Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: June 27, 2010
By: Laura Deni
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A CAPITOL FOURTH TURNS 30, SCARFING DOWN HOTDOGS CELEBRATES 95 YEARS OF HAPPY INDIGESTION AND REBA McENTIRE BECOMES ONLY THE 4th CELEBRITY TO RECEIVE AN AWARD

A Capitol Fourth. Photo by John H. McShane

Hotdogs and the 1812 Overture. Doesn't get more American than that. Light up the sparklers and get the band out - also the Alka-Seltzer and Pepto-Bismol.

Nathan's International Hot Dog Eating Contest, is an annual event that’s become part of America’s celebration of independence. The qualifying tour which began on May 6th in Las Vegas and visited 14 cities and two military bases, will culminate at the Nathan’s Famous flagship store in Coney Island, NY on July 4, 2010.

According to New York City authorities, audiences as large as 40,000 fans crowd the corner of Surf and Stillwell Avenues in Coney Island each year to witness the Nathan’s Famous event first hand. What’s more, over one million households view the contest’s live telecast on ESPN.

The reigning and three-time champion is Joey Chestnut of San Jose, CA. In 2009, Chestnut consumed 68 Nathan’s Famous Hot Dogs and Buns in 10 minutes to set a new world record.

As part of its 2010 July 4th celebration, Nathan’s Famous intends to provide a hot dog lunch to 100,000 U.S. troops stationed overseas.

Major League Eating, the governing body of all stomach-centric sports, sanctions the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Circuit and ensures the contests are judged professionally and that safety standards are in place at each event since choking to death is considered bad press.

For those who are tired of the buzz in their ears from the soccer matches, you may rejoice to learn that vuvuzelas, those affordable plastic trumpets, known for its distinct and inconsistent hum - have been banned. Hot dog officials are an alert crew, cognizant that since the World Cup began fans have complained that the constant drone produced by vuvuzelas has negatively impacted their enjoyment of soccer’s biggest tournament. To the chagrin of many fans, FIFA, the World Cup’s governing body, has yet to ban the noisemaker.

"We refuse to let vuvuzela use damage the competitive eating aesthetic," said Richard Shea, president of Major League Eating. "As a result, vuvuzelas will be prohibited at the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest in Coney Island on July Fourth."

"This year marks the 95th anniversary of the Nathan’s hot dog eating contest, an event that has become an integral part of America’s Independence Day celebration. We will not let the sanctity of our game be disrupted by an annoying, bee-like hum," Shea added. The contest is free and open to the public. It will also be broadcast on ESPN from 12pm to 1pm EST on July 4, 2010.

Jimmy Smits

That evening it's the multi-award winning A Capitol Fourth, broadcast live from the West Lawn of the United States Capitol, which will kick off the country's 234th birthday with a musical extravaganza promising to be "like no other, topped off by the most dazzling display of fireworks anywhere in the nation!," although Broadway To Vegas feels that it's going to be tough to top the fireworks that went off after Gen. Stanley McChrystal had a total lapse of common sense and opened his mouth to Rolling Stone.

A Capitol Fourth will be hosted by Emmy and Golden Globe Award-winning actor Jimmy Smits with performances by multiple Grammy, CMA and ACM Award-winning country music superstar Reba McEntire; country music sensation Darius Rucker (Hootie & the Blowfish); David Archulets, John Schneider as well as world-renowned classical pianist Lang Lang with the National Symphony Orchestra under the direction of top pops conductor Jack Everly and the Choral Arts Society of Washington.

Reba McEntire

As part of A Capitol Fourth 2010, music legend Reba McEntire will be presented with the National Artistic Achievement Award in recognition of her dedication to enriching the national legacy of the performing arts as well as her lifetime of musical contributions. This is only the fourth time the award has been presented. The first recipient was composer John Williams in 2003; followed by Latin music legends and producing team Gloria and Emilio Estefan in 2005; and Motown icon Stevie Wonder in 2006.

"As we celebrate our freedoms and the nation's 234th birthday we continue the tradition of founding father President John Adams who called for 'pomp and parade, bonfires and illuminations,'" said executive producer Jerry Colbert. "Over the past three decades, we have been America's national Independence Day celebration. There is truly no place like the U.S. Capitol to celebrate the Fourth of July!"

The show will be capped off with a rousing rendition of Tchaikovsky's 1812 Overture complete with live cannon fire provided by The U.S. Army Presidential Salute Battery, an audience favorite and now A Capitol Fourth tradition. Also participating in the event will be The U.S. Army Herald Trumpets, The U.S. Army Ceremonial Band, The U.S. Marine Drum and Bugle Corps, Members of the Armed Forces carrying the State and Territorial Flags and the Armed Forces Color Guard provided by the Military District of Washington, D.C.



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ART AND ABOUT

BIZARRE BITS: ODDITIES FROM THE COLLECTION

Carving in fungus of Robert E. Lee on Traveller by Frances Gibboney (1867–1941), Wytheville, Virginia

Bizarre things have crept into the Virginia Historical Society's collections since its founding in 1831. These peculiar, perplexing, or even grotesque objects provide insight into the hopes, fears, assumptions, and practices of the past that are foreign to us today.

Historical items range from the bullet that killed the first Confederate officer, nails from the part of the Capitol that collapsed in 1870, a list of knights at an 1865 joust, fungus carved with the likeness of R. E. Lee on Traveller, "Junior Partner" cigarettes in their original pack featuring an image of a child, a 6,000 year old piece of wood from the Canary Islands, and a silhouette cut by an armless Virginia woman with her mouth.

