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Coming Soon Mummenschanz

20 Performances Only July 4 -22!

Official opening night: Tuesday July 10 at 8:00 PM

Mummenschanz is a unique theatrical event. It equally as suitable as a very original venue for a fun date night or an entertaining outing  for the family.  Mummenschanz is a place where everyday objects—such as wires, tubes, boxes—spring to life to become fantastical characters. The show plays with forms, shadow, light, movement, and sculptural, expressive masks, as abstract forms and ordinary shapes interact in surprising ways, inviting audiences to experience the extraordinary power of imagination. The show was first founded in 1972 and toured the USA, Canada, and South America, and previously played  on Broadway for three years on Broadway. They also made appearances throughout the 80s and 90s. 

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://www.mummenschanz.com/3/

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Upcoming at Camp Broadway The Next Step Gives Aspiring Performers the Chance to Learn from Broadway Veterans July 16 -23 or July 23-27 The Next Step has limited space available for 14-17 year old aspiring performers. Limited to 35 participants, The Next Step offers a specialized musical theater intensive of classes taught by Broadway professionals, for aspiring teen performers, who have had previous on-stage experience. A highly unique program, The Next Step weaves traditional musical theater training into an immersive theatrical environment designed to give participants the opportunity to understand what it’s really like to be a Broadway “Gypsy”. Each element of the 5-day event is designed to hone musical theater abilities, enhance interpersonal skills and cultivate the habit of discipline that dedicated theatrical artist need to have.

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PR Firm Roundup

News from Karen Greco PR

What's On At the Wild Project

July 2
26 Wild Hours!
Produced by The Wild Project and Brooklyn Actor's Troupe
Schedule: Monday at8pm
Tickets: $10

Wild Project & Brooklyn Actor's Troupe presents 26 Wild Hours!, a one night festival of new plays written/rehearsed/directed within 26 hours of the performance. Six writers, six directorsand sixteen actors have been enlisted by the Troupe and given the task of creating six new plays overnight out of thin air!

All performances are at The Wild Project (195 E. 3^rd Street, between Avenues A & B).
Tickets can be purchased online at http://www.thewildproject.com.

The Box Office opens one hour prior to curtain.

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News from Lincoln Center

Tuesday, June 26 at 6:30 pm

Midsummer Night Swing

Sisterhood of Swing

Led by Bria Skonberg

Featuring Regina Carter and Anat Cohen

with Lakecia Benjamin, Sharel Cassity, Chloe Feoranzo, and Camille Thurman, saxes; Emily Asher, trombone; Linda Briceño and Jami Dauber, trumpets; Endea Owens, bass; Savannah Harris, drums; Michela Lerman, tap dancer; andChampian Fulton, piano

Style: Swing

The 2018 dance season in Damrosch Park kicks off with an all-star, all-woman big band led by “the shining hope of hot jazz” Bria Skonberg (New York Times), with jazz violin legend Regina Carter, powerhouse clarinetist Anat Cohen, and some of the jazz world’s best musicians. When this Sisterhood rips into a set of classic swing, you will have no option but to rise up and experience the joy of a night dancing under the stars. The band’s inspiration? The International Sweethearts of Rhythm, the first integrated, all-female swing band that Earl Hines once praised as “the first Freedom Riders.” 

Doors open at 6:00 pm

Dance lesson at 6:30 pm

Live music at 7:30 pm

Dance Instructor: Rehema Trimiew teaches Lindy Hop and Swing

DJ: Heather Flock

Commissioned by Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts

Damrosch Park, 62nd Street, between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues

Tickets can be purchased in advance at the David Geffen Hall Box Office or beginning at 5:30 pm on the night of the event at the box office in Damrosch Park. Tickets and passes can also be purchased through CenterCharge, 212.721.6500, or at MidsummerNightSwing.org.

Wednesday, June 27 at 6:30 pm

Midsummer Night Swing

The Legendary Joe Quijano y Su Conjunto Cachana

Style: Salsa

It’s sure to be a “Fun City Shingaling” when San Juan–born, Bronx-raised salsa pioneer and “El Rey de la Pachanga” Joe Quijano takes charge of the dance floor. Over his seven-decade career, Quijano has played with Latin music all-stars Orlando Marín, Eddie Palmieri, Paquito Guzmán, Israel “Cachao” López, and many others. Whether it’s showing us how to pachanga, embodying son cubano, dipping into boogaloo, or throwing down some classic salsa, Quijano and his famous band do it all with flair and keep dancers working as hard as they are.

