Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: July 27, 2025
By: Laura Deni
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NEWPORT JAZZ FESTIVAL IN FULL SWING

The sold out Newport Jazz Festival taking place August 1-3 is more than a rich person's place to toot their own horn.

Newport Festivals provides financial relief to musicians in need.

Artists are at the core of the Newport Festivals community. "Their performances fill us with hope, bring us together in celebration and support us during the good times and the bad. Now it’s our turn to give back. "The Newport Festivals Musician Relief Fund was established in March 2020 to support musicians impacted by COVID. Since then, we have supported over 670 musicians. Although the pandemic is not as severe as it once was, most musicians are finding touring and making a living to be extremely challenging – therefore we remain as committed as ever to keeping our relief fund active.

LA Wildfires Emergency Fund – We have created a separate fund (Called "Emergency Fund") for artists impacted by the LA Wildfires.

Musicians can apply for one of the following grants:

EMERGENCY FUND:
Supports artists and crews who have experienced unexpected hardship such as theft, natural disaster, or tour cancellation. MAVIS STAPLES COURAGE FUND:
Support artists embarking on artistic projects that help advance social causes and improve the world around us.

RAINEY DAY:
In November of 2021, NFF partnered with Rainey Day Fund to support marginalized voices in Roots and Country Music. To launch the partnership, the Rainey Day family made a donation of $45,220 to our fund. All donated funds from Rainey Day will be used to support BIPOC, LGBTQ, and disabled musicians and content creators. Amounts vary. To learn more, click here.

ROSETTA:
Supports BIPOC, LGBTQ and disabled media creators (journalists, podcasters, photographers, etc). Amounts vary.

Newport Festivals Foundation’s Music In Prisons program provides access to music for incarcerated women in the Rhode Island Prison system. Each week, two music educators visit a women’s prison in Cranston to teach guitar, piano and songwriting. The goal is to provide a safe space for the incarcerated women to express themselves and process their emotions through music."

The Foundation invites Folk & Jazz Festival artists to visit the facility to perform for the incarcerated women and pass on their knowledge and expertise.

Artist Gives partnering with festival artists to bring music education to those who need it most. Through our Artist Gives program, Newport Festivals Foundation gives every artist on the Newport Folk and Jazz lineups the opportunity to direct a grant to a music education nonprofit they care about. This is their way of supporting and raising awareness for music education programs doing exceptional work across the country. Through this initiative, they have funded programs that bring music into prisons, provide guitars for veterans, offer music education for refugee and immigrant communities, and more.

Since 2018, the Artist Gives program has made 197 grants totaling $414,787. For over sixty-five years, our festivals have shown that music has the ability to change lives. Our mission is to create moments of hope through the power of music and community.

We believe every person deserves access to music education, regardless of socioeconomic status. Free Music Lessons are offered to any student, ages 9-18 in Rhode Island. Each student receives ten free, private, half-hour lessons and a free instrument rental for the duration of the lessons. This program is made possible thanks to the Gruben Charitable Foundation.

The Newport Festivals Music Lab gives Newport Public School students the rare opportunity to work directly with festival artists throughout the school year to learn what it takes to be a musician in today’s ever-evolving music industry. Students learn the basics of music theory, form their own bands, and write their own songs. The program culminates with each student performing live on stage at the Newport Folk Festival.

New and gently used instruments in the hands of deserving students all across the country, from Puerto Rico to Portland OR and Colorado to Newport County.

Supporting Musicians Artists are at the core of the Newport Festivals community. Founded in 1954 and 1959 respectively, the Newport Jazz and Folk Festivals have always striven to present artists who respect and honor jazz and folk music traditions, while at the same time reflecting the changes in trends and the times in which they live. As the first modern music festivals in the US, they continue, to this day, to be leaders and innovators.

About the music. There is plenty of that.

2025 Newport Jazz Festival featuring:
Janelle Monáe, Jorja Smith, Willow Smith, Raye, Jacob Collier, Dianne Reeves, SOFI TUKKER, De La Soul, The Roots, Flying Lotus, Esperanza Spalding, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Christian McBride, Thee Sacred Souls, Hiromi, Terence Blanchard, Kenny Garrett, Marcus Miller, Ron Carter, John Scofield, Yussef Dayes, LA LOM, Béla Fleck, Stanley Jordan, Cymande, Kokoroko, Nubya Garcia, Emmet Cohen, Preservation Hall Jazz Band.

Also sending out musical vides:

KNOWER, Kiefer, Antonio Sánchez, Samm Henshaw, Louis Cato, Lakecia Benjamin, Aaron Parks, Marcus Gilmore, Tyshawn Sorey, CARRTOONS, Edmar Castañeda, Parlor Greens, New Jazz Underground, Rachael & Vilray, Darius Jones, Rich Ruth, BCUC, Ekep Nkwelle, Bobby Sanabria, Tyreek McDole, Maimouna Youssef, Moses Yoofee, Pérez Patitucci Calvaire Trio, Isaiah Sharkey, Etienne Charles & Creole Soul and Philadelphia Experiment.

The 2025 Newport Beach Jazz Festival will feature artists like:

Chanté Moore, Anthony Hamilton, Boney James, Gerald Albright, and Vincent Ingala, among others.

The festival spans three days, with different musicians performing each day, and includes R&B and soul artists alongside jazz musicians. The lineup also includes:

Eric Darius, Lindsey Webster & Adam Hawley, DW3, Aneesa Strings, Raquel Rodriguez, Andréa Lisa, Derek Bordeaux, Biscuits & Gravy Live, DJ Shell, Pat Prescott: (Host), and Jeffrey Osborne.

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

ART AND ABOUT

TATE MODERN'S POPULAR UNIQLO TATE PLAY SERIES

UNIQLO TATE PLAY SERIES. Photo: Tate Modern

has welcomed Monster Chetwynd to the Turbine Hall with an immersive new theatrical installation titled Thunder, Crackle and Magic. Inspired by Ingmar Bergman’s 1975 film "The Magic Flute." Based on Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart’s 1791 opera of the same name, the film follows a group of characters on an adventure as they overcome monsters, villains and other perils.

Chetwynd’s new work invites visitors of all ages to take part in collective storytelling to reimagine scenes from this opera. This playful experience takes place across three fantastical sets, each presenting a living spectacle of performers, creatures, costumes and handcrafted props. Visitors are encouraged to move back-and-forth between centre-stage and behind-the-scenes to consider all the elements which come together to make a performance.

Upon entering the Turbine Hall installation, visitors encounter an excerpt from the opening scene of Bergman’s "The Magic Flute" before stepping through a curtain to take the stage and play a role in the story themselves. Costumed performers animate the scenes across three vibrant stages or ‘sets’. On the first, Dragon Island, visitors are tasked with charming a dragon. In Wild Animal Forest, participants are invited to bring handmade puppets to life and create movements and sounds deep in the forest. On the final stage, Tested by The Elements, visitors face the forces of nature as they journey through fire and water. Wicker dens are positioned throughout the installation, filled with cushions where you can lounge and watch clips from Bergman’s film.

Chetwynd, who began as a painter, is best known for creating joyful and mischievous performances, which prompt collaboration, spontaneity and humour. Thunder, Crackle and Magic builds upon the artist’s practice of creating interactive performances, film, collage and painting, weaving in references to folk and popular culture, and making use of readily available materials to create handmade costumes, props and sets. Visitors wanting to experience more of Chetwynd’s fantastical worlds can also view A Tax Haven Run By Women 2010–1, an installation of sculptures and costumes imagining an anarchic game-show style competition between two teams, in Tate Modern’s free collection displays.

Karin Hindsbo, Director of Tate Modern, said: "Monster Chetwynd’s playful and humorous commission offers a wild experience for all visitors including families visiting the gallery this summer, foregrounding participation, performance and play. With support from UNIQLO, every year UNIQLO Tate Play allows us to work with a range of fantastic artists to enable our visitors to co-create works of art. These activities are free and open to all-ages, encouraging creative encounters for everyone."

On exhibit to August 25, 2025.

BEYOND VAN GOGH AND BEYOND MONET Step into worlds imagined by Vincent Van Gogh and Claude Monet. Beyond Van Gogh and Beyond Monet take you into these masters’ works with magnificent digital projections that immerse viewers in their unmistakable artistry. An original score is the soundtrack to your journey through hundreds of masterworks by Van Gogh and Monet. August 1 -September 14, 2025 in Morsani Hall at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa, Florida.