Personal items include communication from U.S. Navy Lt. Robert D. Minor was desperately missed his wife, Landonia. On April 26, 1857 he sent her a package containing his finger and toenail clippings as tokens of endearment, along with a letter describing what would take place during a proposed intimate rendezvous when he returned home.

There are also pieces of James Madison's hair, and a smallpox scab taken from an infant in 1876. That scab was then used to inoculate others against the disease

William Rasmussen is the lead curator, Heather Beattie is the museum collection manager. and Elaine Hagy is library clerk. On display through February 13, 2011 at the Virginia Historical Society in Richmond, Virginia.

THE OLD GLOBE UNVEILS PHOTO EXHIBIT IN CELEBRATION OF ITS 75TH ANNIVERSARY Lou Spisto, Executive Producer of the San Diego based Tony Award winning company announced the opening of a permanent exhibit of photos in celebration of The Old Globe’s 75th anniversary. Located in the Karen and Donald Cohn Education Center and the Old Globe Theatre lobby, the exhibit uses photographs and graphics to present images of the Globe’s 75 years including the many artists who have worked both on and off the stage.

The exhibit is comprised of four parts: Bringing Art to Life, Lineage of the Globe, Artists of the Globe and History of the Globe.

Curated and designed by Llance Bower, the exhibit includes more than 150 images, custom wall-mounted illustrations, motion-activated digital picture frames and lenticular printing that allows images to change when viewed from different angles.

The largest portion of the exhibit focuses upon the history of theater as an art form, the Globe’s artists and its rich history. Lineage of the Globe features custom illustrations by costume designer Anna Oliver and a narrative by Cynthia Caywood, Ph.D., and David Hay, Ph.D. which explores the historical highlights of Western theater. Artists of the Globe is a visual journey illustrating the exceptional men and women who created the Globe’s productions from directors and dramaturgs to actors and designers. History of the Globe is a collection of more than 50 mounted photos and digital frames representing the Globe’s 75-year history and historical and cultural significance.

Located in the Old Globe Theatre lobby, Bringing Art to Life takes a look at the theater’s skilled production team that creates the sets, costumes and props for productions ranging from intimate dramas to large scale classical theater and musicals. The display features the photography of Jeff Wiant who has captured engaging behind-the-scenes images of the Globe’s artisans at work.

AUCTION GENERATED $12.4m A court ordered sale of the Polaroid corporation's collection after the firm filed for bankruptcy in 2009 was staged at Sotheby's in New York. A 1979 Andy Warhol self-portrait (Eyes Closed) sold for $254,500.

The gavel down involved 1,200 photos ranging from classic Polaroids to more traditional prints. Clearing Winter Storm Yosemite National Park by Ansel Adams fetched a top price of $722,500. It had been estimated to bring in $300,000-$500,000.

AUCTION OF DEAD MAN'S STUFF SURPASSES WILDEST DREAMS

Michael Jackson

What down economy?

If timing is everything those folks at Julien's Auctions know what they're doing. In a masterstroke of business acumen, the famed auction house decided to gavel down possessions of the late Michael Jackson on the first anniversary of his death. Highly emotional fans were whipped into a frenzy at the thought of owning anything connected with their dearly departed hero. Items were snapped up for as much as 10 times their estimated value on Friday. Even savvy officials from the auction house were reported to be "stunned," at the "staggering" prices people were willing pay for second hand stuff.

Going under the hammer were 200 Jackson items, raking in over $1 million. Bidders who appeared to have lost all sense of reason were fans - not investors - since the possibility of immediately re-selling for a profit is doubtful. Think 10th or 25th anniversary of his death before there is such an unrealistic buying surge. To give an idea of what the emotional charged bidders toked up:

A pair of Jackson's stage-worn loafers that were pre-listed as worth $2,000 to $3,000 went for $90,000. An autograph the pop icon gave to a fan the day before he died fetched $21,000 - 26 times more than its estimate. The Swarovski crystal-studded glove worn by Jackson on his Victory Tour was estimated to bring $20,000 to $30,000. It went to a Los Angeles bidder for $160,000 - tack on the buyer's premium and that brings the glove to $190,000. The same bidder also went home with several of Jackson's gold records.

The jacket Jackson wore during his 1996 wedding to Debbie Rowe sold for $60,000.

Jackson’s autographed black loafers brought in $75,000.

MTV Moonman award for the video of Scream went down for $43,750 - more than six times its estimate. The Thriller' hitmaker's signed white fedora hat, which was expected to fetch $3,000 was sold for $56,250.

Princess Tenko

Working through an intermediary, Japanese pop star turned magician Princess Tenko - the stage name of Mariko Itakura - had the winning bids for the custom jacket that Jackson wore during his 1997 interview with Barbara Walters. It was pre-listed at $6,000 to $8,000 but sold for $120,000 and the hat he wore during that interview Princess Tenko picked up for $37,500.

During the opening ceremony for the Jackson exhibition in Tokyo, ( See Broadway To Vegas column of June 20, 2010 ) Tenko spoke about meeting Jackson and was surprised to learn that he used felt pens to apply make-up.

"He had many pens and even asked if I wanted to use one for myself," Tenko told the crowd.

"He was special and entertaining," Tenko said, divulging to the audience that Jackson was interested in making ice cream using hippo’s saliva and had asked if she liked the idea.

