Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: November 14, 2021
By: Laura Deni
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DELIGHTFUL ON TARGET SATIRIST RANDY RAINBOW IS A TOTAL DELIGHT WITH A LITTLE BRAINS, A LITTLE TALENT

A full throttle dose of delightful entertainment - A little Brains, A Little Talent starring Randy Rainbow, released on Broadway Records.

Broadway To Vegas became an avid fan of Randy Rainbow when he released last year's hoot of an album Hey Gurl, It's Christmas! See Broadway To Vegas column of November 24,2019.

On his first full-length studio album, A Little Brains, A Little Talent, three-time Emmy-nominated comedian, singer, and viral star Randy Rainbow delivers a glittery potpourri of Broadway standards, popular parodies, and other surprises. With two brand new original songs -(Pink Glasses, written by Alan Menken and Randy Rainbow, and Randy Rainbow for President! written by Marc Shaiman and Randy Rainbow, the album also features guest stars Tituss Burgess, Josh Gad, Sean Hayes, Patti LuPone, and Bernadette Peters.

Raindow is a delight. An intelligent, captivating, pithy, politically on target singer/sairist who should have his own musical satire political specials, much the same way Mark Russell did on PBS television between 1975 and 2004.

Rainbow can speed talk with enunication so precise every word can easily be understood and he can skewer with the best of 'em.

Although released in time for Holiday giving, this recording is not a holiday selection recording. Perfect listening for any time of the year. There is a well thought mix of straight tunes with the ones which slice like a machete.

Effervescent, silly, clever, well thought out, all of the selections have a tune basis incubated on Broadway. Lida Rose from The Music Man is lovely. Somewhere Only We know is sensitive. You're My Best Girl/It Only Takes a Moment with Bernadette Peters is poignant.

You Gotta Have a Gimmick from Gypsy with Josh Gad and Sean Hayes is laugh out loud funny.

The latter portion of the recording is the sassy Rainbow delivering songs with political jabs. The parodies are hilarious. "Everything is up to date in Kansas City" from Oklahoma becomes "Ted 'N Lindsey" - Randy's version of Those Were the Good Old Days has saber wieling lyrics. Randy Rainbow For President is effervescent and Yes, We Have No Bananas becomes Yes, We Have No Steve Bannon (Bannon has just been criminally charged for defying a subpoena) and Second Hand Rose morphs into Alternative Facts.

If Mamma Got Married from Gypsy is transformed into If Donald Got Fired with Patti LuPone. The hit song by the Cordettes Mr. Sandman has been cleverly transformed into Mr. Biden, Bring My Vaccine.

A Little Brains, A Little Talent is produced and orchestrated by Michael J Moritz Jr. The album is executive produced and arranged by Jesse Kissel.

Musicians:

Piano, organ, Synths: Michael Moritz, Jr. - Bass: Adam Deascentis - Drums: Tom Jorgensen - Percussion: Damon Grant - Sax: Ryan Saranich - Flute, Carinet: Josh Plotner - Trumpet: James Canty - Trombone: Lucas Hulett - Background vocals: Randy Rainbow.

Mixer: Michael J. Moritz, Jr. Engineer: Jakob Reinhardt. Mixed at Knontinuous James Studios; Mastered by Greg Reierson, Rareform Mastering. Package Design: Robbie Rozelle.

DISC: 1

1. A Little Brains, a Little Talent
2. It's a Lovely Day Today/Good Morning
3. You Gotta Have a Gimmick (FT. Josh Gad and Sean Hayes)
4. Clang, Clang, Clang Went Josh Hawley
5. Second Hand Rose Medley
6. My Best Girl/It Only Takes a Moment (FT. Bernadette Peters)
7. Pink Glasses
8. Lida Rose/Will I Ever Tell You?
9. The Jitterbug
10. Bosom Buddies (FT. Tituss Burgess)
11. Somewhere Only We Know
12. Ted N' Lindsey
13. Those Were the Good Old Days (Randy's Version)
14. Randy Rainbow for President!
15. Bonus Track: If Donald Got Fired (FT. Patti Lupone)
16. Bonus Track: Mr. Biden, Bring My Vaccine

RandyRainbowALittleBrains,.jpg

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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

DUCHESS KATE

Duchess Kate with Yvonne Bernstein and her granddaughter Chloe pictured by the photo Duchess Kate took of them. Photo: Press pool.

visited the Imperial War Museum in London to officially open two World War II-related galleries, The Second World War Galleries and The Holocaust Galleries. The new Second World War Galleries display more than 1,500 items from 80 countries “that bring to life the impact of the Second World War on millions of people,” while The Holocaust Galleries is exhibiting photographs with some of the subjects of her poignant photo project with Holocaust survivors and their families.

The exhibit includes two photo portraits the Duchess shot. Survivor Yvonne Bernstein and her granddaughter, Chloe Wright. where Ms. Bernstein holds her ID card from Germany, dated “3 March 1939” and marked with a “J” for “Jude,” or Jewish.

The second photo shot by the Duchess shows survivor Steven Frank and his granddaughters, Maggie and Trixie. The Duchess took the photographs at Kensington Palace.

One of the articles on display is "the rare birth certificate of living Holocaust Survivor Eva Clarke, one of very few people to be born in a concentration camp who survived past liberation”according to the he Museum.

The exhibit features more than 50 images of Holocaust survivors who made the UK their home after the war. It is a collaborative effort of the Holocaust Memorial Day Trust along with The Jewish News and the Royal Photographic Society (Kate is Royal Patron of the RPS), and Dangoor Education.

The Duchess saw Ms. Bernstein in January 2020 at the service marking the 75th anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz-Birkenau concentration and extermination camp. As she walked into the room to greet Steven Frank, she could be seen extending her arms and asking for ‘a big cuddle’, before the Holocaust survivor extended out his arms to offer her a hug, saying: ‘Are we allowed to do that now?’

