Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: March 8, 2020
By: Laura Deni
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CELEBRITIES RALLY TO HELP NASHVILLE TORNADO SURVIVORS

I Believe In Nashville. Photo by Brittney Bremnes/ Gibson Guitars/Goodnews Net

There is no section of the music industry more caring and supportive than country music fans and stars.

Their compassion and empathy is being tested following the horrific tornado that swept through Nashville last week.

Lives shattered. Lives lost. Dreams dashed.

Last Thursday The Red Cross, CMT and local NBC affiliate WSMV News 4 teamed tohost a telethon to support Middle Tennessee tornado relief efforts.

The telethon was filmed live at CMT Studio in downtown Nashville with country music artists, local television personalities and volunteers answering phones to take donations. News 4’s Tom Randles anchored coverage alongside CMT’s Cody Alan.

Taylor Swift donated $1 million.

The Tennessee Titans controlling owner Amy Adams Strunk made a $1-million donation to the Community Foundation. The NFL Foundation is also contributing $250,000 to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee and will look to help local schools repair equipment and football fields.

“Everyone in this community and throughout Tennessee should be eternally grateful to the Tennessee Titans for their tremendous efforts in helping the victims of the tornadoes,” said Ellen Lehman, President, CFMT. “This is an extraordinary gift toward our ability to respond and restore the damage caused by these disastrous storms.”

The Titans are noted for their charitable efforts.

Taylor Swift donated $1 million.

Country star and Tennessee native Chris Young announced he'd be making a $50,000 donation to the Music City Inc. Foundation, operated by the Nashville Convention & Visitors Corp.

Tennessee based Gibson Guitars is offering free guitars to professional guitar players whose instruments were damaged or lost in the tornado. “Our goal is to get a guitar back into the hands of anyone who has had their guitar damaged or destroyed in the recent Tennessee storm,” says Dendy Jarrett, executive director of Gibson Gives - the international guitar brand’s charitable foundation. “As a Nashville, Tennessee-based company, we are also engaging with our artists and other partners to provide support across many areas.”
,br> The foundation has collectively donated more than $30 million worth of goods and services since their launch in 2002. In addition to installing music rooms in Nashville high schools, they have also donated guitars and supplies to music therapy programs for veterans suffering from PTSD.

Replacement guitars may be prototypes or refurbished guitars that will be selected at Gibson’s discretion.

A day before Dan + Shay opened their 35-date tour in Nashville, the duo announced that they would donate $100,000 to tornado relief efforts.

“We are heartbroken by the devastation the tornadoes left upon Tennessee earlier this week. Our love goes out to everyone affected by this tragedy," Dan + Shay said in a statement. "We are so proud to call Nashville our home, and have seen first hand that this community is strong, resilient, and compassionate. What this town does best in times of need, is come together, so it is only fitting that our tour starts tomorrow in Nashville at Bridgestone Arena. Friday and Saturday, through the power of music, we will all unite to celebrate the spirit of our incredible city. On behalf of Dan + Shay, we will be making a $100,000 donation to The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. We are looking forward to two unforgettable shows, in the town we hold dearest to our hearts.”

AEG Presents, Sandbox Entertainment, CAA and Bridgestone Arena each also donated a portion of tickets sold for both Nashville shows to The Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee.

Country crossover artist Kacey Musgraves kicked off an online sale of clothing items from her stage wardrobe and personal collection, partnering with Instagram resellers Stage to Closet. Long in planning, the sale was set to benefit Tennessee forest preservation, but in an Instagram post last Tuesday, Musgraves wrote, "...while (forest preservation) is important to me, the Nashville tornado relief efforts need help first."

Reese Witherspoon's Draper James store in Nashville announced it would be donating 100 percent of their proceeds this Tuesday to the Community Foundation of Middle Tennessee. Nashville-based radio/TV personality Bobby Bones spent a day bringing supplies to organizations including the Community Resource Center. Posting on Twitter, U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper, D-Nashville, and Councilman Jonathan Hall. published that supplies needed are: Plywood. Screws. Nails. Cordless screwdrivers & hammers. Plastic tarps and cleaning supplies.

Country music legend Loretta Lynn announced that her Loretta Lynn Ranch ranch - in Hurricane Mills - a little over an hour outside of Music City - is offering discounts to those who need assistance. The ranch is an event venue, campground and tourism destination sustained "no damage."

