Not So Long Ago - 1920 - Broadway Articles Page 3

Multiple Grammy and Oscar winning artist, musician and producer T Bone Burnett gave a thought provoking keynote speech at SXSW today, warning of the current dangers of the dominance of digital monopolies like Google and Facebook, while championing the value of the independence of artists. See below for the full text of the speech.

'19: The Musical' is the brainchild of Through the 4th Wall co-founders, Jennifer Schwed and Doug Bradshaw. Both DC natives, Schwed and Bradshaw conceived the idea of a musical about the passage of the 19th Amendment back in 2016, and have been overseeing workshops and concert performances for a little over a year, with an eye toward a full production in time for the Amendment's centennial in 2020.

Premiere Stages at Kean University will present Martin Casella's 'Black Tom Island' from October 11 to October 21 at the 1882 Carriage House, Liberty Hall Museum. Broadwayworld.com had the pleasure of interviewing Casella about his career and the upcoming show.

A dark horse candidate with little political acumen lacking in smarts is battling to become the Republican candidate for president, while keeping silent one in a series of illicit affairs. Sound familiar? In 'Fifteen Men In a Smoke-Filled Room,' playwright Colin Speer Crowley focuses on the candidacy of Warren Gamaliel Harding, who would become the 29th President of the United States. The play examines his loveless marriage and lack of appetite for the political machinations that would eventually result in his election.

'Hey Nonny Nonny!' 'Sigh No More!' Shakespeare's classic, playful comedy, Much Ado About Nothing, is this year's rip-roaring Season 5 opener for the vibrant, 30 by Ninety Theatre in Mandeville, Louisiana. This suburban playhouse, positioned just across the lake from New Orleans, is named for its' common latitude and longitude, but doesn't hold back on big city ambitions to invigorate, entertain, and challenge local audiences to grow from shared experiences through the stage. It is an idea not lost on Shakespeare himself nearly five millennials ago.

Today's subject Ann Hould-Ward is both a Tony and Drama Desk Award winning costume designer. Her work isn't limited just to the theatre by any means. Besides contributing designs for such legendary Broadway productions as Beauty and the Beast, Into the Woods and Sunday in the Park with George (co-design with her mentor Broadway legend Patricia Zipprodt), her work has also been seen with many dance and opera companies all over the world.

BroadwayWorld presents a comprehensive weekly roundup of regional stories around our Broadway World, which include videos, editor spotlights, regional reviews and more. This week, we feature A CHORUS LINE, BEAUTIFUL, and More!

As part of BroadwayWorld's expansive coverage of the 72nd Annual Tony Awards, we are providing the full text of all of the acceptance speeches; from the emotional to the bizarre, and everything in between. Keep up with all of the winners' speeches on our continuously updated list below.

BroadwayWorld presents a comprehensive weekly roundup of regional stories around our Broadway World, which include videos, editor spotlights, regional reviews and more. This week, we feature TONY DANZA, LES MISERABLES, THE WHO'S TOMMY, And More!

It is always exciting when you sit in a theater to see the world premiere of a new musical. The Arena Stage's Kreeger Theater was a buzz in anticipation of SNOW CHILD which is a co-production with Alaska's Perseverance Theatre. Why Perseverance? Well, Arena Stage's Artistic Director Molly Smith actually grew up in Alaska, returned there after schooling and founded the Perseverance Theatre in Juneau. She served as Artistic Director there for 19 years before coming to Arena Stage. Four years ago, Smith and Perseverance Artistic Director Art Rotch discussed the idea for an adaptation for SNOW CHILD.

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.

Once in a while, you come across a stage show that, on paper, may not have had the buzz that other high-profile shows may have had initially, but then you see it … and it just completely surprises you in the best possible way. That pretty much sums up my recent experience with the oh-so delightful NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT, Musical Theatre West's buoyant and sublime new regional production of the 10-time Tony Award-nominated 2012 musical comedy now on stage at the Richard and Karen Carpenter Center for the Performing Arts in Long Beach, CA through April 22. An irresistibly silly and infectiously tuneful stage show that will have you smiling from start to finish, this roaring 20's throwback with modern sensibilities provides lots of zany antics, lots of witty one-liners, and lots of spectacular song-and-dance showstoppers that will have you wondering---where has this show been all my life?

Under the direction of conductor Anton Armstrong, the St. Olaf Choir kicks off an 11-city tour on January 31, 2018 at Seattle's Benaroya Hall. For more than a century the world-renowned St. Olaf Choir has set a gold standard for choral singing and for this tour the ensemble's 75 singers present an eclectic program of sacred and secular choral masterpieces that range from Baroque classics to American folk songs, world music, hymns, and spirituals.

