Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: May 15, 2022
By: Laura Deni
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A GIRL IS A HALF FORMED THING IS SEARING

Jenn Murray by Carol Rosegg.

Presented by Irish Rep in New York City, A Girl is a Half Formed Thing is based on the award winning debut novel by Eimear McBride and splendidly adapted for a solo-show stage production by Annie Ryan.

Directed by Nicola Murray.

Starring Jenn Murray.

A Girl is a Half-formed Thing follows the inner narrative of a girl, played by Jenn Murray, from birth until the age of twenty "with vivid intensity and originality. This character navigates the crushing Catholicism and hardship of her Irish childhood with astonishing resilience and intelligence."

Set in rural Ireland, 1980s/90s. It's raining.

With an Irish accent, which is easier to understand after the first few lines, Murray brings to piercing life the travails and triumphs of "The Girl". Effective vocalization by Murray of desperate, poignant and powerful words.

Proving that less is more the red headed Murray is clothed in black with a black background aided by dramatic Michael O'Connor lighting featuring a spotlight highlighting her head and neck and then her body as she steps off of set designer Chen-Wei Liao's rock cocoon formation, much like the womb her character has just emerged from in being born.

Nathanael Brown’s subtle music and sound design are exceptional.

The Girl has a toddler brother whom she has adored since before her birth. She speaks only to him in trying to explain herself. He is scarred from brain surgery. His future is uncertain.

The girl's father has deserted the household, leaving her, her brain damaged brother and her overwhelmed mother who, with the onset of every problem, becomes more obsessed with their Catholic religion.

She is desperate and overworked, "wiping drippings from ever orifice" and blames The Girl for everything.

The Girl has rebelled by not saying her Hail Mary's and developing a preference for extreme profanity, which is liberally peppered throughout this play.

There is exuberant defiance smacked by Catholic guilt and punishment. Murray skillfully bobs and weaves between the emotions of heartache, fear, longing, desperation and defiance.

The script is an extraordinarily demanding stream of consciousness, shattered thoughts and disjointed language.

Being chastised for not praying, for turning out like her father, living with frustrations and pent up anger over the abuse she suffered but never overcame.

"As long as you live under my roof, you will do as I say," was her mother's mantra. Wrapped around a strict, unforgiving Catholic upbringing, The Girl's life is permeated by unforgiving memories which are constantly tapping on her brain. A child some call "handicapped" the possibility of a special school always looms.

Her first sexual experience was shocking, painful and traumatic. The man was her uncle. She was 13. He assured her that everything will be fine. She washes herself but doesn't feel clean.

Within a short period of time she began having sex with basically anyone, including a virgin man who snorted like a pig when he finally climaxed. And, then there are the men studying to become priests who used her for sex.

Murray effortlessly manifests multiple emotional situations without missing a beat. Coping with people pouring noise from their mouths as they exhale their lives.

The loss of the father changes everyone's lives. A mother who wants her daughter to pray and "pull her weight" - a daughter who is desperate for revenge, but it's anger turned inward.

The enormous litany of men who have been between her legs and left emotional scars.

Her dying brother. She begged him not to die and succumbs to drowning in tears when he does.

Her mother admits that she wishes it was her daughter, not her son who had died.

The stench of dying and going to hell The Girl views as: "You'll be fine."

An awesome production.

Production: Set Design by Chen-Wei Liao, Costume Design by Esther Arroyo, Lighting Design by Michael O’Connor, and Original Music and Sound Design is by Nathanael Brown. Michael Palmer serves as Production Stage Manager, with Michael Quadrino as Assistant Director.

A Girl Is a Half-formed Thing, won the inaugural Goldsmiths Prize in 2013 and the 2014 Baileys Women's Prize for Fiction.

Jenn Murray, who just celebrated her first mother's day with her two week old daughter, brought this script to the stage after meeting Nicola Murphy, the director, and convincing her "to work with me. I found a producer and a friend to do promotion. I wrote to Eimear McBride's agents and secured the rights. We made a website to raise $30,000. At the eleventh hour Ciaran and Charlotte at The Irish Repertory Theatre asked me to come in and read for them. They offered to produce the play in their studio space."

Sometimes you do catch lightening in a bottle.

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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

CORNELIA PARKER Tate Britain will present the first major survey of Cornelia Parker’s works in London. One of Britain’s leading contemporary artists, Parker is responsible for some of the most unique and unforgettable artworks of the past thirty years. Driven by curiosity, Parker transforms seemingly everyday objects into extraordinary works of art. Through visual allusions and metaphors, Parker’s works explore contemporary issues such as violence, human rights and environmental disaster. The exhibition will bring together over 90 artworks spanning immersive installations, sculptures, film, photography and drawing, to celebrate the breadth of Parker’s highly experimental and wide-ranging career to date, including two new works shown for the first time.

Cornelia Parker first came to prominence in the late 1980s creating large-scale suspended installations and sculptures which have captivated audiences around the world ever since. This exhibition will include several of her best-known early works including Thirty Pieces of Silver 1988-89, an installation of flattened silver objects including teapots, candle sticks and dinnerware collected from charity shops and car boot sales; and Cold Dark Matter: An Exploded View 1991, a garden shed frozen at the moment of explosion, its fragments surrounding a single lightbulb. Examples of Parker’s more recent room-sized works will be included, such as War Room 2015, created from the reams of perforated red paper negatives left over from the production of British Legion remembrance poppies, and Magna Carta (An Embroidery) 2015, a thirteen-metre long collectively hand-sewn embroidery of a Wikipedia page, which involved over 250 volunteers including public figures, human rights lawyers, politicians and prisoners.

