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

Wednesday, January 31, 2024

Where-To-Go Wednesday - Johnson & Johnson Powerhouse Museum


What: Johnson & Johnson Powerhouse Museum

Where: 501 George Street
             New Brunswick, NJ

Who: Recommended for Ages 12 and Up




Me - The J&J Powerhouse Museum was interesting. I didn't know a lot about Johnson & Johnson before I visited the museum. I just knew about a lot of their products and that they had made one of the COVID-19 vaccines. I also found out recently that a cousin of ours on my mother's side of the family was married to one of the Johnsons.


It is because of Johnson & Johnson that they started to make sterile medical equipment. There was a  display at the museum that showed how many germs there were when they performed medical procedures previously. It was very disturbing. 


They had a lot of fascinating exhibits and things at the museum. They had a lot of advertisements from all different time periods. Some of them were really cute, They had a cable from the original factory. The building that the museum was in was actually part of the original factory too. They had a whole display regarding how they handled the Tylenol crisis. There were also a lot of packs of bandaids. They included patriotic ones, endangered species ones, Olympic rings ones, and a bunch of others too. All in all, it was a fun and informative experience visiting the J&J Powerhouse Museum.



Mom - The Johnson and Johnson Company is perhaps best known for products like Bandaids and baby shampoo, but there is so much more to the company than that. The company has been at the forefront of innovation in the fields of medical technology and pharmaceuticals since its founding way back in 1886. Now, the groundbreaking history of this iconic company has been captured in a comprehensive museum located in the Powerhouse building, the oldest building at the Johnson & Johnson New Brunswick, New Jersey complex.


At this fascinating museum,  you can learn about the Johnson family and the founding of the company. You can also discover how some of its innovative products came to be invented. There are numerous vintage advertisements and products on display as well including a whole display of Bandaids with various designs.  


Another intriguing exhibit covers the Tylenol scare, an incident in 1982 in which someone was putting poison into Tylenol capsules. The company's handling of the matter is considered a textbook example of how to handle similar crises and still maintain a brand's relevance. The incident led to numerous changes in the way products are packaged and sold as well.


The museum is quite interactive, and there are numerous touchscreens located throughout. There is also an immersive film with interviews and original footage plus a unique booth where you can experience some vintage Johnson & Johnson smells.


Unfortunately, the Johnson & Johnson Powerhouse museum is only currently open to Johnson & Johnson employees and contractors and their guests. Partners and hosted members of the New Brunswick Community can make an appointment to visit. An extensive virtual tour is available to all at ourstory.jnj.com/museum-virtual-tour

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

Tuesday, January 30, 2024

Tips for Tuesday - Book: In Royal Ruins & Justice at Trial: Courtroom Battles and Groundbreaking Cases & Movie: A Nashville Wish

We may have been given complimentary copies and/or access for review purposes to any books, products, and/or any other visual or audio media mentioned below. Any and all opinions expressed here are our own.

Books: In Royal Ruins
                        &
            Justice at Trial: Courtroom Battles and Groundbreaking Cases


Today we are recommending In Royal Ruins by Serena Clarke. If you are looking for a fairytale retelling that isn't something you've heard a million times before, you might enjoy this captivating story about a princess who learns what really matters when her father marries her off to a peasant. The story is based on the lesser-known fairytale of King Thrushbeard. 

Although at first glance, this charming story seems like a typical fairytale romance about a beautiful princess and her worthy suitor, there is so much more to it than that. Larik, the hero of the story is so much more than just a strong, virile man with a pretty face (in fact, his outer beauty is hidden behind the scars of war). Actually, both of the main characters are much more fully drawn than in the typical fairytale. That makes the story so much deeper and so much more satisfying. 


Today we are recommending Justice at Trial: Courtroom Battles and Groundbreaking Cases by James J. Brosahan. This book is an insider's look at how the wheels of justice turn (or sometimes don't turn) by a former trial attorney. Brosahan at different times worked each side of the courtroom as both a plaintiff's attorney and a defense attorney. His cases covered in the book include murder trials, a movie company on trial for allegedly inspiring a violent attack, a couple of cases before the Supreme Court, and even the Iran Contra trial. He systematically takes you through each case from the initial background of the case through the verdict.

