Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: September 7, 2025
By: Laura Deni
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TAKE ME OUT TO THE FIELD OF DREAMS BALLGAME

Batter Up!

If you build it they will come.

Major League Baseball is promising to return to the Field of Dreams in August 2026, with a tentative match-up featuring the Minnesota Twins and Philadelphia Phillies, as first reported in the Des Moines Register.

It's big time box office news for MLB and for the state of Iowa. The 2021 game, which ended with Tim Anderson of the White Sox belting a walk-off home run into the corn, turned out to be one of the marquee moments in baseball history. That contest featured a touching pregame tribute from Costner, who in the movie played an Iowa farmer who plows over his corn to build a baseball field for Joe Jackson and other members of the banished 1919 White Sox. So break open the piggy bank.

The prices for peanuts and cracker jacks at major league ballparks has spiked like a home run.

Cracker Jack has been associated with baseball since it first launched at the 1896 Chicago World's Fair, and a large portion of its sales come from sports venues, solidifying its place as a baseball game staple. The snack's popularity is further cemented by its mention in the American standard song, "Take Me Out to the Ball Game," which requests peanuts and Cracker Jack.

It is considered a "do-not-disturb" item in the sense that it's a reliable, traditional offering available at all 30 Major League parks and found at most concession stands and through hawkers.

In the 2025 MLB season, the price of peanuts and Cracker Jack varies widely by ballpark. Based on recent value menu promotions and past surveys, you can expect to pay anywhere from $2.50 to over $8 for these classic snacks.

Prices for a bag of peanuts typically range from $2.50 to $6.00, depending on the stadium. Some teams, like the Baltimore Orioles, offer value menus where peanuts can be found for as low as $2.50. A recent discussion on Reddit noted a price of about $6 for peanuts at Fenway Park in Boston.

Prices for a box of Cracker Jack are also stadium-dependent, ranging from around $4.00 to over $8.00.

An ESPN price survey from 2022 offers a snapshot of the price variance across the league, though inflation has likely increased these figures slightly since. Some of the lowest reported prices in that survey were the Chicago White Sox at $4.00 and the Los Angeles Angels at $3.75. On the higher end, the San Francisco Giants and Los Angeles Dodgers were reported to be charging $8.00 and $8.99, respectively. The price also varies by stadium sections, with some vendors charging more than concession stands. Other factors affecting price include stadium value menus: Several teams have introduced value menus with discounted items, including peanuts and sometimes Cracker Jack, to help offset inflation.

Concession prices, along with other costs, have been affected by inflation and supply-chain issues over the last few years, contributing to the overall increase in ballpark snack prices. Price variation: Prices are not standard and can differ significantly from park to park, and even within different sections of the same park.

"It was back in 2021 that actor Kevin Costner famously emerged from the cornstalks at a specially constructed diamond at the "Field of Dreams" movie site and led the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees into the stadium for what turned out to be one of Major League Baseball's most memorable events.

The Iowa movie site itself has gone through a major transformation with owners building fields for youth teams.

MLB, meanwhile, has continued its trend of playing regular-season games at unique sites. In 2024, the San Francisco Giants and St. Louis Cardinals played at Rickwood Field, the former home of the Birmingham Black Barons. Earlier this year, the Reds and the Atlanta Braves played at Bristol Motor Speedway.

MLB will be hard-pressed to replicate the scene, suspense and storybook ending of the first game held in Dyersville.

Both games in Iowa drew national attention. Tickets were heavily contested items. MLB used a lottery for fans with an Iowa area code to enter for a chance to purchase tickets.

The 2021 and 2022 contests remain the only MLB regular-season games played in Iowa. Next year, the state will add a third.

Nevada team which won the US Title. Photo: MLB.

Baseball in general is staging a resurgence in America.

Nevada won US title in Little League World Series with championship game last August. The team is from Summerlin South Little League represented Las Vegas, Nevada.

Las Vegas defeated Connecticut, 8-2, to win the United States championship. Than a showdown with Tung-Yuan Little League from Chinese Taipei took place the following day with Taipel taking home the trophy.

As the United States championship enjoyed a three-run first inning. While all of the players are winners, like all other sports, certain names jump into the headlines. Te key hit came from Grayson Miranda, whose two-run single staked Summerlin South to an advantage it never relinquished.

Garrett Gallegos shined on the mound, scattering two runs over five innings. On his final pitch of the afternoon, Gallegos recorded a strikeout to strand two runners. He helped his own cause at the dish, too, blasting a home run to center field in the fourth inning.

Luke D’Ambrosio pitched a 1-2-3 sixth inning to vault Summerlin South to the title game, permitting Nevada to play for the state’s first ever Little League World Series championship.

Little League is one of the reasons baseball is considered America's sport. If you like the game at age 10 you still be a fan at age 20 or 50.

Nor is that movie going to disintegrate.

"When Iowa farmer Ray hears a mysterious voice one night in his cornfield saying "If you build it, he will come," he feels the need to act. Despite taunts of lunacy, Ray builds a baseball diamond on his land, supported by his wife, Annie. Afterward, the ghosts of great players start emerging from the crops to play ball, led by "Shoeless" Joe Jackson. But, as Ray learns, this field of dreams is about much more than bringing former baseball greats out to play."

