Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: May 29, 2022
By: Laura Deni
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A PARTY FIT FOR A QUEEN

Queen Elizabeth and her adored Prince Phiiip, who would have turned 100 this June.

It's neither Cinderella nor Camelot. Rather, real life upstaging fiction. After all Queen Elizabeth II has been a James Bond Girl as well as being turned into a Barbie Doll. Not many have that claim to fame. The beloved, real life monarch, has a busy week ahead. From Thursday through Saturday, Great Britain will be gobsmacked with parties, as the world watches Queen Elizabeth II's Platinum Jubilee celebrated.

To address the elephant in the room - it's whether the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, that's Harry and Meghan to those of us on this side of the pond refer to them - will try to upstage the royal celebrations as has been speculated by numerous outlets.

They will be returning to America's motherland with their two children, Archie and Lily, the later meeting her great grandmother for the first time. There are other rumors that, as long as the former working royals will be there, they'll have Lily baptized at St. George's which is where they were married and Archie was christened. They have previously expressed a desire for that location as the spot to have their daughter baptized. While in England Lily will also celebrate her first birthday on June 4th.

Festivities begin Thursday on the balcony at Buckingham Palace as working royals watch the Trooping the Colour ceremony in which over 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses and 400 musicians will come together in the traditional Parade to mark The Queen's official birthday,

The Gold State Coach. Photo by Laura Deni

The Gold State Coach, which has been used in the coronation of every British monarch since George IV, will lead the Platinum Jubilee pageant.

However, the queen will not take the royal salute for the first time in 70 years. Traditionally, following the Horse Guards Parade, the monarch is greeted with a royal salute by her personal troops, the Household Division, before carrying out an inspection of the troops. This time Prince Charles, Prince William and Princess Anne will take the salute in her stead and ride in the parade as colonels of the Welsh Guards, the Irish Guards and the Blues and Royals.

The Duke and Duchess of Sussex have been filming a documentary for Netflix, including a camera following Duchess Meghan around when she made an unannounced visit to the memorial in Uvalde,Texas and donated food to a blood drive. However, they will not be allowed to bring any cameras into any royal residences, which is part of what is known as the Sandringham Agreement, the contract agreement the couple made with the queen when they quit the royal family..

The event will be followed by the famous Red Arrows fly-past, which is when the working members of the royal family gather on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. That would be Prince Charles and his wife Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall; Prince William and his wife Duchess Catherine and their children; Anne, The Princess Royal and her husband Sir Timothy Laurence; Prince Edward and his wife Countess Sophie and their children. With that definition of "working royals" others who would be entitled to step onto the balcony are the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, the Duke of Kent, and Princess Alexandra.

The United Kingdom’s long tradition of celebrating Royal Jubilees, Weddings and Coronations with the lighting of beacons will be continued to mark the Platinum Jubilee. Over 1,500 beacons will be lit throughout the United Kingdom, Channel Islands, Isle of Man and UK Overseas Territories. For the first time, beacons will also be lit in each of the capital cities of the Commonwealth countries with The Principal beacon being lit in a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace. The queen is scheduled to light that beacon on Thursday evening, accompanied by live music from the Norwich Pipe Band and the Hunstanton Band. Bruno Peek is the beacon pageant master.

On Friday there is a Service of Thanksgiving at St Paul’s Cathedral. Harry and Meghan are expected to attend - in their only public appearance. In fact, all of the queen’s children, grandchildren and cousins are due to attend what will be the biggest royal outing of the weekend. It’s also reported to be the only appearance of Prince Andrew, who was banned from public duties and lost his HRH and military titles after being forced to agree a multi-million dollar settlement with Jeffrey Epstein sexual-assault victim Virginia Giuffre in March.

The Epsom Derby is on Saturday, which is also baby Lilibet’s birthday. The Party at the Palace also takes place later that evening.

A glittering group of performers from the worlds of music and dance are set to perform at the Platinum Party At The Palace concert which takes place at Buckingham Palace – and live on BBC One, BBC iPlayer and BBC Radio 2.

Queen + Adam Lambert, Alicia Keys, Hans Zimmer, Ella Eyre, Craig David, Mabel, Elbow and George Ezra will share the three-stage set up with the likes of Duran Duran, Andrea Bocelli, Mimi Webb, Sam Ryder, Jax Jones, Celeste, Nile Rodgers, Sigala and Diversity – all performing their biggest hits in a star-studded tribute to Her Majesty’s unprecedented anniversary.

Stars from the stage and screen, and the sporting world appearing at the event and on film will include Sir David Attenborough, Emma Raducanu, David Beckham, Stephen Fry, Dame Julie Andrews, The Royal Ballet, Ellie Simmonds, and a specially recorded performance from Sir Elton John. Sam Ryder, the United Kingdom’s Eurovision hero, will also perform live, fresh from his success in Italy.

The evening will pivot around global themes that have been born, or evolved, during the breadth of Her Majesty’s reign due to extraordinary British and Commonwealth contributions including Fashion, Sport, The Environment, 70 Years of Pop Music and Musicals – the latter curated by legendary composer Sir Andrew Lloyd Webber, featuring a special appearance by Lloyd Webber and Lin-Manuel Miranda plus performances featuring casts and special guests from The Phantom Of The Opera; Hamilton; Six; The Lion King and Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Queen + Adam Lambert will open the concert with a very special production which" will no doubt summon memories of Brian May’s historic appearance on the Palace roof at the Golden Jubilee Concert in 2002," according to the Platinum Jubilee Committee.

Diana Ross will make her first UK performance in 15 years.

Closing the two-and-a-half hour show will be legend Diana Ross, with her first UK live performance in 15 years.

Hosts Kirsty Young and Roman Kemp will lead live coverage of the Platinum Party At The Palace, to be broadcast live across the BBC. Twenty-two thousand people will attend the event, including 10,000 tickets allocated in a public ballot and over 7,500 tickets for key workers, members of the Armed Forces, volunteers, and charities.

The unique Platinum Party stage design consists of three stages, linked by walkways, which create a 360-degree experience in front of Buckingham Palace and The Queen Victoria Memorial. Linking the stages together into one overall design are 70 columns representing Her Majesty’s 70-year reign that can be illuminated to provide a full formation of lights and beams. For the first time, two of the three stages sit immediately in front of Buckingham Palace, framing the iconic home of The Queen.

Adam Labert, Dr. Brian May in front of Queen musicians. Photo UTube

Speaking for Queen + Adam Lambert, Brian May says: “Twenty years after playing The Queen’s glorious Golden Jubilee we’re very happy to be invited again. Then there was a moment when I wondered… after Buckingham Palace roof where can you go? Well … you will see!”

Diana Ross says: "I have had the honor of meeting The Queen many times throughout my life, including when I was with my family. Her Majesty has and continues to be such an incredible inspiration to so many across the world and I was absolutely delighted to receive an invitation to perform on such a momentous and historic occasion."

