Jean Louis News

It's common knowledge that Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning novel, TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD, is a timeless classic which has been read and loved by millions. Many of us have read the book because our middle school English teacher required it, but we discovered we couldn't put it down.

The Museum of Arts and Design (MAD) announces the Fall 2017 session of its Artist Studios Program and Van Lier Fellowship. The selected artists, who will work in MAD's sixth-floor open studios from September 26, 2017 through January 28, 2018, are Mimi Bai, Lexy Ho-Tai, Amir R. Hariri, Johannah Herr, Fabiola Jean-Louis, Luam Melake, and Anna Riley.

The Vancouver International Film Festival (VIFF) released a lineup of the year's must-see films on the big screen as part of the distinguished Special Presentations series. These films represent the world's boldest storytellers and their exceptional works as part of the festival's Panorama stream.

Scout (Brooke Zollinger), a young girl in a quiet southern town, is about to experience dramatic events that will affect the rest of her life. Set in 1935, this play illustrates the social issues of this time period as the black people of the community have a special feeling about Scout's father. In her youthful innocence, she does not know why. Atticus (Tum Jaeger), a lawyer, explains that he is defending a young Negro (Antoine Johnson as Tom Robinson) wrongfully accused of a grave crime. Atticus fights his legal battle with a result that is part defeat, part triumph. This dramatization of the touching classic tale is a meaningful work of art. 

Newnan Theatre Company, in conjunction with Crain Oil Company, will open NTC's historic 40th season with To Kill A Mockingbird. The script is adapted from Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize-winning book by playwright Christopher Sergel, who worked with Ms. Lee to bring this version to the stage.

Fans of the unforgettable Debbie Reynolds and members of the Thalians, an organization she helped found, flocked to the El Portal Friday June 30 for a dedication of the mainstage and grand party to celebrate her life and career. It was an SRO event, with celebrity guests, whose proceeds benefited the great charity work of the Thalians - 'Hollywood for Mental Health', to which Reynolds devoted tirelessly of herself since its inception in 1955. Debbie had history with the El Portal. It was one of her favorite venues, as she used to ride her bicycle there to go to the movies as a young girl living in Burbank...and she performed there with her fabulous night blub act and the play Love Letters 46 times between 2003 and 2015 So, it is totally apropo to name the mainstage in honor of this great star and humanitarian.

The Omaha Community Playhouse honored its top volunteers at the annual Awards Night ceremony held Monday evening.

Epic storytelling meets emotional physical theatre in Akram Khan's moving production. Based on the tale of Amba/Shikhandi in the Mahabharata, UNTIL THE LIONS explores notions of gender identity, spirituality and passionate confrontation. Director and choreographer Akram Khan has outdone himself in this expressive masterpiece - moving from start to finish, the pounding rhythmic accompaniment keeps the suspense building until the very end.

Planet Connections changes the landscape of New York theatre this year. The award-winning Planet Connections Theatre Festivity runs June 12 - July 9, 2017 at The Clemente, 107 Suffolk Street, NYC. WWW.PLANETCONNECTIONS.ORG

 Kritzerland announces a new concert event coming on Sunday, May 7, 2017 entitled "May Madness." This entertaining evening will take place at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal in North Hollywood, California. The 77th Kritzerland show will feature fun and fancy-free "May Madness" offerings.  It's an anything goes show, culled from a whole potpourri of eclectic and unusual material.  Surprises are in store.

Gay Marshall, who starred as Morales in A Chorus Line and as GRIZABELLA in the French production of CATS, will give one more performance of her autobiographical, musical travelogue, Gay's Paree, at downtown's alternative supper-club, Pangea, Wednesday April 5th at 7:30pm. Call 212.995.0900. 

Acclaimed box office star, producer and humanitarian Richard Gere will open the 34th edition of Miami Dade College's Miami Film Festival on March 3, 2017, followed by an Opening Night Gala screening of his new film, Norman: The Moderate Rise and Tragic Fall of a New York Fixer, directed by 2-time Oscar-nominated Israeli filmmaker Joseph Cedar, with the KORBEL Opening Night Party to follow at Miami's Historic Alfred I. Dupont Building.

International theater actress, Gay Marshall, reprises her critically lauded show, Gay's Paree, at downtown's alternative supper-club, Pangea, for four performances this spring.

Actress Irene Jacob and guitarist Francis Jacob craft welcoming, worldly pop on 'En Bas De Chez Moi,' celebrating their release live at with lives appearances in Canada and the US.

Metropolitan Ballet Company (MBC) will host Settlement Music School and Pennsylvania Ballet 2 in MBC's annual, Variations/Collaborations: An Evening of Music and Dance, at 7:00 pm on Saturday, April 1, 2017, at Kurtz Center of the William Penn Charter School, 3000 West School House Lane, Philadelphia.

The Repertory Theatre of St Louis is presenting Christopher Sergel's adaptation of Harper Lee's Pulitzer Prize winning novel, To Kill a Mockingbird, and it's a stunning production that is sure to be a smash hit. The addition of a representative group of African Americans referenced in the program as 'The Community' improves the experience immeasurably. The play itself has only a couple of characters of color, and in previous productions I've seen this presented a problem for me, given that the story is about injustice. This seemed to me to be a sort of injustice in and of itself. The basic story was there, of course, but something was missing that would further enhance a clearer understanding of the atmosphere and period. Now I can't imagine a staging that shouldn't follow this lead. This is a powerful and timely show that qualifies impressively as must-see entertainment.

The Geffen Playhouse presents Eugene O'Neill's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Long Day's Journey Into Night, directed by Jeanie Hackett.

The Geffen Playhouse today announced the full cast for its production of Eugene O'Neill's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Long Day's Journey Into Night, directed by Jeanie Hackett.

Actress Irene Jacob and guitarist Francis Jacob craft welcoming, worldly pop on 'En Bas De Chez Moi,' celebrating their release live at with lives appearances in Canada and the US.

The Geffen Playhouse today announced the full cast for its production of Eugene O'Neill's Pulitzer Prize-winning play Long Day's Journey Into Night, directed by Jeanie Hackett.