Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: July 21, 2019
By: Laura Deni
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NERDS HAVE THEIR DAY AT 2019 COMIC-CON - THEY'RE SHOWING MUSCLE

Nerds from all parts of the world have trekked to San Diego this weekend to worship at the annual Comic-Con convention which took place July 18-21 (with Preview Night on July 17) at the San Diego Convention Center and satellite locations.

Having long ago done away with their ball point pen plastic pocket protectors the Comic-Com devotees have put some starch in their shorts and are standing up and speaking out.

For instance - the show Games of Thrones experienced a controversial final season filled with mishaps which the production company blamed on negative press.

An online petition to HBO to remake the final season with 'competent writers' has been signed by 1.6 million people.

Fans left no doubt that they didn't like it when Isaac Hempstead Wright's character Bran ended up as king. The actor defended the ending stressing that the show's unexpectedly ambiguous ending was a strength. In other words, the series might eventually come back. Those attending the Friday discussion featuring among others: John Bradley, Maisie Williams, Jacob Anderson, and Liam Cunningham booed Nikolaj Coster-Waldau - who played Jaime Lannister - after describing his character's death in the arms of his sister and lover Cersei as 'perfect.' 'It made sense to me,' said the actor. The audience disagreed with boos, name calling and heckling.

Earlier in the week showrunners David Benioff and Dan Weiss along with two cast members even withdrew from Comic-Con participation.

Batman director Matt Reeves was bluntly told "don't screw up our Batman," referring to The Batman with Robert Pattinson starring as the Dark Knight. It is set for release on June 25, 2021.

In showing clout Comic-Con attendees have become an important cog in movie marketing and distribution and well other outlets such as television.

The non-profit Comic-Con has grown from 100 attendees in 1970 who wanted to discuss comic books to to over 130,000 paying customers who are knowledgeable about all aspects of how comic books can be transferred to other forms of entertainment.

The convention included programming events, games, anime, the Comic-Con International Independent Film Festival, and the Eisner Awards, a Masquerade costume competition with prizes and trophies; an Autograph Area; an Art Show; and Portfolio Reviews, bringing together aspiring artists with major companies.

Comic-Con is now an important asset for in the world of film distribution.

Tom Cruise in the original Top Gun

With an eye on distribution and knowing the Comic-Con crowd has discriminatory income Tom Cruise surprised everyone by showing up last Thursday to promote his long-awaited, much anticipated upcoming sequel, Top Gun: Maverick. In the new trailer, it's revealed that Cruise's iconic character, the Ray Ban sunglass wearing Pete "Maverick" Mitchell, is now the new flight instructor of the Top Gun school, as he is faced with a new enemy - drones.

Later Cruise posted on his Twitter account: "Thank you to all of the fans whoo showed up at Hall H today. It was great to share our first trailer for Top Gun: Mavrick with you all."

The release of the film was pushed back a year from July 12, 2019, to June 26, 2020. When Paramount Pictures made the announcement they explained that the extra time was needed to give filmmakers the opportunity to work out the logistics of presenting flight sequences with new technology and planes.

Newly released poster for Top Gun: Mavrick shows the back of Tom Cruise.

Budgeted at $14 million, filming locations have included a house in Oceanside, Kansas City Barbeque in downtown San Diego and Marine Corps Air Station Miramar. Last week Cruise and and Miles Teller were spotted doing scenes in Lake Tahoe.

The film's ensemble cast also includes Jennifer Connelly, Jon Hamm, Glen Powell, Lewis Pullman and Ed Harris. Val Kilmer is reprises his role as Iceman, with Miles Teller portraying the son of Maverick’s former wingman, Goose, who was played by Anthony Edwards in the first film.

Broadway mogul and superstar Lin-Manuel Miranda who is the voice of superhero Gizmoduck in DuckTales appeared with thrilled DuckTales fans quacking their hands in delight. In his first San Diego Comic Con appearance Miranda was part of the Disney Channel show’s annual panel.

Film distributors have taken serious note that Comic-Con attendees are movie goers with money, prompting Comic-Con to be turned into a sought after springboard for film distributors who may have followed the playbook from a British based course called Film Distribution: Connecting Films with Audiences helmed by Lord David Puttnam and Ian Wall.

Lord Putnam spent thirty years as an independent producer of award-winning films including The Mission; The Killing Fields; Chariots of Fire; Midnight Express; Bugsy Malone and Local Hero. Together these films have won ten Oscars, ten golden globes, twenty-five Baftas and the Palme D’Or at Cannes.

The course's lead educator Ian Wall is Director of Education at The Film Space, an organization which develops teaching materials for the use of film in educational settings. Their Film Distribution: Connecting Films with Audiences class, presented through Britain's Film Distributors Association is exceptionally well constructed.

Creating the buzz that sticks in a movier goer's mind, inspiring the purchase of a movie ticket is nerve wracking, big business. It involves all the players.

Staging a Comic-Con panel discussion were screenwriters Christopher Markus and Stephen McFeely who penned Captain America: The First Avenger; Captain America: The Winter Soldier; Captain America: Civil War; Avengers: Infinity War; and Avengers: Endgame, which is currently in theaters and hits digital July 30 and Blu-ray August 13, 2019.

Those two know how to play the game.

They caught the undivided attention of the audience by offering a description of a lost scene from Infinity War where, in the battle on Titan, Doctor Strange was going to send Thanos through a mindscape where he’d be faced with all his past crimes and, ultimately, be put up in front of the Living Tribunal, who would judge him guilty. The scene was shot but cut from the scene because detouring a big fight for an LSD trip was a turn off by becoming too much of a slow down.

During any aspect of film production, the project can be changed or even cancelled.

That fabled cutting room floor is cluttered.

The Business of Film is an informative course taught by lead educator Hilary Collins, a strategic design academic with research interests in the economic and cultural role of the creative industries who teaches Open University courses in strategy and design thinking along with Richard Miller and Gerard O’Malley.

