Thursday, June 13, 2013

DEAD PREZ LIVE! W/ SOUL FOOD JUNKIES SUNDAY, JUNE 16th at 7PM, FREE!

DEAD PREZ LIVE!

W/ SOUL FOOD JUNKIES

SUNDAY, JUNE 16th at 7PM,
FREE!

@ VON KING PARK, (FKA TOMPKINS PARK) MARCY AVE. & TOMPKINS AVE., BTW. GREENE AVE & LAFAYETTE AVE., BROOKLYN NY 11216

Join us as we kick off our 11th Annual ImageNation Outdoors Festival with SummerStage presented by AT&T at Brooklyn's Von King Park feat. a live performance by dead prez and screening of SOUL FOOD JUNKIES!

ABOUT DEAD PREZ

With hard-hitting beats, politically aware rhymes, deft lyricism and strong song concepts, dead prez emerged in 2000 as one of rap's most politically strident outfits. Consisting of Stic.man and M-1, dead prez's music provided a voice for the voiceless and a sobering look at the global power structure. Stic and M-1 have been involved in political and community activism, pushing for progressive education for all people, teaching the merits of fitness and eating healthily and illustrating changes needed in American society and throughout the world. In 2012, dead prez released their latest album, Information Age.

ABOUT SOUL FOOD JUNKIES

In this award-winning documentary, celebrated filmmaker Byron Hurt shares his journey to learn more about the African American cuisine known as soul food. Baffled by his dad's unwillingness to change his traditional soul food diet in the face of a health crisis, Hurt sets out to learn more about this rich culinary tradition and its relevance to black cultural identity. He discovers that the love affair that his dad and his community have with soul food is deep-rooted, complex, and in some tragic cases, deadly. Through candid interviews with soul food cooks, historians, and scholars, as well as doctors, family members, and everyday people, Soul Food Junkies blends history, humor, and heartwarming stories to place this culinary tradition under the microscope. "Soul Food Junkies" won the 2012 CNN Best Documentary Award at the Award at the American Black Film Festival. Click here to view trailer.

Wednesday, May 22, 2013

GAYFEST NYC, INC. FIFTH FESTIVAL OF PLAYS PRESENTS “MOONLIGHT AND LOVE SONGS” BY SCOTT C. SICKLES DIRECTED BY STEVEN PETRILLO

GAYFEST NYC, INC.

FIFTH FESTIVAL OF PLAYS

PRESENTS

“MOONLIGHT AND LOVE SONGS”

BY SCOTT C. SICKLES

DIRECTED BY STEVEN PETRILLO

FEATURING NICK BAILEY, D.H. JOHNSON, KATHRYN MARKEY,

GERALD MCCULLOUCH, ROBERT MEKSIN, COREY RICHMOND SKAGGS

AND CHRISTINE VERLENY

PERFORMANCES BEIGN MAY 23, 2013

AT ABINGDON THEATRE ARTS COMPLEX

OPENING NIGHT SET FOR MAY 24, 2014

TICKETS NOW ON SALE

New York, NY (May 20, 2013) – GAYFEST NYC, Inc. (Bruce Robert Harris and Jack W. Batman, Producers; Craig Wesley Divino, Associate Producer), the country’s premier producer of new LGBT-themed plays, present the Fifth Festival of Plays, a four-week event filled with powerful theatre works spotlighting gay issues. The Festival opens with New York premiere of Moonlight and Love Songs written by Scott C. Sickles. Directed by Steven Petrillo, the 7-member cast featuresNick Bailey, D.H. Johnson, Kathryn Markey, Gerald McCullouch, Robert Meksin, Corey Richmond Skaggs and Christine Verleny. Performances begin Thursday, May 23 and will continue through Sunday, June 2, 2013 at the Abingdon Theatre Arts Complex (312 West 36^th Street). Opening night is Friday, May 24, 2013 at 7:30 p.m. All proceeds from GAYFEST NYC benefit the Harvey Milk High School.

