Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: July 4, 2021
By: Laura Deni
CLICK HERE FOR COMMENT SECTION

THE NEW YORK POPS: FROM FOLK TO FILM VIDEO REVIEW

Steve Reineke conducting. Photo: New York Pops

This ia a vibrant, joyous production, which acts as an uplifting yet soothing balm to help soften the COVID-19 lock-down and concerns.

Excellent sound, lighting and camera work.

The socially distanced production has the black clad and black mast wearing musicians of the New York Pops American Strings offer toe tapping numbers and sweeping strings. in an all American program opening with Hoedown from Rodeo by Aaron Copeland followed by Fiddle Faddle by Leroy Anderson.

Steven Reineke, music director and conductor explains the selections with interesting tidbits of information.

This video program of folk songs, fiddle tunes, novelty pieces and film scores was recorded live at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music in May 2021.

There are two selections in the folk category. Written in 1982 by Jay Ungar, the haunting and mournful Ashokan Farewell was used extensively in Ken Burns' Civil War. The second selection in the folk category Shenandoah (Across the Wide Missouri) was arranged by Carmen Dragon.

LeRoy Anderson is featured in the Jazz category, with two of his compositions which are a workout for the fingers of these string players.

In 1919 George Gershwin penned his lesser known but outstandingly beautiful Lullaby for Strings

Ragtime, a uniquely American form of music is featured with Scott Joplin's The Entertainer, arranged by Steven Reineke.

Film selections salute John Williams. First, with a musical rendition from Warhorse followed by the powerful March of the Resistance from Star Wars The Force Awakens

The captivating main theme from Schindler's List features Cenovia Cummins on violin and Jack Rosenberg on viola.

The salute to film music section continues with Henry Mancini's Moon River from Breakfast at Tiffany's, which almost ended up on the cutting room floor, before wisely being included and winning an Oscar. It's dreamy.

A LeRoy Anderson selection Plink, Plank, Plunk closes the program.

These are the best of the best string musicians performing a sensational fast moving, hour long program, elegantly presented in this video available to stream for free through August 25, 2021.

THE NEW YOUR POPS STRINGS

VIOLINS
Cenovia Cummins, Concertmaster
Michael Roth, Principal II
Martin Agee
Lorra Baylis
Yana Goichman
Conrad Harris
Karen Kar;srud
Stanley Kurtis
Lisa Matricardi
Laura Oatts
Louise Owen
Belinda Whitney

VIOLAS
Jack Rosenberg, Principal
Adria Benjamin
Kaya Bryla-Weiss
Karen Olson

CELLOS
Daniel Miller, Principal
Deborah Assael-Migliore
Daryl Goldberg
Sarah Hewitt-Roth

BASSES
Jeff Carney, Principal
Lou Bruno

PIANO
Lee Musiker

HARP
Stacey Shames

E-Book

Soft back Book

Broadway To Vegas is supported through advertising and donations. Priority consideration is given to interview suggestions, news, press releases, etc from paid supporters. However, no paid supporters control, alter, edit, or in any way manipulate the content of this site. Your donation is appreciated. We accept PAYPAL.

Thank you for your interest.

E-Book

Soft back Book

This is not your typical, totally boring textbook.

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

ART AND ABOUT

THE HEALING POWER OF COMEDY is spotlighted July 4 – July 10 at the National Comedy Center in Jamestown, NY.

Less than three weeks after the 9/11 attacks on the World Trade Center, New York City Mayor Rudy Giuliani delivered an uplifting monologue on Saturday Night Live, declaring that the city's vital institutions - including SNL - up and running to return to normalcy. Show creator Lorne Michaels asked Giuliani, "Can we be funny?" Breaking the somber tension, Giuliani humorously answered: "Why start now?

Featured in this exhibit iin addition to SNL are: Dick Gregory, Maria Bamford, Tig Notaro, Bob Hope, Kumani Nanjiani and his wife Emily Gordon, Mel Brooks, Jim Gaffigan and his wife Jeannie, Robin Williams, and Patton Oswalt.

"It’s intuitive: Laughter makes us feel better. Now more than ever, let’s tap into comedy’s incredible power to uplift us, foster empathy, and boost our emotional health."

CELEBRATING FRIDA KAHLO'S BIRTHDAY The Cleve Carney Museum of Art (CCMA) and the McAninch Arts Center (MAC) at the College of DuPage (COD) in Chicago will honor the birthday of iconic Mexican painter Frida Kahlo in two unique ways this summer, on the occasion of the landmark Frida Kahlo: Timeless exhibition, the most comprehensive presentation of Kahlo’s work displayed in the Chicago area in over 40 years.

