Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: April 24, 2022
By: Laura Deni
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UKRAINIAN DESIGNERS SWITCH FROM COUTURE TO MAKING COMBAT BOOTS AND MILITARY GEAR

Designers who created bespoke footwear and men's suits are designing combat boots and camouflage military outfits.

Ukraine designers Bevza, Paskal, Dzhus, Lake Studio, and Alina Kachorovska who were named by Fashion Reverie as designers "that should be on your radar and encourage you to support Ukrainian makers and creators who depend on your patronage," are surrounded by war.

Alina Kachorovska
Kachorovska has been creating sumptuously comfortable shoes made to order for women worldwide for over a half-century. High-end by design without the upmarket price, Kachorovska has managed to strike a balance in a crowded market where luxury shoes can soar into the stratosphere. Aside from shoes, Kachorovska produces a full line of bags and expertly created garments that have an easiness to them characterized by their loose, comfortable fit.

The designer Alina Kachorovska is the mother of three who lives and works in Ukraine's capital city. The Kyiv-based shoe designer and business owner runs Kachorovska Atelier with her family. The three generation business stopped totally on February 24, 2022.

Her hometown, where the factory is located, was under bomb attacks from the first day of the war. On the fifth day, her mother, who runs the factory, began receiving pleas for army boots for men volunteering in the military. She called not only their own employees but other shoe factories and all agreed to start producing army boots.

A message was placed on their Instagram account that they intended to produce 500 pairs of army boots for free. A pleas was made that, if people would like to support and donate, they could produce around 500-800 pairs more. In less than two days they received $25,000. As bombs went off, they sidestepped to boot production. The Kachorovska Atelier and another shoe factory have completed the final 200 pairs. They have produced 1,000 army boots, which were sent free to all corners of Ukraine.

DressX's digital "Biomimicry collection" is a unique brand founded by Ukrainian designers in 2020 which uses digital clothing to reduce textile waste. With hundreds of brands to choose from, garments are not tangible, but computer technology and 3D software make it possible for you to "wear" the pieces. Along with co-founder Natalia Modenova, Daria Shapovalova, the creator of the innovative brand and so-called "ueen Bee" of Kyiv Fashion, has been using her platform to raise money for the Ukrainian armed forces.

Shapovalova and Modenova used their digital clothes as fundraisers with their unique collection "Support Ukraine."

"We know it’s hard to understand where and how to effectively donate money. So with this collection (not for dressing, only for charity), we want to share our commitment for non-violence and to help our community to donate money," the brand shared on Instagram. All proceeds from the collection will be donated directly to the Ministry of Defense of Ukraine and other charities based in Ukraine. Within 12 hours of the campaign, the brand raised over 200,000 UAH ($6,600).

The brand has also issued statements on their personal experiences thus far, writing: "Some of our team members and their families are currently in Ukraine. We are worried for our friends and for all Ukrainians. Peace is our biggest virtue and the goal of humanity is to unite when someone needs help. Help companies from Ukraine, help your friends in Ukraine, or just share your disagreement with the current situation. The power of the community can do miracles. Let’s unite and do these miracles together!"

DressX has also shared that the brand "promotes creativity, fashion, and future. It’s not our war, and we truly believe that any country should be affected by any sort of conflict, as peace is our biggest virtue."

Kyiv-based designer Anton Belinskiy told Vogue he's trying to address “puzzles that have to be unraveled and solved”. As well as keep the brand he founded in 2009 solvent, Belinskiy has pivoted his focus from fashion to humanitarian relief. He now spends his days making thermals for soldiers, rather than his signature towel bags for discerning fashion fans.

He offers props to his fellow Ukrainian creatives who are determined to make a difference.

Make-up artist Olha Ostapchuk, whose fundraising platform Hand To Hand connects doctors and people 24/7, and Julia Pelipas’s talent platform Bettter, which represents creatives who are fighting to be seen as talents, not refugees.

Ukrainian designer Serge Smolin, whose brand Idol makes designer suits which help men make a statement. Now he's concentrating on making men blend in, providing the Ukrainian army with camouflage gear. They needed someone to weave camouflage nets. Smolin's newly formed team, which included his family and artist Serge Payet, found rolls of cloth - and got busy.

Several fashion brands, Nebesite and Frolov, are making bulletproof vests to support the Armed Forces and Territorial Defense. Nebesite, a famous outerwear brand, was making sale arrangements for the new spring collection when Russia invaded Ukraine. Within 48 hours of the first attacks, the team was on the lookout and contacted experts on how to help the military. The brand partnered with the manufacturer of metal plates for bulletproof vests and are now designing a simplified version of the vests, as first reported by lofficielmonaco.

Bezva By Svetlana Bevza

The brainchild of Svetlana Bezva, 39, her namesake label comprises subtle details that define her style of architectural minimalism. Widely considered one of the most consequential designers to come out of Ukraine, BEZVA’s contemporary appeal is in the details intermixing clean silhouettes with versatility; combine that with a pinch of attitude, and you have a collection that radiates quiet confidence—no introduction required. And BEZVA shows consistently at New York Fashion Week.

Considered one of the leading Ukrainian designers in the world, she sheltered in Kyiv. During the closing of her Fall/Winter 2022 show on February 14th at New York Fashion Week, the designer projected the Ukrainian flag in solidarity with her home country. The mother of two then returned to Kyiv to be with her husband right when the invasion began.

“I woke up around 5 a.m. I heard explosions, like once every minute for 20 minutes,” Bevza shared with the press. “The next big explosion was much louder. It was during the daytime. My daughter was sleeping, and I grabbed her immediately from her bed. I can’t tell you that I feel safe now," she confessed.

The brand has been very active on Instagram using their slogan "we are all in the same boat." A picture of two yellow and blue boat bags was posted with the caption “The seas submit themselves only to the BRAVE” and another post-reading, "STOP WAR IN OUR BELOVED UKRAINE! WORLD, UNITE AGAINST PUTIN!"

At the moment, Bezva’s website states that they cannot ship out deliveries due to the invasion but that they hope to get back to work as soon as they can.

