Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: February 12, 2023
By: Laura Deni
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DIVORCES INCREASE AROUND VALENTINE'S DAY: DID MERYL STREEP HAVE A ROLE?

Ah, Valentine's Day - that most romantic of all holidays - filled with candy, roses, perfume, sex - and divorce papers.

One in 12 people are considering divorce on Valentines Day according to a paper by Michael R. Mantell, PH.D.

In order to cope with that, he suggests: "Use it as an opportunity to thrive, to treat yourself well - unlike how you've been treated throughout your marriage." He emphasizes: "Love yourself."

Mandell came across a statistic from Avvo.com that indicated that divorce filings skyrocket about 40 percent around Valentine's Day, compared to the previous six months.

Marital infidelity is the leading cause of divorce.

The average length of divorce proceedings is one year.

The performing arts world has always taken notice of love - be it forever or just until something better comes along.

In 2009 - on Valentine's Day - Divorce! The Musical opened at the Hudson Mainstage Theatre in Hollywood, CA. The production was sold out. Featuring music, lyrics and book by 2008 Frederick Loewe Award winner Erin Kamler.

The Last Five Years is a musical written by Jason Robert Brown chronicled a marriage from meeting to breakup. Inspired by Brown's failed marriage to Theresa O'Neill. she sued Brown on the grounds that the story of the musical violated non-disparagement and non-disclosure agreements within their divorce decree by representing her relationship with Brown too closely. Brown, in turn, sued O’Neill for interfering with his creative work and his creative process.

As part of the legal settlement for both suits, Brown removed all references to the character being Irish Catholic, and changed the song I Could Be in Love With Someone Like You to Shiksa Goddess in order to reduce the similarity between the character, Cathy, and O'Neill.

Meryl Streep. SAG Awards publicity photo.

A few of the other love on the downside offerings are:

Kramer vs Kramer starring Meryl Streep and Dustin Hoffman

She-Devil starring Meryl Streep and Ed Begley, Jr.

Heartburn starring Merly Streep and Jack Nicholson

It's Complicated starring Meryl Streep, Alec Baldwin, Steve Martin and John Krasinski

Falling In Love starring Meryl Streep, and Robert DeNiro

Still of the Night starring Meryl Streep and Roy Scheider

The Seduction of Joe Tynan starring Meryl Streep and Alan Alda

Hope Springs starring Meryl Streep and Steve Carell

Manhattan starring Meryl Streep

Not every show is about spite and divorce. There is always the flip side - what you have to endure before you can get divorced.

And. yes. Meryl Streep is also involved. Bridges of Madison County starring Meryl Streep and Robert Redford, is a movie based on the novel which women gravitate to and understand. The movie is so powerful than many a female has remarked that while they loved the movie, they wouldn't be able to see it again.

Women who have seen the movie understand that response.

Men do not.

The best romantic movie of all time is the 1955 release of Lady and the Tramp.

If that spaghetti eating scene doesn't warm your heart, nothing will.

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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

THE CAMBIO DE ERA - CORDOBA y EL MEDITERRANEO CRISTIANO exhibition, organized by Ayuntamiento de Córdoba, is on display at Sala Vimcorsa, Centro de Creación Contemporánea de Andalucia C3A and at the Mosque-Cathedral in Cordoba until March 2023.

This exhibition was a learning tool in a class called Change of Era: The Origins of Christian Culture through the Lens of Archaeology.

The exhibition features 200 archaeological objects, which include architectural elements, sarcophagi, tombstones, mosaics, sculpture, jewellery, liturgical objects and paintings from the main Spanish and international institutions, among them the Musei Vaticani (Italy), the Musée National de Carthage (Tunisia), the Museo Nazionale Romano (Italy), the Museu Nacional de Arqueologia (Portugal), the Musée Départemental de l’Arles Antique (France), the Museo Archeologico Nazionale di Firenze (Italy), the Museo Arqueológico Nacional (Spain), the Museo Nacional de Arte Romano (Spain), the Museo Arqueológico y Etnológico de Córdoba (Spain), the Museu de Mértola, among many others.

