Varla Jean Merman to Premiere New Show in Provincetown This Summer

Photo courtesy of The Art House

Varla Jean Merman (aka Jeffery Roberson) has been the acknowledged entertainment Queen of P-town for the past decade. Each summer brings the anticipated premiere of her latest, original and irreverent music-comedy show – a summer-long ‘hot ticket’ every year. After a typically busy year starring to critical acclaim as the title roles in the original musical comedy farces Mildred Fierce in Boston and Scrooge in Rouge in New Orleans, as well as in Menotti’s opera The Medium in New York, Varla returns to P-Town to premiere "Twice Upon A Mattress…Will My Prince Ever Come?" at The Art House from July 1 – August 31, with MRF at the piano. For tickets please visit www.ptownarthouse.com

In the new show, the artist explains, “Varla gives the mother of all gooses to everyone's favorite fairy tails. After years of kissing frogs, toads and other slimy creatures, Varla is tired of trying to make her prince come. Should she toss it all aside and embrace her inner Evil Queen? With Grimm stories, a castle's worth of couture and a libido that could wear out seven dwarves, this Ambien-addled Sleeping Beauty is wide awake and ready to give everyone a happy ending!”

2010 Elliot Norton Award Winner, Roberson’s Varla Jean Merman has been featured on television as a guest on TV’s Ugly Betty and on Bravo’s Project Runway Season 5 as the winning model for the show’s drag challenge. Other TV credits include his network television debut on All My Children in the recurring role of lady of the evening Rosemary Chicken, HBO’s Dragtime, E!’s Fashion Emergency, E! Goes to Cannes, MTV’s True Life: Mardi Gras, Francesca Page with Rossy DePalma, and has most recently appeared as Varla Jean on Logo starring in shorts for “Drag History Month.” He shared the Outfest Film Festival “Best Actor” Award and the Aspen HBO Film Festival “Best Actress” Award with his costars Jack Poltnick and Clinton Leupp for his featured performance in the cult classic film Girls Will Be Girls (Sundance 2003) directed by Richard Day. This past January he filmed the sequel entitled Girls Will Be Girls 2012. When Varla (aka Jeffery Roberson) starred opposite Leslie Jordan spring of 2012 at the Little Shubert Theatre, the New York Times wrote “If Carol Burnett and Harvey Korman had stood in front of the right pair of funhouse mirrors, they might have resembled Ms. Merman and Mr. Jordan in stature as well as comedic talent.” He also played the role of Mary Sunshine in the revival of Chicago on Broadway and appeared at the Long Wharf Theatre in Hartford Stage’s production of The Mystery of Irma Vep directed by Michael Wilson performing the roles originally made famous by Charles Ludlam.

Jeffery as Varla Jean has filled concert halls and cabarets across the world including the Sydney Opera House, Carnegie Hall, the Public Theater, London’s Soho Theatre, LA’s Renberg Theatre, and San Francisco’s Victoria Theatre. He was the opening act of Vienna’s LifeBall, the largest fundraiser for AIDS research in Europe, where he shared the stage with Sharon Stone and Catherine Deneuve. His many Fraktured Classiks productions in New York include The Mailman Always Comes Twice, Screen Door and CAGED! with Lily Tomlin, Joan Rivers and Isabella Rossellini, Lypsinka is Harriet Craig, The Miracle Worker (with Charles Busch) and Varla Jean Merman is The Bad Seedling. Recent engagements also include the title role in Auntie Mame, Scrooge in Rouge, Ricky Graham’s production of Irma Vep at Southern Rep/Le Chat Noir, his recent solo show Varla Jean’s The Loose Chanteuse featuring Tom Judson, which ran in Provincetown, LA, New York and New Orleans, and last summer’s Topping Myself, which sold out its summer run.

String Quartet "Well Strung" Returns to Provincetown for Summer

Well-Strung: the Singing String Quartet will return to Provincetown’s Art House theater this season. Since the group’s 3-month run at the venue last summer, they’ve been on a roll - with two recent hit New York productions Off-Broadway and their first album released this spring. Well-Strung will debut an all-new show for the summer, running from June 30 – Sept. 1. It is directed again by Donna Drake, and will feature new arrangements of songs by Pink, Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Swift and Third Eye Blind among others as well as new material written by Jeffery Roberson (aka Varla Jean Merman). For tickets, please visit www.ptownarthouse.com or call 800-838-3006.

A hit last summer at this theater for their unique ‘mash-up of string quartet and boy band,’ the group features classical musicians who sing, putting their own spin on the music of Mozart, Vivaldi, Ke$ha, Pink, Adele, Lady Gaga, Britney Spears and more. They are Edmund Bagnell (first violin), Christopher Marchant (second violin), Daniel Shevlin (cello) and Trevor Wadleigh (viola). Music arrangements are by David Levinson with additional arrangements by Daniel Shevlin. The show was directed by Donna Drake, conceived by Christopher Marchant & Mark Cortale and written by Ms. Drake & Mr. Cortale, with additional material contributed by Jeffery Roberson. Immediately after their upcoming P-Town run, the foursome will continue their career hot streak with a debut on London’s West End in September at the Leicester Square Theater.

The group first began performing together in a workshop production of the show directed by Ms. Drake at Ars Nova in NYC on Feb. 28th, 2012. Musical arrangements were by Mr. Levinson with additional arrangements by Mr. Shevlin. That same show sold out at Joe’s Pub in May of 2012 before having an extended run last summer at The Art House in Provincetown, MA and playing Off-Broadway at the Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater last fall. The group returned to Off-Broadway for the first three weeks of March, 2013, and sold-out the Highline Ballroom for one night in early May. The foursome’s debut album was released on Twist Records on February 28, and was produced by Matt Farber (Founder of LOGO Network) and Mark Cortale.

