Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: November 1, 2020
By: Laura Deni
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MAKING THE MOST OF COVID-19 - TURN STREAMING INTO A SPRINGBOARD TO SUCCESS

Dame Julie Andrews has a new podcast.

Look at it as a glass half full. The Covid virus devastating the performing arts industry isn't totally a black hole. Performing being forced to embrace streaming is resulting in a wider audience. Even the venerable Oregon Shakespeare Festival reported that their successful online event managed reached "a much larger audience from across five continents and 15 countries, including Australia, China, Morocco, Germany, France and Mexico. " (See Sweet Charity section).

Now, artists are going direct to fans from their own homes, enabling performers to be introduced to and enjoyed by a broader audience. Established entertainers even superstars are in the mix. Julie Andrews is doing guest appearances streaming from her home to promote her new podcast, called Julie's Library, that Dame Julie is collaborating with her daughter, Emma Walton Hamilton, a cchildren's author. The mother and daughter duo read their favorite children's books on this podcast.

U-2 held a virtual Elevation Live Watch Party screening their entire Elevation Tour show from Boston in 2001 with Jo Whiley putting viewer questions to Edge and Adam.

Soaps - old and new - have found streaming. To celebrate what would have been the 64th anniversary of As The World Turns cast members Michael Park (ex-Jack), Martha Byrne (ex-Lily), Kelley Menighan Hensley (ex-Emily) and Maura West (ex-Carly; now Ava on General Hospital) reunited last April for a special live stream.

“So pumped for this,” said Park on Twitter. “I may be pantless… you never know. Anything’s possible,” the actor teased.

Park has become a Broadway regular. I first enjoyed him in his 1995 Broadway debut as Michael in In 2016 he appeared in more than 1,000 performances of Dear Evan Hanson. In 2018, for his work in Dear Evan Hansen, Park earned a Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album and a Daytime Emmy Award for Outstanding Musical Performance in a Daytime Program. In 2019, Park played snooty reporter, Tom Holloway, in the third season of Netflix’s critically acclaimed Stranger Things.

Other established Broadway stars are in a newly created digital soap opera As The Curtain Rises, starring Tony nominated Alex Brightman, Ariana Debose, Andrew Barth Feldman, Tony winner James Monroe Iglehart, Ilana Levine, Lesli Margherita, Mauricio Martinez, Tony nominated Ashley Park, George Salazar, Tony nominee Sarah Stiles, Michael Urie and Tony winner Lillias White.

Even the Queen of England - 94 years young - does Zoom. She was taught how by her daughter Anne, the Princess Royal - age 70.

Officially, the Mayor of New York City's Office of Media and Entertainment is encouraging on line viewing. The agency posted: "This week, MOME, the Department of Cultural Affairs (DCLA), and NYC & Company announced that a second round of contributors has joined the Virtual NYC Curator Collections: Christopher Y. Lew (Whitney Museum of American Art), Kristina Newman-Scott (BRIC), Eileen Jeng Lynch (Wave Hill), Hitomi Iwasaki (Queens Museum), Matthew López (Tony-nominated playwright, The Inheritance), David Rios (Children’s Museum of Manhattan), Solana Chehtman (The Shed) and Victoria Munro (Alice Austen House).

The Virtual NYC curators act as expert guides, handpicking their favorite online experiences including live and recorded performances, digitized exhibitions, social media gatherings and virtual tours from museums, galleries, comedy clubs, theaters and other venues around the city.

The Recording Academy and MusiCares hosted an authentic conversation titled Tour Stop(ped) with touring artists Lzzy Hale, Laura Jane Grace, KennyHoopla, and Yungblud about balancing mental wellness while modifying performance and recording schedules to adjust to the current climate of life off the road. Moderated by Stephen Gibb, the discussion focused on self-care while continuing to juggle career strategies and work/life balance, as well as how touring artists are adjusting to the current state of the music industry.

Recently Music Alley's Sandbox Global conference honed in on Covid-19’s music impact around the world, and to what will happen next.

The online event’s ‘Future of Streaming Post-Covid’ featured views from Chaz Jenkins, chief commercial officer at Chartmetric. “If we’re to use one word to describe what we’ve seen happen in the marketplace this year, it would probably be ‘volatile’,” he said, adding that a number of trends that had been happening slowly suddenly went into overdrive during the pandemic.

He also talked about video consumption. “The influence that video has had on what people are streaming has been profound this year. There’s been significant usage of streaming video on demand services: Amazon, Netflix, Disney.”

Recently streaming giant Netflix noted a surge in subscribers and promptly announced a raise in prices in America a $1 price increase for the standard plan and a $2 increase for the premium plan.

Fox News international has expanded the distribution of its streaming service to Ireland, Norway, Czech Republic for a total of 27 countries.

Live streaming is growing, and “artists are gradually figuring out how to use live streaming to retain audience engagement,” declared Jenkins.

“We have seen more emerging artists really grow their audience this year more than ever before,” he emphasized.

Jenkins then joined a panel to discuss the pandemic’s effect on streaming with Cindy James, head of commercial marketing at Caroline and Amaechi Uzoigwe, manager and business partner for Run The Jewels and Songhoy Blues.

“When Covid lifts, you’re going to see an explosion of music from the big guys as well as from all these new younger artists who’ve found footing,” said Uzoigwe.

James discussed some of the key trends she’s seen during the pandemic, from people waking up later and not having their traditional commute and/or gym time for music listening, to growing purchases and usage of smart speakers around the home. And, a continued willingness to pay for music subscriptions.

