Magik Theatre Reopens This June with The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show

Magik Theatre unveils $2.2M transformation and reopens historic Beethoven Hall. Photo: Magik Theatre, used with permission.

A Magical Metamorphosis: Magik Theatre Unveils $2.2 Million Renovations to Historic Beethoven Hall

Magik Theatre is absolutely delighted to announce the completion of more than $2.2 million in renovations to its iconic Beethoven Hall home. (Magik Theatre, 2026)

The community-supported project ensures that the historic venue is more accessible and comfortable than ever, directly serving Magik’s mission to create theatrical experiences that ignite imagination, spark curiosity, inspire empathy, and foster a lifetime love of learning in young people.

The public is officially invited to view this stunning transformation in-person at the theatre’s Grand Reopening at 12p.m. on Saturday, June 13.

🛠️ Updates at a Glance

The latest chapter in the theater’s 130-year history began in early 2026. Key improvements include:

  • Expanded Accessibility: Quadrupled ADA-accessible theater seating and companion seats.
  • Enhanced Comfort: Brand-new theater seats and fresh carpeting throughout.
  • Critical Infrastructure: Major updates to the building’s HVAC, electrical, and security systems.

The Team Behind the Transformation

Much of the work was funded by the City of San Antonio’s 2022 bond program, alongside generous support from the Joan and Herb Kelleher Foundation, the Charity Ball Association, and the Santikos Charitable Foundation. Architectural services were provided by Architexas, with Jamail & Smith Construction managing the buildout, and international firm Charcoal Blue serving as the theatre design consultant.

“These renovations allow us to welcome more families, students and educators into a vibrant theatre experience that is deeply connected to Hemisfair and the surrounding downtown ecosystem. We cannot wait to fill these halls with the laughter and awe our transformative work creates.” — Mel Zarb-Cousin, Magik Theatre CEO

🏛️ What’s New, Inside and Out

A Fresh Approach

Patrons will notice a major difference before they even step through the doors. South Alamo Street recently underwent its own construction project, resulting in gorgeous new landscaping and a dedicated drop-off lane leading right to Magik’s parking lot. Up front, the north entrance now features an ADA-accessible entryway leading seamlessly into the lobby and theater.

Modern Comfort, Historic Charm

Inside the venue, the magic truly comes alive:

  • Custom Seating: Magik partnered with industry experts Irwin Seating—known for equipping top arenas and auditoriums nationwide—to install custom, ultra-comfortable, and durable seats.
  • “Starry Night” Vibe: A rich, black hue carpet by Mohawk completes a cozy, celestial-inspired aesthetic.
  • Behind-the-Scenes Upgrades: A brand-new HVAC system guarantees guests stay perfectly cool or warm all year round, backed by fully modernized electrical and security systems.

🐛 Coming Soon to a Renovated Theatre Near You

What better way to celebrate Magik’s metamorphosis than a beloved children’s tale about a caterpillar turning into a beautiful butterfly?

On June 13, The Very Hungry Caterpillar Show opens on Magik’s renovated mainstage directly following the Grand Reopening party, capping off the 2025–26 production season.

More Summer Magic:

  • Summer Camps: Families attending Magik’s popular summer camps will get their first taste of the renovated theatre starting June 1, with sessions running through August 7.
  • 2026-27 Season Subscriptions: Subscriptions are already on sale for the newly announced season, The expanded, six-production slate kicks off October 3 with If You Give A Mouse a Cookie.

🗓️ Grand Reopening Timeline: Saturday, June 13

Join the Magik Theatre for the official ribbon-cutting, a Party in the Park outside Magik’s doors featuring themed activities, music, and refreshments, and the big show,

TimeEventDetails
12:00 PMOfficial Ribbon Cutting CeremonyRemarks by Magik CEO Mel Zarb-Cousin, District 1 Councilmember Sukh Kaur, and Hemisfair CEO Melissa Robinson.
12:30 PM – 1:30 PMParty in the ParkFree public celebration in Hemisfair Park with refreshments, themed crafts, activities, and live music.
1:00 PMTheatre Doors OpenThe public’s very first look at the beautiful interior renovations.
2:00 PMOpening Day PerformanceThe Very Hungry Caterpillar Show San Antonio touring premiere.
Post-ShowVIP/Media Tours & ReceptionGuided tours, backstage access, and refreshments (Invited guests/media).

📍 Location & About

Magik Theatre 420 S Alamo St. San Antonio, TX 78205

About Magik Theatre: A professional theatre for young audiences established in 1994, Magik Theatre’s mission is to create theatrical experiences that ignite imagination, spark curiosity, inspire empathy, and foster a lifetime love of learning in young people.

