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

Sunday, April 21, 2024

Sunday Scoop Week of 4/21/24 What's Happening This Week and More

This post may contain affiliate links for which we may be compensated.

A)Beginning Performances 

1) The Actors

2) A Bronx Tale

3) Fingers & Spoons: The Ins and Outs of an Open Marriage

4) Frybread Queen

5) Illinoise

6) Lorenzo

7) The Miser

8) Untitled Theater Company No. 61’s Exagoge

9) Whore's Eye

B) Run Extension

10) Here There Are Blueberries

C) What Else is Happening This Week and More

11)  Anna Sokolowand Reimagined Roots of Anti-Fascist Dance 
at the Library of Congress Now Available on Demand

12) Ballet Hispanico Celebrates Eduardo Villaro's 15th Season
4/25 - 4/28

13) Ballet Hispanico Joins Celebrate Performance Mediums 
Theatre, Music & Movement at Children's Museum of Manhattan 4/24

14) The Broadway Workroom Series Presents Into the Light, A Faustian Tale
4/26 - 4/28

15) Conversations: David Letterman WIth Alex Hunnold
at PAC NYC 5/25

16) East Passyunk's Flavor's on the Avenue Festival
4/28

17) Gingold Theatrical Group Presents Benefit Performance of
Noel Coward's I'll Leave it to You at Symphony Space 4/29

18) Hell's Kitchen on Broadway & TodayTix Group to Support Keep a Child Alive

19) Here There Are Blueberries Discussion Series

20) J2 Spotlight Presents Make Someone Happy The Songs of Comden, Green & Styne
4/23

21) Le Baiser de Man Ray Opens
at Bruce Silverstein Gallery 4/26

22) Lord Maurice Saatchi's New Book Out 
4/23

23) MJ on Broadway New Block of Tickets Available Now

24) Roundabout's Workforce Development Program Applications Open Now

25) TADA! Youth Theater Musical Theater Summer Camps

26) TRU 2024 Voices New Playing Virtual Reading Series Available on Demand on Vimeo

27) Works & Process Presents Ryan Ponder's Kinetic Grace
at the Guggenheim Museum 4/30

A)Beginning Performances 

Courtesy of DD PR

1) The Actors

The Actors is about a lonely man, grief-stricken by the death of his parents, who hires actors to come to his apartment a few times a week to play his family. But what happens when the lines between theatre and reality begin to blur – and the actors overstay their welcome?

Theatre Row's Theatre 4 (410 W. 42nd St.)
4/27 - 6/1
Opening Night 5/8

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

2) A Bronx Tale

A Bronx Tale is a musical based on the play of the same name with a book by Chazz Palminteri, music by Alan Menken, and lyrics by Glenn Slater. Based on the critically acclaimed play that inspired the now classic film, this streetwise musical will take you to the stoops of the Bronx in the 1960s—where a young man is caught between the father he loves and the mob boss he'd love to be. Featuring a book by Academy Award nominee Chazz Palminteri, music by Oscar, Grammy, and Tony Award winner Alan Menken, and lyrics by Grammy Award winner and Oscar and Tony Award nominee Glenn Slater, A Bronx Tale is a story about respect, loyalty, love, and above all else: family. **Contains adult language and mild violence.**

Argyle Theatre (34 W. Main St., Babylon, NY)
4/25 - 6/16
Opening 4/27

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit 

3) Fingers & Spoons: The Ins and Outs of an Open Marriage

A mid-40s mom accepts her husband’s invitation to an open marriage and proceeds with a singleness of purpose no one saw coming. A happily horny journey that deflates, prods, pokes and has fun with the little fallacies we carefully curate to better foster our socially permissible selves. Provocative in its exploration of human vulnerability, the play acknowledges and embraces the acute discomfort of living out our inescapable sexuality – a shameless exploration of shame itself, this one-woman play turns many notions of self-empowerment on their head.    

Soho Playhouse (15 Vandam St.)
4/25 - 6/2
Opening Night 5/2

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

Courtesy of Spin Cycle

4) Frybread Queen

THE FRYBREAD QUEEN is the spirited story of three generations of Navajo women who unite to prepare frybread and other food for the funeral of a beloved son, father, husband and brother. Set in his mother’s small reservation home in Arizona, these four very different women confront long-simmering tensions and buried family secrets that threaten to tear them apart.

Theatre for the New City (155 First Ave.)
4/26 - 512

For more information or to purchase tickets, www.theaterforthenewcity.net

Courtesy of Polk and Co.

5) Illinoise

A company of performers brings the original story to life, set to the entirety of Stevens’ album with new arrangements by composer, pianist, and frequent Stevens collaborator Timo Andres, ranging in style from DIY folk and indie rock to marching band and ambient electronics, performed by a live band and vocalists.

St. James Theatre (246 W. 44th St.)
4/24 - 8/10

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

6) Lorenzo

Facing the absurdities of life is no easy task for two intergenerational roommates with problems of their own. LORENZO is the true story of how multi-award-winning stand-up comedian Ben Target gave up his career to move in with his favorite elderly uncle and become his live-in caretaker.

Frustrations quickly arise between Ben and this mischievous octogenarian. This life-affirming story tackles death, caregiving, and grief in a brave and lighthearted way. Target’s witty and energetic style keeps the show flowing through the popular mediums of storytelling and live carpentry, a combination not seen on the world stage since Nazareth (circa 30 AD).

59E59 Theatres (59 E. 59 St.)
4/24 - 5/19
Opening Night 4/27

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit  59E59.org

7) The Miser

Step into a world of biting absurdity and timeless truths with Molière in the Park’s The Miser, re-imagined for today’s world. Written in 1668 and presented upward of 2,500 times over the next 350 years at the Comédie Française alone, The Miser is Molière’s most successful play, both in France and internationally.

