Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: April 9, 2023
By: Laura Deni
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POIGNANT AND PROFOUND REVIVAL OF PARADE

Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond in Parade. Photo by Joan Marcus

I have always been impressed by Parade, a dark musical with a book by Alfred Uhry; music by Jason Robert Brown and lyrics by Jason Robert Brown. This important musical deals with racism, antisemitism and injustice. See Broadway To Vegas column of December 28, 1998

Perfectly directed by Michael Arden, Ben Platt and Micaela Diamond deliver electrifying performances as Leo and Lucille Frank, the real-life Jewish couple whose lives were decimated by Leo’s arrest and trumped-up conviction for the rape and murder of 13-year-old Mary Phagan (Erin Rose Doyle in her Broadway debut). After his death sentence was commuted to life in prison, Frank was dragged by a lynch mob from his prison cell and hanged from a tree branch.

Atlanta playwright Alfred Uhry’s created Parade which originally opened on Broadway in 1998, the title a reference to both the Confederate Memorial Day parade that brought Mary Phagan to town and the lynch mob that took Frank from Milledgeville to Marietta.

On April 26, 1913, Mary Phagan, the child of tenant farmers who had moved to Atlanta for financial gain, went to the pencil factory to collect her week’s wages. Leo Frank, the superintendent of the factory, paid her. He was the last person to acknowledge having seen Phagan alive. In the middle of the night, the factory watchman found her bruised and bloodied body in the cellar and called the police. Rumors spread that she had been sexually assaulted before her death. The public demanded quick action and swift justice (Hammer of Justice.)

Frank was not arrested until April 29, the evening of Phagan’s funeral, when public outrage regarding her murder reached a fever-pitch. Under pressure to solve the case, detectives re-examined information they had been given earlier. A young worker said she did not see Frank when she came in shortly after Phagan to receive her pay, despite Frank saying he had stayed at the factory for at least twenty minutes after Phagan left. The night watchman said Frank called the factory later in the day. Based mainly on the testimony of the janitor, who had been held in seclusion for six weeks before the trial on orders from Solicitor General Hugh M. Dorsey, the jury convicted the defendant Rumblin' and A Rollin. Frank’s attorneys were unable to break Conley’s testimony on the stand That's What He Said. They also allowed evidence to be introduced suggesting that Frank had many dalliances with girls, and perhaps boys, in his employ. Om April 26 Frank called to see if everything was alright, which he had never done before. On the basis of this evidence, Leo Frank was arrested.

The Frank case not only was a miscarriage of justice but also symbolized many of the South’s fears at that time. Workers resented being exploited by northern factory owners who had come south to reorganize a declining agrarian economy. Frank’s Jewish identity compounded southern resentment toward him, as latent anti-Semitic sentiments became more pronounced. Editorials and commentaries in newspapers all over the United States supporting a new trial for Frank and/or claiming his innocence reinforced the beliefs of many outraged Georgians, who saw in them the attempt of Jews to use their money and influence to undermine justice. (Dinnerstein, Leonard. "Leo Frank Case." New Georgia Encyclopedia)

Leo Frank at his trial in 1913 with his wife Lucille seated behind him. Photo from the Georgia State University Library.

Frank’s trial had far-reaching impacts. It struck fear in Jewish southerners, causing them to monitor their behavior in the region closely for the next fifty years—until the civil rights movement led to more significant changes. But it also inspired the formation of the Anti-Defamation League, one of the nation’s foremost civil rights organizations.

In 1986 the Georgia State Board of Pardons and Paroles pardoned Frank.

The pardon was motivated in part by the 1982 testimony of eighty-three-year-old Alonzo Mann, who as an office boy had seen Jim Conley carrying Mary Phagan’s body to the basement on the day of her death. Conley had threatened to kill Mann if he said anything, and the boy’s mother advised him to keep silent. For those who thought Frank innocent, this provided confirmation; for those who believed him guilty, this was insufficient evidence to change their views.

Luther Hames, a retired superior court judge said "Seven members of the lynch party were on the Grand Jury [investigating the Frank lynching.] (history Atlanta.com) A few months after the lynching many of these same men involved in the lyching would take part in the nighttime ceremony at Stone Mountain that established the modern Ku Klux Klan.

In 2008 the William Breman Jewish Heritage Museum in Atlanta opened a special exhibition entitled Seeking Justice: The Leo Frank Case Revisited.

The Leo Frank Trial Collection at Brandeis University documents one of the most notorious capital-punishment cases in early 20th-century America.

Frank wasn't an affable man. He was an outsider, a transplanted Brooklyn Jew who was also an introvert, raised to be formal, not friendly as opined in the song It's Hard to Speak My Heart. Lucille Selig, an Atlanta native from one of the city's prominent Jewish families, married Frank in 1910. From the perspective of Georgia middle class Christians, they were outsiders. Leo and Lucille Frank never had children and, except for one unsubstantiated rumor, there was no hint of any pregnancy. Lucille never remarried and kept the name Frank. She died on April 23, 1957 from heart disease, forty-two years after Leo's murder. Her funeral was held at Atlanta's Patterson Funeral Home. She loved and stood by him as is sung in You Don't Know This Man.

The complex, spine tingling score by Robert Brown is effectively orchestrated by Don Sebesky and Jason Robert Brown.

Brown on his website, lays out the changes between the original and the revival version - which provides more clarity and substance. For instance, Brown explains that: "The top of the second act. . . Alfred wrote a lovely scene for Governor Slaton and his wife Sallie which sets them up as important people to watch in Act Two, and I underscored the scene with an a cappella chorale led by Tom Watson."