Photo: Magik Theatre

‘Sleeping Beauties’ Review: Stephen and Owen King’s Urgent Feminist Fable

‘Sleeping Beauties’ by Stephen King and Owen King. Photo: Barnes & Noble

Book Review: Sleeping Beauties: A Novel

By Stephen King and Owen King

The Synopsis

In the small Appalachian town of Dooling, it’s business as usual. Ree and Jeanette are cellmates in the local women’s prison—Ree is serving time for credit fraud, forgery, and drug possession, while Jeanette is in for manslaughter after stabbing her husband in the groin with a screwdriver.

Meanwhile, Dr. Clinton Norcross, the prison psychiatrist, is at home wondering what he was thinking when he got his wife Lila (the Dooling sheriff) a pool for their 10th wedding anniversary, while musing on his experiences as a mental health professional. Elsewhere, Tiffany, a junkie, lives with her cousin Truman, a meth cook, in an isolated trailer. Out of nowhere, a mysterious woman shows up and kills Truman, leaving Tiffany shocked but alive.

Soon after, a global phenomenon strikes: when women fall asleep, they become shrouded in a cocoon-like gauze. If that gauze is disturbed, they awaken as feral, violently protective forces. The authorities name the sleeping disease Aurora.

Only one woman, the mysterious Eve Black, is immune to the condition.

As fear and confusion spread, Eve becomes the focus of suspicion, fascination, and conflict:

  • The Protectors: Some believe she holds the key to saving humanity.
  • The Aggressors: Others see her as a threat that must be eliminated.
  • The Opportunists: Many exploit the chaos to wreak their own vengeance on new enemies.

As the men turn to violence in a suddenly all-male world, the women’s consciousness drifts to “Our Place,” a peaceful, matriarchal alternate world where cooperation and peace seem possible, creating a striking contrast to the chaos unfolding left behind.

Review

In Sleeping Beauties, the powerhouse duo of Stephen King and Owen King deliver a gripping, high-stakes allegory that feels both grand in scale and intimately unsettling.

The narrative heartbeat of the book relies heavily on its fractured character dynamics. At the center is Eve Black. She serves as a living Rorschach test for the town’s remaining men. To Clint Norcross, the empathetic prison psychiatrist, Eve is a patient to protect and a key to understanding the phenomenon. To others, driven by fear and toxic tribalism, she is a demon to be eradicated.

Stephen and Owen King have created a large cast of memorable characters whose strengths, flaws, and motivations drive the narrative. While its length may feel daunting at times, the richly developed characters and escalating tension keep the pages turning.

The prose is vivid and descriptive: “The liquor hadn’t taken over Terry’s mind yet, so far it was only visiting…”

The blend of supernatural horror and contemporary social issues gives the story emotional depth and relevance.

Core Themes

  • Gender Dynamics & Matriarchy: The book aggressively interrogates how society functions without the stabilizing, often invisible labor of women. “Our Place” suggests that a world governed by women inherently leans toward harmony, contrasting sharply with the immediate chaos left behind.
  • The Fragility of Civilization: With women gone, the male population rapidly devolves into primal, warring factions. The Kings masterfully expose how quickly systemic order crumbles into senseless violence when fueled by fear and toxic masculinity.

The Verdict

Ultimately, Sleeping Beauties is a provocative, urgent fable. It uses a supernatural lens to examine real-world gender divides, delivering a thrilling father-son collaboration that prompts readers to consider how fragile civilization can be when fear takes control.

Similar to King’s classics The Stand and Under the Dome, it’s an ambitious, provocative, and engaging novel that will appeal to fans of character-driven horror and readers who enjoy speculative fiction with meaningful themes.

“That was happening more and more: watchers lurking at the farthest reach of her vision. Hallucinations. How long could you stay awake before all rational thought broke down and you lost your mind compeletely?”

Rating: 4 out of 5.

Have you read Sleeping Beauties? Do you think a world without women would devolve as quickly as the Kings suggest? Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

About the authors

Stephen King is the author of more than sixty books, all of them worldwide bestsellers. His recent work includes Never Flinch, the short story collection You Like It Darker, Holly, Fairy Tale, Billy Summers, If It Bleeds, The Institute, Elevation, The Outsider, and the Bill Hodges trilogy: End of Watch, Finders Keepers, and Mr. Mercedes. He is the recipient of the 2020 Audio Publishers Association Lifetime Achievement Award, the 2018 PEN America Literary Service Award, the 2014 National Medal of Arts, and the 2003 National Book Foundation Medal for Distinguished Contribution to American Letters.

Owen King is the author of the acclaimed novel The Curator, Double Feature, and We’re All in This Together: A Novella and Stories. He is the coauthor of Intro to Alien Invasion and the coeditor of Who Can Save Us Now? Brand-New Superheroes and Their Amazing (Short) Stories. 

