Kristy Moody's Blog, page 15

Auditorium Theatre Announces Line Up For Upcoming Season

Global MOMIX – ALICE, photo by Equilibre Monaco

Starting November 3rd, Chicago’s Auditorium Theatre gets ready for another fan favorite season with ballet, modern dance and more. According to an official press release from The Silverman Group, Deeply Rooted Dance Theater, Compañía Nacional de Danza, MOMIX, Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, Terence Blanchard: Film Scores LIVE and many more plan to light up the stage in several months.

Auditorium Theatre CEO Rich Regan:

“Our coming season offers not only a rich variety of theatrical, film, live music, and dance offerings, but also several presentations pairing these art forms for unique, ‘can’t miss’ experiences.’ From the legendary John Malkovich making his Auditorium Theatre debut joined by two world class sopranos and an international chamber orchestra in this first-ever partnership with Steppenwolf Theatre, to three Chicago dance companies joyfully accompanied on stage by live bands, to seven-time GRAMMY Award-winning trumpeter and composer Terence Blanchard playing along to film vignettes he’s scored, we’re proud to be presenting these creative collaborations.”

Auditorium Theatre is located at 50 E. Ida B. Wells Drive in Chicago, IL.

Click Here to read the press release and learn more about the famous upcoming season.

*A Special Thanks to The Silverman Group for the press release and image.

Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” Releases Brand New OST Song

This month, Disney shared a truckload of “The Little Mermaid” video teasers and posters. We were even given a special opportunity to listen to Halle Bailey’s version of “Part of Your World.” Enjoy her rendition of the classic thru the video above.

“The Little Mermaid” releases in movie theaters on May 26th, 2023.

DOE Jones Gets Engaged

Gospel music favorite DOE Jones got engaged over the weekend! She shared her happy news today on social media.

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Congratulations to DOE and her husband to be! 

[Interview] Zack Dean Talks Music Career & plus ONE Fan Page

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Almost 20 years ago, the Contemporary Christian Music band plus ONE decided to disband and embark on individual career paths. Fans (myself included) wished them well and even cheered for the guys’ partial reunion in 2014 with the single “My All.” I’m still hoping they eventually jump on the current reboot/reunion bandwagon and start a +1 podcast or continue to release inspiring singles periodically. 

Marketing, music professional and creative genius Zack Dean is a dedicated fan who likes to reminisce about the good old days of plus ONE music. In recent years, he created a fan page for the classic boy band, and it has maintained a dedicated group of supporters. BTSCelebs recently interviewed the multi-talented Zack Dean to learn more about him, his own music career and the backstory behind the plusONE: Fan Page. 

BTSCelebs: Who is Zack Dean professionally?

Zack Dean: Professionally, I am a senior level marketing professional at a Fortune 500 financial institution in Pittsburgh, PA. I am also the Creative Director for a start up cigar company based in Tampa, FL, and a music producer when time allows!

Please tell us about your own music backstory and current music you are working on. 

     I’ve been interested in music as far back as I remember. However, I was always afraid to let people know of my passion for singing. As soon as I graduated from high school in 2011, is when I suddenly decided not to care anymore. I started to post covers on Facebook and YouTube and saw that I had lot of positive feedback. By 2012, I had reached over 1.3 Million collective views on YouTube, as well as tens of thousands of streams on other various social media platforms. In July 2013, I digitally released my debut EP, “Out Of This World.” The self-titled track from the EP was recognized by American retailer, Abercrombie & Fitch, who requested the song to be played on their international in-store playlist from November 2013 to February 2014. Through this occurrence, I signed a music licensing deal with Mood Media Corporation/DMX; an international provider of music to retail stores, restaurants, and cruise ships, as well as television and movie producers alike. 

     I took a break from releasing original music and began to produce music for other artists in late 2015. In July of 2017, I produced a song that featured Grammy winning and multi-platinum selling artist, Bizzy Bone from the renowned American hip hop group, Bone Thugs-N-Harmony.

     My hiatus ended in 2019 when I released a single titled, “The Way U Deserve It” that was actually mixed and mastered by Nathan Walters of plusONE. I then went on another hiatus and continued producing music for other artists until 2023 when I made the decision to resume music for myself once again, while also switching up my genre in the process. Since January 2023, I’ve been in the studio working on a pop-country EP (similar to a Dan + Shay style) that I hope to release by late summer this year. 

Describe your dream song collaboration and tour mates.

