Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: December 15, 2024
By: Laura Deni
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THE MUMMYLOGUES EXAMINES MOTHERHOOD

An award winning collection of short, witty, wonderful and wise monologues about all aspects of being a mum.

Trigger Warning from the producer: "These monologues are about the raw emotions on giving up a child for adoption, Having and retrospectively trying to understand a hippy, emotionally disconnected mother, struggling with ADHD doom piles, gently accepting that you never had children but are a mother figure to many, dealing with the emotional effect on a teen of an absent neglectful father and issues of being an older mum."

All are well written, beautiful and heartfelt, with exceptional audio.

Starring Fiona Thraille, Flloyd Kennedy, Georgia P MacKenzie, Saffron Coomber, Sarah Golding, Tash Desborough.

Sarah Goldring, production manager for Wireless, is the moderater. Her son Thomas composed the music, featuring horns, reminiscent of "Abblasen"; the trumpet fanfare, attributed to 18th-century German composer Gottfried Reiche.

New Mum by Theda Woods, performed by Saffron Coomber is about a young, unmaried teenager who is talking to the baby she is about to put up for adoption. She tells the baby boy not to get too attached to a foster mother but to love his new mother with his entire heart and that he'll know who his new mother should be when he sees it. The emotions will be there. The boy will have plenty of clothes and toyrs - no hand-me-downs. Fighting back tears she tell him that his new mother will be kind and educated. He'll have a new name and be the luckiest boy in the world.

The young mother, now grown, laments that in the 1960's and 70's an unmaried girl wasn't permitted to keep her baby. There weren't the support systems.

One Thing I've Learned written and performed by Tash Desborough confronts the situations of not all women being cut out to be mothers and not all mothers are loving and caring. A disconnected mother can stand next to you and not be in the room. The child has to develop the grit to raise themself.

A "spiritual mother" seeing and feeling things that her daughter couldn't. The "spiritual" mother harped about tree fairies - but they could only be seen by "good" people and since her daughter couldn't see them, she felt she wasn't "good."

As an adult she tried to reach her mother but couldn't because she was surrounded by tree fairies which only her mother could see. Her conclusion: Ancient wisdom really does smell like poo.

The Perpetual Struggle/Piles For Miles by Charlie Thundrin, performed by Sarah Golding. "It's the hardest thing I've ever done," declared the author. Life results in collections of tangible and emotion piles. Overworked moms doing everything by the clock. Neat freaks. Making beds. Matching underwear. Pretending, surviving. Not even the Good Lord knows how they keep it together. She cleans up before the cleaner comes. There are not rugs big enough to sweep everything under. Some are better at masking panic. A child stays there until they are old enough to open a window, climb out and seek a new life.

Children of Whispers and Dreams written and performed by Georgia P McKenzie. A heart wretching monologue of imagining what might have been while attempting to understand and accept what is. Mother is the name of God in the hearts and on the lips of children. She discusses a boy and girl. But the loving warmth never comes. They are not there. They never will be. She makes do by collecting people who need mothering - joining clubs, mentoring, volunteering. She muses; "Sometimes we make a meal of what we have, not what we want." She slips into the world of what might have been.

The Promise by Margaret Hilsted, performed by Fiona Thraille

A mother's protective love. The perfect father daughter day. There is a noise outside. She gets excited. But it is the postman. She stands by the living room winodw, watching the traffic. The mother joins her daughter and they wait silently together. They watch a father hold his child's hand and swing him. The phone rings and she knew what the message would be. The mother and child go into the garden and plant bulbs. Carrying on. She references Nora Ephron who said: "When your children get to be teenagers it's important to have a dog, so that something in the house is happy to see you."

You Are My Sunshine by Jeff Tullin, performed by Flloyd Kennedy. An older professional woman who worked herelf up the ladder - or as far as they'd let me. Traveling on business, there were weeks when she never saw the inside of her own home. It's a hard to maintain a relationship with that lifestyle. But in 2019 she left to start a small jewerly making business in her own home and now "here I am with a new mouth to feet. I named her after my mother. I had no idea how much I'd end up loving her. Here she comes. 'Can I sit next to you?' The woman hears the love of her life say. "Of course the house is a mess theses days. She's a bit of a fussy eater," she explains about - the cat.

Recorded on August 24, 2024 but no credit provided for location. Nor credit for audio or post edit. The commentary at the end is a bit long.

Important, sensitive, topical, heartbreaking issues addressed in atttention holding dialogue.

Released by Wireless Theatre Company in London.

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Thank you for your interest.

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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

SELF-MADE: RESHAPING IDENTITIES An exhibition of contemporary ceramics reflecting on the complexities of identity and self-creation.

