Billie Holiday News

For today's #Ham4Ham performance, Lin-Manuel Miranda welcomed Audra McDonald to join him in singing 'Say No to This' from HAMILTON. The twist? McDonald channeled Billie Holiday for the performance. Check it out below!

Join the Tiffany Austin Quintet in celebrating Bessie Smith, Billie Holiday and Nina Simone with Bessie, Billie and Nina: Celebrating the Queens of Swing today, January 30 at 7 p.m. at Feinstein's at the Nikko. Tickets for Tiffany Austin range in price from $25-$45 and are available now by calling 866.663.1063 or visiting www.ticketweb.com.

Oscar nominee Lee Daniels will be directing a documentary on Harlem's legendary Apollo Theater and is asking music fans to contribute visual or audio-visual material for the project. 

Marlene & Martin Silver, Chairs of Palm Beach Dramaworks' much-anticipated 16th Anniversary Gala, gave a jump-start to the festivities on January 20 when they hosted a cocktail reception for the Gala Committee at Club Colette. The main event takes place on Saturday, March 12 at 6:30pm, when the Kravis Center's Cohen Pavilion will be transformed into a chic nightclub evoking such celebrated venues as the Cotton Club, the Stork Club, the Latin Quarter, and El Morocco.

Northlight Theatre Artistic Director BJ Jones and Executive Director Tim Evans announce E. Faye Butler in Concert. This one-night-only concert event will be held at 7:30pm on February 8, 2016 at Northlight Theatre, 9501 Skokie Blvd in Skokie.

Diverging Elements Theatre Co. will present the original production, A LETTER TO AUNTIE ROSA, this February as part of its 'Stories in 4D' New York City touring series in partnership with Barnes & Noble, Book Culture, and Strand Bookstore.

In honor of David Ives's poetry-infused comedy THE METROMANIACS, the Globe brings together a dynamic mix of poets and performers for a Free Weekend of Poetry, featuring two free public events to celebrate the power and artistry of San Diego poetry.

BroadwayWorld has just learned that the LC Dialogues series will kick off on Tuesday, January 26 (7:30pm) with Audra McDonald and Shanice Williams. In the Artist to Artist interview, the intricacies of the creative process will be revealed when Williams, a young, emerging artist, sits down to interview the Tony Award-winning Broadway star, and host of Live From Lincoln Center.

Below, check out photos of Audra McDonald as Billie Holiday, in the performance that won her her sixth Tony. LADY DAY AT EMERSON'S BAR & GRILL premieres Saturday, March 12 at 9 PM, only on HBO.

Below, get a first look at Audra McDonald as Billie Holiday, in the performance that won her her sixth Tony. LADY DAY AT EMERSON'S BAR & GRILL premieres Saturday, March 12 at 9 PM, only on HBO.

Chromolume Theatre announces PREZ, a World Premiere solo show written by playwright Willard Manus, for Black History Month. The story chronicles the unique life of jazzman Lester Young, featuring Leslie A. Jones. The drama is set to open February 5th, 2016, at Chromolume Theatre At The Attic. Tickets on sale now at: www.crtheatre.com

Legacy Recordings today announced forthcoming release of Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin on Friday, February 26, 2016.

Despite earlier rumors that Rafe Spall could be starring opposite his father, Timothy Spall, in Harold Pinter's THE CARETAKER at the Old Vic, The Daily Mail has just revealed Daniel Mays and George MacKay have boarded the production.

According to the Daily Mail, Zoe Wanamaker, Barbara Flynn and Nina Sosanya will star in CONSTELLATIONS playwright Nick Payne's new play ELEGY at the Donmar Warehouse this spring.

Billie Holiday will be traveling across the pond this summer! Six-time Tony Award-winner Audra McDonald will make her West End debut as the legendary jazz icon in LADY DAY AT EMERSON'S BAR AND GRILL for a ten-week run at Wyndham's Theatre from 25 June 2016.

Urban Stages (Frances Hill, Founding Artistic Director; Peter Napolitano, Associate Producer) continues its 32nd season with the World Premiere of Mabel Madness, the dramatic story with music about the life of the famous cabaret chanteuse, Mabel Mercer, written and performed by Tony Award Winner Trezana Beverley (For Colored Girls...).  Co-directed by Frances Hill and Peter Napolitano with musical direction by Tuffus Zimbabwe, Mabel Madness begins its Off-Broadway run at Urban Stages Theatre (259 West 30th Street) beginning February 19, opening on Thursday, February 25 and running through March 20, 2016. Tickets are $40 ($25 during previews; Students are $15) and are available at www.urbanstages.org or by calling 1-866-811-4111.

Each monthly event will feature a different theme and the performances will be followed by an acoustic jam session allowing for audience/artist collaboration. The other monthly themes include A Valentine's Jazz Special on Feb. 14; The Billie Holiday Songbook on March 5; Groove Explorations on April 17; Latin Vibes on May 8; and The Music of Thelonious Monk on June 5.

After a sold-out engagement last February, renowned San Francisco Bay Area jazz vocalist, Paula West, returns to Feinstein's at the Nikko for a four-week engagement - February 11 - March 6, 2016.  Known for her rich, powerful contralto voice, West will present an all-new show featuring an eclectic range of songs by Bob Dylan, Glen Campbell, Pearl Bailey, Ethel Waters, and more!  Accompanied by her four-piece band, West will take San Francisco audiences on a musical journey through the ages.  Tickets for Paula West range in price from $40-$60 and are available now by calling 866.663.1063 or visiting www.ticketweb.com.