Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: October 31, 2021
By: Laura Deni
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GUN SAFETY ON BROADWAY STAGES

The use of firearms isn't limited to film and television. Stage productions have also been known to aim the pistol.

See Broadway To Vegas column of January 25, 1998 regarding a shooting on stage.

Such Broadway productions as Miss Saigon; Annie Get Your Gun; Hamilton; Carousel and Oklahoma!, to name only a few.

Weapons Of Choice specializes in theatrical weapons for the stage as opposssed to films or television - to "buy, rent, learn, practice." Since 1990 Weapons Of Choice has provided swords and firearms designed for theatrical use. Each year they outfit over 800 stage shows including Assassins; Bonnie & Clyde; The Crucible; Deathtrap; Les Miserables and Oklahoma!

In the aftermath of the tragic shooting on the set of Alec Baldwin’s movie, Rust, which killed Director of Photography Halyna Hutchins, Richard Pallaziol of Weapons of Choice has become beyond irate. He discussed safety issues with Broadway To Vegas:

1) In live theatre you simply never point any gun, real or not, at another human being at any time. You can do that because the audience has limited depth perception, and you can point slightly upstage or downstage of your partner. In film, the camera has only one eye, so there is no depth perception. You can get away with anything, so why in the world are film actors not forbidden from ever pointing a weapon (even in passing) toward another person?

2) Does the actor have to aim toward the camera? Then establish a safe passage for the muzzle to aim from prop table to camera that never crosses in front of anyone. Hard to do? A little troublesome, but not difficult.

3) Does the director insist on having flame come out of the barrel? In the name of George Lucas, why? If we can have lasers shoot out of blasters, certainly we can have effective CGI of flame and smoke. It costs more than blanks? Yes, and that is the cost of keeping people safe.

4) Does the director insist that actors only give good reactions when they fire a real gun? Grow up. We expect them to have great reactions when they are staring at a suspended tennis ball and have to pretend that it is a 40 ft T Rex, so I think we can ask them to pretend that their gun is firing. They are actors - imagination is what you are paying them for.

5) About twenty years ago I eliminated all of my firearms that had open barrels and were capable of blank-firing. I could see the danger then. None of my props had been involved in an accident, but I didn't want to wait until the inevitable happened. Surely I couldn't have been the only person to see the danger. And the death and injury toll kept rising, and keeps rising. Are we so wedded to the machismo of boys playing with their toys that we can't put these lethal props into the dustbin of history?

6) A chamber check of every weapon should be performed every time a firearm, replica or real, changes hands. Armorer to AD? Chamber check. AD to actor? Chamber check. Actor to AD while actor blows his nose? Chamber check. AD to actor again? Chamber check. Is this monotonous and take valuable time? Yes. Suck it up and do it.

7) If Mr. Baldwin had been holding a bow and arrow, everybody on that set would have been on high alert and would have kept out of the line of fire. But we treat guns as toys. Just yell out "cold gun", and your worries are over. There is no "cold gun" or "hot gun"! I don't care if it's made of steel or rubber or tuna salad. Everyone should always treat every gun as though it is loaded, white-hot, and ready to kill.

His Weapons Of Choice website states:

"The cardinal rule of theatre: Don’t allow a real firearm onto a film set or into a theatre building. EVER"

Things every actor should know:

You will soon be given responsibility for a prop pistol or rifle for use in rehearsal and performance of a theatrical production. Some firearms can actually fire blanks and some are purely for show but may have working parts which can allow an actor to simulate the real action of the weapon.

First and foremost – Always assume that any weapon you see is real, white-hot, loaded and ready to kill. Every time you see it.

Actors try to mimic the moves that they see in the movies, but they forget that guns constantly break down while on a film set. Film studios can afford to have several duplicates and an armorer on stand-by – theatres cannot.

While by all means we want the actor to feel comfortable working with the prop on stage, these cautionary points are prudent to keep in mind today and until the end of the run.

First and foremost – Never point it at anyone at any time. I cannot more strongly stress the importance of developing sound firearms safety practice among this nation’s actors. Always treat every prop gun as though it were a true and loaded gun, and if necessary to give the illusion of pointing the weapon, aim upstage of the other actor. The audience will never know the difference, and perhaps slowly we can all work together to prevent further senseless tragedies from occurring. This can only start with each and every person who sees any weapon, real or fake, to simply assume that it is loaded, white-hot, and ready to kill. (For film, with the one-eyed camera giving the audience no depth perception whatsoever, it is ridiculously easy to keep the actors and technicians safe at all times – so long as the actors are correctly trained.)

