Neville News

Stern Grove Festival, the longest running admission-free outdoor music festival in the country, celebrates its 75th anniversary season today, June 24 - August 26, 2012.

First Run Theatre, a professional company dedicated to presenting world premiere productions of unpublished plays by local-area playwrights, opens its tenth season with "Brooklyn Bagatelle," a two-act "Dramedy" by Neville Mur. It will be directed by Jim Meady and produced by Brad Slavik and Jim Meady. Performance dates are tonight, June 22 and June 23, 29 and 30 (8 PM curtain); and June 24 and July 1 (2 PM curtain).

Celebrating the season with New Orleans holiday cheer, Aaron Neville brings his signature vibrato and unique voice to Christmas carols, R&B favorites and some classic pop tunes for a special one-night-only performance at Walt Disney Concert Hall on Tuesday, December 18, 2012 at 8 PM. Tickets go on sale Sunday, August 19, 2012.

First Run Theatre, a professional company dedicated to presenting world premiere productions of unpublished plays by local-area playwrights, opens its tenth season with "Brooklyn Bagatelle," a two-act "Dramedy" by Neville Mur. It will be directed by Jim Meady and produced by Brad Slavik and Jim Meady. Performance dates are June 22, 23, 29 and 30 (8 PM curtain); and June 24 and July 1 (2 PM curtain).

Celtic flavored roots rockers Carbon Leaf will once again take to the high seas aboard the Provincetown II. Joined by The Jason Spooner Trio, they will perform June 22, 7pm as part of the 2012 Rock and Blues Concert Cruise series. Now in their 20th year of award-winning recording, Carbon Leaf can look back at an impressive portfolio of achievements, as they continue to produce a steady stream of new music and tour throughout North America. Tickets and additional information for this show and the entire 2012 Rock and Blues Cruise series are available at www.rockandbluescruise.com

Turner Sports is geared up for its 30th year of NASCAR coverage with TNT's six-race NASCAR Sprint Cup Series set to begin today, June 10, at noon ET from Pocono Raceway.

Barbara Hamilton Memorial Award was inaugurated in 1996 and is given to a Canadian artist who demonstrates excellence in the performing arts and is dedicated to advocating and being an ambassador for the arts in Canada. The Barbara Hamilton Memorial Award is sponsored by the City of Toronto, and the recipient is awarded with a scroll and a cheque for $1,000 from the City.

Turner Sports is geared up for its 30th year of NASCAR coverage with TNT's six-race NASCAR Sprint Cup Series set to begin Sunday, June 10, at noon ET from Pocono Raceway.

The Traverse has announced its 2012 Festival programme. Over four weeks, the Traverse will host nineteen shows and events, with eight world premieres and two Scottish premieres, including a double bill of David Greig's THE LETTER OF LAST RESORT and David Harrower's GOOD WITH PEOPLE.

Violinist and artistic director Gil Morgenstern's acclaimed Reflections Series celebrates five years of innovative programming in its intimate home at WMP Concert Hall (31 East 28th Street, NYC), described by New York Magazine as, "a miniature version of a European aristocrat's music room." Due to the success of the series, most programs will now have two performances. Season tickets are now available. Those who purchase by June 30 will be invited to a VIP Opening Night Party on September 12.

Esteban Cruz has had to permanently leave the cast of American Theater Company/About Face's production of RENT for undisclosed personal reasons. As of today, Wednesday, May 23, the role of Angel will be taken over by Eduardo Placer.

Firecat Projects and 16th Street Theater present Nickel History: The Nation of Heat, written and performed by Tony Fitzpatrick with Stan Klein July 19-August 5 in Steppenwolf's Garage Theatre, 1624 N. Halsted with a press opening of Thursday, July 19 at 8 p.m. Adapted and directed by 16th Street artistic director Ann Filmer, Nickel History features film and video art by Kristin Reeves, music by John Rice and Anna Fermin. Singer-songwriter Joe Pug is a guest performer on opening night.

THE ASTORIA PERFORMING ARTS CENTER reunites the creative team behind their The Human Comedy and Children of Eden with THE SECRET GARDEN, musical staging by Christine O'Grady, musical directed by Jeffrey Campos and directed by APAC Artistic Director Tom Wojtunik. Check out the production in rehearsal and go behind the scenes below!

Jared Zirilli (of Fat Camp, Lysistrata Jones, Wicked tour, AltarBoyz, RENT, and more) brings you his last blog 'Jared Zirilli Blog 21 FAT CAMP Interview - Carly Jibson!' Jibson is known for her starring role in Broadway's Hairspray and on stage in FAT CAMP, which closes today, May 13.

Stage Door Records in association with David Essex present the digital release of select theatrical titles from David Essex's musical back catalogue including MUTINY! and FRIENDS. Today May 13th, 2012 the following titles will be made available for digital download on iTunes, Amazon, eMusic and other digital e-tailers in all worldwide territories.

A timeless tale turned Broadway hit, The Secret Garden is the final production of the White Plains Performing Arts Center's 2011-2012 Mainstage season. This award winning family musical is based on the beloved classic novel of the same name, written by Frances Hodgson Burnett. The Secret Garden runs from tonight, May 11 through May 27. The show stars Salena Qureshi, Lilli Jacobs, Stephen Tewksbury and Kristoffer Lowe. See below for photos from the production!

Cincinnati Music Theatre (CMT) will present a musical tribute to the dreams and aspirations of those who sailed aboard the greatest achievement of "The Remarkable Age," the RMS Titanic. Join us tonight, May 11 through May 19, 2012 at the Aronoff Center's Jarson-Kaplan Theater as we honor the memories of those lost on the maiden voyage 100 years ago, with our production of Titanic: The Musical.

Stage Door Records in association with David Essex have announced the digital release of select theatrical titles from David Essex's musical back catalogue including MUTINY! and FRIENDS. On May 13th, 2012 the following titles will be made available for digital download on iTunes, Amazon, eMusic and other digital e-tailers in all worldwide territories.

Jared Zirilli (of Fat Camp, Lysistrata Jones, Wicked 1st natl tour, aida at the drury lane, AltarBoyz etc) brings you episode 20 of the Jared Zirilli Blog BACKSTAGE at FAT CAMP with exclusive interviews with the cast! Jared's official website can be found at jaredzirilli.com.

Today we are talking to an Emmy Award-winning actor perhaps most well-known for his title role in the iconic and ground-breaking millennial NBC sitcom hit, WILL & GRACE, who can now be seen eight times a week on Broadway playing a pivotal role in the starry revival of Gore Vidal's politically-themed satire, THE BEST MAN - the affable Eric McCormack. Shining a spotlight on his theatrical roots at the Straford Shakespeare Festival in Canada all the way up to his small-screen sensation in WILL & GRACE and, now, his forthcoming new dramatic series, PERCEPTION, McCormack illustrates all aspects of his career and generously offers his insights, observations and shares his lessons learned over the course of his near-thirty-year career onstage and onscreen. In addition to all of that, McCormack outlines his experiences sharing the stage with titanic talents such as James Earl Jones, Angela Lansbury, Candice Bergin and the rest of the ensemble of THE BEST MAN, as well as sharing his thoughts about the relevance and poignancy of the play today, more than a half decade after its premiere, and what it says about our society, then and now, in addition to expanding on the play's pertinent political themes and their exploration in the classic drama. Plus, McCormack clues us in on his own favorite plays and musicals, initial theatrical inspiration, his stint portraying the eponymous THE MUSIC MAN, future career plans and first news about his new TNT series, PERCEPTION - all of that and much, much more!