Steven, 84, was among only a handful of children to make it out alive from the last of the many concentration camps he was sent to. By then his father had been gassed to death for speaking out against the Nazis.

Meanwhile Yvonne, 82, was hidden as a child in France throughout most of the Second World War and her uncle was seized and murdered for shielding her.

In related news: There is a movie everyone should see called The Scarlet and the Black, starring Gregory Peck, Christopher Plummer, John Gielgud and Raf Vallone.

Directed by Jerry London the 1983 television film is based on J. P. Gallagher's book The Scarlet Pimpernel of the Vatican (published in 1967). The film tells the story of Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty (Gregory Peck), a real-life Irish Catholic priest who saved thousands of Jews and escaped Allied POWs in Rome. CBS distributed more than 500,000 scripts of The Scarlet and The Black to students in elementary and high schools throughout America, to be read aloud in class to stimulate student interest in English and history. The title The Scarlet and the Black is a reference not only to the black cassock and scarlet sash worn by Monsignores and bishops in the Catholic Church, but also to the dominant colors of Nazi Party regalia.

I had never heard of the book or ever before seen the movie. It is a mystery while this important flick appears to be semi buried. Had it been a movie for theaters it would have received Oscar nominations as long as your arm. The writing, acting, directing, camera work, location shots are outstanding. The music is by Ennio Morricone. This awesome television movie will hauntingly linger in your mind. That it is factual is jaw dropping.

The film wrestles with the role of the Holy See in the War at multiple points. During the conclusion of the film, Pope Pius XII tells O'Flaherty: 'In my heart I honor you'.

The character of General Max Helm was based entirely on the real life of SS-Obergruppenführer Karl Wolff, who served in 1944 as the Supreme SS and Police Leader of Italy. The film was unable to use Wolff's real name, since the SS General was still living when the film was in production; he died in 1984.

Herbert Kappler (Christopher Plummer) was instrumental in carrying out the Ardeatine massacre, one of the worst World War II atrocities on Italian soil. His life imprisonment sentence was largely in relation to that crime. O'Flaherty regularly visited his old nemesis Herbert Kappler (the former SS chief in Rome), in prison, month after month, being Kappler's only visitor. In 1959, Kappler converted to Catholicism and was baptised by O'Flaherty. He was eventually transferred to a prison hospital on account of poor health. It was there that he was smuggled out in a suitcase by his wife in 1977 (Kappler weighed less than 105 pounds at the time). He escaped to West Germany, where he died at age 70 in 1978.

Monsignor Hugh O'Flaherty was a real Irish-born priest and Vatican official, credited with saving 6,500 Jews and Allied war prisoners. He was honored by several governments receiving their highest honors, including a Commander of the British Empire and the American Congressional Medal of Freedom with Silver Palm. Fluent in Italian and German, he held three doctorates. He died on October 30, 1963.

90 YEARS: SELECTIONS FROM THE PERMANENT COLLECTION a selection of 90 paintings, sculptures, photographs, and works on paper showcasing Guild Hall’s commitment to collecting artists of Eastern Long Island.

Curated by Christina Mossaides Strassfield.

In a true marriage of the visual and performing arts, poems of rejuvenation, rebirth and creativity are superimposed over a survey of images from the Permanent Collection, featuring music by Ralph Gibson and readings by some of America's greatest actors.

Current Guild Hall Artist-In-Residence Maggie Royce will be in East Hampton through November 22. Royce is a Minneapolis-based artist working in cut-paper and ink drawing, stop motion animation, book arts, and graphic design.

On display through January 2, 2022 at The Guild Hall in East Hampton, New York.

FIGHTING TALK: ONE BOY'S JOURNEY FROM ABANDONMENT TO TRAFALGAR Explore George King's adventurous life in this exhibition.

Get ready for a tale of life on the high-seas, brutal battles, exploration around the globe, and even nights out in London's West End, as we take you on a journey with eighteenth-century foundling and sailor George King.

You won’t have heard of George King before, but you should have. His life, with its ups and downs, reads like the pages of a novel. And thanks to his foresight in writing his story down you’ll uncover his tales of being press-ganged into the Navy, surviving brutal and bloody battles, meeting enslaved people in South Carolina and letting his hair down at the theatre in London’s West End.

Through the lens of his extraordinary autobiography we’re looking at the origins of the Foundling Hospital – the UK’s first children’s charity – and the contribution it made to Britain’s military and workforce in the 1700s.

The exhibition has been curated by Helen Berry, Professor of History at University of Exeter, and author of Orphans of Empire: The Fate of London’s Foundlings (Oxford University Press, 2019).

So who was George King?

George King (10 June 1787– 31 July 1857) was child number 18,053 at the Foundling Hospital, where he was taught to read and write – a rare skill for working-class people in the eighteenth century. His autobiography, and this exhibition, shares the story of a boy growing up in the eighteenth century.

Originally apprenticed to a confectioner in London, George ran away and was press-ganged into the Navy in 1804 with his journeys taking him across the Mediterranean to the Caribbean, Brazil and Argentina. His memoir provides us with both a humorous and harrowing account of life below deck, on shore, and in the thick of battle, including his account of the Battle of Trafalgar where he fought aboard HMS Polyphemus, which took 200 French prisoners and towed HMS Victory, bearing Nelson’s body back to Gibraltar.

We are also talking about the physical and mental toll of George’s life at sea as described in his autobiography, which from a contemporary perspective shows the signs of someone struggling with the effect of witnessing the horrors of war at close quarters.