Second – Do not “dry-fire”, which is pulling the trigger and allowing the hammer to drop when there is no blank in the chamber. Most guns break in rehearsal from actors dry-firing (playing) backstage. No gun, prop or real, is designed to be handled in this fashion. If it is necessary to the play that the gun dry-fire, then by all means rehearse as needed. But otherwise, why risk costly damage?

Rimfire pistols (which are all of the .22 cal blank-firng props) must never be dry fired. The reason is due to the design of rimfire chambers. When a rimfire firearm is dry fired, the striker hits the outside mouth of the chamber instead of the empty center. This not only damages the firing pin, but over time will peen the chamber face. At first it means that you will get several misfires. Later, extensive peening can be so bad that ammunition will no longer fit in the hole.

Third – Don’t take it out of the theatre. Police respond with extreme seriousness to any possible incident involving firearms, and merely displaying a replica outside of a theatre can be charged as a felony in most states. Any use outside of a theatre (including any film-work) requires prior notification and consent of the local police.

Fourth – The prop is not part of your costume. It is to be picked up from the stage manager or props table just before your entrance, and returned immediately on your exit.

Fifth – Perform a “chamber-check” with every hand-off. If the prop started out its life as a real gun, the person handing over the weapon to the actor opens the gun to show that there is no bullet or blank in the chamber or magazine. If it is a blank-fire or non-firing prop, some other visual confirmation that it is not a real gun. When the actor returns the gun, the chamber check is repeated. When the props are put away each night, the chamber check is repeated once more.

Sixth – Don’t drop it. Real or replica, these are delicate props, and simply can’t survive aggressive action. If the gun must be tossed or dropped, we suggest that you purchase several for the run of the show, for they will break. For the same reason, don’t “twirl” the gun or force the working parts.

What about blank firing guns? What about cap guns? The danger comes from both the sound and from any discharge. When using, always fire with arm fully extended and at a safe distance from any other person. Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction before, during, and after firing. NEVER point any firearm at any person or animal.

When a blank is fired, very hot gases quickly expand and move away from the gun, sometimes down the barrel, sometimes to the side of the gun, sometimes towards the floor or ceiling. Each blank-firing gun style might be designed differently, and some of the gunpowder continues to burn as it leaves the gun, so find out where the gases go and keep that area clear. There has never existed a “safe” distance from a blank-fire discharge. The louder the blank, the more dangerous the discharge.

ALSO – All weapons must be cleaned and oiled after every performance. Failure to do so puts the user at great peril and leads to the destruction of the firearm.

Yale University, which has one of the most respected theatrical studies programs in the nation, has a straightforward teaching policy regarding guns.

Prop Weapon and Stage Combat Policy for Live Productions Stage Combat
Stage combat is defined as any physical confrontation, armed or unarmed, in which bodily harm is represented, with or without actual physical contact. Slapping and shoving can easily cause injury and are considered to be stage combat. Depictions of self-injury or sexual assault are also considered to be stage combat.

Prop Weapon
Prop weapons include but are not limited to: guns (non-firing, rubber and toy), knives, swords, daggers, spears, bows and arrows, cross bows, slingshots, nooses, hand cuffs, shackles, restraints, and any other implements fashioned or used in a threatening manner, whether capable of inflicting actual bodily harm or not.

Banned Items and Actions
The following list of items, props, and staged action is prohibited:

Use of functional fire arms or live ammunition, including blanks, caps, or any other explosive device. The audio of all staged gunshots must be accomplished through the use of sound effects, either recorded or live foley.

Use of sharp blades, swords, knives, arrows, axes, etc. No cutting implements will be allowed unless they been dulled and rendered incapable of cutting or piercing by UP authorized individuals. No retractable knives or swords will be allowed. Use of working bows, crossbows, or any other weapon capable of firing a projectile. All such weapons must be incapable of firing and used for visual effect only. Use of nooses or the act of tying up or binding a person or confining anyone in a locked enclosure.

Stage Combat/Weapons Request
No use of prop weapon or staged combat of any kind is allowed, in rehearsal or performance, without the express written permission Yale Police will be notified about any approved uses of prop weapons in undergraduate productions.

Rental and Borrowing by Off Broadway Theaters can take place but the arrangement for the use and secure storage of prop weapons in the OBT must be made with Justin DeLand .

In March 2019 - prior to the COVID-19 shutdown - it was announced that the planned national tour of Oklahoma! would donate $10,000 for the more than 100 gun props used, said producer Eva Price during her participation in See Change: The Call for Gun Neutral Entertainment which took place at the Sundance Film Festival.

