Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: October 9, 2022
By: Laura Deni
CLICK HERE FOR COMMENT SECTION

OCTOBER IS THE MONTH FOR HORROR THRILLERS - DREAM ON COVERS BOTH SIDES OF THE VEIL

Dream On by Paul Ekert. Tom Brazier directs an excellent cast comprised of: Paul McEwan as Robert, Mariele Runacre-Temple, Kesty Mossison, Laurence Dobiesz, Hannah Almond, with Annie Clark as the police woman.

Robert is having a dream in which he is having breakfast with his wife. His ex-wife. His dead ex-wife. The next night there she is again, hauntingly familiar in the full personification of her monstrous personality. His current wife is not amused at his nocturnal flirtation with the dead past and as dreams an reality began to overlap, Robert begins a desperate hunt to find out why this is happening and if he is really losing him mind.

The reality of being awake versus the dream world. Does their circumnavigation ever collide? Can you project yourself into the dreams of another? What if you could? Would you? Would you be a nightmare?

Akert has crafted a script which is reminiscent of Twilight Zone episodes.

At first Robert doesn't realize where he is. His ex wife, Darla, is fixing breakfast; eggs with garlic mushrooms and brown sauce, bacon and toast. He tells her that he is now a vegan, thanks to his new wife who is anti-meat. They fight, as they did in their marriage. A marriage in ehich she kept an imaginary scoreboard as to who won which argument - licking her finger and making a check mark. He accuses her of having always tried to stop him from doing things. His current wife, Fiona, doesn't. He annoyed that he is talking to his dead ex-wife. She accuses him of being morbid. She taunts him, calling him by her pet name for him - piggy. He wonders why he is having this dream.

He still has questions about her having drowned on the beach with no suicide note. Was that an attempt to make it look like murder?

Maybe it was - murder.

He the writer and she the actress.

Darla claims that his new wife, who was once his agent, married him for half of his royalties.

Suddenly awake, he mumbles as he startled wife, Fiona, says he was talking about bacon. Startled, she mentions his breath smells of bacon and brown sauce she complains that he stinks of the smell of meat. She accuses him of sneaking out to get a sandwich.

The play rapidly alternates between out of body dream experiences and real life - as sleep deprivation takes it toll.

The following night he has a sex dream with his dead ex-wife resulting in a mess on the sheets which annoys Fiona who asserts that he is too old for wet dreams.

Dead tired, he's afraid to sleep. He's also depressed and worried. His writing isn't selling and he's reached a creative dry spell.

Unwittingly, he falls asleep and is approached by Maggie who had once taken a course in dreaming where she met his ex-wife who was also taking the class. As a fan of hers, Maggie kept a scrapbook of Darla's acting appearances.

Again his dead ex-wife appears. She accuses him of murdering her.

He counters by reminding her of what happened that night when she almost killed him.

He awakens at the police station where he is being questioned by a female constable regarding a complaint made by a young lady named Maggie who stated that he had grabbed her arm, injuring her.

Fiona is "mortally embarrassed" that two uniformed police officer had showed up at her office wanting to know if she was okay.

An annoyed Fiona gets Robert out of jail. Robert constantly complains that he is tired but has to stay awake.

Fiona complains that although his first wife has been dead for over a year she is constantly interfering with their life.

Two weeks go by and the dreams persist.

In one dream Darla points out that they are his dreams, not hers.

"You attacked me in the street," he charged.

"Can you blame me?," she answers.

"You were screwing around with Fiona, your agent."

Dead or alive, this violence prone couple has unresolved issues.

He accused her of "prostituting herself" by going on chat shows to discuss their martial situation.

When they aren't scratching, cutting and hitting each other - they are insulting.

"At least I have fans" she insults. "All you have is a catalogue."

"At least I have one," he answers.

She complained that she did bad scripts in order to pay the bills so he could write.

She begins violently scratching his back. "You're hurting me," he screams.

Fiona yells, "Robert, wake up. You've had two weeks of this and its driving me mad."

She wants to know what the dreams are about. Suddenly she exclaims: "Why is there blood on your back? They look like scratch marks."

She accuses him of scratching himself and suggests that he seek professional help. She admits that she has seen a professional because his dreams were driving her crazy.

He desperately tries to stay awake but continues to unexpectedly doze off. Maggie reappears and threatens to use a taser if he comes closer. She reminds him that he grabbed her arm so hard that it caused a bruise.

He questions her about that dream class she took with his ex-wife Darla. She can only remember that it concerned meditation during sleep and out of body experiences while sleeping. Dream awareness showing how to release the power of your dreams - how to enter the dreams of loved ones.

When Robert reports this to Fiona she thinks the instructor is a quack trying to separate gullible people from their money. She suggests that he is suffering stress from writer's block causing paranoia.

She offers him some sleep inducing medicine which at first he declines. He declares that he must research dreams and make lists of people who have talked about their dreams and people who have done research on the subject. Without his knowledge Fiona drops a sedative into his beverage. The doctor had told her that it was fast acting and that he's be out for ten hours.

Before the sedative could take effect Robert insists he needs to find a way to stay awake. He runs out of the house and is hit by a car, resulting in a serious brain injury.

A worried Fiona is anxious for the doctors to reassure her that her husband will be okay. Tests determine that, although he is in a coma, there is a "good amount of brain activity." He's not brain dead, but the doctors can't predict when - or if - he will ever awaken.

Robert is greeted by Darla who informs him of his future.

Is Darla in Robert's dream? Or, has Robert projected himself into Darla's existence?

It's Robert's worst nightmare.

Excellent sound, diction, and acting. Edited by Audio Mill. Music by Audio Mill. Presented by the Wireless Theatre Company.

In related news: Sleep & Dreams: Music, Neuroscience & Stories of Slumber seminar takes place Tuesday, October 18, 2022 at the Caroline H. Hume Concert Hall at the San Francisco Conservatory of Music.

Join the San Francisco Conservatory of Music (SFCM), the UCSF Department of Neurology including the UCSF Memory and Aging Center (UCSF MAC) and the Global Brain Health Institute (GBHI), and honored guest partners The Nocturnists for this dynamic event, offered in-person and online. Part of a series, the evening will feature innovators in science, music and art, and medicine with talks, musical performances, and surprise elements.

Hosts:
Emily Silverman (Emcee), Creator & Host, The Nocturnists; Assistant Professor of Medicine, UCSF; 2020 Hellman Artist-in-Residence, UCSF MAC
David Stull, President, SFCM
Bruce Miller, Professor of Neurology, UCSF; Director, UCSF Memory and Aging Center; Co-Director, GBHI

Stories from Science
Liza Ashbrook - Assistant Professor of Neurology, UCSF

Lea Grinberg - Professor of Neurology, UCSF/GBHI

Kamalini Ranasinghe - Assistant Professor of Neurology, UCSF

Stories from Music & Art
Taurin Barrera - Executive Director, Technology and Applied Composition Studio Director, SFCM

Nikolaus Hohmann Chair, Humanities and Sciences, SFCM Luis Martinez - Neurologist, Visual Artist, Global Atlantic Fellow for Equity in Brain Health at GBHI

Stories from Medicine
Emily Silverman - Creator & Host, The Nocturnists Assistant Professor of Medicine, UCSF, 2020 Hellman Artist-in-Residence, UCSF MAC
Oak Sonfist - Medical Student & Storyteller.

E-Book

Soft back Book

Broadway To Vegas is supported through advertising and donations. Priority consideration is given to interview suggestions, news, press releases, etc from paid supporters. However, no paid supporters control, alter, edit, or in any way manipulate the content of this site. Your donation is appreciated. We accept PAYPAL.

Thank you for your interest.

E-Book

Soft back Book

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

BLINK 2022 the nation’s largest light, art, and projection mapping experience, is back after a two-year hiatus. 30 City Blocks - 2 States - 1 River Free to the public - 4 nights - 1.3 Million Attendees - 90 Million Total Combined Economic Impact - 18 international, 21 U.S.-based, and 32 local artists together for large-scale projection mapping, murals, XR experiences, and interactive light sculptures throughout Cincinnati, OH and Covington, KY.

The art experience is back with transcendent work across mediums and from around the world.

The weekend will start with a parade through downtown Cincinnati under the theme "Together: a constellation of shared cultures and unique identities; we illuminate joy through creative expression." Brought together by ish Jewish Cultural Festival, the parade kick-off is a staple of BLINK.

Portuguese visual artist Add Fuel is bringing his unique art to highlight Rookwood Pottery & Tile's 140-year legacy of creating beautiful tiles. The mural goes up Friday ahead of the BLINK experience.

L’Amour Supreme brings pop culture elements providing decades of reinterpreted comic books, action figures and monster movie references. His imagery will be displayed as a mural for attendees to enjoy. Multidisciplinary artist Greg Mike is creating a mural through his personal lens of Surrealist Pop Art. Ever excited about new mediums and exploring the area between, he will be collaborating to add projection to the finished piece.

Iconic visual artist Shantell Martin is set to dazzle using her her signature black and white style enriched by her background as an intuitive philosopher and cultural facilitator, perfectly aligning her with the event’s mission.

Afro-Surrealist visual artist Vince Fraser is collaborating with Underworld Black Arts Festival and Napoleon Maddox to explore and tell the rish history of Cincinnati's Little Africa. The Afrocentric large-scale projection installation adds another layer to BLINK's mission.

Famed muralist Tristan Eaton is creating what will likely be Ohio's largest mural on the side of the 84.51° made possible by 84.51°, Kroger Personal Finance, Kroger Health, Millstone Fund, Greater Cincinnati Foundation, and Cincinnati CVB.

BLINK will be debuting its first Drone Light show, which includes 300 drones performing for 10 minutes. The unmanned aerial vehicles will showcase 3D imagery, animations, and lighting.

The BLINK Drone Show creative is being presented by Covington-based Durham Studios. The first show will happen October 13th and will be repeated twice each evening over the weekend.

Max Sansing joins the Flow Series with a brand new mural. The Flow Series brings together renowned Black artists from around the country to showcase their unique and exciting work.

Award-winning Breonna's Garden is making an appearance at BLINK as part of a successful tour around the nation. Developed by artist and curator Lady Pheønix in solidarity with Breonna's family, the augmented reality experience came together in partnership with a number of creatives who lovingly volunteered their time.

Executive Director is Justin Brookhart. Produced and curated by its Executive Partners - the Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber, AGAR, and the Haile Foundation, and produced in conjunction with its Partners ArtWorks, Cincy Nice, and ish - to provide opportunities for regional artists and bring in global creators all in the pursuit of a stronger community.

October 13, 2022 - October 16, 2022 in Cincinnati, Ohio.

SAINTS, SINNERS, LOVERS, AND FOOLS Travel back in time 400 years and discover a world of folly, sin, beauty, and rich cultural history in Saints, Sinners, Lovers, and Fools: 300 Years of Flemish Masterworks, opening October 16 at the Denver museum in Denver, Colorado.

This exhibition introduces United States audiences to the most comprehensive collection yet of 15th- to 17th century Flemish art, featuring masterpieces from revered artists such as Peter Paul Rubens, Hans Memling, Anthony van Dyck, and others.

Saints, Sinners, Lovers, and Fools: 300 Years of Flemish Masterworks is co-organized by the Denver Art Museum and The Phoebus Foundation, Antwerp (Belgium).

VIRTUAL MET MEMORY CAFE takes place Wednesday, October 12, 2022 at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City.

For individuals living with dementia, together with their family members or care partners. Brew a cup of coffee or tea and gather around art to chat, share, and stretch.

Free, though reservations are required.

E-Book

Soft back Book

SWEET CHARITY

ANNE THE PRINCESS ROYAL

We were pleased to welcome Her Royal Highness Princess Anne to the #StatenIslandFerry today. pic.twitter.com/XTQjIWqpJM — NYC DOT (@NYC_DOT) October 4, 2022.

72, for decades the hardest working member of the royal family. According to the BBC, last year there were 2,300 official engagements carried out. Princess Anne, on her own, carried out almost 400. The woman who just keeps her head to the grindstone in loyal and devoted duty was in New York City last week, and hopped aboard the Staten Island Ferry accompanied by NYC'S DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez to visit the National Lighthouse Museum.

Around 70,000 passengers - many commuters - take the ferry each day, according to its official website. The free, five miles journey typically takes 25 minutes to and from Manhattan and Staten Island.

On Tuesday, the New York City's Department of Transportation tweeted a photo of Anne, the Princess Royal aboard the ferry with DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez.

The only daughter of the late Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip has a long history of being fascinated by lighthouses.