Moonlight and Love Songs finds forty-five and alone, architect Harry Wallace’s romantic dreams come true when he falls in love with Jim, a young college student. Their romance seems motion picture-perfect until a staggering revelation causes it to implode. Public outrage follows as Jim attempts to repair the damage caused by his betrayal and Harry finds himself complicit in the deception.

The creative team includes Michael Bottari and Ronald Case (Set and Costumes), and John Eckert (Lighting). The Production Stage Manager is Amy Francis Schott.

Single tickets are priced at $25 and are available at www.Theatermania.com or by calling 212-352-3101. For additional information log onto: www.GAYFESTNYC.com.

The 2013 GAYFEST NYC Festival continues with the world premiere of The Loves of Mr. Lincoln written by David Brendan Hopes and will be directed by Sidney J. Burgoyne. Performances begin Thursday, June 6, 2013 and will continue throughSunday, June 16, 2013. Opening Night is set for Friday, June 7, 2013 at 7:30 p.m.

In addition, the Festival will present a special event: The BaSiC Theatre Project production of Gross Indecency: The Three Trials of Oscar Wilde, written by Moisés Kaufman and directed by Zi Alikhan. Performances are set to begin Thursday, May 30, 2013 for a limited engagement through Sunday, June 16, 2013. Openinig night is Friday, May 31, 2013 at 8:00 p.m.

LUIS BRAVO’S FOREVER TANGO RETURNS TO HEAT UP BROADWAY

INTERNATIONALLY ACCLAIMED ENTERTAINMENT PHENOMENON

L U I S B R A V O ’ S F O R E V E R T A N G O

RETURNS TO HEAT UP BROADWAY FOR TEN WEEKS ONLY THIS SUMMER

AT THE WALTER KERR THEATRE

TUESDAY, JULY 9 – SUNDAY, SEPTEMBER 15, 2013

FEATURING FIVE-TIME GRAMMY AWARD WINNER

GILBERTO SANTA ROSA

AS THE FIRST SPECIAL GUEST STAR THROUGH SUNDAY, JULY 28, 2013

NEW YORK, NY (Tuesday, May 21, 2013) - Luis Bravo’s internationally acclaimed entertainment phenomenon Forever Tango, will return to the Walter Kerr Theatre (219 W 48^th Street), its original Broadway home, for ten weeks only with performances beginning Tuesday, July 9, 2013 through Sunday, September 15, 2013 and an official opening set for Sunday, July 14, 2013. Five-time Grammy Award-winner Gilberto Santa Rosa will star as the first special guest star for the first three weeks of the engagement. Future vocalist casting will be announced at a later date. Tickets will go on sale to the general public starting Tuesday, May 28, 2013.

Created and directed by Luis Bravo, Forever Tango has touched the souls of millions worldwide since its inception in San Francisco in 1994, where it thrilled audiences for nearly two years. Called “A must-see” by the New York Times, Forever Tango originally opened on Broadway 1997 where it played the Walter Kerr and Marquis Theatres for fourteen months and earned multiple Tony® and Drama Desk Award nominations. Celebrated by critics and audiences alike, the international sensation returned to Broadway’s Shubert Theater for a limited four month engagement in 2004.

Gilberto Santa Rosa is one of the most successful Latin music vocalists in the world, having achieved, to date, fourteen #1 hits on Billboard’s Tropical Airplay chart, a multitude of Gold, Platinum and Multi-Platinum albums and five Grammy Awards. Santa Rosa has the honor of being the artist with the most #1 hits on Billboard’s Tropical Albums chart (11 total).

Forever Tango is music, drama, culture, a way of life. The popularity of tango has exploded all over the world. Sensuous and sophisticated, the tango is a feeling that you dance. A story is channeled through the flick of the leg, the tug of a hand, the tap of a foot, and the arch of an eyebrow. It’s passionate, yet melancholic. Tender, yet violent. You dance it with somebody, but it is so internal, you dance it by yourself. Sixteen world-class tango dancers, one vocalist and the eleven-piece Forever Tangoorchestra will leave you breathless.

Fans of Gilberto Santa Rosa will have first access to seats via an exclusive online presale Tuesday, May 21 through Monday, May 27, 2013. To participate, fans must “like” Santa Rosa or Forever Tango on Facebook or follow either of them on Twitter in order to gain access to the online ticketing link.

The performance schedule for Forever Tango will be as follows: Tuesday through Saturday at 8 pm with 3 pm matinee performances on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays. Tickets, which range from $30.00 to $149.00 (premium seating ranges from $175 to $199), go on sale to the general public on Tuesday, May 28, 2013 via telecharge.com or by calling (212) 239-6200/(800) 432-7250. The Walter Kerr Theatre box office (219 West 48th Street) will open on Monday, June 17, 2013. Groups of 10 or more can be purchased through telecharge.com or by calling (212) 239-6262 in New York or (800) 432-7780 outside the NY Metro area.

Monday, April 29, 2013

CONTESTANTS ANNOUNCED FOR THE SEVENTH ANNUAL “ BROADWAY BEAUTY PAGEANT ” TOVAH FELDSHUH HOSTS

CONTESTANTS ANNOUNCED FOR THE

SEVENTH ANNUAL

“ B R O A D W A Y B E A U T Y P A G E A N T ”

TOVAH FELDSHUH HOSTS

CELEBRITY JUDGES INCLUDE

ANDREA MARTIN, BILLY PORTER, AND MICHAEL URIE

ONE-NIGHT-ONLY

MONDAY, MAY 20

AT NYU SKIRBALL CENTER

New York, NY (4/29/13) – The contestants for the seventh annual Broadway Beauty Pageant have been announced. Participants include Callan Bergmann (Silence! The Musical), Julius C. Carter (SPIDER-MAN Turn Off The Dark), Yurel Echezarreta (Matilda), Matthew Goodrich (The Nance), Orion Griffiths (Pippin), and Paul HeeSang Miller(Mamma Mia!). As previously announced, four-time Tony nominated and Drama Desk Award-winning actress Tovah Feldshuh will host the event which will take place on Monday evening, May 20^th, at 8:00p.m., at the NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts (566 LaGuardia Place). The popular event is the annual benefit of New York’s Ali Forney Center.

The Broadway Beauty Pageant will feature Bergmann, Carter, Echezarreta, Goodrich, Griffiths, and Miller as they represent their respective Broadway shows, competing for the title crown through talent, interview and swimsuit competitions. The contestants will go head to head in front of a panel of celebrity judges, but ultimately, the final vote is in the audience's hands. Andrea Martin (Pippin), Billy Porter (Kinky Boots), and Michael Urie (Buyer and Cellar) have been tapped to judge the event. This year’s winner will receive a photo shoot and cover in NEXT Magazine.

The Broadway Beauty Pageant will be directed by Seth Sikes and choreographed by Paul McGill. The evening was conceived by Jeffrey Self and will be produced by the Ali Forney Center in association with Ryan Davis. The complete creative team includes Brendan Whiting (Musical Director), Paul DePoo (Scenic Designer), Brian Tovar (Lighting Designer), Walter Trarbach (Sound Designer), and Jason Quinn (Production Stage Manager).

To see a promo video for this year’s contest, click here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M5LtnvPnYxQ&feature=youtu.be

The Ali Forney Center (AFC) was started in June 2002 in response to the lack of safe shelter for LGBT youth in New York City. The Center is committed to providing these young people with safe, dignified, nurturing environments where their needs can be met, and where they can begin to put their lives back together. AFC is dedicated to promoting awareness of the plight of homeless LGBT youth in the United States with the goal of generating responses on local and national levels from government funders, foundations, and the LGBT community. For more information, see www.aliforneycenter.org

Tickets for The Broadway Beauty Pageant are available at www.nyuskirball.org/calendar/broadwaybeautypageant, and range in price from $25 – $150. All VIP tickets include a pre and post-show VIP cocktail reception, gift bag, and premier seating.

