WELCOME
Alumni & Friends of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts
We stand in solidarity with the fight against racism and inequity.
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While LaGuardia is closed due to Covid, you may contact us at info@alumniandfriends.org. All paper correspondence and contributions may be mailed to our P.O. Box:
Alumni & Friends of LaGuardia
P.O. Box 230015
Ansonia Station
New York, NY 10023
We hope to see you soon!
ALUMNI & FRIENDS HIGHLIGHTS
Friday June 18th, 2021
Tonight, June 18 at 7:30pm, make sure to tune in to LaGuardia's New Music Ensemble June Premiere!
New Music Ensemble (NME) provides a space for talented young artists to write, produce, perform, and record contemporary music. Under the direction of Mr. Robert Apostle, the songwriters' collective has traditionally held three performances per school year, one of which takes place at the Rockwood Music Hall on the lower east side.
NME musicians have always mastered the vital skills of collaboration, creativity, leadership, and responsibility. The ensemble is structured as an independent study, which is paired with the guidance and mentorship of Mr. Apostle.
Check out our Instagram for more frequent updates and content on the class! (@newmusiclag)
We would also like to thank Alani Smith for creating our new music thumbnail as well as our new music logo!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=poQvtvwveQw
Thursday June 17th, 2021
Tonight, June 17 at 7pm, enjoy the amazing Spring Musicale #2 on Vimeo! vimeo.com/event/1073359
See a list of upcoming performances and exhibits June 18, 19, 21, 22: alumniandfriends.org/laguardia-calendar-of-performances/
Thursday June 17th, 2021
#ThankfulThursday
“I met my husband and my best friends for life at LaGuardia. And while I didn’t continue on to be a musician, the academic education I received there (thanks, Dr. Rowes!) helped pave the way for me to become a writer. Right now, I am writing with Faure’s Requiem in the background, and I can thank LaGuardia for this gift.” - Danielle Braff Karpinos, LaG ’97.
⭐️ Fill out our quick form at alumniandfriends.org/thankful/ and tell us why YOU are thankful for your FREE high school arts education at M&A, PA, and LaGuardia! And read why others are thankful. ⭐️
I loved Dr. Rowes! She was tough but she made you a better writer!
Wednesday June 16th, 2021
Tonight, June 16 at 7pm, enjoy the amazing Spring Musicale #1 on Vimeo! vimeo.com/event/1064308
See all details and the program of tonight's performances here: alumniandfriends.org/laguardia-calendar-of-performances/
Please see a list of upcoming performances and exhibits June 17, 18, 19, 21, 22: alumniandfriends.org/laguardia-calendar-of-performances/
Tuesday June 15th, 2021
Congratulations to Victoria Platt (LaG '90) on her Daytime Emmy nomination for her role as Dr. Amanda Raynor on "Days of Our Lives!" In addition to her first time Daytime Emmy nomination, Platt has also been nominated for an Ovation Award for her portrayal of the character “Emilia” in the Kirk Douglas Theatre’s run of the hip-hopera Venice in 2011 and reprised her role in The Public’s production of Venice the following summer.
The 48th Annual Daytime Emmy Awards will be air on Friday, June 25, 2021 (8PM – 10PM ET/PT) on the CBS television network and streamed on Paramount +.
www.prweb.com/releases/victoria_platt_nominated_for_48th_annual_daytime_emmy_award/prweb17980991.htm
woohoo
Go Vicky!!!!!!
Tuesday June 15th, 2021
Congratulations to LaGuardia Fine Arts senior Nadine Zhan, whose photographs appear in the New York Times Magazine!
"Nadine Zhan is an artist from Brooklyn whose work is inspired by film and friends. She is part of the ICP Teen Academy Imagemakers program." See her photographs here: www.nytimes.com/interactive/2021/06/09/magazine/nyc-reopening.html
And the accompanying article here: www.nytimes.com/2021/06/11/insider/new-york-young-photographers.html
"For Sunday’s issue of The New York Times Magazine, which focuses on the city as it searches for its post-pandemic life, the publication enlisted 15 photographers ages 25 and under to capture the city’s reawakening. For 31 days in May, they fanned out across the five boroughs to capture the hope and excitement of a cultural rebirth, but also the anxiety and uncertainty of what might happen next."
A Recharged New York, Through Young Eyes
www.nytimes.com
For a special project of The Times Magazine, 15 photographers ages 25 and under captured an electric, joyous, anxious city slowly becoming itself again.Congratulations Nadine! The photographs are amazing!
Monday June 14th, 2021
Save the date for the fabulous LaGuardia Solo Voice Spring Showcase #1!
Monday, June 21, 2021, 12pm EST
Join Zoom Meeting
us02web.zoom.us/j/82287275752?pwd=c3hvVVNoZVVlTFgxTVJCejZKSy9wQT09
Meeting ID: 822 8727 5752
Passcode: 872727
Please join us on Monday, June 21, at 12 Noon! 😊
Saturday June 12th, 2021
Check out Jasmine Cephas Jones (LaG '07, Vocal) who stars in “Blindspotting” on June 13 on Starz - an eight-episode series based on the film from Daveed Diggs and Rafael Casal.
Cephas-Jones starred with Diggs in "Hamilton" and originated the dual roles of Peggy Schuyler and Maria Reynolds. In 2020, Cephas Jones won a Primetime Emmy for portraying Tyisha in the Quibi series #freerayshawn.
www.nytimes.com/2021/06/11/arts/television/blindspotting-jasmine-cephas-jones-starz.html
In ‘Blindspotting’ Series, Jasmine Cephas Jones Steps Into Full View
www.nytimes.com
After nailing her small role in the 2018 film, the actress takes the lead in a new spinoff Starz series, centered on the people left behind when their loved ones are imprisoned.FAME LIVE FROM LONDON'S WEST END IS "HEART-BREAKINGLY BRILLIANT!" DON'T MISS IT STREAMING NOW ON BROADWAYHD.ORG
Saturday June 12th, 2021
The LaGuardia Spring Drama Festival productions are streaming on-demand June 12 - 13 AND June 19 - 20 (12am - 11:59pm ET)! www.broadwayondemand.com/series/VyS7vlLeu8hi-spring-drama-festival-season--fiorello-h-laguardia-h...
Friday June 11th, 2021
Happy #fiorellofriday! Enjoy Spring Drama Festival (SDF) #4 tonight at 7:30pm! WAR OF THE WORLDS, (H.G. Cast), Friday, June 11th at 7:30 PM, Directed by Jonathan Davidson.
Get the link, cast, and playbill here: laguardiahspa.org/sdf-war-of-the-worlds/
And see listings for ALL SDF shows here: laguardiahspa.org/SDF/
In 1938, Orson Welles utilized a new type of media to entertain, manipulate and subvert. In the shadow of World War II, he convinced an anxious and exhausted American public that Martians had invaded Earth. In 2021, who says it can’t happen again?
It was SO good!!!!
Friday June 11th, 2021
Read a great piece from Colorado Public Radio written by M. Roger Holland, II (PA '82), Teaching Assistant Professor of African American Music and Theology at the University of Denver’s Lamont School of Music, and Director of DU’s Spirituals Project Choir.
Professor Holland’s monthly musical selections and commentary can be heard throughout the year on CPR Classical, including Sunday mornings on the choral music show Sing!
www.cpr.org/2021/06/10/m-roger-holland-reflects-on-judgement-escape-and-release/
M. Roger Holland Reflects On Judgment, Escape and Release
www.cpr.org
Recently, I shared with some of my colleagues memories of childhood; elementary school, junior high and high school. I was bussed into a white neighborhood starting in the second grade.Great writing... sensitive and historic and musically aware!
