Review: Solon High grad produced a virtual concert, CWRU recognized for stellar theatre department, pride plays to be performed, Bard at the Gate and The Madness of G

J.R.Heckman produced a virtual benefit concert for Josh Groban's Find Your Light Foundation

On Friday, June 12, Jimmy Award finalist J.R. Heckman, a Solon High School grad, produced a virtual benefit concert for Josh Groban's Find Your Light Foundation, which supports underserved music and arts education programs across the country. The concert featured Cleveland theatrical talent and Broadway professionals such as Michael McElroy, Telly Leung, and Crystal Monee Hall.

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CWRU RECOGNIZED AS BEING ONE OF THE BEST 25 COLLEGE DRAMA PROGRAMS AROUND THE WORLD

Case Western Reserve University's drama program has been selected by The Hollywood Reporter as one of the world's 25 top drama programs. The selection was the result of a survey of alums, academics and industry pros.

The recognition states, "Under new director Donald Carrier, this program has refocused its curriculum on developing skills to help grads make it as working actors - including a 15-week film-acting class. The MFA program is tuition-free and guarantees students an Equity card through its association with the famed Cleveland Playhouse."

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PRIDE PLAYS 2020

Playbill will present Pride Plays 2020 in celebration of Pride month. The festival, taking place throughout the month of June will feature four primetime live streams of key LGBTQIA+ plays and culminate in a musical celebration with Playbill's Pride Spectacular June 28.

The Pride Plays will include Donja R. Love's one in two at 7PM ET June 12; Masculinity Max by MJ Kaufman at 7PM ET June 19; The Five Lesbian Brothers reuniting for a one-night-only live reading of their 1992 play Brave Smiles...Another Lesbian Tragedy at 7PM ET June 22; and Mart Crowley's The Men From the Boys, directed by Zachary Quinto, at 7PM ET June 26.

All live streams will air on Playbill.com/PridePlays.

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Paula Vogel'S NEW DIGITAL SERIES BARD AT THE GATE

Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Paula Vogel's new digital series Bard at the Gate, intended to spotlight works not seen by a wide audience, has been revamped in support of Black Lives Matter. The series will now begin June 25 at 7 PM ET on a YouTube pre-taped web-stream with Kermit Frazier's 1978 work Kernel of Sanity, which was already slated as a part of Bard at the Gate.

The play examines the close relationship between a young Black actor and an older Caucasian actor with whom he had previously appeared in a production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest. The reading will be followed by a live online discussion of the play. To register for the discussion and for the streaming link, click here.

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TWILIGHT: LOS ANGELES

PBS will offer a stream of Anna Deavere Smith's drama Twilight: Los Angeles through August 7. Filmed by Marc Levin in 2001, Smith stars in a solo show that explores the aftermath of the 1992 Rodney King riots in Los Angeles. To watch, click here.

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THE MADNESS OF GEORGE III

National Theatre at Home is streaming the Nottingham Playhouse's The Madness of George III, starring Mark Gatiss beginning Thursday, June 11 at 2pm ET. The production, which you can watch, will stream for free for a week. Click here: /article/VIDEO-Watch-National-Theatre-At-Homes-THE-MADNESS-OF-GEORGE-III--Live-Today-20200611

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSALS FOR THE 1ST ANNUAL THE CITY [CLE] IS OUR STAGE

The sponsors of City Is Our Stage, are looking for representations of how members of the CLE artistic community are dealing with the Covid-19 crisis.

Priorities for inclusion are for individual artists or groups of artists sheltering together in the fields of Music, Theatre, Musical Theatre, Poetry, and/or Dance and reside in a place that is within a 15-mile radius of downtown Cleveland.

The mobile audience members would receive a map to drive to 5-10 different addresses to witness a 5-to-10 minute performance. These performances would take place on private property and could be on the front porches, lawns, driveways, sidewalks, parking lots or venues of area artists. Performing artists must own the property or have permission to use the location for this purpose from the property owner.

All proceeds from this event will be split evenly between the participating submissions. Ticket prices will range between $20 - $40 per motor vehicle depending upon the number of performances available.

Proposals will be accepted Tuesday, June 30, 2020. Artists would be informed of their acceptance by July 15th. Performance dates would August 15-16 and/or August 22-23, depending upon the number of participants and audience interest.

Information requested:

• Artist/Group Name & Contact information:
• Type of performance: Dance, Theatre, Musical Theatre, Music, Poetry:
• Address of performance location:
• How many cars can you legally accommodate at your location? (i.e. 2: one in my driveway & one on the street if I block off a space with cones.):
• Artistic Performance Specifics: 3-5 sentences describing the performance and where would you perform this at your residence (i.e. front yard, porch, balcony, stairwell, sidewalk, etc.):
• Technical Performance specifics: what you wish to perform, is it live or recorded music, is there video, props, etc. (no more than 1 page):
• Online video links of previous work, excerpts (preferred); please indicate how the work sample submitted is relevant to the work you are proposing for this event. Preferred clips demonstrating ability to integrate your art within a unique venue if available:
• Professional reviews; artist/company bio, history; YouTube or Vimeo links to demo reel (for publicity purposes):
• Any press quotes about the artist(s):
• The approximate number of performers (keep in mind that social distancing rules should apply for those not sheltering together):
• Approximate length of the performance:

Please send proposals or questions to thecityisourstage@gmail.com with "The City Is Our Stage" in the subject line.

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PLAYBILL'S PRIDE SPECTACULAR CONCERT

Four-time Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein, two-time Tony nominee Brandon Victor Dixon, Tony honoree Michael McElroy, Jagged Little Pill's Celia Rose Gooding and Lauren Patten, as well as Tony nominee John Tartaglia, Eden Espinosa, L Morgan Lee, Mars Rucker, and John McGinty will perform on June 28 at 8PM ET, as part of the free Playbill.com/PridePlays benefit for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

Featuring iconic musical numbers that highlight LGBTQIA+ stories in musical theatre the concert caps off a month of programming from Playbill and Pride Plays. Learn more and tune in to the free broadcast here and donate to Broadway Cares.

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