Miller is a creative industries consultant with Available Light Advisory and Professor of Film and Creative Economy at the University of Hertfordshire. In the 1990s he produced American independent films out of New York and O’Malley is a consultant working in digital strategy and development in the arts and film. He is also the founder and director of The Film Network.

They point out that touting a film two years before it opens plants a seed into the customer, since the opening week-end box office is still seen as the first release window and can make or break a film financially. Promoting can also bring in additional investors. Banks do not invest in films although some banks might lend against tax incentive and pre-sales, but those loans are expensive.

Many of the products flacked at Comic-Con are considered part of the golden triangle of power in the film industry existing between talent, money and distribution. They have name talent, are ‘pre-branded’. One of the strongest ways a film can be pre-branded is if it is a sequel to a previously released film. Having a film based on a recognizable existing property is thought to reduce the risk in an uncertain business. Those hyping at Comic-Con have promotional money to spent and do so. However, the distribution goal is to reap a profit and those Comic-Con attendees were the fish in their barrel.

The triangle of power in The Business of Film suggests that "there are three key ways for an individual or organization to have the ‘power’ to get films made in the way they desire.

"First, talent always has bargaining power. (By ‘talent’ we don’t mean people that are talented, we mean people who are recognised as talented, i.e. have some kind of star power)." In this year's Comic-Con names think Cruise, Patterson and Miranda.

"Like many industries, money talks. Studios like to share the risk of their films by using outside investors. Money always brings power.

"Lastly, having a distribution network or capability gives power because it gives the ability to get a film in front of audiences. Without distribution capability, no film will make any money.

While a defining characteristic of the film industry is uncertainty, since no one really knows the value of a film until it is in front of a paying audience, film makers are increasing looking forward Comic-Con audiences to increase profitability.

A few of the Comic-Con events included:

Warner Bros. Television Group continued the annual Preview Night tradition with exclusive world premiere pilot screenings of the new series Batwoman and Pennyworth, Additionally, WBTVG screened the pilot of the upcoming Fox dramatic thriller Prodigal Son, starring Tom Payne and Michael Sheen; the world premiere of DC UNIVERSE’s animated comedy series Harley Quinn; and a never-before-seen episode of the hit Cartoon Network series Teen Titans GO!

Warner Bros. and New Line’s ScareDiego 2019 was focused on It: Chapter 2, with a panel featuring director Andy Muschietti and the folks who play the adult versions of the Losers Club from the first It — Jessica Chastain (Beverly), James McAvoy (Bill), Bill Hader (Richie), Jay Ryan (Ben), Isaiah Mustafa (Mike), James Ransone (Eddie) and Andy Bean (Stanley).

Paramount Pictures staged a Terminator: Dark Fate panel discussion with footage presentation with talent and filmmakers.

The cast of SYFY’s action horror series Van Helsing gave fans an exclusive first-look at the upcoming fourth season. Bringing a bevy of new blood to their panel, series stars Kelly Overton, Jonathan Scarfe, Christopher Heyerdahl, Tricia Helfer, Neal McDonough, Aleks Paunovic, Jennifer Cheon Garcia, Keeya King and Nicole Munoz joined Van Helsing showrunner Jonathan Lloyd Walker and executive producers Mike Frislev and Chad Oakes to divulge what’s in store for the new season in a Q&A moderated by Bevin from Den of Geek.

Batman Beyond 20th Anniversary was celebrated with many members of the creative team behind the breakthrough production, including producers Bruce Timm and Glen Murakami, eight-time Emmy Award-winning casting/dialogue director Andrea Romano, director James Tucker, writers Bob Goodman and Stan Berkowitz, and the acting stars of the series: Kevin Conroy and Will Friedle, the voices of Batman and Terry McGinnis, respectively.

Netflix’s The Order made their first ever San Diego Comic-Con appearance. Stars Jake Manley, Sarah Grey, Adam DiMarco, Devery Jacobs, Thomas Elms, Louriza Tronco and Katharine Isabelle joined series creator/showrunner Dennis Heaton, writer/EP Shelley Eriksen and executive producers Mike Frislev and Chad Oakes in a Q&A moderated by Bevin from Den of Geek.

Evil which will air this fall on CBS is a psychological mystery that examines the origins of evil along the dividing line between science and religion. The series focuses on a skeptical female psychologist who joins a priest-in-training and a carpenter as they investigate the Church’s backlog of unexplained mysteries, including supposed miracles, demonic possessions, and hauntings. Their job is to assess if there’s a logical explanation or if something truly supernatural is at work. Series stars Katja Herbers, Mike Colter, Aasif Mandvi, and Michael Emerson, along with co-creators and executive producers Robert King and Michelle King provided a sneak peek of the first episode followed by a panel discussion.

SpongeBob’s Big Birthday Blowout! let attendees dive deep down into the making of this brand-new special with co-executive producers Vincent Waller and Marc Ceccarelli. Voice actors Tom Kenny (SpongeBob), Bill Fagerbakke (Patrick), Rodger Bumpass (Squidward), Carolyn Lawrence (Sandy), Mr. Lawrence (Plankton) and Clancy Brown (Mr. Krabs) discussed what it was like to portray their characters in front of the camera for the first time in this live action-animation hybrid special.

