Author Archives: dannyashkenasi

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.

MOM’s NEW YORK TIMES BIRTHDAY PUZZLE

Posted on February 25, 2024 by dannyashkenasi

My mother Catherine spent two weeks in New York with us in February. Her birthday was celebrated during her visit. And one birthday present was a puzzle of the New York Times front page of the day she was born. … Continue reading →

Posted in Beginnings, Live! On Stage, Notes in the News | Tagged 1937, Appropriate, Arnold Bernstein, Barry Manilow, birthday, Catherine Ashkenasi, Comedian Harmonists, Court Packing, court reform, Days of Wine and Roses, Dust Bowl, FDR, February 11, front page, Governor Murphy, Harmony, Kimberly Akimbo, Merrily We Roll Along, Nazis, New York Times, Puzzle, Roosevelt, Spanish Civil War, Third Reich | Leave a comment

Astor Place Reflections

Posted on February 21, 2024 by dannyashkenasi

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Two-fisted Touristing | Tagged architecture, Astor Place, building, glass, Manhattan, mirrors, New York City, photography, reflections | Leave a comment

The Wild, Spark-tacular Fire Run of Barcelona

Posted on February 17, 2024 by dannyashkenasi

It’s called Correfoc. It is a popular Catalan tradition consisting of “a parade of infernal characters that chase people with fireworks“. It was one of the wildest events we attended during Barcelona’s La Mercé festival. Diables and Bestiari, adults and children … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Two-fisted Touristing | Tagged Barcelona, Bestiari, Catalonia, Correfoc, Diables, drummers, festival, fireworks, Hell's Gate, La Mercé, Parade, Passeig de Gracia, Porta de L'Infern, Spain, sparklers, sparks | Leave a comment

The Dancing Giants of Barcelona

Posted on February 10, 2024 by dannyashkenasi

The day after the display of the Castells the La Mercé festival featured giant puppets dancing in Placa de Sant Jaume in Barcelona. Huge puppets surrounded the plaza, then were marched by their handlers – balancing figures many multiples of … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Two-fisted Touristing | Tagged Barcelona, Castells, Catalonia, chess figures, choreography, dance, dragons, Fantasy, folk, giant, La Mercé, Parade, Placa de Sant Jaume, royalty, Spain | Leave a comment

Verticles

Posted on January 31, 2024 by dannyashkenasi

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Two-fisted Touristing | Tagged 4th Avenue, 5th Avenue, architecture, Atlantic Mall, Barclay Center, brooklyn, Flatbush Avenue, Frame Works, motorcycle, photography, pizza, public art, scaffold, sculpture, skyscraper, Williamstown Bank Tower | Leave a comment

The Amazing Human Towers of Barcelona

Posted on January 28, 2024 by dannyashkenasi

When Ed and I scheduled our time in Barcelona (to attend the Love and Hope Film Festival), we didn’t realize we would be there for the La Mercè festival, the biggest weekend of festivities of the year in Barcelona. So many … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Two-fisted Touristing | Tagged Barcelona, Castells, Catalonia, festival, Human Tower, La Mercè, photography, Placa de Sant Jaume | Leave a comment

Revenge of my own personal NEW YORKER CARTOON captions

Posted on January 15, 2024 by dannyashkenasi

And we’re back, for a fifth installment of my never-a-finalist New Yorker cartoon caption contest submissions. Well, the jury is still out on finalist status of my last two submissions. I’ll update if one of them gets chosen. But don’t hold your … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Literary Lyricism | Tagged bar, caption, cartoon, Christmas, clock, Contest, cowboy, emoji, horse, icon, New Yorker, pearly gates, pommel, rock paper scissor, stockings, therapy | Leave a comment

Wing Shots

Posted on January 5, 2024 by dannyashkenasi

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Two-fisted Touristing | Tagged airplane, Clouds, New York City, photography, Queens, sky, weather, window seat, Wings | Leave a comment

Edward Elder Wins FFTG Award!

