#Auto & General Theatre on the Square

[diceriadelluntore]

Storia Di Musica #99 - Bob Dylan, The Bootleg Series Vol. 5, Bob Dylan Live 1975 The Rolling Thunder Revue 2002

Dopo aver dato alle stampe uno dei dischi più belli di sempre, il magnificoBlood On The Tracks (1975), Bob Dylan è pronto a nuove sfide. Su suggerimento del caro amico David Blue (cantante e produttore a cui Joni Mitchell dedicò la favolosa Blue) Dylan progettò un tour dove decise di privilegiare i piccoli teatri delle grandi città e i grandi teatri delle piccole città, per dare la possibilità di un ascolto più intimo e anche a costi più bassi. Dylan, pieno di idee, chiese aiuto al chitarrista Bob Nuewirth, che organizzò una compagnia di sessionisti itineranti che un po’ sembrava figlia delle carovane del racconti western, un po’ assomigliava ad un mix romanzesco di zingari delle praterie e il circo Barnum, a cui detterò il nome di Thunder Rolling Revue. A Dylan l’idea piacque così tanto che sin dai primi concerti si presentava in scena spesso con il viso dipinto di bianco, un cappello di piume o vestito come da presentatore del circo, l’atmosfera era così frizzante e vivace che in certi passaggi sul palco c’erano 20 musicisti, a cui con il passare delle date si aggiungevano grandi artisti invitati o auto invitatisi alla festa: in quei momenti sembrava non perfetta la scelta dei piccoli teatri e dei loro palchi più piccoli. Il tour si svolse in due sessioni, una nel 1975 e l’altra nel 1976, con in mezzo la pubblicazione di un album importante della storia dylaniana, Desire (1976), con alcune canzoni anticipate già nel concerti del 1975. In verità del tour esisteva già una documentazione musicale, il live A Hard Rain (1976) che sebbene si concentri sulle registrazioni di un solo concerto fu sempre criticato per la mancanza di verve e coesione di quella serata. E Siccome i fan di Dylan sono di bocca buona, la lacuna fu colmata appena possibile. Negli immensi archivi del nostro, il Bootleg Series Vol. 5 nel 2002 mette insieme una scaletta favolosa da tre concerti (Montreal Forum, Harvard Square Theatre, Cambridge e Boston Music Hall) del periodo 1975, quelli ritenuti più belli e vibranti. Dylan ha una band formidabile composta dal già citato Nuewirth, Joan Baez, sua fidata sodale, Ronee Blakley, T-Bone Burnett, David Mansfield, Roger McGuinn, Scarlet Rivera, Luther Rix, Mick Ronson (si proprio il chitarrista e produttore di Bowie, che fu anch’egli invitato ma per impegni concomitanti non riuscì mai ad unirsi alla compagnia) Steven Soles, Rob Stoner, Howie Wyeth. Un gruppo all-star meraviglioso che regala musica meravigliosa, intensa e indimenticabile. La scaletta ha scelte interessanti e non scontate: si parte con Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here With You da Nashville Skyline (il suo album folk country del 1969), intensa e poco suonata dal vivo, poi arriva It Ain’t Me Babe del 1964, primo grande brano d’amore dylaniano. Il disco procede per salti tra il Dylan d’annata e quello più moderno: A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall (direttamente da The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan) che poi si lega  The Lonesome Death Of Hattie Carroll, sferzante ballata politica sulla storia della povera Hattie Carrol, cameriera di colore barbaramente assassinata da un uomo ubriaco, che non fu accusato di omicidio. Poi il primo brano che verrà inserito su Desire: Romance In Durango, divertente brano su una coppia di manti messicani. Il disco ha una forza, una precisione musicale e una coesione altissima, che aumentano nei classici incredibili del repertorio del nostro: Mr. Tambourine Man, Simple Twist Of Fate (eccezionale), una monumentale Blowin’ In the Wind con la Baez, da pelle d’oca. addirittura I Shall Be Released. Il lato b si apre con It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue, e tra i suoi classici Tangled Up In Blue, Knockin’ On Heaven’s Door (con McGuinn, magica e che chiude il disco) tre perle di quello che sarà Desire: Oh, Sister, meravigliosa canzone sulla fragilità dell’amore; Sara, dedicata a sua moglie Sara, dopo i tumulti emotivi e matrimoniali del periodo di Blood On The Tracks e soprattutto Hurricane, storia vera del pugile Rubin “Hurricane” Carter, arrestato con prove alquanto discutibili: la canzone fu un successo e scatenò molte polemiche, ma Carter rimase in prigione.Solo dopo 20 anni un gruppo di avvocati e attivisti, ispirati anche dalla canzone di Dylan, riuscì a scagionarlo e liberarlo, e dalla vicenda fu tratto un bel film con Denzel Washington nelle vesti del pugile afroamericano. Il disco è magnifico e il tour, nonostante i piccoli problemi accennati, rimane iconico, anche per le leggende sugli artisti invitati e mai partecipanti (si dice oltre a Bowie, che pure Springsteen, Patti Smith, Joni Mitchell non riuscirono mai ad esibirsi) ma spesso sul palco con Dylan c’era Allen Ginsberg, il poeta faro della beat generation. Su Netflix nel 2019 Martin Scorsese ha curato una monumentale retrospettiva sul tour in occasione della pubblicazione di un cofanetto celebrativo che, in 14 cd o 28 lp, raccoglie il meglio di questa carovana piena di magie, talenti e canzoni.

[guylty]

This is not an April Fool’s joke! Our esteemed fellow fan LoLo played host to Flat Richie on the latest leg of his world tour. LoLo has extensively tweeted about it on her Twitter,  but she has also written a guest post about the “boys” in town. The following text is all hers, as are the photos which I have lifted from LoLo’s tweets. For a geographical overview, I am preceding her report with the customary itinerary map. Flat Richie is already on the way to his 10th hostess. Enjoy LoLo’s report!

After being hosted in Germany by the gracious and generous Nordlicht, Flat Richie traveled across the Atlantic for an unexpectedly prolonged stop at Hollywood. I offer my sincere apologies for his lengthy stay; I was in Las Vegas for a week with my mother and then was quite ill for a long time. But we’ve done our sightseeing and had our fun, and Richie finally began the next leg of his journey on 29 March.

I opened The Package of All Good Things on a Saturday night and chose three lovely items: a heart-shaped keychain containing a photo of our beautiful man, a heart-shaped locket containing a photo of…our beautiful man…and a set of a magnet and heart-shaped keychain from fair Verona. Yes, it was a hearty evening for me! (Sorry, couldn’t resist.) I’ve received so much kindness, encouragement and support from this amazing fandom that the triple hearts were completely apropos. I added my contributions, which I hope will delight others as much as the gifts I chose delight me.

LoLo’s chosen loot…

Tyrone Power

Because I still wasn’t breathing well at that point (and it wasn’t just from mooning over the aforementioned beautiful man), I took two hits from my asthma inhaler and fell into a troubled sleep. I was feeling so guilty about the length of time that Richie, Sir Guy and Thorin were with me that I had an anxiety dream about running all over Hollywood to find the best photo opportunities. During the dream, the fellas and I went to the Hollywood Walk of Fame to visit the star of Tyrone Power, one of my all-time favorite actors. There was something or other in my dream about RA doing a remake of one of Ty’s big hits, the 1942 film The Black Swan, so apparently my subconscious thinks that RA would be perfectly cast in a swashbuckler. Contemplating it while awake, I like it so am putting it out into the universe.

That Sunday evening was rather a comedy of errors, or as we in Los Angeles know it, a typical couple of hours spent in traffic, driving around fruitlessly. I did manage to take the guys to commune with a patch of California poppies in a neighbor’s yard, as well as to investigate the iconic Greek Theatre in the Hollywood Hills.

Always classy: Flat Richie goes for classic Greek drama…

The next day, the Monday, we had much better luck. Our first stop was…drumroll, please! Tyrone Power’s star! I honestly had not thought of making that stop before my dream so it tickled me to do it. I adore Ty so much; he was a gifted actor whose talent was often overlooked due to his stunning good looks. Sound familiar? When I met Maureen O’Hara, who co-starred with him in The Black Swan, I confessed to her that I had a huge crush on Ty, and she said that he was well worthy of it because of how talented and what a gentleman he was. Sir Guy thought our stop was more of a tribute to him, as Ty is the only movie star who is even close to as handsome as he. [If you’re looking to bolster your familiarity with Ty’s movies, btw, I’d recommend Blood and Sand, The Razor’s Edge and Witness for the Prosecution.]

Legendary Hollywood leading man on the star of some chap who was in a film or two.

After that, we traveled farther down Hollywood Boulevard to the Hollywood & Highland complex, which is the home of the Dolby Theatre. Because the Dolby is where the Academy Awards are held every year, we were able to pop into the first-ever Oscars pop-up shop, where the boys persuaded me to spend too much money. Guy, Richie and Thorin took photos with an Oscar-themed step-and-repeat, as well as with an impressive Panavision movie camera.

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Our next stop was one of my favorite places in Hollywood, Grauman’s Chinese Theatre (as it was formerly known). This is where the stars have left their hand- and footprints since 1927, which, coincidentally, is how old the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is. It may not have the glamour it once did, but oh, how I love that forecourt! Just the thought of the magical, star-filled premieres held there thrills me. Our main destination was the square belonging to my all-time favorite star, Marilyn Monroe. Marilyn and her co-star, Jane Russell, left their marks in honor of the 1953 movie Gentlemen Prefer Blondes. Richie and Thorin were suitably impressed, while Sir Guy made a rather off-color remark that I won’t repeat. Someone’s smirking mouth might need washing out with kisses soap.

Grauman’s Chinese Theater – how does Richie deal with dragon’s lairds?

My weary bones carried me inside Hollywood & Highland again to forage for food, and while there, we took some snaps of the interior, which is much more stunning in person. We also found the Hollywood sign, and while my stumpy little arms are not long enough to take good photos while holding up Richie, we did get a pic of the sign itself.

If you can take your eyes momentarily away from the handsome hunk, the Hollywood sign is bang in the centre of the image

The boys stayed with me longer than I had intended that week due to an intensification of my bronchitis/laryngitis/flu/desire to fling myself off my balcony, but I eventually got them packed up and sent along their hopefully merry way. I so loved hosting them and hope that they enjoyed their time in LaLaLand with LoLo. Thank you so much for letting me participate in their adventures!

Look who has popped up…

Wow wow wow – that was definitely a proper tour of Tinsel Town, right? Thank you very much to LoLo for taking Flat Richie to see the sights – and for bringing us along. This was such a fun and interesting trip – and oh, I can’t even put into words how much I envy LoLo for the mild weather with poppies in bloom! It is weird and wonderful to know that this little tin that I created and that so many of you already held – and will hold in the future – has been to a place we all know from the movies… It’s a wild ride. And more is yet to come! Stay tuned! 

[Guest Post] #FlatRichie Visits Tinsel Town This is not an April Fool's joke! Our esteemed fellow fan LoLo played host to Flat Richie on the latest leg of his world tour.

[architectnews]

Samuels & Associates Headquarters Boston

Samuels & Associates Boston Headquarters, Massachusetts Offices, Commercial Building News

Samuels & Associates Headquarters Boston, MA

Sep 22, 2020

Samuels & Associates Headquarters in Boston

Location: 136 Brookline Avenue, Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America

Design: Elkus Manfredi Architects

Samuels & Associates Headquarters

Size: 8,600 square feet

Project Design Intent

In its new Fenway headquarters, Samuels & Associates establishes its presence in the heart of the neighborhood. With retail establishments on the ground floor and Samuels & Associates’ corporate offices on the two upper floors, the building’s redesign exemplifies urban adaptive re-use that seeks to save and find new uses for an existing building, rather than tearing it down, reflecting the same approach Samuels & Associates takes in many of its projects. The building at 136 Brookline Avenue was built to contain the heavy machinery and vehicles of an auto service and repair business, so its sound structure made it a good candidate for a new use.

Located in a former automotive garage in Boston’s Fenway neighborhood, Samuels & Associates’ new headquarters exemplifies urban adaptive re-use. Red brick walls painted white; open, sandblasted ceilings; and stained and polished original concrete floors celebrate the existing urban space: photo © Eric Laigne

Overall Project Challenges

 Open spaces supported by concrete mushroom columns required separation and definition by function.  Meeting spaces needed to allow for separate private meetings to occur concurrently.  Confidentiality concerns dictated that guests exiting meetings not go back through the common waiting area at reception.  Event space was needed where projects could be celebrated and clients entertained.  The design should reflect the unique personality of company founder and chairman Steve Samuels, a third-generation real estate developer, whose interests and activities outside the company include film production and music.  While capturing the entrepreneurial leadership of Steve Samuels, the design also needed to provide functional and comfortable workspace for the company’s approximately 50 corporate employees.

Design Solutions

 The existing footprint of the building’s second and third floors was divided into public and private workspaces, with new walls creating a reception area and conference center on the second floor and offices plus a communal kitchen on the third floor.  Red brick walls were painted white; ceilings retained their original raw concrete and were sandblasted to remove dirt and old paint. The original concrete floors were stained and polished.  The second floor features a central reception area surrounded by glass-fronted conference rooms.  Behind the reception desk, glass doors open to a rooftop deck that serves as an open-air entertainment and employee relaxation area.  Third-floor office space encompasses cubicles surrounded by glass-fronted offices. The third-floor communal kitchen/breakroom is anchored by a long wall of clerestory windows that introduce natural light and views.  At the second-floor entry opposite the elevator doors, a collection of historic machining tools evoke the building’s industrial history.  The hall leading to Steve Samuels’ office celebrates his music passion and film-production career with framed movie posters and a collection of antique microphones.  The stairway landings are decorated with hand drawings of company projects printed on metal, including a drawing of The Verb Hotel.

Project Team

Architecture: Elkus Manfredi Architects Interior Architecture:Elkus Manfredi Architects Lighting Designer: Lam Partners MEP Engineer: WSP General Contractor: Paradigm Construction Workstation Supplier: AIS

Background

In 1993, the real estate development company Samuels & Associates produced the 440,000-square-foot retail shopping center South Bay Center in Dorchester, Massachusetts, the first development of its type in an urban location. This led Samuels & Associates, in 2004, to envision another urban retail development – this time with a mix of uses including residential and office space. They enlisted the help of Elkus Manfredi Architects to design a master plan for Fenway Triangle Trilogy, a one-million-square-foot mixed-use development in the heart of Boston’s Fenway neighborhood.

Primarily wetland before baseball’s legendary Fenway Park was constructed in 1911, the Fenway neighborhood had long suffered urban blight and neglect. Its wide streets were unfriendly to pedestrians, and the neighborhood was dominated by parking lots, gas stations, and derelict one- and two-story light industrial buildings.

Working closely with Samuels & Associates to develop the plan for Fenway Triangle Trilogy and conducting numerous community meetings to earn the trust and approval of Fenway residents, Elkus Manfredi created the design roadmap for The Fenway’s revitalization, using tools such as wide sidewalks, street trees, and traffic-calming build-outs to create a “main street” setting with a welcoming pedestrian environment.

Elkus Manfredi continued to provide design and planning expertise to Samuels & Associates as the development company spear-headed the ongoing revitalization of The Fenway. Projects designed by Elkus Manfredi in The Fenway include the mixed-use 450,000-square-foot building at 1330 Boylston and the mixed-use 870,000-square-foot building Van Ness, which includes one residential and one office tower, plus retail at street level.

An old Howard Johnson’s motor court was transformed by Elkus Manfredi into The Verb Hotel, a hip urban hotel and well-loved Fenway landmark that pays homage to the rock music scene which thrived here in the 1960s and ‘70s. Pierce Boston, The Fenway’s newest luxury tower soaring 30 stories into the sky, had its grand opening in March 2018 after being under construction for nearly three years.

A number of the company’s other Fenway projects are currently underway, including the redevelopment of the 1920’s Art Deco-style Sears, Roebuck and Company distribution center into a modern mixed-use building known as 401 Park.

In 2016, Samuels & Associates further embraced its connection to The Fenway when the company established its corporate headquarters in a three-story former automotive garage and service building built in 1960.

Samuels & Associates Headquarters Boston Building images / information received from Elkus Manfredi Architects

Elkus Manfredi Architects

Location: 136 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA, USA

Elkus Manfredi Boston Architecture

Boston Architecture Design – chronological list

Buildings in Boston Area by Elkus Manfredi Architects

Joan & Edgar Booth Theatre and the College of Fine Arts Production Center, Boston University, 820 Commonwealth Avenue, Brookline, Massachusetts, USA photo © Robert Benson Joan & Edgar Booth Theatre and the College of Fine Arts Production Center Boston University Building

MassDOT Research and Materials Lab is LEED Gold Certified, MA, USA photograph : Bruce T Martin MassDOT Research and Materials Lab

Union Point Master Plan, 12 miles south of Boston, Massachusetts, United States of America Design: Elkus Manfredi Architects with Sasaki Associates image © Elkus Manfredi Architects Union Point Master Plan

Boston Architecture

New Buildings in Boston

Boston Architecture News

Perles Family Studio, Jacob’s Pillow Dance, Becket, Massachusetts Design: David Croteau of Flansburgh Architects photo : Robert Benson Photography Jacob’s Pillow Dance Building

Ames Boston Hotel Renewal Design: Glen and Co. Architecture photo courtesy of architects Ames Boston Hotel Building Renovation

Massachusetts College of Art and Design Design and Media Center Design: Ennead Architects photograph © Peter Vanderwarker Massachusetts College of Art and Design Design and Media Center Building

Comments / photos for the Samuels & Associates Headquarters Boston page welcome

Website: Boston

The post Samuels & Associates Headquarters Boston appeared first on e-architect.

[skyetrga847]

Description games Grand Theft Auto 4

I grew up in the era when GTA was generally contraband. In 2003, my colleagues and I pitched in to acquire a reproduction of Secondary Town and split this amongst one another, out of the eyesight of our mothers, which given all happened performed in a fearful frenzy in documents with STATES Now about the game’s prostitution with chaotic propensities. GTA wasn’t a game toward us but was a essential component of your adolescence, the kind of all-caps MATURE article we encountered as an pretense of rebellion as much as a joy thing to authorize the time.

Grand Theft Auto 4 arrived at a new age. I wasn’t level playing sports at that point anymore, having forgot my consoles when I attended higher education with 2007 in an effort to focus on my studies and become a world-renowned author™. Still, I even get myself drawn to IV, not because it became the next-gen adaptation of GTA, yet as a lot of that game talked with a thematic evolution i was considering. Head-down in publications such as Good Gatsby then The Scream Of Group 49, GTA IV’s somber take on finding yourself spent in the cold tunnels of The National Dream as a poor person while the precious get stupider, crueler, and richer talked to me. I spent countless hours on a friend’s Xbox 360 to complete the game, eagerly playing through the sad account of Niko Bellic.

You’ve probably read a hundred hot stands on Grand Theft Auto IV with The Us Hope. You can reach below for my style of this if you want, but I must focus on somewhat different for this part. IV excels when it comes to building something is red for open-world up for: a thematically unified incident to drive when it comes to telling a story while and recognizing that the player is an independent inhabitant of the world instead of a traveler. How that GTA IV complete of which stays that it highlights the weight.

Large is (forgive myself) a loaded word. There are obvious examples of heavy, when it comes to physical weight. Something – a case of stones, the anvil – is deep. There is plus the thematic model on the phrase, of course; to say anything happens deep is to tell the thinking about you eat emotionally, it’s depressing you. GTA IV has systems in place both at home moment-by-moment gameplay and also the plot that embraces both of these.

Since the narrative's emotional heaviness is pretty clear for anyone who’s played Grand Theft Auto IV, let’s look at the gameplay concepts, like physics. GTA 4’s physics are surprisingly single in them to display a surprisingly eloquent take on awkwardness. Everything feels like it offers a defined load with GTA IV that drags that down. Niko goes without elegance, always a victim of her own lack of balance. Sometimes someone may brush beyond him or a car can gently tap him, with torture fall over awkwardly. Vehicles are the expansion of the. Level the faster convertible vehicles turn much more slowly than they would in a racer or a new Grand Theft Auto game. To label them tanks would be exaggerating, but they’re not nimble.

In Grand Theft Auto 4, gunfights feel similarly unique. Plenty of action games make use of destructible case but there’s anything about the significance in the planet which makes this feel alive in the single means. Taking cover behind a car during a struggle with the law will cause the vehicle slightly start when rounds beat this, the flute above you will break and water you as bullets hole through. Melee battle is awkward but animal, with Niko's brutal pistol belt involving the enemy going round the corner creating a combination of tension with shock. The prolonged delivery on the progress benefit the enemy's stagger backward result in an opening for you to kill them down, and it is surprisingly and uncomfortably intimate.

