The Gathering

The Chan Centre for the Performing Arts, in collaboration with Musqueam, on whose unceded lands UBC is situated, has announced the new, inaugural festival, ʔəm̓i ce:p xʷiwəl (Come Toward the Fire). Held on September 17 - 18, 2022, the festival will be an Indigenous-led celebration of creativity, brilliance, culture and community.

Odyssey Theatre Ensemble is presenting the Los Angeles premiere of what may be Henrik Ibsen's most controversial play, Ghosts, adapted by acclaimed British director Richard Eyre and directed by Bart DeLorenzo, a Los Angeles-based theater director and producer who is the founding artistic director of the Evidence Room theater, a 17-year-old company renowned in Los Angeles for contemporary theater productions. I decided to speak with Bart about what led him to direct this new adaptation at the Odyssey Theatre Ensemble.

Join Scandinavia House beginning Sunday for a week of special visual arts programs at Scandinavia House — including performances and a discussion by the celebrated artist-duo Lundahl & Seitl of Symphony of a Missing Room; the program Exercises in Togetherness with artists Inari Sandell and Jaakko Pallasvuo, Danilo Correale, and Finnish Cultural Institute; and an intimate conversation with Bob Nickas and Michael Famighetti on Tom Sandberg — Photographs with Aperture!

John Fogerty will kick off Lowell Memorial Auditorium’s Centennial Season on Thursday, September 8th at 7:30pm. Built shortly after the end of World War I to honor Lowell’s veterans of all wars, the Lowell Memorial Auditorium celebrates its centennial this fall, continuing a century-long tradition as a hub of arts and entertainment.

The 19th Annual Downtown Eastside Heart of the City Festival featuring twelve days of live and online events - both indoors and out - including music, stories, poetry, theatre, ceremony, films, dance, readings, forums, workshops, discussions, gallery exhibits, art talks, history talks and history walks.

Through its annual festival, artist residencies, and educational initiatives, MATA has fostered the work of hundreds of experimental artists since its founding by Philip Glass, Eleonor Sandresky, and Lisa Bielawa. The 2023 MATA Festival, happening over four evenings from May 31 - June 1, 2023 at Roulette Intermedium, marks its 25th anniversary.

Tacoma Arts Live presents RECLAMATION, a free community gathering to kick off the new life of the Tacoma Armory. The event on Saturday, November 12 from 11 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. signifies Tacoma Armory's intended transformation from a historic fortress to an innovative community hub for arts and culture. The gathering is produced by Tacoma Arts Live in collaboration with neighborhood partners including EPIC's Brendan Nelson. RECLAMATION asserts the centrality of community in the future of the Tacoma Armory.

EPEX (이펙스) is an eight-member boy group under C9 Entertainment, consisting of WISH, KEUM, MU, A-MIN, BAEKSEUNG, AYDEN, YEWANG, and JEFF. Their name describes them as “the gathering of eight youths reaches eight different apexes.” It represents the 8 members forming a collective, powerful new team.

Artists chat about this year's YOUNG, GIFTED AND BLACK season at Theatre Peckham, a celebration of people from the African Diaspora. Part two!

The reason to pick up MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET CHRISTMAS, even if you are uncompromising fans ... is this company of players. Delivering with love and respect all the musical ingenuities of Johnny Cash, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis, and Elvis they give their all to give you a single source for this Christmas music with performances that will have you dancing about the house for the holidays.

Concord Theatricals and DG Copyright Management have announced that Concord’s Samuel French imprint will represent the legendary William S. Yellow Robe, Jr.’s full dramatic catalog for licensing and publishing.

Brandy Norwood will return to the role of Cinderella, which she first played in Disney’s 1997 “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella,” in a new installment to the Descendants musical franchise on Disney+. She joins Rita Ora, China Anne McClain, Kylie Cantrall, Dara Reneé, and Morgan Dudley, who recently starred in 'Jagged Little Pill' on Broadway.

The gritty folk-opera sensation isn't the second coming of Hamilton, it's the second coming of RENT.

The Bridge Initiative's production of Elaine Romero's LIKE HEAVEN, directed by Samantha Wyer Bello is a stirring and entertaining focus on one woman's quest for self-fulfillment. Runs through May 13th at Estrella Mountain Community College in Avondale, AZ.

