Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: March 20, 2022
By: Laura Deni
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SANDSTORM AIMS TO ELEVATE THE GLOBAL COMIC BOOK MARKET

The global comic book market is projected to grow from USD 9.21 billion in 2021 to USD 12.81 billion in 2028 at a CAGR of 4.8% during the 2021-2028 period, according to Market Watch. The growing popularity of comic-based films, television series, and videogames has helped to raise awareness of comic book characters beyond the 300,000 or so customers who visit their local comic shop.

The comic books market is mostly driven by people's leisure reading and growing interest in graphic novels. They are available in a wide range of genres, including action, drama, science, history, spirituality, and more. Moderately fragmented, with established studios and brands holding the majority of the market share.

Abu Dhabi in UAE intends to become a major player by launching Sandstorm, a new studio for comic books, in response to the needs of the UAE creative community and part of the emirate’s AED30 billion Culture and Creative Industries (CCI) strategy.

Sandstorm, the UAE’s first dedicated comic book studio, will provide an inclusive support system to offer guidance and professional development to comic book creators, a statement said, emphasizing that the studio will bring authentic local stories to the world through international partnerships.

Situated at Yas Creative Hub, Sandstorm will form a key component of the emirate’s collaborative 10-year CCI Strategy.

Aspiring creators can submit their pitches for comic books or graphic novels spanning any genre, theme or style.

Sandstorm will select the most promising ideas to turn them into a world-class comic book that has the potential to be internationally published.

The program will connect the authors to publishers and mentors from world-famous studios, who will help to coach individuals to help create high-quality final products.

Mohamed Khalifa Al Mubarak, chairman of the Department of Culture and Tourism – Abu Dhabi, said: “Abu Dhabi is making bold strides in accelerating the growth of its culture and creative industries, empowering people to follow their passion and share their creative vision with the world.

“The capital is keen to grow this highly strategic sector by creating more opportunities that enable local talent to build a sustainable career in the creative fields.

“This pioneering initiative will not only further solidify Abu Dhabi’s rapidly progressing CCI scene, but will also provide society with a powerful platform to express and share their ambitions, dreams and thoughts,” he added.

Mo Abedin, an Emirati comic book author and an industry leader, has been appointed to lead Sandstorm.

He said: “With Sandstorm’s inclusive ecosystem and the local and regional community’s potential, the future of Abu Dhabi’s comics industry is truly promising. We cannot wait to show the world what our creative community is capable of.”

International industry veterans Matt Hawkins and Kuo-yu Liang have also been hired as content advisors for Sandstorm.

Hawkins has a long-standing experience of over 20 years in the comic books sector, having created and written over 30 new franchises for Top Cow and Image Comics, including Think Tank; The Tithe; Necromancer; VICE; Lady Pendragon and Aphrodite IX while Liang is a global pop culture advisor who has held executive roles at Penguin Random House, Diamond Comic Distributors and ReedPOP.

Sandstorm was prominently featured at the Middle East Film & Comic Con which took place March 4=6. Visits were able to learn more about Sandstorm and have the opportunity to meet internationally renowned comic book artists and experts, including Matt Hawkins.

Inaugurated in 2017, the comic book convention was organized by local company Time Entertainment; it was held over three days in February 2017 in Jeddah. Unusual for an event sponsored by the government's General Entertainment Authority, under the aegis of the Saudi Vision 2030 program to diversify the economy the genders were allowed to mingle and cosplay (albeit crossplaying is prohibited), which is unheard of in a nation where segregation of the sexes is pivotal.

A hashtag denoting it as a "devil-worshipping" festival became popular on Twitter, however, and there were calls for a boycott. Nonetheless the convention was popular, and included both national and international talent: Charles Dance and Julian Glover from Game of Thrones, Giancarlo Esposito from Breaking Bad, Mads Mikkelsen from Doctor Strange, and assorted Saudi producers and actors, including cast members from the upcoming Saudi superhero show Mas'hour (meaning "Bewitched" in Arabic) appeared on panels.

20,000 people attended the inaugural convention, and the event was noted both for being a recognition of the importance of anime and pop culture in Saudi Arabia, and for giving a platform to local artists and the national entertainment industry in the global economy.

The world of comic books and graphic novels has long been a staple of arts scenes across North America, Japan and parts of Europe, yet its prominence in, impact upon, and reflection of Arab cultures has tended to be more limited.

Dubai’s Jameel Arts Centre threw light on this creative scene, however, with the the January 2021 Library Circles program, which showcased comics and graphic novels from librarian David Hirsch’s collection.

No ordinary librarian Polyglot bibliographer David Hirsch is the current advisor for the Mohammad bin Rashid Library in Al Jaddaf, Dubai. Hirsch was previously a Special Coordinator at UAE University’s Zayed Central Library and a Chief Librarian and then Libraries Advisor at the Abu Dhabi National Library from 2009-2011. Hirsch also served as the Librarian for Middle Eastern, Central Asian, South Asian and Islamic Studies at the University of California-Los Angeles (UCLA) from 1989 to 2008.

Philadelphia-born Hirsch’s linguistic abilities (he can both present in and translate Turkish, Arabic, Hebrew, Spanish, French and Italian, not to mention get by in Polish, Armenian, Persian, Indonesian and Uzbek) and broad portfolio lend themselves to unusual quests for materials. He has traveled throughout six of the world’s seven continents in search of books, manuscripts, reports, documents and daily ephemera such as posters, flyers, comic books, self-published magazines and even textbooks in multiple languages.

The centerpiece of one trip was a visit to the city of Lalish itself, the location of the most holy temple in the Yezidi faith: the tomb of Sêx Adî. (Also the home of the Center for Yazidi Studies, which provided Hirsch with the journal copies, as well as other materials). “If you go to Lalish, you have to take your shoes off in the whole town, not just inside the temple,” recounts Hirsch. “So you walk around either in your socks or barefoot throughout the city.”

His book Pulp Empire uncovers the gripping untold story of how the US government both attacked and appropriated comic books to help wage World War II .

This iteration of Jameel Art Centre’s Library Circles presented a display of David Hirsch’s acquisitions across his 34 years as a librarian and an avid collector, mapping out comic book, graphic novel and manga practices across the Arab world from 1956 to the present day.

The display featured 38 titles published in the following countries: United Arab Emirates, Oman, Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Iraq, Turkey, Lebanon, Egypt, Sudan, Libya, Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, France and the United States of America.

Featured publications included Majid; Ajaaj Gold Ring Wayl Diary of Bu Nasser’s Family; Corniche; Hijab Girl; The 99; Grendizer; Samandal; The Locust Effect; LAB619; and Art Kanoon among others.

"In terms of graphic novels, the Middle East is not nearly as developed as many other places in the world,” Hirsch told Arab News.

"That was one of the things that made it interesting. It was a challenge to put together the collection: these graphic novels are quite ephemeral and fugitive. I describe them that way because they are difficult to find, and are not published by mainstream publishers. However, Kalimat publishing in Sharjah has started producing their own, and I am thankful to them for trying to bring Arabic comics into the mainstream.

"Algeria publishes a lot more titles. I think they publish more than any other Arab country, but most are in French. There’s very little in Arabic published in Algeria.

"After that, Lebanon is doing quite well. They have comic-book awards and festivals, and teach it as a university subject at AUB, which I believe is an essential step towards giving prominence to Arabic comics. There are examples from Lebanon in the exhibition. Other festivals such as Comic Con in Dubai and Manga Con in Saudi Arabia have also given additional prominence.

"Comics in the Arab world are reflections of different socio-political issues," Hirsch told the press. "For example, Hijab Girl explored how female empowerment issues are discussed. Many of the titles were published by government entities, or with government support, and you can read how they encourage a specific sense of national pride."

"Kuwait’s The 99 also serves as a vital window to the Arab world. It was a good way of attracting youth in terms of them understanding religion and making it more accessible. It’s also unique in that it is available in different languages, and the comics even inspired a theme park."

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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

FASHIONING MASCULINITIES: THE ART OF MENSWEAR

Nude 1, by Anthony Patrick Manieri, April 2016, London, England. © Anthony Patrick Manieri

is the first major V&A exhibition to celebrate the power, artistry and diversity of masculine attire and appearance. Contemporary looks by legendary designers and rising stars are displayed alongside historical treasures from the V&A's collections and landmark loans: classical sculptures, Renaissance paintings, iconic photographs, and powerful film and performance.

