Burt Bacharach News

In a very short time since his Broadway debut roughly ten years ago, Aaron Lazar has crafted a particularly impressive career consisting of a striking series featured and leading roles in everything from LES MISERABLES and A TALE OF TWO CITIES to THE LIGHT IN THE PIAZZA - and the sensational PBS Live From Lincoln Center telecast of it - to his superb turn as Count Carl Magnus in the recent revival of Stephen Sondheim's A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC starring Catherine Zeta-Jones and Angela Lansbury to, most recently, Lonny Price's rapturously received presentation of Sondheim's COMPANY: IN CONCERT starring Neil Patrick Harris and Patti LuPone at Lincoln Center - which will soon be seen in 500+ movie theaters nationwide starting in June. In this revealing conversation we discuss all of the aforementioned peformances, as well as what we can expect from the forthcoming Clint Eastwood film J. EDGAR starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Josh Lucas, written by Dustin Lance Black, with Lazar in a featured role, as well as his upcoming dates premiering his new show at Feinstein‘s in June. Before all of that, you can catch Aaron live and in person May 2 at the NY Pops Tribute to Bob Hope, which will also feature performances by Kelli O'Hara, Tom Wopat and many more in addition to a special presentation by Angela Lansbury. More information about the event - and tickets - is available here.

Reprise Theatre Company presents Ray Romano Live for one performance only on Tuesday, June 7 at 8:00 pm, at Royce Hall on the campus of UCLA. Ticket sales from Ray Romano Live support Reprise's mission to produce musical theatre of the highest artistic quality and to make this art form accessible to new audiences through education and outreach programs.

The new Broadway musical Baby It's You! tells the inspiring story of Florence Greenberg, the woman who changed the recording world forever when she discovered The Shirelles and created Scepter Records, becoming the music industry's first female powerhouse. Starring Tony Award winner Beth Leavel as Greenberg, conceived by Floyd Mutrux, directed by Floyd Mutruxand Sheldon Epps, and written by Tony nominated book writers Mutrux and Colin Escott, the team behind Broadway's Million Dollar Quartet, Baby It's You! began performances at Broadway's Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44th Street) Saturday, March 26, 2011, and opens TONIGHT, April 27, 2011, at 6:30pm. Baby It's You! features a cast of 19 that includes Allan Louis, Geno Henderson, Erica Ash, Kelli Barrett, Kyra DaCosta, Crystal Starr Knighton, Barry Pearl, Christina Sajous, Brandon Uranowitz,Alison Cimmet, Erica Dorfler, Berlando Drake, Adam Heller, Jahi A. Kearse, Annette Moore, Zachary Prince, Ken Robinson and Chelsea Morgan Stock.

The new Broadway musical Baby It's You! tells the inspiring story of Florence Greenberg, the woman who changed the recording world forever when she discovered The Shirelles and created Scepter Records, becoming the music industry's first female powerhouse. Starring Tony Award winner Beth Leavel as Greenberg, conceived by Floyd Mutrux, directed by Floyd Mutrux and Sheldon Epps, and written by Tony nominated book writers Mutrux and Colin Escott, the team behind Broadway's Million Dollar Quartet, Baby It's You! began performances at Broadway's Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44th Street) Saturday, March 26, 2011, and opens TONIGHT, April 27, 2011, at 6:30pm. Baby It's You! features a cast of 19 that includes Allan Louis, Geno Henderson, Erica Ash, Kelli Barrett, Kyra DaCosta, Crystal Starr Knighton, Barry Pearl, Christina Sajous, Brandon Uranowitz, Alison Cimmet, Erica Dorfler, Berlando Drake, Adam Heller, Jahi A. Kearse, Annette Moore, Zachary Prince, Ken Robinson and Chelsea Morgan Stock.

In BABY IT'S YOU!, Beth Leavel stars as Florence Greenberg, the woman who changed the recording world forever when she discovered The Shirelles and created Scepter Records, becoming the music industry's first female powerhouse. Check out the production photos below!

Quién es Quién (Who's Who) en el Teatro en México, permitirá conocer y reconocer a los talentos que han hecho o hacen posible esta industria en el país. Así también se podrán presentar a los nuevos valores. Hoy: Angie Vega.

Desperate times call for drastic measures. Theatricum Botanicum's 2011 Summer Repertory Season treats us to the most notorious characters everyone loves to hate.

The Friends of the Sheldon present Steve Tyrell, May 15 at 7:30 p.m. in the perfect acoustics of the Sheldon Concert Hall. Grammy Award-winning vocalist Steve Tyrell has spent four decades in the music business, has achieved great success as an artist, producer, songwriter and performer and is a two-time Emmy nominee. Tyrell helped to re-invent and re-popularize classic pop standards for a modern-day audience and has worked with legendary artists such as Diana Ross, Ray Charles, Burt Bacharach and Stevie Wonder.

