Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: December 4, 2022
By: Laura Deni
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SWEAT BOX ASKS WHAT PART DOES CELEBRITY AND MOTHERHOOD PLAY IN DEFINING A WOMAN

Written By: Lexy Howe, Sweat Box is an original audio drama centered on main protagonist Zoe (Fay Downie) and the disturbing Kerry (Lexy Howe). Each week Zoe treats herself to a relaxing sauna, until one fateful evening she meets Kerry, a woman more obsessed with celebrity life than her own. Zoe’s peace and relaxation is thrown into turmoil. Kerry is harboring a dark secret; will it force Zoe to face truths of her own?

Recorded by an all female cast in honor of International Women’s Day, Sweat box is a darkly comic look at society’s fascination with celebrity.

Jack Bowman directs Lexy Howe and Fay Downie in excellent performances.

What part does celebrity play in society defining a woman? How about a baby? Does a baby provide a woman with her true image?

The play opens with footsteps of someone walking own the street. There are traffic noises.

A sauna enthusiast, and disturbingly obsessional Kerry has a celebrity fixation.

Kerry works at the spa in a low level attendant position. She knows that Zoe comes twice a week, Wednesdays and Friday. Zoe is a journalist who lives with Dean, a major celebrity. Kerry has also overheard conversations Zoe has had with her best friend. Personal conversations, divulging intimate details.

Kerry enters the sauna where Zoe is relaxing. Kerry says she'll only be there five minutes because then she has to clean out the colonic suite.

Kerry can't keep quiet. She misrepresents her position at the spa and fantasizes about job opportunities.

She is compelled to jabber about something - anything. She asks prying questions.

She's defensive of celebrities. "You can't blame her for everything that is printed?"

She imagines the celebrity life: free entry into all of the best places. Free designer clothes. Loads of Money. Hanging out with other celebrities. She has celebrities on a pedestal and worships their lives.

Zoe says she has no children, that she is too busy and they aren't on the agenda. Besides Dean travels a lot and wouldn't be home to help her raise a child.

Kerry insists that "children is where it's at," as she rattles off a celebrity list of parents. It must be hard for them - putting up with all of the stories - in the papers. Looking at a newspaper picture she comments: "Look at her legs, shapely, tan,"

"Air brushed," counters Zoe.

Finally Zoe reaches her limit and tells Kerry to shut up."I come here to relax and I can't do that if you keep talking."

Kerry agrees to leave, but the door is stuck.

There is no emergency release and the odd couple is stuck inside the sauna.

Kerry informs Zoe - who is beginning not to to feel well - that if they stay much longer they will be in trouble - and advises Zoe to relax.

Zoe can't understand why Kerry is so nonchalant. Kerry advises Zoe to stop and listen to the voice in her head that she needs to hear. Kerry's mother died when she was 7 and obviously Kerry has issues relating to that death.

Kerry swings from placid understanding to controlling.

Zoe wants to know how long before the sauna gets dangerous.

"10, 15, 20 minutes tops," is the answer.

Zoe doesn't feel well and wonders why Kerry can remain so nonchalant.

Kerry has announced that she was pregnant. "I don't have the money or the clothes, but when I became pregnant I became somebody." She was astonished at the favorable attention, even gifts. It was the status she so desperately craved.

Kerry taunts: You wouldn't want your partner to find out that you lied, would you? Kerry states that Zoe is not only pregnant but hasn't told her partner, Dean, and she doesn't want kids. Kerry offers to buy her child. When Zoe denies she is pregnant, Kerry explains that she overheard her conversations with her friend and knows she is expecting.

Then Kerry confesses that she isn't pregnant, just said she was. Her boyfriend, Nick, left her two months ago and never wanted to see her again. She thought if she announced she was pregnant that he'd come back. He didn't.

Kerry sees Zoe's pregnancy as an answer to both of their problems.

It is then that Zoe realizes that Kerry had deliberately locked the sauna door.

Dean doesn't need to know, but if you don't help me he might find out, threatens Kerry.

Zoe begs Kerry to open the door, saying the heat isn't good for the baby.

You lose a baby I gain a baby and he never knows, counters Kerry.

Kerry accuses Zoe of thinking that everything is all about her. That Zoe doesn't understand what all she's been through. Zoe calls Kerry a stupid cow who works in a health spa and wastes her life drooling over what she reads in the papers.

A physical altercation occurs. Kerry is sorry, saying she does crazy things when she panics.

Kerry says that Zoe will stay in the hot sauna until she agrees to give up her baby.

Zoe warns that the sauna heat can kill the baby.

Kerry snaps back that Zoe doesn't want or love it.

I would, declares Zoe.

Kerry confessed that she can't have the baby. That the doctors say it's deformed.

Zoe's reaction at the thought of a deformed baby is chilling.

Kerry responds that "it's still a person."

The ending is both sad and devastating.

Available from the Wireless Theatre Company. Edited by Joe Richardson.

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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

SAMUEL FOSSO: AFFIRMATIVE ACTS

Samuel Fosso, Tati—Le Chef qui a vendu l’Afrique aux colons, 1997. The Walther Collection, New York / Neu-Ulm. © Samuel Fosso. Courtesy the artist; Jean Marc Patras, Paris; and The Walther Collection

the Nigerian-Cameroonian artist Samuel Fosso is one of the most compelling photographers working in self-portraiture today.

Samuel Fosso: Affirmative Acts, now on view at Art on Hulfish in Princeton, New Jersey, is the first museum survey of his work in the United States.

On Thursday, December 15, Fosso joins Princeton Professor Chika Okeke-Agulu, curator, artist, and director of the Program in African Studies, to discuss Fosso’s practice, life experience, and the series presented in the exhibition. Reception to follow.