Edmund Bagnell (First Violinist) played Tobias in the 1st National Tour of "Sweeney Todd" directed by John Doyle. He was most recently seen this fall in Gian Carlo Menotti’s “The Medium” playing the role of Toby opposite Varla Jean Merman. Recent regional theater credits include Charlie Brown in "You're a Good Man, Charlie Brown" (Summer Theater of New Canaan), Charlie in "The Big Holiday Broadcast of 1959" written by Joanna Gleason (Fairfield Theater Company), and Oramel Howland in "The Great Unknown" written by Jim Wann ("Pump Boys and Dinettes") and Bill Hauptman ("Big River") as a part of NYMF.

Donna Drake (Director) has appeared in the original Broadway casts of "A Chorus Line," "Sophisticated Ladies," "Woman of the Year," "The Wind in the Willows," "5678-Dance," "It’s so nice to be Civilized" and the original production of "The 1940s Radio Hour." She was an Emmy nominee for "Dear Alex and Annie," and received 4 Drama Desk Nominations, a Mac Award Nomination and a Theatre World Award. She also directed John Tartaglia’s "Imaginocean," which ran Off Broadway at New World Stages.

David Levinson (Arrangements) collaborated with Stacey Weingarten and Donna Drake on "Les Enfants de Paris" (world premiere NYMF 2011). David is also currently working on music and lyrics for "Boys Lost," "The Elliot's," and "Who Is Prester John?" which are in development.

Chris Marchant (Second Violinist) grew up singing and playing violin, but was not involved with theater until the end of his studies at Malone University in Canton, OH. Since then, he has been involved in numerous productions utilizing his multi-talents as a vocalist, actor, and musician. Career highlights include Tobias ("Sweeney Todd," National Tour), violinist ("Spring Awakening" National Tour), Dennis ("Sanders Family Christmas"), and "Naked Boys Singing."

Daniel Shevlin (Cellist/Arrangements) appeared off-Broadway in "The Sandbox" written and directed by Edward Albee, toured the U.S. and Asia in productions of "Rent" and "Cabaret" (Studio 54 version), and has worked regionally as both an actor and cellist in many theaters including the Arvada Center (CO), The Maltz-Jupiter Theatre (FL), Riverside Theatre (FL), Mason Street Warehouse (MI).

Trevor Wadleigh (Violist) is from Seattle and currently a member of The String Collective of New York. He has taught viola at the University of Puget Sound Community Music Community and is also a co-founder of the Puget Sound Animal Rescue.

Mark Cortale is the Producing Artistic Director of The Art House. In his inaugural season in 2011, he founded the Broadway @ The Art House series with Seth Rudetsky, which this summer of 2013 will present Broadway superstars Patti LuPone, Chita Rivera, Sutton Foster, Audra McDonald, Megan Hilty (of TV’s “Smash”), Megan Mullally (of TV’s “Will & Grace”), Christine Ebersole, Joanna Gleason, Sam Harris and Marilyn Maye in addition to other national-level music and comedy programming. He is currently producing Seth Rudetsky’s new reality series and other Broadway-themed entertainment that can be seen at www.SethTV.com. He also co-wrote and produced Well-Strung’s runs this past winter and fall at New York’s Marjorie S. Deane Theater. Mark produced the feature film "Varla Jean and the Mushroomheads," which played the 2012 festival circuit with a screening at Frameline in San Francisco. Mark also premiered the Broadway @ series this season in New Orleans, in Australia with Megan Mullally, on London’s West End this month with Patti LuPone at Leister Square Theater, and will debut as well in Santa Monica, CA in fall of 2013.

Well-Strung is sponsored by the Anchor Inn Beach House, Ptown Bikes, Mussel Beach and SethTV.com

The Art House is wheelchair accessible. 

Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts Announces 2013-2014 Season

Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College announces its 59^th season of music, dance, theater, and family programming reflecting the multicultural diversity of Brooklyn.  The outstanding line-up features performances from Jamaica, Russia, Canada, and China, as well as the United States, and includes both Brooklyn premieres and returning favorites.

"The 2013-2014 season at Brooklyn Center will take audiences from jazz to tap, comedy to drama, and musical theatre to family shows, with healthy doses of adventure and familiarity along the way," says Jon Yanofsky, the new Director of Brooklyn Center. "The dazzling array of performances will bring the Walt Whitman stage alive with great entertainment and inspiring arts and culture."  

Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts' 2013-2014 Season includes:

• Savion Glover's STePz
• ArtsPower National Touring Theatre's The Little Engine That Could™ Earns Her Whistle
• Steve Solomon in My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish & I'm Home for the Holidays
• Dance Theatre in Westchester's The Colonial Nutcracker
• An R&B Christmas featuring The Coasters, Charlie Thomas' Drifters, Blue Magic, and Shirley Alston Reeves
• СНЕГУРОЧКА (The Snow Maiden)
• Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day
• Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company
• Krasnoyarsk National Dance Company of Siberia
• The Beauty of Ballet (co-presented with the School of American Ballet)
• The Golden Dragon Acrobats in Cirque Ziva
• A Brown Bear, a Moon, and a Caterpillar: Treasured Stories by Eric Carle
• Russian National Ballet Theatre's The Sleeping Beauty
• Jamaican jazz artist Monty Alexander in concert
• Sid the Science Kid - Live!
• Seventh Annual National Grid Earth Day Celebration
• The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra presents A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald
• American Family Theater's The Wizard of Oz

Savion Glover's STePz

Saturday, November 2, 2013 at 8pm

From his Broadway debut at age 12 to his 1996 Tony Award for Best Choreography, Savion Glover has single-handedly revitalized and redefined the art of tap dancing.  In his latest production, STePz,this international superstar and his ensemble of dancers (TLHS) fuses traditional music selections of the past with Glover's self-proclaimed tap style and energy of the future.  Experience the infinite versatility and virtuosity of Savion Glover's genius as Brooklyn Center opens its 59^th season.

