Axial Theater Presents a Workshop Reading of Award-Winning Playwright Craig Lucas' Ode To Joy in Westchester, NY September 23, 2023

Staff

Axial Theatre will present a workshop reading of Axial Advisory Board Member and multiple award-winning playwright Craig Lucas's Ode to Joy on Saturday, September 23 at 7 pm. at St John's Episcopal Church, 8 Sunnyside Ave, Pleasantville, NY. Axial Theatre ensemble members Sandy Rooney, Marisa Lowe, and Duane Rutter will be directed by Nathan Flower, professor of theater at NYU. 

The event is produced by Axial Artistic Director and three-time Emmy-winner Cady McClain. Tickets are $10 students (registered in high school or college); $25 general seating, available at axialtheatre.org

Feel-Good Interview- Get to Know Actor Andrew Gray of PowerRangers and Bling Empire - Six Things To Learn About Him

By Markos Papadatos - Hollywood #PowerJournalist

Editor's Note- Thanks to Markos for heading out to LA to get our readers a super bunch of #Feel-Good Interviews.

 Andrew Gray is an actor who is known for his acting work in “Power Rangers Megaforce,” and “Power Rangers Super Megaforce.” He was also a part of the reality TV series “Bling Empire” on Netflix. He went on to share six interesting things about him. 

Favorite Movies 

He revealed that his favorite movies include “Training Day,” “Forrest Gump,” “The Patriot,” “Pulp Fiction,” “The Color of Money,” “Philadelphia,” and “anything with Daniel Day-Lewis.” 

Feel-Good Interiview: Get to Know the Talented Actor and Singer Jack Wagner - 7 Things to Know About Him

By Markos Papadatos #Powerjournalist

Jack Wagner is an icon in entertainment. He is known for his acting work on such drama series as “General Hospital,” “Santa Barbara,” “The Bold and The Beautiful,” and “Melrose Place.” 

Most recently, he stars in the hit Hallmark series “When Calls the Heart.”  

He is also a gifted singer-songwriter, whose ballad "All I Need" topped the Billboard Adult Contemporary charts, and it reached No. 2 on the Billboard Hot 100 charts. Get to know him in this interview.

Feel-Good Interview: Meet Riley Smith of Nancy Drew - Six Things You May Not Known About Him

Riley Smith is one of the stars of the hit series “Nancy Drew.” He shared six exciting things about himself and the series. 

“This is the fourth and final season. It has a lot of interesting things going on,” Smith said about “Nancy Drew.” There is going to be a really nice arc for my character Ryan,” he said. “Ryan may even find a love interest. His life has changed in many good ways this year. He will have some really neat moments with Nancy this season.” 

Aside from “Nancy Drew,” Smith is known for such TV roles as “Station 19,” “24,” “Joan of Arcadia,” “90210,” “True Blood,” and “The Messengers,” as well as “Drive,” and “Frequency.” He is also a singer-songwriter. 

Feel-Good Interview: Get to Know Evan Roderick from Hallmark, The CW and Netflix Shows - Six Things to Know About Him

By Markos Papadatos, PowerJournalist

Evan Roderick is a Canadian actor and a former ice hockey player. He played the recurring role of Officer Nick Anastas on "Arrow" on The CW, and he played the lead role in the Netflix series "Spinning Out."

“Spinning Out” follows Kat Baker (Kaya Scodelario), an up-and-coming elite figure skater who teams up with talented pair skater and resident bad boy Justin Davis (Evan Roderick) after an injury ends her solo career.

You can see him this season in "Leah's Perfect Gift." Roderick has starred in such Hallmark projects as "Autumn in the City," the holiday film "A Tale of Two Christmases," and most recently, he starred in the new Hallmark mystery "Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Something New."

Evan Rodericks' Favorite Movies 

“Sideways is my favorite movie of all time. I love that movie,” he exclaimed. “I love dramedies,” he said. “I also enjoy Almost Famous and John Carpenter’s The Thing.” 

Trent Dawson's Katonah Classic Stage Film Festival To Be Held on August 12th at Bedford Playhouse in Bedford NY - See a Selection of Films from Here and Abroad

Katonah Classic Stage Film Festival is happening Saturday August 12th at the Bedford Playhouse in Bedford, New York, a short drive from Manhattan in beautiful Westchester County.  The KCS Film Festival at the Bedford Playhouse feautures a  fantastic lineup of 19 films from 8 different countries including France, Russia, Brazil, India, Iran, China, and Poland, plus a few great films from local filmmakers.  

Feel-Good Interview: Get to Know Nicky Whelan of "Neighbours" and the New Movie "The Flood" - 7 Things To Know About Her

By: Markos Papadatos 

Nicky Whelan is an Australian actress and model, who is best known for her role as Pepper Steiger in the Australian television series "Neighbours."

