Category Archives: New Utopia

An evolutionary arms race churns away under your skin sometimes quietly and unnoticed, other times with the ferocity of an embattled immune system repelling the invader.

Both sides in this war harmful parasites, viruses and bacteria on one hand, and your immune system on the other are looking to access a critical resource and keep it out of the others possession. That resource is iron, which every cell in your body needs to power its metabolism, as do the infectious agents that seek to exploit it. When one side evolves a battle strategy, the other evolves a way to defeat it something we are seeing in real time with the emergence of coronavirus variants.

Evolutionary medicine, a field within biological anthropology that first emerged in the 1990s, takes a large-scale view of the mechanisms behind human disease and health. By studying the evolution of humanity how early humans lived and the environments they lived in we begin to understand the factors that contribute to disease, which can lead to treatments or prevention today, explained Associate Professor of Anthropology Katherine Wander.

Thats where my interests in human biology and biology and my interest in public health come together, she said.

Wanders research touches on a wide array of topics: iron deficiency and infectious disease risk in Tanzania and Nigeria, the social determinants of disease in Bangladesh and among the matriarchal Mosuo people in China, human adaptations to living at high altitudes and the impact on chronic disease risk, the effect of adoption and fosterage on child health in the island nation of Vanuatu.

The sheer diversity can make it difficult to explain her research in two sentences, she admits.

Thats one of the best things about biomedical anthropology: you can research the things youre interested in. You dont have to stay in one lane, she said. You have to do your background research to be able to contribute to knowledge in a new area, but it doesnt hurt my career to be doing a lot of different things.

Evolutionary approaches to health are common in pop science articles, but these types of publications frequently rely on speculation and the latest trends. Even with a topic such as nutrition, the science is complex and nuanced, including such factors as the evolution of the human gut and innovations such as cooking, which increased our ability to extract nutrients.

Associate Professor of Anthropology Katherine Wander in her lab. Image Credit: Jonathan Cohen.We make a lot of assumptions about what ancient humans did and what we should do as a result. But we dont really know; we need to systematically study that, Wander said.

Ancient humans didnt live in utopia; they frequently met early deaths, Wander pointed out. Natural and healthy also arent equivalent; human beings, for example, evolved in tandem with diseases such tuberculosis that continue to kill people today although to a much lesser extent, due to the invention of modern medicines and vaccines.

In fact, humans today do many things right; our children often survive to adulthood, for example, which wasnt always the case. And there arent many species and no other primates that can occupy as many different environments as humans, from deserts to tundra.

While Wanders interests are wide-ranging, basic questions lie at the heart of her research: Why do children get sick? And what could we do to prevent that, from an evolutionary perspective?

These basic questions often lead to others. In her iron deficiency-related projects in sub-Saharan Africa, she is exploring what constitutes an optimal iron level, especially for a child in an environment with exposure to many infectious diseases.

On one end of the spectrum is anemia, in which low iron levels compromise the production of hemoglobin; on the other end, the individual might be iron replete, with plenty of iron available for their own cells and for those of infectious agents. Where on that spectrum is the lowest risk of infectious disease? Where is the potential for optimal brain development and growth?

A topic as elemental as iron and its role in disease also can lead to entirely new avenues. Wander recently received funding from the National Science Foundation to look at how iron levels affect coronavirus risk in healthcare workers, for example; researchers are still collecting data for that project.

Prospective students in the biomedical anthropology program need to be willing to ask questions both to explore their interests and find training opportunities. Whether youre interested in the skeletal remains of ancient human populations, public health in a specific area, cultural perspectives on health or health culture, or the genetic mechanisms of disease, you can find the path that works for you.

As a result, program graduates can look incredibly different from one another: Some might find their calling in a coroners office, others in public health, research or more.

For graduate students interested in the discipline, Wander is a ready guide. They have joined her in Tanzania to conduct research, and analyze samples connected with projects from around the world in her Binghamton lab. Students are also encouraged to pursue internships in the field and to start building the connections that will enliven their future careers.

Humans, after all, have evolved to be a cooperative species. In an interdisciplinary field such as evolutionary medicine, collaborating with colleagues and mentors can spark new ideas, leading to exciting and unexpected new directions.

Sitting by yourself, making all of the decisions on a project isnt nearly as fun as collaborating with a big group of people who have a lot of different ideas about what data you should collect and why, Wander said.

Excerpt from:

An evolving discipline: Evolutionary medicine brings together biological anthropology and public health | Binghamton News - Binghamton University

USA TODAY NETWORK| NorthJersey.com

Broadway to require vaccinations for audience

Broadway to require vaccinations for audience

AP

Broadway is reopening. But how to score Broadway tickets? How much are Broadway tickets? And what shows are on Broadway this fall? We have the answers to all of these in this guide.

There are 41 Broadway theaters, and sometimes it seems like nearly as many ways to grab tickets to see the shows they house.

Lets hit the basics.

Telecharge.com and TicketMaster.com sell tickets to the bulk of Broadways performances. Using their desktop sites or apps, you can search for performance dates, select your seats, pay for the tickets and add them to your account and digital wallet. Show your phone at the door and you should be all set.

New to thetraditionalmix isSeatGeek.com,which entered into a multi-year partnership with Jujamcyn Theaters as the official seller of tickets to shows in its houses.

Alsoexceptions to the rule areRoundabout Theatre Companyandthe Hudson Theatre, which sell tickets on their own websites.

Theater news: Broadway to require COVID vaccination for audiences in the fall

So how do you find discount tickets?

Google is your friend. Oftentimes if a discount is available, all it takes to find it is searching show name AND discount for dealsor discount codesassociated with Playbill,Broadway.com and other sites.

Other apps likeTodayTixexist that also offer discount pricing, as well as re-sale sites. Just keep an eye on fees to make sure thatdeals you find actually save you money.And as always, read the fine print on exchanges, fraudulent ticket risks and more thatcan bite you.

Roundabout, Manhattan Theatre Cluband Lincoln Center Theatre also offer great deals to youngticketbuyersthroughHipTix,LincTixand30 under 35 programs, respectively.

Watch: All That Jazz from Chicago on Broadway

"All That Jazz" from "Chicago", which returns to Broadway on Sept.14, 2021.

Courtesy of "Chicago, Asbury Park Press

Pre-COVID, other ways to snag a great deal on ticketincluding standing room, rush and lottery tickets. While digital lotteries have seen a comeback so far, it remains to be seen what policies will be enacted for these options.

And when you buy tickets, Audience Rewards allows you to earn points for most shows, racking up rewards like show tickets,merchandiseand more.

A guide: Broadway is back, but the world's changed. Plan your NYC trip and catch up with this guide

"Springsteen on Broadway" openedJune 26 at the St. James Theatre. Here's a list, in chronological order,of Broadway shows that are opening throughout the fall and into 2022. To read descriptions ofthe shows, scroll down to our section on "What shows are on Broadway this fall," which follows this list.

"Aladdin,"Sept. 28,New AmsterdamTheatre,aladdinthemusical.com.

"West Side Story,"TBA, Broadway Theatre,westsidestorybway.com.

On the water: Ships in New Jersey, Philly and Delaware offer more than history

Here's a summary of the shows that are opening on Broadway this fall, in alphabetical order.

Watch: Ain't Too Proud highlights

Highlights from Broadway's Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations

Courtesy of Ain't Too Proud, Asbury Park Press

"Ain't Too Proud: The Life and Times of The Temptations": "I've got sunshine..."just thinking about this show. Winner of the 2019 Tony Award for Best Choreography, the musical follows the Motown group'sjourney from the streets of Detroit to the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. Full ofsignature dance moves, there are plenty ofgreat songs which should not be surprising since the group had 42 top-10 hits and 14 No. 1's.You'll see how they met, how they made it big, and how personal and political conflicts threatened to tear them apart. SoGet Ready. Imperial Theatre, 249 W. 45th St.Performances resume Oct. 16. ainttooproudmusical.com

"Aladdin": A whole new world ... The Disney hit is set in the fictional Arabian city of Agrabah andfollows thefamiliar taleof a poor young man who is granted three wishes by ageniein a lamp, which he uses to woo a princess and to thwart the sultan's evilJafar. New Amsterdam Theatre, 214 W. 42nd St. Performances begin Sept. 28.aladdinthemusical.com.