Self-Made features work by four leading artists Phoebe Collings-James, Rachel Kneebone, Matt J Smith and Renee So, who each use clay in different ways to explore how identity is formed and reformed, touching on aspects of gender, sexuality, cultural heritage and legacies of the past.

An exhibition of contemporary ceramics reflecting on the complexities of identity and self-creation. What is our true identity? Or do we have many? How do we make a sense of self? Immerse yourself in an exploration of the ever-changing nature of identity through the shape-shifting properties of clay.

An ancient and elemental material, clay is subject to many altered states. Beginning as soft and pliable, often changing color as well as texture when exposed to air, heat and force. Identity is similarly influenced by a combination of genetic, environmental and historical factors as we adapt to our circumstances and become molded by our experiences.

These works remind us that the creation of self-identity can be a challenging yet profoundly empowering process. Encompassing lost, hidden, re-made or re-claimed identities, Self-Made reveals fresh connections with the enduring stories of identity, care and belonging at the heart of the Foundling Museum, while prompting us to consider the myriad factors and conditions that determine our own sense of who we are and the potential to keep reinventing ourselves.

Though June 1, 2025 at The Foundling Museum in London.

THE MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART in Australia has announced that they have celebrated their 20 millionth visitor, marking the Museum's enduring impact and cultural significance in Australia.

"The year has brought many highlights, from Julie Rrap's 'extreme drawing' through to Hiroshi Sugimoto's haunting theatres and meditative seascapes, and Isaac Julien's mesmerizing five-screen installation. Primavera 2024's young artists brought, as always, new perspectives and energy to our galleries whilst Hayv Kahraman's evocative foyer wall commission continues to stop visitors in their tracks. And now, at the end of the year, our major summer (it's Summer in Australia) exhibition Julie Mehretu: A Transcore."

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SWEET CHARITY

A RIGHT ROYAL CHRISTMAS

Queen Camilla receiving instructions from the children on how to decoarate the Christmas tree. Photo: You Tube

Queen Camilla Hosted her annual Christmas tree trimming party at Clarence House, which is the London home of Camilla and King Charles.

This beloved Christmas event is in its 19th year. Camilla invites the children and their families of Helen & Douglas House, the world's first children's hospice (based in Oxfordshire), which provides medical, emotional and practical support for seriously ill children and their families, as well as children helped by Roald Dahl's Marvelous Children's Charity. The Queen is patron of both organizations.

The afternoon event saw the children welcomed by palace guardsmen with musical accompaniment from the Band and Bugles of the Rifles Regiment of which Camilla is Colonel-in-Chief of the regiment. Inside, there was a Christmas performance by the band, and Santa Claus was there to oversee the festivities. At the center of the fun was the tree trimming.

Also brimming with holiday spirit was King Charles who attended his annual Crafts at Christmas event at his Highgrove home in Gloucestershire.

King Charles hangs a crafted ornament in a place of honor. Photo Press Pool/The Royal Family

The King's Foundation is an educational charity, inspired by His Majesty's vision and values. It offers courses for almost 15,000 students every year, as well as health and well-being programs and regeneration projects to revitalize communities and historic buildings in the UK and abroad.

Post-graduate students on a furniture course presented the King with a box of baubles carved from alder, oak and cedar.

Emily Rose Saunders, who is studying with the foundation, told attendees that it was "really exciting" to see the King's passion for crafts.

Saunders, a milliner, has a passion for 'straw plaiting', a technique she is eager to "bring back into the modern world" with the help of the King and fashion house Chanel, who sponsor her course.

She added: "We wouldn't be here without His Majesty, and to be able to have that support from both him and Chanel means that we are able to have this time. When else would you be able to have eight months where you can solely learn a skill?"

"It's really nice to be able to meet him and thank him for that, really."

Wearing a dark grey suit jacket and trousers with a white collar shirt and pink tie, His Majesty appeared delighted listening to carols sung by members of the Rock Choir.

The seemingly ageless Sophie, The Duchess of Edinburgh

Santa's helper Sophie the Duchess of Edinburgh. Photo: Instagram

was in a festive mood, donning a Santa Hat, singing Christmas Carols, making mince pies and drew a Christmas tree when, as their patron, she visited the Disability Initiative Resource Centre in Camberley, close to her Surrey home.

The charity specializes in providing care and slow stream rehabilitation to adults with physical disabilities, as well as those with acquired brain injuries.

And as ever with her royal engagements, the Duchess took a back seat to promoting herself, concentrating on shining a light on the organization.

