9) Bette Davis Ain't For Sissies Adds Streaming and In-Person Shows Through 11/12
11 Escape Velocity Extra to Focus on Female Engineers 10/28
12) I Put a Spell on You The Sanderson Sisters Break the Internet Streaming 10/29
13) Jason Suran, Acclaimed Mentalist, Reconnected A Virtual Experience Previewing Now
14) Macbeth: A Surround Sound Experiment 10/30 - 11/1
15) The Nightmare Before Christmas, A Halloween Night Benefit Concert
16) Political Idol 2020 10/27 - 11/3
17) Poseidon Theatre Company X Part One: The Insidious Begins Previews 10/28
18) Resounding's Debut Production, Dracula, 10/30 & 10/31
19) Sing Out for Freedom 11/2
20) Spotlight on Plays Continues with Race Beginning 10/29
21) The Thankful Project Weekly Chat Series
22) Two River Theater's Storytime with Taylor : Last Stop on Market Street 10/28
23) York Theater Presents The Special Presidential Edition of in Philly, Boston or Baltimo 10/26
1) THE ACTORS FUND
IS PROUD TO ANNOUNCE
HALLOWEEN IS NOT CANCELLED
A ONE-NIGHT-ONLY ONLINE HALLOWEEN VARIETY BENEFIT
HOSTED BY FREESTYLE LOVE SUPREME CONCEIVER &
CO-CREATOR
ANTHONY VENEZIALE
WITH A SPECIAL APPEARANCE BY
ELVIRA, MISTRESS OF THE DARK
AND FEATURING SPECIAL GUESTS
AMERICAN IDOL’S DIANA DEGARMO AND ACE YOUNG,
TONY AWARD-WINNING COSTUME DESIGNER LINDA CHO AND
MAKE UP FOR EVER’S EDDIE DUYOS
WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 28, 8 PM ET
The Actors Fund, the national human services organization for everyone in performing arts and entertainment, is proud to announce Halloween is NOT Cancelled, a one-night-only online Halloween benefit. Hosted by Freestyle Love Supreme conceiver and co-creator Anthony Veneziale, with a special appearance by Elvira, Mistress of the Dark, this stream will celebrate all the things you love about Halloween: costumes, make up and spooky treats, as well as tricks, treats and surprise guests. The terrifyingly tantalizing event will be available to stream via the Britesiders platform on Wednesday, October 28 at 8 pm ET. For updates, visit actorsfund.org/HINC.
The evening will include appearances by American Idol’s Diana DeGarmo and Ace Young, joined by Tony Award-winning costume designer Linda Cho (A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder) and make-up artist and educator Eddie Duyos.
In addition, anyone who donates to The Actors Fund via the Britesiders platform will be entered to win a prize from the Halloween is NOT Cancelled Prize Cauldron. The Actors Fund is excited to partner with Britesiders for this very special Halloween benefit.
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2) THE ACTORS FUND
TO HONOR
TONY AWARD®-WINNING ACTOR
MATTHEW BRODERICK
AND
EMMY AWARD®-WINNING ACTOR, PRODUCER AND BUSINESS OWNER
SARAH JESSICA PARKER
FOUNDING MEMBER AND ARTISTIC DIRECTOR OF DANCE THEATRE OF HARLEM
VIRGINIA JOHNSON
TONY AWARD-WINNING ACTOR AND CHAIRMAN OF THE ACTORS FUND
BRIAN STOKES MITCHELL
ACADEMY AWARD®-WINNING PRODUCER, CO-OWNER OF THE NEW YORK FOOTBALL GIANTS AND PHILANTHROPIST
STEVE TISCH
AMERICAN FEDERATION OF LABOR AND CONGRESS OF INDUSTRIAL
ORGANIZATIONS (AFL-CIO) PRESIDENT
RICHARD L. TRUMKA
AT THEIR VIRTUAL GALA
ON MONDAY, NOVEMBER 2, 2020 at 7:00 PM ET
The Actors Fund, the national human services organization for everyone in performing arts and entertainment, will hold its first-ever Virtual Gala on Monday, November 2, 2020 at 7:00pm ET. The evening will celebrate The Actors Fund and the 35th anniversary of Career Transition For Dancers, a program of The Fund, while also honoring Tony Award-winning actor Matthew Broderick and Emmy Award-winning actor, producer, and business owner Sarah Jessica Parker; founding member and Artistic Director of Dance Theatre of Harlem Virginia Johnson; Tony Award-winning actor and Chairman of The Actors Fund Brian Stokes Mitchell; Academy Award-winning producer, co-owner of the New York Football Giants, and philanthropist Steve Tisch; and American Federation of Labor and Congress of Industrial Organizations (AFL-CIO) President Richard L. Trumka as they receive The Actors Fund’s Medal of Honor.
The virtual event begins at 7 pm ET and will include special tribute performances by artists to be announced. Guests will join together online to support The Actors Fund’s services that foster stability and resiliency and provide a safety net over the lifespan of members of the performing arts and entertainment industry. Since March, The Actors Fund has distributed more than $16 million in emergency financial assistance to more than 13,500 people in need.
Virtual tickets to the benefit begin at $1,500 and include access to a private link for the evening’s gala tributes and entertainment. To host a virtual table and for sponsorships, call 212.627.1000 or email actorsfund@resevt.com. For more information and updates, visit actorsfund.org/Gala2020.
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3) AIN’T TOO PROUD — THE LIFE AND
TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS
RELEASES ALL NEW
I’M LOSING YOU
MUSIC VIDEO
AS A CALL TO ACTION TO GET OUT THE VOTE
IN SUPPORT OF BLACK LIVES MATTER
FEATURING THE BROADWAY CAST
AND ORCHESTRA
OF “AIN’T TOO PROUD”
PRODUCED BY THE SHOW'S MUSIC DIRECTOR/ARRANGER
KENNY SEYMOUR
VIDEO NOW AVAILABLE AT https://youtu.be/5n1Z62gfMxM
A brand new music video to the Temptations hit “I’m Losing You,” featuring the cast and orchestra of Broadway’s Ain’t Too Proud – The Life and Times of the Temptations, was released today. The video, produced by Ain’t Too Proud’s music director and arranger, Kenny Seymour, was shot and assembled virtually, with musicians and performers recording their own sections in isolation. The video culminates with twin messages supporting Black Lives Matter and urging viewers to vote.
