Podcasts about laurie beechman theatre

Peter Filichia, James Marino, and Michael Portantiere talk about Red Bull Theater’s production of The Imaginary Invalid, South Pacific @ John W. Engeman Theater, Bowl EP @ Vineyard Theatre, Matt Doyle: Bon Voyage! @ The Laurie Beechman Theatre, and Chiaroscuro: A Light and Dark Skin Comedy @ The Flea Emily read more The post This Week on Broadway for June 8, 2025: Red Bull Theater’s production of The Imaginary Invalid appeared first on BroadwayRadio.

On this week's motivation monday, I'm talking to Alison Arngrim.  New York Times Best Selling author of Confessions of A Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated, Alison Arngrim is best known to viewers world-wide for her portrayal of the incredibly nasty “Nellie Oleson” on the much loved, long running hit television series Little House On The Prairie, and continues to amuse audiences through her many film, television, stage and multi-media appearances. Her one woman show Confessions of a Prairie Bitch, which started at Club Fez in New York in 2002, has now become a world-wide phenomenon, having been performed to packed houses in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Green Bay, San Francisco, Seattle, and in France, where Arngrim performs entirely in French to standing room only crowds in her all-French version titled: Confessions d'une Garce de La Prairie and La Malle aux Tresors de Nellie Oleson. As a stand-up comedian, Arngrim has headlined at nightclubs such as the Laugh Factory, the Comedy Store and the Improv in Los Angeles; as well as the Laurie Beechman Theatre in New York and assorted comedy venues across the United States and Canada. She is currently starring in two comedy series pilots: Life Interrupted, as the ex-wife of commercial child star Mason Reese, with Erin Murphy, (“Bewitched”) as her new wife and Dawn Wells, (“Gilligan's Island), as her mother, as well as, C.P.R. – Child Performers Resurrection Talent Agency, as an ex-child star gone wrong, trying to save herself and her assorted misfit cohorts by opening a talent agency. Arngrim has mocked her status as an “ex-child star” on Jay Leno's Tonight Show, during their month-long parody, “Hollywood Survivor” and continues to be a frequent interview subject on everything from A&E, “E! Entertainment, TV Land and VH-1, to CNN and the Travel Channel. The TV Land network honored her undying image as TV's worst bitch, by declaring her the winner of their 2006 award for, “Character Most Desperately In Need Of A Time Out.” She starred in the heartwarming, gay, Christmas cult classic, Make the Yuletide Gay, as the overbearing “Heather Mancuso.” Her other television and film appearances include, Livin' the Dream, Tinder & Grinder, The Bilderberg Club, For the Love of May with Ru Paul and Patricia Neal, and The Last Place On Earth with Billy Dee Williams and Phyllis Diller. In 2007, she began her foray into French cinema with the role of “Edith” in the French detective comedy, Jean Pierre Mocky's Le Deal. Her stage work includes, The Vagina Monologs, Sirena: Queen of the Tango, Dear Brutus, The Wool Gatherer, the French bedroom farce, In One Bed And Out The Other, Michael Kearns' AIDS/US II, “Rita” in the 2005 GLAAD Award nominated production of Last Summer At Bluefish Cove, the somewhat off kilter “Reverend Pat Miass” in Joni and Gina's Wedding, and the Ovation Award Nominated musical-drama, Flirting with Morty, as the abusive, trashy and tragic Ray Lee. In her spare time, she takes tourists on the rollicking comedy outing, Nasty Nellie's Tour of Hollywood, (featured at Dearly Departed Tours), where she simultaneously enlightens and amuses passengers with behind the scenes tales from both Hollywood history and her own life.   Offstage, Arngrim has been a dedicated and compassionate AIDS activist for nearly three decades, volunteering for AIDS Project Los Angeles and Tuesday's Child, an organization assisting children and families affected by HIV and AIDS. In addition, Arngrim currently serves as California Chair, National Spokesperson and Founding Board Member on the National Advisory Board of The National Association to Protect Children, or PROTECT.org, fighting to give children a legal and political voice in the war against child abuse.

Pamela Weiler GraysonPam's musical, Urban Momfare (composer/lyricist/co-book writer), won a Best Musical award, at the New York International Fringe Festival, garnered four stars and a Critics Pick from Time Out, and also played at the Fringe Encore Series. Pam's award-winning plays and musicals have been seen on stages throughout New York and nationally, including Primary Stages, Naked Angels, Theatre Now New York, The Group Rep/Lonny Chapman Theatre (North Hollywood, CA), Southwest Theatre Productions (Austin, TX - Blue Ribbon Winner of their Rising Artists Series), Arts on the Lake (Kent Lakes, NY), Cincinnati Lab Theatre, Emerging Artists Theatre (NYC - multiple works), and The Chain Theatre (NYC). Her play Observant was the recipient of a 2024 grant from The New York State Council on the Arts and a SemiFinalist in the Jewish Plays Project's 12th National Jewish Playwriting Contest. Her play The Club was one of three prize-winning plays of the Word Wave Lake Tahoe One Act Play Competition. She is the co-writer, with Alice Jankell, of Cicadas, The Musical, featured on Season 2 of the top-rated Amazon streaming series, The Other F Word. Pam's songs have been performed at The Metropolitan Room, The Laurie Beechman Theatre, The Duplex, and Don't Tell Mama. She has written for The New York Times and The New York Observer, among others. Pam is a member of Kate Moira Ryan's advanced playwriting workshop and a board member of Emerging Artists Theatre. She was a writer-in-residence at Kervigo Ensemble Theatre (NY), for the 2020–2021 season and is an inaugural member of Theatre Now New York's International Musical Writers Lab. Dramatists Guild member. Education: Brown University, Fordham Law School, New York Theatre Workshop, and The BMI Musical Theatre Workshop. Pam is on the New Play Exchange. See her page at newplayexchange.org/user.Alice JankellAlice is a director, writer actress as well as the Artistic Director of The Philipstown Depot Theatre.​For Disney, Alice helped to create and develop new Broadway musicals.  As Associate Artistic Director of The Williamstown Theatre Festival, her directing work included AS YOU LIKE IT,  DINAH WAS, and ENOUGH ROPE, the special event on Dorothy Parker starring Elaine Stritch.  Alice has worked and learned in venues as varied as the Mark Taper, the L.A. Opera, The Public Theatre, New York Theatre Workshop, La Mama, and City Theater, among many others, as well as in film and TV.  Alice was the Creative Director of F.A.B. Women (For, About, and By Women) under The Barrow Group's Off-Broadway umbrella, helming the company of 125 professional female writers, actors and directors.  During her tenure, F.A.B. Women generated and produced 48 new plays.With Putnam Theatre Alliance, Alice co-created Freedom Project, directed and filmed MORE BEAUTIFUL, a brand new play by Craig Lucas, and co-created and directed DIRT.  Alice is currently preparing to direct Martha Pichey's new play, ASHES & INK, Off-Broadway this fall.Alice's own scripts have appeared across the country, and a collection of her plays has been published by Leicester Bay Theatricals.  Her play, THE SWEET SPOT, opened at Off-Broadway's 59E59 Theaters last winter, and her musical (with Pam Weiler Grayson) about urban motherhood (Director/Co-Writer), won a Best Musical Award from the NY International Fringe Festival, was a Critic's Choice, and garnered 4 stars from Time Out. Her many favorite acting roles include a solo performance, backed by the L.A. Philharmonic at the Hollywood Bowl, and a lead in the Off-Broadway premier of Arlene Hutton's LETTERS TO SALA.   Alice has taught acting at Carnegie Mellon.Alice is a founding member of Putnam Theatre Alliance, a New York Theatre Workshop Usual Suspect, member of The Actors Studio PDW and PDU, and The National Musical Theatre Workshop, founding member Putnam Theatre Alliance.

