Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: June 26, 2022
By: Laura Deni
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CONFLICT, PENNED IN 1925, IS TIMELY AND RELEVANT

Should a politician's personal past be used against him when that past has nothing to do with the issues? Do you keep personal knowledge from people if that negative, personal knowledge might change their opinions?

This high definition, three-camera archival recording of the New York Premiere of Miles Malleson's Conflict is a profound, gripping, social mores play which could have been written yesterday. In fact. if you updated the fabulous John McDermott scenic design and Martha Hally costumes the audience would assume this saga was ripped from current headlines. No need to update the dialogue. Miles Malleson wrote it in 1925. This Mint production is smoothly directed by Jenn Thompson.

An unnamed costar is the "lighting" by M.L. Geiger, which adds to the emotional depth. The actors all speak with British accents, which are articulated in an easy to understand way for Americans. Dramatic pauses, lights being extinguished, or a drag on a cigarette add dramatic flare.

The cast features Jeremy Beck as Tom Smith; Henry Clarke as Sir Major Ronald Clive a rising Tory politician; Graeme Malcolm as Lord Bellingdon; Jessie Shelton as Lady Dare Bellingdon; Jasmin Walker as Dare's best friend the Hon. Mrs. Tremayne, with James Prendergast as Daniells, the Bellingdons’ butler whose tone of voice can machete an oppossing opinion; and Amelia White as Tom's landlady Mrs. Robinson, a member of the low rung on society's totum poll who explains why she and her friends don't vote.

The official description: "Conflict is a love story set against the backdrop of a hotly contested election, combining Miles Malleson's two passions: sex and politics. The result is a provocative romance that sizzles with both wit and ideas. It's the Roaring 20's, London. Lady Dare Bellingdon has everything she could want, yet she craves something more. Dare's man, Sir Major Ronald Clive, is standing for Parliament with the backing of Dare's father. Clive is a Conservative, of course, but he's liberal enough to be sleeping with Dare, who's daring enough to take Clive as a lover, but too restless to marry him. Clive's opponent, Tom Smith is passionate about social justice and understands the joy of having something to believe in. Dare is "the woman between" two candidates who both want to make a better world-until politics become personal, and mudslinging threatens to soil them all."

Set in the sitting room of Lord Bellingdon's London residence which he shares with his daughter Lady Dare Bellingdon. While the set doesn't project ostentatious wealth, but rather an upper class British reserve with a serous propensity towards stoicism and being conservative. When the play opens Lady Dare and Clive are fully clothed, sitting on the sofa. They've returned from a night out. He's rubbing her feet. They sip brandy.

Graeme Malcolm as Lord Bellingdon branishes a gun demanding: "Put your hands up." The reply? "Why?" Photo by: Todd Cerveris

He obviously cares more for her than she for him. As he gets ready to leave, Clive thinks there is a man at the window stalking them. Lade Dare retreates as her father bursts into the room brandishing a gun. Even in the current era of excessive gun violence the following scene is simply funny.

When Lord Bellingdon points the gun at the intruder ordering: "Put your hands up, " the reply from the intruder is "Why?"

"I have a pistol, " answers Lord Bellingdon.

"Well, be careful," remarks the intruder, adding that it is extremely rude to point a gun at someone who has come to visit.

The intruder is Tom Smith, a former college mate who once had dreams, until hard times took control over his life. He mused that it was ridiculous to have studied music at Cambridge - harmony and counterpoint. His compositions gone unsold and unpublished. He tried to write short stories which sold until they became too maudlin. A Cambridge graduate without money or success.

Does a man finds his own level, rather than falling through the cracks of society? Does merely being rich mean you're a fine and deserving human being?

Clive suspects that Tom has come to steal.

However, both Clive and Lord Bellington intend to help anyone who is trying to fight "these damn socialists." Both give the intruder Tom Smith some money.

Lord Bellingdon, played by Graeme Malcolm, Henry Clarke as the conservative Sir Major Ronald Clive. Jeremy Beck as the liberal Tom Smith. While the set doesn't indicate great wealth, it does show a serious propensity towards stoicism and being conservative. The set and lighting are powerful contributors to this play. Photo by: Todd Cerveris

A year passes.

It's the night before Clive announces his run for office.

Who appears? Smith. He's now successful and almost unrecognizable in a suit.

Dare is attracted to him. She doesn't want to go, but she is afraid of staying.

Act Two is peppered with irony, humor and wisdom.

Smith credits the money he received from Clive and Lord Bellingdon with making it possible for him to change his life. He is running for office and will go head to head against Clive.

That is why he has returned. He wants to confront his school friend, admitting that he's worried they might spread information about what happened a year ago. He asks for a straight fight on issues rather than spreading stories.

The question becomes: can a drunken reprobate turn into an important, honest, sincere, public serving politician? Should his personal past be used against him when that past has nothing to do with the issues? Do you keep knowledge from people if that negative, personal knowledge might change their opinions?

Lady Dare with her best friend, The Hon. Mrs. Tremayne played by Jasmin Walker. Photo: Todd Cerveris

Suddenly, the past comes forward. In this hotly contested political campaign, gossip and allegations could turn into pitting potentially salacious tales against potentially salacious tales. Mud slinging tends to dirty everyone.

They banter about the virtues and detriments of socialism.

One opinion isL "If a man keeps an open mind, he can't keep anything in it."

4 million are comfortable while 40 million are poor.

Smith explains to Dare that; “If you had one hundred people in this room - representing the whole population - two would be very rich, eight comfortable, sixty more or less poor, and thirty starving. And the ten at the top would own as much as the other ninety put together.” She is astounded.

