Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: July 30, 2023
By: Laura Deni
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THINK PINK: CAN A BARBIE MUSICAL BE FAR BEHIND?

Funny Face, a 1957 romantic comedy movie featured the color pink. The movie which earned four Academy Award nominationms, was directed by Stanley Donen. It starred Fred Astaire - who was in the original stage production - Audrey Hepburn, Kay Thompson, and an unknown named Ruta Lee plus two real life fashion model superstars Suzt Parker and Sunny Hornett who appeared as specialty dancers in a Think Pink! number.

Think Pink! composed by George Gershwin with lyrics by Roger Edens touted pink as being the color of the year.

Who would have thought that 66-years later that would come to fruition.

In case you live in an alternate universe, a movie called Barbie has swept the world. That color pink has turned into a lot of green. Barbie flaunted an opening weekend of $337M.

Just as Funny Face began as a stage musical so did the movie Barbie which stars Margot Robbie as Barbie Millicent Roberts and Ryan Gosling as Ken. The flick has the children's character and her friend Ken exploring their identities.

On the press tour, Gosling gained quite a reputation as a "Ken" punster while Robbie dressed as Barbie.

In 2005 it was announced that Barbie would come to life for the first time in a touring stage show called Barbie Live In Fairytopia! that was slated to be staged in 80 cities across North America.

The musical was a joint venture of Mattel and Clear Channel Entertainment and was inspired by a March 2005 direct-to-video movie Barbie Fairytopia, in which Barbie plays a character named Elina.

Mattel president Matt Bousquette issued a statement which said: "This exciting move into live entertainment is part of our long-term brand franchise plan for Barbie. It allows girls to experience Barbie in even more ways that are relevant to them."

At that time a pristine 1959 doll "No. 1 Ponytail," was worth more than $25,000, and three Barbies were sold every second.

Today the price has increased by a couple thousand. The current auction record is $27,450. In 1959 you could buy the Barbie doll for $3, with additional accessories from $1 to $5.

The mega hit Barbie movie has resulted in Mattel releasing a soundtrack album and entering into more than 165 consumer product partnerships for the film.

NPR quoted Paul Dergarabedian of Comscore, a company that tracks box office totals, as saying the multi-promotional approach is "a test case in how to perfectly market a movie."

A collaboration with Gap, Barbie x Bloomingdales, hot pink roller suitcases with luxury luggage brand Beis, a collection with sneaker brand Superga, accessories with Fossil, a full line of clothes and accessories at Hot Topic, Furniture brand Joybird has a roster of Barbie Dreamhouse-inspired furniture for your own pink palace. Oh, don't forget the abundance of makeup and skin care sets.

Pinkberry and Burger King have Barbie-Themed menu Items.

Prettty in pink cool treat.

The Pinkberry frozen yogurt franchise is hawking its new limited-time flavor, Barbie Land Berry Pink, which is currently available in participating stores and will stay on Pinkberry menus until August 11. Barbie Land Berry Pink is a tart frozen yogurt that blends the flavors of dragonfruit and strawberry in a swirl.

In a news release, Melissa Hubbell, vice president of marketing for Kahala Brands (Pinkberry’s parent company) said the franchise is "thrilled" to partner with Warner Bros. "for this playful and empowering movie. The brand is a natural fit for this epic summer movie. The perfectly pink hues of the Barbie Land Berry Pink frozen yogurt echo this iconic character’s fun yet bold personality."

As part of the promotion, customers of the 18-year-old Pinkberry franchise can enter the Barbie The Movie Sweepstakes for a chance to win Barbie-related items, including movie tickets, Barbie-themed swag and Pinkberry gift cards through August 11.

Burger King Brazil unveiled a Barbie-themed meal. The centerpiece of the BK Barbie Combo is a cheeseburger with bacon bits and a smoky-flavored bright-pink sauce, CNBC first reported. The combo also includes a vanilla milkshake tinted pink with strawberry Nesquik powder, and Burger King tops off the milkshake’s straw with a pink frosted donut.

Even everyone's favorite insurance hawkers Progressive's Flo, Alan and Mara talk it up in front of an all-pink house as Jamie, another of the company’s pitchmen, hints at details about the company’s new "special, secret client" without naming her.

Even the venerable auction house Sotheby's is caught up in the pinkishness.

"From movies and magazine covers to handbags and jewelry, pink is now everywhere. And no other color has such a surprising past.

Never under estimate the power of pink.

"In the 1953 film Gentlemen Prefer Blondes, Marilyn Monroe wore her famous "Pink Diamonds" dress, in which she sang Diamonds are a Girl’s Best Friend. The costume designer William Travilla had initially proposed a nearly-naked fishnet-and-rhinestones costume. When the Hollywood censors rejected it, he created a hot pink silk gown lavishly accessorized with diamond jewelry.

"But even in the 1950s, when gender stereotyping was the norm, some men wore pink shirts or dinner jackets. Brooks Brothers was especially famous for its Ivy League pink shirts. Elvis Presley not only wore pink clothes, he drove a pink car and slept in a pink bedroom. He may have been influenced by the fashions, as well as the music, of the African diaspora. A 1950 photograph of the boxer Sugar Ray Robinson shows him wearing a pink jacket, leaning on his pink Cadillac convertible in front of a pink neon sign promoting his Harlem restaurant Sugar Ray’s"

Sugar Ray Robinson leaning on his 1950 pink Cadillac in front of two of his businesses in Harlem in New York. Photo: Sotheby's Photo Sotheby's.

Dapper Dan told Sotheby's that "Sugar Ray Robinson’s over-the-top use of pink was completely acceptable" within the Black community in New York City. Edward Burra’s painting Harlem (1934) already depicts three Black men wearing pink shirts and a Black woman in a pink dress. West Indians from the Windrush generation also recall how their "beautiful," bright clothes stood out in the UK. Wearing bright colors was not simply an aesthetic choice, "to celebrate the diversity of black beauty," writes scholar, Joy L. Bivins; "it was also utilized to express… freedom from rules that denigrated darker skin tones."

"Pink is the only true rock and roll color," declared Paul Simonon, bass guitarist for the Clash. Popular music was a key vector of pink in fashion, with punk bands like the Sex Pistols and the Ramones highlighting the rebellious, "bad taste" aspects of the color. Vivienne Westwood’s London store, SEX, featured a huge fleshy pink sign. Ravers and cyber goths wore neon pink. The film Pretty in Pink (1986) was inspired by the song by the Psychedelic Furs.

Assorted handbags including an Hermes Fuchsia Ostrich Kelly (top right) and mauve Kelly (bottom right) with a Chanel classic single flap (center) Photo Sotheby's.

Referring to the movie of the summer – you know the one – Sotheby's continued: "it is not just the pinkest thing ever to hit the big screen. It’s also inspired moviegoers themselves to dress in various shades of bubblegum. And carry pink handbags. And sip pink wine. We, too, are swept up in the moment. Sotheby’s summer offerings include a vintage Chanel suit worthy of a red carpet, an iconic Hermès handbag and a rose dial Rolex watch."

