Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: November 4, 2018
By: Laura Deni
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THE BEAST IN THE JUNGLE BY JOHN KANDER SOOTHES AND EXCITES THE BEAST IN ALL OF US

The Beast in the Jungle is the story of John Marcher, a man haunted by personal demons, whose great yet unfulfilled love affair with an unforgettable woman spans decades and continents. This powerful and romantic musical score of love and loss has orchestrations by Greg Anthony Rassen and Sam Davis. Released on Broadway Records/Yellow Sound Label.

The gloriously beautiful album is an instrumental score of waltzes by four-time Tony Award winning legend John Kander. Yes, that John Kander, who has given us just to name a few: Cabaret; Chicago; Kiss of the Spider Woman; Flora, The Red Menace; The Happy Time; Zorba; 70, Girls, 70; Woman of the Year; The Rink; And the World Goes 'Round; Steel Pier and Curtains. Along with his partner Fred Ebb, they collaborated on the songs My Coloring Book and I Don't Care Much, both later recorded by Barbra Streisand. In 1972 they composed a number of songs for Liza Minnelli's Emmy-winning television special Liza With a Z.

A Tony, Emmy, Grammy, Laurence Olivier Award winner; a member of the American Theater Hall of Fame, and a Kennedy Center Honors award for Lifetime Achievement recipient, he's prolific and quality consistent. It's quite easy to drive from Las Vegas to Los Angeles playing only Kander songs - never repeating one - and have enough songs left over to repeat the same process on the ride back.

He's long established that musically he can do no wrong. And so it is with the score for The Beast in the Jungle.

This CD could be played all day and neither become boring, nor distract from what you're doing. A perfect listening experience.

John Kander

The booklet contains information about each song as it pertains to the storyline. If, for whatever reason, you just want to listen and not relate each tune to a storyline, then the music easily stands on its own. Using an unrelated connection to a storyline - judging the music by only the music - the sections are frequently effervescent sometimes tinged with a carnival flavor. That doesn't mean other emotions aren't in play. The Prelude is mysterious before turning more exuberant. The title song, Tract 2 is at times brooding, followed by the lively and quirky Palazzo Waltz.

May has a gentle beginning with moments of lively toe tapping before ending in an almost melancholy mood which leads into Matisse I, which takes on a more dramatic tone. All form the perfect musical canvas for director and choreographer Susan Stroman to work her magic.

Seashore Waltz is what you might expect, lively waves and ripples which ebb, flow and crash. Pizzica is light of heart before becoming almost brooding. The Cotswolds Waltz begins as intense - morphing into both demanding and teasing. Reverie has a more subdued beginning before demonstrating a dramatic flair. The Car Ride gives the feeling of moving, at a pleasant pace with no bumps. May in the Garden is darker - perhaps melancholy before taking on the sounds of drama.

Picnic Waltz is intense rather than frothy with an undercurrent of mystery. In the Bedroom begins as a jolly romp before slowing down into a melodic, peaceful event. Matisse II seems to be asking then demanding. Library Waltz follows as a layered, perhaps brooding composition, reaching many levels.

Marcher and the Beast is dark, statement making, demanding, and forceful. Manhattan Waltz denotes fun and big city activity. May and Marcher could be either beautiful or bittersweet. Finally Together is dramatic. Matisse III is pleasantly firm but melodic with its drama. The CD ends with the beautiful Grand Waltz Romantique.

Buy and Enjoy.

Recorded June 27, 2018 at Power Station Studios in New York City. Mixed at Yellow Sound Lab in New York City.

Mixed and edited by with Michael Croiter. Recording engineer Andy Manganello. Assistant engineer Neal Shaw. Mastered by Michael Fossenkemper. Producer manager Jill Dell'Abate. Music Copying Anne Kaye and Doug Houston. David Loud music supervisor. John Monaco music coordinator.

Musicians:
Greg Jarrett: Celeste, Music Direction, Piano
Lynette Wardle: Harp
Mary Rowell: Mandolin, Viola, Violin
Jing Li: Cello
Justin Vance: Clarinet, Flute, Piccolo, Alto Sax, Soprano Sax
Deb Avery: Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Flute, English Oboe
John Winder: Bassoon, Clarinet, Bass Clarinet, Flute, Alto Sax
Bass: Bill Ellison
Bruce Doctor: Percussion

Booklet:
Production photography Paul Kolnik. Package design: Robbie Rozelle. Cover Art: AKA NYC/ Hollander X2. David Thompson: Liner Notes.