Tickets: $45 orchestra, $36 mezzanine

ArtsPower National Touring Theater's

The Little Engine That Could™ Earns Her Whistle

Sunday, November 17, 2013 at 2pm

Little Blue Engine dreams of someday leaving the train yard to pull the big cars on the main line track.  But can she convince Big Silver that she is worthy of being a main line engine? ArtsPower's dynamic, song-filled adventure portrays Watty Piper's timeless tale about hard work, determination, and the meaning of true friendship.  A Target Storybook Series presentation for ages four and up.

Tickets: $7

Steve Solomon in

My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish & I'm Home for the Holidays

Sunday, November 24, 2013 at 3pm

Peace on Earth? Joy to the World? Not with this dysfunctional family!  In the sequel to his Off-Broadway hit comedy My Mother's Italian, My Father's Jewish & I'm in Therapy!, master comedian Steve Solomon returns to Brooklyn to regale us with stories of Christmases and Hanukkahs past, complete with bickering parents, motherly guilt trips, and teenage daughter drama.  Honest and hilarious, this one man tour-de-force yields an afternoon full of side-splitting laughter!

Tickets: $30

The Colonial Nutcracker

Sunday, December 15, 2013 at 2pm

An annual holiday favorite, Dance Theatre in Westchester performs its family-friendly, full-length version of Tchaikovsky's ballet set in wintry colonial Yorktown, complete with a red-coated mouse army, an enchanted nutcracker prince, and simultaneous narration to help young audience members enjoy this timeless classic. Recommended for ages four and up.

Tickets: $10

An R&B Christmas

Saturday, December 21, 2013 at 8pm

Celebrate the holidays with this concert of chart-topping R&B artists as they perform their biggest hits, as well as some Christmas favorites!  You'll enjoy the tight harmonies and smooth vocals of Charlie Thomas' Drifters ("Under the Boardwalk," "Up on the Roof"), The Coasters ("Yakety Yak," "Poison Ivy"), Blue Magic featuring original lead singer Ted "Wizard" Mills ("Side Show"), and Shirley Alston Reeves, original lead singer of The Shirelles ("Will You Still Love Me Tomorrow").

Tickets: $45 orchestra, $36 mezzanine

СНЕГУРОЧКА (The Snow Maiden)

Presented in association with Anton Krylov

Sunday, December 22, 2013 at 4pm

Enjoy this magical Christmas musical in which a worthy young girl is transformed by Grandfather Frost (the Russian Santa Claus) into the beautiful Snow Maiden. Traditional Russian songs, dances and elaborate costumes create a winter wonderland in this delightful children's extravaganza.  Performed in Russian with English subtitles. Recommended for ages six and up.

Tickets: $35-$50

Alexander and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day

Sunday, January 12, 2014 at 2pm

Have you ever had a really rotten day?  Alexander has.  There's no dessert for lunch, there's lima beans for dinner, and worst of all, there's kissing on television.  It's enough to make you want to move to Australia!  Laugh and sing along with Alexander's misadventures in this hilarious musical, featuring book and lyrics by best-selling author Judith Viorst.  A Target Storybook Series presentation for ages four and up.

Tickets: $7

Nai-Ni Chen Dance Company's

Lunar New Year Celebration

Sunday, January 26, 2014 at 3pm

Celebrate the Year of the Horse with this colorful performance that weaves the grace and splendor of traditional Chinese arts with the contemporary freedom of American modern dance.  Recipient of China's prestigious Golden Lotus Award, choreographer Nai-Ni Chen and her company will take you on a visually delightful, culturally rich tour of this dynamic 3,000-year-old civilization.

Tickets: $30

Krasnoyarsk National Dance Company of Siberia

Saturday, February 1, 2014 at 8pm

Like a Russian fairy tale come to life, this company of 55 dancers and musicians incorporates colorful folkloric costumes, thrilling choreography, and an orchestra of national folk instruments as it celebrates the rich cultural heritage of its native Siberia.

Tickets: $45 orchestra, $36 mezzanine

In collaboration with the School of American Ballet

The Beauty of Ballet

Saturday, March 8, 2014 at 2pm

Join students and faculty of the world-famous School of American Ballet (the official academy of New York City Ballet) in this program illustrating the process by which talented youngsters develop into accomplished classical ballet dancers. Your children will watch a "class" where training exercises and steps are demonstrated, and also enjoy excerpts from famous ballets. A free event recommended for ages four and up. General admission, no tickets issued.

Cirque Ziva

Sunday, March 9, 2014 at 3pm

Performed by the internationally-celebrated Golden Dragon Acrobats, this fast-paced, technically-innovative performance showcases traditional Chinese acrobatics, dance and costumes, ancient and contemporary music and modern theatrical techniques.  The renowned acrobats dazzle with amazing feats of athleticism, daring heart-stopping stunts and the grace of their centuries old art form.

Tickets: $35

Mermaid Theatre of Nova Scotia's

A Brown Bear, a Moon, and a Caterpillar: Treasured Stories by Eric Carle

Sunday, March 16, 2014 at 2pm

The Little Caterpillar with the big appetite returns to Brooklyn!  Featuring evocative music, stunning visual effects and innovative puppetry, this triple-bill brings to life three of Eric Carle's most beloved tales: The Very Hungry Caterpillar; Brown Bear, Brown Bear, What Do You See?; and Papa, Please Get the Moon For Me. A Target Storybook Series presentation for ages four and up.

