If you would like to unsubscribe The BAVPA Beacon newsletter, please contact RON MANGUM ( [email protected]) or RUSSELL LINK at ([email protected]). This letter is a great way to keep everyone informed about what’s happening in our lives; please help us to keep it going. LATEST BAVPA ALUMNI NEWS AND UPDATES The BAVPA Beacon alumni newsletter is sad to report the passing of BAVPA alumna/ film and TV actress, DIANE GAIDRY. The BAVPA alumni, staff, faculty and friends offer our condolences to the GAIDRY family and they are in our thoughts and prayers. BuffaloNews.com memoriam:https://buffalonews.com/2019/02/08/diane-gaidry-walker-54-local-life-coach-and-star-of-loving-annabelle/. Educator, Saxophonist and Composer JAMES BRANDON LEWIS (2001) performs with and Val Jeanty Duo, JP Schlegelmilch Jonathan Goldberger, Jim Black, Anteloper (Jaime Branch & Jason Nazary ) at Nublu ( http://nublu.net/ ) in NYC March 5 at 8PM; Lewis performs with Ches Smith at The Stone ( http://thestonenyc.com/ ) in NYC March 7 at 8:30PM:http://www.jblewis.com/. RollinStone.com article, Song You Need to Know: James Brandon Lewis, Sir Real Denard:https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music- news/james-brandon-lewis-jazz-sir-real-denard-ornette-coleman-790305/. Lewis’ CD, An Unruly Manifesto ( https://jamesbrandonlewis.bandcamp.com/releases ) is available for purchase. SomethingElseReviews.com review of An Unruly Manifesto:http://somethingelsereviews.com/2019/01/23/james-brandon-lewis-an-unruly- manifesto-2019/. VICTORIA PEREZ (1997) is the Co-Founder and Artistic Director of Raices Theatre Company (www.raicestheatrecompany.com), SMIRNA MERCEDES-PEREZ (1992) and LISETTE DEJESUS are RTC members. RTC presents Desde El Puente April 19-May 5. BroadwayWorld.com article about the Raices’ 2018-2019 season (https://www.broadwayworld.com/buffalo/article/Races-Theatre-Company-Announces-2018-19- Season-Including-Musical-Version-Of-DESDE-EL-PUENTE-20181103) for tickets and information, go to theatre’s link. The Raíces Theatre Company is the 2019 recipient of an Erie County Community Arts Grant, offered through the Arts Services Initiative of WNY in partnership with the NYC Council on the Arts Decentralization Grant Program. WNYPapers.com article about the grant, https://www.wnypapers.com/news/article/current/2019/02/04/135821/arts-services-initiative-of-western-new-york-awards-120000-plus-in- funding-to-artists-organizations?fbclid=IwAR37oWq4jsk8_DaeJI-_pV8JgsFY4hDcop-tJBojXWNbL_W03CLuaTf9tLg. Children Book Author KEITH WHITE JR. (1999), latest publications Captain Collin and The Andrew Avenger Return: A Color-With-Me Adventure and Ace Reporter Andrew: A Color-With-Me Adventure are available for publish. For more information about White’s other works, go to https://www.amazon.com/Keith-White-Jr./e/B00C MHA1AS/ref=dp_byline_cont_book_1. 2017 Occhimagazine.com interview with White who talks his children’s books. : https://occhimagazine.com/keith-white-jr-talks-adhd/. BRADON MCDONALD (1993) created costumes for the upcoming Jessica Lang dance program at Hammer Theatre ( https://hammertheatre.com/ ) in San Jose, NM February 23 at 7:30PM. For tickets,go to theatre’s link. BroadwayWorld.com article:https://www.broadwayworld.com/san-francisco/article/ Hammer-Theatre-in- San-Jose- Announces-Spring-2019-Season-20190130. McDonald will create costumes for the Utah Opera (http://www.utahopera.org/ ) Vincenzo Bellini’s opera, Norma to be semi-staged at Abravanel Hall in May 2019 while the Capitol Theatre undergoes renovations. SaltLakeCity.com article, Fall in love with Opera: Utah Opera’s stunning 2018-19 line up: https://www.saltlakemagazine.com/fall-love-opera-utah-operas-stunning-2018-19-line/. SCOTT “GUS” POITRAS (1992) is a production carpenter in the new Broadway musical comedy, The Prom: https://theprommusical.com/. The Prom celebrated its 100th show February 14. Playbill.com article:http://www.playbill.com/article/see-the-prom-celebrate-100- performances-on-broadway. Tony Awards eligibility determined for The Prom news. TheatreMania.com article, https://www.theatermania.com/broadway/news/tony- eligibility-2019_87619.html. The Prom musical related news, register for the 2019 Broadway Teachers Workshop ( http://www.broadwayteachinggroup.com/ ) for more information, go to link. BroadwayWorld.com article:https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Broadway-Opens-Its-Doors-To-Theatre-Teachers- At-The-2019-Broadway-Teachers-Workshop-20181202. Poitras is the Head Carpenter of the Broadway musical, The Band’s Visit on stage now at the Ethel Barrymore Theatre. Official website: http://thebandsvisitmusical.com. ReligionNews.com article, The Band’s Visit is a dream:https://religionnews.com/2019/02/12/the-bands-visit-grammy/. The Band's Visit wins Best Musical