Posted on December 30, 2023 by dannyashkenasi

The FFTG Awards have been announced and “The Pit and the Pendulum – a musicabre” was nominated for six awards and won one, for my husband Edward Elder for Best Supporting Actor! The FFTG Awards announced the nominees and winners … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema Scope, Notes in the News, Poe Musicabres | Tagged Award, Awards, Background Music, Best Actor, cinematography, David Ashkenasi, Edward Elder, FFTG, Grand Jury, Jason Chua, Jimmy McCoy, musicabre, musical, nominee, Stolis Hadjicharalambous, Supporting Actor, The Pit and the Pendulum, winner | Leave a comment

Moon Over Brooklyn

Posted on December 27, 2023 by dannyashkenasi

Eagle-eyed Brooklynite sleuths may be able to trace the route I took taking these pictures one past Thursday afternoon…

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Two-fisted Touristing | Tagged 4th Avenue, Atlantic Avenue, Atlantic Mall, balcony, blue sky, brooklyn, brownstone, buildings, crane, Flatbush Avenue, Fulton Street, Moon, photography, roof, school building, skyscraper, streets | Leave a comment

Opera Lights

Posted on December 24, 2023 by dannyashkenasi

Holiday season favors the splendor of lights. So how about I share photos of the splendid chandeliers hanging in the Met Opera? “Most photographed chandeliers in the world”, the woman next to me said wryly as I raised my phone to … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Two-fisted Touristing | Tagged chandeliers, family circle, foyer, Holiday, lights, Lincoln Center, Met, Opera, photography, The Met | Leave a comment

P&P at ANGAELICA

Posted on December 21, 2023 by dannyashkenasi

Watch “The Pit and the Pendulum – a musicabre” on-line at FESTIVAL ANGAELICA It’s a Holiday Treat! Today and through the end of the year my musical Edgar Allan Poe adaptation “The Pit and the Pendulum – a musicabre” will … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema Scope, Notes in the News, Poe Musicabres | Tagged adaptation, Angaelica, Breven Warren, Edgar Allan Poe, Film Festival, free trial, Holiday, interview, musicabre, on-line, The Pit and the Pendulum | Leave a comment

Artsy Fartsy Bookcase Pics

Posted on December 17, 2023 by dannyashkenasi

This week we set up our new book cases, and I went a little crazy with my phone’s camera. Some context: perhaps you heard in the news that much of Brooklyn got massively flooded during unprecedented (but likely to be … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Notes in the News | Tagged book cases, brooklyn, climate change, Climate Crisis, flooding, glass, light, metal, photography, rainfall, reflection, renovation, September 28, three-five-five-three | Leave a comment

The GAUDI CATHEDRAL

Posted on December 12, 2023 by dannyashkenasi

The Sagrada Familia in Barcelona We visited the famous uncompleted cathedral, the magnum opus of genius architect Antoni Gaudi, celebrated native son of Barcelona, while in town attending the Love and Hope Film Festival. Signs at the site project completion … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Two-fisted Touristing | Tagged Apostle, architect, Barcelona, Cathedral, construction, Evangelist, Gaudi, gothic, Jesus, Mary, Nativity, Passion, Sagreda Familia, spire, Tower | Leave a comment

LIGHTSCAPE 2023

Posted on December 2, 2023 by dannyashkenasi

This year’s LIGHTSCAPE at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden is the most spectacular and elegant to date.

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Melodies Linger On, Two-fisted Touristing | Tagged 2023, botanic garden, brooklyn, Cathedral, chandeliers, Color, Elton John, Flower Duet, Fountain, hip-hop, Lakme, lanterns, light, Lightscape, Rocket Man, sculpture, singing, Snow on the Beach, submergence, Supernova, Taylor Swift, trees, water, winter | Leave a comment

P&P at FFTG AWARDS FILM FESTIVAL

Posted on November 26, 2023 by dannyashkenasi

Watch and Vote for “The Pit and the Pendulum – a musicabre” on-line at the FFTG AWARDS FILM FESTIVAL thru December 12 “The Pit and the Pendulum – a musicabre“, my 30 minute musical Edgar Allan Poe adaptation, is playing … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema Scope, Notes in the News, Poe Musicabres | Tagged Audience Choice, Awards, FFTG, Film Festival, horror, interview, mirror masks, musicabre, musical, short film, The Pit and the Pendulum, vote | Leave a comment

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