"The Duchess is phenomenal, I can't tell you how lucky we are to have her as our patron and she's very hands on," Lucy Brown, Chief Executive of Disability Initiative stated.

At one point, Sophie took to the microphone to lead the group in singing along to Christmas carols such as "Silent Night" and "Merry Christmas Everyone" and even played the triangle.

Sophie was brought up to date about the charity's project to promote independence and social cohesion for its clients.

RECAP: WASSAIL 2024 An Evening of Music, Meaning, and Hope for Children in Conflict recently took place at Sony Hall in New York City.

A dazzling evening of music, storytelling, and philanthropy as Wassail 2024 brought together some of the most celebrated names in entertainment to raise over $2.2 million for Children in Conflict.

Thrilling the audience were performances by Mumford & Sons, Patti Smith, Brandi Carlile, Leon Bridges, and Oscar Isaac.

Hosts and War Child global ambassadors Marcus Mumford and Carey Mulligan, as well as master of ceremonies John Oliver, brought humor and heart to the evening, guiding attendees through a program that celebrated the resilience of children living in conflict zones.

Special appearances by Julianne Moore, Emily Blunt, John Krasinski, Bowen Yang, and Keegan-Michael Key added an extra layer of excitement and warmth to the event.

The honored guest of the night, Luanda Musafiri Emmanuella, shared her powerful story as a humanitarian speaker and founder of Tumaini, a Ugandan organization dedicated to supporting women and girls affected by conflict.

Other notable attendees included Anna Wintour, Steven Spielberg, Kate Capshaw, Blake Lively, Gail Simmons, Isabela Ferrer, Olivia Munn, Nancy McCartney, Jane Buffett, Karen Elson, Phoebe Tonkin, Nina Dobrev, Dianna Agron, Derek Blasberg, Evan Yurman, Tom Riley, Sara Moonves, Nathan Followill, and Lizzy Caplan, underscoring the widespread support from luminaries across entertainment, fashion, and philanthropy. Each moment of the evening was imbued with a deep sense of purpose as the event highlighted the 468 million children currently living in conflict zones worldwide.

Wassail 2024, now in its 10th global edition and fourth in the United States, raised critical funds for Children in Conflict whose Executive Director ifs Dr. Kim McCall.

CELEBRITY ADVOCATE JAMIE FOXX MET WITH SENATOR SUSAN COLLINS of Maine and members of the Global Down Syndrome Foundation to to discuss their support for the National Institutes of Health’s INCLUDE Project (INvestigation of Co-occurring conditions across the Lifespan to Understand Down syndromE).

Jamie Foxx partners with the Foundation on behalf of his sister, DeOndra Dixon, who was born with Down syndrome. She was an ambassador for the Foundation until her death in 2020 at the age of 36.

JERSEY CARES ANNUAL COAT DRIVE takes place through December 29, 2024.

Do you have a new or gently used coat in your closet? For over two decades, Paper Mill Playhouse has been a collection site for the Jersey Cares Winter Coat Drive for people in need. If you have a coat you would like to donate, please place it in the collection box located in the Paper Mill lobby.

WINTER WONDERLAND CABARET a fundraiser for Hartford Stage in Hartford, CT takes place December 17, 2024.

A one-night only Christmas celebration. Returning for their festive performance at a new venue – Thomas Hooker Live at the historic Colt building in downtown Hartford — Tony Award-nominee John-Andrew Morrison and music director/pianist Drew Wutke bring the Holiday joy with a mix of Christmas favorites, Broadway classics and an audience sing-a-long.

Featuring cabaret style tables, full bar & food available for purchase throughout event and free parking lot.

SPREADING THE WORD

SMELLING LIKE JIMI HENDRIX

Jimi Hendrix perfumes. Photo: Dstrezzed.

Dstrezzed has presented its new fragrance collection: A Tribute to Jimi Hendrix.

Men’s fashion brand Dstrezzed "proudly introduces" three new fragrances that pay homage to the legendary Jimi Hendrix. The fragrances "draw inspiration from iconic figures of the past, and this legacy comes to life in the latest fragrance collection."

Each of the three perfume "is crafted for the modern gentleman who embraces style, individuality, and boldness. The three scents reflect Hendrix’s daring spirit and are designed for those who appreciate the finer things in life."

The new scents are:

Velvet Rascal - Inspired by Hendrix’s iconic velvet jackets and rebellious spirit, this scent blends smooth accents with floral notes, balancing sophistication and boldness. Made for the man who stands out effortlessly.

Timber Mystique - Just as Hendrix’s guitar defined an era, Timber Mystique captures the soulful depth of the 60s. This scent resonates with those who carry an air of mystery and timeless coolness.?

