Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: August 22, 2021
By: Laura Deni
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CINEMA CON 2021 GATHERS IN LAS VEGAS DECLARING THE BIG SCREEN IS BACK

CinemaCon, the annual gathering of cinema owners and Hollywood studios at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas takes place August 23-25. It's one of the biggest entertainment conventions in Las Vegas.

The pandemic forced the cancellation of last year’s CinemaCon in March 2020. Although the Delta variant sees case numbers rise across the country and Clark County (Las Vegas) has seen over 5,000 deaths, convention business is beginning to return, although some concerns still exist.

2,000 attendees are expected, down a third from 2019’s registered attendance. Many international delegates are unable to attend due to travel restrictions.

This year's CinemaCon schedule includes presentations from Universal, Warner Bros., Sony, Paramount, MGM, and Lionsgate. However, Disney has decided not to send executives and talent to the convention. Instead, it will screen its upcoming MCU installment Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings.

The flick stars Simu Liu as Shang-Chi, who must confront the past he thought he left behind when he was drawn into the web of the mysterious Ten Rings organization. The film is directed by Destin Daniel Cretton, produced by Kevin Feige and Jonathan Schwartz and also stars Tony Leung as Wenwu, Awkwafina as Shang Chi’s friend Katy and Michelle Yeoh as Jiang Nan, as well as Fala Chen, Meng’er Zhang, Florian Munteanu and Ronny Chieng.

Kicking off the conference is a Sony presentation, The Big Screen Is Back, a slogan that reverberates NATO-and the MPA-sponsored media showcase event held May 19 in Century City, CA.

Hosted by Josh Greenstein, President, Sony Picture Entertainment Motion Picture Group - Adrian Smith, President, Domestic Releasing, Sony Pictures Entertainment and Steven O’Dell, President, International Releasing, Sony Pictures Entertainment.

Interesting events include:

Rebuilding and Diversifying the Post-Covid Workforce. Many segments face new challenges when it comes to recruiting, training, and supporting a strong team. In the wake of new realities, the industry faces workforce obstacles not unlike many others. How do you hire staff members that reflect the diversity of the communities you serve? What innovative ways will convince your rising stars to stay on the job longer? A group of HR and diversity experts will weigh-in on these and other important employee retention action items. Moderator: Rebecca Pahle, Deputy Editor, Boxoffice Pro.

Panelists: Marissa Cazem, Diversity & Inclusion Brand Consultant; Sr. Manager, Global DIBs Communications, LinkedIn - Peter Lieu, VP, Operations, AMC Theatres - Francisco Schlotterbeck, CEO, Maya Cinemas.

Industry presentations of upcoming releases will take place including those from:

MGM/UAR, hosted by: Michael De Luca, Motion Picture Group Chairman, MGM -Pamela Abdy, Motion Picture Group President, MGM and Erik Lomis, President of Distribution, United Artists Releasing.

Warner Bros. Picture Studio, hosted by: Jeff Goldstein, President, Domestic Distribution and Andrew Cripps, President International Theatrical Distribution.

Universal Picture and Focus Features , hosted by: Lisa Bunnell President, Domestic Theatrical Distribution Focus Features - Veronika Kwan Vandenberg President, International Distribution Universal Pictures International and Jim Orr President, Domestic Theatrical Distribution Universal Pictures.

Lionsgate, hosted by: David Spitz, President, Domestic Theatrical Distribution - Joe Drake, Chairman, Motion Picture Group - Shaun Barber, EVP & General Sales Manager, Domestic Theatrical Distribution and Marisa Liston, President, Worldwide Marketing.

There will be a special presentation from NEON a company which, in just over four years, has garnered 12 Academy Award nominations, 5 wins, including Best Picture, and has grossed over $150M at the box office. The company continues to push boundaries and take creative risks on bold cinema such as Bong Joon Ho’s Parasite, which made history winning four Academy Awards, becoming the first non-English-language film to claim Best Picture. NEON will present its upcoming slate, which includes Spencer from acclaimed filmmaker Pablo Larraín (Jackie) starring Kristen Stewart; Petite Maman, Celine Sciamma’s follow up to Portrait of a Lady on Fire; and the Sundance Grand Jury Winner Flee.

Hosted by: Tom Quinn, Founder and CEO - Sumyi Antonson, SVP, Distribution and Marketing - Kim Kalyka, VP, Exhibitor Relations and Christian Parkes, CMO.

Globally Speaking: A Look at the International Market which accounts for upwards of 70% of the global box office is a panel presentation moderated by Nancy Tartaglione, International Box Office Editor, Senior Contributor, Deadline.

Panel Members: Mooky Greidinger, CEO, Cineworld Group - Veronika Kwan Vandenberg, President, Distribution, Universal Pictures International - Alejandro Ramírez Magaña, CEO, Cinépolis - Mark Viane, President, International Theatrical Distribution, Paramount Pictures.

According to the World Economic Forum while COVID-19 upended the global film industry, halting film production and closing cinemas, it can't be denied that even before the pandemic, streaming video on-demand (SVOD) was having a huge impact on the industry.

The pandemic accelerated the ongoing transformation in movie production, distribution and onsumption.

Movies are a massive value creator. Global box office revenues totaled $42 billion in 2019 – an all-time high – contributing almost one-third of the estimated $136 billion in the value of worldwide movie production and distribution.

Hollywood supports more than 2 million jobs and 400,000 American businesses; British film and TV are worth around £60 million each day to the UK economy. Countries like China are taking bold steps to grow creative output, too.

COVID-19 created uncertainty, and "the biggest short-term risk seems to be consumers’ dwindling confidence in physical venues."

First, there is a secular decline in film attendance. Except for China – where audiences grew over 860% from 2009-2019.

In India specifically, demand is believed to be strong for movies, but the country suffers from a relative dearth of screens.

Venue operators are also challenged by a shrinking theatrical window, the amount of time studios show movies exclusively in theatres before releasing them for sale, download or streaming. Since the turn of the century, the theatrical window has narrowed by more than two months.

This change reflects consumer preferences for content consumption, which increasingly favor streaming video on-demand (SVoD). Many SVoD services are now owned or invested in by movie studios, which mitigates incentives to maintain a long theatrical window and intensifies an increasingly competitive streaming environment.

This has led studios to prioritize releases for their own services, leading to a reduction in films shown in theaters. According to analyst Matthew Ball, 15 years ago, the "big six" studios – Warner Bros, Walt Disney, 20th Century Fox, Paramount, Sony and Universal – released 20-25 major films. By 2019, some were releasing as few as nine.

Now, the business model is moving from third-party distribution and single-ticket sales towards owned distribution and recurring revenue. This is seen by investments in SVoD services, where a single movie or TV series is rarely a profit driver; rather, recurring subscriptions (and, in some cases, advertising revenue) produce value.

The SVoD model also normalizes the release of movies directly to consumers, eating away at the market for theater operators. Theaters take up to 50% of ticket sales; now, this income stream is under threat. Perhaps the most aggressive reaction has been from AMC, which announced a boycott of Universal’s films after the studio bypassed a theatrical release. Similar disputes will follow as the practice standardizes, according to weforum.

According to Film and Music Global Market Report 2021: COVID-19 Impact and Recovery to 2030 "the global film and music market is expected to grow from $289.13 billion in 2020 to $308.97 billion in 2021 at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 6.9%.

"The growth is mainly due to the companies rearranging their operations and recovering from the COVID-19 impact, with the market is expected to reach $392.34 billion in 2025 at a CAGR of 6%.

"The film and music market consists of the revenues from the production and/or distribution of motion pictures, videos, television programs, or commercials, from the exhibition of motion pictures or from the provision of postproduction and related services or of the production and distribution of musical recordings, from publishing music, or from providing sound recording and related services earned by entities (organizations, sole traders and partnerships) that are in the film and music industry. The film and music market is segmented into music recording and film and video.

"North America was the largest region in the global film and music market, accounting for 39% of the market in 2020. Western Europe was the second largest region accounting for 34% of the global film and music market. Africa was the smallest region in the global film and music market.

"Film and music production companies are increasingly adopting motion capture technology to reduce costs associated with key frame-based animations. Motion capture is the process of recording a live motion event and translating it into actionable data that allows a 3D recreation of the performance.

"To achieve these, performers need to wear reflective markers all over their body which are then interpreted by a computer and turned into digital 3D models. Through this technology real time results are achieved faster and it also reduces the cost of key-frame animation. Some recent box-office blockbusters which incorporated motion capture technology include Avengers, Captain America, Beauty and the Beast, Guardians, Iron Man and others.