The exhibition showcases the variety of possible masculinities across the centuries from the Renaissance to the global contemporary: from looks by Gucci, Harris Reed, Grace Wales Bonner and Raf Simons, to paintings by Sofonisba Anguissola and Joshua Reynolds, contemporary artworks by David Hockney and Omar Victor Diop, to an extract from an all-male dance performance by Matthew Bourne's New Adventures. celebrating the power, artistry and diversity of masculine attire and appearance, this exciting new show explores how designers, tailors and artists – and their clients and sitters – have constructed and performed masculinity and unpicked it at the seams.

The exhibition presents around 100 looks alongside 100 artworks, displayed thematically across three galleries, Undressed, Overdressed, and Redressed.

Undressed explores the male body and underwear, looking at how classical European ideals of masculinity have been perpetuated and challenged over the centuries. Plaster casts of the Apollo Belvedere and the Farnese Hermes – which highlight a tradition of depicting idealized male bodies draped in textiles that reveal more than they conceal – will be juxtaposed with fashion by Jean-Paul Gaultier and A-Cold-Wall, and prints and photography by Lionel Wendt, Zanele Muholi and Isaac Julien.

The second gallery, Overdressed, explores the elite masculine wardrobe, epitomized by oversized silhouettes, lavish materials like silks and velvet in daring colors, and symbolic patterns to express status, wealth and individuality. On display are armoured breastplates, silky smoking suits, makeup and shaving equipment, sweeping capes, ribbons and lace, including Grinling Gibbons' wooden carving imitating a Venetian needlepoint lace cravat. Through the lens of contemporary fashion designers including Rahemur Rahman and Kim Jones, Overdressed will show how historic ideas begin to shift, with a full rainbow of masculine outfits on display.

Left: Robert Longo, Men in the Cities, 1981, graphite on paper. Collection Thaddaeus Ropac, London · Paris · Salzburg · Seoul. © Robert Longo / ARS New York, 2021. Photo: Ulrich Ghezzi. Right: Sam Smith photographed by Alasdair McLellan, Sam wears cotton poplin tie-neck shirt by Hermes. Black wool oversized blazer and navy wool pinstripe trousers by Random Identities.

The third gallery, Redressed, opens with a reflection on English country tailoring and the origins of the suit – with historic garments from the V&A collection shown alongside contemporary reimaginings, including a kilt by Nicholas Daley – before exploring how military attire influenced civilian dress.

Redressed also includespaintings as well as extensive photography showing changing styles and attitudes, from Oscar Wilde, Claude Cahun and Cecil Beaton to The Beatles and Sam Smith. Robert Longo's 1981 drawing from the series Men in the Cities introduces the final part of the section about the dissolving of the suit, and how a new wave of fashion designers from Rick Owens to JW Anderson to Comme des Garçons to Lesiba Mabitsela are slashing away at conventions, both for menswear, and masculinity.

Outfits worn by familiar faces are interspersed throughout, from Harry Styles and Billy Porter to David Bowie and Marlene Dietrich. Innovative creations and diverse representations highlight and celebrate the multiplicities of masculine sartorial self-expression, dressing beyond the binary.

On display at the V&A Museum in London until Sunday, November 6, 2022.

ALICE NEEL: PEOPLE COME FIRST has opened at the de Young in San Francisco.

Fresh from its debut at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, Alice Neel: People Come First makes its West Coast premiere at the de Young. For over 60 years, the artist Alice Neel depicted the beauty of everyday people such as children, immigrants, pregnant women, and activists—those who were often sidelined in the art canon. This ambitious retrospective, which features more than 100 paintings, drawings, watercolors, and film, positions Neel as one of the 20th century’s most radical painters.

QUEEN ELIZABETH has joined the cultural boycott of Russia by withholding three 17th century swords which were going to be lent to Moscow Kremlin Museums for an exhibition focused on dueling. However, permission was withdrawn as Russia's troops gathered on Ukraine's borders prior to its unprovoked invasion of the country. " The museum announced the exhibition, which was due to open on March 4, had been postponed indefinitely. "The core of the project consists of exhibits from European museums, which were forced to withdraw them before the time due to the geopolitical situation," it said in a statement on its website.