Attend this event at Art on Hulfish or stream it live on Zoom.

This event will include live closed captions in both English and Spanish.

Samuel Fosso: Affirmative Acts is curated by Princeton University Professor Chika Okeke-Agulu with Princeton students Silma Berrada, Class of 2022; Lawrence Chamunorwa, doctoral student; Maia Julis, Class of 2023; and Iheanyi Onwuegbucha, doctoral student.

Organized by the Princeton University Art Museum in collaboration with The Walther Collection.

FLY IN LEAGUE WITH THE NIGHT Tate Britain presents Lynette Yiadom-Boakye’s major survey exhibition. Widely considered to be one of the most important figurative painters working today, Yiadom-Boakye (b.1977) is celebrated for her enigmatic oil paintings of human subjects who are entirely imagined by the artist. This exhibition brings together over 70 paintings spanning two decades, including works from her graduate exhibition.

The most extensive exhibition of the artist’s work to date, Fly In League With The Night was originally presented at Tate Britain in 2020 but was cut short by the national lockdown.

The figures in Yiadom-Boakye’s paintings feel both familiar and mysterious. Each of her works is created from a composite archive of found images and her own imagination, raising questions of identity and representation. Her paintings are created in spontaneous and instinctive bursts, revealing expressive, short brushstrokes and a distinctive palette of dark, dramatic tones contrasted with flashes of brightness. By stripping away the signifiers of any particular era, her figures seem to exist outside of a specific time or place, inviting viewers to project their own narratives, memories and interpretations. Surveying the development of Yiadom-Boakye’s unique formal language from 2003 to the present day, the exhibition includes early paintings such as First, created for her postgraduate exhibition at the Royal Academy Schools in 2003, alongside more recent examples of her best-known paintings including A Passion Like No Other 2012,Amaranthine 2018 and For the Sake of Angels 2018.

Writing is central to Yiadom-Boakye’s artistic practice, as she has explained: "I write about the things I can’t paint and paint the things I can’t write about." Her paintings are coupled with poetic, seemingly unrelated titles, such as Tie the Temptress to the Trojan 2016 and To Improvise a Mountain 2018. This exhibition will be accompanied by a fully illustrated catalogue including writing by Yiadom-Boakye, the exhibition curators, and the American poet and writer Elizabeth Alexander.

Lynette Yiadom-Boakye was born in 1977 in London, where she lives and works today. She is of Ghanaian descent and in 2019 participated in the critically acclaimed Ghana Freedom pavilion at the International Venice Biennale. In 2018 she was awarded the prestigious Carnegie International Prize and was shortlisted for the Turner Prize in 2013. Her work is represented in museum collections around the world and she has exhibited internationally including solo exhibitions at Mudam Luxembourg – Musée d’ArtModerne Grand-Duc Jean (2022); Moderna Museet, Stockholm (2021); Kunstsammlung Nordrhein-Westfalen, Düsseldorf (2021); New Museum of Contemporary Art, New York (2017); the Kunsthalle Basel, Switzerland (2016); Haus der Kunst, Munich (2015); and the Serpentine Gallery, London (2015).

Lynette Yiadom-Boakye: Fly In League With The Night is curated by Andrea Schlieker, Director of Exhibitions and Displays, Tate Britain and Isabella Maidment, Curator of Contemporary British Art with Amy Emmerson Martin and Aïcha Mehrez, Assistant Curators. On exhibit through February 26, 2023.

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SWEET CHARITY

THE ROYAL VARIETY PERFORMANCE

Countess Sophie arriving at the 2022 Royal Variety Performance. Photo: Royal Portraits Gallery.

took place at Royal Albert Hall in London last Thursday, December 1, 2022. Prince Edward and his wife, Sophie were in attendance, marking the first time the Earl and Countess of Wessex and Forfar had attended the famed event.

Countess Sophie was stunning in a tied at the waist $2895 ERDEM Lindsay pleated, long meallalic, lame' gown with cuffed, long sleeves. She carried an Elie Saab Sequine box clutch with a chain and gold finishes. Completing the look were diamond and sapphire drop earrings. Her fingernails were painted pink. Not to be ignored, her husband looked handsome in his tux.

This big night of entertainment has been a British staple since 1912, bringing together a number of different acts who perform in aid of the Royal Variety Charity, which assists those who've worked professionally in the entertainment industry and are in need of help.

The Royal Variety Performance is now watched by over 152 million TV viewers worldwide, making it the most successful and longest running entertainment show in the world.

Giles Cooper, chairman of the Royal Variety Charity, says: "The support from ticket sales for the performance means that the Royal Variety Charity continues to thrive, even given the current economic climate being felt by so many throughout the charitable world."

Would I Lie To You team captain and stand-up comedian Lee Mack served as host.

Every year the winner of Britain's Got Talent is among those taking part.

This year, comedian Axel Blake won and delivered his stand-up routine. Other comics joining him included Al Murray, Maisie Adam and Omid Djalili.

World-renowned composer Andrew Lloyd Webber, award-winning artist Gary Barlow and Gareth Malone accompanied by members of the London Youth Choir performed a very special version of Sing.

Eurovision runner-up Sam Ryder, R&B sensations Nile Rodgers & Chic, Brit Award winner George Ezra, multi award-winning Ellie Goulding who delivered her rendition of Fields Of Gold and pop star Becky Hill also performed.

The Royal Variety Performance is the entertainment industry's annual fundraising event for the Royal Variety Charity.

