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, June 2, 2024

Sunday Scoop Week of 6/2/24 What's Happening This Week and More

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

A) Beginning This Week 

In New Jersey

1) 2024 West End Art Gallery

2) North 2 Shore Music Festival

In New York

3) Much Ado About Nothing

4) Pre-Existing Condition

5) Prelude in the Park

6) Simpatico

7) The Snake Charmer's Demise

8) Zake Zucker's Jack Tucker: Comedy Standup Hour

In Philadelphia

9) The Duat

B) Cast Recording

10) Illinoise

C) Run Extension

11) Appropriate

D) What Else is Happening This Week and More

12) The 24 Hours Musicals Returns 
6/10

13) BAM to Present Two Alvin Ailey Programs
6/4 - 6/9

14) Breaking the Binary Launches New Musicals Program With Soldiergirls
at CSC's Lynn Angelson Theater 6/6

15)Hell's Kitchen Debuts "No One" Music Video & Four Singles

16) Invasive Species Offers Wasabi Tix Ticketing Initiative

17) Inkwell Singers to Debut Broadway Babies
at the Triad Theater 6/6 & 6/8

18) The Jo-Lynn Butterfly Country Hour of Sunshine 
at Joe's Pub 6/4 

19) Kinesis Project dance theatre 10th Dance Outdoors Spring/Summer Season

20) McCarter Theater 2023/2024 Seasons Tickets on Sale
starting June 4

21)  Opera Saratoga's 2024 Season

22) Philly AIDS Thrift @ Giovanni's Room Presents 2nd Annual Music Festival
6/8

23) South Street Seaport Summer Sails Begin

24) South Street Seaport and Museum & Bowne & Co Fresh Print Open Houses

25) Songbook Sundays at Jazz at Lincoln Center
Presents One for Johnny Mercer 6/9

26) TCG Books Releases New Books

27) T.J. Armand to Release Poetry Collection

28) The Wendy Hilliard  Gymnastics Foundation to Host Summer Gymnastics Camp

A) Beginning This Week 

In New Jersey

1) 2024 West End Art Gallery

New Jersey Repertory Company (NJRep) is pleased to announce their West End Art Gallery will open on June 8 and run through November 10, 2024. Opened in 2017 and located in the West End area of Long Branch, NJ, the West End Art Gallery features artists from the tri-state area. Curated by Mare Akana, these four distinctly different exhibits will delight visual arts audiences with their unique perspectives. 

UPCOMING EXHIBITIONS


OUR WAY

June 8 – 30, 2024

Celebrate Pride Month at the West End Art Gallery with the return of OUR WAY. Funny, beautiful, powerful and sometimes irreverent, artists from the LGBTQ+ community share their work. 


CABINET OF CURIOSITIES

July 14 – August 10, 2024

An intriguing collection of thought-provoking art to pique your mind.


ACID

September 8 – 28, 2024

A trip through the complicated artworks of Stanley M. Glickman. In 1952, Glickman was a promising young painter studying in Paris. Then one night he shared a drink with some fellow Americans, and his life fell apart. An unwitting subject to a government experiment that changed his and many other lives forever. Running concurrently will be Glickman’s real-life story, told on-stage in The Other American, a world premiere production, at in NJRep’s other location 179 Broadway, Long Branch.


DOG AND PONY SHOW 

October 19 – November 10, 2024

Pups, Ponies and Politics. Oh My! A collection of two-dimensional media, photography and sculpture closes out the 2024 West End Art Gallery season. 


Gallery hours are Saturday & Sunday from 11am – 4pm. Weekdays by appointment by emailing westendarts@njrep.orgWest End Art Gallery is located at 132 West End Avenue, Long Branch, New Jersey 07740. Free parking is available off Sairs Avenue.  


Tickets for The Other American are on sale at njrep.org. For additional information, please call 732.229.3166.

2) North 2 Shore Music Festival

The second annual three-city, three-weekend celebration of the arts, ideas and diversity in New Jersey produced by NJPAC, this year’s festival will be even more exciting than the inaugural outing, with more headlining musical artists, comedians, films, and inspiring speakers, plus a jam-packed schedule of events spotlighting the artists and creatives who live and work in three of New Jersey’s most iconic cities: Asbury Park June 10 - 16, Atlantic City June 17-23 and Newark June 24-30.

For more information, visit https://northtoshore.com.

In New York

3) Much Ado About Nothing

The Genre Frankel Theatre (24 Bond St.)
6/7 - 6/30

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.our.show/muchadonyc

4) Pre-Existing Condition

In the aftermath of a life-altering event, Pre-Existing Condition explores the challenges, shared community and everyday indignities of learning to move forward.

The Connelly Theater (220 East 4th St.)
6/7 - 8/3

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

5) Prelude in the Park

"Prelude in the Parks: Performances for the Planet," is a free, three-day, outdoor, city-wide pop-up festival of environmental artworks. The festival will offer 13 free presentations of Performance, Dance, Music, and Theater throughout the five boroughs. All offerings are between 25 minutes and one hour in duration and will be offered "off the grid" (i.e., without electricity) and rain-or-shine.

