Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: May 9, 2021
By: Laura Deni
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TINY BEAUTIFUL THINGS IS STUNNING, MEMORABLE AND POIGNANT

Laiona Michelle (seated) In background: Kally Duling, John Bolger and Ryan George. Cinematography by Michael Boylan.

Tiny Beautiful Things: Advice on Love and Life from Dear Sugar began as a book written by Cheryl Strayed. The collection of essays compiled from Strayed's Dear Sugar advice column, which she wrote anonymously on The Rumpus, an online literary magazine, has been turned into a magnificent and memorable play, adapted for the stage by Oscar-nominated writer Nia Vardalos.

Laiona Michelle stars as Sugar in this George Street Playhouse, VIVID and Cinematic virtual production - a journey that reflects on life, love, forgiveness and healing. Flawlessly directed by David Saint, in addition to Michelle, the cast features John Bolger, Kally Duling and Ryan George.

The production was rehearsed and filmed on location in the gorgeous home of a friend of the theatre's.

Lovely intro music opens the streaming as Strayed, who once worked as a school counselor, is seated at her kitchen table working on her laptop, communicating with friend Steve Almond who is currently writing the column, although he has no qualifications. He convinces Strayed that she should take over the Dear Sugar advice column. As Sugar, Strayed responds to anonymous questions with searing honesty. She drew from her own life experiences in her letters and shared them in raw detail, both the good and the bad. She once said, "I’ve always written the column as if I were a naked woman standing in a field showing you everything but her face." In February, 2012, Strayed revealed her true identity as Sugar.

Set in the kitchen, Bolger, Duling and George portray letter writers whose problems range from inconsequential to profound.

The lighting design and camera focus are high bar as the actors stand by the sink or sit on the kitchen counter. The gestures and movements are minimalist, with deep emotion conveyed by the reading of the letters in a forthright rather than over-dramatic style.

Questions come from people addicted, women who are submissive to men, the sexually repressed, parents worried about their dying child, children distressed that their birth monther doesn't want to meet them, the transgendered, and readers who doubt Sugar's credibility and wonder about her background and motives.

Sugar admits that advise columnists project that they know, even when they are trying to find out.

Most of the letters come from people who want to know how to care, are scared to love, people who want to please and feel trapped. Most have to do with the many meanings of the word love.

Sugar's suggestions are intelligent, thoughtful and on target.

Michelle as Sugar is excellent. She can also speak distinctly even when eating raw carrots.

Sugar advises that you have to do more than hold on - you have to reach.

She stresses that you can survive bad things, that sometimes you hold on hard when there is no choice but to let go.

Sugar emphasizes that life is continuously unfolding and you'll regret the small things you didn't say - say 'thank you.'

The production ends with everyone sitting at the table eating a spaghetti and salad meal.

This play is mesmerizing to watch. A production which will touch your heart and stay in your mind long after it ends.

The hour and a half drama could be viewed more than once without getting bored. Streams through May 23, 2021. Don't miss it.

Michael Boyland cinematography and editing. Sound editing by Ryan Rummer.
Co-conceived by Marshall Heyman, Thomas Kail & Nia Vardalos.
Art Direction by Helen Tewskbury.
Costume Design by Lisa Zinni.
Original Music and Sound Design by Scott Killian.
Production Stage Manager Nicole Kuker.
Production Manager Christopher J. Bailey.
Executive Producer Sharon Karmazin.
Casting by McCorkle Casting Ltd.

Tiny Beautiful Things is recommended for mature audiences. Conscientious viewing is advised.

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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

NIGHT FEVER

Morrison Hotel Gallery

Drawing on inspiration from those that paved the way in glitter and grit, Morrison Hotel Gallery in New york City presents an in person and on line exhibit, Night Fever, a photographic anthology of nocturnal tradition currently on view. Spanning from Studio 54 and CBGB to the incorrigible rise of club kid culture, this exhibition celebrates the communities, cultures, and creativity that make nightlife worth staying up for.