After 24 years in the Navy and with his health starting to decline, George traveled to Charleston in recently independent America, where he worked as a teacher before returning to England on a ship leaden with cotton. In England, having tried dock work, haymaking, hop-picking and being a policeman, he fell on hard times, but was lucky enough to gain a place at the Royal Naval Hospital in Greenwich where he died on July 31, 1857.

To bring George’s story to life highlights include: the original manuscript of the autobiography – a rare fragment of the flag from Nelson’s coffin, letters between the Hospital’s matron and Lady Emma Hamilton – annotated by Nelson himself – and two rare Naval General Service Medals, of which only 221 were awarded retrospectively when the medal was first issued in 1849, belonging to King and the foundling William South, who served aboard HMS Victory.

The exhibit also welcomes contemporary artist and photographer Ingrid Pollard into the Museum. Known for her photographic series exploring landscape, geography, history, and the complexities of race, identity and belonging, her work often engages with the history of photography and its physical materials and processes. For the show Pollard has been reflecting on the Foundling Hospital’s connections with Empire, trade and the Navy, looking at dialogues between past and present, and is showing newly commissioned work that responds directly to George’s autobiography, as well as presenting existing pieces.

Throughout the exhibition you can scan the artworks in the exhibition space via the Smartify app to take our tour, or if you are not able to join in person you can enjoy parts of the show from home.

Until February 27, 2021 at the Foundling Museum in London.

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SWEET CHARITY

PRINCE HARRY AND DUCHESS MEGHAN attended the Intrepid Museum's Salute To Freedom Gala last Wednesday night in New York City. The event honored military veterans ahead of Veterans Day and Remembrance Day in the U.K. and raises money for the museum’s educational programs.

The prince presented the inaugural Intrepid Valor Awards to five service members and military families. Prince Harry served 10 years in the British army rising to the rank of Captain, and did two tours in Afghanistan, which has made the prince passionate about helping veterans and soldiers. Throughout his life and time as a senior member of the royal family, Prince Harry regularly worked with veterans and has done charitable work with organizations related to military service.

“As many of us see it, service isn’t loud. Service is what happens in the quiet and when people aren’t looking,” the prince said during his remarks. “It’s about how we take care of each other every day. It’s about the camaraderie we share…the laughs, the comfort, the pain, the challenge, and yes, the banter.”

They were joined by Jon Bon Jovi, who previously collaborated with Prince Harry to release a song for the Duke of Sussex's Invictus Games. Bon Jovi received the 2021 Intrepid Lifetime Achievement Award for his work as Chairman of the Jon Bon Jovi Soul Foundation. iHeartMedia Chairman & CEO Bob Pittman received the 2021 Intrepid Salute Award, which salutes outstanding business and philanthropic achievements.

"We are so grateful to Prince Harry, The Duke of Sussex for honoring and amplifying the stories of these heroes and helping to raise awareness for mental health support for our men and women in uniform," said Susan Marenoff-Zausner, president of the Intrepid Museum, in a press release.

Meghan looked sophisticated in a red gown from Carolina Herrera’s pre-fall 2022 collection. The satin dress featured a slight plunging neckline and a flowing train. Markle accessorized the gown with a poppy flower pin to pay respect to the U.K.’s Remembrance Day. Markle topped off the look with matching satin pumps by Giuseppe Zanotti, diamond earrings. Her hair was styled as a sleek bun.

Prince Harry wore a classic black tuxedo adorned with a poppy flower pin, along with four medals and the cross for Knight Commander of Royal Victorian Order around his bow tie.

The red poppy has been the symbol used since 1921 to commemorate military members who have died in war.

GIBSON GIVES the charitable arm of Gibson guitars, the iconic American instrument brand--and Guitars For Vets have announced they staged their second annual Rock To Remember virtual concert live on Veteran's Day, Thursday, November 11.

The event was hosted by blues firebrand Jared James Nichols and featured performances from a diverse group of artists including Tommy Emmanuel, Lzzy Hale and Joe, Joey Belladonna, Frank Hannon of Tesla, Jimmy Vivino and Kat Dyson, Meghan Lindsey and Tyler Cain, Cassadee Pope, Daughtry, Nelson, Tyler Connolly, Hannah Dasher, Clayton Anderson, Laine Hardy, Eric Paslay, Kapali Long, Francisco Martin, and host Jared James Nichols. Additionally, U.S. military veterans David Cox, Jesse Tyler Frewerd, and Scotty Hastings who are graduates of the Guitars For Vets program will perform their original songs. These musicians joined Gibson Gives and Guitars For Vets to raise funds to provide music programs for returning U.S. military veterans afflicted with PTSD.

"Guitars for Vets has provided over 5,000 guitars and 50,000 lessons to U.S. Military Veterans living with Post Traumatic Stress (PTSD),” adds Eric Weinstein, Executive Director, Guitars for Vets. “Our 500 volunteers throughout the nation are dedicated to bringing this program to every Veteran that seeks our support. Gibson and Gibson Gives continue to demonstrate their generosity and patriotism by supporting G4V and the lives that will be enriched by the G4V>"

Guitars for Vets intends to raise $100,000 through the Rock To Remember event. Since re-launching in 2019, Gibson Gives has raised over $3 million dollars worldwide. Gibson Gives is making music matter…to more people…in more ways…one guitar at a time.

92Y’S SIXTH ANNUAL EXTRAORDINARY WOMEN AWARDS IS IN-PERSON AND ON LINE takes place November 17.

The 92nd Street Y in New York City will honor women leading the way and making a difference with its sixth annual Extraordinary Women Awards. The event will be conducted in-person and livestreamed at 92Y’s Kaufmann Concert Hall, and online, 6-7 pm ET. In person attendees are invited to an informal post-event cocktail hour in Weill Art Gallery afterwards.

