Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: February 25, 2024
By: Laura Deni
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BECOMES A WOMAN IS A 1930s GROUND BREAKING STAND ABOUT WOMEN

Becomes a Woman, an unpublished and never produced play by Betty Smith, the author of A Tree Grows in Brooklyn. This play is Smith’s 1931 never-before-seen drama. It is hard hitting, addressing issues never discussed in 1930.

The Mint Theater production featured Duane Boutté; Christopher Reed Brown; Jeb Brown; Gina Daniels; Antoinette LaVecchia; Jillian Louis; Jack Mastrianni; Jason O'Connell; Emma Pfitzer Price (for this, her Off-Broadway debut, Emma received the Theatre World Award and was nominated for Outer Critics Circle Award for Outstanding Lead Performer in an Off-Broadway Play); Scott Redmond; Pearl Rhein; Madeline Seidman; Phillip Taratula; Peterson Townsend; and Tim Webb.

Directed by Britt Berke, this three-act play is the story of Francie Nolan,(Emma Pfitzer Price), a 19-year-old living with her domineering, blue color, Irish Catholic family in Brooklyn - her father is an overweight, tyrannical cop and her mother is the requisite - pity me - housewife. Frencie works at Kress, a five and dime store as a singer at the sheet music counter. Francie turns over 90% of her weekly paycheck to her mother. Oozing low self esteem, Francie buys herself a cake for her 20th birthday, because she has never had a birthday cake. She lives in an era that if an unmarried girl gets pregnant - except within the Catholic church - suicide is considered a socially acceptable option. Except for her paycheck Francie is considered second class to her two brothers. Her co-workers describe her as "afraid of her family, afraid of the boss, afraid to make a date." An interesting mental staging is that behind the music counter where the brow beaten Francie works, the sheet music Nobody is prominently displayed.

The excllent Gina Daniels as Tessie, one of Francie's co-workers and a boarder in her parents' home, is Francie's support system. After Francie falls for the boss' play around son and finds herself pregnant, she discovers a hidden reserve of courage that surprises everyone, even herself.

"A girl has to really like a man before she gets intimate with him, but a man has to get really intimate with a girl before he likes her." co-worker Florry (Peral Rhein) warns Francie.

The play itself "has laughs, music, emotion, melodrama, and feminist social insight."

Set in the early 30s, many have forgotten there was not only a social class structure but also one within the home.

For white and blue collar families struggling to make ends meet - and with limited birth control - children were not always considered a delightful asset. Becomes a Woman reflects many of the social morays of that era; social and family situations which many times have been glossed over to give the impression of a more sensitive and romantic era.

Emma Pfitzer Price as Francie and Peterson Townsend as Leonard Kress, Jr. Photo Todd Cerveris.

Excellent use of the color green which can be both a difficult interior color and one which can help set a mood. Scenic designer Vicki R. Davis does an excellent job. Mary Louise Giner's lighting is effective. Well balanced sound by M. Florian Staab. Costumes by Emilee McVey-Lee are reflective of the era and circumstance. The creatives also include Amy Stoller (dialects and dramaturgy), and Stephanie Klapper, CSA (casting).

"I write plays because I’d rather do that than anything else in the world" - Betty Smith, 1937.

Betty Smith (December 15th 1896 – January 17th 1972) a petite women with brown hair and striking blue eyes was best known for her 1943 bestselling novel A Tree Grows in Brooklyn, along with her other novel, Becomes A Woman possessed strong autobiographical overtones of a brightness amid poverty and enduring optimism amid oppression. Though acclaimed as a novelist, Betty Smith’s first love was always the theater. Although she never graduated from high school, Betty ended up pursuing an education at the University of Michigan where her life reached a turning point when she won the University's Avery Hopwood Award which came with a cash prize enabling Smith to invest in herself and accept an invitation to study drama at Yale with the legendary George Pierce Baker. Other Baker students over the years have included Eugene O’Neill, Philip Barry, Thomas Wolfe, and George Abbott, among others. Smith died of pneumonia in Shelton Connecticut at the age of 75.

The elephant in the room question is why has Because a Woman remained untouched.

Emma Pfitzer Price as Francie and Jeb Brown as her father . Photo Todd Cerveris

The obvious answer is - afraid of being sued.

Five and dime stores proliferated in this country since the late nineteenth century and developed into a major sector of US retailing. They dominated that financial marketplace until the early 1990s. When Smith penned what should have been called a masterpiece - considering the time frame - dime stores and their owners were powerful. There were three companies which controlled the marketplace: Woolworths, Kresge's and Kress.

The name of the five and time in the play?

Kress.