Anne is patron of the NLV Pharos, a lighthouse tender operated by the Northern Lighthouse Board, the body responsible for the operation of 200 lighthouses and marine navigation aids around the coasts of Scotland and the Isle of Man.

She has discussed her love of lighthouse on an episode of England's The One Show and wrote about her passion for lighthouses in Ian Cowe's book Scottish and Manx Lighthouses.

Princess Anne flew out from Heathrow Airport in London and touched down at the John F Kennedy International Airport. She was greeted by His Majesty's Consul-General for New York, Mrs Emma Wade-Smith.

She attended a nuseun sponsored luncheon in Battery Park telling the crowd, "I think lighthouses have been a particularly good way of educating people about the importance of maritime in all its formats. It's not just about trade, but the impact of what we do to the sea, and how we can look after it better, and the way in which it affects our lives."

"The lighthouse still has a really important part to play," Princess Anne stressed, adding; "The story that goes with lighthouses and how we got here is just as important, and [the] museum has made an astonishing impact in telling that story. What you do needs scope, to tell more of that story."

Princess Anne was named honorary chair for the museum's Illuminating Future Generations campaign, a fundraising effort the museum launched in January to raise money for preservation and expansion of its gallery space, as first printed in the Advance.

She received a tour of the museum with curator Amanda Nesci and unveiled a miniature figurine of Needles Lighthouse on the U.K.'s Isle of Wright in memory of her parents, Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip. After shaking hands with all 100 attendees Anne was taken to the ferry where she rode the trip in the ship’s pilothouse, as NYPD patrol boats rode alongside. An FDNY fireboat greeted the ferry with a magnificent water display just before docking.

The Princess Royal's visit to Staten Island came nearly 65 years after Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip toured the borough during a trip to the United States on October 21, 1957.

The royal was later the guest of honor at a black-tie gala dinner held by the English Speaking Union at the Cosmopolitan Club on New York's Upper East Side.

Princess Anne became president of that non-profit organization after the death of her mother on September 8, 2022.

The late Queen Elizabeth II had served as patron of the English-Speaking Union of the Commonwealth since 1957, alongside her husband, the late Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh.

The English-Speaking Union of the United States was formally organized in the United States in 1920 and arose from the conviction of its founder, Sir Evelyn Wrench and a group of like-minded American and British friends, that maintenance of the close personal and national ties forged during World War I was necessary for the preservation of peace. He imagined the ESU as an inclusive organization "founded in no narrow attitude of race pride, in no spirit of hostility to any people." Its educational mission would be carried out by a host of activities allowing for personal contact between peoples at every level.

The ESU celebrates English as a shared language to foster global understanding and good will by providing educational and cultural opportunities for students, educators, and members.

THE DRAMA LEAGUE will hold their annual Benefit Gala at City Winery New York on Monday, October 17, 2022.

A sunset cocktail reception, followed by an elegant 3-course dinner and live show-stopping performances from the upcoming season - directed by Tony nominee Sheryl Kaller.

TIMES SQUARE ALLIANCE 30th ANNIVERSARY GALA takes place October 17 on The Rooftop at Edison Ballroom in New Tork City.

Join in to celebrate 30 years - and counting! - of working to make Times Square the best it can be, and to honor Board Member Eric Rudin, artist Jane Dickson, and collaborative support initiative Community First.

The event will also spotlight the work of the Alliance and all of its stakeholders over the past three decades, while raising important funds for our Community First program, their partner in meeting the needs of vulnerable people who have found refuge in Times Square.

A TECTONIC CABARET which took place last week raised nearly $500,000 in support of Tectonic Theater Project's new play development programs and education initiatives.

Benjamin Freemantle kicked off the performances with a stunning solo dance performance in his New York City debut. Ashley De La Rosa sang Sara Bareilles’ song Once Upon Another Time.

Billy Porter opened the cabaret stage with his brand new song Audacity - the theme for the night.

The Honorable Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, joined in for the entire evening and presented the late James Catherwood Hormel with Tectonic’s Lifetime Achievement Award. Stunning performances by Darren Criss, Colin Barkell, Michael Urie, and Hailee Kaleem Wright.

Moisés Kaufman presented the James C. Hormel Spirit of Tectonic Award to Amy Stursberg, a longtime champion of Tectonic Jason Robert Brown closed the cabaret stage with a performance of a song from his brand new musical, to be co-produced by Tectonic Theater Project, The Connector.