If you care about the democratic future of this country, the book will both horrify you and inspire you. It will remind you that wheels of justice move slowly and the ultimate outcome is not always what we hope it will be. Yet, it will also remind you that, thankfully, there are lawyers like Broshahan out there who truly care about justice and the future of this country. Hopefully, there are many more like him because, as we all sadly know, not all lawyers are the same nor do they all care about either of these things.


Today we are talking about A Nashville Wish. This story about a young aspiring country singer who falls for a girl who is way out of his league definitely feels like something you might have seen before. This version of the old chestnut is based on the stage musical, Ticket to Nashville. It is still worth watching, however, because the romance is sweet and the actors playing the young couple have good chemistry. Plus, the ending is not necessarily the cliche you would expect it to be, but it is still bittersweet and feels a bit rushed.

The highlight of this movie, by far, is the juicy soundtrack. It is full of remakes of country hits. They include Patsy Cline's Crazy.  The voices are quite good too. Therefore, if you are a country music fan, you will definitely want to see (and listen to) this movie.

A Nashville Wish will be released theatrically on February 2 and digitally on February 27.

Tune in tomorrow for Where-To-Go-Wednesday.

Book images used in this post are our own.  Film images have been sent to us from publicists, artists, and/or  PR firms and are used by permission. If there is a problem with the rights to any image, please contact us hereand we will look into the matter

Monday, January 29, 2024

More Theater Monday - Ibsen's Ghost

We were given complimentary tickets to Ibsen's Ghost for review purposes. Any and all opinions expressed here are own.


What: Ibsen's Ghost

Where: NBPAC
             11 Livingston Ave.
             New Brunswick, NJ 

Who: Recommended for Ages 16 and Up

When: Through February 4, 2024




Ibsen's Ghost is a made-up episode in the life of playwright, Henrik Ibsen's widow, Suzannah, wherein she is trying to prevent one of her husband's proteges from publishing a libelous expose about him. It was concocted from the imaginative mind of Charles Busch and is full of an assortment of crazy characters including a maid with a twisted pelvis and a clairvoyant rat catcher. All are hilariously played by a cast of extremely talented actors including Jen Cody, Christopher Borg, Thomas Gibson, Judy Kaye, Jennifer Van Dyke, and Charles Busch himself. It doesn't always make complete sense, and it is not always easy to follow. Nevertheless, it is a fairly amusing and somewhat enjoyable romp.




And that's our view. Tune in tomorrow for Tips for Tuesday.

Photo credits: 
All Ibsen's Ghost production photos by T. Charles Erickson

Images used in this post have been sent to us from publicists, artists, and/or  PR firms and are used by permission. If there is a problem with the rights to any image, please contact us hereand we will look into the matter.

Sunday, January 28, 2024

Sunday Scoop Week of 1/28/24 What's Happening This Week and More

A) Beginning Performance 

In New Jersey

1) The Scarlet Letter

2) William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet

In New York

3) Aberdeen

4) Bark of Millions

5) Between Two Knees

6) Doubt: A Parable

7) I Love You So Much I Could Die

8) Primordial

9) Split Lip

B) Cast Changes

10) Hadestown

11) Sweeney Todd

C) Closing Soon

12) How to Dance in Ohio

D) Extended Runs

13) munich medea: Happy Family

14) Our Class

E) What Else is Happening This Week and More

15) Bergen Equestrian Center Opens New Jersey's First Equine Wellness Center

16) iPlay America Upcoming Event: New Jersey Sports Card Convention
2/2 & 2/3

17) Japanese Society presents Transcending Time: Japanese Art & Technology 
1/31

18) Julian Schlossberg, Legendary Producer & Broadcaster Launches Podcast
on TCM & Releases Audibook

19) Philadelphia Zoo Presents East Coast Premiere of Thomas Dambo's Trolls

20) Roundabout Accepting Applications for Directing Fellowships & Director's Group

21) South Street Seaport Monthly Sing-Along Sea Chantey & Maritime Music 
Online and In-Person 2/4

A) Beginning Performances 

In New Jersey

1) The Scarlet Letter

Based on the novel by Nathaniel Hawthorne, The Scarlet Letter showcases the strength of a woman who will not let the rules of an unjust society define her. Instead, Hester Prynne dares to strive for a better life for herself and her daughter. 

Two River Theater (21 Bridge Ave., Red Bank, NJ)
2/3 - 2/25
Opening Night 2/9

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit tworivertheater.org/whats-on/the-scarlet-letter.


Photo courtesy of Centenary Stage Co.


2) William Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet

Centenary University Theatre students bring Shakespeare's timeless tale of star-crossed lovers to life at Centenary Stage Company’s Little Theatre. Possibly one of William Shakespeare's most well known stories, Romeo and Juliet is a romantic tragedy where two young people fall in love but are doomed.  It is not simply that their families disapprove; the Montagues and the Capulets are engaged in a blood feud, and the tragic ending seems almost inevitable. Romeo and Juliet was among Shakespeare's most popular plays during his lifetime and, along with Hamlet, is one of his most frequently performed. 

The Little Theatre on Centenary University Campus
(400 Jefferson St., Hackettstown, NJ)
2/1 - 2/11 Thursdays - Sundays

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit  centenarystageco.org

In New York 

3) Aberdeen

Aberdeen is part fantasy, part biography, written and performed by multi-award-winning writer, comedian, musician and animator, Cassie Workman. In the show, Workman has an in-the-round conversation with the late rock icon Kurt Cobain. Grunge, life, death and salvation, this striking original work is performed entirely in rhyming couplets and is a deeply moving homage to one of our most beloved artists.

Soho Playhouse (15 Vandam St.)
2/1 - 2/5

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit  www.sohoplayhouse.com/ifes-2024 or fringeencoreseries.com


Photo by Daniel Boud

4) Bark of Millions

A powerhouse collective of international artists ignite an electrifying collision of performance, live music, and drag spectacle in the latest from theater-making renegades Taylor Mac, Matt Ray, and Machine Dazzle. Part rock opera, part reimagined pride parade, Bark of Millions features 55 original songs – one to mark each year since the landmark Stonewall Uprising—in an exploration of humanity through a queer lens.

Harvey Theater at the BAM Strong (651 Fulton St., Brooklyn)
2/5 - 2/10

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.bam.org/bark-of-millions

5) Between Two Knees

Between Two Knees is an outrageously funny ride through American history by the acclaimed intertribal sketch comedy troupe The 1491s (Reservation Dogs and Rutherford Falls).  Coming to PAC NYC following runs at Oregon Shakespeare Festival - where it was commissioned and premiered, Yale Repertory Theatre, McCarter Theater and Seattle Rep, this play centers on one family’s story of love, loss, and resilience spanning the 1890 massacre at Wounded Knee, forced re-education at Indian boarding schools, World War II, the Civil Rights Movement, Vietnam and the American Indian Movement occupation of Wounded Knee in 1973. 


Directed by Obie Award winner Eric Ting and infused with the 1491s’ boldly uninhibited comedy, this New York City premiere takes a hard look at the effects of systemic oppression long after our textbooks typically stop teaching Native history. 

 

PAC NYC (251 Fulton St.)
2/3 - 2/24
Opening Night 2/13

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit PACNYC.org.

6) Doubt: A Parable

Doubt: A ParableJohn Patrick Shanley’s Pulitzer Prize- and Tony Award®-winning Best Play, returns to Broadway for the first time in nearly two decades. “An inspired study in moral uncertainty” (The New York Times), this modern classic stars Tony Award winners Tyne Daly and Liev Schreiber in a staggering new Roundabout production directed by Scott Ellis. Sister Aloysius, the principal of a Catholic school in a working-class part of the Bronx, is feared by students and colleagues alike. But when she suspects nefarious relations between the charismatic priest Father Flynn and a student, she’s forced to wrestle with what’s fact, what’s fiction, and how much she’ll risk to expose the difference—all the while wrestling with her own bone-deep doubts.