Is there secret sapphic subtext between Mary Todd Lincoln and her Chaperone, Louise? Bianca Leigh and Sarah discuss lesbian fan theories, the many many laughs, the transfer from the Lortel to the Lyceum, and more about Cole Escola's Oh, Mary! Then Sarah decides "How Queer Is It?" BIANCA LEIGH is an actress, singer, writer, and educator. Miss Leigh's acting roles include Mary's Chaperone in OH, MARY (Off-Broadway & Broadway), Waxy Bush in MTC's THE NAP on Broadway (Understudy/performed), Mary Ellen in the groundbreaking film TRANSAMERICA, Time/Wind in Taylor Mac's theatre epic THE LILY'S REVENGE, Franny Halcyon in the New York and San Francisco workshops of TALES OF THE CITY THE MUSICAL (performed in concert at the Music Box Theatre), Tatiana in Paul Lucas' award-winning verbatim piece TRANS SCRIPTS at American Repertory Theatre, Beatrice in Christina Anderson's MAN IN LOVE at Kansas City Rep, and Dr. Rachel Sandow on LAW & ORDER: SVU. Bianca wrote and performed her solo musical BUSTED, about the challenges facing a young Trans woman in pre-Disney New York, at the Laurie Beechman Theatre. She is featured in Laverne Cox's documentary DISCLOSURE, an exploration of Trans representation in motion pictures and on television, and can be heard on the Audible recording of Chonburi Hotel and Butterfly Club. Conect with Bianca Leigh Instagram: @bianca_leigh2000 Connect with GOOD SHOW! Instagram: @goodshowpodcast  Tik Tok: @goodshowpodcast   Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Richard Skipper is an entertainer, singer and host known for his award-winning tribute to Carol Channing, which was endorsed by Carol herself. He can be seen in the film, Carol Channing: Larger Than Life. Richard's appeared in legendary venues from Atlantic City's Taj Mahal and Hilton to Carnegie Hall. And he's shared stages with some of the biggest names in show business including Carol Channing and Lesley Ann Warren. And he's appeared on the Windstar Cruise ship, Las Vegas to Windsor Ontario and all points in between. Because of Covid he created his popular virtual series, Richard Skipper Celebrates...with over 900 episodes under his belt.In New York, his live events include: Richard Skipper Celebrates, featuring the biggest names in cabaret and theater. Prior to Covid, Richard performed his highly acclaimed live talk/variety show at the Laurie Beechman Theatre. Directed originally by the late great Jay Rogers, Richard starred in The Magic of Believing (which was originally called From Conway to Broadway), as well as in the fully staged concert version of Hello, Dolly! at The Revision Theater in Asbury Park. Richard is an expert on the history of Hello, Dolly! and has done many talkbacks about it. His most recent solo project is, Still Going Strong: Richard Skipper Celebrates 60 Years of Hello, Dolly!  This current production was co-conceived by director James Beaman along with Musical Director Dan Pardo.  Among Richard's achievements: He won the Turner Classic Movies Classic Film Festival Competition. He interviewed and helped to promote the release of the CD of a favorite StoryBeat guest, Julie Budd.  He's been named Cabaret Scenes Magazine “Top of the Century Premiere Cabaret Acts,” and Cabaret Hotline's “Top Ten Cabaret Performers.”  Richard has also won 4 MAC Awards and a Bistro Award.Aside from teaching privately, Richard also presents master classes combining positivity and creativity. 

National Playwriting Month is approaching, and that means it's time for End of Play.®, the Dramatists Guild's annual month-long writing challenge for Playwrights, Composers, Lyricists, and Librettists! This is a segment of the End of Play.® interview Melissa had last year with Lily Dwoskin and Jordan Stovall from the Dramatists Guild.Resources MentionedEpisode 23End of Play.®Dramatists GuildAbout Our GuestsLily Dwoskin is a bookwriter, lyricist, & playwright based in New York. She is a graduate of NYU's Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. Her bookwriter/lyricist credits include Off Broadway: Turtle On A Fencepost at Theater 555 & The Scarlet Savior at St. Luke's Theatre. Other credits include: Hyena in Petticoats and The Aviatrix. Originally, Lily is from the greater Philadelphia region. Lily's work has been performed at St. Luke's, The Laurie Beechman Theatre, The Greenroom 42, Hedgerow Theatre Company, various universities and more. Lily works for & is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America and has worked as a director, dramaturg, teaching artist & stage manager.Jordan Stovall is a playwright, arts administrator, & drag artist known as Wanda Whatever. They presently serve as the Director of Outreach & Institutional Partnerships for the Dramatists Guild, where they have worked since 2016. Their plays have been shortlisted & selected as Finalists for the Eugene O'Neill Playwrights Festival and Relentless Award, with productions in London and the US. As a drag artist, they are the founding producer of Time Out London Award-Nominated cabaret Boulangerie; and Fussy, a series of queer community gatherings. They can be seen on Pistol and Meet the Richardsons. They have performed in Bushwig Berlin & NYC, Sink the Pink, Clapham Grand, Royal Vauxhall Tavern, & other notable venues across London, NYC, & the US.Follow the Dramatists Guild on Facebook, Twitter & InstagramConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

You don't need to be 50 years old to remember the Carpenters, the brother-sister duo that helped define pop music in the 1970s with gold-gilded melodies, pristine production and a certain yen for heartache. The music is timeless and has ardent fans online and on music streaming channels. It's also the basis for a new cabaret show that was developed in Indianapolis with a strong connection to Ball State University. It since has been performed on Broadway's doorstep in New York City. The most recent production was less than two weeks ago at the Laurie Beechman Theatre on 42nd Street. Titled “The Carpenters Project: An Offering,” the show is the product of two performers who cut their teeth onstage in central Indiana. One of them you very likely have seen: Brent Marty, the director of music and education at Booth Tarkington Civic Theatre in Carmel, who performs all around the Indy area. His partner in the production is Amy Rafa, a performer, producer and arts and not-for-profit administrator based in New York City. The two of them met in Ball State's Department of Theatre and Dance in the 1990s and have been friends ever since. Their mutual love of the Carpenters led them over several years to develop the show, which is more an exploration and celebration of the music than an impersonation. By the same token, this episode of the IBJ Podcast is about more than two people putting on a show. It's also about how young performers in theater have to hustle and sacrifice to build careers, and how they constantly face the question of whether performing exacts too high a price. It's about opportunities for collaboration, particularly in Indiana's close-knit theater community. And it's about preserving the bonds of friendship and helping each other achieve dreams together. The IBJ Podcast is brought to you by Taft.

Episode 191 of the FULL VOICE Podcast features musical theatre repertoire for young(ish) performers with Nicky Phillips, co-creator of the Tweens n' Teens Songbook. Nicky discusses the inspiration and creative process behind this project. Nicky shares details about her successful online voice studio and gives FULL VOICE Podcast listeners a preview of the exciting new music from the upcoming Tweens 'n Teens Volume Two. The Tweens 'n Teens Songbook https://www.nickyphillips.com/tweensnteenssongbook Nicky's online voice studio www.nickyphillipsvocalstudio.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/nickyphillips_music/ Songs by Nicky Phillips and Sarah Ziegler featured in this podcast: Julia, You're Fired! featuring Elena Holder Julia for Justice featuring Sophia Manicone (From the upcoming Volume 2) It's Just Not My Thing featuring Sarah Bock Dino Kid featuring Layla Capers About our Guest Nicky Phillips is an award-winning composer, lyricist, and teacher. She is currently a member of the BMI-Lehman Engel Advanced Musical Theatre Workshop, where she was awarded the Jean Banks Award for outstanding achievement in Musical Theatre. An alumnus of the Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project, Nicky was mentored by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Craig Carnelia. Her work has been showcased at Lincoln Center, 54 Below, Don't Tell Mama, The Laurie Beechman Theatre, and The New York Theatre Barn. She has had writing residencies at CAP21, the Human Race Theatre Company and was awarded the artist in residence at the Margret and H.A.Rey Center. She was honored to have written an original song for Colm Wilkinson that was featured in Music of the Night-a tribute to Colm Wilkinson. As a musical theatre writer, Nicky's musical works include: The Last Party (Toronto Fringe Festival); Rey Of Light (ASCAP Stephen Schwartz Workshop, Johnny Mercer Writers Colony at Goodspeed Musicals, CMTP); In Between (Bravo Academy); Stagefright (Prospect Theatre Musical Theatre Lab); Becoming Tussaud (In Development); Bus Trip (BMI); contributed material to Touch Me: Songs for a (dis)Connected Age (Forte Musical Theatre Guild); In Flanders Fields (First commissioned and produced by Smile Theatre Company,  additional productions at Golden Apple Theatre and Lunchbox Theatre in Calgary where it was nominated for a Betty Mitchell Award for Outstanding Production). As a composer for the theatre, Nicky has written music for the following plays: The Snow Queen (Theatre New Brunswick); Buyer and Cellar (Alberta Theatre Projects); Old Man And The River (Theatre Direct); Jane Eyre, The Penelopiad and The 39 Steps, (Royal Manitoba Theatre Centre). She is a proud member of ASCAP where she was awarded a 2018 ASCAP Plus Award. When not writing, Nicky is teaching private voice lessons to singers around the county in her online studio!

Alison Arngrim“A different breed of rainbow draped diva” - New York TimesNew York Times Best Selling author of “Confessions of A Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated”, Alison Arngrim is best known to viewers world-wide for her portrayal of the incredibly nasty “Nellie Oleson” on the much loved, long running hit television series "Little House On The Prairie," and continues to amuse audiences through her many film, television, stage and multi-media appearances.Her one woman show “Confessions of a Prairie Bitch”, which started at Club Fez in New York in 2002, has now become a world-wide phenomenon, having been performed to packed houses in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Green Bay, San Francisco, Seattle, and in France, where Alison performs entirely in French to standing room only crowds in her all French version titled: “Confessions d'une Garce de La Prairie” and “La Malle aux Tresors de Nellie Oleson.”As a stand-up comedian, Alison has headlined at nightclubs such as the Laugh Factory, the Comedy Store and the Improv in Los Angeles; as well as the Laurie Beechman Theatre in New York and assorted comedy venues all across the United States and Canada.

MICHAEL MOTT is an internationally critically acclaimed award winning composer/ lyricist, songwriter and vocal producer with over 13 million streams to his name.  He has been heralded one of Playbill's "Contemporary Musical Theatre Songwriters You Should Know" and has won the Broadway World 2020 Cabaret Award for 'Best Original Song' for Jingle My Bells, which he wrote for The Boy Band Project.   Mr. Mott's original musicals include In The Light, A Faustian Tale (book by Nathan Wright and Justin Silvestri), The Fairy's Tale (book by Gretchen Suárez-Peña), Mob Wife, A Mafia Comedy (book by Corey Skaggs) and Riding Out The Storm, a ten minute musical (book & lyrics by Christine Toy Johnson). He was commissioned to write the music and lyrics to Lucifer (co-lyricist, Mike Squillante, book by Corey Skaggs) and his first short film, Sundown, A Dance Short.

