Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: November 5, 2023
By: Laura Deni
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DAVIS AND McQUILLAN IS A GOOFY BIT OF FUN

Peter Davis & James McQuillan, as they are known, think alike - but not like the rest of us.

For instance, their musical comedy play - the tale of Hoight Flagrin and Jack Else, two musical forces destined for great things. Just not necessarily together…

Presented by the Wireless Theatre Company, this production is Written By: Peter Davis & James McQuillan, Edited By: Peter Davis & James McQuillan, Directed By: Peter Davis & James McQuillan, Music By: Peter Davis & James McQuillan. In other words, the two become a one man band.

McQuillan is noted for his appearances on 8 Out of 10 Cats a British comedy panel show which also featured Jeremy Clarkson, David Walliams and Holly Walsh.

Peter Davis is an actor and writer who trained at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts in London and has since appeared in several operas with the English National Opera (London Coliseum), including The Rhinegold, Nixon In China, Salome and Carmen.

David & McQuillan can sing - after all this is a musical - and their voices blend like a frappe. Which ever one of them plays the piano tickles the ivories with aplomb.

The musical is a fun bunch of nonsense.

Eerie music morphs into a snappy spirited opener. This is a story of two men. Hoight, a singer who also plays the piano, explains. He began his "career" performing love songs in a run down shopping center. Surprising many, Jack Else offers Hoight a job with a band. Jack plays the keyboard.

Jack's wife, Linda, died in a crash. He carries Linda's ashes with him where ever he goes. Before each show he dabs a bit of her ashes on his forehead for luck.

Not your typical good luck ritual.

Jack emphasizes his faults to Hoight - difficult to work with, drinking too much, sweating , but boy he could pound those ivories.

The songs are ridiculous:
The sun shines
but the rain it seems is never far behind
I'm gonna get you wet tonight.

Jack's inability to move on from Linda's death bothers Hoight. He feels that Linda is coming between them.

They decided to set sail for the "land of opportunity" - from England to America. First stop is New Orleans.

"Good evening, New Orleans!" The audience responds in silence.

His song "Georgianna" is about an ex-girlfriend. "For two years I fed her, and fed her and fed her until the police came and took her away."

Some of this makes absolutely no sense. Yet, you're compelled to listen and laugh.

Jack was drinking more and more and Hoight found himself spending more and more time with Linda - or what was left of her.

Finally, he couldn't take it any more and took Linda to the woods and scattered her. He tells Jack, "Now she is at peace."

Hoight spent "3 weeks and 7 days wandering around New Orleans trying to figure out what to do."

He announced he has to leave and asks Jack for playing off music.

Hoight boarded a boat bound for somewhere. After four hours he realized there was a hole in it and he was sinking.

He is rescued by The Salty Whistler - a pirate ship. They set said for adventure.

"If you want to find out what happened to me on that crazy ship then tune in next week."

Except, there is no "next week."

If you desire to laugh for absolutely no logical reason at all - then tune in to David & McQuillan.

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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

SIX TAKES A FIELD TRIP

Left to right: actors in character as Catherine of Aragon, Anne Boylen, Jane Seymour, Anne of Cleves, Catherine Howard and Catherine Parr. The show's run at The Kings coincided with the 40th Anniversary of the ship, The Mary Rose, going on display to the public in Portsmouth’s Historic Dockyard. Phot0: Mary Rose Museum

in collaboration with The Kings Theatre, Portsmouth, England the Mary Rose museum was visited by the touring cast of the hit stage musical Six.

Dressed in their magnificent and sparkling costumes, the six queens went into into the ship's hall to unite with King Henry VIII's other woman, his beloved Mary Rose. "The queens entered the ship hall with amazement as they gazed upon the beauty of our beloved ship," the museum said in their release. " What Henry's reaction would have been to all of his queens and his favorite ship being together in the same room would no doubt be just as spectacular as the musical!"

"The unique opportunity was witnessed by a number of passionate Six fans across all three of the museum's viewing decks, with onlookers on the lower deck keen to grab selfies with the musical's stars. This was truly magnificent occasion and we would welcome back these wonderful queens in a heartbeat."

The touring Queens are played by Nicole Louise Lewis (Catherine of Aragon), Laura Dawn Pyatt (Anne Boleyn), Erin Caldwell (Jane Seymour), Kenedy Small (Anna of Cleves), Lou Henry (Katherine Howard) and Aoife Haakenson (Catherine Parr). Izi Maxwell, Tamara Morgan and Ellie Jane Grant have joined the cast as Alternates, with Super Swing / Dance Captain Shakira Simpson.

Six is now on stage through November 13 at the Lighthouse, Poole before opening November 14 at the Princess Theatre, Torquay for shows through November 18, 2023.

The Mary Rose was King Henry VIII's favorite warship, in his "Army by Sea", built in Portsmouth. Launched in 1511, the Mary Rose would go on to fight in wars against France and Scotland in a career spanning 34 years.

On 19th July 1545, during the Battle of the Solent, the Mary Rose sank with the loss of around 500 soldiers and sailors. Despite it happening in full view of the French and English fleets, there is still debate as to why she sank. A huge team of divers, archaeologists and scientists was involved in raising the Mary Rose. Amateurs and professionals alike were dedicated to the cause, and the project broke new ground in diving and conservation techniques.

From the objects recovered we can piece together what kind of life the sailors may have had. The Mary Rose offers us a unique glimpse into life in Tudor times. Over 19,000 objects were recovered from the seabed, see a selection of them in the Mary Rose Museum artefact gallery.

FASHION CITY: HOW JEWISH LONDONERS SHAPED GLOBAL STYLE is now open at the London Museum.

Immerse yourself in twentieth century London, from the tailor's workshops of the East End to the couture showrooms of the West End where every stitch tells a truly unique story.

Step inside a traditional tailor’s workshop in the East End and immerse yourself in the glitz and glamour of a Carnaby Street boutique at the height of the Swinging Sixties – when London was the world's fashion capital.

