Judith Light, Oona Yaffe, Hannah Pearl Utt and Jen Tullock in “Before You Know It.” Hannah Pearl Utt, Jen Tullock & Oona Yaffe On the Big Screen Before They Know It by Jay S. Jacobs It makes sense that Hannah Pearl Utt and Jen Tullock’s first film looks at the downtown New York theater world, because that was where it all began for them. The two met years ago in the Village years ago as aspiring actresses and writers. Nearly a decade after they first started the screenplay fo

Aviv Cohen at Gramophone Studios in Los Angeles. Photo by Ashley Foster. Aviv Cohen Thinks She’s in Love with Music By Lindsey Blick Meet up-and-coming singer/songwriter Aviv Cohen! She is from Toronto, Canada and at the youthful age of 12, she is a powerhouse and a force to be reckoned with! She is a classically trained vocalist, piano player, and currently is enrolled in dance classes and guitar lessons. She has previously performed across Canada for sold out crowds as a me

Dan and Jeff in Potted Potter Dan and Jeff Entertaining the Muggles with Potted Potter By Leni Paul With shades of Hogwarts, I sat down in a secluded corner of a library – sadly, not an enchanted one – to chat (over the phone) with the Olivier-nominated British comedy writing/performing duo Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner. They are better known as Dan and Jeff, creators of the popular stage parody Potted Potter. We talked for nearly an hour about the birth of their show,

Love, Cecil LOVE, CECIL (2017) Featuring Hamish Bowles, Leslie Caron, David Hockney, Isaac Mizrahi, David Bailey, Manolo Blahnik, Susanna Brown, Peter Eyre, Philippe Garner, Ray Gurton, Nicky Haslam, Alastair Macaulay, Robin Muir and archival footage of Cecil Beaton. Narrated by Rupert Everett. Directed by Lisa Immordino Vreeland. Distributed by Zeitgeist Films. 99 minutes. Not Rated. Cecil Beaton lived his life unapologetically in the search and capture of beauty. Love, Ceci

Ciaran O’Reilly and Charlotte Moore at the Irish Repertory Theatre, The Irish Repertory Theatre Thrives on a String of Hits as it Approaches Another Gala Year by Brad Balfour When Ciaran O’Reilly and Charlotte Moore founded the Irish Repertory Theatre, they opened in September 1988 with Sean O’Casey’s The Plough and the Stars. From that point on, it became a nexus for great play craft and generally superb acting, bringing to the States lots of discoveries from the Emerald Isl

Tami Stronach Tami Stronach The Childlike Empress Has Grown Up But is Still Neverending by Bonnie Paul I was 11 years old when The Neverending Story premiered in theaters in 1984. I remember, vividly, that as soon as I returned from the theater, our family pulled out paper and started writing and illustrating our own neverending stories. We were not going to be responsible for the demise of Fantasia; we were not going to let the Childlike Empress down. If you are reading this

Breakable You BREAKABLE YOU (2017) Starring Holly Hunter, Tony Shalhoub, Cristin Milioti, Omar Metwally, Alfred Molina, Isabelle Candelier, Adrian Lester, Brooke Adams, Peter O’Meara, Yumi Iwama, Caroline Aaron, Beege Barkette, Angela Church, Celia Keenan-Bolger, Tamika Sonja Lawrence, Carl Lundstedt, Siena Marino, Doris McCarthy, Adam McLaughlin, Barry Primus and Jeremy Shamos. Screenplay by Andrew Wagner & Fred Parnes. Directed by Andrew Wagner. Distributed by Sony Pictures

André Holland and Carra Patterson André Holland and Carra Patterson Drive August Wilson’s Jitney onto The Broadway Stage by Brad Balfour Before he died in 2005, playwright August Wilson had created the 10-play Pittsburgh Cycle (or Century Cycle) chronicling black American life which spanned over 10 decades. This work is not only Wilson’s benchmark but is a touchstone for fans of great theater and creative writing made in the USA. His insights into black life ring true and off

Anna Deavere Smith Anna Deavere Smith Notes from The Field Tackles Issues Through Many Voices by Brad Balfour With a raft of accolades in her résumé, American actress/playwright/professor Anna Deavere Smith produces work that highlights the plight of the underclass, the unvoiced and those overlooked by entitled society. In her most recent one-woman production – Notes from The Field which opened November 2nd at Second Stage’s Tony Kiser Theatre (305 West 43rd Street) – the 66-

Mahershala Ali at the Second Stage Theater. Mahershala Ali Talks Smartly About His Latest Play and More by Brad Balfour When actor Mahershala Ali joined the cast of noted playwright Lydia R. Diamond’s off-Broadway production Smart People, he added another feather in his cap. He had just finished tackling both The Hunger Games: Mockingjay 1 & 2 and House of Cards. Now with his recent casting as the nefarious Harlem nightclub owner Cornell “Cottonmouth” Stokes, he’s taken on a