Tickets: $7

Russian National Ballet Theatre's

The Sleeping Beauty

Sunday, March 23, 2014 at 3pm

With its fairy tale story and sumptuous score by Tchaikovsky, The Sleeping Beauty is undoubtedly one of the most popular full-length ballets of all time.  Under the artistic direction of legendary Bolshoi principal dancer Elena Radchenko, this internationally-acclaimed company recreates Petipa's masterful choreography in a lavish production.

Tickets: $45 orchestra, $36 mezzanine

Monty Alexander in concert

Saturday, March 29, 2014 at 8pm

From Sinatra to Ska, Jamaican jazz virtuoso Monty Alexander has played it all.  Equally at home with classic American jazz and with the infectious rhythms of the West Indies, his trio blends the two to create a singular style unlike any other.  With a career that spans five decades and more than 70 albums, this Grammy-nominated pianist brings his swinging interpretations of the classics to the Walt Whitman stage.

Tickets: $40 orchestra, $30 mezzanine

Sid the Science Kid - Live!

Sunday, April 6, 2014 at 2pm

In this new musical adventure based on the popular PBS Kids series, Sid and his friends set off on a day of scientific exploration, asking curious questions and discovering why things work the way they do. Full of audience participation, great music, and content based in national science learning standards, Sid the Science Kid - Live! will have your kids laughing and learning at the same time! A Target Storybook Series presentation for ages four and up.

Tickets: $10

Seventh Annual National Grid Earth Day Celebration

Sunday, April 6, 2014 at 3pm

Children and adults alike will enjoy live music, arts and crafts, and street performers at this free community festival, where interactive family activities highlight the need for creating a more sustainable future and caring for the earth.

General admission, no tickets issued.

The Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra presents

A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald

Sunday, April 27, 2014 at 3pm

Dubbed "The First Lady of Song," Ella Fitzgerald was the most popular female jazz singer in America for more than half a century. This special tribute concert, performed by the 17-member Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra featuring vocalist Kim Nazarian, will include original arrangements pulled from the Smithsonian and Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation archives, many of which haven't been heard by live audiences for over 40 years.

Tickets: $35

The Wizard of Oz

Sunday, May 18, 2014 at 2pm

American Family Theater, one of the nation's leading producers of musicals for young audiences, presents everyone's perennial favorite story about Dorothy's adventures over the rainbow as she follows the yellow brick road with the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion towards the Emerald City and the mysterious Wizard who can help her get home.  A Target Storybook Series presentation for ages four and up.

Tickets: $7

Multibuy (three or four shows) and Megabuy packages (five or more shows) save up to 15% off individual ticket prices (not applicable to The Colonial Nutcracker, The Snow Maiden, Sid the Science Kid - Live!, or Target Storybook Series shows).  Discounts available for seniors, students, Brooklyn College faculty/staff/alumni, and groups.  $10 student rush tickets available day-of-show.

About Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College

Founded in 1954, Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts at Brooklyn College presents outstanding performing arts and arts education programs at affordable prices, embracing the diverse communities that define Brooklyn.  Brooklyn Center welcomes over 65,000 people to the 2,400 seat Walt Whitman Theatre each season and boasts one of the largest arts education programs in the borough, serving 46,000 schoolchildren from over 300 schools annually with its SchoolTime series.

           

Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts

Walt Whitman Theatre at Brooklyn College

2/5 trains to Brooklyn College/Flatbush Avenue

Online orders:  www.BrooklynCenterOnline.org

Box Office:  (718) 951-4500, Tuesday - Saturday, 1pm - 6pm
Groups of 15 or more: (718) 951-4600 x3331        

Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts' programs are supported, in part, by public funding from the New York City Department of Cultural Affairs in partnership with the City Council.  Major support for the 2013-2014 season is provided by: Brooklyn College; Target; Con Edison; TD Bank; National Grid; Macy's Foundation; Mertz Gilmore Foundation; TD Charitable Foundation; the Herman Goldman Foundation; and The Harkness Foundation for Dance.  Additional support provided by CNG Publications and The Brooklyn Eagle.  The Sheraton Brooklyn New York Hotel is the official hotel of Brooklyn Center's 2013-2014 season.  Backstage catering is graciously provided by Applebee's.

Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts gratefully acknowledges generous support from New York State Assemblywomen Rhoda Jacobs and Helene E. Weinstein, New York City Councilman Albert Vann and the Department of Youth & Community Development, New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn, and Commissioner of Cultural Affairs Kate Levin.

Metropolitan Room Celebrates Broadcast Legend Joe Franklin in an Irreverent Evening of Reverence

Joe Franklin, who invented the television talk show format in 1950, relives some of the magic of the Golden Age of Television in a unique stage show at the Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd Street.  For one night only, on Saturday, July 20 at 7pm, this special live edition of “The Joe Franklin Show” features Vince Giordano, Peter Mintun, Christine Pedi, and Bronwyn Rucker, with appearances by several surprise celebrity guests.

With the help of his friends, including Giordano leading a trio, and Mintun on piano, Franklin will recreate some of the classic moments in his seven-decade career. He interviewed the biggest to the most obscure -- everyone from Eddie Cantor, Al Jolson, Milton Berle, Charlie Chaplin, Frank Sinatra and Marilyn Monroe, and he is credited with having given first exposure to countless future stars like Woody Allen, Barbra Streisand, John Travolta and Julia Roberts. 

Starting first on WJZ-TV (later WABC-TV) in 1950, and later on WOR-TV in an incredible, record-setting run from 1962 to 1993, Frankin holds the Guiness Book of World Records for Longest Continuous Talk Show Host. He is estimated to have conducted over 300,000 individual interviews.