The exhibition will spotlight Parker’s hugely inventive works on paper, including drawings, photographs and prints, as well as her more intimate sculptural objects. Highlights include the Avoided Object 1999 photographs of clouds, taken on a camera once owned by an Auschwitz commandant; and the inkblot Pornographic Drawings 1995-2006, created from dissolved video tapes confiscated by HM Customs and Excise.

Politics is a key theme in many of the artist’s works, and in 2017 Parker was the first woman to be appointed official artist for the General Election. In this role, she observed the election campaign leading up to the 8 June vote, meeting with politicians, campaigners and voters and producing artworks in response. Several films made during this period will be shown in a cinema room within the exhibition, including Left Right & Centre 2018, filmed by a drone at night in the House of Commons; and Election Abstract 2018, a documentation of Parker’s observations during the campaign, posted on her Instagram account. Other film works include Made in Bethlehem 2012-13, depicting a Palestinian father and son as they weave thousands of barbed crowns ahead of the influx of Easter pilgrims, and Chomskian Abstract 2007, an interview with the American social critic and philosopher Noam Chomsky about the intwined relationship between ecological disaster and capitalism.

Several of Parker’s artworks including sculptures, textile-based works and video, will spill out beyond the confines of the exhibition and into Tate Britain’s collection galleries, presented alongside the historical works they reference. Room for Margins 1998, an installation of the stained canvas linings and tacking edges of Turner paintings (removed by Tate conservators after a flood in 1928) will be hung in the dedicated Turner galleries at Tate Britain. The Distance (A Kiss with String Attached), 2003, Parker’s provocative dialogue with Rodin’s famous Kiss, will greet visitors on arrival at the Millbank entrance.

Cornelia Parker is curated by Andrea Schlieker, Director of Exhibitions & Displays, Tate Britain, with Nathan Ladd, Assistant Curator, Contemporary British Art, Tate Britain.

May 18 -October 16, 2022.

NATIVE TRUTHS: OUR VOICES, OUR STORIES Engage with Native American communities in a new exhibition at the Field Museum in Chicago.

Experience stories told by Native people of self-determination, resilience, continuity, and the future that come to life through historic and contemporary beadworks, ceramics, murals, music, dance, and more. Celebrate the thriving, modern culture of today’s Native communities and take part in this unique experience.

Understand the historical significance of items in the Field’s collection, like traditional regalia and pottery. Immerse yourself in works by contemporary Native artists, including Haudenosaunee (Iroquois) raised beadwork from Karen Ann Hoffman of the Oneida Nation of Wisconsin and flute music from Frank Waln of the Sicangu Lakota.

In Native Truths: Our Voices, Our Stories, we invite you to connect with diverse Native stories and the individuals who share them. Dive deeply into current issues, like threats to Native land and the rights of tribal nations to govern themselves. Celebrate the thriving, modern cultures of today’s Native communities.

Hear stories of resilience from the Chicago Native community. Get a close-up look at California basketry traditions passed on across generations. Experience music-making through the eyes of a young Lakota hip hop artist. Follow the process of Meskwaki efforts to revitalize heirloom and ancestral plants. Delve into the history and importance of Chaco Canyon. Visit the Pawnee Earth Lodge in a new context.

Native Truths: Our Voices, Our Stories was created with the guidance of an advisory council of 11 Native American scholars and museum professionals, and in partnership with 130 collaborators representing over 105 Tribes. We seek to create a space for Native people from Chicago and across the United States and Canada to share their experiences in their own voices.

Native Truths: Our Voices, Our Stories opens on May 20, 2022 at the Field Museum in Chicago.

THE PRINCETON UNIVERSITY ART MUSEUM presents new mixed-media works by the artist Martha Friedman in Body Matters / Martha Friedman, on view May 20-July 10 at Art@Bainbridge. Friedman, a senior lecturer in Princeton’s program in visual arts, integrates elements of choreography, printmaking, drawing, poured and cast rubber, mold-blown glass, plaster, wax and concrete in her complex multimedia practice.

Highlighting Friedman’s interest in historical practices for preserving, representing and studying the body, the exhibition brings together two new series of sculptures—Mummy Wheat (2021) and A Natural Thickening of Thought (2022)—that draw on influences as diverse as ancient Egyptian mummification, Greco-Roman portrait busts and the early 20th-century drawings of neuroscientist Santiago Ramón y Cajal. Shown together for the first time, these works highlight Friedman's interest in bodies as site and subject for scientific exploration as well as for conceptualizing a spiritual realm.

In Body Matters / Martha Friedman rubber - the artist’s primary medium - serves as a metaphor for the body. A liquid that becomes a malleable solid, both stretchy and resistant, its texture mimics flesh. Friedman collaborated with dancer and choreographer Silas Riener, a member of the Princeton class of 2006, in casting his head and shoulders to create the mold-blown sculptures for the exhibition. This process pushed the limits of Riener’s physical training as a dancer; he held his posture for 90 minutes as Friedman covered his eyes, ears, nose, head and torso in rubber, withstanding heat and breathing through a small slit at his mouth. Friedman suspends his animation in sculpture, freezing his body in time.