In Becomes Woman a sign emblazoned 'Kress' is predominate. Numerous times both Mr. Leonard Kress - in the play the owner of several five and dimes - and his son Leonard Kress, Jr. are frequently mentioned. The son becomes an arrogant villain.

In real life Kress Co. was founded by Samuel Henry Kress. It operated from 1896 to 1981. In the first half of the 20th century there were Kress five and dimes in hundreds of cities and towns.

Why in the world Smith actually used a real dime store's name in her play is unknown. Surely she knew the risks she was taking. Back then a lawsuit probably wouldn't have been filed because the laws on the books were flimsy. However, she should have known that the real, powerful Mr. Kress and his associates would destroy her life should the play ever open. Did Betty Smith have an ulterior motive in naming her five and time after the real founder? We'll probably never know. Later, when copyright and defamation of character laws became more prevalent, producers would take one look at the script and blanch.

There is also speculation that the play's tyrannical father was based on her step-father. Smith's childhood included repeated abuse and sexual assault reportedly by her step-father. Like most girls who grew up under abuse, she had difficultly engaging in non abusive relationships with men. She was married three times and divorced twice. She third marriage was a troubled one.

This is a play in which the women have the consternation to survive. The surprise ending in Becomes A Woman is - for its time in history - shocking.

Pesented by the Mint Theater. Streaming will continue to be available through March 17th only. The price of admission is free.. Available at Mint’s virtual theater, MintTheater.org.

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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

FASHIONING SAN FRANCISCO: A CENTURY OF STYLE

Fashioning San Francisco image from deYoung.

In San Francisco — a city with a vibrant history of embracing radical clothing styles — fashion mavericks have perennially supported boundary-pushing designers.

These advocates include retailers, such as Susan Foslien, Sherri McMullen, or the Ospital family of Modern Appealing Clothing (MAC); individuals like Georgette "Dodie" Rosekrans, who famously financed John Galliano’s early collections; and the Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco, which preserve designers’ legacies in their permanent collection. Today, the Museums’ collection boasts avant-garde creations by the Japanese fashion designers Rei Kawakubo, Kei Ninomiya, Junya Watanabe, and Yohji Yamamoto as well as European innovators like Galliano, Jean Paul Gaultier, and Alexander McQueen.

Explore the history of San Francisco through fashion. Featuring one of the most iconic collections of 20th- and 21st-century women’s clothing in the United States, this exhibition includes 100 collection highlights, along with local loans of high fashion and haute couture. The first major presentation of our costume collection in over 35 years, it showcases designs from French couturiers, Japanese avant-garde designers, and other pillars of the fashion industry, including Christian Dior, Alexander McQueen, Christopher John Rogers, Comme des Garçons, and Rodarte.

The designs on view, many never shown before, reflect San Francisco’s long-standing tradition of self-expression through fashion.

According to Laura L. Camerlengo, Avant-Garde: Fashion as Art, in Fashioning San Francisco: A Century of Style (San Francisco and Petaluma: Fine Arts Museums of San Francisco and Cameron Books, 2024: "The term avant-garde is often synonymous with innovative, unusual, and experimental ideas; in fashion, it denotes garments or objects that redefine artistic convention, utilize new tools and techniques, and question the very nature of what constitutes clothing (as noted by Diana Crane in The Transformation of the Avant-Garde: The New York Art World, 1940–1985 [Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1987]). The work of Chinese American designer Kaisik Wong, who was active in 1970s San Francisco, embodied avant-garde fashion while also exemplifying the tenets of Bay Area counterculture: Wong eschewed mass production, making his clothes by hand, and blurred the physical limits between dress and body with amorphous forms that drew from a wide array of artistic, cultural, and mythical references.
This same period witnessed the emergence of Japanese designers in the international fashion landscape, with designer Kenzo Takada debuting his collection in Paris in 1970, followed by Issey Miyake (1971), Hanae Mori (1977), Yamamoto (1981), and Kawakubo (1981), among others. These artists challenged the conventions they saw in Europe and the United States by employing unusual materials and dressmaking techniques, such as expansive forms, unfinished elements, and asymmetry. When famed fashion editor Polly Mellen saw Yamamoto’s and Kawakubo’s collections in 1982, she proclaimed, "It shows us a whole new wave of dressing. It is modern and free" (Nina Hyde, "Japan’s Runaway Looks," Washington Post, October 16, 1982).