The Mértola Museum – Cláudio Torres donated a gold medal with a chrismon, dated from the 4th-7th centuries AD and which is part of the set of materials exhumed from the excavation site at the Achada de S. Sebastião Necropolis, where the St. Sebastian Chapel and Necropolis unit is located.

Regarding the Exhibition, the organisation explains: ‘the birth of Jesus is considered in much of the Western world as the event that ushered in a new era. The impact of Christianity was not only limited to religion or worship, as it also extended to many of the rhythms of life and cultural expressions underlying the formation of Western societies.

But how did that happen? How did the expression of Christianity evolve, from the small initial symbols linked to the funerary world to the great cathedrals and pilgrimage centers of the medieval world? What was the role of Christianity in the political, economic, social and cultural transformations that led to the end of the Roman Empire and the beginning of a new era?

Through iconic works of Mediterranean Christianity, the exhibition, which can be visited at the headquarters of the Centro de Creación Contemporánea de Andalucía (C3A), at Sala Vimcorsa and the Mosque-Cathedral, proposes an innovative overview that ranges from the Christianisation of the Roman Empire to the full development of the new religion in the Mediterranean during the 5th and 6th centuries, coinciding with the consolidation of the barbarian kingdoms and the subsequent intention of Emperor Justinian to restore the territories of the Western Roman Empire.

ALICE NEEL: HOT OFF THE GRIDDLE whose vivid portraits capture the shifting social and political context of the American twentieth century.

In 1960s New York, Alice Neel was crowned ‘the court painter of the underground’. Describing herself as ‘a collector of souls’, Neel worked in New York during a period in which figurative painting was deeply unfashionable. Crowned the ‘court painter of the underground,' her canvases celebrate those who were too often marginalised in society: labour leaders, Black and Puerto Rican children, pregnant women, Greenwich Village eccentrics, civil rights activists and queer performers. A member of the US Communist Party, Neel and her radical portraits caught the attention of the FBI. In recent years, the politics of her work has given her cult status among a younger generation of artists.

Organizd in collaboration with the Centre Pompidou, Paris, this exhibition brings together over 70 of Neel’s most vibrant portraits, shown alongside archival photography and film, bringing to life what she called 'the swirl of the era'.

Thursday, February 16 - Sunday, May 21, 2023 at the Barbican in London.

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SWEET CHARITY

12 TIMES GRAMMY AWARD WINNER BABYFACE a philanthropist who actively supports numerous charities including the Carousel of Hope which benefits the Children's Diabetes Foundation, the Barbara Davis Center for Childhood Diabetes, Larry Ruvo's "Keep Memory Alive," and Stand Up for Cancer, Babyface has collaborated with Shine The Light On for two special, limited-edition hoodies and a hat in conjunction with his Super Bowl performance in which a portion of the proceeds will benefit the charity.

His performance of America The Beautiful at Super Bowl LVII followed Babyface, releasing his single, As a matter of fact, his first solo single since his 2015 album Return of the Tender Lover.

Following Sunday's performance, Babyface will join Anita Baker for her highly anticipated The Songstress arena tour beginning February 14th in Atlanta, Georgia.

SPREADING THE WORD

WILLIAM AND KATE TO ATTEND BAFTA AWARDS for the first time in three years. The prestigious awards will be handed out on February 19 at the Royal Festival Hall in London.

William, the president of the British Academy of Film and Television Arts, wasn't able to attend the awards last year because of a conflicting engagement and the year before that because his grandfather Prince Philip had died the day before.

The Prince and Princess of Wales will watch the ceremony, and then go backstage to meet with the winners and the EE Rising Star Award nominees.

BILLY PORTER the actor and fashion icon who won an Emmy for his role in FX's Pose, and a Tony for his role in Kinky Boots will be kicking off the fashion trade show MAGIC Las Vegas on February 13th with a moderated conversation in the Grand Lobby. Porter will discuss everything from his avant-garde sense of fashion to his take on being a role model in the fashion community.

Other notables at the convention will be Lauryn Bosstick, founder of the Skinny Confidential, and a special performance by legendary hip-hop artist Busta Rhymes. Bosstick will sit down with The McCord List founder, Rachel McCord, to share how she turned the Skinny Confidential into a multimillion-dollar brand.

PROJECT and MAGIC Men's will celebrate the 50th anniversary of hip-hop and its influence on fashion. Programming will include industry panels with influential hip-hop and fashion experts discussing topics including how MAGIC men's has been a launch pad for brands like Sean John and Rocawear. Hip-hop fashion icon, Karl Kani will be presented with a lifetime achievement award and reflect on his career highlights with Datwon Thomas from Vibe Magazine.

MAGIC Las Vegas will host over 620 brands from all over the globe giving access to the most comprehensive assortment of trend and young contemporary apparel, footwear, home, gift and beauty. New to the MAGIC show floor for 2023 is Sea & Grass, Barefoot Dreams, Paris Hilton Iconic Collection, Miou Muse, Naked Feet, Wild Cloud and international brands Vero Moda and Lioness. Established brands like Pistola, Adelyn Rae, Betsey Johnson, Lucy Paris, Sol and Selene, En Saison and Minnetonka will be showcasing their upcoming collections to share with retailers including Nordstrom, Aldo, Lulus.com, VICI, Free People, Altard State, ASOS.com, M. Fredrick, Buckle, Kohls and Zappos.

This year Sourcing at MAGIC will be bringing back the sustainability gallery as a continuation of the show's commitment to being good stewards of the planet and people. Sourcing at MAGIC will feature a space on the show floor for non-profit organizations to share their missions with our attendees in a new concept space called Social Good Row. Partnerships with impactful organizations like Sourcing Journal, Hey Social Good and the Interline will continue their expert presentations and education sessions throughout each show day.

February 13-15, 2023, at the Las Vegas Convention Center.

BENJAMIN "BUGSY" SIEGEL

Bugsy Siegel's Beverly Hills mansion. Photo: Nourmand & Associates

was a gangster, a bootlegger, a hitman, and a driving force behind the development of the Las Vegas Strip. His mistress’s swanky Beverly Hills mansion, where Bugsy was assassinated by a sniper in 1947, has hit the market at $16.995 million.

The charismatic Jewish mobster, as seen in the 1991 Oscar-winning movie Bugsy starring Warren Beatty as Bugsy, was one of the first front-page celebrity gangsters. He hob-nobbed with politicians and Hollywood elites, dated starlets and royalty, and even tried to sell weapons to Benito Mussolini. Upside down on his Flamingo Casino deal and accused of stealing from the mob, the notorious character was assassinated in 1947 by a sniper, who shot him with an M1 Carbine through the window of his mistress’s swanky Beverly Hills pad. The murder was never solved, but the “murder mansion,” a stunning Spanish Colonial, can now be yours for $16.995 million.

The 7,000-square-foot, seven-bed, seven-bath mansion sits on over half an acre of landscaped, park-like grounds in the coveted West End of the Beverly Hills Flats. The imposing residence features intricate stonework, a gorgeous facade, and a tower reminiscent of a castle. Built in 1928, the home has been meticulously maintained. The two-story grand formal entry features a rotunda accented with stained-glass windows above a curved staircase with ornate ironwork and hand-painted tiles - all original. Unlike many homes of the period, this one was designed with high ceilings, affording abundant natural light. Arched windows, hardwood floors, and hand-carved coffered ceilings offer irreplaceable Old Hollywood glamour.