"Field of Dreams" is a 1989 American sports fantasy drama film written and directed by Phil Alden Robinson, and based on Canadian novelist W. P. Kinsella's 1982 novel "Shoeless Joe." The film stars Kevin Costner as a farmer who builds a baseball field in his cornfield that attracts the ghosts of baseball legends, including Shoeless Joe Jackson (Ray Liotta) and the Chicago Black Sox. Amy Madigan, James Earl Jones, and Burt Lancaster (in his final film role) also star.

The film was released on April 21, 1989. It received positive reviews from critics, and was nominated for three Academy Awards: Best Picture, Best Original Score, and Best Adapted Screenplay. In 2017, it was selected for preservation in the United States National Film Registry by the Library of Congress. With a budget of $15 million, the box office tallied $84.5 million.

Kevin Costner as Ray Kinsella
Amy Madigan as Annie Kinsella
James Earl Jones as Terence Mann
Timothy Busfield as Mark
Ray Liotta as Shoeless Joe Jackson
Burt Lancaster as Dr. Archibald "Moonlight" Graham
Frank Whaley as young Archibald Graham
Dwier Brown as John Kinsella
Gaby Hoffmann as Karin Kinsella
Kelly Coffield Park as Dee, Mark's wife
Lee Garlington as Beulah Gasnick
Michael Milhoan as Buck Weaver (third baseman)
Steve Eastin as Eddie Cicotte (pitcher)
Charles Hoyes as Swede Risberg (catcher)
Art LaFleur as Chick Gandil (first baseman)

In addition, Anne Seymour, who died four months before the film's release, makes her final film appearance as Veda Ponikvar, the kindly Chisholm publisher who helps Ray and Mann. The identity of the actor who provided "The Voice", who speaks to Ray throughout the film, has remained unconfirmed since the film's release. Some believe it is Costner or Liotta, but the book's author W. P. Kinsella said he was told it was Ed Harris (Madigan's husband). Then-teenagers Matt Damon and Ben Affleck were extras in the Fenway Park scene.

Tody, the ballpark that was built for the movie is maintained as a tourist attraction.

The first year after shooting the film, farm owner Al Ameskamp again grew corn on his property, but then restored his portion of the field the next year and added a souvenir shop. Farmer Don Lansing maintained his property as a tourist destination. He did not charge for admission or parking, deriving revenue solely from his own souvenir shop. By the film's twentieth anniversary, approximately 65,000 people visited annually. In July 2010, the farm containing the "Field" was listed for sale. It was sold on October 31, 2011, to Go The Distance Baseball, LLC for an undisclosed fee, believed to be around $5.4 million. In 2021, MLB veteran and Hall of Fame member Frank Thomas became the majority owner.

In 2019, Major League Baseball announced that it would hold a neutral-site regular season game between the Chicago White Sox and New York Yankees at the Dyersville site on August 13, 2020, playing on an 8,000-seat field constructed adjacent to the original, with a pathway connecting the two. The field would be modeled after the White Sox's former field, Comiskey Park (1910–1990).[47] In July 2020, because of the shortened 2020 Major League Baseball season due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it was announced that the White Sox would be playing the St. Louis Cardinals instead of the Yankees. On August 3, 2020, Major League Baseball announced that the 2020 game was cancelled due to logistics.

The game was finally held on the field on August 12, 2021, with the originally announced matchup of the White Sox and Yankees. In the pre-game show, Kevin Costner emerged from the cornfield onto the outfield, followed by the players and managers from both teams. At the old-fashioned microphone in the diamond, Costner said, "Is this heaven? Yes, it is." The White Sox beat the Yankees 9–8, following a walk-off home run in the bottom of the 9th inning by Tim Anderson, after the Yankees had scored four runs in the top of the inning to take an 8–7 lead.

A second Field of Dreams game was played during the 2022 season on August 11 with the Cincinnati Reds – who beat the White Sox in the 1919 World Series that was marred by the Black Sox Scandal – facing the Chicago Cubs, with the Cubs winning 4–2. This time, the movie was referenced in the pregame ceremonies by Ken Griffey Jr. asking his father Ken Griffey Sr. if he wanted to play catch. Both Griffeys – who played for the Reds and also played together for the Seattle Mariners – were joined first by fathers and sons (and daughters) also playing catch. The Cubs and Reds then also entered from the cornfield beyond centerfield along with multiple National Baseball Hall of Fame members representing both teams – catcher Johnny Bench and shortstop Barry Larkin for the Reds along with second baseman Ryne Sandberg, outfielder Andre Dawson, pitcher Ferguson Jenkins and left fielder Billy Williams for the Cubs. Jenkins also threw the ceremonial first pitch to Bench.

Four years later the excitement is building.

The Baseball Hall of Fame stresses . . .

Baseball is important because it is a unifying cultural icon of America, known as "America's Pastime," that reflects values like teamwork and fair play. It has served as a source of national pride and a catalyst for social progress, most notably by breaking down racial barriers through players like Jackie Robinson. The sport also fosters community bonds, teaches valuable life lessons to young players, provides economic benefits, and inspires patriotism and resilience during challenging times.

