Broadway To Vegas

Copyright: June 19, 2016
By: Laura Deni
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54 BELOW RECORDING MAKES FOR A GREAT LISTEN

It sounds as though the musicians had fun. They romp. Musically, they're all over the place. It's all heard on Bonnie And Clyde and a Whole Lotta Jazz released by Broadway Records.

The guy who penned all of the music, Frank Wildhorn, plays the piano. He's joined by outstanding musicians in the likes of Julia Pederson on bass; drummer Clint De Ganon; Antoine Silverman playin' that fiddle and David Mann tootin' the horns.

They have a blast performing selections from Wildhorn's Broadway musical Bonnie and Clyde, plus being joined by some of the best singers in the business who let it all hang out with jazz infused songs.

Those friends are Mimi Bessette, Janet Dacal, Louis Hobson, Jeremy Jordan, Kevin Massey, Laura Osnes, Emmy Raver-Lampman, Melissa Van Der Schyff and Adrienne Warren.

My only beef is that I wasn't there when this was recorded Live at 54 Below in New York City December 2-6, 2014.

Two different musical styles are expertly combined into one program, captured on this CD. The first section is from the Broadway musical Bonnie & Clyde which wasn't a great hit. In fact, it closed after only one month. The second section is a shows-no-restraint jazz offering with quicksilver renditions delivered by nine singers who have the chops to carry off such diverse musical offerings.

With Wildhorn responsible for the music, the first ten tracks have lyrics by Don Black. Tracks 11-16 feature the word talents of Jack Murphy and Leslie Bricusse provided the words for track l7.

From soulful, mournful and scared to hopeful and aggressive, the arrangements reflect the era of the crimes. The occasional, brief commentary is warm and makes the listener feel included.

Singing the roles of Bonnie Parker and Clyde Barrow puts Laura Osnes and Jeremy Jordan into familiar territory.

Osnes was with the production from the onset. She starred as Bonnie Parker in the world premiere of Bonnie & Clyde at the La Jolla Playhouse from November 10 to December 20, 2009. She reprised the role at the Asolo Repertory Theatre, Sarasota, Florida before starring on Broadway at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre. Her portrayal of Bonnie earned her a Tony Award nomination for Best Actress in a Musical. She was joined by her Asolo Rep co-star Jeremy Jordan as Clyde. The show may have received negative reviews, but the stars got raves. When you listen to them on this CD you'll understand why.

By the way, on July 14 and 19th, Jordan will reprise his role as Tony in the Hollywood Bowl concerts of West Side Story.

Osnes kicks off this CD with the romantically hopeful How About a Dance? which is followed by When I Drive with Jordan and Kevin Massey, which is high octane and full throttle. Bonnie is gentle. Melissa van der Schyff solos on the longing That's What You Call a Dream.

Other selections include Mimi Bessette's incredible rendition of The Devil. Bessette played the role of Emma Parker in the Broadway musical Bonnie & Clyde.

You Can Do Better Than Him features Louis Hobson and Jordan. This Never Happened Before is a beautiful love song sung by Jordan and Osnes.

Keeping in mind that Bonnie And Clyde is about a notorious pair of criminals who were both killed on May 23, 1934, the individual musical numbers and the arrangements for this CD - such as Dying Ain't So Bad are emotionally sensitive.

Raise a Little Hell and This World Will Remember Us are jazz age/prohibition era spirited and openly defiant.

The jazz section is groovy and bluesy, features Wildhorn songs from such productions as Wonderland and Jekyll and Hyde.

Havana is performed by Adrienne Warren, Emmy Raver-Lampman, and Janet Dacal. Dacal then solos on It's No Secret Anymore. Dacal, a Cuban-American singer received the Drama Desk Award for creating the role of beauty salon worker Carla in Lin-Manuel Miranda's 2007 off-Broadway musical In the Heights. Dacal reprised this role for the musical's 2008 Broadway transfer.

What I Do Best sung by Warren is showstopping. Warren is currently playing the roles of Gertrude Saunders and Florence Mills in the musical Shuffle Along, or, the Making of the Musical Sensation of 1921 and All That Followed on Broadway and was nominated for the Tony Award for Best Featured Actress in a Musical.

Emmy Raver-Lampman is on fire with a standing ovation rendition of One Bad Habit. Raver-Lampman is joined by Warren on a barn burning The Mad Hatter. These women can knock it to the third balcony.

Warren then shows her versatility on the tender and hearbreaking Where Are You Now.

The CD ends with Emmy Raver-Lampman delivering a moving rendition of A New Life. She's appeared in Jekyll and Hyde, closed the national tour of Wicked, and in April finished her stint in the mega hit Hamilton.

Album mixed by Kontinuous Jams Studios. Mastered by Greg Reirson, Rare Form Mastering.










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ART AND ABOUT

ONE LIFE: BABE RUTH

Babe Ruth and other Red Sox pitchers by Underwood & Underwood (active 1880 - c. 1950) / Gelatin paper print, 1915 / National Portrait Gallery, Smithsonian Institution

This exhibition examines Babe Ruth as a baseball legend and the marketing frenzy his name and image fueled before the commercialization of sports superstars became routine. Related themes focus on star power in an age before electronic mass media and the use of portraiture in advertising.

