The National Music Council of the United States will honor music and event producers Ray Chew and Vivian Scott Chew at the organization’s 39th annual American Eagle Awards on Sunday, June 25 at the American Federation of Musicians Convention in Las Vegas.
The honors are presented each year in recognition of those who have made career-long contributions to American musical culture, to promoting the ideal of music education for all children, and to supporting the protection of creators’ rights both locally and internationally.
This year’s presenter will be Academy Award and multi-Grammy-winning artist Regina Belle.
Music director, producer and composer Ray Chew’s work has been celebrated for excellence over the course of decades. His resume includes Dancing With the Stars, Showtime at the Apollo, and American Idol, as well as the Primetime Emmy Awards, the Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremonies, the 2008 Democratic National Convention, President Barack Obama’s Inaugural Ball,...
The honors are presented each year in recognition of those who have made career-long contributions to American musical culture, to promoting the ideal of music education for all children, and to supporting the protection of creators’ rights both locally and internationally.
This year’s presenter will be Academy Award and multi-Grammy-winning artist Regina Belle.
Music director, producer and composer Ray Chew’s work has been celebrated for excellence over the course of decades. His resume includes Dancing With the Stars, Showtime at the Apollo, and American Idol, as well as the Primetime Emmy Awards, the Grammy Awards Premiere Ceremonies, the 2008 Democratic National Convention, President Barack Obama’s Inaugural Ball,...
- 5/4/2023
- by Bruce Haring
- Deadline Film + TV
Eleanor Roosevelt was the first superstar First Lady of the 20th century and forever altered the role of the wife of the president of the United States. Over the decades, several actresses have earned kudos and awards for portraying her.
Greer Garson won the Golden Globe and reaped an Oscar nomination for the 1960 film “Sunrise at Campobello,” which chronicled Franklin Delano Roosevelt‘s battle with polio in 1921.
Jane Alexander received Emmy nominations for the acclaimed 1976 “Eleanor and Franklin,” based on Joseph P. Lash’s best-seller, and the 1977 sequel “Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years.” She won the Emmy for playing Sara, the mother of Fdr in 2005’s “Warm Springs.”
Speaking of “Warm Springs,” Cynthia Nixon received an Emmy nomination as Eleanor in the HBO movie that detailed Fdr’s (Kenneth Branagh) work with other polio patients.
Jean Stapleton was an Emmy nominee for 1982’s “Eleanor, First Lady of the World,...
Greer Garson won the Golden Globe and reaped an Oscar nomination for the 1960 film “Sunrise at Campobello,” which chronicled Franklin Delano Roosevelt‘s battle with polio in 1921.
Jane Alexander received Emmy nominations for the acclaimed 1976 “Eleanor and Franklin,” based on Joseph P. Lash’s best-seller, and the 1977 sequel “Eleanor and Franklin: The White House Years.” She won the Emmy for playing Sara, the mother of Fdr in 2005’s “Warm Springs.”
Speaking of “Warm Springs,” Cynthia Nixon received an Emmy nomination as Eleanor in the HBO movie that detailed Fdr’s (Kenneth Branagh) work with other polio patients.
Jean Stapleton was an Emmy nominee for 1982’s “Eleanor, First Lady of the World,...
- 4/28/2022
- by Susan King
- Gold Derby
February is Black History Month, and new content celebrating Black stories across television and film is on its way.
Over the course of Black History Month, many channels will premiere nonfiction specials and programming that spotlight Black leaders in politics, entertainment and social justice. PBS will premiere specials about civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer and singer Marian Anderson, while Starz will premiere a feature length documentary on Congresswoman Barbara Lee.
In addition, the Smithsonian Channel will debut a four-part miniseries tracing the origins exploring the legacy of slavery around the world. Aside from new documentaries and docuseries, streaming channels like Tubi will offer hundreds of hours of Black Cinema to watch, as well as original fiction programming.
Check out the full list of Black History Month programming below. (This list will be updated as more titles are announced).
“Barbara Lee: Speaking Truth to Power” — This feature-length documentary follows the career of congresswoman Barbara Lee,...
Over the course of Black History Month, many channels will premiere nonfiction specials and programming that spotlight Black leaders in politics, entertainment and social justice. PBS will premiere specials about civil rights activist Fannie Lou Hamer and singer Marian Anderson, while Starz will premiere a feature length documentary on Congresswoman Barbara Lee.
In addition, the Smithsonian Channel will debut a four-part miniseries tracing the origins exploring the legacy of slavery around the world. Aside from new documentaries and docuseries, streaming channels like Tubi will offer hundreds of hours of Black Cinema to watch, as well as original fiction programming.
Check out the full list of Black History Month programming below. (This list will be updated as more titles are announced).
“Barbara Lee: Speaking Truth to Power” — This feature-length documentary follows the career of congresswoman Barbara Lee,...
- 1/31/2022
- by Wilson Chapman, Selome Hailu, Sasha Urban and Wyatte Grantham-Philips
- Variety Film + TV
Wavelength has a simple mantra — “tell great fucking stories” — but its intentions go much deeper than that. Founded in 2015 by Jenifer Westphal, the scrappy six-year-old company has been making waves with its mostly women executives developing a diverse slate of films that combine social relevance with compelling characters, while prioritizing first-time women directors and filmmakers of color.
At a time when Hollywood continues to struggle to find diverse talent behind the camera, companies like Wavelength provide essential case studies for how to lean into inclusivity from the earliest stages of the development process. Since its founding in 2015, Wavelength has produced over 30 feature films, curating a roster of award-winning, buzz-worthy titles including Sundance fare like Ekwa Msangi’s “Farewell Amor,” Jordana Spiro’s “Night Comes On,” and Tayarisha Poe’s “Selah and the Spades,” as well as high profile documentaries including Morgan Neville’s “Won’t You Be My Neighbor,” which...
At a time when Hollywood continues to struggle to find diverse talent behind the camera, companies like Wavelength provide essential case studies for how to lean into inclusivity from the earliest stages of the development process. Since its founding in 2015, Wavelength has produced over 30 feature films, curating a roster of award-winning, buzz-worthy titles including Sundance fare like Ekwa Msangi’s “Farewell Amor,” Jordana Spiro’s “Night Comes On,” and Tayarisha Poe’s “Selah and the Spades,” as well as high profile documentaries including Morgan Neville’s “Won’t You Be My Neighbor,” which...
