Betty Comden News

Urban Stages Founding Artistic Director Frances Hill and producer Peter Napolitano present the World Premiere of Character Man as part of its 30th Anniversary season. Jim Brochu's new musical memoir just opened Off-Broadway at Urban Stages Theatre (259 West 30th Street) Wednesday March 5th. This limited run, in previews now, will continue through March 30th only. Robert Bartley directs, with musical direction by Carl Haan. Character Man will have scenic & video design by Patrick Brennan, lighting design by Meghan Santelli and sound design by Sean Hagerty. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from opening night below!

Notable Tony Award-winning actress Randy Graff recently made her cabaret debut with a brand new solo piece titled MADE IN BROOKLYN at 54 Below and the triple-threat performer reprises the show with another performance tonight at the NYC cabaret hotspot.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

Urban Stages Founding Artistic Director Frances Hill and producer Peter Napolitano present the World Premiere of Character Man as part of its 30th Anniversary season. Jim Brochu's new musical memoir opens Off-Broadway at Urban Stages Theatre (259 West 30th Street) Wednesday March 5th. This limited run, in previews now, will continue through March 30th only. Robert Bartley directs, with musical direction by Carl Haan. Character Man will have scenic & video design by Patrick Brennan, lighting design by Meghan Santelli and sound design by Sean Hagerty.

Urban Stages Founding Artistic Director Frances Hill and producer Peter Napolitano present the World Premiere of Character Man as part of its 30th Anniversary season. Jim Brochu's new musical memoir begins an Off-Broadway run at Urban Stages Theatre (259 West 30th Street) tonight, February 28th, with opening night set for Wednesday March 5th. This limited run will continue through March 30th only. Robert Bartley directs, with musical direction by Carl Haan. Character Man will have scenic & video design by Patrick Brennan, lighting design by Meghan Santelli and sound design by Sean Hagerty.

A new video showcasing the idiosyncratic and adorable Tony Award-winning star Randy Graff recreating one of her most famous performances byway of 'You Can Always Count On Me' from CITY OF ANGELS is now available to view.

54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents RANDY GRAFF: MADE IN BROOKLYN on Wednesday, March 5 at 9:30 p.m. What do George Gershwin, Carole King, Betty Comden, Harry Nilsson, Barry Manilow, and Barbra Whatsername have in common? They were all born in BROOKLYN!

The long awaited announcement from Valley Youth Theatre (VYT) about its 25th Anniversary Season closer is finally over now that negotiations have been finalized for the musical Peter Pan.

Tinker Bell won't be twerking across the stage in NBC's live PETER PAN this December.

The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre's 20th Anniversary Season continues this spring with a new staging of the singing and dancing musical based on the classic MGM film, Singin' in the Rain. Nearly twenty years after the show was last seen on a Frederick stage, Way Off Broadway's production will open March 28th and run through May 31st.

On the heels of their one-year wedding anniversary, distinguished entertainers Christine Reisner-Rebic (an international cabaret chanteuse and dancer) and Don Rebic (Broadway and cabaret musical director and composer) will join forces for the New York City debut of their first full-length cabaret act as a duo. 'Look Who's in Love' features their original songs as well as songs by veteran Broadway composer Albert Hague (Christine's uncle) and timeless jazzy standards by Irving Berlin, Jule Styne, Jimmy Van Heusen, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. The show is directed by Michael Bush. The performance is set for Wednesday, February 19, 2014 at The Laurie Beechman Theatre at the West Bank Cafe, 407 West 42nd Street (at 9th Avenue), NYC. TICKETS: $20 cover charge ($15 for MAC members) plus a $15 food/beverage minimum. RESERVATIONS: 212-695-6909 or www.LaurieBeechmanTheatre.com.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

2014-2015 at Children's Theatre Company is a season of dreams fulfilled. There are stories of transformational beauty, three fabulous musicals and an interactive, on-your-feet adventure through the undiscovered depths of the theatre. CTC will also present renowned artists and some of the most tender and poetic characters to ever tread our stages. Artistic Director Peter C. Brosius describes his excitement about each show, and the thrill of merging theatrical splendor with the body, blood and soul of some of the Twin Cities' best artists. Brosius says, "This is a season of surprising worlds and actors who will touch your heart and create characters you will never forget. It is a journey into lands you've never been to and lives you will never forget."

