#jonathan larson you will always be famous

[sincericida]

«"Tick Tick Boom" Sunday.

Vanessa Hudgens & A. Garf on a break from the

workshop sequence, filmed in the dance studios at

Hunter College, NY.» @lin_manuel IG

[kieranculkingirl]

tick tick boom will forever haunt me. he was 35 years old…. he never even got to see his musical that changed the entire theatre genre forever perform on stage…… i need to be put down

[unimportant-ramblings]

You're so lucky we're best friends, because I wouldn't tolerate Rentposting from anyone else. What prompted this latest burst???

I am so lucky we're best friends for a multiplicity of reasons! But we must always remember that I am a dirty theatre kid and went through a PRONOUNCED rent phase at like 13/14, I know all the lyrics, I would wake up and put the rent dvd in my little portable dvd player and watch the first couple scenes before i went to school, it is my mother's favorite musical of all time (MoR continues to be absolutely impossible to predict) like. I have seen things bro.

The recent burst is 1) because it's Christmas adjacent so I can listen to the soundtrack while getting in a seasonal vibe. Oh and also. It gets dark at like 4 I need some comfort food

But 2) for all its faults, it's also just this fascinating piece of cultural and theatre history. Like Jonathan Larson dies the day of the first off Broadway preview.... the show isn't finished? Or at least not polished? A show can change so much in previews? Workshops? Come on! And I think you can really tell that there are pieces of the show that don't connect; the homeless aspect completely disappears after act 1, the tone whips wildly from scene to scene, act 2 by and large has less good songs even for a second act, things like Mark's line "I'm the one of us to survive" seems to be tied to the point in the script where Joanne and Maureen are also HIV positive but thats not the case in the "finished" version and TELLINGLY THE LAST SONG IN THE SHOW IS SO BAD something that you'd think they'd fix after they had seen it staged, but he never gets a chance. Like I could go on!

And it's so interesting because the number one show that rent gets compared to is Hair; countercultural shows that fundamentally changed broadway. But Hair is famous for being a very different kind of show- it continues to maintain its hippy ethos by having open, changing direction, the songs are changed or reranged. The plot of Hair is minimal because it's about the feelings and the more open they can be with the audience, the more effective Hair can be.

Rent, meanwhile. Despite the obvious problems that rent has, Larson's death meant that the entire production was frozen in amber. Any alterations to the original direction have been met with heavy fan and critical negativity. And I mean, I'm a phantom fan, I'm a cats fan, I like a replica. But with rent,,,, the show doesn't feel done!! And there are big problems that feel like someone with a keen eye could just. Fix. a lot of them but they never will.

This is added to the fact that Rent essentially modeled theatre Fandom for the next 30 years at minimum. Oh also it somehow won the pulitzer. Like it's fascinating.

I will never, ever be free of Rent and I must inflict this on my beloved mutuals from time to time 💕💕💕

[odeummagazine]

Jonathan Larsons hit-musical RENT: Does it work on screen?

When talking about musical theatre, Jonathan Larson is one of the greatest writers and composers whose name is up there with Sondheim and Webber. And when speaking about musical stage to film adaptation, his most famous work “RENT” is at the top of this list. Yes, the musical was, and still is, a hit – but how does it perform on screen?

The musical drama film RENT (2006) based on Jonathan Larson’s original stage play and directed by Chris Columbus, follows a group of friends

in midst of the HIV crisis in New York. While all their friends are trying to find a new approach to love and life, all Roger wants is to write one more song in honour of his late girlfriend and Mark’s dream is to finally finish a documentary that will finally make him a filmmaker. What this group of friends and the individual couples experience is an ode to LGBTQIA+ culture in the 80’s, a piece for all the victims of HIV - as their journey takes them through highs and lows, in order to find appreciation for life and friendship.

Despite its stereotypical structure and story arch of a drama, the film adaptation of Johnathan Larsons musical masterpiece RENT feels like a new rollercoaster ride, every time you watch it.

Through a captivating score and detailed set design that takes us back to the 80s/90s, I felt

as though my attention was always with the film. But maybe that is just my love for that

time. Especially, Columbus’ detail to performance and the actor’s choreography kept me

hooked all the way through. Inspired by the original Broadway play and performed by some of its original stage cast, the effort to not lose its original charm and stagey feel was there. But did it work?

Tough question. As someone who has seen the stage play before, the film adaptation was a stripped-down version of the original story. Songs were cut and the storytelling slightly shifted to focus on Mark’s gaze rather than keep the individual stories of each character at length. Consequently, the life around Mark, built upon the struggles of his own mates, seems superficial and barely influential to his own life. Which leaves the question of motivation of the protagonist. To answer this, he’s hiding behind the camera – again and again and again. Despite being pictured as the protagonist and having most of the screen time, Mark’s life simply consists of seeing his friend’s stories through his lens in order to film his documentary. Makes sense, you would think. If only, Mark or one of his friends would have an obvious and in-depth storyline, but the connection of storylines is all over the place and jumps from character to character with little explanation. Now, this is not criticism on the story of RENT itself, but merely a negative note on the stripped-down film adaptation as we know how the story is originally organised.

It appears that the writers were trying to fill this gap of superficial storytelling by creating an even more dramatic atmosphere than in the original version. But even the star cast of the original Broadway version such as Idina Menzel as Maureen and Anthony Rapp as Mark could not fix or fill this missing gap. Important to mention, however, is the actors’ work in general. A wonderful and raw performance from each and every one of them. A star cast, that deserves its name and award nominations. If only, they could have given more through further developed characters.

Despite its previously mentioned captivating effect, the conversations between the characters were lacking any greater emotional interpretation – leaving the emotional journey of the characters up to their songs, choreographies, and sound scores. Combined with the focus on Mark, this leaves Columbus’ work as a superficial story that tries to tell a story through its pre-written songs rather than the storyline or cinematography itself. Agreed, the rock-inspired music is amazing and the way the original score influenced the film music is cleverly made and crafted. Unfortunately, music cannot simply carry a film alone. But in this case, it saved it. Without the songs and musical performances of the cast, I doubt this film would achieve this kind of emotional empathy and captivation throughout the entire story.

Personally, I think this is because RENT the film cannot stand on its own without the original stage adaptation, which is often the issue when adapting stage to screen or vice versa.

Despite its efforts to maintain the theatrical feeling, original empathy, and celebration of LGBTQIA+ culture – this film was, quite frankly, a little bit of a let-down. However, due to Jonathan Larson’s original characters, lyrics and score, there is a charm that I simply cannot shake off when I watch this film.

[agentnico]

Tick, Tick... Boom! (2021) Review

Lin Manuel Miranda directing a musical? Wait, whaaa?? This is unprecedented!! No way!! The most unlikeliest scenario ever!! Did not expect this whatsoever! Somebody shut the front door as I’m about to lose my mind!! Not as much as Jonathan Larson, evidently, but metaphorically I shall lose my mind!!

Plot: Based on the autobiographical musical by playwright Jonathan Larson. It's the story of an aspiring composer in New York City who is worried he made the wrong career choice, whilst navigating the pressures of love and friendship.

So this film premiered on Netflix back in early November, and I didn’t watch it for one sole reason - my fiancée gave it a go first whilst I was out for some reason, probably searching for dangerous cliffsides to chase Pokémon on, and she told me it was really bad. I should note that she only watched 10 minutes of it and for some reason I came to the very educated and logical conclusion that her opinion speaks for the entire film, so I went ahead and didn’t watch it. And so only recently this movie came back onto my radar when a mate from work told me it was actually really good. And seeing as Andrew Garfield is in the centre of the moviegoing public’s attention right now for absolutely no reason whatsoever relating to what might currently be out in cinemas at this moment in time *wink wink nudge nudge*, I decided to finally give Tick, Tick... Boom! another shot. Well, its first shot to be exact.

Right off the bat, Andrew Garfield is superb in this movie. You always wonder how certain actors can surprise you with their singing voice when they randomly appear in a Hollywood musical after prior not showing any signs that they could actually sing. There is no part of me that would have questioned that Garfield had done this type of thing since the day he was born. He fully throws himself into this extravagant musical theatre role, with gusto and charisma, and that very much brings with it a pro and a con for this movie. As in, his performance in this movie is very much the decider of will you or won’t you like this movie. Evidently my lovely fiancée didn’t like this movie (from only watching 10 minutes of it) and her main reason was that she found Garfield annoying in it. Which is true, his performance and character is grand, fast and really in-your-face, as if he’s in an actual theatre stage projecting his voice and role to a massive audience and reaching out to the very end of the theatre. It can be jarring, so if you aren’t a fan of musicals, this movie definitely won’t be your cup of tea, as this feels like Broadway through and through. But that’s also the pro side to Andrew Garfield’s performance. He fits perfectly into this world of musical theatre, and believably sells Jonathan Larson as someone who’s really passionate about theatre, singing, writing and all things music. And for anyone who’s currently surprised that Andrew Garfield can actually give a good performance outside of Spider-Man (and yes, I said it, he was a good Spider-Man, just stuck in very bad movies!), let us not forget that back in 2016 he starred in two critically acclaimed awards-contending films Hacksaw Ridge and Silence, and one of those was directed by one of the most famous directors ever Martin Scorsese, and Garfield managed to hold his own in both those films! So take that, Garfield haters!! 

Aside from Andrew Garfield, Tick, Tick... Boom! is a solid movie with a story that has been told many times before. Don’t get me wrong, its good stuff, but we’ve had many many films about struggling artists who are trying to get their work out their whilst having to balance their personal matters also. Funnily enough, its actually the subject matter of many musicals. But as films of this kind go, Tick, Tick... Boom! is perfectly okay, if a but lacking the niche directorial flair and touch. Lin Manuel Miranda is a good songwriter. He’s proven that many times, including managing to get a catchy tune out of a giant angry crab who is obsessed with how shiny his shell is. However when it comes to his directing, it’s a bland. There are definitely some cool shots, especially when he manages to turn a diner into a theatre stage during a musical number, but otherwise you can tell his filmmaking style is amateurish. And for a movie with such a title as Tick, Tick... Boom!, I feel like the movie lacked urgency and pace. Like the narrative is all about running out of time, but this movie acts like it has all the time in the world. Nevertheless, Garfield is really good in it, the songs are going to make musical theatre fans happy and I think overall this movie is perfectly fine if a bit unimaginative biopic for the musical artist. I do also admire that this movie pays tribute to Stephen Sondheim, a genius of musical theatre who sadly passed away earlier this year, who here is portrayed as someone who is ready to give anyone a chance, if they have that special spark.

Overall score: 6/10

[tabloidtoc]

OK, December 21

You can buy a copy of this issue for your very own at my eBay store: https://www.ebay.com/str/bradentonbooks

Cover: Queen Elizabeth cancels Christmas

Page 1: Big Pic -- David Beckham in an ad for Haig Club 

Page 2: Contents 

Page 4: Bella and Olivia Jade Giannulli -- life on their own -- find out what Lori Loughlin and Mossimo Giannulli’s daughters have been up to while their famous parents sweat it out in prison -- Bella has been so stressed out and felt she deserved a trip with her buds so she went to a luxury resort in Santa Barbara over Thanksgiving weekend 

Page 6: It’s been a little over a year since Felicity Huffman was released from prison after serving her time for role in the college admissions scandal but she is finally starting to get her life and career back on track -- initially she was nervous about working again given the controversy and everything that went down and she seriously wondered if there would be anything out there for her material-wise but she shouldn’t have worried as she landed a part in an upcoming pilot in which she’ll play a recently widowed owner of a Triple-A baseball team and she’s really excited about the show 

Page 7: Kristin Cavallari is fed up with Carrie Underwood’s meddling in her divorce from Jay Cutler -- after Kristin called time on her seven-year marriage Carrie and her husband Mike Fisher who used to be Nashville couple-friends to both Kristin and Jay have taken Jay’s side and since then there’s been some snide stuff said that’s made it clear how Carrie really fills about Kristin -- while Jay spent Thanksgiving with Carrie and Mike, Kristin filmed a wine-fueled Instagram Live and Carrie finds this type of thirsty behavior on social media incredibly lame and she’s saying it’s obvious Kristin cares more about upping her profile than making any type of family peace 

* After nearly 60 years in showbiz Cher has a different aspirations -- since traveling to Pakistan to help a mistreated elephant from a local zoo be relocated to an animal sanctuary she’s saying this is her new mission to help endangered species in third world countries and campaign for other good eco causes -- Cher spends much of her time cooped up and bored in her Malibu mansion and her trip made her realize there’s a world out there that needs her help 