Whelan appeared in the final season of Scrubs as "Maya", an Australian medical school student. Whelan also played the role of "Leigh" in the 2011 film, "Hall Pass," which co-starred Owen Wilson, Jason Sudeikis, Jenna Fischer and Christina Applegate. She has starred in such movies as "Maneater," "The Best Man," and "The Flood," which was released July 2023 via Saban Films. She shared seven interesting facts about herself. 

Feel-Good Interview: Meet Skyler Samuels of TV and the Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Six Things to Know About Her

By Markos Papadatos

Skyler Samuels is the new lead star of the Hallmark mystery Aurora Teagarden Mysteries: Something New.

Samuels is also known for her acting roles in such TV series as Wizards of Waverly Place, The Gates, The Nine Lives of Chloe King, Scream Queens and The Gifted.

Favorite Movies 

On her favorite films, she said, "I really enjoyed Charlie Day’s 'Fool’s Paradise,' which was really cute, I enjoyed that. In general, I love comedies, I can’t get enough of them. Any time there is a free laugh on the table, I watch it. I love them all. "

Feel-Good Interview Series: Meet Chandler Massey from Days of Our Lives and Hallmark - Six Things to Know About Him

By Markos Papadatos

Chandler Massey is a three-time Emmy award-winning actor, who is known for his portrayal of Will Horton on “Days of Our Lives.” This year he stars in Hallmark's "A 90's Christmas."

He also starred in such Hallmark movies as “Next Stop, Christmas” and “The Professional Bridesmaid,” where he starred opposite Hunter King. "It was a fun movie," he said, prior to adding that he had a great time doing it, and that "working with Hunter was amazing."

The talented Massey graduated from UCLA in 2018, and he lives in Atlanta, Georgia. He is engaged to his longtime girlfriend Stephanie. He shared six interesting things about him.

Chandler Massey's Favorite Movies 

He enjoyed such movies as “Enchanted” and the classic film “On the Waterfront.” “I have a soft spot in my heart for ‘Enchanted’,” he said. 

Feel-Good Interview: Taylor Cole - 8 Things You May Not Have Known about the Talented Actress from Hallmark Movies and More

By: Markos Papadatos 

Taylor Cole is an actress and former fashion model. She is best known as the star of the Ruby Herring Mysteries, and for her roles in Hallmark’s Making Spirits Bright and CW’s The Originals. Her series credits include Salvation, CSI: Miami, The Originals, Impastor, and The Glades. Cole also was a series regular on The Event and Summerland. 

Taylor's Favorite Movies 

Her favorite movies include Fried Green Tomatoes and Home Alone. “I grew up with my dad, we didn’t watch a lot of movies, but these are a few of my favorites, as I got older,” she said. 

Visions and Pathways Holds "Giving Thanks" Benefit Concert to Help At-Risk Youth in NJ on June 24th, Dr. Liz Black to Host

Feel-Good Interview: Meet Sara Garcia of the Hit Series "Ride" on Hallmark: 7 Things to Know About Her

By Markos Papadatos #Powerjournalist

Canadian actress Sara Garcia is one of the stars of the new western series Ride on Hallmark, where she plays the role of Valeria Galindo. She is also known for her acting work in The Flash on The CW. Read on to find out 7 things to know about her.

Favorite Movies

"I actually watched Ghosted on Apple TV+ with Ana de Armas and Chris Evans but it was really good and really fun," she said. "I love rom-com action dramas, those are my favorite genres there is because they are so fun and exciting, and I also watched Woman King and that blew my mind ."

Tribeca Film Festival 2023 Runs June 7th-18th 2023, Films & Presentations by Emerging and Known Storytellers, Parties, Events and More

The prestigious and groundbreaking Tribeca Film Festival runs from June 7th - June 18th 2023. See a curated variety of new films by established and up and coming filmmakers, hear some enlightening presentations by artists, industry professionals and known actors and get to know more about the film industry. This year features video game projects. Visit the website to obtain tickets for the various events: https://tribecafilm.com/films/future-2023

Feel-Good Interview Series - Get to Know Emma Samms, Actress, Member of the British Empire and Founder of the Starlight Children's Foundation

By Markos Papadatos, #Powerjournalist

Emma Samms, MBE, is known for playing such popular TV characters as Holly Sutton on the ABC soap opera “General Hospital,” and Fallon Carrington on the ‘80s primetime drama “Dynasty.” 

In 2016, she was made a Member of the British Empire (MBE) for her services to charity (especially working with seriously ill and terminal children). In her personal life, she is married to Simon McCoy, a former BBC News broadcaster and journalist.

