Groundswell

The Achates Philanthropy Prize, the national campaign to promote support of the arts, returns for its fifth year in 2020, reimagined in response to the Covid-19 pandemic and its devastating impact on the creative sector.

We Stand Together, a one-night virtual benefit in support of justice for Black lives, will premiere at 7:00pm PDT on Thursday, July 23rd on both Youtube and Facebook. It will include appearances by Sheila E., Mahershala Ali, Misty Copeland, Ledisi and a host of other top artists, activists and community figures. While event is free of charge, donations are encouraged. Funds raised will benefit three organizations: Elevate Oakland, YR Media and Black Lives Matter Global Network [Arts & Culture]. For additional information, please visit www.elevateoakland.org/standtogether. BroadwayWorld spoke recently with Sheila E. while she was in the midst of final preparations for the event.

Artists Rights Society has announced that it has become the artist rights partner of the Plywood Project -a new public art initiative, inspired by recently boarded storefronts, to transform and empower communities with art.

SHOWTIME will release the premiere episode of its new docu-series OUTCRY for free online sampling, on streaming platforms and on demand beginning at midnight on Sunday, July 5.

ID will air THE MURDER OF GEORGE FLOYD: A NATION RESPONDS on June 9th at 8/7ct leading into the global premiere of OWN's OWN Spotlight: Where Do We Go from Here hosted by Oprah Winfrey, which will simulcast across every Discovery network in the U.S. at 9/8ct.

Building on the long and storied history between Interlochen Center for the Arts and the Detroit Symphony Orchestra, DSO musicians will work closely with Interlochen students this summer as part of Interlochen Online's virtual Arts Camp, which will take place from June 28 to July 19, 2020.  

Innovative arts curator Jasmin Agosto, produces her nintha?"and first ever in New Havena?"installment of La Sala Femme, the quarterly performing arts series that creates a sprawling, multidisciplinary canvas emphasizing the talents of creative womxn of color that is equal parts inspirational and enlightening.

Union Station officials announced today an important and creative opportunity for Kansas Citians to support the historic monument through these unprecedented times.

Posting up nearly a million streams within a week and attracting widespread tastemaker praise, acclaimed Los Angeles singer, songwriter, and artist India Shawn, unveils the music video for her buzzing single “NOT TOO DEEP” [feat. 6LACK] directed by Charleene Al-chamaa and animated by Robin Eisenberg. She teamed up with ESSENCE to exclusively premiere the clip. 

The stream of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS' benefit concert celebrating Disney on Broadway's 25th anniversary will air tonight, April 17, 2020, after the American Federation of Musicians dropped its opposition to the stream. The online playback will raise money for Broadway Cares' COVID-19 Emergency Assistance Fund, which is helping everyone in the theater and performing arts community impacted by the pandemic. Watch the stream beginning at 7 pm right here at BroadwayWorld!

The stream of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS' benefit concert celebrating Disney on Broadway's 25th anniversary will be rescheduled for Friday, April 17, 2020.

The doctor is in, as Theater J's 2018 hit production of Mark St. Germain's Becoming Dr. Ruth returns for a four week run before transferring to Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park where it plays for six weeks. Director Holly Twyford again joins forces with actor Naomi Jacobson to bring to life the story of renowned sex therapist and media personality Dr. Ruth Westheimer. Becoming Dr. Ruth runs March 27 - April 19, 2020, with press invited to Opening Night on Tuesday, March 31 at 7:30.

BAM presents the US premiere of The Long Goodbye, a bracing and emotional live music show from musician, storyteller, actor, and activist Riz Ahmed. The show will feature new music from Ahmed's recently announced new album of the same name, which uses eastern influences to meld rap, spoken word, and R&B. An electrifying journey into here and now, the live performance will take a close look at the end of a toxic relationship with the country you call home.

SHOWTIME has released the official trailer and poster art for the new documentary series OUTCRY, which will have its world premiere at the South By Southwest® (SXSW®) Conference and Festivals in Austin on Saturday, March 14, ahead of its television premiere on SHOWTIME on Friday, April 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT. Produced and directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Pat Kondelis, OUTCRY examines the gripping story of high school football star Greg Kelley, his controversial conviction and the quest for truth and justice as the case unfolds.