     Where I am with music right now, I think it would be cool to do a song with Morgan Wallen. He’s absolutely dominating the music charts right now. It would also be cool to join him, Hardy, Ernest, and Bailey Zimmerman on their tour as well. That’s all EXTRAORDINARY dream/wishful thinking though haha! 

What projects or upcoming events can we anticipate from you this year?

     As mentioned above, I’ve been in the studio, slowly but surely working on a pop-country EP (similar to a Dan + Shay style) that I hope to release by late summer this year. 

Who inspired you to create the plus ONE: Fan Page?

     I’d say it was more of a what than a who. Of course when the world stopped in 2020, we all had extra time on our hands. I realized I had plusONE songs and photos on my computer that I assumed not many people had seen. I questioned how many others might have the same, if not more, in their possession. That’s what led to the creation of the page. Since plusONE existed in a time with no smartphones and mainstream internet, I wanted to create a community that joined together to submit media in their archives, to keep the band’s memory and impact alive. It’s been a lot of work at times, and I’d be lying if I said I haven’t questioned why I made it and wanted to delete it, but at the end of the day I’m glad I did! I’ve made a lot of friends through the process, and I believe it’s even inspired the band to come together a couple of times since. 

What is your favorite song and album from the classic boy band?

      My favorite album from them is, and always will be “The Promise” and it’s very hard to choose a favorite song but if I HAD to pick one, I’d say “Run To You.”

Tell us one piece of plus ONE trivia that is unique to your experience as a fan.

  One cool piece of plus ONE trivia that I learned through the formation of the page, is that Jason Perry wasn’t totally an original member. In fact, there was an individual named Grady Long that was in his position, but he didn’t work out so Jason afforded the opportunity. 

What are your future plans for the Fan Page? 

     As far as future plans, I’m not too sure. It’s kind of at a stand still right now until I have or find more material to post. Maybe Nathan or Nate will do more interviews. Both said they were up for another so maybe I’ll have to work something out. Let’s cross our fingers and hope the band gets back together so we have more content to post! Haha

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Click Here to visit his plusONE: Fan Page.  All the best to Zack Dean on his incredible music career and fun fan page!

A Special Thanks to Zack Dean for the exclusive interview.

SHINee’s Taemin Greets Fans After Military Discharge

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Emilio Estevez and Martin Sheen’s Film “THE WAY” Returns to Theaters For a Limited Engagement

Biscuit Media Group made the grand announcement today that fan favorite “THE WAY” is retuning to theaters for one day only! Ocean Avenue Entertainment, Elixir Films, E2 Films, and Fathom Events are teaming up to release the 2011 film starring iconic actor Martin Sheen and written and directed by his famous son Emilio Estevez.

What is “THE WAY” about?

BMG: THE WAY is an inspiring, entertaining and honest story about life’s challenges while navigating an ever-changing and complicated world. The film follows successful, yet irascible ophthalmologist Tom (Martin Sheen) who travels to St. Jean Pied de Part, France to recover the ashes of his adult son (Emilio Estevez) who perished during a storm in the Pyrenees while walking The Camino de Santiago. Tom decides to complete his son’s journey in an effort to better understand him, and to honor his commitment to complete the pilgrimage. As Tom walks the Camino, he reluctantly finds himself with three other pilgrims who are walking the road to find answers to their own personal dilemmas.

This new presentation, which releases on May 16th, 2023, will feature travel star Rick Steves in a discussion with Martin Sheen and Emilio Estevez about their personal family life and the importance of their film today.

Emilio Estevez had this to say about the film: “Now, as we are in a time where our lives are overwhelmed with the noise of technology and social media, grief from the pandemic, and lives running at a breakneck pace, more and more people are finding an interest in ways to step back, reflect, unplug, and breathe. People are discovering hope and healing in a thousand-year old pilgrimage. THE WAY is an extraordinary film that both Martin and I are immensely proud, passionate, and protective of. I am confident the re-release of the film will continue to inspire audiences to find a shared experience with other theatergoers; to laugh, to meditate, and inspire them to find their own Camino, and to remember that “life is too big to walk it alone.” 

“THE WAY” also stars Deborah Kara Unger, James Nesbitt and Yorick van Wageningen. Jack Hitt’s book “Off the Road: A Modern-Day Walk Down the Pilgrim’s Route into Spain” served as an inspiration for the movie.

Click Here to learn more about “THE WAY” before it hits theaters on May 16th, 2023.

A Special Thanks to Biscuit Media Group and Fathom Events to the info and image.

David Dunn Releases New Single “Story Of History”

Yesterday, singer and songwriter David Dunn announced his newest single release titled “Story Of Life.” The inspirational song talks about seeing kindness of God in everyday life and how everything is in His hands.

“Story Of Life” is David’s first single release of the new year.

Click Here to listen to it for free on Spotify.

Congratulations to David Dunn!

Image Credit: BEC Recordings/Capital CMG

Disney’s “The Little Mermaid” Cast Reacts to the Official Trailer

The Joffrey Ballet Announces New Season Info

The Joffrey Ballet_Midsummer Night’s Dream_ Photo by Cheryl Mann

“Frankenstein,” “The Nutcracker,” ” Studies in Blue,”  “Yonder Blue,”  “Hummingbird”  and “Midsummer Night’s Dream” will all be featured shows in the upcoming season of Chicago’s Joffrey Ballet. According to an official press release from The Silverman Group, the 2023–2024 Season at Lyric Opera House promises to entertain the masses with a variety of genres.

The Artistic Director and President/CEO had so much to say about the new season!

The Mary B. Galvin Artistic Director Ashley Wheater MBE: “Our 2023-2024 season invites audiences to journey with us through some of the most gorgeous worlds created for the ballet, full of love and pain, tragedy and triumph. We begin by honoring the memory of a brilliant artist with the Chicago premiere of Liam Scarlett’s Frankenstein, an epic story told at a grand scale, its delicate emotion rendered in fine detail.  Another of Liam’s works, the breathtakingly beautiful Hummingbird, finds exceptional company in the works of Andrew McNicol’s layered and sophisticated Yonder Blue and a powerful world premiere from Stina Quagebeur.  Through a reunion with a long-time partner, Chicago audiences will again tread the fantastical realm of Alexander Ekman’s Midsummer Night’s Dream in all of its splendor and strangeness.  This season, audiences will find spectacle, intimacy, and above all, humanity at the ballet.”

President and CEO Greg Cameron: “Since its founding, our company has followed Robert Joffrey’s guiding principles of creating compelling performances, inspirational education, and artistic innovation. Ashley Wheater has masterfully curated our 68th season with productions that illustrate these ambitions through modern interpretations of classic tales and bold new narratives. With a nod to the past and an eye on the future, our commitment to making dance accessible to everyone through ‘Joffrey for All’ initiatives brings captivating storytelling to the Lyric Opera stage, the Chicago community, and beyond.”

“Frankenstein” kicks off the season on October 12th, 2023. Shows will be held at the Lyric Opera House, 20 North Upper Wacker Drive in Chicago.

Learn more about each production by reading the entire press release on BTSCelebs’ Facebook page.

[Guest Blogger] Workingwomen in Depression-Era Hollywood

The Great Depression of the 1930s affected all of America—even the glamorous studios of Hollywood. Box office receipts plummeted, and studios made deep cuts in their workforces. We see photos of men in breadlines and men lining up for jobs wearing signs that say, My children are starving. But workingwomen suffered too, and not only from the job insecurity of the Great Depression. They also frequently faced harassment and discrimination.

The heroine in my novel Code Name Edelweiss is Liesl Weiss—a single mother and stenographer in the MGM studio offices who didn’t have the support from laws against harassment in the workplace. Suggestive jokes and comments, pats, pinches, and unwanted advances were common in those days. In fact, a workingwoman was expected to go along with a certain amount of teasing and “good-natured” fun that today would be unacceptable. In the Great Depression—with jobs for men scarce and jobs for women even scarcer—complaints or accusations could get a workingwoman fired.

As I researched workingwomen in Depression-era Hollywood for Code Name Edelweiss, I found there was also widespread discrimination against women in the workforce. In the 1930s, men were considered the breadwinners of the family, and to take a job from a man and give it to a woman would be depriving a man the chance to support his family. What’s more, a workingwoman with children was often looked down upon as a neglectful mother. Even worse, a man’s pay would almost always be more than a woman’s in the same line of work.

Things have changed for the better in the workplace with laws against sexual harassment and discrimination. But as we saw recently in the Me Too movement, women still have difficulties in Hollywood and in workplaces around the country. In Code Name Edelweiss, we see Liesl Weiss courageously face the harassment and discrimination that was rampant in 1930s Hollywood—while at the same time facing down the Nazi threat in her own backyard.

“Code Name Edelweiss” novel releases on March 7th, 2023.

Learn more about Stephanie Landsem by visiting her official website, stephanielandsem.com

A Special Thanks to Stephanie Landsem and Tyndale House Publishers for the exclusive article and images.