by Karen Tortora-Lee on May 2, 2012
In 2010 The Happiest Medium was thrilled to be able to be one of the media sponsors for the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity – “a place that shelters new and experienced artists who want to use their art to make a difference”.
We’re excited to be able to sponsor the festivity once again this year! Planet Connections runs from May 30 – June 24 at The Bleecker Street Theater located at45 Bleecker Street, New York, NY.
The Planet Connections Festivity is New York’s premiere eco-friendly/socially-conscious arts festival. Fostering a diverse cross-section of performances, the Festivity seeks to inspire artists and audiences both creatively and fundamentally, in a festive atmosphere. At the heart of the Festivity are like-minded individuals striving to create professional, meaningful theatre, film, music and art while supporting organizations, which give back to the community at large.
In the month leading up to the festivity we’ll be bringing you our fun feature “5 Things To Know About The Show Before You Go” – a chance for every one of the shows to give you a taste of what they have in store for you! We’ll also be reviewing a selection of the offerings so check back daily to see what we thought!
Just follow this link to get to the Planet Connections site. There you’ll be able to see all the great things that are being offered … the free staged readings, the full scale productions, the special events … and don’t forget to check out what’s going on in the Festivity Lounge where there will be free entertainment such as singers, comedians, readings and art exhibits benefiting local charities. You can also buy some refreshments! And if you join on FOURSQUARE you may win a prize!
So come be a part of the great work that’s being done by the amazing team at Planet Connections!
We’ll see you there!
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on March 14, 2011
These women of the arts hail from different disciplines, but they all have an indomitable spirit and a luminescent spark that makes them amazing human beings who are out there every day, doing amazing work.
Today we continue our series with Alex Bond – a woman I’ve had the pleasure to experience in many ways – as an actress, a singer and most fortunately, as a friend. When I sent Alex a few questions for this Q&A Ms. Bond – being the storyteller that she is – sent back a history that only she could write. ”Dear Karen,” she began, “as always, you bring up a hot topic which elicits brutal honesty. Here we go…” Here we go, indeed —
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on March 11, 2011
These women of the arts hail from different disciplines, but they all have an indomitable spirit and a luminescent spark that makes them amazing human beings who are out there every day, doing amazing work.
Today we continue our series with Robin Rice Lichtig. Robin is no stranger to The Happiest Medium; I’ve had the opportunity to review her work as well as sit on a panel with her last December to discuss the role of women in Off-Off Broadway. But when you’re as prolific a playwright as Ms. Lichtig a few months makes a world of difference so I’m pleased she’s joining us again to give us an update on her work, as well as share with us her experience of what it’s been like to be a woman in her business. I’ll let Robin tell you in her own words:
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on March 10, 2011
March is Women’s History Month and The Happiest Medium would like to take the opportunity to highlight, showcase and celebrate just a fraction of the wonderful women we’ve had the great good fortune to cross paths with over the last year. These women of the arts hail from different disciplines, but they all have an indomitable spirit and a luminescent spark that makes them amazing human beings who are out there every day, doing amazing work.
We kick off our series today with Glory Kadigan – Executive Director/Artistic Curator of the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity. Ms. Kadigan has served as the Planet Connections Theatre Festivity’s Executive Director for two seasons. Prior to founding Planet Connections, she worked as the Artistic Director and as the Managing Director of various other theater festivals. She has also worked extensively as a Special Events Coordiator, Box Office Manager, Stage Manager, Director, and Internship Coordinator.
The Happiest Medium was honored to be a sponsor of Planet Connections last year and we hope to continue that partnership for years to come! I’ll let Glory tell you more . . .
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on August 13, 2010
Carol Carpenter
The Happiest Medium was honored to be a Media Partner of the 2010 Planet Connections Festivities. Not only did we, as a team, get to interview some of the most talented writers and directors than any festival (or festivity for that matter) has to offer, but we made some lasting connections. One of them is Carol Carpenter – writer of the play Good Lonely People which was also directed by our wonderful staff contributor, Diánna Martin. Carol was not only nominated for her work but also won! We were thrilled to be able to celebrate this night with her – and I’m honored that she took some time to sit down and tell us what this time in her life has been like. Surprisingly, it’s been an unexpected path . . .
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by Stephen Tortora-Lee on June 25, 2010
There are many rites of Food in the world, and the vibrancy of our young nation’s reverence toward the the appreciation of food and the veneration of all things nutritious and/or tasty is woven into the very fabric of our collective psyche. In SMALL BITES: A SMORGASBORD OF ONE-ACT COMEDIES (written and directed by J.C. Svec) homage is paid to the ideals brought forth from the hallowed preparation and consumption of the victuals which sustain us through nearly all of our most cherished traditions of American Culture. The fact they are all excellent comedies that really make you laugh – hard – is even better.
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by Karen Tortora-Lee on June 25, 2010
It’s not every day that you get a marriage proposal, especially not after the 3rd date, but that’s exactly what’s happening to Vincent (John Fico) as the lights come up on Monica Bauer’s beautifully written one-man show, Made For Each Other (directed by John FitzGibbon). Vincent, a 50ish man flips his cell phone shut and proceeds to give the audience hilarious snapshots of his life in zinging one liners, self deprecating anecdotes and breezy patter. Between the laughs we can tell that Vincent is a man with a heart who’s hoping against hope that this isn’t all as crazy as it sounds.
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by The Happiest Medium on June 24, 2010
Planet Connections Theatre Festivity is New York City’s premiere eco-friendly theatre festival, connecting artists and audiences with diverse dynamic charitable organizations. The Planet Connections experience entertains, enlightens and informs.
The Happiest Medium (proud sponsors of The Planet Connections Festival) is finally wrapping up our Planet Connections Q&A! We hope you enjoyed reading all the interesting answers.
Our last post casts the spotlight on two shows which we reviewed here and one show which sounds like a blast (no pun intended) but which we were not able to cover. Read on to see how Aliza Shane (Playwright/Director) & Laura Hirschberg (Assistant Director/Stage Manager) of ARE YOU THERE ZEUS? IT’S ME, ELECTRA. answered our five questions. Then, keep reading to see what Ashley Jacobson, writer of his beauty had to say. And finally, stick around to see what BJ: A Musical Romp has in store for its audiences . . .
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by The Happiest Medium on June 22, 2010
Planet Connections Theatre Festivity is New York City’s premiere eco-friendly theatre festival, connecting artists and audiences with diverse dynamic charitable organizations. The Planet Connections experience entertains, enlightens and informs.
The Happiest Medium (proud sponsors of The Planet Connections Festival), will be running Q&A throughout the festival.
Today we ask one question each of Leah Bonvissuto, director of Cake (written by Felipe Ossa) and Anne Berlin writer of the book and lyrics of Revolution! These two plays both deal with politics but take on the topic in very different ways. Let’s take a look . . .
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by Sarah V. Schweig on June 21, 2010
A newly fatherless Electra (Sierra Marcks) stands spotlit and centerstage, dressed to the nines in punk-grunge garb, asking Zeus for help: “Are you there, Zeus?” she says, “It’s me, Electra.” Thus this tragicomedic version of the Greek story of Electra, set in the mid-90’s era of Carmen Electra, written and directed by Aliza Shane, begins.
Zeus is dead. At least, for Electra’s intents and purposes. Not once does his lightning bolt shuffle off anyone’s mortal coil in Electra’s favor, even though she continuously requests his help in her plot to avenge the murder of her father, Agamemnon. Her very own mother Clytemnestra (Cas Marino) had conspired with soon-to-be second husband Aegisthus (James David Larson) to kill Agamemnon. Instead of attaining Zeus’s help in seeking justice, Electra is met with taunting unsolicited advice courtesy of her wonderfully sassy Greek chorus (Felicia Blum, Carley Colbert, Kate Dickinson, Ashley Lovell), four women who at once mock her and cheer for her, like any best frenemies would.
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