Category Archives: Celebrity

Chita Rivera on Fire Island August 19th

Daniel Nardicio Productions and The Ice Palace present
CHITA RIVERA
And Her Longtime Trio!

Celebrating her 70th year in show business,
with special guest LISA MORDENTE.

ONLY A FEW  TICKETS  LEFT

Do you realize  HOW MANY SHOWS she has been in???

Chita’s Theatrical Productions 

Call Me Madam…. Principal Dancer
Guys and Dolls…. Principal Dancer
Can-Can
Shoestring Revue…. Principal Dancer
Seventh Heaven….Fifi
Mr. Wonderful…. Rita Romano
West Side Story…. Anita
Bye Bye Birdie…. Rosie Alvarez
Prisoner of Zenda …. Athena
Bajour…. Anyanka
Flower Drum Song…. Linda Low
The Rose Tattoo Threepenny Opera…. Jenny
Sweet Charity…. Charity Hope Valentine
Zorba the Greek…. Zorba
1491…. Beatriz
Kiss Me Kate
Jacques Brel is Alive and Well and Living in Paris… Carousel
Born Yesterday…. Billie Dawn
Chicago…. Velma Kelly
Bring Back Birdie…. Rose Grant
Merlin: The Magical Musical…. The Queen
The Rink…. Anna
Jerry’s Girls….Chita Rivera
Kiss of the Spider Woman…. Aurora
Chita & All That Jazz
Anything Goes…. Reno Sweeney
Casper: The Friendly Musical…. Magdalena Monteverde
Venecia…. La Vieja
House of Bernarda Alba…. Bernarda Alba
Nine the Musical…. Liliane La Fleur
Chita Rivera: The Dancer’s Life….Chita Rivera
The Mystery of Edwin Drood…. Princess Puffer
The Visit…. Claire Zachanassian

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Nick Adams talks Broadway and Drag

Nick Adams is an entertainer on many levels. Acting, singing, dancing, film, stage, and more, he’s done it all.

He’s won Audience Choice Awards from Broadway.com, received an Astaire Award nomination for Best Dancer, and has been honored by the American Theatre Hall of Fame.

He is instantly recognizable by his signature smile, powerhouse vocals, and yes, that body that held Mario Lopez to task.

METROSOURCE  did a great story and interview  with Nick  this  month!    Check it out  here!

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Britney Spears Musical – Tickets on sale now!

She’s  back!

Tony Award winning producers James L. Nederlander and Hunter Arnold are pleased to announce that the new musical Once Upon A One More Time, powered by the music of Grammy Award-winning pop icon Britney Spears, will open on Broadway this summer at the Marquis Theatre in New York City. Helmed by internally acclaimed, Drama Desk-nominated Director & Choreographers Keone & Mari Madrid (Beyond BabelKarate Kid), the musical begins previews Saturday, May 13, 2023, and celebrates its opening night on Thursday, June 22, 2023. Starting today, Britney Spears fan club members have exclusive access to tickets by a special pre-sale, throughout the weekend. Beginning Monday December 5 at 10:00AM ET, tickets will go on sale to the general public at Ticketmaster.com/877-250-2929.

ONCE UPON A ONE MORE TIME

A NEW MUSICAL POWERED BY THE HITS OF GRAMMY AWARD-WINNING ICON
BRITNEY SPEARS

WILL OPEN ON BROADWAY AT THE MARQUIS THEATRE

PREVIEWS BEGIN MAY 13, 2023
OPENING NIGHT JUNE 22, 2023

“AN EVENING OF BUOYANT DELIGHT! Once Upon A One More Time is one of the most ambitious new musicals in a theater world awakening to a creative new day – a most unlikely cultural mash-up, reframing a bevy of storybook characters in an enlightened, modern context.” – The Washington Post

Once Upon A One More Time combines fairytales, Betty Friedan and Britney Spears in a large-scale, Broadway way…resulting in CLEVER, UPROARIOUS FUN. Who couldn’t use a little more fun these days?” – NPR

“INGENIOUS and IMPROBABLY FUNNY!” – Washingtonian

“INSPIRING! Once Upon a One More is a full-fledged, Grade A, gold star success… and exactly the party we need right now. It’s as thought-provoking as it is toe-tapping, as clever as it is hilarious, as bold as it is shiny. I predict it will be AN INTERGENERATIONAL SMASH.” – DC Metro Theater Arts

FAN PRE-SALE BEGINS TODAY, DECEMBER 2, 2022
TICKETS ON SALE MONDAY, DECEMBER 5, 2022

 

Praised as “ingenious, and improbably funny” (Washingtonian) upon its world premiere last year, Once Upon a One More Time played a sold-out, extended engagement at the Tony Award-winning Shakespeare Theatre Company (STC), in Washington, D.C, from November 29, 2021-January 9, 2022. The musical was described as “an evening of buoyant delight” by The Washington Post critic Peter Marks, , who also wrote in a feature story on the production, “Once Upon A One More Time is one of the most ambitious new musicals in a theater world awakening to a creative new day – a most unlikely cultural mash-up, reframing a bevy of storybook characters in an enlightened, modern context.” NPR said the show, “combines fairytales, Betty Friedan and Britney Spears in a large-scale, Broadway way, resulting in clever, uproarious fun. Who couldn’t use a little more fun these days?” DC Metro Theater Arts raved the show is, “inspiring! A full-fledged, Grade A, gold star success… and exactly the party we need right now. It is as thought-provoking as it is toe-tapping, as clever as it is hilarious, as bold as it is shiny. I predict it will be an intergenerational smash.”