- 6/24/2021
- by Tambay Obenson
- Indiewire
Wavelength Productions has got on board a film about African American contralto Marian Anderson (1897-1993) for PBS’ American Master series.
Rita Coburn is set to direct Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands for PBS, while Wavelength’s founder and CEO Jenifer Westphal and president Joe Plummer will executive produce.
Anderson is best known for her performance at the historic Freedom Concert on April 9, 1939, as part of a protest against racial intolerance on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. after being denied use of Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution. Her performance ...
Rita Coburn is set to direct Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands for PBS, while Wavelength’s founder and CEO Jenifer Westphal and president Joe Plummer will executive produce.
Anderson is best known for her performance at the historic Freedom Concert on April 9, 1939, as part of a protest against racial intolerance on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. after being denied use of Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution. Her performance ...
- 1/26/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Film + TV
Wavelength Productions has got on board a film about African American contralto Marian Anderson (1897-1993) for PBS’ American Master series.
Rita Coburn is set to direct Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands for PBS, while Wavelength’s founder and CEO Jenifer Westphal and president Joe Plummer will executive produce.
Anderson is best known for her performance at the historic Freedom Concert on April 9, 1939, as part of a protest against racial intolerance on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. after being denied use of Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution. Her performance ...
Rita Coburn is set to direct Marian Anderson: The Whole World in Her Hands for PBS, while Wavelength’s founder and CEO Jenifer Westphal and president Joe Plummer will executive produce.
Anderson is best known for her performance at the historic Freedom Concert on April 9, 1939, as part of a protest against racial intolerance on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. after being denied use of Constitution Hall by the Daughters of the American Revolution. Her performance ...
- 1/26/2021
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Editor’s note: Yoruba Richen is the director and Mehret Mandefro and Lacey Schwartz Delgado are executive producers of American Masters: How It Feels to Be Free, a documentary that looks at the historical importance and overlooked contributions of Black performers. Focusing on Lena Horne, Abbey Lincoln, Nina Simone, Diahann Carroll, Cicely Tyson and Pam Grier, the docu — also executive produced by Alicia Keys — airs tonight on PBS in honor of Martin Luther King Jr. Day. Richen, Mandefro and Schwartz Delgado wrote this guest column for Deadline.
As we honor Martin Luther King Jr. this weekend and the nation prepares to inaugurate our 46th president, let us remember the Black women our Vice President-elect Kamala Harris described as “too often overlooked, but so often prove that they are the backbone of our democracy.” Specifically, let’s consider the all-too-often overlooked Black female performers, who have long used their art to...
As we honor Martin Luther King Jr. this weekend and the nation prepares to inaugurate our 46th president, let us remember the Black women our Vice President-elect Kamala Harris described as “too often overlooked, but so often prove that they are the backbone of our democracy.” Specifically, let’s consider the all-too-often overlooked Black female performers, who have long used their art to...
- 1/18/2021
- by Yoruba Richen, Mehret Mandefro and Lacey Schwartz Delgado
- Deadline Film + TV
HBO’s latest blockbuster drama effort, Lovecraft Country, is a unique Lovecraftian beast. As adapted by Matt Ruff’s novel of the same name, the show takes classic horror, sci-fi, and adventure tropes and adapts them into a timely story of American racism.
Though the series is certainly timely, it’s also timeless. As evidenced by our helpful explainer article, it wasn’t immediately clear when Lovecraft Country even took place. That’s partly because the Jim Crow era of American institutionalized racism was a lengthy one. And the fact that Atticus “Tic” Freeman was a war veteran didn’t help out much. Which war coincided with “whites only” restaurants and sundown towns? World War II, The Korean War, The Vietnam War – take your pick, really. That pleasant disorientation is enhanced by an equally disorienting soundtrack.
Rest assured, Lovecraft Country takes place in the mid 1950s. But the show’s...
Though the series is certainly timely, it’s also timeless. As evidenced by our helpful explainer article, it wasn’t immediately clear when Lovecraft Country even took place. That’s partly because the Jim Crow era of American institutionalized racism was a lengthy one. And the fact that Atticus “Tic” Freeman was a war veteran didn’t help out much. Which war coincided with “whites only” restaurants and sundown towns? World War II, The Korean War, The Vietnam War – take your pick, really. That pleasant disorientation is enhanced by an equally disorienting soundtrack.
Rest assured, Lovecraft Country takes place in the mid 1950s. But the show’s...
- 10/19/2020
- by Alec Bojalad
- Den of Geek
The protest movement that has erupted during the past few weeks in the aftermath of George Floyd’s death at the hands of former Minneapolis police offer Derek Chauvin is unlike anything America has seen since the Sixties. Sure, there have been numerous large-scale marches and political demonstrations since that time, but none of them have brought together nearly this many people. City centers all over America and countries as far away as New Zealand and Norway have been packed day after day with citizens demanding an end to racist police practices,...
- 6/9/2020
- by Andy Greene
- Rollingstone.com
Thirteen’s American Masters series and Philip Gittelman Productions, in association with Black Public Media, will develop a new documentary on opera singer Marian Anderson for PBS, sources exclusively tell IndieWire.
Affectionately known to audiences as “The Lady from Philadelphia” and “The People’s Princess,” the contralto, who died in 1993, is credited with breaking down barriers for African Americans in the arts, and galvanizing a fledgling civil rights movement with a 1939 concert at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington in a brave protest against racial intolerance.
In 1936, Anderson became the first black artist to perform at the White House, and, in 1955, the first African-American to perform at the Metropolitan Opera.
Balancing her public triumph with her personal struggles and resilience, the documentary will trace Anderson’s impact as a talent whose career was steered by the limits imposed by racism and segregation. Despite racial prejudice, she became an internationally renowned star...
