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

Thursday, April 29, 2021

Theater Thursday - The Little House of Cookies

What: The Little House of Cookies

Where: TADA Youth Theater's YouTube Page

Who: All Ages

When: Through May 13, 2021

TADA Youth Theater has released another family-friendly fun musical from their archives for a limited time on their YouTube page. This one's called The Little House of Cookies and revolves around an abandoned house that eventually becomes a cookie shop. You might want to have snacks on hand while watching this one. All that cookie talk and singing about cookies as well is bound to make you hungry, and there are plenty of cookies shown on screen as well. Cookies were actually even given out to audiences after live performances of the show as well, but unfortunately, that is not something that can be replicated through a screen. 

Of course, there is much more to the show than just cookies. There are lessons about friendship, cooperation, and working together all told through a whimsical story. The plot can be a little bit confusing at first because there are so many different groups of people in the show, and it is not immediately clear what their connections to each other are. The show is full of joy in the form of  TADA Youth Theater's usual effervescent performances, jubilant singing, and energetic dancing. Although all of the performers are good, Serena Rosario-Stanley in the role of the elderly Mrs. Obrien is particularly good and believable in her role.  

The show only runs about an hour long,  but the video is twice as long. There are two versions of the same show back to back on the video. Both versions are the same except for some of the cast members since TADA Youth Theater double casts some of their roles in order to give more kids the opportunity to perform

For more about Little House of Cookie or to watch, go to TADA Youth Theater's YouTube Page. For more information about TADA Youth Theater in general or to sign your child up for their virtual classes or summer camp visit www.tadatheater.com.

And that's our view. Tune in Sunday for this week's Sunday Scoop.

Wednesday, April 28, 2021

What-To-Do Wednesday - The Friends Virtual Tour


We were given a complimentary Friends Virtual Tour for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

What: Friends Virtual Tour

Where: On Location Tours

Who: All ages

Even if you have visited The Friends Experience, see our previous post Where-To-Go Wednesday: The Friends Experience, for more) , you won't want to miss out on The Friends Virtual Tour especially if you are a superfan of the TV show and/or if you are unable to get to The Friends Experience. The two events are like companion pieces to each other. While the Friends Experience is mostly about interiors and fake locations that were made up on Hollywood sets, The Friends Virtual Tour is all about actual locations that were mentioned by name in the series like Bloomingdales and The Cafe Des Artistes and/or were the inspiration for locations in the series like the Museum of Natural History and the Pulitzer Fountain. The tour visits every New York location you can think of that you'd want to visit as well as some you may not even remember from the show, and there is plenty of reminiscing about the episodes that took place in each location.

There is much more to the tour than just looking at buildings and remembering various episodes of the show. It is also jam-packed with loads of fun trivia and fascinating facts. For one thing, alternate actors that were considered for every role in the series are revealed.  There is even a theme song karaoke sing-along. Even if you are not a super fan, but you are at all a fan of Friends, this is another one you are definitely not going to want to miss!

And that's our view.

For more about The Friends Virtual Tour and/or to sign up for a tour, visit onlocationtours.com/new-york-tv-and-movie-tours/friends-virtual-tour. To find out about other On Location Tours other virtual and live tours, visit onlocationtours.com.

Tune in tomorrow for Theater Thursday.

Tuesday, April 27, 2021

Tips for Tuesday - Books: The Newcomer & Films: Jennifer Aniston More Than Friends

We may have been given a complimentary copy for review purposes of any books and/or other products mentioned below and/or complimentary access to any films mentioned. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

Books: The Newcomer 


Today we are recommending The Newcomer by Mary Kay Andrews. In the wake of her sister's murder, a murder that the world thinks she committed, Letty flees to Florida where after some initial reluctance she quickly wins the hearts of the owners and residents of the Murmuring Surf Motel. This book has a little bit of everything mystery, found family,  and romance, as well as an abundance of cuteness in the form of an adorable four-year-old little girl. This is a mystery with a big heart.

Film: Jennifer Aniston: More Than Friends


Today we are talking about Jennifer Aniston More Than Friends. This documentary about the friend's star is more of a puff piece than an expose. There is very little information provided here that you probably haven't already heard before especially if you are a big fan of the actress. However, if you are a fan of the actress you may enjoy reliving her career highs and lows as well as some aspects of her personal life including her two marriages. If you love fashion, you'll especially enjoy reliving some of her most stylish red carpet moments. 

Jennifer More Than Friends is available on Amazon Prime and TubiTV.
 
And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

Monday, April 26, 2021

The Foods That Built America

Lately, my husband and I have really been into watching The Foods That Built America.  This show about how different well-known foods came to exist is in its second season on the History Channel although we didn't start watching it or even know about it until this season. So far, there have been 11 episodes in the season, and we don't know if there will be more. 

The episodes this season have revolved around pizza, cookies, soup, and more. Each episode focuses primarily on the battle between two titans in a particular food industry for dominance of the market. For instance, Dominos vs Pizza Hut and Coca-Cola vs Pepsi Cola have each been featured this season. 

Focusing on only two companies in an industry probably oversimplifies things because even if those two companies started out as the only ones in the market, there are usually quite a few companies in any food-related field, and many of them have been around for a long time. Of course, companies do come and go all the time and sometimes one company gets acquired by another. It's also true that some food chains or food companies are only popular in a particular area of the county. However, for the purpose of the show, they probably wanted to focus on companies that would be familiar to most people no matter where they live. Besides, there's only so much you can cram into a one-hour program so focusing on only two main companies per program does make sense. 

The show is full of fascinating information about the history of some of our favorite foods. However, it will make you hungry so it is best to watch when you are eating or when you've been well fed. There seem to be quite a lot of food-related commercials that run during the show too even more than the excessive amount of food commercials that are on TV usually. The extra amount of food commercials only add to the hunger issue so unless you have a lot of willpower, you are definitely going to want to have snack on hand while you watch. 

In case an hour per episode is too long, they also recently introduced a shorter version of the show called The Foods That Built America Snack Size. These shorter episodes provide a brief overview of a particular brand or a couple of brands. However, so far, a lot of the ground most of these episodes cover seems to be the same as the original show.   

There is also a Foods That Built America podcast. The podcast covers similar topics to the TV show, but we have not actually had the chance to listen to any of the podcast episodes. Accordingly, we don't know how much they differ from the episodes of the TV show. 

And that's our view. What are your favorite well-known food brands and/or food chains?

Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

Sunday, April 25, 2021

Sunday Scoop Week of 4/25/21 Live and Virtual Events Coming Up This Week or Soon Thereafter and More

1) 24th Street Theatre's Saturday Explorer Series for Young Audiences Goes Virtual in May
2) American Symphony Orchestra Offers Live Music at Bryant Park & Herald Square 5/3 - 5/19 
3) Ahoy Tours Now Up and Running Safely
4) All Together Now May Monhtly Lineup Available Now
5) Asase Yaa School of the Arts Children's Summer Camp 6/28 - 8/6
6) Battery Dance Presents Moving Stories Part of Carnegie Hall's Voices of Hope 4/29
7) Bleeding Love Celebrates One Year Anniversary and 20,000 Downloads
8) The Destruction of Jane New Tarzan Parody 7 Part Mini-Series Premiering 4/29
9) George Street Playhouse 2021 Virtual Gala 4/29
10) Housewives of Secaucus: What a a Drag 5/1 
11) In the Heights Original Motion Picture Soundtrack Available Now
12) Irish Repertory Theater's Performances on Screen Presents Little Gem 4/27 - 5/9
13) Lewis Flinn Will Release The Curtain Call Mixes 5/3
14) Michael Kors 40th Anniversary Runway Show
15) Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company's 4/26 - 4/30 Schedule for The Bridge
16) The National Theater Network Regional Theatre's New Digital Stage
17) NYCC Presents Sutton Foster in Bring Me to Light Premieres 4/28
18) The Orchestra Now Free Livestream Concert 5/1
19) Resounding's Beyond the Veil at Radial Park at Hallett's Point Play
20) Shofuso Japanese Cultural Center Children's Day Celebration 5/1
21) South Street Seaport Museum Monthly Virtual Sea Chanteys and Maritime Music 5/2
22) Stage & Screen Live Online Auction 4/28
23) TADA Youth Theater 2021 May and June Online Education Programs
24) Titanique, Celine Dion Musical Comedy, to Have Global Concert Debut on Stellar 5/2
25) Two River Theater Free Program The Joy of the Arts In the Autism Community
26) Two River Theater Tiny Shakes Romeo & Juliet May 2021
27) Works & Process at the Guggenheim Return to Live Performances Now at 6pm & 8 pm


1) 24th Street Theatre’s ‘Saturday Explorer Series
for young audiences goes virtual in May

 
24th Street Theatre brings back its beloved “Saturday Explorer Series” for young audiences with four live, virtual performances set to take place on the first four Saturdays in May at 12:30 p.m. PT / 3:30 p.m. ET.