Once Upon A One More Time features an original story written by Jon Hartmere (bare, The Upside) that flips the script on your favorite fairytale icons. Cinderella, Snow White, Little Mermaid and other classic storybook characters gather for their fortnightly book club, when—oh baby, baby!—a rogue fairy godmother grants their wish for a new story, by dropping The Feminine Mystique into their corseted laps. The arrival of this new tome spurs a royal revelation: there is more to life than bird-made dresses and true love’s kiss! The ultimate revisionist fairytale for anyone who yearns to feel “stronger than yesterday,” Once Upon A One More Time weaves the chart-topping anthems of the Princess of Pop herself, Britney Spears – including “Oops I Did It Again,” “Lucky,” “Circus,” and “Toxic” – into a heartwarming and uproarious musical adventure about claiming your own happily ever after.

Cast will be announced at a later date. Once Upon A One More Time was originally developed and produced by Shakespeare Theatre Company, Washington D.C. (Simon Godwin, Artistic Director; Chris Jennings, Executive Director).

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URVASHI VAID, ACTIVIST, AUTHOR, ATTORNEY has Passed Away

Legendary attorney, LGBTQ activist, and author Urvashi Vaid, known for her extensive career an advocate for LGBTQ rights, women’s rights, anti-war efforts, immigration justice and many other social causes, died today at age 63 in her home in New York City. She was the Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force from 1989- 1992  and served prior to that as Media Director.

“We are devastated at the loss of one of the most influential progressive activists of our time,” said Kierra Johnson, current Executive Director of the National LGBTQ Task Force. “Urvashi Vaid was a leader, a warrior and a force to be reckoned with,” continued Johnson, “She was also a beloved colleague, friend, partner and someone we all looked up to – a brilliant, outspoken and deeply committed activist who wanted full justice and equality for all people.”

“Her leadership, vision and writing helped shape not only the Task Force’s values and work but our entire queer movement and the larger progressive movement. We will strive every day to live up to her ideals and model the courage she  demonstrated every day as an activist and a person. She will be deeply I missed. I miss her already.” concluded Johnson.

At George H.W. Bush’s 1990 address on AIDS, Vaid, then the Executive Director of The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, made a statement with her sign: “Talk Is Cheap, AIDS Funding is Not”. Her critique made waves, disrupting the press conference, and shedding light on the failures of the Bush administration.

“Equality is a fine aspiration. It’s simply not enough”, she wrote in a 2014 piece on liberation. And it is a politics of liberation that shaped her career and informed her vision for the world. Vaid’s vision and passion for defending and promoting civil rights for the LGBTQ+ community led to a lifetime of changemaking.

Her time at The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, in which she held multiple positions for over ten years, notably Media Director, then Executive Director, saw her bring all aspects of queer life and struggle into the public eye. While at the Task Force, she co-founded the annual Creating Change conference, now in its 33rd year.

In 1995, after resigning from her position at the Task Force three years prior, she published her first book, Virtual Equality: The Mainstreaming of Gay and Lesbian Liberation, in which she criticized the idea of “mainstreaming” what was and is, in fact, a civil rights movement. Rather than tolerance, she argued, the objective for the movement should be fundamental, actionable change. It was not an immediately popular notion, as media representation for queer people was just beginning to take shape, though it was, for her, of great moral importance. In 1996 Virtual Equality won the Stonewall Book Award.

In her position as President of the Vaid Group, Vaid advised, mentored, and supported the LGBTQ+ movement.

In 2012, Urvashi Vaid launched LPAC, the first lesbian Super PAC, and it has since invested millions of dollars in candidates who are committed to social justice through legislation.

Prior to that, Vaid held positions on the boards at the Ford Foundation, The Arcus Foundation (where she served as Executive Director from 2005 to 2010), and the Gill Foundation.

She was a leader in the development of the currently on-going National LGBTQ women’s community survey.

Vaid was the aunt of activist and performance artist Alok Vaid-Menon. She is survived by Alok Vaid-Menon as well as her longtime partner, political humorist Kate Clinton.

The National LGBTQ Task Force advances full freedom, justice and equality for LGBTQ people. We are building a future where everyone can be free to be their entire selves in every aspect of their lives. Today, despite all the progress we’ve made to end discrimination, millions of LGBTQ people face barriers in every aspect of their lives: in housing, employment, healthcare, retirement, and basic human rights.

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Pamela Anderson to star in Chicago April and May

The name on everybody’s lips is gonna be Pamela! The Broadway company of the Tony Award-winning, record-breaking hit musical Chicago will welcome actress and activist Pamela Anderson making her Broadway debut in the role of Roxie Hart beginning Tuesday, April 12, 2022.

