Manhattan Digest

All you need to know about Manhattan culture and so much more...

Ryan Leeds

The Melody of Marriage: An Interview with Annastasia Victory & Michael O. Mitchell

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“How Do You Keep the Music Playing?” the 1982 song written by husband and wife team Alan and Marilyn Bergman has become an anthem for keeping the joy in long-term relationships. For Annastasia Victory, a Russian-born pianist and her husband, Michael O. Mitchell, the song is quite literal. [Read more…] about The Melody of Marriage: An Interview with Annastasia Victory & Michael O. Mitchell

‘Girl From the North Country’ Spins an Endless Yarn

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I should have cared. I should have been fully invested in the depression era tale about Nick Laine (Jay O. Sanders), his wife, Elizabeth (Mare Winningham), and the visitors that inhabit their Duluth, Minnesota boarding house.  And yet, after 2 1/2 seemingly endless hours at the Belasco Theatre, all I really cared about was leaving.

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‘Nellie and The Women of Blackwell’ is a Little Known, Intriguing Journey

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Think you’ve lived an exciting life? If you’re comparing it to journalist Nellie Bly, there’s a good chance that it will pale. At the tender age of 21, Bly headed to Mexico to observe the customs and traditions of the Mexican people. After that, she feigned insanity in order to be checked into the Women’s Lunatic Asylum on Blackwell’s Island (now known as Roosevelt Island).  Her goal: to investigate the abuse and horrid conditions that were rampant in the facility. After writing her expose in the New York World, it was later published it in book form.  Still thirsty, she convinced her editor to travel around the globe—which she successfully did on her own. [Read more…] about ‘Nellie and The Women of Blackwell’ is a Little Known, Intriguing Journey

Stars Unite for Holocaust Memorial Concert

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“In remembrance, lies the secret of redemption.” These words, attributed to Baal Shem Tov, were spoken last evening at Temple Emanu-El by its Senior Rabbi, Joshua M. Davidson. Hundreds packed the massive synagogue on the corner of Fifth Avenue and 65th for A Concert Commemorating the 75th Anniversary of the Liberation of Auschwitz.  Leaders of several Jewish organizations, along with celebrity guest artists gathered for two poignant reasons: To remember the l.3 million lives that were lost at the Polish concentration camp and to honor the survivors, their families, and members of the Russian army who came to the rescue. [Read more…] about Stars Unite for Holocaust Memorial Concert