Shakina Nayfack News

HBO today announced three short films they have selected from the 2019 Official Latino Film and Arts Festival (OLFAF) alumni to license for exhibition on the HBO distribution platforms.

Last week, the Mayor ordered a shutdown of all Cultural Arts Spaces in order to protect everyone's health and safety in response to Covid-19. Today the governor ordered that 100% of non-essential workers must stay home; effectively shutting down the city. We are in the midst of an unprecedented crisis. However, this world, our one singular world, has been in crisis for some time, from sociopolitical & institutionalized oppression to the growing climate emergency.

Williamstown Theatre Festival (Mandy Greenfield, Artistic Director) has announced that Sanaz Toossi is the 2020 L. Arnold Weissberger New Play Award recipient for her play English. Sanaz receives the $10,000 award as well as the $10,000 Jay Harris Commission to write a new play.

BroadwayWorld reported yesterday that a production of A Streetcar Named Desire is headed to Williamstown Theatre Festival this summer, starring Audra McDonald and Bobby Cannavale. Now, Artistic Director Mandy Greenfield has announced the complete 2020 summer season for Williamstown Theatre Festival, which includes four world premiere plays, a world premiere musical, and more.

Five-time Tony Award-winner, Audra McDonald, will star opposite Bobby Cannavale in a revival of Tennessee Williams' A Streetcar Named Desire at Williamstown Theatre Festival.

Last night, Williamstown Theatre Festival held its annual gala! Among those in attendance were Laura Benanti, Joshua Boone, Dawn Landes, Kyle MacLachlan, Ashley Park and more.

A New York City Twisted Holiday Tradition celebrated its Twelfth Year of putting the 'extra' in 'extravaganza!' Joe Iconis and his merry band of musical theater punks brought their insane celebration of all things red and green back to Feinstein's/54 Below.

Next week, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com/Feinsteins or call (646) 476-3551.

Manifest Pussy is a deeply personal and profound her-story, the story of how Shakina went from a nice Jewish boy growing up in the suburbs of Los Angeles, dreaming of dressing up in the gossamer gowns that were forbidden to him, to the relentlessly exuberant, terrifically talented, hilarious and kind buxom star of stage and screen.

Shakina Nayfak is a woman blessed with an abundance of talents. She enjoys success as a director, writer, performer, producer, and social activist. Recently she created the critically-acclaimed role of Ava in the Transparent's Musical Finale now streaming on Amazon Prime. She is beloved by fans for her role as Lola on Hulu's Difficult People and has premiered three solo shows at Joe's Pub to sold-out houses. On Saturday, November 9th she brings her one woman show Manifest Pussy back to Joe's Pub. Described as a rock concert/standup special/ritual sacrifice' the show tells the story of Shakina's journey to Thailand for gender confirmation surgery in 2014.

Shakina Nayfack will bring her story telling/spoken word/rock opera a?oeManifest Pussya?? to Rockwell Table and Stage for two unforgettable performances Monday, October 28 and Monday, November 4.  

Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning composer Tom Kitt (Next to Normal, If/Then, Bring It On, Almost Famous) will take to the stage to celebrate Brooklyn Children's Theatre's 15th anniversary at the Edison Ballroom on Monday, October 21st, along with Broadway's Heidi Blickenstaff ([title of show], Something Rotten), Syndee Winters (Hamilton, The Lion King), and Gayle Turner (The Wiz), plus special performances by Shakina Nayfack (Hulu's Difficult People) and current BCT students.

The National Alliance for Musical Theatre will kick-off this year's Festival of New Musicals at The Green Room 42 (at the Yotel, 570 10th Ave) with The 46th Minute concert on Wednesday, October 23 at 7 PM.  This concert is open to the public and tickets starting at $22, can be purchased by visiting TheGreenRoom42.poptix.com. 

Amazon Prime recently released the 'musicale finale' of Transparent. Listen to the full soundtrack for the show's musical episode!

Opening night of Little Shop of Horrors was celebrated last night at the Pasadena Playhouse. The production stars George Salazar as “Seymour Krelborn;” Mj Rodriguez as “Audrey;” Kevin Chamberlin, as “Mr. Mushnik;” Matthew Wilkas as “Orin Scrivello;” and Amber Riley as “Audrey ll.” 

The Bret Adams and Paul Reisch Foundation present the 2019 Idea Awards for Theatre.

The organizers of TEDxBroadway announce today violinist and composer Matorin will serve as the Music Director when the popular event returns to New World Stages on Tuesday, September 24, 2019 to explore a?oeWhat's the BEST Broadway can be?a??

a??a??a??a??a??a??a??SPACE on Ryder Farm--a nonprofit residency program and organic farm located on the grounds of a 224-year-old family homestead in Putnam County, New York--announced that applications for 2020 residency programs are now open.

Last night, Monday, September 9, 2019, The Players honored Tony Award-nominated composer and writer Joe Iconis (Be More Chill) with a Pipe Night, a club tradition that has celebrated significant cultural figures for over a century.

The stage is set for TEDxBroadway 2019. Organizers announce today the complete list of speakers for the popular one-day event dedicated to asking a?oeWhat's the BEST Broadway can be?a?? at New World Stages on Tuesday, September 24, 2019.