The downstairs includes a living room with a fireplace, a family room with a bar, a guest bed and bath, a sumptuous formal dining room and an office, plus an updated chef’s kitchen with a center island, stainless steel appliances, and a breakfast nook. The second floor boasts five bedrooms, including the massive primary suite, which includes a remodeled bathroom with marble counters and bath, and a sitting area complete with a fireplace. The floor’s several balconies feature intricate ironwork and look out over the beautifully landscaped yard. Inside the home’s central tower is a loft bedroom that includes its own balcony. Gorgeous paving stones lead to a large heated pool and outdoor dining area surrounded by palm trees. A guesthouse with a bathroom and a three-car garage complete the estate, which is nestled behind iron gates and encircled by a hedge.

Just a mile from the Beverly Hills Hotel and down the street from the Los Angeles Country Club, the estate is a quick jaunt from Rodeo Drive and the upscale shopping and dining in downtown Beverly Hills. Part of LA’s “Platinum Triangle” Beverly Hills is known for its affluence and its spectacular mansions, a haven for celebrities since the Golden Age of Hollywood. Marilyn Monroe, Lucille Ball, and Fred Astaire all called the suburb home. Just a few of the headliners with residences there today include Leonardo DiCaprio, Adele, and Jack Nicholson.

The listing is held by Myra Nourmand of Nourmand & Associates.

A MUSICAL CORONATION it's no secret that King Charles III is a fan of music, painting, poetry, and the arts in general. Details of his upcoming coronation are being revealed and music will play an important part. The UK government's Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport created a two-hour “Coronation Celebration Playlist” on Spotify. The 27-song list begins with The Beatles' Come Together and continues with artists Coldplay, David Bowie, Ed Sheeran, Ellie Goulding, George Ezra, Harry Styles, Queen, Jeff Beck, Rod Stewart, Sam Ryder, the Spice Girls, The Kinks, The Who and Tom Jones. The playlist also ends with the song King by Years & Years.

The Coronation Concert, on Sunday, May 7, will be staged and broadcast from Windsor Castle. A-list performers including Sir Paul McCartney will take to the stage. The show will also see an exclusive appearance from The Coronation Choir. This diverse group will be created from the nation’s community choirs and amateur singers from across the United Kingdom, such as Refugee choirs, NHS choirs, LGBTQ+ singing groups and deaf signing choirs. A new documentary exploring the formation of The Coronation Choir will represent the many faces and voices of the country. The Coronation Choir will appear alongside The Virtual Choir, made up of singers from across the Commonwealth, for a special performance on the night.

LOPEZ VS. LOPEZ a sitcom on NBC, last Friday night reunited Neil Flynn who played Mike Heck and Eden Sher who played his daughter Sue on the cancelled too soon, delightful series The Middle, which ran on ABC from 2009 to 2018. By the way, The Middle had the most well thought out, respectful ending episode in television series. Anyway, Lopez vs. Lopez episode "Lopez vs Neighbors" Episode 1:11 cast the couple in guest starring roles as father Steve and daughter, June , who have moved in next door to the Lopez family, marking the first time in television history that two actors played father and daughter in one hit series only to be re-cast as a different father and daughter in another TV series. Hope to see more of them.

ABBOTT ELEMENTARY that incredible runaway hit on ABC effectively addressed Black History Month in a Valentine's Day themed episode when normally awkward teacher, Jacob Hill, (Chris Perfetti), a left-winger, became the center of attention after a black parent complained to principle Ave Coleman (Janelle James) that a white teacher was teaching Black History. In a powerful segment, when principle Ava sat in on Jacob's classes she discovered that Jacob knew more about black history than all of them. Standing up for the white teacher, normally disintered in education principal pointed that he was teaching black history all year long, not just during Black History month. As she declared to the complaining black parent "we both learned something."

LANG LANG offers a Valentine's Day treat performing February 14 at Radio City Music Hall in New York City.

BILL JOEL singing his hits on Valentine's Day at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The concert is sold out.

THE SLIM MAN BAND with Slim Man on vocals, Craig Chesnut on drums, Chase Huna on sax, and Hans Zermuehlen - the Gentle Giant from Germany - on piano. Sunday, February 26, at Humphrey's in San Diego, CA.