It's the first Broadway show to become "gun neutral," meaning the show will join Hollywood's gun control initiative a program that donates money to weapon prevention nonprofits every time a firearm is pictures in a scene. As part of the deal financiers and producers will add a "Gun neutral" budget line for every prop gun used in a stage production. The money, an average of $15 per gun, will go towards community-based arts programs as well as nonprofits that destroy firearms, according to a press release. The goal is to stop the glamorization of weapons in entertainment industries.

The Tony-winning revival tour of Oklahoma! billed as "Stripped down to reveal the darker psychological truths at its core, Daniel Fish’s re-orchestrated and re-imagined production of this classic Rodgers & Hammerstein musical tells a story of a community circling its wagons against an outsider, and the violence of the frontier that shaped America" will play in Chicago, Los Angeles, Minneapolis, Washington, D.C., Tennessee, Oklahoma and more beginning January 4, 2022.

In honor of Halyna Hutchins, her former AFI classmate and independent filmmaker Bandar Albuliwi started a Change.org petition demanding Hollywood production companies stop using real guns. The petition is now over 81,000 signers and is growing.

“It's time for Hollywood to wake the hell up and give our crew members better working conditions, along with the ban of real guns on set,” Bandar says.

A graduate of the American Film Institute Conservatory in Los Angeles, Bandar received his MFA in Film Directing. His recent directorial accomplishments include Peace After Marriage; Inheritance and one of my all time favorites the haunting Man Push Cart which he both wrote and directed which, in 2005 made its debut at the Venice Film Festival - in 2006 unspooled at Sundance and won the Fipresci Critics Award at the London Film Festival. The movie also received Independent Spirit Award nominations for Best Male Lead (Ahmad Razvi) and Best First Feature.

As a playwright, his stage-play Side by Side premiered off-off-Broadway at the American Theater of Actors in New York City. He is a member of the Actors Studio in New York City. As an actor, he has acted off-Broadway at the Flea Theater in the award- winning stage-play Back of the Throat directed by Jim Simpson.

His anti gun petition caught attention as ongoing reports of safety concerns on the set of Rust have been reported, as well as news that TV shows The Rookie and The Boys will no longer use "live" guns on their sets.

Bandar’s petition also drew support from several key Hollywood figures, including actors Sarah Paulson, Olivia Wilde, Lena Dunham, Anna Paquin, Holland Taylor, and Ariana DeBose, who shared the petition on their social media networks urging followers to sign.

“Real guns are no longer needed on film production sets,” Bandar adds. “Change needs to happen before additional talented lives are lost.”

Also over the weekend, California State Senator Dave Cortese announced his plans to introduce legislation that would ban the use of live ammunition on movie sets.

“There is an urgent need to address alarming work abuses and safety violations occurring on the set of theatrical productions, including unnecessary high-risk conditions such as the use of live firearms,” Sen. Cortese said. Bandar has been in touch with his office.

All organizations and people involved in productions stress their are safety conscious. The rules are straightforward. It's sloppiness, carelessness, and neglect which cause accidents - some of them fatal.

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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

HOGARTH & EUROPE Tate Britain’s major exhibition Hogarth and Europe will present William Hogarth's work in a fresh light, seen for the first time alongside works by his continental contemporaries. It will explore the parallels and exchanges that crossed borders and the cosmopolitan character of Hogarth’s art. His best-known paintings and prints, such as Marriage A-la-Mode 1743, The Gate of Calais 1748 and Gin Lane 1751, will be shown alongside works by famed European artists, including Jean-Siméon Chardin in Paris, Pietro Longhi in Venice, and Cornelis Troost in Amsterdam. Together they will reveal how changes in society took art in new directions, both in Britain and abroad.

Supported by Mala Gaonkar, with additional support from the Hogarth & Europe Exhibition Supporters Circle, Tate Americas Foundation and Tate Patrons Press View Monday, November 1 with the exhibit officially opening November 3, on display through March 30, 2022 at Tate London.

THE AGE OF ARMOR Treasures from the Higgins Armory Collection at the Worcester Art Museum on display at the Toledo Museum of Art in Toledo, Ohio November 6 through February 27, 2022.

The Age of Armor Treasures from the Higgins Armory Collection at the Worcester Art Museum explores armor made for the battlefield, tournaments and ceremonies, highlighting armor’s practical function, and its cultural role as a symbol of personal identity, social prestige and the values of a heroic past. It presents European suits of armor from one of the most important and largest collections of the material in the U.S. The exhibition of more than 80 works focuses on the development and history of the classic knightly suit of plate armor, which was used from the mid-1300s to the mid-1600s, as well as how armor has been used in various forms around the globe, from antiquity to the modern era.

