Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: June 19, 2011
By: Laura Deni
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PLIGHT OF LAS VEGAS HOMELESS STUDENTS ON THE CBS EVENING NEWS WITH SCOTT PELLEY CAUSES REACTION

Scott Pelley is a brilliant journalist who regularly delivered well balanced and hard hitting segments on 60 Minutes

Recently The Evening News With Scott Pelley ran a segment about the Whitney Elementary School in Las Vegas, a public school with an 85% enrollment of students who are termed homeless by the school district. For a school district, the word "homeless" can mean the students don't have a "permanent" school records' address.

While some of these little victims may have, at some point, slept in a van, most live in the not ideal rent by-the-day, week or month residential motel type complexes. In Las Vegas residential motels, located between hotels such as The Cannery, Arizona Charlie's, Sam's Town and Boulder Station, line Boulder Highway. They cater to "sun bunnies" - people who live in Las Vegas only during the summer months. For school children living in such a motel, any time they move from one room to another or one motel to another, the school has to update their records with a current address.

The principal at this one Las Vegas public school promises the parents that, if they'll just get their children to the school bus stop, she will provide free food, clothing, eye exams, hair cuts, dental visits - even paying their rent and utilities. She's set up a trust fund so that the students have access to a free college education.

Airing of that amazing and heart touching segment has resulted in the school being inundated with money and goods - which is commendable from a television evening news viewing audience.

No child in American should be either homeless or hungry. There are schools in every state which contain homeless and hungry children.

Instead of taking the approach that if you're poor enough and have the biggest sob story you'll be on the fast track for help, what about all of the students who could use some help but who don't happen to be attending one particular school?

For the minors to have appeared on this news segment, the parents/guardians had to have signed release forms. This was an expertly shot and edited report in which the students were clean, well dressed, cheerful and told to smile for the camera.

Pelley came to the CBS Evening News from 60 Minutes. He's a master at presenting intelligent, well balanced, informative features. So, why was this not only narrow focused but not helpful to other school districts? How has one principal managed to do her full time job, and accomplish all of this, including what would be hours of paper work each day to document donations and disbursements, to make sure no parent was double dipping into welfare programs? Why wasn't the Whitney School part of a segment that encompassed other poverty area schools in a variety of locations and showed how they could also feed the masses from one load of bread?

What about the homeless and hungry kids who live on the other side of Las Vegas or on the other side of the country? Is it okay for them to suffer?

In 2008 there were several newspaper articles written about the caring, hard working principal of this school. Those articles listed school demographics which remain the same today - that "85 percent of Whitney's students qualify for free or reduced-price meals." The principal is quoted as saying; "Many of the students are second-and third-generation poverty,” calling it "a lifestyle," a statement she repeated last week. Statistics show that over 50 percent of the school's students have English as a second language and one-third have trouble with even basic English.

It's wonderful that caring citizens want to help these students.

However, there is a growing segment of children who might be called the hidden poor - and they are ignored.

They have a permanent roof over their head, coming from the responsible working class poor. They don't have generational pride in knowing how to work the welfare system, and aren't raised to expect others to provide for them. They'd accept a hand up, but not a hand out.

If I want to see children who, because of no fault of their own, have been reduced to not eating as well as they should; who have air conditioning, but sleep in fenced backyards in order to avoid a large power bill - all I have to do is walk three blocks. These children exist in neighborhoods where such behavior would have been unheard of a few years ago. They may be clean, but they aren't all that cheerful and any smiles are forced.

Children in need aren't confined to just one school.

The principal discussed on camera that she has a friend who is a professional gambler, and he donates a percentage of his monthly winnings, which amounts to about $2,000 a month for her programs. That's lucrative for the students of one school, but of no help to teachers in Michigan, Oklahoma, Mississippi or anywhere else who don't have a deep pockets benefactor.

Not every principal has the time and community resources to facilitate programs similar to the worthy ones that the Las Vegas principal had showcased. Generous programs which have taken years to implement. Local television reports have credited the principal with personally raising over $1 million in money and services since she began her school program.

That can throw an inconceivable burden upon the over-worked and under paid principals across this country who are coping with budget cuts, and now have fingers pointing at them asking why they, too, haven't been able to create programs that pay the bills for the parents of their students.



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ART AND ABOUT

TREASURES OF HEAVEN: SAINTS, RELICS AND DEVOTION IN MEDIEVAL EUROPE

Reliquary bust of an unknown female saint, probably a companion of St Ursula. South Netherlandish, c. 1520–1530. © The Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.

This major exhibition brings together for the first time some of the finest sacred treasures of the medieval age.

It features over 150 objects drawn from more than 40 institutions including the Vatican, European church treasuries, museums from the USA and Europe and the British Museum’s own pre-eminent collection.


It was during the medieval period that the use of relics in devotional practice first developed and became a central part of Christian worship. For many, the relics of Christ and the saints – objects associated with them, such as body parts or possessions – continue to provide a bridge between heaven and earth today.


