Scott Johnson News

Rattlestick Playwrights Theater announces its 25th Anniversary season, featuring two World Premiere productions.

Coming off their mostly sold-out winter run of 'New Miserable Experience Live' shows, GIN BLOSSOMS have announced they'll go out on the road as special guests of Collective Soul. It's a15-show swing starting May 25 in Atlantic City, NJ and wrapping June 16 in Rockton, IL (*dates below). GIN BLOSSOMS will also be playing solo shows and various festivals this summer with more shows to be announced. 

Robin Wilson (lead vocals & guitar), Jesse Valenzuela(vocals & guitar), Scott Johnson (guitar) and Bill Leen (bass)--have announced a new leg of U.S. tour dates in 2019, running from February 8through March 9. Billed as 'New Miserable Experience Live' and presented by the SiriusXM Lithium channel, the tour follows a successful run of dates in 2018 when the band celebrated the 25th anniversary of their multi-platinum album breakthrough album NEW MISERABLE EXPERIENCE by performing it in its entirety, along with other GIN BLOSSOMS classics and more (*see the tour poster below).

Last night, we had the opportunity to watch the dress rehearsals of 'Young Frankenstein', the most recent project of Pirate Productions. Unlike most events we have covered so far in Luxembourg, this is the work of a company composed entirely by residents of the Grand Duchy, so we finally got a chance to see what this small nation has to offer.

On October 22, 2018 at 7 PM, the cast of BASTU! will take the stage in the lower level of Jebon Sushi and suffer punishments for the 1000th time. But this time, it will be in an effort to recreate their first performance which took place on Monday, December 9, 2010.

GIN BLOSSOMS today (10/2) teamed up with Billboard.com to premiere their music video for 'Face The Dark,' a catchy and evocative song off their latest album MIXED REALITY (June 2018). Click here to watch the video, which is comprised of actual footage captured by renowned storm chaser Chad Cowan.

On Friday, October 5 (7:30 pm) at Japan Society, shamisen virtuoso Hidejiro Honjoh joins forces with members of the renowned International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) in 'Shamisen Evolution.' Performing solo and with members of the International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE), Hidejiro delivers world premieres by Grammy-nominee and MacArthur "Genius" Award winner Vijay Iyer, ICE's own Nathan Davis, and rising young Japanese composer Yu Kuwabara.

The International Contemporary Ensemble (ICE) announces their fall 2018 season and the appointment of Executive Director Rebecca Sigel.

Japan Society's music season opens on Friday, September 14 (7:30 pm) with a recital titled 'Hauta Shamisen: Edo-Period Love Songs' by internationally acclaimed shamisen (three-string Japanese banjo) master Hidetaro Honjoh. Known for the skill of his playing and the richness of his singing voice, Hidetaro started playing the shamisen at age 11 and quickly became a professional player under the tutelage of two renowned shamisen masters. He is the founder of the Risougaku style of playing, updating traditional folk songs (minyo) to make them more relevant to contemporary tastes. He has been awarded the Medal with Purple Ribbon, Japan's highest honor for artists.

Japan Society announces its 2018-2019 Performing Arts Season, featuring works by visionary artists in dance, music, theater and more, along with one-of-a-kind related workshops and related events, as detailed below. All events take place at Japan Society, located at 333 East 47th Street. Tickets available to Japan Society members beginning Tuesday, July 31; tickets available to all beginning Tuesday, August 7. For tickets and further detail, please visit www.japansociety.org or call 212-715-1258.

Jody Sperling/Time Lapse Dance presents Soundings from May 16 - 18, 2018 at 7:30pm at Barnard College Dance Department, Barnard Hall, Studio 305, 3009 Broadway at W. 117th Street, and May 19, 2018 at 2pm at Brooklyn Public Library, Spaceworks at Williamsburgh Library, 240 Division Avenue, Brooklyn. Tickets are free, and reservations can be made at http://timelapsedance.com/events/soundings/.

Jody Sperling/Time Lapse Dance presents Soundings from May 16 - 18, 2018 at 7:30pm at Barnard College Dance Department, Barnard Hall, Studio 305, 3009 Broadway at W. 117th Street, and May 19, 2018 at 2pm at Brooklyn Public Library, Spaceworks at Williamsburgh Library, 240 Division Avenue, Brooklyn. Tickets are free, and reservations can be made at http://timelapsedance.com/events/soundings/.

Jody Sperling/Time Lapse Dance presents Soundings from May 16 - 18, 2018 at 7:30pm at Barnard College Dance Department, Barnard Hall, Studio 305, 3009 Broadway at W. 117th Street, and May 19, 2018 at 2pm at Brooklyn Public Library, Spaceworks at Williamsburgh Library, 240 Division Avenue, Brooklyn. Tickets are free, and reservations can be made at http://timelapsedance.com/events/soundings/.   Jody Sperling/Time Lapse Dance presents four studio performances featuring two new works-in-process and a revival of Ice Cycle.

RATTLESTICK PLAYWRIGHTS THEATER (Daniella Topol, Artistic Director; Annie Middleton, Managing Director) is proud to announce the workshop production of SAINT VINCENT'S PROJECT: NOVENAS FOR A LOST HOSPITAL, presented in partnership with the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation, NYC AIDS Memorial Board, The Stonewall Chorale, and St. John's in the Village.

The Spitfire Grill feeds the soul of the Penobscot Theatre Company.

Jody Sperling/Time Lapse Dance presents Soundings from May 16 - 18, 2018 at 7:30pm at Barnard College Dance Department, Barnard Hall, Studio 305, 3009 Broadway at W. 117th Street, and May 19, 2018 at 2pm at Brooklyn Public Library, Spaceworks at Williamsburgh Library, 240 Division Avenue, Brooklyn. Tickets are free, and reservations can be made at http://timelapsedance.com/events/soundings/.

Jody Sperling/Time Lapse Dance presents Soundings from May 16 - 18, 2018 at 7:30pm at Barnard College Dance Department, Barnard Hall, Studio 305, 3009 Broadway at W. 117th Street, and May 19, 2018 at 2pm at Brooklyn Public Library, Spaceworks at Williamsburgh Library, 240 Division Avenue, Brooklyn. Tickets are free, and reservations can be made at http://timelapsedance.com/events/soundings/.   Jody Sperling/Time Lapse Dance presents four studio performances featuring two new works-in-process and a revival of Ice Cycle.

Penobscot Theatre Company will close its 44th subscription series with The Spitfire Grill, staging 14 performances April 26 through May 13, at the historic Bangor Opera House. Based on the popular 1996 film of the same name, this heartwarming musical is a collaboration between librettist and lyricist Fred Alley (Guys on Ice andLumberjacks in Love) and composer James Valcq. The plot follows a young woman with a mysterious past to rural Gilead where she finds more than she thought possible at the best (and only) restaurant in town.

Opera Orlando will hold its third annual gala celebration-Una Serenata Italiana! (An Italian Serenade!)-in honor of company founders Kathy and Steve Miller on the evening of Friday, April 20. The setting will be the award-winning Alfond Inn at Rollins College in Winter Park, and the evening will include opera performances from a quintet of nationally renowned soloists accompanied by pianist Robin Stamper, special tributes to the honorees, and a silent auction. Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres will be served at 6:30 p.m., followed by a formal dinner at 7:30 p.m. The Orlando Sentinel's "Taking Names" columnist, Scott Maxwell, will host the gala.