Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: January 7, 2024
By: Laura Deni
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THE FIFTH DIMENSION'S LAMONT McLEMORE ON KEEPING HIS PANTS ON

LaMonte McLemore and his ever present camera. Photo: History Makers/Forever 5th Dimension

LaMonte McLemore was a vocalist and one of the founding members of the pop-soul group The 5th Dimension—boasting 20 Top 40 hits on the Billboard Hot 100 (with "Aquarius/Let the Sunshine In" reaching number one), nine Grammy nominations, and six wins, including two Records of the Year—known for their versatile sound and diverse appeal that transcended race, age, and nationality. McLemore also had a passion for photography and was never without his camera. After graduating from high school in 1952 he enlisted in the United States Navy, where he worked as an aerial photographer. He was the first African American photographer hired by Harper's Bazaar magazine and was the photographer for Stevie Wonder’s first album cover. It was because of his photo shoot at the Miss Black Beauty Pageant in the mid-1960s that he met Marilyn McCoo and Florence LaRue which ultimately led to The 5th Dimension being created.

The Fifth Dimension was booked to play Russia. They would be the first Black singing group to perform in Russia. The engagement achieved international notoriety.

The group's admittance into Russia was smooth and stress free.

When McLemore returned from Russia he told me about his experience which I wrote about.

Always the photographer, McLemore decided to roam around taking pictures. The unpredictable Russian weather could sway between sunny and cold. Suddenly McLemore, the singer, noticed his throat felt scratchy and was beginning to hurt. Knowing the performance in Russia was significant he decided to stop by a walk in clinic and have a medic check out his throat.

As others in the clinic stared at him, he was led into a room, where several nurses were gathered. The minute the door closed they attacked McLemore, removing his shoes and socks and examined his feet. He kept pointing to his throat. The nurses jabbered at each other in Russian as they looked through his hair, ears and hands. Again, McLemore pointed to his throat and tried to indicate that his throat was the problem. The nurses removed his shirt and then attempted - forcefully - to remove his slacks. McLemore, who was then single, said it was the only time he ever tried to stop a woman from removing his pants. Other nurses came into the room and started snooping through his body parts. McLemore fought to keep his pants on.

Eventually a doctor, who spoke English, arrived and apologized to McLemore explaining: The nurses aren't trying to be rude, embarrass you or mean any harm. You need to understand that they have never before seen a black man and they are trying to find out - are you black all over?

Photography was his best friend. One of his best photography gigs was for JET magazine which was an American magazine focusing on news, culture, and entertainment related to the African-American community.

McLemore freelanced for JET magazine for more than four decades, principally shooting for its "Beauty of the Week" feature, which encapsulated Black joy, style, and beauty. During this time, he photographed over 500 Black women, most of whom were not professional models. The section, in which a woman was featured in a skimpy swimsuit along with her name, place of residence, profession, hobbies, and interests, became one of the most popular among the magazine’s audiences, as it showcased the everyday beauty and elegance of Black women, contributing greatly to what has been called the "first form of social media" by acclaimed contemporary visual artist, Mickalene Thomas.

McLemore's photographic output serves as a living document of everyday Black fashion and elegance.

Photographs by LaMonte McLemore. Image: powerHouse Books

During that 40-year era, when abuse of women by men in power seemed to be the rule of the day, McLemore was a gentleman. Not one woman ever had a bad word to say against McLemore and frequently the women he photographed came forward to praise his manners.

The Fifth Dimension frequently starred in Las Vegas. While the city had a long history of being segregated, those that worked on the Strip were a little less bigoted. Interracial dating wasn't unheard of. Women of all skin shades were after McLemore. At that time, he very politely let it be known that he only dated within his race. After my article came out about his Russian adventures he called to thank me, which was lovely. We had a marvelous telephone conversation which lasted at least 20 minutes. I enjoyed every minute of the chat. Then he asked me: "Are you a sister" to which I replied - "No, I'm an only child." That was followed by a very ... long ... pause.

