Julie Cohen News

The Educational Theatre Foundation (ETF) is pleased to announce a major gift from Jeffrey Seller, in support of its JumpStart Theatre program that builds sustainable musical theatre programs in middle schools that previously had none. The gift will enable the program to expand to a new city in 2019.

The Hot Springs Documentary Film Festival (HSDFF), presented by Mountain Valley Spring Water, announced today the official selections for this year's short and feature documentary lineups. This year's festival will include additional categories including U.S., International, Southern Stories, Sports, as well as a spotlight on films Made in Arkansas. Now approaching its 27th year, HSDFF is the longest running all-documentary festival in North America and is Academy Award®-Qualifying in the Documentary Short Subject Category.

The fourth annual Broadway Back to School, benefitting theatre education programs for underserved schools, takes place September 23 at Feinstein's 54 Below in New York City.

Morgan Neville's documentary about children's TV host Fred Rogers, Won't You Be My Neighbor?, will begin the International Documentary Association's annual curated screening series on September 12th, according to The Hollywood Reporter.

The life of late legendary producer Craig Zadan will be celebrated by the Educational Theatre Foundation (ETF) - the organization dedicated to supporting theatre arts in schools and nurturing students all over the country - at the organization's annual West Coast gala Thespians Go Hollywood - Honoring the Life and Work of Craig Zadan. The celebration will take place on November 11, 2018 at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences' headquarters in North Hollywood.  The announcement was made by Robert Greenblatt, Chairman, NBC Entertainment, and Julie Cohen Theobald, President of the Educational Theatre Foundation.

In an unprecedented partnership, Broadway's new musical comedy THE PROM will donate a percentage of ticket sales to the Educational Theatre Foundation (ETF) which provides financial support for theatre programs to schools in need.

The JumpStart Theatre program, developed by the Educational Theatre Association, will be implemented in Atlanta beginning with the 2019-20 school year through a partnership with the Alliance Theatre.

The 20th Anniversary edition of the Sarasota Film Festival celebrating its Closing Night on Saturday at the Sarasota Opera House after an exciting lineup including diverse and unique films, inspiring panels, educational outreach, and more.

On Thursday, May 10, the Drexel Theatre will present the central Ohio premiere of Sundance Film Festival sensation, RBG, the 97-minute documentary chronicling the extraordinary life of Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Associate Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States since August 1993.

The Jacob Burns Film Center (JBFC), a nonprofit cultural arts center and one of the most successful suburban film houses in the country, announced today a variety of unique and compelling film series launching or re-launching this spring. Many of the film screenings also feature thought-provoking and engaging Q&As with renowned local and international filmmakers, cast members, and more.

The Jacob Burns Film Center (JBFC), a nonprofit cultural arts center and one of the most successful suburban film houses in the country, announced today a variety of unique and compelling film series launching or re-launching this spring. Many of the film screenings also feature thought-provoking and engaging Q&As with renowned local and international filmmakers, cast members, and more.

The Jacob Burns Film Center (JBFC), a nonprofit cultural arts center and one of the most successful suburban film houses in the country, announced today a variety of unique and compelling film series launching or re-launching this spring. Many of the film screenings also feature thought-provoking and engaging Q&As with renowned local and international filmmakers, cast members, and more.

The Sarasota Film Festival (SFF) today announced its full line-up, including its Centerpiece, Spotlight, Narrative Feature Competition, Independent Visions Competition, Documentary Feature Competition, Narrative, Documentary, and Short Films. The Festival also announced its five SFF Focus Panels – Sports in Cinema, Environment, Science, and Sustainability, Women's Comedic Voices, Redefining Manhood, and Musings on Musicians.

The Suncoast Credit Union Gasparilla International Film Festival (GIFF) is proud to announce the dynamic 2018 Feature Film Competition Lineup. The festival includes 35 U.S., international and documentary features, as well as other programming, to kick-off its 12th festival season. GIFF will begin on Tuesday, March 20th with the opening night musical/drama, Stuck, starring Giancarlo Esposito, Amy Madigan and Ashanti. 

RBG is a revelatory documentary exploring Ginsburg 's exceptional life and career from Betsy West and Julie Cohen, and co-produced by Storyville Films and CNN Films. At the age of 84, U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg has developed a breathtaking legal legacy while becoming an unexpected pop culture icon. But without a definitive Ginsburg biography, the unique personal journey of this diminutive, quiet warrior's rise to the nation's highest court has been largely unknown, even to some of her biggest fans – until now.

 Fifty high schools have risen above 1,000 applicants to claim NBC's R.I.S.E. America grants. The program – inspired by the network's upcoming drama “Rise” about a high school theatre department and its effects on a small town – is awarding half million dollars to high school theatre programs across the country. 

The Theatre in Our Schools Month (TIOS) campaign, conducted in March, is a grassroots effort to draw attention to the benefits of having theatre in the schools, as well as the need for more access to quality programs for all students.

35th Miami Film Festival Announces Full Lineup, Jason Reitman's TULLY Opening Night

Inspired by the network's upcoming Jason Katims drama RISE, which premieres Tuesday, March 13 and follows the effects a high school theatre department has on its surrounding community, NBC is launching R.I.S.E. America, a program that grants a half-million dollars to high school theatre programs across the country.

Eight schools have been honored with an invitation to perform on the main stage at the nation's leading high school theatre festival, which is produced by the Educational Theatre Association. The invitations are based on productions that were adjudicated last fall; three more schools will be invited this spring. (Complete list of schools and shows to-date follows.)