John Russell News

THEATER TO GO presetns its October production of Lorraine Hansberry's classic American drama A RAISIN IN THE SUN. This drama about the African American experience explores the hopes and dreams of one extended family, the Youngers, a black working class family struggling to achieve the American Dream in the face of racial tensions and economic disenfranchisement in 1950's Chicago.

The Los Angeles Master Chorale will open its 2018/19 concert season in Walt Disney Concert Hall with two performances of The Mozart Requiem on Saturday, September 22 at 2 PM and Sunday, September 23 at 7 PM. The performances will feature the full 100-voice Master Chorale and Orchestra, and will be conducted by Grant Gershon, Kiki & David Gindler Artistic Director. Guest soloists for the Requiem are Liv Redpath (soprano), J'Nai Bridges (mezzo-soprano), David Portillo (tenor), and Rod Gilfry (baritone). The concerts will open with Shawn Kirchner's Songs of Ascent-a setting of the Psalms sung by pilgrims journeying to Jerusalem-commissioned and premiered by the Master Chorale in 2015 when Kirchner was the Swan Family Composer-in-Residence. These performances will include three Psalms Kirchner has since added to the piece.

CMA Fest is officially a wrap! The fourth and final day saw “CMA Fest” co-host Kelsea Ballerini as the Artist of the Day at Xfinity Fan Fair X, where she answered questions from CMT's Leslie Fram followed by a performance that included her new single “I Hate Love Songs.” Ballerini also shared the song's brand new video with fans in attendance. Luke Bryan made a surprise appearance at the Chevy Riverfront Stage for 10 second trivia, where he awarded two winners with tickets to the Chevy suite at Nissan Stadium for Sunday's nightly concert. Once again, the Chevy Riverfront Stage reached capacity crowds Sunday during Scotty McCreery's afternoon set. Chris Young hosted a surprise meet and greet for hundreds of fans at his booth at Xfinity Fan Fair X, while Lindsay Ellpresented a check on behalf of Cracker Barrel for $15,000 to the CMA Foundation.

This summer the Los Angeles Master Chorale and choral music superstar Eric Whitacre will present the largest free group singing event in California history-Big Sing California.

Nine world-class bakers compete for bragging rights and a cash prize in season two of Food Network's primetime competition series Best Baker in America, premiering Monday, May 7th at 9pm ET/PT. Food Network's Scott Conant hosts the competition as bakers from across the country are put to the test in each episode to create elegant and delicious versions of classic baked goods, including a Skills Challenge that tests their mastery of the essential technical skills of baking, followed by a Master Challenge that tests the baker's prowess working with specific flavors and ingredients. Returning judges Jason Smith and Marcela Valladolid are joined by rotating guest judges, including baking digital influencers Yolanda Gampp, Joshua John Russell and Gemma Stafford, and prominent cake and pastry experts Florian Bellanger, Shinmin Li, Sherry Yard and Zac Young, to determine which bakers possess the artistry and creativity needed to advance through seven episodes, with one baker earning the grand prize of $25,000 and the title of Best Baker in America!

Nine world-class bakers compete for bragging rights and a cash prize in season two of Food Network's primetime competition series Best Baker in America, premiering Monday, May 7th at 9pm ET/PT. Food Network's Scott Conant hosts the competition as bakers from across the country are put to the test in each episode to create elegant and delicious versions of classic baked goods, including a Skills Challenge that tests their mastery of the essential technical skills of baking, followed by a Master Challenge that tests the baker's prowess working with specific flavors and ingredients. Returning judges Jason Smith and Marcela Valladolid are joined by rotating guest judges, including baking digital influencers Yolanda Gampp, Joshua John Russell and Gemma Stafford, and prominent cake and pastry experts Florian Bellanger, Shinmin Li, Sherry Yard and Zac Young, to determine which bakers possess the artistry and creativity needed to advance through seven episodes, with one baker earning the grand prize of $25,000 and the title of Best Baker in America!

The Country Music Association hosted a press conference in the famed Country Music Hall of Fame® and Museum Rotunda earlier today to announce the 2018 class of Country Music Hall of Fame inductees. Ricky Skaggs and the families of Johnny Gimble and Dottie West were on hand to accept the honor. Watch the livestream at CMA's YouTube Channel.

