John Simon News

Juilliard Dance, under the direction of Alicia Graf Mack, announces New Dances: Edition 2019 taking place December 11-15, 2019, in Juilliard's Peter Jay Sharp Theater. The first-year dancers are working with alumna and acclaimed choreographer Amy Hall Garner. The second-year class is working with Jamar Roberts, a dancer and resident choreographer at Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater.

Steven John Simon, rising country artist released his debut EP 'Story To Tell' for pre-order on November 15th. Steven John Simon's debut EP rounds out his first full year as a new country artist. The Debut EP will be released on December 13th 2019.  The EP 'Story To Tell' is composed of five tracks including his first release Tongue Tied written by Brenda Kornblum which debuted at #68 on iTunes.  Next on the EP play list is Eyes Closed written by Bryce Mauldin and Casey Carpenter followed by Life Is Good written by John Spears. The Title Track Story to Tell written by Rob Carona was pitched to Heart Songs Records by Carona. This song had a lot of personal meaning to me so finding the right artist to 'tell the story' was important. Steven Simon's true country vocal and his authentic delivery was so great to hear.' - Rob Carona, Songwriter

One Performance Only! This Sunday, November 3, 2019! Long ago but not far away at all, there were many TV Variety Shows, Award Ceremonies, Music Centers and Theatre abounding with live Musical Performances, all with massive budgets; and dancers in this town, Los Angeles, made a darn good living, albeit having to work their asses off to do so, but it was a good and plentiful, fulfilling life. Besides myself, there was a plethora of working, professional dancers who ended up bonding together pretty easily, as a dancer's life is one of a nomad, or gypsy, going from one job to another, but in doing so, finding kindred spirits and lifelong connections. Jay Johnson, husband of one of these dancers and artistically gifted himself, was part of the artistic community, as was his wife, Sandi, and, typical with dancers, became close friends and comrades with other dancers, choreographers, and like-minded performers. As Jay was earning international fame as a ventriloquist, actor and comedian, and starring on the hit TV Series 'Soap,' us dancers were slaving away, happy to be able to make a living doing what we loved. Jay is best known for his role on ' Soap' as Chuck Campbell, a ventriloquist who believed his puppet Bob was real and demanded everyone treat Bob as human.

Sundance Institute announced today two support tracks for artists from underrepresented communities, continuing the Institute's commitment to fostering inclusive artistic visions. Announced today are the eight members of the second class of the Momentum Fellowship, a full-year program of deep, customized creative and professional support for writers, directors, and producers from underrepresented communities who are poised to take the next step in their careers, working across documentary and feature filmmaking, and episodic content. Sundance Institute also announced the four awardees of the inaugural Launch Grant Fund, a new opportunity for emerging filmmakers from underrepresented communities launching their first feature film.

Jazz singer Mark Winkler has just released a new album on singer Bobby Troup and will do a CD release party at Feinstein's Upstairs at Vitello's on August 23. In our chat, Winkler talks about his background, his love for Troup, jazz and the overall world of music. Tell our readers about your background. Where are you from? How did you get interested in music, especially jazz?

The OutWrite LGBTQ Book Festival, a celebration of queer literature, runs from Friday, August 2nd to Sunday, August 4th. OutWrite is the premiere LGBTQ literature festival in the Washington, D.C. area. The festival features more than ninety authors, forty exhibitors, and a full day of readings and intimate panels. The festival concludes on Sunday with six writing workshops, open to emerging and experienced writers.

Grammy Award-nominated folk-rock singer-songwriter Steve Forbert brings his band, the New Renditions, and his distinctive folk-rock sound to Club Helsinki Hudson on Thursday, July 18, at 8pm. Best known for hit songs 'Romeo's Tune' and 'Goin' Down to Laurel,' Forbert was touted as a 'new Dylan' when he burst upon the scene in downtown New York in the mid-1970s.

Dance Theatre of Harlem celebrates 50 years of dance at Jacob's Pillow and commemorates the legacy of their late co-founder Arthur Mitchell in the Ted Shawn Theatre, July 10-14. Founding member and principal dancer Virginia Johnson now leads the multi-ethnic ballet company known for their innovative repertoire, acclaimed as "classy, earnest, and potent" (LA Times). Returning to the Pillow for the first time in five years, Dance Theatre of Harlem performs a program showcasing the dancers' diverse technical expertise in Darrell Grand Moultrie's Harlem on My Mind, Christopher Wheeldon's This Bitter Earth, George Balanchine's Valse Fantaisie, and premiering at the Pillow, an expanded version of Jacob's Pillow Dance Award winner Annabelle Lopez Ochoa's Balamouk.