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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

RODARTE

Agyness Deyn wearing Rodarte Spring/Summer 2009; Photo © Sølve Sundsbø Limi/NMWA

the celebrated American luxury fashion house Rodarte, founded by sisters Kate and Laura Mulleavy, is featured this fall in the first fashion exhibition organized by the National Museum of Women in the Arts (NMWA).

Rodarte showcases the designers’ visionary concepts, impeccable craftsmanship, and profound impact on the fashion industry.

The exhibition explores the distinctive design principles, material concerns, and reoccurring themes that position the Mulleavys’ work within the landscape of contemporary art and fashion.

Spanning the first 13 years of Rodarte, more than 90 complete looks, presented as they were shown on the runway, highlight selections from their most pivotal collections.

Through a conceptual blend of high fashion and modern femininity that employs a multiplicity of textiles and meticulous couture techniques, Rodarte has drawn critical acclaim from both the art and fashion worlds since its inception in 2005.

Rodarte is organized by the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, DC and is on view there November 10, 2018–February 10, 2019.

LEO TECOSKY has been selected as the 42nd Guest Artist Pavilion Project (GAPP) artist in residence at the Toledo Museum of Art. Tecosky will be in residence from November 7-16 and will give a free artist talk on Friday, November 9, in the GlasSalon.

Tecosky creates sculpture and installation using traditional glassblowing, neon and screenprinting techniques. Recently, he has taken printmaking to a more sculptural level by exploring collages of 3D glass imagery. He also incorporates found and constructed elements into his artworks.

During the spring and summer of 2018, Tecosky was in residence at Gustavsberg Konsthall in Sweden, and was a visiting artist at STARWorks in North Carolina. He holds a B.A. in Fine Art from Alfred University and an M.F.A. from the School of Visual Arts in Manhattan and teaches at various studios and schools both nationally and internationally. He lives and works in Brooklyn, blowing glass and maintaining his studio practice.

The Toledo Museum of Art’s GAPP program highlights the unique nature of the Glass Pavilion by encouraging experimentation with glass in innovative ways. Specifically designed to encourage resident artists to utilize or respond to the TMA collection, this program is uniquely situated to serve both the educational mission of TMA and to promote greater dialogue within both the contemporary glass and contemporary art communities.

DIWALI: THE FESTIVAL OF LIGHTS an ancient celebration observed around the world by many cultures and religions. On Diwali, Hindus, Buddhists, Sikhs, and Jains - some of the world’s oldest religions - light a diya (oil lamp) with family and friends, celebrating the triumph of light over darkness, knowledge over ignorance, and good over evil.

Enjoy music by Awaaz Do and dance performances with Chhandika and South Asian Nation, engage with members of Subcontinental Drift Boston for an open mic showcase. Subcontinental Drift (SubDrift) Boston is part of a national movement building South Asian creative community through monthly open mics. Join the celebration and reflect on how Diwali and the arts can create greater social and spiritual uplift.

Join a story hour and book signing; tour the galleries exploring highlights from the collection of South Asian art, sketch in the galleries, enjoy sweet Diwali treats for purchase at Taste and New American Café, and make art with artist and educator Sunanda Sahay.

At the Boston Museum of Fine Arts on Wednesday evening, November 7. There will be free MFA admission as all Diwali events are free.

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SWEET CHARITY

REQUIEM: THE SOULS OF THE RIGHTEOUS

The concert at St. Mary's. Photo: Clarence House

a new piece of music, composed by Paul Mealor to mark the centenary of the end of WWI was performed for the first time on Saturday, September 22, 2018 by National Youth Orchestra of Scotland and Royal Scottish National Orchestra at St Mary’s Cathedral in Edinburgh, Scotland in the presence of Camilla the Duchess of Cornwall, who is known as the Duchess of Rothesay in Scotland.

The 40-minute composition blends the traditional mass for the dead with new poems by Dr Grahame Davies, and features tolling bells and lilting strings throughout.

Conducted by Christopher Bell, artistic director of the National Youth Choir of Scotland, the reflective and poignant tribute to peace was recorded by Classic FM and will be broadcast on Remembrance Sunday, November 11, 2018.

Funds raised from the concert will be donated to Osteoarthritis research at the University of Aberdeen, of which the wife of Prince Charles is Chancellor.

Professor Mealor said of the Requiem: "It's a big piece and it's a big subject.