Favorite Movies 

“Obviously, nothing that I’ve been in because I can’t stand watching myself,” she said with a sweet laugh. “I like ‘The Princess Bride’ because it is magical and charming, and I watch ‘The Holiday’ every Christmas.”

Feel - Good Interview Series: Meet Actor Stephen Huszar: 6 Things to Know About Him

By Markos Papadatos #Powerjournalist

Actor Stephen Huszar has starred in many TV and holiday films for the Hallmark Channel, Lifetime, and for Netflix. He is known for his recurring role in the "Ruby Herring" Mystery series. He also appeared as the DC comic book character Jared Morillo/Plunder in "The Flash." He also stars in the horror movie "Rabid." 
 
His most recent Hallmark films include "A Royal Christmas Crush," "Love in Glacier National" and "The Jane Mysteries: Inheritance Lost." Read on to find out six interesting things about him this versatile actor.
 

Feel-Good Interview Series: Get to Know Drake Rodger of "The Winchesters": 7 Things to Know About Him

By: Markos Papadatos, Powerjournalist

Rising actor Drake Rodger is known for his starring role as John Winchester in “The Winchesters” on The CW opposite Meg Donnelly. He is also known for his work in “The In Between” as well as ‘Quiet in My Town.” Read on to find out some interesting things about the talented young actor. 

On being a part of “The Winchesters,” Rodger noted that he enjoyed filming, especially in New Orleans. “It was a lot of fun,” he said. “I love the cast, the crew, and the story,” he added. Rodger likes playing John due to him being a complex character, and showcasing the different sides of him such as who he wants to be vs. who he is fated to be. 

NYC Event: Acclaimed Tony-Award Winning Singer/Actress Tonya Pinkins to Perform 4 Free Concerts in June 2023 at Little Island in Manhattan

What 's better than seeing a free concert in NYC Tony-Award winner and multi-hyphenate Tonya Pinkins will be a part of the concerts in New York City. She will perform four FREE concerts this month at Little Island in Manhattan. The dates are June 14, 15, 21 and 22nd. Concerts start at 8pm but please visit the website for updates here: https://littleisland.org/events/. Little Island is located at Pier 55 in Hudson River Park West, 13th Street, New York, NY 10014.

Renowned theater actress, Tonya Pinkins is a three-time Tony nominee, winning the award in 1992 for her performance as Sweet Anita in Jelly’s Last Jam. Over the course of her career in theater, she has also been recognized with Opie, Lortel, Drama Desk, Outer Critics Circle, AUDLECO, Garland, LA Drama Critics Circle, Clarence Derwent and NAACP Theater awards.  

Three-Time Daytime Emmy Winner Cady McClain Stars in One-Woman Show, Tony-Award Nominee for Best Play "Shirley Valentine" at Cape May Stage in NJ June 7 - July 2 2023

Tribeca Film Festival Winner We Might As Well Be Dead Movie in Theaters Now

 

Soul Doctor Film to Screen Nationwide June 13th, 2023 Presented by Fathom Events and Lisa Simone - Follows Rabbi Shlomo Carlbach and Civil Rights Icon Dr. Nina Simone

 

Fathom Events and Lisa Simone present the film Soul Doctor, the Broadway movie-musical about the ‘rock star’ Rabbi Shlomo Carlbach, and his relationship with the music and civil rights icon Dr. Nina Simone.    The special nationwide screenings of Soul Doctor will take place in more than 600 select theaters for one night only on June 13. For tickets and information, please visit Fathom Events.      Additionally, audiences will be treated with a very special message at the beginning of the film’s new theatrical release by Executive Producer Lisa Simone, who states, “Soul Doctor is a testament to the healing power of music. It is medicine for the soul, plain and simple. The kinship between Nina Simone and Rabbi Shlomo Carlebach demonstrates the influence we can have on each other when we look past our differences. Their impact on each other, and the world as we know it today, remains a beacon of what is possible when we follow our heart’s calling no matter the odds.”

Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival Announces 2023 Winners - Plus Photos

In April 2023 the 12th annual Ridgewood Guild International Film Festival was its most successful event ever, with films screened at BowTie Warner Cinemas and the Ridgewood Public Library over four nights. By virtually every measure – number of attendees, quality of the 55 films screened, sponsorships, feedback from filmmakers and attendees – the festival this year was a resounding success.

Attendance was spurred to new heights by the premiere of Trinity’s Triumph, a feature-length fictional film co-written by Father Stephen Fichter, a Catholic priest who has worked with several congregations in Bergen County. His congregants were eager to see the long-awaited premiere and were not disappointed in the film which tackled real-world issues in the priesthood today. The film stars Joe Morton (The Brother from Another Planet; Scandal) who attended the film festival and it's activities.