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SWEET CHARITY

MUSICARES has announced that Grammy Award-winning artists Sara Bareilles, Beck, Leon Bridges, Brandi Carlile, Lauren Daigle, Herbie Hancock, Chaka Khan, Angélique Kidjo, Cyndi Lauper, Pentatonix, Billy Porter, Stephen Stills, and St. Vincent and Grammy Award nominees Jon Batiste, Black Pumas, Mickey Guyton, and Allison Russell will be performing. The evening will also feature a remote performance from Grammy Award-winning artist Graham Nash. Jon Batiste and Brandi Carlile, each nominated for multiple Grammy awards this year. will also serve as Artistic Directors for the night, a first for Person of the Year.

The evening will include a reception, silent auction, folloed by a dinner and tribute concert honoring Joni Mitchell's impact on the music industry and the inspiration she hasprovided to artists over the years.

MusiCares Benefit honoring Joni Mitchell takes place April 1, 2022 at the MGM Grand Conference Center in Las Vegas.

ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATION is thrilled to announce their return to West Hollywood on Sunday, March 27, for their Annual Academy Awards Viewing Party, with a special performance by Grammy Award-winning artist Brandi Carlile.

This year’s iconic party marks the 30th anniversary of the Elton John AIDS Foundation, the organization's largest annual fundraiser. The proceeds from this event will directly support their partners and their work challenging discrimination, preventing new cases of HIV, and providing treatment with love and compassion.

PRINCE HARRY will travel to The Hague in the Netherlands Holland for the Invictus Games, an event which he co-founded in 2014 and serves as founding patron.

The gmes begin April 16. Harry is mourning the death of Serhil Karaivan, a former Trialist for the Invictus Games and Warrior Games for Team Ukraine. Karaivan was killed March 13, 2022 in the combat between Russian and Ukraine.

The Invictus Games, an international sporting event that caters specifically to Servicemen and women who have been injured or have an illness.

Prince Harry is filming a behind-the-scenes documentary about the Invictus Games as part of a multi-million-dollar deal with Netflix. The Duke of Sussex will appear on camera and be credited as an executive producer on the series. The documentary will be produced by Archewell Productions.

He has also released a video promoting the games in which he appeared in an orange outfit, a nod to the tradition of all Dutch national sports teams wearing orange as a symbol of unity and national pride. In the video Harry is seen practicing his Dutch and telling the athletes, "See you soon in The Hague."

SPREADING THE WORD

THE INAUGURAL BULL CITY SUMMIT (BCS) a new 4-day showcase festival and business conference in downtown Durham celebrating innovation in Music, Art, Science, and Technology, will officially kick off on Wednesday, March 23 at Motorco Music Hall with a performance by Durham-based breakthrough rapper and producer JooseLord. The pioneering artist and activist has earned Best New Artist and Best Male Hip-Hop Artist at the Carolina Music Awards and Artist of the Year in the WRAL Voters’ Choice Awards. Opening night will also feature techno producer Calapse.

On Thursday, March 24, North Carolina’s award-winning, multi-platform music and culture brand Carolina Waves curates a Thursday night showcase at The Pinhook, featuring R&B artist Imani Pressley and alternative hip-hop artist 3amsound, along with emerging local MCs and producers. Carolina Waves, founded by Miriam Tolbert in 2017, promotes aspiring artists through concerts, podcasts, showcases, industry mixers, festivals, open mics and a radio show on K97.5 FM featuring Carolina artists.

On Friday, March 25, DJ/producer Tommie Sunshine, host of Red Bull TV’s After The Raves, headlines his Brooklyn Fire Records label takeover at downtown Durham’s Surf Club, presented by Greensboro-based nightlife promoters Strictly Social. Sunshine, who has collaborated on remixes with Katy Perry, Fall Out Boy, Major Lazer, Billie Eilish, Bob Marley, Santana and many others, will curate a select lineup of North Carolina-based DJs and producers.

