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SHELLEN LUBIN to helm CAROL LEE CAMPBELL’s musical play, “Chicks In Heaven”
Director/Writer/Performer and Coach, SHELLEN LUBIN to direct Carol Lee Campbell’s new play with music, “Chicks In Heaven” CAROL LEE CAMPBELL’s musical play about family and faith will have an industry presentation, in May at Open Jar Studios, 1601 Broadway, New York City.
A fractured coven of four women discovers that their strength lies not in their spells but in each other.
Contact info@jaymichaelsarts.com for further info
Chicks In Heaven enjoyed a wildly popular production at the Creative Cauldron in Virginia last year emboldening the decision to come to New York.
CHICKS IN HEAVEN takes us on a transformative journey, centered around a 30-year reunion in southwestern Virginia of friends who once shared a sacred bond fueled by feminist ideals. In their youth, these women experimented with magic as a means to challenge societal norms and fight against the oppressive forces of the patriarchy. Can the same magical activism that forged their early sisterhood bring them together now at a time when the fight is needed most?
Chicks In Heaven Book and Lyrics by CAROL LEE CAMPBELL
Shellen Lubin graduated from and then taught at Bennington College with a triple major in Drama, Music and Dance. During her time there, she appeared in Miloš Forman‘s first film in America, ‘Taking Off’ which featured two songs she wrote (“It’s Sunday” and “Feeling Sort Of Nice.”)
In her many years in the New York theatre and cabaret scene, she has directed work by Susan Merson, Pamela Weiler Grayson, Elliot Meyers, and ten Bistro Awards shows. Her plays and songs have been performed at the Public Theatre, Manhattan Class Company, Here Arts Center, Henry Street Settlement, 92nd Street Y, and more. She is in the Playwright Directors Workshop and the Directors Unit at The Actors Studio, where she has developed and presented work by numerous playwrights, including Lanie Robertson, Stuart Warmflash, and Anel Carmona.
Her professional theater directing career continues with Chicks in Heaven — in tandem with a successful voice teaching and coaching practice.
Carol Lee Campbell is an award-winning writer, musician and professor.
Here is Carol chatting with Andrew Cortes, the host of STAGE WHISPER PODCAST
She is the creator of Crone Stones, a widely popular divination oracle that includes thirty-three porcelain stones and an accompanying book, Return to Wellness: The New Book of Crone Stones. Chicks In Heaven, her first play with music, premiered in April 2024 at The Creative Cauldron in Virginia. A book launch of her newest fiction, Rebel Rose debuted in May 2024 by Rebel Satori Press. Carol teaches Women and Gender Studies and Greek Mythology at several Virginia community colleges and travels regionally as a performance artist and a lecturer.
AMT Theater announces opening of UPSIDE DOWN, a new musical — Opening March 8 @ 7:00 p.m. at AMT Theater
AMT Theater announces the new opening of UPSIDE DOWN, a new musical — Opening March 8 @ 7:00 p.m. at AMT Theater, 354 West 45th Street, New York City TICKETS here.
According to a recent Gallup poll, 92.4 percent of the U.S population identifies as straight while the rest considers themselves as part of the LGBTIQA+ community.
Turn that number around, and you have the world of Upside Down.
It’s a world where straights are in the minority, women rule the military, and the Jets constantly win the Super Bowl. This is a world where the majority is gay.
In this topsy-turvy world, two songwriters are creating a new musical — innovative, unique, ground-breaking Broadway musical … about straight people!
The President is outraged! The military is put on red alert! News outlets are all ablaze over this unprecedented event.
Will they succeed? Is the world ready for a [wait for it] …a man and woman falling in love …ON STAGE?
The world of UPSIDE DOWN will put you in the zone … The Twilight Zone.