"My ranch is offering discounted lodging and campground spaces for those who have lost their homes and need somewhere to go. If we all pull together, we'll all make it," Lynn, 87, told Fox news.

The storied Basement East entertainment venue was totally destroyed but the 'I Believe in Nashville' mural on one side of the building remains standing strong.

The Adrien Saporiti mural has long been a popular tourist attraction. For a decade the "I Believe In Nashville" mural has sparked a duality of emotions from ridicule to reverence.

— Tim McGraw (@TheTimMcGraw) March 3, 2020 At a legendary music venue in East Nashville, the building was nearly destroyed, but the iconic “I believe in Nashville” mural remains. It’s a sign of hope and redemption that made it through a night of terror. #NashvilleTornadopic.twitter.com/0qDAyIznWI The tornado struck the venue shortly after a benefit concert for United States presidential candidate Bernie Sanders. Co-owned by Michael Grimes and Dave Brown they are considered the backbone of East Nashville's modern music scene.

The Basement East opened in 2015 and quickly gained a reputation as one of Nashville’s premier small performance spaces, hosting the likes of Cage The Elephant, Miranda Lambert, John Prine, Reba McEntire, Maggie Rogers, Alice Cooper and Chris and Rich Robinson of The Black Crowes.

Last year Basement East signed a multi-year booking deal with Live Nation.

Across the Cumberland River is the sister venue The Basement known for their weekly “New Faces Nite,” a free weekly showcase. Untouched by the tornado, last week's event was held as a benefit for the Basement East staff.

Grimes is also co-owner of the East Nashville record store Grimey's New & Preloved Music. The store was unaffected by the tornado, and announced it will be collecting funds to support the staff at Basement East.

Whether trying to get a leg up in the music business or long established, country performers have united to help their neighbors.

To all those country superstars who have been sending love, good thoughts and prayers - money is good, too.

,

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ART AND ABOUT

FEAST & FAST: THE ART OF FOOD IN EUROPE, 1500 –1800 Food defines us as individuals, communities, and nations: we are what we eat and, equally, what we don’t eat. When, where, why, how and with whom we eat are crucial to our identity. Feast & Fast presents novel approaches to understanding the history and culture of food and eating.

This research-led multi-sensory exhibition will showcase hidden and newly-conserved treasures from the Fitzwilliam and other collections, and features four spectacular historical reconstructions with food at their centre, including a Jacobean sugar banquet, a European feasting table and a Georgian confectioner’s workshop. It will tease out many contemporary and controversial issues – such as the origins of food and food security, over consumption in times of austerity, and our relationship with animals and nature – thereby linking the past with our present, and encouraging visitors to question and rethink our relationship with food.

To complement Feast & Fast, a flamboyant 4-metre tall pineapple installation created by Bompas and Parr - experts in multi-sensory experience design - will be displayed on the Museum’s front lawn for the duration of the exhibition and illuminated at night.

Until April 26 at The Fitzwilliam Museum, Cambridge England.

THE JOSEPH B. DAVIES COLLECTION While serving as United States Ambassador to the Soviet Union in 1937, Joseph B. Davies collected more than 80 Soviet Realist paintings of the 1920s and 30s. The canvasses represent a wide variety of subject matter- history painting, landscapes, genre scenes and profiles of factories and industry - and depict the extensive geographic reach of the USSR. Davies later purchased over 20 religious icons, which, together with the paintings, were donated to his alma mater, the University of Wisconsin–Madison, in 1937 and 1938. The Davies Collection is one of the Chazen Museum of Art’s many unique collections that showcase unusual slices of global art history.

In 2018, the Chazen added a new work, Reconnaissance Attack by Latvian artist Arkadii Soloviev, to the Davies Collection. The first addition to the Davies Collection since the collection’s establishment, the painting depicts Soviet troops with guns drawn moving through a snow-covered landscape. Reconnaissance Attack was given to Davies by Joseph Stalin’s Foreign Minister, Vyacheslav Molotov, in 1943. It remained in the Davies family until 2018, when the Chazen acquired it via public auction. Along with the painting and frame, the Chazen also acquired an original letter from Molotov to Davies describing the painting and other gifts offered from Stalin and Molotov to the Ambassador.