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4) DANAI GURIRA, STEPHEN DALDRY, AND LYNN NOTTAGE
WILL PRESENT
ACT OUT: VOTE2020
A NIGHT OF THE SPOKEN WORD, SONG AND DANCE
TO GET OUT THE VOTE
FEATURING NEW AND NEW TAKES ON WORKS BY
JOCELYN BIOH, DANAI GURIRA, DAVID HENRY HWANG, LISA KRON,
TARELL ALVIN MCCRANEY, LYNN NOTTAGE, HEIDI SCHRECK
AND MORE
PERFORMED BY
YVETTE NICOLE BROWN, TONIA JO HALL, BRIAN TYREE
HENRY,LLOYD KNIGHT, SANDRA OH, DeLANNA STUDI, EPHRAIM SYKES,
AND MORE
Tony Award®-nominated playwright, actress, and activist Danai Gurira, two-time Tony Award-winning director Stephen Daldry, and two-time Pulitzer Prize® winner Lynn Nottage will present a very special event to get out the vote – Act Out: Vote2020, a series of short, all new monologues and songs that will make up an hour-long video encouraging audiences to vote in the upcoming elections. Written, directed, and performed by some of the most important voices in the American Theatre, Act Out: Vote2020 will be available to stream on October 29 at 9:00 PM ET at www.ActOutVote2020.com.
Please click here to subscribe and receive a notification when the video premieres.
Partnering with an unprecedented number of regional theaters across the country – in partnership with Theatre Communications Group, National New Play Network, and the Consortium of Asian American Theaters & Artists – Act Out is one of the most significant coast-to-coast theatrical events tied to the election. In addition to presentation of the new works, each theater will provide voting information specific to their state, assisted by When We All Vote, a nonprofit, nonpartisan organization launched by Michelle Obama to increase participation in every election. Act Out: Vote2020 will live on YouTube until November 2.
Act Out: Vote2020 is thrilled to collaborate with “The Carlos Watson Show” and OZY Media who will amplify the project through their channels, featuring a special episode about voting, with playwrights from the project including Danai Gurira, on October 30 at 1:00 PM ET / 10:00 AM PT. Please tune in on The Carlos Watson Show YouTube channel (youtube.com/ozy).
For further information, please visit www.ActOutVote2020.com.
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5) An All Star Halloween Party
to Benefit Broadway Cares Covid 19 Emergency Fund
STARS OF DRACULA, A COMEDY OF TERRORS
CHRISTOPHER SIEBER, ALEX BRIGHTMAN,
JAMES MONROE IGLEHART, ROB MCCLURE &
ORVILLE MENDOZA UNITE TO CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN
JOINED BY SIRIUS XM’S JULIE JAMES
AS THEY REVISIT MORTIFYING COSTUMES FROM THEIR PAST AND HILARIOUS SCENES FROM DRACULA
BENEFITING THE BROADWAY CARES COVID-19 EMERGENCY ASSISTANCE FUND
OCTOBER 28TH AT 9P.M. EST
The Broadway Podcast Network (BPN) is thrilled to present an all-star Halloween party to benefit the Broadway Cares Covid-19 Emergency Assistance Fund on October 28th at 9p.m. EST. Tune into the Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors Broadway Halloween Party at BPN.fm/dracula and simultaneously on the Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS YouTube channel: Youtube.com/BCEFA
Join Broadway stars Christopher Sieber (The Prom), Alex Brightman (Beetlejuice), James Monroe Igleheart (Hamilton), Rob McClure (Mrs. Doubtfire), Orville Mendoza (Peter and the Starcatcher)atcher), Broadway Care’s Tom Viola, writers Steve Rosen & Gordon Greenberg, and producer Dori Berinstein (The Prom) who are joined by Sirius XM’s Julie James (Broadway Names…) for an hour of Halloween stories, costumes and silliness – and hysterical moments from the making of Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors, the new comedy send-up of Bram Stoker’s epic horror story. Hilariously reimagined with a dash of Mel Brooks and a pinch of Monty Python, this new take was first presented as a classic radio play in April, 2020 and is being re-released for Halloween to benefit Broadway Cares’ COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Fund for The Actors Fund
Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors follows the legendary Count Dracula as he travels to England to seduce the woman of his dreams, stirring up danger, magic, sensuality and all manner of silliness. Created in the spirit of The 39-Steps, Dracula, A Comedy of Terrors reimagines the epic horror story of Count Dracula as a lightning fast, laugh-out-loud comedy. The live theatrical version is performed by five world class comedians who portray dozens of zany characters as they race from Britain to Transylvania and back. Their antics raise the audience’s collective pulse and cause blood curdling screams…of laughter.
The podcast radio play adaptation, created to benefit Broadway Cares’ COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Fund for The Actors Fund, uses a cast of 14 of Broadway’s biggest stars to create a vivid radio play reminiscent of the vintage broadcasts of the 1940s
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6) Dutch Kills Theater Company Presents Virtual Benefit Reading of
THE ANTELOPE PARTY
Monday, October 26 at 6:30pm
When the COVID-19 pandemic shut down New York theaters, Dutch Kills Theater Company (Temping, The Sister, The Providence of Neighboring Bodies) was finishing up tech rehearsals at The Wild Project for the New York Premiere of 2018 Weissberger Award for Playwrighting nominee THE ANTELOPE PARTY by Eric John Meyer.
On Monday, October 26th at 6:30pm, Dutch Kills will present a special reading of THE ANTELOPE PARTY, directed by Jess Chayes featuring the March 2020 cast. The recorded reading will continue to be accessible through October 29th. Simply gift a donation of any amount to Dutch Kills Theater Company between now and October 29th to receive a link to view the virtual reading of this comic drama about the rise of facism. Once the artists have been paid, the remaining funds will be split 50/50 between Dutch Kills and organizations fighting for voting rights. To make a donation and watch THE ANTELOPE PARTY, visit dutchkillstheater.com.
In THE ANTELOPE PARTY, five friends gather weekly to revel in their love of the children's cartoon My Little Pony. But they soon find themselves caught between their innocent Brony role playing game and an increasingly dangerous outside world that keeps changing the rules. Eric John Meyer's comic drama wrestles with the importance of community and the dangers of our need to belong.
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7) BAM's annual Halloween block-party goes virtual featuring a
live-interactive dance party, costume contest, makeup transformations, and more
Free and open to the public
BAMboo Sat, Oct 31 at 2 pm (EST)
Join the 19th annual BAMboo on Saturday, October 31 at 2 pm (EST). For the first time, BAM's festive Halloween block party goes virtual inviting audiences near and far. The action-packed afternoon of revelry features a live interactive Monster Mash dance party, the wonders of imagination with a live magician and storyteller, professional pumpkin carvings, and incredible transformations by renowned make-up artists. Best of all, audiences will delight in wild, wacky, and adorable costumes from near and far—and have the opportunity to win prizes with an entry in the annual costume contest. The event is free and all are welcome! For more information visit bam.org/kids/2020/bamboo WHO: Brooklyn Academy of Music (BAM)
WHAT: BAMboo
WHEN: Saturday, October 31 at 2 pm EST
WHERE: Zoom and Vimeo
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8) AN IMMERSIVE DANCE AND HORROR EVENT
STREAMING EXCLUSIVELY ON BROADWAY ON DEMAND
HALLOWEEN WEEKEND
OCTOBER 30TH at 8PM and 10PM
OCTOBER 31ST at 8PM and 10PM
Broadway on Demand, the theater-focused streaming platform, and JDN Theatricals (Producer John David Nelson) today announced that they will jointly premiere the streaming version of GUNNAR MONTANA’S BASEMENT, a new immersive dance and horror event on Halloween weekend. GUNNAR MONTANA’S BASEMENT will be available for streaming October 30th at 8PM and 10PM; and on October 31st at 8PM at 10PM exclusively at BroadwayOnDemand.com Live stream pay-per-view tickets ($9.95). The running time is 60 minutes and there is no intermission.
Visceral, disturbing, and certainly not for the faint of heart, GUNNAR MONTANA’S BASEMENT graphically depicts one man's descent into madness. Audiences are immersed in an unrelenting, visceral nightmare as it unfolds. Explore the gruesome and sometimes violent affects that grief can have on the human mind - and the lengths some will go to in order to hold onto the memory of those they have loved and lost.
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9) Hollywood Legend Comes To Your Living Room
BETTE DAVIS AIN’T FOR SISSIES
Streaming Live Through November 12 at OnTheStage.com
Internationally acclaimed one woman show BETTE DAVIS AIN’T FOR SISSIES has added live streaming and in-person performance options through November 12. Written and performed by Jessica Sherr (Blue Bloods, Annie, Claws), it directed by Karen Carpenter (Harry Townsend’s Last Stand, Love Loss and What I Wore).
In BETTE DAVIS AIN’T FOR SISSIES, Sherr channels 31-year old Bette Davis’ fight against the male-dominated studio system. On the night of the 1939 Oscars, Bette Davis returns home knowing she's to lose Best Actress to Vivien Leigh's Scarlet O'Hara, because the press has leaked the winners. Davis takes us on the bumpy ride of her tumultuous rise, as the tenacious actress fights her way through the studio system to the top. Witness Bette triumph over misogyny to win roles and compensation on par with her male counterparts. See what happens when someone who always wins...loses.
LIVE & IN PERSON POP UP SHOWS IN NEW YORK CITY:• Sun. October 25 @ 3pm EDT - Upper West Side/10025These intimate live-and in person pop up shows will be presented using the LiveTours app and performed for an audience of 12. Ticket buyers must have a smart phone and headphones or earbuds. By downloading the app in advance, patrons will be able to clearly hear Bette while being able to maintain a safe social distance from her and other guests. The exact meetup location (as well as instructions and safety protocols) will be emailed to ticket buyers in advance of the performance. It is suggested that patrons bring their own pillow/blanket/portable chair for seating and wear comfortable shoes. Face masks must be worn at all times -- no eating or drinking during the course of the event. In case of rain, refunds will be issued. Tickets are $20 each, available at www.bettedavisaintforsissies.com. *********************************************************************
10) BROADWAY PODCAST NETWORK
Proudly presents
Broadway’s First Digital Soap Opera
Starring ALEX BRIGHTMAN, ARIANA DEBOSE,
ANDREW BARTH FELDMAN, JAMES MONROE IGLEHART, ILANA LEVINE, LESLI MARGHERITA, MAURICIO MARTINEZ, ASHLEY PARK, GEORGE SALAZAR, SARAH STILES, MICHAEL URIE and LILLIAS WHITE
Special Appearances by MATT BRITTEN, DAVID KORINS, NATASHA KATZ, ALEX LACAMOIRE, LYNN NOTTAGE and JORDAN ROTH
Written by DORI BERINSTEIN and MARK PEIKERT
The Broadway Podcast Network is pleased to announce Broadway’s first digital Soap Opera, AS THE CURTAIN RISES. Written by Dori Berinstein (CEO Broadway Podcast Network, The Prom, Legally Blonde) and Mark Peikert (former Editor in Chief Playbill), AS THE CURTAIN RISES takes you on a never before behind the scenes look at the drama behind the most dramatic business in the world. Produced and released exclusively by Broadway Podcast Network the first episode of AS THE CURTAIN RISES is available Thursday, October 22 wherever you listen to your favorite podcasts and www.BPN.FM/ATCR. The next three episodes of the on-going series will be released subsequent Thursdays, with more coming soon after.
