Mary Ellen News

When the Georgetown Palace announced that they'd be producing Dearly Beloved by Jessie Jones, Nicholas Hope, and Jamie Wooten, the team behind Dixie Swim Club and The Hallelujah Girls, I expected that I would have lots of fun, and I did. That may be the only problem with this frivolous character comedy. It's just a tad predictable.

The Rubin Museum will explore illusion and human perception in this year's edition of the popular Brainwave series of on-stage conversations between mind scientists and thinkers from diverse walks of life. Opening on February 6, the series will include 20 on-stage conversations, 50 film screenings, and an interactive experience in which the museum will become a Memory Palace. While illusion is usually associated with vision, the series will engage audiences through all five senses to provide a comprehensive understanding of the subject.

The first phase of a website, www.jamesbonovan.com, is dedicated to James Britt Donovan's legacy of ideas and action, as they relate to his role in the Bay of Pigs/Cuban prisoner negotiations and subsequent release. The web design team, www.Section101.com, worked to the last minute before the holiday to make this happen in conjunction with the 50th Anniversary of this historic milestone where Donovan played the starring role on behalf of the Cuban Families Committee and the Kennedy Administration. On December 22, 2012, Donovan's daughter, Mary Ellen Donovan Fuller Fletcher spoke at the Bay of Pigs Museum in front of an audience of prominent Cuban-Americans and the Mayor of Miami at a ceremony commemorating the anniversary. A picture of Donovan now hangs in the Museum, and a letter from Mary Ellen, printed in the Miami Herald on December 21, appears on the home page.

Bay Street Theatre has announced GIRLS NIGHT OUT, on Thursday, January 17 at 6:30 pm. Join hosts Diana de Castro, Emma Jacobs, Barbara Kushner, Summer Loucheim and Susie Sabin for a night of pampering and partying! Tickets are $25 per person available at the door, and include one drink of your choice and one raffle ticket good for entry into any of the evening's many raffles.

On Thursday, December 13, the 199 seat proscenium theater on the fourth floor of the Snapple Theater Center was named in honor of Broadway, off-Broadway and film producer, Anne L. Bernstein. Scroll below for photos from the dedication ceremony.

It's the noisy return of heart-pounding, white-knuckle excitement. Don't blink, because you won't want to miss Octane Academy season two, this time featuring the all-new Fiesta ST. Ford, creator of the popular motorsports reality show, is joining with Alli Sports, a division of NBC Sports Group, and broadcasting six hours on NBC Sports Network. The season will begin in June 2013 and the finale will air July 28 on NBC.

School of Visual Arts (SVA) honors James McMullan-one of America's foremost illustrators-with the Masters Series Award and retrospective exhibition. Best known for his Lincoln Center Theater posters and his psychologically intense style of realism, he has also designed and illustrated many magazine articles, book and album covers, and advertisements. "The Masters Series: James McMullan" is on view from today, November 26 through December 15 at SVA Gallery, 209 East 23 Street, New York City.

School of Visual Arts (SVA) will honor James McMullan-one of America's foremost illustrators-with the Masters Series Award and retrospective exhibition. Best known for his Lincoln Center theater posters and his psychologically intense style of realism, he has also designed and illustrated many magazine articles, book and album covers, and advertisements. "The Masters Series: James McMullan" is on view from November 26 through December 15 at SVA Gallery, 209 East 23 Street, New York City.

School of Visual Arts (SVA) will honor James McMullan-one of America's foremost illustrators-with the Masters Series Award and retrospective exhibition. Best known for his Lincoln Center theater posters and his psychologically intense style of realism, he has also designed and illustrated many magazine articles, book and album covers, and advertisements. "The Masters Series: James McMullan" is on view from November 26 through December 15 at SVA Gallery, 209 East 23 Street, New York City.

Luna Stage opens its 20th anniversary season with the New Jersey premiere of Vita and Virginia, an intimate two-character play by Eileen Atkins, adapted from correspondence between friends, lovers and confidants, Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West. Opening night is tonight, October 5th. The play runs through October 28th.

'The Kite Runner' at New Repertory Theatre in Watertown provides uplift and hope by charting the very personal - and painful - journey of an imperfect but redeemable hero.

The Film Society of Lincoln Center, America's pre-eminent New York-based non-profit organization, revealed the artist of the 50th New York Film Festival poster is Cindy Sherman. Throughout the past 49 years, a stellar line-up of artists commissioned their work for the New York Film Festival poster. Please find a complete list of artists below.

A packed house honored the theatrical achievements of award-winning playwright Terrence McNally at Westport Country Playhouse's annual fundraising gala, "The Full McNally: A Celebration of the Writing and Works of Terrence McNally," on Monday evening, September 24.

Westport Country Playhouse's one-night-only fundraising gala, "The Full McNally: A Celebration of the Writing and Works of Terrence McNally," will take place this evening, September 24. McNally is the winner of Tony Awards for his plays "Love! Valour! Compassion!" and "Master Class," and his books for the musicals "Ragtime" and "Kiss of the Spiderwoman." His other works include "The Full Monty," and "Lips Together, Teeth Apart," which was produced at Westport Country Playhouse in 2011.

In celebration of the 40th anniversary of THE WALTONS, one of television's most iconic shows, a cast reunion is scheduled for Saturday, September 29, 2012, at the historic Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles. The creator of the series, Mr. Earl Hamner, Jr., along with the cast and many writers, directors and producers of the show, will be honored by celebrities who were guests on the show, as well as by celebrity friends who starred on other classic television shows.

Westport Country Playhouse's one-night-only fundraising gala, "The Full McNally: A Celebration of the Writing and Works of Terrence McNally," will take place Monday evening, September 24. McNally is the winner of Tony Awards for his plays "Love! Valour! Compassion!" and "Master Class," and his books for the musicals "Ragtime" and "Kiss of the Spiderwoman." His other works include "The Full Monty," and "Lips Together, Teeth Apart," which was produced at Westport Country Playhouse in 2011.

It is sometimes referred to as the "San Francisco Exodus of 1858" a little-known part of the City's history in which hundreds of African Americans fled discrimination and the threat of slavery for the safety of a Canadian exile. Choreographer Joanna Haigood and her Zaccho Dance Theatre (www.zaccho.org) are marking the iconic event with free public performances of her powerful work Sailing Away. Performances will be given in three continuous cycles today, September 13, 14, 15, and 16 at 12noon, 1:30pm and 3pm daily starting at Market Street and Powell.

It is sometimes referred to as the "San Francisco Exodus of 1858" a little-known part of the City's history in which hundreds of African Americans fled discrimination and the threat of slavery for the safety of a Canadian exile. Choreographer Joanna Haigood and her Zaccho Dance Theatre (www.zaccho.org) are marking the iconic event with free public performances of her powerful work Sailing Away. Performances will be given in three continuous cycles, September 13, 14, 15, and 16 at 12noon, 1:30pm and 3pm daily starting at Market Street and Powell.

Luna Stage opens its 20th anniversary season with the New Jersey premiere of Vita and Virginia, an intimate two-character play by Eileen Atkins, adapted from correspondence between friends, lovers and confidants, Virginia Woolf and Vita Sackville-West.

Brimmer Street Theatre Company presents the world premiere of All Your Hard Work by Miles Brandman, directed by Michael Matthews, at the Lillian Theatre in Hollywood, with performances beginning on Thursday, July 19. Opening night is set for tonight, July 21 at 8:00. All Your Hard Work will play a strictly limited engagement through August 25.