Theater Album at the 61st annual Grammy Awards February 10. Grammy.com article, https://www.grammy.com/grammys/news/bands-visit-wins-best-musical-theater-album-2019-grammys. The 10-time Tony Award winning musical The Band's Visit will end their Broadway run April 7. BroadwayWorld.com article, https://www.broadway.com/buzz/190168/10-time-tony-winner-the-bands-visit-announces-final-performance-on- broadway/?fbclid=IwAR2D8t5ihi25W5fvDj-T_mS3IGkQ1IgqMsNLY4GifHL670oE3BKhuq3Bjw0. Tony Award winner Katrina Lenk and former Band’s Visit cast member George Abud will team up for their new show, Swung, an evening of jazz, bebop, and standards, at Birdland March 4 at 7 PM. Playbill.com article:http://www.playbill.com/article/the-bands-visit-tony-winner- katrina-lenk-and-george-abud-will-play-birdland. Katrina Lenk performed her mesmerizing Omar Sharif song from The Band’s Visit on the February 7 episode of The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, on the tails of the announcement of the show’s spring closing. Playbill.com article:http://www.playbill.com/article/watch-the- bands-visit-star-katrina-lenk-sing-omar-sharif-on-the-tonight-show. The Band’s Visit celebrated its 500th performance January 20. BroadwayWorld.com article, https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Photo- Flash-THE-BANDS-VISIT-Celebrates-500-Performances-on-Broadway-20190120. BroadwayWorld.com article, Podcast: David Yazbek Talks THE BAND'S VISIT, TOOTSIE & More with Gilbert Gottfried! https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Podcast-David-Yazbek-Talks-THE-BANDS-VISIT-TOOTSIE-More-with-Gilbert-Gottfried-20190123. Poitras is the Advance Flyman on Sara Bareilles’ penned musical Waitress (https://waitressthemusical.com ) on Broadway at Brooks Atkinson Theater. Will Lucie Jones be Broadway’s Waitress next Jenna? BroadwayWorld.com article:https://www.broadwayworld.com/article/Rialto-Chatter- Will-WAITRESS-Welcome-Lucie-Jones-as-Next-Jenna-20190204. Smash alum Katharine McPhee performs in London, UK West End’s Waitress ( https://waitressthemusical.co.uk/ ) February 8-March 7. Smash series related news, JESSE L. MARTIN (1987) portrayed Scott Welker, an artistic director of a theater company who is a potential love interest to Debra Messing's Julia in the NBC Marilyn Monroe-based musical series that aired in 2012. LondonTheatre.co.uk/Waitress article, About bloody time’: Waitress cast on working with first all-female creative team: https://www.londontheatre.co.uk/theatre-news/west-end-features/%E2%80%98about-bloody-time%E2%80%99-waitress-cast-on-working-with- first-all-female. BroadwayWorld.com article, Photo Flash: First Look at the WAITRESS Cast In Action!https://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/Photo- Flash-First-Look-at-the-WAITRESS-Cast-In-Action-20190207. Waitress UK casting news, two young actresses selected to play Lulu in West End production. BroadwayWorld.com article: https://www.broadwayworld.com/westend/article/Two-Young-Actresses-Selected-To-Play-Lulu-In-WAITRESS-West-End-20190207. London’s West End Waitress cast to host album karaoke sessions March 18. Playbill.com article: http://www.playbill.com/article/west-end- waitress-will-host-cast-album-karaoke-sessions. Poitras is on the Broadway musical Beautiful: The Carole King Musical (https://beautifulonbroadway.com ) staff at Sondheim Theatre. Playbill.com article, Watch Broadway’s Beautiful Perform a Carole King Medley on The View:http://www.playbill.com/article/watch-broadways- beautiful-perform-this-carole-king-medley-on-the-view. Chilina Kennedy returned to Beautiful musical January 3; the musical celebrated its 5th anniversary January 12. NewYorkTheatreGuide.com article: https://www.newyorktheatreguide.com/news-features/chilina-kennedy-returns-to-star-in-beautiful-the-carole-king-musical-on- broadway. Playbill.com article, 8 Magical Moments the Cast of Broadway’ Beautiful: The Carole King Musical Will Never Forget: http://www.playbill.com/article/8-magical-moments-the-cast-of-broadway-beautiful-the-carole-king-musical-will-never-forget. _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ PASTOR GARNEY DAVIS (1988) presents the Reset for My Glory gospel crusade at Sahlen Field Griffin 1 Field ( formerly Buffalo Bisons’ Coca Cola Field), August 10 10AM-5PM. Free admission; reserve tickets at https://resetformyglory.com/. Author/ Dancer/African Drum Instructor and Educator KRISTIN CRAGE (1988) latest publication, Woman to Woman-The Conversation, Part I is available for purchase: https://www.amazon.com/Woman-Conversation-Part-I/dp/0692164618. Woman to Woman-The Conversation, Part I Book Overview This series is about the conversations we never had, need to have, and still can have. It’s about growing from girl to woman - living, loving and learning