The Asian American Film Lab's “72 Hour Shootout" Begins on June 7th
The Asian American Film Lab, Inc. is a not-for-profit 501c3 organization that promotes gender and ethnic diversity in film and TV programming.
We hold an annual, global filmmaking competition called the “72 Hour Shootout,” which begins on June 7, 2018. In this competition, participants take 3 days to create a 5-minute film that follows a theme assigned by the Film Lab. Last year’s theme was “Welcome to the New Normal: The Normalization of Sexism and Xenophobia in Modern America.” There must be one person of Asian descent both behind and in front of the camera in a key role for each film. Awards include cash prizes and mentorships.
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Pittsburgh Community Theatre Shuts Down Production of "Big Fish" Over Depiction of Gay Parents
Outrage has erupted in Pittsburgh, PA over the cancellation of a community theatre production of "Big Fish" due to a dispute between the creative team and producers over the inclusion of staging that would have featured a gay male couple with a child.
For their upcoming production of the Andrew Lippa musical, during the number, "Stranger, the director wanted to include a gay male couple with a child among the ensemble interacting with Will while he's reflecting on being a future father. While the producers "compromised" with the director at first, when the director wanted to include additional staging that featured the gay couple, producers balked. The dispute between the creative and producing teams led the director to resign from the production, followed by multiple cast members.
Due to the fact that opening night was less than a month away and what the producers called a "campaign to disparage" their reputation, they decided to cancel the entire production.
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Casting Announced for "Fiddler on the Roof" in Yiddish
The National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene (NYTF), recently nominated for a 2018 Drama Desk Award for Outstanding Musical Revivial (Amerike-The Golden Land), has completed its casting for the American premiere of the Yiddish language Fiddler on the Roof. Helmed by Academy Award and Tony Award winner Joel Grey, and accompanied by English and Russian translation supertitles, this highly-anticipated 8-week limited engagement, July 4th through August 26th, is set to play Off Broadway at the Museum of Jewish Heritage.
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They're in the Band: A Quick Meet & Greet with the Stars of "School of Rock"
Walking into the Pantages Theatre at 10:45 a.m. was a thrill. Usually the theatre is closed to the public at this time of the day, however, the lobby lights were aglow on School of Rock posters, and chairs were set for a select group of media to meet the cast of School of Rock.
The two leads Rob Colletti (Dewey) and Lexi Dorsett Sharp (Rosalie) walked into the lobby with sixteen of their cast mates all under 12 years old. This talented bunch were dressed informally and in School of Rock apparel. The kids performed “If Only You Would Listen” before the interviews.
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Win tickets to Broadway hits such as Anastasia and Waitress at Downton Abbey: The Exhibition!
Don’t miss your chance to win tickets to Broadway hits such as Anastasia and Waitress at Downton Abbey: The Exhibition!
Throughout the month of May, Downton Abbey: The Exhibition invites guests to celebrate the marriage of Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. We will be celebrating in style at the exhibition with special guest speakers, giveaways, competitions, and more!
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Our 2018 Tony Predictions: Direction, Acting, Writing and Show Categories
About a month from now, Broadway will descend on Radio City Musical Hall for the 2018 Tony Awards. While this year doesn't feature the crossover hits such as Hamilton or Dear Evan Hansen, it should still be an exciting evening with many of the award categories without a clear front-runner.
So who is going to take home a trophy? Who really deserves it? And who should have been invited to the big night and wasn't?
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Iconic Musical AN AMERICAN IN PARIS Comes to Movie Theaters September 2018
Trafalgar Releasing has announced the North American theatrical release of the highly acclaimed musical, An American in Paris, coming to movie theaters across the USA on Thursday, September 20 and Sunday, September 23.
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Our 2018 Tony Predictions: Technical Categories
About a month from now, Broadway will descend on Radio City Musical Hall for the 2018 Tony Awards. While this year doesn't feature the crossover hits such as Hamilton or Dear Evan Hansen, it should still be an exciting evening with many of the award categories without a clear front-runner.
So who is going to take home a trophy? Who really deserves it? And who should have been invited to the big night and wasn't? Here are our picks for the technical categories
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Little Theatre of Manchester (LTM) will present John Cariani’s LOVE/SICK weekends from June 1 to June 17, 2018
“A dark, amusing look at romance…strikes just the right balance between wisdom and whimsy…light, bright, anti-romantic, and engaging,” according toThe Hartford Courant, LOVE/SICK is a collection of nine slightly twisted and completely hilarious short vignettes taking place in an alternate suburban reality (where a bride can literally get cold feet and a couple can simply forget to have a baby). This 80-minute romp explores the tragedy and comedy of relationships. Full of imperfect lovers and dreamers, LOVE/SICK is an unromantic comedy for the romantic in everyone.
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America’s Sweethearts CD RELEASE PARTY
America’s Sweethearts, now in their third year of bringing vintage entertainment to audiences all over the country, will host a long-awaited CD Release Party at Town Stages on Saturday, May 12th!