“Ambassador Davies was a fascinating person who played a key role in Franklin Delano Roosevelt’s efforts to maintain relations with the nascent Soviet Union,” said Katherine Alcauskas, chief curator at the Chazen. “He had unique access to Stalin and his administration, as the gift from Molotov illustrates. The Davies collection, along with this new acquisition, helps us explore the history of U.S. diplomatic relations with Russia and the world.”

Davies graduated from the University of Wisconsin in 1898, and from the Law school in 1901. Over the next decade, Davies rose in stature in Democratic politics, eventually becoming the Chair of the Wisconsin Democratic Party in 1907. As a supporter of President Woodrow Wilson, Davies was appointed chairman of the Commission of Corporations, now the Federal Trade Commission, from 1915-1916. After World War I, Davies accompanied President Wilson to the Versailles Peace Conference.

Davies was married to businesswoman-heiress Marjorie Merriweather Post, also a prominent collector of Russian art, from 1935-1955. From 1936-1938, under the presidency of Franklin Delano Roosevelt, Davies served as Ambassador to the Soviet Union, where he would cultivate friendships with the growing superpower and play an important role in building connections between the U.S. and the USSR. In May of 1945, the Soviet Union’s Supreme Soviet awarded Davies with the Order of Lenin. Davies went on to receive similar awards from France and Belgium and received the Medal of Merit from President Truman. Davies died in 1958.

The Chazen, which celebrates its 50th anniversary in 2020, is experimenting with new ways to interpret and display its collection of more than 23,000 objects. Reconnaissance Attack is currently on view as part of the museum’s Faculty Exhibition 2020. Stephen Hilyard, professor of digital arts at UW–Madison, has created a video installation displayed in the gallery alongside both Reconnaissance Attack and other paintings from the Davies Collection. The installation features six video screens playing fragments of Hilyard’s three-channel experimental movie, ?????? (Katyusha). The film explores the complex history of Pyramiden, a planned community developed by the Soviet Union as the northernmost town on earth, and abandoned by in 1998. The installation will be on view through May 10, 2020 at The Chazen Museum of Art in Madison, Wisconsin.

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SWEET CHARITY

ALEX TREBEK beloved host of Jeopardy has made a $100,000 donation to a Los Angeles homeless shelter, Hope of the Valley Rescue Mission, which will name a wing after him.

GINGOLD THEATRICAL GROUP'S 2020 GOLDEN SHAMROCK GALA will take place Monday, March 16, at Robert Restaurant atop the Museum of Arts & Design at Columbus Circle in New York City and will honor humanitarians and award-winning actors Maryann Plunkett & Jay O. Sanders; and Ethan E. Litwin, a tireless supporter of the arts in New York and longtime member of the GTG Board.

This year’s gala will be geared toward raising funds for GTG’s full production of Shaw's high-action swashbuckling comedy The Devil's Disciple, which will run at New York’s Theatre Row this fall.

The 2020 Gala will transport attendees to a 1930s deco nightclub with a live dance orchestra led by Dan Levinson. Performers for the gala will include Brenda Braxton and Aaron Weinstein. Guests are asked to dress in their best black and white.

Held each year on or near St. Patrick’s Day in honor of Shaw’s Irish heritage, GTG’s Golden Shamrock Gala is a festive and fabulous celebration of all that GTG does. Featuring a sparkling cocktail hour and a festive Irish dinner, a silent auction and a musical program by some of New York’s finest performers.

GTG’s Golden Shamrock Award is given annually to celebrate artistic and cultural contributions to society, as inspired by Shaw’s fiercely activist humanitarianism. Previous recipients of the Golden Shamrock Gala Award include Tom Viola, Martha Plimpton, Tyne Daly, Kate Mulgrew, Kenneth Lonergan, Charles Busch, Judith Ivey, Robert Osborne, Terrence McNally and Brian Murray.

SPREADING THE WORD

BROADWAY TO VEGAS REPRINTS AN E-MAIL SENT BY OLNEY THEATRE IN OLNEY, MD One may assume that the message reflects that of the entire theatre community.

Dear Olney Theatre Community,
When we scheduled The Amateurs, a play set during a 14th Century epidemic, we could not have imagined the need to send an email like this during its opening week of performances.

Taking care of our patrons is an essential part of our organizational culture. In accordance with those values and following the guidance of local and national health officials to prevent COVID-19, we have increased and intensified our cleaning routines on campus.
,br> We encourage our audience, artists and employees to follow the widely reported hygiene practices regarding hand washing, covering sneezes and other common sense precautions. Most importantly, if you are sick, please stay home. During this period of heightened vigilance we are implementing a modified ticket exchange policy to encourage our patrons to make healthy decisions. If you need to reschedule, please contact our Box Office.

In the meantime, the show goes on.

Wishing you well,
Debbie Ellinghaus & Jason Loewith
Managing Director & Artistic Director

BERKLEE ABU DHABI a music college located in the Saadiyat Island Cultural District of Abu Dhabi, UAE set to open in partnership with the US-based famed Berklee School of Music.

The Department of Culture and Tourism - Abu Dhabi (DCT Abu Dhabi) issued a release explaining that the new music college will offer workshops, masterclasses, courses, ensembles and private instruction from Sunday, March 8, 2020.. Programs offered at Berklee Abu Dhabi will serve local and regional students of all ages with instruction in music production, songwriting, vocal skills, dance, theatre and other disciplines, a statement said.

It added that Grammy and Latin Grammy-winning engineer and music producer Gael Hedding has been appointed director, and Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter Mayssa Karaa as artistic director. Both are Berklee alumni.

Berklee Abu Dhabi has recruited "a diverse group of top level professionals from Berklee’s network of alumni and faculty from its Boston, New York and Valencia campuses."

JUDI DENCH IN CONVERSATION WITH GYLES BRANDRETH. For 13 nights only at the Bridge Theatre, Dame Judi Dench looks back on her legendary career with author and broadcaster Gyles Brandreth. "Since her debut with the Old Vic over 60 years ago, Judi has gone on to play some of the most iconic roles in theatre, film and TV. Join Gyles and Judi on a rollercoaster journey through a unique life on stage and screen in this often hilarious, sometimes moving, always spell-binding evening of stories – with a touch of Shakespeare for good measure."

March 20 - April 4, 2020 at the Bridge Theatre in London.

RED BULL THEATER'S REVELATION READINGS WITH Ana Caro's The Courage to Right a Woman's Wrongs (Valor, Agravio y Mujer), a brand new translation directed by Melia Bensussen, featuring Carson Elrod, Lorenzo Pisoni, Matthew Saldivar and more. Presented in association with Diversifying the Classics / UCLA. Spanish Golden Age playwright Ana Caro Mallén de Soto presents a witty critique of society through the story of Leonor, a woman who sets out to find her one-time lover (Don Juan, naturally) and bring him to justice.

Monday, March 16, 2020 at the Lucille Lortel Theatre in New York City.

TINA - THE TINA TURNER MUSICAL: ADRIENNE WARREN AND KATORI HALL IN CONVERSATION WITH SORAYA NADIA McDONALD takes place Monday, March 16, 2020 at 92Y in New York City.

Adrienne Warren’s fearless portrayal of the queen of rock ‘n’ roll in Broadway's Tina - The Tina Turner Musical. Warren and Tina's Olivier Award-winning book writer, Katori Hall, join Soraya Nadia McDonald to talk about this groundbreaking show chronicling Turner’s unlikely journey, from humble beginnings and surviving domestic violence and abuse, to becoming a global rock goddess in a male-dominated world. Warren shares how she channels Turner’s signature artistry and unstoppable energy in a knockout performance that delivers the essence of Tina Turner and, along the way, something completely her own.

THE OREGON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL (OSF) will officially launch its 85th year and Nataki Garrett’s first full season as artistic director on March 6. Preview performances of five plays began on February 28, and the 2020 season will continue through November 1, with six more plays opening in the spring and summer.

OSF officially kicks off its 2020 season Friday, March 6, with the matinee opening of Bring Down the House, Part I, the first of a two-part adaptation of Shakespeare’s Henry VI trilogy which is ddirector, Rosa Joshi in the Thomas Theatre, followed that evening by Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream directed by Joseph Haj in the Angus Bowmer Theatre.