Affectionately known to audiences as “The Lady from Philadelphia” and “The People’s Princess,” the contralto, who died in 1993, is credited with breaking down barriers for African Americans in the arts, and galvanizing a fledgling civil rights movement with a 1939 concert at the Lincoln Memorial in Washington in a brave protest against racial intolerance.
In 1936, Anderson became the first black artist to perform at the White House, and, in 1955, the first African-American to perform at the Metropolitan Opera.
Balancing her public triumph with her personal struggles and resilience, the documentary will trace Anderson’s impact as a talent whose career was steered by the limits imposed by racism and segregation. Despite racial prejudice, she became an internationally renowned star...
- 5/13/2020
- by Tambay Obenson
- Indiewire
“Jeopardy” standout James Holzhauer is one step closer to being crowned overall champion, winning his opening round Wednesday in the game show’s “Tournament of Champions.”
The former champion returned to the “Jeopardy!” stage for the “Tournament of Champions” along with 15 other top contenders from the last two seasons. As predicted, the Las Vegas native made it through to the next round, which means he’ll also appear in the semi-finals next week, according to the Chicago Tribune.
He won Wednesday’s episode against Alan Dunn, a software development manager from Johns Creek, Georgia, and Lindsey Shultz, a physician and healthcare analyst from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with a correctly answered question about American singer Marian Anderson, which scored him $30,635, the Tribune reported.
Also Read: 'Jeopardy!' Host Alex Trebek Says He's 'Not Afraid of Dying' Amid Pancreatic Cancer Battle (Video)
Holzhauer’s 32-game, $2,462,216 winning streak on “Jeopardy!” made him a household name earlier this summer,...
The former champion returned to the “Jeopardy!” stage for the “Tournament of Champions” along with 15 other top contenders from the last two seasons. As predicted, the Las Vegas native made it through to the next round, which means he’ll also appear in the semi-finals next week, according to the Chicago Tribune.
He won Wednesday’s episode against Alan Dunn, a software development manager from Johns Creek, Georgia, and Lindsey Shultz, a physician and healthcare analyst from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania with a correctly answered question about American singer Marian Anderson, which scored him $30,635, the Tribune reported.
Also Read: 'Jeopardy!' Host Alex Trebek Says He's 'Not Afraid of Dying' Amid Pancreatic Cancer Battle (Video)
Holzhauer’s 32-game, $2,462,216 winning streak on “Jeopardy!” made him a household name earlier this summer,...
- 11/6/2019
- by Margeaux Sippell
- The Wrap
The next recipients for the Kennedy Center Honors will be announced in the late summer, often around Labor Day. The all-star event is held each year in the nation’s capital during the first weekend in December and then airs on CBS as a two-hour special after Christmas.
Each year, the selection committee chooses five entertainment veterans from a variety of fields – film, television, popular music, theatre, and the fine arts. Selected artists are almost always over 50 and generally are 60 and beyond.
The first recipients in 1978 were singer Marian Anderson, actor and dancer Fred Astaire, choreographer George Balanchine, composer Richard Rodgers and conductor Arthur Rubinstein. The most recent honorees in 2017 for the 40th anniversary program were dancer Carmen de Lavallade, singer Gloria Estefan, singer LL Cool J, producer and writer Norman Lear and singer Lionel Richie.
But there are a number of notable performers missing from the honors roll. Our...
Each year, the selection committee chooses five entertainment veterans from a variety of fields – film, television, popular music, theatre, and the fine arts. Selected artists are almost always over 50 and generally are 60 and beyond.
The first recipients in 1978 were singer Marian Anderson, actor and dancer Fred Astaire, choreographer George Balanchine, composer Richard Rodgers and conductor Arthur Rubinstein. The most recent honorees in 2017 for the 40th anniversary program were dancer Carmen de Lavallade, singer Gloria Estefan, singer LL Cool J, producer and writer Norman Lear and singer Lionel Richie.
But there are a number of notable performers missing from the honors roll. Our...
- 4/11/2018
- by Chris Beachum
- Gold Derby
The 9th annual Africa World Documentary Film Festival, sponsored by the E. Desmond Lee Professorship in African/African American Studies at the International Studies and Programs Office, University of Missouri-St. Louis, will run from Friday, February 5, to Sunday, February 7 at the Missouri History Museum, 5700 Lindell Blvd (63112). This international festival is committed to promoting knowledge of the life and culture of the people of Africa worldwide, in a cinematic Pan-African context. During its St. Louis run, the festival will feature 14 films from nine countries, including South Africa, Ethiopia, Kenya, South Sudan, China and the United States. This event is free and open to the public. Middle and high school students from St. Louis area, (including students from Pamoja Preparatory Academy – an African centered St. Louis Public School), are expected to attend the opening day of the festival.
One of the added attractions of the festival will be Q&A’s with...
One of the added attractions of the festival will be Q&A’s with...
- 1/21/2016
- by Tom Stockman
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Dean Dixon: Negro at Home, Maestro Abroad by Rufus Jones Jr. (Rowman & Littlefield) This is, I'm pretty sure, the first book-length biography of conductor Dean Dixon (1915-1976), the first African American to conduct the New York Philharmonic, and his story is so interesting yet largely unknown that it makes for a fascinating read.
Born and raised in New York City by immigrant parents (from Jamaica and Barbados), he started playing violin when he was three, at his mother's instigation, studying technique with a Russian teacher; by nine, he was playing on Wnew. He was also encountering racism; one prospective teacher cut off his lessons after Dean's second appearance, apparently because the building's residents didn't want a black child there.
Dixon was a good enough (if sometimes reluctant, it seems) student that he was consistently accepted into progressive, integrated schools. Once he determined to make music his career (after his mother...
Born and raised in New York City by immigrant parents (from Jamaica and Barbados), he started playing violin when he was three, at his mother's instigation, studying technique with a Russian teacher; by nine, he was playing on Wnew. He was also encountering racism; one prospective teacher cut off his lessons after Dean's second appearance, apparently because the building's residents didn't want a black child there.
Dixon was a good enough (if sometimes reluctant, it seems) student that he was consistently accepted into progressive, integrated schools. Once he determined to make music his career (after his mother...