* Mark Harmon of NCIS is all work and no play these days and nearly two decades in the same TV gig as Leroy Gibbs has only made things worse as the responsibilities of the show seem to wear heavier on Mark by the year and even on a break you can’t get him to crack a smile or tell a joke; he’d rather go lie down in his trailer -- off set Mark and his wife of 33 years Pam Dawber get along because they’re such homebodies and Mark can usually be found working on his cars in the garage or relaxing in the yard and he cherishes his quiet time but people have stopped inviting him out because he’s known as Mr. Boring 

Page 8: Dolly Parton is spreading Christmas cheer far and wide with a new TV special and album and Netflix movie but at her home in Tennessee the holiday spirit is decidedly lacking because Dolly is forgoing her favorite 40-year-running traditions which are filling her house with trees and driving her nieces and nephews and their kids around her farm in golf carts dressed as Santa and handing out presents because of her concern for her husband Carl Dean who has Alzheimer’s disease and he’s in a high-risk group for coronavirus so she’s restricted the property to just them and two staff members -- it breaks Dolly’s heart to have to cancel her big annual celebration and she’s still decorated her home to the nines but it’s a lonely feeling knowing the family won’t be there to see it 

* Prince William and Duchess Kate Middleton are proving themselves to be perfectly postmodern parents by raising their kids Prince George and Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis with firm rules for TV and electronic use -- Kate who recently revealed she’s fielded her share of temper tantrums actively attempts to stave off meltdowns with a strict rewards chart and the kids have to earn screen time -- Kate prefers to keep them busy with activities like board games and hikes and baking which the children enjoy anyway

* After spending the last several years living a relatively low-key life in his native England Russell Brand is desperate to have a bigger presence in Hollywood but his wife Laura insists he stay put -- Russell’s craving SoCal living and the copious acting jobs and event invites that came with it but Laura prefers their British life outside the spotlight with their young daughters -- while some work has come to him in England like the upcoming Death on the Nile if he had his way he’d make a more aggressive career push in L.A. 

Page 10: Red Hot on the Red Carpet -- stars stand out in festive green dresses -- Carly Pearce, Angela Bassett, Zendaya 

Page 11: Jodie Comer, Adriana Lima 

Page 12: Who Wore It Better? Melissa Gorga vs. Jennifer Lahmers, Abigail Spencer vs. Hailey Bieber in Max Mara, Olivia Culpo vs. Aurora Culpo 

Page 14: News in Photos -- Brooke Burke with Christmas ornaments that will be auctioned by non-profit Operation Smile 

Page 16: Audrina Patridge brought along her daughter Kirra’s favorite toys for a picnic in Beverly Hills, Padma Lakshmi visits The Vitamin Shoppe in NYC, Brandy at the BET Soul Train Awards 

Page 17: Kelly Rutherford felt the love from her dogs in L.A., Shawn Mendes out for a walk in Miami 

Page 21: Robin Wright and husband Clement Giraudet held hands while riding their bikes in L.A., long-time friends Gabrielle Union and Snoop Dogg unpacked ingredients delivered by Shipt 

Page 22: Josh Duhamel on The Ellen DeGeneres Show, Karlie Kloss on her new Adidas collection 

Page 24: Vanessa Hudgens snuggled up to her beloved pup Darla while at the park in L.A., Jay-Z taking a walk around the island in Hawaii 

Page 25: Kimora Lee Simmons and her children handed out food to residents of a housing complex, Prince Jackson safely helped a community church distribute food to those in need 

Page 26: Inside My Home -- Ariel Winter’s stylish setup 

Page 28: Like most Garth Brooks and wife Trisha Yearwood have had a challenging 2020 but their 15-year marriage was put to the test this past summer when the country superstars’ daughter Allie tested positive for Covid-19 -- they were worried sick and had to go into quarantine themselves and not being able to hold Allie’s hand was terrible for both of them but fortunately Allie’s case was mild and Garth and Trisha’s tests came back negative 

Page 30: Kylie Jenner and Travis Scott who have amicably coparented their daughter Stormi since their split last year and recently spent Thanksgiving together as a family are drawing up plans to have another baby together in 2021 because both of them want to give Stormi a sibling ASAP and neither can imagine going through this process with anyone else -- the exes are figuring out a contract to specify their family plans that will protect Kylie’s money and outline coparenting terms more formally and give them each an agreeable share of custody if things don’t stay as rosy down the line

* They’ve costarred in five films and have proclaimed they’re each other’s work wives and are finally single at the same time so pals of Jennifer Aniston and Jason Sudeikis are urging the longtime friends to give it a go romantically especially now that Jason has split from Olivia Wilde -- Jennifer always says Jason makes her laugh the way no one else can -- while Jason’s primarily focusing on coparenting his kids he’s long harbored warm and fuzzy feelings toward Jen and he would love to ask her out but the only thing holding him back is the potential to ruin their solid friendship

* Love Bites -- Johnny Galecki and Alaina Meyer split, Rihanna and A$AP Rocky dating, Jonathan Bennett and Jaymes Vaughan engaged 

Page 31: Matthew Perry’s loved ones are worried the Friends star has made a rash call by suddenly getting engaged to literary manager Molly Hurwitz -- the on-off two-year romance between Matthew and Molly has been dysfunctional from the get-go and Matthew’s way more into this than Molly who seems to love him more like a brother

* A rough year for Prince Harry and Meghan Markle including inter-family strife and a move across the pond and a devastating miscarriage has only strengthened their bond -- after Meghan revealed she and Harry had miscarried in July the two were quite overwhelmed by the outpouring of compassion and the response not only validated their decision to go public a thousand times over but it also helped them grow even closer -- they’re determined to put this behind them and try for another baby at the earliest opportunity but more than anything else it’s really underlined how they belong together as soulmates 

Page 32: Cover Story -- Queen Elizabeth’s holiday shake-up -- inside the monarch’s heartbreaking decision to call off the family’s annual Christmas celebration -- the queen will celebrate the holidays at Windsor Castle in Berkshire for the first time in more than three decades -- while the queen is upset not to have the company of the younger royals this year she has to think about her and Prince Philip’s health 

Page 36: Katie Holmes’ season of joy -- how Katie is spending the holidays with her new love Emilio Vitolo Jr. 

Page 38: Mistaken Identity -- with these celeb look-alikes it’s deja vu all over again -- Carrie Underwood and Reese Witherspoon, Daniel Radcliffe and Elijah Wood 

Page 39: Mark Wahlberg and Matt Damon, Amy Adams and Isla Fisher, Lucy Hale and Selena Gomez 

Page 40: Interview -- Tommy Lee’s new beat -- the veteran rock star opens up about his latest solo album and his new fan base 

Page 42: Gal Power -- how Wonder Woman actress Gal Gadot gets into superhero shape 

Page 43: Fight Club -- these buttkicking superheroines pushed themselves to new limits -- Brie Larson, Scarlett Johansson, Danai Gurira 

Page 46: Style -- Zendaya for Lancome’s new mascara 

Page 48: Sleek activewear from celeb-loved label Gigi C Bikinis makes it easy to look like a star when you work out 

Page 49: 5 minutes with Adrienne Bailon 

Page 54: Entertainment 

Page 58: Buzz -- Disney Holiday Singalong featuring Ryan Seacrest, Katy Perry, Pink and daughter Willow, Ciara and her kids Future and Sienna 

Page 60: Sound Bites -- Nelly on feeling disappointed with placing third on Dancing With the Stars, Kaley Cuoco on husband Karl Cook’s social media presence, Megan Fox on first meeting boyfriend Machine Gun Kelly 

Page 61: Paul McCartney on why he doesn’t like taking pictures with fans, Cardi B joking about how her 2-year-old crashed her selfie video 

Page 62: Horoscope -- Sagittarius Vanessa Hudgens turned 32 on December 14 

Page 64: By the Numbers -- Dan Levy 

[aengusnatureking]

NEW YORK - Raúl Esparza learned to sing when he was a little boy in Miami, sitting on his grandmother's lap as she taught him all the old songs from Cuba. Now he's all grown up, starring in Cabaret and holding the theater world in the palm of his hand. Who could have known, all those years ago, that the music of a homeland he has never seen would stoke the creative fire that has taken him all the way to Broadway stardom? 'It feels incredibly fast,' says Esparza, 31, whose performance as the Emcee in Cabaret has put its own dark spin on a role made famous by Joel Grey and Alan Cumming. 'I haven't been [in New York] very long, so it's a blessing. But there's also a kind of numbness. I keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. Good things happen, and I go, `That's nice.' ' Among those good things: his rousing turn as Riff Raff in the wild Broadway revival of The Rocky Horror Show; the lead in the Off-Broadway production of Jonathan Larson's Tick, Tick...Boom!; doing Cabaret opposite Brooke Shields, then Gina Gershon, and now Molly Ringwald; and cocktails with Stephen Sondheim to discuss his starring role in Sondheim's Sunday at the Park With George this summer at the Kennedy Center. Numb? Maybe. But Esparza is also aware of how fortunate he is. 'Every day on the way to the theater, I walk through Shubert Alley [near Times Square] to remind myself of where I am,' he says. ``Some people work their whole lives and don't make it to Broadway.' Esparza has, mainly through years of hard work honing a talent that has now won him a place at the center of America's theater universe. And those who know about such things are sure he's the real deal. 'Once or twice a year, Broadway [gets] a new home-grown star, who for their fame is not depending on television or film, but on the theater,' says Sam Mendes, director of Cabaret and the film American Beauty. ``Raúl is the genuine article, and his performance as the Emcee gives full vent to a talent we will see a lot more of in the future.' Todd Haimes of New York's Roundabout Theatre Company, who cast Esparza as a replacement Emcee in Cabaret, is even more effusive. 'I think Raúl is one of the most extraordinary young talents I've ever seen,' he says. ``He's got a great voice, and he's a great actor. It's hard to define star quality, but you know it when you see it. Raúl is going to be a big star.' A LONG ROAD But like any 'overnight' success, he's been working toward this moment for years. Esparza's talent first surfaced at Miami's Belén Jesuit Preparatory School, where he staged play after play -- in English and Spanish -- and funneled the profits to charity. He made his professional debut 13 years ago, just out of high school, in the world premiere of Luis Santeiro's Mixed Blessings at Miami's Coconut Grove Playhouse. The only child of Cuban exiles, Esparza was born in Wilmington, Del., where his mother María Elena met his father Raúl on a blind date. His mother, now a Miami travel agent, concedes her son got lots of attention but says it didn't ruin him. 'When you have an only child, you devote yourself to that child to the extent that it makes you ache,' she says. ``He was very pampered, but he has given us back the same love. Because he has been brought up with love and not a lot of grief, he's always had a tender nature. There's not a mean streak in him.' Beatriz Jiménez, his Spanish teacher and mentor at Belén, remembers Esparza's creativity and drive. 'I met Raúl when he was in the seventh grade, about 12 years old, and even at that age, you already knew,' Jiménez says. ``I've taught for 30 years, and he is the most outstanding person and student I've met. He emanates an energy, a love of learning. He can direct, write, sing, act. He's wonderfully fluent in both Spanish and English, and he has a tremendous understanding of both cultures. We didn't have a performing arts program at Belén, but he helped create one.' Esparza founded a club called ALPHA -- the letters signify acting, literature, photography, history and art -- and under its auspices did numerous plays. His leadership won him the 1988 Silver Knight Award in drama, and he and a fellow student took national honors in the Catholic Forensic League competition for their scene from the play Amadeus. He didn't do as well with the National Foundation for Advancement in the Arts competition, where one judge suggested he didn't have a future as an actor. 'When Raúl told me he'd decided to go into acting, I told him it was a tough road,' Jiménez recalls. ``How do you know how to keep going or when to quit? You have to listen to yourself.' Esparza did that, beginning at Florida International University, then earning his degree from New York University's Tisch School of the Arts in 1991. From there he moved to Chicago, where he built a reputation at the city's top-tier theaters, acting in such high-visibility productions as Slaughterhouse-Five at Steppenwolf and Cry, the Beloved Country at the Goodman. Things were going so well, in fact, Esparza and his wife Michele, his high school sweetheart, imagined building a life in Chicago -- despite the fact that Esparza found his ethnicity perceived differently there. 'As soon as I left Miami, I realized what being in a Hispanic minority is,' he says. ``In Miami, being Cuban is the center of your power. The parts that movie and TV people want to see me for are Latin things. Then I get there and they don't think I'm Latin enough.' Yet it was a major Hispanic role in theater that eventually led him to move to New York -- and to Broadway. He won the role of Che Guevara in a major touring revival of Evita, and though his decision to play the revolutionary didn't thrill his exile family (his paternal grandfather had known Guevara in Cuba), the raves he won as he traveled the country in 1998-99 did. The show didn't play South Florida, so his family and his former teacher traveled to the Fox Theatre in Atlanta to see him. 'That was a difficult role for him, especially coming from a Cuban exile background,' Jiménez says. ``He did so much research, and he created a very three-dimensional Che. He was conniving, fiery, passionate, intense, very dark.' And convincing. Says Esparza's mother María Elena: 'We took my mother-in-law and father-in-law to Atlanta to see him. My mother-in-law said, `I want Che out of there. I want my grandson back.' ' `STAR PERSONALITY' Harold Prince, the original director of Evita, saw Esparza's portrayal at a run-through and a performance and agrees that he's destined for big things. 'He has real star quality and huge energy. He's smart and quick and funny,' observes Prince. ``Then I saw him in Tick, Tick...Boom! and didn't realize at first he was the same boy. He's got star personality.' Che led Esparza to an audition for Rocky Horror, which got him the Riff Raff role and put him on New York's fast track. He left that show to create the part of Jonathan in Tick, Tick ...Boom!, and his next show was to have been a major Roundabout revival of Sondheim's 1991 musical Assassins. Then came Sept. 11. 'I had a feeling similar to the one I had after Hurricane Andrew, when just seeing Bryan Norcross on TV would make me break into tears,' Esparza recalls. ``I didn't want to do the show. I could smell the burning. It felt pointless. ``The stage manager and I worked every day volunteering. But I met people from all walks of life who said Tick, Tick ... Boom! -- which is about continuing after you realize it's not going to be easy, and that what you choose to be in life is up to you -- had inspired them.' After the disaster, Assassins (which contains lyrics about a character wanting to fly a plane into the White House) was scrubbed. So the Roundabout's Haimes shuttled Esparza into Cabaret, where he has become the show's most dynamic Emcee since the Tony-winning Cumming, giving a performance that is one part Marlene Dietrich, another part unhinged victim of evil. He'll leave Cabaret at the end of April and go into rehearsals for Sunday in the Park With George, part of the Kennedy Center's $10 million, six-show, summer-long Sondheim Celebration (he's also cast in the festival's production of Merrily We Roll Along). Eric Schaeffer, artistic director of the festival, cast Esparza in Sunday in the Park in the dual roles of artist Georges Seurat and a contemporary artist named George, roles originated on Broadway in 1984 by Mandy Patinkin. It's a huge part, but one Schaeffer says he knew right away that Esparza could handle. 'Georges has to have an intensity, but deep within he has a troubled soul,' Schaeffer says. ``Raúl sang Finishing the Hat, and he got the creative drive of the artist and the sadness within it. The contemporary George is the trickiest, and once again he captured the spirit, the frustration, the soul-searching. 'It doesn't happen that often in an audition that you say, `That's the person.' That you get chills by the end.' HEARTACHES Offstage, Esparza's life has been rougher since his move to New York. His wife decided to move back to Miami and her extended family rather than relocating to New York. Yet though they are separated, Esparza says, ``We speak every day. She's the light of my life. We grew up together. Lived side by side. We're going through a process of getting to know each other again. ``Every good and bad thing that happens, I want to share with her.' Another loss has been more permanent. While he was playing Riff Raff in Rocky Horror, his parents brought his maternal grandmother, America García-Pell, to see her grandson on Broadway. It was her 93rd birthday, Dec. 22, 2000. A few days later, the extended family gathered in Wilmington, Esparza's birthplace, to celebrate Christmas. 'I fell asleep on her lap, as she was stroking my head,' Esparza says. 'When I woke up, she said, `You haven't done that since you were a child. I could die tomorrow a happy woman.' ' The next day, García-Pell had a stroke. She passed away Jan. 18, but Esparza spent many of those last days by her side, leaning in close to her ear, softly singing her favorite Cuban songs. And now every time he steps onstage, a part of her is with him. 'After my grandfather died, she would put drops of his Guerlain cologne in a handkerchief and carry it with her,' Esparza says. ``Now I wear it onstage in Cabaret.'