Halloween may not be over just yet, but the USA's largest manufacturer of handmade candy canes is already having a busy holiday season! Hammond's Brands, the parent company of Hammond's Candies, Old Dominion Peanut Company, McCraw's Candies, and Mellow Fluffs, today announced a December 15 th deadline for wholesale orders of its popular line of stocking stuffer-worthy seasonal candies.

Remember way back when (okay, it was 5 weeks ago) when I said I would start pairing restaurants with can't miss shows for date night? The time has COME, friends. Let's do this. Here's this weekend's Vital 5 in Jacksonville (June 9-11th).

The American premiere of The Trial has opened at the Opera Theatre of St. Louis. This is a very major event in opera. Franz Kafka's nightmare tale of Joseph K, trapped in an enigmatic trial for his life, has fascinated readers since it appeared in 1925. Composer Philip Glass read the novel as a youth and even then he yearned to write an opera based on it. But Glass kept that idea 'in his pocket' for sixty years. It was not until he received a commission from the Music Theatre Wales, the Royal Opera, Theatre Magdeburg and the Scottish Opera that Glass was able to fulfill that dream. The London premiere of The Trial opened in 2014.

From the Tony Award-winning creators of the Broadway musical RAGTIME, the dazzling new musical ANASTASIA transports us from the twilight of the Russian Empire to the euphoria of Paris in the 1920's, as a brave young woman sets out to discover the mystery of her past. Pursued by a ruthless Soviet officer determined to silence her, Anya enlists the aid of a dashing con man and a lovable ex-aristocrat. Together, they embark on an epic adventure to help her find home, love and family.

Ocean State Theatre Company Artistic Director Amiee Turner introduced Friday night's production of INHERIT THE WIND by saying that she was somewhat surprised and saddened that a play about what's appropriate to teach in public schools, written in 1955 but based on events of the 1920's, is still so timely today.  Indeed, this script may be a Baby Boomer, but this production isn't showing its age at all, and is scarily relevant.  One of the biggest tells of an older play is often the length, and this script may have been edited down a bit, but the pacing is absolutely perfect.  Director Fred Sullivan Jr. fills the moments of brief set changes with appropriate moments of song, which may seem like an odd choice for a play of this nature, but it works perfectly.  Some of the songs are in the original script, but a few seem to have been added for this show. The songs also give the actors a chance to trot out their vocal chops including men singing in four part harmony, and violin and ukulele performances.

ANASTASIA choreographer Peggy Hickey talks all things dance on her journey with the romantic and adventure-filled new musical......

Courtney Lewis, former Assistant Conductor, will make his New York Philharmonic subscription debut leading Jonathan Biss as soloist in Timo Andres's Piano Concerto No. 3, The Blind Banister, and Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 2; the program also includes selections from Berlioz's Romeo and Juliet and Elgar's In the South (Alassio). 

If the word Fragile (pronounced Frah-GEE-lay) or the phrase "You'll shoot your eye out, kid" bring a smile to your face, then you are likely one of the many people who love A CHRISTMAS STORY, the classic 1983 movie that has become required viewing for many families each Christmas season. And, while you may know the story by heart, you have likely never seen it told the way you will if you check out A CHRISTMAS STORY the musical on stage at the Palace Theatre in Waterbury, CT for just two performances on November 18th and 19th. Told with the flair only a musical can bring, A CHRISTMAS STORY puts an unfamiliar twist on the familiar classic. I caught up with Susannah Jones who plays the role of Ralphie's mother, and discussed her experience with the show, life on tour, and even her childhood equivalent to Ralphie's Red Ryder BB Gun.

Art has needed it for a long time and of all things, it comes from the political realm. The tipping point has dropped with Donald Trumpeting a New Order unlike Joy Division. The new Don's deal will play out in the arts like a match to gunpowder.

The finest restaurants in the world welcome guests with a glass of Champagne, and California's Jordan Vineyard & Winery is embracing this tradition for all of its culinary events with the Jordan Cuvee by Champagne AR Lenoble. Debuting this month at Jordan's 'Sunken Treasure' Halloween fete, this special bottling of AR Lenoble non-vintage brut celebrates the shared business values and common winemaking philosophies of both families. The Jordan Cuvee by AR Lenoble will be served at Jordan's dinner parties, exclusive events and Jordan Estate Rewards private meals beginning this fall and will be available for purchase direct from the winery in spring 2017.

'Spring is here! Why doesn't my heart go dancing?' - or at least to the theater to be transported to a different world, another time and place where life is transformed and magic happens before your very eyes...

On Monday, I had the pleasure of speaking with actor Randy Harrison, who's currently on tour as the Master of Ceremonies in CABARET. Randy talked candidly about working in the entertainment industry as an out member of the LGBT community, crazy touring audience interactions, and why he's happy to bounce around the country in various regional theatre gigs. Check out our conversation below: