Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: April 2, 2023
By: Laura Deni
CLICK HERE FOR COMMENT SECTION

EASTER AND PASSOVER 2023 EVENTS - FROM THE PRICEY AND FUN TO THE PIOUS

Get out your pink bunny costume. Easter is upon us. So is Passover. The two important religious events offer a multitude of celebration options.

The famed White House Easter Egg Roll takes place on the South Lawn of the White House. Filled with exciting activities for the whole family, including storytime, games, live entertainment, and the traditional Easter Egg Roll. The 2023 White House Easter Egg Roll will be held on Monday, April 10, 2023.

Those eggs have been rolling for over 100 years. In the 1870s, Capitol Hill had become a popular spot for children to roll eggs - and themselves - down the hill on Easter Monday. As the event grew more popular, the toll on the grounds was noticeable. In 1876, Congress passed a law forbidding the Capitol grounds to be used as a children's playground. In 1878, President Rutherford B. Hayes issued an order that if any children should come to the White House to roll their Easter eggs, they would be allowed to do so. The tradition has been carried on since, and has grown into the major event you can experience today.

Easter Morning consists of three rondels (triple window) that depict Jesus in a white robe standing outside among flowers and trees, his head illuminated. The left panel depicts a woman looking toward Jesus, and the right panel depicts three crosses set atop a hill. Don’t miss this chance to examine the fine craftsmanship of Louis Comfort Tiffany up close. Photo: Museum of the Bible.

The Museum of the Bible is also located in Washington, DC. The venue will host special showings of The History of Easter in their World Stage Theater. The documentary explores the origins and incredible global impact of Easter by tracing the holiday backward in time from the present day to the resurrection of Jesus. Showing through April 9 and again April 14-16, 2023. Their Living History Interpreter Presentations include Passover in First-Century Nazareth. Visitors can listen to a retelling of the story of Passover and then hear what it means to a first-century Jewish audience. Performances occur throughout the day. April 5-13.

Passover for the year 2023 starts on the evening of Wednesday, April 5th and ends the 7 day festival at sunset on Wednesday, April 12th for Reform and progressive Jews living inside Israel who follow the Biblical text. For Orthodox, Hasidic, and generally Jews outside Israel the festival lasts 8 days ending at sunset on Thursday, April 13th.

The festival is one of the most important celebrations on the Hebrew calendar commemorating the emancipation of the Israelites from slavery in ancient Egypt. It begins with families gathering together the first night (first 2 nights for many communities outside Israel) for dinner called Seder - meaning "order" of "arrangement" in Hebrew.

On April 3 join Curator of Hebraica and Judaica Jesse Abelman to learn about the Song of the Sea from Exodus 15 and its role in celebrating Passover.

Also on display is the The Prague Haggadah of 1526. As the book used for the celebration of Passover, the Haggadah is one of the most popular texts in Jewish tradition. The text of the Haggadah has remained virtually unchanged for the past thousand years, but the illustrations that accompany it show a rich and varied tradition that brings the Haggadah to life in a way unlike any other Jewish text.

Stations of the Cross exhibit at the Museum of the Bible. Photo: Museum of the Bible

Another offering at the Museum of the Bible is The Via Dolorosa. In this dramatic presentation, guests will hear the story of Jesus's crucifixion, burial, and resurrection told from the perspective of early followers of Jesus who have just heard the news. The presentation takes guests through the Stations of the Cross exhibit. April 2, 6-8, 2023.

Guests can walk through our Stations of the Cross exhibit, featuring sculptures in bronze by renowned artist Gib Singleton of each stage in the final hours of Jesus’s life.

On April 14 visitors can join Senior Curator Brian Hyland to learn more about the Pietàs on display at the museum.

The Virginia War Memorial Foundation presents a virtual event on April 4, 2023 from 2:00 pm – 3:00 pm EST.

In 1943, as World War II raged in the Pacific Theater and in Europe, the spring holiday season in America was a much different kind of celebration than it had been in the past.

Being separated from loved ones, having to ration holiday meals at Lent and Seder tables, struggling with the harsh reality of war and the news of Jewish genocide all impacted the ways in which those on the home-front could celebrate Easter and Passover.

Join Assistant Director of Education Crystal Coon as she discusses the spring holiday season during World War II, how celebrations were forced to change, and what those holidays grew to symbolize for Americans.

As always, their online events are free but preregistration is required.

In Boulder, Colorado its Pesach at Boulder County Center for Judaism on April 5. Attendees will enjoy catered dinner, handmade Matzah, a selection of wines and Yom Tov candle lighting ceremony followed by inspirational thoughts on Pesach Seder. Passover on the Farm occurs on April 9, 2023 at the Milk and Honey Farm. The Boulder Jewish Community Center invites people to celebrate Passover on the Farm. During this exploration of Passover, participants will create the Seder plate with fresh ingredients and have an opportunity to visit the farm animals.

The Well Easter Egg hunt takes place on April 8, 2023 on Boulder's Pearl Street. The festivities will begin at 10 am on Saturday, April 8th on the lawn of the historic Boulder County Courthouse.

What Love Is This is staged in Camp Hill, PA. Presented by: the Christian Life Assembly, the production is "a dramatic musical portrayal of the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus of Nazareth, complete with: a cast of over 100 actors, singers & dancers - Live animals on stage - Beautiful music - Lavish sets & authentic costuming. Producted by CLAPRODUCTIONS which "produces Broadway-style musical theatre to audiences in Central Pennsylvania of over 16,000 patrons in a 2,000-seat auditorium." Final performance is day, April 2, 2023.

