BWW Interview: Source Material's Samantha Shay Navigating IN THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES
by Gil Kaan - Jul 20, 2020
Source Material's IN THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES will world premiere via Zoom July 25, 2020 at 4pm PST. Directed by Source Material's artistic director Samantha Shay, IN THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES posits the state of theatre in these COVID-19 times using a mash-up of Chekov monologues, drinking duels and coronavirus memes. Performers, spread out in the U. S. and in Iceland, include company members James Cowan, Miles Hartfelder, Annelise Lawson, Stephanie Regina, Raven Scott, Victoria Sendra, and Grace Tiso. I had the chance to ask Samantha what's currently predominating in her creative mind.
Out Today - 'Liquidity' From Gyda Valtysdottir's Forthcoming Album
by A.A. Cristi - Jul 17, 2020
Icelandic cellist, singer, and composer Gyda Valtysdottir, a founder of the band múm and 2019 winner of the prestigious Nordic Council Music Prize, releases Epicycle II on her label DiaMond in collaboration with Sono Luminus on August 28, 2020. The second single, 'Liquidity' by Kjartan Sveinsson is out today and follows 'Evol Laminia' by Jónsi and Gyda.
Source Material To Present IN THESE UNCERTAIN TIMES On Zoom
by Stephi Wild - Jul 9, 2020
Source Material will present the World Premiere of In These Uncertain Times, a digital performance piece devised by the company and directed by Artistic Director, Samantha Shay, created for and presented on Zoom.
Gyda Valtysdottir Releases Epicycle II August 28
by A.A. Cristi - Jun 30, 2020
Icelandic cellist, singer, and composer Gyda Valtysdottir, a founder of the band múm and 2019 winner of the prestigious Nordic Council Music Prize, releases Epicycle II on her label DiaMond in collaboration with Sono Luminus on August 28, 2020.
NADA Announces New Digital Art Fair Initiative FAIR, May 20"June 21
by A.A. Cristi - May 14, 2020
The New Art Dealers Alliance (NADA), the definitive non-profit arts organization dedicated to the cultivation, support, and advancement of new voices in contemporary art, has announced FAIR, built in partnership with Artlogic. FAIR is a new art fair initiative designed to be entirely online, function cooperatively, and act as a benefit for NADA's community of galleries, nonprofits and artists. Taking place May 20a?"June 21, 2020, FAIR will directly support 119 NADA Gallery Members and 80 other galleries that have been financially impacted by the COVID-19 crisis, totaling nearly 200 galleries around the world.
Spektral Quartet to Present World Premiere of ENIGMA
by Chloe Rabinowitz - Mar 11, 2020
Multi-Grammy nominees the Spektral Quartet present the world premiere of a groundbreaking new multimedia work, ENIGMA, in partnership with the Adler Planetarium on June 11 and 12, 2020.
Guest Blog: Artistic Director Kris Nelson On LIFT 2020
by Marianka Swain - Mar 11, 2020
'Continuity and rupture': this phrase has been rolling around my head ever since I became LIFT's Artistic Director and CEO just under two years ago. In our business, when you're a leader new in post, people are always keen to know what you're going to do next and where the change is coming from. Rupture and transformation feels sexy a?" at first glance.
LIFT 2020 Festival Programme Announced
by Stephi Wild - Mar 10, 2020
LIFT, the leading London biennial festival of international theatre, has today announced the programme for June 2020 a?' its first under new Artistic Director/CEO Kris Nelson and Executive Director Stella Kanu.
Southern Rep Theatre Announces GoFundMe Campaign To Keep Its Doors Open
by A.A. Cristi - Mar 5, 2020
Nationally acclaimed new play development theatre, Southern Rep, finds itself in a heartbreaking situation. Ticket sales and mainstage subscriptions are at an all-time high. Arts education programming is thriving. Audiences are raving about the work and the company's new venue, the former St. Rose de Lima Church on Bayou Road. And still, Southern Rep finds itself in an urgent financial crisis as it navigates the expenses of moving into their new home.
The Tennessee Williams and New Orleans Literary Festival Announce 2020 Lineup and Special Events
by Stephi Wild - Feb 4, 2020
The Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival returns to its home in the historic French Quarter for its 34th annual celebration of contemporary literature, culture, theater, and the works of Tennessee Williams. More than a typical book festival, TWNOLF showcases award-winning writers, actors, musicians, and other artists in over 150 events in the French Quarter and other New Orleans venues.