McLemore, who is part Cherokee Indian, was also the first African American athlete to try out for the St. Louis Cardinals, followed by a short stint playing for the LA Dodgers until an arm injury. Now happily married for over 20 years to Mieko, and still a Las Vegas resident, he suffered a stroke in 2019.

powerHouse (sic) Books (distributed by Simon and Schuster) is set to release a book of McLemore's JET photographs entitled Black Is Beautiful: JET Beauties of the Week The Photography of LaMonte McLemore with Chris Murray. Essays by Sylvia Flanagan, Jayne Kennedy, and Mickalene Thomas.

Black Is Beautiful: JET Beauties of the Week compiles, for the first time, numerous photographs from McLemore’s shoots, including never-before-seen outtakes from those sessions. This dynamic coffee table book is a tribute to McLemore’s talent and cultural impact, and is a celebration of Black women, Black beauty, and Black culture.

"LaMonte McLemore’s photography had a profound impact on Black culture and provided a much-needed space for Black women to see themselves represented as desirable. His images served as a challenge to the limiting and stereotypical beauty standards of his time, and celebrated the natural beauty and strength of Black women. As an artist, I find McLemore’s groundbreaking work to be a continued source of inspiration for me."
- Mickalene Thomas, from her essay "Black Women as Icons"

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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 INTERNATIONAL CRYPTOZOOLOGY MUSEUM

A resident of the Cryptozoology Museum. Photo: Cryptozoology Museum

in Portland, Maine, includes exhibits about cryptids (beyond Bigfoot & Nessie). They also feature displays about the finds of "living fossils" and other classic animals of discovery — the successful cryptozoological stories. One of the most famous, of course, is the coelacanth, as featured in the ICM logo. We have a 5.5 ft long, life-size model of the first one taken off Africa in 1938 in the museum.

What is cryprozoology? Cryptozoology, which literally means "the study of hidden animals," is one of the newest life sciences, and certainly one of the most exciting. During the last half-century of the 20th century, interest in sightings and traditions dealing with "monsters" moved from a shadowy world of travelogues to academic respectability and beyond.

The International Cryptozoology Museum has many rare and unique pieces of remarkable evidence. Some of the items on exhibit are actual hair samples of Abominable Snowmen, Bigfoot, Yowie, and Orang Pendek. A letter from the actor Jimmy Stewart is on display as he is linked to the Pangboche Yeti hand mystery. Fecal matter from a small Yeti was collected by the Tom Slick-F. Kirk Johnson Snowman Expedition of 1959, and the ICM’s sample has been featured on three television series: In Search Of; MonsterQuest, and Mysteries at the Museum. A footprint cast taken in 2001, during an alleged Thylacine encounter, is among the over 10,000 items on exhibit.

The museum is filled with unique items, including the full-sized art sculptures of the Crookston Bigfoot (by Curtis Christensen), Freaky Links’ pterodactyl (by Haxan sfx), P.T. Barnum’s FeeJee Mermaid (by Erik Gosselin), the Naden Harbor Caddy (by Lee Murphy), a lifesize bronze of a Thylacine, and other cryptid and new species replicas, evidence, and more. The fiberglass coelacanth (from Fantastic Fish) is the only life-size exact model of the first 1938 specimen displayed in North America.

Several new exhibits have been enhanced or newly installed, including ones on the Dover Demon, the Montauk Monster, the Jersey Devil, Thylacine, Coelacanth, and the Napes/Skunk Apes.

The museum has a wide range of exhibitions from rare, one-of-a-kind scientific, zoological specimens to popular cultural homages to the relevant anthropological and psychological acknowledgements of the sightings and folk traditions to be found within hominology and cryptozoology. As part of their scientific and education mission, they preserve native art and contemporary souvenirs.

JILIANKNXX CHORUS IN REMEMORY OF FLIGHT on exhibit at the Barbican in London through February 11, 2024.