Nancy Drew that brilliant teenaged detective whose sense of self has come from solving mysteries in her hometown of Horseshoe Bay, Maine–until her mother’s untimely death derails Nancy’s college plans. Devastated by her mother’s passing, Nancy swears off crime solving, but when a socialite is murdered, Nancy finds herself embroiled in a ghostly murder investigation. A supernatural presence begins to haunt Nancy’s investigation, and she discovers that the current crime has an astonishing connection to the unsolved murder of a local girl. Whether the ghost is here to help or hinder Nancy remains to be seen, but one thing’s for sure: Nancy’s going to have to unravel the clues from both the living and the dead to solve the crimes. Series stars Kennedy McMann, Leah Lewis, Maddison Jaizani, Alex Saxon, and Tunji Kasim, along with executive producers Noga Landau, Melinda Hsu-Taylor, and Stephanie Savage presented an exclusive sneak peek of the first episode followed by a panel discussion. Nancy Drew will air Wednesdays this fall on The CW.

Beyond explanation…beyond understanding…lies the truth. Convention goers joined the cast and executive producers for a first look at the pilot episode of ABC’s new drama series Emergence followed by a panel discussion. This character-driven genre thriller follows a police chief who takes in a young child she finds near the site of a mysterious accident who has no memory of what has happened. The investigation draws her into a conspiracy larger than she ever imagined, and the child’s identity is at the center of it all. Produced by ABC Studios. Executive producers Michele Fazekas and Tara Butters with cast members Allison Tolman, Donald Faison, Clancy Brown, Alexa Swinton, Owain Yeoman, Ashley Aufderheide, Robert Bailey Jr., and Zabryna Guevara were all be in attendance.

Skybound: In Conversation with Robert Kirkman took place with the comic book creator, writer, and executive producer answering questions from fans and discussed his latest projects, including The Walking Dead; Invincible; Oblivion Song, and more.

Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. delivered the scoop about the show-stopping conclusion for season six and what awaits in season seven of Marvel’s flagship television show. Stars in attendance included: Clark Gregg, Ming-Na Wen, Chloe Bennet, Elizabeth Henstridge, Iain De Caestecker, Henry Simmons, Natalia Cordova-Buckley, and Jeff Ward, along with executive producers Maurissa Tancharoen, Jed Whedon, Jeff Bell, and Jeph Loeb, This action-packed series from Marvel Television and ABC Studios airs Fridays on ABC.

Three generations of Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles creators tookwill take the stage to celebrate the history, fandom, and success of the Heroes in a Half -Shell. This exclusive history-making event gave fans rare access to co-executive producers Andy Suriano and Ant Ward, executive producer Ciro Nieli, and TMNT co-creator Kevin Eastman. United for the first time, these award-winning creators answered fan questions, and unveiled never-before-seen original TMNT art.

Based on the Stumptown graphic novel, ABC’s new drama series Stumptown follows Dex Parios (Cobie Smulders) – a strong, assertive and sharp-witted army veteran with a complicated love life, gambling debt and a brother to take care of in Portland, Oregon. Her military intelligence skills make her a great PI, but her unapologetic style puts her in the firing line of hardcore criminals and not quite in alliance with the police. Produced by ABC Studios. Panelists include cast members Cobie Smulders, Jake Johnson, Michael Ealy, Camryn Manheim, Tantoo Cardinal, Cole Sibus and Adrian Martinez, with Executive Producer Jason Richman and Stumptown Graphic Novel Author Greg Rucka.

Fans heard from the cast and creators of the hit YouTube Original Series Cobra Kai, which launched its second season last spring to another round of fanfare and critical acclaim. From its iconic roots in The Karate Kid film franchise to the current YouTube series, fans heard about the moves it took to bring these popular characters back for a new generation–and tried to wrestle free the surprises in store for its upcoming third season.

Lin-Manuel Miranda

Adapting Philip Pullman’s award-winning trilogy, which is considered a modern masterpiece of imaginative fiction, His Dark Materials follows Lyra, a seemingly ordinary but brave young woman from another world. Her search for a kidnapped friend uncovers a sinister plot involving stolen children and becomes a quest to understand a mysterious phenomenon called Dust. The series is executive produced by Jane Tranter, Jack Thorne, Julie Gardner, Tom Hooper, Toby Emmerich, Deborah Forte, and Dan McCulloch. Cast panelists include Dafne Keen as Lyra, James McAvoy as Lord Asriel, Lin-Manuel Miranda as Lee Scoresby, and Ruth Wilson as Mrs. Coulter.

Fox’s new half hour comedy, Bless The Harts, features good ol’ Southern family. Jenny Hart (Kristen Wiig) who supports her lottery scratcher-obsessed mother, Betty (Maya Rudolph) and her witty, creative daughter, Violet (Jillian Bell). With the help of her eternally optimistic, dreamer boyfriend Wayne (Ike Barinholtz), they hope to one day achieve the American dream. While they are always struggling to make ends meet, they’re already rich in friends, family and laughter. An exclusive first look with executive producers, Emmy Award winner Emily Spivey and Academy Award winners Phil Lord & Chris Miller and the all-star cast behind the Harts.

Fear the Walking Dead with panel cast members Lennie James, Alycia Debnam-Carey, Danay Garcia, Maggie Grace, Jenna Elfman, Alexa Nisenson, Austin Amelio, Rubén Blades and Karen David, along with chief content officer of The Walking Dead Universe, Scott M. Gimple, showrunners and executive producers Andrew Chambliss and Ian Goldberg, executive producers Robert Kirkman, Dave Alpert, Gale Anne Hurd and Greg Nicotero, and director and co-executive producer, Michael Satrazemis. The panel was moderated by Talking Dead host Chris Hardwick.

Netflix presented an exclusive sneak peek at fantasy series, The Dark Crystal: Age of Resistance, based on Jim Henson’s groundbreaking 1982 feature film, The Dark Crystal. In this new prequel, three Gelfling discover the horrifying secret behind the Skeksis’ power, and set out on an epic journey to ignite the fires of rebellion and save their world. Realized using classic puppetry with cutting edge visual effects, the cast and creators discussed bringing Thra to life.