[jacksonhenry297]

Top 10 Superhero Films of All Time

Everyone has their own lists, and everyone will have their own opinion. This list includes films that not only have a good story, staggering box office numbers, and mystifying visual effects but also a strong international appeal, even a global cult following, and most importantly, a strong villain. Here are our top ten superhero films of all time.

Captain Marvel

2019 was a big year for Marvel. Not only were they able to garner over $3 billion at the box office, but they also introduced their first female superhero-Captain Marvel.

The Brie Larson starrer was a film that preceded the Avengers: Endgame and sort of had a similar job that Black Panther had for Avengers Infinity War.

No question about Larson’s acting prowess but there are very few who consider the film better than Wonder Woman. Even Marvel fans weren’t too excited about Larson, someone like Emily Blunt would have certainly made them appreciate the film more. Furthermore, Larson’s endeavor to connect the film with her activist movement didn’t help the film’s PR strategy. As a result of this, there isn’t much excitement about the sequel of Captain Marvel.

Man of Steel

Zack Snyder’s 2013 film was pitched as a film that will reinstate Superman as the most powerful superhero in pop culture and announce the arrival of the DCEU (DC Extended Universe), aka Justice League franchise, at the box office. The film was reasonably successful because of the visual spectacle, Henry Cavill’s persona, and Hans Zimmer’s deeply engaging soundtrack.

However, lackluster villains, no proper planning, and abysmal editing in film’s sequels led to the eventual downfall of DCEU.

DC is in the rebuilding phase after the shocker of the Justice League and is looking forward to bringing the franchise back on track.

Thor: The Dark World

The second film in the Thor franchise was the final film that Natalie Portman did with MCU before she parted ways citing creative differences.  However, she will return as Jane Foster almost after a decade with the fourth installment of the Thor franchise (Thor: Love and Thunder)

The film gives more insights on Asgard than the first film, and although it could be criticized for utilizing scientific annotation in a wrong way the cinematography, action, and the acting of the ensemble cast makes the film worth a watch.

Wonder Woman

2017 blockbuster directed Patty Jenkins remains to this day arguably the best film of the DCEU franchise, and before that, there wasn’t anything really substantial in terms of fan appeasement. However, DCEU has been in the rebuilding phase, and with recent films like Shazam and Aquaman, there is so much to look forward to.

The Gal Gadot starrer also has a sequel in line, which is gearing up for the October the 2nd release date.

Avengers: Infinity War

It broke the record of Avatar in a matter of days and remained the highest-grossing film of all time until, of course, its sequel was released. Avengers: Infinity War is famous for his powerhouse of stars, visual effects, and Josh Brolin’s dominance as Thanos.

The climax of the film is very dark and arguable will remain the darkest moment in Marvel film history for a long time. I mean, how dark can Marvel get? It’s not DC. This should be the threshold.

Infinity War is an insane film, and I mean the literal word-insane. Ten years before, if somebody had mentioned an idea like this, he or she would have been called nuts. The film should have been impossible to make, but it happened, and for it to happen, several blockbusters had to be made in order to set up the events in Infinity War.

The sheer audacity and the strategy involved to create a franchise like this is nothing short of a work of genius.

Doctor Strange

It was the second film in phase 3 of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and starred Sherlock star Benedict Cumberbatch in the titular role.

Doctor Strange possessed both magic and intelligence, and this origin film firmly established Cumberbatch’s prominence in Marvel’s plans for the future. He is arguably the frontrunner, along with Brie Larson, to take the place of Robert Downey Jr as the face of the franchise.

Batman (1989)

Tim Burton’s film was the first installment in the Batman franchise, which slowly but surely lost its way with its sequels.

The film had Michael Keaton starring as Batman and Jack Nicholson as the Joker. The film explored Batman’s early days (which Matt Reeves is also planning to do) and his rivalry with the supervillain Joker.

The film was critically approved and attained commercial affluence. Despite the likes of Christian Bale, Ben Affleck, and Robert Pattinson donning the caped crusader suit years after, Michael Keaton has remained one of the most beloved Batman actors.

But as a fun fact, there were voices at that time that said nobody could surpass Jack Nicholson’s Joker. Not to doubt Nicholson’s virtuosity, but the voice turned out to be wrong…the point, which we will address with the first ranked film in our list.

The Dark Knight Rises

Although it is regarded as one of Christopher Nolan’s weakly written scripts, the soundtrack, cinematography, sequence, and the acting done in the film are top-notch.

Nolan reluctantly agreed to do this film and finally bid adieu to the Batman franchise as a director. The film perfectly ended the story of Bruce Wayne and gave the possibility of continuation through Robin’s character, but the franchise hasn’t been touched upon ever since.

It ranks on 12th position in the highest-grossing films of all time and is Christopher Nolan’s highest-grossing film ever.  Nolan co-wrote the script of the film along with his brother Jonathan and David S. Goyer. Just like its prequel, the focus was mainly on the visuals and the story and less on the action.

V for Vendetta

It’s not so much of a superhero film, but it is one of the rare films ever made. V for Vendetta was a DC film based on the 1988 storyline of a limited series of the same name from DC Vertigo comics.

The film starred Hugo Weaving and Natalie Portman in lead roles. The film is filled with symbolic significance, acting brilliance, and powerful dialogues. Portman won a Saturn Award for this film and it is one of her best performances.

The Dark Knight

The 2008 film directed by Christopher Nolan is arguably one of the best films ever made. The film is always held in juxtaposition with the vintage film Godfather but the most surprising thing is that it wasn’t even nominated in the best film category at 2009 Oscars.

The film holds the pedigree of not being just the best superhero film ever made but also the best crime thriller ever made.

The ensemble cast of Christian Bale, Michael Caine, Heath Ledger, Maggie Gyllenhaal, Gary Oldman, Morgan Freeman, and Aaron Eckhart delivered a performance that is unfathomably difficult to recreate if not impossible to surpass.

Conclusion

So, here were our top 10 picks for the best superhero films of all time. There can be few honorable mentions that you would argue should have been there in the list itself such as Avengers: Endgame, Logan, Wolverine, Deadpool, Superman Returns, etc.

Source-Superhero Films of All Time

[books-are-my-escape]

Get to know Sam;

AC/DC - What are your favorite bands? Rascal Flatts, Fifth Harmony, Little Mix, Five Seconds of Summer, The Eagles

Aerosmith - What are your favorite songs? Heavy - Delta Goodrem Hole in the World - Eagles Why - Rascal Flatts Broken Home - 5SOS I Believe I Can Fly - R Kelly

Aretha Franklin - Do you have a favorite jazz song? No, I don’t think so? 

Alice Cooper - What is your favorite type of music? Country!

Beach Boys - Have you ever been in a concert? Yes I have been to quite a few!

Black Sabbath - A song that motivates you? Enough - Delta Goodrem

Bob Dylan - Do you know how to play any musical instrument? I sort of played keyboard  but not that well 

Bon Jovi - Your favorite song about love? Terrified - Katharine McPhee

The Beatles - Latest song that made you smile? Million Reasons - Lady Gaga

David Bowie - A song that makes you feel happy? Take Me or Leave Me - RENT

Eric Clapton - Have you ever been in love with a rock artist? No 

Creedence Clearwater Revival - What is your favorite instrument? Piano

Deep Purple - Do you prefer bassists or drummers? Either or, not fussed

The Doors - What is your favorite lyric? And they tell me "girl you're so lucky" "You've got the world in your hands" But you know the world gets so heavy You don't understand And that's heavy

Fleetwood Mac - Female or Male vocalists? Both!

The Grateful Dead - What song are you listening right now? None but I have Million Reasons in my head

Guns n’ Roses - What song describes your emotions right now? Heavy - Delta Goodrem

Heart - Do you know a song that you want at your wedding? Marry your Daughter - Barry McKnight?

Iron Maiden - Do you frequently listen to your songs on shuffle? Yes, always

Jimi Hendrix - A song that represents “your aesthetic” Um, I have no idea

Joan Jett - Who do you think when you listen to your favorite love song? Depends on the song

Janis Joplin - What is your favorite 70s song? Hotel California - Eagles

Journey - Do you have any famous crushes? Delta Goodrem

The Kinks - What is the last single you downloaded? Piece by piece - Kelly Clarkson

Kiss - What is the perfect song to describe your relationship with your boyfriend/girlfriend/crush? Don’t have a crush!

