Industry Theatre Newsroom Page 96

Sony Exec Lia Vollack is going solo with her on Broadway production company, Lia Vollack Productions. According to The Hollywood Reporter, the new company will launch with two upcoming 2020 Broadway shows, Almost Famous and MJ the Musical.

In honor of the centenary of the birth of La MaMa founder Ellen Stewart, the La MaMa Experimental Theatre Club has announced a $1 million challenge grant by The Diamonstein-Spielvogel Foundation toward the restoration and renewal of La MaMa's original home at 74A East 4th Street.

Transport Group announced today that Denise Dickens, formerly of Abingdon Theatre Company, will join the company as its new executive director, replacing Lori Fineman, outgoing executive director. Dickens will join founding Artistic Director Jack Cummings III at the helm of the off-Broadway, award-winning, non-profit theatre company.

The Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF), the not-for-profit foundation affiliated with Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, presented the third annual SDCF Awards including the Gordon Davidson Award, Zelda Fichandler Award, Joe A. Callaway Awards, and Breakout Award. The event took place on Tuesday, November 12, 2019 at the Laurie Beechman Theatre.

On Monday, October 28, Sing for Hope held its 13th annual Sing for Hope Gala, uniting New York's philanthropic and cultural leaders for a magical evening in support of the organization's programs and commitment to bring the arts to under-resourced areas. The event, co-chaired by Ann Ziff, Jon Batiste, and Muhammad Yunus, was held at celebrity chef Danny Meyer's acclaimed Bay Room event space.

Samuel French, a Concord Theatricals Company, announced today that Neil Simon (posthumously), TDF Accessibility Program, and Aleshea Harris are the 2019 recipients of the 4th Annual Samuel French Awards. The Awards, which are accompanied by a donation from Concord Theatricals of $15,000, were created by Samuel French to acknowledge the great work and unparalleled passion of theatre artists, as well as applaud significant contributions to the industry.

The Board of Governors of the National Academy of Television Arts & Sciences New York Chapter announced this week the induction of eleven individuals into its Gold and Silver Circles, including two women theater journalists: Susan Haskins-Doloff, executive producer, co-creator, and co-host of the long-running television series 'Theater Talk' and Roma Torre, theater critic and news anchor of Spectrum News NY1. Both have been awarded entry into the organization's Silver Circle in recognition of 25 years of distinguished contribution to New York television.

Parent Artist Advocacy League for the Performing Arts (PAAL) is partnering with The Public Theater in New York City to present the first national summit on parent support in the performing arts. Lead facilitators from various theatre companies, organizations, and professions will engage in semi-open facilitation with summit participants on a range of topics including: cost-effective financial benefits to childcare stipends, budgeting for childcare, hiring laws, compliance, family leave, and more. The PAAL Summit will provide performing arts leaders with an intimate and safe space for active discussion, resource exchange, and concept generation. The PAAL National Handbook on Caregiver Support will guide the sessions, including the handbook's research into needs and solutions for both administrative and creative roles, original case studies-including the Radical Parent-Inclusion (RPI) Project, which was co-led by PAAL and The Playwrights Realm, and data from the PAAL National Childcare Grant program on how affordable stipends for childcare can make a sustainable impact.

With words and music by Bobby Cronin and additional material by his Mary and Max collaborator Crystal Skillman, Concrete Jungle, a contemporary take on Cyrano de Bergerac, tells the story of love in the catfishing age where you can be different online versus a?oein real life.a?? The romantic musical comedy asks 'Why is the truth so hard to face and even harder to tell?'

The Town Hall today announced the inaugural Lena Horne Prize for Artists Creating Social Impact, the first major entertainment award to be named after a woman of color, honoring excellence at the intersection of arts and activism. The award, named after the celebrated actress, singer and activist Lena Horne, will recognize today's leading artists that are using their platform to promote awareness and create social change, and will be presented to the soon-to-be-announced recipient at an event at The Town Hall, a national historic landmark, in February 2020.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) announces the initial line-up of featured performers for the 2019 TRU Love Benefit: Follow Your Art, Fulfill Your Dreams, honoring James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director of The York Theatre, and performer-producer Haley Swindal.

