Donovan News

The hit comedy series BALLERS and INSECURE will kick off their new seasons back-to-back SUNDAY, AUG. 12 on HBO.

On Monday, June 18, 2018, the theater world and New York communities will come together for "Revolution!" Broadway Sings for Pride will premiere their 8th anniversary benefit concert at The Cutting Room in Manhattan. This event will be filled with singing (from pop to Broadway), stories, and surprises! The proceeds will benefit The Tyler Clementi Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to end online and offline bullying.

The CW Network presents its 2018-19 primetime schedule to advertisers, affiliates, and press today, at the New York City Center in New York City, with the platinum-selling American rock band 30 Seconds to Mars opening the show with a performance of their new hit songs "Rescue Me" and "Walk on Water." Expanding to a six-night, Sunday-Friday schedule this fall, The CW will have 12 hours of original scripted series across the week in primetime this fall, more than ABC, NBC or Fox.

Assembly Festival (1st - 27th August 2018) announced its FULL programme goes on sale at 10am today (Thu 17 May 2018). This year there are 208 shows - 60 theatre acts, 60 comedy shows and the biggest programme of cabaret Assembly Festival has ever staged.

Sydney Symphony Orchestra is delighted to announce that two fabulous performers NATALIE BASSINGTHWAIGHTE (Rogue Traders, star of Neighbours and X Factor) and MAGGIE McKENNA (direct from her lead role in Muriel's Wedding The Musical) will join the nine leading ladies Michala Banas, Casey Donovan, Virginia Gay, Verity Hunt-Ballard, Dami Im, Zahra Newman, Caroline O'Connor, Queenie van de Zandt and Megan Washington in FUNNY GIRL THE MUSICAL IN CONCERT (12-14 July)

The Portland Players presents the epic, Titanic: The Musical, May 18 - June 3, 2018.

Pharus has an angelic voice destined to praise God through Gospel music. Can his classmates, their parents, and the Drew School for African-American boys accept the person behind the voice?

Isabella Rossellini's Link Link Circus, 7 Fingers' REVERSIBLE, The Reduced Shakespeare Company, Manual Cinema's Memento Mori; acclaimed jazz & blues artists Madeleine Peyroux, John Beasley, Billy Childs, The Stanley Clarke Band, Etienne Charles, Freddy Cole, Corey Harris & Guy Davis and the return of Hiromi: Solo; classical artists Vox Luminis, Olga Kern, Academy of St Martin in the Fields with Jeremy Denk, Lucia Micarelli; an Artist-in-Residence Series featuring violist Richard O'Neill; eclectic world artists Nobunto, Kinan Azmeh CityBand, Alash, Ranky Tanky and the return of David Broza; Kybele Dance Theater, Ballet Hispanico; diverse family programming featuring Pacifico Dance Company, Aaron Nigel Smith's Family Reggae Bash, and The Story Pirates; plus partnerships with Sotheby's Institute of Art - Los Angeles, KCRW, Red Hen Press and National Geographic Live are among over 40 attractions announced for the 2018-2019 Eli & Edythe Broad Stage at The Santa Monica College Performing Arts Center season. 

Brown Paper Box Co.'s regional premiere of EVERYBODY has found its cast! This modern riff on the medieval morality play Everyman follows Everybody (chosen from the cast via lottery at each performance) as they question and explore life's most basic and universal elements of death, love, friendship, family, God. etc. Playwright Branden Jacobs-Jenkins (Gloria, An Octoroon) bases EVERYBODY on the 15th century morality play that instructs sinners on how to repent and seek redemption.

For several seasons I've searched for a term to describe Gateway Opera. In a city flush with larger companies-Opera Theater St. Louis, Union Avenue Opera, and Winter Opera-which offer truly 'grand opera', what can one call this little company which gives us such delicious bite-sized treats? They're so small, so full of feisty energy and spirit. Aha! I think this company is 'The Bantam of the Opera'! And, like that murderous older haunting figure, Gateway Opera, in it's evening of '15 Minute Mozarts,' really slays 'em-but without the need of a chandelier. The grandest chandelier would be dimmed by the brightly blazing talents on display at The Chapel last week-end.

On Monday, May 21, 2018, the Foundation for New American Musicals returns to Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal to present the 4th edition of 3RD MONDAYS, an up close and personal experience with exciting musical theatre artists performing songs from Broadway's past, present, and future!

DHX Media (TSX: DHX.A DHX.B)(DHXM) and Sony Music Entertainment (Japan) Inc. ('SMEJ') announce today that they have entered into a definitive agreement whereby SMEJ will indirectly purchase 49% of DHX Media's 80% interest in Peanuts for C$237 million (US$185 million) 1 in cash, subject to customary working capital adjustments. Pro forma for the transaction, DHX Media will own 41% of Peanuts, SMEJ will own 39%, and the members of the family of Charles M. Schulz will continue to own 20%.

THE FREDERICK DOUGLASS PROJECT is an innovative and ambitious world premiere musical commissioned by Solas Nua. The production blends two fresh and significant dramatic voices, each with a unique perspective on the same time and themes. Staged on a pier jutting into the Anacostia River, the production gains added resonance in the shadow of Douglass' historic home at Cedar Hill and the bridge that bears his name. The site-specific staging heightens the drama and creates a memorable theater experience.

GRAMMY-Award winning artists Kings of Leon, James Beard Foundation Award-winning chef Jonathan Waxman, Vector Management's Ken Levitan & Andy Mendelsohn and C3 Presents are pleased to announce Music City Food + Wine Festival, September 14-16, 2018. The sixth annual festival will offer expanded festivalprogramming, including the addition of the Official Drink of Nashville competition, a special Friday Night Throwdown pairing celebrity chefs with pro athletes,Saturday Night's Harvest Night anchored by Kings of Leon, the return ofSunday's Gospel Brunch, and much more. Tickets go on sale May 10, 2018, 10:00 a.m. CST, at http://www.musiccityfoodandwinefestival.com/tickets

Perhaps the best way to start writing about Elizabeth Gregory Wilder's play PROVENANCE is to share its definition, as it pertains to the history of ownership of a valued object or work of art or literature, not the capital of Rhode Island. Now being performed at Little Fish Theatre in San Pedro's Arts District, directed with loving reverence by Holly Baker-Kreiswirth and produced by Tara Donovan, the play centers on a rare book search which leads to an isolated library, and librarian, on the top of a hill in an identified area. Perhaps the best guess, according to the director and cast, would be the Smoky Mountains of Tennessee.

Manhattan Edit Workshop (MEWShop), the east coast leader in training and certification for content creators, announces the return of Sight, Sound & Story: Post Production Summit, taking place June 14th at the NYIT Auditorium Theater on Broadway.

As part of their Conscious Film Convergence (CFC), the ILLUMINATE Film Festival hosts the extraordinary Take Twenty Mentoring Sessions. The brainchild of festival founder Danette Wolpert who envisioned what twenty minutes of uninterrupted, full focus, one-on-one time with an industry leader would do for a filmmaker, the sessions are an unique opportunity for emerging voices in the industry. Participants can discuss projects, ask questions, and pick mentors' brains on finance, producing, marketing, distribution, impact strategy and more.

Breaking Points, starring Dolores Catania (Real Housewives of New Jersey), will receive its premiere screening at the Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival on Today, May 10 at 7:30pm.

The American Dance Festival (ADF) presents Obie, 'Bessie,' and Alpert award-winning choreographer Mark Dendy and director/designer Stephen Donovan's latest work Elvis Everywhere at New York Live Arts on May 10-12 at 7:30pm. 2018 marks Dendy's 35th year as an innovative choreographer on the downtown scene in New York City.

SWEET CHARITY is returning to NYC this June at The Baruch Performing Arts Center! SWEET CHARITY is produced by Broadway Workshop and Project Broadway as their 2018 Main Stage production. Scroll down for photos of the cast in rehearsals at Ripley Grier Studios.