The comprehensive exhibition narrates the story of how armor evolved, how it was constructed and how it has impacted our cultural memory. The exhibition begins by tracing the progressive use of metals such as bronze, iron and steel for armor and weapons from ancient Egypt to ancient Greece and the time of the legendary Trojan War, and continues into the Middle Ages, when knights with expensive iron coats of mail, as well as swords, lances and horses came to dominate the battlefield. The exhibition also examines the complex and specialized craft of armor-making and decorating. Armor from Asia, Africa and the Indian subcontinent will be on display to connect and contrast with their European counterparts. The Age of Armor concludes with the decline of armor’s utility and its eventual revival in the modern era, as it continues to exert a powerful hold over our imaginations and as collectibles.

Organized by Worcester Art Museum, Worcester, Massachusetts.

THE TOLEDO MUSEUM OF ART has named Erin Corrales-Diaz its new curator of American art. Corrales-Diaz begins her appointment at TMA in November 2021. In her role, she will steward TMA’s renowned holdings of American art and will also collaborate with the curatorial team on the reinstallation of the Museum’s collections, with an aim to broaden art historical narratives for a more accessible and inclusive experience.

Corrales-Diaz’s professional accomplishments include authoring the first major effort to historicize the visual culture of war-related disability, a significant deviation from previous scholarship around the American Civil War, which focused on the death toll. In “Remembering the Veteran: Disability, Trauma, and the American Civil War, 1861-1915,” her Ph.D. dissertation at the University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, she explored the complex ways American artists interpreted war-induced disability after the Civil War, and how these representations came to embody the overwhelming sense of loss Americans experienced in the war’s aftermath.

In her other published writings, she has examined the fashion history of the baseball jersey, N.C. Wyeth’s images of Native Americans, and the gendered color line that exists for women artists and the way their histories are told.

She comes to TMA from the Worcester Art Museum in Worcester, Massachusetts, where she served as assistant curator of American art from 2018 to 2021. There she curated exhibitions including Beyond Midnight: Paul Revere and The Iconic Jersey: Baseball x Fashion.

In addition to her Ph.D., Corrales-Diaz completed a Master of Arts in art history from Williams College and a Bachelor of Arts in art history from the University of Washington, Seattle, where she graduated with full college honors cum laude.

THE COLUMBUS MUSEUM OF ART will officially unveil the new George Bellows Center, a hub dedicated to fostering and incubating exhibitions, publications and scholarly research and presenting public programs related to the legendary American artist and his contemporaries. A leading modern and realist artist, George Bellows (1882-1925) was born and educated in Columbus, Ohio, before leaving for New York City to study art. Housed within the Columbus Museum of Art, the Bellows Center will include a gallery and study space for visiting scholars and students and will convene public events throughout the year. The new center was made possible with leadership support from the Teckie and Don Shackelford family. The Shackelford family also endowed CMA’s curator of American art, who will serve as the director of the Bellows Center.

The Nov. 4, 2021, opening weekend event will be headlined by noted Bellows scholar Mark Cole, William P. and Amanda C. Madar curator of American painting and sculpture at the Cleveland Museum of Art. Cole will present on Bellows’ life both as a gifted athlete and astute observer, chronicler and interpreter of the world around him, including sporting subjects as a microcosm of society. For Bellows, sports were metaphors for life itself, and his images of skill and rivalry stand as potent symbols for the brash competitive spirit of early modern America. Throughout the opening weekend, visitors will be invited to stop by the Center for a rare look at Bellows’ arts record book, as well as Bellows prints, lithographs and paintings.

The inaugural year of programming for the Bellows Center continues in Spring 2022 when CMA welcomes Charles Brock, associate curator of American and British paintings at the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C., and lead scholar and curator of the National Gallery’s 2012 retrospective on the artist, who also will present a lecture on the artist.

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SWEET CHARITY

JOAN JETT & THE BLACKHEARTS 2021 FALL GALA FOR THE RIDGEFIELD PLAYHOUSE takes place Friday, November 5, 2021 at the Ridgefield Playhouse in Ridgfield, CT.

Line Auction & Show.

Gala tickets include open bar, small plates by local area restaurants, silent auction and more.

The original female rock visionary and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer has earned eight platinum and gold albums and nine Top 40 singles, including the classics "Bad Reputation," "I Love Rock ‘N’ Roll," "I Hate Myself For Loving You," and "Crimson and Clover," to name a few.

THE ACTING COMPANY has announced a staged concert reading of award-winning playwright Marcus Gardley’s A Wolf in Snakeskin Shoes: Or The Gospel of Tartuffe on Monday, November 8th at Florence Gould Hall in New York City.