Upside Down has music and lyrics by Al Tapper, book by Tony Sportiello, directed by Taavon Gamble and music direction by David Wolfson. The cast includes Bernie Baldassaro, Patrick Brady, Mike Ferlita, Jake Foster, Lauren Gemelli, Kira Sarai Helper, Ashanti J’Aria, Matthew Liu, Kelli Maguire, Stephanie Maloney, Stanley Martin, Gina Milo, Brogan Nelson and Josh Powell.
Upside Down will open March 8th and run through April 5th at AMT Theater, 354 West 45th Street. For more information, contact amttheater.org
“What we are doing tech-wise with Upside Down is more ambitious than any show we’ve ever done.says Artistic Director Tony Sportiello. “The set alone is going to be a marvel. You’re going to go from a bar to The White House to an apartment to a television studio all in a flash.
AMT: The MISSION
AMT Theater aims to entertain, educate and inspire people through the arts. AMT Theater shall provide audiences the opportunity to attend and participate in quality presentations of the finest theatrical works available. We are dedicated to enhancing quality of life through art, events and workshops. AMT will create opportunities for hands-on learning experiences in all aspects of theater production and management to adults and children in order to foster and develop their talents. AMT will strive to be an organization which is diverse, inclusive and a leader in our field.
BOARD OF DIRECTORS: Co-Chairs: Tamara Flannagan & Tony Sportiello; Secretary: Joan Pelzer; Treasurer: Sharon Osowski; Members: Zoë Reeve, Joanne Schmidt, Al Tapper, Eve Tapper, Lynne Tapper
| In just its third year, AMT Theater is the West 42nd Street 2024 Winner for Best Venue. Upside Down is its fifth production, following An Unbalanced Mind, On The Right Track, Bettinger’s Luggage and David the Musical |
“This is NOT A Drill” New Musical to Hold Private Industry Reading in NYC on Theatre Row
“This is NOT A Drill” New Musical to Hold Industry Reading in New York City
BY INVITATION ONLY event to be held on Theatre Row
BASED ON ACTUAL EVENTS
After numerous workshops and development, “This is NOT A Drill,” a new musical by Holly Doubet, is set to hold an exclusive by-invitation-only industry reading in New York City this March on Theatre Row.
This poignant work, inspired by a true event, has already garnered significant attention, including the prestigious 2021 Donald Fowler Theatre Arts Memorial Grant.
Following its acclaimed premiere in Dallas in 2021, “This is NOT A Drill” is taking the next step with this industry reading. The musical explores the lives of diverse characters who experience shock and panic upon receiving an emergency alert: “BALLISTIC MISSILE THREAT INBOUND TO HAWAII. SEEK IMMEDIATE SHELTER. THIS IS NOT A DRILL.”
Forced to confront their own mortality, they discover what truly matters. The show promises a suspenseful, yet warmhearted and funny journey, exploring love, relationships, and human nature under unimaginable circumstances. Doubet’s score is filled with undeniable emotion and soaring melodies.
The event will be the end of March on Theatre Row. Industry can contact Jay Michaels for further details.
“This is NOT A Drill” is based on a true event experienced by its conceptor, Holly Doubet. The musical follows the intertwined stories of individuals grappling with the reality of a potential missile threat. It’s a compelling exploration of human connection and the choices we make when faced with the unthinkable.
The production boasts an impressive team of talent:
- Director: Luis Salgado
- Grammy-Winning Musical Director: Paul Bogaev
- Grammy-Winning Guitarist: Jim “Kimo” West
- Broadway “Hamilton” Lead: Marc delaCruz
- Consulting Producer: Jack Lane
- Casting: Holly Buczek, Scott Wojcik – Wojcik Casting Team
- General Management: Evan Bernadin Productions/Hillel Friedman
- Attorney: Thomas Distler
Holly Doubet is a graduate of the Royal Academy of Music in London and holds a double major in classical piano and voice from a California university. Her diverse musical background spans from studio singing and songwriting to leading her own band and working as a backup singer in Los Angeles and Las Vegas. Doubet also served as a songwriter for the beloved children’s television show “Barney and Friends” and has achieved commercial success in the pop music world, including a CableAce Award nomination. “This is NOT A Drill” marks her exciting foray into musical theater.
