Tonight, April 24, 2014, ArtsConnection will celebrate its 35th anniversary at a fundraising gala honoring Time Warner Inc. and internationally-renowned visual artist Vik Muniz. Lisa Garcia Quiroz, Time Warner’s Senior VP of Corporate Responsibility and Chief Diversity Officer, will accept the award on behalf of the company. The event, which will be attended by leaders from the arts, business, media, and philanthropy worlds, as well as draw celebrities from both NYC and Hollywood, will raise support for ArtsConnection’s arts education initiatives for New York City public school students. Emily and Harold Ford, Jr., Linda & Mort Janklow, Lisa and Richard Plepler, Tracey & Robert Pruzan, and Paula and Fareed Zakaria will serve as event co-chairs. Award-winning CNN anchor Don Lemon will host the evening at 583 Park Avenue. He will be joined by Sarah Jessica Parker and Jeffrey Wright who will make a special presentations. The event will be styled by acclaimed designer and ArtsConnection Board Member David Monn.
ArtsConnection’s 35th Anniversary Gala will bring together New York’s most influential artists, celebrities, media and industry luminaries for an unforgettable evening of cocktails, dinner and live auction. Past honorees include Mark Wahlberg, Russell Simmons, Richard Kirshenbaum, Cyndi Lauper, John Kanas, Joel Klein, George Condo, and companies such as Washington Mutual and Popular Community Bank.
Funds from the evening will go to support ArtsConnection programs such as DELLTA (Developing English Language Learning Through the Arts) and our sequential musical theater program with P94M, a NYC Public School for children on the autism spectrum. ArtsConnection’s 35 years of successful collaboration with New York City Public Schools has resulted in improved student achievement in academic, social and emotional development. English Language Learners participating in our DELLTA program have demonstrated “significant progress” in English language acquisition, motivation and self-confidence.
As a result of our sequential musical theater program at P94M, a group of New York City Public Schools for children on the autism spectrum, the school has witnessed incredible developmental breakthroughs in their students, including increased independence and focus, and – in some cases -speech in previously non-verbal students. The kids in this program create and perform their own musical every year and it is amazing to see how they are totally involved and “perform” when often their communication is minimal. This is a significant and breakthrough program which is receiving a great deal of attention. ArtsConnection motivates 50,000 students each year, whether in-school or out-of-school, on stage, or as audience members, to learn and develop creativity, curiosity, self-confidence and task commitment, qualities they need to become successful students and empowered individuals.
Sarah Jessica Parker has a new role: radio host.
On April 15 and 16, Ms. Parker will be at the helm of WNYC’s “The Leonard Lopate Show” while its namesake host is on vacation. “It’s thrilling and terrifying to sit in Leonard’s chair for a little while,” she said in an email.
Her guests are heavyweights on the city’s art and cultural scene.
Glenn Lowry, director of the Museum of Modern Art, is scheduled for the April 16 program, which will also feature New York City Ballet principal dancers Ashley Bouder and Sara Mearns. Parker, who is well-known as a balletomane, also reached out to Gelsey Kirkland, who was first a principal at City Ballet in 1972, then switched to American Ballet Theatre in 1974. After a long career, she opened her own ballet school in TriBeCa with her husband. Novelist Anthony Marra will join to talk about his book “A Constellation of Vital Phenomena.”
Broadway insiders are among Parker’s guests on April 15. Playwright Terrence McNally will discuss his new play “Mothers and Sons,” along with actors Tyne Daly and Bobby Steggert. “Beautiful: The Carole King Musical” will be represented by its star Jessie Mueller and Doug McGrath, who wrote the book of the musical. Visual artist Alex Katz and journalist Dexter Filkins of the New Yorker also headline the guest list.
As a longtime listener of WNYC, Parker said she jumped at the chance to be a first-time host: “Everyone in my life knows about my devotion to the station.”
“The Leonard Lopate Show” airs weekdays from noon to 2 p.m. on 93.9 FM and AM 820, as well as www.wnyc.org.
AOL Renews Sarah Jessica Parker’s “city.ballet.”
AOL is bringing back four web series for its 2014 originals slate, including Nicole Richie’s “#CandidlyNicole” and “city.ballet.” from exec producer Sarah Jessica Parker.