The Great Passion Play in Eureka Springs, Arkansas is "America's #1 Attended Outdoor Drama" according to the Institute of Outdoor Theatre and Drama of East Carolina University at Greenville. Other events include: The Christ of the Ozarks, the Holy Land Tour, Moses Tabernacle in the Wilderness, a section of the Berlin Wall, the Church in the Grove, the Bible Museum, the History Museum, and the Sacred Arts Museum, God with Us Movie, Noah's Ark Park Petting Zoo, Hiking Trails, and Mountain Bike Trails. Many events are open all year long.

Staged in an outdoor amphitheater, the multi-level set, special lighting and sound effects, live animals, and a cast of over 100 Biblically costumed actors come together to create the thrilling epic drama of Jesus Christ's last days on earth. This Christian attraction has been performed since 1968 in the beautiful Ozark Mountains in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. The Easter story come to life from Easter weekend and the first weekend in May through the last weekend in October.

Food is important to both holidays.

On Long Island, New York Corey Creek Tap Room will host a Chocolate Fondue Pop-up from noon–4 p.m on Saturday, April 8. Enjoy chocolate fondue with strawberry, pretzel and marshmallow dippers, courtesy of the Village Cheese Shop. It costs $15 per serving.

The Long Island Aquarium will host an Easter Brunch on April 9, with seatings in the Sea Star Ballroom. The traditional brunch includes a children’s craft station and a visit from the Easter Bunny. The aquarium will hold a Penguin Scavenger Egg Hunt. Adults $70, children $10–$35. On Easter Sunday, North Fork Table & Inn will be serving Easter brunch. This Easter farm-to-table brunch features ingredients from Long Island. Menu items include assorted pastries, deviled eggs, eggs Benedict, spring vegetable frittata, pea and nettle agnolotti, farmstand vegetables, and coconut and egg custards. The three-course brunch is $72.

Meet the Easter Bunny at Easter Sunday brunch at East Wind. A full gourmet buffet, including a Tuscan table, seafood display, carving station, children’s station and dessert display, will be available. Adults $60; children $30.

Greenport’s Congregation Tifereth Israel will hold a Passover Seder on Wednesday, April 5 at 6 p.m. Join Rabbi Gadi, shul members and friends at the shul. Community members are invited to celebrate the freedom of togetherness on this holiday. It’s $75 per person.

Chabad of North Fork is hosting a Pesach Seder on April 15. Relive the exodus, discover the eternal meaning of the Haggadah,and enjoy a community Seder complete with hand-baked Shmurah Matzah, wine and dinner spiced with unique traditional customs.

If Beverly Hills, California is more in your neighborhood there is Four Seasons Los Angeles at Beverly Hills which welcomes guests and local residents to celebrate Easter and Passover with special holiday menu offerings. Designed by Executive Chef Mitch Austin and the Hotel’s culinary team to offers selections for all ages, dietary preferences, and celebrations, both an abundant buffet-style Easter Brunch and curated three course Passover Dinner will be available. The Easter Brunch will also include an Easter Bunny and two egg hunts for children.

Easter Brunch at Culina on April 9, 2023 is $169. per person.

Celebrate Easter at Culina with an extensive brunch prepared by Executive Chef Mitch Austin, along with an Easter Bunny and Easter Egg Hunt. The menu will feature brunch favorites including made-to-order eggs and omelets, vanilla Belgium waffles, and specialty pastries as well as savoury options including devilled eggs and artisanal salads. Additional appetizers include selections of California cheeses, nigiri sushi, rolls, king crab claws, oysters, shrimp cocktail, smoked and cold poached salmon, and more. A traditional carving station takes centre stage with roasted prime rib, carved spring lamb leg, maple glazed smoked ham, and honey mustard roasted organic salmon, with additional entrée selections include braised beef short ribs, Jidori chicken with creamy marsala sauce, miso glazed seabass, seared branzino, artichoke and ricotta ravioli, and more. A children’s buffet will also be available with fruit pops, finger sandwiches, mini corndogs, chicken tenders, tater tots and more. Decadent desserts will also be available including house made doughnuts, made-to-order cotton candy, petite carrot cakes, assorted gelato flavors, and more specialty desserts.

Passover Dinner at Culina takes place Wednesday April 5, 2023 - Thursday April 13, 2023 with a price tag of $79. per person.

In celebration of Passover, Culina’s culinary team has created a delectable three-course prix fixe dinner menu. The dinner will begin with appetizer options including a charoset salad, chicken liver pâté or matzo ball soup. Entrée options include a roasted Jidori chicken or braised Passover brisket. The meal concludes with a decadent dessert, coconut pannacotta.

Then there is Elmo's Eggstravaganza.

Guests can visit Sesame Place Philadelphia for a hoppin’ good time with exciting rides, entertaining shows, the Sesame Street Party Parade and special Easter fun with everyone’s favorite furry friends.

E-Book

Soft back Book

Broadway To Vegas is supported through advertising and donations. Priority consideration is given to interview suggestions, news, press releases, etc from paid supporters. However, no paid supporters control, alter, edit, or in any way manipulate the content of this site. Your donation is appreciated. We accept PAYPAL.

