Friendship & the Rise of "Temple of the Souls"
Monday, July 17, 2017 at 02:46PM
Why are Dr. Judy Kuriansky and Reporter Jane Valez-Mitchell teaming up?
The two longtime friends are connected in many ways to the play and its themes: Friendship and Family.
Jane and Dr. Judy have been fast friends since 1982 when they were both reporters at WCBS-TV in New York, with ongoing illustrious media careers and interests and expertise in relationships.
From their days at Channel 2 News together, Jane Velez-Mitchell went on to host many shows including on HLN-TV, “Issues with Jane Velez Mitchell” having previously worked as a fill-in host for Nancy Grace. An advocate for social justice and human rights, she was nominated for a GLAAD Media Award in 2010 for outstanding TV Journalism. Her top-rated books include “iWant: My Journey from Addiction and Overconsumption to a Simpler, Honest Life” chronicling her journey overcoming alcohol addiction; “Addict Nation: An Intervention for America”; and “Secrets Can Be Murder: The Killer Next Door” about sensational trials that she has covered over her stellar journalism career; and “Exposed: the Secret Life of Jodie Arias.” She is now an avid advocate for animal rights.
Dr. Judy Kuriansky went on to host the wildly popular radio call-in advice show, Lovephones, aired on the top-rated Z100 radio station, with rock stars adding their sex advice, and then to become a United Nations advisor to an African government and run two NGOs to the UN, where she, like Jane, also advocated – to successfully get mental health and well-being included in the new UN agenda for the first time; and also to become a professor at Columbia University Teachers College, and to criss-cross the world providing disaster relief after earthquakes in Haiti, China and Japan, hurricane Katrina in Louisiana and Superstorm Sandy in NY. Her theatre interests date back to 3rd grade when she was given the role of Queen in her 3rd grade play.
The background collaboration story of Temple of the Souls is rooted in a family history of the writers: Jane is the daughter of story creator Anita Velez-Mitchell and the aunt co-book writers of sisters Lorca Peress and Anika Paris. Their mother is an award-winning poet Gloria Vando and their father is music conductor and author Maurice Peress. Lorca and Anika's maternal grandparents, Anita Velez-Mitchell and Erasmo Vando have their life's work archived in the Center for Puerto Rican Studies at Hunter College.
Dr. Judy and Jane are available to speak to you about their involvement in the show and their feelings on friendship and family, and thee topics of their career, getting over addictions, and controversial celebrity trials today (for example, Bill Cosby, for which Dr. Judy gave psychological opinion for a TV special, “Bill Cosby: An American Scandal”.
Don't miss this great opportunity to come enjoy this amazing musical!
For tickets, contact http://www.nymf.org/festival/2017-events/temple-souls/ or call 212-352-3101.
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