American Airlines Theatre (227 W. 42 St.)
2/2 - 4/14
Opening Night 2/29 

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit  roundabouttheatre.org

7) I Love You So Much I Could Die

I Love You So Much I Could Die is part concert, part play, intricate and intimate, wry and tender, elemental and wholly unforgettable. Through monologues performed by a computer and songs performed by the playwright, NYTW Usual Suspect Mona Pirnot wrestles with the private and unspeakable in a very public way. NYTW Usual Suspect Lucas Hnath directs.

New York Theater Workshop (79 E. 4th St.)
2/1 - 3/10
Opening Night 2/14

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.nytw.org.

8) Primordial

A playful and provocative exploration of pregnancy and childbirth, Primordial distills 1100 pages of women and birthing people’s first-hand accounts of the most common yet rarely discussed event in the world. Primordial weaves together diverse perspectives, different race, age, and gender experiences, into overlapping stories that amplify one
another. Primordial deals with pregnancy, childbirth, patient advocacy, maternal health, birth without violence, birth equity, and celebrates this innate connection we all share while encouraging the audience to talk more openly about it. 

The Tank (312 W. 36th St.)
2/1 - 2/25

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit  www.thetanknyc.org/20th-anniversary-season

9) Split Lip

Split Lip tells the story of Ginava; a patient diagnosed with Dissociative Identity Disorder. Pulling from over 40+ film and television references, split lip explores the experience of trauma, and how it affects mental health, all performed through the medium of spoken word lip-syncing.

Soho Playhouse (15 Vandam St.)
2/1 - 2/5

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit  www.sohoplayhouse.com/ifes-2024 or fringeencoreseries.com

B) Cast Changes 


10) Hadestown


Solea Pfeiffer plays her final performance as Eurydice 2/4

Betty Who plays her final performance as Persephone 2/4


Following two intertwining love stories — that of young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and that of King Hades and his wife Persephone — Hadestown invites audiences on a hell-raising journey to the underworld and back. Mitchell’s beguiling melodies and Chavkin’s poetic imagination pit industry against nature, doubt against faith, and fear against love. 


Walter Kerr Theatre (218 W. 48th St.)


For more information or to purchase tickets, visit  www.seatgeek.com/hadestown-tickets


11) Sweeney Todd

Photo courtesy of Print Shop PR

Joe Locke joins the cast as Tobias 1/31

Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s landmark musical, from an adaptation by Christopher Bond, tells the tale of a resourceful pie shop owner and a vengeful barber out for blood. After he’s sent away by a corrupt judge, Sweeney returns to London years later seeking his long-lost family, and forms an unlikely partnership with Mrs. Lovett, who serves up pies underneath his former shop. Together, they wreak havoc on Fleet Street and serve up the hottest – and most unsettling – pies in London.


Lunt Fontanne Theatre (205 W. 46th St.)


For more information or to purchase tickets, visit 

www.sweeneytoddbroadway.com

 

C) Closing Soon

Photo by Curtis Brown

12) How to Dance in Ohio

How to Dance in Ohio is inspired by Alexandra Shiva’s Peabody Award-winning HBO documentary of the same name. In the parts of the real-life autistic young adults featured in the documentary, are a cast of seven autistic actors, all making their Broadway debuts.

Belasco Theatre (111 W. 44th St.)
Closing 2/11

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit howtodanceinohiomusical.com

D) Extended Runs

13) munich medea: Happy Family

Childhood friends, Caroline and Alice reestablish contact after more than 20 years. As they begin to unravel shared memories, they discover the part that Caroline’s father, a renowned theater actor, played in both their lives and how it affects them to this very day. Corinne Jaber’s new play captures the wild vulnerability of youth and the heavy armature of adulthood in unsparing, theatrical detail, led by award-winning director Lee Sunday Evans (Oratorio for Living Things, Dance Nation).

MUNICH MEDEA: HAPPY FAMILY addresses, but does not depict, sexual assault. We recommend this piece for people ages fourteen and up. Please email them at tickets@wptheater.org if you would like more information or details on content.

