Latest news with #SummerNights
Scotsman
27-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Scotsman
The Haunting of Alice Gilfrey
Sign up to our Arts and Culture newsletter, get the latest news and reviews from our specialist arts writers Sign up Thank you for signing up! Did you know with a Digital Subscription to The Scotsman, you can get unlimited access to the website including our premium content, as well as benefiting from fewer ads, loyalty rewards and much more. Learn More Sorry, there seem to be some issues. Please try again later. Submitting... The Haunting Of Agnes Gilfrey, Oran Mor, Glasgow ★★★ Youth's a stuff will not endure, says Shakespeare; but in the age of the tribute musical, it can be endlessly recaptured, and made to live again on stage. Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey's 1971 show Grease – later transformed into the 1978 global hit film – is a tribute musical in the true sense. Set in the autumn of 1959, it is one of the original high school musicals, and its much-loved songs – Summer Nights, We Go Together, You're The One That I Want, and many more – are all lovingly crafted in the bubble-gum pop style of the late Fifties. Grease at Pitlochry Festival Theatre PIC: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan To work well, though, a show like Grease needs a company who are themselves full of the rebellious energy and sheer joie de vivre of youth; and that's what the 2025 Pitlochry ensemble provides by the truckload, in the opening production of this year's main stage summer season. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad Co-produced with the Grand Theatre, Blackpool, Sam Hardie's Pitlochry-made production has already played a two-week run there; so the version that opened at Pitlochry over the weekend is already warmed up to sizzling-point. Working in the instruments-in-hand style perfected by Pitlochry musical director Richard Reeday, the 17-strong cast offer a sparkling display of quadruple-threat theatrical energy, as they act, sing, dance and play their way through the story of good girl Sandy, her beau Danny Zuko, and the Rydell High School gang who surround them. What makes the show a roaring success, though – despite the occasional rough edge and under-powered moment – is not only that energy, but the sheer underlying professionalism they bring to the task of making the story work, as a fast-moving two hours of theatre, plus interval. Blythe Jandoo is a beautiful, poignant Sandy, and Alexander Service a palpably decent Danny, with Tyler Collins and Fiona Wood fairly knocking the pinball out of the arcade as rough kids Kenickie and Rizzo. In the end, though, it's all about the ensemble, and the terrific collective spirit expressed through the big-number songs, and through Kally Lloyd-Jones's joyful choreography; and when they reach the final triumphant chorus of You're The One That I Want, the Pitlochry audience can hardly wait to leap to their feet and join in the jive, in one of those glorious celebrations of youth that never grows old. Manasa Tagica and Sarah McCardie in The Haunting of Alice Gilfrey at Oran Mor PIC: Tommy Ga-Ken Wan Youth's a stuff that can't be recaptured, though, for the central character in the latest Play, Pie and Pint lunchtime drama, co-produced with Mull Theatre. In The Haunting Of Agnes Gilfrey, by Glasgow based writer-performer Amy Conway, the central character Agnes is an outspoken Glasgow woman in her forties who loves her job in the film industry, but has recently fallen in love with, and married, a slightly younger man, an American actor called Jimmy, who is eager to become a Dad. Advertisement Hide Ad Advertisement Hide Ad The pair are therefore undergoing fertility treatment, so far with no success; and when they arrive for a romantic break at a holiday-let castle on Mull – and encounter the very strange housekeeper, Mrs Carlin – Agnes soon begins to feel haunted by the unhappy spirit of a former lady of the house, whose sombre portrait hangs over the fireplace. The play perhaps spends a little too much time setting up this situation, and referencing various horror-movie tropes, before Agnes's story finally moves towards its crisis. The point it wants to make, though – about patriarchal pressure on women to have children, and on how even the nicest, funniest men can be complicit with it – is a powerful one. And in Katie Slater's production, Mary Gapinski, Manasa Tagica, and a poignant and hilarious Sarah McCardie as Agnes, make a fine job of exploring the tough moment of choice she faces; as she learns to embrace her own inner cailleach, or crone, and her right to grow older, without shame or regret.