Saints + Sinners LGBTQ Literary Festival A Program of the Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival Announced
by A.A. Cristi - Jan 21, 2020
Saints + Sinners, an annual LGBTQ literary conference, will run concurrently with the The Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival, March 27-29, 2020 for its 17th year. Founded in collaboration with NO/AIDS Task Force in 2003, Saints + Sinners (SAS) began as a creative outlet to showcase the vibrant and diverse LGBTQ literary community and offer HIV/AIDS information. a?oeOver 17 years SAS has grown into a year-round community of shared ideas and encouragement,a?? said executive director Paul Willis. a?oeAs one of our returning speakers, author Michael Cunningham recently shared, 'The Saints & Sinners LGBTQ Festival is among the most soulful, enlivening, spirited, diverse, and generally fabulous literary event I could name. There's nothing else quite like it.'a??
COSTUME Announces National Tour
by Stephi Wild - Jan 21, 2020
This February and March, Tasmanian avant-pop artist Costume presents the Dream Palace Tour a?" his highly anticipated first performances after an acclaimed, packed-out debut at DARK MOFO 2019 and the release of Costume's debut album Pan, recorded in Iceland at the iconic Greenhouse Studios (Björk, The xx, Anohni, Kanye West).
Umphrey's McGee Release New Single 'Suxity'
by Kaitlin Milligan - Jan 16, 2020
Improv-rock group Umphrey's McGee have always had an uncanny ability to melt down any genre of music, blend the molten styles, and hammer forge a new sound for each new song they write. While writing and recording their newest single, “Suxity,” the ingredients were—in guitarist and co-writer Jake Cinninger's words—part Sly Stone, part Alice In Chains. Premiered yesterday via American Songwriter, “Suxity” was the first song Umphrey's recorded during their sessions with producer Ryan Hewitt (The Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Lumineers) at Nashville's famed Blackbird Studio.
Washington Stage Guild Presents BLOOMSDAY By Steven Dietz
by Stephi Wild - Jan 11, 2020
The Washington Stage Guild continues its season of great writers with the Washington premiere of Bloomsday by Steven Dietz. This delicate, time-bending romance is set in James Joyce's Dublin on June 16th, the date on which Joyce's Ulysses is set. Robert returns to that city 35 years after meeting Caithleen on a walking tour of Joyce's Dublin. He and Cait meet again and revisit their youthful relationship, amid the echoes of Joyce's masterwork, and the missed connections of that earlier time in their lives. Helen Hayes Award winning Kasi Campbell will direct. A post-show discussion will follow the Sunday matinee on February 2nd, James Joyce's birthday.
Gallery Players Announced 23rd Annual Black Box New Play Festival
by A.A. Cristi - Jan 6, 2020
The Black Box New Play Festival is Gallery Players' signature festival of new works by both new and established playwrights, featuring world premieres of new comedies and dramas. Now in its 23rd year, the festival will premiere 18 new plays over the course of three weekends. The festival opens Thursday, January 9 and runs through January 26, with a new collection of plays presented each week. Performances are Thursday, Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30PM, and Sundays at 3PM. There will be a talk back with the playwrights directly after the Sunday matinees.
BWW Blog: Royal Central School of Speech and Drama's Amanda Brennan on Acting for the Screen
by BWW News Desk - Jan 3, 2020
Amanda Brennan is an acting coach, film director, producer, and the Principal Lecturer and Course Leader in MA Acting for Screen at London's Royal Central School of Speech and Drama. Her recent coaching credits include Collette, Sex Education and His Dark Materials. She is currently writing her second book on Acting for Screen which will be published in 2021. The Energetic Performer was published in 2016.
Umphrey's McGee Release New Single 'Ride On Pony'
by Kaitlin Milligan - Dec 12, 2019
Hot on the heels of their first annual Woodlands Music and Arts Festival in Charleston, SC, and gearing up for their first annual Rockjavik event in Reykjavik, Iceland, world-renowned improv-rockers Umphrey's McGee are ready to release new music. Earlier this year, on a show day in New Haven, CT, the band found themselves recording a studio version of live show fan-favorite, “Ride On Pony,” at Telefunken Recording Studio. First played live back on April 5th, 2009, and written by guitarist Jake Cinninger a dozen years before that, this recording marks the first official release of the country-tinged, Bob Seger inspired tune. Today, Rolling Stone Country featured “Ride On Pony,” calling it “Nostalgic country-rock,” and making mention of the “Earnest acoustic strumming uplifted by arena-ready distortion-soaked chords and anthemic organ swells.”
New Orleans Theater Announces Lineup of 2020 Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival
by A.A. Cristi - Nov 21, 2019
The Tennessee Williams & New Orleans Literary Festival returns to its home in the historic French Quarter for its 34th annual celebration of contemporary literature, culture, theater, and the works of Tennessee Williams. More than a typical book festival, TWNOLF showcases award-winning writers, actors, musicians, and other artists in over 150 events in the French Quarter and other New Orleans venues.