Poet, artist and filmmaker Julianknxx explores themes of inheritance, loss and belonging as he crosses the boundaries between written word, music and visual art.

Sierra Leonian artist Julianknxx uses his personal history as a prism to deconstruct dominant perspectives on African art, history, and culture. Rich with symbolism, his work conveys the Black experience of defining and redefining the self, rejecting labels to form new collective narratives.

Offering song and music as forms of resistance, the exhibition invokes new understandings of what it means to be caught between, and to be of, multiple places. Choirs and musicians from cities across Europe give voice to a single refrain: "We are what’s left of us", transforming the Curve into a collaborative space of communication. As the philosopher Édouard Glissant has written: "you can change with the Other while being yourself, you are not one, you are multiple, and you are yourself."

Chorus in Rememory of Flight has been co-commissioned by the Barbican and WePresent by WeTransfer in partnership with Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation and with support from De Singel.

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SPREADING THE WORD

GOODSPEED 18th ANNUAL FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS kicks off on Friday, January 12, 2024 at The Goodspeed with a staged reading of Photosynthesis. This new blooming and uplifting musical features book, music & lyrics by features book, music & lyrics by Claudine Mboligikpelani Nako. Saturday, January 13, will be highlighted by a staged reading of Letters to the President, a musical featuring actual letters to the President of the United States since the founding of the nation, conceived by Michael Bello & Jessica Kahkoska. The final day of the Festival features The Snow Goose, a soaring tale of unlikely friendship with music by Claire McKenzie, book & lyrics by Scott Gilmour and based on the novel by Paul Gallico.

DARE TO DREAM returns to NJ Rep after his sold-out performance as Langston Hughes, to present his one-man play about Martin Luther King, Jr.

January 15, 2024.

The hour long show highlights Dr. King’s, "Letter from a Birmingham Jail," "I Have a Dream," "Promised Land," "If I had Sneezed," and "Early Days." Mills’ presentation looks at the public figure and the private man. "Be roused, be inspired, be transported as Mr. Mills delivers Dr. King’s “I Have a Dream” speech sixty years after Dr. King did so. Dare to Dream."

New Jersey Rep in Long Branch, NJ.

NICOLE SCHERZINGER the former Pussycat Doll who starred as silent movie star Norman Desmond in the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical Sunset Boulevard, which is based on the film by Billy Wilder, will reprise her role on Broadway.

The London production at The Savoy Theatre closed January 6, 2024.

Scherzonger receive received critical applause for her star turn. When she appears on Broadway it will mark her Broadway debut. No date has been provided.

DAVID TENNANT has been announced as host for the 2024 EE BAFTA Film Award which take place February 18, 2024 at London's iconic Royal Festival Hall.

BY INVITATION ONLY 29-hour double reading in New York City for two of Arizona’s original musicals. The first of the two musicals, ¡Americano! The Musical, originally debuted at The Phoenix Theatre Company in February 2020, boasting the best box office run of any original musical in the theatre's over 100-year history. Following a five-week off-Broadway stint in New York City, witnessed by luminaries like President Barack Obama and Lin Manuel Miranda, the show has undergone important revisions in pursuit of its Broadway dreams. Audiences are, by invitation only, invited to see ¡Americano! performed on 11am and 3pm on January 12th at New 42 Studios near Times Square.

¡Americano! chronicles the compelling and inspiring true story of Tony Valdovinos, a Phoenix native who, driven by the events of 9/11, aspires to serve in the Marines. However, upon attempting to enlist on his 18th birthday, Tony discovers he is an undocumented immigrant—a Dreamer. Fueled by determination, community support, and a new mission, Tony sets out to make history, create positive change, and inspire others. The upcoming reading will mark the premiere of the freshly re-imagined script, representing a significant milestone for the first Arizona-originated musical vying for a coveted Broadway slot.