The festival’s closing BCS Fest 2022 Barbecue takes place at The Blue Note Grill on Saturday, March 26, featuring guitarist, songwriter, and blues-rock virtuoso JD Simo, along with Triangle-based Americana artist Clint Roberts, funk-soul outfit Jives, bluegrass storyteller James Dalton, and local blues-rock acts Jason Damico and the Gabe M. Trio. The event will feature multiple stages as well as the Blue Note’s signature southern BBQ fare.

Additional BCS music showcases throughout the week, curated by partners including Maison Fauna, Raund Haus, Polychromatic Records, FLOODFM, Triangle Blues Society and others.

BCS is also proud to announce that the festival’s Art Fair, open to BCS Business PRO badgeholders, will feature exhibitions by Ban Art, Beth Palmer Studio, Brooks Frederickson, Durham Production Company, Shilpa Kancharla, Sophia Sobers, Sugar Cadavers, Steven Pestana and Tommy Coyote, and others.

Participating galleries, artists, and photographers will display, perform, and sell visual, sonic, and digital art on Thursday March 24 and Friday March 25 at WeWork’s downtown Durham office location.

THE PLYMOUTH PHILHARMONIC presents Beethoven @ 250+, a special concert celebrating the 250th anniversary of Ludwig van Beethoven's birth.

Conductor Steven Karidoyanes leads the orchestra with Ode to Joy, a novel prelude extracting the well-loved melody from the finale to Beethoven's Ninth Symphony, prepared especially for this anniversary program.

Special guest soloist, associate concertmaster for the Boston Symphony Orchestra Alexander Velinzon joins the orchestra for Beethoven's Violin Concerto, one of the composer's most lyrical masterpieces.

Beethoven's popular Fifth Symphony, widely considered one of the cornerstones of western music, completes this special program honoring one of the most innovative and influential composers of all time.

Beethoven @ 250+ takes place on Saturday, March 26 and Sunday, March 27 at Plymouth North High School Performing Arts Center in Plymouth, MA. This is the first time the Phil has offered two classics concerts in one weekend.

PINK MARTINI opens their tour Sunday, March 30, at the Teatro Metropolitan in Mexico City, Mexico. Tuesday's show is at the La Casa De Cristo Lutheran Church Scottsdale, AZ. Wednesday finds them at the Del E. Webb Center for the Performing Arts Wickenburg, AZ. On Thursday they can be enjoyed at Yavapai College Prescott, AZ. On Friday they open a four night stand at the McCallum Theatre Palm Desert, CA.

MISS LEADING LADIES THE REVENGE with Ria Jones and Ceri Dupree (who are brother and sister in real life) Glamour, glitter, tears, laughter, pathos, surprises, a great voice (Ria) and fabulous legs (Ceri) perform as Andrews, Channing, Merman, Streisand, Dietrich, Piaf, Garland, LaRue, Day.

March 21-27, 2022 at the Crazy Coqs Cabaret, a live music venue located inside the Brasserie Zedel in Soho, London.

ST PATRICK'S DAY noted for the 'wearin' of the green, turned blue and yellow in Ireland. 41 Irish landmarks were lite up in Ukrainian colors of blue and yellow for St Patrick's Day.

Among some of the landmarks which participated were s the Custom House Quays and Leinster House in Dublin.

Minister of State Patrick O’Donovan, speaking about the decision, told the press:

"In Ireland and abroad, we take pride in the wearing and displaying of the green on St Patrick’s Day.

"The color is an intrinsic part of our pride in our roots and the joint celebration of Irishness on our national holiday. Over many years, the Office of Public Works has set the mood for this important day by symbolically ‘greening’ our most iconic heritage sites, government buildings and national cultural institutions."

However, he emphasized "this year is different."

"Even as we look forward to marking St Patrick's Day with our friends and loved ones, we think of the people of Ukraine whose lives, safety and sovereignty are at risk.

"For them and for the eyes of the world, we send a message of solidarity by illuminating 41 Irish landmarks across the country in the colours of Ukraine tonight and over the St Patrick’s Day weekend to underline that the people of Ireland stand with Ukraine."

THE HIT MUSICAL SIX is coming to the home of Henry VIII, in a concert at Hampton Court Palace -the famed Tudor home of Keng Henry VIII - this summer in three open-air concert performances June 19-20 with the original West End cast of queens.