After the ‘Broadway Disher’ leaks news of a top secret, in-the-works, new mega musical, the Broadway community goes off-the-charts batty. Top-of-their-game Broadway Producers Cheryl Philips and Steve Jones, arch enemies, pounce. Who will get the rights? Will way-out-of-their-comfort-zone creators Kaye and Bobby manage to deliver a draft of the show before their marriage implodes? Will Director/Choreographer Zoey Taylor send the show’s budget into a free fall with her wildly ambitious vision? Will Broadway Diva Emma-Olivia get a Schmackery’s cookie (with Sprinkles) named in her honor? Will newbie Agent Maxwell Fernsby step into his new big shoes? And will Science Consultant Andrew Barth Feldman protect the integrity and authenticity of the in-the-works mega musical, before he needs to leave this top secret show to star in a new Broadway musical?
The drama on stage pales in comparison to the drama behind the curtain….
AS THE CURTAIN RISES was created and recorded entirely in Quarantine.
This Broadway Soap Opera celebrates and supports The Actor’s Fund and the BPN Frontline Worker Initiative which you can find at: Bpn.fm/frontlineworkers
The Podcast Will be Available on Apple/iTunes, Spotify, Stitcher, iHeart, TuneIn, Deezer, Player.FM, Pocket Cast, Podcast Addict and everywhere else you listen to podcasts.
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11) Escape Velocity Extra
to Focus on Female Engineers
Wednesday Night, October 28,
7:00 – 8:30 p.m. ET
When the Museum of Science Fiction (MOSF) presents their next Escape Velocity Extra (EVX) online program, Wednesday, October 28 at 7:00 p.m. ET, the spotlight will focus squarely on five prominent women in Aerospace Engineering, each of whom presently play critical roles in NASA’s ongoing partnership with private enterprises.
The next installment of the Museum’s ongoing online programming, entitled Women in Aerospace Engineering, will showcase today’s generation of female engineers, each with an eye toward both the 2024 Artemis Mission to the Moon and the eventual colonization of Mars.
While all five scientists have carved their own paths in the fields of aeronautics and space exploration, each credits such legendary female characters as B’Elanna Torres from Star Trek: Voyager (played by Roxann Dawson), Naomi Nagata (Dominique Tipper from The Expanse), Kaylee Frye (Jewel Staite from Firefly) and others, for their inspiration.
Moderated by Abigail Harrison, this 90-minute episode will discuss the contributions of real-world engineers to the fields of STEAM (science, tech, engineering, arts and math).
Colloquially known as Astronaut Abby, Harrison, only 23 years old, harbors the goal of becoming the first explorer to step foot on Mars. Five years ago, Harrison founded The Mars Generation, a 501(C)3 nonprofit with the aid of an advisory board of astronauts, engineers, scientists and more than a million online followers and supporters. The nonprofit has reached more than 25 million people in its first two years of operation with its work to educate and excite kids and adults about space exploration and STEM education.
Harrison will be joined by:
Harrison will be joined by:
- LaNetra Tate - NASA's Space Tech Mission Directorate's Program Executive
Dr. Tate has served roles in polymer chemistry material science groups, Program Executive for two of the largest programs within the Mission Directorate, STMD Advanced Manufacturing and Nanotechnology Principal Technologist and the NASA representative to the National Manufacturing Initiative. Dr. Tate currently works at Goddard Spaceflight Center, leading the Commercialization, Innovation, and Synergies within the Exploration and Space Communications Division. Dr. Tate has received numerous awards for her work, which she holds numerous patents and publications.
- Jody Davis - NASA Deputy Payload Systems Engineer
Davis has worked on missions Cassini-Huygens, Mars Phoenix and Mars Science Laboratory, specializing in entry, descent and landing flight dynamics and trajectory simulation of the Curiosity Rover and Technical Lead for the Low-Density Supersonic Decelerator flight test project at NASA Langley Research Center. Currently Davis supports the Nancy Grace Roman Space Telescope as the Observatory Lead Interface Systems Engineer. Responsible for aiding the development, design, fabrication, test, verification, mission integration, launch support, and on-orbit operations in the area of technical interfaces. She earned a B.S. in Aerospace Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University and an M.S. in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from University of Virginia.
- Powtawche Valerino - NASA Guidance Engineer
Valerino is an Aerospace Engineer who works at the NASA-Marshall Space Flight Center where she supports NASA’s Space Launch System and Human Landing System Programs in the areas of guidance and flight mechanics. Prior to her current position, Powtawche was a senior guidance engineer for Aerodyne Industries at NASA-Marshall, and a flight path control analyst at NASA-Jet Propulsion Laboratory where she worked on the navigation teams for the Cassini-Huygens, Europa Clipper, and Parker Solar Probe missions. Powtawche earned a bachelor’s degree in Mechanical Engineering from Stanford University, and a Masters’ and Doctoral degree in Mechanical Engineering with a specialty in Aero-Astronautics from Rice University.
- Elizabeth Jens - JPL Propulsion Engineer
Dr. Jens is a Propulsion and Systems Engineer at the NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory working on a cold gas system for the Mars 2020 mission and working on the proposed Mars Ascent Vehicle. Dr. Jens serves as a chairperson of the ASME Propulsion Technical Committee, as well as a member of the Propulsion Technical Committee of the International Astronautical Federation and the Hybrid Rocket Technical Committee of the American Institute of Aeronautics and Astronautics. Dr. Jens earned a Ph.D. in Aeronautics and Astronautics from Stanford University in 2016, a Bachelor of Science in physics and a Bachelor of Mechanical Engineering from the University of Melbourne, Australia in 2008.
- Lindsay Aitchison - NASA Spacesuit Engineer
Lindsay Aitchison is the Program Executive for Extra-vehicular Activity, otherwise known as "spacewalks," within the Advanced Exploration Systems Division at NASA Headquarters. Her team is supporting the Artemis missions to send humans back to the lunar surface and on to Mars. Prior, she was a space suit engineer at NASA’s Johnson Space Center where she focused on the development and testing of space suit pressure garments for surface exploration, gaining extensive hands on experience- as both test director and test subject- in the lab, at remote test sites, and in reduced gravity analogs including the Neutral Buoyance Lab and NASA's reduced gravity aircraft. Aitchison earned a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical Engineering from Purdue University, and a Master of Science degree in Industrial and Human Factors Engineering from Wright State University.