THE KINGDOM CHOIR founded in 1994 by Karen Gibson MBE, The Kingdom Choir continues to win hearts since their unforgettable performance at the 2018 Royal Wedding of Harry and Meghan in front of a global televised audience of 2 billion people. They open their North American tour this coming week with performances February 19 in Montreal, Canada at the Place des Arts – Salle Wilfrid-Pelletier. February 21 in Erie, PA at the Mary D’Angelo Performing Arts Center. February 22 in Athens, OH at the Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium. February 24 in Galveston, TX at the The Grand 1984. February 25 in Spring, TX at the The Centrum. February 26 in Irving, TX at the Irving Arts Center.

IT'S SUPER BOWL SUNDAY - WHAM-O

Most press releases aren't interesting. Frequently, they contains too many exclamation points and proffer their marginally known client as the best thing since sliced bread.

Then Broadway To Vegas received a football related release. Though notoriously ignorant about football, we found this release interesting and funny.

"Seventy-five years ago, one of the most American of all companies was created: Wham-O! Wham-O is the creator of beloved children's toys such as Frisbee, Slip N Slide, Hula Hoop, SuperBall and Boogie Board. Todd Richards, a curator of low-tech fun, is the President of Wham-O and has been with Wham-O for 21 years. It's little known that, together, Todd Richards and Wham-O changed football forever.

"Todd graduated from San Diego State University where he was also a multi-year letterman and All Conference linebacker for the football team. Later, he went on to play for the NFL as a linebacker for the San Francisco 49ers.

"What do Todd Richards, Wham-O, and football have in common? "In the 1960s, Wham-O made a giant SuperBall, roughly the size of a bowling ball, as a promotional stunt. The Superball was the “it” toy in the 60s and continued Wham-O’s reputation creating instant fads America gravitated to during the era.

"When the National Football League merged with the upstart American Football League in June 1966, football fans finally got their wish – a showdown was planned between the two league champions, billed as the AFL-NFL World Championship Game. Lamar Hunt, founder of the American Football League and owner of the Kansas City Chiefs, watched his children playing with a Wham-O’s SuperBall and then coined the term Super Bowl. Later that summer, Hunt sent a memo to NFL Commissioner Pete Rozelle suggesting that the merged leagues should coin a phrase for the new game. "I have kiddingly called it the Super Bowl," Hunt wrote, "which obviously can be improved upon." Rozelle, with his background in journalism and PR, never cared for the name, deeming it unsophisticated. But even before the first game was played, Hunt’s title swept through the football, news media and advertising worlds. By the end of 1966, network executives were referring to the day of the first game as "Super Sunday." After Hunt’s Kansas City Chiefs defeated the Buffalo Bills in the AFL Championship Game, the next day’s Kansas City Star headline declared that the Chiefs were "Super Bowl Bound."

The league held out for a few years before Rozelle conceded. "Super Bowl" first appeared on the program cover of the third game and on the tickets of the fourth game. Few fans noticed; they’d been calling it the Super Bowl since the first one was played.

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

MUSIC CAREERS FACE THREAT FROM STREAMING according to an article published by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB). Even award-winning musical artists have had to supplement their incomes with other employment due to the low royalty rates Spotify and other audio streaming services offer. Courtney Harrell, an America's Got Talent casting producer, was quoted as saying that the situation also hurts music variety and quality.

According to The Washington Post "For each dollar of revenue earned on Spotify, 58.5 cents go to the owner of a song’s sound recording (usually a record label), Spotify keeps 29.38 cents, 6.12 cents go to whoever owns publishing rights (usually the songwriter) and 6 cents goes to whoever owns the mechanical rights (usually the songwriter), according to 2016 research by Manatt, Phelps & Phillips, a professional services firm."

TV AND FILM PRODUCTIONS IN NEW YORK would get $700 million per year in tax breaks, up from $420 million, under Gov. Kathy Hochul's proposed budget. State Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie expressed the desire to "make sure New York is a very inviting place for the film industry."