The Boys. Executive producers Seth Rogen and Eric Kripke, along with series stars Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Antony Starr, Erin Moriarty, Jessie T. Usher, Laz Alonso, Chace Crawford, Tomer Capon, Karen Fukuhara, and Elisabeth Shue, with moderator Aisha Tyler, for a behind the scenes look at their upcoming series. Based on The New York Times best-selling comic by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, "The Boys is a fun and irreverent take on what happens when superheroes – who are as popular as celebrities – abuse their superpowers rather than use them for good."

Convention goers joined stars Orlando Bloom, Cara Delevingne, David Gyasi, Tamzin Merchant and executive producers Travis Beacham and Marc Guggenheim for a sneak peek and conversation about Carnival Row, moderated by Tim Kash. Set in a Victorian fantasy world filled with mythological immigrant creatures whose exotic homelands were invaded by the empires of man, Amazon Prime Video’s Carnival Row” explores how this growing population struggles to coexist with humans — forbidden to live, love, or fly with freedom. But even in darkness, hope lives, as a human detective, Rycroft Philostrate (Orlando Bloom), and a refugee faerie named Vignette Stonemoss (Cara Delevingne) rekindle a dangerous affair despite an increasingly intolerant society.

What Just Happened??! With Fred Savage. Director and television star Savage shares mind-bending, thrilling, aspects of The Flare, based on TJ Whitford’s classic series of sci-fi novels, The Moon is the Sun at Night not only sizzled its way into living rooms nationwide, but also inspired Fox to create its first ever after-show, What Just Happened??! With Fred Savage. Fred was joined with stars of The Flare, Shiri Appleby, Kevin Zegers, Tyler Ritter, and co-creators Matt Silverstein and Dave Jeser and director Jon Cassar to provide a sneak peek screening of the fourth episode of the after-show dedicated to exploring the fandom surrounding the The Flare.

What Just Happened??!, Fred’s half-hour hybrid comedy/talk show, airs on FOX on Sunday nights. The screening was followed by a conversation moderated by Fred Savage and fan Q&A.

Preacher panelists included executive producer Seth Rogen and cast members Dominic Cooper, Ruth Negga, Graham McTavish and Mark Harelik.

Armed with a passion for social justice and a flair for speaking her mind, Kate Kane soars onto the streets of Gotham as Batwoman, an out lesbian and highly trained street fighter primed to snuff out the failing city’s criminal resurgence. The cast and producer joined the audience for a screening of the pilot, followed by a Q&A. From executive producers Greg Berlanti, Caroline Dries, Geoff Johns, and Sarah Schechter. The cast includes Ruby Rose, Rachel Skarsten, Meagan Tandy, Nicole Kang, Camrus Johnson, Elizabeth Anweis, and Dougray Scott. Marcos Siega directed the pilot, for which he also served as executive producer alongside David Nutter. Batwoman premieres this fall. airing Sundays on The CW.

Enter the Star Trek Universe Over 50 years ago, the world was first introduced to what would quickly become a cultural phenomenon for the ages. Star Trek broke barriers then and continues to do so now, inspiring people of all generations and walks of life with its celebration of cultural diversity, scientific exploration and the pursuit of uncharted frontiers. Today, the “Star Trek” universe continues to thrive, exploring all new missions for Starfleet. ComicCon folk became the first to hear about two new upcoming additions to the Star Trek universe: Star Trek: Picard, starring Sir Patrick Stewart, and the animated series Star Trek: Lower Decks.

The Star Trek Discovery cast appearing included Sonequa Martin-Green alongside executive producers Alex Kurtzman, Michelle Paradise and Heather Kadin, with series guest star Tig Notaro, who plays Chief Engineer Reno, moderating the conversation. Star Trek: Picard panel featured Sir Patrick Stewart, Alison Pill, Michelle Hurd, Evan Evagora, Isa Briones, Santiago Cabrera and Harry Treadaway, alongside executive producers Alex Kurtzman, Michael Chabon, Akiva Goldsman and Heather Kadin.

From creator Michael Schur comes the critically acclaimed and unique comedy series The Good Place about what makes a good person. Attendees heard from the stars Ted Danson, Kristen Bell, William Jackson Harper, D’Arcy Carden, and Manny Jacinto and executive producers Michael Schur and Drew Goddard.

From Emmy Award-winning executive producer and creator Seth MacFarlane, The Orville is back for season 3 . The full crew of the U.S.S. Orville: Seth MacFarlane, Adrianne Palicki, Penny Johnson Jerald, Scott Grimes, Peter Macon, Jessica Szohr, J Lee, Mark Jackson & Chad L. Coleman and Executive Producers David A. Goodman, Jon Cassar & Brannon Braga provided an exclusive look back at some of their favorite, never-before-seen moments of season 2 and a special sneak peek at the new and exciting missions in the upcoming third season.

Universal Television brought NBC’s hit comedy Brooklyn Nine-Nine to Comic-Con. The hilarious heroes of New York’s funniest police precinct solve crimes like only they can-with tons of humor and the heart to match. Featuring Andy Samberg, Melissa Fumero, Terry Crews, Joe Lo Truglio, Dirk Blocker, and Joel McKinnon Miller and executive producers Dan Goor and Luke Del Tredici.

Now that the Gargoyle King has been revealed, The Black Hood is dead, and Hiram is in jail, can Archie and the gang have a normal senior year? Riverdale returned for its fourth appearance at Comic-Con to discuss the new mysteries of season 4, including the shocking finale flash forward and what it means for Jughead and the others. Based on the characters from Archie Comics and produced by Berlanti Productions in association with Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios, this one-hour drama is called "a bold, subversive take on the surreality of small-town life."

Travel Channel brought the paranormal investigators and stars of its hit series, Ghost Adventures, LIVE! to Comic-Con! Zak Bagans and his paranormal team including Aaron Goodwin, Jay Wasley and Billy Tolley, shared stories from their most memorable and horrifying encounters. Fans heard firsthand all of the behind-the-scenes details that go into creating this wildly popular franchise. The team also debuted never-before-seen footage. Matthew Butler, general manager, Travel Channel, moderated the panel.