6/7 - 6/8

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.thesegalcenter.org/prelude-in-the-parks

6) Simpatico

SIMPATICO launches the audience into the netherworld of horse racing, where high society meets the low life and the line between winners and losers is as treacherously thin as a razor blade. Carter ought to be managing his thoroughbred business in Kentucky. Instead, he is in a desolate room in Cucamonga, Nowheresville, U.S.A., trying to get back in the good graces of his ex-best friend Vinnie, the one man who has the power to destroy him. 

The Chain Theatre (312 W. 36th St.)
6/6 - 6/29
Opening Night 6/29

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.chaintheatre.org/simpatico

7) The Snake Charmer's Demise

A boy navigates life and loss through the forgotten Indian art of silambam and his love of snakes. Attempting to piece together the circumstances regarding his mother's isolation and alienation from her homeland as well as his father's absence from his life, the young man finds love in the most dire of circumstances - eventually discovering why his world is continuously being ripped from him.

The Tank (312 W. 36th St.)
Through 6/14

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit https://thetanknyc.org/calendar-1/2024/5/29/the-snake-charmers-demise

Courtesy of Print Shop PR

8) Zake Zucker's Jack Tucker: Comedy Standup Hour

A well-respected journeyman and bonafide legend on the Upstate New York regional comedy scene, Jack Tucker is the ultimate comedian's comedian. Fighting to save his marriage, regain the respect of his son, and pay off the countless loan sharks looking to collect their debts, Tucker will do whatever it takes to make you laugh. If the joke doesn't land, it's not because it isn't funny, you just didn't get it. Nothing can stop him, except himself.

Soho Playhouse (15 Vandam St)
6/4 & 6/7

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

In Philadelphia

9) The Duat

Fusing dialogue, music and movement, The Duat follows Cornelius Johnson, a former FBI COINTELPRO (Counterintelligence Program) informant as he awakens in the Egyptian afterlife. While he awaits judgment, Cornelius struggles to come to terms with his family history and his own troubling role in the civil rights movement at UCLA in the late 60s. The Duat will be presented in the round with seating onstage, creating a uniquely intimate experience as audiences transition through the Egyptian underworld inside one man’s battle to save his soul. 

Suzanne Roberts Theatre (480 South Broad St.)
6/7 - 6/23

For more information or to purchase tickets, visit philadelphiatheatrecompany.org/the-duat

B) Cast Recording

Courtesy of Polk and Co. PR

10) Illinoise

A new work featuring music and lyrics by Sufjan Stevens based on his album Illinois.

Illinoise is playing at the St. James Theater, 246 W. 44th St. through 8/10.

For more about the cast recording visit Illinoise: A New Musical (Original Cast Recording

For more about the show or to purchase tickets, visit illinoiseonstage.com.

C) Run Extension

11) Appropriate

It’s summer, the cicadas are singing, and the Lafayette family has returned to their late patriarch’s Arkansas home to deal with the remains of his estate. Toni (Paulson), the eldest daughter, hopes they’ll spend the weekend remembering and reconnecting over their beloved father. Bo (Stoll), her brother, wants to recoup some of the funds he spent caring for Dad at the end of his life. But things take a turn when their estranged brother, Franz (Esper), appears late one night, and mysterious objects are discovered among the clutter. Suddenly, long-hidden secrets and buried resentments can’t be contained, and the family is forced to face the ghosts of their past.

Belasco Theatre (111 W. 44th St.)
Now closing 6/30

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

D) What Else is Happening This Week and More

12) THE 24 HOUR MUSICALS

 

TO RETURN

MONDAY JUNE 10, 2024

 

AT CLASSIC STAGE COMPANY’S LYNN F. ANGELSON THEATER


THE 24 HOUR PLAYS (Mark Armstrong, Artistic Director; Madelyn Paquette, Managing Director) announced today that The 24 Hour Musicals will take place on Monday June 10, 2024 at 7pm at Classic Stage Company’s Lynn F. Angelson Theatre (136 E 13th St, New York, NY). This intensive theatrical endeavor will see artists write, rehearse and perform four new musicals in just 24 hours.

 

The marathon process for The 24 Hour Musicals begins the night before the performance, when writers, composers, directors, choreographers, actors, musicians and production staff gather for a short orientation. Four writer and composer teams craft short musicals overnight (while actors and directors get some rest) and the next morning — after a furious printing and copying process — actors receive their scripts. Together with directors, choreographers and a live band, they begin rehearsal. Later that night, four brand new musicals take the stage in a one-night-only production!

 

Tickets start at $99 and are available at 24hourplays.org/musicals. Proceeds support the organization's non-profit activities throughout the year, including education programming for students of all ages, professional development for emerging artists through The 24 Hour Plays: Nationals, and partner productions all around the world.


