Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: October 10, 2021
By: Laura Deni
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DIANA: THE MUSICAL - BRILLIANT PROMOTION: DISASTROUS PRODUCTION

Streaming Diana: The Musical on Netflix before it opens on Broadway is brilliant promotion for a musical nightmare. I watched the streaming Netfiex airing with a friend on their subscription. Had I shelled out money to see this, I would have requested a refund.

Nobody sets out to actually write a bad Broadway show, but this one is a doozy. It will go down in history along with Moose Murders.

In case you haven't heard, Lady Diana Spencer rocketed to HRH princess because she fell into the rare category of still being a virgin at the age of 19. Back in those days members of the royal household needed to marry a virgin so that a past wouldn't come up to haunt them. That meant they were also never to wed a divorced person, since the Church Of England, at that time, didn't accept the possibility that a divorced person could remarry in the church. If your mother is head of the COE and you are also heir to the throne, it becomes incumbent that your mate be never wed and a virgin.

Poor Prince Charles. Just as his aunt Princess Margaret had her life virtually ruined because she wasn't permitted to marry a divorced man, so was Charles told he couldn't marry a divorced woman - that would be the woman he would eventually marry - Camilla Parker-Bowles. Their marraige received a church blessing.

It is their story that will go down in history as one of the world's greatest love stories not his disaster of a first marriage. Even his sons Princes William and Harry in an interview stated that they had talked it over and knew what they were saying - that their parents should never have married.

Yet, delusional romantics persist in trying to make the Charles and Diana get together a love story to remember.

In the case of Diana: The Musical the word "forget" is more appropriate.

The choreography is silly.

The Netflix special was filmed in 2020 without an audience at the Longacre Theater and features the original Broadway cast. It features a book and lyrics written by Memphis’ Joe DiPietro and David Bryan, Come From Away’s Christopher Ashley directs the show. This lesson of this production - constructed by experienced creatives - proves that even the best can have an off day.

Apparently this musical was meant to be a legitimate musical not a camp, spoof, or satirical production. There is a fine line between any of those and belonging in a dust bin.

Embarrassing is also a word which comes to mind.

In an almost gagging official description, the musical is billed as: "Diana is a musical retelling of Princess Diana’s life, from her marriage to Prince Charles and the tabloids’ obsession with her, to the decline of her marriage to the royal heir.

“A princess thrust onto the world stage. The tabloid media captivated by her beauty and vulnerability. The globe’s most celebrated monarchy disrupted. This is the story of the most famous woman of the modern age as she struggles to endure a spotlight brighter than any the world had ever known,” the musical states.

“Leading fiercely with her heart, Princess Diana stood up for her family, her country and herself. She defied expectations, she rocked the royals and she created a legacy that will endure forever.”

They may have tried too hard. They may have emotionally gotten caught up in their own production.

There is no easy fix. In fact, there us no fix.

The mind boggling number of costumes by 6-time Tony winner William Ivey Long are spot on - designed with ingenious escape artist tricks. Diana is a woman who went from dressing like a dowdy housewife in the 40s to femme fatale. Long doesn't invent how he would have dressed Diana. He created exact copies of what she did wear - most of which the public has seen in photographs, news reports or even in person.

In order for William Ivey Long to receive a Tony nomination, the production must officially open.

The stars are experienced, talented and award winning. British actress Jeanna De Waal as Diana, the Princess of Wales, while Roe Hartrampf acts opposite her as Prince Charles. Erin Davie, plays Camilla Parker Bowles, alongside Tony Award-winning Judy Kaye as Queen Elizabeth II and Barbara Cartland.

Decades ago when there was middle of the road, top 40 radio Broadway officials would take a standing ovation musical number from an upcoming show and have a famous romantic/power ballad singer record the song. That record would be played on top 40 stations in advance of the production opening. When names such as Vic Damone, Anthony Newley, John Raitt, Gordon MacRae or Steve Lawrence hit the charts with the recording it meant that show tickets would sell. The musical number had turned a would be Broadway show into a hit before it opened.

In this production there are 21 songs which are neither hummable nor memorable. In fact, the lyrics could win a prize in the "trite and awful" category.