 Prospect Park’s LeFrak Center 
(171 East Drive between Ocean Avenue and Lincoln Road)  
4/27 - 5/19

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

Courtesy of Darr Publicity


8) Untitled Theater Company No. 61’s Exagoge

An immersive opera/play/Passover seder, based on the oldest known Jewish play, written in Alexandria in the second century BCE by Ezekiel the Tragedian. The audience gathers round the seder table or watches from the risers, joining the performers for a traditional 15-part modern seder. An opera composer, Zeke, has brought home his girlfriend Aliya, a non-practicing Muslim, for the first time. Meanwhile, in the middle of it all, opera performers sing an adaptation of the ancient Greek interpretation of the Book of Exodus.

La MaMa’s Ellen Stewart Theatre (66 East 4th St.)
4/26 - 5/12
Opening Night 4/29

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.lamama.org/shows/exagoge-2024

Courtesy of Spin Cycle

9) Whore's Eye

WHORE'S EYE VIEW is a mad dash through 10,000 years of history from an adult entertainment worker’s perspective. Weaving history, comedic storytelling, and the wisdom of lived experience, Kaytlin Bailey artfully unpacks the complex, age-old stigma underpinning the oldest profession, a status quo designed to keep women in their place. Kaytlin’s eye opening message is a compassionate, clarion call, a crash course in history, and a game changing roadmap for progress that can be sustained once and for all.

Laurie Beechman Theatre (inside West Bank Cafe at 407 West 42nd St.)
4/25 - 5/9

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

B) Run Extension

10) Here There Are Blueberries

In 2007, a mysterious album featuring Nazi-era photographs arrived at the desk of a U.S. Holocaust Memorial Museum archivist. As curators unraveled the shocking truth behind the images, the album soon made headlines and ignited a debate that reverberated far beyond the museum walls. Based on real events, Here There Are Blueberries tells the story of these historical photographs—what they reveal about the perpetrators of the Holocaust, and our own humanity.  

New York Theatre Workshop (79 E 4th St.)
Now closing 4/16

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

C) What Else is Happening This Week and More

Photo courtesy of Michelle Tabnick PR

11) Anna Sokolow and the Reimagined Roots of Anti-Fascist Dance

at the Library of Congress


Now Available on Demand!


Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble announces Anna Sokolow and the Reimagined Roots of Anti-Fascist Dance, which was performed on Friday, January 26, 2024 at 7 pm at the Library of Congress Thomas Jefferson Building, Coolidge Auditorium, is now available for streaming on demand. To watch the performance, visit https://www.loc.gov/item/webcast-11277/.


When the Library of Congress Music Division made the extraordinary discovery of handwritten scores composed by Alex North for two of Anna Sokolow's dances, Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble Artistic Director Samantha Géracht reimagined the dances using archival evidence and the music. “Slaughter of the Innocents” is Sokolow's 1937 lament for Basque women suffering under Nazi aerial bombing. “Ballad in a Popular Style” is a wistful lyrical excursion into jazz, first performed in 1936. Both will be performed by members of the Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble to the original music, for the first time in 80 years, showing that the creative collaboration of Anna Sokolow (1910-2000) and Alex North (1910-1991) remains fresh, compelling, and relevant for today's audiences. A panel discussion on the revival of the music and dance and the lives of North and Sokolow was followed by an audience Q&A session.


Participants 

Samantha Géracht, Artistic Director, Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble 

James May, Founding Director, Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble 

Eleanor Bunker, Associate Artistic Director, Sokolow Theatre/Dance Ensemble 

Lakey Evans-Peña, Associate Director, Ailey School Horton Pedagogy 

Abby North, Principal of North Music Group LLC

Ilana Ruth Cohen, dancer 

Erin Gottwald, dancer 

Margherita Tisato, dancer 


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Photo courtesy of Michelle Tabnick PR

12) Ballet Hispánico Celebrates Eduardo Vilaro’s 15th Season!


Annual New York Season Program Includes

The World Premiere of Vilaro's Buscando a Juan

Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's House of Mad’moiselle

Gustavo Ramírez Sansano’s 18+1


April 25-28, 2024 at New York City Center


Ballet Hispánico, the nation’s largest Latine/x/Hispanic dance organization recognized as one of America’s Cultural Treasures, continues its 2023/24 season. A Company that “compels audiences to think differently and lean into an unseen, unimaginable cultural vibrancy” (Broadway World), Ballet Hispánico amplifies Latinx artists and cultures through innovative contemporary works.


In honor of Eduardo Vilaro’s 15th season as Artistic Director of Ballet Hispánico, the program (Fri, Sat, Sun) will feature the World Premiere of Buscando a Juan. Vilaro’s new work, inspired by The Met’s exhibition of Juan de Pareja, Afro-Hispanic Painter, is a layered and immersive piece inspired by the life of Juan de Pareja, the Afro-Hispanic painter who was enslaved in Spanish painter Diego Velázquez's studio for over two decades before becoming an artist in his own right. The work is a thought-provoking homage to the nuanced dance of shared vulnerability and intimate collaboration among artists that redefines the boundaries of individual creativity, beckoning us to question the very essence of artistic identity. In House of Mademoiselle, internationally acclaimed choreographer Annabelle Lopez Ochoa takes us on a wild romp through a campy world that explores iconic female representations found in Latin American culture. From femme fatales to the delicate language of fans, boas and Latin dance, the work highlights how the culture is enamored and obsessed with the iconic high-octane female stars of past and present; and 18+1Gustavo Ramírez Sansano’s celebration of the vulnerability, care, and hope that comes with each artistic endeavor. Tickets start at $45 ($20 for the En Familia Matinee) and are available here.


Ballet Hispánico 2024 Gala Performance (6:30pm) and Dinner

Tickets for the April 25 Gala Performance may be paired with a reservation for the Quinceañera Gala at the Plaza Hotel in tribute to Eduardo Vilaro’s 15th anniversary as Artistic Director & CEO. For more information, please contact Ellie Craven at ecraven@ballethispanico.org or visit www.ballethispanico.org/support/events/2024-gala.