True to the spirit of any great nightclub with its unlikely pairings of legends and locals, glamour snobs, moguls, and gormandizers alike all occupy certain space within Night Fever. Going beyond velvet-roped tropes, select work from Bill Bernstein, Ron Galella, Lynn Goldsmith, Bob Gruen, Rose Hartman, Catherine McGann, Mick Rock, Allan Tannenbaum and Charlyn Zlotnik offer viewers a rare glimpse into the bass-heavy heart of an enigmatic ideal once coined by Andy Warhol as “dancefloor democracy.”

However and in light of a particular present, a myriad of prevalent themes are brought to light throughout. Most crucially, this exhibition explores debaucherous evenings illuminated by flash bulbs and a moral moonlight by which sober truths are abstracted, drawing into question the value of memory and human interaction as can only be materialized on candid camera. About more than just bygone bacchanalia, dance floor liberation and a pre-pandemic world’s simple pleasures taken for granted, Night Fever explores the creative life force of culture and community through the lens of those that lived it, fabulously.

Morrison Hotel Gallery "is the world's leading brand in fine art music photography representing over 125 of the world's finest music photographers and their archives. Their vast catalog of photography encompasses jazz, blues, and rock imagery spanning several generations through to today's contemporary music artists and now includes iconic photographs in the world of celebrity and sports as well. MHG has a robust online presence, featuring over 100,000 images searchable by photographer, music artist, band or concert.

ACKROYD & HARVEY INSTALL 100 OAK TREES OUTSIDE TATE MODERN an installation of 100 oak saplings opened May 4 on the terrace outside Tate Modern in London. Entitled Beuys’ Acorns, the project was started in 2007 by British artists Ackroyd & Harvey. Its latest display marks 100 years since the birth of Joseph Beuys (1921-86), the hugely influential artist and environmental activist. Beuys’ Acorns is a living sculpture where visitors can reconnect with art after lockdown, rethink their relationship to nature, and reflect on art, activism and the climate emergency.

The project was originally inspired by 7000 Oaks – City Forestation Instead of City Administration, a seminal work created by Joseph Beuys in Kassel, Germany. Between 1982 and 1987, Beuys and his helpers planted a forest of 7000 oak trees alongside 7000 basalt rocks, permanently altering the local cityscape and connecting art to the emerging environmental movement. Local residents were encouraged to reclaim agency over their urban environment by helping to choose sites and plant trees. In 2007, Ackroyd & Harvey travelled to Kassel and collected acorns from Beuys’ original oaks to nurture into new trees. 100 of the saplings grown from these acorns have been brought together to spend the summer on Tate Modern’s South Terrace, free for visitors to enjoy to November 14, 2021. In addition to the installation, Beuys’ Acorns includes an ongoing research project and public engagement program into the cultural, biological and climatic significance of trees.

With the Tate Modern reopening to the public, visitors are also be able to see a major Beuys work from Tate’s collection, The End of the Twentieth Century 1983-5, installed in the Tanks directly underneath the terrace. This installation is made from large pieces of basalt stone which derive from the same rocks as those he installed in Kassel. For six months, the two key elements of Beuys’s original 7000 Oaks project are therefore reunited in London, one above ground and one below.

FOUNDLING VOICES PROJECT records memories of separation, schooling, love, loss and rediscovery from the people who grew up in the care of the Foundling Hospital in London between 1912 and 1954.

Discover the Foundling Museum's new online exhibition, Shared Stories, Shared Voices, which has created a collection of highly personal responses to objects on display in the Museum, made by people who have a deep connection with the stories they tell.

Project participants: Former pupils of the Foundling Hospital: Clive, Eleanor, Henry, John, Ruth; Tracing Our Tales graduates: Nia, Rohima, Shereka, Sofia; Volunteers: Anne, Bridget, Brigid, Christine, Eliza, Gillian, Jenny, Kirsty, Lin, Lindi, Molly, Penny, Robin, Sheila, Sue.

Project artists: Emma Crouch, Emma Middleton.

Film-makers: Wilkie Branson, Emma Crouch, Will Jacob.

Project Management: Lindsey Dear.

Development Consultant: Stephanie Dennison.

Project research: Janette Bright, with the assistance of Gillian Clark.

Project Evaluation: Tom Henri.

Support for Emma Middleton: Jan Cullen.