The photographic record alone is astonishing. Ruth was arguably the most portrayed American from the beginning of his professional career in the major leagues, in 1914, to his death in 1948. No president, Hollywood star, or athlete so enjoyed the limelight for as long as Babe Ruth. In one news column or another, he appeared in the papers every week.

The exhibition will include approximately forty objects, from prints and photographs of Ruth, both in and out of his New York Yankees uniform, to personal paraphernalia, and advertising memorabilia endorsed by Ruth. The show will conclude with a look at a few of baseball’s greats - Hank Aaron, Roger Maris, and Whitey Ford - who chased and broke one or more of the Babe’s long-standing records. Historian James Barber curates this exhibition.

June 24, 2016 – May 21, 2017 Portrait Gallery of the Smithsonian in Washington, DC.

CREOLE WORLD New Orleans is known for its distinctive Creole heritage - evident in its food, architecture, and people - but it is part of an entire family of Latin Caribbean cities that forged new identities from their colonial histories.

This exhibition will explore these connections, featuring the work of renowned photographer Richard Sexton.

Over the course of 38 years (1975-2013), Sexton traveled across Latin America - from Haiti, Columbia, Argentina, Cuba and Ecuador back home to New Orleans - capturing the architectural and urban similarities among these culturally rich locales. The exhibition contains more than 50 vibrant images on loan from The Historic New Orleans Collection.

On exhibit through August 20, 2016 at the Paul and Lulu Hilliard University Art Museum in Lafayette, Louisiana.

PETER BEARD: LAST WORD FROM PARADISE The exhibition focuses on the two outposts that Beard calls home - Africa and the East End of Long Island. Representing the artist's first U.S. museum solo exhibition in 15 years, the show presents more than 50 multi-layered collages, drawings, photographs, and diaries from the 1960s to the present, some on public view for the first time.

It includes the artist's iconic work from Africa that chronicles the change in the landscape from a time richly populated by elephants, rhinos, and crocodiles, to what remains today.
,br> Also on view are never-before exhibited Montauk portraits of his home, family, and friends including Mick Jagger, Andy Warhol, Jacqueline Onassis, and Lee Radziwill.

On exhibit through Sunday, July 31 at Guild Hall in The Hamptons, New York.

SWEET CHARITY

PRIVATE COLLECTION OF JOAN RIVERS AUCTION

Effects of the eclectic Joan Rivers are up for auction. Photo: Joan Rivers.com

in which objects from her 5,100-square-foot-triplex at 1 E 62nd Street in New York City go up for bid by Christie's at Rockefeller Center on June 23. The auction starts at 10:00am, Lots 1-217.

Some of the proceeds will be donated to both God’s Love We Deliver and Guide Dogs For The Blind.

The Joan Rivers Collection embodies the multi-faceted spirit of the iconic native-New York comedian, actress, writer, producer and award-winning television host. As the first female host of a late night network television talk show; well-known for her co-hosting of E!’s Fashion Police and her acerbic but honest and clever remarks, Joan Rivers stood for legendary entertainment and eclectic tastes. From her coveted collection of pieces from Fabergé, and Chanel to a Tiffany dog bowl and silk pagoda dog bed, the offerings from her collection show both sides of her personality: the exuberant energy and the refined connoisseur.

Items up for bid include decorative arts, paintings, and fine French furniture. There are unique costumes made by Bob Mackie, couture and personal jewelry spanning esteemed design houses such as Cartier, Van Cleef & Arpels, Harry Winston, will also be sold in a tandem online auction running to June 23. Viewing the collection is free will continues until Tuesday June 21st.

With more than 200 lots offered in the live sale on June 22 and approximately 80 lots in the online sale, estimates will range from $500 up to $200,000. Among the personal objects, which reflect Joan’s knowledgeable connoisseurship of fine and decorative arts and witty sense of humor, include a beautiful Edouard Vuillard painting, Dans L'Atelier, painted circa 1915 (estimate: $120,000-80,000), an assorted group of Joan Rivers’ table linens (estimate: $500-800), and a sapphire and diamond brooch (estimate: $10,000-15,000).

WOODIE KING JR'S NEW FEDERAL THEATRE will hold a Gala Benefit honoring Novella Nelson and Melvin Van Peebles, two of many actors and directors who have worked at NFT over the theatre's 46 year history. Van Peebles will be introduced by Academy Award winner Estelle Parsons. Nelson will be introduced by former Mayor David Dinkins.

Co-chairs are Carmen de Lavallade, Barbara Montgomery and Phyllica Rashad. Honorary Chairperson of the event is Susan Taylor. Co-hosts are Art McFarland and Garla Miles.

Proceeds from the benefit will fund upcoming works of New Federal Theatre and ensure continuation of its acting and playwriting workshops.

NFT is honoring Melvin Van Peebles and Novella Nelson because of their exceptional commitment to African American theater and film. Van Peebles' memorable plays include Broadway's Ain't Supposed to Die a Natural Death and Don't Play Us Cheap, NFT's Champeen and Waltz of the Stork Boogie, and many films, especially the award winning Story of a Three Day Pass. His American film debut was Watermelon Man starring Godfrey Cambridge and Estelle Parsons.