Paskal laser cut puff sleeve black dress. Photo: Paskal

PASKAL
Married with children the 33-year-old Odessa designer Julie Paskalian, the eponymous brand has become one of the brightest names in the Ukrainian. She is one of the first Ukrainian designers to export her collections to all major markets. In 2016 Paskal, who is frequently referred to as "vivacious", was the first Ukrainian designer ever to have a solo show in the official lineup of the Paris Fashion Week.

Since its founding in 2013, Paskal has enjoyed a meteoric rise to brand name recognition among the fashionably chic and Hollywood glitterati—Peyton List, Bailee Madison, and Monica Belluci. Famous for its delicate silhouettes and innovative laser cutting to achieve expertly constructed garments, designer Julie Paskal’s collections are feminine with a poetic quality that has a sensitivity to design as romantic as it is whimsical.

DZHUS
Ukraine-based ethical transformer clothing & accessories brand by Irina Dzhus launched in 2010 by designer and stylist Irina Dzhus. Her label is conceptually alive with meanings and ideas shaping fashion’s future code. Architectural in nature with a hyper-modern flair, DZHUS is one of a few brands crafting what’s next in the fashion narrative. In addition to its innovative cut and industrial aesthetic, all DZHUS garments come ethically produced using cruelty-free materials.

The founder of Ukrainian clothing brand DZHUS has created an impromptu collection based on a single suitcase of garments salvaged when she was forced to flee as Russian forces invaded her country.

"Keeping in mind that I might need to walk long distances with three cats (in two carriers), I could only take as much luggage as I'd still be able to bear," she explained to Dezeen.

The designer, who is now a refugee in Warsaw, fled from her home in the city of Vyshhorod with one suitcase containing "half the stock" from her eponymous brand's Spring Summer 2022 collection, Physique.

"Our evacuation journey was quite an extreme challenge," continued the Dezeen account. "After the Russian terror began, we had to wait in our [apartment] block's basement for four days until there occurred a chance to get to the central railway station, from which evacuation trains departed."

"The first few days were the most horrific," she said. "I was so shocked that I could neither sleep nor eat or even breathe properly."

"I got petrified with terror. In five minutes, I was packing an emergency bag. We called our relatives to check if they were alive," recounted Dzhus. "I got petrified with terror. In five minutes, I was packing an emergency bag. We called our relatives to check if they were alive," recounted Dzhus.

Now in Warsaw, the designer is looking into ways that the brand can continue to operate. The brand is currently donating "30 to 50 per cent" of the profits made from selling these pieces to Come Back Alive, a charity that supports Ukrainian military, as well as animal shelters Sight and Plyushka, and animal rights group UAnimals – organizations that the fashion label feels align with its values.

Lake Studio
Known for their exclusive prints created in collaboration with contemporary artists, designers Anastasia Riabokon and Olesya Kononova’s brand, Lake Studios expertly merges modern appeal and sophistication for the worldly woman. In addition to their womenswear brand, Lake Studio creates fanciful art-inspired jewels made from a broad palette of materials like coral, cat’s eye, porcelain, and freshwater pearls. According to their website: "Lake Studio is an intellectual art-inspired fashion brand. The label rethinks timeless classics and power dressing through a prism of contemporary art. Lake Studio designs effortless and elegant garments that every woman can wear in her day-to-day life instead of admiring them on the catwalk."

Because of the war in Ukraine the company has been forced to stop accepting new orders, but hope peace prevails and the company can resume business.

Vita Kin, the 52-year-old fashion designer and founder of the Vita Kin brand, was initially inspired by the vyshyvanka - a traditional Ukrainian embroidered white blouse which is seen in different variations throughout Kin’s work. The Kyiv-based brand is dedicated to showing the beauty of Ukrainian heritage, with folk patterns present in almost every piece.

Kin shared her wishes with the international community in an Instagram message. "Dear friends, partners, followers from all around the world… We are bravely fighting for our freedom and for freedom in the entire world," she writes. "Many are asking how they can help. I ask you: give us your attention and energy in social media. Ukrainians are fighting for all of you. Everyone who is posting fashion, travel, food, animals… Please be with us. Inspire us and goodwill triumph! Your Vita Kin and 40 million Ukrainians."

Julie Pelipas and Anna October, two fashion designers who were forced to escape Kyiv in harrowing circumstances. Pelipas, whose family roots are in Mariupol, fled to Greece to take care of her mother. October eventually made it to Paris, after sheltering in a forest with a backpack. They have regrouped with a practical method – Bettter.Community – a non-profit digital platform which enables the massed expertise of the international fashion industry to connect with Ukrainian designers, photographers, videographers, graphic designers, and artists – creatives who are now scattered throughout Europe, in Ukraine and beyond, as first reported by missthinkup.

"With the current war, numerous talented creatives are left without work," October says. “Having had a successful career in the creative industry, both domestically and internationally, these are some of the industry’s most talented people and they now need support.” Against a yellow-blue background, the Bettter. Community website spells it out. "Our goal is to showcase Ukraine’s top creatives in various fields to international media, agencies, public institutions, and many more. We aim to help these creatives to be hired either full-time or for commission-based positions. ” "We were peaceful and happy and had a normal life that suddenly turned into hell," adds Pelipas as reported by missthinkup. "Ukrainians are shy people – and I don’t think the world realized how many are successful in our independent, young culture.” Three years ago, Pelipas left her former job as fashion director of Vogue Ukraine to orient itself towards "design for purpose" with her sustainable fashion brand, Bettter.us, upcycling deadstock menswear suits from brands like Hugo Boss, expertly tweaked to fit women. Every drop of her incredibly cool tailoring – "our proof of concept" – was selling out directly to customers on the day she posted it from her office in Kyiv.

