Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: May 28, 2023
By: Laura Deni
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REMEMBERING WAR VICTIMS WHEN THE RULES OF WAR WEREN'T OBEYED

War isn't good for any living thing, as the Vietnam protestors used to chant.

Memorial Day is an American holiday, observed on the last Monday of May, honoring the men and women who died while serving in the U.S. military. I'm old enough to remember when it was called Decoration Day. Everyone was expected to go to a cemetery and clean and decorate the graves of the departed, paying special attention to veterans. It was a day long event. Families brought picnic baskets to eat at graveside and school and military bands paraded and played.

Memorial Day, as Decoration Day gradually came to be known, originally honored only those lost while fighting in the Civil War. But during World War I the United States found itself embroiled in another major conflict, and the holiday evolved to commemorate American military personnel who died in all wars, including World War II, The Vietnam War, The Korean War and the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.

In 1968, Congress passed the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which established Memorial Day as the last Monday in May in order to create a three-day weekend for federal employees. The change went into effect in 1971. The same law also declared Memorial Day a federal holiday and the official start of summer - meaning the importance of honoring those who sacrificed their lives now competed with the back yard barbecue.

The law of armed conflict (LOAC) or international humanitarian law (IHL) protects a wide range of people and objects during armed conflict. The Geneva Conventions and their Additional Protocols protect sick, wounded and shipwrecked persons not taking part in hostilities, prisoners of war and other detainees, civilians and civilian objects such as hospitals, medical equipment, such as vehicles, as long as they are not being used for military purposes, schools, churches.

Parties to a conflict are prohibited to target civilians and required to to take all feasible precautions to avoid attacks that result in civilian casualties. They are also required to avoid defensive measures that put civilians in danger. Civilians may not be used as protective shields or forcibly displaced. Unnecessary attacks on their means of livelihood such as farms, housing, transport and health facilities, are forbidden.

IHL also mentions specific groups among civilians such as women, who are protected from sexual abuse, and children, whose special needs must be taken into account by combatants.

Memorial Day should also be a time to remember the innocent victims of war. Those who perished when the "rules of war" weren't obeyed.

A couple of examples:

Memorial outside Harrods in London honoring those who died. Photo: Laura Deni

According to police records, on the afternoon of December 17, 1983, IRA members parked a car bomb near the side entrance of Harrods Department Store, on Hans Crescent Street in London. The area was crowded with Christmas shoppers. The bomb exploded at about 1:21, as four police officers in a car, an officer on foot and a police dog-handler neared the suspect vehicle. A warning has been received but the bomb exploded as the police were attempting to clear the area. Six people were killed (three officers and three bystanders) and 90 others were injured, including 14 police officers and nine children. The blast damaged 24 cars and all five floors on the side of Harrods. The police car absorbed much of the blast and this likely prevented further casualties."

The next day the IRA admitted to placing the car bomb and a few days later they expressed their ‘regret’ and that the operation had not been authorized. Harrods shop windows were blown out causing severe injuries to staff and customers. Despite the damage, the store re-opened three days later, vowing not to be defeated by acts of terrorism.

Harrods shop windows were blown out causing severe injuries to staff and customers. Despite the damage, the store re-opened three days later, vowing not to be defeated by acts of terrorism.

In 1984 the Police Memorial Trust was set up to erect memorials to those officers killed on duty at or near the place where they fell.

Director Michael Winner best known for directing several movies starring Charles Bronson, including three of the five Death Wish films, as well as Lawman (1971), a Western starring Burt Lancaster and Robert Duvall, and Marlon Brando in The Nightcomers (1971) was founder of the charitable trust.

Kensington resident and film Michael Winner (1935-2013), best known for directing several movies starring Charles Bronson, including three of the five Death Wish films, as well as Lawman (1971), a Western starring Burt Lancaster and Robert Duvall, and Marlon Brando in The Nightcomers (1971) was founder of the charitable trust.

One of the first memorials to be erected was to those killed by that IRA bomb.

The rounded grey polished stone shaft measuring 4’ 7” (1.4m) high was placed on the east façade of Harrods, at pavement level. The simple gilt inscription gives the names of the police officers who died - Inspector Stephen Dodd and Police Sergeant Noel Lane, 28, and Woman Police Constable Jane Arbuthnot, 22 - and the date of the tragic incident. On the pedestal the arms of the Metropolitan police have been engraved set in five vertical lines. It was designed by the late George Cook of H M Lander. Princess Alexandra performed the unveiling on September 24, 1985. Lord Whitelaw represented the Government and gave a short speech. The families of Inspector Stephen Dodd, Police Sergeant Noel Lane and Woman Police Constable Jane Arbuthnot all attended the ceremony. Margaret Thatcher, then Prime Minister, and Neil Kinnock, then Leader of the Opposition, attended at a later date to pay their respect and lay flowers.

The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea later commissioned a similar tablet in remembrance of the three innocent civilians who died -Kenneth Gerald Salvesen, Jasmine Cochran-Patrick and Philip Geddes - which was placed immediately above the Memorial to the Police Officers, according to the Royal Memorials Register.

After graduating from Oxford University Philip Geddes joined the staff of the London Evening Standard, then moved to the Daily Express. In December 1983 he was in Harrods, the Knightsbridge store, when orders were issued for the building to be evacuated. Realizing there was a story to be had, Philip went to investigate. He was killed by the blast from a bomb planted by the IRA. Philip Geddes was just 24.

A tree and plaque in the gardens of Oxford's St Edmund Hall commemorate his life, and since 1984 the Philip Geddes Memorial Prize has encouraged promising student journalists on the path to Fleet Street, radio and television. Former prizewinners are employed by the BBC, ITN, Reuters, the Economist, and a wide range of Fleet Street newspapers.