Novella Nelson is being honored for her years as artist-in-residence with impresario Joseph Papp at the New York Shakespeare Festival and for her work with NFT directing Runners by Ivey McCray and starring in the play Gilbeau by Clayton Riley. We are especially proud of her work in Denzel Washington's directorial debut, Antone Fisher. Nelson also starred in Woodie King's Jr.'s productions of The Torture of Mother and Women of the Regent Hotel.

New Federal Theatre’s Mission is to integrate minorities and women into the mainstream of American theater by training artists for the profession, and by presenting plays by minorities and women to integrated, multicultural audiences-plays which evoke the truth through beautiful and artistic re-creations of ourselves.

Because of the work of NFT, such playwrights as: J.E. Franklin, Ron Milner, Ed Bullins, Amiri Baraka, Joseph Lazardi, Ntozake Shange, David Henry Hwang, Damien Leake, Genny Lim, Laurence Holder, Alexis DeVeaux, and several others have been brought to national attention.

Actors who at one time performed in an NFT production and starred in television series as well as motion pictures include: Jackée Harry, Morgan Freeman, Denzel Washington, Debbie Allen, Phylicia Rashad, Dick Anthony Williams, Glynn Turman, Taurean Blacque, Samuel L. Jackson, Laurence Fishburne, Garrett Morris, Robert Downey, Jr., Sam MacMurray, Debbie Morgan, Lynn Whitfield, Reginald Vel-Johnson, Vondie Curtis-Hall, Ruby Dee, Leslie Uggams, Ella Joyce.

Sunday, June 26 at Trump Place, New York City.

VIRGINIA ARTS FEATIVAL wraps up their 20th season with An Evening with Bruce Hornsby taking place Thursday, June 23, at the Phi Beta Kappa Memorial Hall in Williamsburg, Virginia.

The proceeds from this intimate solo performance benefit Habitat for Humanity Peninsula and Greater Williamsburg, Virginia Shakespeare Festival, and Virginia Arts Festival's educational outreach program.

JOHNNY GOT HIS GUN Edward Asner and Wendie Malick host when actor Beau Bridges and his son Ezekiel read from Dalton Trumbo’s Johnny Got His Gun at the historic Mountain Mermaid in Topanga. All proceeds from this special fundraising event, which includes a silent auction, drinks and hors d’oeuvres, will benefit the artistic and educational programming at Will Geer's Theatricum Botanicum.

Saturday, June 25, 2016 at The Mountain Mermaid in Topanga, CA.

VIP tickets include includes performance, pre-performance VIP reception with Beau and Ezekiel Bridges, Ed Asner and Wendie Malick.

COLDPLAY

Coldplay from left to right: Chris Martin, Guy Berryman, Jonny Buckland, Will Champion

will headline a charity concert to benefit Sentebale on June 28 at Kensington Palace Gardens in London.

This is the charity which Prince Harry and Prince Seeiso stared in 2006. It is reported that Harry personally booked Coldplay. The Prince had previously enlisted Coldplay front man Chris Martin to write the official anthem for the Invictus Games,

The British singer-songwriter Laura Mvula, the African-Norwegian singing and songwriting duo Nico and Vinz and the spoken word artist George "the Poet" Mpanga, an ambassador for Sentebale, will also be on the bill. George The Poet will watch his poem We Can Fight written for Sentebale performed.

The concert, in partnership with The Handa Foundation and supported by The Quintessentially Foundation, will raise funds and awareness of the challenges faced by adolescents living with HIV in sub-Saharan Africa.

Tickets ranged from $115 to $732 for hospitality packages. The sold out concert had 3,000 tickets, which were snapped up in minutes.

The money raised from the event will go towards Sentebale’s monthly Saturday clubs, caregiver days and residential week-long camps at the newly opened ‘Mamohato Children’s Centre, delivering psychosocial support to children living with HIV in Lesotho, and later this year in Botswana.

SPREADING THE WORD

PRINCE WILLIAM appears on the cover of the current issue of Attitude, the UK's leading gay magazine with a readership of 10,000 in both print and digital. This is a first for the royal family. The issue comes out on Wednesday, June 22, the day after William celebrates his 34th birthday. The inclusion of the Duke of Cambridge wasn't going to be disclosed until the magazine's release, but due to current events, an announcement was made on Tuesday, June 14, when William and his wife Kate signed a book of condolence for victims of the gay nightclub shooting in Orlando at the embassy in Westminster, central London.

Wills, the parent to two, stressed he is "appalled" as a father at cyber bullying.

The magazine issue went to press on June 8 and had been in the planning for months.

William, along with his wife Kate, the Duchess of Cambridge and his brother, Prince Harry, is leading the Heads Together campaign, which aims to end stigma around mental health.

The cover came about after the Duke of Cambridge invited Attitude to bring members of the LGBT+ community to Kensington Palace to hear their experiences of bullying and discuss the impact on mental health.

Wills told Attitude: “No one should be bullied for their sexuality or any other reason and no one should have to put up with the kind of hate that these young people have endured in their lives. The young gay, lesbian and transgender individuals I met through Attitude are truly brave to speak out and to give hope to people who are going through terrible bullying right now. Their sense of strength and optimism should give us all encouragement to stand up to bullying wherever we see it.”