Baseball is deeply woven into the fabric of American culture and history, serving as a unifying force for communities across the nation.

It provides a sense of shared experience and a game that Americans can claim as their own, fostering national pride and a connection to the country's past.

The sport has been a platform for social progress, particularly in the fight for racial equality, with figures like Jackie Robinson and Roberto Clemente breaking down color barriers.

Baseball emphasizes the importance of working together and promotes healthy competition and sportsmanship, fostering valuable life skills for players.

It creates common ground for people of different backgrounds, strengthening local and national bonds through shared experiences like watching games or cheering for teams.

The game embodies values like hard work and perseverance, and its ability to bring people together has made it a source of comfort and national unity during difficult times, such as after the 9/11 attacks.

Major League Baseball (MLB) generates significant revenue, creates jobs, and boosts local economies through tourism and related industries. Baseball has a substantial impact on sports media and has contributed unique phrases to the American vernacular, such as "home run" and "strikeout".

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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

RADICL HARMONY: HELENE KROLLER-MULLER'S NEO IMPRESSIONISTS Harmonious colour and radical visions.

Get ready to experience the groundbreaking vision of 20th-century collector Helene Kröller-Müller, with the Gallery's first-ever show dedicated to Neo-Impressionism. From serene, abstract landscapes to personal portraits, here's what you can expect when this major exhibition opens on September 13, 2025.

On display through February 8, 2026 at The National Gallery in London.

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SWEET CHARITY

TULSA PAC SEASON SOIREE takes place Tuesday, September 16, 2025 at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center.

Slip behind the curtain and into an atmosphere of timeless glamour as we welcome you to the Chapman Music Hall Stage. Join us in celebrating iconic performances of the past and the extraordinary lineup for this season, as we honor the vibrant tapestry of art created at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center.

Ourr 2nd Annual Season Soirée — an evening of sophistication and sparkle, where velvet voices, rich lighting, and curated conversations set the stage for a dazzling new season. Step into the glow of gold and gather with Tulsa’s cultural visionaries for a night of live music, signature cocktails, and inspired conversation. Together, we’ll celebrate the unforgettable moments that have defined TPAC’s legacy — while creating bold new memories that will shape its future.

Enjoy a dynamic discussion featuring Mark Frie (TPAC), and special guests from Celebrity Attractions, Tulsa Symphony Orchestra, Tulsa Opera, and Tulsa Ballet, with special spotlight moments by Theatre Tulsa, Theatre North, Pembroke Players, Chamber Music Tulsa, American Theatre Company, World Stage Theatre Company, and Tulsa Town Hall.

ENGLAND'S FILM AND TV CHARITY are excited to be able to offer you tickets to the UK Premiere of "A Big Bold Beautiful Journey" taking place at ODEON Luxe Leicester Square on September 11th, all in support of the Film and TV Charity.

Film Synopsis: Some doors bring you to your past. Some doors lead you to your future. And some doors change everything. Sarah (Margot Robbie) and David (Colin Farrell) are single strangers who meet at a mutual friend’s wedding and soon, through a surprising twist of fate, find themselves on A Big Bold Beautiful Journey – a funny, fantastical, sweeping adventure together where they get to re-live important moments from their respective pasts, illuminating how they got to where they are in the present…and possibly getting a chance to alter their futures. Margot Robbie and Colin Farrell star in A Big Bold Beautiful Journey, with Kevin Kline and Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

The film is directed by Kogonada, written by Seth Reiss, and produced by Bradley Thomas, Ryan Friedkin, Youree Henley, and Seth Reiss. The executive producers are Kogonada, Ilene Feldman, Micah Green, Daniel Steinman, John Atwood, Gino Falsetto, Ori Eisen, and Paul Mezey.

Key Information:
Date: Thursday, September 11th Venue: Odeon Leicester Square Ticket collection: Hampshire Hotel (Radisson Blu Edwardian) Dress Code: Smart.

JOB WELL DONE

Disney Entertaniment Co-Chairman Alan Bergman on September 3 sent an email to Disney employees announcing that Disney Theatrical Head Thomas Schumacher is stepping down at the end of this month to "begin his next chapter," concluding a 40 year-tenure with the organization.

Schumacher was executive vice president to Peter Schneider as president beginning in 1994, beginning his work with the stage division while also serving as president of Walt Disney Feature Animation. Under his leadership, Disney has brought a number of its films to Broadway, including Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, Tarzan, Mary Poppins, The Little Mermaid, Newsies, Aladdin, and Frozen.

The group has also been involved in producing works that did not originate as Disney films, including Peter and the Starcatcher and Aida. Three of those titles—Beauty and the Beast, The Lion King, and Aladdin—are among the 15 longest-running shows in Broadway history. Disney's Broadway shows have collectively welcomed nearly a quarter of a billion people into their audiences, and have won a combined 20 Tony Awards.

Schumacher most recently had become the group's chief creative officer, a new role that was created in 2023 after he stepped away from his role as president and producer. Since then, the group's business operations have been under the purview of Schumacher's former deputies, Managing Director Andrew Flatt and Executive Producer Anne Quart.

