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New York Youth Symphony (NYYS), is proud to continue its mission of educating and inspiring young musicians through its Orchestra, Jazz, Chamber Music, Composition, Musical Theater Composition, Apprenticeship Conducting, and First Music commissioning programs. This season includes seven world premieres of new works commissioned through the First Music program, composed for the Orchestra, Jazz, and Chamber Music ensembles. The season also features renowned and up-and-coming soloists including prodigy pianist Harmony Zhu, 2019 Sphinx Competition winner cellist Sterling Elliott, and leading young pianist Michelle Cann in the Carnegie Hall premiere of Florence Price's recently re-discovered Piano Concerto in One Movement with NYYS Orchestra, as well as in-demand drummer Matt Wilson, celebrated saxophonist Steve Wilson, and trombone virtuoso Wycliffe Gordon with NYYS Jazz. The complete NYYS 2019-2020 concert calendar follows at the end of this press release.

The imaginative and increasingly important Key Pianists concert series, founded by pianist Terry Eder in 2015, embarks on its fifth season with a recital by James Dick, whom American Record Guide lauded for his 'patrician civility and lucid, beautiful sonority', on Thursday evening, October 10, 2019, at 7:30 pm at Carnegie Hall's Weill Recital Hall.

The French Institute Alliance Fran aise (FIAF), New York's premier French cultural and language center, today announced the 2019 Crossing the Line Festival, featuring 11 performances and a gallery exhibition from a geographically, generationally, and artistically diverse group of artists whose work transcends genres and boundaries. All performances are world, US, or New York premieres; they are united by their convention-breaking fearlessness as they confront topics from social injustice to personal demons. Many of the performances pay homage to legendary artists of our time and previous eras, while the theme of migration and its transformational effects on identity informs several others. The festival runs from September 12 to October 12. Ticket are available at crossingtheline.org.

Gloucester Stage Company opens its 40th Anniversary Season with a nostalgic romp in the park, specifically Neil Simon's 1963 hit play, BAREFOOT IN THE PARK. Pairing McCaela Donovan and Joe Short (who are married in real life) as the young newlyweds moving from their blissful six-day honeymoon into a Manhattan sixth-floor walk up is a stroke of luck for Director Shana Gozansky. Making her GSC debut, she didn't have to worry about establishing trust and comfort in the romantic aspects of the characters' relationship. Not only do Donovan (Corie) and Short (Paul) fit together hand in glove, but Paula Plum and Richard Snee, another offstage married couple, complete the cast and contribute immeasurably to the hilarity.

World premiere musicals don't come around every day, so when given the opportunity to be the first patrons to experience the thrill of a new show, I will always recommend you jump at that chance. Even better when the show is one like Hartford Stage's final production of the season, THE FLAMINGO KID, which also marks the final show for Darko Tresnjak, its award winning artistic director. THE FLAMINGO KID has a lot going for it - the aforementioned direction by Mr. Tresnjak, a score by Tony award winners Robert L. Freedman (Books and Lyrics) and Scott Frankel (Music), a familiar subject matter, a stellar cast, bright and energetic staging, and a story that is simply fun to watch. Suffice to say - THE FLAMINGO KID delivers on all of those in spades and is simply not one to miss.

I must applaud Everyman Theatre's Artistic Director Vince Lancisi for having the brilliant idea of ending its season with two plays by Caleen Sinnette Jennings in repertory: QUEENS GIRL IN THE WORLD and QUEENS GIRL IN AFRICA. What a genius!

'Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of The Temptations' opened March 21, at Broadway's legendary Imperial Theatre. However, many fans of the Temptations music may not know the group's long and complicated history. 

Irish Repertory Theatre announced today special events and programming for the month of April as part of The Sean O'Casey Season, celebrating 30 years of Irish Repertory Theatre.

'NINA SIMONE: FOUR WOMEN' showcases the life and music of songstress Nina Simone and the testimonies of three different women, after the 1963 bombing of the 16th Baptist Church, in Birmingham, Alabama. It depicts the women diverse struggles that unite them together, at a time of civil unrest and racial disparity.

'Bring it On' meets 'Dreamgirls' in the girl-group musical, 'Betty and the Belrays' by William Electric Black aka Ian Ellis James, which will be presented by Theater for the New City January 31 to February 17. The piece tells the story of three white female singers from Detroit who struggle to change a racially divided society by singing for a black record label. Book and lyrics are by William Electric Black. Music is by Black, Valerie Ghent (arranger/keyboards for Ashford & Simpson) and Gary Schreiner. Choreography is by Jeremy Lardieri. Director is Mr. Black.