The second in line to the throne urged anyone who was being bullied for their sexuality to contact someone whom they could trust, whether a friend, teacher or other adult, or a service such as Childline or the Diana Award, which was named after his late mother. “You should be proud of the person you are and you have nothing to be ashamed of,” the prince said.

EXCELLENT AND SENSITIVE response to the Orlando, Florida terrorism attack by Tony Awards television personnel who had little time to effectively and appropriately respond to the tragedy. Host James Corden, director Glenn Weiss and the writers deserve low bows as do Lin-Manuel Mirada and Frank Langella for their eloquent acceptance speeches. Kudos to the hard workers who quickly made 3,000 elegant, angelically iridescent ribbons designed by six time Tony Award costume designer William Ivy Long for those in attendance to wear in honor of those killed and injured in the attack.

BOUNCE the Basketball Opera is the latest Ardea Arts project in development. Showcase performances will take place at Paerdegat Park in East Flatbush, Brooklyn Saturday-Monday June 25-27, 2016. This is a free, non-ticketed event, open to the public.

Bounce, based on the Greek myth The Flight of Icarus, tells the story of Ike "The Flight" Harris, a high school basketball star bound for stardom. Audiences will see if "Flight" can rebound from the emotional and physical pain of gun violence, as the story plays out on local basketball courts across the country.

Pairing diverse casting with a fresh approach to arts engagement, local high school students working alongside seasoned professionals are integrated into the production using the powerful medium of basketball. They become the basketball players, the cheerleaders and Flight's classmates and teammates. Local and national community leaders also play a number of the adult roles.

Basketball is a simple game - get the ball in the basket. But this 'simple' game becomes complex when outside forces like money and fame challenge team ethics. Isaac "Flight" Harris, a gifted and ambitious young player is on a fast track to stardom until his wings are clipped by the actions of a jealous teammate. We experience Flight's descent, then the powerful epiphany that changes his world forever. Synthesizing the grandeur of operatic singing with the grittiness of street rhythms, electronic dance music and urban hip-hop vocal stylings, Bounce asks: how does one rise up after being knocked down? The answer is in the game of basketball itself.

The creative team includes: Glen Roven (Lead Composer/Music Supervisor), Charles R. Smith, Jr. (Story and Libretto), Grethe Barrett Holby (Creative & Stage Director/Creative Producer), with additional music by Tomás Donck, and Ansolo. The Production staff includes Dr. Everett McCorvey (Conductor), David Wolfson and Kristen Rosenfeld (Music Directors), Clarence Tennell (Basketball Coach), Stephanie Kerley Schwartz (Set Designer), Gloria Parker (Producing Director), and Chidi Ozieh (Managing & Media Director).

The cast features Jonathan Brown as Kwame, Charlotte Dos Santos as Sabrina, Leonard Elmore as Guest Announcer, Susan Gonzalez as Dr. Paulo, Scout and Opera Chick, Ashley Jackson as Daphne, Jacob Johnson as Akilli, Jonathan Kirkland as Flight, Shanduke McPhatter (Executive Director of Gangstas Making Astronomical Community Changes Inc.)as Poet, Brooklyn Teacher Darnese Olivieri as Reporter, Erick Patricks as Odell, AssemblymanN. Nick Perry as Singer, Troy Press as Announcer, Aaron Ramsey as Future, Christopher Samuels as Hector the Hellicopter, Clarence Tennell (Athletic Director of the Business of Sports School) as Coach, Detective Robert Thybulle and Councilman Jumaane Williams as Policemen, Patrice Turner as Mrs. Lucas, Tenor Todd Wilander as Coach Ellis, Curtis Williams as Ajax, and Sophie Denton, Kiara Hunter, Alex Kyriakides, Brianna Lowe, Jessenia Rodriguez, and Elizabeth Zotto as Makeover Girls, joined by high school students from GMACC, Inc. (Gangsta's Making Astronomical Community Changes) in East Flatbush, The EBC High School for Public Service in Bushwick, and the Business of Sports School (BOSS) in Manhattan.

Ardea Arts has been developing Bounce in partnership with The University of Kentucky Opera Theatre. Bounce partners and advocates include prominent local council members, community leaders, and basketball industry advocates, many whom will participate in the production, including basketball legend and announcer Len Elmore.

GLASGOW JAZZ FESTIVAL beginning June 22 will be headlined by Guitar legends Joe Bonamassa and George Benson.

Joe Bonamassa will play in the Glasgow Clyde Auditorium on Sunday, July 3, where he will pay tribute to three legends of British blues Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck and Jimmy Page, in a one-off tour aptly entitled A Salute to the British Blues Explosion.

The renowned ten-time Grammy winner and NEA Jazz Master George Benson will be performing at the Glasgow Royal Concert Gall on June 22, 2016.

The live show will feature George Benson’s masterful guitar playing, and he and his band will perform his Greatest Hits from his impressive back catalog which includes such classics as Give Me The Night, Lady Love Me (One More Time), Turn Your Love Around, Love X Love, Never Give Up On A Good Thing and In Your Eyes.