By any color Barbie isn't Mattel's only cash cow. Along with Barbie, Mattel's stable of household names includes Bob the Builder, Thomas the Tank Engine and Uno.

Last week Mattel announced that its chief operating officer Richard Dickson would be leaving the firm. Dickson, who helped revive the Barbie brand, was named as the new chief executive of US clothing retailer Gap, which explains the above mentioned, immediate collaboration between Barbie and Gap.

While some tune smiths and play-writes are no doubt plotting how to get Barbie on the boards, other business are launching - well. just about anything you can think of that is - pink.

Move over Elvis.

What to get married in Las Vegas by a Barbie impersonator?

No problem.

The Little Vegas Chapel celebrated the release of Barbie with a new "Pink Dream" wedding package, priced at $599. The package includes:

Chapel ceremony performed by Barbie-inspired wedding officiant in the Imperial Chapel
Barbie-inspired wedding music
Pink-inspired bouquet and boutonniere
Barbie inspired sunglasses
Pink carpet runner for ceremony
Barbie-inspired photo opportunity in the chapel’s iconic pink Cadillacs
Professional Photography
10 digital images
Video recording
Officiated marriage license/ceremony certificate
24 guests maximum, witness provided if needed and camera phones permitted.

A reception can take many forms - and price points. For the conservative, head down to Pinkbox Donuts inside Plaza Casino, where the giddy couple can partake of a Barbie-themed photoshops with the pink backdrops.

The Chapel of the Flowers which has been located on the Las Vegas Strip for nearly 60 years is "celebrating love and giving back" by offering 10 free Barbie themed wedding ceremonies for a worthy cause.

"Love and compassion have always been at the heart of every wedding ceremony, and at Chapel of the Flowers, that love extends beyond the couple saying “I do.” In an effort to spread joy, make a positive impact, and support the local charity Positively Kids, Chapel of the Flowers is thrilled to announce their heartwarming initiative, “A Barbie For A Wedding.” This unique campaign invites the first ten engaged or married couples to bring in Barbie dolls to donate to Positively Kids, in exchange for a complimentary and unforgettable Barbie-themed wedding ceremony or Vow Renewal at the stunning Chapel of the Flowers venue.

"After the first ten couples receive their free Barbie themed wedding ceremonies, any additional donors will receive a special promotion where they will receive Barbie themed floral, and a pink champagne bottle with Pink Swarovski Champagne Flutes when they purchase any wedding package that Chapel of the Flowers offers.

All couples will need to purchase, bring in and register at least 1 brand new/unopened Original Barbie or Ken doll before July 31, 2023. The ceremony needs to take place by December 30, 2023.

Positively Kids is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing healthcare and support services to children facing challenging medical conditions in the local community. By partnering with Positively Kids, Chapel of the Flowers aims to brighten the lives of these children by offering them the timeless joy of Barbie dolls – a symbol of happiness, dreams, and possibilities.

BostonMan Magazine and designer Mel the Clothing came together to throw a fashion show and party serving as a kickoff for Mel’s Barbie 2023 collection and a cover reveal for BostonMan’s summer 2023 issue. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to the Miss Pink organization in support of local breast cancer patients.

Linking Barbie to charity is a natural.

Bayern Barbie by Bibs Hosak-Robb. Barbie is on holiday in the mountains: Barbie is going to the mountains in smart leather trousers and a plaid shirt. There she greets you with woolen stockings, mountain boots and a Tyrolean hat from the highest peaks. The fresh mountain air makes Barbie hungry. In her green backpack she finds a pretzel, white sausages and a hearty pint of beer. Photo: Sotheby's

In 1995, Mattel Toys approached Sotheby’s in Munich and asked if they’d throw Barbie a party. The doll had just celebrated her 35th birthday with "Kunst, Design & Barbie," which saw 133 artists and designers reimagine the cultural icon in an exhibition that traveled to the United States, Canada, Venezuela, Argentina and Colombia – and she needed a similarly grand introduction to German audiences.

A 1995 benefit auction co-hosted by Mattel and Sotheby’s in Germany’s St. Emmeram Palace saw over 100 artists and designers give Barbie her most whimsical personas.

"In these days, Princess Gloria von Thurn und Taxis was a real fashion icon," recalls Sotheby’s chairman Heinrich Graf von Spreti, who organized the fête. "She was on the cover of Vanity Fair. So Graf von Spreti asked Princess TNT – as she was known in the tabloids – if Barbie’s party could take place in her castle in Regensburg. Princess TNT said yes, of course, and on May 4, 1995, St. Emmeram Palace hosted a benefit auction that included 65 dolls from the traveling exhibition, donated by their designers to raise funds for Children’s Cancer Aid.

As for a random sampling of people specials.

In Massachuttes, Chicken nuggets dusted with pink glitter and accompanied by a pink sauce arrive in a what looks like a pink boombox, during Shy Bird's Barbie shindig.

A Special Cocktail and a Rollerblading Promo at the Kimpton Marlowe Hotel began July 21 and runs throughout the summer, The Cambridge hotel’s restaurant, Bambara Kitchen & Bar, is serving a cocktail called "Life in Plastic, It’s Fantastic," made with Brugal rum, Galliano, grenadine, lemon juice, and an egg white, garnished with a pink sugar rim and a pink orchid. It’ll stick around through Labor Day weekend. Meanwhile, the hotel is teaming up with the nearby Beacon Hill Skate Shop to offer hotel guests reduced rates on rollerblade rentals for those living out the Ken and Barbie experience.

Last Friday it was Date: A Barbie-Themed Comedy Dating Show which took place at Han in Boston. A comedy dating event series went Barbie-themed featuring “Barbie-inspired everything”—photobooth, balloon arch, special drink, decorations, the works. (Pink attire is encouraged, naturally.) At the 21+ event, attendees watched four volunteer singles go on blind dates live in front of the audience and guided the dates with opinions and questions, helped by a crew of professional comedians.

The Marriott Seaport hotel is keeping the Barbie spirit alive in August with a party at the WXYZ bar. The August 19 event will feature themed cocktails and mocktails, a DJ bringing the "Kenergy," appearances by Drag Barbie and Drag Ken, various photo ops, and a Barbiecore costume contest with prizes including a stay at the hotel.

In Texas, last night it was the sold out Saturday Night Barbie in a Blender Art Show at Daum Gallery.

The show harkened back to artist and photographer Tom Forsythe’s 1997 Barbie in a Blender work, and the national Barbie-in-a-Blender Day, an ode to freedom of expression. The night featured Barbie-inspired works from artists such as Robert Fernandez, Taylor Daum, Lea Ellermeier, Katie Nixon, Carmen Crawford, Minji Kang Watrous and Amy Voss. The experience was be capped off with pink cocktails, rosé and snacks.

Barbie Bar Crawl in Bishop Arts takes place August 5th. Dallasites101 is partnering with more than 10 Dallas businesses for the August 5th Barbie Bar Crawl in Bishop Arts as a way to turn the neighborhood pink with Barbie fun. Open to those 21 and older, there will be specialty Barbie drinks, photo-ops and DJ parties.