In 1990, Princess Tenko was awarded the Magician of the Year award from the Academy of Magic Arts in the United States. Other renowned recipients of the award include David Copperfield and Doug Henning. Princess Tenko was the first female magician to receive this award. She made her North American debut at Radio City Music Hall in 1994. On September 18 she opens at the Sands Hotel in Macau. Will the Jackson finery be part of the act?

The auction continues through today at Planet Hollywood Resort in Las Vegas.

In case anyone cares, Jackson isn't the only name that brings in money. Other celebrities - living or dead - doing some house cleaning also includes items owned by Cher, Elvis, Anna Nicole Smith and Marilyn Monroe. Star Trek items dominate Sunday's auction which is expected generate spirited bidding.

JIMMY BUFFETT'S ALABAMA CHARITY CONCERT GETS RIPPED OFF BY TICKET SCALPERS - GOVERNOR TO INVESTIGATE

Jimmy Buffett

In any disaster there are always people who profit. In the best case the "winners" are those who legitimately provide or sell services which help the situation. The worst case scenario is taking place in Alabama.

Jimmy Buffett, who spent part of his childhood living in Alabama, announced last week that to demonstrate support for the people, businesses and culture of the Gulf Coast, he would stage a free musical celebration live from the beach at Gulf Shores, Alabama.

Jimmy Buffett & Friends Live from the Gulf Coast will air on CMT on Thursday, July 1, from 8-9:30 p.m. ET/PT.

To stage the musical concert Alabama is spending up to $1.5m of BP's money.

Within six minutes of being put online Wednesday morning all 35,000 free tickets had been snapped up and 10 minutes later they were posted by scalpers on internet trading sites for up to $250 each.

The uproar from both locals and out-of-state fans resulted in eBay banning sales and Governor Bob Riley has ordered an inquiry. Riley’s press secretary, Todd Stacy, said the governor was investigating why the tickets disappeared so quickly.

The musical event goes on as scheduled. Buffett and his Coral Reefer Band will be joined in the concert by his friends Sonny Landreth, Zac Brown Band, Kenny Chesney, Jesse Winchester and Allen Toussaint."

A special souvenir T-shirt will be designed for the concert. It will be available online and at the show.

SWEET CHARITY

THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS has announced an incredible roster of celebrities and football legends who will participate alongside 16 Special Olympics athletes in the inaugural match of the Special Olympics Unity Cup at Cape Town Stadium just prior to a 2010 FIFA World Cup quarterfinal match on July 3, 2010.

Participants will include: President Jacob G. Zuma, his Excellency, of South Africa; Chinese actress Zhang Ziyi, Sports figures include; Dikenbe Mutombo, Enrique Borja, Teofilo Cubillas, Lorrie Fair, Kevin Keegan, Christian Kerembeu, Hidetoshi Nakata, Lucas Radebe, Clarence Seedorf, Alan Shearer and Steve Sumner.

SPREADING THE WORD

GOODBAR SNEAK PEAK Reviving the lost art of the Live Concept Album, Waterwell teams up with NYC rock band, Bambï, to tackle one of the most controversial pop culture artifacts from the '70s, Looking for Mr. Goodbar.

Taking inspiration from both the film starring Diane Keaton and the novel by Judith Rossner, Bambï and Waterwell explore the timeless themes of sexuality, independence and persona as seen refracted through a disco ball.

A special first look at this dark classic which is set to premiere August 2010 SummerStage.

Music & Lyrics by Bambï. Inspired by Judith Rossner's novel Looking for Mr. Goodbar. Produced by Waterwell in association with CityParks Theater. Starring Hanna Cheek, Cara Jeiven, Jimmie Marlow, Tobi Parks & Kevin Townley.

July 5, at Joe's Pub in NYC.

IAN McDIARMID one of Britain's most diverse actors, will be interviewed by theatre critic and journalist Mark Shenton on Tuesday July 6, live on stage at the Donmar Warehouse in London as part of the Donmar's In Discussion With series. Ian will be in the final weeks of rehearsals for the Donmar’s forthcoming production of The Prince of Homburg.

STAGED READING OF ART In Yasmina Reza's Tony Award-winning play, differences of opinion on the nature of art and on a very large, very costly white painting put friendships to the test. Alan Paul, associate director of the Shakespeare Theatre Company, directs Andrew Long, Hugh Nees and Howard Shalwitz. Post-reading discussion follows. July 1, The Phillips Collection Center for the Study of Modern Art in Washington, DC.

LARRY BRYGGMAN a two-time Tony Award nominee will return for one episode of As The World Turns reprising his role as Dr. John Dixon, a part he played from July 18, 1969 to December 14, 2004.

ATWT wrapped last week. After 54 years on the air, the final show - number 13,858 - airs on September 17. The show has 13 nominations for tonight's Daytime Emmy Award show.

DAYTIME EMMY AWARDS FROM LAS VEGAS OFFER THE REQUIRED SWAG

Legendary soap creator and writer Agnes Nixon will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award and the opportunity to peruse the Celebrity Gifting Lounge. Photo from The Museum of Broadcast Communications

Tonight the Daytime Emmy Awards, airing from Las Vegas for the first time, will hand out those cherished statues to a select few outstretched hands. Then there is what many consider the real prize - those gift bags.

If you are a stumble bum off the streets and anted up $405 for a ticket, you'll receive an impressive looking tote bag containing, among other things: a jar of peanut butter, a small sack of gourmet popcorn, a CD of lullabies and Texas based Expressionery.com's Gossamer Wings folded note cards designed by staff artist, Jennifer Duley.