Gardley’s play creatively takes off Molière’s Tartuffe, setting his new wicked comedy in Atlanta where The Righteous Reverend Prelate Prophetic Apostle Toof, a preacher and part-time masseur, promises to lay hands on the terminally ill fast-food tycoon Archibald Beauregard Ichabad Organdy, for a price. His story rocks the foundations of trust, faith, and redemption.

The cast includes Denise Burse, Jimonn Cole, Leland Fowler, J.D. Mollison, Adrienne C. Moore, Chelsea Lee Williams, and C. Kelly Wright . Music will be performed by Tony winning Broadway Inspirational Voices, under the direction of Allen René Louis. The entire reading is under the direction of artistic director Ian Belknap.

Décor and costumes designed by Sarita Fellows, lighting design by Devorah Kengmana, and sound supervisor by Mark Van Hare. Kojo Ade is serving as the Audience Consultant. Devin Brain is the Associate Artistic Director; Pamela Reichen, General Manager; Caitlin White, Development Director.

This staged reading benefits The Acting Company.

MUSICARES has been providing relief to those in the music community who have been affected by Hurricane Ida. While it’s been almost two months since Hurricane Ida made landfall, the need for relief is still great, especially among the music communities in Louisiana, New Jersey and New york.

Thanks to a generous donation by Vivid Seats, the relief effort was fully funded, and MusiCares has been able to help hundreds in the music community by providing the victims and their families with monetary support for necessary essentials like food, water, gas, and more to begin rebuilding their lives after this devastation.

Vivid Seats is a strong supporter of MusiCares and has donated more than $2 million since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic to help support many of MusiCares' relief efforts.

As recovery efforts continue, MusiCares is evaluating the needs of the music community to cover other necessities like healthcare costs, disaster insurance deductibles and home repair costs. MusiCares also continues to act as a health and human services safety net for music people across the nation, providing physical and mental health services, addiction recovery, preventative clinics, funds for unforeseen personal emergencies, and disaster relief.

As the leading music charity in the U.S., MusiCares has provided relief to members of the music industry after similar natural disasters, including Hurricane Harvey, Hurricane Sandy, the Nashville floods, and the California wildfires.

DOGS BELONG ON LAPS NOT IN LABS: DR. ANTHONY FAUCI IS IN THE DOG HOUSE

The disclosure that Dr. Anthony Fauci, the esteem COVID-19 expert, authorized American tax payer money to be transferred to Tunisia so that beagle puppies could be brutally tortured to death has caused an uproar. Elected officials have requested that Fauci answer their questions by November 19.

He'd better have some straight answers and not PR fluff.

The bipartisan group of lawmakers is seeking answers from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) and Fauci>

Twenty-four members of the House of Representatives signed a letter to Fauci, who is director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), a part of NIH.

The letter was prompted by the nonprofit group White Coat Waste which obtained documents under the Freedom of Information Act that appear to show NIAID spent $1.68 million in taxpayer money for experiments on beagle puppies in a lab in Tunisia.

First the puppies were "de-barked" through a procedure called a cordectomy, so that the scientists didn't have to listen to the puppies howl in pain.

The lawmakers, led by Republican Representative Nancy Mace of South Carolina's 1st congressional district, wrote to Fauci on October 21 with a number of questions about the matter that they want to be answered by November 19.

"We write with grave concerns about reports of costly, cruel, and unnecessary taxpayer-funded experiments on dogs commissioned by National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases," the lawmakers wrote.

Citing the White Coat Waste and media reports, the members of the House wrote that "from October 2018 until February 2019, NIAID spent $1.68 million in taxpayer funds on drug tests involving 44 beagle puppies.

"The dogs were all between six and eight months old. The commissioned tests involved injecting and force-feeding the puppies with disease-causing parasites to test an experimental drug on them for several weeks, before killing and dissecting them.

"Of particular concern is the fact that the invoice to NIAID included a line item for 'cordectomy.' As you are likely aware, a cordectomy, also known as 'devocalization,' involves slitting a dog's vocal cords in order to prevent them from barking, howling, or crying," the letter went on.

"This cruel procedure - which is opposed with rare exceptions by the American Veterinary Medical Association, the American Animal Hospital Association, and others - seems to have been performed so that experimenters would not have to listen to the pained cries of the beagle puppies. This is a reprehensible misuse of taxpayer funds," the lawmakers said.

The letter charged that this does not appear to be the only instance where NIH-funded experiments on beagles. On its website, White Coat Waste says there have been four such reprehensible experiments in four different locations around the world.

The lawmakers want to know how many drug tests have been performed on dogs since January 2018 and what the cost has been. They also want to know why these tests have taken place even though the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) does not require new drugs to be tested on dogs, among other questions.

