Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: January 5, 2020
By: Laura Deni
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CES 2020 TAKES CENTER STAGE IN LAS VEGAS - SHARK TANK HAS AN OPEN CALL FOR CONTESTANTS

Sex, new dress code and a Shark Tank open cattle call.

Welcome to 2020.

Shark Tank, the critically acclaimed television show, is searching for the best entrepreneurs CES has to offer in an Open Call for possible investment candidates.

On average, the show receives 35,000 to 40,000 applicants each season, some of whom are reapplying after earlier rejections. Of those, about 1,000 advance to a second round of vetting.

In May 2019 an open casting call in New York saw 650 people stand in line hoping to present their pitch with 450 pitches heard in one day with each person permitted one minute to hawk their invention to the casting team. A must - personality, a good backstory, energy and - need it be said - a good product.

New to CES this year is the Health & Wellness Marketplace will feature innovative sex technology products.

In the past women who might possibly possess room temperature IQ's were hired as "booth babes" their purpose to attract men to industry booths. Female visitors also could be seen letting it all hang out with the object of attracting the wealthy or well connected. Not any more.

A new Code of Conduct has been issued.

CES strives to provide a safe, inclusive, harassment-free experience for everyone, regardless of gender, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, disability, race, ethnicity, religion, beliefs, citizenship and/or other protected categories. All CES participants, including attendees, media, speakers, contractors, partners, sponsors and exhibitor personnel are expected to follow this Code of Conduct at all official CES venues and events.

CTA expects that all CES participants will be dressed in clothing considered appropriate and respectful for a professional environment. We recommend business or business casual attire. Participants must not be dressed in clothing that is sexually revealing or may be interpreted as undergarments, gender notwithstanding. Clothing that reveals an excess of bare skin, specifically genitals, chest or buttocks, must not be worn. Body-conforming clothing that hugs genitals must not be worn.

These guidelines are applicable to all event participants, regardless of gender. Attire that imitates armed forces or law enforcement or appears to threaten the safety of event participants is also prohibited. CES show management reserves the right to make determinations on appropriate attire. Participants in attire that CES show management deems objectionable may be asked to alter their attire or may be removed from the event premises.

Participants asked to stop any behavior in violation of this code are expected to comply immediately. This code provides general guidelines and cannot cover every possible type of unacceptable behavior. CTA reserves the right to apply corrective action to instances other than the specific examples noted. CES participants violating these rules may be sanctioned or expelled from the event and any and all future events without a refund at the discretion of CES management.

Sex toy aficionados will be vibrating with delight that sex toys will be allowed in the Health & Wellness Category initially on a one-year trial basis but they must "be innovative and include new or emerging tech to qualify," according to the guidelines.

"What we're looking for is really innovative technology that changes the sex-tech market," Karen Chupka, executive vice president of CES, said at a press event last July. "The best way I can say it is, we don't want to see rows and rows of booths of standard vibrators."

The reason CES has opened up the judging of sex toys on only a one-year trial basis, Chupka elaborated, is because organizers want time to assess if they fit into the Health & Wellness category that they've been assigned.

The CTA also announced that The Female Quotient, which hosts its Girls' Lounge at industry events including The 4A's Conference and Cannes Lions, will be its official "equality partner" for CES 2020. The CTA will work with The Female Quotient CEO Shelley Zalis to advance equality at the conference, which has been historically criticized for its lack of diversity in its speaker lineup, including not having a single solo female keynote presentation in 2018.

During last year's event, the CTA committed to invest $10 million in venture firms and funds led by women and minorities. On Tuesday, the organization made its first two investments, in New York-based Harlem Capital Partners and female-led SoGal, which invests in early-stage diverse founding teams in the U.S. and Asia.

Expected from non-traditional tech company exhibitors, including, Bell, Impossible Foods, John Deere, NBCUniversal, P&G and WWE. New exhibitors include Abbott, Bridgestone, Delta Air Lines, DuPont, Humana and Weber. CES 2020 will feature 1,550+ new exhibitors.

NEW FOR CES 2020:

TRAVEL & TOURISM – Conference programming highlighting how smarter and safer technologies are transforming the travel and tourism industries.