WP Theater (2162 Broadway)
1/30 - 2/25

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit ci.ovationtix.com/34655/production/1185863

Photo courtesy of Keith Sherman & Associates Public Relations


14) Our Class

Our Class is based on real events, and follows 10 classmates — five Jewish and five Catholic — as they grow up as playmates, friends and neighbors, then turn on one another with life and death consequences. Inspired by real life events surrounding a horrific 1941 pogrom in the small village of Jedwabne, Poland, the play follows their lives from childhood through eight decades in a contemporary new production, directed by Jewish, Ukrainian-born director Igor Golyak.


The piece comes at a time when the world is facing an increase in antisemitism across the globe and is witnessing horrific wars in Ukraine and Israel. Our Class brings the audience on a journey with ten young people — classmates — as they move from love and friendship during wartime into unthinkable acts of antisemitism, hatred and violence. It is an exploration of humanity, an effort to comprehend who we are. What would we do, and what will we do, in this situation? Who do we become in the face of past and current aggression? What are we capable of and ultimately how can we live in the face of these realities?


Brooklyn Academy of Music (321 Ashland Place, Brooklyn)

Now closing 2/11


For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.ourclassplay.com


E) What Else is Happening This Week and More


Photo courtesy of Prana PR

15) BERGEN EQUESTRIAN CENTER OPENS NEW JERSEY'S FIRST 
EQUINE WELLNESS CENTER 
EQUINE EMOTIONAL SUPPORT CENTER

 
Bergen County Equestrian Center at Overpeck Park
www.bergenequestrian.com
40 Fort Lee Road
Leonia, NJ  07605
201.336.3370

Bergen Equestrian Center (BEC) opens Bergen County's first equine emotional wellness center, A Stable Life, located in Overpeck Park in Leonia, New Jersey, about 10 minutes from the George Washington Bridge. A Stable Life is an equine-facilitated therapy program founded by Bergen County resident Anna Gassib, who is an Associate Counselor in Equine therapy, Trauma, Gestalt, and Person-Centered therapies.  Anna and her team of professionals, offer customized unique workshops, designed by a caring and skilled group of mental health experts, to help those struggling with trauma, post-traumatic stress disorders, domestic violence, victims of crime, emotional or relationship issues, addiction, grief, loss, and more.


A Stable Life is a well-respected wellness center, focusing on mental health and emotional well-being, working with individuals and agencies such as Women's Rights Information Center, Bergen Family Center, Bergen County Spring House- a halfway house for those recovering from addictions, Covenant House of Newark.
 
Utilizing its interdisciplinary approach to healing, coupled with the exceptional qualifications of its staff, A Stable Life offers a variety of services for those looking for healing.  Cultural competency is a top value and treatment team members are comprised of licensed professionals who are representative of the community it serves, including a diversity of religions, cultures, and those who identify as LGBT+.
 
Therapists help integrate the feelings, thoughts and behaviors that arise as clients work with horses, and can help clients make sense of how horses respond to them and how that relates to other relationships in the client’s life. The horses are partners in the therapeutic process. For anxiety issues, for example, a session may start with the client doing breathing and grounding exercises in the company of a horse.  Anna Gassib explains, “Our horses assist with the counseling sessions; Individuals can come to this center for a variety of concerns, and when the client isn’t sure what’s coming up for them, the horses always know”.  Throughout the therapy sessions, therapists often assist a client to learn how to communicate with a horse, a large animal they may have never interacted with, which can build their self-esteem and problem-solving skills, which are essential for creating a positive mood and a better self-image.
 
A Stable Life equine therapy program use horses to facilitate growth and healing because it focuses on the horse as an equal partner to the client. Horses are instinctively in tune with their environment; they react to their physical surroundings and perceive subtle shifts in the participant’s energy, focus, and emotions. With this ground based (non-riding) approach, participants often project their own inner state onto the horses, which mirrors their own emotions, all in a safe environment to help develop new productive patterns. This can facilitate self-awareness in a deep and profound way. During this process, clients are able to open up and reveal themselves in a healing space, observe their own behavior, and with the guidance of Professional Counselors and Equine Specialists, are provided feedback that prompt self-discovery, acceptance, and accountability. The experience becomes a lesson in wellness and connection, allowing many individuals to move forward in the healing therapeutic process.
 