“The joke was that we were about to launch officially on February 24, the day war started,” says Pelipas. “Since then, I realized I must act as a human being. The important thing I realized is that people who want to donate must have trusted sources, to know that their money is going directly to the right places to help. And for me, that means making the connection with the needs of the people I know. Creative kids are in survival mode. People need the means to work. They have basic needs: accommodation, maybe just a desk to work from somewhere. And longer-term: jobs and collaborations. We decided to make this platform so that it would be easy for any company to connect with them – agencies, PR, people who can provide legal advice. "

Anna October, founder of the ethical womenswear brand based in the Ukrainian city of Odesa. Like many other brands based in the country, Anna October has halted all deliveries. All collections from the brand use local techniques and are exclusively manufactured in Ukraine.

October has previously stated that she does not follow trends because "her main inspiration is the way she feels and perceives feminine beauty and visual aesthetics."

The designer shared an emotional message on her Instagram platform. "Yesterday was the hardest day in my life when the war started in my country. I woke up from the bomb shots. I feel a deep pain for my nation, my family and friends," she shared. "I built a brand in Ukraine, and I always wanted to create, to develop ideas that will make people’s lives more beautiful, I wanted to be useful for others. I want nothing but just be able to live and work in my country. I ask you for help, to spread the world, to protest, to help block SWIFT for Russia, to close the air, to stop the war!"

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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

A STATUE OF QUEEN ROCKER FREDDIE MERCURY

Freddie Mercury statue in South Korea. Photo: Twitter.

in his signature raising his fist pose, was unveiled last Thursday in Jeju Island, Korea.

The unveiling was a dream of superfan South Korean businessman Baek Soon-yeob, 57, who built the life sized statue at a cost of $40,081.00.

The 20 foot-high bronze statue came to its place of honor after Baek Soon-yeob spent years attempting to get permission of the band Queen. First he sent an email to the band in 2014 asking for the rights to build the statue, which is now only the second in the world. The other statue is in Montreux, Switzerland.

“If you want peace of mind, come to Montreux”, said Freddie Mercury (1946-1991). As well as living in Montreux, he also recorded six albums there with Queen.

A large bronze statue, standing 9,84 feet high, on the market square facing Lake Geneva, was unveiled five years after Freddie's death by Montserrat Caballé and Freddie’s mother Jer. It was sculptured by Irena Sedlecka, the famous Czech artist now living in London.

Queen ignored Baek's first e-mail. The determined fan wrote an email every month for seven years until finally, in 2020, members of the band and its production company finally met with him in Seoul, on the occasion of Queen's first concert in South Korea.

That concert was organized after the phenomenal success of the 2018 film Bohemian Rhapsody, which told Mercury's life story and was seen by tens of millions of people in South Korea.

Mercury died of complications from AIDS in 1991.

Baek said he hoped the statue would help "people who criticize sexual minorities to reconsider their views".

At the unveiling the band's guitarist Brian May assured them in a video message that he was with them "in spirit", and that Freddie Mercury would have appreciated the tribute.

His career as lead singer of the band Queen spanned twenty years and together they sold over 150 million albums worldwide. Innovator, showman, musician extraordinaire, he left a compelling legacy and had an enormous influence on the next generation of rock performers.

TURNER'S MODERN WORLD What made J. M. W. Turner modern—his dedication to timely subjects and new modes of depiction—also makes his art vital to our moment. This provocative, daring exhibition unites the artist’s most celebrated masterpiece with more than 100 other works, providing a unique opportunity to see it in a new context.

A radical artist confronts changing times.

One of Britain’s greatest artists, J. M. W. Turner (1775–1851) lived and worked at the peak of the industrial revolution, when steam replaced sail, machine power replaced manpower, and wars, political unrest, and social reforms transformed society. Turner’s Modern World explores how this artist, more than any of his contemporaries, embraced these changes and developed an innovative painting style to better capture the new world.

This landmark exhibition brings together more than 100 paintings, watercolors, drawings, and sketchbooks by Turner, including Snow Storm: Hannibal and his Army Crossing the Alps (1812) from Tate Britain, The Burning of the Houses of Lords and Commons, October 16, 1834 (1835) from the Cleveland Museum of Art, and the MFA’s own Slave Ship (Slavers Throwing Overboard the Dead and Dying, Typhoon Coming On) (1840). These vivid and dramatic compositions demonstrate Turner’s commitment to depicting the great events and developments of his time, from technological advances to causes such as abolition and political reform.

Through July 10, 2022 at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston.

WALTER SICKERT Tate Britain will stage London’s biggest retrospective of Walter Sickert (1860-1942) in almost 30 years. A master of self-invention and theatricality, Sickert took a radically modern approach to painting in the late 19th and early 20th centuries, transforming how everyday life was captured on canvas.

This major exhibition will feature over 150 of his works from over 70 public and private collections, from scenes of rowdy music halls to ground-breaking nudes and narrative subjects.

Spanning Sickert’s six-decade career, it will uncover the people, places and subjects that inspired him and will explore his legacy as one of Britain’s most distinctive, provocative, and influential artists.

April 28 - September 18, 2022.

THE JOSLYN ART MUSEUM in Omaha, Nebraska closes May 1, 2022 to undergo major renovation.

The venue will close for a period of two years. "Joslyn’s expansion and renovation will add galleries, classrooms, public spaces, a new entrance, nd so much more! The construction is significant, and our temporary closure will keep people and art safe."

ALEXANDER LETVIN has been named the inaugural Duane Wilder, Class of 1951, Associate Curator of European Art at the Princeton University Art Museum.

Letvin joins Princeton from the Allen Memorial Art Museum at Oberlin College in Oberlin, Ohio, where she has served as assistant curator of European and American art since 2019. She will begin her appointment at Princeton early this summer.

The newly endowed position is named in honor of Duane Wilder, who was an avid art collector and a tireless advocate for the arts and humanities on Princeton’s campus and beyond. He served for nearly 40 years on the Princeton University Art Museum’s Advisory Council and bequeathed his extensive collection to the Museum upon his death in 2017. In 2020 the Museum presented The Eclectic Eye, a digital exhibition featuring highlights from Wilder’s collection that ranged from sixteenth-century northern European paintings to contemporary photography.

