From My Hometown 00/00/0000 - Articles Page 3

Berkeley Repertory Theatre today announced the full cast and creative team for Metamorphoses. This co-production with the Guthrie Theater is led by nationally and internationally renowned writer and director Mary Zimmerman.

Fresh from the critical and commercial success of their 1996 sophomore album Wax Ecstatic, Detroit hard rockers Sponge holed up in a small studio in their hometown to record what was to be their third as yet untitled album for Sony Records. The band, whose songwriting chops had been proved on the megahit singles “Plowed” and “Molly (16 Candles Down The Drain),” looked to founder and lead vocalist Vinnie Dombroski for a new batch of tunes, and Dombroski himself turned to his classic rock heroes like The Doors, The Who and Steppenwolf others for inspiration. The result was a raw blast of sonically devastating, guitar-oriented rock n' roll. As the story goes, when legendary A&R rep John Kalodner stopped by the studio to sample what Sponge had been up to, he was not able to tolerate the sheer power of the sessions for long and had to beat a retreat! 

The Canadian Academy of Recording Arts and Sciences (CARAS) today announced that David Foster, renowned musician, songwriter, composer, arranger and producer, will be recognized with the 2019 Humanitarian Award. The award honours Foster's lifelong dedication to philanthropy through his support of hundreds of charities, including his own non-profit organization, The David Foster Foundation, which raises organ donation awareness and provides financial support to Canadian families in need of life-saving transplants.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre today announced the full cast and creative team for Metamorphoses. This co-production with the Guthrie Theater is led by nationally and internationally renowned writer and director Mary Zimmerman.

Italian Tenor Pasquale Esposito returns to The Annenberg Theatre, located at The Palm Springs Arts Museum, for his fifth appearance on December 7 at 8:00 pm. The concert celebrates Italian Piazzas and is the live version of his newest PBS special. I had the opportunity to catch up with Mr. Esposito as he was preparing for his Palm Springs concert. Here are a few excerpts from that interview:

Kings of indie rock, Death Cab for Cutie, will play at Arts Centre Melbourne's Hamer Hall on March 6, 2019 as part of their much anticipated national tour, following the release of their ninth studio album, Thank You for Today.

Following the announcement of the full lineup of their 30th annual celebration of the year's best LGBT films, which includes BOY ERASED, RAFIKI, 1985, and MAKING MONTGOMERY CLIFT, NewFest has announced two additional premieres: the U.S. premiere of the first two episodes of Desiree Akhavan's new Hulu Original Series THE BISEXUAL, and the U.S. premiere of UNTIL RAINBOW DAWN. NewFest will also celebrate its 30th anniversary by looking back at cornerstones of LGBT cinema with two retrospective screenings, including the Legacy Centerpiece - Lisa Cholodenko's HIGH ART in 35mm print, celebrating its 20th anniversary (the film was also Opening Night at NewFest 1998), followed by a Q&A with Patricia Clarkson and Cholodenko, and a 10th anniversary screening of Gus Van Sant's MILK with Stuart Milk in attendance (Global LGBT Rights campaigner, Co-Founder of the Harvey Milk Foundation and nephew of Harvey Milk).

Following the announcement of their Opening Night Film, Yen Tan's award-winning AIDS drama 1985, NewFest today announced the full lineup of their 30th annual celebration of the year's best LGBT films from around the world. The program of more than 140 narrative features, documentaries, episodic series and shorts runs from October 24-30 at the SVA Theatre, Cinépolis Chelsea, and The LGBT Community Center in New York City.

 NewFest has announced its Opening Night film to be Yen Tan's powerful AIDS drama '1985' on Wednesday, October 24th. This year will mark the highly significant 30th anniversary of NewFest, one of the world's most venerable and respected LGBT festivals. '1985' joins a history of notable NewFest Opening Night Films, including 'Go Fish' (1994), 'High Art' (1998), 'Hedwig and the Angry Inch' (2001), 'But I'm a Cheerleader' (2000), and 'We Were Here' (2011). The film is a return to NewFest for Tan, whose previous films “Ciao” (2008) and “Pit Stop” (2013) have screened at the fest in the past.

Karissa Wheeler's senior year at The University of the South/Sewanee has only just started, but already she's caught up in the whirlwind of a typical – for her, especially – packed and rather crazy schedule, immersed in classes while moving into rehearsals for what may be the most demanding role in which she's ever been cast: Sally Bowles in the iconic Kander and Ebb musical, Cabaret, which is based on John Van Druten's play I Am A Camera, which in turn is inspired Christopher Isherwood's memoir (Goodbye to Berlin) of his years as a struggling young writer in the heady days of Weimar Germany.

Following the death of musical and cultural legend Aretha Franklin, a special edition of “20/20” reflects on the life and legacy of the Queen of Soul who had an iconic six-decade career spanning an array of musical genres. The hour gives an in-depth look at Franklin's memorable career and the impact that she had on millions of people around the world. The special will feature footage of the star from the ABC News archives, including Diane Sawyer's trip with Franklin to her hometown of Detroit in 2000 and a never-before-seen video of Franklin on tour. The hour also features interviews with Harvey Mason Jr., who is making a biopic of Franklin starring actress Jennifer Hudson; and legendary director John Landis, who cast Franklin in “The Blues Brothers.” “Aretha: Soul, Song, R E S P E C T” airs on a special edition of “20/20,” Thursday, Aug. 16 (8:00–9:00 p.m. EDT), on ABC.