Thursday June 10th, 2021
Tonight! Spring Drama Festival (SDF) presents "THE TEMPEST"
Thursday, June 10th at 7:30pm, directed by Stacey Cervellino
Get the link, cast, and playbill here: laguardiahspa.org/sdf-the-tempest/
And see listings for ALL SDF shows here: laguardiahspa.org/SDF/
Twelve years ago, Prospero, rightful CEO of Milan Corp and a powerful magician, fled to an island off the coast of Manhattan after a hostile takeover by her sister, Antonia. As her enemies return from a wedding, Prospero and her spirit, Ariel, use magic to create a powerful storm, pulling the plane out of the sky and right to her doorstep.
Thursday June 10th, 2021
Enjoy this article and amazing video premiere from Curtis Stewart (LaG '04 and teacher at LaGuardia for a decade).
"Have you ever wondered what would happen if Paganini met trap beats and 8-bit heart emojis? This combo was the quarantine brainchild of violinist Curtis Stewart, and the resulting 'Improvisation on Paganini Caprice #11' is one of 17 new tracks on his forthcoming album Of Power, which features music of resistance and resilience.
Grammy nominated violinist Curtis Stewart enjoys an eclectic career bouncing between various realms of music: from sold out shows at Madison Square Garden with Stevie Wonder, Bruce Springsteen, and Seal, to stints at the Kennedy Center with the Jimmy Heath Big Band and performance installations at the Whitney Museum, the Guggenheim Museum, and Museum of Modern Art."
www.icareifyoulisten.com/2021/06/video-premiere-curtis-stewarts-improvisation-on-paganini-caprice...
Video Premiere: Curtis Stewart's Improvisation on Paganini Caprice #11
www.icareifyoulisten.com
I CARE IF YOU LISTEN premieres the video for "Improvisation on Paganini Caprice #11" by Curtis Stewart from his forthcoming album, Of Power.Tuesday June 8th, 2021
You may now enjoy 2021 Rising Stars: Behind the Mask online after an incredible weekend airing on All Arts television!
Our students continue to amaze us!!
allarts.org/programs/all-arts-performance-selects/rising-stars-2021-behind-the-mask-7zymp7/
Rising Stars 2021: Behind The Mask | ALL ARTS Performance Selects
allarts.org
Students from LaGuardia, the renowned NYC public arts "FAME" school, transcend the pandemic with their music, dance, vocals, drama, art and tech skills - turning dark stages into a screen debut that s...The performances were amazing!!
Friday June 4th, 2021
Happy #fiorellofriday!
Today at 4pm EST, tune in to WNET's ALL ARTS channel to watch the televised production of LaGuardia's "Rising Stars: Behind the Mask!" Rising Stars 2021 features nearly 200 performers, 24 pieces of art, 4 short films, as well as countless students working behind the scenes. Also airing Saturday, June 5 at 1pm and Sunday, June 6 at 9am.
allarts.org/schedule/?program=44989
I just ran into a group or parents they have a big screen set up in stone park In park slope snd they are watching it!!! Stop by! 3rd street and 5th ave
Friday May 28th, 2021
Happy #fiorellofriday!
Enjoy the beauty of LaGuardia's Senior Art Show #3 - OVATION!
lagartstudiopa.org/senior-art-show-3
OVATION — A SUSTAINED AND ENTHUSIASTIC SHOW OF APPRECIATION FROM AN AUDIENCE, ESPECIALLY BY MEANS OF APPLAUSE.
ARTISTS HAVE DIFFERENT DRIVES FOR MOTIVATION, BUT REGARDLESS, A SHOW OF APPRECIATION AND ENCOURAGEMENT GOES A LONG WAY. WE WANT TO COMMEND ALL SENIOR ARTISTS FOR THEIR DEDICATION AND HARD WORK THROUGHOUT THEIR LAGUARDIA CAREER. WE ARE HERE TO CELEBRATE THE DIVERSITY, SKILL, AND CREATIVITY OF ARTISTS, FROM THE PATIENT PRINTMAKERS TO THE PROLIFIC PAINTERS. WE HOPE TO END ON A HIGH NOTE, AND THEREFORE WE NOW PRESENT TO YOU THE LAST SENIOR ART SHOW OF 2021: OVATION.
Curated by Cathy Li, Kailin Cedeno, & Kristen Lew
Thursday May 27th, 2021
LaGuardia's 'Rising Stars 2021' is in the NY Times list of Theater to Stream! Tune in June 4, 5, 6 on allarts.org
"LaGuardia High School is usually introduced as the inspiration for the 1980 movie “Fame,” but younger generations might favor more up-to-date references: The New York City arts school’s many alumni include Awkwafina and Ansel Elgort. This year, LaGuardia is taking its “Rising Stars” variety showcase online; so now you can try to spot the next Timothée Chalamet. Premiering June 4; allarts.org"
www.nytimes.com/2021/05/26/theater/streaming-theater.html?referringSource=articleShare
Theater to Stream: Concert Sets and Reimagined Classics
www.nytimes.com
Highlights include “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” at Shakespeare’s Globe, the rising stars of LaGuardia High School and “Uncle Vanya” on PBS.Yea!!!!
Wednesday May 26th, 2021
Yoruba Richen (LaG '90) is one of the directors for this new Netflix docuseries "High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America."
"The docuseries hosted by Stephen Satterfield and based on Jessica B. Harris' book gives African American cuisine the deep dive it deserves. Buried in the final chapter of author and historian Jessica B. Harris’ book High on the Hog: A Culinary Journey from Africa to America is a simple wish: Black American food should be acknowledged for its influence on American cuisine.
“African Americans have a long love affair with food, one perhaps unequaled in the history of the country,” she wrote. “For centuries we’ve brought the piquant tastes of Africa to the New World.”
www.hollywoodreporter.com/tv/tv-reviews/high-on-the-hog-how-african-american-cuisine-transformed-...?
Netflix’s ‘High on the Hog: How African American Cuisine Transformed America’: TV Review
www.hollywoodreporter.com
A new docuseries hosted by Stephen Satterfield and based on Jessica B. Harris’ book gives African American cuisine the deep dive it deserves.Wednesday May 26th, 2021
Please read this book review of "Better, Not Bitter: Living on Purpose in the Pursuit of Racial Justice," written by one of the Exonerated Five, Dr. Yusef Salaam - who should have graduated LaG in 1992.
"Despite this horrific miscarriage of justice, Salaam's compelling memoir, Better, Not Bitter: Living on Purpose in the Pursuit of Racial Justice, is one of astounding warmth.
While Better, Not Bitter addresses the case and his time in prison, the story Salaam most wants to tell is "about the foundation laid by both [his] family and [his] faith, which ensured that [he] would not only survive this awful injustice but thrive in the midst of it."
www.npr.org/2021/05/18/997792060/in-better-not-bitter-one-of-the-central-park-five-tells-his-own-...