"The penetration of newer distribution platforms like internet protocol television (IPTV) and Direct-to-home (DTH) and online platforms such as YouTube, Vimeo is driving the growth of the film and music market. Digitization of TV platforms is paving the way for better sound and picture quality for viewers and increased revenues for stakeholders in the value chain.

"This is also resulting in more bandwidth to broadcasters to provide value added services, thereby boosting revenues. Digital production techniques in films has reduced processing and storage costs. Digital distribution and exhibition have led to enhanced picture quality and shortened release window. These factors are expected to positively impact the growth of the market during the forecast period."

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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

JUDY CHICAGO: A RETROSPECTIVE

Judy Chicago

Opening August 28 at the de Young in San Francisco. On exhibition through January 9, 2022.

The Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco celebrate pioneering feminist artist Judy Chicago with a retrospective spanning from her early engagement with the Californian Light and Space Movement in the 1960s to her current body of work, a searing investigation of mortality and environmental devastation, begun in 2015. The exhibition includes approximately 130 paintings, prints, drawings, and ceramic sculptures, in addition to ephemera, several films, and a documentary. Together, these works of art chart the boundary-pushing path of the artist named Cohen by birth and Gerowitz by marriage, who, after trying to fit into the patriarchal structure of the Los Angeles art world, decided to change her name and the course of history.

The show was originally scheduled to coincide with the 100th anniversary of women's suffrage in the United States in 2020 but was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic.

In October 1970, Judy Chicago announced her chosen identity with a full page ad in Artforum, divesting “herself of all names imposed upon her through male social dominance.” The same year, Chicago founded the first feminist arts education program in the United States at California State University, Fresno, then instated its second iteration with Miriam Shapiro at the California Institute of the Arts a year later. Their efforts culminated in the establishment of the Feminist Studio Workshop as part of the Women’s Building in 1973, a program and institution that celebrated and nourished the creative growth and recognition of women artists from around the world. With the program thus established, Chicago turned her attention back to her own practice, leaving academia to dedicate herself more fully to researching and surfacing the histories of women in Western civilization and combating the systemic erasure of women’s achievements from (art) historical record.

Now 81 and living in Belen, New Mexico, her Dinner Party installation—an epic sculptural piece in the form of a triangular table laid out with place settings for important female figures from throughout history, from Boudica to Frida Kahlo—is on permanent display at the Brooklyn Museum, and it will not travel to San Francisco.

Meet the legendary artist! Making a rare appearance, pioneering feminist artist Judy Chicago will sign copies of the exhibition catalogue Judy Chicago: In the Making and her recently released autobiography The Flowering on Sunday, August 29, from 2–3 pm in Hellman Hallway, on the de Young museum’s lower level.

THE FRALIN MUSEUM OF ART at the University of Virginia premieres the first exhibition to investigate how European Gothic architecture was used to create a new language of skyscrapers in the United States in the first three decades of the 20th century.

Architects and the general public embraced medieval Gothic as an effective expression of the skyscraper’s height and the dynamism of the modern age. However, prominent buildings such as the Woolworth Building in New York and the Chicago Tribune Building were often dismissed by some critics for their Gothic elements.

Skyscraper Gothic charts the evolution and influence of this critical, but overlooked, phase in the stylistic development of the tall office building in the United States. Through prints, drawings, photographs, paintings, sculptures, furniture, textiles, toys, models, illustrations and decorative arts, the exhibition will demonstrate how skyscraper Gothic design permeated material culture in the early 20th century and became an emblem of modern American life.

Skyscraper Gothic is organized by the Fralin Museum of Art and curated by Lisa Reilly, Commonwealth professor of architectural history at the University of Virginia, and Kevin Murphy, Andrew W. Mellon chair in the humanities and professor and chair of the Department of History of Art and Architecture at Vanderbilt University.

The exhibition will be on view exclusively at the Fralin August 28 through December 31, 2021.

THE PIZZUTI COLLECTION of Columbus Museum of Art (CMA) in Columbus, Ohio will reopen to the public on Saturday, August 28.

