Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: October 2, 2016
By: Laura Deni
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MUSICALLY FALLING THROUGH THE RABBIT HOLE IN ALICE THROUGH THE LOOKING GLASS IS AN ENCHANTING EXPERIENCE

The charming characters of Lewis Carroll came to life in NBC's exuberant and colorful 1966 musical adaptation of the novel Through the Looking-Glass which was a sequel to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland. It was one of the most expensive productions of its day, airing as an NBC special event on November 6, 1966.

Vocal numbers were recorded with a symphonic orchestra comprised of members from the Los Angeles Philharmonic Orchestra and the Hollywood film community of studio union musicians, conducted by Harper MacKay.

The videotaped production's musical vocals were performed in a lip-sync performance during the live musical staging. A 33.1/3 rpm LP vinyl disk sound-track of the cast's musical studio recording was released in conjunction with the NBC television network event.

At the time of that airing and soundtrack release the description called it a children's show. What they meant is that it was a television special appropriate for the entire family. It still is.

Joyfully Masterworks Broadway has released the stereo recording as a CD. The infectious, bouncy, energetic clever score with music by Moose Charlap, lyrics by Elsie Simmons and musical arrangements by the legendary Don Costa, will perk you up and delight.

Listening to this CD is a lot like holding a puppy - aurally, it's warm and cuddly and you'll forget what was bothering you. Refreshing, uplifting, with a dose of spirit and determination, it's just as entertaining as it was 50 years ago.

Chicago born Judi Rolin stars as Alice. She was 20-years-old performing the role of a very young Alice in the color television musical. Producer Bob Wynn documented how he decided on casting Rolin explaining she was "blond, petite, could dance, with a beautiful voice and fulfilled every aspect the difficult role required."

Her role in Alice Through the Looking Glass begins playing chess in her father's study when the Red King comes to life and beckons her through a mirror into Looking Glass Land. There she is greeted by the Red Queen (Agnes Moorehead). For her performance Rolin earned an Emmy nomination but lost to Carol Burnett.

In the early 1970s Rolin was the first Barbara Ryan on As The World Turns - a role most associated with Colleen Zenk.

Eventually Rolin graduated from child actress to adult real estate agent in Hilton Head Island, SC. She has a lengthy performing background and maintains a strong passion for the arts. Today she is an active supporter of entertainment in Hilton Head Island.

On her website she stresses: "The South Carolina Theater for the Performing Arts is located on Hilton Head. It is a professional Equity theatre company. This facility rivals some of the best smaller theatres on Broadway. They put on amazing professional performances throughout the year. We also host the Hilton Head International Piano Competition. The very best young concert pianists compete from all over the world. There is the Hilton Head Symphony Orchestra with a full schedule of performances and renowned guest artists. We have terrific live performance nightclubs on the island, including The Jazz Corner. The great cities of Savannah and Charleston with their rich history and art colleges are just a short drive from the Hilton Head Island area."

Tony Award winner comedic singer and actress Nanette Fabray, who will turn 96 on October 27, 2016, studied opera at Juilliard, is the White Queen, opposite .Ricardo Montalban as The White King.

Her breathtaking note holding on I Wasn't Meant To be Queen is showstopping.

The very young and adorable Smothers Brothers as Tweedledee and Tweedledum are delightful performing The Backward Alphabet.

Jimmy Durante as Humpty Dumpty warmly delivers the tongue twisting Twas Brilling - "slithy toves did gyre and gimble" While his costume can't be seen or truly appreciated by listening to a CD, a back-story about the costume is interesting.

It was constructed to hold two actors, as the Humpty Dumpty character sat upon the stone wall. Durante then 73, stood inside the costume, straddling another performer inside the lower costume's egg shape. The seated actor-dancer sat on the wall with his legs stretched forward, dangling off the wall perch with Durante standing behind him. When Humpty Dumpty falls backwards at the end of the musical number, both performers inside the egg shaped costume rolled backwards into the arms of stage-technicians standing on a mattress cushion catching them in their backward fall.

Roy Castle is Lester the Jester. He would also star on Broadway in 1965 and receive a 1966 Tony Award nomination as Best Supporting or Featured Actor (Musical) for Pickwick, in his role as Sam Weller.

Jack Palance plays the evil Jabberwock. His terrorizing inspires Alice to want to become queen and end Jabberwock's harsh rule. Thus, she sets out on her own adventure traveling through the Garden of Talking Flowers, Pink Forest and other magical places.