The Glasgow Jazz Festival attracts some of the biggest names in jazz as well as Scotland’s finest homegrown talent, and is internationally acclaimed for its richly diverse program, which features everything from trad and Dixie to free jazz, northern soul, world music, blues and hip-hop crossovers.

TOWARDS A RADIO BALLAD: SONGS OF THE JOURNEY Implicated Theatre, a group formed in 2011 as part of the Serpentine’s Edgware Road Project, presents a participatory evening of theatrical interventions and sound compositions developed from a year-long collaboration with migrant hotel worker unions in London. With composer Patrick Farmer and director Frances Rifkin.

Friday, June 24 at the Serpentine Pavilion in London.

THE JANE AUSTEN FESTIVAL REGENCY COSTUMED SUMMER BALL takes place, Saturday, June 25 at the Guildhall in Bath, England. The caller is Diana Campbell accompanied by musicians Green Ginger.

KATHLEEN TURNER appears as a guest artist when Rioult Dance NY presents Woman on the Edge - Usung Heroines of the Trojan War.

An established name in modern dance Rioult Dance NY performs the World Premiere of Cassandra's Curse, set to live music and the New York City premiere of Polymorphous, a piece exploring the subjectivity of perception through movement and technology; Duets, a suite of magnificent duets drawn from some of Pascal Rioult's finest dances; and two repertory works.

Kathleen Turner joins the company as narrator for performances on June 21, June 23 and the evening of June 25.

At the Joyce Theater in New York City June 21-26, 2016.

THE ELECTRIC DAISY CARNIVAL fondly known as EDC opened last Friday in Las Vegas at the Motor Speedway. The city has been under a dangerous heat warning, although the 114 temperatures are expected until Tuesday.

Physical heat hasn't deterred the more than 400,000 people who have been generating musical heat celebrating the 20th anniversary of the electronic dance music festival.

Love didn't wilt, either as couples had the opportunity to make it legal at one of two EDC Wedding Chapels: the Chapel of Nature (organic and Earth-inspired) and the Chapel of Future (modern technology themed).

EDC shuts off the speakers tonight, Sunday, June 19.

JUNE 19 is National Dry Martini Day and June 22 is National Onion Rings Day.

OTHER PEOPLE'S MONEY

THE RECORDING ACADEMY has extended its agreement with CBS to air the Grammy Awards through 2026. The Landmark Deal Keeps The Grammy Awards on CBS For 54 Years, a new record for the longest continuous partnership between an awards show and broadcaster In television history.

EBONY AND JET MAGAZINES created and owned by Johnson Publishing Co for the last 71 years, have been sold to Clear View Group, a private equity firm based in Austin, Texas, Johnson Publishing Co. announced that Ebony and digital-only Jet were sold but didn’t disclose the sale price. Johnson Publishing retains its Fashion Fair Cosmetics business and its important Ebony photo archives, which remains up for sale.



THE PASADENA PLAYHOUSE which is the State Theatre of California, has announced that Danny Feldman will be the theatre’s new Executive/Artistic Director. Feldman will work closely with Artistic Director Sheldon Epps during a transitional period. It was previously announced that Epps is retiring and will become The Pasadena Playhouse’s Artistic Director Emeritus.

A native of West Hills, California, Feldman will join The Playhouse from his current post as Executive Director at Labyrinth Theater Company in New York City.

"As the Executive/Artistic Director, a title that was created to encompass his experience as a producer and captures the artistic integrity he has brought to all of his work, Feldman will provide the artistic vision and strategic, financial and operational direction of The Playhouse," according to the official release. "Among his executive responsibilities, Feldman will work with the Board of Directors and will act as the spokesperson with key constituents, including government officials, community leaders, and funding sources. He will oversee an annual budget of $6 million to $8 million and lead a staff of 25. Feldman will assume the responsibility for the artistic direction of The Playhouse and will select the 2017-2018 Season."

CURTAIN DOWN

BRIGHT STAR a Tony nominated musical by Steve Martin and Edie Brickell will dim it's lights at the Cort Theatre on June 26. The show began previews February 25 and officially opened March 24. It will have played 30 previews and 106 regular performances by the time it closes.

THE KING AND I the glorious Tony Award winning revival will close on June 26. At time of closing, the production will have played a total of 538 performances at Lincoln Center's Vivian Beaumont Theater.

The production will launch a national tour in Providence, Rhode Island this November.



OLSO by J. T. Rogers.

Directed by Bartlett Sher.

How did the 1993 Middle East peace talks come to be held secretly in a castle in the middle of a forest outside of Oslo?

A darkly funny and sweeping new play, Oslo tells the surprising true story of the back-channel talks, unlikely friendships and quiet heroics that led to the 1993 Oslo Peace Accords between the Israelis and Palestinians. A deeply personal story set against a complex historical canvas: a story about the individuals behind world history and their all too human ambitions.

Featuring (in alphabetical order): Michael Aronov, Anthony Azizi, Adam Dannheisser, Jennifer Ehle, Daniel Jenkins, Dariush Kashani, Jeb Kreager, Jefferson Mays, Christopher McHale, Daniel Oreskes, Angela Pierce, Henny Russell, Joseph Siravo, T. Ryder Smith.

