Snowball News

Martyn Ellis & Adam Price have produced a video of West End stars singing Always Look on the Bright Side of Life to raise money for Acting For Others!

You might recall that, in early 2019, a little news story broke about a certain college admissions scandal. It was something that people suspected must happen in back rooms, but confirmation was finally being brought out into the light. What you might not know was that, a year before that, a local creative duo started working on an original musical after speaking to their high school students about what problems were foremost on their minds. The students kept coming up with the same answer: the relentless pressure placed on them by peers, parents, society, and themselves to be the best-with their grades, sports, everything. Thus, Ranked, A New Musical was born. Debuting to rave reviews just weeks after the scandal was revealed, it paralleled that story and highlighted the concerns that the students confided in those two teachers, Kyle Holmes and David Taylor Gomes. Since that time, Ranked has seen extraordinary things happen and there are no signs of slowing down. As Ranked's first birthday approaches, it seems a perfect time for Holmes and Gomes to release their concept album. On February 28, Ranked will be available for everyone to hear on Spotify and Apple Music. Broadway World Sacramento recently spoke with Holmes and Gomes to hear all about their journey to a New York reading, the making of the album, and their upcoming HBO special.

The Drinkwater Brothers have been working hard all their lives but the last seven months have been particularly special for the men who are taking the cabaret world by storm, right up to today, when their MAC Award nomination came out. Yes, the Drinkwaters are having a great year.

'Welcome to our meeting,' greet the actors to those entering the intimate Paradise Factory for The Seeing Place Theater's very engaging production of Brandon Walker's adaptation of George Orwell's allegorical classic, ANIMAL FARM.

A recent article in The New York Times declared that Ezra Jack Keats's The Snowy Day and Other Stories is the most widely borrowed book in the Big Apple's public library collection. It's popular not only for the way it evokes the wonder and innocence of childhood but for breaking the color barrier in children's literature. 

Nadia Collins is bugging out in her latest show which has just opened at The Blue Room Theatre for the Summer Nights/FRINGE WORLD season. She's created a sketch comedy about a bride who turns into a cockroach on her wedding day, and let me tell you, it is one heckuva silly ride. 

Trevor Rabin had a hugely successful career in his native South Africa as part of what would be considered a teenybop band entitled Rabbitt. Whilst the band had much domestic success, outside of South Africa nobody knew who they were so Trevor Rabin left the band and South Africa and headed for London where he was signed up as a solo artist. He made three good and well-received rock albums before teaming up with the remnants of YES and forming a band called Cinema. Cinema with the addition of Jon Anderson would become the latest edition of YES in 1983 scoring with the massively successful album 90125. Trevor recently finished several successful tours with YES featuring Anderson, Rabin, Wakeman and, along with YES, was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame in 2017.

Sundance Institute will curate dozens of offscreen events, including behind-the-scenes panels on the art of filmmaking, musical performances and a?" around the theme of Imagined Futures a?" a public Bonfire and several extended post-screening conversations (known as IF Screenings), at the 2020 Sundance Film Festival taking place in Park City, Salt Lake City, and Sundance, Utah, January 23 through February 2, 2020.

The Second City has announced casting for the return of The Second City's Black History Month. Under the direction of Ali Barthwell, the show features ensemble members Robel Arega, Jillian Ebanks, Leila Gorstein, Collette Gregory, Bill Letz, and Max Thomas. John Love will serve as music director and Sam McNerland will stage manage. The show runs February 4-March 11 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays at 8pm.

BMI® (Broadcast Music, Inc.®) is proud to announce its programming for the 2020 Sundance Film Festival. Highlights include the 22nd edition of the Composer/Director Roundtable “Music & Film: The Creative Process” on Sunday, Jan. 26 at the Kimball Arts Center, followed by the 18th annual BMI Snowball on Tuesday, Jan. 28 at The Shop. Throughout the years, both events have always brought in a full house of attendees that includes a mixture of emerging composers, directors, songwriters, industry tastemakers and music fans.

Last year, recent drama school graduate Sam Tutty landed the role of a lifetime: the lead in Tony Award-winning musical Dear Evan Hansen, which is now playing in the West End. He told BroadwayWorld about his audition journey, experience of the show, favourite songs, and dream future roles... 

Theatre Uncut present their new multi-faceted project Bubble written by the award-winning playwright Kieran Hurley. Bubble is a simultaneous global theatrical debate, connecting live and online audiences across borders to discuss freedom of speech in the university community and the nature of online debate. Set entirely on Facebook and written in both text and emoji the play tracks the unexpected snowball of events following the moment a male lecturer calls a female student a slut.

The Television Academy Foundation today announced nominees for the 40th College Television Awards, which recognizes and rewards excellence in student-produced programs annually, as well as the recipient of the 2020 Loreen Arbus Focus on Disability Scholarship.

January events has been announced at Irvine Barclay Theatre. See full details below!

Park Theatre's production of The Snow Queen runs from 4th December 2019 to 4th January 2020.  

On Saturday 30th November, the cast of The Snow Queen at Park Theatre turned on the Blackstock Road festive lights alongside the Islington Mayor, Rakhia Ismail. Families also enjoyed a meet and greet with the cast at N4, the theatre's local library. The Snow Queen is a festive family adaptation of the Hans Christian Andersen's classic story, focusing on the origins of the Queen who brings endless winter. The production runs at Park Theatre from 4th December 2019 – 4th January 2020”

It's that time of year again, and Disney's pastry chefs have outdone themselves! With displays at both Disneyland and Walt Disney World Resorts, as well as Aulani and aboard each Disney Cruise Line ship, there are dazzling gingerbread displays wherever you go!

Casting has been confirmed for Park Theatre's festive family adaptation of Hans Christian Andersen's classic: The Snow Queen. Focusing on the origins of the Queen who brings endless winter, the cast includes: Frances Marshall, Ayesha Casely-Hayford, Esmonde Cole, Sarah-Louise Young, Justin Brett, Paula James and Matt Cavendish. The production is adapted by Charles Way and directed by Abigail Anderson, with a national press night on Friday 6 December, 7pm.