Two Deep Cuts from a Legendary Playwright: Jim Catapano reviews Anton Chekhov
Two Deep Cuts from a Legendary Playwright
Chekhov’s Witty One-Act Character Studies Are Showcased at the ATA
The coupling of A Tragedian In Spite of Himself and The Anniversary is a delicious sampler of the work of the iconic Anton Chekhov, suited for both aficionados and newcomers. It’s another triumph for the American Theatre of Actors as it begins its 49th season.
A Tragedian… is a two-hander written in 1889, where “Chekhov’s Gun” gets an immediate namecheck. Ivan Ivanovitch Tolkachov (Devon Lawler) asks to borrow said revolver from his friend Alexey Alexeyevitch Murashkin (Harry Cooke). “If you don’t lend me a revolver than somebody else will!” he shouts. When Alexey admits he cannot detect what exactly is wrong with his friend’s life, Ivan proceeds to tell him…in incredible detail. Lawler is riveting as he delivers a long, frantic, impassioned monologue, raging against the perceived injustices of his existence. “Nobody has any sympathy for me, and everyone seems to think that all is as it should be!” he seethes—the final insult to him is his peers’ ignorance of his plight. It’s a complex stream-of-consciousness piece that Two Deep Cuts from a Legendary Playwright
Chekhov’s Witty One-Act Character Studies Are Showcased at the ATA
The coupling of A Tragedian In Spite of Himself and The Anniversary is a delicious sampler of the work of the iconic Anton Chekhov, suited for both aficionados and newcomers. It’s another triumph for the American Theatre of Actors as it begins its 49th season.
A Tragedian… is a two-hander written in 1889, where “Chekhov’s Gun” gets an immediate namecheck. Ivan Ivanovitch Tolkachov (Devon Lawler) asks to borrow said revolver from his friend Alexey Alexeyevitch Murashkin (Harry Cooke). “If you don’t lend me a revolver than somebody else will!” he shouts. When Alexey admits he cannot detect what exactly is wrong with his friend’s life, Ivan proceeds to tell him…in incredible detail. Lawler is riveting as he delivers a long, frantic, impassioned monologue, raging against the perceived injustices of his existence. “Nobody has any sympathy for me, and everyone seems to think that all is as it should be!” he seethes—the final insult to him is his peers’ ignorance of his plight. It’s a complex stream-of-consciousness piece that Lawler performs with astonishing energy and tremendous skill. (His “fed-up-ness” will have you nodding in solidarity.) Through it all Cooke’s Alexa listens with apparent sympathy, but then shockingly makes a request of Ivan that indicates he didn’t take in a word that his friend said, thus proving Ivan right. This sends the teetering Ivan over the edge, and chaos inevitably—and fittingly—reigns.
In The Anniversary, Anton takes on corporate life, and it’s striking to see how the piece—also from 1889—resonates in 2025. A farcical story set at a private bank, it concerns one Andrey Shipuchin (Jonathan Beebe), the company’s chairman, as he gathers his colleagues and shareholders to celebrate the institution’s 15th anniversary. Unfortunately for Shipuchin and all involved, events quickly go comedically south. Harry Cooke returns as the frustrated clerk Kusma, lamenting the chairman’s empty promises even as he prepares to craft his boss’ speech for the occasion. Natasha Sahs is hilarious as Andrey’s obnoxious wife Tatiana, who cannot stop talking about things that are not remotely relevant to anyone else. Kate Jergensen’s Natasha arrives to very humorously ruin the vibe even further, demanding that the bank pay her husband’s salary even though there’s no evidence that he ever worked there.
The actors collectively shine, providing a masterclass in realizing Chekhov’s classic and clever material, resulting in a can’t-miss dual production that demonstrates how words written long ago still resonate in the early 21st century.
A Tragedian In Spite of Himself and The Anniversary are directed by John DeBenedetto. They run at the American Theatre of Actors through February 2, 2025.