On this very day in 1943, Michael DiFiglia was born in Buffalo, New York, and the world of Broadway would simply never be the same. Cutting his teeth with the accomplished choreography for A JOYFUL NOISE, PROMISES, PROMISES, SEESAW and COCO was merely the beginning of a career that would virtually rewrite and revolutionize the ways and means by which a director could yield ultimate control over a project. With COMPANY and FOLLIES, the later co-directing with Hal Prince, Bennett solidified himself as one of the most talented and brilliant choreographers of his generation and, shortly thereafter, proved with A CHORUS LINE that he was a master theatrical engineer with few, if any, peers. Worldwide success, Tony Awards and the Pulitzer Prize were just the gravy. Who else but Michael Bennett would then, or ever, receive - or should I say, earn - the credit "Entire Production Conceived, Produced and Directed by," besides him? While BALLROOM failed to live up to A CHORUS LINE in mostly every way, he soon after reinvented the wheel yet again with DREAMGIRLS in 1981. We never got to see his productions of CHESS and SCANDAL, both of which he was in the latter stages of developing at the time of his death in 1988. Broadway has never been the same since he's been gone. So, today, on the day following a glittering new production of COMPANY at Lincoln Center - with the complete dance sequence "Tick Tock" fully restored, now with five dancers - we take a tip of the top hat to the tops in taps, temerity and truthfulness onstage - the one and only Michael Bennett.

Josh Strickland, currently starring in PEEPSHOW and 'Holly's World' on E!, debuted the video for his first ever solo artist single, 'Report to the Floor.' The world premier of the video took place after last night's finale of the hit reality show. 'Report to the Floor' was co-produced by Grammy Award winning producer Damon Elliott and by Norwegian pop/dance producer Axident. The single has now taken the world by storm and is currently #3 on the iTunes Dance Charts.

Josh Strickland, currently starring in PEEPSHOW and 'Holly's World' on E!, debuted a music viedo for his first ever solo artist single on iTunes. The song, titled 'Report to the Floor' was co-produced by Grammy Award winning producer Damon Elliott and by Norwegian pop/dance producer Axident.

Sisters Liz and Ann Hampton Callaway, are set to bring their cabaret BOOM! back to New York City this May. Performances will take place at Birdland May 3-7 at 8:30PM and 11PM. For additional information, visit: www.Birdlandjazz.com.

Elvis Costello, the versatile and eclectic Grammy winning singer-songwriter-musician reunites with The Imposters, one of his original groups, for an evening of hits at Hennepin Theatre Trust's State Theatre, 7:30 p.m., Wednesday, June 29, 2011.

The new Broadway musical Baby It's You! tells the inspiring story of Florence Greenberg, the woman who changed the recording world forever when she discovered The Shirelles and created Scepter Records, becoming the music industry's first female powerhouse.

In BABY IT'S YOU!, Beth Leavel stars as Florence Greenberg, the woman who changed the recording world forever when she discovered The Shirelles and created Scepter Records, becoming the music industry's first female powerhouse. Check out a sneek peak from the show below!

Reprise Theatre Company presents Barry Manilow in Concert for one performance only on Tuesday, March 22 at 8:00 pm, at UCLA's Royce Hall. This special event is presented by Reprise Theatre Company as its Annual Gala Performance. Ticket sales from Barry Manilow in Concert support Reprise's mission to produce musical theatre of the highest artistic quality and to make this art form accessible to new audiences through education and outreach programs.

St. Louis has experienced a veritable confluence of exceptional songwriting talent with concerts by Randy Newman (The Sheldon), Kris Kristofferson and Merle Haggard (The Fox), along with the recent three day stand at the Kranzberg by Jimmy Webb. While I certainly regret missing the show at the Fox, I did catch Newman's evening at the Sheldon, and I also managed to attend the opening night performance of Jimmy Webb (March 17, 2011), who promoting his latest release, Just Across the River, as well. I'm happy to report that I enjoyed the show, and was particularly entertained by his reminiscences on a golden era of songwriting.

WJJG Radio host Kevin Moore brings his successful Great American Songbook concert series to Arlington Heights' Metropolis with a tribute to one of America's most prolific composers: Irving Berlin.

Grammy Award-winning vocalist Steve Tyrell has spent four decades in the music business, has achieved great success as an artist, producer, songwriter and performer and is a two-time Emmy nominee. Tyrell helped to re-invent and re-popularize classic pop standards for a modern-day audience and has worked with legendary artists such as Diana Ross, Ray Charles, Burt Bacharach and Stevie Wonder.

In BABY IT'S YOU!, Beth Leavel stars as Florence Greenberg, the woman who changed the recording world forever when she discovered The Shirelles and created Scepter Records, becoming the music industry's first female powerhouse. The cast performed for press at the Hard Rock Cafe in New York City and Broadway Beat was on hand for the performance and to meet the cast!