Kicking off the 2021 series, modern-day griot, storyteller and Renaissance man Al Bostick will share two stories from African Akan folklore on SaturdayMay 1, including Anansi Collects the World’s Wisdom” and How Anansi the Spider Received the Sky-God’s Stories.”

Next up, Santino Jimenez will tell Morning Stories with My Abuelo on SaturdayMay 8. The two stories, “The Day It Snowed Tortillas” and “Juan Cigarron,” will each be told in English and Spanish.

On Saturday, May 15Love and Magic with Bennett Schneider brings to life two tales from Oscar Wilde about the magic made by love and compassion, and the love made possible by magic.

Finally, on SaturdayMay 22, Shivani Thakkar weaves a story of great love, enchanted forests, an epic war and the birth of the Indian New Year celebration with Mythology, Magic, and Miracles, excerpted from Ramayana, one of India's best-known epic cannons of work.

Tickets to 24th Street Theatre’s 2021 “Saturday Explorer Series” are $10 per show for the entire household, or all four shows for $24, available at www.24thstreet.org.
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2) AMERICAN SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA ENSEMBLES LIVE IN MANHATTAN–
FREE CHAMBER MUSIC SERIES AT NEW YORK CITY’S BRYANT PARK
AND HERALD SQUARE PLAZA, MAY 3 – 19, 2021

The American Symphony Orchestra will offer a free, nine-concert chamber music series to welcome spring at Manhattan’s Bryant Park and 34th St. Herald Square Plaza from May 3–19. The five different programs have been curated by ASO musicians, who will perform music ranging from 20th-century Mexican and all-American jazz composers to Afro-Cuban Batá drumming and classical works for horn quartet and woodwind trio. Featured artists include percussionist and composer Javier Diaz, saxophonist Roxy Coss, and oboist Toyin Spellman-Diaz. All concerts last for one hour and begin at 5:30 pm. Complete details are listed below.

Music-lovers will find a limited number of first-come, first-served chairs set up near the Bryant Park Fountain Terrace in front of the stage and at Herald Square to enjoy an after-work respite with live music. Artists and audience members will be required to follow current public health guidelines including wearing masks and social distancing.

For more information, visit americansymphony.org/current-season/
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3) Ahoy Tours Are Up and Running Safely

Over the past few months,  Ahoy NY Tours & Tasting has been busy offering virtual experiences-- and while they will continue to do so, the good news is that nowthey are offering in-person tours!

They officially opened back up at the beginning of this month and are thrilled to be back showing off Chinatown, Little Italy and Nolita. They have put a Health and Safety Policy in place which has helped us manage the "new normal".

They look forward to seeing you all again, tasting delicious foods, exploring vibrant neighborhoods, and learning about NYC's amazing history. Their tours have been crafted to ensure your safety and of course make sure you eat well and have fun. They are ecstatic to welcome you all back!

For more information or to book a tour, visit 
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4) MONTHLY LINEUP ANNOUNCED FOR

All Together Now, a media and technology company that brings communities together through live digital events, has announced their upcoming monthly lineup including starry fundraisers for New York City BalletMCC’s Miscast, and Philadelphia Orchestra, and the Madison Square Boys & Girls Club annual Youth of the Year.

 

For ticketing links to each event, visit AllTogetherNow.live/shows.  

For more information on All Together Now, visit AllTogetherNow.live.


The upcoming events include:

  • New York City Ballet Spring Gala: From Our Home to Yours  ASL Interpretation Provided
    Wednesday, May 5, 7:00pm ET

Acclaimed filmmaker Sofia Coppola directs a film that will be the centerpiece of NYCB's first-ever virtual gala on May 5, shot on location at the David H. Koch Theater with acclaimed cinematographer Philippe Le Sourd. This special gala evening will present a cinematic journey through the David H. Koch Theater as it reawakens with their dancers’ return. It will feature a World Premiere by NYCB Resident Choreographer Justin Peck.

  • Philadelphia Orchestra: Fanfare for the Future A picture containing night sky, control panel

Description automatically generated ASL Interpretation Provided
    Thursday, May 13, 8:00pm ET 

For 164 years and counting, the Academy of Music has been home to world-class performances and momentous life events for generations of Philadelphians and visitors from around the world. Join the Philadelphia Orchestra as they present their first interactive virtual gala to celebrate the Academy of Music’s glorious past and bright future. In addition to segments featuring host Whoopi Goldberg, CBS 3 News Anchor Ukee Washington will turn the spotlight on the Academy’s place in Philadelphia’s artistic and civic life. Washington will lead viewers on a behind-the-scenes tour complete with glimpses of artifacts from the building’s storied history as the home of Broadway, opera, ballet, classical music, and so much more.

  • MCC’s Miscast21

Sunday, May 16, 8:00 PM ET 

MCC Theater’s annual Miscast gala is one of the most exciting and unique theater events in town. Broadway’s hottest stars perform songs from roles in which they would not traditionally be cast. Performers include Idina Menzel (FrozenWicked), Kelly Marie Tran (Raya and the Last DragonStar Wars: The Last Jedi), Patrick Wilson (The Full MontyFargo), Annaleigh Ashford (“B Positive”; Kinky Boots), Robin de Jésus (tick, tick...Boom!The Boys in the Band), Renée Elise Goldsberry (Hamilton; “Altered Carbon”), Lachanze (Summer: The Donna Summer Summer MusicalThe Color Purple), Kelli O’Hara (The King and ISouth Pacific), and Billy Porter (“Pose”; Kinky Boots). Funds raised from Miscast help MCC Theater produce some of the most talked-about new work Off-Broadway and support their Youth Company and in-school partnerships that serve New York City public high school students, as well as their literary development work with emerging playwrights.

  • Madison Square Boys & Girls Club: 9th Annual Youth of the Year 

Wednesday, May 19, 6:30 PM ET

Youth of the Year celebrates four outstanding youth and the vital role that Madison’s guidance and resources play in the lives of more than 5,000 of New York City’s most under-resourced youth. This event celebrates the success of youth who have overcome enormous odds and have demonstrated exceptional character and leadership skills. Join the Madison Square Boys & Girls Club for their 9th Annual Youth of the Year event to hear inspiring stories of resilience, character, and achievement. One of the finalists will be presented with the organization’s most prestigious honor: 2021 Youth of the Year for Madison Square Boys & Girls Club! Additionally, they will honor and celebrate Al Zollar of Siris Capital and Carlton Charles of Hearst as our Champions of Youth.

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5) ASASE YAA SCHOOL OF THE ARTS GEARS UP FOR 15th ANNUAL
CHILDREN’S SUMMER ARTS CAMP JUNE 28 – AUGUST 6

.

The Brooklyn-based Asase Yaa Cultural Arts Foundation’s School of the Arts has announced their 15th Annual Children’s Summer Art Camp will be fully in person from June 28 – August 6, 2021. The six-week camp services 100% minority youth 4 – 13 years old from its surrounding communities. Asase Yaa’s day camp will run Monday – Friday, 8:00 am – 5:00 PM at the Mount Lebanon Baptist Church, 228 Decatur Street, Brooklyn. Early registration is available now for a $50 fee. The tuition fee for the six weeks camp is $1000. Registration will extend through June 28th

Activities for this summer’s camp will include dance, arts & crafts, drumming, creative writing, table games, and science skills. The summer camp will be capped by their traditional end of camp Finale Performance.

To adhere to COVID precautions, Asase Yaa is reducing its total enrollment for campers and encourage interested parties to register early.
 
To register for the Asase Yaa Children’s Summer Arts Camp click on this link: http://bit.ly/AYCAMP2020
For more information about Asase Yaa go to: www.asaseyaaent.org
email info@asaseyaaent.org or contact Rubie l. Williams, (917) 789-0563.
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6) Battery Dance Presents Moving Stories,
Part of Carnegie Hall’s Voices Of Hope
Thursday, April 29, 2021 at 7pm

Battery Dance presents Moving Stories, a documentary on dance performance, on April 29, 2021 at 7pm as part of Carnegie Hall’s Voices of Hope. In this moving and inspiring documentary by Rob Fruchtman, Cornelia Ravenal, Mikael Södersten, and Wendy Sax, six diverse dancers from the acclaimed Battery Dance company travel the world, working with young people who have experienced war, poverty, sexual violence, and severe trauma as refugees. The event is free. For more information and to register, visit https://www.carnegiehall.org/Calendar/2021/04/29/Moving-Stories-0700PM.