They vent on food production, costs, profits and unemployment. Dare counters with the argument that most people neither live in a 60 room mansion nor in one room - but rather somewhere in the middle. Then it is explained that far more are living towards poor than wealthy.

Socialism is a pretty good way to making rich men poor, but not a good way of making rich men richer, it is argued.

Dare is conflicted, realizing that she could live anywhere she likes without lifting a finger, while most people are counting pennies and trapped where they are. Even Clive chines in telling her that her dress bill alone would keep ten families for a year.

Rich people fighting not for their lives, but their income.

Dare is attracted to Smith, excited by him. She's torn between two men with opposing political views.

Smith has "vision of a saner, happier world."

He wants to give "the best in human nature a chance," fighting the wicked, selfish people standing in the way of reforms."

Clive not only wants to hang on to what he's got, he wants more of the same.

Dare wants to feel passionate love in a marriage not based on convenience.

Conflict is an ageless social commentary where it is opined that "society is like a big building erected by the best men."

Do wicked, selfish people stand in the way of reforms?

Conflict has scenic design by John McDermott; costume design by Martha Hally; lighting design by M.L. Geiger; smooth and crisp sound design by Toby Algya; and prop design by Chris Fields. Wig Design: Robert-Charles Vallance, Casting by Stephanie Klapper, CSA.

Mint's broadcast of Conflict will be available through July 15th. The price of admission is free.

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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

JAPANESE DESIGN: RINPA an exhibition of works by Japanese artists of the Rinpa tradition - a style known for its bright colors, innovative use of materials and emphasis on pattern and design - will be on view at the Honolulu Museum of Art (HoMA) beginning July 2022. The exhibition includes nearly a dozen works from HoMA’s permanent collection and spans more than two centuries of Japanese design history.

Rinpa-style design emerged as part of a cultural renaissance in the early 17th century when a new shogunate, or military government, had recently stabilized the country, encouraging the arts to flourish. As artists rediscovered Japan’s rich cultural legacy, they built upon historical foundations to introduce new aesthetics, infusing artistry into all aspects of life, such as poetry, drinking tea and garden design. This can be seen in both the bold paintings of Tawaraya Sotatsu and the subtle tea bowl and poetic calligraphy of the master designer Hon’ami Koetsu included in the exhibition.

The modern term Rinpa means "Rin School," after Ogata Korin (1658-1716), whose work was central to the tradition. Korin was an influential talent who built on the work of earlier artists, bringing a fresh perspective not only to painting but also to designs for fans, lacquerwares, textiles and ceramics. In turn, later followers such as Sakai Hoitsu and his student Suzuki Kiitsu evolved Korin’s stylish innovations in new ways, introducing greater compositional clarity and more precise brushwork.

"The centerpiece of Japanese Design: Rinpa is a unique screen with white chrysanthemums on gold painted by Korin on one side and red maple leaves on silver painted by Hoitsu on the other," said Eichman "This allows us the rare opportunity to compare the hands of these masters from different lifetimes side by side."

A vital part of Hawaii’s cultural landscape, HoMA is a unique gathering place where art, global worldviews, culture and education converge in the heart of Honolulu. In addition to an internationally renowned permanent collection, the museum houses innovative exhibitions, an art school, an independent art house theatre, a café and a museum shop within one of the most beautiful, iconic buildings in Hawaii.

GREEN MOUNTAIN FALLS SKYSPACE an experiential work by iconic light and space artist James Turrell (born 1943 ) has opened in the Rocky Mountain West. This centerpiece of Green Box Arts is the first Skyspace in the State of Colorado and the first built into the side of a mountain.

An instant pilgrimage destination, Green Mountain Falls Skyspace is to attract global art enthusiasts, first to Green Mountain Falls and ultimately on a spirited trek through an entrancing conifer forest for the ultimate reward - a transcendent, sensory work of art. The Historic Green Mountain Falls Foundation commissioned the 18-foot-tall Skyspace that takes viewers on a one-of-a-kind kinetic light and color encounter.

The 2022 Green Box Arts Festival officially debuted Green Mountain Falls Skyspace with a block party featuring Pikes Peak Poet Laureate Ashley Cornelius, who was commissioned by Green Box to create and perform a spoken word piece about the work. Additionally, three other works of public art were introduced at the festival: Communication X9, a sculpture by Israeli artist Yaacov Agam (born 1928); a limited-edition Keith Haring Fitness Court by the National Fitness Campaign; and the commissioned work Meltwater by Czech-American and Green Box Artist-in-Residence Michael Krondl (born 1960).

At an elevation of 7,800 feet, amid the foothills of Pikes Peak, Green Mountain Falls is an idyllic retreat a short 20 minutes from downtown Colorado Springs and only a 90-minute drive from Denver. "A special place of wonder, calm and refreshment, Green Mountain Falls celebrates beauty, builds authentic connections and welcomes visitors who share the values of fostering the arts in all its forms and protecting our natural environment."

Green Mountain Falls Skyspace joins an exclusive list of more than 85 Skyspaces James Turrell has designed and built throughout the world, including in Argentina, Japan, Greece, Norway and Australia. The Skyspace in Green Mountain Falls is one of the few by Turrell that features a retractable roof, providing flexibility in case of inclement weather and the ability to conduct viewings during the day, in addition to the traditional sunrise and sunset shows. Distinctive and rewarding viewing experiences are offered when the roof is open or closed.

Iconic American artist James Turrell is known for cultivating peaceful and powerful environmental works of art that focus on human perception. His interest in the physical presence of light and space derives in part from his Quaker heritage. Turrell’s autonomous Skyspaces, with ceiling apertures open to the sky, may be understood as creative observatories - a combination of architecture, sculpture and atmosphere perfectly positioned in nature.

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SWEET CHARITY

RED BULL THEATER honored the illustrious André De Shields with the Matador Award for Extraordinary Achievement in Classical Theater at Revelry, its benefit event held on Monday June 13th. This intimate soirée was held on the expansive terrace of the Bowery Hotel in New York City.

Among the Special Guests who attended were Arnie Burton, Keith Hamilton Cobb, Grantham Coleman, Christian Conn, Robert Cuccioli, Michael Emerson, Manoel Felciano, Jason Graae, Michael Kahn, Mark Linn-Baker, Jack O'Brien, Brad Oscar, Matthew Rauch, José Rivera, Laila Robins, Reg Rogers, Jay O. Sanders, Robert Sella, Mary Testa, Marc Vietor, and Charlayne Woodard.

At the age of 73, André De Shields was awarded the Tony Award for his performance in Hadestown. His illustrious career has spanned a half-century since getting his start as the eponymous The Wiz in 1975. He has continued to distinguish himself as an actor, director, and educator. He received Tony nominations for the musicals Play On! and The Full Monty and received praise for his classical work, including King Lear (winner - St. Louis Theater Circle Award for Outstanding Leading Performer in a Drama), Classical Theater of Harlem and Red Bull’s own The Witch of Edmonton and Volpone. Next season, he will star in a new Broadway revival of Death of a Salesman as Willy's brother, Ben.

Begun in 2009, Matador Awards for Achievement in Classical Theater are given annually to recognize individuals or organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary talent, service, or significant achievement in the Classical Theater. Previous honorees have included F. Murray Abraham, Kate Burton, Olympia Dukakis, Richard Easton, Oscar Isaac, Michael Kahn, Hamish Linklater, Ismenia Mendes, Jack O’Brien, Patrick Page, Martha Plimpton, Lily Rabe, Condola Rashad, Matthew Rauch, Lynn Redgrave, Olivia Reis, Liev Schreiber, Patrick Stewart, Michael Stuhlbarg, Daniel Sullivan, Michael Urie, Charlayne Woodard, the American Theatre Wing, Fund for the City of New York, the Michael Tuch Foundation, and the Off-Broadway Angels.

"A home for artists, scholars and students, Red Bull Theater delights and engages the intellect and imagination of audiences, and strives to make its work accessible, diverse, and welcoming to all. We value and practice inclusiveness, equity and diversity in all of our activities, and are committed to antiracist action. "

SPREADING THE WORD

20 FOOT ROE V. WADE OVERTURN MEMORIAL/PROTEST WALL was constructed last Friday, June 24, 2022, in Fountain Theatre's outdoor stage in Los Angeles where the public is invited to leave flowers, handwritten messages, and other expressions of grief and anger at the Roe v. Wade Supreme Court overturn. Pre-printed postcards addressed to the Supreme Court will be available to the public as a call to action. The wall will be accessible to the public and will remain up indefinitely.

In addition, playwright Lisa Loomer has given her play Roe a new ending, in light of the Court's reversal.

Roe is a fast-moving, fair-minded look at the complicated human beings behind the case, the challenging years that followed the court’s fateful decision, and the polarization around the issue in America today. Originally commissioned through the Oregon Shakespeare Festival’s American Revolutions program in a production that traveled to Arena Stage and Berkeley Rep, Roe is the recipient of both the Jane Chambers Playwriting Award and the Pen Award.

Roe official opening on Saturday, June 25, with performances continuing on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays . through July 10, 2022.

WAYNE NEWTON who was double vaxxed and boosted, has tested positive for Covid, resulting in his shows at the Flamingo Hotel in Las Vegas being canceled until at least July 18, 2022.

GUY FIERI

Guy Fieri

who graduated from the University of Nevada, Las Vegas with a degree in Hospitality Management and since then has collected numerous awards, including an Emmy, and is considered one of the most recognizable and influential of culinary stars, recently opened Guy Fieri’s Downtown Flavortown at the Mountain Mile Shopping Complex in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. The impressive 43,000-square-foot family entertainment center has a 300+ seat restaurant which showcases Fieri’s famous culinary combinations featuring Guy Fieri’s Downtown Flavortown; a 14-lane Duck Pin bowling alley; over 10,000 square feet of state-of-the-art arcade games ranging from redemption to virtual reality and beyond; a full-service Freaky Tiki bar; a photo opportunity in front of an iconic 1968 Chevy Camaro, and many options for private parties.

The menu showcases Guy Fieri’s award-winning dishes, craft beers, and cocktails. Among the favorites: Trash Can Nachos served Motley Que BBQ-style in a tin tower stuffed with corn tortilla chips, house-made pork, cheddar cheese, black beans, cilantro, and pico de Gallo, and more. Also on the menu - his award-winning Bacon Mac ’N’ Cheeseburger, with crispy applewood bacon, six cheese mac ‘n’ cheese, onion straws, LTOP (lettuce, tomato, onion and pickle), SMC (super melty cheese), and donkey sauce, all stacked on a garlic-buttered brioche bun. In addition, a full premium bar will include an extensive selection of liquors, wines, and bottled and craft beers. Chef Guy’s craft cocktails feature worldwide bestsellers like the Caliente Margarita, Tattooed Mojito, and Guy’s Famous BBQ Bloody Mary.

No word on the calorie or cholesterol count.

Last week it was announced that Fieri, along with Billy Porter, will co-star in Tom Brady comedy with legendary leading ladies titled 80 for Brady. Some of the buzz call it "the most anticipated film of the year."

COMPANY the Tony Award winning, gender-swapped version of Stephen Sondheim’s famed musical will close on the Great White Way on July 31, with an American tour planned for 2023-24.

The production was awarded five Tony Awards at this year’s ceremony: best musical revival, best director for Marianne Elliott, best featured actress for LuPone, best featured actor for Matt Doyle and best scenic design for Bunny Christie.

The reimagined show opened for previews on March 2, 2020 and was promptly shut down for more than 18 months during the pandemic before resuming previews on November 15, 2021. . Company, Starring Katrina Lenk and Patti LuPone, by the time the musical closes, will have run for 300 shows on Broadway.

DOROTHY PARKER: A CERTAIN WOMAN created by James Rana, directed and dramaturged by Gayle Stahlhuth, and starring Suzanne Dawson, who performs the works of one of the world’s most popular writers. Parker (1893-1967) exchanged witticisms with fellow celebrities over lunch at the Algonquin Round Table, such as "I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy."

Presented through July 23, Wednesdays through Saturdays by the East Lynne Theater Company at the Cape May Presbyterian Church in Cape May, NJ.

CELEBRATING THE 4TH OF JULY

4th of July celebrations begin early on July 1 with the opening of America’s largest Fourth of July festival, Boston Harborfest: a four-day festival overflowing with events throughout downtown Boston. The festival includes fireworks on Boston Inner Harbor on July 3 and the City of Boston’s Independence Day Celebration on July 4, which consists of a parade, wreath laying, and the reading of the Declaration of Independence.

Gettysburg, Pennsylvania celebrates the 4th of July with battle reenactments commemorating the 158th anniversary of the Battle of Gettysburg, honoring fallen soldiers with Taps playing nightly as part of the One Hundred Nights of Taps. Plus there are fireworks at A Gettysburg Fourth! at Gettysburg Rec Park.

Gather on the Duke of Gloucester Street in Colonial Williamsburg, the largest outdoor educational living museum in the US, to listen to readings of the Declaration of Independence from the courthouse steps and enjoy live musical performances. End your day with the Lights of Freedom fireworks display, which illuminates the skies over the 18th-century community.

The iconic sculpture of four former presidents carved into the granite face of Mount Rushmore in the Black Hills of South Dakota has become a symbol of freedom and hope, making it a fitting place to visit on Independence Day. There won’t be fireworks at Mount Rushmore, but there will be presidential reenactors of George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Abraham Lincoln, and Theodore Roosevelt roaming the national park, posing for photos and giving out autographs.

Don’t miss America’s oldest Fourth of July event in Bristol, Rhode Island, which is often called "America’s most patriotic town." This year’s in-person celebration includes a 2.5-mile Military, Civic, and Firemen’s Parade, fireworks, and a Fourth of July Ball at the Herreshoff Marine Museum.

The charming downtown of Halfmoon Bay, California is transformed into a festive Red, White and Blue July 4th celebration with a parade and block party. A time-honored, home-spun tradition, the parade celebrates Independence Day in small town America with an entertaining array of whimsical floats, marching bands, horses, community service groups, classically cool cars, decorated trikes and bikes, parading pooches, youth sports teams, dance and theatre troupes, photos and fun with the delightfully rotund, playful and mischievious Pumpkin Festival mascot "Gourdy", a Color Guard by the American Legion, and local dignitaries and celebrities slowly winding their way through the crowded downtown along Main Street between Filbert and Mill Streets.

Honoring Half Moon Bay’s western heritage and always a parade highlight, there will be a large number of equine entries with prizes awarded in several categories. Half Moon Bay’s famous, 40-member strong Sitting Marching Band will be in their usual perch at Main and Kelly playing an array of patriotic ballads during the parade. The Half Moon Bay Lions Club will be hosting its annual 4th of July Pancake Breakfast in the City Hall parking lot. Adding to the festivities are the Red, White and Blue Block Party with Libations tent selling wine and beer hosted by the Chamber of Commerce plus IDES Inaugural 4th of July Fest. The parade is sponsored by the Half Moon Bay Beautification Committee and Half Moon Bay Art & Pumpkin Festival.

Hannibal, Missouri offers one of the more unique July 4th events in the US with the 66th annual National Tom Sawyer Days: a four-day festival that includes a carnival, frog jump contest, mud volleyball tournament, patriotic parade, fireworks, and fence painting. Hannibal was the inspiration for the fictional town in Mark Twain’s The Adventures of Tom Sawyer and the fence painting contests are a tip of the hat to the main character of the book fooling his friends into painting his aunt’s home.

For more than a century, spectators have gathered at the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Coney Island to watch Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest, but this year they will gather steps away at Maimonides Park to see competitive eaters battle for a yellow mustard belt. Last year, Joey "Jaws" Chestnut set a new world record eating 75 hotdogs and Miki Sudo ate 48.5 hot dogs in 10 minutes. The women’s competition telecast live on ESPN3 and the ESPN App and the men’s competition live on ESPN.

The National Park Service in Washington, DC is hosting its annual Fourth of July celebration, which includes the Salute to America, flyovers from different branches of the military, and a massive fireworks display on the National Mall. During the 17-minute show, fireworks are launched from both sides of the Lincoln Memorial Reflecting Pool casting a red, white, and blue glow over the 12 memorials that punctuate the civic space.