"Birthday Candles":Debra Messing of "Will & Grace" famereturns to the stage as Ernestine Ashworth, who spends her 17th birthday agonizing over her insignificance in the universe.Soon enough, its her 18th birthday. Even sooner, her 41st. Her 70th. Her 101st. Playwright Noah Haidle makes his Broadway debut with this work, part of Roundabout Theatre Company's 2021-22 season. No dates for the show have been announced. roundabouttheatre.org/get-tickets/2021-2022-season/birthday-candles.

Caroline, Or Change:Sharon D Clarke won the Olivier Award for her portrayal ofCarolineThibodeaux in the 2018 West End production, a role she is set to reprise in Roundabout Theatre Companyslimited run of the revival this season. Her turn as a Black woman working for a Jewish family in the 1960s American south was called"incandescent" by Time Out London.It features music by JeanineTesoriand book and lyrics from Tony Kushner. Studio 54,254 W. 54th St.,Previews Oct. 8, Opening Oct. 27,roundabouttheatre.org/get-tickets/upcoming/caroline-or-change

"Clyde's": What Waitress did for pie, Lynn Nottages Clyde might do for sandwiches. Directed by Kate Whoriskey (Ruined), it stars Uzo Aduba (Orange Is the New Black) in the title role, as a truck-stop sandwich shop owner whose kitchen employs the formerly incarcerated. Sounds noble, even if Clyde isnt always. Still, the staff including Emmy-winner Ron Cephas Jones (This Is Us), Reza Salazar (Sweat) and Kara Young are on a mission: Build the best sandwich ever. Two-time Pulitzer winner Nottage is busy this season, having also written the book for MJ, the Michael Jackson jukebox musical. Helen Hayes Theatre, 240 W. 44th St. Previews Nov. 3, opensNov. 22.2st.com/shows/clydes.

"Chicago": The second-longest running show on Broadway ("The Phantom of the Opera" is first), "Chicago"is a sexy, spicy, irreverent tale about two murderesses who enlist the help of the slickest defense attorney in Chicago. Original choreography by Bob Fosse, withmusic byJohn Kander and lyrics byFred Ebb.Ambassador Theater, 219 W. 49th St. Performances resume Sept. 14.chicagothemusical.com.

"Chicken & Biscuits": This new play by Douglas Lyonscallsitself a feel-good comedy that will feed your soul. It tells the story of a family reunitingafter the death of itspatriarch, complete with teenage drama and the inclusion of one grandsons Jewish boyfriend. It features Norm Lewis in his Broadway play debut, as well as Michael Urie.Circle in the Square,1633 Broadway,Previews Sept. 23, Opening Oct. 10,chickenandbiscuitsbway.com

Come from Away - See Rachel Tucker sing Me and the Sky

See Rachel Tucker sing an excerpt from Come from Away's Me and the Sky.

Courtesy of Come From Away, Asbury Park Press

Come From Away:Right aroundthe 20thanniversary of the Sept. 11 terrorattacks comes the return of this musical that celebrates the humanspirit andthe kindness of strangers. When the American air space was closed in the aftermath of the attacks, dozens of airplanes landed inGander,Newfoundland and the weary travelerstaken in and cared for by the residents.With music and lyrics from husband-and-wifeIrene Sankoff and David Hein,this nonstop musical with no intermission echoes the frenzy and friendship experienced in the days following Sept. 11.Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre,236 W. 45th St.Resumes performancesSept. 21,comefromaway.com

'We miss you': Tony winner Patti LuPone sends message to theater world

Tony Award winner Patti LuPone issued a message - and a song - to the theater world as Broadway comes back. She's set to star in "Company."

Asbury Park Press

"Company": Youve never seen Company like this. Katrina Lenk (The Bands Visit) plays Bobbie in a gender-bending feminist recasting of the Stephen Sondheim and George Furth musical about looking for love after gasp age 35. Directed by Marianne Elliott (War Horse), the cast features Broadway royal Patti LuPone (Gypsy, Evita) wholl hoist vodka stingers in Ladies Who Lunch (as she did in the West End production as Joanne) and urge us all to rise. Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre, 242 W. 45th St. Previews Nov. 15, opensDec. 9, companymusical.com.

"Dana H.": Thetrue story of a woman held captive in a series of Florida motels for five months, toldin Dana Higginbotham's own words and reconstructed for the stage by her son, Tony-nominated playwright Lucas Hnath. But while we hear Dana's voice, she is not performing actress Deirdre OConnell mouths her words. Lyceum Theatre, 149 W. 45th St., running in repertory with "Is This A Room." Previews Oct. 1, opensOct. 17.https://thelyceumplays.com

"David Byrne's American Utopia":David Byrne of Talking Heads fame is joined by 11musicians from around the globe inthis critically acclaimed production, featuringinnovativestaging,motion andmusic. Among the songs in the show are "Once in a Lifetime," "Burning Down the Houseand "Road to Nowhere." St. James Theatre, 246 W. 44th St. Performances begin Sept. 17.americanutopiabroadway.com.

"Dear Evan Hansen": "Dancing With the Stars" Season 25 champion Jordan Fisher will play the title role when this beloved musical returns. The show is about a teenager and his relationship with the family ofa classmate named Connor who kills himself. When a letter Evan wrote to himself to help him deal with his anxiety is found with Connor, the family assumes the two were friends. Evan goes along with it, to help them feel better. And then social media kicks in. There is laughter and plenty of tears, soaring melodies, a brilliant scenic design and a message that teens and parents both will understand. Music Box Theatre, 239 W. 45th St. Performances resume Dec. 11. dearevanhansen.com/broadway.

"Diana: The Musical:" Youve seen The Crown, now hear The Peoples Princess sing. Memphis Tony-winners Joe DiPietro and David Bryan (Bon Jovis keyboardist) are back with the musical that had nine preview performances before Broadway shuttered. The since-revised musical, directed by Christopher Ashley (Come From Away), stars Jeanna de Waal as Diana and Judy Kaye (Nice Work If You Can Get It) as Queen Elizabeth. Cant wait till its November opening? No worry. It was filmed for Netflix last September in the empty Longacre, and starts streaming Oct. 1, a move producers hope will drive fans to see it in person. Longacre Theater, 220 W. 48th St. PreviewsNov. 2, opensNov. 17. thedianamusical.com.

"Flying Over Sunset": It's 1950s Hollywood, and Cary Grant, Clare Boothe LuceandAldous Huxley are in Malibu on an acid trip. LSD waslegal then and used for self-awareness and psychological exploration. Nobody knows if they ever really shared a trip, but they were all in and around LA in the 1950s, so whos to say it never happened? Written and directed byJames Lapine("Sunday in the Park with George," "Into the Woods," "Passion"), with music byTom Kitt("Next to Normal," "If/Then") and lyrics byMichael Korie("Grey Gardens," "Far From Heaven"). Part of the Lincoln Center season, playing at the Vivian Beaumont Theater, 150 W. 65th St. Previews begin Nov. 11. lct.org/shows/flying-over-sunset.

"Freestyle Love Supreme": Thisimprov show, created 17 years ago by Thomas Kail, Lin-Manuel Miranda and Anthony Veneziale,is back. Expect to see Miranda ("Hamilton," "In the Heights") turnup every so often, as well as Broadway stars Daveed Diggs ("Hamilton"),Christopher Jackson ("Hamilton," "In the Heights") and James Monroe Inglehart ("Aladdin"). You never know what the intermission-less show will besince the audience suggests the content. Expect bits of songs, full musical numbers, rap, beat-boxing and more. Booth Theatre, 222 W. 45th St. Performances begin Oct. 7and runthrough Jan. 2, 2022.freestylelovesupreme.com.

