F.A.C.T.S

Jak Burke: an artist who cares

2010-10-26T22:38:00.000-05:00

Hell’s Kitchen/ Clinton, at one time was well known for the bohemian artists that made up the culture and fought for a better way of life. Today there is a scattering of artists mostly because of the high rents and lack of workspaces. The Hell’s Kitchen artist tours, Art for Healing and a splattering of galleries still exist but it is residents like Jak Burke who are the heart and soul of city.

Born in London, Jak is a pure New Yorker with a soft spot for Coney Island. Recently, she displayed her work at an anti-violence art show entitled, “Circus of the Soul,” sponsored by the Coney Island Coalition Against Violence and hosted by the New York Aquarium. Her show drew attention to the increasing deadly amount of gang activities in Coney Island. Mathylde Frontus (Founder of Urban Neighborhood Services and Co-chair of Coney Island Coalition Against Violence) recently stated, “As a long-time Coney Island resident who has personally witnessed the damaging effects of violence on the youth and families of our historically significant community, I applaud Circus of the Soul’s attempt to highlight the plight of every day urban youth who struggle to make the right decisions. Since our community coalition meeting on July 30th, a 13- year old boy in a wheelchair was shot. On Saturday July 31st, a 24 year old man was shot point blank at 3:15 in the afternoon, with residents ducking for cover. On the same day as our community peace walk, there was as shooting in front of Urban Neighborhood Services offices at 2am. Coney Island has officially become a war zone.”

Circus of the Soul, originally debuted in September at The Soho Gallery of Digital Art, 138 Sullivan Street. JAK commented, “I find my solo show series, Circus of the Soul, speaks not only to the gang crisis in Coney Island but also to the young children in South Los Angeles who have been experiencing greater levels of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder than children living in Baghdad, Iraq. What is happening inside of our country? Urban violence does not go away. Without resolution, gang activities will spread until every NYC neighborhood is affected. Art and awareness can bring about change.”

The actual show is about, Buck Wabbit, a gangster who gets seduced into a life of crime. Jak has made it possible to interact with Buck on Twitter, Blogger and Facebook.

Jak has always been a community artist. As an activist, Jak is passionate about all forms of public art especially community art work. “I am inspired by everything I see. I have been politically aware since I was a teenager in Thatcher’s 1980’s Britain. I experienced urban decay and social unrest. London suburbs were wastelands during the 80’s.”

Jak’s art involves collecting stickers, graffiti, street art, and billboards on cheap digital cameras and then creating collages onto photographic landscapes with an overlay of cartoons. "I use poetry, headlines, menus, sound bites – anything – as my narrative", says Jak. "My protagonists are heroic and often tragic".

Jak's work has also been showcased at Headquarters’ Gallery, in Tribeca.

Jak is an example of why Hell’s Kitchen/ Clinton is alive and vibrant and why artists have always been the voice in the wilderness. Thankfully our wilderness has Jak.

A Miracle is starting

2010-03-22T08:39:00.003-05:00

I know I said more tomorrow, but I got the flu, needed to get a paper out and had to work, so tomorrow has turned out to be five days. Life happens and we handle it the best we can. Onto the starting of a miracle.

Merrie, runs another publication that is highly successful. After hearing my story she met Jack who just happened to work for All Access Dental. He in turn agreed to meet with me. I met with Jack and David the brains behind All Access Dental and they agreed to help. This company is amazing. They started a dental practice that excepts medicare, medicaid and all forms of insurance. They help those who need care. They care.

My journey will be completely documented here. You can see what I go through so that you can see this is possible and in turn if you need help maybe you too can find it.

My miracle is starting, I wish the same for all of you.

The beginning of a miracle

2010-03-17T22:40:00.010-05:00

It has been awhile since I have posted here. I apologize for that, but with running a newspaper and writing for other venues it has been difficult.

I am back to inform and to document a miracle. Years ago, I had a tooth problem. I saw a dentist in NYC. He told me I needed a root canal. At the time, I was on break from one show and about to go into another, so my insurance was not in place. He told me not to worry and put me out. When I woke up, my head was the size of a basketball and I was sick as a dog. My friends came and rescued me. I stayed that way for over a week, until I could no longer take the pain and saw another dentist. It turned out, I had a severe infection most likely from unclean instruments. I lost the show, as it took two months for my face to completely return to normaI. I became like a deer in headlights and was fearful of dentists. I later learned, the dentist who started this mess, David Beldengreen was arrested.

As if that was not enough, I was in a car crash. I was coming off the off ramp and another car was coming up the off ramp. It was snowing and my choice was to hit the car head on or go off a cliff. I hit my head on the steering wheel. From the incident before my mouth was weakened. Slowly, I have lost several teeth and others have been wearing away due to my bite being completely off. You see the girl who ht me was illegal, from Columbia and sleeping with the chief of police. My insurance would not cover it because she technically did not exist and my paper work suddenly disappeared from the police station. It wasn't until later that I learned why.

To fix my mouth was estimated at over $80,000.00. I was an actress, singer and writer, where was I ever going to get that kind of money? After the 2nd incident, I was told by three separate agents the reason I was not booking the commercials was because of my mouth. You see nobody wants an actress with missing teeth. I stopped singing professionally after I saw a tape of a show I did. I looked homeless. I started smiling less. My face started falling and I see differences every day. For the past two weeks I have started to have intense pain and clicking, which means TMJ is starting. There is not a day that goes by that I am not made aware of what has happened to me, yet most people do not know. I have kept silent. One of the reasons I started the paper was because of all this.

I have spent countless hours researching the cheapest place to have dental work. When the lottery is high I play it in hopes of regaining back my smile. In a strange way I had lost hope, but was trying to stay present. Then I attended a luncheon and met Merrie and told her some of my story. We were to get together on another matter, when I called, she surprised me by telling me she had found a dentist that might be able to help.

More tomorrow...........but I promise it is worth it! There are miracles waiting to happen.

T: Is for trouble losing power

2010-02-11T13:00:00.004-05:00

I am an Aquarian, which is why I think it irks me so much that Sarah Palin is too. This women is a menace to society. Today is her birthday, but finally a new national poll indicates that 7 out of 10 Americans feel that she is not qualified to be president.
71 percent of the public say the former Alaska governor is not qualified to serve in the White House, with 26 percent saying she is qualified. The 26 percent is down 12 points from November. The survey also indicates that 37 percent of Americans have a favorable view of her, with 55 percent holding an unfavorable view. Just last month, 43 percent of the public had a favorable opinion and 46 percent had an unfavorable view of Palin. Could it be more American's are waking up to how dangerous this women is? I hope so. Being a women and knowing what women can do, there is no way I want this particular one anywhere near laws, a position of power or making any kind of decision that could effect my life. Maybe within the next couple of months the other 3 out of 10 Americans will open up their eyes and Ms. Palin will no longer be a threat to humanity.

C: Is for Career's on the Rise

2010-02-10T22:50:00.003-05:00

Careers come out of Juilliard. Katori Hall a recent graduate of the Julliard playwriting program will make her Broadway debut with the play “The Mountaintop,” a two-character play that imagines a surprising turn of events for the Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., on the night before his assassination. Ms. Hall was the 2009-10 recipient of the Playwrights of New York Fellowship, an annual prize administered by the Lark Play Development Center, worth an estimated $80,000. Her 2007 play, "Hoodoo Love," had an Off Broadway run at the Cherry Lane Theater. “The Mountaintop,” received critically praise when it was preformed in London last summer, earning a 2010 Olivier Award nominations for best new play and lead actress Lorraine Burroughs. The production also received Evening Standard Award nomination for most promising playwright and lead actor David Harewood. Producers Jean Doumanian and Sonia Friedman said in a statement they were eager to capitalize on its success by moving ahead on Broadway. They said they were in negotiations with Kenny Leon to direct. He will be represented on Broadway later this year directing the revival of August Wilson’s “Fences.” Ms. Hall states her inspiration for the play came partly from her mother, who grew up near the Lorraine Motel in Memphis, where Dr. King was assassinated, and regretted not going to hear him speak on the day before he was killed. The play’s characters are Dr. King and a woman who at first seems to be a hotel maid. Casting, performance dates and a theater are yet to be announced.

A: Is for Art on a budget

2010-02-09T23:34:00.001-05:00

On a budget, many Broadway shows have rush, lottery, and standing room. All it takes is patience, a photo ID and time.

Billy Elliot
Student Rush: $41.50 (for tickets are normally $80) - available at the box office two hours prior to performance. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thurday performances only. Limit 2 per valid ID. Tickets in Rear Mezzanine rows G-J and side sections rows D-F $41.50 for Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday performances.

Bye Bye Birdie
General Rush: $26.50 - limited number sold on the day of as soon as the box office opens. Limit 2 per person.
Student Rush: Limited half-price tickets are sold a half hour before curtain. 1 per valid ID.
Hiptix: $21.50 - Roundabout's Hiptix program allows registered patrons between ages 18 and 35 to purchase 1 pair of tickets per production at this price. Free registration but it is required. Ticket may be purchased in advance. All IDs are checked.

Chicago
General Rush: $36.50. Limit 2. Not available Saturday evenings.
Standing Room: $26.50 - available when the performance is sold out.

Fela!
Student Rush: $27.00, May be partial or obstructed view. Limit 1 ticket per current and valid student ID.

God of Carnage
Standing Room: $26.50 around 20 tickets sold at the box office beginning two hours prior to curtain. Only available when sold out.

Hair
The "Be-In Box" Ticket Lottery: $25 is the best place to be. Entries are done at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre box office beginning two and half hours prior to each performance. Names are drawn at random two hours prior to curtain time. Winners must be present at the time of the drawing and show valid ID to purchase tickets. Limit one entry per person, and two tickets per winner.
Standing Room: $25 - available at the box office only on the day of the performance when the performance is sold out.

In the Heights
Lottery Rush: $26.50 - a set number of front-row seats for each performance, sold via a lottery system. Each person will print their name and the number of tickets (1 or 2) they wish to purchase on a card that is provided. Only one card per person. Cards are checked for duplication prior to the performance. For Tues 7pm performances, cards are available at 4:30pm for a 5:00pm drawing. For Wed-Sat 8:00pm performances, cards are available at 5:30pm for a 6:00pm drawing. For Wednesday and Saturday matinee performances, cards are available at 11:30am for a 12:00pm drawing. For Sunday matinee performances, cards are available at 12:00pm for a 12:30pm drawing. For Sunday 7:00pm performances, cards are available at 5:00pm for a 5:30pm drawing.
Standing Room: $21.50 - available when the performance is sold out.
Tickets in the last three rows of the Rear Mezzanine (Rows F-H) are regularly priced at $41.50 for all performances. These tickets may be purchased through Ticketmaster or at the box office.

Jersey Boys
Student Rush: $27 - a limited number of student tickets to select Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday performances are available when the box office opens at 10 AM, but there are exceptions. Two kinds of photo ID must be shown: A non-expired full time student ID as well as a government issued photo ID, drivers license or passport. Limit 2 tickets per person per 30 day period.
Standing Room: $27 - available at the box office two hours prior to the performance. Limit 1 ticket per person. Only available when the performance is sold out.

A Little Night Music
Standing Room Student Rush: $27 sold on the day of performance when the box office opens. Subject to availability. Limit 1 ticket per valid ID.

Mamma Mia!
Student Rush: $31.50 - may be available on day of performance when the box office opens. Subject to availability. Limit 2 tickets per valid ID.
Standing Room: $21.25 - available at the box office on the day of the performance if the performance is sold out. Two hours prior to curtain. Limit is 2 per person.

Mary Poppins
Student Rush: $30 - sold on the day of performance when the box office opens. Only available to college/university students. Limit 1 ticket per valid ID.

Memphis
Student Rush: $26.50 - limited number of tickets available day of performance when the box office opens. Limit 2 tickets per valid ID.

Next to Normal
Lottery Rush: Beginning 2 hours before each performance, patrons may enter a lottery drawing to purchase a limited number of $25.00 tickets to that day's performance. Names are drawn at random and 90 minutes prior to the performance. Limit of two tickets per person and winners must be present with valid identification at the time of the drawing.
Tickets in the last row of the Mezzanine are regularly priced at $36.50. These tickets may be purchased through Telecharge or at the box office.

The Phantom of the Opera
Standing Room: There are $26.25 tickets available at the box office only, only when the performance is sold out. There are only 28 standing room chances.
Tickets in the last two rows of the Rear Mezzanine are priced at $26.25 for Monday through Thursday performances. These tickets may be purchased through Telecharge or at the box office. Note: These are the best tickets for this show

Present Laughter
General Rush: $26.50 - limited number of tickets sold on the day of the performance when the box office opens. Subject to availability. Limit 2 per person.
Student Rush: Half-price seats sold at half hour before curtain. Limit 1 per valid ID.
Hiptix: $21.50 - Roundabout's Hiptix program allows registered patrons between ages 18 and 35 to purchase 1 pair of tickets per production at this price. Free registration is required. Ticket may be purchased in advance as availability dictates. Info at: http://hiptix.com/

Race
Student Rush: $26.50 - sold on the day of performance beginning two hours prior to show. Limit 2 tickets per valid ID.

Rock of Ages
Lottery Rush: $26.50 A limited number of tickets will be available via lottery. For 8 PM shows: signup at 6 PM, lottery held at 6:30, ticket pickup at 6:45. For 7 PM shows: signup at 5 PM, lottery held at 5:30, ticket pickup at 5:45. For 2 PM matinees: signup at 12 noon, lottery held at 12:30, ticket pickup at 12:45.
Student Rush: $36.50 - sold on day of performance two hours prior to curtain, immediately after lottery tickets are distributed. Limit 2 per valid student ID. Not available Friday or Saturday evening.

South Pacific
Student Rush: $20.00 - available at the box office beginning two hours prior to a performance. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday performances only. Only available to college/university students. Limit 1 per valid ID. Subject to availability.

Time Stands Still
Student Rush: $26.50 - available on the day of the performance when the box office opens. Must show photo ID verifying current enrollment in a degree or diploma program. Limit 2 per valid ID.

A View From the Bridge
General Rush: $26.50 - may be available on day of performance when the box office opens. Limit 2 per customer. Subject to availability.
Standing Room: $26.50 - available at the box office, day of performance, when the performance is sold out.

West Side Story
Lottery Rush: $26.50 - limited number of front-row seats sold via lottery system. Entries accepted at box office beginning two and half hours prior to each performance. Names will be drawn at random two hours prior to curtain time. Winners must be present at the time of the drawing and show valid ID to purchase tickets. Limit one entry per person, and two tickets per winner.

Wicked
Lottery Rush: Each day, two hours prior to show time (11:30 AM for 2 PM matinees; 12:30 PM for 3 PM matinees; 4:30 PM for 7 PM performances; 5:30 PM for 8 PM performances), people who present themselves at the Gershwin Theatre box office will have their names placed in a hat. Thirty minutes later, names will be drawn for 28 front-row seats at $26.50 each. This lottery is available only in-person at the box office, with a limit of 2 tickets per person, cash only. Photo-ID.

Remember everything is subject to availability. Most only except cash with the rare excepted credit card. Just be prepared and these are the F.A.C.T.S

F: Is for "FEARLESS MORAL INVENTORY”

2010-02-08T14:41:00.004-05:00

When we last left Frank Blocker he was at the Stage Left Studio Theatre where he was starring in his sold-out, critically-acclaimed, three-times-extended and award-nominated (Drama Desk & Audience Awards) “Southern Gothic Novel” which has since been published in paperback by CreateSpace and is available on Amazon.com. The spoken word CD will be released by the publisher on February 15th. Thank-Gog! Mr. Blocker is back. Unplugged. And fearless. His new show “FEARLESS MORAL INVENTORY” will open at the Stage Left Studio Theatre (438 West 37th Street – between 9th & 10th Avenues) on Monday, March 8th and play through, May 31st with the option to extend through July 26th. Preview performances begin Monday, February 15th. “FEARLESS MORAL INVENTORY” is 62 characters, challenging to tell the truth come from many and varied walks of life. Marvin, is a blind guy who dates only redheads. The Very Right Reverend Doctor Raymond B. Smythe loathes pervs. Richard, is a serial banker. Anna Mae, a reluctant widow. Jon-Paul R. Georges, an ingrate son. Watch out for the mother on a mission to ruin a honeymoon. Joe Tennent, is a murderous landlord. Sister Aloysius and Sister Theresa, have much to say. Iona Winchester, is mad as a hatter. Franklin Ian Brown, is a performer of sorts. Henrik, Jr., is a clairvoyant cab driver and Sue-Sue Daniels is the addicted everywoman from the deep South. Laughter and revelations are sure to be had as we discover what this genius performer has in store. For $20 this is a bargain. Life is tough but then you change and Frank Blocker's extreme wit is sure to do the trick and that is a F.A.C.T.

S: Is for Stunned.

2010-01-08T00:22:00.004-05:00

Did you know lizards go into a type of hibernation when the temperature drops below around 9 degrees C, all body functions but the heart switches off and blood flow is cut to a minimum. When this happens they lose their grip on the tree branches and drop out of the trees. The lizards, which grow up to five feet long, then lie grey and appear dead until the temperature rises again, at which time they usually revive. The "kamikaze" iguanas have become a common sight as temperatures have dropped almost to freezing. The green iguana, originally from Central and South America, is not native to Florida. It is regarded as one of the most invasive species since it was introduced into the ecosystem, by irresponsible pet owners, in the mid-1990s. It is legal to kill iguanas in Florida but only if it is done humanely. If somebody is looking to trap them, now would be a good time because they're not moving. With temperatures expected to fall even lower, many iguanas may not survive. These are sad F.A.C.T.S.

T: Is for Taking Care

2010-01-07T20:20:00.004-05:00

With all the talk about the H1N1 virus and flu season in full swing, a new product enters the market that offers hope. For those of us fearful at the shot being offered, there is an alternative. Ever since we were children, we were told to wash our hands before meals, after we sneezed or coughed, but with the fast paced lives we live, we forget those warnings. Hand sanitizers, which until now, have all been alcohol based, dry out our hands, which allows super viruses to enter through newly formed cracks. To the rescue… Microdine. This new hand scrub makes your hands inhospitable to viruses, for six count them six hours Microdine, literally repels them. FDA approved, Microdine, was originally used by doctors to scrub up before operating on patients. Easy to use, you just place a dime size portion onto your hands and paint it on, wipe it off. This non-irritating formula cleans, sanitizes, and disinfects while protecting and softening your skin. Microdine bonds to the skin to helping to promote healing, while killing 99.99% of all germs. Costing around 25 cents a wash Ron Gourley and DRSS Global have created the “must have” new product for the new decade. You can start combating germs right now on-line at www.microdine.com. And you can look for its official launch around late spring and these are the F.A.C.T.S.

C: Is for Coming Soon

2010-01-06T09:32:00.003-05:00

As the year ends and a new one begins, plays will come and go. Among the losses starting January 3rd: SHREK: The Musical, IRVING BERLIN'S WHITE CHRISTMAS and SUPERIOR DONUTS. January 10th sees THE 39 STEPS, BURN THE FLOOR, IN THE NEXT ROOM or The Vibrator Play. RAGTIME will join FINIAN'S RAINBOW and WISHFUL DRINKING, closing date of the 17th, unless it get another reprieve. And finally say, BYE BYE BIRDIE on the 24th. Some say this has to do with the recession, but if you look at last years list over 11 shows closed and this list is far less. Shows like SPRING AWAKENING left a hole for new recruits to fill the dwindling spaces. Shows on the forefront include: PRESENT LAUGHTER, Opening: January 21st. Victor Garber and Harriet Harris will seek to arouse our humor. Liev Schreiber and Scarlett Johansson, open: January 24th in the revival of Arthur Miller's drama. Laura Linney, Alicia Silverstone, Brian d'Arcy James and Eric Bogosian show us how TIME STANDS STILL, January 28th.
The is it here is it not musical SPIDER-MAN, TURN OFF THE DARK is set for a Febuary 25th preview. Helen Keller is revisited in
THE MIRACLE WORKER, March 3rd, while Christopher Walken is set for a world premire in A BEHANDING IN SPOKANE, March 4th. NEXT FALL is transferring from it's successful Off Broadway run March 11th. No longer Rhoda Valerie Harper, takes on Tallulah Bankhead March 14th in LOOPED. ALL ABOUT ME hits March 18th, while LEND ME A TENOR is directed by Stanley Tucci. I can not wait to click my fingers as THE ADDAMS FAMILY opens April 8th, and country fans have MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET April 11th to center on Johnny Cash, Jerry Lee Lewis, Carl Perkins and Elvis Presley. HUGHIE/ KRAPP'S LAST TAPE
with Brian Dennehy makes it in time for Easter and LA CAGE AUX FOLLES has Frasier as the lead. SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM
April 22nd has Barbara Cook, Vanessa Williams and Leslie Kritzer. The 60's are back with a revival of PROMISES, PROMISES
opening April 25th with Kristin Chenoweth and Sean Hayes. London's financial scandal ENRON, opens April 27th. Alices' Linda Lavin is in COLLECTED STORIES, April 28th. The phantom lives again in LOVE NEVER DIES November 11th. While a date has not been set a theatre has, AMERICAN IDIOT: Green Day's musical opens where Finian's left off. Talk about a change of pace.

Next year seems like a run on of words, but as you can see Broadway is far from over.

Happy 2010! from F.A.C.T.S.

A: Is for Admired???????

2010-01-05T20:13:00.003-05:00

Hillary Clinton narrowly edged Sarah Palin as the woman Americans admired most in 2009, while President Obama is the landslide winner among men for the second consecutive year. In the annual USA Today/Gallup poll, the secretary of state continues her reign as the most admired woman in the eyes of Americans, with 16% selecting her. If that wasn't bad enough Sarah Palin took 15% of the survey as the woman they admire most on the globe. I personally, want to know who was surveyed? Not one women I know, would ever vote for Ms. Palin as admirable. DIsgusting, over-rated, over publicized, yes but admiration takes doing something we can be proud of. What has she done? YThey also state that in 2008, Palin also ranked second behind Clinton, with 11% of Americans mentioning her. Who knew of her? Oprah Winfrey is #3 , with 8%, and First Lady Michelle Obama 4th. Former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Queen Elizabeth II followed, with 2%.

Among the men, Obama wins, with 30%. Last year, Obama won the top spot, with 32%, and both years' totals are among the highest Gallup has measured for a winner. Former President Bush took 39% in 2001, however, remains the all-time high for most admired man. Bush finished second again this year, after winning the honor from 2001-2007. So again who is voting?
Others in the top 10 include, former South African President Nelson Mandela, radio and TV personality Glenn Beck, and Pope Benedict XVI. Beck came in 4th, with 2%, edging out the pope, who came in 5th. Golf pro Tiger Woods tied former president Bill Clinton, both of whom have endured high-profile sex scandals, for 10th place. This year is Woods' first time ranking in the survey's top 10, despite the sex scandal that has dominated international headlines since late November.