NEW CONFERENCE TRACKS – Hear from industry leaders present their vision for the future in the new conference tracks at CES: Gaming and eSports; Travel & Tourism; Voice: Brands Leveraging Voice Technology; Drone Operations and Innovation; and Innovation for All.

NEW AT EUREKA PARK – See the latest product debuts from new groups in Eureka Park, including the Thailand Pavilion and Seoul Metropolitan Government. Eureka Park will also feature 14 universities, including the University of Notre Dame and University of British Columbia.

POLICY DISCUSSIONS – CES will gather policymakers from across the world to discuss issues including innovations in transportation, global trade, health care and growing apprenticeships for new collar jobs.

CME CREDITS PARTNERSHIP WITH AMERICAN COLLEGE OF CARDIOLOGY FOUNDATION – to offer CME credits to doctors, nurses and other medical professionals to highlight tech innovations creating solutions for patient care. Topics will include: home health care, patient-generated data, remote patient monitoring, and more. Digital Health is up nearly 25% for exhibitors.

WORLD BANK PARTNERSHIP – CTA and the World Bank will partner on a Global Tech Challenge which will call for companies around the world to create or present solutions focused on three key areas: health, gender barriers and technologies that enable communities to be resilient.

DIVERSITY AND INCLUSION CONFERENCE PROGRAMMING: INNOVATION FOR ALL – programming will take place across all show days on multiple stages. Conference sessions will explore Chief Diversity Officer insights, how to create inclusive products, ways that D&I is contributing to the bottom line, culture shifting/hiring differently, and investing in diversity. Key Speakers: Harlem Capital, SoGal Ventures, Black Girl Ventures, Alice, Google Official Equality Partner: The Female Quotient – The Female Quotient (The FQ) is the official Equality Partner for CES 2020.

CAN'T MISS SESSIONS AND SPEAKERS:

Terry Crews

SAMSUNG KEYNOTE ADDRESS – Monday, January 6 - Samsung Consumer Electronics Division President and CEO Mr. Hyun-Suk Kim

DAIMLER KEYNOTE ADDRESS – Monday, January 6 - Chairman of the Board of Management of Daimler AG, Head of Mercedes-Benz Cars Ola Källenius

CTA STATE OF THE INDUSTRY ADDRESS – Tuesday, January 7 CTA President and CEO, Gary Shapiro and CES Executive Vice President, Karen Chupka

DELTA AIR LINES KEYNOTE ADDRESS – Tuesday, January 7 Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian

FIRESIDE CHAT WITH FCC AND FTC CHAIRMAN SUPER SESSION – Tuesday, January 7 FTC Chairman Joseph Simons, FCC Chairman Ajit Pai and CTA’s Gary Shapiro

CHIEF PRIVACY OFFICER ROUNDTABLE SUPER SESSION – Tuesday, January 7 VP, Public Policy and Chief Privacy Officer, Policy, Facebook, Erin Egan; Senior Director of Global Privacy, Apple, Jane Horvath; Global Privacy Officer, The Procter & Gamble Company, Susan Shook; Commissioner Federal Trade Commission, Rebecca Slaughter; moderated by Partner and Head of Research, Wing Venture Capital, Rajeev Chand

THE PATH TO THE FUTURE OF WORK – Tuesday, January 7 Advisor to the President, Ivanka Trump and CTA’s Gary Shapiro

IoT: MOVING INTO AN ANTICIPATORY TECH WORLD SUPER SESSION – Tuesday, January 7 Co-founder, Loup Partners, Doug Clinton; Executive Director, Electronic Frontier Foundation, Cindy Cohn; Editor-at-Large, CNET, Brian Cooley; Co-Founder and CEO, Affectiva, Rana el Kaliouby; Sr. Director, product management, Smart Home Ecosystem, Google Nest, Michele Turner; SVP, Content Strategy, CBS Interactive Tech Sites, Lindsey Turrentine

Mandy Moore

GOOD FOR BUSINESS, GOOD FOR THE PLANET: HOW COMPANIES DRIVE POSITIVE IMACT, PRESENTED BY MEDIA LINK – Tuesday, January 7 Salesforce Chairman and co-CEO Marc Benioff, Unilever CEO Alan Jope and MediaLink Chairman and CEO Michael E. Kassan