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12) Celebrate Halloween
with Cinematic Concert of
I Put a Spell On You:
The Sanderson Sisters Break the Internet
Annual Event to Haunt Online with Performances by
Todrick Hall, Robyn Hurder, Jay Armstrong Johnson,
Eva Noblezada, Will Swenson and More
A Benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS,
the Spoof of Hocus Pocus
Streams at 8 pm Eastern on Thursday, October 29,
A bewitchingly cinematic extravaganza awaits when I Put a Spell on You, the annual sold-out Halloween concert-meets-party, moves online Thursday, October 29, 2020, in a fully produced spectacle streaming at 8 pm Eastern. The virtual Halloween blowout, presented by Con Limón Productions and Jay Armstrong Johnson, will benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.
Watch the free stream of I Put a Spell on You: The Sanderson Sisters Break the Internet at broadwaycares.org/spell. *********************************************************************
13) ACCLAIMED MENTALIST
JASON SURAN
PRESENTS
RECONNECTED
A VIRTUAL EXPERIENCE
PREVIEWS BEGIN OCTOBER 16, 2020
OPENING NIGHT SET FOR NOVEMBER 14, 2020
Producers Carl Moellenberg and Adam Rei Siegel present acclaimed mentalist Jason Suran, in his new virtual show Reconnected, an unforgettable evening of psychological astonishments. The show’s performances will be held every Friday and Saturday, entirely on Zoom, with previews beginning on October 16 at 8:30 PM ET, ahead of an opening night on November 14, 2020.
Reconnected is an intimate, interactive and irresistible experience where sophisticated acts of mind-reading and unique immersive elements meet, bringing you a show that asks you to engage with yourself and your fellow audience members. There are no muted mics and no back-row seats. So, come together with friends old and new for an experience that you will never forget…and no one else will believe.
Tickets are available at jasonsuran.com/reconnected at $50.00 per Zoom screen. Once registered, a Zoom link and audience instructions will be sent to ticket buyers. Reconnected is recommended for ages 13+ due to language.
Reconnected is written and performed by Jason Suran, created by Suran in collaboration with Adam Rei Siegel and features graphic design by Remy Kass, Emily Murtaugh and Matt Rinehart, technical direction by William O’ Connell and Rob Auten, and video trailer by Alex Olsen.
This virtual experience is performed in advance of an upcoming theatrical show once safety permits.
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14) MACBETH:
A SURROUND SOUND
EXPERIMENT
TO STREAM
BENEFITTING THE ACTORS FUND
AN AT HOME EXPERIENCE CENTERED AROUND
AN ALL-NEW IMMERSIVE AUDIO PERFORMANCE OF SHAKESPEARE’S
HAUNTING PSYCHOLOGICAL TALE OF RAW POLITICAL AMBITION
FEATURING
TAMARA TUNIE, LAILA ROBINS, DEREK WILSON, JOEL DE LA FUENTE,
ROBERT CUCCIOLI, GEOFFREY OWENS, JACOB COGMAN, SEAN
HUDOCK, ROCÍO MENDEZ, TIM NICOLAI, MANDY OLSEN,
SHANE TAYLOR, PATRICK TOON, AND JEORGE BENNETT WATSON
OCTOBER 30, 31, and NOVEMBER 1 at 8:00 PM EST
Shakespeare’s haunting psychological tale of raw political ambition is re-imagined as a virtual, immersive auditory experience with Macbeth: A Surround Sound Experiment. This all-new intimate 3D audio event, featuring an immersive soundscape by Will Padilla, with direction and adaptation by Joseph Discher, (59E59, Barrington Stage) is designed to be listened to in the dark on a pair of headphones with a candle and takes place on October 30, 31, and November 1 at 8:00 PM ET, benefiting The Actors Fund. Ticket-buyers will receive access to the audio performance, along with special instructions, a cocktail recipe, and accoutrements that help complete the experience.
Recorded in isolation over twenty-four hours, Macbeth: A Surround Sound Experiment will feature Tamara Tunie (“Better Call Saul”), Laila Robins (“The Boys”), Derek Wilson (“Future Man”), Joel de la Fuente (“The Man in High Castle’), Robert Cuccioli (“The Sinner”), Geoffrey Owens (The Haves and the Have Nots), Jacob Cogman, Sean Hudock, Rocío Mendez, Tim Nicolai, Mandy Olsen, Shane Taylor, Patrick Toon, and Jeorge Bennett Watson. Production manager is Denise Cardarelli.
Recorded in isolation over twenty-four hours, Macbeth: A Surround Sound Experiment will feature Tamara Tunie (“Better Call Saul”), Laila Robins (“The Boys”), Derek Wilson (“Future Man”), Joel de la Fuente (“The Man in High Castle’), Robert Cuccioli (“The Sinner”), Geoffrey Owens (The Haves and the Have Nots), Jacob Cogman, Sean Hudock, Rocío Mendez, Tim Nicolai, Mandy Olsen, Shane Taylor, Patrick Toon, and Jeorge Bennett Watson. Production manager is Denise Cardarelli.
The production has partnered with HausWitch of Salem, MA, and McClure's Pickles of Brooklyn/Detroit. HausWitch has made their exclusive smoke, vetiver, and spruce "Witches" candle available to listeners, and McClure's Bloody Mary Mix is the heart of the production's signature cocktail “The Bloody Lady,” both available for purchase separately or as part of a Premium Bundle.