¡Americano! is produced by Quixote Productions, Jason Rose, Michael Barnard, Jonathan Rosenberg, Fernanda Santos, Lynn Londen, David Tedesco, Robert Meza, George and Leesa Weisz, Keith Mishkin, Sayu Bhojwani, Ken Davenport, Ryan Duncan-Ayala, Carrie Martz and Executive Producer Chicanos Por La Causa.

The second musical, The Ghost of John McCain, will be performed LIVE on Thursday, January 11th at 2:30 pm at Sunlight Studios in New York City. This hilariously funny one-act production was co-conceived by Jason Rose and the late former Arizona Attorney Grant Woods. It is being co-produced by Rose and Arizona political consultant Max Fose. The absurdist overture takes audiences on a journey into the afterlife, where Senator John McCain finds himself trapped inside the mind of none other than Donald Trump.

As McCain navigates the surreal landscape within Trump's consciousness, a "Greek Chorus" of iconic figures, including Hillary Clinton, Roy Cohn, Eva Peron, Teddy Roosevelt, Robert Jordan, and Lindsey Graham, rebel against the President's relentless demands for affirmation. Authored by Scott Elmegreen, with Drew Fornarola serving as composer and lyricist, The Ghost of John McCain offers a unique psychological exploration of power, rivalry, and the human condition.

ELVIS EVOLUTION puts Elvis back in the building as an AI holograph production of The King opens in England before traveling to Las Vegas, Tokyo and Berlin.

Since his early death in 1977, his popularity has only grown.

this new new immersive experience will allow fans to watch him perform on stage. Using artificial intelligence and holographic projection, Elvis Evolution plans to take audiences through every step of The King's life and career complete with a life-sized digital performing Elvis.

Layered Reality, the digital technology company behind the project, has gained access to never seen footage of the star and all his greatest hits from Authentic Brands Group, owners of the Elvis Presley estate.

Despite having never toured outside of North America during his career, Elvis's opening AI show will open in central London November, 2024.

No stranger to holograms, Elvis appeared alongside Celine Dion in American Pop Idol in 2007 and alongside Ryan Gosling in Blade Runner.

Fans will wear headsets for some of the experience as well as make their way around different areas within the venue.

And in Presley's largest tribute yet a video collage that rendered him hundreds of times was projected during U2's performance on the opening night of the Sphere in Las Vegas.

Andrew McGuinness, founder and chief executive of Layered Reality, said: "Elvis Evolution is a next-generation tribute to the musical legend that is Elvis Presley. Elvis maintains superstar status globally and people around the world no longer want to sit there and passively receive entertainment - they want to be a part of it."

In a statement announcing the special event, immersive experience specialists Layered Reality promise that the mind-blowing "concert finale" featuring the King of Rock will feature a "jaw-dropping" performance and a "personal invite to the After Party."

CELEBRATING WINNIE THE POOH DAY

One of the cuddliest holidays around has to be National Winnie the Pooh Day, celebrated on the birthday of author A. A. Milne.

Winnie-the-Pooh (also known as Edward Bear, Pooh Bear or simply Pooh) is a fictional anthropomorphic teddy bear created by A. A. Milne and English illustrator E. H. Shepard. Winnie-the-Pooh first appeared by name in a children's story commissioned by London's Evening News for Christmas Eve 1925. The character is based on a stuffed toy that Milne had bought for his son Christopher Robin in Harrods department store.

Christopher Robin's toy bear is on display at the Main Branch of the New York Public Library in New York City.

With his first book in 1926, Winnie-the-Pooh would enter into the lives of children throughout the English-speaking world. As time went on, his popularity would only grow as his book was translated into countless languages and became a New York Times Best Seller. More and more people would fall in love with the iconic bear once Disney the film rights for the beloved icon. Many of the series’ characters originally came not from the mind of author Alan Milne but rather from his son, Christopher Robin Milne. The latter served as both the inspiration and namesake of the young boy featured in the books.