“What we’re seeing from that is paid subscription is growing like crazy. Paid subscription in Q2 this year completely outpaced Q1, and in the US we’re on track to exceed 2019’s number by a billion dollars,” she said.

As for smart speakers, James noted that not only are people buying them, but they’re spreading them out in their homes, and that this – plus the niceties of interacting with voice assistants – is changing their music-listening behavior.

She also emphasized some specific impacts for music marketing. “Clean versions are back! Largely because of the parental controls.”

Labels are waking up to the fact that smart parents – who may also have been home-schooling their kids – may well have the explicit filter turned on, so if tracks do not have a clean version, even if they’re part of a big playlist from a streaming service, they won’t get played.

James also said that the growth in home exercising is having an impact. “Fitness bikes like Peloton are exploding now. That’s bringing instrumentals back!” she said.

Another panel stressed the impact that Covid-19 has had on music marketing, and what that might mean for the future.

Chaired by Music Ally’s Joe Sparrow, the panel included Aaron Bogucki, head of UK marketing and audience development at AWAL Recordings; Gaurav Wadwha, CEO at Big Bang Music; and Nikoo Sadr, director, artist and label services, Nordics at The Orchard.

Wadhwa said India has seen a big shakeup, partly due to TikTok being banned there – which led to seven or eight rivals springing up immediately – and partly due to Covid-19’s disruption of the Indian film industry, which has historically dominated the music market.

“Because the shoots have stopped and film releases have stopped, that’s actually given rise to a huge independent culture,” he said, noting that streaming services in India have redoubled their efforts to build audiences for independent (non-film) music.

“That’s given birth to new genres, new niches. People are discovering new sounds, new artists,” he said. “All in all, it’s been a very good conversion from being on the back foot because you couldn’t do marketing the normal way, to finding new innovation”.

Sadr said that from her perspective, the pandemic’s big impact on music marketing has been “the awakening of all the labels and artists that had been sleeping a bit, or hesitant towards, social media. They are now realizing how important that is for them”.

Bogucki agreed – “All the things we were trying to get artists to that maybe they were hesitant to do, they were forced to do it!” He said that there have been silver linings of the pandemic, like online advertising costs falling considerably as bigger brands suspended their budgets – “CPMs were super cheap!”

Referring to artists and social media platforms Sadr said, “Covid took a way a bit of the scaredness that artists had around social media,” adding that other global events – the Black Lives Matter protests for example – had given some of those reluctant artists a reason to share more of their views on these platforms.

In India, there was another factor. “As they started getting more time on hand, they started developing an affinity for platforms. And they started realizing if they are not on these platforms, they are going to lose relevance,” said Wadhwa.

“So they were forced to use these platforms. And all these platforms are paying top-dollar to these artists to come on… so it’s a new revenue stream.”

Wadhwa emphasized that necessity is the mother of invention.

“We are now seeing artists are creating 15-second demos, because a lot of the bigger songs in the market are getting discovered by the 15-second sound on TikTok,” he said. “People are definitely changing their styles of making music… based on what is working on platforms. Earlier it used to be what worked on radio or on live. Now it’s about what works as a 15-second sound.”

Saadr talked about 2020 being an important moment for the music industry getting to grips with economies: “For a long time it was only Twitch and YouTube that had the fan-funding system. But you can in a way see it on Spotify [with its direct funding links] and you can definitely see it on Facebook with the stars. That’s coming, because we need to generate those types of income streams,” she said.

“When Covid lifts, you’re going to see an explosion of music from the big guys as well as from all these new younger artists who’ve found footing,” said Uzoigwe.

“We went for it and so far it’s turned out pretty well, but it is a lot about the ability to weather the storm, and you’re gonna see a lot of established acts who may not come back the same way,” he said. “They may not be able to get the footing again. And you saw a lot of new acts who were poised, and then Covid erased the possibilities for them.”

Cindy James elaborated on key trends created by the pandemic, from people waking up later and not having their traditional commute and/or gym time for music listening, to growing purchases and usage of smart speakers around the home. And, thankfully, a continued willingness to pay for music subscriptions.

“What we’re seeing from that is paid subscription is growing like crazy. Paid subscription in Q2 this year completely outpaced Q1, and in the US we’re on track to exceed 2019’s number by a billion dollars,” she said.

Money is in the horizon.

“There’s no real revenue. That will change next year,” he said, adding that widely-shared concerns about live promoters driving down artists’ takings from festivals and concerts when those return may spark continued interest from those artists in livestreaming.

“It gives artists and managers and teams options in the future. Do I need to spend six weeks on the road to make some money, or can I do it in one night?” he said. Uzoigwe also looked forwards to an ever-growing audience for music streaming globally.

“The streaming pie is actually much smaller now than it’s going to be, and it’s going to decentralize,” he said. “When half of Africa’s online, when three quarters of it is online, you’re going to see way more African music rise to the top.”

“The days of western superstars dominating everywhere are pretty much over. Everyone’s going to have their superstars. The BTSs of the world. Puerto Rico alone represents a ridiculous proportion of success in music. I’m excited for that!”

Abdullah Alrashid, head of programs at the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture (Ithra).

Nikoo Sadr, director, artist and label services, said that from her perspective, the pandemic’s big impact on music marketing has been “the awakening of all the labels and artists that had been sleeping a bit, or hesitant towards, social media. They are now realizing how important that is for them.”

Saudi Arabia has let it be known that they intend to become the capital for creativity in the Middle East, according to Abdullah Alrashid, head of programs at the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture (Ithra).