Sir Rod Stewart says: "Queen Elizabeth has given incredible service to the United Kingdom over the last 70 years and I’m delighted to be able to join her in celebrating her Platinum Jubilee with the Party At The Palace. She has demonstrated to the world what a special person she is and how lucky we are to have her. This will be a momentous occasion."

The Platinum Jubilee Pageant, is a parade with almost 10,000 people: Artistic performers, dancers, musicians, military personnel, key workers and volunteers will unite to tell the story of The Queen’s 70 year reign in an awe-inspiring festival of creativity. The London based Pageant will combine pomp and ceremony, street arts, theatre, music, circus, costumes as well as cutting-edge visual technology, drawing on talent from every part of the United Kingdom and across the Commonwealth including a giant dragon puppet the size of a double decker bus as well as Corgis, acrobats, unicorns and dancers.

The grand finale will showcase 150 "national treasures," including Ed Sheeran singing the national anthem.

In addition, special events included The Queen’s Green Canopy and the Platinum Pudding cooking competition, while Queen Elizabeth's private estates will also join in with special Jubilee themed events offering more opportunities for members of the public to celebrate the historic milestone.

In Great Britain pudding can be any dessert, either sweet or savory, but usually means a streamed pudding, served warm with a decadent custard, frosting or toffee sauce for drizzling.

A nationwide baking competition aimed to find a brand new pudding dedicated to The Queen. The Big Jubilee Lunch and Fortnum & Mason invited applications from UK residents aged 8 and over to create the perfect Platinum Pudding recipe.

Five finalists prepared their puddings for an expert judging panel including Dame Mary Berry of The Great British Bake-Off fame, Monica Galetti and Buckingham Palace Head Chef Mark Flanagan.

Camilla, Duchess of Cornwall, Jemma Melvin with and her winning creation and judge Dame Mary Berry. Photo: Facebook

With over 5,000 entrees, Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall announced the winner - Jemma Melvin, a 31-year-old copywriter, who created her 7-layer Lemon Swiss Roll and Amaretti Trifle.

Her winning recipe has been made available to the public and the pudding will first be enjoyed at Big Jubilee Lunches during the Jubilee weekend.

If you have the time and patience, you can also enjoy the dessert. In its original version it takes over two hours to prepare, but there are shortcuts. The baking time is 30 minutes to one hour.

Sunday, June 5, is the date for The Big Jubilee Lunch: Every year since the idea began in 2009 The Big Lunch has encouraged communities to celebrate their connections and get to know each other a little bit better, coming together in a spirit of fun and friendship.

Forming an important part of the Platinum Pageant, the River of Hope will comprise two hundred silk flags which will proceed down The Mall, appearing like a moving river. Primary and secondary school children weree invited to create a picture of their hopes and aspirations for the planet over the next 70 years. 200 of these creations were transferred onto silk flags, which will be carried by secondary school pupils in the Pageant.

The artwork for the flags are focused on climate change and incorporates the children’s messages for the future.

The Queen's Green Canopy. As the Platinum Jubilee year begins, over 60,000 trees have already been planted in the UK through the project in the two months since the planting season began. Green-fingered communities and cities from Cornwall to Glasgow have come together to make 2022 a truly special year to "plant a tree for the Jubilee".

The Queen’s Green Canopy is generating the planting of large, celebration trees, new majestic avenues of trees, urban planting, and expansive new forests that will benefit future generations. Every planting is being recorded on a digital Queen’s Green Canopy map which will be presented to Her Majesty at the end of the Jubilee year.

The project is also working to protect 70 ancient trees and woodlands that are a valuable part of the UK’s heritage and history by launching a special training program to teach unemployed young people new skills in tree planting and management, as well as a Young Foresters Award to highlight the value of trees to school children. The Queen’s Green Canopy will continue throughout 2022 and into March 2023.

Royal Collection Trust - Three special displays marking significant occasions in Her Majesty’s reign – the Accession, the Coronation and Jubilees – will be staged at the official royal residences from July 2022.

At the Summer Opening of the State Rooms at Buckingham Palace, portraits of The Queen taken by photographer Dorothy Wilding between 1953 and 1956 will be on display, alongside items of Her Majesty’s personal jewellery worn for the sittings.

At Windsor Castle, the Coronation Dress and Robe of Estate worn by Elizabeth for her Coronation at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953 will be on display, while at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, visitors will see outfits she wore to celebrate the Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilees.

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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

TERESA BAKER: CAPTURING SPACE Los Angeles-based?Mandan/Hidatsa artist Teresa Baker features seven large-scale hanging works in Capturing Space. Baker’s bold color fields and expanded-scale works evoke the style of mid-century New York Expressionist artists, such as Helen Frankenthaler and Mark Rothko. Combining?Native American craft traditions using?buffalo hide, willow, and other natural materials?with artificial materials like AstroTurf and synthetic yarns. Baker says the exhibition contains new works made in response to the landscape of northeastern?Wyoming on the high plains—beneath the Bighorn Mountains—and inspired by the vastness of that area.

On view through October 9, 2022 at the Scottsdale Museum of Contemporary Art (SMoCA) in Scottsdale, Arizona.

LET THE SUN SHINE IN a new exhibition by artist Shawanda Corbett. Corbett’s multifaceted practice embraces ceramics, film, dance, and photography, to explore the notion of a ‘complete body’. Created especially for Tate Britain, Let the sunshine in will feature the artist’s first short film accompanied by a jazz score and presented alongside a set of new ceramic vessels. Woven together, these elements highlight how people interact with one another and the spaces they inhabit, offering a soulful reflection on the human experience. This is the latest in Tate Britain’s ongoing Art Now series of free exhibitions showcasing emerging talent and highlighting the latest developments in contemporary British art.

The ceramic vessels showcase Corbett’s unique making-style and language, which draws upon West African and Japanese pottery techniques and is also inspired by the fluidity of jazz music. She allows each form to take on its own personality as the clay always ‘ends up doing its own thing’ during the making process. The artist describes how the vessels ‘act as a still life of the performance’, adopting the characters of the dancers in the film. The resulting dialogue between the two mediums references Corbett’s keen interest in Ancient Greek theatre, whereby ceramics were used to document performance. Building on this practice, Corbett’s ceramics not only depict but actively converse with her performance.

A jazz score written by the artist and inspired by Saxophonist Pharoah Sanders binds all the components of the display together. Collectively, the music, the dancers, the set design, the ceramic vessels and the exhibition space create an environment which invites viewers to question the links between animals and machines, and the culture that binds or differentiates us as beings. Corbett hopes this will encourage visitors from all backgrounds to be present in the space and to reflect on the human experience.

Shawanda Corbett (b. 1989, New York) currently lives and works in Oxford, UK, where she is studying for her doctoral degree in Fine Art at The Ruskin School of Art and Whadham College, University of Oxford. Corbett holds a BFA in ceramics and printmaking with a minor in theatre from Rochester Institute of Technology (2016) and a MFA from the Ruskin School of Art, University of Oxford (2017).