Led Zeppelin - Do you like loud guitar solos? Yes

Lynyrd Skynyrd - Do you like instrumental songs? Sort of

Metallica - A song that you think everybody should listen to? Why - Rascal Flatts

Nirvana - A song that breaks your heart? Just one? Angel - Amanda Perez

Pink Floyd - Name your top three songs in any language. I Believe I Can Fly - R Kelly Heavy - Delta Goodrem Songbird - Fleetwood Mac

Pearl Jam - A song to drive to? 80s Mercedes - Marina Morris

Queen - A song to dance to? Squeeze - Fifth Harmony

Bruce Springsteen - A song that you would sing in a karaoke? Don’t stop believing - Journey

The Rolling Stones - Your favorite album? Delta

U2 - A artist/band you’re proud of? Camila Cabello!

Dusty Springfield - Do you have a favorite soul song? Tears of a clown smokey robinson?

The Supremes - Your favorite girlband? Fifth Harmony

Simon and Garfunkel - Your favorite acoustic song? Four five seconds!

Derek & The Dominos - Do you prefer a cover more than the original song? Sometimes, if its slowed down enough

The Mamas and The Papas - What’s the song that have a harmony so good that makes you want to punch something? anything that Rascal Flatts sings

The Temptations - A song that you liked when you were younger? Genie in a bottle - Christina Aguilera

Cream - A song that you associate with summer? Summer of 69!

The Band - A song that you never get tired of? Don’t Let Go - En Vogue Steve Miller Band - A song that need to be played out loud? How do you get that lonely? - Blaine Larson

Sonny & Cher - A song by an artist with a voice that you love? Bad things - Camila Cabello

Wings - A song that makes you remind of yourself? Write on Me - Fifth Harmony

the adventures of huckleberry finn: do you think kids or their parents are responsible for their beliefs? I think kids are responsible for their beliefs, but parents shape them or at least they try to.

the alchemist: what are your current plans for the future? will you be upset if they don't work out? I want to get a job but I also want to study so i have no idea what i want alice's adventures in wonderland: how do you react to absurd situations? Hmmm I keep my thoughts to myself, depending on situation I’d probably laugh. and then there were none: do you think murderers deserve to die? Yes. artemis fowl: how much do you depend on technology? More than I should beowulf: is it always worthwhile to hear both sides of an argument? Yes, definitely. the canterbury tales: if someone is hypocritical, do you point it out? No, not fond of confrontation cat's cradle: do you think it's better to believe a lie than to live with an unpleasant truth? Not always, I suppose it depends on the truth charlotte's web: what's your favorite art form? Music?  coraline: if you could change your family, what would you change? their lack of self belief the crucible: how heavily do you depend on others when forming opinions?Quite a bit unfortunately, I prefer to know facts and other opinions before making my own, sometimes I can’t always understand facts without having someones opinion explain them?  fahrenheit 451: do you think there's any knowledge that should be kept secret? No, not that I can think of. the fault in our stars: if you could have one conversation before you died, who would you talk to and what would you say? Either my parents or my best friend, just express my love and thoughts and requests. flowers for algernon: how much potential do you think you have? Not a lot 

frankenstein: is it wise for humans to attempt to create life? If thats what they want to do. the giver: talk about a favorite memory I don’t have one. the great gatsby: what would you sacrifice for money? I would work for money harry potter: if you could bring someone back from the dead, would you? if so, who would it be? I wish I could bring back Ana or Diane, so Dianes kids had their mother back, but I dont think Ana would want to come back the hitchhiker's guide to the galaxy: what do you think is the meaning of life? To live the hobbit: do you think the average person has the potential to be a hero? Possibly, just may not be the hero everyone wants or thinks they want holes: if someone poor stole from someone rich, who would you sympathize with? Probably the poor howl's moving castle: how quickly do you form opinions about other people? Not too quickly, sometimes I can jump the gun if someone is rude/obnoxious first time I meet them the hunger games: would you kill someone if they planned to kill you? No identical: how clear is your perception of reality? I don’t know, honestly the importance of being earnest: are you flattered or annoyed by gentlemanly behavior? I am not too fond of it inferno: do you think you belong in hell? why or why not? Don’t think i belong in heaven 

jonathan livingston seagull: is perfection a good goal? No, definitely not the joy luck club: describe your family Quiet, reserved jurassic park: do you think it's wrong to use animals as attractions and accessories? Yes the kite runner: if you could, what social issue would you spread awareness about? Homophobia, or abuse les misérables: do you think people should revolt if the government is corrupt? I do, but safely if possible life of pi: if you were stranded, would you be able to take care of yourself? No hahah the lightning thief: what would you be the god/goddess of? Um, goddess of care the lion, the witch, and the wardrobe: if you could start a new life in a new world, would you? Yes lord of the flies: what motivates you best? Friends lord of the rings: is it important to work for the greater good of the world? Not necessarily   of mice and men: would you kill your closest friend to save them from a worse fate? I don’t think I could the perks of being a wallflower: does listening to other people's problems help you or weigh you down? Helps them the phantom of the opera: how much do you judge others on physical appearance? Not much pride and prejudice: are you romantic? With friends I am haha the princess bride: what's your best feature? Hair a raisin in the sun: what is your most important possession? Um, I dont know, books? romeo and juliet: have you ever done anything ridiculous for love? what? Nope  stargirl: do you value uniqueness? I do indeed! the taming of the shrew: would you be willing to be in a relationship with someone who is very dominant? Maybe the tell-tale heart: is there anything you feel guilty about right now? what? I feel guilty about not having a job and not being able to pay mum any rent to kill a mockingbird: do you believe something has value simply because it's beautiful? Yes, but the beauty itself can be valuable twilight: how consistent are your feelings about people close to you? Not very consistent, they change a lot  watership down: do you think your right to life is any greater than an animal's? Not at all, an animals life is the same if not more the westing game: if you died now, what would you want to happen to your possessions? I would give my harry potter books to Karly, Leighton and Lucas, soft toys to leighton, and idk everything else be sold and money to b given to my parents and my godson and nephew! 1) What images do you have set for your desktop/cell phone wallpapers? Desktop; mix of photos of friends and family, cell phone: Ana and Leighton 2) Have you ever had a crush on a teacher? Yes I have :L 3) What was your last text message? Um “Okay!” to Louise  4) What do you see yourself doing in 10 years? Hopefully owning a bookshop 5) If you could be anywhere else right now, where would you be? In bed sleeping 6) What was your coolest Halloween costume? Harry Potter! 7) What was your favorite 90s show? Thats so Raven or Lizzie McGuire 8) Who was your last kiss? Um, Bernie? 9) Have you ever been stood up? No 10) Favorite ice cream flavor? Chocolate 11) Have you been to Las Vegas? Nope 12) Your favorite pair of shoes? My runners 13) Honestly, have you ever cheated on your significant other? No 14) What is your favorite fruit? Pears! 15) Have you talked to anyone on tumblr that you could see yourself dating/having sex with? If possible? Not really 16) Are you into hookups? Short or long term relationships? Hook ups 17) Do you smoke? If so, what? Yes, cigarettes 18) What do you do to get over your anger? Cry 19) Do you believe in God? No 20) Does the person you're in love with know it? Not in love 21) Favorite position? None 22) What's your horoscope sign? Virgo 23) Your fears? Spiders, the dark, heights, water, not having control 24) How many pets do you have? What kind? One, dog! 25) What never fails to turn you on? Neck kisses 26) Your idea of a perfect first date? Harry Potter marathon in bed! 27) What is something most people don't know about you? I was physically bullied in high school by a boy my age and my teachers asked me if i thought he was flirting.. 28) What makes you feel the happiest? Reading and listening to music! 29) What store do you shop at most often? Whitcoulls 30) How do you feel about oral? Giving and/or receiving? I don’t mind giving because of the response I get  31) Do you believe in karma? Sort of 32) Are you single? Yes 33) Do you think flowers or candy are a better way to apologize? No, words are 34) Are you a good swimmer? I used to be 35) Coffee or Tea? Neither! 36) Online shopping or shopping in person? Online! 37) Would you rather be older or younger than your current age? Older 38) Cats or Dogs? Doggys 39) Are you a competitive person? No 40) Do you believe in aliens? No 41) Do you like dancing? Its fun when drunk haha 42) What kind of music do you listen to? Many kinds! 43) What is your favorite cartoon character? I don’t think I have one 44) Where are you from? New Zealand 45) Eat at home or eat out? Home 46) How much more social are you when you're drunk? Depends what stage of drunk, but usually a lot more social 47) What was the last thing you bought for yourself? Books 48) Why do you think your followers follow you? I am not sure, but I value them for doing so! 49) How many hours do you sleep at night? My average seems to be 4  50) What worries you most about the future? Losing people 51) If you had a friend that spoke to you the same way you speak to yourself, how long would you be friends? Not very long 52) Are you happy with yourself? Happier than I used to be but not completely. 53) What do you wish you didn't know? How cruel the world can be 54) What big lesson could people learn from your life? Acceptance 55) If you could live in any home on a television series, what would it be? Arias from PLL 56) What's your favorite Website? tUMBLR AND NETFLIX 57) What's the habit you're proudest of breaking? Self harm and binge drinking 58) What was your most recent trip of more than 50 miles? Um Oamaru 59) What's the best bargain you've ever found at a garage sale or thrift store? It wasn’t me that found it but my mum found a Harry Potter lamp shade for $2 60) What do you order when you eat Chinese food? Crystal chicken on rice 61) If you had to be named after one of the 50 states, which would it be? No idea 62) If you had to teach a subject to a class, what would it be? English 63) Favorite kind of chips? Salt and Vinegar 64) Favorite kind of sandwich? Ham Lettuce tomato 65) Which do you use more often, the dictionary or the thesaurus? Dictionary 66) Have you ever been stung by a bee? Yes lots of times when I was younger 67) What's your favorite form of exercise? Walking! 68) Are you afraid of heights? Yes 69) What's the most memorable class you've ever taken? Classics 70) What's your favorite breakfast? Don’t like breakfast 71) Do you like guacamole? No 72) Have you ever been in a physical fight? No 73) What/who are you thinking about right now? Karly 74) Do you like cuddling? Mer no 75) Are you holding onto something you need to let go of? Yes 76) Have you ever experienced one of your biggest fears? No 77) Favorite city you've been to? Christchurch  78) Would you break the law to save a family member? Yes 79) Talk about an embarrassing moment? Somehow in class when I was having a private conversations the class would stop talking when I was saying something embarrassing 80) Are there any causes you strongly believe in? Yes  81) What's the worst injury you've ever had? My neck seems to be the worst 82) Favorite day of the week? Friday 83) Do you consider yourself sexually open minded? Yes 84) How do you feel about porn? If it turns you on then fine  85) Which living celebrity would you like to know? Delta Goodrem 86) Who was your hottest ex? Male or female? haha probably Brittney 87) Do you want/have kids? No 88) Has anyone ever told you that they wanted to marry you? Yes but my best friend 89) Do you get easily distracted? Sometimes 90) Ass or titties? Titties 91) What is your favorite word? Weird 92) How do you feel about tattoos? I love them 93) Do you have any pets? Doggy 94) How tall are you? Uhm 5″6 95) How old are you? 23 96) 3 physical features you get complimented on a lot? Hair, smile and eyes 97) Is there anything you're really passionate about? Acceptance 98) Do you have trust issues? Oh yes 99) Do you believe in love at first sight? No, lust 100) What are some words that you live by? Why? Happiness can be found even in the darkest of times, if one only remembers to turn on the light 

[inkni]

The Most Anticipated of 2017

Okay, so, revelation: there’s a lot of entertainment to take in this year. The INK crew and I chose to review the entertainment we’re most anticipating and/or dreading this year (but you won’t see much of the latter from me). Lucky for you, my thoughts on this topic span more than one post. Because I’m indecisive me, I simplified my list of entertainment mediums under consideration to a whopping 4 categories: film, TV, music, and video games. Without further ado, here’s what I have my antennae up for this year.  

MOST ANTICIPATED…

IN FILM

Marvel Event (November 3): While Guardians of the Galaxy, Vol. 2, and Spider-Man: Homecoming are taking up most of the limelight on publications’ “most anticipated” lists, my attention is on Thor: Ragnarok. With the most vibrant chemistry in the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU), especially considering what a left turn Captain America and Iron Man’s relationship took, Thor and Loki and their stellar Asgard are enough to pique my interest. Add to that mix Anthony Hopkins, Cate Blanchett, Mark Ruffalo, Idris Elba, Jeff Goldblum, Benedict Cumberbatch, Tessa Thompson, and you have the most acclaimed cast for a Marvel film. Director Taika Waititi had one of 2016′s funniest and most honest comedies with Hunt for the Wilderpeople, so I expect he’ll bring a wonderfully fresh brand of quirky comedy to Marvel’s trademark jocularity. Thor is the most underrated series in the MCU, which won’t change this year under the shadow of Guardians and Spider-Man. And I’m ready for this to be Marvel’s “hidden gem.”