Friday, April 26, 2013

JBFCS Annual Spring Benefit 2013 Honoring Seymour R. Askin, Jr., Jerold D. Jacobson, Jean Shafiroff, and with special tribute to Paul Levine

JBFCS Annual Spring Benefit 2013 Honoring Seymour R. Askin, Jr., Jerold D. Jacobson, Jean Shafiroff, and with special tribute to Paul Levine.

2013 SPRING BENEFIT

HONORING

SEYMOUR R. ASKIN, JR., HONORARY CHAIR OF THE

JBFCS BOARD

JEROLD D. JACOBSON, PROSKAUER, PARTNER

JEAN SHAFIROFF, JBFCS BOARD MEMBER

With a Special Tribute to

PAUL LEVINE, JBFCS EXECUTIVE VP AND CEO

The Jewish Board of Family and Children’s Services (JBFCS) celebrated its 2013 Spring Benefit honoring Seymour R. Askin, JBFCS Honorary Chair of the Board, Jerold D. Jacobson, Proskauer, Partner, Jean Shafiroff, JBFCS Board Member and Paul Levine, JBFCS Executive VP & CEO on April 24, 2013 at 6:30 p.m.at New York City’s Plaza Hotel. Melissa Russo, WNBC news anchor, served as master of ceremonies.

The evening began with a flourish, as New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg attended the cocktail hour to address the crowd and thank JBFCS, noting that “you can’t do it alone” and that the work of JBFCS is a necessity for the city to help its residents in need. At the conclusion of the cocktail hour, the attendees moved upstairs where master of ceremonies Melissa Russo introduced Tony Mann, the President of the Board of Trustees. Mr. Mann announced the news to the 375 attendees that some $1.3 million dollars had been raised for the organization.

After Fred Yerman blessed the bread, Paul Levine, Executive Vice President of JBFCS, was introduced by John Herrmann, the former President of the Board of JBFCS. Outgoing VP and CEO Levine reflected upon his time with JBFCS and concluded by thanking everyone involved with the organization and the leadership under which he served.

Chair of the Board Jean Troubh then introduced honoree Seymour R. Askin, Jr. who outlined his detailed past with Big Brothers, the Jewish Board of Guardians, and JBFCS, working with those in need. He said his mother taught him that “people who are able to live well have an obligation to pay it back in some way.” Jerald D. Jacobson, the next to be honored, spoke about his four decades spent as counsel for JBFCS and the experience of working with four generations of leadership in the organization.

Jean Shafiroff, the final honoree of the evening, was then introduced by Joyce Cowin. Jean, in attendance with her husband Martin and daughter Elizabeth, kept her address brief, noting with genuine modesty that the actual heroes are the staff, the volunteers, and the thousands of individuals that JBFCS helps and houses.

The $1.3 million raised will benefit JBFCS’ 175 community-based programs, residential facilities, and day-treatment centers that annually serve more than 55,000 New Yorkers-in-need of all faiths, races, and cultures.

JBFCS has been a trailblazer in treating social problems for more than a century. Today, the organization is one of the nation’s largest and most respected nonprofit mental health and social service agencies—every night, more than 1,000 individuals call a JBFCS residence home. The work of JBFCS is built upon a network of more than 2,200 professionals, including social workers, licensed psychologists, and psychiatrists, as well as a cadre of clinical support personnel in continuing day treatment and residential treatment centers, and a corps of more than 800 dedicated volunteers.

JBFCS provides a comprehensive network of mental health and social services to promote well-being, resilience, and self-sufficiency for individuals and families in need in the New York metropolitan area. As leaders in the field of human services, JBFCS’ mission is clear— 175 social service programs. 1 mission. To get help to those who need it.

For further information, please visit www.jbfcs.org.