The result of their collaboration is Mummy Wheat, a series of sculptures that combine elements of Greco-Roman portrait busts in their detailed record of individual physical attributes and ancient Egyptian mummies in the carefully patterned weave of thin strips of rubber that echo the linen wrapping around corpses. Their golden surfaces also recall the gold masks that were applied to the faces of many elite coffins. In ancient Egypt, gold was associated with the sun’s radiance and the skin of the gods; in Mummy Wheat the shimmering golden surfaces similarly lend an air of both luxury and the supernatural. However, one of the greatest luxury materials in ancient Egyptian tombs was linen. Friedman studied Egyptian techniques of wrapping bodies in linen to develop the precise geometric patterns in which she wove thin, translucent ribbons of rubber around the heads of these casts of Riener, an homage to the care given to this ritualistic practice in ancient Egypt. Inspiration for the title of the series comes from the ancient Egyptian practice of burying corpses with wheat seeds to carry into the afterlife.

Body Matters / Martha Friedman is curated by Mitra M. Abbaspour, Haskell curator of modern and contemporary art. All works on view in the exhibition are courtesy of the artist and Jessica Silverman, San Francisco.

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SWEET CHARITY

THE ROYAL FILM PERFORMANCE is back! For the first time since 2019, members of the Royal Family will be celebrating the very best of the silver screen by attending the UK premiere of Top Gun: Maverick on the 19th of May, 2022 at the Odeon Luxe West End movie house.

Prince William and his wife Duchess Kate will make a Red Carpet Appearance at Top Gun sequel premiere.

In tandem with the Royal Film Performance. The Film and TV Charity will stage their own charity screening where those attending will have an exclusive red-carpet experience at the UK Premiere and Royal Film Performance of Top Gun: Maverick, at the Odeon Luxe West End, London.

Head down the red carpet with Hollywood stars of the film and VIP guests, before making your way to the Odeon Luxe West End cinema for a screening. This screening accompanies The Royal Film Performance UK Premiere of Top Gun: Maverick and will take place in a separate cinema.

The flick is directed by Joe Kosinski, produced by Jerry Bruckheimer, Tom Cruise, Christopher McQuarrie, David Ellison. Written by Ehren Kruger and Eric Warren Singer and Christopher McQuarrie. Based on characters created by Jim Cash & Jack Epps Jr.

The Film and TV Charity, of which Her Majesty The Queen is Patron, has hosted 71 special screenings since 1946 when Powell and Pressburger’s classic, A Matter Of Life And Death, made its cinematic debut as the very first Royal Film Performance.

The film, television and cinema industries have changed dramatically since then, but this special occasion has remained constant in its aim to raise vital funds to help people working in those industries when they need support.

Some of our previous Royal Film Performances have celebrated iconic titles such as; To Catch A Thief (1955), Close Encounters of the Third Kind (1978), A Passage To India (1985), Titanic (1997), Spectre (2015) and, most recently, Sam Mendes’ 1917 (2019).

The Royal Film Performance has been a mainstay of The Film and TV Charity's fundraising since 1946, and today raises funds to help those working behind the scenes in film, TV, and cinema with a range of mental health, practical, and financial support.

"Thanks to the generosity of individuals and organizations from across the industry, the charity was able to help more than 10,000 people during the pandemic – but our work is not done yet! As well as bringing new support services online (including, in the last 12 months our Bullying Advice Service), we are also working collaboratively to meaningfully change behaviors and to de-stigmatize the conversation around mental health to benefit everyone working behind the scenes."

CARNEGIE HALL ANNOUNCES CONCERT FOR UKRAINE takes place on Monday, May 23.

Benefit Performance To Feature All-Star Line-up Including: Angel Blue, Michael Feinstein, Denyce Graves, Evgeny Kissin, Isabel Leonard, Midori, Itzhak Perlman, Cécile McLorin Salvant, Chris Thile, Jessica Vosk, Adrienne Warren, Members of Ensemble Connect, and the Ukrainian Chorus Dumka of New York.

All Proceeds support Direct Relief, humanitarian organization providing urgently needed medical aid to relief groups on the ground in Ukraine.

Founded in 1948, Direct Relief is a humanitarian aid organization, active in all 50 US states and more than 90 countries, with a mission to improve the health and lives of people affected by poverty or emergencies—without regard to politics, religion, or ability to pay. Monday, May 23 in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage of Carnegie Hall in New York City.

MISS VOLUNTEER AMERICA was founded by Allison DeMarcus, wife of Jay DeMarcus from Rascal Flatts. Allison DeMarcus is a former Miss Tennessee Teen USA, Miss Tennessee America and Miss Tennessee USA and is the only woman in pageant history to represent the state of Tennessee at the Miss Teen USA, Miss America and Miss USA pageants. DeMarcus began working with Country Music Television in January 2007 when she co-hosted the Miss America Pageant with Mario Lopez and has worked as a television personality for Country Music Television for ten years.

She formerly served on the Board of Directors for Cheekwood, The Women’s Fund, Sigma Epsilon Chi Omega Advisory Board at Vanderbilt, Chi Omega’s National Recruitment Team and the Make-A-Wish Foundation of Middle Tennessee, and has enjoyed volunteering for The Nashville Symphony, Sexual Assault Center, Swan Ball, Nashville Humane Association, Nashville Ballet, Second Harvest Food Bank, Nashville Alliance, Warner Parks, The Frist Center, Nashville Zoo and the Oasis Center.

The Miss Volunteer America organization is a nationwide, service-oriented scholarship program based in Tennessee that seeks to empower young women through educational scholarships and extraordinary opportunities.

During the year, forty-seven titleholders have been crowned across the country in the Volunteer Pageant system with over $500,000 in college scholarships already awarded at the state level.

