Pamela Bob at the opening night reception of the 2018 Tribeca TV Festival at Spring Studios in New York on September 20, 2018. Photo by Lia Chang
“Livin’ On A Prairie” is an official selection of the 2018 Tribeca TV Festival and will screen at Spring Studios, 50 Varick Street, on Saturday, September 22 at 7:45pm, as part of an eclectic block of Indie Comedy Pilots that play with conventions of adulthood, sex and…William Shakespeare. The screening is currently sold out but you can click here for rush ticket information.
Pamela Bob, Evan Daves and Garth Kravits at the opening night reception of the 2018 Tribeca TV Festival at Spring Studios in New York on September 20, 2018. Photo by Lia Chang
“Livin’ On A Prairie,” a six episode series created by and starring Broadway’s Pamela Bob (Hand to God, A Gentleman’s Guide to Love & Murder), follows Pamela as she navigates life and love while struggling to overcome her obsession with the 1970’s hit TV show “Little House on The Prairie.”
Garth Kravits, Pamela Bob and Evan Daves at the opening night reception of the 2018 Tribeca TV Festival at Spring Studios in New York on September 20, 2018. Photo by Lia Chang
The show stars members of the original “Little House” cast. Alison Arngrim (“Little House on the Prairie”) and Charlotte Stewart (“Little House on the Prairie,” “Twin Peaks”) guest star and the series also features current Broadway and TV performers: Taurean Everett (Cher, Miss Saigon), Aaron Ramey (The Visit), Matt Bogart (Jersey Boys), Jim Ferris (The Lion King), Justin Sams (When We Rise), Carlos Gonzales (On Your Feet) Dave T. Koenig (Nurse Jackie), Michael Kostroff (The Nance), Paul Moon (Tainted Dreams) and Matt Cody (Blue Bloods.)
Pamela Bob, Garth Kravits and Evan Daves at the opening night reception of the 2018 Tribeca TV Festival at Spring Studios in New York on September 20, 2018. Photo by Lia Chang
“Livin’ On A Prairie” is directed and produced by Cut&Dry Films’ Garth Kravits and Evan Daves with Executive Producer Roy Goderstad. cutanddryfilms.com
Garth Kravits, Pamela Bob and Evan Daves at the opening night reception of the 2018 Tribeca TV Festival at Spring Studios in New York on September 20, 2018. Photo by Lia ChangGarth Kravits, Pamela Bob and Evan Daves at the opening night reception of the 2018 Tribeca TV Festival at Spring Studios in New York on September 20, 2018. Photo by Lia ChangGarth Kravits at the opening night reception of the 2018 Tribeca TV Festival at Spring Studios in New York on September 20, 2018. Photo by Lia ChangEvan Daves at the opening night reception of the 2018 Tribeca TV Festival at Spring Studios in New York on September 20, 2018. Photo by Lia ChangGarth Kravits and Pamela Bob at the opening night reception of the 2018 Tribeca TV Festival at Spring Studios in New York on September 20, 2018. Photo by Lia Chang
Other shows that are part of the slate include the world premieres of “Great Expectations,” created by Pip Swallow and executive produced by Stefan Georgiou; “I Was a Teenage Pillow Queen,” executive produced by Bridget Moloney and Claire Coffee; “My Friend Will,” executive produced by Elijah Guo; and Shrimp, created by/executive produced by Zelda Williams and EP Joshua Thurston.
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.
Lia Chang. Photo by Garth Kravits
Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films, making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Bev’s Girl Films’ debut short film, Hide and Seek was a top ten film in the Asian American Film Lab’s 2015 72 Hour Shootout Filmmaking Competition, and she received a Best Actress nomination. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers, musicians and corporations. Lia is also an internationally published and exhibited photographer, a multi-platform journalist, and a publicist. Lia has appeared in the filmsWolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman and Hide and Seek. She is profiled in Jade Magazine and Playbill.com.
The cast of GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER have welcomed many in the Broadway community throughout their run including Lori Tan Chinn, Baayork Lee, Paul Shaffer, André De Shields, Daniel K. Isaac, Denise Burse, Jose Llana, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Marsha Mason, Alex Newell, the kids from SCHOOL OF ROCK, Eric William Morris and his cast members from KING KONG.
Baayork Lee, Garth Kravits, Lori Tan Chinn. Photo by Lia Chang
Helmed by Tony Award winner John Rando and featuring choreography by Chris Bailey, GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER will close on Sunday, September 16 following the evening performance. It will have played 30 previews and 40 performances. Previews began on July 19 and the show opened on August 13. Click here to purchase tickets.
Jay Klaitz, Mitchell Jarvis and Garth Kravits. Photo by Lia Chang
GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER features original music and lyrics by Mark Allen, a book by Ken Davenport and The Grundleshotz, with additional material by Sarah Saltzberg. The creative team includes Tony Award winners Derek McLane (Scenic Design), Emily Rebholz (Costume Design), Ken Billington (Lighting Design), John Shivers (Sound Design) in addition to Music Direction by Sonny Paladino.
Lori Tan Chinn and Baayork Lee visit GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER. Photo by Lia Chang
The cast of GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER features Mitchell Jarvis, Jay Klaitz, Manu Narayan, Paul Whitty, Sawyer Nunes, Marilu Henner, Kelli Barrett, Becca Kötte, Garth Kravits, Tamika Lawrence, Noa Solorio, Brandon Williams, Lindsey Brett Carothers, Ryan Duncan, Scott Richard Foster, Jenny Hill, Nehal Joshi, J. Elaine Marcos, Rob Marnell, Jasmin Richardson, Ian Ward, and Tad Wilson.
Lori Tan Chinn and Baayork Lee visit GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER. Photo by Lia Chang
The cast recently gathered to record the cast album at Power Station and SH-K-BOOM RECORDS will release it later this year.
Mitchell Jarvis, Lori Tan Chinn, Marilu Henner. Photo by Lia Chang
Mitch Papadopoulos always wanted to be the next Bruce Springsteen, but he left those daydreams behind for a day job. When this big-shot banker is handed a pink slip on his 40th birthday, he’s forced to move back in with his mom in New Jersey.
Marilu Henner and Brandon Williams. Photo by Lia Chang
Lori Tan Chinn, Kelli Barrett and Baayork Lee. Photo by Lia Chang
Jake Manabat, Raymond J. Lee, Baayork Lee, Garth Kravits, Lori Tan Chinn, Daniel May, J. Elaine Marcos, Yuka Takara, Lia Chang and Jay Klaitz.
A run-in with his former music rival leads to a threat of foreclosure on Mitch’s family home, unless he can win The Battle of the Bands-a rematch over 25 years in the making. So he dusts off his guitar, gathers his old gang, and sets out to win back his house, his pride-and maybe even the high school sweetheart he left behind-proving it’s never too late to give your dreams one last shot.