Gala Performance Program: Recuerdo de Campo Amor by Talley Beatty; Con Brazos Abiertos (excerpts) by Michelle Manzanales; Doña Perón (excerpt) by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa; Pas de O' Farrill, duet by Pedro Ruiz; Buscando a Juan by Eduardo Vilaro.


Ballet Hispánico 2024 En Familia Matinee

The En Familia Matinee offers a journey through Latin American culture and traditions as Vilaro leads the audience on an interactive and fun-filled afternoon featuring excerpts of classic pieces from the Company’s repertory: a re-staging of Talley Beatty’s electrifying Recuerdo de Campo Amor, the ever-popular Sombrerísimo by Annabelle Lopez Ochoa, Geoffrey Holder’s Caribbean-influenced Danse Creole, and the Latin social dance extravaganza Club Havana by Pedro Ruiz. Made possible thanks to the generosity of the RBC Foundation USA, the charitable arm of RBC Capital Markets, and New York City Center, all tickets for En Familia Matinee are $20 and can be purchased online at NYCityCenter.org ($3 facility fee and $2 reduced handling fee), by calling 212.581.1212, or in person at the City Center Box Office ($3 facility fee).


With cultural and historical content and movement exercises for the whole family, the audience is in for a performance to remember. After the show, young audience members will have the opportunity to meet the dancers for a photo op, learn dance moves, and enjoy Caribbean beats from musicians throughout the theater!


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Courtesy of Michelle Tabnick PR

13) Ballet Hispánico Joins Children’s Museum of Manhattan


Celebrate Performance Mediums: Theatre, Music, and Movement

Wednesday, April 24, 2024


Ballet Hispánico, the nation’s largest Latine/x/Hispanic cultural organization and one of America’s Cultural Treasures, is thrilled to be a part of the Children’s Museum of Manhattan (CMOM)’s new program Celebrate Performance Mediums: Theatre, Music, and Movement running from April 21-28, 2024 at the Children’s Museum, 212 W. 83rd Street, NYC. Ballet Hispánico: Baila Conmigo/Dance with Me!, part of Ballet Hispánico’s Community Arts Partnership (CAP) Program will be offered on Wednesday, April 24, 2024. All programs are included in general admission — just drop in, or sign up in the lobby one hour before the event. For more information on CMOM’s public programs, visit https://cmom.org/cmom-programs/.


Explore the disciplines of puppet theater, music & movement, hands-on instrument making, and the visual arts in collaboration with partners – Ballet Hispánico, Wendy and DB, Teatro SEA, Bash the Trash, Ebony Bolt, and The Culture Tree – and explore creativity, community, and connection.


Wendy and DB: Into the Little Blue House!

Join Wendy and DB in this high-energy musical performance exploring themes of freedom, love, self- worth and creativity.

Sunday, April 21 | 2:00 pm – 2:45 pm & 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm | Drop-in | All ages | 1st Floor | Inside Art


Ballet Hispánico: Baila Conmigo/Dance with Me!

Learn and explore different dance forms and cultures with Teaching Artists from Ballet Hispánico!

Wednesday, April 24 | 2:00 pm – 2:45pm & 3:00 pm – 3:45 pm | Drop-in | All ages | 1st Floor | Inside Art


Bash the Trash: Rubbish Rhythms with Sam Kulik

Join us for a fun-filled music performance played on hand-made, sustainable instruments! Explore the science of sound, discover how reusing/repurposing is good for the planet, and find out how you can build your own instruments at home!

Thursday, April 25 | 2:00 pm – 2:45 pm | Drop-in | All ages | 1st Floor | Inside Art


Teatro SEA: The Galapagos Animal Puppet Show

The puppet animals have gotten together for an imaginary assembly at The Galapagos Islands of Ecuador with the intention to save planet Earth!

Friday, April 26 | 2:00 pm – 2:45 pm | Drop-in | All ages | Bilingual in English & Spanish | 1st Floor | Inside Art


Ebony Bolt: Spring Has Sprung!

Join artist Ebony Bolt for an interactive artmaking workshop informed by her creative practice and mural installation Driving the Future (currently on view). Design your own pattern using custom stamps inspired by motifs found in the artist’s work!

Saturday, April 27 | 2:00 pm & 3:00 pm | Sign-up* | Ages 5 & older | 1st Floor | Makerspace


The Culture Tree: Climate Warriors Puppet Show

The Culture Tree and WonderSparks present the journey of three environmentally responsible friends who join forces to save planet Earth! Join us as we introduce young children to climate change and what we can do to help reverse the ways in which it has impacted our beautiful planet!

Sunday, April 28 | 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm | Drop-in | All ages | 1st Floor | Inside Art


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14) The Broadway Workroom Series
Presents
In The Light, A Faustian Tale: 

In The Light, A Faustian Tale: 

Book by Kate Mulley (Razorhurst) and Nathan Wright (Manifesto: The Diaghilev Project), and music & lyrics by Michael Mott (Where the Sky Ends), based on a work by Justin Silvestri and Michael Mott.  IN THE LIGHT follows Dr. Johann Faustus, an astronomer accused of blasphemy by the Holy Inquisition. Guided by a mysterious being, Johann and his wife flee to a small town, where he meets a scholarly young woman named Gretchen. Gretchen believes Johann can help rebuild her town and influence the new Baron. When news of the town's rise and Johann's supposed miracles reaches an old rival, Johann must resist the temptation that his ambition yields, and Gretchen must make a choice between living authentically and saving her town.  In The Light will be presented at Open Jar Studios from Friday April 26 to Sunday April 28. Full casting to be announced soon. 


The creative team includes Direction by Jeff Whiting (Big Fish), Music Direction by Joshua Zecher-Ross (Be More Chill), and orchestrations by Kim Scharnberg (The Great Gatsby). The band includes Adam Wolfe, David White, Justin Rothberg, and Audra Cramer (Associate Music Director). 


