Michael Smith News

Today (June 26) in live streaming: A new Next on Stage, Lea Salonga visits Backstage Live! and so much more!

The premiere North American LGBTQ film festivals: Frameline (San Francisco), Inside Out (Toronto), NewFest (NYC), and Outfest (Los Angeles), today announced their commitment to supporting LGBTQ film and filmmakers across their markets through the formation of NAQFA: the North American Queer Festival Alliance. This alliance will work collaboratively to produce, present and expand initiatives and programming while offering support to the LGBTQ film festival sector in the US and Canada. The announcement was made today by the Executive Directors of each festival, James Woolley of Frameline, Andria Wilson of Inside Out, David Hatkoff of NewFest and Damien S. Navarro of Outfest.

While the world will celebrate a bit differently this year, June is still a month for Pride. Social distancing might keep the LGBTQ+ community physically apart, but many organizations are providing ways to come together... virtually.

Netflix is pleased to announce the Netflix Original Documentary DISCLOSURE, which will launch globally on Friday, June 19 during Pride Month.

Last night, GLAAD hosted a digital event to highlight the LGBTQ response to COVID-19 and to raise money for CenterLink and local LGBTQ centers affected by COVID-19. Included were performances and appearances from the cast of Jagged Little Pill, George Salazar and Mj Rodriguez, Alex Newell, and more.

Barbra Streisand has joined the lineup for GLAAD's upcoming livestream event!

Just last night, GLAAD presented 'Together in Pride: You are Not Alone,' highlighting the LGBTQ response to COVID-19 and amplifiying messages of acceptance and affirmation to the LGBTQ community and people living with HIV during this unprecedented time. The livestream raises funds for LGBTQ community centers that are members of CenterLink.

Billy Porter, the cast of Jagged Little Pill, Alex Newell, George Salazar, and more have joined GLAAD's livestream event, a?oeTogether in Pride: You are Not Alone,a?? on Sunday, April 26 at 8pm ET on GLAAD's YouTube channel and Facebook Live.

Art Lab and ShowTown Productions present a new web series THE SHOW MUST GO ON...SHOW; airing on YouTube every Tuesday at 7:00PM. Hosted by co-creators Howie Michael Smith and Andy Truschinski episode 3 will feature actor Brian Stokes Mitchell, Field Producer Amanda Cowper and Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS will be the featured charity.

Art Lab and ShowTown Productions will present a new web series THE SHOW MUST GO ON...SHOW; airing on YouTube every Tuesday at 7:00PM. Hosted by co-creators Howie Michael Smith and Andy Truschinski episode 2 will feature actors Kara Lindsay & Kevin Massey, Dr. Dan O'Neill MD, and Animator/Director Gene Kim.

Art Lab and ShowTown Productions have announced a new web series THE SHOW MUST GO ON…SHOW; airing on YouTube every Tuesday beginning April 7th at 7:00PM. Hosted by co-creators Howie Michael Smith and Andy Truschinski each episode will feature a musical performance and talks with experts and artists about coping with the coronavirus pandemic through creativity.

AT THIS PERFORMANCE... will return to The Green Room 42 featuring Standbys, Understudies and Alternates from Jagged Little Pill; West Side Story; Ain't Too Proud:The Life and Times of the Temptations; Emojiland and Fiddler on the Roof [Fiddler Afn Dakh] on MONDAY, MARCH 9TH at 7 PM.

The 23 young opera singers who have won regional auditions around the United States will compete in the semifinal round of the country's leading vocal competition, the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, on Monday, February 24. The closed semifinal competition, held on the Met stage before a panel of judges, will determine the select group of finalists who will advance to the final round of the competition-the Grand Finals, which is open to the public and will be held on the Met stage on Sunday, March 1.

Broadway came out to celebrate in LA last weekend as the Grammy Awards brought some of New York City's biggest talents to the west coast. Producer Jordan Roth and Rick Miramontez hosted their First Annual Musical Theater Grammy Award Party at Tramp Stamp Granny's- a bar owned by Broadway veteran Darren Criss.

What happens when 1880 Western bandits are brought back to life in Azusa, CA by a space alien? Sam Shepard's The Unseen Hand joins Odyssey Theatre Ensemble's 50th Anniversary “Circa '69” Season of significant and adventurous plays that premiered around the time of the company's inception, coupled with Shepard's gritty and audacious Killer's Head. Longtime Shepard collaborator Darrell Larson directs both plays for a Jan. 25 opening at the Odyssey Theatre in West L.A., where performances will continue through March 8.

ABNORMAL (a new play by Scott Miesse) presented by Tessa Faye Talent, along with co-producers Kevin Martinez (Off Broadway's THE OTHER JOSH COHEN), David Lambert (Broadway's A CHRISTMAS CAROL), Shawn Arani (Broadway's A CHRISTMAS CAROL), StavisFilm LLC , Doug Anning, Kirk Isenhour, Sarah Baum, and Jon Baum opened Friday, January 17th at Theatre Row, to a sold-out house.

My Name is Lucy Barton opened just last night, Wednesday, January 15, 2020 at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre (261 West 47th Street). Check out photos from the star-studded red carpet!

SHOWTIME has ordered a ten-episode second season of THE L WORD: GENERATION Q, the sequel to the groundbreaking drama series THE L WORD®. Season one has followed the intermingled lives of Bette Porter (Jennifer Beals), Shane McCutcheon (Katherine Moennig) and Alice Pieszecki (Leisha Hailey), along with new characters Dani Nùñez (Arienne Mandi), Micah Lee (Leo Sheng), Finley (Jacqueline Toboni), Sophie Suarez (Rosanny Zayas) and Gigi (Sepideh Moafi), as they experience love, heartbreak, sex, setbacks and success in L.A. Currently airing Sundays at 10 p.m. ET/PT, season one is executive produced by showrunner Marja-Lewis Ryan (The Four-Faced Liar, 6 Balloons), with series creator Ilene Chaiken, Kristen Campo, Allyce Ozarski, Steph Green (pilot), and original series stars Jennifer Beals, Katherine Moennig and Leisha Hailey. The season finale is set to air on January 26. The announcement was made today at the Television Critics Association's Winter Press Tour.

FOX has shared a new sneak peek at 9-1-1: LONE STAR, which premieres with a special two-night event, Sunday, Jan. 19 (10:00-11:10 PM ET/7:00-8:10 PM PT live to all time zones), following the NFC CHAMPIONSHIP GAME,  and Monday, Jan. 20 (8:00-9:00 PM ET/PT).

 Bergen County Players, one of America's longest-running little theater companies, is pleased to continue its 2019-2020 season with the Tony-nominated play, 33 Variations. Written by Moisés Kaufman (The Laramie Project) and directed by Steve Bell, 33 Variations will be performed at the Little Firehouse Theatre in Oradell from January 11th through February 1st, 2020.