Jose Antonio Vargas News

Heidi Schreck and the original Broadway cast of her Tony Award nominated and Pulitzer Prize finalist play What the Constitution Means to Me will reunite for a special one-night-only reading of the play to benefit the National Network of Abortion Funds on June 9, 2022 at 8pm at the historic Great Hall at Cooper Union.

The stage directors receiving the fellowships, assistantships and residencies of the 2022 Drama League Directors Project: NJ Agwuna, Jean Carlo Yunén Aróstegui, Jennifer Chang, Andrew Coopman, Justin Emeka, Nadia Guevara, Emily Hartford, Susanna Jaramillo, Ibi Owolabi, Logan Gabrielle Schulman, Noam Shapiro, Jessica Natalie Smith, and Kendra Ware.

Berkeley Repertory Theatre has announced a special presentation of Fran Lebowitz in Conversation. Following her bingeworthy hit Netflix series Pretend It's a City, Fran Lebowitz returns for six appearances only at Berkeley Rep where she played to sold-out crowds in the Roda Theatre in 2018.

Antoinette Chinonye Nwandu's acclaimed, award-winning play Pass Over, directed by Obie Award winner Danya Taymor, will move its opening night up to Sunday August 22, 2021, three weeks earlier than the previously announced opening date of Sunday September 12, 2021.

In celebration of Filipino American (Fil-Am) History Month, 100 movers and shakers of Filipino descent will be feted in a digital ceremony through The Outstanding Filipino Americans (TOFA) Awards, a national award-giving body. The TOFA Awards, which have been customarily held annually at Carnegie Hall, also turn 10 this month. To mark this milestone, the TOFA Awards are honoring their list of “100 Most Influential Fil-Am Individuals and Organizations” or #TOFA100 on Saturday, October 31, 2020, at 9 p.m. EST (Sunday, at 9 a.m. PST) via YouTube and Facebook.

Today, Define American, a non-profit media advocacy organization that fights anti-immigrant hate through the power of storytelling, released its second-annual report.

The Town Hall today announced the inaugural Lena Horne Prize for Artists Creating Social Impact, the first major entertainment award to be named after a woman of color, honoring excellence at the intersection of arts and activism. The award, named after the celebrated actress, singer and activist Lena Horne, will recognize today's leading artists that are using their platform to promote awareness and create social change, and will be presented to the soon-to-be-announced recipient at an event at The Town Hall, a national historic landmark, in February 2020. The recipient of the Lena Horne Prize was selected by an advisory board that includes Lena Horne's daughter Gail Lumet Buckley, as well as an esteemed list of entertainers and philanthropists including Harry Belafonte, Billy Porter, Judy Collins, Deesha Dyer, Roxane Gay, Bob Santelli, Bruce Cohen, Jose Antonio Vargas, and more. The recipient will receive a $100,000 donation to be directed to a charity of their choice.

The Town Hall today announced the inaugural Lena Horne Prize for Artists Creating Social Impact, the first major entertainment award to be named after a woman of color, honoring excellence at the intersection of arts and activism. The award, named after the celebrated actress, singer and activist Lena Horne, will recognize today's leading artists that are using their platform to promote awareness and create social change, and will be presented to the soon-to-be-announced recipient at an event at The Town Hall, a national historic landmark, in February 2020.

The Drama League (Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, Executive Artistic Director) today announced the 2019 Drama League Awards Nominees for Outstanding Production of a Play, Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Revival of a Musical, and the much-coveted Distinguished Performance Award. The nominations were announced this morning by the current stars of Waitress, Shoshana Bean and Jeremy Jordan, at the official announcement event at Sardi's Restaurant, which was streamed live online here at BroadwayWorld.

The Drama League (Gabriel Stelian-Shanks, Executive Artistic Director) today announced the 2019 Drama League Awards Nominees for Outstanding Production of a Play, Outstanding Revival of a Play, Outstanding Production of a Musical, Outstanding Revival of a Musical, and the much-coveted Distinguished Performance Award. The nominations were announced this morning by the current stars of Waitress, Shoshana Bean and Jeremy Jordan, at the official announcement event at Sardi's Restaurant, which was streamed live online here at BroadwayWorld.

Emerson College, the nation's premier institution for the arts, communication, and the liberal arts, today announced its honorary degree recipients for 2019. On Sunday, May 12, during Emerson College's 139th Commencement ceremony, the college will honor four award-winning scholars, authors, writers, and filmmakers for their contributions and efforts to highlight diverse stories and voices through their work. Award-winning journalist, speaker and author Soledad O'Brien; award-winning scholar and writer Nell Irvin Painter; Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist, Emmy- nominated filmmaker and theatrical producer Jose Antonio Vargas; and the President of Miami Dade College Eduardo J. Padron will each receive honorary Doctor of Humane Letters degrees. O'Brien will give the commencement address.

Broadway Dreams and The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization just celebrated the 70th Anniversary of the Tony and Pulitzer Prize Award-winning musical triumph, South Pacific with a gala concert at The St. Regis New York (2 E 55th Street). The event also served as a fundraiser for Broadway Dreams, a not-for-profit performing arts training organization with global reach. 

On the night of its official opening, What the Constitution Means to Me has announced an extension of six additional weeks on Broadway. Initially announced for a 12-week engagement through June 9, 2019, What the Constitution Means to Me will now play through July 21, 2019 at the Helen Hayes Theater (240 W 44th Street, New York, NY). What the Constitution Means to Me officially opened tonight, March 31, 2019, after beginning performances on March 14.

Broadway vet Jose Llana returned for the 20th season of Lincoln Center's American Songbook, four years after his sold-out appearance at the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse. Llana performed in The Appel Room at Jazz at Lincoln Center and was joined by his Here Lies Love cast members Jaygee Macapugay, Jeigh Madjus, Renee Albulario and Billy Bustamante on February 1st.

This week, Broadway Dreams and The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization hosted the 70th Anniversary gala concert celebration of the Tony and Pulitzer Prize Award-winning musical triumph, South Pacific. 

Broadway Dreams and The Rodgers & Hammerstein Organization announced today that two-time Grammy Award-winner Isabel Leonard, Broadway vet Eden Espinosa, and Tony Award nominee Erin Dilly will join the cast of the previously announced 70th Anniversary gala concert celebration of the Tony and Pulitzer Prize Award-winning musical triumph, South Pacific. The evening will take place on Monday, December 10, 2018 at The St. Regis New York (2 E 55th Street) and will serve as a fundraiser for Broadway Dreams, a not-for-profit performing arts training organization with global reach. Tickets for the event start at $1,000 and can be purchased at broadwaydreams.org/event-tickets.

PEN America has a packed roster of events this September, from the first couple in a series of essential cultural conversations ahead of the 2018 midterms, to celebrations of the winnings works from our Prison Writing Contest, and more. You can find out more about a few of them below, and all our upcoming events here.

The Tenement Museum's 2018 Gala held raised over $1 million, money that will be used to support the Museum's ambitious new strategic direction aimed at defining the Museum's role at a time when immigration is a front page issue.

SF Live Arts presents Immigrant Voices series with DIANA GAMEROS and MEGAN KEELY