Best known for his recording studio work, Mott's discography includes the LPs Where The Sky Ends (which has surpassed over 4.8 million streams on Spotify),  In The Light, A Faustian Tale (Highlights from the World Premiere Studio Cast Recording) [which debuted at #8 on the Billboard Musical Theatre charts], and Abandoned Heart all distributed by Grammy Award Winning label, Broadway Records. His EPs include The Only One (distributed by Motta Music), Where The Sky Ends: The Dance Remixes and Gone: The Remixes (both distributed by Broadway Records). Singles include Christmas, Will You Stay? (feat. Laura Osnes), The Impossible (feat. Matt Bloyd), Fly High (feat. Emma Howard). He has written original award winning material for NYC's The Boy Band Project, including Get Behind My Love and Jingle My Bells (Winner - Best Original Song, 2020 Broadway World Cabaret World Award). His entire discography is available wherever music is sold. Mr. Mott has had the great fortune of working with some of the best singers in the business both in the recording studio and on stage in his touring show, Michael Mott & Friends.  His collaborations include TONY Award Winners Adrienne Warren and Matt Doyle, TONY Award Nominees Jeremy Jordan and Laura Osnes, as well as Loren Allred, Sierra Boggess, Zachary Levi, Solea Pfeiffer, Ciara Renée, Pia Toscano, Antonio Cipriano, Jenna Ushkowitz, Jennifer Damiano, Orfeh, Andy Mientus, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Justin Guarini, Brian Justin Crum, Eden Espinosa, Shayna Steele, James Snyder, Jackie Burns, Mitch Jarvis, Bobby Conte Thornton, Blaine Krauss, Michael Lanning, Crystal Monee Hall, Natalie Weiss, Teal Wicks, Jason Gotay, Ryan Silverman and countless others.   Mott's concert work includes sold out performances of his original material at numerous venues in the US and around the world including Feinstein's/ 54 Below, Joe's Pub, 42 West, Rockwood Music Hall, The Green Room 42, The Laurie Beechman Theatre in NYC, The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC and the Cockpit Theatre in London, UK.  For booking information, please email BookingMichaelMott@gmail.com.   Prior to writing, Mott enjoyed a successful acting career for six years.  He appeared Off-Broadway in "Milk and Honey" (David) and "I'd Rather Be Right" (Tony) both with Musicals Tonight!  Select regional credits include "Kiss Me, Kate" (First Gangster) at Glimmerglass Opera, directed by Diane Paulus, "Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?" (Louie) at Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, "9 to 5" (Joe) and "A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline" (Neal Matthews), both at The Fireside Theatre, and "Miracle on 34th Street" (Fred Gaily), at both The Wagon Wheel and Armory Theatre.   Mr. Mott is currently an Advanced Member of the BMI Musical Theatre Writer's Workshop and proud member of The Dramatists Guild and Actor's Equity Association

This week, Les talks with Jean Louisa Kelly, the stage and screen star who began her career with the original Broadway cast of Into the Woods and is now featured in Top Gun: Maverick. We talk about her return to NYC's Laurie Beechman Theatre with her solo concert “Anything Can Happen” for a show on March 31. Kelly is best known for featured roles in the movies Uncle Buck, Mr. Holland's Opus, and The Fantasticks; and the long running sitcom CBS-TV “Yes, Dear.” Kelly's solo concert “Anything Can Happen,” featuring Grammy Award-winning musical director Paul Bogaev, is an uplifting journey through her serendipitous life in and out of show business, from small-town New England to Hollywood and Broadway. It features songs from Gypsy, The Fantasticks, Next to Normal, Company, and more. We'll have a ticket link in the description. Jean Louisa was absolutely wonderful to chat with, and I hope you enjoy the interview. Tickets: https://www.theatermania.com/shows/new-york-city-theater/jean-louisa-kelly-anything-can-happen_413241/

National Playwriting Month is approaching, and that means it's time for End of Play.®, the Dramatists Guild's annual month-long writing challenge for Playwrights, Composers, Lyricists, and Librettists. Guild staff members Lily Dwoskin and Jordan Stovall stop by the show to tell us about their work at the Guild and all things End of Play.®.In this episode, we discuss:What End of Play.® is and who can participate (Hint: anyone and everyone!)How  End of Play.® got startedHow working at the Guild helped Lily become a better advocate for her own workHow the pandemic has changed the way drag and musical theatre are created and consumed And more!Resources MentionedEnd of Play.®Dramatists GuildAWPAbout Our GuestsLily Dwoskin is a bookwriter, lyricist, and playwright based in New York. She is a graduate of NYU's Graduate Musical Theatre Writing Program. Her bookwriter/lyricist credits include Off Broadway: Turtle On A Fencepost at Theater 555 & The Scarlet Savior at St. Luke's Theatre. Other credits include: Hyena in Petticoats and The Aviatrix. Originally, Lily is from the greater Philadelphia region. Lily's work has been performed at St. Luke's, The Laurie Beechman Theatre, The Greenroom 42, Hedgerow Theatre Company, various universities and more. Lily works for and is a proud member of the Dramatists Guild of America and has worked as a director, dramaturg, teaching artist and stage manager. Jordan Stovall is a playwright, arts administrator, and drag artist known as Wanda Whatever. They presently serve as the Director of Outreach & Institutional Partnerships for the Dramatists Guild, where they have worked since 2016. Their plays have been shortlisted and selected as Finalists for the Eugene O'Neill Playwrights Festival and Relentless Award, with productions in London and the US. As a drag artist, they are the founding producer of Time Out London Award-Nominated cabaret Boulangerie; and Fussy, a series of queer community gatherings. They can be seen on Pistol and Meet the Richardsons. They have performed in Bushwig Berlin and NYC, Sink the Pink, Clapham Grand, Royal Vauxhall Tavern, andConnect with host Melissa Schmitz***Sign up for the 101 Stage Adaptations Newsletter***101 Stage AdaptationsFollow the Podcast on Facebook & InstagramRead Melissa's plays on New Play ExchangeConnect with Melissa on LinkedInWays to support the show:- Buy Me a Coffee- Tell us your thoughts in our Listener Survey!- Give a 5-Star rating- Write a glowing review on Apple Podcasts - Send this episode to a friend- Share on social media (Tag us so we can thank you!)Creators: Host your podcast through Buzzsprout using my affiliate link & get a $20 credit on your paid account. Let your fans directly support you via Buy Me a Coffee (affiliate link).

For Video Edition, Please Click and Subscribe Here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eE5Et5C1nOQ&t=13s “Just Because Your Light Flickers Does Not Mean It's About To Go Out.” – Yohancé Salimu Laurie Hope Beechman was an actress and singer, known for her work in Broadway musicals. She also had a career as a cabaret performer and recording artist. After her passing, the West Bank Cafe Downstairs Theater Bar in New York was renamed the Laurie Beechman Theatre. She passed on 24 years ago today. Today, we will celebrate LISTEN TO HER HEART: The Life and Music Of Laurie Beechman. Director: Gaylen Ross; Executive Producer: Neil Mazzella; Narrator: Rosie O'Donnell; Writer: Jesse Green; A Tony and Drama Desk nominee, Laurie was the incomparable performer with a once in a lifetime voice that hit the rafters in such celebrated musicals as Annie, Joseph and the Amazing Color Dreamcoat, Cats, and Les Miserables. Andrew Lloyd Webber praised her “not just for her extraordinary voice, but also her remarkable contribution to musical theatre” and the New York Times hailed her as “the best young emotive belter in the dramatic tradition of Judy Garland and Barbara Streisand.” At the height of her career Laurie was diagnosed with ovarian cancer in 1989, the year that comedian Gilda Radner died of the same disease. Laurie faced not only a life-threatening illness, but also the prospect of never working again on the stage. Instead Laurie lived and performed with cancer for nine years. “My middle name is Hope,” Laurie said. “My mother named me well.” Winner, Creative Excellence, U.S. International Film and Video Festival Cine Gold Eagle  

This episode is also available as a blog post: https://thecitylife.org/2023/02/18/jean-louisa-kelly-stage-and-screen-star-returns-to-the-laurie-beechman-theatre-after-sold-out-debut-for-two-shows/ --- Send in a voice message: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/citylifeorg/message Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/citylifeorg/support