Maya de Vitry Announces New Album ‘All My Faith’ and 2026 Tour Dates

Maya de Vitry offers rhythms of time, love, & self-acceptance in self-produced 5th studio album. Photo: Ethan Jodziewicz, used with permission.

Maya de Vitry Announces Fifth Studio Album ‘All My Faith’ & Summer/Fall Tour

Energized by the spontaneity of live performance and a revelatory pursuit of truth in her lyric writing, Maya de Vitry returns with her fifth full-length album, All My Faith. Prioritizing presence and grit over studio polish, she sounds joyously at home in the alt-country and indie-folk realms. (Dreamspider Publicity, 2026)

Recorded and mixed by 5-time Grammy Award-winning engineer Sean Sullivan and self-produced by de Vitry, All My Faith is a buoyant gathering of songs brought to life by a cast of her closest confidantes and collaborators.

Release Date: All My Faith will be released on de Vitry’s own Mad Maker Studio label on July 24 and it’s available for pre-order.

Capturing the Magic in Real Time

From canyons to kitchens, from cold lakes to highway truck stops, the songs form a vibrant collage of joy, sorrow, and gut-wrenching honesty. Whether spinning an inspirational tale about hungover bachelorettes at the Nashville airport or exploring the prison of our own adaptations, de Vitry brings a grounded confidence and quiet charisma rooted in her belief in the power of song to change us.

All My Faith consists of 10 original songs written by Maya over the last year. Forgoing the technology often used to “perfect” studio recordings, de Vitry chose instead to fully trust the moment-to-moment musical conversations of the players and singers gathered around her.

A Commitment to No Edits

“When the band realized that I was planning to do no edits whatsoever on these tracks, the level of commitment from everyone just soared. It was a really exciting atmosphere in the studio,” de Vitry recalls.

True to her vision, everything you hear on this record was captured in real time and recorded over three days at The Tractor Shed in Goodlettsville, TN, from November 23 to 25, 2025.

The All-Star Studio Lineup

To bring this raw energy to life, de Vitry assembled an incredible crew of musicians:

  • Spencer Cullum & Ethan Ballinger (Miranda Lambert’s touring band) – Pedal steel and guitar
  • Jo Schornikow (Phosphorescent) – Keys
  • Ethan Jodziewicz – Bass
  • Dominic Billett – Drums
  • Shelby Means & Joel Timmons – Harmony vocals

Inspiration and Themes

A profound connection to nature runs throughout the record, not as a passing metaphor, but as an elemental and transformative force shaping both her voice as a songwriter and her orientation as an artist. At its heart, the album reflects on the ways human beings choose to care for one another in myriad forms and on the generative healing and wisdom that emerge from our relationships with each other and with the natural world. There’s also a common thread running through this record of being willing to name the painful and difficult parts of human relationships.

First Single: “Confidence of the Sun”

With her armor fading and her fire burning from within, “Confidence of the Sun” is bold and bright. It is the album’s first single and is one of several songs on All My Faith that Maya wrote at Blue Rock Artist Ranch & Studio in Wimberley, Texas, where she had been gifted a weeklong songwriting residency in April 2025.

Catch Maya de Vitry on Tour

Maya continues to tour in North America and Europe, whether solo, with her band, as part of other projects, or supporting artists like The Wood Brothers, Aoife O’Donovan, John Craigie, and Mighty Poplar. Tour dates are available online.

More About Maya de Vitry

Originally from the green rolling hills of Lancaster, PA, Maya de Vitry is a Nashville-based fiddler-turned-songwriter whose music blurs the lines of folk, indie rock, and Americana.

Her earliest years in the music industry are represented by the 4 full-length albums and 2 EPs with the roots-Americana trio The Stray Birds, with whom she toured year-round for 7 years throughout the USA, Canada, and Europe.

After this formative chapter, she launched her solo career with her 2019 album Adaptations, earning praise from Rolling Stone Country, NPR Music, and No Depression. Since then, she has released three more full-length albums—How to Break a Fall (2020), Violet Light (2022), and The Only Moment (2024)—and an EP, Infinite (2023).

When she is not on the road, she works as a record producer for other artists within her musical circle (Joel Timmons, Shelby Means, Hannah Delynn). Maya’s songs have also been recorded by The Milk Carton Kids, Nicholas Jamerson, Lindsay Lou, Steve Poltz, and Bronwyn Keith-Hynes.

The result is music that is, quite literally, the intoxicating sound of faith in action, a bandleader fully trusting in her life experiences, her craft, her collaborators, and the moment. It captures the exact presence she has been cultivating in her live shows, and hearing it magnified on record is its own revelation.

Album cover artwork by Lee Ferris
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San Antonio Food Bank Restaurant Weeks 2026: Dine Out to Fight Hunger

San Antonio Food Bank Restaurant Weeks is taking place now through June 20, 2026. Photo: San Antonio Food Bank, used with permission.

