Category Archives: Travel & Leisure

Music, Theater, Travel & Leisure

Norwegian Cruise Line offers three (Donna) Summers and lots of “Hot Stuff”

Norwegian Cruise Line (NCL), the innovator in global cruise travel with a 55-year history of breaking boundaries, has risen the curtain to announce the cast of its highly-anticipated headlining show, Summer: The Donna Summer Musical, premiering aboard the all-new Norwegian Prima beginning in August 2022.

The Tony-nominated musical narrates the story of Summer’s prolific rise to fame, showing the Queen of Disco at three of the most pivotal stages of her career: Diva Donna, Disco Donna and Duckling Donna. The Brand has announced the cast who will take on the mantle of Donna Summer through her most memorable moments in life:

· Beloved American Idol season two finalist, Kimberley Locke, takes on her first theater project at sea and will star in the breakout role of Diva Donna, playing Summer as she reaches the height of her career. Fans will be able to see the same charisma that got Locke to the final three contestants on her season of American Idol in this role. Locke is also well known for her work on television and Broadway, where she most recently performed in Kristin Chenoweth’s one-woman show, For the Girls.

· Taking on the role of Disco Donna is Valerie Curlingford, an extraordinary talent from the Netherlands. Curlingford will play Summer in her late teens and early twenties as she first finds success in the iconic ’70s disco era. 

· Duckling Donna will show Summer as she grows up in Boston in the 1960s. The role will be played by D’Nasya Jordan, who most recently starred as Little Inez in Hairspray.

“It is an incredible honor to play Donna Summer along a very talented cast in this highly-rated musical,” said Locke. “Summer’s inspirational story and pioneering talent led the way for so many of today’s brightest vocalists. She has left an immeasurable impact on music and culture, and I am excited to bring her story to guests around the world aboard the beautiful Norwegian Prima.” 

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The show-stopping production will feature more than 20 of Summer’s mega-hits, including “Bad Girls,” “Last Dance, and “Hot Stuff,” and will also provide viewers with a deeper understanding of the inspiration behind some of Summer’s most memorable songs. The 85-minute musical will be a first at sea, where the Prima Theater itself transforms into a full disco, allowing guests to become part of the show and live out their on-stage dreams as they dance along to Summer’s greatest melodies. 

“The legendary Donna Summer is an inspiration to many, and we cast performers who would honor her and match the same level of star power and talent,” says Richard Ambrose, senior vice president of Entertainment and Cruise Programs for Norwegian Cruise Line Holdings Ltd. “We continue to bring Broadway-level entertainment and world-class talent to our fleet, and we are excited for guests to be able to watch a musical they actually get to be part of. The new Prima Theater allows for a truly exciting show, and we know guests will find themselves enthralled with Donna Summer’s moving life story and timeless music.” 

Kimberley Locke, one of the Summers daze

Summer: The Donna Summer Musical is just one of the captivating shows available aboard Norwegian Prima. Also sharing a residency at the Prima Theater will be Noise Boys! an original, award-winning beat boxing experience produced by Nic Doodson, creator of “Choir of Man,” NCL’s best-rated entertainment show currently residing on Norwegian Encore and Norwegian Escape.

As part of the additional entertainment offerings on Norwegian Prima, the Brand will also debut live game show experiences that allow the audience to be part of the show and have an opportunity to win incredible grand prizes. These immersive productions take the Prima Theater and Nightclub and transforms it into a larger-than-life production set where guests can be participants in some of the world’s most iconic game shows including, The Price is Right LIVE, Supermarket Sweep LIVE and Press Your Luck LIVE. The ship also features “Sensoria”—a Vegas-style nightclub party presenting a journey through Coachella, Woodstock and Burning Man, all in one.  Plus, guests will be able to experience the first “Improv @ Sea” Comedy Club, and the guest-popular “Syd Norman’s Pour House” and so much more.

For more information about Norwegian Cruise Line’s award-winning 17-ship fleet and worldwide itineraries, or to book a cruise, please contact a travel professional, call 888-NCL-CRUISE (625-2784) or visit www.ncl.com.

Books, Travel & Leisure

“Tutankhamun: The Treasures of the Tomb” takes readers through Tutankhamun’s tomb, room-by-room

The book is almost as beautiful as the treasures.

The tomb of Tutankhamun, with its breathtaking treasures, remains the most sensational archaeological find of all time. Brilliantly illustrated, Tutankhamun: The Treasures of the Tomb (Thames & Hudson, $39.95) takes the reader through Tutankhamun’s tomb room-by-room in the order that it was discovered and excavated by Howard Carter in 1922.

Tutankhamun: The Treasures of the Tomb

“The Valley of the Kings is one of the most romantic places on earth. Twenty-six of the most powerful kings in the history of the world, monarchs from the Golden Age of Egypt, were buried in this necropolis,” writes Dr. Zahi Hawass in the opening to the tome.

Dr. Hawass imbues the text with his own inimitable flavor, imagining how the uncovering and opening of the tomb must have felt for Carter, while Sandro Vannini’s extraordinary photographs reproduce the objects in infinitesimal detail. With stunning full-color spreads and foldouts throughout the book, this sumptuous volume is the definitive record of Tutankhamun’s glittering legacy, and a splendid companion to the “King Tut: Treasures of the Golden Pharaoh” exhibition on view through January 6, 2019) in Los Angeles at the California Science Center.

Celebrity Chatter, DVDs, Travel & Leisure, TV

PBS offers a gorgeous look at Colorado, the state Streisand once despised

John Denver had a Rocky Mountain High. Barbara Streisand had, back in early ’90s, a distaste for Colorado. Back in 1992, the Supreme Court considered arguments for and against the Defense of Marriage Act; a hearing that recalled the court’s part in tossing out 1992’s Amendment 2, which prevented bodies in Colorado from recognizing gays and lesbians as a protected class. The passage of Amendment 2 led to Colorado being branded the “hate state.”

A boycott against visiting the state was subsequently called for by numerous high-profile stars: Babs got the boycott ball rolling after suggesting in a post-election speech that Hollywood types steer clear of Colorado “if we’re asked to.” But days later, the Associated Press quoted her as saying, “There are many citizens in Colorado who did not vote for the amendment. I support the organizations and people who are challenging its validity.”

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That was then. Things changed . . . but not the beauty and wonder of Colorado. Proof for those who never stepped foot there: PBS Distribution is releasing Heart of the World: Colorado’s National Parks on DVD. Narrated by Grammy-winning Kathy Mattea, Heart of the World delves into the true wonder and beauty of nature, taking us through the seasons and centuries of some of the most spectacular sights on earth—Colorado’s National Parks. Combining stunning photography of the parks filmed throughout the seasons—along with breathtaking helicopter aerials and outstanding wildlife shots that include bears, bighorn sheep, moose and elk.