Opening Saturday, March 7, are Bring Down the House, Part II in the Thomas Theatre and the world premiere of Karen Zacarías’s The Copper Children directed by Shariffa Ali, an American Revolutions commission, in the Angus Bowmer Theatre. On Sunday, March 8, Peter and the Starcatcher directed by Lavina Jadhwani opens in the Angus Bowmer Theatre. All five productions will run for the entire season.

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival has also announced Branden Jacobs-Jenkins as the 37th and final commissioned artist as part of American Revolutions: the United States History Cycle, OSF’s multi-decade program for developing new plays about moments of change in United States history.

American Revolutions brings together artists and theatres from around the country to establish a shared understanding of our nation’s past while illuminating the best paths for our nation's future. American Revolutions plays have been produced around the country and abroad. Robert Schenkkan’s All The Way won the 2014 Tony Award for Outstanding Play and Lynn Nottage’s Sweat, a co-commission with Arena Stage, won the 2017 Pulitzer Prize in Drama.

The Oregon Shakespeare Festival is located in Ashland, Oregon.

IN HER BOOK INVISIBLE WOMEN: EXPOSING DATA BIAS IN A WORLD DESIGNED FOR MEN Caroline Criado Perez gives a great example of how these things can change. For most of the 20th Century, she tells us, there were no women in the New York Philharmonic Orchestra. However, in the 1970s the orchestra introduced blind auditions: that is, they didn’t know who was auditioning, but could just hear how they played. In the first decade, the proportion of women in the orchestra went from 0-10%. By the early 1980s, women began to make up 50% of the share on new hires. And today, the proportion of female musicians in the New York Philharmonic stands at over 45%.

DOMESTIC VIOLENCE TAKES CENTER STAGE AT THE WOMEN OF THE WORLD FESTIVAL: CAMILLA THE DUCHESS OF CORNWALL KEYNOTE SPEAKER

In a statement making red dress, accented with a WOW pin, the elegant Duchess of Cornwall delivered the keynote address at the Women of the World Festival. Photo: Clarence House

Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall delivered a moving and powerful speech on domestic violence as she helped launch this year's Women of the World Festival. Camilla, who is president of the organization, addressed the opening session of the three-day event at the Southbank Centre in London.

In her speech the wife of Prince Charles spoke out against the 'heinous' problem of domestic abuse.

She addressed the 'corrosive' effect that the domestic violence has , saying: "I find it almost impossible to think that any friend of mine might be living under that horrific threat, without my knowing it, but that is the power of coercive control and violence in the home. It is characterized by silence - silence from those that suffer - silence from those around them, and silence from those who perpetrate abuse.

"This silence is corrosive; it leaves women, children and men carrying the burden of shame. It prevents them from speaking out about the abuse and it prevents them from getting help. And at its worst it can be fatal."

One in four British women will suffer domestic violence in their lifetime and two women a week were killed by a current or former partner in England and Wales last year, Camilla said. Before the event, she met domestic abuse survivors and campaigners, as well as Metropolitan Police Commissioner Dame Cressida Dick.

According to the National Coalition Against Domestic Violence, an act of domestic violence occurs every 15 seconds in the United States, with four women losing their lives daily. On average, nearly 20 people per minute are physically abused by an intimate partner in the United States.

In Canada 25 % of all violent crimes reported to police involve family violence. 70% of the victims of police-reported family violence are girls or women.

Passionate about the subject, The Duchess then listened to a panel discussion in the name of the #everyonesproblem hashtag. Chaired by WOW Foundation founder Jude Kelly, it featured businesswoman, campaigner and domestic abuse survivor Gina Miller; chief executive of SafeLives charity Suzanne Jacob; Celia Peachey, whose mother was murdered by an ex-partner with a history of violence and domestic abuse; and Naomi Donald, who suffered abuse as a teenager and young woman.

Camilla became President of WOW (Women of the World) in 2015, having been involved with the organization since 2010. The festival closes today, March 8, 2020.

HARRY AND MEGHAN'S FAREWELL TOUR

Harry and Meghan react to wedding proposal. Photo:

In Great Britain the current Duke and Duchess of Sussex - AKA Harry and Meghan - are fulfilling their final commitments before becoming "regular" folk.