Thank you for your interest.

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.

ART AND ABOUT

CROWN TO COUTURE

On display is the luminous green gown worn by Lady Gaga to the 2020 MTV Awards. In this Christopher John Rogers ensemble, "the vast skirt of the futuristic-style dress reflects the size and scale of dresses that would have been worn in this historic space centuries before", HRP reported. The Thom Browne dress paired with a gold cape jacket was worn by Lizzo at the 2022 Met Gala. This two-piece famous ensemble consists of a plain black corset gown and a billowing jacket with intricate gold detailing. Photos: Historic Royal Palaces.

billed as "the fashion show of the centuries".

Enter the glittering world of the royal Georgian court. Discover how the trailblazing fashion of 18th-century nobility has inspired today’s iconic red-carpet looks.

200 Fascinating Objects, from Charles II to Lizzo and Lady Gaga.

At the largest exhibition ever staged at Kensington Palace, you’ll be taken on an immersive journey through the palace. Over 200 objects will be on display including Lady Gaga’s luminous green MTV Awards dress and the world-famous Silver Tissue Gown worn at the court of Charles II.

There’s an exclusive chance to see Lizzo’s spectacular Thom Browne dress from the 2022 Met Gala, complete with gold cape jacket. Also on display is the Rockingham Mantua, one of several objects from Historic Royal Palaces’ Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection.

Prepare to be dazzled as the palace State Apartments transform into London’s hottest catwalk under the expert direction of Alexander McQueen’s production designer, Joseph Bennett, promising a truly unforgettable experience.

The exhibition will draw surprising parallels between the intricate preparations for attending the historic royal court and the elaborate styling expected from modern red-carpet events.

The extravagant outfits worn at Kensington Palace in the Georgian period were observed by hundreds of spectators and reported in the press, just as the flamboyant red-carpet style of celebrities is commented on today.

Experience Kensington Palace as it would have been 300 years ago, packed with the most fashionable and influential names of the day.

In addition to the dresses, a number of objects from Historic Royal Palace’s ‘Royal Ceremonial Dress Collection’ including fans, dress swords, hats, jewellery, shoes, stocking, stays, wig curler, etc will also find a place in the exhibition.

Historic objects need to be looked after very carefully. They are wrapped in acid-free paper and kept in climate-controlled stores; our conservators handle everything with extreme care and are experts in keeping historic objects safe from light, dust and even vibration which can all damage such delicate materials.

Before, during and after the exhibition, the climate of the palace rooms is carefully monitored to keep the objects stable and safe. Some items need to be displayed in showcases which control the temperature, light and humidity.

The same high level of care and attention also goes into conserving and mounting each of the contemporary items, mirroring the way the historic objects are treated. There is a balance between marrying both the aesthetic design vision of the exhibition, with protecting an object as much as possible while on display.

April 5, 2023 - October 2023 at Kensington Palace in London.

STEPHEN HAWKING AT WORK

Hawking's wheelchair, a Permobil model F3 Corpus wheelchair, built c.2016. Photo: National Science and Media Museum

Explore incredible objects from Professor Stephen Hawking’s office in this special display. Stephen Hawking at Work provides an insight into the working life of the world-renowned theoretical physicist. Marvel at the extraordinary contents of Hawking’s office, which was acquired for the nation by the Science Museum Group in May 2021. Highlights of the display includes a rare copy of Hawking’s PhD thesis, his Tortoiseshell spectacles with analogue sensor, specially adapted to aid communication, and even an invitation to the time travelers' party Hawking hosted. There is a beach ball with a map of the cosmic microwave background which reflects how his fascination with cosmology ranked above his other scientific interests, even his pioneering work on black holes.

Other objects are his wheelchair, a Permobil model F3 Corpus wheelchair, built c.2016. There is also an early generation voice synthesizer box he used; a blackboard with chalk drawings made during the 1980 Nuffield Workshop in Cambridge (UK) on Superspace and Supergravity; green book with 'Properties of expanding universes' written on the spine - one of five known copies of Hawking's Phd thesis, 'Properties of Expanding Universes'.

Free Temporary display on view trough May 14, 2023 at the National Science and Media Museum in West Yorkshire, England. Stephen Hawking at Work will tour the Science Museum Group’s museums, opening next at the Science and Industry Museum in Manchester in Summer 2023.

THE ROSSETTIS a major exhibition charting the romance and radicalism of the Rossetti generation – Dante Gabriel, Christina and Elizabeth (neé Siddal) – showcasing their revolutionary approach to life, love and art. opens April 6 at the Tate in London.

Moving through and beyond the Pre-Raphaelite years, the exhibition will feature 150 paintings and drawings as well as photography, design, poetry and more. This will be the first retrospective of Dante Gabriel Rossetti at Tate and the largest exhibition of his iconic pictures in two decades. It will also be the first full retrospective of Elizabeth Siddal for 30 years, featuring her rare surviving watercolors and important drawings. Christina and Dante Gabriel’s poetry will be interwoven with the artworks through spoken word and beautifully illustrated editions of their work.