Watch Las Vegas party all week-end as the 4th of July falls on a Monday. Caesars Palace will stage an awesome Independence Day fireworks extravaganza. The colossal 13½ minute fireworks display will be shot from the hotel's Julius Tower and be choreographed to a colorful mix of both contemporary and traditional patriotic music.

All of the Stations Casino's properties will stage a 10-minute fireworks show.

At 10 p.m. Casino Center's only fireworks display will take place at the Plaza Hotel & Casino.

At 6 p.m. as part of the Fremont Street Experience Downtown Rocks Concert Series, Molly Hatchet, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Mackenzie Porter will perform a free concert.

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

BILL COSBY has been found guilty of sexually abusing a 16-year-old Judy Huth at the Playboy Mansion in 1975. The civil jury trial delivered the verdict on Tuesday evening, June 21, 2022.

The jury awarded her $500,000.

ED SHEERAN a four time Grammy award winner was awarded $1.1 million after winning a copyright lawsuit.

Shape Of You, as first reported by Variety.

“The starting point is to identify the winners and losers in the action because the general rule is that the unsuccessful party pays the costs of the successful party,” Judge Antony Zacaroli said. “There is no dispute as to this: [Sheeran] undoubtedly won and won on every substantial point.”

Chokri accused Sheeran of stealing from his 2015 song Oh Why for Shape of You, which reached No. 1 hit in many countries, including the United States.

The English-born Sheeran, 31, shares co-writer credit of Shape of You with John McDaid and Steven McCutcheon.

Following the April 2022 trial victory, Sheeran referred to the accusation as "really damaging to the songwriting industry."

"Whilst we’re obviously happy with the result, I feel like claims like this are way too common now and have become a culture where a claim is made with the idea that a settlement will be cheaper than taking it to court, even if there is no basis for the claim," Sheerhan said in a video post.

Sheeran previously settled a lawsuit involving his song Photograph without going to court, and faces an unresolved lawsuit over the song Thinking Out Loud.

MUSIC STREAMING INDUSTRY TO EARN $27 BILLION IN 2022 according to the numbers presented by StockApps.com.Streaming apps have become the preferred mode for consuming music during the past decade. The popularity of platforms such as Spotify, Amazon Music, and Apple Music is still consistently increasing.

According to the data available at Statista, the music streaming industry is expected to earn $26.61 billion this year. In 2021, the annual revenue stood at $23.29. Thus, the yearly revenue is set to grow by 13.83% year-on-year. This growth is impressive, but the numbers suggest that the growth rate might slow down in the future. Next year, the industry will earn $29.55 billion in revenue – an annual increase of 11%. The yearly rate of growth would further drop to 8.6% in 2024.

When we consider the annual growth rate (CAGR) from 2022 to 2026, the industry is set to grow by 8.10%. At this rate, the annual revenues will go up to $36.34 billion in 2026. In 2017, the music streaming industry brought in only $10.59 billion. Comparing the revenue in 2017 with the expected figure in 2026 shows a 243% growth. Thus, the music streaming industry is expected to more than triple itself in the span of a decade.

However, there is still a lot of scope for growth left in the industry. As per the data, the penetration rate of music streaming is estimated to be only 9.4% in 2022. The penetration is expected to grow to 12.2% in 2026. United States account for 37% of revenue.

The United States is the most significant market for the music streaming industry. According to the numbers, the US alone will bring in $9.8 billion in revenue in 2022 – accounting for 37% of the entire 2022 figure.

China is in the distant second spot, with $2.5 billion in revenue expected in 2022. China’s figure amount for only 9.4% of the entire revenue.

The United Kingdom completes the top three with $1.8 billion in revenue. Japan ($1.5 billion) and Germany ($1.4 billion) make the rest of the list of the five biggest markets in the music streaming industry.

CREATIVE FORCES: NEA MILITARY HEALING ARTS NETWORK is an initiative of the National Endowment for the Arts in partnership with the U.S. Departments of Defense and Veterans Affairs that seeks to improve the health, well-being, and quality of life for military and veteran populations exposed to trauma, as well as their families and caregivers. They provide project-based matching grants of up to $50,000 to nonprofit organizations.

The National Endowment for the Arts is pleased to support four new pilot research studies into art therapy and music therapy, as part of the agency’s Creative Forces: NEA Military Healing Arts Network. This component of Creative Forces is managed in partnership with the Henry M. Jackson Foundation for the Advancement of Military Medicine (HJF), Inc. The funding for these projects totals $1,300,000 and will take place fiscal years 2021-2023.

The National Endowment for the Arts (NEA), in partnership with Mid-America Arts Alliance, is pleased to announce the inaugural recipients of Creative Forces Community Engagement grants, with support for 26 organizations totaling more than $750,000. Awards will support community-based arts programming that will expand the work of Creative Forces into more communities nationwide to address the distinct experiences, challenges, and strengths of military-connected populations through the arts.

Creative Forces Community Engagement Grantees:

University of Alabama at Birmingham $10,000.

Mount Sequoyah Center Inc. Fayetteville, AK, $10,000.

City of Mesa Mesa, AZ $50,000, Advanced two-year grant Mesa United Way Arts In Service Arts in Service (AIS)

Arts and Culture El DoradoPlacerville, CA $5,000

Diavolo Dance Theatre Los Angeles, CA $50,000, Advanced two-year grant.

Old Globe Theatre San Diego, CA $50,000, Advanced two-year grant.

Tampa Bay Performing Arts Center, Inc. Tampa, FL $50,000, Advanced two-year grant.