'Bring it On' meets 'Dreamgirls' in the girl-group musical, 'Betty and the Belrays' by William Electric Black aka Ian Ellis James, which will be presented by Theater for the New City January 31 to February 17. The piece tells the story of three white female singers from Detroit who struggle to change a racially divided society by singing for a black record label. Book and lyrics are by William Electric Black. Music is by Black, Valerie Ghent (arranger/keyboards for Ashford & Simpson) and Gary Schreiner. Choreography is by Jeremy Lardieri. Director is Mr. Black.

Now onstage at the Roxy Regional Theatre in Clarksville through December 22, Miracle on 34th Street is among a small number of titles available to theater companies all over the United States looking for seasonal entertainment options for their loyal fans and season ticket holders. In fact, there's another production of the show opening at Murfreesboro's Center for the Arts this weekend and Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre in Nashville has announced the show as its holiday offering in 2019.

Spend the holiday season on the Kimmel Center Cultural Campus, with themed programming and family-friendly activities, including: returning favorites spanning rock, Gospel, jazz, and brass; treasured traditions from various Kimmel Center Resident Companies like the Pennsylvania Ballet, The Philadelphia Orchestra, and The Philly POPS; and opportunities for holiday community service and city-wide celebrations.

To everything there is indeed a season.  And spring 2019 is the season when legendary singer-songwriter Roger McGuinn returns to the Jeanne Rimsky Theater.  

The Broad Stage presents Santa Monica Rep reading Elmer Rice's The Adding Machine, a bold satire that tells the story of a man struggling to maintain his status in a rapidly changing technological universe, at The Edye at The Broad Stage on Sunday, November 11 at 2:00pm.  Tickets are on sale at www.thebroadstage.org or by calling 310-434-3200.

Shana Dirik, Producing Artistic Director of Theater UnCorked - Boston's newest small theater company - announces the cast for One Flew Over the Cuckoos Nest, an enhanced staged reading on Saturday, October 13th at 3:30 and 7:30 pm at Margaret Jewett Hall, 11 Garden Street, Cambridge, MA 02138.

Chicago Children's Theatre's education programming, unique in the city for emphasizing student authorship, youth empowerment and community leadership, is growing by leaps and bounds - literally - at the company's new West Loop home, The Station.

Bruce Davidson, Charles Mandracchia, Antonio 'Huggy Bear' Fargas  & Kathrina Miccio Nominated and to Appear at ACTION ON FILM FESTIVAL

The French Institute Alliance Francaise (FIAF), New York's premier French cultural institution, today announced Crossing The Line Festival 2018, featuring leading international artists in a wide-ranging program of events, performances, and exhibitions from September 18 to October 13, 2018. Tickets are now available at crossingthelinefestival.org.

On July 1, 1968, The Band's landmark debut album, Music from Big Pink, seemed to spring from nowhere and everywhere. Drawing from the American roots music panoply of country, blues, R&B, gospel, soul, rockabilly, the honking tenor sax tradition, hymns, funeral dirges, brass band music, folk, and rock 'n' roll, The Band forged a timeless new style that forever changed the course of popular music. Fifty years later, the mythology surrounding Music from Big Pink lives on through the evocative storytelling of its songs including 'The Weight,' 'This Wheel's On Fire,' 'Tears of Rage,' and 'To Kingdom Come,' its enigmatic cover art painted by Bob Dylan, the salmon-colored upstate New York house - 'Big Pink' - where The Band wrote the songs, and in myriad descendant legends carried forth since the album's stunning arrival.

Dirty Dancing - The Classic Story On Stage continues to dazzle with a new production and North American tour. After three successful years on tour boasting numerous sold out engagements, this new adaptation of the worldwide smash-hit film, currently celebrating its 30th Anniversary, will make a stop in the Lehigh Valley at The State Theatre on June 21 and June 22, 2018.

Kicking off their exciting 27th main stage season - and continuing their mission to foster new works - the Bay Street Theatre offers the world premiere of Jack Canfora's new play Fellow Travelers. Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle award winner Michael Wilson directs the superb production running through June 17th at the adorable Sag Harbor venue.

There are few things that can impact relationships, families and communities as significantly as politics. Often one of the topics many consider off-limits for casual gatherings, political discourse has a tendency to divide groups along ideological lines and can make for a tense discussion. And in today's world of political extremes, this reality is as evident as ever. It is along these lines that these realities come to life in vivid tableau in Athol Fugard's A LESSON FROM ALOES, the closing production of Hartford Stage's 2017-18 season.

On April 12, 1963, Bob Dylan played his first major concert. It was at The Town Hall in New York City. It wasn't sold out - but those who were there witnessed a truly historic event.