The Rossettis led a progressive counterculture, blending past and present to reinvent art and life for a fast-changing modern world. The children of an Italian revolutionary exile, they grew up in London in a scholarly family and they began their artistic careers as teenagers. The exhibition will begin with a celebration of their young talent, opening with Dante Gabriel’s Ecce Ancilla Domine (The Annunciation) 1850, the stark and evocative painting for which his sister Christina and brother William Michael posed. This will be shown with an immersive installation of Christina’s poetry, as well as examples of Dante Gabriel’s teenage drawings, reflecting his precocious skill and his enthusiasm for original voices like William Blake and Edgar Allan Poe.

Works from the Pre-Raphaelite years will demonstrate how the spirit of popular revolution inspired these artists to initiate the first British avant-garde movement, rebelling against the Royal Academy’s dominance over artistic style and content. More personal forms of revolution will be explored through the Rossettis’ refusal to abide by the constraints of Victorian society. Works such as Dante Gabriel’s Found begun 1854, Elizabeth Siddal’s Lady Clare 1857 and Christina’s famous poem The Goblin Market 1859 will show how they questioned love in an unequal and materialist world.

Following new research, the surviving watercolors of Elizabeth Siddal will also be shown in a two-way dialogue with contemporary works by Dante Gabriel, exploring modern love in jewel-like medieval settings. As a working-class artist who was largely self-taught, Siddal’s work was highly original and inventive, but has often been overshadowed by her mythologisation as a muse and her tragic early death.

The exhibition will take a fresh look at the fascinating myths surrounding the unconventional relationships between Dante Gabriel, Elizabeth Siddal, Fanny Cornforth and Jane Morris. The poetic portraits from the later part of Dante Gabriel’s career, such as Bocca Baciata 1859, Beata Beatrix c.1864-70 and The Beloved 1865-73, will be shown in the context of the achievements and experiences of the working women who modeled for them. The exhibition will also explore how the poetic and artistic evolution of the femme fatale informed works such as Lady Lilith 1866-8 and Mona Vanna 1866.

Alongside art and poetry, visitors will also be able to experience how the Rossettis’ trailblazing new lifestyles transformed the domestic interior through contemporary furniture, clothing and design. The exhibition will conclude by showing how the Rossettis inspired the next generation, including William Michael’s children who started the anarchist magazine The Torch, and how they continue to influence radical art and culture to this day.

The Rossettis is curated by Carol Jacobi, Curator of British Art 1850-1915 and James Finch, Assistant Curator 19th Century British Art, Tate Britain. The exhibition is supported by the Rossettis Exhibition Supporters Circle and Tate Members. It is organized by Tate Britain with Delaware Art Museum.

April 6 through September 24, 2023 at Tate in London.

AD GEFRIN ANGLO SAXON MUSEUM AND WHISKEY DISTILLERY opened to the public on March 25, 2023 in Wooler, Northumberland, UK.

Comprising a $14.6m museum and visitor center, the experience recounts the story of the royal court of Yeavering – a nearby archaeological site and former Anglo-Saxon summer palace discovered in 1949 – through cutting-edge AV technology and a display of sixth- and seventh-century objects originating from Northumbria.

We have been privileged to be offered object loans from national institutions. Objects such as the Castle Eden Claw Beaker, a highlight of the British Museum’s early medieval collections, which will return to the North East for the first time in 32 years. Other key objects including a Great Square Headed Brooch and Shield Boss are being loaned from the Shakespeare Birthplace Trust. Both partnerships allow us to display treasures that truly demonstrate the "golden age" of Anglo-Saxon Northumbria.

We will also link the landscape, archaeology, and stories of the area, then and now and whet your appetite to further explore the history under your feet in Glendale and North Northumberland, one of two counties in England which border with Scotland.

The experience is also home to the Northumbrian English Single Malt Whisky distillery, with guests able to book tours of the facility which uses malting barley and the purest Cheviot water to create their Single Malt Whisky.

E-Book

Soft back Book

SPREADING THE WORD

KNOWN IN AMERICA AS CHARLES AND CAMILLA

Queen Camilla posing for a group picture with the children's choir. Photo: The Royal Family

that would be the King and Queen of Great Britain, have been in Germany this past week in an impressive show. King Charles establishing that he speaks fluent Germany and demonstrating that he is bringing the monarchy into the present. The policy of a monarch not expressing an important opinion may have been find in the antediluvian era, but is now antiquated and counter productive, even begging the question if the monarch is only a figurehead why have one? King Charles is letting it be known he is intelligent, knowledgeable and not afraid to speak out. His speeches in Germany were both pointed and spiced with humor resulting in standing ovations. The couple looked glamorously elegant at the state banquet - she wearing a stunning, shimmering, black and silver Bruce Oldfield gown, accessorized with the Boucheron diamond Tiara and the late Queen’s fringed diamond necklace - he looking movie star sophisticated handsome.

The following days saw the couple visit a variety of locations including King Charles donning an apron and attempting to operated a cheese making machine and mixing cheese curds with his hands while his wife looked on in amusement. While at the organix farm he was also presented with a cake in the shape of a crown.

Their numerous other stops included visiting food markets, inspect military equipment and surprising refugees who had only just arrived. King Charles was given a tour of the Ukraine Arrival Centre by German President Frank-Walter Steinmeier. He laughed as he lost a game of table football in the center's play area and shook hands and heard stories of refugees who had fled the war zone. He spoke of their "unimaginable suffering" in their homeland and told Ukrainian families fleeing Putin's war "I'm praying for you".

Kleopatra Tummler, operations manager of the refugee center, who also worked 15 years as Take That's tour manager, told the press afterwards: "He really showed interest in everyone's stories."