They say they telephone 1,025 adults nationwide and this gives us a consensus. Considering Sarah Palin made #2 I say they either polled the Christian right wing or the cast from Delverance.

Read more: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/politics/2009/12/30/2009-12-30_hillary_clinton_is_the_mostadmired_woman_of_2009__but_sarah_palins_not_far_behin.html#ixzz0bn4UGDOx

Now these are F.A.C.T.S.that should of been checked more.

F: is for Fat... or not!

2010-01-04T00:21:00.001-05:00

I took off a week due to holidays and the new issue of the paper coming out. To see that go to: www.t2conline.com

We are so proud of this endeavor. We were given 10 newspaper boxes so we are officially legit and are a presence in Times Square!

With the death of Brittany Murphy, Margaux Laskey's previously acclaimed, award-winning and hilarious SIZE ATE returns to Off-Off-Broadway January 14 through January 16 for five (5) performances at the wild project (195 East 3rd Street – between Avenues A and B). Chronicling Ms. Laskey's humorous struggle with body and food issues she journeys towards self-acceptance. This is not just for women with "eating disordered." SIZE ATE explores universal themes of obsession, addiction, redemption and recovery through drama, song and imagery. Like the Dove billboard girls and plus-size model Crystal Renn's recently-released autobiography Hungry, offers a counter voice to the thin obsessed people like designer Ralph Lauren who fired Fillippa Hamilton, a 5'10" 120 pound model because she's "fat" and the supermodel Kate Moss who recently quipped, "Nothing tastes as good as being skinny feels."

SIZE ATE premiered in NYC in November 2005, and won New York Innovative Theatre Award for Outstanding Solo Performance.
Since then, Ms. Laskey, a recovering anorexic and compulsive dieter, has toured the show performing at colleges and conferences - including Columbia University, Barnard College, Pace, and SUNY New Paltz - as an alternative and entertaining outreach tool. Using nine life-size body forms labeled with the dress sizes that she has been at one time or another in her life - 0, 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 12, 14, 16. They serve as props, as punching bags, as dance partners, and the push and pull that tug at a woman's sense of self-worth.

"If you refuse to look at things the way the world tells you to see them, you realize that anything is possible. The possibilities for your happiness, for your life, are limitless. Infinite."

Each January performance will include a 30-minute post-show discussion and special guests.

Thursday, January 14, 7pm
Friday, January 15, 2pm
Friday, January 15, 8pm
Saturday, January 16, 3pm
Saturday, January 16, 8pm

TICKETS
Tickets are $20, $15 with a student I.D.
Available at www.thewildproject.com or by calling 212.352.3101.

Fat is not always a F.A.C.T.

S: Is for Sad but True

2009-12-25T02:24:00.000-05:00

O COME YE INVESTORS
tune--O Come All Ye Faithful lyrics by Felonius Ax
O Come, ye investors, bold captains of commerce,
Let‚s get our products made in old Saipan.
Come for the people, peaceful and compliant
O come let us exploit them
O come let us exploit them
O come let us exploit them because we can!
See how consumers, blinded by low prices,
Leaving their ethics, come here to buy.
Into our pockets they will pour their dollars.
O come let us exploit them
O come let us exploit them
O come let us exploit them because we can!

Child, in our sweatshops making designer watches,
Billionaires get richer from your twelve-hour days!

Thus ends the F.A.C.T.S we need to face.
Who would not hire you for ten cents an hour?
O come let us exploit them
O come let us exploit them
O come let us exploit them because we can!

T: Is for Toys

2009-12-23T12:12:00.003-05:00

Toys For The World
(to the tune of "Joy To The World" by George F. Handel)

Toys for the world are made by kids
And not by elves at all!
We work them night and day
For very little pay.
And little tiny hands
Make all your fav'rite brands
That fill up the shelves in every shopping mall.

Toys for the world that Santa brings
So your sweet kids can play...
What's underneath your tree
Is our economy.
And all those girls and boys
Who make you're children's toys
Are not getting squat from us on Christmas Day!
They're not getting squat from us on Christmas Day!

Toy F.A.C.T.S. we don't face.

Lyrics by Felonius Ax
(aka Clifford J. Tasner)

C: Is for Carols of a realistic kind

2009-12-23T11:28:00.003-05:00

CAROL OF THE BILLS tune--Carol of the Bells lyrics by Diva Denz
Closing Bell Rings! Fill your stockings!
With Market Shares, Nothing we'll Spare!
Capital Gains, Nothing Remains,
For pension plans, wage earning clans
Ding Dong, Ding Dong, that is our song!
With Closing Ring, Profiteering!
Ownership Race, we'll set the pace!
Glee we reap from, Unearned income!
Oh, how it pounds! Closing Bell Sounds!
Through halls of gold, so Rich and Bold!

Gaily it rings, CEOs Sing
Songs of their gains. Free Market Reigns!
Social Social Social Social Security
Private Private Private Privatizing!

On, the bell tolls, Divert Payrolls
Our elite tones, Drown working homes.
Closing Bell Rings! Fill your stockings!
With Market Shares, Nothing we'll Spare!
Capital Gains, Nothing Remains,
For pension plans, wage earning clans
Ding Dong, Ding Dong, that is our song!
With Closing Ring, Profiteering!
Ownership Race, we'll set the pace!
Glee we reap from, Unearned income!
Oh, how it pounds! Closing Bell Sounds!
Through halls of gold, so Rich and Bold!

Gaily it rings, CEOs Sing
Songs of their gains. Free Market Reigns!
Social Social Social Social Security
Private Private Private Privatizing!

On, the bell tolls, Divert Payrolls
Our elite tones, Drown working homes.
Ding Dong, Ding Dong

F.A.C.T.S. we can't ignore.

A: is for accenting the problem

2009-12-22T09:41:00.004-05:00

Prison Cells
(to the tune of "Jingle Bells" by J. Pierpont)

It's just a traffic stop - for D.W.B.
Then the cop plants drugs on you and busts you, one-two-three.
Or you could get popped - and if it's your third strike,
You'll get life in prison just for jacking someone's bike! Oh...

(Chorus)
Prison cells, prison cells - don't you break the rules.
We spend more on prison cells than we spend on our schools!
Prison cells, prison cells - You'll be doing time.
We'll lock you up for forty years and say we're tough on crime!

Here comes the D.A. Watch him rig the game.
He'll suppress the evidence that just might clear your name.
You could still appeal, but you're bound to fail.
Your court-appointed lawyer couldn't get Jesus out of jail! Oh...

(Chorus)

You'll be building toys. You'll be booking flights.
We'll force you to work so just forget about your rights.
We don't pay you much. You can't unionize.
Prison labor really makes our profit margin rise! Oh...

(Chorus)

We don't add no frills, nor rehabilitate.
We privatize the prisons and we get rich from the state.
If our venture fails, and if our stock should tank,
We'll let the public bail us out and laugh it to the bank! Oh...

(Chorus)

Lyrics by Felnonius A
(aka Clifford J. Tasner)

These are scary F.A.C.T.S.

F: Is for farce

2009-12-20T20:32:00.004-05:00

There is an amazing group called Billionaires for Bush. They are a political satire group. My column this week is dedicated to their Christmas Carols all week. Enjoy

O COME YE INVESTORS
tune--O Come All Ye Faithful lyrics by Felonius Ax
O Come, ye investors, bold captains of commerce,
Let‚s get our products made in old Saipan.
Come for the people, peaceful and compliant
O come let us exploit them
O come let us exploit them
O come let us exploit them because we can!
See how consumers, blinded by low prices,
Leaving their ethics, come here to buy.
Into our pockets they will pour their dollars.
O come let us exploit them
O come let us exploit them
O come let us exploit them because we can!

Child, in our sweatshops making designer watches,
Billionaires get richer from your twelve-hour days!
Who would not hire you for ten cents an hour?
O come let us exploit them
O come let us exploit them
O come let us exploit them because we can!

Now these are F.A.C.T.S. we can not ignore.

S: Is for Showtime and the SAG awards.

2009-12-20T15:58:00.003-05:00

T: Is for the theatre Gods

Wondering what films to see, what video's to watch. The SAG nominations just came out. "An Education," "The Hurt Locker," "Inglourious Basterds," "Nine" and "Precious" took the nominations for best ensemble cast. Michelle Monaghan and Chris O'Donnell announced the nominations this morning at the Pacific Design Center in West Hollywood.

Best Actor nods went to Jeff Bridges for "Crazy Heart," George Clooney for "Up in the Air," Colin Firth for "Single Man," Morgan Freeman for "Invictus" and Jeremy Renner for "The Hurt Locker."

Best Actress: Sandra Bullock for "The Blind Side," Helen Mirren for "The Last Station," Carey Mulligan for "An Education," Gabourey Sidibe for "Precious" and Meryl Streep for "Julie and Julia."

Supporting Actor: Matt Damon for "Invictus," Woody Harrelson for "The Messenger," Christopher Plummer for "The Last Station," Stanley Tucci for "The Lovely Bones" and Christop Waltz for "Inglourious Basterds."

Supporting Actress: Penelope Cruz for "Nine," Vera Farmiga and Anna Kendrick for "Up in the Air," Diane Kruger for "Inglourious Basterds" and Mo'Nique for "Precious."

Winners will be announced Jan. 23 in ceremonies at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles.

Ballots will be sent to the 120,000 members of the Screen Actors Guild.

Did you know the SAG awards for best ensemble has matched the Oscar winner for Best Picture in seven of the last 14 years, including "Slumdog Millionaire."

best actor has matched the Oscar winner in 11 of the last 15 years, including Sean Penn for "Milk."

SAG's best actress winner has matched in 10 of 15 years. Streep won the SAG trophy this year for "Doubt" and Kate Winslet won the Oscar for "The Reader" after winning the SAG prize in the supporting category.

Now these are film F.A.C.T.S.

T: Is for the terrifying F.A.C.T.S

2009-12-17T11:15:00.002-05:00

Does the thought of convicted attacker getting out of prison early make you feel sick. Convicts who have thrown victims from a moving vehicle, beat them until welts and bruises covered their bodies and then raped them are being released. This same criminal also was convicted of coercion and tampering with a witness. An "oversight" allowing violent offenders to get out early if they have a consecutive term that includes a non-violent crime has just passed. As budget deficits grow and the economy tumbles, governors and legislators are cutting costs by allowing inmates, mostly low-risk offenders, to leave prison earlier than laws previously permitted. Nationwide, more states are beginning to release thousands of inmates early by increasing "time off" provisions. Last week, figures from the U.S. Department of Justice indicated that in 2008 the growth of the prison population was slower than in any year since 2000. Inmates to be release 1,000, which could save $5 million a year. A panel of federal judges ordered California to reduce its prison population by 40,000 because of overcrowding. Governor Schwarzenegger proposed releasing 27,000 inmates. Officials say inmates released early usually were incarcerated for drug offenses or property crimes. The early release provisions will save $21.4 million in one state alone. A Pew Charitable Trusts study found, state spending on corrections soared to $49 billion a year, up from $11 billion 20 years before. Prison costs are the top expense in some states, sometimes higher than the amount spent on education.

It seems crime does pay and soon there will be no stopping it because the punishment will be a slap on the hand. Now this is a terrifying F.A.C.T.

C: Is for Electronics Clean-Up

2009-12-16T10:00:00.010-05:00

'Tis the season of buying new and replacing old electronics, and to commemorate its one year anniversary, the Broadway Green Alliance will be hosting an industry-wide electronic waste (e-waste) collection for actors, stage crew, producers, general managers and theaters from across the Great White Way, sponsored by WeRecycle! There will be a presentation featuring Wicked and Next to Normal producer David Stone, Dr. Allen Hershkowitz, Senior Scientist at the Natural Resources Defense Council, and David Hurd, Director of Office of Recycling Outreach and Education, Council on the Environment of New York City.
Members of the casts of BGA shows, including Finian’s Rainbow, Guys & Dolls, Mamma Mia! 9 to 5, Phantom of the Opera, Ragtime, South Pacific, The Little Mermaid and Wicked, will perform two songs including an original song by composer John Mercurio.

You can learn more about this at http://www.broadwaygreen.com/

Where: DUFFY SQUARE, South side (between 45th + 47th streets; Broadway + 7th avenue)
When: WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 16, 2009 12:00pm – 12:30pm
What is the Broadway Green Alliance: The BGA was created in 2008 as an Ad Hoc Committee of the Broadway League. It is an industry-wide initiative that seeks to educate, motivate and inspire the theater community and its patrons to adopt environmentally friendlier practices in all aspects of theatre production and everyday life. Working closely with the NRDC, the BGA identifies and disseminates better practices for theatre professionals and reaches out to theatre fans throughout the country.

What is E-waste? E-waste, or electronic waste, refers to old computers, cell phones, printers and other electronics that are no longer wanted. These products contain dangerous toxins like lead and mercury that should not be thrown in with the rest of the trash, but reused or recycled instead.

How can theatre fans help? Today's e-waste drive was organized by the BGA but theatre fans can do their part by taking their old electronics to retailers with recycling programs, mailing them back to manufacturers, or organizing a recycling event in their community – visit www.nrdc.org/ewaste to find out how. And to make it easier in the future – New Yorkers can tell the Governor and their state representatives we need a statewide electronics recycling program.

The Broadway Green Alliance (BGA), established in 2008 as an Ad Hoc Committee of The Broadway League, is an industry-wide initiative that seeks to educate, motivate and inspire the theater community and its patrons to adopt environmentally friendlier practices in all aspects of theatre production and everyday life. Working closely with the Natural Resources Defense Council, the BGA identifies and disseminates better practices for theatre professionals and reaches out to theatre fans throughout the country.

twitter at “broadwaygreen” and that is a green F.A.C.T.

A: Is for stars joining Art revived

2009-12-15T10:23:00.004-05:00

Producers David Richenthal, Eric Falkenstein and Randall Wreghitt are pleased to announce that Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominee Matthew Modine (“And the Band Played On,” Short Cuts), Jennifer Morrison (Fox series “House M.D.,” the film Star Trek) and Tony Award winner Elizabeth Franz (Death of a Salesman) have joined the cast of the first revival of The Miracle Worker. The Tony Award winning play celebrates its 50th Anniversary of opening on Broadway.

Previously announced, The Miracle Worker will be directed by Kate Whoriskey (Ruined), will star Academy Award nominee Abigail Breslin (Little Miss Sunshine) and Tony Award nominee Alison Pill (The Lieutenant of Inishmore) as Helen Keller and Annie Sullivan, iconic roles made famous by Anne Bancroft and Patty Duke in the Tony Award winning play and landmark feature film adaptation.

A veteran of over 50 feature films Matthew Modine will make his Broadway debut in The Miracle Worker. He starred in Birdy, Married to the Mob, Vision Quest, Full Metal Jacket, Orphans, Pacific Heights and On Any Given Sunday. He earned Golden Globe and Emmy Award nominations for his performance in HBO's critically acclaimed and Emmy Award winning drama “And the Band Played On.” On stage he starred in the critically acclaimed Hartford Stage production of To Kill a Mockingbird and in the world premiere of Matthew Modine Saves the Alpacas at the Geffen Playhouse, a satire about the film industry.

Jennifer Morrison will make her Broadway debut in The Miracle Worker. She is best known for her role as “Dr. Allison Cameron” on the critically acclaimed television series “House M.D.” She recently appeared in the feature film Star Trek as “Captain James Kirk’s” mother “Winona.” Following making her film debut opposite Richard Gere and Sharon Stone in Intersection she has appeared in the feature films Stir of Echoes, Grind, Surviving Christmas and Mr. & Mrs. Smith. Morrison studied with the celebrated Steppenwolf Theatre Company and earned a theater degree from Loyola University.

Tony Award winner Elizabeth Franz returns to Broadway for the first time since starring in the 2002 Tony Award nominated production of Morning’s at Seven for which was nominated for Tony, Drama Desk and Outer Critics Circle Awards. She is best known for her Tony Award winning performance as “Linda Loman” in the 1999 production of Death of a Salesman.

The Miracle Worker will be staged in the round for the first time at Circle in the Square Theatre (235 West 50 Street) and will opening Wednesday, March 3, 2010. Additional casting will be announced shortly.

Set in the South in the 1880s, THE MIRACLE WORKER tells the story of real-life blind and deaf Medal of Freedom winner Helen Keller, who suddenly lost her sight and hearing at the age of 19 months, and the extraordinary teacher who taught her to communicate with the world, Annie Sullivan.
THE MIRACLE WORKER originally opened at The Playhouse Theatre on October 19, 1959 and was awarded the 1960 Tony Award® for Best Play in addition to garnering leading lady Anne Bancroft a Tony Award® for Best Actress in a Play for the role of Annie Sullivan and a Theatre World Award for newcomer Patty Duke for her portrayal of Helen Keller. Both actresses received Academy Awards® for their work in the feature film adaptation.

www.miracleworkeronbroadway.com

Now this is a revival of a F.A.C.T.

F: is for finding shelter

2009-12-14T11:25:00.004-05:00

This year in Manhattan there’s been a bumper crop of hotel openings — and a few old ones getting a spruce up. Sadly, the stratospheric room rates, which normally start at about $600 a night in the top hotels, mean that staying in them is beyond the reach of most of us mere mortals. But that doesn’t mean you can’t dip in for an hour or two: hotels host some of the hippest restaurants and bars, and it’s often no harder to get a table than anywhere else in the city. Top ticket for dinner right now is Le Caprice, which opened last month as part of the relaunch of the Pierre after an 18-month renovation. The hotel is a towering monument to the days when the Astors, the Vanderbilts and the Carnegies threw up vast hotels at a rate to rival present-day Dubai. Last month the Crosby Street Hotel opened its doors in SoHo, the first outpost of British-owned Firmdale Hotels. Cucumber sandwiches beneath a set of Warhol-style pictures of the Queen — what could be more British? Locanda Verde is absolutely brilliant, offering unpretentious, hearty Italian food that won’t break the bank: $20 buys the portion of the most succulent garlic-roasted chicken. Tribeca, fast becoming movie central: DreamWorks has just moved in, the Weinsteins have set up home in the neighbourhood and Robert De Niro, who owns the Greenwich, has his office just around the corner.
The Ace Hotel has rooms that start at $99 a night.

From swanky chic to retro charm:

Crosby Street Hotel: Lime, pink and gold striped sofa — giddy-print fabrics and luxury bathrooms. Doubles from $495.

The Surrey: Muted greys and creams, with nice touches from the 1930s and sumptuous beds. This is a hotel for locals — ex-Upper East Siders, or their relatives — utterly bling-free and with fabulous, warm service. Doubles from $629.

The Greenwich: Shabby chic. Nice touches include in-room saunas and free soft drinks and sweets — but, best of all, some rooms have balconies overlooking the charming walled garden. Doubles from $459.

The Ace: Retro — huge 1950s-style Smeg fridges for minibars, turntables rather than iPod docking stations and 1970s furniture — but don’t come looking for glam. Bunkbed doubles from $99 per night.

Now these are F.A.C.T.S. for out of town guests.

S: is for focus on Service

2009-12-10T00:48:00.010-05:00

The new video “WAR ON CHRISTMAS DAY” debuts today. This is the first video from Carol Hall’s award-winning CD, HALLWAYS, The Songs of Carol Hall. The song, “War On Christmas Day”, was inspired by a young Pvt 1st Class, a friend of Carol Hall’s family, who had just finished her second tour of duty. The video was made in gratitude and appreciation for the valiant men and women serving in our armed forces. Performed by Scott Coulter, Tim Di Pasqua and Tom Andersen, “War On Christmas Day,” is the 12th cut on the award-winning CD, and has lyrics by Carol Hall and music by Robert Burke. HALLWAYS, The Songs of Carol Hall (LML MUSIC) was originally released on March 11th, 2008 nationally in stores and online at iTunes and Amazon.com. The CD’s critical and popular success led to a second printing, which shipped January 20th, 2009. Most recently winning the Bistro ASCAP Award for Outstanding CD, the album is being readied for a third printing. In a time when we are celebrating those close to us, this video brings us back to reality. This video will move you like no other. How easy it is to forget we are missing our young who so bravely are giving their lives. What a gift and we forget to cherish that. This vedio gives us a reality check. To view the video go to: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=agC3t3KOvRs

T: is for the theatre Gods

2009-12-09T02:29:00.004-05:00

The theatre Gods are shouting with glee as the Roundabout Theatre Company announces Stephen Sondheim & James Lapine return to Studio 54 with Sondheim on Sondheim, a new original Broadway musical starring Barbara Cook, Vanessa Williams, Tom Wopat, Leslie Kritzer, Norm Lewis, Euan Morton & Matthew Scott. Music & lyrics are by Stephen Sondheim, and conceived & directed by James Lapine.

Sondheim on Sondheim will begin previews on March 19th, 2010 and open officially April 22nd, 2010 at Studio 54 on Broadway (254 West 54th Street). This will be a limited engagement through Sunday, June 13th, 2010.

It has been over 37 years since Barbara Cook appeared in a Broadway musical. Ms. Cook won the 1958 Tony Award for her portrayal of “Marian Paroo” in The Music Man. She has been called one of the greatest interpreters Sondheim and received a Tony Award nomination for Best Theatrical Event for her solo, limited engagement concert Mostly Sondheim in 2002.

Vanessa Williams received a 2002 Tony Award nomination for her performance of the “Witch” in Into the Woods and made her Broadway debut in 1994 in Kiss of the Spider Woman.

C: Is for Carrie Newcomer

2009-12-09T02:24:00.002-05:00

Rounder Records announced Carrie Newcomer’s latest album Before and After, set for release on February 23rd, 2010. The acclaimed singer/songwriter has created a brand new album that captures her uniquely irreverent and spiritual take on the world. This latest release, Newcomer emphasizes “is not an album about being flashy or playing lot of notes, it’s about playing the most elegant notes and placing them perfectly.” And indeed, Before and After combines the very best of Newcomer’s folk-roots sound, overlaid with Appalachian and classical influences. Featuring a special guest appearance from Mary Chapin Carpenter, coupled with Newcomer’s voice, the album launches itself with an unforgettably haunting and beautiful collaboration from two of acoustic music’s most resonant female vocalists.

Before and After is Newcomer’s twelfth release on Rounder, with prior albums including Regulars & Refugees, The Age of Possibility, The Gathering of Spirits, the Betty’s Diner collection and her last album, the critically acclaimed The Geography of Light. The melodious sound on Before and After results from closely working with a core of exceptional musicians who combine piano, violin, mandolin, cello, bass and percussion with Newcomer’s adept guitar work and soulful voice, which the Austin Statesman has described as being “as rich as Godiva chocolate.” As always, Newcomer’s work is inspired and influenced by her friendships and collaborations with influential authors, theologians and fellow songwriters, including Parker J. Palmer, Phillip Gulley, Jim Wallis, Brian McLaren, Scott Russell Sanders, Barbara Kingsolver and Jill Bolte Taylor.

