Thu May 18th Fort Lauderdale: Cruising growth! The luxury segment of the worldwide cruise industry has grown 119 percent since 2012 to an annual passenger capacity of approximately 721,078 passengers in 2022, from 324,512 in 2012. With more new ships under construction or on order, the market segment is projected to continue to grow to reach nearly 1.2 million passengers by 2027.
Above: The luxurious Sea Dream II at St Thomas in a photo by Andy Hernandez
The expedition market, albeit smaller than the luxury segment, has seen even more dramatic growth over the past 10 years, from approximately 67,000 passengers in 2012 to 367,557 in 2022, for a 450 percent expansion. The market is projected to grow to more than 430,000 passengers annually by 2027. And more new ships are in the planning stages.
While the percentage growth for luxury and expedition cruise market segments is dramatic, the contemporary and premium market segments are far larger at a total of approximately 27.5 million passengers in 2022 from 17.6 million in 2012.
Busy day! Cunard has reported that the first day (last Tuesday) of bookings for new ship Queen Anne proved their busiest booking day in a decade.
Temporary cuts! Carnival Cruise Line is limiting dining options across its 23-ship fleet. According to the cruise line, the measure is part of an effort to reduce the impact of crew shortages, which are impacting its culinary team. The company is one of many facing crew challenges. PS: A message from friends aboard another cruise line and reporting similar cuts to onboard services, especially specialty dining venues, and that some hotel staff had just been hired the day of departure.
Media contact: DP&A, Inc. / David Perry (415) 676-7007 / news@davidperry.com
Monday, June 13th Benefit Raises Funds for New Castro Theatre Organ
(CODA) Castro Organ Devotees Association Needs $ 300,000 to Complete landmark Effort
Elisabeth Fullerton Announces $100,000 Challenge Grant
8 June 2022 – San Francisco. 100 years ago this month, San Francisco’s historic Castro Theatre opened to great fanfare, and of course, an organ accompaniment for its silent film offerings. Over the next 10 decades, movies began to talk but the Castro organs continued to play. The famed “Mighty Wurlitzer” was removed by its private owner in 2015. Now, a landmark fundraising effort on Monday, June 13 by CODA – The Castro Organ Devotees Association (www.castroorgan.org) aims to complete the purchase of a new custom-made instrument that when installed will be the most up-to-date theatrical organ in existence. Tickets may be purchased online: https://www.eventbrite.com/e/castro-organ-vip-reception-screening-tickets-343229287037
“The Castro Theatre wouldn’t be the Castro Theatre without the Castro organ,” said Mary Conde, Vice President for Another Planet who is in charge of the overall Castro Theatre Project. “Since the 1970s, David Hegarty has been serenading Castro audiences including his now iconic rendition of ‘San Francisco.’ This benefit will ensure that this tradition continues.”
The June 13th event, timed to coincide with the Theatre’s 100th Anniversary, aims to complete fundraising for the $300,000 balance required. Beginning at 5:00pm, the evening includes a VIP reception followed by a special screening of the award-winning movie, Test, which tells the story of a male dance troupe in 1985 San Francisco, as they come to grips with the emerging AIDS pandemic. This special screening will be followed by an exclusive Q&A featuring Director Chris Mason Johnson, star Scott Marlowe, and Executive Producer Elisabeth Pang Fullerton.
“The Castro Theatre’s operators, Another Planet Entertainment, have a long history of supporting music education and music therapy,” said Hegarty. “They have been completely supportive of the Castro Organ project especially its use as a teaching instrument for students of the San Francisco Unified School District.”
Planning for the Castro Symphonic Theatre Organ began in 2013 when it became known that the Wurlitzer was going to be removed. Since then a smaller temporary Allen organ has been on loan to the Theatre: the personal property of Hegarty. Over a period of three years, a group of internationally renowned organ designers have collaborated in building the world’s largest hybrid theatre/classical concert organ, with seven keyboards and the capacity to replicate any musical sound.
After the Castro Symphonic Theatre Organ design was completed, fundraising for the $1.1 million required began in 2016, but was put on hold from 2020 and 2021 due to the pandemic. At that point, more than $800,000 had been raised. Among the distinguished donors are Dede Wilsey ($200,000), Bernard Osher ($100,000), the Morris & Alma Schapiro Fund ($95,000), the Dolby Family ($50,000), the Bob A. Ross Foundation ($35,000), the Herbst Foundation ($25,000), the Hirst/Rodman Family Trust ($25,000), the Miner-Anderson Family Foundation ($10,000), Sakurako & Bill Fisher ($10,000), the Ira & Leonore Gershwin Trusts ($5,000), and Joe Schuman Silver ($5,000).
Ms. Fullerton is serving as Chair of this fundraising event, and has announced a $100,000 Elisabeth Pang Fullerton Challenge, to encourage others to donate generously and complete the fundraising campaign on a successful note.
