Harry A. Jansen News

Gary Naylor sees a brilliantly realised homage to an immortal woman.

Kultur has announce the DVD release of Dante: The First Renaissance Man, available December17th. This informative film by Malcolm Hossick uncovers the background history from which Dante came and the way in which he helped to establish a new view of the world where individuals mattered more than rulers. Without the changes begun in Dante's time it is difficult to see how the democratic system which is now spreading across human society would have become so well established. Of course, democratic success depends entirely on the quality of the people who run it, and in Dante's visit to the underworld we see that humanity is as capable of behaving badly as achieving great things for society. Born in 1265 in Florence, Italy and a writer whose major work is a vast poem called The Divine Comedy about a journey to the Inferno, Purgatory and Paradise, Dante might be thought difficult for most people to digest over 750 years later. Dante wrote his great poem in everyday Italian instead of Latin and his travelling companion to the Inferno and beyond was the Latin poet Virgil who lived and died before Christianity was even begun. On top of this, Dante's imaginary Paradise brought him to Beatrice, the girl he had loved all his life. All of this means that Dante is a personality whose existence and work was very much the starting point of the new way of looking at the world which we call the Renaissance and which is still developing today. Title: Dante: The First Renaissance Man Street Date: December 17, 2013 SRP: $19.99 SKU: D4371 Run Time: 80 Minutes UPC: 032031437197 ISBN: 0-978-7697-5082-8 Territory: North America

Seacoast Repertory Theatre has announced that Let's "B" Reel: Cult Classic Films at The Rep will screen Joe Dante's Gremlins with special appearance by Producer Michael Finnell December 11th, 2013. In addition to the special appearance, before and after the screening there will be an exclusive exhibit of Gremlins props on display, that are exclusively on loan from Director, Joe Dante. Never before seen props include most of the "Peltzer Inventions" Including The Bathroom Buddy, various prototypes of Gremlins, and original Gremlin "skulls". The crown jewel of this exhibit is an exceptionally rare 1984 screen-used Gremlin puppet, restored by Tom Spina and provided by private collector Richard D'Andrea.

With the holidays just around the corner, it's that time of year to budget and plan for the upcoming holidays. We have a couple of items that are great for giving and also for you to enjoy yourself. Listen to GraphicAudio titles with our favorite Sennheiser HD 202 II Professional Headphones or keep warm with our soft chenille blanket.

Just in time for Valentine's Day, Jedlicka Performing Arts Center presents LOVE STORY, the musical inspired by Erich Segal's best-selling novel and one of the most romantic films of all time - with book and lyrics by Stephen Clark, music and additional lyrics by Howard Goodall, directed by JPAC Managing Director Melanie Lamoureux and musical direction by John Warren. LOVE STORY, the musical will play February 14 - March 1, 2014 at the Jedlicka Performing Arts Center, 3801 S. Central Ave. in Cicero. Tickets go on sale Monday, January 13, 2014 at www.jpactheatre.com or by calling (708) 656-1800. The press performances are Friday, February 14 and Saturday, February 15, 2014 at 7:30 pm.

Everyone has a story. The BACARD brand and family's story can be summed up with one word: "Untameable." With more than 150 years of uncompromised passion triumphing against extraordinary odds, BACARD is the rum brand with tales where the truth is better than any fiction. Fearlessly honoring its legacy, the brand with "Irrepressible Spirit" written in its DNA, today announced the launch of "BACARD Untameable Since 1862," a new global marketing campaign that tells the stories behind BACARD rum, its origins in Cuba and inspires consumers to embrace life and live boldly to showcase their own "Irrepressible Spirit."

It's incredibly rare when I venture out to see a high school production, but Houston ISD's High School for the Performing and Visual Arts (HSPVA) definitely piqued my interest when I saw they were producing AVENUE Q. First and foremost, I wanted to see how Jeff Whitty, Jeff Marx, and Robert Lopez's irreverent and controversial musical was adjusted for high school performers. Secondly, the kids at HSPVA are being trained to be professional theater's next generation of quality talent, so having the opportunity to see incredible kids perform is always intriguing as well. Needless to say, HSPVA's production of AVENUE Q is performed well, hysterical, and only mildly toned down from the original.

China Lion Film Distribution announced today that it has acquired and will release Dante Lam's That Demon Within in the U.S. and Canada, as well as Australia and New Zealand. The film features Chinese stars Daniel Wu, who has been featured in over 60 films and has won Golden Horse Awards for acting (New Police Story) and directing (The Heavenly Kings), and Nick Cheung, who has starred in Lam's previous film The Beast Stalker, which won him international acclaim, and who was nominated for a Golden Horse Award for his performance in Lam's recently released highly-acclaimed Unbeatable.

NBC's GRIMM has cast Dee Wallace as Monroe's mother.

