#Michael Hagins

[fearsmagazine]

HERE, BETWEEN, AND BEYOND: An Evening of Haunting One Acts - Review

DATES: October 21st & 23rd, 2023 COMPANY: A Rising Sun Productions THEATER: Kraine Theater 85 E Fourth St, New York, NY 10003 ACTORS: Luvia Almanza, Jennifer Atkinson, Rick Benson, Ben Dworken, Miriam Eusebio, Luis Feliciano, Ally Harwell, Kristen Hoffman, Michael Pichardo, Josephine Pizzino, Nicholas Schommer, Mary Sheridan, Orlando F. Rodriguez, and Matt Tiemstra. CREW: Costume coordination by Zahra Jangbar; Props coordination by Liane Diep; Production Stage Management by Rebecca Kane; and Assistant Stage Manager Justin Hsu. Website: www.risingsunnyc.com

SYNOPSIS: The evening’s emcee is Mickey, short for an Aztec god of the underworld, who pieces together the evening’s tales, through a series of monologues by Orlando F. Rodriguez and directed by Maggie Connick, that search for the meaning of life and what lies between here and the beyond. An exploration of how we honor the dead in this compilation of haunting one-acts, ranging in tone and place, each one act explores a different way we interact with death, the beyond, and what’s in between

Now You See It, Now You Don't by Holly Hepp Galvan and directed by Elliot Colby - Beware the wandering magician that makes things disappear.  You might be next.

Decorum by Judd Lear Silverman and directed by Jonatha Long Frye - A spoiled, world-weary Lord of the Manor returns from his vacation to Egypt with a new lover, who happens to be a mummy. Chaos and jealousy ensue in this tale of love beyond time.

Blithe Seance by Eugene Grygo and directed by Rachael Langton - Theo is moving to New York to join the dot com revolution. But first he must face his past with the help of an eccentric medium in a tale of love and forgiveness.

The Questioning by Michael Hagins & directed by Anel Carmona - When gunshots ring out at a protest on the Brooklyn College campus, police think an anti-BLM janitor may have been responsible. But there may be another avenging--more supernatural--force at work.

Memento Mori by Donna Latham & directed by Kati Frazier - While privately grieving the loss of her lover, Lucretia tries to bring dignity and honor to an unknown corpse left at her doorstep through the art of post-mortem photography. But can the dead offer solace to the living?

From Press Notes

REVIEW: HERE, BETWEEN, AND BEYOND is a variety of five tales dealing with death and curated by an Aztec god of the underworld and her minions, who assist in the prop transitions for each tale. Staged in the Kraine Theater, a small black box off-off Broadway theater in the East Village, I had not attended a performance there since before the pandemic and they’ve done an excellent job with some renovations and upgrades, but still has that community theater charm.

The narrator/Mickey segments provide comic relief and a brief introduction to each piece. There are a few political zingers, but most of the writing is brief and limited. The tales are set in a variety of periods. Some are more serious than others, and only Michael Hagins’ “The Questioning” lacks any lighter moments given the subject matter. Given my familiarity with the genre, I would not say these tales were cliched, but they held no surprises for me. I felt that the writers did not have a lot of experience working in the genre and that they were trying to adapt the stories they wanted to tell to it. I found Donna Latham’s “Memento Mori,” a simple ghost story, the most interesting. There are some nice props to accent the performances, but the use of projections telegraphed the story’s reveal for me. The dialogue felt a bit rough and while not terrible, it could have benefited from a bit more time being workshopped and tweaked.

Given the independence of the production the performances were good. The actors were not miked and some were better at projecting than others. It is a small stage so there is not a lot of space for the performances to cover. Actress Luvia Almanza as Mickey has a broad role of engaging the audience to deliver public service announcements and guide them through the production. She has fun with it and feels more like a Disney tour guide than an ancient Aztec god with issues. Overall, there is a lot of sitting, some pieces more than others, such as “Blithe Seance” by Eugene Grygo that mostly takes place around a table. There are only a couple of performers who take on more than one role and I think it might have been a more energetic production if there were more multiple roles.

The props and costumes nicely accentuated the pieces. The lighting was fine and there were some effective sound and musical cues. There is an air unit in the theater. I can understand the need to run it during the performance but it was a tad loud and created this annoying white noise.

During the early 80’s I had a group of friends who were aspiring actors and were frequently involved with off-off broadway productions. So I have a soft spot for independent theater. HERE, BETWEEN, AND BEYOND is a vanilla, non offensive Halloween treat that’s a fun way to get your seasonal scare on. A hard working ensemble cast is the perfect reason to get off the couch and out of your dwelling to join a live audience and experience some theater. Heck, they have a bar in the theater so you could have a cold one to enhance your viewing experience. 

HERE, BETWEEN, AND BEYOND is part of the FRIGID NY Days of the Dead Festival. Performances run Saturday, October 21 at 7pm and Monday, October 23 at 9:30pm  at The Kraine Theater at 85 E 4th St, New York, NY 10003. Tickets are $25 for in person and $20 for streaming, and can be purchased at this LINK.

Review By: Joseph B Mauceri

[moviemosaics]

Sorry About the Demon

directed by Emily Hagins, 2022

[moviesandmania]

SORRY ABOUT THE DEMON (2022) Reviews, trailer and Shudder release news

SORRY ABOUT THE DEMON (2022) Reviews, trailer and Shudder release news

Sorry About the Demon is a 2022 American comedy horror film about a young man who discovers that his new place is full of restless spirits. Written and directed by Emily Hagins (Coin Heist; Grow Up Tony Phillips; My Sucky Teen Romance; The Retelling). It was produced by Cameron Burns, Emily Gotto, Ben Hanks, Aaron B. Koontz, Pasha Patriki and Ashleigh Snead. The Paper Street Pictures-Hangar 18…

[gebo4482]

Sorry About the Demon - Official Trailer [HD] | A Shudder Original

Dir: Emily Hagins Star: Jon Michael Simpson / Jeff McQuitty / Olivia Ducayen

[jay-michaels-public-relations]

Callie Stribling looks at a NO EXIT that enters the 21st Century

In his production of Jean-Paul Sartre’s No Exit at Under St. Mark’s, director Michael Hagins has undertaken to provide a new translation of the original as well. The end result is a presentation of the classic that is full of desperation and mean-spiritedness, and language that never feels out of step. Sartre’s play tells of three strangers stuck together in a room in Hell, steadily getting…

[writemarcus]

Artistic ways to mark Black History Month in Central Florida

By MATTHEW J. PALM | mpalm@orlandosentinel.com | Orlando Sentinel

PUBLISHED: February 8, 2024 at 5:00 a.m. | UPDATED: February 9, 2024 at 3:22 p.m.

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As the nation observes Black History Month, there are plenty of ways in Central Florida to mark the occasion artistically. The following plays, concerts and art exhibitions below shine a light on Black history, celebrate Black heritage or give voice to contemporary Black artists in writing, painting and musical composition.

The arts always provide food for thought; these offerings allow for reflection and celebration along with entertainment.

Theater

Playwrights’ Round Table, for the third year, presents its Black History Month Showcase. Six short plays by Black writers are included in the production, which runs Feb. 9-18 at Imagine Performing Arts Center in Oviedo Mall (tickets are $12-$20 at ImaginePerformingArtsCenter.org).

In Marcus Scott’s “Call and Response,” a young man is confronted after falsely sending emergency responders to someone as a joke, a practice called “swatting.” Michael Hagins contributed two works: the dark comedy “Man Bites Dog” and “First Date,” which is humorously described as “Making a connection can be hard, especially if your kids are assaulting Chuck E. Cheese.”Thao Tran and Chuck Roberson perform a scene from “Technical Support” by Amaris Gagnon, part of Playwrights’ Round Table’s Black History Month Showcase. (Courtesy Daniel Cooksley via Playwrights’ Round Table)

Amaris Gagnon also wrote two of the plays. “Mother of the Apocalypse” looks at a nurse at a fake abortion clinic, and “Technical Support” asks where lonely people come from.