In Europe, Gaultier, Galliano, and McQueen interrogated the traditional trappings of haute couture with their 1990s collections. While Gaultier injected humor into and glamorized street style as high fashion, Galliano combined diverse sources from various eras to create never-before-seen shapes, styles, and silhouettes. A virtuoso in the art of construction, McQueen fused the best of Savile Row tailoring (Savile Row is a street in London well known for its bespoke men’s tailoring) and haute couture techniques with innovative and unusual materials to create garments that challenged customary notions of race, class, religion, and sexuality — often grouped under collection names that did the same. All three designers presented their works in large-scale runway productions, with showmanship antithetical to the couture tradition of austerity.

In recent decades, a new generation of Japanese designers, namely Ninomiya and Watanabe, have further pushed the limitations of fashion by emphasizing fabrics made by contemporary technologies and using innovative clothing constructions that envelop, obscure, and often overwhelm the body. These garments echo the evolving urban landscape of San Francisco — a city populated by structures that push the confines of modern architecture, likewise made by advanced engineering and with state-of-the-art industrial materials.

Exhibition on display through August 11, 2024 at the de Young in San Francisco, CA.

THE AMERICAN APPAREL & FOOTWEAR ASSOCIATION (AAFA) has announced Wes Gordon as the esteemed Designer of the Year honoree at the 2024 American Image Awards. Wes Gordon, serving as the Creative Director of Carolina Herrera New York, has made an indelible mark on the fashion industry with their innovative and visionary contributions.

Wes Gordon currently leads the global creative strategy for the iconic fashion house of Carolina Herrera, overseeing all brand platforms, including ready-to-wear, bridal, fragrance, beauty, and eyewear. For their inaugural runway show, Spring 2019, the designer showcased their ability to seamlessly blend tradition with contemporary elegance. With the latest collection, Gordon paid homage to their predecessor by pulling inspiration from Herrera’s personal style, creating architectural silhouettes, dramatic shoulder treatments, and using sprinkles of floral decoration throughout, each with their own personal flare to push the brand confidently forward into the house’s next creative chapter.

Past recipients of the Designer of the Year Honoree include Brandon Maxwell, Christian Siriano, Cynthia Rowley, Eileen Fisher, Gabriela Hearst, Joseph Altuzarra, Prabal Gurung, and Stuart Vevers for Coach.

This year, the organization will also celebrate Lizanne Kindler, Executive Chair & CEO of KnitWell Group, honored as Person of the Year; Carhartt, Inc., recognized as Company of the Year and being accepted by Danilo Amoretty, Senior Vice President, Supply Chain - Product Supply and Operations; Allan Ellinger, Senior Managing Partner, MMG Advisors, acclaimed as Trailblazer; Pamela Coke-Hamilton, Executive Director of the International Trade Centre, named Global Vanguard; and Global Fashion Agenda, with CEO Federica Marchionni accepting the Eco-Steward of the Year award.

The 2024 American Image Awards, set to take place on Tuesday, April 16, 2024, at Gotham Hall in New York City, will celebrate Wes Gordon's exceptional contributions to the world of fashion, alongside each of the event’s other stellar honorees.

The American Apparel & Footwear Association (AAFA) is the national trade association representing apparel, footwear and other sewn products companies, and their suppliers, which compete in the global market. Representing more than 1,000 world famous name brands, AAFA is the trusted public policy and political voice of the apparel and footwear industry, its management, and shareholders, its more than 3.2 million U.S. workers, and its contribution of $490 billion in annual U.S. retail sales. AAFA drives progress on three key priorities: Brand Protection; Supply Chain & Sourcing; and Trade, Logistics, & Manufacturing. AAFA approaches this work through the lens of purpose-driven leadership in a manner that supports each member’s ability to build and sustain inclusive and diverse cultures, meet and advance ESG goals, and draw upon the latest technology.

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SWEET CHARITY

THE MICHAEL J. FOX FOUNDATION'S LOS ANGELES RUN/WALK takes place Sunday, March 3, 2024 at the Rose Bowl Stadium in Pasadena, CA.

There are 1-mile and 5K Routes.

The Michael J. Fox Foundation (MJFF) established the Run/Walk Series (formerly known as the Fox Trot) in 2017 in New York City. Since then, the Series has evolved and expanded to multiple locations across the United States.

These family-friendly events connect those living with Parkinson's, their loved ones, supporters and community partners. Collectively, the Run/Walk Series has raised more than $6 million and united over 18,000 participants across the United States and internationally. All proceeds from the Run/Walk Series go directly to MJFF's high-impact research programs to speed better treatments and a cure for Parkinson's.

ZENDAYA 27, has partnered with the Women Donors Network, by making a $100,000 donation to the North Star Fund, which benefits the California Shakespeare Theater (Cal Shakes) in Orinda, giving back tp the theater that helped her develop her skills. The Oakland native began classes at Cal Shakes when she was in the third grade.