Sasha Velour kicked off the dance party with Edge of Seventeen by Stevie Nicks and Deceptacon by Le Tigre.

The event’s lauded a dedicated benefit committee chaired by George Slowik Jr. and Brian Callaway, Director Timothy Koch and his team of 15 theater designers and artists and a crew of 30 technicians and professionals, caterer Chef Mark McLean and his team at Remarkable Cuisine, and our hosts at Chelsea Factory.

A BENEFIT TO AID POLISH SUPPORT FOR THE UKRAINIAN CHILDREN with Coloratura Soprano Alexandra Nowakowski takes place at the Residence of the Polish Ambassador in Washington, DC on October 14, 2022.

This benefit concert is for the Ukrainian children now living in Poland.

A light reception will follow the performance.

Alexandra Nowakowski returns to The Metropolitan Opera for the 2022/23 season to cover Barbara/Mrs. Latch in The Hours (Puts), Voce dal cielo in Don Carlo, and Sophie in Der Rosenkavalier. Last season at the Metropolitan Opera she covered Zerbinetta in Strauss’s Ariadne auf Naxos, Lucia in Donizetti’s Lucia di Lammermoor, and Gilda in Verdi’s Rigoletto. Alexandra is a Polish American-born Soprano, alumna of the Academy of Vocal Arts and the Cafritz Young Artists Program of the Washington National Opera.

SPREADING THE WORD

WHEN DR. FAUCI appeared on Steven Colbert's show last week the pair walked to the corner drug store so that Fauci could get his second Covid booster shot. Colbert stressed to the pharmacist that Fauci was famous. The druggist, needle at the ready, replied that Fauci wasn't the most famous person he'd vaccinated.

GHOSTS one of my favorite shows, which airs on Thursday on CBS, offered an interesting commentary on last weeks' show. When the ghosts were discussing podcasts - which are audio presentations - it was pointed out that those used to be called "radio."

WOMEN AND WIDENING REPRESENTATION IN THE MUSIC INDUSTRY takes place Tuesday, October 18, 2022 at Royal Albert Hall in London.

A free event for those identifying as female and aged 16-25, the panel will consist of Lily Crockford (Crockford Management), Lisa Henderson (IQ Magazine) and Lucy Noble (Royal Albert Hall) who will tackle various topics relating to diversity in the music industry.

NO DREAM DEFERRED NOLA has announced the We Will Dream: New Works Festival play selections. Supported by the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation and in partnership with the Andre Cailloux Center for Performing Arts and Cultural Justice and HowlRound Theatre Commons, the new festival will run from March 19, 2023-June 19, 2023. Performances will take place, in repertory, at the Andre Cailloux Center for Performing Arts and Cultural Justice, located at 2541 Bayou Road in the historic Bayou Road Corridor, New Orleans.

For year one, the festival will produce the following world premieres:
Drapetomania: A Negro Carol by M.D. Schaffer March 25th - April 30, 2023.

Where the Suga Still Sweet by Brian Egland April 8- May 21, 2023.

Defiance of Dandelions by Philana Omorotionmwan April 28- June 17, 2023.

The festival will also feature a staged reading of Sons of Liberty by Cris Eli Blak in June 2023.

The We Will Deam: New Works Festival seeks to affirm the thought that in spite of challenges in the field and disparities in funding, Black theatre artists from the American South can thrive and create full artistic lives, right where they are.

THREE DOG NIGHT has been entertaining generations for over 50 years with their live performances and hit songs such as Black and White; Never Been to Spain; Mama Told Me (Not to Come) and Joy to the World. The band has had 21 consecutive Top 40 hits, sold seven-million singles, and earned 12 straight RIAA Certified Gold LPs. From 1969 to 1974, no other group had achieved more top 10 hits, sold more records, or more concert tickets than Three Dog Night. They perform Friday, October 14, 2022 at the newly renovated State Theatre New Jersey in New Brunswick, New Jersey.

CHEATING IN CHESS AND NOW IRISH DANCING the jig is up. An investigation has been launched into serious allegations that the fix is in on Irish dancing competitions. The Irish Dancing Commission (CLRG) has received numerous complaints of "allegations of several grievous breaches" of conduct. In a statement the organization said "such unethical behaviors can and will not be tolerated by this organization." According to the complaint: "identifies individuals allegedly offering various inducements to promote dancers to a higher than deserved placing at particular competitions."