André De Shields visits with the cast and crew of GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER. Photo by Lia ChangGarth Kravits, André De Shields, J. Elaine Marcos and Nehal Joshi. Photo by Lia Chang
Denise Burse and Garth Kravits. Photo by Lia Chang
Marilu Henner and André De Shields. Photo by Lia Chang
Tracie Thoms and Ryan Duncan. Photo by Lia Chang
Mitchell Jarvis, Tracie Thoms, Garth Kravits, Daniel K. Isaac, Talia Thiesfield, Adam Porter Smith, Ryan Duncan. Photo by Lia Chang
GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER is produced by Ken Davenport, Hunter Arnold, Roy Putrino, Scott Abrams, Sandi Moran, Carl Daikeler, Broadway Strategic Return Fund, Rob Kolson, Marie Barton Stevenson, H. Richard Hopper, Richard Roth, Marguerite Hoffman, Diego Kolankowsky, Gary Nelson, Brian Cromwell Smith, Witzend Productions, David Bryant, Darrell Hankey, Trevor Coates, Ladybug Productions, Jim Wagstaffe, Laura Z. Barket, Judith Manocherian, John McGrain, Steve Reynolds, Sal Buscemi, Douglas K. Atamian, Rich Battista, Frederic J. Siegel, BF Investments, and Sean Attebury. The Associate Producers for the production are Kayla Greenspan and Valerie Novakoff.
Paul Shaffer visits with the cast of GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER. Photo by Lia ChangRyan Duncan, Brandon Williams, Paul Shaffer and Garth Kravits. Photo by Lia ChangMitchell Jarvis, Sawyer Nunes, Jay Klaitz, Paul Shaffer, Paul Whitty and Manu Narayan. Photo by Lia ChangMike, Justin Rothberg, Kevin Ramessar, Paul Shaffer, Sonny Paladino, Joe Bergamini and Mark. Photo by Lia ChangCast members from KING KONG and GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER. Photo by Lia Chang
Kristen Faith Oei and Jon Hoche. Photo by Lia Chang
Paul Whitty, Eric William Morris, Alyse Alan Louis. Photo by Lia Chang
Virginia Wing, Garth Kravits, Erin Maguire. Photo by Lia Chang
Celia Keenan-Bolger, Paul Whitty, Garth Kravits, Mitchell Jarvis, Sarah Saltzberg, Marilu Henner and Kelli Barrett. Photo by Lia ChangJ. Elaine Marcos, Garth Kravits, Jose Llana, Ryan Duncan, Jaygee Macapugay. Photo by Lia ChangCelia Keenan-Bolger, Jose Llana and Sarah Saltzberg. Photo by Lia ChangBrandon Williams, Garth Kravits, Alex Newell, Nehal Joshi and J. Elaine Marcos. Photo by Lia ChangRob Marnell, Nehal Joshi, Lynsey Brett Carothers, Garth Kravits, Noa Solorio, Sawyer Nunes, Tamika Lawrence, Paul Whitty, Kelli Barrett, Mitchell Jarvis, Marilu Henner, Jay Klaitz, Becca Kotte, Manu Narayan, Brandon Williams, Jasmin Richardson, Tad Wilson, Ryan Duncan, J. Elaine Marcos. Photo by Lia Chang
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.
Brandon Williams, Jay Klaitz, Lia Chang, Daniel K. Isaac and Garth Kravits.
Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films, making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Bev’s Girl Films’ debut short film, Hide and Seek was a top ten film in the Asian American Film Lab’s 2015 72 Hour Shootout Filmmaking Competition, and she received a Best Actress nomination. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers, musicians and corporations. Lia is also an internationally published and exhibited photographer, a multi-platform journalist, and a publicist. Lia has appeared in the filmsWolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman and Hide and Seek. She is profiled in Jade Magazine and Playbill.com.
It’s your final weekend to see the new musical Gettin’ The Band Back Togetherat The Belasco Theatre (111 W 44th Street).
MouthFeel band members Brandon Williams, Garth Kravits, J. Elaine Marcos. Photo by Cherie B. Tay
Helmed by Tony Award winner John Rando and featuring choreography by Chris Bailey, Gettin’ The Band Back Together will close on Sunday, September 16 following the evening performance. It will have played 30 previews and 40 performances. Previews began on July 19 and the show opened on August 13. Click here to purchase tickets.
MouthFeel band members Ryan Duncan, Brandon Williams and Garth Kravits. Photo by Cherie B. Tay
The cast recently gathered to record the cast album at Power Station and SH-K-BOOM RECORDS will release it later this year.
MouthFeel band members Garth Kravits, Ryan Duncan and Brandon Williams. Photo by Cherie B. Tay
Gettin’ The Band Back Together has original music and lyrics by Mark Allen and a book by Ken Davenport and The Grundleshotz with additional material by Sarah Saltzberg. The creative team includes Tony Award winners Derek McLane (Scenic Design), Emily Rebholz (Costume Design), Ken Billington (Lighting Design), John Shivers (Sound Design) in addition to Music Direction by Sonny Paladino and Casting by Eisenberg/Beans Casting.
J. Elaine Marcos, Rob Marnell, Ryan Duncan, Jasmin Richardson, Garth Kravits, Tad Wilson, Brandon Williams, Nehal Joshi, Noa Solorio, Sawyer Nunes, Mitchell Jarvis, Tamika Lawrence, Jay Klaitz, Paul Whitty, Marilu Henner, Manu Narayan, Becca Kötte. Photo by Joan Marcus
The cast of Gettin’ The Band Back Together features Mitchell Jarvis (Mitch Papadopoulos), Jay Klaitz (Bart Vickers), Manu Narayan (Dr. Rummesh “Robbie” Patel), Paul Whitty (Michael “Sully” Sullivan), Sawyer Nunes (Ricky “Bling” Goldstein), Marilu Henner (“Mitch’s Mom,” aka Sharon Papadopoulos), Kelli Barrett (Dani), Becca Kötte (Tawney), Garth Kravits (Ritchie), Tamika Lawrence (Roxanne Velasco), Noa Solorio (Billie), and Brandon Williams (Tygen Billows). The cast also includes Lindsey Brett Carothers, Ryan Duncan, Scott Richard Foster, Jenny Hill, Nehal Joshi, J. Elaine Marcos, Rob Marnell, Jasmin Richardson, Ian Ward, and Tad Wilson.
Garth Kravits, Jasmin Richardson, J. Elaine Marcos, Sawyer Nunes, Rob Marnell, Noa Solorio, Mitchell Jarvis, Tamika Lawrence, Ryan Duncan, Nehal Joshi, Tad Wilson, Becca Kötte. Photo by Joan Marcus
Mitch Papadopoulos always wanted to be the next Bruce Springsteen, but he left those daydreams behind for a day job. When this big-shot banker is handed a pink slip on his 40th birthday, he’s forced to move back in with his mom in New Jersey.