Need a place to lie down?

In Colombia, the Hilton Bogota Corferias launched what they tout at the city's first a Barbie-themed suite which will be available at the property through June 2024. The stay includes a terrace "pinknic."

To honor he movie's opening, the Circa Resort & Casino in Las Vegas hosted a Barbie "Dream Hotel". The property illuminated their 438-foot tower and six pools with pink light and launched Barbie themed cocktails.

While most hotels are jumping on the pink convertible craze, several businesses have been ahead of the curve.

The Curtis, a 336-room Denver hotel known specializing in pop culture-inspired themed rooms. For several years they've honored Barbie with Big Hair accommodations. In honor of the movie they kicked it up a bit with their "Come on Barbie, Let's Go Party!" package that includes a stay in the Big Hair room; a Barbie beauty bar stocked with makeup brushes, a cream face mask pack and an eyelash curler; a complimentary Pink Corvette Martini at the hotel's restaurant and bar; and a Barbie-inspired music playlist.

Airbnb's bright-pink Barbie's Malibu DreamHouse vacation rental, which briefly reopened for reservations to commemorate the movie's rollout, actually debuted in 2019 to commemorate the 60th anniversary of the Barbie brand. It's a real-life three-story California mansion painted hot pink, according to NPR. It’s loaded with amenities such as a pool with pink slide, a disco roller rink and an outdoor dance floor.

A Barbie-inspired suite debuted at the Palms Casino Resort in Las Vegas dates back in 2009 and at the Hilton Buenos Aires in 2014. Royal Caribbean International in 2012 partnered with Mattel to bring a "Barbie Experience" aboard its ships. Geared towards children ages 4 to 11, it included Barbie-themed cabins as well as a variety of Barbie-inspired activities.

Barbie bathroom at the GrandHyatt. Photo: GrandHyatt.

And in Malaysia, the Grand Hyatt Kuala Lumpur opened an entire floor of 14 Barbie-themed rooms in late 2021.

Major success usually mean that lawsuits are on the way.

Randy Maniloff, an attorney at White and Williams in Philadelphia, and an adjunct professor at the Temple University Beasley School of Law, runs the website CoverageOpinions.info. He put together a Barbie at the Courthouse report.

Barbie has spent almost as much time in a courtroom as she has in her convertible. Because of the doll’s astronomical success since its introduction in 1959, countless lawsuits have worked their way through the legal system, as the doll’s maker rights to enforce its rights and protect her image.

According to Maniloff's research "Tom Forsythe, a Utah photographer, created dozens of images depicting nude Barbie dolls posed with kitchen appliances. His "Food Chain Barbie" series included "Malted Barbie"” showing Barbie placed on a vintage Hamilton Beach malt machine. Another, which Forsythe titled "Barbie Enchiladas," showed four Barbies in a lit oven wrapped in tortillas and covered with salsa in a casserole dish."

Mattel Inc., owner of various rights to the iconic doll, sued for infringement.

Forsythe prevailed.

The 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, in Mattel Inc. v. Walking Mountain Productions (2003), concluded that the photographer’s work, being social criticism and parody, was "fair use of Mattel’s copyright and protected by the First Amendment.

"In some of Forsythe’s photos, Barbie is about to be destroyed or harmed by domestic life in the form of kitchen appliances, yet continues displaying her well-known smile, disturbingly oblivious to her predicament," the court observed. "It is not difficult to see the commentary that Forsythe intended or the harm that he perceived in Barbie’s influence on gender roles and the position of women in society."

To celebrateits millennium, the operator of Radio City Music Hall created a doll named "Rockettes 2000." As Maniloff quipped, "Mattel came out kicking." It filed suit, alleging that the Rockette doll copied facial features from two different Barbie dolls.

The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York concluded that copyright protection did not extend to Barbie’s eyes, nose and mouth. But the 2nd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals disagreed. While not reaching the specific question of whether the Rockette doll was copied from Barbie, the court in Mattel Inc. v. Goldberger Doll Manufacturing Co. (2004) noted: "We can surmise that in the highly competitive, billion-dollar doll industry, getting the doll’s face and expression exactly right is crucial to success."

Then there is sex. To the surprise of absolutely no one, Mattel filed suit to stop a website selling adult entertainment services under the name "Barbie’s Playhouse." Following a trial, then-District Judge Sonia Sotomayor, of the Southern District of New York, concluded in Mattel Inc. v. Jcom Inc. (1998) that the website—based on the shade of pink used and font to write the word "Barbie"—intended to copy and trade upon Mattel’s goodwill in its trademark.

With barely enough time for the lawyers to unpack their briefcases, Mattel was back in the Southern District of New York, challenging an adult entertainment website’s use of the domain name "barbiesplaypen.com." The court, in Mattel Inc. v. Internet Dimensions Inc. (2000), ordered that the domain name be transferred to Mattel: "The Barbie dolls, with their long blonde hair and anatomically improbable dimensions, are ostensibly intended to portray wholesomeness to young girls." But the "models" on the "barbiesplaypen.com" site, the judge concluded, were, um, engaging in anything but "wholesome activities."

Susanne Pitt created and sold a "Dungeon Doll," which appeared to be a Barbie doll repainted and recostumed in a lederhosen-style Bavarian bondage dress and helmet with a mask and waspie. Barbie, for the umpteenth time, found herself in lower Manhattan. Mattel sought an injunction in the Southern District of New York restraining Pitt from infringing its copywritten works.

In denying Mattel’s motion for summary judgment, the court in Mattel, Inc. v. Pitt (2002) concluded that Pitt may have been entitled to a "fair use" defense because her dolls were, "to put it mildly," "transformative" and not merely "supplanting" the original Barbie doll.

"A different analysis would apply," the court declared, "if [Pitt] had, for example, dressed Barbie dolls in a different style of cheerleader outfit than those marketed by Mattel. To the court’s knowledge, there is no Mattel line of ‘S&M’ Barbie."

As Maniloff pointed out, "in addition to her numerous other skills, the storied doll has kept members of the bar busy."

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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

STARRY NIGHT BY VINCENT VAN GOGH

Starry Night by Van Gogh

has been voted the greatest artwork of all time, surpassing pieces by Banksy and Monet, as per a survey conducted by the UK charity Create and Jacksons, part of the William Jackson Food Group, a family business established in 1851 which has been baking bread on the same site in Hull since 1907.

Van Gogh, the famed post-Impressionist artist, painted Starry Night in 1889 during his stay at the asylum of Saint-Paul-de-Mausole. It grabbed top of the list with 44 percent of the vote. Banksy's Girl with Balloon garnered second place with 42 percent of the vote. French sculptor Augustine Rodin's famous work, The Thinker, claimed the third position.

Starry Night also topped popularity polls taken in 2009, 2011 and 2013.