Finally, in Krystle Dellihue’s “White Coat,” a young man on the cusp of achieving his dreams suddenly has to make a very difficult decision with his girlfriend. The cast of “A Raisin in the Sun” at Rollins College prepares for the production with a West African movement and traditions workshop from Julie Coleman.

(Courtesy Rollins College) Rollins College in Winter Park presents a classic title with “A Raisin in the Sun” taking the stage at the Annie Russell Theatre Feb. 16-24 ($20, rollins.edu/annie). Lorraine Hansberry’s 1959 masterpiece follows a multigenerational Black family as it navigates prejudice. Felichia Chivaughn directs.

Turning to African heritage, the MAC Boys tackle “Ruined,” Lynn Nottage’s Pulitzer Prize-winning play set during civil war in the Democratic Republic of Congo, where strong Mama Nadi owns a bar that draws characters from different sides of the conflict. The play will be performed at Orlando Family Stage, where the MAC Boys spotlight stories and works of and by people of color. It runs Feb. 22-25 with tickets ($20) at OrlandoFamilyStage.com.Julian Brown plays the djembe, an African drum, in Orlando Family Stage’s “Giraffes Can’t Dance.” (Courtesy Michael Cairns via Orlando Family Stage)

Also at Orlando Family Stage is the theater’s own production of “Giraffes Can’t Dance” for youngsters and their families. Based on the children’s book by Giles Andreae, the show is set on the African savannah and features a look at African musical heritage. Julian Brown plays the show’s djembe drummer; the djembe is a goblet-style drum originally from West Africa.

The show itself, adapted by Black playwright Gloria Bond Cunie, is a sweet look at feeling different and friendship as African animals prepare for a big dance. Director Ke’Lee Pernell leads the creative team for “Giraffes Can’t Dance,” which runs through Feb. 25. Get tickets ($15 and up) at OrlandoFamilyStage.com — and check out the theater’s ongoing salute to Black playwrights at Facebook.com/OrlandoFamilyStage.

Joy Allen, from left, Adourin Jamelle Owens, Jordan Sophia, Dayla Carroll and Julian Brown star in “Giraffes Can’t Dance” at Orlando Family Stage. (Courtesy Michael Cairns via Orlando Family Stage)

Music

The Sanford Jazz Ensemble salutes Black musicians in its Black History Month Concert at 3 p.m. Feb. 11 at the Ritz Theater in Sanford. Featured singer Ron Stark will perform Motown songs by Marvin Gaye, Smokey Robinson, The Four Tops and The Temptations, while the band will play songs by Michael Jackson, Grover Washington, Earth Wind & Fire and Tower of Power. Tickets ($27.50) are available at ritztheatersanford.com.

The 89th Bach Festival will acknowledge a significant moment in Black artistic history when its orchestra performs Florence Price’s Symphony No. 1 in E minor as part of its “Sanctuary Road” program Feb. 17-18 (tickets $15 and up; bachfestivalflorida.org). When the Chicago Symphony Orchestra played the work in 1933, it was the first time a symphony composed by an African American woman was performed by a major American orchestra.Composer and musician Florence Price, photographed by G. Nelidoff in Chicago, Illinois. (Courtesy University of Arkansas Libraries)

As for “Sanctuary Road,” it highlights a grimmer era of Black history. That work by composer Paul Moravec and librettist Mark Campbell sets the stories of enslaved Americans to music. It’s based on William Still’s 1872 book of slave narratives, “The Underground Railroad.”

Composer James Lee III was inspired by a more modern moment in Black history, the Rev. Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream Speech.” His “Shades of Unbroken Dreams,” written 60 years after King’s famed 1963 speech, is part of the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra’s “Brahms Third Symphony” program Feb. 24-25.Composer James Lee III was inspired by Martin Luther King’s “I Have a Dream Speech.” (Orlando Sentinel file photo)

“Shades of Unbroken Dreams,” co-commissioned by the Philharmonic, is making its Florida premiere in the Steinmetz Hall performance (tickets: $20 and up at drphillipscenter.org). Composer Lee even matched the cadence of King’s speech in parts of the music.