"It is believed that there are a number of teachers and schools implicated in the allegations."

The CLRG has members across five continents around the world.

E-Book

Soft back Book

NOBEL PRIZE IN LITERATURE has been awarded to French author Annie Ernaux, known for her memoir The Years.

The Swedish Academy awarded Ernaux the prize “for the courage and clinical acuity with which she uncovers the roots, estrangements and collective restraints of personal memory.”

RYAN SEACREST will be honored by the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) with their Distinguished Service Award, the organization’s highest honor, which recognizes those who have made a significant and lasting contribution to the American system of broadcasting. The award presentation will take place during the Marconi Radio Awards dinner on October 19 at NAB Show New York.

Previous recipients include former NAB President and CEO Gordon Smith, Jim Henson, Alan Alda, Robin Roberts, Bob Schieffer, Michael J. Fox, Mary Tyler Moore, President Ronald Reagan, Edward R. Murrow, Bob Hope, Walter Cronkite and Oprah Winfrey.



CHESTER BAILEY by Joseph Dougherty.

Directed by Ron Lagomarsino.

Chester Bailey stars real-life father and son, Tony Award winner Reed Birney and Ephraim Birney, as doctor and patient.

In a stateside hospital at the close of World War II, a young man recovers from catastrophic injuries. Or so the doctors have told him. But Chester Bailey denies what’s happened to him has actually happened, which is how he comes under the care of Dr. Philip Cotton. Older, wounded in his own ways, Cotton is charged with leading Chester back to reality.

The journey is not what either man expected.

A New York Premiere on the Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage of The Irish Rep October 12 - November 13, 2022.

TRISTAN AND ISOLDE by Richard Wagner.

Directed by Marcelo Lombardero.

Conducted by Joraan De Souza.

A betrayal, passionate love, and some of the most seductive music in all of opera. Richard Wagner's revolutionary masterpiece Tristan and Isolde in an imaginative staging led by Argentinian stage director Marcelo Lombardero and Canadian conductor Jordan de Souza. Mary Elizabeth Williams returns to McCaw Hall to make her role debut as Isolde alongside tenor Stefan Vinke in the role of Tristan. Amber Wagner appears in her Seattle Opera debut as Brangane.

Others in the cast include: Alexander Lobianco as Isolde, Ryan McKinny as Kirwenal, Morris Robinson as King Marke, Viktor Antipenko as Melot, Andrew Stenson as Shephers/Sailor and Joshua Jeremiah as Steersman.

Theme nights for this production include:

Medieval Opera Times - Friday, October 21.
Going medieval on Friday night with costumes, music, and more! Enjoy a specialty cocktail at concessions, photobooth fun with props, and a special lobby performance by Celtic music ensemble Magical Strings.

Deutschen Tag (German Day) - Sunday, October 23.
Sprichst du Deutsch? Bei dieser besonderen Matinee können Sie mit Ihren Sprachkenntnissen punkten und in die Originalsprache von Tristan und Isolde eintauchen. Enjoy German food and drink at concessions and the Prelude restaurant, and catch a special pre-show and post-show talk done in German with General Director Christina Scheppelmann.

Halloween Costume Competition - Saturday, October 29.
It’s the season of tricks and treats! For the closing night performance, participate in a costume competition during intermission. The top 5 costumes receive a free drink, a winner's sash, and bragging rights for the best costumes in Seattle!

Tristan and Isolde is on stage at Seattle Opera October 15–29 at McCaw Hall, Seattle, Washington.

DADDY ISSUES Written and directed by David Goldyn.

Inspired by a true event.

Mr. and Mrs. Moscowitz are in denial about their son’s gay lifestyle, disapprove of his career choice, and question his flair for decoration. To get his family to stop kvetching, Donald needs a son. With the help of his ballsy best friend Henrietta and rising drag queen Levi, Donald hires the ten-year-old kid from downstairs. What could go wrong?

“This play was inspired by a real-life incident I had with my own overbearing parents,” explains Goldyn. “All the characters are based on real people. Although many of the most outrageous lines may sound like they belong in a sit-com, they actually came straight out of the mouths of my mother, father and grandma.”