This year's annual creativity festival, Tanween, which is currently in its third season, was held October 28-31 under the theme The New Next – Creativity is the Way Forward, and featured high-profile speakers and a series of targeted workshops and masterclasses aimed at supporting and developing the region’s creative industries.

Alrashid told the press: “It’s a big part of what we aspire to, particularly on the creative side. The creative industry is nascent in the kingdom. A lot of the services and professions are either not taught academically or not available in the market. There’s an economic incentive to being part of and propelling that sector."

Tanween 2020 added a virtual offering for the first time in response to the Covid-19 pandemic, which Alrashid admitted has been a blessing and a curse for the festival in almost equal measure.

Offical photograph of the King Abdulaziz Centre for World Culture known as Ithra. (Seriously. Yes, I know.)

He explained: “It’s definitely had an impact. I think that, as an institution that had very clear, strong plans for two-to-three years, we suddenly had to revisit all of our theatre shows, revisit all of our exhibit openings, revisit all of that.

“What it’s also had an impact on, it has accelerated our digital presence. We have always had aspirations and we’ve always had offerings, but nothing close to what we’ve been able to do this year or what we’ve committed to do.

“This has been an opportune time to reach a much wider audience in a very new channel and format, and the response has been phenomenal, that we’ve committed to do that hybrid approach going forward.”

Ithra is Saudi’s gigantic cultural space, which melds together international and local creatives, emerging talent and creativity enthusiasts from across different sectors, including art, design, film, theatre, science, technology, food, gaming and fashion and with a focus on cross-cultural exchange.

Data shows the creative industry is one of the most rapidly growing sectors of the world economy, in addition to being transformative in generating income, jobs and exports. According to UNESCO estimates, it generates annual revenues of $2.25 trillion and global exports of over $250 billion, and is expected to grow to around ten percent of global GDP. The creative economy provides nearly 30 million jobs, and nearly half the people in it are women.

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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

HOLD STILL

BE SAFE DADDY X, portrait by Ceri A. Edwards of Newport, South Wales. "This picture was originally a piece of work set for our daughter during lockdown. Poppy struggled with her dad having to go to work, as a paramedic throughout the Covid-19 pandemic and she worried about him each time he left to go to work. Poppy loves a cuddle and this happened to be a special moment between them just before my husband left to go on a night shift."

photo exhibit, spearheaded by Kate, The Duchess of Cambridge, Patron of the National Portrait Gallery, Hold Still is an ambitious community project to create a unique collective portrait of the UK during lockdown. People of all ages were invited to submit a photographic portrait, taken in a six-week period during May and June, focused on three core themes – Helpers and Heroes, Your New Normal and Acts of Kindness.

Over 31,000 submissions were received from across the country, with entrants ranging from 4 to 75 years-old. From these, a panel of judges selected 100 portraits, assessing the images on the emotions and experiences they conveyed.

The selection panel included The Duchess of Cambridge, National Portrait Gallery Director Nicholas Cullinan, the author and broadcaster Lemn Sissay, the Chief Nursing Officer for England Ruth May, and award-winning photographer Maryam Wahid, who met via a video call in July 2020 and undertook the challenging process of selecting 100 portraits for the exhibition.

Featured in this special digital exhibition, supported by international law firm Taylor Wessing, long-time sponsor of the National Portrait Gallery, the final 100 present a unique and highly personal record of this extraordinary period in our history. From virtual birthday parties, handmade rainbows and community clapping to brave NHS staff, resilient keyworkers and people dealing with illness, isolation and loss. The images convey humor and grief, creativity and kindness, tragedy and hope – expressing and exploring both our shared and individual experiences.

The final 100 portraits are now on display in towns and cities across the UK. The photographs feature on hundreds of posters and billboards up and down the country, including in the hometowns of many of the entrants. The community exhibition has been supported by the Co-op and a selection of the photographs can be seen on community screens in Co-op food stores across the UK. All 100 works are also on show in a digital exhibition in the grounds of the National Memorial Arboretum in Staffordshire December 6, 2020.

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SWEET CHARITY

OREGON SHAKESPEARE FESTIVAL artists, supporters, patrons and arts supporters from around the world gathered October 23 for a virtual, fun and inspiring live stream event focused on supporting both OSF and the Rogue Valley communities it serves.

The inaugural event, which moved online because of Covid-19, surpassed its goal, raising more than $600,000 in support of OSF’s groundbreaking artistic endeavors, education programs, and globally focused digital programming expansion, as well as Southern Oregon fire relief efforts.

The free online event was hosted by actor Christiana Clark and OSF Associate Artistic Director Evren Odcikin , featuring performances and appearances by OSF artists, including Jenna Bainbridge, Royer Bockus, Catherine Castellanos, Breena Cope, Dan Donohue, Rodney Gardiner, Amy Lizardo, Michele Mais, Terri McMahon, Greta Oglesby, Annie Paul, Mozart Pierson, Brian Quijada, James Ryen, Jonathan Luke Stevens, UNIVERSES and Caro Zeller , as well as a Cambodian Rock Band reunion. The event also featured messages from OSF fans and Amy Brenneman, Ray Fisher, Donal Logue, Lynn Nottage, Jeff Perry and Robert Schenkkan.