Jim Catapano dreams a little dream of three: Rich and Dale Baron’s Delightful Dream On, Baransky! Returns for an Encore
NYC millennial Jonathan Baransky (Archie Colville) is something of an accidental cad. He’s openly seeing Lyla (Julie Bausivoir); secretly seeing his best buddy Frank’s wife Suzie (Mecca Alexis); and considering getting back together with his ex-girlfriend Jennifer (Kaelin Phillips). The part of him that recognizes that this is extremely complicated (and wrong) is suffering anxiety, so he seeks therapy from the eccentric Doctor Samantha Smithson (Olivia Fairless). Forward, flirty, and dressed like she’s about to perform Burlesque, Smithson proposes an unconventional treatment, utilizing “Dreamacil, the Magic Pill,” in the opening song. The wonder drug will induce a dream-like state where Jonathan will confront his issues to the accompaniment of showtunes and with the help of the wacky people that live in his head.
Dream On, Baransky! is the name of the show and its rallying cry, and this tremendously entertaining production written by Rich Baron is in its third imagining. The music and lyrics that accompany Jonathan’s surreal journey are by Dale Baron, with contributions from Alex Baker and Dan DeVere.
Jonathan’s psychedelic mind journeys are populated by a fun cast of quirky and wonderfully costumed characters that form the “army” dedicated to helping him find his way. Justin Knapp is the trenchcoated Commander Ted; Bea Corkhill is the level-headed Irish girl Reagan O’ Reilly; Andraes Ktorides is the uncouth, leather-jacketed Kazz-Nova; Hera Güneş Barlowe is perky cheerleader Patsy Purity; Alisa Mironoff is the shimmering Darlene Winters; and Jadé Porciatti is Daniela Divine and a host of other quirky surprise personas. They are distinct archetypes that are fun, familiar, and memorable, all well-realized by the sterling cast. Under their watch the befuddled, stressed-out Jonathan navigates both reality and the dreamscape in an escalating adventure that is quite surreal, but also familiar to anyone who finds life and dating in the big city rather overwhelming.
James Ahn Brandfonbrener (Musical Director) provides exceptional keyboard accompaniment to the playful and memorable songs, all beautifully rendered by the cast. A standout is “I Met This Man,” which sees Lyla, Suzie, and Jennifer come together to lament their Baransky-shaped dilemma. The production is imaginatively staged with many amusing things happening, from Frank suddenly rising from his hiding spot on the balcony clad only in a towel, to Dr. Smithson whimsically riding her office swivel chair to center stage during scene transitions. It all makes for an incredibly entertaining and funny show that also has some insightful things to say about mental health and the anxiety epidemic, and how they affect modern relationships.
Dream On, Baransky! is stylishly directed by Luana Seu, with Assistant Director/Stage Manager Paul Grant. It is featured at the John Cullen Theatre at the American Theatre of Actors through December 22, 2024.
Moving Figures, Moving Hearts, … Jim Catapano was also moved
Two Shining Examples of Modern Dance from Alessandra Corona Performing Works
One of the bright lights of the New York City artistic scene in 2024 was showcased at the Theater at St. Jean on the Upper East Side in the Spring. Fervida and Status Quo join forces to depict where we are as people in a wounded, conflicted post-pandemic society, and use the ecstatic beauty of modern dance to express the emotions we often find so hard to convey through mere words.
In a turbulent time where we often struggle to find intimate connection, Fervida elegantly expresses this dilemma through movement. On a stark stage, performers clad in hues of black and gray reach for each other, forming a bond through movement, while others stand symbolically with their backs to the audience. Some of the music recalls “Nights in White Satin” by the Moody Blues, which is a fitting complement to the moody blue stage lighting. The music shifts to an elegiac Italian ballad as just two performers grace the stage, their bodies intertwining in a way that many people can sadly only dream of.
