HipBeat will be released on digital platforms this Thursday December 23, 2021. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Writer/director Samuel Kay Forrest’s acclaimed drama HipBeat, described by the critical community as Easy Rider with dresses instead of motorcycles, has been acquired by Indie Rights. (Indie Rights, 2021)
The film, produced by Mother Earth Films, FC Films, and Castle Matrix Productions, tells of a political activist fighting against the system while searching for love in the Berlin queer community. Forrest also stars in the film alongside Marie Céline Yildirim, Judy LaDivina, Helmut Wößner, Filip Süt Rutkowski, and Andriana Manfredi.
“We’re excited to be distributing and are looking forward to finding an audience for the film.” – Linda Nelson, CEO Indie Rights
“The love revolution taking place in Berlin inspired me to start a conversation about love, gender, and politics.” – Samuel Kay Forrest
Indie Rights, who have acquired global rights, will release HipBeat on Digital platforms beginning December 23, 2021.
Elijah Malcomb, Joseph Morales, Kyle Scatliffe, Fergie L. Philippe, and Company. Photo: Joan Marcus, used with permission.
Producer Jeffrey Seller and North Park Lexus Broadway in San Antonio announce a digital lottery for ‘Hamilton’ tickets will begin in conjunction with the show’s first performance January 5 in San Antonio at the Majestic Theatre. Only forty tickets will be available for every performance for $10 each. The lottery will open at 10a.m. Friday, December 24, 2021 and will close at 12p.m. Thursday, December 30, 2021 for tickets to performances January 5-9, 2022. Subsequent digital lotteries will begin on each Friday and close the following Thursday for the upcoming week’s performances. (Majestic Theatre, 2021)
How to enter:
Use the official ‘Hamilton’ app, now available for all iOS and Android devices in the Apple App Store and the Google Play Store.
The lottery will open at 10a.m. every Friday and will close for entry at 12p.m. the next Thursday prior to the following week’s performances.
Winner and non-winner notifications will be sent between 1p.m. and 4p.m. every Thursday for the upcoming week’s performances via email and mobile push notification. Winners will have two hours to claim and pay for their ticket(s).
No purchase or payment necessary to enter or participate.
Each winning entrant may purchase up to two (2) tickets.
Only one entry per person. Repeat entries and disposable email addresses will be discarded.
Lottery tickets may be picked up at will call beginning two hours prior to the performance with a valid photo ID.
Lottery tickets void if resold.
All times listed are in the local time zone.
Additional rules:
Patrons must be eighteen years or older and have a valid, non-expired photo ID that matches the name used to enter. Tickets are non-transferable. Ticket limits and prices displayed are at the sole discretion of the show and are subject to change without notice.
Lottery prices are not valid on prior purchases. Lottery ticket offer cannot be combined with any other offers or promotions. All sales final – no refunds or exchanges. Lottery may be revoked or modified at any time without notice. A purchase will not improve the chances of winning.
Tickets for ‘Hamilton’ are currently on sale. Patrons are advised to check the official ‘Hamilton’ channels and BroadwayInSanAntonio.com for late release seats which may become available at short notice.
‘Hamilton’ is the story of America then, told by America now. Featuring a score that blends hip-hop, jazz, R&B and Broadway, ‘Hamilton’ has taken the story of American founding father Alexander Hamilton and created a revolutionary moment in theatre—a musical that has had a profound impact on culture, politics, and education.
With book, music, and lyrics by Lin-Manuel Miranda, direction by Thomas Kail, choreography by Andy Blankenbuehler, and musical supervision and orchestrations by Alex Lacamoire, ‘Hamilton’ is based on Ron Chernow’s acclaimed biography. It has won Tony®, Grammy®, and Olivier Awards, the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, and an unprecedented special citation from the Kennedy Center Honors.
Help will be available on digital formats starting February 15, 2022. Photo: google
Ridder Films, in association with Executive Producer Lucas A. Ferrara, are delighted to share the new trailer and poster for their award-winning psychological thriller Help, which will be available on digital download in the USA and Canada starting February 15, 2022. Help was filmed over just twelve days. Due to UK lockdown restrictions, only twenty cast and crew members were involved. Help is a testament to producing high-quality films during such a turbulent time. (Ridder Films, 2021)
A young woman’s life turns chaotic when she uncovers a deadly secret about her friend. A painful break up prompts Grace to visit her friend Liv who is living in the idyllic English countryside with her boyfriend Edward and his dog Polly. The trio start the weekend in high spirits but soon turns into chaos, as well-kept secrets are exposed and the friends come to see each other in a whole new light. Everyone has a secret.