For the first time, this exhibition will uncover the major contribution of Jewish designers in making London an iconic fashion city. Discover the stories behind the Jewish fashion makers who became leaders in their industries, founded retail chains still on the high street today, and dressed the rich and famous – including David Bowie, Princess Diana and Mick Jagger.

Learn about the contribution of key figures, such as renowned wedding dress designer Netty Spiegel, master milliner Otto Lucas, the epitome of British flamboyance Mr Fish, and living legend David Sassoon.

Fashion City brings together places and spaces in London with fashion and textiles, oral histories, objects and photography to weave this fascinating history, where every stitch tells a truly unique story.

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SWEET CHARITY

QUEEN CAMILLA AND KING CHARLES

King Charles and Queen Camilla meet and pet rhino Raha. Photo Wildlife Trust.

Queen Camilla feeds baby elephant Mzinga. Photo: Wildlife Trust

long protectors of wild elephants, got up close and personal with a few during their recent trip to the Nairobi National Park in South Africa to see the work of the Sheldrick Wildlife Trust Elephant Orphanage.

The organization is known for its work rescuing and rehabilitating orphaned elephants and rhinos amidst the threat of poaching and the loss of their habitat. After viewing a mud-bath area, Camilla bottle fed a calf as first posted in a social media video by the Daily Express Royal Correspondent Richard Palmer, the Queen is shown holding a bottle of milk while the elephant takes a drink and the Trust staff assist.

The royal couple also petted a baby rhino.

The Sheldrick Wildlife Trust operates an orphan elephant rescue and wildlife rehabilitation program in Kenya. It was founded in 1977 by Dame Daphne Sheldrick to honor her late husband, founding Warden of Tsavo East National Park, David Sheldrick. Since 2001, it has been run by their daughter, Angela Sheldrick. Thus far, the organization has successfully raised 316 orphan elephants as well as 17 rhinos. The organization is a pioneer in the rescue and hand-raising of orphaned baby elephants and rhinos, through to their reintegration to the wild when grown.

"This project offers hope for the future of Kenya’s threatened elephant and rhino populations as they struggle against the threat of poaching for their ivory and horn, and the loss of habitat due to human population pressures, conflict, deforestation and drought," Buckingham Palace said in a statement about the visit.

"We were honored to welcome King Charles III and Queen Camilla to our Nairobi Nursery this afternoon," stated the organization.

"Their Majesties were received by Angela Sheldrick, Robert Carr-Hartley, and several members of our team, including James Mbuthia, SWT Habitat Protection Officer; George Mwau Muthui, SWT Operations Commander; and Head Keeper Edwin Lusichi and the Nursery Keepers. As you can see, the orphaned elephants and little Raha were delighted to meet the King and Queen, too!," was the post referring to the photograph.

"President Ruto invited Their Majesties to Kenya as our nation prepares to celebrate 60 years of independence. Both the King and Queen are highly dedicated environmentalists. As joint presidents of Elephant Family, a charity dedicated to preserving endangered Asian wildlife, they already champion our pachyderm cousins, the Asian elephant.

"During their visit to our Nairobi Nursery, we were able to discuss issues that impact both species, namely coexistence and the management of wild spaces, and share more about our conservation work to protect Kenya’s wildlife and support the communities who live alongside them. Their Majesties also had the opportunity to meet the orphaned elephants in our care. Mzinga was particularly curious, as was Raha!"

An orphan elephant, rhino or giraffe can be "adopted" for yourself or as a gift - offering life and hope to an animal in need.

Helping the world’s elephant population is something that is particularly close to Camilla’s heart as her late brother, Mark Shand, founded conservation charity Elephant Family in 2002 to help elephants and Asian wildlife. Shand died in 2014 from a freak accident while in New York City overseeing the Faberge Big Egg Hunt auction at Sotheby's in New York to raise money for his elephant charity. Shaud slipped and smashed his head when he left the £1million fundraiser.

His book Travels on My Elephant became a bestseller and won the Travel Writer of the Year Award at the British Book Awards in 1992.

His sister Camilla and her husband have continued promote the charity, celebrating its 20-year anniversary at a ball at the start of this year.

The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, known as Sheldrick Wildlife Trust, is a charity in Kenya, a registered charity in England and Wales number 1103836, and is supported by The David Sheldrick Wildlife Trust USA, Inc. a 501(c)3 in the United States.

THE FALL OF THE HOUSE OF USHER online auction takes place November 15 -29, 2023.

With the release of the streaming series, Propstore presents this online auction featuring props and costumes from "The Fall of the House of Usher" in coordination with Intrepid Pictures to benefit SAFE Project. As fans of this mesmerizing adaptation will see, the series captures the essence of Edgar Allan Poe's classic tales like never before.

From hauntingly beautiful costumes worn by the cast to the meticulously crafted props that set the stage for each spine-tingling scene, this auction promises a treasure trove of items that will delight collectors and fans alike.

"The Fall of the House of Usher" creator, Mike Flanagan, talks about the Propstore auction benefitting SAFE Project.

"The Fall of the House of Usher" streaming series is a haunting and visually stunning adaptation of Edgar Allan Poe's timeless Gothic tale. Set in a decaying mansion shrouded in mystery and dread, this series takes viewers on a dark and mesmerizing journey into the depths of psychological horror. With its rich and atmospheric cinematography, the show masterfully captures the eerie ambiance of the Usher family's cursed lineage.

To celebrate, Propstore will be auctioning of over 150 lots from the series. Each lot comes with a Certificate of Authenticity signed by series creator, Mike Flanagan.

Propstore and Intrepid Pictures are proud to announce that proceeds from the Online Auction will benefit SAFE Project - an organization dedicate to Stop the Addiction Fatality Epidemic.

