Archives for October 2014

Mystic Knotwork is a finalist in the Martha Stewart American Made Awards. Last year the business came in 2nd in the Textile category. Both the Greater Westerly-Pawcatuck Area Chamber of Commerce and the Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce are working to rally the community and help this small business surge to the top. This unique family owned and operated business reflects the work and craftsmanship of 4 generations of Beaudoin family members. All of the products are made here in the Mystic River valley of Connecticut using American grown and processed cotton. All the rope and cord is customized to keep the authentic look.  The iconic woven mat and sailor bracelets are a staple of their business, but other popular products include nautical knot decorations,  wedding knot and reception gifts.

“This little local business is a hidden gem in our community.  Their craftsmanship is amazing and product line is classic, rugged and pure shoreline in theme.  We really need to get behind them in this competition!” said GWPA Chamber Executive Lisa Konicki.

The public is asked to vote every day, and use all 6 of their available daily votes to support Mystic Knotwork.  Voting continues now through October 13 at the link below:
http://www.marthastewart.com/americanmade/nominee/88917/design/mystic-knotwork

Mystic Knotwork is located at 22 Bayview Ave Suite 3A, in the Velvet Mill Studios in Stonington, CT.
860-889-3793
www.MysticKnotwork.com
info@MysticKnotwork.com

Beauty Cares, a nonprofit using education to break the cycle of abuse against teens, women and children, is launching their next awareness campaign, “Tell Someone: 31 Days of Action and Awareness.” “Breaking the silence is the beginning of breaking the cycle of domestic abuse,” says Quinn, “because when we can talk about it, we can fix it.” Teens, women and men are encouraged to speak up and #TellSomeone if they are now, or have previously been, in an abusive relationship. Each day during the month of October, ‘Domestic Violence Awareness Month’, the organization will share the signs of domestic abuse with their hashtag #ShareThe8, post important facts, share survivor stories, upload podcasts, provide instructions on what to do if you or a friend is in an abusive relationship, and blog about domestic abuse.  The goal is to start a 31-day conversation around domestic abuse that ignites ongoing discussions around the country, helping to break the cycle. An important component of the #TellSomeone campaign includes urging people to “Share The 8 Before It’s Too Late.” These eight signs of domestic abuse are: intensity, isolation, blame, jealousy, criticism, anger, control and sabotage. They are often unrecognized as abuse because they do not include physical violence – they are mental and emotional abuse. By learning the signs and telling someone, survivors are able to put these dangerous and controlling behaviors in the proper framework and finally get the clarity and help they need to heal. Beauty Cares was founded six years ago by Aryn Quinn – a woman on a mission to break the cycle of domestic abuse. Originally, Quinn created Beauty Cares to remind survivors of domestic abuse of their beauty and self worth: she has since transformed her vision to include prevention. Quinn has been providing the Education = Prevention workshop free of charge to schools in the five boroughs of New York City as well as universities in Long Island and New Jersey. During the 45-minute workshop, Quinn educates young girls about the signs of abuse, and what to do if they should find themselves or a friend in an abusive relationship. In the past two years, she has spoken to over 2,000 students. For more details about the 8 signs and other resources, visit www.BeautyCares.org. To stay connected with Beauty Cares, you can visit them on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest.

Fundraiser will benefit the Connecticut Sports Foundation to help local families battling breast cancer, as well as support the RuthAnn Lobo Award in Social Work at UCONN

Hartford, CT – October 1, 2014 – Panera Bread will partner with Rebecca Lobo to support the Connecticut Sports Foundation and the RuthAnn Lobo Award in Social Work at UCONN, two areas that complement the life and work of Rebecca’s late mother, RuthAnn Lobo. The partnership, now in its second year, will take place during Breast Cancer Awareness Month, when Panera Bread will conduct its annual Pink Ribbon Bagel campaign for the 13^th consecutive year. Panera Bread bakery-cafes in Connecticut* will donate 25 cents from each Pink Ribbon Bagel purchased during the month of October to the Connecticut Sports Foundation, which provides funds to families battling cancer to help with daily living expenses.

“I am excited to continue this partnership spearheaded by Panera Bread to benefit multiple charities near and dear to my heart,” said Lobo. We look forward to Connecticut residents joining in and helping others throughout the State.”