Just relax and enjoy the powerful revival. Few theatre goers will have seen the original 25 years ago, or have the original cast CD (I have it). A recording of the London Donmar Warehouse version revival will be recorded by First Night Records.

Cast of Parade. Excellent period costumes by Susan Hilferty and exceptional lighting by Heather Gilbert. Photo: Joan Marcus

Context and theatrical artistry are everything, and here Brown, book writer Alfred Uhry and director Michael Arden worked in lockstep to retell this horrific story and make it soar with significance and stagecraft. It succeeds at being what the cretives intended; emotionally disturbing.

While the subject matter is unsettling, as with all serious subjects, flashes of - if not humor - at least a certain softness pierce the horrific outrage.

In a current era where antisemitism is rising to the point of needing television PSA's this exquisite production is on stage at the time when the country is divided on numerous issues; tempers run amuck and logical reasoning seems to be in short supply. Parade is relevant.

One of the major changes between this revival and the original is the staging - which adds to the statement that less is more - cementing acting as the focal point. As Brown put it on his website: "It used to be an epic, now it’s a chamber piece."

Superb acting by Ben Platt as he projects the subtle differences between angst, bafflement, desperation and fear.

Micaela Diamond as Lucille is sensational as his stoic, steadfast, internally desperate wife.

Dane Laffrey's inventive minimalistic set uses a raised, storied, center-stage platform that morphs into everything from the courthouse witness stand to the gallows. As Parade marches from scene to scene the set changes thanks to emotionally gripping devastatingly piercing historical photographs projected against a back wall. One of the most effective uses of video in recent Broadway history. The audience characters are introduced the same way, emphasizing to the audience that the people portrayed on stage were real.

Excellent period costumes by Susan Hilferty and exceptional lighting by Heather Gilbert.

The cast is strong: In addition to the leads, they include: Kelli Barrett as Mrs. Phagan; Courtnee Carter as Angela; Eddie Cooper as Newt Lee; Manoel Felciano as Tom Watson; Alex Joseph Grayson as ex-conwitness Jim Conley; Danielle Lee Greaves as bullied servant Minnie McKnight; Jay Armstrong Johnson as unscrupulous reporter Britt Craig Real Bad News; Sean Allan Krill as Governor Slaton; Douglas Lyons as Riley; Howard McGillin as Old Soldier/presiding Judge Roan; Paul Alexander Nolan as Hugh Dorsey; Jake Pedersen as s Mary’s young suitor Frankie Epps; Florrie Bagel as Nurse; Stacie Bono as Sally Slaton; Max Chernin as Mr. Turner; Emily Rose DeMartino as Essie; Christopher Gurr as Luther Rosser and Mr. Peavy; Beth Kirkpatrick as Nina Formby; Ashlyn Maddox as Monteen; Sophia Manicone as Iola Stover; William Michals as Detective Starnes; Jackson Teeley as Officer Ivey; Charlie Webb as Young Soldier.

Swings: Harry Bouvy, Tanner Callicutt, Bailee Endebrock, Caroline Fairweather, Prentiss E. Mouton and Aurelia Williams.

Standby: Florrie Bagel (Lucille Frank), Stacie Bono (Lucille Frank), Max Chernin (Leo Frank) and Ryan Vona (Leo Frank).

Understudies: Stacie Bono (Mrs. Phagan), Harry Bouvy (Hugh Dorsey, Luther Rosser, Mr. Peavy, Detective Starnes, Governor Slaton), Tanner Callicutt (Britt Craig, Frankie Epps, Officer Ivey, Mr. Turner, Young Soldier), Courtnee Carter (Minnie McKnight), Max Chernin (Hugh Dorsey), Eddie Cooper (Riley), Emily Rose DeMartino (Mary Phagan), Bailee Endebrock (Essie, Monteen, Nina Formby, Nurse, Iola Stover), Caroline Fairweather (Essie, Monteen, Nina Formby, Nurse, Mrs. Phagan, Sally Slaton), Christopher Gurr (Old Soldier, Judge Roan), Beth Kirkpatrick (Mrs. Phagan, Sally Slaton), Douglas Lyons (Jim Conley, Newt Lee), Ashlyn Maddox (Iola Stover, Mary Phagan), William Michals (Old Soldier, Judge Roan, Riley, Governor Slaton), Prentiss E. Mouton (Angela, Jim Conley, Newt Lee, Riley), Jackson Teeley (Britt Craig, Tom Watson, Young Soldier), Charlie Webb (Frankie Epps) and Aurelia Williams (Angela, Minnie McKnight).

The songs aren't fluffy sing alongs. Rather, they are powerful, statement making, devastatingly piercing - haunting - anthems.

The Orchestra: Conducted by Tom Murray; Associate Conductor: Andrew Resnick; Assistant Conductor: Mike Pettry; Musical Coordinator: Kimberlee Wertz.

Piano: Andrew Resnick; Keyboard/Guitars: Mike Pettry; Bass: Michael Olatuja; Drums/Percussion/Harmonium: Jamie Eblen; Percussion: Jeffrey Irving; Reeds: Todd Groves, Rick Heckman, Ed Matthew and John Winder; Trumpet: Shawn Edmonds; Trombones/Tuba/Euphonium: Nick Grinder; French Horn: Rachel Drehmann; Concertmaster/Violin: Todd Reynolds; Violin: Hajnal Pivnick; Viola/Violin: Todd Low; Cello: Mairi Dorman-Phaneuf and Deborah Assael-Migliore; Electronic Music Design: Billy Jay Stein, Hiro Iida, Adam Wiggins and Strange Cranium Productions, Inc.; Music Preparation: John Blane.