While Harry held one shared umbrella to protect themselves from the rain, The Duke and Duchess of Sussex, who wore a blue sheath dress, attended the Endeavour Fund Awards, which honor wounded or injured military veterans who have used athletics to help them in their recovery while also helping others.

The evening held at Mansion House in London included an unscheduled moment when one the first winner, Danny Holland, was presented with the Recognizing Achievement Award for his success as a driver for “Mission Motorsport.” got down on bended knee and asked his “missus” for her hand in marriage. Both Harry and Meghan cheered and the the crowd applauded.

She said yes!

Holland has overcome mental health issues after being injured in an IED explosion in Afghanistan.

Both Harry and Meghan distributed awards at the annual ceremony, which was hosted by former Invictus Games medalist JJ Chalmers. Duchess Meghan announced the Celebrating Excellence prize, honoring Guinness World Record holder Lee Spencer, who became the world’s first physically disabled person to row from Europe to South America alone and unaided.

Prince Harry presented the Henry Worsley Award to veteran Tom Oates, who is overcoming severe PTSD to dedicate his life to helping others through deptherapy - a specially adapted scuba diving program for injured military personnel and former members of the British Armed Forces.

They also attended the first day of the two day Mountbatten Music Festival at Royal Albert Hall on Saturday, March 7, 2020.

Meghan was gowned in a dramatically elegant red Safiyya dress and carried a matching red, satin clutch purse.

The Mountbatten Festival of Music is held every year in Royal Albert Hall in London and features the Massed Bands of Her Majesty’s Royal Marines performing over three shows in the Royal Albert Hall, London. These concerts display the outstanding versatility of some of the world’s finest military musicians. The shows are given the “West End” treatment with spectacular lighting effects. A wide range of musical styles includes music from the big screen and superb solo items. The Festival would not be complete without the traditional marches and overtures that have proved such a hit with audiences over the years.

The Mountbatten Festival of Music. The festival hosts the Bands of Her Majesty's Royal Marines which play, during the three days of the festival, diverse musical repertoire.

The evening's performance marked the 75th anniversary of the end of the Second World War, as well as the 80th anniversary of the formation of Britain's Commandos.

Proceeds from the event go to the Royal Marines Association - The Royal Marines Charity and CLIC Sargent, who support cancer victims aged under 25 and their families.

On his own, one of Prince Harry’s final appearances was alongside Formula 1 racer Lewis Hamilton, when he opened the Silverstone Museum, which displays artifacts from the history of British racing, two years after the father of Archie attended an event to kick off construction.

As first reported by the Daily Mail, Hamilton drove Harry to the ceremony in a silver electric Mercedes EQC, and Harry gave a speech where he said he was excited to finally get to see the museum.

“I can't believe that you've managed to turn a World War II hangar that was pretty cold and pretty dusty two years ago into this remarkable experience,” he said. “Thank you for being able to do that under a huge amount of pressure as well, thank you for providing so many of these opportunities for so many young people, and thank you for really putting a marker down for what British motor racing means to the world.”

The redheaded Prince showed his sense of humor, referencing that the museum has been open to the public since last October. “I'll keep this brief,” he said. “There's nothing better than officially opening a building that is very much open.”

The event was attended by local children as well as Formula One drivers George Russell and Alex Albon, and former Formula One champion Damon Hill.

In the meantime, Meghan checked items off of her 'to do" list. On Friday, March 6, 2020, Meghan was filmed exiting a black SUV in a white blazer and black skinny jeans, before walking into the Robert Clack School, a high school in east London, to visit with students. Wearing a Topshop blouse, a white bodycon pencil skirt, small gold hoop earrings and a gold coin pendant from Missoma she visited the National Theatre, one of her patronages, on Thursday afternoon, where she spoke with artists and interacted with a hologram.

Their last appearance as Royals will be on Monday, March 9, 2020 when they attend Commonwealth Day service at Westminster Abbey with the Queen and other senior members of the Royal Family.

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

COMPLETELY FREE Did you know that there is a professional theatre in Minneapolis where all mainstage shows are completely free for the public to attend? Truly free. The Mixed Blood Theatre calls this initiative Radical Hospitality – as a way to break down barriers that prevent people from experiencing live theatre. According to a press release: "Cost is often a reason people don’t partake in the theatre, but Mixed Blood - dedicated to removing any and every barrier in the way of people experiencing the arts - has eliminated that. There is no cost admission for all who attend. Admission is on a first come, first served basis beginning two hours before every performance."

