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.

SINGING HAMILTON IN CARS

Posted on July 7, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

Celebrities, Politicos, Soccer-Moms and Babies gettin’ their Alexander on! Exploring the intermittently sublime sub-sub-sub genre of singing along to Hamilton while riding in a car!   Above is the famous Late Late Show Carpool Karaoke starring James Corden and Lin-Manuel … Continue reading →

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Introducing the MARK TWAIN MUSICAL Page

Posted on July 5, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

  It’s been a while since I’ve built a new permanent page on Notes from a Composer.  See the black banner border above?  Where you can access the following pages, or skip to the following content: Home Bio Credits & … Continue reading →

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MARCHING WITH THE QUAKERS – A NYC Pride Parade Photo Diary

Posted on June 28, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

Sunday, June 26, was Pride Day in New York City.  Close to 2 million people watched hundreds of thousands of marchers within about 485 contingents (groups and floats) make their way down 5th avenue, 8th Street and Christopher street, from … Continue reading →

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HAPPY PRIDE DAY – One Year to the Day Our Day Had Come

Posted on June 26, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

Happy Pride Day, everybody.  Today is the Last Sunday in June, when New York City commemorates the birth of the modern Gay Rights Movement and the 1969 Stonewall riots with our Pride Parade and Festivities.  Ed and I will be … Continue reading →

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So, Apparently the Corpse of Harry Potter Washed Up on a Beach

Posted on June 25, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

SPOILER AND ODOR ALERT: The following contains details of the movie Swiss Army Man, starring Paul Dano and Daniel Radcliffe, as well as of the Harry Potter series which many will consider spoilers.  As well as ghastly many references to … Continue reading →

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WIN A MUSICAL DOWNLOAD!

Posted on June 21, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

OK, I’m feeling a little silly and in the mood for a puzzle.   I just posted this tweet: “I finished a composition la la la la Part of a cycle 23 years (& counting) in the making la la … Continue reading →

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WHAT THE WORLD NEEDS NOW IS LOVE, SWEET LOVE – Broadway for Orlando Charity Single – updated

Posted on June 20, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

The Broadway community has gathered together to produce a charity single to honor the victims of the Orlando massacre.  They have given the Bacharach/David classic “What the World Needs Now is Love” the “We are the World” treatment, and the … Continue reading →

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The SEVEN HOS are now WICKED ADDICTED!

Posted on June 17, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

Last June I posted an impressed and irreverent report of of  “Snow White and the Seven Hos“, a Disney parody musical benefit for SCA (Sexual Compulsives Anonymous).  SCA supports gay and bisexual men with sex addiction issues.  Every year they … Continue reading →

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The Best Hamilton Anecdote Ever (well, surely one of the best)

Posted on June 13, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

The actor Rob McClure (currently performing in Something Rotten) just posted the following anecdote about Hamilton on his Facebook page.  It’s going viral, as they say nowadays.  Read it to see why:   “Hamilton deserved every Tony. Here’s one of … Continue reading →

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ANTOINETTE LOVES ALEXANDER – 11 Tonys for Hamilton

Posted on June 12, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

To no one’s surprise, the musical Hamilton dominated the Tony awards show tonight, winning a near record 11 Tonys (after racking up a record breaking 16 nominations). But beyond the electric charge and grace not only exhibited by Hamilton, but … Continue reading →

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A ROSE BY ANY OTHER SONG WOULD SOUND AS SWEET

Posted on June 9, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

It’s June, rose blooming season.  So let’s enjoy some beautiful roses, and since we can’t enjoy their visual splendor accompanied by their sweet smells, we’ll enjoy their sweet sounds in the forms of favorite “Rose” songs from the last hundred … Continue reading →

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NfaC Pride Month Repost: THE NEARLY INVISIBLE BISEXUAL MALE

Posted on June 4, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

June is Pride Month.  So I thought I should make my first post of the month a post that deals heavily with LGBTQ issues.  And although my many posts related to my musical Speakeasy almost invariably deal with LGBTQ issues, … Continue reading →

Posted in Beginnings, LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, The Speakeasy Chronicles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

SPEAKEASY – Douglas McDonnell sings “Dance into the Light”

Posted on May 31, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

The tenor Douglas McDonnell sang two songs from Speakeasy at last weekend’s Lower East Side festival at the Theater for the New City: “Dance into the Light” and “All You Are”.  Unfortunately technical difficulties got in the way of recording … Continue reading →

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NfaC Repost: Forbidden Movies, Forbidden Music

Posted on May 26, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

*Originally posted May 14, 2015: I walked out of the Film Forum mind abuzz and guts churning.   I was chewing on a whole lot of food for thought as well as the ice cream melt I bought to soothe my … Continue reading →

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NafC Classic: 5 X FUN with LUDWIG’S 5th

Posted on May 23, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

Let’s have some fun with Beethoven!   Specifically the 1st movement of Beethoven’s 5th Symphony, easily the most famous piece of classical music in the world.  The indelible Duh Duh Duh DAH motif that opens and shapes the movement may … Continue reading →

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A Funeral – Ein Begräbnis

Posted on May 14, 2016 by dannyashkenasi

My father would have turned 82 today.   Friday, April 29 – Funeral Service in Stahnsdorf Cemetery

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