“Once the balance of funds are raised, the already-completed organ console can be finalized, then shipped to San Francisco,” notes Hegarty who looks forward to being at the new state-of-the-art console. “Fingers crossed, it will be installed in the Castro Theatre later this year.”
Taking over management of the LGBT and film landmark Castro Theatre earlier this year, Another Planet has quickly put in place a series of signature events, including the annual Frameline Festival, returning to the Castro for the first time since the onset of the COVID pandemic, June 13 – 26. On May 22, Another Planet sponsored the annual screening of the Academy Award winning documentary “The Times of Harvey Milk” and the debut of “The Ruth Brinker Story” chronicling the life and legacy of the Project Open Hand founder. On May 15, Another Planet returned another community favorite, “The Sound of Music Sing-a-Long” to the venue, with future sing-a-longs to part of the schedule. June 3 – 12 brings a special celebration of films from each of the Castro Theatre’s 10 decades. June 14 commemorates the 100th birthday of Judy Garland with a special musical celebration on stage featuring Debbie Wileman. Later in the year, community favorites such as Peaches Christ and the annual “Home for the Holidays” Concert with Donna Sachet and the San Francisco Gay Men’s Chorus are planned.
Another Planet Entertainment is partnering with Bay Properties, Inc., owners of the Castro Theatre, on an evolution and preservation of San Francisco’s world-renowned entertainment and LGBTQ community landmark. With a long-standing history of working to preserve and improve historic buildings such as the Fox Theater in Oakland, the Greek Theatre in Berkeley and the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium in San Francisco, Another Planet seeks to enhance the Castro Theatre by implementing significant improvements to the sound, lighting, production, HVAC and the theatre’s trademark marquee, among other facets of the building: all of this, always, with an eye to honoring its unique place in the lives of the Castro and celebrating its communities and residents.
Premieres on PBS Stations and PBS.org Beginning June 4 San Francisco Bay Area Area Date: Saturday, June 11, 8pm Pacific Time
Hosted by:
AMY SCHNEIDER
Featuring performances by:
INDIGO GIRLS, BILLY GILMAN, MORGXN, PEPPERMINT, ALEXIS MICHELLE, JUJUBEE, CHRIS COLFER, TREY PEARSON, BREANNA SINCLAIRÉ AND ANDRÉ DE SHIELDS; WITH THE AMERICAN POPS ORCHESTRA CONDUCTED BY LUKE FRAZIER
Interviews with:
JASON COLLINS AND CYNTHIA NIXON
Photos by Kevin Parisi (left to right): Indigo Girls; Peppermint, Jujubee and Alexis Michelle; André De Shields
WASHINGTON, D.C. (May 16, 2022) – Nouveau Productions and PBS today announced a new collaboration, just in time for Pride Month. TRUE COLORS: LGBTQ+ OUR STORIES, OUR SONGS celebrates the stories and music that make us who we are. Offering a unique look at the history of the LGBTQ+ community in the United States, the special shares real-life stories of hope, resilience and triumph from people across the country, artistically represented through thematically relevant music. Exploring the personal journeys of remarkable individuals, the program connects these heartfelt stories with the history of the LGBTQ+ movement.TRUE COLORS: LGBTQ+ OUR STORIES, OUR SONGS is part of special programming premiering on PBS stations beginning Saturday, June 4, 2022 (check local listings). The San Francisco / Bay Area airdate is Saturday, June 11 at 8pm. It will also be available for free streaming on PBS.org and the PBS Video App.
Hosted by Jeopardy! champion Amy Schneider, TRUE COLORS: LGBTQ+ OUR STORIES, OUR SONGS includes musical performances by: Indigo Girls (“Closer to Fine”); country-pop singer Billy Gilman (“For Our World”); indie-pop singer, songwriter Morgxn (“Wonder”); drag artists Peppermint, Alexis Michelle and Jujubee, performing “(A Little More) Mascara” from La Cage Aux Folles; Glee sensation Chris Colfer; celebrated Christian singer Trey Pearson (“Hey Jesus”); trans opera singer Breanna Sinclairé (“Somewhere” from West Side Story); and Tony, Emmy and Grammy Award-winner André de Shields (“The Colors of My Life” from Barnum). All performers are joined by The American Pops Orchestra under the baton of Maestro Luke Frazier. In addition, the special features interviews with former NBA player Jason Collins and Tony, Emmy and Grammy Award-winning actress and activist Cynthia Nixon and other individuals sharing their inspiring real-life stories.