Their dedication to removing barriers to theatre goes beyond cost as well, featuring:
A fully accessible building
Free transportation to and from the homes of those living with disabilities for those who request it
Supertitles
Audio descriptions
ASL interpretation
Space for guide dogs.

According to their website: "Using theater to illustrate and animate, Mixed Blood changes attitudes, behavior, and policy by paying positive attention to difference. The company’s predictably unpredictable work addresses injustices, inequities, and cultural collisions, providing a voice for the unheard—on stage, in the workplace, in the company’s own Cedar Riverside neighborhood, and beyond."

Their new season opened on March 6 with Interstateby Kit Yan and Melissa Li, directed by Jesca Prudencio. "Interstate is a Queer Asian-American pop-rock musical about two trans people at different stages of their journeys, navigating love, family, masculinity, and finding community in the era of social media. It charts Dash, a transgender spoken word performer as he goes on a cross-country tour with Adrian, a lesbian singer-songwriter, as the activist band, Queer Malady, fueled by the allure of fame and a desire to connect with the Queer Asian community. The band’s fiercely political and deeply personal music touches Henry, a transgender teenage blogger living in middle America, who finds solace in their art as he struggles with his own identity and family."

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CITY OF ANGELS with a score is by Cy Coleman and David Zippel and book by Larry Gelbart.

Directed by Josie Rourke.
,br> The musical is a love letter to the glamorous world of old Hollywood and film noir, with the synopsis reading: "A screenwriter with a movie to finish. "A private eye with a case to crack. But nothing’s black and white when a dame is involved. And does anyone stick to the script in this city? "This is Tinseltown. You gotta ask yourself: what’s real and what’s reel."

Starring Hadley Fraser, Theo James, Rosalie Craig, Rebecca Trehearn, Jonathan Slinger with Nicola Roberts making her stage debut and Vanessa Williams, in her West End debut.

The cast also includes Marc Elliott, Emily Mae, Cindy Beliot, Michelle Bishop, Nick Cavaliere, Rob Houchen, Manuel Pacific, Mark Penfold, Ryan Reid, Joshua St Clair & Sadie-Jean Shirley.

Set and costume design by Robert Jones. Lighting Design by Howard Harrison.

The revival in at the Garrick Theatre in London until l September 5, 2020.

One of Broadway To Vegas' all time favorite musicals, City of Angels was first performed on Broadway in 1989, winning 10 Tony awards including Best Musical. It opened in the West End in 1993 starring Roger Allam and Martin Smith. That production won the Olivier Award for best new musical.

A WONDERFUL WORLD book by Aurin Squire. Featuring the music of Louis Armstrong. Arranged and Orchestrated by Annastasia Victory and Michael O. Mitchell. Choreography by Rickey Tripp.

Directed by Christopher Renshaw>

The production stars Juson Williams as Louis Armstrong, Dionne Figgins as Daisy Parker, Lana Gordon as Lil Harden, Nicole Henry as Alpha Smith, Darlene Hope as Lucille Wilson, Gavin Gregory as King Joe Oliver, Stephen G. Anthony as Joe Glaser, DeWitt Fleming Jr. as Stepin’ Fetchit, and Michael Mckeever as Johnny Collins.

Additional cast includes Kareema Khouri Castro, Lindsey Corey, Jamal Christopher Douglas, Khadijah Rolle, Traci Elaine Lee, James A. Pierce III, Ben Sandomir, Dori Waymer, Shanna L. Woods, and trumpeter Yamin Mustafa.

A new musical based on the life and songs of jazz legend and American icon Louis Armstrong told from the perspective of the women in Armstrong’s life, A Wonderful World charts Armstrong’s journey from the birth of jazz in his native New Orleans through his international stardom. The musical also focuses on the complex history of race in America, leading up to the Civil Rights era.

The award-winning design team features scenic design by Adam Koch, costume design by Ari Fulton, lighting design by Cory Pattak, sound design by Kai Harada, props design by Jameelah Bailey. Casting is by Stewart/Whitley, CSA.

Opening Night isr March 14 at Miami New Drama in Miami, Florida.

THE SERPENT Written by Jean-Claude van Itallie.