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VIOLA DAVIS who has become a newly minted EGOT by capturing a Tony Award last week in the Best Audio Book Narration and Storytelling Recording. for her spoken album.

She won the 2010 Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her role as Rose Maxson in the Broadway revival of August Wilson's play Fences. She won the Academy ward for reprising her role in the film adaptation.

She took home the Emmy for playing lawyer Annalise Keating in the ABC series How To Get A Way With Murder.

INTO THE WOODS won the Grammy last week as Best Musical Album against a strong list of contenders. Other nominees included:

Caroline, Or Change; w MJ The Musical; Mr. Saturday Night; Six: Live On Opening Night and A Strange Loop.

Written by Stephen Sondheim, the album features Sara Bareilles, Brian d'Arcy James, Patina Miller, and Phillipa Soo. The album was produced by Rob Berman and Sean Patrick Flahaven.

Lin-Manuel Miranda's Encanto soundtrack also won the Grammy for Best Compilation Soundtrack For Visual Media during the pre-ceremony.

The 65th annual Grammy Awards, hosted by comedian Trevor Noah, took place in Los Angeles on February 5, 2023.

GUILD HALL in The Hamptons, NY has announced the appointment of Nick Schwartz-Hall to the position of Director of Performing Arts following a comprehensive national search conducted over twelve months. A long-time champion of intercultural collaborations, Schwartz-Hall comes to Guild Hall with over three decades of experience creating and presenting at premiere U.S. and global venues and working with acclaimed artists.

He most recently served as Senior Producer at The Music Center, Los Angeles, where, among other programs, he developed and presented the Summer SoundWaves outdoor concert series featuring Latin and African diaspora artists, established the Center’s Producing Department, oversaw the annual Glorya Kaufman Presents Dance season, and produced large-scale concerts including Max Richter’s SLEEP in Grand Park, and Joni 75, a birthday celebration of the music of Joni Mitchell.

Nick will begin his tenure in April 2023, in advance of Guild Hall's reopening and summer season.

THE NATIONAL ASSOCIATION OF BROADCASTERS (NAB) has announced that Adrian “Stretch Armstrong” Bartos and Bobbito García as the 2023 NAB Broadcasting Hall of Fame inductees for radio.

The revolutionary pair, who came to fame hosting the "Stretch Armstrong and Bobbito Show" at Columbia University’s WKCR-FM in the 1990s, will be inducted at a special ceremony on the main stage at NAB Show on April 17, 2023 in Las Vegas, Nevada. The induction of Bartos and García into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame coincides with the 50th anniversary of hip-hop, which will be celebrated throughout 2023.



THE HEARTBREAK CHOIR by Aidan Fennessy.

Directed by Lara Macgregor.

There’s been a bit of drama in the local choir. Splintering off from the original group, a small band of oddballs have gathered in a quintessentially Australian country town hall to begin again. It’s cold, it’s musty and the heater is on the blink. But they’ve got a new name, they’ve got their voices and they’ve got each other. All they need now is a song to sing. Will our heroes find a way to harmonize?

"This Aussie hit is packed with glorious song and tiny little miracles of friendship and optimism. Wild, wonderful comedy that will charm its way into your hearts. The perfect start to your year of theatre."

Channeling the hilarity and familiarity of their "cousins across the ditch" the cast includes Jodie Dorday, Kate Louise Elliott, Mufrida Hayes, Munashe Tapfuya, Esmay August and Levi Kereama.

The creatives include: Musical Director Jason Te Mete who is curating a suite of familiar songs "that will give voice to these wonderfully honest characters'. Assistant Director Keagan Carr Fransch, Production Designer Sean Coyle, Lighting Designer Phillip Dexter and Sound Designer Andrew Furness.

February 14–March 4, 2023 at the ASB Waterfront Theatre in Balmoral, Auckland, New Zealand.

RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S OKLAHOMA! re-orchestrated and reimagined for the 21st century by Daniel Fish which won the Tony Award for Best Musical Revival. Daniel Fish's bold interpretation.