QUIBI KEYNOTE ADDRESS – Wednesday, January 8 Quibi CEO Meg Whitman and Founder and Chairman of the Board Jeffrey Katzenberg
Predictions: How 5G Will Change Your Life SuperSession – Wednesday, January 8 President, Qualcomm Inc., Cristiano Amon

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF TRANSPORTATION KEYNOTE TALK – Wednesday, January 8 U.S. Secretary of Transportation Elaine L. Chao

WHAT'S NEXT FOR THE FOURTH INDUSTRIAL REVOLUTION? SUPER SESSION – Wednesday, January 8 CEO, Siemens USA, Barbara Humpton

Enter THE QUANTUM DECADE – Wednesday, January 8 Director, IBM Research, Dario Gil; Senior Manager for Quantum Applications, Algorithms and Theory, IBM Research, Jeannette M. Garcia; Senior Manager for Battery Research and Technology, Mercedes-Benz Research & Development, Daimler AG, Andreas Hintennach; Vice President of Research and Development, ExxonMobil Research and Engineering Company, Vijay Swarup

NBC UNIVERSAL KEYNOTE ADDRESS – Wednesday, January 8 NBCUniversal Chairman of Advertising and Partnerships Linda Yaccarino with special guests including Terry Crews, Ester Dean, Kate del Castillo, Mandy Moore, and Natalie Morales.

CES is the largest, most influential tech event in the world – the proving ground for breakthrough technologies and global innovators. This is where the world's biggest brands do business and meet new partners, and the sharpest innovators hit the stage. Owned and produced by the Consumer Technology Association (CTA), CES features every aspect of the tech sector.

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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

FACILITATORS AT THE DALI MUSEUM'S INNOVATION LABS

Salvador Dalí photographed by Carl Van Vechten in 1939.

use the artist Salvador Dali's pioneering vision to create an atmosphere where participants learn to see and solve problems differently, by applying Dalí’s art, philosophy and methods to their own lives and professions. The Dalí is the first museum to offer a full-service creative training program based in the application of “art thinking” to business challenges and organizational development.

“His ability to perceive things in such uncommon ways changed the art world,” said Dalí Museum Executive Director Dr. Hank Hine, who is the founder and co-director of the Museum’s Innovation Labs. “Dalí experimented with perception and offered new visions of reality. There are boundless ways in which we can learn from him as we set our own resolutions for creativity in 2020.”

The Museum invites businesses and individuals alike to rethink personal development, starting with an “Introduction to Creative Thinking” half-day workshop on January 18. In this course, participants will identify their personal innovation strengths and learn the tools and methods used by top creativity scholars and practitioners to boost creative problem-solving skills and confidence.

Innovation Labs Co-Director Dr. Kim Macuare explained, “Our program uses today’s best teaching tools – such as LEGO Serious Play®, creative problem-solving and design thinking – along with Dalínian creativity-stimulating exercises to help participants overcome roadblocks in the way they think about any range of topics, from art to business challenges.”

The Dalí Museum, located in the heart of picturesque downtown St. Petersburg, Florida, is home to an unparalleled collection of over 2,400 Salvador Dalí works, including nearly 300 oil paintings, watercolors and drawings, as well as more than 2,100 prints, photographs, posters, textiles, sculptures and objets d’art. The Museum’s nonprofit mission, to care for and share its collection locally and internationally, is grounded by a commitment to education and sustained by a culture of philanthropy.

BEHIND THE SCENES OF SOUL OF A NATION Not all artworks arrive at our Museums ready to be put on view. Phillip Lindsay Mason’s The Hero, one of many striking Black portraits in Soul of a Nation: Art in the Age of Black Power 1963–1983, was one such case. The work had accumulated a thick layer of grime, mold, and stains, having been in storage since 1979. Discover how conservator Tricia O’Regan cleaned the decades-old buildup off the painting, then see the determined superhero on a canvas of vibrant, freshly cleaned hues in Soul of a Nation, on view at the de Young museum in San Francisco through March 15, 2020.