About PBS
PBS, with more than 330 member stations, offers all Americans the opportunity to explore new ideas and new worlds through television and digital content. Each month, PBS reaches over 120 million people through television and 26 million people online, inviting them to experience the worlds of science, history, nature and public affairs; to hear diverse viewpoints; and to take front row seats to world-class drama and performances. PBS’s broad array of programs has been consistently honored by the industry’s most coveted award competitions. Teachers of children from pre-K through 12th grade turn to PBS for digital content and services that help bring classroom lessons to life. Decades of research confirms that PBS’s premier children’s media service, PBS KIDS, helps children build critical literacy, math and social-emotional skills, enabling them to find success in school and life. Delivered through member stations, PBS KIDS offers high-quality educational content on TV— including a 24/7 channel, online at pbskids.org, via an array of mobile apps and in communities across America. More information about PBS is available at www.pbs.org, one of the leading dot-org websites on the internet, or by following PBS on Twitter, Facebook or through our apps for mobile and connected devices. Specific program information and updates for press are available at pbs.org/pressroom or by following PBS Communications on Twitter.
About the American Pops Orchestra
APO was founded in 2015 with a mission to breathe new life into orchestral pops programming and inspire diverse audiences to discover the wealth of the material in the Great American Songbook in dynamic new ways. Seeing an opportunity to challenge the status-quo of the repertoire performed by orchestras, founder and music director, Luke Frazier, created The American Pops with the intent of breaking the mold of the traditional pops orchestra. This new distinctly “American” orchestra brings together versatile musicians and reimagined programming focused around the Great American Songbook, presenting it with an approachable, fresh spin to engage diverse audiences. Through non-traditional orchestral settings, APO aims to deliver popular American classics to those who already know and love them, while also introducing these timeless pieces to younger generations in approachable settings. To learn more, visit www.TheAmericanPops.org.
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MEDIA CONTACTS
For Nouveau Productions and APO: For PBS:
Camille Cintrón Devlin Mary Lugo, Cara White, CaraMar, Inc.
For images and additional up-to-date information on TRUE COLORS: LGBTQ+ OUR STORIES, OUR SONGS and other PBS programs, visit PBS PressRoom at pbs.org/pressroom.
27 May 2022 – Palm Springs, CA: The Palm Springs based CaravanseraiProject (www.caravanseraiproject.org) announced a $ 2 million dollar grant awarded by the Employment Training Panel of California to provide training support and micro-grants to over 200 Spanish speaking startup and early-stage entrepreneurs in the Inland Empire. The grant was announced at Caravanserai’s 6th Annual “graduation” and pitch competition held at the Palm Springs Art Museum.
”It has been part of our core goal to marry the support Caravanserai Project is providing to Inland Empire based entrepreneurs to build sustainable and future-thinking organizational infrastructure with seed
funding. This infusion of capital into businesses owned by historically underserved entrepreneurs is not only timely but will have irreversible impact on the regional economy.” says Mihai Patru, Executive Director ofthe Caravanserai Project. “Together with our partners, our objective is to tap into the reservoir of incredible Spanish speaking entrepreneurs in the Inland Empire. Investing in them and their businesses is the only way to prepare the region and its people for the future.”
Caravanserai Project and its partners, Asociación de Emprendedor@s,Uplift San Bernardino – Make it Happen Foundation, and Get in MotionEntrepreneurs, will bring to the local entrepreneurs $1.5 million in direct Seed investments that will have positive mid and long-term impact on the Economy of the two counties and social fabric of our communities.
Caravanserai Project was founded in 2016 as a mission-driven hybrid venture whose goal is to support social impact entrepreneurs (for profit and nonprofit alike) strengthen their organizational infrastructure and build sustainable and relevant organizations that are working towards irreversible system change.
Caravanserai Project designs and implements technical assistance and capacity building programs with a particular focus on entrepreneurs and organizations in the Inland Empire and Southern California but works extensively across the nation and internationally as well. In 2020 and 2021, over 1200 entrepreneurs attended its programs. Almost 80% of Caravanserai beneficiaries identified themselves as women and 79% as BIPOC. To facilitate access to these specific communities of entrepreneurs, Caravanserai Project has established partnerships with regional and national organizations such as UC-Riverside, San Manuel Band of Mission Indians, Inland Empire Community Foundation, Inland Empire Community Collaborative, Making Hope Happen San Bernardino, Alianza Coachella Valley, The LGBTQ Center in Palm Springs and Coachella, Independent Sector among others.
The name Caravanserai is a metaphor for the mission and vision to provide a safe space for entrepreneurs to get the support they need and continue their journey forward. A caravanserai [KAR-AH–VAN–SE-RAY]was a well-known meeting place along trade routes from Asia, North Africa to Southeast Europe.
It provided merchants and travelers with a safe place to rest and opportunities to exchange and trade goods and acquire information about the challenges ahead. It had a crucial part in the cross-fertilization and exchanges of cultures by exposing travelers and locals to new ideas, beliefs, and languages.
Manny’s presents an emergency online event with former Congresswoman Gabby Giffords, who was almost killed by a gunman, and Peter Ambler, the Executive Director of Giffords (https://giffords.org/about/) anti gun violence organization.
The goal of the conversation will be to discuss Tuesday’s historic and horrific shooting, how to end gun violence in this country, what people can do right now, a report on the advocacy being done, and a call to action direct from Gabby Giffords herself.