"Women Donors Network (“WDN”) has approved a 2024 501(c)(3) grant of $100,000 for California Shakespeare Theater (Cal Shakes). We are very pleased to be able to offer this general support grant in partnership with Zendaya. We hope that our funding supports your work and helps further your strategic vision, wherever funds are most needed," said Leena Barakat, who is the president & CEO of the Women Donors Network.

Zendaya's donation will be used to upgrade sound and lighting systems, enhancing the facility’s café, and funding Cal Shakes’ 50th Anniversary production of As You Like It.

"We are deeply grateful to Zendaya and the WDN for their partnership, and their generous grant of $100,000 to the North Star Fund. This gift helps keep Cal Shakes going strong as we prepare for our 50th Anniversary season!" said Clive Worsley, the executive director of Cal Shakes.

Zendaya has starred in HBO’s hit show Euphoria and Marvel’s Spider-Man: No Way Home.

Zendaya became involved with the California Shakespeare Theater in Orinda, California, because her mother worked there at a summer job as the house manager. Zendaya helped her seat patrons, sold fundraising tickets, and became inspired to to pursue acting by the theatrical performances.

Zendaya attended Oakland School for the Arts and, while still a student, was cast in several roles in area theaters. At the Berkeley Playhouse, she played Little Ti Moune in Once on This Island, and in the TheaterWorks' production in Palo Alto, she played a character originally written as male, Joe, in Caroline, or Change. She studied at the CalShakes Conservatory program and at the American Conservatory Theater.

Her stage credits include performances in several of William Shakespeare's plays. She played Lady Anne in Richard III, Celia in i>As You Like It, and took part in a production of Twelfth Night.

SPREADING THE WORD

YOUR OWN ICE CREAM PARLOR

Vail Valley Mansion up for auction. Photos Courtesy Concierge Auctions.

can be yours if you purchase this Vail Valley Estate which is a 40,348-square-foot mansion on 56 acres in the Vail Valley with spectacular mountain views and everything you could imagine including a Chihuly chandelier, cinema-style home theater, ice cream parlor, 12-space car barn and much more is going to auction.

Ultra-exclusive Casteel Creek, Colorado merges the tranquility of nature with the ultimate in luxury living. Drive across a dramatic bridge suspended in the Aspens to find a 400-acre community with 10 high-end homes. A one-of-a-kind estate within the specialty compound is set to be auctioned by Concierge Auctions. The mansion will sell with no reserve, with an expected starting bid between $15 - $25 million.

The sprawling primary residence features a stone facade and gorgeous exposed beam ceilings, complemented by massive windows for 360-degree mountain views. Stone fireplaces contrast with blonde hardwood siding. The dramatic kitchen offers top-of-the-line appliances and connects to a stunning dining room with a Chihuly chandelier. The sumptuous primary suite includes spacious quarters, a bathroom with a dressing room, a wet bar, and a private deck with an outdoor hot tub. Seven additional bedrooms each have en-suite bathrooms.

Perfect for entertaining, the home is replete with amenities. The custom cowboy-saloon bar is modeled after the famous Silver Dollar Saloon in Jackson, Wyoming’s Wort Hotel, and the home’s ice cream parlor is sure to delight guests- old and young. The cinema-style home theater is classy and stylish. The indoor/outdoor hot tub and grotto overlook the Gore Range and the Sawatch Range, while numerous patios and decks provide for lounging in style.

A four-bedroom guest house plus a three-bedroom apartment above the 12-space car barn offer plenty of room for visitors or staff. A cowboy-themed garage with a heated gear room and an authentic sheriff’s office and jail keep up the Wild West theme for additional entertainment.

Casteel Creek is only 11 miles from the premier ski resort at Beaver Creek, 20 miles from the Kardashian fave Vail Village, and 96 miles from Aspen. Right out the back door is the exclusive 28,000-square-foot Coyote Lodge. The entertainment complex, open only to residents and their guests, features a 65-foot climbing wall, an indoor lap pool and shooting range, a full catering kitchen and bar with a teppanyaki dining area, a formal dining room with lounge and boardroom, a game room, fitness center, golf simulator, and an indoor fieldhouse with tennis/pickle-ball/basketball. A yurt and guest suite can be reserved. Outside is a trout-stocked pond and a full-sized outdoor turf field, a large patio, a hot tub, and a playground for children. Miles of groomed trails for hiking, biking, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing, and snowmobiling wind through the property, all with direct access to the White River National Forest.

The listing is held by Concierge Auctions. Bidding will open March 6, and the auction will conclude live on March 21 at Sotheby’s New York.

SOUL PIC Judy Kuhn, artistic director.