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Concrete Temple Theatre to present “Concrete Boom: volume one” showcasing new works by leading New York Artists
Concrete Temple Theatre is curating an evening of cutting edge, devised visual theatre. Concrete Boom: volume one will be presented Monday, June 11th and Tuesday, June 12 at Dixon Place, located at 161A Chrystie St. (between Rivington and Delancey). Performances begin at 7:30pm. Tickets are $17 in advance, $20 at the door, and $15 for students & seniors, please purchase through dixonplace.org.
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German Theatre Offers Free Tickets to Audience Members Wearing Swastikas...Wait What?!?!
A German theatre in Konstanz, has found itself at the center of controversy by offering free admission to any audience member willing to don a swastika armband during a play about Adolf Hitler. The play in question, Mein Kampf, is a farce which depicts Hitler as a young aspiring artist in Vienna. The play also features a character that resembles Donald Trump.
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AUDIENCE REWARDS LAUNCHES 2018 TONY AWARDS CHALLENGE!
Audience Rewards® and the 72nd Annual Tony Awards® will launch the 2018 Tony Awards Challenge, an interactive game that invites theatre fans to predict who will win the Tony Awards.
Beginning May 1st on the heels of the announcement of the Tony Nominations, fans will be invited to visit TonyAwards.com to play the game for free. Similar to fantasy football, fans can start their own “leagues” and play against friends and family.
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A Meet & Greet with "Frozen" Star Jelani Alladin
My first time seeing Jelani perform was in a reading of Boy Meets Girl (written by Eric Schaeffer) at The New York Theater Barn last year and I was blown away. One can only imagine the fantastic feeling Jelani must have felt when offered the role of Kristoff in Frozen. “I know this will sound cliché, but it truly has been the most magical experience of my life thus far," he said regarding his experience so far with the show. He also added that “Working for this company, with this group of artists has been so inspiring and eye-opening.”
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"Something New and Exciting" for Matt Shingledecker!
I’d like you to meet the talented Matt Shingledecker!
Matt is currently starring in the National Tour of Les Miserables playing one of the central roles of Enjolras, the leader of the ABC Cafe. Matt has appeared on Broadway in Spring Awakening, West Side Story (Tony), Wicked (Fiyero), Off-Broadway in RENT (Roger), and in the first National Tour of Spring Awakening. I first saw Matt perform on Broadway in Spring Awakening, and after that, I had the chance to work with him when he starred in a staged reading of my play The Unpredictable Time in the summer on 2015 where he played the lead role of Henry.
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High School Production of "The Lion King" Cancelled Mid-Run Due to Copyright Issue
Once again it appears as though educators have failed their students as a high school production has been canceled due to copyrights not being secured.
Over the weekend, students at Nansemond River High School in Suffolk, VA were told that their production of Disney's The Lion King would not continue because rights to the show had not been obtained. The worst part is, they had already begun performances.
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High School Cancels Production of "To Kill a Mockingbird" Due to Use of Racial Slurs
One of the more iconic literary works dealing with race relations in 20th Century America will not be performed in Keene, NY. The small community's Keene Central School, just north of Albany, decided against performing Christopher Sergel's adaptation of Harper Lee's novel due to its use of a racial slur.
While usually these types of decisions are handed down by school administrations, it was the Director of the production, who opted against performing the piece, because the students felt uncomfortable saying the "n-word".
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Out of the Box Theatrics Announces Panelists for Women in Theater Event to be held on Monday, April 30th
OOTB will host a special forum on Monday, April 30 th to support the theater’s commitment to providing a platform for up and coming artists. Moderated by Love Your Bodd Podcast host Heather Boddy, OOTB Producing Artistic Director, Elizabeth Flemming, OOTB Nocturne director Amiee Turner, Broadway’s Natasha, Pierre, and the Great Comet of 1812’s Associate Director Sammi Cannold, Actor/Writer/Producer and HAPA Magazine Founder Alex Chester, and Atlantic Theatre Company Director Awoye Timpo will discuss the importance and relevance of immersive theatre and how you can use it to create your own platform for your unique voice.
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A Chat with Gabrielle Beckford of “Crowns” at Long Wharf Theatre
For actress Gabrielle Beckford, starring in “Crowns” is both the start of her professional career and a full circle moment. The recent Rider University graduate grew up in New York City and, while she was involved in all types of art from visual to culinary, her first experience as a performer was singing in church. But after a high school teacher cast in “Hair,” Beckford switched her attention from the pulpit to the proscenium. She started studying voice and dance, eventually completing a BFA in musical theater. It seems to be serendipity that her first professional role after college is in “Crowns,” a gospel-infused play Beckford says hits close to home. To learn more about the show and her experience playing Yolanda, both at McCarter Theatre Center and currently at Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven, Connecticut, I spoke to her over the phone. Our conversation has been edited for length and clarity.
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Mel Brooks' "Young Frankenstein" Comes to TheatreWorks May 4
On Friday, May 4 TheatreWorks New Milford will premiere Mel Brooks' Zany movie-turned-musical musical, Young Frankenstein.The curtain rises at 8:00 p.m. every Friday and Saturday and 2:00pm on some Sundays through June 2.
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