Corbett was awarded the Turner Bursary from Tate in 2021 and The Kleinwort Hambros Emerging Artist Prize in 2021, and her work is represented in the collections of The Fitzwilliam Museum, The Harris, and The Arts Council Collection.

On display through September 4, 2022 at Tate Britain in London.

THE FLEET SCIENCE CENTER is offering visitors the opportunity to experience a cool summer with a new exhibition, Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact. The interactive exhibition focuses on the global impact of snow on climate and human culture.

Are all snowflakes truly one of a kind? How does snow affect life? Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact provides interactive learning opportunities that increase visitors' understanding of snow, its vital role in our global climate system and the availability of water resources. The new exhibition includes a dozen exciting interactives, where visitors can:

Peek inside the snowpack to discover how it changes over time and learn about the animals that make it their home.
Walk through a snowstorm to get an up-close look at the crystals that make up different types of storms.
Follow the water journey from the snowmelt to the rivers and see the impact it makes.
Solve a puzzle by matching the beautiful snow crystals to the descriptions of how they formed.
Stack "snowballs" of different sizes and decorate them to build snow people.

This exhibit was produced and is toured by the Oregon Museum of Science and Industry. The exhibit was developed in collaboration with the University of Alaska Fairbanks and made possible by a National Science Foundation grant.

Snow: Tiny Crystals, Global Impact opened Saturday, May 28, and will be on view at the Fleet Science Center in San Diego, California through September 5, 2022.

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SWEET CHARITY

PRINCE'S TRUST GALA

Amal Clooney being greeted by Prince Charles.

took place at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane in London’s West End, with Prince Charles greeting such faomous figures as Amal Clooney and her mother, Baria Alamuddin, and Bridgerton stars Phoebe Dynover and Jonathan Bailey, who plays Viscount Bridgerton in the series. The Prince’s Trust Awards pay tribute to the bravery, determination, and sheer hard work that young people demonstrate.

Also in attendance were Fearne Cotton, TV presenter Emma Willis, Felicity Kendal, Kate Garraway, along with podcast host Fearne Cotton, and Good Morning Britain’s Kate Garraway. Former Strictly Come Dancing and Olympic boxer Nicola Adams was joined by her pregnant girlfriend Ella Baig.

Founded by Prince Charles in 1976, the trust supports 11 to 30-year-olds across the UK who are unemployed, struggling at school, or at risk of exclusion.

Ant McPartlin and Declan Donnelly hosted the annual awards for a 10th year running.

Wearing a white strapless dress featuring a red flower design. human rights lawyer Amal Clooney presented the Amal Clooney Women’s Empowerment Award, which is sponsored by Charlotte Tilbury.

Activist Clooney founded Girlythings.pk, which delivers menstrual hygiene kits to women in need.

The winner is chosen personally by the lawyer each year, and she called it “a privilege to be able to play a part in a project that will draw attention to incredible young women who are the future leaders of our world.”

She presented the award to Pakistani woman Tanzila Khan. and Khan is also an advocate for disability rights in her country.

Clooney’s award was announced in 2019, and at the time, she released a statement saying she was “honored to have been invited by Prince’s Trust International to participate in this global initiative celebrating young women who are change-makers in their communities.”

Across the pond, the Prince's Trust Gala 2022 recently took place at Cipriani in New York City.

Elegant attendees included Maya JM, Sabrina Dhowre, Kate Moss, Charlotte Tilbury, Lily James, Phoebe Dynevor , Imaan Hammam, Edward Enninful and Adut Akech, Stell Maxwell, Lisa Parigi and Lionel Richie, Marie-Chantal Croqwn Princess of Greece and Pavlos, Crown Prince of Greece, Diana von Furstenberg, Bella Hadid, Karlie Kloss, Grace Coddington, atasha Poonawalla, Sophie Summer, among others.

RED BULL THEATER will present the Matador Award for Achievement in Classical Theater to André De Shields at Revelry, its benefit event which takes place Monday June 13th at The Bowery Hotel in New York City.

This intimate soirée, taking place safely outdoors, will feature craft cocktails, fine wines, scrumptious bites, and entertaining diversions from Jennifer Sánchez and Mary Testa.

At the age of 73, André De Shields was awarded the Tony Award for his performance in Hadestown. His illustrious career has spanned a half-century since getting his start as the eponymous The Wiz in 1975. He has continued to distinguish himself as an actor, director, and educator. He received Tony nominations for the musicals Play On! and The Full Monty and received praise for his classical work, including King Lear (winner - St. Louis Theater Circle Award for Outstanding Leading Performer in a Drama), Classical Theater of Harlem and Red Bull’s own The Witch of Edmonton and Volpone. Next season, he will star in a new Broadway revival of Death of a Salesman as Willy's brother, Ben.

Begun in 2009, Matador Award for Achievement in Classical Theater are given annually to recognize individuals or organizations that have demonstrated extraordinary talent, service, or significant achievement in the Classical Theater. Previous honorees have included F. Murray Abraham, Kate Burton, Olympia Dukakis, Richard Easton, Oscar Isaac, Michael Kahn, Hamish Linklater, Ismenia Mendes, Jack O’Brien, Patrick Page, Martha Plimpton, Lily Rabe, Condola Rashad, Matthew Rauch, Lynn Redgrave, Olivia Reis, Liev Schreiber, Patrick Stewart, Michael Stuhlbarg, Daniel Sullivan, Michael Urie, Charlayne Woodard, the American Theatre Wing, Fund for the City of New York, the Michael Tuch Foundation, and the Off-Broadway Angels.

The Honorary Committee and Special Guests includes F. Murray Abraham, Arnie Burton, Kate Burton, Bill Camp, Michael Cerveris, Kathleen Chalfant, Keith Hamilton Cobb, Grantham Coleman, Christian Conn, Robert Cuccioli, Paige Davis, Michael Emerson, Manoel Felciano,Tovah Feldshuh, Dana Ivey, Chukwudi Iwuji, Peter Francis James, Judy Kuhn, Mark Linn-Baker, Richard Maltby, Jr., Elizabeth Marvel, Ismenia Mendes, Jacob Ming-Trent, Alfredo Narciso, Kristine Nielsen, Junior Nyong’o, Jack O’Brien, Brad Oscar, Patrick Page, Ted Pappas, Estelle Parsons, Amelia Pedlow, Martha Plimpton, Maryann Plunkett, Amanda Quaid, Everett Quinton, Matthew Rauch, Olivia Reis, José Rivera, Laila Robins, Jay O. Sanders, Lily Santiago, Robert Sella, Stephen Spinella, Sir Patrick Stewart, Richard Thomas, John Douglas Thompson, Michael Urie, Marc Vietor, Nick Westrate and Charlayne Woodard, among others.