“For me, this ‘I Have a Dream’ speech and this concerto is really a vehicle through the arts that can really stimulate one to think about what is their role?” Lee told the BBC about the work. “How can they participate in helping to achieve this dream 60 years later?”

Timucua Arts Foundation will present “Timucua Amplifies Black Voices,” a weekend of music and spoken word, Feb. 16-18 at its venue, 2000 S. Summerlin Ave. in Orlando. Performers include Solomon Jaye, Britton Rene Collins, Brandon Martin, the Jarred Armstrong Trio and the DeAndre Lettsome Quartet.

Jaye is a vocalist and high-energy tap dancer, while Collins combines pantomime, poetry, gesture and improvisation in theatrical percussion performance. Martin will present a vocal recital, “Voices of Justice.”

Get more information on the individual performances and tickets at timucua.com/events/tag/black-history-month.

Art

Orlando City Hall’s Terrace Gallery will host a Black History Month art exhibition through March 31, featuring works by African Americans. From 10-11:30 a.m. Feb. 12 the public is invited to meet some of the artists. Regular gallery hours are 8 a.m.-9 p.m. weekdays, noon-5 p.m. Saturdays and Sundays. The gallery is on the first floor of city hall, 400 S. Orange Ave. and admission is free, 12-5 p.m. Saturday and Sunday.Purvis Young is among the artists on view at the Mennello Museum of American Art in Orlando. (Orlando Sentinel file photo courtesy of Skot Foreman)

And finally, the city’s Mennello Museum of American Art is currently exhibiting “Self-Taught Black Artists in the American South.” Thirteen artists are featured in the exhibition, which highlights examples from the Mennello’s permanent collection alongside works from a 2023 acquisition from the Polk Museum of Art. Artists represented in paintings and sculpture include Mary Proctor, Alyne Harris, Purvis Young, Jesse Aaron and Mose Toliver.

The Mennello Museum, at 900 E. Princeton St. in Orlando, is open 10:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Tuesdays-Saturdays, noon-4:30 p.m. Sundays. Admission is $5 or less. Get more information at mennellomuseum.org.

Follow me at facebook.com/matthew.j.palm or email me at mpalm@orlandosentinel.com. Find more entertainment news at OrlandoSentinel.com/entertainment

[rndyounghowze]

Hello! My name is Michael Hagins, and I recently created a Shakespearean version of The Princess Bride called As You Wish It. I was wondering if you'd be interested in watching it, and maybe reviewing it if you enjoy it. We have a chance at a possible live encore performance and any press would help. Thanks for any consideration!

Hi! We always forget to check notes here (our bad). Email us with information rndyounghowze@gmail.com

[noeljpenaflor]

This Sorry About the Demon (2022) review Apologizes For the Demon!

[newswireml]

'Sorry About the Demon' trailer looks like horror at its absolute silliest#039Sorry #Demon039 #trailer #horror #absolute #silliest

'Sorry About the Demon' trailer looks like horror at its absolute silliest#039Sorry #Demon039 #trailer #horror #absolute #silliest

Getting dumped by the love of your life and having your home possessed by a demon, all in the same week. That’s the premise of writer/director Emilly Hagins’ very silly looking horror-comedy Sorry About the Demon, in which Will (Jon Michael Simpson) enlists his friends to help him banish a malignant presence from his house that seems to want a human sacrifice — all while helping him navigate the…

[arun-pratap-singh]

'Sorry About the Demon' trailer looks like horror at its absolute silliest

'Sorry About the Demon' trailer looks like horror at its absolute silliest

Getting dumped by the love of your life and having your home possessed by a demon, all in the same week. That’s the premise of writer/director Emilly Hagins’ very silly looking horror-comedy Sorry About the Demon, in which Will (Jon Michael Simpson) enlists his friends to help him banish a malignant presence from his house that seems to want a human sacrifice — all while helping him navigate the…

[horrorpatch]

Official Trailer & Poster - SORRY ABOUT THE DEMON!

Official Trailer & Poster – SORRY ABOUT THE DEMON!

