William Blake News

Joe's Pub at The Public has announced its lineup now through June 8. Details below!

Skylight Music Theatre is premiering a new work by Milwaukee native Daron Hagen titled I Hear America Singing. The production runs tonight, May 9 through June 1 in the Studio Theatre at the Broadway Theatre Center (158 N. Broadway, Milwaukee WI).

Pacific Symphony's critically-acclaimed American Composers Festival (ACF) continues for the 14th year with 'From Screen to Score: New Concert Music by Famous Film Composers'-who happen to be four of today's biggest Hollywood heavy-hitters: John Williams ('Star Wars,' 'Raiders of the Lost Ark,' 'E.T., the Extra Terrestrial'), Howard Shore ('Lord of the Rings,' 'The Hobbit,' 'Hugo'), James Horner ('Titanic,' 'Star Trek,' 'Apollo 13') and Elliot Goldenthal ('Alien 3,' 'Batman Forever' and 'Batman and Robin'). Together, these iconic composers boast 11 Oscars and countless billions of box office dollars. They also hold the ironic position of simultaneously being the most-heard orchestral composers ever (the soundtrack for 'Titanic' sold 30 million copies), yet their music is the least performed.

Having wowed Hollywood Fringe Festival audiences in 2012 with their acclaimed production of SPEED MERCHANT (OF VENICE), Action! Theatre Company returns to the 2014 Fringe Festival with the West Coast Premiere of Mickle Maher's comedy, THERE IS A HAPPINESS THAT MORNING IS. In partnership with Christina Keefe, Director of Rice University's Theatre Program and directed by A!TC Artistic Director, Tiger Reel, Action! Theatre Co. is proud to bring this beautiful and funny ode to love, sex and the poetry of William Blake to the Lounge Theatre.

I was just a little more than a year into my new side career as a cabaret show reviewer when I first saw a Karen Oberlin show. It was Valentine's Day night 2012 and Oberlin—with guitarist Sean Harkness and guest violinist Aaron Weinstein—would be performing her romance-laced set, Stringing Along With Love, at the Metropolitan Room. At the time, all I knew about Oberlin was that she was considered among New York's best female cabaret singers, and I hadn't researched her performing history pre-show. About a third of the way into her set I leaned over to my wife (it was Valentine's Day after all) and whispered, “You know, she has a real Doris Day quality in her voice and in the way she delivers some lyrics.” This immediately ratcheted up my appreciation for Oberlin since there are four passions I inherited from my Dad—baseball, reading the morning papers, sports writing and Doris Day (well, also Sophia Loren, but that's for another column). Since Dad had grown up during the prime of the Big Band Era of the 1940s, I heard the sultry sounds of a young Doris Day singing songs like “Sentimental Journey” on the family stereo more than a few times. Once I saw Day's strikingly adorable blondness on a record cover and her rocking body in one of her films, I knew what Dad was talking about. As popular, famous, and near iconic as Doris Day became, in my book, as a singer and screen beauty she's always been vastly underrated. Little did I know that Karen Oberlin had been doing a Doris Day tribute show so since 2001 at places like Firebird, Iridium, and the late Danny's Skylight Room, and produced a CD, Secret Love: The Music of Doris Day, in 2002. Karen Oberlin had instantly become my secret love.

MRM Productions is very proud to present the multi-award winning Echoes of Etta: A Tribute to Etta James, featuring William Blake and Michael Thomas Murray, back at Joe's Pub for the show's first residency.

Skylight Music Theatre is premiering a new work by Milwaukee native Daron Hagen titled I Hear America Singing. The production runs May 9 through June 1 in the Studio Theatre at the Broadway Theatre Center (158 N. Broadway, Milwaukee WI).

Born 1989 in Pärnu and currently based in Tallinn, Liis Koger has graduated from Pärnu Sütevaka High School Of Humanistics, and studied Psychology and Theology at University of Tartu, graduating there in 2013 with a BA degree in Painting, Fine Arts. Liis Koger has been accepted to study for her MA in Visual Communication at London's Royal College of Art 2014/15. Painting and poetry are connected in many ways. If one looks at poets/artists like Jean Cocteau, Max Jacob, William Blake or Pablo Picasso, it becomes clear that being a poet adds an extra, often somewhat esoteric dimension to other artistic expressions the poet might choose. Kogers's paintings are distinguished by a high level of lyricism and introspection. The classic abstract Nordic painterly tradition of artists such as Per Kirkeby is given a contemporary and mature interpretation. Since 2010, Liis Koger has exhibited widely, enjoyed solo and group shows in Estonia, Italy, UK, USA and Switzerland. Her work is present in private collections in Estonia, Sweden, Italy, Switzerland, Norway. Works in public spaces include Riigikogu, The Parliament Of Estonia, Toompea, Tallinn, Estonia and the Institute Of Mathematical Statistics, Tartu, Estonia. About SomoS: A continuation of former art space Kunstraum Richard Sorge, non-profit art space SomoS' mission is to create an international open platform for innovative arts, exhibitions, performances, research, workshops, education and creative cooperation, as well as offering artist in residence opportunities. Venue: SomoS Art House Kottbusser Damm 95 1st floor 10967 Berlin Phone: +49 01723118431 http://www.somos-arts.org https://www.facebook.com/somosberlin

