Sophie Schulman - Page 8

The Bach Festival Society congratulates the winners of the 18th Annual Young Artist Competition, held on Saturday, November 20. Over 50 entrants from around the state competed, with twelve prize-winning contestants advancing to the finalist round. The finalist recital was open to the public and was enjoyed by over 150 guests. The top three winners are listed below along with the piece each performed for the final round of judging. 'This year's competition drew strong competitors from throughout the state. We are very proud of all the talented musicians who competed,' said Artistic Director and Conductor John. V. Sinclair.

From December 2nd to 12th, Electric City Playhouse will present PROFESSIONAL SKEPTICISM. This comedy, both written and directed by local playwright Jim Rasheed, centers around four auditors at a CPA firm. An audit scandal threatens to change these characters into headline-makers. This tale of office intrigue is funny, intense, and timely. It includes a variety of office personalities, including a sultry party girl. The dialogue is sharp, witty and funny. Rasheed is President of the Foothills Writers Guild and ECP's Resident Playwright and has won critical acclaim for PROFESSIONAL SKEPTICISM's run at Center Stage in Greenville.

The renowned Gay Men's Chorus of Los Angeles (GMCLA) pulls out the stops with two matinee and one evening performance of its annual holiday musical extravaganza - featuring guest appearances by country music legend LeAnn Rimes and Broadway star Sheryl Lee Ralph, and led by guest conductor Tim Seelig, in his GMCLA debut - Saturday, December 18, 3 p.m. and 8 p.m., and Sunday, December 19, 2010, 3 p.m., at the Alex Theatre in Glendale. Some 150 choristers, resplendent in holiday finery, do Santa proud with a bundle of beloved seasonal works, and dazzling Twelve Days of Christmas 'Black-Light Puppet Spectacular.' A team of merry elves adds to the musical festivities, which kick off the choir's 2010-11 Season, its 32nd.

Georgia Shakespeare announces a 'Black Friday' sale on tickets to their holiday show, A CHRISTMAS STORY, live on stage December 8-26. Select seats to the show are 20% off, for 24 hours only.

Though Joshua Radin enjoyed singing during his childhood, the Cleveland native never intended to be a professional musician. Instead, he studied drawing and painting at Northwestern University, following his college years with stints as an art teacher, screenwriter, and art gallery employee. Eventually, Radin took a stab at songwriting and played one of his earliest compositions, 'Winter,' for his friend Zach Braff. The burgeoning actor/director took an immediate liking to the song, and 'Winter' soon found its way onto Braff's hit television show Scrubs in early 2004. After fans began to request more of his music, Radin decided to pursue a songwriting career and signed with Columbia Records, which issued his debut album, We Were Here, in 2006. Radin relocated to Los Angeles and aligned himself with the Hotel Cafe, a unique Hollywood venue specializing in performances by singer/songwriters. He soon found himself playing national tour dates with a number of Hotel Cafe regulars, including Ingrid Michaelson, Sara Bareilles, and Meiko. Meanwhile, he issued a pair of digital EPs (via iTunes) while readying the release of his sophomore album, Simple Times, which arrived in late 2008.

Aicon Gallery presents 'Ram Kumar: A Retrospective' on Tuesday, 23 November 2010 from 7:00-9:00pm. The even will feature a discussion with Beth Citron, Curatorial Fellow at The Rubin Museum of Art - 'The Contemporary Indian Landscape'

Steppenwolf for Young Adults presents the Midwest premiere of Samuel J. and K. by Mat Smart, directed by Ron OJ Parson. The production, featuring Cliff Chamberlain and Samuel G. Roberson, Jr., runs February 22 - March 13, 2011 in Steppenwolf's Upstairs Theatre, 1650 N. Halsted St. Weekday matinees (Tuesdays - Fridays) are reserved for school groups only, with weekend performances (Saturday and Sunday) available to the public.