Alexa Knutzen, Miss Utah Volunteer was crowned Miss Volunteer America tonight in Jackson, TN during the inaugural pageant held at Carl Perkins Civic Center.

The spirit of service is at the very heart of the Miss Volunteer America program. As the inaugural Miss Volunteer America, Alexa will partner nationally with the Salvation Army, Make-A-Wish Foundation, Vanderbilt Children's Hospital, and American Heart Association. Additionally, she will serve as an Ambassador for White Flag, an app that provides anonymous mental health assistance.

“We are thrilled to have Alexa Knutzen as our inaugural Miss Volunteer America,” says Allison DeMarcus, “She has an extremely important role as the first national titleholder and we cannot wait for her to get started. Alexa's qualities excellently represent the values of the Miss Volunteer America pageant system. We are excited to have Alexa help us establish this program and look forward to watching her flourish in this process.”

In addition to $50,000 in scholarship money, Alexa, Miss Volunteer America, will have the opportunity to meet with Creative Artists Agency Nashville, Big Machine Label Group, Red Street Records, and collaborate with Dance Network.

SPREADING THE WORD

STEPHANIE SINGS THE STEPHENS (SONDHEIM, SCHWARTZ & FLAHERTY) as been announced by the 92Y in New York City as this year’s Kathryn W. Stein Memorial Concert, which takes place on Sunday, May 22, 2022.

Tony Award-winning vocal powerhouse Stephanie J. Block – celebrated for her roles in Wicked, The Cher Show, Falsettos, Anything Goes, The Mystery of Edwin Drood and more – takes to the 92Y stage with selections from the Broadway songbook. She spotlights music by three of her favorite composers, performing songs she's made her own, including Wicked’s "Defying Gravity" and others including "Being Alive" (Company), "Back to Before" (Ragtime) and more.

Stephanie J. Block, vocals
Ben Cohn, musical director/piano
Allison Seidner, cello
Dillon Kondor, guitar.

Kathryn W. Stein Memorial Concert:
A longtime member of the 92Y Himan Brown Senior Program and a lifelong patron of the arts, Kathryn W. Stein was born in New York City in 1906. Both her parents instilled in her a deep commitment to service, and she spent her life involved in many charitable causes and contributing to dozens of organizations. Twenty years ago, Stein made several significant bequests to favorite organizations, including the American Red Cross of New York, the Southern Poverty Law Center, and 92nd Street Y. Since she was particularly passionate about music, her generous legacy to 92Y supports this annual concert and extensive music programming for seniors. She is fondly remembered by those who knew her for her elegance, dry wit and love of people.

OH GOD: ALISON LEIBY AND ILANA GLAZER IN CONVERSATION in person and on line, Sunday, May 22, 2022, presented by 92Y in New York City.

92Y announces Alison Leiby, the acclaimed comedian and writer (The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel; The Opposition with Jordan Klepper) with The Afterparty and Broad City star Ilana Glazer for a frank and funny conversation about no one’s favorite subject — and Leiby’s new one-woman show, Oh God, A Show About Abortion.

Hailed as the “Best Political Comedy of 2021” by The New York Times and presented by Glazer, Oh God is a hilariously candid and fearless account of Leiby’s own experience navigating the big questions and mundane details of a personal decision - exercising reproductive rights in America.

Hear them discuss the creation of the show — why Leiby decided to tell her story, the fraught politics of talking frankly about abortion right now, anecdotes that didn’t make it into the show, and much more.

A PRESS SLURP AND SAVOR took place at Spritz & Jewel Thief in the NoMad neighborhood of New York City where attendees wearing "smart dress" enjoyed the venue's new Private Dining Room (PDR) followed by bottle service consisting of strong, exotic drinks.

Noted for ambiance, this boutique lounge caters to those with expensive taste and a hankering for intrigue.

FAN EXPERIENCE (IIFX) will host its first in-person International Conference & Expo at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas, Nevada from Tuesday, May 24 to Thursday, May 26, 2022.

Fancentric's vision is to be the leading and most trusted global authority on providing exceptional fan experience for sports and entertainment. With offices in the USA, UK and Canada, IIFX produces content, events, and facilitates dialogue and collaboration in in the sports and entertainment industry around its core areas of expertise.

On Tuesday, May 24, IIFX will host a Celebration Luncheon to induct three sports and entertainment industry leaders into the IIFX International Hall of Fame. The winners were selected for their lifetimes of distinguished meritorious service to the sports and entertainment industry and its fans. Criteria for induction into the International Hall of Fame include longevity to the industry, sustained performance and contributions, inspirational leadership, a Fancentrica focus, management, vision, and business ethics.

The 2022 International Hall of Fame inductees are:

Len Komoroski: Chief Executive Officer of the Cleveland Cavaliers, Rocket Mortgage FieldHouse and Rock Entertainment Group.

Russ Simons: Chief Listening Officer & Managing Partner at Venue Solutions Group, LLC.

Lee Zeidman: President of Crypto.com Arena, Microsoft Theater, and L.A. Live. Zeidman also helped develop and open The Colosseum at Caesars Palace in Las Vegas and iconic AEG venues such as the O2 in London and the Mercedes Benz Arena in Berlin.

These industry leaders will join the diverse group of individuals who will be speaking at the Fancentric Conference. The Hall of Fame inductees will be joining confirmed speakers Larry Olmsted, Kim Stone, Mario Coutinho, Jim Mercurio, Paul Turner, Scott McCartney, John Petrone, Shawn Trell, Nick Spampanato, Pat Christenson, Julie Giese, Jeff Keas, Brian Herbert, Laura Edell, Eric Golebiewski, Daniel Heal, Dr. Todd Harple, Lisa Furfine, Jennifer “Jae” Pi'ilani Requiro, Dan Donovan, Kasia Hanson, Matt Pasco, Dr. Tilman Jolly, Matthew Kenny, Dr. Lindsay Gietzen, Ryan McConnell, Chris Yigit, Philippe Bourdarias, and many others.

THEATRE COMMUNICATIONS GROUP (TCG) the national organization for theatre, announced that publisher Terry Nemeth will be retiring in the fall of 2022.

"For almost 40 years, Nemeth has led TCG’s publishing programs, including TCG Books and American Theatre magazine. TCG Books has grown to become the largest independent trade publisher of dramatic text in North America, with a catalog of nearly 500 titles, including 19 Pulitzer Prize-winning plays. As the nation’s essential magazine for professional not-for-profit theatre, American Theatre has been providing theatre professionals, students, advocates, and audiences a comprehensive journal for more than 30 years. Nemeth will be honored at the TCG National Conference in June 2022, and a search process is now underway to identify a successor."

IRISH ROCK BAND U2'S BONO AND GUITARIST THE EDGE have performed a 40-minute concert in a Ukraine metro station in support of Ukrainian forces. The performance was the result of an invitation from Ukraine's president Volodymyr Zelenskyy. The musicians said they played as a show of solidarity.

In posts on social media, the pair can be seen performing Stand By Me by Ben E. King with Ukrainian soldiers.

They also sang other hits like With Or Without You; Desire; Angel of Harlem and Vertigo.

“I am grateful to [Bono, U2] for supporting our people and drawing even more attention to the need to help our people,” Zelenskyy said in his nightly video address.

President @ZelenskyyUa invited us to perform in Kyiv as a show of solidarity with the Ukrainian people and so that’s what we’ve come to do. -- Bono and The Edge #StandWithUkraine — U2 (@U2) May 8, 2022.

MICHAEL BUBLE guesting last week on The Late Late Show With James Corden elatedly announced that he and his wife Luisana Lopilato, were expecting baby number four - a girl. Eagerly awaiting her arrival are her siblings Elias, Noah, and Vida.

FLOWERS ARE BLOOMING OUT ALL OVER

Flowers make you feel good. They make you smile. They can smell good. They can tell a story.

Around the world flower shows abound this time of year.

Here are a few not to be missed.

THE LITHUANIA TRAVEL DEVELOPMENTAL AGENCY invites visitors from all over the world to tour the country in full bloom and stumble upon yet-undiscovered places such as a primrose valley in Šeteniai, the birthplace of Nobel Prize winner Czeslaw Milosz.

the beloved floral fundraiser, Bouquets to Art, returns June 7-12 for its 38th year at the de Young in San Francisco, CA.

According to Neringa Sutkaityte, local tourism expert at Lithuania Travel, spring is a perfect time to explore the true beauty of Lithuania. “In the coming months, the country will be in full bloom and the visitors will be able to admire the blossoming nature throughout the country,” she said.

Here are five ideas for an unforgettable spring trip to admire the vibrant plethora of flowers — matricarias, daffodils, forget-me-nots, even sakuras — in Lithuanian countryside.

The daffodil can be traced back to ancient Greece.

1. Daffodil feast in Lithuania’s resort town.

Although the first mentions of the daffodil, also known as narcissus, can be traced as far as ancient Greece, the flower found its popularity in Europe only a few centuries ago. Druskininkai, Lithuania’s resort town best known for the abundance of therapeutic and wellness SPAs, is quite fond of the flower.

Each year, Vijunele Park lights up with the yellow blooming daffodils — the spring blossoms cover almost the entire area of the park, with more than half a million flowers blooming, making it a sight not to be missed.

2. Primroses straight from the pages of Nobel Prize winner’s book.

When visiting Šeteniai, the birthplace of Nobel Prize winner Czeslaw Milosz, it is impossible to miss the area’s wildflower frenzy. In the valley of Nevežis, also known as Milosz’s Meadow, primroses blossom. The flower was extensively mentioned in the poet’s autobiographical novel The Issa Valley.

Since primrose is considered to be a mood-lifting flower, it is suited best for those who are under a lot of stress or are often in a bad mood. The flower, which is affectionately called the “golden key,” marks the transition to summer and will be a delight in May when visiting the Kedainiai district.

3. Experiencing sakura by sight, smell, and taste

200 trees Cherry Blossom trees were a gift from Japan’s people to Lithuania to strengthen friendly relations.

Sakura, the Japanese cherry tree that everyone loves, has spread all over Lithuania. Among the must-see sites for the fans of the tree is Sakura park in Vilnius. The park is adored by the locals and tourists who come here to have lunch, take a selfie, or enjoy spontaneous music or art performances. The park was founded in 2001 to commemorate the 100th anniversary of Japanese diplomat Chiune Sugihara — a collection of 200 trees was a gift from Japan’s people to Lithuania to strengthen the friendly relations between the two countries.

In Marijampole, sakura lovers gather in Cat’s Yard. Surrounded by sakuras, visitors can admire multiple murals and are invited to try to count the statues of cats owned by the town’s founder, countess Pranciška Butleriene.

Visitors can not only smell and admire sakuras, but also taste them in the largest Japanese garden in Europe. Located in Mažuciai, Kretinga district, the garden hosts sakura tea tasting ceremonies all throughout the blossom season. The tea is made from sakura blossoms pickled in Japanese plum vinegar and sprinkled with sea salt — this kind of tea is only drunk on special occasions in Japan.

4. Lithuania’s freedom flower among 200 thousand crosses.

Myosotis, also known as forget-me-not, is used throughout Lithuania to commemorate the Soviet aggression in Vilnius in the early 1990s. In May, thousands of forget-me-nots bloom on the Hill of Crosses — a world-famous, must-visit location near Šiauliai. The tradition of bringing a cross to leave on the hill began almost 200 years ago and by the early 20th century it was already known as a sacred place for masses, devotions, and pilgrimages.

Even though it is a remarkable sight at any time of the year, the hill turns blue with thousands of forget-me-nots in the spring, making the view even more phenomenal, especially during the so-called “golden hour.” The full effect of the lush rolling fields and blue flowers unfurl before visitors who come to the hill shortly after sunrise or before sunset.

5. Little daisies in an authentic manor.

Daisies are the pride of Ilzenbergas Manor, located on the Lithuanian-Latvian border. The 17.5-hectare park is a great place to stroll around and immerse oneself into the life of nobility. There are a myriad of sculptures around the park, as well as an authentically restored barn, smokehouse, sauna, artillery battery, and even a 3D replica of the Stelmuže tree, one of the oldest oaks in Europe.

THE NATIONAL FLOWER SHOW UK's annual flower show celebrating the best of gardening takes place May 20-22. at the Hylands House & Estate, London Road, Chelmsford, Essex.

RHS CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW

Queen Elizabeth at the Chelsea Flower Show. Photo: Chelsea Flower Show

the UK’s premier horticultural show is on display May 24-28, 2022. "The world’s greatest flower show returns in spring with stunning garden designs, gorgeous floral displays and endless shopping."

Floral Platinum Jubilee celebrations will include bespoke portraits, a photography exhibition and a celebration of British flowers will all feature among floral tributes to Her Majesty.

Decorative floral and plant displays will be featured at RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2022 to reflect The Queen’s long-standing support for the RHS, as well as her love of flowers and gardens.

Her Majesty has been the Society’s Royal Patron since 1952 and was a regular visitor to the show with her parents as a child. Her first visit to the show as The Queen was in 1955, attending more than 50 times during her 70-year reign.

A bespoke sculptural portrait will be created by renowned florist Simon Lycett, who has created many floral arrangements for the Royal family. He's designing a bespoke sculptural portrait of Her Majesty in the official Platinum Jubilee shade of purple. The silhouette will be covered on both sides with an assortment of native British-grown tree branches with connecting inner shelves arranged with 70 terracotta pots, hand-made in Warwickshire and planted with lily of the valley, one of The Queen’s favorite plants as it was featured in her Coronation bouquet.

At the center of the show’s Great Pavilion, the Monument will be surrounded by a photography exhibition depicting images of The Queen visiting the show throughout her reign. The feature installation by designer Dave Green includes an accessible deck walkway that will flow around the images, set among a woodland inspired planting scheme. A calm and serene environment is created for visitors to view the images, with a color palette of white, green, purple and blue plants reflecting the tones found in natural woodlands.

In celebration of The Queen’s passion for nature, an installation by floral designers Veevers Carter will give visitors an immersive experience to enjoy their own personal tribute. Natural Perspectives will feature a canopy of flowers including fresh delphiniums, inspired by the colours and planting of the Scottish landscape near the Royal Family’s Balmoral Castle estate. As visitors encounter the space, an ambient soundscape will fill the air, visual projections of wildlife will capture their gaze, leading to a large-scale portrait of The Queen made from dried pressed flowers that have been collected and re-used from the designers’ previous events. As visitors enter the iconic Bullring Gate, they’ll be greeted by an archway decorated with royal emblems reminiscent of a countryside meadow by Lucy Vail Floristry. Celebrating British flower growers and craftsmanship, the colorful design will include three wicker crowns covered in sweet peas and columns of foxgloves, geraniums and irises. Following the show, all plants from the display will be returned to flower farms to be re-used and stems will be recycled for further events.

Helena Pettit, Director of RHS Gardens and Shows said: "This year’s RHS Chelsea is going to be particularly special as we celebrate this historic anniversary for Her Majesty and as the show returns in May following the pandemic. These imaginative floral tributes are a fitting and joyful representation of a truly unique monarch, and we hope visitors will enjoy seeing them at the show in the lead up to the Platinum Jubilee celebrations."

Location London Gate, Royal Hospital Chelsea, London.

BOUQUETS TO ART the beloved floral fundraiser, Bouquets to Art, returns June 7-12 for its 38th year at the de Young in San Francisco, CA.

For one week only, experience more than 100 floral displays, designed by the Bay Area’s most innovative and sought-after floral designers, in conversation with works from the de Young’s permanent collection.

Proceeds from Bouquets to Art help underwrite exhibitions, conservation projects, and education programs at the de Young and Legion of Honor. Bouquets to Art Events.

Enrich your Bouquets to Art experience with the following special programs featuring experts on flowers.

Still Lifes—Still Alive with Remco van Vliet takes place Tuesday, June 7th. Third-generation Dutch Master Florist and celebrated creative force behind the colossal arrangements at the Metropolitan Museum of Art, Remco van Vliet will provide insights into how to bring sustainable, creative elegance into our own environments.