Mayans M.C. is the next chapter in Kurt Sutter’s award-winning Sons of Anarchy saga. Set in a post-Jax Teller world, Ezekiel “EZ” Reyes is fresh out of prison and a prospect in the Mayans M.C. charter on the Cali/Mexi border. An exclusive sneak peek at a scene from the upcoming season and a conversation with Kurt Sutter (Co-Creator/Executive Producer), Elgin James (Co-Creator/Executive Producer), Kevin Dowling (Executive Producer), plus stars JD Pardo, Clayton Cardenas, Edward James Olmos, Sarah Bolger, Michael Irby, Antonio Jaramillo, Raoul Max Trujillo, Richard Cabral, Danny Pino, Emilio Rivera, Frankie Loyal, Joseph Lucero and Vincent Rocco Vargas.

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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

PIERRE CARDIN: FUTURE FASHION

Raquel Welch in a Pierre Cardin outfit featuring a miniskirt and necklace in blue vinyl, worn with a Plexiglas visor, 1970. Image courtesy of Iconic Images. © Terry O’Neill / Iconic Images

is the first New York retrospective in forty years to focus on the legendary couturier who celebrated his 97th birthday on July 2. Drawn primarily from Pierre Cardin’s archive, the exhibition traverses the designer’s decades-long career at the forefront of fashion invention. Known today for his bold, futuristic looks of the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s, Cardin extended his design concepts from fashion to furniture, industrial design, and beyond.

Known for his avant-garde style and his Space Age designs Cardin prefers geometric shapes and motifs, often ignoring the female form. He advanced into unisex fashions, sometimes experimental, and not always practical.

The exhibition presents over 170 objects drawn from his atelier and archive, including historical and contemporary haute couture, prêt-à-porter, trademark accessories, “couture” furniture, lighting, fashion sketches, personal photographs, and excerpts from television, documentaries, and feature films. The objects are displayed in an immersive environment inspired by Cardin’s unique atelier designs, showrooms, and homes.

Highlights of Pierre Cardin: Future Fashion include rare designs in luxury fabrics from the 1950s; a large grouping from the landmark 1964 “Cosmocorps” collection, which sought to streamline menswear by eliminating excessive detailing; creations that incorporate vinyls, plastics, and the self-named Cardine synthetic fabric; signature unisex ensembles featuring full knit bodysuits with layered skirts, vests, bibs, and jewelry; iconic broad-shouldered jackets from the 1980s based on Japanese origami, Chinese architecture, and American football uniforms; “illuminated” jumpsuits and dresses; recent couture eveningwear; and an extensive overview of Cardin’s recently designed couture menswear.

At 14, Cardin began his career as an apprentice at Chez Bompuis, a tailor in Saint-Etienne, before working in Vichy at the age of 17 and moving to Paris in 1945. After jobs in the studios of Jeanne Paquin, Elsa Schiaparelli, and Christian Bérard, for whom he made masks and costumes for Jean Cocteau’s Beauty and the Beast, he became the head tailor at Christian Dior. He spent three years in this role, contributing to the New Look revolution and the success of the legendary Bar suit. Buoyed by this experience, the driven young man launched his own brand in 1950, specializing in stage costumes and ball gowns. His boldness, inventiveness, and sense of detail and cut were an instant hit. In 1952, he revolutionized the wool coat with his “red sun pleat” model, now exhibited at the Brooklyn Museum. He released his first collection in 1953, caused a stir in 1954 with his bubble dress, designed outfits for Jackie Kennedy in 1957, then rewrote the codes of men’s fashion with “jackets you could use to loosen bolts on a car, but also wear at the Windsor.”

To take advantage of globalization while preventing potential knock-offs, Cardin built an empire of license contracts. Through these arrangements, subcontractors could buy the rights to sell products under the Cardin name. This included clothing, fragrances, and watches, later followed by hundreds of spin-off products, from matches to the now-iconic tins of sardines.

Pierre Cardin: Future Fashion is curated and designed by Matthew Yokobosky, Senior Curator of Fashion and Material Culture, Brooklyn Museum and is on display from July 20 through January 5, 2020.

JERRY WEINTRAUB PRESENTS is a new exhibit at the Grammy Museum which offers is closer look at the man behind the most memorable concerts of the 1970s.

Jerry Weintraub (and Concerts West) recognized the potential for great artists to play for larger audiences and to create one-of-a-kind events.. Weintraub worked with artists such as Frank Sinatra, Elvis Presley, John Denver, The Carpenters, Neil Diamond, Bob Dylan, Rick James, Beach Boys, Led Zeppelin, Bad Company, The Commodores, the Bee Gees, The Moody Blues, The Eagles, Eric Clapton, Stevie Wonder and Paul McCartney.

To showcase Weintraub's business acumen, moxie, and sense of showmanship during his decades focusing on artist management and concert promotion, the Grammy Museum, with support from the Weintraub Family Foundation, proudly announces Jerry Weintraub Presents…, a new exhibit showcasing original items from Weintraub's most notable tours, including personalized jackets, tour documents, contracts, and more.

Jerry Weintraub Presents… will offer an inside look at how Weintraub, his management company, Management 3 and his partners at Concerts West, forever changed the concert business by taking the presentation of music to a never-before-seen size and scale. Until 1970, the business of presenting concerts was in the hands of regional promoters working in clubs and theaters. Beginning with Elvis Presley’s 1970 tour, Weintraub's impact on the concert business allowed audiences to experience music in-person on a grander scale. He moved his artists in to large arenas, sports stadiums and other venues never before used for music tours.