On Friday, May 19, 2023 The Principal and Fellows of St Edmund Hall, and the Trustees of the Philip Geddes Memorial Prize presented the 2023 Philip Geddes Memorial Lecture.

Huw Edwards, journalist, presenter, and newsreader spoke at the free, public lecture. He presents BBC News at Ten, the corporation’s flagship news broadcast. Huw also presents BBC coverage of state events, international events, the hour-long BBC News at Five on the BBC’s rolling news channel BBC News.

The lecture was recorded and published on St Edmund Hall’s digital and print communication platforms.

The Seoul National University Hospital massacre was a massacre of 700 to 900 doctors, nurses, inpatient civilians and 100 wounded soldiers by the Korean People's Army (KPA) on June 28, 1950 at the Seoul National University Hospital, Seoul district of South Korea. During the First Battle of Seoul, the KPA wiped out one platoon which guarded Seoul National University Hospital. Then they massacred medical personnel, inpatients and wounded soldiers. The Korean People's Army shot or buried the people alive.

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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

THE WEDDING CAKE

Wedding Cake, a 12-metre-tall ceramic sculptural pavilion in the form of a three-tiered cake. Photo: Waddesdon.

Explore Joana Vasconcelos’ extraordinary Wedding Cake on display June 8 - October 26, 2023 at Waddesdon in Buckinghamshire, England.

Wedding Cake, a 12-metre-tall ceramic sculptural pavilion in the form of a three-tiered cake, is a major new Rothschild Foundation commission from celebrated Portuguese artist Joana Vasconcelos.

The Wedding Cake will stand within a grove of trees at Waddesdon beside the 19th-century Dairy. It’s a playful continuation of the history of placing fanciful buildings in gardens and landscapes, which at Waddesdon include the ornamental Dairy and gilded Rococo-style Aviary.

Step inside this astonishing work of art on a 45-minute guided tour and enjoy a unique, richly sensory experience.

After the tour, you’ll have the chance to explore the collection of contemporary sculpture in the Water Garden at the Dairy including Lafite, Vasconcelos’ magnificent sculpture in the form of two giant candlesticks made of wine bottles.

I want people to have three different approaches to it: looking from the outside, enjoying the surroundings from the different levels or balconies and rising to the top, finally completing the artwork with their presence. Above all, I always thought of it as a temple to love. Joana Vasconcelos, The creation of Wedding Cake.

Part sculpture, part architectural garden folly, the extraordinary structure is a celebration of love, festivity and joy. Inspired by the exuberant Baroque buildings and decorative ceramic traditions of Lisbon, where Vasconcelos lives and works. Thousands of gleaming, icing-like ceramic tiles glazed in pale pinks, greens and blues decorate the cake, all made in a traditional Portuguese manufactory. Further adorned with sculptural ornament and complete with the sounds of trickling water.

Wedding Cake is Vasconcelos’ most ambitious commission to date and a perfect complement to Waddesdon. The vision and imagination exemplified in the piece mirror the passion which drove Baron Ferdinand, the creator of Waddesdon, to build the Manor and the Dairy, where he intended that his many friends would be surprised and delighted at every turn. Traditionally-made ceramic tiles speak to the Manor’s world-renowned collection of Sèvres and Meissen porcelain. And the sumptuous decoration of the Wedding Cake reflects the architecture of the house, itself covered in intricate finials and ornaments.

Her work is often playful, manipulating scale to dramatic effect and using familiar daily objects in surprising, charming and inventive ways.

THE PORTLAND MUSEUM OF ART (PMA) has announced a major, collaborative, and community-driven reinstallation envisioned by museum curators, educators, and an Advisory Committee. Made possible through the generosity of the Terra Foundation for American Art, Maine Community Foundation, Wyeth Foundation for American Art, Unum, and the Friends of the Collection, Passages in American Art is a fundamental reinterpretation of the collection, platforming multiple voices, revealing new ways of looking at some of the museum’s most beloved works of art, and inviting community members to drive the conversation. Opening yesterday, May 27, 2023, the project examines the existing collection, and along with recent acquisitions, commissions, and select long-term loans, integrates Atlantic narratives and Indigenous perspectives to expand the story of American art.

The Advisory Committee is made up of members from Akomawt Educational Initiative, Atlantic Black Box, Indigo Arts Alliance, Gulf of Maine Research Institute, and Portland Public Schools, organizations that represent both existing and newly formed relationships with the museum. With the generosity and expertise of these thought-partners, Passages in American Art became a responsive installation honoring multiple truths, complexities, and understandings.

“With the vital support of the Terra Foundation for American Art, we are committed to thinking in collaborative, cross-cultural, and multidisciplinary ways to foreground how our collection can be a starting point for engaging with important questions: from considering legacies of colonialism and slavery, to exploring the very definition of ‘America,’ and researching artistic resonances with climate change,” says Shalini Le Gall, Chief Curator, Susan Donnell and Harry W. Konkel Curator of European Art.

The project is made possible through the Terra Foundation for American Art’s Re-envisioning Permanent Collections: An Initiative for US Museums grant program. Grants totaling nearly $3.1 million were awarded to 45 arts and cultural organizations in the United States to support permanent collection projects that question and broaden our understandings of American art and histories with the public. The PMA is grateful for the Terra Foundation for American Art’s support and belief in the museum, our Art for All mission, and ensuring museums are spaces for exploring shared histories and human experiences.

UNFOLDING THE UNIVERSE: THE JAMES WEBB SPACE TELESCOPE we are peering deeper into the universe than ever before with NASA’s newest space-based observatory, the James Webb Space Telescope. As the successor and complement, to the famed Hubble Space Telescope, Webb sees in infrared light and has already provided tremendous insights into the mysteries of the universe.

