Chef Rossi New Memoir The Raging Skillet (AUDIO)

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with Chef Rossi about her new must-read memoir “The Raging Skillet”. Chef Rossi’s story is a fabulous journey of cooking her way through some of life’s biggest challenges in New York City’s most unlikely kitchens. Talking her way into any cooking job she could get, Rossi is a self-taught and self-made entrepreneur who ended up owning one of the most sought-after catering companies in the city. Zagat dubbed her as “the wildest thing this side of the Mason-Dixon Line”. The book features anecdotes from a life of food spanning decades in NYC plus easy to follow recipes ranging from pizza bagels to tuna tartare completing each chapter. We talked to Chef Rossi about the inspiration for her new memoir and her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what she would like to see happen for LGBT equality in the next few years Rossi stated, “I would love it if it wasn’t a question anymore. Now of course we have marriage equality but I would like it just to be so normal. Like you don’t really say ‘Oh I’m gay’ just like people don’t really say ‘Oh I’m straight’. I would love it just to be part of the fabric of our lives. You’re gay, you’re straight, you’re black, you’re white, it’s all of one. We’re all equal, we’re all happy, we’re all loving, we all have the same rights. You know here in New York we’re spoiled because I can walk down the street holding my girlfriend’s hand and not have to worry. It was not always like that. There was a time even in New York when in Central Park men were throwing rocks at me and my girlfriend because we kissed. Nowadays I see young couples, gay couples, happily holding hand, not even thinking about that. They don’t have that trauma and I would love it if no one had that trauma. Generation after generation of nobody knowing what it’s like to be gay bashed. I’d like to go to Oklahoma and Arkansas on my book tour. I’m going to all these places, I just got back from Denver and I’ll be going to St Louis. I’d like to travel around the world and around the country and have it not be an issue. You know we’re all just people.”

 Chef Rossi is the catering director, owner and executive chef of The Raging Skillet catering for the past twenty-three years. She has earned a reputation as the go-to company for out-of-the-box catering and weddings. The Raging Skillet has been voted one of New York's Top Five Wedding Caterers by The Knot from 2009 through 2015. The release date for her new Feminist Press memoir “The Raging Skillet” is scheduled for November 10th then kicking off the book tour at Henriettas in NYC on Nov 11th, followed by November 12th at WORD Bookstore in Jersey City, NJ at 7:30P, then November 17th at Powerhouse Arena in Brooklyn, NY at 7P, next November 19th at Trident Bookstore & Café in Boston, MA at 7P, followed by November 22nd at Preservation Hall in Wellfleet, MA at 3P and December 3rd at The Green Building in Brooklyn, NY at 6P for the Feminist Press Challahday Party. Chef Rossi is also currently touring with the Jewish Book Council.
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Melissa Ferrick Returns With New CD & US Tour (AUDIO)

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with singer-songwriter Melissa Ferrick about her current tour and brand new CD which is her 12th original album to date. Ferrick has been performing her deeply personal brand of "rock folk" (as she calls it) for more than two decades. The self-titled album in many ways marks a new beginning was officially released with her two singles “Careful” and “Scenic View” and will soon be available in Vinyl on her own Right On Records label. In her new recording Melissa has simply delivered an eloquent and honest acoustic album with an undeniable level of maturity. For long-time fans this will be a welcome new arrival and for those who are just discovering Ferrick this is a fabulous introduction. Melissa is marking the middle of her career with a perfect solo return to songwriting and to herself as she begins a 16 city US tour from Maine to Florida. We talked to Melissa about her new music endeavors and her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what she would like to see happen for LGBT equality in the next few years Ferrick stated, “I would like to see more acceptance, certainly. I would like to see also the inclusion of our trans brothers and sisters more integrated. I’ve felt this way for a long time. I remember when I was part of a lot of the AIDS awareness that was going on, a lot of dinners and fundraisers. I lived in New York in 1989 and I became part of the Act-Up group down there in The Village but I remember there weren’t a lot of women and I remember thinking to myself, you know if we all just came together supporting each other more we could get more done. So I think inclusion and crossing the boundaries between each other would be huge. Less separation and more combining our populations. So I’d love to see more coming together.”

Melissa Ferrick has shared the stage with Bob Dylan, Morrissey, Marc Cohn, Paul Westerberg, Dwight Yoakam, John Hiatt, Weezer, Tegan and Sara, G-Love & Special Sauce, Dan Bern, Ani DiFranco, k.d. Lang, Suzanne Vega, Shawn Colvin, Joan Armatrading, Mike Doughty, The Indigo Girls and many others in her twenty year career. Ferrick was also a featured music honoree in OUT Magazine’s OUT100 focusing on artists who make an impact on our community. She is currently embarking on her US tour appearing October 23rd at The Falcon in Marlboro, NY, October 29th at South Orange Performance Art Center in South Orange, NJ, October 30th at Infinity Music Hall, in Hartford, CT, November 6th at One Longfellow Square in Portland, ME, November 7th at Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, MA, November 8th at Higher Ground in South Burlington, VT, November 9th at Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, NY, November 15th at Shalin Liu Performance Center in Rockport, MA, November 21st at New Hope Winery, in New Hope, PA, December 10th at The Kravis Center in West Palm Beach, FL, December 11th at Ponte Vedra Concert Hall in Ponte Vedra, FL, December 12th at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, FL, December 13th at Cafe Eleven in St Augustine, FL, December 15th at Cats Cradle Back Room in Carrboro, NC, December 17th at Town Crier, Beacon, NY and concluding at Club Passim in Cambridge, MA on December 26th & 27th.
For More Info: melissaferrick.com

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Susan Claassen In “A Conversation With Edith Head”

