Last night’s Athena Theatre/Athena Writes performance of “A Deafening Silence Part 1,” at Symphony Space, was highly moving, entertaining, and at times humorous, all while addressing some really disturbing realities.
Kudos to the entire production for bringing such subjects into the open. Yes I am being general, however, know I am calling for activity, if not actual activism.
On Monday, I cited many people involved in what proved to be a great night of theater, today the titles and authors of the seven, approximately ten minute plays, which were truly inspirational on many levels.
The titles include “35,” by J.D. Stewart, which I will state, deals with the reality, that in seventy percent (35) of the U.S. fifty states, conversion therapy is legal.
Other titles and authors: “Beta Testing” by Jenny Lyn Bader, “Genuinely Here” by Kate Thomas, “Mimo” by Luis Roberto Herrera, “T.V. Man” by Joey Mata, “Wishbone” by Yasmine Lever (in this one Ms. Lever wrote the phrase “vacuous shark,” which is a brilliant observation on so many/much), and “Super Blood Wolf Man” by Jared Michael Delaney.
I suggest checking on all these fine works for more information. One way is to press “read more” under “description,” after clicking the link below.
A Deafening Silence | Symphony Space
It is always great to watch the Alfred Hitchcock directed “Strangers On A Train” as I did yesterday on TCM.
In doing so, I found some “tidbits” worth pointing out.
Two members of the cast Marion Lorne, who played Robert Walker’s character, Bruno Anthony’s mother and Kasey Rogers “Miriam” in the film, later had regular roles on the fine television show, “Bewitched.”
Lorne a long time performer was awarded a posthumous Emmy Award for her supporting role as “Aunt Clara” on Bewitched. Nobody else played “Aunt Clara” after Lorne’s death.
Ms. Rogers was the second “Louise Tate” on Bewitched.
A similar character to “Aunt Clara,” “Esmeralda” was played by Alice Ghostley, with whom Ms. Lorne appeared, in the seminal film, “The Graduate” which came out in 1967, a year before Marion Lorne passed away.
While the NHL Western Conference final series, which this season is a ‘2016 redux between San Jose (Sharks) and St. Louis (Blues), is tied at a game apiece for the sixth consecutive season (’14-’19), the Boston Bruins lead the Carolina Hurricanes two games to none, in the Eastern Conference final series.
After trailing (2-1) after two periods at home in game 1, the Bruins scored 4 times in the third period to take game one and the first six goals en route to a (6-2) rout of Carolina in the Mother’s Day afternoon #2.
Thus Boston is an overwhelming favorite to reach the NHL Final for the third time in nine seasons (they won it all in ’11, their lone title in the last 45 NHL seasons and lost to Chicago (Blackhawks) in ’13).
While Carolina is returning home where they have not lost in the ’19 playoffs (5-0), I believe that also is against them, as only the Hurricanes, among the 32 playoffs teams in the NHL and NBA, has not lost at home in these 2019 playoffs.
I predict at least one win at Carolina, for the Bruins.
This Wednesday night (May15th)(7 P.M.) at Symphony Space (200 West 95th Street), the groundbreaking, highly creative and entertaining Athena Theatre Company’s “Athena Writes,” presents an evening of ten minute plays, “called” “A Deafening Silence Part 1.”
” Wednesday’s presentation of seven plays is directed by Chris Roe. The assistant director is Onyx Espri. Veronique Ory is Producing Artistic director.
I have seen previous work by the group and strongly suggest seeing this performance and others.
The names of the authors and cast follow: Authors: J.D. Stewart, Luis Roberto Herrera, Jenny Lyn Bader, Joey Masa, Yasmine Lever, Kate Thomas and Jared Michael Delaney.
Esther Chen, Kara Green, Amy Jo Jackson, EmJ Nelson, Nico Piccardo, Cyndee Rivera and John Anthony Torres comprise the cast.
Please click below for much more information, including how to purchase tickets.
A Deafening Silence | Symphony Space
The two time, NBA champion Golden State Warriors advanced to their fifth consecutive NBA semi-final, in the process, “bumping” the Houston Rockets for the fourth time in those 5, winning by 5 points in game 6.
Steph Curry scored all 33 of his points in the second half, as “G.S.” won as a 7 point underdog, playing without Kevin Durant.
Today on the same day/date 45 year anniversary of the Dave Cowens/John Havlicek led (also) Mother’s Day Boston Celtics’ #7 NBA final triumph at Milwaukee (Bucks), there are two game 7’s in the current NBA quarterfinal round.