The company said it renewed ad deals for three of the returning shows with their first-season sponsors: Citi for “city.ballet,” a look at the life of New York City Ballet dancers, and Verizon for tech-themed shows “Hardwired” and “The Future Starts Here.” AOL is still seeking an advertiser for its most popular show, “#CandidlyNicole,” a short-form series reality based on Richie’s Twitter musings. VH1 is picking up a long-form version of “#CandidlyNicole”; on AOL, season two will feature original content separate from the VH1 series.
For now, AOL has declined to renew 11 series from its first run at original programming. But the company still could bring some of those back depending on advertiser interest.
AOL faces heightened competition from other ad-supported digital video platforms, including Hulu, Microsoft — whose Xbox Entertainment Studios has lined up shows from Michael Cera, Seth Green, Sarah Silverman and others to debut this summer — and Yahoo, which is “close to ordering” four TV-length comedies, the Wall Street Journal reported.
According to AOL, the first seasons of the four series combined received more than 75 million views. The Internet media company will pitch advertisers on its programming slate at its Digital Content NewFronts event April 29 in Brooklyn.
Last week AOL announced two new originals for 2014: “Connected,” its first TV-length video series, an adaptation of an Israeli reality show that will be set in New York City; and “Park Bench” with Steve Buscemi’s unscripted conversations with friends and New Yorkers.
“We have seen a strong response from top brands looking to reach consumers they may be missing on TV and wishing to align with quality content that makes sense for their brand(s), making immediate decisions to renew against second seasons of three of our top programs before we could open them up for sale,” Charles Gabriel, AOL’s SVP of global video sales, said in announcing the renewals.
Variety’s Power of Women luncheon will make its New York City debut by honoring Claire Danes, Nancy Dubuc, Idina Menzel, Iman, Sarah Jessica Parker and Susan Sarandon on April 25 at Cipriani Midtown.
In partnership with A&E’s new television network, FYI, Variety is thrilled to bestow this group of the entertainment industry’s most philanthropic women with Variety’s Inspiration Impact Honorees.
The women are being recognized for their humanitarian efforts with their chosen causes. Oscar winner Sarandon works with Hope North, which works to educate and heal the youth of Uganda’s civil war. Golden Globe and Emmy winners Parker and Danes work with New York City Ballet and Afghan Hands, respectively. In 2010, Tony winner Menzel co-created A Broader Way, an arts centered program for urban girls. International super model Iman works with Dr. Hawa Abdi Foundation, which provides support and relief for women and children in Somalia, while A+E Networks president and CEO Nancy Dubuc works with veterans group Project Rubicon / The Mission Continues.
The exclusive event will host 300 entertainment and media insiders and includes VIP pre- and post-ceremony cocktail receptions with an interactive philanthropy bazaar that allows guests to engage with the featured charities and participating brand sponsors.
“We’re thrilled to continue building on the legacy of Variety’s Power of Women by bringing the event to New York,” Variety publisher Michelle Sobrino-Stearns said in a statement. “The debut of Variety’s Power of Women in New York is a testament to the impact of the annual event held in Los Angeles and, with celebrations now on both coasts, we have the distinct privilege to continue honoring these incredible women who have influenced our industry and communities, and who are harnessing the power of giving back to inspire others to do the same.”
Jana Bennett, president of FYI and LMN, added, “It’s an honor for FYI to join Variety in celebrating these inspirational women in entertainment and their incredible accomplishments. The Power of Women event helps to inspire us all about the importance of using our powerful platforms to not only entertain, but to give back to the community.”
This year’s event is presented by FYI network and sponsored by American Airlines, Crystal Light, Movado, and NYDJ.
NYDJ will recognize one woman who has given back to her community as the winner of the brand’s first-ever Woman of Originality award. Submissions can be made through the company’s Facebook page until April 4. The winner of the contest will receive a free trip to New York City to attend the event and be presented the award by supermodel and photographer Helena Christensen.
Sarah Jessica Parker answers all of our questions (well, 73 of them at least) revealing everything from her distaste for parsley, love of Greece, and bias of globes that glow. And what is kokoreç? You can check it all out below:
The Guardian Interview – Sarah Jessica Parker: “I don’t think we’re alone in the universe”
Hello Sarah. Is Escape From Planet Earth your first animated movie?