Rebecca Lobo is an American television basketball analyst and played in the Women’s National Basketball Association (WNBA) from 1997 to 2003, after leading UCONN’s 1995 undefeated national championship team and the 1996 US Olympic team.  She is the daughter of RuthAnn Lobo, a long-time breast cancer survivor who lost her battle after 18 years.

A former Simsbury resident and school counselor at Granby Memorial Middle School, RuthAnn Lobo emerged as a tireless advocate and inspiration for women whose lives had been interrupted by breast cancer.  In 1996, RuthAnn and Rebecca Lobo wrote the book The Home Team, in which they chronicled how they dealt with RuthAnn’s cancer diagnosis. RuthAnn Lobo eventually underwent a mastectomy, radiation and chemotherapy. In 2001, Rebecca launched the RuthAnn and Rebecca Lobo Scholarship for Hispanic students admitted to the UConn School of Allied Health.  A new RuthAnn Lobo Award in Social Work was then established in 2013 to support educating the next generation of hospital-based social workers working with cancer patients.

“We are extremely grateful to Panera Bread for its continued generosity and partnership,” said Amy Chesmer, Senior Director of Development for the UCONN Foundation.  “As UCONN leads the way in personalized medicine, social workers are playing a critical role as members of the health care team to ensure that each patient’s personal needs are addressed,” Chesmer added.

The Connecticut Sports Foundation, inspired by the RuthAnn Lobo Award in Social Work, presented a new “Social Worker of the Year Award” at its 27^th Annual Celebrity Dinner and Memorabilia Auction on February 7, 2014. This award was granted to Hillary Keller and Charmain Ali, Hartford Hospital social workers who stood out for their advocacy, passion and dedication to their patients. CSF’s signature event raises over a half-million dollars annually to support Connecticut cancer patients and their families.  The 2015 Celebrity Dinner and Memorabilia Auction will be held on Friday, February 6, 2015 at Mohegan Sun. For more information, please visit, www.sportsfoundation.org.

*The Pink Ribbon Bagel is baked fresh daily in each of Panera Bread’s bakery-cafes and features dried cherries and cranberries, vanilla, honey and brown sugar.  Participating Connecticut locations for the Rebecca Lobo Pink Ribbon Bagel campaign are located in Bristol, Canton, Enfield, Farmington, Foxwoods Resort & Casino, Glastonbury, Groton, Hartford, Lisbon, Manchester, Newington, Southington, Waterford, West Hartford, and Wethersfield. These locations are among the 28 bakery-cafes owned and operated by leading franchisee, Howley Bread Group, LTD, based in Cumberland, RI.  For more information, please contact wendy.kopp@panerabread.com or visit the company’s web site at www.panerabreadhbg.com.