Garth Kravits, Tamika Lawrence, Noa Solorio, Rob Marnell, Becca Kötte, Sawyer Nunes, J. Elaine Marcos, Jasmin Richardson and Ryan Duncan. Photo by Joan Marcus
A run-in with his former music rival leads to a threat of foreclosure on Mitch’s family home, unless he can win The Battle of the Bands-a rematch over 25 years in the making. So he dusts off his guitar, gathers his old gang, and sets out to win back his house, his pride-and maybe even the high school sweetheart he left behind-proving it’s never too late to give your dreams one last shot.
Kelli Barrett and Mitchell Jarvis and the company. Photo by Joan Marcus
Gettin’ The Band Back Together is produced by Ken Davenport, Hunter Arnold, Roy Putrino, Scott Abrams, Sandi Moran, Carl Daikeler, Broadway Strategic Return Fund, Rob Kolson, Marie Barton Stevenson, H. Richard Hopper, Richard Roth, Marguerite Hoffman, Diego Kolankowsky, Gary Nelson, Brian Cromwell Smith, Witzend Productions, David Bryant, Darrell Hankey, Trevor Coates, Ladybug Productions, Jim Wagstaffe, Laura Z. Barket, Judith Manocherian, John McGrain, Steve Reynolds, Sal Buscemi, Douglas K. Atamian, Rich Battista, Frederic J. Siegel, BF Investments, and Sean Attebury. The Associate Producers for the production are Kayla Greenspan and Valerie Novakoff.
Becca Kotte, Ryan Duncan, Nehal Joshi, Manu Narayan, Mitchell Jarvis, Tad Wilson and Paul Whitty. Photo by Cherie B. TayKelli Barrett and Mitchell Jarvis. Photo by Joan MarcusMitchell Jarvis and Marilu Henner. Photo by Joan MarcusBrandon Williams and the company. Photo by Joan Marcus
Paul Whitty, Marilu Henner, Sawyer Nunes. Photo by Joan Marcus
Marilu Henner. Photo by Joan Marcus
Jay Klaitz, Manu Narayan, Mitchell Jarvis, Paul Whitty. Photo by Joan MarcusJay Klaitz and Mitchell Jarvis. Photo by Joan MarcusJay Klaitz and Marilu Henner. Photo by Joan MarcusManu Narayan, Jay Klaitz, Paul Whitty, Sawyer Nunes and Mitchell Jarvis. Photo by Joan MarcusTamika Lawrence, Noa Solorio, Sawyer Nunes, Jay Klaitz, Paul Whitty, Manu Narayan, Tad Wilson, Marilu Henner. Photo by Joan MarcusJay Klaitz, Sawyer Nunes, Paul Whitty, Mitchell Jarvis and Manu Narayan. Photo by Joan MarcusMitchell Jarvis, Sawyer Nunes, Rob Marnell. Photo by Joan Marcus
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.
Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films, making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Bev’s Girl Films’ debut short film, Hide and Seek was a top ten film in the Asian American Film Lab’s 2015 72 Hour Shootout Filmmaking Competition, and she received a Best Actress nomination. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers, musicians and corporations. Lia is also an internationally published and exhibited photographer, a multi-platform journalist, and a publicist. Lia has appeared in the filmsWolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman and Hide and Seek. She is profiled in Jade Magazine and Playbill.com.
Feinstein’s/54 Below is celebrating the 40th Anniversary of the Tony Award winning musical AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ with 54 SINGS AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’: THE MUSIC OF FATS WALLER , directed by its original Tony Award-winning director, Richard Maltby, Jr. for two shows on tonight at 7pm and 9:30pm. Click here for tickets.
The evening will feature cast members from the Broadway company- two-Tony nominee André De Shields (The Full Monty, The Wiz, Play On), Ken Page (Cats, The Nightmare Before Christmas). and Charlayne Woodard (FX’s “Pose”). Frenchie Davis (“American Idol,” Dreamgirls) will take on the role originated by Nell Carter and Cynthia Thomas (Ain’t Misbehavin’) will take on the role originated by Armelia McQueen.
Armelia McQueen, Ken Page, Charlayne Woodard, André De Shields and Nelle Carter in AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’.
The show will also feature members of the Crossroads Theatre Company production of the musical, which was directed by Mr. De Shields, including Johmaalya Adelekan (Ragtime), Rheaume Crenshaw (Groundhog Day), Tyrone Davis Jr (Waitress), and Zurin Villanueva (Mean Girls).
Johmaalya Adelekan, Rheaume Crenshaw, Zurin Villanueva. Photo by Lia Chang
The concert will be directed by the show’s original Tony Award-winning director and co-conceiver, Richard Maltby, Jr.
Receiving five Tony Award nominations, AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ opened at the Longacre Theater in 1978 and played 1600 performances. The original company featured Nell Carter, André De Shields, Armelia McQueen, Ken Page, and Charlayne Woodard. The show was choreographed by Arthur Faria and featured arrangements by Luther Henderson. The show was conceived by Mr. Maltby and Murray Horowitz. A revival of the show hit Broadway in 1988.
AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ features some of Fats Waller’s most iconic songs including “The Joint Is Jumpin,” “Your Feets Too Big,” “Mean To Me,” “Honeysuckle Rose,” and so many more.
54 SINGS AIN’T MISBEHAVIN’ will be produced by Robert W. Schneider. The show will be music directed by William McDaniel. The associate producer will be Benjamin Nissen.
Schneider said, “AIN’T MISBEHAVIN ‘is the epitome of a perfect revue. I am so thrilled that the man who helped bring this show to life forty years ago, the incomparable Tony Award winner Richard Maltby Jr, is once again taking the helm on this project and will be bringing Waller’s timeless music back to New York audiences. The joint, pun intended, will be jumpin!”
Tickets, starting at $30, are still available. In addition to the ticket price, there is food and beverage minimum of $25.00 54 SINGS AIN’T MISBEHAVIN tickets can be purchased at 54below.com. Tickets on the day of performance after 4:00 are only available by calling (646) 476-3551
Prospect Theater Company kicks off their 2018-2019 season with a one night only special concert presentation of THE FLOOD, an original musical inspired by the historic 1993 Mississippi River Floods.
The IGNITE series concert presented in partnership with Greymatters Productions, will take place at TheTimesCenter (242 West 41st Street) on Saturday, September 8 at 8pm. Tickets for THE FLOOD are $30 – $50 and can be purchased at www.ProspectTheater.org or by calling 212-352-3101.