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SWEET CHARITY

A BENEFIT PERFORMANCE OF SPARE RIB Winter Miller's new play about abortion and the U.S.' ongoing fight for reproductive freedom, will take place at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater in New York City on January 15, 16, and 22, 2020.

Hosted by a different activist each night (including Samantha Bee), the readings will feature a rotating cast of actors, as well as a celebration of the upcoming 47th anniversary of Roe v. Wade and the centennial of women's suffrage. Each performance will be anchored by Kathleen Chalfant, who will be joined by a rotating cast of actors including Purva Bedi, Cindy Cheung, Paige Gilbert, Susan Hyon, Maryann Plunkett, Kate Rigg, Jeanine Serralles, Lily Santiago-Hudson, Pernell Walker, and Zoe Winters.

Inspired by the work of playwrights Caryl Churchill and Mari´a Irene Forne´s, as well as multidisciplinary artist Judy Chicago, Miller's Spare Rib is a wildly irreverent look at abortion from the perspective of the (in)famous women who demand reproductive freedom.

The action rockets between three distinctive eras, early 1970's, 30 years later and the present. Members of the cast play multiple roles as they time and genre-bend.

The benefit performances will raise money toward a full production of Spare Rib. In addition, funds raised will help fund abortions at Red River Clinic, Fargo, North Dakota's only provider, and at Trust Women’s clinics in Oklahoma and Kansas.

The final reading, hosted by Bee, is January 22 which marks Roe v. Wade’s 47th birthday; and 2020 is the 100th anniversary of women’s right to vote.

THE TONY RANDALL THEATRICAL FUND supports non-profit theater companies, innovative productions, initiatives in arts education, arts-based community outreach programs. Furthering its commitment to non-profit theater companies, innovative productions, initiatives in the arts education and arts-based community outreach programs. Heather Randall, Tony's widow, created the Fund to aid the growth and development of each organization.

According to their website: This year "Heather Randall, Alexander Star and Kuda Biza journeyed to Kigali, Rwanda to work with the students of the Umubano Primary School for their inaugural project with the school. Alexander and the students created a new them song for the Umubuntu Arts Festival, which they performed to great success."

The fund "awards general operating support grants starting at $5,000 to a small number of passionate, resourceful theater companies that continue to fulfill their mission despite ongoing financial constraints.

"Rather than soliciting grant applications, the TRTF will be awarding funds to a short list of exceptional theater companies with a proven track record of artistic excellence and ambitious, mission-driven theater-making." Since its inception the fund has provided grants to:

Neighborhood Playhouse
New York Theatre Workshop
Professional Children's School
Red Bull Theatre
Playing On Air
Tectonic Theatre Project
Theatre Communications Group
Sundance Institute.

THEATRE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP RELEASES 39th ANNUAL RESEARCH REPORT

Not-for-profit theatres contributed nearly $2.7 billion to the U.S. economy and attracted 39 million attendees, according to Theatre Facts 2018, released by Theatre Communications Group (TCG). Based on the annual TCG Fiscal Survey, Theatre Facts is the only in-depth report that examines the attendance, performance, and overall fiscal state of the U.S. professional not-for-profit theatre field.

“For 45 years, TCG has provided in-depth longitudinal research on the state of the field, from attendance numbers to expenses to working capital,” said Teresa Eyring, executive director, TCG. “The data informs theatre leaders in making critical organizational decisions while also supporting fieldwide understanding of significant trends in our sector.”

Theatre Facts 2018 reflects data from the fiscal year that theatres completed between October 31, 2017 and September 30, 2018. Following an Executive Summary, the report presents data in three ways:

The Universe: a broad overview of the estimated 1,855 U.S. professional not-for-profit theatres; Trend Theatres: a longitudinal analysis of the 119 theatres that completed the TCG Fiscal Survey each year from 2014 through 2018, with a side-note offering a 10-year view, based on a subset of 88 theatres that participated each year since 2009; and Profiled Theatres: a detailed examination of all 177 theatres that participated in TCG Fiscal Survey 2018, with data broken out into six budget categories based on annual expenses. Unless otherwise noted, all of the financial changes reported in their press release reflect average, inflation-adjusted figures for the Trend Theatres for the 5-year period from 2014 to 2018. Key findings include:

Average total income increased by 14.3%, while average total expenses grew by 11.0%. The increase in income was driven by contributed income, which increased by 18.6%. Earned income grew at a slightly lower rate than expenses, with an increase of 10.9%.