The current top 20 list also includes classic paintings and sculptures, such as The Scream by Edvard Munch and The Night Watch by Rembrandt, alongside more contemporary works like The Splash by David Hockney and the Louise Bourgeois Maman series, which can be found in Japan, the US, Canada, the UAE, and Europe. The survey found that two-thirds (68 percent) of Brits consider themselves to be art lovers, with 20 percent of the 2,000 polled admitting that they love exploring their creative side through art, music, and drama.

The study shows that many feel happy and relaxed when being creative, but some face obstacles such as lack of time, imagination, or money. Despite this, creativity remains an important skill for a significant percentage of people. The study found that half (50 percent) of us feel happy and relaxed (49 percent) when being creative, with a third (31 percent) feeling content and free (30 percent).

93 percent of respondents feel that having the space and freedom to be creative is necessary for their well-being. The survey aimed to support the Feeding Creativity campaign, a partnership with the charity Create, which focuses on using creative art projects to help people facing challenges. The survey also revealed that 49 percent of participants draw inspiration from both classic and contemporary artworks, with 28 percent favoring classic pieces, while 23 percent turn to contemporary art for creative inspiration.

Jacksons of Yorkshire's Feeding Creativity campaign supports creative arts activities. Jacksons is also sponsoring a series of workshops run by Create, supporting young people facing challenges during the school holidays.

The marketing campaign is said to be Jacksons’ largest since the brand launched in 2012, and features promotional activities via PR, social media, influencer relations and experiential roadshows across the summer.

Jacksons said it prided itself on playing its part in the local community, specifically focusing on areas of food poverty and food education. In the past 12 months, around 50,000 loaves have been donated to school breakfast clubs and foodbanks in Hull, while Jacksons colleagues have also completed more than 160 days of volunteering.

Create, meanwhile, partners with local community organizations to run high-quality creative projects for vulnerable children and adults. Spanning 16 different art-forms, these projects are led by professional artists who deliver visual arts to filmmaking, jewellery-making to music, and most recently, circus arts.

TENDER LOVING CARE How do artists address concepts of care? Find out in the newest exhibition of contemporary art from the Boston Museum of Fine Art, which explores how some of the greatest creators of our time interpret care through their processes, subjects, and ideas.

The 100 works in Tender Loving Care include many new acquisitions and objects on view for the first time, like the stunning portrait by Gisela Charfauros McDaniel. Experience art across the second floor of the Linde Wing for Contemporary Art in an astonishing array of media by artists including Nick Cave, Sheila Hicks, Howardena Pindell, Betye Saar, and Jane Sauer.

At their core, creating and looking at works of art are acts of care, from the artist’s labor to the viewer’s contemplation and appreciation. Storage, conservation, and display are also ways of tending to art. This exhibition invites visitors to explore how contemporary artists trace and address concepts of care through their materials, subjects, ideas, and processes.

More than 100 works from the MFA’s collection—including recent acquisitions and objects that have never been on view before—define, depict, and demonstrate many forms of care through five thematic groupings: threads, thresholds, rest, vibrant matter, and adoration. Gisela Charfauros McDaniel’s portrait of her mother, Tiningo’ si Sirena (2021), moves between intimacy and an attentiveness to larger concepts that are meaningful to the artist, like cultural inheritances and ecological interconnectivity. For his Sound Suit (2008), Nick Cave extended the lifespan of discarded objects by transforming them into a surreal, otherworldly costume that asserts the value of Black life. The intensive time and labor that goes into creating textiles and fiber art is evident in examples by Sheila Hicks, Howardena Pindell, and Jane Sauer. Through these works and many others visitors can consider how different forms of care may inspire new models for living and feeling—now and in the future.

Please Be Seated - Throughout Tender Loving Care, visitors are invited to take a moment for rest and contemplation. Please Be Seated began at the MFA in 1975 and was the first museum program in the country to commission contemporary artists to make benches and chairs for visitor use that were also acquired into the Museum’s collection. These objects transcend the traditional observational relationship between works of art and their audience, instead becoming active participants in providing care for museumgoers.

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SWEET CHARITY

GUILD HALL 2023 SUMMER GALA at Mulford Farm in East Hampton, New York on Friday, August 4, 2023, celebrating Guild Hall’s beautifully improved building and grounds. On this art-filled evening Trustee Ken Wyse will be honored for his outstanding leadership and enduring commitment to Guild Hall. Attendees will be treated to a special preview of Celestial Garden, an immersive installation by artist Leo Villareal, known for his light sculptures, use of LED technology, and computer-driven imagery.

Guests will begin the evening in our newly renovated galleries as the first to see Leo Villareal’s installation, as well as the remarkable survey Renee Cox: A Proof of Being, and then take a short stroll to Mulford Farm for drinks, dinner, a surprise performance, and dancing by DJ Mick. Catering by Laurence Craig and event concept and décor by Anthony Taccetta Event Design.

WALKING THE BEAT the Fountain Theatre’s innovative community-building program that sees cops and kids working together to create theater, presents two free performances of this year’s culminating, hope-inspiring production. Two free performances of C.H.I.N. Up! will take place at 8 p.m. on Saturday, August 5 and Sunday, August 6, on the Fountain Theatre’s outdoor stage.

To create C.H.I.N. Up!, 12 teenagers from Compton Early College High School, Hollywood High School, Camino Nuevo Dalzell Lance, Hawthorne High School and Orthopaedic Hospital Medical Magnet High School joined in a transformative group process with six officers representing the Los Angeles School Police Department to generate ideas and stories around the theme "critical hope is needed."

Now in its fourth year at the Fountain, "Walking the Beat" utilizes performing arts as a vehicle for youth empowerment and community building, providing life-changing experiences for underserved youth and police officers. Founded by the Elizabeth Youth Theater Ensemble and led by executive and artistic director Theo Perkins, this year's program provides students with opportunities to work hands-on with program facilitator and director Angela Kariotis, teaching artists Ali Chen and Nathan James, and drama therapist Danielle Levenas.

The Fountain Theatre is located in Los Angeles.

MICHAEL J. FOX'S PARKINSON FOUNDATION was the beneficiary of the opening night of Back to the Future: The Musical gala performance. A special treat was the current Broadway cast and creatives walking the red carpet prior to the show, with the original cast of the 1985 movie also in the stroll. Oh, and that time-traveling DeLorean also appeared.

Michael J. Fox and Christopher Lloyd greeted their theatre counterparts Casey Likes and Roger Bart, who play Marty McFly and Doc Brown in the stage musical. Others in attendance included Lea Thompson, Huey Lewis, Robert Zemeckis, and Steven Spielberg. The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson Research is dedicated to finding a cure for Parkinson's disease. Established in 2000 by Michael J. Fox, it concentrates on funding research and ensuring the development of improved therapies for people with Parkinson's. In April of 2023 a landmark paper published in The Lancet Neurology journal by leaders of the Parkinson's Progression Markers Initiative (PPMI), the gold-standard Parkinson's biomarker study sponsored by The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research (MJFF). That study confirmed the most significant breakthrough yet in the search for a Parkinson's biomarker: a biological test for Parkinson's disease that demonstrates high diagnostic accuracy, differentiates molecular subtypes and detects disease in individuals before cardinal movement symptoms arise.