The goal for the dancers: to teach them the tools of choreography so that they can tell their stories through dance. With just one week until performance, the film captures the struggle, frustration, determination, and transformation of students and teachers alike. 

After the film screening, there will be a Q&A session with the filmmakers and Battery Dance

About Voices of Hope
April 16-30, 2021
The life-affirming power of music and the arts during times of crisis comes under the spotlight in Carnegie Hall’s Voices of Hope. This online festival examines the resilience of artists and explores the works they felt compelled to create despite—and often because of—appalling circumstances and human tragedy.

With streamed performances that range from orchestral and chamber works to folk and jazz, Voices of Hope features music that inspires change and lifts the human spirit. The Hall’s Weill Music Institute also engages its educational program participants, inviting songwriters of all ages from across New York City and beyond to create music exploring this theme.

Leading cultural and academic organizations extend the scope of the festival through online programming and events, exhibitions, performances, and film screenings, considering humankind’s capacity for hope, courage, and resilience in the face of the unimaginable.
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7) THE BROADWAY PODCAST NETWORK AND THE MUSICAL PODCAST BLEEDING LOVE

STARRING ANNIE GOLDEN, REBECCA NAOMI JONES, MARC KUDISCH, SARAH STILES, TAYLOR TRENSCH, TONY VINCENT

CELEBRATE ONE-YEAR ANNIVERSARY AND 

OVER 20,000 DOWNLOADS


BLEEDING LOVE, the first musical theater podcast to be recorded and released during quarantine, celebrates its one-year anniversary and over 20,000 downloads. In March and April 2020, the Broadway Podcast Network, Tony award-winner Dori Berinstein and Alan Seales, in association with Kent Nicholson, Katie Rosin, and Steve Saporito, produced BLEEDING LOVE, directed and edited by Harris Doran. With book and story by Jason Schafer, music by Arthur Lafrentz Bacon, and lyrics by Harris DoranBLEEDING LOVE takes place in a world that is too dangerous to go outside, where a starry-eyed teen cellist risks leaving her apartment to win the love of the rebel punk next door. A twisted musical with a good, pure heart.

Just as BLEEDING LOVE takes place in a world where people are locked in because it’s too dangerous to go outside, the podcast was recorded by actors in their apartments, in a world where it was too dangerous to go outside.  

From climate change to the political divide to COVID-19, the themes of BLEEDING LOVE have striking resonance.

Set in a post-apocalyptic world that has grown so dangerous that parents won't let their children outside, a sequestered teen cellist named Bronwyn is kept home by her bedridden, overprotective aunt, Madame Floy. Bronwyn spends her days practicing cello by the window, dreaming of the world outside. Only no one ever passes by. 

The building is protected by the gun-obsessed Super who is determined to keep intruders out, so the tragedy that happened to his wife never again occurs. His son, Sweet William, spends his days smitten with Bronwyn, who barely notices him.

One day, while staring out her window, Bronwyn notices the arrival of a punk named Puppy and his dominating girlfriend Lolli. Lolli rejects Puppy telling him to prove his love to her by getting her a rose. Bronwyn pities Puppy and determines to find a way to get him a real, live rose. Only problem is... nothing grows anymore.

The podcast stars Annie Golden (Hair, The Full Monty, Xanadu) as Madame Floy, Drama Desk Nominee Rebecca Naomi Jones (Oklahoma!, American Idiot, Hedwig and the Angry Inch) as Lolli, Tony Nominee Marc Kudisch (Girl from the North Country, The Great Society, Finding Neverland) as The Super, Tony Nominee Sarah Stiles (Tootsie, Hand to God, On a Clear Day You Can See Forever) as Bronwyn, Taylor Trensch (To Kill a Mockingbird, Hello, Dolly!, Dear Evan Hansen) as Sweet William, and Tony Vincent (Rocktopia, American Idiot, Rent) as Puppy. 

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8) HILARIOUS NEW 7-PART MINISERIES
THE DESTRUCTION OF JANE
PREMIERING APRIL 29
STARRING PAUL PECORINO AND ROB ECO
With Special Cameo Appearances by
Mario Cantone and Randy Rainbow

A new teaser video was released today for the new seven-part miniseries, THE DESTRUCTION OF JANE, premiering next week inspired by the infamous film Tarzan the Ape Man, starring Bo Derek and Miles O’Keeffe (for which Derek was proudly named Worst Actress at the 1981 Razzie Awards).

The special sneak peek music video can be viewed at www.youtube.com/watch?v=go4w-9Rdyr0.

The new miniseries is an unauthorized parody of the King of the Jungle, told from the point of view of Miss Jane Parker, and will begin weekly installments next Thursday, April 29 at 8 a.m. on YouTube: www.youtube.com/channel/UCR8ctvagY5vxh3ptKS-q3bA/videos. (Yes, that’s 8 in the morning. They’re strong believers that starting the day with a dose of depravity is beneficial.) A new episode will premiere on every subsequent Thursday and the final entry will be a short film summing up the series. Once posted, each chapter will remain available for viewing indefinitely.

Set in the current COVID-19 pandemic, this outrageous comedy follows Jane to the African Jungle where she meets and falls in love with the spectacular specimen we all know as the legendary Tarzan. The 1981 Tarzan film became a massive financial hit due to its dizzyingly unintentional bad taste, and screenwriter Paul Pecorino has set out to push these offensively vulgar boundaries even further.
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9) George Street Playhouse Announces 

Incredible Star-Studded Line Up for
2021 Virtual Gala - April 29


Event to Star:  Lewis Black, Chris Bohjalian, Felicia Boswell, David Bryan, Jackie Burns, Karen Burthright, 

Bobby Conte Thornton, Andre De Shields, Joe DiPietro, 

Ann Dowd, Rachel Dratch, Steve Guttenberg, 

Jeremy Jordan, Laiona Michelle, Nancy Opel, 

Maulik Pancholy, David Hyde Pierce, Renee Taylor, 

Mary Testa and Marlo Thomas

 

 Plus a Very Special Surprise Guest!



Former Governor Thomas H. Kean; Thomas F. Kelso, Esq. Chairperson of the New Brunswick Cultural Center; and James N. Heston, Chairperson of George Street Playhouse’s Board of Trustees will receive the Thomas H. Kean Arts Advocacy Award, at George Street Playhouse’s virtual gala benefit on April 29.

The event, which will take place in a virtual venue accessible from anywhere in the world through a computer or smart television, will feature performances by an incredible STAR-STUDDED ROSTER of Friends of George Street Playhouse; will allow guests to mingle via webcam and chat; and represents the latest in George Street’s forays into unique digital programming, highlighted by an ongoing streaming season for 2021. 


To attend the Virtual Event on April 29, Gala Experience Tickets are $400 and can be purchased at http://www.georgestreetplayhouse.org .

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10) HOUSEWIVES OF SECAUCUS: WHAT A DRAG!
A DRAGULOUS NEW INTERACTIVE MUSICAL COMEDY 
BEGINS INDOOR PERFORMANCES MAY 1st AT ACTORS TEMPLE THEATRE


Laugh Out Loud productions, under the artistic direction of producer Nancy Levine, today announced it will soon present in-person performances of HOUSEWIVES OF SECAUCUS: WHAT A DRAG, a new interactive musical comedy conceived by Ms. Levine, written and directed by three-time Emmy Award Winner Anthony Wilkinson (creator of the My Big Gay Italian franchise) and directed by Hank Kiraly. Originally based on characters created by Sean Patterson, the production will begin an open-ended run at Actors Temple Theatre, (339 West 47thStreet) on Saturday, May 1st at 8:00PM and will be the first show to perform at Actors Temple Theatre since March 13, 2020 - when Black Angels Over Tuskegee was forced to close due to the pandemic. Audience members will be required to wear masks, submit to temperature checks and adhere to social distancing within the theatre, which is currently operating at 33% reduced capacity.  http://laughoutloudny.com/housewives-of-secaucus/


If you love drag, reality tv, reunion shows, and 1980s girl power anthems, don't miss the new interactive musical comedy that’s getting Off-Broadway back on its feet - and into high heels!  THE HOUSEWIVES OF SECAUCUS: WHAT A DRAG! spoofs those popular housewife shows you love to hate. Hold onto your wigs, because five queens of the Garden State are about to 'werk-it' at the annual Mad Hatters Brunch - competing for ‘Best Hat’, ‘Woman of the Year’ and even mayor of ‘Beautiful’ Secaucus, New Jersey. Who will be unfriended? Who’s having an affair with who? Could the competition be...dun dun dun...rigged? Queens are spilling tea everywhere at this interactive extravaganza!


