Beth Morris News

On CHICAGO FIRE's upcoming episode, 'Warm and Dead,' a troubled Chief Boden (Eamonn Walker) goes to the police when a man dies in a hardware store fire set by Ernie (guest star Cody Sullivan), the troubled teenage firebug he's been trying to help, and his Uncle Ray (guest star Darrell W. Cox). Meanwhile, Severide (Taylor Kinney) decides on his future and reaches out to his father (guest star Treat Williams). Elsewhere, Otis (Yuri Sardarov) finds camaraderie when he fills in for a few shifts at the slowest firehouse in the city, and makes a decision of his own, while Dawson (Monica Raymund) and Shay (Lauren German) find themselves in a bad predicament during a call to a tenement apartment. Jesse Spencer, Charlie Barnett and David Eigenberg also star. Sarah Shahi, Kathleen Quinlan, Nicole Forester and Shiri Appleby guest star. 'Warm and Dead' is set to air Jan. 30 on NBC.

Beth Morrison Projects (BMP) and HERE announce programming for the inaugural PROTOTYPE: Opera/Theatre/Now, running today, January 9-19, 2013, in New York City.

Darren K. Woods, General Director of Fort Worth Opera (FWOpera) appeared on KERA's widely popular program Think-the daily topic driven and call-in radio show hosted by Krys Boyd-this afternoon, Monday, January 7, 2013, at 1:00 p.m. (CST). During this special hour long, in-depth interview he discussed the recent announcement of the organization's new artistic vision, Opera of the Americas, a ten-year commitment to the production of thought-provoking works by contemporary composers of the Americas.

On the Jan. 9 episode of CHICAGO FIRE, entitled 'Under the Knife,' Severide (Taylor Kinney) finally addresses Chief Boden (Eamonn Walker) about his injury and makes some important personal decisions about his future. Meanwhile, Casey (Jesse Spencer) struggles with family matters and Dawson (Monica Raymund) takes matters into her own hands when she discovers a young girl who is the sole survivor at the scene of a rescue call. Lauren German, Charlie Barnett and David Eigenberg also star. Sarah Shahi, Kathleen Quinlan and Nicole Forester guest star.

Soldier Songs is an evening-length multimedia event from composer David T. Little that combines elements of theater, opera, rock-infused concert music, and animation to portray a chilling and realistic view of our media-crazed, war machine culture, and of the nature of power in war. It delivers tough questions and tells tough stories through its poignant libretto, driving music, and surprising visual counterpoint. Created by the composer, the libretto was adapted from recorded interviews with veterans of five wars. Soldier Songs traces the shift in perception of war from the age of 6 to the age of 66. We follow the abstract character through the three phases of life: Child (playing war games) Warrior (time served in the military) and Elder (aged, wise,reflective).

Beth Morrison Projects (BMP) and HERE have announced the full line-up for the inaugural PROTOTYPE: Opera/Theatre/Now festival, running January 9-18, 2013, in New York City. This two-week Festival, distilling the curatorial visions of artistic directors Kristin Marting (of HERE), Beth Morrison (of BMP), and Kim Whitener (of HERE), features visionary music-theatre and opera-theatre works by pioneering artists from NYC and around the world. PROTOTYPE is unique in providing a permanent theatrical home for the presentation of such quality productions, spotlighting the high-caliber creations of an exciting new generation of composers and collaborators, with a focus on chamber-sized works.

Cellist Maya Beiser will see the New York premiere of her new production, ELSEWHERE, a "CelloOpera," in four performances from tonight, October 17 through 20 at 7:30pm, during the 2012 BAM Next Wave Festival in the inaugural season of the Fishman Space, part of BAM's new Richard B. Fischer Building which opens in September 2012 at 321 Ashland Place in Brooklyn. ELSEWHERE is produced by Beth Morrison Projects.

After three years in the making, David T. Little's "Dog Days" will receive its world premiere at Peak Performances' Alexander Kasser Theater, tonight, September 29-October 7.

Looking ahead to winter, David T. Little's evening-length multi-media music-theatre work, Soldier Songs (2006), receives its New York City premiere as part of BMP and HERE's inaugural PROTOTYPE: Opera/Theatre/Now festival January 11-13 + 16-18, 2013, showcasing pioneering work by a new generation of opera-theatre and music-theatre composers. Created and composed by Little, Soldier Songs is based on recorded interviews with veterans of five wars, with a libretto adapted by the composer.