Doors open at 6:00 pm

Dance lesson at 

6:30 pm

Live music at 7:30 pm

Dance Instructor: Eddie and Maria Torres teach Salsa

DJ: DJ Mar Y Soul

Damrosch Park, 62nd Street, between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues

Tickets can be purchased in advance at the David Geffen Hall Box Office or beginning at 5:30 pm on the night of the event at the box office in Damrosch Park. Tickets and passes can also be purchased through CenterCharge, 212.721.6500, or at MidsummerNightSwing.org.

Thursday, June 28 at 6:30 pm

Midsummer Night Swing

The Sound of Philadelphia: A DISCO Party!

Featuring Joe McGinty & The Loser’s Lounge

Style: Disco

There are no guilty pleasures as keyboardist and bandleader Joe McGinty and his killer band, deemed a part of “essential New York” by Time Out, celebrate the solid gold hits of the 1970s Philadelphia disco scene. Break out the platforms, polyester, and lilac eye shadow and bring your own New York hustle to this not-to-be-missed party.

After hours: Silent Disco powered by Quiet Events

At 10:00 pm, when the sound system turns off, the dance party keeps going—DJs Bill Coleman, Rimarkable, and Rogue broadcast directly to your headphones until 11:30 pm. Wireless headset is free with your ticket; $5 at the door for Silent Disco only.

Doors open at 6:00 pm

Dance lesson at 6:30 pm

Live music at 7:30 pm

Dance Instructor: Alessandra Marconi teaches Hustle

DJ: Bill Coleman                     

Silent Disco DJs: Bill Coleman, Rimarkable, and Rogue

Damrosch Park, 62nd Street, between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues

Tickets can be purchased in advance at the David Geffen Hall Box Office or beginning at 5:30 pm on the night of the event at the box office in Damrosch Park. Tickets and passes can also be purchased through CenterCharge, 212.721.6500, or at MidsummerNightSwing.org.

Thursday, June 28 - FREE - at 7:30 pm

Atrium 360°

Translucent Borders

Translucent Borders, an NYU/Tisch initiative, has spent the last three years bringing renowned artists from around the world together to develop ways that dialogue can fuel creative work while retaining cultural identity and integrity. This evening’s concert brings together leading Cuban, Ghanaian, Palestinian, Israeli, Italian, and American artists to premiere a new collaborative work and celebrate the power of music to transcend borders.

Presented in collaboration with NYU Tisch School of the Arts and Live Sounds

David Rubenstein Atrium, Frieda and Roy Furman Stage (Broadway bet. 62nd & 63rd St.)

FREE Seating is limited and available on a first-come, first-served basis. For more information, including program updates, visit LincolnCenter.org/Atrium.

Friday, June 29 at 6:30 pm

Midsummer Night Swing

Gerard Carelli and His Orchestra

Style: Ballroom

Trombonist and bandleader Gerard Carelli, who honed his chops performing alongside Sinatra, Clooney, and Tormé, leads one of the city’s most popular ballroom bands at this chic starlit soirée where you’ll have a chance to perfect your waltzes, foxtrots, and cha-chas.

Calling all Belles and Beaus of the Ball!

To compete in our Ballroom Fashion Contest be on the dance floor by 7:30 pm in your most eye-catching “summer soirée” eveningwear. Prizes include tickets to Midsummer Night Swing 2019 and more.

Doors open at 6:00 pm

Dance lesson at 6:30 pm

Live music at 7:30 pm

Dance Instructor: Eva Carrozza teaches Ballroom

DJ: Gary the DJ

Damrosch Park, 62nd Street, between Amsterdam and Columbus Avenues

Tickets can be purchased in advance at the David Geffen Hall Box Office or beginning at 5:30 pm on the night of the event at the box office in Damrosch Park. Tickets and passes can also be purchased through CenterCharge, 212.721.6500, or at MidsummerNightSwing.org.

