Follow me on Twitter
My TweetsCATEGORIES for all posts
- Arts-a-Poppin' (156)
- Beginnings (64)
- Chamber Works (29)
- Cinema Scope (272)
- LGBTQ Alphabet Soup (92)
- Literary Lyricism (58)
- Live! On Stage (79)
- Melodies Linger On (142)
- Musicabilia (32)
- Notes in the News (298)
- Poe Musicabres (163)
- The Speakeasy Chronicles (79)
- The Teaching Artist (40)
- Two-fisted Touristing (157)
Archives
- March 2023 (6)
- February 2023 (6)
- January 2023 (8)
- December 2022 (6)
- November 2022 (8)
- October 2022 (8)
- September 2022 (8)
- August 2022 (8)
- July 2022 (8)
- June 2022 (7)
- May 2022 (9)
- April 2022 (4)
- March 2022 (6)
- February 2022 (6)
- January 2022 (5)
- December 2021 (8)
- November 2021 (4)
- October 2021 (6)
- September 2021 (4)
- August 2021 (5)
- July 2021 (10)
- June 2021 (6)
- May 2021 (7)
- April 2021 (6)
- March 2021 (6)
- February 2021 (5)
- January 2021 (5)
- December 2020 (6)
- November 2020 (9)
- October 2020 (11)
- September 2020 (11)
- August 2020 (6)
- July 2020 (8)
- June 2020 (7)
- May 2020 (8)
- April 2020 (8)
- March 2020 (8)
- February 2020 (8)
- January 2020 (8)
- December 2019 (10)
- November 2019 (10)
- October 2019 (4)
- September 2019 (5)
- August 2019 (5)
- July 2019 (5)
- June 2019 (5)
- May 2019 (5)
- April 2019 (5)
- March 2019 (4)
- February 2019 (5)
- January 2019 (4)
- December 2018 (4)
- November 2018 (4)
- October 2018 (5)
- September 2018 (6)
- August 2018 (4)
- July 2018 (6)
- June 2018 (4)
- May 2018 (5)
- April 2018 (4)
- March 2018 (4)
- February 2018 (3)
- January 2018 (5)
- December 2017 (4)
- November 2017 (4)
- October 2017 (5)
- September 2017 (3)
- August 2017 (4)
- July 2017 (5)
- June 2017 (7)
- May 2017 (4)
- April 2017 (8)
- March 2017 (6)
- February 2017 (7)
- January 2017 (8)
- December 2016 (5)
- November 2016 (8)
- October 2016 (7)
- September 2016 (6)
- August 2016 (8)
- July 2016 (10)
- June 2016 (10)
- May 2016 (6)
- April 2016 (7)
- March 2016 (10)
- February 2016 (13)
- January 2016 (10)
- December 2015 (12)
- November 2015 (11)
- October 2015 (11)
- September 2015 (8)
- August 2015 (10)
- July 2015 (10)
- June 2015 (13)
- May 2015 (9)
- April 2015 (10)
Blogroll
- Ashkenasi You Tube Channel Videos of excerpts from several of Ashkenasi’s musicals
- Speakeasy Songs Soundcloud demo recordings of songs from the musical “Speakeasy”
- Follow Notes from a Composer on WordPress.com
Notes from a Composer
“Speakeasy” Selections
Tag Archives: Lewis Carroll
The Young Lovers’ Path to Speak Easy
Two Fawns in the Wood Dance into the Light Maybe it’s just a dream. Maybe it’s real. Maybe it doesn’t matter either way. For the shame and the betrayal are felt just as acutely. In the musical Speakeasy, an … Continue reading
Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Literary Lyricism, The Speakeasy Chronicles
Tagged 1920s, 1930s, adultery, Alice in Wonderland, Dance into the Light, Dream, Fawn, Fawn in the Wood, Gershwin, Jane Allison, John Allison, Lewis Carroll, magical realism, musical, Prohibition, Queer, same-sex, sexual identity, Speakeasy, Through the Looking Glass, Trial of the Tarts
Leave a comment
SPEAKEASY – The Irony of the Young Lovers’ Duets
Curious Colorful Night – It’s a Dream – Momentary Bliss Three lovers’ duets that are not what they seem to the ear Ah, young lovers’ duets. A hallmark of musicals, especially those of the 1920s and 1930s, and so of … Continue reading
Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Literary Lyricism, The Speakeasy Chronicles