XXX


Courtesy of BAM

13) Two thrilling programs at BAM (Brooklyn Academy of Music), Jun 4—9

 

“All Ailey” and “Contemporary Visions” which features new 65th anniversary season productions of works by Alonzo King, Jamar Roberts, and Hans van Manen  


BAM is excited to welcome back the iconic Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater celebrating its 65th anniversary, June 4—9, bringing its kinetic energy and dazzling technique with two exuberant programs: “Contemporary Visions”—featuring pieces by renowned choreographers Alonzo King, Jamar Roberts, and Hans van Manen; and “All Ailey”—which includes Ailey’s must-see masterpiece Revelations.

 

The trailblazing choreographer made his debut on the BAM stage as a dancer in 1956 and established close ties to the community when in 1969 the company began a residency at BAM and he established The Ailey School in Brooklyn. Today, the company that changed American dance forever remains a vital force in New York City—and around the globe.

 

Program A: “Contemporary Visions
Ode (2019, new production 2023) by Jamar Roberts
Solo (1997, new production 2023) by Hans van Manen
Following the Subtle Current Upstream (2000, new production 2023) by Alonzo King

 

The Ailey company performs three works by visionary choreographers Jamar Roberts, Hans van Manen, and Alonzo King in a dynamic program of renegade modern dance. With Ode, Jamar Roberts offers a meditation on the beauty and fragility of life in a time of growing gun violence, featuring a score by the illustrious jazz pianist Don Pullen. Legendary Dutch choreographer Hans van Manen divides his dynamic Solo among three dancers in one explosive display of virtuosity and wit. Completing the evening, Alonzo King’s Following the Subtle Current Upstream—abstract and steeped in meaning—finds the Ailey dancers in constant, joyful flow to an eclectic score by Zakir Hussain, Miguel Frasconi, and Miriam Makeba.

 

Program B: “All Ailey
Memoria (1979) by Alvin Ailey
A Song For You (1972) by Alvin Ailey
Cry (1971) by Alvin Ailey
Revelations (1960) by Alvin Ailey

 

This stunning return to BAM’s opera house stage by Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater offers a program of signature Ailey works, honoring and celebrating the man who forged a revolutionary path for American dance. Members of Ailey II and talented students of The Ailey School come together with the Company in Memoria, the choreographer’s heartfelt elegy to his dear friend and colleague Joyce Trisler, while A Song for You takes us on an emotional journey with a male soloist through love and longing, set to Donny Hathaway’s somber tune of the same name. Also included in the program is the tour-de-force female solo Cry, created as a birthday present from Ailey to his mother that is dedicated “to all Black women everywhere, especially our mothers.” The evening concludes with the signature masterpiece Revelations, a fervent, transcendent exploration of the soul’s deepest grief and holiest joy.

 

Prior to the BAM engagement, dance fans are invited to join the free Revelations Celebration Community Workshop on Saturday, June 1 at 2pm. Learn excerpts from Alvin Ailey’s iconic Revelations—in this exciting Ailey Arts In Education & Community Programs workshop. Led by former Ailey company members Amos Machanic and Cheryl Rowley-Gaskins, with live music by Ailey percussionist Roderick Jackson, this all-ages workshop invites you to celebrate movement and Alvin Ailey’s must-see signature work with those who shared this inspiring masterpiece with audiences in performances around the world.

 

In conjunction with this 65th anniversary engagement, the compelling story of the life, work, and legacy of Alvin Ailey is the focus of a large-scale museum exhibition and a short film series. Presented at the Whitney Museum of American Art, Edges of Ailey (Sep 25, 2024 – Feb 9, 2025) will be a multifaceted presentation encompassing a multimedia exhibition, daily performance program, and scholarly catalogue to offer a richly layered experience for understanding the artist anew. Portrait of Aileya new eight-part documentary series, was created by Ailey II Artistic Director Emerita Sylvia Waters using rare historical film and still images as well as contemporary footage to create a sweeping narrative of Mr. Ailey as a performer, choreographer, celebrity, teacher, social activist, arts advocate, and creator of an enduring institution. Portrait of Ailey’s first two chapters are available on PBS Learning (Alvin Ailey’s Texas RootsAlvin Ailey’s California Inspirations) with additional episodes rolling out by June and September.


XXX



14)


Icon

Description automatically generated

 

ANNOUNCES INAUGURAL WORKSHOP OF

NEW MUSICALS PROGRAM

 

Supporting new musicals by and for

TNB2S+ theatre artists

 

SOLDIERGIRLS

 

A NEW MUSICAL

 

THURSDAY JUNE 6, 2024, AT 7PM

AT CSC’S LYNN F. ANGELSON THEATER


Breaking the Binary Theatre (George Strus [they/them], Founding Artistic Director) announced today the launch of the organization’s New Musicals Program, beginning with a workshop presentation of SOLDIERGIRLS, a new musical with book and lyrics by Emil Weinstein (A League of Their Own), music by Emily Johnson-Erday (she/her, How To Break), directed by Miranda Haymon (Exception to the Rule). The workshop will be held on Thursday, June 6 at 7pm at CSC’s Lynn F. Angelson Theater (136 East 13th Street, New York, NY 10003). To reserve complimentary tickets, visit www.btb-nyc.com/soldiergirls.