An ensemble of more than 60 performers will come together to raise funds for continued Puerto Rico hurricane recovery, in partnership with the Hispanic Federation’s UNIDOScampaign. Music direction of the evening is by Katya Stanislavskaya.
The principal cast will feature Ben Fankhauser (Broadway’s Newsies), Victoria Huston-Elem (Finding Neverland, National Tour), Aline Mayagoitia (In the Heights, Pittsburgh CLO, Ordway), Mia Pinero (West Side Story, The Guthrie), Aaron Ramey (Broadway’s Bridges of Madison County), Scott Wakefield (Broadway’s Hands on a Hard Body), and Simone Zamore (The Flood, Prospect original cast).
The ensemble will include Prospect and Broadway alumni including: Sherz Aletaha, Jennifer Blood, Victoria Bundonis, Cáitlín Burke, Anicet Castel, Jason Collins, DeMone, Carol Hickey, Brian Jose, Toren Nakamura, Yassi Noubahar, Michael Pesce, Alexandra de Suze, Tony Vallés, Josiah Vasquez, David Wiens, Zach Wobensmith, and Carla Woods.
The professional cast will be joined by a community chorus of 36 singers from Monroe County, Illinois, an area devastated by the 1993 floods of the Mississippi River, which inspired the musical.
Co-created by founding company artists Peter Mills (co-writer: book, music and lyrics) and Cara Reichel (co-writer: book, music and lyrics; direction), this special event commemorates the 25th anniversary of the devastating 1993 flood of the Mississippi River.
THE FLOOD was initially developed by Prospect in spring, 2001, and presented in a workshop production on the Lower East Side. Subsequently, Prospect presented an off-Broadway run of THE FLOOD in 2006. In 2007, the musical had its regional premiere at the Monroe Actors Stage Company in Illinois, which will also present an encore staging of the show this fall.
“Prospect is thrilled to revisit The Flood as we kick off our 20th year of creating new musical theater,” said Producing Artistic Director Cara Reichel. “For this special event, our artists are honored to come together with singers from Monroe County, Illinois, to help those in Puerto Rico who have an ongoing need for disaster recovery and support.”
Of its previous productions, The New York Times cheered, “a majestic score that evokes the free-ranging Americana of Ragtime,” Theatermania raved, “remarkable! The score succeeds magnificently,” and Talkin’ Broadway said, “glorious…surging anthems and rapturous hymns crown a collection of complex character songs.”
Direct donations to the concert’s Hispanic Federation UNIDOS Disaster Relief and Recovery Program online fundraising campaign can be made via the show web page at www.ProspectTheater.org.
Garth Kravits, Tamika Lawrence, Noa Solorio, Rob Marnell, Becca Kotte, Sawyer Nunes, J. Elaine Marcos, Jasmin Richardson and Ryan Duncan. Photo by Joan Marcus
J. Elaine Marcos will debut her one woman show What I Did for…a Job at Feinstein’s/54 Below on September 5 at 9:30 pm. Click here for tickets. Use code JEM5 for $5 off.
J. Elaine Marcos on the set of GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER at The Belasco Theatre in New York. Photo by Lia Chang
Ms. Marcos is back on Broadway in Gettin’ the Band Back Together through September 16 and received the Legacy Robe on opening night.
J. Elaine Marcos received the Legacy Robe prior to the opening night performance of GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER at The Belasco Theatre in New York on August 13, 2018. She is pictured with Lainie Sakakura, another Robe recipient with whom she appeared in David Henry Hwang’s revisal of FLOWER DRUM SONG.
In What I Did for… a Job, J. Ms. Marcos humorously reveals her approach to auditioning for musicals and shares her unique journey in what it took to book 9 Broadway Shows.
The many faces of J. Elaine Marcos in GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER. Photo courtesy of Facebook
“I had to learn to break the “rules” in order to be noticed and many of my audition pieces were practically cabaret acts. So, I put them all in a show,” says the Broadway vet.
Ms. Marcos will be joined by fellow Gettin’ the Band Back Together cast member Ryan Duncan along with some special cameos from her Broadway past and William McDaniel on the keys.
Ms. Marcos was last seen stealing big laughs in Los Angeles in the 2017 CBS Diversity Showcase.
Clarke Thorell as Rooster, Jane Lynch as Miss Hannigan and J. Elaine Marcos as Lily in Annie. Photo by Joan Marcus
Prior to relocating to the West Coast she re-created the role of ‘Lily St. Regis’ in the revival of Annie along side Jane Lynch. Her comedic reputation began after her portrayal of ‘Cynthia’ in Priscilla Queen of the Desert, earning her an Astaire Award Nomination for Excellence in Dance. Additional Broadway credits include the revival of A Chorus Line, The Wedding Singer, Flower Drum Song, Sweet Charity, Wonderful Town, and Miss Saigon.
Cast of Flower Drum Song in rehearsal at 890 Broadway Studios in New York on September 22, 2002. Photo by Lia Chang
On screen, J. Elaine made her feature film debut in Morning Glory as ‘Lisa Bartlett’ opposite Rachel McAdams; and went on to appear in St. Vincent with Bill Murray. On TV she appeared in :Grace and Frankie,” “2 Broke Girls,” “School of Rock,” “30 Rock” and “Law & Order: SVU,” and is featured in the documentary Every Little Step.
This skilled Filipina comedian writes and produces her own YouTube comedy blog series :Motivational Mondays,” starring as the linguistically challenged but always optimistic motivational speaker named ‘V’.
Feinstein’s/54 Below, Broadway’s Supper Club & Private Event Destination, is a performance venue in the grand tradition of New York City nightlife. Feinstein’s/54 Below presents iconic and rising stars from the worlds of Broadway and popular music and has set a new standard for culinary excellence worthy of the world-class entertainment on the stage. Located at 254 West 54th Street.
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.
Lia Chang, Garth Kravits, Andre De Shields, J. Elaine Marcos and Nehal Joshi on the set of GETTIN’ THE BAND BACK TOGETHER at The Belasco Theatre in New York.Lia Chang, Photo by Garth Kravits
Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films, making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Bev’s Girl Films’ debut short film, Hide and Seek was a top ten film in the Asian American Film Lab’s 2015 72 Hour Shootout Filmmaking Competition, and she received a Best Actress nomination. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers, musicians and corporations. Lia is also an internationally published and exhibited photographer, a multi-platform journalist, and a publicist. Lia has appeared in the filmsWolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman and Hide and Seek. She is profiled in Jade Magazine and Playbill.com.
Keen is presenting the first NY revival of Adam Gwon’s acclaimed Ordinary Days starring Whitney Bashor (The Bridges of Madison County), Marc delaCruz (If/Then), Sarah Lynn Marion (2013 Jimmy awards winner), and Kyle Sherman (Pete the Cat).