- 12/9/2015
- by SteveHoltje
- www.culturecatch.com
By Cate Marquis
Julius Rosenwald is not likely to be a name you recognize but this head of Sears, Roebuck was once a man of enormous influence, not just in commerce but in philanthropy. But the most surprising part is the direction Rosenwald’s philanthropy took – funding schools and cultural endeavors for African Americans.
In the documentary Rosenwald, director Aviva Kempner reveals how this wealthy Jewish American merchant partnered with African Americans to fund good works for African Americans, including help for the Tuskegee Institute, building a chain of rural schools for black children across the South, and providing support for artists such as Marian Anderson, W.E.B. DuBois and Maya Angelou.
As the son of German Jewish immigrants, Rosenwald knew well what it was like to come from a persecuted minority. In the early 20th century, Rosenwald saw the parallels between how Jews were treated in Europe and...
Julius Rosenwald is not likely to be a name you recognize but this head of Sears, Roebuck was once a man of enormous influence, not just in commerce but in philanthropy. But the most surprising part is the direction Rosenwald’s philanthropy took – funding schools and cultural endeavors for African Americans.
In the documentary Rosenwald, director Aviva Kempner reveals how this wealthy Jewish American merchant partnered with African Americans to fund good works for African Americans, including help for the Tuskegee Institute, building a chain of rural schools for black children across the South, and providing support for artists such as Marian Anderson, W.E.B. DuBois and Maya Angelou.
As the son of German Jewish immigrants, Rosenwald knew well what it was like to come from a persecuted minority. In the early 20th century, Rosenwald saw the parallels between how Jews were treated in Europe and...
- 10/25/2015
- by Movie Geeks
- WeAreMovieGeeks.com
Observed from afar, the opera world looks like a strange, turbulent planet populated by tantrum-throwing, bouquet-catching, window-shattering creatures called divas. Zoom in closer, though, and it’s clear that those mythic singers are thin on the ground. Once, they were essential to opera’s mystique and economic health. Operagoers revered them, and even non-operagoers knew their names, thanks to a media machine obsessed not only with glamour but also with prestige. Time magazine put Marian Anderson, Nellie Melba, Helen Traubel, Maria Callas, Renata Tebaldi, Beverly Sills, and Luciano Pavarotti on its cover (back when Time’s cover also had immense glamour and prestige). Compared to their forebears, today’s divas are dwarf stars, still capable of musical miracles but not of quickening a paparazzo’s pulse or even of reliably selling out a house. The entertainment world has diversified and fragmented, shoving an art form full of potboilers and tearjerkers...
- 9/29/2014
- by Justin Davidson
- Vulture
It’s Candice vs. Kree. But only one is still fighting.
Here is my solemn promise: The last competitive episode of every American Idol season is anticlimactic and boring, and the last actual episode of every American Idol season is shockingly, face-kickingly wonderful. Seriously. Wednesday night we watched as Candice and Kree sauntered around a Cirque du Soleil-size stage and gurgled tunes new and old for an audience that knew exactly what to expect. It wasn’t a memorable night for either performer, even though they both delivered at least one knockout performance. My takeaway from the night is this: If you came in rooting for Kree, you’re still rooting for Kree now. If you came in rooting for Candice, you’re still rooting for Candice. And I like you better. Because Candice is the rightful next American Idol.
Here it is, my final rankings of season 12. There are only two performers,...
Here is my solemn promise: The last competitive episode of every American Idol season is anticlimactic and boring, and the last actual episode of every American Idol season is shockingly, face-kickingly wonderful. Seriously. Wednesday night we watched as Candice and Kree sauntered around a Cirque du Soleil-size stage and gurgled tunes new and old for an audience that knew exactly what to expect. It wasn’t a memorable night for either performer, even though they both delivered at least one knockout performance. My takeaway from the night is this: If you came in rooting for Kree, you’re still rooting for Kree now. If you came in rooting for Candice, you’re still rooting for Candice. And I like you better. Because Candice is the rightful next American Idol.
Here it is, my final rankings of season 12. There are only two performers,...
- 5/16/2013
- by Louis Virtel
- The Backlot
A project we've been following since 2011 is now available for all who are interested, to see. The Anderson Monarchs (named after famed African American opera singer Marian Anderson and Jackie Robinson's Negro League baseball team the Kansas City Monarchs) is about an all-girls soccer team competing, living, and thriving in an at-risk neighborhood in Philadelphia. Nominated in 2008 by Sports Illustrated as “Sports Team” of the year, they were also hailed as “the future of American Soccer” in the London newspaper, The Guardian. The documentary follows two girls, Jlon, age 11, and Kahlaa, age 10, through their formative years from 2009 to 2011. As the girls grow as...
- 5/7/2013
- by Tambay A. Obenson
- ShadowAndAct
Special From Next Avenue
By Elizabeth Wray
A genealogical search reveals my dirty little secret life as a closet Brit!
Despite my name, I never related to my Anglo heritage. Still, I get caught up in imperial dramas -- and one of my favorite eras, now being chronicled by Downton Abbey, is post-World War I when the entitled Brits are freefalling and the Yanks are in ascension.
Lady Sybil marries the Irish chauffeur (hurrah!) and launches a new bloodline. We know their great-granddaughter Kathleen will marry Vijay, begetting Ravi, who will marry Lupe. We’re an American audience, after all. The noble old Crawleys are going down. Ain’t it grand!
A Childhood Spent Dodging Anglos
I grew up in Oklahoma with olive skin, full lips and a proclivity to dance -- not the typical Scotch-Irish-English type. Surely someone of my folk had mated with an Indian or a black cowboy.
By Elizabeth Wray
A genealogical search reveals my dirty little secret life as a closet Brit!
Despite my name, I never related to my Anglo heritage. Still, I get caught up in imperial dramas -- and one of my favorite eras, now being chronicled by Downton Abbey, is post-World War I when the entitled Brits are freefalling and the Yanks are in ascension.
Lady Sybil marries the Irish chauffeur (hurrah!) and launches a new bloodline. We know their great-granddaughter Kathleen will marry Vijay, begetting Ravi, who will marry Lupe. We’re an American audience, after all. The noble old Crawleys are going down. Ain’t it grand!