Music icons from Joni Mitchell to Elton John to Elvis Costello acknowledge the profound influence of groundbreaking songwriter and artist Laura Nyro on their work. Barbra Streisand, Blood, Sweat and Tears, and the Fifth Dimension all made hit records of her songs. "Passionate, romantic, ethereal, eternal" is how Bette Midler described Nyro’s songs upon her posthumous induction into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

Tony and Grammy nominee Judy Kuhn leads this celebration of Nyro’s extraordinary musical contributions, and its unique blend of poetic, confessional lyrics, social consciousness, and irresistible pop melodies. Acclaimed for her work on Broadway in shows including Fun Home, She Loves Me, Les Miserables, and more, Kuhn is deeply connected to Nyro’s music. She earned an Obie Award for her role in Diane Paulus’ Laura Nyro musical Eli’s Comin’ and later recorded an album of Nyro’s music. Through songs including "Stoned Soul Picnic," "Wedding Bell Blues", "Stoney End", "And When I Die," "Sweet Blindness," and more, we celebrate a pioneering contributor to the American Songbook.

March 2 - 4, 2024 at 92Y in New York City.

SIDE SHOW IN CONCERT to play at London Palladium for one night only on March 3, 2024.

West End legends Louise Dearman and Rachel Tucker will lead a phenomenal cast as the legendary Hilton twins, Daisy and Violet, and are joined by Bradley Jaden as Terry and Tosh Wanogho-Maud as Buddy. Directed by Emma Butler, with Adam Hoskins as musical director, the concert is presented by Lambert Jackson and Positive Sum.

Based on the true story of conjoined twins who rose to fame during the Depression, Side Show is a moving portrait of two women joined at the hip whose extraordinary bond brings them stardom but denies them love. The Tony nominated musical follows the sisters' heart-warming search for affection and acceptance amidst the spectacle of fame.

With a book and lyrics by Bill Russell, music by Henry Krieger and additional book material by Bill Condon, Side Show boasts a stunning score including Who Will Love Me As I Am; The Devil You Know and I Will Never Leave You.

PAUL ANKA'S latest release is receiving a lot of play in Las Vegas, and for good reason. The song Rendezvous: Life at Fontainebleau salutes the opening of the Fontainbleau Las Vegas. The tune can be prominently heard in commercials for the new resort.

GIBSON GARAGE LONDON staged its official opening on Saturday, February 24, 2024. The ultimate guitar experience and destination for music lovers across the globe, the Gibson Garage London marks the first-ever Gibson flagship store outside of the U.S. and follows the successful opening of the Gibson Garage Nashville.

Inside the Gibson Garage London, visitors can plug in and play more than 300 electric and acoustic guitars across Gibson, Gibson Custom, Gibson Acoustic, Epiphone, and Kramer, explore the entire collection of Maestro pedals, and more across 4,000 square feet of retail space.

THE DUCHESSES OF KENT AND GLOUCESTER PROMOTE MUSIC

The Duchess of Kent. Photo Wikipedia.

The Duchess of Kent and the Duchess of Gloucester are two British royals who have an affinity for music.

Stylish Katharine, Duchess of Kent made music the center of attention as she celebrated her 91st birthday, last Thursday, February 22, 2024. On her birthday the duchess who plays the piano, organ and violin issued a statement launching a 'ground-breaking' partnership between two of her charities to nurture the musical talents of gifted young singers from low-income backgrounds - Future Talent, which she co-founded with Nicholas Robinson in 2004 and the National Children's Choir of Great Britain, of which she is Patron.

The program aims to foster the next generation of singers, who will be offered full scholarships for participation in the choir's week-long residential courses during the school holidays each year. During the residencies the youngsters will be given opportunities to take part in performances, workshops, masterclasses, and recordings.

''I am truly delighted to witness the union of Future Talent and the National Children's Choir of Great Britain in this important endeavor,' the Duchess said in a statement. "This partnership embodies the spirit of inclusivity and accessibility, with a shared commitment to nurturing the musical talents of the future."

On June 8, 1961, Katharine married Duke, Prince Edward at York Minster, the first royal marriage in that location in 633 years. The bride's father escorted her, and the best man was Edward's brother Prince Michael of Kent. Princess Anne was one of the bridesmaids. The Archbishop of York Michael Ramsey conducted the marriage service. Guests included actors Noël Coward and Douglas Fairbanks Jr. Her white silk gauze dress was designed by John Cavanagh, used 273 yards of fabric and had "a high neckline and long sleeves and a commanding train". The Kent Diamond and Pearl Fringe Tiara secured her veil.