Performances for this limited Off-Broadway engagement of Ordinary Days, directed by Keen Artistic Director Jonathan Silverstein, will begin Tuesday, October 2nd, and continue through November 17th only, with opening night set for Wednesday, October 17th. Additional matinees on Wednesdays November 7th and November 14th at 2pm.
Ordinary Days will have new orchestrations especially created for Keen by Bruce Coughlin (Tony Award® and Drama Desk Award winner for The Light in the Piazza; Tony Award® nominations for Grey Gardens and Urinetown; numerous Drama Desk Award nominations including War Paint, Giant, Grey Gardens, Urinetown, The Sound of Music, and Floyd Collins). John Bell (On the Town, Fiddler on the Roof, Keen’s Marry Me A Little) will serve as Musical Director. Ordinary Days will have scenic design by Steven Kemp, costume design by Jennifer Paar, lighting design by Anshuman Bhatia, and sound design by Alex Hawthorn.
“I am so thrilled to start rehearsals for our revival of Adam Gwon’s Ordinary Days with this wonderfully talented cast. Adam writes complex and distinctive characters and each of these actors bring their own unique gifts to his work. I am also eagerly anticipating getting back in the room with John Bell, my friend and colleague who was an integral part to creating our beautiful production of Marry Me a Little. And adding the gifted Bruce Coughlin into the mix to create new orchestrations will ensure our production will be a truly original version of Adam’s gorgeous musical.”
From the company that brought the acclaimed revivals of Marry Me a Little, John and Jen,and Tick, Tick…BOOM! comes Adam Gwon’s Ordinary Days, a refreshingly humorous and inspiring musical about making simple connections in a chaotic city. Written by one of musical theater’s most exciting new composers, Ordinary Days tells the story of four young New Yorkers whose lives intersect in unexpected ways as they search for success, happiness, love, and taxis. Peter Marks in The Washington Post declared “If life really were more like a musical, you’d be contented if that life percolated as vibrantly as does Ordinary Days, Adam Gwon’s sweet, fleet and tender survey of four youngish New Yorkers, fighting through the emotional noise and dramatic traffic to arrive at a clearer sense of who they are and what they want to be. It’s a beguiling little tale, set to Gwon’s effervescent, urban-romantic melodies… Gwon’s 19 songs are the evening’s sole engine. They’re lyrically witty and rich enough in narrative and character detail to power the dual plots of the musical. It’s the kind of unadorned musical that feels like such a fresh alternative to most of the overproduced stuff on Broadway.”
Whitney Bashor appeared on Broadway in The Bridges of Madison County, garnering the Clarence Derwent Award. National Tour: Whistle Down the Wind. Off-Broadway: The Fantasticks, Himself and Nora. Regional: The Bridges of Madison County (Williamstown Theatre Festival), Beaches (Drury Lane Theatre), Merrily We Roll Along (Wallis Annenberg Theatre: LA Ovation Nominee), Fly By Night (Dallas Theatre Center), Light in the Piazza (Philadelphia Theatre Company: Barrymore Award Winner), Unsinkable Molly Brown (St Louis MUNY), Diner (Signature Theatre), Edges (Original Company; Capital Repertory Theatre). Concerts: Boston Pops (Tanglewood, Ted Sperling), An Evening of Music with Marvin Hamlisch (Library of Congress, Ted Sperling), Adam Guettel (54 Below), Jason Robert Brown (54 Below). TV: “Law & Order SVU”, “Boardwalk Empire”, “Love Monkey”, “All My Children”. Film: Off the Black. BFA University of Michigan. Follow @bashorw on Instagram.
Marc delaCruz: Broadway: If/Then. Off-Broadway/New York: Three Days to See (Transport Group), Pacific Overtures (Classic Stage Company), Prison Dancer (NYMF), Oklahoma! (National Asian Artists Project). Tour/International: If/Then (David), Where Elephants Weep, The Wedding Banquet, Disney’s High School Musical. Regional: Vietgone (Quang, Studio Theatre), Next to Normal (Dan, Tantrum Theater), Allegiance (The Old Globe), work with San Jose Rep, North Carolina Theatre, ReAct, Northwest Asian American Theatre, the 5th Avenue Theatre, and Village Theatre.
Sarah Lynn Marion is making her New York debut. Last summer she was seen in All Shook Up at The MUNY. She is a graduate of the University of Michigan with a BFA in Musical Theatre, where her credits included Ursula in Disney’s The Little Mermaid and Daniel in The Complete Works of William Shakespeare (Abridged) [Revised]. First Place Musical Theatre Pre-Professional Division for the Classical Singer Vocal Competition and winner of the Jimmy Award, the Jerry Herman Award, and the JRAY for High School Musical Theatre.
Kyle Sherman is making his Theatre Row and Keen Company debut. Recent credits include Off-Broadway’s Pete the Cat (Pete), For the Record: The Brat Pack (The Geek), From Pilgrim Landing (Jacob), Rosie Revere (Iggy Peck), as well as concert appearances at Feinstein’s/54 Below. Kyle is a Graduate of Northwestern University. Follow @kshermanatorr on Instagram and Twitter.
Adam Gwon is an award-winning composer and lyricist whose musicals have been produced on five continents, in more than half a dozen languages. Off-Broadway: Ordinary Days (Roundabout), Old Jews Telling Jokes (Westside Theatre); Regional: String (Village Theatre), Cake Off (Signature Theatre, Helen Hayes Award nomination; Bucks County Playhouse), Cloudlands (South Coast Rep), The Boy Detective Fails (Signature Theatre), Bernice Bobs Her Hair (Lyric Theatre of Oklahoma); West End: Ordinary Days (Trafalgar Studios). Adam’s songs have been performed at Carnegie Hall, Lincoln Center, the Kennedy Center, and more, by such luminaries as Audra McDonald, Kelli O’Hara, and Brian d’Arcy James. Honors include the Kleban Award, Fred Ebb Award, Richard Rodgers Award, Frederick Loewe Award, Second Stage Theatre’s Donna Perret Rosen Award, Weston Playhouse New Musical Award, ASCAP Harold Adamson Award, and the MAC John Wallowitch Award, as well as commissions from Roundabout, Playwrights Horizons, Signature Theatre, South Coast Rep, and Broadway Across America. Recordings include:Ordinary Days (Ghostlight Records), Audra McDonald’s Go Back Home (Nonesuch), The Essential Liz Callaway (Working Girl Records), Tracy Lynn Olivera’s Because, and Over the Moon: The Broadway Lullaby Album. Adam has been a fellow at the MacDowell Colony, the O’Neill Music Theater Conference, and the Dramatists Guild.