It is no surprise that her music has been praised in Rolling Stone, The Village Voice, USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, Acoustic Guitar, Performing Songwriter, Paste Magazine and many other outlets. She has toured with Alison Krauss and Union Station, and her song “I Should’ve Known Better” was recorded by Nickel Creek on their Grammy®-winning, gold-selling album This Side. Her successful 2008 release, The Geography of Light, earned her Artist of the Year and Album of the Year from Folk Wax Magazine.

In addition to a busy year of recording and touring, in 2009 Newcomer was invited by The American Centre to visit India as a cultural ambassador, where she met and performed concerts with Indian musicians, and taught workshops on songwriting and community involvement – continuing her emphasis on outreach and helping others. About her impressions of India, Newcomer says, “music can be a language deeper than words. I love our differences. Cultures are rich, and what makes each culture unique should be celebrated, but I was also powerfully moved by what we share as a human family.”

For more information and upcoming tour dates, visit www.carrienewcomer.com and www.rounder.com.

Her music reaches the heart of America and that is a F.A.C.T.

A: Is for on again off again Art

2009-12-08T16:42:00.003-05:00

Reeve Carney will play the superhero Spider-Man in the on again off again Broadway musical, Spider-Man, Turn Off the Dark.
U2’s Bono and The Edge will be bringing the music and lyric to the mega-production, which will be directed by Julie Taymor.
Carney joins previously announced cast members Evan Rachel Wood as Mary Jane Watson, Peter Parker’s girlfriend and Alan Cumming as Norman Osborn (aka Green Goblin).” Carney is the lead singer of the rock band Carney. He also starred in 1999’s Snow Falling on Cedars portraying a young Ethan Hawke and plays Ferdinand in the upcoming Julie Taymor movie The Tempest. Julie Taymor stated, "Having recently finished shooting 'The Tempest' with Reeve as the young prince, I was thrilled to cast him in an entirely different role as Peter Parker in Spider-Man. Not only is Reeve a great rock and roll singer but his acting is equally fresh and authentic."

On a business note: Michael Cohl has joined the production as lead producer on the show. Jeremiah J. Harris is now second producer on the show. The full producing team for the project is Michael Cohl, Jeremiah J. Harris, Hello Entertainment/David Garfinkle, Marvel Entertainment/David Maisel, and Sony Pictures Entertainment. The show will open in 2010 at the Hilton Theatre in New York.

Visit www.SpiderManOnBroadway.com.

With all the gossip floating around this show I will believe it is a F.A.C.T. when it opens.

F: Is from Film to Broadway to Museums

2009-12-08T16:33:00.003-05:00

Disney Theatrical Productions donated objects from the Tony and Olivier award-winning musical The Lion King, to the Smithsonian’s National Museum of American History. Costume elements from the show’s protagonist Simba, and the tribal shaman Rafiki, will join the ranks of iconic objects from Broadway musicals Cats, Rent and The King and I. The stylized lion mask and headdress of Simba and costume, custom shoes and hat designed for Rafiki will be added into the museum’s permanent entertainment collections. This landmark musical event recently surpassed the 50 million mark in worldwide attendance, becoming the first American musical to reach that milestone.

The costume components designed by Julie Taymor, and the mask (co-designed by Michael Curry) were conceived for the original Broadway production, which opened on November 13, 1997. Taymor, a designer and director, has garnered acclaim for her innovative productions combining actors, masks, puppetry, ritual and large theatrical landscapes. Taymor won the Tony Award for Best Costume Design and Best Direction of a Musical for The Lion King.

The Simba mask-headdress is made of carbon graphite, a lightweight but durable material cast from a silicone mold, paint and polyester fibers. The Rafiki costume is made of cotton fabric, decorated with metal amulets, and a horsehair collar. The hat is made of textured kente cloth and the custom shoes are made of rubber.

To date, the show has been presented in 13 different countries.

The National Museum of American History collects, preserves and displays American heritage in the areas of social, political, cultural, scientific and military history. Now these are F.A.C.T.S.

S: Is for Stritch at the Carlyle

2009-12-08T15:45:00.003-05:00

The Carlyle Hotel, announced the return of resident leading lady, Elaine Stritch, to the Café Carlyle in an all-new show: “At Home At The Carlyle: Elaine Stritch Singin’ Sondheim. . . One Song At A Time.” The strictly limited engagement will play the month of January 2010, at the legendary nightspot, with opening night set for Tuesday, January 5 (through January 30).

The iconic musical theater careers of Ms. Stritch and Stephen Sondheim are inextricably linked, and this new show is the culmination of a personal and professional relationship that has spanned the better part of four decades. In “At Home At The Carlyle: Elaine Stritch Singin’ Sondheim. . . One Song At A Time,” Ms. Stritch (with Rob Bowman, Music Director) will perform the music of Mr. Sondheim, orchestrated by Tony, Oscar, Grammy and Emmy Award-winner Jonathan Tunick.

“At Home At The Carlyle: Elaine Stritch Singin’ Sondheim. . . One Song At A Time” will play Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8:45 p.m. There is a $125 music charge for all performances. Dinner is required for all shows. There will be dinner seating’s at 6:00pm, 6:30pm and 7:00pm. The Café Carlyle is located within The Carlyle Hotel (35 East 76th Street at Madison Avenue).

Stritch's Broadway credits include Angel in the Wings, Pal Joey, On Your Toes, Bus Stop, Goldilocks, Sail Away (which she performed in both New York and London), a concert at Carnegie Hall to celebrate Noel Coward’s centennial), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (following Uta Hagen in the role of Martha), Company and Showboat. Other stage credits include the concert version of both Follies and Company at Lincoln Center and her appearance in A.R. Gurney’s Love Letters with Jason Robards. Ms. Stritch made her film debut in the 1957 remake of “A Farewell To Arms.” Today's audiences remember her for Monster-in-Law” with Jane Fonda and Jennifer Lopez, and “Romance and Cigarettes,” with James Gandolfini and Susan Sarandon. Ms. Stritch’s television credits include “The Cosby Show,” “3rd Rock from the Sun,” “Soul Man,” and “30 Rock,” for which she has received a 2007 Emmy Award for her guest starring role as Colleen, Jack’s (Alec Baldwin) mother. She was nominated for an Emmy Award for her performance in “An Inconvenient Woman,” written by Dominick Dunne and won an Emmy for her recurring role on “Law & Order.” Ms. Stritch won a Tony Award and two Drama Desk Awards for the Broadway production of Elaine Stritch At Liberty and a 2004 Emmy Award for “Outstanding Individual Performance In A Variety Or Music Program.” In 2005, Elaine made her New York cabaret debut with her critically-acclaimed show “Elaine Stritch: At Home at the Carlyle” and returned the following year with an all new program entitled “Elaine Stritch: At Home at the Carlyle…Again.”

T: Is for Trouble with Health Care

2009-12-08T15:36:00.004-05:00

One of the leading progressive champions of health care reform is pessimistic, he sees virtually no path to passing strong legislation and predicting potential congressional losses for Democrats as a consequence. Howard Dean stated that Senate Democratic leadership was "in deep trouble" on health care, even after Majority Leader Harry Reid gather over the weekend the 60 votes needed to get legislation to the floor. This is going to be death for the [Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee] and the [Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee]. Why would anyone donate if they're supporting candidates who defeat the Democratic agenda?"

Despite countless attempts over nearly a century, no chamber of Congress has ever before passed comprehensive health reform. This is history. Tragically, 39 Democrats, mostly corrupt, bought-out Insurance Industry shills, crossed the aisle and found themselves on the wrong side of history. Representative Paul Ryan Just Said No To Affordfable Health Care For America's Middle Class. The House of Representatives took historic bipartisan action by passing health insurance reform. Putting big insurance company profits before struggling middle class families. For years, middle class families have seen their health insurance costs skyrocket, while insurance companies have made enormous profits by limiting coverage.

The nonprofit Americans for Prosperity Foundation launched a new campaign called Patients United Now "to educate citizens about the threat of government controlled health care." As part of the campaign, an ad called "Survivor" was released on Wednesday that says Washington wants to bring "Canadian-style" health care to the U.S. -- and began airing on Wednesday a 30-minute documentary-style video entitled "End of Patient’s Rights — The Human Consequences of Government-Run Health Care." The video is airing nationally on cable networks and will air on A&E, the History Channel and the Washington NBC affiliate after "Meet the Press" on Sunday. The notion of a "government-run" health care plan is a F.A.C.T people should read up on before you lose your rights!

C: Is for Carrie

2009-12-03T11:07:00.015-05:00

The 2010 Grammy Nominations were announced. As I reported earlier Carrie Fisher new show Wishful Drinking is an outstanding look at a Hollywood life gone array. Carrie received a nomination in the Best Spoken Word Album category for her bestselling memoir version of Wishful Drinking .

For a full list of nominations: http://www.grammy.com/grammy_awards/52nd_show/list.aspx

In Wishful Drinking, Carrie Fisher recounts the true and intoxicating tale of her life as a Hollywood legend, told with the same wry wit she poured into bestsellers like Postcards from the Edge. The daughter of Eddie Fisher and Debbie Reynolds, Carrie Fisher became a cultural icon when she starred as “Princess Leia” in the first Star Wars trilogy at 19 years old. Forever changed, Carrie’s
life did not stay picture perfect. Fisher is the life of the party in this uproarious and sobering look at her Hollywood hangover.

Wishful Drinking has been extended on Broadway through January 17th, 2010. This is one entertaining night of theatre.

A: Is for AIDS

2009-12-03T11:07:00.014-05:00

I already told you Broadway star and vocal magician James Barbour. Saturday Night December 12th will feature stage veteran, The Broadway community to commemorate World AIDS Day, yesterday, December 1st dimmed the marquees of Broadway theaters, at exactly 8:00pm for one minute.

In addition to Broadway theaters, participating venues across the city including the Brooklyn Bridge, Lincoln Center, Madison Square Garden, the Chrysler Building, Radio City Music Hall, the Beacon Theatre and the Washington Square Park Memorial Arch also showed their support.

A roster of notable guests, including United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and actress and UNAIDS Goodwill Ambassador Naomi Watts, kicked off the global Light for Rights campaign in New York City as lights on numerous landmarks all over the city turned off to remember those we have lost to AIDS and turned back on to emphasize human rights for those living with HIV/AIDS around the world.

The global initiative, organized by UNAIDS (the Joint United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS); amfAR, The Foundation for AIDS Research; Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS; and the World AIDS Campaign, will showcase the importance of fundamental human rights as citizens and organizations around the world fight AIDS.

The New York anchor event began at 6:00 p.m. in Washington Square Park in Greenwich Village, where the Secretary-General and Naomi Watts will be joined by Kenneth Cole, chairman, Kenneth Cole Productions and chairman of the board, amfAR; New York City Council Speaker Christine C. Quinn; and 13-year-old Honduran AIDS activist Keren Dunaway-Gonzalez, who is living with HIV.

During the event, at 6:15 p.m., the lights on the Washington Square Park Memorial Arch will be turned off and then re-illuminated as the speakers talk about the importance of human rights when confronting the AIDS pandemic.

AIDS is a F.A.C.T

F: Is from stage to film

2009-12-02T07:21:00.002-05:00

From left, Angel Ramos, Vilma Ortiz Donovan, Kenneth Harrigan and Casimiro Torres, the “Castle” cast.

The original cast of the hit Off-Broadway play, The Castle, heads to the film studio to set their performance on celluloid. Shooting started taking place yesterday in Manhattan, with a portion of the film to be filmed before convicts in a New York Correctional Facility. The Castle was conceived and directed Off-Broadway by David Rothenberg, who founded The Fortune Society 42 years ago It was written in collaboration with and performed by Vilma Ortiz Donavan (6 years), Kenneth Harrigan (16 years) and Angel Ramos (30 years) and Casimiro Torres (16 years) -- all of whom share their own real-life stories and collectively served 70 years in prison.

The Castle, a unique theatrical event that presents a searing, first-hand look at the lives of four formerly incarcerated New Yorkers and their re-entry into society, following a successful world premiere at its namesake venue in February 2008 and became a critical hit and an instrument of education and change within the New York State Department of Correctional Services system. The Castle received its Off-Broadway premiere to critical acclaim in March 2008 where it was presented by Eric Krebs and Chase Mishkin at New World Stages. It ran for 14 months giving its final performance in May 2009.

The Castle, an imposing upper west side residential facility for the formerly incarcerated, was opened (and is maintained) by The Fortune Society, a non-profit organization that helps put men and women, recently emerged from prison, on their re-entry into society. The organization was established by Mr. Rothenberg following the success of the 1967 Off-Broadway production of the play, Fortune and Men’s Eyes (itself, a play about a young man’s experience in a youth detention center).

This is a film that should open the eyes for many and that is a F.A.C.T.

S: Is for Seductive

2009-11-28T13:20:00.003-05:00

On December 19th one of the most anticipated movies arrives on the scene. Nine is a free-fall affair, following the mental meanderings of moviemaker, Guido Contini (but read: Fellini), and the women who shape his life. They come in all shapes, sizes and roles. The cast was mined from Oscar gold, save for Kate Hudson, a mere nominee allowed to pass because of her dancing skills. Daniel Day-Lewis, Guido, replacing Javier Bardem, who dropped out due to exhaustion and needed a year off to recuperate from his Oscar-winning work ("No Country for Old Men").

The ladies running around loose in Guido's feverish brain are his wife (Marion Cotillard), his mistress (Penelope Cruz, who was cast Oscar-less but won one during the shoot), his muse (Nicole Kidman) and his producer (Judi Dench). Rounding out the star-studded cast are Kate Hudson, Penélope Cruz, Stacy “Fergie” Ferguson and Sophia Loren. From the moment it was announced, Nine was a film that nearly every actress wanted a role in and was willing to audition for. Director Rob Marshall had his pick.
Marshall agrees: “I saw just about every female star in Hollywood. A lot of these women don’t usually audition and I was impressed at how they were putting themselves on the line"

To see how fabulous this is going to be check out the just released trailer.http://www.apple.com/trailers/weinstein/nine/

Now this is a film I can't wait to see and that is a F.A.C.T.

T: is for topping the charts

2009-11-27T11:01:00.004-05:00

Former US vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin's memoir has topped the US bestseller list in its first week of release, industry figures have shown. With almost half a million copies sold, Going Rogue: An American Life beat new blockbusters by James Patterson and Stephen King Nielsen.Her sales have topped those of Barack Obama, whose Audacity of Hope sold 67,000 copies in its first week. A string of public appearances have helped to boost both her profile and book sales. An appearance on the Oprah Winfrey Show, during which Palin said a run for the White House in 2012 was "not on my radar screen right now", boosted the programme's ailing ratings. However, first week sale statistics show her book has sold less than former president Bill Clinton's 2004 memoir, My Life, at the same period of sales, but is just ahead of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's 2003 Living History.
In October, Palin's book jumped to the top of the bestseller lists on the strength of advance sales only. The title refers to claims that while on the campaign trail with Mr McCain, Palin pursued her own agenda.

I guess controversy sells to a ignorant and innocent public but that F.A.C.T. she is getting away with this is disgusting.

Will I read the book ...... probably. Will I buy it .... not a chance in hell. This is a trash novel at it's best and that is most definitely a F.A.C.T.

C: Is for Carols

2009-11-27T10:54:00.006-05:00

Missing those holiday carols Broadway star and vocal magician, James Barbour, will repeat last season’s holiday sold-out success with this season’s Holiday Concert 2009 which will be presented in both New York and Los Angeles. The New York Concerts will begin on Friday, December 11th at Bill’s 1890 Restaurant & Café (57 East 54th Street – between Park & Madison)
and continue through Saturday, December 19th. The evening will feature a musically inspired reading of “The Night Before Christmas.” Clement Clarke Moore’s wrote this classical holiday poem for his nine children in 1822 while they lived at 57 East 54th Street, the building which now houses the Café. The Los Angeles schedule will present one concert only on Monday, December 21st at The Colony Theatre (555 N. Third St. - Burbank, CA). Both concerts will feature special guest appearances by Broadway and Hollywood luminaries; to be announced in the coming weeks. Mr. Brbour most recently ignited Broadway audiences to thundering standing ovations for his emotionally blistering portrayal of Sydney Carton in “A TALE OF TWO CITIES” at the Al Hirschfeld Theatre, a performance he has repeated for Public Television set to begin airing in late November of this year. He has starred on Broadway in Stephen Sondheim’s Assassins, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast as The Beast, Carousel as Billy Bigelow, Urinetown as Officer Lockstock and as Edward Rochester in Jane Eyre as well as several othrs. He appeared in the Broadway production of Cyrano and the national tour of The Secret Garden. His voice can be heard on the upcoming international recording of A Tale of Two Cities, the PS Classics recording of Assassins, the Sony Classical cast recording of Jane Eyre, The Gift on Geffen Records, the upcoming release of Frank Wildhorn’s Dracula, as well as on the live CD recording of his self-produced stage show Broadway in Concert (for which he won an LA WEEKLY Garland Award). His television credits range from the pilots of “The District,” “Just Shoot Me” and “Flashpoint” to appearances on “Sex and the City,” “Ed,” “That’s Life,” “Some Enchanted Evening: Celebrating Oscar Hammerstein” (PBS), “Beauty and the Beast: A Concert on Ice” (CBS), the PBS mini-series “American Experience: John & Abigail Adams” (playing Thomas Jefferson) and the upcoming film version of A Tale of Two Cities for public television. Film credits include Alchemy (Tribeca Film Festival and ABC Family) starring opposite Tom Cavanagh and Sarah Chalke; Adam Sandler’s Eight Crazy Nights, Waiting for Lefty, The Tell-Tale Heart and Twinkle Toes with Sally Kirkland. As an author and producer, James is responsible for creating three concert series, James Barbour: The Holiday Concert and Love Songs (both at New York City’s famed Sardi’s Restaurant) and Back From Broadway/Broadway in Concert (the latter in conjunction with Steinway Concert Artist Hershey Felder). Mr. Barbour is considered one of the most sought-after performers on Broadway today. He is on the A-list of actors asked to develop new works for the industry’s leading writers and composers including Elton John, Bernie Taupin, Frank Wildhorn, and Christopher Durang to name a few. He is currently developing a new musical concert called The Romantics. Mr. Barbour has worked tirelessly in support of Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and is on the Artists’ Committee of The Actors Fund.

THE HOLIDAY CONCERT playing schedule is as follows:
NEW YORK EVENINGS
Friday, December 11th 7:30pm
Saturday, December 12th 7:30pm
Monday, December 14th 7:30pm
Tuesday, December 15th 7:30pm
Wednesday, December 16th 7:30pm
Thursday, December 17th 7:30pm
Friday, December 18th 7:30pm
Saturday, December 19th 7:30pm

NEW YORK MATINEES
Saturday, December 19th 3:00pm
NEW YORK CONCERT TICKETS MAY BE PURCHASED AT:
www.SmartTix.com
212-868-4444
$60 (Premium Seating), $45 (Gold Seats), $25 (Silver Seats)
(Plus $25 food & drink minimum per person)

LOS ANGELES EVEVNING
Monday, December 21st at 7:00pm

LOS ANGELES CONCERT TICKETS MAY BE PURCHASED AT:
www.ColonyTheatre.org
818-558-7000 (Ext. 15)

$40
(includes a reception after the show at the theatre)

ABOUT JAMES BARBOUR

JAMES BARBOUR was nominated for the Drama Desk, Drama League and Outer Critics Awards for Best Actor in a Musical for his portrayal of Sydney Carton in the Broadway musical version of A Tale of Two Cities, and won the Sarasota Magazine Best Actor Award for the Asolo Rep pre-Broadway production.

A: Is for art and success

2009-11-24T10:23:00.004-05:00

The Metropolitan Pavilion was crowded on November 17th for it's annual ARTWALK. This event brings art lovers and artists together at a benefit for the Coalition for the Homeless. 30 Rock star, Alec Baldwin, opened the live auction with "I want you all to spend money… not just a little money: a lot of money because our fellow New Yorkers are hurting. Buy a painting… okay, buy a really crappy painting and then go see 'Night in Rodanthe': I really like Diane Lane!" Richard Gere, who sat front-and-center beside his wife, Carey Lowell, stood, doing a star turn, then approached the podium to speak. Wheelchair-bound artist, Chuck Close rolled to the podium in the vehicle designed for him by the same doctor who constructed the two-wheeled Segway. Celebrities and artist both donated and bought such items as Ivanka Trump's spinal and diamond earrings, Robert Rauchenberg's 'please walk all over me' carpet, Matthew Barney, Louise Bourgeois, Donald Baechler, Pat Steir and Wade Guyton were a few of the attendee’s. Southby's Vice President of Contemporary Prints, Christopher, Gaillard, opened the bidding. Bids ran high, but considering the state of things, not high enough. New Yorkers take care of those who have littel as artfully as possible through Coalition for the Homeless.

This is helpful art and that is a F.A.C.T.

F: Is for food with a interesting twist

2009-11-24T09:37:00.005-05:00

Chef Julian Medina (Toloache) continues his pan-Latin theme with croquetes de queijo (Brazilian cheesy poofs), lechon (Cuban roasted suckling pig), and Peruvian arepas with coffee-glazed pork belly. Have you ever eaten watermelon fries? That’s just global genius. They're terrific -- a combination of crunchy, sweet, and salty. There's a considerable and exotic fry menu with hearts of palm, cactus, and avocado fries coated in panko and served with a homemade made ketchup made with a slightly sweet, bitter tea that adds depth to ordinary ketchup.

A modern Latin eatery that opened last year in the East Village. The newest Yerba Buena Perry opened a few weeks ago on Perry Street in the West Village. The space is sleek, furnished with white leather banquettes, black & white tiled floors, dark wood table tops, and exposed brick walls. Several of the dishes and the drinks are flavored with the restaurant's namesake, yerba buena (Spanish mint.) This fall, it's mezcal, a spirit made from the agave plant, but smokier and more complex than tequila. There's a wonderful selection of untraditional ceviches, like seared rib eye mixed with aji amarillo, cilantro and sea urchin as well as flounder with lime, red onions, avocado and habanero. I had a good tuna ceviche tossed with onion, pickled watermelon and a soy jalapeno sauce, and an even better, aji amarillo-spiced flounder ceviche, scattered with diced sweet potato, raw and toasted maiz cancha, which is a little like the Peruvian version of corn nuts, only better.

This is a place to try for the adventurous and for those who love fine food and that is a F.A.C.T.

S: Is for Special Events

2009-11-22T02:41:00.003-05:00

As the day grows near, kids of all ages can't wait for the magic of Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade Balloon Inflation. On Wednesday afternoon, November 26th, the annual blossoming of the giant helium balloons of the world's most famous Parade begins. Taking place on West 77th and 81st Streets between Columbus and Central Park West, the annual inflation is a rite of passage for many. Ever since 1927, when giant balloons were first introduced into MacyHs Parade, New Yorkers and visitors alike have started their Thanksgiving holiday celebration by gathering to watch the inflation of the giant size character balloons. This year, viewers will be thrilled to see 32 Balloons grow to a size larger-than-life and prepped for their flight down Broadway on Thanksgiving morning. Public viewing hours will be from 3:00 PM until 10:00 PM.

At 3:00 PM, spectators will enter the magical behind-the-scenes world of Macy's "Balloon Inflation Station" at the northeast corner of 77th St. and Columbus Avenue and exit at the southeast corner of 81st Street. There will be no other points of entry. Entry to "Balloon Inflation" will close to the public at 10:00 PM. As an added convenience to families visiting the newly inflated balloons, Charmin Ultra® will provide the most fabulous public facilities on the Upper West Side. Located on the southwest corner of 77th Street and Columbus Avenue, these luxurious loos on wheels have all of the comforts of home, including hardwood floors, wallpaper and fully functional sinks.

"Our Balloon Inflation is for many people almost as exciting as the Parade itself. Inflation grows each year with more Parade lovers coming out Thanksgiving eve to experience it. This has become in many ways an annual tradition and event onto itself," says Robin Hall, Executive Producer/Director of the 77th annual Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

Preparations for Balloon Inflation begin early on Thanksgiving eve. Macy's Parade Balloonatics gear up for the next 36 hours prepping these giants for their flight down Broadway. The large Balloon line-up - 15 giant character Balloons and 11 novelty Balloons occupy two full city blocks to accommodate their expansive inflated dimensions. By mid-morning on November 26h, the Balloons arrive in their crates from the Parade Studio and enormous canvas drop cloths are laid out to cover all of 77th and 81st Streets, between Central Park West and Columbus Avenue, encompassing the American Museum of Natural History.

The magic begins as the Balloons are carefully unrolled onto the ground cloths, then tethered with nets and anchored with sandbags placed at five-foot intervals. These retaining nets are critical to this operation as they prevent the Balloons from flying away as they're being inflated or drifting off during slumber until Parade morning. Macy's technicians and crews fill the giant Balloons with helium (from four industrial tank trailers supplying almost a quarter million cubic feet), which are pumped into the separate compartments of each Balloon. Spectators are awed as they see right before their eyes a massive balloon with an undistinguishable shape become Parade favorites.

At 10:00 PM, the crowds disperse from the inflation site and last minute adjustments are made before the crew retires for the night. At 6:00 AM the next morning. Macy's Balloonatics top off each Balloon with a final blast of helium to ensure a successful flight down the line of march. Finally, the Balloons take to the sky around the corner of Central Park West and 77th & 81st Streets and prepare to march into history and the hearts of children of all ages who eagerly await that magical moment when we say, "Let's Have A Parade!"

These are blown up F.A.C.T.S

T: Is for Macy's Thanksgiving Parade

2009-11-22T00:50:00.003-05:00

As adults around the country are getting ready for their families to gather, New Yorkers are getting ready for The Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade, which has been a national icon ever since its inception in 1924. Back then, it was called the Macy’s Christmas Parade even though it was held on Thanksgiving. This year the parade will step off at 9 a.m. on Thanksgiving Day, Thursday, Nov. 26. The Macy's Thanksgiving Parade draws over 3 million spectators to the city itself while another 44 million, tune their television sets to NBC and CBS. As a child in California this parade was a integral part of my wanting to live in New York. I was glued as my television set tuned into giant balloons dancing across the sky as performers from every walk of life gathered. It seemed to appear as if it were seamless. Recently I found out it takes an army to pull off this fantasy of childhood memories. Over 4000 employee's and volunteers give up their diners and their day to create the magic and oh what magic it is.

The Times Square Chronicle had a chance to visit the warehouse that starts it all off. Like Gepeto's workshop Macy's has hidden the creative geniuses inside the former Tootsie Roll factory on Willow Avenue, where floats come to life. The studio has a staff of 24 full-time and 28 part-time employees. However over 300 people are needed the night before the parade On the eve of each Thanksgiving, the staff at the Macy's Parade Studio makes sure that every float and balloon has been safely dismantled and deflated. Once their creations have been sufficiently shrunk, the artists can send the finished pieces on their late-night trek to Manhattan. There are floats that are over three stories high and they must fit through the Lincoln Tunnel. There’s a lot of engineering involved.

This year there are five new floats, including the closing float with Santa. This is the first time in over 40 years that we have changed it stated . Over 3 stories tall It includes two houses (one of which is Santa’s), a North Pole, Santa's reindeer and sleigh flying over the scene and of course a bag full of toys. Ms Claus will be perched on a balcony waving goodbye.

Another float that has been redesigned is the ice skating float that depicts Central Park. Hamburger Helper pays tribute with Local Heroes Helping Everyday float and the cast of Yo Gabba Gabba will show "There's A Party in My City" on their float.

The new balloons include a Pillsbury Dough boy, Spiderman, Ronald McDonald and the new stuff toy this year, Sailor Mickey. Do you know where they test out the balloon to make sure they're ready to take flight? In a remote field in North Dakota, but it's exact location is a secret.

The biggest change this year is that 2.6-mile parade route will bypass Broadway for the first time in its history this year. The parade route beings at Central Park West and 77th Street, then travels down to Columbus Circle and makes a turn onto Central Park South. When the parade reaches Seventh Avenue it will turn and go down Seventh Avenue, taking it through Times Square, to 42nd Street. It will then turn east to Sixth Avenue and travel down to 34th Street and Herald Square by Macy's. The parade will turn at Macy's and end at Seventh Avenue.

The parade will feature 1,500 dancers, cheerleaders, singers and performers; 15 giant character balloons; 800 clowns; 35 novelty or ornament balloons, balloonheads and balloonicles; 24 floats; 10 marching bands; and a slew of celebrity performers.

Wake up this Thanksgiving holiday morning and catch the featured Broadway shows. Bye Bye Birdie star
John Stamos and the Conrad Birdie Fan Club Girls will perform “Put on a Happy Face” on NBC. The cast of Shrek the Musical will perform will perform “I’m a Believer.”

God of Carnage stars Christine Lahti and Jimmy Smits will be interviewed live from Times Square on the CBS. Also on CBS, the 40 member cast of the new Broadway production of Ragtime will perform “The Wheels of a Dream.”

Other performers in the parade include: Bello, Andrea Bocelli, Keke Palmer, Grandma and the cast of the Big Apple Circus, the cast of Hair, Boys Like Girls, DJ Lance Rock, Kermit the Frog and Tiffany Thornton, the cast and Muppets of Sesame Street, Jimmy Fallon and The Roots, cast of Billy Elliot, Sarah Hughes, Jane Krakowski, Ziggy Marley with Judah Marley, Miss America 2009 - Katie Stam, the Radio City Rockettes, Katharine McPhee, Mitchel Musso, The Pizzarelli Quartet, and Jay Sean.

Fun Facts: Live animals including camels, goats, elephants and donkeys were a part of the original Parade, that started at 145th Street and Convent Avenue and traveled 5.5 miles to 34th Street and Herald Square.
In the first Parade horses pulled the floats. A particular white steed, that was to aid in the Ben-Hur float, disappeared at the last minute before the start of the Parade.

In 1925 and 1926, bears, lions and tigers were added to the live animals used but this had to be discontinued because they scared the children along the line of march.

In 1927, Macy's replaced the live animals in the Parade with its now signature giant helium balloons. The first balloons included Felix the Cat, The Dragon, The Elephant and Toy Soldier.

1928 saw the first release of the giant Balloons into the air at the end of the Parade. Equipped with a return address label, in 1929, Macy's began offering prizes for the return of the giant balloons.

In 1931, Clarence Chamberlain an aviator flying above New York City catches the Pig Balloon in mid air in order to claim the $25 reward money. The practice of releasing the Balloons was discontinued in 1933.

Santa Claus has ended the Parade every year except in 1933 the only year when he led the Parade.

The 1933 edition of the Parade was the first ever recorded for newsreels and subsequently shown in theatres around the world.

The Parade was canceled in 1942, 1943 and 1944 due to World War II. At the start of the war, Macy's donated the Balloons (that where made of rubber at the time) to the government’s rubber scrap heap in a ceremony held at New York’s City Hall.

In 1947, the holiday classic, Miracle on 34th Street, brought the Parade’s magic to theatres worldwide.

In 1948 NBC began telecasting the Parade nationwide, as spectators from coast-to-coast began referring to the Parade as the “Macy's Day Parade.”

Due to a helium shortage in 1958, the U.S. Government asked Macy's to go light on the use of the gas. Macy's decided to inflate the Balloons with air and hoist them on trucks with cranes for the journey down Broadway.

The most bittersweet year of the Parade had to be 1963. Less than a week after President Kennedy's assassination, the country was still in mourning. But, it went on so as not to "disappoint the millions of children."

In 1969 the Macy's Parade Studio moved to its current home in Hoboken, New Jersey.

In 1971, the winds were so bad, the balloons had to be cancelled. Television viewers had to settle for clips from the 1970 Parade.

The Dino the Dinosaur Balloon was inducted into the Museum of Natural History in 1975 as an honorary member.

In 1977, the “Parade Lady” Jean McFaddin took the helm of the Parade, which she leads for the next 24 years.

In the 1980’s, the smaller “novelty” balloons were introduced, including the Macy's stars and the 30 ft. triple-scoop ice cream cone.

“Falloons” were also introduced at this time. A combination of float and cold air balloon, a highlight of the creativity of the Macy's Parade Studio.

In 1989, the Parade marched through its very first snowstorm.

The 1990’s the Parade Balloons added new characters from the Internet, videogames and contemporary cartoons. Sonic the Hedgehog, Jeeves and the Rugrats were just a few of these Balloons.

In the past 77 years the Parade has attracted a sea of celebrities including: Harpo Marx, Jackie Gleason, Bob Hope, Diana Ross, Sammy Davis, Jr., Stevie Wonder, Tony Bennett, Barry Manilow, NSYNC, Shania Twain, Ashley Tisdale, Corbin Bleu, Dolly Parton, Miley Cyrus, Jonas Brothers, Sarah Brightman, and Christina Aguilera, among others.

Macy's is the world’s second largest consumer of helium. The United States Government is the first.

In its 77-year history more than 300,000 Macy's employees have participated in the Parade. More than 50,000 clowns have delighted millions of children along the Parade route.

In 2004, Macy's introduces another new Parade innovation. The “Balloonicle,” a combination cold air balloon and self-propelled vehicle.

In 2005, the M&M's chocolate candies balloon caught on a streetlight in Times Square. Two sisters were struck by falling debris, suffering minor injuries. As a result, new safety rules were introduced. Those rules came in handy for the 2006 parade, as balloons were lowered because of rain and high winds. The M&M's balloon was retired after 2006, and replaced by a float saluting Broadway theatre and musicals.

In 2008, Keith Haring's Figure with Heart grazed the NBC booth off camera during the live broadcast, momentarily interrupting the introduction of the next float. Hosts Al Roker, Meredith Vieira, and Matt Lauer were largely silent as viewers heard snippets of their voices. No one was injured

In 2008, a Coca Cola ad aired in the during Super Bowl XLII. The commercial's plot consisted of Underdog and fictional Stewie Griffin balloon chasing a Coke bottle-shaped balloon through New York City. The spot ended with a Charlie Brown balloon holding the Coke balloon. The advertisement won a Silver Lion Award in Cannes.

Now these are Thanksgiving fun F.A.C.T.S

C: Is for Nail Care

2009-11-17T09:43:00.002-05:00

Want to give the gift that is kept of so secret by celebrities? Fake nails kits by Kiss. Give the Perfect Stocking Stuffer this Holiday Season … Without Breaking the Bank!

1) Manicure Salon and the Pedicure Salon Kit by Kiss: Manicure Salon Kit includes everything needed to get the perfect manicure each and every time, The perfect gift! Each $9.99

2)Metallic Design Nails on the Go from Dashing Diva
Available November 23rd – January1 at participating Dashing Diva locations and online at www.dashingdiva.com

Dashing Diva introduces new Metallic Design Nails on the Go – shiny, pre-glued, press-on nails designed to add spark to any holiday style. The metallic toned nails have adhesive already on each nail, for simple application. Once applied, these nails can be worn for a single event or up to several days after. To remove, simply soak nails in warm water and peel away, with no damage to the natural nails.

Price: $8.00

3) Limited Edition Holiday Design Nails from Kiss
Available November 1st – January 1st 2009

Spice up the holiday season with one of these four limited edition designs, available in Medium and Real Short lengths.

Price: $6.99

Availability at all major drug stores nationwide including Rite Aide, CVS, Duane Reade and Kmart.

5) Holiday Party Kits from Pink by Kiss
Available at Rite Aid November 1st – January 1st

Think Suri Cruise, now you can be like the young pop princesses and have cool, unique, nails with the new Holiday Party Kits from Pink by Kiss.

Holiday Party Kits include 60 press-on nails that fit snugly on small fingers - 20 design nails, and 40 solid nails in order to mix and match and wear on more than one occasion. Simply find the correct sizes from the set and press on…it’s that simple!

Price: $7.99

Now these make a great holiday F.A.C.T.

A: Is for art and success

2009-11-17T09:40:00.002-05:00

They say the play is the thing but the Donmar Warehouse production of HAMLET, starring Jude Law and directed by Michael Grandage, is in its final weeks on Broadway. The hit production will end its limited engagement Sunday, December 6 at the Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44th Street). The producers of HAMLET recently announced that the production had recouped its investment after seven weeks.

Jude Law returned to Broadway for the first time since 1995 when he made his Tony Award-nominated debut in Jean Cocteau’s Indiscretions (Les Parents Terribles). Other theatre credits include Les Parents Terribles (National Theatre), Dr. Faustus, ‘Tis Pity She’s a Whore (Young Vic) and Death of a Salesman (West Yorkshire Playhouse). Upcoming films include Dr. Watson in Guy Ritchie’s Sherlock Holmes, being released on December 25 and Tony in Terry Gilliam’s The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus, released on September 24 and Repossession Mambo.

Performances are Tuesday at 7:00 PM, Wednesday at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM, Thursday and Friday at 7:30 PM, Saturday at 2:00 and 8:00 PM, Sunday at 3:00 PM. Tickets are available through Telecharge.com at 212-239-6200 or www.telecharge.com. A limited number of $35 tickets, subject to availability, will be made available for purchase by students at the Broadhurst Theatre box office on the day of the performance only. One ticket per valid student ID. Tickets are subject to availability and the number of student tickets for each performance may vary.

Now that is a successful F.A.C.T.

F: is for fruit that can save your life.

2009-11-16T16:21:00.002-05:00

Read this....It could save your life!!
We all think eating fruits means, cutting it and popping it into our mouths. It's important to know how and when to eat. Do not eat fruit after your meals. Fruit should be eaten on an empty stomach. If you eat fruit like that, it will play a major role in detoxify your system, supplying you with a great deal of energy for weight loss for other life activities. If you eat fruit with your meal and not alone the whole meal rots and ferments and turns to acid. The minute the fruit comes into contact with the food in the stomach and digestive juices, the entire mass of food begins to spoil. Graying hair, balding, nervous outburst, and dark circles under the eyes will not happen if you take fruits on an empty stomach. If you master the correct way of eating fruits, you have the Secret of beauty, longevity, health, energy, happiness and normal weight.

When you drink fruit juice - drink only fresh fruit juice, NOT from the cans. Don't ever drink juice that has been heated up. Don't eat cooked fruits because you don't get the nutrients at all. You only get to taste. Cooking destroys all the vitamins.
You can go on a 3-day fruit fast to cleanse your body. Just eat fruits and drink fruit juice throughout the 3 days and you will be surprised when your friends tell you how radiant you look!

KIWI: Tiny but mighty. A good source of potassium, magnesium, vitamin E & fiber. Its vitamin C content is twice that of an orange.

APPLE: An apple a day keeps the doctor away? Although an apple has a low vitamin C content, it has antioxidants & flavonoids which enhances the activity of vitamin C thereby helping to lower the risks of colon cancer, heart attack & stroke.

STRAWBERRY: Protective Fruit. Strawberries have the highest total antioxidant power among major fruits & protect the body from cancer-causing, blood vessel-clogging free radicals.

ORANGE : Sweetest medicine. Taking 2-4 oranges a day may help keep colds away, lower cholesterol, prevent & dissolve kidney stones as well as lessens the risk of colon cancer.

WATERMELON: Thirst quencher. Composed of 92% water, it is also packed with a giant dose of glutathione, which helps boost our immune system. They are also a key source of lycopene - the cancer fighting oxidant. Other nutrients found in watermelon are vitamin C & Potassium.

GUAVA & PAPAYA: Top awards for vitamin C. They are the clear winners for their high vitamin C content. Guava is also rich in fiber, which helps prevent constipation. Papaya is rich in carotene; this is good for your eyes.

Drinking Cold water after a meal = Cancer! It is nice to have a cup of cold drink after a meal. However, the cold water will solidify the oily stuff, It will slow down the digestion. Once this 'sludge' reacts with the acid, it will break down and be absorbed by the intestine faster than the solid food. It will line the intestine. Very soon, this will turn into fats and lead to cancer. It is best to drink hot soup or warm water after a meal.

A serious note about heart attacks. Women should know that not every heart attack symptom is going to be the left arm hurting. Be aware of intense pain in the jaw line.. You may never have the first chest pain during the course of a heart attack . Nausea and intense sweating are also common symptoms.. Sixty percent of people who have a heart attack while they are asleep do not wake up. Pain in the jaw can wake you from a sound sleep. Let's be careful and be aware. The more we know the better chance we could survive...

These are F.A.C.T.S that can save your life!

S: Is for the Strengths of Women

2009-11-14T14:02:00.003-05:00

When God created woman he was working late on the 6th day. An angel came by and said: “Why spend so much time on that one?”
The Lord answered: “Have you seen all the specifications I have to meet to shape her ?" “She must be washable, but not made of plastic. She must have more than 200 moving parts which all must be replaceable and she must function on all kinds of food. She must be able to embrace several kids at the same time, give a hug that can heal anything from a bruised knee to a broken heart and she must do all this with only two hands”.

The angel was impressed. “Just two hands....impossible!“ And this is the standard model? “Too much work for one day....wait until tomorrow.

“I will not”, said the Lord. “I am so close to complete this creation, which will be the favourite of my heart”. “She cures herself when sick and she can work 18 hours a day”.

The angel came nearer and touched the woman. “But you have made her so soft, Lord”   

“She is soft", said the Lord, “But I have also made her strong. You can’t imagine what she can endure and overcome.“

“Can she think?" the angel asked.

The Lord answered: “Not only can she think, she can reason and negotiate.

The angel touched the woman's cheek.... “Lord, it seems this creation is leaking! You have put too many burdens on her.”

“She is not leaking....it’s a tear” the lord corrected the angel. And the Lord said: “Tears are her way of expressing grief, her doubts, her love, her loneliness, her suffering and her pride.”

This made a big impression on the angel; “Lord, you are genius. You thought of everything. The woman is indeed marvelous
Indeed she is! Woman has strengths that amazes man. She can handle trouble and carry heavy burdens. She holds happiness, love and opinions. She smiles when feeling like screaming. She sings when she feels like crying, cries when she is happy and laughs when she is afraid. She fights for what she believes in. Stand up against injustice. She doesn’t take “no” for an answer, when she can see a better solution. She gives herself so her family can thrive. She takes her friend to the doctor if she is afraid.
Her love is unconditional. She cries when her kids are victorious. She is happy when her friends do well. She is glad when she hears of a birth or a wedding. Her heart is broken when a next of kin or friend dies. But she finds the strength to get on with life. She knows that a kiss and a hug can heal a broken heart.

There is only one thing wrong with her, she forgets what she is worth...

This was given to me from a friend and I in turn give it to you. Make it a F.A.C.T. to remember what you are worth.

T: Is for taking the high road

2009-11-14T13:49:00.002-05:00

I may not have wanted Sen. John McCain as president but I admire his always taking the high road. When he lost the presidency his concession speech was one of the best I ever heard and I was impressed. Now Sen. McCain has received a signed copy of Sarah Palin's new memoir "Going Rogue." It seem the obnoxious Ms. Palin sent him a signed copy yesterday. His statement, I will read it with interest." The book according to most contains a great deal of score-settling aimed at former McCain campaign aides, yet the senator stressed that he was "proud and honored" to have had Palin as his running mate. Ms. Palin that was McCain's down fall. One of the reasons I voted for President Obama was because I didn't want Ms. Palin anywhere near making decisions that would effect my life. McCain went on to say: "One of the things about campaigns that lose, there's always mistakes made and the campaign that wins is always the perfect campaign," he said. "I'm proud of the campaign we ran. I'm proud of Sarah Palin and we continue to have a great and wonderful relationship. So, I'm very proud of the campaign we ran and I have moved forward." He has also finally responded to the question: Can Palin be a viable presidential candidate herself in 2012? "Sure," he said. "I think there are a number of viable candidates out there. I think that Sarah Palin is obviously one of them and we'll start through the process in about a year or so of selecting our nominee, but I think she's a very strong force in the Republican Party. I can't predict who's gonna get the nomination but I certainly think she would be competitive."

All I can say is, with this book and her obvious lack of propriety, who the hell would want her as president. I for one do not and that is a F.A.C.T. that will never change!

C: Is for Charity

2009-11-12T13:32:00.002-05:00

“Bernadette Peters: A Special Concert for Broadway Barks Because Broadway Cares” was an astounding success raising $615,000 to benefit Broadway Barks and Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS. Tony, Grammy and Golden Globe Award winning actress, and long-time BC/EFA friend and Bernadette Peters performed a special one night only concert Monday night at Broadway’s Minskoff Theatre, produced by BC/EFA. Peters, the quintessential New Yorker, born in Queens, performed material from her Broadway career and recordings, as well as popular songs and personal favorites and included selections by Rodgers & Hammerstein, Stephen Sondheim and Jerry Herman. Among the highlights, the evening’s “prologue” featured a reunion of Into the Woods original cast members Joy Franz, Merle Louise, Kay McClelland, and Lauren Mitchell joining Peters to “recreate” the show’s opening number. Special guest Mary Tyler Moore, co-founder of Broadway Barks with Peters, performed the role of the “narrator” for that special performance. Peters opened the second act of the concert by bringing to the stage and singing to some of her furry, four-legged friends from BARC Shelter (Dylan, Jennie, Biggie, Sammy, Rosie, Cody, Nina and Mimi) and The Humane Society (Hazel, Puffie, Snoopy and Mimi). Theatrical animal trainer Bill Berloni was also on hand with pups Minnie and Chico. All of the dogs featured on stage and many more are available for adoption from these local animal shelters. For more information, visit www.BARCShelter.org and www.HumaneSocietyNY.org.