People rightfully noticed that the ragdoll animations and even rate of the gunfight action modified for Grand Theft Auto V, with enemies popping out all over and their bodies responding into further of a “lower down” sort of manner than IV’s mixture of prolonged and dropping animations. IV’s kills are shifting because of the relationship that Against trades away for the scope and kind meetings. Where V is regularly putting people into the kind of action sequences you’d view in Rush and Vision Impossible, IV’s gunfights often occur in squalor. The nearness of nailing a drug dealer’s eyeball around the turn in the ratty slum’s hallway with a blind fire from the pistol and then looking at their lead strike back counter to the edges is much more frightening (also fascinating) than V’s approach.

The big difference between the two modes of assault makes sense when you believe the creation they're aping. V is the termination of Rockstar’s bond with the records of Jordan Mann (Thief, Stage). The engagement is cheerful and enjoyable, with the show briefly display to let you know if you kill someone.

Notice the elements here. There’s a lot of remaining on the injuries, blood splattering on the window, the factor with the van slowly go ahead to deviate with the square one, the bullets. There is no zipping present with scores. This sort of storytelling places focus not about frantic action but instead for the idea this violence is holding the emotional with real effect on the world. Cars move. Glass shatters. People moan with agony.

Grand Theft Auto 5 says these look, like grass defeat with death moans, but they're minimized due to the high production rates as well as the trends of opponents that come after you while Tangerine Dream’s beautiful score compete in the family. That kind a side among a person and also the violence. Yes, this is entertainment. Don’t worry, you’re just performing a video game that takes place mimicking that battle hit people notice last summer.

IV has very little in the way of such artificial barriers. There is no soundtrack to cover up the cries with the man you just taken since he begs someone nearby to see the partner he enjoys her. The violence is frightening and often cruel, helping turn Niko Bellic into a complex character, a person with noble value which nonetheless commits heinous wars that provide dying with bear upon countless people.

Niko’s emotional scratches and experiencing a challenging, adolescent betrayal have left him incapable of crossing the earth as something other than a mercenary for hire – someone capable of drive away from their feelings to injured citizens for dollars. The method with Grand Theft Auto IV, particularly when it comes to physics and movements in combat, stress that as much as the report does. Every feat of assault is mired in the throes https://gtadownload.org of artistic realism, with quality models falling again, while the world erupts in people in a sluggish but convincing direction which grounds the theatre of Niko's story.

Of course, a lot of these distinctions probably be outside the realm of creative intent. GTA IV was Rockstar's first real attempt to seize with the RAGE engine on the large scale, so the awkward physics and clunkiness of battle is more likely a result of that than any intent. However, at the end from the day, you have the bit of painting with purpose only concern with a degree. No matter if GTA 4's physics are accidentally compelling or a mistake, they're still charming and immersive storytelling props.

Storytelling with activities is still unfortunately often observed in terms of traditional plot. "The plot then the figures are superior." However, I think it's worth paying attention to the elements outside of that. Just as a actor provides a reputation on a script to life for a film, the strict stuff which you might not love about opening view (like the way physics weigh on a atmosphere and identify the tether on the planet) is often key in making that lie what it is in the earliest position. The most awful thing that can ever happen to GTA IV, beyond being removed from room and stage, is a remaster that develops the gunplay then produces the persons animations more attractive. To do that would puncture Rockstar's disturbing yet compelling interpretation of The National Dream.

Yes, GTA V is a great practical and inventive success that dwarfs IV in terms of substance and pleasurable activities to do. And Vice Urban and III were both incredible games in which did a lot to improve the intermediate. However, IV remains an important GTA to me since it’s a high-budget game produced by one of the most successful developers to goes all-in at generating a great encounter on wandering, sympathetic souls doing awful points also earning hard amounts to survive a dingy, despairing world.

IV is not without the drawbacks. The writing is tricky in some areas, particularly some homophobic and misogynistic pieces to touch juvenile rather than provocative, and Oh My Lord I Ignored How Severe The Checkpoint Order Is. But, IV's ambitions and its performances with those goals, are still unmatched in virtually another game away here through our measure. Epic in scope and bitter but humanistic, IV lives beyond these concerns as a modern classic in a way that the other GTAs just don't.

[larryland]

LENOX, MA [November 11, 2019] — Every year, WAM Theatre donates a portion of the box office proceeds from their Mainstage productions to organizations that work for gender equality locally, nationally, or internationally. The success of the just-closed production of PIPELINE by Dominique Morisseau, directed by Dawn M. Simmons, enabled the company to present $4500 each to their 18th and 19th  beneficiaries, Harmony Homestead and Wholeness Center, Inc., and The Women of Color Giving Circle. This brings WAM’s donation total since its founding in 2010 to $75,000.

  The WAM Team presents checks to Harmony Homestead Wholeness Center and the Women of Color Giving Circle following the closing performance of PIPELINE on November 9, 2019. Photo by David Dashiell.

  PIPELINE, presented by WAM in partnership with BRIDGE, is a co-production with The Nora Theatre Company at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, MA, where the play will be performed from March 5-29, 2020.  

  “The WAM Beneficiary Committee is delighted that our selection of these two beneficiaries enabled us to support both the professional and spiritual development of what we hope are future educators of color in the Berkshires”, Kristen van Ginhoven, Producing Artistic Director of WAM Theatre shared. “That made these two organizations the perfect beneficiaries for PIPELINE.”

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WAM Producing Artistic Director Kristen van Ginhoven and BRIDGE Founder and CEO Gwendolyn VanSant with Shirley Edgerton and Leah Reed of the Women of Color Giving Circle. Photo by David Dashiell.

Elizabeth Blackshine, Founder of Harmony Homestead, with BRIDGE Founder and CEO Gwendolyn VanSant and WAM Producing Artistic Director Kristen van Ginhoven. Photo by David Dashiell.

“WAM’s donation will allow Harmony Homestead & Wholeness Center to create and provide a horticulture therapy program for people of color. We also hope to purchase a vehicle to help increase attendance by families of color at our programs, which include meditation, re-evaluation counseling classes, cultural food growing, and nature immersion programs” explained Elizabeth Blackshine, Founder of Harmony Homestead & Wholeness Center.

  “This donation from WAM will help the Women of Color Giving Circle upgrade the educational tools we use in our mentoring program for girls and their families.”  said Leah Reed,  a member of the Circle.  “It will also help us facilitate and maintain connections with students from historically black colleges and universities (HBCU) as we foster collaborative relationships by bringing them to the Berkshires to work with our youth.”

  The 2019 beneficiaries were chosen after a thoughtful and rigorous selection process, including a request for proposals and site visits, overseen by a committee at WAM consisting of Kristen van Ginhoven (WAM Producing Artistic Director), Margaret Fluhr (WAM Board of Directors), Wendy Healey (WAM Board of Directors), Dori Parkman (WAM General Manager) and Lia Russell-Self (WAM Associate Producing Director). Stephanie Wright of BRIDGE joined the committee this year as part of the WAM/BRIDGE partnership on PIPELINE.

  Harmony Homestead and the Women of Color Giving Circle are WAM’s 18th & 19th beneficiaries. Past recipients include: Tapestry Health Systems, The MoonCatcher Project, The Denise Kaley Fund,  the LIPPI Program of the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts, the Soldier On Women’s Program, the Berkshire Immigrant Center, Suzi Banks Baum’s New Illuminations initiative in Gyumri, Armenia, Hands in Outreach, Sisters for Peace, Mother of Peace Orphanage in Illovo, South Africa, the Rites of Passage and Empowerment Program for Girls (ROPE), Shout Out Loud Productions, Berkshire United Way’s Teen Pregnancy Prevention Initiative, Edna’s Hospital in Somaliland, The Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts, and Women for Women International. Read more.

  An important component of the WAM/BRIDGE partnership was creating a sense of engagement and place for the artists and production team. BRIDGE Founder and CEO, Gwendolyn VanSant coached the WAM team in equity and inclusion practices for beneficiary processes, relevant community partner engagement, board and volunteer education, and the artist and audience engagement and outreach; consulted in design of curriculum, study guide and playbill; participated in auditions and designed a supplemental talkback to support Berkshire county audience and panelists at the intersections of the WAM and BRIDGE mission. Representatives of the PIPELINE beneficiaries, along with BRIDGE Towards Racial Justice activists and allies, provided additional meals and meetings to support the guest artists while they were in the Berkshires performing this play, as well as ushered for the play and provided support for the production where needed. 

  “Through this production, we looked to fortify and nourish local partnerships and cultivate access points for authentic discussion for students and adults engaged with our schools and justice systems around the stark ethnic disparities that exist for Black families. As we identified gaps in understanding and life experience for some audience members and a deep resonance for others, this unique Berkshire production of PIPELINE offered solutions and future models for all arts organizations through a deep, intentional collaboration with community partners for all of us as educators, parents, students, artists and leaders to grow from,” Gwendolyn VanSant explained. “PIPELINE helped us deepen these conversations with courage and vulnerability.”

  An in-school workshop series, designed and taught by Talya Kingston of WAM and Stephanie Wright of BRIDGE,  provided the 8th grade students of Nessacus Regional Middle School attending PIPELINE with classes to introduce the students to concepts of racial bias, micro and macro aggressions, and stereotyping, and provided them with strategies to embrace individual responsibility and to facilitate community change.

Nessacus 8th Graders pay rapt attention during their talkback.

  PIPELINE Community Development workshops (PIPELINE 2.0), designed and taught by Lia Russell-Self from WAM and Gwendolyn VanSant from BRIDGE, were presented in multiple professional development and public events across Berkshire County to extend the opportunity for learning from the immense power of PIPELINE outside of the theatre toward positive social impact. Participants were educators who selected the Pipeline 2.0 session for Berkshire County Professional Development Day for educators, MCLA students and their faculty on the Day of Dialogue, BRIDGE Race Amity Day participants and the Nessacus 8th grade team. 

BRIDGE Founder & CEO Gwendolyn VanSant with Dennis Powell, President of the NAACP-Berkshire Chapter, and Berkshire County District Attorney Andrea Harrington.

WAM’s Associate Producing Director Lia Russell-Self moderates a talkback with Shirley Edgerton and Jerome Edgerton.

BRIDGE Founder & CEO Gwendolyn VanSant moderates a talkback with BRIDGE educator Stephanie Wright and Dr. Emily Williams.

BRIDGE Founder & CEO Gwendolyn VanSant with Dr. Tracey Benson, author of “Unconscious Bias in Schools.”

  Curated and moderated by Gwendolyn VanSant, a well attended series of post show conversations offered audience members an opportunity to engage with artists involved in the production and with speakers such as Dr. Tracey Benson, author of Unconscious Bias in Schools, Berkshire County District Attorney Andrea Harrington, DA office Community Engagement Coordinator Bryan House, Dennis Powell, President of the NAACP-Berkshire Chapter, and local subject matter experts, beneficiaries and others.