The inaugural Starcatcher Award was also presented during the gala event to longtime supporter and board member Sid DeBoer, as Community Recipient. DeBoer has served on the OSF’s Board of Directors for several decades, and he and his wife, Karen, are often considered the “First Couple” of Ashland for their visibility and philanthropy throughout the city and region. The Sid and Karen DeBoer Foundation has contributed millions of dollars to local charities. Octavio Solis was named Artistic Recipient of the Starcatcher Award. Author of more than 20 plays and a Southern Oregon resident, Solis is broadly considered one of the most prominent Latino playwrights in America. With works that both draw on and transcend the Mexican-American experience, he has worked with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival on several world premieres, including Mother Road, El Paso Blue, and Quixote.

Though social distancing prohibited OSF from hosting a traditional gala, the free online event reached a much larger audience from across five continents and 15 countries, including Australia, China, Morocco, Germany, France and Mexico. The evening closed with a virtual dance party with Gala artists and OSF staff featuring DJ Yunguptown.

BARRINGTON STAGE COMPANY is pleased to announce that a generous gift of just over $1 million dollars has been made to the company by the family of the late Mary Anne Gross in recognition of her lifelong love of theatre and the Berkshires. This award also recognizes the heroic and tireless efforts of Barrington Stage Company in producing the first live Equity theatre in the United States in summer 2020, following the shutdown of live performing arts due to the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic in March. The Gross Family will also award $1 million to Pittsfield’s Berkshire Theatre Group.

The Gross Family gift will support payroll and basic operating costs for the next six months in order to ensure that there are no furloughs or layoffs while the theatres continue to raise funds in support of future artistic programming. A portion of the gift is structured as a matching grant to leverage additional donations for 2021.

“The idea,” said Phill Gross, “is to keep theatre infrastructures in place so that when the world is ready, they are ready to get back to as close to normal operations as soon as possible. The arts have been impacted dramatically by social distancing and crowd restrictions and they are so very, very important to the fabric of our lives and the livelihood of the artists themselves. For sure, we will need them more than ever when we come out the other side of this.” Mr. Gross is Co-Founder and Managing Director of Adage Capital Management.

Barrington Stage Company’s production of Harry Clarke, by David Cale, starring Mark H. Dold and directed by BSC’s Artistic Director Julianne Boyd, was scheduled to open the theatre’s mainstage season as the first indoor production in the United States to receive approval from Actors’ Equity Association following the onset of the pandemic. At the end of July, Massachusetts delayed the state’s reopening plan, which included indoor theatres. In less than a week, Harry Clarke was moved to an outdoor and opened to rave reviews. The production played from August 5-19, 2020.

THE TOURETTE ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA (TAA) national nonprofit organization serving the Tourette Syndrome (TS) and Tic Disorder community, hosted a virtual gala on Octobe 29.

Celebrity guest speakers included John Lithgow, Dash Mihok, Michael Wolff, David Begnaud, Jeffrey Kramer, Richard Dreyfuss. In addition, the evening showcased inspiration from within the community including Ben Brown, host of the Tourette’s Podcast, as emcee, TAA Youth Ambassadors and Rising Leaders, as well as a heartfelt message from the 2021 Gala honoree Nick Iadevaio, Vice President – Diversity + Inclusion, L’Oreal USA.

“I got involved with the Tourette Association of America because I am a person with disabilities, so I am extremely sensitive to people who may be underrepresented and who may need assistance,” said Iadevaio. “My 16-year career at L’Oreal has been a wonderful experience and furthered my mission to inspire people to live their most authentic lives and now the work I am doing with the TAA is a direct extension of that. I am honored, humbled, and touched to have been extended the opportunity to be their Honoree in 2021.”

1 million people are affected by Tourette Syndrome and a staggering 50% are going undiagnosed. Tourette Syndrome is a neuro-developmental disorder characterized by sudden, involuntary movements and/or sounds called tics. Tics can include eye blinking, head jerking, facial movements, throat clearing, sniffing and tongue clicking. People with Tourette Syndrome have long been misunderstood for their uncontrollable symptoms, while the stigma of Tourette takes an emotional and mental toll on those with the condition.

All proceeds from the Gala support the Tourette Association of America and its mission deliver national attention to this misunderstood condition through awareness, research and support efforts for those impacted by Tourette Syndrome and Tic Disorders.

SPREADING THE WORD

GREAT BRITAIN IN NEW COVID-19 LOCKDOWN U.K. Prime Minister Boris Johnson on Saturday, October 31, announced a new month-long lockdown for England as COVID-19 cases surge across the country.

The lockdown is slated to start Thursday and last through December. 2. Parliament will vote on the measures on Wednesday.

As with the previous lockdown the country will replace 80 percent of the wages of those who cannot work.

It was reported that about 25,000 new cases of the virus reported each day in the U.K. Daily hospital admissions are nearing 2,000, and deaths have reached about 200 daily.

The UK is the ninth country to reach the milestone of a million cases - after the US, India, Brazil, Russia, France, Spain, Argentina and Colombia.

Under the new restrictions:
People are being told to stay at home unless they have a specific reason to leave, such as work which cannot be done from home and education
People are allowed to exercise outdoors alone, with their household or with one other person
Meeting indoors or in private gardens will not be allowed
Pubs, bars, restaurants and non-essential retail across the nation will close but takeaways and click-and-collect shopping can remain open
Leizure and entertainment venues, including bowling alleys, leisure centers and gyms, sports facilities including swimming pools, golf courses and driving ranges, dance studios, stables and riding centers, soft play facilities, climbing walls and climbing centers, archery and shooting ranges, water and theme parks.