Average CUNA (Change in Unrestricted Net Assets, or the difference between total unrestricted income and total expenses) was positive in every year, with a minimum of 55% of theatres and maximum of 62% theatres each year breaking even or generating a surplus. Still, that means that, in most years, nearly half of theatres did not generate enough income to cover their expenses.

Average subscription/membership income decreased by 6.8%, with a 5-year high in 2017 and low in 2018. The average number of subscribers/members decreased annually, falling 11.7% over the period. Despite that overall downward trend, 37% of the theatres that offered subscriptions/memberships in both 2014 and 2018 attracted more subscribers/members over time.

Average single ticket income rose annually and was 6.9% higher in 2018 than in 2014. The average number of single tickets sold increased annually from 2015 for overall growth of 2.3%.

Growth outpaced inflation for nearly every category of contributed income. Individuals were by far the greatest source of contributed income each year. Average combined contributions from trustees and other individuals increased by 17.4%. There were also increases in the average number of other individual donors per theatre over time and in the average amount per gift.

Every category of expenses increased over the 5-year period. Average total payroll increased by 14.1%, and more people were employed and contracted over time. Payroll represented 54.9% of total expenses in 2014, rising to 56.5% in 2018.

While there were slight improvements in average working capital and in the average working capital ratio in 2018, they were both negative in every year of the period. This indicates that cash-flow crunches were the norm, and that many theatres could not meet operating expenses if they needed to survive on their readily available resources. Between 59% and 63% of theatres per year had negative working capital, and 46% experienced negative working capital in every year.

Forty-five percent of theatres were in some kind of capital campaign in 2018, which helped theatres increase their fixed assets and long-term investments.

Theatre Communication Group’s Theatre Facts 2018 was written by Zannie Giraud Voss, Professor and Director of DataArts at Southern Methodist University (SMU); Glenn B. Voss, Professor Emeritus and DataArts Research Director, SMU; Daniel Fonner, Associate Director for Research, SMU DataArts; Ilana B. Rose, Associate Director of Research & Collective Action, Theatre Communications Group (TCG); and Laurie Baskin, Director of Research, Policy & Collective Action, TCG.

SPREADING THE WORD

ELVIS' BIRTHDAY CELEBRATION AT GRACELAND Elvis Presley would have turned 85 on January 8. As has become traditional Graceland in Memphis has programmed four days of festivities to honor The King’s birthday. Things kick off Wednesday with a birthday proclamation ceremony, an auction, an appearance by Priscilla Presley and Jerry Schilling, and special tours.

THEATRE RESOURCES UNLIMITED (TRU) presents the January Panel, New Year, New Rules: The Updated Equity Agreements and Contracts, on Thursday, January 16, 2020 at Polaris North Theater, NYC.

RAGE AGAINST THE MACHINE, FRANK OCEAN, AND TRAVIS SCOTT headline the 2020 Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival. Others on the bill include Thom Yorke, Run the Jewels, FKA twigs, Lana Del Rey, Lil Uzi Vert, and more. Full Coachella 2020 lineup arrives. The Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival, scheduled for April 10-12 and 17-19, has a diverse slate, although shying away from pure pop.

JEFFREY TAMBORGolden Globe and two-time Emmy Award-winning actor returns with a new creative workshop focused on scene study. Actors discover their individual strengths and weaknesses with the help of a trained actor and director’s eye. Tambor’s workshop guides up-and-coming actors, writers, and directors through a hands-on exploration of their process.

Tuesdays, January 14 – March 31, 2020 at the Ridgefield Playhouse in Ridgefield, CT.

MINI-FESTIVAL OF THE DAMNED, VOL 1 Opera on Tap’s first ever Mini-Festival.

Over 2 nights and at 2 venues, Opera on Tappers will operatically contemplate their fates through a diverse array of music spanning centuries of the Western classical canon. At Freddys they'll focus on the old stuff (post-mortem) and at Barbes they'll focus on the new stuff (pre-mortem) celebrating works by composers both below and above the ground. "The devil and the higher ups await you! As do the many ‘damned’ characters of opera."