There are only 12 songs on this CD and there is nothing to criticize about any of them. Clever and whimsical, they move along the plot line and provide a tuneful guide for a memorable trip down the rabbit hole.

This musical gem has perfect sound.

There is the original artwork and liner notes from the original LP. The cover painting by Fred Harpman utilizing the same shade spectrum of green and pink tends towards giving the illusion of hallucinating.

Recorded in the RCA Music Center of the World, Hollywood. Recording Engineer Hank Cicalo.

Track List:

1. Through The Looking Glass (Company)
2. There are Two Sides to Everything (Robert Coote, Agnes Moorehead, Ricardo Montalban, Nanette Fabray)
3. I Wasn't Meant to Be a Queen (Nanette Fabray)
4. Come Out, Come Out, Wherever You Are (Judi Rolin)
5. Jabberwock Song (Jack Palance)
6. Keep off the Grass (Roy Castle)
7. Some Summer Day (Ricardo Montalban)
8. The Backwards Alphabet (Judi Rolin, The Smothers Brothers)
9. Who Are You (Judi Rolin)
10. ‘Twas Brillig (Judi Rolin, Jimmy Durante)
11. Alice is Coming to Tea (Agnes Moorehead, Nanette Fabray)
12. Through The Looking Glass (Reprise) (Company)










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ART AND ABOUT

VAN GOGH: INTO THE UNDERGROWTH

Undergrowth with Two Figures 1890 Vincent van Gogh (Dutch, b.1853, d.1890). Cincinnati Art Museum

will take visitors up close with celebrated woodland landscapes.

This exhibition - presented only at the Cincinnati Art Museum - brings an important group of artworks on loan from around the world together for the first time.

Exploring the works of the Post-Impressionist painter Vincent van Gogh and his contemporaries, the exhibition traces the evolution of the Dutch artist’s love of the natural world, powers of observation and mastery of detail through this special group of landscape paintings spanning his career.

This exhibition is the first to take a close look at Van Gogh’s poetic depictions of the forest floor, known as sous-bois, the French term for “undergrowth.” These odes to nature were a reaction to the increasing industrialization and urbanization of society.

The exhibition allows visitors to compare Van Gogh’s treatment of this theme with examples by those who influenced and inspired him, including Théodore Rousseau, Paul Cézanne, Claude Monet and Paul Gauguin. Twenty artworks are borrowed from museum collections in Canada, The Netherlands, Switzerland, France, Japan and more, and are joined by works from the Cincinnati Art Museum’s own important collection of French paintings and works on paper.

“Visiting this exhibition is like taking a walk in the woods with Van Gogh and fellow artists,” explains Julie Aronson, Curator of American Painting and Sculpture. “Vincent van Gogh’s Undergrowth with Two Figures is widely recognized as one of the great masterpieces of Van Gogh’s late career. It is also a visitor favorite - often the favorite - among the many extraordinary works in the Cincinnati Art Museum’s galleries. This exhibition is a revelation that puts this significant work in the context of the art of its time.”

To shed further light on Van Gogh’s artistic milieu, the exhibition will also include Unlocking Van Gogh's World, a rich display of French Impressionist and Post-Impressionist prints from the Cincinnati Art Museum’s collection. In addition to Van Gogh, Artists Pierre-Auguste Renoir, Edouard Manet, Henri de Toulouse-Lautrec, Camille Pissarro, James McNeill Whistler and others will be included in this supporting exhibition.

On view October 8-January 1, 2017 at the Cincinnati Art Museum in Cincinnati, Ohio.

MASTER SERIES READING takes place Thursday, October 13, at the Toledo Museum of Art in Toledo, Ohio.

A celebrated voice in contemporary Irish literature, poet Paul Durcan presents an illustrated dramatic reading of work from his new book, Wild, Wild Erie. The collection of fifty poems is inspired by works he selected from the Toledo Museum of Art’s world-class collection, and marks his first collaboration with an American museum.

"Unsparingly satirical, Durcan’s strikingly visual poetry often tackles social and political hypocrisies, but also can be intensely personal, mining his own relationships and everyday experiences to paint vivid, unorthodox, even surrea - but always deeply humanist—scenes."