Directed by Ron Sossi.

The Ensemble: Riley Rose Critchlow, Avery Dresel-Kurtz, Joseph Gilbert, Tomoko Karina, Kristina Ladegaard, Marie Osterman, Ian Stewart Riley, Anthony Rutowicz, Keaton Shyler, Ahkei Togun, Terry Woodberry, Denise Yolén, Peyton Young.

A work of experimental theater that explores the biblical Book of Genesis while comparing it to the modern experience, The Serpent remains a prime example of the innovative nature of the period.

"Go ahead – take the apple. Founding Odyssey Theatre Ensemble artistic director Ron Sossi re-envisions this celebration of life as seen through the Book of Genesis"

The play was developed in 1968 by van Itallie in collaboration with Joseph Chaikin and the Open Theatre. The playwright describes the work as "a ceremony."

To that end, the play uses a technique known as "transformational acting." None of the actors has a name or an assigned character to portray. Sometimes they step into roles, and at other times they are playing themselves.

The creative team includes set designer Stephanie Kerley Schwartz, lighting designer Chu-Hsuan Chang and sound designer Christopher Moscatiello. The Serpent is presented by Odyssey Theatre Ensemble in association with Isabel and Harvey Kibel.

The Serpent opens on March 7 at the Odyssey's current home in West L.A., where performances will continue through May 3, 2020.

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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.

WHO'S WHERE

HARRY CONNICK, JR entertains Tuesday, March 10, in Austin, TX at the Long Center for the Performing Arts. On Wednesday the tour stops in Houston, TX at The Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. He takes to the stage Thursday, March 12, in Jackson, MS at the Thalia Mara Hall. Friday's stops is in Chattanooga, TN at the Tivoli Theatre. On Saturday he can be found in Augusta, GA at the Bell Auditorium.

BRANDON BENNETT "delivering a spine-tingling Elvis tribute that is fresh, powerful, and right on time. With his authentic southern charm, glorious voice, and powerful moves Bennett was named “Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist” by Elvis Presley Enterprises at Graceland." His retrospective traverses the King's career: from the Rock n’ Roll nativity of the 50s, to the iconic comeback of the 60s, to the legendary lounge acts of the 70s. Performances March 13-15 at Goodspeed Musicals in East Haddam, CT.

WILLIE NELSON turns Friday the 13th into a lucky date for those who have tickets to see him perform in Norman, OK on March 13 at the Riverwind Casino. Saturday's gig is in Arlington, TX at the Globe Life Field. Next Sunday, March 15 he can be enjoyed in Tulsa, OK at the River Spirit Casino Resort.

JAY LENO telling funny stories Thursday, March 12, 2020 at the State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick, NJ.

PAUL ANKA singing his hits Wednesday, March 11 in Sarasota, FL at the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall. on Friday he can be enjoyed in West Palm Beach, FL at the Kravis Center.

FINAL OVATION

JAMES LIPTON host of Inside the Actors Studio, died March 2, 2020 at his home in Manhattan from bladder cancer. He was 93.

Lipton was an American writer, lyricist, actor and dean emeritus of the Actors Studio Drama School at Pace University in New York City. He was the executive producer, writer and host of the Bravo cable television series Inside the Actors Studio, which debuted in 1994. He retired from the show in 2018.

In 1951, he appeared in the Broadway play The Autumn Garden by Lillian Hellman. He portrayed a shipping clerk turned gang member in Joseph Strick's 1953 film, The Big Break, a crime drama. He was the librettist and lyricist for the short-lived 1967 Broadway musical Sherry!, based on the Moss Hart and George S. Kaufman play The Man Who Came to Dinner, with music by his childhood friend Laurence Rosenthal.

In the 200th episode of Inside the Actors Studio, Lipton revealed that he was an atheist. He also revealed that during the 1950s, he had been a procurer of prostitutes in Paris.

Between 1954 and 1959, Lipton was married to actress Nina Foch. He is survived by his wife Kedakai Turner Lipton, a model and real estate broker, since 1970. Kedakai Turner Lipton was well known as the model playing Miss Scarlett on the cover of the popular boardgame Clue. She was the book and illustration designer for James Lipton's book, An Exaltation of Larks, The Ultimate Edition.

Next Column: March 15, 2020
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