John Wesley News

When the Gainesville Theatre Alliance invented its February Festival of Theatre 10 years ago, a chief goal was to enrich their season with more modern scripts, which traditionally have smaller casts.  In order to provide enough opportunities for the emerging theatre artists they train as the Theatre Dept. for both UNG and Brenau University, producing modern scripts meant doing two different shows at once.  After edging onto the stage testing if enough patrons would show up when their productions competed with each other, GTA discovered there is a BIG appetite in the short days of winter for live theatre - and the February Festival of Theatre became an annual event.

Austin's Moving Panoramas have revealed the official video for their new single 'ADD Heart' from their highly anticipated sophomore album In Two out February 22 via Modern Outsider (pre-order). The video which was directed by Willi Patton premiered at Billboard can also be shared at YouTube. About the video Patton says, 'We were honored to be approached by Leslie Sisson of Moving Panoramas to do a music video for their new single, 'ADD Heart.' I knew immediately upon hearing the song that the energy needed to be high, and I really wanted to capture the feeling of not being able to focus, narratively as if the video itself suffers from ADD. It pushes you along in one direction, only to quickly switch course, pick up on some other thread, leaving more unanswered questions than resolutions. We're always so grateful to musicians for letting us experiment, to treat their work as a solid canvas to splash some paint on, deconstruct and then clumsily attempt to put back together.' 'ADD Heart' will be available on all streaming services this Friday.

The Civil War is over, but fighting rages on in 1870s Texas. In this one-hour musical comedy with a live band, a beleaguered army officer stands between an outlaw family and a band of vigilantes, while a wronged woman seeks her own twisted justice.

Nancy Manocerian's the cell is proud to present an evening of vocal music by resident artist Daniel Felsenfeld entitled My Little Wicked Ways as a part of the cell's continuing 2018 residency series. The event will be held on November 30th at 7:00PM at the cell (338 West 23rd St. New York, NY 10011). Tickets are $15 and available on Eventbrite.

The Theatre Artists Workshop in Norwalk will present a staged reading of the Broadway hit 'God of Carnage' by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton, on November 16 and 17 at 8 p.m. and November 18 at 3 p.m. Theatre Artists Workshop is located at 5 Gregory Boulevard in Norwalk. Reservations are recommended. The box office reservation line is: 203-854-6830. Suggested donation is $25 and will help to support the non-profit organization's future programming.

All aboard for Jaclyn Backhaus' thrilling, testosterone-filled expedition down the Colorado River and through the wonderous gorges of the Grand Canyon in her sly and very funny take on macho adventuring mid-19th century America. Based on the journals of one-armed Civil War veteran John Wesley Powell and his ragtag band of explorers, thrill-seekers, soldiers and trappers, Backhaus' script and Tamilla Woodard's superb direction shines a keen, incisive eye on the men who 'conquered' the West, their own fears and trepidations.

MEN ON BOATS is hands down, must-see theatre! This production accomplishes what all plays aspire to, but few achieve - all-around excellence. The crew's journey, described by Sides as 'an apt metaphor for the peril faced by many in our society on a daily basis, ' is fraught with important meaning while still maintaining levity and fun. This 'rollicking' sometimes vulnerable show reminds its audience to find adventure in their own lives. After all, we only get one.

Nancy Manocerian's the cell is proud to present an evening of vocal music by resident artist Daniel Felsenfeld entitled My Little Wicked Ways as a part of the cell's continuing 2018 residency series. The event will be held on November 30th at 7:00PM at the cell (338 West 23rd St. New York, NY 10011). Tickets are $15 and available on Eventbrite.

The Theatre Artists Workshop in Norwalk will present a staged reading of the Broadway hit 'God of Carnage' by Yasmina Reza, translated by Christopher Hampton, on November 16 and 17 at 8 p.m. and November 18 at 3 p.m. Theatre Artists Workshop is located at 5 Gregory Boulevard in Norwalk. Reservations are recommended. The box office reservation line is: 203-854-6830. Suggested donation is $25 and will help to support the non-profit organization's future programming.