She will play an 8-week limited engagement at the Ambassador Theatre (219 W. 49th St., NYC) through Sunday, June 5, 2022.

“I have always been a huge fan of Bob Fosse‘s & Gwen Verdon‘s work. Ann Reinking, too,” said Pamela Anderson. “Playing Roxie Hart is a dream fulfilled. Performing Fosse, you don’t have time to get in your head. You can’t dance, sing and think at the same time. There is a freedom, a unique joy in knowing it’s all about the work. Playing Roxie Hart is a sweet escape for me.”

READ more art BroadwayWorld!

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Broadway is Coming Back Baby!

Did you hear? Broadway is coming back! Make sure you get your tickets for this fall.

Buy Tickets

Hamilton
Hamilton
Begins Sep 14
The Lion King
The Lion King
Begins Sep 14
Wicked
Wicked
Begins Sep 14
Chicago
Chicago
Begins Sep 14
Six
Six
Begins Sep 17
Come From Away
Come From Away
Begins Sep 21
Aladdin
Aladdin
Begins Sep 28
Tina
Tina: The Tina Turner Musical
Begins Oct 8
Ain't Too Proud
Ain’t Too Proud
Begins Oct 16
Jagged Little Pill
Jagged Little Pill
Begins Oct 21
Mrs. Doubtfire
Mrs. Doubtfire
Begins Oct 21
The Phantom of the Opera
The Phantom of the Opera
Begins Oct 22
Diana
Diana
Begins Dec 1
Company
Company
Begins Dec 20
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Nick Adams Live show – in concert May 20th

@TheNickAdams‘s May 20th concert at
@MercyhurstU  *will* sell out this week!!!!
Mercy Hurst U is located in Erie, Penn.
Take a plane, a train or an automobile!

To purchase tickets email MIAC artistic director Dr. Brett D. Johnson at bjohnson@mercyhurst.edu. Include a phone number, and someone will call you within 24 hours, Monday-Friday.

 

Nick Adams (born June 10, 1983) is an American actor, singer, and dancer, known for starring as Adam/Felicia in the original Broadway production of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert and starring as Whizzer Brown in the first national tour of the Lincoln Center Theater revival of Falsettos.

DON’T  MISS THIS   SHOW!

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Lady Bunny and Bianca Del Rio Team up for Hateful Hags

Hateful, sassy and sometimes lewd and crude!   Lady Bunny and Bianca Del Rio team up for a  Vimeo event called  HATEFUL HATES NETWORK.

(From INSTINCT Magazine)- For drag performers, performing during these challenging times has proven to cause performers to be beyond inventive. From shows direct from their living rooms to Brandon Voss’ Drive ‘N Drag nationwide series, queens have managed to keep their art alive and thriving during this time. Sherry Vine & Jackie Beat for example, have continued their famed Battle of the Bitches shows live online, (the most recent was the Halloween themed Battle of the Witches) and another famed duo is about to hit our small screens with their own patented brand of twisted comedy.

Legendary Wigstock creator/DJ/drag legend Lady Bunny and RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 6 winner turned stand up drag sensation Bianca Del Rio are co-anchoring HHN: Hateful Hags Network, a roast/cable news channel hybrid, where they will be delivering everything from filthy jokes to a a musical number, in only the way this duo can. They promise equal opportunity hate for RuPaul’s Drag Race queens from all seasons, tossing in some costume changes and…a surprise guest?

Lady Bunny exclusively tells EW “Enough with COVID and politics. It’s time for something really important… back-stabbing drag queens!”  while Bianca Del Rio adds: “Due to COVID, some ‘Drag Race’ queens have opened OnlyFans accounts. Bunny and I would never do that. Not because of any moral objections — because we’re ugly!”

Tune in to ‘HHH: Hateful Hags Network’ on Thursday, November 12th at 8PM EST. Tickets are $9.99 at Vimeo.

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Pride 2020 Drag Fest Weekend June 19-21

OVER 100 OF NYC’S GREATEST DRAG PERFORMERS JOIN MARTI GOULD CUMMINGS & THE ONLY PRODUCTIONS FOR “PRIDE 2020 DRAG FEST: A WEEKEND TO SUPPORT OUR QUEENS”

NYC PRIDE and GLAAD to Support Three Day Digital Drag Festival to Celebrate Pride and Raise Funds for Local Drag Performers

RuPaul’s Drag Race Stars Jan, Heidi N. Closet, Nicky Doll, Shuga Cain, Brita Filter, Milk, Honey Davenport, Jiggly Caliente, and Dusty Ray Bottoms among Participants

 

Political activist and New York City drag staple Marti Gould Cummings and The Only Productions today announced the largest digital drag festival during Pride 2020. More than 100 performers are scheduled to appear during “Pride 2020 Drag Fest,” an official event of NYC Pride and supported by national LGBTQ advocacy organization GLAAD. The virtual performances will run each day from 6:30-8pm EST beginning on Friday, June 19 and through Sunday, June 21, 2020. The video events will stream on NYC Pride and GLAAD’s Facebook pages. Viewers can contribute directly to each performer during their scheduled time through donations to their Venmo profiles and donation platforms highlighted during the broadcast.