METLIVEARTS CONCERT FOR UKRAINE is a benefit concert celebrating Ukraine's diverse musical cultures with performances by world-renowned Ukrainian artists performing folk and contemporary Ukrainian music, from a cappella village folk songs and Klezmer to Crimean Tatar music and the national instrument, the bandura. Artists include Andrij Dobriansky, Nariman Asanov, Julian Kytasty, Frank London, and Zozulka.

All ticket proceeds from this event will support Ukrainian museum workers and arts institutions working to safeguard and preserve Ukrainian cultural heritage.

Friday, June 3, at the The Grace Rainey Rogers Auditorium, New York City.

WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE AND QUEEN ELIZABETH host a combination fundraiser/community event at Will Geer’s Theatricum Botanicum in Topanga CA on Sunday, June 5, 2022.

The season preview will feature scenes from each of the four plays in the 2022 summer repertory season, sponsored by the S. Mark Taper Foundation, followed by a live performance of Harry Nilsson’s 1970 album, The Point! starring Kiefo Nilsson, Pamela Adlon and a 14-piece orchestra.

Upper tier tickets are free to the public, subject to availability. All proceeds from lower tier and premium tickets, which include a reception with Theatricum artists in the garden before the show, wine and hors d’oeuvres, and premium seating, go to support Theatricum Botanicum’s extensive artistic and educational programming.

DALLAS BLACK DANCE THEATRE'S (DBDT) ANNUAL FUNDRAISING EVENT, THE BIG DANCE A Boot Scootin’ Boogie Hometown Salute to Charley Pride the late country music icon honored with the 2020 CMA Lifetime Achievement Award takes place Saturday, June 4, 2022, at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center, Dallas, TX. The attire for the evening is Diamonds and Boots.

The evening will feature featuring Dion Pride and Janie Fricke, the Breckenridge Band and June Blount.

The evening will be a night of Country Western flair, including a live concert and video tribute. Dion Pride pays tribute to his father with Dallas Black Dance Theatre dancers performing. The live tribute concert showcases, Janie Fricke, two-time CMA and ACM Female Vocalist of the Year.

After the concert, enjoy a non-stop dance party to the sounds of the Breckenridge Band and fiddle duo June Blount, as well as dance lessons, food, and drinks. Both groups are from North Texas. You can also experience the festivities virtually.

The fundraiser benefits Dallas Black Dance Academy’s Education and Outreach programs. The Academy produced the first Presidential Scholar in dance in America. Nine other Presidential Scholars who graduated from Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts trained at Dallas Black Dance Academy. Four Academy students have received full scholarships to the prestigious dance program at The Juilliard School. 100% of Dallas Black Dance Academy students have graduated from high school and attended college since 2012.

Honorary Co-chairs Mrs. Rozene Pride and Grace Cook, and Co-chairs Helen Giddings and Sheena Payne, planned the event. The BIG Dance committee includes Jim Austin, Ivy Awino, Chris Banjo & Jasmine Banjo, Bridget Biagas, Angela Chapman, Teresa Coleman Wash, Mark D. Cooks, Marie Diaz, Dr. and Mrs. William Frazier, Marena & Roger Gault, Arthur & Gwen George, Laura Harris, Misty Hoyt, Sharon K. King, Kevin K. Lewis, Larry Lundy, Kim Noltemy, Maxine Pride, Willow Sanchez & Peter Lewis, Kymberley Scalia, Michelle Sherman, Don Short, Michelle Thomas, Linda & Frederick D. Todd II, Paulette Turner, Phyllis Walker, Dr. and Mrs. Myron Watkins, Carla Wattley-Bradley, Kim Whitaker, Ann Williams, Michelle Wong, and Freda Wright.

THE ROYAL FILM PERFORMANCE OF TOP GUN: MAVERICK last week was an enormous success.

The Film and TV Charity raised an incredible £185,000 from the screenings in London's Leicester Square and the other 16 cinemas up and down the country which ran simultaneous livestreams - making it not just the biggest but also the most inclusive and accessible Royal Film Performance on record.

As represented by our wonderful guests on the night, we have a strong focus on mental health in the industry. Our research shows that long and unpredictable hours, isolation and the persistence of bullying and poor work cultures contribute to far higher incidence of poor mental health in film and TV than is the norm - with 87% of industry workers having experienced a mental health problem; and many sadly likely to leave the industry as a result. Our expanded mental health services are addressing this critical need and are supporting more people in the industry each month.

The Film and TV Charity would like to thank:

Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge and their team.
All the staff at ODEON Luxe Leicester Square, Cineworld and Vue Cinemas and Light Cinemas
Tom Cruise and the entire cast and crew of Top Gun: Maverick
Paramount Pictures
Skydance Media
Jerry Bruckheimer Films
TC Productions

THE LATIN GRAMMY CULTURAL FOUNDATION will benefit from sales of upcoming five time Latin Grammy winner Camilo's Noth American Tour.

With this gift from Camilo, the Foundation would like to motivate other artists to help forge tomorrow's music makers and give back to the communities that support them.

SPREADING THE WORD

SPEND A NIGHT IN JAIL

You can spend the night in this kitchy Stranger Things jail cell. Photo by Olga Posaskova / Go Vilnius

You can try waffles favored by Stranger Things characters. Photo by Olga Posaskova / Go Vilnius

not just any old jail but the one used in the Season 4 shooting of Stranger Things. It's the lockup in the centennial Lukiškes Prison in Vilnius, Lithuania. Eager tourists will have ample opportunities to feel the show vibes by renting an 80s-themed double cell in a century-old Lukiškes Prison through Airbnb for EUR 107 per night and visiting the exact filming spots featured in the current creepy season, which premiered on May 27th.

Those show’s enthusiasts who dare to spend the night behind the bars in the former prison, saturated with a hundred years worth of history, can book a cell with an interior inspired by the Stranger Things.

The cell is furnished and decorated to resemble the show’s characteristic atmosphere including themed décor like 1980s-style furniture and the first season’s famed colored fairy lights. To make the experience even more authentic, visitors are offered to try waffles, which remind those favored by the characters.

People who book a stay at Lukiškes Prison can also go on a guided tour of the grounds, have a glimpse at once real prison life and walk through the exact show’s shooting spots—the corridors, the fenced courtyard, and other hidden corners.

Season 4 was filmed in different locations around Vilnius together with local partners Baltic Film Services, Baltic Locations, and Vilnius Film Office. The most notorious of the locations - Lukiškes Prison - ceased to function as an imprisonment facility in 2019, and the building was restructured and turned into Lukiškes Prison 2.0— a hub for artists and a venue for exclusive music, art, and other events. This summer the facility will host a number of outdoor events and an international music event 8 Festival.

The cell will start welcoming visitors from June 4th and reservations through Airbnb are available.

LARRY GATLIN, DON McLEAN, LEE GREENWOOD AND LARRY STEWART OF RESTLESS HEART have pulled out of their respective performances at this weekend's NRA convention in Houston days after 21 people were killed at a mass elementary school shooting in Uvalde.