Lantzapalooza Newza Brand New On Your Desk! RW Hampton This Cowboy In 1917, American artist Charles Russell famously told a friend in a poem “The West is dead.” It’s a bold claim that doesn’t quite hold up, says award-winning Western singer-songwriter RW Hampton. “The West lives on,” Hampton argues and he makes a strong case on his new This Cowboy.  This Cowboy is an album sure to please anyone who likes an honest Western song polished just enough to make it shine. — Charley Engel / American Cowboy www.rwhampton.com Ingrid Gerdes High Priestess In a way, Ingrid Gerdes’ new album, High Priestess, is a throwback to days when a recording artists approached a new project as a complete package — a song cycle —  built around a particular theme.  Every track was written and produced and sequenced in a way that would convey a certain emotion or experience for the listener.  Ingrid took an old-school approach to her new release, High Priestess, choosing instead to attempt to create an experience for her fans through a complete collection.  Brought together by her unique blues-rock sensibilities, the result feels like summer in the South.  It is at times both cool and hot, breezy and still, and imbued with a shot of sass to Gerdes’ hot buttered soul, Dusty-in-Memphis delivery. www.ingridgerdes.com Eileen Rose Be Many Gone Eileen has drawn comparisons to the likes of Lucinda Williams (Time Magazine).  She recently wrapped up a successful tour of Europe.  “…Be Many Gone exudes the confidence of a singer and band that have honed their craft with hour upon hour of hard work… Rose’s finest to date.” (R2 Rock ‘n’ Reel)  “With a long and illustrious musical pedigree, the Americana-influenced Be Many Gone ranks among Eileen Rose Giadone’s best work!” (Press Association (UK)) www.eileenrose.com Bill Wence Songs That Make Me Think About You Bill has worn many hats in the music business — a sideman for such artists as Bobby Bare and Wanda Jackson, a popular radio promoter for such artists as Johnny Rivers, and a recording artist.  His latest, Songs That Make Me Think About You, is a collection of songs (“Decades after beginning his career, Wence is still out there playing piano behind Bobby Bare and Wanda Jackson. Also, in addition to being a prolific record promoter, he is still making records, himself. This title tune to his latest is a jaunty, beach-y bopper.” (Robert K. Oermann / Music Row) http://www.billwencepromotions.com/ Mike & Doris Merritt Detours The Cowboy Way of Life has always been a strong magnet for Mike and Doris Merritt.  Sure, there’s the romantic view of the West as seen in Hollywood movies, but for the Merritts it’s more than just riding horses across the wide open country under a great, big sky. “There’s a certain code of ethics and values that remain out here,” says Mike, who grew up in Texas.  “Not that everyone here is perfect, but the underlying, unspoken rule of thumb is that the Western way of life is more about how you live, not where you live.”  Now based in Oklahoma, the Merritts bring a fresh, positive message to their first ever duo album, Detours. http://merrittcowboyministries.com/ Swamp Donky Redneck Revival One part country, one part rock, and all parts Southern probably best describes the band from North Louisiana known as Louisiana Swamp Donky. They spend their days in the oilfields, on the farm and driving trucks to provide a living for their families. They each have a work hard, play hard attitude and when it comes to their music, there is no denying their Southern roots.  Earlier this year, their authentic Southern Rock sound caught the ears of famed Southern Rock icon Richard Young of The Kentucky Headhunters.   The result.. foot-stompin’, Southern-fried Rockin’ country!  DON’T FORGET Dale Watson The Truckin’ Sessions Triology Praise is being heaped on Dale for his newest collection of Truckin’ Sessions songs.  Red River Entertainment put the 14 new tunes together with Dale’s previous two truckin’ albums for The Truckin’ Sessions Trilogy.  “The third installment of hardcore troubadour Watson’s truck-driving albums — think 18 wheels, not tailgates — is so full of romanticized life-is-a-highway anthems that, by record’s end, you’ll want to dial the number for your local big-rig school.” (Rolling Stone / Country) www.dalewatson.com Dan Cohen Bluebird A Nashville-base session guitarist, Dan’s new collection is filled with wonderful, eclectic songs.  “Cohen represents himself as a fine pop provocateur, a singer/songwriter with a keen sense of melody and an easy accessibility. A fine support crew — among them, Brad Jones, Matt King,  Jace Everett and Doug Powell, each a superior artist in his own right — help out, allowing  Bluebird to soar to unexpected heights.” (Lee Zimmerman / NoDepression) http://www.westonboys.com/artists/dan-cohen/ John Flynn Poor Man’s Diamonds “Poor Man’s Diamonds transcends any single genre – although bluegrass, blues, folk and burnished narratives make up the mix – and yet, his determined stance and authoritative presence ensures an instant connection.” (Bluegrass Situation) http://www.johnflynn.net/ To schedule an interview with any of these artists, for review copies or more information, contact  Lance Cowan • LCMedia (615) 331-1710 • lcmedia@comcast.net  NEWZA Joe Ely B4 84 One of the first – ever recordings using an Apple Computer, B4 84 became Hi Res, which to date is the only Joe Ely CD not still in production.  Basically, Joe recorded that album and  submitted it to MCA execs, who insisted he re-record it using traditional recording studios.  These particular recordings are available for the first time — the “Director’s Cut” if you will — and it’s amazing how great they sound.  Liner notes by Steve Wozniak. Joe Ely Reverb: An Odyssey (a novel) Review copies of Joe’s first-ever novel are available in pdf or Word format by request only.  Same for physical copies, which should be available next week.   Michael Martin Murphey Continues Tradition of Cowboy Christmas Ball Christmas is a season of tradition, and no one knows that better than Michael Martin Murphey. The iconic musician has worked diligently to keep alive the spirit of the first Cowboy Christmas Ball for more than two decades. This year, he launches into the next 20 years with his popular Cowboy Christmas Tour.  Sponsored by Spalding Fly Predators, Murphey and his acclaimed Rio Grande Band will spread Holiday Cheer through nearly 20 cities including a stop in Anson, Texas, where the Cowboy Christmas Ball originated in 1885. “The first time I came to the annual Cowboy Christmas Ball in Anson, Texas, where the community has celebrated the holidays with this event every year since 1934, I was floored that the community had worked so hard to keep it going,” Murphey said. “I fell in love watching the older couples dance and the dances being passed on to the younger people. It reconnected me to the tradition.” Arriving in Anson, Texas on Christmas night, 1885, native New Yorker Larry Chittenden chronicled a dancing spectacle unparalleled in those days by composing the rhythmic, rollicking lines of The Cowboys’ Christmas Ball, a six stanza verse that still remembered and anthologized many times in print and song. Modeling a show after the annual Anson event, Murphey took the celebration on the road, and has over the past two decades, performed the ball in such prestigious venues as Bass Hall (Ft. Worth, TX), The National Cowboy and Western Heritage Museum (Oklahoma City, OK), the National Hispanic Cultural Center Journal Theater (Albuquerque, NM) and The Performing Arts Center at Texas A&M University (Austin, TX). This year’s tour begins on Nov. 21 in Colorado Springs and will continue through December. Visit www.michaelmartinmurphey.com for a complete listing of stops on the tour. “The Cowboy Christmas Ball is steeped in everything I hold dear of growing up in Texas at Christmas time,” Murphey said. “All the old dances are here… the waltzes, the mazurkas, the Paul Jones, the Virginia Reel… all these dances are still done here. The women make their own costumes and clothes and the men still wear string ties and frock coats. It’s a family reunion of friends. “This is my favorite season of the year,” Murphey continued. “We remember our fathers and mothers. We celebrate our children and we treasure our friends and the many blessing given by our Lord. It really brings out the very best in all of us.” KEEP YOUR EYES AND EARS PEELED!!! Bryan Hayes Still Just A Man — 10 Years Later Bryan Hayes crafts personal narratives with a novelist’s eye (“Soundtrack”) and an alchemist’s precision (“Mississippi”). Proof: The Memphis area resident’s seamless Still Just a Man….10 Years Later. Hayes’  recently re-recorded debut album spotlights a youthful songwriter in early peak form (“You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere”). “Ten years is a big milestone for me, an independent songwriter and traveling musician,” Hayes explains. “We felt like going back in and revisiting some of those songs was a way to say thanks to the folks who have been with us this entire time.” http://www.bryanhayesmusic.com

SPECIAL EVENT! Book Discussion – Capital in the Twenty-First Century October 8, 2014 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm Capital in the 21st Century by Thomas Picketty has spent 21 weeks on The New York Times best seller list. Professor Edward J. McKenna, Professor of Economics at Connecticut College, will lead a discussion of the book centered on the first 109 pages, which includes the introduction and the first and second chapters.   Professor McKenna’s work lies at the intersection of economics and philosophy. He is particularly interested in the relationship between philosophical conceptions of justice and fairness, and economic theories that explain the distribution of income. Copies of the pages to be discussed are available to borrow at the Circulation Desk.   To register, please call the library at 860-447-1411 x3 or click here. Location: Community Room.   ADULT PROGRAMS New London History Series Wednesday, October 1, 8, & 15 2:00 pm – 4:00 pm Join New London historian Sally Ryan and learn more about the history of New London. This series of programs runs on Wednesdays from September 24 through October 29. Sept. 24: The CT Colony and Pequot War Oct. 1:  New London’s Early Years: 1646 -1775 Oct. 8:  The Revolutionary War Oct. 15: Whaling 1820-1860 Oct. 22: Railroads and the Industrial Revolution Oct. 29: 1938 Hurricane to the Present   The series is free but registration is requested.    To register, please click here or call the library at 860-447-1411 x3   Contact:  mgupta@plnl.org. Location: Community Room Community Knit Every Thursday, 10:00 am – 11:30 am Learn the healing and calming effects of knitting and crocheting.  Socialize with others with the same interest. Help others by either teaching someone to knit or making something needed by a child, a senior citizen, or a homeless person. Bring your knitting materials!  Some materials may be provided.  Location: Board Room. Friday Afternoon Classics Friday, October 3 12:30 pm – 2:00 pm Enjoy a classic movie at the library!  This Friday, enjoy a 1942 American romantic drama film directed by Michael Curtiz. The film stars Humphrey Bogart, Ingrid Bergman and Paul Henreid. For more information, call the library at 860-447-1411 x3. Location: Community Room.   Supper Book Club  – Ten White Geese Monday, October 6 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm The group usually meets the second Monday, but because of Columbus Day we are meeting the first Monday this month. Book selections are chosen by members a few months ahead of the meeting date. Copies of the book are available for checkout at the Circulation Desk, beginning September 8.    Each month the club chooses a local restaurant that fits the theme of book, and dinner is ordered to be delivered to the library. Menus are available at the Circulation Desk.  Beverages are provided by the library. Book for October:  Ten White Geese  by Gerbrand Bakker    This book was the winner of the Independent Foreign Fiction Prize. Contact: 860-447-1411 x6 or smaryeski@plnl.org Location: Third Floor Office Citizenship Chat   Thursday, October 9 5:30 pm – 7:00 pm Help us celebrate the opening of the Citizenship Corner at the library! Come hear stories, get questions answered and learn about the new Citizenship Corner resources that are available. Registration not required but encouraged. To register, please call the library at 860-447-1411 x6. Contact: Maritza Vargas – mvargas@plnl.org Location: Community Room How To Set Up and Run a Successful Etsy Shop   Saturday, October 11 1:00 pm – 2:30 pm Would you like to sell your art, craft or antique collection online but aren’t ready to set up your own website?  Tap into the already booming marketplace of Etsy, an online collection of shops for handcrafted & vintage goods, and plug into a worldwide community of buyers. About The Presenter: Kristen Romans, a Lebanon resident and successful Etsy seller for the past 5 years with her jewelry business “Silver Ranch”, will present a comprehensive overview on how to set up your own Etsy shop to start your online business. Kristen brings her talent for public speaking and many years teaching experience to make this a fun and informative program. Bring your questions, a notebook, and your sense of adventure!   Registration is required.  To register, please click here or call the library at 860-447-1411 x3. Location: Community Room   Requesting Bequests: How To Successfully Acquire Legacy Gifts  Tuesday, October 14 9:30 am – 11:30 am When surveyed, most people say they would consider leaving a gift to charity in their will. In reality, only 1 in 20 actually does. Why not? Nonprofits never asked or established the strong relationship necessary to deserve to be written into a will. What tools do you need to ask for bequests and build your legacy giving program? Join us for this highly-informative workshop where you will discover how to successfully request bequests and raise money for your nonprofit organization.   