Photos of the dogs having their necks clamped down to the floor in mesh cages so they can't move are chilling. "Those cages were filled with hungry sandflies so that the insects could eat them alive," White Coat Waste alleged. "They also locked beagles alone in cages in the desert overnight for nine consecutive nights to use them as bait to attract infectious sand flies."

For decades dogs were used in experiments with beagles being the breed of choice.

In 2016, the Pharmaceutical Testing Laboratory in Bangalore was forced to free more than 150 beagles, who were kept locked in for testing. According to the American Anti-Vivisection Society, which aims to end the use of animals in science through education, advocacy, and the development of alternative methods, explained that the most common breed of dog used for experiments are beagles “but not because scientists view them as the best model for human disease” - rather - “beagles are convenient to use because they are docile and small, allowing for more animals to be housed and cared for using less space and money.”

The Washington Post reported earlier this year that many of the beagles used for experiments in labs and universities arrive as puppies. The majority come from breeders who sell directly to the testing facilities, according to the Humane Society of the United States. Between 2015 and 2019, the National Institutes of Health awarded more than $200 million to 200 institutions for projects using dogs as experimental models, according to a report from the Humane Society of the United States.

In addition to Mace, the following members of the House signed the letter: Cindy Axne (D-IA), Cliff Bentz (R-OR), Steve Cohen (D-TN), Rick Crawford (R-AR), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA), Scott Franklin (R-FL), Andrew Gabarino (R-NY), Carlos Gimenez (R-FL), Jimmy Gomez (D-CA), Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ), Fred Keller (R-PA), Ted Lieu (D-CA), Lisa McClain (R-MI), Nicole Malliotakis (R-NY), Brian Mast (R-FL), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Scott Perry (R-PA), Bill Posey (R-FL), Mike Quigley (D-IL), Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-CA), Maria Salazar (R-FL), Terri Sewell (D-AL) and Daniel Webster (R-FL).

Everybody loves beagle Snoopy, but it doesn't matter if it was the ugliest dog on the planet, you don't need to use dogs in experiments. Dr. Fauci needs to explain why he used taxpayer money to help others do just that.

SPREADING THE WORD

EMMY, GRAMMY, OSCAR & TONY AWARD WINNER ALAN MENKEN Don't miss his only "Hometown" show! Ridgefield Playhouse Arts advisory board member, EGOT and Eight-time Oscar-winner and recipient, Alan Menken performs for one night only! In his multimedia show, Menken leads audiences on a journey through more than thirty years of hit songs, movies, and musicals and the stories behind them - The Little Mermaid; Aladdin; Beauty & the Beast; Enchanted; Tangled and more.

Saturday, November 6, 2021 at the Ridgefield Playhouse in Ridgefield, CT.

COME HOME: A CELEBRATION OF RETURN featuring a tribute to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg takes place November 6–14 at the Opera House at Kennedy Center in Washington, DC. A tribute to the late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg with live performances from her favorite operas and a moving video narrated by NPR correspondent Nina Totenberg. Powerful staged selections from Verdi’s Nabucco, Wagner’s Tannhäuser, Bizet’s Carmen, Donizetti’s The Daughter of the Regiment, Verdi’s La traviata, and more. The WNO debut of opera superstar Pretty Yende and returning favorites Isabel Leonard, Lawrence Brownlee, and other stars.

LITTLE SCRATCH by Rebecca Watson. Adapted for the stage by Miriam Battye.

Directed by Kate Mitchell.

Little scratch explores how the mind internalizes, distracts, and survives the darkest moments.

Moronk Akinola, Eleanor Henderson, Eve Ponsonby and Ragevan Vasan star in this fearless and exhilarating account of a woman’s consciousness over 24 hours.

Playing Downstairs at the Hamptead in London, November 5 - December 11, 2021.

WORKS & PROCESS AT THE GUGGENHEIM Continues Fall 2021 Season with the Metropolitan Opera Monday, November 1, 2021 at the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum, New York City.

The Metropolitan Opera: Matthew Aucoin / Libretto by Sarah Ruhl; Eurydice.

The ancient Greek myth of Orpheus, who attempts to harness the power of music to rescue his beloved Eurydice from the underworld, has inspired composers since opera’s earliest days. Composer Matthew Aucoin carries that tradition into the 21st century, adapting a play by Sarah Ruhl, who also crafted the libretto, that examines the story from Eurydice’s point of view. The intelligent and entertaining new work arrives at the Met this fall, with Music Director Yannick Nézet-Séguin conducting a staging by Mary Zimmerman, and prior to its premiere, this program invites you to learn more about the creative process through a discussion with Aucoin moderated by Met General Manager Peter Gelb. Cast members will also present highlights.