STEVE TYLER frontman for Aerosmith has checked himself into rehab after relapsing into pain pill addiction following foot surgery in which the performer was prescribed pain medication.

Because of that Aerosmith has canceled Las Vegas June and July performances. They will continue with their 2022 dates beginning in September.

Tyler first entered rehab in the 1980s following an Aerosmith intervention. He relapsed in the early 2000s after pain meds were prescribed after surgery. He sought drug rehab treatment for his pain pill addiction in 2009.

TOM CRUISE took late, late night television host James Corden, 43, for an airplane ride to promote his current movie Top Gun: Maverick. The fascinating segment, which aired last Monday, May 23, 2022, saw a confident Cruise pilot a terrified Corden in a vintage plane. Reportedly, cameras were placed in the cockpit, so that no camera crew was required.

Corden is married with three small children. Cruise, 59, took Corden for a ride in a 1944 fighter airplane. Cruise owns a red tail P-51.

Cruise has held a pilot's license since 1994. He learned to fly at Airbus's base in Texas. He also has a helicopter license.

ALL FOUR MEMBERS OF ABBA Bjorn Ulvaeus, Benny Andersson, Agnetha Faltskog and Anni-Frid Lyngstad, reunited in London for the first time since 1982 for the premiere of the virtual Voyage live show which features younger "Abba-tars" performing ABBA songs with a live 10-piece band.

The "Abba-tars" were created through months of motion-capture and performance techniques with the four band members and an 850-strong team from Industrial Light and Magic, (ILM) an American motion picture visual effects company - founded on May 26, 1975 by George Lucas. It is a division of the film production company Lucasfilm, which Lucas founded, and was created when Lucas began production of the film Star Wars.

Virtial Voyage is its first foray into music.

ABBA was first catapulted to worldwide success after winning the Eurovision Song Contest with Waterloo. in 1974.

They have since sold more than 400 million albums and singles.

The hit quartet parted ways after last performing together in 1982 following a successful 10-year stint.

In 2018 they announced they had recorded new material and it dropped in November of last year.

Also attending the virtual event premiere were celebrities including Keira Knightley, Kate Moss, Kylie Minogue, Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Richard Jones, James Righton, Kitty Scott-Claus and Ella Vaday.

L.A. THEATRE WORKS presents the Japanese American Civil Liberties podcast series, a new collection of audio theater productions about the Japanese American experience during and after World War II. The series is sponsored in part by the California Civil Liberties Program from the California State Library.

Now playing: Sisters Matsumoto by Philip Kan Gotanda. Directed by Tim Dang and starring Keiko Agena, June Angela, Ron Bottitta, Kurt Kanazawa, Greg Watanabe and Ryun Yu, Gotanda’s play about three Japanese-American sisters who return to their farm after years in an internment camp is set in Stockton California. Finally back home, the once prosperous family finds it’s not easy to pick up the pieces of their former lives. The podcast includes a post-play discussion with the playwright, the director, and special guest George Takei.

Launching May 30: In Jeanne Sakata’s docudrama For Us All, a team of lawyers uses a little-known legal writ to fight and overturn the conviction of Fred Korematsu, unjustly sentenced for resisting the WWII mass incarceration of all Japanese Americans on the West Coast. Directed by Anna Lyse Erikson and starring Edward Asner, Brooke Ishibashi, Tess Lina, Mike McShane, Derek Mio, Joy Osmanski, Jeanne Sakata, André Sogliuzzo, Josh Stamberg, Greg Watanabe and Paul Yen, the episode includes a conversation with the playwright and four of the attorneys from the Korematsu v. United States case: Lori Bannai, Peter Irons, Dale Minami and Don Tamaki.

Coming June 13: No-No Boy by Ken Narasaki is based on the novel by John Okada. After being imprisoned during WWII for resisting the draft, Ichiro returns home to Seattle. There, he is forced to come to terms with both his past and his future. Kurt Kanazawa, Emily Kuroda, John Miyasaki, Ken Narasaki, Sharon Omi, Joy Osmanski, Sab Shimono, Greg Watanabe and Paul Yen star. The production is directed by Anna Lyse Erikson.

Finally, launching June 23: Jessica Kubzansky directs Hold These Truths by Jeanne Sakata. Ryun Yu stars as University of Washington student Gordon Hirabayashi, who fights the US government's orders to forcibly remove and incarcerate all people of Japanese ancestry on the West Coast. The episode includes an interview with the playwright.

The Japanese American Civil Liberties podcast series is available for listening wherever you get your podcasts.

JAZZ IN TIMES SQUARE takes place Thursdays through June 16 at Times Square in New York City.

The free live concerts are curated by Jazz at Lincoln Center.

Performers include:

June 2: Jeremy Bosch Sextet

June 9: Immigrantet featuring Juan Diego Villalobos, Nicola Caminiti, Hamish Smith and Timothy Angulo

June 16: Josanne Francis

NEWLY MINTED OSCAR WINNER BILLIE EILISH performs Friday, June 3 in Belfast, UK at the The SSE Arena. On Saturday she opens a two nighter at the 3Arena in Dublin, Ireland.

HEY, FATSO SportingPedia surveyed 1,000 football (soccer) fans across Europe to find out how many calories the average European football (soccer) fan will consume while watching the Champions League final - Liverpool vs Real Madrid at Stade de France just outside of Paris- which was streamed in America on May 28, over CBS and Univision. The results are somewhat heart stopping - or at least heart attack inducing. Real Madrid won.

Broadway To Vegas surmises that the calorie statistics would be the same for an American dude.

The top items on the menu consist primarily of processed junk food that are rich in calories, adding up to 3928 calories.

BEER
It comes as no surprise that beer is at the top of the poll, with each fan expecting to consume an average of 3.7 servings of the beverage, equivalent to about 569 calories.

CHIPS
Chips were the most popular snack of choice, with the average person eating around 250 grams of Chips adding up to 1368 calories.

PIZZA
The sport's menu would be incomplete for some fans without a pizza delivery. People eat 2 slices on average, which is about 560 calories.

FRIED CHICKEN WINGS
This is among the favorite foods of many and the average person will consume 8.8 pieces of fried chicken wings, equivalent to 756 calories.

NUTS
More than half of the surveyed fans confirmed that they will consume some nuts as well. The average consumption of 75 grams of nuts will add 415 more calories.

DESSERT
Over 63% of the interviewed replied that they will have something sweet, with the majority of those opting for a slice of cake. It will add up to around 260 calories to what you already consumed.
All the food and beverages above add up to a total of 3928 calories. The average soccer player burns around 600 calories per hour, which adds up to about 1000 per game. This would mean that you have to play around 4 games at the professional level to just reverse the eating-while-watching-the-game effect.

IN THE COURTS

KEVIN SPACEY an Oscar, Tony, BAFTA, Laurence Olivier, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle winner has been charged with four counts of sexual assault against three men, according to Britain's Crown Prosecution Service (CPS).

Spacey was also charged with one count of causing a person to engage in penetrative sexual activity without consent.

The charges revolve around two alleged incidents in London in 2005, and two in 2008, plus a further incident in Gloucestershire, western England in 2013.

GIBSON GUITARS WIN JURY VERDICT which asserts the validity of Gibson trademarks -- deems them not generic -- putting Gibson In a position to own their legacy innovations and be future focused.

The Nashville court's jury decision filed on May 27, 2022 comes at the end of a two-week long trial that saw hundreds of pieces of evidence admitted and several notable witnesses either take the stand or contribute via deposition.

"To uphold Gibson's long-established and well-recognized trademarks for Gibson's innovative and iconic guitar shapes is a win for Gibson and the music community at large," stated Gibson. "The court found that the Gibson Trademarks are valid, the Gibson shapes are not generic, and the defendants were guilty of both infringement and counterfeiting. Gibson is very pleased with the outcome after years of simply trying to protect their brand and business through well recognized intellectual property rights, rights that have been Gibson's for decades.

"Gibson's guitar shapes are iconic and now are firmly protected for the past, present, and future. From a broader perspective, this court decision is also a win for Gibson Fans, Artists, Dealers, and related Partners who expect and deserve authenticity. Not to mention for all of the iconic American brands that have invested in meaningful innovation and continued protection, only to see it diluted with unauthorized and often illegitimate knock-offs. Gibson can now focus attention on continuing to leverage its iconic past, and invest in future innovation, with confidence,"according to a release.

The jury found that in Gibson Guitar Corp. v. Dean Guitars, commonly referred to simply as Dean, was guilty of trademark infringement and counterfeiting in Gibson Flying V case in a major win for Gibson in the two companies' lengthy legal battle.

Gibson retains its US trademarks for the Flying V body shape, the Explorer body shape, the ES body shape, and the SG body shape.

The jury found that manufacturer Dean infringed on Gibson’s body shape trademarks for the Flying V, Explorer and SG, as well as separate trademarks for the Dove Wing headstock and the hummingbird acoustic guitar. Dean was not found to have infringed on Gibson’s standalone trademark for the Flying V.

The jury also found that Dean marketed counterfeits of the Flying V, Explorer and SG body shapes, and the Gibson Hummingbird. It is not guilty of marketing a counterfeit of the Dove Wing headstock shape.

Dean Guitars is an American importer and maker of stringed instruments and musical products with its headquarters in Tampa, Florida. Its products include solid-body electric guitars, bass guitars, and acoustic guitars.

However, the jury did find that Gibson delayed in asserting its trademark right for the Flying V and Explorer body shapes, and the Dove Wing headstock shape. In these cases, this was ruled to have “caused undue prejudice” to both Dean and its investment partner Concordia.

Importantly, it was ruled that Gibson is owed $4,000 in “counterfeiting statutory damages per counterfeit trademark per type of goods sold, [or] offered for sale.”

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

THE SUNDAY TIMES MUSIC RICH LIST OF UK and IRISH ARTISTS:

1. Sir Paul McCartney – £865 million - $1 billion 899 million

2. U2 – £625 million - $806,250 million

3. Lord Lloyd-Webber – £495 million - $638,500 million

4. Sir Elton John – £395 million - $509,550 million

5. Sting – £320 million - $412,800 million

6. Sir Mick Jagger – £318 million - $410,220 million

7. Keith Richards – £303 million - $390, 870 million

8. Olivia and Dhani Harrison – £295 million - $380,550 million

9. Sir Ringo Starr – £285 million - $367,650 million

10. Ed Sheeran – £260 million - $335,400 million

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PLAYING DOLL HOUSE IN METAVERSE

When I was a small child shows like Space Patrol - Commando Cody: Sky Marshal of the Universe - Buck Rogers and Tom Corbett, Space Cadet all aimed at children, were popular on television. A cereal manufacturer came up with a gimmick. Send in a box top and 25 cents (about $3.00 today) and you'd receive a certificate of ownership for one square inch of land - on the moon.

I bought my one inch as did all of my classmates.

In 1955 Quaker Oats jumped into the phony real estate market by putting deeds to one square inch of land in the Yukon Gold Rush Country into their boxes of Quaker Puffed .Rice. and Puffed Wheat..

That was the brainchild of a Chicago advertising executive named Bruce Baker who convinced Quaker Oats to acquire 19.11 acres of government land, about seven miles up the Yukon River from Dawson City. The company paid $1,000 for the land.

Quaker Oats set up a new company called the Great Klondike Big Inch Land Company and transferred the land ownership to that company. Then, they divided the property into 21 million 1-square-inch plots and had a deed of land printed for each plot. The individually numbered deeds looked official, handsomely lettered and imprinted with the regal seal of the Klondike Big Inch Land Co.

The deeds excluded mineral rights. It was also stipulated that owners had to allow "a perpetual easement for ingress and egress" across their land to others who might wish to visit their own inches. In other words, other landowners might have to trespass on your square inch to reach theirs. To find a plot, the company’s attorneys’ devised a master plan where deeds were numbered consecutively, beginning from the northwest corner of the 19 acres. If you wanted to find your lot number, you would start at the northwest corner, go X number of inches east, then go Y number of inches south, and there it would be.

The ad campaign was launched on the Sergeant Preston radio show in January 27, 1955. It also appeared in nearly a hundred newspapers across the country. The campaign was a sensational success. People bought dozens of boxes in the hope that they could consolidate all their square-inch plots into something valuable. One gent had over 10,000 deeds which he wanted to convert into one single piece of property a little less than a quarter-acre.

"The deeds were not meant to have any intrinsic value,” Quaker now says, “but rather to give the consumer the romantic appeal of being the owner of a square inch of land in the Yukon."

Now, you can have "the romantic appeal of being the owner" of a plot of metaverse land on Mars.

For a price.

If you think inflation has hit the real estate market on earth - it's nothing in comparison to purchasing fantasy property with real money in the metaverse. You may "own it," but you'll never set foot on it and what you do with it is in your dreams.

Makes you realize that a lot of people have too much money and time on their hands.

If you are one of those, then consider this -

Over the course of eight weeks, Everdome will auction 12,000 hexagonal plots of hyper-realistic metaverse land across its ecosystem. "The auction give investors the unique opportunity to own a piece of Mars with bidding set to begin May 30, 2022 and will run for eight weeks."

Each auction will feature 1,500 plots and will run for one week, located in game areas across six unique digital districts.

Metaverse was created by The Sandbox which acquired tech firm Cualit to boost Web 3 capabilities.

"The platform leverages 3D scanning technology and Epic Games Unreal Engine 5 to deliver photo realistic graphics that will have players wondering about the boundaries between gameplay and reality."

UAW based property giant Damac Group is investing $100 million to build digital cities in the metaverse as virtual and physical worlds collide. Damac General Manager Ali Sajwani heads the initiative christened D-Labs.

Rob Gryn, CEO and Founder of Everdome and Metahero, said: "Society's shift towards a more connected way of living was accelerated due to pandemic restrictions. This paved the way for the metaverse, which is free from the restrictions and limitations of everyday life, to grow at an immense rate. The future is in the metaverse, now more than ever before; people want their real-world experiences available at the press of a button, which is exactly what the metaverse offers.

"From sales and marketing to hospitality, education, and everything in between, the metaverse is the solution to delivering premium experiences."

Purchasing a plot of land within Everdome will give owners the right to "develop it as they see fit, with the opportunity to generate revenue or even re-sell in the future. The Everdome team is fully equipped and staffed to design, architect, and develop partnerships and individual lands as the settlement grows.

"The possibilities are endless," added Gryn. "In the metaverse, the only limits are our imagination."

"According to recent market data, real estate sales in the metsverse reached $500 million in 2921, and the sales volume is expected to double in 2022. The metaverse real estate market in projected to grow at a CAGR of 31 percent from 2022 to 2028."

CAGR is the compound annual growth rate which is the rate of return (RoR) that would be required for an investment to grow from its beginning balance to its ending.

Metaverse technology is projected to add $4 billion to Dubai economy, support 42,000 virtual jobs by 2030.



CARLOS SANTANA honored by the Clark County Commission with the Icon Award for having headlined in Las Vegas for 10 years.



THE ORCHARD conceived, adapted, and directed by Ukrainian born theater director Igor Golyak, is an adaptation of The Cherry Orchard by Anton Chekhov as translated by Carol Rocamora, with some additional material developed by Golyak.

This hybrid production includes two simultaneous and intersecting theatrical experiences - a live performance at The Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York City and a separate interactive virtual experience online that audiences can participate in live from around the globe.

The Orchard invites us into the fragile world of a family yearning for connection and struggling with the end of their world as they know it. Threatened with foreclosure and the loss of their beloved orchard, they face unstoppable, destructive forces that dismantle their lives like the breaking of a string.

The cast features Jessica Hecht as Ranevskaya, with Anna Baryshnikov, Juliet Brett, Darya Denisova, John McGinty, Nael Nacer, and Mark Nelson. Mikhail Baryshnikov will play both Anton Chekhov and Firs.

An international team of collaborators, spanning theater, gaming, film, robotics, and emerging technologies, was assembled to create the world of The Orchard. Audiences in the theater will enter an immersive, dreamlike environment where perceptions, illusions, and reality collide as a family in crisis tries to process their uncertain future. The creative team includes scenic design by Anna Fedorova, costume design by Oana Botez, lighting design by Yuki Link, and sound design by Tei Blow. The robotics are designed by a team led by Adam Paikowsky of dotdotdash.io, and holographic projections conceived by Golyak.

The virtual experience online invites audiences on a journey through a beautifully rendered, three dimensional virtual property that has been abandoned and is in foreclosure. There, audiences can explore and discover magical rooms where they uncover echoes of a past life, now lost, including Chekhov's letters, memories, and ultimately the play, live, in progress at the Baryshnikov Arts Center.

The creative team of the Virtual Experience includes virtual scenic design by Anna Fedorova, in partnership with Alex Coulombe of Agile Lens, Athomas Goldberg of Lifelike & Believable Animation Design, and Unreal designers Daniel Cormino, Yu-Jun Yeh and Emily Cho, with virtual sound design by Alexey Prosvirnin, and interactivity design by Sasha Huh.

The in-person and online versions will run concurrently - live - for each performance. Partway through the performances, the two versions intersect and the worlds come together.

The limited engagement of The Orchard begins previews on June 7 with opening night set for June 16, and will run through July 3, 2022 at The Baryshnikov Arts Center in New York City.

THIRD BIRD with a libretto and direction by Isaac Mizrahi, music by composer Nico Muhly.

Cast: Isaac Mizrahi, Narrator - Marjorie Folkman, Duck - Christine Flores, Bird - Ramona Kelley, Zookeeper - Lindsey Jones, Cat - Daniel Pettrow, Ostrich - Derrick Arthur, Ornithologist - Norton Owen, Grandfather - Gus Solomons Jr, Moon.

The creatives are: Played by Ensemble Signal and conducted by Brad Lubman. Choreography by John Heginbotham, and lighting by Brandon Stirling Baker.

Since 2007, Works & Process has produced sold-out performances of Sergei Prokofiev’s charming children’s classic Peter & the Wolf directed and narrated by Isaac Mizrahi. After over one hundred performances, Mizrahi was inspired to create an homage to this iconic work, and during the pandemic Works & Process commissioned Third Bird. Highlighting a cast of eight, including a flying bluebird, a swimming duck, and a running ostrich, Third Bird celebrates each individual’s unique strengths.

Works & Process, the performing arts series at the Guggenheim, is proud to present the world premiere of Third Bird. Performance will take place June 3-5, 2022 in the Frank Lloyd Wright-designed Peter B. Lewis Theater at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York City.

UNCLE VANYA by Anton Chekhov. Translated by Richard Nelson, Richard Pevear, and Larissa Volokhonsky.

Directed by Michael Michetti.

This exhilarating revival pairs one of the greatest plays ever written with the world’s most celebrated translators of Russian literature. After years of caring for their family’s crumbling estate, Vanya and his niece receive an unexpected visit from his brother-in-law and his alluring wife. When hidden passions and tumultuous frustrations come to a boil in the heat of the summer, their lives threaten to come undone. Comic, cutting, and true to life, this translation of Uncle Vanya provides an up-close, conversational-style encounter with a classic drama that every theater-lover must see.

The production stars Hugo Armstrong as "Vanya," Anne Gee Byrd as "Marya," Brian George as "Serebryakov," Khetanya Henderson as "Elena," Brandon Mendez Homeras as "Astrov"” Jane Taini as "Marina," and Sabina Zuniga-Varela as "Sonya."

The creative team features scenic design by Tesshi Nakagawa; costume design by Wendell C. Carmichael; lighting design by Jaymi Smith; sound design by John Nobori; and stage management by Meredith O'Gwynn.

June 1 – June 26, 2022 at the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena, CA.

STEP AFRIKA!'S DRUMFOLK tour will premiere at Arena Stage from May 31-June 26, 2022.

Comprising electrifying percussive dance fused with contemporary art forms, Step Afrika!'s Drumfolk is inspired by the Stono Rebellion of 1739 and the Negro Act of 1740 in South Carolina.

State laws mandated that enslaved Africans could not assemble or use drums, which were key in signaling the 1739 uprising; so, they began to use their bodies as percussive instruments instead. Over time, their percussive movement gave rise to some of the country's most distinctive art forms, including the ring shout, tap, hambone and stepping.

Though the colonists took away the drums, they could not stop the beat.