THE DETROIT INSTITUTE OF ART invites you to celebrate Asian Pacific American Heritage Month from home with online programs including music, dance, film, art talks, puppets and more.

Professional and community cultural groups showcase an engaging blend of traditional and contemporary artistry across Asian cultures —including Chinese, Indian, Indonesian, Japanese, Korean, Filipino, Mongolian, Taiwanese, Thai, and Vietnamese.

Most programs are available to view on the DIA’s YouTube Channel.

PALM SPRINGS CALIFORNIA ART MUSEUM'S Board of Trustees has elected Jane Emison to the position of Chair. The special election was held on April 5, 2021 in order to fill the position vacated by the passing of Steve Maloney who had served as chair since February 2018. Mary Ingebrand-Pohlad—one of the museum’s two Executive Vice Chairs along with Harold Matzner—had been serving as Interim Chair since Maloney’s untimely passing.

Emison is a retired interior designer who had her own firm and practiced her profession for over 40 years. Specializing largely in commercial interiors, she completed projects from banks to corporate headquarters to a hotel in India. She has a bachelor’s degree in human development and education, interior design and business minor from NDSU, and currently resides in Minnesota and California.

Since her retirement, Emison has dedicated her time to philanthropy and she serves on several boards including the Minneapolis Institute of Art, Hillswood Foundation and DePauw University (advisory trustee). During her term as the development chair for MIA, she served on the endowment campaign committee. She has chaired many special fund raising events including auctions, the Gala for MIA, and as co-chair of Palm Springs Art Museum’s Art Party 2020.

THE TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART has announced that Rhonda Sewell was selected as the Toledo Museum of Art’s first director of belonging & community engagement, a role that will report to the Museum’s director. Her appointment started on Monday, April 26.

Sewell most recently served as the director of governmental and external affairs for the Toledo Lucas County Public Library, where she worked with local, state and federal legislators as well as community stakeholders in the areas of library funding, advocacy and systems change. Prior to her 15 years at the Library, she worked 18 years as an award-winning journalist for The Blade newspaper, which included assignments in six countries. Sewell also served as an adjunct instructor in ethnic studies and mass communications at Bowling Green State University.

Sewell holds a Bachelor of Arts in Journalism from Michigan State University; she also completed Graduate Studies in International Journalism at the City University of London in England.

JOHNNETTA COLE DELIVERED ANNUAL KEATING LECTURE last Thursday, May 6, 2021. Titled The Academic Museum and the Journey Toward Equity, Cole offered a compelling call to action for the academic museum in America. The event was hosted by Princeton University Art Museum Director James Steward.

Johnnetta Cole is the former president of Spelman College and Bennett College, the former director of the Smithsonian National Museum of African Art and the recipient of an honorary doctorate from Princeton University.

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SWEET CHARITY

THE ELTON JOHN AIDS FOUNDATION In April 2020, the organization launched their COVID-19 Emergency Fund to protect the progress that had been made, with this Emergency Fund making grants totaling over $2 million, supporting over 100 organizations.

They also launched a brand-new grants strategy that puts the people and places most vulnerable to HIV/AIDS "at the heart of our response as we work towards ending AIDS."

THE MAYOR'S OFFICE OF MEDIA AND ENTERTAINMENT (MOME) in New York City this past week launched Music Heals, a new program in partnership with NYC Department of Health and AFM Local 802 to present live one-hour performances at 11 City-run vaccination centers across the five boroughs through June 20, 2021.

SPREADING THE WORD

SIR PAUL McCARTNEY

Photo: Royal Mail

has been honored by the British Royal Mail as one of only three individuals with his picture on a postage stamp.

A set of 12 special stamps honoring Sir Paul, 78, has been unveiled. The main set of stamps feature a selection of eight LPs, from his first solo album in 1970, McCartney, through to his most recent number one album, McCartney III, which was recorded and released during the Covid lockdown in 2020.

A miniature sheet of four stamps will also be available, featuring photographs of him in the recording studio, spanning three decades.

Sir Paul was involved in selecting the images which have been used in the collection.