Camilla and the First Lady Elke Budenbender went to the Komische Opera which was originally founded in 1892 as Theater Unter den Linden. Damaged during World War II and rebuilt, it reopened in 1947 as the Komische Oper. Shown around the opera house by the co-directors, the Queen met performers from various opera productions, including one from La Cage aux Folles and a singer playing Parmina in Die Zauberflote.

As part of its outreach work, the opera house works with children and young people, and also has a project helping people with dementia, which was of particular interest to Queen Camilla.

Alongside local school children Her Majesty also listened to songs. Anna-Kathrin Ostrop, who was conducting the choir, which included two professional singers, told the audience that one of the songs sung by the children, Irgendwo auf der Welt, was previously well known before the Second World War. But it fell out of use after its composer, Richard Heymann, had to flee the Nazis.

Afterwards the Queen went on stage to meet performers, children and people from the dementia project. She also posed for a group picture with the children's choir.

Separately the Queen visited the Refugio House community center, a meeting place for locals and new Berlin residents, including refugees.

FRAN LEBOWITZ in a cultural landscape filled with endless pundits and talking heads, Fran Lebowitz stands out as one of our most insightful social commentators. Her essays and interviews offer her acerbic views on current events and the media—as well as pet peeves, including tourists, baggage-claim areas, after-shave lotion, adults who roller skate, children who speak French, or anyone who is unduly tan. Purveyor of urban cool, Lebowitz is a cultural satirist whom many call the heir to Dorothy Parker. Friday, April 7, 2023. Scottsdale Arts in Scottsdale, Arizona.

AN EVENING WITH DAVID SEDARIS takes place Tuesday, April 4, at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

David Sedaris is one of America’s pre-eminent humor writers. He is best known for his personal essays and short stories. Sedaris has been nominated for five Grammy Awards for Best Spoken Word and Best Comedy Album. He has been awarded the Terry Southern Prize for Humor, Thurber Prize for American Humor, Jonathan Swift International Literature Prize for Satire and Humor, and more.

Sedaris will do a book signing after the show for all ticket holders.

BONNIE J. MONTE who has been at the helm of the renowned Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey (STNJ) since late 1990, has announced that 2023 will be her final season as the company’s Artistic Director. T. Randolph Harris, STNJ’s Board Chair, said, "For 33 years, Ms. Monte has provided exemplary leadership – and I have had the privilege of working with her for 31 of them. She has transformed what was a small, struggling company into a vibrant, major player in the classic theatre arena, moving the company into a new era of growth and fiscal and organizational health."

The Shakespeare Theatre’s Board of Trustees is currently working with Ms. Monte to identify and hire her successor to ensure a smooth transition and new leadership that will build on her vision and hopes for the institution’s future.

NEW YORK STAGE AND FILM (NYSAF) AND MARIST COLLEGE have announced a dedicated, multi-year collaboration that will enable NYSAF to expand its year-round services for artists developing new work in theater, film and television in the Hudson Valley and New York City while also opening up significant new educational programs and experiential learning opportunities for Marist students.

Building upon NYSAF’s successful work with Marist during the past two years, this dynamic relationship will include hosting the return of NYSAF’s NYC-based Winter Season at Marist’s Midtown Manhattan location and continue with NYSAF’s 2023 Summer Season to be held on the Marist Campus in Poughkeepsie (July 14-August 6), in which hundreds of artists will incubate new stories for the stage and screen through NYSAF’s celebrated residency and workshop programs. This collaboration also will expand the reach of popular public programs to benefit local communities served by both NYSAF and Marist College.

AMA CODJOE AND CARL PHILLIPS in person and online takes place Monday, April 10, at 92Y in New York City.

Ama Codjoe is the author of Bluest Nude, a collection that investigates what it means to be seen by others as well as that most intimate, singular spectacle of looking at oneself. "Sensual, sound-driven and brimming with a necessary truth, these poems are pulsating with both grief and beauty. She has written a true triumph of a debut that feels urgent and deeply human," wrote Ada Limón.

Carl Phillips’s most recent books include Then the War, a collection of poems; and My Trade Is Mystery: Seven Meditations from a Life in Writing, a series of essays on his experiences as a writer and mentor. "More than a craft book, it is a reminder of the restlessness and recklessness that call many of us to keep doing the things we’re drawn to," wrote Reginald Dwayne Betts.

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

STEVE WYNN'S $2b UAE casino, which is slated to open in 2026, is being called a "game changer" for RAK tourism. Wynn Resorts’ UAE casino plan is expected to attract more than 5m tourists to Ras Al Khaimah by 2030.

BEING BANNED AT MADISON SQUARE GARDEN a New York state appeals court ruled last Tuesday that Madison Square Garden can ban lawyers suing the company from attending events at its venues, even if they hold valid tickets. The ruling overturns a lower court’s preliminary injunction.

However, anytime MSG denies an attorney entry to non-sporting events, they may be required to ante up $500 a head each time they deny the entry. In addition, the barred party can press criminal charges equivalent to a misdemeanor.

MSG had been using facial technology to screen patrons and on at least two occasions stopped a lawyer from entering.

51 lawyers took legal action after MSG used facial recognition technology to deny entry at all venues to all lawyers from firms engaged in litigation with MSG, even is that particular lawyer was not involved in the case.