About the Speaker: Rick Schwartz has been a leader in nonprofit communications for more than 35 years. He is a top-rated speaker nationally as well as a consultant in communications, strategic thinking, and development. He has been responsible for more than 30 annual reports and continues to create and consult on new ones every year. To register: call the library at 860-447-1411 x3 or click here. Contact: Madhu Gupta – mgupta@plnl.org Location: Community Room     TEEN PROGRAMS Teen Maker Tuesdays                      Tuesday, October 7    3:00 pm – 5:00 pm Teen Maker Tuesdays:  First Tuesday of every month. This month’s activity:  Make your own T-shirt bag! We’ll provide you with a t-shirt or you can bring your own! Registration is required.  To register, click here. Contact: Maritza Vargas   860-447-1411 x6   mvargas@plnl.org   Teen Tuesdays Tuesday, October 14 3:30 pm – 5:00 pm Join us every Tuesday for different activites, like crafts, games, technology and more.    Contact: Maritza Vargas – mvargas@plnl.org Location: Community Room      CHILDREN’S PROGRAMS Storytime Friends Every Tuesday in October 10:30 am – 11:30 am   Bring a cuddly friend to introduce to the group and listen to new and exciting stories each week! Informal playtime with storytime friends following the readings. Registration is recommended but not required.  Location:  Children’s Room.   To register, call the Children’s Room at 860-447-1411 x4 or click here. Homework Helpers Mondays Through Thursdays 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm Students from Connecticut College will be here in the Children’s Room to assist school aged children with homework in all areas of study. This program runs Monday – Thursday 4:00 pm – 6:00 pm on a drop-in basis. There is no fee for this service and no need to make an appointment. Location: Children’s Room  World Vegetarian Day Wednesday, October 1 3:30 pm – 5:30 pm Learn about a vegetarian diet and take home some vegetarian recipes to try later.  World Vegetarian Day encourages us to eat our fruits and vegetables. A vegetarian is someone who does not eat meat. This day is used to promote awareness of the issues, and encourages others to become a vegetarian. It is a good day to try a vegetarian diet. You might just be surprised how good it tastes!   Location:  Children’s Room   Art Behind The Story Every Thursday 10:30 am – 11:30 am Ms. Christa will read a story and kids and parents can create a related craft! Ages 3 and up with adult supervision required.   Contact:  Christa Sieburg – cseiburg@plnl.org   World Smile Day Friday, October 3 11:00 am – 5:00 pm Come to the library and show us your best smiley face. Then create a new one to take home with you. All materials will be provided. World Smile Day is celebrated on the first Friday in October.   World Smile Day celebrates the popular yellow smiley face! It also presents the opportunity to do an act of kindness! The intention of the day is to make one person smile! So let’s see what you can do!   According to the World Smile Day website, a proclamation of this day was made by the U.S. Congress. The Smile Face became so popular that the U.S. Post Office issued a stamp with the smiley face.   Harvey Ball, a commercial artist from Worcester, Massachusetts created the smiley face in 1963. The State Mutual Life Insurance Company hired Harvey as a free lance artist to create a smiley face for use in improving company morale. There is some controversy over the smiley face’s creation. A French entrepreneur named Franklin Loufrani claimed to have invented it in 1968. In 1971 he patented it in 80 countries.   Location:  Children’s Room Music On The Move with Miss Molly Monday, October 6, 20 & 27 10:30 am – 11:15 am A musical celebration for little ones and their parents and caregivers! Come sing and play with Ms. Molly on Monday mornings at 10:30am. This session will run for four weeks beginning Monday, September 29, continuing October 6, 20, and 27. Note: The library is closed on Monday, October 13 in honor of Columbus Day, so class will not be held that day. Contact:  Julie Holzworth – jholzworth@plnl.org Location: Community Room Mad Hatter Day Monday, October 6 10:00 am – 5:00 pm Grab yourself a crazy hat and wear it to the library for a special prize! Mad Hatter Day is a great day to be silly and celebrate silliness! The Mad Hatter is a fictional character depicted in Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland. The Mad Hatter is always acting silly. Did You Know? In the 8th Century, mercury was used in hat making in a process called “carroting”. Mercury poisoning drove some hatters crazy (mad). Location:  Children’s Room Fire Prevention Day Thursday, October 9 Sparked by the Great Chicago Fire of 1871, Fire Prevention Day teaches us fire safety and things we can do to help prevent fires from occurring. Check out a book on firetrucks, firefighters, fire-safety or famous fires in history. Location:  Children’s Room International Egg Day Friday, October 10 11:00 am – 12:00 pm What’s all the EGG-citement about? It’s International Egg Day! Learn about the health benefits of eggs, participate in an egg hunt at 11:00am around the Children’s Room in the library, and check out some EGG-cellent stories!   This is no yolk! Eggs are everything they are cracked up to be. Eggs are high in nutrition, low in fat, and people all around the world consume eggs and egg products.   Location: Children’s Room   Public Library of New London 63 Huntington Street New London CT 06320 860-447-1411 www.plnl.org Connect @ your Library Books, DVDs, CDs, audio-books, e-books, museum passes & magazines. Fax  and notary service