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15) JAMES MONROE IGLEHART
IN COOPERATION WITH TIM BURTON/DANNY ELFMAN AND
DISNEY MUSIC GROUP
PRESENTS
THE NIGHTMARE BEFORE
CHRISTMAS
A HALLOWEEN NIGHT BENEFIT CONCERT
IN SUPPORT OF
THE LYMPHOMA RESEARCH FOUNDATION
AND
THE ACTORS FUND
FEATURING THE SPOOKTACULAR TALENTS OF
RAFAEL CASAL, ADRIENNE WARREN, JAMES MONORE IGLEHART,
DANNY BURSTEIN, NIK WALKER, LESLI MARGHERITA, ROB MCCLURE
AND MANY MORE
SATURDAY, OCTOBER 31, 7 PM ET
The Actors Fund, the national human services organization for everyone in performing arts and entertainment, and the Lymphoma Research Foundation are proud to announce a one-night-only Halloween benefit concert presentation of The Nightmare Before Christmas, Disney’s classic animated film, as interpreted by some of Broadway’s most ghoulishly talented artists. The evening will be presented by Tony Award winner James Monroe Iglehart, in cooperation with Tim Burton, Danny Elfman and Disney Music Group. The terrifyingly tantalizing one-night-only event will be available to stream on The Actors Fund Vimeo Channel. on Saturday, October 31 at 7 pm ET. For details and to purchase tickets ($4.99), visit http://actorsfund.org/TNBC.
James Monroe Iglehart, who dazzled audiences as the Genie in his Tony Award-winning performance in Disney Theatricals’s Aladdin, and his Broadway friends, using only items and clothing found around their house combined with their imaginations, will bring this delightful evening of music, storytelling and Halloween fun to life for one-night-only.
The cast includes: Rafael Casal (Blindspotting, Bad Education), Adrienne Warren (Tina: The Tina Turner Musical, Shuffle Along, Bring It On: The Musical), James Monroe Iglehart (Aladdin, Hamilton, Memphis), Danny Burstein (Moulin Rouge!, My Fair Lady, Fiddler on the Roof), Nik Walker (Ain’t Too Proud, Hamilton, Motown The Musical), Lesli Margherita (Dames at Sea, Matilda, EmojiLand), Rob McClure (Chaplin, Mrs. Doubtfire, Beetlejuice) and more.
With door-to-door tricks and treats on hold, all are invited to indulge in this holiday classic. To purchase tickets to stream ($4.99), visit actorsfund.org/NBC.
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16) POLITICAL IDOL 2020
Written by ROBERT YARNALL, directed by MICHAEL GOLDFRIED
With music direction by ANESSA MARIE
Available Beginning October 27 – November 3, 2020
After sold-out runs in New York, Washington, DC, and Chicago, the smart and witty, political parody, Political Idol 2020, written by Robert Yarnall and Marc Emory, directed by Michael Goldfried, with music direction by Anessa Marie will debut its newest 2020 edition on October 27. Tickets are $20.20 and can be purchased on PoliticalIdolLive.com.
A wickedly funny and witty musical parody in the vein of Forbidden Broadway, Political Idol 2020 is hosted by Oprah Winfrey with constant interruptions by Donald Trump and features appearances by stars of the 2020 campaign season including Melania Trump, Joe Biden, Amy Klobuchar, Elizabeth Warren, Nancy Pelosi, Kimberly Guilfoyle, Kamala Harris, Michelle Obama, Oprah Winfrey, Ben Carson, Bill Barr, Mitch McConnell, Mayor Pete, and Bernie Sanders.
Political Idol 2020 features 16 lyrically altered songs including “I Really Need Your Vote” (“I Hope I Get It “A Chorus Line) “Strangers on the Right” (Strangers in the Night”), SEASONS OF TRUMP (Based on Jonathan Larson’s “Seasons of Love” from “Rent”), IT’S DIVERSION (Madonna’s “Like a Virgin”), FAKE (“I Guess That’s Why They Call It the Blues” by Elton John), KAMALA MEDLEY (“Karma Chameleon” by Culture Club) and many more.
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17) POSEIDON THEATRE COMPANY’S
X
Part One: The Insidious
A Remote Interactive Installation
Having electrified the 2019/2020 theater season with its critically acclaimed Halloween season immersive production The Cooping Theory 1969: Who Killed Edgar Allan Poe? Poseidon Theater Company will strike a more socially conscious tone this season. The company today announced that in association with Alvarez Keko Salazar Productions, Tony Mayes, and Napoleon M Douglas, it will present Kim Exum, Cheech Manohar, Gillian Saker & Meaghan Sands in X PART ONE: THE INSIDIOUS, a new online interactive installation, written by Jason Veasey, conceived and directed by Aaron Salazar, with music by Manuel Pelayo & Giancarlo Bonfanti & Matt Katz. The six-week engagement is accessible via in home streaming and mobile phone and begins previews on Wednesday, October 28. The official opening will be on Wednesday, November 11 at 7PM. https://www.poseidontheatrecompany.com/x
X PART ONE: THE INSIDIOUS drops its audience into a time in the not so distant future, where the “I” sees and monitors all. Where equity is turned on its head, authenticity is stripped, and those left in the wake of the new “utopia” struggle to comply. In this allegorical take on the insidiousness of assimilation, erasure, and homogenized lack of racial identity, director Aaron Salazar explores a character study of inner turmoil, flanked by the threat of consequence in a “world” that values the illusion of harmony and anyone who threatens that illusion is demoted to the status of X. Will they comply or will they simply disappear? Find out in this timely thriller written by Jason Veasey. You are invited to witness, as a trainee of the new “WE”
Performances of X PART ONE: THE INSIDIOUS are on Wednesdays, Thursdays and Fridays with showtimes starting at 7:00 PM EST, 8:15 PM EST, 9:30 PM EST, and 10:45 PM EST. There is a 60-person capacity per show. https://ci.ovationtix.com/35221/production/1032254
Tickets are $35 (General Admission) and $50 (Benefactor Patron Admission). Benefactor Patron level ticket Admission rate directly benefits the artists in the production who have been affected by the impacts of Covid-19 within the theatre industry shutdown. Patrons will be acknowledged on the website and show credits as patrons of the production.