  On Saturday, November 2nd, WAM’s Fresh Takes play reading series had a successful reading of PARADISE by Laura Maria Censabella, followed by a conversation with the playwright, actors Layan Elwazani and Jay Sefton, and director Talya Kingston.  

Layan Elwazani and Jay Sefton in WAM’s Fresh Takes Reading of Laura Maria Censabella’s PARADISE. Photo by David Dashiell.

Finally, after the closing performance on November 9, there was a chance to meet representatives of Harmony Homestead and the Women of Color Giving Circle and hear more about how WAM’s donations will impact their work. This was followed by the check presentation ceremony.

  “It is phenomenal to wrap up  our 10th season with these inspiring donations.” said WAM’s van Ginhoven, “This production of PIPELINE and our close work with our partners at BRIDGE and our co-producers at The Nora at Central Square Theater was an extraordinary experience for us all and the perfect way to conclude our first decade and lay the foundation for our second.”

  This co-production of PIPELINE will be presented by The Nora Theatre Company at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, MA,  March 5-29, 2020.  

  PIPELINE was sponsored in part by Carolyn Butler.

  About WAM’s fall production of PIPELINE

  AT A GLANCE

  October 24-November 9, 2019 PIPELINE by Dominique Morisseau

Directed by Dawn M. Simmons at the Elayne P. Bernstein Theatre at Shakespeare & Company, Lenox, MA

www.wamtheatre.com/pipeline

A powerful and thought-provoking examination of race, class, and the American education system

  Featuring Hubens “Bobby” Cius, Barbara Douglass, Alexandria Danielle King, James Ricardo Milord, Sandra Seoane-Serí, and Kevin Craig West

  Shelley Barish, Scenic Designer

Michaela Carmelo Bocchino, Lighting Designer

Greg Smith, Sound Designer

Elizabeth Rocha, Costume Designer

John ADEkoje, Projection Designer

Lauren Burke, Stage Manager

  Presented in Partnership with Multicultural BRIDGE

  Co-produced with The Nora at Central Square Theater, Cambridge, MA, where the show will be presented March 5-29, 2020.

This production of PIPELINE is sponsored in part by Carolyn Butler.

  About Harmony Homestead & Wholeness Center

Harmony Homestead & Wholeness Center exists to facilitate social harmony and reparations to members of the underserved global majority by means of support groups, reconnecting with nature, sustainably growing and preserving food, preserving and practicing indigenous wisdom, and fostering cross-cultural allies.

  For more information: unveilwholeness.com/

  About Women of Color Giving Circle

In affiliation with the Women’s Fund of Western Massachusetts, the Women of Color Giving Circle of the Berkshires seeks to inspire young women of color and instill self-respect and resilience. They work to build community, encourage youth development and educational success, and promote the arts. They provide funding and encourage civic action among citizens of Berkshire County.

  For more information: https://www.facebook.com/wocgc1/

  ABOUT BRIDGE

  BRIDGE, a Minority and Women Run Nin-Profit Organization, started as a grassroots Berkshire-based organization dedicated to catalyzing change and integration. 

  Since 2007,  BRIDGE’s mission has been “promoting mutual understanding and respect among diverse groups serving as a resource to both local institutions and the community at large. Serving the Commonwealth and beyond as a Supplier Diversity Program certified by the Affirmative Market program of the Massachusetts, we serve as catalysts for change and integration through collaboration, education, training, dialogue, fellowship and advocacy.” Our core values are accountability, empowerment, celebration, learning, collaboration, and equity.

  Through a 360 degree perspective on community and civic participation, BRIDGE has designed a holistic approach to community and public health. BRIDGE’s goal is to impact hearts, minds and behaviors that result in positive cultural shifts and systemic changes in policy, law and practice towards a more just, safe and equitable society.

  Services include access to cultural​ literacy and cultural competence ​training; diversity equity and inclusion consulting, facilitation; youth leadership; multicultural education; parent engagement and education; civil rights and social justice forums and advocacy with diverse groups. We facilitate cultural competence programming in schools and institutions to promote equity and to educate on systemic racism and cultural barriers.

  For more information: www.multiculturalbridge.org

  ABOUT CENTRAL SQUARE THEATER

  Central Square Theater (CST) is a state-of-the-art theatrical arts facility where audiences find, under one roof, the distinctive repertoires of two award-winning, professional companies, Underground Railway Theater (URT) and The Nora Theatre Company (The Nora), as well as collaborative projects drawing on their creative synergy.

  Central Square Theater is a  cultural anchor in the community — schools, families, and community groups benefit from outreach and educational programs, and the local economy gets a boost from the nearly 30,000 audience members that visit CST each season and enjoy the multicultural, multi-generational, urban environment of Central Square, Cambridge.

  As the first permanent home for both theater companies, Central Square Theater is a vibrant hub of theatrical, educational, and social activity, where artists and audiences come together to create theater vital to the community. The theater is dedicated to providing affordable ticket prices for underserved communities and offers free or discounted tickets to many local non-profit organizations.

  For more information: www.centralsquaretheater.org

For more information on The Nora at Central Square Theater in Cambridge, MA, visit: https://www.centralsquaretheater.org/about/the-nora-theatre-company/

  WAM 10th Anniversary Sponsors

WAM’s 2019 sponsors include Adams Community Bank, Annie Selke, Baystate Financial, Berkshire Gas, Berkshire Hand to Shoulder Center, Berkshire Taconic Community Foundation, Berkshire Magazine, Berkshire Sterile Manufacturing, Blue Q, Blue Spark Financial, Brabson Library & Educational Foundation, Canyon Ranch, Chez Nous, Custom Business Solutions, Dr, Jay Wise, DDS and Dr. Casey Jones, DMD, The Dylandale Foundation, Frankie’s Ristorante Italiano, Greylock Federal Credit Union, Guido’s Fresh Marketplace, Haven Cafe and Bakery, Health Professional Coaching, Heller & Robbins, Interprint, J.H. Maxymillian, Inc., Lee Bank, Maggie Barry, NEPR, Massachusetts Cultural Council, Only in My Dreams Events, Onyx Specialty Papers, OUTPOST, RB Design Co., Scarlett Sock Foundation, The Rogovoy Report, The Rookwood Inn, Salisbury Bank, T Square Design Studio, Toole Insurance, and a. von schlegell & co.

  WAM Theatre is also supported in part by grants from the Alford-Egremont Cultural Council, Cultural Council of Northern Berkshires, Hinsdale-Peru Cultural Council, Lenox Cultural Council, New Marlborough Cultural Council, Otis Cultural Council, Richmond Cultural Council, Sandisfield Cultural Council, Sheffield Cultural Council, Washington Cultural Council, West Stockbridge Cultural Council– local agencies that are supported by the Massachusetts Cultural Council, a state agency.

  PARADISE is sponsored in part by Jadzia and Donald Brown, LADY RANDY was sponsored in part by an anonymous donor and PIPELINE is sponsored in part by Carolyn Butler. 

  ABOUT WAM THEATRE

  WAM Theatre is a professional theatre company based in Berkshire County, MA, that operates at the intersection of arts and activism. WAM creates theatre for gender equity and has a vision of theatre as philanthropy. 

  In fulfillment of its philanthropic mission, WAM donates a portion of the proceeds from their Mainstage productions to carefully selected beneficiaries. Since WAM’s founding in 2010, they have donated more than $75,000 to 19 local and global organizations taking action for gender equity in areas such as girls education, teen pregnancy prevention, sexual trafficking awareness, midwife training, and more. 

  In addition to Mainstage productions and special events, WAM’s activities include innovative community engagement programs and the Fresh Takes Play Reading Series. To date, WAM has provided paid work to more than 400 theatre artists, the majority of whom are female-identifying.

  As a civic organization that embraces intersectional feminism (feminism that acknowledges how multiple forms of discrimination overlap), WAM understands that to address one piece of systemic discrimination means we have to address them all. This is on-going personal and professional work at WAM for the staff and board.

  WAM Theatre has been widely recognized for having a positive impact on cultural and community development in the region. WAM is the recipient of the Creative Economy Standout Berkshire Trendsetter Award and previously, was named Outstanding Philanthropy Corporation of the Year by the Western MA Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals. Kristen van Ginhoven, WAM’s Producing Artistic Director, was honored by the Berkshire Theatre Critics Association (BTCA) with the prestigious Larry Murray Award, presented at the discretion of the BTCA Board to a person or theatre project that advances social, political, or community issues in Berkshire County. 

  For more information: www.WAMTheatre.com

  ###

WAM Theatre Donations Reach 10-Year Total of $75,000 LENOX, MA — Every year, WAM Theatre donates a portion of the box office proceeds from their Mainstage productions to organizations that work for gender equality locally, nationally, or internationally.

[burnt-horizon]

When you get to meet stunning Hedy!!! @heathermmassie thank you for the lovely show and chat. And thank you for giving Hedy a voice. I hope you have an amazing run.💜 (at Auto & General Theatre on the Square) https://www.instagram.com/p/B1LKdu3BrFw/?igshid=p17g8xe28xxk

[artsvark]

Comedy Review: Ndumiso Lindi – Big Boys Don’t Cry In July, Or Us And Them And All Of Us By BRUCE DENNILL   Ndumiso Lindi: Big Boys Don’t Cry In July / Auto & General Theatre On The Square / Sandton, Johannesburg…

[fiifiadinkra]

  GlennSamm, the popular Ghanaian Model, blogger, style influencer and socialite, on June 29, the occasion of his birthday, took to some streets of Accra to spend time with the less privileged.

  Done in collaboration with a dozen associates of his, as well as culinary outfits as Queen May Catering Services, GreenGirl BakeGh, Popsicles Ghana and Afua’s Bakehouse, the activity saw him treat street kids around the National Theatre, through the Black Star Square, and then Ashaiman. The exercise saw them distribute over 500 plates of food, ice cream, cupcakes and bottles of water.

Recounting events of the day, an “incredibly humbled” GlennSamm expresses how much the activity has reshaped his outlook on life in general.

“I used to entertain the erroneous perception that street children are generally lazy people who won’t work to feed but play the scam to survive. Then somewhere this year I had the opportunity to support a friend doing an outreach programme for the needy. That was when I had a change of mind and my desire became more intense.

“After having had the opportunity to appreciate how lonely and cold the streets can be, I said to myself: ‘you don’t have to be rich to help others. It is why I decided to celebrate my birthday on the streets,” he said.

Despite her lavish resources, the African continent is also the location of some of the most telling instances of destitution. “Now this is the time we have to change the narrative and try to do something humanitarian to just a single soul without expecting nothing in return,” the model charged.

  “You don’t have to be rich to help somebody. You don’t have to be even famous to give a helping hand and you don’t even have to be the President of a country to put a smile on the next humans face. I challenge everyone to make an effort to support someone,” concluded GlennSamm.

  Picture credit goes to Blaqsheep Mutimedia Group, Dannivision and Hype Marshalls.

  Born Glenn Samuel Semakor, GlennSamm is a Keta native, alumnus of IPMC, and head honcho of the KvngsOfTheNewSchool Clique. He is also brand ambassador for Caveman Watches.

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Story by: Gabriel Myers Hansen

GlennSamm and Friends fete urchins on the street of Accra GlennSamm, the popular Ghanaian Model, blogger, style influencer and socialite, on June 29, the occasion of his birthday, took to some streets of Accra to spend time with the less privileged.

[thenocturnalwenchy]

AIDA

Dear friends and other interesting creatures,

The opening production for 2019 at Auto & General Theatre on the Square is a reduced take on the epic opera, AIDA.

Verdi’s most famous opera, often staged with a company of 200 singers, is reimagined with a talented cast of two men and a pianist!

This wacky and outlandish version is directed by multi-award winner, GREG HOMANN, with Clint Lesch and…

[thehappywildflower-blog]

On Friday night I had the privilege of being invited to watch a theatrical show called Ask Walter.

Have you heard of it?

If not… Dude! You are missing out in life!!!

It is a brilliant show written and  directed by the wonderful by Aimee Goldsmith! It is based on a talk- show called Ask Walter, its host- Walter and the behind the scenes of the show. It is filled with love, heartbreak and South African humour. I even got to guest star in it! – against my will!! But regardless, the show is one of the best I’ve seen so far!

It is absolutely hilarious! It left me and the audience with sore cheeks and stitches. Which is exactly what a good comedy should do! The show even starts before the show… confusing right?

I’m going to stop there, as I don’t want to ruin anything. Its best to have no expectations, then you can be pleasantly surprised.

For people who love theatre- and those who don’t… Go check out Ask Walter, Its running until the 4th June Tue- Sat 20:15 at the Auto and General Theatre at Nelson Mandela Square! Which is awesome- as you can take the after party to the Hard Rock Café and have a cocktail or two. And don’t forget to take a selfie with the giant statue of Nelson Mandela!

So don’t miss out! You will regret it!

Peace…

Milica xoxo

Have you Asked Walter? On Friday night I had the privilege of being invited to watch a theatrical show called Ask Walter.

[jesuster2479-blog]

Structure A Cold Weather Smoker (Smokehouse).

Despite the addiction this is actually extremely hard to deal with somebody that is actually addicted to anything. Men along with roving eyes as well as a cunning attraction are actually called wolves. Could this ready, cosmetics, outfit, auto or food items similar products For I on my own carry out certainly not care about such a thing, having said that, I likewise believe that people respond in a different way in various scenarios and also sometimes there are people which are pressed over the edge. When you consume your body system generates a number of chemicals, a ton of hypersensitive folks are without a chemical called alledalsehyde dehydroenase, which respond to functions alcohols offers in the body system, and for those people this implies signs such as drowsiness queasiness bronchial asthma as well as facial flushing.

A typical combination for dark raw people would certainly be titanium white, burned umber, cadmium red, and also a contact from cadmium yellow medium. While doing so, I familiarized concerning three active ingredients which can possibly do wonders for the skin around the eyes - Eyeliss, Halyoxl, and also Homeo Grow older. Colours can make a visual fallacy from great black colors creating you look smaller sized and also cozy light shades making you appear larger. 9 away from ten opportunities a surgery called fistulotomy is performed This involves cutting open the whole span of the fistula in order for the doctor to eliminate the materials. If made use of for much more than a handful of days, they may really make signs worse. Those three compounds, to name a few, give delicious chocolate its signature bitter taste, one that transforms many people off darker chocolate. Like most aspect of a sale, the call back is among those persisting circumstances that you, or your sales crew, will definitely find your own self in countless opportunities a day or week. However, I perform understand that you could catch Johnny Depp's Anxiety and Loathing in Las Vegas costar, Benicio del Toro, giving a wonderful imitation of Mr. Guevara in the good 2008 movie, Che, which was actually about the male's life. At that point this short article will drastically assist you, if you are actually appearing for the Cheat to receive Gold in Globe from Warcraft. Considering that they can easily keep 9 opportunities their weight in water and also were actually used traditionally by Indigenous Americans to offer electricity and also endurance as well as preserve moisture, Chia seeds are exceptional for hydration. Properly if you are one of those trying to find a less expensive technique to handle your sinister underarms then listed below is actually one simple and low-priced means to do this. The outcome for which however is certainly not as split second as the costly skin-related treatment yet that will surely stun and also please you after time.

Come Friday evening, and married couples in addition to individuals that are remarkably delighted in their life will be actually going in the direction of the theatres so as to check out films. These health conditions can easily create small bumps; reddish, flakey skin; or Read Even more colonization through termites on the physical body, skin and also scalp. While our shoes are a fairly tiny part of our body systems, they take a lot of misuse during the day. NEW YORK-- The glittering clairvoyance dropped with a burst of confetti as well as dazzling rockets as revelers rang in 2018 in frigid Moments Square-- the second-coldest festivity certainly there on document.

[bobmccullochny]

February History

February 10   1763 - The Treaty of Paris ended the French and Indian War and France ceded Canada to England.

1840 - Queen Victoria and her cousin, Prince Albert of Saxe Coburg-Gotha, married. They had 9 children - Victoria, Bertie, Alice, Alfred, Helena, Louise, Arthur, Leopold, and Beatrice.

1863 - General Tom Thumb and Lavinia Warren were married in NYC.

1870 - The YWCA (Young Women's Christian Association) was formally founded in New York City.

1897 - All The News That's Fit To Print Day - the phrase began permanantly on the front page of The New York Times.

1933 - In Round 13 of a infamous boxing match at Madison Square Garden; Primo Carnera knocked out Ernie Shaaf, killing him.

1933 - The singing telegram was introduced by the Postal Telegraph Company of New York City.

1942 - The first gold record was presented to Glenn Miller for Chattanooga Choo Choo for selling 1.2 million copies. There was no official rule set at the time to qualify.

1949 - Death of a Salesman by American playwright Arthur Miller, opened at the Morocco Theatre in New York City.

1953 - Romper Room premiered, in syndication.

1956 - My Friend Flicka debuted on CBS

1962 - Roy Lichtenstein's first solo art exhibition opened at the Castelli Gallery in NYC.

1962 - The Soviet Union exchanged captured American U2 pilot Francis Gary Powers for the Soviet spy Rudolph Ivanovich Abe with the US.

1966 - Ralph Nader, the author of Unsafe at Any Speed: The Designed-In Dangers of the American Automobile, testified before Congress for the first time about unsafe practices in the auto industry.

1992 - Mike Tyson was convicted in Indianapolis of raping Desiree Washington, Miss Black American contestant.

1993- Oprah Winfrey interviewed Michael Jackson at his home The Neverland Ranch. It was Jackson's first televised interview since 1979.

1996 - World chess champion Gary Kasparov lost the first game of a six-game match against Deep Blue. He won three, and tied twice in the matchup.

[historichollywoodphotographs]

The World Famous Hollywood Palladium

One of the oldest operating event venues in Los Angeles, the Palladium at 6215 Sunset Boulevard is a large cultural facility, purpose built for music and dancing. Erected on a portion of the original Famous Players Lasky Studio lot on Argyle and El Centro Avenues, it’s part of a group of facilities (CBS Columbia Square, Sunset Gower studios, Earl Carroll Theatre, NBC Radio Headquarters) which date from Hollywood’s Golden Era and intentionally arranged along this busy corridor of Sunset in downtown Hollywood.

The Palladium is a textbook example of Streamline Moderne architecture, with two major signature facades (the south and west) designed with entrances to its spectacular ballroom. It was the vision of Norman Chandler, the publisher of the Los Angeles Times from 1945-60. Chandler, then the general manager and president of the Times organization, relied on his friend architect Gordon B. Kaufman to bring his vision of an upscale dance hall to fruition. He’d already collaborated with Kaufman on the 1935 Art Deco Los Angeles Times Building and the Florentine Gardens nightclub in 1938. In addition to his work with Chandler, the A-list architect created Greystone Mansion in Beverly Hills for the Doheny family, the Santa Anita Racetrack, Hoover Dam, and the college campuses of Scripps and Cal Tech. Kaufmann used the Streamline Moderne style to invoke the “modern” sophisticated, glamorous lifestyle that Hollywood was aiming to promote. 1.6 million dollars was spent on construction; another $500,000 on furnishings and equipment.

The materials were simple: panel and board-formed concrete for the walls of the sleek rectangular building envelope; a bow truss main roof; steel windows and metal poster cases. A series of storefronts flanked the main entrance on Sunset, which was recessed and capped by a curved marquee with a towering neon blade sign. A similar curvilinear canopy set atop round concrete poles served the vehicular entrance off the west parking lot.

Inside, the large foyers blended into the main gallery with bars arranged strategically along its length. From there, one entered the almost 12,000 square foot dance floor which accommodated over 3000 couples. Sweeping staircases led to seating in the mezzanine; more tables surrounded the dance floor with seating for 1,000.

Opening night on October 31, 1940 was a grand affair. The headliners for the evening were Dorothy Lamour and the Tommy Dorsey Orchestra with a new featured singer named Frank Sinatra. Admission was $1; dinner $3 a person. Mary Astor, Harold Lloyd, Ida Lupino, Judy Garland, Mickey Rooney, and Bob Hope were among the opening night attendees.

The Palladium quickly gained a reputation for hosting top name bands and singers. For the next two decades, the Artie Shaw, Glenn Miller, Harry James, and Tommy Dorsey orchestras graced the stage along with the Andrews Sisters, Rosemary Clooney, Peggy Lee (my father’s favorite!), and Gene Krupa. During WWII, the Palladium also hosted radio broadcasts featuring Betty Grable singing servicemen’s requests.

In 1941, TWA opened a “flight terminal” in one of the storefronts. Travelers could buy tickets, check luggage, and be transported to an airport.