At Princeton, Letvin’s portfolio will include guiding the Museum’s program in European art from the medieval period to 1945 and integrating the European tradition more fully into global inquiries. Letvin’s appointment comes at a critical time for the Museum, which last year began construction on a dramatic new facility designed by Sir David Adjaye, scheduled to open in late 2024. Letvin will be responsible for shaping collections displays in the new building, originating exhibitions, conducting research, making acquisitions and working closely with campus and broader communities.

Letvin graduated magna cum laude from Williams College with a bachelor’s degree in art history and received a master’s and PhD in the history of art from Johns Hopkins University. Before joining Oberlin, she was a postdoctoral fellow at the Philadelphia Museum of Art and has held curatorial fellowships at the Meadows Museum in Dallas and the Baltimore Museum of Art.

THE COSTUME INSTITUTE'S IN AMERICA: AN ANTHOLOGY OF FASHION

Ball gown by Marguery Bolhagen. Photo: The Met.

the second in a two-part exhibition exploring fashion in the United States.

Presented by the Costume Institute in collaboration with The Met's American Wing, the exhibition will highlight sartorial narratives that relate to the complex and layered histories of the American Wing period rooms.

Men’s and women’s dress dating from the eighteenth century to the present will be featured in vignettes installed in select period rooms spanning ca. 1805 to 1915: a Shaker Retiring Room from the 1830s; a nineteenth-century parlor from Richmond, Virginia; a panoramic 1819 mural of Versailles; and a twentieth-century living room designed by Frank Lloyd Wright, among others.

These interiors display a survey of more than two hundred years of American domestic life and tell a variety of stories—from the personal to the political, the stylistic to the cultural, and the aesthetic to the ideological. The exhibition will reflect on these narratives through a series of three-dimensional cinematic "freeze frames" produced in collaboration with notable American film directors. These mise-en-scènes will explore the role of dress in shaping American identity and address the complex and layered histories of the rooms.

The exhibition opens to the public on May 7, 2022 at The Met in New York City. On display through September 5, 2022.

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SWEET CHARITY

BROADWAY BELTS FOR PFF the single largest fundraiser for the Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF) takes place Friday evening, April 29, 2022 at New York City's Edison Ballroom.

Tony Award-winning actress and comedienne Julie Halston will emcee the 12th annual Broadway Belts for PFF. This year's hybrid event will also be virtual. Virtual attendees will enjoy a fully interactive experience with a special welcome from the PFF medical team, a mixology class, and the live show.

Broadway Belts for PFF! features a cocktail reception, superb cuisine, and extraordinary performances by Broadway stars including:

Lillias White, Robert Creighton, Jim Caruso, Ann Harada, Beth Leavel, Derrick Davis, Arielle Jacobs, Telly Leung and Ruby Locknar who will perform a song in honor of the PF community that she co-wrote with her mother, singer and songwriter, Victoria Shaw who is an Academy of Country Music Award-winner, for the PFF National Walk Day 2021.

A highlight of the evening will include recognition of Tom Viola, Executive Director of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA), with the 2022 Ralph Howard Legacy Award. Viola, who has supported Broadway Belts for PFF! since its inception in 2010, has contributed significantly to health and family service organizations nationwide. The pulmonary fibrosis community is grateful for the opportunity to honor his generosity and support of the PFF. The Ralph Howard Legacy Award is named for anchorman Ralph Howard, the late husband of hostess Julie Halston. Howard was a committed advocate of mentorship and community involvement, and he provided unwavering support for Broadway Belts for PFF! His lasting legacy lives on through this annual award.

"We are overwhelmed with gratitude to Julie, her production team and the stars who perform in Broadway Belts for PFF!," said William T. Schmidt, President and CEO of the PFF. "Funding from the event helps accelerate vital research and provides patient programs for those living with this debilitating disease."

Broadway Belts for PFF! is directed by Carl Andress with Christopher McGovern as Musical Director. The benefit is produced for the twelfth straight year by D. Michael Dvorchak, Sue Frost, Julie Halston, and Ed Windels.

Pulmonary fibrosis and interstitial lung disease are characterized by varied amounts of inflammation and scarring that damage the ability of the lung to transfer vital oxygen into the blood. The prevalence of PF is on the rise with more than 50,000 new cases diagnosed annually. There is no known cure.

KEEN COMPANY'S BENEFIT READING OF LIGHT UP THE SKY by Moss Hart Directed by Jonathan Silverstein. One Night Only: Monday, April 25th at Theatre Row in New York City featuring with Tovah Feldshuh, Andrew Dawson, Kelly McAndrew, Matt Servitto, Allan K. Washington, Kayce Wilson, Arnie Burton, Jasminn Johnson, Lauren Molina, Reg Rogers, Ari'el Stachel, and Jason Tam.

An outstanding hit of the Broadway theater, Moss Hart’s Light Up the Sky is a gorgeously amusing comedy about show folks. The comedy revolves around a group of New York theater-folk who attend the opening of their new play in Boston. The lead actress, the backer, and several others, are in seventh heaven at the prospect of a tremendous success which they hope for in the work of a young unknown writer. Gathered in a hotel room, these people go through their paces with tremendous gusto and many exhibitions of temperament. The opening of the play, which is a very earnest and experimental work, is such as to lead the cast, director and backer to believe it a flop. Instantly they turn against themselves, the production, the author and savagely proceed in what looks like an attempt to destroy themselves and all their former hopes. It turns out, however, that in spite of the curious reception by the first night audience, the play has made a deep impression, and when news spreads that the reviews are on the whole favorable, the tables are turned. But the playwright who has suffered both from the enthusiasm and pessimism of his associates has decided that he is through with the theater, and he is captured by the backer only at the moment he is about to take a plane back home. He is persuaded to play ball with his associates, but he is so disgusted with the temperamental shenanigans of those who were presumably his friends that he turns on them and lays down the law to them.

SPREADING THE WORD

THE TONY AWARDS has delayed announcing their nominations due to the "challenges Broadway has faced in recent weeks."