 

Breaking the Binary Theatre’s New Musicals Program will develop and showcase original musicals written by and featuring transgender, non-binary, and Two-Spirit+ (TNB2S+) theatre artists. 


The cast of SOLDIERGIRLS will include Murphy Taylor Smith (she/her, A Transparent Musical) and Rad Pereira (they/them, Orlando). Rachel A. Zucker (they/them, JobSix) will serve as Stage Manager, George Luton (they/he) will serve as Music Director., and Ryan Adelsheim (they/them) will serve as Dramaturg.

 

A new two-person musical, SOLDIERGIRLS uses real letters and a collage of found and original text to look at love, liberation and lesbianism in the US Army’s Women’s Army Corps in World War II.

 

To learn more about SOLDIERGIRLS, please visit: www.btb-nyc.com/soldiergirls.


XXX

Courtesy of Polk & Co. PR

15) 

A blue text on a black background

Description automatically generated

DEBUTS FOUR SINGLES and A NEW MUSIC VIDEO FOR “NO ONE”

WRITTEN BY ALICIA KEYS FROM THE NEW MUSICAL


LISTEN TO THE FOUR SINGLES 

ON ALL STREAMING PLATFORMS NOW

WATCH “NO ONE” MUSIC VIDEO HERE

PRE-ORDER ORIGINAL BROADWAY CAST ALBUM HERE

 

HELL’S KITCHEN, the critically acclaimed new Broadway musical, currently nominated for 13 Tony Awards, the most of any new musical this season, now has four songs from the cast recording available now at all digital retailers – “Fallin”, “Authors of Forever”, “No One” and “Kaleidoscope.” Additionally, the official music video for “No One” featuring Shoshana Bean and Maleah Joi Moon is out now and can be found here. The full original Broadway cast recording for HELL’S KITCHEN will be officially released on Friday, June 7th on all streaming platforms and is now available for pre-order here.

 

XXX

16) “INVASIVE SPECIES”


ANNOUNCES


WASABI TIX


A BRAND-NEW INITIATIVE IN AN ON-GOING EFFORT


TO MAKE THEATER MORE ACCESSIBLE

 

$10 TICKETS FOR 10PM FRIDAY PERFORMANCES


FOR THE REMAINDER OF ITS 8-WEEK LIMITED ENGAGEMENT


AT THE VINEYARD’S DIMSON THEATER

 

$20 WALK-UP TICKETS AVAILABLE FOR EVERY PERFORMANCE

 

NEW BLOCK OF TICKETS ON-SALE THROUGH JUNE 30


Maia Novi’s outrageously true dark comedy Invasive Species has announced Wasabi Tix - two new ticketing initiatives in an on-going effort to make the show’s tickets more accessible to all audiences. The show is announcing $10 tickets for the 10PM performances on Fridays and $20 walk-up tickets available for every performance one hour before curtain for the reminder of its run at The Vineyard’s Dimson Theater (108 E 15th St), playing through Sunday, June 30.

 

“After the overwhelming outpouring of excitement for Maia’s Invasive Species that we saw both in our audience and across social media among especially young audiences - an audience we are often told don’t want to come to the theatre - it became imperative that we made sure that our audience had as few barriers of entry to see this show as possible,” said executive producer Jeremy O. Harris. “Moreover to celebrate the team of artists who made this play happen from donations at LaMama all the way to The Vineyard we knew initiatives like these were necessary to make sure the community that has supported this play from the beginning could also continue supporting it as the work begins to meet a wider audience.”

 

Tickets for Invasive Species are on sale now at www.invasivespeciesplay.com.


XXX

17) INKWELL SINGERS TO

DEBUT

BROADWAY BABIES: Our Favorite Showtunes

 

At The Triad Theater

 

Thursday, June 6th, 2024 at 7pm

Saturday, June 8th, 2024 at 7pm

The Triad Theater (158 West 72nd Street, NYC)


One of New York City’s most acclaimed new singing groups, INKWELL SINGERS, will debut their new show BROADWAY BABIES: Our Favorite Showtunes on June 6th and June 8th, 2024, at 7:00pm at The Triad Theater.


INKWELL SINGERS’ Andy Rice and Matthew Schermerhorn are returning to The Triad for their seventh show.  BROADWAY BABIES: Our Favorite Showtunes features a selection of Rice and Schermerhorn’s favorite songs from musical theater, many of which will be familiar and some not. Come listen to music by Stephen Sondheim, Kander & Ebb, Stephen Schwartz, Marvin Hamlisch, David Yazbek, Rogers & Hammerstein, Alan Menken, Leonard Bernsteinand others.


JUST ANNOUNCED: a special appearance by INKWELL SINGERS’ Kara & Daniela Masciangelo.  The INKWELL SINGERS are joined by music director and pianist David Shentonand bassist Jerry DeVore.