SAFE Project is a national 501(c)(3) nonprofit committed to overcoming the addiction epidemic in the United States. Established in 2017 by Admiral James and Mary Winnefeld after the tragic loss of their 19-year-old son Jonathan due to an opioid overdose, SAFE Project aims to save lives impacted by substance use and mental health challenges through overdose prevention and response, education on stigma, and development of prevention and recovery programs. SAFE Project also provides tailored guidance and training within its four key initiatives: SAFE Campuses, SAFE Communities, SAFE Workplaces, and SAFE Veterans.

100% of Intrepid Pictures net proceeds from the auction. will be donated to SAFE Project.

Bidding begins on Wednesday, November 15th.

LIGHTS! CAMERA! ANTE UP! CELEBRITY POKER TOURNAMENT hosted by Tony winner Bryan Cranston, benefiting the Entertainment Community Fund, takes place Sunday, November 12, 2023 at Candela La Brea in Los Angeles.

Proceeds will help support film and TV workers who have been affected by the ongoing work stoppage.

The Texas Hold’em poker tournament will showcase elite-level poker players with some of Hollywood's finest contenders. Among the confirmed attendees are Jason Alexander, Adam Carolla, Tony Denison, Hunter Doohan, Andy Garcia, Jon Hamm, Amy Landecker, Peter MacKenzie, Camryn Manheim, Steve Mason, Kevin Nealon, Mekhi Phifer, Kevin Pollak, Krysten Ritter, and Bradley Whitford.

The Entertainment Community Fund, formerly The Actors Fund, is a national human services organization that addresses the unique needs of people who work in performing arts and entertainment with services focused on health and wellness, career and life, and housing.

THE DRAMA LEAGUE GALA takes place November 13, 2023 at the The Edison Ballroom, NYC.

Honoring their 2023 Arts Ally Award Recipient, Jeffrey Richards.

Guests will enjoy a lively cocktail reception, followed by an elegant three-course dinner and show-stopping performances and appearances from the upcoming Broadway season — co-directed by Tony nominee Sheryl Kaller and Ben Villegas Randle.

Embrace The Season "sneak peeks" of Broadway productions to come. The evening will include Tony and Drama League Award Winner Annaleigh Ashford; Lindsay Mendez; Andrew Durand; Betsy Aidem; special glimpses into the upcoming Broadway musicals How To Dance In Ohio and Water For Elephants; and a series of tributes to 2023 Embrace The Season Gala Honoree, producer Jeffrey Richards, from Tony Award-winning director Diane Paulus, Tony Award Winner Danny Burstein, and Tony nominees Norm Lewis and Jessica Hecht, among others.

SPREADING THE WORD

AUSTRALIAN THEATRE LIVE STREAMS INTO THE UNITED STATES Based on the east coast of Australia, Australian Theatre Live (ATL) is a not-for-profit arts organization that records and distributes Australian live performances. Through doing so, ATL is preserving a state-of-the-art archive of its playwright, performing, and stage production heritage (much like the Theatre on Film and Tape Archive at the New York Public Library). Their groundbreaking digital subscription platform ATL On Demand launched in October 2022, expanding access to arts and culture while sharing Australian theatre with the world. This innovative platform hosts a growing catalog of the best of Australian theatre, allowing access to the work of the country’s greatest artists on an international stage.

Thanks to support from the International Cultural Diplomacy Arts Fund (ICDAF), the Department of Foreign Affairs & Trade, Minister Tony Burke, and the Federal Office of the Arts, ATL will make its international debut this month. Creative Director Grant Dodwell and Producers Lucy Clements and Emma Wright look forward to connecting with American audiences, education institutions, and arts professionals as they introduce ATL On Demand, and build an exciting new pathway for cultural exchange between Australia and the US. Through two public screenings, they celebrate the global Premiere of Indigenous artist Dylan Van Den Berg’s Whitefella Yella Tree, a Griffin Theatre Company production, in November 2023.

Whitefella Yella Tree will make its US debut at the Australian Embassy in Washington, DC on November 13, followed by its New York debut as part of the Australian Theatre Festival, on November 16. The events are free and open to the public, and both screenings will be followed by live Q&A’s with Dodwell, Clements, Wright and playwright Dylan Van Den Berg.

THE HISTORY OF BROADWAY MUSICALS AND DEEP-SEA DIVING part of the Palm Springs Art museum's Mixed Feelings series which pairs two speakers talking about unrelated subjects; you get to make the connections during the Q&A.

Featuring Scott Nevins & Justin Dunnavan.

November 9, 2023. The reception starts at 5:00 p.m. and will feature a cash bar hosted by On The Mark Palm Springs. The lectures will then begin at 6:00 p.m. in the Annenberg Theater.

JOHN CLEESE Come and pay your respects to one of the most iconic and beloved comedians of our time in a night of unparalleled laughter and wit. (Barely) living comedy legend, John Cleese, will offer a live and truly memorable evening of comedy and conversation. With all-new routines shaped by his impeccable timing, trademark eccentricity and clever wordplay, John Cleese demonstrates through observational humor and gifted storytelling how he has achieved nothing short of comedy royalty. This multi-hyphenate performer is best known as co-founder of Monty Python, and is celebrated for his work on Monty Python’s Flying Circus, Monty Python and the Holy Grail, Life of Brian, Fawlty Towers, A Fish Called Wanda, as well as the James Bond and Harry Potter franchises. Thursday, November 9, 2023 at the Muriel Kauffman Theatre in Kansas City, MO.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN has announced that he'll bring his E-Street Band to Ireland for four concerts in May 2024. Shows will take place in Cork, Dublin, Kilkenny and Belfast, as part of his world tour.

Last month the 74-year-old was forced to postpone the remainder of his 2023 tour to the land of his family's heritage so he could concentrate on recovering from peptic ulcers.

According to published reports, ten years ago the Irish Family History Centre was commissioned to research the Irish roots of Bruce Springsteen, whose immigrant ancestors were the Gerrity family of Rathangan, Co. Kildare, with additional connections to the Kelly, Farrell and McNicholas families.