In addition to those previously mentioned, the creatives are: Co-Conceived by Harold Prince; Musical Director: Tom Murray Directed by Michael Arden; Co-Choreographed by Lauren Yalango-Grant and Christopher Cree Grant; Associate Director: Matthew Johnson Harris and Emilio Ramos Scenic Design by Dane Laffrey; Costume Design by Susan Hilferty; Lighting Design by Heather Gilbert; Sound Design by Jon Weston; Projection Design by Sven Ortel; Hair and Wig Design by Tom Watson; Associate Scenic Design: Matt Iacozza and Riw Rakkulchon; Associate Costume Design: Mark Koss; Associate Lighting Design: Jackie Fox and Valerie Insardi; Associate Sound Design: Joshua Millican and John Millerd; Associate Projection Design: Lacey Erb; Associate Hair and Wig Design: Will Vicari; Assistant Costume Design: Amy Sutton and M. Meriwether Snipes; Moving Light Programmer: Curtis Reik. Physical Movement Coordinator: Lorenzo Pisoni; Dialect Coach: Dawn-Elin Fraser; Dance Captain: Caroline Fairweather; Dramaturg: Cami Rose Hancock; Photographer: Joan Marcus.

General Manager: ShowTown Theatricals, Samuel Dallas and Nathan Gehan; Company Manager: Joel Glassman; Assistant Gen. Mgr: Jessica Morrow; Assistant Co. Mgr: Westin Hicks Production Manager: Juniper Street Productions, Inc.; Production Stage Manager: Justin Scribner; Stage Manager: Sarah G. Harris; Assistant Stage Mgr: Anita Shastri.

A don't miss it production at the Bernard Jacobs Theatre in New York City.

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This is not your typical, totally boring textbook.

In the pages of How To Earn A Living As A Freelance Writer (the first to be lied to and the last to be paid) you'll find sex, celebrities, violence, threats, unethical editors, scummy managers and lawyers, treacherous press agents, sex discrimination; as well as a how-to for earning money by writing down words.

ART AND ABOUT

THE NEW AMELIA EARHART HANGAR MUSEUM opens on opening on April 14, 2023 in her birthplace of Atkinson, Kansas. It honors Earhart's aviation legacy and inspires all generations in the pursuit of flight.

The centerpiece is Muriel — the world’s last remaining Lockheed Electra 10-E — an aircraft identical to the plane Earhart flew on her final flight. Muriel is named after Amelia’s younger sister, Grace Muriel Earhart Morrissey.

Fourteen, interactive, immersive STEM exhibits take visitors through Earhart’s adventurous life — from growing up in Atchison, Kansas, to the height of her worldwide fame — as the first woman to fly solo across the Atlantic Ocean.

Visitors can practice their navigation skills and pilot Amelia’s historic 1932 flight across the Atlantic Ocean via virtual reality. The experience mirrors obstacles Amelia overcame to become the first female to fly solo across the Atlantic. Visitors will be provided a virtual reality headset that will place them inside the cockpit of Amelia’s "Little Red Bus", a Lockheed Vega 5B.

Given the option of "easy" or "challenging" mode, visitors will follow prompts to fly to Paris, France. If you succeed, you will land in Paris, France; fail, like Amelia did, and you will land in Northern Ireland! Adventure awaits!

NOTE: The museum recommends parental discretion for children younger than 10 as the virtual reality flight is highly immersive; some scenes including nighttime views, rain, lightening, and thunder. Smaller children may lack strength to hold the VR glasses on their heads properly. The museum is happy to test the fit and discuss further upon your arrival to aid in your decision! The VR experience is roughly four minutes once the headset is secured. Headsets are sanitized between each pilot.

The Amelia Earhart Hangar Museum is pursuing the honor of becoming a Smithsonian Affiliate.

THE MUSEUM OF BAD ART

Nude Before a Mirror by Sara Safadi (1962) 32" x 42", oil on canvas. Purchased at a thrift store in Boston, MA. From MOBA's In the Nood collection.

at the Dorchester Brewing Co. in Boston, MA on Monday, April 10, 2023 will bare it all!

"Like every major art museum, we have many works celebrating the human form. It is not obvious, however, that all of our artists have actually seen a naked person," said the release.

Presented by Curator-in-Chief, Michael Frank, "acolyte who studied under the strict tutelage of the Esteemed Curator, Mr. Frank now heads the entire department.

"His appointment to this position was due to his record of contributing more art to MOBA than anyone other than the founder Esteemed Curator (and he already had a tuxedo).

"A professional musician and entertainer with enviable balloon twisting skills."

As the only museum currently dedicated to bringing the worst of art to the widest of audiences, referring to the Nude Before a Mirror painting Frank stated: "The artist probably painted the woman from life and added the background from memory without understanding how mirrors work."

EMMA RIDGWAY has been announced as the Director of the Founding Museum in London beginning June 5, 2023. She replaces Caro Howell MBE who spend 12 years as Director of the Founding Museum and now moves to the Imperial War Museums as their Director-General.

Emma is currently Chief Curator, Head of Exhibitions & Learning, at Modern Art Oxford. In 2022, she curated the British Pavilion for the 59th Venice Art Biennale, in collaboration with artist Sonia Boyce, which was awarded the International Golden Lion for Best National Participation - a first for the UK.

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SWEET CHARITY

GUILD HALL BENEFIT EVENT 2023 ACADEMY OF THE ARTS ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS DINNER honoring Peter Marino and Tom Roush & LaVon Kellner takes place Tuesday, April 18, 2023 at Gotham Hall in New York City.

The 37th annual event celebrates those who support and lend their talent to Guild Hall. The Academy of the Arts is a community of internationally recognized artists and creative professionals who are advocates of Guild Hall’s mission.

