See-Saw - 1916 - West End Articles Page 8

Irish Arts Center (IAC) has reached a critical milestone in its plans to build a new permanent home in New York for the evolving arts and culture of contemporary Ireland and Irish America. In the City on the eve of St. Patrick's Day, Ireland's Prime Minister, Leo Varadkar, today announced $2.5 million in support for the New Irish Arts Center, bringing Irish government funding for the facility to $8.3 million and the Center's Almost Home capital campaign over the $60 million mark (to $60.5 million). The New Irish Arts Center comprises two buildings: a state-of-the-art new facility that will be constructed at 726 11th Avenue, and a renovation of the Center's intimate current home, adjoining the new building, at 553 West 51st Street. Phase I of construction, the new building on 11th Avenue, is now completely funded and ready to begin. IAC continues to raise an additional $15 million for the second phase of the project—transformation of the 51st Street venue—and to create a long-term programming fund and endowment, securing the future of the organization. 

The Drama League (Executive Artistic Director Gabriel Stelian-Shanks) will honor three powerhouses of the American theater community at the 84th Annual Drama League Awards, set for Friday afternoon, May 18, 2018 at the Marriott Marquis Times Square.

Audiences are invited to take a sentimental journey when the 1940s musical revue "In The Mood" returns to Bucks County Playhouse for a limited engagement, March 21-25. "In the Mood" is being presented as part of the Playhouse's Visiting Artist Series.

Wandsworth Arts Fringe launched its 2018 programme today with a rich array of shows and events to suit all ages, interests and tastes. During its nine-year history, South London's premiere arts festival has gone from strength to strength. This year is the biggest yet with the festival playing host to over 170 shows in over 55 venues across the borough from May 4 to 20. With an eclectic range of arts and culture, every conceivable space both indoor and outdoor will buzz with activity and creative endeavour.

The Royal Shakespeare Company's West End production of Matilda The Musical has announced that Sara Munday and Olivia Wells will join Lily-Mae Evans and Savannah Read in the title role of Matilda from 13 March 2018. Seen by over 7.7 million people across more than 60 cities worldwide, the multi award-winning production is now playing its seventh year in London, booking at the Cambridge Theatre until 10 February 2019.

Following a sell-out season at the Abbey Theatre as part of the 100th anniversary celebrations of the 1916 Easter Rising, as well as a successful Irish and US tour, The Plough and the Stars comes to the Lyric Hammersmith as a co-production with the Abbey Theatre.

With the history of ARIADNE AUF NAXOS as rich and complicated as the melodrama within itself, the reinvention presented by the Austin Opera this season is reminiscent of this Opera's rich history and beginnings. Premiering initially in 1912, Richard Strauss conceived a performance mixing the comedic style of Moliere' with the musically focused German-style melodrama opera. Appearing originally in two contrasting acts, the first begins as a play, and the second transitions into a full-fledged opera with comedic highlights. Historically, audiences were flustered in Munich and London by the contrasting art forms rolled into one night of entertainment - specifically, opera aficionados were loathe to sit through an entire act of a performance, before hearing the opera they were expecting in act two. After a variety of attempts with different versions and audience locations, Strauss' Libretto partner Hofmannsthal proposed a new first act be written to provide context on marrying the dramatization of operatic performance style with less prestigious but entertaining commedia dell'arte. Thus the second version of ARIADNE AUF NAXOS was presented in 1916 in Berlin and despite unsuccessful returns of a few productions, this opera/commedia concoction went on to be performed all over European Opera houses until it's first presentation in the United States in 1925. This rich history and reworking lend well to the present production at The Long Center presented by Austin Opera.

Shoreditch Town Hall today announces further productions in the venue's spring programme, which brings together work exploring the themes of identity, time and place. This June sees the UK premiere of ANU & CoisCeim Dance Theatre's These Rooms, an intense, immersive blend of theatre, dance and visual art by David Bolger, Owen Boss and Louise Lowe. The work is co-commissioned by 14-18 NOW, the UK's official arts programme for the First World War centenary, LIFT and Shoreditch Town Hall, and tells the story of 15 civilian men who were killed in house-to-house raids by British soldiers on a single Dublin street on 28 April 1916, five days into the Easter Rising. Prior to this, acclaimed theatre-maker Christopher Brett Bailey returns to Shoreditch Town Hall, where he previously performed in Wedding, with a new solo show, Suicide Notes… The Spoken Word of Christopher Brett Bailey; Hackney-based Access All Areas presents MADHOUSE: re:exit, an underground adventure by five learning disabled artists; and the critically acclaimed magician Vincent Gambini performs a work-in-progress of his new piece, The Chore of Enchantment.

Fertile Ground 2018 is in full swing. And, based on what I've seen so far, this is the best year yet! Here are three of the shows I saw opening weekend.

Today, the Royal Shakespeare Company announces the child casting for the first five venues of the Matilda The Musical 2018/19 UK and Ireland Tour. The title role will be shared by Annalise Bradbury, Lara Cohen, Poppy Jones and Nicola Turner. The West End production will continue to play at the Cambridge Theatre, where it is now in its seventh year and is booking until 10 February 2019.

The Snowy Day and Other Stories by Ezra Jack Keats has announced the cast for its NYC premiere Off-Broadway at St. Luke's Theatre this January 13, 2018.