Michael Mott (michaelmott.net)(IG:@michaelmott)(TW:@MichaelMott) is an internationally critically acclaimed award winning composer/ lyricist, songwriter and vocal producer living and working in NYC.  Born and raised in New Hartford, New York, Michael graduated from Ithaca College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Musical Theatre Performance. He moved to New York City in 2007 and enjoyed a successful career performing in numerous Off-Broadway, regional and national touring shows.  In 2012 he decided to shift his focus to writing and was accepted into the prestigious BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Writer's Workshop.  He has since been named one of Playbill's "Contemporary Musical Theatre Songwriters You Should Know" and has won the Broadway World 2020 Cabaret Award for 'Best Original Song' for his piece Jingle My Bells written for The Boy Band Project. Mr. Mott's original musicals include In The Light, A Faustian Tale (book by Nathan Wright and Justin Silvestri), The Fairy's Tale (book by Gretchen Suárez-Peña), Mob Wife, A Mafia Comedy (book by Corey Skaggs) and Riding Out The Storm, a ten minute musical (book & lyrics by Christine Toy Johnson). He was commissioned to write the music and lyrics to Lucifer (co-lyricist, Mike Squillante, book by Corey Skaggs) and his first short film, Sundown, A Dance Short. Best known for his recording studio work, Mott's discography includes the LPs Where The Sky Ends (which has surpassed over 4.4 million streams on Spotify), In The Light, A Faustian Tale (Highlights from the World Premiere Studio Cast Recording) [which debuted at #8 on the Billboard Musical Theatre charts], and Abandoned Heart all distributed by Grammy Award Winning label, Broadway Records. His EPs include The Only One (distributed by Motta Music), Where The Sky Ends: The Dance Remixes and Gone: The Remixes (both distributed by Broadway Records). Singles include Christmas, Will You Stay? (feat. Laura Osnes), The Impossible (feat. Matt Bloyd), Fly High (feat. Emma Howard). He has written original award winning material for NYC's The Boy Band Project, including Get Behind My Love and Jingle My Bells (Winner - Best Original Song, 2020 Broadway World Cabaret World Award). His entire discography is available wherever music is sold. Mr. Mott has had the great fortune of working with some of the best singers in the business both in the recording studio and on stage in his touring show, Michael Mott & Friends.  His collaborations include TONY Award Nominees Jeremy Jordan, Laura Osnes, Loren Allred, Sierra Boggess, Zachary Levi, Solea Pfeiffer, Ciara Renée, Pia Toscano, Antonio Cipriano, Jenna Ushkowitz, Jennifer Damiano, Orfeh, Matt Doyle, Andy Mientus, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Adrienne Warren, Justin Guarini, Brian Justin Crum, Shayna Steele, James Snyder, Jackie Burns, Mitch Jarvis, Bobby Conte Thornton, Blaine Krauss, Michael Lanning, Marissa McGowan, Crystal Monee Hall, Natalie Weiss, Teal Wicks, Jason Gotay, Ryan Silverman and countless others. Mott's concert work includes sold out performances of his original material at numerous venues in the US and around the world including Feinstein's/ 54 Below, Joe's Pub, 42 West, Rockwood Music Hall, The Green Room 42, The Laurie Beechman Theatre in NYC, The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC and the Cockpit Theatre in London, UK.  For booking information, please email BookingMichaelMott@gmail.com. Prior to writing, Mott enjoyed a successful acting career for six years.  He appeared Off-Broadway in "Milk and Honey" (David) and "I'd Rather Be Right" (Tony) both with Musicals Tonight!  Select regional credits include "Kiss Me, Kate" (First Gangster) at Glimmerglass Opera, directed by Diane Paulus, "Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?" (Louie) at Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, "9 to 5" (Joe) and "A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline" (Neal Matthews), both at The Fireside Theatre, and "Miracle on 34th Street" (Fred Gaily), at both The Wagon Wheel and Armory Theatre. Mr. Mott is currently an Advanced Member of the BMI Musical Theatre Writer's Workshop and proud member of The Dramatists Guild and Actor's Equity Association.

Michael Mott (michaelmott.net)(IG:@michaelmott)(TW:@MichaelMott) is an internationally critically acclaimed award winning composer/ lyricist, songwriter and vocal producer living and working in NYC.  Born and raised in New Hartford, New York, Michael graduated from Ithaca College with a Bachelor of Fine Arts Degree in Musical Theatre Performance. He moved to New York City in 2007 and enjoyed a successful career performing in numerous Off-Broadway, regional and national touring shows.  In 2012 he decided to shift his focus to writing and was accepted into the prestigious BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Writer's Workshop.  He has since been named one of Playbill's "Contemporary Musical Theatre Songwriters You Should Know" and has won the Broadway World 2020 Cabaret Award for 'Best Original Song' for his piece Jingle My Bells written for The Boy Band Project. Mr. Mott's original musicals include In The Light, A Faustian Tale (book by Nathan Wright and Justin Silvestri), The Fairy's Tale (book by Gretchen Suárez-Peña), Mob Wife, A Mafia Comedy (book by Corey Skaggs) and Riding Out The Storm, a ten minute musical (book & lyrics by Christine Toy Johnson). He was commissioned to write the music and lyrics to Lucifer (co-lyricist, Mike Squillante, book by Corey Skaggs) and his first short film, Sundown, A Dance Short. Best known for his recording studio work, Mott's discography includes the LPs Where The Sky Ends (which has surpassed over 4.4 million streams on Spotify), In The Light, A Faustian Tale (Highlights from the World Premiere Studio Cast Recording) [which debuted at #8 on the Billboard Musical Theatre charts], and Abandoned Heart all distributed by Grammy Award Winning label, Broadway Records. His EPs include The Only One (distributed by Motta Music), Where The Sky Ends: The Dance Remixes and Gone: The Remixes (both distributed by Broadway Records). Singles include Christmas, Will You Stay? (feat. Laura Osnes), The Impossible (feat. Matt Bloyd), Fly High (feat. Emma Howard). He has written original award winning material for NYC's The Boy Band Project, including Get Behind My Love and Jingle My Bells (Winner - Best Original Song, 2020 Broadway World Cabaret World Award). His entire discography is available wherever music is sold. Mr. Mott has had the great fortune of working with some of the best singers in the business both in the recording studio and on stage in his touring show, Michael Mott & Friends.  His collaborations include TONY Award Nominees Jeremy Jordan, Laura Osnes, Loren Allred, Sierra Boggess, Zachary Levi, Solea Pfeiffer, Ciara Renée, Pia Toscano, Antonio Cipriano, Jenna Ushkowitz, Jennifer Damiano, Orfeh, Matt Doyle, Andy Mientus, Jay Armstrong Johnson, Adrienne Warren, Justin Guarini, Brian Justin Crum, Shayna Steele, James Snyder, Jackie Burns, Mitch Jarvis, Bobby Conte Thornton, Blaine Krauss, Michael Lanning, Marissa McGowan, Crystal Monee Hall, Natalie Weiss, Teal Wicks, Jason Gotay, Ryan Silverman and countless others. Mott's concert work includes sold out performances of his original material at numerous venues in the US and around the world including Feinstein's/ 54 Below, Joe's Pub, 42 West, Rockwood Music Hall, The Green Room 42, The Laurie Beechman Theatre in NYC, The Kennedy Center in Washington, DC and the Cockpit Theatre in London, UK.  For booking information, please email BookingMichaelMott@gmail.com. Prior to writing, Mott enjoyed a successful acting career for six years.  He appeared Off-Broadway in "Milk and Honey" (David) and "I'd Rather Be Right" (Tony) both with Musicals Tonight!  Select regional credits include "Kiss Me, Kate" (First Gangster) at Glimmerglass Opera, directed by Diane Paulus, "Do Black Patent Leather Shoes Really Reflect Up?" (Louie) at Merry-Go-Round Playhouse, "9 to 5" (Joe) and "A Closer Walk With Patsy Cline" (Neal Matthews), both at The Fireside Theatre, and "Miracle on 34th Street" (Fred Gaily), at both The Wagon Wheel and Armory Theatre. Mr. Mott is currently an Advanced Member of the BMI Musical Theatre Writer's Workshop and proud member of The Dramatists Guild and Actor's Equity Association.

If These Walls Could Talk with Wendy Stuart & Tym MossHosts: WENDY STUART & TYM MOSSSpecial guest: BIANCA LEIGHWednesday, January 12th2pm EST LIVE from PANGEA Restaurant, NYCWatch LIVE on YouTube at Wendy Stuart TVBIANCA LEIGH is an actress, singer, writer and educator. Miss Leigh's acting roles include Waxy Bush in MTC's THE NAP on Broadway (Understudy/performed), Mary Ellen in the groundbreaking film TRANSAMERICA, Time/Wind in Taylor Mac's theatre epic THE LILY'S REVENGE, Franny Halcyon in the New York and San Francisco workshops of TALES OF THE CITY THE MUSICAL, Tatiana in Paul Lucas' award- winning verbatim piece TRANS SCRIPTS at American Repertory Theatre, Beatrice in Christina Anderson's MAN IN LOVE at Kansas City Rep, and Dr. Rachel Sandow on LAW & ORDER: SVU. Bianca wrote and performed her solo musical BUSTED, about the challenges and dangers facing a young Trans woman in pre-Disney New York, at the Laurie Beechman Theatre. Her play, MBJrT, was part of the Monday Night Playwright Series at Kansas City Rep in 2018. She is featured in Laverne Cox's documentary DISCLOSURE, an exploration of Trans representation in motion pictures and on television. Who else but hosts Wendy Stuart and Tym Moss could “spill the tea” on their weekly show “If These Walls Could Talk” live from Pangea Restaurant on the Lower Eastside of NYC, with their unique style, of honest, and emotional interviews, sharing the fascinating backstories of celebrities, entertainers, recording artists, writers and artists and bringing their audience along for a fantastic ride.Wendy Stuart is an author, celebrity interviewer, model, filmmaker and hosts “Pandemic Cooking With Wendy,” a popular Youtube comedic cooking show born in the era of Covid-19, and TriVersity Talk, a weekly web series with featured guests discussing their lives, activism and pressing issues in the LGBTQ Community.Tym Moss is a popular NYC singer, actor, and radio/tv host who recently starred in the hit indie film “JUNK” to critical acclaim.