Filmic Adaptation (TBA): Jeanette Walls’ 2005 memoir, The Glass Castle, is such an intelligent and unflinching look at a dysfunctional family and survival amidst constant change, I fear some of its emotional nuance will be lost on the big screen. However, Walls’s story is in good hands with director Destin Cretton, whose Short Term 12 so effectively explored the uncertainty and fragility of human relationships in seemingly powerless situations. In a moment of true godsend, Cretton’s lead for that film, Oscar’s current best actress Brie Larson, takes on the role of Walls. She’s joined by a strong supporting cast of Naomi Watts, Woody Harrelson, and Max Greenfield. If it hits all the right notes, I expect we’ll be seeing much more of The Glass Castle come 2017′s awards season.

Movie With Toys (February 10): The most famous caped crusader + Lego + Mariah Carey = Need I say more?

Genre Mashup (July 28): Stephen King’s magnum opus of a series—or so many would call it—gets the theatrical treatment. In The Dark Tower, a 10-year-old boy, Jake, falls into a cutthroat, fantastical world where Idris Elba (Roland Deschain) is a knight fighting off monsters and sorcerers, the baddest of which is played by Matthew McConaughey (in what’s sure to be maniacally ruthless fashion). For Jake and Deschain, It’s not just a fight to rule the kingdom of Mid-World. They’re up against time too. Jake must make it to the Dark Tower of End-World to save Deschain’s Mid-World. Multiple dimensions, monsters, sorcerers, knights, and King’s trademark touch of horror make for 2017′s most intriguing mashup.

Most Dreading: More of Jesse Eisenberg’s Lex Luthor in Justice League. No interpretation of a character—especially one as classic as Lex—was as grating, infuriating, and just plain annoying as Eisenberg was in Batman v Superman. It was the sourest point in a film that got a way worse wrap than it deserved. Here’s to hoping they keep his screen time to a minimum (but we know they won’t). Watch (again) if you dare.

IN TV

Supernatural Entry (FX, February 8): Noah Hawley, showrunner of FX’s acclaimed Fargo series, decided it’s high time for X-Men to hit the small screen with a live-action format. The series follows Professor X’s son, Legion, as he discovers he’s more than his mental disorder. Dan Stevens, the Beast of Disney’s upcoming Beauty and the Beast, leads a cast that includes Parks and Rec alum Aubrey Plaza and the always-top-notch Jean Smart. I expect the show will provide a fruitful analysis of societal attitudes towards mental disability, but I hope it also sets the stage for a feast of visual effects.

Limited Miniseries (HBO, February 19): An absolutely knock-out, female-led cast—Nicole Kidman, Shailene Woodley, Laura Dern, Reese Witherspoon—heads to a small (seaside?) town for a look at the lives of three women in Big Little Lies. Kidman, Witherspoon, and Woodley star as as the trio that endures scandal, small-town agendas, and, well, lies. This adaptation of Liane Moriarty’s 2014 novel is under the direction of legendary dramedy scribe, David E. Kelley, and the man who brought us Wild and Dallas Buyer’s Club. Prepare yourself for killer performances, snappy dialogue, and brooding cinematography.

TV Adaptation (Hulu, April 26): Author Margaret Atwood is such a prolific and innovative author, so many of her offerings could find new life in today’s “Platinum Age” of TV. It makes sense, then, that Hulu would choose to adapt one of her more famous and accessible novels, The Handmaid’s Tale. The show is set in the dystopian Republic of Gilead, where pregnancies are scarce and certain women, known as Handmaids, are indentured baby machines. Mad Men’s Elisabeth Moss stars as Offred, a Handmaid serving the Commander (Joseph Fiennes) and his wife (Yvonne Strahovski), who decides to end her hellish servitude. Intrigue awaits.

IN VIDEO GAMES

Vampyr (Xbox One, TBA): There’s the superhero fight-fest of Injustice 2 (please let it have a seemless narrative like Mortal Kombat IX); the Red Dead follow-up; Prey, a horror-action thriller from the Dishonored 2 team; and of course Mass Effect: Andromeda, which Mark discussed in detail. Then there’s Vampyr. Based on the Spanish flu epidemic that took over 1918 London, the game follows Jonathan Reid, a vampire doctor. His struggle is to balance his professional oath with his new bloodlust (i.e. study and kill his prey, oodles of innocent people). Overall, the semi-open world, role-playing format, and historical setting are reasons enough to call me intrigued.

[swipestream]

Science Fiction New Releases: 20 April, 2019

The titans of military science fiction rise to duel with mecha and starships in this week’s new release roundup.

Absolution (Blood Runners #1) – George S. Mahaffey Jr. and Justin Sloan  

In a futuristic New Chicago where justice is meted out via a barbaric system called Absolution, you can either level up or check out.

Nobody knows this better than Marisol, a super-powered tracker whose job involves hunting down “Runners,” people who’ve been paid bounties to become suspects in crimes committed by the wealthy.

On the verge of becoming the city’s premier Hunter, she stumbles upon a young Runner who holds the key to a conspiracy that could topple New Chicago’s dictator–and threatens everything she’s ever believed in.

“It’s a little bit Hunger Games with a touch of Running Man and just a sprinkle of Ready Player One.”–Amazon Reader Review

Armor World (Undying Mercenaries #11) – B. V. Larson

In a twist of fate that rocks the Galactic Empire, James McGill finds himself negotiating the future of a thousand inhabited worlds.

An artificial object made of compressed stardust is barreling toward Earth. Is it an invasion ship? A doomsday weapon? Perhaps it’s the final response of Squanto, the Warlord of Rigel who McGill has repeatedly humiliated. Or could it be from the Mogwa, sent to avenge McGill’s assassination of Earth’s Imperial Governor?

No one knows the truth of its origins, but the object is huge and unstoppable. Whoever hurled this rock at us isn’t answering our calls. Every weapon bounces off, and the people of Earth begin to go mad as they realize their destruction is only hours away.

The Colossus (Blood on the Stars #12) – Jay Allan

The Hegemony strikes again…

The Confederation and its allies have won their first victory, retaken their capital from he forces of the Hegemony. But the enemy is not beaten, far from it, and they are back, with an unstoppable weapon, a vast superbattleship, a deadly hybrid of imperial and Hegemony technology, called the Colossus.

The great ship is enormously powerful, nearly unstoppable, and in its armored depths it hides a secret, another Hegemony weapon, one that will change the dynamic of the entire war. One that will challenge Admiral Barron, and his officers and spacers, to the greatest test they have ever faced.

The battle for the Rim has reached its climactic stage, but even as the Hegemony moves forward to claim victory, an old enemy, a terror from the distant past, is about to return…and change everything.

Dropship (Forsaken Mercenary #1) – Jonathan Yanez

If they can’t control him.

They’ll try and kill him.

Daniel Hunt is the deadliest mercenary in the galaxy if he can just remember. Five years before he woke up with nothing more than his name. Now his present is on a violent collision with his past and the future of the galaxy.

The Earth is dead. Humanity has taken to the moon and Mars to have a chance. On what’s left of Earth primal gangs war for dominance.

A rebel force will discover a weapon of unimaginable strength, the wealthy in the galaxy will do anything to possess. As Daniel unravels the origin of his past he’ll realize he’s not the same weapon he once was. But does redemption exist for someone like him?

Dust of the Deep (Wings of Earth #2) Eric Michael Craig

Some runs pay better than others … Especially when there are pirates involved.

After almost losing his Shipmaster’s licenses, Captain Ethan Walker takes on three new crewmembers and the first job that will get him back into space. He realizes en route that the supplies and personnel they’re carrying make the ship a prime target for pirates. It’s too late. He has no option but to complete the run regardless of the danger.

Things get worse for the Olympus Dawn when they make a one hundred light-year detour to pick up an archaeologist who knows their actual destination, only to find that someone has kidnapped her.

While they’re waiting for instructions from the archaeologist who hired them, Walker learns that Captain Kendrick Jetaar will stop at nothing to capture their cargo. Captain Walker must escape the ruthless pirate lord before he and his crew become casualties in a war he didn’t know existed.

Fortunately, the load pays exceptionally well, if only he can survive to collect.

Earth Aflame (Earthrise #11) – Daniel Arenson

The Singularity has come. The machines have risen.

Our robots, once loyal servants, now slaughter us. Our cars, planes, and starships have become machines of death. Cyborgs roam the land, deforming humans, growing their twisted army.

Is a heartless, mechanized hell our future?

A faint hope shines. Heroes still fight. Famous names. Einav. Marco. Addy. Lailani. The heroes of the Alien Wars. Names etched in our history, in our hearts. Four friends. Four humans . . . against an army of metal.

A shadow has fallen. Humanity must shine brighter than ever before.

Gott Mit Uns (Terran Strike Marines #5) – Richard Fox and Scott Moon

Terran Strike Marines fight for victory. No matter the odds. No matter the cost.

The final battle against the Kesaht begins.

Lieutenant Hoffman and the exhausted Marines of Valdar’s Hammer are called upon to make a desperate assault against the enemy’s home world. But the foe is prepared, and their planet is a death trap.

While the Strike Marines fight for their lives, the fabled ship Breitenfeld remains captured by the Ibarra Nation, and the Ember War hero Valdar languishes in a cell. The ship and her captain are held on a strange world of the Ibarra’s design, and only the Hammers can free them.

Hoffman and his Strike Marines have fought from the icy wastes of Koen, to the jungles of Eridu, and even deep into the heart of a shattered moon, but their final mission will demand a price in blood.

The Lost Supernova (Lost Starship #10) – Vaughn Heppner

Androids used to mingle among us, pretending to be human. Then an alien puppet-master altered their programming. Unknown to us, androids began leaving human society, burning their clothes and peeling off their skin to reveal the chrome-colored bodies underneath.

They gathered in a system were a star had exploded, blowing away the atmosphere of a Jupiter-like planet. The supernova had hurled heavy metals against the remaining core. The androids are mining supermetals that can turn ordinary ship weapons and shields into invincible armaments.

The altered programming includes human genocide, which will start with a murderous attack on Earth.

Luckily, Captain Maddox finds the enemy system. But during a space battle, something happens to hurl Victory thousands of light-years away into the Scutum-Centaurus Spiral Arm. The crippled starship will take years to reach home again. Long before that, Earth will be a radioactive ruin.

Now begins a desperate journey in hostile space that will stretch everyone as Maddox strains to reach the Lord High Admiral in time with knowledge about the coming android attack.

With Your Shield (Four Horsemen Tales #10) – Chris Kennedy and Alex Rath

Come back with your shield…or on it!

Staff Sergeant Markus ‘Spartan’ Nicolos is one of the Intelligence Department’s best. A hacker who can beat any code, he’s in charge of communications intercepts for the Golden Horde’s Computer Operations section. When people can’t break a code, they bring in Spartan.

It wasn’t always this way, though. Spartan used to be a frontline CASPer pilot—someone who could be counted on to get the job done and bring the squad home safely…until he lost his entire squad in an ambush. He also lost his edge in the attack, and he swore he would never pilot a CASPer in combat again.

Everything changed, though, when he came up with an idea for a new type of scout CASPer—one that would prevent what happened to him from ever happening again. He’s been given a mech to convert and a team to help him bring his idea to reality. And he’s been given a chance to test it out on a Golden Horde deployment.

But in the time immediately before the events of the Omega War, forces are already moving behind the scenes, and nothing is as it seems…and they’re bringing along Spartan’s combat mech—which he said he’d never pilot in combat again—just in case.

Science Fiction New Releases: 20 April, 2019 published first on https://medium.com/@ReloadedPCGames

[sincericida]

ANDREW GARFIELD as Jonathan Larson you will always be famous. (via Letterboxd)

[cynthiajayusa]

What’s Hot Central Florida: April 2019

Thursday, April 4

The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts presents Piff the Magic Dragon in The Lucky Dragon Tour at 7:30pm. 50% Comedian. 50% Magician. 100% Dragon. After earning national acclaim as the standout star of NBC’s America’s Got Talent and Penn & Teller: Fool Us, Piff the Magic Dragon continues to win over audiences across the globe with his mythical mixture of wizardry, wit and sarcasm that ignites a one-of-a-kind comedy magic show you have to see to believe. Joined by his trusty sidekick Mr. Piffles, The World’s Only Magic Performing Chihuahua™, the dynamic duo performed to sold out rooms at the world-famous Flamingo Casino in Las Vegas in the Piff the Magic Dragon Theatre. Now Piff and Mr. Piffles—along with Jade Simone, a genuine Las Vegas Showgirl, and Francis the Squire, a.k.a. the Eunuch in a Tunic—take to the road for the Dog Who Knows national tour.