Besides working with Disney, Schumacher is a member of the board of trustees for Broadway Cares, the Tony Awards Administration Committee, and the American Theatre Wing's Advisory Committee. He's also a former chairman of The Broadway League.

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ENGINEERING, SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY EMMY AWARD WINNERS REVEALED

The Television Academy has revealed the recipients of the 2025 Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy Awards honoring an individual, company or organization for developments in broadcast technology.

Mark Schubin will receive the Charles F. Jenkins Lifetime Achievement Award and BBC Research and Development will be honored with the Philo T. Farnsworth Corporate Achievement Award.

The ceremony is set for Tuesday, October 14, at the Television Academy’s Saban Media Center in North Hollywood.

“This year’s Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy Awards acknowledge the wide range of technologies used in our industry to aid the storytelling process,” said Barry Zegel, co-chair of the Engineering, Science & Technology Committee. “The award recipients represent a remarkable group of cutting-edge technologies that have advanced television production, safety and artistry in ways unfathomable when our industry began. In addition, we are recognizing the innovators responsible for remarkable production tools and setting standards that have revolutionized broadcast production and distribution.”

Added co-chair Wendy Aylsworth, “We also extend our hearty congratulations to Mark Schubin, who is receiving the Charles F. Jenkins Lifetime Achievement Award, and to BBC Research & Development on receiving the Philo T. Farnsworth Corporate Achievement Award. Both are incredibly deserving of these prestigious legacy awards.”

Winners of the 2025 Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy Awards

Charles F. Jenkins Lifetime Achievement Award.

Honors a living individual whose ongoing contributions have significantly affected the state of television technology and engineering.

Recipient: Mark Schubin.

Mark Schubin (with a degree in chemical engineering from Stevens Institute of Technology) has been in television since 1967, working on every aspect, including design, manufacturing, lighting, sound, camera, editing and distribution. His diverse projects have spanned the world on all seven continents, including Antarctica, from operas to the Olympics. He helped develop the broadcasting of the Metropolitan Opera (The Met) productions to cinemas and television stations around the world and has continued supporting this project for many years since its inception.

Mark refers to himself as an “Engineer and Explainer”: His non-judgmental — but humorous — communication of facts and arcane — but relevant — information is what endears him to creatives, business executives and technologists alike. This is why he has been the program chair of the HPA Tech Retreat since 1998, speaks frequently at events and seminars on a wide array of technical topics and on the history of television, and has been a member of the National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences Engineering Awards committee for more than 30 years.

A prolific engineering historian, educator and professional writer, when Sports Video Group asked him to do so, he changed his more than 33-year-old monthly column on “Video Research” in Videography magazine into SchubinCafe, which is archived by the Library of Congress. Mark’s lifetime of accomplishments in the television industry are noted beyond this archive by his numerous publications, patents and awards.

Philo T. Farnsworth Corporate Achievement Award

Honors an agency, company or institution whose contributions over time have significantly impacted television technology and engineering.

Recipient: BBC Research & Development

BBC Research & Development has had a proud history of shaping how we watch and experience television as it focused on its public mission in support of broadcasting. Since its founding in 1930, the team has led the way in breakthroughs that became everyday essentials — like FM radio, stereo sound and the Radio Data System that sends song titles and traffic updates to car radios.

Over the decades, they’ve been central to important advancements in television, playing a pivotal role in the development and standardization of High-Definition Television (HDTV), Ultra High-Definition Television (UHDTV), Hybrid Log-Gamma (HLG) for the carriage of High Dynamic Range (HDR) information and 5G networks. Looking ahead, their work continues to help define the future of television in its research on Augmented Reality (AR) and Virtual Reality (VR).

BBC Research & Development continues to lead and participate in the important industry collaboration on the impact and use of Artificial Intelligence (AI). As co-founders of the Coalition for Content Provenance and Authenticity, BBC Research & Development is also helping to create standards that will allow media creators to understand better human/AI collaboration and copyrightability of AI-generated media. Behind the scenes and screens, BBC R&D remains an important industry force that shapes how television can help us connect with stories and each other, today and in the future.

intoPIX proudly announces that it has been honored by the Television Academy with a 2025 Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy® Award. intoPIX has been recognized with this prestigious award for the creation of JPEG XS, a revolutionary compression format that is transforming the media and broadcast industry.

JPEG XS: The Emmy®-Awarded Game-Changer for Broadcast and Beyond Co-created by intoPIX, JPEG XS breaks away from the traditional codec race for maximum compression. Instead, it opens a new path: delivering visually lossless quality with ultra-low latency and minimal complexity, while drastically reducing bandwidth. By efficiently replacing uncompressed video from HD to 8K and beyond, JPEG XS removes long-standing barriers in networks, workflows, and infrastructures—accelerating the transition to IP and cloud-based production. This blue ocean strategy has made JPEG XS a game-changing enabler for real-time broadcast, live production, post-production, professional AV, and data center video processing.