Theatres, concert halls, cinemas, museums and galleries, casinos, adult gaming centers and arcades, bingo halls, bowling alleys, concert halls, zoos and other animal attractions will close as well as hair, beauty and nail salons, tattoo parlors, spas, massage parlors, body and skin piercing services, non-medical acupuncture, and tanning salons. including gyms, will also close.

Construction sites and manufacturing workplaces can remain open
People are still allowed to form support bubbles
Children can move between homes if their parents are separated
Clinically vulnerable people are asked to be "especially careful" but people are not being asked to resume shielding.

CIRCA HOTEL is the newest new kid on the block in Las Vegas. The adults-only 1.25 million square foot resort opened this past week with a black tie event in Las Vegas. The resort boasts the largest sports book in the world and the longest indoor bar in Nevada. There is also a multi swimming pools area which can hold 4,000 guests in swim suits. There are 337 chaise lounges with 115 staff members tending to your every need.

Chill in one of our six pools on three different levels for a perfect view of our massive 145-foot wide by 40-feet tall high-definition screen – and everyone around you. Called Stadium Swim, it's a temperature controlled aquatic entertainment center that will be open 365 days a year.

Also unique to Circa is their resident Lego artist, Chris Ihle , who - for a fee - will construct a life-size replica of you or your loved one. Prices start at $15,000 for what Ihle deems “a good-sized male.” Sculptures of women start at around $12,000, because they usually require fewer Legos. Ihle also does pets, which seem to be extremely popular. The big dog price runa $5,500, while a little dog will set you back $3,500. Owners thinks that's a bargain. After all, they're housebroken and don't bark.

THE TENNESSEE WILLIAMS FESTIVAL ST. LOUIS (TWStL) moves to the airwaves this November 5th through the 15th. It centers on Williams’ most famous and personal play, The Glass Menagerie, featuring works that illuminate the artistry of his St. Louis-based masterpiece.

“The theme of this Festival - En Avant! – was Williams’ signature phrase. Always moving onward, he found strength through fragility. Says Executive Artistic Director Carrie Houk.

“While we miss performing live, we have found that Williams’ beautiful, poetic language translates well to radio,” said Houk. “These are fully produced plays brought to life by an impressive company of directors, actors and sound designers. We are finding great joy in being able to provide employment to artists during a period of time when options are limited. In a time of fragility, I do believe we have found our strength. En Avant!!!”

The key elements of this eleven-day Festival will air multiple times on Classic 107.3, and all will be streamed for two weeks on both TWStL.org and Classic1073.org. Each performance will be followed by expert commentary from noted Williams scholars.

The Festival’s three main performances will be:

The Glass Menagerie - Williams’ greatest, most famous, and most personal play. The narrator recalls late in life how his youthful devotion to his sister Rose (Laura in the play) conflicted with his creative passions as he was about to escape from St. Louis for good. Directed by Brian Hohlfeld. Starring Brenda Currin, Bradley James Tejeda, Elizabeth Teeter and Chaunery Kingsford.

You Lied to Me about Centralia, by John Guare - Picks up the story of Jim, the Gentleman Caller, immediately after he leaves the Wingfield home to meet Betty, his fiancée. It further illuminates the themes of The Glass Menagerie, leaving us to ponder how a step or two in another direction might have changed everyone’s lives. Directed by Rayme Cornell. Starring Chauncy Thomas and Julia Crump.

Glass by Michael Aman - Takes us forward in time to when The Glass Menagerie is about to open in Chicago, on the way to Broadway. In this multi-layered one-act play, the budding playwright meets the lead actress before she goes on. Williams, having spurned his mother, wants to be famous. She, broken by addiction, is about to portray his own mother’s character and wants to be famous again. Can this premiere possibly succeed? Directed by Gary Wayne Barker. Starring Bradley James Tejeda and Kari Ely.

Other programming includes two different one-man performances by acclaimed Williams actor Jeremy Lawrence: Tom and Rose and The Man in the Overstuffed Chair. They are drawn from the words and works of Williams and dramatize Williams’ relationships with both his sister and his father during his years in St. Louis.

There will also be a Scholars Conference curated by Tom Mitchell, featuring conversations with Houk, Annette Saddick, Professor of Theatre at CUNY, Henry Schvey Professor of Drama at Washington University, Thomas Keith, Williams editor for New Directions Publishing.

JAPAN SOCIETY presents a virtual production of Underground Fairy, by Japanese playwright Satoko Ichihara, translated by Aya Ogawa, and directed by New York-based director Tara Ahmadinejad.

This production is part of Japan Society’s annual Play Reading Series: Contemporary Japanese Plays in English Translation, now in its 15th installment, aimed at introducing timely works from leading Japanese playwrights to artists and audiences in the U.S. This online iteration, adapted in response to COVID-19, will be performed live and streamed Wednesday, November 18 at 8PM EST.

Written by award-winning playwright/director Satoko Ichihara, Underground Fairy addresses the timely and topical themes of isolation, inclusivity, and the meaning of “community.” The play follows Euriaeria, a half-fairy-half-human living in a fairy community and while the fairies accept Euriaeria, is their inclusiveness genuine if she is still viewed as an outsider? In a series of absurd vignettes, Ichihara questions societal norms and feelings of isolation and segregation. Known for her cross-disciplinary collaborations, New York-based director Tara Ahmadinejad will lead an American cast in creating an innovative online presentation of the play. A post-performance audience Q&A with Ahmadinejad and Ichihara (who will livestream from Tokyo) will follow the online presentation.

Tickets and the recording can be purchased online or by calling the Box Office at 212-715-1258 (M-F 10AM – 6PM).