"How do you tackle war now, in the 21st century, how do you mark the centenary in a way that is not offensive, that doesn't glorify war?

"The librettist and I, we decided to write a piece that is in essence about peace, for both sides of the conflict, and about reconciliation and the sacrifice that people made so that we can all live in peace.

"It's a great honor that The Duchess of Rothesay has joined us for the premiere. She is a huge supporter of music and of the university, and always adds a wonderful light to events like this because she is always so very easy to talk to and very interested in what people are doing."

THE LATIN RECORDING ACADEMY will honor six-time Latin Grammy and four-time Grammy winning rock-pop band Maná as the 2018 Latin Recording Academy Person of the Year for their extraordinary creative accomplishments and philanthropic contributions to the Latin community, as well as for their steadfast and dedicated support of environmental preservation and protection, as well as human rights.

This award carries additional prestige and significance as it will be the first time a band receives the Person of the Year recognition.

The Person of the Year award is bestowed upon musicians of Ibero-American heritage in recognition of their artistic achievement in the Latin music industry and their profound humanitarian efforts. Past honorees include Marc Anthony, Miguel Bosé, Roberto Carlos, Plácido Domingo, Emilio Estefan, Gloria Estefan, Vicente Fernández, Juan Gabriel, Gilberto Gil, Juan Luis Guerra, Julio Iglesias, José José, Ricky Martin, Carlos Santana, Alejandro Sanz, Joan Manuel Serrat, Shakira and Caetano Veloso.

Maná will be honored and celebrated at a star-studded gala featuring a glamorous tribute concert, including renditions of their renowned repertoire performed by an impressive array of notable artists and friends on Wednesday, November 14, 2018, at the Mandalay Bay Events Center in Las Vegas.

One of the world's most influential Latin rock-pop bands, Maná - currently comprised of Fher Olvera, Alex González, Sergio Vallín, and Juan Calleros - have 133 gold records, 256 platinum records, and more than 48 No. 1 hits worldwide.

The net proceeds from the gala will go toward the charitable work of the Latin Grammy Cultural Foundation whose mission is to further international awareness and appreciation of the significant contributions of Latin music and its makers to the world's culture through scholarships, fellowships, grants, and educational programs. The Foundation's primary charitable focus is to provide scholarships to students interested in Latin music with financial need, as well as grants to scholars and organizations worldwide for research and preservation of diverse Latin music genres.

Nine-time Latin Grammy and three-time Grammy winner Rafa Sardina will be the executive producer of the prestigious event. Greg Fera will serve as the producer, and Gustavo Borner, who has received eleven Latin Grammys and five Grammys will be in charge of the sound for the night. The musical production and coordination of the event will be managed by Moon Moosic, Inc.

E-Book

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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.

KATE, THE DUCHESS OF CAMBRIDGE LEARNS ABOUT THE SACRIFICES OF HER RELATIVES IN WORLD WAR I

It's never ending heartbreak when a family is informed that a loved one has been killed in war. When more than one son - an entire family of sons - gave their lives for their country and the freedom of others - the heartbreak is almost insurmountable.

A tragic American experience was turned into The Fighting Sullivans a 1944 American biographical war film. The five Sullivan brothers were World War II sailors who, serving together on the light cruiser USS Juneau, were all killed in action on its sinking around November 13, 1942.

As a direct result of the Sullivans' deaths (and the deaths of four of the Borgstrom brothers within a few months of each other two years later), the U.S. War Department adopted the Sole Survivor Policy which was designed to protect members of a family from the draft or from combat duty if they have already lost family members in military service.

Two decades before, during World War I, Kate Middleton's family experienced a similar, multiple death tragedy.

As first reported by Kensington Palace, last week Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge made an unexpected visit to the Imperial War Museum to view their document archive, which provides a means to research, reflect and remember the extraordinary contribution and sacrifice made by so families during the First World War.

Duchess Kate reads correspondence concerning her relatives killed in World War I. Photo: Kensington Palace.

Her own family's sacrifice included losing three brothers.

The mother three, including two sons, was able to view several documents relating to her relatives’ experiences in The Great War. The wife of Prince William was shown her great-grandmother Olive’s registration card. Olive and her younger sister Anne were both VAD nurses with the British Red Cross during the War.

Ahead of #Armistice100, The Duchess of Cambridge wanted to learn about the lives of her great grandmother’s three brothers, who fought and lost their lives in the First World War.