The cast of the musical Cabaret also took to the stage with an exclusive performance, while Disney’s Newsies staged a sensational extract from their Tony award-winning musical, which opens in London later this month.

Other acts included Cirque Du Soleil, German magic duo The Ehrlich Brothers, a spine-tingling performance from Giffords Circus, and a classical moment from soprano Fatma Said.

NICOLE KIDMAN has made the largest auction bid in the history of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS charity.

Kidman, who has been friends with Hugh Jackson for over thirty years, plunked down $100,000 to purchase the signed hat Jackson wore while performing in The Music Man at the Winter Garden Theater in New York City.

Kidman received a standing ovation and screams of delight from the crowd.

"I love you. I love Broadway. And I love what they do, Broadway Cares, but I also want to say this show is extraordinary," Kidman said after making the donation.

Jackman thanked Kidman in a posted video. "I’ve known Nic for almost 30 years. I’ve worked with her. I can tell you this is not a surprise to me. She is one of the most generous souls I know. You’re a beautiful person. I love you. Thank you."

"Broadway Cares is blessed with friends across Broadway. But we have no greater champion than Hugh Jackman. This extraordinary gift from his pal Nicole Kidman is by far the largest donation for anyone auction item ever," said executive director Tom Viola. "That’s 20,000 meals and 2,000 doctor visits this holiday season for those living with HIV/AIDS, struggling with COVID-19 or facing other life-threatening challenges," Viola added.

RED BULL THEATER presents Your Own Thing featuring Lesli Margherita, Simon Pearl, Michael Pilato, Vaden Thurgood, Eddie Cooper, Lilli Cooper, Santino Fontana, and Jennifer Sánchez for An All-Star Benefit Performance of the Hit 1968 Rock Musical suggested by Twelfth Night.

The evening will feature Special Appearances by Michael Cerveris, Robert Cuccioli, Tovah Feldshuh, Richard Kind, Ken Page, Patrick Page, Estelle Parsons, Jay O. Sanders, Mary Testa, John Douglas Thompson, and Bruce Vilanch.

Directed by Gabriel Barre, with Musical Direction by Greg Pliska.

With music & lyrics by Hal Hester and Danny Apolinar, and book adaptation by Donald Driver, the original production opened on January 13th 1968 at the Orpheum Theater, produced by Zev Bufman & Dorothy Love, where it ran for 933 performances. In the late 1960s, a raging storm shipwrecks a young music duo, twins Viola and Sebastian. The pair end up in the land of Illyria, which looks very much like New York City, and the rest is Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night – well, kind of. This hit rock musical ran Off-Broadway while Hair played uptown. Your Own Thing won the Drama Critics' Circle Award for Best Musical, Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Production, and the Drama Desk Award (Vernon Rice Award) for Donald Driver as Outstanding New Playwright. Red Bull Theater will give the show its first New York presentation in decades with this one-night-only, in-person-only, concert benefit.

Monday, December 12th at the Peter Jay Sharp Theatre at Symphony Space in New York City.

IT’S A WONDERFUL LIFE a one-night-only performance of the Frank Capra holiday classic, directed by Artistic Director Jack Cummings III, which takes place Monday, December 12, at The Sheen Center for Thought and Culture, in New York City. The event benefits the Transport Group.

Courtesy of The Donna Reed Foundation, the benefit includes an appearance by Mary Owen, daughter of Oscar winner Donna Reed, who will introduce the evening.

Donna Lynne Champlin stars as George Bailey; Barbara Andres as Mr. Gower; Sherry D. Boone as Mary Hatch; Tony nominee Marc Kudisch as Nick the Bartender; Michael Mastro as Uncle Billy; Tony winner Maryann Plunkett as Clarence; Tony nominee Mary Testa as Henry F. Potter; Tony nominee Barbara Walsh as Ma Bailey; and Nick Westrate as Violet Bick.

Rounding out the evening’s cast are George Abud, Lauren Blackman, Tina Chilip, Tim Dolan, Michael Hartung, Colin Hanlon, David Huynh, Christopher Innvar, Emmy winner Francesca James, Tina Johnson, Kyra Kennedy, Erica Knight, Danny Kornfeld), Kelly McAndrew, Emma Orelove, Jennifer Piech, Blair Ross, Tally Sessions, Nancy Shayne, Cheryl Stern, Tatiana Wechsler, and John Wellmann.

It’s a Wonderful Life is the story of George Bailey, a deeply frustrated businessman struggling to hold on to his values. When the fate of his father’s company is in jeopardy, George begins to question every element of his life. Interrupting a dark night of the soul, a guardian angel named Clarence appears to show him what life would have been like if he had never existed. Based on the classic 1946 film starring James Stewart, Donna Reed, and Lionel Barrymore, directed by Frank Capra, and widely considered to be one of the greatest films of all time, the evening examines what makes life worth living—a theme that has resonated for generations. It’s a Wonderful Life is adapted by Joe Landry, based on the story The Greatest Gift by Philip Van Doren Stern from the screenplay by Frances Goodrich, Albert Hackett, Frank Capra, and Jo Swerling. The evening features live, incidental music composed for the evening by Ted Shen and Carmel Dean.

LAUGHING 4 GOOD takes place Thursday, December 8th, 2022. Join in at the Hollywood Improv when Caroline Rhea, Sarah Silverman, Gina Yashere & Erin Jackson participate in Laughing 4 Good.

The event invites comedy clubs, comedy networks, and fans to raise awareness and money in support of the work Comedy Gives Back does to help stand-up comedians in need. In the spirit of Giving Tuesday, Comedy Gives Back is claiming Laughing Thursday as a special day to appreciate and give back to the comedy community that has kept all of us laughing through thick and thin. This year, Comedy Central is joining forces with Comedy Gives Back as an official partner, pledging to donate $10,000 to the organization, and calling upon other industry players to match or exceed their donation amount.