While many of the characters were named after his son’s toys, Milne did make an exception for the titular character. While Christopher did indeed call his teddy bear Winnie, it would be another bear after whom Winnie-the-Pooh was named. It should prove an odd and unique footnote in history that one of the most beloved children’s characters was a product of the devastating World War I.

According to The Collector in a piece written by Turner Collins: "Ironically, the origins of such a beloved children’s character were only made possible through the horror of the First World War. In 1914, Europe was embroiled in a new, industrialized-scale conflict that the world had never seen before. The fighting took place in France and Belgium between the forces of Germany and the combined armies of Britain, France, and Belgium.

"When England declared war on Germany in 1914, Canada was automatically embroiled in the conflict.

Winnie and Harry Colebourn. Photo: Wikipedia

"Large numbers of soldiers, some 620,000 mobilized, would form the Canadian Expeditionary Force. Roughly 39 percent of these would be wounded or killed by the end of the war."

According to Ryerson University exhibition Remembering the Real Winnie: Harry Colebourn (1887-1947) was born in Birmingham, England and emigrated to Canada in 1905. He settled in Toronto where he attended the Ontario Veterinary College, graduating in 1911 as a veterinary surgeon. He accepted a position with Manitoba's Department of Agriculture and moved to Winnipeg that same year. Later that year Colebourn joined the Mounted Rifles as a militia officer, later becoming an officer with the 34th regiment of cavalry, Fort Garry Horse.

After the war Colebourn pursued postgraduate studies at the Royal Veterinary College of Surgeons in London. On the way to the main Canadian training camp in Valcartier, Quebec, Colebourn made an odd acquisition: a young female black bear cub, which he bought from a local hunter in western Ontario for $20 (or some $650 in modern currency). He would name this bear Winnie, after his adopted hometown of Winnipeg. Colebourn then served three years in France, having risen to the rank of Major. He originally intended to bring Winnie back with him to Canada, but Colebourn ultimately decided that Winnie could remain at the London Zoo, where she had received quite the following and was well known and loved for her gentle, playful behavior.

Colebourn decided in 1919 that Winnie would be officially donated to the Zoo. In her new home, Winnie drew the attention of one repeat visitor: Christopher Robin Milne, who first saw the bear at the age of four in 1924. Christopher, the son of World War I veteran and author Alan Alexander Milne, was one of the many visitors who came to love the bear; he even changed the name of his own beloved Teddy from Edward to the now-famous Winnie-the-Pooh, a combination of Winnie the bear and Pooh, the name of a swan he had met on a family vacation."

The World War I Museum in Kansas City will be celebrating Willie-The-Pooh Day on January 20, 2024. Guests will learn about the real-life WWI bear who inspired the "tubby little cubby all stuffed with fluff" with a reading of the 2015 children’s book Winnie, accompanied by cake, a family-friendly craft and screening of Christopher Robin Winnie-the-Pooh Day is hosted in partnership with the Kansas City Zoo and Messner Bee Farm.

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

PODCAST POPULARITY SOARED during COVID-19, helping the format to take a spot among other established media. And while the massive boom this market experienced during the pandemic is slowly decreasing, podcast advertising, its biggest revenue stream, still sees double-digit growth.

According to data presented by OnlyAccounts.io, podcast advertising revenue is expected to grow by 16% year-over-year and hit over $4bn in 2024.

The Massive Boom Replaced by Steady Growth.

Unless they have a deal with podcast publishers, most podcast hosts make money from advertising. Global podcast ad revenue has soared by 370% in just five years, jumping from $730 million in 2018 to $3.46bn in 2023. The Statista data show that 2019 and 2021 saw the highest annual growth rates of more than 45%, while ad revenue grew by an average of 35% in the rest of this period.

Last year, the podcast advertising industry grossed $3.46bn, 23% more than in 2022, showing that market growth is slowing down. Statista expects this slowdown to continue in the following years as the massive boom the market experienced during the pandemic is being replaced by steady growth and investment. In 2024, global podcast ad revenue is expected to increase by 16% year-over-year and hit over $4bn. By 2028, revenue will jump to $5.2bn, while the annual growth rate is expected to drop to 4.7%.

