Usher News

La compañia residente del Almeria Teatre de Barcelona celebra este año su vigesimo aniversario con una nueva version de POE, el musical basado en la obra del escritor.

Liz Cooper & The Stampede's anticipated debut full-length album, Window Flowers, is now streaming as part of NPR Music's “First Listen” series. Listen here. Of the album, NPR Music calls it, “…a gorgeously arranged and performed bouquet of psychedelia-tinged folk-rock,” furthering, “…to draw a line from Window Flowers to any period of rock and roll, it would be that of the Paisley Underground and bands like The Dream Syndicate, where beautiful and languid psychedelia met moody folk and rock based songs. Cooper taps into this and more on her debut, wrapping her reverbed vocals in swirling, warm echoes of sound and nuanced musical lushness thanks to the addition of keyboards, pedal steel, a glockenspiel here and a banjo there.”

FOX has ordered the new celebrity competition series THE MASKED SINGER, to premiere in January 2019. Based on an international hit, which already is a viral phenomenon with more than half a billion fans worldwide, and the No. 1 top-trending video of 2017 on YouTube, THE MASKED SINGER features celebrities facing off against one another with one major twist: each singer is shrouded from head to toe in an elaborate costume, complete with full face mask to conceal his or her identity. Ken Jeong, Jenny McCarthy, Nicole Scherzinger and Robin Thicke serve on the panel and play detective, alongside host Nick Cannon.

A remarkably moving, brilliantly funny love story, Gently Down The Stream reflects the triumphs and heartbreaks of the entire length of the gay rights movement, celebrating and mourning the ghosts of the men and women who led the way for equality, marriage, and the right to dream. Presented by Brave New Productions (celebrating 15 years) in special partnership with Fierte Montreal, Gently Down The Stream runs from August 2-11 (see various times below) at Mainline Theatre. Fresh off the heels of their acclaimed Fringe run of Buyer & Cellar, Gently Down The Stream is a unique combination of an unexpected love story coupled with an intense and personal exploration of gay rights through history.

PBS Announces 'Reconstruction: America After the Civil War,' A New Documentary from Henry Louis Gates, Jr., to Air Spring 2019 on PBS

Grammy Award-winning Producer, Hall of Fame Songwriter, recording artist, and TV star Jermaine Dupri, has been an iconic presence in the music industry for 25 years. Celebrating his legacy and So So Def's quarter century of success, Jermaine is bringing all his artists together on one stage at Barclays Center on Thursday, October 18th at 7:30 p.m. for AEG Presents The So So Def 25th AnniversaryCULTURAL CURREN$Y TOUR. Joining Jermaine on the tour will be the So So Def Family, including Xscape, Da Brat, Jagged Edge, Bow Wow, Anthony Hamilton, Bone Crusher, Youngbloodz, Dem Franchize Boyz, and J-Kwon. Tickets for the tour, which begins in October, will begin going on sale Friday, Aug 3rd, to purchase tickets, visit Ticketamster.com. For further information visit www.sosodef.com.

Nevada Ballet Theatre (NBT), embarking on its 47th performance Season this fall, recently released single tickets for the first half of its 2018-2019 Season. Tickets from $29 (plus fees) for Dracula (Thursday, Oct. 25 through Sunday, Oct. 28, 2018) and The Nutcracker (Saturday, Dec. 8 through Monday, Dec. 24, 2018) may be purchased by calling The Smith Center Box Office at (702) 749-2000 or by visiting www.nevadaballet.org.

Jessie Lloyd's acclaimed Mission Songs Project is taking a major step towards becoming an established part of the Australian folk songbook, with the launch of the Mission Songs Project Choir Songbook.

The contemporary musical inspired by true stories finishes out its final workshop for the Central Florida area with inviting back alumni from past workshops to perform some of the original scores for the first time!

Carnegie Hall's new national youth jazz orchestra, NYO Jazz, featuring 22 gifted young jazz musicians from across the country, ages 16-19, representing 16 states-will make its Carnegie Hall debut this Friday, July 27 at 8:00 p.m. NYO Jazz's performance features bandleader and trumpeter Sean Jones, alongside Grammy Award-winning vocalist Dianne Reeves and trombonist Wycliffe Gordon. The program will range from big band standards to the first Carnegie Hall-commissioned works for NYO Jazz, a new piece by saxophonist Miguel Zenon and several new arrangements, as well as other contemporary pieces that explore jazz's influence on hip-hop, R&B, and pop music.