Help boasts an impressive cast of promising actors of Louis James (The English Teacher, A Simple Robbery), Emily Redpath (Romeo and Juliet, Casualty), Sarah Alexandra Marks (Glamour, Psychosis), and including a cameo performance from iconic boyband Blue’s very own Duncan James.
With a plot as dark as Help’s, you might not expect to see former boyband member Duncan James’ cameo, but the unlikely pairing came about organically. “I met Louis whilst filming in Liverpool, a mutual friend introduced us, and we immediately struck up a friendship,” explains James. “His passion was palpable and there was a lot of mutual respect. I watched his performance in a few of Ridder’s short films, such as ‘The English Teacher’ and ‘A Simple Robbery’ and thought he was great, so I wanted to support him and be involved in his next project.”
“No matter how hard we try, no one is perfect. We all have our own issues and help that we seek for. Especially in our personal relationships, much like the characters in this film. During the UK’s first lockdown in March 2020, it pushed me to create even more short films than I ever did before. Of course, with each film you make, it teaches you something, you learn from your mistakes and understand what really captures the audience through my storytelling. Which ultimately made me decide it was time to make my debut feature film.” – Director Blake Ridder
“As the script was developed I could sense from the early stages he was crafting something unique. Coming onboard as Producer I knew I would I have to match Blake’s machine like work ethic. I got to work immediately assembling a strong cast and crew to lift his story off of the page. We worked closely together to make sure our visions for the production were kept aligned each step of the way.” – Producer Louis James
Distributor: Ridder Films Digital Download Date: February 15, 2022 Digital Platforms: iTunes, Apple TV, Amazon, Google Play & Microsoft Writer and Director: Blake Ridder Producer: Louis James Executive Producer: Lucas A. Ferrara Cast: Louis James, Emily Redpath, Sarah Alexandra Marks, Duncan James, Blake Ridder, Amy Jim, Stuart Wolfe-Murray Run Time: 96 minutes Rating: TBC
Isaac Rodriguez’ Last Radio Call is one of the movies that will premiere on AVOD in January. Courtesy photo, used with permission.
Genre distributor Terror Films will officially launch their YouTube AVOD channel in 2022 with 2 new releases. The first film out of the gate will be Isaac Rodriguez’ found footage horror film, Last Radio Call on January 14, followed by Kipp Tribble’s home invasion horror film, Evil at the Door on January 21. The films will premiere exclusively on the Terror Films channel featuring a live chat event with the filmmakers, cast and fans during the premiere. The films will be released wide, across Digital and VOD platforms one week later after their premieres. (Terror Films, 2021)
In addition to new releases, the channel will also feature the distributor’s entire library of diverse, indie horror films, which will eventually expand to an international audience.
“This is such an exciting time for us as a company. This was a necessary, next step in our ongoing efforts to grow our brand while increasing the reach and revenue streams of our amazing library of horror films.”- Joe Dain, Terror Films President
Written and Directed by Isaac Rodriguez, who also produced alongside Cynthia Bergen, Last Radio Call centers around Officer David Serling, who went missing inside the abandoned Yorktown Memorial Hospital. One year later, his wife has hired a film crew to help bring light on what really happened that night. Using recovered body cam footage, she discovers a dark secret that sends her spiraling down a horrific path of ancient evil. She must now face an unknown terror to find the answers she desperately seeks. Starring Sarah Froelich, Jason Scarbough, June Griffin Garcia, Ali Alkhafaji, KeeKee Takatsuki, Bert Lopez, and Makayla Rodriguez, the film will be available across digital and VOD platforms January 21, one week after it debuts on the Terror Films Channel.
Written and Directed by Kipp Tribble, who also produced alongside Patrick Rivera, Kenny Yates and Executive Producer Richard Siegelman, Evil at the Door centers around a secret guild that has operated for nearly a century, known as The Locusts. Once a year this guild treats its members to a night of curated home invasions (aka, “runs”), known underground as “The Night of The Locusts.” With 180 minutes to do as they please with the occupants of the selected home, four masked men enter the home of Daniel and Jessica and begin to engage in sick, twisted games with them. Unbeknownst to the intruders, Liz, Jessica’s younger sister, is hiding under the bed. While the run time winds down, Liz plots her escape as The Locusts realize there is a traitor in their group. But will the division amongst the intruders be enough distraction for Liz to survive before The Locusts’ clock runs out? Starring Bruce Davison, Andrea Sweeney Blanco, Robert Allen Mukes, Kipp Tribble, Kenny Yates, Sunny Doench, and Richard Siegelman, the film will be available across digital and VOD platforms January 28, one week after it debuts on the Terror Films Channel.