Actors Temple Theatre is located at 339 West 47th Street, in the historic Actors Temple Synagogue building located in the heart of New York’s Times Square Theatre District. 


Performances of HOUSEWIVES OF SECAUCUS: WHAT A DRAG! are on Saturdays at 8:00PM and Sundays at 2:00PM and 7:00PM.  

Tickets are $59.50 and $79.00 and can be purchased online at: hwww.telecharge.com/Off-Broadway/The-Housewives-of-Secaucus-What-a-Drag

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11) ATLANTIC RECORDS & WARNER BROS. PICTURES PRESENT:

IN THE HEIGHTS (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK)

 

MUSICAL COMPANION TO THIS SUMMER’S EVENT FILM ARRIVES EVERYWHERE JUNE 11TH

 

ALBUM PRE-ORDER AVAILABLE NOW 

SOUNDTRACK TO FEATURE NEW ORIGINAL SONG, “HOME ALL SUMMER”

PERFORMED BY ANTHONY RAMOS, LESLIE GRACE & MARC ANTHONY

 

“IN THE HEIGHTS,” DIRECTED BY JON M. CHU AND BASED ON LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA’S HUGELY SUCCESSFUL STAGE MUSICAL,

ARRIVES IN U.S. THEATERS & STREAMING ON HBO MAX JUNE 11TH


Atlantic Records & Warner Bros. Pictures have announced IN THE HEIGHTS (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK)the musical companion to this summer’s highly anticipated event film “IN THE HEIGHTS,” written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Quiara Alegría Hudes and directed by acclaimed filmmaker Jon M. Chu. The soundtrack’s pre-order will begin this Friday, April 23rd, accompanied by the film’s title track, “In The Heights.” The soundtrack will also feature a brand new, original song titled “Home All Summer,” written by Lin-Manuel Miranda and performed by the film’s stars, Anthony Ramos, Leslie Grace and Marc Anthony.


The latest in a massively successful partnership between Atlantic Records and Warner Bros. Pictures, IN THE HEIGHTS (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK) will arrive everywhere on June 11th, the same day as the long-awaited film arrives in U.S. theatres and streaming on HBO Max; it will be available on HBO Max for 31 days from theatrical release. Based on the TONY Award-winning stage musical by Lin-Manuel Miranda & Quiara Alegría Hudes with arrangements and score by Alex Lacamoire & Bill Sherman, the film is scheduled to world premiere at the Tribeca Festival on June 9th.

 

IN THE HEIGHTS (ORIGINAL MOTION PICTURE SOUNDTRACK) TRACK LIST:

 

  1. In The Heights
  2. Benny’s Dispatch
  3. Breathe
  4. No Me Diga 
  5. It Won’t Be Long Now 
  6. 96,000
  7. Piragua
  8. When You’re Home
  9. The Club
  10. Blackout
  11. Paciencia Y Fe
  12. Alabanza
  13. Carnaval del Barrio
  14. When The Sun Goes Down
  15. Champagne
  16. Finale
  17. Home All Summer


For more information, please visit www.intheheights-movie.com , FacebookTwitter, and Instagram. 

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12)  Irish Repertory Theater's Performances on Screen Presents Little Gem 4/27 - 5/9

Irish Rpertory Theater is very excited to announce their next Performance on Screen: Little Gem! From
April 27 - May 9, join us live for this new digital production of Elaine Murphy's acclaimed play, adapted for the screen by Marc Atkinson Borrull, and starring Brenda Meaney, Lauren O’Leary, and Marsha Mason!

A Performance on Screen

By Elaine Murphy
Directed by Marc Atkinson Borrull
Starring Brenda Meaney, Lauren O’Leary, and Marsha Mason


Amber, Lorraine, and Kay, three generations of North Dublin women, find themselves suddenly facing the unexpected in this “warm slice-of-life tale.” (The New York Times). Young Amber’s case of indigestion grows into something more, while her mother Lorraine reluctantly attempts therapist-suggested self-care, and Grandmother Kay struggles with a personal itch while adjusting to life as a caretaker for her beloved Gem. In this hilarious and poignant award-winning work, three women find strength in one another and discover the beauty and complexity of family.

Irish playwright Elaine Murphy’s debut play, Little Gem, premiered at the Dublin Fringe Festival in 2008 where it won the Fishamble New Writing Award. It then transferred to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, where it won the Carol Tambor Best of Edinburgh Award, the festival's top prize. 

This new digital production was filmed remotely at the actors’ homes in Connecticut, London, and New York. It is an adaptation of Irish Rep’s acclaimed 2019 production.

Reservations are free but required to access this digital event. A donation of $25 is suggested for those who can afford to give.

For more information or to make a reservation, go to irishrep.org/show/irish-rep-online-2021/little-gem-2
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13) COMPOSER LEWIS FLINN’S


THE CURTAIN CALL MIXES


IS OUT MONDAY, MAY 3, 2021

 

FIRST-OF-ITS-KIND ALBUM


FEATURES CURTAIN CALL CUES


FROM BROADWAY, OFF-BROADWAY, AND REGIONAL


THEATRICAL PRODUCTION



After more than a year without live performances, the ovation is set to make its long-awaited return with the release of composer Lewis Flinn’s The Curtain Call Mixes, a first-of-its-kind album of curtain call cues from Broadway, Off-Broadway and Regional theatrical productions. The Curtain Call Mixes will be released by Silent Voice Publishing on Monday, May 3, 2021, and will be available for streaming and download everywhere.


Flinn, who has composed scores for more than 50 theatrical productions, has hand-selected 13 of his own musical cues from curtain calls to include in this extraordinary compendium. Included are curtain calls from the Broadway productions of The Little Dog Laughed and Lysistrata Jones; Off-Broadway productions of Mondo DramaMr. & Mrs. Fitch (Second Stage), The New York Idea (MCC), The Busy World Is Hushed (Playwright’s Horizons), Show People (Second Stage), Die Mommie DieThe Third Story, and The Divine Sister; and regional productions of The Imaginary Invalid (The Cleveland Playhouse), Jerusalem (The Cleveland Playhouse), A Comedy of Errors (Hartford Stage).

 

Lewis Flinn is the composer and lyricist of the Broadway-bound musical Hood, which premiered at the Dallas Theater Center in 2017. He also served as composer and lyricist of the Broadway musical Lysistrata Jones, as well as the upcoming musicals To Wong Foo and Star-Spangled. He wrote the score for the upcoming feature film The Sixth Reel, written and directed by Charles Busch and Carl Andress.  Flinn has composed scores and songs for more than 50 Broadway, Off-Broadway, and regional productions including Tony Award nominated The Little Dog Laughed, Charles Busch’s Die Mommie Die, The Divine SisterThe Third Story, and The Tribute Artist, which earned Flinn a Drama Desk nomination for Best Music. The long list of theaters he has worked at includes Playwright’s Horizons, MCC, South Coast Rep, The Geffen Playhouse, The Cleveland Playhouse, The Old Globe, La Jolla Playhouse, Lincoln Center Theater, 2nd Stage Theater, and the Drama Dept.  He has been a guest artist at Cornell, Dartmouth, The Boston Conservatory, The Royal Academy London and The American Academy of Dramatic Arts.  He composed the themes and music for the TV shows “Power of 10,” “Million Dollar Password,” and “The New Newlywed Game,” as well as scores for dozens of national commercials.  

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****

 

14) MICHAEL KORS AND THE MICHAEL KORS COMPANY


MADE SPECIAL DONATIONS TO

\

THE ACTORS FUND


IN CELEBRATION OF THE BRAND’S 
FALL/WINTER 2021, 40TH ANNIVERSARY COLLECTION

 

MICHAEL KORS COLLECTION


 RUNWAY SHOW


PREMIERED TUESDAY, APRIL 20, AT 9 AM ET


WATCH IT HERE

 

WITH PRE-SHOW INTRODUCTION FEATURING


BETTE MIDLERBILLY PORTER, BERNADETTE PETERS


ALAN CUMMINGJANE KRAKOWSKIJUDITH LIGHT


RENÉE ELISE GOLDSBERRYLAURA BENANTISUTTON FOSTER


CHITA RIVERADEBRA MESSINGCYNTHIA NIXONMATT BOMER


KRISTIN CHENOWETHSARA BAREILLESMJ RODRIGUEZ


MARISA TOMEIASHLEY PARK, AND ROSARIO DAWSON

 

The Actors Fund, the national human services organization for everyone in performing arts and entertainment, is proud to announce that Michael Kors debuted his 40th anniversary collection for Fall/Winter 2021 on Tuesday, April 20, 2021, at 9 AM ET. The world premiere, filmed in the heart of Broadway, brought to life the buzz and excitement that makes a night at the theater in New York so special. Watch it HERE.