Now top 40 radio is long gone. We are in the era of streaming. It was a genius of a marketing idea to stream this musical before it opened. For the first time ever, a Broadway musical was available to stream at home ahead of its official opening. The streaming could have turned Diana: The Musical into a ticket selling hit - except the show isn't any good and the viewing audience isn't totally dumb.

Unfortunately, that may prove a nail in the promotional coffin of others who might have considered a pre Broadway stream.

That is a pathetic shame. Had Diana: The Musical been worth seeing and first viewed on Netflix, then the box office lines would have burned up the next day with ticket buyers. That would have cinched a pre Broadway stream as the financial marketing tool of the future.

Now, others will think twice before opening up a pre-Broadway production to a streaming audience.

The musical is set to make its Broadway debut on at the Longacre Theater on Wednesday, November 17, 2021, with previews beginning on November 2nd.

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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

AT THE CROSSROADS A FOUNTAIN FOR SURVIVORS building on a body of work artist Pamela Council refers to as ‘Fountains for Black Joy,’ A Fountain for Survivors is both an ode to the ways in which we maintain ourselves and an exuberant life-affirming monument for survivors of all kinds.

Mirroring the spectacular and vibrant vernacular of Times Square itself, Council’s maximalist installation features glimmering fingernails, kinetic illumination, and swaths of bold colors across the extraordinary 18-foot tall carapace — the artwork’s protective, hooded outer shell. Meanwhile, the intimate interior hosting the artist-designed water feature welcomes visitors with a range of sensory experiences including heat, sound, and scent. Council envisions this fountain as an offering to Survivors.

On the topic of definition, Survivors know who they are; no one else can proclaim that for you. Conceived and created during a time when we are socially distanced, my goal with this work is to make a temporary monument that mirrors the experiences of masking & interiority that many have known, and which have now become a part of all of our lives. I started working with acrylic fingernails, that Black femme craft and protective style, over 13 years ago, and they have since become ubiquitous. So, I am most excited about the expressions of imagination that this work already has and will continue to inspire.” — Pamela Council.

Throughout the exhibition, Council and Times Square Arts will be sharing an interview series, virtual workshops, and live performances themed around joy and survival — and in November, a Midnight Moment.

A Fountain for Survivors is commissioned by Times Square Arts with generous support provided by the Rockefeller Brothers Fund; and in part through support from the New York State Council on the Arts and public funds from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council. Council also received NYFA City Corps award for project programming.

October 14 – December 8, 2021 in Duffy Square (Broadway at 46th Street) in New York City.

FIGHTING TALK: ONE BOY'S JOURNEY FROM ABANDONMENT TO TRAFALGAR In this exhibition you can follow the life of eighteenth-century foundling and sailor George King, whose first-hand account of the battle are being shared for the first time in Fighting Talk: One Boy’s Journey from Abandonment to Trafalgar.

Explore the exhibition and uncover his tales of being press-ganged into the Navy, surviving brutal and bloody battles, meeting enslaved people in South Carolina and letting his hair down at the theatre in London’s West End. See unique objects like the original manuscript of King's autobiography, a rare fragment of the flag from Nelson’s coffin, letters between the Hospital’s matron and Lady Emma Hamilton – annotated by Nelson himself – and two rare Naval General Service Medals.

Alongside the exhibition, you can enjoy contemporary artist and photographer Ingrid Pollard's Ship's Tack. Pollard has been reflecting on the Foundling Hospital’s connections with Empire, trade and the Navy, looking at dialogues between past and present, and is showing newly commissioned work that responds directly to George’s autobiography, as well as presenting existing pieces.

October 15, 2021- February 27, 2022 at the Founding Museum in London.

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SWEET CHARITY

4TH ANNUAL WOMEN WHO ROCK BENEFIT CONCERT staged at AE Pittsburgh on Saturday, October 16 and presented by Gibson Gives returns as a live, in-person concert event.

Women Who Rock connects through the power of music and helps educate, support and fund women--centric health research. This year’s annual Women Who Rock Benefit Concert on October 16 will feature performances from singer-songwriter Rita Wilson, Lauren Monroe with Rick Allen of Def Leppard, Orianthi, The Vindys, and DJ Femi. Legendary singer-songwriter-drummer-percussionist and philanthropist Sheila E. will be on-hand to receive the 2021 Women Who Rock Impact Award.