Honoring:
Peter Marino, Achievement Honoree for Visual Arts
Award Presented by Anthony Ledru, President and CEO of Tiffany & Co.

Tom Roush and LaVon Kellner, Special Award for Leadership and Philanthropy
Award Presented by artist Hank Willis Thomas

The event will also recognize the newest inductees to the Academy of the Arts: Nanette Carter, Jeremy Dennis, Virginia Jaramillo, Annie Leibovitz, Jay McInerney, Isaac Mizrahi, Arcmanoro Niles, Maulik Pancholy, Lisa Perry, Eric Ripert, Jordan Roth, Iris Smyles, and Andrina Wekontash Smith.

Cocktails followed by Dinner and Program. Special Performances by Music From The Sole and by Clarinetist Kinan Azmeh, Harpist Maeve Gilchrist, and Guitarist Kyle Sanna.

THE ATLANTIC THEATER COMPANY GALA Join in for a joy-filled evening as the Atlantic Theater Company honors Roger Kass for his 35 years of outstanding service on the Atlantic Theater Company Board of Directors.

April 17 at the Mandarin Oriental 36th Floor Ballroom in New York City.

Cocktails followed by dinner, auction, and live performances by George Abud, Darren Criss, Brian d'Arcy James, Kecia Lewis, and Jessica Vosk.

Board Gala Co-Chairs are Betsy Pitts and Hilary Edson Polk.

Get out the glad rags because festive attire is requested.

Proceeds from the Gala will support Atlantic’s productions, new play and musical development, and arts education initiatives.

SPREADING THE WORD

THE BODYGUARD IS NOT A SING-ALONG The Palace Theatre in Manchester, England on Oxford Street issued a statement after a performance of The Bodyguard was cut short due to 'disruptive customers'.

According to multiple reports the show at the Oxford Street theatre was paused multiple times before it was halted altogether 10 minutes before the end after audience members repeatedly sang over the cast and "caused a disturbance." during the Friday, April 7, 2023 performance.

Producers had not only asked people not to sing - and had even installed signs around the venue requesting patrons not treat the production as a sing-along.

Security video captured one audience member "screaming" over the song I Will Always Love You, while other "confused and angry" theatre-goers yelled over the music wanting to know what was going on. Theatre security forcefully escorted two patrons out of the upper circle of the theatre.

According to the Manchester Evening News "The stage then just went black again and that’s when it really started to kick off on the higher tier, you could really hear screams and audible gasps," show goer Karl Bradley told the newspaper. “Everyone starting standing up and looking over. There was chants of 'out, out, out' to get them gone."

According to the paper "When the lights came up, the unwanted (audience) singers were being hauled out of their seats by theater security and audience members began cheering."

The Palace Theatre issued the following statement: "The performance of The Bodyguard at The Palace Theatre, Manchester was stopped at 9.40pm last night and not continued. We are disappointed that the last 10 minutes of the show needed to be cancelled due to disruptive customers refusing to stay seated and spoiling the performance for others.

"We are grateful to our venue teams for dealing with these difficult circumstances in a professional and calm way, and to Greater Manchester Police for their assistance. Future performances will continue as planned and we ask that customers are considerate towards the cast, fellow audience members and theatre team so that everyone can enjoy the wonderful entertainment on stage."

On Saturday morning, April 8, 2023, the Greater Manchester Police also issued a statement: "Two people removed by (theatre) security staff (and) were spoken to by police and a decision about any further action will be made once the evidence has been reviewed."

IAN FLEMING PUBLICATIONS which manages the literary estate of 007's creator, will publish a new Bond novel in honor of the coronation of King Charles III. As first reported by the Bookseller, the novel On His Majesty's Secret Service - a slant on Fleming's tenth novel - On Her Majesty's Secret Service, which was published on April 1, 1963, and celebrated its 60th anniversary this year.

The new version is written by Charlie Higson, the actor and author of five best selling books in the Young Bond series of young adult novels. The new 007 story is set in the present day, May 4, 2023, two days before the coronation.

Bond is sent to thwart an attempt to disrupt the coronation by the wealthy and self-styled Athelstan of Wessex, who is on a deadly mission of his own to teach the UK a lesson. Bond must dismantle his devious plans and defeat his privately hired team of mercenaries.

The novel is also set to be released on May 4, 2023.

All royalties from sales of the book will support the work of the National Literacy Trust, an independent UK charity working with schools and communities to give disadvantaged children the literacy skills to succeed in life.

WICKED the Stephen Schwartz-Winnie Holzman musical will play its 7,486th performance at the Gershwin Theatre in New York City on April 11, becoming the fourth longest-running production in Broadway history.

Wicked, which will also celebrate its 20th anniversary on Broadway in October, is the winner of over 100 international awards and has been performed in over 100 cities in 16 countries around the world. The musical has been translated into six languages, been seen by nearly 65 million people worldwide, and has amassed over $5 billion in global sales.

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA the Andrew Lloyd Webber mega hit - the longest-running show in Broadway history - will drop the chandelier for the last time on April 16, 2023. Upon closing, the musical will have played 13,981 performances.

The Phantom of the Opera became the longest-running show in Broadway history on January 9, 2006, when it surpassed the nearly 18-year run of Cats. The production has grossed an astonishing $1.3 billion. Phantom has been the largest single generator of income and jobs in Broadway and U.S. theatrical history. In just the New York Broadway production, an estimated 6,500 people (including 450 actors) have been employed during its more than three-decade run.

HUGH JACKMAN is urging everyone to wear sunscreen. The popular actor has been wearing a bandage on his nose, due to another biopsy from tissue taken in two different spots, after his doctor discovered some irregularities that "could be or could not be basal cell [carcinoma]."