Announcing our upcoming LIVE show in NYC!Yellowfin Grouper, P.I. LIVE will be performing at the Laurie Beechman Theatre in New York City on Sunday, June 5th at 7pm. Tickets are now on sale! Head to yellowfingrouperpi.com for info and to purchase. Swim on down!

Justin has maintained a diverse career working in the theatre industry for over three decades. He served as Executive Producer to The Group Theatre Too, a theatre collective in NYC, for 15 years producing the award-winning musical, Count To Ten at The New York Musical Festival, the revival of Michael Bennett's Seesaw, and the Pulitzer-Prize nominated play, Album by David Rimmer. Other credits include: The Choreographer's Canvas at the 92nd Street Y, The World Goes Round at Circle in the Square, and Song and Dance Men at The Laurie Beechman Theatre. Justin is an award-winning director and choreographer with credits including Crazy For You (Berkshire Theatre Award), Hairspray (Lincoln Center Award), Errol and Fidel (NYMF Award), Gypsy of the Year, and the Off-Broadway musical One Night With Fanny Brice. In 2019 he was the program advisor for Peridance's Commercial Dance Program, and currently is co-director of the non-profit youth organization, New Generation Theatre, in Rockland County. Justin appeared on MTV's "Made" as a coach for aspiring performers and continues teaching as an adjunct professor at Marymount Manhattan College and Broadway Dance Center. He is also Artistic Director of Common Ground, a project bringing tap dancing and its history to people all around the world. He's worked with such talented artists as Lady Gaga, Phillip Boykin, Nicole Fosse, Richard Kline, Chita Rivera, and many more. Justin is a member of Actors Equity and the Society of Directors and Choreographers. www.justinboccitto.comMichael Kevin Baldwin, Associate Artistic Director/Director of Education Michael has performed in dozens of productions on the Playhouse stage, most recently as Cogsworth in Beauty and the Beast. Other favorite acting credits include playing Tony Whitcomb in Shear Madness at The Kennedy Center and The Notary in The Barber of Seville at The Metropolitan Opera. Michael has taught at The Brearley School, Hunter College High School, Skidmore College, Ghost Light Theater Camp, TADA NYC, SOAR, and The Falls Village Children's Theater. Michael co-created and directed the play #BraveSpace, which premiered at New York University's Forum on Ethnodrama. #BraveSpace explores the impact that theater has on the development of youth identity. Michael has conducted masterclasses and delivered speeches all over the country, most notably serving as a keynote speaker for The Educational Theatre Association's "Theater in our Schools" initiative. Michael received a Bachelor's Degree in Theater and Sociology from Skidmore College and a Master's Degree in Education from The City College of New York. 2022 SEASON CLICK HERE TO PURCHASE A SEASON SUBSCRIPTION FOR ALL OUR SHOWS Please review our Covid Protocols Page before purchasing. CLICK HERE A One-Woman Musical Starring KIMBERLY FAYE GREENBERG Directed by BRIAN CHILDERS Choreographed by JUSTIN BOCCITTO SATURDAY, JULY 2ND - 8PM IN THE BOBBIE OLSEN THEATER If you're looking for laughs and Broadway style theatrical entertainment, Fanny Brice is the one to deliver ‘em to ya — well, Fanny Brice via Kimberly Faye Greenberg. The legendary comedian's life was first dramatized by Barbra Streisand in the hit Broadway musical and film Funny Girl, and now you can see Greenberg capture her hilarious spirit all over again in this original critically acclaimed and fabulous one-woman solo show. Enjoy classic show tunes, good old-fashioned fun and hilarity, as we travel through time with Fanny Brice, the legendary Jewish comedienne, Ziegfeld Follies/Broadway star, recording artist, and film actress extraordinaire. One of the most popular radio stars of all time, Fanny was the voice of “Baby Snooks” on air for 25 years and even better known as the inspiration for the musical & movie Funny Girl. “Fabulous Fanny Brice brings Fanny Brice to fabulous life!” - The Huffington PostTICKETS ON SALE HERE! A Musical Fable of Broadway Based on a Story and Characters of Damon Runyon Music and Lyrics by FRANK LOESSER Book by JO SWERLING & ABE BURROWS Directed & Choreographed by JUSTIN BOCCITTO Associate Choreography by DANI CHAMPAGNE Musical Direction by JACOB CARLL JULY 29TH - AUGUST 14TH IN THE BOBBIE OLSEN THEATER Set in Damon Runyon's mythical New York City, Guys and Dolls is an oddball romantic comedy. Gambler, Nathan Detroit, tries to find the cash to set up the biggest craps game in town while the authorities breathe down his neck; meanwhile, his girlfriend and nightclub performer, Adelaide, laments that they've been engaged for fourteen years. Nathan turns to fellow gambler, Sky Masterson, for the dough, and Sky ends up chasing the straight-laced missionary, Sarah Brown, as a result. Guys and Dolls takes us from the heart of Times Square to the cafes of Havana, Cuba, and even into the sewers of New York City, but eventually everyone ends up right where they belong.TICKETS ON SALE HERE! Presented through special arrangement with Music Theatre International. By PAUL PORTNER Directed by BRUCE JORDAN “The audience was helpless with laughter!” - The New York Times “Shrieks of laughter night after night!” - The Washington Post Presented by special arrangement with Cranberry Productions, Inc. AUGUST 27TH - SEPTEMBER 11TH IN THE BOBBIE OLSEN THEATER This unique comedy-whodunit takes place today in the Shear Madness hairstyling salon and is chock full of up-to-the-minute spontaneous humor. During the course of the action, a murder is committed and the audience gets to spot the clues, question the suspects, and solve the funniest mystery in the annals of crime. The outcome is never the same, which is why many audience members return again and again to the scene of the mayhem. Voted "Best Comedy of the Year" seven times by the Boston Globe and recipient of the title "Best Play of the Year" by both the Chicago Sun-Times and the Philadelphia Enquirer, Shear Madness has also received the Raven Award from the Mystery Writers of America and has been inducted into the Comedy Hall of Fame, the first play ever to receive that accolade.TICKETS ON SALE HERE! By LORRAINE HANSBERRY "A pivotal play in the history of the American Black theatre." - Newsweek OCTOBER 7TH - OCTOBER 16TH IN THE BOK Set on Chicago's South Side, the plot revolves around the divergent dreams and conflicts within three generations of the Younger family: son Walter Lee, his wife Ruth, his sister Beneatha, his son Travis, and matriarch Lena. When her deceased husband's insurance money comes through, Mama Lena dreams of moving to a new home and a better neighborhood in Chicago. Walter Lee, a chauffeur, has other plans: buying a liquor store and being his own man. Beneatha dreams of medical school. The tensions and prejudice they face form this seminal American drama. The Younger family's heroic struggle to retain dignity in a harsh and changing world is a searing and timeless document of hope and inspiration.TICKETS ON SALE HERE! Presented by arrangement with Concord Theatricals on behalf of Samuel French, Inc. www.concordtheatricals.com

“The Adventure of the Greek Interpreter” from The Memoirs of Sherlock Holmes by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, narrated by Yianni Papadimos. “The Diogenes Club is the queerest club in London, and Mycroft one of the queerest men.” Yianni Papadimos is a Greek-American actor and writer. His favorite credits include Nick Bottom in A Midsummer Night's Dream (Barnstormers Theatre), Matt in Swimming Upstream (Detroit Repertory Theatre, World Premiere), and Ira Stone in Laughter on the 23rd Floor (Barnstormers Theatre). Onscreen, Papadimos has been featured in projects that have premiered across the country. Favorite credits include The Tankhouse Theatre (2018 SeriesFest) and Better To Live (2015 TriBeCa Film Festival). His first full-length musical, co-written with Ben Chavez (The Cobalteans), was an official selection of the 2015 New York Musical Festival. He received awards for Outstanding Book and Outstanding Lyrics. Elysium: An American Fable, the team's second full-length musical, has been developed at the Village Theatre (Issaquah, WA), Ohio Northern University (Ada, OH), and the Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival (Auburn, NY). Their work has been featured at NYC venues such as Feinstein's/54 Below, The Musical Theatre Factory, The Laurie Beechman Theatre, Dixon Place, and Don't Tell Mama. He proudly holds a BFA in Drama and English Literature from NYU. Content warning (and spoilers because this is a doozy!): Kidnapping, torture, violence and threats of violence, and general nasty behavior. Find recommended reading, more stories, info about the show and more on our website: https://www.howeverimprobablepodcast.com/ https://twitter.com/improbablepod

