I have been FLOODED with virtual offerings by the creative artists among us. Here’s the tip of the iceberg for this weekend!

***MOVIE: The executive producer for BLOOD AND MONEY, Jeff Stearns,  reached out to me about his new crime thriller which opens today Friday May 15. It was filmed entirely in Maine last winter and stars Tom Berenger and local folks such as Jimmy Leblanc, Erica McDermott (Excellent in THE FIGHTER), Bates Wilder, and Gary Tanguay (my colleague from WBZ TV!)  This independent film has investors from the south shore and it’s always a kick to see & support LOCAL: local actors, local locations, and the local movie industry. BLOOD AND MONEY can be seen on iTunes, Fandango as well as On Demand with major cable networks.

***LIVE THEATER direct to your home! That’s what the award-winning, endlessly inventive theater troupe out of Needham by way of Russia, ARLEKIN  PLAYERS THEATRE, is doing this SUNDAY NIGHT: they are opening a show!  Yes, opening a full production on ZOOM.  Not a reading, not a monologue but a fully produced interactive, multimedia piece where the audience decides on the fate of the character and everything happens live. Opening night is this Sunday May 17 at 8pm!  Trust me. This troupe, which just earned 4 ELLIOT NORTON AWARDS from The Boston Theater Critics Association (this past Monday night at our first ever virtual ceremony which you can still watch here) is crazy creative. Their new virtual show is called “State vs Natasha Banina.“ I haven’t seen it yet but I’ll be tuning in this Sunday night at 8–so join me and let’s see what they’re up to!  MORE INFO HERE 

***SIX– the musical about Henry VIII’s six unfortunate wives (divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived) which, on its way to Broadway, first came to Harvard’s American Repertory Theater in Cambridge and just won The Elliot Norton Award for Outstanding Visiting Musical Ensemble– is now in lockdown! The worldwide cast of queens has collaborated on a 7 and a half minute “lockdown version” ! Check it out here and savor their sass!

Finally, John Williams introduces and Keith Lockhart conducts this extraordinary rendition of Williams’s SUMMON THE HEROES originally composed for the 1996 Olympic Games. It remains a musical tribute to the heroes among us now, and we know who they are.  I truly don’t know how this virutal rendition rose to such pristine technical heights, but it is a remarkable virtual achievement and gave me goosebumps. Listen, and have a great weekend!