“This Emmy® Award is an extraordinary recognition for intoPIX and our team,” said Gaël Rouvroy, CEO and co-founder of intoPIX. “Since the very beginning, our mission has been to push the limits of video compression, combining the highest quality with the lowest latency and complexity. With JPEG XS, intoPIX proposes a true-blue ocean strategy: not competing in the traditional race for ever-higher compression ratios, but instead opening a new direction focused on lower power, lower complexity, and lossless quality to efficiently replace uncompressed video. Today, JPEG XS is enabling broadcasters, studios, and innovators around the world to rethink their workflows, from HD to 8K live production, and to create new possibilities for the future of media.”

intoPIX also warmly congratulates the Video Services Forum (VSF), the European Broadcast Union (EBU) and the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) for being recognized with an Emmy® Award this year for the creation of the ST 2110 Suite of Standards. Together with JPEG XS, this milestone further reinforces the industry’s collective efforts to shape the future of professional media over IP.

The Engineering, Science & Technology Emmy Awards honor individuals, companies, or organizations for innovations so extensive or innovative that they materially impact the production, recording, transmission, or reception of television and elevate the storytelling process.

On October 14, at this year’s ceremony, Dr. Gael Rouvroy, CEO. and Director of Technology at intoPIX, will accept in North Hollywood, CA the Emmy statuette on behalf of the entire team.



THIS IS NOT A DRILL World Premiere Musical with a book by Holly Doubet & Joseph McDonough. Music & Lyrics by Holly Doubet, Kathy Babylon & John Vester.

Directed and Choreographed by Gabriel Barre.

Music Supervisor: Paul Bogaev.

Music Director: David John Madore.

Based on terrifying true events that creator Holly Doubet experienced, "This is not a Drill" takes audiences inside the surreal chaos of a morning in 2018, when an emergency alert warned Hawaii residents and visitors of an incoming missile attack. As fear grips the island, strangers and loved ones alike are forced to confront their mortality and their humanity. Set to a soaring and heartfelt score, this powerful new musical tells the story of connection, compassion, and what truly matters when time stands still.

September 9 - October 11, 2025 at The York Theatre in New York City. “Where Musicals Come to Life," - the only theatre in New York City—and one of the very few in the world—dedicated to developing and fully producing new musicals, as well as preserving notable shows from the past.

CHANEL ALI: RELATIVE STRANGER a new comedy written and performed by Chanel Ali.

Directed by Ryan Cunningham.

"Chanel Ali delivers a triumphant comedy that blends the chaos of identity, family, and survival into a bold, hilariously raw theatrical event—equal parts humor, heartbreak, and healing, all packed with the punch only Chanel can deliver."

"Relative Stranger" details Chanel’s tumultuous foster care childhood, her mother’s untimely slip into schizophrenia, and a court ordered paternity test that led her to meet her cop dad when she was 18 years old."

In 2023, Chanel starred in a commercial produced by Kevin Hart for 23andMe, a popular DNA and genetics company. That commercial opportunity led her to a shocking revelation: she had a 30-year-old brother whom she had never heard of. After connecting with her new brother, Chanel realized they have the same father, an award winning, handsome, community hero police officer who seems wholly unable to accept the idea that his past has caught up to him.

"Relative Stranger" aims to answer the question: When will it end? When will the generations before us take accountability for their mistakes? When will they be able to face the music? Why did Kevin Hart set this all up?

The creatives are: scenic design by Christine Page, costume design by Brandi Denise, and the technical director/lighting design is by Dan Robinson.

"This show is a tribute to resilience, identity, and the transformative power of laughter,” said Chanel Ali. "From orphan to cop’s daughter to comedian, my life has unfolded in unpredictable chapters—and comedy has been the constant thread. I created this show to honor the younger versions of myself who endured chaos with wit and survived heartbreak with humor. It’s not just a personal story; it’s a declaration that even in the most absurd circumstances, we have the power to choose joy and leave that as our legacy."

The show plays Soho Playhouse in New York City beginning September 17 with the official opening scheduled for September 19.

ART

Bobby Cannavale, James Corden and Neil Patrick Harris.

written by Yasmina Reza. Translated by Christopher Hampton.

Directed by Scott Ellis.

Starring Bobby Cannavale, James Corden and Neil Patrick Harris.

Good friends. Bad taste.

Bobby Cannavale, James Corden, and Neil Patrick Harris return to the stage in the first Broadway revival of the Tony Award-winning play ART by Yasmina Reza. This sleek and sophisticated comedy is a strictly limited engagement—17 weeks only.

Three longtime friends. One ridiculously expensive painting. Is it art, or is it just the world’s priciest inside joke? As the three men debate the piece and what truly constitutes “art,” they uncover long-held grievances and tension points in their relationships. Can their friendship survive, or will one of them finally draw the line? It’s just 100 minutes of minimalist art, maximalist laughs, and a moving look at what we really see, and forgive, in the people we love.

Three irresistible stars at the top of their comedic game in a witty, and award-winning play—this is the can’t-miss event of the season!

At the Music Box Theatre in New York City.

SOBER SONGS Choreography by Megan Roe.

Music Direction and Arrangements by Brian Reynolds.