Shudder has released the official trailer & poster for their new horror-comedy, SORRY ABOUT THE DEMON! The film is written and directed by EMILY HAGINS and stars Jon Michael Simpson, Paige Evans. The film will debut on January 19th. Watch the trailer below. From The Press Release PRESENTS SORRY ABOUT THE DEMON WRITTEN AND DIRECTED BY EMILY HAGINS STREAMING EXCLUSIVELY ON SHUDDER JANUARY…

[technewslive]

‘Sorry About The Demon’ Trailer; Ampage Documentary Acquisition – Film Briefs – Deadline

‘Sorry About The Demon’ Trailer; Ampage Documentary Acquisition – Film Briefs – Deadline

EXCLUSIVE: Deadline has an exclusive trailer and poster for the horror-comedy Sorry About the Demon, written and directed by Emily Hagins (V/H/S), which is slated to premiere on Shudder on January 19. The film world premiering at FrightFest 2022 follows the brokenhearted Will (Jon Michael Simpson), who after being dumped by his girlfriend Amy (Paige Evans), is offered a massive house at a very…

[mybeautifulchristianjourney]

List of some Modern-day False Teachers

"But there were also false prophets among the people, even as there will be false teachers among you, who will secretly bring in destructive heresies... " - 2 Peter 2:1

Here is a list of of the more obvious heretics/false teachers to be marked & avoided: (not exhaustive)

Angley, Ernest [Word of Faith]

Armstrong, Karen [Progressive]

Arnott, John [leader Toronto “Blessing”, Latter Rain]

Bakker, Jamie [Emergent Church]

Bakker, Jay  [Emergent Church, neo-liberal]

Bakker, Jim [Prosperity Theology]

Bell, Rob [Progressive Christian, Emergent Church]

Borg, Marcus J . [Liberal Christian]

Burke, Spencer [Emergent Church]

Boyd, Gregory A. [Open Theist]

Camping, Harold [false prophet]

Campolo, Tony [Progressive Christian]

Chalke, Steve [rejects penal substitution and biblical Inerrancy; supports same sex unions]

Cho, Paul or David Yonggi [Word of Faith, pastor of largest church in the world]

Claiborne, Shane [Progressive Christian]

Clement, Kim [New Apostolic Reformation]

Copeland, Kenneth and Gloria [Word of Faith]

John Dominic Crossan [Liberal Theology]

Crouch, Paul Jr. [promotes Prosperity heresies via TBN]

Crouch, Paul Sr. [Properity Teacher, TBN founder]

Crowder, John [New Mystics, Sons of Thunder]

Deere, Jack [Latter Rain, Wimberite]

Dollar, Creflo [Prosperity Teacher]

Dowd, Michael [Progressive Christian]

Eddy, Mary Baker [“Christian” Science; mind sciences]

Evans, Rachel Held [Progressive "Christian", Political Idolatry]

Furtick, Steven [ narcissistic "gospel" devoid of much Biblical truth]

Hagee, John [False Prophet, Uber-Pentecostal, Ultra-Dispensationalist]

Hagin, Kenneth Jr./Sr. [Prosperity]

Hatmaker, Jen [works righteousness, progressive, affirms same-sex marriage]

Hick, John [Progressive Christian]

Hinn, Benny [Prosperity Teacher, Uber Charismatic]

Hollis, Rachel [self-help, self-care, self-love. prosperity]

Hybels, Bill [Seeker Sensitive]Jacobs, Cindy [Prosperity]

Jakes, TD [Oneness Pentecostalism]

John Pavlovitz [Progressive activist; witholds gospel from persons identifying as LGBTQ]

Johnson, Bill [New Apostolic Reformation, Kenosis, Word of Faith] -

more..