Established in 2012, A Stable Life has always provided a variety of non-riding equine treatment programs focused on prevention, education, healing and assisted recovery guided by qualified professionals. Today, as a Wellness Center, its intent is to help individuals and families dealing with life challenges such as anxiety, isolation, trauma, and loss of a loved one or a significant life change. Also, A Stable Life is all-inclusive, with specialty programs for children and adults with special needs. A Stable Life will design a program for any person in need of intervention and healing. The grace of a horse enriches the spirit, mind and heart resulting in true healing.  For more information visit: www.Bergenequestrian.com or call 201.336.3370.  All programs take place at the Bergen Equestrian Center at 40 Fort Lee Road, N.J


XXX


 16) iPlay American

Upcoming Event:

New Jersey Sports Convention 


iPlay America

110 Schank Rd.

Freehold, NJ

www.iplayamerica.com


Friday February 2 & Saturday, February 3


This event is a must for sports fans in New Jersey. It will feature experienced card collectors and dealers, collectibles, novelties and more!
 
Hours
Friday, 2/2: 3 PM-8 PM
Saturday, 2/3: 9 AM-5 PM


For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.iplayamerica.com/event/new-jersey-sports-card-convention


XXX


Photo by  Kenninji © Naoko Tosa

17) Japan Society & Japan Institute of Portland Japanese Garden

Present



Transcending Time: Japanese Art & Technology


Part of the Living Traditions Series, A Multi-Part Program Designed to Examine Iconic Facets of Japanese Culture From Ancient Roots to Modern Day


Wednesday, January 31, 2024 at 6:30 pm ET


Japanese art has an allure that transcends time, from the resplendent beauty of paintings on golden screens to the elegant lines of ikebana flower arrangements. In modern times, new technologies are revolutionizing our engagement with these art forms. High-precision replicas of precious paintings can be created, allowing the originals to be safely preserved, while still being accessible to the public. Meanwhile, contemporary artists are using technology to express traditional Japanese artistic concepts in novel ways.


In the first ever in-person installment of Living Traditions, a public forum that explores Japanese culture, Frank Feltens, Curator of Japanese Art at the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, and Japanese new media artist and Professor of Kyoto University Naoko Tosa, creator of Sounds of Ikebana, will examine the applications of technology in the world of Japanese art today. This conversation will be moderated by Monika Bincsik, Diane and Arthur Abbey Curator for Japanese Decorative Arts at the Metropolitan Museum of Art. 

 

Program Details: This in-person event is free, with advance registration required.

 

Location: Japan Society, 333 East 47th St., New York, NY 10017

 

Date and Time: Wednesday, January 31, 2024 at 6:30 pm ET

 

For more information visit:

japansociety.org/events/transcending-time-japanese-art-technology


XXX


18) Legendary producer & broadcaster JULIAN SCHLOSSBERG on TCM, launches new podcast, and releases audiobook

Legendary broadcaster and stage and screen producer Julian Schlossberg returns to the studio mic in 2024 with three exciting ventures: a guest interviewer appearance on Turner Classic Movies, a new podcast, and the audiobook release of his recent memoir, Try Not to Hold It Against MeA Producer’s Life.


Julian Schlossberg, special guest host for

TCM’s “A Night With Elaine May,” January 26 at 8PM

 

On January 26, Schlossberg will appear on Turner Classic Movies (TCM) as a special guest interviewing Elaine May during program of films featuring or written by the legendary artist. First at 8PM, the Schlossberg-produced documentary Nichols and May: Take 2 (1996); at 10:15PM, A New Leaf (1971); at 12:15AM, Mikey and Nicky (1976); and at 2:15AM, Ishtar (1987).. Leading into each film, Schlossberg sits down with May, in a rare interview appearance, to discuss her storied career as a performer, screenwriter and director.

 

Turner Classic Movies (TCM) is a two-time Peabody Award-winning network that presents classic films, uncut and commercial-free, from the largest film libraries in the world highlighting “where then meets now.”