San Antonio Food Bank Restaurant Weeks Returns: A Farm-to-Table Experience

The San Antonio Food Bank is thrilled to announce the return of its annual San Antonio Food Bank Restaurant Weeks, taking place from June 6 to June 20, 2026. This innovative initiative brings together some of San Antonio’s most beloved restaurants to fight hunger and feed hope through the power of locally grown food. (San Antonio Food Bank, 2026)

The Farm-to-Table Difference

What sets this event apart is its direct connection to the San Antonio Food Bank’s on-site agricultural program. Located at its main campus, the Food Bank cultivates 25 acres of fresh, seasonal produce that is distributed to families in need across Southwest Texas.

For a limited time, these same nutrient-rich ingredients will make their way into the kitchens of participating restaurants, creating a meaningful farm-to-table experience that gives back.

Each participating restaurant will feature a signature dish centered around an on-site harvest, bringing their own culinary perspective to the plate. Together, these offerings celebrate San Antonio’s dynamic dining scene while spotting the Food Bank’s innovative and sustainable approach to addressing food insecurity.

“Last year marked the launch of The San Antonio Food Bank Restaurant Weeks, and the response from our community was both powerful and inspiring. We are bringing it back this year because the need is still there, and we will never stop working to make a difference. This campaign plays a vital role in supporting our Summer Meals for Kids initiative and helping ensure no child goes without a meal during the summer months.” — Eric Cooper, President & CEO of the San Antonio Food Bank

How Your Dining Experience Makes a Difference

Proceeds from each featured dish will directly benefit the Food Bank’s Summer Meals for Kids campaign—a critical program designed to bridge the 20 million meal gap children face during summer break, providing vital nutrition for youth who may otherwise go without.

The Impact by the Numbers:

  • The Goal: Each establishment has committed to raising at least $300 through the event.
  • The Power of $1: Every single dollar raised equates to seven meals for local children.
  • How to Give: Diners can support the cause by enjoying signature dishes at participating restaurants, where $1 from each dish sold is donated back to the Food Bank.
  • Bonus Ways to Help: Each restaurant will feature a unique QR code, allowing guests to contribute toward that restaurant’s fundraising goal either in-store or online.

Participating Restaurants Include:

  • Supper at Hotel Emma
  • Pharm Table
  • The Jerk Shack
  • Sari-Sari Filipino Restaurant & Market
  • Naco Mexican Eatery (featuring James Beard Award semifinalist Chef Francisco Estrada)
  • …and many more!

👉 View the full list of participating restaurants here

Don’t Miss: The One-Day-Only Food Festival Pop-Up!

As an exciting extension of Restaurant Weeks, Alamo Heights gem Wild Barley and Chef Geronimo Lopez (Vice President of Culinary Operations of the San Antonio Food Bank) are joining forces to host an exclusive pop-up event.

  • 📅 Date: June 16, 2026
  • ⏰ Time: 5p.m.– 8p.m.
  • 📍 Location: Wild Barley, 8403 Broadway, San Antonio, TX 78209
  • 🎟️ Tickets: $50 per person

What’s Included?

Tickets include chef-crafted bites from six unique stations, along with two drink tickets redeemable for any Wild Barley house-brewed beer. At five of the six stations, Chef Geronimo will highlight freshly harvested produce from the Food Bank’s Urban Farm, bringing a true farm-to-table experience directly to the community.

“As we planned the second annual San Antonio Food Bank Restaurant Weeks, we knew we wanted to raise the bar. At Wild Barley, we’re passionate about building community, and this event is an opportunity to bring people together while supporting a cause that creates meaningful impact for families across San Antonio.” — Marc Fogelsong, Co-owner and General Manager of Wild Barley Kitchen & Brewery

Get Your Tickets & Support the Cause

Proceeds from both the restaurant weeks and the benefit food festival will directly support the San Antonio Food Bank’s Summer Meals for Kids Program. Space is limited, so don’t wait!

About the San Antonio Food Bank

Founded in 1980, the San Antonio Food Bank serves one of the largest service areas in Southwest Texas, providing food assistance to over 100,000 individuals each week. Through a network of more than 500 partner agencies, the Food Bank distributes nearly 100 million pounds of food annually. Its mission is to fight hunger through food distribution, programs, education, and advocacy, aiming to empower families toward long-term self-sufficiency.

Upgrading Your Personal Operating System: ‘Scaling Yourself’ Book Spotlight

‘Scaling Yourself’ is the new book by Praval Panwar. Photo: Amazon

Book Spotlight: Scaling Yourself

Designing a Personal Operating System for Career and Life

By Praval Panwar

High performers are taught to push harder as responsibilities grow.