Relics were usually set into ornate containers of silver and gold known as reliquaries, opulently decorated by the finest craftsmen of the age. They had spiritual and symbolic value that reflected the importance of their sacred contents.


The earliest items date from the late Roman period and trace the evolution of the cult of the saints from the 4th century to the peak of relic veneration in late medieval Europe.

Relics featured in the exhibition include three thorns thought to be from the Crown of Thorns, fragments of the True Cross, the foot of St Blaise, the breast milk of the Virgin Mary, the hair of St John the Evangelist, and the Mandylion of Edessa ehich is one of the earliest known likenesses of Jesus.


Treasures such as these have not been seen in significant numbers in the UK since the Reformation in the 16th century, which saw the wholesale destruction of saints’ shrines. The exhibition offers a rare opportunity to glimpse the heritage of beautiful medieval craftsmanship that was lost to this country for centuries.


Organized with The Cleveland Museum of Art and The Walters Art Museum. On display June 23 - October 9, 2011 at the British Museum in London.

LADY GAGA'S RAW MEAT DRESS AND BOOTS

Lady Gaga's Meat Dress. Photo: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame.

were put on display last Thursday by the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in Cleveland as part of their Women Who Rock: Vision, Passion, Power exhibit, which runs until February 2012.


The raw-meat dress which is made from layers of Argentinean beef was kept in a meat locker, placed in a vat of chemicals and then dried out by American Taxidermy in California before being transported to the museum.


The meat dress - put together by designer Franc Fernandez and stylist Nicola Formichetti - was worn by Lady Gaga when she accepted her video of the year VMA for Bad Romance at the MTV Video Music Awards in September.


Hall of Fame spokeswoman Margaret Thresher says the dress took on a "dark, beef-jerky" look while dehydrating, so it was painted to look "fresh" afterward and put onto a dress form while it was still wet. The entire process took several months to complete.


The dress and boots are on display in a case which also contain canisters to control the humidity, along with another canister that soaks up the glutens. Hall of Fame chief curator Jim Henke told the press that "it's in a sealed case and we have the gels to control the environment in there."

SPIDER MAN: TURN OFF THE DARK FINALLY OPENS ON BROADWAY - PRESIDENT CLINTON ISSUES OPINION PAPER

Bono admits he's learned a lot with his foray into the world of Broadway

You've got to give them credit for tenasity.


Having already set records as the most expensive show in Broadway history and having stayed in previews longer than any other production - 183 - the persistent Spider-Man Turn Off the Dark - version deux - finally opened on its sixth attempt at the Foxwoods Theatre. Whether this effort will prove to be worth all the trouble will be determined when the audience consists of ordinary folks, rather than celebrities.


Of course the show is considerably better, considering that it couldn't have gotten any worse. Nobody is apt to be maimed or killed in this version which will be a turn off for those hoping to catch the bad drop on a cell phone and sell the coverage to bankroll their lifestyle, or at least cover the cost of the overpriced tickets.


Reeve Carney who stars as Peter Parker/Spider-Man, Jennifer Damiano who plays Mary Jane and Patrick Page as the Green Goblin are excellent.

President Clinton's loyalty to a friend is commendable. Clinton and Bono are active in helping underprivileged countries.

The two main reasons to see the show: the stunts and the scenery. The choreography and aerial choreography are by Daniel Ezralow; additional choreography by Chase Brock; sets by George Tsypin; lighting by Donald Holder. Aerial design by Scott Rogers; aerial rigging design by Jaque Paquin; projection coordinator/additional content design by Howard Werner. Projections by Kyle Cooper

Hopefully Spider Man: Turn Off The Dark will not turn into how people remember Bono and The Edge - who have come away from this production considerably wiser.


President Clinton who sat next to his good friend Bono during the opening show, proved his friendship by actually issuing an opinion paper sent out from the Clinton Foundation Press Office.


“What an amazing and historic night on Broadway," the former President opined. "New York has never seen anything like Spider-Man: Turn Off The Dark, Clinton continued. "And I am very proud of them for not giving up, it was fabulous,” - which indicates he needs to get out more.

SWEET CHARITY

BROADWAY SINGS TORI: A BENEFIT FOR RAINN will celebrate and support the work of the Rape, Abuse, and Incest National Network. The event will take place on Monday June 27th at New World Stages in New York City, and will feature songs written by 10-time Grammy nominee Tori Amos, who was the first spokesperson for RAINN.

Performers include Tony nominees Christine Andreas and Stephanie D’Abruzzo as well as Kate Shindle, Natalie Joy Johnson, Max Von Essen, Celina Carvajal, Steven Cutts, Katie Thompson, Molly Pope, and more. Brian Nash will serve as musical director, with Colleen Harris and Ben Cameron slated to host.


SERENATA the evening concert will combine a unique blend of star-studded performances from some of the world’s greatest classical artists and musicians in an event which benefits The Prince's Trust Charity.