Keen Company creates theater that provokes identification, reflection, and emotional connection. In intimate productions of plays and musicals, we tell wholehearted stories about people striving to do their best and the decisive moments that change us. Keen has been honored with eleven Drama Desk nominations, two Drama Desk Awards, two Drama League nominations, and two Obie Awards.
All performances will be at Theatre Row, a program of Building for the Arts NY Inc., (410 West 42nd Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues) and will be Tuesday through Thursday evenings at 7pm; Fridays at 8pm; Saturdays at 2pm & 8pm; and Sunday matinees at 3pm. Tickets for Ordinary Days will be $75; premium tickets will be $90. (All ticket prices include restoration fees.) Tickets for the first performance only on Tuesday October 2nd will be $25.
Save over 35% off full price tickets with a subscription package for both shows of the season for only $100 which includes unlimited exchange privileges, invitations to Keen Company readings, and admission to Keen Teens Festival of New Work! Subscribers also get free invitations to Keen’s Play Club discussion series, discounts on the purchase of cast recordings of Keen’s acclaimed productions of Marry Me a Little and John & Jen, as well as advance notice and discounted tickets to The Playwrights Lab Series and Keen Company’s Annual Gala.
Keen patrons 30 or under see both shows for just $25 each with a KEENConnect Subscription at only $50. That’s all the perks of a regular subscription for the price of a rush ticket! Save over 65% off the full ticket price! (Please note, government issued ID must be presented at box office).
Individual tickets and subscriptions are on sale NOW! To purchase single tickets, visit the Theatre Row Box Office (410 West 42nd Street, between 9th and 10th Avenues), online at Telecharge.com, or call 212-239-6200. For subscriptions, please visit www.keencompany.org/subscribe.
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.
Lia Chang_photo by Garth Kravits
Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films, making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Bev’s Girl Films’ debut short film, Hide and Seek was a top ten film in the Asian American Film Lab’s 2015 72 Hour Shootout Filmmaking Competition, and she received a Best Actress nomination. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers, musicians and corporations. Lia is also an internationally published and exhibited photographer, a multi-platform journalist, and a publicist. Lia has appeared in the filmsWolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman and Hide and Seek. She is profiled in Jade Magazine and Playbill.com.
J. Elaine Marcos, Rob Marnell, Ryan Duncan, Jasmin Richardson, Garth Kravits, Tad Wilson, Brandon Williams, Nehal Joshi, Noa Solorio, Sawyer Nunes, Mitchell Jarvis, Tamika Lawrence, Jay Klaitz, Paul Whitty, Marilu Henner, Manu Narayan, Becca Kötte. Photo by Joan Marcus
The new musical Gettin’ The Band Back Together is currently playing at The Belasco Theatre (111 W 44th Street). Helmed by Tony Award winner John Rando and featuring choreography by Chris Bailey, the production began previews on July 19 and opened on August 13.
Garth Kravits, Jasmin Richardson, J. Elaine Marcos, Sawyer Nunes, Rob Marnell, Noa Solorio, Mitchell Jarvis, Tamika Lawrence, Ryan Duncan, Nehal Joshi, Tad Wilson, Becca Kötte. Photo by Joan Marcus
You can get 2 for 1 tickets for Gettin’ The Band Back Together during Broadway week, Sept 3-16! Visit www.telechargeoffers.com
Code 1: BWAYWK – general 2-for-1 tickets
Code 2: BWAYUP – 2-for-1 upgrade: spend an extra $20 to get seats closer to the stage.
Garth Kravits, Tamika Lawrence, Noa Solorio, Rob Marnell, Becca Kötte, Sawyer Nunes, J. Elaine Marcos, Jasmin Richardson and Ryan Duncan. Photo by Joan Marcus
The cast recently recorded the cast album at Power Station, to be released by SH-K-BOOM RECORDS later this year.
Kelli Barrett and Mitchell Jarvis and the company. Photo by Joan Marcus
Gettin’ The Band Back Together has original music and lyrics by Mark Allen and a book by Ken Davenport and The Grundleshotz with additional material by Sarah Saltzberg. The creative team includes Tony Award winners Derek McLane (Scenic Design), Emily Rebholz (Costume Design), Ken Billington (Lighting Design), John Shivers (Sound Design) in addition to Music Direction by Sonny Paladino and Casting by Eisenberg/Beans Casting.
Kelli Barrett and Mitchell Jarvis. Photo by Joan Marcus
The cast of Gettin’ The Band Back Together features Mitchell Jarvis (Mitch Papadopoulos), Jay Klaitz (Bart Vickers), Manu Narayan (Dr. Rummesh “Robbie” Patel), Paul Whitty (Michael “Sully” Sullivan), Sawyer Nunes (Ricky “Bling” Goldstein), Marilu Henner (“Mitch’s Mom,” aka Sharon Papadopoulos), Kelli Barrett (Dani), Becca Kötte (Tawney), Garth Kravits (Ritchie), Tamika Lawrence (Roxanne Velasco), Noa Solorio (Billie), and Brandon Williams (Tygen Billows). The cast also includes Lindsey Brett Carothers, Ryan Duncan, Scott Richard Foster, Jenny Hill, Nehal Joshi, J. Elaine Marcos, Rob Marnell, Jasmin Richardson, Ian Ward, and Tad Wilson.
Mitchell Jarvis and Marilu Henner. Photo by Joan Marcus
Mitch Papadopoulos always wanted to be the next Bruce Springsteen, but he left those daydreams behind for a day job. When this big-shot banker is handed a pink slip on his 40th birthday, he’s forced to move back in with his mom in New Jersey.
Brandon Williams and the company. Photo by Joan Marcus
A run-in with his former music rival leads to a threat of foreclosure on Mitch’s family home, unless he can win The Battle of the Bands-a rematch over 25 years in the making. So he dusts off his guitar, gathers his old gang, and sets out to win back his house, his pride-and maybe even the high school sweetheart he left behind-proving it’s never too late to give your dreams one last shot.
Paul Whitty, Marilu Henner, Sawyer Nunes. Photo by Joan Marcus
Marilu Henner. Photo by Joan Marcus
Gettin’ The Band Back Together is produced by Ken Davenport, Hunter Arnold, Roy Putrino, Scott Abrams, Sandi Moran, Carl Daikeler, Broadway Strategic Return Fund, Rob Kolson, Marie Barton Stevenson, H. Richard Hopper, Richard Roth, Marguerite Hoffman, Diego Kolankowsky, Gary Nelson, Brian Cromwell Smith, Witzend Productions, David Bryant, Darrell Hankey, Trevor Coates, Ladybug Productions, Jim Wagstaffe, Laura Z. Barket, Judith Manocherian, John McGrain, Steve Reynolds, Sal Buscemi, Douglas K. Atamian, Rich Battista, Frederic J. Siegel, BF Investments, and Sean Attebury. The Associate Producers for the production are Kayla Greenspan and Valerie Novakoff.
