Andy Williams News

The Writers Guild of America, West (WGAW) and the Writers Guild of America, East (WGAE) have announced nominations for outstanding achievement in television, news, radio, promotional writing, and graphic animation during the 2012 season. The winners will be honored at the 2013 Writers Guild Awards on Sunday, February 17, 2013, at simultaneous ceremonies in Los Angeles and New York.

It's no wonder that Donny & Marie Osmond's Vegas show won the Best in Vegas 2012, having premiered there in 2008. It's a big, splashy, hi-tech evening with all kinds of fun, popular music. They are finally recreating it at the Pantages, with the inclusion of several segments of Christmas music. There are eight terrifically flashy dancers, a live orchestra - and of course, Donny & Marie, who for the past 50 years - impossible to believe - have been part of our television family. Where would our all-American musical heritage be without Andy Williams and the Osmonds? It was the early 60s when five year-old Donny, his seven brothers and little three year-old Marie bowed on The Andy Williams Show. With that in mind, concerning all those people we hold near and dear, we may have increasingly grander expectations, but ... Donny & Marie surely do not disappoint in this, their very first show together in Los Angeles aptly titled Donnie & Marie Christmas in Los Angeles. In fact, they give it everything they've got...and that's a whole lot more than most entertainers in their 50s really give.

Broadway/L.A. has announced that DONNY & MARIE - Christmas in Los Angeles will come to the legendary Pantages Theatre from tonight, December 4 - 23, 2012 for its West Coast Premiere.

Pop legend Barry Manilow will be back on Broadway in January, but between now and then he will present a series of six benefit concerts at Palm Desert's McCallum Theatre called "A Gift Of Love" with all proceeds benefiting 27 local (Coachella Valley) charities. He recently celebrated his 50th chart-topping hit on The Billboard Charts with "Santa Claus Is Comin' To Town" from his new holiday CD, The Classic Christmas Album. I had the wonderful opportunity to sit down with the entertainment icon backstage at The McCallum and talk "all things Manilow". Here are a few excerpts from that interview.

America's sweetheart Amy Grant makes her debut with Pacific Symphony Pops for festive, heartwarming holiday concert, 'Christmas with Amy Grant'.

The Actors Fund presents a very special Musical Monday, an evening with five grand ladies of musical theatre in LADIES OF AN INDETERMINATE AGE on December 10, 2012. Anne Jeffreys, Jane Kean, Pat Marshall, Patricia Morison and Charlotte Rae - join together on the same stage to sing songs from their careers, talk about their co-stars, directors and composers and stray into their wicked (or not-so-wicked) adventures in the great tradition of "No Business Like Show Business."

Today the worldwide release of the Oscar-winning song Born Free re-recorded by legendary Queen guitarist Brian May and West End and Broadway songstress Kerry Ellis, was released. The classic hit single will be sold in aid of the international wildlife charity, the Born Free Foundation.

As Christmas approaches, Branson becomes a winter wonderland with its seasonal shows, a special festival at Silver Dollar City and a blanket of holiday lights. Cheer and goodwill are in the air as the town gears up for its 24TH ANNUAL OZARK MOUNTAIN CHRISTMAS which features a bevy of first-class holiday entertainment options.

Anthony Newley has had an extremely successful career since the 1950's. A star of stage, screen and music; this new album The Last Song is a celebration of his work and features fourteen previously unreleased tracks including duets with Petula Clark, Julia McKenzie and Marti Webb.

ANNIE, the new production of the Tony Award-winning musical, went into rehearsal today in New York City with its full company. The production begins previews October 3, 2012 and opens November 8, 2012 at the Palace Theatre (Broadway at 47th Street). Meet the full cast below!

This week's topics: The real NYADA, RIP Andy Williams, Theater and Suffering, Who should play Buddy, Revivals we want on Bway, ADORABLE little girls, Food on stage

This week marked the third X FACTOR/GLEE combo Thursday on Fox and both shows continued to deliver the chill-inducing trills and riff-tastic runs we have come to expect from the entertainment extravaganzas showing off TV's top vocalists, performers, celebrities, hottest songs and guest stars. Evidently, Sarah Jessica Parker and Britney Spears sure can spice up and heat up a cooling late-September autumnal soup!

The Recording Academy has released the following statement on Andy Williams' passing.

According to People.com, 84 year old Andy Williams, performer extraordinaire, passed away yesterday morning in his Branson, MO. home. His family announced that he was a victim of his fight with bladder cancer.

Before there was Madonna, Lady Gaga, Kathy Griffin, The Real Housewives and countless others there was the Diva Madame! Newly teamed with award-winning performer Rick Skye the hilarious and fabulous icon is returning to television. Madame will debut on Thursday, September 27 @ 11pm ET only on Bravo's Watch What Happens LIVE, hosted by Andy Cohen, with further airings to follow.

From its very start as an independent record label in 1982, Dave Grusin and Larry Rosen's GRP Records broke ground, both artistically and commercially. Known as the DIGITAL MASTER COMPANY, they were the first record company to adopt digital recording technology for all its releases, launch every release on CD world-wide, and one of the earliest to market itself as a lifestyle brand.

Broadway/L.A. has announced that DONNY & MARIE - Christmas in Los Angeles will come to the legendary Pantages Theatre from December 4 - 23, 2012 for its West Coast Premiere.

ANNIE, the new production of the Tony Award-winning musical, went into rehearsal today in New York City with its full company. The production begins previews October 3, 2012 and opens November 8, 2012 at the Palace Theatre (Broadway at 47th Street). Meet the full cast below!