Soil Overdose - With vibrant citrus notes, spicy patchouli, and rugged cedarwood, this fragrance pays homage to Hendrix’s free spirit. Perfect for those who walk the walk and talk the talk.

PETER CINCOTTI singer-songwriter and piano-phenomenon Peter Cincotti will return to Café Carlyle in New York City for a special holiday residency titled "A New York Christmas," running from December 17 to December 31. A native New Yorker and the youngest artist ever to reach #1 on the Billboard Jazz Chart, Cincotti will debut his first ever holiday themed residency at Café Carlyle this year. Joined by his 4-piece band, Peter’s show will feature a blend of festive classics and his own signature songs, both familiar and new.

THE NEW YORK POPS returns to Carnegie Hall in New York City on December 20-21 for their annual holiday tradition.

Merry and Bright with Broadway star Jessica Vosk will be a night of holiday cheer featuring classic carols and contemporary favorites, including selections from Jessica's new holiday album Sleigh, alongside Judith Clurman's Essential Voices USA and surprise special guests!

L.A. THEATRE WORKS has announced the released of four audio theater productions of classic plays by Tennessee Williams. The company’s Tennessee Williams Collection launches with the release of The Glass Menagerie on December 10, followed by three titles in 2025: A Streetcar Named Desire on March 11, The Rose Tattoo on April 8, and Summer and Smoke on May 6.

A co-production with NPR affiliate KCRW 89.9 FM and the BBC, the L.A. Theatre Works audio production of The Glass Menagerie, Williams’ autobiographical "memory play" that launched his career, reunited the cast of the Roundabout Theatre’s celebrated revival: Julie Harris, Calista Flockhart (in her Broadway debut), Kevin Kilner and Zeljko Ivanek, and features John Goodman as the narrator. Set in 1935 and based on Williams’ own family, the play centers on the Wingfield family who live together in a cramped St. Louis flat, forced to wrestle with unrealized dreams and painful memories.

Glenne Headly, Vincent D'Onofrio, Amy Brenneman and David Selby headline the cast of A Streetcar Named Desire, an L.A. Theatre Works co-production with the BBC and CBC. In Williams’ Pulitzer Prize-winning masterpiece, Blanche DuBois, once a well-heeled Southern belle but now alcoholic and destitute, arrives in New Orleans to stay with her sister Stella and her brutish brother-in-law Stanley. As Stanley terrorizes the fragile Blanche, reality slips slowly away from her.

Mercedes Ruehl and Anthony LaPaglia, who starred in the 1995 Broadway production of The Rose Tattoo that earned a Tony Award for Best Revival of a Play and Drama Desk Awards for both actors, reunited to record the play for L.A. Theatre Works in front of a live audience at L.A.’s Skirball Cultural Center. The story of an Italian-American widow in Louisiana who has allowed herself to withdraw from the world after her husband's death, the large cast also includes Emily Bergl, Marieclare Costello, Tim DeKay, Brent Hinkley, Carol Locatell, Kate Mulligan, Antonia Ray, Peggy Roeder, Vincent Schiavelli and Claudette Sutherland.

Finally, Summer and Smoke’s Alma Winemiller is a shy, religious young woman who grew up pining for the boy next door. He’s grown up to become a doctor with a penchant for sexual conquest, so when he returns to their Mississippi town to start a medical practice, their strange attraction sets them on a path of turmoil and heartbreak. Also recorded before a live audience at the Skirball, the L.A. Theatre Works audio production stars Ann Gee Byrd, Kristen Frazier, Mark Kudisch, Carlos Lacamara, Gabriel Olds, Tina Sánchez, David Selby, Tegan West, Armin Shimerman, Kitty Swink and Sarah Zimmerman.

Listeners will be able to find each recording online at latw.org, as well as at retailers and libraries everywhere.

MASAAKI SUZUKI CONDUCTS HANDEL'S MESSIAH December 19–22 at the Concert Hall, Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

Hallelujah—Washington, D.C.’s favorite holiday tradition returns! Since its debut nearly three centuries ago, Handel’s Messiah reigns unchallenged as the ultimate celebration of holiday joy. This year, experience the larger-than-life oratorio in all its splendor as Masaaki Suzuki conducts the NSO, a stellar cast of soloists, and the University of Maryland Concert Choir in this always-daring, beloved classic.

SNL50: BEYOND SATURDAY NIGHT will debut on NBCUniversal's Peacock platform on January16 to celebrate the 50th anniversary of "Saturday Night Live." The four-part docuseries will feature unseen footage and highlight various aspects of the show, including the audition process, the writers' room, the "More Cowbell" sketch and the tumultuous 1985-86 season, according to the NAB.