The new test, known as the alpha-synuclein seed amplification assay (aSyn-SAA), heralds the revolutionary ability for research to define Parkinson's disease biologically, offering a critical tool for clinical trial design and assessment of treatment effects, and for early detection of disease pathology.

According to the Foundation: "Our landmark PPMI study helped discover a biological test that can detect Parkinson’s. This discovery was made possible by thousands of study participants. Now, more volunteers are needed. Join the study that’s changing everything."

SPREADING THE WORD

BROADWAY'S WEST SIDE STORY has made a historic debut in India.

This is the second Broadway musical, after The Sound of Music, which the Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre has brought to India for the very first time.

This modern-day adaptation of William Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet, directed by Broadway luminary Lonny Price, will be staged in Mumbai at The Grand Theatre – the cultural centre’s performing arts space – between August 16 and 27, 2023.

Nita Ambani, founder and chairperson of NMACC in a statement, "We are delighted to bring yet another iconic Broadway musical West Side Story to India for the very first time. This carries forward our vision of showcasing the best of India to the world and bringing the best of the world to India.

"At the heart of this theatrical is the emotion of love – a force that transcends boundaries and binds cultures. I thank all the friends of NMACC for their wholehearted support to our Centre, and invite them to join us in this celebration of love through art and music"

West Side Story will feature an ensemble of 34 performers and a live orchestra of 20 musicians.

The touring production put together by BB Promotion in 2003 won the hearts of more than three million people in almost 30 countries across 100 cities, the organizers stated.

In 2022, an all-new international creative team assembled around Price under the same banner to open the next chapter of the classic musical’s epic success story, they said.

"Without a doubt, India is the land of epic love stories, a truly wonderful and magical place. We hope that the Indian audience will embrace our West Side Story and are very much looking forward to our time at Nita Mukesh Ambani Cultural Centre (NMACC)," said producer Martin Flohr ina release.

QUEEN CAMILLA has visited the Anna Sewell House, the birthplace of the beloved author of Black Beauty.

During the visit, Her Majesty had the opportunity to look at early editions of Black Beauty - a personal lifelong favorite - and meet volunteers who currently take care of the house.

Anna Sewell was born March 30, 1820 and passed away on April 25, 1878 at the age of 58. While she lived long enough to see the book published, Sewell never saw its incredible success as part of a very elite group of books that have sold more than 50 million copies worldwide.

Her Majesty also met representatives of charity Redwings, who have been the custodians of Anna Sewell House in Great Yarmouth since 2022. The charity hopes to use the House to showcase Anna Sewell’s incredible legacy not just in literature but in the world of animal welfare, as Black Beauty played an important role in making wholesale changes to the way horses were thought of and treated.

Redwings currently cares for 1500 rescued horses, ponies, donkeys and mules across the UK at sanctuary sites, with 700 more living out in Guardian homes via a rehoming program.

THE LATIN RECORDING ACADEMY has announced a three-year partnership with the Junta de Andalucía, which includes events like the 2023 Person of the Year Gala and the 24th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, both of which will be held in Sevilla in November.

The cities of Granada and Málaga have been chosen to kick off the calendar of events, including promoting the culture of Andalucía around the world. Among others, Andalucía will be a Presenting Partner Institutional of the 2023 Person of the Year Gala honoring Laura Pausini, taking place at the Conference and Exhibition Centre (FIBES) in Sevilla on November 15, 2023. They will also be a Global Sponsor of the 24th Annual Latin Grammy Awards, which will also be held at FIBES on November 16, 2023, making it a historic event as it will take place outside the United States for the first time.

KING'S HEAD THEATRE London’s oldest Pub Theatre will close their home of 53 years on August 13, 2023, and move into a custom-built new theatre immediately behind the existing venue in Islington Square.

The new theatre features a 200-seat auditorium and a 50-seat cabaret space.

TOM FORD has officially opened one of its five global flagship stores in Dubai Mall UAE one of the biggest malls in the world.

Falling under one of the brands of Chalhoub Group, David Vercruysse, President Managed Companies said on LinkedIn that this move is "is a milestone for the group."

Vercruysse said the store is "the largest in the world and spreads across three floors to showcase the complete world of Tom Ford, including ready-to-wear pieces, leather goods, fragrances, eyewear and underwear for men and women."

Prior to the opening of the store, the brand’s items were sold in Bloomingdales, Galleries Lafayette, Sephora and other luxury retailers.

CHRISTOPHER SIEBER performing his show From Sondheim to Spamalot: Songs and Stories from Center and Backstage. Join Tony nominee and Paper Mill veteran Christopher Sieber for an evening of stories from behind the scenes and onstage mishaps, including the Tony Award-winning revival of Sondheim’s Company and the original cast of Spamalot. Songs include "Bring Him Home" (Les Misérables), "Sorry-Grateful" (Company), "If I Can’t Love Her" (Beauty and the Beast), "Always Look on the Bright Side of Life" (Spamalot) and many more. August 2-5 at the Paper Mill Playhouse in Millburn, NJ.

THE FOSTER FESTIVAL in Ontario, Canada - for the first time in 8 seasons - has assembled an all female acting company and creative team.

Artistic Director Emily Oriold and director Lisa Horner began discussing assembling an all female team for Jenny's House of Joy last year.

"What a wonderful opportunity to tell a story of women and the hard journeys they have to take, relationships they try to maintain and how they find their way in the world they find themselves in. It is a privilege to tell this story, I can’t wait to share Jenny’s House of Joy with all of you." - Lisa Horner, Director.

As an actor, Lisa has appeared on stages all across Canada including all four Mirvish stages in productions such asThe Wizard of Oz; Les Misérables; Kinky Boots and the hit Canadian musical Come From Away.

Jenny's House of Joy by Norm Foster marks her first time directing for a professional theatre company.

"Jenny runs the best little house of ill-repute in her corner of the old Wild West. When a tireless young runaway comes begging for a job, the girls at Jenny's house might just have to leave their lingerie behind. A delightful Foster comedy about the oldest profession that will leave you in stitches!"

Jenny's House of Joy stars Catherine McGregor as Jenny, Donna Belleville as Clara, Julia Dyan as Frances, Zoe O'Connor as Natalie, and Kelly J Seo as Anita. Other women working on this production include Set Designer Beckie Morris, Costume Designer Alexa Fraser, Lighting Designer Stacy Graham, Stage Manager Seren Brooke Lannon, Apprentice Stage Manager Delaney Small, Production Assistant Abby Malcolm, and Wardrobe & Props Coordinator Rebecca Cowan.

Jenny's House of Joy has performances August 9-20, at Mandeville Theatre, Ridley College in Ontario, Canada.

FESTIVAL D'AVIGNON founded in 1947 by Jean Vilar, the Festival d’Avignon is one of the world's most important contemporary performing arts events. Every year in July, Avignon becomes a city-theater, transforming its architectural heritage into various majestic and surprising performance venues, welcoming tens of thousands of theatre lovers of all ages.