Headlining the evening will be singing supremo Russell Watson as well as world-renowned trumpeter Alison Balsom, with support from electric string quartet Escala.

The black tie event has two types of tickets: Evening Concert and Opera Dinner Tickets includes complimentary wine at each table. Or Gourmet Barbecue Tickets with Evening Concert.

June 24, 2011 a the Hurlinghman Club in London.

THE WHITE ROOM a world premiere of Jennifer Muller's new evening-length piece presented by The Works at the Cedar Lake Theater in NYC, from June 22 - 26, 2011. A Gala Dinner and Silent Auction at Chelsea Art Museum, will follow the Opening Night Gala performance. The Gala honors Phoenix Partners Group, lead corporate sponsor for the company's education programs.

The White Room begins in a large featureless space, which alters as the piece progresses, influenced by the attitudes and actions of those inhabiting it. In the beginning, the room echoes the innocence of a young girl; The White Room is her story. She is both damaged and transformed by encounters with a diverse cast of characters. The piece concerns the corruption of innocence, contrasting purity with heartless self-interest and questioning the value systems of our times.

The music for The White Room is a compilation of cello-based music from traditional sources such as Yo-Yo Ma and contemporary composers like Zoe Keating, Break of Reality, Gordon Withers, Matthew Schoening and Julia Kent. Costume and stage design by Stageworks, lighting design by Jeff Croiter, and projection design by Kevin Harkins.

Company Members: Susanna Bozzetti, Elizabeth Disharoon, Rosie Lani Fiedelman, Seiko Fujita, Duane Gosa, Gen Hashimoto, Abdul Latif, Jen Peters, Alvon Reed, Pascal Rekoert Apprentices: Mario Bermudez Gil, Katherine Hozier, Kensaku Shinohara, Hsing-Hua Wang, Eric Williams.

For more than 37 years, contemporary dance company Jennifer Muller/The Works has applied a multi-disciplinary approach that weaves dance, theater and visual arts to create dances that celebrate and illuminate the human spirit. The Works has developed an astounding international presence, having appeared in the world's preeminent theaters and festivals in 39 countries on four continents. The Works returns to China for a multi-city engagement in 2011.

The Works is devoted to its professional training, arts awareness and mentoring programs. Faces of Wonder and Imagine That! bring The Works' artistry into NYC public schools. The HATCH Presenting Series has mentored over 500 new works by emerging choreographers and theater artists. The Scholarship/Apprentice Program provides valued professional training in Muller Technique for aspiring dancers. These programs reach over 5,000 youth in NYC schools and 50 emerging choreographers.

BILL W. AND DR. BOB a play by Samuel Shem and Janet Surrey will receive a one-night benefit reading at the Geffen Playhouse in Los Angeles on June 27.

Martin Sheen, JoBeth Williams, Ed Begley, Jr. and Stephanie Zimbalist headline the cast. Directed by Jenny Sullivan.

This is a joint fundraiser for the Geffen Playhouse and Hazelden - a non-profit leader in addiction treatment for more than 60 years - the evening will feature a reading of the play, a post-show discussion with the cast and playwrights as well as a dessert reception.

Bill W. and Dr. Bob "recounts the story of Bill Wilson and Dr. Robert Smith, two men whose friendship ultimately led to the founding of Alcoholics Anonymous. Together with their wives, who went on to develop Al-Anon Family Groups, their discoveries have touched and saved countless lives since the program's inception."

Bill W. and Dr. Bob debuted in 2007 with an award-winning run Off-Broadway before playing across the country. The goal now is a return to New York City and a national tour "which would travel to college campuses to fight the epidemic of binge drinking and provide scholarships to youth for treatment at Hazelden."

Dr. Samuel Shem and Dr. Janet Surrey, spouses, have been on the faculty of Harvard Medical School for many years and co-authored We Have to Talk: Healing Dialogues Between Women and Men.

The 4th ANNUAL SONGS OF OUR LIVES CONCERT benefiting The Fulfillment Fund, a nonprofit organization which helps Los Angeles youth overcome obstacles in pursuit of their dreams of higher education took place June 13 at the Wadsworth Theatre in Los Angeles.

With actor Tony Danza as emcee, the concert featured a special performance by the legendary songwriting duo Norman Gimbel and Charles Fox (Killing Me Softly, Ready to Take a Chance Again, theme from Happy Days), together on stage for the first time in 30 years.

"When I was young, I had opportunities and help in my education that were life-giving to me," said Fox, a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the event's producer. "The Songs of Our Lives is my way of paying it forward so that students in Los Angeles get the same opportunity to achieve their dreams."

The concert's lineup included Richard Marx, writer of 13 #1 songs. Allee Willis, writer of I'll Be There for You (Theme from Friends) David Pack, writer of Ambrosia's chart-topping singles including Biggest Part Of Me and You're The Only Woman; Steve Dorff, whose #1 hits include I Just Fall In Love Again, Jeff Barry, who wrote The Crystals' Da Doo Ron Ron and The Ronettes' Be My Baby; and Felix Cavaliere, whose 1960s hits with The Rascals includeGood Lovin', Groovin and People Got to Be Free.