RUBIN MUSEUM TIBETAN BUDDHIST SHRINE ROOM is a lamplit sanctuary amid the bustle of Brooklyn—and a refuge in uncertain times—the Rubin Museum Tibetan Buddhist Shrine Room is a place to learn, reflect, and seek inspiration. The installation presents more than 100 artworks and ritual objects as they would be displayed in an elaborate household shrine, where devotees make offerings, pray, and meditate. Scroll paintings (thangkas), sculptures, furniture, and musical instruments dating from the 12th to 20th century are carefully arranged according to Tibetan Buddhist tradition. Chanted prayers by monks and nuns reflect the ritual practices and remind visitors that Buddhist rituals engage all the senses.

More than one million people experienced the Shrine Room when it was exhibited in its original location, the Rubin Museum of Himalayan Art in Manhattan, from 2013 to 2024. To ensure residents and visitors can continue to enjoy this space, it has been given a new home at the Brooklyn Museum. The immersive installation will welcome guests within the Arts of Asia galleries for six years - until April 20, 2031.

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SWEET CHARITY

THE RIDE On August 2 & 3, 2025, the Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) community will come together from all corners of the world with one mission: raise funds for cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. "Together, we will get closer by the mile to a world without cancer. This is what a bike is meant to do," states the organization.

Over 270,000 supporters contribute. 100% of every rider-raised dollar goes directly to Dana-Farber Cancer Institute."

"The Pan-Mass Challenge (PMC) is an annual bike-a-thon that raises money for cancer research and treatment at Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. The PMC is held on the first weekend of August in Massachusetts.

Riders of all skill levels participate in routes ranging from 25 to 187 miles. All funds raised by riders go directly to Dana-Farber and the Jimmy Fund. The PMC is the largest supporter of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. Since 1980, the PMC has raised over $1 billion for Dana-Farber.

"The PMC raises more money for charity than any other single athletic fundraising event in the US"

SPREADING THE WORD

THE COMEDY ABOUT SPIES will be filmed over three performances August 20 and 21st live at London’s Noël Coward Theatre, a Delfont Mackintosh Theatre.

Since the show opened
1545 bottles of Shiraz have been thrown out of the window
there have been 315 pigeon attacks
and 115 bananas have been eaten on stage

Be in the audience for these very special filmed shows, in the final weeks of performances for the original West End cast.

Stay tuned for exciting news on the filmed performance release.

GOODSPEED MUSICALS has announced that Irving Berlin’s White Christmas will replace Mrs. Santa Claus as the final production of the 2025 season, due to scheduling conflicts. White Christmas will run from November 14 – December 28 at The Goodspeed in East Haddam, Conn.

"Irving Berlin’s White Christmas is a treasured holiday musical that has delighted audiences around the world. While we are disappointed that we aren’t able to produce Mrs. Santa Claus this season, we look forward to working on future projects with all of our Mrs. Santa Claus partners and are pleased that Josh Rhodes will direct and choreograph White Christmas," said Donna Lynn Hilton, Goodspeed’s artistic director.

Irving Berlin’s White Christmas is based upon the Paramount Pictures film written for the screen by Norman Krasna, Norman Panama and Melvin Frank with music and lyrics by Irving Berlin, book by David Ives and Paul Blake, and the original stage production was directed by Walter Bobbie. Josh Rhodes will direct and choreograph the Goodspeed production. Packed with unforgettable showstoppers like "Blue Skies," "Sisters," and of course the title song, Irving Berlin’s "White Christmas" sparkles with holiday cheer!

THE LION KING on Broadway welcomes two-time Tony Award nominee Gavin Lee to the cast as Scar. He began performances on Tuesday, July 22.

Gavin originated the role of Bert in the Broadway and West End productions of Mary Poppins and additionally played Lumiere in Disney’s Beauty and the Beast at the London Palladium. This is his third Disney production.

THE JOYCE THEATER FOUNDATION presents Ballet Festival: Jerome Robbins curated by Tiler Peck with principal dancers from New York City Ballet, American Ballet Theatre, Paris Opera Ballet, and the Royal Ballet takes place August 12-17 at The Joyce Theater in New York City.

