Category Archives: Live! On Stage

Live performances / a life in the theater

4th Grade POWER OF PROGRESS – The Immigrants

Posted on October 5, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Last spring the full 4th grade of the Brooklyn Children’s School presented “The Power of Progress 1840 – 1920”, a multi-media, multi-disciplinary event where different groups of children created presentations and performances on such topics as Suffragettes, Newsies, Tenement Buildings, … Continue reading →

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THE MADONNA CONCERT – as experienced, sorta, from the far far up and away and off to the side “cheap” seats

Posted on September 21, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

“Cheap” seats deserves it’s quotation marks.  After all, we did pay over $100 a ticket.  We could have paid less and ended up even further up, up, up in the nosebleed section, or even further off to the right and … Continue reading →

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THE NEARLY INVISIBLE BISEXUAL MALE

Posted on September 17, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

The director of “Speakeasy”, Lissa Moira, and I were conducting another one of our weekly meetings pouring over the script and discussing staging and production issues, when I mused aloud that in many ways “Speakeasy” is an expression of my … Continue reading →

Posted in Beginnings, Cinema Scope, LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Live! On Stage, The Speakeasy Chronicles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

The Slip-Sliding WATER NYMPHS and Vertical WIND TUNNEL MAN of FUERZABRUTA

Posted on September 3, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

I felt like a toddler about to have a melt down.  This intense feeling that I was this close to bawling uncontrollably and reaching out my hand high for my Mommy to clasp.  When did I last feel this way?  … Continue reading →

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ANTHONY TOMMASINI RATTLES ME – On the Importance of Music in a Musical

Posted on August 30, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Today the New York Times published an excellent dialog between its classical music critic and avowed musical theater enthusiast Anthony Tommasini and its pop music critic Joe Caramanica about the musical Hamilton. The exchange included this from Tommasini, which has … Continue reading →

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H A M I L T ON – Friday, August 21, 8pm, Rear Mezzanine, A 109

Posted on August 22, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

I cried twice during the second act Tears steaming down my face, shoulders quaking   First, when tragedy strikes Alexander and Eliza Hamilton Their marriage already strained by scandal, estranged And now the death by duel of their eldest son … Continue reading →

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Scissor Sisters’ Jake Shears sings “Streets of Berlin” in Bent

Posted on August 1, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Martin Sherman’s classic play “Bent”, about homosexual persecution in Nazi Germany concentration camps, has received a highly acclaimed major revival directed by Moises Kaufman at the Mark Taper Forum in LA. “Bent” is credited with bringing the barely discussed subject … Continue reading →

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An appreciation of E. L. DOCTOROW and RAGTIME, the book and the musical

Posted on July 22, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

E. L. Doctorow, one of the giants of contemporary literature has passed.  I have read nine of his twelve books, a ratio and record I have equaled in passion and loyalty with only two other contemporary authors, John Irving and … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema Scope, Literary Lyricism, Live! On Stage, Melodies Linger On | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Lisa Kron’s acceptance speech must be heard and shared!

Posted on June 8, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Lisa Kron won a Tony for writing the book of the musical Fun Home. She gave a wonderful speech with a fantastic extended metaphor that just needs to be heard and shared. No one saw this on CBS.  They aired … Continue reading →

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TONY! TONY! TONY! Just Live-Blogging it is Reward Enough!

Posted on June 7, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Tonight are the Tony Awards!  Woo-hoo!  The Second Gay High Holy Day!  (Well, let’s face it, the Oscars are indisputably the #1 Gay High Holy Day, Gay Christmas!  But the Tonys are a close second, right?  Gay New Year!  Day … Continue reading →

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Last Night at the Festival

Posted on May 23, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

We performed “Two Songs from Speakeasy” at the LES (Lower East Side) Festival at the Theater for the New City last night (The festival continues through Sunday at the TNC).  Big crowd, big ovation, it was fun and sweet and … Continue reading →

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SPEAKEASY songs to be performed this Friday at the LES Festival

Posted on May 16, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Two songs from my musical “Speakeasy – the Adventures of John and Jane Allison” will be performed at the Lower East Side Festival at the Theater for the New City. Andrea Pinyan and Rachel Green will perform the songs “Wonderland” … Continue reading →

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THE FIRST “NOTES FROM A COMPOSER“ BLOG POST … Or Why am I doing this, really, why?

Posted on April 11, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Why am I starting this blog? Did I really have this great need to share my views on the arts in general, music and theater in particular, and my own experience in creating music theater very particularly? Um, actually no, … Continue reading →

Posted in Beginnings, Cinema Scope, LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Live! On Stage, The Speakeasy Chronicles | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment