Long Island goes “9 to 5” in New Musical
The movie that Dolly Parton made so famous in the very early 80s is hitting the stage one more time. And while last time it was adapted into a musical it played right on Broadway, this time it’s Long Island that’s in for the treat. Running from July 18 — August 4 at the Patchogue Theatre, this time — just like the last — it’s chock full of stars.
The biggest name among them all is the fabulous Sally Struthers, who plays the executive assistant, Roz Keith, that’s constantly running to her boss to tell him what the other girls in the office are doing. That boss, Franklin Hart Jr., is played by Edward Staudenmayer, the president of Consolidated Companies, and the hard-nose that’s always trying to get the women of the office to work more, and gossip less.
But even with the big names, this play just wouldn’t be the same without all the original music that is still so well-known and much-loved today. And even though it may have been over two decades since she took up a role in the movie herself, all of that music is still original, written by Dolly Parton. Directing the music will be Andrew Austin, while Keith Andrew will oversee the direction of the play and Gerry McIntyre will be choreographing.
With the fast upbeat dance numbers and the general overall good feeling that this show always evokes, it’s easy to see how some would think it’s a show for everyone. However, due to adult language and content, this is one to keep the kids home.
If you want to see how one of the “100 Funniest Movies,” as proclaimed by the American Film Institute turned into a play, you’ve got to check it out for the limited-time showing that’s currently running in Long Island.
Texas Rangers Coming into the Second Half
The Texas Rangers were looking good coming into the second half of the season with a five game lead. Here’s where Major League Baseball gets serious. With a little help from a Mariner‘s base running mistake, the Ranger’s ended Friday’s game against the Seattle team with a barely tweaking 3-2 lead.
The Rangers suffered a minor set-back when catcher, Mike Napoli bruised the inside part of his upper right knee, sliding into home plate during the fifth inning, but his fans have been assured there is no structural damage and he’ll be back in the game within the next few days. In the meantime, the Rangers decided to recall catcher Luis Martinez from Triple-A Round Rock, sending Reliever, Yoshinori Tateyama in his place.
That winning streak came to a screeching halt July 14th, when the Mariners turned around and clobbered the Rangers 7-0. Even with Yu Darvish giving it his all, after an initial rough start, pitching a walk, single and hit-batter to load all the bases in the first inning, the Rangers just couldn’t catch up. Right-hand pitcher, Felix Hernandez slammed the base plate again and again, leaving the Rangers with no score.
The pressure is on. The Rangers have a formidable team. They made five appearances in MLB, between 1996 and 2011, all following division championships. They advanced past Division for the first time in 2010 by defeating Tampa Bay Rays, going on to defeat the New York Yankees for the 2010 World Series, but succumbing to the San Francisco Giants in five games.
They battled again to become the American League champions in 2011, but lost the World Series Championship to the St. Louis Cardinals in seven games. Will this be the year they win the title? Three consecutive World Series appearances would be impressive, no matter how great the team is that steps up to the plate. The feat has only happened once in thirty-four years, when the Yankees went to four consecutive World Series from 1998 through 2001. Maybe you can’t win them all, but you can bet the Texas Rangers are going to try.
Cincinnati Reds – What’s the Latest News?
After a slow start, the Cincinnati Reds are breaking into the National League games in high style. Never mind that their hard-hitting first baseman, Joey Votto had to leave the game early–a precautionary measure for an inflamed knee. Tapping that plate with formidable force, Miguel Cairo and Ryan Hannigan were each credited with runs batted in the four games starter against the San Francisco Giants. However, pitcher Mat Latos proved once and for all that a smoking hot pitcher is every bit as valuable an asset as a hard hitting batter.
With only one year under his belt with the Cincinnati Reds, fans are already saying Latos is proving he’s got what it takes to be a major league pitcher. They call him “Mr. Complete.” He delivers with equal aplomb his speed balls, curve balls and sliders. Handing out no-hits to his opposition seems to be his favorite style. Anxieties run high when he steps into the pitcher mound, and that ball goes sizzling across the plate. There’s only one thing the batter knows: Latos’ pitch will be unpredictable. However, “Will that be enough to win the series?” more skeptical fans want to know.
No wonder all eyes have turned anxiously to Cincinnati star, first baseman, Joey Votto. Jamming his knee sliding into base during the Giant’s games, the question is on everybody’s minds; is Votto down for the count? And if he is, how is that going to affect the Reds’ line-up? If Votto loses significant time, it could have a devastating effect on the team trying to bolster its hitting average. Some experts state that the Reds are hanging their reputation on a strong defense and a pitcher you just can’t beat. Baseball is, after all, a team sport. With players like Cairo, Hannigan, Frazier and Stubbs, coming up to bat, just waiting for their chance to hit a home run, the Reds are not going to enter the season lying down.
You are not going to want to miss the opportunity to see them in action. All eyes are on the Cincinnati Reds, who are out to prove that even with a first baseman sitting in the bleachers, they know how to play ball.
Luis Miguel: The King of Romantic Music
Nothing can cause the goose bumps to crawl up and down your arms like listening to the serenaders of Latin American music. The trombones, the trumpets, the Spanish guitars ring in hot Mexican nights with magnolia blossoms and roses wafting the scents through a crystal clear evening, studded with stars. No one can strum on the heart strings of the love-struck romantic like Luis Miguel.
Beginning his career at the tender age of eleven, Luis Miguel released his first album, “Un Sol” in 1981. He has done nothing but wow his audiences since then. By the age of fifteen, he had already cemented his role in Latin American music by winning second place in the Sanremo Music Festival, and scooping up the “Atorcha de Plata” Award in the Viña del Mar Music Festival that same year.
With his blend of traditional Mexican salsa with a modern pop sound, Luis Miguel was destined to become a superstar. Thirty years later, a very grown-up Luis Miguel has done just that. His album, “33”, indicative of his age at the time it was produced, won two Billboard awards as well as Grammy and Latin Grammy award nominations. Wherever Miguel goes, it’s a sold-out show. He has taken audiences by storm in Brazil, Argentina, Uruguay, Spain, and became the top selling artist in Chile, with over 2.5 million records sold.
His album, Luis Miguel, has received silver and gold certificates in four countries, including the United States. He is now coming to San Antonio, Texas to perform at the Alamodome, and to Los Vegas, where if you didn’t feel like a winner before, you’re bound to feel you won the winning ticket when you settle down to an evening of romantic entertainment with your significant other.
Who can make the heart melt and the eyes grow starry? Who was the first Latin artist to receive a star in the Hollywood Walk of Fame and the only Latin American artist to perform at the show, “Sinatra, 80 Years, My Way”? None other than Luis Miguel, whose outstanding live performances and high grossing tours make him the artist you do not want to miss.
Aerosmith: The Best Summer Ticket
Summer means rock concerts! There is nothing like warm nights with your friends while your favorite music is being sung live in front of you by the artists. One band still rocking hard this summer is the ever-hip Aerosmith. With 40 years of great music behind them, and new tunes still on the way, it is safe to say that these are the kings of summer rock concerts, and a great show not to be missed is on its way to your hometown.
Aerosmith is in fact the best-selling American rock band of all time, as fans have already bought up over 150 million of the band’s albums. They have had 21 top 40 hits including “Walk This Way”, “Dude (Looks Like a Lady)”, “Janie’s Got a Gun”, “Cryin”, “Crazy”, “Pink”, and “I Don’t Want to Miss a Thing” among plenty of others. Everyone has a favorite Aerosmith song, and they may just get yet another as the biggest news is the band’s brand new album.
The newest album is due out on August 28, 2012 and is entitled “Music from Another Dimension”. This is the bands 15th album, and promises to be one of the best. Titles of new songs include “Legendary Child”, “What Could Have Been Love”, “Another Last Goodbye” and more. There is also a song entitled “Beautiful” which features the talented Carrie Underwood (from American Idol, now connected to Steven Tyler who is a judge on the show). One thing is for sure, just as all Aerosmith albums before it, this album is going to rock!
The band has already won four Grammy awards, been inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and made it on Rolling Stone’s list of the 100 greatest Artists of All Time. Will the new album bring them more success? Only time will tell, but buzz is strong and many fans are anxious for August to come. Why wait? The band is already touring and hitting a number of states before August, meaning you can be one of the first to hear some of the newest songs! Aerosmith’s summer concert is sure to rock your world!
The Story of Cher is Coming to Broadway!
Larry Bird, Magic Johnson, and William Shatner. These are just a few of the most recent celebrities to take the story of their life and shine the light of Broadway on it in an autobiographical performance. But perhaps none of these autobiographies bring quite as much true Broadway essence as the play that’s currently in the works. That’s the story of Cher.
Cher is currently in the process of writing and producing the Broadway musical that will be based on her life. When we can expect to see it hit the stage will be awhile yet, as Cher tweeted that it’s been a “VERY SLOW PROCESS! Been working on it quite a while now.” But there’s no doubt that it will be well worth the wait, especially for die-hard Cher fans.
While casting hasn’t yet been determined, three different actresses in total will be portraying Cher — each at a different stage in her life. The first will be during the Sonny and Cher years; the second will depict Cher along the way of her “Believe” tour; and the third will present the classic cultural icon that Cher is today. When joking about perhaps adding another Cher phase, the singer tweeted, “I could be old Cher! She’s wise and tells young ones not to fear the future.”
In other Cher news, she has also recently announced that she’s currently working on another album, with a tour to follow. This will be her first tour since her farewell tour in 2005, which ran the course of three years and had Cher playing over 300 shows before moving to Caesars Palace in Vegas for another three-year stint.
Are Bounty Punishments a “Smear Campaign” by the NFL?
Many thought that the punishments handed out to current and former New Orleans Saints‘ players and coaches were too harsh when they were first handed down. But, now one former Saints player is actually calling it a “smear campaign.”
The player is Scott Fujita, former Saints’ linebacker that left the organization after the 2009 season and now plays with Cleveland. Fujita was found guilty in the bounty program investigation of contributing “a significant sum to the general pool that included payments for nonspecific bounties in the form of ‘cart-offs’ and ‘knockouts,'” according to NFL spokesman Greg Aiello in his discipline letter.
But while Fujita doesn’t deny the claims, and even calls making his contributions “paying it forward,” he thinks his three-game suspension is too harsh; and believes the league is actually just carrying out vengeance for his arguments against current NFL player-safety standards in the past. It was in 2010 that Fujita, as part of the NFLPA executive committee, spoke out about the NFL’s knowledge of concussions and how they relate to brain disease. At the time Fujita said that while the league knew, they covered it up much like the tobacco industry did when they discovered the dangers of smoking.
Now Fujita thinks the NFL is simply seizing the opportunity to make him pay for his earlier comments.
“I’m not saying the NFL is intentionally lying,” Fujita told the Associated Press. “I’ve been willing to give them the benefit of the doubt that they may have just been working with the information they’ve been given, even though much of that information was inaccurate and lacked credibility. It’s their cavalier interpretation of everything that’s been way off. They clearly proceeded with a public smear campaign with very little regard for the truth.”
One of the NFL’s reports stated that Fujita played for the Saints in 2010, when he already with the Browns. This he says, is just one indication of what a shoddy investigation it was. Fujita also accused the league of not approaching him about the 3-year investigation until reports first came out in March.
While the league did not touch on whether or not they were carrying out a vendetta against Fujita, Aiello did release a statement saying, “The process gave all players every opportunity to raise arguments and provide any mitigating information. Scott Fujita unfortunately chose not to avail himself of the process. Nothing that he has asserted in his various public statements undermines the findings of this investigation.”
The league also states that none of the players involved were told about the investigation any earlier than March in order to protect those who brought the bounty matter to the attention of the authorities.
Fujita has appealed his suspension, and NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell could rule on that appeal as early as today. Other players who have also appealed their punishments will also be ruled on at the same time.
Silver Screen Stars on Broadway: Why it Works
Denzel Washington, Hugh Jackman, Blair Underwood, Julia Roberts, Al Pacino, and Nicole Kidman. These are just a few of the names that have made the leap from the Silver Screen to the Great White Way, and done so very successfully. But what is the secret?
It’s a combination that works well for both sides. Broadway and the arts community receives some of the biggest names, which are the biggest draws to the theaters. Irene Gandy, who’s closely entwined in the theater industry on Broadway, told CNN, “I would say that we go after the names to get people in the seats and help the box office.”