In global comparison, the United States is undoubtedly the world`s largest podcast advertising industry. Statista data show that 63% of global podcast ad revenue in 2024, or $2.57bn, will come from the United States. Far below, China follows with nearly $450 million in revenue next year, six times more than India and the United Kingdom, as the next two highest-grossing markets.

The number of new podcasts drops, but user count jumps by 50M in 2024. The Statista data show 161,300 new podcasts were launched worldwide in 2023, down from 241,000 a year before or a massive 736,000 in 2021. And while new creation continues declining, the number of users still rises.

Statista expects around 50 million new podcast listeners next year, pushing their total number to over 460 million. By 2028, this figure is projected to grow by almost 45% and hit 668 million worldwide. The growing number of users with fewer newly published podcasts shows the market is stabilizing as more and more podcasts are finding their loyal audiences.

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HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO . . .

LEA SALONGA AND ROBERT CHARLES CHIEN who will celebrate their 20th wedding anniversary on January 10, 2024.

In November 2001, while performing in the Los Angeles production of Flower Drum Song at the Mark Taper Forum, Salonga met Robert "Rob" Charles Chien, an American entrepreneur of Chinese and Japanese heritage. The two were married on January 10, 2004 at the Our Lady of the Angels Cathedral in Los Angeles.



JAPANESE MUSICIAN AND FILM DIRECTOR YOSHIKI’S cement handprints and footprints will be unveiled at a special ceremony at the TCL Chinese Theatre in Hollywood on Tuesday, January 9, 2024

The event will be open to the public, with a fan-viewing area in front as YOSHIKI's tablet is permanently placed in the theatre's forecourt on Hollywood Blvd. An invitational reception and performance at Japan House ill follow.

YOSHIKI has become the first Japanese artist to receive the rare honor from the Chinese Theatre since the tradition began in 1927.

YOSHIKI is one of just over 300 artists in the nearly 100-year history of the iconic Chinese Theatre to receive this prestigious honor. He was selected as "one of the most influential musicians and composers in Japanese history" and in recognition of his achievements in music, fashion, and film over the last 30 years, as well as for his continued philanthropic efforts.

Recently, it was announced that YOSHIKI's acclaimed directorial debut film YOSHIKI: Under the Sky will begin streaming through Magnolia Home Entertainment under their Magnet Label on TVOD in March 2024 and SVOD in May 2024 on Amazon Prime Video. YOSHIKI: Under the Sky gathers an extraordinary collection of international artists for an emotional journey through the pain of losing loved ones and uniting globally through the healing power of music. Shot in Germany, Beijing, Tokyo, and LA, the film features interviews, and performances from The Chainsmokers (USA), St. Vincent (USA), Scorpions (Germany), Sarah Brightman (UK), Nicole Scherzinger (USA), HYDE (Japan), SUGIZO (Japan), SixTONES (Japan), Jane Zhang (China), and Lindsey Stirling (USA), as it crosses international borders and celebrates an array of diverse voices coming together at a time of universal upheaval. The film is produced by Emmy Award winner Sid Ganis, Emmy Award winner Mark Ritchie, along with consulting producer Stephen Kijak and directed by YOSHIKI – composer, drummer, pianist, and leader of rock bands X JAPAN and The Last Rockstars. The project is the artist’s first feature film as director and was conceived during the pandemic when musicians could not connect with their fans. YOSHIKI: Under the Sky premiered in New York, Tokyo, London, and Los Angeles, followed by showings in over 130 theaters in the U.S., Europe, and Japan.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO . . .

Celebrities with strong connections to Broadway who will celebrate their birthdays the last half of January.