Brushwood Center at Ryerson Woods Riverwoods, IL. $50,000, Advanced two-year grant.

University of Kansas Center for Research, Inc. Lawrence, KS $25,000, Advanced one-year grant.

Dancing Well: The Soldier Project, Inc. Louisville, KY $10,000, emerging Tapestry Folkdance Center.

Caregivers on the Homefront, Inc. Kansas City, MO$10,000, Advanced one-year grant.

Frontline Arts, A New Jersey Non-Profit Corporation Branchburg, NJ $50,000, Advanced two-year grant.

DE-CRUIT, Inc. New York, NY $37,885, Advanced two-year grant.

Exit12 Dance Company Inc. New York, NY $10,000, emerging Intrepid Museum Foundation.

Josephine Herrick Project, Inc. New York, NY $50,000, Advanced two-year grant Harlem Vet Center Odyssey Project.

The National Jazz Museum in Harlem New York, NY $10,000, emerging Black Veterans for Social Justice, Inc.

Literary Cleveland Cleveland Heights, OH $7,500, emerging VA Northeast Ohio Healthcare System.

Modern Warrior Live Ravenna, OH $50,000, Advanced two-year grant,

Tennessee Shakespeare Company Memphis, TN $10,000, Advanced one-year grant.

Bihl Haus Arts Inc. San Antonio, TX $50,000, Advanced two-year grant.

Center for African American Military History Houston, TX $10,000, emerging The Jung Center of Houston.

Armed Services Arts Partnership Alexandria, VA $50,000, Advanced two-year grant Virginia Stage Company.

Art for the Journey Richmond, VA $10,000, Advanced one-year grant.

Museum of Glass Tacoma, WA $10,000, Advanced one-year grant.

Path with Art Seattle, WA $25,000, Advanced one-year grant.

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MICHAEL J. FOX will be honored by the Academy of Motion Pictures Arts and Sciences for his contributions to film and his efforts to help cure Parkinson's disease. The actor will receive an honorary Oscar at this year's Governors Awards, along with songwriter Diane Warren, and directors Euzhan Palcy and Peter Weir.

The Academy's Board of Governors selected the honorees for their "indelible contributions to cinema and the world at large."

Fox, who founded the Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson's Research in 2000 and was diagnosed with the disease in 1991.

"Fox's tireless advocacy of research on Parkinson's disease alongside his boundless optimism exemplifies the impact of one person in changing the future for millions," Academy President David Rubin said in a statement.

Fox, who rose to fame as Alex P. Keaton on Family Ties and numerous other TV series, is also known for his work as Marty McFly in the Back to the Future franchise.

Fox has 32 acting awards including 5 Emmy Awards, 4 Golden Globes, a Grammy, two Screen Actors Guild Awards, and now will receive the prestigious Jean Hersholt Humanitarian Award.

The awards will be presented at the Academy's Governors Awards in Los Angeles on November 19th.

CHICAGO THE MUSICAL is celebrating 10,000 performances on Broadway.

The cast celebrated the event with a special curtain call following the Thursday, June 23, performance at the Ambassador Theatre.

On Tuesday. November 16, 2021 Chicago celebrated its 25th anniversary on Broadway. Chicago is the second show in Broadway history to reach this 10,000 performance milestone. Phantom of the Opera who has performed almost 13,650 shows.

Chicago has been mounted in 36 countries enjoyed by 33 million people worldwide.

GIBSON GIVES PARTNERSHIP WITH SAVE THE MUSIC FOUNDATION has announced its first-ever, annual music scholarship program. Gibson, the iconic American instrument brand headquartered in Nashville, TN, has - through its philanthropic arm Gibson Gives - will award 15+ music scholarships this year comprised of cash grants, as well as instruments and gear to high school seniors as they prepare for post grad education and careers.

The new Gibson Gives Scholarship Program has launched with the Sister Rosetta Tharpe Scholarship - -the first-ever music scholarship created in honor of the iconic and incomparable Godmother of Rock and Roll, Sister Rosetta Tharpe. Her immense talent and confidence arrived during an era when women, and especially women of color, had no voice. An era where no woman dared play guitar at the front of the stage, let alone front a solo act. No woman except Sister Rosetta Tharpe.

An audacious performer from Cotton Plant, Arkansas, Sister Rosetta Tharpe fronted her own band; she was one of the first artists of note to play the iconic 61 Les Paul SG Custom electric guitar. She was a headlining, black female artist who toured through the segregated Jim Crow South, and she has been largely overlooked as a seminal figure in the creation of rock music.. A gospel-trained force of nature that broke barriers, stereotypes, and norms with astonishing regularity, her electrifying music predates the work of like-minded guitar legends including Chuck Berry, Muddy Waters, and Elvis. Sister Rosetta Tharpe unequivocally remains the textbook definition of an iconoclast "The Godmother of Rock & Roll."

The Sister Rosetta Tharpe Scholarship has been awarded to Sierra Guilmartin, a senior at Philadelphia High School for Girls who plans to pursue music at the University of the Arts in Philadelphia in the Fall.

The Gibson Gives Scholarship Program is available to students with a guitar interest, who are planning to pursue music of some form in college. Each recipient will receive one guitar, as well as a $5,000 cash grant to assist in their‹college funding. The Gibson Gives and Save The Music Scholarships alone will result in $75,000.00+ (10 grants of 5,000k, and 10 Gibson guitars) in giving to young musicians. The scholarships will be created in both current and legacy artist's names to celebrate their cultural impact across multiple genres of music.