Set design by Michael Yeargan. Catherine Zuber costumes Donald Holder lighting. Sound by Peter John Still. 59 Productions Projections and Cambra Overend serves as Stage Manager.

Oslo was supported by a Theatre Commissioning and Production Initiative grant from The Doris Duke Charitable Foundation. This play is a recipient of an Edgerton Foundation New Play Award.

In previews at the Mitzi E. Newhouse Theater in New York City.

MATILDA - THE MUSICALcreated by the acclaimed Royal Shakespeare Company with a book by Dennis Kelly, and music from Tim Minchin.

Directed by Matthew Warchus.

Peter Darling choreographer.

The talented boys and girls of Matilda bring audiences a scrumptious visual treat, based on the beloved, twisted genius of Roald Dahl's 1988 classic underdog story of precocious Matilda and the sometimes wonderful, sometimes revolting cast of characters, including the formidable Miss Trunchbull.

Matilda is a little girl with astonishing wit, intelligence beyond her years. Unloved by her ghastly parents and bullied by her evil headmistress, Miss Trunchbull, she resorts to using her special gifts to get by, in the process impressing her kind schoolteacher, Miss Honey, with her curiosity and charm.

Over the course of her first term at school, Miss Honey and Matilda begin to have a profound effect on each other's lives, learning that destiny is in your hands.

Featuring Sarah McKinley Austin, Savannah Grace Elmer and Lily Brooks O'Briant who rotate as Matilda. David Abeles as Miss Trunchbull; Jennifer Blood as Miss Honey; Quinn Mattfeld as Mr. Wormwood; Cassie Silva as Mrs. Wormwood.

June 20, 2016 - June 25, 2016 at the Tulsa Performing Arts Center in Tulsa, OK.

42nd STREET with a book by Michael Stewart and Mark Bramble, lyrics by Al Dubin, and music by Harry Warren.

Directed and choreographed by Denis Jones.

Ben Whiteley is Musical Director.

Starring Shuler Hensley (Julian Marsh), Emily Skinner (Dorothy Brock), Jonalyn Saxer (Peggy Sawyer), Jay Armstrong Johnson (Billy Lawlor), Ann Harada (Maggie Jones) and Jason Kravits (Bert Berry).

Featuring Joey Sorge (Pat Denning), Megan Sikora (Annie), Fred Zimmerman (Abner Dillon), Bryan Thomas Hunt (Andy Lee), Rich Pisarkiewicz (Oscar) and Patrick Blindauer (Mac/Thug/Doctor) with Darien Crago, KC Fredericks, Casey Garvin, Berklea Going, Joe Grandy, Drew Humphrey, Madison Johnson, Tyler Johnson-Campion, Zachary Daniel Jones, Emily Kelly, Drew King, Dionna Thomas Littleton, Isabelle McCalla, Spencer Davis Milford, Mike Millan, Eliza Ohman, Drew Redington, Kelly Sheehan, Sarah Quinn Taylor, Bethany Ann Tesarck, Jake Vacanti, Amy Van Norstrand, Paige Williams, and John T. Wolfe. The company will also be joined by The Muny kid and teen youth ensembles.

All-singing! All-tapping! One of the biggest, boldest, brashest musicals in Broadway history, this song-and-dance extravaganza remains the ultimate backstage musical. Yet, beneath all the hip hooray and ballyhoo, this “lullaby of Broadway” reminds us that Broadway dreams still do come true.

Scenic design is by Michael Schweikardt with costume design and coordination by Andrea Lauer, lighting design by Rob Denton, sound design by John Shivers and David Patridge, and video design by Matthew Young. Wig design is by Leah J. Loukas, and the production stage manager is Laurie Goldfeder.

First Muny Production in seven years is staged June 24-30 at The Muny in St. Louis, MO.

THE COMPLETE WORKS OF WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE (ABRIDGED)(REVISED) a new production of an old favorite, by Adam Long, Daniel Singer and Jess Winfield.

Directed by company member Jeffrey M. Bender.

Last seen at the Outdoor Stage in 2008, the authors have updated the play for the 21st century, so while it essentially remains the same wildly irreverent comedy, it is sprinkled throughout with new material and up-to-date references, providing some wonderful new surprises for the audience. Not only is this is a terrific show to introduce Shakespeare to young people, but it is a hilarious spoof that appeals to people of all ages - to those who love the Bard and to those who are not so fond!

The annual Outdoor Stage production presented by the Shakespeare Theatre of New Jersey will run from June 22 through July 31 in Madison, NJ.

BYE BYE BIRDIE book by Michael Stewart. Music by Charles Strouse. Lyrics by Lee Adams. This production includes two added Strouse & Adams songs: Bye Bye Birdie from the 1963 film and A Mother Doesn’t Matter Anymore from the 1995 television presentation.

Directed by Jenn Thompson.

Music Direction by Michael O'Flaherty.

Put on a happy face! Army-bound rock star Conrad Birdie's farewell appearance in Sweet Apple, Ohio is the talk of the town. But it's a teenage crisis for new "steadies" Hugo and Kim: she just won the chance to give Birdie one last kiss before boot camp. Kids, parents and show folk collide in the Goodspeed debut of the hip-swiveling musical comedy set at the dawn of the sensational '60s.

