Aretha Franklin News

 Last evening, the Apollo Theater celebrated its 11th Annual Spring Gala raising $1.7M for its year-round artistic and community programming initiatives.  The concert portion of the evening was hosted by LL COOL J, and opened with the dynamic dancing duo Laurent & Larry Bourgeois of Les Twins.  The concert also featured performances by legendary R&B group, The O'Jays including rousing version of Love Train, The Backstabbers, For the Love of Money and more.  Rising star vocalist, Leon Bridges brought the crowd to its feet with a performance of Mustang Sally and vocalist Andra Day performed her hit song City Burns,followed by a touching performance of Unforgettable in tribute to legendary songstress Natalie Cole. Host LL COOL J also joined DJ D-Nice for a tribute to Phife Dawg of A Tribe Called Quest - one of several iconic artists lost in 2016. 

Ardea Arts announces BOUNCE The Basketball Opera, their latest project in development. Showcase performances will take place at Paerdegat Park in East Flatbush, Brooklyn Saturday-Monday June 25-27, 2016 at 6pm. BOUNCE is a free, non-ticketed event, open to the public. For more information, visit www.ardeaarts.com/bounce/.

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) is offering a limited number of seats to see the Queen of Soul - ARETHA FRANKLIN on Thursday, June 16th at 7:30pm at a special price of $49.00 for the concert-only portion of the Musical Moments for Multiple Sclerosis Gala.

It is said that music never leaves the soul. No one knows this more than jazz vocalist and radio personality, Cres O'Neal. On Saturday, July 16, 2016, at 4 pm, Cres will make her long awaited return to the stage at the Metropolitan Room, 34 W 22nd Street, New York, New York. Joining Cres will be Grammy nominated percussionist, Wilson 'Chembo' Corniel; award winning pianist, Dawrin Noguera; acclaimed bassist, Paul Beaudry; and acclaimed drummer, Willie Martinez.

R&B artist, vocalist, rapper on the rise, as well as activist, Michael Blume is ready to bring his fans into his visual world. The single 'Colors' is the second release since Fall 2015.

Maine State Music Theatre and Fulton Theatre present the exclusive premiere of the new chamber version of GHOST THE MUSICAL, beginning tonight, June 8, and continuing through June 25.

?International Broadway star Shoshana Bean (green-skinned witch from Wicked) will perform in Brisbane at the Judith Wright Centre of Contemporary Arts for one exclusive night only on Saturday 17 July.

Electric Youth (EY), the international touring ensemble of singer-dancers trained at the Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA), will perform at THE BLACK BOX in downtown Franklin on Saturday, June 18 at 7:30 p.m. The event is a Bon Voyage Concert for Electric Youth, coming just days before the ensemble departs on June 23rd for a three-week concert tour of Austria and Italy. The group's 13th European tour will include a return Fourth of July show at Aviano Air Force Base to entertain U.S. Troops and families stationed abroad.

In case you missed the announcement about the arrival of one of Broadway's latest hits to Sydney shores, and are racking your brains as to what is going to be the next big thing in Australian theatre, then perhaps this will jog your memory:

Next week, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com/Feinsteins or call (646) 476-3551.

Kevin Black's The Soul of Motor City, which will open at Stage Door Theatre on June 10th and run through July 17th, is the happy realization of a personal goal for the multi-talented director/choreographer.

20 FEET FROM STARDOM screens at the Boulder Theater today, June 3rd, 2016. Doors: 7:00 pm | Show: 8:00 pm. Tickets on sale May 13th - $7 general admission or Free with purchase of ticket to Lisa Fischer at the Boulder Theater on August 7.

Once again, Bryant Park will be a destination for film buffs on summer nights in New York City, with an incredible line up for the 24thyear of the HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival

This June, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com/Feinsteins or call (646) 476-3551.

Reji Woods, a Lancaster area stage and song fixture, has a full plate this summer, with his PORTRAIT OF A LADY series and two summer shows in Philadelphia and Vermont. He talks about producing and performing at the same time.

This summer, the Alley Theatre will produce Agatha Christie's Spider's Web during its popular ExxonMobil Summer Chills Series July 12 - August 14. In addition, the Alley is launching a new Summer Thrills Series inviting audiences to the concert musical - A Night With Janis Joplin - the first rock & roll theatre piece on the new Hubbard stage, August 19 - September 18, 2016. Tickets will go on sale June 1 and will be available online (alleytheatre.org) or by phone (713.220.5700).

Last Saturday night at the Rose Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center presented a celebration on what would have been Ray Charles' 85th Birthday. The program was led by Musical Director and trumpeter Kenny Rampton (who once toured with the Ray Charles band), and included 10 longtime members of the icon's orchestra, along with the most recent “Rayettes” (backup singers Renee Georges, Katrina Harper, and Angela Workman). “Ray Charles Robinson, the genius of soul, his music was beyond genre,” Rampton told the audience. “Anything Mr. C. did from country to blues to the National Anthem was all Ray Charles . . .'

Constellation Theatre's adult puppet musical Avenue Q swept the 32nd annual Helen Hayes Awards honoring professional theater in Washington, D.C., on Monday with seven awards including outstanding musical.