According to an interview in the LA Times, Peter Gallagher is set to join Broadway superstar Kristin Chenoweth in the upcoming revival of ON THE TWENTIETH CENTURY this fall.

The Ordway Center for the Performing Arts will feature many exciting events as part of its April-June calendar.

Today we are talking to a legendary leading lady famous for a few of the most iconic roles in some of the most memorable musicals of the 1980s and 1990s as well as a versatile vocalist and concert performer set to make her cabaret debut later this month - the ingratiating and amusing Randy Graff. Looking back at originating the role of Fantine in the original Broadway production of mega-hit mega musical LES MISERABLES and singing the unforgettable 'I Dreamed A Dream' eight times a week (and on the best-selling cast recording) as well as recounting her Tony Award-winning work in the endlessly entertaining Cy Coleman/David Zippel musical comedy CITY OF ANGELS, Graff share stories from behind the scenes and gives us a rare look at theatrical history in the making and her elemental role in both productions. Additionally, Graff opens up about some of her other most fondly remembered work, including her fantastic turn in Ed Kleban's A CLASS ACT, William Finn's FALSETTOS, Cole Porter's HIGH SOCIETY, the stage play and documentary MOON OVER BUFFALO co-starring Carol Burnett, the most recent revival of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF and much more. Most importantly, Graff generously outlines what we can expect from her upcoming solo shows at NYC hotspot 54 Below titled MADE IN BROOKLYN, in what will actually be the stalwart star's solo show premiere. In addition to all of that, Graff also touches upon some of her big screen and small screen work, ranging from LAW & ORDER to RENT, as well as recounts some theatrical tales involving theatre greats such as Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein, John Simon and more. All of that and much, much more awaits in this rich resume recounting retrospective with one of Broadway's best!

On the heels of their one-year wedding anniversary, distinguished entertainers Christine Reisner-Rebic (an international cabaret chanteuse and dancer) and Don Rebic (Broadway and cabaret musical director and composer) will join forces for the New York City debut of their first full-length cabaret act as a duo. 'Look Who's in Love' features their original songs as well as songs by veteran Broadway composer Albert Hague (Christine's uncle) and timeless jazzy standards by Irving Berlin, Jule Styne, Jimmy Van Heusen, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. The show is directed by Michael Bush.

Urban Stages Founding Artistic Director Frances Hill and producer Peter Napolitano present the World Premiere of Character Man as part of its 30th Anniversary season. Jim Brochu's new musical memoir begins an Off-Broadway run at Urban Stages Theatre (259 West 30th Street) February 28th, with opening night set for Wednesday March 5th. This limited run will continue through March 30th only. Robert Bartley directs, with musical direction by Carl Haan. Character Man will have scenic & video design by Patrick Brennan, lighting design by Meghan Santelli and sound design by Sean Hagerty.

Following NBC's announcement of PETER PAN as its next live, mega-TV musical, set to air December 4, 2014, Bill Murray showed us his best singing -- and flying -- chops on LETTERMAN. Check out his 'audition' for the lead role in PETER PAN below!

The Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra and Associate Conductor Francesco Lecce-Chong present Leonard Bernstein's On the Town today, January 31-February 1, 2014 at 8:00 p.m. at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts with soprano Georgia Jarman. The program features Bernstein's Three Dance Episodes from On the Town and On the Waterfront Symphonic Suite, Foss's Time Cycle, and Barber's Knoxville: Summer of 1915, Opus 24.