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My View: Take Me Out To The Ball Game Doesn’t Just Start Ball Games

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Many of the songs you love have probably come from the pens of composers who were aided by The ASCAP Foundation.   The ASCAP Foundation was incorporated in 1975 when Amy Swor Norworth, widow of Jack Norworth, the lyricist who penned “Take Me Out to the Ballgame” with composer Albert Von Tilzer, left a generous bequest to ASCAP to establish the Jack and Amy Norworth Memorial Fund to assist deserving young composers through the use of royalties from “Take Me Out to the Ball Game.” That initial program was called the The ASCAP Foundation Grants to Young Composers competition, designed to encourage composers in the earliest stages of their careers. The program, now known as The ASCAP Foundation Morton Gould Young Composer Awards, has provided cash awards to hundreds of composers under the age of 30 since 1979. The ASCAP Awards were given out last night at Jazz at Lincoln Center. 

This year, Stephen Schwartz presented the Harold Adamson Musical Theatre award to Benj Pasek and Justin Paul.  Composers Morten Lauridsen and Maria Schneider received The ASCAP Foundation Life In Music Awards. Paul Williams, it’s president noted: “The ASCAP Foundation Honors 2016 celebrates the achievements of the people who represent our musical hopes and dreams for the future.  They are music creators and performers who are beginning their careers and already making an impact.  Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we continue to support a variety of songwriting workshops, summer music camps, scholarships, awards, commissioning projects and much more.  Our Foundation impacts more than 3 million people annually through our support of over 150 music education, talent development, humanitarian and community outreach programs.”

(For another article by Stephen & complete photos of The ASCAP FOUNDATION HONORS go to BroadwayWorld.com)

Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, Stephen Schwartz

Benj Pasek, Justin Paul, Stephen Schwartz

Shelly Markham & Jamie deRoy

Shelly Markham & Jamie deRoy

Maria Schneider & Paul Williams, President ASCAP

Maria Schneider & Paul Williams, President ASCAP

Colleen McDonough, executive director, ASCAP

Colleen McDonough, executive director, ASCAP

Judith Clurman & Stephen Schwartz

Judith Clurman & Stephen Schwartz

Anthony & Will Nunziata & Joseph Bennincasa

Anthony & Will Nunziata & Joseph Bennincasa

Eda Sorokoff, Shelly Marham, Stephen Schwartz, Jamie deRoy, Stephen Sorokoff

Eda Sorokoff, Shelly Marham, Stephen Schwartz, Jamie deRoy, Stephen Sorokoff

(For complete photos of ASCAP FOUNDATION AWARDS go to BroadwayWorld.com)

Stephen studied at the Manhattan School of Music. Besides being a pianist, Stephen’s business career was in the Fashion Industry. He was CEO of a textile manufacturing facility and President of an international textile machinery company. Stephen was on the Board of Directors of the “First All Children’s Theatre” which brought the Stephen Schwartz musical The Trip and Captain Louie to the Kennedy Center in Wash DC. His wife Eda, an interior space designer and classical pianist was on the Board of Barrington Stage Company and is still active at BSC. Stephen’s photographs, videos and articles appear on Broadwayworld.com, T2Conline.com and The New York Observer. He is active in the entertainment events at the Friars Club, where he is a member. Stephen is also an Honorary Board Member of The Society For The Preservation of The Great American Songbook. Stephen Sorokoff@gmail.com

Columns

My View: Who Knew Broadway and 42nd Street Ran All The Way to Boca/Delray…The Wick Theatre

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Who knew 42nd Street and Broadway ran all the way down to Boca/Delray and end at The Wick Theatre and Museum Club!  In an event yesterday afternoon that rivaled any Broadway Opening Night Party, Marilynn & Kimberly Wick celebrated the opening of The Wick’s 2023/2024 season with a spectacular immersive exhibition of “Dancing Feet” The Experience, 42nd Street. They also had in attendance none other than the star of the original Tony Award Winning Broadway show (42nd Street) Lee Roy Reams on the Museum Club’s Stage to add commentary, sing, and have a fun filled talk back with the audience.  Lee Roy, who starred as Billy Lawlor in the 1980 production, shared many anecdotes about the musical during the video presentation, including insights about renowned choreographer Gower Champion and his untimely death on the day of the show’s Broadway opening. The legendary show went on to win the Tony Award for Best Musical and Best Choreography. While Reams continued his illustrious career in musical theatre, starring in numerous Broadway shows including The Producers and La Cage Aux Folles, and at The Wick, he created a sensation with his role as Dolly Levi in Hello, Dolly!