They found that between 1851 and 1854, the Gerrity family emigrated and settled in Monmouth, New Jersey.

Their investigation of the family has revealed that Springsteen’s great grandfather (x3) Christy Gerrity was a traditional musician, and well-regarded as a fife player.

"Upon arriving in New Jersey, Christy performed with Captain Mount’s 'Monmouth Blues'," the Centre explained.

2023 EARTHSHOT PRIZE CEREMONY takes place in Singapore on November 7, 2023 with Prince Williams doing the honors.

Fifteen innovators are on the shortlist and five will be announced as winners. Each will receive £1 million (about $1.2 million) to develop their products. This year’s event will be hosted by Ted Lasso star Hannah Waddingham.

The winners of the five categories will be announced by Academy Award-winning actor and Earthshot Prize council member Cate Blanchett, South African actress Nomzamo Mbatha, wildlife conservationist Robert Irwin and To All the Boys star Lana Condor. The A-list affair will also feature musical performances from Bastille, OneRepublic and the Voices of Singapore choral society.

TEATRO GRATTACIELO in partnership with The Consulate General of Greece in New York, continues its 2022-23 Season with The 10 Faces of Maria Callas on Thursday, November 16, 2023 at the Greek Orthodox Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, in New York City. This musical storytelling journey pays tribute to the greatest achievements of Greek-American soprano Maria Callas, marking her 100th birthday anniversary in a spectacular manner.

Cast: Alla Milchtein, pianist - Sasha Gutierrez, soprano - Melina Jaharis, mezzo soprano - Victoria Davis, soprano - Eugenia Forteza, mezzo soprano - Samuel White, tenor - Stephanie Rivero, soprano.

Teatro Grattacielo was founded in 1995 in New York City with a mission to preserve and perform lesser-known Italian operas.

AN INVITATION-ONLY READING of When We Touch takes place Thursday, November 16 at Open Jar Studios in New York City.

A Mother's battle between State and Son.

A workshop presentation for the developing Reed Luplau and Jacob Yates dance narrative, When We Touch, - a Historical drama told through the magic of music and dance. With music and lyrics by queer artist 'LP', and the backdrop being East Berlin, 1989, the show celebrates the fight for freedom and the endurance of humanity.

Opposing the communist German Democratic Republic, the city and its people have erupted in one of the biggest protests in East German history. Exactly one week before the fall of the Berlin Wall, When We Touch follows a queer son named Elias, whose mother, Eleanor, a dedicated Stasi Agent, does all she can to defend her country. Elias knows no other life besides the strict rules of the state. Born into the cold conflict and after multiple run-ins with the communist law, Elias's desire for liberation is growing rapidly. As freedom flirts behind a thirteen-foot wall, Elias is ready to take action. Along with his lover, Jasper, and their close circle of eccentric friends, they conceive a plan of escape. Unbeknownst to Elias, his mother is always listening.

The hour long reading will be performed by Jacqueline B. Arnold, Hannah Corneau, Gaby Diaz, Karli Dinardo, Daniel Gaymon, Stephen Hernandez, Bahiyah Hibah, Melissa Rose Hirsch, Gabriel Hyman, Kody Jauron, Kolton Krouse, Andre Malcolm, Olivia Puckett, Bobby Conte Thornton, and Jena VanElslander.

The production features musical arrangements and direction by Jacob Yates, production design by Sarina Rivera, and costume design by DW.

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

SPENDING ON POLITICAL ADVERTISING ahead of the 2024 election reached $1.06 billion on October 27, 2023 -- a significant increase over the $640 million spent at this point in the last presidential election cycle, AdImpact reports.

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MERYL STREEP was one of the laureates receiving The Princess of Asturias Awards.

Awarded annually by the foundation named for Spanish Crown Princess Leonor, the awards are among the most important in the Spanish-speaking world.

The awards are a series of annual prizes awarded in Spain by the Princess of Asturias Foundation to individuals, entities or organizations from around the world who make notable achievements in the sciences, humanities, and public affairs.

They are presented at an academic ceremony held each year in Oviedo, capital of the Principality of Asturias. The Foundation’s aims are to contribute to extolling and promoting those scientific, cultural and humanistic values that form part of the universal heritage of humanity and to consolidate the existing links between the Principality of Asturias and the title traditionally held by the heirs to the Crown of Spain.

Besides Meryl Streep others honored at the ceremony were bestselling Japanese author Haruki Murakami, who won the literature prize and US biologists Jeffrey Gordon, Peter Greenberg and Bonnie Bassler, who received the Scientific and Technical Research Prize. Bassler received her PhD, from Princeton University, and Greenberg earned his from the University of Washington in Seattle.

Dr. Jeffrey Gordon, who received his medical degree from the University of Chicago, is currently Professor of Microbiology at Washington University in St. Louis, MO.

Gordon has spearheaded the study of the human microbiome, the set of microorganisms that inhabit our intestines (tens of trillions: several times more than the total number of our own cells), and their influence on human health, not only in nutrition, digestion and metabolism (diabetes, obesity, malnutrition), but also in the immune and neurological development of children and young people.

Bassler and Greenberg are pioneers in the study of inter-bacterial communication through the emission of certain substances and how the formation of large groups generates behaviour which differs from that produced when they are isolated. This is called ‘quorum sensing’ (a term coined by Greenberg in a 1994 scientific article).

Sports award winner was Kenyan marathon legend Eliud Kipchoge. Scottish charity group Mary’s Meals won the Concord Award for its work feeding schoolchildren facing extreme poverty across the globe. The Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi) was honored with the International Cooperation Distinction Award.

French historian Hélène Carrère d’Encausse and Italian author and philosopher Nuccio Ordine, who both died earlier this year, won the Social Sciences Award and the Communication and Humanities Prize. French writer Emmanuel Carrere, son of late French historian, Helene Carrere D'Encausse, receives in his mother's award.