Michele Michaels will return for the fourth year in a row as the emcee. All proceeds from Women Who Rock support the Magee-Women’s Research Institute (MWRI)--the nation's largest research institute dedicated solely to life-saving women's health research.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and Women’s health overall is underfunded and understudied. While most health research has sidestepped sex differences, Magee-Women’s Research Institute (MWRI) a 501c3 is the nation’s largest research institute dedicated solely to women’s health research. In addition, MWRI currently offers 192 studies enrolling 162,000 women in clinical trials all over the world. Researchers at MWRI are working on chemotherapy resistance for the most common form of breast cancer, finding a more effective treatment for triple negative breast cancer, and running more than 20 clinical trials to develop new, personalized treatments for women.

MICHAEL J. FOX will be honored by the AARP for his promotion of Parkinson's research.

Three decades ago the Back to the Future star was diagnosed with Parkinson's, a disorder of the central nervous system. He founded Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research. Fox will be honored with the AARP Purpose Prize award for this work which has funded over $1 billion in global research programs.

The awards ceremony will be held virtually on December 15.

Fox, who is 60 and also travels to speak on behalf of the foundation, is among six people being acknowledged through the AARP Purpose Prize, which is reserved for those aged 50 and up who “give back, tackle societal challenges.” The winners will each receive $50,000 for their organization.

The other five recipients are:
William “Bill” Bracken Founder and culinary director, Bracken’s Kitchen
Raymond A. Jetson Founder and chief executive catalyst, MetroMorphosis
Alan Miller Founder and CEO, News Literacy Project
Ify Anne Nwabukwu Founder and executive director, African Women’s Cancer Awareness Association
Rita Zimmer Founder and executive director, HousingPlus.

TOYS FOR TOTS 2021 Christmas Holiday Campaign has kicked off and runs through Christmas.

U.S. Marines and 35,000+ volunteers, millions of local supporters, hundreds of corporate partners will be conducting 830 local toy collection and distribution campaigns in all 50 states, DC, Puerto Rico, Guam, and U.S. Virgin Islands.

There are an estimated 15 million children living in poverty. The mission of Marine Toys for Tots is to bring the joy of Christmas to less fortunate children with the goal of delivering a message of hope that will inspire youngsters to grow into responsible, productive, patriotic citizens. The objectives include having a positive impact on the development of children, creating or restoring self-esteem, and bringing all elements of communities together in a common cause for three months each year.

Toys for Tots has also announced the expansion of their year-round efforts to provide hope to those less fortunate. During the summer of 2021, they provided one million educational toys, books, and games to the children of COVID-19 impacted families." While we all hoped the pandemic would be in our rearview mirrors soon, we also recognized that the emotional and educational impact it’s had on children will be long lasting. Less fortunate children likely suffered the greatest learning loss by not being able to attend in-person classroom instruction, so Toys for Tots provided toys and books that teach to help them overcome a growing educational gap and stimulate their young minds."

"Toys for Tots is now working diligently with help from its supporters to “refill Santa’s bag of toys” to be able to answer the request of all families with children seeking our support during the holiday period. after all – every child deserves a little Christmas."

SPREADING THE WORD

SIR ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER has disclosed that after he saw the 2019 movie version of Cats he bought an emotional support dog because he was "emotionally damaged" over the adaptation of his work. He composed the original 1980 musical.

Webber told Variety: "I saw it and I just thought, 'Oh God, no.' It was the first time in my 70-odd years on this planet that I went out and bought a dog. So the one good thing to come out of it is my little Havanese puppy."

The 73-year-old went on to explain that he had brought the dog with him to the US on a flight and therefore had to get the animal registered as a therapy pet.

He continued to Variety: “I wrote off and said I needed him with me at all times because I’m emotionally damaged and I must have this therapy dog.

"The airline wrote back and said, ‘Can you prove that you really need him?’ And I said, ‘Yes, just see what Hollywood did to my musical Cats. Then the approval came back with a note saying, ‘No doctor’s report required.’"