One Of The Falsely Accused Central Park Five Tells His Story In 'Better, Not Bitter'
www.npr.org
In 1989, five kids were falsely accused of the brutal rape of a Central Park jogger. Yusef Salaam writes about systemic racism — and how his family and faith got him through seven years in prison.Wednesday May 26th, 2021
Check out the amazing items at the LaGuardia Parents Association Annual Auction through May 31 at 10pm! Items like tickets to SNL, vacation rentals, Mets tickets, NYC Opera tickets, Rosanne Pugliese Jewelry, and so much more! Auction sales will support the Parents Association production budget for Rising Stars and the Senior dance.
www.givergy.us/laguardiahs/?controller=home
www.givergy.us
Bid on exclusive money can't buy items & experiences with LaGuardia HS. Enter into one of our charity auctions, prize draws or buy exclusive items now.Tuesday May 25th, 2021
The Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts presents the world premiere of re-entering by choreographer Matthew Neenan (LaG '93), Thursday, May 27 at 7pm. This live event will be streamed online for a remote audience. annenbergcenter.org/event/matthew-neenan
Called “fresh, touching, musical, original,” Matthew Neenan’s choreography makes “dancers look vulnerable, openhearted and, above all, marvelously free.” (The New York Times) A former dancer and Choreographer in Residence with Pennsylvania Ballet as well as the co-founder of BalletX, Neenan brings re-entering, a site-specific world premiere exploring our return to life as it once was, promising the “wonderful immediacy and vibrancy” (Dance Magazine) for which he’s known.
Purchase access now through 7:30 PM on May 27.
Watch live at 7pm on May 27 to participate in the chat and artist Q&A. Available on-demand through May 29.
Friday May 21st, 2021
In celebration of Rising Stars 2021, take a trip down memory lane and enjoy these videos from LaGuardia's Rising Stars 1995 (thanks to Felix Olivieri - LaG '95 Art).
Part 1: www.youtube.com/watch?v=jwYOhtFsv-0
Part 2: www.youtube.com/watch?v=S1Jg6cru6BI
Friday May 21st, 2021
Happy #fiorellofriday!
We have very exciting news! LaGuardia's 2021 "Rising Stars" will be televised on June 4, 5, 6 on WNET's All Arts Channel!
"Rising Stars 2021: Behind the Mask is a smorgasbord of original acts, artwork, films and house band tracks. It spotlights some of New York City’s most talented and resilient student artists, who rely on their passions to transcend the heartache and limitations of the past year.
There are 47 segments in Rising Stars 2021, featuring the work of more than 200 student performers, fine artists and musicians, supported by the production planning, audio/photo/video, design, musical/composition, website and social media skills of a student team assisting the directors, parent volunteers and production company. Brief student interviews add context."
View all details about the show (including promo videos) here:
laguardiahspa.org/rising-stars-2021-behind-the-mask/
And for information about how to access the All Arts TV Channel, visit: allarts.org/everywhere/
Exciting
Thursday May 20th, 2021
Check out two alumni on Netflix in "The Baker and the Beauty" (originally on ABC) - Lisa Vidal (PA '82) and Madelyn Sher (LaG '12)!
www.netflix.com/title/81267239
The Baker and the Beauty | Netflix
www.netflix.com
A Miami baker and a fashionista try to make romance work despite the heat they face from jealous exes, prying family members and invasive paparazzi.Thursday May 20th, 2021
Tune in on Sunday, May 23 at 7pm EST on CNN to see LaGuardia’s Show Choir and students from the Dance Studio featured in “Graduation 2021: A CNN Special Event," with Kamala Harris giving the 2021 commencement speech!
news.yahoo.com/kamala-harris-2021-commencement-speech-002600352.html
(Photo of students rehearsing for the filming at Lincoln Center's Green Space)
"CNN will honor the millions of students graduating from high school or college this weekend with a star-studded prime-time special airing on Sunday."
Sarah Boyd Moran, Antonietta McGoey
Wow! So cool!
Amazing!!!
WOW!!!
"Now upward in wonder!"
SO proud to be a part of this wonderful heritage...
Waf Er
<3
Amazing that the Vice President has time to give a speech at this wonderful event,but no time to go to the southern border where a humanitarian crises occurs every day.
Akiko Nishimae Taku Nishimae Wow!!!
Wow
Gypsy Kann Jill S. Gabbe Janice Davis Jessica Sabat
Wow!!! Congrats Laguardians!!! So happy to be part of this school. Keep doing great things!!
🤩 OMG
Does anyone know if it’s live on Sunday ?
Thanks Nina. We just found out today that Grace got into LaGuardia! Happy day!😊
Thursday May 20th, 2021
Read a great piece about Philadelphia artist Gail Kotel (LaG '88), who has been painting portraits of local restaurant owners inside their take-out containers. "Kotel, who is also a Pilates-based physical therapist, conceived of the series as a way to generate buzz for suffering restaurants while calling attention to the mounds of packaging that are at once a health safeguard and an environmental hazard. For years, Kotel has used found objects—window frames, bubble wrap, glass bricks—as her canvas. As she piled up her own take-out boxes during 2020 while watching beloved restaurants limp through the pandemic, she decided to render images of the owners inside those repurposed containers."
www.broadstreetreview.com/wnwn/drawing-new-lines-for-philly-restaurants-and-environmentalism-with...?
Friday May 14th, 2021
#FiorelloFriday
Enjoy the amazing work of LaGuardia art students in the Senior Art Show #2 "Iridescence" - opening today! www.lagartstudiopa.org/senior-show-2-home
IRIDESCENCE — THE PHENOMENON OF CERTAIN SURFACES THAT APPEAR TO GRADUALLY CHANGE COLOR AS THE ANGLE OF VIEW OR THE ANGLE OF ILLUMINATION CHANGES
THROUGH EVERY ARTIST’S EYES, WE INTERPRET OUR ARTWORK DIFFERENTLY, CHANGING WITH EVERY VIEW AND ANGLE.
THIS SHOW’S DIVERSITY IN THEMES AND MEDIUMS PRESENTS A DIFFERENT POINT OF VIEW NOT JUST IN COLOR, BUT IN THOUGHT. WE PRESENT TO YOU THE SECOND SENIOR ART SHOW: IRIDESCENCE.
Curated by Cathy Li, Kailin Cedeno, Kristen Lew
Thursday May 13th, 2021
Arden “Keyz” Altino (LaG '93), who has worked with Busta Rhymes, Alicia Keys, Wyclef Jean, Estelle, Justin Bieber, and so many more, breaks down seven songs from his songwriting and production catalog and recalls his studio experience working with a variety of R&B artists.
"He attributes most of his genreless mindset to his studies at LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts. Through the various fluid academic divisions to breed talented young minds in the universal spectrum of music, arts, and culture, Altino gained an appreciation and an understanding for diverse groups of creatives, no matter the genre or the person behind the artist."
ratedrnb.com/2021/05/board-pen-arden-keyz-altino/
Board + Pen: Arden 'Keyz' Altino - Rated R&B
ratedrnb.com
No real musician can say that they haven’t bitten from the palatable apple tree of musicality that the legendary Jimmy Jam and Terry Lewis planted in a fruitful R&B-pop garden some 30-plus years ago...Tuesday May 11th, 2021
Check out this exhibit by Linus Coraggio (M&A '80)
"My Art (Also) Goes Here" through May 28
at Paul Calendrillo Gallery, 547 West 27th St., Suite 514
Reception With Artist on May 29, 2pm - 5pm
Gallery Hours: Tuesday - Saturday 12pm - 6pm, Thursday 12pm - 8pm
www.paulcalendrillo.com/linus-coraggio
"Coraggio is best known for inventing a genre of Street Art he termed ''3-D graffiti” or “Outstillations,” These being welded, detritus constructions emblazoned with “socio-political” graffiti bolted to no-parking signposts across the United States. These are the sculptural equivalent of the spray paint subway art of the early graffiti masters who Coraggio cites as hugely inspiring.