Starring Broadway actors Janet Dacal and George Merrick. Featuring Tristen Buettel, Alex Walton, Donna English, Warren Kelley, Rhett Guter, Kristine Zbornik, Ben Stone-Zelman and Dorcas Leung. The ensemble features Paul Aguirre, Emily Applebaum, Hannah Bradley, Lauren Fijol, Jeremiah Ginn, Michael James, Logan Scott Mitchell, Brittany Nicholas, Eddie Olmo II, Marci Reid, Jake Swain and Branch Woodman. The swings will be Austen Danielle Bohmer and Michal Kolaczkowski. Tyler Manemeit will be the understudy.

Scenic Design by Tobin Ost. Costume Design by David Toser. Lighting Design by Philip Rosenberg. Sound Design by Jay Hilton. Wig & Hair Design by Mark Adam Rampmeyer. Choreographed by Patti Wilcox.

Presented by Goodspeed Musicals June 24 - September 4 on the Norma Terris stage in East Haddam, CT.

FAITH HEALER by Brian Friel.

Directed by Lyndsey Turner.

"The Fantastic Frank Hardy. Faith Healer. One Night Only."

Throughout the remote and forgotten corners of the British Isles, Frank Hardy offers the promise of redemption to the sick and the suffering.

But his is an unreliable gift, a dangerous calling which brings him into conflict with his wife Grace and his manager Teddy. Their accounts of their lives together and their memories of the past collide as they attempt to understand the power which lies at the heart of Frank’s ministry.

A play about the possibility of genius, and the certainty of failure.

Starring Ron Cook, Stephen Dillane and Gina McKee.

Designer is Es Devlin. Costume Design by Jack Galloway. Lighting Design by Bruno Poet. Sound Designeris Christopher Shutt. Composer is Rupert Cross.

June 23, 2016 - August 20, 2016 at Donmar Warehouse in London.

STRANGERS IN BETWEEN by Tommy Murphy.

Directed by Adam Spreadbury-Maher.

"Shane is sixteen, cute and scared sh*tless. He’s just fled his home in rural Australia for downtown Sydney. Adrift among the lonely hearts and heady thrills of King’s Cross, Shane attempts to navigate the troubled waters of his past toward a brighter future."

"The King’s Head Theatre presents the UK premiere of Tommy Murphy’s critically acclaimed drama of friendship, sex and escapism. With humor and sensitivity, Strangers in Between, offers an unflinching look at the highs and lows of being gay in modern Australia."

Winner of the 2006 NSW Premier's Literary Award for Best Play, the production opens June 22 with performances through July 16, 2016 at the King's Head Theatre in London.

THE LOVE OF THREE ORANGES by Prokofliev is a surreal, screwball fairytale for adults by Russian composer Prokofiev. English translation by playwright Tom Stoppard.

Conducted by Anthony Legge.

Directed by Francesca Zembello.

Revival Director Matthew Barcley.

Assistant directors John Sheedy and Johanna Puglisi.

Take a melancholy prince, a cantankerous witch and the curse of a love strange and strong: an unquenchable passion of unusual fashion for not just one orange, but three. Add an infectious march, some fantastical farce and a kingdom of curious characters, and you have Prokofiev's surreal, screwball fairytale for adults. This Russian gem is juicy, sweet and a trifle acerbic, just like the proverbial oranges. Eye-popping costumes, physical comedy and sets of acid color combine with the composer's bright melodies in an opera that never takes itself too seriously.

An all-Australian cast featuring: David Parkin, Rosario La Spina, Margaret Trubiano, Andrew Moran, Kanen Breen, Luke Gabbedy, Gennadi Dubinsky, Antoinette Halloran, Eva Kong, Catherine Bouchier, Julie Lea Goodwin, Adrian Tamburini, Pelham Andrews, Victoria Lambourn, Graeme Macfarlane, and David Greco.

Set Designer George Tsypin. Costume Designer Tanya Noginova. Lighting Designer Mark Howett. Choreographer Denni Sayers.

Also featuring the Opera Australian Chorus and the Australian Opera and Ballet Orchestra.

Performances June 24 - July 9, 2016 at the Sydney Opera House in Sydney, Australia.

WHO'S WHERE

RIHANNA stars Tuesday, June 21, at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin, Ireland. On Friday her tour stops at the Wembley Stadium in London.

COLDPLAY has a busy week with a show Thursday, June 23 at the Arena in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Wednesday's stop is at the Olympiastadion in Berlin, Germany. Friday finds the group at the Volksparkstadion in Hamburg, Germany. Next Sunday, July 3, their tour stops at the Friends Arena in Solna, Sweden.

BARRY MANILOW entertains Monday, June 20 at the Motorpoint Arena in Cardiff, UK. On Thursday he'll be delighting his fans at The 02 in London.

SELENA GOMEZ performs Tuesday, June 21, at the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville. Wednesday's gig is at the KFC Yum! Center in Louisville, KY. Friday finds her at the Palace of Auburn Hills in Auburn Hills, MI. On Saturday she's on stage at the United Center in Chicago. Next Sunday, June 26, she's in the spotlight at the Scottrade Center in St. Louis, MO.