By the 1950s, the venue increasingly began hosting charity balls, political events, and auto shows. During this era, the venue was the favored scene for Latin music performers, with dances sponsored by radio personality, Chico Sesma. The Tito Puente Orchestra performed for two decades (1957-77) to sold out audiences. In 1961, the Palladium became the home to the long-running Lawrence Welk Show.

The Palladium also welcomed two presidents: Dwight Eisenhower in 1956 and John Kennedy in 1961. In 1965, there was an event honoring Martin Luther King where he was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize.

As musical tastes changed, the Palladium’s concerts included more pop, rock, and psychedelic performers including Beach Boys, Bob Dylan, Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Wonder, James Brown, the Grateful Dead, the Rolling Stones, David Bowie, Barbra Streisand, and Madonna. By the 1980s and 90s, punk, rap and heavy metal concerts were predominately booked.

In 2007, the owners agreed to an exclusive lease with Live Nation and began a multi-million dollar renovation. The rehabilitation removed non-historic features and carefully restored significant ones: reconstructing the blade sign and the Sunset marquee, expanding the stage support area at the rear, and adding compatible new storefronts at the Sunset exterior. The interior spatial configuration was also carefully preserved as a new dance floor was installed, concessions expanded, restrooms upgraded, and improvements were made to the stage infrastructure.

Over the years, the Palladium has hosted the Emmy Awards, Grammy Awards, and Golden Globe Awards. It was also listed in the National Register of Historic Places. In 2016, the building became listed as a Historic Cultural Monument in the city of Los Angeles and a new mixed-use development with residential and retail components was also approved. The plan consists of two 28 story residential towers, designed as a backdrop to the historic music venue, by world renowned architect Stanley Saitowitz, for developer Crescent Heights. Each tower will stand approximately 350 feet tall, create 731 residential units, 24,000 square feet of storefront retail space, with landscaped courtyards and pedestrian paseos in between, and a below grade parking garage.  

-Christy McAvoy, Historic Hollywood Photographs

Sources: Historic Resources Group, Bruce Torrence archives

[newyorktheater]

Bob Dylan, whose songs are featured in “Girl From The North Country”

Playwright Taylor Mac brings “The Fre” to the Flea

Greg Kotis, Tony winner for “Urinetown,” is bringing a new show Off-Off Broadway

Patti LuPone in a gender-reversed Company, coming to Broadway

the late Michael Friedman

Martyna Majok, a playwright of the displaced in such plays as Ironbound and queens, is author of the long-awaited “Sanctuary City” slated for New York Theatre Workshop

Hilary Bettis, who was a writer for the FX series “The Americans,” brings a play about a recently deported mother Off-Broadway

Lynn Nottage, who has turned her play “Intimate Apparel” into an opera

Below is a selection of the abundant New York theater openings in March, organized chronologically by opening date*. Seven shows are opening on Broadway, a jarring mix of royalty and penury, a reflection perhaps of the divide in the world at large. Three are plays, three are musicals; a seventh is sort of both, featuring Bob Dylan’s old songs in a new drama by Conor McPherson. For the times they are a-changin’

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There are also exciting shows Off-Off Broadway — including new works by Greg Kotis and Taylor Mac, whose play is said to focus specifically on the cultural divide. Off Broadway, a musical by the late Michael Friedman makes its debut, along with new work by Katori Hall, Martyna Majok, Duncan Macmillan, Hilary Bettis.

In celebration of Women’s History Month, there’s the third annual On Women theater festival in Brooklyn.

And then there’s the celebration of the ban on plastic bags in New York State (which has gone into effect this month) with “The Plastic Bag Store,” free in Times Square — half art installation, half immersive theater…and one of several boundary-crossing shows with cutting-edge puppetry on stage in this busy month of March.*

Each title below is linked to a relevant website. Color key: Broadway: Red. Off Broadway: Black or Blue.. Off Off Broadway: Green. Theater festival: Orange. Immersive: Magenta. Puppetry-Brown

For those shows that don’t have official openings, I list by first performance.

March 1

The Hot Wing King (Signature)

A comedy by Katori Hall (“Our Lady of Kibeho,” “The Mountaintop”) that  centers around the annual “Hot Wang Festival” in Memphis, TN.

March 3

The Perplexed (MTC’s City Center Stage 1)

Richard Greenberg, whose “Take Me Out” is being revived on Broadway this season, tells the story of two families, whose lives have been tumultuously intertwined for decades, as they gather in the massive library of a Fifth Avenue apartment to celebrate the nuptials of their children. Nothing goes smoothly

Coal Country (Public)

A new play with music by the wife-and-husband team Jessica Blank and Erik Jensen (The Exonerated) is based on first-person accounts of the explosion of the Upper Big Branch mine in 2019.

March 4

On Women Festival (Irondale Center)

The third annual three-week theater festival begins with “To Moscow! A Palimpsest” by Ada Luana and Gabriel F. (Brazil.) It continues with “Night Shadows—Or, One Hundred Million Voices Shouting” by Lynda Crawford, and two workshop presentations, “England’s Splendid Daughters” by Ann Kreitman and “The Fainting Room” by Becca Bernard.

March 5

Girl From the North Country (Belasco)

Written and directed by Conor McPherson, using songs that Bob Dylan wrote between 1963 and 2012, this play with music is set in 1934 at a guesthouse in Duluth, Minnesota (Dylan’s birthplace.) A group of travelers pass in and out of each other’s lives, and share stories that awaken each other with passion, fury and, beauty. This originated at the Public Theater. My review Off-Broadway.

  I Am Nobody (The Tank) 

An unhinged computer chip engineer threatens to destroy the world. What’s most noteworthy about this production is that it’s written by Greg Kotis, the Tony-winning author of arguably the most successful Off-Off Broadway show ever, “Urinetown.”

Kosmos Invers (HERE)

A new solo piece by puppeteer performance artist Karlan Sherrard with a powerful environmental message.

March 9

Unknown Soldier (Playwrights Horizons)

In this musical co-written by the late and much missed Michael Friedman, a woman sets out on a journey to unearth the secrets of her family’s past when she discovers in her grandmother’s home a mysterious photograph of an anonymous soldier, tucked away in a box of keepsakes.

March 10

72 Miles to Go (Roundabout’s Laura Pels)

Seventy-two miles. That’s the space between a recently deported mother in Nogales, Mexico and her husband and children in Tucson, Arizona. Written by Hilary Bettis, who was a writer for the FX series “The Americans”

March 11

  Anywhere (HERE)

Freely inspired by the novel Oedipus on the Road by Henry Bauchau, Anywhere evokes the long wandering of Oedipus accompanied by his daughter Antigone. The fallen Oedipus appears in the form of an ice puppet that gradually turns into water then into mist and disappears in the Erynian Forest

March 12

Six (Brooks Atkinson)

Pop-concert musical featuring the six wives of Henry VIII.

March 13

Twelfth Night (El Barrio’s Artspace)

“Audiences will be welcomed to Illyria…This romantic comedy will explore themes of wealth and class, identity and disguise, and love and loss. Our production will allow participants to directly engage with these themes with a high level of agency.”

March 15

The Minutes (Cort)

Letts’ most political work to date is a dark comedy about a town council meeting in the fictional town of Big Cherry that turns ominous.

The Fre (The Flea)

The Fre is written by Taylor Mac, and directed by The Flea’s artistic director Niegel Smith, his collaborator on “Hir” and “24 Decade History of Popular Music” and that makes this show a must-see no matter how weird or uncomfortable it winds up being. “In this queer love story, audiences will literally and figuratively jump into the mud with the Fre to hash out the current cultural divide.”

Washington Square (Axis)

A new adaptation of the Henry James novel written and directed by Randy Sharp. (A previous adaptation is “The Heiress”)

March 18

The Plastic Bag Store (20 Times Square)

The Plastic Bag Store, a public art installation and immersive theater piece by artist and director Robin Frohardt explores the enduring effects of plastics. The “store” is stocked with thousands of original, hand-sculpted items — produce and meat, dry goods and toiletries, cakes and sushi rolls — all made from discarded plastics. At night, the store transforms into an immersive, dynamic set for free performances where “hidden worlds and inventive puppetry tell the darkly comedic, sometimes tender story of how the overabundance of plastic waste we leave behind might be misinterpreted by future generations.” Free and open to the public.

  March 19

Hangmen (John Golden)

A dark comedy by Martin McDonagh about a retired executioner who now presides over a pub, visited by a mysterious gentleman. My review Off-Broadway

March 20

Treasure Island (New Victory)

In this rendition of the classic pirate story, 12 puppeteers animate marionettes to tell the swashbuckling adventures of cabin boy Jim Hawkins.

March 21

Best Life (Jack)

In Melisa Tien’s play, a woman of color can rewind time, but only within the last five minutes. The result: her exchange with a white woman in a cafe becomes increasingly alarming

March 22

Company (Bernard B. Jacobs)

Starring Patti LuPone and Katrina Lenk, this fifth Broadway production of the Stephen Sondheim/George Furth musical about a single 35-year-old with married friends, this one is “re-gendered” so that the protagonist is now a woman, Bobbie.

  March 23

Intimate Apparel (Lincoln Center Theater)

An opera based on Lynn Nottage’s play about the life and loves of Esther, a lonely, single African-American woman in early 20th century New York who makes her living sewing beautiful corsets and ladies’ undergarments.

March 24

Sanctuary City (New York Theatre Workshop)

Much anticipated (and much delayed) play by Martyna Majak, who was the 2018 Pulitzer Prize winner for Cost of Living, about two teenagers, life-long friends, in post-9/11 America.

March 25

Lungs (BAM)

Claire Foy and Matt Smith (who played Queen Elizabeth and Prince Philip in the first season of “The Crown”) reunite in this look at love in the time of climate change, written by Duncan Macmillan (People, Places & Things)

March 26

The Lehman Trilogy (Nederlander)

The history of the rise and fall of the Lehman Brothers over 164 years, starting with the arrival of the three Lehman brothers from Bavaria in the mid nineteenth century. My review of The Lehman Trilogy when it was at Park Avenue Armory in April.

March 30

Oratorio for Living Things (Ars Nova Greenwich House)

A large scale musical work by Heather Christian, staged by director Lee Sunday Evans and featuring eighteen virtuosic singers and instrumentalists.

March 31

Diana (Longacre)

Jeanna de Waal portrays Princess Diana in this musical, with Roe Hartrampf as Prince Charles,Erin Davie as Camilla Parker Bowles, Judy Kaye as Queen Elizabeth

March 2020 New York Theater Openings Below is a selection of the abundant New York theater openings in March, organized chronologically by opening date*.

[footloosewithkhyatitushar]

Judaism- A Monotheistic Faith and its presence in Ahmedabad

Prologue

The Metropolitan Opera, or simply ‘The Met’ at Manhattan, NY brings for its audience some of the finest operas. Its productions are lavish and experimentations in terms of narratives, themes and compositions is wide enough to encourage both creativity of artists as well as sustain spectator interest. What is more, for audiences who cannot travel to NY, like me, there are HD productions, which are broadcast live to over 2200 cities globally. In Mumbai, the Godrej Dance Theatre in the NCPA Complex is one such theatre where HD Live screenings of the Met can be experienced. Last month there was one such HD live screening at the Godrej Theatre on 11th January,of ‘Akhnaten’ , an unusual story for an Opera written by Peter Glass .Jatan, my son, who was visiting us on his annual break and I grabbed the opportunity to experience this acclaimed Peter Glass opera.

Being at such a show at the Godrej is in itself a very different feeling- one is surrounded by the vintage charm of Parsi audience; with a few odd spattering of younger persons or persons from creative fields like theatre or media. One may also spot veteran columnists like Bachi Kakaria whom you see at close quarters while sipping cold coffee served in wine glasses before the show or during intermission breaks. But I am digressing…

Akhnaten begins at Year 1 with the funeral of Amenhotep III, leading to the coronation of Akhnaten. At the Window of Appearances, the Pharaoh reveals his intentions to form a monotheistic religion. Akhnaten and Queen Tye begin to make the changes that he has promised. In Year 17, Akhnaten and his wife,Nefertiti dwell in an insular world of their own creation with their six daughters. The priests of Amon emerge from the gathering crowds and break through the palace doors. Queen Tye and Nefertiti are also separated from Akhnaten, who is finally killed. Meanwhile the new Pharaoh, the young Tutankhamen, is crowned in a ceremony similar to that of his father, and the old polytheistic religion is restored.

Source: https://www.ncpamumbai.com/event/akhnaten

Unlike most classical operas that are either sung in Italian or were written by Italian/German composers and therefore the language may become a barrier to enjoyment at times. Which made Akhnaten quite different- The Arias are from original texts ( 3000 years or older Egyptian texts), Biblical Hebrew and a poem penned by Akhanaten himself! And all these are linked together with the commentary of a narrator in modern language! I particularly enjoyed the singing by Anthony Roth Costanzo who played the role of Akhnaten. He is a Counter Tenor- the male equivalent of a Mezzo Soprano, whose voice added to the authenticity of a narrative pertaining to an earliest civilization; which incidentally is being pieced together after discovery of the tomb of Tutankhamen only in the early 20th century. Tutankhamen ( King Tut), incidentally succeeded Akhanten as the Pharoh in ancient Egypt!

Monotheist Beliefs- Ancient and not so ancient

About 1300 years before Christ, Akhnaten, the Pharaoh, had taken the ancient civilization by storm by establishing a new system of belief in only one god- the Sun God Aten. The establishment, being the priests at the Temple, put him to death and branded him as a heretic.

In retrospect, he must have been a bold thinker. For it took more than another millennium for monotheism as we know today to take birth – ironically in the same holy city of Jerusalem. Judaism, Christianity and Islam all took birth almost at the same time and all are widely practiced forms of monotheism that we know today. Is Hinduism monotheist? Hinduism is both monotheistic and henotheistic. Hinduism is not polytheistic. Henotheism (literally “one God”) better defines the Hindu view. It means the worship of one God without denying the existence of other Gods.

Source: https://www.google.com/search?q=monotheism&oq=Monotheism&aqs=chrome.0.0l8.4430j1j8&sourceid=chrome&ie=UTF-8

Amongst the monotheist faiths, Judaism, for whatever the reason, cropped up during our conversation , as Jatan and I drove back from the Godrej Theatre on Mumbai’s southern tip to our home in suburban North Mumbai. He mentioned that one of his fellow grad students at Brown had inquired of him, when he told her that he had done his secondary school education at Ahmedabad, whether he knew about a Synagogue at Ahmedabad. He looked at me for a quick dispersible knowledge pill, but I too was blank on the subject. So we parked the matter and decided to deep dive into the matter during our visit to Ahmedabad which was scheduled a couple of days later. Until then I goggled and reinforced my fundas as follows:

Judaism is characterized by a belief in one transcendent God who revealed himself to Abraham, Moses, and the Hebrew prophets and by a religious life in accordance with Scriptures and rabbinic traditions. The three main beliefs at the center of Judaism are Monotheism, Identity, and covenant (love of God). The most important teaching of Judaism is that there is one God, who wants people to do what is just and compassionate.

Beni Israel Jews in Bombay Presidency- Jews who settled around Alibag in Maharashtra were nicknamed the shanivār telī ("Saturday oil-pressers") by the local population as they abstained from work on Saturdays. Some families later migrated to Ahmedabad around 1840.

Exploring Ahmedabad’s connect with Judaism

 It was finally in the morning of 19th January; on the very last day of our one week stay at Ahmedabad that Jatan and I dashed down to the walled city area of Ahmedabad to see for ourselves the Synagogue of Ahmedabad. Located in a neighbourhood of  Bukhari Mohalla near Khamasa Gate in the old walled city , its only about a kilometer away after one crosses the Ellisbridge over the Sabarmati river from West bank. You take the Astodia Road and take a left after the I P Mission School, run by the Indian Presbyterian Church. Its best to get off your car/ auto rickshaw at the junction because the whole street is full of vendors who squat on footpaths on either side hawking their wares, while the eager clients take up over half of the street. And there is the magnificent edifice of the Synagogue, diagonally opposite an equally imposing Fire Temple called an ‘Agiyari’ by the Parsis who follow the Zorastrian faith. The location of  the Synagogue is notable for being in close proximity to other houses of prayer, including a Hindu temple, mosque, church and the Agiyari that I just mentioned. This rare neighborhood of many religious places of worship attests to Ahmedabad’s many years of multiethnic culture and diversity.

Magen Abraham Synagogue, Khamasa, Ahmedabad

The synagogue’s symmetrical façade, finished in chunam (a plaster of polished shale lime and sand), consists of two square piers or pylons each with a pair of tall and narrow windows  

Some vital statistics:

Construction Start date- 19th October 1933

Architects:  Daniel Samson and Ellis Abraham Bhinjekar

Construction Contractor: D V Patel

Consecration Date : 2nd September 1934.

 One had to make way through the mid-morning crowd of eager customers, the hawker and his wares (mostly ready made garments) to reach a firmly latched iron gate in the centre of an equally high wall that ran across in front of the Synagogue. A sign outside the Synagogue read that on a Sunday the timings were 11 am to noon.  We had reached at the correct time and were wondering looking for a doorbell or something to summon someone to let us in. A helpful bystander advised us to call ”Johnnybhai”. We did say the magic word once or twice and were soon actually accosted by Johnnybhai! A middle aged, who seemed mildly irked by our unsolicited presence asked us for identity proof. He wasn’t satisfied with seeing the proof. He wanted a photocopy for records. We quickly ran to a photocopying booth located two lanes away and again hailed Johnnybhai, who did not seem to have bothered to even throw a cursory glance at the document. Instead he signaled us towards another gate in a by lane which opened into a courtyard. The courtyard itself was, to our utter amazement a State Reserve Police outpost! Not going towards their camp, but instead veering to our right past a clothesline on which hung the morning laundry, still dripping wet, unto the side entrance. Once we were assured of the entry into the prayer hall after removing our footwear, our heartbeats became gentler as our anxiety receded and curiosity took over!

The galleries for ladies are supported without pillars, merely on brackets and protected by a period guardrail.

 Johnnybhai, who actually revealed his full name as Johnny Pingle, opened the huge wooden doors and ushered us into the Synagogue.

During our interesting conversation that followed, Johnnybhai informed us that there are only about 147 Jewish families living in Ahmedabad today. Among his own children, he has a daughter who has married a person of Jewish faith and resides at Ahmedabad; while his son is a teacher by profession. Forefathers of the entire Ahmedabad Jewish population are from the Bene Israel (Children of Israel) sect who arrived to Ahmedabad in 1848, migrating from Konkan region of today’s Maharashtra. It was about 50 years later that Dr Solomon Abraham Erulkar, who was Mohandas Karamchand Gandhi’s personal physician, made a generous donation so that their community could have a proper synagogue. In honor of Dr. Solomon Erulkar’s father Abraham, who had been involved in the formation of the congregation a generation earlier, the synagogue was given the name Magen Abraham, which in Hebrew translates as Shield of Abraham. This was the only synagogue in the northern part of India until Judah Hyam Prayer Hall in New Delhi was constructed in 1956.

Johnnybhai, who uses the space to tutor young children, gave us an insight to some of the features of the Magen Abraham, which is constructed in the ‘Art Deco’ style,  so popular in Europe in 1920s.  The ornate ceiling in plaster of paris, the twelve fans, hanging lights, etc have been preserved and looked after all these years by the small community of Jews. The lights in the menorah have been replaced by local supplies, since the original made by Philips and imported from Netherlands have long been phased out of production!

 The Hanukkah menorah , a nine-stemmed candelabrum (eight flames plus one “helper candle,” known as a Shamash. ) used on that holiday. Distinct from the seven-candled menorah used in the ancient temple in Jerusalem, the hannukiyah symbolizes the miracle of the holiday, when an amount of oil suitable for one day of light burned for eight days.

 The central feature of any synagogue is its Aron Hakodesh (Holy Ark also called Heckal)  which is used for storing the ‘torah’ scrolls.

Tebah  (‘bimah’/raised platform with a reader’s table for the Torah scrolls)  in the centre of the prayer hall flanked on either side by the free standing benches.

Adjacent to the heckal are two special chairs: one for the prophet Elijah, and the other for the brit mila, or circumcision ceremony.

 Johnnybhai also explained to us two other features at Magen Abraham as follows:

Mezuzah

A small box containing verses from the Torah written on parchment, affixed to the right doorpost of the entrance door that is a standard feature in all Jewish homes too.It often displays the Hebrew letter, Shin, the first letter of one of God’s names.

Later I googled and learnt that the practice of affixing a mezuzah derives from Deuteronomy (6:9):

“And you shall inscribe them on the doorposts (mezuzot) of our house and on your gates.”

One can get more fascinating details about Magen Abraham by following this link:

http://indianjews.org/en/research/jewish-sites-in-india/49-magen-abraham-synagogue

  We were curious to see what was inside the Ark. Johhnybhai, who by now was conversing with us in his native Marathi, smiled and told us that their religious practice dictates that the torah scrolls can be accessed only if at least 10 learned Jews who have been ordained with bar-mitzwah are present. So while the community assembles on Sabbath (Saturday) at Magen Abraham, it is difficult for them to perform all rites and observe all traditions as prescribed in the Commandments.