An Estimated 1400 guests are expected to depart with an Official Emmy Gift Bag designed by Off The Wall Gifts. As gift bag coordinators for The National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, Off The Wall Gifts hand-picked undiscovered, emerging brands, like Mom’s Originals Gourmet Pretzels of St. Louis. Pretzels can sound lame. These are wrapped in caramel and then dipped in chocolate.

If you are an anointed nominee or VIP there is The Celebrity Gifting Lounge which opened yesterday at the Hilton, put together by Phoenix-based event marketing firm, SWAY.

Those who don't win the statue can soothe their ruffled feelings by eating European premiere chocolate from The Chocolate Traveler, washed down with Dragon Bleu Vodka, served in customized Daytime Emmy Drinique glassware, providing an additional keepsake for this year’s Gift Suite attendees.

Celebrity guests scheduled to visit the Suite include this year’s host Emmy Award winner Regis Philbin, Ryan Seacrest, Dick Clark,Barry Manilow, Lifetime Achievement honoree Agnes Nixon, Susan Lucci, Kelly Monaco, Rachel Ray and Vanessa Marcil.

The Gift Suite is doling out: a gift bag from Claire Burke & Vita Bath with luxury hand cream and home fragrance; Hydroxatone, offering $500 worth of their renowned anti-wrinkle care products to each guest; VIP cards from Johnny Rockets; signature couture pops from The Sugar Factory; perfume oils from De Lea Perfumes; beverages Neuro Beverage; new products from Discovery Bay Games; luxury scented candles from Hollywood’s LDC Furniture; Intek America’s carbon-neutral paper shredders; custom, handmade Holly McClain Dog Collars for beloved celebrity pets; U.S. Troop supporter SkinCanDo’s famed "combat-ready lip balm" so those soap stars can be combat ready for those love scenes; Lanza’s hair care products; eye masks and neck wraps from Thera Pearl; lace bandeau bras from Brami’s by Kelley; what is called "a freeing gift for females" from Commados; and scarves from Heavenly Treasures, a non-profit organization that aims to equip and assist people in developing countries to break the cycle of poverty, all in a reusable Lululemon Athletica carry all.

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

MICHAEL JACKSON'S ESTATE has made more than $1 billion since his death a year ago, according to estimates by Billboard. The music trade publication also reported that Jackson's biggest hit was his duet with Paul McCartney, Say, Say, Say.

RED has recouped its $2.25 million production costs as of the week ending June 20. The Donmar Warehouse production, the biggest Tony Award-winner of the 2009-2010 season, ends its strictly limited engagement on June 27, 2010 at the Golden Theatre, NYC having played 101 performances and 22 previews.

IN THE COURTS

JOAN RIVERS is being sued for $2.2 million in Manhattan federal court by her former personal manager Billy Sammeth, who charges that the comic failed to pay commissions and defamed him by calling him a "missing manager."

Sammeth is represented by attorney Susan Chana Lask. Rivers called the suit baseless.

MICHAEL JACKSON'S ESTATE is being suited by Tony Award-winning Broadway producer James Nederlander Jr., President of the Nederlander Organization, over song rights for a potential Broadway musical, according to the New York Times.

In 2009 the Nederlander Organization announced the negotiation of a rights deal to produce a stage musical based on Jackson's iconic song and video Thriller, which would feature songs from the Thriller and Off the Wall albums. Jackson was to have been involved in the creation of that musical.

Nederlander's civil suit seeks to uphold the 2008 contract in which Jackson allowed for the use of his songs, but also granted him approval authority. The 2008 contract between the Nederlanders and Jackson granted the producers the rights to develop project through October 2011 with an option to extend through 2013.

The Nederlander Organization declined the opportunity to comment to the Times. A lawyer for Jackson estate executors John Branca and John McClain said in a statement that the contract may not be enforceable following Jackson's untimely death in 2009.

The suit also seeks an injunction that would ensure that the executors could not license the songs for use in another musical, which could have ramifications for the deal the Jackson estate announced with Cirque du Soleil to create two shows featuring Jackson's music.

MICHAEL JACKSON'S FATHER Joe Jackson on Friday filed a wrongful death lawsuit against Dr, Conrad Murray - the doctor charged with giving the pop superstar a lethal dose of sedatives.

The complaint accuses Murray of professional negligence for providing the singer with a mix of sedatives - including the anesthetic propofol - that authorities say killed him; contends the physician tried to conceal his administration of the drug after Jackson's death; names medical clinics that Murray operates in Las Vegas, Nev., and Houston, claiming they did not properly train or supervise the doctor; states Murray failed to keep adequate medical records and charges that Murray used his clinics in Nevada and Texas to obtain drugs that were then given to Michael Jackson.

The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Los Angeles because Murray's clinics are in other states and the doctor lives in Nevada.

Murray has denied all charges.

The complaint permits additional defendants to be added.







NATIONAL RECORDING REGISTRY has announced 25 recordings the Library of Congress is preserving for their cultural significance.

Under the terms of the National Recording Preservation Act of 2000, the Librarian, with advice from the Library's National Recording Preservation Board (NRPB), is tasked with selecting 25 recordings that are "culturally, historically, or aesthetically significant" and are at least 10 years old. The selections for the 2009 registry bring the total number of recordings to 300.

The list of recordings named to the registry features a diverse selection of spoken word and musical recordings that span the years 1913-1995. They cover a wide range of sounds and music, attesting to the vast imagination and creativity flowing through the cultural stream of the nation's aural heritage. Selections cross musical types ranging from klezmer to blues, pop and rap, but also include comedy, radio broadcasts, field recordings, Broadway cast recordings and lab experiments.