January 17 -- James Earl Jones
January 19 -- Dolly Parton
January 21 -- Geena Davis
January 22 -- Diane Lane
January 23 -- Chita Rivera
January 24 -- Mischa Barton
January 27 -- Alan Cumming
January 28 -- Alan Alda
January 30 -- Gene Hackman

HANG IN THERE . . .

MICHAEL BOLTON who is recovering at home following emergency surgery after doctors discovered a brain tumor.

"Just before the holidays, it was discovered that I had a brain tumor, which required immediate surgery," the 70-year-old wrote on his Facebook page. "Thanks to my incredible medical team, the surgery was a success." The Grammy Award winner will have to take a "temporary break from touring."

According to Bolton's website, the musician was expected to kick off his tour in February with shows throughout 2024.



WHITE ROSE THE MUSICAL Music by Alan Cancelino. Book & Lyrics by Jenne Wason.

White Rose: The Musical is based upon the inspiring story of a small courageous group of university students who stood up to Hitler, secretly met to write, print, and distribute leaflets exposing Hitler's lies and Nazi deception.

"We will not be silent." - The Leaflets of the White Rose.

Munich, 1942. While everyone around them endured in silence, a group of University students chose to speak out against the atrocities happening in their country. Sophie Scholl, her brother Hans, and their friends started a resistance movement in a time when movements seemed impossible. They risked everything to create and distribute leaflets denouncing Hitler. Their movement was growing— until they paid the ultimate price. Still they would not be silent. Allied planes flew over Europe dropping the Leaflets of The White Rose. Their words offered hope to a desperate nation. In this new musical drama, their voices live on.

Starring Jo Ellen Pellman as Sophie Scholl, Mike Cefalo as Hans Scholl, Kennedy Kanagawa as Christoph Probst. Laura Sky Herman as Lila Ramdohr, Paolo Montalban as Kurt Huber, Sam Gravitte as Frederick Fischer, Cole Thompson as Willi Graf, Ellis Gage as Swing, Dani Apple as Swing.

Presented by LDK Productions January 17 -April 2, 2023 at Theatre Row in New York City.

BRIGHTER THAN THE SUN book, music, and lyrics by Colin Hendley.

Directed by Caroline Leggett.

Arranged and Orchestrated by Ryan Ward.

An autobiographical musical that delves into the poignant relationship between a young man and his grandmother, both hailing from South Georgia. Their parallel journeys through life form the heart of this narrative, offering a simple yet profoundly evocative exploration of shattered dreams, the bonds of family, and the perpetual cycles of birth and mortality that define every human story.

"The genesis of this show emerges from a deep personal connection, rooted in the grandmother's profound influence during the author's childhood. Her unassuming yet extraordinary life left an indelible impact on those she encountered. When she passed away in 2019, the author felt compelled to compile the anecdotes she had shared over the years growing into a cherished creation that resonates beautifully with audiences."

The production stars Collin Hendley, Abby Turner, Matt Stevenson, Julieta Berry, Ofer Gordon, Amber Mawande-Spytek, Jared Goodwin, Emily O’ Leary, Dennis Taylor, Carina Milano, Brandon Weber, Ireland Fernandez-Cosgrove, and Jessie Connelly.

The creatives are: assistant direction by Alexa Powell, choreography by Emma Ruth Matthews, scenic/props design by Hannah Tarr, costume design by Caroline Leggett, lighting design by Sam Wiser. The stage manager is Tori Moss, and the assistant stage manager is Marcus Cruz. Publicity by Katie Rosin/Kampfire PR.

Nominated for Best Overall Production, Best Original Score, Best Direction, Best Choreographer, and Best Singer/Actress (Amber Mawande-Spytek) at the New York Theatre Festival Recipient of the New Georgia Playwright's Grant.

January 9 – January 21, 2023 at the Chain Theater in New York City.

INTIMATE APPAREL by two-time Pulitzer Prize-winning dramatist Lynn Nottage.

Directed by Jasmine Bracey.

