Carol Channing News

CAPA has moved its box office operations into the space previously occupied by the Ohio Theatre gift shop (39 E. State St.). Dedicated to Barbara and Dr. Ralph Lach in 2010, the new CAPA Ticket Center is located just a few feet from its previous location (from the east side of the Ohio Theatre marquee to the west side). The space was redesigned to enhance customer service and provide patrons with a user-friendly and efficient ticket-buying experience.

Rizzo 39 Productions has announced a two night only engagement of Donna/Madonna at the Chance Theatre in Anaheim on August 6 and 13. Written and performed by John Paul Karliak, Donna/Madonna is directed by Tiger Reel and Matthew Craig. Curtain time for both performances is 8pm.

The Drama Desk Award-winning Celebrity Autobiography returns with its new edition Celebrity Autobiography: The Next Chapter, Monday, August 20 at 7pm. Celebrity Autobiography: The Next Chapter performs at the Triad Theater, 158 West 72 Street. The cast is scheduled to include Vanessa Bayer (from "Saturday Night Live"), Mario Cantone, Tony Danza, Eugene Pack, Dayle Reyfel, and Alan Zweibel.

Penumbra Theatre Company, Minnesota's only African American theatre, previously announced the fourth annual Word(s)PLAY!, a forum designed to develop new plays by African American Playwrights. Word(s)PLAY! continues with its introduction of another new play to the Twin Cities tonight, July 28, 2012 at 7:30 PM.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Oklahoma!' at Lyric Opera, 'Assassins,' Lake County shows like 'Sweeney Todd,' summer musical theater camps, summer show extensions, 'Bunheads' and more!

roadway leading man Eric Kunze will kick off the all new "Broadway At The Cascade" Cabaret Series at the Spa Resort and Casino in downtown Palm Springs with a one night only concert on August 11 at 8:00 pm. Kunze will reminisce and perform sings from his many Broadway, touring and regional shows including Les Miserables, Miss Siagon and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Whistle Down The Wind. The Cabaret Series is produced by The Dr. Carol Channing - Harry Kullijian Foundation For The Arts and all proceeds benefit the Foundation's mission to restore the arts to Americas public schools.

Today we are talking to Patricia Kelly, the widow of one of the most iconic and influential performers in entertainment history, Gene Kelly, all about her husband's incomparable career on Broadway and in Hollywood, in honor of his centennial. Tracing Gene Kelly's journey from his theatre roots starring in Cole Porter's LEAVE IT TO ME!, Rodgers & Hart's PAL JOEY and William Saroyan's Pulitzer Prize-winning THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE on Broadway to his unforgettable screen appearances in many of the greatest movie musicals ever made - COVER GIRL, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, THE PIRATE, AN AMERICAN IN PARIS and many more included - Mrs. Kelly gives us a look into the life of one of the most important artists of the twentieth century. In addition to behind-the-scenes stories involving Kelly's frequent collaborators - such as esteemed director Vincente Minnelli, songwriter and producer Arthur Freed, arranger Saul Chaplin and others - Mrs. Kelly also shares candid anecdotes involving her husband's involvement with directing Rodgers & Hammerstein's FLOWER DRUM SONG on Broadway, helming the feature film adaptation of HELLO, DOLLY! starring Barbra Streisand, as well as his appearing in two idiosyncratic movie musicals later in his life, LES DEMOISELLES DE ROCHEFORT (THE YOUNG GIRLS OF ROCHEFORT) for Jacques Demy, as well as his au revoir to movie musicals in form of the Olivia Newton-John roller disco starrer XANADU. Additionally, Mrs. Kelly fills us in on all the details about this weekend's two-night Gene Kelly retrospective celebration, which she leads and narrates, as part of GENE KELLY @ 100 and her future plans for the multimedia presentation - each evening titled AN EVENING OF GENE KELLY and CHANGING THE LOOK OF DANCE ON FILM, respective - as she begins to tour the show across the country. Plus, reflections on SINGIN' IN THE RAIN's 60th anniversary and the recent Fathom HD premiere presentation in theaters, the impact of Kelly's work behind the camera, his choreographic legacy, what a legend is like at home, memories of attending the opening night of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (starring HELLO, DOLLY! lead Michael Crawford), what the master would say about GLEE, SMASH, BUNHEADS and today's movie musical renaissance, as well as much, much more!

STATE OF THE ARTS (SOTA), the critically acclaimed weekly performing arts radio series which previously, since its May 31, 2010 premiere, aired live on Mondays from 4:00 - 4:50 pm PST on the LATalkRadio.com Network, is moving its weekly broadcast to Thursdays beginning today, July 19, 2012, it was previously announced by State of the Arts co-producer/co-hosts and theatre professionals MICHAEL STERLING & Paul Stroili.

The Carol Channing - Harry Kullijian Foundation for The Arts, whose objective is to promote arts education through public awareness, community involvement and increased support of public schools, is sponsoring 'Voice Of the Valley' - a seven-week cabaret open mic competition. It begins today, July 17th and will culminate September 4th with a final sing-off when the winning singer is cast in 'A Magical Night On Broadway' at THE SHOW on September 8th with a list of Broadway's 'Who's Who' and hosted by JoAnne Worley.

Cape May Stage, South Jersey's premiere Equity theatre, is thrilled to welcome another Broadway legend into their ranks: Lee Roy Reams in Gotta Sing, Gotta Dance, tonight, July 16th.

Showtime previously announced its 2012 Summer programming overview. Among the many series and documentaries is Carol Channing: LARGER THAN LIFE, premiering tonight, July 16th at 6:30 PM (ET/PT).

Jeremy Benton has come a long way since he was dancing around in the backyard of his family's home in Springfield, Tennessee. In fact, way back when-before he even had his first dance class with Cherri Coleman at the Springfield School of Classical Dance-for all he knew he might have even created or invented what he later learned was referred to as "tap."

The Carol Channing - Harry Kullijian Foundation for The Arts, whose objective is to promote arts education through public awareness, community involvement and increased support of public schools, is sponsoring 'Voice Of the Valley' - a seven-week cabaret open mic competition. It begins on July 17th and will culminate September 4th with a final sing-off when the winning singer is cast in 'A Magical Night On Broadway' at THE SHOW on September 8th with a list of Broadway's 'Who's Who' and hosted by JoAnne Worley.

STATE OF THE ARTS (SOTA), the critically acclaimed weekly performing arts radio series which previously, since its May 31, 2010 premiere, aired live on Mondays from 4:00 - 4:50 pm PST on the LATalkRadio.com Network, is moving its weekly broadcast to Thursdays beginning Thursday, July 19, 2012, it was announced today by State of the Arts co-producer/co-hosts and theatre professionals MICHAEL STERLING & PAUL STROILI. Guests on July 19 will include TV, Broadway star and Tony Award nominee CHRISTOPHER SIEBER (Shrek The Musical, and co-star with George Hamilton in the U.S. National Tour of La Cage Aux Folles; and Film and Television star ESAI MORALES (La Bamba, NYPD Blue, Caprica - Syfy TV's prequel to the series Battlestar Galactica).

The economy is the worse it's been in fifty years and a bunch of Delawareans decide to cheer things up by staging a musical at Longwood Gardens. Sound familiar? This is how The Brandywiners got their start in the Great Depression when Frances Tatnall and W.W. (Chick) Laird staged Gilbert and Sullivan's Pirate of Penzance way back in 1932. Of course, it didn't hurt that Pierre du Pont, owner of Longwood Gardens at the time, was Lairds's uncle and had just built Longwood's beautiful Open Air Theatre. Now, 80 years later, and in the midst of another economic turndown, The Brandywiners are doing it again with Hello, Dolly! , one of the greatest American musicals of all time. Opening in 1964, Hello, Dolly! set a record for Tony Awards (10) and performances (2,844). The title role of Dolly was originated by the legendary Carol Channing, and has been played by a who's who of female stars including Barbra Streisand, Mary Martin, Ginger Rogers, Betty Grable, Pearl Bailey, Ethel Merman and even Phyllis Diller. Hello, Dolly! is a lavish Broadway-style musical that is as humorous as it is heart warming. Based on Thorton Wilder's The Matchmaker, it tells the story of Dolly's matchmaking mis-adventures in New York City just before the dawn of the 20th century. In keeping with the times, Director Cal Bracken has given The Brandywiners' production a feminist twist to an otherwise over-the-top sexist plot line. The women in this show do more than "clean out the stables" as they join the budding suffragettes demanding respect and equal rights. In another timely line, two of the characters sing "JP Morgan scrapes and bows to us" as they try it impress their girl friends. In true Brandywiners' fashion, this production brings eye-catching costumes, a professional orchestra and a cast of nearly sixty talented performers singing and dancing their hearts out. The Brandywiners' shows come as close as you can get to touring Broadway show quality and at less than half the price. Hello, Dolly! is playing July 26-28 and August 2-4 at Longwood Gardens Open Air Theater. Tickets are available by calling 800 338 6965 or through www.brandywiners.org.

For over twenty-five years, the late Bradshaw Smith (Founder & Executive Producer of "Broadway Beat" and Applause Video) was the theater world's preeminent videographer, capturing over 1,000 performances on Broadway, off-Broadway, in cabaret halls and beyond that now, because of him, live on today. Bradshaw Smith died on January 16, 2012, at age 57, following a sudden and severe stroke. To conclude the intimate memorial, Bradshaw's longtime friend and editor, Jonathan Frank, compiled the best of Bradshaw's work as a video artist. For a look back at your favorite performances nearly three decades long, all captured through Bradshaw's lens, click below!

ReVision Theatre Celebrates their 5th Anniversary with a one-night only Concert/Fundraiser taking audience members on a trip down Memory Lane of the past four years in Asbury Park. The event takes place tonight, July 6th at 8:00 PM at the Paramount Theatre on the Asbury Park Boardwalk. This annual fundraising event gives a jump start to every ReVision Season.

Rizzo 39 Productions has announced two night only engagements of Donna/Madonna at the Lyric Theatre in Los Angeles (July 24 & 25), and at the Chance Theatre in Anaheim (August 6 & 13). Written and performed byJohn Paul Karliak, Donna/Madonna is directed by Tiger Reel and Matthew Craig. Curtain time for all performances is 8pm.

ReVision Theatre Celebrates their 5th Anniversary with a one-night only Concert/Fundraiser taking audience members on a trip down Memory Lane of the past four years in Asbury Park. The event will take place on Friday July 6th at 8:00 PM at the Paramount Theatre on the Asbury Park Boardwalk. This annual fundraising event gives a jump start to every ReVision Season.