I think it’s the first full-length theatrical release. I don’t recall any more, to be honest. I’ve probably done short-form voice stuff before.And this is your third space-themed movie.
It is? Remind me.Well, there was Flight of the Navigator, and then Mars Attacks!
Ah, yes, you’re right. I seem to be drawn to the genre, even though I don’t even remember that I am.In some ways, would you see this as the completion of a trilogy?
Oh my God, I love that you’re looking at it with such a scholarly approach. Yes! Let’s pretend that that’s exactly why I did it. That’s so smart. Yes, I have been seeking out that last film to complete the trilogy. Only the Guardian would have cracked this.Your character in this film is called Kira Supernova. Is that the best-named character you’ve ever played?
Most assuredly. Absolutely. Inarguably.I was looking at your IMDb page this morning …
Ah. I have one?Yes, and I noticed that many of the characters you played before 1993 don’t have surnames, but all the ones you’ve played since do. Was that a conscious decision on your part?
Is that right? Do you think that is something my agents negotiated on my behalf? You are noticing, discerning, mining things that nobody else ever has. If I ever, ever, ever write a book about my life, you will certainly be the author. Nobody has ever spent this amount of time thinking about my career. Including me!Do you believe in aliens?
No.So you’re saying that mankind is essentially alone in the universe.
Well, I don’t think we’re alone in the universe. But I don’t think aliens are how we have experienced them thus far on screen. We discovered that there may have been water elsewhere, and that was a massive and important discovery in the world of science, right? This suggests that something benefited from the water. But whether they wear funny outfits and they’re clever and they say snarky things to each other and have wonderfully big sweet eyes? That, I’m dubious about. But I do enjoy the storytelling here on Earth.Even though your character in this new film gets left behind by her husband, despite being incredibly smart?
I think she has made some decisions, and she speaks to a way that maybe other women feel, you know? She’s left behind, and she’s maybe conflicted about those choices. And she becomes defensive. Do you choose work over family? I think that’s a position that a lot of women find themselves in. I think, a little bit, this film tries to talk about what it’s like to remove yourself from your professional workplace and work from home as a parent (5). It’s sweet, it’s nicely done.How many times today have you been asked about Sex and the City 3?
Three times today. I’m batting a thousand. What’s that in cricket? If you’re batting a thousand in American baseball, what would the analogy be for cricket?I dunno. Hitting a six? That sounds a lot less impressive than hitting a thousand, to be honest.
Those six must mean so much more. So, OK, I’m hitting a six. Out of three interviews, Sex and the City has been uttered three times.I’m not going to ask you about it. I just wanted to know if you were tired of talking about it.
I’m fine with it. It’s all right. It’s hardly a burden. I would rather be asked about that than countless other things. That was an enormously important, wonderful part of my life and to suggest that it’s burdensome in some way for people to enquire about a third movie? To be resentful or annoyed about that would be such a waste of someone’s time. I’m very fine with it. I’m OK.Last question. Your character in Flight of the Navigator was a big fan of Twisted Sister. I listened to them as a direct consequence of that, and they were rubbish. Do you have to apologise to a lot of people for this?
Holy moly. I don’t. You’re the first person. Once again, your approach to this interview … I’m gobsmacked. Nobody has ever mentioned it. I have long since forgotten that my character had an opinion one way or the other, and I don’t know that I’ve heard enough of Twisted Sister to myself have an opinion.OK, then. Thanks for your time.
Hey, I want more time with you in the future. I want to start each day with you.
Quick, what’s your favorite “Sex and the City” moment involving Carrie Bradshaw and her adored shoe collection?
Was it the time she got mugged, and the mugger specifically demanded her Manolo Blahniks? “Somebody stop him!” she cried out. “He took my strappy sandals!”
Or perhaps the time another pair of Manolos was stolen because, annoyingly, the hostess at a baby shower demanded that everyone take off their shoes.
Or maybe the time Carrie realized she’d spent so much on shoes, she couldn’t afford a down payment on an apartment. “I will literally be the Old Woman Who Lived in Her Shoes,” she moaned.