Oklahoma! tells a story of a community banding together against an outsider, and the frontier life that shaped America. Eighty years after Rodgers & Hammerstein reinvented the American musical, this visionary production is funny and sexy, provocative and probing, without changing a word of the text.

Reprising their roles in the West End after appearing at the Young Vic are Raphael Bushay (Mike), Arthur Darvill (Curly McLain), James Patrick Davis (Will Parker), Stavros Demetraki (Ali Hakim), Greg Hicks (Andrew Carnes), Rebekah Hinds (Gertie Cummings), Anoushka Lucas (Laurey Williams), Marie-Astrid Mence (Lead Dancer), Liza Sadovy (Aunt Eller) and Patrick Vaill (Jud Fry). Completing the cast are Georgina Onuorah as Ado Annie and Phillip Olagoke as Cord Elam.

The show has orchestrations, arrangements and co-music supervision by Daniel Kluger, while the creative team will include choreographer John Heginbotham, scenic designers Lael Jellinek and Grace Laubacher, costume designer Terese Wadden, lighting designer Scott Zielinski, sound designer Drew Levy, projection designer Joshua Thorson and co-music supervision and additional vocal arrangements by Nathan Koci.

February 16 - September 2, 2023 at the Wyndham's Theatre in London.

THE BEST WE COULD (A FAMILY TRAGEDY) by Emily Feldman.

Directed by Daniel Aukin.

A daughter’s road trip with her father becomes a theatrical journey across more than just state lines.

The cast features Aya Cash, Brian D. Coats, Maureen Sebastian, Constance Shulman, and Tony Award winner Frank Wood.

The production’s creative team includes Lael Jellinek (scenic design), Anita Yavich (costume design), Matt Frey (lighting design), Kate Marvin (sound design), Kelly Gillespie (casting), and lark hackshaw (production stage manager).

The Best We Could (a family tragedy) is supported by an Edgerton Foundation New Play Award. Manhattan Theatre Club’s World premiere of at MTC at New York City Center – Stage I began performances Wednesday, February 8 and will open Wednesday, March 1, 2023.

BECOMES A WOMAN by Betty Smith.

Directed by Britt Berke.

Becomes a Woman is the story of Francie, a 19-year-old living with her family in Brooklyn and working at a five and dime store as a singer at the sheet music counter. Her co-workers describe her as "afraid of her family, afraid of the boss, afraid to make a date." But as Francie becomes a woman, she discovers a hidden reserve of courage that surprises everyone, even herself.

Featured in the cast Duane Boutté; Christopher Reed Brown; Jeb Brown; Gina Daniels; Antoinette LaVecchia; Jillian Louis; Jack Mastrianni; Jason O'Connell; Emma Pfitzer Price; Scott Redmond; Pearl Rhein; Madeline Seidman; Phillip Taratula; Peterson Townsend and Tim Webb.

The creative team includes Vicki R. Davis (scenic), Emilee McVey-Lee (costumes), Mary Louise Geiger (lighting), M. Florian Staab (sound), Amy Stoller (dialects and dramaturgy), and Stephanie Klapper, CSA (casting).

Becomes a Woman, an unpublished and unproduced play by Betty Smith, author of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. Smith’s 1930 never-before-seen drama continues through March 18th only, at NY City Center Stage II. Opening Night is set for Monday February 27th.

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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.

FINAL OVATION

CHARLES KIMBROUGH Tony nominated actor for his role in Stephen Sondheim's Company in 1971 died January 11, 2023 in Culver city, CA. He was 86.

He was best known for his Emmy-nominated portrayal of straight-laced news anchor Jim Dial on CBS' Murphy Brown.