Exhibit highlights include:
Personalized jackets from some of Weintraub's most notable tours
Original tour documents and contracts
Original mock-up artwork of album cover and advertisement designs
Rare personal photos of Weintraub with his most iconic clients

The exhibit will open on August 15, when Jerry's son, Michael Weintraub, Bob Finkelstein (Former President of Management 3 and Concerts West and Co-Chairman of Frank Sinatra Enterprises), John Meglen (Co-CEO Concerts West), Claire Rothman (General Manager and Vice President of the Forum), Sims Hinds (Tour promoter for John Denver, Neil Diamond, The Eagles and The Beach Boys) and Peter Jackson (Tour Management for The Moody Blues and Eric Clapton) will discuss the stories behind this exhibit moderated by music industry analyst and critic, Bob Lefsetz, at the Clive Davis Theater. The exhibit will run through early December 2019.

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SPREADING THE WORD

OSCAR WINNER KATE WINSLET

Kate Winslet was shocked to learn that her four-times great grandfather died in prison where he was sentenced for stealing potatoes for his starving family.

broke down in tears when she learned that a relative of hers had died in jail after being sentenced to prison for stealing potatoes. She learned the news while appearing on the popular television program Who Do You Think You Are?

She discovered that her four-times great grandfather, Anders Jonsson, was an estate stable groom where workers were paid in tokens rather than cash so they could never leave. Inother words - slaves. Anders and wife Anna had five children but in 1831, in the grip of famine, their three-month-old son Gustaf died from malnutrition.

Kate told Radio Times: “I was sobbing my heart out at this point. His wife couldn’t even produce milk for their baby because she was starving."

Five months later Anders and another man were arrested for stealing three barrels of potatoes.

Kate exclaims: “Good for you – I’d have stolen the potatoes too.”

But when told he went to jail, she declares: “That’s horrible. He was trying to do the right thing for his children. They say he’s got a ‘weak body constitution’ – he was starving.” Anders was also sentenced to a flogging when it emerged he and his pal had also stolen two beehives. The punishment was never carried out as he contracted typhus in prison and died the age of 43 before his appeal could be heard.

An upset Kate said: “I feel so angry now. It’s just not fair. His poor wife lost her baby and her husband within six months and was left with four children, including my great, great, great grandfather Johan Christian."

Johan joined the Swedish navy, with a salary and a small cottage where he lived with his wife Anna. However, tragedy followed. Their first child, a girl, died when she was 17 days old and his second, a boy, succumbed to smallpox in 1853 aged seven months.

Johan was discharged from the navy in 1859 for “embezzling from the crown.” He was flogged 40 times. He then became a tailor, a trade he passed on to his only surviving child, Kate’s great-great grandfather Alfred Johansson Lidman, who moved to London and set up on Savile Row.

Kate told the show that she had no knowledge of her mother Sally’s Swedish ancestry. Sally died of ovarian cancer two years ago. “She was an amazing lady. We miss her terribly. She was very much the center of the family.”

It was her mother who encouraged Kate to contact Who Do You Think You Are? and have them investigate her family's background.

SHIRLEY MacLAINE offering some sensible advise to those 1M earthly souls who have signed up to storm Area 51 in Amargosa Valley, NV on Friday, September 20 2019 - an idea which was first posted as a joke before it snowballed into a life of its own.

MacLaine opined: I’m sure many of you have heard that a group wants to storm Area 51, which until recently the government refused to admit existed. I have to give a little opinion on this. Whether you believe in off-world life or not, I suggest we engage our brains. What is the point of crossing into an open training range for the US Air Force that is clearly and overtly marked that entry is forbidden? Does someone honestly believe they can walk right through the desert to a hanger and will be given access to find alien bodies? Just from a simple human perspective… If someone trespassed on property that was clearly marked ‘No Trespassing’ and barged into a person’s home making demands, what would be the consequences? Why would anyone think that behavior was okay? What makes Air Force property any different from an individual’s property? Finally the US government is taking baby steps to release information on the subject of off-worlds. Let’s not get in our own way of receiving information. We may be slower than some but we get there eventually and in the end knowledge is a deeply personal experience that cannot be provided by another."

92Y ANNOUNCES A DISCUSSION OF WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME with playwright/performer Heidi Schreck and Harvard Law professor Laurence Tribe, moderated by Slate senior editor and legal columnist Dahlia Litwick, on Sunday, July 28 at 92Y in New York City.

What the Constitution Means to Me garnered Tony Award nominations for Best Play and Best Leading Performance by an Actress. It runs at the Helen Hayes Theater through August 24.

Heidi Schreck is a playwright, performer and screenwriter. Her play What the Constitution Means to Me, which opened on Broadway at the Helen Hayes Theater in March 2019, was recently named a Pulitzer Prize finalist and won the Obie Award and New York Drama Critics’ Circle Award for Best American Play. Laurence H. Tribe, the Carl M. Loeb University Professor and Professor of Constitutional Law at Harvard, has taught at its Law School since 1968 and was voted the best professor by the graduating class of 2000. The title “University Professor” is Harvard’s highest academic honor, awarded to just a handful of professors at any given time and to fewer than 70 professors in all of Harvard University’s history. Dahlia Lithwick is a senior editor at Slate, and in that capacity, has been writing their "Supreme Court Dispatches" and "Jurisprudence" columns since 1999.

HENDRIX TALKS at the Handel and Hendrix Museum in London takes place Saturday, July 27.

This month’s talk with guitarist Nigel Jones focuses on four of the biggest names in rock music – Jimi Hendrix, Jeff Beck, Eric Clapton & Jimmy Page – and how they are all connected.

JULY 21 is National Creme Brûlée Day and at the other end of the gourmet spectrum - National Junk Food Day. July 22 is National Penuche Day. July 23 honors National Vanilla Ice Cream Day and Official* Hot Dog Day. July 24 is National Tequila Day. July 25 is National Hot Fudge Sundae Day. July 26 is National Bagelfest and National Coffee Milkshake Day. July 27 is National Scotch Day.

