Master Class 1986 - Articles Page 3.4

With Women in Theatre Through the Decades, we will be highlighting the vital role that women have played in theatre history, showcasing those who paved the way and who continue to make history today. This week, we are highlighting the accomplishments of women in theatre throughout the 1980s and the 1990s!

The Winchester Dondero Cultural Center officially reopened its theater with a socially-distanced concert by the Youth Camerata Orchestra. The event was held at the center in Las Vegas on Friday, February 19, 2021.

While performing arts organizations around the world are dusting off existing productions of the usual chestnuts during the month of December, Opera San José is taking a more audacious approach with its holiday programming. They are presenting a new, fully-staged production of Jake Heggie’s immensely moving chamber opera, Three Decembers, featuring world-renowned mezzo-soprano Susan Graham in the central role, alongside celebrated Opera San José Resident Artists soprano Maya Kherani and baritone Efraín Solís. Based on the unpublished play Some Christmas Letters by Tony-winning playwright Terrance McNally, Three Decembers follows the story of a famous actress, Madeline Mitchell, and her two adult children, Beatrice and Charlie over three decades (1986, 1996, and 2006). With a witty and touching libretto by Gene Scheer and a soaring musical score by Jake Heggie, Three Decembers is a 90-minute fullhearted American opera about family – the ones we are born into and those we create. The world-class digital production is offered via on-demand streaming through December 31, 2020. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit operasj.org or call (408) 437-4450. BroadwayWorld speaks with charismatic baritone Efraín Solís, who plays son Charlie.

The Marsh continues to offer a wide variety of new programming at 7:30pm nightly on MarshStream, its popular broadcast platform.

The Stratford Festival is devastated to learn of the death of Brent Carver, an actor of incomparable talent, winner of a Tony Award for his starring role in Kiss of the Spider Woman, and a long-time Stratford Festival company member.

BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the 101 greatest scenes in cinema from 1901 to 2020. See if your favorite movie moments made the list!

BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the best musical theatre characters from 1940-2020; see if your favorites are on our list of the best characters from Broadway musicals.

How do we make a list of the 101 greatest show tunes from the past 100 years? Well, we did the near-impossible task.  Check out our full list here! 

Trinity Rep continues its 2019-20 Season with Pulitzer Prize-winning drama Sweat by Lynn Nottage. This Broadway hit is the story of the unintended consequences of community without opportunity. It is set during the Great Recession and in the years leading up to it in Reading, Pennsylvania, while friends try to stay afloat as their industrial jobs begin to disappear. This relevant and timely topic shines a light on American workers that are often forgotten.

The Broadway community mourns the loss of beloved actress, director, and multiple Tony Award® winner Zoe Caldwell, who passed away on February 16, 2020 at age 86. To commemorate her life and work, the lights of all Broadway theatres in New York will dim for one minute on Friday, February 28th at exactly 7:45pm.

Stephen Deschenes , a research and development director at Capital Group, attorney Elizabeth (Beth) Calciano Fagan and independent film and television producer and author Dete Meserve have been appointed to the Board of Directors of the Los Angeles Children's Chorus (LACC), considered one of the world's preeminent children's choirs, announced Board Chair Kai Ryssdal. LACC, led by Artistic Director Fernando Malvar-Ruiz, serves 400 children ages 6 to 18 from across the Southland, providing rigorous musical training in a fun and supportive environment. The Chorus is noted for its artistic excellence, wide-ranging repertoire, exceptional professional and community collaborations and inspiring performances locally and abroad.

The Coral Gables Community Foundation welcomes Laura Russo as the 19th Chair of the Coral Gables Community Foundation Board of Directors for the 2020-2021 term.

The award-winning TV comedy a?oeMystery Science Theater 3000a?? (MST3K) is coming to Columbus with an all-new, live show featuring Joel Hodgson, the original host and creative vision behind the beloved TV and Netflix comedy series for more than three decades, in his final live tour. Produced by Alternaversal LLC, Mystery Science Theater 3000 Live: The Great Cheesy Movie Circus Tour will feature the never-before-screened film No Retreat, No Surrender.

You may have heard of the long journey of LITTLE SHOP OF HORRORS from a 1060 Roger Corman horror film (with a young Jack Nicholson) to a 1982 Off-Broadway hit musical, a 1986 film with Rick Moranis, Ellen Greene, and Steve Martin, and a revival in 2003 this time on Broadway with Hunter Foster, Douglas Sills and Kerry Butler. And believe it or not, another revival coming to Off-Broadway previewing on September 17 and opening October 17 to the Westside Theatre Upstairs with Jonathan Groff, Tammy Blanchard, Christian Borle, and Kinglsey Leggs.

General public tickets are now on sale for a one-day-only Master Class exploring the craft of acting taught by Kathleen Turner, a living legend of the stage and screen.

Mark Morris Dance Group & Music Ensemble returns to Jacob's Pillow's Ted Shawn Theatre, July 17-21, restaging both new and beloved repertory. 'A tour de force of artistic storytelling' (The Los Angeles Times), this audience favorite is renowned for deeply witty and poetic dance and has amassed one of the most extensive Pillow performance records of any artist. Mark Morris Dance Group & Music Ensemble performs Prelude and Prelude-a work that has not been performed anywhere since 1992-the new work Sport, excerpts from Words, and the company classic Grand Duo.

EgoPo Classic Theater in Philadelphia announces the hiring of Associate Producer, Dane Eissler, and Managing Director, Katrina Foy, arriving in July at the start of the 2019-2020 "Shepard Country" Festival Season, joining founder and Artistic Director Lane Savadove in leading the organization.  Foy succeeds Shayna Freed as Managing Director, who served in the role since 2015.  Eissler is the first in the Associate Producer role, marking a time of growth and opportunity for EgoPo's future.

"It's the kind of music that makes you feel regal," actress Felicia P. Fields says, describing the genius of Duke Ellington. "The word 'sophistication' isn't used as much today as it was back then. There was an elegance in the period." Fields, who is one of the stars of Maine State Music Theatre's new production of SOPHISTICATED LADIES, which runs at the Pickard Theater from June 5-22, 2019, believes that the production, directed by Marc Robin with three individual choreographers and an eleven piece orchestra perfectly captures the 1920s and 1930s and the big-band era.

The National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts) announced that applications for the 2020 YoungArts competition will be accepted beginning today, June 4, through October 11, 2019 at youngarts.org/apply. Approximately 700 of the country's most accomplished 15- to 18-year-old artists will be selected through a blind adjudication process and provided with lifelong support through funding, mentorship, community, and creative and professional development opportunities.

The 72nd Annual Tony Awards are this Sunday June 10th at 8/9c hosted by Josh Groban and Sara Bareilles. It's the biggest award show of the Broadway season and it closes out a long awards season for Broadway and Off-Broadway musicals and plays. We can't help but wonder what chances this year's Best Musical and Best Play nominees have of taking home the ultimate prize...

New York City Center today announced programming for the 2019 - 2020 season, which will include Mack and Mabel (Feb 19-23), Kurt Weill's Love Life (March 18-22) directed by Victoria Clark, and a 'new version' of Thoroughly Modern Millie (May 6-10), featuring edits by the playwright Lauren Yee and led by 2018 Tony nominee Ashley Park.

Back in 1986, The Actors' Gang presented VIOLENCE: THE MISADVENTURES OF SPIKE SPANGLE, FARMER, originally written and directed by the group's Artistic Director Tim Robbins, which offered a no-holds barred satire of militarism and media manipulation. An updated version written by Robbins and Adam Simon, directed by Bob Turton, has re-invaded The Actors' Gang through June 22, 2019 in Culver City. The political and social satire tells the story of Spike Spangle, a down on his luck farmer who gets sucked into a whirlwind of celebrity and patriotism, fueled by his need for more money. During his journey, Spike joins Superman on billionaire Max Enormous' Celebrity Space Shuttle, and a nefarious plot twist leads to the deification of Spike Spangle as an American hero.

With Orpheus Descending opening at the theatre, and Fiddler on the Roof playing at the Playhouse Theatre, the Menier Chocolate Factory today announces that Jenna Russell will lead the company for the UK premiere of the musical of Robert James Waller's bestselling novel The Bridges of Madison County in a new staging by Trevor Nunn. The production opens on 23 July, with previews from 13 July, and runs until 14 September. Public booking is now open.

The National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts) congratulates the 55th class of U.S. Presidential Scholars, with special acknowledgement to the 20 U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts who are YoungArts winners. The U.S. Presidential Scholars award one of the nation's highest honors for high school students who exemplify academic excellence is presented on behalf of the President of the United States and honors up to 161 graduating high school seniors of high potential each year. The U.S. Presidential Scholars in the Arts (full list below) were nominated by YoungArts to The White House Commission on Presidential Scholars and selected based on academic and artistic excellence, leadership qualities and community service. For students who would like to be considered for this outstanding honor in the future, the YoungArts application opens on June 4, 2019 at youngarts.org/apply.

Dr. Madison Richardson and Peter Rybolt have been elected to the Los Angeles Master Chorale Board of Directors.