Each winner receives a total of €50,000, which is divided equally among winners if the prize is shared. They also get a statute designed by the Catalan artist Joan Miró, a diploma and a badge.

The Princess of Asturias Awards. Photo: Asturias Awards

Previous winners have come from a total of 63 countries. Although Spaniards have received the most, 85 people from the US have been recognized, 34 from the UK, 23 from France, 19 from Mexico, 15 from Germany and 14 from Italy, among other countries.

During her acceptance speech Streep, who wore a smart black suit, spoke about the empathy that actors and audiences must feel for people on screen or stage who look - or sound - different to themselves.

The 73-year-old actor who has won three Oscars for her work in Kramer vs. Kramer; Sophie’s Choice and The Iron Lady, stressed that empathy is important in everyday life.

"Empathy may be a radical form of outreach and diplomacy useful in other theatres of endeavor. In our world, in our increasingly hostile, volatile world, I hope we might take to heart another rule every actor is taught, that is: it is all about listening."

Spanish film director Pedro Almodóvar, who nominated Streep, said: "Few actresses in American film history have the versatility of Meryl Streep, an actress with a wide range of registers and a mastery of all genres, including comedy, drama and musicals, among others. She does it all so well and all so naturally and truthfully. Meryl Streep is a truly worthy recipient of this year’s Princess of Asturias Award for the Arts."

Prior to the awards ceremony TM the King and Queen of Spain, accompanied by TRH the Princess of Asturias and Infanta Sofía, presided over the 31st Princess of Asturias Awards Concert in the Prince Felipe Auditorium in Oviedo.

The Princess of Asturias Foundation Choir performed alongside the Principality of Asturias Symphony Orchestra (OSPA) under the baton of Martyn Brabbins who is the Music Director of the English National Opera and Prince Consort Professor of Conducting at the Royal College of Music. The program comprised Fantasia on a Theme by Thomas Tallis and Dona nobis pacem, both by Ralph Vaughan Williams. The concert featured soloists Verity Wingate (soprano) and Paul Grant (baritone).

The final rehearsal was open to the public. The Princess of Asturias Foundation made one thousand free tickets available to the general public for that rehearsal concert.

On a royal note; Tuesday, October 31, 2023 marked Princess Leonor's 18th birthday. The elder daughter of King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia is heir to the throne and has now come of age. Her birthday was marked by a formal ceremony in the Spanish Parliament, at which she will swear allegiance to the Constitution before receiving the medals of Congress and the Senate. In paying tribute to her daughter, Queen Sofia broke down and cried. The press has taken notice of Leonor's beauty and popularity, even reporting that at the Asturias Awards she wore a classic navy jacket and skirt from Moises Nieto accessorized by a pair of diamond and aquamarine Bulgari earrings, borrowed from her mother’s jewelry collection.

THE 52nd ANNUAL THEATER HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY will take place November 6 at Broadway's Gershwin Theatre. Five-time Tony winner Susan Stroman will host the evening.

The 2023 inductees include actors Mandy Patinkin, Bebe Neuwirth , Judd Hirsch, and Laurie Metcalf; director JoAnne Akalaitis; librettist John Weidman; composer Maury Yeston; and, posthumously, playwright Amiri Baraka. Patinkin will be unable to attend the event due to prior commitments.

Presenters at the by invitation only event produced by Terry Hodge Taylor include actors Jayne Houdyshell and André De Shields, director John Doyle, and producer Rick Elice.

The Theater Hall of Fame was founded in 1970 by James M. Nederlander, Earl Blackwell, and Gerard Oestreicher. To be eligible for nomination, the theatre professional must have at least 25 years in the American theatre, five major productions, or be a leader of Off-Broadway or a regional theatre pioneer. The more-than-250 voters are past Hall of Fame inductees as well as members of the American Theater Critics Association.



INHERIT THE WIND by Jerome Lawrence and Robert E. Lee.

Directed by Michael Michetti.

Starring Alfred Molina as Henry Drummond, John Douglas Thompson as Matthew Harrison Brady, and Chris Perfetti as E.K. Hornbeck.

Two of the nation’s leading lawyers go head-to-head in the ultimate battle of wit, wisdom, and will in this powerful drama. With freedom of speech hanging in the balance, will this small-town courtroom bring us together or tear the nation apart? In a fresh production boldly reimagined for today, Inherit the Wind will make you rethink what you know and dare you to question just how much society has evolved.

The production features a cast of 17, including Abubakr Ali as Bertram Cates, David Aaron Baker as Reverend Jeremiah Brown, and Rachel Hilson as Rachel Brown.

The full cast is rounded out by Jared Bybee as Dunlap/Reporter/Radio Man, Brian Calì as Meeker/Photographer/Townsperson, Marlene Forte as Mrs. Brady, Matt Gomez Hidaka as Howard Blair, Thomas Hobson as Tom Davenport/Reporter, Michael Kostroff as Mayor/Reporter, John W. Lawson as Bannister/Reporter, Phillip J. Lewis as Sillers/Reporter, Gabriella Pizzigoni as Melinda Loomis, Rene Rivera as Judge/Reporter/Townsperson, and Pam Trotter as Mrs. Krebs.

The creative team includes Sara Ryung Clement (Costume Designer), Omar Madkour (Lighting Designer), Jeff Gardner (Sound Designer), Darryl Archibald (Vocal Arranger), Jeffrey Bernstein (Vocal Director), Miranda Johnson-Haddad (Dramaturg), and Casting by RBT Casting (Ryan Bernard Tymensky, CSA and Rose Bochner, CSA).

With Courtroom Seating, available in the Onstage Gallery or in the Jury Box, audience members will get to be part of the story. While these seats are part of the courtroom in Inherit the Wind, this is not an interactive play, so attendees will not be asked to participate in the action. It’s all part of the magic of Inherit the Wind.

Jury Box Seating, located at the foot of the stage, will be available as a Lottery offering .