Since 1907, Japan Society has served as the nation’s leading platform for Kizuna – deep, meaningful connection – between the United States and Japan. From its base in New York City, the nonprofit creates bonds between countries, people, ancient and modern, tradition and innovation. Through preeminent programming across arts and culture; business, policy, and technology; and education, Japan Society engages a global audience to foster greater mutual understanding and collaboration.

92Y IN NEW YORK CITY announces that their popular Lyrics & Lyricists series will feature Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt in Simple Little Things.

Brandon Victor Dixon, Katherine Henly, Telly Leung, Kara Lindsay, Zachary Piser, Mariand Torres - Vocals.
Beth Malone – Narrator
Paul Masse – Artistic Director, Piano
November 9, 7 pm ET available to view on digital through December 9, 2020.

60 years ago, on May 3, 1960, at the tiny Sullivan Street Playhouse in Greenwich Village, The Fantasticks opened on the sparsest of budgets and ran uninterrupted for nearly 42 years, closing on January 13, 2002 after a record 17,162 performances. Its elegance and simplicity endured four decades of the chaotic world going “Round and Round” while its creators continued their evolution into several uptown successes. Including 110 In the Shade and I Do! I Do! , the jewel box of creativity that is the Jones and Schmidt collaboration is perhaps the most steadfast of its kind.

STATE THEATRE NEW JERSEY presents Sugar Skull! A Virtual Día de Muertos Adventure from Sunday, November 1 to Sunday, November 15. A minimum donation of $15 gives patrons access to this virtual show. Proceeds raised support State Theatre’s Family programs. To donate and watch Sugar Skull, go to STNJ.org.

Sugar Skull! A Virtual Día de Muertos Adventure is a theatrical performance for children and families that elaborates on traditional Mexican stories, music and celebrations pertaining to the Day of the Dead. The performance begins by introducing 12-year-old Vita Flores, who is confused on why parties are being thrown for the dead. Then, a candy skeleton comes, Sugar Skull, comes to life and takes Vita on a musical journey to understand where Día de Muertos comes from and its true meaning. On her journey, Vita and Sugar Skull befriend ancient ancestors, learn heartfelt authentic songs, and meet the fabulous Catrina Calavera. In the end, the Day if the Dead is shown to be much more than a party but rather a celebration of life.

Sugar Skull was originally created and developed by Rhythm of the Arts, Mexico Beyond Mariachi, Gregory Van Acker, Sinuhe Padilla, and Elena Araoz, with Mexico Beyond Mariachi. Rhythm of the Arts is a performing arts company that prioritizes a platform for cultural performances. They overall mission is to provide a production agency to celebrate and incorporate tradition and culture storytelling and musical performances. Mexico Beyond Mariachi is a group of professional artists who lead Mexican performance and education programs throughout the U.S.

A BEGGAR UPON HORSEBACK / A BEGGAR ON FOOT Part 1: A Beggar Upon Horseback: The Context, From Frederick Douglass to Today: presented by Irish Rep in New York City, streaming Monday, November 9, 2020 at 7 pm - and
Part 2: A Beggar on Foot: Creating Change in Irish Arts: Tuesday, November 10, 2020 at 2pm
Marking the 175th anniversary of abolitionist Frederick Douglass’ trip to Ireland, and in commitment to amplifying Black voices, the Irish Rep will be hosting a two-part discussion on Race and Irish-America, featuring John Douglas Thompson reading Douglass’ Letter from Belfast, and a panel with Dr Miriam Nyhan Grey.

LAURA OSNES performs her The Paths Not Taken show streamed from Birdland in New York City on Friday, November 6, 2020 at 7:00 PM EST.

LIVE COMEDY AT THE BUCKS COUNTY PLAYHOUSE begins November 6. The return of stand up comedy at Bucks County Playhouse takes place with Friday and Saturday evening performances at 8 pm.

Schedule: November 6 - 7 - Headliner Scott Bruce with Jake Mattera. November 12 - 13 - Headliner Chris Coccia with Irwin Loring.

CARNEGIE HALL in New York City "has made the difficult decision to cancel all in-person events through April 5, 2021."

LINCOLN CENTER HAS CANCELED its 2021 American Songbook Series as well as the David Rubenstein Atrium spring season due to the ongoing pandemic.

LAS VEGAS NEW YEAR'S EVE fireworks display on the famed Strip has been canceled.

AMID NATIONWIDE PROTESTS over racial injustice and call for police reform, the American Bar Association (ABA), in collaboration with more than 50 U.S. law schools, has announced the formation of a Legal Education Police Practices Consortium. The consortium will examine and address legal issues in policing and public safety, including conduct, oversight and the evolving nature of police work.

The consortium will leverage the ABA’s expertise in developing model police practices and that of interested ABA-accredited law schools to collaborate on projects to develop and implement better police practices throughout the United States. Fifty-two law schools so far have agreed to participate in the consortium for the next five years.

“The ABA has the ability to bring together diverse groups to address these problems and the duty to act to help bring racial equality to our criminal justice system,” ABA President Patricia Lee Refo said. “The consortium will engage law students and legal experts from around the country in studying and forming solutions to help improve policing practices in our communities.”

SOUND LIKE ANYBODY YOU KNOW?

With the 2020 American election just days way everyone is aware of the Republican and Democratic platforms. However, the basist movements, is a booming movement throughout the world, especially in the northern hemisphere. What is a basist?

The class "Global Studies: Risks and Threats in International Relations" dealt with the subject during week two, in the seven features of basism.