That would be Covid flareups as numerous production have had show cancellations due to positive Covid tests. Those sows included Macbeth after Daniel Craig tested positive - although there is always the possibility that somebody said "Macbeth" in the theater according to the Scottish curse,which warns that speaking the name Macbeth inside a theatre, other than as called for in the script while rehearsing or performing, will cause disaster.

The Broadway League and the American Theare Wing delayed nomination announcements from May 2 to May 9. The eligibility cutoff date was also extended until May 4, 2022.

In their joint announcement the organizations also addressed violence and a dress code.

Attendees are required to be fully vaccinated. It stressed that it has a "strick no violence policy ... explaining that any "perpetrator" will be immediately removed from the Tony Awards ceremony. The Tony Awards is still scheduled for June 12, 2022. For the first time the ceremony will air live during all U.S. time zones on CBS. The ceremony will stream live on Paramount.

THE 2022 NFL DRAFT has an entertainment line up which features Grammy winners Weezer, Ice Cube and Grammy nominated, chart topping Marshmello as the headliners. The three musicians are scheduled to play separately at the conclusion of each night of the NFL Draft in Las Vegas, April 28-30.

Others on the bill include The Blue Man Group, Absinthe by Spiegelworld, Aerial Angels of Trapeze, Kodi Lee, Mat Franco, Absinthe by Spiegelworld, Jabbawockeez, Mad Apple by Cirque du Soleil, Criss Angel, Opening Moment, Patti Pennington and the House of Blues Gospel Choir, Piff the Magic Dragon, Eldorado High School Madrigal Singers, Terry Fator, and Wy Mac.

Performances will be streamed in full on NFL.com, in the NFL app and live on NFL Facebook and YouTube pages each night. Portions of the performances will also be televised across NFL Network and ESPN.

INTRODUCING DOWNTON ABBEY'S MRS. PATMORE IN A LIMITED ENGAGEMENT Enjoy an intimate evening with Downton Abbey star Lesley Nicol. Through masterful storytelling and ten original songs, Lesley takes the audience on a journey from her childhood through her time as a working actor to her success on Downton Abbey.

Directed by Luke Kernaghan. Following this New York City gig the show will be performed at American Conservatory Theater in San Francisco in June and open in July as part of the Pittsburgh Public Theater's 2022 season at the O'Reilly Theater.

Performances through May 8 on The Club Car Stage at The McKittrick Hotel in New York City.

BUILDING A GREAT ENTERTAINMENT BRAND a NAB panel takes place Monday, April 25 at the Las Vegas Convention Center in Las Vegas, NV.

"Building a great entertainment brand in today’s tech driven ecosystem requires a constantly evolving process around the development, creation and monetization of content. In this era of constantly evolving new platforms, how do you know what type of distribution channel to leverage? What is best for the story you're trying to tell and what’s the correct model for building an audience and sustaining revenue? We will hear from a group of Hollywood executives in the front line of content creation and production on how you stay relevant and profitable in an ever changing content marketplace."

Panelists:

Ian Hecox, president and co-founder at Smosh
Russell Arons, president of gaming and fandom network at G4TV
Ira Rubenstein, chief digital and marketing officer at PBS
Moderator: Daniel Tibbets, CEO at Smosh.

QUEEN ELIZABETH IS NOW A BARBIE DOLL

Queen Elizabeth II as a Barbie Doll

Toymaker Mattel has released a Queen Elizabeth II Barbie doll. The elegant creation shows Her Majesty dressed in a silky, ivory brocade dress, similar to the one the real Queen has worn in portrait with a blue ribbon sash. The sash features Royal Family Order medallions, honors given privately from the sovereign to member of the family - blue from her grandfather, George V and pink from her father George VI.

Her white hair is elegantly styled to show off the Queen Mary Fringe Tiara. which once belonged to her grandmother and mother. The queen wore the tiara on her wedding day and then loaned it to her daughter Anne, The Princess Royal and then her granddaughter Princess Beatrice on their big days. With no detail left ignored, she has exquisite makeup, a necklace adores her neck, completing the look with drop earrings and gloves.

The doll commemorates Elizabeth's 96th birthday and her Platinum Jubilee, marking 70-years on the throne.

The doll is part of the Barbie tribute collection, which the company says pays tribute to "visionary individuals with an outstanding impact and legacy".

it is packaged in a model of Buckingham Palace's throne room with a price tag of $75.

54 CELEBRATES 10 YEARS OF MUSICAL THEATRE HISTORY Since opening its doors ten years ago, Feinstein’s/54 Below has prided itself in being the premiere home for celebrating musical theatre’s rich history. From reviving the jewels of the canon to concerts celebrating Broadway’s theatres, Feinstein’s/54 Below audiences have taken countless trips down a magical memory lane. Now, to celebrate their tenth year in operation, Feinstein’s/54 Below will be celebrating these wonderful musical moments that appeared on their stage.

10 Years of Musical Theatre History will play Feinstein’s/54 Below on Monday, May 2nd, 2022, at 7:00pm & 9:30pm in a concert directed and produced by Robert W. Schneider.

Scheduled to appear in the 7:00pm concerts are Christine Andreas, Jim Brochu, Charles Busch, Carole Demas, Ed Dixon, Jerry Dixon, Rita Gardner, Anita Gillette, Jim Walton, and Maury Yeston.

Scheduled to appear in the 9:30pm concerts are Lynn Ahrens, Len Cariou, Sara Jean Ford, Stephen Flaherty, Joe Iconis, Kecia Lewis, J. Elaine Marcos, Lee Roy Reams, Don Scardino, Christian Thompson, and Walter Willison.

The concert will be hosted by Robbie Rozelle and music directed by Michael Lavine.

LA LINEA The London Latin Music Festival has returned to venues across Central London with all that is best and current in contemporary Latin music from fado to mariachi.

Featuring a program largely headlined by women, La Linea 2022 marks the return of international artists after more than two years alongside shows from an array of acts from the UK’s burgeoning Latin music scene.

They’ll be appearances for Las Adelitas, a seven-piece all-female band aiming to break stereotypes as the only female Mariachi band in Europe, and Luzmira Zerpa, a prolific Venezuelan singer/songwriter who is presenting her new project delving into the music of the Andean plains.

