Category Archives: The Speakeasy Chronicles

Posts about my musical “Speakeasy – the Adventures of John and Jane Allison in the Wonderland”

“CAROL” & THERESE – “SPEAKEASY” & JANE – stories from the time when lesbian love dared not say its name

Posted on December 11, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

      I love the movie “Carol”.  It is one of the best movies of the year, masterful on all levels.  While I was watching it, I kept on thinking: “How exquisitely swoony”.  Refined and restrained on the one … Continue reading →

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THANK YOU

Posted on December 8, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Thank you everybody who came to the reading Monday night. Thank you for your enthusiasm and all the wonderful comments. Thank you to the performers for all their incredible talent and hard work. Much was accomplished and much learned putting … Continue reading →

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Sneak Peek Photos of the cast of Monday’s Speakeasy Reading

Posted on December 6, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Monday, December 7 at 7pm, we will present the first public performance of “Speakeasy – John and Jane Allison in the Wonderland” as a book-in-hand reading of the musical. It will be a way to introduce Speakeasy to the Theater … Continue reading →

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BroadwayWorld.com Spotlights Speakeasy Reading!

Posted on December 3, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

BroadwayWorld.com just posted this article about Speakeasy: New Musical SPEAKEASY to Receive Reading at TNC Next Week           The creative team of Speakeasy: John and Jane Allison in the Wonderland, a fantastical musical of Prohibition-era NYC … Continue reading →

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SPEAKEASY GOES OFF TO THE BALLROOM – The Great Drag Balls of the 1920’s/1930’s

Posted on December 2, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

The centerpiece in Act Two of the new musical “Speakeasy – John and Jane Allison in the Wonderland” is the great drag ball at the Jefferson Lodge Ball.  Chet Cheshire presides over the festivities, attended by a sparkling variety of … Continue reading →

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THE SPEAKEASY KICKSTARTER REWARDS – from Signed Collectible Postcard to VIP On Stage Performance Cameo

Posted on November 28, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

When we decided we would need to turn to Kickstarter to raise the funding necessary to mount a showcase production of “Speakeasy – John and Jane Allison in the Wonderland”, we learned that creating an attractive set of rewards for … Continue reading →

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SPEAKEASY Reading December 7

Posted on November 27, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

R  E  M  I  N  D  E  R There will be a reading of SPEAKEASY John and Jane Allison in the Wonderland by Danny Ashkenasi December 7 7pm at the Theater for the New City 155 First Avenue, between 9th … Continue reading →

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JULIAN CARNATION / JULIAN ELTINGE – Speakeasy’s Red Queen and Mad Hatter & Broadway’s Famous Female Impersonator

Posted on November 20, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

When I was researching Gay Culture of the 1920’s and 1930’s in preparation for writing “Speakeasy”, I came about an anecdote about a once famous female impersonator of the 1910’s and 1920’s, Julian Eltinge, a star of Vaudeville and the … Continue reading →

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Speakeasy – An interview conducted by author Rebecca Cantrell – updated

Posted on November 17, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

The bestselling Author Rebecca Cantrell has posted an interview with me about Speakeasy on her blog.  In it I reveal some tidbits about Speakeasy and a song demo that had not yet found their way to Notes from a Composer. … Continue reading →

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SPEAKEASY KICKSTARTER CAMPAIGN LAUNCHED!

Posted on November 16, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

The Day Has Come!  We Have Launched Our Kickstarter Fundraising Campaign! CLICK HERE TO GO TO THE PROJECT PAGE!   Help bring this original, ambitious new musical onto the stage! “Speakeasy – John and Jane Allison in the Wonderland” brings … Continue reading →

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SPEAKEASY CAMPAIGN VIDEO PREVIEW – plus Audition and Facebook News!

Posted on November 8, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Speakeasy Kickstarter Fundraising Campaign Video: Above is a sneak peek at the video we created for our upcoming Kickstarter fundraising campaign for Speakeasy.  Look forward to the fundraiser being launched in a little over a week.  Meanwhile you can now … Continue reading →

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SPEAKEASY Campaign Video Update

Posted on November 3, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Stolis Hadjicharalambous has completed the final edit of the Speakeasy fundraiser campaign video.  The Kickstarter fundraising campaign will launch in about two weeks. Meanwhile, here are stills of some the images and tracks of some of the music that will … Continue reading →

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SPEAKEASY – Attack of the 30 foot Incidental Music!

Posted on October 25, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

So many notes… so little time… The other day I had a meeting with Speakeasy‘s music director Jonathan Fox Powers.  One of those sessions where you make sure composer and music director are on the same page as it concerns … Continue reading →

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Speakeasy Gay Slang – FLOWERS & FLORISTS & MAE WEST, Oh my!

Posted on October 12, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

After Alice goes through the mirror in Lewis Carroll’s “Through the Looking Glass” she wanders through a mirror image fantastical version of the house she left, then discovers a garden with flowers who not only can talk but will also … Continue reading →

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WE’RE READY FOR YOUR CLOSE-UP, MR. ELDER – Video Shoot for Speakeasy Fundraising Campaign

Posted on October 9, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

Wednesday we had a mini film crew in the house.  Henry Borriello and Stolis Hadjicharalambous (try typing that out real fast) agreed to help us out filming the promo video not required but very much encouraged if you are planning … Continue reading →

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DRY OUT THE NATION – SPEAKEASY, PROHIBITION and a very DRY SPEECH

Posted on September 24, 2015 by dannyashkenasi

By the time Jane Allison, in the musical “Speakeasy”, has walked through one door into a speakeasy foyer and through another door into an automat, she realizes that the regular rules and expectations of time and space may not apply … Continue reading →

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