The histo-remix of Henry VIII, will be presented for two performances on June 19-and 20, 2022 in the main courtyard of Hampton Court Palace to a potential audience of over 3,000 people. Independent charity Historic Royal Palaces, which now cares for by the site, has partnered with Six to stage the production.

SIX Live at Hampton Court Palace will see the return of Olivier nominees Jarnéia Richard-Noel as Catherine of Aragon, Millie O’Connell as Anne Boleyn, Natalie Paris as Jane Seymour, Alexia McIntosh as Anna of Cleves, Aimie Atkinson as Katherine Howard, and Maiya Quansah-Breed as Catherine Parr.

“Bringing the phenomenon that is Six to Hampton Court Palace has been a long-term aspiration," said Liz Young, Head of Events at Historic Royal Palaces, in a statement, "and we’re delighted that this summer loyal fans and newcomers alike will get the chance to experience the award-winning show in the very place where the lives, loves, and legacies of these legendary Queens live on.”

The musical is written by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss.

Lucy Moss and Jamie Armitage will co-direct the production, which will also feature choreography by Carrie-Anne Ingrouille, musical supervision by Joe Beighton, and costumes by Gabriella Slade. The production will be based on the original staging with scenic design by Emma Bailey, lighting design by Tim Deiling, sound design by Paul Gatehouse, and orchestrations by Tom Curran.

The palace was built by one of King Henry VIII's advisors and then given to the king when the advisor fell from favor in 1529.

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UMM KULTHUM AND THE GOLDEN ERA is a western-style musical, based on the life and music of the late Egyptian musical legend developed by Saudi London-based producer Mona Khashoggi.

Directed by Bronagh Logan.

Egyptian Delta, the turn of the century. In Tammay al Zahayera, the village Imam takes his daughter to sing in a ‘mawlid’ festival, where she wows the crowd with her voice. As she gets older, he dresses her up as a Bedouin boy for performances before taking her to Cairo to develop her career, where she is surrounded by great composers, intellectuals, musicians and thinkers of Egypt's golden age. There she meets poet Ahmed Rami, a Sorbonne graduate, and a love affair begins.

Beloved by all and belonging to none, admirers of Umm Kulthum have won her love and praise with their attention and songwriting. Her songs about love and longing express the many forms that love can take, its pain and complications. This musical is a tribute that tells the story of a woman who has made it on her own in a man's world, constantly rising against the tides, transforming her music, image and style to become a legend: Umm Kulthum, star of the Orient.vent Group.

Umm Kulthum was an Egyptian singer who was also known as "Egypt's Fourth Pyramid". This musical traces her musical journey from her early years from the 1920s up to 1970s

As has been said: "To say she has legendary status in the Arab world would be a gross understatement. Not only was she known for her powerful vocal range and working with the top lyricists, songwriters and artists of her era, but for the influence she had in politics, as she was also honored with the Order of Virtues by King Farouk, usually reserved for politicians and royalty."

Her funeral procession in 1975 brought a staggering four million people in attendance. To this day, Umm Kulthum's music transcends time and genre far beyond the Arab world as her fans include Maria Callas, Bob Dylan, Robert Plant and Shakira just to name a few.

The role of Umm Kulthum is played by four different women – all chronicling her life from a child, to a precocious teenager. The main role and narrator has been played by Syrian dramatic coloratura opera singer Lubana Al Quntar and younger singer Sanaa Nabil, who is the real-life great-grandniece of Umm Kulthum.

The show also has an accompanying backing orchestra led by Syrian musical director Louai Alhenawi.

May 3-5, 2022 at Dubai Opera in Dubai, UAE.

Music in Original Arabic Dialogue in English.

ANN Written by and starring Holland Taylor in this West Coast Premiere.

Directed by Benjamin Endsley Klein.

Tough as nails. Funny as hell. Emmy-winning and Tony-nominated Holland Taylor brings the legendary Ann Richards to the stage for the last time in this dynamo Tony-nominated performance that captures the fire, heart, and brains of Ann herself. Ann’s down home charm and passion for fair play fuel her uncanny leadership and capacity for caring. Always ready with a laugh out loud zinger or a telling observation, this superstar in Texas politics ultimately became a national figure. A vividly remembered force of nature, Ann continues to inspire us still.