Among the selections are the original Broadway cast recording of Gypsy, hip-hop icon Tupac Shakur, who paid homage to mothers struggling to survive in Dear Mama; Loretta Lynn's biographical hit, Coal Miner's Daughter; Bill Cosby's second album, I Started Out As a Child, of short vignettes drawn mainly from his childhood; the 1923 recording, Canal Street Blues, by King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band that epitomizes the New Orleans sound; the last sessions by the 1961 lineup of the Bill Evans Trio and possibly the greatest live recordings in the history of jazz; and the Marine Corps Combat Field Recording Collection of the second battle of Guam, which vividly documents rare battle sounds and personal accounts by troops before, during and after the battle.

Additions to the registry also feature notable performances by Little Richard, Willie Nelson, The Band, The Staple Singers, Eddie Palmieri, Ethel Merman and Patti Smith.

As part of its congressional mandate, the Library is identifying and preserving the best existing versions of the recordings on the registry. These recordings will be housed in the Packard Campus for Audio Visual Conservation in Culpeper, Va., a state-of-the-art facility. The Library's Motion Picture, Broadcasting and Recorded Sound Division's collections include more than 6 million items, including nearly 3 million sound recordings.

Founded in 1800, the Library of Congress is the nation's oldest federal cultural institution.

2009 National Recording Registry

1. Fon der Choope (From the Wedding), Abe Elenkrig's Yidishe Orchestra (1913)
2. Canal Street Blues, King Oliver's Creole Jazz Band (1923)
3. Tristan und Isolde, Metropolitan Opera, featuring Kirsten Flagstad and Lauritz Melchior, NBC Broadcast of March 9, 1935
4. When You Wish Upon a Star, Cliff Edwards (recorded, 1938; released, 1940)
5. America's Town Meeting of the Air: Should Our Ships Convoy Materials to England? (May 8, 1941)
6. The Library of Congress Marine Corps Combat Field Recording Collection, Second Battle of Guam (July 20 - August 11, 1944)
7. Evangeline Special and Love Bridge Waltz, Iry LeJeune (1948)
8. The Little Engine That Could, narrated by Paul Wing (1949)
9. Leon Metcalf Collection of recordings of the First People of Western Washington State (1950-1954)
10. Tutti Frutti, Little Richard (1955)
11. Smokestack Lightning, Howlin' Wolf (1956)
12. Gypsy, original cast recording (1959)
13. The Complete Village Vanguard Recordings, Bill Evans Trio (June 25, 1961)
14. Daisy Bell (Bicycle Built for Two), Max Mathews (1961)
15. I Started Out As a Child, Bill Cosby (1964)
16. Azucar Pa Ti, Eddie Palmieri (1965)
17. Today!, Mississippi John Hurt (1966)
18. Silver Apples of the Moon, Morton Subotnick (1967)
19. Soul Folk in Action, The Staple Singers (1968)
20. The Band, The Band (1969)
21. Coal Miner's Daughter, Loretta Lynn (1970)
22. Red Headed Stranger, Willie Nelson (1975)
23. Horses, Patti Smith (1975)
24. Radio Free Europe R.E.M. (1981)
25. Dear Mama, Tupac Shakur (1995)

In announcing the registry, Librarian of Congress James Billington said the list "showcases the diverse beauty, humanity and artistry found in the American soundscape."

LEONARD SLATKIN director of the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, has accepted the additional position of music director of the Orchestre National de Lyon, France.

Effective with the 2011-12 season, Slatkin will lead 12 weeks of concerts with the French orchestra. He is committed to 16 weeks each year with the DSO. In addition, he holds the title of principal guest conductor of the Pittsburgh Symphony, a three-week annual commitment.

MICHAEL FEINSTEIN the Grammy Award-winning entertainer is about to assume his duties as the artistic director of the new Center for the Performing Arts in Carmel, IN. The appointment was originally announced last September. According to Inside Indiana Business which broke the story September 28, 2009, Feinstein "has signed a contract to receive $100,000 in his first year and $400,000 the second year. Feinstein announced last year that he was relocating his foundation and music collection to the RPAC in 2010."

According to the September's press release from the Carmel Performing Arts Foundation Inc., "The Regional Performing Arts Center, which is currently under construction in The Carmel City Center, will include a 1,600-seat concert hall and 500-seat theater. Set for completion in the fall of 2010, no other concert hall of its caliber exists in the area. The Center is being built to serve as a permanent fixture on the Central Indiana landscape and will provide an extraordinary listening experience for audiences. The concert hall will also be home to Michael Feinstein’s Great American Songbook Collection, acting as a museum and education center by day and a concert venue by night."

CHOREOGRAPHER AND DIRECTOR MARTHA CLARKE has won the $50,000 Scripps/American Dance Festival award - the largest yearly prize given to a modern dance choreographer. Clarke, 66, is famous for intertwining music, dance, visual art and texts. The festival on July 5 is presenting the premiere of her work Angel Reapers, which is based on the life of Ann Lee, the founder of the Shaker movement.

The Samuel H. Scripps American Dance Festival Award for Lifetime Achievement honors choreographers who have made a significant lifetime contribution to the field of modern dance. The recipients are selected each year by a specially appointed panel and receive $50,000 (increased in 2008 from $35,000).

MICHAEL JACKSON was honored with a permanent memorial at the Lyric Theatre in London's West End.

The unveiling took place June 24, and was made by the cast of Thriller Live, the Jackson tribute concert currently playing at the Lyric, and by Diversity, the British dance group who had been set to perform with Jackson in his This Is It concert tour before his untimely death on June 25, 2009.