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News from Michelle Tabnick PR

Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company Announces

A Rich and Colorful 2018-2019 Season

Highlights include:

Company in Residence at New Jersey City University, Moon Festivals

Year of the Dog Celebration 

in Brooklyn, Newark, Flushing, Bronx, Staten Island

National Tour to Clemson, SC, Seattle, WA and West Oregon

Residency in Luxembourg Center for Choreography

The Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company, a renowned international touring dance company led by Chinese American choreographer Nai-Ni Chen announces an exciting 2018-19 season.  Ms. Chen will lead the company to begin this season at its resident institution, New Jersey City University with classes offering a growing student population for Ballet, Jazz and Modern Dance.

In the 2018-2019 season, the Company will continue to be in residence at the New Jersey City University in Jersey City, NJ with extensive community activities including dance curriculum planning, teaching and rehearsing, research and choreography. The Company will begin with a series of Moon Festival Celebrations: Sat 9/15/18 at 7:30pm Rutgers Confucius Institute presents Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company at George Street Playhouse.  Sun. Oct 14 at 4pm, Moon Festival will be held at Jersey City Theatre Center's White Eagle Hall in collaboration with South Indian Dance guru Akhila and Chetan Hebbar.  The NJCU's Confucius Institute will also hold its Moon Festival on it campus in October.  A time for family gathering and celebration, the Moon Festival is also a spiritual festival that emphasize the power of the female in the society. Thus, these programs will also be aimed to honor the spirit of woman. 

The Company will spend Nov and Dec to prepare a warm program for January and February 2018, to chase away the winter blues. This year, Nai-Ni Chen will showcase the eye-popping, colorful extravaganza of the Company's 21th Lunar New Year Festival, celebrating The Year of the Pig at Brooklyn College (1/27-29), Queens College (2/12-14), and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (1/30-2/3) and at Lincoln Center with the New York Philharmonic (2/6).

The Company launched a new production, A Quest for Freedom, with the renowned Ahn Trio in 2018 at NJPAC and the NextMove Dance Festival in Philadelphia in 2018. In this new season, the new production will tour to Washington State(2/22), Oregon(TBA) and South Carolina (2/28) this year in Feb and March.

In April, the Company will return to New York City/s Flushing Town Hall (4/7) for the Sixth CrossCurrent Dance and Music Festival featuring emergent and established Asian American dancers and choreographers in one of the most diverse neighborhood in Queens. We will also be appearing at the White Eagle Hall in Jersey City (4/14).

Our season will not be complete without an appearance on Ellis Island in the Asian American Heritage Month. The Company will be presenting the fourth Imagine Ellis Island Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Festival on 5/7/18 in the Great Hall of Immigration on Ellis Island.

Followers and audience can gain an early glimpse of the Company's new works during our open rehearsal sessions and at at pop-up locations around the NY/NJ area to be announced on our e-newsletter. Join our subscribers by sending an email to: info@nainichen.org with the subject line: Subscribe.

Besides developing new dances, Nai-Ni Chen is equally committed to introduce the Chinese American heritage to children and family in diverse communities. Her K-12 assembly program Red Firecrackers and The Art of Chinese Dance are performed throughout the year in schools and community centers in Connecticut, New Jersey, New York and Pennsylvania. In addition to these mainstage presentations, a special production that tells the story of the origin of the Chinese New Year legend titled Red Firecrackers, will be offered through the NJPAC Education outreach to NJ K-12 public schools as well as to NYC Public Schools through the Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts throughout the year. 

Continuing its commitment to preserve and advance dance in the Chinese American community in New York and New Jersey, the Company offers regularly scheduled community workshops at the Metuchen Dance Centre every Saturday with award winning instructors from China, Taiwan and US.

For more information, please go to our website or contact: info@nainichen.org.

**

South Street Seaport Museum

begins

Pioneer's Sailing Season

The South Street Seaport Museum announces Pioneer's Sailing Season, began on Monday, May 28, 2018. Daily Sails available at 7pm Wednesday - Friday and 1pm, 4pm, and 7pm Saturday - Sunday. (evening sails begin at 6:30 starting September 5, 2018). Tickets are $32 (Seniors 65+ & Children ages 0-12 $28). Tickets are available at http://southstreetseaportmuseum.org/sailnyharbor. Pioneer tickets include free admission to the Museum's exhibits.

Throughout the sailing season Pioneer also offers special 3 hour Family Ecology Sails where families and visitors can board the historic schooner and set sail past Governors Island for the fishing grounds of Bay Ridge. Guests will help set a trawl net and haul it in, bringing up a variety of creatures from blue crabs to flounder. Children and adults help raise the sails to continue the exploration the old fashioned way. While sailing past the Statue of Liberty families will learn about the sea creatures caught with the trawl, examine plankton through a view-scope, test the water to learn about our marine ecosystem.

Schooner Pioneer is also available for charters throughout the sailing season. Charters sail within New York Harbor, one of the most fascinating harbors in the world and afford unparalleled views of the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the New York and New Jersey skylines, as well as a chance to witness all manner of vessels, from tugboats to cruise ships, as they perform their duties on the waterfront. Pioneer is the ideal vessel for private sails, group or company outings, and photo or film shoots! Your custom charter experience can be booked by emailing charters@seany.org.

Schooner Pioneer is also available for charters throughout the sailing season. Charters sail within New York Harbor, one of the most fascinating harbors in the world and afford unparalleled views of the Statue of Liberty, the Brooklyn Bridge, and the New York and New Jersey skylines, as well as a chance to witness all manner of vessels, from tugboats to cruise ships, as they perform their duties on the waterfront. Pioneer is the ideal vessel for private sails, group or company outings, and photo or film shoots! Your custom charter experience can be booked by emailing charters@seany.org.

By 1930, when new owners moved her from the Delaware River to Massachusetts, she had been fitted with an engine, and was no longer using sails. In 1966 she was substantially rebuilt and turned into a sailing vessel once again. Today she plies the waters of NY Harbor carrying adults and children instead of cargo in her current role as a piece of "living history."

Today Pioneer is an award winning sail training vessel teaching volunteers of all kinds, traditional maritime skills, and the art of tall ship sailing. Visitors can board Pioneer for 2-hour day and evening cruises, special programs, and charter experiences as she sails New York Harbor May through October. 

**

The Gerald Arpino Foundation

announces

Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami's

performances of Light Rain

part of The Joffrey/Arpino Celebration

Tuesday, June 26, 2018 - Wednesday, June 27, 2018 at 7:30pm

The Joyce Theater

The Gerald Arpino Foundation announces Dimensions Dance Theatre of Miami's performances of Gerald Arpino's Light Rain and Esferas, part of The Joffrey/Arpino Celebration, on Tuesday, June 26 and Wednesday, June 27, 2018 at 7:30pm at The Joyce Theater, 175 Eighth Avenue, NYC. Tickets start at $10. $10 tickets can be purchased by calling JoyceCharge at 212-242-0800. All other tickets can be purchased online at https://joyce.org/performances/dimensions-dance-theatre-miami.

Following its "exuberant debut" (The Miami Herald) in 2016, Dimensions Dance Theatre has quickly made a name for itself as a promising new ballet company with a dazzling repertory reflective the vibrant Latin culture of its home city, Miami. Founded and led by former Miami City Ballet stars, Carlos Guerra and Jennifer Kronenberg, the company makes its Joyce debut with a program that includes Gerald Arpino's sensually charged Light Rain; Esferas, a striking, sculptural work created by emerging choreographic talent Ariel Rose of Miami City Ballet; and Jaunita y Alicia by Septime Webre.

**

Brooklyn Music School

presents

Survival Codes

A New Play by Pianist/Composer Alon Nechushtan

Thursday, June 28, 2018 at 8pm

Brooklyn Music School (BMS) presents a new play by Pianist/Composer Alon Nechushtan, Survival Codes, on Thursday, June 28, 2018, at 8pm at The Playhouse Theatre at Brooklyn Music School, 126 Felix Street, Brooklyn, NY. Tickets are $20 ($10 for Students and Seniors), and are available at https://www.brooklynmusicschool.org/calendar/2018/4/19/survival-codes.

Survival Codes is an expression of hope amidst decades of anti-Semitism and protest. "I wanted to tell a multilayered tale through musical quotation, allusion, counterpoint, pop culture, belting love songs and spiritual synagogue or anything holy and emotional." So says Alon Nechushtan about his debut theatrical work, an ambitious statement of artistry and social justice.

Survival Codes is a work of fiction. But it's one that resonates with the past and is built from extensive background research and sourcing.