A Childhood Spent Dodging Anglos
I grew up in Oklahoma with olive skin, full lips and a proclivity to dance -- not the typical Scotch-Irish-English type. Surely someone of my folk had mated with an Indian or a black cowboy.
- 12/26/2012
- by Next Avenue
- Huffington Post
The recipients for the 2012 Kennedy Center Honors will be announced shortly after Labor Day. Each year, the selection committee chooses five entertainment veterans from a variety of fields - film, television, popular music, theatre, and the fine arts (dance, opera, classical music). Last year's honorees were: actress/singer Barbara Cook, singer/composer Neil Diamond, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, jazz artist Sonny Rollins and actress Meryl Streep. The all-star event is held each year in the nation's captial over the first weekend in December and then airs on CBS as a two-hour special after Christmas. The first ceremony in 1978 celebrated the careers of opera star Marian Anderson, dancer and film star Fred Astaire, choreographer George Balanchine, composer Richard Rodgers and conductor Arthur Rubenstein. Recent honorees have included film stars Robert De Niro, Morgan Freeman and Robert Redford; music artists Paul McCart...
- 7/25/2012
- Gold Derby
Philadelphia -- James Earl Jones has been named the 2012 recipient of the Marian Anderson Award, which honors artists whose leadership benefits humanity.
The critically acclaimed stage and screen actor will accept the award at a Nov. 19 gala at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia.
Pamela Browner White, chairwoman of the award's board of directors, says Jones is an actor of intelligence and dignity who inspires others to pursue their dreams.
The Marian Anderson Award is named for the celebrated contralto and Philadelphia native, who in 1955 was the first black soloist at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. She died in 1993 at age 96.
Previous winners include Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Gere.
___
Online:...
The critically acclaimed stage and screen actor will accept the award at a Nov. 19 gala at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts in Philadelphia.
Pamela Browner White, chairwoman of the award's board of directors, says Jones is an actor of intelligence and dignity who inspires others to pursue their dreams.
The Marian Anderson Award is named for the celebrated contralto and Philadelphia native, who in 1955 was the first black soloist at the Metropolitan Opera in New York. She died in 1993 at age 96.
Previous winners include Harry Belafonte, Sidney Poitier, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Gere.
___
Online:...
- 6/5/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
James Earl Jones is to be honoured for his iconic career on the stage and screen as the recipient of the 2012 Marian Anderson Award.
The veteran actor will be presented with the prestigious prize in recognition of his "culture-changing" roles at a ceremony in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 19 November.
Announcing Jones' win, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter called the award "one of Philadelphia’s greatest cultural events" and hailed Jones as a fixture of American cinema.
Nutter says, "I certainly look forward (to his visit) both officially and, I am comfortable enough with myself to say, personally. I have always, always, always wanted to meet James Earl Jones. And I look forward to welcoming him to Philadelphia on November 19 when he arrives to accept this most-deserving award."
The prize is named after opera star and Philadelphia native Marian Anderson, who became the first black soloist at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1955.
Previous recipients include Sir Sidney Poitier, Gregory Peck, Mia Farrow, Dame Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Gere.
The veteran actor will be presented with the prestigious prize in recognition of his "culture-changing" roles at a ceremony in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on 19 November.
Announcing Jones' win, Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter called the award "one of Philadelphia’s greatest cultural events" and hailed Jones as a fixture of American cinema.
Nutter says, "I certainly look forward (to his visit) both officially and, I am comfortable enough with myself to say, personally. I have always, always, always wanted to meet James Earl Jones. And I look forward to welcoming him to Philadelphia on November 19 when he arrives to accept this most-deserving award."
The prize is named after opera star and Philadelphia native Marian Anderson, who became the first black soloist at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1955.
Previous recipients include Sir Sidney Poitier, Gregory Peck, Mia Farrow, Dame Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Gere.
- 6/5/2012
- WENN
New York -- Character singer Charles Anthony, who set the record for most appearances at the Metropolitan Opera – 2,928 – during a career that spanned from 1954 to 2010, died Wednesday. He was 82.
Anthony, a tenor, died at his home in Tampa, Fla., from kidney failure following a long illness, Met spokesman Peter Clark said.
"Your talent, demeanor, joy and heart will be missed," mezzo-soprano Susanne Mentzer wrote on Twitter. "What a loss."
Beginning his career at the old Met on Broadway and moving uptown with the company to its new home at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in 1966, Anthony was a "comprimario," or supporting singer.
He shared the stage with the greatest classical artists of several eras, performing in the Met debuts of Marian Anderson, Birgit Nilsson, Jon Vickers, Leontyne Price, Franco Corelli, Joan Sutherland, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Jose Carreras.
"It's no exaggeration to say that Charlie Anthony is the soul of the Metropolitan Opera,...
Anthony, a tenor, died at his home in Tampa, Fla., from kidney failure following a long illness, Met spokesman Peter Clark said.
"Your talent, demeanor, joy and heart will be missed," mezzo-soprano Susanne Mentzer wrote on Twitter. "What a loss."
Beginning his career at the old Met on Broadway and moving uptown with the company to its new home at Lincoln Center for the Performing Arts in 1966, Anthony was a "comprimario," or supporting singer.
He shared the stage with the greatest classical artists of several eras, performing in the Met debuts of Marian Anderson, Birgit Nilsson, Jon Vickers, Leontyne Price, Franco Corelli, Joan Sutherland, Elisabeth Schwarzkopf and Jose Carreras.
"It's no exaggeration to say that Charlie Anthony is the soul of the Metropolitan Opera,...
- 2/16/2012
- by AP
- Huffington Post
Natalie Merchant was still a teenager when she strolled into the community college radio station in Jamestown, New York, arms loaded with albums and eight-tracks she wanted to hear. She met DJs Steven Gustafson and Dennis Drew, and together with Robert Buck and John Lombardo, they formed the band 10,000 Maniacs. They came out with their first record, "Secrets Of The I-Ching," in 1981.
In 1987, the Maniacs released "In My Tribe," selling more than two million copies in the U.S. alone. The band's eclectic lyrics and Merchant's voice, which shimmers, smolders and soothes like a glass of cabernet, captivated alternative-rock fans. In the 1990s, Merchant launched a successful solo career, touring constantly and selling millions of albums over the next dozen years on the Elektra label, including quintuple-platinum "Tigerlily," her solo debut released in 1995.
In 2003, Merchant married documentary filmmaker Daniel de la Calle and had a daughter; she and de la Calle later divorced.
In 1987, the Maniacs released "In My Tribe," selling more than two million copies in the U.S. alone. The band's eclectic lyrics and Merchant's voice, which shimmers, smolders and soothes like a glass of cabernet, captivated alternative-rock fans. In the 1990s, Merchant launched a successful solo career, touring constantly and selling millions of albums over the next dozen years on the Elektra label, including quintuple-platinum "Tigerlily," her solo debut released in 1995.
In 2003, Merchant married documentary filmmaker Daniel de la Calle and had a daughter; she and de la Calle later divorced.
- 1/31/2012
- by Laura Rowley
- Huffington Post
Today, Montreal's Festival du nouveau cinéma (Fnc), which will take place between October 12 to 23. Here's the complete line-up of feature films according to the press release we received.
Opening and closing
The 40th edition of the Fnc kicks off on Wednesday, October 12, with Declaration of War by Valérie Donzelli (France) at Cinéma Impérial (Centre Sandra & Leo Kolber, Salle Lucie & André Chagnon). This critically-acclaimed second feature by Valérie Donzelli (The Queen of Hearts) tells the love story of Roméo and Juliette who are battling to save their sick child. The director and her producer Edouard Weil will be in attendance.
Ten days later, on Saturday, October 22, Monsieur Lazhar (Quebec/Canada) by Philippe Falardeau will close the Festival. Selected to represent Canada at the Oscars for Best Foreign Language Film, Monsieur Lahzar shows the efforts of an Algerian schoolteacher to help his Grade 6 students come to terms with their teacher’s death.
Opening and closing
The 40th edition of the Fnc kicks off on Wednesday, October 12, with Declaration of War by Valérie Donzelli (France) at Cinéma Impérial (Centre Sandra & Leo Kolber, Salle Lucie & André Chagnon). This critically-acclaimed second feature by Valérie Donzelli (The Queen of Hearts) tells the love story of Roméo and Juliette who are battling to save their sick child. The director and her producer Edouard Weil will be in attendance.
Ten days later, on Saturday, October 22, Monsieur Lazhar (Quebec/Canada) by Philippe Falardeau will close the Festival. Selected to represent Canada at the Oscars for Best Foreign Language Film, Monsieur Lahzar shows the efforts of an Algerian schoolteacher to help his Grade 6 students come to terms with their teacher’s death.
- 9/27/2011
- by noreply@blogger.com (Anh Khoi Do)
- The Cultural Post
I will soon post a list of films I have already seen that I highly recommend as well as a list of my most anticipated films screening at this year’s Festival du Nouveau Cinema. For now here is the press release from the festival. Make sure you read carefully because there are a ton of great films to check out.
Montreal, Tuesday September 27, 2011– Montreal’s Festival du nouveau cinéma will be celebrating its 40th edition from October 12 to 23. For the past 40 years, Canada’s oldest film festival has offered film buffs a selection of the year’s most exciting new films — a bold lineup with plenty of whimsical and surprising elements, but one that also turns its lens on social realities and the evolution of film and new technologies. Over the course of this year’s 11-day Festival, audiences of all ages can take in features and shorts, fiction films and documentaries,...
Montreal, Tuesday September 27, 2011– Montreal’s Festival du nouveau cinéma will be celebrating its 40th edition from October 12 to 23. For the past 40 years, Canada’s oldest film festival has offered film buffs a selection of the year’s most exciting new films — a bold lineup with plenty of whimsical and surprising elements, but one that also turns its lens on social realities and the evolution of film and new technologies. Over the course of this year’s 11-day Festival, audiences of all ages can take in features and shorts, fiction films and documentaries,...
- 9/27/2011
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Unicef Goodwill Ambassadors Mia Farrow and Angélique Kidjo have been separately honored for their humanitarian work and commitment to the cause of children with three prestigious awards this week.
Mia Farrow, actress and activist, received the 2011 Marian Anderson award yesterday in recognition of her humanitarian efforts on behalf of children and women in countries affected by conflict and violence, including Chad, Darfur and Haiti.
Read more...
Mia Farrow, actress and activist, received the 2011 Marian Anderson award yesterday in recognition of her humanitarian efforts on behalf of children and women in countries affected by conflict and violence, including Chad, Darfur and Haiti.
Read more...
- 5/13/2011
- Look to the Stars
Here’s a film that’s guaranteed to make you feel good all over. Below is a preview trailer for the still-in-the-works documentary The Anderson Monarchs which is about an “an all-girls soccer team competing, living, and thriving in an at-risk urban neighborhood in Philadelphia”.
Named after the great Marian Anderson and Jackie Robinson’s Negro League baseball team, and coached by Walter Stewart, the team was nominated in 2008 by Sport Illustrated as Sports Team of the Year, and called the “future of American Soccer” by the London newspaper The Guardian.
The film, directed by Eugene Martin, is currently soliciting completion funds through Kickstarter, and is currently just $10,000 short of its $25,000 goal. What better excuse to help out? For more info about the film go Here.
Watch a preview below:...
Named after the great Marian Anderson and Jackie Robinson’s Negro League baseball team, and coached by Walter Stewart, the team was nominated in 2008 by Sport Illustrated as Sports Team of the Year, and called the “future of American Soccer” by the London newspaper The Guardian.
The film, directed by Eugene Martin, is currently soliciting completion funds through Kickstarter, and is currently just $10,000 short of its $25,000 goal. What better excuse to help out? For more info about the film go Here.
Watch a preview below:...
- 4/16/2011
- by Sergio
- ShadowAndAct
Actress and activist Mia Farrow is set to be honoured for her continued dedication to human rights causes across the globe.
The Rosemary's Baby star is an outspoken campaigner for refugee causes, particularly those affecting children in war-torn areas.
Her efforts have earned her the Marian Anderson Award, which recognises artists whose leadership benefits humanity, and she will be presented with the accolade at a ceremony in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in May.