SING ALONG WITH SIX that totally delightful hoot of a musical transfer from London to Broadway which is about the six wives of Henry VIII.

In London the production can be enjoyed at the Vaudeville Theatre, where the first singalong performance at its new location will take place at the Vaudeville on January 23, 2022.

During the performance, audience members will be invited to sing throughout, joining in with hits includingNo Way; Get Down and Don’t Lose Your Head. Theatregoers are also invited to dress like their favorite Six queen, with one audience member being awarded the title of "Queen of the Night."

Since Six began its West End life in 2019, the show has been nominated for five Olivier Awards, including best new musical. Opening at the Arts Theatre, the musical then transferred to the Lyric Theatre earlier this year, and is now at the Vaudeville Theatre to May 2022.

The current Six cast are in performances to November 13. 2021. They are Jarneia Richard-Noel, Courtney Bowman, Natalie Paris, Alexia McIntosh, Sophie Isaacs, Danielle Steers, Zara Mcintosh, Cherelle Jay, Hana Stewart and Collette Guitart. A new cast will then take over from November, 16 with casting to be announced later.

In America the musical can be enjoyed at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. Maybe they'll consider an occasional sing-along night.

THE INAUGURAL JAZZ & ROOTS MUSIC FESTIVAL at Kean University in Union, NJ - open to the public on The Lawn at Enlow Hall in Hillside. Performing at the music festival are pianist/composer Nat Adderley Jr.; rap and hip-hop artist JSWISS, featuring Casey Benjamin and Mark Whitfield; the jazz group Dave Stryker Quartet; and the evening’s headliner — the Dizzy Gillespie Afro-Latin Experience. The festival will be held Saturday, October 16 from 4:30 - 8 p.m. The rain date is Sunday, October 17 from 4:30 - 8 p.m. Nat Adderly Jr. will take the stage at 4:30 p.m. He is best known for his work with Luther Vandross. He wrote and arranged Vandross’ first top 20 pop hit, Stop to Love, as well as the Grammy-nominated Give Me the Reason and others. He has worked with Beyoncé, Natalie Cole and other celebrated artists. He'll be followed by JSWISS, featuring Casey Benjamin & Mark Whitfield at 5:15 p.m., the Dave Stryker Quartet at 6 p.m. The evening culminates with headliner Dizzy Gillespie Afro-Latin Experience, an ensemble led by Dizzy Gillespie’s long-term bassist John Lee. The band performs songs made famous by the legendary trumpeter as well as a global Afro-Latin repertoire.

Food trucks will be on hand, but attendees may also pack a picnic supper and bring chairs or a blanket to enjoy the music under the stars.

DAVE GROHL a collection of memories of a life lived loud. From his early days growing up in the suburbs of Washington, DC, to hitting the road at the age of 18, and all the music that followed.

Enjoy two nights of storytelling with Dave Grohl on October 12 and 13, drawing from his upcoming memoir: The Storyteller – Tales of Life and Music. Ford's Theater at LA Phil in Los Angeles, CA.

HARVEY GRANAT PRESENTS HARRY WARREN With Guest Julia Riva and Performance by Marissa Mulder and Beth Naji takes place Thursday, October 21 at 92Y in New York City.

Harvey Granat celebrates the pioneer film composer whose songs were featured in more than 300 films, dozens of which — like Lullaby of Broadway; You’re Getting to Be a Habit with Me; On the Atchison and You’ll Never Know - became American Songbook standards. Harvey is joined by Julia Riva, President of both Harry Warren Entertainment and Four Jays Music which manages the immense catalog of Warren Songs. Marissa Mulder, the multi award-winning supper club and recording artist, and Beth Naji, supper club performer and producer, will perform a selection of Warren’s songs.

HAMILTON stops at the Denver Center for the Performing Arts, with shows February 16 to March 27, 2022 at the Buell Theatre.

LINDA EDER performs Thursday, October 14, at Wolf Trap in Vienna, VA.