KEN EHRLICH TO STEP DOWN AS PRODUCER OF THE GRAMMY AWARDS

Ken Ehrlich Photo:Grammy Awards

After 40 years as producer/executive producer of the Grammy Awards, veteran Ken Ehrlich will assume that position one last time for the upcoming 62nd Grammy Awards. The telecast, taking place in 2020, will mark Ehrlich's milestone 40th anniversary. Over the last four decades, Ehrlich has organized some of music's most iconic and memorable TV moments and "redefined the way we experience live music on television" according to Los Angeles Times. Attempting to fill Ehrlich's headset will be Emmy Award winner Ben Winston who will become the sole executive producer for the 63rd Grammy Awards telecast in 2021.

Ehrlich is the founder of AEG Ehrlich Ventures and produced his first Grammy Awards in 1980. His signature touch - incredible and unexpected pairings such as Eminem and Elton John, Prince and Beyoncé, and Dave Grohl, Paul McCartney, Bruce Springsteen, and Joe Walsh - helped make Music's Biggest Night one of the most-watched entertainment specials in television history. In his almost 50 years as a producer, Ehrlich has created and worked on numerous award shows and live events, including the Emmy Awards, the MTV Movie Awards, and the Latin Grammy Awards. He has also produced dozens of specials for broadcast and cable networks for artists including Beyoncé, Bob Dylan, John Legend, the Rolling Stones, and Justin Timberlake. Ehrlich directed the Las Vegas residencies of both Mariah Carey and Celine Dion and was honored by the Producers Guild of America with the Visionary Award in 2007.

Ben Winston, who will succeed Ehrlich, is a multifaceted producer, director, and writer with award-winning credits that span television, movies, music videos, and commercials. A six-time Emmy Award winner and a 22-time nominee, he has produced a multitude of shows including The Late Late Show with James Corden, co-created "Carpool Karaoke," and "Drop The Mic" and has produced many music specials for artists such as Bruno Mars, Sam Smith, Harry Styles, Justin Bieber to name a few.

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

HEIDI SCHRECK'S WHAT THE CONSTITUTION MEANS TO ME has recouped its $2.5M Broadway capitalization.

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THE KENNEDY CENTER HONORS has announced that actor Sally Field, singer Linda Ronstadt, R&B collective Earth, Wind & Fire, children’s series Sesame Street, and conductor and musical visionary Michael Tilson Thomas have been named the 2019 Kennedy Center Honorees.

The upcoming celebration marks the first time a television program will be recognized. The co-founders of Sesame Street, Joan Ganz Cooney and Dr. Lloyd Morrisett, will accept the Kennedy Center Honors on behalf of themselves, Muppets creator Jim Henson, Muppets artists Caroll Spinney and Frank Oz, and the thousands of creatives who have built the program’s 50-year legacy.

“The Kennedy Center Honors celebrates icons who, through their artistry, have left an indelible stamp on our collective cultural consciousness,” stated Kennedy Center Chairman David M. Rubenstein. “Earth, Wind & Fire’s hooks and grooves are the foundation of a seminal style that continues to shape our musical landscape; Sally Field has brought us unforgettable characters, both joyous and poignant, for more than five decades; Linda Ronstadt is the defining voice of a generation, spanning genres, languages and continents; Sesame Street continues to revolutionize how children and adults learn about our world; and Michael Tilson Thomas goes far beyond keeping score – he has shaped American music and musical institutions for the 21st century.”

These artists will be saluted by performers on December 8 at the Kennedy Center Opera House in Washington, DC. The evening will be filmed, and The 42nd Annual Kennedy Center Honors will be broadcast on CBS December 15,2019.

FRANK LLOYD WRIGHT'S HOLLYHOCK HOUSE which was almost demolished in the 1940s - has been named as one of eight Wright-designed buildings nationwide to represent the first U.S. modern architecture designations on the World Heritage list. There are 1,121 World Heritage Sites around the world.

The Aline Barnsdall Hollyhock House located in the East Hollywood neighborhood of Los Angeles, was built in 1922 in the ?Mayan Revival architecture style. Hollyhock House features an entertainment room immediately to the right of the entrance. This room contains possibly the first built-in entertainment center, complete with LP-sized cabinets along the floor. Other notable rooms include a child's play area as well as a modernist kitchen. The house and grounds were used in film production as the temple of the Piranha Women in 1989's Cannibal Women in the Avocado Jungle of Death.



PASSING THROUGH Music and Lyrics by Brett Ryback. Book by Eric Ulloa. Based on the Work Walking to Listen by Andrew Forsthoefel.

Choreographed by Marcos Santana.

Directed by Igor Goldin.

Set amidst the rich sounds and diverse tapestry of the American landscape, Passing Through tells the incredible true story of a young man who journeys on foot from Pennsylvania to California, collecting stories as he goes. But when his trek brings to light an unresolved family crisis, he must use the lessons he’s gathered to finally confront his past. Don’t miss the musical that celebrates America and the power of what can happen when we open ourselves up to a stranger.

July 26 - August 18, 2019 at The Terris Theatre in Chester, Conn.

HOW TO CATCH CREATION by Christina Anderson.

Directed by Incoming Artistic Director Nataki Garrett in her OSF directorial debut.

Spanning more than 40 years, How To Catch Creation is a tender story of love, longing, having your heart broken and simply existing through the experiences of four lives in 2014 that intersect and collide in the most unpredictable ways, while the mid-1960s run a parallel course in a series of fast-paced, intercut scenes. In the earlier storyline, G.K. Marche black, queer, feminist writer living in San Francisco’s Tenderloin -writes her latest novel and navigates the shifting dynamic in her romantic relationship due to lifechanging news from her partner. Decades later, the implications of that moment still echo in the lives of four individuals.