He was relieved to learn that the tests came back negative.

Jackman has received treatment for basal cell carcinoma several times, and in 2013, revealed he also had a cancerous growth removed from his nose and shoulder.

Early signs of basal cell carcinoma typically appear on the head, face and neck as slightly translucent bumps; a lesion that is blue, black or brown in color; a flat, scaly patch with a raised edge; or a waxy scar-like lesion, according to Mayo Clinic. The cancer — which is the result of the abnormal, uncontrolled growth of basal cells — usually does not spread beyond its origin and is treatable when caught early enough.

Jackman stressed to his 31.1 million followers to "put some sunscreen on" in an Instagram Reel. Again, he pleaded for wearing "sunscreen with a high level of SPF (no matter the reason)."

"It is just not worth it. No matter how much you want to tan, trust me... This is all stuff that happened 25 years ago. It's coming out now," Jackman previously indicated he hadn't worn sunscreen as a childr young man. "Put some sunscreen on. You'll still have an incredible time out there. Please be safe."

CHRISTINE LAHTI has added playwright to her list of accomplishments. Her play The Smile of Her in which she also stars, has its world premiere July 12, 2023 at The Unicorn Theatre Stockbridge, MA .

According to the play's promotion: "It’s America in the 1950s. The patriarchy is on steroids. Christine’s "perfect" suburban family is its quintessential microcosm. The Smile of Her takes the audience on a sometimes funny, always deeply personal, journey of denial, neglect, abuse, understanding and by the end—maybe possibility, hope."

Images on the play's poster are those of Christine's family.

NAB SHOW CELEBRATES ITS CENTENNIAL

The National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) Show, set for April 15-19 in Las Vegas, is the biggest conference in the broadcasting industry. This year is the National Association of Broadcasters' centennial, and it is no surprise that the NAB Show is pulling out all of the stops showcasing cutting-edge products and highly relevant topics. Panel subjects include cross-platform programming, immersive technology and the future of radio. No less than 24 British companies will be in attendance.

The NAB Show has played a key role in launching new broadcast innovations over its 100-year history, and this year's centennial celebration will document some of the event's high points over the decades, says National Association of Broadcasters CEO Curtis LeGeyt.

Members of industry-leading organizations such as the Society of Broadcast Engineers will meet and speak to attendees. The NAB will give out awards to lifetime broadcasting legends, innovative engineering teams and programs such as ABC's Wide World of Sports.

NAB Show Brings Hollywood Closer to Home With Main Stage IMAX Panel. The NAB Show will host IMAX on its Main Stage to highlight how the big screen entertainment technology company is going beyond viewer expectations for streaming experiences.

IMAX Beyond the Big Screen on April 16 showcases how IMAX's signature movie-magic technology, combined with best-in-class devices and streaming platforms like Disney+, transport fans beyond the big screen to experience epic content in the home while preserving filmmaker intent and vision.

In this mainstage panel, moderator Dan Rayburn, conference chairman at NAB Show Streaming Summit, will be joined by Vikram Arumilli, Senior Vice President and General Manager of Streaming and Consumer Technology at IMAX Corporation. Arumilli oversees the recently acquired SSIMWAVE, an image enhancement and streaming technology leader, and IMAX Enhanced, which leverages remastered content and world-class devices to bring blockbuster films into the home.

Venerated television news magazine 60 Minutes will receive the second annual Insight Award from the Library of American Broadcasting Foundation (LABF) during the Welcome Session at the 2023 NAB Show on April 17 in Las Vegas, Nev. The award recognizes the iconic program’s 55-year history of excellence in broadcast journalism.

Reflective of LABF’s purpose, the Insight Award recognizes an individual or organization for an outstanding artistic or journalistic work or body of work that enhances the public’s understanding of the role, operation, history or impact of media in our society. Actor, director and educator LeVar Burton was the inaugural recipient of the award during the 2022 NAB Show.

Created in 1968 by Don Hewitt and first hosted by Mike Wallace and Harry Reasoner, 60 Minutes employs a magazine format of hard-hitting investigative reports, newsmaker interviews, feature segments and in-depth profiles. Over the years, the program has elevated a pantheon of broadcast journalists into household names, including Morley Safer, Lesley Stahl, Ed Bradley, Diane Sawyer, Steve Kroft, Christiane Amanpour, Scott Pelley, Bill Whitaker and Anderson Cooper.

60 Minutes is the recipient of more Emmy Awards than any other primetime program and was honored with a special Lifetime Achievement Emmy. The program has also been awarded almost every broadcast journalism honor, including 25 Peabody awards for excellence in television broadcasting.

Bill Owens, executive producer of 60 Minutes, will accept the award at NAB Show on behalf of the program. Owens was named executive producer in February 2019 after previously serving as executive director and a senior producer of the program for 12 years. During his 35-year career at CBS News, he has worked in a number of producer roles including as senior broadcast producer for CBS Evening News and as the CBS News senior White House producer. He has received many awards including numerous Emmy Awards, an Edward R. Murrow Overall Excellence Award and an Investigative Reporters and Editors Award, to name a few. He was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Humane Letters by Towson University, his alma mater, in May 2012.

“60 Minutes has set the standard for broadcast journalism during its historic run, enriching the lives of generations of Americans with its coverage of the events, people and stories that shape our lives,” said LABF Co-chairs Jack Goodman, former NAB general counsel and longtime DC-based Communications attorney and Heidi Raphael, Beasley Media Group Chief Communications Officer. "The Library of American Broadcasting Foundation is thrilled to honor 60 Minutes with the Insight Award in recognition of its seminal place in television history, trailblazing legacy of prestigious journalism and outstanding contributions to our society."