In the 70s New York’s Lower East Side was the slummy, dangerous haunt of hookers, dealers, addicts, along with bohos – artists, writers, performers - looking for cheap spaces. With the 80s though came the propulsive energy of the Neo Exes and Graffiti, along with budding galleries, clubs, hipster restaurants, vaulting rents, namely the Big Bad G of gentrification. By which time the art world had hugely changed, the world of graffiti most especially, Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf and Jean-Michel Basquiat moved their work off the wall onto canvas and paper. And Linus Coraggio took Street art into sculpture."
www.paulcalendrillo.com/linus-coraggio
Tuesday May 11th, 2021
Enjoy this great educational coloring book 'The Secrets of Hattie Brown' by M&A '70 classmates Audrey “Sala Adenike” Jeter-Allen and Barbara Brown Gathers. www.barbarabrowngathers.com/books
"These beautiful historical images were hand-drawn by Audrey “Sala Adenike” Jeter-Allen and reflect the history and culture of African Americans during the years between 1870 and 1940. Indulge in effortless relaxation coloring for all ages. Relieve stress as you learn about history and culture. The drawings are ornamented by the Adinkra Symbols of Ghana, West Africa.
Great for all skill levels, all ages."
Monday May 10th, 2021
Calling all musicians for this FREE virtual program through NYPL Riverside:
"Making Money with Music: A Professional Talk on Getting Live and Virtual Shows"
Monday, May 24, 3:00-4:30 pm
This FREE virtual program is for anyone 18+ and for high school seniors accompanied by parents/guardians. In this talk, learn the basics of how to book a performance or set up a livestream event with Mehmet Dede, a professional music curator and tour producer. Advanced registration required: www.nypl.org/events/programs/2021/05/24/making-money-music-professional-talk-getting-live-and-vir...
Monday May 10th, 2021
Enjoy this interview with MC Serch (Michael Berrin) - M&A '85 - on
“Drink Champs." A product of Far Rockaway, Queens, the rapper was a founding member of the group 3rd Bass. Listen to his stories of watching the Kangol Crew in the cafeteria at Music & Art and so much more!
When asked why he was thankful for his free public school education at M&A, he said:
"It gave me my direction in what I wanted to do for a career.
I met life long friends.
I was allowed to explore the arts and to focus my passion and make it my life.
I witnessed some high school classmates become legends in the entertainment industry.
I was not allowed to fail. Mr. Cooney made sure I did not flunk out of school and I owe him a great deal for that."
www.youtube.com/watch?v=TnBJpOzhZ6U
And read the article here -
www.revolt.tv/drink-champs/2021/5/8/22425563/nas-owns-jay-z-catalogue
Friday May 7th, 2021
Michael Che (LaG '01, Art) has a new series on HBO! "That Damn Michael Che" is a six-episode original comedy series starring Michael Che (“Saturday Night Live,” “Michael Che Matters”). Each episode follows a theme or incident - racial profiling, unemployment, falling in love and more - and uses sketches and vignettes to illustrate what it feels like to experience them, from his perspective. Tune in!
www.hbomax.com/series/urn:hbo:series:GYG8_bgHgxWvDIwEAAACA?
That Damn Michael Che | HBO Max Originals
www.hbomax.com
Stream That Damn Michael Che on HBO Max. That Damn Michael Che is a six-episode original comedy series starring Michael Che (“Saturday Night Live,” “Michael Che Matters”). Each episode follows...Friday May 7th, 2021
Check out the work of a group of LaGuardia juniors and seniors in the Art department (BWAC Crew) who are exhibiting at Brooklyn Waterfront Artists Coalition (481 Van Brunt St. between Reed Street and the water in Red Hook, 718-596-2506, www.bwac.org).
Opens Saturday, May 8, 1 to 6 pm, on the second floor near the stage
Every Saturday and Sunday through June 20, 2021 — 1 to 6 pm
Coordinated by LaGuardia art teacher and BWAC member Ingrid Butterer.
bwac.org/exhibitions_visit/bwac-crew-exhibition/
bwac.org
BWAC Crew Exhibition -- featuring the work of BWAC interns from LaGuardia High SchoolThursday May 6th, 2021
Tonight at 7pm EST (May 6, 2021) join Guggenheim winning artist Katy Schneider (M&A '82) on Zoom for Poetry Reading + Q&A. RSVP for this FREE event at www.concordart.org/silverlinings
Katy Schneider and Jim Armenti began a collaboration at the beginning of the pandemic. Each day, Katy created a tiny exquisitely rendered painting of an object found in her home and emailed an image of the completed work to Jim. In return, he sent her a poem inspired by the painting. Their collaboration is still going!
Katy Schneider’s 500 and counting 3×4 inch paintings of everyday objects as well as a group of 6×6 inch paintings are on view in the Main Galleries at the Concord Art Gallery in Concord, MA. Follow Katy: www.instagram.com/katyschneiderpainter/
Video of the art talk is available here: youtu.be/s2f5ekIuIN8
Thursday May 6th, 2021
Today from 4-5pm (Thursday, May 6, 2021) join LaGuardia's wonderful Opera Workshop on Zoom for their Afternoon of Opera and Operetta!
Zoom Meeting ID: 747-168-039
Phone Number: 646-558-8656
Monday May 3rd, 2021
See Marlene Siff's (M&A '53) artwork in Bridgeport, CT at the URSA Gallery (Arcade Mall, 1042 Broad Street - www.ursa.gallery/), as part of the exhibit "Here Comes the Sun" - an illuminating exhibition that celebrates a new chapter with our community––a time of revival and hope. Drawing parallels between the uplifting transition from winter to warmth and the pandemic to a new normal, Here Comes the Sun serves not only as an opportunity to reflect but also look forward. The presentation showcases the works of fourteen contemporary artists whose dynamic visions will uplift and restore our perspectives in a variety of ways. Exhibit through July 31, 2021. www.marlenesiff.com/
"Marlene Siff’s paintings, sculptures, and works on paper––often rendered in multi-dimensions with multilayerings––convey a sense of harmony, balance, order, and spirituality. Her work has been exhibited in museums and galleries throughout the United States and abroad, including the U.S. Capitol Building, Washington, D.C.; B’nai B’rith Klutznick National Jewish Museum, Washington, D.C.; Aldrich Contemporary Art Museum, Ridgefield; and Galerie Musée in Nagoya, Japan. www.marlenesiff.com/
Friday April 30th, 2021
#FiorelloFriday
Enjoy the amazing artwork of LaGuardia art students in the Senior Art Show #1 "Kalopsia" - opening today! www.lagartstudiopa.org/senior-show-1-home
KALOPSIA — A COMBINATION OF THE GREEK ROOTS KALLOS (BEAUTY) AND OPSIS (SIGHT), KALOPSIA MEANS BEAUTIFUL SIGHT OR WITH BEAUTIFUL EYESKALOPSIA PERFECTLY ENCAPSULATES THIS FEELING THAT WE AS ARTISTS FEEL TOWARDS OUR ART AND TOWARDS THE WORLD. WE VIEW BOTH WITH BEAUTIFUL EYES. INSPIRED BY THE IMPRESSIVE WORK OF THE SENIOR STUDENT BODY, AND THE VIVID DREAM-LIKE IMAGERY PRESENT IN MANY OF THE ARTWORKS YOU WILL SEE, WE PRESENT TO YOU THE FIRST SENIOR ART SHOW: KALOPSIA.
Friday April 30th, 2021
Vote for 4 LaG students who are currently competing in the BroadwayWorld Next on Stage high school competition so they can advance into the Top 30! Voting closes on May 4 and you can vote for each person once.