Preston Max Allen is a playwright, composer, and lyricist whose work has been featured at the New Amsterdam Theatre, Lincoln Center, Signature Theatre, Musical Theatre Factory, Feinstein's/54 Below, Joe's Pub, Theatre 80, New York Musical Festival, Laurie Beechman Theatre, York Theatre ("Tune In Time" winner), Gallery Players, Lululemon (it's a long story), and Second City Chicago. Preston conceived and wrote book, music, and lyrics for WE ARE THE TIGERS (Album now streaming; L.A. Stage Alliance Ovation winner for Best Lyrics/Composition, nominee for Best Musical); AGENT 355 (dramaturgy/co-book Jessica Kahkoska, Marion Fellowship Award Winner); and THE RAGE: CARRIE 2, AN UNAUTHORIZED MUSICAL PARODY (Jeff Nominee, Best New Musical). His play MODERN GENTLEMAN was featured as part of the 2020 PRIDE PLAYS Festival (dir. Blayze Teicher). Additional projects include music/lyrics for A VERY NETFL*X CHRISTMAS MUSICAL: NOW STREAMING LIVE! and AMY ADAMS WINS AN OSCAR (books by Edward Precht); book/lyrics for FRANKLIN PIERCE: DRAGON SLAYER (composer Will Buck); music/lyrics for BRADICAL AND THE PINK SOCKS; and music/lyrics for THE HUNTED: ENCORE (LA Webfest Outstanding Score). Preston is a member of the Ars Nova Play Group (2019/20), graduate of the Second City Chicago Comedy Studies Program, and an alum of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop. Above all, he is the proud father to his cat -> Hero. @prestonmaxallen

On this episode of Finding Your Bliss, we have a show devoted to music and visual arts. This week, Bliss expert and Life Coach Judy Librach is joined Nicky Phillips who is an award-winning composer and lyricist. Nicky is currently a member of the BMI-Lehman Engel Advanced Musical Theatre Workshop where she was awarded the Jean Banks Award for outstanding achievement in Musical Theatre. An alumnus of the Johnny Mercer Songwriters Project, Nicky was mentored by Lin-Manuel Miranda and Craig Carnelia. Her work has been showcased at Lincoln Center, 54 Below, Don't Tell Mama, The Laurie Beechman Theatre and The New York Theatre Barn. She has had writing residencies at CAP21, the Human Race Theatre Company and she was awarded the artist in residence at the Margret and H.A.Rey Center. Her work with the Musical Stage Company in Toronto includes being a music supervisor on Launchpad 2020 and a participant in Noteworthy. As a musical theatre writer, Nicky's musical works include: In Between (available for licensing); The Last Party (Toronto Fringe Festival); The Curious Journey (ASCAP Stephen Schwartz Workshop, Johnny Mercer Writers Colony at Goodspeed Musicals, CMTP); Stagefright (Prospect Theatre Musical Theatre Lab); Becoming Tussaud (In Development); she has contributed material to Touch Me: Songs for a (dis)Connected Age (Forte Musical Theatre Guild); In Flanders Fields (First commissioned and produced by Smile Theatre Company, additional productions at Golden Apple Theatre and Lunchbox Theatre in Calgary where it was nominated for a Betty Mitchell Award for Outstanding Production). Nicky is proud to have two songs featured on the Wellsongs Project CD, available for purchase through Broadway Records. Most recently, Nicky has released a musical theatre songbook entitled "The Tweens

New York Times Best Selling author of “Confessions of A Prairie Bitch: How I Survived Nellie Oleson and Learned to Love Being Hated”, Alison Arngrim is best known to viewers world-wide for her portrayal of the incredibly nasty “Nellie Oleson” on the much loved, long running hit television series "Little House On The Prairie," and continues to amuse audiences through her many film, television, stage and multi-media appearances.Her one woman show “Confessions of a Prairie Bitch”, which started at Club Fez in New York in 2002, has now become a world-wide phenomenon, having been performed to packed houses in New York, Los Angeles, Boston, Chicago, Philadelphia, Green Bay, San Francisco, Seattle, and in France, where Alison performs entirely in French to standing room only crowds in her all French version titled: “Confessions d'une Garce de La Prairie” and “La Malle aux Tresors de Nellie Oleson.”As a stand-up comedian, Alison has headlined at nightclubs such as the Laugh Factory, the Comedy Store and the Improv in Los Angeles; as well as the Laurie Beechman Theatre in New York and assorted comedy venues all across the United States and Canada.She is currently starring in two comedy series pilots: “Life Interrupted”, as the ex-wife of commercial child star Mason Reese, with Erin Murphy, (“Bewitched”) as her new wife and Dawn Wells, (“Gilligan's Island), as her mother, as well as, “C.P.R. - Child Performers Resurrection Talent Agency”, as an ex-child star gone wrong, trying to save herself and her assorted misfit cohorts by opening a talent agency.Alison has mocked her status as an “ex-child star” on Jay Leno's Tonight Show, during their month long parody, “Hollywood Survivor” and continues to be a frequent interview subject on everything from “A&E”, “E! Entertainment”, “TV Land” and “VH-1”, to CNN and the Travel Channel. The TV Land network honored her undying image as TV's worst bitch, by declaring her the winner of their 2006 award for, “Character Most Desperately In Need Of A Time Out”.She starred in the heartwarming, gay, Christmas cult classic, “Make the Yuletide Gay”, as the overbearing “Heather Mancuso”. Her other television and film appearances include, “Livin' the Dream”, “Tinder & Grinder”, “The Bilderberg Club”, “For the Love of May” with Ru Paul and Patricia Neal, and “The Last Place On Earth” with Billy Dee Williams and Phyllis Diller. In 2007, she began her foray into French cinema with the role of “Edith” in the French detective comedy, Jean Pierre Mocky's “Le Deal”.Alison's stage work includes, “The Vagina Monologs”, “Sirena: Queen of the Tango”, "Dear Brutus", "The Wool Gatherer", the French bedroom farce, "In One Bed And Out The Other", Michael Kearns' “AIDS/US II”, “Rita” in the 2005 GLAAD Award nominated production of “Last Summer At Bluefish Cove”, ”, the somewhat off kilter “Reverend Pat Miass” in “Joni and Gina's Wedding”, and the Ovation Award Nominated musical-drama, “Flirting with Morty”, as the abusive, trashy and tragic Ray Lee.In her spare time, she takes tourists on the rollicking comedy outing, “Nasty Nellie's Tour of Hollywood”, (featured at Dearly Departed Tours), where she simultaneously enlightens and amuses passengers with behind the scenes tales from both Hollywood history and her own life.Never one to forget her “Prairie” roots, Alison enjoys making appearances several times a year at various “Little House on the Prairie” historical sites for educational events and gatherings of fans. She has been a frequent visitor to the Laura Ingalls Wilder Museum in the real life Walnut Grove, Minnesota as well as Green Bay, Wisconsin's Heritage Hills, Mumford's Genesee Country Village, Laura Ingalls Wilder Historic Home and Museum in Mansfield, Missouri and many, many others.Alison has a long history of activism. In 1986 when her friend and "Little House husband" co-star............ Read more at www.bonnetheads.com

A Snatch Game full of bottoms on episode 2, Art Simone doing a Sashay, we knew things would be different on Drag Race Down Under, but, CRIKEY, this is house-down-boots-cray! Thankfully, we have two amazing guests to help process, cope, and keep calm! Kris Keochinda of Awf Magazine and Rockbar’s Coco Taylor join us take everything from drag race to LA and NYC nightlife. On the pod, we learn all about Kris’s meme worth Steaks-Are-Fine proposal, the magic of LA’s Akbar, how Coco was born on Fire Island and needs to sponsored by Party City, signs of life in the NYC queer scene - Yes and Rock Bar and Metropolitan are still alive, Henny!, and how Coco Taylor got featured on VH1’s Black Ink Crew!Now about Drag Race Down Under: WTF is A shoey? Will Minogue Mail be permanent? Why is Anita so intriguing? WTF happened to Lindy Chamberlain!? Can we get a moment of silence for Catherine O’Hara and friend of the pod BEV because Mama Rose was done dirty? Was the Sea Sickening runway actually sickening? Also, this elimination???????? We call production shade! Get into this kiki about RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under Season 1 Episode 2: "Snatch Game”About our guests:Kris Keochinda is another writer who moved from NY to LA and won’t shut up about the warm weather. They are also a staff writer at Awf Magazine, the first and only LGBTQ+ satire website in the universe, which launched in March 2019.By day, Cody Andrus is the Associate Director of Marketing at Lincoln Center Theater. By night, Coco Taylor is the kindly and campy den mother of NYC. Cody's career spans almost 15 years in non-profit theatre including at Second Stage Theatre, the Vineyard Theatre, Manhattan Theatre Club and for the past five years, LCT. Coco Taylor is a writer, producer and actress. She has performed at the Laurie Beechman Theatre in The Simsinz, as a host of Members Only Boylesque and in her own production of American Teen Princess, a Drop Dead Gorgeous drag parody. She performed on the Pridefest Stage at NYC/World Pride 2019 and was featured on VH1's Black Ink Crew. FOLLOW KRIS KEOCHINDAhttps://www.instagram.com/kkeo42https://twitter.com/Kkeochindahttps://www.instagram.com/AwfMaghttps://twitter.com/AwfMaghttp://awfmag.com/FOLLOW COCO TAYLORhttps://www.instagram.com/CocoTaylorNYChttps://twitter.com/CocoTaylorNYCFOLLOW NICKhttps://www.instagram.com/neprobst/https://www.instagram.com/grow_withnick/https://twitter.com/NEProbstFOLLOW THE HUNTYShttps://www.tiktok.com/@whisperinghuntys?https://www.twitter.com/HuntyWhisperinghttps://www.instagram.com/whisperinghuntys/https://whisperinghuntys.transistor.fm/Whispering Huntys is an Apocalypse Podcast Network Podcast.Sign up to our Listserv: http://eepurl.com/hfnySr