On display is a collection of some of the most mesmerizing imagery captured by Webb so far as we highlight stars, planets in-and-out of our Solar System, star-forming nebulae, massive galaxies, and some of the most distant objects ever observed. There are an assortment of 3D printed displays throughout the gallery, exploring the innovative technology of Webb and providing a unique perspective of various celestial objects featured in the imagery.

On display through October 1, 2023. Presented by the Simpkins Family Foundation. Located in Daytona Beach, FL, The Museum of Arts & Sciences (MOAS) is the primary art, science and history museum in Central Florida.

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SWEET CHARITY

BROADWAY ROSE IN COLLABORATION WITH OREGON'S FAIRYTALE PROJECT stage a royal fundraiser June 3, from 11:00 a.m. – noon at the Broadway Rose New Stage Rehearsal Hall in Tigard, OR.

Your little prince and princess are invited to a party with the royal ice sisters, including songs, an interactive story time, games, refreshments, a photo opportunity with the princesses, and more. All ages invited! (Children under age two are free.)

The Fairytale Project created by Josie Davis and Lexi Faber with the "dream of inspiring and empowering the children we met with care, understanding and of course magic. Run by a group of four incredible women working to provide luxury events, birthdays and giveaways for the community; as well as characters for charity events benefiting A Family for Every Child and other foundations, Children’s Hospitals/schools, and many free/discounted events for families that could use a little extra magic, but wouldn’t otherwise be able to afford a character appearance. We have been so blessed to donate over $30,000 in services to these families and organizations."

BOUQUETS TO ART Experience the de Young museum erupt with fresh flowers for Bouquets to Art. From June 6–11, see more than 100 floral displays in conversation with artworks from the de Young’s permanent collection, designed by the Bay Area’s leading floral designers.

Bouquets to Art Trunk Shows take place daily from 9:30 am–5:15 pm. Take home floral-inspired treasures by six local artisans and designers, one on each day during Bouquets to Art.

Proceeds from this beloved floral fundraiser, now in its 39th year, help underwrite exhibitions, conservation projects, and education programs at the de Young and Legion of Honor.

Grand Patron
Diane B. Wilsey

Honorary Opening Night Chair
Lorna Meyer Calas

Bouquets to Art Co-Chairs
Diana Ekstrand
Karen Mohr

Legion of Honor Lincoln Park in San Francisco, CA.

SPREADING THE WORD

THE DOLPHIN ERA IN LAS VEGAS HAS ENDED the last remaining three Atlantic bottlnose dophins from Siegfried & Roy’s Secret Garden and Dolphin Habitat have been relocated to Coral World Ocean Park’s Sea Sanctuary at Water Bay in St. Thomas. The dolphins, all female, are named Huf-N-Puf, Coco, and Lady Ace, all born at the Mirage in Las Vegas.

The addition of the three females now means Coral World is home to 10 dolphins.

Following the purchase of the Mirage by Hard Rock from MGM Resorts International, the habitat closed.

Last February, the dolphins Osborne, Sofi and Karli (Sofi’s offspring) were transported to Sea World in San Diego. SeaWorld had originally loaned the dolphins to the habitat.

Osborne was born at Sea World Texas and Sofi was born at Sea World San Diego. Karli was born in 2018 in Las Vegas.

FOCUS CENTER STAGE: 50 YEARS OF THE THEATRE ON FILM AND TAPE ARCHIVES curated by Patrick Hoffman. On Thursday, June 1, the Library of the Performing Arts in New York City will present an evening centered on the exhibition. Janice C. Simpson will interview Hoffman, Director and Curator, Theatre on Film and Tape Archive (TOFT), about the exhibition, TOFT's history, and we'll tell some behind-the-scenes stories of videorecording and preserving the past five decades of theatre productions on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and in regional theatres. Video highlights from the vast collection will be shown as a highlight of the evening.

Hoffman is also a theatre critic and journalist and Outer Critics Circle Executive Committee member.

The event is free-of-charge, all are welcome, but you do need to register and you can do that at the EventBrite.

THE LYRICS AND LYRICISTS 2022/23 SEASON closes with California Dreamin’: Jessica Vosk Sings the Songwriters of Laurel Canyon on June 2, 4 and 5, at 92Y in New York City.

This event is an intimate exploration of the legendary icons of California’s Laurel Canyon in the 1960s and ‘70s, including the Mamas and the Papas, Joni Mitchell, Crosby Stills & Nash and the Eagles, whose beautiful harmonies and trailblazing songwriting inspired Vosk and formed the soundtrack to her earliest musical memories.

The California Dreamin’ team includes three creatives who have all worked with Vosk in the past: visionary director James Darrah, celebrated for his visually and emotionally arresting work at the intersection of theater, opera and film, who worked with Vosk on the PBS Great Performances broadcast The Bernstein Centennial Celebration at Tanglewood; ACT of CT’s music supervisor Bryan Perri featured Vosk in a one-night-only Broadway Unplugged performance; and multi-talented, award-winning Broadway music director and composer Mary-Mitchell Campbell directed Vosk’s sold out Carnegie Hall debut.

Musicians: Justin Smith, violin/fiddle. Eric B. Davis, guitar. Alexandra Eckhardt, bass.

CPH STAGE THEATRE FESTIVAL takes place June 1-10 at various venues in Copenhagen, Denmark.

Presenting both Danish and International productions.

"You can experience exciting theatre at all sorts of venues – from the smallest underground stage to the Royal Danish Theatre. This year, the performances explore themes like love, gender, loneliness, revolution and the meaning of life."

The program offers performances accessible to non-Danish speakers.

The theatre festival takes place on the theater stages in Copenhagen and Frederiksberg "with more than 100 cool, exiting and entertaining shows and events."