Francis Martineau Lupton, The Duchess’s great-great-grandfather, had five children. The two youngest brothers, Captain Maurice Lupton and Lieutenant Lionel M Lupton went to France within 3 days of each other in 1915.

The eldest Lupton brother, Major Francis A Lupton fought with the 8th Battalion West Yorkshire Regiment in 1917. Sadly, each of the brothers was killed in action over a period of three years: Maurice in 1915, Lionel in 1916 and Francis in 1917.

Several items concerned Lionel. One was a letter from Maurice to his father dated, 24 May 1915. “Lionel was here the day before yesterday for a bit, & I have seen him two or three times in the last few days.”

Kate was able to view a field service postcard from Lionel dated 16 July 1916, where he notes that “I am quite well”. Sadly, Lionel was killed in action on the same day, aged just 24.

A telegram sent by Noel Middleton informing his family that another son had been killed. Photo: Kensington Palace.

Another item Kate read was a telegram from Noel Middleton to his family, informing them that Francis’ body had been found.

“Bad News Francis Body Found Near Taylor’s Killed Instantaneously Bomb Saw Norman Yesterday And Grave In Churchyard”

King George V sent a letter of condolence to the Middleton family.

”The King realises that this is the third beloved son you have given to your Country’s cause, and His Majesty trusts that you may be granted strength and comfort in the further sorrow which you have been called upon to bear.” – a Letter of condolence sent on behalf of George V.

The visit is one of a number of royal engagements marking Armistice Day. The Queen will lead the nation in remembering those who have died in world wars at the Cenotaph memorial on November 11th.

SPREADING THE WORD

THE LATIN RECORDING ACADEMY has announced that six-time Latin Grammy and two-time Grammy winner Marc Anthony, current Latin Grammy nominee Bad Bunny, and four-time Grammy winner Will Smith will perform their new song Está Rico live for the first time at the 19th Annual Latin Grammy Awards.

Actress Ana de la Reguera and singer Carlos Rivera will host The Biggest Night in Latin Music live on the Univision Network November 15 from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas. Others performing include Ángela Aguilar, El David Aguilar, Pablo Alborán, J Balvin, Jorge Drexler, Karol G, Kany García, Halsey, Mon Laferte, Natalia Lafourcade, Maná, Victor Manuelle, Banda Los Recoditos, Carlos Vives, and Sebastián Yatra.

BEBE WINANS, STEPHANIE MILLS and the cast of the Broadway-bound musical Born For This stage a one-night-only, two performance concert previewing the music from Winans' original musical Born For This on Monday, November 5, at Feinstein’s/54 Below in New York City.

Sharing the stage with Winans and Mills will be director Charles Randolph-Wright and members of the cast from last summer’s pre-Broadway tryout in Boston including Maddie Shea Baldwin, Liisi LaFontaine, Loren Lott, Donald Webber Jr, Kirsten Wyatt, and Nita Whitaker.

"Born For This follows BeBe, a talented young man from a tight-knit musical family as he grapples with the struggle between his faith and his desire for fame. As teenagers BeBe and his sister CeCe, experience genuine culture shock when they leave the comfort of their home and family in Detroit to join Jim and Tammy Faye Bakker’s “Praise the Lord” network in North Carolina. When the duo rocket to fame, the seductive lure of celebrity comes knocking. Ultimately, Bebe must reconcile the temptations of stardom and fortune with the things he values most in life."

Born For This features original music and lyrics by six-time Grammy Award winner BeBe Winans, with a book written by Charles Randolph-Wright, BeBe Winans, and Lisa D’Amour. The show is directed by Charles Randolph-Wright, with choreography by Warren Adams.

FREUD ON WAR AND DEATH a public reading to mark the centenary of Armistice Day, a shared reading of Freud’s essay Thoughts for the Times on War and Death (1915) and the exchange of letters between Einstein and Freud, ‘Why War?

The texts will be read aloud by 15 readers – friends and practitioners of psychoanalysis. Listeners are free to come and go as they wish.

In the first half of Thoughts for the Times… Freud writes about the disillusionment of war, the speed with which civilized nations can turn against each other with hate and loathing, and the shameless lust for power which citizens are then supposed to sanction in the name of patriotism.

In the second part, Freud turns his thoughts towards hatred and death. He reminds us that in each loved person there is also something of the stranger, the other, the outsider – something which lends itself to be hated, an idea that Lacan will later coin as ‘hainamouration’.

