Ed Matthew News

The Pit Stop Players, a thirteen-member instrumental ensemble composed of veteran Broadway pit musicians, will conclude their fourth season with special guest Cynthia Nixon narrating a new work, plus a newly commissioned chamber arrangement of IgorStravinsky's towering masterpiece, 'The Rite of Spring.' The concert will take place on Monday, May 6, 2013 at 8:00 pm at Peter Norton Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway at 95th Street, New York City. Tickets range from $20-$35 and can be purchased online at Symphony Space Events or (212) 864-5400.

The splendour and riches of the Early Renaissance come to life at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) from today, March 16 to June 16, 2013, in a large-scale exhibition of rare Florentine masterpieces that have never before been shown in Canada. Presented in partnership with the world renowned J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, Revealing the Early Renaissance: Stories and Secrets in Florentine Art brings together an unrivalled collection of more than 90 rare paintings, manuscripts, sculptures and staiNed Glass from the 14th century to show how the artists of one city gave birth to the Renaissance.

The splendour and riches of the Early Renaissance come to life at the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) from March 16 to June 16, 2013, in a large-scale exhibition of rare Florentine masterpieces that have never before been shown in Canada. Presented in partnership with the world renowned J. Paul Getty Museum in Los Angeles, Revealing the Early Renaissance: Stories and Secrets in Florentine Art brings together an unrivalled collection of more than 90 rare paintings, manuscripts, sculptures and stained glass from the 14th century to show how the artists of one city gave birth to the Renaissance.

On Sunday, February 10 LA's Next Great Stage Star 2013 came to a thrilling conclusion atSterling's Upstairs at the Federal. Sadly, one contestant, Matthew Bohrer, was stranded at Logan Airport, Boston due to the East coast blizzard of the past several days. Host Michael Sterling contacted Bohrer by cell at the top of the show, and what followed was a bittersweet exchange. Bohrer expressed his happiness to have been part of the competition for five weeks, and his sorrow for not being able to be there for the finale, as he wished his fellow contestants all the best of luck. His points for the preceding weeks were still counted in the final tally.

Jeux de Mots trans.WORDPLAY presents FOODACTS, a culinary stage adventure. Barbara Bosch directs a cast of seven including Robert Allan, Judith Barcroft* (Bway: Dinner at Eight, Betrayal, Elephant Man, Plaza Suite), Gwen Eyster, Peter Husovsky*, Jaclyn Mitgang, Mark Ringer, and Antonio Edwards Suarez* (Bway: American Buffalo - Leguizamo understudy; Off -Bway: Chaucer in Rome - Lincoln Center). FOODACTS will run at the Lion Theatre on Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Streeet (bet. 9th and 10th Avenues), New York City for sixteen performances, tonight, February 6-24, 2013. *Member, Actors' Equity Association.

The Pit Stop Players (http://www.youtube.com/user/pitstopplayers/videos?view=0), a twelve-member instrumental ensemble composed of veteran Broadway pit musicians, will present its third annual "Snapshots" concert on Monday, February 11, at 7:30 pm, at the Leonard Nimoy Thalia at Peter Norton Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway at 95th Street.

In a recent interview with The Daily Mail, DOWNTON ABBEY creator and writer Julian Fellowes finally shed some light on Dan Stevens' departure, as well as the process of permanently writing him off.

Jeux de Mots trans.WORDPLAY presents FOODACTS, a culinary stage adventure. Barbara Bosch directs a cast of seven including Robert Allan, Judith Barcroft* (Bway: Dinner at Eight, Betrayal, Elephant Man, Plaza Suite), Gwen Eyster, Peter Husovsky*, Jaclyn Mitgang, Mark Ringer, and Antonio Edwards Suarez* (Bway: American Buffalo - Leguizamo understudy; Off -Bway: Chaucer in Rome - Lincoln Center). FOODACTS will run at the Lion Theatre on Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Streeet (bet. 9th and 10th Avenues), New York City for sixteen performances, February 6-24, 2013.

**SPOILER ALERT for U.S. fans of DOWNTON ABBEY who have not yet viewed the drama's third season or last night's holiday episode which aired on Britain's ITV network** DOWNTON ABBEY creator Julian Fellowes has officially decided the fate of Dan Stevens' character 'Matthew Crawley,' he told the Daily Telegraph this weekend.

While Season 3 and a special Christmas episode have not yet aired in the U.S., news of the fate of Steven's character, Matthew Crawley has quickly reached the other side of the Atlantic.In a recently released statement, the British network defended its decision to write off Stevens' character in the manner that they did.

ITV has just released the following statement addressing its recently aired DOWNTON ABBEY Christmas special and actor Dan Stevens' impending exit from the show.

Anthony Dean Griffey, a tenor internationally renowned for his portray of the title role of Britten's Peter Grimes, and Emalie Savoy, a 2011 George London Award winner who is one of New York's fastest rising young sopranos, perform the second George London Foundation Recital of the season with pianist Ken Noda on Sunday, January 13, 2013, at 4:30 PM at The Morgan Library & Museum. The George London Foundation Recital Series presents pairs of outstanding opera singers, many of whom were winners of a George London prize early in their careers or are recent George London Award recipients.

American tenor Anthony Dean Griffey will join soprano Emalie Savoy (2011 George London Award winner) and pianist Ken Noda on the bill of the second George London Foundation Recital of the season on January 13, 2013, at The Morgan Library & Museum. Mr. Griffey replaces the originally-announced Matthew Polenzani, who has had to withdraw because of a scheduling conflict-he has assumed the role of Leicester in Donizetti's Maria Stuarda at the Metropolitan Opera. Mr. Polenzani will participate in the George London Foundation Recital Series next season.

Grenser Trio: Beethoven with a Twist - His Sextet for Three will be presented by Gotham Early Music Scene (GEMS) in a free concert today, November 15, 2012 at 1:15pm at Saint Peter's Lutheran Church, 619 Lexington Avenue (at 54th Street), New York, NY. No tickets required; seating first-come, first-served.

The Pit Stop Players, a fourteen-member instrumental ensemble composed of veteran Broadway pit musicians, launch their fourth season with a concert of creepy classics and petrifying premieres at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music tonight, October 29 at 7:30 p.m.

Grenser Trio: Beethoven with a Twist - His Sextet for Three will be presented by Gotham Early Music Scene (GEMS) in a free concert on Thursday, November 15, 2012 at 1:15pm at Saint Peter's Lutheran Church, 619 Lexington Avenue (at 54th Street), New York, NY. No tickets required; seating first-come, first-served.

The Pit Stop Players, a fourteen-member instrumental ensemble composed of veteran Broadway pit musicians, launch their fourth season with a concert of creepy classics and petrifying premieres at the DiMenna Center for Classical Music on Monday, October 29 at 7:30 p.m.

The intimate MusicalFare Theatre on the Daemen College campus is one of Buffalo's premier theatres. MusicalFare never ceases to amaze with the way that they adapt notoriously big productions into their space. Chris Kelly's re-imagined production of Meredith Willson's The Music Man is no exception to the rule. Kelly's directorial vision reduces the set to a series of tables and chairs which can be rearranged to indicate a different location, as well as ladders, used primarily in the "Marian the Librarian" sequence. His reduced set, as well as his reduction of the cast to 16 performers, is an absolutely delectable choice. Gone is the flashiness and unnecessary spectacle of a huge production, and what remains is the heartfelt and charming tale, along with a little bit of the necessary "flashiness" from Prof. Harold Hill.