In honor of 20 years since the company's inception, Philly Pretzel Factory is planning a celebration to say "thank you" to the customers and communities it serves. With more than 160 locations in 19 states, the company is celebrating with three main initiatives free pretzels for every guest at participating locations, the chance for one guest at each location to win free pretzels for a year and a philanthropic endeavor in the company's hometown.

REDCAT, CalArts' downtown center for contemporary arts, announces adventurous international and LA performances featured in the ambitious new Fall 2018 season at REDCAT, including stunning stagecraft and object theater from Rotterdam, the world premiere of a new dance and video work by LA company David Rousseve/Reality, a slyly funny and poignant collaboration by German/British collective Gob Squad with six LA performers, a hilarious political musical-theater project by art collective My Barbarian, and the return of Christiane Jatahy with a Brazilian take on Chekhov's Three Sisters, which uses genius film techniques.

The Acting Company announces the full cast of its one-night-only benefit reading of The Night of the Iguana, Tennessee Williams' feverishly poetic 1961 drama,at The Kaye Playhouse at Hunter College (68th Street between Park and Lexington Avenues), on Monday, June 11.

Free Radicals, a musical, political, and cultural force in Houston for over two decades, is releasing No State Solution, an album highlighting new remixes, new videos, and newly re-mastered tracks from their past six albums: The Rising Tide Sinks All (1998), Our Lady of Eternal Sunny Delights (2000), Aerial Bombardment (2004), The Freedom Fence (2012), Freedom of Movement (2015) and Outside the Comfort Zone (2017). No State Solution is a rejection of corrupt governments that can only make things worse, and a celebration of the communities that already have so many answers, if they can only throw off their mental and physical chains.

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble (RTE), Chicago's only Equity theatre dedicated to producing new work with women at the core will add four performances to the run The Cake by Bekah Brunstetter, directed by Lauren Shouse, and featuring RTE Founders Tara Mallen and Keith Kupferer, RTE Member Krystel McNeil, with Tuckie White.  Eight performances have been added to the run, which must close June 2, 2018 at Rivendell Theatre Ensemble, 5779 N. Ridge Avenue in Chicago. 

Continuing the momentum created with the current season launch of its Music Knows No Borders series, Executive Director Thor Steingraber unveils the Younes and Soraya Nazarian Center for the Performing Arts' 2018-19 Season, which features four world premieres, two American premieres, several of the world's greatest orchestras, innovative jazz programs, two tributes to Hollywood legends, Broadway classics plus artists from 18 different nations who will appear on stage at The Soraya next season.  New Subscription Series tickets will go on sale May 1, 2018.

Children of a Lesser God begins previews tonight at Studio 54. Get to know the cast below as they begin Broadway performances!

As the celebrations, performances, and successes of The Cleveland Orchestra's Centennial Season continue toward its conclusion this spring, the Orchestra has announced details of its 101st season for 2018-2019. Aspects of the celebratory spirit continues - with a 100th Birthday concert in July for the Cleveland community and Centennial Gala in September. The new season also extends the dedicated week-to-week work, creativity, and artistry required to continue being one of the world's best orchestras year after year.

Merle Dandridge, star of Oprah Winfrey Network's Greenleaf and recent star in the Broadway revival of Once on This Island, will receive a Chicago College of Performing Arts Distinguished Artist Award from Roosevelt University.

Rivendell Theatre Ensemble (RTE), Chicago's only Equity theatre dedicated to producing new work with women at the core, announces the Midwest premiere of The Cake by Bekah Brunstetter, directed by Lauren Shouse, and featuring RTE Founders Tara Mallen and Keith Kupferer, RTE Member Krystel McNeil, with Tuckie White.

Commonwealth Shakespeare Company (CSC) announces the second staged production of its 2017-18 Winter/Spring Season, Wendy Wasserstein's satire Old Money directed by Karen MacDonald at the Sorenson Center for the Arts, Babson College, 231 Forest Street in Wellesley, MA.

Mosaic Theater Company of DCtakes its acclaimedVoices From a Changing Middle East Festival on tour this winter, bringing several of its seminal Festival productions (I SHALL NOT HATE, VIA DOLOROSA, and the recent film adaptation of WRESTLING JERUSALEM) to the University of Oklahoma, Grinnell College, and Eastern Mennonite University for presentations of each project, and culminating in a special evening at the University of Chicago's Logan Center for the Arts where excerpts from all three works will be shared in a single evening. The tour reflects different dimensions of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict and the efforts to achieve reckoning and reconciliation through live performance and discussion, in works performed in English, Arabic, and Hebrew (with translated surtitles).

Pianist Igor Levit has been named the recipient of the 2018 Gilmore Artist Award. The Award was announced today by Daniel R. Gustin, Director of the Irving S. Gilmore International Keyboard Festival. One of the most prestigious honors in music, the Gilmore Artist Award is presented every four years on a non-competitive basis to an exceptional pianist who, regardless of age or nationality, is a superb performing artist and a profound musician with both charisma and breadth of musicianship; who desires and can sustain a performing career as a major international concert artist and can make a real impact on music; and whose developing career can benefit from the enhancement the Award's money and prestige provide.

Official hometown release show for his forthcoming Omnivore Recordings album titled Alright