The reopening will feature two new exhibitions, along with the installation of a favorite work from the CMA Collection, Nocturne Navigator by Alison Saar. On the third floor, the Museum will feature Bruce Robinson: Flutterby, a solo presentation of painting and sculpture by the longstanding Columbus-based artist and educator. The exhibition presents a range of the artist’s shaped plywood paintings and assemblages that address movement and the body, drawing especially on African American history, accomplishments and experience.

The main level of the Pizzuti Collection of CMA will feature a solo exhibition by multi-disciplinary artist Nina Katchadourian. An immersive and deeply personal work about resourcefulness, hope and creative capacity under duress, Katchadourian’s To Feel Something That Was Not of Our World is fitting as the museum and the world emerge from crisis. In June 1972, the Robertson family was cast adrift in a lifeboat and dinghy when a pod of orcas sank the schooner Lucette on which they lived. Their remarkable tale of survival was first recounted in Dougal Robertson’s bestselling “Survive the Savage Sea” (1973), a book that has fascinated the artist since childhood. For this project – which was developed during the pandemic – Katchadourian interviewed the family’s oldest son, Douglas Robertson, over a period of 38 days that corresponded with the timeline of their harrowing ordeal.

Featuring Katchadourian’s life-size paper models of an orca, as well as every animal the Robertsons caught and ate, To Feel Something That Was Not of Our World invites viewers into a personal-museological exhibition of videos, sculptures, photographs, drawings, text message exchanges and excerpts from the nearly 50 hours of audio recordings. The galleries, painted deep blue, become a vessel for the story of the shipwreck and the intimate conversation between Robertson and Katchadourian. At a moment when so many have endured loss, isolation and uncertainty, To Feel Something That Was Not of Our World is an inspiring story of connection, creativity and endurance.

Curated by Tyler Cann.

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SWEET CHARITY

GIBSON GIVES the philanthropic arm of Gibson - the iconic American guitar brand - -has teamed up with the Ryan Seacrest Foundation (RSF) for the next installment of The Nashville Sessions - -a virtual concert series for children’s hospital patients across America. The virtual concert will be available at all 11 closed-circuit hospital networks for Seacrest Studios partner hospitals in September.

The Nashville Sessions concert features performances and interviews with multi-platinum selling, recording artist-songwriter and ACM “New Male Artist of the Year” award winner Jimmie Allen, ACM “New Female Artist of the Year” award-winning multi-platinum singer-songwriter Lauren Alaina, and next generation country music star Jillian Jacqueline, on location at the all-new Gibson Garage, which offers music fans the ultimate guitar experience--in the heart of downtown Nashville, Music City USA. The artists perform several songs and talk about the inspiring stories behind their music in sit-down interviews. This installment of The Nashville Sessions will also feature a behind-the-scenes tour of the Gibson Garage, with Gibson’s President and CEO, James “JC” Curleigh.

The Ryan Seacrest Foundation (RSF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to inspiring today’s youth through entertainment and education focused initiatives. RSF’s first initiative is to build broadcast media centers, named Seacrest Studios, within pediatric hospitals for patients to explore the creative realms of radio, television, and new media. RSF believes access to multimedia experiences brings patients exciting and stimulating adventures to encourage optimistic thoughts during treatment. RSF started working with Gibson Gives in 2019, and since then, Gibson has donated over $10,500 in guitars and headphones to all Seacrest Studios.

SPREADING THE WORD

TONI STONE by Linda R. Diamond, based on Martha Ackmann’s book Curveball: The Remarkable Story of Toni Stone.

Starring Santoya Fields as Toni Stone.

History is filled with trailblazers and Toni Stone was one of them. Considered a pioneer, Toni Stone is the first woman to play baseball in the Negro Leagues, also making her the first woman to play professionally in a men’s league in the 1950s. Against all odds, Stone shattered expectations and created her own set of rules in the male-dominated sports world. Toni Stone tells the dynamic story of Stone’s journey of perseverance and resilience just to do what she loved the most — play baseball.

Performances begin September 3 at Arena Stage in Washington, DC.

On Sunday, September 26 at Nationals Park there will be a free live simulcast of Lydia R. Diamond’s Toni Stone on the center field video board.

DEAR ELIZABETH by Sarah Ruhl. Directed by Gate Theatre's Artistic Director Ellen McDougall.

