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

Sunday, January 27, 2019

Sunday Scoop Week of 1/27/19 - What's Coming Up This Week or Coming Up Soon

In This Week's Scoop

1) Upcoming at George Street Playhouse
    Little Girl Blue - The Nina Simone Musical
2) Upcoming at Symphony Space
    Rick Riordan Presents, Gustafer Yellowgold
3) Story Pirates Podcast Launches New Season
4) Upcoming at iPlay America
    Block Party, NJ Camp Fair, Super Bowl Sunday
5) Upcoming at Merkin Concert Hall
    Ursula Oppens 75th Birthday Tribute, Broadway Playhouse: Lerner & Loewe

PR Firm Roundup

6) News from DKC/O&M
     6A) MCC's Alice by Heart Begins Performances
     6B) Jimmy Award Winner, Andrew Barth Feldman, Begins Performances in Dear Evan Hansen
7) News from KampFire PR
    Samieva Theater Inspired by Medusa Volution
8) Upcoming at Lincoln Center
9) News from Richard Hillman PR
    9A) Peter Filichia's God Shows Up Limited Engagement at the Playroom Theater
    9B) Abingdon Theatre Annouces Two Special Events
        Tonya and Nancy the Rock Opera in Concert, The Prompter



 1) Upcoming at George Street Playhouse
103 College Farm Rd.
New Brunswick, NJ

Little Girl Blue - The Nina Simone Musical

The world premiere of Little Girl Blue - The Nina Simone Musical—a powerful new show exploring the life of American icon Nina Simone, as told through her own words and groundbreaking music—will kick off 2019 at George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, NJ.

Written by Laiona Michelle (Broadway’s Amazing Grace), also starring as Nina Simone in a passionate breakout role, this exuberant premiere musical reveals a life in-between the black and white keys, a journey from classical piano child prodigy to the High Priestess of Soul, told through the beloved songs of Nina Simone.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit
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2) Upcoming at Symphony Space
2537 Broadway
New York, NY

Talia Kids' Book Club: Rick Riordan Presents
Gustafer Yellow Gold

Tuesday January 29, 6:30 PM
Rick Riordan Presents: 
Three Authors From New Imprint Share Their Work

The Thalia Kids' Book Club offers lively discussions between children's book authors and their fans. On January 29th, best-selling author Rick Riordan (Percy Jackson and the Olympians) brings together Roshani Chokshi (Aru Shah and the End of Time), J.C. Cervantes (The Storm Runner), and Yoon Ha Lee (Dragon Pearl), the first three authors under his new imprint, Rick Riordan Presents, for an exciting one-night-only event celebrating mythology and folklore from around the world.
For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.symphonyspace.org/events/tkbc-rick-riordan-presents

Saturday February 2, 11:00 AM
The Gustafer Yellowgold Show featuring Morgan Taylor

A regular performer in Symphony Space's Just Kidding season, Taylor and his bandmates will perform his one-of-a-kind, music and animation show, featuring material from best-selling Gustafer Yellowgold Audible Original I’m From the Sun alongside classic fan favorites.

Taylor's funny and touching multimedia presentation about a little guy from the Sun who landed in the Minnesota woods offers adult crossover appeal, making Gustafer Yellowgold’s show a truly all-ages experience.

Learn more about Gustafer Yellowgold at www.gustaferyellowgold.com. Download and listen to the newest Gustafer Yellowgold creation at Audible.com.

For more information or to purchase tickets,visit www.symphonyspace.org/events/just-kidding-the-gustafer-yellowgold-show 
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3) The Story Pirates Podcast 
Launches New Season January 31

The Story Pirates Podcast, consistently voted as one of the top podcasts for kids, will launch a season of 20 new episodes on January 31 on Apple Podcasts, Spotify or wherever podcasts are streaming.
Each week, the crew aboard the Story Pirates’ ship — including world-class actors, comedians, improvisers and musicians — takes original stories from real kids around the country and turns them into a wildly funny comedy podcast for kids of all ages. This season, which runs every week through June, will feature young authors, podcast hosts Lee Overtree, Peter McNerney, Meghan O’Neill, Rachel Wenitsky, and Rolo Vincent, the illustrious captain of the ship. Special guests this season include John Oliver, Claire Danes, Franchesca Ramsey and George Salazar.
When we last heard from the Pirates, they had crash-landed on a deserted island where they encountered an old Viking named Siegfried the Orange, who promised to help repair the broken ship. Now, the ship is finally rebuilt, and the Story Pirates can head off into the sky. The first episode will also feature new original stories “A Hamster's Workday,” by 11-year-old Nina in New York, and “The Boy Who Hated Kisses,” by 6-year-old Victoria in Missouri.The season’s overarching theme is “quests,” where characters go on journeys in search of something they really, really want, according to Overtree, who co-founded the Story Pirates with CEO Benjamin Salka in 2004.
For more information, visit storypirates.com
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4) Upcoming Events at iPlay America
110 Schank Rd.

Block Party, NJ Camp Fair, Super Bowl Sunday 

Friday February 1, 9:00 PM - 1:00 AM
Block Party 21+ Only

Drink specials and live DJ! Purchase a Block Party Pass for $49.99 (valid every Friday 9:00 PM to close) and get unlimited video games plus 10% off food and beverage.   

Valid one year from purchase date. 

For more information, visit www.iplayamerica.com/special/block-party

Sunday February 3, 11:00 - 2:00
NJ Camp Fair

Meet local camp directors and explore all types of summer camp options available for your children this summer. Plus, learn about Camp iPlay, brand new this year for the  weeks between summer camps end and schools start.

For more information, visit www.iplayamerica.com/event/nj-camp-fair

Sunday February 3, 
Super Bowl Sunday

Come watch the New England Patriots take on the Los Angeles Rams in Super Bowl LIII at Game Time Bar and Grill for your chance to win a big-screen TV.
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5) Upcoming at Merkin Concert Hall
Kaufman Music Center
129 W. 67th St.
New York, NY

Ursula Oppens 75th Birthday Tribute,
Broadway Playhouse: Lerner & Loewe

Saturday February 2, 7:30 PM
Only at Merkin with Terence McKnight:
Ursual Oppens 75th Birthday Tribute

Hosted by WQXR's Terrance McKnight, this evening of conversation and performance with pianist Ursula Oppens includes the world premiere of Laura Kaminsky's Piano Quintet and solo piano works by Elliott Carter, John Corigliano and Tobias Picker plus Ravel’s String Quartet. Featuring the Cassatt String Quartet.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit 

Sunday February 3, 11:00 AM
Broadway Playhouse: Alan Jay Lerner & Frederick Loewe

Introduce young theater fans age 4-11 to classic Broadway musicals by the songwriting team behind My Fair LadyCamelot and Brigadoon! Kids enjoy mini-shows, medleys and sing-alongs, and may be picked to join the cast on stage for games.  

For more information or to purchase, visit
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PR Firm Roundup

6) News from DKC/ O & M

6A) MCC THEATER

WORLD PREMIERE OF THE NEW MUSICAL

ALICE BY HEART

BOOK BY STEVEN SATER WITH JESSIE NELSON

MUSIC BY DUNCAN SHEIK

LYRICS BY STEVEN SATER

CHOREOGRAPHY BY RICK AND JEFF KUPERMAN

DIRECTED BY JESSIE NELSON


PREVIEWS BEGIN JANUARY 30, 2019

OPENING NIGHT SET FOR FEBRUARY 26, 2019


Alice By Heart begins performances on Wednesday, January 30, 2019 as the first show in the Newman Mills Theater at The Robert W. Wilson MCC Theater Space (511 West 52nd Street), with an official opening night set for Tuesday, February 26, 2019.

When the madness of the world is too much to bear, we take refuge in the stories we love. Tony® and Grammy® award-winning creators of Spring Awakening, Steven Sater and Duncan Sheik, reunite for their new musical Alice By Heart, inspired by Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland and directed and co-written by Jessie Nelson (Waitress). In the rubble of the London Blitz of World War II, Alice Spencer’s budding teen life is turned upside down, and she and her dear friend Alfred are forced to take shelter in an underground tube station. When the ailing Alfred is quarantined, Alice encourages him to escape with her into their cherished book and journey down the rabbit hole to Wonderland. As they travel through the tale, Alice By Heart explores the poignancy of first love, coming to terms with loss, and finding the courage to move forward. This world premiere musical encourages us all to celebrate the transformational power of the imagination, even in the harshest of times.

Tickets are on sale now at mcctheater.org.

**

ANDREW BARTH FELDMAN
TO MAKE HIS BROADWAY DEBUT

AS
EVAN HANSEN
IN THE TONY AWARD-WINNING MUSICAL
“DEAR EVAN HANSEN”
BEGINNING JANUARY 30, 2019

Andrew Barth Feldman, the 16-year-old winner of the Best Actor Award at the 2018 National High School Musical Theatre Awards (known more commonly as the Jimmy Awards), will make his Broadway debut as ‘Evan Hansen’ on January 30, 2019. Feldman - who is currently a high school junior at Lawrence Woodmere Academy in Woodmere, New York – takes over the role from Taylor Trensch, who plays his final performance today, January 27, 2019 after a year in the title role. Original Broadway cast member Michael Lee Brown will continue his run as the ‘Evan’ alternate.

