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CARNEGIE HALL HOSTS DEBRA COOK’S NEW MUSICAL, JILTED TO PERFECTION 8:00 PM TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2023 AT CARNEGIE’S WEILL HALL

Austin Tang — Thu, 02 Feb 2023 15:12:37 +0000

Listen to “CARNEGIE HALL HOSTS DEBRA COOKS NEW MUSICAL, JILTED TO PERFECTION” on Spreaker.

“Is it true that when you really love someone, you see all their mess and brokenness and you love them still?

Do you love them even more?”

Like gravity, there’s a force that pulls us…seals us…together. Inexplicable.

Jilted to Perfection is an account of a diverse family grappling with what one sacrifices for love.

Woven into a true story about two artists, a single Mormon mom who falls for a destitute four-divorced Scientologist actor/director, this 75 minute show is couched in the comical ironies of mismatched relationships, highlighted in songs like Jody Foster’s Father is a Con Man, about Hollywood scams artists, and Nine, about non-sexual Mormon dating, and an allegory abound a botched camping trip in King’s Peak. Yet, Jilted to Perfection touches more poignant subjects, including child abuse in Why Does Daddy Hit Me?, sexual harassment in The Met, overcoming cultural and religious incongruencies in Surrendering Heart, a child of divorce in Big Guy, and the sudden loss of a loved one (Come Back Home).

“I scoured 25 years of my diaries and decades of Fred’s professional papers to capture the essence of a family that transcended the assumptions of culture. Behind that is a goal to promote the seminal work of teacher and philosopher, Dr. Fredric Cook, who left an unfinished book about a non-critical approach to teaching the arts. I incorporated Fred’s concepts into the musical, and Jilted to Perfection’s success supports to the raison d’ete to disseminate his books posthumously.”

It’s creator, Debra Cook, was challenged by a friend to write the story following their involvement in Gene Fisch’s New York New Works Theatre Festival in 2017. At Theatre Row’s Acorn Theatre in the 2018 NYNW festival, Jilted to Perfection received rave reviews as a mini-musical, after which Debra expanded into a full production playing at The Triad in 2018, followed by several regional showings.

Basically a one-woman musical, Debra’s ensemble concept has retained the special appearance of a child, McKinlsee Mitchell, who sings the final Good Fight Halleluia, a surprise ending that reviewer Robert Viagas described as “so special” he would not reveal it.

Debra aimed to create a musical without the bells and whistles of expensive production costs, where the “purpose of the play” (Hamlet) carried the show. Originally played from the piano by herself in a narrative style, with options for an ensemble, Director Kathy Morath and Musical Director, Christopher Stephens, have since engaged collaborative pianist, Tanya Taylor, to play the score on stage with Debra free to move about. “As we see ‘Jilted to Perfection’ to being part of the Musical Theatre canon, an accompanist will facilitate even more singing-actresses to perform on the role of Debra. Thus, we postulate iconic female stars will wanting to perform ‘Jilted to Perfection’ following it’s iconic venue in Carnegie Hall,” says Debra.

Debra was approached to perform Jilted to Perfection by producers Iris Dirke and Jonathan Griffith of Distinguished Artists International New York after her 2020 Carnegie Hall (Stern Auditorium) solo debut in John Rutter’s Requiem.

Debra relates, “I had a great Aunt and Uncle, Dorathea, and Chester LaFollett, artists who taught in NYC almost a century ago, who presented their students in Carnegie Hall. Chester encouraged me as a 4 year old girl, fascinated with music, and now I’m incredibly honored to continue their family tradition at such an iconic and beautiful venue.”

Tickets through Carnegie Hall:
57th Street and 7th Avenue, NY, NY
Carnegie Hall Charge 212-247-7800
Online: carnegiehall.org Tickets $20-89

www.jiltedtoperfetion.com
Contact Info: vocalcook@gmail.com; Professional Artists Group: 435-649-6292: Debra Cook: 801-512-5737

The post CARNEGIE HALL HOSTS DEBRA COOK’S NEW MUSICAL, JILTED TO PERFECTION 8:00 PM TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 14, 2023 AT CARNEGIE’S WEILL HALL appeared first on Good News!.

India’s Republic Day

Austin Tang — Wed, 26 Jan 2022 15:57:02 +0000

On this wonderfully glorious Republic Day – I am reminded of the aspirations and dreams of the idea of an India ??
Where The Mind Is Without Fear

Where the mind is without fear and the head is held high
Where knowledge is free
Where the world has not been broken up into fragments
By narrow domestic walls
Where words come out from the depth of truth
Where tireless striving stretches its arms towards perfection
Where the clear stream of reason has not lost its way
Into the dreary desert sand of dead habit
Where the mind is led forward by thee
Into ever-widening thought and action
Into that heaven of freedom, my Father, let my country awake.

RN Tagore.