Set during an AA meeting, "Sober Songs" follows six young adults as they navigate sobriety with biting humor, raw honesty, and deeply moving music. It captures the comedy, the heartbreak, and the hope of recovery, offering audiences a cathartic and empathetic glimpse into a world often hidden in stigma and silence.

The show highlights issues of addiction, anxiety, and depression through storytelling grounded in real-life experiences. It is designed to be more than just a performance, creating dialogue, healing, and support beyond the stage through post-show talkbacks and partnerships with recovery organizations. With diverse casting and authentic narratives, the production amplifies voices that are too often overlooked, giving audiences a chance to see themselves and their loved ones represented truthfully and compassionately.

The production stars Melani Carrié as Angie, Jason Fio as Roque, Bernard Holcomb as Cap, Merrill Mitchell as Bri, Henry Ryeder as Dean, Jocelyn Darci Trimmer as Nina, the ensemble includes Lennie Disanto, Sarah Sun Park, and Jake Kleve.

Produced by Silver Kung, the show features scenic design by Joshua Warner, costume design by Izzy Kitch, lighting design by Annie Garret-Larson, and sound design by Travis Joseph Wright. Isabelle Zoeller is the production stage manager, with Ainsley Grace assisting. David Callahan is the production manager, HyoJu Hong is the company manager. Casting is by Hardt Casting. Sharon Fallon Productions is the General Manager. Publicity and Marketing by Katie Rosin/Kampfire.

Performances through September 28, 2025 at Theatre Row in New York City.

WASTELANDIA Concept: Edisa Weeks. Text: Edisa Weeks

Choreography: Edisa Weeks in collaboration with the performers.

Performers: EmmaGrace Skove-Epes, Javon "Ja'Moon" Jones, J’nae Simmons, Mars Garcia, Uilalani Marx. Guest Performers: Emil Troy, Idea Reid, Keb Barshack.

A performance ritual constructed from recycled plastic that invites the audience to engage in a multi-layered visual and immersive experience. Through theater, dance, discussions, craft-making, and visual art, the audience is taken on an interactive journey that examines our dependency on fossil fuels and asks how we can be better stewards of the earth.

"Wastelandia" is a mash-up between a DIY Haunted house, Willy Wonka’s Chocolate Factory, and a dance performance. The experience begins in The Greenroom, which is an interactive educational space where the audience can:

Participate in creative reuse workshops such as making beads out of plastic straws or musical instruments out of discarded objects in collaboration with Materials for the Arts. Color in a chalk mural depicting images and quotes by seven remarkable Black and Hispanic women who are social justice and environmental activists in the Staten Island Community: Debbie Anne Paige, Dorcas Meyers, Heather Butts, Jasi (Jasmine) Robinson, Kelly Vilar, Lori Love, Petula Gay

Listen and/or participate in a discussion on how we can responsibly divest from fossil fuels, viable alternatives to fossil fuel based plastics, as well as the health implications of microplastics accumulating in our brains and internal organs.

From The Greenroom, the audience traverses through an interactive tunnel of plastic (The Birth Canal); meets the spirit guardians and the trash behemoth (Spirit Room); and helps construct an installation (The Wasteland) out of plastic trash. The inhabitants of The Wasteland come together through Afro-Brazilian and Contemporary dance to forge a sense of community and empowerment; and to build The Wastelandia Gameshow, where two audience contestants are invited to answer multiple-choice questions about plastic consumption, recycling and alternatives. The Gameshow includes the presentation of a Green Award to the mural honorees.

The creatives are: Costume Design: Sarita Fellows. Associate Costume Designer: Brittani Beresford. Interactive Technology: Enddle. Lighting Design: Tim Cryan. Set Design: You-Shin Chen & Edisa Weeks.Sound Environment: LaFrae Sci. Mural Honorees and Green Award Recipients: Debbie Anne Paige, Dorcas Meyers, Heather Butts, Jasi (Jasmine) Robinson, Kelly Vilar, Lori Love, Petula Gay.

Creative Advisor: James Scruggs. Creative Producer: Lai-Lin Robinson (2024-current); Marýa Wethers (2017-2024). Community Engagement Coordinator: Maya Smith-Gilbert (2025-current), Maya Simone Z. (2021-2023), Rebecca Fitton (2017-2021),Production Director: Violet Asmara Tafari. Illustration: Leo Jimenez.

Performances Friday, September 19, 2025 through Sunday, September 28, 2025 at The Green Room in New York City.

"Wastelandia began in 2015 during creative residencies at the Newhouse Center for Contemporary Art and Materials for the Arts. This September 2025 premiere, will be the completion of a ten year journey. The project was initially titled 3 RITES Life and in 2024 the title was changed to "Wastelandia" to better reflect the intention of the rite. "Wastelandia" was also developed through creative residences at Chashama Space to Create; ChoreoQuest at RestorationART/The Billie Holiday Theatre; a remote pandemic residency with the Experimental Media and Performing Arts Center at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute; as well as New York State Dance Force residencies at Topaz Arts and Hobart and William Smith Colleges. Additional residency support for 3 RITES Liberty and 3 RITES Happiness was provided by BRICLab; Dance in Process at Gibney Dance with funds provided by the Andrew Mellon Foundation; Mabou Mines SUITE/Space program; Maggie Allessee National Center for Choreography; Norte Maar @ Socrates Sculpture Park; and Performance Spaces for the 21st Century.