Thurs, January 9th - Volume 1 Freddy's in Brooklyn, NY and on Sunday, February 9th - Volume 2 Barbes in Brooklyn, NY.

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

PRINCE WILLIAM has launched The Earthshot Prize called "the 'most prestigious environmental prize in history."

The Earthshot Prize is an ambitious set of challenges to inspire a decade of action to repair the planet.

Its name is inspired by the concept of moonshots, which since the moon landing in 1969 has become shorthand for ambitious and ground-breaking goals.

A multi-million pound prize will be awarded to five winners a year over 10 years, comprising at least 50 solutions to the world’s greatest problems by 2030. Prince William, 37, joined forces with Sir David Attenborough to make the announcement.

He said: “The earth is at a tipping point and we face a stark choice: either we continue as we are and irreparably damage our planet or we remember our unique power as human beings and our continual ability to lead, innovate and problem-solve. “Remember the awe inspiring civilizations that we have built, the life-saving technology we have created, the fact that we have put a man on the moon. “People can achieve great things. The next ten years presents us with one of our greatest tests - a decade of action to repair the Earth.” The prize, which has been likened to the Nobel Prize, aims to herald a new era of fresh optimism and action on the environment, replacing current pessimism.

"In what is set to be a ‘super year’ for the environment with crucial summits including the Convention on Biodiversity in China and the COP26 Climate Change Conference in the UK, we will unveil a small number of Earthshot challenges in special events around the globe. These challenges will seek answers to the biggest issues currently facing the planet, including: climate and energy, nature and biodiversity, oceans, air pollution and fresh water. "We will be awarding a prestigious prize to 5 winners per year over 10 years. Through this, and the winners work following each initial challenge, we hope to be able to provide at least 50 solutions to the world’s greatest problems by 2030. An annual awards ceremony will take place in different cities across the world each year between 2021 and 2030." The Earthshots aim to reward progress across all sectors of industry and society and could be awarded to a wide range of individuals, teams or collaborations – scientists, activists, economists, leaders, governments, banks, businesses, cities, and countries – anyone who is making a substantial development or outstanding contribution to solving these environmental challenges.

In addition to a significant financial award, winners will receive large-scale public recognition for their work that will aim to inspire business and government collaboration and scaling.

The father of three indicated that he spoke to both his father, Prince Charles the Prince of Wales, and his grandfather, Prince Philip the Duke of Edinburgh, about the project as he wanted to build on their own work on conservation and climate change.

Colin Butfield, executive director of WWF - the World Wide Fund for Nature - said: "In just ten years we can go from fear to hope, from disaster to discovery and from inertia to inspiration. The Earthshot Prize challenges us all to make this the decade that we build a future to be proud of." Dr. M. Sanjayan, CEO of Conservation International added: "We have a very small window – 10 years – to jolt earth onto a path of sustainability. It can sound terrifying – or it can sound like one of history’s greatest opportunities.

"Yes, the challenges are daunting. But how we react is still, in this sliver of time left, entirely up to us – and that is what the Earthshot Prize is all about."

WEEEELL, DOGGIES! – BEVERLY HILLBILLIES MANSION FETCHES $150 MILLION The over-the-top mansion seen in'The Beverly Hillbillies as the home of oil-rich Jed Clampett has sold to media heir Lachlan Murdoch in December 2019 for approximately $150 million. Once offered for as much as $350 million, the 20,000-square-foot home on a bit over 10 acres known as Chartwell and located in the Bel-Air section sold after several years on the market and set a new record for the most expensive home ever sold in California.

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GRAND HORIZONS by Bess Wohl.

Directed by Leigh Silverman.

Starring Jane Alexander, James Cromwell, Priscilla Lopez, Ben McKenzie, Maulik Pancholy, Ashley Park, and Michael Urie.