Adam Shoenfeld’s new solo album All the Birds Sing will be out in January. Photo: LYRIC Magazine
In 1994, at 20 years old, Adam Shoenfeld moved to Nashville and soon integrated himself into the music community. He formed a band with “Big Kenny” Alphin called LuvjOi, which became one of the most popular draws on Nashville’s rock scene in that era. When Big Kenny then formed country duo Big & Rich with John Rich, they enlisted Shoenfeld to play guitar on their 2004 breakout hit, “Save a Horse, Ride a Cowboy.” Around this same time, Shoenfeld and Rich teamed up to write a hit for Faith Hill, resulting in her 2005 No. 1 single, “Mississippi Girl.” He will release his first solo album, All the Birds Sing, in January 2022. (Adam Shoenfeld, 2021)
From the first notes of Shoenfeld’s new record – out January 28 via Lozen Entertainment Group/Copperline–the musicianship and wealth of drawn influences are readily apparent. Spending the last two decades bringing his rock-leaning sound to Nashville’s premier country music scene and his last nine years in Tim McGraw’s touring band, Shoenfeld has channeled all of these words and melodies of his own for something brand new; something apart from his country “day-job.” “I love getting to play guitar for people and making a living doing that,” he says. “It’s the best job in the world, but I’ve always been an artist at heart.” The Boot premiered the first single from All the Birds Sing, “The Sky is Falling Down” paired with an exclusive interview with Shoenfeld. Although the ELO-string section-influenced song alludes to the chaos in the world, there is a silver lining in its message. Fans can hear “The Sky is Falling Down” now at this link and pre-order or pre-save All the Birds Sing ahead of its January 28 release right here.
Although he opted out of becoming known as a country artist, Shoenfeld’s playing has shaped the genre for decades now. He believes that being around the industry for this long, watching what artists go through, gave him the confidence to step out as a solo performer. “It’s all built up to this point where I’m like, ‘You know what? I need to do this. I need to put it out there to see if I can touch some people with this music,’” he says. From the rock anthem “Getting to Me” to the poetic songwriting of “Say a Word,” Shoenfeld is doing exactly that. The cornerstone of All the Birds Sing is the poignant title track, which he wrote in ten minutes in a hotel room, in tears, for someone close to him who was going through a tough time. However, its tender lyrics resonate in his own life too.
All the Birds Sing Track list: The Sky is Falling Down Gettin’ to Me All the Birds Sing Eleven Son Pave Those Highways Lose to Win Her Song Norwegian Wood Say a Word
Agarita celebrates San Antonio Museum of Art’s 40th anniversary with free community concert. Photo: Agarita
An innovative chamber ensemble dedicated to producing bold, collaborative musical events, Agarita offers a new way to experience classical and contemporary music. Rooted in San Antonio and founded by Daniel Anastasio (piano), Marisa Bushman (viola), Ignacio Gallego (cello), and Sarah Silver Manzke (violin), Agarita nourishes the local community through artistic collaborations, community engagement, and free, adventurous programming. (Agarita, 2021)
Agarita was recently named San Antonio Magazine’s Best of the City 2021: Culture winner for its collaboration with area partners. It works intimately with local artists of various genres to weave cross-artistic narratives for each concert. Agarita’s past collaborations have included the McNay Art Museum’s Pop América exhibit, lighting artist Chuck Drew, Cameron Beauchamp from the Grammy Award-winning vocal group Roomful of Teeth, chef Elizabeth Johnson and Pharm Table restaurant, poet Laura Van Prooyen, sculptor Danville Chadbourne, educational arts institution SAY Sí, and the Luminaria Contemporary Arts Festival for a concert inside San Antonio’s historic Mission San José.
As a nonprofit organization, Agarita believes that the arts should be accessible to everyone in its community. Agarita presents free public concerts, performs at local schools, and offers opportunities for other artists through its collaborations. The next event will take place on Sunday, December 12 at the San Antonio Museum of Art.