The LaG kids are:
Ruby Griffin - www.broadwayworld.com/nextonstagehighschool/ruby-griffin
Eason Rytter - www.broadwayworld.com/nextonstagehighschool/eason-rytter
Lucy Lewis - www.broadwayworld.com/nextonstagehighschool/lucy-lewis
Julia Marshall - www.broadwayworld.com/nextonstagehighschool/julia-marshall
Nominations Open For BroadwayWorld's NEXT ON STAGE
www.broadwayworld.com
Nominations are now open for College and High School students across the country! Submit by September 27th for a chance to win our incredible prizes! Click to learn more.Thank you, LaG Alumni & Friends, for supporting these current students! If voting, be sure to check your email and click to “confirm” your vote. The email might go to spam/junk. This is a system BroadwayWorld set up to prevent voting using bots. Need to confirm to be counted! Thank you for voting and sharing!
Friday April 30th, 2021
Congratulations to Billy Dee Williams (M&A '55), who will be honored at the Harlem Hall of Fame's inaugural debut in August 2021.
"The Harlem Hall of Fame will honor the legends and icons that have made significant contributions to Harlem's iconic and historic reputation around the globe. The Hall of Fame is set to make its inaugural debut in August 2021, with a stellar line-up of inductees, via a multimedia execution that will include a virtual induction ceremony/documentary looking at the impacting lives of some of Harlem’s Living Legends (set for broadcast in August) as well as a physical Harlem Hall of Fame exhibition - featuring replicas and personal defining items of the honorees, set for Black History Month February 2022."
www.einnews.com/pr_news/539791807/bet-executive-jon-marc-sandifer-launching-harlem-hall-of-fame
BET Executive Jon Marc Sandifer Launching Harlem Hall of Fame
www.einnews.com
Veteran Black Entertainment Television (BET) programming executive Jon Marc Sandifer (American Gangster: Trap Queens, Ruff Ryders Chronicles, A Thousand WordsFriday April 30th, 2021
#FiorelloFriday
Friday, April 30, 2021 watch the LaGuardia Show Choir Senior Cabaret at 8:15pm on YouTube! The video will remain after tonight's "live" performance. Enjoy the amazing talent of our LaGuardia Vocal students!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=muk-cMkbRQs
Monday April 26th, 2021
Congratulations to vocal junior Tess Biberaj (LaG '22) who won Top Prize from The International Grande Music Competition - igmcompetition.com/winners-2021/
Watch her performance of Mozart's "Voi Che Sapete." www.youtube.com/watch?v=P0R2Dicn_Y4
Monday April 26th, 2021
Save the date! Senior Art Show #1 will be Friday, April 30th, 2021 and viewable at www.lagartstudiopa.org/. Don't miss this beautiful show! Poster by Gabrielle Arica (LaG '21).
Monday April 26th, 2021
Check out Linus Brant Coraggio's (M&A '80) exhibit "My Art (Also) Goes Here" at Paul Calendrillo Gallery in Chelsea, May 3-28, 2021. 547 West 27th St., Suite 514
Reception With Artist: May 6, 6pm – 8pm, May 29, 2pm – 5pm
Gallery Hours: Tuesday – Saturday 12pm – 6pm, Thursday 12pm – 8pm - www.paulcalendrillo.com/linus-coraggio
"Coraggio is best known for inventing a genre of Street Art he termed ''3-D graffiti” or “Outstillations,” These being welded, detritus constructions emblazoned with “socio-political” graffiti bolted to no-parking signposts across the United States. These are the sculptural equivalent of the spray paint subway art of the early graffiti masters who Coraggio cites as hugely inspiring.
In the 70s New York’s Lower East Side was the slummy, dangerous haunt of hookers, dealers, addicts, along with bohos – artists, writers, performers - looking for cheap spaces. With the 80s though came the propulsive energy of the Neo Exes and Graffiti, along with budding galleries, clubs, hipster restaurants, vaulting rents, namely the Big Bad G of gentrification. By which time the art world had hugely changed, the world of graffiti most especially, Keith Haring, Kenny Scharf and Jean-Michel Basquiat moved their work off the wall onto canvas and paper. And Linus Coraggio took Street art into sculpture."
Monday April 26th, 2021
THE LYRIC LAB for those 65 years and older - tentative Start Date: Monday, May 3, 2021. www.thelyriclab.org/su-casa-2021-programming
The Lyric Lab is offering a free workshop series for Manhattan seniors, ages 65 and older, called “My Favorite Song Project.” Project participants would meet once a week in a virtual social space and discuss music, lyrics, life, and the memories that powerful songs can evoke. This project will culminate in an online exhibit of selected songs and participants' reactions/reflections.
www.thelyriclab.org/su-casa-2021-programming
TALENT SPRINGS ETERNAL IN THE FAME SCHOOL IN REAL MYSTICAL MUSICAL PLAY WITH DNA. HEAR IT HERE IN 2 ACTS & JOIN 4O,000+LIKES: FAMENETWORK.COM
Friday April 23rd, 2021
Congratulations to sophomore art student Nate Rosan (LaG '23), who has launched a surf and skate apparel company! Article here: www.digitaljournal.com/pr/5049062
Check out the website: www.dinosurfandskate.com/
www.dinosurfandskate.com
Dino Surf And Skate is an online apparel store selling lifestyle clothing for adventure seekers. With designs ranging from surfing, skateboarding, fishing, racing and even skiing we have you covered f...Thursday April 22nd, 2021
Happy Earth Day! The LaGuardia Student Green Team is premiering FIVE Earth Day 2021 videos including interviews and clips of Green Team members celebrating. Please tune in and do your part to save the planet!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KDuIRqkj-k&list=PLCk-RF-GKT7vSsjuDlxWngtZi-EDbC710
Follow the Green Team on Instagram @laggreenteam
Check out their site at bit.ly/323limY
Subscribe to their bi-weekly newsletter here: bit.ly/2IeZLRH
Wednesday April 21st, 2021
Congratulations to Yoruba Richen (LaG '90) who directed "The Sit-In: Harry Belafonte Hosts the Tonight Show," part of the upcoming Tribeca Film Festival. tribecafilm.com/films/sit-in-harry-belafonte-hosts-the-tonight-show-2020
"While the country was embroiled in a divisive election with racial tensions flaring, Civil Rights activist and trailblazing performer Harry Belafonte guest hosted The Tonight Show for one week in 1968. By then, Johnny Carson had turned this pioneering late night show into one of the most powerful platforms of communication. In an unprecedented move, Belafonte took a predominantly white institution, The Tonight Show, and transformed it into a multicultural and political experience.
Award-winning director Yoruba Richen examines the importance of this lost broadcast history through vibrant interviews with Belafonte, Whoopi Goldberg, Questlove, and guests who appeared that week including Petula Clark, Dionne Warwick, and Freda Payne. The Sit In features rare archival footage, including interviews with Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. and Robert F. Kennedy, which are among the last television appearances before both were assassinated."
Yoruba Richen is an award-winning filmmaker whose work has been featured on PBS, The New York Times, and Frontline. Her latest film, Green Book: Guide to Freedom, premiered on the Smithsonian channel. She is the founding director of the documentary program at the Graduate School of Journalism at CUNY.