Comedy clubs who have already confirmed participation in Laughing for Good include the Dania Beach, DC, Los Angeles, Miami, Palm Beach and Tempe Improvs, The Laughing Skull Lounge, The Stand in NYC, Stand Up Live, Punch Line SF, Philly, Cobbs and Sacramento, Laugh Boston and Gotham with more slated to come on board. Comedy fans are encouraged to post about the shows they’re attending on Laughing Thursday using the hashtags #Laughing4Good and #LaughingThursday.

In addition, a growing slate of comedy podcasts, livestreams and podcast networks will once again be participating in Laughing For Good, including: Doug Benson’s podcasts - Doug Loves Movies and Wide World of Dougs, All Things Comedy, Big Money Players, FriendZone with Rob Huebel and Paul Scheer, Go Ask Tig, Kill Me Now with Judy Gold, Reply Guys with Kate Willett, Mental Illness Happy Hour, The Sarah Silverman Podcast, SiriusXM, Starburns Audio, and more.

Comedy Gives Back has been, and continues to be, a crucial safety net for comedians in need. During the pandemic, Comedy Gives Back gave more than 1,000 cash grants to working comedians who lost access to their income as live performance venues were forced to close. In the past year, Comedy Gives Back has paid for comedians to go through substance abuse treatment, awarded more cash grants, and provided free therapy sessions through a partnership with BetterHelp.

Holiday season can be an incredibly lonely time. Comedy Gives Back anticipates that the needs of working comedians will only increase. Whether it be back rent, medical bills, or the need for mental health services, it is essential that Comedy Gives Back be there for the comedy community. Comedy Gives Back has partnered with BetterHelp which is an online therapy platform with licensed, trained, experienced, and accredited psychologists (PhD / PsyD), marriage and family therapists (LMFT), clinical social workers (LCSW / LMSW), and board licensed professional counselors (LPC), offering a free month of coverage for comedians in need.

Comedy Central and MTV Entertainment Studios have leveraged a decades-long history of sparking conversations about mental health through Mental Health is Health, a multi-year initiative to tackle the nation’s growing health crisis by harnessing the power of storytelling to normalize mental health conversations and inspire action.

SPREADING THE WORD

CELEBRATING THE REPEAL OF PROHIBITION Party like its 1933. On December 5, 1933 the 21st Amendment was ratified bu president Franklin D. Roosevelt. The Amendment repealed the 18th Amendment of January 16, 1919, ending the prohibition of alcohol. On Monday, December 5, 2022 the Great Jones Distilling Co. in New York City parties like it's 1933. With a nod to the Prohibition Era’s ubiquitous jazz, sultry burlesque, and boozy cocktails, they're combining the spirit of the 20s & 30s with the energy of today’s New York at their Repeal Day Party. Guests will grab a drink, hit the dance floor, and join in to raise a glass to Repeal Day and cheers to Manhattan’s First Whiskey Distillery Since Prohibition.

The Great Jones Distilling Co. "Whiskey in the heart of New York" has a one hour tour of the 28,000 square foot, four story distillery located in an 84 year old building. There is a cocktail bar, 72-seat restaurant and a tasting room. The spiral staircase has a railing crafted from a singlepiece of steel.

IRA GLASS AND JAD ABUMRAD it’s a public radio-filled evening when prolific audio storytellers Ira Glass and Jad Abumrad, hosts of iconic radio programs, This American Life and Radiolab, respectively, come together to take you on a journey of insight, investigation, and humanity in a way that only they can.

Sunday, December 11, 2022 at the Curran Theatre in San Francisco, CA.

JOSEPHINE BEAVERS returns to 54 Below in New York City on December 6th and 29th, 2022. Beavers will perform hits from the Great American Songbook, seasonal and holiday favorites including her new single, "I Wish It Could Be Christmas Forever." In addition, Josephine will also bring the music of her new TV documentary, The Musician’s Green Book which airs on PBS. Beavers will be accompanied by her Manhattan All-Star Quintet under the direction of pianist/arranger Ed Vodicka.

LATINA CHRISTMAS SPECIAL an American comedy of Latina proportions, returns to New York City for a limited seven-performance run "filled with laughs, more laughs, music and escándalo (scandal)." Performances take place December 7 through December 11 at the SoHo Playhouse.

You thought your holidays with the family were dramatic? Try these three hilarious, touching and surprisingly personal Christmas stories of holidays past told by three first-generation Latina comedians: Miami-born, Cuban-American Diana Yanez; half Mexican-half Lithuanian California native Maria Russell; and Mexican-American Sandra Valls, who hails from Laredo, Texas.

When these three, sassy besties get together, it really is the most wonderful time of the year, with non-stop laughter, fun and, of course, tequila shots. It’s definitely not a silent night, as they banter about everything from moms to cucarachas (cockroaches) to Farrah Fawcett, and share their funny and intimate stories of childhood Christmas "dramas" that make them uniquely American, undoubtedly Latina, and, above all, best friends forever.

PRINCESS MARY'S CHRISTMAS GIFT

Be inspired by the kingness of Princess Mary kindness and learn about the wider story of hope with the true history her determination to bring comfort to all British servicemen afloat and on the front during the first Christmas of the War. Join author and historian Dr. Peter Doyle in this holiday-inspired WWI Changed US as he explores the history of the tins, their meaning to its recipients and the nature of Princess Mary’s gift itself.