PAUL SIMON has a two nighter Monday, June 27 and Tuesday, June 28, at Wolf Trap in Vienna, Virginia.

BRUCE SPRINGSTEEN AND THE E STREET BAND perform Wednesday, June 22, at the TeliaParken in Copenhagen, Denmark. On Saturday the tour stops at Ullevi Stadium in Goteborg, Sweden.

FINAL OVATION

49 VICTIMS who were merciless gunned down last weekend in a Florida nightclub for no other reason than being who they are and attempting to have an enjoyable night out. The victims ranged in age of 18-50.

LINCOLN "CHIPS" MOMAN legendary record producer who guided Elvis Presley hits and numerous other recording superstars died from lung disease on Monday, June 15, 2016 in a LaGrange, Georgia hospice. He was 79.

He earned a Grammy in 1976 for co-writing the country song (Hey Won't You Play) Another Somebody Done Somebody Wrong Song, a hit for B. J. Thomas, and also wrote Luckenbach, Texas, recorded first by Waylon Jennings.

He produced Mamas, Don't Let Your Babies Grow up to Be Cowboys for Willie Nelson and Waylon Jennings, Pancho and Lefty for Nelson and Merle Haggard, and persuaded Nelson to record a cover of You Were Always on My Mind, which became one of Nelson's biggest hits and earned him a Grammy for country vocal performance of the year.

He is survived by his wife Jane, his daughter Monique and son Casey.

Neil Portnow President/CEO of The Recording Academy issued the following statement: "The versatile songwriter and producer Chips Moman was the man behind the control board who helped create numerous chart-topping hits for Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, and Aretha Franklin, among others. The two-time Grammy winner was also a gifted guitarist, and his soulful approach to songwriting resulted in memorable hits such as James Carr’s The Dark End Of The Street and Franklin’s Do Right Woman, Do Right Man. While he will be greatly missed, his contributions to music will live on. We offer our condolences to his family, friends and creative collaborators."

JOSE LUGO Puerto Rican pianist/arranger/producer died Sunday, June 12, 2016 after a long battle with cancer. He was 56. The celebrated musician worked with Bobby Valentin, Willie Rosario, Gilberto Santa Rosa and other salsa greats. He was the leader of his own band, Guasábara Combo.

Neil Portnow President/CEO of The Recording Academy and Gabriel Abaroa President/CEO of The Latin Recording Academy issued the following statement: "We are saddened to learn of the death of two-time Grammy and two-time Latin Grammy winner José Lugo. A talented pianist, arranger, and conductor, he was recognized for his innovative work in the salsa, merengue, and tropical music genres. As the director of Guasábara Combo, he worked side by side with other greats such as Gilberto Santa Rosa, Isaac Delgado, and Bobby Valentín. We join the Puerto Rican music community in mourning the loss of this brilliant artist and extend our deepest condolences to his family and friends."

FRED CARUSO an Off-Broadway producer committed suicide on Monday, June 13, 2016. He was 41.

He left a chilly suicide note on Facebook.
"Those of you that know me well, know that I have been dealing with ending things for a while," he said.
"I have nothing left in me to create. I truly don't think I have any idea what love or happiness is," he continued.

"I have produced great theatre, movies (two of which I wrote and directed) and I traveled all over the world. I regret nothing especially the choice that I am making now," he concluded.

In addition to producing the Off-Broadway hit Newsical, Caruso co-wrote and co-directed the film The Big Gay Musical, and Go Go Crazy.

RICHARD O. LINKE longtime personal manager for Andy Griffith and an associate producer of the TV series The Andy Griffith Show, died Wednesday, June 15, 2016 at his home in Kona, Hawaii. He was 98.

Linke grew up in Summit, New Jersey, and graduated from Ohio University with a journalism degree. He was a top publicist for Capitol Records in 1953 when he heard Griffith’s regional recording What It Was, Was Football, a comedic monologue about a country boy who sees his first football game. He signed Griffith with Capitol Records, and the recording became a nationwide hit.

Linke remained Griffith’s manager for nearly 40 years and the actor’s closest adviser for much of his career. Linke also managed the careers of other performers, including Jim Nabors, Ken Berry, Forrest Tucker, Frankie Avalon and Bobby Vinton. He was a production consultant for another long-running series starring Griffith, the courtroom drama Matlock.

Linke is survived by his wife, Bettina, and five children.

RONNIE CLAIRE EDWARDS best known for playing grocer Ike Godsey’ snooty wife, Corabeth, on The Waltons, died June 14, 2016 at her Dallas home from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. She was 83.

Edwards, a native of Oklahoma City, appeared in films and regularly on stage. She also wrote plays, including Wedding Belles and The Mystery of Miz Arnette (both with Alan Bailey), and books including a 2000 memoir, The Knife Thrower’s Assistant: Memoirs of a Human Target. She had previously created and performed a one woman show under the same title, which she took to the Edinburgh Fringe in 1993. She also co-wrote a musical play, Idols of the King, as a tribute to Elvis Presley's career, legacy and most passionate fans.

Edwards, who was divorced, is survived by family members including a brother and sister and her longtime friend and business partner Marty Van Kleeck.

Next Column: June 26, 2016
Copyright: June 19, 2016 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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