Performers also include Grammy nominated Cuban pianist Roberto Fonseca and Trio; Grammy nominated singer/songwriter Bebel Gilberto. Opening for Bebel is Carwyn Ellis & Rio 18 whose Welsh language take on Brazilian music epitomizes the La Linea bridge between the UK and Latin America. There is also pioneering French-Chilean vocalis Ana Tijoux whose sound blends hip-hop, Latin pop and R&B, New Regency Orchestra and many more.

Electric Brixton showcases Maykel Blanco in South London with his Salsa Mayor known as ‘The Musical Machine of Cuba’. London’s own New Regency Orchestra plays a special La Linea show as part of its EartH residency, as they demonstrate their mission to take the Afro Cuban sounds and lift them into the 21st century. The band includes a 12-piece horn section alongside an extensive 6-piece rhythm section sourcing inspiration from New York’s amalgamation of Jazz and Latin from the 50s to the 70s.

The festival also welcomes Sara Correia for her UK debut performing at the Union Chapel.

Union Chapel also hosts fado rewired with Portuguese singer Lina joining forces with contemporary producer Raül Refree creating a new approach to fado queen Amália Rodrigues’s iconic repertoire.

La Linea 22 will also host a Candela Records Showcase at the Jazz Cafe, where musicians such as Angelo Flow, Clara Hurtado and Guala will take to the stage. Candela Records is the UK’s first ever record label dedicated to Urban Latin Music, a partnership between Atlantic Records UK, music distributor ADA and Latino Life media. In addition to live music, the festival will present the UK film premiere of feature film Mambo Man, which has won 80 international film festival awards and features a soundtrack of Cuban music.

SOME LIKE IT HOT which will start previews on November 1, 2022, with an official opening night of December 11, 2022, at the Shubert Theatre in New York City has announced the cast.

Christian Borle will play Joe/Josephine, a role originated by Tony Curtis in the film, and will be joined by J. Harrison Ghee as Jerry/Daphne, which Jack Lemmon played in the movie. Adrianna Hicks has been cast as Sugar, a role made famous by Marilyn Monroe.

All three cast members have been with the show since the workshop phase.

Other cast members include Kevin Del Aguila, NaTasha Yvette Williams, Adam Heller and Mark Lotito.

Some Like It Hot is set in Prohibition-era Chicago and follows two musicians who witness a mob hit and are forced to disguise themselves as women in an all-female band in order to escape the pursuing mobsters.

The musical will feature a book by Tony Award winner Matthew López and Amber Ruffin, with music and lyrics by Marc Shaiman and Scott Wittman, and will be directed by Casey Nicholaw.

A PROJECTS WORKSHOP PRODUCTION OF The Pilot Who Crashed the Party a dangerous satire in two acts, written & directed by Tony and two time Drama Desk Award winner Paul Sand.

Sally celebrates her 50th birthday with a small but elaborate dinner party for three friends in her manor nestled in the Santa Monica Mountains. Their evening is interrupted and fully consumed by an unexpected visitor during a rare southern California rainstorm. As the long night progresses, Sally and her guests simultaneously learn more and understand less about each other as the storm brews outside, and within, the house walls.
Who is this mystery guest really? Or better yet, who are these four seemingly close friends?

April 29-May 1 as a visiting production at the The Odyssey Theatre in Los Angeles.

BROADWAY CELEBRATES THE SORAYA'S 10TH ANNIVERSARY with super-star trio of Broadway artists joining forces with Richard Kaufman and the CSUN Symphony for The Soraya’s 10th Anniversary Celebration on Saturday, April 30, 2022.

Eden Espinosa, Joshua Henry, and Megan Hilty will raise the roof with a program specifically curated by The Soraya at Cal State University in Northridge, CA which include songs from the late Stephen Sondheim’s Sunday in the Park with George and Company, plus numbers from Wicked; Hamilton; Carousel; and more.

All three will be backed by a full orchestra conducted by Music Director Richard Kaufman who is soon to be given the title of Pops Conductor Laureate, he is in his 30th year as Principal Pops Conductor of Pacific Symphony. He is also in his 16th season with the Chicago Symphony Orchestra concert series, CSO at the Movies, and holds the permanent title of Pops Conductor Laureate with the Dallas Symphony.

"A performing arts center in the Valley was a long-time vision, not only for local arts lovers, but also for civic leaders who recognized that a population and geographic area larger than all but five cities in the U.S. deserved a world-class venue,” said Thor Steingraber, Executive and Artistic Director. "That vision became reality when CSUN heeded the call, even amidst the Great Recession. In 2011, the venue opened, exceeding all expectations."

THE EAGLES on stage April 25 at the Bon Secours Wellness Arena Greenville, SC. On Thursday they open a two nighter at the Bridgestone Arena Nashville, TN.

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

GENE SIMMONS international rock legend and co-founder of KISS, America’s #1 gold record award-winning group of all time, in all categories (RIAA) is respected for his business acuen as much as his musical creativity, has teamed with Gibson to create the new Gene Simmons G2 Thunderbird Bass (pronounced G-squared) defines the merging of two music icons and will bring multiple electric guitar and bass collections across Gibson Brands including Gibson, Epiphone, and Kramer. The first-ever signature artist bass for Gene from Gibson, the Gene Simmons G² Thunderbird Bass introduces a revitalized Gibson Bass lineup with more signature and core guitars to come.

“Gibson is an outstanding company and has earned its place as a leading guitar brand with fans around the world,” says Simmons. “ The new G² Thunderbird basses are all handmade in the USA, with a sound that is off the charts. The design is so beautiful and collectible, they are simply works of art.”

Cesar Gueikian, Brand President, Gibson Brands advises that this is "the first of many ways in which the G² partnership will be paying tribute to Gene, his iconic status, and continue to inspire new generations of Gibson and Gene Simmons fans to play and create music.”

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THE NATIONAL BROADCASTERS HALL OF FAME has inducted Jim Bohannon, Lester Holt, All Things Considered represented by Ailsa Chang and The Price is Right represented by Drew Carey.