This innovative production is the story of Elizabeth Browning and Robert Lowell, two of America's most brilliant poets. They wrote over 400 letters to each other through their lives, in a relationship that was messy and profound; platonic and romantic; distant and intense. A love that resists easy definition. Two unrehearsed performers will play the parts of Elizabeth and Robert each night. They will meet each other, the audience, and the script at the start of the performance. And, letter by letter, everyone will discover the story of Robert and Elizabeth together. Cast includes Ronke Adékolu?jo, Eric Kofi Abrefa, Esh Alladi, Pepe Duarte, Arthur Hughes, Jimena Larraguivel and Mei Mac.

To allow for socially distanced and accessible performances this production will be staged in a new venue for the Gate: Theatro Technis in Camden, London on September 1-10.

PASADENA PLAYHOUSE announces a season of four Los Angeles Premieres – an experiential reimagining of the Broadway musical Head Over Heels with songs by The Go-Go’s, directed, choreographed, and conceived by Jenny Koons and Yony-nominated choreographer Sam Pinkleton.;Mike Lew’s Teenage Dick, a modern take on Shakespeare’s Richard III, directed by Tony Award nominee Moritz von Stuelpnagel; Ann written by and starring Emmy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Holland Taylor and directed by Benjamin Endsley Klein; and direct from Broadway, Special Tony Award recipient freestyle love supreme, conceived by Anthony Veneziale and created by Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda, and Anthony Veneziale. A fifth production will be announced at a later date.

HAMILTON reopened at the Victoria Theatre in London on August 19 -where it should come as no surprise that the remaining month of August was sold out.

Due to Covid-19 safety measures, the production is unaable to accept gifts or items forsigning nd there will be no public access to stage door. The cast won't be able to sign items or take photos when entering or leaving the building.

Head Over Heels plays November 9 – December 12, 2021.

CLINT BLACK performs Friday, August 27, 2021 at the Kansas Star Event Center Arena, Mulvane, KS.

LILLIAS WHITE sings August 27-28 at The Art House in Provincetown, MA.

SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD A roster of larger-than-life Broadway voices is set to join the New City Music Theatre concert staging of Jason Robert Brown’s Songs for a New World, paying tribute to New York City and all its artists and inhabitants with a fresh, contemporary perspective. Telly Leung lends his talents to “The World Was Dancing”. Michael James Scott will take on the soaring, penultimate number “Flying Home”. Tony nominee Nancy Opel will show off her comedic chops in “Just One Step,” while Bre Jackson gives voice to “The Flagmaker, 1775.”

Also joining the cast are Marc G. Dalio and Heath Saunders, pairing up on “The River Won’t Flow,” as well as Darian Sanders taking on “Steam Train.” Grace Stockdale, Nya, Nick Drake , and music director Rick Edinger will open the show with “The New World,” as well as providing backup vocals throughout the evening. Dancers are: Yeman Brown, Jennifer Florentino, Zuri Noelle Ford, Yuka Notsuka, and Michael Anthony Sylvester.

Talents also include Christy Altomare, Derek Klena, Bonnie Milligan, Kyle Taylor Parker, Shereen Pimentel, and Ciara Renée.

NCMT Producing Artistic Director Miles J. Sternfeld directs the production, with music direction by Rick Edinger and choreography by Ahmad Simmons. Scenic design is by Theron Wineinger; costume consultation is by Jake Poser; lighting design is by Alan Edwards; and sound design is by Julian Evans. Casting is by Jamibeth Margolis, CSA. New City Music Theatre’s one-night only production of Songs for a New World will play Radial Park at Halletts Point on Thursday, August 26.

NEW JERSEY'S GEORGE STREET PLAYHOUSE has announced that following a successful streaming season this past year, George Street Playhouse’s 5-play 2021/22 season will begin 0n October 26 2021 and run through May, 2022.

The season will include four plays, plus the East Coast premiere of the musical A Walk on the Moon, to be presented on the stage of the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center .

. For the first production of George Street Playhouse’s long-anticipated re-opening, award-winning playwright and master of comedy Ken Ludwig brings a new romantic comedy, Dear Jack, Dear Louise - a love story set during World War II about a young soldier courting his sweetheart, a young actress on Broadway.

What starts with long distance letter writing ends in a “sweep you off your feet” meeting in Times Square. This funny, touching, patriotic and uplifting story, based on the playwright’s parents. Ken Ludwig’s Dear Jack, Dear Louise, directed by GSP Artistic Director David Saint, will begin performances October 26 and continue through November 21.