PROSPECT THEATER'S 2011 ANNUAL GALA Make Our Garden Grow takes place June 27 in the Harbor View Room at Battery Gardens, NYC.

Evan Pappas will host. The one-night-only event will feature a concert with performances from Tony Award winner Karen Ziemba, Matt Cavenaugh, Jose Llana, Marla Mindelle and Gordon Stanley.

Cocktails followed by a three-course dinner, cabaret performance and the after party with an open bar.

PRIMETIME AND DAYTIME STARS in Las Vegas for the Daytime Emmy Awards, which will take place tonight, June 19, at the Las Vegas Hilton Hotel, spend yesterday delivering the gift of hearing.

Marlee Matlin and Susan Lucci headed up the celebrities who assisted the Starkey Hearing Foundation is distributing 100 aids to under-served, hearing-impaired children and adults from the Las Vegas area.

Led by Bill Austin, Founder of the Starkey Hearing Foundation, a team of audiologists and volunteers worked together on the precise fitting of custom-made, state-of-the-art hearing aids for each of the 100 recipients ages two to 53.

During the broadcast of the Daytime Emmy Awards, as part of the show’s Daytime Cares portion, the Starkey Hearing Foundation will be recognized along with its Founder, Bill Austin and Treasurer, Tani Austin, for their work in the area of closed captioning.

TONY RANDALL THEATRICAL FUND ANNOUNCES WINNERS

In 1991 Tony Randall founded The National Actors Theatre which presented over 20 productions of classical works on Broadway and Off-Broadway.

When the beloved actor passed away in 2004 his widow, Heather, created The Tony Randall Fund. Under her direction the fund continues their mandate of providing operating support to assist outstanding theatre companies meet challenges of the current economic climate. The total amount of financial support offered by the Tony Randall Grant for the 2011-2012 season is over $185,000. “With arts funding on the verge of disappearing, The Tony Randall Theatrical Fund honored to be able to help these passionate, resourceful theatre companies continue to fulfill their artistic mission,” stated Heather Randall.

The 2011 recipients of the Tony Randall grants are:

Elevator Repair Service, The Civilians, SITI Company, Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, and Soho Rep are being recognized for consistently producing innovative, artist-driven work for the next generation of theater-goers.

Epic Theatre Ensemble for the ambitious, high quality arts education they provide to 2,000 NYC public school students each year.

Lark Play Development Company for maintaining a nurturing, incubative atmosphere where playwrights can develop their work away from critical and commercial pressures.

Grants were also awarded to Classic Stage Company, Repertorio Espanol and Signature Theatre Company in recognition of their continued artistic achievement and organizational excellence.

The Acting Company, The Actors Fund, Brooklyn Academy of Music, New York Theatre Workshop and Target Margin Theatre will continue to receive The Tony Randall Theatrical Fund's ongoing support.

Since 2006, the Tony Randall Theatrical Fund grants recipients included The Civilians, Elevator Repair Service, LAByrinth Theater Company, Repertorio Espanol, The Atlantic Theatre Company, Classic Stage Company, The Flea Theater, The New Group, Signature Theatre Company, Vineyard Theatre, Red Bull Theatre Company, New York Theatre Work Shop, The Actor’s Center, The Actors’ Fund of America, Berkshire Theatre Festival, Brooklyn Academy of Music, The Drama League, Elysium Between Two Continents, Ethical Culture Foundation, Guggenheim Museum, Manhattan Theatre Club, Martha Graham Dance Company, Neighborhood Playhouse School of Theatre, New Victory Theatre, New York International Ballet Competition, Paper Bag Players, Raleigh Charter High School, Rent 10, Starworks Foundation, VOICE Experience Foundation, Voice Foundation, Playwrights Horizons, The Wooster Group, St. Ann’s Warehouse, PS 122, New Georges, Pig Iron Ensemble, Pergones, The Classical Theatre of Harlem, McCarter Theatre Center, O’Neill Center.

MONTREAL INTERNATIONAL JAZZ FESTIVAL

Robert Plant and the Band of Joy perform Friday, June 24. It should come as no surprise that their gig is sold out.

3,000 artists from 30 countries. More than 650 concerts, including 450 free outdoor performances. Close to 2.5 million peaceful festivalgoers - 400 accredited journalists, 10 free outdoor stages and 10 concert halls - that's the Montreal International Jazz Festival.

This event that has become an international jazz rendezvous and a laboratory for the creation of new talent, contributing to the successes of artists such as Diana Krall and Norah Jones.

The gigantic summer music celebration features 11 days of non-stop entertainment, from noon to midnight, right in the heart of downtown Montreal. Several city blocks are closed to traffic, as right of way is given exclusively to pedestrians, creating a festive and secure spot with cafés and bistros, an art gallery, street performers and a musical park for children. It’s the summer celebration par excellence for people of all ages and origins, a cultural breath of fresh air, and a place for incredible musical discoveries with influence such as jazz, blues, Latin-jazz, Brazilian, Cuban, African Reggae, contemporary, and electronica.