The 1932 exchange of letters between Einstein and Freud was an initiative of the League of Nations, who wished to prompt intellectuals to exchange letters on subjects calculated to serve the common interests of the League and of intellectual life. Einstein was one of the first to be approached, and it was he who suggested Freud, who immediately agreed. Their exchange was published in German, French and English simultaneously, in March 1933. It was, however, banned in Germany.

The event recalls the exhibition, “Why War?” staged by the Freud Museum in 2014. Together, these events frame and remember what has been endured and what can be learned from the suffering of previous generations, and other nations, in the hope of avoiding catastrophic repetitions in our own time.

Readers include:
David Bell, psychoanalyst, BPAS, Tavistock
Lotte Bredt, child psychotherapist, sculptor
Don Campbell, psychoanalyst, BPAS, Portman Clinic
Emily Costanzo, journalist
Francine Danniau, psychoanalyst, writer, Belgium
Renée Danziger, psychoanalyst, BPAS, UCL
Stephen Gee, psychotherapist, Site for Contemporary Psychoanalysis
Yannis Grammatopoulos, University of East London
Anouchka Grose, psychoanalyst, writer, CFAR
Michael Kennedy, psychoanalyst, CFAR
John Haney, poet, PoetrySlabs
Susana Huler, psychoanalyst, New Lacanian School
Werner Leber, general practitioner, Tower Hamlets
Stefan Marianski, Freud Museum
Carol Seigel, director, Freud Museum
Iro Zoubopoulou, psychotherapist.

Organized and coordinated by Janet Haney (Laboratory for Lacanian Politics) and Ivan Ward (Freud Museum). November 11, 2018 at the Freud Museum in London.

FORMER PRESIDENT BILL CLINTON AND FORMER SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY RODHAM CLINTON kick off their 13-city American/Canadian political rock star speaking tour in Las Vegas with a one nighter November 13, 2018. Their stage show will cover the high-profile couple's thoughts on "one of the United States’ most controversial and unpredictable presidential elections," according to the event's organizer, Live Nation.

Their tour ends with a stop in Inglewood, California on May 4, 2019.

Tickets aren't cheap with many going for $745.

A FREE SYMPOSIUM ON WAITING FOR GODOT featuring Garry Hynes and member of the cast takes place Tuesday, November 6 at Fordham University at Lincoln Center. The event will also include participation by leading Beckett scholars.

Waiting for Godot has performances through November 13, 2018 as part of the 2018 White Light Festival in New York City.

This multidisciplinary festival will feature events presented in six venues across the city, including world, U.S., and New York premieres. The ninth annual international festival will explore transcendence, interior illumination, and the communal impulse as exhibited through artistic expression across continents and centuries.

SUNDAY NOVEMBER 4 is National Chicken Lady Day and National Candy Day. November 5th is National Doughnut Day, National Love Your Red Hair Day, and Color the World Orange Day. November 6th is National Nachos Day and Saxophone Day. November 7th is National Stress Awareness Day. November 8th is National Cappuccino Day and National Harvey Wallbanger Day. November 9th is National Louisiana Day and National Scrapple Day. November 10th is National Forget-Me-Not Day and National Vanilla Cupcake Day.

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TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART KEYBANK MUSEUM FELLOWSHIP has been awarded to Asmaa Walton, who recently completed her master’s degree in art politics from New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts. As the first KeyBank Museum Fellow, Walton will receive hands-on experience inside a museum setting, working with staff on exhibitions, collections and programmatic offerings. She was selected from a highly qualified international pool of more than 15 candidates.

Walton received a Bachelor of Fine Arts degree from Michigan State University, where she majored in art education. She was a volunteer art instructor and teaching assistant, while also serving as a commissioner for the East Lansing Arts Commission. While pursuing her master’s degree at Tisch, she served as an education associate at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts. She was also the Toledo Museum of Art’s education and engagement intern this past summer. The KeyBank Museum Fellowship at the Toledo Museum of Art was established in 2014 to promote and develop diversity in the museum industry. It provides a year-long fellowship to diverse candidates pursuing a career in museums, cultural institutions or related fields.

WILLIE NELSON will be honored by The Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing will at its annual Grammy Week celebration on Wednesday, February 6, 2019, at The Village Studios in West Los Angeles.