This immersive and critically-acclaimed production will be the first of three as part of a multi-year collaborative partnership between Step Afrika! and Arena Stage.

Drumfolk starts May 31, 2022 at Arena Stage in Washington, DC.

NOIR the world premiere murder mystery musical with music by Duncan Sheik. Book by Kyle Jarrow. Lyrics by Kyle Jarrow and Duncan Sheik.

Directed by Darko Tresnjak.

Choreographed by Karla Puno Garcia.

A heartbroken man never leaves his apartment, finding his only solace in the music on the radio.?Then a couple moves in next door.? Eavesdropping becomes his new entertainment - and his new obsession.? Soon he finds himself drawn into a web of love, lies, deceit, and danger. ?Inspired by classic film noir.

Featuring Christy Altomare as Scarlet - Sinclair Daniel as The Kid - David Gozman as The Husband/The Lover/Dancer - Adam Kantor as The Neighbor - Morgan Marcell LL as The Wife - Clifton Samuels as The Boss/Dancer and Voltaire Wade-Greene as The Goon/Dancer.

The creatives are: Alexander Dodge Scenic Design - Linda Cho Costume Design - Ben Stanton Lighting Design - Dan Moses Schreier Sound Design - Aaron Rhyne Projection Design - Jason Hart Music Director and Vocal Arrangements - Simon Hale Orchestrations - Linda Marvel Production Stage Manager - Trey Johnson Assistant Stage Manager - Jordan Canon-Krus Assistant Stage Manager.

Performances begin Thursday, June 2, on the Hubbard Theatre stage of the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas.

A post show Alley chat with composer and lyricist Duncan Sheik takes place June 24, 2022.

KISS MY AZTEC! book By John Leguizamo and Tony Taccone. Music by Benjamin Velez. Lyrics by David Kamp, Benjamin Velez and John Leguizamo. Based on a screenplay written by John Leguizamo and Stephen Chbosky.

Directed by Tony Taccone.

Choreography by Mayte Natalio.

An irreverent new musical loosely based on Latin American history…very loosely! Travel back to the 16th century as a group of Aztecs lead the resistance against Spanish invaders. With a fierce female warrior at the helm and a not-so-fierce clown in tow, they mount a scrappy attack — and get entangled with royalty, colonizers, pop stars, and puppets. With music and lyrics from Benjamin Velez and David Kamp, Kiss My Aztec! has musical fusion of salsa, gospel, hip-hop, funk, and meringue making for a jubilant and hilarious celebration of Hispanic & Latin culture.

This pre-Broadway engagement starts June 1 with performances through June 26m 2022 at Hartford Stage in Hartford, Conn.

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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.

FINAL OVATION

ROBB ELEMENTARY SCHOOL VICTIMS Nearly 20 law enforcement officers loitered for 47 minutes in a hallway outside classrooms of Robb Elementary School in Uvalde, Texas while children and teachers called 911 begging for the police to come "right away." During that 47 minutes the shooter fired over 100 rounds during a four minute shooting spree which would have made a horrific amount of noise. It might be assumed that police officers would recognize the sound of gun fire. On Friday, May 27, 2022 authorities admitted that they could have "done better." No kidding.

Whether they could hear the children being slaughtered wasn't addressed - only that the officers didn't have body armor and they would have put their lives in danger had they entered prior to reinforcements arriving.

Now 21 crosses stand in front of the school.

NOTHING WILL CHANGE: After the heartbreaking massacre of the February 14, 2018, shooting at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, I was positive that this would be the horrific event that finally resulted in change. The reason? The high schoolers were almost of voting age. They had the power to energize first time voters across the nation to assert themselves at the polls. I was wrong. After initial outrage - nothing happened.

So, of course, it's happened again, and again and again. In churches, grocery stores and schools, places were you expect to be safe.

Again, there is outrage. There are initial lies and coverups, photo ops, and expanded news coverage. Talk show hosts sincerely bluster and expound.

After the initial indignation - events get back to "normal" and nothing will happen - except more killing.

Lives cut short in Uvalde include:
Alithia Ramirez, 10.
Amerie Jo Garza, 10.
Annabell Guadalupe Rodriguez, 10, (cousin to Jacklyn Cazares).
Eliahana Cruz Torres, 10.
liana “Ellie” Garcia, 9.
Jackiyn Cazares, 10, (cousin to Annabell Rodriquez).
Jailah Nicole Silguero, 10, (cousin to Jayce Carmelo Luevanos).
Jayce Carmelo Luevanos, 10, (cousin to Jaliah Nicole Silguero).
Jose Flores, 10.
Layla Salazar, 10
Leandrah Rodriguez.
Makenna Lee Elrod, 10.
Maite Rodriguez, 10.
Miranda Mathis, 11.
Nevaeh Bravo, 10.
Rojelio Torres, 10.
Tess Marie Mata.
Uziyah Garcia, 10.
Xavier Lopez, 10.
Eva Mireles, 44, a fourth-grade teacher.
Irma Garcia, 44, a fourth-grade teacher married to her high school sweetheart for 24 years and was the mother of four children. After her husband Guadalupe “Joe” Garcia, 48, visited her memorial cross to leave flowers he suffered a heart attack and died.

RAY LIOTTA died in his sleep on May 25, 2022 in the Dominican Republic where he was filming the movie Dangerous Waters.. He was 67.

Liotta rose to fame in Goodfellas and Field of Dreams. He excelled in big screen, television and on stage roles.

In 2004 he made his Broadway debut oppoite Frank Langella in the Stephen Belber play, Match.

His marriage to Michelle Grace produced a daughter but ended in divorce. His daughter survives him as does Jacy Nittolo whom he was engaged to at the time of his death.

ANDY FLETCHER founding member and keyboardist of electronic band Depeche Mode died May 26, 202. He was 60.

He co-founded the group in 1980 and remained with them for more than 40 years.In 2020, Fletcher and his Depeche Mode bandmates - longtime members Dave Gahan and Martin Gore and former members Vince Clarke and Alan Wilder - were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for their pioneering role in the synth-pop, new wave and electronic music movements; the band has also played an influential role in heavy metal.

Fletcher is credited with playing on all 14 of the band’s studio albums and countless stadium-filling concert performances; Fletcher also had the unofficial title of tiebreaker in the event of Gore and Gahan coming to creative loggerheads.

Fletcher married his longtime girlfriend Gráinne Mullan on January 16, 1993 and the couple had two children, Megan and Joe who survive him.

CAROL M. BALDWIN mother of actors Alec, Daniel, William, and Stephen Baldwin and two daughters Elizabeth and Jane died Thursday, May 26, 2022 in Syracuse, New York. She was 92.

Carol was diagnosed with breast cancer in 1991, and spent the rest of her life working with breast-cancer support groups and charities, helping to raise millions of dollars. Se was preceded in death by her husband Alexander R. Baldwin, Jr. who died at age 53 in 1983.

Next Column: June 5, 2022
Copyright: May 29, 2022 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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