Recently, a friend mentioned his girlfriend's exciting new "big promotion and raise." Providing more details, he added that she would now be making close to thirty-five thousand per year. This could not help but make me wonder about the state of our country's current economic and employment crises. It is clear that a "new normal" has been established in the United States, where the vast majority scrape by, just surviving, mostly by working hourly-wage, low-paying jobs. Where once the dream was a comfortable, secure, middle-class or even upper-middle-class-life, that life no longer exists for many, if not most. It's been replaced by a much less secure or comfortable existence that fewer and fewer have the hope to climb out of. This predicament is perfectly brought to very real life by David Lindsay-Abaire's play Good People, playing at the Sandra Feinstein Gamm Theatre.

Jedlicka Performing Arts Center is pleased to continue its 2013-14 Season with a new production of the comedy STANDING IN MATTOON by Tim Clue and Spike Manton, the creators of the Chicago cult hit Leaving Iowa. Directed by Clue, STANDING IN MATTOON plays January 10 - February 1, 2014 at Jedlicka Performing Arts Center, 3801 S. Central Ave. in Cicero. Tickets are available at www.jpactheatre.com or by calling (708) 656-1800.

AMERICAN HORROR STORY creator Ryan Murphy has confirmed to Entertainment Weekly that this season's newest leading ladies are intent on returning for the show's upcoming fourth season.

Children of all ages are invited to the 14th Annual Winter's Eve at Lincoln Square - New York City's largest outdoor holiday festival hosted by the Lincoln Square Business Improvement District (BID). Theevening of family fun will kick off with a performance by Tony Award Winning, renowned Broadway star, Brian Stokes Mitchell accompanied by Rosie's Theater Kids, Frank London's Klezmer Brass All Stars, Bond Street Theatre's Shinbone Alley Stilt Walking Band, and WABC-TV's Sade Baderinwa at the Upper West Side neighborhood's holiday tree lighting ceremony beginning at 5:30pm at the main stage in Dante Park at Broadway & 63rd Street. This year's 35 foot Norway Spruce and festive lights have been generously donated by local restaurateur PJ Clarke's. The Winter's Eve festival is free, open to the public and will take place on Monday, December 2nd from 5:30 - 9:00 p.m. along Broadway from Time Warner Center to 68th Street with activities for the whole family.

The Flea Theater announces a one night only performance of TRANSATLANTICA by Kenny Finkle, directed by Tim Cummings and featuring original Bat Company Members reprising their roles: Tim Cummings (The Normal Heart, The Fountain Theatre in LA), Greg Keller (NYTW's Belleville, Wit with Cynthia Nixon), Jennifer McKenna, Alfredo Narcisso (The Motherf***er with the Hat), Jack O'Neill (Baal), Beth Tapper and Irene Walsh.

LuminArte Presents is an exhibition showcasing new works by represented artists as well as a selection of gallery favorites. In addition, they are presenting a roster of new artists to the Dallas art scene alongside a wide range of local talent. This all-encompassing presentation of artists from 25 countries opens on November 9th, with a reception from 7-10pm; and many artists will be in attendance. The exhibition runs through December 7th; both the exhibition and reception are free and open to the public.

VH1 and Queen Latifah's Flavor Unit Entertainment are kicking off the New Year with the third season premiere of hit scripted series 'Single Ladies.'

FX has ordered a fourth installment of American Horror Story, the Emmy and Golden Globe Award winning miniseries franchise from Ryan Murphy and Brad Falchuk, it was announced today

Nominees for THE 40th ANNUAL PEOPLE'S CHOICE AWARDS were announced this morning at The Paley Center for Media in Beverly Hills. People's Choice Awards Executive Producer Mark Burnett was on hand to announce the hosts for the live awards show, Beth Behrs and Kat Dennings, stars of the CBS sitcom '2 Broke Girls.'

Chicago's selection of seasonal shows this winter will include the exciting addition of Theo Ubique's updating of the Madrigal Dinner tradition for all audiences. Song, food, poetry and variety acts will combine into a most festive feast for A Very Merry Madrigal. Weekend matinee performances plus reduced ticket prices for children under12 will make the event accessible and affordable for families as well as adults. Conceived by David Heimann and Fred Anzevino, A Very Merry Madrigal will offer yuletide folk music from the 15th Century to the 21st, with a cast of six singers and instrumentalists performing new arrangements by Aaron Benham. A wassail (non-alcoholic hot mulled cider) and a figgy pudding dessert will be served to all and an optional dinner entree will be available for an additional charge. Mixed in between the songs, food, and drink will be readings of poems by Shakespeare, Dante and Robert Frost as well as variety acts and selection of a King and Queen from the audience.

Broadway In Chicago and Producers Steven Van Zandtand Maureen Van Zandt, Marc Brickman, and Base Entertainment, have announced that following a critically acclaimed, sold-out Broadway engagement, ONCE UPON A DREAM STARRING THE RASCALS will debut in Chicago at the Cadillac Palace Theatre (151 West Randolph) from tonight, Nov. 5 - 10, 2013 for five performances only.