 

To donate, please visit: http://actorsfund.org/michaelkors.


To kick off the immersive experience, designer Michael Kors introduced the show live from New York’s Times Square on Tuesday morning. His appearance was followed by a playful segment, directed by Erich Bergen and written by Erich and Adam Kulbersh, featuring a dazzling array of Broadway stars sharing their love for Broadway and urging support for The Actors Fund. The broadcast continued with a full runway show, produced by Bureau Betak, that was recorded on location at iconic theater-district spots including Sardi’s Restaurant, the Shubert Theatre, the Booth Theatre and 45th Street. A special musical performance by award-winning singer and songwriter Rufus Wainwright set the optimistic tone. The runway film, directed by longtime Michael Kors collaborator Alexandre de Betak and produced by Bureau Future, shined a light on the unique glamour and energy of Broadway, one of New York City’s most beloved industries and among the hardest hit by the pandemic.


The virtual experience premiered live on the brand’s social and digital channels, including the dedicated microsite www.MichaelKors-Collection.com, which will serve as the hub for all Fall/Winter 2021 content. The programming is also available to the brand’s international audience across YouTube, Instagram, Facebook and Twitter, as well as on WeChat, Weibo, LINE and Kakao.


For more information, please visit the following:

Michael Kors Website: http://www.michaelkors.com/

Runway Digital Experience: http://www.MichaelKors-Collection.com

Michael’s Worldhttp://www.michaelkors.com/michaelsworld

@MichaelKors on Instagram, IG Stories, Reels and IGTVhttp://instagram.com/michaelkors
Michael Kors on YouTube
https://www.youtube.com/michaelkors 

Michael Kors on Facebookhttp://www.facebook.com/michaelkors

Michael Kors on Facebook Messenger: m.me/MichaelKors

@MichaelKors on Twitterhttp://twitter.com/michaelkors

@MichaelKorsJP on Twitterhttps://twitter.com/MichaelKorsJP

Michael Kors on Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/michaelkors

@MichaelKors on Weibohttp://weibo.com/michaelkors

Search for "Michael Kors" on WeChat

Search for “Michael Kors” on LINE Japan

Search for “Michael Kors” (마이클코어스) on Kakao Korea

Join the conversation: #AllAccessKors

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

15) NAI-NI CHEN DANCE COMPANY
Announces
The Bridge
Virtual Dance Institute
 of boundary-breaking dance experiences
Free One-Hour Company Class on Zoom
Open to All Dancers at an Intermediate to Advanced Level
April 26-30, 2021

 In the midst of the COVID-19 crisis, the Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company has established a new dance institute through Zoom, The Bridge.  The Institute’s aim is to bring together dancers, choreographers and directors around the world to experience the master teachers of color whose practices are embedded in the community and are focused on advancing the art of dance that transform the personal, environmental and metaphysical spaces. Interested dancers can join the class by registering on Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company’s website: https://www.nainichen.org/thebridge.

As a virtual dance institute, The Bridge will invite world renowned as well as up and coming dancers and choreographer to come to guest teach the class. Advanced/Intermediate level professional or pre-professional dancers who are looking to explore beyond their own boundaries and looking for new dance experiences are encouraged to participate. The core program is based on Nai-Ni Chen’s Kinetic Spiral, which is a cross-cultural dance vocabulary that integrates the Chinese martial arts philosophy in TaiChi with contemporary dance practices she studied in America. Guest artists will cover a wide range of folk and classical dance styles.

The Bridge Class schedule are as follows: 
Week of 4/26/2021
Monday Seyong Kim (Ballet)
Tuesday Yuka Notsuka (Kinetic Spiral) at 11am
Wednesday Nai-Ni Chen (Kinetic Spiral) at 11am
Thursday Barkha Patel (Contemporary Indian Dance) at 11am
Friday Greta Campo (Kinetic Spiral) at 11am

About Nai-Ni Chen's Kinetic Spiral
Tap into the creative energy of the universe through Kinetic Spiral. Nai-Ni Chen’s signature technique is based on the principle of ever-changing universal forces of Yin and Yang. Dance phrases from Nai-Ni Chen’s repertory will be taught.
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16) REGIONAL THEATRE’S NEW DIGITAL STAGE


 

INTRODUCING THE


NATIONAL THEATRE NETWORK


A FIRST OF ITS KIND DIGITAL PLATFORM

 

SPECIFICALLY CREATED FOR 


MAJOR REGIONAL THEATRES


TO STREAM THEIR PRODUCTIONS WORLDWIDE

 

FOUNDING MEMBERS INCLUDE:


AMERICAN CONSERVATORY THEATER


WOOLLY MAMMOTH THEATRE COMPANY


IRISH REPERTORY THEATRE

 

NEW PLATFORM DEBUTS SATURDAY, MAY 15


WITH THE WOOLLY MAMMOTH THEATRE COMPANY


AND AMERICAN CONSERVATORY THEATER


PRESENTATION OF THE ORIGINAL FILM ADAPTATION OF


THE BUSHWICK STARR’S PRODUCTION OF

“ANIMAL WISDOM”

 

 Introducing the National Theatre Network, the first of its kind digital platform for major regional theatres that allows audiences to watch, support and connect with these iconic and beloved institutions. The National Theatre Network is created by and for regional theatres, in collaboration with Broadway On Demand, the industry leading theatre streaming platform.

The National Theatre Network provides an entire online platform and app for organizations to stream their professional-grade digital programming and creates a single source for theatre fans around the world who want to discover the rich content American regional theatre companies are producing.

 

On the cutting edge of how theatre artists and fans are using technology, the National Theatre Network brings live and recorded performances, classes, galas, award ceremonies and more to an expanded global audience. Offering a fully integrated digital content platform for each regional theatre company, the app is being launched to serve the appetite of the theatre fan base and the mission and vision of these regional theatre partners. This new avenue of digital programming breaks down barriers to entry that have long been problematic, growing audiences exponentially and creating an opportunity to deliver the content fans love, live, on whatever screen is handy and with technology that raises the bar. 


The National Theatre Network debuts on Saturday, May 15, 2021 with the Woolly Mammoth Theatre and American Conservatory Theater presentation of the original film adaptation of The Bushwick Starr’s Production of Animal Wisdomby Heather Christian. Filmed at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company in Washington D.C., the film is directed by Amber McGinnis with stage direction by Emilyn Kowaleski and features a cast that includes Sasha BrownEric FarberB.E. Farrow, and Maya Sharpe.


The National Theatre Network’s platform and app will begin showcasing regional theatre programming on May 15, 2021 from early partners including American Conservatory Theater, Woolly Mammoth Theatre Company and the Irish Repertory Theatre. For more information on how to join the National Theatre Network, please visit nationaltheatrenetwork.com.


For access to the complete and ever-expanding Broadway on Demand library, subscribe at BroadwayOnDemand.com.

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17) NEW YORK CITY CENTER 
Sutton Foster | Bring Me to Light

Premieres Apr 28 at 7pm ET
View on demand through May 31
$35 digital access

Sutton Foster is turning the lights on at City Center with Raúl EsparzaJoaquina Kalukango, Kelli O’Hara, and Wren Rivera for Bring Me to Light.

For a sneak peek at all the actionwatch this preview and secure your digital seat with on demand viewing through May 31.

For more information or to purchase a ticket go to www.nycitycenter.org/pdps/2020-2021/sutton-foster--bring-me-to-light
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18) THE ORCHESTRA NOW LIVESTREAMS A FREE SYMPHONIC CONCERTS THIS SPRING, A BELATED BEETHOVEN CELEBRATION
MAY 1, 2021

Music director Leon Botstein leads The Orchestra Now in a spring concerts livestreamed FREE from the Fisher Center at Bard on May 1, an exciting return to performing symphonic works with a larger orchestra on stage. 

The performance is the first concert of a belated two-part tribute to Beethoven’s 250th birthday. The second part will be performed by the Bard Conservatory Orchestra on May 8.

On May 1, Leon Botstein will lead the Orchestra in the first of two concerts dedicated to Ludwig van Beethoven. After the pandemic shutdown, many celebrations planned for the 250th anniversary of his birth were cancelled. The first program in the Belated Beethoven Birthday Celebration series presents the composer’s beloved 5th and 7th Symphonies, as well as his Triple Concerto for violin, cello, and piano featuring Australian-American violinist Adele Anthony, first-prize winner of the prestigious Carl Nielsen International Violin Competition in 1996; cellist Peter Wiley, a member of the Beaux Arts Trio from 1987 to 1998; and internationally acclaimed pianist Shai Wosner. The commemoration continues on May 8 at 8PM with Beethoven’s Wellington’s Victory and Symphonies No. 3 and 4, performed by the Bard Conservatory Orchestra.