Status Quo interprets the necessity of evolution and adaptation in an ever-changing and challenging world. It begins to the howling sounds of nature, with a single performer on stage. They are joined by others, making full use of the space with fluid movements as intense wind instruments abound. The group of eight becomes just two; a third rejoins but dances alone as the other two pair bond. Finally, there is only one, moving in solitude as the music fades and is replaced by the resonant sound of trickling waters. A distant voice intones, “As we get bigger and bigger, the distance between ourselves and that other outside world becomes smaller and smaller, and this world that we are inside which seemed so huge in the beginning and so infinitely welcoming, has become very uncomfortable.” As she speaks, two dancers in flesh-colored attire move slowly as mournful piano music fades in, amidst a floor strewn with what appears to be fallen leaves. The others join them on stage, holding their hands in front of their eyes in a depiction of sadness as they try to shut out the ever-increasing harshness of the world. The entire ensemble re-emerges in flowing black skirts, symbolically accepting the changing nature of their environment, and deftly performing complex movements in unison as the soundtrack suggests a sense of peace and acceptance.
The coupling of these two pieces perfectly depicts the journey of the human spirit and the challenges people face from the world—and from each other—in an uncertain age, and both do so with a poignancy and beauty that makes the journey easier to bear.
The performers are Alessandra Corona, Maria Vittoria Villa, William Valles, Halle Augenstein, Lucia Flexer-Marshall, Nicolas Fiery, Juan Viveros, Madelyn Wansong, and
Madeline Burr. Fervida is choreographed by Alessandra Corona
in collaboration with the Company; Status Quo is choreographed by Simon Kuban. The music is by Jocelyn Pook, Max Richter, Ran Bagno, and Ólafur Arnalds. Original music by Thomas Lentakis, Olivia Sellerio, Franca Masu.
Charles Evered’s CLASS directed and starring Ben Atkinson with Eliza Banaszak comes to New York
GOTO GOTO Studio in association with Jay Michaels Global Communications llc bring to New York an industry presentation of the regional cast of Charles Evered’s CLASS directed and starring Ben Atkinson with Eliza Banaszak to Open Jar Studios, 1601 Broadway, New York City, on Wednesday, April 9 @ 1:30 and 5:00 p.m.
CLASS is in session: A mysterious young woman shows up in the studio of a prominent – yet jaded – acting teacher in NYC. Each armed with an agenda and an ego. What started as a battle of wills evolved into a unique and deeply moving relationship made up of love and respect. Surprise twists are presented with ingenious subtlety and razor sharp wit.
“Alluring … it is very clear that Mr Evered, a bi-coastal film director and playwright, knows a good deal about celebrity … Elliot is a fabulous character.” —The New York Times
“A lovely piece of theatre … a flawless experience that makes you realize just how much value theatre has in our lives … Evered’s CLASS truly is a class act … thoroughly absorbing entertainment.” —Broadway World
“Wonderful … Evered’s dialogue is sharp, witty, extremely funny and poignant … this is the show to see. Don’t miss it.” —LA Examiner
“Plenty of laughter and more. Expect to be surprised. Expect to be moved. What more can one ask for from an evening of theater?”—StagesceneLA.com
“Humorous and touching …” —OnStageLosAngeles.com
“A riveting emotional journey …” —EntertainmentToday.net
“Charles Evered has created a character in Elliot who I would eagerly follow through a 10 part series.” —NoHoArtsDistrict.com
“Masterful … superbly written.”—Tolucan Times
LEARN MORE HERE
Ben Atkinson could not be prouder to bring Class to the city where the play is set, and to return to the role of Elliot. Ben has performed on both coasts, with credits including Diana of Dobson’s and As You Like It with the Antaeus Theatre Company; the world premieres of Resolving Hedda at The Victory Theatre Center and An Actor’s Carol (also by Class’s playwright, Charles Evered) at the Hi-Desert Playhouse; and also worked alongside Class co-star Eliza Banaszak in Love and Information at Live Arts in Charlottesville. He is the founder and director of the Queen Charlotte’s Villeins Shakespeare troupe in Charlottesville. Film credits include a number of short films and online series, as well as starring in the feature film, Ripple (2015) directed by Christian Everhard. When not on stage, Ben also produces video content for various platforms and organizations with his company GOTO GOTO Studio.