Axios
23-06-2025
- Climate
- Axios
Northwest Arkansas' summer night temps creep higher
Power couple Olivia Newton John and John Travolta likely weren't thinking of climate change when they sang about " Summer Nights" in the '70s. But those evenings have been getting warmer across Northwest Arkansas and much of the U.S. for 50 years amid climate change, a new analysis shows. Why it matters: Higher overnight temperatures can have health consequences for vulnerable groups, as well as increased demand for air conditioning. That, in turn, can strain electrical grids and increase energy demand, fueling a vicious cycle with more greenhouse gas emissions. Driving the news: Average summer nighttime temperatures increased between 1970 and 2024 in 96% of 241 locations analyzed in a new report from Climate Central, a research and communications group. Among cities with an increase, temperatures rose by 3.1°F on average. Zoom in: Northwest Arkansas' minimum temperature rose 2°F on average. It's 3.2°F in Little Rock and 1.8°F in Tulsa, Oklahoma. Zoom out: Reno, Nevada (+17.7°F), Las Vegas (+10°F), El Paso, Texas (+8.9°F) and Salt Lake City (+8.2°F) saw the biggest increases. What they're saying:"There's a lot of work ahead of us, and we don't have all the answers," Brian Beffort, sustainability manager for Reno's Washoe County, recently told the Las Vegas Review-Journal. "I'm focused on trees because they check the most number of boxes: They clean the air. They prevent stormwater. They cool things off ... There's a lot of planning that we need to do. But that's not the only intervention that we need." Between the lines: Hundreds of U.S. cities are experiencing more frequent warmer-than-average summer nights "with a strong climate change fingerprint," Climate Central says. That's based on the group's "Climate Shift Index" — a method for measuring the impact of climate change on local daily temperatures — and the 1991-2020 climate normals.
Los Angeles Times
18-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Los Angeles Times
From ‘Ghost Town Alive!' to ‘Summer Nights' band performances, season of easy living opens at Knott's
Summer at Knott's is here with Wild West-themed character interactions, nightly live music and lots of dancing. Ghost Town Alive! runs during the day — culminating with a family-friendly, dance-filled hoedown full of step-heeling and grape-vining through Calico Park. Meanwhile, Knott's Summer Nights livens up the evening and night with bands and performers at multiple stages throughout the park. The two summer events launched June 13 and run through Sept. 1. 'Summer Nights has been entertaining our guests since 2019 and since then we've seen the [evolution] of new bands, new music and of course great fun for all of our guests,' said producer Christopher Do. 'Ghost Town Alive has been running since 2016, the 75th anniversary of Ghost Town. Some of the citizens have changed throughout the years as a new storyline is presented with each subsequent year.' Do said guests can expect a mix of new and returning live music for this year's Knott's Summer Nights. 'We're excited to introduce some new bands to the mix,' he said. '90s Rockshow was a guest favorite last year and this year guests can find them at the Calico Mine Stage. Also joining this year at the Calico Mine Stage is Midnight Regret playing some familiar top '40s hits. At the Calico Park stage, we are welcoming a few new bands: the Ritchie Hummins Band, Tommy Drinkard & the Remedy as well as some returning favorites like Jonathan Stout and his Campus Five, and Stone Soul.' There are also some fun returning games including Fla-ringo, Cornhole and Zing That Ring — a habit-forming hook-and-ring game located on the outskirts of the Calico Mine Stage. Also at the Calico Mine Stage, Do said, they are introducing some new pay-to-play games with special prizes developed by the Knott's Games department. In addition to the big hoedown, Ghost Town Alive! also features a whole Ghost Town full of characters and activities — from the fire wagon coming through with some water misting to interactions in the dress shop and visits to The Old School House. Characters may elicit the help of guests in secret missions and puzzle-solving. 'The puzzles and immersive elements of Ghost Town Alive! are designed to appeal to every level of guest — from the casual observer to the deep diver or returning guest,' Do said. 'Often, our citizens may use puzzles to help deepen the experience of any one of our guests.' Show Director Rovin Dickinson said acting in Ghost Town Alive! is different from other forms of performing in that it requires making the guest the star in their story and sometimes the focus of attention — the role usually reserved for the actor. 'Each guest is different, and every interaction unique. For the performer, it may be challenging at times to be the supporting role in several different experiences at once,' Dickinson said. 'Our citizens are great at meeting our guests where they are at, encouraging them to engage as much or as little as they desire. It's sometimes as simple and as a quick question of what they're doing or if they can help with a task to get them engulfed into the story.' Of course, as with other big seasonal events at Knott's, food is a big part of the fun. Director of Food and Beverage Wilf Seymour said 40 new menu items were added in time for their Flavors of Summer. 'This summer, we will be trying out some new summer favorites with a Knott's twist. Blue Bunny is our ice cream supplier, and our pastry chef took inspiration from the strawberry shortcake bar and turned it into a new dessert called the strawberry crunch bar,' he said. 'We serve a lot of elotes during the summer, so we've decided to include it as a topping on our new summer pizza — the delicious roasted elote and chicken pizza with chipotle mayo.' They've also added kimchi crab tots — tater tots tossed in Cajun seasoning topped with imitation crab meat, kimchi, spicy mayo and green onions. 'Fresh berries are always popular during the summer. We have topped our fresh funnel cakes with lots of fresh berries for the new berry bliss funnel cake found at Sutter's Funnel Cake,' Seymour said. 'We have some great new beverages coming for the summer, like the juicy pale ale. We also have some great Italian sodas at Prop Shop Pizzeria.' Another intriguing new item is the grilled pineapple beef burger. 'The grilled pineapple beef burger was based on a Hawaiian grill idea we were playing with,' he said. 'We wanted to make pineapple chicken, and then we tried a teriyaki beef dish that we had planned to do at Boardwalk. However, we needed a signature burger for the summer, and this led us down the path of experimenting with these ideas on a burger.' The Tajin funnel cake was also a bit of inspired experimentation. 'We love to experiment with different combinations for our funnel cakes here, and the inspiration for the mango soft serve and Tajin funnel cake came from a mangonada, as well as a spicy funnel cake we served last year,' he said. 'We wanted to pair these two flavors together.' Seymour said the summer menu is a 'fun creation' and captures many of the summer flavors that guests enjoy. 'We have had the opportunity to taste everything a few times and make some adjustments that make the menu items fit nicely into our theme park world,' he said.