"Girl From the North Country: This musical, featuring the songs of Bob Dylan set against a book byConor McPherson, opened on March 5, 2020.But in a quirk sincethe world shut down a week later, the show will not beeligiblefor Tony Award consideration until this season.The showportraysa group of wanderers crossing paths, all facing a turning point in their lives.Belasco Theatre,111 W 44th St.Performances resumeOct.13.northcountryonbroadway.com

"Hadestown": The Tony Award-winning Best New Musical (and winner of the 2020 Grammy Awardfor Best Musical Theater Album)follows two intertwining love stories young dreamers Orpheus and Eurydice, and King Hades and his wife Persephone. Ajourney to the underworld and back, the musicalfeatures a blend ofmodern American folk music andNew Orleans-inspired jazz. It wasthe most honored show of the 2018-2019 season. Walter Kerr Theatre, 219 W.48th St. Performances resumeSept.2.hadestown.com.

"Hamilton": Lin-Manuel Miranda's groundbreaking show about the Founding Father, the women who loved him, the men who served with him and, yes, the man who shot him, won 11 Tony Awards and brought a revolution to Broadway. Full of energy, excitement and emotion, it's a wonderful mix of hip-hop, rap, pop, jazz and R&B. The songs and lyrics are brilliant and full of surprises including references to classic Broadway shows.Richard Rodgers Theatre, 226 W. 46th St. Performances resume Sept. 14 (the show is also streaming on Disney+).hamiltonmusical.com.

"Harry Potter and the Cursed Child": Harry Potter 2 is now Harry Potter 1, as director John Tiffanys Tony-winning two-part marathon has been distilled, as if by magic, into a single-ticket experience. The howd-they-do-that illusions remain, they promise, and its still the story of the Potter kids kids navigating a wizarding world. Only audiences in the Western Hemisphere will see the condensed version, in New York, San Francisco in Toronto. Want to see the original two parts? Head to London, Melbourne and Hamburg. Lyric Theatre, 214 W. 43rd St.Performances begin Nov. 12.harrypottertheplay.com.

"How I Learned to Drive": Mark Brokaw (Heisenberg) directs Paula Vogels Pulitzer Prize-winning drama about a woman flashing back to the trauma she experienced at the hands of an uncle and its impact on her life. Reunites original cast Mary-Louise Parker (Proof) and David Morse (The Iceman Cometh). Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, 261 W. 47th St.Previews March 29, 2022, opens April 19.manhattantheatreclub.com.

"Is This ARoom": Thetrue story of Reality Winner, the 25-year-old former Air Force linguist who was surprised at her home by the FBI on June 3, 2017. The drama'stextis taken from the FBI transcript of her interrogation. Conceived and directed by Drama Desk-nominated Tina Satter. Running in repertory with "Dana H." atthe Lyceum Theatre, 149 W. 45th St.Previews Sept. 24, opens Oct. 11. thelyceumplays.com.

Scenes from Jagged Little Pill on Broadway

Take a peek at Jagged Little Pill on Broadway, a new rock musical based on the music of Alanis Morissette.

Courtesy of Jagged Little Pill, Asbury Park Press

Jagged Little Pill:Inspired by Alanis Morissettes1995 groundbreaking album of the same name, this musicaltells the story of a perfectly imperfect American family, hitting on issues of race, gender, sexuality, drugs, sexual assault and more amidst the backdrop of the angsty classics, as well as a few later songs and new additions.With lyrics by Morissette, music by Morissette and Glen Ballard, a book by Diablo Cody and additional music by Michael Farrell and Guy Sigsworth, this show draws the audience to a mid-show standing ovation night after night.Broadhurst Theatre,235 W. 44th St. Resumes performances Oct. 21.jaggedlittlepill.com.

"Lackawanna Blues.": A portrait of a lady but unlike the one by Henry James,this one is painted in words and music. The words: actor-writerRuben Santiago-Hudson's lovingreminiscences of Miss Rachel, the woman who raised him. The music: guitar by Blues Hall of Famer Junior Mack, playing a score composed byBill Sims, Jr. The show originated at the Public Theater in 2001; this Manhattan Theatre Club production is its Broadway debut. Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, 261 W. 47th St. Previews Sept. 14, opensSept. 28.manhattantheatreclub.com.

"MJ: The Musical": The King of Pop in spirit, not in person, and without some of the personal baggage. Myles Frost plays Michael Jackson (previously announcedEphraim Sykes has left the cast); the show will feature 25 Jackson hits, while the book, by Pulitzer prize-winner Lynn Nottage ("Crumbs from the Table of Joy," "Ruined"), will focus on the backstage drama of a single tour, in 1992.Directed andchoreographed by Christopher Wheeldon.Neil Simon Theatre, 250 W. 52nd St.Previews Dec. 6, opens Feb. 1, 2022.mjthemusical.com.

"Moulin Rouge": Buckleyour seat belt. Baz Luhrmann, the author and director of moviespectacleMoulin Rouge,is not know for being subtle or restrained. The show, directed byAlex Timbers, is 2 hours of razzle-dazzle fun; the New York Times called it "a cloud-surfing, natural high of a production." There's musicgalore: roughly 70 songs, many of them hitsof the past several decades. Andthe story, of course, is about love,revolving around a young man,who falls in love witha beautiful courtesan, a singer at the Moulin Rouge, whom a jealous duke covets. It starsNatalie Mendoza and Aaron Tveit. AlHirschfeld Theater,302 W.45th St.Performances resume Sept. 25.moulinrougemusical.com.

Pass Over: A season brimming with plays by Black authors kicks off with Antoinette Chinonye Nwandas Broadway debut, her streetwise answer to Waiting for Godot. Moses and Kitch shoot the breeze, dreaming of a world where cops dont kill. Then a stranger arrives. With Jon Michael Hill, Namir Smallwood and Gabriel Ebert, directed by Danya Taymor. First staged at Chicagos Steppenwolf Theater in 2017, its a second New York trip for Pass Over, which was revised before reaching Lincoln Center in 2018 and has been revised for this run. If youve seen Spike Lees Amazon film, you havent seen the latest Pass Over. August Wilson Theatre, 245 W. 52nd St. Previews Aug. 4, opens Sept. 12.passoverbroadway.com.

"Plaza Suite": Matthew Broderick (a two-time Tony winner) and his wife, Sarah Jessica Parker (a two-time Emmy winner), play three different couples in this classic Neil Simon comedy:Karen and Sam are a long-married pair whose relationship may be headed for an early checkout;Muriel and Jesse are former high school sweethearts who seem destined for an extended stay; and Norma and Roy are the mother and father of the bride, ready to celebrate their daughters nuptialsif only they can get her out of the bathroom.Hudson Theatre, 141 W. 44th St. Previews Feb. 25, 2022, opensMarch 28.plazasuitebroadway.com.

Six:Divorced, beheaded, delayed. The Broadway COVID shutdown spoiled what was to be the opening night of Six in 2020, but the queens are back and ready toroll.This British import is apopconcert of a musical telling the stories of each of thesixwives of HenryVIII.Writtenby Toby Marlowe and Lucy Moss,the musical took America by storm long before it hit Broadway, with a 2019 national tour and plenty of footage from the West End production. The Broadway version features the same cast as the original U.S. tour, cementingthe adoration of little musical that could. Brooks Atkinson Theatre,256 W.47th St.PreviewsSept.17,opensOct. 3, sixonbroadway.com

"Skeleton Crew": Three auto workers and theirmanager confront an imminent layoff, during the 2008 recession, inDominique Morisseaus play, the third in her cycle called "The Detroit Projects." Phylicia Rashad stars in this new Manhattan Theatre Club production of theplay, which had its premiere at the Atlantic Theatre Company in 2016.Ruben Santiago-Hudson is once again the director. Samuel J. Friedman Theatre, 261 W. 47th St. Previews Dec. 21, opens Jan.12, 2022.Hudson can also be seen starting Sept. 14 in his own "Lackawanna Blues."manhattantheatreclub.com.

"Take Me Out":In this Tony Award-winning Best Play, playwright Richard Greenberg celebrates the personal and professional intricacies of Americas favorite pastime. When Darren Lemming, the star center fielder for the Empires, comes out of the closet, the reception off the field reveals a barrage of long-held unspoken prejudices. Hayes Theatre, 240 W. 44th St. Previews March 9, opens April 4.https://2st.com/shows/take-me-out

"The Book of Mormon": "South Parks" Trey Parker and Matt Stone's blockbuster musical won nine Tonys, including the 2011 Best Musical award.In this irreverent show, apair of mismatched Mormon missionaries are sent to Uganda to convert citizens to the Mormon religion. Eugene O'Neill Theatre, 230 W. 49th St. Performances return Nov. 5.bookofmormonbroadway.com.