DAVID TENNANT the multi-talented and award-winning actor, is set to return as host of the EE BAFTA Film Awards on Sunday, February 16, 2024.

The will air on BBC One and iPlayer in the UK and Britbox in the USA.

L.A. COUNTY HOLIDAY CELEBRATION CELEBRATES the Artistry of Los Angeles. A Los Angeles holiday tradition since 1959, the two-time Emmy award-winning L.A. County Holiday Celebration returns on Tuesday, December 24 to celebrate 65 years with a fresh look and feel to welcome a new generation of audiences.

Sponsored by the Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors and presented by The Music Center, the one-of-a-kind, free, three-hour spectacular provides Angelenos an opportunity to come together every year on Christmas Eve and experience the variety of rich, dynamic cultures that can be found throughout Los Angeles County. Audiences can choose to watch in person at The Music Center’s iconic Dorothy Chandler Pavilion, from the comfort of their own homes on TV at PBS SoCal, online at pbssocal.org and on the free PBS App.

A new producing team from Milktmade and Executive Producer Lindha Narvaez will embrace the evolution of the 65th annual show with a fresh approach including new artistic genres, such as a circus act and a marionette performance. Audiences will also enjoy watching performances by dance companies, music ensembles and choral groups.

"This year’s L.A. County Holiday Celebration will demonstrate the County’s commitment to inclusivity and response to the interests of even more Angelenos," said Rachel S. Moore, president and CEO of The Music Center. "The show will be exciting, building on its 65-year history, while offering new experiences that will resonate with both long-term fans and those who will enjoy it for the first time."

A diverse line-up of 28 Los Angeles-based artists will take the stage to present their artistry and traditions. The show will include several pre-produced mini-documentaries to highlight some of the artists’ unique stories. Returning favorites include the vibrant, non-denominational Christian Fellowship Chorale; Grammy award-winner Daniel Ho with Hawaiian hula dancers Halau Hula Keali’i o Nalani; acclaimed Latin music ensemble Gabrielito y La Verdad; L.A.’s beloved Gay Men’s Chorus of Los Angeles; traditional Korean dance and music ensemble Kim Eung Hwa & Korean Dance Academy; all-female mariachis Las Colibrí; the delightful MUSYCA Children’s Choir; award-winning Palmdale High School Choral Union and Sunday Night Singers; the electric Reverb Tap Company; Ricardo Lemvo and his band Makina Loca, blending Afro-Cuban rhythms with pan-African styles; a cappella and handbell ensemble The Citrus Singers; and Urban Voices Project, a choir comprised of men and women surviving homelessness on Skid Row.

New to the show this year are Afro Peruvian Experience, promoting the cultural diversity of Peru; soul singer-songwriter Andre Cruz; award-winning jazz vocalist Anji Tan & Friends; the college-bound dancers from Esperanza College Prep that make up Ballet Folklórico de Esperanza; dynamic, all-Queens Afro Brazilian drum ensemble Bloco Obini; the legendary Bob Baker Marionette Theater; Indian classical and Bollywood dancers Joya Kazi Entertainment; Bavarian band Ladyhosen; young aerialists from Le PeTiT CiRqUe LA; all-female independent band Mariachi Lindas Mexicanas; dance from Martha L.Z. Pamintuan & Long Beach City College; Masanga Marimba playing popular music from Africa and Latin America; the Straight Up Abilities dance team, made up of talented individuals with disabilities; powerful guitar band The String Revolution; vibrant community-based dance ministry Victory Praise Dancers; and Yaya Dance Academy, bridging Eastern and Western dance.

BRIDAL GOWN AND A PIZZA David's Bridal has partnered with DoorDash to offer on-demand delivery.

Did he finally propose? Now, before he changes his mind, you can make it to the alter in fashionable style.

Wedding retailer David’s Bridal, Inc. has partnered with DoorDash to offer delivery across America.

Through the new partnership, US shoppers can now shop a broad range of occasion dresses, shoes and accessories with delivery to their doorstep in an hour or less from 180 David’s Bridal locations, at the same retail prices as in-store.

You can also order a pizza from your favorite pizza parlor. If you're going to do that, consider ordering a size larger gown.

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PRINCE WILLIAM is determined to end illegal pet trafficking.

Last Friday, December 13, 2024 he had reason to celebrate an "unprecedented feat" - the safe return of hundreds of tortoises and lemurs to Madagascar. That was coupled with the arrests of several individuals who led the trafficking operation.