Prestigious prizes awarded each year by the Festival to honor great jazz artists include The Ella Fitzgerald Award rewarding Vocal talent, The Miles Davis Award acknowledging International Jazz Careers, The Oscar Peterson Award rewarding exceptional contribution to Canadian Jazz and The Antonio Carlos Jobim Award rewarding an artist in the domain of world music.

The 32nd edition of the Festival International de Jazz de Montréal will be held from June 25 to July 4, 2011.

SPREADING THE WORD

L.A. THEATRE WORKS THE PLAY'S THE THING RADIO SERIES beginning in September will moves to the James Bridges Theater on the campus of the UCLA School of Theater, Film and Television. There, each performance will be recorded in front of a live audience for future radio broadcast.

Sarah Drew, Calista Flockhart, Stacy Keach, Amy Madigan, Jean Smart, Matthew Rhys, Joanne Whalley, JoBeth Williams are among stars set to record 10 plays as part of L.A. Theatre Works' 2011-12 season. In 2011-12, the 10 plays selected to be recorded in front of a live audience include Rolf Fjelde's striking new translation (including the title) of A Doll House by Henrik Ibsen; a new comedy about romance in the science lab, Completeness by Itamar Moses; the Tony Award-winning drama Copenhagen by Michael Frayn; Sam Shepard's ground breaking, Pulitzer Prize-winning Buried Child; the witty and provocative Next Fall by Geoffrey Nauffts; the savage morality tale Look Back in Anger by John Osborne; Frost/Nixon by Peter Morgan, with Stacy Keach reprising his role as Richard Nixon; Michael Hollinger's award-winning look at a 'high strung' string quartet, Opus; Terence Rattigan's 1948 masterpiece The Browning Version; and the classic Rhinoceros by Eugene Ionesco.

L.A. Theatre Works has been the foremost producer of radio theater in the United States for more than two decades, bringing the finest recorded dramatic literature into the homes of millions every week. L.A. Theatre Works' syndicated radio theater series airs weekly on public radio stations nationwide and are distributed to over 8500 libraries nationwide. The L.A. Theatre Works Audio Theatre Collection, with over 450 titles, is the largest archive of its kind in the world.

SHAQ O'NEAL the 350-pound teddy bear, who is a 15-time NBA All Star and four-time NBA champ, will have his retirement party on June 25th at the Palms Hotel in Las Vegas.

FIRE CAUSES SHOW DISRUPTION over 100 firefighters were needed to put out a massive fire June 14 in the historical London West End Marconi House, which is where the first BBC broadcast in 1922 took place.

The blaze caused the nearby Aldwych theatre to cancel a performance of Dirty Dancing.

JOURNEY TO THE DOOR OF NO RETURN by Psalmayene 24 has a free reading staged by Georgetown University and presented by Arena Stage as part of their Downstairs New Play Series.

Baraka is a struggling music producer at a crossroad in his life. T.E.N. is the eccentric novelist he meets at a bus stop. The Door of No Return is the place where “the voices” tell Baraka he must go in order to release his demons. Billed as "Told under a beautiful canopy of music and movement, with a compelling cast of characters who turn stereotypes inside out, Journey to the Door of No Return… is a mystical tale that explores the process of forgiveness and the cost of redemption.

Friday, June 24 at the Davis Performing Arts Center, Gonda Theatre, Washington, DC.

THE ELECTRIC DAISY CARNIVAL which is in its 15th year, has moved to Las Vegas after last year's event in Los Angeles resulted in more than 100 people being hospitalized for injuries and drug-related issues and the death of a 15-year-old girl. Los Angeles officials indicated the event was no longer welcome.

The Las Vegas staging is expected to draw more than 250,000 people, making it North America's largest electronic music festival. Taking place June 24-26 at the Las Vegas Motor Speedway, the event will include 200 performers and artists.

Sweetening the pot for Las Vegas cooperation - One dollar of each ticket is going to be split among three local charities: the Clark County Community Partnership Program, the Smith Center for Performing Arts and the Injured Police Officers Fund.

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

CHARLIE SHEEN had been told to settle his $100 million lawsuit over his firing from Two and a Half Men through private arbitration rather than in a public courtroom. Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Allan Goodman last Wednesday rejected Sheen's request for a court trial in his lawsuit against Warner Brothers Television. Earlier, Warner Bros. had sought arbitration in lieu of a trial which is usually the customary route in disputes between talent and studios.

THE BOOK OF MORMON which captured nine Tony awards last week, is invoking the - ' to the victor goes the spoils' philosophy. They've raised ticket prices. The top ticket price is now $155. The $13 increase was put into effect the morning after the Tony Awards took place.

THE ENTERTAINMENT AND MEDIA MARKET is going to undergo a change, according to a report published last Tuesday by PricewaterhouseCooper.