First at 3:30 Eastern Time on ABC, the Denver Nuggets are 5 plus point(s) favorites vs the Portland Trail Blazers. Next beginning around 7:00 Eastern Time on TNT, the Toronto Raptors are six point favorites vs the Philadelphia 76ers, in the day’s second game 7.
The Milwaukee Bucks and Warriors are in the “semis,” and await today’s winning teams, the Bucks having 5’d the Celtics.
45 years ago today, the recently deceased, John Havlicek, pictured above–(where by seemingly applicable standards, he would reside), was named MVP after the Celtics won their first title sans the great Bill Russell, beating the Milwaukee Bucks, on the road in game7/1974 NBA final series.
The Boston Celtics have now won just one NBA title in the last 33 seasons.
They won an incredible 16th title in the NBA’s 40th season in 1986. In fact, I recall telling the great baseball player, basketball fan and then Baltimore Orioles’ coach, the recently deceased, Frank Robinson, the news that day at Yankee Stadium.
Speaking of the Yankees, even they can not match the 40 percent of their league’s titles, the Celtics had (40 percent of the 40 titles at that point).
However, and this is about two great sports dynasties, the Yankees won a mind blowing fifty percent of the World Series played over a forty year period from (1923-1962).
Recalling greatness in sports, the dynasty Boston Celtics and New York Yankees, as well as an individual, Frank Robinson, to whom I told the Celts had their 16th title, that Sunday afternoon in 1986.
By the way, Frank was not surprised in the least bit, by the news.
Last week bicycle riders of all different skill levels took to the New York City streets, participating in the TD Five Boro Bike Tour, riding to raise money for various charities.
Among them was Chelsea Noble, whose efforts will aid cancer research.
I cite Ms. Noble in particular, since her effort and results (quite a bit of “moolah”) were fantastic.
Congratulations to all those who participated. It truly is better to give than receive and all of you had that experience , with hopefully many more in the future.
Click below for more information.
TD Five Boro Bike Tour | Bike New York
Click below to begin the donation process. Thank you.
https://community.cancercare.org/chelsea
The top ranked Milwaukee Bucks led by Giannis Antetokounmpo, have advanced to their first NBA semi-final since 2001 and just their second in 33 (their greatest, and if you add it all up, college and pro, I believe basketball’s greatest player, Kareem Abdul Jabbar, nee Lew Alcindor wore that number) seasons, ousting the Boston Celtics in 5 games, in their NBA “quarter.”
The number 33 is also very much applicable to the Celtics and not just regarding their great player, Larry Bird, who also wore that number.
Since Bird led to the Celtics to an incredible 16th title in the NBA’s 40th season in 1986, they have won just one NBA crown in the 33 subsequent seasons.
That title was in 2008 and the final series MVP was Paul Pierce. This year, Pierce was outrageously wrong, saying on television, the “series is over” after Boston’s game 1 victory.
Milwaukee, a truly good team story, won the next four games, all of them easily.
Last night, St. Louis native Pat Maroon scored in the second overtime, lifting the St. Louis Blues (2-1) vs the Dallas Stars in game 7 and into the NHL semi-final round for the eighth time in this their 51st season (’68-’19, no NHL season in ’05).
The Stars also in their 51st season, having started in Minnesota as the North Stars and the Blues’ opponent in their first game ever, got a brilliant 52 save effort from another St. Louis native, Ben Bishop, albeit in a loss.
Earlier in these ‘offs, the current and somewhat heavy top choice to win it all, the Boston Bruins, squared their all-time ‘offs series record at (8-8) when they 7’d the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Now the Blues are (8-6) in playoff(s) series vs the Stars/North Stars franchise, (4-1) in seventh games, (5-1) in decisive games and (3-1) in decisive overtime games.
While the Eastern Conference final series is set, with the Bruins facing the Carolina Hurricanes, once their old neighbors, the Hartford Whalers–the Blues either will travel to San Jose (Sharks) or host the Colorado Avalanche in game 1 of the “semis,” depending on the outcome of tonight’s game 7 in “Jose,” between the Sharks and ‘Lanche.
I thoroughly enjoyed and highly recommend the movie, “The Catcher Was A Spy,” currently on Showtime.
Paul Rudd stars as Moe Berg, a big league catcher, who also worked for the U.S. government, during the second World War.
Berg was a complicated, brilliant man and Rudd does a fine job portraying him.
The film based on Nicholas Dawidoff’s biography of Mr. Berg, airs tonight at 8:15 on Showtime.
Andy B Sports 