But effort does not scale. Architecture does.

As careers advance, the same habits that once drove success begin to create overload, burnout, and diminishing impact. Decisions slow. Energy drops. Influence dilutes.

The problem isn’t capability, it’s operating at a new level with an outdated personal operating system.

Redesigning the Flow of Success

Scaling Yourself applies principles from engineering, systems design, and leadership to the human side of performance. Instead of productivity hacks or motivation, it shows how to redesign how your work, decisions, energy, and influence flow so growth becomes sustainable. (Bookshop, 2026)

Who Is This Book For?

This book is built specifically for:

  • Ambitious professionals navigating rapid career growth.
  • Engineers and technical minds who want to apply systems thinking to life.
  • Leaders whose success has increased complexity, not freedom.

This is not a book about doing more. It is a book about designing better.

Get your copy today!

About the Author

Praval Panwar is a senior technology leader and systems thinker focused on the intersection of engineering, leadership, and long-term performance. Scaling Yourself distills his experience into a practical framework for redesigning how work, decisions, and energy flow so ambition can scale without burnout.

Chasing Dreams vs. Reality: A Review of McFadden’s ‘The Accidental Future of Dean Harris’

‘The Accidental Future of Dean Harris’ is the inspiring new book by Derek McFadden. Photo: Paste Creative Book Tours, used with permission.

Book Review: The Accidental Future of Dean Harris by Derek McFadden

Part of Paste Creative Book Tours

Release Date: June 15, 2026. Available for pre-order.

The Story

Dean Harris is a struggling writer with cerebral palsy. His life’s dream has been to write a bestselling novel, a dream he shares with his father, Damon Harris. When his father calls him with the good news that he has finally landed a literary agent, Dean is happy for him. He really is, but his father doesn’t believe him.

When Damon’s agent, Dianne, finds out that Dean is also a writer, she offers him an unpaid internship as a second reader, a manuscript gatekeeper. He accepts the internship and spends his days reading manuscripts, some good, some not so good. Then, one day, he meets bestselling author Charles Corning.

Over the years, they develop a close working relationship and Charles becomes a mentor of sorts to Dean. He agrees to read Dean’s unpublished novel, What Lucas Learned From Life, which is about a young man dealing with life with cerebral palsy. He likes it and encourages Dean to never give up on his dreams of seeing it published.

Dean self-publishes the book, but then his biggest dream comes true: his next novel becomes a bestseller and a critical success.

Then he wakes up. His reality once again centers around unread pages and a dream that is constantly just beyond reach. When parts of his dreams start creeping into his waking world, Dean realizes that maybe the vision wasn’t simply an “accidental future”—maybe it was more like a map.

Now Dean must decide whether he should stop chasing the ghost of the man he wants to be and face the life he’s actually living: the family he’s overlooked and a relationship with his girlfriend, Claire, that’s unraveling under the weight of his ambition.

Photo: Paste Creative Book Tours

Review

Derek McFadden’s The Accidental Future of Dean Harris is a gripping, mind-bending exploration of ambition and reality. Dean Harris is stuck between being a “visionary” and a “fraud,” and it’s affecting his relationships with the people he loves.

Taking place between 2015 and 2021, the story blends reality and subconscious insight, creating a narrative that feels introspective and highly relatable. The nonlinear format adds incredible depth to the story, revealing how past choices, hidden desires, and personal blind spots shape our futures. It also contains a story within a story, with portions of What Lucas Learned From Life included to support Dean’s narrative, which is in the first person point of view.

McFadden gives readers a story that is less about literary fame and more about the ghosts we chase at the expense of our present. The prose is sharp, witty, and deeply empathetic, capturing the existential dread of the creative mind.

“Yet, on this early evening, with the sun sinking low and inviting darkness to settle over the city like a colorless comforter outside my window, life had changed.”

The characters are well-developed, especially Dean, and his struggles as a writer will resonate with would-be authors everywhere.

The Verdict

The Accidental Future of Dean Harris is a thought-provoking and poignant read for anyone who has ever looked at their life and wondered if they are waking up to the wrong reality. Beyond its exploration of artistic ambition, the novel offers a powerful look at relationships, whether they be familial or friendships. These emotional threads ground the story and give it genuine heart.

Insightful and ultimately hopeful, it’s a gentle reminder of the importance of finding meaning not in the future we imagine, but in the life unfolding right before us.

“Rejection will, for all time, stand as the most personal, most painful verdict that can be delivered in all of human experience.”

Rating: 4 out of 5.

About the Author

Derek McFadden is an author, a poet, a podcast presenter, a radio enthusiast, an unapologetic fan of the Seattle Mariners, and a former March of Dimes ambassador. He lives with a mild version of cerebral palsy, and his eyes are not great at being eyes.