The Duchess has long championed the cause of providing access to musical education for young talents across Britain. She taught music at a primary school in East Hull, where she was referred to as 'Mrs Kent' and would travel by train from her home at Kensington Palace, London. She even revealed in a newspaper interview that she had a fondness for rap music, in particular for the American stars Eminem and Ice Cube.

The Duchess of Gloucester has long been a music advocate. Photo: The Royal Family

Birgitte, The Duchess of Gloucester has long been a strong and enthusiastic supporter of music and its benefits, and is Patron of a range of organizations and charities with a focus on the positive impact of a musical education.

Her Royal Highness takes particular interest in how music can help young people realize their full potential, as Patron of the Royal Academy of Music and the Cathedral Music Trust.

The Duchess became Royal Patron of the Cathedral Music Trust in January 2022, following a long-standing association with the charity as Patron of its Diamond Fund for Choristers in 2016, which raises funds to ensure that the unique heritage of the UK’s cathedral choirs is accessible to young people from all backgrounds by providing financial support for young people to pursue choral training.

As Patron of the Friends of St Paul’s Cathedral, Her Royal Highness has also met young music students participating in the St Paul's Cathedral's Music Outreach program over the years. The scheme helps children to learn to read music and encourages musical aspirations.

The Danish born Birgitte is married to Prince Richard, Duke of Gloucester, a grandson of George V and Queen Elizabeth II's cousin. The Duchess is a full-time working member of the Royal Family who regularly undertakes engagements which showcase the power of music.

Since 1999, Her Royal Highness has been Patron of Music in Hospitals In Care which organizes concerts in hospitals and care settings to boost morale and help with patient wellbeing.

JOB WELL DONE

YUAN YUAN TAN who spent 29 years as San Francisco Ballet’s star dancer did her final leap on her 48th birthday - Valentines Day - February 14, 2024 performing in the "British Icons" program's Marguerite and Armand. Tan, the company’s longest-ever serving dancer, who became a world wide role model, retired from the company after the performance.

She was showered ith flowers.

STEPHEN SACHS Fountain Theatre co-founding artistic director of the Fountain Theater in Los Angeles has announced tthat after 34 years as artistic director, his will retire at the end of 2024.

“The more than three decades spent launching, nurturing, developing and leading the growth of the Fountain Theatre have been the most joyous and meaningful years of my professional life.” Sachs wrote to the board of directors in a letter announcing his decision. “Thousands of artists have worked on our stage and in our arts education programs. Hundreds of thousands of patrons have walked through our door, sat in our seats, and been transported. Fountain plays are now produced around the world. We've been home to Pulitzer and Tony Award winners. Our artistic integrity is respected locally and across the country. We stand strong as an organization. My co-founder, beloved colleague and dear friend, Deborah Lawlor, passed away last May. This year, I turn 65. I look forward to many pleasant years traveling with my wife, relishing our two adult sons, perhaps writing a novel or two.”

Under Sachs’ leadership, the Fountain also debuted new plays by such prominent playwrights as Robert Schenkkan, Tarell Alvin McCraney, Martyna Majok, Stephen Adly Guirgis, Dael Orlandersmith, and Branden Jacobs-Jenkins.

Sachs was instrumental in the formation and early development of Deaf West Theatre, giving the company’s founder, Ed Waterstreet, office space and a stage at the Fountain in 1991. Deaf West is now the foremost deaf theater company in the United States, honored with a Tony Award in 2004 for its innovative staging of the musical Big River.

In partnership with Los Angeles City Councilman Mitch O’Farrell, Sachs launched a new program that brought celebrity actors into Council Chambers for one-night readings of plays free to the public. All the President’s Men starred cast members from The West Wing, and a new spin on Mr. Smith Goes to Washington featured Sam Waterston. In 2019, O’Farrell hailed Sachs as "one of the great citizens and artists in our city."

A national search is underway to identify the Fountain Theatre’s next artistic director.

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

THEATRE CEDAR RAPIDS Iowa's largest nonprofit producing theater, with a $3.5 million budget, has announced that all cast members ages 16 and above, as well as crew members, all previously serving as volunteers, are receiving an honorarium to help defray the cost of gas, child care, food and other expenses incurred during performances. Cast members receive $25 per show, crew members $20 a show.

TCR produces theater 42 weekends per year with costs at $200,000 per production. Funding comes 60 percent from earned income, which includes ticket sales, and 40 percent from contributions. Nearly 45,000 visitors come to the theater each year from more than 70 communities. Katie Hallman, 38, has been executive director of Theatre Cedar Rapids since March 2027.