This year's festival which closed this weekend included shows, but also readings, exhibitions, films, and debates, all of which provide an insight into the world of the invited artists and intellectuals. Every evening, there are one or more openings, making Avignon a place of artistic creation and adventure both for artists and spectators.

“To provide theatre, and collective art, with something other than indoors spaces; to reconcile architecture and dramatic poetry.” – Jean Vilar The Festival's directors are appointed by the board, and have to be formally approved by the Mayor of Avignon and the French Minister of Culture. Since Jean Vilar, the artistic director has been entirely free to draw his or her programme up. This independence from any interference has always been guaranteed, regardless of the political context.

The festival transformed more than 20 locations, most of them historical and outdoors, into scenic venues, very diverse in terms of both architecture and maximum occupancy (from 50 to 2,000 seats) selling 125,000 tickets for paid shows and welcomed about 30,000 spectators to its free events such as debates, panels, readings, etc. Roughly 38% of the audience came from Avignon and its area, 28% from Ile-de-France, 23% from other French regions, and 11% from abroad.

The event welcomed more than 600 French and foreign journalists, who wrote or will write more than 2,000 articles about the Festival. About 50 photographers snapped away.

12% of festival goers are professionals of the performing arts (program directors, producers, communication and public relations teams), and 20% are there for professional reasons (companies, journalists, etc.). They come to discover shows, work on future productions, and organize panels about the performing arts and cultural policies to present new points of view and research axis. It is billed as "a unique moment in European cultural life."

The festival generates economic benefits to the culture and tourism industry at about 50 million euros.

Concurrently with the Festival d'Avignon, the Off welcomes more than 1,000 companies performing on their own initiative and with their own funding in a hundred different venues.

Every edition of the Festival: offers about 45 shows from France and abroad, for a total of about 300 performances and over 400 events, including panels, debates, and screenings. 80% of the shows are original creations or are having their French premiere at the Festival.

IN THE COURTS

KEVIN SPACEY received an interesting 64th birthday present last Wednesday, July 26, 2023 - a not guilty verdict. Spacey had spent the last month on trial in Southwark Crown Court, London, being prosecuted on seven counts of sexual assault and two counts of other serious sexual offenses.

The allegations covered a period between 2004 and 2013, when Spacey served as artistic director at London's Old Vic theater. He pleaded not guilty to all of the charges.

After a 12-hour and 26 minute deliberation over a three day period, the jury came back with a not guilty on all counts decision.

With tears in his eyes, Spacey thanked the jury.

Spacey won two Academy Awards for his roles in The Usual Suspects and American Beauty. The actor starred in the Netflix series House of Cards for five seasons before being fired in 2017 over allegations of misconduct on and off the set.

Last year, a New York jury found Spacey not liable for battery regarding allegations he picked up actor Anthony Rapp and laid on top of him after a 1986 party.

STEVE WYNN'S career in the gaming industry has officially come to an end with the Nevada Gaming Commission unanimously approving a settlement agreement with the visionary and former chairman and CEO of Wynn Resorts.

The casino mogul agreed to a $10 million fine over claims of workplace sexual assault and harrassment, ending any ties with Nevada gaming.

The downfall began after the Wall Street Journal published allegations by several women that he sexually harassed or assaulted them at his hotels. He divested company shares, quit the corporate board and resigned as finance chairman of the Republican National Committee.

The fine is the largest ever imposed by the commission.

Wynn, 81, has moved to Florida.

He was represented by attorney Colby Williams.

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MARCUS RYDER MBE has been named new CEO Of Britain's Film And TV Charity.

With more than 25 years’ experience working in the media, Marcus was most recently Head of External Consultancies at the Sir Lenny Henry Centre for Media Diversity. In his career he has worked around the world, including as a senior executive at the BBC and is also the Chair of the Royal Academy of Dramatic Art (RADA). In 2022, he was named one of the 500 most influential people in the global film industry by Variety. He will assume his new role in the early autumn. The charity is also delighted to announce Claire Tavernier as our new Chair of Trustees with immediate effect. Claire joins the Board with more than 20 years experience driving the growth and performance of a wide range of media and digital enterprises.

CURTAIN DOWN

NEW YORK NEW YORK featuring music and lyrics by John Kander and Fred Ebb, with additional lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda played its last performance on July 30, 2023. At closing, the musical based on the movie, played 33 preview and 110 regular performances.



BACK TO THE FUTURE: THE MUSICAL the musical adaptation of the hit film features a book by Bob Gale, music and lyrics by Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard. A additional songs from the film include The Power of Love and Johnny B. Goode.

Directed by John Rando.

Welcome to Hill Valley! When Marty McFly finds himself transported back to 1955 in a time machine built by the eccentric scientist Doc Brown, he accidentally changes the course of history. Now he’s in a race against time to fix the present, escape the past and send himself... back to the future.

Starring Roger Bart, Casey Likes, Hugh Coles, Liana Hunt, Jelani Remy, Nathaniel Hackmann, and includes Merritt David Janes, Mikaela Secada, Amber Ardolino, Will Branner, Victoria Byrd, Brendon Chan, Kevin Curtis, Nick Drake, Samuel Gerber, Marc Heitzman, Kimberly Immanuel, Joshua Kenneth Allen Johnson, Hannah Kevitt, JJ Niemann, Becca Petersen, Emma Pittman, Jonalyn Saxer, Blakely Slaybaugh, Gabi Stapula, and Daryl Tofa.

The creative team includes Tim Hatley (Scenic and Costume Design), Chris Bailey (Choreography), Nick Finlow (Music Supervision, Vocal and Additional Arrangements), Tim Lutkin & Hugh Vanstone (Lighting Design), Finn Ross (Video Design), Gareth Owen (Sound Design), Chris Fisher (Illusion Design), Ethan Popp & Bryan Crook (Orchestrations), David Chase (Dance Arrangements), Ted Arthur (Music Direction), and Tara Rubin (Casting).

The Musical officially opens on Thursday, August 3 at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theatre in New York City.

THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR by William Shakespeare.

Directed by Globe Resident Artist James Vásquez.

Mistaken identities, romance, and an unforgettable gallery of Shakespeare’s most vivid characters fill the stage for a theatrical rollercoaster ride that’s raucous, kooky, and entirely bewitching.

"Shakespeare meets I Love Lucy in this 1950s spin on one of the Bard’s wildest and most appealing comedies. The notorious John Falstaff, larger-than-life in every way, leaves the big city to work his charms on the suburban inhabitants of Windsor. Always hustling for his next buck, he sets his sights on two of Windsor’s ladies-who-lunch, but when they figure out Falstaff’s game, they decide to teach him a lesson he won’t forget."

The cast includes, in alphabetical order, Jenn Harris as Mrs. Quickly, Tom McGowan as Falstaff, Matt McGrath as Sir Hugh Evans, Dion Mucciacito as Ford, Jesse J. Perez as Doctor Caius, Angela Pierce as Mrs. Ford, Ruibo Qian as Mrs. Page, and Cornell Womack as Page.

