Bob Hope News

For six weeks this summer, SWINGTIME SALUTE, An On-Deck Revue will re-create a touring variety show on deck of the Battleship Wisconsin in an evening of star-lit entertainment. SWINGTIME SALUTE performances will be held Thursday through Sunday evenings at 8:00 pm from tonight, May 31 through July 8.

Musicals Tonight has announced that its upcoming season will include the following shows.

Feinstein's at Loews Regency will continue its Spring 2012 season with the debut of Broadway and Hollywood legend, Janis Paige for two nights only tonight May 20 and May 21.

Las Vegan Jay White pays tribute to Neil Diamond at the Suncoast Showroom June 23 and 24.

Fresh off Sold Out appearances at the Granada Theatre in Santa Barbara, CA and Vitello's Jazz & Supper Club in Studio City, CA, the Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated celebrated actress, Sally Kellerman will return for a third appearance in the desert cities at Vicky's of Santa Fe in Indian Wells, CA.

Patrons were treated to a classic trip down memory lane this week as four leading ladies of the legendary Persian Room New York came together for a book signing. Lainie Zazan, Michele Lee, Connie Stevens and Barbara Van Orden gathered at Barnes and Noble in California's The Grove to celebrate the release of Patty Farmer's new book "The Persian Room Presents." Anecdotes involving audience celebrity sightings included Barbara Streisand (by Stevens), Milton Berle (by Van Orden), Jack Jones and his thighs (by Lee) and a mob king who struck her while performing (by Kazan). See photos of the leading ladies at the event below!

Canal Park Playhouse will present EXPECT THE IMPOSSIBLE, created and performed by Mark Nizer, for one weekend only! EXPECT THE IMPOSSIBLE begins performances on Friday, June 15 for a limited engagement through Sunday, June 17. Performances take place at Canal Park Playhouse (508 Canal Street, between Greenwich and West Streets in Tribeca). The performance schedule is Friday at 7 PM; Saturday at 1 PM, 4 PM & 7 PM; and Sunday at 1 PM & 4 PM. The regular ticket price is $20. For tickets or more information, call OvationTix on 1-866-811-4111 or visit www.canalparkplayhouse.com.

Following her return to Las Vegas last fall, legendary entertainer Mitzi Gaynor will perform one night only at Sam's Town Live! on Saturday, June 16.

The Wildwoods, NJ, will host the first-ever Celebration of Heroes Festival - a tribute to America's military servicemen and women, veterans, first responders, and families, Friday, May 25 - Sunday, May 27.

Fresh off Sold Out appearances at the Granada Theatre in Santa Barbara, CA and Vitello's Jazz & Supper Club in Studio City, CA, the Academy Award and Golden Globe nominated celebrated actress, Sally Kellerman will return for a third appearance in the desert cities at Vicky's of Santa Fe in Indian Wells, CA.

The McCallum Theatre, the Coachella Valley's premiere theatrical venue, celebrates its 25th Anniversary Season with a star-studded lineup of Classical Music, Jazz, Cabaret, Comedy and a Broadway Blockbuster Series which includes Rock of Ages, Dreamgirls and West Side Story. The McCallum Theatre opened its doors on January 2, 1988 with a gala performance honoring Bob Hope that was nationally televised. Since then The McCallum has been the Coachella Valley's mecca for world-class entertainment including an extensive array of Broadway and Cabaret offerings. The man behind the tremendous success of the McCallum's eclectic performance calendar for the past thirteen years is Mitch Gershenfeld, Director of Presentations and Theatre Operations, who will take the helm as the theatre's President and CEO beginning June 1. I had the opportunity to sit down with Mr. Gershenfeld as he begins preparations for The McCallum's exciting Silver Anniversary Season. Gershenfeld is warm, passionate, highly astute, a performing arts afficionado and a genuinely kind man. Here are a few highlights from that conversation.

The McCallum Theatre, the Coachella Valley's premiere theatrical venue, will celebrate its 25th Anniversary Season with a star-studded lineup of Classical Music, Jazz, Cabaret, Comedy and a Broadway Blockbuster Series which includes Rock of Ages, Dreamgirls and West Side Story. The season kicks off on August 31 with comedy legend Steve Martin joined by the Grammy nominated Steep Canyon Rangers. This wonderfully eclectic season also includes Pink Martini, Howie Mandell, Barbara Cook, Michael Feinstein, Elaine Page and Yo-Yo Ma, to name a few.

THE DROWSY CHAPERONE is truly a gay, show-within-a-show romp for the ages. At first I was like 'What gay holy hell is this?!'

Broadway Theatre of Pitman presents Murder at the Oscars, June 15 - June 17, Friday at 8:00 pm, Saturday at 8:00 pm, Sunday at 2:00 pm, at 43 S. Broadway, Pitman, New Jersey.

BroadwayWorld.com is excited to share a weekly series developed by the Theatre Communications Group! This week Charlie Frasier shares pivotal moments in his theatre career and why the arts matter to him! Charlie Frasier was recruited by Portland Center Stage to be Director of Development in April 2006. Now in their 23rd season, PCS is among the top 15 professional regional theaters in America with ten major productions annually in two theaters, the acclaimed new playwrights JAW Festival and an annual budget of nearly nine million dollars. Charlie oversees a $3.4 million annual campaign and an additional $1.3 million debt elimination campaign with his dedicated and talented team. Charlie also actively participates in the completion of the Armory Theater Fund's $38.2 million capital campaign for the Gerding Theater at the Armory, the former Portland Armory originally built in 1891. Opened to the public in October 2006 as the new 58,000 square foot home of PCS, the Gerding Theater has become internationally acclaimed as the first and only U.S. historic preservation and performing arts venue to receive Platinum LEED accreditation. Before joining PCS, Charlie was the Director of Development with Artists Repertory Theatre and spent four years in the same position with the Oregon Ballet Theatre. Charlie has nearly 25 years of fund-raising and non-profit management experience, including additional positions as Director of Development with the McCallum Theatre for the Performing Arts at the Bob Hope Cultural Center in Palm Desert, CA where he was responsible for a $32.5 million comprehensive campaign (annual, capital and endowment); and a decade with social service health organizations, including the American Cancer Society and United Way. Charlie is a graduate of Western Washington University in Bellingham, WA with a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science.

The Marcus Center for the Performing Arts presents The United States Air Force Band of Mid-America Concert Band on Thursday, April 19 at 7:30 p.m. This event is part of the Marcus Center Presents series. Tickets are free and are available at the Marcus Center Box Office at 929 North Water Street, Downtown Milwaukee or by phone at 414-273-7206.

Director Michael Wilson, straight from the Broadway opening of "The Best Man," has lined up a cast of New York veteran and major regional performers for the preview presentation of a "new" William Inge play on April 18. Wilson helms "Off the Main Road" on Wednesday, April 18, at 7:30 p.m., in the William Inge Theatre at Independence, Kansas. The Inge work will be the opening night event of the 31st Annual William Inge Theatre Festival at the playwright's alma mater Independence Community College.

Stage plays customarily undergo long periods of development-though not as long as a half century. Yet such is the case for the opening presentation at the 31st annual William Inge Theatre Festival in Independence, Kansas.