MILWAUKEE REP in Milwaukee, Wisconsin has named their new Studio Theater for philanthropists David Herro and Jay Franke Philanthropists David Herro and his partner and Rep trustee Jay Franke have donated $5 million. Of which $4 million will go to our Powering Milwaukee Campaign and $1 million will go to support the John (Jack) D. Lewis New Play Development Program. "For their generosity, we are pleased to name our flexible, backbox theater the Herro-Franke Studio Theater."

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MEAN GIRLS Written by Tina Fey. Music by Jeff Richmond. Lyrics by Nell Benjamin.

Directed by Casey Nicholaw.

Cady Heron is a bright home-schooled student who has spent most of her life in Africa with her parents. Now back in the US, she's sent to the local high school to learn to play with others. Turns out, it might be her biggest challenge yet. Coupled with learning what normal school is like, she must navigate the twisting social whirl that surrounds her. When she finds herself the target of the infamous Plastics, led by wolf in sheep's clothing Regina George, Cady decides with her new friends Janis and Damien that it's time to put a stop to their dictatorship.

As Cady's plan sees her growing ever more popular and catching the eye of a certain boy, her revenge seems less and less important. Can Cady rediscover herself and bring down the Plastics, or will she be seduced by their world and lost to the Mathletes forever? It might be a classic high-school conundrum but we guarantee you won't mind seeing how this one plays out.

Featuring: English Bernhardt as Cady Heron; Nadina Hassan as Regina George; Jasmin Roger as Gretchen Wieners; Morgan Ashley Bryant as Karen Smith; Lindsay Heather Pearce as Janis Sarkisian; Eric Huffman as Damian Hubbard; Heather Ayers as Mrs. Heron/Ms. Norbury/ Mrs. George; Adante Carter as Aaron Samuels; Caleb Mathura as Kevin G; Lawrence E. Street as Mr. Duvall; Adriana Scalice as Standby Cady, Regina and Janice.

With: Avilon Trust Tate, Brittany Conigatti, Chelsea Mitchell-Bonsu, Dan Horn, Erica Simone Barnett, Grace Romanello, Iain Young, Jamary Gil, Kevin Wang, Kyra Smith, Lily Kaufmann, Mary Beth Donahoe, Maya Imani, Megan Grosso, Milan Magana, Michael Samarie George, Noah Blessing, Samuel Gerber, Sky Flaherty, Susie Carroll, Sydney Mei Ruf-Wong, Tovi Wayne and Wesley J. Barnes.

March 8 - 10, 2024 at the Morrison Center for the Performing Arts in the Boise Theater at Boise State University, Boise, Idaho.

THE NERD by Larry Shue.

Directed by Alley Theatre’s Associate Producer & Casting Director Brandon Weinbrenner.

In The Nerd, an up-and-coming architect invites into his home the hero who saved his life… who also happens to be a total stranger! The visitor is a hopeless 'nerd' who outstays his welcome leading to one riotous incident after another.

Set in a time before cell phones, the play is a nostalgic trip back to an era where miscommunication and mayhem unfold in the most hilarious ways.

The Nerd contains some Language, as well as some slapstick Violence.

The cast of The Nerd includes Alley’s Resident Acting Company members Shawn Hamilton as Axel, Chris Hutchison as Rick, Melissa Pritchett as Tansy, David Rainey as Waldgrave, and Christopher Salazar as Willum.

Rounding out the cast is Chelsea Ryan McCurdy (Amerikin) as Clelia, and Sebastian Ramirez as Thor.

The creative team of The Nerd includes Scenic Designer Tim Mackabee, Costume Designer Haydee Zelideth, Lighting Designer Aja M Jackson, Sound Designer Jane Shaw, Fight Director & Intimacy Specialist Adam Noble, Stage Manager Krissy Larson, and Assistant Stage Manager Amy Ramsdell.

A comedic gem with performances February 23 – March 17, 2024 at the Tony award winning Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas.

AUDREY OR SORROW a world premiere of Marina Carr's astonishing new play.

Directed by Abbey Theatre Artistic Director Caitríona McLaughlin.

"Audrey or Sorrow brings audiences on a time-bending deep dive into a world of family secrets, unimaginable loss, ghosts behaving badly and the endless pull of the sea. In an old house somewhere in Ireland, a young mother watches over her sleeping baby. But, in Marina Carr’s dark and dangerously funny new play, Audrey or Sorrow, nothing is as it seems.

Starring; Zara Devlin, Nick Dunning, Patrick Martins, Aislín McGuckin, Aisling O'Sullivan and Howard Teale.

The creative are: · Set Designer: Jamie Vartan · Costumer Designer: Katie Davenport · Lighting Designer: Sinéad Wallace - Sound Designer and Composer: Sinéad Diskin - Movement Director: Sue Mythen - Assistant Director: John King - Associate Director and Voice Director: Andrea Ainsworth - Casting Director: Sarah Jones - Hair and Make-Up: Tee Elliott.