Jay Klaitz, Manu Narayan, Mitchell Jarvis, Paul Whitty. Photo by Joan MarcusJay Klaitz and Mitchell Jarvis. Photo by Joan MarcusJay Klaitz and Marilu Henner. Photo by Joan MarcusManu Narayan, Jay Klaitz, Paul Whitty, Sawyer Nunes and Mitchell Jarvis. Photo by Joan MarcusTamika Lawrence, Noa Solorio, Sawyer Nunes, Jay Klaitz, Paul Whitty, Manu Narayan, Tad Wilson, Marilu Henner. Photo by Joan MarcusJay Klaitz, Sawyer Nunes, Paul Whitty, Mitchell Jarvis and Manu Narayan. Photo by Joan MarcusMitchell Jarvis, Sawyer Nunes, Rob Marnell. Photo by Joan Marcus
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.
Lia Chang_photo by Garth Kravits
Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films, making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Bev’s Girl Films’ debut short film, Hide and Seek was a top ten film in the Asian American Film Lab’s 2015 72 Hour Shootout Filmmaking Competition, and she received a Best Actress nomination. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers, musicians and corporations. Lia is also an internationally published and exhibited photographer, a multi-platform journalist, and a publicist. Lia has appeared in the filmsWolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman and Hide and Seek. She is profiled in Jade Magazine and Playbill.com.
The Playwrights Realm (Katherine Kovner, Founding Artistic Director; Roberta Pereira, Producing Director) kicks off its 2018-2019 season with the world premiere of Jonathan Payne’s The Revolving Cycles Truly and Steadily Roll’d, directed by Awoye Timpo (Sept. 7-Oct. 6, at The Duke on 42nd Street, 229 W 42nd Street). Having fostered the careers of breakout playwrights such as Sarah DeLappe (Pulitzer Prize finalist The Wolves), Lauren Yee (The Hatmaker’s Wife), Jen Silverman (Crane Story, The Moors), Mfoniso Udofia (Sojourners), and Donja R. Love (Sugar in Our Wounds), The Realm continues to spotlight new playwrights setting the tone for the future of American theatre. This world premiere marks the first full production from the mordantly funny and unsparing voice of Jonathan Payne.
The cast features Keith Randolph Smith (Jitney), Lynda Gravatt (The House That Will Not Stand), Deonna Bouye, Toni Ann DeNoble (The Cost, Ski End), Donnell E. Smith, Kenneth Tigar (“The Man in The High Castle,” “House of Cards”), James Udom and Kara Young.
Official opening is September 19 at 7:30pm. Donor pre-sale tickets priced from $1-$5 will be on sale from August 9. The $1to5 drive, where tickets for previews run between $1 and $5, applies to preview performances September 7-12. General tickets are $15-$60; tickets for students with valid ID are $15, and group tickets are $25 per seat for groups of six or more. To purchase, please visit http://dukeon42.org/ or call 646-223-3010. For more details, please visit playwrightsrealm.org.
The creative team includes Set Design by Kimie Nishikawa, Lighting Design by Stacey Derosier, Sound Design by Luqman Brown, Costume Design by Andrea Hood and Prop Design by Alexander Wylie, with Stage Manager Kara Kaufman.
Terrell, a black teenager in the foster care system, has gone missing within the Oblong-a fictional inner city that Payne describes as “an island isolated by poverty.” Maybe he’s run away; maybe it’s drugs; maybe he’s dead; or maybe he’s simply lost somewhere in the depths of an uncaring society. His foster sister Karma embarks on a journey across the stagnating social order of the Oblong in hopes of solving the mystery of his whereabouts. As Karma sleuths, she pries clues from a wide variety of characters (an undertaker who profits from abundant death, a veteran teacher with a poor recollection of his students) who tend to be quick to disregard her. In The Revolving Cycles Truly and Steadily Roll’d, Payne draws a complex map of a very systemic form of isolation.
The stories that have pervaded mainstream American culture and ongoing news stories regarding missing minors almost exclusively appeal to the anxieties of the white nuclear family. When young people in the margins disappear, the absence of a trustworthy governmental system willing to help-not to mention of a cultural system of collective concern and action-heightens the danger that they will never be found. In 2016, around 38% of the more than 400,000 juveniles recorded as missing by the FBI were black (Time, 2017) despite black people making up approximately 14% of the U.S. population. More than 60,000 children in the foster care system have remained missing since 2000 (Washington Post, 2018). In The Revolving Cycles Truly and Steadily Roll’d, Payne interplays pricking humor, social commentary, and devastation, often, as inspired by Brecht, finding mischievous ways to disrupt his own play before the audience can find total emotional catharsis. Throughout, the playwright presents a string of charged questions and refuses emotionally gratifying answers.
Payne, who by day is a social worker for the housing nonprofit Community Access, submitted Revolving Cycles to Playwrights Realm in 2015-and soon became a 2015/2016 Writing Fellow. With a background in acting, Payne recalls being consistently cast in character roles-a fact that’s now reflected in his work as a playwright. He says, “I found that I was putting those characters front and center-the ones who otherwise would just come in and leave. Karma, the protagonist of Revolving Cycles, would be that wacky character on the corner that no one’s curious about-so I felt like giving her that space was important to me. There’s a racial context as well-there are people who have these needs, who are shouting in the streets and no one is listening. I knew I wanted to write a play that would grab people; out of all of the plays I’ve written, this is the one I’m most curious to see in how the audience grasps it.”
Awoye Timpo (The Homecoming Queen-Atlantic Theater Company; Carnaval-National Black Theatre) says, “Each of the characters that Karma encounters lives in a very fixed way-‘These are the terms in which I exist in this world, and I protect myself inside of them so I know how I can make it through.’ And as they become trapped in different systems, the isolation becomes so real… The tragedy of the conversation of people not ‘having a voice’ is that it’s about the voice not being heard, and not about the power of the actual voice. Karma has an exceptionally powerful and vivid and focused and loud voice-what does it mean for that to be ignored?”
Over the past eleven years, The Realm has continually produced work by brave new voices and introduced new initiatives to expand its commitment to providing holistic support to playwrights as they strive to make a life in the arts. Payne is the 2018-2019 recipient of the Page One Residency-the cornerstone of the company’s work, which provides playwrights with services including $10,000, health insurance, internal readings, travel and professional development funds, theater tickets, a desk in the Playwrights Realm offices, and of course, a full Off-Broadway production. In 2017-18, the Realm supported both Don Nguyen, with Hello, From the Children of Planet Earth, and Michael Yates Crowley, with The Rape of the Sabine Women, by Grace B. Matthias, as its Page One residents. 2016-17 Page One resident Sarah DeLappe and her play The Wolves received a Drama Desk Special Award and an Obie Award for Outstanding Ensemble; the play was a finalist for the 2017 Pulitzer Prize in Drama, and returned last fall to Lincoln Center Theater’s Mitzi Newhouse Theater. In addition, 2015-16 Page One Resident Mfoniso Udofia’s play Sojourners, after having been produced by the Realm, was produced by New York Theatre Workshop in rep with Udofia’s Her Portmanteau. Both productions were produced in association with The Playwrights Realm and were New York Times Critic’s picks.