The 3 RITES Trilogy (Life, Liberty, Happiness) humorously and poignantly interrogates why life, liberty and happiness were included as unalienable rights in the United States Declaration of Independence. The trilogy explores what the right to life, liberty, and happiness means today, who has access to these rights, and how they manifest in the body. 3 RITES is a National Performance Network/Visual Artists Network (NPN/VAN) Creation & Development Fund Project co-commissioned by 651 ARTS, Mount Tremper Arts, RestorationART, Kelly Strayhorn Theater, DancePlace and NPN/VAN.

3 RITES is made possible in part through funding from the Brooklyn Arts Council; Creative Capital; Durst Organization; The Harkness Foundation for Dance; MAP Fund; New Music USA; The New England Foundation for the Arts, National Dance Project which is generously supported with lead funding from the Doris Duke Foundation and the Mellon Foundation; New Music USA; New York State Council on the Arts with the support of the Office of the Governor and the New York State Legislature; a PSC-CUNY Award, jointly funded by The Professional Staff Congress and The City University of New York; The Puffin Foundation; as well as through the sponsorship of The Field; and the generosity of individuals.

COTTAGE by Sandy Rustin.

Directed by David E Shane.

A wildly-hilarious brand-new old-fashioned British farce.

Set in a lavish English country estate in 1923, This wildly entertaining and outrageously funny romantic farce where secrets fly and alliances shift.

Featuring Todd Benzin, Kelly Copps, Chris J Handley, Anna Krempholtz, Tracie Lane & Daniel F.

Sets by Tim McMath. Lights and sound by Emma Schimminger. Costumes by Collin Ranney. Props by Diane Almeter Jones. Stage management by Kim Neiss with Marty Gartz.

Performances through September 27, 2025 at the Alleyway Theatre in Buffalo, NY.

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

GIORGIO ARMANI the Italian designer who turned the concept of understated elegance into a multibillion-dollar fashion empire, died September 4, 2025 at his home in Milan. He was 91.

“As long as I'm here, I'm the boss,” the Italian designer told GQ in a 2021 interview. Since 1975, he had been at the helm of the Armani Group. While the Armani name is primarily known for having marked the 1980s through elegant, flowing and comfortable silhouettes, the designer himself never ceased to influence fashion and future generations of designers.

Over the decades, Armani expanded his brand into a fashion empire. The company introduced numerous lines, including Emporio Armani, Armani Exchange, Armani Jeans, and Armani Junior, to cater to different demographics. Armani's partnerships, such as working with L'Oréal for his beauty and fragrance collections and creating costumes for films like "American Gigolo" and "The Untouchables," also helped turn his name into an in-demand brand.

Armani was widely regarded as one of the most influential fashion designers of all time. With a career that spanned more than five decades, he left a lasting mark on the global fashion industry to the point that his name and the brand are synonymous.

After initially studying medicine at the University of Milan, Armani ventured into the fashion world in 1957. He began as a window dresser and salesperson at the La Rinascente department store in Milan, which in turn led him in the Nino Cerruti fashion house. He and his business partner, Sergio Galeotti, launched Giorgio Armani S.p.A. in 1975 to near instant acclaim, with designs that were considered groundbreaking in their ability to merge traditional styles with modern looks.

Armani is credited with popularizing the concept of "red carpet fashion," e.g. dressing celebrities in his designs for major events and generating huge press and cultural impact in the process. By 2001, he was celebrated as the world's most successful Italian designer. In a 2024 interview with Esquire, he said, "Perfection in style, for me, is when the dress is so great, so elegant, so precise, you completely forget about it and you focus on the individual wearing it."

Armani was the first designer to broadcast an haute couture show online in 2007 and championed initiatives promoting sustainability and inclusivity in fashion.

Today, the Giorgio Armani brand operates across the globe and generates billions annually, with Armani himself boasting personal wealth well into the billions as of 2017. He was awarded the prestigious Compasso d'Oro Career Award and Italy's Knight Grand Cross of the Order of Merit in 2014 and 2021, respectively.

AHMAD PEJMAN Iran's renowned and beloved classical music composer, who died on August 29, 2025 in Santa Monica, California.

Ahmad Pejman was a towering figure in Iranian music, whose compositions blended Western classical traditions with the rich cultural heritage of Iran. Over a career spanning decades, he composed symphonies, operas, ballets, and film scores, which deeply resonated with generations of Iranians both at home and abroad.

He will be remembered not only for his extraordinary talent, but also for his kind and generous spirit, his dedicated mentorship of generations of musicians, and his enduring love for his homeland - a love that resonated through every note of his music.

Pejman leaves behind a lasting legacy that will continue to inspire musicians, composers, and lovers of music for years to come.

He is survived by his wife of 35 years, Shirin Bazleh, and their daughter, Seema; as well as Shiva, Joubin, and Babak, his children from a previous marriage.

KATHARINE, THE DUCHESS OF KENT died in her home at Kensington Palace. She was 92.

