What happens when a Diva identifies too strongly with her favorite aria? Inspired by Offenbach's opera The Tales of Hoffmann and E.T.A. Hoffmann's iconic short story The Sandman, Deborah Magid's one act play-with-music answers that question 7th October in the 2010 Melbourne Fringe Festival, at The Butterfly Club.

ATTN: Midwesterners.  There will be an open dress rehearsal on Monday, 27 September at the Brooks Theatre, Cleveland Play House, 7pm.  

A new play by Susan Apker about love, loss and the folly of regret will premiere as part of the brand new Heller Theatre Short Play Festival in Tulsa, OK.

Eight plays by local playwrights will be performed for this first production that will become an annual event.  Ms. Apker is the project director for "Heller Shorts" and the motivator behind its inception. 

All plays were judged blindly by a panel of local theatre artists. 

quARTet at the Buffalo Infringement Festival in Buffalo, NY

CHARLES BUSCH, ISRAEL HOROVITZ, DORIC WILSON,

SHERRY EAKER & ELLIE COVAN

TO BE CROWNED WITH HONORARY GOLDEN PINEAPPLES

Friday, July 23^rd, 2010

at

INTERNATIONAL CRINGEFEST '10

On Friday, July 23^rd, at the Honorary Golden Pineapple Awards of International CringeFest ‘10, the coveted golden fruit will be served up to:  Broadway/ off-Broadway playwright-actor Charles Busch, Broadway/ off-Broadway playwright Israel Horovitz, off-Broadway playwright & gay rights activist Doric Wilson, Backstage’s Editor-at-Large Sherry Eaker, and Dixon Place’s Founder & Executive Director Ellie Covan.  The event takes place in the Grand Theatre at the Producers’ Club.  Admission for the evening’s theme, Sex Encounters of a Disturbed Mind, directed by Robert Bartley and starring Richard Pryor Jr., the Honorary Golden Pineapple Awards ceremony, and the splendiferous party in the theatre’s Iluras Lounge is only $40.  Proceeds go to support the company’s dedicated year-round mission of taking professional theatre to under-served audiences, which they have been doing for the past 28 years.  Last year, Pineapples went to Taylor Mead, Mink Stole, Joe Franklin, Ginny Louloudes, and Michael Musto.  In 2008, it was legendary actress Marilyn Sokol, cabaret star Sidney Myer, and Warhol muse Ultra Violet.  Director Tom O'Horgan (Hair, Jesus Christ Superstar) was honored in 2007.

The six year old CringeFest opens Monday, July 19, and closes Sunday, August 8, in the Grand Theatre at the Producers' Club, 358 W. 44 St.  These are BRILLIANT & HILARIOUS works that are irreverent, politically incorrect, politically satirical, naughty, and utterly zany – what could be bad?!  The schedule is M-F @ 8 pm, Sat. @ 5, 8 & 10:30 pm, Sun. @ 4 & 7 pm.  Plays are arranged in theme evenings and given quirky titles by artistic director Melba LaRose.  Themes rotate, so check the definitive schedule:  www.NYartists.org or www.Theatermania.com.  The audience goes for the night and gets to vote at the end for winners of the Golden Pineapple, Silver Tomato, and Bronze Banana… and Jack Lemons for the actors.  For one ticket, you get to see a number of wild ‘n crazy works (and sometimes a surprise 5-minute entr’acte) within a 2-hour timespan, including intermission.  The Producers' Club has a charming, inexpensive bar & lounge for before the show, at intermission, and at the end where you can mingle with performers.

The 6 rotating themes contain 4-9 short plays/ musicals each.  "The Boss Gets Some Bad News," a 4-min. film by David Schrag, will open each evening.

SEX ENCOUNTERS OF A DISTURBED MIND  (dir. Robert Bartley)  July 23,

July 27, July 31 (5pm & 8pm); August 4

PSYCHO BITCH PARTY  (dir. Kenny Howard)  July 19, July 24 (5pm & 8pm), July 30; August 5                                   

IS THAT A CORNCOB IN YOUR POCKET? (dirs. Sharon Einhorn, Mark Falconer, Kenny Wade Marshall) July 20, July 28; August 2, August 7 (5pm & 8pm)

SEX, THUGS & ROCKIN' ROLES  (dir. Tom Amici)  July 22, July 26, August 1 (4pm & 7pm), August 6

DOW JONES MEETS DEEP THROAT  (dirs. Reginald Douglas, Eva Minemar, Aaron Arbiter)  July 21, July 25 (4pm & 7pm), July 29; August 3

NO HOLES BARRED (late-night Saturday)  (dirs. Kenny Wade Marshall, Aaron Arbiter)  July 24 & July 31 & August 7 (10:30pm), Sun., August 8 (4pm)

            Tony Spinosa is Supervising Director of the theme evenings.  He is the only director to receive 2 Golden Pineapple Awards for his work with the CringeFest for the 2008 production of Charlie Chang and the Mysterious Salami, and the 2009 theme evening Is That a Spear in Your Pocket?  Tony is Resident Director for the Broadway revival of La Cage aux Folles.  Recently, he directed Village Light Opera Group's hit revival of Fiddler on the Roof.  Last year, he helmed VLOG's Kiss Me, Kate.

            This is the festival's third year at the Producers' Club.  The CringeFest is supported in part by the Dramatists Guild of America, corporate funders, and individual donors.  Coverage has appeared in The New York Times Sunday Arts & Leisure section, New York magazine, TimeOutNY, and more, providing exposure for a great number of artists:  50 in the first festival, 300 in the last one.  The house is packed nearly every night with producers, press/ media people, locals and tourists.  Renowned writers, composers, directors, and actors take part and some have been in several festivals.  We are proud to say that Kate MacCluggage, current amazing female lead of The 39 Steps, took part in the CringeFest a few years ago.

            NY Artists Unlimited is a 28 year old nonprofit organization that provides theatre and art to under-served audiences.  The company is supported in part by the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs, Lower Manhattan Cultural Council, Nancy Quinn Fund, Puffin Foundation, Dramatists Guild Fund, corporate and individual contributors.  The festival lends a hand in supporting the mission to serve the community.  Movers 'n shakers behind this insanity are:  Melba LaRose, Artistic Director; Bill & Anita Brown, associate producers from Shooting Star Theatre; Tony Spinosa, Supervising Director, Court Sweeting, Technical Director, plus myriad interns and volunteers who make the whole thing happen.

            For more information or reservations, call 212-242-6036 or visit www.nyartists.org.  For online ticketing:  www.theatermania.com.  Grand Theatre at the Producers Club, 358 W. 44 St., betw. Eighth/ Ninth Aves., July 19-August 8.  Tickets are $25 M-Sat. @ 8 p.m. ($20 advance sales - deadline July 1); student tix $15; $20 Sat. @ 5 p.m. & Sun. @ 4 p.m.; $18 Sat. @ 10:30 & Sun. @ 7 p.m.; and $18 Sun., Aug. 8, @ 4 p.m.

$40 HONORARY GOLDEN PINEAPPLE NIGHT TIX:  Fri., July 23, 8 p.m.-12 a.m. – Sex Encounters of a Disturbed Mind, Golden Pineapple Awards, party till you drop with splendiferous food & drink, all inclusive.  Reservations strongly suggested.

            Visit website for calendar of rotating theme nights:  www.NYartists.org

Believers, a full-length comedy by Patricia Milton, will receive a Playwrights Center of San Francisco table reading this Thursday.

Love. Drugs. Unexpected side effects.

Is it really better to have loved and lost than never to have loved at all? Or is it better to (pharmaceutically) remove the possibility of heartbreak altogether? Rockwell Wise is set to develop a love vaccine when his ex-lover Grace is hired to lead his team. What could go wrong? This full-length romantic comedy is set in a dystopian future, and inspired by the Grimm's fairy tale The Frog Prince.

With Jeffrey Hoffman, Heidi Wolff, Jean Butterfield, Laylah Muran de Assereto, and Rick Paxson.

Thursday, April 29, 7:30 p.m.
Ray of Light Theatre Studio
965 Mission Street, Room 350

$5-10 sliding scale, members free