On Shabbat, the weekly Torah reading is divided into seven sections and the honor of making a special blessing before and after the chanting of each section is distributed to different people in the congregation.

In "2009", Magen Abraham celebrated its platinum jubilee, and a gala event was held at the synagogue marking this achievement. As part of this momentous occasion, government authorities issued commemorative postage envelopes highlighted with the insignia of the synagogue.

Epilogue

Among the several forwards that we forward on Whatsapp to each other , I was pleasantly surprised soon after return from Ahmedabad by a you tube link to the song, ‘ Golde, do you love me?’ forwarded by my friend Vijendra Trighatia . This is from the film adaptation of  the famous 1964 Broadway musical ‘Fiddler on the Roof’.  As some of know, the musical is based a series of stories by Sholem Aleichem wrote in Yiddish between 1894 and 1914 about Jewish life in a village called Annatevka in the Pale of Settlement of Imperial Russia at the turn of the 20th century. The principal characters are the dairyman Tevye who leads a simple life, steeped in Jewish traditions along his wife, Golde and six Daughters. His greatest dream was that if he became rich, he would spend seven hours praying at a Synagogue! As time goes by, each of his daughters fall in love and get married, as the traditions held so sacred by Tevye, crumble one after another!

The life of each and every Jewish person is governed by a set of rules, customs, and traditions, that need to be followed in order to live as per the commandments of God. They believe that those who follow God and His commandments are the ones who will be rewarded.

So what is it in Judaism that makes believers of this faith so passionate about their traditions, their prayers and their beliefs to which they cling on steadfastly- no matter what ??

The answer probably lies in history of Israelites whose Second Temple was destroyed during First Revolt and the subsequent destruction of Jerusalem itself, accompanied by the exile of its inhabitants, during the Second Jewish Revolt, in 132-135, that Judaism made a sharp turn from being a temple-based cult that relied on daily sacrifices to its god. It became a mobile faith that revolved around law and prayer, and whose members soon spread out around the Mediterranean basin, and later to more distant points. Prayer took the place of animal sacrifices. Here’s another link to the history of Judaism:

https://www.haaretz.com/jewish/.premium-history-of-the-temple-in-jerusalem-1.5256337

 So before I end this blog about a recent visit to Magen Abraham Synagogue Ahmedabad (now a world heritage monument), that prodded me to read a bit more about Judaism, I attach a link to the powerful opening number from ‘Fiddler on the Roof’ as a respect to the followers of Judaism who value traditions and have therefore put them on a high pedestal in day to day living.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRdfX7ut8gw&list=PL0CE0B83589DFA567

[krisumicity]

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 Krisumi Corporation launching its first mega project Krisumi Waterfall Residences in sector 36A Gurgaon which is part of Krisumi City Gurgaon First Indo-Japanese Mega Real Estate Project located in most prominent location of Gurugram. Krisumi Waterfall Residences at Krisumi City Gurgaon, a mini Japanese waterfall residences in Gurgaon that will simply take your breath away. Japanese conglomerate Sumitomo Corporation has tied up with Indian auto components major Krishna Group to develop residential and commercial real-estate projects across India. The project is backed by the collaboration of Sumitomo Corporation and Krishna Group who are bringing in the best of their expertise. Krisumi City Gurgaon will be the first of its kind as it will feature the participation of a Japanese company in India. Krisumi City will be the first to deliver a Japanese living experience in Indian Homes.

 Krisumi Waterfall Residences at Krisumi City Gurgaon has 3 high-rise towers which offers 2LDK, 3LDK and 3LDK+Servant apartments that are fully furnished and come equipped with world-class amenities that is sure to satisfy all of a family’s living necessities. The construction of first phase of Krisumi City Gurgaon is expected to begin this year. Krisumi City- The township is spread over an approximately 65 (sixty five) acres of land and that will feature about 5000 apartments covering approximately 18 million square foot. The project will be developed in 7 to 8 phases over a time span of 10 years approximately. The well-known Japanese design firm NIKKEN SEKKEI is the brains behind the architectural design and master plan of this esteemed project.

 Krisumi City Gurgaon lets you pick from a 2 LDK, 3 LDK or 3+S LDK and penthouses that are exceptionally well conceptualized apartments that come at attractive pricing and specially designed payment plan for the esteemed buyers. Each apartment at this project is planned with great attention paid to each and every detail, with all of the developer’s resource poured into designing and creating a home that boasts loudly about the peaceful setting and lifestyle that it will deliver to you and your family. Every tower at Krisumi Waterfall  Residences Gurgaon is equipped with seven lifts that makes sure that no resident will have to face a jam packed scenario at any given time at any of the towers.

 Most Demanded Luxury Project Krisumi Waterfall Residences Sector 36A NH48 Expressway Gurugram!!

Introducing Krisumi Waterfall Residences, 2Ldk, 3Ldk and 4Ldk luxury residences 1.20Cr all Inclusive!! Now with limited period special price and exclusive possession-Linked-Payment-Plan i.e. 30-70 Payment Plan!!

Limited period exclusive pricing & payment plan for select units in select towers!!

Best Price!! Spot Allotment & Confirm Booking on first price!!

 Krisumi Waterfall Residences Sector 36A Gurgaon- Project Options & Pricing:

Unit Type ______________ Unit Size (Super Area*) ___ All Inclusive Price _____ Booking Amount

2LDK __________________ 1448-1478 Sq.Ft.________ INR 1.20Cr. onwards____ 5Lacs

3LDK __________________ 1955 - 1975 Sq.Ft._______ INR 1.64Cr. onwards____ 5Lacs

3LDK+S ________________ 2503 - 2537 Sq.Ft._______ INR 2.20Cr. onwards____ 5Lacs

 Note:

1.    Cheque to be drawn in favour of “Krisumi Corporation Pvt Ltd-Waterfall Residences Collection A/c” 2.    Above prices are inclusive of Lifetime Club Membership, Right To Use One Car Park and Preferred Location Charges. The above mentioned prices are subject to revision at the sole discretion of the Company without prior notice.

3.  Booking is subject to terms & conditions mentioned in Application Form. Price of the Apartment may vary based on the choice of the Unit and Floor and Orientation. Please confirm the pricing at the time of booking. 4.    Additional Charges- EDC/ IDC @ INR 380 Per Sq. Ft. of Saleable Area. Interest Free Maintenance Deposit @ INR 150 Per Sq. Ft. INR 125,000 Per Apartment for Electricity, Water and Gas Connection and Meter Charges.

5.  GST as per prevailing rates (Currently @ 5%). •Stamp Duty & Registration fee as per actuals

 Krisumi Waterfall Residences Sector 36A Gurgaon - Features:

· Three towers with spacious 2LDk, 3LDK luxury homes overlooking Dwarka Expressway, CPR and NH48 Expressway

· Strategically located on the intersection of Dwarka Expressway/Northern Peripheral Road(NPR) & Central Peripheral Road (CPR) connecting to South peripheral Road(SPR)

· Located in Sector 36A Dwarka Expressway on India’s most strategic corridor Delhi- Mumbai Expressway NH-48

· Thriving eco system and bustling neighbourhood

· The Japanese Art of living-Some of the terms synonymous with japan are quality, reliability, timeless, efficiency, fitnesse, aesthetics, sustainability and longevity.

· Taki (Waterfall)-Taki means waterfall in Japanese, signifies formless simplicity & purity. And in Krisumi Waterfall Residences Taki is the landscape theme and has been interpreted at several places including the facade. Areas Covered – Façade

· Kekkai (Transition)-This term denoting transition unites the elements of water and bridge to form a different world, separating inside from outside. Areas Covered - Drop-Off and Main Entrance

· Hikari, Kage (Light & Shadow)- Hikari means light and kage means shadow. This conception has been integrated in the design across many areas to create an eye-catching mix of light and shadow. Areas Covered - Club house - Drop-Off, Tower Lobby, Banquet and Clubhouse Lobby

· Engawa (Connection)- This is a connecting component between the structural design and landscape and has been incorporated to perfectly blend the interior architecture with the outside landscaping. Areas Covered - Alfresco dining with pool view, Restaurant and Bar Lounge

· Tsuboniwa (Small Garden)- The concept of Tsuboniwa or small garden is corresponding to the Japanese philosophy of stylish minimalism which means "less is more". Areas Covered - Theatre, Gymnasium, Spa, Treatment Room, and Jacuzzi

· Kaiyuusei (Stroll Garden)- The artistic and philosophical conception behind kaiyuusei or Japanese stroll garden is to emphasize natural landscaping elements while evading artificial ornamentation. Areas Covered - Pool Area, Terrace Garden, Kid's play room, Refreshment corner, Squash Court & Tennis Court

· Anzen (Security)- Anzen means security, at here a careful planning and deliberation has gone into designing. A three tiered security system, access control system and high-speed shuttle elevators are some of the unique feature. Areas Covered - Main Entrance, Tower Lobbies and Apartments Entrance

· Taihi (contrast)- Taihi meaning contrast is generally used in Japanese structural design, contrasting shades and elements are composing to engage the user's attention. Areas Covered - Living & Dining Room, Kitchen, Master Bedroom, Washroom, TV Lounge and Kid's Room

· Minutes away from the major Business districts of Gurugram through the NH48 Loop connecting Golf Course Extension Road

· Laminated Wooden Flooring in all Bedrooms, High Quality Flooring in Living and Dining area

· Fully loaded units with Modular kitchen with Premium CP and sanitary fittings

· Designed to get maximum ventilation and natural light, expansive living areas well ventilated rooms.

· Architecture bases on concepts- the project has been formulated using the concepts of Japanese form of art and architecture

· 36000 sq.ft of Sports, Activity and Social Zone, One of the largest in your neighbourhood

· Modern-day amenities & services such as billiards, amphi-theatre, snooker room, squash, badminton & tennis court, swimming pool, jogging track, swimming pool, skating rink, gymnasium, meditation with yoga centre, party arena, kids play area, senior citizen area, shopping hubs & nursery-primary schools

 Download Project Brochure, Site Plan, Floor Plans, Pricing & Payment Plan, etc......

http://www.krisumicitygurgaon.in

 You can also download the brochure, floor plan, application form and lot many things from the link bellow

https://app.box.com/v/krisumicity

  For further information and to know the booking process write to rairealtors@gmail.com or feel free to call on +91 9999913391

  Best Regards

 Sales & Support Team

 RAI REALTORSTM

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