SPORTS PALOOZA a tour featuring athletes from the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC), World Cup Soccer, and Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP), will be part of this year’s Armed Forces Entertainment (AFE) Heat Wave campaign. The tour will cover 13 shows, running to July 4, 2023, and features JJ Aldrich, Benson Henderson, Jay DeMerit, Natasha Kai, Katie Spieler, and Ty Tramblie.

Soccer All Stars is a tour that features four soccer athletes who have played for college, national, and international teams. As All-American natives, the soccer players on this tour represent some of the best talent in women’s soccer in recent years. Featuring Sarah Huffman, Marci Jobson, Natasha Kai, and Ashley Nick, the tour will feature ten shows at U.S. military bases across Southwest Asia and will run from July 23 to August 5.

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THE PASADENA PLAYHOUSE has been named the recipient of the 2023 Regional Theatre Tony Award. The award is bestowed upon the recommendation by the American Theatre Critics Association, The honor is accompanied by a grant of $25,000, made possible by City National Bank’s generous support.

“We are thrilled to present the 2023 Regional Theatre Tony Award to Pasadena Playhouse,” said Heather Hitchens, President and CEO of the American Theatre Wing and Charlotte St. Martin, President of The Broadway League. "Pasadena Playhouse has made a significant impact - on both a local and global level, by developing some of the most innovative and inspiring works and artists."

Pasadena Playhouse, the official State Theater of California, is internationally recognized for its significant role in the development of American theater. One of the most prolific theaters in the country, the Playhouse has staged thousands of original productions since its founding in 1917 including premieres of works by Tennessee Williams, Eugene O’Neill, Suzan Lori Parks and hundreds more.

THE CLIVE BARNES AWARDS were recently presented to & Juliet star Lorna Courtney for theater and Victor Abreu of the New York City Ballet was honored with the Clive Barnes Award for Dance. Each received $5,000.

"Lorna and Victor represent outstanding young talent in their disciplines,” Holly Jones and Lloyd Mayor, co-presidents of The Clive and Valerie Barnes Foundation, said in a statement. “Their success has been a result of dedicated work and love of their art form. The foundation is proud to recognize and support their talents and all the nominees in each category."

Each year since 2009, The Clive and Valerie Barnes Award gives special recognition to two talented performers in Dance and Theatre.

Clive Alexander Barnes CBE was an English writer and critic. From 1965 to 1977, he was the dance and theater critic for The New York Times, and, from 1978 until his death in 2008, The New York Post.

GIBSON GIVES AND SAVE THE MUSIC Announce 2023 Scholarship Winners; scholarships awarded nationwide to nine young students to develop careers in the music industry.

The Gibson Gives and Save the Music Scholarship program is available to students who are planning to pursue music at a college, university, or music academy. Each recipient receives one acoustic or electric guitar, as well as a $5,000 cash grant to assist in their ?college funding. The Gibson Gives and Save The Music Scholarships alone will result in $67,000.00+ (9 grants of $5,000 and 9 Gibson guitars) in giving to young musicians.

Gibson Gives Scholarship 2023 Students:

Eric Panizales: Graduating High School: Miami Beach Senior High Miami Dade County Public Schools (Miami Beach, FL) Attending Secondary Institution: Florida International University (Miami, FL)

Angel Soto: Graduating High School: Renaissance High School for Musical Theater & the Arts (Bronx, NYC) - Attending College: Queens College (Queens, NY)

Meeka Reese: Graduating High School: Grandview Heights High School, The Fort Hayes Career Center of Columbus City Schools (Columbus OH) Attending Secondary Institution: Berklee College of Music (Boston, MA)

Tyler Trevino: Graduating High School: James Madison High School San Diego Unified School District (San Diego, CA) Attending Secondary Institution: Mesa Community College (San Diego, CA)

Andrew Levites: Graduating High School: Centennial High School Columbus City Schools (Columbus, OH) - Attending Secondary Institution: Ohio University (Athens, OH)

Araziel Perez Rivera: Graduating High School: Somerset Academy Charter High Miami Dade County Public Schools (Princeton, FL) Attending Secondary Institution: Florida International University (Maidique Campus)

Anthony Nieves: Graduating High School: Renaissance High School for Musical Theater and the Arts (Bronx, NYC) - Attending Secondary Institution: BMCC Borough of Manhattan Community College (CUNY)

Samuel Watsham: Graduating High School: Interlochen Arts Academy (Interlochen, MI) Attending Secondary Institution: Texas State University (Austin, TX)

Kaiden Bos: Graduating High School: Ellet CLC (Akron, OH) Attending Secondary Institution: The University of Akron (Akron, OH)



WHEN WINSTON WENT TO WAR WITH THE WIRELESS by Jack Thorne.

Directed by Katy Rudd.

A true story about truth.

In May 1926 Britain grinds to a halt, as workers down tools for The General Strike.

With the printing presses shut down, the only sources of news are the government’s The British Gazette, edited by Chancellor of the Exchequer Winston Churchill, and the independent, fledgling British Broadcasting Company, led by John Reith. What follows is a fierce battle for control of the news and who gets to define the truth.

At a time when the BBC is faced once again with the challenges of impartiality, When Winston Went To War With The Wireless is a gripping new play about the birth of a great British institution.

Cast includes: Kitty Archer, Stephen Campbell Moore, Ravin J Ganatra, Haydn Gwynne, Mariam Haque, Kevin McMonagle, Luke Newberry, Seb Philpott, Elliott Rennie, Laura Rogers, Shubham Saraf and Adrian Scarborough.

June 2 - July 29, 2023 at the Donmar in London.

WE WILL ROCK YOU by Queen and Ben Elton.

Starring West End legends Brenda Edwards as Killer Queen and Lee Mead as Khashoggi.