The Sailors & Soldiers Christmas Fund was created by Princess Mary, the 17-year-old daughter of King George V and Queen Mary, with the purpose of providing everyone wearing the King’s uniform and serving overseas on Christmas Day 1914 with a "gift from the nation".

The result was the production of an embossed brass box containing gifts, which would also go to the wounded on leave or in hospital, to nurses, and to the widows or parents of those killed. Prisoners of war at the time had theirs reserved until they were repatriated.

The tin itself was approximately 13cm (5?) long by 8cm (3¼”) wide by 3cm (1¼”) deep with a hinged lid. The surface of the lid is decorated with a portrait of Princess Mary, surrounded by a laurel wreath and with an ‘M’ either side.

At the top are the words ‘Imperium Britannicum’ with a sword and scabbard either side, and at the bottom are the words ‘Christmas 1914’, flanked by the bows of battleships forging through a heavy sea. In the corners are the names of the Allies: Belgium, Japan, Montenegro and Servia, with France and Russia either side.

Inside the tins were a variety of gifts according to which group of people they were being sent to. Many were actually sent separately as not all the items would fit into one tin. Gifts for servicemen at the front or at sea (‘Class A’) received the following:

Smokers: embossed brass box, a pipe, an ounce of tobacco, a packet of cigarettes (20) in a distinctive yellow monogrammed wrapper and a tinder lighter.
Non-Smokers: embossed brass box, a packet of acid tablets, a khaki writing case, paper and pencil.

There were also boxes for Indian troops, who received sweets and spices, and nurses were sent chocolate. A simpler gift was given out to all other servicemen (‘Classes B & C’) which consisted of a bullet pencil.

Every box contained a Christmas card and a picture of the Princess. Those which were not distributed until after Christmas were sent out with a card wishing the recipient a "victorious new year".

More than 355,000 tins were successfully delivered by the Christmast dealine, but a shortage of brass meant that many entitled personnel did not receive their gift until as late as the summer of 1916, and in January 1919 it was reported that ‘considerable’ numbers had still not been distributed.

Orders for brass strip were placed with the USA, who were not yet involved in the war, and a large consignment was lost with the ship Lusitania. As so much brass was being consumed in the production of weapons and munitions, the quality of the boxes which were manufactured later on was poor, as they were made of a plated inferior alloy.

When the fund finally closed in 1920, almost £200,000 had been donated for the provision of more than two and a half million boxes with contents.

This World War I Museum in Kansas City, MO sponsored Zoom event is Free with registration on Zoom. Conference takes place Saturday, December 10, 2022.

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THE EARTHSHOT PRIZE created by Prince William. The project gets its name from President John F. Kennedy's 1962 moonshot speech in which the 'moonshot' was a challenge set by President Kennedy to reach the seemingly impossible goal of landing a man on the moon within ten years. First awarded in 2021 The Earthshot Prize is planned to run annually until 2030.

Each winner, chosen by the Prize Council as the most innovative solutions to the environmental challenges facing the planet, received $1.2 million prize money and access to a global support network to scale their work.

Performers included Billie Eilish, Annie Lenox and Chloe and Halle Bailey and Ellie Golding who jetted over from Europe after appeared the night before at the Royal Variety Show.

From a shortlist of fifteen finalists, five winners were selected - one for each Earthshot categroy:

On Friday, at the MGM Music Hall, Kate and Williams announced the winners.

2022 Earthshot winners. Photo: Earthshot.

This year's winners are:

Protect & Restore Nature category: Mukuru Clean Stoves from Kenya
Clean Our Air category: Kheyti from India
Revive Our Oceans category: Indigenous Women of the Great Barrier Reef from Australia
Build a Waste-Free World category: Notpla from the United Kingdom
Fix Our Climate category: 44.01 from Oman.

Princess Kate in her rented, glam dress. Photo: Screen shot.

The prizes were awarded by Emmy winning actor Rami Malet, comedian Catherine O'Hara and actor and activist Shailene Woodley, and Princess Kate. Also present was David Beckham. Actor Dae Kim was the co-host alongside BBC Radio 1's Clara Amfo.

William and Kate sat next to the CEO of Earthshot, Hannah Jones.

The evening also featured recorded comments by Sir David Attenborough ans Oscar winning actor and Earthshot Prize Council member Cate Blanchett.

In keeping with protecting the environment, attendees were asked not to purchase new clothes for the evening but rather rewear what they already owned or buy from a thrift shop. Kate rented a gorgeous, floor length, bright green off-the-shoulder, stretch crepe, long gown by Solace London, which she rented from HURR, a U.K. rental agency for designer clothes at a cost of $91 per day. The gown was accented by an emerald and diamond necklace which once belonged to her mother-in-law Princess Diana. She also wore emerald and diamond earrings mounted in platinum by Aspray. Covering her feet were crystal embellished pumps from Gianvito Rossi. Her husband was spiffy in his smart blue velvet blazer and tuxedo pants.

On Wednesday, November 30, 2022 the Prince and Princess of Wales arrived in Boston to begin a three day tour. During their time in Boston the royal couple visited Greentown Labs, a climate tech startup incubator, visited Roca, a nonprofit focused on reducing youth violence. On Friday the Princess of Wales visited Harvard's Center on the Developing Child while her husband met with President Biden and took a tour of the JFK library with US Ambassador to Australia Caroline Kennedy and two of her children.



ELF THE MUSICAL based on the hit 2003 film. Director & Choreographer is Hamish Mouat.

Musical director is Nicola Jean.

Production designer is Leoni Willis.

A cast of Auckland's finest young performers appear alongside Mark Hadlow as Santa Claus.