As passionate about art as he is about writing, Durcan has previously composed poetry inspired by the collections of the National Gallery of Ireland (Crazy About Women, 1991) and the National Gallery, London (Give Me Your Hand, 1994). A book signing follows the presentation in Libbey Court.

PRINCE WILLIAM AND DUCHESS KATE

Performance of Land of Gold at Kwanlin. Photo: Kensington Palace.

on a tour of Canada, were welcomed by Chief Bill and Chief Kane to the Kwanlin Dun Cultural Centre for a showcase of Yukon's thriving performing arts.

ALand of Gold performance spotlighted "the incredible variety of song, dance and live music from Yukon."

Afterwards the royal couple met with the performers. William told them: "The Duke told performers: That was one of the best shows I've ever seen. You should be very proud."

Kate, who has a degree is art history, also demonstrated her artistic ability. After hearing about the traditional Inland Tlingit and Tagish totem project at Carcross Commons, The Duchess painted the eye on a 25-foot totem pole. The couple was welcomed to the area by traditional music and dancing.

Village of Carcross Commons. Photo: Carcross Commons.

Carcross Commons with a populations of 300, is a unique retail village featuring stunning Tlingit-inspired facades and totem poles and is host to shops and restaurants, an art gallery and totem carving shed where William and Kate watched Master Carver Keith Wolfe Smarch and his team of carvers work on traditional Inland Tlingit and Tagish totem poles and masks.

The royals, as well as all visitors, were invited to "touch a totem pole. Talk with the artisan. Walk in the footsteps of Skookum Jim and feel the spirit of a people who have lived in this breathtaking confluence of rivers, lakes and ancient trade routes for over 10,000 years."

The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were also given a small totem pole to take home for their children.

SWEET CHARITY

RED BULL BENEFIT AND PARTY is an all-star benefit of Molière’s brilliant comedy Tartuffe, translated by Richard Wilbur, and directed by Marc Vietor. The party with the cast and special guests takes place Monday, October 10 at Symphony Space in New York City.

SPREADING THE WORD

THE PRELUDE FESTIVAL at The Martin E. Segal Theatre Center at The Graduate Center, CUNY in New York City, takes place beginning Wednesday October 5, l featuring more than 30 artists and companies.

Helmed by curators Antje Oegel and Tom Sellar, with festival founder Frank Hentschker, who is the Executive Director, Martin E. Segal Theatre Center, PRELUDE 2016 provides a unique preview of new work being created by groundbreaking New York theatre and performance artists working in theatrical, interdisciplinary, and mixed media performance. The festival is a public lab for sharing new ideas through performances, conversations, and workshops.

PRELUDE is the only festival of its kind in New York that remains completely free and open to the public.

The themed portion will focus on failure. “Failure has long been a crucial element in experimental theater, dance, and performance of all kinds,” said curator Tom Sellar. “How are New York City’s progressive stage artists thinking about the ethics and applications of failure given today’s economic pressures? In a highly polarizing election season, how are theater-makers engaging with broader systemic failures of national institutions and political systems?” Performances, conversations, and workshops will explore these questions.

Featured artists: Aaron Landsman, Alessandro Magania, AmeriSHOWZ, Big Dance Theater, Brian Rogers, Built for Collapse, Carl Hancock Rux, Christina Masciotti, Claudia Wilsch Case, Cori Olinghouse, Dan Safer/Witness Relocation, David Levine, Ellie Covan, I AM A BOYS CHOIR, Ikechukwu Ufomadu, Ilan Bachrach/Robert M. Johanson, Institute of Failure—Tim Etchells/Matthew Goulish, Joey Weiss, John Collins, Jonathan McCrory, Jonathan Payne, Joseph Silovsky, Kate Benson, Kate Watson-Wallace, Katy Pyle/Ballez, Kippy Winston, Kyoung’s Pacific Beat, luciana achugar, Marissa Perel, Mark Russell, Matthew Korahais, Melanie Joseph, New Saloon, Ni’Ja Whitson, Noreen Whysel, Ruby Lerner, Sahra Motalebi, Sean Edward Lewis/LILAC Co., Sibyl Kempson/7 Daughters of Eve, Tanya Elder, The Builders Association, The Living Theatre, Tina Satter/Half Straddle, and Tiny Little Band.

The final night of PRELUDE 2016 on Friday, October 7, will conclude with the presentation of the fourth annual Franky Award - created to recognize an artist who has made a long-term, extraordinary impact on contemporary theatre and performance in New York City.