Following this year’s critically acclaimed virtual production of It’s Only A Play by Terrence McNally, George Street Playhouse will bring this hilarious comedy onto the stage to be seen in-person.

It’s Only a Play, directed by Kevin Cahoon, will begin performances on November 30th and continue through December 19th.

Next, George Street Playhouse Artistic Associate Laiona Michelle helms Her Portmanteau, a fascinating new play by award-winning playwright Mfoniso Udofia, about Nigerian American immigrants that opens our eyes to the Nigerian culture, especially as it becomes assimilated in America.

Her Portmanteau will be onstage January 18 - February 13, 2022.

George Street Playhouse next welcomes award-winning Director/ Choreographer Julio Monge, who will helm the American English-language premiere of a play by iconic Puerto Rican Academy Award-nominee Jacobo Morales.

Baipás (a byway detour from the main road) presents a magical world in which two very diverse, strong individuals are thrown together into a strange place. Using the legendary sensuous Bolero, they come to choose life and love. As this man and woman dance through the byways of love between clarity and confusion, with a healthy dose of sarcstic humor, they arrive in an unexpected place.

Baipás will begin performances on March 4 and continue through March 27, 2022.

A Walk on the Moon, a musical based on the film of the same name qill close the season. Welcome to the iconic summer of 1969 when man walked on the moon, women fought for equal rights, the War in Vietnam raged on, and Woodstock showed America what the new generation stood for. At a Jewish bungalow colony in the Catskills, a young wife and mother, Pearl Kantrowitz, has an affair with the handsome “Blouseman." While the affair jeopardizes her marriage and creates pain and turmoil, Pearl is forced to undertake a journey of self-discovery.

Book & Additional Lyrics by Pamela Gray, Music & Lyrics by Paul Scott Goodman, Direction by Tony-Nominee Sheryl Kaller.

Performances begin on April 27 and continue through May 22, 2022.

WHEN IN DOUBT VACCINATE

Agencies, companies and cities are tightening up COVIC-19 vaccinations requirements.

Get stuck or stay home.

SAN FRANCISCO has become the first city to announce that a person must be fully vaccinated and wearing a mask in order to participate in any indoor activity and applies to restaurants, bars, clubs gyms, large indoor events, entertainment halls and any business or event serving food or drinks indoors.

In these places everyone 12 and older will need to show proof of vaccination. You will still need to wear a mask, even if you are vaccinated.

You can not use a self-attestation of vaccination or a negative COVID-19 test. You must have proof that you are vaccinated. "Full Vaccination" means two weeks after your final dose of a COVID-19 vaccine.

The rule took effect on August 20, 2021. Children under 12 and other people who aren't eligible for vaccines are exempt.

THE PASADENA PLAYHOUSE in Pasadena, CA will require all patrons to be vaccinated and wear masks while inside the theater.

CES ATTENDEES at the Las Vegas January 2022 trade show will be required to show proof of COVID vaccinations to gain entry.

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS will require attendees at its October convention in Las Vegas to be vaccinated for COVID-19.

SEATTLE VENUES are requiring masking and vaccinations or negative COVID-19 testing upon entry to ensure a safe and successful return of the Seattle area arts. They include: Seattle Opera, Seattle Symphony, Pacific Northwest Ballet, The 5th Avenue Theatre, ACT—A Contemporary Theatre, Seattle Rep, Village Theatre, and more.

THE OLD GLOBE IN SAN DIEGO announced that in order to provide the safest and healthiest space possible for patrons, staff, casts, program participants, and crews, as of Tuesday, August 24, 2021, all patrons who attend an event or performance at The Old Globe will be required to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and present proof of vaccination in order to enter its theatres.

“Fully vaccinated” is defined by the CDC as being at least 14 days after the receipt of the second dose of a two-dose vaccine (such as the currently available Pfizer-BioNtech and Moderna) or one dose of a single-dose vaccine (like Johnson & Johnson).

To gain admittance to The Old Globe, all attendees will be required to present a photo ID and proof of vaccination status. Acceptable proof of vaccination is: 1) the physical COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card issued to the patron at the time of vaccination, 2) a photograph of the patron’s COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card, or 3) a digital vaccination record. Patrons who do not receive COVID-19 vaccinations due to medical reasons or sincerely held religious beliefs can attend a production at The Old Globe, but will be required to present the negative results of a COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of entering The Old Globe. Patrons under the age of 12, whose age does not yet permit vaccination, can attend a production or event at The Old Globe but will be required to wear a mask or present the negative results of a COVID-19 PCR test taken within 72 hours of entering The Old Globe’s outdoor theatre, or Copley Plaza when an event occurs.