"The Lehman Trilogy": Three brothers, three generations. It's an American success story only the brothers in question are named Lehman (Simon Russell Beale, Adam Godley,Adrian Lester), and theglobal financial services firm they founded in 1847 imploded spectacularly in 2008, dragging most of the U.S. economy down with it. The 2015 three-part, single-night play byItalian novelist and playwrightStefano Massini, ran (in translationby Ben Power) in London's West End, came to off-Broadway in 2019, and was all set to open on Broadway in March 2020 when COVID happened. Now it returns,directed bySam Mendes. with Lester replacingBen Miles. NederlanderTheatre, 208 W. 41st St.Previews Sept. 25, opens Oct.14.thelehmantrilogy.com.

"The Lion King": Disney's massive hit opened in 1997 and has been abig draw ever since. The opening, when Rafiki calls the animals to perform newborn Simba's presentation ceremony, is worth the price of the ticket on its own. Winner of six Tony Awards, including Best Musical, Best Direction of a Musical(Julie Taymor) and Best Costume Design (Taymor).Performances begin Sept 14.lionking.com.

"The Minutes: The Chicago Tribunesaidnothing in this explosive 90-minute play is as it seems and that sums it up. Without giving away too much, the new play from Tracy Lettsexplores a city council meeting that goes from ordinary to anything but with drama, humor and everything in betweenand more.It began previewsat the Cort Theatrein February 2020, with a planned March opening that was squashed by COVID.It now plans to open at a new home.Studio 54,254 W. 54th St.Previews March 2022, Opening April 7,theminutesbroadway.com

"The Music Man": Professor Harold Hill's on hand! The revival of the beloved 1957 Meredith Willson musical, featuring hits like "Seventy-Six Trombones," "Trouble," and "Till There Was You," has Hugh Jackman and Sutton Foster as the marquee names, and Broadway ace Jerry Zaks in the director's chair. It's all about a grifter who riles up crowds by convincing them their way of life is in danger, and only he can save them. Wait didn't we just see that show? Winter Garden Theatre, 1634 Broadway. Previews Dec. 20, opens Feb. 10, 2022.musicmanonbroadway.com

Check out 'Phantom' monkey music box in action

Tickets to "The Phantom of the Opera" Broadway re-opening as guests of Andrew Lloyd Webber, as well as an iconic monkey music box prop are part of a charity auction.

Courtesy of The Phantom of the Opera, Asbury Park Press

"The Phantom of the Opera":The longest running play on Broadway ever, The Phantom,basedon the 1910 horror novel by Gaston Leroux, tells the story of a deformed composer who haunts the grand Paris Opera Houseand tutors and composes operas for a gorgeous young soprano star-to-be. When a good-looking suitor from her past shows up, the Phantom, fiercely jealous,terrorizes the opera owners and company. Still hisstudent is drawn to him. Score by Andrew Lloyd Weber. Majestic Theatre,247 W. 44th St.Performances resume Oct.22.us.thephantomoftheopera.com.

"Thoughts of a Colored Man": In 1912, James Weldon Johnson wrote a controversial book, "Autobiography of an Ex-Colored Man," about a light-skinned man who "passed." The title, but not the premise, is echoed in this"slam poetry" meditation on the inner lives of seven Black men (Dylln Burnside, Bryan Terrell Clark, Keith David, Da'Vinchi, Luke James. Forest McClendon, Tristan "Mack" Wilds) who are most definitely not Ex. Written by by Keenan Scott II, directed by Steve H. Broadnax III, John Golden Theatre, 252 W. 45th St. Previews Oct. 1, opens Oct. 31.thoughtsofacoloredman.com.

"Tina The Tina Turner Musical" Two-time Tony Award nominee and Olivier Award nominee Adrienne Warrenwill return to the title role for a limited engagement. The show about the Queen of Rock 'n' Roll may not be a great musical, but Warren's performance is not to be missed. Even when she's not singing and her voice is just incredibleshe lights up the stage. You can't take your eyes off her.The end of the show turns into a bigconcert from Turner's 1988 tour. Get ready to roar.Lunt-Fontanne Theatre,205 W.46th St. Performances resume Oct. 8.tinaonbroadway.com.

"To Kill a Mockingbird": Based on Harper Lees classic novel, Aaron Sorkin's playresumes performances with Tony Award nominee and Emmy Award winner Jeff Daniels reprisinghis originating iconic role as Atticus Finch. Celia Keenan-Bolger also returns in her Tony Award-winning performance as Scout.Shubert Theatre, 225 W. 44th St. Performances resume Oct. 5.tokillamockingbirdbroadway.com.

"Trouble in Mind": The title comes from an iconic blues song of the 1920s: Louis Armstrong, Big Bill Broonzy, Dinah Washington and Nina Simone all recorded it. In 1955, the trailblazing playwright and novelistAlice Childress ("A Hero Ain't Nothin' But a Sandwich") did her own variation: adrama about an actress of color (LaChanze) confronting the white creative team of her latest play about lynching, no less. The original production ran for 91 performances off-Broadway; an announced 1957 Broadway production never happened. Now it's finally arrived.Roundabout Theatre Company's American Airlines Theatre, 227 W. 42nd St. Previews Oct. 29, opensNov. 18.roundabouttheatre.org/get-tickets/2021-2022-season/trouble-in-mind.

"Waitress":Its amazing what baking can do. In this case, its reviving a fan-favorite musical that closed in January 2020 after a nearly four-yearrun onBroadway. Sara Bareilles, who wrote the music and lyrics alongside Jessie Nelsons book, will returnfor a short stintstarringin the production, until Oct. 17. The musical,based on the movie by the same name by Adrienne Shelly,tells the story of a waitress who becomespregnantwhile in an abusive marriage, and dreams of escaping by way of a pie-baking contests grand prize. Barrymore Theatre,243 W.47th St. Performances begin Sept. 2, running through Jan. 9.waitressthemusical.com.

"West Side Story":Thisradical, multi-media production of the Broadway classic is directed by Tony Award winner Ivo van Hove, with breathtakingchoreography by Anne Teresa DeKeersmaeker.There is no return date for the show, although a representative on Twitter said to "stay tuned!"Therevival, which opened shortly before the pandemic, is only 105 minutes, with no intermission. Certain scenes take place offstage, shown on TV screens. There are also people with cameras that film the actors,recorded images of the characters, as well as video of Puerto Rico, andthe wall between Mexico and the United States.All of this can be distracting if not annoying, but there are some who found theapproachexciting and engaging.westsidestorybway.com.

See more here:

What's on the Broadway shows list for 2021, plus all you need to know about tickets - NorthJersey.com

If youve taken a stroll through Elysian Park recently, you may have noticed a new piece of art a collage of Britney Spears. Similarly, if youve walked up Newark Street, you may have noticed a collage of Marilyn Monroe. That is the work of Brittany DiMauro, a New York City-based collage artist who uses discarded materials to create intricate visual works that delve into complex issues regarding the malleability of the mind and its exploitation through the advent of celebrity, consciously using iconography sourced from both contemporary and ancient works of art to further evidence and support this theory, as Brittany describes it. Read on to learn more about Brittany, the Hoboken installation, and more.

The New England-born artist spent her youth in the eighties and nineties as an outsider in an insidiously homogeneous environment where they learned early on to rely on resourcefulness and creativity as a means of personal liberation and relatability to the world, Brittany told Hoboken Girl.

Brittany made the journey to New York in 2006 and worked in various roles of film production, which led her to ultimately deciding that the pathway to purpose was through total commitment to the materialization of her own works of art.

Paper and glue are the only materials used in her work, with the exception of the Canvas Series. More recently, Brittany has brought her work outside, enlarging the sizing of her collages and through the method of wheatpasting. Brittanys work can currently be seen in Hoboken and Brooklyn.

Brittany DiMauro: I think my love for art is something I was born with and was fostered by my mothers relatives. I spent a lot of time with them as a kid and now I see that they were preparing me for this work. My Grandmother was a painter, sculptor, and the eldest sister of the Maysles Brothers. My Aunt is a painter and mixed media artist, and my Grandfather was a brilliant scholar and activist. I remember him asking me once do you know about Utopia? and proceeds to explain the principles of an alternate reality with true liberty and equal rights. I think they were kind of teaching me how to speak this language that can be interpreted universally, and to me, that is what art is: a language with infinite dialects that communicates the human experience across space and time and ideally improves that experience.

BD: I love making collage art, Ive always had a thing for paper. I remember ripping out magazine pages as a kid and agonizing over which side I wanted to hang on the wall. Collage is just now moving from the category of craft into an accepted form of art, but something I love about this medium is the accessibility; you do not need anything more than a glue stick and a blade. I would say ninety percent of my materials are books and magazines that have been discarded, sometimes I will have to print out an image but I keep that to an absolute minimum. I have been fortunate to receive a couple of donations of magazine collections and thats always huge for me, especially knowing that someones collection is not going into the trash, it has great value to me. I choose the locations for my paste-ups mostly based on the color of the wall and there are other factors at play, as safety and visibility.

Read More: Local Ladies Running for a Cause + How to Support Them

BD: Some celebrities I do choose deliberately based on my perspective on that particular individual and the commentary I wish to communicate through the collage. Others are more whimsical and have a lot less thought put into them. But those are some of my favorites, like Pam After The Storm for example. I made that one on the fly as I was pulling imagery for another piece. Once she was done, it was like wow, this one is really saying something andthat is what is so magical about what I do. Out of all these thousands of magazine and book pages, a new story emerges and that process really does feel guided by something larger than myself at times.

BD: I started exploring this side of the river because my partner grew up around here, and it turns out some of my ancestors worked here in Hoboken in the twenties after immigrating from Sicily, so that has been really special. I love the waterfront and that area, in particular, is a bit less developed and has a transitional vibe that is pretty interesting. There is a cute skate park around there and theres also that creepy a$$ cave!

BD: My goals for this year are to show in a gallery, do some more commissions, and to do a piece on a much larger scale like the beloved Bowie piece by Eduardo Kobra. Ive also developed a program for students who want to practice collage art ,which will be available on my website this fall. It is completely free and participation is totally unconditional; its really meantas a supplement to children who are interested in the arts since they have been so deeply and terribly cut out of the education system.

BD: I am tremendously inspired by works of antiquity and by works from the time of the Renaissance, which feel more relevant than ever somehow seven centuries later. I learn so much just from going through my materials and I think there is something to this, its exciting to learn about things one is naturally drawn toward. I try to do as much reading as I can about some of my other interests like travel and mysticism. But I think more than anything I aminspired by random people in the world in moments of passing and by the thought of a future where every single person feels safe and in control of their destiny.

See More: Meet Norman Kirby: Creator of Fence Art in Jersey City

BD: A typical day for me begins with lots of coffee and my pets harassing me down to my last nerve. Once they settle, I usually like to do some collaging at my desk; I find that my mind is the most open to creative energy during the morning hours. It kind of depends on what I have going on, commissions always get priority so my day might involve a trip to the post office. If I have time, I like to get out on my bike in the afternoon. I have a little setup in my backpack so I go around exploring, and when I find the right spot Ill put up a piece of art.

BD: The highlight of my career/life so far has been this present moment, to be honest. Its kind of a weird/gross thing to say after the hell storm of 2020 but I know I am not alone in this notion and that there was a collective change that occurred and is still in progress. Ive tried and failed at many things over the years, but lately, it feels like everything I learned from all that has led me to collage as street art and this place where Ive been able to create from an authentic point of view.

For magazine/book donations, or if you own the rights to an interior or exterior wall and want to have it turned into art, email Brittany at eternalpossessions@gmail.com.

To stay up to date with Brittanys art, follow her on Instagram at@eternalpossessions and visit her website.

Victoria is HG's Associate Editor and Social Media Coordinator for the Hoboken Historical Museum + Fire Department Museum. She is a fourth-generation Hoboken native, BNR in the Mile Square, and Jersey City. Through playing softball in town for fourteen years, playing the trumpet for the Hoboken High School Redwings Band, and graduating from New Jersey City University, these two cities have a special place in her heart. When she isnt Style Assisting or volunteering at Symposia Bookstore, shes exploring everything the Concrete Jungle has to offer. You can catch her at art exhibitions, local festivities, traveling, diving into a new book, thrifting, or indulging in some form of arts and crafts.

Follow this link:

The Artist Behind Hoboken's Britney Spears' Collage Installation - hobokengirl.com

While Broadway theatres may be gearing up for reopening shows at full capacity in the coming weeks, going to the theatre wont be back to normal just yet. In order for the safety of all parties in the theatre, protocols have been put in place to hopefully slow the spread of Covid-19 on Broadway and across New York.

The Broadway League and Actors Equity announced details of their regulations for Broadway shows in 2021, Read more about vaccine requirements on Broadway here.

To help make it easier, weve listed all the current vaccine requirements and Covid protocols for Broadway shows and major off-Broadway shows in 2021.

Ain't Too Proud - The Life and Times of The Temptations is at the Imperial Theatre from October 16. For all performances from October 16 - 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on Aint Too Proud performances from November 1 are to be confirmed.

Aladdin is at the New Amsterdam Theatre from September 28. For all performances from September 28 - October 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on Aladdin performances from November 1 are to be confirmed.

Get Aladdin tickets now.

Caroline, or Change is at Studio 54 from October 7. Roundabout Theatre Company is requiring proof of full COVID-19 vaccination with an FDA or WHO-authorised vaccine for our audiencesas well as artists and staff. We will require proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test for anyone under the age of 12 and those who are unvaccinated due to a disability or religious belief.

Get Caroline, or Change tickets now.

Chicago is at the Ambassador Theatre from September 14. For all performances from September 14 - October 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on Chicago performances from November 1 are to be confirmed.

Chicken & Biscuits is at the Circle in the Square Theatre from September 23. For all performances from September 23 - October 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on Chicken and Biscuits performances from November 1 are to be confirmed here.

Clydes is at the Hayes Theater from November 3.Covid protocols for Clydes performances from November 3 are to be confirmed.

Get Clydes tickets now.

Come From Away is at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre from September 21. For all performances from September 21 - October 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on Come From Away performances from November 1 are to be confirmed.here.

Company is at the Bernard B. Jacobs Theatre from December 20. Details on Covid protocols for Company performances from November 3 are to be confirmed.

Get Company tickets now.

Dana H. is at the Lyceum Theatre from October 1. For all performances from October 1 - 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on Dana H. performances from November 1 are to be confirmed.

David Byrne's American Utopia is at St. James Theatre from September 17. For all performances from September 17 - October 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on David Byrnes American Utopia performances from November 1 are to be confirmed.

Dear Evan Hansen is at the Music Box Theatre from December 11. Covid protocols for Dear Evan Hansen performances from December 11 are to be announced.

Diana: The Musical is at the Longacre Theatre from November 2. Covid protocols for Diana: The Musical performances from November 2 are to be announced.

Flying Over Sunset is at the Vivian Beaumont Theater from November 11. Covid protocols for Flying Over Sunset performances from November 11 are to be announced.

Freestyle Love Supreme is at the Booth Theatre from October 7. For all performances from October 7 - 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on Freestyle Love Supreme performances from November 1 are to be confirmed.

Girl From the North Country is at the Belasco Theatre from October 13. For all performances from October 13 - 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on Girl From The North Country performances from November 1 are to be confirmed.

Hadestown is at the Walter Kerr Theatre from September 2. For all performances from September 2 - October 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on Hadestown performances from November 1 are to be confirmed.

Hamilton is at the Richard Rodgers Theatre from September 14. For all performances from September 14 - October 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on Hamilton performances from November 1 are to be confirmed.

Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is at the Lyric Theatre from November 12. Covid protocols for Harry Potter and the Cursed Child performances from November 2 are to be announced.

Is This A Room is at the Lyceum Theatre from September 24. For all performances from September 24 - October 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on Is This A Room performances from November 1 are to be confirmed.