JOHNNY MATHIS brings romance to the stage of Reynolds Hall at the Smith Center in Las Vegs with his 65 Years of Romance Event on November 6, 2021.

Securing his reputation as one of the most enduring vocalists in history for the past 65 years, the legendary singer performs hits like "Chances Are," "It's Not for Me to Say" and "Misty," proving why he will always be the Voice of Romance.

Joining Johnny on stage as special guest will be comedian and musician Gary Mule Deer.

KRISTIN CHENOWETH performs November 6 in Ivins, UT at the Tuacahn Amphitheatre. On November 8 she can be enjoyed in New York City at Stern Auditorium, Carnegie Hall.

MICHAEL BUBLE performs in Brazil this week with a show November 3 in Porto Alegre at the Arena do Grêmio, On November 5 he stars in Curitiba at Arena da Baixada and on November 7 he'll be on stage in São Paulo at the Allianz Parque.

BILLY JOEL knocking out his hits November 5 in New York City at Madison Square Garden.

BILL CHARLAP DUETS with Houston Person, Jon Faddis, Chris Potter, and Ron Carter at Birdland in New York City.. Grammy award winning pianist Bill Charlap performs November 2 with Houston Person. November 3, it's Jon Faddis. On November 4 the duet is with Chris Potter and on November 5-6 Charlap and Ron Carter entertain.

KISS whose Las Vegas extended engagement at Zappos Theater at Planet Hollywood was to begin December 29, 2021 has been canceled.

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

A.R.T./NEW YORK announced three grant programs providing flexible, general operating support to small theatres:

1. The NYSCA-A.R.T./New York Creative Opportunity Fund provides grants of $2,000-$5,000 to theatres throughout New York State with annual budgets of under $500,000.

2. The Strengthening NYC Theatres Grant Program (formerly the Nancy Quinn Fund) gives New York City-based theatres with annual budgets under $250,000 one-year grants of $1000-$2000.

3. The New York City Small Theatres Fund, in partnership with the Howard Gilman Foundation, will provide around 10 New York City theatres with annual budgets under $250,000 with two-year general operating support grants of $5,000-$10,000 annually.

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CHARLIE PRIDE the trailblazing Country Music Legend was honored with The RIAA Lifetime Achievement Award at the National Museum of African American Music in Nashville, TN.

Michele Ballantyne (COO of the RIAA) was on-hand to present the honor to Charley's son, Dion Pride, and also to the National Museum of African American Music for display.

The evening also included a stirring acoustic performance from Country music icon, Garth Brooks, of the last song Pride recorded - a duet with Brooks, "Where the Cross Don't Burn," written by the late Troy Jones and the late Phil Thomas plus Garth interjecting throughout the Q&A with performances of acoustic verses of some of Charlie's biggest hits and Garth's personal favorites becoming emotional during a few of the songs.

In addition to his performance, Brooks sat down with songwriter, author and Vanderbilt University faculty member, Alice Randall, for a live Q&A where they discussed Pride's profound influence on Brooks, the genre of Country music and their time together recording "Where the Cross Don't Burn."

The RIAA is the trade organization that supports and promotes the creative and commercial vitality of music labels in the United States, the most vibrant recorded music community in the world. Our membership – which includes several hundred companies, ranging from small-to-medium-sized enterprises to global businesses – creates, manufactures and/or distributes sound recordings. In support of its mission, the RIAA works to protect the intellectual property and First Amendment rights of artists and music labels; conducts consumer, industry, and technical research; and monitors and reviews state and federal laws, regulations, and policies.

THE ROCK AND ROLL HALL OF FAME INDUCTION CEREMONY took place Saturday, October 30th streamed over the Rock Hall’s YouTube channel hossted by Bevy Smith.

The Ceremony honored this year’s Inductees: Tina Turner, Carole King, The Go-Go’s, JAY-Z, Foo Fighters, and Todd Rundgren in the Performer category, along with Kraftwerk, Charley Patton and Gil Scott-Heron for Early Influence, LL Cool J, Billy Preston and Randy Rhoads for Musical Excellence, and Clarence Avant for the Ahmet Ertegun Award.

Special guests included Angela Bassett, Christina Aguilera, Mickey Guyton, H.E.R., Bryan Adams, Taylor Swift, Jennifer Hudson, Drew Barrymore, Paul McCartney and Lionel Richie.

The Ceremony took at Rocket Mortgage Fieldhouse in Cleveland, Ohio. It will air November 20th on HBO and stream on HBO Max alongside a radio simulcast on SiriusXM.



DEAR JACK, DEAR LOUISE

Amelia Pedlow and Bill Army in Dear Jack, Dear Louise. Photo by: George Street Playhouse.

by Ken Ludwig.