With timeless vitality and a precise vision, Jerome Robbins directed and choreographed some of the most influential works in theater, movies, and television throughout the 20th century. This summer, The Joyce Theater honors his pioneering all-American style of movement with the one-week celebration Ballet Festival: Jerome Robbins. Continuing Robbins’ artistic prowess of clean balletic lines and the youthful pop and sway of jazz is curator Tiler Peck, Principal Dancer with New York City Ballet. Joining Peck is a bevy of talent from leading companies around the world, including Roman Mejia, Taylor Stanley, and Indiana Woodward of NYCB; American Ballet Theatre’s Brooks Landegger, Cassandra Trenary, and Devon Teuscher; Paul Marque, and Sae Eun Park of Paris Opera Ballet; and the Royal Ballet’s William Bracewell and Marcelino Sambé.

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THE LITTLE MUSEUM OF DUBLIN has just been awarded the Travellers' Choice Best of the Best Award for 2025. Put simply, we are among the top 1% of things to do worldwide.

We are simply gobsmacked at this achievement. Each and every one of our guests and supporters inspire us to be world-class every day. So we thank you – yes, you reading this email – for making the Little Museum one of the top visitor attractions in the world! It's hugely exciting to win an award of this stature – making the Little Museum one of the top visitor attractions in the world!



PEN PALS written by Michael Griffo.

Directed by SuzAnne Barabas.

Inspired by a true story, Pen Pals invites audiences into the lives of Bernie and Mags—two women whose bond, forged in adolescence, endures for five decades without them ever meeting in person. A story of connection, resilience, and the unbreakable bond between friends, Pen Pals is as poignant as it is powerful.

Rotating Cast Schedule:
AUG 15 – AUG 31: Nancy McKeon & Gail Winar
SEPT 3 – SEPT 14: Michelle Clunie & Megan Follows
SEPT 17 – SEPT 28: Sharna Burgess and Paige Davis
OCT 1 – OCT 12: Kathleen Chalfant and Ellen McLaughlin
OCT 15 – OCT 26: Kate Burton & Pauletta Pearson Washington
OCT 29 – NOV 9: Catherine Curtin & Marcia Cross
NOV 12 – NOV 23: Sharon Lawrence & Maureen McCormick
DEC 10 – DEC 21: Donna Lynne Champlin & Emily Skinner

Creative Team incudes Jessica Parks (Scenic Design), David C. Woolard (Costume Design), Jill Nagle (Lighting Design), Nick Simone (Sound Design), Rose Riccardi (Production Stage Manager). Pen Pals is produced by Lisa Dozier Shacket, Rachel Stange, Joe Trentacosta, Logan DeWitt, Anthony Hazzard, Scott Stolzenberg, Holly Garman, Michael Graf, in association with NJ Repertory Company General Management: LDK Productions / Michael Shannon

The production began at NJ Rep and made its Off-Broadway debut at St. Clements Theatre, earning accolades from audiences and critics alike.

Performances begin August 15, 2025 at DR2 Theatre in New York City.

"Pen Pals" proudly partners with Susan G. Komen, donating 5% of ticket sales and 100% of customer donations to support breast cancer research and awareness initiatives.

PRESCRIPTION MURDER is the original Columbo mystery thriller by William Link and Richard Levinson, and was the inspiration for the long-running Colombo TV series.

Starring Pat Sajak and KHON-TV Hawaii newscaster Joe Moore.

Pat will play a psychiatrist named Dr. Roy Flemming, who has "carried out an ingenious plan to murder his wife, and established a perfect alibi," according to the show’s announcement.

Joe will star as Lieutenant Columbo, a bumbling detective who has been tasked with investigating the crime.

Joe Moore and Pat Sajak, who are longtime friends, first met many years ago when they were both serving in the Vietnam war, and starred together in the play "The Odd Couple", also at the Hawaii Theater, in 2011, and "Dial M For Murder" in 2018.

"This will likely be our final time on stage together," the pair said in a statement to the Hawaii Theater, based in Honolulu.

The show will run for a limited time from July 31 through August 10, 2025.

GOOD NIGHT, OSCAR starring Sean Hayes as Oscar Levant. Actor Ben Rappaport will join Emmy and Tony Award-winner Hayes reprising his role as the legendary talk show host Jack Paar. The pair will reunite on the London stage following their celebrated performances on Broadway.

Joining Rappaport and Hayes in this West End premiere are Daniel Adeosun as Alvin Finney, David Burnett as George Gershwin, Richard Katz as Bob Sarnoff, and Eric Sirakian as Max Weinbaum. Max Roll also returns to his role as Understudy Oscar Levant and Bob Sarnoff.