Hosted by Alison Stewart of WNYC Radio’s All of It, this year’s honorees are:

Misty Copeland, Principal Dancer with American Ballet Theatre, producer, activist, author, will receive the Inspiration Through the Arts Award.

The Impact Award will go to mother/daughter duo, Mikayla Barnett and Veronica Loomis, co-founders of It's a She Thing, Inc., a nonprofit organization that serves women and girls who have encountered traumatic experiences, such as domestic violence, sexual assault, and bullying.

Elizabeth R. Leber, AIA, Managing Partner at Beyer Blinder and Belle, will receive the Landmark Award for her dedication to advancing mission-based institutions through forward-looking architecture and planning projects.
,br> The Legacy Award will go to three generations of women in honor of the late Esther Peterseil z"l, a survivor of the Auschwitz/Birkenau Concentration Camp, who came to America in 1949 and devoted her life working for the Jewish community, and her daughter Dorothy Tananbaum and granddaughters, Zoe Bernstein, and JoBeth Abecassis, all philanthropists and activists.

The evening will include a tribute performance to Misty Copeland by Aleisha Walker and Tristan Brosnan, appearing courtesy of ABT Studio Company, as well as a performance by virtuoso singer/songwriter Anaïs Reno, a former 92Y Recanati-Kaplan scholar whose debut album is in the Top 10, while she’s a freshman in college, and a solo by Shereen Pimentel, who recently starred as Maria in Broadway’s West Side Story.

All event proceeds support 92Y’s myriad programs for women and girls, from its Parenting Center, which provides resources to mothers and grandmothers and caretakers, to its Teen Producers program, which offers paid arts internships to high school juniors and seniors (many of whom are girls) from underserved schools in the Bronx. Particularly notable is its Women inPower Fellowship, a program that provides annual cohorts of senior-level women across all professional sectors with the peer support, mentorship, training, and coaching needed to help them to advance to the highest levels of leadership.

The co-chairs of the Extraordinary Women Awards are Jody Arnhold, Laurence Belfer, Beyer Blinder Belle Architects & Planners LLP, Caryl Englander, Beth and Michael Fascitelli, Wendy Fisher, Linda Mirels & The Kirsh Foundation, Rebecca Kaden & Scott Friedman, Judy & Leonard Lauder, Maribelle Leavitt, Clarissa & Steve Lefkowitz, Kathy Leventhal, Andrew Tananbaum, Tanner Tananbaum, Sara Weiner, Sharon Felzer & Alan Winters.

XP MUSIC CONFERENCE TO ESTABLISHMENT SAUDI ARABIA AS A MUSIC MAKER

XP Program Director Nada Alhelabi

Riyadh, Saudi Arabia has given notice that they intend to be a forward thinking, world wide music power player.

Taking place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, between December 13 and 15, the brand-new XP music conference will gather the music industry's leading creative and business leaders and innovators including: Alesso, Amelie Lens, Armin van Buuren, Camelphat, Carl Cox, Charlotte de Witte, David Guetta, Deadmau5, DJ Snake, Eric Prydz, Major Lazer, Martin Garrix, Paul Kalkbrenner, R3hab, Tiësto, Steve Aoki, Vintage Culture and many more.

Through workshops, panel discussions and roundtables, networking opportunities, and music activations, XP will expand opportunities for music industry professionals of all backgrounds including artists, entrepreneurs, creatives, and policymakers as they come together in building the future for the music industry.

XP is taking a multi-faceted approach, build upon four pillars - talent development, building a strong and sustainable music ecosystem, creating opportunities within the scene and social purpose.

Dialogue will be initiated around music, mental health, well-being and diversity of thought and representation. Using personal successes and failures to inform the development of a holistic music industry in an emerging market.

For every musician who has been asked why they don't get a "real job" the session “It’s A Real Job, Mama” intends to help talent establish themselves as a serious occupation.

The importance of music tourism will also be examined in detail, along with ideas that can help put cities on the musical map, along with talks about the needs of modern creatives. Another panel will highlight the benefits of a diverse workforce and the power of female representation within it.

“Through these conversations, we want to inspire future generations to consider a career in the industry and promote music as a vehicle for job creation and innovation,” said XP Program Director Nada Alhelabi at a press conference. “A big focus for us is promoting diversity, well-being and fair working conditions to empower females and give a voice to minority groups within the industry.”

XP music will lead up to MDLBEAST Soundstorm on December 16th - 19th which is the biggest music festival in the region and one of the biggest in the world. MDL Beast Soundstorm will feature a world-leading international music line-up with more than 150 global superstar headliners and international dance acts performing alongside local and regional talent including: Alesso, Amelie Lens, Armin van Buuren, Camelphat, Carl Cox, Charlotte de Witte, David Guetta, Deadmau5, DJ Snake, Eric Prydz, Major Lazer, Martin Garrix, Paul Kalkbrenner, R3hab, Tiësto, Steve Aoki, Vintage Culture and many more.

“It’s fair to say that we are entering the most exciting time for the music industry in the Middle East ever,” declared Alhelabi. “The opportunity is enormous, the potential is being unlocked, and what we need is a moment for the industry to come together to seize this chance with both hands. XP is that moment.

“Saudi Arabia is experiencing an incredible transformation. Previously, our music community could only thrive underground, whereas now we are hosting major international artists and festivals with hundreds of thousands of attendees,” explained Alhelabi.

“We have experienced positive feedback from the first edition of Soundstorm where international artists who performed at the festival had significant spikes in their demand even six months after their performance. This showed demand,” Alhelabi emphasized. “What we have now is an opportunity which was not previously possible: an opportunity for artists, for labels, for promoters, for venues and for music fans. We have the audience, we have the talent, and we have the passion, but we need to build the infrastructure which will allow the industry to grow at its fastest possible rate across the region. XP is MDLBEAST’s effort to bring together the right people at the right time in the right place, to help grow this market and drive cultural and economic change. We want to take our talent to the world stage, to showcase regional culture and artists globally, and provide new Middle Eastern audiences for international talent – all the while building a self-sustaining music economy in the Middle East.

“We have talent capable of wowing global crowds, we have huge potential audiences in our region who want to be part of a thriving music and creative scene, and we’re processing our policies to be able to accelerate our growth. More importantly, we are ready for it, and I think the enthusiasm and excitement we’re currently seeing in the region, and in Saudi specifically, is unmatched,” opined Alhelabi .

“The global scene thrives on diversity, creativity, new ways of thinking, and I believe that the Middle Eastern perspective is untapped. When we created XP, we were thinking of the music industry as a whole ecosystem – the innovators, businesses, platforms, the regulators, and brands that allow the creative talent to spearhead their music careers and dreams. And at our music conference, they meet, discuss, and work together in ensuring we’re following a strong path of growth for the music economy,” elaborated Alhelabi.

“So, XP is for everybody in the music and creative industry. It’s the perfect meeting point for global and regional music professionals, young creatives seeking inspiration and professionalisation, music and tech start-ups, and government entities that lay the future foundation for the region’s music industry.

“We want to be a symbol of music culture, anchored in the region but shared globally,” declared Alhelabi. “We want to be known both for amplifying the unseen and as a home for music lovers and creators. From the heart of Saudi Arabia, we are on a mission to develop the region’s music ecosystem and economy, plus we want to define the next generation of music and live entertainment, all while engaging youth around the world. We’ll achieve this through our landmark music festival, Soundstorm, our industry conference, XP, our label, MDLBEAST Records, plus a host of other cultural initiatives – and ultimately, we want to have a really good time doing it all!

“The opportunity is enormous, the potential is being unlocked, and what we need is a moment for the industry to come together to seize this chance with both hands – XP is that moment.”

With workshops, panel discussions, networking opportunities and multiple nightlife activations – XP will expand pathways for music industry professionals of all backgrounds; enabling artists, designers, entrepreneurs and policy-makers to XPerience, XPlore, XPress & XPand in amplifying music futures.

Nighttime at XP Alley will be held in converted warehouses. Attendees can hop around different spaces, explore new sounds, discover fresh talent, and connect and network.

Daytime experiences – include exhibitions, and immersive art experiences. The conference features workshops, panel discussions, round-tables and networking opportunities.

XP's goal is to establish careers in music.

SPREADING THE WORD

CONSTELLATIONS al four casts of Michael Longhurst’s critically acclaimed revival of Nick Payne’s Constellations are available to watch on demand until from Donmar Warehouse until November 29, 2021 via dedicated platform ondemand.donmarwarehouse.com .

Over 60,000 people saw the show in the West End this summer and now audiences worldwide can enjoy all four casts' performances in this 'sharp smart hit of first-class drama' (Evening Standard. In this unique production, four different casts take turns to journey through the multiverse and the infinite possibilities of a relationship; each refracting the play afresh. The four casts are: Sheila Atim & Ivanno Jeremiah, Peter Capaldi & Zoë Wanamaker, Omari Douglas & Russell Tovey, and Anna Maxwell Martin & Chris O’Dowd.

Each production is to rent and households can watch the show for 24 hours from the point of purchase; or choose the multi buy of all 4, available for 14 days. Captioned and audio described versions are available in partnership with Stagetext and VocalEyes.

Four new casts. One relationship. Infinite possibilities. A quantum physicist and a beekeeper meet at a barbeque. They hit it off, or perhaps they don’t. They go home together, or maybe they go their separate ways. In the multiverse, with every possible future ahead of them, a love of honey could make all the difference.

Michael Longhurst directs, with design by Tom Scutt, lighting design by Lee Curran, sound design by David McSeveney, music by Simon Slater, movement direction by Lucy Cullingford, casting by Anna Cooper CDG for the Donmar Warehouse, BSL Consultancy by Daryl Jackson, fight direction by Kate Waters, associate direction by Debbie Hannan; associate costume design by Kinnetia Isidore; assistant direction by Sara Aniqah Malik and Robert Awosusi, assistant design by Zoë Hurwitz and assistant lighting design by Laura Howard and assistant sound design by Callum Perrin.

JOOLS HOLLAND AND HIS RHYTHM AND BLUES ORCHESTRA perform Friday, November 19 and 20th at Royal Alber Hall in London.

THE HOLIDAY TRAIN SHOW at the New York Botanical Garden features toy trains chugging alongside some 175 scaled iconic buildings and structures such as the Brooklyn Bridge, Yankee Stadium, and the Statue of Liberty are displayed under thousands of twinkling lights. Step into a miniature city where famed New York architecture is re-created using bark, leaves, and other natural materials.

Laura Busse Dolan and the creative team at Applied Imagination envision a piece of bark or a fallen berry as stone on the Brooklyn Bridge or an ornament on St. Patrick’s Cathedral.

See more than 25 G-scale model trains and trolleys hum along nearly a half-mile of track. Don’t forget to look up—NYC bridges come together to create an aerial display of trains soaring overhead!

Saturday, November 20, 2021 – Sunday, January 23, 2022 at The New York Botanical Garden, Bronx, NY.

MATTHEW AND GUNNAR NELSON perform their Christmas show November 18 at the Ohio Star Theatre at Dutch Valley in Sugarcreek, OH, On November 19 they stage their Remembering Ricky Nelson show at the Stocker Arts Center in Elyria, OH.

LINDA EDER performs Friday, November 19 at the Ridgefield Playhouse in Ridgefield, CT.