Agarita Celebrates SAMA’s 40th! Date: Sunday, December 12, 2021 Time: 11a.m. – 12:15p.m. Location: San Antonio Museum of Art, 200 West Jones Ave, San Antonio, TX 78215 Collaborator: Highlights of SAMA’s permanent collection Description: Agarita returns to the San Antonio Museum of Art for a concert celebrating the museum’s 40th anniversary. Musical selections will reflect artworks on display in the special exhibit. This concert is FREE and open to the public.
The Wheel of Time is a fantasy series by Robert Jordan. The television adaptation is now available on Amazon Prime Video. Photo: amazon
Robert Jordan was an American author of epic fantasy. He is known best for his series the Wheel of Time (finished by Brandon Sanderson after Jordan’s death) which comprises 14 books and a prequel novel. He is one of several writers to have written original Conan the Barbarian novels. The Wheel of Time was adapted into a television series and released through Amazon Prime Video last month. The series follows Moiraine, a member of the Aes Sedai, a powerful organization of women who can use magic. She takes a group of four young people on a journey around the world, believing one of them might be the reincarnation of the Dragon, a powerful individual prophesied to either save the world or destroy it. It stars Rosamund Pike as Moiraine. (amazon, 2021)
The Wheel of Time is a series of high fantasy novels set in an unnamed world that, due to the cyclical nature of time as depicted in the series, is simultaneously the distant past and the distant future Earth. It draws on numerous elements of both European and Asian mythology, most notably the cyclical nature of time found in Buddhism and Hinduism, the metaphysical concepts of balance and duality, and a respect for nature found in Taoism. Its story of creation has similarities to the Abrahamic religions’ “Creator” (Light) and Shai’tan, “The Dark One.” It was also partly inspired by Leo Tolstoy’s War and Peace (1869). The Wheel of Time is notable for its length, detailed imaginary world and magic system, and large cast of characters. (Wikipedia, 2021)
The movie adaptation of Robert Harris’ ‘Munich’ will be released on Netflix and movie theaters in January. Photo: amazon
Robert Harris is the author of “Pompeii,” “Enigma,” and “Fatherland.” He has been a television correspondent with the BBC and a newspaper columnist for the London Sunday Times and The Daily Telegraph. His novels have sold more than ten million copies and been translated into thirty languages. His book “Munich,” a World War II-era spy thriller set against the backdrop of the fateful Munich Conference of September 1938, has been adapted into a movie by Netflix and will have a limited theatrical release before its January 21, 2022 on Netflix. It stars film stars Jeremy Irons, George MacKay, Jannis Niewöhner, Sandra Hüller, Liv Lisa Fries, August Diehl, Jessica Brown Findlay, Anjli Mohindra, and Ulrich Matthes. (amazon, 2021)
“Munich” – Hugh Legat is a rising star of the British diplomatic service, serving at 10 Downing Street as a private secretary to the Prime Minister, Neville Chamberlain. Paul von Hartmann is on the staff of the German Foreign Office–and secretly a member of the anti-Hitler resistance. The two men were friends at Oxford in the 1920s, but have not been in contact since. Now, when Hugh flies with Chamberlain from London to Munich, and Hartmann travels on Hitler’s train overnight from Berlin, their paths are set on a disastrous collision course. Once again, Robert Harris gives us actual events of historical importance–here are Hitler, Chamberlain, Mussolini, Daladier–at the heart of an electrifying novel.
The Home for the Holidays Special Event Series at the TSC Performing Arts Center in Brownsville. Photo: Sandra Cruz
Last Sunday November 28, the UTRGV School of Music and Patron of the Arts returned to the stage at the TSC Performing Arts Center in Brownsville for their Home for the Holidays series. During this free event, the community enjoyed musical performances by the UTRGV Symphony Orchestra, the UTRGV Wind Orchestra, and the UTRGV Master Chorale.
The night of holiday music began with a pre-concert music in the lobby by the UTRGV Trombone Choir to entertain the audience until the auditorium doors opened. The night’s first half of the concert series consisted of the UTRGV Master Chorale singing This Endris Night and What Sweeter Music, the UTRGV Symphony Orchestra performing holiday classics like How the Grinch Stole Christmas and Stille Nacht. The intermission entertainment came courtesy of the UTRGV Horn Choir and for the second half of the evening’s performances, the UTRGV Master Chorale and UTRGV Wind Orchestra performed such classics as Sleigh Ride and The Christmas Song and the UTRGV Wind Orchestra performed The Polar Express and The Bells of Christmas, among other holiday favorites. The audience participation portion was a holiday sing along with the UTRGV Master Chorale and Wind Symphony of Deck the Hall, Jingle Bells, O Christmas Tree and We Wish You A Merry Christmas. The UTRGV Jazz Combo kept the momentum going in the lobby with a post-concert performance.