The cast also includes students in The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program: Jose Balistrieri as Fenton, Luana Fontes as Robert, Madeline Grace Jones as Pistol, Sarah Joyce as Ensemble, Camilla Leonard as Anne Page, Becca Lustgarten as Shallow, Carter Piggee as Robin, Jeffrey Rashad as Slender, Bernadette Sefic as Nym, Vandous Stripling II as John, Emma Svitil as Simple, Jude Tibeau as Bardolph, Michael Underhill as Rugby, and Maggie Walters as Hostess.

In addition to James Vásquez, the creative team includes Diggle (Scenic Design), Lex Liang (Costume Design), Mextly Couzin (Lighting Design), Melanie Chen Cole (Sound Design), Ursula Meyer (Voice and Text Coach), Tara Rubin Casting/Claire Burke, CSA (Casting), and Chandra R.M. Anthenill (Production Stage Manager).

Performances run July 30 through September 3, 2023, with the opening on Saturday, August 5, 2023 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe’s Conrad Prebys Theatre Center in San Diego, CA.

LAUREL & CHAPLIN - THE FEUD by Jon Conway.

Directed by Michael Barrymore.

"The Feud is the untold but true story of Stan Laurel and Charlie Chaplin. Teenage best friends sharing a room for three years as they started their careers. Their relationship broke down when silent movie star Charplin found fame in Hollwood. Showbiz feuds are nothing new. Forget Chris Rock and Will Smith, forget William and Harry, this is the blockbuster feud of 100 years ago between the funniest and most famous people on the planet. ‘The Feud’ is the untold but true story of Laurel and Chaplin. Teenage best friends sharing a room for three years as they started their careers. Charlie star of the show and Stan his loyal understudy. Then, Chaplin is discovered by Hollywood and vows to help Stan if he makes it. With no explanation, Charlie ignored his best-friend and even when Stan eventually found fame, they never spoke again for twenty-five years.

Starring Matt Knight as Stan Laurel and Jordan Conway as Charlie Chaplin.

At the Cambridge Theatre in London through August 28, 2023.

THE EFFECT by Lucy Prebble.

Directed by James Lloyd.

Is their love real or just a side effect?
Who I am
is not
A side effect.

Hearts and minds racing, Connie and Tristan are falling for each other fast. But is their sudden and intoxicating chemistry real, or a side effect of a new antidepressant?

As two young volunteers in a clinical drug trial, their illicit romance poses startling dilemmas for the supervising doctors.

"Funny and intimate examination of love and ethics."

Prepare for intoxicating chemistry and illicit romance between Paapa Essiedu as Tristan and Taylor Russell as Connie. Also featuring Michele Austin as Dr. Lorna James, Kobna Holdbrook-Smith as Dr. Toby Sealey with Shereener Bowne as Understudy for Dr. Lorna James, Valentine Hansen as understudy for Dr. Toby Sealey; Joseph Langdon is the understudy for Tristan; Mora Huf as understudy for Connie.

Opens August 1, 2023 through October 7, 2023 the Lyttelton Theatre, South Bank, London.

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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.

REQUEST FOR INFORMATION

Seeking any information regarding attempts to sabotage the Broadway To Vegas website, harm or defame Laura Deni or damage her property.

Broadway To Vegas sincerely thanks those who have already provided information. It is a criminal offense to interfere with websites belonging to anyone other than yourself. Restraint of trade is also a serious crime.

Broadway To Vegas is a solely owned website. Nobody has been given permission to access, distort or destroy any Broadway To Vegas column.

Examples:
In 1999 Broadway To Vegas ran a favorable review and commentary regarding the dramatic musical Parade. See Broadway To Vegas column of December 28, 1998. Week after week, month after month, year after year, that column could easily be called up on Google and other search engines. This Spring that column suddenly, without warning, disappeared. It is impossible to find it on Google and thus other search engines who traffic off of Google. "Parade" concerns an event involving a Jewish man.

Normally, Broadway To Vegas columns appear on Google search engines anywhere from minutes to a few hours after launch and then remain on the Google search engine.

Since June 4th, through the month of June Broadway To Vegas columns go up as usual on Google are easily located for approximately 40 hours and then suddenly disappear, not to be found on a search engine, no matter how they are searched.

All columns can be located through the Broadway To Vegas website.

In those columns the subject matter concerned: 1) favorable reporting on a world renowned artist who happens to be black, (2) positive reporting on an event involving nationally known individuals participating in a major Juneteenth celebration in Las Vegas. Juneteenth concerns celebrating black people no longer enslaved, and (3) positive reporting on The Lost Story of Emmett Till.

Columns favorably regarding Jewish people and/or Blacks suddenly disappear. That begs the question if deleting those Broadway To Vegas columns is part of somebody committing a hate crime.

Google has the ability to deliberately hide columns. Google can't remove content from a person's website, but they can hide content so that nobody can find it. That is suppose to take place based upon proof of a wrongful act - such as a judge granting a removal order based upon copyright infringement or the webpage encouraging illegal activity.

Google's website indicates that this is manually done. A person goes into the site, reads it and determines if the page has violated any Google rules and can, at their discretion, block the page.

Broadway To Vegas has been on the web since 1998 and, until now, there has never been a problem with Google.

Broadway To Vegas is NOT implying that Google is involved in a hate crime or that Google has instructed any of their employees to help in sabotaging any website. Respectfully, we point out that Google has thousands of employees, some of whom are part time and also involved in the public relations business. PR firms, especially those based in NYC, represent entertainment websites, individuals and causes and an isolated few have made it known that they will commit illegal acts to boost their own clients, harming other sites, and will continue to do so until legally stopped.

It is a felony to attempt to enter, hijack, block, destroy, any website or contents thereof owned by anyone other than yourself. Preventing a website column to be seen is a crime unless there is a substantial reason, generally backed up by court order. You can't have a search engine block a web page simply because you don't like it. That's restraint of trade and censorship.

In case you've missed them: See Broadway To Vegas column of June 4, 2023. Broadway Cast Recording of & Juliet: See Broadway To Vegas column of June 11, 2023. ART IMITATES LIFE IN OPERATION MINCEMEAT: See Broadway To Vegas column of June 18, 2023. LAS VEGAS HAS BECOME A SPORTING TOWN AND SPORTS HAVE LONG PLAYED ON BROADWAY: See Broadway To Vegas column of July 9, 2023. NATO SUMMIT COULD LEARN FROM APRIL FOOLS DAY JOKE:

It is appreciated that during the past week some of those columns have been reinstated.

HOWEVER, THIS COLUMN, the current column, July 30,2023 was after being up and easily found, removed by Google search on Tuesday.

Also, hijacking (stealing) a column, posting it on a website that deliberately misleads the reader to think they have clicked into Broadway To Vegas when it is a different website with no Broadway To Vegas affiliation is a crime.