JOHN PIZZARELLI jazz guitarist, vocalist and bandleader, the son of the legendary New Jersey native guitarist Bucky Pizzarelli, brings his trio for three nights and special guests for two nights to Birdland in New York City. John Pizzarelli - Guitar and Vocals; Mike Karn - Bass with: Isaiah Thompson - Piano (10/12-14) - Jessica Molaskey - Vocals (10/15-16) - Matt Munisteri - Guitar (10/15-16) - Aaron Weinstein - Violin & Mandolin (10/15-16).

AN EVENING WITH WICKED'S STEPHEN SCHWARTZ Performances with Michael McCorry Rose and additional special guests in conversation with Frank DiLella takes place Monday, October 18 at 92Y in New York City.

Widely considered one of the greatest living songwriters of the American musical theater, Stephen Schwartz is the force behind such notable stage hits like Wicked, Pippin, and Godspell and screen musicals including Enchanted, Pocahontas, The Hunchback of Notre Dame and The Prince of Egypt. Join Schwartz and DiLella for an exciting and memorable evening discussing the creation of some of Broadway’s most beloved shows and more.

QUEEN ELIZABETH'S PLATINUM JUBILEE PARADE AND PARTY will be held on June 2, 2022. Over 1,400 parading soldiers, 200 horses, 400 musicians and 17 theatrical groups will mark the Queen's official birthday.

The Parade will close with the traditional RAF fly-past, watched by The Queen and Members of the Royal Family from the Buckingham Palace balcony.

In 2022, Her Majesty The Queen will become the first British Monarch to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee, seventy years of service, having acceded to the throne on 6th February 1952 when Her Majesty was 25 years old.

Platinum Party at the Palace: The BBC will stage and broadcast a special live concert from Buckingham Palace that will bring together some of the world’s biggest entertainment stars to celebrate the most significant and joyous moments from The Queen’s seven decade reign. Members of the public will be invited to apply to attend this special event with details "released in due course."

TINA THE MUSICAL at the Aldwych Theatre in London has been extended, with performances now to December 18, 2022.

THE DA VINCI CODE based on Dan Brown’s 2003 novel of the same name, which follows professor Robert Langdon and cryptologist Sophie Neveu solve riddles through the streets of Europe will begin its tour next year.

Adapted for the stage by Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel.

Luke Sheppard directs.

The Olivier Award-winning actor Nigel Harman will play Robert Langdon and Death in Paradise’s Danny John-Jules will play Sir Leigh Teabing, joined by Hannah Rose Caton as Sophie Neveu.

The creatives are scenic and costume design by David Woodhead, lighting design by Lizzie Powell and sound design by Ben and Max Ringham.

Performances from January 10 - April 26, 2022.

DID YOU KNOW THAT the Railway Museum in York, England has over 3 miles worth of archival documents. There are over a million engineering drawings produced by clerks and draughtspeople in railway offices. There are also over 1.7 million photographs.

MILITARY CUT UPS FROM REVOLUTIONARY WAR TO M*A*S*H

Most people have obtained their knowledge of military surgeons through viewing M*A*S*H, that mega hit television series which is currently in reruns. On a regular basis Hawkeye Pierce (Alan Alda), B. J. Honeicutt (Mike Farrell), Major Charles Winchester III (David Ogden Stiers), Frank Burns (Larry Linville), Col. Potter (Harry Morgan) picked shrapnel out of soldiers and reconstructed intestinal tracts.

Dr. Per-Olof Hasselgren has practiced surgery for 45 years. He received his medical and surgical training at the University of Gothenburg, Gothenburg, Sweden. Since 2002 he has been a member of the Department of Surgery at Beth Israel Deaconess in Boston, Massachusetts, and the George H.A. Clowes Distinguished Professor of Surgery at Harvard Medical School. He has penned a new book Revolutionary Surgeons: Patriots and Loyalists on the Cutting Edge (Knox Press, dist. by Simon & Schuster.

He points out that surgeons were both political and military leaders of the American Revolution. His book looks at the history of surgeons during the American Revolution and their influence on American History.

Surgery underwent dramatic developments during the 1700s. Although anesthesia was still a century in the future, surgeons performed extensive procedures, including laparotomies (opening of the abdomen) for tumors, mastectomies for cancerous growths, amputations of the leg above or below the knee, and cutting for the stone (removal of bladder stones).

With no anesthesia, patients’ screams from pain and horror were unimaginable. Many patients died from shock on the operating table or from postoperative bleedings and infections.

“Although most aspects of the American Revolution have been well researched and documented, the medical and surgical treatment in the army during the Revolutionary War, as well as the surgeons’ political and military engagements, have often been overlooked. Surgeons played important roles in the American Revolution. Many were actively involved in politics as well as on the battlefields,” says Dr. Hasselgren in the introduction to his book.

“There were surgeons who participated in the deliberations of the Continental Congresses. Four of the fifty-six signers of the Declaration of Independence were physicians, including the renowned Philadelphia surgeon Benjamin Rush. Among the members of the Massachusetts Provincial Congresses in 1774 and 1775, twenty-two were surgeons, most of whom came to be actively involved in bloody engagements during various Revolutionary War military campaigns."

COURAGEOUS COUNTESS SOPHIE CHAMPIONS MENOPAUSE EDUCATION

HRH Countess Sophie of Wessex

The wife of Prince Edward, Countess Sophie, has stepped forward for women experiencing menopause and coping with a society that keeps the universal bodily event hidden. Women lose their jobs, have their family life disrupted and even become a butt of jokes. Sophie has backed a campaign to educate and protect women from being harassed, ridiculed and losing their employment.

HRH Countess Sophie has issued a call to action. She wants businesses to do more to support women going through the menopause, which often happens at a point in their lives when their careers should be peaking.

She is encouraging businesses to sign a Menopause Workplace Pledge support issue from Wellbeing of Women of which Countess Sophie is Patron.

She says around 900,000 women have quit their jobs in the UK due to the menopause, something the daughter-in-law of Queen Elizabeth described as “tragic.”

The 56-year-old has previously spoken about her experiences of 'the change' during a May video call with the charity Wellbeing of Women. This included her personal experiences of losing her train of thought when speaking in public. "You suddenly can't remember what on earth it was you were talking about.

"Try being on an engagement when that happens, your words just go. And you're standing there going 'Hang on, I thought I was a reasonably intelligent person. What has just happened to me?' It's like someone has just gone and taken your brain out, for however long before they pop it back in again, and you try and pick u[ the pieces and carry on."

It was the first time a member of the royal family had openly shared her experience menopause. Countess Sophie's statements were called courageous and powerful.

Three in four women will experience menopause symptoms and one in four will experience severe symptoms such as anxiety, brain fog, poor concentration, fatigue, hot flashes and irregular and heavy bleeding.

Professor Same Lesley Regan, the chair of Wellbeing of Women said: "In the UK, there are nearly five million women working aged between 45-60 years.

"The majority of these women will go through the menopause which frequently coincides with the peak of their careers, a time when they are at their most successful and productive.

"Through supporting women employers can help to attract and improve retention of staff, ensure a diverse and inclusive workforce, increase productivity maximize employee well being and address the gender pay gap."

While the Anne, the Princess Royal did speak about being scared when she got her first period because she hadn't "been told anything" and how her older brother, Prince Charles came to her rescue, this is the first time a royal has address the subject of menopause and supported an initiative.

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

SPICE GIRLS the biggest selling girl-group in history and Universal Music Group (UMG), the world-leader in music-based entertainment, have formed a new exclusive worldwide partnership through UMG’s Bravado division, a provider of consumer, lifestyle and branding services to recording artists and entertainment brands around the world.

The expansive multi-year deal will see Bravado represent for the band across merchandising, direct-to-consumer products and campaigns, touring, brand and retail licensing and distribution, ahead of the 25th Anniversary of their revolutionary debut album Spice.

The deal marks the first time in two decades that licensing rights across all channels have been assigned to a partner.

131 FEDERAL JUDGES oversaw cases involving companies in which they or their families owned stock according to a Wall Street Journal Those judges over 685 court cases in the last decade. The conflict is a violation of U.S. law and judicial ethics, the newspaper reported.

About two-thirds of the identified judges ruled in favor of their financial interests when deciding contested motions.