21 years since it all began… the world’s favorite rock theatrical returns home.

"The worldwide smash-hit We Will Rock You returns to London this summer, for an unmissable 12-week season. Seen by 20 million people across 28 countries, this musical spectacular plays to its biggest audience yet. Taking to the same iconic stage at the London Coliseum that saw Freddie Mercury’s 1979 Royal Ballet performance, this event will go down in musical theatre history.

"Featuring 24 of Queen’s best-loved hits, including "We Are The Champions", "Bohemian Rhapsody", "Radio Ga Ga" and "Don’t Stop Me Now", We Will Rock You is guaranteed to blow your mind."

London Coliseum, West End from Friday, June 2 to Saturday, August 25, 2023.

BACK PORCH written by Eric Anderson.

Directed by Kelie McIver.

Starring Jonathan Fishman, Isaac W. Jay, Cody Lemmon, Karl Maschek, Jordan Morgan, Eric Zak.

Life imitates art when Hollywood descends upon a small Kansas town in 1955 to shoot scenes for the classic film, Picnic. Sparks fly in more ways than one in Anderson’s delightful homage to both moviemaking and the play that inspired the Columbia film. Barney Opat (Karl Maschek) is the single father of two boys: 18-year-old Gary (Isaac W. Jay), who yearns to escape small-town Kansas life for a more glamorous existence, and energetic 13-year-old Del Wayne (Cody Lemmon). The family’s life is upended when a handsome stranger working as William Holden’s stunt double (Jordan Morgan) blows into town alongside the all-star Picnic cast. Other characters include the Opats’ bachelor boarder, singing teacher Myron Uhrig (Eric Zak), and their next-door neighbor, Millard Goff (Jonathan Fishman).

"When I was four years old, portions of the film Picnic were filmed one county away from my home," says the Kansas born-and-bred Anderson. "My family drove to the location one evening to take part in the "Neewollah" scene on the river. I’ve been crazy about movies — and theater — ever since. With Back Porch, I wanted to pay tribute to a significant American playwright who was also significantly closeted. I hoped to write the kind of play that he himself might have written had he lived in another time and place."

"Back Porch is a love letter to William Inge, and it’s also a terrific ensemble piece in which each character has an interesting and beautiful arc," says McIver, who also hails from Kansas. The creative team for Back Porch includes set designer Kenny Klimak, lighting designer Carol Doehring, sound designer Cinthia Nava, costume designer Molly Martin, stunt/fight choreographer Brett Elliott and intimacy director Amanda Rose Villarreal. The stage manager is Margaret Magula. David Willis and Kelie McIver produce for Bluestem Productions.

Anderson graduated from the University of Kansas with an M.A. in theater, then moved to Minneapolis, where his plays were produced at the Illusion Theatre, Park Square Theatre, Lagniappe Theatre, Theatre in the Round and Children’s Theatre. He has written plays for National Public Radio, and was a founding member of the Playwrights Center. He and his husband now live in Hawaii, where his plays have been produced at Kumu Kahua Theatre and The Actors Group in Honolulu, as well as at the University of Hawaii in Hilo. Currently he is collaborating with composer Kim Sherman on an opera based on the Willa Cather stories Song of the Lark and The Sculptor’s Funeral. Up next will be the premiere of his latest play, Olive’s Lover, at The Actors Group Honolulu in the fall of this year.

Performances of BackPorch take place June 2 through July 9 at The Victory Theatre Center in Burbank, California.

YOURS UNFAITHFULLY by Miles Malleson.

Directed by Jonathan Bank.

In 2017, Mint Theater Company in New York City presented the World Premiere of Miles Malleson’s Yours Unfaithfully, directed by Mint Artistic Director Jonathan Bank. This "un-romantic comedy" was published but never produced. Mint now joins forces with the Jermyn Street Theatre in London to bring the play home for its UK Premiere, 90 years after it was first published. Bank continues as director of a London-based cast in a new production. Jermyn Street Theatre is led by Executive Director David Doyle and Artistic Director Stella Powell-Jones.

Bank directs a cast that features Laura Doddington (as Anne Meredith), Guy Lewis (as Stephen Meredith), Dominic Marsh (as Alan Kirby), Keisha Atwell (as Diana Streatfield), and Tony Timberlake (as Reverend Gordon Meredith).

"Yours Unfaithfully is an insightful, intelligent and exceptionally intimate peek behind the closed doors of an open marriage. Stephen and Anne, blissfully happy for eight years, are committed to living up to their ideals. When Stephen, a writer who isn’t writing, begins to sink into a funk of unproductive moodiness, Anne encourages him to seek out a fresh spark. Can their marriage survive uncompromising generosity, sacrifice and love?"

Jermyn Street Theatre's programs includes outstanding new plays, rare revivals, new versions of European classics, and high-quality musicals, alongside one-off musical and literary events. It collaborates with theatres across the world, and its productions have transferred across the UK, Broadway, and beyond.

Miles Malleson’s most successful play was The Fanatics, which played in both London and New York in 1927. The Fanatics was also an outspoken play on the subject of sex, in this case, before marriage. William Miles Malleson (1888-1969) is primarily remembered as a character actor on stage and screen "who had a line in nitwits in which he was unrivaled," such as the Sultan in The Thief of Bagdad (which he also wrote), the hangman in Kind Hearts and Coronets (with Sir Alec Guinness, 1949) and Rev. Chasuble in The Importance of Being Earnest (with Edith Evans, 1952).

Performances of Yours Unfaithfully, begin June 1st and continue through July 1st only, at Jermyn Street Theater, London.

GREY HOUSE by Levi Holloway.

Directed by Joe Mantello.