Saturday, May 1, 2021 at 8PM ET
The Orchestra Now
Leon Botstein, conductor
Shai Wosner, piano
Ludwig van Beethoven
Symphony No. 5 in C minor, Op. 67
Triple Concerto in C Major, Op. 56
Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92

Access: Free concert, with a suggested donation of $25-50. RSVP here to receive a direct link to the livestream on the day of the concert. This concert will be available for delayed streaming on TŌN’s digital portal STAY TŌNED, starting on May 6.

*Part 2 of the Beethoven celebration will be presented on May 8 at 8PM and performed by the Bard Conservatory Orchestra.
*********************************************************************

19) RESOUNDING’S


WORLD-PREMIERE GHOST PLAY


BEYOND THE VEIL

 

LIVE AT THE THEATRICAL DRIVE-IN EXPERIENCE


RADIAL PARK


AT HALLETTS POINT PLAY

 

TWO PERFORMANCES ONLY


FRIDAY, APRIL 30 AND SATURDAY, MAY 1 AT 8:00 PM ET


Resounding, the immersive-audio entertainment company, announced today casting for the world premiere live outdoor performance and simulcast of Beyond the Veil, an original ghost thriller by Steve Wargo, as part of the month-long residency at the theatrical drive-in experience Radial Park at Halletts Point Play.

Leading the cast are Tony Award nominee Montego Glover (Memphis, Les Misérables, Hamilton) as Rebecca, a Spiritualist medium determined to bring justice to the dead, and Broadway’s Quentin Earl Darrington (Ragtime, Cats, Once on This Island) as the Narrator, a small-town doctor wracked with grief and beset by spectral visitations.

Beyond the Veil, a world-premiere ghost play, will run for two performances only Friday, April 30, Saturday, May 1 at 8:00 PM ET, and runs approximately 60 minutes with no intermission.

Tickets, starting at just $10, are now on sale at resounding.live/radialpark.

The production will be performed for both an in-person audience and via audio simulcast as part of a month-long festival at the theatrical drive-in experience Radial Park. In-person audiences will be given special “silent disco”-style headphones to get the full immersive sound experience while enjoying atmospheric and stage projections on the venue’s 50x60 foot screen. Award-winning NYC bartender Jena Ellenwood will curate an at home experience for remote audiences including exclusive access to seance-themed dinner menu suggestions and a custom cocktail recipe perfect for enjoying a “night out, in.”

 

Other immersive audio plays in the five-week residency (April 23 – May 23), include the unauthorized parody in iambic pentameter of a classic film script, Clu-eth (April 23 – 24), an adaptation of Shakespeare’s The Tempest (May 7 – 8), the company’s ever-popular Treasure Island, starring Tony Award nominee Rob McClure (May 14 – 15), and Triassic Parq: The Musical (May 21 – 23).

 

Guests at Radial Park can enjoy the theatrical show from the safety of their own vehicles or via reserved picnic tables spaced appropriately for social distancing for those who prefer biking, walking, or taking the ferry to Halletts Point Play.

 

Following the requirements of government and health officials, Radial Park will continue to implement strict health and safety protocols including temperature checks upon arrival via an infrared, touchless thermometer; color-coded wristbands for social distancing; and more.

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20) SHOFUSO JAPANESE CULTURAL CENTER

PREPARES FOR CHILDREN’S DAY CELEBRATION

Spring Schedule of Programs Released


Children’s Day will be celebrated at Shofuso Japanese Cultral Center  from Saturday, May 1 - Sunday, May 16 with festive on-site displays of Japanese Samurai Armors (Kabuto) and carp streamers (Koinobori). Visitors are invited to see the seasonal decorations, feed koi in the pond, and enjoy the view of the Japanese garden with blooming azaleas. JASGP has also created downloadable educational materials such as Children’s Day lesson planscrafts, and activities to teach children about Japanese cultures and customs. The lessons are geared towards an elementary and middle school audience, but anyone with an interest in Japanese culture or in Shofuso is welcome to download and watch. In-person tours are also available for groups of 10-12 people, Wednesdays - Fridays starting at 11 am. For more information and for booking group tours, please contact: cschank@japanphilly.org.

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21) South Street Seaport Museum

Announces Monthly Virtual

Sea Chanteys and Maritime Music Live Sing-Along
Sunday May 2, 2021 at 2pm ET 

South Street Seaport Museum’s monthly sea-music event Sea Chanteys and Maritime Music – the original NYC chantey sing, now made popular on TikTok – continues virtually on Sunday, May 2, 2021 at 2pm ET. From our living rooms and kitchens, join a round-robin of shared songs featuring members of The New York Packet and friends. Listen in, lead a song, and belt out the choruses for your neighbors to hear on the first Sunday of every month. The event is FREE. Sign up here to receive the Zoom link 24 hours prior: seaportmuseum.org/chanteysing. 
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22) THE ACTORS FUND


IN PARTNERSHIP WITH


DOYLE AUCTIONEERS & 


APPRAISERS


AND


CHRISTINE BARANSKI


PRESENT AN AUCTION EVENT WITHOUT PRECEDENT


TO BENEFIT


THE ACTORS FUND

 

STAGE & SCREEN

 

FEATURING ONE-OF-A-KIND MEMORABILIA AND WARDROBE

\

FROM THE VAST HISTORY OF THE PERFORMING ARTS


INCLUDING THEATER, HOLLYWOOD, OPERA, AND DANCE

 

LIVE ONLINE AUCTION TO TAKE PLACE


WEDNESDAY, APRIL 28, 2021 AT 10:00 AM ET

 

 

HIGHLIGHTS INCLUDE:


HUGH JACKMAN’S WOLVERINE JACKET


ICONIC GLASSES FROM ELTON JOHN


A DRESS FROM DOLLY PARTON


BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN’S BOOTS, JEANS AND T-SHIRT


CHER’S COAT AND SHOES


PACKAGE FROM ANDREW LLOYD WBBBER AND PHANTOM OF THE OPERA


 INCLUDING: 


 ADMISSION FOR TWO TO THE REOPENING PERFORMANCE


 OF PHANTOM ON BROADWAY


AS LORD LLOYD WEBBER’S PERSONAL GUESTS


AND THE ICONIC AND RARE “LOT 665” PROP


DIRECT FROM THE WEST END PRODUCTION



AND MUCH MORE!


The Actors Fund, the national human services organization for everyone in performing arts and entertainment, and Doyle Auctioneers  & Appraisers are pleased to partner with Christine Baranski on an auction event without precedent: “Stage & Screen. Featuring a diverse array of memorabilia from the performing arts including Theater, Hollywood, Opera, and Dance, lots include original drawings, scenic and costume designs, photographs, meaningful wardrobe and one-of-a-kind memorabilia. Collectors and fans around the world are invited to participate digitally in this landmark live auction event on Wednesday, April 28, 2021 beginning at 10:00 AM ET

The selection of items can be viewed by visiting https://doyle.com/auctions/21th01-theater-art-memorabilia/stage-screen.

Highlights from the auction will be:

 

  • Celeste Holm’s Golden Globe awarded in 1947 for Gentlemen’s Agreement
  • Golden Age Hollywood and Theatre Memorabilia from the Celeste Holm Collection
  • The Estate of Thomas P. Lacy featuring classic Broadway costume & set designs
  • Wolverine jacket from Hugh Jackman’s closet
  • Boots, jeans and t-shirt from Bruce Springsteen
  • Black sequin gown made by David Dalrymple. Worn at Hulaween 2014 and ITV special "It's The Girls" in the UK from Bette Midler
  • Banjo signed by Steve Martin
  • Iconic glasses from Elton John
  • Bob Mackie dresses from Carol Burnett
  • Dolce & Gabbana dress worn by Glenn Close on the red carpet of the opening night of Sunset Boulevard 2/9/17
  • Leather Suit that Alan Cumming wore to the Tony Awards when he won the Best Actor in a Musical in 1998 for Cabaret
  • A collection of signed books from Julie Andrews
  • Oscar de la Renta gown worn by Renée Fleming to sing at the Diamond Jubilee Concert for Queen Elizabeth II in 2012 on the balcony of Buckingham Palace (with Alfie Boe).
  • A limited edition leather bound copy of the screenplay of Downton Abbey (the first film) signed by Director, writer, producer and cast. There are only 30 of these in existence. Courtesy of Carnival Films.
  • Screen worn leather jackets from “The Good Wife”
  • Dress worn by Tina Fey to the 2013 Emmy Awards where she won for Outstanding Writing for a Comedy Series for 30 Rock
  • Package from Andrew Lloyd Webber and Phantom of the Opera including: admission for two to the opening performance of Phantom of the Opera on Broadway as Lord Lloyd Webber's guests and iconoc and rare "Lot 665" prop direct from the West End production. 
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23) TADA! YOUTH THEATER ANNOUNCES

ONLINE EDUCATION PROGRAMS in MAY & JUNE 2021

TADA! Song and Dance Mini-Series, Workshops & Theater Games

 

Please join TADA! for a Free Open House Class on May 15th or June 5th

 

TADA! Youth Theater celebrates Spring! Families may register now for TADA! online May and June 2021 Education Programs designed for ages 4 to 14 including online musical theater classes, workshops and a brand new acting class focused on theater games.

 

TADA! is offering a 4-session Song and Dance Mini Series; 1-time Workshops, and 4-session Theater Games for families to select the online education program that suits their children’s needs for a short-term and affordable commitment.

 

With smaller class sizes, TADA! Professional Teaching Artists provide personalized attention and offer one-on-one coaching and solo opportunities for each student. All classes take place on Zoom.

 

TADA!’s goal is to bring kids together even when they’re apart. Students are welcome from New York City, the tri-state region, across the country, and around the world!


TADA! Online Mini-Series will take place every Monday for 4-sessions from May 3 through May 24 and June 7 through June 28 for ages 4-5; 6-7 and 8-10.  During these online, interactive musical theater classes, students will be introduced to new musical theater skills, learn vocals and choreography to a song from a popular Broadway musical, and play fun theater games with new friends from around the world. 

 

TADA! Online Workshops are one-time experiences on Wednesdays from May 5 through June 23 for ages 4-5; 6-7; 8-10; and Middle School. Students will learn music and choreography to a show-stopping number from Broadway musicals like NewsiesAladdinHamilton, every week in a 1.5 hour session.

 

TADA! Online Theater Games is a brand new opportunity to play acting and improv games. This class takes place in a 4-week session every Thursday for 1 hour from May 6 through May 27 for ages 6-7; 8-10. Children will make bold, brave choices, explore new characters, and have a lot of fun through improvisation and ensemble-based theater games.

 

Free Virtual Open House on Saturday, May 15th or Saturday, June 5th

If you would like to learn more about TADA! Spring Classes and Summer Camps, we invite you to join us for a free virtual Open House on Saturday, May 15th or Saturday June 5th . TADA!’s interactive, fun musical theater sample class is led by professional Teaching Artists and divided by age groups from 11am – 4:15pm. Registrations are required in order to receive the Zoom link.

 

TADA! Youth Theater believes that no child should be turned away because of their inability to pay. Therefore, TADA! is committed to providing financial assistance to families who demonstrate self-expressed need.

 

For more information on TADA! Youth Theater Online Spring Classes, including pricing and financial assistance, please visit https://www.tadatheater.com/online-classes.

 

Registration is available online, by phone at 212-252-1619 ext. 4. or by email at education@tadatheater.com.

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24) TITANIQUE:

THE MAIDEN VOYAGE CONCERT

AN EXCLUSIVE CONCERT PREVIEW OF THE HYSTERICAL UPCOMING MUSICAL

ABOUT THE GREATEST LOVE STORY TO EVER HIT THE HIGH SEAS

…RETOLD THROUGH THE EYES & SONGS OF CÉLINE DION


STREAMING LIVE WORLDWIDE

FROM NEW YORK CITY

ONLY ON STELLAR

 

SUNDAY, MAY 2, 2021 AT 7:30 PM EDT


Tony Award-winning producer Eva Price (Jagged Little Pill, Oklahoma!) and the premium streaming platform Stellar are thrilled to announce that Titanique – the irresistibly funny and irreverent new musical send-up of the blockbuster film Titanic, featuring the songs of pop icon Céline Dion – will give global audiences a virtual concert preview of the show before it hits the New York City mainstage. On Sunday, May 2, 2021 at 7:30PM ETStellar will present an exclusive concert event TITANIQUE: THE MAIDEN VOYAGE CONCERT, performed live from the Greenwich Village nightclub Le Poisson Rouge in New York.

When the music of Céline Dion makes sweet Canadian love with the eleven-time Oscar®-winning film Titanic, you get Titanique, a musical celebration that turns one of the greatest love stories of all time into a hysterical and joyful slay-fest. Want to find out what really happened to Jack and Rose on that fateful night? Just leave it to Céline Dion to casually hijack a Titanic Museum tour and enchant the audience with her totally wild take, recharting the course of Titanic’s beloved moments and characters with her iconic song catalog.

A one-of-a-kind musical voyage bursting with nostalgia, hilarity and heart, Titanique: The Maiden Voyage Concert features powerhouse voices in show-stopping performances of such hits as “My Heart Will Go On,” "It's All Coming Back to Me Now," "All By Myself", and "To Love You More," backed by the unparalleled energy of a full live band. The quick-witted cast features Broadway favorites Marla Mindelle (Sister Act, Cinderella, South Pacificas Celine, Constantine Rousouli (Cruel Intentions, Wicked, Hairspray) as Jack Dawson, Alex Ellis (Thoroughly Modern Millie, Legally Blonde) as Rose DeWitt Bukater, Frankie J. Grande (Rock of Ages, Mamma Mia, “Big Brother”) as Victor Garber, Kathy Deitch (“American Horror Story”, Wicked, Magic Mike XXL) as The Unsinkable Molly Brown, Kyle Ramar Freeman (Once On This Island Nat’l Touras The Iceberg Bitch, John Riddle (Frozen, Phantom of the Opera) as Cal, Randy Blair (Amélie) as Ruth, and Jalynn Steele (The Lightning Thief) and Courtney Bassett (Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812) as Ensemble.

To make the at-home viewing experience feel even more like a promenade party, the show is offering unique cocktail mixer packages from Shaker & Spoon, starting at $69. Get the specially crafted mixer kits for “The Jack and Rose,” “The Sip of Dreams”, or “The [Never Made It To] Manhattan” shipped directly to your doorstep. Exclusive meet & greet experiences with members of the cast are also available through Audience Rewards, and at StellarTickets.com.

For more information and upcoming events go to www.stellartickets.com.
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25) Two River Theater 
Free Program
THE JOY OF THE ARTS IN THE AUTISM COMMUNITY

Tue, April 27, 2021  7PM  FREE

This roundtable brings together artists, parents, educators, and more for a discussion (and celebration!) of the exciting work underway to connect the arts to individuals on the Autism spectrum. Featured in this roundtable are Education and Community Engagement Manager Amanda Espinoza, parent and founder of The Calm Within the Chaos Jane Kleiman, and Bluelaces Theater Company Co-Artistic Director Devin Fletcher.

For more information or to register visit https://tworivertheater.org/whats-on/spectrum-theater/
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26) tiny shakes
Romeo and Juliet
by William Shakespeare 
May 2021
TWORIVERTHEATER.ORG

Two River's most popular education program breaks the mold to create something entirely new with Tiny Shakes: Romeo and Juliet, directed by Aneesha Kudtarkar and Em Weinstein (A Little Shakespeare: Twelfth Night). As in A Little Shakespeare productions, Tiny Shakes enlists a team of professional theater artists to lead these talented high school students who perform and support the production behind the scenes.

This year, the program takes the limitations of 2021 as an opportunity for students to delve deeply into Shakespeare's star-crossed romantic tragedy, giving them the agency to tell the story of each scene in their own way and film it, creating their own theatrical collage: Traditional Zoom scene reading? Rap battle? Movement or dance piece? Animation? The sky’s the limit!

Reserve your free tickets and you will be emailed a link and password to access the performance on Monday, May 3. Content will be available through June 30/2021.

For more information or to purchase tickets, https://tworivertheater.org/whats-on/tiny-shakes-romeo-and-juliet
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27) Works & Process: Return of Live Performances
at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum
Performances Now at 6pm and 8pm

The performing arts series Works & Process announces the addition of 6pm performances at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum as a part of New York state’s “Safely Bringing Back the Arts” pilot program. Since March 19, under the guidance of the Department of Health, two concurrent series of performances produced by Works & Process are taking place in the Guggenheim’s iconic Frank Lloyd Wright-designed rotunda. These reduced-capacity events are among the first indoor performances the state has permitted since it closed venues due to the pandemic a year ago, reaching a milestone in the recovery of the city’s cultural sector.

The first day of spring, March 20, marked the beginning of 12 one-night-only Works & Process commissions developed in its bubble residencies. This series premiered with Rhapsody in Blue by Caleb Teicher and Conrad Tao, artists long supported by Works & Process. Tickets for each evening go on sale 72 hours prior to each capacity-reduced performance; more information is available here.