For more information: https://www.nycpride.org/events/pride-2020-dragfest

“Since before Stonewall our drag community and our trans community have rallied to stand up and fight for equality and justice,” said Marti Gould Cummings. “As we grapple with the new normal of our daily lives we must continue in the footsteps and carry on the spirit of Pride. We may not be able to meet in person this year but Pride will live on as we gather digitally to celebrate our drag community and honor the legacy of Masha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and the activism that so many LGBTQ icons ushered in.”

Performers slated to appear during “Pride 2020 Drag Fest” include RuPaul’s Drag Race alum Jan, Heidi N. Closet, Nicky Doll, Shuga Cain, Brita Filter, Milk, Honey Davenport, Jiggly Caliente, Dusty Ray Bottoms, plus NYC drag stars including Jasmine Rice LaBeija, Sherry Vine, Shequida, Pixie Aventura, Horrorchata, Merrie Cherry, and over 100 others. For a full list of talent visit: https://www.nycpride.org/events/pride-2020-dragfest

According to Vice.com: “While nearly all businesses in the U.S. have been threatened by the outbreak, bars and nightclubs that cater to the LGBTQ community are particularly vulnerable because they already operate under extremely small margins.” Many drag performers have started hosting virtual performances, while several LGBTQ bars and nightclubs have launched crowdfunding pages to support  employees.

“You cannot have Pride without a little (or a lot) of Drag. This performance of gender expression has been a staple of the LGBTQIA+ community throughout its history, bringing with it a sense of vibrancy and power that can be felt at every NYC Pride event,” Shawn Kobetz, Partnerships Manager, NYC Pride. “We at NYC Pride are proud to stand with our drag friends and family from around the world during these trying times. We hope this event provides much needed support and entertainment for our community.” Last week, NYC Pride began announcing virtual events to celebrate Pride 2020 and bring NYC’s LGBTQ community together including a special broadcast event with WABC-TV Channel 7.

Marti Gould Cummings is a NYC-based drag artist, television personality, and political activist. Throughout their nearly decade long drag career Marti has been a regular fixture in the nightlife world who uses their platform to spread a message of equality, acceptance, and kindness. Marti has appeared across media outlets including The New York Times, New York Daily News, People and Good Morning America online to speak about LGBTQ issues and, most recently, about COVID-19’s impact on LGBTQ New Yorkers.

“COVID-19 has closed LGBTQ safe spaces including community centers, bars, and nightclubs which served as lifelines for so many LGBTQ people, and it has also delivered an unexpected and urgent financial loss to talented performers and employees who worked in these spaces,” said GLAAD Chief Communications Officer Rich Ferraro. “Both during Pride month and beyond, our community needs to join together to support drag performers and other talent who have always supported us.”

More information about “Pride 2020 Drag Fest: A Weekend to Support Our Queens” visit: https://www.nycpride.org/events/pride-2020-dragfest

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NYC Pride June 25th 2020 Live Stream

NYC Pride and our partners at WABC Channel 7 are proud to announce a special broadcast event on Sunday, June 28, 2020, from 12:00 to 2:00 pm to mark the 50th anniversary of the first Pride March held in 1970.

In this unique year, NYC Pride is committed to saluting front-line workers alongside several leaders in the community being honored as Grand Marshals:  Dan Levy, The Ali Forney Center, Yanzi Peng, and Victoria Cruz.

While it may be a different type of celebration, the tradition of commemorating the LGBTQIA+ movement will continue!

The special will feature performances by Janelle Monáe, Deborah Cox, Billy Porter, Luísa Sonza and more.

Expect to see appearances by Wilson Cruz, Miss Richfield 1981, Margaret Cho and others. WABC’s very own Ken Rosato and Lauren Glassberg will be joined by special guest co-host Carson Kressley, along with correspondents Sam Champion and Kemberly Richardson.

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STARS in the House for Actors Fund

Have you heard of this  show on YouTube?

Music, community, and education to support The Actors Fund and its services.
Live-streamed daily at 2 PM ET and 8 PM ET/ Listen on SiriusXM VOLUME at 9AM ET, M-F

In the wake of the coronavirus pandemic and theatres across the world closing their curtains indefinitely, SiriusXM host Seth Rudetsky and his husband, producer James Wesley have created Stars in the House, a daily live streamed series to support The Actors Fund and its services. 

NEW SHOWS  DAILY!

With new shows airing daily at 2 PM ET and 8 PM ET, Stars in the House is a combination of music, community, and education (from CBS Chief Medical correspondent Dr. Jon LaPook) located on the Actors Fund YouTube Channel. With musical performances by stars remotely from their home and conversations with Seth and James between each tune, viewers can also donate to the charity and interact with the guests in real time. 

RAISING MONEY!

Stars in the House raised over $50,000 in the first four days of airing. Guests include Andrew Lloyd Webber, John Lithgow, Jason Alexander, Kristen Chenoweth as well as couples confined together like Audra McDonald and Will Swenson, Frozen composers Bobby Lopez and Kristen Anderson-Lopez, writers Tina Fey and Jeff Richmond, and many more. Stars in the House plans to stream daily until Broadway re-opens.