Jagged Little Pill is at the Broadhurst Theatre from October 21. For all performances from October 21 - 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on Jagged Little Pill performances from November 1 are to be confirmed.

Lackawanna Blues is at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre from September 14. For all performances from September 14 - October 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on Lackawanna Bluesperformances from November 1 are to be confirmed.

MJ The Musical is at the Neil Simon Theatre from December 6. Covid protocols for MJ The Musical performances from December 6 are to be announced.

Moulin Rouge! The Musical is at the Al Hirschfield Theatre from September 24. For all performances from September 24 - October 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on Moulin Rouge!The Musical performances from November 1 are to be confirmed.

Mrs. Doubtfire is at the Stephen Sondheim Theatre from October 21. For all performances from October 21 - 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on Mrs. Doubtfire performances from November 1 are to be confirmed.

Get Mrs. Doubtfire tickets now.

Pass Over is at the August Wilson Theatre from August 4 - October 10. For all performances, cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. In order for audience members to enter the auditorium, they must prove a full Covid-19 vaccination. Guests who are unvaccinated must provide proof of a negative Covid-19 PCR test within 72 hours of performance time, or a negative Covid-19 antigen test within 6 hours of performance time.

Six is at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre from September 19.For all performances from September 19 - October 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on Six performances from November 1 are to be confirmed.

Skeleton Crew is at the Samuel J. Friedman Theatre from December 21. Covid protocols for Skeleton Crew performances are to be confirmed.

Springsteen on Broadway is at St James Theatre from June 26 - September 4. For all performances, audience members are required to be fully vaccinated.

The Book of Mormon is at the Eugene O'Neill Theatre from November 5. Details on Covid safety for The Book of Mormon are to be announced at a later date.

Get The Book of Mormon tickets now.

The Lehman Trilogy is at the Nederlander Theatre from September 25. For all performances from September 25 - October 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on The Lehman Trilogy performances from November 1 are to be confirmed.

The Lion King is at the Minskoff Theatre from September 14. For all performances from September 14 - October 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on The Lion King performances from November 1 are to be confirmed.

Get The Lion King tickets now.

The Music Man is at the Winter Garden Theatre from December 20. Details on Covid safety protocols for The Music Man performances on Broadway are to be announced.

The Phantom of the Opera is at the Majestic Theatre from October 22. For all performances from October 22 - 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on The Phantom of the Opera performances from November 1 are to be confirmed.

Thoughts of a Colored Man is at the Golden Theatre from October 1. For all performances from October 1 - 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on Thoughts of a Colored Man performances from November 1 are to be confirmed.

Tina: The Tina Turner Musical is at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre from October 8. For all performances from October 8 - 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on Tina: The Tina Turner Musical performances from November 1 are to be confirmed.

To Kill a Mockingbird is at the Shubert Theatre from October 5. For all performances from October 5 - 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on To Kill a Mockingbird performances from November 1 are to be confirmed.

Trouble in Mind is at the American Airlines Theatre from October 29. Roundabout Theatre Company is requiring proof of full COVID-19 vaccination with an FDA or WHO-authorised vaccine for our audiencesas well as artists and staff. We will require proof of a recent negative COVID-19 test for anyone under the age of 12 and those who are unvaccinated due to a disability or religious belief.

Get Trouble in Mind tickets now.

Waitress is at the Barrymore Theatre from September 2. For all performances from September 2- October 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on Waitress performances from November 1 are to be confirmed.

Wicked is at the Gershwin Theatre from September 14. For all performances from September 14 - October 31, all cast, crew, theatre staff and audience members must be fully vaccinated. Details on Wicked performances from November 1 are to be confirmed.

Get Wicked tickets now.

Fairycakes is at the Greenwich House Theater from October 14. Producer Thomas Laub has confirmed that Fairycakes performances will follow The Broadway Leagues safety protocols. Laub said: With our production of Fairycakes this Fall, we will be following the lead of The Broadway League in implementing these necessary safeguards, so that the entire New York theatrical community is ready to return to the magic of theatre with the peace of mind that safe, effective vaccines bring. We are committed to the utmost standard in public health, and are eager to welcome audiences home to share a night of community and laughs with us at long last.

Get Fairycakes tickets now.

Gazillion Bubble Show is at New World Stages from October 9. All productions at New World Stages will require vaccinations for audience members for all performances through October 31.

Jersey Boys is at New World Stages from November 15. All productions at New World Stages will require vaccinations for audience members for all performances through October 31. Details for New World Stages performances from November 1 are to be announced.

Letters of Suresh is at the Kiser Theater from September 14. Details on Covid safety protocols for Letters of Suresh are to be announced.

Get Letters of Suresh tickets now.

Little Shop of Horrors is at the Westside Theatre from September 17. Details on Covid safety protocols for Little Shop of Horrorsare to be announced.

Nollywood Dreamsis at MCC Theater from October 21. To attend a show at MCC Theater, audiences will need to be fully vaccinated. Visitors under the age of 12, or those with who need an accommodation due to a medical condition or a sincere religious belief that prevents vaccinations will need to prove a negativePCR COVID-19 test taken 72 hours or a negative rapid COVID-19 antigen test taken within 6 hours of the performance will be required. Masks must also be worn.

Stomp is at the Orpheum Theatre from July 20. Patrons ages 12 and older must provide proof of vaccination.Patrons ages 5 to 11 must provide proof of a negative test result; anegative antigen COVID-19 test taken within 6 hours of the performance start time; a negative PCR COVID-19 test taken within 72 hours of the performance start time.

Get Stomp tickets.

The Play That Goes Wrong is at New World Stages from October 15. All productions at New World Stages will require vaccinations for audience members for all performances through October 31.

Photo credit: Times Square (Photo by Jason Thibault on Flickr)

The rest is here:

Broadway vaccine rules: All the shows in New York that require vaccinations and Covid tests - New York Theatre Guide

Last year a gaggle of celebrities started wearing merch emblazoned with the logo of independent movie studio Elara. From Timothe Chalamet and Emily Ratajkowski to Finn Wolfhard and Pete Davidson, Hollywood's buzziest names couldn't get enough of the production company that was founded in 2014 by Sebastian Bear-McClard and Josh and Benjamin Safdie.

Elara has garnered attention for putting out some of the most-hyped films and TV shows in recent years. It delivered Jay-Z's 2017 video for Marcy Me, one-off TV show Brockhampton: Sugar and Good Time, which starred Robert Pattinson, in 2017, in turn establishing itself as an ultra-cool counterpart to industry giants such as Warner Bros and HBO.

We're here to officially predict that the same thing is about to happen with A24. The privately owned film production company is the independent distributer behind Oscar-winning movies such as Moonlight, Lady Bird, Minari and Ex Machina, as well as recently released The Green Knight and Zola, and was tapped by Elara to produce Uncut Gems in 2019.

A24 has also just been given the nod by hip-hop megastar Travis Scott, who has announced that he is partnering with the indie label to create his own film, Utopia. The flick will be released at the same time as his upcoming album of the same name and in keeping with his previous album drops (Astroworld, Rodeo) we're expecting there to be a heap of excellent merch likely featuring A24 and Scott's Cactus Jack branding to coincide with the launch.

But if you want to get ahead of the game, read on. The production giant, which is based in New York City, has already been putting out its own in-house merch. A24 recently partnered with Californian tie-dye T-shirt company Online Ceramics to create a range of garments emblazoned with the graphics from The Green Knight, while the pair previously dropped Midsommar and Hereditary Treehouse gear. What's more, A24 has even teamed up with Jonah Hill on a T-shirt drop, as well as streetwear label Brain Dead.

Our advice: get in there before Travis Scott's die-hard fans (or Timothe Chalamet) beat you to it. Below is the best A24 merchandise on offer right now

Now read

Why you should be chomping at the bit for a chewing gum top

What should we expect from Kanye West and Demna Gvasalias Donda show?

We didn't have Orlando Bloom down as a sneakerhead

Original post:

Stop everything you're doing and buy some A24 merch - British GQ

In Washington, the conversation about infrastructure and budget reconciliation is running hot and heavy the good, the bad and the ugly. Right now nothing is completely clear. Not the outcomes, not the spending, not the scoring, not even the taxing.

Let me tell you, though, theres going to be plenty of spending, plenty of taxing, and unfortunately plenty of weird scoring. The infrastructure story could rest on tax scoring by the Congressional Budget office and the Joint Tax Committee. A lot of Republicans are waiting for the official numbers.

According to the Website of the Hill, the Joint Committee on Taxation issued a report Monday saying that the bipartisan infrastructure deal would raise only $51 billion dollars in new tax revenues over the next 10 years. A fraction of the $550 billion in proposed new spending. $51 billion is a bad number for this deal.

Now, up to $300 billion could come from repurposing unused Covid money. The rest of it could be a day in the country, or should I say a day lost in the country's deep woods. Part of the good news of infrastructure is there's no phony IRS tax gap and no corporate income tax hikes. Also no infrastructure bank.

The bipartisan group will not pay for infrastructure with dynamic scoring or ending Medicare rebates, or imposing drug price controls, or $30 billion of a crypto-currency tax. So they look revenue short to me right now of about $100 billion dollars.

That means that Republican support is by no means a given. My biggest concern is still the budget reconciliation package. This is the taxing, spending, entitling, greening, transformational, workers paradise utopia for which the left-wing Democratic progressives yearn. It will all be jammed into the reconciliation bill.

Amnesty for illegals might be part of it. Banning voter photo IDs could be part of it. Theres no telling. For those of us who do not wish to transform America into a woke driven exercise in central planning, regulating, critical race theory, cancel culture, end-free-enterprise vision, I think of it as Bulgaria before the Berlin Wall came down.

This proposed bill must be stopped. It is the number one priority for people of all stripes who love this country and want to save it. Whatever the Democrats fail to win in infrastructure, theyre going to try to jam it into reconciliation. Part of the bad of infrastructure is its Green New Dealness. Which covers about $140 billion dollars or roughly one quarter of the bipartisan package.

There will be subsidies for everything remotely related to green including changing the electricity power grid, boosting electric vehicle car sales, financing electricity pumps, aka electric charging stations. According to some conservative friends the word equity appears 64 times in this 2,700 page infrastructure bill.

In other words, equal opportunity at the starting line is not enough anymore. We need equality at the finish line. If not equity unfortunately based on gender, race, and other identity groups then federal subsidies will flow galore. I don't like any of that. Its saying, you cant buy me off, but you could temporarily rent me if you give me a free Tesla.

Which is kind of what they're doing with free everything that is green. Im joking here but not entirely. So theres the good, the bad, and the ugly on infrastructure. As far as the budget reconciliation package is concerned, though, there is nothing good. Its all bad. And it's getting more and more ugly.

View original post here:

The Democrats' Budget: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - New York Sun

Allure of fast riches; perils of misplaced ambition

Its not hard to understand. Three buddies struggling to keep their Wyoming construction business afloat get a call from a California lawyer who wants them to finish building her mansion.

They might be so eager to get away from roofing and drywalling jobs that theyd ignore questions such as: Why did the last contractor quit a lucrative gig? Why does the owner want the house finished in only four months?

Huge bonuses have a way of dispelling such concerns, as was the case when Gretchen Connors offered that sum to Teddy, Bart and Cole, co-owners of True Triangle Construction. Therein lies the setup of Godspeed, Nickolas Butlers intermittently effective but overwritten thriller that, at its best, is a bracing reminder riches often come at a steep cost.

Those riches would solve a lot of problems, though. Teddy, a married Mormon, could use that money to pay medical bills. Cole, soon to be divorced, fantasizes not only about fancy watches and a nice townhouse but also about whether childless, never-married Gretchen ever could fall for him.

Only Bart says the job doesnt feel right. At Coles insistence, they take the gig, but the pressure gets to Bart. As he did in his younger days, he turns to drugs to help him maintain the energy required for a backbreaking schedule.

Butler has thrown many other elements into this mix, including holdovers from the previous contractor who might be spying on the new crew, a pair of murders, a ruthless drug dealer and a health issue that might affect the outcome of the job.

Eventually, the book reaches nifty plot twists and fine character sketches. Butlers writing sharpens as the story turns grisly, and he excels at describing mysterious elements, such as the strange gleaming that comes from beyond the propertys hot springs.

Godspeed feels like a novel from a different era, with white, tough-guy protagonists driven by sex, money and power. Butler might not always know where to shine his spotlight, but he knows this much: A jog on a treadmill in pursuit of riches might produce fitness of a sort, but watch your step.

Michael Magras, Star Tribune

Beautifully accomplished ballet-themed thriller

Dara, the heroine of Megan Abbotts new thriller, The Turnout, has spent her life in her mothers shadow. Together with her sister, Marie, and husband, Charlie, who was once their mothers star pupil Dara runs the Durant School of Dance, the studio her mother founded.

As refined as Daras world is, it also is characterized by ruthless ambition and the intense competition the sisters foster between their students.

After a fire, as theyre ramping up for the annual production of The Nutcracker, the sisters hire a contractor to rebuild. Equal parts rube and fairy tale monster, Derek epitomizes everything Dara thought she had banished from their lives. To make matters worse, he starts sleeping with Marie. And the job seems to be taking a lot longer than he promised.

As it becomes apparent Derek has ulterior motives, his presence in the studio strains the relationship between the sisters, and Dara must face truths about her family she has hidden from herself for years.

Dara and Marie live with chronic pain, and dancing has all but crippled Charlie.

Even if we dont always like Dara, who has internalized the worst of her mothers ideas, we sympathize with her desire to discover the truth and free herself from her mothers legacy. Scandalized by Maries fling with Derek, Dara thinks of her sister as an animal. Sex turns Daras world on its ear. Nearly everywhere, with Derek in the studio, Dara sees or hears innuendo.

Because Dereks such a buffoon, its fun to watch the ease with which he gets the best of Dara. Brash, vulgar, leery, hes a comic villain until it seems he might not be the villain.

Similar to most domestic noir, The Turnout is a slow burn. After a long wait, when violence comes, it seems much more arresting. Were Abbott not so accomplished, we might tire of reading before the stakes become clear. But from the first page to the reveal at the end, a palpable sense of menace and the sympathy we feel for Dara as her world unravels make it impossible to look away.

Tom Andes, Star Tribune

Fascinating memoir of Utopian Indian city

The most surprising aspect of Akash Kapurs Better to Have Gone: Love, Death, and the Quest for Utopia in Auroville is the authors well-disposed view of the leaders, beliefs and practices of Auroville, a planned city founded in 1968 outside Pondicherry in southeast India. It was here Kapurs wife, Auralice, lost her mother to suicide and her adoptive father to a mysterious wasting condition.

Among those attracted to the place was Auralices mother, Diane Maes, and John Walker, who later became Dianes partner. The authors parents, too, had been drawn there. Akash and his future wife had been childhood playmates.

The early history of Auroville follows the pattern of other attempts to transform society and human nature. Aurovilles physical planning came from organizers in Pondicherry who envisioned a rigorously designed futuristic city of 50,000 with a complex infrastructure. The actual residents, however, tended more toward hippies, counterculturists and spiritual seekers, people who believed the place should develop organically.

In time this led to the organizers cutting off funding, and many of the residents hardened into ideological zealots who embarked on their own cultural revolution, complete with interrogations, purity tests, book burning and violence.

TAlthough this painful phase eventually passed, a benign view of nature and rejection of medical intervention persisted. Diane slipped off a tall building under construction and, though horribly injured, refused to be taken to a hospital. Ailments often were understood to be the symptoms of hoped-for cellular evolution. As John, too, shunned doctors, the cause of his long decline and death remains unclear; still, parasitic invasion seems a good guess if one can judge from the two 10-inch worms that emerged from his body at different times.

Despite this and other tragedies recorded here, the book provides a fascinating picture of an Ideal City brought into being by the ceaseless, grueling work of its first residents, idiot savants of endurance, as one man dubbed them. It is also a shrewd portrayal of some of the experiments key players and of the backgrounds and beliefs of Diane and John, two stubborn, driven, spiritual adventurers.