Book Launch and Lecture with Assistant Curator Lauren Palmor on Wednesday, June 8th. Celebrate the launch of this gorgeous compendium that illuminates the language of flowers through the lens of our permanent collection with author Lauren Palmor, Assistant Curator of American Art. A book signing will follow.

Organic and Sustainable Floral Inspirations with Gregor Lersch is slated for Wednesday, June 8th. World-renowned Master Florist, prolific author, and celebrated teacher Gregor Lersch will showcase creative floral arrangements that integrate innovation, sustainability, and magnificent beauty.

Botanicals as Materials, Muse, and Magic with Justina Blakeney on Thursday, June 9th. Justina Blakeney, artist, designer, and founder of Jungalow will share how to incorporate heritage, cultural influence, fine and decorative art, colorful florals, and expressive plants to highly personalized and add positive energy to spaces. Book signing to follow. Buy tickets.

THE 2022 PHILADELPHIA FLOWER SHOW will begin on Saturday, June 11 and end on Sunday, June 19 in FDR Park.

The Philadelphia Flower Show In Full Bloom and will explore the restorative and healing properties of nature, featuring 15 acres of breathtaking exhibits.

"This year's theme connotes good health, positive well-being, and a passion for life that culminates in a gorgeous and colorful spectacle," PHS said, noting that the outdoor show takes places during the "peak of seasonal perfection."

"With this year's Flower Show theme of In Full Bloom, we are aiming to build on the 'wow factor' of previous years and deliver a truly immersive, engaging, and highly unique experience for our visitors that will both thrill and inspire," said Sam Lemheney, chief of shows and events at PHS. Guests at the 2022 Flower Show will first be greeted by the floral-filled entry garden. The pathway will include bright, bold floral arrangements and greenery stretching across the entire entrance. The entry way will be wide enough for visitors to take photos before they check out the rest of the show. The Learning Gardens will include displays submitted by entrants in the Flower Show's competitive classes. Acres of garden displays will be featured for guests to walk through. Each designer will explain their own interpretation of how gardening and horticulture can be therapeutic and relaxing, and will provide additional information for those looking to learn more about their individual process.

RHS HAMPTON COURT PALACE GARDEN FESTIVAL UK takes place July 4-9, 2022. It is the world's largest flower show.

The healing power of trees is this year's feature.

There is the The Festival of Roses where you can immerse yourself in the heady scent and glorious color of the Festival of Roses and find yourself a favorite new variety then take a moment to pause and drink it all in at the Rose Afternoon Tea Garden.

Explore the gorgeous gardens packed full of beautiful blooms all in the stunning surrounds of Hampton Court Palace where you can enjoy the festival vibe. Expect designs which will inspire gardeners with different interests with Show, Global Impact and Get Started gardens.

Talks, demos and music. Stretch your knowledge with our inspiring talks, creative demonstrations and practical workshops on gardening, floristry, design, food, craft, health and wellbeing from some well-known faces, including Monty Don, Arit Anderson, Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall and Kate Bradbury.

For music lovers, listen to the sounds of our talented artists across the week on The Woodland and Sanctuary Stages, where you’ll hear from the likes of Soul Brothers and Sisters, Cristina Hart and others.

The Royal Horticultural Society is the UK’s leading gardening charity. "We aim to enrich everyone’s life through plants, and make the UK a greener and more beautiful place."

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

THE HOUSTON BALLET has received a $10M donation - its largest gift ever. The donation is from Margaret Alkek Williams - the daughter of an oilman - to the professional dance company’s endowment fund. To thank her, the Center for Dance and Dance Lab building was renamed in her honor, as first reported by several outlets.

Williams, 87, previously had made sizable contributions to Houston Ballet. During the company’s $50 million Dance with Us! campaign in 2008, her $5 million lead gift helped establish the Center for Dance. The 115,000-square-foot, six-story structure, designed by architecture firm Gensler, is the largest dance facility of its kind in the U.S.

Her $4 million donation to the Houston Grand Opera in 2011 from the Alkek and Williams Foundation created the Margaret Alkek Williams General Director Chair Fund, a position currently held by Khori Dastoor. A $5 million gift committed to Houston Symphony in 2015 created the Margaret Alkek Williams executive director/CEO chair; John Mangum currently fills that role. The following year she established the Margaret Alkek Williams Center for Performing Arts Medicine, which enables more than 100 live performances for Houston Methodist hospital patients each year.

THE QUEEN ELIZABETH II the ship - not the Monarch - has been purchased by Accor hotel group with the intention of making it a Dubai landmark.

The global hospitality group will renovate the iconic QE2 cruise ship making it part of the MGallery brand.

The Acor Group operates over 400 hotels in India, the Middle East, Africa, and Turkey. The vessel has been docked in Dubai since 2018.

The world fasous ship sailed for Cunard between 1969 to 2008. Accor plans to reduce the rooms onboard by 60% keeping only 477 of the original 1300 rooms.

The QE2 was retired from active service in 2008 and sold to Dubai investment company Istithmar for $100 million.

Post renovation the QE II will feature 447 luxury hotel rooms, nine food and beverage outlets, ten meeting room, a 5,620 sqm arena for outdoor events, six retail outlets, a swimming pool, and a gym.

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ANTHONY ANDERSON

Andy Anderson college grad.

of Black-ish fame has just graduated from Howard University in Washington, DC. with Howard University's 2022 Commencement on May 7, 2022.

The 51-year-old actor began his college studies 30 years ago, but his parents couldn't afford to send him to school for his senior year. He'd always intended to finish but fame sidetracked him. When his own son entered Howard, Anderson vowed to finally graduate. Quietly, he began hitting the books on line.