A sizzling blend of domestic comedy and romance, symphonic music and opera, thrilling virtuosity and extraordinary artistry, will melt the icy grip of winter this February as The Dallas Opera presents a once-in-a-lifetime pairing: Erich Wolfgang Korngold's rarely performed 1916 opera, The Ring of Polykrates, preceded by the composer's famous Violin Concerto in D major, Op. 35 that premiered nearly three decades later in 1945.

January 13, 2018, with an added performance on MLK Day, January 15th. Adapted for the stage by Jerome Hairston, with music by Victor Zupanc, the show is inspired by four of Keats' most beloved stories, including the 1963 Caldecott Award-winning The Snowy Day. The show celebrates the wonder of childhood in the city - from making tracks in the freshly fallen snow, to learning how to whistle, to imagining new worlds with a best friend who lives across the hall - these small moments of delight and joy are captured beautifully. Incorporating shadow puppets, songs, mime and humor, the 45 minute show for children will appeal to all ages.

Cast announced for NYC Premiere of The Snowy Day and Other Stories by Ezra Jack Keats at St. Luke's Theatre Taylor Alexis Bass Jahbril Cook Garrett Gray ( New York, NY, November 21, 2017 ) ; The Snowy Day and Other Stories by Ezra Jack Keats has announced the cast for its NYC premiere Off- Broadway at St. Luke's Theatre this January 13, 2018.

These days, targeted ads are flying at us at every turn. I find myself in constant inner struggle, because I keep getting pulled in though I never truly enjoy myself, because I know what they're doing to me! So, imagine my surprise when I found myself delightfully lost in the New York Gilbert and Sullivan Players' most recent marketing campaign ayeharmony.com. The site claims to be the '#1 online dating site for the Queen's navy, sisters, cousins, aunts and more,' with dating profiles featuring a variety of characters from the show. The usernames and profiles are filled with Gilbert and Sullivan inside jokes, but are so deftly handled that the layman won't be left out in the cold. Simply put this is a genius campaign no matter how you slice it. Even if I wasn't a G&S fan, I would check this production out.

Complete with the String of Pearls Orchestra and the IN THE MOOD Singers & Dancers, IN THE MOOD, a 1940s musical revue creates a nostalgic atmosphere that transports the audience back in time a time when everyone was singing and dancing to the same kind of music. IN THE MOOD Returns To The Duke Energy Center on Thursday, January 25 at 7:30pm. Tickets go on sale Friday, December 15 at 10am. For tickets visit the Duke Energy Center Box Office or DukeEnergyCenterRaleigh.com.

Cosmic Designs is a world-premiere multimedia experience that pairs the inspiration of an orchestral concert with beautiful imagery of our home planet and the solar system beyond, brought to life by the National Philharmonic and NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center and sponsored by Lockheed Martin. This performance will consist of Claude Debussy's sea-themed La Mer, followed by Gustav Holst's majestic work, The Planets, and include new images from NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio. The National Philharmonic launches the new year at The Music Center at Strathmore with this out-of-this-world performance. The concert, conducted by Philharmonic Music Director and Conductor Piotr Gajewski, will take place Saturday, Jan. 27 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, Jan. 28, at 3 p.m. Journey through this stunning multimedia presentation featuring original NASA images of our solar system and the Earth's seas, explore exhibits about the latest NASA discoveries and missions, engage in conversation with NASA scientists, and meet a NASA astronaut. During the performance, planetary scientists Gina Dibraccio and Geronimo Villanueva will discuss the projected images and the science behind them. Separate free pre-concert lectures with Philharmonic Associate Conductor Victoria Gau will be held in addition to NASA Q&As for adults and NASA Chats for kids. A NASA-themed pop-up gift shop will be on site, and audience members can learn from NASA-themed displays. The concerts are performed in Strathmore's Concert Hall. Tickets are $25- $82 and are free for young people age 7-17. Strathmore is located at 5301 Tuckerman Lane, North Bethesda. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit www.nationalphilharmonic.org or call 301.581.5100.

What good is sitting alone in your room this week? If you don't already have plans to see a Broadway show, come out to see your favorite Broadway stars in a cabaret act instead. Highlights this week include:

The Snowy Day and Other Stories by Ezra Jack Keats has announced the cast for its NYC premiere Off-Broadway at St. Luke's Theatre this January 13, 2018.

There are nine remaining weeks to see the new musical Roald Dahl's Charlie and the Chocolate Factory. The final performance will be on Sunday, January 14, 2018 after playing 27 previews and 305 regular performances at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 West 46th Street).

Wagner College Theatre, as part of its New Works Agenda, will present three works-in-progress Trifles, Small Town Story and The Mouth Pieces, at its intimate Stage One space (located behind the Wagner College Football Stadium).

World-renowned tenor Anthony Kearns will sing the National Anthem and God Bless America at the 2017 Jim McKay Maryland Million Day at Laurel Park, it was announced.This is the third year Kearns will sing at this extraordinary day of racing for Maryland-sired

Having played sold out runs in 2014 and 2016, the acclaimed Irish/French singer/actress Camille O'Sullivan returns to Irish Arts Center with an intimate five-show residency, October 18-22, where she'll perform the songs of Jacques Brel.

Le Petit Theatre du Vieux Carr 's Board President Barbara Motley announced today that Don-Scott Cooper will join the historic theatre as Executive Director on December 4.

CLASS, as part of Dublin Theatre Festival 2017, is getting rave reviews from audiences and critics alike and is almost completely sold out for the rest of the run, but there are still a couple of tickets left directly from DTF box office.