This year’s Franky will be presented to Miguel Gutierrez, "a fearless choreographer and performer who has been on the forefront of transforming contemporary dance in New York City."

The festival will be followed by the PRELUDE 2016 Closing Night Party with performances by Kippy Winston and an exclusive DJ set by Manchildblack.

THE DUBLIN THEATRE FESTIVAL is currently taking place featuring world-class Irish and international theatre across Dublin, Ireland. The Festival runs through October 16, 2016.

Productions include The Seagull by The Corn Exchange at Gaiety Theatre from October 5 - 16. Jane McGrath and Genevieve Hulme-Beaman star as Constance and Nina, the artist and her muse.

REHEARSALS HAVE BEGUN for Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Carousel at Arena Stage in Washington, DC. Director . Molly Smith has assembled a star-studded cast that includes Nicholas Rodriguez, Betsy Morgan and Kate Rockwell. Choreography by Parker Esse and music direction by Paul Sportelli. The production opens October 28.

THE GRAHAM NORTON SHOW has its season premiere on BBC America, Saturday, October 8, with guests Justin Timberlake, Anna Kendrick, and Daniel Radcliffe.

MUSICAL MOMENTUM The power of music to inspire devotion and mobilize individuals to action is no less evident in electoral politics than on the football field. University of Michigan musicologist Mark Clague will discuss How Music Helps Elect the President on October 8 in the Green Room of the Toledo Museum of Art in Toledo, Ohio.

He will showcase songs ranging from 19th-century political parody to today’s pop anthems that transfer chart popularity to popular votes.

GEORGE AND AMAL CLOONEY celebrated their second wedding anniversary on September 27. in New York City. The glamorous human rights attorney and her handsome movie star hubby have been busy. On Sept. 16, Amal made her first speaking engagement in front of the United Nations. She emphasized the importance of prosecuting ISIS leaders for genocide. Also a human rights advocate, George and actor Don Cheadle presented results of a ground-breaking investigation done through George's organization The Sentry on Sudanese war profiteering.

NEXT SUNDAY October 9 is Moldy Cheese Day (is that another name for Blue Cheese?)

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

SOHO REP in New York City abruptly closed after a September 28, 2016 Board of Directors' meeting. The leadership staff decided that "it is no longer in the best interest of the company’s artists and audiences to renew their lease, which was set to expire in March 2017, and to close the theater at 46 Walker Street immediately."

The press release states: "In Spring 2016, Soho Rep. began to plan for a capital campaign for a permanent home in New York City. The organization began to renegotiate an interim extension lease for their current venue, at 46 Walker Street, to explore the option of purchasing the same venue where Soho Rep has staged its productions since 1991, and to examine other alternatives for its facility needs.

"As part of that exploration, Soho Rep. recently learned that the usage authorized by the City when the company first moved into the building 25 years ago does not align with the current operations in the space.

"The 2016-17 Soho Rep season will continue as scheduled, with performances of Daniel Alexander Jones’ Duat taking place, as planned, at The Connelly Theater, October 11 – November 6. Soho Rep will announce a location for its Spring 2017 production, Richard Maxwell’s Samara, soon.

"Soho Rep. is working with All For One Theater, to find a new home for Gideon Irving’s My Name is Gideon. All For One Theater had rented 46 Walker Street for their production that was set to begin performances in the space on Thursday (September 29).

"Founded in 1975, Soho Rep is dedicated to cultivating and producing visionary, uncompromising, and exuberant new plays, performing to one of the youngest adult audiences in New York City, with over half aged 18-40."

THE FAMED CARNEGIE DELI in New York City will no longer be on a restaurant map menu as of December 31, 2016 when the closed sign is posted for good. br>
Noted for its mile high sandwiches named after celebrities the New York institution served its first order in 1937

Branches of the famed eatery are located in Las Vegas and Bethlehem, Pa.

THE HUCK FINN BLUEGRASS MUSIC FESTIVAL which last year boasted Steve Martin as a performer and this year celebrated its 40th anniversary, has been cancelled by the Greater Ontario (CA) Convention & Visitors Bureau.

In announcing the decision in a prepared statement dated September 30, 2016, the bureau stated the reason was the bottom line - a lack of money.