BILLY CRYSTAL'S MR. SATURDAY NIGHT MUSICAL with a score by Jason Robert Brown and Amanda Green, is coming to Broadway.

Crystal, Randy Graff, David Paymer, and Chasten Harmon will star in the musical based on his 1992 film about the rise and fall of a once-beloved comedian.

The musical will play the Nederlander Theatre beginning March 1, 2022, with opening night set for March 31.

THe musical will also feature Tony winner Randy Graff appears as Buddy’s wife, Elaine Young; David Paymer recreating his Oscar-nominated performance as Buddy’s brother Stan Yankelman; and Chasten Harmon as his agent, Annie Wells.

In Mr. Saturday Night, Crystal returns to the role of stand-up comic Buddy Young Jr., whom he played in the 1992 Columbia Pictures film of the same name. Crystal co-wrote, directed, and starred in the comedy about a borscht-belt comedian whose abrasive ego eclipses his success and alienates his family.

Tony winner John Rando directs, with music direction by David O and choreography by Ellenore Scott.

Creatives include: sets by Scott Pask, costumes by Paul Tazewell, lighting by Kenneth Posner, video and projection design by Jeff Sugg, sound design by Kai Harada, and hair and wig design by Charles LaPointe. The production stage manager is Tripp Phillips.

THE LATIN RECORDING ACADEMY has announced performers and presenters for its long-standing Latin Grammy Premiere on Thursday, November 18, 2021, during which 45 of 53 Latin Grammy Awards categories will be awarded.

The Latin Academy will also host a dedicated Premiere ceremony for Brazilian audiences, as established last year, during which all the Portuguese language categories will be awarded. The combined in person events will return to Las Vegas at the Michelob Ultra Arena at Mandalay Bay.

Hosted by Latin Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Kany García, and actress Carolina Dieckmann, The Biggest Night in Latin Music will kick off with performances by current nominees Gera Demara (Best Norteño Album), Nora González (Best Ranchero/Mariachi Album), Zoe Gotusso (Best Pop/Rock Song & Best New Artist), Love of Lesbian (Best Pop/Rock Album), Luedji Luna (Best Musica Popular Brasileira Album), Os Barões da Pisadinha (Best Sertaneja Music Album), Nando Reis (Best Portuguese Language Contemporary Pop Album & Best Portuguese Language Song), Gonzalo Rubalcaba (Best Traditional Tropical Album) and Jon Secada (Best Traditional Tropical Album). Special guest, previously nominated, Lupita Infante.

In addition, the first Latin Grammy of the day will be presented by current nominees Roxana Amed (Best Arrangement & Best Latin Jazz/Jazz Album), Pedro Capó (Best Pop Vocal Album), Sara Correia (Best Portuguese Language Roots Album), Farina (Best Urban Song), José Gaviria (Best Salsa Album), Melim (Best Portuguese Language Song), Covi Quintana (Best Singer-Songwriter Album), with Adrián Zamarripa and Manuel Borrego from the group La Energía Norteña (Best Norteño Album).

The Latin Grammy Premiere is broadcast globally via Latin Grammys Facebook Live and YouTube Channel followed by the 22nd Annual Latin Grammy Awards broadcast airing live on Univision. It will also air on cable channel TNT and on Televisa on Channel 5.

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

FASHION BRANDS MOVING OUT OF ASIA into Europe as shipping costs experience unparalleled price increases not seen in n over a decade, with luxury brands experiencing the biggest increases.

Benneton has moved products away from Asia as has Germany owned Hugo Boss who intends to make goods closer to where they are sold.

Puma has also shifted manufacturing away from China.

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A CHRISTMAS CAROL Matthew Warchus’ big-hearted, smash hit production of Charles Dickens’ immortal classic adapted for the stage by Jack Thorne.

Starring Stephen Mangan as Ebenezer Scrooge.

Featuring James Staddon as Fezziwig. Bridgette Amofah as Mrs. Cratchit. Amanda Hadingue as the Ghost of Christmas Past. Jack Shailoo as Bob Cratchit. Rachel John as the Ghost of Christms Present/Mrs. Fezziwig.

With: Geraint Downing, Nicola Espallardo, Karen Fishwick, Nick Hart, Oli Higginson, Andrew Kangtree, Rachel Moran, Rose Shalioo and Samuel Townsend.

The creatives are: Set & costumes Riv Howell. Composer and arranger Christopher Nightingale. Hugh Vanstone lighting. Simon Baker sound. Lizzi Gee - movement. Joe Austin - Associate director. Josh Seymour- 2nd associate director. Ben Daves - associate Set. Lucy Gaiger - associate costumes. Rebecca Louis - associate movement. Jonathan Stott - Company stage manager. Maria Gibbons - Deputy stage manager. Ed Paget - assistant stage manager.

This version of the classic won five Tony Awards in 2019 including Best Original Score, Best Scenic Design of a Play, Best Costume Design of a Play, Best Lighting Design of a Play and Best Sound Design of a Play. The Broadway run was at the Lyceum Theatre.

Opened yesterday at The Old Vic in London with performances through January 8, 2022.

A TURTLE ON A FENCE POST a new musical comedy has a book by Prisoner #11RO731*, music by Austin Nuckols, and lyrics by Lily Dwoskin.

Directed by Gabriel Barre.

Starring Garth Kravits as Hank Morris (Prisoner #11RO731*) who is joined by Drama Desk Award nominee David Aron Damane, Erik Gratton, Joanna Glushak, Kate Loprest, Josh Marin, Richard E. Waits, Janet Aldrich, Joel Newsome, and Robbie Serrano.

In 2010, Hank Morris, a political consultant and broker, pleaded guilty to involvement in a fraud scandal. Andrew Cuomo, who was then serving as New York’s attorney general, successfully prosecuted the case against Morris.