In searching Google for Parade on Broadway To Vegas, a website comes up that misleads the reader into thinking it is Broadway To Vegas. When clicking on the link the ENTIRE column is seen, not just the "Parade" review and there is no link to Broadway To Vegas. It is a "fake" website which has stolen a Broadway To Vegas column which can only be located on this strange site; headlined with an incorrect spelling of Broadway To Vegas. In the real Broadway To Vegas the "T" is capitalized and I have never called myself "theatre chick".

Who Is reports that theatre_chick.tripod.com ownership is hidden and was first indexed by Google more than 10 years ago.

When looking up theatre_chick.tripod.com Google brings up a website headlined Broadway to Vegas - The Theatre Chick's Life, deliberating misleading people.

Information is sought regarding any attempt to interfere with Broadway To Vegas from anyone, anywhere in any capacity. Confidentiality will be provided to the extent to which the law permits.

Broadway To Vegas thanks those who have provided information. Based upon information received, further information is sought regarding two California based men who have worked as techs in a ISP Broadway To Vegas once used and info regarding a West coast and Midwest based female who reportedly has made comments that she has friends in New York City and can cause her (Laura Deni) trouble.

It is chillingly disturbing to learn the extent of interference, and that there is a direct connection between individuals in Connecticut and California.

Venues and people in the entertainment world are threatened - that they are forbidden to "use" me. That they funding will be cut if they even "acknowledge you" and "we are not permitted to even thank you." The lies are unbelievable and the threats and intimidation to those in the business, makes one wonder how many people still behave as in Middle School. By the way, you are breaking serious felony laws.

The Google press office was provided a copy of this in case they wished to comment. They have not replied.

FINAL OVATION

PAMELA BLAIR who originated the role of Val in A Chorus Line on Broadway died Sunday, July 23, 2023 at her home in Phoenix, Arizona.. She was 73.

Blair also originated the role of "Amber" (later "Angel") in 1978's The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas. Further roles on Broadway include King of Hearts (in the Geneviève Bujold role), "Clelia" in The Nerd, and "Joanne" in A Few Good Men, directed by her then estranged husband, Don Scardino.

Blair received a daytime Emmy nomination for her role on All My Children.

FRANCIS FRANK MARION BLYTHE, JR Legendary Native Media Giant who served as the first Executive Director of the Native American Public Broadcasting Consortium, died on July 21, 2021 in Lincoln, Nebraska. He was 82.

Of Eastern Cherokee and Sisseton-Wahpeton Dakota heritage, his career in public television started in operations management with KAET-TV licensed at Arizona State University.

In 1972, a group of public television stations met together with funding from the Corporation for Public Broadcasting for the purpose of developing a plan to train Native American producers and Native American Programs for public television. This led to the creation of the Native American Public Broadcasting Consortium. The new organization established it headquarters with Native Public Media and the University of Nebraska in Lincoln in 1976. Frank Blythe was hired as the first Executive Director.

Under Frank's leadership NAPBC in 1974 formed American Indian Radio on Satellite which assisted in establishing The Native Radio Network which still operates serviced by a separate organization Native Public Media in Arizona. From 1976 until 2006, Frank led the organization now named Vision Maker Media from a concept to a major institution providing training and financial support for hundred's of Native Media Producers and creating the largest archive of Native films in the country.

BILL CUNNINGHAM the original voice of the classic Ken doll for Mattel during the early 1950s died on July 15, 2023 at his home in West Hollywood, CA. He was 96.

He co-founded CESD Talent Agency in 1963.

Cunningham began his career as a crooner on NBC's Voices of Walter Schumann and The Tennessee Ernie Ford Show. He sang on motion pictures for Fox, Paramount, and Warner Bros., as well as commercials. He also sang alongside the likes of Judy Garland and Dinah Shore. His debut album, I'm Always Chasing Rainbows, was financed by Fred Astaire.

In 1963, Cunningham opened Pacific Artists, one of the first talent agencies in Los Angeles. Specializing in commercial and voice-over work, the agency became Cunningham & Associates in 1967 and is now known as CESD (Cunningham-Escott-Slevin-Doherty).

The founder was "among the great innovators and gentlemen of the talent representation business," CESD partners Ken Slevin and Paul Doherty said in a statement.

"Bill set the template for client and customer service, particularly in commercial, voice-over and print. He was a warm, gregarious, classy man who made a positive impact on all those he represented and employed. It was our honor to know him and to learn from him."

CESD Talent Agency is now regarded as one of the most successful commercial and voiceover talent agencies in Hollywood.

RANDY MEISNER founding member of the Eagles, died July 26, 2023 in Los Angeles due to complications associated with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). He was 77.

Meisner was the bassist and backing high-harmony vocalist as a group member and session musician.

In September 1971, Meisner (with Don Henley, Glenn Frey, and Bernie Leadon) formed the Eagles. The band signed with David Geffen's new label, Asylum Records, and released their eponymous debut album in 1972. While he usually played the bass and sang backing vocals for the Eagles, he wrote, co-wrote, and/or sang lead on songs on each of the group's first five albums, most notably "Take It to the Limit", the band's first million-selling single, and the third song released from One of These Nights. Other songs he wrote and sang lead on include "Try and Love Again," "Is it True?," "Take the Devil," and "Tryin'." He wrote "Certain Kind of Fool"" with Frey and Henley and sang lead.

Following minor heart attacks in 2004, he was forced to cut back on touring. His last-known public performance was in 2008 in Naples, Florida. The Eagles' 1998 appearance at the New York City induction ceremony for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame featured all seven past and present members of the Eagles. They performed "Take It Easy" and "Hotel California". His successor Timothy B. Schmit paid tribute to Meisner in his acceptance speech.

Meisner married twice. He married his high-school girlfriend, Jennifer Lee Barton, in 1963, and the young couple had a son, Dana Scott Meisner in November 1963. The couple had two more children, twins Heather Leigh and Eric Shane Meisner, born in May 1970, before divorcing in 1981. Meisner later married his girlfriend of twelve years, Lana Rae, in November 1996. The marriage lasted until her death in 2016.

SINEAD O'CONNOR the Irish musician and political activist was found dead in a London private home on July 26, 2023. Although the coroner said 'date of death is unknown,' the death was ruled not suspicious. She was 56.

She struggled for years with her mental health and recently declared an intention to tour.

O'Connor had been diagnosed as bipolar, complex post traumatic stress disorder and borderline personality disorder. In 201, she underwent a radical hysterectomy. which triggered a downward spiral.

She experienced a painful custody battle with John Waters, the father of her daughter Roisin.

She later became an ordained priest of the Latin Tridentine Church. In 2018 she announced that she'd converted to Islam.

She was hospitalized following the suicide death of her 17-year-old son Shane.

On July 11, 2023 she posted that she had returned to London and would "hopefully touring Australia and New Zealand towards end 2024. Europe, USA and other territories beginning early 2025."

She is survived by her three remaining children.

Next Column: August 6, 2023
Copyright: July30, 2023 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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