For the past decade he has provided the Bloomberg Radio Network with a weekly supply of new celebrity interviews. Whereas many Americans have a hard time remembering five presidents, Franklin interviewed five real ones.

During the show, Franklin will also allow the tables to be turned as he is subjected to probing questioning by the Metropolitan Room’s own Bernie Furshpan, a noted comedy and music producer, chiropractor and the Met Room’s talent booker.

This unique celebration of the Golden Age of Television and Beyond is produced by Furshpan and Steve Garrin. All paid attendees receive a complimentary autographed copy of Joe Franklin’s latest showbiz trivia book.

There is a $25 cover charge and two-drink minimum for this special edition of “The Joe Franklin Show,” hosted by the Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22^nd Street.  The Metropolitan Room keeps kids off the streets and adults from spending too much time watching television.  For more information visit www.metropolitanroom.com or call 212-206-0440.

News Roundup - Snoo Wilson, Puppets, and a new podcast

New Jersey artists featured in this year's New York Musical Theatre Festival.

American Ballet Theater presents Sleeping Beauty.

Playwright Snoo Wilson dies at 64.

Today in theatre history.

A look at this summer's regional theatre and festival offerings.

Puppets take Long Island.

Awards recognize top high school theatre talent.

Glee's Jonathan Groff and Darren Criss teach at Young Actors' Theatre Camp.

New podcast, The Ensemblist, features the lives of ensemble players.

Teaching a love of theatre to young people.

A new theatre in East Texas (my old stomping grounds).

More about the new opera, Champion, based on the life of gay boxer Emile Griffith.

An inside look at TKTS.

Silence! The Musical ends Off-Broadway run.

News Roundup - Little Miss Sunshine, Mad Men, and one dedicated usher

Batman '66 launches.  DC Comics does a retrospective of the highlights of '66 including "It's a Bird!  It's a Plane! It's Superman!" which opened that year.

Julee Antonellis and Petey Gibson of Boston's All the King's Men and The Gibson/Antonellis Comedy Hour named to AfterEllen's list of 50 Hot Women in Comedy.

NYC Restaurant Week starts July 22nd.  Save on dinner at a great restaurant before catching a play.

More casting news on the upcoming musical version of Little Miss Sunshine.

How you doin'?  Wendy Williams makes her Chicago debut as the latest Mama Morton.

Mad Men star Rich Sommer and castmates celebrate the opening of The Unavoidable Disappearance of Tom Durnin.

Jan Maxwell talks about the joy of performing in rep.

Where to go for free outdoor theatre in New York City.

Someone who doesn't really seem to like Broadway theatre nonetheless recommends seeing some shows.

Willem Dafoe appears in the Manchester International Festival.

Ellie Chamberlain Galidas dies.  Founded Washington's Summer Shakespeare Festival.

Actress Gia Carides stars in Beached, a black comedy about an obese teenager who goes on a reality TV show in return for free gastric bypass surgery.

When I grow up, I want to be this lady.

Profile of playwright Sharr White.

Naked Boys Improvising - Saturday Nights

Hot Summer Nights: Naked Boys Improvising

The Improvisation News Team Presents:
HOT SUMMER NIGHTS

"You'll Laugh Your Pants Off"

Improvisational Theater like you've never seen before...
5 Improv Forms, 1 Night

You must be 18 or older to attend this show due to partial nudity, please bring ID.

Featuring:
Naked Boys Improvising
Disarmingly charming and talented, allow this all male comedy tour de force to bare all. Temperatures will rise, clothing will come off, and funny bones will be tickled.

With:
Build An Angel
You loved "Charlie's Angels", but have you met Charlize's Angels? Of course you haven't, because you're going to help us create them. Watch the Angels as they go on a nail biting mission of YOUR choosing. Warning - there may be slow mo hair tossing, so sit in the front row at your own risk.

Superhero Showdown
With the help of our audiences we'll create an original superhero and see his/her birth, life and death unfold before our very eyes on stage.

Del'Arte
Commedia dell'Arte will never be the same again as we explore the life at times of improv guru Del Close, using this ancient "high art" form.

Twitter Black Outs
Short scenes inspired by suggestions from our Twitter Followers. Got an idea for a scenario or scene inspired by the Hot Summer Nights? Contact us @ImprovNewsTeam. You just might win two tickets to our show.

***************************************
THE IN TEAM
Cast: Caitlin Venedam, Elena Tarsitani, Paulina Singer, Liz Parish, Sriya Sarkar, Laura High, Michael Sause, Johnny Harkins, Jared Wilder, Sasha Burgos-Conde, ScottyWatson, Mary Hynes, Irene Carroll, Alex Decaneas, Izzy Wolfson, Israel Savage, Michael Coyne, Mark Hudson

Sponsored By: ImprovisationNews.com, Produced By: Israel Savage, Directed By: Scotty Watson

THE DIRECTOR
Scotty Watson is an alumnus of The Second City where he performed for many years and has appeared in various other theater, film and TV productions,  including Cirque du Soleil's Mystere and regular appearances on Late Night with David Letterman. He was recently nominated as one of the 10 best improv teachers in America. His favorite food group is pie.