WINNERS OF THE 2022 CHITA RIVERA AWARDS were announced at an event held at the NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts in New York City.

The Awards were hosted by Charlotte d’Amboise and Bianca Marroquín.

Tony, Academy and Golden Globe Award winner Joel Grey received the Lifetime Achievement Award and Jack O’Brien received the SDC Director Award for exemplary collaboration with choreographers.

2022 CHITA RIVERA AWARD WINNERS:

BROADWAY
OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY IN A BROADWAY SHOW
Bill T. Jones, Garrett Coleman, Jason Oremus, Paradise Square

OUTSTANDING MALE DANCER IN A BROADWAY SHOW (tie)
Myles Frost,MJ the Musical
Jared Grimes, Funny Girl

OUTSTANDING FEMALE DANCER IN A BROADWAY SHOW
Tendayi Kuumba, for colored girls who have considered suicide/ when the rainbow is enuf.

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE IN A BROADWAY SHOW
for colored girls who have considered suicide/ when the rainbow is enuf

OFF BROADWAY SPECIAL RECOGNITIONS

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY IN AN OFF BROADWAY SHOW
Josh Prince, Trevor

OUTSTANDING ENSEMBLE IN AN OFF BROADWAY SHOW
The Wrong Man

CHOREOGRAPHY IN FILM

OUTSTANDING CHOREOGRAPHY FOR A THEATRICAL RELEASE
tick… tick… Boom!
Choreographer: Ryan Heffington; (Associate Choreographer: Ryan Spencer)

OUTSTANDING DIRECTION OF A DOCUMENTARY RELEASE (tie)
First Try
Director: Josh Prince

Maurice Hines: Bring Them Back
Director: John Carluccio.

The mission of the Chita Rivera Awards is to celebrate dance and choreographic excellence, preserve notable dance history, recognize past, present and future talents, while promoting high standards in dance education, and investing in the next generation.



TOP COAT by Michelle Law.

Directed by STC’s Directing Associate Courtney Stewart.

Walk a mile in her pedicure.

What happens when a Chinese-Australian manicurist switches bodies with a white, latte sipping, TV executive? A chaotic and outrageous comedy awaits.

"From the hilarious and politically-charged wit of Michelle Law – one of our most exciting playwrights comes this irreverently funny new comedy that pulls no punches in exploring race, representation, privilege, and taking woke culture to task."

Dreaming of one day owning her own salon, the headstrong and determined Winnie (played by Kimie Tsukakoshi) spends her days buffing the manicures of her demanding, oblivious and mostly-white clientele. One such client is Kate (Amber McMahon), a glamorous high-flyer who is very assured of her progressive credentials.

When a mysterious electrical event at the nail salon means Kate and Winnie wake up in each other’s bodies, all hell breaks loose and both women are forced to see the world, and their places in it, from entirely new angles.

Featuring: John Batchelor, Amber McMahon, Matty Mills, Kimie Tsukakoshi, and Arisa Yura.

The creatives include: Designer James Lew - Lighting Designer Kate Baldwin - Composer & Sound Designer Michael Toisuta - Assistant Director Tiffany Wong - Fight & Intimacy Director Nigel Poulton - Voice Coach Jennifer White.

Top Coat was commissioned with the assistance of the Malcolm Robertson Foundation.

Opened last night, June 25, with performances through August 6, 2022 on the Wharf 1 Theatre stage of the Sydney Theatre Company in Sydney, Australia.

THE SOUTHBURY CHILD a new play by BAFTA winner Stephen Beresford.

A darkly comic, humane play exploring family, faith, tradition and tolerance in a rapidly changing world. and community; the savage divisions of contemporary society and the rituals that punctuate our lives.

Sharp-witted, wilful and frequently drunk, David Highland has kept a grip on his parish through a combination of disordered charm and high-handed determination. But when his conscience forces him to take a hard line with a parishioner who wants Disney balloons at a family funeral, he finds himself dangerously isolated from public opinion. As his own family begins to fracture, David must face a future that threatens to extinguish not only his position in the town, but everything he stands for.

Three-time Olivier award-winning Alex Jennings will lead the cast in the world premiere.

July 1- August 27, 2022 at The Bridge Theatre in London.

PATRIOTS a new play by Peter Morgan.

Directed by Almeida Artistic Director Rupert Goold.

Starring BAFTA-winning actor Tom Hollander plays Berezovsky, the "kingmaker" behind Vladimir Putin. Patriots is an unflinching story of ambition and the dangers of loyalty and love.

Performances at the Almeida Theatre in London July 2 - August 20, 2022.

THE FELLOWSHIP written by Roy Williams OBE.

Directed by Paulette Randall MBE, Associate Director of London’s 2012 Olympic Opening Ceremony and a former Artistic Director of Talawa Theatre Company

Rosie Day, Ethan Hazzard, Trevor Laird, Suzette Llewellyn, Cherrelle Skeete, and Lucy Vandi star in the World Premiere of The Fellowship.

Children of the Windrush generation, sisters Dawn and Marcia Adams grew up in 1980s London and were activists on the front line against the multiple injustices of that time. Decades on, they find they have little in common beyond family. Can the Adams sisters navigate the turmoil that lies ahead, leave the past behind, and seize the future with the bond between them still intact?

Playing on the Main Stage of the Hamstead Theatre in London through July 23, 2022.

CHORUS LINE features music by Marvin Hamlisch, a book by James Kirkwood and Nicholas Dante, with lyrics by Edward Kleban. Directed and choreographed by Luis Villabon.

Musical conductor is Andy Peterson.