Tickets are free and may be reserved at www.StageDoor.org/broadway-workroom


A Glimpse Behind the Curtain:
The Broadway Workroom Series will provide a rare opportunity for Broadway enthusiasts to witness the evolution of new musicals, a process typically reserved for industry insiders during private "workshops" or "readings. The series’ vibe is to present glimpses of shows in their development phases, with focus on the writing and performances and less attention to production value. 

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15) 

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Presents

 CONVERSATIONS: David Letterman with Alex Honnold

Thursday, April 25 at 7:00PM


The Perelman Performing Arts Center (PAC NYC) presents award-winning comedian and television broadcaster David Letterman in “Conversations: David Letterman with Alex Honnold” on April 25, 2024 at 7:00PM. The Late-Night legend brings his trademark dry humor, irreverence, and sincere curiosity to PAC NYC for an unforgettable evening of conversation with rock climbing phenom.

TICKETS & MEMBERSHIPS are available at PACNYC.org or by calling 212.266.3000.

All performances are located at PAC NYC at 251 Fulton Street.

 

The public can sign up for important updates from PAC NYC at PACNYC.org/sign-up.


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Courtesy of EPABID

16) EAST PASSYUNK TOP RESTAURANTS TAKE TO THE STREETS FOR FLAVORS ON THE AVENUE FESTIVAL WITH 125+ VENDORS, LIVE MUSIC, FAMILY FUN

East Passyunk Avenue Business Improvement District presents Flavors on the Avenue on Sunday, April 28, 2024, from 11:00am to 5:00pm. One of the city’s largest and longest-running food festivals returns to South Philadelphia for the 18th year. Neighbors, visitors, foodies and music lovers will come together for an all day, all ages celebration with five blocks of street food, seasonal sips, craft beer, live music and sidewalk sales. Over two dozen of Philadelphia’s top restaurants, cafes and bars will be participating, including Barcelona Wine Bar, Bing Bing Dim Sum, Cantina Los Caballitos, Le Virtu, Ember & Ash, Flannel, Milk Jawn, Noir, Ocho Rios Parrilla, Pistolas Del Sur, Pizzata Pizzeria and Birreria, P'UNK burger, Stogie Joes, Townsend, Vanilya Bakery and more. Over 100 vendors will line the Avenue, including 80+ artists and makers curated by Nice Things Handmade. Family fun will include balloons, bounce house, arts and crafts, games and more. The festivities will run along East Passyunk, from Broad to Dicknson streets. The event is open to all ages. Food and drink is pay-as-you-go. For more information, visit www.visiteastpassyunk.com and follow @eastpassyunk.

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Courtesy of Print Shop PR

17)

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THE 19TH SEASON OF

 

PROJECT SHAW

 

CONTINUES WITH

A SPECIAL BENEFIT PERFORMANCE OF

NOËL COWARD’S

I’LL LEAVE IT TO YOU


MONDAY APRIL 29TH AT 7PM

 

AT SYMPHONY SPACE’S

LEONARD NIMOY THALIA THEATRE

 

TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE


Gingold Theatrical Group (GTG) (David Staller, Artistic Director; Isaiah Josiah, Managing Producer) announced today that they will continue the 19th season of Project Shaw with Noël Coward’s I’ll Leave It to You. Inspired by the works of George Bernard Shaw, Project Shaw is a special series of Script-In-Hand performances that aim to provoke peaceful discussion and activism. Each performance is followed by a lively post-show discussion with the cast and director. Directed by David StallerI’ll Leave It to You will be presented at Symphony Space’s Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre (2537 Broadway at 95th Street) on Monday April 29, 2024, at 7PM. To learn more and reserve tickets, visit symphonyspace.org/events/vp-ill-leave-it-to-you. 

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18) A PORTION OF ALL HELL’S KITCHEN

TICKET SALES WILL SUPPORT

 

KEEP A CHILD ALIVE

 

THROUGH COLLABORATION WITH TODAYTIX GROUP


AKW Productions is thrilled to announce that through a collaboration with TodayTix Group, for every ticket sold during the run of HELL’S KITCHEN, $1 will go to support Alicia Keys co-founded organization, Keep a Child Alive.


More information about Keep a Child Alive (KCA) is available at www.keepachildalive.org.


Tickets for Hell’s Kitchen are available at HellsKitchen.com and Telecharge.com. Ticket prices range from $59-199.


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19) HERE THERE ARE BLUEBERRIES

 

DISCUSSION SERIES


New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) (Artistic Director Patricia McGregor and Executive Director Jeremy Blocker) and Tectonic Theater Project (Artistic Director Moisés Kaufman and Executive Director Matt Joslynannounced today additional details and moderators for their series of talkbacks for Here There Are Blueberries, presented in partnership with Fellowships at Auschwitz for the Study of Professional Ethics (FASPE).

As the play's Content & Conversation Partner and in collaboration with NYTW and Tectonic Theater Project, FASPE will curate a series of post-show discussions where leading ethicists, scholars, and audiences can discuss the complex issues raised in the play—and consider their relevance for today. These discussions will be held following performances on Thursday April 25, Wednesday May 1, Tuesday May 7, Friday May 10, Thursday May 16, Thursday May 23 and Wednesday May 29.

FASPE challenges its professionals to recognize and exercise their ethical and leadership responsibilities as influencers. FASPE’s distinctive approach is to examine the roles and behavior of individual professionals in Germany and elsewhere between 1933 and 1945 as an initial framework for approaching ethical responsibility in the professions today. 

More information about the discussion series can be found below.