Today the Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) announced that it has named celebrated contemporary artist and Baltimore resident Amy Sherald as a new trustee on the Museum's board. Sherald will officially take her board seat on February 20, joining Board Chair Clair Zamoiski Segal and Dorothy Wagner Wallis Director Christopher Bedford, as well as 39 other active trustees guiding the institution. This diverse group is comprised of regional and national leaders in art, philanthropy, and business, including another recently named artist trustee, Adam Pendleton, who joined the board last August.

In 1930, Agatha Christie wrote Black Coffee as a play featuring her master sleuth Hercule Poirot. In this seldom seen and intricately crafted mystery, Christie weaves scientific discoveries, international espionage, and unimaginable murder together to give the audience a night of unraveling the knots of danger and suspense.

It's time to travel back to the 1930s for a rollicking good time on the rails as Theater To Go presents Ken Ludwig's Twentieth Century at Mercer County Community College's (MCCC's) Kelsey Theatre. A train trip from Chicago to New York City has lots riding on it including the future of a legendary producer and his Broadway show. Show times for this comedy classic are Fridays, Jan. 26 and Feb. 2 at 8 p.m.; Saturdays, Jan. 27 and Feb. 3 at 8 p.m.; and Sundays, Jan. 28 and Feb. 4 at 2 p.m.

The 2017 awards honor productions which opened between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017. Nominations were completely reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended October 31, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors.

The 2017 awards honor productions which opened between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017. Nominations were completely reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended October 31, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors.

This spring, The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) will present the first exhibition dedicated to sculptures by renowned contemporary artist Jack Whitten. Odyssey: Jack Whitten Sculpture, 1963-2016, on view April 22 through July 29, 2018, reveals an extensive and entirely unknown body of the artist's work.

The 2017 awards honor productions which opened between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017. Nominations were completely reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended October 31, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors.

The 2017 awards honor productions which opened between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017. Nominations were completely reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended October 31, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors.

The 2017 awards honor productions which opened between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017. Nominations were completely reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended October 31, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors.

The 2017 awards honor productions which opened between October 1, 2016 and September 30, 2017. Nominations were completely reader-submitted and after the nomination period ended October 31, BroadwayWorld's local editors proofed the list for eligibility and errors.

It's 1482 Paris and life is dark and difficult. The gypsies who occupy the edges of society are in a constant struggle with city officials and the soldiers charged with protecting the citizenry. Thus begins The Hunchback of Notre Dame, an epic tale set to a sweeping musical score, to be presented by The Pennington Players at Mercer County Community College's (MCCC's) Kelsey Theatre. Dates and show times are Todays, Oct. 20 and 27 at 8 p.m.; Saturdays, Oct. 21 and 28 at 8 p.m.; and Sundays, Oct. 22 and 29 at 2 p.m.

It's 1482 Paris and life is dark and difficult. The gypsies who occupy the edges of society are in a constant struggle with city officials and the soldiers charged with protecting the citizenry. Thus begins The Hunchback of Notre Dame, an epic tale set to a sweeping musical score, to be presented by The Pennington Players at Mercer County Community College's (MCCC's) Kelsey Theatre. Dates and show times are Fridays, Oct. 20 and 27 at 8 p.m.; Saturdays, Oct. 21 and 28 at 8 p.m.; and Sundays, Oct. 22 and 29 at 2 p.m.

On Saturday, November 11, The Baltimore Museum of Art (BMA) is launching a series of free creative conversations and social events that brings together nationally recognized artists, writers, and thought-leaders to consider key ideas at the intersection of art, race, and social justice and imagining the futures we want. The Necessity of Tomorrow(s) speaker series will kick off with a conversation between acclaimed artist Mark Bradford and BMA Dorothy Wagner Wallis Director Christopher Bedford, who most recently collaborated on the BMA's presentation of the U.S. Pavilion at the 2017 Venice Biennale. Drawing on themes explored in Bradford's installation, Tomorrow Is Another Day, their conversation will focus on the topic of making a path to power where none has existed before, a theme often explored in Bradford's work.