Frida Kahlo: Timeless (through Sept. 6, 2021) presents a 26-piece collection of original works by Frida Kahlo on loan from the Museo Dolores Olmedo, featuring an array of oil paintings and works on paper spanning the life of Kahlo, a Mexican artist foundational to the 20th century art historical canon. Best known for self-portraits highlighting themes of identity, politics, sexuality and death, Kahlo channeled her childhood and personal struggles into her art and became an iconic figure and symbol of female empowerment, individual courage and Mexican pride. Beginning Monday, July 5, a new piece of digital artwork celebrating Kahlo will be projected onto the 2.5-acre river-façade of theMART as part of Art on theMART’s Summer Series, and will remain on display through September 16, with all projections shown nightly at 9 and 9:30 p.m.

Animated by illustrator and international projection-mapping artist and former COD professor George Berlin of Glen Ellyn, the piece will feature several of Kahlo’s most recognizable works including Self Portrait with Small Monkey (1945) and Self Portrait in a Velvet Dress (1926). In addition, the projections will be accompanied by one of the most popular Mexican contemporary classical orchestral compositions "Danzón No. 2," by Mexican composer Arturo Márquez and performed and recorded by New Philharmonic conducted by Kirk

In addition, CCMA and the MAC will celebrate Frida Kahlo’s 114th birthday Tuesday, July 6 with a joyous outdoor celebration. The day of activities will feature live music by Mariachi Monumental de México; a special appearance by Miss Mexican Heritage 2021; vendors selling Mexican wares; food by Santa Fe Restaurant; strolling Frida Kahlo look-alikes; face painting, printmaking and more. Attendees, who will receive a complimentary packet of marigold seeds from Ball Horticultural, are welcome to dress in Frida-inspired clothing, flower crowns and accessories and encouraged to bring a non-perishable food item to benefit the Glen Ellyn Food Pantry & COD Student Fuel Pantry. Access to the event is available with purchase of a ticket to view Frida Kahlo: Timeless on that date.

“The response to Frida Kahlo: Timeless since the landmark exhibition opened has been absolutely phenomenal, with more than 35,000 tickets sold already. We are elated to be able to celebrate her legacy in such a monumental way in partnership with Art on theMART,” said Frida Kahlo: Timeless Executive Director and McAninch Arts Center Director Diana Martinez. “In addition, we will once again celebrate Frida’s birthday with a lively celebration in the beautiful garden area of our exhibition.”

DAVID DRISKELL: ICONS OF NATURE AND HISTORY represents a landmark moment in American art: the first major exhibition of David Driskell’s remarkable career as a painter.

Born in Eatonton, Georgia, and splitting his time between his home in Falmouth, Maine, and Hyattsville, Maryland, David Driskell (1931–2020) was a revered American artist whose work inspired generations of artists and audiences alike. Icons of Nature and History reveals the artist’s aesthetic inheritances from home, family, the South, and his formative education—at Howard University, Skowhegan School of Painting & Sculpture, and the Catholic University of America—as well as the influence of his sojourns to Europe, Africa, and South America.

Driskell's artistic evolution is marked by distinctive eras, experiences, and experiments with media, and steadfast in his paintings and collages is a commitment to a symbolic form that elevates the mind and the spirit above that which exists in the physical world: these are Driskell’s icons.

Spanning seven decades, Icons moves the center of critical art history to Driskell’s arenas: Washington, DC; Talladega, Alabama; Nashville, Tennessee; Hyattsville, Maryland; and Falmouth, Maine. Driskell's painting and printmaking practice is vibrant and versatile, combining his sharp observation of American landscapes and his interest in the imagery and aesthetic innovations of the African diaspora. Driskell’s legacy in the history of American art is unparalleled: through artistic practice, curatorial work, writing, and teaching, he pushed audiences to consider the American story inclusive of the art of Black people.

Although his first love was painting, his professional life was also largely devoted to service for others: he taught generations of artists and art historians; mentored?emerging artists and young faculty members, primarily at Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs);researched and wrote extensively about the artistic achievements of Black people throughout American history;and fostered the establishment of African and African-American Studies programs?in American academia.

The PMA organized this exhibition in partnership with the High Museum of Art, Atlanta, which brings together approximately 60 works together to present highlights of his career. Icons surveys seven decades of the artist’s painterly practice from the 1950s forward, and features works from both public and private collections, including rarely seen works from the artist’s own collection.

The resulting exhibition tells a rich and vibrant story of art that is intrinsically tied to Maine and uniquely American. On display athe Portland Museum of Art Portland, ME.

FORACE D. BALLARD has been named the new Theodore E. Stebbins Jr. Associate Curator of American Art at the Harvard Art Museum by Martha Tedeschi, the Elizabeth and John Moors Cabot Director of the Harvard Art Museums. He begins his duties September 1, 2021.

/ Ballard is currently curator of American art at the Williams College Museum of Art, in Williamstown, Massachusetts, where he was previously assistant curator from 2017 to 2019. He is also affiliate faculty of the joint graduate program in the history of art at Williams College and the nearby Clark Art Institute. He specializes in the art and visual cultures of the United States as well as 17th- and 18th-century art of the British, Portuguese, and Spanish colonies in the Americas. His research interests include 18th- and 19th-century portraiture of the Atlantic World, the history of photography, artists Thomas Eakins and Benjamin West, and the material and visual cultures of religion.