 

Thursday April 25 

There Were Blueberries: The Transformation of Norms and Complicity as the New Normal

Moderators: Thorsten Wagner, Executive Director for Strategy and Academics, FASPE and Jordyn Holman, Business Reporter at The New York Times, FASPE Journalism Fellow '18

 

In the course of the 1930s and 1940s, German society experienced a gradual, comprehensive, and ever-accelerating transformation of its system of ethical and moral values. As much as the sense of leisure and happiness characterizing the visual representations of the Nazi perpetrators disturbs us, the presumable normalcy might be powerful evidence of this transformation. Frequently, professionals were key players in this process, and the central role of doctors, lawyers, and accountants for the crimes of Nazism, so central to the play, raises fundamental questions about contemporary professional ethics and professional responsibility.


Wednesday May 1 

Of Monsters to (Ordinary?) Men (and Women)

Moderators: Nate Silver, Head of Operations and People, Adonis, FASPE Business Fellow '19 and Stuart Liebman, Professor Emeritus of Film Studies and Theatre, CUNY Graduate Center

 

Here There Are Blueberries invites us to consider: were Nazi perpetrators incomprehensible monsters or "ordinary" individuals? Film and theater representations of Nazi perpetrators have evolved over time, from their depiction as inhuman monsters in the earliest portrayals following the war to somehow "ordinary" individuals with families, some who were not even overtly racist against Jews. This discussion delves into the various portrayals of Nazi perpetrators, and the complex questions they raise about evil, complicity, and human nature.


Tuesday May 7 

Mass Complicity and Transitional Justice

Moderators: Trevor Morrison, Professor of Law and Dean Emeritus, New York University School of Law, FASPE Law Faculty and Jessica Roth, Professor of Law, Co-Director, Jacob Burns Center for Ethics in the Practice of Law, Cardozo School of Law, FASPE Law Faculty

 

As Here There Are Blueberries brings vividly to light, the perpetrators of the Holocaust included many individuals who were far from the Nazi “top brass.” Some of these lower-level individuals were later held accountable for their actions. But many others were not and were often seamlessly integrated back into society, even into their prior professions. Here There Are Blueberries invites us to consider the limits of formal institutions of justice in the face of mass complicity, the consequences of inconsistent accountability, and the responsibility of the professions when perpetrators return to the fold.


Friday May 10

What did Americans know? What did they do?

Moderators: Rebecca Erbelding, Educator and Historian, United States Holocaust Memorial Museum and Thorsten Wagner, Executive Director for Strategy and Academics, FASPE

 

By 1944, the ongoing murder of European Jews was not a secret in the United States. Journalists, artists, activists, and theater-makers all called Americans' attention to the ongoing crimes, and often, demanded that the United States government try to rescue the Nazis' victims. They ultimately convinced the Roosevelt administration to set up a government agency tasked with rescuing Jews—the War Refugee Board. And while the Board was attempting its lifesaving work, Karl Höcker and his colleagues were murdering hundreds of thousands of Jews. How are the actions—and inactions—of the United States reflected in Karl Höcker's album?


Thursday May 16 

The Next Generation: How Do We Deal with the Sins of Our Fathers – Literally and Metaphorically?

Moderators: David Goldman, Chairman, FASPE and Father Steven Bell, CSP, Paulist Mission Priest, FASPE Board Member and FASPE Seminary Faculty 

 

Here There Are Blueberries invites us into the minds of the children and grandchildren of some of the most complicit of the Nazi perpetrators. With this discussion, we ask not only how those “heirs” are to think about the sins of their fathers, but also how we are to think of the perpetrators, themselves, in their normal lives as fathers and grandfathers, as husbands and children. Is it possible to compartmentalize criminal behavior from “normal” lives? Or should we even allow the idea of compartmentalization in such fashion?


Thursday May 23

Democracy in Retreat: Journalism Under Siege—Then and Now 

Moderators: Mark Lukasiewicz, Dean, The Lawrence Herbert School of Communication, Hofstra University, FASPE Journalism Faculty and Sheila Coronel, Toni Stabile Professor of Professional Practice; Director of the Toni Stabile Center for Investigative Journalism, Columbia Journalism School, FASPE Journalism Faculty

 

Wherever—and whenever—democracy is under attack, journalists find themselves on the frontline. Populists and autocrats see the press as the enemy. Journalists are intimidated, censored, harassed, surveilled, jailed and sometimes killed. The Nazi party labeled journalists the “lügenpresse” - the lying press - and once in power, moved rapidly to shut down all independent journalism. In its place, the Nazis created a powerful propaganda machine that successfully swayed world opinion and even co-opted some important voices in international journalism. Today journalists in places where democracy is in retreat struggle to speak truth to power. Their credibility is under attack; they are called liars, tools of liberal elites, “presstitutes.” Is it legitimate for journalists to keep themselves safe by compromising with autocrats? Is full and open opposition the only legitimate choice for journalists in an autocratic regime?


Wednesday May 29 

Mengele at Auschwitz

Moderators: Dr. David G. Marwell, author of Mengele: Unmasking the Angel of Death, FASPE Board Member and Dr. Claire Rosen, FASPE Medical Fellow ‘22

 

Josef Mengele is perhaps the most recognizable figure among the many photographs that make up the album which is at the center of Here There Are Blueberries. Made famous by his portrayal in movies, novels, and plays, Dr. Josef Mengele has emerged as a grotesque caricature that threatens to obscure the frightening man that he was. Join the author of Mengele: Unmasking the Angel of Death in conversation with Dr. Claire Rosen as they discuss the man behind the myth.


In addition, there will be two NYTW AfterWords post-show discussions:

 

Wednesday April 24

In Conversation: Moisés Kaufman, Amanda Gronich & David Bengali

 

How do you make a play from an album of photographs? NYTW Associate Artistic Director, Theatre & Productions Aaron Malkin interviews Here There Are Blueberries co-writer Amanda Gronich, co-writer and director Moisés Kaufman, & projection designer David Bengali on the process of bringing the Höcker album to life.