British Columbia hip-hop duo Snotty Nose Rez Kids (SNRK) have announced Born Deadly, their new EP slated to come out on April 3. Today, they premiered the video for the EP's first single “Real Deadly” via Complex

SHOWTIME has released the official trailer and poster art for the new documentary series OUTCRY, which will have its world premiere at the South By Southwest (SXSW) Conference and Festivals in Austin on Saturday, March 14, ahead of its television premiere on SHOWTIME on Friday, April 3 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.  Produced and directed by Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Pat Kondelis, OUTCRY examines the gripping story of high school football star Greg Kelley, his controversial conviction and the quest for truth and justice as the case unfolds.

This summer, the iconic TLC will close out Toronto's Festival of Beer presented by The Beer Store on the OLG Bandshell Stage. Their performance will take place on Sunday, July 26 at Bandshell Park, Exhibition Place and fans can expect to hear all the hits they know and love. The festival runs from July 24 to 26 and is a 19+ event. TFOB Sunday is presented by Flow 93.5.

Manchester International Festival (MIF) presents the world premiere of The Long Goodbye (26-28 March 2020) a bracing and emotional live music show from musician, storyteller, actor and activist Riz Ahmed.

British Columbia hip-hop duo Snotty Nose Rez Kids (SNRK) has announced their first ever U.S. headlining tour this spring. The tour kicks off on April 12, shortly after the physical release of the duo's acclaimed third album, TRAPLINE, on March 27. Tickets go on sale this Friday at 10 AM local time here.

Chance Theater, Anaheim's official resident theater company, presents a staged reading of our 2018 Resident Playwright Joanna Garner's new musical, 100 HEARTBREAKS. 

Today, SHOWTIME announced it will air OUTCRY, a five-part documentary series examining the gripping story of high school football star Greg Kelley, his controversial conviction and the quest for truth and justice as the case unfolds.

Audible Inc., the world's largest producer and seller of spoken-word entertainment and audiobooks, today announced that Oscar, Grammy, Emmy, and Golden Globe-winning artist, actor, activist and two-time New York Times best-selling author Common, and Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and composer Rufus Wainwright will create deeply personal musical narratives to be released as Audible Original productions in 2020 for millions of listeners. The two audio-only musical narratives will be created and produced in distinct ways – Common's Bluebird Memories: A Journey Through Lyrics & Life is set to record over the course of three nights of live performances at Audible's Minetta Lane Theatre in New York, and Wainwright's Road Trip Elegies: Montreal to New York will blend field recordings from the road that reflect on his relationship with his family with musical performance from intimate shows at the legendary McCabe's Guitar Store in Los Angeles. These projects follow critically acclaimed musical storytelling original productions from Patti Smith and Tom Morello. 

Nicholas Phan's January engagements showcase his passion for art song, his love of collaborative work, and his extraordinary gift for musical curation. On January 13-24, with the support of an outstanding roster of fellow singers and instrumentalists, the tenor co-curates and headlines 'Emerging Voices: Art Song & Social Connection' at the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society.

Famed stand-up comic Lisa Lampanelli brings her new theatrical production of Lisa Lampanelli's LOSIN' IT! to the Palace Theater for one performance only on Saturday, November 16, 8:00pm   For tickets go to palacetheaterct.org or call 203.346.2000 or visit the box office at 100 East Main Street, Waterbury.

Following a series of highly successful WOW - Women of the World Festivals around the world, The WOW Foundation has announced plans for more events across the UK in 2019 funded by Spirit of 2012. Following the first ever WOW - What Now? in London this March, this major gathering will take place in a further nine locations, from Perth to Essex, in celebration of WOW's tenth anniversary year in 2020. WOW - What Now? will take place in cities including Perth, Norwich, Milton Keynes, Exeter, Falmouth and Rotherham over the next four months.

Be More Chill is to transfer to London to make its UK premiere at The Other Palace on Wednesday 12 February 2020. Be More Chill is based on the groundbreaking novel of the same name by Ned Vizzini.

Continuing a breakthrough 2019 highlighted by packed shows, millions of streams, and unanimous praise, critically acclaimed dynamically disruptive pop darling UPSAHL unveils a new single entitled “Smile For The Camera” today via RCA UK. Once again, she serves up a disarmingly catchy and highly empowering chorus between thought-provoking verses, quirky production, and organic instrumentation.

