Monthly Archives: March 2016

Abraham Ashkenasi

Posted on March 27, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

Abraham Ashkenasi May 14, 1934 – March 27, 2016

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KICKSTARTER REWARDS MAILING

Posted on March 24, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

Yesterday Kelly Aliano and I got together to put together the mailing of Speakeasy Reward gifts (T-Shirts and Booklets and Posters, oh my!) to those Kickstarter contributors to the showcase production of Speakeasy who weren’t able to pick up their … Continue reading →

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NfaC Double Repost: BREAKING INTO SONG IN MUSICALS

Posted on March 21, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

Time for another Notes from a Composer rerun, or repost, this time a double feature from last April on the convention of breaking into song in musicals, and how cleverly the movie version of Cabaret subverted that convention.  This post … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema Scope, Melodies Linger On, The Speakeasy Chronicles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Cast Picture

Posted on March 17, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

  Jonathan Fox Powers (music director), Anne Bragg, Allie Radice, Amanda Thomas, Zachary Martin, Kristen Quinn, Rita McCann, Larry Johnson, Rebecca Marquardt, Brendan Mellette, Camille Atkinson, Tim Connell, Matias Polar, Darcy Dunn, Kayleigh Shuler, Brian Henry, Bri Molloy, Sebastian McCracken, … Continue reading →

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Contemplation before the show

Posted on March 13, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

  My husband Ed took this pic of me in the lobby of Theater for the New City sitting at our concession stand by the entrance into the Johnson Theater.  Speakeasy would be performing in about 40 minutes that Saturday … Continue reading →

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FINAL SPEAKEASY PERFORMANCES – Dance into the Light tonight, let Love have her way

Posted on March 11, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

Tonight and tomorrow, 8pm Final Performance Sunday, March 13, 3pm Theater for the New City, 155 1st Avenue Thank you to all, contributors, performers, production team, audiences, who have helped make this workshop production of Speakeasy possible.  May we all … Continue reading →

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“SPARKLING MOMENTS OF MUSICAL THEATER” – OffOffOnline’s Speakeasy Review

Posted on March 7, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

OffOffOnline posted their Speakeasy review.  Here a few highlights: “Kayleigh Shuler as Jane and Matias Polar as John are the heartbeat of the show; they are the flawless young lovers, never missing a note or a cue.” “As Jane’s best … Continue reading →

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6 SPEAKEASY PERFORMANCES LEFT! – (plus James Rado from Hair drops by) (and a personal recommendation)

Posted on March 6, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

3pm Matinee today! Wed 8pm!   Thur 8pm!   Fri 8pm!   Sat 8pm! Final performance Sunday March 13 3pm! Get your SPEAKEASY tickets here! Also… Last night the legendary James Rado, co-writer of the musical Hair, attended the performance.  Afterwards he shook … Continue reading →

Posted in Live! On Stage, Melodies Linger On, Notes in the News, The Speakeasy Chronicles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

The Inspiration for SPEAKEASY’S DUCHESS BENTLEY – Part 2 of The Terrific, Transgressive and Tragic Tale of Gladys Bentley

Posted on March 4, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

Gladys Bentley, the model for the character Duchess Bentley in Speakeasy, enjoyed a terrific career as deliberately outrageous Lesbian nightclub singer during the Roaring Twenties, but saw her prospects plummet during the far less permissive Great Depression.  Almost all homosexual … Continue reading →

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The Inspiration for SPEAKEASY’S DUCHESS BENTLEY – The Terrific, Trangressive and Tragic Tale of Gladys Bentley – Part 1

Posted on March 2, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

In the musical Speakeasy – John and Jane’s Adventures in the Wonderland, Jane Allison first meets Duchess Bentley, Harlem nightclub singer and unabashed lesbian, when she finds herself outside a door being angrily knocked upon by Minister Fish, who implores … Continue reading →

Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Notes in the News, The Speakeasy Chronicles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment