Christina Bianco Strikes Again

Gandalf at a Midnight Screening

So Long, Weiner

Never Forgotten, Forever Grateful

Spike Lee's tribute to the New York Fire Department. Thank you for the greatest rescue effort in the nation's history. Let's hear it for New York's Bravest. And to all other policemen, firefighters, first responders, EMS workers, and soldiers who serve their country.



You can download the song from iTunes to donate to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation. Or you can visit Denis Leary's Firefighter Foundation.

Joel Grey Looks Back on 9-11

Our thoughts and prayers go out to the survivors, victims, and families of those who perished in the 9-11 attacks.

Here's the 09 September 2011 version of Broadway stars singing New York, New York.

Broadway Stars sing New York, New York 2011

The Broadway League presented Broadway Unites 9-11 Day of Service and Remembrance at Duffy Square today. Joel Grey, Bebe Neuwirth, and Brian Stokes Mitchell joined cast members of current Broadway shows as they reprised New York, New York on the 10 year anniversary of the terrorist attacks.
You can join the 9-11 tribute movement, 911day.org.

Who Needs a Group Hug?

This past Labor Day weekend, we stumbled upon a movie set near Grand Central Terminal. The fake working title is "Group Hug". When we looked it up online, we found out it's The Avengers movie, written and directed by the one and only Joss Whedon.
Here are the scenes of destruction and mayhem.

Memoirs of a Gaysian

Catch the hilarious Filipino actor/comedian Alec Mapa at the Laurie Beechman Theater on Friday, 09 September at 730 PM. Click here to purchase tickets to his show Alec Mapa:Baby Daddy.

The theater is located inside West Bank Cafe at at 407 West 42nd Street at Ninth Avenue.

I Wish I could go back to College

"O hallowed halls and vine-draped walls The proudliest sight there is
When grey and sere our hair hath turned
We shall still revere the lessons learned
In our days at dear old Sirius XM Radio."

Sharing this from Sirius XM On Broadway:

If you're a college student in the New York City area AND love the Great White Way, you can learn what goes into the making of "On Broadway". Earn academic credits while hobnobbing with the 'amahzing' radio hosts and getting a fabulous behind-the-scenes look at radio technology and programming. Anyone? Send your resume to onbroadway@siriusxm.com.

Broadway Sessions

Still can't get enough of musical theatre after a show? Come down to The Midtown Theater every Thursday night for Broadway Sessions with Ben D. It is on W. 46th st. inside the Ha! comedy club. The fun begins at 1030 PM.

Here's the information from the Facebook page:

"Each week your host Ben D (Broadway casts of Wicked, Aida and Footloose) welcomes a new Broadway guest to perform, play games with the audience and bare their souls thanks to our "scientifically formulated" list of 20 questions. We also take pride in featuring cabaret stars, composers, dancers and comedians. And that's not all! After the show YOU are the star at our musical theater open mic bash! featuring the flying fingers of our musical director, NAY, MAESTRO Will Van Dyke. Browse through our massive library of showtunes and standards, or feel free to bring your own music. And the best part is.......it's all FREE!!!!!! yes, FREE!
Here's how the fun breaks down
10:30- doors are open baby!!!

11pm-12am-Broadway Sessions variety show!!!!!

12am-2am: YOU are the star at our open mic musical theater bash featuring our incredible singing servers TRACY MCDOWELL, ERIC MICHAEL KROP, COULBY JENKINS, MICHAEL LAZAR AND DANNY DANGER."

Fringe Fest 2011

The New York International Fringe Festival kicked off this past Friday, 12 August and will run until 28 August. Here's a little preview from Playbill.

Queens Theatre

I lived in Queens for a couple of years but always went to Manhattan for shows. I didn't know about the Queens Theatre in the Park until I saw it on the news over the weekend. They have free and ticketed events. They have performances year-round.

The next free events are this Friday, 22 July. You can go to Open Mic with La Bruja (Caridad dela Luz) at 7 PM, watch the movie Hasta El Ultimo Trago...Corazon at 8 PM, or get tango lessons at the Annual Milonga Night, also at 8 PM.

Pompeii

Come visit ancient Pompeii in Discovery Times Square's exhibit, Life and Death in the Shadow of Vesuvius. They even have a special rate if you also want to see Harry Potter: The Exhibition on the same day.
The body casts were very eerie yet moving and devastating. I found myself saying a prayer for the victims.
Give yourself an hour to finish the whole exhibit because of the sheer number of artifacts on display. There's a wonderful time lapse movie where you can literally see and feel the destruction from the moment the volcano erupts until the following day.

Tony Showcase

In the lead-up to this year's Tony Awards, the Times Square Visitor Center is having a Tony Showcase. Here are some photos:

Centennial Ball Light Show

The Award
New Year's Eve Wishing Wall
Entertaining America

Countdown Clock to the Tonys

Gala invitations

Nominee gifts, pins and other memorabeeya, as Little Edie would say.
Hat worn by Idina Menzel on the top left, Daniel Radcliffe on the bottom left. The hat on the top right is A Chorus Line hat.

HP in Times Square

Visit Discovery Times Square soon! The Pompeii Exhibit is also ongoing.

Dancing Suits

See more funny videos and Music at Todays Big Thing.

Women on the Bridge

Obviously, this event's Facebook page caught my eye because of its clever name. Women on the Bridge?! Delightful and precious.

To celebrate 100 years of International Women's Day, there will be marches across the Brooklyn Bridge and at Poughkeepsie's Walkway over the Hudson on the 8th of March 2011. Last year's inaugural Women for Women International's global bridge walk drew 20,000 participants in 4 continents on 108 bridges.

To organize your own hometown bridge walk, click HERE.

9-11 Tribute in Light

The white objects have been identified as migrating birds who got disoriented by the lights.

Return of the King

If you love ancient Egypt like I do, the Tutankhamun and the Golden Age of the Pharaohs exhibit would send you into a tizzy.
It is at the Discovery Times Square Exposition until 02 January 2011.
While King Tut's mummy is never allowed to leave Egypt and his famous funerary mask has been deemed too fragile to travel since the 1980s, there is a nice ending to the exhibit that you'll feel like you've seen the Boy King.
Even more exciting, recent testing may have uncovered the cause of his untimely death. You'll have to see it for yourself to find out.

Quince de Mayo

A gorgeous weekend forecast for the Northeast! Need ideas for things to do?

• How about seeing an hour long ballet today or tomorrow? Perfect for the kids. The New York Theatre Ballet is presenting Sleeping Beauty as part of its Once Upon a Ballet family series.

• Tomorrow is Veggie Pride Parade day. As in past years, there will be music, speakers, veggie food, and other exhibits. Don't say organizers have no sense of humor: the parade traditionally starts at the Olde Meate District.
  

• Join Share our Strength's efforts to end childhood hunger in the U.S. The New York City Taste of the Nation is on Monday, 17 May at the Grand Hyatt. 100% of profits are donated.