On Friday, April 28, in true Academy-award style, 200 community and cultural leaders came together to celebrate the 15th annual Art Star Awards. Held on the Festival of Arts grounds, this year's red-carpet reception and ceremony featured pop-up musical and dance performances as well as live art demonstrations, all complimented by champagne and h'oeuvres.

PortFringe - Maine’s Fringe Festival  will present their 11th annual summer event  from June 1-9, 2023, including  more than 75 genre-defying performances and special events at venues throughout Portland's East Bayside neighborhood. 

'The Last Night Of Fall' was composed by guitarist/producer Francesco Savino (Demons Down, T3NORS) and vocalist Rossella Moscatello. The duo also oversaw the creation of the new album, with drummer Emanuele Cossu, guitarist Moreno Palmisano, and new bassist Davide Tavecchia rounding out the line-up.

Alex Boniello has joined the cast of the new Descendants movie musical on Disney+. The Spring Awakening and Dear Evan Hansen star will play Jack of Diamonds, the captain of the Queen of Hearts' Red Army. He joins the recently confirmed Paolo Montalban, who will reunite with his “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella” co-star Brandy.

Following acclaimed performances across the nation, the Grand Theatre will present the final performances of the epic, two-part stage adaptation of author Ann-Marie MacDonald’s beloved Canadian classic Fall On Your Knees from March 29th through April 2nd.

Montalban will portray King Charming, Cinderella’s (Brandy) husband and Chloe’s (Malia Baker) dad, who is as much in love with Cinderella as he ever was.  He previously played Prince Charming opposite Brandy’s Cinderella in Walt Disney Television’s iconic 1997 movie “Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella.”

For 25 years, Music at the Anthology (MATA) has been a home for early-career composers, sound artists, and other music creators.

Renowned bass-baritone, educator and humanitarian activist Simon Estes received the San Francisco Opera Medal at the Company’s Medallion Society luncheon in the ballroom of the Ritz-Carlton on Wednesday, March 8.

Kentwood Players presents a reading of Polar Bears, Black Boys & Prairie Fringed Orchids, a play about the social complexities of our times written by Vincent Terrell Durham, on Sunday, March 26 at the Westchester Playhouse, located at 8301 Hindry Avenue, Los Angeles, CA 90045. The evening begins with a fabulous, homemade dessert reception at 6:00pm, followed by the reading at 7:00pm, with a talkback afterwards.

National Alliance for Musical Theatre has announced the lineup of new musicals for their 34th Annual FESTIVAL OF NEW MUSICALS, which returns in person and takes place on Thursday, October 20 and Friday, October 21, 2022, at New World Stages. See the full lineup of musicals here!

Recorded with Grammy Award-winning legendary producer Mike Clink (Guns N’ Roses, Steve Vai), its 10 tracks display the group’s melodic and edgy guitar/keyboard-driven sound while lyrically drawing inspiration from Joseph Campbell’s comparative mythological book The Hero with a Thousand Faces. Watch the video here!

EPIPHANY, a new play by Brian Watkins, directed by Tyne Rafaeli, officially opened at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater. Read all of the reviews for Epiphany here.

Closing out Men's Mental Health Month, Founder of Just B., Syreeta Butler, LMFT, has teamed up with The Gathering Spot for an intimate conversation on all things mental health in music with panelists, Carlon Ramong (Co-Founder of LVRN) and Westside Boogie (rap artist) moderated by Ryan Wilson (Founder of The Gathering Spot).

Top Trumps USA, the American division of Winning Moves International (creators of classic games and puzzles) releases MONOPOLY The Hamptons Edition, under license from Hasbro. 

St. Ann’s Warehouse and The Walk Productions today announced plans to bring Amal, the internationally celebrated 12-foot-tall puppet of a 10-year-old refugee Syrian girl, to New York City September 14 - October 2.

INSANE CLOWN POSSE will drop the new Pug Ugly EP at all DSPs on Friday, August 5. The EP will be available exclusively at the 22nd annual Gathering of the Juggalos on Wednesday, August 3. The Gathering runs through Saturday, August 6.