The play, which is directed by James Martinelli and co-produced by the Brooklyn Music School, is built around a story of the unrequited love (but with a hopeful ending!) between a pair of young musicians steeped in the Cold War climate of pre-Perestroika Soviet Union. Despite their differences regarding the time and place for political protest, their shared belief in the power of music remains strong and becomes a lifelong bond.

Embedded within the storyline is the historical atrocities committed against the Jewish people in Stalinist Russia, and, of course, the engrained memories of the Holocaust. Nechushtan draws parallels between the Kristallnacht (generally seen as the beginning of the systematic elimination of Jews in Germany) and the Soviet "night of the dead poets," in which Stalin erased any signs of resistance to his regime of horrors by eliminating all circles of artist, writers and intellectuals-many of them Jewish.

But also woven into the narrative are more contemporary references and events. Allusions to songwriters Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen and Billy Joel, to George H.W. Bush and the nuclear meltdown at Chernobyl, and to the lineage of political protest in the 20th Century inform the story. Kabala, Navajo and I-Ching systems of codification also informed Nechushtan's writing. Real-world struggles and real-world protest inform the lives depicted.

For more info:

https://www.eventbrite.com/e/survival-codes-tickets-45347362181.

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News from Polk and Co.

Sasson Gabay Joins Tony Award-winning Best Musical, THE BAND'S VISIT

SASSON GABAY

WILL MAKE HIS BROADWAY DEBUT AS “TEWFIQ”

IN THE 10-TIME TONY AWARD-WINNING BEST MUSICAL, THE BAND’S VISIT

REPRISING THE AWARD-WINNING ROLE HE CREATED IN THE FILM

BEGINNING TUESDAY, JUNE 26, 2018

The award-winning Israeli actor Sasson Gabay will make his Broadway debut as “Tewfiq” in the 10-time Tony Award-winning Best Musical, THE BAND’S VISIT, reprising the character he created in the 2007 film on which the musical is based. Sasson Gabay will begin performances in THE BAND’S VISIT on Tuesday, June 26, 2018.

The Israeli star of stage, TV and screen, Sasson Gabay recently received the Lifetime Achievement Award for his contribution to Israeli cinema at the Israeli Film Festival. Gabay is one of the most respected and outstanding actors in Israeli film with work spanning five decades, including some of Israel's most popular and critically-acclaimed films as well as international hits such as Rambo III, Gett: The Trial of Vivian Amsalem, Delta Force One: The Lost Patrol and The Band's Visit (Israel's top-grossing film in the US).

THE BAND’S VISIT has won 10 Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Original Score (David Yazbek), Best Book (Itamar Moses), Lead Actress (Katrina Lenk), Lead Actor (Tony Shalhoub), Featured Actor (Ari’el Stachel), Lighting Design (Tyler Micoleau), Sound Design (Kai Harada), Orchestrations (Jamshied Sharifi) and Director (David Cromer); the Drama League Award for Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical; the New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best Musical; two Lucille Lortel Awards, for Outstanding Musical and Outstanding Lead Actress in a Musical (Katrina Lenk); two Outer Critics Circle Awards, for Outstanding New Off-Broadway Musical and Outstanding Score (David Yazbek); two Obie Awards, for Musical Theater (David Yazbek & Itamar Moses), and Directing (David Cromer); three Drama Desk Awards, for Outstanding Director of a Musical (David Cromer), Outstanding Music (David Yazbek) and Outstanding Lyrics (David Yazbek); The Joe A. Callaway Award for outstanding direction (David Cromer); The Dramatists Guild’s 2017 Frederick Loewe Award for Dramatic Composition for David Yazbek’s score; and Theatre World Award’s Dorothy Louden Award for Theatre Excellence (Katrina Lenk).  THE BAND’S VISIT has broken the all-time box office record at Broadway’s Barrymore Theatre twice.

After a mix-up at the border, an Egyptian Police Band is sent to a remote village in the middle of the Israeli desert. With no bus until morning and no hotel in sight, these unlikely travelers are taken in by the locals. Under the spell of the desert sky, their lives become intertwined in the most unexpected ways. THE BAND’S VISIT celebrates the deeply human ways music, longing and laughter can connect us all.