LOTS  of  upcoming shows PLUS  3 months of Archives!

 

THE ACTORS FUND

The Actors Fund is a national human services organization that fosters stability and resiliency, and provides a safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals over their lifespan. Through offices in New York, Los Angeles and Chicago, The Fund serves everyone in film, theater, television, music, opera, radio and dance with programs including social services and emergency financial assistance, health care and insurance counseling, housing, and secondary employment and training services.

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Stonewall Gives Back Fundraiser

April 23rd, 2020,  Troye Sivan, Cyndi Lauper, Kim Petras, Rufus Wainwright and many more got together to raise funds for those in the LGBTQ nightlife industry in need during the COVID-19 crisis.

Hosted by 

Michelle Visage and Tyler Oakley

Performances and Appearances by

Alan Cumming, Allie X, Betty Who, Carlie Hanson, Cyndi Lauper, Darren Hayes, Dave Mizzoni, Greyson Chance, Issac Dunbar, John Cameron Mitchell, Kim Petras, Kristin Chenoweth, Leland, Lorna Luft, Matt Rogers, MUNA, Nina West, Our Lady J, Pabllo Vittar, Peppermint, Rufus Wainwright, Shoshana Bean, Todrick Hall, Troye Sivan, TUCKER, VINCINT.

The Stonewall Inn Gives Back Initiative (SIGBI). We are a non-profit charitable organization inspired by the struggles and ideals of the LGBTQ rights movement born from the Stonewall Inn Uprising of 1969. We are committed to eliminating the social intolerance that is profoundly impacting the lives of LGBTQ citizens throughout America and abroad. Through awareness campaigns, educational programming, fundraising and candid public dialogue,we support grassroots organizations scattered across the country and especially those in communities where progress toward equality has been slow and the negative impact of ongoing acts of discrimination and harassment can no longer be tolerated.

GIVE TODAY!

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Broadway’s Carols for a Cure 21!

BROADWAY CARES/EQUITY FIGHTS AIDS RELEASES ITS 21ST ANNIVERSARY EDITION OF 
“BROADWAY’S CAROLS FOR A CURE” 

The collection is full of spirited holiday favorites sung by stars from Broadway’s leading musicals including 
Hadestown, Beetlejuice, Ain’t Too Proud, Freestyle Love Supreme, Dear Evan Hansen, and Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!  

For over twenty years, Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS’ holiday CD, Broadway’s Carols for a Cure, has been a staple of every theatre-lover’s wish list.   The beloved series pairs casts from award-winning Broadway musicals with seasonal songs that are both classic and new.  This year’s compilation, Broadway’s Carols for a Cure Volume 21, features 18 tracks from the companies of Hadestown, Beetlejuice, Ain’t Too Proud, Freestyle Love Supreme, Dear Evan Hansen, Come From Away, Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma!, and more!  It is available now for $25 in the Broadway Cares store,  along with Volumes 1 through 20.   Broadway’s Carols for a Cure Volume 21 is also available at participating theaters.

“This year’s 21st anniversary edition features eighteen original, newly recorded singles, creatively arranged and performed by the incredibly talented performers and musicians from the 2019 Broadway season,” explains producer Lynn Pinto. Once again, she has collaborated with engineer Andros Rodriguez on the album.   “Several of the casts really made their song sound like it could be a song from their show!”

With over twenty years of creating Broadway’s Carols for a Cure, Lynn Pinto has developed a recipe that works.  She allows each company a great deal of freedom in choosing the material and the style of their arrangement.  She also works with their demanding Broadway schedules.  “We record the musicians and singers in layers, utilizing isolation booths for a higher quality recording,” she says. “It gives our holiday album a unique sound from most cast albums and allows us to properly showcase these amazing voices and instrumentalists.”

The first Broadway’s Carols for a Cure album debuted in 1999.  Recorded at St. John’s Church in Greenwich Village, it featured carols from the casts of Cabaret, Fosse, Chicago and Swing!, as well as from Phantom of the Opera who also appear on the 21st anniversary edition.  Fans of today’s Great White Way will be overjoyed to hear original recordings from today’s top productions, including the cast of Hamilton with a sweeping rendition of “What Child is This?,”  the cast of Frozen performing “O Holy Night,”  and the cast of Tootsie singing an all-new, frolicking version of “Jingle Bells.”

Additionally, this year’s album includes two unique Chanukah songs.  The cast of Dear Evan Hansen performs “Hine Ma Tov/Together” and the cast of Fiddler on the Roof presents “Drey Dreydele,” sung in Yiddish!

This year’s Broadway’s Carols for a Cure Volume 21 cd comes with its own digital download card inside the packaging so that listeners can access the music even if without a CD player! In addition, downloaded music also features incredible bonus content including behind the scenes videos of the making of the album.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS is a nonprofit organization that helps individuals with AIDS and other serious illnesses receive the health care and support they need.  In addition, they provide financial support in the form of grants to AIDS and family service organizations throughout the country.