About Works & Process Bubble Performances
Evening performances will take place at 6 pm and 8 pm at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum. 

Select projects will be featured in matinee performances at Restart Stages, made possible by Jody and John Arnhold, Arnhold Dance Innovation Fund and First Republic Bank. Restart Stages at Lincoln Center is made possible by Stavros Niarchos Foundation-Lincoln Center Agora Initiative. Major support provided by First Republic Bank.

NY PopsUp is committed to the safe re-opening of New York venues with the protocols that have been established by the New York State Department of Health (DOH). 

UPCOMING:
  • New York Is Burning by Omari Wiles, performed by Les Ballet Afrik – May 4
  • The Jazz Continuum with LaTasha Barnes – May 19 
  • Unveiling by Sonya Hashem Tayeh, with music by Moses Sumney – June 1
  • UnderScored by Ephrat Asherie Dance, in collaboration with New York City’s club legends – June 2
  • Rose: You Are Who You Eat by John Jarboe of The Bearded Ladies Cabaret – June 20

New York Is Burning by Omari Wiles, performed by Les Ballet Afrik
May 4 at 6pm and 8pm
Since its release in 1990, the documentary Paris Is Burning has received critical acclaim for its depiction of the New York drag ball scene and of voguing as a powerful expression of personal pride in the face of racism, homophobia, and the stigma of the AIDS crisis. To honor the film’s thirtieth anniversary, Works & Process commissioned Omari Wiles, founding father of the House of Oricci and a legend within the ballroom community, to produce New York Is Burning. With its premiere at the Guggenheim postponed due to the pandemic, the project was supported with a summer 2020 Works & Process bubble residency at Kaatsbaan Cultural Park, where Wiles continued to develop the commission for his company, Les Ballet Afrik. That residency culminated in a filmed performance at Lincoln Center, serving as an affirmation of love, acceptance, and joy.

Just as Paris Is Burning did for New York in 1980s, New York Is Burning reflects the aspirations, desires, and yearnings of a diverse group of dancers in a city beset by health, race, and financial crises. Wiles’s new work centers on the dancers for whom the dance company serves as a surrogate family including Kya Azeen, Eva Bust A’ Move, Algin Ford-Sterling, Alora Martinez, Shireen Rahimi, Milerka Rodriguez, Kameron N. Saunders, Karma Stylz, and Yuki Sukezane. In preparation for its official premiere, New York Is Burning will receive a second bubble residency. When it premieres, the piece will bring ballroom to the Guggenheim in a work featuring Wiles’s AfrikFusion, a style that combines traditional African dances and Afrobeat with house dance and vogue.
The development of this Works & Process commission will be continued in a bubble residency at Catskill Mountain Foundation.

The Jazz Continuum with LaTasha Barnes
May 19 at 6pm and 8pm
According to dance educator and dancer LaTasha Barnes, one of the greatest disparities of the present-day dance canon is the one that exists between the African American dancer and authentic jazz dance. Barnes argues that despite the foundational role of jazz dance as a source of globally celebrated popular Black dance forms, there is a lack of contextual and performative knowledge of jazz in the African American artist, which does a disservice to the expressive purpose and possibility that is dance. With the focus and dedicated time afforded by a residency, Barnes aims to bridge the knowledge gap with a group of engaged and invested dancers who desire to embody jazz alongside the Black dance traditions they currently bear. The resulting work may manifest as a choreographed jazz dance performance or an “improvography”-centered exploration of jazz and its scions.
This Works & Process commission was developed in a bubble residency at Catskill Mountain Foundation.

Unveiling by choreographer Sonya Hashem Tayeh, with music by Moses Sumney
June 1 at 6pm and 8pm
Unveiling, by Tony- and Emmy-nominated choreographer Sonya Hashem Tayeh, navigates the search within oneself to shed, peeling off the layers one by one until there is a depth of rawness, and from within that rawness we seek anew. The exquisite sound of Moses Sumney leads the way and guides us on our journey. 
This Works & Process commission was developed in a bubble residency at Catskill Mountain Foundation.

UnderScored by Ephrat Asherie Dance, in collaboration with New York City’s club legends
June 2 at 6pm and 8pm
Beginning with the seminal parties at The Loft and the Paradise Garage, UnderScored is inspired by the intergenerational club-life memories of a cast ranging in age from 25 to 77. This dance work explores the ever-changing physical and musical landscape of New York City’s underground house dance and music scene. Legendary elders from NYC’s underground dance community including Archie Burnett, Brahms “Bravo” LaFortune, and Michele Saunders collaborate and perform with company members Ephrat “Bounce” Asherie, Manon Bal, Ron “Stealth-1” Chunn Jr., Teena Marie Custer, Val “Ms. Vee” Ho, and Matthew “Megawatt” West. In conjunction with this project, the Jerome Robbins Dance Division at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts will provide a fellowship for Asherie to collect and archive oral histories from elders who are part of the generation of dancers who helped create and usher in NYC’s underground dance and music scene in the 1970s and ’80s.
The development of this Works & Process commission will be continued in a bubble residency at Bridge Street Theatre.

Rose: You Are Who You Eat by John Jarboe of The Bearded Ladies Cabaret
June 20 at 8pm ONLY
Based on a true story, Rose is a series of performance pieces (songs, videos, and poems) dedicated to Bearded Ladies Cabaret founder John Jarboe’s twin, Rose, whom Jarboe “absorbed” or “consumed” in the womb. Jarboe uses the story of Rose and the metaphor of cannibalism to explore gender queerness, nature and nurture, and queer ancestry. This is a collaboration with filmmaker Christopher Ash, designer Rebecca Kanach, and a duo of musicians, as well as various queer composers including Pax Ressler, Emily Bate, and Daniel De Jesus.
The development of this Works & Process commission will be continued in a bubble residency at Bethany Arts Community.

Digital Offerings
For those unable to attend performances in person, Works & Process is presentiing free digital premieres coproduced with Lincoln Center, made possible by The Audrey and Martin Gruss Discovery Fund and The Jerome Robbins Dance Division at The New York Public Library. With Bridge Street Theatre, Catskill Mountain Foundation, and New Victory Theater. Works & Process will coproduce artists discussions and performance highlights from inside Works & Process bubble residencies. All of these offerings can be accessed on Works & Process’ YouTube channel (www.youtube.com/worksandprocess) for the public to watch from home.

Works & Process at Lincoln Center digital performances, 7:30 pm
April 4 – L’Orient by Kamala Sankaram and Preeti Vasudevan
April 11 – Ladies of Hip-Hop: Black Dancing Bodies Project × Intergenerational Knowledge Transfer
April 18 – A Chronicle of a Pivot at a Point in Time by Jamar Roberts and David Watson

Works & Process at Bridge Street Theatre digital excerpts and discussions, 7:30 pm
April 10 – Trapped by Tatiana Desardouin, performed by Passion Fruit Dance Company
June 1 – UnderScored by Ephrat Asherie Dance, in collaboration with New York City’s club legends

Works & Process at Catskill Mountain Foundation digital excerpts and discussions, 7:30 pm
April 18 – A Chronicle of a Pivot at a Point in Time by Jamar Roberts and David Watson 
April 25 – Rhapsody in Blue, a kaleidoscope of New York by Caleb Teicher & Company with Conrad Tao
June 6 – New York Is Burning by Omari Wiles, performed by Les Ballet Afrik
June 27 – The Jazz Continuum with LaTasha Barnes
July 11 – Unveiling by Sonya Hashem Tayeh, with music by Moses Sumney

Works & Process at New Victory Theater digital excerpts and discussions, 7:30 pm
June 14 – Witness by Christopher Rudd, performed by RudduR Dance

Watch Isolation to Creation Docuseries on WNET’s All Arts Channel to learn more about Works & Process Bubble Residencies
In summer of 2020 Works & Process, itself facing a shuttered theater, forged a path for artists to safely gather, create, and perform together. Pioneering and producing bubble residencies that have since been widely replicated, Works & Process invited over fifty artists to enter eight bubble residencies in rural Hudson Valley after an unprecedented period of isolation. Under a health protocol developed with medical counsel Dr. Wendy Ziecheck, and ethical oversight provided by Dr. Robert Klitzman, artists isolated by the pandemic gathered in quarantine to work together. 

To capture this journey, Works & Process produced Isolation to Creation, a four-part docuseries by filmmaker Nic Petry of Dancing Camera, to provide audiences with a rare opportunity to look behind the scenes and experience the hope, joy, exhilarating physical struggle, and emotional challenges experienced by performers returning to the studio and stage. Watch for free on the All Arts app and allarts.org.

Find more information at worksandprocess.org.
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And that's the scoop. Tune in tomorrow for another Talking Topic.