Ticket Information

Tickets ($49 – $169, including the $2 facility fee) are available at telecharge.com, 212.239.6200, or at the Barrymore Theatre box office (243 West 47^th Street). For groups of 10 or more,please contact Broadway Inbound at broadwayinbound.com or 866.302.0995.

Performance Schedule

The performance schedule for THE BAND’S VISIT is: Tuesday – Thursday at 7pm; Friday & Saturday at 8pm; with matinees at 2pm on Wednesday & Saturday; Sunday at 3pm.

For more information, visit TheBandsVisitMusical.com.

**

First Listen: Broadway's New Musical Comedy THE PROM

Listen to the audio track below:

View the video below:

"Dance With You (Emma's Version)" | The Prom Musical

Tickets are now on sale for Broadway’s new musical comedy THE PROM by visiting www.Telecharge.com or calling 212.239.6200. Produced by Dori Berinstein, Bill Damaschke and Jack Lane, THE PROM will begin performances on Tuesday, October 23, 2018 and officially open on Thursday, November 15, 2018 at the Cort Theatre (138 West 48th

Street).

We’ve got trouble, folks, right here in Indiana and when Broadway’s brassiest hear a student is unceremoniously sidelinedfrom a small-town Indiana prom – and the press is involved – they are ready to kick-ball-change the world. A new musical comedy about the power of love (and a good 11 o’clock number), THE PROM is about so much more than just a dance.

For more information visit ThePromMusical.com.

*********************************************************************

News from Richard Hillman PR

NATIONAL YIDDISH THEATRE FOLKSBIENE
TO PRESENT
THE AMERICAN PREMIERE
OF THE YIDDISH LANGUAGE ADAPTATION OF
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF

PERFORMANCES TO BEGIN IN JULY 2018

IN THE EDMOND J. SAFRA THEATRE AT THE MUSEUM OF JEWISH HERITAGE 

The National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF) has announced it will present the American premiere of the Yiddish language adaptation of Fiddler on The Roof. Adapted by Shraga Friedman, this Yiddish version of Fiddler on the Roof has not been staged since its world premiere production in Israel more than 50 years ago. Performances are set to begin in July 2018 in the Edmond J. Safra Theatre at the Museum of Jewish Heritage (36 Battery Place).

Performances are set to begin in July 2018 in the Edmond J. Safra Theatre at the Museum of Jewish Heritage (36 Battery Place).

For more information on this and other upcoming events, please visit their website at NYTF.ORG.

********************************************************************

Extension and Talkback Series for TEENAGE DICK announced by Ma-Yi Theater Company in association with The Public Theater

Ma-Yi Theater Company, in association with The Public Theater, is pleased to announce a two-week extension of TEENAGE DICK. The world premiere play by Mike Lew will now play through Sunday, July 29, 2018. (It was previously announced to close on Sunday, July 15).

Additionally, talkback dates with the cast and creative team of TEENAGE DICK are scheduled for Saturday, June 23 matinee; Tuesday, June 26 evening; and Sunday, July 1 matinee. Matinee performances begin at 1:30 p.m., while evenings are scheduled for a 7:30 p.m. curtain.

TEENAGE DICK reimagines the most famous disabled character of all time as a 16-year-old outsider in the deepest winter of his discontent: his junior year at Roseland High. Picked on because of his cerebral palsy (as well as his sometimes creepy Shakespearean way of speaking), Richard is determined to have his revenge and make his name by becoming president of the senior class. But as he manipulates and crushes the obstacles to his electoral success, Richard finds himself faced with a decision he never expected would be his to make: is it better to be loved or feared?

TICKETS and PERFORMANCE SCHEDULE:

TEENAGE DICK began performances June 12 and performs Tuesdays through Sundays at 7:30 p.m., including Saturday and Sunday matinees at 1:30 p.m., with performances scheduled through July 29, 2018.  Please note there is no performance on Thursday, June 21 or Wednesday, July 4 at 7:30 p.m.; additionally, performances have been added on Monday, June 18 and July 2 at 7:30 p.m. For tickets and information: visit publictheater.org, or call 212.967.7555.

Mobility limited seating and reduced ticket prices for the disabled community and designated companions are available.

Additional information is also available at: www.ma-yitheatre.com.

********************************************************************

And that's the scoop. Tune in tomorrow for this month's mashup.