BROADWAY BABIES plays at The Triad Theater (158 W 72nd Street) on June 6th and 8th at 7:00pm.  There is a cover charge of $35 (advance, including fees) to $45 (at the door) and a two-drink minimum. Tickets and information are available at linktr.ee/inkwellsingers. Tickets are available on the day of performance at the door after 6:30pm.


XXX

18) A VERY SPECIAL EVENING OF SONG WITH THE LADIES OF "THE JO-LYNN BUTTERFLY COUNTRY HOUR OF SUNSHINE” 

Joe’s Pub
425 Lafayette St. NYC
Tuesday June 4th 
Doors: 9:00pm
Show: 9:30pm
$25 in advance

Join the ladies of “The Jo-Lynn Butterfly Country Hour of Sunshine” as they return to the stage for one night only at Joe’s Pub, singing all your favorite songs in 3-part harmony about love, heartbreak, cults, and hot dogs LIVE with a full band for a night of music, mayhem and plenty of corn fed country hilarity! 

With boozy whorestess Lannie Jo Lynn Butterfly, (Angela Di Carlo) her cranky mother Hazel Jo, (Amber Martin) her simpleminded daughter Bonnie Jo, (Louisa Bradshaw) and a special guest appearance from that old rascal, Ranch Dressing (David Ilku). Backed up by Slim Sanderson (Kyle Forester) and his all-star band, “The Snake handlers”

For more information or to purchase tickets, go to publictheater.org/reserve/reserve

XXX

Courtesy of Michelle Tabnick PR

 19) Kinesis Project dance theatre

Announces 10th Dance Outdoors Spring/Summer Season


XXX

Courtesy of McCarter Theater 

20) McCarter Theatre Season Tickets on Sale and 

Expanded Lineup of Performances Announced

Featuring World-Class Music, Dance, Comedy,

Family Programming, and More

 

2024-2025 TICKETS AND CHOOSE-YOUR-OWN PACKAGES

ON SALE TO GENERAL PUBLIC JUNE 4


Artistic Director Sarah Rasmussen, Executive Director Martin Miller, and Director of Presented Programming Paula Abreu recently announced McCarter Theatre Center’s expanded lineup of live events for the 2024-2025 season, adding to the theatre, classical music, and dance offerings previously announced. The season features a rich variety of multi-disciplinary performances from some of the world’s most celebrated talents in the performing arts.


More shows will be announced at a later date. For more information and to view the full schedule of events, visit McCarter.org.

 

Tickets and Choose-Your-Own Packages will go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, June 4 at 12:00 p.m.

 

2024-2025 Subscriptions are available at McCarter.org or by calling Patron Services at 609-258-2787. Subscribers save 20% on tickets and receive benefits like free exchanges, exclusive pre-sale access, and preferred seating. 



XXX

Courtesy of Michelle Tabnick PR

21) Opera Saratoga 2024 season:

Guys and DollsCosì fan tutte, a devised world premiere by Composer-in-Residence inti figgis-vizueta, Listen to This, a three-part concert series, and more!


XXX

Courtesy of Kory Aversa PR

22) PHILLY AIDS THRIFT COMMEMORATES GIOVANNI’S ROOM WITH THE SECOND ANNUAL MUSIC FESTIVAL AND BLOCK PARTY QUEERAPALOOZA ON JUNE 8TH

America's Oldest LGBTQ+ Bookstore Celebrates Five Decades of Serving the Community During June as Philly Pride Month


 Philly AIDS Thrift is thrilled to celebrate the legacy and history of Giovanni's Room with their second annual street festival, QUEERAPALOOZA. This vibrant live music festival and block party celebration takes place on Saturday, June 8, 2024. The all day extravaganza runs from 12:00pm to 6:00pm on the 1100 block of Pine Street, just outside of Giovanni’s Room, in the heart of Center City Philadelphia. QUEERAPALOOZA promises an unforgettable experience, with a dynamic lineup of local queer bands, musicians, DJs, and drag performers including Emcee Robert Drake, Marcus G., Tony and The Kiki, Samantha Rise, Fyre, Icon Ebony Fierce, Ugli, Abi, DiscoDisciple and Gloom Eat.  Attendees can also peruse a diverse array of queer and supportive vendors offering artwork, crafts, and vintage items, plus food, drink from local businesses, dancing in the street, books and merchandise curated by Giovanni's Room, and other surprises. The all ages event is open to the public, with no cost to attend. Any shopping and purchases are pay-as-you-go.  For more information, please visit www at phillyaidsthrift at com.

XXX


23) South Street Seaport Museum

2024 Summer Launch Celebration


South Street Seaport Museum celebrated the start of the 2024 Summer Sailing Season on May 28, 2024, at 12pm, on Pier 16 (between Fulton and South Streets). Remarks were given by US Congressman Dan Goldman (NY-10), New York State Council on the Arts Executive Director Erika Mallin, NYC Department of Cultural Affairs Commissioner Laurie Cumbo, NYC Councilmember Gale A. Brewer, Vice Chair of Manhattan Community Board 1 Alice Blank, and Seaport Museum’s President and CEO Capt. Jonathan Boulware. The event included the ceremonial ringing of the Ambrose bell, the opening day of the 2024 Sailing Season of the Museum’s historic vessels Pioneer and W.O. Decker.