Nightwood Theatre opens their landmark 40th Season with the Groundswell Festival of New Works, from September 23-28, 2019, at the Ernest Balmer Studio in The Distillery District.

The Achates Philanthropy Prize is delighted to introduce the Achates Philanthropy Prize Ambassadors, a newly-established group of experienced arts professionals, who are launching the first-ever Achates Philanthropy Prize Bursaries giving five UK arts organisations a bespoke masterclass to support the development of their fundraising.

Sundance Institute, in collaboration with Science Sandbox, an initiative of the Simons Foundation, announced the expansion of the Science Sandbox Nonfiction Initiative, alongside the initial nine science-focused independent projects selected for support this year. The initiative, first introduced in 2018, aims to elevate the voices of independent artists working at the intersection of science and nonfiction storytelling, as well as to encourage critical thinking, promote educated discourse and highlight the overlap of science and art.

Hailing from the ATL, the city's newest rap phenomenon Da Great Ape releases a video for his certified street anthem “Dreams of a Dopeboy.” The video depicts a day in the life of Ape, a pivotal figure in his neighborhood, interacting with locals and cruising to various locations like the barbershop. The video follows the success of a string of tracks including “Out Trap Me,” which created a regional groundswell in Atlanta.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) announces a Free Introduction to TRU's Producer Program on Tuesday, August 20, 2019 from 6:30pm-8:30pm at Polaris North Studio, 245 W. 29th St, 4th floor, NYC.

Baltimore's Shordie Shordie shared a scorching new remix to his smash “Bitchuary (Betchua)” with special guest features from Wiz Khalifa andA Boogie wit da Hoodie. The original song appeared on his debut project Captain Hook, released last December. Since its release, “Bitchuary (Betchua)” has taken the summer by storm and amassed nearly 83 million cumulative streams across all platforms including the music video which first began the groundswell around the track. It has been included in playlists such as Spotify's “Rap Caviar,” 'Get Turnt' and Apple Music's 'It's Lit,” 'On Repeat' and 'The Plug.'

City and Colour, acclaimed singer, songwriter and performer Dallas Green, debuts the first official radio single, “Strangers”, from his upcoming album, due this Fall on Green's newly minted Still Records, an imprint of Dine Alone Records. “'Strangers' is about how you will never truly know another human being,” says Green. “You'll never really understand what it's like to be inside someone else's brain or heart. So, we need to appreciate the differences. If we do, maybe we can live better with one another.” The single hinges on a buoyant riff and hummable groove and charges towards a ghostly refrain awash in reverb as Green pleads, “Don't wake me when this is over, just let me drift amidst my dreams.”

City and Colour (AKA acclaimed singer, songwriter and performer Dallas Green), debuts a new song, “Astronaut,” today. “Astronaut” is the first original music from City and Colour in almost four years and will be featured on his upcoming LP to be released this Fall on Green's newly minted Still Records, an imprint of Dine Alone Records. “I always think of the relationships in my life that have been fractured because I ended up doing what I do for a living,” says Green regarding the inspiration for the new song. “I'm always gone, wandering around and singing songs. However, it weighs on my family and friends. I'm asking for 'one more year'. I left home at 21 to go play my guitar. It's lonely, but it's because I yearn to wander. I'm aware of how lucky I am.”

Boston director Shana Gozansky will direct The Wickhams: Christmas at Pemberley, and Chicago director Jessica Hutchinson will helm the world premiere of The Lowell Offering for Merrimack Repertory Theatre's 2019-20 Season. The pair replace former Artistic Director Sean Daniels as director of these plays.

Artistic Director Kelly Thornton and Managing Director Beth Brown are proud to announce Nightwood Theatre's 2019/20 season. Marking our 40th year as Toronto's preeminent feminist theatre company, we have curated an electric lineup of productions that bravely and playfully examine politics, privilege, power, and progress. Offering up three world premieres born out of creative collaboration from Common Boots Theatre, Aluna Theatre, and Nightwood's own Write from the Hip program, as well as a Toronto premiere from Governor-General Award-nominated playwright, Karen Hines, Nightwood is proud to step into this landmark season with a focus on the future of contemporary Canadian theatre.