About the Artists
Jonathan Payne’s work has been produced and developed at Long Wharf Theatre, Ars Nova, Fringe Festival NYC, The Bushwick Star, and the Fire This Time Festival. He was a fellow at New Dramatists, Playwrights Realm and The Dramatist Guild, as well as an Ars Nova Play Group. Awards include the Princess Grace Award, Holland New Voices Award, Rosa Parks Award, John Cauble Short Play Award. He received a BA from the GSA Conservatoire (UK), an MFA in Playwriting from Tisch School of the Arts, and an Artist Diploma Recipient in Playwriting from The Juilliard School.
Awoye Timpo The Homecoming Queen (Atlantic Theater), Skeleton Crew (Chester Theater), Sister Son/ji (Billie Holiday Theater), Carnaval (National Black Theatre), Ndebele Funeral (59E59, South African tour, Edinburgh Festival), The Libation Bearers (Shakespeare Theatre of NJ), Araby (La MaMa), In the Continuum (Juilliard). Producer: CLASSIX, a reading series exploring classic plays by Black playwrights. Broadway: Associate Director, Jitney; Assistant Director, Shuffle Along. Other: Associate Director, Othello (Shakespeare in the Park), ABC/Disney, Cherry Lane, Lincoln Center Directors Lab, Ma-Yi, New Dramatists, NOW Africa, Page 73, PEN World Voices, Royal Shakespeare Company, Soho Rep Writer/Director Lab and WNYC.
Click here for the Lia Chang Articles Archive and here for the Lia Chang Photography Website.
Lia Chang. Photo by Garth Kravits
Lia Chang is an actor, a multi-media content producer and co-founder of Bev’s Girl Films, making films that foster inclusion and diversity on both sides of the camera. Bev’s Girl Films’ debut short film, Hide and Seek was a top ten film in the Asian American Film Lab’s 2015 72 Hour Shootout Filmmaking Competition, and she received a Best Actress nomination. BGF collaborates with and produces multi-media content for artists, actors, designers, theatrical productions, composers, musicians and corporations. Lia is also an internationally published and exhibited photographer, a multi-platform journalist, and a publicist. Lia has appeared in the filmsWolf, New Jack City, A Kiss Before Dying, King of New York, Big Trouble in Little China, The Last Dragon, Taxman and Hide and Seek. She is profiled in Jade Magazine and Playbill.com.SaveSave
Leenya Rideout. Photo by Amanda Taraska Photography
Irish Repertory Theatre, the New York home for Irish and Irish-American theatre, will celebrate their 30th Anniversary this fall with a special public block party. The event, which is free and open to all ages, will be held on Saturday, September 15, 2018, 30 years to the day from the first-ever Irish Rep performance. Featured performers at the block party will include Tony Award winner Bill Irwin (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?) and Leeyna Rideout (War Horse), each of whom have conceived and will star in their own respective solo shows at Irish Rep this fall.
From 11am-2pm on Saturday, September 15, 22nd Street between 6th and 7th Avenues, the block Irish Rep (132 W 22nd Street) has called home for the past 23 years, will be closed off to accommodate the festivities. The event will include a live Q&A with Charlotte Moore and Ciarán O’Reilly, face painting, McManus Irish Dance / Jiggy Tots Step Dancing workshop for children, Adult Step Dancing workshop with choreographer Barry McNabb, guided tours of the Irish Rep venue, and a public-participation poetry reading.
Along with Irwin and Rideout, performers will include Master of Ceremonies Paul Keating, plus music by The Bloom of Youth Céilí Band; Lúnasa Lite with Kevin Crawford, Cillian Vallely, and Patrick Doocey; Christine Tobin; The Green Fields of America with Mick Moloney, Billy McComiskey, Dana Lyn, Liz Hanley, Brenda Dolan, and Niall O’Leary, and more!
All programming is free and open to the public. Food will be available for purchase from the DUB Pies food truck and the Anhelado ice cream cart.
Currently in performances on the Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage is On A Clear Day You Can See Forever, starring John Cudia (The Phantom of the Opera), Ben Davis (Violet, A Little Night Music), and Tony Award-nominee Melissa Errico (Finian’s Rainbow). On A Clear Day features music by Burton Lane and book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner. Adapted and directed by Charlotte Moore (Finian’s Rainbow), On A Clear Day opened on June 28 and will run through September 6, 2018.
Next on the Francis J. Greenburger Mainstage is the New York premiere of On Beckett, conceived and performed by Tony Award winner Bill Irwin (Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?). On Beckett begins performances on September 26, with an opening night set for October 3 and a run through November 4, 2018.
Coming to the W. Scott McLucas Studio Stage this fall is the world premiere of Wild Abandon by Leenya Rideout (War Horse). Directed by Lisa Rothe (Hold These Truths), Wild Abandon begins performances on September 19, with an opening night set for September 25 and a run through October 21, 2018.
For more information about Irish Repertory Theatre visit www.irishrep.org.
The evening will feature cast members from the Broadway company- two-Tony nominee André De Shields (The Full Monty, The Wiz, Play On), Ken Page (Cats, The Nightmare Before Christmas). and Charlayne Woodard (FX’s “Pose”). Frenchie Davis (“American Idol,” Dreamgirls) will take on the role originated by Nell Carter and Cynthia Thomas (Ain’t Misbehavin’) will take on the role originated by Armelia McQueen.
The IGNITE series concert presented in partnership with Greymatters Productions, will take place at TheTimesCenter (242 West 41st Street) on Saturday, September 8 at 8pm. Tickets for THE FLOOD are $30 – $50 and can be purchased at 
Performances for this limited Off-Broadway engagement of Ordinary Days, directed by Keen Artistic Director Jonathan Silverstein, will begin Tuesday, October 2nd, and continue through November 17th only, with opening night set for Wednesday, October 17th. Additional matinees on Wednesdays November 7th and November 14th at 2pm.
The cast features Keith Randolph Smith (Jitney), Lynda Gravatt (The House That Will Not Stand), Deonna Bouye, Toni Ann DeNoble (The Cost, Ski End), Donnell E. Smith, Kenneth Tigar (“The Man in The High Castle,” “House of Cards”), James Udom and Kara Young.