She was best known to most of the public as the elegant woman who presented the trophies at Wimbledon each year.

She became the first member of the Royal Family to convert to Catholicism since the Act of Settlement in 1701 - but that was not, perhaps, her most surprising decision.

Recognizing that her twin passions were music and children, she quietly withdrew from royal life and took a job as a music teacher at a primary school in Kingston upon Hull.

She even stopped using the title Her Royal Highness. In the staff room she was simply "Kath", and to the children "Mrs Kent".

Katharine Lucy Mary Worsley was born in Yorkshire in 1933. Home was Hovingham Hall, a grand manor house that had been in the family for centuries. She was not royal, but the Worsleys were wealthy. Her grandfather, John Brunner, had founded the paint and chemical company that evolved into ICI.

Music was the Duchess of Kent's lifelong passion. She learned to play the piano and violin, and - gifted with a beautiful voice - took singing lessons.

As a beautiful, wealthy debutante, Katharine was introduced to many of the most eligible young men of the 1950s - and she met Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, a grandson of George V. Prince Edward was fresh out of Sandhurst and serving as an army officer at Catterick, not far from her family home - but his mother, Princess Marina, was said to have disapproved of their relationship.br>
The Duke and Duchess of Kent chose to get married in York Minster instead of Westminster Abbey She may have been rich, but Katharine was still a commoner. The duke was sent to Germany to cool his ardor, but the imposed distance failed to quench the flame.

Katharine and a friend went on a greyhound bus trip to Mexico. The journey took several months, but - on reaching their final destination - she found a bunch of flowers waiting for her.

The card that came with it said "E". The couple announced their engagement in March 1961, and married a month later.

The wedding itself was a glittering affair, with Noel Coward and Douglas Fairbanks Jr adding Hollywood sparkle and Queen Elizabeth II leading a procession of the royal families of Europe.

A year later, Katharine's first child - George, Earl of St Andrews - was born. Two more children swiftly followed: Lady Helen and Lord Nicholas Windsor - but, in 1975, Katharine caught German measles during her fourth pregnancy.

Doctors advised her to have an abortion because the disease can often damage the unborn child. After consulting religious authorities, Katharine terminated the pregnancy.

Two years later, a fifth pregnancy went to term, but baby Patrick was stillborn. "It had the most devastating effect on me," she later said.

"I suffered from acute depression for a while. I think it would be a fairly rare individual who didn't cave in under those circumstances."

In 1976, Prince Edward retired from the Army, took on more royal duties and became vice-chairman of the British Overseas Trade Board.

The couple's new role demanded plenty of travel, and the duchess began to feel the strain. The deaths of her parents made matters worse.

Two years later, she was admitted to hospital suffering from "nervous exhaustion" but gradually returned to public life - where she took a close interest in organisations that helped the young and the elderly.

Her most famous role was to present the trophies at Wimbledon, where - it was reported - she was instrumental in ending the tradition of players bowing and curtsying when passing the royal box.

For years, Katharine struggled with her mental and physical health.

It was reported that she suffered from a debilitating infection known as the Epstein Barr virus, and from the chronic fatigue syndrome, ME. It was also thought that she had coeliac disease, which made her feel exhausted.

She sought comfort in religion. In January 1994, Katharine was received into the Roman Catholic Church - the first royal to do so since 1685.

Her decision was supported by her husband's cousin, Queen Elizabeth - who decided that Prince Edward's position in the line of succession would remain unaltered.

Katharine continued to work with the UN children's charity Unicef, and to help victims of landmines in Cambodia - but she drifted further and further away from the Royal Family.

She even announced that she would no longer use the title Her Royal Highness, and she and her husband began to lead separate lives.

She became a music teacher at Wansbeck Primary School in Kingston upon Hull, which has a progressive program for the inclusion of children with learning difficulties. Only the headteacher knew who she really was.

Every day she would cross the street from Kensington Palace to get on a city bus. travel a couple of miles to the school and then repeat the process to get back home. "Primary school children are like little sponges," Katharine said. "They are very eager to learn, so teaching them is very satisfying." They called her Mrs. Kent.

In 2004, Katharine founded the charity Future Talent to give children from deprived backgrounds the opportunity to take up music.

In partnership with primary schools, children are given instruments and encouraged to develop their musical ability.

And she didn't just teach them classical music. A passion for rap, In an interview with the Guardian, the duchess revealed a passion for Eminem and Ice Cube - although admitted the same could not be said of Kanye West or Stormzy.

She was, at Queen Elizabeth's invitation, one of the small group of mourners invited to the funeral of the Duke of Edinburgh - but was too frail to attend the coronation of King Charles III in 2023.

She is survived by her husband, The Duke of Kent, their children George, Helen and Nicholas, grandchildren and great grandchildren.

The Duchess of Kent's funeral, attended by the King and Queen, will be at Westminster Cathedral on September 16, 2025. HRH The Duchess of Kent will have the First Royal Catholic Funeral in modern history.

It will be presided over by Cardinal Vincent Nichols, with the Anglican Dean of Windsor participating, before accompanying the coffin to Frogmore.

Next Column: September 14, 2025
Copyright: September 7, 2025 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