Tagged 1920s, 1930s, Curious Colorful Night, curiouser, drag ball, duet, ingenue, irony, It's a Dream, Jane Allison, John Allison, Lewis Carroll, lovers, magical realism, Momentary Bliss, musical, Queer, Roaring Twenties, Speakeasy, Subculture, Wonderland
Leave a comment
SPEAKEASY – Advice from a (Lesbian) Caterpillar
Two songs from “Speakeasy” explore two sides of a closeted 1920’s lesbian For many years I hoped to write a musical about the queer subculture of Roaring Twenties New York, but didn’t find my “in” until I came upon the … Continue reading
Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Literary Lyricism, Notes in the News, The Speakeasy Chronicles
Tagged 1800s, 19th Century, Alice in Wonderland, Caroline Chrysalides, Caterpillar, Female Friendships, flappers, Jane Allison, Jazz Age, lesbian, Lewis Carroll, LGBTQ, magical realism, musical, My Passion, operetta, Roaring Twenties, sexual revolution, Speakeasy
Leave a comment
The Inspiration for SPEAKEASY’S DUCHESS BENTLEY – The Terrific, Trangressive and Tragic Tale of Gladys Bentley – Part 1
In the musical Speakeasy – John and Jane’s Adventures in the Wonderland, Jane Allison first meets Duchess Bentley, Harlem nightclub singer and unabashed lesbian, when she finds herself outside a door being angrily knocked upon by Minister Fish, who implores … Continue reading
Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Notes in the News, The Speakeasy Chronicles
Tagged 1920s, 1930s, Alice in Wonderland, Bri Molloy, Camille Atkinson, Gay, Gladys Bentley, Great Depression, Harlem, Lewis Carroll, LGBT, musical, Prohibition, Queer, Roaring Twenties, Speakeasy, Tim Connell, Ubangi Club, Wonderland
1 Comment
Speakeasy inspired ART by PETER BONNER
Peter Bonner is a New York based artist originally from Australia. We met as members of the choir singing the Ode to Joy in Carnegie Hall with the World Community Orchestra. He has been reading the libretto and listening to … Continue reading
Posted in Arts-a-Poppin', Literary Lyricism, The Speakeasy Chronicles
Tagged 1920s, 1930s, Alice in Wonderland, art, Australia, Carnegie Hall, charcoal sketch, collage, dance, kentile, Lewis Carroll, LGBT, magical realism, musical, Ode to Joy, oil painting, Peter Bonner, Queer, rabbit hole, sexual liberation, sketches, Speakeasy, Theater for the New City, WCO, Wordl Community Orchestra
2 Comments
SPEAKEASY PRODUCTION PHOTOS #2
“An offbeat, mind-blowing fantasia on identity, taboo romance, and queer culture circa 1930.” Gay City News “The lyrics, melodies, and orchestrations are surprisingly rich and sophisticated.” Gay City News
SPEAKEASY PRODUCTION PHOTOS #1
“One of the most wildly ambitious, inspired theatrical endeavors I’ve seen on an Off Off Broadway stage. Bursting with an excess of ideas and passion” Gay City News “Director Lissa Moira, choreographer J. Alan Hanna, and … Continue reading
Posted in Live! On Stage, The Speakeasy Chronicles
Tagged 1920s, 1930s, Alice in Wonderland, Allie Radice, Anne Bragg, Bevin Bell-Hall, Bri Molloy, Brian Michael Henry, Camille Atkinson, Danny Ashkenasi, Darcy Dunn, Gay, Gay City News, Kayleigh Shuler, Lewis Carroll, LGBT, Lissa Moira, Matias Polar, musical, Prohibition, Queer, Speakeasy, Talkin' Broadway, Theater for the New City, Tim Connell, Wonderland
1 Comment
Gay City News Review for Speakeasy
“An offbeat, mind-blowing fantasia on identity, taboo romance, and queer culture circa 1930.” “One of the most wildly ambitious, inspired theatrical endeavors I’ve seen on an Off Off Broadway stage. Bursting with an excess of ideas and passion.” “The score … Continue reading
Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Live! On Stage, Notes in the News, The Speakeasy Chronicles