When a couple crashes their car in the mountains, they seek shelter in an isolated cabin. Its inhabitants, though somewhat unusual, are eager to make their guests feel right at home. But as the blizzard outside rages on and one night turns into several, the couple becomes less and less sure of what's true—about their hosts, themselves, and why that sound in the walls keeps getting louder.

The cast includes Laurie Metcalf, Tatiana Maslany, Paul Sparks, Sophia Anne Caruso, Millicent Simmonds, Cyndi Coyne, Colby Kipnes, Alyssa Emily Marvin, and Eamon Patrick O’Connell.

The creative team includes Scott Pask (Scenic Design), Rudy Mance (Costume Design), Natasha Katz (Lighting Design), Tom Gibbons (Sound Design), Ellenore Scott (Movement), Or Matias (Music Supervisor & A Cappella Arranger), David Caparelliotis (Casting), and Foresight Theatrical (General Management).

Officially opens at the Lyceum Theatre in New York City on Tuesday, May 30, 2023.

STARMITES Music and Lyrics by Barry Keating. Book by Stuart Ross and Barry Keating.

Directed by Scott Peterman.

Music Direction by Jan Roper Starmites tells the zany tale of earthling Eleanor, a shy teenager who dreams her way into a comic book quest to save the galaxy. Eleanor teams up with Space Punk, The Starmites and a lizard man named Trinkulus to fight the evil Shak Graa and The Banshees — weird women with dangerous hair-dos — led by Diva.

Starring Rieves Bowers, Cat Davis, Elle Engelman, Lindsey Moore Ford, Talia Gloster, Alex Hogy, Sarah Martellaro, Brendan Mulally, Sophie Oda, Jack David Sharpe, Bradley Sharper, Jasper Wong.

The creatives are: Choreography is by Becca Sweitzer, with fight choreography by Jacob Grigolia-Rosenbaum. Starmites features scenic and projection design by Peterman and Linda Strawberry, lighting design by Gavan Wyrick, and costume design by Linda Muggeridge. The production stage manager is John Dimitri. Time: 1989; Place: Earth and Inner Space. Open Fist Theatre Company presents" a new production of Starmites, the Tony-nominated sci-fi fantasy musical that’s a comic book come to life. this joyous, space-age, pop rock adventure is set to save the universe one song at a time" beginning June 2 at Atwater Village Theatre in Los Angeles, where performances continue through July 8, 2023.

TWELFTH NIGHT by William Shakespeare.

Directed by directed by three-time Tony Award winner Kathleen Marshall.

One of Shakespeare’s most beguiling plays—romance, music, poetry, comedy, swordplay, and more! Shipwrecked and alone in foreign Illyria, young Viola masquerades as her lost twin brother and becomes the go-between for the lovesick Duke Orsino and the beautiful Countess Olivia. Soon Viola finds herself in the middle of a topsy-turvy love triangle with lunacy and laughs on every side.

The cast for Twelfth Night includes, in alphabetical order, Biko Eisen-Martin as Orsino, Greg Germann as Malvolio, Naian González Norvind as Viola, Esco Jouléy as Feste, Jason O’Connell as Sir Andrew Aguecheek, Medina Senghore as Olivia, and Cornell Womack as Sir Toby Belch.

The cast also includes students in The Old Globe and University of San Diego Shiley Graduate Theatre Program: Jose Balistrieri as Sebastian, Luana Fontes as Ensemble, Madeline Grace Jones as Curio, Sarah Joyce as Maria, Camilla Leonard as Ensemble, Becca Lustgarten as Priest, Ensemble, Carter Piggee as Officer 2, Ensemble, Jeffrey Rashad as Valentine, Bernadette Sefic as Fabian, Vandous Stripling II as Officer 1, Ensemble, Emma Svitil as Ensemble, Jude Tibeau as Antonio, Michael Underhill as understudy for Sebastian, Orsino, Ensemble, and Maggie Walters as Sea Captain, Ensemble.

In addition to Kathleen Marshall, the creative team includes Lawrence E. Moten III (Scenic Design), Michael Krass (Costume Design), Stephen Strawbridge (Lighting Design), Melanie Chen Cole (Sound Design), Miriam Sturm and Michael Bodeen (Original Music), Morgan Carberry (Music Director), Ursula Meyer (Voice and Text Coach), Tara Rubin Casting/Claire Burke, CSA (Casting), Jess Slocum (Production Stage Manager), and Chloe Rose Schweizer (Assistant Stage Manager).

Twelfth Night will play in the Lowell Davies Festival Theatre at The Old Globe in San Diego’s Balboa Park. Performances play from June 4 through July 9, 2023, with the official opening on Saturday, June 10, 2023.

LOVE + SCIENCE a new play by scientist and writer David J. Glass.

Directed by Allen MacLeod.

Love + Science is inspired by Glass’ time at New York Medical College, where he took care of HIV patients as a medical student, and at Columbia University where he conducted postdoctoral research on cancer in a laboratory that was focused on HIV and other emerging infectious diseases. As a native New Yorker, Glass witnessed first-hand how the HIV/AIDS epidemic radically changed the lives of gay men in New York.

Cast Includes Jonathan Burke, Matt Walker, Thursday Farrar, Adrian Greensmith, Ryan Knowles, Tally Sessions, and Imani Pearl Williams.

Set in New York City during the early 1980s, Love + Science centers on two gay medical students who connect while working in a retrovirology lab. When HIV erupts, the fallout upends their relationship as their response to the rising epidemic pushes them along different paths, raising questions about their values as scientists and doctors and their responsibilities as gay men. A sprawling drama spanning the decade, Love + Science explores the difficulties of love during a crisis, the realities of scientific progress, and how to maintain hope amid an epic struggle.