MSG has contended that it doesn't save data and that it is confident its policy is "in compliance with all applicable laws, including the New York State Liquor Authority."

"The facial recognition technology system does not retain images of individuals with the exception of those who were previously advised they are prohibited from entering our venues or whose previous misconduct in our venues has identified them as a security risk," a spokesperson told the press.

E-Book

Soft back Book

AND THE BAFTA WENT TO . . . Hosted by Frankie Ward, the BAFTA Games Awards "brought together the best in the business to celebrate an incredible year in games."

God of War Ragnarök won five BAFTAs, with stars Christopher Judge and Laya DeLeon Hayes winning Performer in a Leading Role and Performer in a Supporting Role respectively, while Elden Ring, Tunic and Vampire Survivors all won two BAFTAs each, with Vampire Survivors winning Best Game. The BAFTA Fellowship was presented to Shuhei Yoshida.

The winner of this year's EE Game of the Year, the only award chosen by the public, was God of War Ragnarök.

THEATRE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP (TCG) the national organization for theatre, has announced new trustees and an updated list of officers for its board of directors. Joining the board are: Jennifer Bielstein (she/her), executive director, American Conservatory Theater, San Francisco, CA; Qween Jean (she/her), costume designer and founder, Black Trans Liberation, New York, NY; and Clint Ramos (he/him), designer and producing creative director, Encores!, New York, NY. Additionally, TCG has evolved its governance ecology as part of its new strategic plan to model new ways of sharing power at the board level. In the place of a single board structure, TCG will be governed by a Viability Board, working alongside Task Forces in four priority areas: Next Generation, Breaking Barriers, Global Connectivity, and Capitalization.

Nikkole Salter (she/her), actress, playwright, educator, and arts advocate, Bloomfield, NJ, will remain as chair of the Viability Board through FY22023 on a slate that includes two returning vice-chairs: Eileen J. Morris (she/her), artistic director;The Ensemble Theatre, Houston, TX, and John Fontillas (he/him), planner, architect, partner; H3, New York, NY. They are joined by new vice-chair Hana S. Sharif (she/her), artistic director; Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, St. Louis, MO. Remaining as treasurer and secretary respectively are Angela Lee Gieras (she/her), executive director; Kansas City Repertory Theatre, Kansas City, MO and Lisa Portes (she/her), head of directing; The Theatre School at DePaul University, Chicago, IL.



THE SHOT by Robin Gerber.

Directed by Michelle Joyner.

Starring Sharon Lawrence as Katharine Graham.

The Shot, is about former Washington Post publisher Katharine Graham and that part of her life that is hard to look at and understand. Before becoming publisher, Katharine was an abused wife, derided in public and beaten in private by her husband, who had inherited The Washington Post newspaper from Katharine’s father.

Emmy-nominated actress Sharon Lawrence stars in what has been described as "A luminescent performance informing us that sexual and psychological abuse knows no boundaries of economy or class or fame."

Lawrence is fearless as she shows Katharine’s emotional roller-coaster, from the peak of joyful love and family life to the dark canyons of despair. Katharine’s ultimate triumph is complicated by questions of love and duty that will surprise many who have not known intimate partner violence.

"The Shot is a story for this moment. If we can be abused, we can be paid less, denied opportunity and choice over our own bodies. The Shot is meant to empower women who are abused, and enlarge our understanding of an abused woman’s soul.

April 6-23 at New Jersey Rep in Long Branch, NJ.

GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR written by Pulitzer Prize-winner Doug Wright.

Directed by Lisa Peterson.

In Good Night, Oscar, Sean Hayes plays Oscar Levant: Hollywood actor, concert pianist, and the most subversive wit ever to appear on television during its Golden Age. He is joined by Emily Bergl as June Levant; Marchánt Davis as Alvin Finney; Peter Grosz as Bob Sarnoff; Ben Rappaport as Jack Paar; Alex Wyse as Max Weinbaum; John Zdrojeski as George Gershwin; with understudies Sam Bell-Gurwitz, Thomas Michael Hammond, Stephanie Janssen, Postell Pringle, and Max Roll completing the company.

Good Night, Oscar begins performances Friday, April 7 and opens Monday, April 24 at the Belasco Theatre in New York City.

EXOTIC DEADLY: OR THE MSG PLAY written by Keiko Green.

Directed by Jesca Prudencio.

It’s 1999, and Ami is an awkward Asian American high schooler whose world comes crashing down with a terrible discovery: her family is responsible for manufacturing MSG, the mysterious ingredient getting all the kids hooked! Meanwhile, a cool new girl arrives from Japan, and she’s not playing by the rules. Ami vows to redeem her family name and save the world from MSG. This whimsical, time-traveling adventure is a riotous and hilarious romp through wild teenaged crushes, family legacies, and the magical properties of instant ramen!

The cast includes Anna Mikami as Actor 1 (Ami), Eunice Bae as Actor 2, Trevor Salter as Actor 3, Amy Kim Waschke as Actor 4, Michelangelo Hyeon as Actor 5, and James Seol as Actor 6. Plus understudy Camilla Leonard as Actor 1 (Ami) and Actor 2 (Exotic Deadly), and Samuel Young as Actor 3, Actor 5, and Actor 6.

In addition to playwright Keiko Green and director Jesca Prudencio, the creative team includes Yu Shibagaki (Scenic Design), Hahnji Jang (Costume Design), Cha See (Lighting Design), Fan Zhang (Sound Design), Caparelliotis Casting (Casting), and Chandra R.M. Anthenill (Production Stage Manager).

Performances run April 8 to May 7, 2023, with the opening on Thursday, April 13 at the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe’s Conrad Prebys Theatre Center in San Diego’s Balboa Park, California.

LERNER & LOEWE'S CAMELOT a fresh take on the classic tale. Featuring a book by Academy and Emmy Award winning writer Aaron Sorkin, based on the original book by Alan Jay Lerner. Direction by Tony Award winner Bartlett Sher.

The cast of 27 is headed by Andrew Burnap, Phillipa Soo, Jordan Donica, Dakin Matthews, Taylor Trensch, Marilee Talkington, Camden McKinnon, Anthony Michael Lopez, Fergie Philippe, and Danny Wolohan.

Based on The Once and Future King by T.H. White, Camelot is Lerner and Loewe’s 1960 follow up to My Fair Lady, is a story about the quest for democracy, the striving for justice, and the tragic struggles between passion and aspiration, between lovers and kingdoms. This epic and timely tale features the iconic characters King Arthur, Queen Guenevere, and Sir Lancelot as well as the beloved original score with lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe which includes "If Ever I Would Leave You," "The Lusty Month of May" and the title song "Camelot."

The creatives are: choreography by Byron Easley and will have sets by Michael Yeargan; costumes by Jennifer Moeller; lighting by Lap Chi Chu; sound by Marc Salzberg and Beth Lake; projections by 59 Productions; Hair & Wigs by Cookie Jordan; Fight Direction by B.H. Barry; Vocal & Dialect coaching by Kate Wilson; casting by The Telsey Office, Adam Caldwell, CSA; Cambra Overend is Consulting Producer. Music Director Kimberly Grigsby will conduct a 30-piece orchestra performing Camelot's original orchestrations by Robert Russell Bennett and Philip J. Lang and original dance and choral arrangements by Trude Rittmann. Charles Means is the Production Stage Manager.

Currently in previews with the official opening slated for Thursday, April 13, at the Vivian Beaumont Theater in New York City.

WALKING WITH BUBBLES a new musical created, written and performed by Broadway’s own Jessica Hendy. With music & lyrics by Brianna Kothari Banes.

Directed by Richard Hess.

Hendy made her Broadway debut as ‘Grizabella’ in the original production of CATS and – in a full circle moment – also appeared in the 2016 revival.

As Jessica, a Broadway actress and single mother, and her son "Bubbles" anxiously wait for their playdate in Central Park, they are approached by a homeless man. This is their very true story. Jessica Hendy’s first-person narrative invites audiences into her seemingly perfect New York City life from center stage on Broadway into the depths of a volatile mental illness. Walking With Bubbles explores how far a mother will go to protect her son, her loved ones, and ultimately herself.

Walking with Bubbles has performances at the AMT Theater in New York City.

THE PILOT WHO CRASHED THE PARTY written and directed by Tony Award winning actor and Second City alum Paul Sand.

Something mysterious is going on. Danger, not out of the question. Something… funny. Add a classical string duo.

Starring Marcia Lynn Anthony, Lee Boek, Francis C. Edemobi, Claudia Ferri, Debra Lane, Sol Mason, Jacqueline Wright. Musicians: Yennie Lam (violin) and Chris Rorrer (cello).

Sand’s off-beat homage to the drawing room dramas of the ’30s is set in the Santa Monica Mountains on a violent, stormy night filled with rain, lightning and thunder. The streets outside the mansion where Sally (Jacqueline Wright) is celebrating her 50th birthday are narrow, winding and newly full of mud — when a pilot in a small, single engine plane (Sol Mason) literally crashes the party.

Who, exactly, is this surprise guest? Friends at the intimate soirée, including Daniel (Lee Boek), Laura (Claudia Ferri) and Ilo (Francis C. Edemobi) are suspicious. The caterer (Debra Lane) might be in love. The evening’s musicians (Yennie Lam on violin and Chris Rorrer on cello) continue to entertain, even as they sip wine from its new perch on the plane wing now hovering over the dining room table.

The pilot is "in a 'fugue state' caused by the crash and can’t remember who he is. As the partygoers take turns caring for him, each projects a part of them-self onto the pilot as they try to figure him out."

The creative team includes scenic designer Jeff G. Rack; costume designer Linda Muggeridge; lighting designer Azra King-Abadi; sound designer Shoshana Kuttner; and projection designer Fritz Davis. The assistant director is Alex Hogy, and the production stage manager is Anna Kupershmidt. The Pilot who Crashed the Party is produced by Carrie-Ann Pishnak and Amanda Weier.

The Pilot Who Crashed the Party was workshopped over the course of three nights at the Odyssey Theatre in 2022. Performances take place April 8 through May 7 at The Broadwater Theatre in Los Angeles, CA.

THE THIN PLACE by Obie Award-winning playwright Lucas Hnath.

Directed by Abigail Dreser.

Starring Janet Greaves, Justin Huen, Corbett Tuck, Caitlin Zambito.

Linda can speak with the dead. Hilda wants to. The Echo Theater Company presents "a spine-tingling new play that questions the things we don’t know and can’t understand."

Can we talk with the departed? Communicate with loved ones we’ve lost? In The Thin Place, Hnath toys with perceptions of reality and the omnipresence of death. Are psychic abilities real, or merely a cunning illusion that awakens our deepest desires?