E-Book

Soft back Book

SWEET CHARITY

WELL CHILD AWARDS

PrinceHarry talking to award winners and their parents at the WellChild event last week. Photo: WellChild.

which celebrates young people living with serious illnesses, originally scheduled for September, was rescheduled to June 30, 2021, to allow Prince Harry to become a surprise attendee. Harry has been a Patron of the organization since 2007 and anually has attended this event. He had just completed the required 5-day self isolation at Frogmore. His attendance was kept a secret until the moment he arrived. e spent two hours at the charity event congratulating the winners and their parents after they accepted their awards at the garden party and afternoon tea.

Harry said "I could not be prouder to be here" as the children attending the event in Kew garden reacted with delight.

The Duke of Sussex said: “Since becoming patron of WellChild in 2007, this organization and the people within it have held an extraordinarily special place in my heart. I wasn’t a father at the time, and yet the stories of these children and parents transcended that. I didn’t need to be a dad to feel the impact of this invaluable work. Now as a father of two, I feel all the more connected, inspired and in awe of the resilience of these families, who power through indescribable challenges with the support of WellChild.

“The health of our children, of all of us, could not have been more on the forefront of our minds during the past year. And, throughout this time, the WellChild community has set an example for how to show up and act with compassion for each other. I could not be prouder to be here, to meet this year’s WellChild Award winners, to thank the nurses and doctors for all they do, and to celebrate these amazing families.”

The event, which was also attended by celebrities including Ed Sheeran, Ronnie Wood, Amanda Holden, AJ Pritchard and Abby Quinnen, was rounded off with an acoustic performance by singer Anne-Marie.

The event was hosted outside so that up to 30 might attend.

Winners are:

Camela Chilley-Watson 7, won te Inspirational Child Category. She has Congenital Muscular Dystrophy, helped raise more than 50,000 pounds for Muscular Dystrophy UK by completing a series of challenges during the lockdown, in spite of the physial limitations brought about by her condition.

William Cuthill, 13, won the Inspirational Young Person Award. William has Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. He raised more than 5,000 pounds for the Teapot Trust charity for which ch he is youth ambassador .

Gracie Davis, 13, Young Caregiver Award for providing live saving support for her older brother, Alfie, who has Type I diabetics.

Isaac Vials Moore, 10, cares for his younger sister Gwen who was born with complex medical conditions, while coping with his own ADHD and autism spectrum disorder.

Anzah Arwani, 11, has complex neurological disorders won awards for his frame football team.

Rhea Talwar, 18, born with cerebral palsy, is blind and is now extremely ill, won special recognition for setting up her own business making greeting cards.

Harvey Eustace, 11, who has autism and ADHD won special recognition for designing a memory garden for a local park in honor of those who died from Covid-19. Luke Fisher, 17, has schizencephaly, a rare condition causing damage to the brain.

Other winners included:

Becky Bedford Nurse Award winner - Dulcie Scott Volunteer Award winner - Dr. Chrs Grime Dotor Award Winner - Ann-Mare McLachland - outstanding professional.

PRINCE CHARLES has shared a list of his favorite songs. Speaking on the hospital radio show, Music and Memories With HRH The Prince Of Wales, which will be broadcast across 180 member stations of the Hospital Broadcast Association (HBA) on Sunday, July 4, a Spotify playlist with all the tracks will also be shared on social media by Clarence House.

His list:
Givin' Up, Givin' In - The Three Degrees
Don't Rain On My Parade - Barbra Streisand
La Vie En Rose - Edith Piaf
Upside Down - Diana Ross
The Voice - Eimear Quinn
The Click Song - Miriam Makeba
You're A Lady - Peter Skellern
La Mer - Charles Trenet
Bennachie - Old Blind Dogs
Lulu's Back In Town - Dick Powell
They Can't Take That Away From Me - Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers.
Tros Y Garreg/Crossing the Stone - Catrin Finch
Tydi a Roddaist - Bryn Terfel

The HBA's chairman Grant McNaughton said it was "truly amazing" for the prince to recognize the dedication of hospital radio staff volunteers.

CHRISTMAS IN JULY it's absolutely bone melting hot, so naturally one's thoughts turn to Christmas. The Salvation Army was founded July 2, 1865, East End of London. James Corden who hosts the popular The Late Late Show With James Corden was raised in England in a Salvation Army family. He played the trumpet in a Salvation Army band.

The Salvation Army is extremely important in America. Every Christmas season people garbed in Santa suits or similar Christmas attire ring bells by kettles soliciting donations for the Salvation Army.

At the start of the upcoming Christmas season have both Corden and Prince Harry (who are friends) put on Santa suit disguises, stand within a few yards of each other at a high traffic but safe location, ringing bells next to Salvation Army kettles to kick off the donation season.

That would make a cute segment for Corden's show, especially when the name of the bell ringer is disclosed to people who have dropped in money.

Corden has previously participated in the "red kettle Thanksgiving day kick off," so this shouldn't be too far of a stretch.