In this one-man tour de force, Crawford plays a variety of roles brilliantly, including that of Barbra Streisand.

UCSB's Department of Theater and Dance presents the third annual New Works Lab May 9 19 in the Performing Arts Theater. New Works Lab showcases bare bones developmental productions of half-hour scripted and devised plays. The program provides a basic 'fringe festival' level of technical and design support so that each work may evolve in content and structure through the final performance. The platform has most notably given Malique Guinn, a fourth-year undergraduate at the time, the opportunity to realize his play Gang Sines which would go onto to win him the 2018 Kennedy Center Hip Hop Theater Creator Award.

The New York Drama Critics' Circle today named The Ferryman by Jez Butterworth best play of the 2018-19 season. The award for best musical went to Tootsie. What the Constitution Means to Me by Heidi Schreck was named best American play. The selections were made at the organization's 84th annual voting meeting.

Country music artist, songwriter Kristen Kae has signed with Nashville-based Heart Songs Records for management and brand representation. Kae joins Heart Songs Records existing client roster which includes Justin Kemp Band, The Highway Women and Steven John Simon.

Hudson Hall celebrates the Merce Cunningham Centennial with a 6-week program of dance, music, film, and photography to showcase the work of an iconic artist and the enduring power of his living legacy.

RudduR Dance announces that its founder, artistic director, and choreographer, Jamaican-born Christopher Rudd, has been named a 2019 Fellow of the John Simon Guggenheim Foundation.  Formerly of Les Grands Ballets Canadiens de Montreal, Cirque du Soleil, and Carolina Ballet, Christopher blends contemporary ballet with theatricality and aerial artistry to create provocative experiences that address social and political landscapes.

Showtunes Theatre Company will continue its new partnership this season with The Cornish Playhouse as they feature a concert production of The Spitfire Grill, with music by James Valcq, lyrics by Fred Alley, and a book by both artists. The Spitfire Grill continues Showtunes' theme for its 19th season, "Underestimated - Stories about Redefining the Rules," and will feature some of Seattle's amazing actresses in this powerful, intimate story of healing and hope. Directed by Jessica Spencer and with music direction by RJ Tancioco, the show will have four performances only: Saturday, May 4 at 8pm, Sunday, May 5 at 2pm, Saturday, May 11 at 8pm, and Sunday, May 12 at 2pm.

The winners of the 2019 New York Drama Critics' Circle Awards will be announced Monday, May 6, 2019 at approximately 5:30pm. The selections will be made at the organization's 84th annual voting meeting.

The Left Coast Chamber Ensemble's (LCCE) 2018-2019 season culminates with Dorothea and Artemisia, a program featuring the world premieres of two original chamber operas, each inspired by the contributions of an extraordinary woman artist. The concert includes From the Field, a micro-opera by Christopher Stark illuminating the work of Depression-era photographer Dorothea Lange, and Artemisia, a dramatic operatic work by Laura Schwendinger based on the life of 17th century Italian painter Artemisia Gentileschi. The performances will be presented at Z Space, located at 450 Florida Street, San Francisco, on Saturday, June 1 at 7:30pm, and Sunday June 2, at 2pm.

The Strand Theater Company concludes its 11th consecutive season as the only women-centric company in Baltimore with the regional premiere of And Baby Makes Seven by Pulitzer Prize Winner and a native Marylander, Paula Vogel, directed by Emily Hall. Anna, Ruth and Peter await the arrival of their newborn child, but first they must rid the crowded apartment of their three imaginary children.

The Strand Theater Company concludes its 11th consecutive season as the only women-centric company in Baltimore with the regional premiere of And Baby Makes Seven by Pulitzer Prize Winner and a native Marylander, Paula Vogel, directed by Emily Hall. Anna, Ruth and Peter await the arrival of their newborn child, but first they must rid the crowded apartment of their three imaginary children.

Partners for Sacred Places and Philadelphia Contemporary, in partnership with Danspace Project (NYC), are pleased to announce Grounds that Shout! (and others merely shaking), a series of performances and talks exploring connections between faith, movement, race, and the body, with a focus on the African American religious experience. Curated by the award-winning choreographer Reggie Wilson and featuring Wilson's Fist and Heel Performance Group and a collection of local Philadelphia artists, Grounds that Shout! will take audiences to four historic churches, exploring these themes within the specific context of Philadelphia's sacred spaces.