Midtown International Theatre Festival Launch Party Tonight

The Midtown International Theatre Festival (MITF) presents their Fourteenth Anniversary Season LAUNCH PARTY on Sunday, July 7, 2013 at 8pm at Gonzalez y Gonzalez, 192 Mercer Street, NYC (between Houston and Bleecker).  Doors open at 8pm and the performance begins at 9pm. The event is FREE. MITF's LAUNCH PARTY will feature scenes and songs of upcoming shows in the MITF.  There will be food and a full bar, with drinks for sale.  The evening will include excerpts from the following shows: The Actual Dance, by Samuel A. Simon One man's journey with the woman he loves. Bending All The Rules, by James Salem and Joseph Salem (composer, lyricist, book) Hetero, Homo, or in-between ­- we all play "the game," and sometimes, we all have to bend the rules. Black Ice, by Lezlie Revelle Friendships hit the ice when a coming-out sends Harmony skidding out of control. Brattleboro, by Lindsay B. Davis Lori, a Thirty-Something would-be writer with a unique case of arrested development, faces the nature of her relationship with James, a Blackberry-obsessed banker she has resolved many times to leave. Color of Life, by Sachiko Ishimaru (lyricist, book), composed by Yasuhiro Ito A Japanese painter meets a colorful actress on a plane ride to NY and moves into her apartment...Will 90 days be enough? Crazytown: My First Psychopath, by Jude Treder-Wolff (composer, lyricist, book) Working in psychiatry can be kind of wack. The Dark I Know, by Alex Eisen and John Watts (composer, lyricist, book) The story of two families, one Jewish, during the rise of Nazism in Germany during the early 1930s. Enter Singing - The Musical, by Linda Evans (composer, lyricist, book) Four finalists compete for Best Playwright in the USA and Probably the World. Jealousy, love, an explosion, labor pains - and winning! Envoy, by Belinda Bremner Twelve student hostages struggle to make one big decision as they fight to keep hope alive moments from death. The HAT Chronicles, by Jonathan Johnson Conversations with people in hats.  What's your story? Help Yourself, written and by Lauren Hunter Discover lengths one woman will go to try and cross the divide between who she thinks she is and who she thinks she was born to be. The Linguists, by EJ Sepp Mispronunciation will not be tolerated. Love Stinks, by Kate Plumb Rader When love can drive you mad, literally: The sanest of couples can be driven to completely irrational behavior when it comes to love. Motel Rasdell: A New Musical, by Danielle DeMatteo and Christina Bracco The other side of the white picket fence. The Past Is Still Ahead, by Sophia Romma One of Russia's most ill-fated and controversial cult poets of the twentieth century, Marina Tsvetaeva, revisits the tumultuously tragic and sexy events of her life - just before succumbing to "suicide" at the hands of the Soviet Secret Police, in 1941, while exiled in Siberia. Sleep at Your Own Risk, by Matthew Ethan Davis Guy struggles with the phenomenon of sleepwalking while trying to hold on to the love of his life - and not walk out of his apartment naked. Stetson'd, by Mark Stetson and Devin Delliquanti In Mark's search for meaning in his life, his battle with the universe has been one of attrition. This is a story of survival. Suckerfish, by W.T. Underwood On a city street corner, between madness and sanity, all that stands in the way of Hank and freedom is a certifiable homeless man and a pay phone that can't hear out. The Tellin' Man, by Rudy Gray A black slave reveals to his plantation master that a slave revolt is imminent. Why does he do it, and what does he do about it? Yesterday Iran / Today Iraq, written by L. S. Goldberg On the eve of his first deployment to Iraq, Pvt. Steven "Stippy" Goodman discovers a mysterious box of World War II letters from his grandfather, Lt. Chester A. "Grumpa" Goodman. John Chatterton, executive producer for the Festival, said "This is the finest lineup for the MITF in 14 years, and the entertainment selections for the preview event show it. I'm truly proud of this year's Festival!" The 2013 Festival will take place at the June Havoc Theatre, 312 W. 36th Street, 1st floor; the Dorothy Strelsin Theatre, 312 W. 36th Street, 1st floor; the Main Stage Theater, 312 W. 36th Street, 4th floor; and the Jewel Box Theater, 312 W. 36th Street, 4th floor.  Tickets are $15 for short plays and $18 for longer plays. Tickets are available at www.midtownfestival.org or by phone at (866) 811-4111. The Festival also offers various group discounts and package passes, good for full-length and short plays. Further information about the MITF can be found on the Festival Web site, at www.MidtownFestival.org.

Planet Connections Review - "Velvet Rope"

By Jose Solis

Whenever trying to turn issues into compelling drama, artists usually tend to take the preachy route and forget all notions of nuance. The postcard and synopsis for Velvet Rope practically invite us to that with their mentions of empowerment and exploitation. Fortunately the show goes beyond the limitations of gender studies as academia and proves to be not only quite entertaining but also very effective in conveying its issues.

Joan (Alexis Kelley) is a college student majoring in Women’s Studies who decides to take a more hands-on approach to her university experience by becoming an undercover stripper at a local club. She figures if she can be near real strippers, their bosses and their clients she will be able to satisfy both her curiosity and her academic needs. She pretends to be an experienced dancer and believes that she will get the job the minute she walks in; however, she is highly disappointed when she realizes that there are women who are much better than she is at this.

She ends up begging the manager, Big D (Kimberlee Monroe) to let her work at the club and she finally gets a trial run. On her very first night at the club she ends up making almost a thousand dollars - more than any other girl - and realizing that this might not be as bad as she thought. After this the play becomes slightly more introspective as we often see the action revolving around Joan. She begins to realize that there is more than meets the eye to taking your clothes off for money and by the time the show is over we too leave with a different outlook, or at least one that challenges our preconceptions.

This is owed mostly to Kelley who finds a great balance between comedy and drama. Her Joan is somewhere between Nomi Malone and Joan of Arc; a modern creature who in the post feminist world has been taught that society shouldn’t be allowed to objectify her, even though she sometimes wants to be objectified to fulfill sexual desires. While the play tries a bit too hard to point out how smart it’s being about power dynamics (are the strippers or the audience in control?) its actual success goes beyond the world of sex for entertainment and becomes an allegory for art itself. Who has the power when we’re watching art? Is it the artist whose impersonal power has such a powerful effect on us? Or is it us who humanize the inherent blank slate-ness of every single art piece?

Velvet Rope makes for a clever use of sound, music and costume and of course it ends up also becoming a meta show which intends to dissect and analyze the world of stripping, when it itself is somewhat of a strip show. Playwright Celestine Rae, who also directed and produced the show, obviously had much to say and despite of this the show never feels bloated or self important. Joan tends to be a bit more on the symbolic side, but she is still imbued with enough heart to make us root for her. Rae’s own journey probably began like her heroine’s and in the process she too discovered that you can have fun while discussing serious matters. 


Velvet Rope
Written and directed by Celestine Rae

Featuring: Kimberlee Monroe, Azariah Gunn, Alexis Kelley, Samantha Strelitz, Brynn Alexander, Craig Colasanti

Jeminah Russell (Stage Manager)
Celestine Rae and Jeminah Russell (Set Designers)
Celestine Rae (Choreographer)

Planet Connections Review - "Catch the Spider"

By Jose Solis

In Catch the Spider, playwright Sara Ilyse Jacobson intends to weave a complex relation between memory, unrequited love and Celtic mythology, but the results end up having much more in common with a forgettable Hollywood romantic comedy, than a profound retelling of modern life through myths. On the first scene we meet Callie (Michelle Petterson) and Julian (Ben Otto) two lifelong friends taking part in a game of tag. At first we might think that they’re college students being silly in a post-party, drunken state, but then realize we’re actually seeing a flashback that helps us understand the extent of their friendship.

As we see them in “present time”, we find out what they’ve become; Callie is an uptight writer, trying to finish a novel about the IRA. She’s in a relationship with Aiden (Christopher Travlos) a devout lover who thinks the world of her but fails to notice just how unhappy she really is. Callie’s friend Megan (Alessandra Drapos) is a highly sexual young woman who approaches everything with the intention of providing bedroom advice or showing off her expertise in sex toys. When she sets her eye on the free spirited, but wandering, Julian she sets in motion a strange dramatic arc that confuses neurotic behavior with depth and nuance.

First, Callie becomes jealous and we discover that not only is she madly in love with her best friend, but that she somehow has chosen to punish herself and Aiden over it. Scene after scene we see her become more and more dislikable, which dramatically should be profound instead of grating, and this is partly because her character is both under and overwritten. Parallel to the plot we are told the story of  Étaín, the Irish goddess of the sun, who like Callie finds herself trapped between the love of two men, Midir and Eochaid. The difference of course being than in the “real life” story we’re attending, only one of the men has any romantic interest in the heroine.

Where the comparisons between Callie and Étaín should have been empowering or at least heartbreaking (the goddess’ love story has a downright tragic ending), what we perceive instead is a writer following drama school guidelines and trying to find forced inspiration in canonical sources. The play is often filled with references to Irish pride and history that contribute little to a story that is basically a botched romantic triangle. 

The actors all make a great effort to help the audience find any coherence in what they’re seeing and both Drapos and Otto are true standouts. The former for allowing her character to blossom from comedic sidekick to a real human being (despite her downright ridiculous lines), the latter for finding the essence of someone as lost as Julian. His boyish good looks and careless demeanor make us understand why Callie and Megan both think he can save them, something made devastating by his lost gaze and eerily adorable aimlessness.

Director Jon Raik does a great job in making the most out of what he has to work with but it would’ve been great if he had changed the structure of the play. The mythological factor is quite interesting, but it never clicks with the main plot and for all we know it might only confuse audiences who will go home wondering who the hell is Étaín and how do they spell her name.


Catch the Spider
Written by Sara Ilyse Jacobson
Directed by Jon Raik

Featuring: 
Michelle Petterson (Callie), Ben Otto (Julian), Alessandra Drapos (Morgan), Christopher Travlos (Aiden)

Set Designer: Josh Adrian
Costume Designer: Daria Tavana
Lighting Designer: Taylor Riccio
Sounds Designer: Dan Acampa
Assistant Costumer Designer: Clair Meyer
Assistant Stage Manager: Jane DiBartolo
Board Operator: Madeleine Carr
Production Assistant: Kelly Teaford
Stage Managers: Tyler Winthrop
Production Manager: Steven Kreager
Co-Producers: Daria Tavana and Anni Weisband

Theater for the New City to Present a New Musical Adaptation of "Tom Jones"

Theater for the New City has announced the upcoming production of a new musical adaptation of Henry Fielding's novel, "Tom Jones," written and composed by John Taylor Thomas (Pride and Prejudice, Oh Pioneers, Return of the Native, and Platinum Taps).

Directing, dramaturgy and additional lyrics and dialogue by playwright/director Lissa Moira (Who Murdered Love, Before God was Invented, TIME IT IS).

With a cast of fourteen extremely gifted actor/singer/dancer “Tom Jones” promises to be a raunchy, ribald, rambunctious, rollicking, romp done in period dress (18^th century) with a soupçon of social commentary.

Theater for the New City
155 First Ave. (between 9^th & 10^th St.)

July 11-14 
Thursday, Friday and Saturday at 8pm
Sunday at 3pm
Tickets $18

TDF accepted

Box Office 212-254-1109
www.smarttix.com

212-868-4444
www.TheaterForTheNewCity.net

TOM JONES is an Equity Approved Showcase.

Classical Tassels - Fine Art Meets Burlesque

Shelly Watson & Thirsty Girl Present

CLASSICAL TASSELS

An Evening of Live Chamber Music, Art, Songs, Opera, Ballet & Burlesque!