Additional Casting Announced for the New Production of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe’s “Gigi”

Vanessa Hudgens is joined byTwo-time Tony Award-nominee Howard McGillin as Honore Lachaille, Corey Cott as Gaston Lachaille, and Steffanie Leigh as Liane d’Exelmans

Tickets on sale tomorrow for the Pre-Broadway Engagement

at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts

in Washington, D.C., at the Eisenhower Theater,

January 16-February 12, 2015

Re-envisioned production adapted by Heidi Thomas

Choreography by Joshua Bergasse

Directed by Eric Schaeffer

www.GigiOnBroadway.com

Additional casting has been announced for the new Broadway production of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe’s beloved Oscar and Tony Award-winning film and stage musical, Gigi. Joining the previously announced Vanessa Hudgens in the title role will be two-time Tony Award-nominee Howard McGillin (The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Anything Goes, The Phantom of the Opera) as Honore Lachaille, Corey Cott (Newsies) as Gaston Lachaille and Steffanie Leigh (Mary Poppins) as Liane d’Exelmans. Casting for the roles of Madame Alvarez and Aunt Alicia will be announced soon.

Gigi will be directed by Eric Schaeffer (Follies, Million Dollar Quartet), in a re-envisioned adaptation by British playwright and BAFTA-winning and Emmy-nominated screenwriter Heidi Thomas (“Call the Midwife,” “Cranford,” “Upstairs, Downstairs”). Joshua Bergasse (On the Town, “Smash”) will choreograph the production.

Gigi will play a pre-Broadway engagement in the Eisenhower Theater at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts (David M. Rubenstein, chairman, Deborah F. Rutter, president) in Washington, D.C. from January 16-February 12, 2015. Opening night is January 29, 2015.

Tickets will go on sale tomorrow, Wednesday, October 1 at 10:00 AM to the general public. Visit www.kennedy-center.org for further details. Gigi will open on Broadway in 2015 following the Kennedy Center engagement.

The cast also features Cameron Adams, Madeleine Doherty, Hannah Florence, Jenifer Foote, Allison Jantzie, Sam Lips, Ian Paget, James Patterson, Justin Prescott, Manuel Stark, Tanairi Vazquez and Ashley Yeater, with additional casting to be announced.

Scenic design is by Tony Award-winner Derek McLane, costume design is by five-time Tony Award winner Catherine Zuber, lighting design is by four-time Tony Award winner Natasha Katz and sound design is by Tony Award nominee Kai Harada. Hair design is by David Brian Brown. Musical director is James Moore. Orchestrations are by August Eriksmoen. Vocal and incidental music arrangement is by Matt Aument. Dance music arrangements are by Sam Davis.

Based on the 1944 novel by Colette, Gigi was first adapted for the Broadway stage in 1951 by Anita Loos, with an unknown Audrey Hepburn in the title role; then, following their success with My Fair Lady, the team of Alan Jay Lerner (screenplay and lyrics) and Frederick Loewe (music) adapted the material for the 1958 movie musical, winner of nine Academy Awards, including Best Picture.  The film, directed by Vincente Minnelli, is widely considered the last great MGM movie musical, and is beloved for its wit, charm and sumptuous costume and production design.  GIGI includes such numbers as “Thank Heaven for Little Girls,” “I Remember It Well” “The Night They Invented Champagne” and the Oscar-winning title song, “Gigi”.  Gigi also won the Tony Award for Best Score in 1974.
This new adaptation of Gigi will feature all of the songs from the movie, including two songs, “The Parisians” and “Say a Prayer for Me Tonight,” which were dropped from the previous stage version. The production also includes four songs written and added to the score by Lerner and Loewe in 1973, “Paris is Paris Again,” “I Never Want to Go Home Again,” “The Contract,” and “In This Wide, Wide World.”

Gigi is produced by Jenna Segal. General management is by Foresight Theatrical.

Jim Doherty and Eileen Morehouse have recently accepted positions on the Board of Directors with Renaissance City Theatre, Inc. (RCTI). RCTI is the non-profit producing entity of the Granite Theatre in Westerly.

Mr. Doherty is a veteran of the health care industry having, during the past 30 years, held business development executive and non-executive management positions with various medical device and pharmaceutical research organizations.  Mr. Doherty is a founding member of the folk/pop band 20 AFTER and has been involved in the performing arts most of his life.  He is a graduate of the U.S. Naval Academy and currently resides in  Stonington with his wife and daughter.

Eileen Morehouse has been owner and operator of Mason’s Island Marina in Mystic, Connecticut for the past 28 years following a career in real estate.  This has enabled her to combine her business experience with her love of boating and the sea.   She is a member of the Connecticut Marine Trades Association and The Greater Mystic Chamber of Commerce.  She is a lifelong resident of Lord’s Point in Stonington.  Eileen is an avid supporter of the arts and looks forward to being an active member of the RCTI Board of Directors.

The Narragansett Lions Club Steak Fry is this FRIDAY — October 3rd!    Tickets are still available and can be purchased by calling Easter Seals RI  at 401.284.1000 or 401.284.3738! For more information about Easter Seals RI visit, www.easterseals.com/rhodeisland