Bill and Nancy have spent fifty full years as husband and wife. They practically breathe in unison, and can anticipate each other's every sigh, snore and sneeze. But just as they settle comfortably into their new home in Grand Horizons, the unthinkable happens: Nancy suddenly wants out. As their two adult sons struggle to cope with the shocking news, they are forced to question everything they assumed about the people they thought they knew best. By turns funny, shocking and painfully honest, Bess Wohl's new play explores a family turned upside-down and takes an intimate look at the wild, unpredictable, and enduring nature of love. The full creative team includes scenic design by Clint Ramos, costume design by Linda Cho, lighting design by Jen Schriever, sound design by Palmer Hefferan, projection design by Bryce Cutler and casting by TELSEY + COMPANY.

At the Hayes Theater in New York City.

A SOLDIER'S PLAY thes first Broadway production of Charles Fuller’s award-winning drama.

Directed by Kenny Leon.

Starring David Alan Grier as “Sergeant Vernon C. Waters” and Blair Underwood as “Captain Richard Davenport.” The cast also includes Nnamdi Asomugha as “Private First Class Melvin Peterson,” Jerry O'Connell as “Captain Charles Taylor,” McKinley Belcher III as “Private Louis Henson,” Rob Demery as “Corporal Bernard Cobb,” Jared Grimes as “Private Tony Smalls,” Billy Eugene Jones as “Private James Wilkie,” Nate Mann as “Lieutenant Byrd,” Warner Miller as “Corporal Ellis,” J. Alphonse Nicholson as “Private C. J. Memphis” and Lee Aaron Rosen as “Captain Wilcox.”

1944. A Louisiana Army base. A sergeant is murdered - and the crime, with its masterfully unfolded investigation, triggers a gripping barrage of questions about sacrifice, service, and identity in America. A hair-raising drama that reverberates.

A Soldier’s Play opens officially on Tuesday, January 21, 2020at the American Airlines Theatre in New York City.

FALLING IN LOVE AGAIN by Ron Elisha.

It’s 1936. News breaks that King Edward VIII is about to abdicate his throne in order to marry American divorcée, Wallis Simpson. Marlene Dietrich – the most famous female movie star in the world – is in London to make a movie and wants to stop him. On the night before the abdication, Marlene has her chauffeur drive her to Fort Belvedere, the King’s country home, for an all nighter, during which she sings, dances, races a horse and plays the musical saw, all in an effort to seduce him. But will her efforts pay off?

Starring Canadian-born Ashton Spear as Edward and Australian-German Ramona Von Pusch as Marlene Dietrich.

UK premiere at the King's Head Theatre in London from January 14, 2020.

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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.

WHO'S WHERE

BILLY JOEL on stage Friday, January 10, 2020 at Hard Rock Live, Hollywood, FL.

PHILLY REUNION: CHRISTIAN McBRIDE, JOEY DEFRANCESCO, LIL' JOHN ROBERTS, KURT ROSENWINKEL entertain January 9 - 12, 2020 at The Blue Note in New York City.

ELTON JOHN performs Tuesday, January 7 at the Qudos Bank Arena, Sydney, NSW, Australia. He then return and does it again on Thursday, January 9. Saturday finds him beginning a two nighter at at the Hope Estate Winery, Hunter Valley, NSW, Australia.

CELINE DION in the spotlight January 8 at the VyStar Veterans Memorial Arena in Jacksonville, FL. On Saturday she'll be on stage at the State Farm Arena in Atlanta, GA.

JEFF DUNHAM the comedy icon has a busy week. He s launches his new international tour: Jeff Dunham: Seriously? telling his funny stories Wednesday, January 8, 2020 at the XL Center in Hartford, CT. On Thursday he'll be doing it again at the Giant Center in Hershey, PA. Friday's stop is at the Schottenstein Center in Columbus, Ohio. Saturday's gig is at the BMO Harris in Rockford, IL. Next Sunday, January 12, finds him at the Bankers Life Fieldhouse in Indianapolis, IN.

THE SLIM MAN BAND with Slim Man on vocals, Craig Chesnut on drums, Chase Huna on sax, Nick Sosa on guitar, and Tateng Katindig--the Thrilla from Manila--on piano and Enrique Hernandez sometimes plays percussion. Wednesdays! January 8, 15, 22, 29 at Vicky's of Santa Fe at Indian Wells, CA.