Pacific Symphony's critically-acclaimed American Composers Festival (ACF) continues for the 14th year with "From Screen to Score: New Concert Music by Famous Film Composers"-who happen to be four of today's biggest Hollywood heavy-hitters: John Williams ("Star Wars," "Raiders of the Lost Ark," "E.T., the Extra Terrestrial"), Howard Shore ("Lord of the Rings," "The Hobbit," "Hugo"), James Horner ("Titanic," "Star Trek," "Apollo 13") and Elliot Goldenthal ("Alien 3," "Batman Forever" and "Batman and Robin"). Together, these iconic composers boast 11 Oscars and countless billions of box office dollars. They also hold the ironic position of simultaneously being the most-heard orchestral composers ever (the soundtrack for "Titanic" sold 30 million copies), yet their music is the least performed.

The International Festival of Arts & Ideas today announced complete details for Festival 2014, taking place from June 14 to 28 in New Haven, Connecticut. The theme for the Festival's 19th annual event is Transformation & Tradition, gathering together artists and thinkers who have drawn from the past in order to imagine the future in ways that are startling, bold, and exciting.

The National Gallery of Victoria will showcase its acclaimed William Blake collection, providing the first opportunity in fifteen years to see more than 100 works by Blake including spectacular watercolours, single prints and illustrated books. Especially rich in the representation of the artist's late years, the NGV Collection boasts 36 of the 102 watercolours illustrating The Divine Comedy by Dante, the largest number of works from this celebrated series held by any gallery in the world.

Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC), dedicated to advancing the art and business of live entertainment, held their 28th Annual MAC Awards celebration last evening at BB King's Blues club in Times Square. Winners in twenty-five categories were announced. The show was hosted by the vivacious singer, band leader, multiple MAC Award winner and 2014 Nominee, Terese Genecco. The gala was produced by Julie Miller and directed by Lennie Watts, the current MAC President. Don Rebic served as Musical Director. Presenters included Will Friedwald of the Wall Street Journal and designer Bob Mackie. CLICK HERE for a full list of winners.

Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC), dedicated to advancing the art and business of live entertainment, held their 28th Annual MAC Awards celebration last evening at BB King's Blues club in Times Square. Winners in twenty-five categories were announced. The show was hosted by the vivacious singer, band leader, multiple MAC Award winner and 2014 Nominee, Terese Genecco. The gala was produced by Julie Miller and directed by Lennie Watts, the current MAC President. Don Rebic served as Musical Director. Presenters included Will Friedwald of the Wall Street Journal and designer Bob Mackie.

Film Society of Lincoln Center to present Art of the Real & Jim Jarmusch

The 29th Annual Bistro Awards gala, set to take place tonight, March 4, has announced two new presenters. Stephen Schwartz, the Oscar, Tony, Grammy, and Golden Globe-winning composer/lyricist, who wrote the scores to such musicals as Pippin, Wicked, Godspell, and The Magic Show, will present Ben Vereen, the Tony Award-winning actor-singer-dancer, with the Lifetime Achievement Award.

Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC), dedicated to advancing the art and business of live entertainment, has announced the nominees for the 2014 MAC Awards. Winners in twenty-five categories will be voted by the MAC membership by anonymous ballot and announced at the MAC Awards Gala on March 27th at BB King's Blue Club in Times Square at: 237 W. 42 St between 7th and 8th Avenues. Tickets start at $50.00. For additional information on MAC, to become a member, or to order tickets to the event, visit: http://macnyc.com.

The National Gallery of Victoria will showcase its acclaimed William Blake collection, providing the first opportunity in fifteen years to see more than 100 works by Blake including spectacular watercolours, single prints and illustrated books. Especially rich in the representation of the artist's late years, the NGV Collection boasts 36 of the 102 watercolours illustrating The Divine Comedy by Dante, the largest number of works from this celebrated series held by any gallery in the world.

This week at Joe's Pub at The Public, February 24-March 5, will feature: Fly: A Musical Tribute to Damon Intrabartolo, The Return of Radiant Baby, Stephanie McKay, Bridget Everett, Dom La Nena & Piers Faccini, Dawn Landes, Greg Laswell, Henry Wagons, The Hot Sardines, Ramya Ramana, The Greg Proops Chat Show, Schoolhouse Rock, Murray Hill Oscars Party, Kelly Joe Phelps, Shirve Alive, Queen of the Beatniks, Gia Mora & Einstein's Girl, Juan Perro and the Employee of the Month Show. Details belo

The 29th Annual Bistro Awards gala, set to take place on Tuesday, March 4, has announced two new presenters. Stephen Schwartz, the Oscar, Tony, Grammy, and Golden Globe-winning composer/lyricist, who wrote the scores to such musicals as Pippin, Wicked, Godspell, and The Magic Show, will present Ben Vereen, the Tony Award-winning actor-singer-dancer, with the Lifetime Achievement Award. And Dee Dee Bridgewater, who recently starred as Billie Holiday in the acclaimed Off-Broadway play 'Lady Day' and who can be listened to twice weekly in her own programs on the all-jazz nonprofit radio station WBGO, will present Amy Niles, acting president and CEO of the Newark-based station, with its award.