Wednesday May 15

In Conversation: Amanda Gronich, Moisés Kaufman and Menachem Rosensaft

 

NYTW Usual Suspect & Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Doug Wright moderates a conversation between co-writer and director Moisés Kaufman, co-writer Amanda Gronich and Menachem Rosensaft, Adjunct Professor of Law, Cornell Law School; Lecturer-in-Law at Columbia Law School, and General Counsel Emeritus of the World Jewish Congress.


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20) CASTING ANNOUNCED FOR

Make Someone Happy: 

The Songs of Comden, Green, and Styne


IN THE SPOTLIGHT CABARET SERIES

AT

 THE J2 SPOTLIGHT MUSICAL THEATER COMPANY


TUESDAY, APRIL 23RD AT 7:30PM

AT AMT


The J2 Spotlight Musical Theater Company (Jim Jimirro, Executive Producer/Co-Founder; Robert W. Schneider, Artistic Director/Co-Founder) has announced the all-star cast of the first of its two cabaret evenings this spring at AMT (354 West 54th Street - between 8th and 9th Avenues). 


Our In The Spotlight Cabaret Series returns on April 23rd at 7:30pm with Make Someone Happy: The Songs of Comden, Green, and Styne. This evening will celebrate the incredible Golden Age sound of Broadway’s most beloved trio. Charles Kirsch, host of Backstage Babble, will direct with award-winning music director Michael Lavine at the keys.


The cast includes Tony nominee Stephen Hanan (Cats), Amy Spanger (Kiss Me Kate), Todd Buonopane (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), Jeremy Benton (Cheek to Cheek: Irving Berlin in Hollywood), Catherine DeLuce (A Christmas Carol), Nadia Duncan (Pippin), Caleb Funk (How the Grinch Stole Christmas), Leah Horowitz (Follies), Jay Aubrey Jones (How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying), Andrew Leggieri (Bandstand), Ashley Morton (Legally Blonde), Jenny Lee Stern (Rocky), Andy Tighe (Cabaret), Rebekah Wellons (Love Life), Stuart Zagnit (Harmony), and more to be announced. 


Tickets can be purchased by going to www.j2spotlightnyc.com


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21) Le Baiser de Man Ray
Opening April 26th

Bruce Silverstein Gallery is pleased to present Le Baiser de Man Ray, an exhibition of important photographs exemplifying the artist’s unbridled imagination and love for experimentation. Featuring close to thirty works spanning the artist’s early to mid-career and culled from the Gallery’s extensive archive, Le Baiser de Man Ray is a compelling display of wonders that will surely surprise, fascinate, and seduce even the most ardent Man Ray aficionado. 

While much has been written about Man Ray’s groundbreaking career and importance to the Dada and Surrealist movements, his oeuvre is impossible to categorize due to his tireless experimentation with new techniques and ideas and his disdain for the notion of a signature style. What is consistent, however, is the artist behind the work—a true creator imbued with wit, passion, and a love for all things original. 

Although he initially emerged as a modernist painter and a member of the Dada movement’s American branch in New York, Man Ray’s frustration with the constraints of the commercial American art scene eventually brought him to Paris in 1921. In Paris, Man Ray’s groundbreaking techniques that blended art and science, such as solarization and the invention of rayographs, presented him as a modern-renaissance man. He once said, “Life is an instant […] there’s no time to do two things alike;” Le Baiser de Man Ray, with a cross-section of remarkable photographs and photo montages, demonstrates the artist’s extraordinary quest for “newness” while representing a unique view of his creative output. Included are seminal examples of his early film stills, solarized nudes, ready-mades, self-portraits, Rayographs, and masterworks of Surrealism, from the known to the newly discovered. 

Highlights include: 

This is a likely unique film still from one of Man Ray’s first films, Emak Bakia, 1926. This photograph, featuring brushstroke-like gestures of light against a black background, embodies surrealism and is arguably a predecessor for Abstract Expressionist photography of the 1940s. It reflects Man Ray’s wishes to ‘free myself of the sticky medium of paint and […] work directly with light itself.’ 

A group portrait of the Dada movement’s Paris branch members, with a photograph of Man Ray affixed to it. An oversized exhibition print of Cheveux, Marguerite “Ghita” Luchaire, 1929, one of three known in existence and the only one in private hands.

One of Man Ray’s first ready-made sculptures featuring a photograph: Juliet, c. 1950. This sculpture includes a print of his wife hidden within the aperture of a camera shutter. 

At the heart of the exhibition is a singular, original photograph by Man Ray from 1930, “Le Baiser,” showcasing the delicate interplay of two profiles – his muse and legendary artist Lee Miller and an unidentified woman – their lips barely touching. This image, marked by its sharp focus against a softened background and the artist’s tangible alterations, embodies a moment of artistic determination. The uncropped contact print, once folded and manipulated by Man Ray, serves as a crucial reference for his final edit, “Le Baiser, 1935,” and later, the subject of his painting, Image à Deux Faces, 1959. 

Le Baiser de Man Ray is more than an homage to one of the great artists of the 20th century; it offers a refreshing lens on Man Ray’s evolution from an early Dada proponent to a Surrealist master, reinforcing his status as a central figure in modern art. This exhibition posits that at the heart of Man Ray’s diverse body of work lies an enduring commitment to photography; it is a loving caress to each and every one of us by an artist whose love of life can be seen in every one of his creations. 

For more information please contact milly@brucesilverstein.com or visit www.brucesilverstein.com
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Courtesy of DKC/O&M

22) ADVERTISING GIANT AND ICONOCLAST


LORD MAURICE SAATCHI


CO-FOUNDER OF SAATCHI & SAATCHI


RELEASES NEW BOOK


“ORGASM”


Lord Maurice Saatchi – the internationally celebrated advertising icon (co-

founder, Saatchi & Saatchi; Member of the House of Lords), political operative,

 and culture-shaper – has distilled decades of his signature contrarian wisdom

 into Orgasm, the controversial new coffee table book being released by ERIS on

 April 23, 2024. In Orgasm, Saatchi aims to thoroughly dismantle our shared

 perceptions—and misperceptions—of the world by exposing the emptiness that

\ often masquerades as common sense. Enriched by Saatchi’s insights into

 subjects as various poetry, economics, and medical science, and presented in a

 lavishly illustrated and beautifully produced linen-bound hardback, this is an

 essential guide to seeing and thinking more clearly.