After more than a decade, Cuomo is now involved in his own scandal that has prompted his resignation as governor, while Morris is about to debut a new musical comedy based on his own brush with ignominy.

Inspired by true events, A Turtle on a Fence Post fictionalizes the inside story of a prominent New Yorker thrown into an unknown world by New York’s most powerful man. At heart a vibrant tale of love and friendship, Turtle… uses humor and song to deal with themes of freedom, forgiveness and truth, revealing how meaningful learning can arise in the most unexpected places and from the most surprising sources.

It's one of Bill Clinton's favorite political expressions: “When you see a turtle on a fence post, you know it didn't get there by itself. It doesn’t belong there. You wonder who put it there.” And now, you'll know, it’s not about the turtle.

The creative team for A Turtle on a Fence Post includes scenic design by Drama Desk Award nominee Walt Spangler, costume & make-up design by Outer Critics Circle Award winner Vanessa Leuck, lighting Design by Yael Lubetzky, sound design by Twi McCallum and Rachel Kolb, projection design by Stefania Bulbarella, hair & wig design by Drama Desk Award nominee Bobbie Zlotnik, and casting by Paul Hardt of Hardt Casting.

Choreographed by Kenny Ingram The creative team also includes music direction by Aaron Gandy, and orchestrations and arrangements by Tony Award nominee Steve Orich. General management is by Michael Chase Gosselin & Tim Sulka of Visceral Entertainment, production management is by Tinc Productions, and the production stage manager is Chris Zaccardi.

A Turtle on a Fence Post, with an official opening night set for tonight, Sunday, November 14, will play a limited ten-week engagement through Sunday, January 2, 2022 at Theater 555 in NYC..

*11RO731 was the prison inmate number of Henry ‘Hank’ Morris.

APPROVAL JUNKIE by Faith Salie. Developed in collaboration with and directed by Amanda Watkins.

"From winning her high school beauty pageant, to picking the perfect outfit to wear to her divorce, Faith Salie is the ultimate approval seeker. A comedian and Emmy Award-winning journalist best known for her roles on NPR's Wait Wait…Don't Tell Me! and CBS Sunday Morning, Salie has adapted her story from her first book into the heartfelt (and disturbingly hilarious) one-woman show, Approval Junkie. Through her witty, candid, and sometimes heartbreaking recollections, Salie reflects on a lifetime of looking for validation in all the wrong places - and reveals how she finally won gold stars from her toughest critic…herself. The World Premiere of Approval Junkie was originally produced by The Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, GA."

The creative team includes Jack Magaw (scenic design), Ivan Ingermann (costume design), Amanda Zieve (lighting design), Brandon Bush (sound design), and Alex Basco Koch (projection design). Justin Scribner is the Production Stage Manager. Technical Supervision is by Hudson Theatrical Associates and General Management is by Baseline Theatrical (Andy Jones & Jonathan Whitton).

Approval Junkie begins performances Tuesday, November 16 and opens Monday, November 22 at Audible Theatre’s Minetta Lane Theatre through Sunday, December 12.

As with previous Audible Theater shows at the Minetta Lane, Audible will record and release Approval Junkie as an Audible Original, extending its reach to millions of listeners around the world.

THE WIFE OF WILLESDEN adapted by Zadie Smith from Chaucer's The Wife of Bath.

Directed by Indhu Rubasingham.

Featuring Clare Perkins, Marcus Adolphy, Jessica Clark, Crystal Condie, George Eggay, Andrew Frame, Scott Miller, Hussina Raja, Theo Solomon and Ellen Thomas.

A proper local legend. Married five times. Mother. Lover. Aunt. Friend. Alvita will tell her life story to anyone in the pub – there’s no shame in her game. The question is: are you ready to hear it? Because this woman’s got the gift of the gab: she can rewrite mistakes into triumphs, turn pain into parables, and her love life’s an epic poem. They call her The Wife of Willesden.

A play that celebrates the human knack for telling elaborate tales, especially about our own lives.

Director Indhu Rubasingham invites you to take your seat at the bar, order a pint or two, and listen to this bawdy, beautiful new comedy up close, and very, very personal.

The auditorium will be transformed into the infamous Sir Colin Campbell pub, offering some pub table seating in the stalls.

On stage through December 24, 2021 at The Kiln in London.

LOVE AND OTHER ACTS OF VIOLENCE by Cordella Lynn.

Directed by Elayce Ismail.

A subversive and intimate love story about inheritance and the cycles of politics and history.

The cast features Richard Katz, Tom Mothersdale, and introducing Abigail Weinstock in her professional debut.

Love and Other Acts of Violence runs at London's Donmar Warehouse until November 27, 2021.

THE ALCHEMIST a brand new adaptation of Ben Jonson’s classic comedy, adapted by Jeffrey Hatche.

Directed by Jesse Berger.

"Ben Jonson’s Jacobean jack-in-the-box of a play is a side-splitting, screwball farce of magical proportions. London. 1606. It’s plague time again. When a wealthy gentleman flees to the country, his trusted servant opens his house to a pair of con artists and sets up a den of criminal capitalism. Claiming al-chemical powers, the quick-witted trio fleece an onslaught of greedy sheep with their virtuoso ability to improvise amidst increasingly frantic comings and goings. It’s comic gold with dupes, double-dupes, duels, disguises, and a lucky flea named 'Lewis.'"

Featured in the cast: Nathan Christopher; Stephen DeRosa; Carson Elrod; Manoel Felciano; Teresa Avia Lim; Jacob Ming-Trent; Louis Mustillo; Reg Rogers; Jennifer Sánchez ; and Allen Tedder.

Performances at New World Stages for a limited Off-Broadway engagement, through December 19th only.

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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.