SMASHING PUMPKINS' DRUMMER JIMMY CHAMBERLIN joins saxophonist and Birdland favorite Frank Catalano’s Quartet at Birdland Theatre for two nights, January 9 & 10, 2020. Birdland in New York City.

FINAL OVATION

JERRY HERMAN composer of Mame and Hello Dolly! among others including La Cage aux Folles died December 26, 2019 in Miami, Florida. He was 88.

Many of Herman's show tunes have become pop standards. Hello, Dolly! was a #1 hit in the United States for Louis Armstrong, knocking The Beatles from #1 in 1964 after a 14-week run at the top. If He Walked into My Life from Mame was recorded by Eydie Gormé, winning her a Grammy Award for Best Vocal Performance, Female in 1967.

Other well known Herman showtunes include "Shalom" from Milk and Honey; "Before the Parade Passes By", "Put On Your Sunday Clothes", and "It Only Takes a Moment" from Hello, Dolly!; "It's Today!", "Open a New Window", "We Need a Little Christmas," and "Bosom Buddies" from Mame; and "Tap Your Troubles Away", "I Won't Send Roses" and "Time Heals Everything" from Mack & Mabel. His "I am what I am," written for La Cage aux Folles, became a gay pride anthem.

He was the first (of two) composers/lyricists to have three musicals run more than 1500 consecutive performances on Broadway (the other being: Stephen Schwartz): Hello, Dolly! (2,844), Mame (1,508), and La Cage aux Folles (1,761).

He was inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in 1982. He was also a member of the Theatre Hall of Fame.

He was nominated for the Tony Award five times, and won twice, for Hello, Dolly! and La Cage aux Folles. In 2009, Herman received the Tony Award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theatre. He was a recipient of the 2010 Kennedy Center Honor.

I first interviewed him in the 1970s and he was charming.

Herman was openly gay and at the time of his death was partnered with Terry Marler, a real estate broker who survives him.

Broadway lights will dim in his honor on January 7, 2020 at 6:45 p.m.

NEIL INNES Monty Python songwriter unexpectantly died December 29, 2019 from a heart attack. He was 75.

The English writer, comedian, and musician – dubbed “The Seventh Python” – was best known for his work with the Bonzo Dog Doo-Dah Band, The Rutles and collaborating with Monty Python.

He appeared on stage with the Pythons in the UK and Canada in 1973, in London in 1974 and in New York City in 1976, performing the Bob Dylanesque "Protest Song" (complete with harmonica) on the album Monty Python Live at City Center. He was introduced as Raymond Scum. After his introduction he told the audience, "I've suffered for my music. Now it's your turn." In 1980 he traveled to the States with the Pythons again, subsequently appearing in Monty Python Live at the Hollywood Bowl. He performed the songs "How Sweet to Be an Idiot" and "I'm the Urban Spaceman". He also appeared as one of the singing "Bruces" in the Philosopher Sketch and as a Church Policeman in the "Salvation Fuzz" sketch.

Innes wrote original songs for the film Monty Python and the Holy Grail (1975), such as "Knights of the Round Table" and "Brave Sir Robin". He appeared in the film as a head-bashing monk, the serf crushed by the giant wooden rabbit, and the leader of Sir Robin's minstrels.

He is survived by his wife Yvonne Catherine Hilton whom he married on March 3, 1966 and their three sons Miles, Luke, and Barney.

JACK SHELDON prolific musician, trumpet player and singer who served as music director and sidekick of Merv Griffin's television talk show died December 27, 2019 of natural causes. Sheldon was the subject of the award-winning documentary Trying to Get Good: The Jazz Odyssey of Jack Sheldon, which chronicled his battles with substance abuse and alcohol. He was 88.

He performed and recordedg with such figures as Stan Kenton, Art Pepper, Gerry Mulligan, and Curtis Counce. He was also the iconic voice behind many “Schoolhouse Rock!” episodes.

LISLE JONES veteran acting coach, died in Melbourne, Australia on December 26, 2019. He was 89.

His death was announced by actor Hugh Jackman who called Jones as his 'biggest influence'.

He oversaw the Western Australian Academy of Performing Arts (WAAPA) for 12 years. His famous students include Marcus Graham, Frances O'Connor, William McInnes and Robert Taylor.

Next Column: January 12, 2020
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