Al Smith News

Broadway's Rex Smith (Grease, The Pirates of Penzance) and Kamilah Marshall (Hairspray, Rent) join Carol Channing and the previously announced Eric Kunze (Miss Saigon, Les Miserables), Krysta Rodriguez (The Addams Family, In The Heights) and Tony-Nominated Jonelle Allen (Two Gentlemen of Verona) in BACK WHERE YOU BELONG - a benefit concert celebrating Carol Channing's 90th Birthday, April 16 at The Heritage Forum Theatre of Anaheim.

This winter, nearly 1,000 kids from around the city got a jump on their jump shot with the Millennium Basketball Winter League, which fields four divisions: Co-Ed 8 - 10, Boys and Girls 11 - 13, and Boys 14 - 16.

Hart House Theatre is delighted to present Tony Award-winner David Henry Hwang's semi-autibiographical comedy, Yellow Face.

Hart House Theatre is delighted to present Tony Award-winner David Henry Hwang's semi-autibiographical comedy, Yellow Face.

Overbrook Entertainment partners James Lassiter, Ken Stovitz, Jada Pinkett Smith and Will Smith have formed a joint venture with Shawn 'JAY-Z' Carter to develop and produce major motion pictures. One of the projects being discussed is the re-imagination of the classic Broadway musical ANNIE as a vehicle for Willow Smith to star. The film will be developed with Sony Pictures Entertainment and produced by Overbrook Entertainment and Mr. Carter.

The NATIONAL NEW PLAY NETWORK (NNPN), the country's alliance of non-profit theaters that champions the development, production, and continued life of new plays, is accepting submissions for the fifth annual Smith Prize. Funded by a gift from writer Timothy Jay Smith and a group of socially conscious donors, The Smith Prize is awarded to a full-length, non-musical political play that illuminates issues that can only be dealt with at the national or global level, even if the story is told from an individual perspective.

'Entertainment Weekly' has published its 2010 'Entertainers of the Year' issue.

We are very pleased to announce that the Finborough Theatre's Pearson Playwright-in-Residence Anders Lustgarten has won the Catherine Johnson Award for Best Play for A Day at the Racists, which received its world premiere at the Finborough Theatre in March 2010. It is the third major award for the Finborough Theatre in the last three weeks, following its recent awards of The Empty Space Peter Brook Award 2010 and The Writers' Guild New Writing Encouragement Award 2010 for Artistic Director Neil McPherson.

The opening night benefit preview of Modernism + Art20, an exposition devoted to both decorative and fine arts of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries will take place Thursday, November 11, 2010, from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Park Avenue Armory at 67th Street in Manhattan.

The NATIONAL NEW PLAY NETWORK (NNPN), the country's alliance of non-profit theaters that champions the development, production, and continued life of new plays, is accepting submissions for the fifth annual Smith Prize. Funded by a gift from writer Timothy Jay Smith and a group of socially conscious donors, The Smith Prize is awarded to a full-length, non-musical political play that illuminates issues that can only be dealt with at the national or global level, even if the story is told from an individual perspective.

The opening night benefit preview of Modernism + Art20, an exposition devoted to both decorative and fine arts of the twentieth and twenty-first centuries will take place Thursday, November 11, 2010, from 5 to 9 p.m. at the Park Avenue Armory at 67th Street in Manhattan.

B.B. King Blues Club and Grill, one of the nation's most respected music venues and New York's premier home for Broadway stars and cabaret, presents its schedule of performances, with recently added or altered shows.

Miller Theatre's 2010 - 2011 season is the first fully programmed by its exuberant new director Melissa Smey. The season is a richly drawn exploration of diverse musical genres and styles, confirming what The New York Times declared: 'For sheer adventurousness, Miller Theatre remains the place to go.'

The Finborough Theatre presents VIBRANT - An Anniversary Festival of Finborough Playwrights. 30 NEW PLAYS TO CELEBRATE, 30 YEARS IN JUST UNDER 30 DAYS from 25 May - 19 June 2010

The Finborough Theatre presents VIBRANT - An Anniversary Festival of Finborough Playwrights. 30 NEW PLAYS TO CELEBRATE, 30 YEARS IN JUST UNDER 30 DAYS from 25 May - 19 June 2010

Jazz pianist Cyrus Chestnut brought his considerable talents to the stage of the Sheldon Concert Hall for a show (April 10, 2010) that featured selections of music more commonly associated with Elvis Presley. And, while this might seem to be an unlikely combination, Chestnut demonstrated his traditional jazz roots by improvising his way through these familiar melodies in dynamic and adventurous fashion. Chestnut proved to be a force to be reckoned with as he attacked the keys for each number, bending and twisting the chord progressions to suit his fancy, and providing a scintillating performance for an enthralled and appreciative audience.

The Sheldon presents the Cyrus Chestnut Trio, 'Cyrus Plays Elvis,' Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 8 p.m. in the perfect acoustics of the Sheldon Concert Hall. KWMU host Dennis Owsley will present a pre-concert talk, 'Jazz Piano Giants,' at 7:10 p.m. Jazz pianist Cyrus Chestnut and pop icon Elvis Presley aren't a likely pairing: Chestnut is one of the top pianists of a generation, born many years after songs like 'Love Me Tender,' 'Hound Dog' and 'Don't Be Cruel' made Presley the king of rock 'n' roll. But on Chestnut's new CD, Cyrus Plays Elvis, he offers a fresh outlook on Presley.

The Sheldon presents the Cyrus Chestnut Trio, 'Cyrus Plays Elvis,' Saturday, April 10, 2010 at 8 p.m. in the perfect acoustics of the Sheldon Concert Hall. KWMU host Dennis Owsley will present a pre-concert talk, 'Jazz Piano Giants,' at 7:10 p.m. Jazz pianist Cyrus Chestnut and pop icon Elvis Presley aren't a likely pairing: Chestnut is one of the top pianists of a generation, born many years after songs like 'Love Me Tender,' 'Hound Dog' and 'Don't Be Cruel' made Presley the king of rock 'n' roll. But on Chestnut's new CD, Cyrus Plays Elvis, he offers a fresh outlook on Presley.

Following the appointment of our former Literary Associate Titas Halder as Resident Assistant Director at the Donmar Warehouse, the Finborough Theatre has appointed a new team to manage its acclaimed Literary Department, working closely with Artistic Director Neil McPherson. The new team are Literary Manager Van Badham, Literary Assistant Daniel Burgess and Senior Reader Laura Jessop. The first fruits of their work will appear in Vibrant 2010 - An Anniversary Festival of Finborough Playwrights , celebrating the 30th year of the Finborough Theatre with 30 new plays by 30 UK and international playwrights, discovered, developed or championed by the Finborough Theatre including world premieres of brand new work from some of the hundreds of playwrights who began their careers with us.

HISTORIC PUBS AND TAVERNS OF UNION SQUARE. Come on this tour of historic speakeasies, pubs and taverns in the Union Square area, with stops at several, including Old Town Bar, which Al Smith frequented during his Tammany Hall days, and the tavern where O. Henry wrote Gift of the Magi.