The Playwrights Foundation has hired a new managing director, Kathy Li. Kathy (Ruoran) Li is a bilingual theater manager with professional experience both in the United States and in China, Kathy has recently served as Associate Managing Director for Yale Repertory Theatre and for Yale Cabaret, and has produced five plays while in graduate school. Prior to coming to the US, Kathy worked for Shanghai Cultural Exchange Agency to present international theater and dance for Shanghai International Arts Festival, and for Modern Drama Valley to organize community engagement events and support theater productions in her hometown Shanghai, China. Kathy holds an MFA in Theater Management from Yale School of Drama, and a BA from Shanghai Conservatory of Music.

Sound Theatre Company continues their 2018 season The Human Family: Towards a Radical Inclusion with the Seattle premiere of THE RULES OF CHARITY. The older generation clashes with the younger in this provocative and subversive play by the late John Belluso, a playwright who championed honest portrayals of people with disabilities.  THE RULES OF CHARITY will perform August 4 - 25 at the Center Theatre at the Armory with new Radical Hospitality ticket pricing from $5 - $75 for all seats and all performances.  "A lacerating critique of altruism" (SF Weekly)

Navy Pier, Chicago's iconic lakefront destination, has partnered with EXPO CHICAGO, the International Exposition of Modern & Contemporary Art (September 27 - 30, 2018), to present a free, temporary public art installation in Polk Bros Park. From Saturday, July 28, 2018 through April 30, 2019, guests will have the unique opportunity to view and interact with This Land is Your Land, a stunning three-piece installation resembling water towers, created by New York-based Chilean artist Ivan Navarro and curated by Paul Kasmin Gallery.

Franklin Stage Company will present a weekend packed with music and laughter, starting with a performance by NY cabaret sensation Julian Fleisher and His Rather Big Band on Friday, August 3rd at 7:30pm. A Saturday afternoon show follows at 2:00pm for Circus Minimus, a one-man circus in a suitcase, written and performed by Kevin O'Keefe. Saturday August 4th at 7:30m Fleisher takes the stage again, followed by an encore performance of Circus Minimus on Sunday Aug 5 at 3:00pm.

RLJE Films and UMC (Urban Movie Channel), brands of RLJ Entertainment (NASDAQ: RLJE), have acquired all North American rights to the upcoming Unified Pictures thriller Ride. The film stars Bella Thorne (“Famous in Love,” “Shake It Up”), Jessie T. Usher (Shaft, “Survivor's Remorse”) and Will Brill (“The OA”). RIDE marks the feature film debut of writer-director Jeremy Ungar. RLJE plans to release the film nationally in theaters, VOD and Digital HD this Fall.

Severance Hall, home of The Cleveland Orchestra, is seeking volunteer ushers and tour guides for the upcoming season, which runs September 2018 to June 2019. Open interview sessions for new volunteers will be held at Severance Hall from 4:30 to 6:30 p.m. on Tuesday, August 7, and Thursday, August 23, and from 1:00 to 3:00 p.m. on Sunday, August 26. Those interested in volunteering are invited to come to Severance Hall's Smith Lobby, located on the ground floor by the Ticket Office, at any time during these hours to complete an application, learn about the program, and speak with House Management staff.

The Park Theatre's River Street Theatre (RST) will screen the original The Little Shop of Horrors film on Saturday, July 21 at 7pm.

SJ Presents and WBLS continue the celebration of Circle of Sisters with Circle of Sisters' R&B Live; an extraordinary lineup featuring soul and R&B icons featuring BELL BIV DEVOE, BOBBY BROWN, BRANDY, TAMIA, DRU HILL & 702. The Circle of Sisters' R&B Live concert honors women and the music they love. This star-studded event is set for Sunday, September 30, at 7 p.m. at Prudential Center. Tickets will be available to purchase starting Friday, July 20 at 10 a.m. EST at ticketmaster.com or by calling 1-800-745-3000. Tickets will also be available on Monday, July 23 after 11 a.m. at the Prudential Center box office.

Kentucky based AmeriFlow duo Twang and Round have joined The Backwoods Riot Music Festival alongside Demun Jones, Adam Calhoun, Seckond Chaynce, and Bezz Believe that is traveling across America this summer. The Backwoods Riot Music Festival will be hosted by 'The King of Debauchery' Mike Busey and will crisscross the country bringing together the best in country rap music while combining the wildest off-road entertainment show on the planet.

HowlRound, a free and open platform for theatremakers worldwide located at Emerson College, proudly announces Jamie Gahlon as its new director. Gahlon is a co-founder of HowlRound and most recently served as its interim director following the departure of co-founder/director P. Carl in November 2017. Previously, she was senior creative producer.