Yahoo
10-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Blockbuster Film That Finally Gave This 1970s Icon a Chart-Topping Hit
The Blockbuster Film That Finally Gave This 1970s Icon a Chart-Topping Hit originally appeared on Parade. After rising to fame in both television and film, this 1970s icon finally scored a chart-topping hit. This breakout single soared to No. 1 two years after their debut track first made waves in 1976. John Travolta, who rose to fame as Vinny Barbarino on ABC's Welcome Back, Kotter, was on the brink of superstardom by the mid-1970s. His status as a leading man was cemented with a starring role in the feature film Saturday Night Fever. However, Travolta didn't realize the impact Saturday Night Fever would have on his career when he wrapped that film and headed directly into pre-production for Grease. It was Grease that catapulted the New Jersey native into the stratosphere, and the soundtrack gave him his first number one hit on the Billboard charts in 1978. On June 10, 1978, John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John hit No. 1 on the U.S. singles chart with 'You're the One That I Want.' The smash duet was one of two songs, along with 'Hopelessly Devoted to You,' written by Australian producer and musician John Farrar specifically for Newton-John's role in the film. The track's success helped turn the movie's soundtrack into a cultural phenomenon. Parade Daily🎬 SIGN UP for Parade's Daily newsletter to get the latest pop culture news & celebrity interviews delivered right to your inbox 🎬 Along with "You're the One That I Want," Travolta sang on the tunes "Summer Nights," "Sandy," "We Go Together," "Summer Nights," and "Greased Lightnin." Grease became the highest-grossing musical at the time, and its soundtrack was a massive hit, further boosting Travolta's profile. Grease set the stage for further success in Travolta's career, leading to roles in films like Urban Cowboy and Blow Out. Previously, the actor hit the music charts in 1976 with a remake of the Gary Benson song "Let Her In." It peaked at No. 10 on the Billboard charts in July 1976. The Blockbuster Film That Finally Gave This 1970s Icon a Chart-Topping Hit first appeared on Parade on Jun 10, 2025 This story was originally reported by Parade on Jun 10, 2025, where it first appeared.