Friday July 12
@ The Cutting Room

Featuring:
Shelly "The Singing Siren" Watson and Brilliant Baritone Steve Herring performing live Opera
Musical Director Alexander Bryson on piano
String Quartet The PUBLIQuartet

Staring:
Miss Exotic World & Miss Coney Island, Julie Atlas Muz,
The Original Mr. Exotic World, Tigger!
The Scandal of the Silk Stocking District, Grace Gotham
The Naked Girl of Burlesque, Stormy Leather
Mastermind of Bizarre Extravaganza, Darlinda Just Darlinda
The Gothic Gamine, Cassandra Rosebeetle
The Prima Ballerina of Burlesque, Aurora Black
The Delicate Flower, Hazel Honeysuckle
The PinUp of the Pole, Ivory Fox

Doors: 7pm
Show: 8pm

GA: $20 at the door, $25 in advance
VIP: $30 in advance, $35 at the door

Full dinner and cocktail menus available during the performance.

The Cutting Room
44 East 32nd Street
NYC 

212-591-1900
www.thecuttingroomnyc.com

Hotsy Totsy Burlesque Presents "Harry Potter and the Boobies of Fire"

By Byrne Harrison

It's nearly time for another trip to the Home for Wayward Girls and Fallen Women.  Hotsy Totsy Burlesque is ready for their next evening of salacious strippers and bodacious burlesquers.  This month's theme - Harry Potter and the Boobies of Fire.  Harry and his friends are on the run from He Who Shall Not Be Named when Dobby has the best idea.  Dobby will protect them all by hiding them in the Home for Wayward Girls and Fallen Women.  What could go wrong?

Following on the footsteps of Hotsy Totsy Burlesque’s successful Doctor Who, Mad Men, Game of Thrones and Star Wars 1978 Holiday Special tribute shows, Cherry Pitz and Joe the Shark present a brand new burlesque tribute to director J.K. Rowling’s Harry Potter series.

Featuring performances by Cherry Pitz, Storybook Burlesque’s Jenny C'est Quoi and Magdalena Fox, boylesque sensation Johnny Panic, Rhinestone Gorilla’s Kinky Demure, Epic Win Burlesque’s Miss Mary Cyn, cosplay model Stella Chuu, and pole fitness instructor and alternative model The Lady  Satine.  With Dandy Dillinger keeping everything neat and tidy on stage, and martial artist Erika Rodgers spinning on the pole for your gogo pleasure.

Hotsy Totsy Burlesque is New York’s only episodic, monthly burlesque show featuring a different script each month and a rotating cast of some the best burlesque talent New York has to offer.

Every third Tuesday of the month, Cherry Pitz and Joe the Shark invite you to the basement of The Home For Wayward Girls and Fallen Women. The residents of the home need money to keep their hotel open and to buy G-strings and glitter. The performers promise you beautiful, clothing-averse women, lots of laughs, spinning tassels, and flying underpants.

Harry Potter and the Boobies of Fire

R-Bar   *   218 Bowery (between Prince and Spring)

8pm   *   July 16th, 2013   *   $10

www.hotsytotsyburlesque.com

Advanced tickets available on www.rbarnyc.com

Sponsored by Sailor Jerry Spiced Rum who promise drink specials and awesome swag!

Upcoming Shows:

Aug. 20^th – Game Of Thrones tribute Show

Sept. 17^th – Doctor Who tribute show

Oct. 15^th -- Munsters/Addams Family Wedding

News Roundup - Mermaids, Manilow and Murder

The New York Times profiles the mermaid shows at the Newton Perry Underwater Theater in Weeki Wachee Springs, Florida.

New book "Afrocentric Theatre" by Carlton W. Molette and Barbara J. Molette updates their ground-breaking "Black Theatre: Premise and Presentation" that has been required reading in Black theatre courses for over twenty-five years.

Barry Manilow to play NJPAC in August.

But first, Cyndi Lauper will be there on the She's So Unusual Tour.

The Bolshoi's star ballerina, Svetlana Zakharova, has refused to take part in a production of Alexander Pushkin's novel "Eugene Onegin" in a dispute over her leading role.

Photo from Live IN Theater

Live IN Theater brings murder mystery to the Lower East Side.

New York Family presents their 2013 Theater Guide featuring family-friendly theatres and shows.

[title of show] celebrates the 5th anniversary of the Broadway opening.

Matthew Silva wants to save the New York State Pavilion in Flushing, Queens. It looks like it would make an amazing performance venue.

Time Out New York offers great discounts on Cirque du Soleil's Quidam, The Amoralists' latest Rantoul and Die, and Marilyn Maye at Iridium.

A day in the life of a Times Square Cookie Monster.

Urban gardens to see and places to eat and drink while visiting New York.

Joanna Gleason, Chris Sarandon, Brian J. Carter, Melissa Joan Hart to perform in benefit reading of Any Wednesday.

Broadway actress fights off attacker near Central Park.

New York Musical Theatre Festival turns 10.

Theatre books for summer.

Hartford Stage and Goodspeed Opera House turn 50.

The Lincoln Center Festival opens tomorrow.

Laura Innes, Cotter Smith, Sheila Vand, and Russell G. Jones will be featured in the cast of When The Lights Went Out by Mozhan Marnò. Kate Whoriskey to direct.

Wallace Shawn and André Gregory discuss their 40-year collaboration.

A summer salon with performance artist Karen Finley.

Rosie O'Donnell talks with Alec Baldwin on Here's The Thing.

Conde Nast Traveler offers some TKTS advice.

The Fishko Files has an interesting look at performing in unison.

Ten theatres that burned to the ground.