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This Post is Priceless

Austin Tang — Mon, 24 Jan 2022 14:29:29 +0000

Once the famous sufi saint Shamas Tabrezi was traveling with a few of his followers.
While they were passing a lake, Tabrezi told one of his disciples, “I am thirsty”
Do get me some water from the lake.”
The disciple walked up to the lake.
At that moment,
a bullock cart started crossing through the lake.
As a result,
The water became very muddy and turbid.
The disciple thought,
“How can I give this muddy water to Tabrezi to drink?”
So he came back and told Tabrezi, “The water in there is very muddy”,
I don’t think it is fit to drink.”
After about half an hour, again Tabrezi asked the same disciple to go back
to the lake.
The disciple went back,
and found that the water was still muddy.
He returned and informed Tabrezi about the same.
After sometime,
again Tabrezi asked the same disciple to go back.
This time, the disciple found the mud had settled down, and the water was clean and clear.
So he collected some water in a pot and brought it to Tabrezi
Tabrezi looked at the water, and then he looked up at the disciple and said,
“See what you did to make the water clean.
You let it be,
and the mud settled down on its own, and you have clear water.”
Your mind is like that too ! When it is disturbed,
just let it be.
Give it a little time.
It will settle down on its own.
You don’t have to put in any effort to calm it down.
It will happen.
It is effortless.”
Having ‘Peace of Mind’ is not a strenuous job,
it is an effortless process?so keep ur mind cool and have a great life ahead…
Never leave Your close ones. If you find few faults in them just close Your eyes and Remember the best time You spent together…
Because
Affection is More Important than Perfection..!
Neither you can hug yourself….nor you can cry on your own shoulder…
Life is all about living for one another, so live with those who love you the most…
Relations cannot be Understood by the Language of Money…
Bcoz,
Some Investments Never Give Profit
But They Make us rich…!
“Family n Friends are such investments, priceless, treasure them and keep them close to you”

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Interview with Aura Copeland

admin — Tue, 09 Jan 2018 16:12:39 +0000

Listen to “Interview with Aura Copeland” on Spreaker.

Born in Lithuania, Aura Copeland was fascinated from an early age by beauty, elegance, and aesthetic perfection–as well as by the elusive glamour of a beauty-enhancing imperfection. After studying architecture at Vilnius Academy of Art in Lithuania, she moved to New York City, where she worked as a model and attended Fashion Institute of Technology, earning her degree in accessory design. Most recently, she has worked as a footwear designer at Adoni Group in New York.
Aura is also the co-founder of a New York based charity organization, Les Couleurs Charity. Dedicated to bringing the arts and educational opportunities to underprivileged kids in the developing world,
Les Couleurs Charity organizes exclusive color-themed charity events in New York City. Lately, on behalf of her charity, Aura has been teaching art and design workshops at schools and after-school programs in Port-au-Prince, Haiti. She loves sharing her experience with kids who have never had access to an arts education, and she plans to bring her teaching programs into other countries soon.
Whether for her charity or her design projects, Aura travels extensively, and she draws inspiration from wherever she goes, often collaborating with traditional artisans in diverse countries to create pieces that combine her designs with their master craftsmanship. With a special enthusiasm for exotic skins, Aura is always creatively responsive to her materials, allowing them to “speak,” to have a kind of say in the designs of which they are a part, so that she develops pieces of a rare beauty and the highest quality. Her passion for exploring diverse cultures, for art history, and for fashion and design, all find their seamless expression in the creation of her own signature accessory line.
Aura’s Transvintage concept is an essential element of that line. For these pieces, Aura searches for fine pieces of vintage jewelry, which she combines with her own painstakingly precise designs, giving the pieces new life in a contemporary context. Through this time-transcending “collaboration” with designers of the past (hence, “Transvintage”), Aura creates truly unique works of wearable art that mysteriously unify past and present, and point the way to a more visionary future.
Written by Brian McCarthy

#aura #copeland #lithuania #beauty #elegance #aesthetic #perfection #charity #organization #les #couleurs #arts #education #kids #developing #world

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HOLIDAY ENTERTAINING IDEAS FROM ONE OF THE TOP CELEBRITY PARTY PLANNERS

admin — Tue, 22 Nov 2016 18:51:40 +0000

***LEARN HOW TO MAXIMIZE THE FUN & MINIMIZE THE STRESS***

HOLIDAY ENTERTAINING IDEAS FROM
ONE OF THE TOP CELEBRITY PARTY PLANNERS

DEBI LILLY SHARES
THE SECRETS OF PARTY PERFECTION

Video & Podcast –

Oprah’s Winfrey’s “Favorite Pro” Entertaining & Design Expert Shares Easy, Elegant & Affordable Ways to Achieve a Beautiful Party this Holiday Season

Debi Lilly is fast becoming a household name and face. Since she became Oprah Winfrey’s “Favorite Party Pro,” Lilly’s design and party planning career has taken off. In fact, Debi was recently named Best Wedding Planners 2015 in the U.S. by Martha Stewart Weddings; Top Event Innovator 2014 by Biz Bash, and Top Pinterest Expert 2015 by Refinery 29. These honors show why Debi is on a one woman mission to inspire, educate and share her twenty years of celebrity party planning and stylist tips, tricks and DIY designs to elevate celebrations for any occasion. On November 16, find out why the entertaining & design expert and author believes in elegant and easy design ideas for all. Lilly will kick off the party season with some early tips for making your holiday parties special.

SOME PARTY HARDY IDEAS FROM DEBI LILLY:
 A Thankful Table – Fast, affordable DIY tips for a no stress, grocery to gorgeous Thanksgiving
 Holiday Hacks – 3 easy changes to turn Thanksgiving into Christmas in minutes
 DIY Dessert Bar – Celebrity-luxe style for less, all from the grocery store

Lilly has planned events for the stars like Lady Gaga and Oprah, including Oprah’s 50th live birthday celebration. She’s also created debi lilly design, an exclusive collection available at Albertsons Companies stores. Debi has also been featured as an entertainment expert in Martha Stewart Weddings, InStyle, Brides and numerous publications. Many of her stylist secrets are shared in her book and magazine, “A Perfect Event.”

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