Events
Winners of The 12th Annual Off-Broadway Alliance Awards
Off Broadway Alliance President Peter Breger with Charlotte Moore, Artistic Director and Ciarán O’Reilly, Producing Director of the Irish Rep, for Endgame, Best Play Revival Photo credit: Donna Svennevik
The winners were: Titanique, Best New Musical; Fat Ham, Best New Play; Endgame,Best Play Revival; Merrily We Roll Along, Best Musical Revival; Asi Wind’s Inner Circle, Best Unique Theatrical Experience; and Walking With Bubbles, Best Solo Performance.
Spotted at the 2023 Off Broadway Alliance Awards: Reg Rogers who appeared as Joe in the Off Broadway Alliance Award-winning Best Musical Revival, Merrily We Roll Along
Photo credit: Donna Svennevik
In addition to the competitive awards, Legend of Off Broadway Awards were presented to Alison Fraser, David Rothenberg, and Nicholas Viselli for their extraordinary contributions over many years; Andrew Leynse, Robert Patrick, and Susan L. Schulman were posthumously inducted into the Off Broadway Hall of Fame, and the Friend of Off-Broadway Award was presented to Jeff Whiting, Director and Choreographer, owner of Open Jar Studios, and Founding Artistic Director of the Open Jar Institute.
Spotted at the 2023 Off Broadway Alliance Awards: Mary Testa, Alison Fraser, Christine Ebersole, and Julie Halston Photo credit: Donna Svennevik
2023 Legend of Off Broadway Awards Alison Fraser is one of Off-Broadway’s most versatile and dedicated actresses. She made her Off-Broadway debut in 1979 at Playwrights Horizon in William Finn’s musical In Trousers. In the intervening years, she has appeared Off Broadway dozens of times playing a series of diverse roles in such acclaimed productions as March of the Falsettos, Cat on A Hot Tin Roof, First Daughter Suite, The Divine Sister, The Green Heart, Beehive, Swingtime Canteen and Enter Laughing. She created the dual roles of Monica & Josefine in Romance/Romance off-Broadway, before taking the show to Broadway where she earned a Tony nomination. David Rothenberg is a theatrical publicist and producer whose career led him to become one of the country’s foremost prisoners’ rights activists. While producing the play Fortune and Men’s Eyes Off-Broadway, he was inspired to found the Fortune Society organization, which advocates for prisoner’s rights and works with former inmates to aid them in adjusting to life after prison. The organization began as post-show discussions at the Actor’s Playhouse. Soon Rothenberg began arranging for ex-cons coming to the Fortune Society to attend shows. One former convict joked that when somebody gets out of prison in New York, “you get $40, a baloney sandwich, and two tickets to Alvin Ailey.” Nicholas Viselli is the artistic director of Theater Breaking Through Barriers, New York City’s only Off-Broadway theatre company dedicated to advancing the work of performers, writers and directors with disabilities. As an actor, director, sound designer, administrator and core company member since 1997, Mr. Viselli has acted in more than 20 TBTB productions and has produced and coordinated several of TBTB’s international tours including their visits to Japan to attend both the Bird International Theatre Festival and Japan’s National Festival for People With Disabilities. He studied at the Royal National Theatre in London.
Spotted at the 2023 Off Broadway Alliance Awards: Mary Bacon and her son Abadi Leynse, celebrating Andrew Leynse’s posthumous induction into the Off Broadway Hall of Fame
Photo credit: Donna Svennevik
Off Broadway Hall of Fame InducteesAndrew Leynse‘s 21-year tenure as the Artistic Director of Primary Stages was marked by his unwavering dedication to the growth and advancement of American theater. Through his visionary leadership and commitment to nurturing emerging talent and to producing established playwrights such David Ives, Charles Busch, Theresa Rebeck, Terrance McNally, Donald Margulies and Horton Foote, he has left an indelible mark on the Off-Broadway scene, creating a legacy of groundbreaking productions and empowering countless playwrights to share their stories with the world. Robert Patrick was a celebrated Off-Broadway playwright whose contributions have left an indelible mark on the theater world. With a career spanning several decades, Patrick was a prolific and influential voice, known for his bold and innovative storytelling. He found his artistic home in the emerging Off-Off-Broadway scene of Caffe Cino of the early 1960s. He quickly became a prominent Off-Broadway playwright known for his daring and groundbreaking works, most notably The Haunted Host (1964), which tackled themes of homosexuality in a time when such subjects were rarely explored openly on stage. The Haunted Host established Patrick as a fearless and provocative playwright. Throughout his career, Patrick continued to push boundaries and explore diversity with his plays including Kennedy’s Children, T-Shirts, and The Trial of Socrates.