SIR ELTON JOHN has been formally inducted into the prestigious Order of the Companions of Honour by the Prince of Wales during a Windsor Castle investiture ceremony. The award is limited to only 65 people at any time in addition to the monarch.

The singer-songwriter, 74, who was knighted for services to music and charity in 1998, has sold more than 300 million records worldwide during a pop career spanning more than five decades.

His hits include: Rocket Man, I’m Still Standing and Blue Eyes. Sir Elton's first UK number one single in 16 years too kplace last month with Cold Heart, a collaboration with Dua Lipa.

The musician has also dedicated most of his adult life to charity, including his Elton John Aids Foundation, and has been lobbying for action on HIV/Aids – which still claims hundreds of thousands of lives a year – and encouraging people to get tested.

The Order of the Companions of Honour was established in 1917 by George V in recognition of service of national importance.

"An incredible honour to be made a member of the Order of Companions of Honour today in acknowledgement of my services to music and the fight to end AIDS through @ejaf," the musician, wrote on Instagram along with photos of himself with his new award. "Thank you to the Prince of Wales and @clarencehouse for your recognition and support."

OUTFEST the Los Angeles-based nonprofit organization whose impact promotes empathy for the global LGBTQIA+ community, careers in the entertainment industry, and the exhibition/preservation of LGBTQIA+ stories and voices -- honored Marvel Studios’ Victoria Alonso with the Visionary Award at the 2021 Outfest Legacy Awards at the brand-new Academy Museum of Motion Pictures, on Saturday, November 13th, presented by Cadillac and IMDb. The event is also kicking off the organization’s 40th anniversary year.

Also being honored at the gala will be Neon, receiving the Guardian Award which recognizes a company’s commitment and legacy to the LGBTQIA+community; Jonathan Howard, receiving the Outfest Legacy Award which honors his extensive contribution to Outfest as a Board member; Robin de Jesús receiving the Terrence McNally Award which acknowledges his out and proud career across stage and film; Rain Valdez receiving the Trailblazer Award which celebrates her fierce creativity as a writer, director and actor in creating roles and Emmy-nominated shows ensuring that trans people lives are seen; and current Board Co-President Alan Koenigsberg and immediate past Outfest Board Co-President Marissa Román-Griffith, receiving the Jonathan Howard Legacy Award honoring their outstanding leadership during a global pandemic.

Additional participants of the evening include actresses Brie Larson and Jamie Clayton as well as an evening opening performance by Garrett Clayton.
In honoring Victoria Alonso, the Visionary Award will recognize her contributions to LGBTQ+ representation and media visibility. Alonso is President, Physical and Post Production, Visual Effects, and Animation Production for Marvel Studios. She’s also an executive producer on Marvel Studios’ films and series, including such hits as Avengers: Endgame, Black Panther, Guardians of the Galaxy, Black Widow, Shang-Chi and The Legend of The Ten Rings, WandaVision, Loki, among others. Alonso’s impact on the community reaches a global level and inspires millions.

Past recipients at the Outfest Legacy Awards include Laverne Cox, Tom Hanks, Judith Light, Rita Moreno, Lee Daniels, Joey Soloway, Hillary Swank, Sean Hayes, Michaela Jaé Rodriguez, Bruce Cohen, Lisa Cholodenko, Craig Zadan & Neil Merdon, and Tanya Saracho, amongst others.

Founded by UCLA students in 1982, Outfest is the world’s leading organization that promotes equality by creating, sharing and protecting LGBTQIA+ stories on the screen.

THE INAUGURAL WAVY AWARDS with support from The New York City's Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment, celebrated artists who have been historically underrepresented in the music industry, including women, non-binary, LGBTQ+, BIPOC and those who identify as having disabilities. The event, which took place at the Abrons Arts Center in New York City featured ASL interpreters and live-closed captioning by SignNexus. Award categories included Artist of the Year, Record of the Year, Fan Favorite Music Video and Collab of the Year.

Winners were:

International Artist of the Year: Lil Malai

Collaboration of the Year: Lachi and Mezzo – “Genius”

New Artist of the Year: LovelyOcean

Most Innovative Music Video of the Year: M the Myth – “Prey”

Fan Favorite Music Video: Racyne Parker – “I’ll Keep You”

Music Video Director of the Year: Jeanette Moses – Mansplain “Thick”

Song of the Year: Scorpio SZN – “Sugar Sugar”

EP of the Year: Medusa – S.O.B. Story

Record of the Year: Goldilocks – Future Famous

Label of the Year: We Color Live

Online Community of the Year: Wyclef and Madeline Nelson – Run That Back – Youtube Series

Song for a Cause: Milck – “Somebody’s Beloved”

Book of the Year: Sophia Chang – The Baddest Bitch in the Room

Live-streamed Show or Series for a Venue: BandNada – EWEL

Favorite podcast or on-air radio show: Sam Sumpter Radio Free BK Monday night show BdBK

Live-Streamed Show or Series for a Cause: Women That Rock ‘Spring Fling’

FINAL OVATION

DEAN STOCKWELL Emmy and Academy Award nominee film, television, and stage actor with a career spanning over 70 years died November 7, 2021 at his home in Ranchos de Taos, New Mexico. He was 85.

As a young adult, he played a lead role of Judd Steiner in the 1957 Broadway and 1959 screen adaptations of Compulsion, based on the Leopold and Loeb story

He enjoyed a successful and well respected film and television career retiring from acting in 2015 following health issues, confirmed in January 2017 by his second ex-wife Joy Marchenko, that he had suffered and recovered from a stroke in 2015 and was retired from acting and focusing life on sculpture and other visual art.

He is survived by two children Austin Stockwell and Sophie Stockwell.

Next Column: November 21, 2021
Copyright: November 14, 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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