This limited engagement will mark Taylor’s farewell performances of the role she crafted to celebrate the legendary Ann Richards, former Governor of the state of Texas. March 22 – April 24, 2022 at the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena, CA.

BOB FOSSE'S DANCIN’ Original Broadway Production Created, Directed, and Choreographed by Bob Fosse,

Direction and Musical Staging by Tony Award Winner Wayne Cilento.

Bob Fosse’s Dancin’ is Fosse’s full-throated, full-bodied celebration of the art form he loved, practiced, and changed forever. His hit musical masterpiece is reimagined by director Wayne Cilento, who starred in the original Broadway production of Dancin’ and is transforming the show’s original vision for 21st-century audiences. Dancin’ brims with Fosse’s warmth, emotion, color, and endlessly influential style rarely seen in modern interpretations of his work. Featuring an eclectic score that spans a multitude of musical genres and an extraordinary cast of Broadway’s most accomplished dancers.

The ensemble includes Ioana Alfonso, Yeman Brown, Peter John Chursin, Dylis Croman, Tony d’Alelio, Jovan Dansberry, Karli Dinardo, Jacob Guzman , Manuel Herrera, Kolton Krouse, Mattie Love, Yani Marin, Nando Morland, Khori Michelle Petinaud, Ida Saki, and Ron Todorowski.

Understudies include Ashley Blair Fitzgerald, Gabriel Hyman, Krystal Mackie, and Michaeljon Slinger.

In addition to Bob Fosse and Wayne Cilento, the creative team for the Broadway-bound production of Bob Fosse’s Dancin’ includes scenic design by Robert Brill; costume design by Reid Bartelme and Harriet Jung; lighting design by David Grill; sound design by Peter Hylenski; projection design by Finn Ross; music supervision, orchestrations, incidental music, and vocal arrangements by Jim Abbott; music direction by Darryl Archibald; dance arrangements and additional music by David Dabbon; casting by Tara Rubin Casting; production stage manager Beverly Jenkins; Mr. Fosse’s choreography reproduced by Christine Colby Jacques; associate direction/musical staging and additional choreographic reconstruction by Corinne McFadden Herrera; and text consultant and additional material by Kirsten Childs.

Performances begin April 19 and run to May 29, 2022 with the opening on Thursday, April 28 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe’s Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. in San Diego, CA.

TAKE ME OUT written by Richard Greenberg.

Directed by Scott Ellis.

Featuring Patrick J. Adams, Julian Cihi, Hiram Delgado, Brandon J. Dirden, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Carl Lundstedt, Ken Marks, Michael Oberholtzer, Eduardo Ramos, Tyler Lansing Weaks, and Jesse Williams.

In the Tony Award-winning Take Me Out, playwright Richard Greenberg celebrates the personal and professional intricacies of America’s favorite pastime. When Darren Lemming (Jesse Williams), the star center fielder for the Empires, comes out of the closet, the reception off the field reveals a barrage of long-held unspoken prejudices. Facing some hostile teammates and fraught friendships, Darren is forced to contend with the challenges of being a gay person of color within the confines of a classic American institution. As the Empires struggle to rally toward a championship season, the players and their fans begin to question tradition, their loyalties, and the price of victory.

Take Me Out began previews on Thursday, March 10 and officially opens Monday, April 4 at the Hayes Theatre in New york City. The production runs through Sunday, May 29, 2022.



THE NATIONAL THEATRE IN LONDON

Camilla, The Duchess of Cornwall. Photo by: Hugo Burnand

has a new Patron - Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall. Buckingham Palace announced the patronage. Previously, the post had been held by Meghan. the Duchess of Sussex who had to resign from the position when she and her husband Prince Harry were relieved of their royal duties.