The David Berger Jazz Orchestra - the acclaimed band featured in the Wall Street Journal, National Public Radio and PBS TV - recently released their latest CD, 'Sing Me A Love Song: Harry Warren's Undiscovered Standards', featuring Freda Payne ('Band Of Gold,' 'Bring The Boys Home') and Denzal Sinclaire (National Jazz Award Winner). The CD has had great radio airplay and was singled out in USA Today's Best Tracks of the Week and is on sale now at retailers nationwide, as well as Amazon.com, iTunes, CD Baby and their website, http://www.davidbergerjazz.com.

will.i.am, GRAMMY Foundation® Board member and frontman/producer of the multi-GRAMMY®-winning group the Black Eyed Peas, will deliver the keynote address at the 13th Annual Entertainment Law Initiative® Luncheon & Scholarship Presentation on Friday, Feb. 11, 2011, at the Beverly Hills Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., it was announced today by the GRAMMY Foundation. John T. Frankenheimer, distinguished entertainment attorney, partner and co-chairman of Loeb & Loeb LLP., and chair of the firm's music industry practice group, will be the recipient of the 2011 Service Award at this year's ELI Luncheon.

The Moscow Ballet is set to perform its GREAT RUSSIAN NUTCRACKER at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts on December 19, 2010 at 3:00 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.

A generous, anonymous local supporter of The Human Race Theatre will help the organization close the year in excellent style by offering a $25,000 matching gift between now and December 20, 2010.

For a decade, Bound for Broadway has been letting audiences know about some of the best new shows currently in development. This 10th Anniversary Celebration at Kaufman Center's Merkin Concert Hall will feature four new musicals and then revisit some of the great shows featured over the past 10 years, including the 2010 Pulitzer Prize winner NEXT TO NORMAL, AVENUE Q, MUSICAL OF MUSICALS and THE DROWSY CHAPERONE.

Asolo Repertory Theatre today announced adding a new title to its Asolo Rep Extras series, An Intimate Evening with Frank Wildhorn & Friends. The starry concert features composer Frank Wildhorn at the piano along with some of Broadway's finest voices. Further details will be announced soon. The show, to be held on December 21st at 8 p.m. in the Mertz Theatre, replaces the Holiday concert originally scheduled. Details and prices will soon be released latter this month. Call the box office for more information at 941-351-8000; toll free 800-361-8366, or go online at www.asolorep.org.

What is Hanukkah... or Chanukkah? How do you really spell it, anyway? What's it ever done for me and why should I care? Hash it out (a nice lean kosher hash) with our hosts Marc and Doug for a unique evening of fun and music and story telling. We'll share, we'll kibitz, we'll have a little something to eat! Sure, go see A CHRISTMAS CAROL, (we're going to be on their set... how ironic if that?) but do yourself a favor and spend a little time this year spinning the dreidel with Marc and Doug. Who knows, maybe we'll even learn something about all this holiday mishagas. Maybe, maybe not... you put 3 Jews in a room together you get 5 different opinions. So...what can I tell you, we'll see what happens, but even if we don't solve any baffling Jewish mysteries...we'll have a lot of fun not getting anywhere together. Oy! Did we mention that we'll have a little nosh?

Dallas-Fort Worth arts organizations and cultural instituutions participating in the metroplex-wide Foote Festival have announced festival selections and events. The Foote Festival, March 14 - May 1, 2011, will celebrate the life and work of the late, award winning, Texas playwright Horton Foote (March 14, 1916 - Marc 4, 2009).

On Saturday, December 11th, 2010 the Autry National Center will present, in association with Focus Features, a 5th anniversary screening of the award-winning landmark film Brokeback Mountain followed by a staged reading of messages, essays, poetry, and music inspired by the film. The event is part of the acclaimed program Out West at the Autry, a series of public events focusing on lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) history and culture in the West with gallery talks, film screenings, lectures, performances and other cultural events.

Any dream will do at the Whole Backstage. Do you dream of owning a multicolored coat? Hear a crash of drums, see a flash of light? You can see all these at the holiday production of JOSEPH AND THE AMAZING TECHNICOLOR COAT.

After a summer of touring and 2 sold out shows at this year's Puppets in the Green Mountains festival, Sandglass Theater is bringing ALL WEATHER BALLADS back for a full weekend in Sandglass' intimate barn theater November 19 and 20 at 8pm and November 21 at 4pm.

LET THEM EAT CAKE is the wedding nightmare your mother warned you about, a gay marriage gone wrong that asks the guests to salvage the situation by interrogating what it means to be married, single, gay, straight, commitment-phobic, a joiner, included or jeering from the outskirts. Come for the cake, if nothing else!

North Coast Repertory Theatre presents a special one-night reading of The Andersonville Trial By Saul Levitt on Monday, November 22, 2010 at 7:30 PM.