Other Books by Derek McFadden:

  • What Death Taught Terrence – His debut novel was a Next Generation Indie Book Award Finalist (2021) and the Best Adult Fiction Winner at The Wishing Shelf Awards (2021). The audiobook version, read by the acclaimed BJ Harrison, was a Best Adult Audio Book Finalist at The Wishing Shelf Awards (2021).
  • The Santa Claus Agreement – His second novel, and a Wishing Shelf Awards “red ribbon” winner.
  • All Systems Snow – A collection of short stories published in 2023.
Photo: Paste Creative Book Tours

**Thank you to Stephanie Caruso, Paste Creative Book Tours, and Derek McFadden for the gifted ARC for review consideration. I haven’t been compensated for this review and all views and opinions expressed are my own.

Photo: Paste Creative Book Tours

Live-Action Masters of the Universe is Now in Theaters

Idris Elba, Kristen Wiig, Tom Wilton, Nicholas Galitzine, and Camila Mendes star in He-Man and the Masters of the Universe, now in theaters. Photo: Amazon MGM Studios.

By the Power of Grayskull! Masters of the Universe Hits the Big Screen This Month

I grew up watching the He-Man animated series. For more than four decades, He-Man and the Masters of the Universe has remained a beloved staple of pop culture.

Debuting in 1983, the original animated series captivated audiences with its colorful characters, epic battles, and the timeless struggle between good and evil. Fans were drawn to Prince Adam’s transformation into He-Man—the heroic defender of Eternia—and to deeply memorable villains like Skeletor. The show’s core themes of courage, friendship, and responsibility continue to resonate with viewers of all ages, while pure nostalgia has helped introduce the franchise to entire new generations.

Photo: IMDb

Now, He-Man returns to the big screen in the live-action Masters of the Universe, arriving in theaters this month! Directed by Travis Knight and starring Nicholas Galitzine as He-Man, the film promises an action-packed adventure that brings the legendary world of Eternia to life for a new era of fans.

It’s now playing in theaters everywhere!

🎬 New Movie Release: Masters of the Universe

Masters of the Universe is an epic sword-and-sorcery film based on the iconic media franchise by Mattel. Mark your calendars, because this marks the second live-action film adaptation since the cult-classic 1987 film.

Quick Facts:

  • Director: Travis Knight
  • Writers: Chris Butler, Aaron Nee, Adam Nee, and David Callaham
  • Rating: PG-13
  • Runtime: 2 hours 20 minutes

🎭 The Star-Studded Cast

The new film brings together an incredible ensemble cast to bring Eternia to life:

  • Nicholas Galitzine as Prince Adam / He-Man
  • Camila Mendes * Jared Leto * Alison Brie * James Purefoy * Jóhannes Haukur Jóhannesson * Charlotte Riley * Kristen Wiig * Morena Baccarin * Idris Elba

📜 Official Synopsis

In the furthest regions of space, the kingdom of Eternia is threatened by the villainous Skeletor and his mischievous armies of darkness. To save his father’s kingdom and protect the lives of those he holds dear, young Prince Adam must retrieve a mythical sword and become the fabled warrior known only as “He-Man.” (IMDb, 2026)

Are you planning to see it? Whether you’re a die-hard fan from the ’83 cartoon era or brand new to Eternia, let me know your thoughts on the new live-action look in the comments below!

Celebrate Pride Month in San Antonio: Events, Drinks, & Treats

Tenfold Rooftop is having specialty cocktails all month to benefit SA Pride Center. Photo: Kimpton Santo San Antonio-Riverwalk, used with permission.

🌈 Celebrate Pride Month: Standout Spots to Sip, Snack, and Support in San Antonio

With Pride Month kicking off this June, several standout spots around town are celebrating with delicious drinks supporting local organizations, rainbow treats, and high-energy events. (Bakery Lorraine, Gunter Hotel, Kimpton Santo San Antonio-Riverwalk, Thompson San Antonio-Riverwalk, 2026)

Whether you are looking for the perfect rainbow donut or a rooftop party with a view, here is your ultimate guide to celebrating Pride in style.

🍩 Bakery Lorraine

The beloved local bakery is unveiling a special Rainbow Pride Donut to celebrate all month long. The best part? You can indulge for a good cause.

Photo: Bakery Lorraine

🍸 The Gunter Hotel (Keystone Club)

Stop by the Keystone Club to sip on the “Pride Rush” cocktail ($16). This festive drink features Tito’s Vodka, St. Germain, lemon juice, simple syrup, lychee syrup, and muddled raspberries. To top it off, it’s served with a Rainbow Sour Strip and edible iridescent glitter.

  • When: Available Monday, June 1 through Tuesday, June 30.
  • Hours: Walk-ins are welcome daily between 11:00 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.