Eliza Banaszak is thrilled to revisit Class: A Play as Sarah. A student living in Charlottesville, Virginia, Eliza has appeared in numerous productions, including Ella in Rodgers and Hammerstein’s Cinderella with Four County Players, Baker’s Wife in Into The Woods with Live Arts Theater, and Mya in You Don’t Know Jackshit About the Mothman at Live Arts Theater. In addition to acting, Eliza has directed Godspell at Albemarle High School, and The Rocky Horror Show at Piedmont Virginia Community College. They are particularly passionate about yoga, improvisation, and disability advocacy. When not on stage, Eliza enjoys working as a Party Princess with Character Connections, a character entertainment company in their hometown.
ALL-OUT ARTS honors NYC Councilman Erik Bottcher and Communications Professor Jay Michaels
Now in its 23rd year of presentation, All Out Arts is proud to announce the 2024 Fresh Fruit Festival Award WINNERS for Outstanding Productions in Playwrighting, Directing, Performances, and Technical Achievement.
Monday, December 2: Reception: 6:15 p.m. and Event: 7:00 p.m. at The Wild Project – 195 East 3rd St [btwn Ave. A and B]. The full list of winners can be found HERE and Tickets can be secured HERE. Seating is limited so you must reserve/purchase your seats in advance.
Edge Media called us “the most inclusive expression of LGBT arts ever held in the City of New York.” We present work that is fresh, exciting and insightful. Performers of all racial, religious, and ethnic backgrounds, sexuality, and gender orientations fill our stages. African-, Caribbean-, Chinese-, East Indian-,Filipino-, Hispanic-, Japanese-, Korean-, Native-, and even un-hyphenated Americans are among groups represented in our 20+ years of festivals.
HARRY WIEDER AWARD FOR COMMUNITY SERVICE
An individual or group that has worked extensively for Arts and LGBTQ Community. It is named in honor of Harry Wieder, a founding Fresh Fruit Board member and advocate for LGBTQ and disabled New Yorkers.
Erik Bottcher is a dedicated public servant and activist who has devoted his life to progressive causes and to the betterment of the community the loves.
In 2021, he was elected to represent New York City Council District 3, which includes the neighborhoods of the West Village, Chelsea, Hell’s Kitchen, Times Square, Hudson Square, Flatiron, and the Garment District. He sees his mission as simple yet vital: making New York City a better place to live.
Growing up in a small town in the Adirondack Mountains as the only gay person he knew, Erik’s personal struggles with depression sparked in him a lifelong dedication to helping the most marginalized members of our society. His career in public service began in 2009 as the LGBTQ & HIV/AIDS Community Liaison in the City Council’s community outreach unit, where he organized grassroots campaigns on issues including hate crimes, transgender rights, housing for people with HIV/AIDS, and marriage equality.
Erik then served as the statewide LGBTQ Community Liaison in the governor’s office, where he helped organize the fight for marriage equality in New York State, working with activists from Buffalo to Montauk in an unprecedented grassroots campaign to garner support for the Marriage Equality Act. New York State made history as the largest state to legalize same sex marriage.
From 2015 to 2021, Erik served as Chief of Staff to his predecessor, Council Member Corey Johnson. In this role he gained an encyclopedic knowledge of every block of Council District 3 while providing constituent services to tens of thousands of residents and working alongside tenant associations, block associations, community boards, PTAs, parks groups and others to make our community a better place to live.
Erik has established a citywide reputation as one of the most active and effective members of the New York City Council, leading on critical issues such as the crises of mental health, housing, sanitation, sustainability, and more. He is working to reverse decades of failed policies and disinvestment in mental healthcare, authoring and passing landmark legislation that requires family homeless shelters to provide on-site mental health services, requiring the Department of Education to provide suicide prevention resources to students, fighting for adequate inpatient psychiatric treatment capacity, and more.
