Jeff Davis News

The Fresh Fruit Festival - now in its 18th year - celebrating the spirit of pride and survival, of history and progress, of a freedom and creativity which allows for respect and equality for all people - presents its annual Awards event. Awards are presented for Outstanding performance and technical work during the past season of the Fresh Fruit Festival. Community Awards are also presented to people and organizations who enrich the LGBT community through education, advocacy, and service.

Paige Davis (a?oeTrading Spaces,a?? Chicago), Jeff Still (To Kill a Mockingbird, Oslo) and Jay Klaitz (HBO's a?oeVinyl,a?? Netflix's a?oeJessica Jonesa??) lead the cast of the reading of Vicky Vodrey's new play Hanky Panky.

Based on the New York Times Best Selling book from Ethan Brown, SHOWTIME's new five-part true crime docu-series MURDER IN THE BAYOU, from director Matthew Galkin, (Kevorkian) investigates the unsolved murders of eight women whose bodies were discovered in and around the town of Jennings in Jefferson Davis Parish, Louisiana. The season premiere on Friday, September 13 at 9 PM ET/PT looks into the first murders between 2005 and 2007 when the bodies of four young women are found in drainage canals and on desolate back roads. 

Lear: That Old Man I Used To Know, a new play based on Shakespeare's King Lear, is currently in performances at A.R.T/New York Theatres - Gural Theatre - 3rd Floor (502 W. 53rd Street, between 10th and 11th) for a limited engagement through September 22. The opening is Sunday, September 8. Lear: That Old Man I Used To Know is adapted and directed by Beth Ann Hopkins (Enemy; The Tempest) with musical direction and arrangements by Elliot Roth (Our Sinatra; resident composer- Jeff Davis Dance), and is produced by Smith Street Stage.

Harry Townsend's Last Stand a new play written by George Eastman (The Snow Job; Bitter Exchange) and directed by Karen Carpenter will premiere at New York City Center Stage II.

Randy Travis, in partnership with Outback Presents, is proud to announce The Music of Randy Travis Tour featuring country singer and his co-star in The Price, James Dupré. The Country Music Hall of Fame member's long-time touring band, consisting of Steve Hinson, David Johnson, Lance Dary, Bill Cook, Joe Van Dyke and Herb Shucher along with longtime tour manager Jeff Davis will rejoin “Hoss,” as they affectionately call Travis, on the road for the first time since right before his stroke in 2013. The show will consist of Dupré and the band performing all 16 of his iconic number ones including “On The Other Hand,” “Forever and Ever, Amen” and “Three Wooden Crosses.” Randy Travis will make a special appearance and VIP passes are available in most markets that include a meet and greet with the country icon, himself. Tickets for the shows will be listed at RandyTravis.com as they go on sale.

Lear: That Old Man I Used To Know, a new play based on Shakespeare's King Lear, will play A.R.T/New York Theatres (502 W. 53rd Street, between 10th and 11th) beginning September 5 for a limited engagement through September 22, it was announced today.

FOX Entertainment has signed writer/creator Jeff Davis (“Criminal Minds,” “Teen Wolf”) to a direct, exclusive, broadcast-only talent deal, it was announced today by Michael Thorn, President, Entertainment, FOX Entertainment. 

Showtime Documentary Films announced it will premiere the network's first true crime docu-series,MURDER IN THE BAYOU, on Friday, September 13 at 9 p.m. ET/PT, from director Matthew Galkin (Kevorkian) and author Ethan Brown, whose New York Times Best Selling book Murder In The Bayou is the inspiration for the series. The five-part docu-series investigates the unsolved murders of eight women whose bodies were discovered between 2005 and 2009 in drainage canals and on desolate back roads in and around the town of Jennings, Louisiana in rural Jefferson Davis Parish. The announcement was made today by Gary Levine and Jana Winograde, Presidents of Entertainment, Showtime Networks Inc., at the Television Critics Association's Summer Press Tour.

TheaterWorks has a long-standing, credible connection to Stephen Sondheim musicals. A FUNNY THING HAPPENED ON THE WAY TO THE FORUM is a pure crowd-pleaser chomping on the TheaterWorks stage.

One of America's most notorious serial killers, Dennis Rader, known as The BTK Killer, spent decades tormenting Wichita, Kansas. He brutally tortured and murdered 10 people while also taunting the tight-knit community, local media and police with letters detailing his horrific crimes. Now, 14 years after he was caught, his daughter, Kerri Rawson, breaks her silence to ABC News correspondent Deborah Roberts in her first television interview for a “20/20” documentary on Rader. Kerri discusses her childhood, how she and her family dealt with the shocking revelation of her father's true identity and how they have worked to overcome the unthinkable crimes of her father. The two-hour “20/20” documentary airs Friday, Feb. 1 (9:00 – 11:00 p.m. EST), on ABC. 

“Criminal Minds” has been renewed for a fifteenth and final season, according to Variety.

New York-based rapper and comedian Rob Tanchum's full-length album Disturbed, Depressed, Inadequate is now available both digitally on Soundcloud, iTunes, Spotify, TIDAL, etc. and on cassette tape by SBI Press' 'Tape of the Month' club, which contains 35 minutes of bonus material including outtakes and a 10 minute improv scene.

Jeff Davis, the creator of 'Criminal Minds' will adapt the Dean Koontz novel “Strangers” into a one-hour drama at Fox, according to Variety.

The original cast CD of LOVE, LINDA starring acclaimed jazz vocalist Stevie Holland, has just been released by 150 Music in anticipation of Holland's upcoming limited engagement return at the Triad Theater. The CD features several newly recorded selections from the show as well as previously un-recorded songs.

Sound It Out Series comes to Greenwich House September-December 2018!

The New York Musical Festival (NYMF) announced today the winners of the 2018 NYMF Awards for Excellence, which were awarded on Sunday, August 5, 2018 at Hudson Terrace

On Friday, August 3rd, immediately following the 1pm performance of The Gunfighter Meets His Match at the Acorn Theatre at Theatre Row (410 West 42nd Street between 9th and 10th Avenues), there will be a special meet and greet event with the cast. Audience members of all ages (recommended for ages 7 and up) are welcome to come and meet the actors behind Abby Payne's new Wild West musical at the 2018 New York Musical Festival. This opportunity is coupled with a family ticket discount so everyone can enjoy live theater and experience the whimsical music of The Gunfighter Meets His Match! For more information on the special family matinee and to purchase discount tickets, with the code FAMFRI22, please visit www.nymf.org/festival/2018-events/gunfighter-meets-his-match.

In this week's edition, we caught up with Jeff Davis, who directed and choreographed The Gunfighter Meets His Match, running at NYMF through August 4.

The producers (Abby Payne and Chelsea Retzloff) of the upcoming World Premiere of Abby Payne's The Gunfighter Meets His Match will present a special Friday the 13th themed fundraising event on Friday, July 13 from 6:30pm-10pm at The Church Street School of Music & Art (41 White Street between Church Street and Broadway).