Latest Posts | By Abbe Sparks
6 years ago
Theatre Award Season Kicks Into High Gear
Theatre Award season kicks into high gear this week. A slate of nominations announcements for the best of Broadway, Off-Broadway and Off-Off Broadway productions and talent continue with the Outer Circle Awards on April 24th and the coveted Drama Desk Awards on April 26th. The awards lineup includes the Obies, Outer Circle Critics Awards, and [...]
6 years ago
Artsy, Hip Gigantic-Size Shoe Exhibit Sparks Bloomies Return to Glory
An artsy, hip gigantic-size shoe exhibit on display at iconic Bloomingdale’s (Bloomies) NYC flagship locale is turning heads and feet of New Yorkers and tourists. The new exhibit is reminiscent of Bloomies of yesteryear when the legendary retailer was known as the “It” department store for cutting-edge fashion, pop culture, splashy campaigns, celebrity and New [...]
6 years ago
Tribeca Film Festival Spotlights Gender Equality & Diversity
When the Tribeca Film Festival opens April 18th for its 17th year, the spotlight will illuminate a more equal playing field that supports gender equality and diversity. Forty-six percent of this year’s films are directed by women – the highest percentage in the festival’s history. Image courtesy of the Tribeca Film Festival The 2018 feature [...]
6 years ago
Lovable Peanuts Gang Become Newest Kids on the Blocks
The lovable Peanuts Gang become the newest kids on the blocks today when the American leg of The Peanuts Global Arts Collective Tour officially unwraps its graffiti-esque art murals on the streets of New York City. The groundbreaking worldwide, public art initiative is designed to bring communities together through the universal themes ingrained in Peanuts [...]
6 years ago
Twenty Two Thousand Opioid Pills on the Wall
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Advocacy
Twenty two thousand pills on the wall make up the Opioid Memorial heading to Washington, DC Thursday, April 12th thru April 18th. Using art as a catalyst for awareness, education and social change . each pill is carved with a face to represent the 22,000 victims lost in 2015 to prescription opioid overdose. Prescribed to [...]
6 years ago
Closing Gender Wage Gap by Social Media Storm
Closing the gender wage gap by social media storm happens today on Equal Pay Day. That's what advocates for equal pay nationwide hope to accomplish via organized Time For Transparency Chats on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat. Equal Pay Day is held annually on the second Tuesday in April. It's the approximate day the typical [...]
6 years ago
Marching for The King 50 Years Later: MLK50
Marching for the King 50 years later to commemorate a hero of social justice takes on new meaning and energy in 2018. Today the world celebrates the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., 50 years after his violent assassination at the Lorraine Hotel in Memphis, TN. Nearly 100,000 people across the globe will be [...]
6 years ago
Ninety Six (96) Birthday Wishes Doris Day
Ninety Six (96) birthday wishes Doris Day -- Hollywood's girl next door. The legendary American actress, singer and animal welfare activist is celebrating her big day with friends and singing to her pets. Here's how to celebrate with Doris Day. Doris Day has one birthday wish this year. The founder of the Doris Day Animal [...]
6 years ago
On Harmony by Norman Granz: Quote of the Week
On Harmony by jazz impresario Norman Granz (1918 - 2001) is this week's Socially Sparked Quote of the Week. Known as one of the most influential producers of the 20th century jazz scene, Granz is equally recognized for his activism for civil rights and equality within the industry and beyond. "Jazz is America's own. It [...]
6 years ago
APRIL SPARKS SPOTLIGHT ALCOHOLISM, POETRY, AUTISM, JAZZ +
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Advocacy
April sparks spotlight alcoholism, autism, poetry, jazz and many more social justice, health and arts awareness initiatives. Sparks also electrify awareness for the environment, sexual assault, child abuse and distracted driving. Designated days include Earth Day, World Health Day and Walking Day, to name just a few. Here’s a topline of April’s finest. NATIONAL POETRY [...]
6 years ago
Routing Safer Roadways Via Nationwide Distracted Driving Laws
Routing safer roadways via nationwide distracted driving laws is one solution that addresses the thousands of unnecessary fatalities and injuries that occur each year. The advent of technology in the form of a new prevention app is another. April is Distracted Driving Awareness Month. The National Safety Council (NSC) is calling on legislators to create [...]
6 years ago
Long Live Mom and Pop Business Owners
Long live mom and pop business owners, especially today on National Mom and Pop Business Owners Day. While at first glance the large retail chains and online giant merchants may seem to be a death sentence to the small business owner, perception is deceiving. Here's why. The mom and pop stores of yore and those [...]
6 years ago
Taking Gun Control Issue to the Streets
Taking the gun control issue to the streets to affect change. That's what the students of Marjorie Stoneman Douglas High School are doing on Saturday, March 24th at March For Our Lives in Washington, DC. Millions of their peers, families, kids and advocates will be joining them in cities and towns across the country and [...]
6 years ago
Farewell Bozo The Clown’s Frank Avruch (1928-2018)
Farewell to Bozo The Clown’s portrayer Frank Avruch (May 21, 1928 – March 20, 2018). The Boston-based television personality entertained and Socially Sparked® millions of children of the 1960s as television’s Beloved Bozo The Clown (1959-1970). Avruch died at the age of 89 after a long battle with heart disease. He is survived by his [...]
6 years ago
Music’s Power by Hans Christian Andersen: Quote of the Week
Music's power by renowned master storyteller Hans Christian Andersen is the Socially Sparked® Quote of the Week. The Danish author is best known for fairy tales that have stood the test of time as The Little Mermaid, The Emperor's New Clothes and Princess and the Pea. In honor of Music in Our Schools Month we [...]
6 years ago
Adieu Toys ‘R Us: Iconic 80s Store Closing
Adieu Toys R Us: the ‘80s iconic store is closing its toy box to the world forever -- at least for now. The retail chain and its beloved mascot – Geoffrey Giraffe have Socially Sparked® the lives of millions of children of the '80s and '90s. While this news is bittersweet for every child that [...]
6 years ago
Scott Sharrard & Friends Live from NYC’s Irving Plaza
Scott Sharrard & Friends live from NYC's Irving Plaza brought down the house last night. Dubbed the 'secret show' orchestrated by Grammy-nominee Sharrard, (former musical director/guitarist/vocalist of The Gregg Allman Band) the concert was part tribute to the late Gregg Allman and his final Grammy-nominated album Southern Blood and part celebration of the 47th anniversary [...]
6 years ago
Dreams & Sleep: Quote of the Week by William Shakespeare
Dreams & Sleep: the Socially Sparked Quote of the Week is by playwright William Shakespeare from The Tempest. Our lives are Socially Sparked daily by our dreams. According to the National Sleep Foundation™ (NSF) it is very important to get a good sleep health for individuals to best achieve their personal, family, and professional goals. [...]
6 years ago
Gun Control Issue Needs More Heroes by Example
Gun Control issue needs more heroes by example. The surviving students of the Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School shooting massacre are a resilient group who in one short month have Socially Sparked our lives in more ways than one. Their passionate and relentless advocacy for gun control reform has reignited the conversation, taking the nation [...]