MEMBERS OF THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS have elected a dozen people to serve on the NAB Radio Board. Their two-year terms will begin in June.

The new additions include:

District 2 -- NY, NJ -- Townsquare Media CEO Bill Wilson
District 4 -- DE, DC, MD, VA -- Mel Wheeler, Inc. President Leonard Wheeler
District 6 -- NC, SC -- Alpha Media CEO Bob Proffitt
District 8 -- LA, MS -- Guaranty Broadcasting President/Owner Flynn Foster
District 10 -- IN -- Neuhoff Media COO Michael Hulvey
District 12 - MO, KS -- Zimmer Radio of Mid-Missouri President/Owner John Zimmer
District 14 -- IA, WI -- iHeartMedia EVP of Business Affairs and Chief Music Licensing Counsel Gabe Fleet
District 16 -- CO, NE -- AlwaysMountainTime President/CEO Pete Benedetti
District 18 -- Southern TX -- Bryan Broadcasting VP Ben Downs
District 20 --MT, ID, WY -- Legend Communications Managing Partner Larry Patrick
District 22 -- AZ, NV, NM, UT -- Beasley Media Group Chief Content Officer Justin Chase
District 24 -- Southern CA, Guam, HI -- Audacy Executive VP/General Counsel Andrew Sutor
In addition, Jessica Marventano, Senior VP of Government Affairs, iHeartMedia will assume the appointed Board seat currently held by Michele Laven, Chief Human Resources Officer and Chief Diversity Officer, iHeartMedia.

The NAB Television Board also elected six, including Tegna EVP/COO Lynn Beall, Capitol Broadcasting President/COO Jimmy Goodmon, Griffin Communications CEO David Griffin, WPLG-TV Miami President/CEO Bert Medina, Bahakel Communications Executive VP Amy Elizabeth Pittenger, and Heart Television SVP of Distribution and Government Affairs Nicholas Radziul.

TIFFANY LOPEZ has been named dean of the Claire Trevor School of the Arts at the University of California, Irvine, following a nationwide search. She will assume the post on July 1.

Lopez comes to UCI from Arizona State University, where she serves as vice provost for inclusive excellence and as a Foundation Professor in the Sidney Poitier New American Film School in ASU’s Herberger Institute for Design and the Arts. In that capacity she diversified faculty across the school’s programs, and increased opportunities for students to engage with regional artists and experience intergenerational mentorship.

CHEF DAVID DiSALVO (STK, Puttanesca) has been named head chef of Spritz in New York City. DiSalvo designed the menu which "emphasizes shared plate style Italian dining. Neopolitan-style thin crust Pizzas, including a classic Margherita, Rosso (Vegan with San Marzano tomatoes, Calabrian chili garlic confit) and Fungi (wild mushrooms, mozzarella, and fresh Parmigiano-Reggiano), are prepared in a wood burning oven from Naples," to name only a few. The venue is called "chic and playful space -- featuring DJs and live performers -- encourages social gathering."

The Front of the House is manned by General Manager Gabriel Solano, who brings a wealth of experience from the Mandarin Oriental New York, The Stone Rose, the Mercer Hotel and the W Washington DC.



THE MJ EXPERIENCE: A MICHAEL JACKSON TRIBUTE starring Santana Jackson.

A Special Engagement. Come and experience the magic of Michael Jackson and many of his signature, hit singles including Thriller. Performed by "the world’s most realistic MJ impersonator," direct from Las Vegas, Santana Jackson. Audience members are invited and encouraged to participate in the live Grand finale’ Thriller performance, taught and led by Santana Jackson.

Santana Jackson a popular Michael Jackson tribute artist and pro wrestler, performed at the Tropicana and Stratosphere Hotels in Las Vegas as part of the MJ Live Show, a Las Vegas-based tribute concert to the late pop star. The organization’s website referred to him as one of the globe’s “top Michael Jackson tribute artists” and is “committed to bringing the magic of Michael Jackson to audiences around the world.”

Last January he made international headlines and racked up over 1.6 million views on Twitter when he was attacked by a belligerent man in Las Vegas. Santana Jackson "beat it" after "a guy came from out of nowhere and started hitting" while Santana Jackson was performing on Fremont Street, and that he had "to put him down for his own good.”

Santana Jackson quickly defended himself and brought the man to the ground with an expertly timed “Billie Jean kick.”

The "Bad" impersonator quickly took control, executing a bulldog choke — a headlock-style submission hold — causing the assailant to go to sleep with the crowd cheering "He’s out."

Eventually the loser stood up and attempted to walk away.

Obviously, the Gloved One impersonator's beatdown made waves online, with many referencing his legendary songs.

Fightful.com reporter Sean Ross Sapp exclaimed that the performer executed the "LeBell Lock," a headlock-adjacent move named after legendary martial artist Gene LeBell, which has since been popularized by WWE competitor Daniel Bryan.

Immediately Santana Jackson clarified that he was "not trying to hurt this guy just trying to restrain him from swinging at me. Please know I don’t think fighting is the answer so try to avoid a fight if u can. Stay safe," the singer added.

Santana Jackson performs Sunday, May 1, at The Historic North Theatre in Danville, VA.

HARMONY: A NEW MUSICAL at the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene in New York City has been extended through May 15, 2022.

Written by the legendary Barry Manilow and his longtime collaborator Bruce Sussman and directed and choreographed by Tony Award-winner Warren Carlyle.

Harmony tells the true story of the Comedian Harmonists, an ensemble of six talented young men in 1920s Germany who took the world by storm with their signature blend of sophisticated close harmonies and uproarious stage antics, until their inclusion of Jewish singers put them on a collision course with history.

Starring musical theatre icons Chip Zien and Sierra Boggess.

Playing the six Comedian Harmonists are Sean Bell, Danny Kornfeld, Zal Owen, Eric Peters, Blake Roman, and Steven Telsey. Jessie Davidson plays Ruth, with Ana Hoffman portraying Josephine Baker – a major celebrity whom the Harmonists encountered on their way to the top. Kenny Morris is the standby for Zien’s Rabbi.

