Broadway Presents: Stars in the Alley

Photo By: Shanice Lewis

Music could be heard down the street as Broadway fans cheered and sang as they gathered in the Shubert Alley early Tuesday, May 21st for the annual "Stars in the Alley"event. Fans watched performers from over 20 Broadway shows put on a free concert with the help of a 12-piece orchestra.

Crowds filled Shubert Alley for the annual "Stars in the Alley" event. Photo By: Shanice Lewis

    The concert sponsored by United Airlines and hosted by Norm Lewis, Broadway's New Phantom from The Phantom of the Opera was in light of the upcoming Tony Awards on June 8. The concert featured performances from some of Broadway's most notorious musicals such as, The Lion King, Wicked, Kinky Boots, Newsies, Rock of Ages and so many more. Many of the performances came from 2014 Tony nominated actors and actresses. Musical theater fans enjoyed the free performance and also got a preview at some of the new plays coming to Broadway this fall.

For information on tickets and show dates for any Broadway shows visit : http://www.broadway.com/

MTA Holds Auditons for the 27th Annual Music Under New York Program.

Photo By: Shanice Lewis

   Singers, drummers, and guitarists anxiously waited on line to audition as The Metropolitan Transportation Association held its 27th annual Music Under New York program on Tuesday, May 13th. 
  Auditions were held at Grand Central Terminal where 60 soloists and groups were expected to perform in front of a panel of 35 judges.
     The Music Under New York program (MUNY) gives musicians the chance to perform in MTA subways on a scheduled basis. The auditions were being held to find new talent to be apart of the program and add to the already thousands of performances that take place in MTA subways everyday.
     MUNY provides New Yorkers and visitors with live performances as they travel while, also giving musicians a chance to express their art.
     The auditions featured artists from all over the world covering a variety of genres from jazz, rock opera, bluegrass to Chinese orchestral music. The musicians gave a five minute performance and were judged on the quality, variety and appropriateness of their music for the mass transit environment. However, of the 60 acts only 20 performers will be added to the MUNY program.
     Noah Jackson is a professional bass player who was apart of the audition as an invitation from a friend.
     Jackson, 25, originally from Detroit moved to New York four years ago to attend grad school at Manhattan School of Music. He's deep in the jazz scene and has played all around New York City, internationally as well and, was excited to be apart of MUNY'S event to help out his friend.
     Although, Jackson believes an event like this has it's benefits he said, "doing something like this to get famous is not the way to go."
     Jackson has been working at his profession for years and is a strong advocate of persistance and hard work. "Be true to yourself and be great; good isn't good enough, it takes work said Jackson as he shared his advice to young upcoming musicians.

Musicians wait in line to be called to perform at MUNY. Photo By: Shanice Lewis

     Stephanie Apperio came to Tuesday's event as not only a music fan but, a strong appreciator of musicians and the work that they do. She checks out subway musicians all the time and was actually invited by Eric Paulin's the Meetles Band (who play under the MUNY program) to play percussion.
  Apperio always wanted to play in a band , she even played piano as a child but, recalls dance as her "first love" and later got into theater. She came to the event because, she wanted to experience the audition process and called it a "great experience for everybody."
  "Any kind of playing and being in front of an audience is good for their development", Apperio said of the musicians in the auditions.
    The winners of the MUNY auditions will be announced by MTA in the upcoming weeks and will then be allowed to perform in the subway as long as the abide by the New York City Transit's rules.

Jackson on the right, waiting in line for his friend. Photo By: Shanice Lewis

    

A Midsummer Night's Dream

Students, seniors and members of the Jamaica community gathered at the Milton G. Bassin Performing Arts Center at York College for a theater production of William Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream."

Photo By: Shanice Lewis

   On Tuesday May 6th, shortly after noon York College's theatre department put on whimsical play about the fight for true love. The play depicts Theseus, the Duke of Athens who is preparing for marriage but, is sought by Egeus who needs the Duke's help. Egeus is trying to convince his daughter, Hermia, to take Demetrius as her husband but, she is already in love with Lysander. Lysander and Demetrius are both in  love with Hermia but, Demetrius once loved Helena, who is still in love with him. The Duke tells Hermia that she must obey her father's wishes or be put to death. She and Lysander decide to run away from Athens and elope but, Demetuis is informed of this and decides to follow them into the woods.
  In the woods filled with mystery, magic and fairies Oberon, King of the fairies and his wife Queen Titania have a disagreement and, Oberon sends his servant to find a herb that will make people fall in love with the first creature they see. While in the woods King Oberon overhears Helena pleading for Demetrius' love and, instructs his servant to sprinkle the herb in Demetrius' eyes so that he may love Helena back. However, the servant accidentally sprinkles the herb in Lysander's eyes and Lysander awakens to Helena with whom he immediately falls in love with.

In the end the servant realizes his mistake and is forced to correct it by the King. Each person is now with their intended love as they all marry off and live happily in love.

  The play directed by York College assistant professor of Performing & Fine Arts, Tom Marion, featured several York students as well as members of The Gloria Eve Dance Company in Hempstead. It was my first time attending a York play and I really enjoyed it. There was great music, dance and comedy that the rest of the audience enjoyed as well.

Clifford Shouter ,who attends Theodora Jackson Adult Center in Jamaica said, they told him about the production going on at the school. He said it was his first time attending and he didn't know what kind of show it was but, he "wanted to experience it." 

"It was very nice, I really enjoyed it and yes, I will come back" said Shouter.

The cast of A Midsummer Night's Dream receive a standing ovation. Photo By: Shanice Lewis