Aretha Franklin News

The story and music of America's Composer come to life on stage with Seattle Repertory Theatre's presentation of Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin, a play-with-music written and performed by award-winning actor and musician Hershey Felder (Broadway's George Gershwin Alone, Off-Broadway's Maestro; Our Great Tchaikovsky, and others). Directed by Trevor Hay, Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin will play the Bagley Wright stage February 23-March 18, 2018 (opening night is February 28, 2018), and tickets are on sale now through the Seattle Rep Box Office at 206.443.2222 and online at SeattleRep.org.  

The Bickford Theatre celebrates the 100th anniversary of the birth of jazz legend Thelonious Monk on Thursday, February 22, with a concert featuring his son, the acclaimed drummer, educator and composer T.S. Monk who will perform with his sextet introducing vocalist April May Webb.

Shoshana Bean's new album Spectrum drops tomorrow, February 9th, and the superstar vocalist just announced a pop-up show tomorrow night at Rockwood Music Hall.

Renowned jazz artists Regina Carter and Xavier Davis will present an evening of Valentine's Day-inspired tunes beginning at 7:30 p.m. on Wednesday, Feb. 14 in Varner Recital Hall on the campus of Oakland University.

Committed, presented by New York Theater's Winterfest, begins performances tonight at 6.15pm at The Hudson Guild Theater (441 West 26th Street), with additional performances on Saturday, February 10th at 8.30pm and Sunday, February 11th at 1.00pm.  Written by award winning director, Tricia Brouk (Romance and Cigarettes, "Sublets," This Dinner is Full), Committed features 10 original songs by lyricist/composer Andrew David Sotomayor (50 Shades of F***d Up).

Tony and Grammy Award-Winner Billy Porter has released a new music video for his take on the classic show tune, "I'm Gonna Wash That Man Right Outta My Hair"  - premiered via Out. The video was directed by Kena Tangi Dorsey and filmed on location in downtown Los Angeles. See the clip below!

Legendary music producer and FAME Studios founder Rick Hall has died at the age of 85. Hall died this morning at his home in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, not far from his world famous recording studio.

The New York Pops and Music Director Steven Reineke were joined by Tony Award winner James Monroe Iglehart (currently appearing as Marquis de Lafayette and Thomas Jefferson in Hamilton, and previously seen as the Genie in Aladdin and Bobby in Memphis) and Broadway regular Capathia Jenkins (Medda inNewsies, as well as appearances in Caroline, Or Change, and Martin Short: Fame Becomes Me) for Heart and Soul on Friday, February 2 at 8:00 p.m. in Stern Auditorium / Perelman Stage at Carnegie Hall.

eSe Teatro is thrilled to partner with Sound Theatre Company to present the world premiere of an original new multimedia musical for a limited engagement, February 25th - 28th, 2018.

In a special show for the festival: Degibri Big Band will host Miri Mesika, Ester Rada and Leena Makhoul in a tribute to the great jazz singers: Ella Fitzgerald, Dinah Washington, Billie Holiday, Sarah Vaughan, Aretha Franklin and more. March 8, 21:30.

Following its critically acclaimed, successful 2017 spring season, New York's beloved Dance Theatre of Harlem, under the artistic direction of Virginia Johnson, will return to NY City Center for its annual homecoming season from April 4-7, 2018.

Joe's Pub at The Public announces the new class of Joe's Pub Working Group (JPWG), the venue's artist development program dedicated to enhancing the career sustainability and growth of performing artists. Entering its fourth year, JPWG welcomes five artists - playwright and songwriter Dan Fishback, classically trained bandleader Juliette Jones, violinist and composer Dana Lyn, jazz composer and pianist Samora Abayomi Pinderhughes and cabaret darling Tori Scott - as the core group that represents the diversity and scope of the nightly programming at Joe's Pub.

On March 21st, 2018 The Ivoryton Playhouse opens its doors for a new season - a year full of exciting, affordable professional theatre. Plays for romantics and plays for cynics; shows for families and shows by and about women;  music from the movies and Broadway as well as timely new comedies and shocking stories of dark secrets - the Ivoryton Playhouse 2018 season has something for everyone and more than you ever expected.

The Rochester Philharmonic Orchestra (RPO) announced its 2018/19 season to a packed house in Kodak Hall at Eastman Theatre earlier this evening. The Orchestra's fourth-annual, free Season Preview Concert once again featured the entire orchestra onstage performing selected excerpts, with emcees Music Director Ward Stare and Principal Pops Conductor Jeff Tyzik.

Committed, presented by The New York Theater's Winterfest, will premiere at The Hudson Guild Theater (441 West 26th Street) on Tuesday, February 6th at 6.15pm, with additional performances on Saturday, February 10th at 8.30pm and Sunday, February 11th at 1.00pm.  Written by award winning director, Tricia Brouk (Romance and Cigarettes, "Sublets," This Dinner is Full), Committed features 11 original songs by lyricist/composer, Andrew David Sotomayor, (The Curvy Widow, Newsies).

Experience a celebration of diverse dance when New England's talented dance schools and companies come together for an evening of performances designed to delight audiences of all ages. The Worcester County Dance Festival comes to The Hanover Theatre for the Performing Arts, Saturday, April 28 at 8 p.m. Tickets are on sale now.

Choreographer, playwright, and dancer Jinah Parker's momentous and timely work SHE will run March 31 - May 19 at the Gym at Judson in Manhattan. This moving work of dance-theater-"a Choreoplay"-opens up all-too-necessary conversations about sexual trauma, systemic racism, women's healing and ownership of their bodies, and the undoing of rape culture.

ETHEL, a postmodern, indie-classical quartet, pays special homage to the brilliant, gorgeous, and masterful women who are making their musical mark on the 21st century. Sometimes fierce, sometimes seductive, always full of creativity, composers like Mary Ellen Childs, Anna Clyne, Missy Mazzoli, and Pulitzer Prize-winner Julia Wolfe are warriors and champions of music today. Repertoire by these women-including the first performances of Wolfe's bluegrass-inspired Blue Dress for String Quartet-is performed with music named by the composers as their personal sources of inspiration.

WICKED! alumni Shoshana Bean will be celebrating her latest musical project release Spectrum with a one-night concert at The Ace Theatre in Downtown Los Angeles. We had the wonderful opportunity to chat with the powerhouse songstress before prepping for her L.A. engagement.