🎧 Kimpton Santo San Antonio-Riverwalk (Tenfold Rooftop)

Get ready for Tenfold Dayclub: Pride Takeover, a high-energy rooftop experience featuring live DJs by FREEQUENCY, sounds powered by CDJsessions, vibrant cocktails, skyline views, giveaways, and more.

  • The Event: Sunday, June 7 from 12:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. (Must be 21+ to enter).
  • Admission: $30 General Admission, with a portion of ticket proceeds going to the Thrive Youth Center.
  • The Drinks: Enjoy a specialty cocktail menu curated by Tito’s. These cocktails will be available all month long, with a portion of proceeds supporting the SA Pride Center.
  • Reservations: Strongly encouraged through OpenTable.

🏨 Thompson San Antonio – Riverwalk

Texans looking for a vibrant weekend getaway can head to the heart of the city. Ideally situated along the iconic River Walk and just steps from the city’s Pride festivities, the Thompson San Antonio offers the perfect home base to celebrate in style.

On Saturday, June 27, guests can enjoy easy access to San Antonio’s Pride parade before keeping the party going at the hotel’s signature venues:

  • The Moon’s Daughters: Sip on a curated selection of $15 rosé wines available all day and night while taking in sweeping skyline views from the rooftop lounge.
  • Cenote Pool Deck: The open-air celebration features $15 Drink Pouches (including Strawberry Infused Cosmos), specialty cocktails, and poolside beverages.
  • Live Music: A live DJ set from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. will bring the energy to the pool deck, creating the ultimate festive atmosphere.

Blending elevated accommodations, vibrant nightlife, and a prime location, it’s an unforgettable Pride weekend escape for both locals and travelers from across Texas.

Photo: Kimpton Santo San Antonio-Riverwalk

‘The Girl on the Beach’ Book Review: This Summer’s Ultimate Thriller

‘The Girl on the Beach’ is the new suspenseful thriller by Carol Snow. Photo: Penguin Random House

Book Review: The Girl on the Beach by Carol Snow

Release Date: June 23, 2026, available for pre-order.

Genre: Psychological Thriller / Suspense

Synopsis

On the surface, Sonia and Graham Starr are a glamorous couple: Sonia is the sleek entrepreneur behind a successful lifestyle brand and Graham is a handsome painter with an irrepressible zest for life. They had everything money could buy and the one thing it couldn’t, a precious, precocious four-year-old named Roxie. But when Roxie disappears into the Pacific Ocean on a perfect August afternoon, their world crumbles around them.

Months after the tragedy, the Starrs are divorcing, and Sonia has hired real estate agent Jan Murray to sell their expensive beach house. One Sunday afternoon, Jan waits for Colleen, Roxie’s twenty-one-year-old former nanny, to arrive at the home.

Still haunted by unanswered questions and overwhelming guilt, Colleen returns to the Starrs’ house on the “American Riviera”—the rarefied stretch of land around Santa Barbara where the mountains meet the sea—hoping the environment will trigger buried memories.

Her first night back, she gazes out at the sand and sees a child who bears a striking resemblance to Roxie. When she calls out, the child runs away. Colleen never believed that Roxie, who was deeply afraid of the surf, would run into the ocean on her own. A desperate hunt for the truth begins, forcing Colleen to face her greatest fears.

Review

The Girl on the Beach immerses readers into the devastating aftermath of a family’s worst nightmare. Set against the sun-drenched, wealthy backdrop of Santa Barbara, the story masterfully follows the unraveling of a family unit broken by grief.

A Gripping, Non-Linear Narrative

The heart of the book is Colleen’s journey. Told through her first-person perspective, the story unfolds using alternating BEFORE and AFTER chapters. These flashbacks carefully piece together the timeline surrounding Roxie’s disappearance.

Colleen is a particularly engaging protagonist whose determination and vulnerability make her incredibly easy to root for. Driven by intense guilt, she constantly blames herself for not watching Roxie, even though it was her day off. Snow handles Colleen’s struggles with anxiety, grief, and an unhelpful therapist with remarkable empathy and realism.

Atmospheric and Tense

Snow excels at creating an atmosphere of unease and paranoia, skillfully revealing secrets while forcing the reader to question who is actually telling the truth. The beautiful scenery comes alive through poetic, highly descriptive prose:

“Our feet crunch on gravel. Insects buzz. The scent of wild roses and sage hangs heavy in the air.”

This gorgeous, idyllic setting creates a tense, gripping juxtaposition against the dark, suffocating grief of the Starr family.

The Verdict

The Girl on the Beach is a riveting thriller that beautifully combines family tragedy, suspense, and emotional depth. It uses themes of grief, identity, and the fragility of memory to explore the human condition under extreme stress.