Tagged 1930s, Alice in Wonderland, Allie Radice, Anne Bragg, basketeering, Bri Molloy, browning, Camille Atkinson, Chet Cheshire, Danny Ashkenasi, David Kennelly, dropping pins, Gay, Gay City News, Gladys Bentley, J. Alan Hanna, Jonathan Fox Powers, Julian Eltinge, Kayleigh Shuler, Lewis Carroll, LGBT, Lissa Moira, Matias Polar, musical, Pansy Craze, Peter Welch, Prohibition, Queer, Speakeasy, taboo, Tim Connell, Tweedle Sisters, Vaseline Alley, Wonderland
1 Comment
BROADWAY BULLET PODCAST INTERVIEWS DANNY ASHKENASI ABOUT SPEAKEASY
Broadway Bullet’s Michael Gilboe interviewed me back in December for his seventh season of Broadway Bullet podcasts. Episode 703 includes that interview. It begins on the 37 min 24 second mark. Michael Gilboe always provides unedited full length versions … Continue reading
SPEAKEASY REHEARSAL SCRAPBOOK 2
Matias Polar and Kayleigh Shuler (John and Jane Allison)
Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Live! On Stage, The Speakeasy Chronicles
Tagged 1920s, 1930s, Alice in Wonderland, Bri Molloy, Camille Atkinson, Gay, Jonathan Fox Powers, Kayleigh Shuler, Lewis Carroll, LGBT, Matias Polar, musical, photos, Queer, rehearsal, Speakeasy, Theater for the New City
Leave a comment
The BROADWAY BLOG spotlights SPEAKEASY
The Broadway Blog has posted an article about Speakeasy. Find it here or read the excerpt below: Opening — ‘Speakeasy: John and Jane’s Adventures in Wonderland’ February 8th, 2016 Matthew Wexler Before there was Hedwig and the Angry Inch, there … Continue reading
Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Literary Lyricism, Notes in the News, The Speakeasy Chronicles
Tagged 1920s, 1930s, Alice in Wonderland, Broadway Blog, Danny Ashkenasi, Gay, Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Lewis Carroll, LGBT, Mathew Wexler, musical, Prohibition, Queer, Speakeasy, Theater for the New City
Leave a comment
Adam Szymkowicz interviews Danny Ashkenasi
So there are two last names with lots of letters and lots of Eastern European heritage… Adam Szymkovicz posted his interview with me yesterday on his site. You can go to it here or read the excerpt below. Those looking … Continue reading
AXS INTERVIEW
The on-line magazine AXS has published an interview with yours truly. The questions delve into the evolution of Speakeasy as well as musical influences in my childhood and advice to aspiring playwrights and composers. The article is excerpted below: Interview … Continue reading
Posted in LGBTQ Alphabet Soup, Live! On Stage, Notes in the News, The Speakeasy Chronicles
Tagged 1920s, 1930s, Alice in Wonderland, Berlin, Danny Ashkenasi, Dolly Sisters, Gene Malin, Gladys Bentley, jack hilton cunningham, Jacqui Sutton, Julian Eltinge, Lewis Carroll, LGBT, musical, Opera, Prohibition, Queer, Speakeasy, Theater for the New City, Wonderland
Leave a comment
FASCINATING VIDEO OF JULIAN ELTINGE IN DRAG (with bonus clip of Gene Malin in drag too!)
One of the musical Speakeasy‘s lead characters, Julian Carnation, is based in part on the real life female impersonator Julian Eltinge (as well as the red Queen and the Mad Hatter from Lewis Carroll’s Alice books). I want to share … Continue reading
Speakeasy – THE LOBSTER QUADRILLE vs. THE LOBSTER CHARLESTON
Introducing the latest dance craze from the Roaring Twenties: The Lobster Charleston! The Lobster Charleston Yes, it’s a novelty dance, like the Turkey Trot, or the Chicken Dance, or the Macarena, the Mashed Potato and Gangnam Style. But it’s imaginary, … Continue reading
Notes from a Composer 