“The Wick is breaking new ground in both entertainment and technology by creating these immersive experiences that both entertain and educate audiences about the history of Broadway,” said Kimberly Wick, curator. “As the owners of the largest Broadway costume collection in the nation, we are thrilled to add this innovation as another way to preserve the incredible artistry of our past for generations to come.”

 Last year, The Wick Costume Museum underwent a dramatic high-tech transformation, resulting in a stunning new venue, rechristened The Museum Club at The Wick. The completely renovated space thrilled guests with 360-degree immersive video experiences, historic costume displays, dining, and entertainment.

LEE ROY REAMS

LEE ROY REAMS & MARILYNN WICK

MARILYNN WICK & KIMBERLY WICK

LEE ROY REAMS

LEE ROY REAMS

KIMBERLY WICK

DANCING FEET

LEE ROY REAMS

MICHAEL URSUA & LEE ROY REAMS

THE MUSEUM CLUB

JOHN McDANIEL, EDA SOROKOFF, LEE ROY REAMS

THE MUSEUM CLUB

EDA SOROKOFF & MARILYNN WICK

COMING ATTRACTIONS

COMING ATTRACTINS

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Ken Fallin's Broadway

Ken Fallin’s Broadway: Make Me Gorgeous’s Wade McCollum

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Attending the opening of Make Me Gorgeous starring the fabulous Wade McCollum as Kenneth/Kate Marlowe inspired this caricature.

Make Me Gorgeous  is the reworking of the original script, Mr. Madam by donnie that premiered at triangle in June 2022.

Make Me Gorgeous is a one-person show based upon a true story, taken from several books by Kenneth aka Kate Marlowe. Kenneth has been described as one of the gayest and most openly homosexual personalities of the late 50s and early 60s. He went from a 1940s/1950s drag performer to being a madam (for Hollywood gays), to being the author of several books, and at the age of 50 began transitioning, soon after marrying a man in prison. You just cannot make this stuff up

It now has a new name, but the same playwright and actor now are bringing the story to the stage at Playhouse 46th at St Luke’s, 308 W 46th Street. With the encouragement of the Tony Award-winning playwright of “Memphis” Joe DiPietro and many others, the show will have a limited run off-Broadway run until December 31, 2023.

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Broadway

Ken Fallin’s Broadway: Sutton Foster and Kelli O’Hara With The NY Pops

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One Night Only: An Evening with Sutton Foster and Kelli O’Hara with the NY Pops is happening Friday 8pm, at Carnegie Hall. This unique program by NY Pops conductor Steven Reineke, pays homage to earlier icons of stage and screen who teamed up for memorable concerts.

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My View: No Pause In The Laughter At Menopause The Musical 2

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The hysterical sequel to the smash-hit Menopause The Musical is finally here and it’s National Tour landed at the Aventura Cultural Center in Florida this week.  America, get ready to cheer and laugh on a cruise through “The Change” with your beloved ladies 5 years after their chance encounter in a department store.  They have nothing in common but memory loss, hot flashes, night sweats, not enough sex, too much sex and more!  This hilarious musical parody set to classic tunes from the 60s, 70s, and 80s, will have you dancing in the aisles as the audience did at the performance we attended ( and has been doing since the original Menopause The Musical opened 20 years ago).  If you think #1 was #1 wait till you see # 2.

Aventura Cultural Center

CURTAIN CALL

AVENTURA CULTURAL CENTER

STEPHEN SOROKOFF, SETH GREENLEAF, EDA SOROKOFF, KEN GREENBLATT, SANDI GREENBLATT

SETH GREENLEAF GFOUR PRODUCTIONS

KEN GREENBLATT, & JOSH FRIEDMAN, VP alumni & admissions UNIV OF MIAMI

COMMING ATTRACTION

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Ken Fallin's Broadway

Ken Fallin’s Broadway: Off Broadway With The Mint Theatre Company’s Partnership

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Starring in The Mint Theatre Company’s Partnership are Sara Haider and Gene Gillette. Partnership by Elizabeth Baker and is about what working women had to do to survive and become emotionally more than a century ago.

In Partnership Kate Rolling (Sara Haider) is the ambitious owner of a small fashion boutique in Brighton. When the owner of the largest shop in town proposes a merger on favorable terms—including matrimony—Kate sees an irresistible business opportunity. “Oh, don’t worry about me,” Kate assures her friends, “I never expected anything great in the way of love.” But isn’t romance most likely to happen when it’s least expected?    

Elizabeth Baker’s charming comedy premiered in 1917. 

To see T2C’s review click here.

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