It’s 1958, and Jack Paar hosts the hottest late-night talk-show on television. His favorite guest? Character actor, pianist, and wild card Oscar Levant. Famous for his witty one-liners, Oscar has a favorite: "There’s a fine line between genius and insanity; I have erased this line." Tonight, Oscar will prove just that when he appears live on national TV in an episode that Paar’s audience—and the rest of America—won’t soon forget.

Don't miss this masterful production that explores fame, artistry and the fragility of genius, playing on our stage for seven weeks only!

Performances July 31 - September 21, 2025 at Theatre at Barbican in London.

504: THE MUSICAL by Abbie Goldberg and Mason McDowell.

Directed by Travis Burbee.

Music Directed by Mason McDowell.

A fictionalized account of the 1977 San Francisco sit-in that led to civil rights for Disabled people. This ensemble piece focuses on the relationships between the protesters—including a protective mother and her Deaf son, loving but polarized brothers, a budding romance between a closeted protester and the lead community organizer, a Black Panther, and an aspiring artist. For 26 days the protestors fight through stigmatization, bomb threats, internalized ableism, and an unfair media, until they eventually triumph in D.C.—all set to a soulful score inspired by 1970s R&B and Pop.

The show will be emcee’d by award-winning performer Anita Hollander. The Neurodivergent and Disabled cast of artists includes Miranda Holliday, Meredith Aleigha Wells, Hunter Hollingsworth, Conor Tague, Alexander Reeves, Carly Hayes, Emy Ramos, Gianluca Cirafici, Jocelyn Elena Stout, Laisha Gonzalez, Nada Smith, Joel Chapman, and Sam Langshteyn. with Producing Director Aubrie Therrien and Operations Director, Talia Eapen. The performance is supported by EPIC Access Coordinator, Jamie Rose Hays. The creatives are: Assistant Director and Piano: Eric Fegan. Stage Manager: Alexander Michael Reeves. Production Director: Aubrie Therrien. Access Coordinator: Jamie Rose Hays. Produced by: EPIC Players.

A special preview one concert of this groundbreaking new musical to celebrate the close of Disability Pride Month. Featuring fresh rewrites and new songs, enjoy this new work redefining who gets to tell the story of history—and how. This concert performance is a preview presentation at St. Ann's Warehouse in Brooklyn on August 1st, in partnership with EPIC Players, New York City’s premiere accessible and neuro-inclusive theatre company, is a one-night-only event showcasing a bold score and a powerful story of resistance, disability pride and community.

This concert is made possible in part by the support of: The Brooklyn Arts Council, The New York State Council for the Arts, The Howard Gilman Foundation, The Butler Foundation, and The NYC Cultural Development Fund.

THIS IS WHERE IT ENDS by Chris Phillips.

Directed by Aaron Benham.

A married couple from Los Angeles, Stephen and James, invite Stephen’s brash actor friend, Kody, and James’s former fraternity brother, Ellis – once an entitled entrepreneur, now a spiritually-minded, recovering sex addict -- for a weekend at their Palm Springs home to celebrate James’s forty-fifth. Unknown to Stephen, James engages in extramarital adventures with anonymous hookups and Kody, while Stephen, increasingly frustrated in his role as ornamental house-husband, finds himself first unnerved by Ellis’s blunt honesty, then drawn to his refreshing candor. As the weekend progresses, the walls come down and the gloves come off as the four men bristle under the weight of the roles all of them have played for far too long.

The play’s director Aaron Benham states: "This Is Where It Ends is intelligent, honest, uncompromising Gay Theatre. The play tells the story of adult gay men suddenly realizing that they have been hiding behind stereotypes imposed on them by hetero-normative society. Such fear and marginalization only keep us from truly embracing and enriching the Gay Community. This production confronts the gay status quo and challenges us to honor one another for the struggles we have overcome and the creative spirit we contribute to the country and to the world."

Running as part of the 2025 Broadway Bound Theater Festival, "This Is Where It Ends" aligns with the festival’s focus on socially engaged storytelling and its commitment to developing new theatrical voices.

The production is slated to run four performances at AMT Theater July 30, 31, August 2 and August 3, 2025.