“No town is more festive than New York City for the holidays and no street here is as magical as Broadway!  Broadway’s Carols for a Cure Volume 21 is sure to be a favorite for all,” promises Lynn Pinto.

Broadway’s Carols for a Cure Volume 21 exclusively benefits Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and can be purchased (along with Volumes 1 through 20) in the web store at https://broadwaycares.stores.yahoo.net/caforcucds.html or by calling Broadway Cares at 212-840-0770.  The new album is also available at participating New York City theaters.

 
Broadway’s Carols for a Cure Volume 21 Track Listing:
 
1. BEETLEJUICE – CAROL OF THE BEETLEBELLS
2. TOOTSIE – JINGLE BELLS
3. AIN’T TOO PROUD – COME ALL YE FAITHFUL
4. FIDDLER ON THE ROOF IN YIDDISH – DREY DREYDELE
5. RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN’S OKLAHOMA! – AULD LANG SYNE
6. MEAN GIRLS – BABY, IT’S COLD OUTSIDE
7. BROADWAY MUSICIANS AFM LOCAL 802 – A PRAYER FOR PEACE
8. ALADDIN – DECEMBER FEELS
9. HAMILTON – WHAT CHILD IS THIS?
10. DEAR EVAN HANSEN – HINE MA TOV/TOGETHER
11. COME FROM AWAY – DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR?
12. WICKED – LO, HOW A ROSE E’ER BLOOMIN’
13. AN FLS TREEMIX – CHRISTMAS TREE
14. FROZEN – HOLY NIGHT
15. WAITRESS – SECRET SANTA
16. THE BROADWAY BABY MAMAS – COVENTRY CAROL
17. THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA – THE FIRST NOEL
18. HADESTOWN – MIDWINTERSONG
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Down to Eartha One Woman Show in August

Actress, singer, author, and activist Eartha Kitt might be best known as the singer behind “Santa Baby” and “C’est si bon,” or as the third Catwoman on the sixties Batman TV series.

However, a government-led blacklisting in the late sixties halted her career for an entire decade. The infamous blacklisting forms the basis for Down To Eartha, a one-woman show which will begin its 10-show run at the Gene Frankel Theater (24 Bond Street) in August.

“I simply loved her as a young girl growing up in the theater,” said Down To Eartha producer and director Marishka Phillips. “After seeing her comeback performance in Timbuktu! I knew I wanted to be a part of this business.”

The play, which premiered earlier this year at the WOW Cafe in Manhattan, was written by Deirdra McDowell, who also stars as Kitt.

“I was first inspired to play Eartha Kitt by acting coach Susan Batson, in 2010,” said McDowell. “After performing an animal exercise in class, she simply stated, ‘I see Eartha.’ From there, I felt the need to tell Kitt’s story.”

Many will be shocked to discover the measures the CIA took to silence Kitt following an incident at a White House luncheon in January 1968. Kitt’s anti-war statements on that day personally insulted First Lady Lady Bird Johnson so much that she urged President Lyndon Johnson to blacklist Kitt from working in the United States. The government succeeded in doing so for the following ten years.

Down to Eartha explores Kitt´s personal re-encounter of that fateful day in detail, while also delving into her personal journey of power and freedom. Stemming from a life ridden with years of child abuse, Eartha´s personal journey proves to be at times a nightmare of a hurdle. It is one that could only be conquered by the power of love.

“In today’s political climate, the right to be heard continues to resonate,” said Phillips. “Kitt’s outspoken views are just as relevant and inspiring today as they were in 1968.”

Kitt, who for decades has endured a large LGBTQ following, stated in a 1992 interview, “We’re all rejected people, we know what it is to be refused, we know what it is to be oppressed, depressed, and then, accused, and I am very much cognizant of that feeling. Nothing in the world is more painful than rejection. I am a rejected, oppressed person, and so I understand them, as best as I can, even though I am a heterosexual.”

Give Dierdra a listen!   Can’t wait for this!!

Down to Eartha will begin its run at the Gene Frankel Theater on August 7 at 8pm. Shows will run August 7, 8, 9, 10, 12, 14, 15, 16 and 17 at 8pm. There will also be a matinee performance on Sunday, August 11 at 4pm. Tickets for all performances are available now.

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James Bidgood at Museum of Sex

 

James Bidgood was born in Madison, Wisconsin in 1933, at the height of the Depression. From the time of his arrival in New York at 18 years old, he immersed himself in the underground worlds of drag, hustling, and pornography. In the 1950s, Bidgood was a drag queen and set and lighting designer at the legendary New York nightclub Club 82. He attended Parsons School of Design, and went on to design elaborate costumes for society balls, among other jobs that would come to inform his art.

In the 1960s, he turned his attention to “physique photography,” the highly-coded gay pornography of the time, where he found creative freedom, an eager audience, and his own groundbreaking artistic voice. Bidgood was proudly and uncompromisingly “out” during a pre-Stonewall moment when rapid social change around gender roles and sexuality coexisted with widespread hostility and discrimination against homosexuality. His work stands as a crucial link in the history of queer art and cinema, as historically important as it is visually ravishing.