He received his start at the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre. Kimbrough and his first wife Mary Jane were part of the resident company of the Milwaukee Repertory Theatre where they appeared in such plays as Georges Feydeau's Cat Among the Pigeons and Jules Feiffer's The White House Murder Case. In 1971, he was nominated for a Tony for best featured actor in a musical as Harry in Stephen Sondheim's Company. In 1984, he performed in the original Broadway cast of Sondheim's Sunday in the Park with George. He starred in the original Off-Broadway production of A.R. Gurney's comedy Sylvia in 1985.

He studied theater and drama at Indiana University Bloomington, and graduated in 1958. He earned a Masters of Fine Arts degree at Yale University's School of Drama.

Kimbrough was part of the cast of the Roundabout Theater Company's 2012 Broadway revival of Mary Chase's Pulitzer prize-winning play Harvey playing William R. Chumley, M.D., with Jim Parsons in the lead as Elwood P. Dowd.

Kimbrough was married to actress Beth Howland, known for her television work as Vera Louise Gorman-Novak on the sitcom Alice. They divorced in 1991.

Kimbrough's second wife Beth Howland died of lung cancer in December 2015 at the age of 76. Her death was not reported to the media until May 24, 2016.

He is survived by his son John Kimbrough who founded, sang and played guitar for the St. Paul-based alternative rock band Walt Mink who were active from 1989–1997.

JOHN VICTOR SCHMIDT original member of the Broadway show Brigadoon died at his home on December 24, 2022 just two weeks shy of his 1-1th birthday.

As a star pole vaulter he was on the All American Team and was inducted into the OSU Athletic Hall of Fame. Ot of 300 applicants he won the Catherine Long Scholarship to study at the Metropolitan Grand Opera in June 1945. He made his Broadway debut in Polonaise which is also where he met his wife, Mary Wolceske. He also toured with him in Brigadoon. As the "athletic chorus boy of Broadway" he competed in pole vaulting events while acting in Polonaise and Brigadoon to promote the shows.

He also appeared in the Broadway productions of Out of this World and Paint Your Wagon. Returning to Ohio to raise their family, Schmidt became the first Ohioan to appear on television on February 20, 1956 at 3:40PM For decades he worked as a singer, sportscaster, host, announcer, and program organizer at the public broadcast station WOSU on television and radio.

He starred in over 300 educational videos. He returned to theatre with the Grandparents Living Theatre - later called Senior Repertory of Ohio - until he was 94.

He is survived by his children, John P, Hilarie, Fern, Laurel, and William and nine grandchildren and twelve great-grandchildren.

BURT BACHARACH legendary composer died February 8, 2023 at his home in Los Angeles. He was 94.

He had more than 70 hits, including I Say a Little Prayer; Close to You; Promises, Promises and the Oscar-winning Raindrops Keep Fallin’ on My Head.

More than 1,000 artists have recorded his music.

Bacharach shared an Oscar for his theme song for Arthur (1981) with lyricist Carole Bayer Sager, his future third wife. Bacharach and Sager also wrote That’s What Friends Are For for the 1982 film Night Shift, a number that became an anthem of the AIDS-awareness movement.

Often teaming with lyricist Hal David, President Barack Obama awarded Bacharach and David the Library of Congress’ Gershwin Prize for Popular Song in 2012 — the year David died.

Bacharach received a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2008.

He was married four times; to singer Paula Stewart, actress Angie Dickinson, Carole Bayer Sager. In 1993, he wed Jane Hansen, a former ski instructor. In addition to his wife, survivors include their two children, Oliver and Raleigh; and a son from Sager, Cristopher. A daughter, Lea Nikki, from his second marriage to Angie Dickinson, died by suicide in 2007.

CARLOS SAURA a Spanish filmmaker who challenged myths of national identity under the Franco regime in the ’60s and ’70s, died February 10, 2023, a day before he was to receive an honorary Goya award honoring his career. He was 91.

The news was announced by the Film Academy of Spain.

Saura also dramatized the culture of folkloric dance with works such as Carmen and Tango.

His final project, the documentary LA prwswa Hablan prefered in 2022 when the director was 90-year-sold.

Next Column: February 19, 2023
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Laura Deni

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