The memorial consists of a commemorative plaque in the Lyric's foyer. It marks both the one-year anniversary of Jackson's passing and 18 months of Thriller Live performances at the theatre.

TONY BENNETT

Tony Bennett

will receive a prestigious Silver Clef award for lifetime achievement in recognition of more than 60 years as a recording artist in which he has released more than 100 albums. The 83-year-old crooner said it was "fantastic" to be recognized at the event, held in aid of music therapy charity Nordoff Robbins.

Sharon Osbourne will host this year's awards, to be held on July 2 at London's Hilton hotel. The veteran performer will receive his award after playing two shows at London's Royal Albert Hall on June 30 and July 1.

"It is with great joy that I look forward to being back in the UK," he said in a statement.

Rod Stewart and Sir Cliff Richard are among the previous recipients of the lifetime award, as are U2, Oasis, Take That, and Coldplay.

"I feel I've joined a very special club," Bennett said of his honor.

Rock band Muse, boy band JLS and pop trio Scouting for Girls will also receive prizes at the event, as will tenor Russell Watson and rapper Dizzee Rascal.



HIGH

Kathleen Turner

by Matthew Lombardo. A world premiere directed by Rob Ruggiero, senior artistic associate of Hartford’s TheaterWorks.

Tony Award nominated Michael Berresse and Evan Jonigkeit are cast in the play about a recovering alcoholic nun and a teenage addict she tries to help, The production stars Kathleen Turner.

In High, when Sister Jamison Connelly, played by Kathleen Turner, agrees to sponsor a 19 year-old drug-user to help him combat his addiction, her own faith is ultimately tested. Struggling between the knowledge she possesses as a rehabilitation counselor and her own moral convictions, she faces the challenge of helping others find courage to change. High explores the universal themes of truth, forgiveness, redemption and human fallibility.

July 2-August 15 at TheaterWorks at City Arts on Pearl in downtown Hartford, CT.

The production will then play Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park September 4 to October 2 and then the Repertory Theatre of St. Louis.

THE PRISONER OF SECOND AVENUE by Tony and Pulitzer prize winning writer Neil Simon. Directed by Terry Johnson.

Starring Jeff Goldblum.

A bittersweet, comic masterpiece about a man at the breaking point. Mel Edison (Jeff Goldblum) can't sleep. In the heat of a New York City summer his air-conditioning has broken, his neighbors won't shut-up, his job is hanging by a thread and there are a gang of burglars on the prowl. As things go from bad to worse, Mel heads for a meltdown and his loyal wife Edna (Mercedes Ruehl) is left to pick up the pieces.

Designed by Rob Howell. Lighting by Neil Austin. Sound by Gareth Fry.

June 30, 2010 - September 11, 2010 at the Vaudeville Theatre in London.

A PARALLELOGRAM by Bruce Norris. Directed by Steppenwolf ensemble member and Tony Award winner Anna D, Shapiro.

Featuring ensemble members Kate Arrington and Tom Irwin with Tim Bickel and Marylouise Burke.

Bee is a young woman who believes she has the uncanny ability to see the future, and maybe even alter it. With the click of a television remote, we loop through time in this dark, funny world premiere about a woman bent on reinventing her own destiny - and possibly the world.

Scenic Design by Todd Rosenthal. Costume Design by Mara Blumefeld. Lighting Design by James F. Ingalls. Sound Design by Michael Bodeen and Rob Milburn. Stage Manager is Laura D. Glenn assisted by Christine D. Freeburg.

Thursday, July 1, 2010 - Sunday, August 29, 2010 in the Downstairs Theatre of Steppenwolf, Chicago.

AMERICA NIGHT: THE BALLAD OF JUAN JOSE directed by Jo Bonney.

As Juan José studies for his citizenship exam, his obsession to pass takes him on a fantastical odyssey. On a zig-zag journey through U.S. history, Juan discovers America’s best in a handful of unsung citizens who made courageous choices in some of the country’s toughest times. L.A.’s legendary Culture Clash partners with company actors in a cutting, comic mix of past and present, stereotype and truth that will transports the audience into a deeper vision of our shared story.

American Night premieres OSF’s highly anticipated U.S. history cycle, American Revolutions.

Starring Rene Millan as Juan Jose. With Richard Montoya, Herbert Siguenza, David Kelly, Rodney Gardiner, Daisuke Tsuji, Stephanie Beatriz, Kate Mulligan, and Kimberly Scott.

Scenic Designer is Neil Patel. Costume Designer is Emilio Sosa. Lighting Design by David Weiner. Music/Sound by Darron L. West. Ken Roht serves as Choreographer.

June 29-October 31 at the New Theatre of the Oregon Shakespeare Festival in Ashland, Oregon.

MASTER CLASS Terrence McNally's Tony Award-winning Best Play about opera diva Maria Callas. Heidi Helen Davis directs.

Ellen Geer will star as internationally renowned opera diva Maria Callas. Also in the cast are Andreas Beckett, Meaghan Boeing, Bill Durham, Cody T. Gillette, Alice Sherman, Rachae Amber Thomas and Elizabeth Tobias.

Delving into the life and work of Callas, one of the 20th century's greatest talents, Master Class is a complex exploration of the relationship of an artist to her art.

"What strikes me about Master Class, apart from how funny it is, is that it demonstrates the sacrifices one must make in order to create real art," says Davis. "Maria was so focused, her work ethic was so strong, that it verged on exultation. For her, the only way out of the pain and difficult circumstances of her life was this extreme, almost religious dedication to her work."