The Library of American Broadcasting Foundation serves the philanthropic arm of the Library of American Broadcasting, the nation’s most extensive collection of broadcast history, policy and tradition, including historical documents, professional papers, oral and video histories, books, scripts and photographs preserved at the University of Maryland. In addition, the LABF presents the Annual Giants of Broadcasting Event, which pays tribute to trailblazers in the radio and television industry.

Radio broadcasters will enjoy at curated NAB Show experience packed with educational sessions, networking and celebrations during the convention's centennial celebration.

NAB Show will host a session presented by American Cinema Editors that highlights the incredible creative forces behind HBO's The Last of Us on Sunday, April 16, the series' executive producer Craig Mazin and members of the creative team will discuss the meticulous art of editing, cinematography, visual effects (VFX) and sound behind the hit series which takes place 20 years after modern civilization has been destroyed. Joel, a hardened survivor, is hired to smuggle Ellie, a 14-year-old girl, out of an oppressive quarantine zone. What starts as a small job soon becomes a brutal and heartbreaking journey as they both must traverse the U.S. and depend on each other for survival.

Moderator Carolyn Giardina, tech editor at The Hollywood Reporter, will be joined by Mazin, editors Timothy Good, ACE, and Emily Mendez, cinematographer Ksenia Sereda, VFX supervisor Alex Wang and sound supervisor Michael J. Benavente.

In addition to his role as executive producer, Craig Mazin is also the multiple Emmy award-winning co-creator, writer and director of The Last of Us. Previously, he served as the creator, writer and executive producer of HBO limited series Chernobyl, for which he won Golden Globe, BAFTA, Writers Guild, Producers Guild and Peabody awards.

NAB Show will host its third annual NAB Diversity Symposium, open to all attendees, from April 16-17. Designed to help broadcast organizations develop corporate diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) strategies and embrace diversity in media and the workplace, this year's symposium will focus on inclusion.

"The NAB has pledged to ensure that broadcast and media companies can reach their employment requirements and build a workforce that mirrors our surrounding communities," said Michelle Duke, NAB's chief diversity officer. "During this symposium, we provide our members with the tools, knowledge and resources to help them discover top-notch talent and enable employees to propel their careers forward. Overall, these sessions further NAB's critical mission of opening opportunities, fostering inclusive workplaces and assisting the broadcast industry in meeting future challenges head-on."

The symposium will kick off with a session titled "Creating an Inclusive Environment That Will Attract and Retain Diverse Talent." Speakers will include Teri Arvesu Gonzalez, senior vice president for social impact and sustainability at TelevisaUnivision; and Courtney Williams, chief diversity officer at Nexstar. Moderated by Danyelle Wright, vice president of employment and labor law and chief diversity officer at the E.W. Scripps Company, the session will discuss policies, procedures, practices and other change management tools that will lead to a welcoming and engaging workplace for all employees.

Next, a session titled "Building Better Media Businesses With D&I" will bring together senior leaders from the media industry to discuss how diversity and inclusion is a core enabler of growth and value creation. Moderator Gay Bell, chief executive at Platform Communications, will be joined by Lisa Aussieker, senior vice president of marketing at Qwilt, and Samira Panah, director of global media & entertainment at Amazon Web Services (AWS).

The second day of the symposium will begin with a session titled "Diverse Workforce Planning and the Future of Leadership in Broadcast." Speakers Adam Fowler, economist and founding partner at CVL Economics, and Nancy Rae Stone, deputy director of the California Film & Television Tax Credit Program, will join moderator Ri-Karlo Handy, CEO and founder of The Handy Foundation and Sunwise Media. During this session, broadcasters will learn several approaches to plan and develop a diverse workforce pipeline at different levels in their organization.

Afternoon sessions start with "Understanding the Value of Military Veteran Inclusion in Media and the Workplace," a session programmed in partnership with Disabled American Veterans (DAV), featuring guest speakers Col. Greg Gadson, an army veteran and actor in films such as "Battleship" and the CBS series "The Inspectors," and Centra "Ce-Ce" Mazyck, an army veteran and Paralympian. These speakers will join moderator Kevin Johnson, director of veteran recruiting at Hearst Television, to share their experiences in broadcast media and entertainment and discuss how military veterans and those with disabilities can help serve broadcast stations and media companies and consumers.

The symposium will conclude with a panel discussion titled "Why Creating an Inclusive Environment for Persons with Disabilities Is Critical to the Success of Your Business Strategy." Moderator Storm Smith, creative director and brand storyteller, will be joined by four panelists: Ann Bobeck, vice president of FCC Legal and Business at Fox Corporation; Keely Cat-Wells, disability rights activist and founder of C Talent; Andraéa LaVant, president and chief inclusion officer at LaVant Consulting Inc.; and Joe Strechay, TV producer and film director at Strechay Consulting. This session, programmed in partnership with JFD Communications and the Broadcast Education Association, will discuss the importance of inclusivity in content distribution and provide practical guidance and details on where to go for further information on authentically hiring for inclusion.

E-Book

Soft back Book

L.A. THEATRE WORKS has received the Audio Publishers Association's 2023 Audie Award for Audio Drama. Te award was presented for the company’s recording of Pipeline by Dominique Morisseau.

Pipeline is Morisseau’s strikingly powerful work about a mother’s hopes for her son and their clash with an educational system that seems to be rigged against him.

The L.A. Theatre Works recording was directed by Larry Powell and stars Sophina Brown, Demetrius Grosse, Sharon Lawrence, X Mayo, Uyoata Udi and Karen Malina White.