Ballet and drag – merge in The Trocks, the world-famous all-male comic ballet company. Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo give new meaning to men in tights and go where no man has gone before: on pointe. Their hilarious spoofs of famous ballets like Don Quixote, Swan Lake and Nutcracker are done with impressive classical technique, making The Trocks “a mocking, loving, beady-eyed and wildly merry view of ballet. Not to be missed.” (Financial Times, London). Catch them at the The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall tonight at 7:30pm and tomorrow (April 5) at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa at 7:30pm.

Friday, April 5

Southern Nights Orlando welcomes Soju, from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 11 (18yr+ Welcome). Drag Shows at 11pm & 12:30am featuring Roxxxy Andrews, Maya Andrews, Sassy Devine, Tasha Long & Tashae Sherrington!

Southern Nights Tampa presents their monthly NeiBEARhood Takeover with the 4th Annual Circuit Cub GLOW Jockstrap Party (Neon/Glow/Jockstraps strongly Encouraged) starring DJ Neon the Glowgobear. Come early and stay late as this is one of our LARGEST events of the year!! 21+ Only with free admission before 10pm.

Saturday, April 6

Cristoph’s Tampa will be celebrating their 1st anniversary tonight with performances by Alexis De La Mer, Stephanie Stuart, and Lady Janet along with music by Mike Sklarz. We here at Hotspots Central wish Jaqueline and her entire staff a very happy anniversary and wish her many more years of success!

The Parliament House presents a celebration of hair:  “Wigfest 2019” featuring a Wig Fashion show featuring the most creative looks, on-site barber and wig stylist, vendors & exhibitors, and $300 cash for the best wig.

One of Tampa’s best parties is back with a new name, a new look, but the same “eat, drink, party” spirit! Best of Tampa Bay is now TASTE at The Straz, an ALL-INCLUSIVE all-you-can-eat food and drink extravaganza boasting more than 50 of Tampa Bay’s finest restaurants and caterers, and wine, liquor and craft beer tastings. Also, enjoy full open bars and 5 live bands! Since its inception 34 years ago, the Straz Center’s signature fundraising event has generated more than $2.5 million for arts education programs. Supporting the arts never tasted so good. Admission is $85 and $140 for VIP Admission. To purchase in advance call  at (813) 229-7827.

Tuesday, April 9

Winner of six 2017 Tony Awards, including Best Musical—and the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, Dear Evan Hansen makes 2 stops in Central Florida. The first is in Tampa from April 9-14 at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts, and the second is in Orlando from April 16-21 at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.  A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed he could have. Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he’s always wanted: a chance to finally fit in. Dear Evan Hansen is the deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it. To find out more see the feature in this issue.

The Straz Center for the Performing Arts presents, Spamilton: An American Parody from today through Sunday, May 12. Don’t miss this “convulsively funny” (The New York Times) parody from the comic mastermind behind the long-running hit Forbidden Broadway. After tearing it up in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, Spamilton: An American Parody will stage a singing, dancing, comedy revolution in Tampa for a limited time only. The Huffington Post raves “you don’t have to see Hamilton to have side-splitting fun at Spamilton.” Tickets start at only $30. To find out more see the feature in this issue.

More than two decades ago Jonathan Larson’s RENT opened on Broadway and forever changed American theatre. It continues to speak loudly and defiantly to audiences across generations and the world. And now, this Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning masterpiece returns to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall with its vibrant 20th anniversary tour. A re-imagining of Puccini’s La Bohème, RENT follows the lives of seven artists struggling to follow their dreams without selling out. With its inspiring message of joy and hope in the face of fear, this timeless celebration of friendship and creativity reminds us to measure our lives with the only thing that truly matters—love.

Thursday, April 11

Derek Hough: Live! The Tour comes to the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts at 7:30pm. This new production comes from the EMMY award winning mind of Derek Hough! The show features brand-new stage production, astounding versatility and, as always, Derek’s magnetic stage presence. Fans will journey through a true fusion of dance and music, as Derek explores styles ranging from ballroom and tap to salsa and hop-hop and everything in between. Creative team and two-time EMMY winners, Napoleon and Tabitha Dumo, also known as NappyTabs (Jennifer Lopez: All I Have Residency; Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour; GRAMMYs® creative direction), will co-create, direct and supervise choreography for the tour.

Amalie Arena presents KISS in their End of the Road World Tour at 7:30pm. After an epic and storied 45-year career that launched an era of rock n roll legends, KISS announced that they will launch their final tour Known for their trademark larger-than-life blistering performances, KISS has proven for decades why they are hands down the most iconic live show in rock n roll. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers who have sold more than 100 million albums worldwide have said this tour is devoted to the millions of KISS Army fans. Tickets start at only $25.75.

Join EPIC (Empath Partners in Care) and people from across Tampa Bay as we Dine Out to End HIV. Dining Out for Life is an international event, with more than 3,000 restaurants donating a portion of their proceeds in benefit of local AIDS service associations. For 14 years Tampa Bay restaurants have joined together in support of EPIC and those they serve who are effected or affected by HIV. Visit their website at DineTB.org to view a list of participating restaurants. Be sure to check back – new restaurants will be added daily up to the day of the event. For more information or to become a sponsor, please contact: Brooke Boccacino at (727) 523-3352, or at Events@EmpathHealth.org.

Friday, April 12

Cristoph’s Tampa presents a Blackout Party starring Stephanie Stuart with music by Mike Sklarz and a clothing check available.

Saturday, April 13

The Parliament House presents 8time Grammy nominated Dawn Robinson (formerly of En Vogue) live in concert singing her hit songs “Free Your Mind,” “Don’t Let Go,” and Giving Him Something He Can Fee.”

Stonewall Orlando presents   Neema’s Legendary Birthday Party as part of his Amor, upscale Latin Party. Dorrs open at 9pm with $10 cover till 11pm and $15 thereafter. An expanded show time is at 12 midnight featuring Yeisa Jovovich, Angelica Michelle Jones, Kimberly Vasquez Arciliares, Nouba Soleil, Natalie Nayles, Kandy Ho’ and Naomi Aguilera. I would personally like to wish Neema a very happy birthday and wishing him many more years of success!

Thursday, April 18

Southern Nights Orlando presents “Avengers EndGame Party” with the Freshman Lineup at 10:30 Hosted by MrMs Adrien, and the main show at 12:30 Hosted By Axel Andrews with Kaija Adonis , Roxxxy Andrews , Kitana Gemini and special guest.  Music by DJ DLUX and there will also be a costume contest. Free admission before midnight if you are 21+.

Saturday, April 20

Cristoph’s Tampa presents their monthly Bear Soup with the one and only Alexis De La Mer and music by DJ Mike Sklarz.

Tony Award -winner (Cabaret) Scottish-born Alan Cumming returns to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall with his new show Legal Immigrant, celebrating his ten years as a US citizen, growing older and what it feels like to be an immigrant in today’s America. The show is a true old-fashioned cabaret, a smorgasbord of songs and tales; laughter, tears and, of course, provocation! Alan is also known for his role as Eli Gold on The Good Wife and as co-host of the Tony Awards in 2015.

Saturday, April 27

Cristoph’s Tampa presents a “Super Hero Party” starring Lady Janet and music by DJ Jayson.

Join Balance Tampa Bay for their 9th Annual Kickball 4 Kids from 10am to 1pm (at press time the location is TBD)! As always they will have teams in a tournament type of game with a $20 suggested donation per person; $175 suggested donation for a team of 10. Their beneficiary this year will be their friends at Academy Prep Center of Tampa! Academy Prep has a mission to inspire and empower students qualifying for need-based scholarships to become future community leaders through a rigorous middle school program coupled with ongoing graduate support.

Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall presents Whoopi Goldberg who is one of a very elite group of artists who have won a Grammy (“Whoopi Goldberg,” 1985), an Academy Award (Ghost, 1991), a Golden Globe (The Color Purple, 1985 and Ghost, 1991), an Emmy (host of AMC’s “Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel,” 2002), a Daytime Emmy for “The View,” 2009) and a Tony (Producer of Thoroughly Modern Millie, 2002). She is equally well-known for her humanitarian efforts on behalf of children, the homeless, human rights, education, substance abuse and the battle against AIDS.

Saturday, April 30

Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts presents The Temptations & The Four Tops at 7:30pm. For more than fifty years, The Temptations have prospered, propelling popular music with a series of smash hits, and sold-out performances throughout the world. Their hits include: ”My Girl,” “It’s Growing,” “Since I Lost My Baby;,” “Get Ready,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “Beauty Is only Skin Deep,” “I Wish It Would Rain,” And many more. .the hits kept coming. The Four Tops made their first single for Chess in 1956, and when Motown’s Berry Gordy Jr. found out they had hustled a national “Tonight Show” appearance, he signed them without an audition to be the marquee act for the company’s Workshop Jazz label. Their first Motown hit, “Baby I Need Your Loving” in 1964, made them stars and their sixties track record and their other hits include:  “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch),” “It’s The Same Old Song,” “Reach Out I’ll Be There,” “Standing In The Shadows Of Love,” “Bernadette,” “Ask The Lonely,” “Shake Me, Wake Me (When It’s Over),” “Something About You,” “You Keep Running Away,” “7-Rooms Of Gloom” and their covers of “Walk Away Renee” and “If I Were A Carpenter.”

source https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2019/03/27/whats-hot-central-florida-april-2019/ from Hot Spots Magazine https://hotspotsmagazin.blogspot.com/2019/03/whats-hot-central-florida-april-2019.html

[demitgibbs]

What’s Hot Central Florida: April 2019

Thursday, April 4

The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts presents Piff the Magic Dragon in The Lucky Dragon Tour at 7:30pm. 50% Comedian. 50% Magician. 100% Dragon. After earning national acclaim as the standout star of NBC’s America’s Got Talent and Penn & Teller: Fool Us, Piff the Magic Dragon continues to win over audiences across the globe with his mythical mixture of wizardry, wit and sarcasm that ignites a one-of-a-kind comedy magic show you have to see to believe. Joined by his trusty sidekick Mr. Piffles, The World’s Only Magic Performing Chihuahua™, the dynamic duo performed to sold out rooms at the world-famous Flamingo Casino in Las Vegas in the Piff the Magic Dragon Theatre. Now Piff and Mr. Piffles—along with Jade Simone, a genuine Las Vegas Showgirl, and Francis the Squire, a.k.a. the Eunuch in a Tunic—take to the road for the Dog Who Knows national tour.

Ballet and drag – merge in The Trocks, the world-famous all-male comic ballet company. Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo give new meaning to men in tights and go where no man has gone before: on pointe. Their hilarious spoofs of famous ballets like Don Quixote, Swan Lake and Nutcracker are done with impressive classical technique, making The Trocks “a mocking, loving, beady-eyed and wildly merry view of ballet. Not to be missed.” (Financial Times, London). Catch them at the The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall tonight at 7:30pm and tomorrow (April 5) at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa at 7:30pm.

Friday, April 5

Southern Nights Orlando welcomes Soju, from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 11 (18yr+ Welcome). Drag Shows at 11pm & 12:30am featuring Roxxxy Andrews, Maya Andrews, Sassy Devine, Tasha Long & Tashae Sherrington!

Southern Nights Tampa presents their monthly NeiBEARhood Takeover with the 4th Annual Circuit Cub GLOW Jockstrap Party (Neon/Glow/Jockstraps strongly Encouraged) starring DJ Neon the Glowgobear. Come early and stay late as this is one of our LARGEST events of the year!! 21+ Only with free admission before 10pm.

Saturday, April 6

Cristoph’s Tampa will be celebrating their 1st anniversary tonight with performances by Alexis De La Mer, Stephanie Stuart, and Lady Janet along with music by Mike Sklarz. We here at Hotspots Central wish Jaqueline and her entire staff a very happy anniversary and wish her many more years of success!

The Parliament House presents a celebration of hair:  “Wigfest 2019” featuring a Wig Fashion show featuring the most creative looks, on-site barber and wig stylist, vendors & exhibitors, and $300 cash for the best wig.

One of Tampa’s best parties is back with a new name, a new look, but the same “eat, drink, party” spirit! Best of Tampa Bay is now TASTE at The Straz, an ALL-INCLUSIVE all-you-can-eat food and drink extravaganza boasting more than 50 of Tampa Bay’s finest restaurants and caterers, and wine, liquor and craft beer tastings. Also, enjoy full open bars and 5 live bands! Since its inception 34 years ago, the Straz Center’s signature fundraising event has generated more than $2.5 million for arts education programs. Supporting the arts never tasted so good. Admission is $85 and $140 for VIP Admission. To purchase in advance call  at (813) 229-7827.

