Billie Holiday News

Chester Theatre Company (CTC) is proud to present Dominique Morisseau's Skeleton Crew in the historic Chester Town Hall, 15 Middlefield Road in Chester, MA, from July 13 - 23, 2017. The production is directed by Awoye Timpo, making her CTC directorial debut. In this 'deeply moral and deeply American play' (The New York Times), Reggie has worked his way up to supervisor at a faltering auto factory. Now he has to decide whether he owes his loyalty to himself, to his bosses, or to long-time family friend Faye and the younger workers on the line, Dez and Shanita. In the spirit of August Wilson's Pittsburgh Cycle, this third play from Morisseau's Detroit Trilogy explores the hard choices facing Americans barely squeezing by. It was named by the New York Times as 'one of six plays that reckon with an anxious America.'

Stunning brunette chanteuse French songstress, Chloe Perrier, and her jazz band, French Heart will headline festivities at NYC's 93rd annual Bastille Day Ball 2017 on Thursday, July 13th at "The 404".  New York's official Bastille Day celebration, now in its 93rd year, is produced by The Committee of French-Speaking Societies (CAFUSA), who have produced of a Bastille Day Ball every year since its founding in 1924. The Bastille Day Ball has become the major annual French community event in the Tri-State area. Bastille Day Ball 2017 is held under the patronage of His Excellency Gerard Araud, Ambassador of France to the United States, His Excellency Francois Delattre Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the U.N., and The Honorable Anne-Claire Legendre, Consul General of France in New York.

Chris Isaacson Presents has announced a full slate of summer entertainment, beginning with Chris Mann (star of NBC-TV's The Voice), and continuing with Broadway leading man James Snyder, Electro Jazz and pop chanteuse Maya, Joey Arias: Still Misbehavin', and Grammy Award-winning Motown legend Thelma Houston.

This swashbuckling romp abounds with comedy, danger, and romance. Pennsylvania Shakespeare Festival's production of Ken Ludwig's The Three Musketeers previews July 12 and 13, opens July 14, and continues through August 6 in repertory with Shakespeare's As You Like It at the Labuda Center for the Performing Arts on the campus of DeSales University.

Simon Godwin's (Associate Director, London's National Theatre) acclaimed staging of Measure for Measure, William Shakespeare's dark comedy about justice, faith, power, sex and family, will close as scheduled next week, on July 16. Just 15 New York performances remain of the production.

Town Hall's Broadway Rising Stars, the concert event that launched the careers of stars who were in the opening night casts of Hamilton, Waitress, Beautiful, The Color Purple and more is back for its 11th annual edition at The Town Hall on Monday, July 10th at 8PM.

Internationally acclaimed jazz vocalist, fashion icon and drag artist Joey Arias premieres a new intimate show with piano and voice at MA4.  Accompanied by jazz pianist Peter Smith, Arias takes you on a musical journey highlighting his own musical inspirations, from The Beatles to, of course, Billie Holiday to whom he has long been compared.

Last night, Audra McDonald, the Tony, Grammy, and Emmy Award-winning singer and actress, made her long-awaited West End debut as jazz legend Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill. Let's see what the critics had to say!

One American great inhabits another in this superior cabaret, as the Broadway legend Audra McDonald slips into the skin - and unforgettable voice - of jazz icon Billie Holiday. The emotional sensitivity makes it far more than just an immensely skilful impersonation, and makes McDonald's delayed West End debut well worth the wait.

METROPOLITAN ROOM is proud to present actress/singer/comedian RAIN PRYOR in LIFE HAPPENS! for ONE NIGHT ONLY, Friday, July 14th at 9:30pm. She will be accompanied by Steven Feifke on piano, Jerry DeVore on bass & Russell Carter on drums.

This summer, Audra McDonald, the Tony, Grammy, and Emmy Award-winning singer and actress, will be making her long-awaited West End debut as jazz legend Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill - get a look a new photos of Audra in action below!

Tony Award winner Alice Ripley (Next to Normal), Erin Davie (Sunday in the Park with George, Side Show, Grey Gardens) and Drama Desk honoree Danny Gardner (Dames at Sea) will join Tony Award nominees Brandon Uranowitz (Falsettos, An American in Paris) and Christiane Noll (Ragtime, Chaplin, Jekyll & Hyde)  two-time Nightlife Award winner Scott Coulter  and more took part in for Town Hall's Broadway by the Year Series last night.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Today's big news: Angela Lansbury leads The Acting Company's benefit reading of THE CHALK GARDEN, and Rosie O'Donnell emcees a star-studded reading of HOLLYWOOD NURSES!

This summer, Audra McDonald, the Tony, Grammy, and Emmy Award-winning singer and actress, will be making her long-awaited West End debut as jazz legend Billie Holiday in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill - get a first look at Audra in action below! 

When playwright/actor Jim Brochu was announced as the 2010 Drama Desk Outstanding Solo Performance Award winner for his loving tribute to the great Zero Mostel, ZERO HOUR, circumstances of the evening set up an opportunity for him to open his acceptance speech with an incredibly funny, totally filthy line involving something Mitzi Gaynor supposedly told him to do.

Written, directed, and composed by Ayvaunn Penn, the gospel and jazz infused musical Zarephath is a dance-filled ensemble piece created under the tutelage of Pulitzer Prize Winner Lynn Nottage & Tony Award Winner David Henry Hwang.

Hologram USA Networks Inc.  today announced a partnership with Chicago's historic Avalon Regal Theater to install its patented hologram technology on a permanent basis, allowing live artists to be "beamed" in by telepresence, and for performances by Hologram USA's recreated stars from the past.  The Avalon Regal and the Hologram USA theater in Los Angeles, will be the first full time dedicated hologram theaters in the United States, and their launch kicks off a campaign to build and install 100 theaters nationwide. The network of theaters will be supported by Hologram USA Networks and the FilmOn TV and FOTV Media Group.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! This weekend's big news: BROADWAY BARES: STRIP U sizzles at the Hammerstein Ballroom this Sunday!

Theatre for a New Audience presents Simon Godwin's (Associate Director, London's National Theatre) Measure for Measure, William Shakespeare's dark comedy about justice, faith, power, sex and family. Measure for Measure is the first time Godwin is directing Shakespeare with an American company. The production runs this weekend, June 17, through July 16 at Polonsky Shakespeare Center (262 Ashland Place) in the Brooklyn Cultural District.

Audra McDonald and director Lonny Price recently held auditions for the dog that will appear onstage with the actress as Billie Holiday's pup in Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill, which begins previews this Saturday at Wyndham's Theatre, London. Scroll down for some adorable photos!