BIANCA LEIGH is an actress, singer, writer and educator. Miss Leigh’s acting roles include Waxy Bush in MTC’s THE NAP on Broadway (Understudy/performed), Mary Ellen in the groundbreaking film TRANSAMERICA, Time/Wind in Taylor Mac’s theatre epic THE LILY’S REVENGE, Franny Halcyon in the New York and San Francisco workshops of TALES OF THE CITY THE MUSICAL (performed in concert at the Music Box Theatre), Tatiana in Paul Lucas’ award-winning verbatim piece TRANS SCRIPTS at American Repertory Theatre, Beatrice in Christina Anderson’s MAN IN LOVE at Kansas City Rep, and Dr. Rachel Sandow on LAW & ORDER: SVU. Bianca wrote and performed her solo musical BUSTED, about the challenges facing a young Trans woman in pre-Disney New York, at the Laurie Beechman Theatre. Her play, MBJrT, was part of the Monday Night Playwright Series at Kansas City Rep in 2018. She is featured in Laverne Cox’s documentary DISCLOSURE, an exploration of Trans representation in motion pictures and on television, and can be heard on the Audible recording of Chonburi Hotel and Butterfly Club.   @bianca_leigh2000 THE YOU BOOKED IT COMMUNITY Join 120+ members from Broadway, Grammy's, Emmy's and more! Unlimited LIVE Masterclasses | Develop Industry Relationships | Create a Successful Career

In his attempt to fulfill an unquenchable need for attention, cabaret, concert and recording artist Travis Moser has packed houses and won acclaim for his solo shows in NYC and around the country. He has celebrated and performed shows devoted to Linda Ronstandt and the music of Rodgers and Hart. He has performed at the famed Metropolitan Room, Joe's Pub, Club Cumming, Birdland, The Laurie Beechman Theatre, Don't Tell Mama, The Duplex and of course, the legendary Feinstein's at 54 Below where he has recorded live albums of his performances. He has been seen in regional productions of Jekyll and Hyde, West Side Story, Into the Woods, The Mystery of Edwin Drood and Joseph in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, and featured soloist in Disney and More. His latest project, recorded during COVID, is a quieter version of Travis with an unplugged celebration of the music of Stephen Sondheim – titled So Many People: The Stephen Sondheim Sessions.We chatted with Travis about cabaret during COVID, the power of the music of Stephen Sondheim, dissected Into the Woods, and being in the spotlight. Tune in!

An episode for Sondheim fans! This week, we turn our focus to Sondheim Unplugged, one of the most popular and long-running series presented at Feinstein's/54 Below. A celebrated New York event since 2010 (It's a Hit!), the show features some of Broadway and cabaret's most dynamic voices, accompanied by piano only, delving into the musical world of Broadway's master composer. In December 2020, Sondheim Unplugged was recorded and streamed as part of 54 Below Premieres, the club's new streaming series. God, That's Good! We are joined by creator and host Phil Geoffrey Bond and performer Lucia Spina.   Phil Geoffrey Bond created Sondheim Unplugged, the long-running, award-winning monthly series, in 2010 and has served as its producer and host ever since. His novel, The Last Year at Low Tide, is currently available on Amazon from Chess Books as are his other titles — My Queer Youth, Small Town Confessions, The Fall of Mrs. Parsons, The Disney Diaries, and All the Sad Young Men. Phil has served as Director of Programming for The Duplex Cabaret Theatre, The Laurie Beechman Theatre as well as Feinstein's/54 Below, where he later became Director of Original Programming. He is the recipient of seven Manhattan Association of Clubs and Cabarets (MAC) Awards, two Backstage Bistro Awards, a Broadway World Award, and a Nightlife Award. Lucia Spina made her Broadway debut with The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee (Rona Lisa Peretti) in 2006. Her Broadway credits include Kinky Boots (original cast), South Pacific, Legally Blonde (Enid), and Les Miserables. Off-Broadway, she originated roles in Silence! The Musical (Catherine/Senator Martin) and Fugitive Songs. She toured the country with Legally Blonde, and her regional work includes credits at Goodspeed Opera House, Long Wharf Theater, Baltimore Center Stage, Barrington Stage, Milwaukee Rep, Chicago Shakespeare Theater, and The Hangar Theater, as well as Sunday in the Park With George (Nurse/Mrs./Harriett) and Anyone Can Whistle (Osgood) at the Ravinia Festival (Lonny Price, director; Paul Gemignani, musical director). She has sung with the acclaimed American Pops Orchestra and has graced cabaret stages all over New York City garnering her Best Female Vocalist for BroadwayWorld's 2015 Cabaret Awards. www.luciaspina.com Sondheim Unplugged premiered online Saturday, December 26, 2020, and is available on-demand through January 23, 2021. Tickets are $25 and can be purchased at www.54below.com/Sondheim.  View clips from the show: Natalie Douglas sings “Losing My Mind” https://youtu.be/j9FLx8Z4Qfg Telly Leung sings “Being Alive” https://youtu.be/viXRnxui0Uc All music clips in this episode are from Sondheim Unplugged at Feinstein's/54 Below, filmed on December 5, 2020: “Being Alive” from Company, music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, featuring Joe Goodrich on piano “The Ladies Who Lunch” from Company, music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Lucia Spina “Marry Me a Little” cut from Company, music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Nicholas Rodriguez  “Move On” from Sunday in the Park with George, music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Lucia Spina & Nicholas Rodriguez  “Something's Coming” from West Side Story, music by Leonard Bernstein, lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Darius de Haas  “Losing My Mind” from Follies, music & Lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Natalie Douglas  “Being Alive” from Company, music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by Telly Leung  “Anyone Can Whistle” from Anyone Can Whistle, music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, performed by T. Oliver Reid Instrumental from “Beautiful Girls” from Follies, music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, featuring Joe Goodrich on piano   Credits This podcast is hosted by Nella Vera and produced by Grace Benigni, with support from the Feinstein's/54 Below marketing staff. Original artwork by Philip Romano. Follow Nella on Twitter at @spinstripes  Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Gaby Gold is a writer, performer, voiceover artist and teacher. Gaby has performed on and Off-Broadway, on television, radio and the internet. Her original work has been performed at the SoHo Playhouse, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley; BMI, Symphony Space, The Duplex, Prospect Theatre Company, Stage Left Studio, New York Live Arts, 13th Street Rep, The Laurie Beechman Theatre, The Paley Center and Dixon Place. Gaby cherishes having had her solo musical, Calm Mom, directed and "dramaturged" by Theresa Gambacorta for the 2017 FringeNYC. Gaby produced a benefit featuring her original sketches, lyrics and collaborative works to raise money and awareness for children of war in Uganda. She is an alumna of BMI's Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Writing Workshop (Lyricist). She has performed in theatre for young audiences with The Paper Bag Players (Eastern U.S. tour and Tokyo) and The Little Orchestra Society of Lincoln Center, the Grove Street Playhouse and more. Awards include Best Lyrics and Best Song - Series A for ("Autocorrect") for the musical Face to Facebook in the 2012 West Village Musical Theatre Festival (three-time festival participant). Gaby holds a B.A. from Skidmore College and an M.A. in Educational Theatre from NYU. She is a proud NYC DOE middle school Theater Teacher and an Arthur Miller Teaching Fellow.Connect + Learn More About Gaby: GabyGold.com.Today's episode is SPONSORED by Mateo Records. Be sure to purchase Joshua Mateo's new single, "Let's Dance Together" on iTunes HERE and album "In Session" wherever you buy music.Individual Sponsors:Adriane Birt, MDJames J. RollinsWant to support the show through a monetary donation? Feel free to donate via PayPal.ALSO, we are stoked to welcome sponsorship at the Corporate, Community Partner or Individual levels. Please use the email below to connect us to any potential opportunities. Thank you. More Please, in advance.Thank you for listening! Share your thoughts and follow Klay on your favorite social media: @PlanAwithKlay and use the hashtag #PlanA101. Want more Plan A? Subscribe to Klay's website: KlaySWilliams.com. Support the show (https://paypal.me/PlanAEnterprises?locale.x=en_US)

PRESTON MAX ALLEN is a playwright, composer, and lyricist whose work has been seen at the New Amsterdam Theatre, Lincoln Center, New York Musical Festival, Signature Theatre, Musical Theatre Factory, Feinstein's/54 Below, Joe's Pub, Laurie Beechman Theatre, York Theatre and Second City Chicago. Preston conceived and wrote book, music, and lyrics for We Are The Tigers which won the L.A. Stage Alliance Ovation award for Best Lyrics/Composition, Never Better, and The Rage: Carrie 2, An Unauthorized Musical Parody and many others. His play Modern Gentleman was also featured as part of the 2020 PRIDE PLAYS Festival. Preston is a member of the Ars Nova Play Group, graduate of the Second City Chicago Comedy Studies Program, and an alum of the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theater Workshop.

In this special Pride episode of Baring It All with Call Me Adam, on the Broadway Podcast Network, I chat with out gay singer Graham J. Known for his skilled and powerful vocals, Graham J. is a singer of Opera, Jazz, Showtunes & Pop Music. From Black Lives Matter to mental health to his latest single "For The Best," no topic was off-limits. We even found a way to incorporate our love for M&Ms into this interview! For more on Graham J. visit https://grahamjsings.com and follow him on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, and YouTube! After listening to this episode, please consider donating to one of the many organizations below to support Black lives everywhere: Minnesota Freedom Fund: https://minnesotafreedomfund.org Black Visions Collective: https://www.blackvisionsmn.org Reclaim the Block: https://www.reclaimtheblock.org/home Campaign Zero: https://www.joincampaignzero.org Unicorn Riot: https://unicornriot.ninja Like what you hear? Then become a member of my Patreon Page for exclusive behind-the-scene perks! For more "Call Me Adam" interviews visit: https://callmeadam.com  Theme Song by Bobby Cronin (https://bit.ly/2MaADvQ)  Podcast Logo by Liam O'Donnell (https://bit.ly/2YNI9CY)  Edited by Drew Kaufman (https://bit.ly/2OXqOnw) Outro Music Underscore by CueTique (https://www.cuetique.com, Facebook: @CueTique) More on Graham J.: Graham J. is a native of County Dublin in Ireland. He began singing and piano lessons at a young age. His unique contralto voice and highly emotive singing have garnered him a large following internationally. Earning him many plaudits from the jazz and cabaret press. Acclaimed music journalist Larry Flick describes him as having “A gift from God” and praised him saying “You make pop music serious. You’re a real artist.” 2018 was a busy year for Graham. Highlights included performing at the Laurie Beechman Theatre on Broadway in New York City. Headlining The Gay Pride Festival in Sitges and performing at Pizza Express in Holborn. 2019 saw him making his debut at The Pheasantry in London.

227 - Julie Budd Julie Budd is one of the truly great signers with credits ranging from television to film, stage, and symphonies nationwide. Her professional career in the entertainment business started at twelve years of age, after she met the record producer & orchestrator Herb Bernstein. He introduced her to Merv Griffin at a recording session in New York City. The rest is history. This interview was taped a few years back to promote an event at the Laurie Beechman Theatre. Our friend Richard Skipper told us Julie Budd is going to be performing in concert in New York City at Birdland from Wednesday May 1st through Saturday May 4th all show times at 7:00 PM. The show is called “The Songs of My Life…and the Composers Who Wrote Them.” Enjoy our interview with Julie Budd, right here on The Paul Leslie Hour. Support The Paul Leslie Hour by donating to their Tip Jar: https://tips.pinecast.com/jar/the-paul-leslie-hour

James Higgins is a music director, pianist, arranger, and sound designer with 30 years of international experience. RFB fans may recognize him as the accompanist/collaborator from A Night of Dreams, presented in May of 2018. He stopped by to chat with Jonathan about his current project, Me The People: Fire & Fury edition, playing most Tuesday nights between now and the midterm elections at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, in the basement of the West Bank Cafe! 

Natalie Lovejoy is composer, lyricist, and bookwriter whose work has been heard at 54 Below, The Duplex, Laurie Beechman Theatre, The Flea Theatre, Greenwhich Music House, and in Nashville at the legendary Bluebird Café, and she is listed in The Directory of Contemporary Musical Theatres Writers at Contemorary Musical Theater.com. She was married to a soldier, who deployed to Iraq in 2008-2009 with the 101st Airborne Division, from 2006-2013 and was stationed at Ft. Bliss, Ft. Campbell, and Ft. Totten, Natalie wrote the music, book and lyrics to Deployed, which was produced by the Society of Artistic Veterans off-off Broadway at the Abingdon Theatre Company in November 2013 and again at the Gene Frankel Theatre in January 2014 to sold-out audiences. It was featured in the Musical Theater Factory’s 4x15 in March 2015 and continues to be developed. She has contributed work to the interactive theatre piece Hall Pass (NYU Commissioned), the musical Club Meds, and wrote the score for Veteran Artist Program’s commerical “Movement to Contact.” In addition, her autobiographical short-story “Two Roads” was published in So Say We All’s anthology Homecoming which examines the transition from military to civilian life and will be featured on NPR for Veterans’s Week 2015. When not writing, she teaches voice, piano, and composition. Education: MM in Music Composition from New York University, the BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop, and the Johnny Mercer Musical Theatre Project at Northwestern University. Professional Member: ASCAP, the Dramatist Guild.

JBN plays eight selections from his album musical TO HELL AND BACK that were performed over the past three seasons of the "Something New" podcast. Featuring the vocal stylings of Joel B. New, Jennifer Sanchez, Nathan Siler, Ben Cameron, Stephanie Joiner, Drew Gasparini, Matthew-Lee Erlbach, Matt Wilson, and many more. TO HELL AND BACK is being performed in concert for one night only on Tuesday, July 7th at 6PM at the Laurie Beechman Theatre in New York as an official selection of the 2015 New York Musical Theatre Festival. To purchase tickets, go to nymf.org/tohellandback.

Obie Award-winning playwright/performer David Drake chats about his critically acclaimed theatrical creation "Tawny Heatherton" in TAWNY, TELL ME TRUE. TAWNY, TELL ME TRUE is an evening of songs & stories where Tawny recalls such indelible moments in her globe-trotting journey as her stint as a HEE HAW Honey, her unexpected tryst in Hollywood with Burt and Loni, and Tawny’s ongoing quest to reunite with her long-lost aunt Joey, whom she last saw in the parking lot of the Mohegan Sun Casino. And of course, her abduction by aliens. “Tawny is an utterly original creation, a free-form madwoman who doesn't do "jokes" but dares to engage her audience on the strength of her rambling mind and tender, broken heart.” -- Armistead Maupin “A subtle, surprising theater piece with music. Drake is funny and affecting, pulling off the impossible feat of creating a blonde character who's terminally superficial and deeply profound at the same time.” -- Michael Musto "I walked away breathless and in awe of one of the most talented writer/performers of our time." - Huffington Post TAWNY, TELL ME TRUE runs October 19, 25 & 26 at 7:30pm at the Laurie Beechman Theatre in NYC. Plus, David discusses the 20th anniversary of his landmark theatre piece THE NIGHT LARRY KRAMER KISSED ME, and his current workshops with artists developing their own indelible "one man shows."  

Obie Award-winning playwright/performer David Drake chats with Candi & Randy about his return to the New York stage this fall with his critically acclaimed theatrical creation Tawny Heatherton in TAWNY, TELL ME TRUE. TAWNY, TELL ME TRUE is an evening of songs and stories where Tawny discovers the meaning of the dawning of the Age of Aquarius. Tawny recalls such indelible moments in her globe-trotting journey as her stint as a HEE HAW Honey, her unexpected tryst in Hollywood with Burt and Loni, and Tawny’s ongoing quest to reunite with her long-lost aunt Joey, whom she last saw in the parking lot of the Mohegan Sun Casino. And of course, her abduction by aliens. “Tawny is an utterly original creation, a free-form madwoman who doesn't do "jokes" but dares to engage her audience on the strength of her rambling mind and tender, broken heart.” -- Armistead Maupin “A subtle, surprising theater piece with music. Drake is funny and affecting, pulling off the impossible feat of creating a blonde character who's terminally superficial and deeply profound at the same time.” -- Michael Musto TAWNY, TELL ME TRUE runs October 19, 25 & 26 at 7:30pm at the Laurie Beechman Theatre in NYC. Plus, Drake discusses the 20th anniversary of his landmark theatre piece THE NIGHT LARRY KRAMER KISSED ME, and his current workshops with artists developing their own indelible "one man shows."

Peter Michael Marinois a writer, actor, director and teacher.He received the 2010 and 2011 Backstage Reader's Choice Award for Favorite Comedy Teacher for his acclaimed “Flying Solo” classes at The PIT. He also received the Back Stage Bistro Award for his cabaret spoof, Lance Jonathan: More About Me! He is the co-writer of the lesbian pulp homage Hollywood Nurses. He has directed and developed shows with Delilah Dix (Ars Nova, Laurie Beechman Theatre and Edinburgh Fringe), Mark Giordano's Mad Man (The PIT), Sheila Head's Head Games (IO West, Ars Nova), and Alicia Levy's Chickapalooza (The PIT, Ars Nova). As a performer, he appeared in STOMP for five years off-Broadway and on tour, as well as in numerous regional productions and workshops. In 2007, American playwright Peter Michael Marino wrote a musical based on the film “Desperately Seeking Susan” featuring the music of Blondie. It opened on London's West End…and closed a month later. DESPERATELY SEEKING THE EXIT offers a behind-the-scenes peek at how this £4 million musical was made and unmade: hatching the idea, deals with MGM, Debbie Harry and even Madonna; the workshops, the previews, the scathing reviews and the closing night. Once you're in, there's no way out! WWW.PETERMMARINO.COM www.SeekingTheExit.com

JENNA ESPOSITO  has performed her solo shows at Feinstein's at Loews Regency, The Metropolitan Room, Backstage dopo teatro, The Laurie Beechman Theatre, and The Duplex, also Manhattan's historic Little Italy, including solo concerts at the famed San Gennaro Festival. A three-time MAC Award nominee for Outstanding Female Vocalist she recently made her debut at Manhattan's historic Town Hall, sharing the stage with Liza Minnelli, Chita Rivera, Lucie Arnaz, Larry Gatlin and Marilyn Maye. Jenna has 2 CDs available through iTunes and CDBaby.com. The first, 13 Men…and Me, The second CD is a live recording of Jenna's Connie Francis tribute show, which was recorded during her June-July, 2009 run of the show at The Metropolitan Room in Manhattan. For more infon her CDs and upcoming performance, visit www.jennaesposito.com.