Elf is the hilarious tale of Buddy, the human turned Elf raised by Santa at the North Pole. On learning the truth, Buddy embarks on a journey to New York City to find his birth father and discover his true identity. Faced with the harsh realities that his father is on the naughty list and his half-brother doesn’t even believe in Santa, Buddy is determined to win over his new family and help New York remember the true meaning of Christmas.

The New Zealand premiere of Elf the Musical takes place in the Encore Theatre Collective December 8-11 at the Auckland Theatre Company in Balmoral, Auckland.

"Encore is proud to be supporting the Christmas Joy Store this Christmas to help provide presents to families in need. We encourage patrons attending Elf The Musical to bring along an unwrapped, brand-new, quality toy and leave it at the collection point in the foyer before the performance. Toys will then be donated to the Joy Store at the end of the week.

"In December 2021, the Christmas Joy Store opened its doors for the first time and was an instant success – an initiative by the Kindness Collective Foundation. The Joy Store is a social toy store that provides referred parents and caregivers with the opportunity to shop for their children, choosing gifts they know they’ll love, off the shelves for free. The vision behind the Joy Store creates a judgement free zone where parents and caregivers, who might not otherwise get to enjoy a joyful Christmas, are provided a dignified shopping experience.

"We ask you to purchase new, quality toys – not from discount stores like $2 shops. Many children have never had a new toy before and every child deserves the excitement of new at Christmas. Toys for ages 1 to 14 could include sports gear, arts/crafts, board games, dolls & books. In 2021, 24,056 toys were picked off the Joy Store shelves for opening on Christmas morning."

MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG featuring music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, a book by George Furth, and based on the original play by George S. Kaufman & Moss Hart.

Directed by Olivier Award winner Maria Friedman who first directed the musical at London’s Menier Chocolate Factory which subsequently transferred to the Harold Pinter Theatre to critical acclaim.

Choreographed by Tim Jackson.

Spanning three decades in the entertainment business, Merrily We Roll Along charts the turbulent relationship between composer Franklin Shepard and his two lifelong friends - writer Mary and lyricist & playwright Charley. An inventive, cult-classic ahead of its time, Merrily We Roll Along features some of Stephen Sondheim’s most celebrated and personal songs.

The cast includes: Sherz Aletaha as Scotty/Mrs. Spencer/Auditionee, Krystal Joy Brown as Gussie Carnegie, Katie Rose Clarke as Beth Shepard, Leana Rae Concepcion as Newscaster/Waitress/Auditionee, Jonathan Groff as Franklin Shepard, Carter Harris as Franklin Shepard Jr. (alternates with Colin Keane), Colin Keane as Franklin Shepard Jr. (alternates with Carter Harris), Morgan Kirner as Swing, Corey Mach as Tyler/Make-Up Artist, Lindsay Mendez as Mary Flynn, Daniel Radcliffe as Charley Kringas, Talia Robinson as Meg Kincaid, Reg Rogers as Joe Josephson, Amanda Rose (Dear Jane) as Swing, Jamila Sabares-Klemm as Dory/Evelyn, Brian Sears as Newscaster/Photographer/Bunker, Evan Alexander Smithas Swing, Christian Strangeas Ru/Reverend, Koray Tarhan as Swing, Vishal Vaidya as Jerome, Natalie Wachen as KT and Jacob Keith Watson as Terry/Mr. Spencer.

The creative team includes Catherine Jayes as music supervisor and Alvin Hough, Jr. as music director, with scenic & costume design by Soutra Gilmour, lighting design by Amith Chandrashaker, and sound design by Kai Harada. Casting is by Jim Carnahan, CSA & Jason Thinger, CSA, with additional casting by Taylor Williams, CSA. Dave Anzuelo will serve as fight & intimacy director, with Jhanaë K-C Bonnick as stage manager.

Opening night set for December 12, 2022, for a limited run through Saturday January 21, 2023 at New York Theatre Workshop.

WATCH ON THE RHINE by Lillian Hellman.

Directed by former Artistic Director of the Gate Theatre Ellen McDougall.

"It’s an indulgence to sit in a room and discuss your beliefs as if they were a juicy piece of gossip."

Summer 1941. On a peaceful morning in her Washington D.C. living room, widow Fanny Farrelly anxiously awaits the return of her daughter and her German husband, fleeing Europe with their children. As night falls, dark secrets emerge, and this American sanctuary becomes even more dangerous than what they left behind.

Starring Kate Duchêne (Anise), Caitlin FitzGerald (Sara Muller) and Olivier Award winner Patricia Hodge (Fanny Farrelly).

Joining them are John Light (Teck de Brancovis), Carlyss Peer (Marthe de Brancovis), Geoffrey Streatfeild (David Farrelly), Mark Waschke (Kurt Muller) and David Webber (Joseph).

They are joined by Finley Glasgow (Joshua Muller), Tamar Laniado and Chloe Raphael (Babette Muller), Bertie Caplan and Henry Hunt (Bodo Muller).

The creatives are: designed by Basia Binkowska, with lighting design by Azusa Ono, sound design by Tingying Dong, fight direction by Cristian Cardenas, musical direction by Josh Middleton, video design by Sarah Readman, casting director Anna Cooper CDG, dramaturgy by Emma Jude Harris and Zoe Svendsen, voice and dialect coaching by Nia Lynn. Anti-racism consultancy for the production is provided by mezze eade.

Watch on the Rhine, premiered in April 1941 at the Martin Beck Theater, New York. At the time, America was still a neutral party in WWII. The play was later adapted into a 1943 film starring Bette Davis and Paul Lukas. Known for her success on Broadway Lillian Hellman was also a brilliant activist, ahead of her time. Watch on the Rhine is her masterpiece political thriller.

December 9, 2022 - February 4, 2023 at the Donmar Warehouse in London.

A VERY DRUNKEN CHRISTMAS CAROL the latest rendition of Robert McPherson's tipsy retelling of Charles Dickens' time-honored holiday classic. See what new shenanigans occur. In true Drunken Tenor comedy opera fashion, things get turned upside down. While preparing for a holiday concert, The Drunken Tenor gets hit in the head, knocked out, and wakes up in an alternate reality. He embarks on a journey to understand how he became the person he is and the possible consequences of his choices. Along the way, he is joined by duet partners of the past, present, and future for a mix of opera, holiday favorites, and much more.

Featuring Robert McPhersonas as The Tenor, David McDade as the pianist, Jennifer Bromagen as the Soprano, Sarah Mattoz as the Mezzo, John B. Cooper as The Baritone and Holly McPherson as The Voice.

Performed inEnglish.

Presented by Seattle Opera December 9–18, 2022 at Tagney Jones Hall, Opera Center in Seattle, Washington.

THE TWELVE DATES OF CHRISTMAS by Ginna Hoben.

After seeing her fiancé kiss another woman at the televised Thanksgiving Day Parade, Mary's life falls apart - just in time for the holidays.

Over the next year, she stumbles back into the dating world, where "romance" ranges from weird and creepy to absurd and comical. It seems nothing can help Mary's growing cynicism, until the charm and innocence of a five-year-old boy unexpectedly brings a new outlook on life and love. This heartwarming one-woman play offers a hilarious and modern alternative to the old standards of the holiday season!

Several productions are being presented this holiday season.

At Endstation Theatre in Lynchburg, Virginia from December 14-17 the one woman show is performed by Stephanie Holladay Earl with live music by professional pianist Dashay Glover.

From December 8 - 18, 2022 at Virginia Stage Company in Norfork, Virginia the show stars Emel Ertugrul, directed by Laura Agudelo.

A CHRISTMAS CAROL an all new production adapted and directed by Rob Melrose. From the novella by Charles Dickens.

With rich Victorian costumes and beautifully sung carols, A Christmas Carol tells the beloved story of Scrooge.

The Cast includes Alley’s Resident Acting Company members Elizabeth Bunch, Dylan Godwin, Shawn Hamilton, Chris Hutchison, Melissa Molano, Melissa Pritchett, David Rainey, Christopher Salazar, and Todd Waite.

Rounding out the Adult Cast are Christine Friale, Derrick J. Brent II, Luis Quintero, and ensemble members John Ryan Del Bosque, Brittany Halen, Michelle Elaine, Alric Davis, Jeremy Gee, Brandon Hearnsberger, Adam Gibbs, Amanda Martinez, and swings Brock Hatton and Donna Bella Litton.

The Young Cast includes Lucas Benitez, Sebastian Brown, Bodhi Bryant, Sunny Bryant, Khloe Collins, Emma Cranston, Phoebe Dykes, Shelby Elizabeth, Camille A. Hutchison, Carlisle A. Hutchison, Natalia Mena, Holly Ornelas, Caleb Ramirez, Sebastian Ramirez, Kate Sanchez, Cameron Starnes, Peter Theurer, and Riaan Essa Washington.

The Creative Team led by Alley Artistic Director Rob Melrose includes Choreographer Christopher Windom, Scenic Designer Michael Locher, Costume Designer Raquel Barreto, Lighting Designer Cat Tate Starmer, Sound Designer Cliff Caruthers, Illusion Designer Jim Steinmeyer, Puppet Designer Afsaneh Aayani, Music Director John L. Cornelius II, Fight Director & Intimacy Specialist Adam Noble, Dialect Coach Jim Johnson, Stage Manager Rebecca R.D. Hamlin, and Assistant Stage Manager Emily Bohannan.

Performances through December 30, 2022 at the Alley in Houston, Texas.

OHIO STATE MURDERS written by Adrienne Kennedy which marks the playwright's Broadway debut at the age of 91.

Directed by Kenny Leon.

When writer Suzanne Alexander returns to her alma mater as a guest speaker, in which she explores the violence in her works, a dark mystery unravels. Called "an intriguing and unusual suspense play, as well as a social pertinent look at the destructiveness of racism in our society."

Starring six time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald, Bryce Pinkham, Mister Fitzgerald, Lizan Mitchell, and Abigail Stephenson.

The creative team for the production includes Beowulf Boritt (Set Design), Dede Ayite (Costume Design), Allen Lee Hughes (Lighting Design), Justin Ellington (Sound Design), Jeff Sugg (Projection Design), J. Jared Janas (Hair/Wig and Makeup Design), Dwight Andrews (Original Music), and Caparelliotis Casting (Casting).

The play was first performed in 1992 at Cleveland's Great Lakes Theater Festival who commissioned it, and was produced Off Broadway in 2007 at Theatre for a New Audience.Officially opens December 8 at the Earl Jones Theatre in New York City.

JOY a new musical with book by Tony Award Winner Ken Davenport. Music and lyrics by Tony Nominee AnnMarie Milazzo.

Directed by Casey Hushion.

Choreography by Joshua Bergasse.

Vicki Lewis, Stephen DeRosa and Trent Saunders join Erika Henningsen as Joy.

The cast also includes: Sami Bray (Christie), Badia Farha (Ronnie/Ensemble), Pomme Koch (Dan/Ensemble), Gaelen Gilliand (Ensemble), Hazel Anne Raymundo (Thelma), Olivia Jones (Young Joy), John Hickok (Cowboy Eddie/Ensemble), Ashleigh Marie Arnold, Brian Shepard, Dana Costello, Kristen Faith Oei, Alanna Saunders, Ryan Duncan, Anthony Wayne, Justin Gregory Lopez, (Ensemble); Bronwyn Tarboton (Dance Captain/Swing), Michal Kolaczkowski (Swing).