For a complete list of the 2021 Tribeca Film Festival films: www.indiewire.com/2021/04/tribeca-film-festival-2021-film-lineup-1234631537/
The Sit-In: Harry Belafonte Hosts The Tonight Show | 2020 Tribeca Film Festival | Tribeca
tribecafilm.com
While the country was embroiled in a divisive election with racial tensions flaring, civil rights activist Harry Belafonte guest hosted The Tonight Show for one week in 1968 transforming it into a mul...I heard it’s terrific
Wednesday April 21st, 2021
Congratulations to dancer Alanna Morris-Van Tassel (LaG '03) who was named Gibney/Bard Teaching Artists for Spring 2021. www.bard.edu/news/dance-program-announces-new-faculty-teaching-artists-for-spring-2021-01-28
Morris-Van Tassel is artistic director of Alanna Morris-Van Tassel Productions (AMVTP), founded in 2017.
"The mission of AMVTP is to produce solo dance works and global commissions that uplift and inspire our humanity; to produce educational programs that utilize the creative arts as a tool for self-development; and to spearhead community building initiatives that assist mid-career women Creatives with resources to thrive.
AMVTP is a Black-led arts organization, launched in 2017 with spheres of influence in dance performance, education and community-building. AMVTP has been developing and producing provocative and soulful arts programs that center the creative genius of the African Caribbean archive, bringing people together from all walks of life, employing Minnesota artists of color, and building bridges and partnerships with arts organizations that share a similar vision. In 2018 AMVTP launched a coaching/mentorship program for pre-professional female dancers of color to address racial inequities in access to dance education."
"Morris Van Tassel was named one of Dance Magazine's “25 to Watch!” for 2018 and City Pages’ Artist of the Year for 2018. She was a featured dancer with Minnesota-based dance company TU Dance (2007-2017), a TU Dance Artistic Associate (2020), and is a current advisor to Springboard Danse Montreal. Her self-produced solo project, “Yam, Potatoe an Fish!” was named Star Tribune’s Best of Dance (2018) and earned her City Pages’ Best Choreographer (2019).
She was a 2015 McKnight Dance Fellow. Morris-Van Tassel is a graduate of Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts in New York City and holds a BFA in Dance from The Juilliard School. She is currently building a performance art project, Black Light, which explores the nobility of black-ness, divine feminine expression, and primordial creativity."
More about Alanna at: www.alannamvt.com/
Wednesday April 21st, 2021
Read a touching story about Lana Solinsky Noone (PA '64), Vietnam's Operation Babylift, and her play "Children of the April Rain" - www.liherald.com/stories/breakfast-club-honors-operation-babylift-mother,128701?
More at www.vietnambabylift.org/
Breakfast Club honors Operation Babylift mother
www.liherald.com
As the Vietnam War dragged on in the fall of 1974, Lana and Byron Noone were fighting a battle of their own at home in Garden City South, struggling to deal with two miscarriages and having given up ...Many thanks,Zoe... I appreciate your support and encouragement very much. Logo art for the Vietnam Babylift play, Children of the April Rain. The play's available as at no fee. The co-authors were all involved in Operation Babylift, including the last woman out of Vietnam on the final day of the War on that final helicopter. She is Sally Vinyard who is now 97 years Young!
Monday April 19th, 2021
Enjoy this new release by Nouhi's Nomad (Zachary Tirgan, LaG '16). He sang the title character of Orpheus in their production of "Orpheus in the Underworld" by Offenbach.
Read the press release and watch his music video at: www.digitaljournal.com/pr/5037693#ixzz6sVYAtWLf
His website: www.tirganrecords.com/nouhis-nomad
Award-winning Screenwriter Fronts Iranian-American Indie Rock Project Nouhi’s Nomad
www.digitaljournal.com
The NYC-based musician will release a new single, video this Friday. “Number 4” is from his self-titled debut album.Monday April 19th, 2021
Check out Jack Brandfield's (LaG '16) debut album release, "I'll Never Be The Same" on Gut String Records.
Jack Brandfield - Saxophone
Randy Napoleon - Guitar
Rodney Whitaker - Bass
Jack was the recipient of the Alumni & Friends Fred Klein Jazz Award in 2016.
“Jack Brandfield makes me happy. He knows the history of his instrument and yet he wants to carve out his own path keeping an eye on all the greats in his rear view mirror. I know they are smiling!” -John Pizzarelli
https://www.jackbrandfield.com/i-ll-never-be-the-same
www.jackbrandfield.com
“Jack Brandfield makes me happy. He knows the history of his instrument and yet he wants to carve out his own path keeping an eye on all the greats in his rear view mirror. I know they are smiling!...Friday April 16th, 2021
Happy #fiorellofriday!
If you missed the premiere of our 40 minute tribute to LaGuardia and the 40th anniversary of the movie "Fame," you can watch it here! Featuring alumni from the film and tv series, over 200 students, and many special guests!
We're gonna live forever!
www.youtube.com/watch?v=py4eVqZPdB8&t=333s
FAME 4.0 - 40 minutes of magic from Alumni & Friends of LaGuardia and LaGuardia Parents Association
www.youtube.com
Text FAME40 to 41444 to donate to support LaGuardia HS and arts education or visit alumniandfriends.org/fame/ ----Watch the 40-minute FAME 4.0, featu...TALENT SPRINGS ETERNAL IN THE FAME SCHOOL IN REAL MYSTICAL MUSICAL PLAY WITH DNA. HEAR IT HERE IN 2 ACTS & JOIN 40,000+LIKES: FAMENETWORK.COM
Thursday April 15th, 2021
The New York Times picked Moliere in the Park's "pen/man/ship" as a "Top Thing to Watch at Home" April 16th-24th. Moliere in the Park (Co-Founder and Executive Director Garth Belcon - LaG '88) presents a live theatrical experience that will transport you to the heart of Christina Anderson's stirring turn-of-the-twentieth-century drama.
This production is FREE and open to all. RSVP required. You will be emailed a link a few hours before the start of your chosen performance. Performances on 4/16 and 4/17 are previews. 4/18 is opening night. www.eventbrite.com/e/moliere-in-the-park-presents-penmanship-2021-tickets-146427242825
"Moliere in the Park’s virtual productions make imaginative use of video filters and effects, and this new one does not disappoint. The impressive cast includes Crystal Lucas-Perry and Kevin Mambo." - Elisabeth Vincentelli, The New York Times
More about Moliere in the Park at: www.moliereinthepark.org/
Molière in the Park Presents: pen/man/ship 2021
www.eventbrite.com
A live theatrical experience that will transport you to the heart of Christina Anderson's stirring turn-of-the-twentieth-century drama.Wednesday April 14th, 2021
Tonight (April 14) on Zoom at 6pm join comic book illustrator Shawn Martinbrough (LaG '89) at the Society Of Illustrators / MOCCA Arts Festival. He'll be sharing insights on writing RedHood story for DC Comics & writing/illustrating his upcoming project for John Jennings new imprint @Megascope / ABRAMS Books.
www.moccafest.org/comicandcartoonartweek/svlyib9tu0zjl19frza5vbvnif1fn7
A discussion on how to create a story starting from words to art. Shawn Martinbrough is the author of How to Draw Noir Comics: The Art and Technique of Visual Storytelling, published by PenguinRandom House. He is a creator/artist whose DC Comics, Marvel and Dark Horse Comics projects include Batman: Detective Comics, DMZ, Luke Cage Noir, The Black Panther and Hellboy. Shawn is also the artist of Thief of Thieves by Robert Kirkman, the co-creator of The Walking Dead and INVINCIBLE.