EXPLORING BRAIN HEALTH DISPARITIES THROUGH JAZZ

What can jazz music reveal about the brain, health disparities, and inclusion?

According to a release from the GBHI, on June 15, 2021 leaders in science, music, and health equity explored this question in Jazz, Equity and Brain Health, the latest offering from the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM), UC San Francisco Memory and Aging Center (UCSF MAC) and Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI), in collaboration with the Alzheimer’s Association. Through talks and musical performances, the virtual program explored key concepts of dementia and brain health equity through the lenses of neuroscience and jazz.

“Music, like science, connects us all in one way or another,” said Maria Carrillo, chief science officer of the Alzheimer’s Association. “We build community through music and through jazz.”

Originating in the African American communities of New Orleans, jazz has a history of welcoming and celebrating diversity and freedom. For many, it is a means to cope, to communicate, and to understand each other.

“(For me) music was a way to get out of a (bad) neighborhood, and a way for a shy and quiet boy to express himself as he couldn’t with words.'' said Jason Hainsworth, saxophonist and executive director of the Roots, Jazz, and American Music program at SFCM. “(Bringing music and brain science together) is a step toward improving how we relate to one another, how we empathize, and how we progress.”

Jazz music is characterized by a complex structure, yet it embraces improvisation and collaboration within that structure.

“Jazz is a glorious example of the human brain’s genius for collaboration,” said Josh Kornbluth, Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health and host of Citizen Brain, a video series connecting brain science with social justice. “Each time people make beautiful music together it’s a victory of belonging over othering.”

Music, like language, is a form of communication that activates overlapping but different circuits in the brain. According to Bruce Miller, co-director of GBHI and the director of the UCSF MAC, we’re just beginning to understand the power of music as prevention and treatment for brain health, neurodegeneration, mood disorders, and brain injuries.

“I believe it's a key to understanding and treating neurodegeneration,” said Miller.

SPREADING THE WORD

THE LIFE OF GALILEO by Bertolt Brecht, translated by David Hare. Meet the man who rocked the world. It may have been more than 400 years since the Roman Inquisition challenged Galileo Galilei’s proof that the Earth rotated around the sun but, sadly, the story of arrogant leaders refusing to accept the findings of science is all too timely.

Bertolt Brecht’s masterly portrait of genius under fire positively bristles with thought-provoking contemporary resonances.

Colin McColl director and Samuel Phillips assistant director helm the large ensemble.

Kiwi acting legend Michael Hurst embodies the contradictions, flaws and genius of Galileo: a man who looked to the stars, risked heresy and changed how we see the heavens but, also, a man who was naive, ambitious, idealistic and capable of petty cruelty.

In addition to Hurst the production featured: Ravikanth Gurunathan as Andrea Sarti - Rima Te Wiata as Cardinal Barberini/Mathematician/ Pope - Hera Dunleavy as Mrs Sarti/Grand Inquisitor - Amelia Rose Reynolds as Virginia Galilei - Haanz Fa'avae-Jackson as Ludovico/Singer/Border Guard/Ensemble - Cameron Rhodes as Vice Chancellor/Angry Cardinal/Vanni - Roy Ward as Philosopher/Cardinal Bellarmin/Guard Priest - Bryony Skillington as Lady in Waiting/Singer/The Little Monk - Taungaroa Emile as Federzoni - Aleisha Merwyn as The Grand Duchess/Ensemble - Maia Hapakuku Ratana as Pope Dresser/Ensemble - Brigit Kelly as Clerk 1/Ensemble - Dario Kuschke as Priest 1/Ensemble - Nat Dolan as Man in a Black Suit/Ensemble - Kalem Leckey as Clavius/Ensemble - Viivi Crossland as Priest 2/Ensemble - Millie Manning as The Official/Ensemble.

The creatives are: Sean Coyle Set Design. Jo Kilgour Lighting Design. Elizabeth Whiting Costume Design. John Gibson Composer & Sound Design. Harley Campbell Video Designer.

The Life of Galileo promises a night of bold ideas, brilliant theatricality, and a full-throated defence of speaking truth to power. Performances through July 10,2021 at the Auckland Theatre Company in New Zealand.

On Saturday, July 10, as part of NZSL Interpreted performances, a trained interpreter from Platform Interpreting signs dialogue from the actors on stage to Deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons in the audience. The interpreter works closely with the show’s script, cast and director to match the lines and action onstage as well as the tone, attitude and body language of the actors. Special seats are reserved for Deaf and hard-of-hearing patrons, so they have a clear view of the interpreter signing towards them.

MAX WEINBERG'S JUKEBOX an interactive show where the audience picks the songs and tells the band what to play takes place Saturday, July 10 and Sunday, July 11, 2021 at Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia.

SILENT by writer/performer Pat Kinevane.

Dare to laugh at despair and gasp at redemption in this brave, bleak, beautiful production for which Fishamble, Ireland's new play company and Pat Kinevane won an Olivier Award in 2016. Homeless McGoldrig once had splendid things. But he has lost it all — including his mind. He now dives into the wonderful wounds of his past through the romantic world of Rudolph Valentino.