The creative team includes Zoë Hurwitz (scenic design), Camilla Dely (costume design), Reza Behjat (lighting design), Jane Shaw (original music & sound design), Dave Anzuelo (intimacy & movement director), and Merrick Williams (production stage manager).

Performances take place through July 6, 2023, at New York City Center Stage II, New York City.

DESTINY OF DESIRE a Telenovela for the stage written by Karen Zacarías.

Directed by Ruben Santiago-Hudson.

The joys, tribulations, and plot twists of epic love are bursting onstage in this brilliantly funny homage to the telenovela. On a stormy night in Bellarica, Mexico, two babies are born—one into a life of outlandish wealth, and one into a life of poverty. When the newborns are swapped by a ruthless ex–beauty queen, the stage is set for two outrageous misfortunes to grow into an extraordinary destiny.

Filled with vibrant choreography and live music, Destiny of Desire explores the emotional rollercoaster and social commentary that make the telenovela the most popular form of storytelling on the planet.

The cast includes, in alphabetical order, Julio Agustín as Dr. Jorge Ramiro Mendoza; Yesenia Ayala as Pilar Esperanza Castillo; Carlos Gomez as Ernesto del Rio; Mandy Gonzalez as Hortencia del Rio; Ariella Kvashny as La Gente, u/s Pilar Esperanza Castillo, u/s Victoria Maria del Rio; Tito Livas as Dr. Diego Mendoza, u/s Ernesto del Rio; Bianca Marroquín as Fabiola Castillo; Tara Martinez as u/s Hortencia del Rio, u/s Fabiola Castillo, u/s Sister Sonia, u/s La Gente; James Olivas as Sebastián Jose Castillo; Christopher M. Ramirez as La Gente, u/s Dr. Diego, u/s Sebastián Jose Castillo; Al Rodrigo as Armando Castillo; Emilia Suárez as Victoria Maria del Rio; Nancy Ticotin as Sister Sonia; and Luis Villabon as u/s Dr. Jorge Ramiro Mendoza, u/s Armando Castillo, u/s La Gente.

The creative team includes: Lorna Ventura (Choreography), Ricky Gonzalez (Original Music, Arrangements, Orchestrations, and Music Direction), Rachel Hauck (Scenic Design), Karen Perry (Costume Design), Jane Cox (Lighting Design), Robert Kaplowitz (Sound Design), Hana S. Kim (Projection Design), ARC (Casting), Rachel Flesher (Fight Director and Intimacy Staging), and James Latus (Production Stage Manager). Performances through June 25, 2023 in the Old Globe Theatre in San Diego’s Balboa Park.

CALVINO NIGHTS presented by Mike Shepherd in cahoots with the Minack Theatre.

Original production co-directed by Mike Shepherd and Elayce Ismail.

Mike Shepherd explains: "Italo Calvino is an Italian writer who collected aural tellings of folk tales and rewrote them with a lavish sprinkling of exaggeration. Calvino Nights is inspired by a mix of several of these folk tales including the adventures of a boy the size of a pea, a skinflint miser, a woman who lives on nothing more than wind, there are hapless robbers, fallen angels, circus tricks, the cosmos and lots of fire!"

Calvino Nights is a show for those who’ve lost their moral compass (it’s where you left it!) or for those who simply need a good night out! Based on Italo Calvino folk tales, Kneehigh founder Mike Shepherd's bounteous show features pyrotechnics and flag waving, music and dancing, with actors prowling through the crowd. It's a collection of Italian folk tunes burning instruments, puppetry and political intrigue.

Ten actors and musicians are chasing their moral compass, with the open air Minack's backdrop of the Atlantic Ocean.

The creatives are: puppetry by Sarah Wright, working with props and set creators Alice King, Lyndie Wright, Anthony Crosby, Laura Mackenzie, Eddie Butler, Mae Voogd and Luke Wood. Lighting and sound by Lucy Gaskell and Pete Buffery.

June 7-22, 2023 at the Minack in Cornwall, England.

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FINAL OVATION

GARN STEPHENS actress and Emmy nominated writer died April 2, 2023 in Los Angeles. She was 78.

She originated the role of Jan in the original Broadway company of Grease. She played Harriet Hastings in the CBS sitcom Phyllis, Carol in the mini-series Blind Ambition, and Marge Guttman in the movie thriller Halloween III: Season of the Witch. As a writer for television with her writing partner Emilie R. Small, Garn received an Emmy nomination for the episode "Newheart" of the dramatic series St. Elsewhere..

She is survived by her son, Spencer Baird Niemi.

JEFFREY RIZZO died from Pulmonary Fibrosis on May 1, 2023. She was 69.

Jeff began writing original music and lyrics and creating hand-made puppets for live shows and he got his start in acting portraying an orphan in Oliver! at the Sacramento Music Circus. Jeff earned a Bachelor of Music degree, graduating Cum Laude from USC in 1976, while still spending summers in Sacramento where he would conduct upwards of 10 summer stock musicals back-to-back, a new show each week, with stars like Donald O'Connor, Ken Berry, Vicky Lawrence, JoAnne Worley, Debby Boone, Helen Reddy and many more.

Jeff toured the country conducting regional and touring productions of shows such as Annie; Dreamgirls; Jesus Christ Superstar. In 2011, he was conducting joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat in Japan when the Great Thuku Earthquake and Tsunami hit. He realized his dream of conducting a Broadway show with the Madison Square Garden production of The Wizard of Oz, starring Mickey Rooney and Eartha Kitt, and he was very proud to conduct the show's Grammy-nominated original cast album that memorably includes his infectious arrangement of "The Jitterbug."

Beyond conducting, Jeff composed the scores of several stage musicals including Stroke of Noon; A Wonderful Life; Love is Like Riding a Bicycle; May Today Be the Worse Day of the Rest of Your Lify; Topper; Wanna Play which was filmed for PBS, and Jailbirds On Broadway, which had a successful run in L.A. in 1987.