Audrey or Sorrow is on stage at the Abbey Theatre in Dublin, Ireland until Saturday, March 30, 2024.

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In the pages of How To Earn A Living As A Freelance Writer (the first to be lied to and the last to be paid) you'll find sex, celebrities, violence, threats, unethical editors, scummy managers and lawyers, treacherous press agents, sex discrimination; as well as a how-to for earning money by writing down words.

FINAL OVATION

RITA McKENZIE star of Ethel Merman's Broadway died after a long illness on Saturday, February 17, 2024, in Los Angeles a few days short of her 78th birthday.

McKenzie first starred on stage as the powerful Merman — star of such iconic Broadway hits as Anything Goes; Annie Get Your Gun; Gypsy and Hello, Dolly! — in New York in 1988.

McKenzie toured throughout the U.S., Europe and Asia in what many consider the longest-running one-woman show in theatrical history.

She also starred in parts that Merman made famous: Reno Sweeney in Anything Goes!, the gunslinger in a 50th anniversary tour of Annie Get Your Gun and Rose in Gypsy.

McKenzie opened for the likes of Milton Berle, Don Knotts, Norm Crosby, Donald O’Connor and Steve Allen during her career and appeared in the Joseph Bologna, Reneé Taylor and Lainie Kazan tour of Bermuda Avenue Triangle, playing Taylor’s daughter.

McKenzie starred as Lita Encore in the Los Angeles premiere of Ruthless! The Musical and reprised the role in a New York revival and worked opposite her good friend Barbara Eden in a three year U.S. tour of Neil Simon’s The Female Odd Couple.

She also was a producer alongside her husband for the pre-Broadway tour of Rupert Holmes’ All Things Equal: The Life and Trials of Ruth Bader Ginsburg. "During the play’s development and rehearsals, Rita’s insights as a savvy theatrical pro and one of the warmest and wittiest humans I’ve had the privilege to know were invaluable in sculpting the piece into the success it has become"” Holmes said in a statement. "It is fitting that this tribute to one remarkable woman bears the imprimatur of another remarkable woman: the unforgettable Rita McKenzie."

In addition to her husband, talent agent Scott Stander, survivors include her children, Jennifer and Derek; grandchildren and a sister and their families.

IRA BERNSTEIN renowned Broadway Executive died December 21, 2023 at Belmont Village in Scottsdale, Arizona. He was 94.

Bernstein produced or managed 44 Broadway shows and tours, beginning by working as a casting director on Broadway productions such as Guys and Dolls and Wish You Were Here. During his career Bernstein managed and produced the 1966’s Wait Until Dark to the original 1975 production of i>Chicago. Broadway credits include Jackie Mason's The World According to Me!, Come Back to the 5 & Dime Jimmy Dean Jimmy Dean, Sophisticated Ladies, On the Twentieth Century, The Act, The Norman Conquests, 1776, Golden Rainbow, The Apple Tree, Wait Until Dark, Wildcat, Pippin, The Tenth Man, Silk Stockings, The Boy Friend, Can-Can, and three original Frank Loesser productions: How to Succeed in Business Without Really Trying; Where's Charley?, and Guys and Dolls.

From 1984 until 1991, Ira managed the Shubert Theater in Los Angeles. Ira also served on the Tony Award nominating committee for two, three-year terms.

Ira Bruce Bernstein was born January 21, 1929 in Brooklyn, New York. His father, legendary Broadway press agent Karl Bernstein, founded the Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers (ATPAM), and was said to have originated the job of theatrical press agent.

The Association of Theatrical Press Agents and Managers (ATPAM) Secretary-Treasurer Rina Saltzman described Mr. Bernstein as, “a mentor and an inspiration to generations of managers.” In addition to his love of theatre, Bernstein had a life-long love of model toys, particularly pre-WWII die-cast automobiles. He was a member of the Antique Toy Club of America, and cherished both his collection and the friendships he made with fellow collectors around the world.

Bernstein married entertainer Florence Henderson in 1956. The couple met when Henderson was auditioning for a part. Bernstein had to inform her that did not get the part, but their subsequent marriage lasted 28 years, and the couple raised four children, Barbara, Joseph, Robert, and Elizabeth. His children collectively stated they all felt blessed to be able to be together at their father’s side during his final days. Bernstein married Carol Richards, an actor and singer, in 2004. Richards described Mr. Bernstein as, "A true man of the theatre, my best friend, and the love of my life."

In addition to his wife he is survived by his four children, five grandchildren, and two great-grandchildren.

Next Column: March 3, 2024
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Laura Deni

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