Tuesday, April 9

Winner of six 2017 Tony Awards, including Best Musical—and the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, Dear Evan Hansen makes 2 stops in Central Florida. The first is in Tampa from April 9-14 at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts, and the second is in Orlando from April 16-21 at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.  A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed he could have. Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he’s always wanted: a chance to finally fit in. Dear Evan Hansen is the deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it. To find out more see the feature in this issue.

The Straz Center for the Performing Arts presents, Spamilton: An American Parody from today through Sunday, May 12. Don’t miss this “convulsively funny” (The New York Times) parody from the comic mastermind behind the long-running hit Forbidden Broadway. After tearing it up in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, Spamilton: An American Parody will stage a singing, dancing, comedy revolution in Tampa for a limited time only. The Huffington Post raves “you don’t have to see Hamilton to have side-splitting fun at Spamilton.” Tickets start at only $30. To find out more see the feature in this issue.

More than two decades ago Jonathan Larson’s RENT opened on Broadway and forever changed American theatre. It continues to speak loudly and defiantly to audiences across generations and the world. And now, this Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning masterpiece returns to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall with its vibrant 20th anniversary tour. A re-imagining of Puccini’s La Bohème, RENT follows the lives of seven artists struggling to follow their dreams without selling out. With its inspiring message of joy and hope in the face of fear, this timeless celebration of friendship and creativity reminds us to measure our lives with the only thing that truly matters—love.

Thursday, April 11

Derek Hough: Live! The Tour comes to the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts at 7:30pm. This new production comes from the EMMY award winning mind of Derek Hough! The show features brand-new stage production, astounding versatility and, as always, Derek’s magnetic stage presence. Fans will journey through a true fusion of dance and music, as Derek explores styles ranging from ballroom and tap to salsa and hop-hop and everything in between. Creative team and two-time EMMY winners, Napoleon and Tabitha Dumo, also known as NappyTabs (Jennifer Lopez: All I Have Residency; Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour; GRAMMYs® creative direction), will co-create, direct and supervise choreography for the tour.

Amalie Arena presents KISS in their End of the Road World Tour at 7:30pm. After an epic and storied 45-year career that launched an era of rock n roll legends, KISS announced that they will launch their final tour Known for their trademark larger-than-life blistering performances, KISS has proven for decades why they are hands down the most iconic live show in rock n roll. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers who have sold more than 100 million albums worldwide have said this tour is devoted to the millions of KISS Army fans. Tickets start at only $25.75.

Join EPIC (Empath Partners in Care) and people from across Tampa Bay as we Dine Out to End HIV. Dining Out for Life is an international event, with more than 3,000 restaurants donating a portion of their proceeds in benefit of local AIDS service associations. For 14 years Tampa Bay restaurants have joined together in support of EPIC and those they serve who are effected or affected by HIV. Visit their website at DineTB.org to view a list of participating restaurants. Be sure to check back – new restaurants will be added daily up to the day of the event. For more information or to become a sponsor, please contact: Brooke Boccacino at (727) 523-3352, or at Events@EmpathHealth.org.

Friday, April 12

Cristoph’s Tampa presents a Blackout Party starring Stephanie Stuart with music by Mike Sklarz and a clothing check available.

Saturday, April 13

The Parliament House presents 8time Grammy nominated Dawn Robinson (formerly of En Vogue) live in concert singing her hit songs “Free Your Mind,” “Don’t Let Go,” and Giving Him Something He Can Fee.”

Stonewall Orlando presents   Neema’s Legendary Birthday Party as part of his Amor, upscale Latin Party. Dorrs open at 9pm with $10 cover till 11pm and $15 thereafter. An expanded show time is at 12 midnight featuring Yeisa Jovovich, Angelica Michelle Jones, Kimberly Vasquez Arciliares, Nouba Soleil, Natalie Nayles, Kandy Ho’ and Naomi Aguilera. I would personally like to wish Neema a very happy birthday and wishing him many more years of success!

Thursday, April 18

Southern Nights Orlando presents “Avengers EndGame Party” with the Freshman Lineup at 10:30 Hosted by MrMs Adrien, and the main show at 12:30 Hosted By Axel Andrews with Kaija Adonis , Roxxxy Andrews , Kitana Gemini and special guest.  Music by DJ DLUX and there will also be a costume contest. Free admission before midnight if you are 21+.

Saturday, April 20

Cristoph’s Tampa presents their monthly Bear Soup with the one and only Alexis De La Mer and music by DJ Mike Sklarz.

Tony Award -winner (Cabaret) Scottish-born Alan Cumming returns to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall with his new show Legal Immigrant, celebrating his ten years as a US citizen, growing older and what it feels like to be an immigrant in today’s America. The show is a true old-fashioned cabaret, a smorgasbord of songs and tales; laughter, tears and, of course, provocation! Alan is also known for his role as Eli Gold on The Good Wife and as co-host of the Tony Awards in 2015.

Saturday, April 27

Cristoph’s Tampa presents a “Super Hero Party” starring Lady Janet and music by DJ Jayson.

Join Balance Tampa Bay for their 9th Annual Kickball 4 Kids from 10am to 1pm (at press time the location is TBD)! As always they will have teams in a tournament type of game with a $20 suggested donation per person; $175 suggested donation for a team of 10. Their beneficiary this year will be their friends at Academy Prep Center of Tampa! Academy Prep has a mission to inspire and empower students qualifying for need-based scholarships to become future community leaders through a rigorous middle school program coupled with ongoing graduate support.

Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall presents Whoopi Goldberg who is one of a very elite group of artists who have won a Grammy (“Whoopi Goldberg,” 1985), an Academy Award (Ghost, 1991), a Golden Globe (The Color Purple, 1985 and Ghost, 1991), an Emmy (host of AMC’s “Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel,” 2002), a Daytime Emmy for “The View,” 2009) and a Tony (Producer of Thoroughly Modern Millie, 2002). She is equally well-known for her humanitarian efforts on behalf of children, the homeless, human rights, education, substance abuse and the battle against AIDS.

Saturday, April 30

Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts presents The Temptations & The Four Tops at 7:30pm. For more than fifty years, The Temptations have prospered, propelling popular music with a series of smash hits, and sold-out performances throughout the world. Their hits include: ”My Girl,” “It’s Growing,” “Since I Lost My Baby;,” “Get Ready,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “Beauty Is only Skin Deep,” “I Wish It Would Rain,” And many more. .the hits kept coming. The Four Tops made their first single for Chess in 1956, and when Motown’s Berry Gordy Jr. found out they had hustled a national “Tonight Show” appearance, he signed them without an audition to be the marquee act for the company’s Workshop Jazz label. Their first Motown hit, “Baby I Need Your Loving” in 1964, made them stars and their sixties track record and their other hits include:  “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch),” “It’s The Same Old Song,” “Reach Out I’ll Be There,” “Standing In The Shadows Of Love,” “Bernadette,” “Ask The Lonely,” “Shake Me, Wake Me (When It’s Over),” “Something About You,” “You Keep Running Away,” “7-Rooms Of Gloom” and their covers of “Walk Away Renee” and “If I Were A Carpenter.”

from Hotspots! Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2019/03/27/whats-hot-central-florida-april-2019/ from Hot Spots Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.tumblr.com/post/183748610055

[hotspotsmagazine]

What’s Hot Central Florida: April 2019

Thursday, April 4

The Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts presents Piff the Magic Dragon in The Lucky Dragon Tour at 7:30pm. 50% Comedian. 50% Magician. 100% Dragon. After earning national acclaim as the standout star of NBC’s America’s Got Talent and Penn & Teller: Fool Us, Piff the Magic Dragon continues to win over audiences across the globe with his mythical mixture of wizardry, wit and sarcasm that ignites a one-of-a-kind comedy magic show you have to see to believe. Joined by his trusty sidekick Mr. Piffles, The World’s Only Magic Performing Chihuahua™, the dynamic duo performed to sold out rooms at the world-famous Flamingo Casino in Las Vegas in the Piff the Magic Dragon Theatre. Now Piff and Mr. Piffles—along with Jade Simone, a genuine Las Vegas Showgirl, and Francis the Squire, a.k.a. the Eunuch in a Tunic—take to the road for the Dog Who Knows national tour.

Ballet and drag – merge in The Trocks, the world-famous all-male comic ballet company. Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo give new meaning to men in tights and go where no man has gone before: on pointe. Their hilarious spoofs of famous ballets like Don Quixote, Swan Lake and Nutcracker are done with impressive classical technique, making The Trocks “a mocking, loving, beady-eyed and wildly merry view of ballet. Not to be missed.” (Financial Times, London). Catch them at the The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall tonight at 7:30pm and tomorrow (April 5) at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts in Tampa at 7:30pm.

Friday, April 5

Southern Nights Orlando welcomes Soju, from RuPaul’s Drag Race Season 11 (18yr+ Welcome). Drag Shows at 11pm & 12:30am featuring Roxxxy Andrews, Maya Andrews, Sassy Devine, Tasha Long & Tashae Sherrington!

Southern Nights Tampa presents their monthly NeiBEARhood Takeover with the 4th Annual Circuit Cub GLOW Jockstrap Party (Neon/Glow/Jockstraps strongly Encouraged) starring DJ Neon the Glowgobear. Come early and stay late as this is one of our LARGEST events of the year!! 21+ Only with free admission before 10pm.

Saturday, April 6

Cristoph’s Tampa will be celebrating their 1st anniversary tonight with performances by Alexis De La Mer, Stephanie Stuart, and Lady Janet along with music by Mike Sklarz. We here at Hotspots Central wish Jaqueline and her entire staff a very happy anniversary and wish her many more years of success!

The Parliament House presents a celebration of hair:  “Wigfest 2019” featuring a Wig Fashion show featuring the most creative looks, on-site barber and wig stylist, vendors & exhibitors, and $300 cash for the best wig.

One of Tampa’s best parties is back with a new name, a new look, but the same “eat, drink, party” spirit! Best of Tampa Bay is now TASTE at The Straz, an ALL-INCLUSIVE all-you-can-eat food and drink extravaganza boasting more than 50 of Tampa Bay’s finest restaurants and caterers, and wine, liquor and craft beer tastings. Also, enjoy full open bars and 5 live bands! Since its inception 34 years ago, the Straz Center’s signature fundraising event has generated more than $2.5 million for arts education programs. Supporting the arts never tasted so good. Admission is $85 and $140 for VIP Admission. To purchase in advance call  at (813) 229-7827.

Tuesday, April 9

Winner of six 2017 Tony Awards, including Best Musical—and the 2018 Grammy Award for Best Musical Theater Album, Dear Evan Hansen makes 2 stops in Central Florida. The first is in Tampa from April 9-14 at the Straz Center for the Performing Arts, and the second is in Orlando from April 16-21 at the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts.  A letter that was never meant to be seen, a lie that was never meant to be told, a life he never dreamed he could have. Evan Hansen is about to get the one thing he’s always wanted: a chance to finally fit in. Dear Evan Hansen is the deeply personal and profoundly contemporary musical about life and the way we live it. To find out more see the feature in this issue.

The Straz Center for the Performing Arts presents, Spamilton: An American Parody from today through Sunday, May 12. Don’t miss this “convulsively funny” (The New York Times) parody from the comic mastermind behind the long-running hit Forbidden Broadway. After tearing it up in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles, Spamilton: An American Parody will stage a singing, dancing, comedy revolution in Tampa for a limited time only. The Huffington Post raves “you don’t have to see Hamilton to have side-splitting fun at Spamilton.” Tickets start at only $30. To find out more see the feature in this issue.

More than two decades ago Jonathan Larson’s RENT opened on Broadway and forever changed American theatre. It continues to speak loudly and defiantly to audiences across generations and the world. And now, this Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning masterpiece returns to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall with its vibrant 20th anniversary tour. A re-imagining of Puccini’s La Bohème, RENT follows the lives of seven artists struggling to follow their dreams without selling out. With its inspiring message of joy and hope in the face of fear, this timeless celebration of friendship and creativity reminds us to measure our lives with the only thing that truly matters—love.

Thursday, April 11

Derek Hough: Live! The Tour comes to the Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts at 7:30pm. This new production comes from the EMMY award winning mind of Derek Hough! The show features brand-new stage production, astounding versatility and, as always, Derek’s magnetic stage presence. Fans will journey through a true fusion of dance and music, as Derek explores styles ranging from ballroom and tap to salsa and hop-hop and everything in between. Creative team and two-time EMMY winners, Napoleon and Tabitha Dumo, also known as NappyTabs (Jennifer Lopez: All I Have Residency; Michael Jackson: The Immortal World Tour; GRAMMYs® creative direction), will co-create, direct and supervise choreography for the tour.

Amalie Arena presents KISS in their End of the Road World Tour at 7:30pm. After an epic and storied 45-year career that launched an era of rock n roll legends, KISS announced that they will launch their final tour Known for their trademark larger-than-life blistering performances, KISS has proven for decades why they are hands down the most iconic live show in rock n roll. The Rock & Roll Hall of Famers who have sold more than 100 million albums worldwide have said this tour is devoted to the millions of KISS Army fans. Tickets start at only $25.75.

Join EPIC (Empath Partners in Care) and people from across Tampa Bay as we Dine Out to End HIV. Dining Out for Life is an international event, with more than 3,000 restaurants donating a portion of their proceeds in benefit of local AIDS service associations. For 14 years Tampa Bay restaurants have joined together in support of EPIC and those they serve who are effected or affected by HIV. Visit their website at DineTB.org to view a list of participating restaurants. Be sure to check back – new restaurants will be added daily up to the day of the event. For more information or to become a sponsor, please contact: Brooke Boccacino at (727) 523-3352, or at Events@EmpathHealth.org.

Friday, April 12

Cristoph’s Tampa presents a Blackout Party starring Stephanie Stuart with music by Mike Sklarz and a clothing check available.

Saturday, April 13

The Parliament House presents 8time Grammy nominated Dawn Robinson (formerly of En Vogue) live in concert singing her hit songs “Free Your Mind,” “Don’t Let Go,” and Giving Him Something He Can Fee.”

Stonewall Orlando presents   Neema’s Legendary Birthday Party as part of his Amor, upscale Latin Party. Dorrs open at 9pm with $10 cover till 11pm and $15 thereafter. An expanded show time is at 12 midnight featuring Yeisa Jovovich, Angelica Michelle Jones, Kimberly Vasquez Arciliares, Nouba Soleil, Natalie Nayles, Kandy Ho’ and Naomi Aguilera. I would personally like to wish Neema a very happy birthday and wishing him many more years of success!

Thursday, April 18

Southern Nights Orlando presents “Avengers EndGame Party” with the Freshman Lineup at 10:30 Hosted by MrMs Adrien, and the main show at 12:30 Hosted By Axel Andrews with Kaija Adonis , Roxxxy Andrews , Kitana Gemini and special guest.  Music by DJ DLUX and there will also be a costume contest. Free admission before midnight if you are 21+.

Saturday, April 20

Cristoph’s Tampa presents their monthly Bear Soup with the one and only Alexis De La Mer and music by DJ Mike Sklarz.

Tony Award -winner (Cabaret) Scottish-born Alan Cumming returns to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall with his new show Legal Immigrant, celebrating his ten years as a US citizen, growing older and what it feels like to be an immigrant in today’s America. The show is a true old-fashioned cabaret, a smorgasbord of songs and tales; laughter, tears and, of course, provocation! Alan is also known for his role as Eli Gold on The Good Wife and as co-host of the Tony Awards in 2015.

Saturday, April 27

Cristoph’s Tampa presents a “Super Hero Party” starring Lady Janet and music by DJ Jayson.

Join Balance Tampa Bay for their 9th Annual Kickball 4 Kids from 10am to 1pm (at press time the location is TBD)! As always they will have teams in a tournament type of game with a $20 suggested donation per person; $175 suggested donation for a team of 10. Their beneficiary this year will be their friends at Academy Prep Center of Tampa! Academy Prep has a mission to inspire and empower students qualifying for need-based scholarships to become future community leaders through a rigorous middle school program coupled with ongoing graduate support.

Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall presents Whoopi Goldberg who is one of a very elite group of artists who have won a Grammy (“Whoopi Goldberg,” 1985), an Academy Award (Ghost, 1991), a Golden Globe (The Color Purple, 1985 and Ghost, 1991), an Emmy (host of AMC’s “Beyond Tara: The Extraordinary Life of Hattie McDaniel,” 2002), a Daytime Emmy for “The View,” 2009) and a Tony (Producer of Thoroughly Modern Millie, 2002). She is equally well-known for her humanitarian efforts on behalf of children, the homeless, human rights, education, substance abuse and the battle against AIDS.

Saturday, April 30

Dr. Phillips Center for the Performing Arts presents The Temptations & The Four Tops at 7:30pm. For more than fifty years, The Temptations have prospered, propelling popular music with a series of smash hits, and sold-out performances throughout the world. Their hits include: ”My Girl,” “It’s Growing,” “Since I Lost My Baby;,” “Get Ready,” “Ain’t Too Proud to Beg,” “Beauty Is only Skin Deep,” “I Wish It Would Rain,” And many more. .the hits kept coming. The Four Tops made their first single for Chess in 1956, and when Motown’s Berry Gordy Jr. found out they had hustled a national “Tonight Show” appearance, he signed them without an audition to be the marquee act for the company’s Workshop Jazz label. Their first Motown hit, “Baby I Need Your Loving” in 1964, made them stars and their sixties track record and their other hits include:  “I Can’t Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch),” “It’s The Same Old Song,” “Reach Out I’ll Be There,” “Standing In The Shadows Of Love,” “Bernadette,” “Ask The Lonely,” “Shake Me, Wake Me (When It’s Over),” “Something About You,” “You Keep Running Away,” “7-Rooms Of Gloom” and their covers of “Walk Away Renee” and “If I Were A Carpenter.”

from Hotspots! Magazine https://hotspotsmagazine.com/2019/03/27/whats-hot-central-florida-april-2019/

[newestbalance]

‘Are We Still Friends?’ You Speak Out on Trump and Trudeau: The Canada Letter

Most Canadians remember the violence and the trampling of civil rights by the police when Canada hosted the Group of 8 and Group of 20 summit meetings eight years ago.

But even though I covered those meetings for The Times, I had to search online this week to remember what the world’s leaders actually produced. (It was a statement calling for reforms in bank regulation, and denouncing trade protectionism.)

I doubt that Canadians will soon forget the performance of President Trump before, during and — above all — after last weekend’s Group of 7 meeting in Quebec’s Charlevoix region. The smoldering mess and escalating trade battle that the American president left behind from his first visit to Canada was a particularly low moment in the history of the two countries’ relationship (though it may have helped Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s domestic standing).

The Times has been all over this story. I’ve collected some of our best reads lower down.

Many Canadians were among the thousands of readers who commented on those articles. Here are some highlights, condensed for clarity:

President Trump, the farmers of Quebec thank you this morning.

You have accomplished, in a flurry of tweets, what no other politician in Canada has been able to do over the past 30 years: garner near unanimous political support for our supply-side management system, and galvanize Canadians against U.S. pressure to change that system.

— Norman, Kingston, Quebec

The U.S. has not had a better ally or friend in its history. Have we benefited? Yes. But I doubt many people remain for long in relationships where there is not some measure of reciprocity.

— Rob Mills, Canada

My only question this morning is: Are we still friends?

— Robert, Quebec

The U.S. is NOT the only market we can sell our products to. Canadians are warm and friendly people. But we will not be bullied by any of your representatives.

— Lagarde, Montreal

As far as Canadian domestic politics is concerned, Donald Trump is the great unifier. All of Trudeau’s past and present political opponents are united in support of Trudeau’s stand against Trump.

— Roger D. Moore, Toronto

Every longstanding ally has come to the grim realization that this administration cannot be reasoned with, cannot be convinced by rational argument and isn’t our friend. Thanks for the last 151 years, it’s been nice. I hope you all enjoy your new friend Kim Jong-un.

— Henry’s Boy, Ottawa

In the news conference that had Trump and his advisers throwing a collective hissy fit, Trudeau repeated statements that he had been making for weeks, after Trump decided to arbitrarily levy tariffs on Canadian-made aluminum and steel. Unlike Trump, Trudeau is being honest and consistent.

— C. Evans, Toronto

I really enjoy California wine, Florida orange juice, California avocados and camping in upstate New York. But they also make pretty good wine in France; maybe I’ll buy that instead. I’m pretty sure they grow avocados in Mexico; I think I’ll pick those instead. My doctor says orange juice has too much sugar so maybe I’ll just cut that out entirely. There’s good camping here in Quebec as well, so I think I’ll just stick close to home this summer.

— Zac, Montreal

This won’t play well with America’s other allies who know Mr. Trudeau to be an honorable and decent person. Already European support is being expressed for Canada. Who wants to be friends with Trump? Nobody who ever got to know him.

— Charles, St. John, New Brunswick

Trade is the sum of many two-way individual transactions. It’s a complex interlocking system that has massively benefited the U.S. as much as any other party and breaking it is beyond foolish.

Even the spectacularly uninformed President Trump must understand this.

— Susan Watson, Vancouver, British Columbia

As a nation we are generally polite, hardworking, and we say sorry at the drop of a hat. But never underestimate our ability to feel indignant or slighted. I will be curbing my spending on made-in-America goods and services. Sorry if I offend anyone in the process. Oh, and sorry for burning down the White House. It wasn’t really us, though — it was some Brits. And by the way, I know the words to “God Bless America.”

— Baz, Calgary

And, as promised, here’s a selection of our Trudeau-Trump trade articles and columns. (You can always find everything we have about Canada here.) If you haven’t read it already, I’d start with this insightful in-depth piece on Canada’s approach to relations with the United States by Guy Larson: The Magazine: First Canada Tried to Charm Trump. Now It’s Fighting Back.

I looked into the dilmenna now facing Mr. Trudeau. Resisting Mr. Trump is popular among Canadian at the moment, but the unequal trading relationship between our countries might make the strategy economically ruinous in the long term: Trudeau’s Challenge: Managing Trump and Domestic Politics

Jess Bidgood took the pulse of Derby Line, Vt., the town where the local library and opera house is as much in Canada as it is in the United States: Where U.S.-Canadian Border Is Marked by Petunias, Not a Wall.

In an awkward bit of timing, FIFA announced this week that Canada, the United States and Mexico will jointly host the 2026 World Cup. Dan Bilefsky looked into the possibility of soccer undoing the rift between the three countries that President Trump has opened: Can the World Cup Restore Harmony Between Canada and the U. S.?

And over in Opinion, Thomas L. Friedman asked: “What happens if there is another 9/11 and we need Canada’s help for something more than buying our milk? What country wouldn’t want Canada as its neighbor? Our president is compromised on Russia and is rapidly alienating every ally with whom we confronted Nazism, Communism and radical Islamism in the last 70 years”: Opinion: Trump, Trying to Remake America in His Own Image

Finally we’re holding a special event for Times subscribers on June 18 that will look at what President Trump’s actions at the summit and in Singapore will mean for trade, national security, the economy and the midterm elections in the United States. Participants be able to join a conference call and question our crack team of Washington experts: White House correspondent Michael D. Shear, who’s just back from Quebec; trade reporter Ana Swanson; economic policy reporter Alan Rappeport; and political correspondent Jonathan Martin. Find all the details and sign up here.

Out in the Open

It’s pride month and my colleagues at The Times’s Reader Center have are asking L.G.B.T.Q. people to share their memories about the first time they held hands with a significant other in public. You can learn all about their project and submit your stories here.

Trans Canada

—Jada Yuan, who is visiting 52 Places To Go in 2018, was captivated by the beauty of the prairies and the richness of Indigenous culture during her time in and around Saskatoon. She met another woman leading a similarly nomadic writing life while there.

—Also in Travel, Francine Prose, author of “Anne Frank: The Book, The Life, The Afterlife” as well as 20 works of fiction, spent a long weekend in Montreal on a family trip that included three small grandchildren. Her finding: “We experienced nothing but kindness. Everyone we met — at our hotel, in restaurants, in museums and on the street — seemed so eager to make our lives easier that at moments I was shocked.”

—Stephen Reid, who became famous first as a member of the Stop Watch Gang of bank robbers and then as a literary figure, has died at the age of 68.

A native of Windsor, Ontario, Ian Austen was educated in Toronto, lives in Ottawa and has reported about Canada for The New York Times for the past 15 years. Follow him on Twitter at @ianrausten.

We’d love your feedback on this newsletter. Please email your thoughts and suggestions to nytcanada@nytimes.com. And if you haven’t do so, please subscribe to the email newsletter version.

The post ‘Are We Still Friends?’ You Speak Out on Trump and Trudeau: The Canada Letter appeared first on World The News.

from World The News https://ift.tt/2yhY68r via Everyday News