To paraphrase:

1) First, their members have a desire to break with the past, to throw the baby out with the bath water.

Then, there is denunciation: Personal attacks are blows below the belt. Basist movements favor this way of expressing themselves, stigmatizing individuals for what they are, and not what they do or do not do.

They are also famous for their vehemence and insolence, even the crudeness of their words. The vulnerable and fragile are targeted, sometimes on the basis of unfounded rumors.

2) Oversimplification is a second problem. Everybody knows the popular expression: “If I were in charge, you would see how quickly things would get done”; or the idea that you just need to manage the state like a supermarket or a company, or even a household, for everything to work better; and the never-proven assertion that if such an obvious decision has not been taken before, it is that it will affect the hidden interests of the rulers.

3) They reject intermediaries.

4) Basist movements assert that they are neither right nor left, neither white nor black, neither red nor blue, etc.

5) A fifth issue is mistrust of institutions.

6) The sixth feature common to basist movements is their desire for a scapegoat. They seek to isolate a person who is reputed to embody all that they hate, on whom they blame everything that goes wrong: immigrants, minority ethnic groups and, to a lesser extent, homosexuals, are designated targets.

7) Finally, xenophobia, the seventh and last problem raised by the rise of basism. Any foreigner is potentially guilty from the outset of the country’s problems (unemployment, insecurity, collapse of the pensions system). Foreigners concentrate people’s hostility or even hatred, which results in abuse or attacks, expulsion, or confinement.

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

GOVERNOR NED LAMONT OF CONNECTICUT has announced that the State of Connecticut will be providing up to $9 million in grants to certain nonprofit arts organizations in the state to help them recover more quickly from the impact of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

Community Development’s (DECD) Office of the Arts will administer the COVID Relief Fund for the Arts program with the goal of supporting:

Arts nonprofits for whom grants will make a difference in terms of survival or rehiring; and
Arts nonprofits that have had to curtail operations for a period of time due to the pandemic and which have had limited ability to reopen due to pandemic restrictions and/or have had to pivot their service delivery due to pandemic restrictions.

“Connecticut’s arts community provides an incredible amount of good for our state and supports thousands of jobs,” Governor Lamont said. “The ongoing, global COVID-19 pandemic has impacted so many aspects of our lives, and many of our state’s nonprofit arts organizations are struggling to recover from its impact. This program will provide some support so that these groups can continue providing the services in our state that so many depend on.”

Qualifying organizations will receive a base grant of $5,000. For organizations that have raised funds between March 10 and November 1, 2020, the program will offer a supplemental match of 50 percent of contributed income during that period. The maximum award for any organization is $750,000.

Arts organizations eligible for funding include: Performing Arts Centers: Multi-purpose facilities for arts programming, including theaters that present live performances and/or live classes; Performing Groups: Groups of artists who perform works of art (e.g., an orchestra, theater, or dance group). To qualify, the organization must either own the venue in which it performs and/or spend more than 20 percent of its annual operating budget on rental of space used to perform; and Schools of the Arts: Organizations that have arts education as its primary educational mission (e.g. community art schools).

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NEW YORK CITY'S 92Y’s EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN AWARDS a virtual interactive event takes place Tuesday, November 10 (12-1 pm ET) honoring Leadership through Adversity. The event celebrates game-changing and trailblazing women who bring equity, leadership and contributions to their communities and who work to rebuild a world in which we all belong. Funds raised from the Extraordinary Women Awards will support 92Y’s programs for women and girls at all stages of their lives.

Hosted by ABC News Nightline co-anchor JuJu Chang, this year’s honorees include Georgette Bennett, founder of the Multi-Faith Alliance for Syrian Refugees; Roxane Gay, acclaimed writer and author; Annette Insdorf, film scholar, professor and author; Lisa Lewin , CEO of General Assembly; and Ann Rubenstein Tisch, founder and President of The Student Leadership Network.

This year’s Impact Award Recipient is Dr. Tamara Moise, a co-founder and lead physician at Big Apple Urgent Care in East Flatbush, Brooklyn and an Emergency Room physician at Brookdale University Hospital Medical Center. She has worked tirelessly on the front lines in the fight against COVID-19 and is an advocate for ensuring access to high-quality healthcare in underserved communities. Hundreds of nominations were received for the Impact Award recognizing woman and girls who have fought on the frontlines against Covid-19 or for racial justice.

The event will feature performances by Grammy Award-winning jazz vocalist Cécile McLorin Salvant and Tony Award-winning Broadway actress Ali Stroker, and a live conversation with our honorees moderated by Dr. Gail Saltz. All attendees will have the opportunity to ask questions in real time. The Co-Chairs of the 2020 EWAs are Laurence Belfer, Lisa Blau, Wendy Fisher, Corinne Goldman, Rebecca Kaden, Judy Glickman Lauder, Kathy Leventhal, Linda Mirels, and Susan K. Stern.

I THEE WED

SCARLETT JOHANSSON AND COLIN JOST made it legal in an intimate ceremony over the weekend, the Instagram account for Meals on Wheels America announced on Thursday, October 29, 2020.