Inherit the Wind is made possible in part by the Pasadena Arts & Culture Commission and the City of Pasadena Cultural Affairs Division. Additional production support provided by The Sheri and Les Biller Family Foundation.

Press opening on November 5, 2023 with performances through November 26, 2023 at the Pasadena Playhouse in Pasadena, CA.

DREAMGIRLS book & lyrics by Tony Award winner Tom Eyen, with music by Henry Krieger .

Directed by Lili-Anne Brown.

Choreographer is Breon Arzell.

Music Director Christie Chiles Twillie.

Stars rise and fall… but dreams live forever! A 1960s Motown girl group catches its big break during an amateur competition. But will their friendship—and their music—survive the rapid rise from obscurity to pop super stardom? With dazzling costumes and powerhouse vocal performances, this Tony and Grammy Award-winning musical sizzles with sparkling spirit and dance. Featuring the unforgettable hits "And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going" and "One Night Only."

Deena will be played by Ta-Tynisa Wilson. Lorrell will be played by Keirsten Hodgens. Effie will be played by Trejah Bostic. Curtis will be played by Evan Tyrone Martin. CC will be played by Jos N. Banks. Jimmy will be played by Mykal Kilgore. Marty will be played by Robert Cornelius.

The ensemble will feature Chuckie Benson, Shantel Cribbs, Arnold Harper II, Alia Hodge, Alfred E. Jackson, Diva LaMarr, Melanie Loren, Kwame M. Remy (Broadway: Members of the Choir, Baby Fat Act1), Aalon Smith, Montria Walker (Off-Broadway: The Cotillion, Sistas The Musical), and Jalisa Williams.

Swings for this production are Joel Oliver and Sierra Wilson.

The creatives are: Music Direction will be by Christie Chiles Twillie. Scenic Design will be by Arnel Sancianco. Costume Design will be by Samantha C. Jones. Lighting Design will be by Jason Lynch. Sound Design will be by Jay Hilton who has designed countless productions at both The Terris Theatre and The Goodspeed and serves as Goodspeed’s Audio Supervisor/Resident Sound Designer. Wig design will be by Earon Nealey (Broadway: Fat Ham). Orchestrations will be by Mark G. Meadows. Jamie Berry will be the Production Stage Manager. Casting for this production is by Amber Snead, CSA, for ARC.

Dreamgirls will run November 10th – December 30th, 2023 at Goodspeed Musicals in East Haddam, CT.

TRANSLATIONS the first production in The Friel Project, a retrospective of the work of renowned Irish playwright Brian Friel, celebrating Irish Rep’s 35th Anniversary.

Directed by Tony Award winner Doug Hughes.


The cast of Translations will include Raffi Barsoumian, Owen Campbell, Rufus Collins, John Keating, Owen Laheen, Seán McGinley, Seth Numrich, Oona Roche, Erin Wilhelmi and Mary Wiseman.

Translations will feature scenic design by Charlie Corcoran, costume design by Alejo Vietti, lighting design by Michael Gottlieb, sound design by Ryan Rumery & M. Florian Staab, original music by Ryan Rumery, and properties by Deirdre Brennan. Conor Bagley is the Associate Director, James Fitzsimmons is the Production Stage Manager, and Shanna Allison is the Stage Manager. Casting is by JZ Casting, Geoff Josselson, CSA and Katja Zarolinski, CSA.

A limited run through Sunday December 3, 2023, on the Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage at Irish Repertory Theatre, New York City.

FREIGHT: THE FIVE INCARNATIONS OF ABEL GREEN written by Howard L. Craft.

Directed by Joseph Megel.

Starring J. Alphonse Nicholson

Nicholson reprises his off-Broadway, tour-de-force star turn as five versions of an African American everyman who travels through time in different incarnations, including a 19th Century minstrel, a faith healer, an FBI informant, a struggling actor, and an out-of-work mortgage broker. In each life, Abel is guided, distracted, helped or hindered by a handful of characters with whom his destiny is forever intertwined. We meet each new iteration of Abel Green on a train, which changes in appearance in accordance with each time period and serves as a link between dimensions.

Inspired by the painting Slow Down Freight Train by Rose Piper, the play started out as a 10-minute monologue for North Carolina’s “Activated Art at the Ackland” series. That scene was later expanded in collaboration with Megel and Nicholson to create the current, full-length production.

The creative team for Freight at the Fountain includes scenic designer Joel Daavid; lighting designer Alison Brummer, sound designer Marc Antonio Pritchett; video designer Eamonn Farrell; costume designer Danyele Thomas; and props designer Rebecca Carr. The production stage manager is Kaitlyn R. Cramer.

The limited 21-performance run takes place November 12 through December 16, at the Fountain Theatre in Los Angeles.

WAR WORDS a world premiere production of a new docu-play by Michelle Kholos Brooks.

Directed by NewYorkRep Artistic Director Sarah Norris.

War Words is a docu-play in the words of the men and women who served in the U.S. Military during the Afghanistan and Iraq wars. Based on the playwright’s interviews with veterans of the 20-year Long War and their families, War Words is composed of heroic and heartbreaking stories of the veterans, families, and allies of people who served: those who came home, and those who were left behind. The playwright and NewYorkRep have felt that there was always a need for civilians to better understand the motivation and sacrifice one makes to serve. For the company of War Words, NewYorkRep has assembled a company of actors comprised of United States military veterans as well as veteran New York stage and television actors: David Alan Basche, Maggie Bofill, United States Army Veteran Donald Calliste, John Concado, Operation Iraqi Freedom War Veteran Jennean Farmer, Bethany Geraghty, Brandon Jones, Kevin Loreque, Matthew Nikitow, Haythem Noor, Alysia Reiner, John Siciliano, Jakob Von Eichel, and Stephen Tyrone Williams.

The scenic design is by Brian Dudkiewicz; costume design by Julia Squier; lighting design by Elaine Wong; sound design by Janet Bentley and Andy Evan Cohen; choreography by Sarah Grace Houston; percussion orchestration by Mariana Ramirez; percussion and additional orchestrations by Andrew Beal. Kleo Mitrokostas is Production Manager. Madeleine Blossom is Production Stage Manager. The Casting Director is Gama Valle, Bass/Valle Casting.

Retired US Army General David H. Petraeus experienced an early workshop presentation of War Words offering the following endorsement: "Few Americans enjoy close, personal relationships with service men and women and their families, and that fact risks veterans remaining at arms-length. This gap is no one's fault or dereliction. It exists as a natural consequence of the fact that proportionally fewer and fewer Americans serve in the military, and those who do are mostly concentrated in small geographies across the country. … That's where the play, War Words, comes to bear. It is an inspiring and entertaining work that gets right after this ‘affinity gap and serves the civic purpose for Veterans Day. … I do not want to glorify war…just service. Because as one of the final lines in this exceptional production notes, 'War will break your heart.' …Few movies or plays have ever captured all of this for me as War Words."

NewYorkRep, in association with New Light Theater Project, presents War Words in a limited six-week engagement, launching Veteran’s Day weekend, November 10, and runs through December 17 at A.R.T./New York. Opening night is November 14, 2023.

MAMA MAMA CAN'T YOU SEE Written by Stan Mayer and Cecilia Fairchild.

Directed and choreographed by Zachary Reeve Davidson.

Starring Marguerite French, Julián Juaquín, Kathleen Leary, Stephanie Lee, Stan Mayer, Carene Rose Mekertichyan, Ryan Nebreja, Zack Rocklin-Waltch, Hannah Trujillo.

There is no "I" or "me" in combat. Dangerously imaginative Coin & Ghost theater company presents Mama Mama Can’t You See, an explosive new play about human connection and the mythology of war written by ex-Marine Stan Mayer and Cecilia Fairchild.

Highly physical, sensual, funny, angry and surreal, Mama Mama was inspired by playwright Stan Mayer’s life as a U.S. Marine. But don’t get it twisted: this is not a play about war. Rather, it’s a play about how to tell a war story.

In addition to Mayer, Mama Mama introduces us to three Marines from the war in Iraq, played by Julián Juaquín, Ryan Nebreja and Zack Rocklin-Waltch, and four sex workers from the U.S. Civil War (the only war in which America faced off against itself), portrayed by Marguerite French, Kathleen Leary, Carene Rose Mekertichyan, Hannah Trujillo and swing Stephanie Lee, who join together across time to help Stan recount events that took place in Haditha, Iraq on May 7th, 2005: an explosion and the ensuing firefight that killed four of his buddies, including his best friend, Lance. The play is set inside that explosion, or as one of the characters says, "in the cacophony of time that gets crammed into the last moment of your life." It was half a lifetime ago, but the remembering makes it now, and through the act of remembering, the characters (including Mayer, played by the real-life Stan) start to blur the boundaries of time, space, truth — and death itself.

The Coin & Ghost creative team includes scenic designer Elisa Rosin; lighting designer Joey Guthman; sound designer Joseph “Sloe” Slawinski; costume designer Athena Lawton; and intimacy director Carly D. Weckstein. The production manager is Veronica Bowers and the production stage manager is Mads Felder.

Coin & Ghost is a Los Angeles-based company dedicated to adventurous and accessible theater that inspires empathy, imagination and community through creative works and education programs rooted in cultural mythologies.

Warning: Mama Mama Can’t You See contains vivid descriptions of war and violence that may be triggering to some audiences, particularly those with combat experience and/or post-traumatic stress disorder. The production makes use of explicit/graphic language, simulated sex acts, herbal cigarettes, theatrical haze, strobe lighting effects and sudden loud sounds. Recommended for mature audiences ages 16 and up.

Mama Mama Can’t You See runs from November 10 (the official birthday of the U.S. Marines) through December 10, 2023 at Studio/Stage in Los Angeles, CA.

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FINAL OVATION

MATTHEW PERRY who gained international fame playing Chandler on Friends died at his home in Los Angeles on October 28, 2023. He was 54.

While known for his television and movie work, Perry performed in the West End in 2016 in his play, The End of Longing, at the Playhouse Theatre. It became the most successful play in the history of the Playhouse Theatre despite tepid reviews from critics. Perry made structural revisions to the play since its 2016 London premiere, condensing it from two acts into one. Perry then made his New York play-writing and acting debut with the MCC Theater production, officially opening at the Lucille Lortel Theatre on June 5, 2017.

Lindsay Posner, who also directed the West End production, staged the American premiere. In addition to Perry the play that co-stared Jennifer Morrison, Quincy Dunn-Baker, and Sue Jean Kim.

The play sees four strangers walk into a bar—an alcoholic, an escort, a self-diagnosed neurotic, and a well-intentioned dimwit. "Broken and deeply flawed, they find their lives irreversibly entwined no matter how hard they try to break free of one another," was the official description.

The play had scenic design by Tony winner Derek McLane, costume design by Sarah Laux, lighting design by two-time Tony nominee Ben Stanton, and sound design by Ryan Rumery. Castingwas by Telsey + Co/William Cantler, C.S.A.

In 2003 Perry and British actress Kelly Reilly performed a scene from the West End play Sexual Perversity in Chicago at The Comedy Theatre in London.

He suffered from demons he couldn't overcome and was honest and forthright is telling his own story.

He had relationships with numerous high-profile women including Julia Roberts, Minnie Driver and Lizzy Caplan. From 2020 to 2021, he was engaged to Molly Hurwitz, a talent manager.

He is survived by his mother Suzanne Perry, his father John Bennett Perry, step-father Keith Morrison, who has been a correspondent for Dateline NBC, since 1995, and five half-siblings.

ROBERT BRUSTEIN the founder of both the Yale Repertory Theatre (YRT) and the American Repertory Theater (ART), died October 29, 2023 at his home in Cambridge, MA. He was 96 years old.