 

Extraordinarily, almost the entirety of Bidgood’s work was shot in his tiny Hell’s Kitchen tenement. Bidgood literally lived in his sets, and used colored lighting, homemade props, and a variety of clever illusions—from the ingenious use of forced perspective to complex, Rube Goldberg like mechanisms that operated moving sets, fans, or lights—to create impressionistic wonderlands.

The culmination of this work was Pink Narcissus, a dreamily erotic feature-length film depicting the allegorical fantasies of a gay prostitute, and shot almost entirely in the same apartment. Upon its release in 1971, Pink Narcissus was an immediate underground hit, but due to creative disagreements between Bidgood and the film’s producer, Bidgood took his name off the credits, and the film was released anonymously. While rumors flew that the film had been made by a major, presumably closeted Hollywood celebrity, Bidgood remained in obscurity.

Since his rediscovery in the 1990s, Bidgood’s work, made for the worlds of mail-order pornography and midnight cinema, has been exhibited in such prestigious venues as The National Portrait Gallery, The Brooklyn Museum, and the Musée d’Orsay, and is included in vaunted collections such as the Tate Modern, London and Museum of Fine Arts, Houston. Alongside Bidgood’s remarkable photographs, this exhibition brings together a variety of ephemera from his extraordinary life, from vintage physique magazines, showing the original context of the work, to vintage photos from Bidgood’s time as drag queen Terry Howe at Club 82—all evidence of an extraordinary, productive, and utterly uncompromising life.

 

James Bidgood: Reveries’will be on view through September 8th, 2019.

All images courtesy of The Museum of Sex. Full color images courtesy of ClampArt New York.

MUSEUM OF SEX
233 Fifth Avenue (@ 27th Street)
New York, NY 10016
(212) 689-6337

MUSEUM HOURS:
Sunday thru Thursday 10:30 am to 11pm.
Last entry is 9pm
Friday & Saturday 10:30 am to 12am.
Last entry is 10pm

Last ticket sold 2 hours before closing

 

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Paige Turner, Sutton Lee Seymor and Jackie Cox June 27-28

WORLD  PRIDE  WEEKEND!   Get your  tickets  now – THIS WILL SELL OUT!

Move over Cher, Britney and Beyonce, NYC drag darlings PAIGE TURNER, SUTTON LEE SEYMOUR and JACKIE COX are back by popular demand, with their very own semi-biographical jukebox  YOU DON’T OWN ME! after it’s 2018 Smash Run and just in time for World Pride Weekend!

See what happens when three fierce drag divas all vie for the spotlight in this hilarious evening of sisterhood and friendship told through the music of Stephen Sondheim, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, The First Wives Club , La La Land and More!

Performances are WORLD PRIDE WEEKEND Friday June 28th and Saturday June 29th at 7pm Tickets are $22 ($35 VIP with meet & greet, preferred seating and photo), and may be purchased online at

http://spincyclenyc.com/index.php/pride/479-own-me-pride

The Laurie Beechman Theatre is located inside the West Bank Cafe at 407 West 42nd Street. There is also a $20 food/beverage minimum at all performances.

Showbiz Spitfire” PAIGE TURNER, Known as the Carol Burnett of Drag, is one the original creators, producers and host of NYC’s live drag reality show “So You Think You Can Drag?”  She is a 2 time Glam Award winner and is known for her over the top parodies and comedy. Paige is a regular at the Beechman and has previously been seen in ”Drag me To the Top,” “Confessions of An Un-Natural Blonde,” Make America Gay Again,” “This Show is Gay!” and her annual Christmas and Easter Shows. You Don’t Own Me marks her 10th original show at the Beechman. She tours internationally  with Atlantis Cruises and coined the phrase Slurp!  She is currently part of the cast of Shade: Queens of NYC, on the Fusion Network.

Known as the “Robin Williams of Drag,” SUTTON LEE SEYMOUR is New York City’s campiest live singing queen of stage and screen, now touring her best selling shows from coast to coast in the United States, Mexico, Brazil, Europe, and also the seven seas with Atlantis Events! She is a Glam Award winner as well as Season 4’s winner of So You Think You Can Drag?  She has been previously seen at the Beechman in her solo shows Fameish and Camp Queen and as well as Make America Gay Again and She Came Upon a Midnight Clear with Paige and Jackie.

JACKIE COX burst onto the NYC drag scene in 2010 in So You Think You Can Drag  and went on to the win coveted role of All Star in 2017. She has headlined her own shows “I Dream of Jackie Part 1 and 2 at the Beechman and is part of the Hells Kitchenette trio. She has also appeared in shows at the Laurie Beechman Theater “Make America Gay Again” and “She Came Upon a Midnight Clear” with Sutton and Paige. and The Crown & Anchor of Provincetown (“Gypsies”). Recently, Jackie appeared on TV in Bravo’s “Watch What Happens Live”, winning the title of “Real Queen of Beverly Hills” for her impersonation of TV personality and Depends undergarment spokeswoman, Lisa Rinna and has appeared on ABC’s What Would You Do? As a drag queen coming out to her family.