The prize is named after opera star and Philadelphia native Marian Anderson, who became the first black soloist at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1955.
Farrow follows in the footsteps of a number of her Hollywood peers, including Sidney Poitier, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Gere.
The Rosemary's Baby star is an outspoken campaigner for refugee causes, particularly those affecting children in war-torn areas.
Her efforts have earned her the Marian Anderson Award, which recognises artists whose leadership benefits humanity, and she will be presented with the accolade at a ceremony in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in May.
The prize is named after opera star and Philadelphia native Marian Anderson, who became the first black soloist at the Metropolitan Opera in New York in 1955.
Farrow follows in the footsteps of a number of her Hollywood peers, including Sidney Poitier, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Gere.
- 1/16/2011
- WENN
The 17th annual Slamdance Film Festival is all set to run for eight days and nights Jan. 21-27. The festival is featuring a bold theme this year of “All Is Not Lost” where — due to the current devastating economic climate — Slamdance will donate 10% of ticket proceeds back to the filmmakers.
The fest is screening 14 feature films — 10 of which are in competition — and 8 feature documentaries, all of which are in competition. In addition, there will be 56 short films screening.
Plus, there are a couple of special screenings, including the Straight 8 event where anybody can register to receive a single roll of Super-8 film that they can use to direct their own in-camera edited mini-masterpiece. Also, on the 26th, there will be a special retrospective of the works of renegade ’60s filmmaker J.X. Williams.
The full film lineup is below, but for more information on the site please visit the official Slamdance website.
The fest is screening 14 feature films — 10 of which are in competition — and 8 feature documentaries, all of which are in competition. In addition, there will be 56 short films screening.
Plus, there are a couple of special screenings, including the Straight 8 event where anybody can register to receive a single roll of Super-8 film that they can use to direct their own in-camera edited mini-masterpiece. Also, on the 26th, there will be a special retrospective of the works of renegade ’60s filmmaker J.X. Williams.
The full film lineup is below, but for more information on the site please visit the official Slamdance website.
- 12/23/2010
- by Mike Everleth
- Underground Film Journal
[1] Slamdance has officially announced the 2011 Feature Competition slate for the 17th Annual Slamdance Film Festival taking place January 21-27, 2011 in Park City, Utah. For those of you who don't know, the festival was founded in 1995 by filmmakers whose movies didn't get into Sundance, and has since become a yearly film festival spotlighting "emerging filmmaking talent and their new work." Slamdance touts that their festival is "programmed by filmmakers for filmmakers." While Sundance is still the big show in Park City, big filmmakers like Christopher Nolan (Memento), Marc Forster (Monster's Ball) and Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite) are often mentioned as Slamdance discoveries. Hit the jump to read the full press release which includes the full line-up for the 2011 Festival. For Immediate Release Slamdance Film Festival Announces 2011 Feature Film Competition “All Is Not Lost” for Filmmakers in Park City and Commercially Year-Round Los Angeles - December 7, 2010 – Slamdance today announced the 2011 Feature Competition...
- 12/8/2010
- by Peter Sciretta
- Slash Film
The Slamdance Film Festival wasn't that far behind The Sundance Film Festival in releasing their film line-up, and it's a compelling mix of titles. For those of you who don't know, Slamdance is another film festival that is going on at the exact same time, and in the exact same place as Sundance, and that's in Park City Ut, from January 21-28th. Slamdance focuses more on genre type indie films.
Check out the list below and tell us what you think! Do any of you plan on attending? I always try to catch a few of these films while up up in Park City.
Slamdance Film Festival Announces 2011 Feature Film Competition
"All Is Not Lost" for Filmmakers in Park City and Commercially Year-Round
Los Angeles - December 7, 2010 - Slamdance today announced the 2011 Feature Competition slate for the 17th Annual Slamdance Film Festival taking place January 21-27, 2011 in Park City,...
Check out the list below and tell us what you think! Do any of you plan on attending? I always try to catch a few of these films while up up in Park City.
Slamdance Film Festival Announces 2011 Feature Film Competition
"All Is Not Lost" for Filmmakers in Park City and Commercially Year-Round
Los Angeles - December 7, 2010 - Slamdance today announced the 2011 Feature Competition slate for the 17th Annual Slamdance Film Festival taking place January 21-27, 2011 in Park City,...
- 12/7/2010
- by Venkman
- GeekTyrant
With the complete Sundance lineup now out in public you had to know that Slamdance couldn't be far behind. And it wasn't. The complete list of competition selections for Slamdance 2011 was announced today and it's a compelling mix of titles.
On the genre front Fernando Barreda Luna's found footage shocker Atrocious is the festival's one true horror entry while Simon Arthur's Silver Tongues also sounds like it could delve into dark thriller territory. Experimental effort The Beast Pageant is probably worth a look as well and I've been hearing growing buzz about inner city crime moc doc Snow On The Bluff as well.
On the real documentary side of things there are a couple music themed pieces - Road Dogs and Last Fast Ride - cranked up to 11. Stephan Wassman's Scrapper - the story of a group of men who collect scrap from a Us military bombing...
On the genre front Fernando Barreda Luna's found footage shocker Atrocious is the festival's one true horror entry while Simon Arthur's Silver Tongues also sounds like it could delve into dark thriller territory. Experimental effort The Beast Pageant is probably worth a look as well and I've been hearing growing buzz about inner city crime moc doc Snow On The Bluff as well.
On the real documentary side of things there are a couple music themed pieces - Road Dogs and Last Fast Ride - cranked up to 11. Stephan Wassman's Scrapper - the story of a group of men who collect scrap from a Us military bombing...
- 12/7/2010
- Screen Anarchy
The Slamdance Film Festival which takes place each year in Utah at the same time as the Sundance Film Festival has just announced its program for the 2011 edition. The festival was founded in 1995 by Dan Mirvish, Jon Fitzgerald, Shane Kuhn and Peter Baxter and has since become a year-round organization championing emerging filmmaking talent and their new work. The aim is to provide what its supporters consider a truer representation of independent filmmaking).