Well, “Sex and the City” ended in 2004 (the TV show anyway), and Carrie — er, actress Sarah Jessica Parker — has a lot more shoes to live in. Parker has launched her own shoe line, SJP, which also includes handbags, at Nordstrom. (Her business partner is George Malkemus, CEO of Manolo Blahnik, and the shoes are cheaper than Manolos — in the $300 range.)
The 48-year-old actress, who’s had previous forays into the fashion business but not a shoe line, sat down to not only talk about the new project, but also how she became so closely associated with fashion — something younger actresses now aspire to all the time, but wasn’t the norm when she started out. She also explained how she really did have her Manolos stolen. And she commented on the possibility of a third “Sex and the City” movie, hinting at a possible ending to Carrie’s story.
QUESTION: So how did this all get started?
Parker: Well, I was very kindly being offered a lot of opportunities in the shoe category and I kept rejecting them. And I couldn’t figure out why. And more importantly my agents couldn’t figure out why. … And I was sitting with some women friends of mine and they said to me, “What is it?” And I said, “Well, I know it’s not going to be the shoe that I want it to be.” And I said that really my dream partner is George Malkemus. And they said, “Have you asked him?”Malkemus: And we went back many years, before she was doing Carrie Bradshaw. (Malkemus tells the story of how he and Parker sat on the floor together in the mid-1980s, when Blahnik was doing a trunk show in Los Angeles, and she chose six pairs of shoes she loved.)
Parker (wistfully): And there was a tobacco-colored flat. A suede pointy flat. He had signed it! And then all except one pair were stolen. It was two years later … all my luggage was stolen. You only travel with what you love, so I had my Manolos, I had one Chanel suit and an old Yankees sweatshirt from the ’60s … and all I got back was my dog dish.
Q: Wait, so you actually DID have Manolos stolen?
Parker: Yes, I really did. In real life.Q: How did you choose which shoe in your new line to call “Carrie”?
Parker: There were other Carries. And it kept not feeling right. But this shoe (a T-strap heeled number in purple) is kind of a contradiction. Because there is something very feminine and ladylike about this shoe, but the purple is a little subversive. The purple is the person that chose not to wear the appropriate thing to work. And I feel that’s what Carrie was.Q: You have become so associated with fashion. How did that all happen?
Parker: You know, I think that I played a character for a very long time who had an enormous amount of affection for fashion, she had this kind of relationship we’d never seen portrayed or depicted or illustrated on-screen — big or little screen, really. And also fashion was just starting to emerge at that time as a separate sort of character in New York. I think it was a confluence of playing that person, also loving (fashion) myself, and watching luxury and vintage just start to rise.You know when we first started shooting the show, and we hadn’t been on the air yet, nobody would loan us ANYTHING. We had a very meager budget … we were pulling mostly from consignment, some rental houses, borrowing from friends, or from emerging designers that nobody knew about except for Pat (costume designer Patricia Field).
And the show went on the air, and someone was talking about fashion, and looking at fashion in a way that had never happened before. And the business was just starting to shift. Luxury — we weren’t talking about luxury before. It had not been spoken of outside the industry itself. … And nobody had dressed (like Carrie). Nobody was wearing an old raggedy beat-up fur coat that was 40 bucks with a Fendi baguette (a luxury bag that costs about $1,500). It was just a whole new way of thinking about fashion, and once again, that timing.
Q: So speaking of timing — where do you stand on a third movie?
Parker: There is no conversation about doing a third movie. As Michael (Patrick King, the writer-director) has said, I think recently, he and I both know what the last part of the story is. Just us. None of the other women know. But I trust Michael’s sense of timing. I don’t know that the time will ever be right to tell it. So there are no plans. But I do know, and Michael knows, what that third story would be. And it’s small, but mighty.Q: Hmm. That sounds like a child.
Parker (not budging): I’m a secret keeper.
Sarah Jessica Parker presented the “SJP Collection” at Nordstrom Aventura Mall on Saturday (March 8) in Aventura, Florida. You can check out 82 MQ photos of Sarah Jessica at the event in the gallery. Enjoy!
FYI: Sarah Jessica is wearing a Saint Laurent dress, Wolford bodysuit, a House of Lavande Vintage necklace, PearlParadise.com rings, and SJP Collection heels.
Gallery Link
Public Appearances > 2014 > Mar 08: SJP Collection Florida Launch Event At Nordstrom
