WIGHTS Comes to the Crow's Theatre in January
This January, Crow’s Theatre will launch the new year with the world premiere of WIGHTS, an explosive and thought-provoking new drama that explores a marriage—and a country—at a crossroads.
Coal Mine Theatre Presents Annie Baker's THE ANTIPODES
Coal Mine Theatre, Toronto's acclaimed off-off-Broadway stage, makes its long-awaited return with the Canadian premiere of Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright Annie Baker's THE ANTIPODES. Directed by company Co-Chief Engineer Ted Dykstra, the production opens the seventh season for the award-winning company and will run in-person from April 3rd to May 15th (Media Night: April 6th) at its beloved Danforth Theatre.
Former NBA Player Jamaal Magloire & Barenaked Ladies Singer Ed Robertson Guest Star in New SHOOT THE MESSENGER
Veteran NBA All-Star player Jamaal Magloire guest stars as a professional basketball player, alongside illustrious Barenaked Ladies rockstar Ed Robertson as the aforementioned athlete's powerful sports agent on an all-new episode of WGN America's “Shoot the Messenger,” airing the night of Friday, March 23 at 12/11c. In “Careful What You Pray For,” Daisy (Elyse Levesque) and Simon (Lucas Bryant) uncover details behind the scandalous photo of Orlandio Spence (Jamaal Magloire) and Judge Reeves (Brenda Bazinet) that causes the reporters to speculate new motives and suspects for the murders. Meanwhile, Detective Lutz (Lyriq Bent) makes his own progress when he starts connecting the dots between Hassan (Araya Mengesha) and both cases. More drama unfolds as Khaalif is arrested during a Guns and Gangs raid, all while Sam Charles' (Ari Cohen) investigation starts to heat up.
Don't Miss HAND TO GOD at Black Box PAC
The Black Box Performing Arts Center continues to emerge as the Tri-State area's premiere destination for both cutting-edge professional theater and collaborative performing arts education in the heart of Teaneck, NJ just a quick ride over the George Washington Bridge. Robert Askin's Hand To God has opened BBPAC's second full 2017-18 season of professional theater, which is scheduled to include six 'mainstage' productions, two ongoing immersive late-night rock musicals, two ongoing shows for kids, and the development of at least three original works for the stage.
Broadway Hit HAND TO GOD Continues at Teaneck's Black Box Performing Arts Center
The Black Box Performing Arts Center continues to emerge as the Tri-State area's premiere destination for both cutting-edge professional theater and collaborative performing arts education in the heart of Teaneck, NJ just a quick ride over the George Washington Bridge. Robert Askin's Hand To God has opened BBPAC's second full 2017-18 season of professional theater, which is scheduled to include six 'mainstage' productions, two ongoing immersive late-night rock musicals, two ongoing shows for kids, and the development of at least three original works for the stage.
BWW Review: RUMORS at Woodstock Opera House
Picture it, an anniversary party with your dear friends, all dressed up with your spouse, and everything is not quite right. Town Square Players of Woodstock offers us a chance to escape our realities and join Neil Simon on the wildly hilarious ride known as 'Rumors'
SKIP & RIVKA'S NOT-SO-KOSHER INTERACTIVE JEWISH WEDDING EXPERIENCE Comes to Black Box Studios
The Black Box Performing Arts Center, home of Black Box Studios, continues to emerge as the Tri-State area's premiere destination for both cutting-edge professional theater and collaborative performing arts education as it presents a new Spring fundraising production, the rousing immersive comedy Skip & Rivka's Not-So-Kosher Interactive Jewish Wedding Experience in the heart of Teaneck, NJ - just a quick ride over the George Washington Bridge.
Author's Novel Focuses on the Evacuation of Saigon
Almost 40 years ago, the world watched as the fate of Saigon sealed the fate of Vietnam. The hotly contested politics of those years, the tragic moments of those last days and the heroic evacuation of not only Americans but tens of thousands of Vietnamese plays a vital role in the newest book in author Spencer Hawke's Ari Cohen espionage series.
'I remember the events of the Vietnam War playing out for the world on our televisions with the international news,' the British-born author said. 'I was young, but the images were striking, and when I began to craft the backstory on my latest villain, those images came back to me.
'As a result, I spent a good deal of time on research of those vital days - April 28-30, 1975 - looking at things from the benefit of nearly 40 years hindsight, and as the anniversary draws near, I feel compelled to be part of the education process that doesn't forget the incredible events that transpired.'
By April 28, General V?n Ti?n D?ng and his North Vietnamese forces had begun their push toward the heart of Saigon in South Vietnam and America's military had already largely been withdrawn from the country for some time. With the enemy on its way, evacuation of all Americans in the city had been ongoing for weeks.
On April 29, 1975, D?ng began his final attack on Saigon, and General Nguy?n V?n Toàn's South Vietnamese forces weren't the only casualties of the heavy artillery bombardment. That day saw the last two deaths of American servicemen in Vietnam - Charles McMahon and Darwin Judge, killed at Tân S?n Nh?t Airport.
By late afternoon on April 30, the North Vietnamese had taken over the Presidential Palace, and renamed the city after the Democratic Republic's President H? Chí Minh. The Fall of Saigon marked the end of the Vietnam War and the start of a transition period leading to the formal reunification of Vietnam into a socialist republic, governed by the Communist Party of Vietnam.
But in those precious last days before the South Vietnamese surrendered, Operation Frequent Wind evacuated not only the remaining Americans, but tens of thousands of Vietnamese as well. It was the largest helicopter evacuation in history.
'It's really with the onset of Operation Frequent Wind that my characters' story begins,' Hawke said. 'I tried looking at those hours with an understanding viewpoint for the Marines who had little or no options to help the throngs of people rushing the American Embassy gates, but at the same time, there is another focus that often goes overlooked.
'The controversy surrounding whether or not the American military should have been in Vietnam often overshadows the amazing things we did in those last hours to help save tens of thousands of Vietnamese people,' he said. 'I try to show some of that affinity for the Vietnamese in my novel and I am excited to see the upcoming Last Days of Vietnam documentary coming out that will really tell that amazing story.'
Hawke's newest novel, "The Orthus Conspiracy," is Book 2 in the Ari Cohen Series, which features a former Mossad agent now working for a 200-year-old secret society created by America's founding fathers. Orthus isn't his first novel with a tie to historical fact.
'I am a huge history buff,' he said of the hobby that influences so much of his writing. 'My first novel was a Biblical times thriller, and the first book in this series was tied to the 1990's crash of a stealth bomber in Bosnia.'
Soon, Hawke plans to release a short prequel to the Cohen works, set in 1700s England and America, of course.
"It's a headache for my editor to double-check all my times, dates, names and places," he said of his writing passion, 'but I'm lucky that she loves it as much as me!'
Photo Flash: First Look at Tarragon Theatre's WAITING ROOM World Premiere
Tarragon Theatre presents the world premiere of Waiting Room, written by the talented and multi-faceted Diane Flacks, and directed by the equally talented, multi-faceted Richard Greenblatt, teaming up for a second time as writer and director for Tarragon. This powerful new drama about diagnosis, prognosis and uncertainty opens tomorrow, January 14, 2015 and runs to February 15 (previews from January 6) in Tarragon's Mainspace. Six outstanding actors - Ari Cohen, Michelle Monteith, Jordan Pettle, Warona Setshwaelo, Jane Spidell, Jenny Young - are featured in this penetrating work. Scroll down for a first look at the show!