The Summer Sailing Season for the 1885 schooner Pioneer and the 1930 tugboat W.O. Decker has begun and runs through October. Tickets to sail on these two National Register-listed vessels range from $15–70 are now on sale. seaportmuseum.org/sailnyharbor


The Seaport Museum maintains a fleet of historic ships, an unparalleled collection of vessels carefully selected to illuminate stories of “Where New York Begins.” The Museum is home to the:


  • National Historic Landmark 1907 lightship Ambrose 
  • National Historic Landmark 1893 fishing schooner Lettie G. Howard
  • National Register-listed 1885 schooner Pioneer
  • National Register-listed 1930 tug W.O. Decker
  • National Register-listed 1885 cargo ship Wavertree


Each of the Seaport Museum's vessels provides a window into maritime New York's history and growth and offers rare opportunities for NYC residents and students to get out on the water. The fleet is expected to provide public access to upwards of 80,000 visitors, serve students in all five boroughs with educational initiatives, and engage over 150 trained local volunteers who actively sail and provide care and routine maintenance for the Museum’s vessels.


Sail the New York Harbor on 1885 Schooner Pioneer

Experience New York City like never before with the Seaport Museum’s thrilling two-hour sails aboard the historic 1885 schooner Pioneer! From May through October, the Museum’s daytime, sunset, and programmatic sails offer you the exclusive opportunity to take in the breathtaking views of the Big Apple from the deck of a National Register-listed vessel. As you set sail on an unforgettable journey, you’ll witness some of the city’s most iconic landmarks, including the Brooklyn Bridge, Statue of Liberty, Lower Manhattan’s architectural treasures, Governors Island, Ellis Island, and more. Whether you’re a seasoned New Yorker or a first-time visitor, this adventure promises to be a truly unforgettable experience. But that’s not all––as a guest on board, you’ll have the chance to get hands-on and help raise a sail or simply sit back and relax as you soak up the stunning scenery. And, for the perfect al fresco dining experience, bring along your favorite meal or snack, along with your preferred beverages or even a bottle of wine to sip on deck. seaportmuseum.org/pioneer


Take a Ride on 1930 Tugboat W.O. Decker

Get ready for a one-of-a-kind adventure on the last surviving New York-built wooden tugboat W.O. Decker, named "Tugboat of the Year" by the prestigious Steamship Historical Society of America! These 75-minute rides promise to be an unforgettable experience, as you explore the iconic New York Harbor and take in stunning views of the Statue of Liberty, Ellis Island, the Battery, and Governors Island. As you ride on this historic vessel, you'll feel the thrill of adventure and the excitement of discovering New York City from a whole new vantage point. And, as the only surviving example of its kind that invites you aboard, W.O. Decker offers a truly unique opportunity to step back in time and experience a golden age of seafaring. Tickets are now on sale to embark on a thrilling journey aboard W.O. Decker. This experience is particularly popular with tweens, teens, and boat enthusiasts! seaportmuseum.org/decker


Looking for a unique and unforgettable way to celebrate a special occasion or impress your clients with an exciting corporate outing? Look no further than the Seaport Museum's private charters on Pioneer and W.O. Decker! These unique vessels provide the perfect backdrop for a group adventure, celebration, or corporate event. Whether you're looking to host a birthday party, anniversary celebration, or team-building outing, the Seaport Museum has got you covered. Pioneer charters range from $2,000 to $3,750 for either a two- or three-hour sail, for up to 36 people. W.O. Decker charters are $1,100 for a two-hour ride for up to 14 people. To reserve your group and book a custom charter experience today, contact charters@seany.org or visit seaportmuseum.org/charters.


Educational programs and field trips are also offered aboard both ships, and booking for school groups and summer camps is now open. Head into New York Harbor for an outdoor educational experience that your group will never forget. During a two- or three-hour sailing program, each group will enjoy engaging activities such as hauling on ropes to raise sail, viewing the Statue of Liberty and other historic landmarks, and trawling for organisms from the bottom of the Harbor. Programs are custom-tailored to fit the desired grade level, age groups, and curriculum, with pricing starting at $500. Scholarships are available, and Title I school groups are encouraged to apply. To learn more or to reserve your group today, contact education@seany.org.


Seaport Museum memberships include unlimited admission to Museum exhibitions, invitations to special events, and great discounts year-round, including 20% off on W.O. Decker and Pioneer individual sailing tickets. Memberships start at $50 and help support Museum’s exhibitions, preserve the ships and the collections, grow public programs, and serve over 5,000 students through education initiatives. seaportmuseum.org/membership.


XXX

Courtesy of Michelle Tabnick PR

24) South Street Seaport Museum and

Bowne & Co. Announce Fresh Prints Open House

Explore Letterpress Printing in Action!