Directed by Jim Culleton. Music composed by Denis Clohessy. Costume styled by Catherine Condell.

Streaming July 9, July 10 and July 11, 2021 in a special filmed version, at OdysseyTheatre.com. L.A.’s Odyssey Theatre Ensemble is Fishamble’s artistic home on the West Coast.

THE INVISIBLE HAND by Ayad Akhtar.

The first major revival of this political thriller is helmed by the Kiln Artistic Director Indhu Rubasingham.

Cast members include Tony Jayawardena, Scott Karim, Daniel Lapaine and Sid Sagar.

American banker Nick Bright knows that his freedom comes at a price. Confined to a cell in rural Pakistan, every second counts. Who will decide his fate? His captors, or the whims of the market?

Currently in production at the Kiln in London.

TALES IN THE BACKYARD a weekly live event from the East Lynne Theater Company in Cape May, New Jersey on July 8, has James Rana and Amanda Brinlee reading letters between John Adams (1735-1826) and Abigail Smith Adams (1744-1818). They exchanged over 1,100 letters, beginning during their courtship in 1762 and continuing throughout John's political career, until 1801. These loving and informative letters include John's descriptions of the Continental Congress and his impressions of Europe, while Abigail wrote about their family, farm, and Boston, particularly during the Revolution.

"Tales in the Backyard" are every Thursday at 4:00 PM through August 26 and reservation s are required due to limited space. The location is revealed when making a reservation. Performers use microphones and every week is a different story, speech, or one-act.

GOTHIC OPERA has a new production of Bluebeard's Castle at Porchester Hall in London on July 8-10, 2021.

"An exciting new take on Bartk's opera, arranged by Leon Haxby which adds the voices of three additional sopranos. It is a multidisciplinary celebration of opera - dance and digital animation."

Gothic Opera's Bluebeard's Castle is a collaboration with the Digital Animation department of Ravensbourne University London. A group of students were inspired by the rooms in Bluebeard's castle to create animations which will be seen in the live performances.

Gothic Opera revives and re-interpretes rarely-heard works with supernatural and Gothic themes.

Bluebeard is unravelling. He's losing perspective, and questioning his sense of self. As each door in his castle is opened, a new aspect of his tortured soul is revealed - until at last, we see what the seventh door is hiding.

Join Gothic Opera for this unique multi-disciplinary interpretation of Bluebeard's Castle, which explores what is real and unreal, and the idea of finding or losing ourselves. Created by director Julia Mintzer and choreographer Carmine de Amicis, with a brand new arrangement by Leon Haxby. Conducted by Thomas Payne.

Cast: Simon Wilding - Alexandra Long - Charlotte Osborn - Alice Usher - Katherine MacRae - Carmine de Amicis.

Sung in Hungarian with English surtitles.

Covid-19 safety measures will be in place, including social distancing and the use of face coverings.

GARTH BROOKS performs July 10, 2021 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas.

BILL COSBY WALKS FREE

Bill Cosby's sexual assault conviction was overturned by the Pennsylvania Supreme Court on June 30, 2021. Processing immediately began for his release. Justt before 2:30 p.m EST he was driven away in a white car.

Cosby, 83, had spent the last 2-years in prison.

Pennsylvania’s highest court ruled that an agreement with a previous prosecutor prevented Cosby, 83, from being criminally charged.

Cosby was convicted of drugging and molesting Andrea Constand, a former Temple University employee at his suburban estate who had sued him.

A written agreement from the previous Montgomery County prosecutor, Bruce Castor, stated that he would not criminally prosecute Cosby in the Constand case. Castor testified that while he was district attorney, he promised not to file criminal charges against the comedian if Cosby would testify in a civil lawsuit that was filed by Constand in 2005.

Her civil suit was settled for more than $3 million in 2006.

"When an unconditional charging decision is made publicly and with the intent to induce action and reliance by the defendant, and when the defendant does so to his detriment (and in some instances upon the advice of counsel), denying the defendant the benefit of that decision is an affront to fundamental fairness, particularly when it results in a criminal prosecution that was foregone for more than a decade," the high court ruled.

"For these reasons, Cosby’s convictions and judgment of sentence are vacated, and he is discharged."

He was charged in late 2015, when a prosecutor armed with newly unsealed evidence - — Cosby’s damaging deposition from the Constand lawsuit - arrested him days before the 12-year statute of limitations expired.

The trial judge had allowed just one other accuser to testify at Cosby’s first trial, when the jury deadlocked. However, he then allowed five other accusers to testify at the retrial about their experiences with Cosby in the 1980s.

The Pennsylvania Supreme Court said that testimony tainted the trial, even though a lower appeals court had found it appropriate to show a signature pattern of drugging and molesting women.

In May, 2021 Cosby was denied paroled after refusing to participate in sex offender programs during his nearly three years as inmate No. NN7687 in SCI Phoenix, a 3,830-bed, maximum-security state prison that opened in 2018.

While imprisoned he was defiant that he would refuse any treatment programs and declined to acknowledge wrongdoing even if it meant spending the full 10-year sentence behind bars, which was handed down after his 2018 conviction.

This new ruling bars any retrial in the case, court documents say, meaning Cosby walks free.






THE HOUSTON GRAND OPERA has named Khori Dastoor the new General Director and Chief Executive Officer of Houston Grand Opera, and holder of the Margaret Alkek Williams Chair. She will begin her new role with HGO full-time as of January 2022. She will assume responsibility for HGO’s strategic vision, fiscal condition, artistic merit, labor relations, and reputation both nationally and internationally. ?

She joins the HGO team from Opera San José (OSJ), where she served as General Director. Through her strategic vision, OSJ achieved record budget surpluses, enjoyed dramatic growth of held cash and investments, launched the nation’s first COVID relief fund for artists and musicians, established a new digital media studio dedicated solely to producing opera, distributed content to over 30 partner companies nationwide, and increased the company’s patron base to include a worldwide audience for the first time in the company’s 37-year history.

Khori holds a bachelor’s degree in vocal performance from the New England Conservatory of Music and a master’s degree in opera studies from UCLA. She and her husband are the proud parents of two young daughters.

THE AUCKLAND THEATRE COMPANY welcomes Jonathan Bielski as the Company’s new Artistic Director & CEO, effective immediately.

Bielski has been ATC’s CEO since July 2019. Prior to that he was Artistic Director of Auckland Arts Festival 2018-2020. From 2002-2016 he was at Sydney Opera House including five years as Director of Programming and a stint as Interim CEO. Before leaving for Australia, he held senior positions at the Aotea Centre. Jonathan returned home in 2016 to work for ATC on the opening of the ASB Waterfront Theatre.

Bielski said, “I am grateful to be entrusted with this opportunity. ATC is a company with a proud history run by wonderful, hardworking people; it will be my privilege to lead. I acknowledge the immense contribution of Colin McColl and the leaders of ATC who have come before me, who built the Company we have today. We now step into a new era with gratitude for all that has come before and excitement for what the future holds.”

The remainder of ATC’s 2021 season will continue to be led by Creative Director Colin McColl ONZM, with the program from 2022 onwards being led by Jonathan Bielski.

EAST WEST PLAYERS (EWP), the nation’s largest producer of Asian American theatrical works, along with EWP Producing Artistic Director Snehal Desai, were honored by Los Angeles city leaders on Wednesday, June 30th as part of the virtual celebrations for the annual Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, and Transgender (LGBT) Heritage Month, commonly known as “Pride Month,” in the City of Los Angeles.

Councilmember Mitch O’Farrell, one of the City’s three openly gay elected officials, organized this year’s LGBT Heritage Month program. He wasl joined by Mayor Eric Garcetti, Controller Ron Galperin, City Council President Nury Martinez, and Councilmember Mike Bonin for this virtual ceremony honoring LGBT advocates who have been on the frontlines during the COVID-19 pandemic.

East West Players, the nation’s longest running theatre of color, has long been a resource and champion for the LGBTQIA+ community in Los Angeles. Recent EWP productions focused on LGBTQIA+ content include As We Babble On (2018), written by Nathan Ramos Park - the winner of EWP’s 2042: See Change Playwriting Competition. In 2016, previous EWP Artistic Director Tim Dang’s production of La Cage Aux Folles (2016) was produced in partnership with the Los Angeles LGBT Center.

Madhuri Shekar’s A Nice Indian Boy (2014) was East West Players Producing Artistic Director Snehal Desai’s first directorial effort at EWP. It told the story of a gay Indian man who dreams of a Bollywood wedding for himself and his partner.

He is also the author and performer of Finding Ways to Prove You're NOT an al-Qaeda Terrorist When You're Brown (and other stories of the gIndian).

Snehal's inaugural season as Artistic Director, included the Los Angeles premiere of Allegiance starring George Takei, a revival of Philip Kan Gotanda's Yohen with Danny Glover and the world premiere of David Henry Hwang and Jeanine Tesori's Soft Power.

He is a member of the Asian Pacific American Media Coalition (APAMC) and serves on the boards of the Consortium of Asian American Theaters and Artists (CAATA) and Theater Communications Group (TCG). Snehal found a home at East West Players because he found it to uniquely stand at the intersection of artistry and social justice. As an artistic leader, he has sought to raise awareness on social issues that affect Angelenos by personalizing them through storytelling.

THE DIANA AWARD established in memory of Diana, Princess of Wales. Recipients represent some of the most inspirational young people from around the world. These exceptional young people have demonstrated their ability to inspire and mobilize new generations to serve their communities and create long lasting change on a global scale.

Potential winners are put forth by adults who have witnessed the involvement, dedication and success.

In a surprise video message Prince Harry congratulated the winners.

This year there were around 300 world wide winners.The program is gaininig wide support in America with 25 winners ranging in age from 10 to 24. They are:

Jae-Hee Bae, 17, from Centerville High School, Dayton, Ohio;
Hollis Belger, 16, St. Jude Children's Research Hospital, Larkspur, CA;
Keely Cat-Wells, 24, of C Talent, LA, CA;
Ruby Chitsey, 13, Three Wishes for Ruby's Residents, Harrison;
Chloe Mei Espinosa, 14, Skip The Plastic Straw, Newport Beach, CA;
Jordan Grabelle, 16, Love Letters for Literacy, Voorhees, NJ;
Daisy Hampton, 12, Including You, NYC;
Nika Hirsch, 10, This Life Rocks, Northfield, MN; This Life Rocks began after Nika was diagnosed with selective mutism, a disorder often linked to social anxiety resulting in difficulty speaking with most people. With therapy, hard work, the love and support of her family and others, and a project—painting encouraging messages on rocks to leave in public places—Nika has accomplished much. The rock painting allowed her to communicate in a non-verbal way.
Jui Kankari, 16, Chicago, IL;
Aviva Klein, 24,University Blood Initiatives, Chicago,IL is the CEO and Cofounder of the University Blood Initiative (UBI), a studentt run, non-profit. She graduated from the University of Chicago with degrees in Neuroscience;
Siya Kulkarni, 17, Project Enable Mount Olive, NJ;
Krystian Leonard, 24, Shining S.C.A.R.S, Morgantown, West Virginia;
Peyton Money, 9, Octopuses for Preemies, Williamston, South Carolina;
Caleb Oh, 16, Kid Changemakers, Crofton, Maryland;
Apoorva Panidapu, 16, Apoorva Art Gallery/Save the Children, San Jose, CA;
Dana Parella, 10, Cookies4Cures, Boulder, Co.;
Swara Patel, 18, The Period Society, NYC;
Pranavi Reddi, 16, Kindness4All, Frisco, Texas;
Victoria Ren, 16, Stem and Buds, Pittsburgh, PA;
Emmabella Rudd, 19, Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation, Tallahasse, Fl.;
Jeeva Senthilnathan, 19, Privando, Denver, CO.;
Neeha Shukla, 16, Innovation Corner, Harrisburg, Penn.;
Jacqueline Teague, 16, COVID-19 vaccines - Louisville, Kentucky,
Ruby Tilghman, 16, Amy Maddox Consulting, Panama City, FL.
Sierra RyanWallick, 23, Autumnleaf fundraisers, Landenberg, PA;

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

YALE DRAMA SCHOOL WILL BE FREE to both returning as well as new students thanks to the generosity of entertainment executive and philanthropist David Geffen who has donated $150M - making the prestigious drama school tuition free.

The donation — the largest on record in the history of American theater — makes the school the only institution of its kind to eliminate tuition for all degree and certificate students, removing financial barriers to access.

In recognition of the gift, Yale School of Drama is now the David Geffen School of Drama at Yale University.

“David Geffen’s visionary generosity ensures that artists of extraordinary potential from all socioeconomic backgrounds will be able to cultivate their talent at Yale,” said Yale President Peter Salovey, who announced the news with James Bundy, the School’s dean. “It is exciting to think about what will be made possible by increasing access to the premier theater education at the David Geffen School of Drama. Our students help drive creativity and innovation across all fields — during their time at Yale and after they graduate. So, David’s transformative gift will have a ripple effect in our community and around the world. Dean Bundy and I are grateful for the trust David places in Yale through this exceptional commitment, and we hope students from every quarter will see that theater education at Yale is a possibility for them.”

Graduate education in theater at Yale dates to 1925. The Geffen School is the only graduate-level professional conservatory in the English-speaking world to offer training in every theatrical discipline: acting, design, directing, dramaturgy and dramatic criticism, playwriting, stage management, technical design and production, and theater management. It enrolls about 200 students across 10 distinct degree and certificate programs.

A $1.5 MILLION ANDREW W. MELLON FOUNDATION GRANT has been awarded to Five-Theater Partnership to create ‘Generation Now’.

Los Angeles-based Latino Theater Company and Native Voices at the Autrey are two of five nationally respected theater companies whose landmark partnership has received a generous $1.5 million grant from The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation to create Generation Now. The partnership, which also includes Penumbra (Saint Paul, MN), Ma-Yi Theater Company (New York City, NY) and Children’s Theatre Company (Minneapolis, MN), will commission and develop 16 new plays by Black, Indigenous, Latinx and Asian American Pacific Islander writers for multigenerational audiences. The output of Generation Now promises to radically expand the inclusiveness of each theater, expand the canon of work produced for multigenerational audiences, and create a model of transformative partnership for the theater field.

These partnerships are expected to bring a richer cultural context to the work and to collectively amplify each communities’ voices. Generation Now is guided by a deep respect and advocacy for the intelligence and agency of younger audiences. The consortium also strongly believes that if we are to have an extraordinary theater culture in this country, we must start young, and it must be inter-generational, inclusive, inspiring, transformative, and lifelong.

The Andrew W. Mellon Foundation is the nation’s largest supporter of the arts and humanities. Through their grants, they seek to build just communities enriched by meaning and empowered by critical thinking, where ideas and imagination can thrive.

Due to the scale and ambition of Generation Now, the grant also includes the creation of an annual arts administration fellowship to add support for all the partner theaters in the implementation of Generation Now.

Playwrights - both established and emerging - will be selected by Latino Theater Company, Native Voices at the Autry, Ma-Yi Theater Company and Penumbra, all with expertise in creating artistically excellent, culturally specific theater, in collaboration with Children’s Theatre Company as the co-commissioner with expertise in creating dynamic and powerful multigenerational theater. All decisions will be grounded in learning, respect, and celebrating the perspectives of all organizations. Collectively, the partners are acutely aware of the absence of marginalized voices in the canon of plays for multigenerational audiences.

E-Book

Soft back Book

E-Book

Soft back Book

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

JOHN ASCUAGA Nevada hotel pioneer died June 28, 2021. He was 96.

Ascuaga built John Ascuaga's Nugget into one of the premiere hotel-casinos in Reno-Sparks area, did things his way and they worked. He refused to go into debt to build his hotel. In an interview I did with him for a financial publication, he offered a colorful and clever explanation of how he'd only plan construction for what he could charge on his credit card and pay off in full that month.

Ascuaga refused to permit the 1970's expansion of Interstate 80 to stop his hotel expansion plans. He simply negotiated with federal and state highway departments for a long-term lease utilizing the land under I-80 for expanding the Nugget, building the casino under the major thoroughfare that connects Northern Nevada with Northern California. Pillars that support the freeway were incorporated into the Nugget’s casino area.

After an honorable discharge from the United States Army, Ascuaga went on to the University of Idaho for his bachelor's degree in accounting and then Washington State University for an additional bachelor's degree in hotel and restaurant management.

John Ascuaga's first taste of the resort industry took place while he was working as a bellman at a lodge in Idaho while he attended college. Soon after graduation, he met restaurateur Dick Graves. Ascuaga acquired the beginnings of what became the 1,382-room John Ascuaga’s Nugget in 1960 for $3.775 million. The property was a 60-seat coffee shop with a few slot machines, owned by Graves. Ascuaga acquired the casino out of cash flow.

He expanded the property into one of Northern Nevada’s largest casinos, with a 75,000-square-foot gaming floor, 110,000 square feet of meeting space, nine restaurants, a 700-seat showroom and other amenities. John’s Oyster Bar remains one of the Nugget’s signature restaurants.

After he retired, his daughter Michonne Ascuaga served as the property’s CEO, and her brother, Stephen Ascuaga, was chief operating officer. The Ascuaga family sold the property in 2013 to an investment group, which subsequently sold the property in 2016 to Las Vegas-based Marnell Gaming. The company has since upgraded and expanded the property, including the addition of an outdoor events center. A hands on operator, he knew both customers and employees. Ascuaga was also a generous community philanthropist.

Ascuaga was inducted into the American Gaming Association’s Gaming Hall of Fame in 1992.

DON HILL a five decades member of The Treniers died in Las Vegas on June 25, 2021. He was 99.

The sax player received a music scholarship to Alabama State University, where he played in the swing, military and concert bands. Starting in 1943, he spent three years touring the country with Louis Armstrong’s big band. After leaving Armstrong and before joining The Treniers, Hill visited Las Vegas for the first time, playing in Gerald Wilson’s orchestra at The Tradewinds. He formed his own band for a short time before accepting an offer from Cliff and Claude Trenier to join a band they were forming.

The Treniers were an American R&B and jump blues musical group led by identical twins Cliff and Claude Trenier. They helped link swing music to rock & roll with their brand of hot jump jive punctuated with a thumping back beat.

The Treniers were pioneers of Las Vegas’ lounge scene, frequently booked 52 weeks a year.

The Treniers opened for Redd Foxx, Bobby Darin and Jerry Lewis. One of the first times rock and roll appeared on national television was in May 1954 when the Treniers appeared on the Colgate Comedy Hour, hosted by Dean Martin and Jerry Lewis. During the playing of their songs, Martin and Lewis participated in the antics, and when the drummer got up and stepped aside, Jerry Lewis sat down and played drums for one song.

The group appeared in several films in the 1950s including The Girl Can't Help It and Don't Knock the Rock (which also featured Bill Haley), and continued to perform as recently as 2003.

In 1955, the group released the song "Say Hey (The Willie Mays Song)" about Giants center fielder, Willie Mays, which included some dialogue by the Hall-of-Famer himself. The song is included on the soundtrack to Ken Burns 1994 documentary Baseball.

Survivors include his wife, Gloria, daughters Donna and Denise, two grandchildren and two great-grandchildren.

Next Column: July 11, 2021
Copyright: July 4, 2021 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.
Link to Main Page

---

Laura Deni

For the snail mail address, please E-mail your request.