Now in its 12th year, this event will celebrate the artistic achievements and creative genius of Nelson, one of the music industry's most beloved icons. The event also acknowledges the overall industry contributions of the Producers & Engineers Wing's more than 6,400 professional members. Grammy Week culminates with the 61st Annual Grammy Awards on Sunday, February 10, 2019, airing live on the CBS Television Network.

"Each year, the Recording Academy's Producers & Engineers Wing annual Grammy week event honors members of the recording community who exhibit exceptional standards of integrity, creativity, and sonic quality," said Maureen Droney, Managing Director of the Recording Academy Producers & Engineers Wing. "We are thrilled to pay homage to Willie Nelson, an undeniable icon with an incomparable - and uncompromising - body of work."

Nelson has been recognized by the Recording Academy with the President’s Merit Award (1986), Grammy Legend Award (1990), and Lifetime Achievement Award (2000).

Previous Producers & Engineers Wing honorees include:
2009—Ahmet & Nesuhi Ertegun; Jerry Wexler; Arif Mardin & Tom Dowd
2010—Chris Blackwell
2011—T Bone Burnett
2012—Jimmy Iovine
2013—Quincy Jones & Al Schmitt
2014—Neil Young
2015—Nile Rodgers
2016—Rick Rubin
2017—Jack White
2018—Alicia Keys & Swizz Beatz.

THE MEMPHIS MUSIC HALL OF FAME has inducted 7 new members. They are:
Aretha Franklin inducted by Stax songwriter/producer David Porter.

George Klein longtime and influential disc jockey was inducted by Priscilla Presley.

Rockabilly pioneers Rock and Roll Trio inducted by Memphis producer and engineer Matt Ross-Spang.

Eddie Floyd inducted by Carla Thomas, daughter of the late Rufus Thomas.

Box Tops were honored by the current touring version of the group, featuring original members Gary Talley and Bill Cunningham and band co-founder John Evans.

8Ball (aka Premro Smith) and MJG (aka Marlon Jermaine Goodwin) inducted by rapper Al Kapone.

Grammy winner O'Landa Draper who founded The Associates Choir died in 1998 at age 34 of kidney failure. He was celebrated by Director Patrina Smith who led The Associates during a tribute performance.

Taking place November 1, 2018 at the Cannon Center for the Performing Arts, Shelby County Mayor Lee Harris was in attendance and said: “We’re not just one note; we’re a symphony.”

Prior to the ceremony, the Memphis Rock N Soul Museum hosted a youth symposium partnering with the Memphis Music Initiative. The forum was moderated by iHeart Media executive Devin Steel.

Panelists included Memphis singer Evvie McKinney, record producers James Dukes and Brandon Fletcher, Aretha Franklin’s grandson Jordan Franklin, and Ballet Memphis Director of Development Amelia Thompson.

They each briefly offered encouragement and suggestions to the students hoping to break into the business.

Franklin's thoughts need to be taken to heart. He opined that too many are focused on becoming famous rather than caring about the craft of music and performing. "I think that getting back to those roots is very important for this generation," said Franklin.

92Y HAS ANNOUNCED THEIR MUSICAL THEATER DEVELOPMENT LAB FOR 2018-2019 The Lab has chosen 13 musical theater artists at various stages of their careers - book writers, composers and lyricists – in creating new Theater for Young Audiences productions. Special industry guests include Tony Award-winning composer Maury Yeston, who presents song critique, as well as licensing professionals offering an inside look at the economics of writing for young audiences.

This season’s selected members are: Adam Ben-David, Christyn Budzyna, Brian Dratch, A.J. Freeman, Lizzie Hagstedt, Polly Hilton, Dimitri Landrain, Daphny Maman, Jessica Penzias, Aden Kent Ramsey, Sujin Kim-Ramsey, Robby Sandler, and Mehmet S. Yildirim. Their projects range from an adaptation of the beloved novel From the Mixed-Up Files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler to an original full-length piece about an Orthodox Jewish girl using magic to save the day.

Megan Doyle, Director 92Y Musical Theater comments, “young audiences have long had a home at 92Y, with programs bringing world-class artists to perform for public school students, free children’s tickets to concerts, and our new Theater for Young Audiences season of shows aimed at engaging and inspiring a new generation of musical theater enthusiasts. This unique Lab, with a mission to create new works for children, is a logical step for 92Y.”

BRISBANE, AUSTRALIAN WRITER DAVID MEGARRITY the winner of the Queensland Premier’s Drama Award 2018-19 will have his lyrical family-oriented play The Holidays produced by the Queensland Theatre in a full production as part of their 50th Anniversary season in 2020.