Off Broadway Alliance President Peter Breger with Karen Ziemba, who accepted for Susan L. Schulman, who was posthumously named Off Broadway Hall of Fame Inductee Photo credit: Donna Svennevik
Susan L. Schulman was a theatrical press agent for more than 30 years, specializing in live entertainment including Broadway, Off-Broadway, dance, film, special events, TV, books, and personalities. She also represented several not-for-profit theaters, including Repertorio Español, Circle in the Square, and Manhattan Theatre Club, among others. In 2013, Ms. Schulman published a memoir, Backstage Pass to Broadway, recounting the ups and downs of a life creating Broadway buzz. Friend of Off Broadway Jeff Whiting is a director and choreographer with work on Broadway, Television, Special Events and Concerts around the world. BROADWAY (Associate): Bullets Over Broadway, The Scottsboro Boys, Hair, Young Frankenstein, Big Fish. NATIONAL TOUR: Bullets Over Broadway, Hairspray, The Producers, Young Frankenstein, The Rockin’ Road to Dublin. SPECIAL EVENTS/CONCERTS: James Taylor Live at Carnegie Hall. BUSINESS: Jeff is the owner of Open Jar Studios, creator and founder of Stage Write Software, the standard method for documenting choreography, the Founding Artistic Director of The Open Jar Institute, a premiere music theatre training program, co-creator of the job matching platform Gignition, The Broadway Relief Project, and was featured in a TED Talk sharing his philosophy of “Open Jar Thinking”. Jeffwhiting.com For more information about the Off Broadway Alliance and its programs, visit www.OffBroadwayAlliance.com and www.20at20.com
C. B. Cebulski, Editor-in-Chief of Marvel Comics, and The LEGO Group Senior Graphic Designer Mark Tranter will be at the Fifth Ave LEGO Store this Friday, December 1st from 5pm-6pm signing the Avengers Tower set—the most iconic building in the Avengers Universe, with 5,201 pieces and an all-star cast of 31 figures.
The Avengers Tower, formerly known as Stark Tower, was a high-rise building complex located in Manhattan. Constructed by Tony Stark, the tower was powered by an Arc Reactor that made it capable of running itself for over a year. The top ten floors housed the research and development initiatives.
Following the dissolution of S.H.I.E.L.D., Stark Tower became the main headquarters of the Avengers. However, after the Ultron Offensive, Stark refurbished a Stark Industries warehouse upstate into the Avengers Compound to use as their primary base while Avengers Tower was repurposed for Stark Industries’ use. In the aftermath of the Avengers Civil War, Stark sold the tower and moved all of its equipment to the Avengers Compound.
By 2024, the tower, under its new ownership, had gone through extensive construction and renovation.
Following a successful run in Los Angeles last year, Lumina Enchanted Night Walks, Moment Factory’s awe-inspiring nighttime experience series, is coming to New York City. Moment Factory is teaming up with Fever to present Astra Lumina at the Queens Botanical Garden this winter.
Experience a visit from the stars through projections, lighting and music. The Queens Botanical Garden will be transformed into an immersive outdoor, multimedia enchanted world that awakens the imagination. Inside the experience, guests will be guided on an illuminated nature pathway with a photo booth, gift shop, and food and beverage options available for purchase at the end.
From our earliest years, we’ve been told to reach for the stars, but what if the stars could reach for us? Astra Lumina, created by Moment Factory, welcomes you to an extraordinary place, a garden here on Earth that shares a special connection with the sky above. Come nightfall, the garden sets the stage for a phenomenal event: a visit from the stars. This stellar journey invites stargazers to set off across the garden’s celestial pathway to encounter the wonder of the stars and embrace their own human light. As the night unfolds, these luminous orbs regenerate, rise, and reunite in the night sky, to shine brighter than ever before.
Astra Lumina at Queens Botanical Garden is the 19th experience in the Lumina Enchanted Night Walk series.