Katherine A. Powers, Star Tribune

See the original post here:

New on the bookshelf: July 31, 2021 - Kankakee Daily Journal

04/08/2021 - The Portuguese festival will showcase a strong selection of national films at its second summer edition

Jack's Ride by Susana Nobre

IndieLisboa is back for its 18th edition, spanning from 21 August-6 September and presenting 276 films across nine sections. The festival had already announced a retrospective of Sarah Maldorors work, as well the Silvestre, Indie Jnior, Directors Cut and Indie Music sections and the International Competition (which includes titles such as Norika Sefas Looking for Venera[+see also: filmreviewtrailerinterview: Norika Sefafilmprofile], Alice Diops We[+see also: filmreviewtrailerinterview: Alice Diopfilmprofile], and Alexandre Koberidzes What Do We See When We Look at the Sky?[+see also: filmreviewtrailerinterview: Alexandre Koberidzefilmprofile]). Now, the festival unveils most of its competitive and non-competitive sections.

The gathering will start off with Summer of Soul (...Or, When The Revolution Could Not Be Televised), directed by Ahmir Questlove Thompson, and will close with the national premiere of Srgio Trfauts latest film, Paraso.

As the festival is dedicated to support and showcase Portuguese films, the National Competition is one of its highlights, comprising of four features and 19 short films (with a grand total of 14 world premieres) and focusing both on works from emerging directors as well as from prominent filmmakers. Susana Nobres Jacks Ride[+see also: filmreviewtrailerinterview: Susana Nobrefilmprofile] will have its national premiere as one of the four features included in this section. Gonalo Lamas debut feature film, Granary Square, will have its world premiere at the festival, alongside two other debut feature films, both national premieres: Rock Bottom Riser, directed by Fern Silva, and Simon Calls[+see also: filmreviewtrailerfilmprofile], directed by Marta Sousa Ribeiro. The short film selection includes Joo Pedro Rodrigues and Joo Rui Guerra da Matas homage to Jacques Demy, Um Quarto na Cidade, and three films that are also in the International (short film) Competition: Catarina de Sousa and Nick Tysons Tracing Utopia (US/Portugal), Laura Carreiras The Shift (UK/Portugal) and the world premiere of Helena Estrelas Transportation Procedures for Lovers (Brazil/Portugal/Spain).

Emerging Portuguese directors will showcase their works in the Brand New section. Fruto do Vosso Ventre, the winner of the Curtas Vila do Condes Take One Competition, directed by Fbio Silva, is included in this 13-film selection, as well as Miraflores, directed by Rodrigo Braz Teixeira and Rosa Vale Cardosos Se Tudo O Que Oio Silncio.

Part of the non-competitive sections, the special screenings programme presents several documentaries on key figures of the Portuguese artistic and political scene: from the architect Nuno Portas, in The City of Nuno Portas, directed by Teresa Prata and Humberto Kzure, to the artists Maria Helena Vieira da Silva and rpd Szenes, in Joo Mrio Grilos Vieirapad, and a film-performance starring Joacine Katar Moreira and Welket Bungu, Upheaval, directed by Bungu.

IndieLisboa will once again host the Lisbon Screenings, an industry event organised by Portugal Film - Agncia Internacional de Cinema Portugus that aims to support new in-development or finished Portuguese projects in finding their world or international premiere. A Tvola de Rocha, by Samuel Barbosa, which will have its world premiere in Locarnos Histoire(s) du Cinma, followed by a national premiere in IndieLisboas non-competitive section Directors Cut, is one of many films that were included in this industry event in the past. This year, the selection includes feature films by Ins Oliveira, Ana Sofia Fonseca and Jos Filipe Costa, as well as short films by Diogo Baldaia, gata de Pinho, Falco Nhaga, Jos Manuel Fernandes, and Pedro Neves Marques amongst others.

Go here to read the rest:

IndieLisboa announces the programme for its 18th edition - Cineuropa

A Broadway recording of Come From Away will be streamed globally via Apple TV Plus.

The musical, which first premiered on Broadway in March 2017, follows the passengers of 38 flights grounded in the week of the September 11 attacks, when they are forced to land at the sleepy town of Gander in Newfoundland. The small town is faced with the task of housing and feeding 7000 stranded travellers.

Come From Away has book, music and lyrics by Irene Sankoff and David Hein, and is directed by Christopher Ashley, with musical staging by Kelly Devine, music supervision and arrangements by Ian Eisendrath, scenic design by Beowulf Boritt, costume design by Toni-Leslie James, lighting design by Howell Binkley, sound design by Gareth Owen and orchestrations by August Eriksmoen.

The WhatsOnStage Award-winning piece has been recorded at the Gerald Schoenfeld Theatre in New York, featuring cast members from the Broadway production (in total, 200 creatives will be involved either on-stage or behind-the-scenes).

It will be available from Friday 10 September, with RadicalMedia, who captured Hamilton and David Byrne's American Utopia, having overseen filming. Christopher Ashley directs the filmed piece.

The cast will composed of Petrina Bromley (original cast member) as Bonnie and others,Jenn Colella (original cast member and Tony Award nominee) as Beverley/Annette and others, De'lon Grant (Jersey Boys) as Bob and others, Joel Hatch (original cast member) as Claude and others, Tony Lepage (Rock of Ages) as Kevin T and others, Caesar Samayoa (original cast member) as Kevin J /Ali and others, Q Smith (original cast member) as Hannah and others, Astrid Van Wieren (original cast member) as Beulah and others, Emily Walton (Peter and the Starcatcher) as Janice and others, Jim Walton (Sunset Boulevard) as Nick/Doug and others, Sharon Wheatley (original cast member) as Diane and others and Paul Whitty (Once) as Oz and others.

Watch the new trailer below:

The show continues to run at the Phoenix Theatre in the West End, where it recently reopened.

Loading...

Loading...

Visit link:

Come From Away Broadway recording to be streamed globally in September - WhatsOnStage.com

If the story of Walker and Maes cannot be separated from the longing and navet of the 1960s, as Kapur writes, it is even more tangled up in the politics of Auroville itself, which was thrown into an identity crisis after the death of the Mother in 1973. The ideological rifts went all the way up to the Indian Supreme Court: Did the teachings of Auroville constitute a religion, a sect or a spirituality? What are the differences between the three?

For a book that is so diligent about context, however, Kapurs lack of interest in the colonial legacy of Auroville is surprising, and his description of the land itself a fitting tabula rasa for the new world, this, in the teeming state of Tamil Nadu genuinely took me aback. (For a thorough treatment of the colonial roots of Auroville and indeed the idea of utopia itself see Jessica Namakkals Unsettling Utopia, published last month.)

A louder, more troubling omission is Maes herself. The contours of her faith, desires, personality are not easy to trace, and her contradictions impossible to reconcile she who let young Auralice be raised by neighbors but insisted on spoon-feeding the girl into her teens? She is a sphinx, reduced mostly to the extraordinary fact of her beauty. Walker, on the other hand, not only left a cache of correspondence but proved to be an uncommonly interesting writer. Some of the most vivacious prose in the book can be found in his letters (extended quotation comes with its perils). Kapur has his talents the story is suspensefully structured, and I consumed it with a febrile intensity but he has a deadly attraction to clich. Men contain all the requisite multitudes in this tale full of unfinished business and the wreckage of history, in which the wolf is perpetually at the door and seasons are spent in the belly of the beast (in this case, Harvard).

If there is a mystery to be solved in this book, it is not what happened on that day in October 1986, in the hut, where a man lay dying and a woman watching him wept. What happened was witnessed by many, it turns out; it was tragic and deeply unnecessary. The mystery lies in this books provenance and desire, the reason, I suspect, for that decorous reticence where Maes is concerned. This book has one real reader in mind: Auralice, who was raised with a kind of reverence and neglect not uncommon in Auroville in those days. She foraged for food, escaped to neighbors when the chaos of her home proved too much. Living with her, Kapur has come to know the quality of her silences there are places we dont go, thing we dont cant talk about, he writes. I suppose one of the reasons I wrote this book was to break down those walls.

He accomplishes far more. He brings this past into a kind of balance: He shows how to hold it, all together, in one eye a people and a place in all their promise and corruption. It is a complicated offering, this book, and the artifact of a great love.

Visit link:

Revisiting a Utopian City With Fondness and Fury - The New York Times