Soprano Maria Callas had a legendary voice and an equally legendary life as one of the world's most celebrated (and gossiped-about) opera stars. In 1971, Callas taught a series of master classes at Juilliard. Outspoken in her artistic beliefs and uncompromising in the musical understanding she sought to communicate to 25 fortunate students, Callas worked through her legendary arias from Mozart, Verdi, Rossini, Puccini, and others. Today, her celebrated master classes remain an important part of her legacy. McNally's play finds Callas near the end of her career, her voice almost gone, as she instructs a group of young singers aspiring to the heights of fame and fortune with wicked humor, unrelenting criticism and deeply personal stories.

Performances July 3 through September 25 at the outdoor amphitheater of The Will Geer Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga, CA.

A BLIZZARD IN MARBLEHEAD NECK AND LATER THE SAME EVENING a double bill. A Blizzard in Marbleneck is a Glimmerglass-commissioned work by award-winning composer Jeanine Tesori and librettist Tony Kushner. That will be paired with the professional premiere of John Musto and Mark Campbell's Later the Same Evening, an opera based on the paintings of Edward Hopper.

Marbleheadneck is a small community outside Marblehead which is perhaps best known for being the secondary base for NBC Universal - after New York City. NBC uses this town as its base if power in New York is not available. The North American blizzard of 2005 was a three-day storm that affected large areas of the northern United States. Marblehead Neck received 26 inches of snow on January 26, 2005.

Later the Same Evening was inspired by five Edward Hopper paintings: Room in New York, Hotel Window, Hotel Room, Two on the Aisle and Automat. The opera imagines the lives of the figures in these paintings and connects them as characters - both directly and tangentially - on one evening in New York City in 1932.

A young married couple in their apartment avoids the encroaching estrangement in their marriage - she by playing the piano, he by reading the newspaper - before she angrily leaves to see a Broadway musical without him. At the same time in a hotel lobby, a recently widowed older woman nervously awaits her date who will be taking her to a Broadway musical. And in a hotel room, a young woman composes a letter to her boyfriend telling him that she is leaving New York and returning to Indianapolis after a failed career as a dancer. All three women see their changing lives through a window.

The Glimmerglass season runs July 2-Aug. 23, 2011, Cooperstown, NY.

WICKED the San Francisco mounting at the Orpheum Theatre welcomes Marcie Dodd who will assume the role of Elphaba and Alli Mauzey who takes on the role of Glinda beginning with the June 29 performance. They are replacing departing actresses Eden Espinosa and Kendra Kasselbaum, respectively.

PORTLAND'S MUSICAL THEATRE SERIES is honoring Tony Award-winning composer Jason Robert Brown by presenting an in-depth summer-long celebration of Brown’s work. Beginning with the first show he wrote, Songs for a New World. co-produced with Miracle Theatre, is a pop/rock song cycle featuring two men and two women who play myriad characters without a traditional linear plot. Staged! presents this musical acoustically, with only a piano for accompaniment.

Tonight, Brown performs a solo concert followed by a talkback session with the audience. This is Brown’s first trip to the Pacific Northwest.

On July 2, Staged! presents a late-night benefit performance of the off-Broadway hit The Last Five Years, starring Isaac Lamb and Courtney Freed to raise money for the company’s education and outreach program.

In July and August the company will offer a twist on its popular summer camp for youth; two separate workshops using Brown’s musicals as jumping-off points for in-depth study. Youths aged 10-14 will study Brown’s latest Broadway productions, 13, while students aged 15-19 will focus on Parade, with its hard-hitting themes of racism and corruption. The workshop director is Paul Angelo.

NATIONAL MUSIC THEATER CONFERENCE at the Eugene O'Neill Theater Center in Waterford, Connecticut opened last night with Buddy's Tavern directed by Warren Carlyle. With performances at the Rose Barn Theater through July 2, Buddy's Taver features music by Kim Oler, lyrics by Alison Hubbard, and a book by Raymond De Felitta. The cast includes Allison Briner, Darius de Haas, Jordan Gelber, Michaela Koerner, Jodie Langel, William Parry, Steve Routman, and Lindsey Van Winkle.

Based upon the film Two Family House, set in the 1950’s, Buddy’s Tavern tells the story of an Italian-American factory worker on Staten Island, and his quest to run his own business - a bar where he can sing his heart out to his customers. Family pressures, race relations, unexpected love, and the struggle to achieve one’s dreams, come alive in this new romantic comedy.

Angel Desai, Jerry Dixon, Celisse Henderson, Janine LaMana, Matthew Scott, and Bob Stillman will star in Eden (July 10-16), with music by Mel Marvin and book and lyrics by Jonathan Levi. Directed by Stuart Ross.

The National Music Theater Conference was established in 1978. Since then, more than one hundred works have been developed.

KATHRYN CROSBY brings her one-woman show My Life With Bing to Cabaret at the Castle in Hollywood Musical Director Edward Sayegh is at the piano.

In addition to numerous hit songs and stories, the show includes a multi-media presentation with film clips that follow the lives of Kathryn and Bing from their Las Vegas wedding as well as footage of Bing and Bob Hope on the golf course, and home movies of Bing welcoming his first daughter Mary.

The show contains a celebration of Holiday music, which will of course include Bing's most famous hit White Christmas. June 28-29 Cabaret at the Castle in Hollywood.

EDWARD SCISSORHANDS: THE STAGE ADAPTATION a proposed play version of Tim Burton's 1990 gothic film fantasy about a Frankenstein-style outsider with dangerous digits, is being tested by The Brooklyn Studio Lab through July 3 at the Bayard Studio Theatre Brooklyn.

The production is being helmed by U.K. stage director Richard Crawford.

It's billed as "a story about a man who was created by a mad inventor in a castle overlooking the perfect Rockwellian suburban hamlet. Unfortunately, Edward's creator dies before he is able to finish what he set out to accomplish. Edward is left alone, isolated from the outside world with blades for fingers. Eventually Edward meets a door-to-door make-up saleswoman, who decides to take him home to live with her family in the town below." The production is exclusively using non union actors and fresh and up and coming artists from around the world, including London and Tokyo, as well as New York. They include: Serge Valez as Edward, Alex Kushi as Edward understudy, Kym Tuttle as Peg Boggs, Jerry Gorainick as Bill Boggs, Zoe Rosario as Kim Boggs, Sofia Szamosi as understudy Kim, Stephen Langton as Kevin Boggs, Sally Golan as Joyce Munroe, Lydia Andrien as Esmerelda, Giliuo Gallarotti as Jim, Miles Engel as TV Host, Kristin Brancaccio as Julia, Wendy Brancaccio as Marge, Isabelle Sitterle as Hellen, Micah Kaneko as Inventor and understudy Andrew Dehart.

The creative team includes Tom Taylor and Kelly Armendariz (set design and art direction), Parkar Millar (assistant director), Richard Peete and Corey Brown (film/props), Axel Stasny and Hillary Spoul (stage managers), Fiona Tyson (makeup), Sobe Knight (photography), Michael Simons (artist) and Yana Galbshtein (costumes).

The Brooklyn Studio Lab does not charge for the performance, just a suggested donation to cover the cost of production.

WHO'S WHERE

JOY BEHAR returns to Bay Street Theatre in Sag Harbor, NY to keep the Long Wharf crowd laughing over 4th of July Weekend. The Emmy Award-winner will be telling funny stories on July 3. If you don't already have your tickets, shame on you - her show is sold out.

BRAD GARRETT officially opens his new comedy club at the Tropicana Hotel in Las Vegas on June 28. Garrett takes to the stage as the opening headliner, appearing through July 4.

JAMES TAYLOR AND CAROLE KING return to Tanglewood for two spectacular evenings as part of their 2010 World Tour, featuring a band of legendary musicians July 3-4. Fireworks to follow the July 4 concert. Proceeds from the July 4 concert to benefit Tanglewood. In The Shed, Lenox, MA.

MICHAEL BUBLE performs Tuesday, June 29, at the Conseco Fieldhouse in Indianapolis. On Wednesday he's in the spotlight at the Nationwide Arena in Columbus, OH. On Friday he stars a two night gig at the Mohegan Sun Arena in Uncasville, CT.

RICHARD MALAVET The Billy Eckstein Project, Songs In The Key of B. Arranged and conducted by Norman Simmons. Performances July 1st. July 8th, which would have been Mr. B's 96th Birthday and July 10th. Metropolitan Room, NYC.

WEDNESDAY NIGHT AT THE IGUANA hosted by MAC Award winners Dana Lorge and Richard Skipper. Barry Levitt on keyboard & Saadi Zain on bass. Wednesday's guests include Hector Coris, Elli Fordyce, Barbara Gurskey, Fran Leonardis and Frank Torren. June 30 at the Iguana VIP Lounge in NYC.

JUSTIN BIEBER on stage at the Target Center in Minneapolis on Tuesday, June 29. On Wednesday the show is at the Wells Fargo Arena in Des Moines, IA. Friday he'll be delighting his fans at the Wireless Center in Moline, IL. On Saturday the tour stops at the Qwest Center in Omaha.

LADY GAGA entertains Monday, June 28, at the Bell Centre in Montreal, Canada. On Thursday a two night gig begins at the TD Garden in Boston. On Sunday the talented performer will be bringing the outrageous costumes to the Boardwalk Hall in Atlantic City, NJ.

STING opens a two nighter Monday, June 28 at the Chastain Park Amphitheatre in Atlanta, GA. On Friday he performs at the Cruzan Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, FL. Saturday finds him at the Ford Amphitheatre in Tampa, FL.

FOREIGNER appearing at Bank of the West Celebrates America in Memorial Park in Omaha on Friday, July 2. On Saturday they appear with Styx at the Black Oak Mountain Amphitheater in Lampe, MO.

BOSTON POPS CONCERT Keith Lockhart, conductor. A tribute to the legacies of Arthur Fiedler, John Williams, and Keith Lockhart, in celebration of the 125th Anniversary of the Boston Pops Friday, July 2, in The Shed at Tanglewood. Lenox, MA.

ADAM LAMBERT American Idol runner up sings original music and classics at the Fillmore in Charlotte, NC on Friday, July 2. On Saturday the show is at the House of Blues in North Myrtle Beach, SC.

BRET MICHAELS AND LYNYRD SKYNYRD on stage Thursday, July 1, at the Comcast Center in Mansfield, MA. On Friday the show is at the Bank Arts Center in Holmdel, NH. Saturday's show is at the PAC in Darien Center, NY.

SALLY KELLERMAN will present Blues & Jazz! at Upstairs At Vitello's Jazz & Supper Club in Studio City, CA on Wednesday, June 30. She will be accompanied by pianist/music director, Andy Langham.

Next Column: July 4, 2010
Copyright: June 27, 2010. 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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