Location & Opening Times:
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Location: Queens Botanical Garden, 43-50 Main St, Queens, NY 11355
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Dates: Until January 1, 2024
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Opening times:
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5:30 pm – 10 pm
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Approx 60 minutes
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Tickets will be available for purchase starting on September 13, but fans who sign up for the waitlist can unlock exclusive access. Ticket prices start from $22 for children and $29 for adults, and will be available on Fever’s marketplace. You can read more about the experience at AstraLumina.com.
Park Lane New York toasted a special winter partnership with Moët & Chandon this week. The launch party was a something as unique as a snowflake as the darlings of New York City came to celebrate and start the seasonal party in the most epic way.
From November 29 – January 3, the hotel’s iconic rooftop bar, Darling will be transformed into a captivating après ski-inspired chalet for the season, complete with unique Moët Ice Impérial beverage offerings, bespoke decor and captivating entertainment, providing an unforgettable festive experience for hotel guests and visitors alike.
“It is an honor to partner with the world-renowned Moët & Chandon to bring unique offerings to our guests at Park Lane New York this holiday season,” said Niles Harris, Managing Director and Vice President of Operations at Park Lane New York. “The transformation of Darling into a luxurious winter wonderland is a testament to the hotel’s commitment to creating extraordinary experiences for our guests. This partnership symbolizes the best of both worlds: the timeless elegance of Moët & Chandon and the vibrant energy of New York City, and we look forward to welcoming travelers and locals alike to join us for this festive occasion.”
Guests can indulge in a special menu featuring two bespoke Moët cocktails: Snow Bunny (Moët & Chandon Rosé Impérial, hibiscus tea syrup and grapefruit soda) and Alpine Passion (Moët & Chandon Impérial Brut, passionfruit and vanilla, lime). Alternatively, they can build their own Champagne cocktail with the “Darling, Choose Your Own Adventure” menu, while snacking on Petrossian caviar blinis served with crème fraîche; sea salt toasted chestnuts with brown butter, sage and chives; and a grilled cheese & roasted tomato soup, with chervil, crème fraiche and basil. A myriad of Moët & Chandon-branded touchpoints, like custom skis and snowboards, branded cocktail vessels and a captivating photo experience round out the offerings, making a Darling Chalet reservation the must-have of the season.
Guests who book the Pop, Drink, Fizz package on Park Lane New York’s website will receive a complimentary bottle of Moët & Chandon Impérial Brut Reserve Champagne in their room upon check in.
The festivities continue through the New Year, where Moët & Chandon and Park Lane New York will present a black-tie New Years’ Eve celebration at Darling from 9pm-1am. Complete with an open bar, DJ, passed hors d’oeuvres and a midnight toast with Moët & Chandon Impérial Brut before watching the fireworks over Central Park, guests will ring in the New Year in elegance and merriment. Packages start at $295 per person for General Admission and $413 per person for the Darling Ultra VIP package including table service.
Art
Ahead of the Broadway Opening of Lempicka The Longacre Theatre Is Showcasing Art Work By Tamara de Lempicka
The Longacre Theatre (220 W 48th St.), soon-to-be home of the sweeping new musical, Lempicka, is showcasing a curated selection of renowned artist Tamara de Lempicka’s most famous works. Eschewing traditional theatrical front-of-house advertising, the Longacre’s façade now boasts prints, creating a museum-quality exhibition right in the heart of Times Square. The musical opens on Broadway on April 14, 2024 at the same venue.
The Longacre’s outdoor exhibition includes works of Self Portrait (Tamara in a Green Bugatti) (1929), Young Girl in Green (1927), Nu Adossé I (1925), The Red Tunic (1927), The Blue Scarf (1930), The Green Turban (1930), Portrait of Marjorie Ferry (1932), Portrait of Ira P. (1930), Portrait of Romana de la Salle (1928), and Adam and Eve (1932).
Starring Eden Espinosa and directed by Tony Award winner Rachel Chavkin, Lempicka features book, lyrics, and original concept by Carson Kreitzer, book and music by Matt Gould, and choreography by Raja Feather Kelly.
Spanning decades of political and personal turmoil and told through a thrilling, pop-infused score, Lempicka boldly explores the contradictions of a world in crisis, a woman ahead of her era, and an artist whose time has finally come.
Young Girl in Green painted by Tamara de Lempicka (1927). Oil on plywood.