Thursday 18 April 2019. Registrations for the Sydney Opera House's celebrated national First Nations dance competition Dance Rites are now open. The fifth annual competition will be held from 23-24 November on one of the world's most spectacular outdoor performance spaces: Bennelong Point. Formerly known as Tubowgule, Bennelong Point has been a meeting place for ritual celebration and dance for tens of thousands of years.

OPERA America, the national service organization for opera and the nation's leading champion for American opera, is pleased to announce the 2019 recipients of Discovery Grants from the Opera Grants for Female Composers program, which is made possible through the generosity of the Virginia B. Toulmin Foundation.

The New Black Fest and The Lark, two theater organizations dedicated to celebrating and advocating for stories that uplift the wide range of experiences in our complex world, are proud to announce the sixth annual The New Black Fest at The Lark.

Emmy®-winning actor and rapper Riz Ahmed is set to play the lead in feature film drama MUGHAL MOWGLI, a story which Ahmed co-wrote and will produce. This marks director Bassam Tariq's ambitious feature film debut. 

Each seasonal cycle informs, impacts, and inspires growth. American Authors translate those cycles of change into genre-blurring alternative anthems, bordering pop ambition and rock spirit undercut by a rhythmic hip-hop boom. Touting airtight songcraft and sonic adventurousness, the Brooklyn-based four-piece—Zac Barnett [vocals], James Adam Shelley [guitar, banjo], Dave Rublin [bass], and Matt Sanchez [drums]—push forward and progress yet again on their 2018 third full-length, the aptly titled Seasons [Island Records].

SYFY today announced a Season 5 pickup of the critically acclaimed UCP drama, THE MAGICIANS, just one day before the series' 13-episode fourth season premiere. Based on the bestselling novels by Lev Grossman, THE MAGICIANS centers on a group of 20-something friends from Brakebills University as they discover their magical abilities and ward off evil creatures who threaten to destroy the magical world they've come to know. Season 4 premieres on SYFY tomorrow, Wednesday, January 23 at 9/8c.

Philadelphia Zoo (3400 W Girard Avenue) will kick-off spring of 2019 with an exciting new exhibit, the return of a Philadelphia tradition, and a new food destination. 

Full of imaginative adventures, mystery and comical journeys, Craig of the Creek: Itch to Explore, arrives on DVD on March 19, 2019. Featuring 13 episodes from the debut season, the hit Cartoon Network series was co-created by three-time Emmy Award® nominated Steven Universe writers Matt Burnett and Ben Levin.

Zodiac Math, written and performed by Elizabeth May is equal parts 90's pop music video, slumber party seance, and honest confession. Zodiac Math is an evening of intimate storytelling, scored by anachronistic alt-pop. Driven by family folklore of a childhood death curse, Elizabeth May explores questions of sexual identity and twin magic. She's endlessly searching for the missing half of a broken heart necklace, and laying herself bare in a dark comedic ritual that transforms the audience into her imaginary friends. Zodiac Math was developed as part of The New Collectives' Daily Development Workshop at IRT Theatre.

Zodiac Math, written and performed by Elizabeth May is equal parts 90's pop music video, slumber party seance, and honest confession. Zodiac Math is an evening of intimate storytelling, scored by anachronistic alt-pop. Driven by family folklore of a childhood death curse, Elizabeth May explores questions of sexual identity and twin magic. She's endlessly searching for the missing half of a broken heart necklace, and laying herself bare in a dark comedic ritual that transforms the audience into her imaginary friends. Zodiac Math was developed as part of The New Collectives' Daily Development Workshop at IRT Theatre.

Zodiac Math, written and performed by Elizabeth May is equal parts 90's pop music video, slumber party seance, and honest confession. Zodiac Math is an evening of intimate storytelling, scored by anachronistic alt-pop. Driven by family folklore of a childhood death curse, Elizabeth May explores questions of sexual identity and twin magic. She's endlessly searching for the missing half of a broken heart necklace, and laying herself bare in a dark comedic ritual that transforms the audience into her imaginary friends. Zodiac Math was developed as part of The New Collectives' Daily Development Workshop at IRT Theatre.