Michael Krouse, bureau president and CEO, explained that "the festival is not meeting the requirements of the Greater Ontario Convention & Visitors Bureau core mission for funding and goals to create a significant economic impact to our region.“

“Although the number of attendees grew year over year,” Krouse said in his letter, “the rate of growth was not substantial enough to meet our goals and financially justify continuing the festival.”

the statement closed with "It is our hope that Huck Finn Jubilee can continue with a new management company."



THREE-TIME GRAMMY WINNER TOM PETTY

Tom Petty named MusicCares Person of the Year.

will be honored as the 2017 MusiCares Person of the Year on Friday, February 10, 2017, it was announced by Neil Portnow, President/CEO of the MusiCares Foundation and The Recording Academy, and Alexandra Patsavas, Chair of the MusiCares Foundation Board.

Petty is being honored in recognition of his significant creative accomplishments, his career-long interest in defending artists' rights, and the charitable work he has undertaken throughout his career, which has notably focused on the homeless population in Los Angeles.

Proceeds from the 27th annual benefit gala dinner and concert - to be held in Los Angeles during Grammy Week two nights prior to the 59th Annual Grammy Awards - will provide essential support for MusiCares, which ensures music people have a place to turn in times of financial, medical, and personal need.

CASINO ENTERTAINMENT AWARDS honoring outstanding artists, executives and venues in casino entertainment were presented by Global Gaming Expo (G2E), on Wednesday, September 28, 2016, at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas.

Grammy Hall of Famer vocalist Brenda Lee and veteran casino entertainment executive Tom Cantone, Senior Vice President of Sports and Entertainment of Mohegan Sun Tribal Gaming Authority, were honored with the Casino Entertainment Legend Award.

Casino Entertainment Awards were also presented to artists, executives and venues in eight categories of casino entertainment. CEA nominee finalists were selected from more than 500 online nominations.

THE ALBANIAN INSTITUTE

Bliss by Helidon Xhixha is a concentric arrangement of columns and benches that are designed to encourage both self-reflection and a forum for coming together. Photo: Albanian Institution New York

has been Awarded the Public Medal by the London Design Biennale 2016, for the most exceptional design contribution to the Biennale.

37 nations from six continents presented newly commissioned works in response to the theme Utopia by Design, took place at Somerset House in the heart of the British capital.

Bliss Helidon Xhixha was on display at The Albanian Pavilion at the Biennale was curated by director Dino Korca, and administered by the Albanian Institute New York.

In a ceremony at Somerset House, the president of the London Design Biennale, Sir John Sorrell CBE, presented Korca with the award congratulating him, the designer Helidon Xhixha, and the team behind the Albanian entry to the Biennale.

Referencing utopian city planning, the site-specific sculpture installation designed by Albanian artist and sculptor Helidon Xhixha, is a concentric arrangement of columns and benches that are designed to encourage both self- reflection and a forum for coming together. The mirrored surfaces of the taller columns create reflections, creating myriad opportunities for interaction.

On September 8th, the International Jury awarded a number of medals celebrating contribution to design, utopian thinking and innovation at the Biennale. The Jury, a globally representative group of 12 leading creative experts, selected the winners of the medals: the London Design Biennale Medal 2016 (Lebanon), the Utopia Medal (Russia), and the Jaguar Innovation Medal (Switzerland).

THE GILDER/COIGNEY INTERNATIONAL THEATRE AWARD given by the League of Professional Theatre Women - is the the only award presented to extraordinary theatre women working outside the USA.

Nominees are evaluated on five criteria. They must have achieved artistic excellence, particularly in the exploration of new forms of theatrical expression; have received recognition of their work at home and abroad; demonstrate a commitment to the support of women through theatrical practice; have a body of work that inspires and educates US theatre practitioners with new ideas from abroad; and be able to leverage greater recognition and opportunity via receipt of the G/C Award.

The Gilder/Coigney International Theatre Award was established in 2011 in honor of Rosamond Gilder and Martha Coigney, two legendary theatre women whose work on the international stage proved that theatre knows no boundaries. Presented every three years, this Award acknowledges the exceptional work of theatre women around the world and aims to make a difference in the life and career of an international woman theatre artist. Odile Gakire Katese from Rwanda was the inaugural recipient of the G/C Award in 2011. Patricia Ariza from Colombia received the award in 2014.