BROADWAY BARKS, is the annual star-studded dog and cat adopt-a-thon, came about as a result of Bernadette Peters’ and Mary Tyler Moore’s passion for animals. This year’s Broadway Barks attracted an audience of more than 7,000 theater fans, pet owners, and animal lovers, and featured the participation of more than 27 animal shelters from the New York City area, as well as Broadway stars from the hit shows of the season, ending in a total of over 140 adoptions. Originally conceived as a program to promote the adoption of shelter animals, Broadway Barks has evolved into an event that has not only focused on the plight of homeless animals, but has opened the door of communication and fostered a spirit of community among the numerous shelters and rescue groups working throughout the city. Previously, many of these groups struggled in anonymity and isolation left to their own devices for promotion and fundraising in a job which is emotionally draining. As Broadway Barks looks toward the future, their goal is to continue in the path already established as well as to focus more attention on education, targeting such areas as responsible pet ownership, spay/neuter, and the importance of pet identification. For more information, please visit www.BroadwayBarks.com

A: Is for “THE ACCIDENTAL PERVERT"

2009-11-11T18:23:00.003-05:00

Here ye here ye, Andrew Goffman’s shocking, honest and hilarious tour-de-force-\ “THE ACCIDENTAL PERVERT" will open Off-Broadway at The Players Theatre (115 MacDougal Street – btwn: West 3rd Street & Minetta Lane) on Saturday, January 23rd. Preview performances will begin Friday, December 4th and continue through Friday, January 22nd. This one-man-theatrical-circus-of-full-disclosure, offers the evening’s warning bell in the form of an alarmingly candid disclosure: “Ya know, none of us starts out to be a pervert.” The evening picks up speed from there. “THE ACCIDENTAL PERVERT” is the true accounting of one boy’s odyssey to manhood via a childhood dominated by pornography, an addiction accumulated after the boy happens upon his father’s collection of XXX-Rated video tapes in a bedroom closet, just to the right of his golf clubs, above the cowboy boots, behind the sweatshirts, all the way up in the top left hand corner. Andrew Goffman takes his audience on a hilarious and self-deprecating journey into a world of video vixens, X-Rated fantasies, and really DIRTY movies with no redeeming value whatsoever. He found the tapes at 11 years-of-age. The addiction controlled him until he was 26, the year he met his wife. Andrew Goffman has performed comedy on the road in concert for the past 12 years opening in over 150 theatres, emporiums and clubs appearing before, at last count, well over 50,000 people. He appeared in film “The First Wives Club” and “The Stand In” and Off-Broadway in “Grandma Sylvia’s Funeral. “THE ACCIDENTAL PERVERT” plays Fridays and Saturdays @ 8pm and tickets are a mere $30.

Now these are some racy F.A.C.T.S that should be checked out!

S: Is for the Shift

2009-11-08T17:56:00.003-05:00

Do you know what your life's purpose is? Is your life right now filled with meaning and happiness?

Imagine watching a feature film that is entertaining (with big Hollywood stars in it), and shows you the way to discovering your life's purpose! The movie is called The Shift, and it stars Dr. Wayne Dyer and Portia DeRossi.

Through this inspiring film, you'll:
· Discover how to fulfill your destiny and to live your life
on purpose
· Learn how to recognize a "quantum moment"
· Understand the different ways men and women make
the shift

http://www.theshiftmovie.com/

Don't know if it works but we can all use a little help and that is a F.A.C.T.

T: Is Presidents Together

2009-11-08T17:41:00.001-05:00

Bill Clinton and George W Bush will debate the most pertinent current events on February 25, 2010 at Radio City Music Halls. Tickets go On-Sale Monday, November 16th @ 10am. MSG Entertainment is proud to announce the third annual “Speaker Series: The Minds That Move The World,” a timely and important event that will provide attendees with a unique framework for understanding America’s current political landscape and place in world politics, through the insights of some of the most prominent political figures of our time. In light of the new political environment that faces our nation, the “Speaker Series: The Minds That Move The World” will undoubtedly generate heated discussion as the best political minds of our day examine the most talked about topics surrounding current events. The Speaker Series steps out of the spin room and provides attendees with a courtside seat to an uncensored, unedited, and completely unpredictable live event.

Since its inception, the Speaker Series has featured such high-profile, distinguished and engaging political figures, commentators, and strategists including former Deputy Chief of Staff Karl Rove, political strategists James Carville, former U.S. Vice President Al Gore, comedic political commentator Bill Maher, political host and commentators Ann Coulter, and former presidential candidate Mike Huckabee.

Ticket prices range from $60 to $160. VIP tickets are available for $1,250 and include a formal pre-show reception with Presidents Clinton and Bush along with the evening's moderator. Cocktails and hors d'oeuvres will be served and each guest will have a photo opportunity with the speakers. The reception will begin at 6:30 each night. Instructions for entry will be sent to purchasers in advance of the event. All tickets will be picked up at the venue on Feb 25th only. For tickets and information, please visit www.radiocity.com, www.speakerseries2010.com, any Ticketmaster outlet or call (866) 858-0008.

Now this is the event of a lifetime and that is a F.A.C.T.

C: Is for Children

2009-11-08T17:35:00.002-05:00

KIDS' NIGHT ON BROADWAY 2010 went on sale November 8th for, February 2nd, 3rd and 7th. KIDS' NIGHT ON BROADWAY allows kids ages 6 to 18 to see Broadway shows for free when accompanied by a full-paying adult. A KIDS' NIGHT ON
BROADWAY ticket includes pre-theatre parties, restaurant discounts, parking discounts, special edition Kids' Playbill provided by Theatre Development Fund. The 14th annual KIDS' NIGHT ON BROADWAY kicks off in New York City on with a pre-theatre party at Madame Tussauds
Participating shows* (to date) include:

Broadway Shows:
BILLY ELLIOT THE MUSICAL
BYE BYE BIRDIE
CHICAGO
FELA!
FINIAN'S RAINBOW
HAIR
IN THE HEIGHTS
MARY POPPINS
MAMMA MIA!
MEMPHIS
NEXT TO NORMAL
OLEANNA
RAGTIME
THE LION KING
THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
SOUTH PACIFIC
SUPERIOR DONUTS
WEST SIDE STORY
WICKED

Off Broadway Shows:
ALTER BOYZ
AVENUE Q
STOMP

It is a F.A.C.T. that taking your children to see a show will show them the magic of live theatre and enhance their lives.

A: Is for the American Theatre WIng

2009-11-08T16:28:00.003-05:00

An online essay contest in conjunction with the release of the book; The American Theatre Wing presents The Play That Changed My Life: America’s Foremost Playwrights on the Plays that Influenced Them. Entries (limited to 350 words) will be judged based on their creativity, their clarity and most importantly, how they convey your passion for the theatre. Tell ATW about the play that changed your life – those few hours in the theatre, at any age, in any theatre, that had the greatest impact on your life and your perception of theatre — and have the opportunity to share your story with the thousands of visitors to americantheatrewing.org while getting the chance to win an autographed copy of The Play That Changed My Life and other theatrical books from Applause Publishing. The contest closes loses on Sunday, November 29th. To enter, visit http://americantheatrewing.org/contest. The final expert panel judging the contest includes ATW Board of Directors Chairman and President of the Rodgers & Hammerst Paula Vogel and contributions from nineteen of America’s most distinguished playwrights on the plays that transformed their lives. Contributors, who have a combined total of some 40 Tony Awards, Pulitzer Prizes and Obies, include Jon Robin Baitz, Nilo Cruz, Christopher Durang, Horton Foote, Lynn Nottage, Suzan-Lori Parks, John Patrick Shanley and more.

Now is the time to share your voice and that is a F.A.C.T.

F: Is for The Fantastick's

2009-11-01T23:18:00.001-05:00

Attention all theatre lovers, celebrating its 50th anniversary, the Fantasticks creator Tom Jones will make a special appearance at Night of 1,000 Luisas, a benefit concert to be held at the Snapple Theater Center's Jerry Orbach Theater Nov. 4 at 7pm. Luisa, of course, is the ingenue in The Fantasticks who wants “Much More.”Jones, penned the book and lyrics to the longest running Off-Broadway musical with his collaborator Harvey Schmidt. The event that will feature past and present "Luisas." On hand performing will be original Fantasticks leading lady Rita Gardner (Pal Joey, The Wedding Singer), Alice Cannon (Company), Glory Crampton (Phantom), Karen Culliver (The Mystery of Edwin Drood, The Phantom of the Opera), Carole Demas (Grease), Jean Louisa Kelly ("The Fantasticks" film), Betsy Morgan (The Little Mermaid, 2009 A Little Night Music), Marty Morris (A Little Night Music), Allison Munn ("That '70s Show"), Sarah Rice (Sweeney Todd) and Sara Schmidt (Jersey Boys, Brooklyn The Musical). The proceeds benefit Bideawee, the animal welfare organization that serves the New York metropolitan area. The Snapple Theater Center is home to the current production of The Fantasticks, and is located on West 50th Street and Broadway. Tickets for the concert, priced $45-$100, are available by calling (212) 921-7862 or by visiting Ticketmaster.com.

S: Is for a scary new musical

2009-10-29T23:57:00.003-05:00

In time for Halloween a musical about the death of Edgar Allan Poe, opens. Produced by Boston's The F.U.D.G.E. Theatre Company and Joe DeMita. NEVERMORE!

As one of the literary world’s most tormented genius, Poe is reguarded as the master of horror. At 2:00 in the morning on October 7th, 1849, in the middle of a rain-drenched street in Baltimore, he is lying alone, dying. Some say of alcohol. Some say a cerebral hemorrhage. Some whisper drugs. Others tuberculosis. No one will ever really know. From a life of pain, his writings began to examine the forces of cruelty, darkness, fear, mutiny, and murder.His critics raved. He got drunker.His circle of prostitutes widened. The voices in his head got louder He got drunker. He began to hear voices in his head. His work began to take on other-worldly dimensions.He was the most famous author in the world but he was loosing his soul. This is a musical about the five women who tried to save that soul and the last five seconds in the life of a tortured artist who is obsessed with death. Presenting: The New England Premiere of the highly acclaimed, ground-breaking, hauntingly beautiful new musical “NEVERMORE.” Limited Engagement 4 performances only:

Thursday, November 5th at 8:00pm
Friday, November 6th at 8:00pm
Saturday, November 7th at 2:00pm (matinee)
Saturday, November 7th at 8:00pm

The Arsenal Center for the Arts Black Box Theatre
321 Arsenal Street
Watertown, Massachusetts

TICKETS
$20.00

RESERVATIONS
781-245-0500

Does a road trip sound like a F.A.C.T. in the making?

T: Is for Thompson vs Bloomberg

2009-10-29T20:30:00.004-05:00

If William C. Thompson Jr. is elected Tuesday, he promises to usher in a new regime. Thompson would be likely to focus on quality of life concerns, like water rates or parking tickets.It would be personable, customer-friendly, people-friendly. He is known for being very hands-on. Mr. Thompson has promised to replace all of Mr. Bloomberg’s commissioners. Mr. Thompson, who would be the city’s second black mayor, is likely to pick top staff members, commissioners and judges who are more diverse than Mr. Bloomberg’s. Mr. Thompson, who has spent most of his career in government, would move into the mansion with his wife, Elsie McCabe Thompson, the executive director of the Museum for African Art, and his 12-year-old twin stepchildren.

If, Michael Bloomberg returns, he to is promising change. He is said to be replacing a third of his 40 commissioners and is demanding bold ideas. Bloomberg, however does not like to fire people, according to friends and advisers. So he may rotate his commissioners to different departments to keep things fresh, in much the way he did at his company. If Bill gets elected, it will all be about the Democratic establishment taking back power. Decided to forgo living at Gracie Mansion, he remained at his Upper East Side house and spends many weekends in Bermuda or at his other homes in Florida and Westchester County.

We have a choice on Tuesday, let us hope we choose a Mayor who doesn't buy his way into power and I pray for that F.A.C.T.

C: Is for Cancer

2009-10-29T19:33:00.003-05:00

Andrew Lloyd Webber, the award-winning composer and producer of more than a dozen musicals including "The Phantom of the Opera" and "Cats," has been diagnosed with prostate cancer. It is in the very early stages. Andrew is now undergoing treatment and expects to be fully back at work before the end of the year. They released no further details.
In April, the Sunday Times of London included Lloyd Webber, 61, on its annual Rich list, which ranks the wealthiest people in Britain.
Lloyd Webber, who lives in Kensington, was the highest-ranking entertainer on the list. He tied for 52nd place, with about $1.1 billion.

British composer and theatre impresario Andrew Lloyd Webber is undergoing treatment for prostate cancer.

A statement released by Lloyd Webber's spokeswoman on Sunday says the composer is in the early stages of the disease and "expects to be fully back at work before the end of the year."

The 61-year-old musical theatre whiz recently announced plans for a sequel to Phantom of the Opera — a play that has been seen by more than 50 million people, in more than two dozen countries.

Called Love Never Dies and starring Canadian Ramin Karimloo in the title role, the new show is set to launch in London's West End in March and then on Broadway in November.

Lloyd Webber's other globally successful productions include Cats, Evita and Jesus Christ Superstar.

Not one to sit on his laurels, he's had three successful BBC reality series which cast the leads for his theatre musicals: How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?, Any Dream Will Do and Oliver!

How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria? was also a CBC series in 2008.

In 2010, he's set to launch a BBC show to find Dorothy and Toto for a new theatrical production of The Wizard of Oz and that is an over the rainbow F.A.C.T.

A: Is for the Art of Finain's Rainbow opening on Broadway

2009-10-29T19:27:00.005-05:00

There is always a pot of gold at the end of the Rainbow, especially if your name is Finian. Through the eyes and mind of director/choreographer, Warren Carlyle, this beloved musical becomes a Valentine to New York and all of us who love musical theatre. A half a century old, the new adaptation by Arthur Perlman, is funny, relevant commentary of today's economic struggles. Class structure, greed and racism are it's vehicles. Not much has changed since 1947. The score by Burton Lane (music) and E.Y. Harburg (lyrics) is the heart and soul of "The American songbook" with such classics as ""How Are Things in Glocca Morra?" and "Old Devil Moon." Rob Berman's musical direction reinvents these songs and they are heard anew with voices that make you swoon with sheer contentment. . As for the cast: There has never been a better Finain than Jim Norton. His twinkling meddling is a delight. You completely understand why Sharon allows her father's impish deeds to continue. Fiesty Kate Baldwin's lush voice and thoughtful acting gives Sharon the feel of a women born of today. Falling for Broadway's leading man of choice, Cheyenne Jackson's, Woody Mahoney, fits the bill with his handsome good looks and smooth controlled voice. Christopher Fitzgerald as Og, the leprechaun who is losing more than his gold subtly steals the scenes he is in and as his pants diminish he grows on us inch by inch. Terri White, brings down the house with her show stopping version of "Necessity;" Alina Faye express herself lithely as Woody's sister; Susan the silent. In a sequence with well-known blues musician Guy Davis, Susan emotes in dance as Sunny relates by harmonica. David Schramm is the bigoted white senator and
Chuck Cooper is his counterpart. When enlightened by a wish he is joined with Bernard Dotson, James Stovall and Devin Richards who harmonize to audience approval with "The Begat.""When the Idle Poor Become the Idle Rich" illustrates the illusion of wealth, much like Bernie Madoff. Carlyle's choreography is reminiscent of Seven Brides for Seven Brothers. Like Michael Kidd he has turned dance routines into works of art, defining the moments of the score and script alike.This show will enchant even the most cynical for this is stage magic at it's best. You will remember why you fell in all in love with theatre and that is a F.A.C.T.

F: is for Fisher... Carie Fisher

2009-10-26T10:55:00.001-05:00

In "WIshful Drinking" Carrie Fisher recalls the highs and lows of her life. Raised in Hollywood by star parents Debbie Reynolds and Eddie Fisher, left Carrie descending into a life of becoming bipolar, which usually appears between the ages 15 - 25. There is a saying laugh at yourself first and others laugh with you not at you. Carrie does just that. After all when the world turns you into a blow-up sex doll, a Pez dispenser and an icon, what else is there to do? Her journey is hilarious, one minute, brutally self-destruction the next. Bipolar disorder involves periods of mania alternating with periods of depression, binge eating, drinking, and/or drug use, impaired judgment and sexual promiscuity all of which Ms. Fischer fluently participated in and all are symptoms of being bipolar. Her writing and acting are a perceptive irony of a life that got away and has been reclaimed. Done or written by anybody but Ms. Fischer, this could of been self indulgent but Carrie invites us in and lets us get up close and personal. Princess Leia shows us the dark side of wit until Jan. 3, 2010 at Studio 54, 254 W 54th St. Fisher's book Wishful Drinking is # 1 on the Times Best Seller list and that is a F.A.C.T.

S: Is for Soul Searching

2009-10-25T10:20:00.001-05:00

Nora and Delia Ephron have created "Love, Loss and What I Wore," based on the book by Ilene Beckerman. This piece weaves stories all centered around dresses that span a lifetime. With a rotating cast of five, I saw Rosie Ms. O’Donnell, Tyne Daly, Katie Finneran, Natasha Lyonne, and Samantha Bee. As they sit on chairs they recall growing up and the pains and joys of what make us who we are. This is a show for women, by women and the effect is like being at a personal tea party, where it is safe to let down our hair and say who we are. Like most people my favorite piece is when Rosie O’Donnell describe the annoyance of not finding anything inside a purse and the weight they have on our lives. As I was in the bathroom I knew several people all of who knew this was directed to people like me. With a strong emotional connection it is with resonance how clothes mark the pivotal moments in women’s lives. Tyne Daily is Gingy who stories of three marriages, motherhood and the death of a child, draw out the stories of the other women. Emotions run high as a woman gives up wearing miniskirts in college after being raped, but refuses to give up her beloved boots. Finding of the perfect wedding attire for two lesbians as their families take opposing attitudes to their nuptials and the tattoo a cancer survivor to have a tattoo on her newly reconstructed breast. Director Karen Carpenter helps us identify with these women which gives us insight to ourselves. “Love, Loss, and What I Wore,” plays at the Westside Theater 407 West 43rd Street, through Dec. 13.
Who needs therapy with a Broadway season like this and that is a F.A.C.T.

T: Is for Robin williams telling it like it is

2009-10-25T09:30:00.003-05:00

For those who have been hiding under a rock, Robin Williams is one of the funniest comedians and actors of the last 25 years. Earlier this year, Robin Williams planned to bring his one-man comedy show Weapons of Self-Destruction to Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre, but then suffered heart problems that caused him to postpone the engagement. Although Williams will not be bringing his show to Broadway, the now-healthy performer has now announced that he will do Weapons of Self-Destruction at Town Hall, a popular New York City venue in midtown. The dates for the show will be November 23-25, November 30, and December 1-3. Tickets for the event are already on sale.

Word is out that the show We saw is amazing. Robin covers an amazing array of topics starting with politics, marriage, drinking and everything in between. They are all a pun on a more personal in level, however Williams (like many actors and performers) is not happy with the current government and administration and political jokes will most likely be part of the show. You may also have heard that Williams recently went through a divorce and has been through rehab. Not easy things to process. I am sure that comedy and seeing the irony of life, help make sense of a lot of things and that is a F.A.C.T.

C: Is for Cupcakes

2009-10-22T17:38:00.003-05:00

Cupcakes are the fave current trend, among food connoisseurs around the country. The nostalgia for a piece of childhood, has spawned a rapid growth of boutique cupcake bakeries. Like Starbucks, they are popping up on every corner. The search for the best cupcake is talked about at water coolers and cafes, with each persons favorite being hotly discussed. Here at the T2C we have found the ultimate taste treat... Cupcake Express. Times Square residents, Anthony Stellato and Nance Greenspan started Cupcake Express. Not only are they rated #1 by us, but also the NY Post. Imagine cupcake delivered hot, fresh form the oven and iced to perfection with real ingredients. They are one of the best kept secrets and you can only find them at Macy's and the South Street Seaport, where they sell out daily. As of the next issue, T2C will name the local restaurants who will be exclusively carrying them.

Looking for love? Go to match.com. That is where Anthony and Nance met and have been together since that fateful meeting. Having a mutual love of food, music and working out solidified the relationship. Nance is in the Power lifting Hall of Fame, being a multiple Power lifting World Champion. The “Queen of Extreme” squatted 556 lbs. while only weighing 131 lbs. She has also toured with Billy Idol, Boston and New Kids on the Block. Anthony was on Wall Street and nows plays in his own band "Hell or High Water."

Cupcakes are not where these two end. They also own My Hero Cuisine a home delivery company catering Italian specialties, (myherocuisine.com) from 59th to 14th. Next time you turn on the food network look for “Cooking is Funny,” a new show in development for the networks. An educational cookbook, “Good Stuff That’s Not Hard,” is also in the works. These two are people to know and that is a F.A.C.T.

In New York City, The Actors Fund has produced a string of successful one-night-only benefits including the acclaimed 20th Anniversary concert of Dreamgirls with Audra McDonald, Heather Headley and Lillias White (recorded on Nonesuch Records), Funny Girl with Sutton Foster, Jane Krakowski and Kristin Chenoweth, Chess with Josh Groban, Hair with Jennifer Hudson (recorded on Ghostlight Records, Grammy nomination) On the Twentieth Century with Douglas Sills and Marin Mazzie, The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas with Emily Skinner and Terrence Mann, Brian Stokes Mitchell at Carnegie Hall and last year's all star reading of All About Eve with Annette Bening and Keri Russell.

In Los Angeles, The Actors Fund has produced a successful string of musical events including a concert of William Finn's Falsettos starring Jason Alexander and Malcolm Gets. The Fund also presented a series of musical tributes that celebrated the great Broadway composers including Tap Your Troubles Away; A Salute to Jerry Herman, Everything's Coming up

Roses: A Jule Styne Tribute and Say Yes; The Songs of John Kander and Fred Ebb. Additionally, the "Screenplays on Stage" series has showcased such talents as Stockard Channing, Calista Flockhart, Anjelica Huston, Christian Slater and Anne Heche.

THE ACTORS FUND is a national human services organization that helps all professionals in performing arts and entertainment. The Fund, which supports actors and performers and everyone behind the scenes who works in theatre, film, TV, music, dance, radio and opera, is a safety net, providing social services and emergency assistance, health services, employment and training programs and housing support for those who are in need, crisis or transition. Learn more about The Actors Fund at www.actorsfund.org

A: Is for art brought by Scott Siegel

2009-10-19T10:43:00.003-05:00

The Town Hall, Broadway's landmark concert venue, presented the fifth annual Broadway Cabaret Festival, October 16th- 18th. This three-concert series, created, written an hosted by Scott Siegel, took place over one weekend and included A Tribute to David Merrick, staring Corbin Bleu of High School Musical, on Friday October 16th at 8pm, All of Me staring Linda Eder on Saturday October 17th at 8pm and Broadway Originals on Sunday October 18th at 3pm.