Yahoo
02-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Summer Celebrations in Myrtle Beach, South Carolina
From coastal concerts to festival fun, the Grand Strand offers meaningful experiences for all MYRTLE BEACH, S.C., June 2, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- Myrtle Beach is welcoming summer 2025 with a full calendar of events and the laid-back coastal charm that keeps people coming back year after year. This season's lineup includes live music, cultural festivals and family-friendly celebrations stretching across 60 miles of shoreline. Whether you've been visiting for years or are just discovering The Beach for the first time, it's the place where summer memories are made. "Summer along the Grand Strand is special, not just because of our beaches and stellar events, but because of the way our community comes together," said Stuart Butler, Chief Marketing Officer, Visit Myrtle Beach. "Whether you're spending time with family, listening to live music or enjoying the simple moments, we want everyone to feel welcome and part of something meaningful. This is what Myrtle Beach is really about." The events that follow highlight the spirit of summer in Myrtle Beach. It's a season filled with tradition and connection. From concerts and art displays to fireworks and hometown festivals, each gathering invites locals and visitors to share in what makes this community so memorable. Broadway's Summer Nights (June 2 - Aug. 24) - Broadway at the Beach lights up each night with free entertainment for all ages, including stilt walkers, fire dancers, character meet-and-greets, variety shows and Mr. Nigel's Dance Party. Weekly fireworks on Tuesday nights add to the year marks Broadway at the Beach's 30th birthday, and a special celebration is planned for June 30 - July 4 featuring themed days, nightly fireworks and more. Summerfest! At Barefoot Landing (June 2 - Aug. 25): Enjoy a diverse lineup of nightly entertainment, from live music and comedy shows to strolling performers and spectacular fireworks, at Barefoot Landing's annual summer celebration. Featuring both fresh talent and beloved returning acts, this event promises unforgettable evenings for everyone. Myrtle Beach Summer Fireworks (Every Wednesday, June 4 - Aug. 27) - Fireworks will launch from the iconic 2nd Avenue Pier, creating a stunning backdrop over the Atlantic Ocean. Visitors can enjoy unobstructed views of the display from anywhere along the city's scenic Boardwalk, making it a must-see summer tradition for all. Carolina Country Music Festival (June 5 - 8): Celebrating its 10th year in Myrtle Beach, the Carolina Country Music Festival brings some of the biggest names in country to the oceanfront. With headliners like Jelly Roll and Lainey Wilson, thousands of fans will gather for four days of live music, good vibes and summer fun by the beach. Music on Main Concert Series (Every Thursday, June - Sept.): North Myrtle Beach's popular Music on Main series returns with free live performances every Thursday night at the iconic Horseshoe on Main Street. Each week features a new band playing beach music, R&B, rock or country, giving locals and visitors a chance to kick back, dance and enjoy a summer evening in the heart of the community. Surfside Beach Hula & Fire Dancer Show (Every Monday, June 9 - Aug. 11): Immerse yourself in the spirit of Hawaii with captivating hula and fire dancing performances in Surfside Beach. This free, family-friendly event offers a vibrant and unforgettable cultural experience for all ages. Hot Summer Nights (June 9 - Aug. 31) - "Hot Summer Nights" returns to the Myrtle Beach Boardwalk and Plyler Park as a premier destination for family-friendly entertainment. This lively summer series features live music every Wednesday and Friday, themed nights and plenty of fun for visitors and locals alike. From Monday through Saturday, the festivities run from 5 to 8 p.m. On Sundays, the event takes place from 1 to 4 p.m., making it the perfect way to wind down the weekend or kick off a vacation. Muzika! The Grand Strand Music Festival (June 20 - 22): Varna International brings three exciting event series to venues across the Myrtle Beach area, featuring fully staged operas, choral-orchestral performances, Broadway selections and a Master Artists Concert Series with internationally acclaimed artists from The Metropolitan Opera and other prestigious organizations. Experience world-class composers and musicians, alongside talented young performers studying under top instructors from around the globe. Summer Light: Art by Night (Every Wednesday & Saturday, June - Aug.): Stroll through Brookgreen Gardens and discover breathtaking art installations glowing under the night sky. This beloved event offers a captivating fusion of art and illumination, creating a truly enchanting nighttime experience at one of America's largest sculpture gardens. Conway Riverfest (June 28): Held in historic downtown Conway, known for its beautiful oak-lined streets and small-town character, this annual festival has been a beloved tradition since 1980. It features live entertainment, an artisan market, delicious food, fireworks and fun for all ages along the banks of the peaceful Waccamaw River. Fourth of July Celebrations: Celebrate America with exciting events and stunning fireworks shows at multiple locations, including the 2nd Avenue pier in downtown Myrtle Beach, Surfside Beach, Barefoot Landing, Broadway at the Beach, the MarshWalk and Cherry Grove Pier. Waves of Praise Gospel Fest (Aug. 29 - 30): Taking place in downtown Myrtle Beach at Burroughs & Chapin Pavilion Place, this uplifting and soulful festival showcases inspiring gospel music performances by celebrated artists. Make the most of your Myrtle Beach summer getaway with exclusive deals and special discounts at local hotels, resorts and attractions. Details on events, accommodations and current promotions can be found at About Myrtle Beach, Beach isn't just a beach. It's The Beach. Popularly known as the Grand Strand, Myrtle Beach is one destination made up of 14 unique communities that stretch 60 miles along the northeast coast of South Carolina. Families, couples and those in search of a warm welcome will find more than just a day at The Beach when they come together to connect and enjoy vibrant entertainment and family attractions, including world-class golf, shopping and fresh coastal Carolina cuisine. From the moment you arrive, you'll find you belong at The Beach – Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. For additional information on tourism offerings in the Myrtle Beach area, visit or call (888) Myrtle-1. View original content to download multimedia: SOURCE Visit Myrtle Beach
