Michael Davis News

There's just one month left to vote for the 2018 BroadwayWorld Austin Awards, brought to you by BroadwayHD! Nominations were reader-submitted and now our readers are already setting records as they vote for their favorites. Regional productions, touring shows, and more are all included in the awards, honoring productions which opened between October 1, 2017 through September 30, 2018. Our local editors set the categories, our readers submitted their nominees, and now you get to vote for your favorites! Voting will continue through December 31st, 2018.

With Christmas around the corner, Freeform's beloved “25 Days of Christmas” programming event begins on DEC. 1. This year's holiday lineup event includes the premieres of Freeform Original Features “Life-Size 2,” with Tyra Banks and “grown-ish”'s Francia Raisa from airing SUNDAY, DEC. 2, at 9:00-11:00 p.m. EST/PST, and “No Sleep 'Til Christmas,” with Dave and Odette Annable airing MONDAY, DEC. 10, at 9:00-11:00 p.m. EST/PST. Additionally, the network will premiere the “Pop Up Santa Holiday Special” on MONDAY, DEC. 3, at 9:30-11:00 p.m. EST/PST, bringing Christmas cheer in unexpected places, and a new installment of “Disney's Fairy Tale Weddings: Holiday Magic” on SATURDAY, DEC. 8, at 8:00-9:00 p.m. EST/PST. Freeform joins ABC, Disney Channel, Disney XD and Disney Junior in celebrating “25 Days of Christmas” across all networks.

Focus Features is in negotiations to acquire rights to 'Street Gang,' Marilyn Agrelo's documentary exploring the 'Sesame Street' phenomenon, according to Variety.

The Hub City Jazz Festival, a multi-day and multi-venue gathering of jazz enthusiasts from the tri-state area, will take place in downtown New Brunswick October 25-28. The Festival will feature national and international jazz musicians as well as renowned local talent. Since its inception in 2004 the Festival has included some of the top names in jazz including Boney James, Jonathan Butler, Incognito, and Maysa.

Syracuse Stage – Central New York's premier professional theatre in residence at Syracuse University – is bringing an intense world premiere play Possessing Harriet to its loyal audience base. The historical play, meticulously researched and written by award-winning local playwright and Syracuse Stage's associate director Kyle Bass, is realized in a thought-provoking and emotional production beautifully directed by Tazewell Thompson.

Over the weekend I had the absolute pleasure of seeing Stephen Sondheim's Into the Woods reimagined at the Storch Theatre in the Syracuse Stage Complex. Director David Lowenstein brilliantly brings those fairy tale stories and characters to life as if they were written and created for present times. Lowenstein and his cast of Syracuse University Drama students offer up a refreshing and captivating production that relates back to modern day sociopolitical issues, the celebrities in the news etc. The numerous pop culture references add to the experience, not detract from it.

The Hub City Jazz Festival, a multi-day and multi-venue gathering of jazz enthusiasts from the tri-state area, will take place in downtown New Brunswick October 25-28. The Festival will feature national and international jazz musicians as well as renowned local talent. Since its inception in 2004 the Festival has included some of the top names in jazz including Boney James, Jonathan Butler, Incognito, and Maysa.

When a group of uni students and other youths form a proto-punk rock band in 1970s Sydney – unwilling to compromise in the desire to create their art - they do more than produce songs; they generate a music scene. It is the influence of that scene, as well as the band's recordings that change the face of Australian music, even as it exacts a harsh toll at times on the group, a band truly the sum of its parts: RADIO BIRDMAN .  

Suicide Generation is a punk band from the United Kingdom and a classic-sounding punk band at that. But to get an idea of their sound you're going to need to skip the lighthearted sounds of the Buzzc*cks and Sex Pistols for the grimy, gritty punk bred south of the Mason-Dixon line. Think Lost Sounds/Jay Reatard or the Oblivions — snotty vocals, hyper-speed blues riffs, and over-caffeinated drumming. Today, we have the video for the lead-off song from their upcoming sophomore album Last Suicide, “Hypnotise Me.”

Syracuse Stage's Artistic Director Robert Hupp once again provides local audiences with a perfectly paced, perfectly cast, and the perfect escape from the outside world theatrical experience. His production of Michael Frayn's hilarious farce Noises Off showcases the impeccable comedic skills of veteran actors, a breathtaking and detailed set by John Iacovelli, impressive comedic stunt work coordinated by D. C. Wright, and of course the brilliant writing.

The new Paramount Network today announced a full series order for 'Emily in Paris' (working title) from Darren Star. The 10 episode, half-hour series will bookend a new Thursday dramedy night that launches in January with 'First Wives Club,' from Tracy Oliver ('Girls Trip'), followed by Star's hit-series 'Younger,' that officially moves to Paramount Network for season six in the spring, followed by 'Emily in Paris' in the summer.

One of the nation's oldest symphonic choruses, the Indianapolis Symphonic Choir announces tickets are on sale now for all upcoming concerts as part of the 2018-2019 season. Covering everything from annual family favorites to timeless musical masterpieces, the 82nd anniversary season's diverse lineup reflects the Choir's celebration of the choral classics and a commitment to the future of choral music.

P. L. Travers Mary Poppins magical nanny character was first published in 1934 and resulted in a series of eight children's books that ended in 1988. MARY POPPINS is a stage musical that uses the most iconic songs of the Sherman Brothers, with additional music and lyrics by George Stiles and Anthony Drewe, and a script by Julian Fellowes. The musical is a hybrid of Travers children's books and the 1964 Disney film, which fuses various elements from the two. I have some serious issues with the script, which I intend to discuss, but director Ron Watson and his talented cadre of technical artists produce pure 60's Disney magic.

Freeform doubled down on their promise to make the holiday season bigger than ever by announcing casting for two original holiday movies today. Actors Francia Raisa (“grown-ish”), Charles Michael Davis (“Younger”), Sheryl Lee Ralph (“Moesha”), Gavin Stenhouse (“Allegiance”), Shanica Knowles (“The Young &  the Restless”), Alphonso McAuley (“The Middle”), Hank Chen (“The New 30”) and Alison Fernandez (“Once Upon a Time”), as well as the previously announced Dave Annable (“Yellowstone”) and Odette Annable (“Supergirl”), have all been cast to star in holiday films airing during Freeform's “25 Days of Christmas” annual programming event. Both projects will start production this month.