Brustein earned a bachelor’s from Amherst and a master’s and Ph.D. from Columbia. A Fulbright scholar, he taught at Cornell, Vassar and Columbia, where he taught drama. He was dean of the Yale School of Drama from 1966-1979 and during that time founded the Yale Repertory Theatre. In 1979 he jumped to Harvard, where he taught English and founded the American Repertory Theatre in 1980. Then in 1987, he founded the Institute for Advanced Theatre Training, a two-year graduate program. He retired as artistic director from A.R.T. in 2002 but continued serving as its founding director.

For more than 50 years he reviewed productions for The New Republic, and contributed to countless books, newspapers, and magazines in his mission to support "non-pandering" theatre outside of the for-profit segment.

Brustein authored 16 books, countless plays and theatrical adaptations, and an anthology of medical satire.

He won multiple honors, including the George Polk Award for Journalism and an award for distinguished service to the arts from the American Academy of Arts and Letters. He was also inducted into the Theatre Hall of Fame. In 2010, he was awarded the Medal of Arts by President Barack Obama at the White House and hailed as "a leading force in the development of theater and theater artists in the United States." Other awards included a Fulbright Fellowship, the Guggenheim Fellowship, and multiple George Jean Nathan awards.

Brustein was adamant that theater should be first and foremost an art form, not just a political platform. He started an extended conflict with the African-American playwright August Wilson for declaring that Black people should not participate in colorblind casting but should form their own separatist companies. The pair then verbally squared off in 1997 in a high-profile confrontation at New York’s Town Hall.

He also had issues with playwright Samuel Beckett that nearly brought legal action against ART.

Brustein is survived by his second wife, activist Doreen Beinart; who ran the human rights film program at the Carr Center for Human Rights Policy at the Kennedy School of Government; his son Daniel; his stepson Peter; his stepdaughter Jean; two grandsons; and five step-grandchildren. He is predeceased by his first wife, actor Norma Ofstrock.

DR. TOLTON ROSSER who was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Hame in 1982 recently passed away. His death was announced by the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame.

"In Loving Memory: Remembering a Remarkable Soul. The Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame wants to send our condolences to the friends and family of Dr. Tolton Rosser. Dr. Rosser, also known as "Doc", is a native of Birmingham, AL and was inducted into the Alabama Jazz Hall of Fame in 1982. Rosser worked two years with vibraphonist Lionel Hampton's Band in the 1950's. He traveled the U.S playing lead trumpet with jazz man, Gate Mouth Moore. Rosser also traveled overseas with the Special Forces Band Symphonic and Jazz bands during the Korean War. We extend our gratitude to Dr. Rosser for his valuable contribution to both jazz and the community he has dedicated himself to."

Rosser, an Alabama A&M University graduate, was the Director of the Birmingham Heritage Jazz Band, keeping the band playing for over 30 years. He was also the Former Principal Bessemer City School System and Former Adjunctive Professor, Department of Music, Miles College.

DAVID BERGLAS one of the most influential magicians of the 20th century, died in England on November 3, 2023. He was 97.

Berglas perfected the holy grail of magic tricks that even fooled fellow conjurers and took the secret to his grave.

Also known as the International Man of Mystery, he was the first ever magician to have his own program on British television, Meet David Berglas, in 1954. The show was watched by 20 million people. In the 1980s he had a second television series, called The Mind of David Berglas, where he entertained a raft of celebrities, including Omar Sharif, Christopher Lee and Britt Ekland.

In the 1970s he presented a one-hour television special from Las Vegas.

He became a household name for his incredible stunts, one of which included driving a car around London while blindfolded.

Berglas was renowned in magic circles for a trick called the Berglas Effect, with which he could find a spectator's chosen card at any position in a deck of cards, known among magicians as an any card at any number (ACAAN) effect. It is regarded as the holy grail of magic effects.

No version has ever quite topped Berglas's since he perfected it in the late 1940s, which eludes even today's most accomplished magicians. Most other ACAAN tricks - and in fact most card tricks in general - require some manipulation of the deck.

But in Berglas would place the deck on the table and not touch it until the revelation.

'Think of any card and any number', he would ask the spectator. 'The four of spades and 16,' they might say. And then, as if by magic, the spectator would count through 16 cards and find the four of spades to the delight/horror of the bewildered audience.

He didn't set out to become a magician. Determined to be a part of World War II, he discovered that the American Army was urgently looking for suitable recruits for an important role in the denazification of Germany. They had to have some previous military training and to be able to pass strict physical and mental tests. Most importantly they had to speak two languages besides English, one of which had to be fluent German. The required minimum age was 21. Berglas explained that he was only 19 but could meet all the other qualifications. He was accepted into the Intelligence Service of the US Army, serving an 'adventure filled' 18 months at the end of World War II. He then attended Bradford Technical College to study textiles with a view of joining his family business based in Wyke, a village in Bradford, England.

Berglas first became interested in magic in 1947, through a chance meeting with magician Ken Brooke. Magic became an all-absorbing hobby for about five years, during which time he studied psychotherapy, specialising in medical hypnosis.

Berglas was awarded an MBE by the Prince of Wales in 2018 for his services to magic and psychology.

He said upon receiving his award: 'I am delighted to accept this honor but even more pleased that the art of magic has at last been recognized. 'I have spent over 60 years entertaining people in person, on radio and television - 'reading their minds' - but I certainly didn't see this one coming.' Berglas revitalised The Magic Circle society during his tenure as president from 1989-1998. It was under his guiding hand that The Magic Circle elected to admit women to the illusionist society in 1991. His son Marvin Berglas, elected president of The Magic Circle in September this year, said: 'My father was a giant in the magic fraternity, known for his originality, creativity and showmanship. 'His mysteries have not only baffled audiences but also his peers. However, to us, his family, he will always be best remembered as a loving husband, father and grandfather.'

Next Column: November 12, 2023
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Laura Deni

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