"We’re thrilled to break the news that Scarlett Johansson and Colin Jost were married over the weekend in an intimate ceremony with their immediate family and love ones, following COVID-19 safety precautions as directed by the CDC. Their wedding wish is to help make a difference for vulnerable older adults during this difficult time by supporting @mealsonwheelsamerica. Please consider donating to celebrate the happy couple by clicking the link in our bio," the post read. Johansson and Jost got engaged in May 2019 after two years of dating. The two-time Oscar nominee debuted her 11-carat engagement ring in July while taking the stage at San Diego Comic-Con for her upcoming Black Widow prequel film. Meals on Wheels is an organization that fights hunger and isolation in the senior citizen community by providing meals across the count The bride is an American actress and singer. The world's highest-paid actress since 2018, she has made multiple appearances in the Forbes Celebrity 100. Her films have grossed over $14.3 billion worldwide, making Johansson the ninth-highest-grossing box office star of all time. The groom is the Weekend Update host on SNL.

The marriage is the first for Jost, while Johansson has been married twice: to actor Ryan Reynolds from September 2008 to December 2010, as well as to Romain Dauriac from 2014 to 2017, with whom she shares a daughter, Rose Dorothy Dauriac.

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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

SIR SEAN CONNERY the Scottish actor who was best known as the first actor to portray the character James Bond in film, starring in seven Bond films between 1962 and 1983 - uttering the famous line "Bond. James Bond," died October 31, 2020 in his sleep athis home in the Bahamas. He was 90.

He got his start on the stage as one of the Seabees chorus boys in South Pacific. By the time the production reached Edinburgh, he had been given the part of Marine Cpl Hamilton Steeves and was understudying two of the juvenile leads, and his salary was raised from £12 ($15.50) to £14 ($17.90) a week. The production returned the following year out of popular demand, and Connery was promoted to the featured role of Lieutenant Buzz Adams, which Larry Hagman had portrayed in the West End.

Connery first met Michael Caine at a party during the production of South Pacific in 1954, and the two later became close friends. During the production of South Pacific at the Opera House, Manchester over the Christmas period of 1954, Connery developed a serious interest in the theatre through American actor Robert Henderson who lent him copies of the Henrik Ibsen works Hedda Gabler; The Wild Duck, and When We Dead Awaken. Henderson urged him to take elocution lessons and got him parts at the Maida Vale Theatre in London.

Other stage roles included a Q Theatre production of Agatha Christie's Witness for the Prosecution. That role was followed by Point of Departure and A Witch in Time at Kew, a role as Pentheus opposite Yvonne Mitchell in The Bacchae at the Oxford Playhouse, and a role opposite Jill Bennett in Eugene O'Neill's production of Anna Christie. In 1956, Connery appeared in the theatrical production of Epitaph.

In early 1957, Connery hired agent Richard Hatton who got him his first film role, as Spike, a minor gangster with a speech impediment in Montgomery Tully's No Road Back alongside Skip Homeier, Paul Carpenter, Patricia Dainton and Norman Wooland. In April 1957, Rakoff—after being disappointed by Jack Palance—decided to give the young actor his first chance in a leading role, and cast Connery as Mountain McLintock in BBC Television's production of Requiem For a Heavyweight.

Connery's breakthrough came in the role of British secret agent James Bond. He played 007 in the first five Bond films: Dr. No (1962), From Russia with Love (1963), Goldfinger (1964), Thunderball (1965), and You Only Live Twice (1967) – then appeared again as Bond in Diamonds Are Forever (1971) and Never Say Never Again (1983). James Bond, as portrayed by Connery, was selected as the third-greatest hero in cinema history by the American Film Institute. Connery received the American Film Institute's Lifetime Achievement Award on June 8, 2006.

Connery was married to actress Diane Cilento from 1962 to 1973, though they separated in 1971. They had a son, actor Jason Connery. He was married to Moroccan-French painter Micheline Roquebrune (born 1929) from 1975 until his death.

BOB GIBSON Co-Founder of powerhouse 1970s music publicity firm Gibson & Stromberg, died October 23, 2020 in Los Angeles. He was 80.

His firm's client roster in 1969-75 included Elton John, Pink Floyd, the Who, James Taylor, the Beach Boys, the Eagles, T. Rex, Cheech & Chong, Curtis Mayfield, Emerson Lake & Palmer, Alice Cooper and the Allman Brothers Band.

Gibson is survived by his three sons, Courtney Gibson, Christian Gibson and Bobby Gibson; his former wife, Pearl Gibson; and his sisters, Melinda Haldeman, Patti James and Cynthia James.

BOBBI COWAN veteran publicist died October 22, 2020. She had suffered from Alzheimer’s disease for a number of years, and had suffered complications after an accident that required hip surgery three months ago. She was 78.

Cowan began working in the music industry in the 1960s first with the family's co-owned firm of Rogers & Cowan before joining Gibson & Stromberg, then branching out on her own. She also served as the head or co-head of publicity for the Motown and Casablanca labels in the 1970s.

Cowan is survived by her sister, Gail Hendricks, a brother, Robert Cowan, her daughter, Lori Gartin, and two grandchildren, Shawn Gartin and Carrie Gartin.

LEANZA CORNETT who was crowned Miss America in 1993 died Wednesday, October 28, 2020 following a slip and fall accident in her home resulting in “an enormous blow to the back of her head” and underwent surgery to stop bleeding in her brain. She was 49.

After winning Miss America in 1993, Cornett advocated for AIDS awareness as her yearlong platform. Cornett later guest starred in several television series, including Saved by the Bell: New Class; CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and Weeds.

From 1994-1995, Cornett was a TV host for Entertainment Tonight, where she worked alongside Mark Steines prior to their marriage of 17 years, which produced two sons, but ended in divorce.

. She is survived by those boys, Kai and Avery.

Next Column: November 8, 2020
Copyright: November 1, 2020 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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