 

 

 

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I’m From Driftwood Gala March 27

Are you ready?
I can not believe it’s been 10 years!
 I’m From Driftwood is celebrating 10 years, with dinner, drinks, performances, speakers and, of course, stories.
I’m From Driftwood’s 10th Anniversary Gala is in one week from today, on Wednesday, March 27. Since it’s a sit-down dinner, there are a limited number of seats so buy your ticket before they sell out. (GA starts  at $150)
The event will honor notable I’m From Driftwood storytellers: former Houston Mayor and current Victory Fund President and CEO, Annise Parker, who was the first openly LGBTQ mayor of a major American city; beloved singer, songwriter, and pianist, David Raleigh; and revered LGBTQ and AIDS activist, Cecilia Gentili. The evening’s festivities will include dinner, stories from the “I’m From Driftwood” archive, and feature a performance directed by artist and activist Mila Jam.
I’m From Driftwood

VISION
I’m From Driftwood envisions a world where every lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer person feels understood and accepted, and every straight person is an ally.

MISSION
I’m From Driftwood aims to help LGBTQ people learn more about their community, straight people learn more about their neighbors and everyone learn more about themselves through the power of storytelling and story sharing.

Increasing empathy and empowering individuals is accomplished by creating an apolitical forum for LGBTQ stories from every age, race, gender, background and culture. The stories deepen our understanding of each other, preserve history, and open hearts and minds.

VALUES
The most personal and meaningful stories are shared when the storyteller is in a trust-worthy, welcoming, judgment-free environment. I’m From Driftwood strives to create that environment on every level, whether you’re a long-time supporter at one of IFD’s events or a first-time visitor to the site. Be yourself, be comfortable and let’s get to know each other.

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Grace Jones June 29th @ World Pride NYC

THE AMAZING   Grace Jones will take center stage for an unforgettable day of music on Saturday, June 29th at Pier 97. Jones is most famously known for her post-disco dance track “Pull Up to the Bumper,” and an array of features in motion pictures including “Conan the Destroyer,” “Vamp,” and the 1992 classic, “Boomerang.”

In 2017 NYC Pride evolved Dance on the Pier, a 30+ year institution, into a new multi-day LGBTQIA+ cultural experience named Pride Island. After a hugely successful two consecutive years, NYC Pride is excited to bring Pride Island to Hudson River Park’s, Pier 97, in the heart of Hells Kitchen. This event showcases everyone from legendary soul singers to indie pop bands, this new inclusive experience creates a central hub for the LGBTQ community to celebrate Pride. This event has a legendary history of attracting the biggest performers for any Pride event in the world. Previous performers have included Cher, Ariana Grande, Jennifer Lopez, Janet Jackson, Demi Lovato, Years & Years, Tegan & Sara, Tove Lo, and the late Whitney Houston. 

Don’t miss the biggest live music event in NYC Pride history and help us give back to the broader community! NYC Pride will be selecting nonprofits within the local New York City area to receive grants as part of this community-driven event. Pride Island serves as a fundraiser to help NYC Pride raise crucial funds to help produce a multitude of free events such as our new Youth Pride, Family Movie Night, PrideFest, The March, The Rally and many more! 

 

Tickets  are selling  fast!   Over  3 Million  people  are expected  into  NYC  that weekend!

GET TICKETS!

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Nick Adams Facebook Page

The wonderfully charming and delightful (and sexy) triple threat on Broadway, NICK ADAMS is touring now with the Tony Award Winning  FALSETTO’S!!#cantwait! And recently you are able to  see him on Comedy Central’s  THE OTHER TWO!

He has over 23,000 fans on Twitter, but only 7000+ on FB – so I am asking my network, to LIKE his page, to help get his numbers up! This guy is so awesome and amazing! And a little bird told me, he has a CD in the works! (Which I have been telling him for 6 years, he needs one!).

SO PLEASE LIKE! 

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World Pride NYC The Gayest Day of the Year!

NYC Pride Guide: WorldPride Preview

Our  2018 NYC Pride Guide and WorldPride Preview is F I N A L L Y H E R E! And guess what? WorldPride Closing performer Melissa Etheridge is gracing the cover!

Check out an exclusive interview with Etheridge, our snowed-in survival guide, and an in-depth interview with artist, Shantell Martin.

Read Now
WorldPride Closing Ceremony in Times Square
Mark your calendars for June 30, 2019 as NYC Pride welcomes all to a final celebration of pride from 7-10pm in NYC’s iconic Times Square.Grammy-Award winning singer-songwriter, Melissa Etheridge is slated to perform for the evening.

That night, Times Square will serve as a home to a multitude of LGBTQIA+ individuals and allies on a truly momentous evening of love, pride, and community” said Etheridge.
The evening will provide a full slate of influential speakers and global musical talents. The official lineup for the WorldPride Closing Ceremony will be announced in February.

The Largest LGBTQIA+ Street Festival in New York City!

All eyes will be on New York City as we commemorate 50 years of the Stonewall Uprising. Our attendees are from all five boroughs and beyond making PrideFest the single best opportunity for businesses to connect directly with the LGBTQIA+ community.

Sunday, June 30, 2019
11:00AM – 6:00PM
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