Jill Whelan in the theater district, New York City. Photo copyright 2015 Mark Doyle. Jill Whelan Life, Exciting and New by Jay S. Jacobs Did you ever hear the story about the young actor who became famous while still in grade school, grew up glamorously amongst some of the biggest names in Hollywood and then went on to become a normal, well-grounded adult? Not the typical sordid child-star tale, but that’s what life had in store for Jill Whelan.  She was still in grade school

Stephen McHattie Stephen McHattie Dances With Wolves by Jay S. Jacobs Who says every actor craves stardom?  Stephen McHattie has been a busy working actor for over 40 years now, but he loves the fact that his character roles tend to give him a certain amount of anonymity. Despite the fact that he has appeared in roles in iconic projects like Star Trek, The X-Files, 300, Seinfeld, Watchmen, Kojak, Miami Vice, The Twilight Zone, Beverly Hills Cop III and all of the Jesse Stone

Kether Donohue, Aya Cash, Chris Geere and Desmin Borges star in “You’re the Worst.” Aya Cash, Chris Geere, Desmin Borges and Kether Donohue Who’s The Worst? by Jay S. Jacobs The missing component in most romantic comedies is a refreshing dose of hardened cynicism, and FX’s new series You’re the Worst has a heaping helping of that special ingredient.  The show is basically an anti-Valentine, a perfect bouquet of pitch black flowers which earns its laughs through a jaded look a

Collins Key performing at the Demi Lovato, Fifth Harmony and Little Mix show at the Wells Fargo Center, Philadelphia PA, March 1, 2014. Photo by Shana Bergmann. Unlocking the Mysteries of Collins Key by Shana Bergmann Teenaged magician and heartthrob Collins Key, has become magic’s next big thing. The world first discovered him competing on the eighth season of NBC’s America‘s Got Talent. Now he is bringing magic back to audiences that forgot how much they loved it. For examp

Diego Luna at the New York Press Day for “Cesar Chavez.” Photo by Brad Balfour. Actor Turned Director Diego Luna Celebrates Cesar Chavez by Brad Balfour Born on December 29, 1979 in Mexico City, Diego Luna Alexander lost his mother in a car accident when he was only two. Therefore, Luna became immersed in his father’s passion for entertainment. His father was Mexico’s most acclaimed living theatre, cinema and opera set designer. From an early age Luna began acting in televisi

Anson Mount of “Hell On Wheels” in New York City, August 4, 2013. Photos © 2013 Mark Doyle. Anson Mount Raising Hell On Wheels by Jay S. Jacobs When you conjure up a mental image of the iconic American cowboy, it wouldn't be too surprising if he looks a whole lot like Anson Mount. This is not just because Mount has spent the last two years starring in the best western currently on TV, AMC's Hell on Wheels, a dusty, downbeat and dramatic look at the building of the railroads i

Jude Law Jude Law Tony or Not Tony, That is the Question by Brad Balfour With the Tony Awards taking place Sunday, June 13, 2010, the Broadway award season will be over – so nominee Jude Law spoke about his expectations and insights, both in his respective shows and in the season in general. This season has a few wrinkles. For the musicals, it has been the overwhelming impact of pop music on Broadway’s new productions, and that has made for a very different sound to be judged

Duncan Sheik Duncan Sheik Bringing Down the Whisper House by Jay S. Jacobs It’s not a straight line to go from pop star to respected Broadway composer, but Duncan Sheik never believed in doing things the normal way. Sheik first exploded onto the pop culture radar in 1996, when his Gold-certified self-titled debut album yielded the mega-hit single “Barely Breathing” – a song which still gets regular radio play thirteen years later.  The album also spawned a couple of other sma

Henry Simmons Henry Simmons – Building a Playground by Jay S. Jacobs Originally posted on July 8, 2008. “I’ve always had a love for theater,” says Henry Simmons.  “Out here in Los Angeles, it’s more geared towards movies and television.” With a career that is just over a decade old, Simmons has made significant inroads on both TV and the movies.  The strikingly handsome actor turned heads for five seasons on NYPD Blue and two more on the recently cancelled series Shark, as we

Jesse McCartney Jesse McCartney Comin’ Back Again by Deborah Wagner At the age of 21, this kid has done a lot.  From TV to Broadway, the silver screen, and now the release of his third solo album Departure, Jesse McCartney is flying high with a hit single “Leavin’” and an exciting new page in the book of his career. After launching his solo career with his debut recording of Beautiful Soul in 2004 and his sophomore release of Right Where You Want Me in 2006, Departure offers