The musical is based on the life of Joy Mangano and her book Inventing Joy: Dare to Build a Brave and Creative Life. "Joy is a heartwarming and powerful musical based on the life of Joy Mangano - the entrepreneur, inventor, best-selling author, and self-made millionaire whose journey epitomizes the real American Dream. This uplifting true story is about one woman’s triumphant climb, from divorce to single motherhood and bankruptcy, to becoming a wildly successful dynamo that all started with the invention of a mop - her Miracle Mop. Joy is a feel-good musical about finding yourself through determination, imagination, and reinvention with a twist, and is sure to inspire audiences long after they leave the theater."

The creatives include: Musical supervision is by Andy Einhorn; Anna Louizos (Scenic Designer), Tina McCartney (Costume Designer), Jen Schriever (Lighting Designer), Dan Moses Schreier (Sound Designer), Liz Printz (Hair & Wig Designer), John Clancy (Orchestrator), Melissa Chacón (Production Stage Manager).

Running December 7th through December 30th at the George Street Playhouse in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

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FINAL OVATION

CHRISTINE McVIE Fleetwood Mac singer-songwriter died November 30, 2022. She was 79.

The co-lead vocalist and keyboardist wrote hits including Don’t Stop. and is credited with helping write other songs including Little Lies; Everywhere and Say You Love Me.

McVie, who shared vocals with Stevie Nicks, left Fleetwood Mac after 28 years in 1998 but returned in 2014.

She also released three solo albums. Her lyrics focused on love and relationships.

She was twice divorced.

ROD STEWART 77, is mourning the death of his two brothers who died within two months of each other. On Wednesday, December 1, 2022 Stewart posted on Instangram that his brother Bob had died the night before. He added that he "joins my brother Don on the great football pitch in the sky. I've lost two of my best mates in the space of two months. RIP Don and Ben 'irreplaceable buddies' Sir Rod Stewart. He attached a candle flame. His brothe Don r passed away in September at the age of 94. According to the Los Angeles Times Rod Stewart is the youngest of five siblings and had two surviving sisters: Peggy and Mary.

JAY ROGERS award-winning performer and director passed away from cancer on Friday, October 28, 2022.

Rogers is most well-known for his turn in the flamboyant When Pigs Fly, for which he won the 1996 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Featured Actor in a Musical. His immediate, previous stage outing was in Off-Broadway’s Whoop-Dee-Doo! in 1993. In 2015 he played The Wizard in Transport Group’s Off-Broadway revival of Once Upon a Mattress.

He was a multiple Bistro Award winner (1989 and 1993). As a director, he worked with Lypsinka, Sue Matsuki and Richard Skipper, among others. In film, Rogers appeared in This Train (2001), Home with Amy Sedaris (2017) and Christmas Eve Eve Or: The Things I Can’t Remember (2021).

He is survived by his husband, Aaron Morishita, whom he had been with since 2009. He is also survived by his sister, Amanda Breckenridge, and nieces Hadley Breckenridge, Amy Chizk and Lisa Rosenthal.

GENE CIPRIANO a saxophonist who played on thousands of pop and jazz recordings and whose music was a part of dozens of films and television died of natural causes on Nov.ember 12, 2022 at his home in Studio City, Calif. He was 94.

The saxophonist played music for seemingly every TV show out of Hollywood, including Batman, The Flintstones, M*A*S*H*, Star Trek, The Simpsons, American Dad and Mission Impossible. He ghosted the saxophone part for Tony Curtis’ character in the iconic film Some Like It Hot. Cipriano was also a longtime member of The Wrecking Crew, the renowned group of Los Angeles-based studio musicians who played on so many hits of the ‘60s and ‘70s from the Monkees to the Beach Boys.

Cipriano was invited to join Tommy Dorsey’s band when he was just 23. He later settled in New York City, where he played with Claude Thornhill and Lee Konitz. Tex Beneke asked him to join what was a reconstituted Glenn Miller Band, playing the hits of the deceased bandleader. Among the members of that ghost band was Henry Mancini.

It was Mancini who gave Cipriano his entry into the world of television, first calling him to play flute on the Peter Gunn show for which Mancini was doing the music. In subsequent years, Cipriano would work with Mancini as well as nearly every notable TV and film composer including Johnny Mandel, Michel Legrand, Andre Previn, Neal Hefti, Lalo Schifrin, Marvin Hamlisch, Gary Foster and others.

A quintessential session woodwind musician, Cipriano would play on recordings and in performance with Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, Rosemary Clooney, Natalie Cole, Judy Garland, Prince, Miles Davis, Olivia Newton-John, Paul McCartney, Glen Campbell and so many more. He was a longtime member of the Academy Awards Orchestra.

Cipriano also did his share of jazz recordings, most notably as part of the big band on Thelonious Monk’s Monk’s Blues. He frequently played with Shelly Manne, Gerry Mulligan, Shorty Rogers, and other stalwarts of the West Coast jazz scene.

Survivors include his children Paul, Genie, Suzanne and Fred; grandchildren Grant and Alicia; great-grandchildren Natalie and Emily; and sister Marie. His wife of 43 years, Frances, died in 1996. Four years later, Cipriano met singer Catherine “Cat” Conner, and they performed all over Los Angeles in a small band. She cared for him until his death.

Next Column: December 11, 2022
Copyright: December 4, 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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