Twenty women have been nominated for the 2017 G/C Award. They are:: Abir Aly (Egypt) , Lina Attel (Jordan), Jalila Baccar (Tunisia), Sarah Berger (England), Patricia Benecke (Germany), Sabina Berman (Mexico) , Kate Cherry (Australia), Mihaela Dragan (Romania), Drenia Frederick (St. Lucia), Elena Gremina (Russia), Brigitte Helbling (Germany), Natalia Kaliada (Belarus), Carmina Narro (Mexico), Julia Pascal (England), Marwa Radwan Mohamed (Egypt), Jesusa Rodriguez (Mexico), Adelheid Roosen (The Netherlands), Nan Van Houte (The Netherlands), Ilire Vinca (Kosovo), Linda Wise (France).

The G/C Award includes a $1000 cash prize and all travel expenses to New York City for the recipient to be honored. A series of special events surround the award ceremony to showcase the winner’s work, to provide artistic and professional networking opportunities, and to celebrate all of the nominees. The next Award will be presented on October 23, 2017 at the Martin E. Segal Theatre Center/CUNY in New York City.

Melody Brooks and Katrin Hilbe, are Co-Chairs of the 2017 G/C Award.



MAN OF LA MANCHA Book by Dale Wasserman. Music by Mitch Leigh. Lyrics by Joe Darion.

Directed by Allison Narver.

One of the most epic and enduring musicals of all time. Man of La Mancha is a glorious affirmation of the unyielding resilience of the human spirit that will leave you breathless. Inspired by one of the greatest novels in Western literature, Man of La Mancha enters the mind and world of the mad knight Don Quixote as he pursues his quest for the impossible dream. In a tale told by Cervantes himself in defense of his life’s work, Quixote is, against all odds, a man who sees good and innocence in a world filled with darkness and despair. Featuring stirring classic songs including The Impossible Dream.

Man of La Mancha is a multi-Tony Award-winning theatrical masterpiece that blurs the line between dreams and reality in a powerful celebration of the imagination.

Starring Tony-nominated Norm Lewis and 5th Avenue favorites Don Darryl Rivera and Nova Payton.

October 7 – October 30, 2016 at the 5th Avenue Theatre in Seattle, WA.

GOING . . . .GOING ...GONE! by Emmy Award winning TV writer/sportscaster Ken Levine.

Directed by Andrew Barnicle.

Starring Annie Abrams, David Babich, Troy Metcalf, and Dennis Pearson.

"Set in the press box of a major Los Angeles baseball stadium, Going... Going... GONE! stars Annie Abrams; David Babich; Troy Metcalf; and Dennis Pearson as four sports journalists whose lives are changed during the course of one game. At once poignant and hilarious, the play is grounded in rich characterizations."

“The characters are all loosely based on people I know,” says Levine. “These folks are working in a world that celebrates milestones above all else. They are wrestling with time, wondering what their legacy will be.” The creative team ncludes set designer Gary Lee Reed; lighting designer Derrick McDaniel; sound designer Cricket S. Myers; costume designer Mylette Nora; graphic designer Kiff Scholl; and casting director Michael Donovan. The stage manager is Emyli Gudmundson.

Officially opened October 1 at the Hudson Guild Theatre in Hollywood with performances through November 6, 2016.

FIT FOR A QUEEN written by Betty Shamieh,

Directed by Tamilla Woodard.

"A timely new comedy inspired by the life of Hatshepsut, a woman who ruled as a pharaoh in ancient Egypt. Hatshepsut's female lover helps her usurp the throne, only to finds herself at odds with an unexpectedly ruthless rival for power - her daughter."

Featuring April Yvette Thompson.

"Full of intrigue, farce, and sexual politics, Fit for a Queen illuminates the largely unknown history of a compelling Egyptian woman who took power over the ancient world’s most advanced civilization.

Far from the likes of her female successors Cleopatra and Elizabeth I, Hatshepsut ruled as a monarch in men’s clothing, demanding people refer to her as “pharaoh,” which is strictly a male title. She wielded her power through a persona of alpha-masculinity, which was tolerated only while she was alive. The images and statues that portrayed Hatshepsut as a masculine pharaoh were defaced and destroyed during her son-in-law’s reign. Her enemies almost succeeded in erasing the legacy of a woman who ruled the superpower of the ancient world.

Choreographer: Joya Powell. Costume Designer: Rachel Dozier-Ezell. Lighting Designer: Alan Edwards. Set Design: Christopher Swader / Justin Swader.