Linda (Janet Greaves) promises that if you listen — really listen — she can take you to the “thin place,” the fragile boundary between our world and the next. Hilda (Caitlin Zambito) is grappling with loss and seeking answers. She is listening — hard.

Joining Greaves and Zambito on the Echo stage are Justin Huen and Corbett Tuck as fellow questioners Jerry and Sylvia. Spiritually charging the atmosphere is the scenic design by Deser and Amanda Knehans, lighting design by Matt Richter, sound design by Alysha Grace Bermudez and costume design by Dianne K Graebner. The associate producer is Chelsea Spirito, and the production stage manager is Irene Lee. Chris Fields and Kelly Beech produce for the Echo Theater Company.

Running through April 24, 2023. Presented by The Echo Theater Company at the Atwater Village Theatre in Los Angeles, CA.

SEA CREATURES by Cordelia Lynn.

Directed by James Macdonald.

Featuring Grace Saif as Toni and Tom Mothersdale as Mark and sound from Max Pappenheim.

Where's Robin?
Where's Robin?
Where's Robin?
In a cottage by the sea, four women live in a house made for five. Meals are prepared, stories are shared and the tide breaks on the shore… When only one of their two guests arrives for the summer, it isn’t quite the reunion they were all hoping for …

On stage through April 29, 2023 at the Hampstead in London.

KISS OF THE SPIDER WOMAN adapted by Argentine writer Manuel Puig from his best selling novel, El beso de la mujer araña, and translated from the Spanish by Allan Baker.

Directed by Michael Michetti.

Starring Adrián González and Ed F. Martin.

In a South American prison cell in a country under authoritarian rule, two polar opposites discover that love may spring in the most unlikely of places. Poignant, chilling, funny and sensual, this intimate two-hander is the story of Valentin (González), a macho political prisoner whose commitment to the Marxist cause takes precedence over everything else, and queer, movie-loving Molina (Martin), who escapes the harsh reality of prison life by retelling beloved film noir classics and emulating their glamorous leading ladies. Forced to share a cell in Buenos Aires’ notorious Villa Devoto prison during Argentina’s "Dirty War," the two forge an unlikely relationship.

Puig adapted Kiss of the Spider Woman for the stage in 1983. Allan Baker’s English translation premiered in 1985 at London’s Bush Theatre, with Simon Callow playing Molina and Mark Rylance as Valentin. In 1985, it was made into a film by Argentine-Brazilian director Hector Babenco, starring William Hurt and Raul Julia. The musical version, with a score by Kander and Ebb and book by Terrence McNally, opened on Broadway in 1993, receiving the Tony Award for best musical.

The A Noise Within production will feature an original, tango-inspired score by composer Alex Mansour. The creative team includes scenic designer Tesshi Nakagawa; lighting designer Jared A. Sayeg; sound designer Robert Oriol; costume designer Carolyn Mazuca; properties designer Stephen Taylor; dramaturg Dr. Miranda Johnson-Haddad; intimacy director Carly DW Bones; and casting director Victoria Hoffman. The assistant stage manager is Karin Naono, and the production stage manager is Lucy Houlihan.

A Noise Within in Pasadena, CA presents a four-week run, April 1 through April 23.

PRIVATE LIVES by Noël Coward.

Directed by Donmar Artistic Director Michael Longhurst.

We were so ridiculously over in love.
Funny wasn’t it?
Horribly funny.
Elyot and Amanda; glamorous, rich, reckless… and divorced.

A surprise encounter on adjoining hotel balconies rekindles their passion and they fling themselves violently into love once more, and their newly married lives into chaos.

Starring Stephen Mangan, Rachael Stirling, Laura Carmichael and Sargon Yelda this fiercely intimate revival of Noël Coward’s dark comedy asks can you love someone too much, or too many times?

The creative team includes: Designer Hildegard Bechtler, Lighting Designer Jack Knowles; Sound Designer Giles Thomas; Composer Simon Slater; Movement Director Chi-San Howard; Fight Director Kate Waters and Casting Director Anna Cooper CDG.

April 7, May 27, 2023 at the Donmar Warehouse in London.

SMART by Mary Elizabeth Hamilton.

Directed by EST Member Matt Dickson.

Elaine's cantankerous, ailing mother, Ruth, won't let aides in the house to help her, making it impossible for Elaine to go to work. In desperation, Elaine buys a "Jenny," a smart device which doubles as a babysitter/companion for her mom - while allowing Elaine to check on Ruth from anywhere. Jenny quickly feels like another member of the family, playing games with Ruth and talking Elaine through her insomnia. But what if Jenny isn't the only one listening? SMART is a play about how and why we let technology into our homes, and the unexpected changes that tech can bring.

The three person cast features EST Member Christine Farrell, Francesca Fernandez, and Kea Trevett.

SMART was originally commissioned and developed through the EST/Sloan Project. Over the past 25 years, the EST/Sloan Project has fostered over 300 plays about science and technology, leading to productions across the country.

Presented by the Ensemble Studio Theatre and the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation. Officially opening April 6 with performances through April 23, 2023 at 545 West 52nd Street in New York City.

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.

Next Column: April 9, 2023
Copyright: April 2, 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.
Link to Main Page

---

Laura Deni

For the snail mail address, please E-mail your request.