Fans of psychological suspense will appreciate the intricate plotting and emotional complexity. Best of all? The genuinely jaw-dropping finale completely resets everything you thought you knew. It is easily this year’s top summer beach read.

“The sky is white and soggy. The air has a bite. It is winter, after all; some days it even feels like it. And yet, the sea calls to me.”

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

About the Author

Carol Snow holds a BA in psychology from Brown University and an MA in teaching English from Boston College. She is the author of ten novels.

Called “an author to watch” by Booklist, recognition for Snow’s previous titles includes a Target Bookmarked Breakout Selection, Amazon Editors’ Pick: Best Books of the Month, and a Readers’ Crown Award Finalist.

**Thank you to Fauzia Burke of FSB Associates for the gifted ARC for review consideration. I haven’t been compensated for this review and all views and opinions expressed are my own.

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Boone Creek’s 1977 Debut Reissued with Vince Gill & Unreleased Tracks

The genre-defining 1977 album: Boone Creek’s self-titled debut returns. Photo: Craft Recordings, used with permission.

Lost Bluegrass Treasure Unearthed: Boone Creek’s Legendary 1977 Debut Returns with Unreleased Tracks

The wait is finally over for bluegrass purists and progressive roots fans alike. Craft Recordings and HighTone Records have announced the long-awaited return of Boone Creek, the self-titled 1977 debut from the boundary-pushing supergroup. (Craft Recordings, 2026)

Featuring future bluegrass luminaries Ricky Skaggs, Jerry Douglas, Wes Golding, and Terry Baucom, this landmark album is stepping out of the vault and into the modern era.

A Historic Reissue Across All Formats

Long out of print and previously unavailable outside its original release, Boone Creek is making a massive comeback on June 26.

  • First Vinyl Pressing in nearly five decades.
  • Debut Releases on CD and all streaming platforms (including hi-res digital).
  • Pre-orders are available.

🎧 First Listen: “I’m Gonna Settle Down”

To celebrate the announcement, you can stream or download Boone Creek’s soul-stirring take on the Flatt & Scruggs classic, “I’m Gonna Settle Down,” right now. The track perfectly showcases the dazzling musicianship and fiery chemistry of these four masters.

50 Years in the Making: The Mystery of the Lost Tapes

In 1976, fresh off their tenure with J.D. Crowe & the New South, Ricky Skaggs (mandolin, fiddle, guitar, vocals) and Jerry Douglas (Dobro, vocals) joined forces with songwriter Wes Golding (guitar) and Terry Baucom (banjo). Together, they created a daring new sound that honored bluegrass tradition while boldly expanding its possibilities with elements of jam-band looseness, timeless pop, and 1970s soft-rock.

But for decades, a piece of that history was missing.

“When it came time to collect the tapes, it was found that the engineer had absconded with them.” — Jerry Douglas

Nearly five decades later, the tapes were finally tracked down, but they were moldy and badly damaged. Following an intense restoration effort, four previously unreleased session recordings were rescued. These bonus tracks reveal an even bolder, more experimental side of Boone Creek, including the freewheeling “Hitchhiking to California” and the horn-laced, subtly psychedelic “Dream Song.” One of the recovered tracks, “Misty Wind,” even features harmony vocals from country legend Vince Gill, who briefly played bass for the band.

What the Legends Are Saying

“It’s been over 50 years since Boone Creek made these recordings and it’s great to hear them remastered. They sound better than ever, and I never thought the previously unreleased cuts would see the light of day. A big thanks to my bandmate, brother Jerry Douglas, for assisting in the remastering process—great job!” — Ricky Skaggs

Where Are They Now? The Boone Creek Legacy

Boone Creek only put out one more album (One Way Track in 1978) before disbanding, but its members went on to shape the face of American roots music:

  • Ricky Skaggs: Just 23 during Boone Creek, he went on to join Emmylou Harris’ Hot Band and forged a legendary career, earning 15 GRAMMY Awards.
  • Jerry Douglas: Recognized as one of the most influential Dobro players in history, Douglas has garnered 16 GRAMMY Awards and is a featured member of Alison Krauss and Union Station.
  • Wes Golding: Later performed with the beloved Shenandoah Cut-Ups and co-founded Wes Golding & Sure Fire.
  • Terry Baucom: A founding member of Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver and IIIrd Tyme Out, Baucom passed away in 2023, receiving a Distinguished Achievement Award at that year’s IBMA Bluegrass Music Awards.

A Snapshot of Bluegrass History

Today, Boone Creek stands as both a time capsule and a revelation: a snapshot of four extraordinary musicians at the start of their journeys, unafraid to test the limits of their craft.

Are you excited to spin this progressive bluegrass classic on vinyl? Let me know in the comments below, and don’t forget to pre-order your copy today!

Photo: Craft Recordings