“Julian Schlossberg’s MovieTalk,”

the long-running syndicated radio show is now a podcast

Fans of Schlossberg’s nationally syndicated radio program, “MovieTalk” can, at last, look forward to a reboot. Starting January 31, “Julian Schlossberg’s MovieTalk” returns as a new podcast produced by Audivita Studios, a podcast and audiobook production company. The podcast is a unique series featuring interviews with stars, writers, directors, producers. Insights into the world of entertainment. In 1974, while working as an entertainment executive, Schlossberg began hosting “MovieTalk,” a nationally syndicated radio program on WMCA and, subsequently, on WOR. Over the next nine years, he interviewed hundreds of stars (many of whom rarely did interviews).


For the podcast reboot, listeners can look forward to Schlossberg’s signature, in-depth interviews with guests including Academy Award winner F. Murray Abraham; President of Sony Classics Michael Barker; acclaimed actor and film director Richard Benjamin; two-time Emmy Award winner Carol Kane; Award winning actor and comedian Robert Klein; four-time Emmy Award winner Marlo Thomas; legendary Casting Director Juliet Taylor, and iconic model, actress, and singer Twiggy.


Starting January 31, listeners can subscribe or access new episodes at Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other popular podcasts websites. New episodes will be released weekly, every Wednesday.


For those who want even more Julian Schlossberg podcast in their playlist, subscribe to “Tales From Hollywoodland.” Co-hosted by Hollywood vets Arthur Friedman, Steven Jay Rubin and Schlossberg, this fast-paced weekly show business podcast focuses on all genres of movies; classic to current, as well as Broadway, TV, Cable, and Streaming.


Julian Schlossberg records audiobook of his recent memoir

Try Not To Hold It Against Me: A Producer’s Life


Following a successful book release in January 2023, Julian Schlossberg stepped into the studio to record the audio book of his recent memoir, Try Not to Hold It Against MeA Producer’s Life (published, January 2023). The new audiobook, produced by Audivita Studios, is now available from Amazon and other popular online audiobook stores.


A must-read (and now a must-listen) for film, television, and theater enthusiasts alike, Julian Schlossberg’s Try Not to Hold It Against Me is a one-of-a-kind autobiography by one of entertainment’s true insiders. He has negotiated deals with the likes of Al Pacino, Burt Reynolds, and Lillian Hellman. Schlossberg has partied with Barbra Streisand and Liza Minnelli. He has experienced the paranormal with Shirley MacLaine and Betty Hill. He has produced for Bruce Springsteen, Elia Kazan and Woody Allen, Sid Caesar and Orson Welles. He has interviewed legends including Bette Davis, Alfred Hitchcock, Jack Nicholson, Bob Hope and George Burns. He once testified against The Beatles, yet Mike Nichols called him “the nicest man in show business.”


With a foreword by Academy and Tony Award winner Elaine May, Schlossberg’s memoir tells the story of a boy from the Bronx who makes it to Broadway and beyond. Written with engaging humor and self-deprecation, Try Not to Hold It Against Me gives readers a behind-the-scenes pass to Cannes and Las Vegas, the lives and homes of the stars, and the rarely seen but crucial work of the producer in the midst of it all. Schlossberg takes us through the trials and triumphs of work and play in his roles as a Broadway, Off-Broadway, film and TV producer; a radio and TV host; and documentarian.


XXX


Photo courtesy of Atlanta Botanical Garden


19) THOMAS DAMBO'S TROLLS: SAVE THE HUMANS, WITH IMAGINE EXHIBITIONS, COMING TO PHILADELPHIA ZOO THIS WINTER AND SPRING 


Philadelphia Zoo is thrilled to announce Thomas Dambo’s TROLLS: Save the Humans, produced by Imagine Exhibitions, is making its East Coast debut in Philadelphia February 1, 2024. The world’s leading recycle artist created these six, folklore-inspired Trolls using repurposed wood. The Trolls are on a mission to inspire humans to take better care of nature.  The TROLLS are stomping through the Zoo February 1 through April 15. The Trolls, ranging up to 15 feet tall, will be located throughout the Zoo’s 42-acre campus. The exhibition is included in admission to the Zoo. Admission ranges between $19 -$25 for adults and children and is free for Zoo Members. Tickets are now available on philadelphiazoo.org. To accompany this exhibit, guests are encouraged to bring their old Zoo Keys (or purchase one at any of the Zoo’s retail locations) to hear stories from the Trolls themselves.