The Audie Awards is the premier awards program in the United States recognizing distinction in audiobooks and spoken-word entertainment.

L.A. Theatre Works is the world’s leading producer of audio theater, bringing plays into homes and classrooms of millions of theater lovers, teachers and students each year with a catalog of nearly 600 recorded plays that is the largest archive of its kind in the world.



SUMMER, 1976 written by Pulitzer Prize-winning author and fellow MTC alum David Auburn.

Directed by Tony Award winner Daniel Sullivan.

"This deeply moving, insightful piece is about connection, memories, and the small moments that can change the course of our lives. Over one fateful summer, an unlikely friendship develops between Diana (Linney), a fiercely iconoclastic artist and single mom, and Alice (Hecht), a free-spirited yet naive young housewife. As the Bicentennial is celebrated across the country, these two young women in Ohio navigate motherhood, ambition, and intimacy, and help each other discover their own independence."

Summer, 1976 was commissioned by MTC through the Bank of America New Play Program.

The creative team for Summer, 1976 includes John Lee Beatty (scenic design), Linda Cho (costume design), Japhy Weideman (lighting design), Jill B.C. DuBoff (sound design), Hana S. Kim (projection design), Greg Pliska (original music), David Caparelliotis & Kelly Gillespie (casting), James FitzSimmons (production stage manager), and Katie Ailinger (stage manager).

At the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre in New York City. Summer, 1976 began performances on Tuesday, April 4 and opens on Tuesday, April 25, 2023.

MOOSE ON THE LOOSE by Dina Morrone.

Directed by Peter Flood.

Featuring: Deanna Gandy, Stuart W. Howard, Laura James, Cecil Jennings, James Lemire, Meg Lin, Nick McDow Musleh, Constance Mellors, Erica Piccininni, Richard D. Reich, Rick Simone-Friedland, Darby Winn, Ari Wojciech.

When a loose moose wanders into town holding a Molson Canadian beer and gets stuck in the Polish neighbor’s camper trailer, four generations of an Italian/Canadian immigrant family from Calabria in Southern Italy soon realize the moose isn’t the only one who is stuck, displaced, and confused.

April 14, 2023 – May 21, 2023 at Theatre West in Los Angeles.

PRIMA FACIE written by Suzie Miller, an Australian/British playwright, librettist and screenwrite.

Directed by Justin Martin.

Starring Emmy and BAFTA Award winner Jodie Comer, who starred in the Wend End production.

The plot follows Tessa, a brilliant and aggressive criminal defense barrister whose view of the legal system changes after she is sexually assaulted.

The production takes us to the messy heart of MeToo in Prima Facie. when the patriarchal power of th law, burden of proof and morals divrtge.

Prima Facie is an indictment of the Australian legal system's failure to provide reliable pathways to justice for women.

Prima Facie is proud to be partnering with the The Schools Consent Program, a UK-based charity founded by Kate Parker that educates young people on issues surrounding consent and sexual assault, and Everyone’s Invited, a digital safe place for survivors to share their stories completely anonymously for this production.

Additionally, this production has launched The Prima Facie Pro Bono Project, which will offer a low-price ticket lottery and rush policy for every performance to ensure economic accessibility to the production for all. The initiative will also provide special free ticket access to specific partner and community organizations.

The creatives are: an original score by Rebecca Lucy Taylor, who is better known as Self Esteem. Set and costume design is by two-time Tony Award nominee Miriam Buether. Lighting design is by Drama Desk nominee Natasha Chivers. Sound design is by Drama Desk Award winners Ben & Max Ringham. Video is by William Williams for Treatment Studio. US general management is by 101 Productions Ltd.

Winner of the 2018 Griffin Award, Prima Facie opens Sunday, April 23, 2023 on Broadway at the Golden Theatre in New York City. Previews begin on April 11, 2023 and the strictly limited engagement will run through June 18, 2023.

SHERLOCK HOLMES AND THE CASE OF THE JERSEY LILY by Katie Forgette.

Directed by Brandon Weinbrenner.

"The wit of Oscar Wilde meets the cunning of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. In this comic sleuthing caper, Wilde’s muse, actress Lillie Langtry (a.k.a the Jersey Lily) presents Holmes with what seems like an open and shut case. But with his superior powers of deductive reasoning, Sherlock wastes no time in exposing a much more sinister conspiracy. Meanwhile, Oscar Wilde is in the throes of writing his acclaimed Importance of Being Earnest and Holmes might inspire some of the play. In a fast-paced ride full of surprises and disguises, Holmes and Watson must do whatever it takes to help their friends…while facing their greatest foe."

The cast of Sherlock Holmes and The Case of the Jersey Lily includes Alley Theatre Resident Acting Company Members Todd Waite as Sherlock Holmes, Elizabeth Bunch as Mrs. Irma Tory/ Mrs. McGlynn, and Christopher Salazar as Oscar Wilde.

Rounding out the cast is Orlando Arriaga as Dr. Watson/ Man 2, Brandon Hearnsberger as Professor Moriarty, Krystel Lucas as Mrs. Lillie Langtry, and Levin Valayil as John Smythe/ Abdul Karim/ Man 1.

The creative team includes Scenic Designer Lawrence E. Moten III, Costume Designer Sara Ryung Clement, Lighting Designer Kevin Rigdon, Sound Designer Melanie Chen Cole, Fight Director & Intimacy Specialist Adam Noble, Stage Manager Rachel Dooley-Harris, and Assistant Stage Manager Kaylee Sarton McCray.

Performances April 14 - May 7, 2023 at the Alley Theater in Houston, Texas.

E-Book

Soft back Book

This is not your typical, totally boring textbook.