The Holidays introduces us to 12-year-old Oliver Holiday and his Mum and Dad who are suddenly on their way to his Grandfather’s beachside cottage. However, as more clouds loom, it appears that the Holidays, instead of getting away from it all, have taken on a burden - or a legacy - they are unsure how to manage.

“David Megarrity’s The Holidays is a disarming meditation on mortality and father son relationships. It’s a delicious combination of high-tech ambition and low-fi theatricality. David’s unique imagination and command of all of the elements of storytelling will create a deeply affecting sensory experience for audiences when we bring it to the stage,” said Queensland Theatre Artistic Director Sam Strong, who was part of the judging panel for the awards.

Megarrity a writer, composer, musician and academic. Describing his winning play, Megarrity said, “this visual theatre piece combines live performers, projection, audience participation and music to explore the impact of dementia, as experienced by one family, focusing on the connections between son, father and grandfather - told through the eyes of a young person.”

Since its inception, Queensland Theatre has developed 30 plays as part of the QDPA, employed more than 180 actors, writers and directors, and generated audiences of more than 30,000 to new Australian plays. Previous winning works include Rice by Michele Lee (2016-17), Oedipus Doesn’t Live Here Anymore by Daniel Evans (2014-15), Trollop by Maxine Mellor (2012-13) and Fractions by Marcel Dorney (2010-11).







ALL IS CALM The Christmas Truce of 1914, written and directed by Peter Rothstein.

Vocal arrangements by Erick Lichte and Timothy C. Takach with music direction by Lichte. The Western Front, Christmas, 1914. Out of the violence a silence, then a song. A German soldier steps into No Man’s Land singing “Stille Nacht.” Thus begins an extraordinary night of camaraderie, music, peace. A remarkable true story, told in the words and songs of the men who lived it, All Is Calm is brought to life by a cast of 10 actor/singers and blends iconic WWI patriotic tunes, trench songs, medieval ballads and Christmas carols from England, Wales, France, Belgium and Germany with texts written by more than 30 World War I figures.

The cast will feature Sasha Andreev, David Darrow, Benjamin Dutcher, Ben Johnson, Mike McGowan, Tom McNichols, Riley McNutt, Rodolfo Nieto, James Ramlet, and Evan Tyler Wilson

All Is Calm features costume design by Trevor Bowen, lighting design by Marcus Dilliard, and sound design by Nicholas Tranby.

Performances begin November 9, 2018 at the Sheen Center For Thought & Culture in New York City with an opening night set for November 18, for a run through December 30, 2018.

ELF THE MUSICAL book by Thomas Meehan and Bob Martin. Music by Matthew Sklar. Lyrics by Chad Beguelin. Based on the New Line Cinema film by David Berenbaum

Directed by Michael Bobbitt.

Music Direction by Angie Benson.

Choreography by Tara Jeanne Vallee.

Based on the hit Will Ferrell movie, Elf the Musical has quickly entered the pantheon of holiday classics, and for good reason. This warm-hearted family musical tells the story of Buddy, a human accidentally transported to the North Pole as a baby who grows up believing himself to be an elf, despite his large size and sub-par toy-making. Upon learning the truth from Santa, Buddy journeys to New York to find his father and help the jaded city folk rediscover the wonder and joy of the Christmas season.

November 9 - January 6, 2019 at the Olney Theatre in Olney, Maryland.

HEDDA a re-imagining of Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler by Melissa Bubnic.

Directed by Paige Rattray.

Hedda Gabler is railing against her life. She didn’t marry bogan drug slinger George Tesman so she could play housewife in a monstrous Gold Coast mansion with white leather couches, blingy chandeliers and endless rounds of Aperol Spritz.

She wants something much more. Now her old flame, Ejlert Løvborg, is out of prison and off the junk. Is he about to slice off a piece of George’s empire? Maybe Hedda can pull some strings to work this to her advantage.

Logie Award-winning actor Danielle Cormack is Hedda. The cast Includes Jimi Bani, Bridie Carter, Jason Klarwein, Joss McWilliam, Andrea Moor, and Helen O'Leary.

Designer David Fleischer. Lighting Designer Emma Valente. Composer and Sound Designer Kelly Ryall. Dramaturg Marcel Dorney.

November 10 - December 8, 2018 at the Bille Brown Theatre, Queensland Theatre in Australia.