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with Susan Claassen about her fabulous play “A Conversation With Edith Head” that runs October 21st to October 24th in Palm Springs, California. For six decades the legendary costume designer Edith Head worked on over eleven hundred films, dressed the greatest stars of Hollywood from Mae West to Grace Kelly, received 35 Academy Award nominations and won an unprecedented eight Oscars. “A Conversation With Edith Head” based on the book “Edith Head’s Hollywood” by Edith Head & Paddy Calistro continues the legacy of Hollywood’s iconic costume designer. The play is filled with behind the scenes stories about great movie legends and their delicious intimate encounters with Miss Head during their costume fittings and other personal recollections. As Lucille Ball stated, "Edith knew the figure faults of every top star. And she never told. Edith always knew how to keep a secret." However in this one-woman show some secrets just might be revealed and fashion tips freely given. The play is interactive allowing the audience to ask questions that pertain to the era, fielded by Stuart Moulton. Claassen’s portrayal of Edith Head is uncanny and riveting. We talked to Susan about the inspiration for her play “A Conversation With Edith Head” and her spin on our LGBT Issues.

When asked what her personal commitment is to LGBT civil rights Claassen stated, “I’ve always been involved by how I live. I’ve been with my partner for 26 years and I’ve always been associated with endeavors that utilize the arts to raise awareness and to raise funds. Way back in the 1980’s we were the first organization to do Tucson AIDS Project. We raised money and tried to organize all the arts in Tucson (Arizona) to do that. So awareness is still there. We do programing that has specific themes, our guidance in that is that they are universal. You know, marriage is marriage, love is love, but we try to make stories as diverse as possible.”

Susan Claassen has been a member of Actors’ Equity Association for 46 years and is celebrating her 40th anniversary as Managing Artistic Director of the Invisible Theatre in Tucson, Arizona. Her production of “A Conversation With Edith Head” is currently touring nationally and was featured in the 2006 Republic of Georgia International Theatre Festival, The Edinburgh Fringe Festival August 2007 and played London’s West End in 2008. She received a prestigious LA Stage Alliance Ovation Best Actress Nomination in 2011 for her portrayal of Edith Head and Phoenix New Times Best Actress 2012. As Managing Artistic Director of the Invisible Theatre, she has produced over 400 productions and directed over 90 productions. In addition to her work with the Invisible Theatre she has been a consultant and director for the Waterfront Playhouse and Red Barn Theatre in Key West, Florida. She was most recently seen as Olive in Invisible Theatre’s “Olive and The Bitter Herbs” and won the 2014 MAC Award for Best Actress in a comedy. Susan has been honored as one of Arizona’s “48 Most Intriguing Women”. Susan Claassen will be appearing in “A Conversation With Edith Head” from October 21st to October 24th at Palm Springs Woman’s Club 314 South Cahuilla in Palm Springs, California.
For More Info & Tix: edithhead.biz

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Women's Week In Provincetown October 12th to 18th

In this exclusive audio interview Emmy Winner Charlotte Robinson host of OUTTAKE VOICES™ talks with Jeanne Leszczynski co-owner of the Sage Inn in Provincetown Massachusetts about Women’s Week in Ptown that takes place October 12th through the 18th. In 1984 several entrepreneurial and fabulous lesbian innkeepers came together to talk about ways to bring gay women back to Provincetown during the fall. This small discussion blossomed into the idea of a clambake on the beach for one weekend in October that would be called Women's Weekend. The event was a resounding success and today is one of the largest and longest running lesbian events in history. For over 30 years Women's Week has grown far beyond anyone's expectation. There are over 150 events including workshops, film screenings and performances by comedians, jazz, blues and contemporary musicians to entertain those celebrating during this special week. We talked to Jeanne about what’s happening this year at Women’s Week in Provincetown and her spin on our LGBT issues.

When asked what she would like to see happen for LGBT equality in the next few years Leszczynski stated, “Well mostly I’d like it to become a non-issue. I would like for everyone to be treated equally. I’m not that naive to think that is going to happen anytime soon so we will have to continue to support GLAD and MassEquality in maintaining the law of the land and of course keeping government attuned to our issues and so we know that has to continue for awhile. There’s a lot of maintenance to be done. When that day happens what I would like to see us do and I would like us to do now is to extend what we have learned about our equal rights to other minority groups and help them achieve what gay people have achieved in the acceptance in society of differences. I think we also should help in the conversation about drawing a line between government and religion. Sometimes that line gets a little grey and it takes a little wisdom to sort that through. We don’t want to intrude on anyone’s religious rights but yet government is for the whole society and not for any individual’s belief. So that I think is going to be a very interesting conversation in the next few years.”

Jeanne Leszczynski and her partner Diane DiCarlo are major donors to the Provincetown Film Society, the Center for Coastal Studies, the Human Rights Campaign, the Freedom to Marry Coalition, GLAD (Gay and Lesbian Advocates and Defenders) and the Massachusetts Horticultural Society. They purchased the former Pilgrim House and Vixen Night Club in 2011 and opened the Sage Inn & Lounge in May 2012 as a center of hospitality in Provincetown throughout the year. During Women’s Week some of the concert performances at Sage Inn will include the legendary Alix Dobkin, Tret Fure as well as jazz pianist and singer-songwriter Barbara Higbie with Ptown’s own Zoë Lewis. Performing in other venues around town will include concerts by Cris Williamson, Suede and Linda Eder to name a few. Some of the fabulous comedians appearing throughout Women's Week include Kate Clinton, Jennie McNulty, Poppy Champlin, Vickie Shaw, Mimi Gonzalez, Kristen Becker, Maggie Cassella, Suzanne Westenhoefer and more.
For More Info & Tix: womensweekprovincetown.com

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