Christine Ebersole News

Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook, which explores the best of the golden age of musical standards through to the best in current songwriting, will bring to the stage some of today's most gifted interpreters of song. Week Three is a Grammy Awards fest, as three of the four acts are current and past nominees. On February 2nd one can experience life in the Piedmont hills of the Carolinas via the vibrant sound of the Carolina Chocolate Drops. This three-piece string band plays old-time roots music with virtuoso playing of the banjo, fiddle, guitar, harmonica, jug and more. Next up is the crown princess of bossa nova, Bebel Gilberto. Gilberto has taken classic bossa nova rhythms and mixed them with modern pop - for a sound that is up for a Grammy this year. On February 4th perennial Grammy nominee Joan Osborne will perform an emotionally-charged work she has written with Jack Petruzzelli: Love and Hate - A Song Cycle. On February 5th, actress/singer Anika Noni Rose, a Tony winner for Caroline, Or Change, will make her eagerly-anticipated solo concert debut.

Karen Olivo (West Side Story) will join cabaret legend Karen Akers, and nightlife stars Billy Stritch, Jim Caruso, and The Rescignos at this year's Nightlife Awards. The Nightlife Awards has no acceptance speeches -- it's just pure entertainment provided by the winners and special guest stars.

Bay Area Cabaret continues its landmark season at the historic Venetian Room with 'Vintage Rose,' the West Coast solo concert debut of Tony Award winner and A.C.T. alumna Anika Noni Rose. Direct from the Lincoln Center, where she will appear early in February as a part of its acclaimed American Songbook series, this intimate evening will feature songs made famous by Blossom Dearie, Lena Horne, and other legendary artists. 'Vintage Rose' plays one night only: 7pm Sunday, February 20, 2011 at the Venetian Room of the Fairmont San Francisco (950 Mason Street). Tickets ($45) are available at www.bayareacabaret.org or by phone at City Box Office (415) 392-4400. Tickets for the original May 1st date will be honored at this performance.

New York's Cafe Carlyle comes to life in San Francisco when Bay Area Cabaret presents the winners of New York's coveted Nightlife Award, jazz guitarist John Pizzarelli and his wife, Broadway star Jessica Molaskey (Tommy, Sunday in the Park with George).

Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook, which explores the best of the golden age of musical standards through to today's most dynamic songwriting, will bring to the stage some of today's most gifted interpreters of song. Week Two starts on January 26th with a tribute to arguably the greatest songwriting team in American Songbook history: the brothers George and Ira Gershwin. Conductor, arranger and pianist (as well as Artistic Director of the Gershwin centenary) Rob Fisher will lead Victoria Clark (Tony winner for Light in the Piazza) and Norm Lewis (Les Miserables, The Little Mermaid) in a night of gorgeous Gershwin. On January 27th singer/songwriter Shara Worden (from the group My Brightest Diamond) performs her unique blend of vocal music that has her pegged as a star to watch. Week Two closes out with gritty veteran John Doe singing 'real' country, with all its understated empathy and rough poetry. Pfizer is a proud sponsor of Lincoln Center's American Songbook 2011.

Yet another addition to the 9th Annual Nightlife Awards brings Tony Award-winner Karen Olivo (West Side Story) to the Town Hall stage.

Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook, which explores the best of the golden age of musical standards through to the best in current songwriting, will bring to the stage some of today's most gifted interpreters of song.

New York's Cafe Carlyle comes to life in San Francisco when Bay Area Cabaret presents the winners of New York's coveted Nightlife Award, jazz guitarist John Pizzarelli and his wife, Broadway star Jessica Molaskey (Tommy, Sunday in the Park with George).

'Jazz & Cocktails' - the only weekly column in the SF Bay Area devoted to cabaret & nightlife - announced its Top 2010 Artists in a variety of categories. Found in the GLBT weekly paper San Francisco Bay Times, 'Jazz & Cocktails - the Lush Cabaret Life' is written by Mike Ward, a Bay Area director/choreographer and arts feature writer. A Facebook presence exists for the column, as does Twitter: LushCabaretLife.

The Nightlife Awards -- a unique awards show with no acceptance speeches (just pure entertainment provided by the winners and special guest stars) has been hailed by The New York Times as 'The equivalent of The Tony Awards for New York Nightlife.'

Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook, which explores the best of the golden age of musical standards through to the best in current songwriting, will bring to the stage some of today's most gifted interpreters of song. Week Three is a Grammy Awards fest, as three of the four acts are current and past nominees. On February 2nd one can experience life in the Piedmont hills of the Carolinas via the vibrant sound of the Carolina Chocolate Drops. This three-piece string band plays old-time roots music with virtuoso playing of the banjo, fiddle, guitar, harmonica, jug and more. Next up is the crown princess of bossa nova, Bebel Gilberto. Gilberto has taken classic bossa nova rhythms and mixed them with modern pop - for a sound that is up for a Grammy this year. On February 4th perennial Grammy nominee Joan Osborne will perform an emotionally-charged work she has written with Jack Petruzzelli: Love and Hate - A Song Cycle. On February 5th, actress/singer Anika Noni Rose, a Tony winner for Caroline, Or Change, will make her eagerly-anticipated solo concert debut.

The Carlyle Hotel (Erich Steinbock, Managing Director) welcomed two-time Tony Award winner Christine Ebersole to the legendary Café Carlyle for her fourth engagement in the iconic New York venue last night, January 11th, 2011 (and playing through Saturday, January 29th), Ms. Ebersole presents an all new program -- an eclectic musical evening on the subjects of Hollywood, family...and aging. John Oddo (Musical Director) will lead a quartet. Tony Award-winner Scott Wittman directs. BroadwayWorld was on hand and brings you photo coverage below.

Celebrated actress and two-time Tony Award-winner Frances Sternhagen will be joining the confluence of artists and audiences for Florida Stage's 5th Annual 1st Stage New Works Festival. Ms. Sternhagen will be featured in a staged reading of legendary playwright Israel Horovitz' new play Beverley on Saturday, February 5, 2011. On Friday, February 4, in place of the Festival's usual Keynote speech, Ms. Sternhagen will take part in what is being called 'A Conversation with Frances Sternhagen.' Florida Stage Producing Director Louis Tyrrell will conduct a public interview with Sternhagen on stage in the Persson Hall at the Kravis Center for the Performing Arts. The Florida Stage 1st Stage New Works Festival takes place February 3-6, 2011. Tickets and packages for all Festival events are available online at www.floridastage.org or by calling the box office at (561) 585-3433.

The Carlyle Hotel (Erich Steinbock, Managing Director) welcomes two-time Tony Award winner Christine Ebersole to the legendary Café Carlyle for her fourth engagement in the iconic New York venue.

March comes in like a lion for the 5th Smash Year of The Broadway Beauty Pageant! This event will be on Monday, March 21st, 2011 at 8:00 PM, benefiting The Ali Forney Center, NYC's primary emergency housing resource for homeless LGBT youth. The annual show will again be at the Peter Norton Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway (at 95th Street). Conceived by Jeffery Self and directed by Ryan J. Davis, The Broadway Beauty Pageant is musically directed by Christopher Denny. The evening is produced by Wil Fisher, Ryan J. Davis, Jeffery Self and Matthew Oberstein.

On Sunday, December 5, the 33rd Annual Kennedy Center Honored celebrated the talents and contributions of singer and songwriter Merle Haggard; composer and lyricist Jerry Herman; dancer, choreographer and director Bill T. Jones; songwriter and musician Paul McCartney; and producer, television host and actress Oprah Winfrey. In case you missed the broadcast on CBS on Tuesday, check out this clip of the full the tribute to Jerry Herman!

The multiple Emmy-Award winning Bruce Vilanch has been announced as the host of the 9th Annual Nightlife Awards at The Town Hall. The unique All-Performance Awards show that honors the most outstanding performers in The categories of Cabaret, Comedy and Jazz in the clubs of New York, will take place on January 31, 2011. Presenters for the event have not yet been announced.

During Christmas week, Birdland was the place for some planned and not-so-planned special musical guests during the run of A SWINGING BIRDLAND CHRISTMAS, starring Hilary Kole, Jim Caruso, Billy Stritch & Aaron Weinstein.

2010 was a year filled with all sorts of exciting BroadwayWorld interviews - here's some of this year's highlights!

It was quite a year for BroadwayWorld.com's unmatched Photo Team, here's a look at some of the most popular photo coverages of 2010!