"A Chorus Line illuminates the ambitions of ensemble dancers in the final chorus audition for an upcoming Broadway show. One of the longest running Broadway musicals of all time, A Chorus Line boasts classic numbers such as "What I Did for Love," "One," "I Can Do That," "At the Ballet," "The Music and the Mirror," and "I Hope I Get It."

The cast is led by James Harkness aas Zack, Sissy Bell as Cassie, and Patrick Higgins as Mark.

They are joined by Lauren Emily Alagna (Kristine), Kathryn Brunner (Val), Bianca Bulgarelli (Bebe), Julia Feeley (Judy), Madison Finney (Shelia), Musa Hitomi (Connie), Matthew Aaron Liotine (Greg & Dance Captain), Milan Magaña (Diana), Eddie Martin Morales (Paul), Brandon Moreno (Larry), Paul Watt-Morse (Don), Clint Maddox Thompson (Al), Emma Vielbig (Maggie), and Shaun-Avery Williams (Richie).

The company also includes Jaylen Axel (Butch), Josiah Behrens (Tom), Josh Curran (Roy), Morgan Harrison (Vicki), Thomas Henke (Bobby), Marlena López Hilderley (Tricia), Justin Lopez (Patrick), Andrew Ruggieri (Mike), Nick Schrier (Frank), and Lilianna Solum (Lois).

Costumes by Michael McDonald. Lighting by Richard Latta. Sound design is by David M. Greenberg. The production Stage Manager is Randy Lawson. Associate Director and Associate Choreographer is David Grindrod. Assistant Stage Manager Ashani Smith.

Part of the Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival, under the leadership of Producing Artistic Director Patrick Mulcahy.

Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival features actors from Broadway, television, and film, and is summer home to over 200 artists from around the country, including winners and nominees of the Tony, Obie, Emmy, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, Jefferson, and Barrymore awards.

Performances of The Chorus Line run to July 10 at the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts on campus of DeSales University in Center Valley, Pennsylvania.

JITNEY by August Wilson.

Featuring Sule Rimi, Leanne Henlon, Solomon Israel, Wil Johnson, Dayo Koleosho, Tony Marshall.

On June 24, before the performance of Jitney, four short films that explore the personal experiences of four men after leaving prison, created by Kestrel Theatre Company and award-winning filmmaker Dorothy Allen-Pickard were screened. That was followed by a talk about Jitney and the impact of the arts in prisons.

An Old Vic, Headlong & Leeds Playhouse co-production with performances until July 9, 2022 at The Old Vic in London.

E-Book

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

FINAL OVATION

BRETT TUGGLE musician, singer and songwriter who is best known for his keyboard playing with Fleetwood Mac and the David Lee Roth band died June 18, 2022 after a battle with brain cancer. He was 70.

He spent much of 1981 as keyboardist for John Kay & Steppenwolf, before meeting Rick Springfield and joining his band in early 1982. He also played keyboards with David Lee Roth in Roth's post-Van Halen career 1986-94 and briefly returned in 1997. In 1988, Tuggle co-wrote the top 10 hit single Just Like Paradise with Roth. In 1992, Tuggle was invited by Mick Fleetwood to be a member of the band The Zoo. Tuggle also toured with Steve Lukather from Toto. Tuggle played with Chris Isaak and Whitesnake.

He is survived by his two children, son Matt and daughter Michelle.

JAMES RADO co-created of the mega hit musical Hair died in New York City on June 21, 2022 from cardio-respiratory arrest. He was 90.

Rado he co-wrote the book and lyrics with partner Gerome Ragni. The music was composed by the late Galt MacDermot.

He also starred as Claude in the original production.

While in college, Rado wrote both the music and lyrics for two shows: Interlude, which was produced at the University of Maryland, and Cross Your Fingers at the Catholic University of America.

Hair officially opened on Broadway at the Biltmore Theatre — now the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre — on April 29, 1968, and featured stars-to-be Diane Keaton and Melba Moore. The show ran a total of 1,750 performances.

The show was later adapted to film in 1979, and in 2009, the show won the Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical.

MAUREEN ARTHUR who appeared as Hedy La Rue in the original Broadway production of How To Succeed In Business Without Really Trying died at her home in Beverly Hills, CA on June 15, 2022. She was 8 and had long suffered from Alzheimer's disease.

She also starred opposite Robert Morse in the 1967 film adaption.

The Broadway version ran for 1,400 performances and scored seven Tony Awards as well as a Pulitzer Prize.

She later appeared in numerous television and movie productions including The Love God? with Don Knotts and How to Commit Marriage with Bob Hope.

Arthur returned to Broadway, starring in Carl Reiner’s 1967 play Something Different and portrayed Miss Adelaide in the Los Angeles Civic Light Opera production of Guys and Dolls in 1980.

Arthur performed at the Variety of Iowa Telethons yearly for over 25 years and was a member of the Iowa Chapter of Variety. Her longtime association with Variety earned her the title of First Lady of Variety Clubs Telethons, and then she earned the official title of International Ambassador. She was a longtime president of Variety, the Children's Charity of Southern California, Tent 25.

Married twice, she was divorced from George Weidler and became a widow in 2010 when her husband, The Andy Griffith Show producer Aaron Ruben, died. She is survived by her son, Tom Buben.

Next Column: July 3, 2022
Copyright: June 26, 2022 All Rights Reserved. Reviews, Interviews, Commentary, Photographs or Graphics from any Broadway To Vegas (TM) columns may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, utilized as leads, or used in any manner without permission, compensation and/or credit.
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Laura Deni

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