Category Archives: Notes in the News

On current and historic events, likely with a musical angle

Performing at the Piscator Awards

Posted on November 1, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

Michael Lahr von Leitis presenting Cole Escola with the Piscator Award I had the pleasure and privilege of performing October 23 at the Piscator Awards, a dinner and fundraiser at the swanky Upper East Side Lotos Club benefitting the arts … Continue reading →

Posted in Beginnings, LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Live! On Stage, Notes in the News | Tagged Alles Schwindel, Award, Between Two Continents, Cabaret, camp, Cole Escola, dinner, Doug Wright, Elysium, Gregorij H. von Leitis, John Early, Lotos Club, Marcellus Schiffer, Michael Lahr von Leitis, Nazis, Ode to Joy, Piscator, politics, Schiller, Schubert, Spolinsky, Weill | Leave a comment

NO KINGS – TIMES SQUARE

Posted on October 19, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

I joined some friends (and 300 000 more) in New York City yesterday (plus 7 million more nationwide) to march for Democracy, Truth, Decency, among other things, and against Fascism, Lies, Bigotry, among other things… Above and below, references for … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Literary Lyricism, Notes in the News | Tagged chickens, Congress, Epstein, fascism, ice, Immigrants, lyrics, March, No Kings, NYC, pedophile, Protest, Quakers, resistance, Taylor Swift, Times Square, Trump, Tyranny | Leave a comment

TELL-TALE in MILLESIMO

Posted on September 21, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

“The Tell-Tale Heart – a musicabre” wins Best Long Short Movie at the Millesimo – Cairo Montenetto International Film Festival Officially “The Tell-Tale Heart – a musicabre“, the first of my now three short film musical Edgar Allan Poe adaptations … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Cinema Scope, Live! On Stage, Notes in the News, Poe Musicabres | Tagged Alberto Bellavia, Andrew Vandaele, Award, Bridge, Brittany Christine, Cairo Montenetto, Castle, Dante, Edgar Allan Poe, film, Film Festival, four-handed, Genoa, horror, Inferno, Italy, Liguria, Long Short Film, Millesimo, musicabre, musical, ruins, Savona, silent movie, The Tell-Tale Heart, Tower | Leave a comment

Me as Poe (or) Poe as Me (or) The New Musicabre

Posted on August 12, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

A Little Sneak Preview at Coming Attractions I just got my hair cut, finally. The length it had before had been uncomfortable in the summer heat. But I couldn’t cut it earlier because I needed my hair long for my … Continue reading →

Posted in Beginnings, Cinema Scope, Literary Lyricism, Notes in the News, Poe Musicabres | Tagged adaptation, books, Edgar Allan Poe, fiction, Hair, horror, musicabre, musical, mustache, Poe, short film, sneak preview, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Tell-Tale Heart, Trilogy, writing | Leave a comment

I Take the Colbert Questionert

Posted on August 5, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

Now that the Cowardly Broadcasting Service has caved to economic AKA political pressures and cancelled the Late Show with Stephen Colbert, the chances of me ever taking the Colbert Questionert on the air are close to nil (they never were … Continue reading →

Posted in Beginnings, Cinema Scope, Melodies Linger On, Notes in the News | Tagged 42, action movie, Andy Serkis, apple, bagel, Beatles, Billie Eilish, Bruce Springsteen, carbonation, Catherine Gayer, Cats, Coffee, Colbert, concert, dogs, Doris Day, Great White Shark, Hey Jude, Hitchhiker's Guide to the Universe, Jennifer Lawrence, Joachim Phoenix, John Stewart, Kate Winslet, Keanu Reeves, Lady Gaga, Late Show, life, Lord of the Rings, Mad Max: Fury Road, Matt Damon, Michelle Obama, music, nausea, Nicole Kidman, Orange, Owen Wilson, Prince Harry, Questionert, Return of the King, Ryan Gosling, sandwich, smell, Sting, Supertramp, Vanilla, Will Ferrell | 1 Comment

MANHATTANHENGE

Posted on July 13, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

This last Friday and Saturday was Manhattanhenge. Ed and I each took some pictures on 42nd Street while it happened around 8:20pm on Friday. Manhattanhenge is what we call those days when the sunset aligns perfectly with Manhattan’s street grid. … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Notes in the News, Two-fisted Touristing | Tagged 2025, 42nd Street, 8th avenue, American Museum of Natural History, Canyon, Edward Elder, horizon, Hudson River, July 11, July 12, Manhattan, Manhattanhenge, New Jersey, New York City, photography, sunset | Leave a comment

PRIDE VIDS!