Presented by The Classical Theatre of Harlem. Officially opens Friday, October 7 with performances through October 30, 2016 at 3LD Art & Technology Center in New York City.

PUBLIC ENEMY in a version by David Harrower.

Directed by The Pearl's Artistic Director, Hal Brooks.

"Ibsen’s parable of the collision of truth and politics in the public sphere takes on new immediacy in the punchy and raw adaptation. When Dr. Stockmann finds that the town's tourist-friendly baths contain lethal levels of toxins, he is praised for his discovery until the town realizes how much remedying the problem will cost them, and quickly finds his friends and neighbors poisoned against him."

"In Ibsen’s Public Enemy, better known as An Enemy of the People, we find a society that values comfort over safety, wealth over equality and publicity over truth. Harrower’s town is similarly motivated by self-preservation and survival, and this mob-mentality leads people in a direction that is paradoxically at their own expense. Director Brooks places his Stockmann in a timeless place, drawing subtle parallels with the recent primary campaign, and the water contamination crisis in Flint, Michigan."

The cast includes Jimonn Cole, Dominic Cuskern, Arielle Goldman, Guiesseppe Jones, John Keating, Alex Purcell, Carol Schultz, Nilaja Sun, Robbie Tann, Alex Haynes, and David Vino.

The creative team includes Harry Feiner (Scenic Design), Barbara A. Bell (Costume Design), Marika Kent (Lighting Design), Jane Shaw (Sound Design) and Marci Skolnick (Production Stage Manager).

The U.S. Premiere runs through October 29, 2016 at The Pearl Theatre in New York City.

OH, HELLO ON BROADWAY a new play Directed by Alex Timbers.

Starring Nick Kroll and John Mulaney as Gil Faizon and George St. Geegland, "two outrageously opinionated, 70-something, native New Yorkers, roles that they first began performing on the alternative comedy stages in NYC. Honed for over a decade, the fictional duo garnered a cult following and found their way onto a Comedy Central special, viral videos and late night couches everywhere."

The creative team is Scott Pask (Set), Jake DeGroot (Lighting), M.L. Dogg (Sound), Basil Twist (Nightmare Effect Design), Patrick McCollum (Movement), Emily Rebholz (Costume Consultant), and Anna Tendler Mulaney (Makeup Supervisor).

The production officially opens on Monday, October 10 at the Lyceum Theatre in New York City.

VISITING EDNA by Tony Award winner David Rabe.

Directed by Artistic Director Anna D. Shapiro.

"A moving and enthralling world premiere about the enduring connection between a mother and her son."

Edna has suffered a number of losses as she has aged, and now faces the stealthy advance of cancer embodied by an intimate figure that she could do without. Home for a visit, Edna’s son Andrew is trying to bridge the gulf between the childhood love they shared and the aggressively polite but baffling relationship they now live with. Mother and son stumble toward honesty as they wrestle with the distractions-both mundane and profound - that keep us from real connection.

Starring Debra Monk, Michael Rabe with featured Ensemble Members Ian Barford, Tim Hopper and Sally Murphy.

Scenic Design: David Zinn. Costume Design: Linda Roethke. Lighting Design: Marcus Doshi. Sound Design: Rob Milburn. Original Music: Michael Bodeen. Artistic Producer: Jonathan Berry. Casting: Tam Dickson. Stage Manager: Christine D. Freeburg.

Performances through November 6, 2016 at Steppenwolf in Chicago.

COMMUNION written and Directed by Obie Award-Winner Daniel MacIvor.

The cast includes: Erica Bradshaw, Stephanie Cozart, Jackie Hansen .

In Communion, Leda’s Born-Again daughter shouts a painful truth: “People don’t have mothers like you.” The distance between Leda and her daughter is filled with silence and anger. Upon the advice of a therapist dealing with her own host of troubles, Leda tries to bridge that distance and prepare her daughter for the calamity just ahead. Communion explores the dark places of relations and what is needed to repair a familial bond under the pressures of religion, recovery and a ticking clock. It asks whether or not some bonds are too damaged to mend."

The design and production team includes Deborah Constantine (Lighting Design), Frank Oliva (Set Design), Gail Cooper Hecht (Costume Design), Tony Crawford (Technical Director), Ashley Jansen (Assistant to the Director), Krystle Henninger (Production Stage Manager), Alayna Graziani (Assistant Stage Manager),

Communion premiered in Canada’s Tarragon theatre. The limited engagement is in previews and officially opens on October 6, 2016 and will run through October 30, 2016 at Urban Stages in New York City.

