Broadway Cocktail: Mix Homeland, Gene Kranz, Field of Dreams and a Drag Queen

While big stars by themselves will always be major draws on Broadway, this Fall's lineup of shows features pairing of actors that could be more interesting than a debut by a Hollywood name.

One such pairing is Mandy Patinkin and Taylor Mac in "The Last Two People; An Apocalyptic Vaudeville."  Patinkin is an established Broadway performer, but in 2013, he is becoming best known for his role as the CIA Director in the Showtime mega-hit series Homeland.  Mac, meanwhile, has been performing Downtown in "Good Person of Schechwan", which is one of his many roles in drag.

The other notable production pairing, running Off-Broadway, is Ed Harris and his wife of 30 years, Amy Madigan, in "The Jacksonian".  Most people recognize Harris and Madigan from their roles in very high-profile films. "Failure is not an option," which Harris boomed as "Gene Kranz" in Apollo 13 might be one of the best movie lines of all-time.  And Madigan's role of "Annie Kinsella" in the 1989 film Field of Dreams has probably been watched by even the most casual movie fan dozens of times. 

But both Harris and Madigan have decades of Broadway experience and it's great to see them together on the same stage. And don't forget to add Bill Pullman to the mix, who has a little experience shooting down aliens as President.

Shackman Associates provides corporate meeting, association meeting and destination incentive groups with unique Broadway and Off-Broadway experiences that have included backstage tours and interaction with key performers.

        Stage of Dreams: With and Harris and Madigan, "Failure is not an option" for your meeting group!

Rockefeller Center's Rainbow Room to Re-open in 2014

New York City’s Rainbow Room, where music greats such as Tommy Dorsey and Guy Lombard performed, will reopen to the public in the fall of 2014.

The Rainbow Room first opened as a supper club in 1934 after the repeal of Prohibition and it became the first art-deco venue of its kind long before art-deco became cool and trendy.  The iconic nightclub closed in 2009 because of a landlord-tenant dispute, but Tishman Speyer, which operates Rockefeller Center, announced on Tuesday that the Rainbow Room is on its way back!

                                                 Photo courtesy of Elena Bachman Schmidt; barstory.blogspot.com

Teambuilding for Sushi: Kayak from Manhattan to Japan, sort of

Kayak tours on the Hudson River have become incredibly popular for corporate meetings and destination incentives, and we recently found a new twist on this trend that includes some of the best sushi on the East Coast of the U.S.

This new kind of kayak tour takes meeting attendees from Midtown West across the Hudson River to Edgewater, NJ, which has become a major Japanese culinary destination and boasts one of the most vibrant Japanese-American neighborhoods anywhere.

Whether your attendees go for the craziest of rolls or the taste of elegantly prepared fresh sushi, it's a trip that combines a little adventure, spectacular views of the Manhattan skyline, and an incredible meal that will give your meeting plenty of energy for the row home.

Just steer your kayak for the left tower of the George Washington Bridge and enjoy how the current takes you to your destination!

Corporate Events: Manhattan Skyline Views and Foliage all at once on the Hudson

Corporate meeting attendees love the Manhattan skyline, but it often requires a cruise on the Hudson River to acquire a truly panoramic perspective.

Just 12 miles north are new and exciting event venues that are right on the river, and looking South, offer a truly unique skyline view of Manhattan that is tucked between the hills of the Palisades and behind the George Washington Bridge.  They also feature breathtaking views north to the Tappan Zee Bridge and beyond to 20 miles of foothills.

In the Spring and Summer, event venues in the "River Towns" provide a breath of fresh air and cool breezes off the Hudson.  But we think the miles if foliage attendees can see in the Fall could be something special for your next New York meeting. 

The "River Towns" are also an ideal option for a corporate retreat or off-site lunch for executives attending large association conventions.  Shackman Associates New York has previously blogged that these kinds of retreats are often an hour or more north of Manhattan.  Meeting planners now have much closer options that offer the best of both worlds.

Look north at the Husdon Valley

 Turn south an take in the Manhattan skyline.

Broadway Update: Denzel Washington back in 2014

(via Deadline.com) Denzel Washington will star opposite Diahann Carroll in the Broadway revival of Lorraine Hansberry’s classic A Raisin In The Sun. Previews begin March 8, 2014, with opening night on April 3, 2014 at the Barrymore Theatre where the original production opened 55 years ago. Set on Chicago’s South Side, A Raisin In The Sun revolves around the divergent dreams and conflicts within three generations of the Younger family: son Walter Lee (Washington), his wife Ruth (Sophie Okonedo), his sister Beneatha (Anika Noni Rose), his son Travis and matriarch Lena, called Mama (Carroll). Rounding out the cast are Stephen Tyrone Williams, Jason Dirden, and Stephen McKinley Henderson. Washington won a Best Actor Tony for his performance in 2010′s Fences. The Kenny Leon-directed A Raisin In The Sun is a limited engagement, running 14 weeks only through June 15, 2014.

Hotel Trends: Long Island City the next Brooklyn

While the word is out on how hot Brooklyn is for corporate meetings and destination incentives, its neighbor just few miles to the north is start to heat up as well.

Long Island City is in the middle of a renaissance, and the once gritty industrial neighborhood known mostly for its cab garages is becoming a mod oasis for business travel, meetings and events.  Boutique hotels are finding Long Island City to be the perfect location outside of Manhattan while providing spectacular views of the skyline and iconic bridges.  One rooftop venue is next to the Ed Koch Queensboro Bridge and provides a corporate event group with an exciting pan-Asian experience.

And finally, Long Island City has the advantage of being a 10-minute subway for cab ride to Midtown East!

Lincoln Center Update: Ethan Hawke to star as Macbeth

Broadway isn't the only entertainment venue heating up as the weather gets colder.  Ethan Hawke will reunite with director Jack O'Brien in a new production of Macbeth at Lincoln Center.  Limited showings will begin on October 24.

According to a recent interview with E!Online, Hawke said he has always wanted to play this part.  He and O'Brien previously worked together in Henry IV.

Shackman Associates New York provides corporate meeting, association meeting, and destination incentive groups with unique entertainment experiences on Broadway, off-Broadway, and at other spectacular venues like Lincoln Center.  This is frequently included backstage tours and interactions with key performers.