On Sunday, October 18th at 3pm, Broadway Originals highlighted Michael Rupert, Stephen Bogardus, Barbara Walsh, Chip Zien and Jonathan Kaplan - the five original Broadway stars of William Finn's Falsettos - in a special tribute to that famous show. Stephanie J. Block (9 to 5, Wicked), Tony nominee Celia Keenan-Bolger (Les Miserables, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee) and Manu Narayan (Bombay Dreams) also joined previously announced stars Julia Murney (Wicked, Lennon), Kerry O'Malley (Irving Berlin's White Christmas, Into the Woods) and Sharon McNight (Tony nominee for Starmites) for an afternoon of performances of the songs that they made famous on the Broadway stage. A must-see for any Broadway aficionado, the program featured favorites by Stephen Sondheim, Stephen Schwartz, Alain Boublil and Claude-Michel Schönberg and more of the theater's greatest songwriters.

Scott Siegel has created for The Town Hall, three acclaimed and popular series: Broadway By The Year®, now in its tenth season, the Broadway Cabaret Festival and the Summer Broadway Festival. Mr. Siegel also conceived and produces both Broadway Unplugged and The Nightlife Awards at The Town Hall. Scott and his wife, Barbara, are authors (47 books, including The Encyclopedia of Hollywood) and critics ("The Siegel Column" and "The Two of Clubs" on TalkinBroadway.com).

Built in 1921 by a group of suffragettes, The Town Hall began as a lecture hall and public forum for debates. Over the decades, Eleanor Roosevelt, Margaret Sanger, Billie Holiday, Igor Stravinsky, Bob Dylan and Miles Davis have graced the stage. Today the hall flourishes as a popular, affordable venue, boasting the hottest acts in rock, pop, folk, cabaret, world music, comedy and dance, including Billy Joel, Blondie, Elvis Costello, Natalie Merchant, Graham Nash, Liza Minnelli, Cyndi Lauper, Norah Jones, Andre Watts, Henry Rollins, Joe Jackson, Pink Martini, Regina Spector, Brian Adams, Aimee Mann and Dawn Upshaw. For over a decade, The Town Hall has hosted live broadcasts of Garrison Keillor's Prairie Home Companion. Over the past two-and-a-half decades, The Town Hall has produced a number of new and critically acclaimed musical series, which include The Century of Change, Not Just Jazz, Broadway by the Year® and The Broadway Cabaret Festival. Lawrence Zucker is the Artistic and Executive Director.

The 5th Annual Broadway Cabaret Festival ran October 16th - 18th at The Town Hall, 123 West 43rd Street.

Next up: Broadway un-plugged and it's not to late to get your ticket and that is a F.A.C.T.

F: Is for Fantastic

2009-10-18T11:54:00.003-05:00

Remember the days of Studio 54? Well there back, at Purgatorio. Already becoming a celebrity hang out, I spotted Prez Hilton, Jude Law, Moby, the cast of "Our Town" and models galore, circulating among the debauchery, within the darkened chambers. Purgatorio, is a tri-level interactive theater and nightclub, from the creators of The Box and CBS. You are lead to believe that you are entering a funeral parlor, only to learn the funeral is your own. To get into the rest you must enter through a coffin, so those afraid of tight spaces beware, as the fear is very real. Then the club begins. Reunited with friends, you enter a lounge called Hell. Purgatory is a theatre where you are entertained by some of the best acts around. Check out Kenichi Ehina. What he does with his head and his body, makes the exorcist look tame and a disco called Heaven. This is a Halloween full of sin, intoxication and sheer madness. With this kind of fun who needs Heaven? Mixed with a sensual pounding of pulsating music this club offers Halloween themed burlesque acts, circus tricks and cabaret for a one-of-a-kind experience. Come scantily clad, or be prepared to watch as some of the hottest bodies surround you.

You can delve into Dante’s macabre from October 15 through the 31st. This club unlike The Box is open to the public for a fee of $40 to $80 at enterpurgatorio.com with no velvet rope in sight. I actually missed the exclusivity of The Box as the guests were not on their best behavior. Also this is not a haunted house. Pugatorio is a club, an event, that brings out madness, the erotic. Must be 21 to enter.

Weiner even predicts that the kind of interactive, "environmental theater" on display at Purgatorio will one day replace most traditional stage shows. It’s proximity to Broadway theaters is a start. But would Hammerstein ever considering opening a more permanent venue in Times Square — a terrifying location even without fake Halloween blood?

S: Is for Sales

2009-10-15T22:04:00.004-05:00

Sometimes writing 5 days a week, putting out a paper twice a month and reviewing is exhausting. It is great when I can just share information with you and that is a F.A.C.T. Enjoy

T: is for trouble with the arctic ice

2009-10-14T22:37:00.004-05:00

The results of a new Arctic survey shows that North Pole ice is melting faster than previously projected and scientists at Cambridge University predict the Arctic ocean will be largely ice-free during within the next ten years. Earlier this year, British explorer Pen Hadow and his team trekked for three months across the frozen Arctic Ocean, taking measurements and recording observations about the ice. "We'd been led to believe that we would encounter a good proportion, of this older, thicker, technically multi-year ice that's been around for a few years and just gets thicker and thicker," he said. "We actually found there wasn't any multi-year ice at all." Satellite observation and submarine surveys over the past few years had shown less ice in the polar region, but the recent measurements show the loss is more pronounced than previously thought. "We're looking at 80 percent roughly loss of ice cover on the Arctic Ocean in 10 years, and 100 percent loss in nearer 20 years," said Hadow. "The more you lose, the more open water is created, the more warming goes on in that open water during the summer, the less ice forms in the winter, the more melt there is the following summer," he said. "It becomes a breakdown process where everything ends up accelerating until it's all gone." "The carbon that we've put into the atmosphere keeps having a warming effect for 100 years, so we have to cut back rapidly now, because it will take a long time, there's a flywheel effect, it will take a long time to work its way through into a response by the atmosphere. We can't switch off global warming by being good in the future, we have to start being good now," he said.

Now is the time for a rescue plan before it is too late. Maybe somebody should inform Ms. Palin and that is a F.A.C.T.

C: Is for Candidates

2009-10-13T21:49:00.004-05:00

Last night Mayor Bloomberg and his Democratic rival City Comptroller Bill Thompson squared off for their first broadcast debate at El Museo del Barrio. While I was watching it, all I could think was that Bloomberg had an eye life and no longer looks like a lizard. I know my mind should of been on the issues but this was distracting. Bill Thompson got a few hits in but he needs New York to wake up to the shady deal we are getting by Bloomberg running. Thompson went after Bloomberg for violating the two-term limit. The vast majority of New Yorkers aren't comfortable with the idea a run around the rules.
But it makes no difference whatsoever. The real thing the debate proved is that the fact that Bloomberg is going to get away with this. What's going on here? Thompson is a respectable candidate, a two-term city Comptroller and former Board of Education head. He's personable; he's never been involved in a major scandal. And he's running in a city where Democrats outnumber Republicans by more than 5-1. But nobody seems to think he can win. A billionaire incumbent has an advantage. he ran nearly 900 ads in September, compared to 14 for Thompson.

Maybe we can make a difference but New Yorkers vote for the biggest billboard and that is Bloomberg. I hope I am wrong but those seem to be the F.A.C.T.S.

A: is for art that is life size

2009-10-13T00:33:00.002-05:00

There is nothing more spectacular than seeing a film shown widescreen, as the orchestra and singers perform what was written, live. Add to that a cult film, with and audience who adores anything and everything that is being put before them, and the mood becomes infectious. Thus was the case when Lord of The Rings played at Radio City this weekend. As the opening credits swam over the screen, the music of middle earth was unearthed by 300 musicians. Three and a half hours, those of us who were privileged enough, were on our feet applauding loudly. Swiss conductor Ludwig Wicki, the 21st Century Symphony Orchestra, the New York-based Collegiate Chorale; and the Brooklyn Youth Chorus, executing the music of Howard Shore with ominous reverence. The musical themes of each segment soared to life. This is a beloved story that leaves it's audience sighing in contentment and reverie. It was exciting watching The Lord of the Rings with a crowd who knew every line and nuance. As each character was introduced (especially Viggo Mortensen and Orlando Bloom) and of course the minor cameo of Peter Jackson. I can not recommend seeing a film like this highly enough; for it is a joy hearing this music live and made one terrific night at the theater and that is a F.A.C.T.

F: Is for Fear

2009-10-11T23:42:00.003-05:00

If you are in New York, you may have heard advertisments for something called Club Purgatorio. It is a mix of a nightclub and Broadway show that will be running in Times Square for a limited time. Tickets are available now from their Web site, and you must be 21 years or older to enter. Purgatorio is an interactive Halloween experience for adults, brought to you by Simon Hammerstein and Randy Weiner, founding partners of famed downtown hotspot The Box. Taking over a tri-level, 15,000 square foot nightclub space at 268 W. 47th Street, October 15-31. Purgatorio will offer an adults-only immersion in a multi-level world of macabre fantasy complete with interactive variety acts and installations, all set in a dynamic environment that aims to be at once frightening, erotic, and whimsical.
The creative team will include David Korins (production/scenic design), Emilio Sosa (costume design), and Evan Morris (lighting design). For more information, visit enterpurgatorio.com.

Halloween in Times Square has never seemed more ghoulish and that is a F.A.C.T.

S: Is for Social Responsibility.

2009-10-11T23:41:00.001-05:00

The Barrow Group, Theatre Company, seems to be the up-and-coming theatre group to watch. Celebrating their 23rd season, they are represented on Broadway with the star studded Steady Rain, as well as having an Off-Broadway hit with The Temperamentals. Last night they opened with the American premiere of Clare McIntyre's The Thickness of Skin. McIntyre asks, "In what ways are we responsible to help our fellow human beings?" I have a question for Ms McIntyre; Should not the people we are responsible for, show at least some form of graciousness and a willingness to help themselves? Though she makes her point in The Thickness of Skin, she elicits a reaction of ungratefulness and anger. We all fall on hard times but some of us get stuck because we wallow in self destructiveness. In The Thickness of Skin, everyone is stuck. Laura has stepped outside her unhappy and repressed life to help Eddie, a black man who has fallen on hard times. Laura, volunteers at the homeless center, she takes Eddie into her home, despite the centers rules, gets him work with her brother Michael. Eddie manipulates a sexual relationships with Laura who is ripe for the pickings due to her loneliness at Christmas time. Meanwhile at Michael's, his wife Roanne and he are stuck as they try to communicate and help their teenage son Jonathan. Jonathan has struck up a friendship with the eccentric neighbor, Imogen. Eddie who is unwilling to work for less, would rather play video games and collect welfare than work for minimum wage, for that would be degrading. He would rather blame everybody but himself than take responsibility for his past marriages and his children. When the center finds out, they blame Laura saying "If you wanted to help just give money." By the end Laura after being degraded by Eddie in every possible way forces $2000 upon him to ease....her guilt. I seriously wanted to jump up out of my seat and shake Laura and tell her she had nothing to be guilty over and to shove Eddie off the stage and let him wallow in his own self pity.

Did I like the play? It elicited a strong reaction from me. Do I think it does the theme a disservice...yes. There are people who have fallen on hard times and if this were the example I would say...NO! to helping them. For the people who still are fighting to keep their jobs, keep their homes and their lives........YES, a thousand times, yes. To those who live off the welfare system and drown and drug out and blame everyone but themselves....no.

The performances are all multi layered. Alison Wright as Laura is pathetic and lovable. We feel for her. Michael Chenevert as Eddie is the perfect manipulative loser. Myles O'Connor as Michael shows us why men work 24/7 so as not to deal with anything else. Karin Sibrava as Roanna is wonderful in her last speech about who she wishes she was. Eli Gelb ("The Squid & the Whale") is Jonathan and is the right choice for the youth on the verge of manhood. Wendy Vanden Heuvel doubling as Imogen and Christine steals the play with her insightful portrayal of the Imogen, who has lost her touch with reality, yet still trying to connect.

The Thickness of Skin runs through Nov. 9 at The Barrow Group's Studio Theatre, 312 W. 36th Street, 3rd Floor, in Manhattan.
www.barrowgroup.org.

We may have a responsibility but we need to also take responsibility and that is a F.A.C.T.

T: Is for titles that sell

2009-10-11T23:27:00.005-05:00

Please just gag me. Sarah Palin is never going to go away. Palin has written a tell all book called "Going Rogue." Just like J.K. Rowling and Dan Brown, Palin's book is No. 1 on Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com after Harper announced it had moved up the release date to Nov. 17. Palin's 432-page memoir, has been given a first printing of 1.5 million copies and booksellers have begun fighting for sales. Wal-Mart Stores Inc. cut the $28.99 list price by more than half, to $13.50, and Amazon.com and Barnes & Noble.com are offering "Going Rogue" for $15.65, a 45 percent discount. Although she resigned abruptly last summer as governor, and the Republican ticket of Sen. John McCain and Palin was decisively beaten in the 2008 election, "Going Rogue" will surely outsell the memoir of her Democratic counterpart, Vice President Joe Biden, and likely approach the million-selling heights of President Barack Obama's. Palin has said that "Going Rogue" will give her a chance to express herself "unfiltered," a bold brand for a public figure who has likened herself to a pit bull with lipstick and once alleged that Obama was "palling around with terrorists." Palin's collaborator, Lynn Vincent, has her own history of attacking the left. She is the co-author of "Donkey Cons: Sex, Crime, and Corruption in the Democratic Party." The very existence of a Democratic administration means material for conservatives. In the 1990s, Ann Coulter and Barbara Olson were among those who wrote best-selling attacks against President Bill Clinton. Al Franken, Michael Moore and other liberals were popular authors during the Bush administration. Now, says Ross, as Democrats reign in Washington, "conservatives have been energized." I wonder if she will finally tell the truth. Naw...then pigs would have to fly and that is a truthful F.A.C.T.

C: Is for Charlayne

2009-10-08T22:00:00.002-05:00

I am not always a fan of one person shows, but Charlayne Woodard's, warm, exquisitely written "The Night Watcher" has changed my mind. A tour de force acting piece, that has the audience failing in love with her, is a stark honest look over the decision not to be a mother but an "auntie". Some people are not meant to be mothers and Charlayne without pretense states she is not. The Children who are lucky enough to get Charlayne as confessor, advocate and friend, were blessed. They got the best of both worlds, a mother to always be there and an "Auntie" to go to when things became unbearable. Through "The Nghtwatcher" we meet 14-year old Indira who while clutching a stuffed animal confesses she is pregnant. 16-year old Benemarie, is illiterate, motherless girl who on the verge of womanhood. She is sent from Brooklyn to Florida to have her other aunt's husband come onto her and when it is found out is beaten-up. Through Nala,her terrified nephew we learn the meaning of the title of the play and how significant it is, for should we not be the watchers for those who are the most vulnerable and innocent? Though this play touches on subjects that are for the most part painful, Charlayne is a mother, to one Atticus Finch, a Maltese to whom she buys a chocolate shearling coat, while her mother is besides herself on the phone. Director Daniel Sullivan's understands the work and the aura of Charlayne and clears the way of all pretense. This is Ms Woodard's forth solo play and I would now love to see the other three. During the course of the play Charlayne's husband Harris is her rock. By the end of the play my guest turned to me and said "we should all have a Harris." My response to that is all children should have a Auntie Charlayne." You can see this insightful work at Primary Stages at 59E59 Theaters, 59 E. 59th St. until October 31st. This is a play that will move you and that is a F.A.C.T.

A: Is for acting and plays that ask you why?

2009-10-08T08:33:00.004-05:00

Below the Belt, is described as Richard Dresser's "comedy" about soulless workers. Here in lies the problem. It is neither a comedy nor or all the characters soulless. This thankless play receives an Off-Off-Broadway revival by The Rock Garden a troupe that employs a lengthy rehearsal process. The idea for the play is interesting. Three men try to survive their pathetic jobs and lives on an isolated industrial compound somewhere in the middle of a vast foreign desert. A river, that runs through the compound is used as a metaphor for society, the goings on between the three men and the destruction that is inevitable. Larry Preston directs, as well as plays Merkin, the sadistic boss who uses his workers as pawns because he is so stuck in his own life. Chad Brigockas as Hanrahan is perfect as the consciousness of man. He pulls off the cynical questioning put to the innocent Dobbitt (Ara Shehigian) as well as the need of human understanding later on. What the play does show is the layers of existence. Everything and everybody is not what it seems. The Bruce Jay Friedman play "Steambath" is brought to mind here. It is verbal gymnasts for all three of the actors, as they grope for a human connection. When Hanrahan is thanked, he demands to know why, as the connection never exists. What do honesty and friendship mean? And freedom? And truth? ''Truth is the last nail in your coffin,'' states Hanrahan. ''Lying is the one thing that can save him,'' declares, Merkin, to Hanrahan. Everything here is abstract, absurdism, that contrasts entrapment. By the end of the play it is still the same and life goes on and on and on. This is not a play for the suicidal.

All three actors are members of The Rock Garden and spent a year working on this. The acting is wonderfully executed but by the end of the play, all I could think of was why this play? Why a year?

Performances play the Access Theater, 380 Broadway (at White Street in Tribeca, three blocks below Canal) from — Oct. 1-25 in Manhattan and for $18 you can see acting done by a troupe that has a lot to offer and that is a F.A.C.T.

F: Is for food any time

2009-10-05T20:24:00.006-05:00

It is hard to find a great waffle in New York until now, thanks to a traveling truck. These waffles taste, just like the ones in Belgium! Their add-ons -- nutella and pulled pork! -- are great, although the waffles are delicious by themselves. Wafels & Dinges charges $5 for a waffle. The first dinges (Belgian for topping) is free, the second is $1. A scoop of ice cream is $2. Wafels & Dinges, the brainchild of Thomas DeGeest, in a bright yellow truck. The truck sells Brussels and Liège wafels, each $5. Personally, I recommend the Liège. It’s smaller and sweeter. Turn it into a brochette, or top it with the amazing spekuloos spread which tastes kind of like Graham Crackers mushed up with butter, and you have a dessert that’s worth risking your diet for. There are lots of other yummy dinges, too. I love the bacon wafel. If you really want to waffle out, pay $7 and you get an unlimited pile of dinges creating a WMD, a Wafel of Massive Deliciousness. Sweetly, the truck sells beverages to wash down these concoctions including hot Belgian cocoa and iced coffee.
To find the food meant for the Gods check out their schedule.

Mondays:
8am - 4pm: Broadway and 116th Street (at Columbia University)
4pm - 10pm: Broadway and 62nd Street (near Movie Theater)
Tuesday:
8am - 5pm: Hudson Street between King and W. Houston
6pm - 10pm: Greenwich Street, between Duane and Jay Street
Wednesday:
8am - 4pm: 52nd Street between 6th and 7th Aves
4pm - 10pm: 86th between 2nd and 3rd, in front of the Sovereign Bank
Thursday:
8am - 4pm: 45th Street at NW corner with 6th Ave
4pm - 10pm: 7th Ave, near Christopher Street (West side of 7th St.)
Friday:
8am - 2pm: 47th between 2nd and 3rd (near 3rd)
5pm - 10pm: 7th Ave, near Christopher Street (West side of 7th St.)
Saturday
9am - 5pm: Park Slope - 7th Ave and Carroll Street
6pm - 10pm: 7th Ave, near Christopher Street (West side of 7th St.)
Sunday
9am - 10pm: 86th Street between 2nd and 3rd

Now this is something to check out and that is a F.A.C.T.

S: Is for "Superior Donuts"

2009-10-01T23:46:00.004-05:00

Tonight I write about a play I saw a few days ago, but could not write about until it's opening, which was tonight. Upon first reading about "Superior Donuts," I had no urge to see it. I hated the title, the premise sounded dull and except for the playwright Tracy Letts and the amazing Steppenwolf Company, I just wasn't interested. I was wrong. "Superior Donuts" is the kind of play that will touch your heart. There are some whose hearts are so hardened that it will be hard to see the truth, so simply put. Most people will only see the surface story, others will see into it's soul.

There are those of us who dream and will always see the best in life, no matter how horrible and devastating our circumstances are. No matter the knocks, we refuse to let life get us down. We face up to challenges and try, and try and try. Maybe that tenacity comes from a place of pain or maybe a place of faith. I don't know. All I do know, is that those who don't have this personality type, hate those of us who do and try hard to squash the light. We are told we are dreamers, that we don't live in reality.

The truth is, we see reality clearer than most. It lives in our art.... in our writing.

"Superior Donuts" is the story of Arthur Przybyszewski (a lovable, Michael McKean) who was born with that kind of mind set, only to have it squashed. Through the years he has closed off and is unable to communicate. Enter 21 year old Franco Wicks (a terrific, Jon Michael Hill) whose optimism and brazen behavior, allows Arthur a second chance at authenticity. It is through Franco's destruction that Arthur, regains his life and in turn steps outside of his self to help the helpless Franco and the cynic becomes the dreamer. Along the way there are standout performances by Yasen Peyankov as Max Tarasov the foreigner, who longs to buy his neighbors shop. Michael Garvey as Kiril Ivakina, Max's hunky strapping nephew whose gentleness is masked by his looks. Jane Alderman as Lady Boyle the neighborhood drunk who sees through the masks. Kate Buddeke as Officer Randy Osteen who longs for Arthur to notice her. Director, Tina Landau, brings what could of easily become a sitcom and turns this into a wonderful evening of theatre.

You can see "Superior Donuts" at the Music Box Theater, 239 West 45th Street. I guess the only question to ask is will the cynics or the dreamers win out. At the performance I attended the audience couldn't wait to get on it's feet to applaudingly sends it's approval. Now I know, why cops hang out in donut shops and that is a tasty F.A.C.T

T: Is for Talkin and Walkin Broadway

2009-10-01T22:44:00.004-05:00

CityListen Audio Tours announced the release of Walkin’ Broadway, hosted by Elliott Forrest. These tours takes listeners on a journey through Broadway's past and present. Learn the history with fascinating anecdotes and recollections from over a dozen exclusive interviews with Ossie Davis, Stephen Schwartz, John Raitt and Hal Prince to name a few. Walkin' Broadway was created by arts veterans Don Frantz and Elliott Forrest. Frantz is a theatrical producer for such shows as Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King on Broadway. Forrest has won a Peabody award as both a broadcaster and producer. He can now be heard on WQXR, the classical radio station in New York City. Elliott's was also the host of the long-running Breakfast with the Arts and Biography this Week on A&E Television. CityListen launched in 2007, and is a new kind of travel publishing company, creating and electronically publishing downloadable for iPods and MP3 players. Built by a team of talented producers and exceptional tour guides. The running time is 55 minutes with a PDF map for the tour can also be downloaded from the site. The tour features stories from the creative talents behind such shows as A Chorus Line, Avenue Q, Chicago, Hair, Fiddler on the Roof, Pippin, Sweeney Todd and many more. Walkin’ Broadway is available for purchase for the introductory price of $7.95 at www.citylisten.com

C: Is for Cashtraction

2009-10-01T00:27:00.002-05:00

Being cash strapped we could use some laughs. Here are the winners of this year's Washington Post's Mensa Invitational which asks readers to take any word from the dictionary, alter It by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition :

1. Cashtration (n.): The act of buying a house, which renders the subject financially impotent for an indefinite period of time.

2. Ignoranus: A person who is both stupid and an asshole.

3. Intaxication: Euphoria at getting a tax refund, which lasts until you realize it was your money to start with.

4. Reintarnation: Coming back to life as a hillbilly.

5. Bozone (n.): The substance surrounding stupid people that stops bright Ideas from penetrating. The bozone layer, unfortunately, shows little sign of breaking down in the near future.

6. Foreploy: Any misrepresentation about yourself for the purpose of getting laid.

7.Giraffiti: Vandalism spray-painted very, very high

8.Sarchasm: The gulf between the author of sarcastic wit and the person who doesn't get it.

9. Inoculatte: To take coffee intravenously when you are running late.

10. Osteopornosis: A degenerate disease. (This one got extra Credit.)

11. Karmageddon: It's like, when everybody is sending off all these really bad vibes, right? And then, like, the earth explodes and it's, like, a serious bummer.

12. Decafalon (n.): The grueling event of getting through the day consuming only things that are good for you.

13. Glibido: All talk and no action.

14. Dopeler Effect: The tendency of stupid ideas to seem smarter when they come at you rapidly.

15. Arachnoleptic Fit (n.): The frantic dance performed just after you've accidentally walked through a spider web.

16. Beelzebug (n.): Satan in the form of a mosquito, that gets into your bedroom at three in the morning and cannot be cast out.

17. Caterpallor (n.): The color you turn after finding half a worm in the fruit you're eating.

The Washington Post has also published the winning submissions to its yearly contest in which readers are asked to supply alternate meanings for common words. And the winners are:

1. Coffee, n. The person upon whom one coughs.

2. Flabbergasted, adj. Appalled by discovering how much weight one has gained.

3. Abdicate, v. To give up all hope of ever having a flat stomach.

4. Esplanade, v. To attempt an explanation while drunk.

5. Willy-nilly, adj. Impotent.

6. Negligent, adj. Absentmindedly answering the door when wearing only a nightgown.

7. Lymph, v. To walk with a lisp.

8. Gargoyle, n. olive-flavored mouthwash.

9. Flatulence, n. Emergency vehicle that picks up someone who has been run over by a steamroller.

10. Balderdash, n. A rapidly receding hairline.

11. Testicle n. A humorous question on an exam.

12. Rectitude, n. The formal, dignified bearing adopted by proctologists.

13. Pokemon, n. A rastafarian proctologist.

14. Oyster, n. A person who sprinkles his conversation with
yiddishisms.

15. Frisbeetarianism, n. The belief that, after death, the soul flies up onto the roof and gets stuck there.

16. Circumvent, n. An opening in the front of boxer shorts worn by Jewish men.

They say laughter strengthens the immune system, reduces food cravings, increases one's threshold for pain and stress. Now that's a side splitting F.A.C.T.

A: Is for Art that walks

2009-09-29T16:43:00.003-05:00

CityListen Audio Tours announced the release of Walkin’ Broadway, hosted by Elliott Forrest. These tours takes listeners on a journey through Broadway's past and present. Learn the history with fascinating anecdotes and recollections from over a dozen exclusive interviews with Ossie Davis, Stephen Schwartz, John Raitt and Hal Prince to name a few. Walkin' Broadway was created by arts veterans Don Frantz and Elliott Forrest. Frantz is a theatrical producer for such shows as Beauty and the Beast and The Lion King on Broadway. Forrest has won a Peabody award as both a broadcaster and producer. He can now be heard on WQXR, the classical radio station in New York City. Elliott's was also the host of the long-running Breakfast with the Arts and Biography this Week on A&E Television. CityListen launched in 2007, and is a new kind of travel publishing company,
creating and electronically publishing downloadable for iPods and MP3 players. Built by a team of talented producers and exceptional tour guides. The running time is 55 minutes with a PDF map for the tour can also be downloaded from the site. The tour features stories from the creative talents behind such shows as A Chorus Line, Avenue Q, Chicago, Hair, Fiddler on the Roof, Pippin, Sweeney Todd and many more. Walkin’ Broadway is available for purchase for the introductory price of $7.95 at www.citylisten.com and that is an affordable art F.A.C.T.

F: Is for food Mexican Style

2009-09-28T21:10:00.003-05:00

You know the hidden-bar fad is out of control when you’re in a Mexican T.G.I. Friday’s. Su Casa has two huge second-floor picture windows, cluttered walls on the walk up the stairs, leather benches line the bar’s long brick walls and are bathed in a cooling light from the small candles set in the brick (complete with real wax drippings.) The back section oozes "sexy and intimate." For those who love sports on TV this place loops classic Mexican wrestling matches on the bar TV. It is the drnks that are outstanding. Fresh Margarita's and the “El Diablo” – tequila, habanero peppers and Tabasco which should come with a warning label. A light fare of Mexican snacks is evocative of a "1960s Mexican speakeasy. An unexpected highlight is the bathroom, where speakers blast Spanish music and the walls are plastered in pages from gossip magazines. Catch up on your escándalos. You can get your Mexican on at 404 6th Ave @ 8th St and that is a F.A.C.T.

S: Is for sustainable

2009-09-25T00:29:00.003-05:00

Is reading next to Godliness? Well, if it wasn't before, it is now. This old Dominican church now contains the keys to enlightenment. After months of renovation this magnificent structure constructed in 1294 has opened its doors to the public as a bookstore in the heart of Maastricht in the Netherlands. Now this historic architecture is ripe with information. In the 13th century, the structure was a Dominican church until Napoleon invaded. Since then, it has been a parish, a warehouse, an archive and a giant parking lot for bicycles. The architecture firm Merkx + Girod, are the geniuses behind this resurrection. In a bit of humor the bookstore also installed a cross-shaped reading table where anyone can sit and flip through the magazines and newspapers kept in the slats of the table. The design has won the Lensvelt de Architect Interior Prize. The book store is owed by Selexyz Dominicanen and maintains a wide selection of books across all subjects, even boasting a sizable collection of books in English. As more and more churches are being abandoned due to redundancy, maybe this is something for Barnes and Noble to think about. Can you image St. Patrick's as the newest reading spot? If God has a sense of humor that could soon be a F.A.C.T.

T: Is for Taxes run a muck

2009-09-23T22:58:00.004-05:00

We need to be focused on the bigger picture. As ACORN makes headlines, this reporter wrote about ACORN and the part it has played in our economical demise. I stated how ACORN was one of major concerns with President Obama. I am still worried. We have to accept a tax cheat as our treasury secretary — Tim Geithner. A guy who wants to de-develop our economy and redistribute the wealth in and among nations. Geithner was a part of the Group of 30 until I questioned them. http://www.group30.org/members.htm. What is so interesting about this group is who the chairman is...Jacob Frenkel the chairman of AIG. So is Paul Volcke. When President Obama was running for President, he had this to say: " Let me tell you who I associate with. On economic policy, I associate with former Fed Chairman Paul Volcker." President Obama has long supported our tax dollars go to an organization that has demonstrated its corruption over and over again. This is just not on the local level, but goes all the way to the top — to the power brokers at the highest levels of ACORN and in our own halls of Congress and administration —again it will be a sham.

Did you know Peter F. Geithner, Timothy's father was with the Ford Foundation and oversaw the work of Obama’s mother, Ann Dunham, developing what are called microfinance programs in Indonesia? Did you know The Group of 30 is run by some of the same financial institutions that got federal bailout money. This include American International Group, Goldman Sachs and Citi, among others. Because it has a web site and publishes an annual report, all of this seems open and above board. But the fine print reveals that some of the meetings are by “invitation only.” The entire list of “contributors and supporters” of the “Group of Thirty” is quite impressive. You will find not only U.S. financial institutions getting bailout money, but central banks around the world and Arab financial interests. In addition, you also find private financial interests, including the hedge fund operated by billionaire and Obama contributor George Soros.

Our taxes keep getting higher and yet no one questions...why? These are F.A.C.T.S. we nee to figure out.

C: Is for Catherine Zeta-Jones

2009-09-23T00:05:00.002-05:00

Academy Award–winner Catherine Zeta-Jones, five-time Tony Award–winner Angela Lansbury and Olivier Award–nominee Alexander Hanson will star in the first Broadway revival of Stephen Sondheim and Hugh Wheeler’s Tony Award–winning masterpiece A Little Night Music, directed by Tony Award-winner Trevor Nunn. The production begins previews on Tuesday, November 24, 2009 and opens on Sunday, December 13, 2009 at the Walter Kerr Theatre (219 West 48th Street).

Catherine Zeta-Jones, in her Broadway debut, will play the role of Desirée Armfeldt. Angela Lansbury will play Madame Armfeldt. Alexander Hanson will play Fredrik Egerman, a role he created in the recent Trevor Nunn production at London’s Menier Chocolate Factory and in the West End.

The cast will also features Aaron Lazar (Les Misérables) as Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm, Erin Davie (Grey Gardens) as Countess Charlotte Malcolm, Leigh Ann Larkin (Gypsy) as Petra, Hunter Ryan Herdlicka as Henrik Egerman, and Ramona Mallory (The Fantasticks) as Anne Egerman. The cast also includes Bradley Dean, Marissa McGowan, Betsy Morgan, Karen Murphy, Jayne Paterson and Kevin David Thomas. Additional casting, including the role of Fredrika Armfeldt, will be announced at a later date.

Based on Ingmar Bergman's film Smiles of a Summer Night, featuring a score by Stephen Sondheim and a book by Hugh Wheeler the originally opened in 1973 at Broadway's Shubert Theatre and ran for 601 performances. Produced and directed by Hal Prince. The production garnered six Tony Awards including Best Musical and Best Original Score. The Sondheim score features one of the composer's best-known songs, “Send in the Clowns,” as well as “Every Day a Little Death,” “The Miller's Son” and “A Weekend in the Country.”

This is one revival that has my singing with joy and that is a F.A.C.T.

A: Is for art awards

2009-09-22T08:14:00.005-05:00

In order for theatre to survive and thrive, it needs to be nurture, honored and recognized. Last night at New World Stages the Innovative Theatre Awards, other wise known as the IT Awards were held. Julie Halston MC'd the event and was hysterically funny. Best known for playing Bitsy Von Muffin, the women who destroys Charlotte's marriage in "Sex and the City," to new York theatre goers she is known as a wonderful comedian and stage actress. Her stories of Liza Minilli in the bathroom at the Barbara Sriesand concert, were riotous. Charles Busch, Andrew Lippa, John Patrick Shanley, Kevin Chamberlain, Austin Pendleton, Elizabeth Swados and Jackie Hoffman all presented awards. Keep these names and theatre company's in mind when choosing your next show: The Amoralist Theatre, Here Arts Centre, The Apple Sisters, Austin Mcormick, The Gallery Players, NOVA Arts Festival, Julian Eifer, The Brick Theatre, Material for the Arts, Elyse Mirto, Suzi Takahashi and New York Neo-Futurists. They were some of the big winners last night. The winners, however were the creators of this award. In attending, you realized the need for off off Broadway and what it brings to society. Without it's contribution we would not have plays that speak out, that are un-afraid to challenge society and artists that have a place to grow. Bravo to the IT Awards and all the nominees and winners. You keep us thinking and that is a F.A.C.T.

F: Is for Farewell my friend

2009-09-20T23:50:00.003-05:00

My computer was out of commission, so I could not write about the death of Patrick Swayze. He was a someone who touched my life with his art and his soul. I knew Patrick. We met while performing together in Disney on Parade. He was older and took those of us, younger than him, under his wing. When he moved to New York, we kept in touch. While there, he performed in a new musical called Goodtime Charley. He sent me the song "To Make the Boy a Man" and I sang at many an audition and performance while doing cabaret. He went on to play Danny Zuko in the long-running Broadway production of Grease. Later when I played Sandy in LA production, he sent me flowers and well wishes. When he became a star, in his film debut as the dance instructor Johnny Castle in "Dirty Dancing," we lost touch. What most people don't know was he sang. "She's Like the Wind," in the films soundtrack, was also co-written by him. His love of dancing was enhanced by the Harkness Ballet Company, the Joffrey and the Eliot Feld Ballet company as a principal dancer. He gave up his love of dance to star in such hits as "Ghost", "The Outsiders," "Red Dawn," "Road House," "Donnie Darko," "Too Wong Foo, Thanks for Everything! Julie Newmar" (Golden Globe nomination), and "Point Break." He regained his dance career back with In 2005, with his wife, Lisa Niemi, in the feature film, "One Last Dance." Lisa also wrote and starred in the film as well as making her directorial debut. People magazine recognized him for what we always known ....one of the "Sexiest Man Alive." In 2006 Patrick re-gained his Broadway roots on the London stage, debuting in Guys and Dolls as Nathan Detroit. Patrick claimed the stage, film and TV and on September 14th death claimed him. Patrick gave us his soul and that will be a missed F.A.C.T.

S: Is for Stem Cells

2009-09-19T02:36:00.002-05:00

Scans taken six months after patients received either stem cells or a placebo have shown an improvement in some hearts to pump blood. But doctors are not yet able to confirm if the improvements are in patients who received stem cells or those given the placebo. Professor Martin stated that, within a year, the doctors hoped to confirm whether stem cells could repair tissue damaged by a heart attack. In the trial, either stem cells or a salt solution were injected into the hearts of 28 patients as soon as they stabilised from emergency treatment to unblock their arteries following the heart attacks. The stem cells were then injected into the unblocked artery through a catheter also inserted into the groin. Doctors believe, from experiments carried out on animals, that the stem cells then travel through the artery and lodge in the damaged heart tissue.

Our bodies are remarkable machines and that is a F.A.C.T.

T: Is for thoughts on vaccines

2009-09-19T01:25:00.003-05:00

The idea of vaccination is that if you give the immune system a small "taste" of a bug (such as polio, whooping cough etc) it will make antibodies which will protect one against future exposures to the real thing. Good idea, but in practice it is not as simple. There are vested interest (primarily from drug companies) and it is difficult to trust the data with which one is presented. The evidence that vaccinations reduce incidence of disease is pretty thin. Most infectious diseases have declined as a result of improved hygiene and nutrition. The medical profession, backed up by the pharmaceutical and chemical industry, are experts in cover ups. Cover ups with drug side effects (which kill huge numbers of people every year but are hushed up. Pesticide poisoning, problems from silicone breast implants, the Gulf War syndrome and children with serious health problems dating from vaccination for which there is no other explanation for their illness. There is now strong evidence that part of Gulf War Syndrome was caused by multiple vaccinations. MMR has been linked with autism and there is still a case to be answered here. There are many cases of brain damaged children following triple vaccine (diptheria, pertussis, tetanus). Polio vaccination may be the cause of the huge increase in post viral fatigue syndrome. Before polio vaccination, post viral syndrome was rare. We now know that many cancers are caused by viral infection. Obvious examples include hepatitis B (primary liver cancer), cervical wart virus (cervical cancer) and AIDS (Kaposi's sarcoma). Chronic myeloid leukaemia is probably virally induced. How many other cancers could there be from which we are protected by proper exposure to a virus, but not protected by vaccination? Nobody knows the answer to this question. And certainly no studies are being done.

SO when you wonder weather or not to get that flu shot think twice and weigh your options for right now you have them and that is a F.A.C.T.

C: Is for class strggles

2009-09-17T09:20:00.006-05:00

"Below the Belt" is way ahead of its time, a timeless indictment of the quiet desperation that grows wild within the American Industry’s Byzantine system of power and the corrupt desperado's that maintain it. What we have here is the disturbingly drastic story of three dim-witted men determined to survive their pathetic jobs on an isolated industrial compound somewhere in the middle of a vast foreign desert. Theirs is a calculated offshore gluttony. Not bright, not educated, not worldly, these men are not equipped for savage global greed. But... they are employed. Let the games begin. Let the back-stabbing, throat-slitting, ass-kissing, inter-office combat begin. Our heroes are Hanrahan, Dobbitt and Merkin and they are playing in a gladiator arena of blood-drenched competition. When they set the river on fire, fireworks are set in motion. "Man without a company is a corpse.” It takes a profoundly energetic theatre company to get these statements across..enter the boys from the Rock Garden. Richard Dresser’s acclaimed dark comedy is in previews from
Thursday, October 1 to Saturday October 3rd, opening Sunday, October 4. This is a limited Engagement until October 25th. You can see this amazing piece at the Access Theatre: 380 Broadway (at White Street in Tribeca – 3 blocks below Canal) “If this is a jail it’s really pretty decent. If it’s a workplace? It’s entirely unacceptable.” These are statements that are now a sad F.A.C.T.

A: Is for Art Access

2009-09-17T09:19:00.002-05:00

The Broadway production of Bye Bye Birdie ios in search for “Birdie’s Biggest Fan.”
Fans of Bye Bye Birdie can participate to prove they are the show’s biggest fan by using social networks to spread the word about the new production. The lucky person who proves themselves “Birdie’s Biggest Fan” will receive a round trip to New York City to see the revival of Bye Bye Birdie.

Log onto http://www.byebyebirdieonbroadway.com/contest for more info.

Bye Bye Birdie stars John Stamos, Gina Gershon, Bill Irwin & Nolan Gerard Funk Bye Bye Birdie is directed and choreographed by Robert Longbottom with a book by Michael Stewart, music by Charles Strouse and lyrics by Lee Adams.

In case you don't know...Bye Bye Birdie, is the 1960 rock n’ roll musical, about hip-swingin’ teen idol superstar Conrad Birdie (Funk) who has been drafted into the army. Birdie's manager Albert (Stamos) and his secretary Rosie (Gershon) have cooked up a plan to send him off with a swell new song and one last kiss from a lucky teenage fan… on “The Ed Sullivan Show”! Bye Bye Birdie officially opens on Broadway on Thursday, October 15th, at the new Henry Miller’s Theatre (124 West 43rd Street).

How's that for a fan F.A.C.T.

F: Is for Couture Fashion...or not

2009-09-14T07:37:00.002-05:00

For the past four seasons, I have been covering Couture fashion Week, presented by Andres Aquino. Andres is a little like the PT Barnum of the Fashion World. His shows have some great entertainment but the substance is sometimes lacking. Like most fashion shows it is highly disorganized starting at times more than an hour behind. Unlike most fashion shows it treats its press and its un-paid workers less than humane. Members of the press that are on the A, B or C list are not given the front row or the second but the third row, which makes it difficult to write about the fashions that walk down the runway. Sadly to say or in this case happy to say details are missed. The privilege of those first rows goes to paying attendees not even buyers, they also are treated like second class citizens. Being treated so poorly had me talking to the ushers who are treated even worse. They had gone all day with out food, water or even a kind word, so needless to say they had a lot to say. When treating people so unkindly the fashions better be worth the aggravation but they are not. Since I have other obligations, I was only able to attend the last shows and by Sunday, I no longer cared to even do that. September 11th's show included Joy Washington's three, yes, count them three bee like designs. The color scheme was yellow and black chiffon. It was like a bad production of "My Fair Lady." None of the outfits flattered the models including the one the designer pompously wore down the runway. Catlin Botezatu was next up and all I can say is this is suppose to be Spring and chunky fur chokers, don't cut it. Designers for the most part have a sense of color but alas Catlin Botezatu has none. You would of thought after day one I would of learned my lesson but alas....September 12th held Andres's collection. After more than hour and half violinist Alexander Markov played. Now, I love classical music but when I am dead tired and irritate at the treatment of all who were there even the soothing tones of Alexander could not calm this angry beast. Andrea's designs did not help either. Though a talented designer Andres, does not understand the concept of less is more. Unlike Ms. Washington three would of been good. Starting off with a sequined sheer body suit and a silver diaper wrap thoughts of who will ever wear this and why went through my head as well as my guest. Next up a collection of ill fitting, un-finished bathing suits emerged. Then a badly done collection reminiscent of Carmen strutted their stuff as singer Kimera sang opera. A hideous ballerina like outfit twirled for what seemed forever, showing off all the flaws in the design and then there was a beautiful gold sequined with a cape snake like piece at the end which made me want to see more of a collection like this. Yesterday I skipped the rest as the tents held a much better version of the styles and fashion of Spring 2010.

Will I attend next year....? That is a F.A.C.T that is yet to be determined.

S: Is for Saving Music

2009-09-11T07:43:00.003-05:00

Tom Permentier is a professional classical percussionist and percussion teacher. He also conducts a youth orchestra called Kl!nk and is studying composition at the conservatory in Antwerp. His second life, however is the director of a group called Dynamo, which is a production of Cirkus in Beweging, (the circus school of Leuven, Belgium). Teaching percussion to children, and adults, in a non-traditional way. Dynamo, performed in Russia in 2008, as well as with the former percussion band Lokomotiv in Croatia, Hungary, Portugal, France, The Netherlands and Slovenia. Dynamo: is 23 musicians between 11 and 20. Colorful and richly resonant, their music is played on Brazilian instruments and all dress in crazy costumes. Conducting the band like a musical clown, Tom is like a Pied Piper, reminiscent of Danny Kaye. Composing the rhythms, he feels that the music they play comes 'from a land that still has yet to be discovered.

I caught this band and was so impressed that I had to learn more, so I could pass it on to you. This jubilant force of sheer joy makes you understand why music is our heart and souls. You can catch them for a short time in New York.

9/11: 7 pm: Flanders House (New York Times Building)
9/12: around midday: Governors Island (New Island Festival) and at 4 and 6 pm in Bowling Green Park
9/13: at 12:30 at Snug Harbor, Staten Island (Harbor Day)

Come see why music should be kept in our schools and in our lives.

T: Is for Tickets

2009-09-10T06:43:00.003-05:00

The Roundabout Theatre Company is proud to announce a major expansion of ACCESS Roundabout, a multi-faceted audience development initiative that allocates over 34,000 affordable tickets, as low as $10, to theatergoers. Beginning with the 2009-2010 season. As one of the nation’s leading not-for profit theatre companies, internationally recognized is excited to offer these special low-priced ticket alternatives to the community. Since the launch of this program, they have provided thousands of affordable seats, many as low as $10. ACCESS ROUNDABOUT includes the following four major programs: $10 PREVIEWS: 100 mezzanine tickets to be sold for $10for the first FOUR preview performances at each of its Broadway venues (American Airlines Theatre and Studio 54). Additionally, every seat for the first performance of Bye Bye Birdie at the Henry Miller’s Theatre was sold to the public for $10. The $10 preview tickets are available in advance by calling (212)719-1300, online at www.roundabouttheatre.org (use code ACCESS10) or at the respective box office. ROUNDABOUT UNDERGROUND: All tickets for all productions and performances at Roundabout Underground (5,456 total seats) are $20. This popular program will continue in the Black Box Theatre with the upcoming production of Adam Gwon’s new musical Ordinary Days beginning October 2nd, 2009. Tickets are available in advance by calling (212)719-1300, online at www.roundaboutunderground.com or at the box office. HIPTIX “New and Improved”: This popular program for young professionals and students continues to grow with cheaper tickets and even more access. Roundabout has allocated 24,600 tickets to be sold for only $20 each for HIPTIX members. Proof of age is required. RUSH POLICIES: Are available on the day of a performance at an average price of $21.50-$26.50. Student rush tickets are available one half hour before curtain time at half price, available with a valid student I.D. Roundabout's2009-2010 season includes Patrick Marber’s After Miss Julie, starring Sienna Miller, Lee Adams and Charles Strouse’s Bye Bye Birdie, starring John Stamos, Gina Gershon and Bill Irwin; Carrie Fisher’s Wishful Drinking; Theresa Rebeck’s The Understudy, with Mark-Paul Gosselaar; Adam Gwon’s Ordinary Days; Noël Coward’s Present Laughter starring Victor Garber and Tennessee Williams’ The Glass Menagerie. Theatre can be affordable and that is a F.A.C.T.

C: Is for Charities

2009-09-09T07:14:00.003-05:00

Theatre and daytime television stars are coming out to support Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS at the 23RD Annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction to be held on Sunday, September 27 from 10:00 AM – 7:00 PM in Shubert Alley (225 West 45th Street). The event will be held outdoors in Shubert Alley and is free and open to the public. From posing with your favorite Broadway and Daytime stars for photos, to buying that lost cast recording, signed show posters and Playbills, rare costume sketches or special gift for a theatre-lover you can’t find anywhere – this year’s Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction promises to offer something for everyone.
The Grand Auction has always been the highlight of the Flea Market event and this year will not disappoint. The following lots are included in the auction and will be up for bidding! Make your Broadway debut in one of Broadway’s hit shows. Don’t miss the chance to bid on the opportunity to have a walk-on role in Mamma Mia!, Jersey Boys, The Phantom of the Opera, Wicked and Chicago. Opening night tickets to Superior Donuts, Wishful Drinking, The Royal Family, Memphis, Brighton Beach Memoirs, Broadway Bound, Finian's Rainbow, Ragtime, Fela, A Little Night Music and The Addams Family. Win VIP tickets to tapings of “Saturday Night Live” and “The Colbert Report.” Don’t miss your chance to own rare, one-of-a kind Broadway memorabilia, including: the jeans worn by Daniel Radcliffe onstage in Equus, the mask worn by Broadway's longest running ‘Phantom,’ Howard McGillan, in his final performance on Broadway, Gwen Verdon's top hat from Chicago, the seagull prop from last fall's acclaimed production of The Seagull, Mark Rylance's shirt and tie worn in his Tony Award winning performance in Boeing-Boeing, the chair used on the set of The Norman Conquests, the stone paver from the set of Exit The King and more!

Celebrities scheduled to appear at the Celebrity Autograph Table and Photo Booth in exchange for donations to BC/EFA include: Sebastian Arcelus (Jersey Boys), Elizabeth Ashley, Bryan Batt (Mad Men), P.J. Benjamin (Wicked), Susan Blackwell ([title of show]), Stephanie J. Block (9 to 5), Danny Burstein (South Pacific), Matt Cavenaugh (West Side Story), Kathleen Chalfant, Will Chase (Billy Elliot: The Musical), Alex Cole ("As the World Turns"), Ewa da Cruz ("As the World Turns"), Jason Danieley (Curtains), Quentin Earl Darrington (Ragtime), Diana DeGarmo (The Toxic Avenger), Bonnie Dennison (“Guiding Light”), Ellen Dolan ("As the World Turns"), Marj Dusay (“Guiding Light”), Bobbie Eakes ("All My Children), Tovah Feldshuh (Irena’s Vow), Harvey Fierstein, John Glover (The Royal Family), Montego Glover (Memphis), Jonathan Groff (Spring Awakening), Haydn Gwynne (Billy Elliot: The Musical), Van Hansis (“As the World Turns”), Rosemary Harris (The Royal Family), Jessica Hecht (Neil Simon’s Brighton Beach Memoir’s and Broadway Bound), Dana Ivey, Judith Ivey, Greg Jbara (Billy Elliot: The Musical), Chad Kimball (Memphis), Beth Leavel (Mamma Mia!), Jessica Leccia (CBS, “Guiding Light”), Priscilla Lopez (In the Heights), Rebecca Luker (Mary Poppins), David Andrew MacDonald (“The Guiding Light"), Constantine Maroulis (Rock of Ages), Marin Mazzie (Spamalot), Cady McClain ("As the World Turns"), Debra Monk (Curtains), Javier Munoz (In the Heights), Robert Newman (“Guiding Light”), Dominic Nolfi (Jersey Boys), Christiane Noll (Ragtime), Karen Olivo (West Side Story), Steven Pasquale (Reasons to be Pretty), Bernadette Peters, Julie Pinson (“As the World Turns”), Anthony Rapp (Rent), Vanessa Ray (“As the World Turns”), Alice Ripley (Next to Normal), Chita Rivera, Mo Rocca (“CBS Sunday Morning,” “The Daily Show”), Thomas Sadoski (Reasons to be Pretty), Loretta Ables Sayre (South Pacific), Marian Seldes, Marnie Schulenburg ("As the World Turns"), Carole Shelley (Billy Elliot: The Musical), Christopher Sieber (Shrek the Musical), J. Robert Spencer (Next to Normal), Chrishell Stause (“All My Children), Robin Strasser (“One Life to Live”), Bobby Steggert (Ragtime), Caitlin Van Zandt (“Guiding Light”).

Specific items for sale at the Flea Market, packages to be auctioned will be announced at a later date or visit www.BroadwayCares.org for details.

A: Is for Art that revisits the past

2009-09-08T08:02:00.002-05:00

Got to hand it to the Brits. They just came up with a play, that I for one can't wait to see. Get this, not a musical. It is a real play, based on Enron. As Enron employees were losing everything, others were pocketing fat bonuses, as they might today. Enron the play takes a detailed look at the US energy company of the same name which filed for bankruptcy eight years ago, with parallels being drawn between the early part of the decade and the current economic climate. Written by Lucy Prebble, the play will be showing in London from 17 September until 31 October. Talk about a scary Halloween.

In Houston, Texas that is, a musical version is taking place. Talk about a very sore nerve for many Houstonians, but the sheer psychological impact that the actual Enron debacle left on the American financial landscape seems like the perfect setting for a musical. Featuring two acts with six local actors playing up to 10 roles (including those Kenneth L. Lay, Jeffrey K. Skilling and Andrew S. Fastow), this is a revue of sorts. Enron's songs are show-tune parodies such as Thank Heaven for Off The Books Deals. To those who lost college funds, their life savings or even their homes, this play may bring some memories that were just starting to ease.

Enron it seems is back and this time maybe we will learn from it and realize the F.A.C.T.S.

F: Is for freedom and labor

2009-09-07T08:15:00.005-05:00

I always mixed Labor day and Memorial Day up, because I think we should labor then morn. However this year it seems appropriate. The arrival of Labor Day, is especially poignant, with the current recession. Seven million jobs have vanished and industrial production has fallen by nearly 17 percent. Most jobless workers would quickly trade idleness for the aggravations that once plagued their existance. Stress-filled commutes and irratating bosses now pale in insignificance. Unemployment is now not just for the lazy and those trying to live off the goverment. (Yes, I do know people like that.)Today instead of parades and solidarity, we punder on where we are headed. Labor Day became a national holiday in 1894. In the aftermath of the Pullman strike that year, in which nearly three dozen workers died at the hands of U.S. marshals and military troops, President Grover Cleveland was eager to appease labor. A bill designating the first Monday in September as Labor Day was rushed through Congress and signed into in law six days after the Pullman walkout ended. As the decades passed, much of Labor Day’s political edge receded until it mainly marked the traditional end of summer.
For millions of Americans who have lost their jobs, the notion of celebrating a day off from work makes Labor Day a bittersweet holiday. So today as I go off to labor because I have a job I am grateful. It is my hope that all those who wish to labor, get that chance. Labor sometimes is a blessing and that is a F.A.C.T.

S: Is for glimpses of Space

2009-09-03T21:47:00.004-05:00

As we journey through life in this age we are priveledged to see beyond our own backyard. Distant planets are just within a telephoto lense. This is an image taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera mounted on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. The University of Arizona, Tucson, which operates HiRISE, has just released a new batch of these photos taken in the last several months. They reveal an alien landscape of craters, valleys, ridges, channels, weird surface patterns and other features in incredible detail. This image is the muffin-cup-like Victoria Crater, a site once explored by the Mars rover Opportunity. The camera is pointed 22 degrees east so we get a better view of the crater's slopes, "comparable to a view from an airplane window," the university says.
Some of the images are reminesent of flying over the Grand Canyon or the Sahara. Others are distinctly extraterrestrial in nature. The images reveal details about the surface of our neighbor in the solar system and prove we are not alone and that is a F.A.C.T.

T: Is for Treasury

2009-09-03T21:04:00.004-05:00

The Financial elites are desperate. They are appealing the Bloomberg directive to reveal who received funding to keep from going bankrupt from the Federal Reserve.
In addition HR 1207 will pass in the House this month. The question is in what form. With an official $23.7 trillion committed by the Treasury and the Fed. This number alone shows you how serious this situation is. The banking sector is still broke and is using TARP funds to buy out failing smaller banks. The residential TARP funds returned will go toward helping bail out the collapsing commercial real estate industry. We are still facing a new wave of subprime loans written over the past year by FHA, Ginnie Mae, Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, plus ALT-A, Option ARMS Pick-and-Pay Loans and the failure of prime loans that will stretch to 2013. On top of that we have commercial real estate loans now to deal with and credit card failure. Standing in the wings, are America’s creditors, especially the Chinese who are dumping $25 billion to $100 billion in dollar denominated assets monthly. No wonder they are terrified of an audit. I have stated more than once in this column, gold and silver related assets are the only answer. The world is about to find out that free trade and globalization has been a disaster. In America the safety net of the FDIC doesn’t exist. It is virtually broke and that is why a few months ago unofficially the FDIC asked the government for $500 billion. Putting this into perspective, about $700 billion would insure about 1% of all the qualifying deposits in the US. Not only will the Federal Reserve Transparency Act, HR-1207, pass the House, but also it will pass the Senate. Three more U.S. banks failed on Friday, bringing the total to 84. Can you say: North American Union...? I am not a conspiracist, just someone who sees the writing on the wall and this is a F.A.C.T.

C: Is for Comedy that is vanity only

2009-09-02T08:27:00.003-05:00

A good PR friend invited me to see a new show being done on Theatre Row, since this is in my new papers jurisdiction, I of course was more than happy to attend and review. I wish I could say more positive things but this was a case when the shows producers, produce so they can act. Not a bad scenario when you are perfect for the role, the play is well written and not predictable and or you have talent. None of the above applied. Shrunken Heads was performed at Playwrights Horizon, but this was not one of their shows. Instead it was by a company called Wild House Productions. The lead producer Kim Weller cast herself as the character, with the most difficult range and what transpired was a one of the worst acting performances I have had to sit through in a long time. Playing Dorothy Putney, she was suppose to be a women who is a neurotic, vain and narcissistic therapy patient who stalks her therapist and causes no end of trouble. One of her lines 10 minutes into her entering the stage is "nobody likes me" and by this point I wanted to scream "your right get off the stage." High pitch shrills are what was used instead of a layering of technique to make us even care one ounce for her. Note to Ms. Weller, put yourself in an outfit that is flattering instead of squeezing into a look so you are age appropriate. Mel House was also a producer who was cast as Polly Hyde, the antsiest of Dorothy. Ms Hyde fared better than Ms Weller, though it was little more than a college performance.

There were thankfully two highlights and when they were on stage it was like a breath of fresh air that said "ah, acting oh, yes, it exists." The first was Diane Henry who played Jennifer, the 1st wife of the therapist. Her every line was perfection. She took what could of been a cliche role and made it bitingly funny and I kept wishing she was in a better production. This women has the it factor. She knows how to move and how to look and each one is dead-on. She is like an onion that as it peels just keeps getting better and more complex and we see into the heart and soul of the character. Newcomer David Geller Hurwitz, showed that he had some acting chops as well and I hope to see more of him. The rest of the cast was adequate. As for the play cliche with some humorous lines thrown in. As for the direction, mismatched.

If it seems I am being to hard, please understand that when you ask me to give up three hours of my life (it takes time to get there)and I find out it is a vanity production...fine. Great actually if you have what it takes. But when it is this bad and this amateurish you deserve to be told. I want to thank Diane Henry and David Geller Hurwitz for making what could of been a disaster, bearable.

A: Is for Ayurveda

2009-09-01T06:30:00.002-05:00

In a time when health care is on the minds of most Americans. When drug companies no longer seem safe and are called into question, alternative medicines and practices don’t seem so impractical. For over 5000 years Ayurveda has existed in India and is successfully practiced in many countries all over the world, yet there are less than a handful of practitioners in America. New Yorkers are lucky, as Vasudha Gupta and her husband started American Ayuveda located at 62 W 47th St. Suite 1506 just off 6th Ave. Vasudha is a quite spoken women who radiates energy and calmness. “Knowing your own body type, is a way of staying healthy and balanced. Ayurveda is a way of life.” Vasudha’s clients include infertility cases, people with skin disorders, weight management, arthritis, Post chemo patients, Crohn's diseases, IBS, Fibroids, PMS and Auto Immune diseases. “Forget Viagra, when your body is in a state of wellness everything else falls into place. By eliminating the root cause of illnesses and keeping ourselves fit, by following a dietary and lifestyle, as per ayurvedic recommendations, one can live longer and healthier.” Ayurveda, has five elements (earth, water, fire, air and ether), these make up three primary Doshas. Vata, pitta and kapha. When a body is out of balance it is because one or more of these doshas has been aggravated. Think of the entire universe as well as the body as a single concept, we all consist of earth, water, fire, air and ether. When one of those elements is out of balance, the earth reacts with a natural disaster. Our bodies react much in the same way. The good news is we all have the power to heal. When seeing Vasudha she used the pulse as a form of diagnosis. From there she can tell you your dosha and the food and life style for you and customized formulations that she make according to the body type. I was diagnosed and found her to be so faultless in her prognosis, that I followed her recommendations. I have already lost a significant amount of weight, gained energy and am no longer achy all over. Unlike a regular doctor, she is affordable at $150 a visit. For the first 3-4 months you need to see her once a month, but after that it is every two months. When you add up the cost $1050 a year to stay healthy is affordable, natural and less than insurance for a doctor you can’t even pick. You can reach her at 212-202-0225 and learn more at www.americanayurveda.us. Natural health can be yours and that is a F.A.C.T.

F: Is for Food with Soul

2009-08-31T07:37:00.004-05:00

BB King Blues Club located at 237 West 42nd street is a staple to blues and jazz artists around the country. On any Sunday you can eat a soul-food brunch with a home-style "all you can eat" southern buffet, and hear gospel that will leave you feeling like you prayed all day and went to heaven. For $40.00 there is no better way to spend a chilly Sunday in New York or a blistering hot one. They same can be done on Saturday, but this time it is Strawberry Fields Forever, a tribute to the fab four. For the month of September you can catch New Orleans greats, Popa Chubby, The Subdudes and The Jambalaya Brass Band the ultimate New Orleans party band. The night I was there I caught musical legend Leon Russell. Russell was a sideman for George Harrison, Ringo Starr, Bob Dylan, B.B. King, The Rolling Stones and so many more. A consummate musician and songwriter, known best for "Superstar,"and "A Song For You," made famous by The Carpenters. Sitting in a room surrounded with fans, I listened to a soul whose music, is still as alive today as when it was written. Though he did a lot of covers, it was a memorable night. The only drawback to BB King’s is the price of drinks, which are tourist priced. The best time to get there is between 4-7pm for the early dinner, pre fixed at $20.00. I ordered the Nacho’s with smoke Pit Slow Roasted Chicken/Beef/Pork/Jalapeno Peppers/Cheddar for $16. The portion was generous and deliciously flavorful, though the chips were a little stale. All in all BB King’s is the place for soulful blues and that is a F.A.C.T.

S: Is for solidarity

2009-08-28T10:09:00.003-05:00

Brad Pitt and Angelina Jolie will not get married until all can. Now Tony Award-winning actress Sutton Foster and will join Oskar Eustis, Cleve Jones, Gavin Creel and David Stone onstage at Central Park's Delacorte Theater (enter at
81st Street and Central Park West or 79th Street and Fifth Avenue). The rally, being held in advance of October's National Equality March in Washington, D.C., will take place today, Friday, August 28, from 2:30-3:30 PM and is open to the public.

The producers of the Tony Award-winning revival of HAIR previously announced, in an unprecedented move, they are canceling the show's Sunday, October 11th performance so that the entire cast can join the National Equality March in Washington, D.C.

Oskar Eustis, Artistic Director of The Public Theater and producer of HAIR, said “The Public Theater has always aspired to make theater that matters, that speaks to the great social issues of our time. HAIR has never been just a show; its message of change and hope and inclusion is one we try to live, not just preach. This is the moment when we need to recognize the right of all citizens, gay and straight, to have their love and their unions acknowledged by the state. We are proud to join with Cleve Jones and the National Equality March in support of gay marriage. Peace now! Equality now! Justice forever!” These are words that should be FA.C.T.S

T: T is for Ted

2009-08-27T09:24:00.005-05:00

In this country killing someone is illegal, unless you are rich, then new rules apply. The world is morning Ted Kennedy, but I am not, nor am I sure are the parents of Mary Jo Kopechne. In the summer of 1969 on Chappaquiddick, a small island connected by ferry to Martha’s Vineyard, Mary Jo, 28, was attending a party. She had worked on Robert Kennedy’s presidential campaign. At 11:15 she left with Ted Kennedy who had offered her a ride to catch the last ferry to Edgartown on Martha’s Vineyard, where she was staying. Taking the keys of his car from his chauffeur, Ted Kennedy and Mary Jo left the party. In brief Ted Kennedy made a wrong turn onto an unlit dirt road. Kennedy drove over the side of the bridge with the car landing upside down and underwater. Kennedy supposedly was able to swim free of the vehicle, but Mary Jo Kopechne was not. Ted Kennedy left Mary Jo to die, spent the night in his hotel room and didn’t even report the accident to police until 10:00 am, after a fishermen found the submerged car and Mary Jo dead body. It was a little bit after 8:00 am. There was an air bubble. If divers had known, had been able to get to her, some say she would be alive today.

After the incident, Ted Kennedy entered a plea of guilty to a charge of leaving the scene of an accident after causing injury. He was sentence to 2 months in jail but that was suspended.

This is a man who was kicked out of college for cheating. Who in 1981 accompanied his nephew William Kennedy Smith to a nightclub in Florida. Where 29-year-old Patricia Bowman, accused Smith of rape. Smith testified that the sex was consensual. Although three women were willing to testify that Smith had sexually assaulted them but had not reported to the police, their testimony was excluded Smith was acquitted of the charges. In 2004, Audra Soulias, alleged that Smith had sexually assaulted her in 1999, and brought a civil action against him. Smith denied her charges. On January 5, 2005, the court again dismissed Soulias's lawsuit. Laura Hamilton was paid a large sum of money by Smith in an out-of-court settlement for the same charges.

Ted Kennedy may have seen important laws reach fruition, but does the good outweigh the bad? That would be a weighty F.A.C.T.

C: Is for Cheese and hidden treasures

2009-08-26T06:07:00.002-05:00

Nestled in the heart of Murray Hill is a well known sandwich and cheese shop called Lamazou. During lunch time the customers flock for it's delicacies. What is in a Lamazou sandwich that makes it taste so good? Is it the bread? The meat, or the cheese? It's pretty simple, it takes the high quality of all components that makes Lamazou's sandwiches so outstanding. High quality ingredients. Great meats that are piled on, great cheeses, and great bread. Then there's the combinations: smoked salmon, served with red onions, capers, cornichons, and a delicious lemon oil sauce. Or try smoked turkey with roasted peppers, pesto and brie on a rosemary ciabatta. The owners truly care about their customers and their products. Nancy and Azia Lamazou hail from Lebanon and Tunisia. Azia spent years as a foreign diplomat, and it shows with the care and love each customer receives. Besides being a sandwich shop, make no mistake Lamazou is also a gourmet paradise. With over 150 cheeses to cured meats vary from Italian proscuitto’s salami’s mortadella’s and Pancetta, to Serrano Ham and Chorrizo from Spain, to Bresaola from Switzerland, to French Ham, to Sausage and Bacon from Ireland and a variety of Pate, Terrine, Smoked Breast of duck and Foie Gras. They also carry the finest smoked fish and caviar. Their retail also includes: a selection of preserves, biscuits, chocolates, crackers, olive and truffle oils, teas, coffees and so much more. Looking to throw that talked about party? They also cater events. Lamazou Cheese is located at 370 3rd Ave (212) 532-2009 www.lamazoucheese.com

Sometimes to find the best places we have to discover a different neighborhood and that is a F.A.C.T.

A: Is for the Arts for kids...Rosie's Kids

2009-08-25T07:06:00.008-05:00

So you want to be on Broadway....but your a kid....where do you go? ...Rosie's Broadway Kids, is the answer. I watched, as a chorus and soon to be principals of young performers strutted their stuff. I was amazed at the level of expertise. The performance was part of their summer intensive. I caught Steven Jamil's (music and lyrics) and Sara Patterson's (book and additional lyrics) show "My Life Today." This show was better than "High School Musical" and we all know what a rage that was. The show was based around a day in the life of a high school, and the scenario's were real and emotion based. The kids were honest in their portrayal's and the events could of been taken from any school in America. Like in life, during the first number "Another Day," you could tell by the vocals and dancing who was going to take the leads. Daniel Estrella's voice and presence was a shinning example of a star in the making as was the talent of Mary Dunkley. The song "Perfect" is a terrific song about parents expectations and how they can drive a kid insane. Sarah Mennell, was a terrific Louey, but she needs a number of her own. All in all, I went expecting a kid show and what I got was the making for a show that should be developed for Off-Broadway or at the very least a school tour. I think a lot of kids could relate to the material. Rosie's Broadway Kids is an excellent place to start and to grow and New Yorkers are lucky to have it.

Rosie's Broadway Kids (RBKids) is a not-for-profit arts education organization founded by Ms. O'Donnell in 2003 enriches the lives of children through the arts. Using professional teaching artists, Rosie's Broadway Kids provides New York City fifth graders with in-school classes in dance and music, and a professional theater experience for those who might not otherwise have the opportunity. The program's mission is to inspire excellence, motivate learning, uplift the human spirit and install a lifelong appreciation for the arts. Students attend classes Monday through Friday from 9:30-3:30. In addition to their regular curriculum of classes, students have private vocal and acting coaching, and instrumental music classes, under the direction of founder Lori Klinger.

These are F.A.C.T.S that grow dreams.