The animals were smuggled through Thailand with the purpose of being sold into the lucrative, international illegal pet trade.

"This is an unprecedented feat for the fight against the illegal wildlife trade and demonstrates the immeasurable value of global cooperation in putting an end to these supply chains,” William, 42, said in a statement. "Movements like this are only possible thanks to the work of United for Wildlife’s incredible partner organizations. "We must look to this collaborative model for future operations to ensure we are acting swiftly and safely to remove animals from the hands of criminals and return them to their natural habitats," he added. The prince's statement was echoed by Max Andonirina Fontaine, Madagascar's Minister of Environment and Sustainable Development. Fontaine declared the feat a "resounding victory of virtuous forces over criminal networks and marks one of the largest seizures and repatriations we have ever seen." The animals will undergo assessment and rehabilitation before being released back their natural environment.

LORI HOTZ has been named the North American CEO of ATG Entertainment, which owns or operates 64 venues around the world. Hotz was recently the CEO and founder of the asset management platform for visual arts investment company Lobus; she previously held senior positions at Christie's, Lazard, Barclays Lehman, and JP Morgan Chase. She begins her role with ATG immediately.

KRISTIN CASKEY a Tony award winning producer at ATG Entertainment has been promoted to chief content officer, North America. In her role at ATG Entertainment, Caskey leads the producing arm and oversees programming for all North American venues in the portfolio.

MATTHIEU BLAZY has been announced as the new creative director at Chanel. He comes to his new position from serving as the creative director of Italian fashion brand Bottega Veneta.

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

ABC NEWS AND GEORGE STEPHANOPOULOS have agreed to apologize to President Elect Donald Trump and pay $16M in defamation case settlement.

The $16 million settlement is earmarked for the "Presidential foundation and museum to be established by or for [Trump], as Presidents of the United States of America have established in the past".

An additional $1 million ABC will pay the additional amount in fees to Trump's lawyers.

Trump filed the defamation lawsuit in March 2024 after an interview with Nancy Mace when anchor George Stephanopoulos ten times states Trump had been found liable for "rape" regarding E. Jean Carroll.

While DJT was found liable for sexual assault in the case brought by E. Jean Carroll, he wasn't found liable for rape. Consequently, he and his lawyers sued.

As part of the settlement, it's also being reported that ABC News will issue an apology on its website.

ABC News released a statement about the settlement ... writing, "We are pleased that the parties have reached an agreement to dismiss the lawsuit on the terms in the court filing."



ANNIE Music by Martin Charnin and Charles Strouse. Book by Thomas Meehan

Directed by Jenn Thompson, who at the age of 10, played Pepper in the original Broadway production.

Starring EGOT Whoopi Golderg as Miss Hannigan a gin-swilling orphanage head who calls her charges "brats," denies them hot mush and threatens "your days are numbered." Her standout numbers are "Easy Street" and "Little Girls."

Joining Goldberg in the title role of "Annie" is Hazel Vogel, a 12-year-old from Towson, MD, who most recently appeared in the North American tour of Les Misérables. Returning principal cast includes Christopher Swan as "Oliver Warbucks," Julia Nicole Hunter as "Grace," and Mark Woodard as "FDR." Also starring in the production are Rhett Guter as "Rooster" and Isabella De Souza Moore as "Lily St. Regis." Kevin, a 7-year-old labradoodle, stars as "Sandy."

The Orphans are Aria Valentina Aldea, Eva Lizette Carreon, Anna Dillon, Kylie Noelle Patterson, Olive Ross-Kline and Nora West, and the featured ensemble includes Stephen Cerf, Anthony DaSilva, Savannah Fisher, Alloria Frayser, Brooke Olivia Gatto, Caroline Glazier, Ryan Mulvaney, Joel Newsome, Melinda Parrett, Lawrence E. Street, Drew Tanabe and Stephanie Wahl. Avril Kagan will join the cast as a Swing for the New York City engagement.

Annie is a heartwarming musical that for generations has reminded audiences that "the sun will come out tomorrow." And now the best-loved musical of all time is set to return in a new production that celebrates family, optimism and the American spirit as the ultimate cure for the hard knocks life throws your way. The original production of Annie opened on Broadway on April 21, 1977 and went on to win seven Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Book (Thomas Meehan) and Best Score (Charles Strouse, Martin Charnin).

Choreographed by Patricia Wilcox, with orchestrations by Dan DeLange. The tour music supervisor is Matthew Smedal. Talitha Fehr is the Music Coordinator and Andrew David Sotomayor is the Music Director.

The design team includes scenic design by Wilson Chin, costume design by Alejo Vietti, based on lighting design by Philip Rosenberg, sound design by Ken Travis, hair & wig design by Ashley Rae Callahan and casting by Paul Hardt of Hardt Casting, LLC.

Performances at The Theater at Madison Square Garden through January 5, 2025.

This mounting is the start of a new tour and marks the return of Annie to New York City for the first time in a decade.

After the MSQ performances the tour will head to Maryland, Alabama, Illinois, Connecticut, Florida, Indiana, California, Washington, Pennsylvania, Georgia, Nebraska, Colorado, Texas and Wisconsin.

GENE & GILDA by Cary Gitter.

Directed by Joe Brabcato.

The new play centers on the relationship between screen actors Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner.

The new work tracks the relationship between the film icons from their first meeting to dramatic career ups and downs, and to a tragically early farewell. Jonathan Randell Silver and Jordan Kai Burnett are reprising their performances as, respectively, Wilder and Radner from the work's world premiere at Penguin Rep Theater.

The creatives are: scenic design by Christian Fleming, costume design by Gregory Gale, lighting design by Jose Santiago, sound design by Max Silverman, wig design by Bobbie Zlotnik, and dance consulting by Ryan Kasprzak. Samantha Flint is production stage manager.

Gene & Gilda, Cary Gitter's new play centered on the relationship between screen actors Gene Wilder and Gilda Radner, as performances at New Jersey's George Street Playhouse through December 22, 2024.

CHARLES DICKENS’ A CHRISTMAS CAROL: A GHOST STORY as told by Jefferson Mays. By Jefferson Mays, Susan Lyons, and Michael Arden.

Directed by Barry Edelstein.

Tony award winner Jefferson Mays will portray over 50 beloved characters from Charles Dickens’ A Christmas Carol - from Scrooge and Marley to Tiny Tim and the three Ghosts. In this new version of his acclaimed one-man show.

In addition to Barry Edelstein, the creative team includes Anjee Nero (Production Stage Manager), and Prosper Phongsaiphonh (Production Assistant).

Performances through December 22, 2024 at the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe’s Conrad Prebys Theatre Center in Balboa Park, San Diego, CA.

MRS. STERN WANDERS THE PRUSSIAN STATE LIBRARY by Jenny Lyn Bader.

Directed by Ari Laura Kreith.

Berlin, 1933. With martial law in effect, political activism has become a capital crime. A young Gestapo officer arrests a graduate student suspected of illegal research. This interrogation promises to be most challenging as he faces the iconic 20th-century thinker Hannah Arendt. Is she an innocent woman? Or an enemy of the state? Inspired by real events, this fantastical drama delves into the life and mind of one of history’s most profound thinkers.

The cast features Ella Dershowitz, Drew Hirshfield and Brett Temple.

The design team includes Lortel and Obie Award winner Lauren Helpern (Set), Cameron Filepas (Lights), Megan Culley (Sound) and Deborah Caney (Costumes). Production Stage Manager is Ingrid Pierson and Assistant Stage Manager is Lisa R. Stafford. Barbara Freitag is Associate Producer and Perry Street Theatricals are General Managers.

Performances at Off-Broadway’s WP Theater for an engagement ending January 12. Opening night is December 17, 2024.

BASHEVIS’ DEMONS comprises three short stories by legendary Nobel Prize winner Isaac Bashevis Singer.

Directed by Moshe Yassur with Beate Hein Bennett.

The tales featured serve up demons, saints, sinners, hope, despair, and at least two chickens, all in Isaac Bashevis Singer’s original Yiddish with full English supertitles projected overhead.

In The Mirror, a young woman – ignored by her husband the traveling salesman – steps through a mirror into the world of demons, where she can at last be the center of attention.

In The Last Demon, a Jewish demon fails to bring down a shtetl rabbi. Exiled to the small town as Satan’s punishment, he witnesses the destruction of the Jewish community, including his nemesis the rabbi, by forces far crueler than his own and remains stuck there for eternity with nothing but the Yiddish word to console him.

Lastly, in Kukeriku (yes, that’s how a cock crows in Yiddish!), we hear a rooster’s tale of hope on the eve of a great slaughter.

Starring Shane Baker and Miryem-Khaye Seigel.

Performances will be presented Off-Broadway direct from engagements in Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro. Bashevis' Demons, which debuted in Stockholm in December 2023, will make its official Off-Broadway bow at Out of the Box Theatre, with performances beginning December 18th and running through January 5th, 2025.

Bashevis' Demons will be presented by the Congress for Jewish Culture in association with ChaShaMa and Out of the Box Theatrics. Founded in 1948, the Congress for Jewish Culture is a secular organization based in New York City dedicated to enriching Yiddish culture worldwide.

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FINAL OVATION

THE AMAZING KRESKIN an American mentalist who became popular on television in the 1970s, dired December 10, 2024 in Caldwell, New Jersey. He was 89.

He was inspired to become a mentalist by Lee Falk's comic strip Mandrake the Magician, which features a crime-fighting stage magician. He always presented himself as an "entertainer," never as a psychic. He operated on the basis of suggestion, not the paranormal or supernatural.

From 1972 to 1975, Kreskin's television series The Amazing World of Kreskin was broadcast throughout Canada on CTV and distributed in syndication in the United States. His first television appearance was on The Steve Allen Show in 1964. He went on to appear approximately 100 times on each of the The Mike Douglas Show; The Merv Griffin Show, and Live with Regis and Kathy Lee, and 88 times on The Tonight Show Starring Johnny Carson. It was Carson who dubbed Kreskin "The Amazing Kreskin".

In the 1980s and 1990s, he came to prominence again through several appearances on Late Night with David Letterman and on the Howard Stern Show. In 2009, he became the first guest to make four appearances on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. Although Kreskin made "predictions", he did not claim to have paranormal or clairvoyant powers, and did not like to be considered a "psychic". One of his best known tricks was to find his own check for his current performance. If he did not find it, he did not get paid for that day. He would instruct the audience to hide an envelope containing his paycheck, while he was escorted off stage and into seclusion by other members of the audience. He then re-emerged and hunted through the audience, almost always being able to ferret out the correct location.

Kreskin taught classes for law enforcement groups, which "focuses on psychological methods such as jogging lost memories through relaxation techniques or detecting lies through body language and voice inflections".

Kreskin remained active late in life and continued to perform until the spring of 2024, several months before his death. He appeared regularly on WPIX in New York City, and annually on both the Fox News Channel and CNN to give his New Year's Day predictions for the coming year.

I had the pleasure of interviewing him many times and he was always a delight.

MARTIN BENSON South Coast Repertory founding artistic director died Saturday December 7, 2024. He was 87.

Theater director Martin Benson, who co-established the Tony Award-winning South Coast Repertory and served as its founding artistic director for 46 years. "Martin was a shining light for South Coast Repertory, a pioneer here and in our field," current artistic director David Ivers said in a statement. “Kind, thoughtful and deeply curious, Martin was always ready with a poignant word, a handshake of support and an appetite for the work. He will be sorely missed, but his fine example of craft and leadership endures."

A Northern California native, Benson co-founded the Orange County theater with fellow founding artistic director David Emmes in 1964, after the two San Francisco State graduates collaborated on a 1963 production of Arthur Schnitzler’s La Ronde at Long Beach’s Off-Broadway Theatre. The company opened its first, 75-seat venue in Newport Beach in 1965 and moved to a 217-seat house in Costa Mesa in 1967. Its current Costa Mesa complex came to be upon raising $3.5 million and receiving a donation of land in 1978 for a 507-seat theater, one now complemented by 336- and 95-seat stages. The Folino Theatre Center was renamed the David Emmes/Martin Benson Theatre Center in 2014.

In 1988, SCR received the Regional Theatre Tony Award for Distinguished Achievement from the American Theatre Wing, highlighting its achievements in new play development.

Benson went on to helm a total of 119 SCR productions over the next six decades. He won directing honors from the Los Angeles Drama Critics Circle awards an unprecedented seven times, three of which lauded his stagings of George Bernard Shaw works - Major Barbara; Misalliance and Heartbreak House.

And one LADCC award honored his world-premiere production of Margaret Edson’s Wit, which Benson also directed at Seattle Repertory Theatre and Houston’s Alley Theatre and went on to win the Pulitzer Prize for drama in 1999. He closed his SCR directing career with the 2020 production of John Patrick Shanley’s Outside Mullingar.

Benson also acted in 11 SCR productions, served as the scenic designer in eight, the costume designer in five and the co-director for one, and also served on the theater’s board of directors.

Benson and Emmes received the L.A. Ovation lifetime achievement award in 1995, the United States Institute for Theatre Technology’s Thomas DeGaetani Award in 1998, and the Margo Jones Medal in 2008. In 2011, SCR’s Board of Trustees established the Emmes/Benson Founders Endowment in their honor. Benson is survived by his stepson Justin Krumb. SCR will dedicate the Dec. 20 performance of A Christmas Carol to Benson and dim the theater’s lights in his honor. The theater will also host a celebration of Benson’s life in the new year, in collaboration with his family.

Next Column: December 22, 2024
Copyright: December 15, 2024 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