Thursday, June 6, 2024 at 6pm

211 Water Street


South Street Seaport Museum’s 19th century-style letterpress printers, Bowne & Co. offers a monthly opportunity for you to learn about letterpress printing and get hands-on with the Museum’s working printing history and graphic arts collection––the Fresh Prints open house––at 211 Water Street in the South Street Seaport Historic District.


Resident printers at Bowne & Co. create bespoke designs produced using the Seaport Museum’s extensive working collection of historic printing presses, moveable type, illustrations, and additional equipment. Bowne & Co. is a prime example of how the Seaport Museum is dedicated to preserving New York’s history as well as the skills and expertise it took to run a turn-of-the-century business like this. bowne.co


Fresh Prints Open House | First Thursday of Every Month | 6–7:30pm | 211 Water Street | Free

Come to Bowne & Co. for a one-of-a-kind New York experience! These monthly open houses will feature a breadth of printing equipment that you will be invited to use. You’ll get to see how the designers at Bowne lock up limited edition designs that showcase some of the more eccentric parts from the Seaport Museum’s printing and graphic arts collection. 


Established in 1775, the original Bowne & Co., Inc. was one of New York’s oldest printing firms. The Bowne & Co. that you can experience today at the Seaport Museum is an offshoot of the original and continues the age-old tradition of job (or small batch) printing. 


Advanced registration is encouraged for these workshops but walkups will be accommodated as possible. Anyone ages 12 and up is welcome. All participants get to take home the items they print during the afternoon. Can’t stay the full 90-minutes? No problem! Leaving a bit early is fine, but you might miss out on taking home something special. seaportmuseum.org/fresh-prints


If you don’t see tickets available for a specific first-Thursday date, pre-registration for that date has reached capacity. You are welcome to try joining the event as a walkup but space is not guaranteed. These popular workshops fill quickly, so register today!


Upcoming 2024 Open Houses:

Thursday, June 6, 6pm

Thursday, July 11, 6pm

Thursday, August 1, 6pm

Thursday, September 5, 6pm

Thursday, October 3, 6pm


Please note the July Fresh Prints open house has shifted to Thursday, July 11, at 6pm, due to the Independence Day holiday. Open houses will continue through Fall 2024.


Extend Your Visit

This event occurs outside of the Seaport Museum’s regular open hours. Access to the Museum’s historical ships and introduction galleries is not included with this free event. To see more that the Museum has to offer, ask Museum staff about our Wednesday–Sunday, 11am–5pm, Pay What You Wish General Admission tickets when you check in.

Pay What You Wish General Admission tickets include access to all current exhibitions

on view in the introduction gallery space at 12 Fulton Street and access to the 1885 tall ship Wavertree. Free timed tickets for a tour of the 1908 lightship Ambrose are available separately at no additional cost. seaportmuseum.org/general-admission


XXX

25) Songbook Sundays 

at 

Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club 

hosted by Deborah Grace Winer 

 

ONE FOR JOHNNY MERCER
featuring

Klea Blackhurst, Gabrielle Stravelli,

Robbie Lee 

 

Sunday, June 9th, 5 PM & 7:30 PM 


Songbook Sundays, created and hosted by Deborah Grace Winer celebrating the American Songbook will continue at Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club with One for Johnny Mercer on SundayJune 9th at 5 PM and 7:30 PM.

 

One for Johnny Mercer swings into summer as Jazz at Lincoln Center American Songbook celebrates the iconic songs of Johnny Mercer. This Songbook Sundays serves up standards from Moon River to Blues in the NightOne for My BabyCome Rain or Come Shine to Skylark and more.

 

Hosted and curated by leading American Songbook expert Deborah Grace Winer, the set features the stage and concert powerhouse Klea Blackhurst, acclaimed jazz singer Gabrielle Stravelli, with JALC rising star Robbie Lee and acclaimed singer-pianist Billy Stritch, as the evening’s Music Director. 


To reach Jazz at Lincoln Center’s Dizzy’s Club, enter at Columbus Circle at 60th Street and Broadway, take the Jazz elevators to the 5th floor for Dizzy’s Club as well as The Rose Theater and The Appel Room.

 

Tickets for Songbook Sundays are $55/50, with student tickets available at $20.  There is a $21 food/drink minimum.

To purchaseClick Here

XXX


26)New from TCG Books:

Clyde’s 
By Lynn Nottage

and

Corsicana / Evanston Salt Costs Climbing
By Will Arbery

Clyde’s is a funny, moving, and urgent new play from two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Lynn Nottage.

With a chance at reclaiming their lives, the formerly incarcerated people working at Clyde’s, a roadside sandwich stop, strive hard to overcome their personal challenges. Not so easy under their boss Clyde. In this razor-sharp comedy, this motley crew of line cooks, under a visionary chef, are given purpose and permission to dream through their shared quest to create the perfect sandwich.