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.dearevanhansen.com
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7) News from KampFire PR

SAMIEVA THEATER is pleased to present a series of special events inspired by their production of Medusa Volution, playing a three-week limited engagement from Friday, February 8th through Sunday, February 24th, 2019 at happylucky no.1 (734 Nostrand Avenue, Brooklyn, NY 11216). The events include an art installation by Katerina Marcelja (Fruit of My Labor), inspired dinners -including a special Valentine’s night- and an all female music series. To learn more visit sophiesamieva.com
FEB 4 - FEB 24

FRUIT OF MY LABOR

FREE
An art Installation by Katerina Marcelja inspired by Medusa Volution.
Check website for hours.
FEB 4 & FEB 5 at 7:30 P.M.
LAND & SEA POP-UP BENEFIT DINNERS

$125
Sponsored by Night Kitchen Catering, join us for two exclusive multi-course pop-up dinners at happylucky no.1. Feb 4th  will focus on the sea, while Feb 5th will focus on the land. Both dinners will include vegetarian options. Each evening will start with a cocktail from New York Distilling Company and an array of hors d’oeuvres followed by a multi-course feast. These intimate meals will be unforgettable food experiences delighting all the senses. All proceeds will proudly support Samieva Theater Company's new production, Medusa Volution.
FEB 14 at 7:30 P.M.
MEDUSA VOLUTION VALENTINE’S PERFORMANCE

$50
Join us for a special performance of Medusa Volution with a pre-show and post-show cocktail reception including hors d’oeuvres and desserts by Night Kitchen Catering, cocktails, and a VIP seat to the show.
FEB 13, FEB 20 & FEB 27 at 8:00 P.M.
MEDUSA ALL-FEMALE MUSIC SERIES

$15
Curated by Jessica Lurie, this Wednesday night series will feature all female musical performances and musicians during the run of Medusa Volution. Wed, Feb 13th will feature Mazz Swift Solo/New Sound Trio (Jessica Lurie on flute/sax, Mazz Swift on violin, Marika Hughes on cello); Wed, Feb 20th will feature Jessica Pavone (violin), Rachelle Garniez (accordion, voice), and Karen Waltuch (violin); Wed, Feb 27th will feature flute and electronics duo Elsa Nilsson and Hadar Noiburg, Jessica Lurie (sax/flute, electronics), Katie Down (glass instruments, metal cello), Sarah Schoenbech (bassoon) and Terry Dame (original instruments, percussion and electronics).
The main event, MEDUSA VOLUTION, plays the following schedule from February 8th through February 24th:
Thursdays through Saturdays at 8:00 P.M.

Sundays at 5:00 P.M.
For more information about Medusa Volution, and inspired special events, visit sophieamieva.com
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8) Upcoming at Lincoln Center
January 30 at  8:30 PM
American Song Book Tony Yazbeck
Quintessential song-and-dance man Tony Yazbeck brings old-fashioned Broadway panache and earnest emotion to an evening of classic show tunes and new standards.  
The Appel Room, Frederick P. Rose Hall, Broadway at 60th St. 
TICKETS are available at the Alice Tully Hall and David Geffen Hall Box Offices, by calling CenterCharge 212.721.6500, or visiting AmericanSongbook.org.

Friday, February 1 at 8:30 pm 
American Songbook Jose Llana 
Two decades since the teenaged Jose Llana made his Broadway debut as Lun Tha in the 1996 revival of The King and I, the classically trained tenor has retained his boyish charm and “youthful bravado” (New York Times), now enhanced with the gravitas of a seasoned star. His standout performance as Ferdinand Marcos in the 2013 David Byrne and Fatboy Slim musical Here Lies Love, directed by Alex Timbers, earned Llana a host of rave reviews, along with a Lucille Lortel Award nomination for Outstanding Lead Actor in a Musical. As a recording artist, the “charismatic and then some” singer (Showbiz411.com) has released two solo albums, Altitude and Jose—both best sellers in his native Philippines—and been featured on numerous cast albums. In 2015 Llana returned to his Broadway roots, taking over the role of the King of Siam in Bartlett Sher’s Tony Award–winning revival of The King and I at Lincoln Center Theater and its subsequent touring production. Four years after his sold-out American Songbook debut in the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse, the “strapping lead” (Time Out New York) makes his much-anticipated return to the series with a captivating performance in The Appel Room.
The Appel Room, Frederick P. Rose Hall, Broadway at 60th St. 
TICKETS start at $75 and are available at the Alice Tully Hall and David Geffen Hall Box Offices, by calling CenterCharge 212.721.6500, or visiting AmericanSongbook.org.