In the West Coast premiere, James Seifert stars as Donald, a gay “everyman” who can only react to all the craziness going on around him. Donald’s homophobic father, Sid, is played by Jonathan Fishman, while Pamela Shaw takes on the role of Marion, Donald’s funny, somewhat screwy mother who loves to quote Reader’s Digest. Noa Lev-Ari and Josh Nadler play his best friends, zaftig Henrietta and drag queen-by-night Levi. Rounding out the cast are Sherry Michaels as Grandma, Emily Nash as Donald’s downstairs neighbor, and Thomas Dominick DeBone and Solly Werner, who share the role of precocious 10-year-old Johnny Walker.

The creative team for Daddy Issues includes set designer Roderick Villegas, costume designer Antonio Consuegra and graphic designer Phil Fab. The production stage manager is Samantha Barrientos. Daddy Issues is presented by Charles Blondeau.
Opens on October 14 for a five-week run through November 13 at the Complex in Hollywood.

TOPDOG/UNDERDOG by Suzan-Lori Parks.

Directed by Kenny Leon.,

This 20th Anniversary production stars Corey Hawkins and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II.

A darkly comic fable of brotherly love and family identity, tells the story of two brothers, Lincoln (Hawkins) and Booth (Abdul-Mateen II), names given to them as a joke by their father. Haunted by the past and their obsession with the street con game, three-card monte, the brothers come to learn the true nature of their history.

The production features scenic design by Arnulfo Maldonado, costume design by Dede Ayite, lighting design by Allen Lee Hughes, and sound design by Justin Ellington. Casting is by Calleri Jensen Davis. Kamra A. Jacobs is the Production Stage Manager. The production is being produced by David Stone, LaChanze, Rashad V. Chambers, Marc Platt, Debra Martin Chase, and the Shubert Organization.

Officially opens on Broadway on Thursday, October 20th at the John Golden Theatre in New York City.

POWERHOUSE A Woman Shall Rise. A new play by David Harms.

Directed by Ken Wolf.

Apowerhouse female lawyer in her 40s is being pushed out of her high-profile Law Firm due to an inappropriate relationship she is having with a younger associate. This relentless, passionate, lawyer challenges traditional roles in a male-dominated business and questions “What happens when a woman truly stands in her own power?”

The production stars Laura Shoop as Regan Van Riper, Dominck LaRuffa Jr. as Guy, Jennifer Pierro as Meena Cizinski, Tony-nominee Jane Robbins as Janet Shaney, and Jeorge Bennett Watson as Norris Peebles. The standbys are Maya Days, Nick Jordan, Madeline Grey Defreece, Kate Levy, and Marc Webster.

The production features scenic design by Jack C. Golden, costume design by Sabrinna Fabi, and lighting design by Yang Yu. Composer/Sound Designer/Graphic Design by Katherine Cartusciello. Kyra Bowie is the production stage manager and Mary Garrigan is the assistant stage manager. Props master is Siarra Donna, costume supervisor is Alex Wolf, covid safety manager Jackson Cline, and intimacy director is Jamie Monohan. Casting by Eisenberg/Beans Casting: Daryl Eisenberg, CSA Ally Beans, CSA. Publicity and Marketing by Katie Rosin/Kampfire PR.

Pperformances through October 30, 2022 at Off-Broadway’s A.R.T./New York Theatres - Gural Theatre, New York City.

THE ADVENTURES OF HONEY AND LEON Based on the book by actor and New York Times bestselling author Alan Cumming and illustrated by Grant Shaffer, this is a new musical by Min Kahng.

Directed by Kimille Howard.

A new musical that celebrates and explores diverse family structures, the joy and struggles of sibling relationships, and self-empowerment.

Honey and Leon are loyal dogs who love their two dads very much, but their dads often travel for work, which worries the siblings. When their dads go off on a work trip, Honey and Leon decide this time they won’t sit around and worry. Instead, they go on their own European adventure with a mission: protect their dads.

The Adventures of Honey and Leon: The Musical is a 50-minute musical best for ages 3-8.

The performances on Sunday, October 16th at 2pm and Saturday, October 22nd at 11am are sensory friendly performances. Visit NYC Children's Theater online for more information.

Performances through October 23, 2022 at Theatre Row in New York City.

E-Book

Soft back Book

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.