XXX


20) Roundabout Theatre Company


ROUNDABOUT DIRECTING FELLOWSHIP

and

ROUNDABOUT DIRECTORS GROUP


Deadline for applications is Thursday, March 14 at 11:59pm ET


Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, President/CEO, in memoriam; Scott Ellis, Interim Artistic Director) is now accepting applications for two of the institution’s signature Artists-in-Residence programs: the Roundabout Directing Fellowship and the Leon Levy Foundation Roundabout Directors Group. The deadline for applications is Thursday, March 14 at 11:59pm (ET). Applicants may apply for one or both programs. For more information and to submit an application, please visit roundabouttheatre.org/apply-now-24-25.


An online Information Session for both programs will be held on Monday, February 5, 2024 at 3:00pm (ET). To register, please visit roundabouttheatre.org/info-session-24-25 to receive the Zoom link. Interested applicants who are unable to attend the Information Session can e-mail DirectingPrograms@roundabouttheatre.org with any questions.


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Photo courtesy of Michelle Tabnick PR


21) South Street Seaport Museum

Announces Free Monthly Sing-Alongs

Sea Chanteys and Maritime Music 

Online and In-Person

February 4, 2024


The South Street Seaport Museum’s monthly Sea Chanteys and Maritime Music program—which began over 5 decades ago—continues on the first Sunday of every month. This Winter, the free program will be presented in a hybrid format, both indoors at the Museum and online.


From November 2023 to April 2024, you are invited to join the lively chantey experience either in-person at the Seaport Museum’s introduction galleries or virtually via Zoom, allowing you to join from anywhere. Each sing will be hosted by a local artist who will lead the sea-song sing-along that will feature a variety of traditional maritime work songs and ballads. Attendees are encouraged to sing along with the chorus or just sit back and enjoy the music. Throughout the event, both in-person and virtual attendees take the stage for this round-robin where you can sing and share the chantey of your choice.


Singers of all levels, as well as listeners, are welcome to attend and can lead or request a traditional maritime work song or ballad. The program will offer a round-robin where anyone can sing and share the chantey of their choice, join in the choruses throughout the event, or just listen. 


The February hybrid sing will be hosted by Deirdre Murtha.


Hybrid dates include:

Sunday, February 4, 2024, 2–4pm ET

Sunday, March 3, 2024, 2–4pm ET

Sunday, April 7, 2024, 2–4pm ET


The hybrid event is free, and registration is encouraged.

seaportmuseum.org/hybrid-chantey-sing


In-Person Registration

Advanced in-person registration to join the event in the 12 Fulton Street introduction galleries, is encouraged for this event but walkups will be accommodated as possible. Any in-person attendee is welcome to lead a song during the round-robin; if you have a specific song in mind, please inform us of the song title when you register.


Zoom Registration

For all Zoom attendees, advanced registration is required. Please note that due to capacity limitations, only a limited number of online participants will be able to lead a song during the event. If you wish to lead a song on Zoom, please provide the song title when you register. You can register to join the Zoom event until the start of the program, but registration for leading a song on Zoom closes one week in advance.


Can’t decide whether to join in-person or via Zoom? All registrants will receive the Zoom link in their confirmation email, regardless of their registration choice. If there’s a chance you might attend in-person, please sign up for an in-person ticket to help us with our planning.


Extend Your Visit

Before and after the Chantey Sing, participants are invited to take advantage of Pay What You Wish General Admission to the Seaport Museum. General Admission includes access to three gallery exhibitions at 12 Fulton Street as well as a walk through Wavertree at whatever price is right for you––free in-person admission, the full ticket price, or any amount in between. seaportmuseum.org/general-admission


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And that's the scoop. Tune in tomorrow for More Theater Monday.