Theater enthusiasts, Broadway stars, industry insiders and passionate supporters ran (or walked) the streets of New York City in this year's Broadway Run, raising a record-breaking $104,239 for Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

The Stage Directors and Choreographers Foundation (SDCF), the not-for-profit foundation affiliated with Stage Directors and Choreographers Society, presents the third annual SDCF Awards including the Gordon Davidson Award, Zelda Fichandler Award, Joe A. Callaway Awards, and Breakout Award.

The Drama League announced today the 2020 line-up of DirectorFest: The 36th Annual Directors Festival, the only festival in the United States dedicated to the art of contemporary stage directing. For its 36th year, the festival will include six fully-staged productions, a showcase concert of a new musical, a town hall, and conversations with directors including 2017 Tony Award Winner Rebecca Taichman (Indecent), 2014 Tony Award Winner and 2010 Drama League Founders Award for Excellence in Directing Kenny Leon (A Soldier's Play), and Intimacy Director Claire Warden (HBO's Mrs. Fletcher).

FutureTix hosted its annual Ticketing Symposium in California on October 28-29, 2019 at the San Francisco Playhouse where just shy of 150 industry professionals gathered to hear from expert speakers including but not limited to Rob Seitelman, BroadwayHD; Ray Shealy, SeatCycle; Maureen Andersen, INTIX; Russ Stanley, San Francisco Giants; Carolyn Uroz, BAPTA; Anthony Silva, Golden State Warriors; Derek Argobright, Tickets.com; Emmy Gengler, Softjourn; and Gloria Nevarez, West Coast Conference.

Parent Artist Advocacy League for the Performing Arts is thrilled to announce the first supporter of the first-of-their kind national, all-gender, all-discipline PAAL Childcare Grants to support a Mother Artist of Color Grant. It is with deep gratitude PAAL recognizes the cast of Junk at Arena Stage who is our first named sponsor for our childcare grant program. Below is a statement from the cast:

Want to join the BroadwayWorld.com team for a great, full-time opportunity? We're seeking an eager and ambitious individual to cooperate with the site's regional sales and marketing team on a variety of special projects.

Southeastern Theatre Conference (SETC) has announced the 2019-2020 SETC Convention Grant and SETC Staffing Matching Grant winners.

Friends, family & more got together on Sunday evening November 3rd at Haswell Green's (240 W 52nd St) to celebrate the 40th Birthday of BroadwayWorld's founder - Robert Diamond and we couldn't resist sharing a few shots!

In the Athletic Director's office of a prestigious Division One athletic department, a reform-minded administrator faces down a coach who personifies the winner-take-all culture of college football when scandal threatens to derail the season.

Artistic Directors Douglas Aibel and Sarah Stern announce that Charly Evon Simpson is the recipient of the 2019-20 Paula Vogel Playwriting Award. Ms. Simpson will be presented with the award at The Vineyard's annual Emerging Artists Luncheon on Monday, November 25 from noon-2:30pm at the National Arts Club (15 Gramercy Park South) in Manhattan.

BroadwayHD founder Bonnie Comley recently appeared on a panel at NYC Television Week 2019.

Last night, TDF, the not-for-profit service organization dedicated to bringing the power of the performing arts to everyone, launched the third season of its TDF Veterans Theatregoing Program. TDF partners exclusively with veteran group organizations in the city who distribute a limited number of tickets to Broadway shows at no cost to their constituents. Post-performance talkbacks are planned, when possible, and complimentary TDF Memberships are provided to participating veterans so they can continue their theatregoing at greatly reduced costs.

The Dramatists Guild Foundation has announced that it has renamed its Traveling Masters program to the Roe Green Traveling Masters program in honor of the generosity of Roe Green. Ms. Green has served on the Board of Directors of the organization for five years, helping grow the scope and impact of its programs.

Stage Directors and Choreographers Society (SDC), the theatrical union that represents over 4,000 professional stage directors and choreographers announced that due to an overwhelming number of a?oeStandout Momentsa?? nominations for the 2018-2019 season, SDC will add an eleventh a?oeStandout Moments,a?? to the traditional list of ten.