 

In Orgasm, Saatchi sets out to totally deconstruct our collective understanding

 (and misunderstanding) of the world around us by debunking some of our most

 fondly held delusions. With chapter titles like “Dinner Parties Are Fun,”

 “Conservatives Are Cruel,” and “We Will Rest in Peace,” Saatchi systematically

 tears down orthodoxy after contemporary orthodoxy, giving us an entirely new

 lens with which to view our lives in the process. Orgasm is the perfect antidote to

 our age of algorithmically dictated group think and geographically

 dictated social bubbles.


 

In a statement, Saatchi said, “We live in a world of fake news and alternative

 facts. We tend now to look around us with some bewilderment. Doubt.

 Uncertainty. Even confusion. We often ask ourselves: have we lost our way? We

 are not sure what’s true and what’s a lie. So in my book Orgasm I present

 twenty-one popular lies – the things people say – and my own vision of the truth.

 You can then decide what’s truth and what’s lies. Or perhaps it’s all lies. By the

end of the book – an orgasm of the mind. A revelation. The fog is lifted. Illusions

 vanish. Facts and lies are separated. The road ahead is straight. The destination

 is clear. My book brings together conflicting ideas – systematic reasoning through

 dialogue for the purpose of intellectual investigation. This is hard to do. Not

 everyone can do it. Good luck with your orgasm!”


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23) NEW BLOCK OF TICKETS AVAILABLE


FOR


“MJ”

THE FOUR-TIME TONY AWARD WINNING MUSICAL

 

NOW ON SALE


FOR PERFORMANCES THROUGH JANUARY 5, 2025


Producers Lia VollackJohn Branca and John McClain announced this morning that a new block of tickets for MJ are now on sale for performances through January 5, 2025.

 

Tickets are available at broadwaydirect.com and at the Neil Simon box office.



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24) EDUCATION AT ROUNDABOUT

In Partnership with IATSE and the City of New York

 

Now Accepting Applications for

Theatrical Workforce Development Program, Cohort 7

 

Announces New Administrative Fellowships


Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, President/CEO, in memoriam; Scott Ellis, Interim Artistic Director) and Education at Roundabout (Jennifer DiBella, Director of Education) announced today that applications are now open for Cohort 7 of the Theatrical Workforce Development Program (TWDP), one of the theatre industry’s first workforce development programs to train and place young adults in professional technical theatre careers.

 

This year, the Theatrical Workforce Development Program expands to include a new Administrative FellowshipSimilar to Roundabout’s technical theatre training program, this new Administrative Fellowship aims to increase access to careers in the arts and entertainment industry for New Yorkers.

 

The TWDP Administrative Fellows program will consist of a cohort of six Administrative Fellows working full-time over 12 months. Each Administrative Fellow will receive an hourly wage, health benefits, cost-of-living scholarships, local transportation subsidy, and extensive wraparound training/professional development. The program will include an intensive baseline training to support the onboarding and skill building process for the Fellows as they begin their year with Roundabout. Fellows will be hosted by the following departments: Artistic, Development, Education, Finance/Human Resources, Management, and Marketing.


The Theatrical Workforce Development Program is open to any NYC residents, with at least a high school diploma (or equivalent), who are eligible to work in the US. People from underrepresented communities in the arts are strongly encouraged to apply.


ADMINISTRATIVE FELLOWSHIP – Cohort 1 

Fellows will participate in and contribute to an entire artistic season while sharing in the daily organizational operations. Fellows will engage in long-term projects with increasing responsibilities, attend regular workshops and weekly seminars, and receive on-the-job mentorship and training from their host department. 


·         Full time position from September 2024 – August 2025

·         40 hours a week 

·         Paid an hourly rate of $16 for 2024 and $16.50 for 2025 

·         Monthly MTA cards and housing support ($300 per month) provided 

·         Ability to work overtime and opt into benefits such as health insurance 

·         Office hours generally Mon – Fri from 10am – 6pm (some nights and weekends required)


Positions are available in the Artistic, Development, Education, Finance/HR, General Management, and Marketing departments.


Virtual Info Sessions: Tuesday, May 7, and Thursday, May 23, from 6:30 – 7:30 PM 

Application Deadline: June 2, 2024 

To learn more and apply, please visit: https://www.roundabouttheatre.org/education/career-training/administrative-fellowships/


TECHNICAL THEATRE TRAINING FELLOWSHIP – Cohort 7 

Roundabout Theatre Company, in partnership with the International Alliance of Theatrical Stage Employees (I.A.T.S.E), is recruiting young New Yorkers, ranging from 18-24 years old, to train for behind-the-scenes theatre careers. Participants learn hands-on skills in four disciplines while training with some of the industry’s top working professionals. 


·         Part-time position from September 2024 – August 2025 

·         Approximately 29 hours a week 

·         Paid an hourly rate of $16 for 2024 and $16.50 for 2025 

·         Monthly MTA cards provided 

·         Weekly training has a fluctuating schedule and ability to work nights and weekends required 

·         Fellows are matched with an I.A.T.S.E. mentor and a TWDP program alumni mentor 


Participants receive training in multiple areas of technical theatre including carpentrylightingaudio, and wardrobe. 


Virtual Info Session: Tuesday, May 14 from 3:30 – 5:30 PM 

In-Person Info Sessions: Friday, May 24 from 6:00PM—8:00PM; Friday, May 31 from 3:30PM—5:30PM; and Monday, June 3 from 6:00PM—8:00PM.

Please Note: Attending an info session is a mandatory part of the application process for each cohort. Candidates will be emailed a link to apply to the program after they have attended an info session.