HOW MY GRANPARENTS FELL IN LOVE A World Premiere Musical by Cary Gitter & Neil Berg.

Directed by SuzAnne Barabas.

Starring Harris Milgrim and Becca Suskauer.

Set in 1933, Poland. Charlie, a Polish-born Jew who emigrated to America a decade earlier, returns to his hometown of Rovno in search of a bride. There Charlie meets Chava, who works at a hat shop and hopes to become a scholar. However, Chava’s ambitions for the future and the growing clouds of European anti-Semitism threaten both their dreams.

Performances through August 20, 2025 at the New Jersey Repertory Company in Long Branch, NJ.

BURLESQUE THE MUSICAL The show has a book by Steven Antin, who also wrote the movie, with additional material by Kate Wetherhead, and Music and Lyrics by Christina Aguilera, Sia, Diane Warren, Todrick Hall & Jess Folley.

Starring Todrick Hall, Jess Folley & George Maguire.

This thrilling new stage adaptation of Antin’s blockbuster musical movie features songs from the movie, plus brand new songs written especially for the stage show.

Based on the original motion picture which starred Christina Aguilera, Cher, Stanley Tucci, Alan Cumming, Eric Dane, Dianna Agron and Kristen Bell, Burlesque The Musical promises to be a powerful, sensual, and celebratory new show.

Don’t miss this scintillating journey of self-discovery at the Savoy Theatre that absolutely sizzles.

Burlesque is playing at the Savoy Theatre to September 6, 2025.

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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

EILEEN FULTON star of stage and television who played Lisa Grimaldi on "As The World Turns" for 50 years, died Monday, July 14, 2025 in her hometown of Asheville, N.C. She was 91.

After graduating from Greensboro College with a bachelor’s degree in music in 1956, Fulton performed in the outdoor drama The Lost Colony in Manteo, N.C., before moving to New York to pursue her acting career, a move strongly supported by her parents.

Fulton studied acting with Sanford Meisner and Lee Strasberg at the Neighborhood Playhouse and later studied dance with Martha Graham. She began using the stage name Eileen Fulton and in 1960 was cast in the film "Girl of the Night", co-starring with Anne Francis.

In 1960 she was cast in what would become the defining role of her career, portraying Lisa Miller on the CBS soap opera As The World Turns. The character would eventually be married eight times. Fulton played the role with only brief interruptions until the show was cancelled in 2010, making her one of the longest running soap opera actors in the United States.

Fulton’s eagerness to play Lisa as a villainess contributed to the character’s popularity and therefore its longevity. She was inducted into the Soap Opera Hall of Fame in 1998 and was awarded a Daytime Emmy Lifetime Achievement Award in 2004.

For a time early in her career she not only was appearing in "As The World Turns", which at that time was broadcast live, she was simultaneously appearing on Broadway in "Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf" and off-Broadway in the long-running musical "The Fantasticks."

A talented writer and singer as well as an actress, Fulton performed a cabaret act for many years in venues around New York and Los Angeles. In 1970, she co-authored her first autobiography, How My World Turns. In 1995 she co-authored a second autobiography, As My World Still Turns, to celebrate her 35th anniversary on As the World Turns. She also authored a series of mystery novels.

Fulton retired in 2019 and moved to Black Mountain, N.C. She is survived by her brother, Charles Furman McLarty (Karen) of Black Mountain; niece Katherine Morris (David) and their children, Everly Ann Morris and Easton Lane Morris of Fort Mill, S.C.; and sister-in-law Chris Page McLarty of Camden, Maine. She was pre-deceased by her parents and her brother, James Fulton McLarty.

GARY SMITH the Emmy-winning television producer who redefined the meaning of the "television special," passed away peacefully on Saturday, July 18, in Los Angeles. He was 90 years.

Over a remarkable six-decade career, Gary Smith shaped the cultural landscape of American television. As one half of the legendary production team Smith-Hemion, Gary brought artistry, innovation, and elegance to an era of TV that celebrated variety, spectacle, and unforgettable moments.

Gary graduated from Carnegie Tech (now Carnegie Mellon University) with a degree in scenic design. He began his career at CBS in 1956 as an art director, a role that tapped into his visual instincts and theatrical training. In 1963, while serving as art director on The Judy Garland Show, he was asked at just 27 years old to take over as producer. It was, as he later recalled, "a baptism by fire" — and the start of one of the most celebrated producing careers in television history.

