A. Howard News

Has America's movement toward secular values led to its decline?

Florida Studio Theatre will welcome Pulitzer Prize Winning Author Gilbert King for a discussion of his book Devil in the Grove, and its relation to the themes present in the production of THURGOOD. As an addition to FST's panel discussions, it will take place on February 26 from 5:30-6:45pm in the Keating Theatre.

Trinity Rep invites the public to nominate outstanding local artists for the 2014 Rhode Island Pell Awards for Excellence in the Arts. Nomination criteria require the artist's name, contact information, and a brief description of his or her work and the contributions that they have made to Rhode Island. Nomination forms are available online at www.trinityrep.com.

Sasha Alexander, star of the TNT original drama 'Rizzoli & Isles,' and Clark Gregg, star of the ABC series 'Marvel's Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.,' revealed the 20th Annual Screen Actors Guild Awards® nominations this morning, Wednesday, Dec. 11 at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood at 8:50 a.m. ET.

Nominations for the 41st Annie Awards have been announced. Topping the list with 10 nominations each are Disney's Frozen and Monster's University.

Countdown to Christmas is maintaining its lead this holiday season, with its two most recent original movie premieres and propelling Hallmark Channel to be the number one network on cable in primetime among W25-54 rating for the entire week of November 11 - November 17. 'The Christmas Ornament' and 'Catch a Christmas Star' claimed the # 1 and #2 movies of the week, garnering a 3.8 and 3.3 household rating, respectively. In addition, 'The Christmas Ornament', which premiered on Saturday, November 16 and attracted nearly 6.1 million unduplicated viewers, was the #1 cable program for Saturday among households and W25-54 rating and drove Hallmark Channel to rank #1 on all of cable and broadcast in its 8-10pm time period for HH, W18-49, and W25-54 delivery. The holiday film was also #1 in key demo ratings for HH (3.8 rtg), W18-49 (1.6 rtg), W25-54 (1.8 rtg), and P2+ (2.0 rtg). 'The Christmas Ornament' is the second most watched telecast in the network's history among household delivery and the 3rd most watched among total viewers. The Saturday premiere elevated Hallmark Channel to be the #1 network of the day as well as the #1 cable network in primetime for the day among HH and W25-54.

PITTSBURGH—The Pittsburgh Symphony Orchestra's Composer of the Year for the 2013-2014 season is eight composers—all of them based in Pittsburgh and connected to higher education.

The LA Phil marks the 10th anniversary date of the opening of Walt Disney Concert Hall with a special Green Umbrella program presenting the world premiere of 200 Motels by L.A.'s groundbreaking iconoclast composer Frank Zappa. Conductor Laureate Esa-Pekka Salonen leads the LA Phil, and is joined by L.A.-based director James Darrah and the Los Angeles Master Chorale. Also joining Salonen and the LA Phil is a cast of renowned soloists and a band that includes Ian Underwood of Zappa's The Mothers of Invention, Scott Thunes, who also played with Frank Zappa, Zappa Family Trust 'Vaultmeister' Joe Travers, and Jamie Kime of Zappa Plays Zappa.

The Howard County Arts Council (HCAC) welcomes five community leaders to its Board of Directors. Deborah Chen, Larry Collins, Brian C. Rosenberg, Janet M. Schreibstein, and Sharonlee J. Vogel join a dynamic group led by Board President Steve Poynot, Senior Vice President at Howard Bank.

The LA Phil marks the 10th anniversary date of the opening of Walt Disney Concert Hall with a special Green Umbrella program presenting the world premiere of 200 Motels by L.A.'s groundbreaking iconoclast composer Frank Zappa. Conductor Laureate Esa-Pekka Salonen leads the LA Phil, and is joined by L.A.-based director James Darrah and the Los Angeles Master Chorale. Also joining Salonen and the LA Phil is a cast of renowned soloists and a band that includes Ian Underwood of Zappa's The Mothers of Invention, Scott Thunes, who also played with Frank Zappa, Zappa Family Trust 'Vaultmeister' Joe Travers, and Jamie Kime of Zappa Plays Zappa.

To celebrate the 20th Anniversary of the Westport Arts Awards, Westport Country Playhouse is currently presenting a lobby exhibit featuring past Award winners who have been associated with the historic theater, now through October 27.

RUSH, directed by Ron Howard, follows the Formula 1 racing rivalry between James Hunt (Chris Hemsworth) and Niki Lauda (Daniel Brühl).

Over 400 guests attended Westport Country Playhouse's annual fundraising gala, 'Sophisticated Lady: A Gala Evening Honoring Phylicia Rashad,' on Monday evening, September 16. In addition to honoring the Tony Award-winning actress, arts advocate and philanthropist Howard J. Aibel of Weston was presented with the Westport Country Playhouse Leadership Award. Scroll down for photos from the big event!

'A Young Lady of Property' opens tonight, September 11, 2013, with a limited run through September 29 in the Studio Theatre of the Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center (HVPA) on the campus of HCC. For tickets and additional information, visitwww.repstage.org or call 443-518-1500.

Following the critical success of last year's A GOVERNMENT INSPECTOR, Northern Broadsides' associate director Conrad Nelson and playwright Deborah McAndrew once again team up, this time bringing their brand of Northern inventiveness and humour to Nikolai Erdman's dark comic classic The Suicide. Courtesy of Nelson and McAndrew The Suicide becomes THE GRAND GESTURE in a sharp new adaptation that updates it from 1920s Russia to 21st Century Britain.

Ghostlight Records will release the original cast recording of the hit downtown production of Dave Malloy's electropop opera NATASHA, PIERRE & THE GREAT COMET OF 1812 later in 2013. The album was recorded Monday, August 26th at MSR Studios in New York City. The recording - which preserves the entire score on two discs - was produced by Dean Sharenow, Howard and Janet Kagan and Kurt Deutsch. Sign up to pre-order at www.sh-k-boom.com/greatcomet.

Horton Foote's THE OLD FRIENDS, directed by Michael Wilson runs now through October 6, 2013 with a September 12 opening night in The Irene Diamond Stage at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 West 42nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues). BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

"A Young Lady of Property" opens September 11, 2013, with a limited run through September 29 in the Studio Theatre of the Horowitz Visual and Performing Arts Center (HVPA) on the campus of HCC. For tickets and additional information, visitwww.repstage.org or call 443-518-1500.

Jay Geils Jazz Quintet: Featuring Gerry Beaudoin & Harry Allen will play Bridge Street Live tonight August 25, 2013 @ 7:00 PM.

The critically acclaimed revival of Horton Foote's American masterpiece, THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL, will host a special free talkback following the performance on Wednesday evening, August 14th. Focusing on the creative process of THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL, this one-night only event will feature stars VANESSA WILLIAMS, CUBA GOODING JR, TOM WOPAT and ADEPERO ODUYE and will be moderated by writer and critic, CARYN JAMES. All ticket holders for the evening performance on August 14th are invited to stay for the talkback. THE TRIP TO BOUNTIFUL talkback series kicked off last week with a panel featuring Betty Buckley, Ellen Burstyn, and Hallie Foote as they discussed the appeal and challenges of appearing in a Horton Foote play.