All documents will be checked by The Old Globe staff members before patrons will be admitted to the theatre. The Old Globe reserves the right to deny admission to any patron who does not provide the necessary documentation or follow any COVID-related policy.

AEG PRESENTS the giant concert and live event promoter, announced it will require proof of vaccination for COVID-19 to attend its shows and festivals starting October 1, 2021.

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DAME JULIE ANDREWS will be honored by The American Film Institute with the 48th Lifetime Achievement Award at a rescheduled Gala Tribute event at the Dolby Theatre in Los Angeles on November 11, 2021. It originally had been scheduled for April 25, 2020 but was rescheduled because of COVID. It appears that this time the new date will hold.

“Julie Andrews has lifted the spirits of the world for generations,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. “Now, more than ever, AFI looks forward to gathering the globe to celebrate the many gifts and joy she has given us – proving her, of course, ‘practically perfect in every way.’”

Long considered one of the preeminent annual events for the entertainment and arts community, the AFI Life Achievement Award is a singular distinction bestowed upon artists “whose work has stood the test of time.”

The AFI Life Achievement Award has won Emmy Awards across five decades in its 48-year run and will return for its eighth year with TNT, followed by encore presentations on sister network Turner Classic Movies (TCM).

Proceeds from the event not only further the mandate to honor artists and their work, they also support AFI’s preservation and education initiatives.

THE AMERICAN FILM INSTITUTE (AFI) announced today it will confer Doctorate of Fine Arts degrees honoris causa upon Emmy and Tony Award winner Lily Tomlin and Academy Award- and Emmy-nominated actress Angela Bassett. Tomlin was recognized for her contributions to the art of the moving image during the AFI Conservatory’s commencement ceremony celebrating the Class of 2020 on Saturday, August 21, 2021. Bassett will be honored during the Class of 2021 commencement ceremony on Saturday, October 9, 2021.

“Lily Tomlin and Angela Bassett are titanic artistic voices in a world that needs them now more than ever,” said Bob Gazzale, AFI President and CEO. “Beyond their undeniable talents – which are vast and varied – they have broken barriers, advanced our culture and inspired a new generation to follow in their footsteps. We are honored to celebrate them at the AFI Commencement with the storytellers of tomorrow.”

Tomlin and Bassett join an esteemed group of distinguished past recipients, including Robert Altman, Maya Angelou, Saul Bass, Kathryn Bigelow, Mel Brooks, Carol Burnett, Anne V. Coates, Clint Eastwood, Roger Ebert, Nora Ephron, Jodie Foster, Lesli Linka Glatter, James Earl Jones, Lawrence Kasdan, Jeffrey Katzenberg, Kathleen Kennedy, Angela Lansbury, Spike Lee, David Lynch, Helen Mirren, Rita Moreno, Paul Schrader, Quentin Tarantino, Robert Towne, Cicely Tyson, Haskell Wexler and John Williams.

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

THEATRE WEST'S Studio City-adjacent home on Cahuenga Blvd. West, the oldest continuous operating stage space in Los Angeles, has been saved by an anonymous “angel.” A longtime Theatre West patron has purchased the building, occupied by the company since 1967 but up for sale since May, and extended Theatre West’s lease for a minimum of five years.

Kicking off the new arrangement will be the world premiere of Our Man in Santiago, written by two-time Emmy nominee and WGA award-winner Mark Wilding and directed by Charlie Mount. Originally scheduled to debut 18 months ago but canceled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, Our Man in Santiago will finally open on September 24 for a five-week run through October 24.

THE UNITED STATES POST OFFICE is increasing the price of postage while slowing down the delivery of mail. Last Monday I mailed two letters- one local and one to the other part of the state. The local letter took 4 days to deliver, up from the preious 1-2 days and the across state letter took five days, up from the previous three days.

The post office says the slow down will amount to an average of 1 to 2 days and that few people will notice.

I noticed.

E-Book

Soft back Book

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.

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Laura Deni

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