FINAL OVATION

JUDY TENUTA a Grammy nominated, stand-up comedienne and actress known as the "Love Goddess," died from ovarian cancer at er home in Los Angeles on October 6, 2022. She was 72.

She was a comedian, actress, and comedy musician. She was known for her whimsical and brash persona of "The Love Goddess," mixing insult comedy, observational humor, self-promotion, and bawdy onstage antics and her accordion-playing. According to her obituary, friends suggested that she incorporate an accordion into her act as she developed her whimsical, wisecracking persona, the "Love Goddess." The veteran comic learned to play the instrument after being encouraged by her mother, who was a fan of accordionist Lawrence Welk. Tenuta's accordion, which she described as "an instrument of love and submission," is currently on display in the Hollywood Museum.

. On stage she appeared in The Vagina Monologues and Menopause the Musical.

Tenuta majored in theatre at the University of Illinois at Chicago and became the first of her family to graduate from college.

Tenuta went on to join the Chicago comedy troupe Second City and opened for other comedians on the Chicago comedy circuit before starting her solo standup career in the 1970s.

From 1987 to 1988, she toured across the U.S. with comedy icon George Carlin. In 1988's "American Comedy Awards" TV special, Tenuta was named best female comedy club performer opposite male winner Jerry Seinfeld. Other honorees that year for their club or screen work included Robin Williams, Lily Tomlin and Bette Midler. In the 1990s, Tenuta was nominated for two Grammy Awards for her comedy CDs, "Attention Butt-Pirates and Lesbetarians!" and "In Goddess We Trust," She was among a generation of performers who drove the popularity of live comedy in clubs nationwide including the Comedy Store in Los Angeles, Laff Stop in Houston and Caroline’s in New York City. A typically male-dominated field found room for women, including Tenuta. Tenuta is survived by her life partner, Vern Pang, five brothers Daniel, John, Steven, Thomas and James and sister Barbara.

LORETTA LYNN the first woman to win the Country Music Association’s entertainer of the year award, in 1972. died October 4, 2022. She was 90.

In a career which spanned six decades in country music, Lynn released multiple gold albums. She had hits such as "You Ain't Woman Enough", "Don't Come Home A-Drinkin'", "One's on the Way", "Fist City", and "Coal Miner's Daughter". Lynn’s career was remarkable for its storybook ascent from hardscrabble origins. She is credited with helping to redefine and broaden the appeal of country music.

Her family said in a statement. "Our precious mom, Loretta Lynn, passed away peacefully this morning, October 4th, in her sleep at home in her beloved ranch in Hurricane Mills."

Lynn had been hospitalized in 2017 due to recovery setbacks following a stroke that year.

Lynn grew up in rural Butcher Hollow, Kentucky. She was married at 15, and her husband Oliver "Doo" Lynn pushed her to start performing at clubs. She signed her first recording contract in 1960 and made the charts with her single "I’m a Honky Tonk Girl."

She was honored with the Kennedy Center Honors in 2003, awarded a lifetime achievement Grammy in 2010, and inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame in 1988. In 2013, she received the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation’s highest civilian honor. President Barack Obama called her the "rule-breaking, record-setting queen of country music" who "gave voice to a generation, singing what no one wanted to talk about and saying what no one wanted to think about."

Lynn was pre-deceased by her husband of 48 years Oliver Vanetta “Doolittle” Lynn, her daughter Betty Sue Lynn, son Jack Benny Lynn, and her grandson Jeff Lynn. She is survived by her daughters Patsy Lynn Russell, Peggy Lynn, Clara (Cissie) Marie Lynn and her son Ernest Ray Lynn as well as grandchildren Lynn Massey, Audrey Dryer, Jenny Whitworth, Jeremy Jack Lynn, Lori Lynn Smith, Ethan Lyell, Elizabeth Braun, Alexandria McCorry, Levi Lynn, Jason Lynn, Ernest Ray Lynn Jr., Tayla Lynn, Alex Lynn, David Greer, Wesley Lynn, Jasyntha Connelly, Lucca Marchetti, Natalie Rapp, Anthony Brutto, Megan Horkins, Katherine Condya, David Russell, Emmy Rose Russell, Jennafer Russell, and Melody Russell, and her great-grandchildren.

Next Column: October 16, 2022
Copyright: October 9, 2022 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.
Link to Main Page

---

Laura Deni

For the snail mail address, please E-mail your request.