A heartfelt tale of belonging, love, and survival, whose characters have stitched together a powerful tale with an array of characters whose intertwining relationships are told with humor, heartbreak and resiliency. Set in 1905 New York City, Intimate Apparel tells the story of a lonely but talented black seamstress, Esther, living in a Manhattan boardinghouse. Despite her current circumstances, Esther dreams of a more fulfilling life. The play takes the audience through Esther’s world where she creates exquisite lingerie for diverse clientele, from wealthy white patrons to prostitutes. Her life takes a dramatic turn when she begins correspondence with a suitor, George, working on the Panama Canal.

Featuring: Madeleine Barker, Teri Brown, Jonathan Fisher, Donald Paul, Nedra Snipes, and Arizsia Staton.

Previews begin on Wednesday, January 10, at the North Coast Repertory Theatre. Opening Night is set for Saturday, January 13, 2024. A talkback session with the artistic director and cast is scheduled for January 19th. The production runs through February 4, 2024.

North Coast Rep is located in Solana Beach, CA.

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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

SHECKY GREENE a comedian known for his nightclub performances in Las Vegas, Nevada, where he became a headliner in the 1950s and '60s died December 31,2023 in Las Vegas. He was 97.

Greene's career had obstacles due to depression and bipolar disorder, stage fright, gambling, panic attacks, and drug abuse and alcoholism.

Offstage, Greene's main passion was Thoroughbred racing. A horse named Shecky Greene (1970–1984) was the 1973 American Champion Sprint Horse and the front-runner for nearly seven furlongs in the 1973 Kentucky Derby until Secretariat ran off with the race. As of 2016, Arlington Park in Arlington Heights, Illinois, outside Chicago, still holds a Shecky Greene Handicap race.

Greene led "humanitarian efforts" to create St. Jude's Ranch, a shelter for indigent and neglected children in Boulder City, Nevada.

Greene was married twice. He was married to Nalani Kele from 1972 to 1982. She had a hugely successful nightclub act, the Nalani Kele Polynesian Revue, from the 1960s to the early 1970s. Since 1985, he has been married to Marie Musso, daughter of Vido Musso, a Las Vegas musician who played saxophone with Benny Goodman. She survives him.

GLYNIS JOHNS Tony award winning star of stage and screen died January 4, 2024 at an assisted living facility in Hollywood. She was 100.

one of most famous roles was as Mrs. Banks in Mary Poppins.

She grew up in England, where she became a dancer, singer, pianist and actress. By 10, she’d won more than 24 gold medals in dance competitions, and earned a degree to teach ballet. She played Peter Pan on stage when she was 19. Her career spanned eight decades.

Johns’ greatest triumph is credited as playing Desiree Armfeldt in A Little Night Music, for which she won a Tony in 1973. Sondheim wrote the show’s hit song "Send in the Clowns" to suit her distinctive husky voice. In a 1991 revival of A Little Night Music in Los Angeles, she played Madame Armfeldt, the mother of Desiree, the part she had created.

She starred in the 1989 Broadway revival of The Circle, W. Somerset Maugham’s romantic comedy about love, marriage and fidelity, opposite Rex Harrison and Stewart Granger.

Johns had no survivors. She was married four times. The first was the father of her only child, the late Gareth Forwood, an actor who died in 2007 after getting diagnosed with cancer and having a heart attack.

DAVID SOUL actor and singer died January 5, 2024 after a "valiant battle for life." He was 80.

Soul became a household name portraying Hutch, the blond half of a crime-fighting duo, opposite Paul Michael Glaser, in the popular 1970s television series Starsky and Hutch.

He also was an accomplished singer who scored a Number One on the Billboard charts in America and Canda with the romantic Don't Give Up on Us. His 1977's Silver Lady hit #1 on the U.K. singles chart.

Born in Chicago, Soul began his career on stage in the 1960s. He became a founding member of the Firehouse Theater in Minneapolis and toured with the company.

Married five times, he is survived by his wife, Helen Snell and six children.

Next Column: January 14, 2024
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Laura Deni

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