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WHO'S WHERE

NSO POPS: KATHARINE McPHEE the actress/singer joins the National Symphony Orchestra for two performances led by Principal Pops Conductor Steven Reineke. November 9-10, 2018 at the Kennedy Center in Washington, DC.

STING AND SHAGGY are in Russia this week starring at the Ekaterinburg Expo in Ekaterinburg on Monday, November 5, 2018. On Wednesday the show is at the Tatneft Arena in Kazan. On Friday they are on stage at the Ledovy Palace in St. Petersburg Next Sunday, they perform at the Olimpiyskiy in Moscow

JOHN LLOYD YOUNG Tony Award-winner, John Lloyd Young, who originated the role of Frankie Valli in Broadway's Jersey Boys, stages an evening of music with musical direction by Tommy Faragher. Thursday, November 8 at The Barns at Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia.

PINK MARTINI perform Monday, November 5 with two shows at the Blue Note in Honolulu, Hawaii. Friday opens a two night benefit event for the Thomas Lauderdale: Benefit for the Hillsboro Arts and Culture Endowment in Hillsboro, Oregon.

THE TEXAS TENORS are in residency at the Andy Williams Performing Arts Theatre in Branson, MO.

ED SHEERAN brings his tour to the Raymond James Stadium in Tampa,FL on Wednesday, November 7. Saturday's gig is at the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.

FINAL OVATION

NTOZAKE SHANGE a pioneering black feminist poet and playwright who wrote For Colored Girls Who Have Considered Suicide/When the Rainbow is Enuf, died Saturday, October 27, 2018 at an assisted living center in Bowie, Maryland. She was 70.

Her famed play is about the racism, sexism, violence, and rape experienced by seven black women. Many future writers were influenced by the groundbreaking work. The 1975 Tony-Award nominated work played for over 700 performances on Broadway.

In 2010 the play was adapted into a movie by Tyler Perry. The ensemble cast included Whoopi Goldberg, Janet Jackson, Phylicia Rashad, Thandie Newton, Macy Gray, Loretta Divine, Anika Noni Rose, Kimberly Elise and Kerry Washington.

The talented writer published poetry collections, children’s books, novels, and essays. She taught at multiple colleges including Brown University and DePaul University.

She is survived by her daughter Savannah Shange who is a professor of anthropology at the University of California at Santa Cruz and her sister, Ifa Bayeza,

BABA OJE who served as the spiritual elder to Nineties hip-hop group Arrested Development, died last Friday, October 26, 2018 from leukemia. He was 86.

Neil Portnow President/CEO of the Recording Academy issued the following statement: "Baba Oje, a member of the Grammy-winning group Arrested Development, helped shape one of the most unique collectives in the hip-hop community. Known as the group's spiritual elder, Oje was famous for his fiery presence and dedication to sharing his wisdom with his fellow group members. With Arrested Development, he was awarded the Best New Artist Grammy and Best Rap Performance By A Duo Or Group for Tennessee at the 35th Grammy Awards. Oje will be greatly missed, and our thoughts go out to all who have been impacted by his work and wisdom."

ROY HARGROVE world famous jazz trumpeter died November 2, 2018 in New York City of cardiac arrest, according to his longtime manager, Larry Clothier. Hargrove had been admitted to the hospital for reasons related to kidney function. He was 49.

Neil Portnow President/CEO of the Recording Academy issued the following statement: "Two-time Grammy winner Roy Hargrove was one of the most influential trumpeters in the jazz community. He earned his first Grammy with his band Crisol in the Best Latin Jazz Performance category for Habana at the 40th Grammy Awards, and went on to win the Best Jazz Instrumental Album Grammy alongside pianist Herbie Hancock and saxophonist Michael Brecker for Directions In Music at the 45th Grammys. Throughout his illustrious career, he performed as a solo artist and also collaborated on numerous recordings with notable musicians including Common, D'Angelo, and John Mayer, among others. Hargrove will remembered for his dynamic performance style that captivated both his peers and fans alike. The jazz community has lost one of its greats, and he will be dearly missed."

Hargrove had been scheduled to perform on Saturday, November 3, in a jazz vespers service at Bethany Baptist Church in Newark, N.J., as part of the TD James Moody Jazz Festival.

He is survived by his wife, singer and producer Aida Brandes; a daughter from a previous relationship, Kamala Hargrove; his mother, Jacklyn Hargrove; and his younger brother, Brian Hargrove.

Next Column: November 11, 2018
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Laura Deni

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