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18) NORM LEWIS to star as Count Dracula
In RESOUNDING's debut production of
DRACULA
Based on ORSON WELLES' Radio Play
and Adapted by STEVE WARGO
Cast includes
LINDSAY NICOLE CHAMBERS, SIHO ELLSMORE,
CHRIS RENFRO, DICK TERHUNE, and STUART WILLIAMS
October 30 & 31, 2020
Resounding, a live immersive audio entertainment company, will debut with a production of Dracula, on Friday, October 30 and Saturday 31 at 8 PM. Based on Orson Welles' radio play and adapted by Resounding Creative Director Steve Wargo, this production of Dracula will star Tony-nominated Norm Lewis (Broadway: Once on This Island The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess) as Count Dracula along with Lindsay Nicole Chambers (Broadway: Lysistrata Jones, Legally Blonde, Hairspray) as Mina Murray, Siho Ellsmore (Off-Broadway: Jewtopia. TV: "Neighbours") as Lucy Westenra, Chris Renfro (TV: "The Happy Place,” "Reno911!") as Jonathan Harker, Dick Terhune (TV: "Transformers: Cyberverse") as Prof, Van Helsing, Stuart Williams (Off-Broadway: The Report. TV: "The Plot Against America") as Dr. Seward and John Stimac (Film: Lethal Force. Met Opera’s Akhnaten), all performing live, remotely from their homes.
Based on Bram Stoker's horror classic, this live immersive audio experience will transport audiences to the heart of Transylvania and the decaying, undead world of The Count himself. With your ears and imagination as your guide, join Prof. Van Helsing as he leads a team of vampire hunters to destroy the evil that is Dracula once and for all.
This fast-paced new immersive audio play, suggested by Orson Welles' 1938 radio adaptation, will use new, proprietary technology to create a live 360-degree soundscape of howls, bats, screams, creaky floors, slamming doors, and everything that goes bump in the night.
Resounding wants their audiences to ‘spend the night out at home’ as they gather with their friends near and far for the Halloween event of the year: dress in your undead best, light your candles, pour yourself a drink, and prepare to experience Dracula like never before. Resounding has partnered with award-winning NYC bartender Jena Ellenwood to help curate custom cocktails (and nonalcoholic beverages) for each of their shows; the team will engage with audiences with ideas for show-specific eats and treats, costumes, and décor on their Pinterest board. Audiences will also have the opportunity to share their experiences via a "virtual photo booth" that documents the shared experience of attending the performance together, even while being apart.
Dracula will be followed by live audio performances of a Resounding adaptation of Robert Louis Stevenson’s Treasure Island (November), and the World Premiere of The Fantastical Tale of the Nutcracker and the Mouse King (December) casts TBA. Tickets are $20 and can be purchased by visiting Resounding.live *********************************************************************
19) ACLU and NYCLU’S
SING OUT FOR FREEDOM CONCERT
Hosted by three time SAG Award Winner LEA DELARIA
Directed by Tony nominee LIESL TOMMY
To Take Place Monday, November 2 at 6:30PM EST
The American Civil Liberties Union (ACLU) and the New York Civil Liberties Union (NYCLU) are pleased to announce this year’s newly titled Sing Out For Freedom virtual event, formerly known as Broadway Stands Up for Freedom, will be hosted by Three Time SAG Award Winner and Obie Winner Lea DeLaria (“Orange is the New Black”).
The livestreamed event will take place on Monday, November 2 at 6:30PM (EST) and can be viewed exclusively at singoutforfreedom.com. This will be the 18th annual concert event hosted by the ACLU and NYCLU.
Liesl Tommy, Tony Award nominee (Eclipsed) and director of upcoming Aretha Franklin biopic, RESPECT, will direct the election eve concert, which will feature performances and appearances by Broadway performers and inspiring activists who stand up for freedom and civil liberties for all.
On the eve of the most important election of our lifetimes, join Broadway favorites and other luminaries for a concert of solidarity, community and renewal as we stand – and sing – with the NYCLU and the ACLU to protect one of our most essential democratic rights: the right to vote. In an inspiring evening filled with music and hope, we will honor the legacies of Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Rep. John Lewis and suffragists, along with other activists and citizens who have both fought for and protected American voting rights, especially as they remain under direct attack today. No matter what happens on Election Day, this year has proven that the NYCLU and ACLU’s work to defend civil liberties in New York and across the country is more vital than ever.
For more information and to RSVP visit www.singoutforfreedom.com. Proceeds from the concert will benefit the work of the NYCLU and the ACLU to promote and protect the civil rights and liberties in New York and across the country. The concert is free with a suggested donation of $20. *********************************************************************
20) BROADWAY’S BEST SHOWS
“Spotlight on Play” Series Continues
RACE by David Mamet
Starring Ed O’Neill, David Alan Grier, Alicia Stith and Richard Thomas
Directed by Phylicia Rashad
Thursday, October 29 at 5PM PT/8PM PT; Available until Monday, November 2
TO BENEFIT THE ACTORS FUND
The “Spotlight on Plays” series continues with David Mamet’s RACE on Thursday, October 29 at 8PM EST/ 5PM PST. The cast stars Ed O’Neill, 2020 Tony Award nominee David Alan Grier recreating his Tony-nominated performance, Alicia Stith, and Richard Thomas also recreating his role from the 2009 Broadway production. Tony Award winner Phylicia Rashad directs.
David Mamet’s provocative play RACE concerns three lawyers defending a wealthy white executive charged with raping a black woman.
The “Spotlight on Plays” events are livestreamed at 8PM EST/5PM PST. RACE will be available until Monday, November 2. Tickets for all events are on sale now and sold exclusively on TodayTix. Ticket buyers can access the events through the TodayTix app or todaytix.com at a “Pay What You Can” rate starting at $5. Proceeds from ticket sales will be donated to The Actor’s Fund.
The fall series will continue with David Mamet’s BOSTON MARRIAGE (November 12), a new adaptation of UNCLE VANYA (November 19), a reunion with the original Broadway cast of Donald Margulies’ TIME STANDS STILL (December 3) and Robert’s O’Hara’s BARBECUE (December 10).