The UTRGV School of Music successfully kicked off the post-Thanksgiving holiday season with a wonderfully nostalgic night of music. Everyone from the musicians to the singers brought a much needed magical night of music for the community to enjoy. They performed to a nearly packed auditorium and all the night’s performances were delightful and deserve the spotlight just as much as the athletes. Hopefully, there will be more such concerts in the near future.
Patron of the Arts is the performance and membership series of the UTRGV School of Music that has provided Rio Grande Valley residents and visitors with excellent artistic programs for over 35 years. The program was created in 1984 in Brownsville, Texas, to provide the community and students with opportunities for learning and enrichment by attending live events by professional guest musicians as well as visual artists. Patron of the Arts was also intended to provide a venue for faculty and student performances to highlight the considerable talent we have in the Rio Grande Valley. (Patron of the Arts, 2021)
UTRGV Trombone ChoirUTRGV Symphony OrchestraUTRGV Horn ChoirUTRGV Jazz Combo
Secondhand Serenade is currently on tour in support of the upcoming new album Just Because You Sing Loud. Photo: google
Emo-Pop Rocker Secondhand Serenade (AKA John Vesely) is set to release new album Just Because You Sing Loud in 2022 with his first single ONE setting things off in November. The release of this new album will kick off with a tour of the same name across 32 US cities. He will be releasing singles regularly through the tour building up to the release of the new album, his first full project since 2017. The name of his album/tour stems from a unique confrontation Vesely recently had. He and his wife recently moved into a temporary apartment while awaiting construction to finish on their new Nashville home. Following a few months of a not-so-happy neighbor complaining about his songwriting sessions and banging on walls, Vesely woke up to an aggressive letter on his door complaining about the noise that was summed up with the statement “Just Because You Sing Loud Doesn’t Mean Its Good.” At first, the note was hurtful to Vesely as he had never experienced this kind of pushback from neighbors in the past. However, he quickly turned the letter into a form of inspiration for his forthcoming album. Now, the letter remains framed on a wall in his studio serving as a reminder that any of life’s negativity can be turned into something positive. (Secondhand Serenade, 2021)
Regarding his upcoming tour/album Just Because You Sing Loud, Secondhand Serenade said, “To say that I’m excited to get back on the road again is an understatement. I’ve also been working hard to finish this next album, which is a total throwback to my roots. So it should be really fun to add some of these new songs into the set and see some first listen reactions in real time. We’re definitely ending 2021 on a strong note!”
In the early days of social networking, there were no classes, no courses, no gurus to assist musicians in building a fan base. Yet in the mid-2000s, Secondhand Serenade used his hard work and determination to connect with fans online and build a community of followers which resulted in the then Bay Area resident reaching the number 1 unsigned artist spot on MySpace after the release of his debut album, Awake. He would later re-release the acoustic project as the first ever artist signed to the now famed Glassnote Records. Vesely followed that up with his 2008 Danny Lohner-produced album, A Twist In My Story, which would catapult the emo-pop songwriter to the top of the charts. The lead single, a part piano ballad, part pop-rock tune called “Fall For You” would solidify the first major hit for both the artist and the young label, securing its spot in the top 5 at US radio, eventually going 3-times platinum. International touring, late night shows and award show appearances became the new norm for the singer-songwriter who was quickly becoming the voice of the emo generation. Fast forward to a post pandemic life and Secondhand Serenade is now priming yet another full album along with a nationwide, headlining tour. The timing could not be better with a resurgence in the emo scene and a new project worth of material rolling out over the coming months.
Just Because You Sing Loud Tour Dates: Wednesday, December 8 – Tempe, AZ – Marquee Theatre Thursday, December 9 – Anaheim, CA – The Parish At House Of Blues Friday, December 10 – Fresno, CA – Strummer Saturday, December 11 – San Diego, CA – House Of Blues Monday, December 13 – Seattle, WA – El Corazon Wednesday, December 15 – Salt Lake City, UT – The Grand @ The Complex Thursday, December 16 – Denver, CO – Bluebird Theater Friday, December 17 – Omaha, NE – Barnato Saturday, December 18 – Joliet, IL – The Forge
SA Examiner 