The ensemble includes Elise Frances Daniells, Zak Edwards, Abby Goldfarb, Eddie Grey, Shayne Kennon, Kolby Kindle, Benjamin H. Moore, Matthew Mucha, Tori Palin, Barrett Riggins, Kayleen Seidl, Andrew O’Shanick, Dan Teixeira, Nancy Ticotin, and Kate Wesler.

The creative and production team includes: Beowulf Boritt, scenic designer; Linda Cho & Ricky Lurie, costume designers; Jules Fisher & Peggy Eisenhauer, lighting designers; Dan Moses Schreier, sound designer; batwin + robin productions, inc., video design; Jamibeth Margolis, CSA, casting director; Sara Edwards, associate director/choreographer; Roy Gabay/Jumpstart Entertainment, general manager; Tom Watson, wig and hair designer; and John O’Neill, music director and additional vocal and music arranger. Amanda Stuart and Melissa Chacón serve as stage managers. Harmony is based in part on The Comedian Harmonist Archive as curated by the late Dr. Peter Czada.

OCTAVIA BUTLER’S PARABLE OF THE SOWER by Toshi Reagon and Bernice Johnson Reagon. Based on the Novels Parable of the Sower and Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler.

Directed by Eric Ting.

Parable of the Sower is a triumphant, mesmerizing work of rare power and beauty that illuminates deep insights on gender, race, and the future of human civilization. This fully staged opera brings together over 30 original anthems drawn from 200 years of Black music to recreate Butler’s sci-fi, Afrofuturist masterpiece live on stage. With music and lyrics composed by Toshi Reagon and Bernice Johnson Reagon, this compelling work gives life to Butler’s acclaimed science fiction novel of the same name.

Co-Presented by Strathmore April 28 & 29, 2022 performed at Strathmore Music Center in North Bethesda, MD.

LUCK JUST KISSED YOU HELLO Written by Amy Conroy.

Directed by Wayne Jordan.

In this brand new production of Amy Conroy’s family drama of self-realization, Mark is confronted by his twin brother Gary and old friend Sullivan, defending his new life to those who knew him best as Laura.

Beautiful and darkly funny, Luck Just Kissed You Hello peels back the layers of masculinity to discover how our experiences shape who we are. Can Mark face his past and find out what it truly means to be his own man?

Featuring: Riley Carter (Mark), Ross O'Donnellan (Gary) and Jamie O'Neill (Sullivan).

Luck Just Kissed You Hello runs on the Peacock stage of the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Ireland April 29 - May 14, 2022.

WHICH WAY TO THE STAGE by Ana Nogueira.

Directed by Mike Donahue.

The year is 2015 and Jeff and Judy are right where they’re supposed to be: waiting outside the stage door of If/Then to get an autograph from the star. But the experience they have while they wait will change the course of their decades-long friendship forever.

The cast of will include Sas Goldberg, Max Jenkins, Evan Todd, and Michelle Veintimilla.

The creatives are: feature scenic design by Adam Rigg, costume design by Enver Chakartash (English), lighting design by Mextly Couzin and Jen Schriever, and sound design by Sinan Refik Zafar. Liz Caplan is the vocal supervisor and Paul McGill the choreographer. Hair, wig & makeup design is by Domino Couture and Alex H. Hajjar is the production stage manager.

? Officially runs at the Newman Mills Theater at MCC Theater in New York City through Sunday May 22, 2022.

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FINAL OVATION

ROBERT MORSE Tony and Emmy award winning actor died Wednesday, April 20, 2022 in Los Angeles. He wss a month shy of his 91st birthday.

Morse earned five Tony Award nominations in his career. He is best known as the star of both the 1961 original Broadway production, for which he won a Tony Award, and the 1967 film adaptation of How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, portraying J. Pierrepont Finch and as Bertram Cooper in the critically acclaimed AMC dramatic series Mad Men (2007–2015). He won his second Tony Award for playing Truman Capote in the 1989 production of the one-man play Tru. He reprised his role of Capote in an airing of the play for American Playhouse in 1992, winning him a Primetime Emmy Award.

He garnered five Emmy nominations for his performance as Bertram Cooper.

He made his Broadway debut as Barnaby Tucker in the original Broadway production of Thornton Wilder's The Matchmaker. He was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Performance by a Featured Actor in a Play for Say, Darling. Morse was in the original Broadway cast of Sugar, a 1972 musical stage adaptation of Some Like It Hot, for which he was nominated for another Tony. He starred in the 1976 musical So Long, 174th Street, which was based on the play Enter Laughing.

At the age of 85, Morse returned to Broadway in the 2016 revival of The Front Page with Nathan Lane, John Slattery, John Goodman, and Holland Taylor at the Broadhurst Theatre. Morse was inducted into the American Theater Hall of Fame for his long career as a stage actor.

Morse is survived by his wife Elizabeth Roberts and his children, Charlie Morse, Robin Morse, Hilary Morse, Andrea Doven.

PATRICK DeMARCHELIER

Patrick DeMarchelier's famed photo of Princess Diana.

famed fashion photographer died March 31, 2022 in Saint Barthekemy, France. He was 78.

DeMarchelier moved to Paris from Le Havre at the age of 20 and worked as a photographer’s assistant before getting his big break at American Vogue, before moving to New York City. Demarchelier formed a long-time relationship with Vogue creative director Grace Coddington at both American and British Vogue. One of his most memorable photographs is the one taken of Linda Evangelista for the September 1992 issue Harper’s Bazaar.

DeMarchelier shot campaigns for Christian Dior, Ralph Lauren, Chanel, and Giorgio Armani, and personal photos of Princess Diana which became one of the most widely circulated snaps. Princess Diana so admired his work that, in 1989, she commissioned him to photograph her with her sons, William and Harry, making him the first non-British photographer to do so.

DeMarchelier also photographed the Pirelli calendar in 2005, 2008 and 2014.

Patrick DeMarchelier is survived by his wife and three sons.

Next Column: May 1, 2022
Copyright: April 24, 2022 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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