Purple Pyramid Records is releasing A Life In YES: The Chris Squire Tribute; A heartfelt and masterful musical salute to the longtime bassist of prog rock legends YES, Chris Squire!

Get a first look below Men on Boats-Jaclyn Backhaus's hilarious, historical, and moving adventure-performing at American Conservatory Theater's Strand Theater now through Sunday, December 16, 2018. 

History, legend, magic realism, and hilarious comedy illuminate the tale of John Wesley Powell's famous 1869 expedition down the Colorado River into the Grand Canyon. Under the command of an intrepid Civil War veteran with only one arm, ten men set out through uncharted territory in wooden rowboats on the adventure of their lifetimes.  Six men completed the journey.  New Hampshire Theatre Project's 30th Anniversary Season opens with the exciting adventure story Men on Boats by Jaclyn Backhaus. 

John Wesley Coleman III will release Cuckoo Bird Sings a Song this Friday October 26th via Goliad Media. You can see a new video (see Austin Monthly premiere) and listen to a full album stream ahead of release date (see the Bad Copy premiere). 

Ten volunteers chart the course of the Colorado River in Jaclyn Backhaus' off-the-wall comedy, Men On Boats. With a one-armed captain and a loyal crew, follow the true(ish) story of the 1869 Grand Canyon expedition. This widely acclaimed and hysterical new play closes Circle's 37th season with a splash! Will they survive the wild rapids to change the course of history?

Emmy Award winner Sally Struthers and Broadway & TV favorite Joyce Reehling headline Love, Loss, and What I Wore at Judson Theatre Company (Morgan Sills, Executive Producer and Daniel Haley, Artistic Director). Struthers is best known for her roles on All in the Family and  Gilmore Girls. Reehling is a beloved veteran of stage and television (Fifth of July, Law & Order). Love, Loss, and What I Wore opens Today, October 18 at 7:00 pm and runs through Sunday, October 21 at the Hannah Center Theatre (on the campus of The O'Neal School, 3300 Airport Road, Southern Pines, NC 28387).  Additional casting will be announced at a later date.

Folk singer/pop singer songwriter Wesley Stace couldn't help feeling nostalgic about sharing the stage with the Steven Page trio Oct. 12 at the Thirty-One West (located at 31 Church Street in downtown Newark, Ohio).

Under the command of an intrepid Civil War veteran with only one arm, ten men set out through uncharted territory in wooden rowboats on the adventure of their lifetimes. Six men completed the journey. New Hampshire Theatre Project's 30th Anniversary Season opens with the exciting adventure story Men on Boats by Jaclyn Backhaus. History, legend, magic realism, and hilarious comedy illuminate the tale of John Wesley Powell's famous 1869 expedition down the Colorado River into the Grand Canyon.

Ten volunteers chart the course of the Colorado River in Jaclyn Backhaus' off-the-wall comedy, Men On Boats. With a one-armed captain and a loyal crew, follow the true(ish) story of the 1869 Grand Canyon expedition. This widely acclaimed and hysterical new play closes Circle's 37th season with a splash! Will they survive the wild rapids to change the course of history?

Get a first look at the cast of American Conservatory Theater's upcoming production of Men on Boats, Jaclyn Backhaus's subversive retelling of 19th-century American explorers, performing at A.C.T.'s Strand Theater October 17-December 16, 2018. 

Every mystery and danger of the sea is a technological challenge waiting to be overcome. From deep-sea danger to mega holiday cruises, helping rivers flow, and harvesting power, a new Science Channel eight-episode series dives in deep to unlock the ultimate challenges of extreme maritime environments. MEGA MACHINES: SEA GIANTS premieres Thursday, October 11 at 10 p.m. ET/PT.