Author Archives: dannyashkenasi

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About dannyashkenasi

I'm a composer with over 40 years experience creating music theater. I'm also an actor, writer, director, producer, teacher and general enthusiast for the arts.

KINDERGARTEN’S POWERBALLADS

Posted on June 6, 2017 by dannyashkenasi

The Unlikely Occurrence of Kindergartners Composing Two Soaring Love Songs (and Their Perfectly Rockin’ Antidote) Usually five year olds consider overt declarations of love yucky.  So when kindergartners create their own original fairy tales operas, these don’t tend to end … Continue reading →

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K-2 Presents: THE WIZARD’S REVENGE (featuring the Garbage-Throwing Machine)

Posted on June 1, 2017 by dannyashkenasi

The Kindergarten K-2 class of the Brooklyn’s Children’s School just presented their original fairy tale opera, for which the children created the story, the lyrics and the melodies: Once upon a time there was a king, a princess and a … Continue reading →

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50 WAYS TO BE 50 – Guess Who Turns a Half Century Today (cough)?

Posted on May 25, 2017 by dannyashkenasi

  Might as well have some fun with it…. As my mother said, you can’t avoid turning 50 if you want to live… 4. 50 Ways to Leave Your Lover – Paul Simon 9             … Continue reading →

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The Passing of The Oriole’s Song

Posted on May 18, 2017 by dannyashkenasi

  The Last Question   I do not remember                     what my father said           when we last spoke.   But my mother remembers       … Continue reading →

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Highlights from ART NY 2017

Posted on May 12, 2017 by dannyashkenasi

Another year, another visit to the ART NY expo.  Here are pictures of some of the works that intrigued me this year (last year’s can be seen here). Some famous names are included here among the up and comers, like … Continue reading →

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The “Grande Dame” is Back in the Opera

Posted on May 7, 2017 by dannyashkenasi

“You are like a circus-horse.  As soon as you hear the music, you start dancing.” That’s the loving joke my father used to make about my mother, most likely in German amongst their Berlin friends, since “Zirkuspferd” (circus-horse) is a … Continue reading →

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CHERRY BLOSSOMS GALORE!

Posted on April 30, 2017 by dannyashkenasi

Back in the BBG You don’t know just what you’ll see, boy! Back in the BB Back in the BB Back in the BBG (with apologies to The Beatles:) It’s peek cherry blossom blooming season this weekend at the Brooklyn … Continue reading →

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SPAMALOT infiltrates EMILY DICKINSON in A QUIET PASSION

Posted on April 24, 2017 by dannyashkenasi

Arthur: But I’m alone (Patsy: oh no you’re not!) So all alone (Patsy: I’m here you twat!) All by myself I’m all alone   I’m All Alone (from “Spamalot”) – Tim Curry and Michael McGrath What do Monty Python and … Continue reading →

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Putting it Together and Together and Together and Together and Together

Posted on April 21, 2017 by dannyashkenasi

LINK TO YOUTUBE VIDEO OF PUTTING IT TOGETHER in ORIGINAL BROADWAY PRODUCTION  Art isn’t easy.  Any way you look at it. After seeing the current revival of “Sunday in the Park with George” and enjoying another live performance of its … Continue reading →

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SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH JAKE – Will it Lead to Sunday in the Cinema with Jake?

Posted on April 17, 2017 by dannyashkenasi

  When you see a theater production of a piece you know well and love well, after having  seen wonderful and celebrated productions of the piece many times before, including the original Broadway production, and watched the dvd of that production … Continue reading →

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CANNIBALISM IN THE CARS – a Musical Take on Mark Twain’s Succulent Satire of Congress

Posted on April 11, 2017 by dannyashkenasi

Congress … yuck!  A distasteful subject!  Quite literally even, according to Mark Twain. Every year Congress gives us more reasons to loathe it.  This year perhaps more than ever. Thinking ill and making fun of Congress is a sport that … Continue reading →

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The Lesbian & Gay Big Apple Corps Plays The Soundtrack to Our Story

Posted on April 10, 2017 by dannyashkenasi

Saturday night we attended the Lesbian & Gay Big Apple Corps Symphonic Band performing a concert at Symphony Space titled “Once Upon A Time … The Soundtrack to Our Story”, with music referencing and inspired by the history of the Gay … Continue reading →

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PRE-K 2 GOES ITS OWN UNUSUAL WAY – a surprise diversion in the ongoing saga of Mr. Danny’s Most Sung Song

Posted on April 6, 2017 by dannyashkenasi

  Another year and another group of Pre-K students are learning “We’re Singing” AKA Mr. Danny’s Most Sung Song – this would be the third yearly installment in what is evidently and unexpectedly turning into a continuing series (the first … Continue reading →

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Oh Good Grief

Posted on April 2, 2017 by dannyashkenasi

My father is getting company. My mother told me today that my parents’ neighbor and friend Conrad has succumbed to the cancer he’d been battling for several years.  Last year he and his wife Ulrike were so taken by my father’s tree … Continue reading →

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On the Anniversary of My Father’s Death

Posted on March 27, 2017 by dannyashkenasi

My father, Abraham Ashkenasi, died on this date last year.  Above is the last picture I took of him, the last day I saw him in person. It was February 16, 2016.  Two days earlier my mother called me to say … Continue reading →

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The Lovers of Grand Army Plaza – updated

Posted on March 22, 2017 by dannyashkenasi

(Note 9/30/2018 – added some steamy shadowy shots I took yesterday of the lovers – see below)   The photo above is one of my personal favorites I have taken during my random photo taking walks around New York City. … Continue reading →

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