In spring 2021, the series will continue with: THE OHIO STATE MURDERS by Adrienne Kennedy; THE THANKSGIVING PLAY by Larissa FastHorse; DEAR ELIZABETH by Sarah Ruhl and ANGRY, RAUCOUS AND SHAMELESSLY GORGEOUS by Pearl Cleage and WATCH ON THE RHINE by Lillian Hellman. Further details including additional titles, dates, directors and casting will be announced shortly.
To learn more about “Spotlight on Plays” series, visit Broadways Best Shows Spotlight on Plays.
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21) THE THANKFUL PROJECT
WEEKLY CHAT SERIES ANNOUNCED
In Conjunction with THANKFUL: A BENEFIT ALBUM FOR JERAD BORTZ
Jerad Bortz and Steven Skeels today announced THE THANKFUL PROJECT, a weekly chat series in partnership with BroadwayWorld. The series will feature a special guest vocalist alongside Bortz and Skeels each week, debuting one of the album’s 22 original songs. The song will be made available for purchase immediately following the episode on iTunes.
The schedule for THE THANKFUL PROJECT is as follows:
Episode #1: Friday, October 23
Featuring Annaleigh Ashford
(“Livin’ In a Fishbowl”)
Episode #2: Friday, October 30
Featuring Andy Karl
(“My Mind”)
Episode #3: Friday, November 6
Featuring Megan Hilty
(“Snowfall”)
Episode #4: Friday, November 13
Featuring Marty Thomas
(“I Love Myself”)
Episode #5: Friday, November 20
Featuring Ben Vereen
(“For Today”)
Episode #6: Friday, November 27
Official Album Release Date
Featuring Steven Skeels and Jerad Bortz
(“Thankful”)
The full album, THANKFUL: A Benefit Album for Jerad Bortz is now available for pre-order beginning Friday, October 23 on iTunes. The album will officially be released on Friday, November 27.
The album is co-produced by Steven Skeels, THANKFUL presents 22 original songs written by Skeels and features an impressive lineup of singers, arrangers, orchestrators and musicians. All participants donated their time and award-winning skills to help raise funds for Jerad’s ongoing medical needs, and a portion of proceeds will go to The Actors Fund of America and Canine Companions for Independence (CCI). The organizations supported Bortz after a spinal cord injury left him paralyzed from the chest down.
The featured vocalists on THANKFUL include Annaleigh Ashford, Shoshana Bean, Stephanie J. Block, Jerad Bortz, Alex Brightman, Breedlove, Lisa Brescia, Norbert Leo Butz, Liz Callaway, Gaelen Gilliland, Jin Ha, Megan Hilty, Cheyenne Jackson, Christopher Jackson, Andy Karl, Beth Leavel, Norm Lewis, Julia Murney, Q. Smith, Ali Stroker, Steven Skeels, Marty Thomas, Katie Thompson, Ryan Vasquez, Ann VanCleave and Ben Vereen.
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22) Two River Theater: Virtual Event
STORY TIME WITH TAYLOR: LAST STOP ON MARKET STREET
WED, OCT 28 | 11:00 AM | FREE | FACEBOOK LIVE
Join Literary Manager Taylor Barfield for a Story Time Live reading of Last Stop on Market Street, by Matt de la Peña with illustrations by Christian Robinson. This reading is perfect for ages 5 and under.
For more information go to https://tworivertheater.org/whats-on/laststoponmarketstreet
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23)STUFFING THE BALLOT BOX
WITH FUN!
THE YORK THEATRE COMPANY
PRESENTS
THE RETURN OF JOSH ELLIS AND
PETER FILICHIA
WITH
THE SPECIAL PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION
EDITION OF
‘IN PHILLY, BOSTON, OR BALTIMO'
HOSTED BY 13-YEAR-OLD
THEATER MAVEN CHARLES KIRSCH
STREAMING LIVE
MONDAY EVENING, OCTOBER 26, 2020
AT 7:00PM
STUFFING BALLOT BOX WITH FUN! The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director; Evans Haile, Executive Director), dedicated to the development of new musicals and rediscovery of musical gems from the past, by popular demand, presents the return of Josh Ellis and Peter Filichia with The Special Presidential Election Edition of ‘In Philly, Boston, or Baltimo', hosted by 13-year-old theater maven (and mensch) Charles Kirsch, in a live-streaming online event set for Monday evening, October 26, 2020 at 7:00 p.m. When Josh and Peter discuss presidents and musicals, there won't be any alternative facts—just fun-filled ones! And when the collude with Charles Kirsch, you have a landslide victory. The online event is FREE. Please make your reservation online at https://web.ovationtix.com/`trs/pe.c/10587179. A link will be sent on the day of the performance.
How does 75 minutes of fun sound in the midst of these crazy times? Join the York Theatre Company for an evening of theatrical fireworks at the intersection of “Broadway Musicals” and “1600 Pennsylvania Avenue.” We’re calling the evening The Special Presidential Election Edition of ‘In Philly, Boston, or Baltimo', the York’s ongoing musical theatre lovers’ series. Let’s DISH!
Which Presidents loved musicals? Which President was in a New York musical revival? What are the great—and not-so-great—Broadway musicals in which we see real and fictional United States Presidents, First Ladies and First Children? Which Presidential candidate used the hugely popular title tune of a hit Broadway musical to be his official campaign song? Which First Daughter was taught to fly by Peter Pan? What was it like to actually attend a formal White House State Dinner with a fiery Broadway leading lady?
The York Theatre Company offers the *York! Membership Program, an exclusive membership package for as low as $75.00—with elite benefits that include up to 35% off tickets to York Theatre Productions, exclusive Member pre-sale opportunities, 50% off on all lobby concessions, 20% off on all lobby merchandise, in addition to special Member-only receptions. The York also offers a _York Plus!_ Membership Program with additional perks, including complimentary tickets to Mainstage productions, invites to several VIP-only presentations throughout the season, and discount parking with membership. (York Members receive Priority Seating and Discounted Tickets.) All current, renewing, and new members will receive a complimentary 6 months of additional membership—18 months for the price of 12 months! York Memberships can be purchased online at www.yorktheatre.org/membership. *********************************************************************
And that's the scoop. Tune in Monday for this month's Monthly Mashup.
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