Honor Society News

Playwrights Theatre is pleased to announce the winners of the 31st Annual New Jersey Young Playwrights Contest. From the 470 plays submitted by young writers throughout the state, a panel of theatre professionals has selected four High School plays, three Junior High School plays and four Elementary Schools plays. In each category, selection was blind; plays were selected without knowledge of playwrights' schools, grade or background. The 31st Annual New Jersey Young Playwrights Contest Festival will be held on June 2 and 3, 2014, as part of a partnership between Playwrights Theatre and Premiere Stages at Kean University. Select plays from this festival may be reprised at Playwrights Theatre's nationally-recognized Forum Reading Series in December 2014. This reading series brings together writers from all over the United States.

Artists in Partnership (AIP), a non-profit cultural arts organization, will host its 12th Annual Cabaret Festival today, May 15-18 at the Long Beach Public Library, 111 West Park Avenue, Long Beach, NY. All performances are FREE to the public. The festival will be a celebration of the cabaret genre honoring the Great American Songbook with performances by renowned local and New York City-based artists.

Artists in Partnership (AIP), a non-profit cultural arts organization, will host its 12th Annual Cabaret Festival May 15-18 at the Long Beach Public Library, 111 West Park Avenue, Long Beach, NY. All performances are FREE to the public. The festival will be a celebration of the cabaret genre honoring the Great American Songbook with performances by renowned local and New York City-based artists.

The New York Philharmonic and American Composers Orchestra (ACO), in collaboration with ACO's EarShot: the National Orchestra Composition Discovery Network, announce the selection of 13 emerging composers from an international pool of more than 400 applicants from seven countries and 37 states ranging in age from 9 to 84, whose original scores for orchestra have been chosen for readings and performances by the Philharmonic and ACO as part of the inaugural NY PHIL BIENNIAL.

Stevensville, MD

The American Academy of Arts and Letters announced March 20 that it will induct nine new members into the 250-person organization in mid-May, including internationally recognized artist Ann Hamilton, professor, Department of Art, and Distinguished University Professor at The Ohio State University. The honor of election is considered the highest formal recognition of artistic merit in the United States.

Author Beverlyn Trimble remembers the strong values and beliefs her parents instilled upon her, namely the foundation of unconditional love and faith in her God, which she then applied when she herself became a parent. With her new book, she conveys these values, sharing the tale of 'The Crows of Bosville, USA' and using storytelling to celebrate family love and unity.

Despite there being thousands of fairy tales, there are many that still stand out as classics. 'The Three Little Pigs,' 'Three Blind Mice' and 'Goldilocks and the Three Bears,' are a mere handful of well-known fairy tales. They are also all visited by Snout the pig in John D. Evans' new book, 'The Adventures of Snout the Brown-Snout Pig: A Modern Fairytale Series' (published by iUniverse).

The Phi Beta Kappa Society (?BK), the nation's oldest academic honor society, formally launched its National Arts & Sciences Initiative to energize support for a broad-based arts and sciences education for the value and opportunity it brings through all of life. The multi-year initiative kicked off with an evening reception in celebration of the arts and sciences at the Woolly Mammoth Theatre, where Senator Lamar Alexander and Representative Rush Holt were recognized as recipients of The Phi Beta Kappa 1776 Award.

Nigel Lythgoe, So You Think You Can Dance co-creator, executive producer, judge and co-founder of Dizzy Feet Foundation along with Adam Shankman, announced today at the annual NDEO Conference in Miami, FL a strategic partnership with Dizzy Feet Foundation and the National Dance Education Organization that will support and promote quality dance education based on standards in the United States, regardless of the style or genre of dance, or where the dance is taught.

Nicole Chessin, 22, of Tenafly will compete for the title of MISS NEW JERSEY USA 2014 today, October 18th - 20th, 2013 at the Hilton Parsippany Hotel in Parsippany, NJ.

Nicole Chessin, 22, of Tenafly will compete for the title of MISS NEW JERSEY USA 2014 on October 18th - 20th, 2013 at the Hilton Parsippany Hotel in Parsippany, NJ.

Author Dr. Quinton B. Richmond offers wisdom and enlightenment in Road to Eternal Life, a spiritually nourishing book written to help all born-again Christians to believe that eternal life begins in one's present life here on earth and continues on into the world of eternity. It is designed to impress on the minds of all humankind that those who are considered their enemies, will respond and repay them in kindness as a friend. Readers will be more inspired to strengthen their faith and relationship with God as they learn to walk the road to righteousness and eternal salvation.

The South Florida Writers Association presents My Name Is Solamae, a musical adaptation of the first volume of Author/Playwright Linda Cardinal Schneider's popular childrens' book series The Little Mouse Solamae. The play, which won the 2011 South Florida Writer's Association Playwriting contest, is directed by Michelle Cote, and will feature The Brown Sisters. My Name Is Solamae will be performed today, August 10th at 2 pm at The Roxy Theatre in Miami.

MAD CAT THEATRE COMPANY is pleased to present its second annual Nine Lives Scholarship Awards to Christian Frost (Outstanding High School Senior) and Vanessa Elise (Outstanding College Senior). Each recipient will be awarded a $500 scholarship and presented a commemorative plaque which will be presented on opening night of Mad Cat's next play Blow Me by Jessica Farr at the SandBox at the Miami Theater Center on August 16, 2013.

The South Florida Writers Association will present My Name Is Solamae, a musical adaptation of the first volume of Author/Playwright Linda Cardinal Schneider's popular childrens' book series The Little MouseSolamae. The play, which won the 2011 South Florida Writer's Association Playwriting contest, will be directed by Michelle Cote, and will feature The Brown Sisters. My Name Is Solamae will be performed on August 10th at 2 pm at The Roxy Theatre in Miami.

Stress affects millions of people across the globe. According to the American Psychological Association, 77% of people regularly experience the physical symptoms caused by stress. There are many ways to combat stress and achieve a sense of peace. To author Yvonne Seymour, she found peace and grace in knowing that she has a guardian angel. Like Seymour, many people are drawn to the idea of guardian angels. This fascination has become embedded in culture, art, religion and tradition and has manifested in countless works of art and even scholarly texts. What is a Guardian Angel and how are they significant to the lives of people? Seymour delves into these questions and more as she invites readers on a compelling journey into 'The Secret World of Guardian Angels'.

World War II irrevocably changed the world in all ways; technology, warfare, and society would be forever altered. 'Visions of Mary,' a brave new work of historical fiction that sets out to honor society's greatest generation, expounds upon a more subtle force of change brought on by the war: a stirring in the minds and hearts of citizens defending their freedom and country. Visions of Mary was inspired by author Joseph Richardson's true patient encounter during his work as an ER Physician.

Shadowbox Live and STEM high school students are making final preparations for Monday evening's performance of STEM Rocks the 'Box, at The Shadowbox Live building, 503 S. Front Street at 7 PM.

Amphibian presents the New York premiere of Augusta Read Thomas' Sun Songs: Three Micro-Operas based on texts of Emily Dickinson featuring soprano Cyndie Berthezene and the Temple University Percussion Ensemble with video by John Gurrin. Gurrin's video tapestry for John Cage's String Quartet No. 1 was recently praised by The New Yorker's Alex Ross for its 'deliquescing landscapes.' This concert also features the world premiere of Matthew Greenbaum's surreal, ecstatic Headshot for video animation and electronic sound along with the New York premiere of Andrew Taylor's On Coming Out and a piece by James Tenney. Maya Deren and Alexander Hammid's short film, Meshes of the Afternoon, will be screened.