To learn more and sign up for an info session, please visit: https://www.roundabouttheatre.org/education/career-training/theatrical-workforce-development-program/


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25) TADA! YOUTH THEATER PRESENTS WEEK-LONG

MUSICAL THEATER SUMMER CAMPS

FROM JUNE 17TH THROUGH AUGUST 23RD

 

Register now for a summer camp experience that your child will never forget!


TADA! Youth Theater presents week-long musical theater summer camps where children create and perform a brand new musical every week, all summer long! Summer camps take place from June 17th through August 23rd at TADA! Youth Theater, 15 West 28th Street in Manhattan. Campers will be divided into groups by their ages. Children, ages 4-5, attend 9AM to 1:30PM, and children ages 5-7 and 8-12 attend 9AM – 5PM.

 

For registration information, please visit https://tadatheater.com/summercamps/


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Courtesy of Michelle Tabnick PR

26) Theater Resources Unlimited

2024 TRU Voices New Plays Virtual Reading Series

presented with The StoryLine Project & CreateTheater in partnership

with Streaming Musicals and the new Milliron Media Group Studios

Available On Demand starting April 19 on Vimeo


Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) partners with CreateTheater.com to present the fourth virtual edition of the TRU Voices New Plays Reading Series, with the generous support of RK Greene and The StoryLine Project. Readings, presented through a technical partnership with Streaming Musicals on Sundays in February, will now be available to view On Demand starting April 19 on Vimeo. Each play will be available for viewing for 24 hours only.


The series executive producer is TRU executive director Bob Ost with technical producers Iben Cenholt of Rune Films and Tom Polum of Streaming Musicals. For an overview of the series, visit https://truonline.org/tru-voices-details-and-history/. To watch the plays on demand, visit the links at the end of each play description below.


“Shutdown forced us to move our live series into virtual in 2020,” states TRU executive director Bob Ost. “What started as a make-shift challenge turned into a real gift as we discovered the magic that can be created with film, and we will continue to explore the possibilities of virtual production even as we re-enter the world of live performance. To this end, we are excited to announce that we formed a partnership with the online theater platform Streaming Musicals, and this series has been the initial production for them in their brand new state-of-the-art studio space near Manhattan’s theater district.”


Available now to pre-purchase at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/TRU1920. Available to watch 24-hours only starting Friday April 19th at 12am. (Once pre-purchased you will have a 24-hour window to watch.)

1920 by Scott Sublett

directed by Christopher Scott

starring Gene Gillette, Marina Shay

presented by John Ewing III

The night 36-year-old Eleanor Roosevelt confesses her bisexuality to her handsome, still healthy, 37-year-old husband, they teeter on the verge of divorce, but out of their conflict they forge a new kind of marriage — and political alliance. Issues of sexual identity and fluidity are normalized by putting them into the historical context of the most famous “power couple” in American history. Like “Hamilton,” “1920” explores the flawed and fascinating human side of our national heroes. Click here to watch.


Available now to pre-purchase at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/TRUrolling. Available to watch 24-hours only starting Saturday April 20th at 12am. (Once pre-purchased you will have a 24-hour window to watch.)

Rolling with the Punches by Joel S. Bailey,

directed by Ben Rauch

presented by Take My Shot Productions/Nicolette Blount

in association with Kenady Sean

Jo, a wheelchair-bound 20-something, lives largely confined to a second story walk-up, but when her mother’s boyfriend moves in, Jo's life is turned upside-down. Her poor judgment causes a serious accident, and Jo is wrongly placed in the infamous asylum, Dunning State Hospital. Her treatment motivates her to fight for the repeal of Chicago’s archaic ‘Ugly Law’, (deformed and unsightly people must stay out of sight from the public). The law’s repeal in 1974 remains a milestone in the Civil Rights movement for the disabled. Click here to watch.


Available now to pre-purchase at https://vimeo.com/ondemand/TRUhombre. Available to watch 24-hours only starting Sunday April 21st at 12am. (Once pre-purchased you will have a 24-hour window to watch.)

Un Hombre: A Golem Story by Stephen Kaplan,

directed by Farah Alvin

starring Broadway’s Natascia Diaz (Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club), Tim Jones, Ben Sadowsky

presented by Wayward Creatives and Nima Makela

A modern-day golem story about Rebecca Wolfson, a recently widowed single mother who is struggling to resume her creative life as a sculptor after the untimely death of her husband. She makes a clay man that comes to life to serve as a Bar Mitzvah and Spanish tutor for her 12-year-old son, Josh, who is grappling with his own grief and loss. As mother and son embrace the magic of this seemingly perfect solution to their problems, the clay man begins questioning his own existence and purpose, forcing all three to confront the truths they’ve all been avoiding. Click here to watch.


For more information about TRU membership and programs, visit www.truonline.org.


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Courtesy of Michelle Tabnick PR

27) Works & Process Presents

Ryan Ponder McNamara’s Kinetic Grace

Sunday, April 28 - Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at 7pm

The Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum


Works & Process presents Ryan Ponder McNamara’s Kinetic Grace from Sunday, April 28, 2024 to Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at 7pm at the Guggenheim’s Peter B. Lewis Theater, 1071 Fifth Avenue, NY. Tickets $55 to Choose-What-You-Pay. To purchase tickets, visit www.worksandprocess.org.


Initiated by artist Ryan Ponder McNamara, Kinetic Grace is a movement (some call it a cult) motivated by the faith that humankind can achieve transcendence through dance. Come join the performers in this mass for newcomers, as they induct you into the mysteries of Kinetic Grace and invite you to join the sacred revelry. We promise song, dance, and ecstatic testimony, all in the divine presence of our muse, Terpsichore.


Cast: Leilani Carr, PJ Cirino, Tess Dworman, Rawlins Echeverria, Lavinia Bruce, Michelle DellaFave, Sigrid Lauren, Ryan Ponder McNamara, Rebecca Patek, Josh Weidenmiller

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

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.

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