Wednesday April 14th, 2021
On April 21 enjoy a night of outdoor comedy at West Side Comedy Club (201 West 75th Street) featuring comedian Brett Singer (LaG '89). Tickets are $20, showtime at 7:30pm.
www.westsidecomedyclub.com/events/44399
West Side Comedy Club | Curbside Comedy
www.westsidecomedyclub.com
Outdoor Comedy series, socially distanced, masks required. No food and beverage served but feel free to pick up at Playa Betty's beforehand or stop in for a quick bite. Each night a different event..Thanks Zoe!
Wednesday April 14th, 2021
Check out the HBO show "Betty" featuring 3 LaGuardia art alumnae - Dede Lovelace (LaG '16), Nina Moran (LaG '15), and Ajani Russell (LaG '16). "Betty is about a diverse group of young women who navigate their lives through the male-dominated world of skateboarding in New York City."
Watch online and see video interviews with the cast. www.hbo.com/betty
Read cast interviews here: coveteur.com/2020/07/08/betty-cast-interview/
Tuesday April 13th, 2021
Please check out the beautiful Student Curated Art show "The Descent: Representative to Abstract and Back Again."
www.lagartstudiopa.org/student-curated-art-show-2021
THIS IS A COLLECTION OF PIECES THAT DISPLAY THE NATURAL WAY THAT THE ART WE MAKE CHANGES FROM REPRESENTATIVE TO ABSTRACT AND BACK AGAIN. WALK/SCROLL THROUGH THE MINI-SHOWS TO SEE EXACTLY THAT: REAL TO UNREAL, WHIMSICAL TO SEDATE, AND FANTASTICAL BACK TO WHAT WE ARE LIVING THROUGH RIGHT NOW.
Curated by Olivia Kirkbride, Farideh Sanandaji and Esme Sacks
Congratulations to the amazing students and teachers. It is an amazing show indeed.
Monday April 12th, 2021
Check out this new book by Nellie Escalante (LaG '89) - "Peek a Boo: I See Me: 35 Lessons in Self/Soul Care for the Special-Needs Mom" -
www.amazon.com/Peek-Boo-Lessons-Self-Special-Needs/dp/B08PQK8QN2/ref=sr_1_1?dchild=1&
“‘But who's going to take care of the boys?’ is what I heard my mom say when I would tell her that I was going out with friends. As a mother, that saying would haunt me every time I wanted to do something for myself. Was I being selfish? I actually never wanted to have children in the first place and now I found myself caring for a non-verbal child with autism who requires more of me than I would have ever imagined.” Drawing from her church and art world experiences, as well as from daily life, Nellie’s raw, honest stories remind us that caring for a child with a disability requires showing up for yourself. She also reveals how this journey unearthed and transformed her in ways she never thought possible.
Peek a Boo: I See Me: 35 Lessons in Self/Soul Care for the Special-Needs Mom
www.amazon.com
Peek a Boo: I See Me: 35 Lessons in Self/Soul Care for the Special-Needs MomMonday April 12th, 2021
Congratulations to Amy Adler (M&A '84), who just received a 2021 Guggenheim Foundation Fellowship in the Fine Arts category! www.gf.org/
Amy says, "Wouldn’t be here without my high school days. Thanks so much!"
See more of Amy's work at amyadler.com/
Amy was so very talented back in our high school art classes
Monday April 12th, 2021
Read about the life of biographer Peter Manso (M&A '57) who passed away on April 7, 2021.
www.nytimes.com/2021/04/09/books/peter-manso-dead.html
Peter Manso, Biographer of Brando and Mailer, Dies at 80
www.nytimes.com
His relationship with his subjects and critics could be tempestuous. His interview with Mayor Edward I. Koch for Playboy may have cost Koch the governorshipFriday April 9th, 2021
Congratulations to Lauren Paganucci (LaG '16) who is a finalist in the 10th Annual SUNYWide Film Festival April 9-10th for her film "A Mother's Touch." Her experimental film captures three generations of women: her mother and grandmother before the lens of a 16 mm camera and herself behind it, the timeless eye recording her family’s story. www.binghamton.edu/news/story/2964/mothers-touch-alums-experimental-film-is-film-festival-finalist
More information about the film festival, hosted by SUNY Purchase: www.sunywidefilmfestival.com/
Mother’s Touch: Alum’s experimental film is film festival finalist - Binghamton News
www.binghamton.edu
“Mother’s Touch,” an experimental film by Lauren Paganucci ’20, was selected as a finalist for the SUNYWide Film Festival.Yay Lauren Paganucci!
Congratulations Lauren Paganucci !!!!
Go Lauren!
Friday April 9th, 2021
Join on April 19, 2021 at 7pm for this Zoom panel discussion on Reopening Broadway Theater and Beyond presented by Episcopal Actors Guild (EAG) - since 1923 EAG has been supplying emergent care and career support to professional performers of all faiths who are undergoing financial crisis.
Moderated by M&A '56 alumna and Tony Award-winning Commercial Theatrical Producer and EAG Council Member Margot Astrachan (A Gentleman’s Guide to Love and Murder—Tony, Drama Desk, and Outer Critics Circle Awards; Diana: A New Musical—heading to Netflix prior to Broadway).
All proceeds from this event will go to support the charitable programs of EAG for NYC's performing artists in need.
Industry panelists Scott Irgang (Director of Labor Relations for The Broadway League), Ryan Conway (2nd Vice President of The Off-Broadway League; President of Architect Theatrical—General Managers for Broadway’s West Side Story, Off-Broadway’s Rock of Ages), and Carl Pasbjerg (Managing Partner of Alchemy Production Group—Manager and Co-Producer of the Broadway, Toronto, West End, Australia, and Touring productions of Come From Away) will discuss how to get shows and audiences back into our theaters in New York and nationwide.
www.actorsguild.org/who-we-are.html
Friday April 9th, 2021
Please check out this event "Wake Up, Rise Up - LIVE 4 Peace," created by Doug Payne (M&A '74) - A Virtual 24-Hour Concert on September 21, 2021 - www.wakeup-riseup-live4peace.org/
"Expanding 24 hours this event includes motivational speakers, music, poetry, mental health specialists, stories from victims and entertainers from around the globe. This will be similar to a track style relay race where each runner (the location) will pass the peace baton to the next runner (location) after they complete their pre-recorded presentation. The selected date is Tuesday, September 21, 2021 and this coincides with the United Nations “International Peace Day” that was started back in 1981."
Friday April 9th, 2021
Check out the new Netflix movie "Concrete Cowboys" starring Jharrel Jerome (LaG '16) and Lorraine Toussaint (PA '78) and read this interview!
"Concrete Cowboy introduces audiences to Fletcher Street in Philadelphia. The story is told through a father and son who reconnect as they discover a group of black Cowboys amidst their neighborhood. The stellar ensemble cast is made up of gems like Lorraine Toussaint, Jharrel Jerome, and Method Man (Cliff Smith Jr.). The stars spoke to Screen Rant about learning from the real life riders their characters were based on and respecting the community they represented."
screenrant.com/concrete-cowboy-movie-toussaint-jerome-method-man-interview/
Lorraine Toussaint, Jharrel Jerome & Method Man Interview: Concrete Cowboy
screenrant.com
Our chat with the stars!Wednesday April 7th, 2021
Check out artist Alice Elisabeth Waite's (LaG '06) exhibit “Into the Light” at River Muse Art Gallery in Clayton, NY - 229 John St.
rivermusegallery.com/
"These images are a celebration and homage to the sanctity of nature and of the female sex. The works exude variety of bright, bold colors in an attempt to capture the individuality and distinctive identities of the subjects.
Alice paints in mostly oil, as well as acrylic and watercolor. Much of the imagery She creates is a communication of her connection to nature and how she experiences it as a woman.
The North Country and Thousand Island region has been the backdrop for her work for the last four years. Alice has cultivated an appreciation for, and have drawn inspiration from this area. Flowers being a natural symbol of femininity, are a common motif throughout.
In this showing Alice wants the audience to feel completely immersed in nature and to join her in the veneration of woman."
www.nny360.com/artsandlife/artsandentertainment/spring-show-at-river-muse-art-gallery-goes-into-t...
Spring show at River Muse Art Gallery goes ‘Into the Light’
www.nny360.com
CLAYTON — Artist Alice Elisabeth Waite is coming back “Into the Light” with an exhibit at River Muse Art Gallery after the plan to host her show at the galleryMonday March 29th, 2021
Check out this wonderful exhibit in Concord, Massachusetts with Katy Schneider (M&A '82), April 1-May 13, 2021:
SILVER LININGS: Paintings, Process and Poetry
PAINTINGS BY KATY SCHNEIDER AND POETRY BY JIM ARMENTI. www.concordart.org/upcoming
Katy Schneider and Jim Armenti began a collaboration at the beginning of the pandemic. Each day, Katy created a tiny exquisitely rendered painting of an object found in her home and emailed an image of the completed work to Jim. In return, he sent her a poem inspired by the painting. Their collaboration is still going!
Katy Schneider’s 400 and counting 3×4 inch paintings of everyday objects as well as a group of 6×6 inch paintings will be on view in the Main Galleries. A selection of Jim Armenti’s object inspired poetry will also be on display. Visitors will be invited to write poems to go with Schneider’s paintings in a Poetry Process Gallery. www.concordart.org/upcoming
Katy is an art professor at Smith College in Northampton, MA - www.instagram.com/katyschneiderpainter/
Monday March 29th, 2021
Groundbreaking artist Lilian Thomas Burwell (M&A '44, though she left the school before graduating, moving to DC) will have her first New York solo exhibition at age 93.
“Lilian Thomas Burwell: Soaring” opens April 22 at Berry Campbell Gallery. An abstract artist, Burwell makes nature-inspired paintings and sculpture. She was featured in “Magnetic Fields: Expanding American Abstraction, 1960s to Today,” a groundbreaking exhibition presenting works by 21 Black female artists that originated at the Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art in Kansas City and traveled to the National Museum of Women in the Arts in Washington, D.C., and the Museum of Fine Arts, St. Petersburg, Fla., from 2017 to 2018. Burwell is also the subject of a recent documentary, “Kindred Spirits: Artists Hilda Wilkinson Brown and Lilian Thomas Burwell.”
www.culturetype.com/2021/03/28/at-93-lilian-thomas-burwell-is-making-her-solo-debut-in-new-york-w...
www.culturetype.com
STILL PUSHING HER PRACTICE to new heights, Lilian Thomas Burwell will have her first New York solo exhibition at age 93. Lilian Thomas Burwell: Soaring opens April 22 at Berry Campbell Gall...Love you Alumni and Friends of LaGuardia High School <3 I credit you for where I am as a designer and artist today. Working at my dreams and fulfilling my passion and purpose in NYC. Could not be happier.
Friday March 26th, 2021
We say goodbye to brilliant actress Jessica Walter (PA '58). Jessica recently wrote to Alumni & Friends saying, "I owe so much to the foundation I received at PA!"
www.nytimes.com/2021/03/25/arts/television/jessica-walter-dead.html
Jessica Walter, Tart-Tongued Matriarch of ‘Arrested Development,’ Dies at 80
www.nytimes.com
An Emmy Award-winning actress, she gained early fame in Clint Eastwood’s “Play Misty for Me” and found a new audience in a TV cult hit.In my young agent days, I represented Jessica and put her in Sidney Lumet's movie "The Group".
🙏
She was wonderful... and will be missed....
Leo Naut
I remember Jessica came and spoke informally in one of my classes once, must've been 1962. I think it was "Interpretation" with Ms Provet... I remember her as glamorous, great energy...
Wednesday March 24th, 2021
Watch a great 4-minute video with Chet Gold (LaG '04), who works at MoMA, as he discusses his favorite painting, Monet's 'Water Lillies,' while dressed as the work of art! www.moma.org/magazine/articles/519?
Chet Gold is a multi-disciplinary artist - check out more at www.chetgold.com/
Chet Gold on Claude Monet’s Water Lilies | Magazine | MoMA
www.moma.org
At a time when we could all use more beauty in our lives, “the Water Lilies have our back.”Wednesday March 24th, 2021
TODAY - register for this amazing FREE virtual event March 24, 2021, 3-5:30pm, EST.
New York Tech Live: West Side Story: How It Speaks to Us Now. Featuring author Esmeralda Santiago (PA '66), Bobby Sanabria -
Multi-Grammy-Nominated Musician, Mike Wallace - New York Historian and Pulitzer Prize-winning Author. www.nyit.edu/events/west_side_story_how_it_speaks_to_us_now
"Esmeralda Santiago moved to New York from Puerto Rico in 1961 at the age of 13 and attended New York City's Performing Arts High School. She graduated from Harvard University and Sarah Lawrence College. With husband Frank Cantor, she founded Cantomedia, an award-winning documentary film and media production company. Her career evolved from writing documentary and educational films to essays and opinion pieces that appeared in national newspapers including The New York Times and The Boston Globe and mass market magazines. Her first book, the memoir When I was Puerto Rican, was followed by a novel, America’s Dream; a second memoir, Almost a Woman, which was adapted into a 2002 film for Masterpiece Theatre, and a third memoir, The Turkish Lover."
"Recognized as one of the most important voices in Puerto Rican writing, Santiago has written about her complex and ambivalent response to West Side Story, which came out when she was a student at the famous High School of the Performing Arts. She will share her firsthand experiences and unique insights on the film’s legacy within the Puerto Rican community with Qiuana Dudley-Vegliante, an English major at New York Tech.
Four iconic New Yorkers will discuss the monumental impact of West Side Story on their lives and work, set in the context of New York City and urban planning for the Upper West Side."
www.nyit.edu/events/west_side_story_how_it_speaks_to_us_now
TALENT SPRINGS ETERNAL IN THE FAME SCHOOL IN REAL MYSTICAL MUSICAL PLAY WITH DNA AND REINCARNATES THE SPIRIT OF MICHAEL PETERS. HEAR IT/READ IT HERE: FAMENETWORK.COM
Tuesday March 23rd, 2021
A review of the new documentary "Wojnarowicz" about artist David Wojnarowicz (M&A '73), who died of AIDS in 1992, at age 37.
"Directed by Chris McKim, this exemplary documentary on the artist (which is also a mini-chronicle of the East Village art scene of 1970s and ’80s New York) takes advantage of Wojnarowicz’s penchant for self-documentation, drawing on the cassette journals he began keeping even before he was a fully formed creator. The documents Wojnarowicz maintained in this period, during which his art became inextricable from his activism, guide the viewer into the second American hellscape Wojnarowicz experienced: the AIDS epidemic."
www.nytimes.com/2021/03/18/movies/wojnarowicz-review.html
‘Wojnarowicz’ Review: A Revolutionary Provocateur
www.nytimes.com
A documentary on the artist David Wojnarowicz shows the ways that the rebel was a prophet, and honors him appropriately.Tuesday March 23rd, 2021
Enjoy this beautiful piece - Boismortier's Sonates à Deux Violes performed by Jay Bernfeld, (M&A '70) and Patricia Ann Neely (M&A '71).
www.youtube.com/watch?v=8fQ8UgR0Ut4