The fest has earned a solid reputation for premiering films by first-time writers and directors working within the creative confines of limited budgets. Festival discoveries have included directors such as Christopher Nolan (Memento), Marc Forster (Monster’s Ball) and Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite).
The 17th annual fest will screen 10 narrative films and eight documentary features in competition from Jan. 21-27. Fourteen of the movies are world premieres. As part of this year’s festival theme — “All Is...
The fest has earned a solid reputation for premiering films by first-time writers and directors working within the creative confines of limited budgets. Festival discoveries have included directors such as Christopher Nolan (Memento), Marc Forster (Monster’s Ball) and Jared Hess (Napoleon Dynamite).
The 17th annual fest will screen 10 narrative films and eight documentary features in competition from Jan. 21-27. Fourteen of the movies are world premieres. As part of this year’s festival theme — “All Is...
- 12/7/2010
- by Ricky
- SoundOnSight
Ever since the first flappers chopped their tresses to their chins in a gesture of defiant, sexed-up liberation, "the bob" has reigned as the most sophisticated hairstyle of all time. Honestly, you'd be hard-pressed to name another 'do that's survived two World Wars, the invention of television and the Facebook revolution! It's easy to see the bob's timeless appeal; falling anywhere between the cheekbones and clavicle, the angle instantly adds a certain chic to your look. From Marian Anderson to Michelle Obama, here are our favorite bob moments over the last century. Here's what you had to say: Michelle commented via Facebook: "I love my bob because it's so versatile and it never goes out of style!" Kiersten wrote via Facebook: "I got a bob because I saw Mary J. Blige with one."...
- 10/12/2010
- Essence
The Kennedy Center has announced the five performers to be feted at the upcoming 33rd edition of its honors: daytime TV talk show host Oprah Winfrey; two musical titans -- pop superstar Paul McCartney and country crooner Merle Haggard; and two Broadway talents -- composer-lyricist Jerry Herman and choreographer Bill T. Jones. McCartney accepted the honor in 2002 but when he opted out of attending the ceremony, Paul Simon was named instead.
The quintet will be feted Dec. 5 at the White House before a salute to their achievements in the performing arts at the Kennedy Center. The taped kudoscast will air on CBS on Dec. 28. The longtime holiday programming staple is a six-time Emmy Award-winner for outstanding variety special, including the last two years in a row.
The Kennedy Center Honors began in 1978, seven years after the living memorial to President Kennedy opened on the banks of the Potomac in the nation's capital.
The quintet will be feted Dec. 5 at the White House before a salute to their achievements in the performing arts at the Kennedy Center. The taped kudoscast will air on CBS on Dec. 28. The longtime holiday programming staple is a six-time Emmy Award-winner for outstanding variety special, including the last two years in a row.
The Kennedy Center Honors began in 1978, seven years after the living memorial to President Kennedy opened on the banks of the Potomac in the nation's capital.
- 9/8/2010
- by tomoneil
- Gold Derby
Beloved U.S. comic Bill Cosby is set for a $100,000 (£62,500) windfall when he is handed a prize for his impact on popular culture and his charity work.
The Cosby Show patriarch will be honoured with the Marian Anderson Award at the Kimmel Center for Performing Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The prize is handed out in recognition of stars who have used their influence for the benefit of society. The award is named after singer Marian Anderson, who campaigned for social justice.
Previous honorees include Sidney Poitier, Danny Glover, Elizabeth Taylor and Gregory Peck.
The ceremony will take place on 6 April.
The Cosby Show patriarch will be honoured with the Marian Anderson Award at the Kimmel Center for Performing Arts in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania.
The prize is handed out in recognition of stars who have used their influence for the benefit of society. The award is named after singer Marian Anderson, who campaigned for social justice.
Previous honorees include Sidney Poitier, Danny Glover, Elizabeth Taylor and Gregory Peck.
The ceremony will take place on 6 April.
- 12/24/2009
- WENN
Recipients honored at the 32nd annual Kennedy Center Honors national celebration of the arts are: writer, composer, actor, director, and producer Mel Brooks; pianist and composer Dave Brubeck; opera singer Grace Bumbry; actor, director, and producer Robert De Niro; and singer and songwriter Bruce Springsteen.
The Kennedy Center Honors medallions were presented on Saturday, December 5. The Honors Gala was recorded for broadcast on the CBS Network for the 32nd consecutive year as a two-hour primetime special on Tuesday, December 29 at 9:00 p.m. (Et/Pt).
The President: Thank you. On behalf of Michelle and myself, welcome to the White House.
Little Child: Thank you.
The President: Thank you. (Laughter.)
This a season of joy, tradition and celebration.
Little Child: Yea!
The President: Yes! (Laughter.) And today, it is our great joy to continue a White House holiday tradition —- a celebration of performers who have transformed the arts in America,...
The Kennedy Center Honors medallions were presented on Saturday, December 5. The Honors Gala was recorded for broadcast on the CBS Network for the 32nd consecutive year as a two-hour primetime special on Tuesday, December 29 at 9:00 p.m. (Et/Pt).
The President: Thank you. On behalf of Michelle and myself, welcome to the White House.
Little Child: Thank you.
The President: Thank you. (Laughter.)
This a season of joy, tradition and celebration.
Little Child: Yea!
The President: Yes! (Laughter.) And today, it is our great joy to continue a White House holiday tradition —- a celebration of performers who have transformed the arts in America,...
- 12/7/2009
- BroadwayWorld.com
Philadelphia Orchestra Chief Conductor and Artistic Adviser Charles Dutoit leads the Orchestra in three concerts in Verizon Hall at the Kimmel Center celebrating the influence of African-American culture on classical music (March 12-14). The program features Milhaud's jazz-inspired The Creation of the World; George Walker's 1996 Pulitzer Prize-winning work Lilacs for voice and orchestra, with tenor Russell Thomas as soloist in its first Philadelphia Orchestra performances; Mahler's Songs of a Wayfarer, a work for which the late, great contralto Marian Anderson was known, with Philadelphia-native bass-baritone Eric Owens as soloist; and Dvoř?k's Symphony No. 9 in E minor ("From the New World").
- 3/2/2009
- BroadwayWorld.com
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