She also says that the industry itself is changing, and that while audiences may have once shunned the idea of big-name stars tramping onto their prestigious Broadway stage, this is no longer the case. “Theater has changed,” she said. “Audiences like to go see people that they’ve never seen live before and that they are familiar with.”
The stars on the other hand are often tired of appearing in the same old Hollywood movies; and are happy to perform for a crowd that they can feed off of every night. Corbin Bleu has made the leap himself first playing in “High School Musical” and then filling the role of Jesus in the revival of the 70s Broadway hit Godspell. When talking about why it works so well on the actor’s side of things he said, “It’s very strengthening to be able to stand in front of the entire audience and get that automatic feedback and have that living, breathing thing in your hand. It’s a beautiful thing there.”
With Broadway recording profits in their books this year, and more Silver Screen stars taking the stage than ever before, it’s a formula that clearly works. And maybe audiences don’t even need to know why. They can just enjoy the show.
Jim Dale in a One-Man Show? See it in New Haven!
Jim Dale might be best known for writing his Academy award-winning song “Georgy Girl,” but he’s also appeared on television, in film, and has come to be known as “the voice of Harry Potter,” after recording all seven books onto audio. All of this and more and now, he’ll tell of it all in his one-man show, Just Jim Dale, that’s now debuting in New Haven, Connecticut.
The entire show is only 90 minutes long; not a lot of time to cover a career that has spanned 60 years. And while it’s taken a year to create, the last thing Jim Dale says he wants is “to be up there too long.” He says he also “didn’t want to do one of those “and then I did” shows,” and audiences are guaranteed to be enraptured by every minute.
Not only because it’s an up close and personal look at one of the most iconic figures in show business; but also because he’ll be performing two or three songs from “Barnum,” one of his most popular works yet that was originally done in the 80s and has never been revived. And, Dale is sure to bring his best once again to this performance. Not only because his heart now belongs to Broadway, but also because he says, “I want people to say, ‘I’ve never seen anything I didn’t like him in.'”
Certainly this will be one of the many to add to the list that audiences will love. The show began on June 14 and runs for two weeks at the Long Wharf Theatre in New Haven.
Get a Ticket for Teen Choice Awards and See All of Your Favorites Live!
Imagine a night where you get to see Justin Bieber, Gwen Stefani, American Idol favorites, Robert Pattinson, Selena Gomez, Taylor Swift, Bruno Mars, Katy Perry and Rihanna all live! You just described a night at the Teen Choice Awards! If you are a teen or have a teen, or just love award shows, this is the place to be, come July 22 2012.
The Teen Choice Awards are similar to Nickelodeons Kids’ Choice Awards, but obviously geared to a slightly older demographic. The show was started in 1999 by producers Bob Bain and Michal Burg. Teens that are between the ages of 14 to 17 get to cast their votes for their favorite celebrities. This includes those in the fashion, music, sports, television, comedy, and movie industries. Winners take home a fully functional surfboard that has been decked out with images from that year’s awards show. Some celebrities have actually been spotted using their boards, while others are just happy to store them with their other trophies.
This year’s show looks to be one of the best so far, which has many people scrambling to get tickets for the event. Previous years hosts have included Paris Hilton, Miley Cyrus, and the Jonas Brothers. This year’s host is to be the charming Hilary Duff. Nominees for best male artist include Justin Bieber, Drake, Bruno Mars, Pitbull, and Blake Shelton. Female Artist nominees are Adele, Jennifer Lopez, Katy Perry, Rihanna, and Taylor Swift. There are categories for movies including Best Drama Actor and Actress, best Fantasy TV Show, Best Book, and many, many more. Special categories also include best comedian, currently up for the win are Ellen DeGeneres, Kristen Wiig, Daniel Tosh, Andy Samberg, and Jimmy Fallon. It isn’t too late to cast your vote! Just log on to the website and vote for your favorite celebrities.
Who wouldn’t want to be there, live and in person for this amazing night? You get to put on your best clothes and see all your favorite stars of today live and right in front of you. While watching this show on TV is a blast, especially with a group of all your friends, it can’t compare to seeing it live!