On Saturday, September 29, David T. Little's long-awaited debut full-length opera, Dog Days, created in collaboration with librettist Royce Vavrek, and based on the eponymous short story by Judy Budnitz (1998), receives its world premiere, opening a run of five performances: Sep. 29, Oct. 6 at 8:00 PM; Sep. 30, Oct. 7 at 3:00 PM; Oct. 5 at 7:30 PM. The fully-staged production, directed by Robert Woodruff, premieres at Montclair State University's Alexander Kasser Theater in Montclair, NJ. Watch a behind-the-scenes video with rehearsal footage and interviews with the Dog Days creative team below!

After three years in the making, David T. Little's "Dog Days" will receive its world premiere at Peak Performances' Alexander Kasser Theater, September 29-October 7.

Cellist Maya Beiser will see the New York premiere of her new production, ELSEWHERE, a "CelloOpera," in four performances from October 17 through 20 at 7:30pm, during the 2012 BAM Next Wave Festival in the inaugural season of the Fishman Space, part of BAM's new Richard B. Fischer Building which opens in September 2012 at 321 Ashland Place in Brooklyn. ELSEWHERE is produced by Beth Morrison Projects.

Beth Morrison Projects (BMP) and HERE announce programming for the inaugural PROTOTYPE: Opera/Theatre/Now, running January 9-19, 2013, in New York City. This two-week festival, distilling the curatorial visions of artistic directors Kristin Marting (of HERE), Beth Morrison (of BMP), and Kim Whitener (of HERE), features visionary music-theatre and opera-theatre works by pioneering artists from NYC and around the world. PROTOTYPE is unique in providing a permanent theatrical home for the presentation of such quality productions, spotlighting the high-caliber creations of an exciting new generation of composers and collaborators, with a focus on chamber-sized works.

Pace University has announced the 2012 / 2013 season of Pace Presents, hosted at The Michael Schimmel Center for The Arts located at 3 Spruce Street between Park Row and Gold Street in downtown Manhattan. Pace Presents is a world-class performing arts and culture series with an emphasis on music superstars from around the globe, charismatic and crowd-pleasing dance performances, spectacular theatre and contemporary cabaret. The Pace Presents season begins on September 22 with Gypsy brass superstars Fanfare Ciocarlia and culminates on April 20 with Jazz's living treasure, Hugh Masekela.

Tonight, July 21 at 2:00pm, and Sunday, July 22 at 7:30pm, American Opera Projects, in association with Opera New Jersey, will premiere Blessed Art Thou Amongst Women

HERE proudly announces its 20th Anniversary Season, spanning September 2012 through June 2013, featuring three world premieres from Resident Artists in the HERE Artist Residency Program (HARP); two co-productions delivering hybrid performing arts premieres; the launch of PROTOTYPE: Opera/Theatre Now, an annual festival; and HERE's yearly CULTUREMART festival which gives audiences a first look at new work from HERE Resident Artists. Works include groundbreaking multidisciplinary productions from HARP Artists, representing the culmination of commissions and developmental residencies of up to three years, as well as presentations by visiting artists, curated by HERE, as part of HERE's various programs including the Dream Music Puppetry Program and much more.

Cellist Maya Beiser, described by the Boston Globe as having "virtuoso chops, rock-star charisma, and an appetite for pushing her instrument to the edge of avant-garde adventurousness," will see the New York premiere of her new production, ELSEWHERE

On Saturday, July 21 at 2:00pm, and Sunday, July 22 at 7:30pm, American Opera Projects, in association with Opera New Jersey, will premiere Blessed Art Thou Amongst Women

At 36, Paola Prestini has already forged a singular and celebrated path in new music. Both through her production company, VisionIntoArt, and as a composer, she has garnered praise from fellow artists, presenters and critics. Osvaldo Golijov has described Prestini's music as "wrenching and tender and luminous and pure and exuberant: always vivid and always generous." Terry Riley has called it "music [that] speaks from the heart and inspires," and The New York Times has called it "radiant" and "amorously evocative."

At 36, Paola Prestini has already forged a singular and celebrated path in new music. Both through her production company, VisionIntoArt, and as a composer, she has garnered praise from fellow artists, presenters and critics. Osvaldo Golijov has described Prestini's music as "wrenching and tender and luminous and pure and exuberant: always vivid and always generous." Terry Riley has called it "music [that] speaks from the heart and inspires," and The New York Times has called it "radiant" and "amorously evocative."