Two years later, Gary produced Hullabaloo. Gary’s influence only deepened over the decades. He produced the first television specials for Paul McCartney and Bette Midler, and the final television performances of legends like Elvis Presley and Bing Crosby. His collaborations with Barbra Streisand led to many of her most iconic televised events. From Baryshnikov on Broadway to Peter Pan starring Mia Farrow and Danny Kaye to Royal Command Performances for the Queen of England, Gary had a remarkable ability to blend artistry and emotion with technical precision.

His legacy includes countless specials for stars like Frank Sinatra, Luciano Pavarotti, Neil Diamond, Tony Bennett, Dolly Parton, Sammy Davis Jr., Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gormé, Woody Allen, Ann-Margret, and Burt Bacharach. He was behind iconic productions like Kraft Music Hall, Uptown at Harlem’s Apollo Theater, and Rockette: A Holiday Tribute to Radio City Music Hall.

He produced the opening of EPCOT, the 25th Anniversary of Disneyland, and national events like Liberty Weekend, the 1986 celebration of the Statue of Liberty’s restoration. His vision also shaped four Democratic National Conventions (1988, 1992, 1996, and 2000), and the Inaugural Galas of Presidents Reagan, Clinton (1993 and 1997), and the Bicentennial of the Constitution (We the People 200). For the turn of the millennium, Gary helmed ABC 2000, the network’s ambitious 24-hour New Year’s Eve broadcast that ushered in a new century.

He was Executive Producer of the AFI Life Achievement Award tributes to Barbra Streisand and Tom Hanks, The Mary Tyler Moore Show Reunion, The I Love Lucy 50th Anniversary Special, The NFL’s 75th Anniversary, and 100 Years of Hope and Humor celebrating Bob Hope’s centennial.

In the world of live television, Gary was the master of award shows, producing six Tony Awards broadcasts, four Emmy telecasts, the People’s Choice Awards, and the Disney Teacher Awards. His work on the AFI’s "100 Years…" film series ran for 11 years and became a cherished part of the national dialogue on cinema history.

Gary’s artistry earned him eight Primetime Emmy Awards and over 30 nominations. The Smith-Hemion partnership garnered an extraordinary 24 Emmys, a record that underscored their unmatched excellence. In 2002, his alma mater honored him with its prestigious Life Achievement Award — a distinction shared by only three other drama alumni in more than half a century.

Gary is survived by his beloved wife Maxine, an interior designer and artist, and their twin sons, Jake and Zack. He is also remembered with love by his children from a previous marriage — Daisy, Doug, and Sam — and his five grandchildren: Spencer, Jasper, Sienna, Ryan, and Charlotte. He is also survived by his daughters-in-law, Brett Smith (married to Jake) and Leah Smith (married to Zack).

TOM TROUPE Actor, director, writer and husband of the late Carole Cook, died Sunday, July 20, 2025 in his Beverly Hills home. He was 97.

Troupe began acting in local theater productions before moving to New York City in 1948. Troupe was awarded a scholarship by legendary actress and teacher, Uta Hagen at the Herbert Berghof Studio in Manhattan, where he shared classes with Geraldine Page, Jason Robards, Sandy Dennis, and Lee Grant, among others, before serving in the Korean War where he was awarded a bronze star. Returning to New York, Troupe made his 1957 Broadway debut in the role of Peter van Daan in "The Diary of Ann Frank" starring Joseph Schildkraut.

After relocating to Los Angeles in 1958, Troupe appeared in over 75 popular televisions series. On stage, Troupe starred in productions of "The Lion in Winter," "Fathers Day," and "The Gin Game" (all co-starring his wife, Carole Cook), the national tour of "Same Time Next Year" (co-starring Barbara Rush"), the Broadway production of "Romantic Comedy" (starring Mia Farrow), and his acclaimed single-character play "The Diary of a Madman," which he co-wrote.

Together with his wife Carole Cook, Tom Troupe was honored with the 2002 L.A. Ovation Award for Career Achievement.

Troupe's passing is predeceased by his wife, actress Carole Cook, and survived by his son, Christopher Troupe and daughter-in-law Becky Coulter, granddaughter Ashley Troupe, numerous nieces and nephews.

Next Column: August 3, 2025
Copyright: July 27, 2025 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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Laura Deni