Saturday, February 2 at 8:30 pm 
American Songbook Rachael & Vilray
Incandescent singer Rachael Price and virtuosic whistler, guitarist, and singer Vilray met at New England Conservatory in the early 2000s. In the years since, the Brooklyn-based duo has forged a unique sound that recalls the close harmonies and down-home intimacy of live radio in the 1930s and ’40s. With a mix of standards and originals, Rachael & Vilray have performed at venues around New York City and beyond, recently appearing at the 2018 Newport Folk Festival. In between their individual gigs—Vilray as a touring solo musician who recently opened for The Gipsy Kings, and Price as frontwoman of the soul-rock band Lake Street Dive—these two busy musicians have carved out space for this special project and its warm, simple arrangements that put the spotlight on their musicality and the old-fashioned art of a well-crafted song. 
The Appel Room, Frederick P. Rose Hall, Broadway at 60th St. 
TICKETS start at $75 and are available at the Alice Tully Hall and David Geffen Hall Box Offices, by calling CenterCharge 212.721.6500, or visiting AmericanSongbook.org.

Sunday, February 3 at 11:00 am 
Great Performers Sunday Morning Coffee Concert 
Van Kuijk Quartet 
Triple winners at the 2015 Wigmore Hall International String Quartet Competition (including first place overall), these four young French performers bring their high-spirited “blend of flashiness and warmth” (AllMusic.com) to one of the pillars of the chamber-music repertoire: Schubert's dark and dramatic “Death and the Maiden” quartet. 
Walter Reade Theater, 165 West 65th Street 
TICKETS start at $22 and are available by calling CenterCharge 212.721.6500, or visiting LincolnCenter.org/GreatPerformers.
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9) News from Richard Hillman PR

9A) PETER FILICHIA’S
GOD SHOWS UP 
A NEW COMEDY-DRAMA
DIRECTED CHRISTOPER SCOTT
PRESENTED BY ERIC KREBS
PERFORMANCES BEGIN JANUARY 31, 2019
FOR A LIMITED ENGAGEMENT THROUGH FEBRUARY 21, 2019
OPENING NIGHT IS SET FOR SUNDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 2019
THE PLAYROOM THEATRE
(151 WEST 46th STREET – BETWEEN BROADWAY & 6th AVENUE)
 Eric Krebs will present God Shows Up, a new comedy-drama by noted theatre journalist and playwright Peter Filichia. Performances will begin on Thursday, January 31 at 7:00pm (for a limited engagement through February 21, 2019) at The Playroom Theater (151 West 46th Street – between Broadway 6th Avenue). Opening Night is set for Sunday, February 10 at 7:00pm.
God Shows Up asks: What happens when God chooses to drop in to his creation of Earth after an absence of a couple of thousand years? Why does he choose the broadcast studio of a well-known televangelist who serves all faiths from his megachurch in Saint Louis? What is God's true take on God? What is God's true take on religion?
God Shows Up will play the following performance schedule: Thurs-Sun at 7 pm. All tickets are $20 and may be purchased online here.
**
9B) SPECIAL EVENT IN FEBRUARY!
ABINGDON THEATRE COMPANY 
IN ASSOCIATION WITH PAUL BOGHOSIAN 
JIM KIERSTEAD, EXECUTIVE PRODUCER 
PRESENT A CONCERT OF 
TONYA & NANCY: THE ROCK OPERA
BY ELIZABETH SEARLE AND MICHAEL TEOLI 
MUSIC DIRECTION BY HENRY ARONSON 
DIRECTED BY RACHEL KLEIN 
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 4TH @ 7:00PM
ORIGINAL CONCERT CAST RECORDING AVAILABLE FROM BROADWAY RECORDS
EVENTS WILL BE HELD AT  
THE LUCILLE LORTEL THEATRE
(121 CHRISTOPHER STREET, NYC)
TICKETS NOW ON SALE!
 Abingdon Theatre Company (Chad Austin, Artistic Director) announced today two special one-night only events to be presented next month. On Monday, February 4th, the company, in association with Paul Boghosian and Jim Kierstead, Executive Producer, will present a concert of Tonya & Nancy: The Rock Opera, a darkly comedic original musical done with a great deal of heart. This work of fiction, inspired by actual events, utilizes the 1994 Tonya Harding and Nancy Kerrigan media scandal to explore America’s obsession with celebrity scandals and its “go for the gold at all cost” attitude. With libretto and concept by Elizabeth Searle and music by Michael Teoli, audiences can expect hilarity, poignant moments, a radical score and non-stop energy in this unique theatrical experience.
The rock opera’s 2018 concert at 54Below was produced ob CD by Broadway Records.
For tickets for Tonya & Nancy: The Rock Opera, please email mzakia@abingdontheatre.org
For more information, please visit www.tonyaandnancytherockopera.com
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And that's the scoop. Tune in tomorrow for this month's Monthly Mashup.

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