Open mic

An open mic or open mike (derived from open microphone) is a live show where audience members may perform at the microphone. Usually, the performers sign up in advance for a time slot with the host or master of ceremonies. These events are typically focused on performance arts like poetry and the spoken word, music, and comedy.

Poetry and spoken word

Poetry and spoken word open mics feature a host, who is normally a poet or spoken word artist, poets and spoken word artists, and audience members. A sign-up is done before the show begins, so that the host has a list of names to call from. Poetry/spoken word open mics are laid back, serene, and contain lively conversation in between readers and/or performers. They are usually held in libraries, coffee houses, cafes, and book stores or bars. Each poet or spoken word artist is often asked to keep their performances to a minimum/specified time slot, giving each performer enough time to share some of their work.

Comedy

Comedy open mic nights can be held at established comedy clubs, but are more commonly held at other venues with or without a stage, often the upstairs or back room of a pub or bar. Such nights give newer acts an opportunity to practice and improve, with a view to getting paid work. More experienced acts get an opportunity to work out newer material where the audience is not paying in anticipation of seeing their normal act. In a typical open mic night, newer acts will get three or maybe five minutes of stage time, but more experienced acts may get ten or more minutes. There are booked shows, true open mics and bringer shows. A book show is usually booked week in advance with some lottery spots. A true open mic you put your name on the list and you go on when your name is called. And the bringer show is when you have to bring x number of people to get on stage.

Apollo Theater

The Apollo Theater at 253 West 125th Street between Adam Clayton Powell Jr. Boulevard and Frederick Douglass Boulevard in the Harlem neighborhood of Manhattan, New York City is a music hall which is a noted venue for African-American performers. It was the home of Showtime at the Apollo, a nationally syndicated television variety show which showcased new talent, from 1987 to 2008, encompassing 1093 episodes.

The theater, which has a capacity of 1506, was built in 1913-14 as Hurtig & Seamon's New Burlesque Theater, and was designed by George Keister in the neo-Classical style. It became the Apollo in 1934, when it was opened to black patrons – previously it had been a whites-only venue. In 1983, both the interior and exterior of the building were designated as New York City Landmarks, and the building was added to the National Register of Historic Places. It is estimated that 1.3 million people visit the Apollo every year.

History

Creation and rise

The building which later became the Apollo Theater was built in 1913-14 and was designed by architect George Keister, who also designed the First Baptist Church in the City of New York. It was originally Hurtig and Seamon's New (Burlesque) Theater, which enforced a strict "Whites Only" policy. The theatre was operated by noted burlesque producers Jules Hurtig and Harry Seamon, who obtained a 30-year lease. It remained in operation until 1928, when Billy Minsky took over. The song "I May Be Wrong (But I Think You're Wonderful)" by Harry Sullivan and Harry Ruskin, written in 1929, became the theme song of the theater..

Jason Biggs

Jason Matthew Biggs (born May 12, 1978) is an American actor best known for his role as Jim Levenstein in the American Pie series of teen comedy films. He is known for providing the voice of Leonardo in Nickelodeon's Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles TV series, a role he held until he was replaced near the end of the show's second season, and he also portrayed Larry Bloom in Orange Is the New Black.

Early life

Biggs was born in the Pompton Plains section of Pequannock Township, New Jersey. His mother, Angela (née Zocco), is a nurse, and his father, Gary Louis Biggs, is a shipping company manager. Biggs' father is of English and Italian descent and Biggs' mother is of Sicilian descent. His last name is derived from his English ancestry. He was raised Roman Catholic.

He grew up in Hasbrouck Heights and attended Hasbrouck Heights High School, where he achieved success in tennis. Biggs attended Montclair State University for three weeks before dropping out.

Career

Biggs began acting at the age of five. In 1991, he made his television debut in the short lived FOX series Drexell's Class. In 1988, he received his Screen Actors Guild card for appearing in a TV commercial for Pathmark. He later recalled in a 2015 interview in TV Guide, "I remember I had to eat a doughnut in one of the shots. Over and over again. Awesome."

Ashley Tisdale

Ashley Michelle Tisdale (born July 2, 1985) is an American actress, singer, and producer. During her childhood, she appeared in more than 100 TV advertisements and had roles in theatre and television shows. In 2004, she was cast as Maddie Fitzpatrick in Disney Channel's The Suite Life of Zack & Cody, and rose to prominence in 2006 as Sharpay Evans in the television film High School Musical. The High School Musical series included three films and the spin-off Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure (2011). Tisdale's resultant popularity led her to sign a record deal with Warner Bros. Records in 2006. Her debut album, Headstrong (2007), was certified gold by the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) and features the single "He Said She Said". Two years later, Tisdale released her second studio album, Guilty Pleasure. In 2013, she announced plans to make music again and confirmed that she has been recording her third studio album.

From 2007 until 2015, Tisdale voiced Candace Flynn in Disney Channel's three-time Emmy Award-winning animated series Phineas and Ferb. The cartoon quickly became the television's most-watched animated series among kids and tweens and has received critical acclaim. Her other roles have included Savannah Monroe in The CW's television drama series Hellcats (2010–11), Jody Sanders in Scary Movie 5 (2013) and the title character of Hub Network's animated series Sabrina: Secrets of a Teenage Witch (2013–present), for which she received a Daytime Emmy Award nomination in 2014.

Steven Weber

Steven Weber is the name of:

See also