According to the report China is expected to overtake Germany this year to become the world's third-largest entertainment and media market with spending hitting $96 billion.

HAPPY BIRTHDAY TO . . . .

A BEVY OF PEOPLE who celebrate their birthdays this week.

On June 19th Kathleen Turner, Paula Abdul and that wonderful cartoon cat Garfield blow out the candles.

On June 20th Brian Wilson, Lionel Ritchie, John Goodman and Nicole Kidman accept birthday wishes.

On June 21st Juliette Lewis opens her presents. On June 22 Prunella Scales, Kris Kristofferson, Lindsay Wagner, Meryl Streep and Cyndi Lauper celebrate.

On June 23rd Ted Shackleford is the birthday boy. June 24th it's Mick Fleetwood and Jeff Beck who get the cake and ice cream. On June 25 Carly Simon and George Michael hear the Happy Birthday song and on June 26th Chris Isaak gets to make his birthday wishes.



THE ADDAMS FAMILY the musical based on characters created by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams, on June 15 celebrated its 500th performance on Broadway.

LOVE, LOSS AND WHAT I WORE on June 16th celebrated its 400 performance Off-Broadway. .

HARRY CONNICK, JR AND GLORIA ESTEFAN who have been inducted into the Holltwood Bowl Hall of Fame. Dame Helen Mirren was the host for the ceremoney which took place during the annual Opening Night at the Bowl concert on June 17.

Presenters included Andy Garcia and Hilary Swank. The evening kicked off the summer season at the Bowl with The Hollywood Bowl Orchestra led by Thomas Wilkins.



JUBILEE Music and lyrics by Cole Porter. Book by Moss Hart.

Let the beguine begin - Cole Porter is coming to The Ohio Light Opera. He was urbane; he was cynical; he was rich; he was the master of the double entendre - so much so that many of his most risqué allusions sailed right over the heads of the censors into the laps of his audience.

OLO is proud to introduce this composer to its repertoire with his 1935 musical Jubilee, which boasts one of Broadway’s most magnificent musical scores and an absolutely charming, touching, and hilarious book by Moss Hart.

When the royal family of an unnamed country is threatened by an apparent coup and ordered by the prime minister to dreary Feathermore Castle, they all decide to defy the order and, for some romantic fun, to go off incognito into the real world that they have never experienced.

The Queen hits the pavement to track down slow-witted, but lovable film actor Charlie Rausmiller, who is in town promoting his screen appearance as the jungle god Mowgli. Son James seeks out cabaret singer Karen O’Kane, while daughter Diana has long admired playwright Eric Dare (modeled after Noël Coward). The rather distracted king is content to spend his time in the park practicing string tricks, but manages to strike up a relationship with socialite Eva Standing, who is never more than a day away from throwing a party.

By the end of the first act, the prime minister has caught up with them all and whisked them off to Feathermore. But…each of the four has, unknown to the others, invited his or her new friend to the castle for the weekend…and it all starts up again. Musical gems include the incomparable Begin the Beguine, Just One of Those Things, Why Shouldn’t I?, When Love Comes Your Way, A Picture of Me Without You, The Kling-Kling Bird in the Divi-Divi Tree, and an old-fashioned parlor waltz, Me and Marie, that has the audience humming for weeks.

June 25-August 12, 2011 at the Ohio Light Opera which is the Residential Professional Company of The College of Wooster in Wooster, Ohio.

SILENCE! THE MUSICAL the unauthorized parody of The Silence of the Lambs, with book by Hunter Bell, music & lyrics by Jon and Al Kaplan, and direction and choreography by Christopher Gattelli.

Starring Brent Barrett and Jenn Harris. Also featured in the cast are Stephen Bienskie, Harry Bouvy, Diedre Goodwin, Jeff Hiller, Howard Kaye, and Alysha Umphress. The Musical Director is Mark Hartman, with arrangements & orchestrations by Brian J. Nash.

This year marks the 20th anniversary of The Silence of the Lambs.

In the Academy Award-winning film The Silence of the Lambs, rookie FBI agent Clarice Starling matches wits with the brilliant but insane cannibal, Dr. Hannibal Lecter, to catch the serial killer known only as Buffalo Bill. Clarice must face her own demons and race the clock to unlock Lecter’s clues before another innocent girl is killed and skinned by Bill. It’s a hair-raising thriller that’s kept countless millions on the edges of their seats and permeated the pop lexicon with delightfully creepy quotes like “I ate his liver with some fava beans and a nice Chianti” and of course “It places the lotion in the basket.” And now, at last, this delicate symphony of suspense has been turned on its ear and retold in the only way it can be - as a musical. A singing chorus of floppy eared lambs narrates the action; Buffalo Bill gleefully dances a hoedown while kidnapping hapless Catherine Martin; and even Dr. Lecter, scary as ever, sings about the life he’d like to lead someday outside the prison walls.

Created by Jon and Al Kaplan in 2002, Silence! shattered every box office record at the 2005 FringeNYC Festival, winning the award for Best Musical. Silence! The Musical met with further success last season in London where it played at Above The Stag Theatre.

Performances will begin June 24th for a limited engagement through August 13th at Theatre 80, New York City.

MASTER CLASS by Terrence McNally. Directed by Stephen Wadsworth.

Terrence McNally’s play about Maria Callas (Tyne Daly) takes us to one of her famous master classes, where, late in her own career, she dares the next generation to make the same sacrifices and rise to the same heights that made her the most celebrated, the most reviled and the most controversial singer of her time.

Starring Olivier Award nominee Sierra Boggess (Sharon Graham), Clinton Brandhagen (Stagehand), Jeremy Cohen (Manny), Tony and Emmy Award winner Tyne Daly (Maria Callas), Drama Desk Award winner Alexandra Silber (Sophie De Palma), and Garrett Sorenson (Anthony Candolino).

The creative team includes Thomas Lynch (scenic design), Martin Pakledinaz (costume design), David Lander (lighting design), Jon Gottlieb (sound design), and Paul Huntley (wig design).

This limited engagement is in previews in preparation for a July 7 opening at the Manhattan Theatre Club’s Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, NYC.

THE MERCHANT OF VENICE by William Shakespeare. Directed by Ethan McSweeny. The Assistant Director is Jenny Lord.

Whether contemplating the contents of gilded chests or the darkest corners of humanity, The Merchant of Venice challenges audiences to look beyond misleading appearances to find the true measure of things. This intriguing story of power and revenge, justice and mercy, true love and duplicity features some of Shakespeare's most complex and memorable characters.

The Merchant of Venice is being staged at STC for the first time in more than a decade. Set against the gritty backdrop of 1920s Lower East Side New York City, this classic tale with a modern twist highlights that commerce is king and everything's a commodity.

The cast includes: Gordon Adams, Travis Blumer, Matthew Carlson, Julia Coffey, Carl Cofield, Drew Cortese, Aubrey Deeker, Vaneik Echeverria, Drew Eshelman, Adam Ewer, Tim Getman, Emily Joshi-Powell, Kai Moeller, Andy Murray, Mark Nelson, Daniel Pearce, Amelia Pedlow, Benjamin Pelteson, Khalil Reddick, Derek Smith, Kevin Stevens, Paul Stuart, Liz Wisan, Hannah Wolfe.

Andrew Lieberman is the set designer. Jennifer Moeller serves as the costume designer. Marcus Doshi is the Lighting Designer. The Composer and Sound Designer is Steven Cahill. Karma Camp Choreographer. Dave Bova Wig Designer.

Begins June 21 at Sidney Harman Hall in Washington, DC.

The Merchant of Venice Symposium takes place on Saturday, June 25.

MEASURE FOR MEASURE AND ALL'S WELL THAT ENDS WELL by William Shakespeare. In repertory through July 30, 2011.

Measure for Measure is directed by David Esbjornson.

Measure sweeps from the corridors of national power to the intimate confines of the bedroom and from the convent's chapel to the executioner's block. It is Shakespeare at his grittiest: a bracing and bawdy glimpse of what happens when those in power allow their basest human impulses to range unchecked.

With Bill Army, Kristen Connolly, John Cullum, Carson Elrod, Joe Forbrich, Danai Gurira, Michael Hayden, Andre Holland, Jordan Lund, David Manis, Dakin Matthews, Charlie Francis Murphy, Caitlin O'Connell, Annie Parisse, Carra Patterson, Tonya Pinkins, Lorenzo Pisoni, James Rees, Reg Rogers, Lucas Caleb Rooney, Benjamin Thys, Brendan Titley, Katie Tuminelly, Zachary Unger, Benjamin Perry Wenzelberg, Roger Yeh.

The Artistic Staff includes: Scenic Design Scott Pask - Costume Design Elizabeth Hope Clancy - Lighting Design Peter Kaczorowski - Original Music and Sound Score John Gromada - Sound Design Acme Sound Partners - Hair and Wig Design Charles Lapoint - Vocal Coach Shane-Ann Younts - Production Stage Manager M. William Shiner - Stage Managers are Buzz Cohen, James Latus and Sean M. Thorne.

All's Well That Ends Well is helmed by Daniel Sullivan.

A fairytale for grown-ups, this beguiling fable follows the low-born Helena, one of Shakespeare's most resourceful heroines, as she inventively surmounts obstacle after impossible obstacle in order to win the love of the aristocratic and haughty Count Bertram.

With Bill Army, Kristen Connolly, John Cullum, Carson Elrod, Lauren Ferguson, Joe Forbrich, Michael Hayden, Edena Hines, Andre Holland, Jordan Lund, David Manis, Zoey Martinson, Dakin Matthews, Adam McNulty, Katie Meister, Charlie Francis Murphy, Caitlin O'Connell, Annie Parisse, Tonya Pinkins, Lorenzo Pisoni, Aleque Reid, Reg Rogers, Lucas Caleb Rooney, Benjamin Thys, Brendan Titley, Katie Wieland, Roger Yeh.

Artistic Staff includes: Scenic Design Scott Pask - Costume Design Jane Greenwood - Lighting Design Peter Kaczorowski - Original Music Tom Kitt - Sound Design Acme Sound Partners - Hair and Wig Design Tom Watson - Fight Director Tom Schall - Choreographer Mimi Lieber - Vocal Coach Shane-Ann Younts - Production Stage Manager James Latus - Stage Managers are Buzz Cohen and M. William Shiner.

Shakespeare in the Park is one of New York City's most beloved summer traditions. New York natives and visitors alike have been enjoying free Shakespeare in Central Park since performances began in 1954. Now 57 years after Joseph Papp first conceived the project, The Public Theater is proud to continue to produce Shakespeare in the Park.

SIDE EFFECTS by Michael Weller. Directed by David Auburn.

Starring Joely Richardson and Cotter Smith.

Hugh and Lindy's marriage seems picture-perfect, a beacon in their microcosmic Midwestern world of dinner parties and fundraisers. But, behind closed doors - doors they can barely keep shut - they're falling apart, and Hugh's rising political star is suddenly imperiled.

Presented through July 3 by MCC Theater at The Lucille Lortel Theatre, NYC.

NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT the new musical comedy with a score by George and Ira Gershwin, book by Tony Award winner Joe DiPietro and direction and choreography by Tony winner Kathleen Marshall, will star Tony winner Matthew Broderick. The production is set for a Broadway premiere in spring 2012.

A STREETCAR NAMED DESIRE by Tennessee Williams. Directed by David Cromer.

With 28 productions of his plays in the WTF history, Tennessee Williams and the Williamstown Theatre Festival have had a long and impressive relationship.

To honor his 100th birthday, there's no better gift than an intimate new production of his masterwork by one of today's most inventive directors. In the close quarters of the Nikos Stage, the audience will take up temporary residence in the stifling Kowalski apartment to witness Williams' turbulent tale of longing and delusion.

Starring: Jennifer Engstrom, Jessica Hecht, Ana Reeder, Sam Rockwell, Daniel Stewart Sherman, Lou Sumrall and Kirby Ward.

Williamstown Theatre Festival June 22 - July 3 in Williamstown, VA.

WHO'S WHERE

KEITH URBAN on stage Thursday, June 23, at the Colonial Life Afrena in Columbia, SC. On Friday the tour stops at the Time Warner Cable Arena in Charlotte, NC. Saturday's performance is at the RBC Center in Raleigh, NC.

GLEE LIVE IN CONCERT are across the pond opening a two nighter on Wednesday, June 22, at the Evening News Arena in Manchester, England. On Thursday they begin a 5 night stand at the 02 in London.

PAUL SIMON is across the pond with a show Thursday, June 23, at the Royal Centre in Nottingham, England. Friday's performance is at the S.E.C.C. in Glasgow, Scotland.

ELVIS COSTELLO performs Monday, June 20, at the Music Theatre in Royal Oak, MI. On Thursday the show is at the Sony Centre for the Performing Arts in Toronto, ON.

CELTIC WOMAN continue their tour with performances in Germany and Austria this week. On Tuesday, June 21 they're in the spotlight at the Standthalle in Bielefeld, Germany. On Wednesday the tour stops at the AWD Hall in Hannover, Germany. On Friday the show is in Vienna, Austria at the Wiener Stedthallr. They close out the week on Saturday with a show at the Circus Krone Bau in Munich, Germany.

GLORIA GAYNOR AND THE VILLAGE PEOPLE perform Saturday, June 25, at the State Theatre in New Brunswick, NJ.

FINAL OVATION

CARL GARDNER original lead singer of The Coasters died in a Florida hospice on June 12, 2011 following a long bout with congestive heart failure and vascular dementia. He was 83. The Coasters were inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1987.

BRIGITTE BURDINE MEMORIAL TRIBUTE for the top video game casting director who worked on games including World of Warcraft and God of War II. She was killed on December 29, 2010 by a hit-and-run driver while walking home along Culver Blvd in Playa Vista, CA. She was 48. The Secret Rose Theatre in North Hollywood will present Firework in her honor. The dance concert will be held June 24, 25 and 26 at the Secret Rose Theatre.

Both children and adult dancers from the Los Angeles area will participate in the event, which is open to the public. The performance is produced and directed by Heather Ashleigh who will also perform in the show.

Brigitte Elaine Burdine was born on August 8, 1962 in Takoma Park, MD. She moved to southern California in 1980. Working in the field since 1989, she ran the Brigitte Burdine Casting Agency.

Next Column: June 26, 2011
Copyright: June 19, 2011. All Rights Reserved. Reviews, Interviews, Commentary, Photographs or Graphics from any Broadway To Vegas (TM) columns may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, utilized as leads, or used in any manner without permission, compensation and/or credit.
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Laura Deni

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