Joel Grey honored at Bay Street Theater’s 28^th Annual Summer Gala 

July 7, 2019:  Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor presented their 28^th annual summer gala, “If Your Friends Could See You Now,” at the Wolffer Estate Vineyard in Sagaponack, New York. The event, which honored Academy and Tony Award winner Joel Grey and Andrea K. Wahlquist, celebrated Bay Street Theater and Broadway musicals from the 1960s. There were cocktails, dinner and a live auction by celebrity auctioneer, Richard Kind. Afterwards, the gala celebrity emcee, designer Isaac Mizrahi, hosted an inspiring live show with appearances by some of Broadway’s best including Steven Skybell, Mauricio Martinez, Samantha Massell, John Peterson and more. Accepting his award for Lifetime Achievement in the Theater, Mr. Grey dazzled the guests by singing “Cabaret,” from the hit musical and film.
Photography: Barry Gordin

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Tony winner Jack O’Brien directs the World Premier of a provocative new play with Mercedes Ruehl.

July 1, 2019:  Three time Tony award winning director Jack O’Brien helmed the World Premier of Safe Space by Alan Fox, which opened at Bay Street Theater in Sag Harbor.  Feelings and politics collide with explosive consequences in Fox’s thought-provoking tale set at an exclusive liberal arts university in Anytown, USA. When a prominent African/American teacher gives his students a provocative essay assignment, he triggers an accusation of racism from a female student. Then the head of the college, played by Academy and Tony Award winning actress Mercedes Ruehl, informs the teacher inadvertently setting off a chain of events that threatens the foundation of the university. Fox has crafted an engaging, often explosive, examination of political correctness for today by pitting overly sensitive millennials against a pragmatic establishment.

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The Prom Named Outstanding Musical at the 64^th Annual Drama Desk Awards, but Tootsie was the Big Winner with 4 Awards, followed by The Ferryman with 3, including Best Play.

June 2, 2019: The press room was jumping as the winners of the 64^th Annual Drama Desk Awards were brought from The Town Hall, where Michael Urie was hosting the show.

Photography: Barry Gordin
2019 DRAMA DESK WINNERS:

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A young actor rescues legendary actress, who can’t remember her lines, in World Premier of affecting comedy, The Prompter at Bay Street Theater.

June 2, 2019:  By popular demand, The Prompter, a new comedy by Wade Dooley that was the audience favorite at Bay Street Theater’s New Works Festival last season, opened the Bay Street Theater’s Mainstage Summer Season in Sag Harbor. The world premiere of Dooley’s heartwarming tale about the relationship between a legendary actress and the prompter, she desperately needs after a 40-year absence from the stage, is deftly helmed by Scott Schwartz, Artistic Director of Bay Street Theater.  

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Brian Cranston Awarded Distinguished Performance of the year and Hadestown named Outstanding Musical.

May 18, 2019:  The Drama League announced the winners of the 85th Annual Drama League Awards at a star-studded luncheon ceremony at the Marriott Marquis in Times Square. Bryan Cranston was awarded the Distinguished Performance of the Year, an honor that can only be received once in a lifetime.  The other winners announced at the ceremony were: Outstanding Production of a Musical, Hadestown; Outstanding Production of a Play, The Ferryman; Outstanding Revival of a Musical, Kiss Me, Kate; and Outstanding Revival of a Play, The Waverly Gallery.

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May 11, 2019: The Drama Desk presented an informal conversation and Q&A session with Celia Keenan-Bolger on Friday, May 10, from 5:30 to 6:45 pm, at Ripley-Grier Studios, 520 8th Avenue,Studio 16FG. Keenan-Bolger, who plays Scout Finch in To Kill a Mockingbird, conversed with Drama Desk member Michael Portantiere.Photography: Barry Gordin For a Complete List of the 2019 Drama Desk Nominees Click Here

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18^th Annual Live Lout Loud Young Trailblazers Gala

May 8, 2019: On Tuesday evening Live Out Loud hosted their 18^th Annual Young Trailblazers Gala emceed by Judy Gold and Marquise Vilson at The Lighthouse, at the Chelsea Piers.
Photography: Barry Gordin

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Press Reception for the 2019 Drama Desk Nominees at Green Room 42 in the Yotel New York.

May 8, 2019:  Nominees for the 2019 Drama Desk Awards celebrated their honors with the press at Green Room 42 in the Yotel New York. The annual Nominees’ Reception is a festive event with lively conversation, where the press and Drama Desk members can meet the theater season’s most celebrated artists. The Drama Desk began presenting awards in 1955 and is the only critics’ organization to honor achievement in the theater with competition between Broadway and Off Broadway in the same the same category.
Photography: Barry Gordin

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Press Junket for the 2019 Tony Award Nominees

May 1, 2019: On Wednesday morning, the day after The American Theatre Wing’ announced the 2019 Tony Nominations in 26 competitive categories, the nominees attended a press junket at the Sofitel New York Hotel on West 44^th Street. The casual event is an opportunity for the nominees to bask in the limelight of the press by posing for pictures and sharing stories about their Broadway Shows. The morning is a celebration of the best of Broadway during the 2018-2019 season.

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Show at Birdland benefits The Actors Fund

April 16, 2019:  Hostess/producer Jamie DeRoy brought her multi-MAC Award-winning Variety Show, Jamie deRoy & friends, back to Birdland on Monday, April 15 as part of The Broadway at Birdland concert series. Proceeds from the evening benefited The Actors Fund: Jamie deRoy & friends Cabaret Initiative. Special guests included Christina Bianco, Mike Birbiglia (The New One), E. Clayton Cornelious (Ain’t Too Proud), John Pizzarelli & Jessica Molaskey and Haley Swindal (Chicago, Jekyll and Hyde). The show was directed by Barry Kleinbort, and musical direction was by Ron Abel.

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New York premiere of I Carry Your Heat by Georgette Kelly at 59E59 Theaters

April 4, 2019:  59E59 Theaters presents the New York premiere of I Carry Your Heart, a moving drama by Georgette Kelly. The Athena Theatre production, directed by Cate Caplin.

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Thomas Bradshaw’s provocative melodrama closes out The Flea’s Color Brave Season.

March 24: 2019:  The Flea’s Artistic Director, Niegel Smith, has helmed a disturbing new production of Southern Promises, Thomas Bradshaw’s provocative 2008 melodrama on the corrupting power of American slavery, which opened at The Flea’s Sam on Sunday. The Flea ends its Color Brave season with Niegel Smith’s haunting staging of Southern Promises.

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Gun Violence and Feminism collide in New York Premiere of Good Friday.

February 26, 2019: The Flea continues its Color Brave season, dedicated to works that explore race in America, with the NYC premiere of Good Friday by Chicago’s Kristiana Rae Colón, which opened last night in The Flea’s downstairs Siggy Theater. Directed by Sherri Eden Barber the intense evening focuses on a group of millennial women whose bickering is interrupted by gunfire, which they quickly realize is a deadly attack on their school. The #metoo feminism movement collides with gun violence in Colón’s fierce and provocative look at millennial women in today’s uncertain world.

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NYC premiere of a dark comedy with Tony nominee Gordon Clapp

January 20, 2019: Jack Neary’s Halloween drama, Trick or Treat, produced by Northern Stage, opened at 59E59 Theaters for a limited engagement through Sunday, February 24, 2019.  Gordon Clapp, a Tony nominee for Glengarry Glen Ross, plays Johnny, a husband coping with his wife’s Alzheimer disease.  His stress from the challenge of dealing with her illness creates an unusual dilemma that sets in motion a zany series of events in the dark comedy directed by Carol Dunne.

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