Recognizing the importance of clean and healthy neighborhoods, Erik has been at the forefront of sanitation improvement efforts in the city, leading the way on reforms such as the containerization of garbage, reduced usage of single-use plastics, increased corner basket service, and other initiatives to enhance the city’s cleanliness.
Few elected officials have been more vocal than Erik about the affordable housing crisis that poses an existential threat to New York City. With the lowest rental apartment vacancy rate since 1968 and the highest levels of homelessness since the Great Depression, Erik believes that an abundance of housing is needed to bring down housing costs. He has worked with his local community boards to create a pipeline of thousands of affordable housing units in Council District 3.
Environmental sustainability is also a key priority for Erik. He has funded the planting of hundreds of new street trees in Council District 3. His legislation creating the Urban Forest Master Plan aims to increase the tree canopy coverage to 30% by 2030. He has championed universal curbside composting, reduced renovated parks and playgrounds, [remove space here]waged war against single-use plastics, and promoted cycling as a form of transportation by creating new protected bike lanes on Tenth Avenue and Lower Sixth Avenue.
Erik is Co-Chair of the Council’s Manhattan Delegation and the LGBTQIA+ Caucus. He serves on the following City Council committees: Mental Health, Disabilities, and Addition; Public Housing; Small Business; Technology; Economic Development; Civil Service and Labor; Contracts; Higher Education; and Immigration.
PASSION FRUIT AWARD
To a person or organization in the arts “whose passion has led them to a life’s work that serves our community and enlarges our world.” Award Reads: “Serving the Community & Enlarging Our World.”
Jay Michaels began his career during the original off-off Broadway and underground movements in New York City and has become one of indie theatre and films’ most visible personalities.
Beginning as a special events assistant at the New York Daily News and PBS, he moved on to positions including promotional staff for The Joyce Theater’s Drama Desk Award-winning American Theater series; national tour manager for Cats, Edwin Drood, and Les Miserables; a television media buying associate; senior event marketing executive for international galas and fundraisers including speechwriting for the Weissler, Nederlander and Shubert organizations, James Earl Jones, Jon Stewart, Vera Wang, Mayors Lindsay and Dinkins; and Hillary Clinton to name a few. Michaels also managed promotional events for Broadway shows, Guys & Dolls (1992) Damn Yankees (1994), Vagina Monologues (2005) and Beginnings (2018) as well as Audra McDonald at Broadway’s Town Hall (2019). As a general manager, Michaels ran the events for Genesis Repertory Ensemble, Inc., The Jan Hus Playhouse, The Chelsea Opera Theater, The Mazer Theater in the Lower East Side, Queens’ Greek Cultural Center, and Brooklyn’s Block Arts Center. Michaels is a recipient of the Jean Dalrymple Award; the Robin H. Miller Award; the Federation’s Marketing STAR Award; the Performing Arts Society Award; an honorary board member of Pace University; a Directing Fellow with former Pearl Theater Company; and Fearcon‘s Film Festival‘s HOST Award two years in a row.
As a stage and film producer, Michaels has helmed productions as some of New York most respected theatres and worked with Daryl Roth, Jim Kierstead, Ken Davenport, Bill Oberst, Jr., David Canary, and Tovah Feldshuh. Michaels served as on-air film and classic TV commentator for Sun Television Studios; Octane Media; and currently, star of ACW-TV’s Jay Watch. He is also host of Under the Influence and In the PassionPit podcasts and the Classic Cinema Challenge. And also host of on-air events for the Boston Sci-Fi Film Festival’s channel.
Michaels serves as a professor of communications for over 20 years at several universities including Fordham, Kingsborough, Yeshiva, Staten Island, Berkley, and DeVry. He has a Masters in Communications and Public Relations and Certification from The Hollywood Film Institute.