Posted on June 30, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

Happy Pride from Ed and me! We watched much of the parade at a perch on 5th Avenue, north of 8th Street, then walked up to 27th Street to gather and then march with the Quakers. Here is a video … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Notes in the News, Two-fisted Touristing | Tagged 5th Avenue, Brad Lander, Chappell Roan, Christopher Street, Edward Elder, Gay Street, Heritage of Pride, Hetrick-Martin, J P Morgan Chase, Jumaane Williams, LGBTQ, March, marching band, Met Opera, New York City, Parade, Pride, Quakers, Queer Big Apple Corps, Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Stonewall, SUNY, Whitney Houston | Leave a comment

I’ve seen 95 of the 100 Best Movies of the 21st Century

Posted on June 27, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

The New York Times compiled a list of the 100 greatest movies of the 21st century. More than 500 filmmakers, stars and influential film fans were asked to vote for the 10 best movies (however they chose to define that) … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema Scope, Notes in the News | Tagged 100, 21st century, A.I., All of Us Strangers, Brokeback Mountain, Cinema, Cloud Atlas, Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, I'm Your Man, movies, New York Times, Ratatouille, Spirited Away, The Fellowship of the Ring, The Grand Budapest Hotel, The Lord of the Rings | Leave a comment

NO KINGS MARCH NYC

Posted on June 16, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

Ed and I joined the estimated 4 to 6 million people across the nation protesting MAGA fascism last Saturday. We gathered with the Quakers near Bryant Park. There were so many people joining the march that it took hours before … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Literary Lyricism, Notes in the News, Two-fisted Touristing | Tagged Bryant Park, democracy, Empire State Building, Fifth Avenue, flag, ice, Immigration, MAGA, March, New York City, No King, Patriotism, photography, Protest, Quakers, racism, Republican, resistance, signs, Trump | Leave a comment

PRIDE SATURDAY at the BROOKLYN MUSEUM

Posted on June 9, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

It being June, Pride Month, the Brooklyn Museum’s First Saturday was a celebration of Queer community and art. NYC Gay Men’s Chorus performs Andra Day’s “Rise Up” The Beaux Arts Court was turned into a fair for queer figure drawing, … Continue reading →

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Notes in the News, Two-fisted Touristing | Tagged Aimee Amour, Andra Day, Beaux Arts Court, Bertha Vanashun, brooklyn, Dev Doee, Drag History Hour, Emi Grate, Ethel Smyth, figure drawing, First Saturday, Harriet Tugsmen, I'm Baby, Langston Hughes, Lesbian Herstory Archives, LGBTQ, Marsha P. Johnson, Maya Hayuk, Moog, museum, Nathalie Clifford Barney, pop up market, Pride, Queer, Rise Up, Starmakers, Tourmaline, Wendy Carlos | Leave a comment

ITHACA SPACE WALK

Posted on May 23, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

An edifying stroll through our solar system in an upstate town Looking from the sun towards its closest four planets.

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Notes in the News, Two-fisted Touristing | Tagged asteroid belt, Astronomy, Carl Sagan, dwarf planet, Earth, Ithaca, Jupiter, Kuiper Belt, Mars, Mercury, Neptune, photography, planets, Pluto, Saturn, solar system, space, sun, Uranus, Venus | Leave a comment

THE RESISTANCE GROWS!

Posted on April 19, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

Photos from the April 19 March in New York City

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Literary Lyricism, Notes in the News | Tagged 5th Amendment, 5th Avenue, Abrego Garcia, Billionaires, Constitution, Cory Booker, criminal, democracy, Due Process, fascism, felon, Gestapo, ice, Kilmar, Kristi Noem, Madison Avenue, Musk, Nazi, New York City, photography, POTUS, Protest, Putin, resist, Trump | Leave a comment

R E S I S T !

Posted on April 6, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

The NYC protest gathered at Bryant Park, then marched down 5th Avenue

Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Literary Lyricism, Notes in the News, Uncategorized | Tagged 5th Avenue, Bryant Park, democracy, Elon Musk, Empire State Building, fascist, felon, Hands Off, immigrant, Justice, Liberty, March, Nazi, New York City, penguin, Protest, Putin, tariff, Trump | Leave a comment

Screenplay Awards for “Prelude to a Death”

Posted on March 31, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

This lovely glass trophy came in the mail last week. I almost didn’t expect it even though I’d been notified of the win. But the Vienna Script Awards operated differently from most awards bodies and film festivals I know by … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema Scope, Literary Lyricism, Notes in the News | Tagged Austria, Award, Bridge Fest, Cinema Carnival, feature length, Film Festival, ghost, Gothamite, gothic, L.A., Neo Noir, Prelude to a Death, Robinson Film Awards, screenplay, Silver Wings, story, trophy, Vienna Script Awards, Writers Award | Leave a comment

Tell-Tale in Beloit

Posted on March 15, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

“The Tell-Tale Heart – a musicabre” at the Beloit Film Festival The official festival run of my first Edgar Allan Poe musical short film adaptation “The Tell-Tale Heart – a musicabre” ended years ago, but lately there have been invitations … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema Scope, Notes in the News, Poe Musicabres | Tagged adaptation, Beloit, Chicago, Edgar Allan Poe, festival, film, horror, Independent, John Vamvas, musicabre, musical, North Film Festival, Olga Montes, Q&A, Scarpedicemente, short film, The Tell-Tale Heart, Wisconsin | Leave a comment

Excerpt from Jane Fonda’s Speech You Must Read

Posted on February 23, 2025 by dannyashkenasi

Jane Fonda received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the SAG Awards tonight. She concluded her speech with a rousing message that speaks to the perilous times we find ourselves today. I will quote this conclusion in full here: “Make no … Continue reading →

Posted in Cinema Scope, LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Live! On Stage, Notes in the News | Tagged Achievement, Awards, Billy Wilder, Civil Rights, community, empathy, Hannah Weinstein, Jane Fonda, John Huston, Karen Silkwood, lifetime, McCarthyism, message, Myrna loy, Norma Rae, Pearl Cleage, politics, resistance, SAG, speech, Tom Joad, woke | Leave a comment

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