In the pages of How To Earn A Living As A Freelance Writer (the first to be lied to and the last to be paid) you'll find sex, celebrities, violence, threats, unethical editors, scummy managers and lawyers, treacherous press agents, sex discrimination; as well as a how-to for earning money by writing down words.

FINAL OVATION

COSLOUGH JOHNSON the Emmy award winning, last remaining of the original Laugh-In writers died March 23, 2023. He was 91.

He started writing in New York, where he joined his older brother, actor Arte Johnson. Howard Hughes hired him to move to LA where he wrote, directed and edited Industrial Films for Hughes Aircraft, and also for Douglas. He soon got a chance to write for TV, starting with The Monkees series. A prolific comedy writer, he went on to write over (he said) 500 other shows, Sitcoms, such as Bewitched; The Partridge Family; I Dream of Jeannie; Good Times; The Jeffersons;,CPO Sharkey and others. He also wrote Variety Shows such as Laugh-In; The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour; Sonny & Cher; The Jackson Five; The Mary Tyler Moore Comedy Hour, and many more, also comedy Pilots and Specials. At the same time he wrote cartoons including Tom & Jerry's, children shows such as Jason of Star Command, 2 children's books, 4 movies, and several nightclub acts.

He received an Emmy Award for Laugh-In, plus 7 more Emmy nominations.

He is survived by his wife Mary, whom he married in 1975.

RYUICHI SAKAMOTO Oscar-winning composer was an electronic pop music leader, scored The Last Emperor and The Revenant, died from cancer on March 28, 2023. He was 71.

The eclectic Japanese composer became an acclaime was a Japanese composer, record producer, and actor who had pursued a diverse range of styles as a solo artist and as a member of Yellow Magic Orchestra (YMO). With his bandmates Haruomi Hosono and Yukihiro Takahashi, Sakamoto influenced and pioneered a number of electronic music genres.

As a film-score composer, Sakamoto won an Oscar, a BAFTA, a Grammy, and 2 Golden Globe Awards.

In 2014, Sakamoto became the first Guest Artistic Director of The Sapporo International Art Festival 2014 (SIAF2014). On July 10, Sakamoto released a statement indicating that he had been diagnosed with oropharyngeal cancer in late June of the same year. He announced a break from his work while he sought treatment and recovery.

On June 14, 2018, a documentary about the life and work of Sakamoto, entitled Coda, was released. The film follows Sakamoto as he recovers from cancer and resumes creating music, protests nuclear power plants following the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Disaster, and creates field recordings in a variety of locales. Directed by Stephen Nomura Schible, the documentary was met with critical praise.

On January 21, 2021, Sakamoto shared a link on his official pages, which contained a letter announcing that though his throat cancer had gone into remission, he was now diagnosed with rectal cancer, and that he was currently undergoing treatment after a successful surgery. He wrote: "From now on, I will be living alongside cancer. But, I am hoping to make music for a little while longer."

Sakamoto's first of three marriages occurred in 1972, but ended in divorce two years later—Sakamoto had a daughter from this relationship. Sakamoto then married popular Japanese pianist and singer Akiko Yano in 1982, following several musical collaborations with her, including touring work with the Yellow Magic Orchestra. Sakamoto's second marriage ended in August 2006, 14 years after a mutual decision to live separately—Yano and Sakamoto raised one daughter, J-pop singer Miu Sakamoto. He has lived with his manager and wife Norika Sora since around 1990 and has two children with her.

JUDY FARRELL known for her portrayal of Nurse Able on M*A*S*H, died in a hospital on Sunday, April 2, 2023, nine days after suffering a stroke. She was 84.

Farrell appeared in eight episodes of the CBS comedy-drama series M*A*S*H, which ran from 1972 until 1983 for 11 seasons.

Farrell was married to her M*A*S*H* co-star Mike Farrell from 1963 until 1983. Mike played BJ Hunnicutt on the hit show, appearing for a total of 179 episodes.

The actress also appeared in other classic TV shows, including Get Smart; The Partridge Family; Port Charles; Fame Quincy, M.E.

Judy, caught the acting bug at Oklahoma State University and later studied theater arts at UCLA, where she met Mike Farrell, according to a 1979 People profile. The couple married in 1963 and moved to Laguna Beach, Calif., where they worked day jobs while honing their acting skills at the Laguna Playhouse.

The couple welcomed two children, Michael and Erin.

Judy and Mike divorced in 1983 but both got remarried. Mike, now 84 years old, tied the knot with Coach alum Shelley Fabares in 1984, and Judy married actor Joe Bratcher in 1985. She is survived by Bratcher, along with her two children Michael and Erin from her first marriage.

NORA FORSTER the wife of former Sex Pistol's front man Johnny Rotten (John Lydon) has died in Southern California. . She was 80 and had suffered from Alzheimer's since 2018.

His Public Image Ltd (PIL) firm confirmed the death via social media and issued the following statement: “It is with a heavy heart that we share the sad news that Nora Forster - John Lydon's wife of nearly five decades - has passed away. “Nora had been living with Alzheimer’s for several years. In which time John had become her full time carer.”

Forester was a publishing heiress from Germany and the mother of Aariane Forster, who became Slits vocalist known as Ari Up, who died of breast cancer in 2010 at age 48. Lydon and Forester became the legal guardians for Up's three children.

She is survived by her husband, grandchildren and their families.

Next Column: April 16, 2023
Copyright: April 9, 2023 All Rights Reserved. Reviews, Interviews, Commentary, Photographs or Graphics from any Broadway To Vegas (TM) columns may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, utilized as leads, or used in any manner without permission, compensation and/or credit.
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Laura Deni

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