Jeff met his life partner of 39 years, Eric Andrist, in 1983 while both were working on Annie for the San Bernardino Civic Light Opera. Together they founded the Musical Theatre Guild, a membership musical theater company in Los Angeles in 1995 and ran the company from their home in Burbank through 1999. They created a highly successful series of musical staged readings performed at the Pasadena Playhouse, which continues to this day in other venues.

In more recent years, Jeff worked at AMDA Hollywood (The American Musical and Dramatic Academy), where his devotion to working with young musical theater performers thrived.

GERALD CASILLO veteran stage, television and film actor died May 4, 2023 at his home in Houston, Texas. He was 90.

Veteran stage and screen actor Gerald Castillo, who appeared in major TV series including Saved By the Bell; General Hospital; Hill Street Blues; M*A*S*H and Dallas.

Gerald studied acting and stage direction at the Goodman Theater. Following his education, he acted on stages all across the nation, performing opposite Sherman Hemsley, Rita Moreno, Jessica Tandy, James Broderick and Jeanne Crain. He also worked as a stage director at numerous theaters in Los Angeles and Ventura County, including the Santa Paula Theater.

After performing with Hemsley, The Jeffersons star convinced Castillo to pursue a film and TV career in Los Angeles.

Castillo then appeared in several feature films. Known for his work as Major Slater on Saved by the Bell and Judge Davis Wagner on General Hospital, Castillo developed a following for his roles in the two series.

He is survived by his wife of 36 years, Danya Quinn-Castillo. grandson Brian Palmere, granddaughter Stephanie Palmere, great-grandson Allen Palmere and his twin brother, Bernie Castillo. He was predeceased by his only child, daughter, Lisa Palmere.

SHELDON REYNOLDS guitarist and singer for the band Earth, Wind & Fire, and The Commodores died last week. He was 63.

Reynolds was with The Commodores, from 1983 to 1986. He provided backing vocals on the group’s Nightshift album (1983) and played on 1986’s United.

Reynolds joined Earth, Wind & Fire in 1987 and remained a member until 2002.

Reynolds appeared on the albums Heritage; Millennium and In the Name of Love.

Earth, Wind & Fire was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2000. Other achievements include performing during the 2005 Super Bowl halftime show. Earth Wind & Fire was among the best-selling bands of all time, winning six Grammys including the Grammy lifetime achievement award.

Reynolds’ ex-wife is the adopted sister of Jimi Hendrix, the iconic guitarist for whom the Commodores legend produced the 2009 tribute album, “The Power of Soul.” Reynolds was involved in a contentious court battle that centered on Hendrix’s estate and a guitar allegedly given to the Commodores member. A company that managed Hendrix’s estate sued Reynolds for allegedly stealing the acoustic guitar. Reynolds sold the Acoustic Black Widow guitar to an Arizona guitar shop owner for $80,000. However, Hendrix’s estate claimed that the shop owner was not the rightful owner, as they alleged that Reynolds had stolen the item.

Reynolds claimed to have acquired the guitar when the couple split. "According to the lawsuit, Reynolds claims he received the instrument as part of divorce settlement with Janie Hendrix – but also has claimed that Janie’s 14-year-old-son told him to take a pile of guitars when he went to her house to collect his belongings," the Courthouse News Service reported in 2014.

TINA TURNER legendary rock 'n' roll singer died May 24, 2023 at her home in Küsnacht, Switzerland after a long illness. She was 83.

an American-born and naturalized Swiss singer, dancer, actress and author. Widely referred to as the "Queen of Rock 'n' Roll", she rose to prominence as the lead singer of the Ike & Tina Turner Revue before surviving his abuse and launching a successful career as a solo performer.

Turner was a LasVegas mainstay, first performing with her husband in the Ike & Tina Turner Revue and then as a solo act.

In the 1980s, Turner launched "one of the greatest comebacks in music history". Her 1984 multi-platinum album Private Dancer contained the hit song "What's Love Got to Do with It", which won the Grammy Award for Record of the Year and became her first and only number one song on the Billboard Hot 100. Aged 44, she was the oldest female solo artist to top the Hot 100.

In 1993, What's Love Got to Do with It, a biographical film adapted from her autobiography I, Tina: My Life Story, was released. In 2009, Turner retired after completing her Tina!: 50th Anniversary Tour, which is the 15th highest-grossing tour of the 2000s. In 2018, she became the subject of the jukebox musical Tina.

Having sold over 100 million records worldwide, Turner is one of the best-selling recording artists of all time. She received 12 Grammy Awards, which include eight competitive awards, three Grammy Hall of Fame awards and a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award. She was the first black artist and first woman to be on the cover of Rolling Stone.. She was twice inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, with Ike Turner in 1991 and as a solo artist in 2021. She was also a 2005 recipient of the Kennedy Center Honors and Women of the Year award.

In 2021 Turner received an honorary doctorate for her "unique musical and artistic life's work" from the Philosophical and Historical Faculty of the University of Bern. In 2022 Mattel released a Barbie doll in Turner's likeness to commemorate her single What's Love Got To Do With It.

Performances of the hit Broadway musical based on her life, Tina - The Tina Turner Musical, will be at The Smith Center in Las Vegas from June 6 through June 11. The show was nominated for 12 Tony awards and Adrienne Warren won for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical.

Next Column: June 4, 2023
Copyright: May 28, 2023 All Rights Reserved. Reviews, Interviews, Commentary, Photographs or Graphics from any Broadway To Vegas (TM) columns may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, utilized as leads, or used in any manner without permission, compensation and/or credit.
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Laura Deni

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