The Royal Mail’s Head of Public Affairs, David Gold, said: “Paul McCartney remains a vital figure at the center of rock and pop. An artist whose legacy is immense, but whose work continues to generate popular attention and critical acclaim. This dedicated stamp issue is a fitting tribute to one of the UK’s much loved and revered musical icons.”

He is one of only three individual music artists to be featured in a dedicated stamp issue.

Sir Elton John and the late David Bowie have also been recognized as a solo artist by Royal Mail. In 2017, the postal service celebrated Bowie while Elton's collection was released in 2019.

Bands immortalized in stamps are Pink Floyd and Queen.

Fans can start to lick the stamps beginning May 28.

LEGAL AND PRACTICAL ISSUES IN OUTDOOR MUSICAL ENTERTAINMENT in an American Bar Association (ABA) forum which will take place Friday, May 14.

Entertainers are nervously in new territory as their contracts in the post Covid-19 era need to be renegotiated.

From music festivals to outdoor theater to carnivals, outdoor entertainment has long been a seasonal staple. Over the last year, with much of the indoor entertainment industry being shut down completely, and given contemporary challenges, many companies and performers have taken their performances outdoors and are innovating to creatively and safely do so in the modern era. This ABA program will explore outdoor entertainment, from both the practical implementation and legal implication perspectives.

The program will discuss how counsel can effectively draft and negotiate special contract provisions and mitigate risk via both contract and insurance. Attendees will also able to discuss best practices to counsel clients with regards to the legal implications pertaining to health, safety, and property loss risks involved in the execution of outdoor entertainment.

HAMILTON; THE LION KING; AND WICKED intend to re-open on Broadway in mid September.

SETH MEYERS the Emmy Award-winning writer and host of Late Night with Seth Meyers will be delivering his jabs and comedic observations with two shows Sunday, May 16, at the Playhouse Tent at the Ridgefield Playhouse in Ridgefield, CT.

THE ATLANTA JAZZ FESTIVAL premieres four new "In the Tradition" interviews this month.

The "In the Tradition" interview series continues with interviews with jazz artists Laurin Talese, Alexey Marti, Theo Croker, and Miguel Zenon.

Jazz lovers can view the video interviews live on AtlantaFestivals.com, Facebook, and YouTube on select Tuesdays until August 31, 2021.

THE FORBIDDEN CITY an audio play is part of the The Lincoln Center Theater Spotlight Series, LCT’s free program of digital events, continues with this audio performance of Bill Gunn’s 1989 play.

Directed by Seret Scott, The Forbidden City's cast of 11 features James T. Alfred, Spencer Scott Barro s, Derrick Baskin, Kyle Beltran, Ato Blankson-Wood, Jason Bowen, Alfie Fuller, John Benjamin Hickey, Roscoe Orman, Brenda Pressley and Ray Anthony Thomas.

Branden Jacobs-Jenkins, a writer in LCT's Beaumont New Play Commission Program, chose The Forbidden City to include in the Spotlight Series. A bonus podcast episode featuring a conversation between Mr. Jacobs-Jenkins and director Seret Scott discussing The Forbidden City and playwright Bill Gunn, is also available.

This audio play is available as a podcast for on-demand listening through May 23 wherever you find your podcasts or by visiting lct.org. A full transcription of the audio play and bonus interview is available on LCT.org.

NECESSARY SACRIFICES: A RADIO PLAY commissioned by Ford’s Theatre in Washington, DC, Richard Hellesen’s imagines the two documented White House encounters between Frederick Douglass and Abraham Lincoln during a period of national crisis.

During the summers of 1863 and 1864, Douglass challenges Lincoln to use his power as president to bring truth to America’s founding ideal that “all men are created equal.” Psalmayene 24 makes his Ford’s debut directing Craig Wallace as Douglass and Paul Morella as Lincoln.

In partnership with WPFW 89.3 FM, Ford’s presents a special radio play adaptation available for free by registering on their website.

S Stream for Free through May 30, 2021.

DEMOS - FILMS OF SEPARATION AND TOGETHERNESS is a new project between choreographer Liz Roche and composer David Coonan. Ahead of a live performance later this year, the superb cast of Liz Roche Company dancers and Crash Ensemble musicians perform scenes from their new work in this series of short dance films.

Recorded in Dublin on the Abbey stage in collaboration with filmmaker José Miguel Jiménez, these short films can be viewed online as part of Dublin Dance Festival's Summer 2021 Edition.

Available to watch from Tuesday, May 18 to Saturday May 29, 2021.

CELEBRITY ANTIQUE ROADSHOW the American version, debuted last week on PBS showcasing antiques of famous celebrities including comedian Jay Leno, actor S. Epatha Merkerson, author Jason Reynolds, Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan, and pro golfer Dottie Pepper.

A fascinating, informative and delightful show. However, what stood out is the property that in 2017 Jay Leno purchased. Seafair, a Newport, R.I., 15,861-square-foot Louis XIV inspired chateau on Ocean Avenue which overlooks the ocean. It's jaw dropping - think Downton Abbey. Leno and his wife now own what is in contention to be the most beautiful and elegant of any individually owned home in America.

At $13.5M furnished Leno established himself as a savvy bargainer.

The stunning home and manicured gated compound has a tennis court, an infinity pool, a carriage cottage, a six-car garage and private beaches. The main home has 12 bedrooms and 13 bathrooms and features a paneled library, a formal dining room and a chef’s kitchen.

Future episodes of Celebrity Antique Roadshow - airing May 10, May 17, and May 24 — include the likes of chef, cookbook author, and TV host Carla Hall, humorist John Hodgman, actor Ronny Chieng, cartoonist Mo Willems, journalist Soledad O’Brien, fashion designer Christian Siriano, and TV personality Carson Kressley.

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OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

THE ACTORS FUND released results of a new survey regarding the Covid-19 impact upon the entertainment industry. It should come as no surprise that from the 7,100 members who responded from the 37,000 members polled, 76% reported loss of income, 62% lost party-time or gig employment, 50% lost full-time jobs in entertainment and 26% said they do not know when they will return to work. 40% said they faced food insecurity, and 28% fell behind on their rent or mortgage. 20% said their financial situation forced them to move; one in 10 lost their health insurance, and 10% had to sell a “large asset” like a house or car.

The median income of the survey respondents was $34,186, with many having little or no savings.

Nearly 80% of those polled reported the pandemic negatively affected their mental health such as increased feelings of anxiety or depression, symptoms of stress, and a decreased ability to cope with economic uncertainty.

The survey was conducted by Morey Consulting.

E-Book

Soft back Book

This is not your typical, totally boring textbook.

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

FINAL OVATION

BOBBY MORRIS entertainment industry icon, author, show producer, entertainment director, agent/manager, and drummer passed away peacefully on May 1, 2021 in San Diego, CA. He was 93 years old.

Bobby was Elvis Presley’s original conductor of his own 48-piece orchestra, plus the Sweet Inspirations and Imperials at the International Hotel’s opening season in July 1969.

He became the driving force on all the Capitol recordings of Louis Prima and Keely Smith, even creating his own signature drumbeat, henceforth known as The Morris Shuffle. He is also credited with laying down some of the very first beats of Rock and Roll (Roots of Rock Drumming Hudson Music Publishing-cover photo-2013).

Bobby played drums for Frank Sinatra, Eddie Fisher, Bobby Darin, and was chosen by Buddy Rich to perform with his band. He worked with dozens of stars on the Las Vegas Strip, including Barbra Streisand, Ella Fitzgerald, Sarah Vaughan, Robert Goulet, Peggy Lee, Judy Garland, Danny Thomas, and as a actor in western movies.

He ran the successful Bobby Morris Agency, Inc. from his own building in Las Vegas since1965 and was involved in management, booking, and entertainment direction of many major hotels on the Strip.

Bobby was predeceased by his parents and his brother, Joe (Rae) Sands. He is survived by his wife, Joan; three sons, Steve, Robbie, and Daryl; four grandsons, Ryan, Bryan (Alexa), Kyle, and Alex; two great-granddaughters, Chloe and Sophia; brother, Arthur Sands; and two nephews, Charlie (Mary) Sands, and Arne (Jan) Youngerman.

Next Column: May 16, 2021
Copyright: May 9, 2021 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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