Kimball, Dan [Emergent Church]

Lane Craig, William [Trinitarian Errors, Partialism, Neo-Apollinarianism, Molinism]

Long, Bishop Eddie [Prosperity Uber Charismatic]

McClure, Joel [Emergent Church]

Mclaren, Brian [Emergent Church]

McManus, Erwin [Mystic Contemplative Prayer Movement]

Merritt, Jonathan [Pelagian, Progressive Christian]

Merton, Thomas [Trappist monk and Catholic mystic]

Micah, Jory [denies inerrancy, Feminist, Christological heresy, ambiguous about acsended Jesus having physical body, Jesus is genderless]

Miller, Donald [Progressive Christian]

Meyer, Joyce [Prosperity Preacher]

Nouwen, Henry [Contemplative Mysticism, Emerging Church]

Osteen, Joel [cotton candy theology, bible compromiser, name it & claim it, soft moralism]

Pagitt, Doug [Emergent Church]

Peale, Norman Vincent [positive confession liberal]

Pearson, Carlton [Universalism]

Popes, all [idolaters, antiChrists]

Price, Fred KC [Prosperity Preacher, Name it & claim it]

Prince, Joseph [Prosperity, Antinomianism]

Roberts, Oral [deceased, false prophet]

Robertson, Pat [divination, false prophet, TBN]

Rohr, Richard [Progressive Christian]

Roth, Sid [mystic, NAR]

Russell, Charles Taze [founder Jehovah’s Witnesses]

Rutherford, Judge [past president of Jehovah’s Witnesses]

Scandrette, Mark [Emergent Church]

Schuler, Robert [Peale clone, liberal theology]

Spong, John Shelby (1931–)

Stanley, Andy [Marcionite, carnal Christianity]

Sweet, Leonard [Emergent Church]

Tenney, Tommy [Oneness Pentecostalism, Charismatic]

Vines, Matthew [Liberal]

Wallis, Jim [Progressive Christian, Left-Wing Political idolatry]

Warren, Rick [Emergent Purpose Driven]

Webber, Nadia Bolz [Progressive Christianity]

White, Ellen G. [founder False Prophet Seventh Day Advents]

White, Paula [prosperity theology, NAR]

White, Todd [Read himself into bible, False prophet, False healing, prosperity Gospel]

White, Tom [Latter Rain; spiritual war network]

Wimber, John [deceased, Kansas City Prophets/Latter Rain]

Womack, Andrew [Prosperity]

Wright, Jeremiah [Liberation Theology, Bible denier]

Young, William Paul [Progressive Christian]

[jay-michaels-public-relations]

Hell is MORE people: Michael Hagin’s immersive interpretation of Sartre’s NO EXIT continues the 80th anniversary (interview: Alaina Hammond)

80 years ago… a play premiered in Paris that altered our perception of reality. Now, the C.A.G.E. Theatre Company under the direction of its artistic director, Michael Hagins, presents Matthew Tiemstra, Gigi Principe, Alaina Hammond & Charlotte Vaughn Raines in Jean-Paul Sartre’s existentialist masterpiece NO EXIT. Translated from the original and adapted and directed for today’s reality…

[brokehorrorfan]

Scare Package will be released on Blu-ray and DVD on October 20 via RLJE Films. The 2019 horror-comedy anthology is currently streaming exclusively on Shudder.

It features seven segments from directors Emily Hagins (Coin Heist), Chris McInroy, Hillary & Courtney Andujar, Noah Segan (of Knives Out fame), Baron Vaughn (of Grace and Frankie fame), Anthony Cousins, and Aaron B. Koontz (The Pale Door).

Noah Segan, Baron Vaughn, Chase Williamson, Jocelyn DeBoer, Jeremy King, Dustin Rhodes, Zoe Graham, Hawn Tran, Kirk Johnson, Chelsey Grant, Jon Michael Simpson, and Joe Bob Briggs are among the cast.

The Blu-ray version includes the film’s full episode of The Last Drive-in with Joe Bob Briggs. A full list of special features is below, where you can also watch the trailer.

Special features:

The Last Drive-In with Joe Bob Briggs: Scare Package (Blu-ray only)

Audio commentary - Creators commentary on the film, commenting on other films that have better commentary tracks

Locker Room Z - Bonus segment

Rad Chad's Rad Ad

Original not-as-good ending

Blooper reel

Chad Buckley is a lonely Horror aficionado, spending his days overseeing a struggling video store and arguing with his only customer, Sam. When an unsuspecting job applicant arrives, Chad sets out to teach him the rules of Horror; weaving in and out of hilarious segments geared toward the ropes and tropes of terror.