Anderson received his bachelor's degree from the Chadwick A. Boseman College of Fine Arts at Howard University.

The actor showed off his numerous pictures of his graduation on Instagram posts, thanking his professors and calling it "30 years in the making."

THE COLUMBUS MUSEUM OF ART has selected writer/scholar/researcher Darlene Taylor as the first Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson Writing Resident. The program honors the legacy of the beloved Columbus artist.

The residency, which began May 1, 2022, is nationally focused and provides an African American professional writer residing in the United States with an unrestricted $15,000 cash award and 90-day retreat in the late artist’s newly renovated Columbus, Ohio, home studio.

This is the second Aminah Brenda Lynn Robinson residency to be established. The first, a visual artist residency, was created in collaboration with the Greater Columbus Arts Council in 2019.

Darlene Taylor is an artist-scholar and lecturer at Howard University. A second-year doctoral student at Howard University, Taylor holds a bachelor’s degree from American University and a Master of Fine Arts from Stonecoast. She has served in leadership positions that support literary arts and the humanities including The Clifton House, Zora Neale Hurston/Richard Wright Foundation and the National Trust for the Humanities.

THE OUTER CRITICS CIRCLE an organization founded during the 1949-50 Broadway season by respected theater journalist John Gassner, is an esteemed association with members affiliated with more than ninety newspapers, magazines, broadcast stations, and online news organizations, in America and abroad.

They will announce their winners for the 2021-2022 theater season on Tuesday, May 17, with a ceremony honoring the award recipients on Thursday, May 26 at the Bruno Walter Auditorium at the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center.

Broadway To Vegas will post the winners after they are announced. See Outer Critics Circle list of nominees and winners.



EPIPHANY a new play by Brian Watkins.

Directed by Tyne Rafaeli.

Cast includes: Francois Battiste, Marylouise Burke, Heather Burns, Jonathan Hadary, Omar Metwally, Colby Minifie, David Ryan Smith, C.J. Wilson, and Carmen Zilles.

"Epiphany is ostensibly about a group of people who come together for a dinner party but, in fact, it is not about a dinner party at all. It is about why we gather and how we find sustenance in each other. It takes place in a realm where we find the magical, the otherworldly and the unexplained. And yes, there is an epiphany – or perhaps more than one. The playwright describes it this way, "An uncanny evening. Snow falls softly. An eager host gathers old friends to try and resuscitate a forgotten tradition. But when the guest of honor is unusually late, the group becomes unmoored, craving answers. And there might not be enough wine, or goose, or time to fend off the long-neglected questions that now haunt their souls." Previews begin Thursday, May 19 in the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater in New York City.

DREAMING ZENZILE based on the life of Miriam Makeba, written and performed by Grammy-nominated Vocalist/Composer Somi Kakoma.

Directed by Obie Award winner Lileana Blain-Cruz.

At her final concert, South African musical legend and activist Miriam Makeba delivers the performance of her life, raising the conscience and the consciousness of a people. But the ancestors are calling—transporting her through the music and fractured memories of her past on a spiritual journey of reconciliation. this world premiere musical is an electrifying portrait of a revolutionary artist’s singular voice and vision.

The cast will include Somi Kakoma as Miriam Makeba, Aaron Marcellus as Sangoma Chorus, Naledi Masilo as Sangoma Chorus and Phumzile Sojola as Sangoma Chorus. Darrell Wayne Purcell, Jr. will serve as Understudy. The Dreaming Zenzile band will include Toru Dodo on piano, Pathé Jassi on bass, Hervé Samb on guitar and Sheldon Thwaites on percussion.

Dreaming Zenzile will feature scenic design by Riccardo Hernandez, costume design by award-winning fashion designer Mimi Plange, lighting design by Yi Zhao, sound design by Justin Ellington, and projection design by Hannah Wasileski.

abigail jean-baptiste will serve as associate director, with Marjorie Forté-Saunders as choreographer, Talvin Wilks as dramaturg, Hervé Samb as Music Director and Egypt Dixon as stage manager.

The rolling world premiere production of Dreaming Zenzile brings together seven producers including Octopus Theatricals, National Black Theatre, Repertory Theatre of St. Louis, McCarter Theatre Center, Arts Emerson, Apollo Theater and New York Theatre Workshop. The soul-stirring production includes a live jazz band playing original music and reinterpretations of Makeba's remarkable catalog.

Dreaming Zenzile will begin performances on Tuesday May 17, 2022 and is set to open on Wednesday June 1 for a limited run through Sunday June 26, 2022 at New York Theatre Workshop in New York City.

GIRL ON AN ALTAR by Marina Carr.

Directed by Annabelle Comyn

'Did no one ever tell you the sweetest revenge is to forgive?'

Clytemnestra’s world is torn apart when her husband, Agamemnon, sacrifices their daughter for the sake of war. Ten years on from this unthinkable tragedy, the couple are reunited. What follows is a dangerous battle of love, grief and power.

Now, Clytemnestra is forced to choose whether to forgive and forget, or seek revenge.

The blistering world premiere of Marina Carr's new play brings Clytemnestra's experience to the forefront, placing the infamous Greek myth in a new light.

Starring Eileen Walsh.

Post Show Q&A: June 7, 2022. Captioned Performance: June 9, 2022. Audio Described Performance: June 16, 2022.

May 19 - June 25, 2022 at the Kiln Theatre in London.

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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.

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