The judges were appointed by both Democratic and Republican presidents.

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MRS. WARREN'S PROFESSION by George Bernard Shaw.

Directed by David Staller.

Starring Robert Cuccioli, David Lee Huynh, Alvin Keith, Nicole King, Raphael Nash Thompson, and Tony Award winner Karen Ziemba as Mrs. Warren.

George Bernard Shaw built his life on controversy, determined to be the voice of empowerment for the disenfranchised. In a world where women have no legal rights, his play examines a woman who, coming from nothing, has become one of the most wealthy and powerful of executives running an international string of high-class brothels, keeping her life hidden from her daughter. Only when the truth is revealed does the house of cards topple. In this infamous comedy/drama, George Bernard Shaw brings us his most provocative play, which examines how six people face their past to plan for their future, including the mysterious title character who has built a global empire from the ground up. Come experience the provocative play that, in its world debut in New York in 1905, the entire cast was arrested on opening night!

“The struggle for equal rights has always been the hot topic for Bernard Shaw. Mrs. Warren’s Profession (1895) was considered so incendiary in its time that it was banned for years in Britain and, when it finally debuted here in New York City, the entire cast was arrested on opening night. It’s not the plot point of prostitution that offended the officials, but the notion that a woman would struggle to create a successful life for herself in spite of the constraints set against her by law and society, and thrive without apology. With this, our return to Theatre Row after the COVID-19 shutdown, we have a dream cast to bring you this highly entertaining story involving a mother and daughter who, for the first time, reveal their true self to each other. The issue of women’s rights, in particular, permeates all of Shaw’s work and perhaps never, before or since, has this socio-political cause been more explosively examined,” said GTG Artistic Director David Staller.

Presented by the Gingold Theatrical Group, performances begin on Tuesday October 12th at Theatre Row and continue through November 20th only. Opening Night is set for Wednesday October 27th.

THE GREAT KHAN a world premiere from Michael Gene Sullivan.

Directed by Darryl V. Jones.

Jayden, an African American teenager, just wants to be his game-playing, nerdy self. But after he saves a girl, Ant, from a sexual assault, he and his mother are forced to move to keep him safe from the boys who attacked her. While Jayden debates with himself if he should toughen up, Ant tries to reject the tough Black girl persona she has adopted. Both are trying to figure out how to define themselves in a culture that insists on seeing them as forever dangerous. Oh, and then Genghis Khan shows up.

The cast features Velina Brown, Jamella Cross, Leon Jones, Kina Kantor, Adam KuveNiemann, and Brian Rivera.

Previews begin October 13, 2021. Press Opening Wednesday, October 20. In-person performances October 13 – November 13, 2021 at San Francisco Playhouse in San Francisco, CA. On-demand video production available to view October 16 – November 13, 2021.

AH, WILDERNESS! Eugene O’Neill’s only comedy.

Directed by Melia Bensussen.

"Ah, Wilderness!, is a play full of heart and wit that celebrates family and community. In 1906 Connecticut, a young man falls in love with poetry and a girl, and ends up with his heart broken. But with the help of others, he may yet find happiness. This play, which will feature live music, transforms a classic to reflect our contemporary moment and expand our vision of what family and community can mean."

The cast includes: Joseph Adams, Michael Boatman, Annie Jean Buckley, McCaleb Burnett, Natascia Diaz, Antonio Jose Jeffries, Tanner Jones, Antoinette LaVecchia, Brittany Anikka Liu, Myles Low, Katerina McCrimmon, Stuart Rider, and Jaevon Williams.

The creatives are: Scenic Design Jim Noone - Costume Design Olivera Gajic - Lighting Design Wen-Ling Liao - Sound Design Rob Milburn & Michael Bodeen - Music Director / Pianist Yan Li - Fight Choreographer Ted Hewlett - Casting Alaine Aldaffer - Stage Manager Lori Lundquist - Assistant Stage Manager Nicole Wiegert.

October 13 - November 7, 2021 at Hartford Stage in Hartford, CT.

REMEMBER THIS: THE LESSON OF JAN KARSKI co-written by Derek Goldman, Chair of the Department of Performing Arts at Georgetown University, and his former student, playwright Clark Young, for The Laboratory for Global Performance and Politics at Georgetown University.

The world premiere of Remember This: The Lesson of Jan Karski stars Academy Award nominee David Strathairn as World War II hero and Holocaust witness Jan Karski, a messenger of truth who risked his life to carry his harrowing report from war-torn Poland to the Oval Office only to be disbelieved, details parts of Karski's incredible journey, which eventually led to serving on the faculty of Georgetown's School of Foreign Service for forty years.

Performances began October 6 for a limited engagement two-week run at Shakespeare Theatre Company in Washington, DC.

SWEAT a Pulitzer Prize winner by Lynn Nottage.

Directed by Rob Melrose.

Starring: Derrick J. Brent II, Elizabeth Bunch, Michelle Elaine, Adam Gibbs, Dylan Godwin, Shawn Hamilton, Chris Hutchison, Melissa Pritchett, Luis Quintero, and David Rainey.

The creatives also include: Associate Directed by Eileen J. Morris, Scenic Design by Michael Locher, Costume Design by Erica Griese, Lighting Design by Kevin Rigdon, Sound Design by Kathy Ruvuna, Fight Director & Intimacy Coordinator: Adam Noble, Stage Manager Kristen Larson, and Assistant Stage Manager Emily Bohannan.

Produced in collaboration with The Ensemble Theatre. Now through October 24, 2021 at the Alley Theatre in Houston, Texas.

CAROLINE, OR CHANGE a revival of the Broadway production featuring a book and lyrics by Tony Kushner, and music by Jeanine Tesori.

Directed by Michael Longhurst.

Caroline, or Change stars Olivier Award winner Sharon D Clarke, with Gabriel Amoroso, Alexander Bello, John Cariani, Joy Hermalyn, Arica Jackson, Tamika Lawrence, Caissie Levy, Adam Makké, Kevin S. McAllister, Harper Miles, N'Kenge, Nya, Richard Alexander Phillips, Jayden Theophile, Nasia Thomas, Jaden Myles Waldman, Samantha Williams, Stuart Zagnit and Chip Zien.

"Caroline Thibodeaux is a Black woman working as a maid for a Jewish family in 1963 Louisiana, as the civil rights movement is transforming America. In her Olivier Award-winning performance, Sharon D Clarke brings this indelible heroine to “incandescent” life (Time Out London), in a production that launches to “the titanic dimensions of greatness” (The New York Times). From Pulitzer Prize winner Tony Kushner and Tony Award winner Jeanine Tesori comes the show that pulses with the urgency and passion that's shaping the world today. " The creatives include: choreography by Ann Yee with music direction by Joseph Joubert.

Caroline, or Change opens officially on October 27, 2021. This is a limited engagement through January 9, 2021 at Studio 54 on Broadway.

DOROTHY PARKER: A CERTAIN WOMAN a world premiere researched and compiled by James Rana.

Directed by Gayle Stahlhuth.

Performed by Suzanne Dawson.

"I'd rather have a bottle in front of me than a frontal lobotomy." - just one of Dorothy Parker's bon mots?.

Suzanne Dawson performing her favorite Parker monologues, stories and poems.

Dorothy Parker (1893-1967) was a poet, journalist, critic, screenwriter, human rights activist and a philanthropist. She was called a wit, a wise-cracker, and a nut. But above all, she was a Certain Woman. The first edition of The Portable Dorothy Parker was selected by Alexander Woollcott in 1944 as the fourth in a series of volumes intended for soldiers overseas. It has never been out of print.

Parker recently made the news when her gravestone was unveiled on August 23, 2021 in Woodlawn Cemetery in The Bronx. Due to the efforts of the Dorothy Parker Society, her ashes were moved from the NAACP headquarters in Baltimore, to the Bronx where she is now next to her parents and grandparents. On it, is the final stanza of her 1925 poem "Epitaph for a Darling Lady:" It reads: "Leave for her a red young rose. Go your way, and save your pity. She is happy, for she knows That her dust is very pretty."

Performances through October 16 presented by the East Lynne Theater Company in Cape May, New Jersey.

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Laura Deni

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