WHO'S WHERE

ADELE opens a split four-night stand at the Air Canada Centre on Monday, October 3.

JOSE CARRERAS after his triumphant comeback to the opera stage, legendary Tenor José Carreras comes to Dubai during his final world tour. A Life in Music promises to be a very special and unforgettable night filled with raw passion and emotion, reflecting on the musical life of one of the greatest tenors of all time. Also performing is soprano Nataliya Kovalova. The conductor is David Giménez. October 8, 2016 at Dubai Opera in Dubai, UAE.

CELEBRITY JAM takes place at the Woodhaven Country Club in Palm Springs, CA, on October 5th. Emcee/vocalist Slim Man with Bob DeSena, Adam Hawley, Greg Vail, Joe Baldino and many more.

JUSTIN BIEBER spends this week performing two sets of two night stands. The first begins Wednesday, October 5, at the Anywerps Sportpaleis in Merksem, Belgium. That is following by opening a two nighter Saturday, October 8, at the Geire Dome in the Netherlands.

HERE COME THE MUMMIES an exciting funk band whose members have heads swathed as mummies perform October 7, at the Orpheum Theater in Sioux Falls, SD. Sioux Falls Jazz and Blues Society info stresses: "This isn't your ordinary musical concert. Come ready to funk and jive with a full blown mummy experience, “ said Executive Director Robert Joyce.

THREE DOG NIGHT sre in South Dakota this week with a show on Thursday, October 6, at the Johnson Fine Arts Center in Aberdeen and on Friday at the Mountain Grand Hotel in Deadwood.

TONY BENNETT sing his hits Friday, October 7, at the Casino in Rama, Ohio. On Saturday he stars at Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre in Rochester, NY.

BEN FOLDS performs Tuesday, October 4, at the Honeywell Center in Wabash, IN. Thursday's show is at the Clary Center in Charleston, WV. On Friday he can be found at the Carnegie Library Music Hall of Homestead at Munhall, PA. Saturday's stop is at the University of Rochester in Rochester, NY.

SMITHSONIAN JAZZ MASTERWORKS ORCHESTRA (SJMO) will launch their 26th season on Saturday, October 8 with a special concert about Jazz, Blues, and Civil Rights, exploring how jazz and blues music emerged out of a climate of struggle and the musicians who used their music, lyrics, and rhythm to express opposition and to grow support for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Other concerts this season will celebrate spirituality in jazz, jazz women like Ella Fitzgerald and Mary Lou Williams, and more. Saturday, October 8 at the Wallace H. Coulter Performance Plaza, Museum of American History in Washington, DC.

THE OAK RIDGE BOYS take a night off from their long term stand at their theatre in Branson, MO to perform Thursday, October 6, at the Tulsa State Fair in Tulsa, OK.

JAZZ AT LINCOLN CENTER performs Tuesday, October 4, at The Granada in Santa Barara, CA. On Wednesday they are in Las Vegas at The Smith Center. On Thursday they take to the stage at Balboa Theatre in San Diego, CA. Saturday's stop is at the Valley Performing Arts Center in Northridge, CA. Next Sunday, October 9, they are in the spotlight at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, CA.

FINAL OVATION

AGNES NIXON who created the socially relevant soap operas One Life To Live and All My Children died in at a senior living facility in Haverford, Pennsylvania on September 28, 2016. She was 93.

In 1992, she was inducted into the Television Hall of Fame. She was inducted into the Soap Opera Hall of Fame at a Planet Hollywood restaurant in 1994. She received the Trustees Award for Continued Excellence from the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences in 1981. Nixon received the Lifetime Achievement Award from the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences during the ceremonies of the 37th annual Daytime Emmy Awards in June 2010.

She was married to Robert Henry Adolphus Nixon from April 6, 1951 until his death in 1996. Nixon is survived by her four children, Cathy, Mary, Robert and Emily; and 11 grandchildren.

Next Column: October 9, 2016
Copyright: October 2, 2016 All Rights Reserved. Reviews, Interviews, Commentary, Photographs or Graphics from any Broadway To Vegas (TM) columns may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, utilized as leads, or used in any manner without permission, compensation and/or credit.
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Laura Deni

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