His boutique PR firm, Jay Michaels Global Communications, services a vast array of independent international talent and their projects including some of New York’s most prominent indie stage companies and all of the NYC theatre festivals: the Midtown International, the Fringe, Planet Connections, the Downtown Urban Arts, NYTheatreFest, and his favorites: Spotlight-On and — of course — the Fresh Fruit Festival.
The Fresh Fruit SPIRIT Award will also be featured at the event and awarded to
When a Faggot Finds a Flower – A fable about a boy who’s sick of his bent wrist, and what he stands to lose by straightening it out. -by Jude Cramer, directed by Lucy Harrington
“The spirit of pride and survival, of history and progress, of a freedom and creativity that allows for respect and equality for all people.” Everything and anything in the arts that gets us closer to that world is: the Fresh Fruit Spirit“
Jim Catapano and the Well-Mannered Wife Swap
A Stylish Adaptation of Shaw’s Slick Comedy Comes to the American Theatre of Actors
Way back in 1912, George Bernard Shaw, a master at depicting the complexity of human relationships and behavior, crafted Overruled, a farcical look at polygamy. Over a century later we get to examine this not-uncommon occurrence through modern eyes, and with the benefit of his evergreen legendary wit.
On paper, the circumstances of the story are akin to a screwball TV sitcom plot: a man and a woman meet on a boat trip and fall in love; they are each shocked to learn that the other is already married to someone else. Then, their respective spouses actually show up—also having fallen for each other. Fortunately, the brilliant writing of the iconic playwright, realized at the ATA by four exceptional actors, elevates the story to a more sophisticated level.
We first meet Mr. Lunn and Mrs. Juno, played by Sam Hardy and Natasha Sahs, fresh from their romantic voyage.
“Promise me you won’t be horrid,” she requests, standing on the precipice of infidelity.
“I’m not being horrid, I love you,” he declares. “Don’t be alarmed, I like wanting you.”
This declaration speaks to the heart of the matter as it unfolds; the adventure is too enjoyable to not pursue. The excitement of the situation is literally overruling any question of immorality. They flirt, they philosophize, they justify their actions and intentions; they circle the chairs of the hotel lobby they’re meeting in, sizing each other up as if in a choreographed dance, and trying to make sense of the inconvenient but inescapable feelings they have developed for each other. Suddenly the voices of their now less significant others are heard through the door, and we meet Mrs. Lunn and Mr. Juno (Kate Jergensen and Jonathan Beebe). This new team of Lunn and Juno is as smitten with each other as the first pair. Mr. Lunn, whose first name we have learned is Gregory (“which sounds like a powder”, he admits), and Mr. Juno (whose first name is oddly “Sibthorpe”), immediately go into alpha mode. Each of the men clearly wants the best of both worlds, but initially only for themselves.
“I’m her prospective husband,” says Sibthorpe to Gregory. “You’re only her actual one. I’m the anticipation: you’re the disappointment.” It’s the perfect “dis” and leads to an attempt at fisticuffs, which hysterically, neither is very good at.
Mrs. Juno is disappointed that her husband isn’t the proficient boxer he had professed to be. “You spoke with the greatest contempt of men who didn’t kick other men downstairs,” she notes.
“Well, I can’t kick Mr. Lunn downstairs,” Sibthorpe retorts. “We’re on the ground floor.”
As with all of Shaw’s works, the play is absolutely loaded with quotable lines like these that stay with you; the dialogue is either hilarious or makes a profound statement on the fickleness of humanity (and often, it’s both). The play neither justifies nor condemns the actions of its characters, simply allowing them to accept the situation as it is and embracing ambiguity; ultimately, everyone gets on board.
Overruled packs a lot of thought and humor into its 50-minute runtime and makes for the perfect Shavian appetitizer. The actors deliver it with relish, and are guided deftly by director John Benedetto.
Overruled runs at the American Theater of Actors through October 13, 2024.
Arts Independent 