Lynn Nottage is a playwright and screenwriter. She is the first (and only) woman to receive the Pulitzer Prize for Drama twice. Her other plays include SweatRuinedMlima’s TaleIntimate ApparelBy the Way, Meet Vera StarkFabulation, or the Re-Education of UndineCrumbs from the Table of JoyLas Meninas; and the book for MJ: The Musical. She is the co-founder of Market Road Films.

Corsicana / Evanston Salt Costs Climbing is a double-volume of plays by Will Arbery that explore communities of outsiders who strive to help one another persevere in the face of despair, whether intimate or cosmic.  

From wildly different angles, Corsicana and Evanston Salt Costs Climbing both examine the shape-shifting specters of grief, the pull of desire and dreams, and the universal human need for receiving and giving care.

Will Arbery is a playwright and screenwriter. His other plays include Heroes of the Fourth Turning (Pulitzer Prize finalist), PlanoYou Hateful Things, and Wheelchair. Awards include a Whiting, Obie, Lucille Lortel, and New York Drama Critics’ Circle. He’s currently under commission from Manhattan Theatre Club, Adventureland, and The Metropolitan Opera. He was a writer and producer on Succession (HBO).

XXX


27) T.J. Armand to release poetry collection, entitled "Self-Imposed Exile – Poems of Queer Beginnings" which uncovers Queer Immigrant Struggles with Comedy and Tragedy in a Heated Election Year 

Award-winning Turkish-American writer, composer, and producer T.J. Armand - who recently produced the critically acclaimed albums for Tony award nominee Mary Bridget Davies and Windsor Castle’s resident sextet The Queen’s Six - unveils his debut poetry collection, "Self-Imposed Exile – Poems of Queer Beginnings." This evocative collection of 56 selected poems offers a candid exploration of Armand's formative years, capturing the raw essence of his journey as an immigrant and a young queer artist.

Armand, whose diverse artistic portfolio spans three decades, was mentored by the late Grammy-winning producer Arif Mardin. He is a full-scholarship recipient from Berklee College of Music. Armand's multifaceted career includes notable concert productions with Chaka Khan, The Manhattan Transfer, and Tony nominee (for her role as Janis Joplin) Mary Bridget Davies. As a co-founder and Executive Director of Armand and Paiva LLC, he has invested in Tony-nominated shows such as "The Great Comet" starring Josh Groban, Stephen Sondheim’s "Merrily We Roll Along," and the currently in-development production of Virginia Woolf’s “A Room of One’s Own." 


"Self-Imposed Exile – Poems of Queer Beginnings" delves into the politics of immigration, sexual identity, and the struggles of a young artist. Readers will find a deeply personal reflection of Armand's experiences—from the heartbreak of losing a beloved partner in 1994 to the challenges of mandatory military service, and the naïveté of his college years to the struggles of coming out in America. These poems present an unfiltered look at a young man's fight to carve out his identity. Compiled during the reflective period of the COVID-19 lockdown in New York City, the collection revisits the tumultuous and often humorous false starts of Armand's early life. 


 "Self-Imposed Exile – Poems of Queer Beginnings" is available now on Amazon in 3 formats: Print, E-Book and audiobook on Audible. Or please visit TJArmand.com.


XXX

Courtesy of Nicholas Lence PR

28) 

A logo for a gymnastics foundation

Description automatically generated

 

28) The Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation (WHGF) to Host 2024 Summer Gymnastics Camp in Harlem for Future Generation of Athletes

 

From July 8 to August 2, 2024, Monday through Friday, WHGF will welcome gymnasts of all levels as they improve their skills for the upcoming competition season.

 

The Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation (WHGF) is thrilled to announce the dates of its annual summer camp, just in time for the 2024 Olympics. WHGF holds a summer camp at their Harlem location every year for girls and boys ages 7 to 17. The camp will take place from July 8 to August 2, Monday through Friday, from 10 AM to 4 PM. There are early drop-off and late pick-up options. From participating in gymnastics for the first time up to experienced WHGF team members, the students will spend the summer improving their skills and preparing for next year’s competitions with a team of highly trained gymnastics instructors. There will also be cultural trips and other fun activities.

 

Instructors at WHGF summer camp will not only be teaching safe and competitive gymnastics this summer but are also dedicated to the foundation’s mission of empowering the lives of young people from underserved communities by improving physical and emotional health through the sport of gymnastics. In addition, they reflect the demographic of the youth that WHGF serves. Most were competitive gymnasts who spent years developing their craft, and their work at WHGF reflects a level of sensitivity and awareness of the challenges that many students may be dealing with outside of gymnastics. Performance gymnastics is a hallmark of the WHGF and allows students to express themselves through music, dance, and gymnastics.


Wendy Hilliard Gymnastics Foundation offers scholarships to families who may need additional assistance. For more information on the 2024 Summer Camp, please visit the website HERE. You can view a video recapping the 2023 camp HERE and access additional photos of the athlete’s at summer camp HERE.

 

For more information on WHGF in general, follow the foundation’s Instagram @WendyHilliardFoundation, Facebook @WendyHilliardFoundation, Twitter @WendyHilliardFD, and YouTube @GymnasticsFoundation


XXX

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.