The cast features Chris Butler as Griffin, Christiana Clark as Tami, Kimberly Monks as Riley, William Thomas Hodgson as Stokes, Greta Oglesby as G.F Marche and Safiya Fredericks as Natalie.

Scenic design is by Emmy-nominated set designer, Jason Sherwood in his OSF debut. Kaitlyn Pietras is project designer, costumes are by Dede M. Ayite and lighting design is by Xavier Pierce . T. Carlis Roberts currently Associate Professor of Music at University of California, Berkeley is composer and sound designer. Robert C. Goodwin is production dramaturg and Rebecca Clark Carey is voice and text director. Sarah Lozoff is intimacy director and U. Jonathan Toppo is fight director. Molly Norris is production stage manager and TaiReika L.A. is production assistant.

Oregon Shakespeare Festival's Thomas Theatre stages the production with preview performances are July 23, 25 and 26, and the play runs through October 26, 2019.

DIRTY ROTTEN SCOUNDRELS by David Yazbek and Jeffrey Lane.

Directed by Mike Rademaekers and Les Young.

Choreographed by Kristi Ster.

Two con men, a beautiful woman, and the elite of the French Riviera collide in this clever and amusing farce. Based on the popular MGM film starring Michael Caine and Steve Martin, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels is sophisticated and suave with a good dash of mischief and ribald humor. This hysterical musical comedy features a delightfully jazzy score and was nominated for a staggering 11 Tony Awards.

Lawrence Jameson makes his lavish living by talking rich ladies out of their money. Freddy Benson more humbly swindles women by waking their compassion with fabricated stories about his grandmother’s failing health. They attempt to work together only to find that this small French town isn’t big enough for the two of them. They agree on a settlement: the first one to extract $50,000 from a young female target, heiress Christine Colgate, wins and the other must leave town. A hilarious battle of cons ensues that will keep you laughing, humming and guessing to the end.

Running now through August 4, 2019 at the Hill Country Community Theatre in Cottonwood Shores, Texas.

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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

QUEEN and Adam Lambert on stage July 23 in Dallas, Texas at the American Airlines Center. On July 24 they perform in Houston at the Toyota Center. July 27 finds them in Detroit, Michigan at Little Caesars Arena and ext Sunday, July 28, their tour stops in Toronto, Ontario at the Scotiabank Arena.

WEIRD AL YANKOVIC and his Strings Attached tour - backed by a full symphony orchestra - performing both hits and classics along. As expected, Al will bring his usual epic production, with costumes, props and a video wall. His tour stops Tuesday, July 23 in Lewiston, NY at the Artpartk Amphitheater. Friday's stop is at the Devos Performance Hall in Grand Rapids, MI. Saturday's gig ia in Milwaukee, MI at the Miller High Life Theatre. Next Sunday, July 28 the show is in Highland Park, IL at the Ravinia Festival.

RICK SPRINGFIELD along with Eddie Money and Tommy Tutone perform July 27 at the Pearl Theater in the Palms Hotel, Las Vegas.

ED SHERRAN entertains July 24 at the Malmi Airport in Helsinki Finland.

MY WAY A Musical Tribute to Frank Sinatra created by David Grapes and Todd Olson. Book by Todd Olsen.My Way relives the legendary career of Frank Sinatra as four actors share more than 50 of his beloved hits that span his career from the 1950s to the 1990s. Songs include Fly Me to the Moon; Chicago; New York, New York, and That's Life July 23 - 28, 2019 at the Warehouse Theater Academy Center of the Arts in Lynchburg, Virginia.

HOOTIE & THE BLOWFISH perform July 26 in Cleveland, Ohio at the Blossom Music Center. On July 27 they are in Bristow, VA at Jiffy Lube Live. July 28 finds them in Camden, NJ performing at the BB&T Pavilion.

FINAL OVATION

RUSSELL SMITH was a country music singer-songwriter. Formerly the lead singer of the Amazing Rhythm Aces, died July 12, 2019 at Williamson Medical Center in Franklin, Tennessee from cancer. He was 70.

Smith launched a solo career in 1984. He was signed by Epic Records in 1988, and the music label released his debut album, This Little Town, the following year. Smith launched a solo career in the 1980s, co-writing on a trio of No. 1 country hits for Randy Travis (Look Heart, No Hands), T. Graham Brown (Don’t Go to Strangers) and Ricky Van Shelton (Keep It Between the Lines).

In 1989, his solo track I Wonder What She's Doing Tonight peaked in the top 40 on BIllboard’s Hot Country Songs chart. Russell teamed with Eagles guitarist Bernie Leadon and Nashville players Jim Photoglo and Vince Melamed in the early 1990s to form Run C&W, a bluegrass group that covered soul songs.

He is survived his sons Jesse Lee Smith and his wife, Jessika Matthew Miles Smith and his wife, Katherine.

Neil Portnow President/CEO of the Recording Academy issued the following statement: "The Recording Academy is deeply saddened by the passing of country music singer/songwriter Russell Smith. A key member of the Nashville music community, Russell not only found success with the country-rock group the Amazing Rhythm Aces, but also as a chart-topping songwriter for artists such as Don Williams and Randy Travis. With the Amazing Rhythm Aces, he received a nomination in the coveted Best New Artist category at the 18th Grammy Awards, and the group earned a Grammy in the Best Country Vocal Performance By A Duo Or Group for "The End Is Not In Sight (The Cowboy Tune)" at the 19th Grammy Awards. Music City has lost one of its giants, but Russell's legacy will live on through his contributions to the Nashville music community."

Next Column: July 28, 2019
Copyright: July 21, 2019 All Rights Reserved. Reviews, Interviews, Commentary, Photographs or Graphics from any Broadway To Vegas (TM) columns may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, utilized as leads, or used in any manner without permission, compensation and/or credit.
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