Directed by David Saint.

Starring Bill Army and Amelia Pedlow.

A long-distance romance blooms between a WWII Army doctor and a Broadway starlet working at the Stage Door Canteen in this nostalgic, yet timeless real-life love story about the playwright’s parents - two people who are destined to be together, even though they are separated by the circumstances of the world.

Jim Youmans, Set and Projection Designer; Joe Saint, Lighting Designer; Lisa Zinni, Costume Designer; Scott Killian, Sound Design. Kristin Pfeifer is the Stage Manager.

Presented by George Street Playhouse with performances through November 21, 2021 at the Arthur Laurents Theater at the New Brunswick Performing Arts Center in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

TROUBLE IN MIND by Alice Childress.

Directed by Charles Randolph-Wright.

Trouble in Mind stars Tony and Emmy Award winner LaChanze, with Michael Zegen, Chuck Cooper, Danielle Campbell, Jessica Frances Dukes, Brandon Micheal Hall, Simon Jones, Alex Mickiewicz and Don Stephenson.

"Following an experienced Black stage actress through rehearsals of a major Broadway production, Alice Childress’s wry and moving look at racism, identity, and ego in the world of New York theatre opened to acclaim Off-Broadway in 1955. At the forefront of both the Civil Rights and feminist movements, the prescient Trouble in Mind was announced to move to Broadway in 1957…in a production that never came to be.

Presented by the Roundabout Theatre Company New York City through January 9, 2021 at the American Airlines Theatre in New York City.

NOLLYWOOD DREAMS by Burnt Umber Playwright-in-Residence Jocelyn Bioh.

Directed by Saheem Ali.

It’s the 1990s and in Lagos, Nigeria, the Nollywood film industry is exploding and taking the world by storm. Ayamma dreams of stardom while working at her parents’ travel agency alongside her lovable and celebrity-obsessed sister Dede. When Ayamma lands an audition for a new film by Gbenga Ezie, Nigeria’s hottest director, she comes head-to-head with Gbenga’s former leading lady, Fayola. Tensions flare just as sparks start flying between Ayamma, the aspiring ingénue, and Wale, Nollywood’s biggest heartthrob, in this hilarious new play about dreaming big.

The cast includes Abena, Charlie Hudson, III, Nana Mensah, Sandra Okuboyejo, Ade Otukoya, and Emana Rachelle.

Nollywood Dreams features scenic design by Arnulfo Maldonado, costume design by Dede Ayite, lighting design by David Weiner and Jiyoun Chang, sound design by Palmer Hefferan, projection design by Alex Basco Koch, and hair & wig design by Nikiya Mathis. Dawn-Elin Fraser is the dialect coach and Alyssa K Howard is the production stage manager.

At MCC Theater’s Newman Mills Theater for a limited run through Sunday, November 28, 2021.

GIRL FROM THE NORTH COUNTRY featuring the music of the legendary Bob Dylan reimagined by celebrated playwright Conor McPherson.

Starring Todd Almond as Elias Burke, Colin Bates as Gene Laine, Jeannette Bayardelle as Mrs. Neilsen, Caitlin Houlahan as Kate Draper, Robert Joy as Dr. Walker, Marc Kudisch as Mr. Burke, Matt McGrath as Reverend Marlowe, Luba Mason as Mrs. Burke, Tom Nelis as Mr. Perry, Jay. O. Sanders as Nick Laine, Austin Scott as Joe Scott, Kimber Elayne Sprawl as Marianne Laine, and Mare Winningham as Elizabeth Laine.

Set at a guesthouse where a group of wanderers cross paths. Standing at a turning point in their lives, they realize nothing is what it seems. But as they search for a future, and hide from the past, they find themselves facing unspoken truths about the present.

At The Belasco Theatre in New York City.

FAIRYCAKES written and directed by Douglas Carter Beane.

Ellenore Scott choreographs and serves as Associate Director.

Fairycakes stars (in alphabetical order) Arnie Burton, Sabatino Cruz, Julie Halston, Ann Harada, Jackie Hoffman, Z Infante, Kristolyn Lloyd, Chris Myers, Jamen Nanthakumar, Mo Rocca, Jason Tam and Kuhoo Verma.

"An all-star cast of theatrical favorites comes together in this uproarious clash of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and old-world fairy tales. One night in the woods, puckish mischief leads to mismatched lovers from across all your favorite stories. And what begins as love at first sprite, grows into something more as the feelings from one midsummer night carry over to the bright light of day."

Scenic design is by Shoko Kambara & Adam Crinson, costume design by Gregory Gale and lighting design by Jeanette Oi-Suk Yew.

At the Greenwich House Theater in New York City.

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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.

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