Musicals at Richter (MAR), Connecticut's longest-running outdoor theater, will celebrate its 38th season with the beloved Rodgers and Hammerstein musical THE SOUND OF MUSIC.

Mischief, the award-winning company behind The Play That Goes Wrong, Magic Goes Wrong and The Comedy About A Bank Robbery as well as BBC comedy series The Goes Wrong Show, announced the full cast for the return of Mischief Movie Night, the improvised movie live on stage.

Cleveland's BorderLight Fringe Festival is presenting Manhattan-based, three-time cancer survivor and patient advocate Valerie David's internationally acclaimed, awarding-winning comedic solo show The Pink Hulk: One Woman's Journey to Find the Superhero Within.

The T. S. Eliot Estate and the Abbey Theatre present the seventh annual lecture in T. S. Eliot's name and in memory of his impact on modern letters.

On January 29, 1993, the Lowcountry entertainment scene changed forever. On this date, the North Charleston Coliseum first opened its doors.

Every shorts category is represented: “Stranger at the Gate” and “Haulout” were nominated in the Documentary Short Film category; “Ice Merchants” and “The Flying Sailor” were nominated in the Animated Short Film category; and “Night Ride” was nominated in the Live Action Short Film category.

Bay Street Theater & Sag Harbor Center for the Arts has announced A Sweet Affair, a casual Valentine's Day celebration on Saturday, February 11, at 7 p.m. prior to the one-man show David Dean Bottrell Makes Love.

As public booking opens, the Menier Chocolate Factory has announced the full casting for the UK première of Jordan Harrison's Marjorie Prime.

Pregones/Puerto Rican Traveling Theater, an award-winning theater company with locations in the Bronx and Manhattan, is pleased to be celebrating the history and legacy of one of its longtime collaborators, the Appalachian theater company Roadside Theater, at an event on March 31.

Bonnie Comley, who is starting her second of a four-year term as President of the Board of Directors, hosted a Holiday Mixer with Executive Director Bevin Ross, Artistic Director Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, board members, Directors Project alumni, and invited guests.

Crossroads Theatre Company at New Brunswick Performing Arts Center (NBPAC) is presenting the play, Chicken & Biscuits through Saturday, December 31st.  There are just a few more opportunities to enjoy the show, so get your tickets now to top off your holiday week.

The Mayor's Office of Media and Entertainment has announced the full slate of programming for JanArtsNYC, the annual collection of world-class public performances and innovative industry gatherings taking place throughout the month of January at various NYC venues.

See photos from a gathering at KPOP on Broadway, which took place to uplift and celebrate Asians on Broadway.

The ensemble cast of My Policeman — Harry Styles, Emma Corrin, Gina McKee, Linus Roache, David Dawson, and Rupert Everett — will be honoured with the TIFF Tribute Award for Performance. As previously scheduled, My Policeman by director Michael Grandage will have its World Premiere at this year’s Festival.

Viewers who remember and were affected by THE LARAMIE PROJECT will see parallels in HERE THERE ARE BLUEBERRIES, a beautiful and no-less-significant new play written by Kaufman and Amanda Gronich, co-produced by the Tectonic Theater Project and directed by Kaufman at the La Jolla Playhouse.

Directors Gathering has announced (DG) Convening:​Manifesting an Ecosystem for Directors, building an interconnected and diverse community for directors. The gathering will take place virtually October 15-17, 2022.

Built shortly after the end of World War I to honor Lowell's veterans of all wars, the Lowell Memorial Auditorium will celebrate its centennial this fall, continuing a century-long tradition as the hub of arts and entertainment in the Merrimack Valley. 

Next up for Rogue Machine, the world premiere of June Carryl’s Blue opening April 7, 2023 at The Matrix Theatre. Michael Matthews directs the cast of John Colella and Julanne Chidi Hill. John managed to find some time after returning from working out of the country to answer a few of my queries.

American Composers Orchestra has announced eight composers selected from a competitive nationwide call for scores, who will participate in 2023 EarShot Readings with the Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (May 9-10, 2023) and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (October 3-4, 2023).

Both the McColl Family Theatre and Wells Fargo Playhouse will have shows this weekend at Children's Theatre of Charlotte at ImaginOn.