Rufus Norris, Director and Joint Chief Executive of the National Theatre sin the official release said: "It is a privilege to welcome The duchess of Cornwall s the National Theatre Royal Patron. The duchess shares our belief that theatre enriches our lives in so many ways and that everyone should have access rtto the arts and creativity no matter where they are in the world. The Duchess has shown great support to our industry throughout the pandemic, and I look forward to working with Her Royal highness for many years to come. I would also like to express my thanks to the Queen for Her Majesty's long and unwavering support and service to the National Theatre."

The Duchess is an avid theatre goer and regularly visits arts organizations in the UK and overseas to celebrate the creativity of other and the power of the performing arts to bring people together. Most recently, Her Royal Highness visited the Theatre Royal Drury Lane with The Prince of Wales last July and spoke about the importance and resilience of theatre at the virtual Olivier Awards in 2020. Existing patronages include The Royal Academy of Dance, Royal Society of Literature, Friends of the Royal Academy, London Chamber Orchestra, National Youth Orchestra, Theatre Royal Bath, Unicorn Theatre for Children and Georgian Theatre Royal.

GRACE NICHOLS 72, was honored by Queen Elizabeth in a private ceremony at Windsor Castle in which Her Majesty presented the poet with the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry.

Nichols is a poet whose work has been central to understanding the important cultural Caribbean-British connection for nearly three decades. Nichols is a Guyanese poet who moved to Britain in 1977, before which she worked as a teacher and journalist in Guyana. Her first collection, I is a Long-Memoried Woman, won the Commonwealth Poetry Prize. In December 2021, she was announced as winner of the Queen's Gold Medal for Poetry.

Established by King George V in 1933, the medal is awarded annually for excellence in poetry.

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Soft back Book

This is not your typical, totally boring textbook.

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

FINAL OVATION

WILLIAM HURT the Oscar winning actor died March 13, 2022 from prostate cancer in his adopted hometown of Portland, Oregon. He was one week shy of celebrating his 72nd birthday.

It was announced in May 2018 that Hurt had terminal prostate cancer that had already metastasized to the bones.

Hurt attended the Middlesex School, where he was vice president of the Dramatics Club and had the lead role in several school plays. He graduated in 1968 and his yearbook predicted, "you might even see him on Broadway." Hurt attended Tufts University and studied theology, but turned instead to acting and joined the Juilliard School (Drama Division Group 5: 1972–1976). Two of his classmates there were Christopher Reeve and Robin Williams.

From 1977 to 1989, he was a member of the acting company at Circle Repertory Company. He won an Obie Award for his debut appearance there in Corinne Jacker's My Life, and won a 1978 Theatre World Award for his performances in Fifth of July; Ulysses in Traction, and >i>Lulu. In 1979, Hurt played Hamlet under the direction of Marshall W. Mason opposite Lindsay Crouse and Beatrice Straight.

He enjoyed a lengthy movie and television career, receiving Emmy nominations and for Kiss of the Spider Woman winning an Academy Award for Best Actor BAFTA Award for Best Film Actor in a Leading Role, Cannes Film Festival – Best Male Interpretation, David di Donatello Award for Best Foreign Actor, London Film Critics Circle Award for Actor of the Yea, Los Angeles Film Critics Association Award for Best Actor and tieing with Raul Julia for the National Board of Review Award for Best Actor.

He is survived by four children.

PETER BOWLES an English stage and television actor and writer died March 17, 2022 from cancer. He was 85.

He rose to international fame portraying the self-made millionaire Richard DeVere in the BBC production of To the Manor Born starring opposite Dame Penelope Keith from 1979 to 1981, which aired in America on PBS.

"Starting his career at the Old Vic Theatre in 1956, he starred in 45 theatrical productions ending at the age of 81 in The Exorcist at the Phoenix Theatre," said the statement from his agent. "He worked consistently on stage and screen, becoming a household name on TV as the archetypal English gent in To The Manor Born; Only When I Laugh; The Bounder and Lytton’s Diary, which he devised himself." Born in 1936, Bowles’ career began in theater for several years before he featured in an episode of Rising Damp. Other big roles included The Irish R.M. and, more recently, ITV drama Victoria, and he also wrote and starred in 1985’s Lytton’s Diary for ITV about the life of a newspaper gossip columnist.

He is survived by his wife Susan Bennett and their three children Guy, Adam and Sasha.

Next Column: March 27, 2022
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Laura Deni

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