Cole Porter News

Monday night is the last NYFOS After Hours this season--a reprise of this January's Juilliard show, 'The Land Where the Good Songs Go.'

Hailed by the New York Times as one of "Broadway's electric conductors," Todd Ellison is one of the most accomplished and sought after Music Directors working today.

Symphony Space's annual Spring Festival has become one of the season's most keenly awaited events. This year's installment, Sleeping Around: The Cultural Lives of New York's Hotels, may be the most provocative yet. Running from April 26 to May 21, the monthlong festival celebrates New York's landmark hotels, their occupants, and the lengendary boites that nurtured and sustained the evergreen songs and performers of cabaret. Sleeping Around also credits New York's hotels as incubators for film, classical music, and literature, with programs devoted to Andy Warhol, Virgil Thomson, and Dorothy Parker.

The Longwood Players present Kiss Me, Kate at Cambridge YMCA Theater, 820 Massachusetts Avenue, Central Square, Cambridge. Kiss Me, Kate will run now through May 10.

The Village Players of Birmingham presents Cole Porter's delightful musical Kiss Me, Kate throughout the month of May. This rollicking retelling of Shakespeare's 'Taming of the Shrew' includes such famous songs as 'Another Op'nin, Another Show,' 'Too Darn Hot,' and 'So in Love.'

May and June sees some new artists and some returns at The Crazy Coqs, including: Harold Sanditen (May 2-3); Simon Green with David Shrubsole (May 6-10); Lauren Fox with Jon Weber (May 13 - 17); Gary Williams (May 20 -24); KT Sullivan and Mark Nadler (May 26-28); Opera Tottie (May 29 - 31); Bryan Batt (June 3 - 7); Judy Carmichael with Colin Oxley (June 10 -14); Elaine Delmar (June 17 - 21) and more. Details below!

When Mark Nadler last performed a solo show at 54 Below, it was a very personal musical exploration of Germany's Weimar Republic of the 1920s, a place and an atmosphere that was dark, dangerous and decadent. I'm a Stranger Here Myself was such a compelling tour de force that it was expanded into a highly praised off-Broadway piece that Nadler staged at the York Theatre last Spring. Nadler's new 54 Below effort, Runnin' Wild: Songs & Scandals of the Roaring Twenties, (which opened last Sunday, ran last night, and will also play on May 7 at 9:30pm and May 14 at 7pm) is like a playful and debauched sequel to Stranger, only in this show—which would be more aptly titled “Reckless Abandon”--Nadler is clearly a gleeful member of the club. To this passionate piano man, America's big cities in the pre-Depression era 1920s were happy, hungry, and hedonistic. There was always a party filled with sex, drugs and booze looking for a place to happen. And goodness knows, Mark Nadler wishes he'd been invited to every one of them. But since he was born too late, all he can do is serve as congenial host in re-creating the speakeasy ambiance and in this show he manages to accomplish that--only without the sex and drugs. Damn!

Last night I had the particular privilege of discussing the intricacies and intrigue of William Shakespeare's legendary history play RICHARD III with one of the greatest actors of our age and a true patron of the arts - two-time Academy Award winner Kevin Spacey. Discussing the finer points of his characterization of the hunchback antihero, Spacey paints a vivid portrait of his experiences in reteaming with his AMERICAN BEAUTY collaborator, director Sam Mendes, on bringing a truly 21st century take on the classic play to the stage - and then bringing the production all the way from the hallowed ground of Spacey's own The Old Vic in London, to the Brooklyn Academy of Music in New York City to a whirlwind worldwide tour spanning the globe. NOW, a compelling new documentary following the project from rehearsal through to opening night and ensuing world tour is set to be released next month and is highlighted by the fly-on-the-wall intimacy and access it provides viewers, as well as offering copious performance footage of Spacey and company in action onstage. Additionally, Spacey and I address and analyze the undeniable connections between RICHARD III and his super-successful Netflix dramatic series HOUSE OF CARDS, touching upon not only the dramatic parallels, but the lucky sequence of events that made the entire endeavor possible in the first place. After all, Frank Underwood is the modern Richard III in many ways - bloodlust, ambition, ego, humor and darkness included; but, also, the humanity. Plus, Spacey expresses his enthusiasm for starting work on Season Three of the series now that they have been granted Maryland filming tax breaks once again, which was holding up production until this week. Besides all of that, Spacey also clues us in on his future endeavors of interest, mentioning his spate of recent musical performances and his desire to pursue a musical role once again sometime soon following his acclaimed turn as Bobby Darin in musical biopic BEYOND THE SEA. FOLLIES, perhaps?! A wide-ranging conversation with a stage and screen mega-star like none other awaits in today's special spotlight.

The schedule for this summer's Lincoln Center Out of Doors festival, which runs from July 20 to August 10, was announced today by Bill Bragin, Lincoln Center's Director of Public Programming. Nearly 100 free performances will take place across the plazas of Lincoln Center during three weeks. A special Memorial Concert for Pete and Toshi Seeger on July 20 will be followed by the official opening concert on July 23 with Larry Harlow's Hommy: A Latin Opera, the landmark work's first performance in 40 years. Complete festival details and a chronological listing of events follow.

After touring the world with The Vaudevillians, RuPaul's Drag Race favorite and Bistro Award nominee Jinkx Monsoon makes her much anticipated return to New York with JINKX MONSOON: THE INEVITABLE CONCERT. Monsoon will appear live with her band, premiering an evening of songs from her upcoming CD, The Inevitable Album. The CD will be released the week of the show and will available to buy at the theatre. Performances run May 8 - 11 at 7pm at The Laurie Beechman Theater (inside West Bank Cafe at 407 West 42nd Street -- at Ninth Avenue, accessible from the A,C,E,N,R,V,F,1,2,3 trains at 42nd Street). Tickets are $25 (plus a $15 food/drink minimum). A $50 VIP ticket including priority seating and meet-and-greet is also available. To purchase tickets, call 212-352-3101 or visit www.SpinCycleNYC.com.

Critically acclaimed singer/songwriter Susan Werner and her music defy category. She has cultivated a reputation as a daring and innovative songwriter who boldly endeavors to weave old with new to create altogether new genres of music. She has recorded sixteen albums with projects ranging from jazz to country, and even gospel. With her grace, wit, and pure genius in capturing the human experience in music, Werner delivers it all.

Beginning Thursday, May 1, individual tickets go on sale for the The Town Hall 2014 Summer Season: Broadway Preludes, a trio of unforgettable one-night-only events featuring music from some of Broadway's most beloved songwriters, critically acclaimed musical performers, and fresh-faced talent on the brink of discovery.

Artists in Partnership (AIP), a non-profit cultural arts organization, will host its 12th Annual Cabaret Festival May 15-18 at the Long Beach Public Library, 111 West Park Avenue, Long Beach, NY. All performances are FREE to the public. The festival will be a celebration of the cabaret genre honoring the Great American Songbook with performances by renowned local and New York City-based artists.

Two River Theater, under the leadership of Artistic Director John Dias and Managing Director Michael Hurst, announces the lineup of productions for its 2014/15 Season. The year will include world-premiere plays and musicals that have been developed at the theater, including Your Blues Ain't Sweet Like Mine, a new play written and directed by Tony Award-winner Ruben Santiago-Hudson; and Be More Chill, a musical by Joe Iconis and Joe Tracz, adapted from the novel by Ned Vizzini and directed by Scott Ellis. The season will also include a range of world masterpieces and American classics, and work for audiences ages three and up

42nd Street Moon, San Francisco's only resident professional musical theatre company, has announced the lineup for its 22nd season of presenting rare and uncommon musical theater. Says Producing Director Stephanie Rhoads, "For 2014-2015, we're offering ESCAPADE! - a season of capers, sprees, hijinks, japery, and intrigues, to help audiences escape their day-to-day troubles with five spectacular American musicals from Broadway greats such as Cole Porter, Richard Rodgers, Stephen Sondheim, Charles Strouse, Richard Maltby, Sandy Wilson, Frank Loesser, George Abbott, Dorothy Fields and Arthur Laurents."

No one likes cancellations, especially performers. Luckily, when both mezzo-soprano Susan Graham and pianist Bradley Moore were ill and had to cancel their April 2nd recital in Philadelphia, they were able to reschedule within just a few weeks. Considering both Graham and Moore have quite busy calendars, it's tremendous that the Philadelphia Chamber Music Society was able to reschedule a performance with them so quickly.

The York Theatre Company and its acclaimed Developmental Reading Series, will present the premiere of two new musicals: Monet, with Book by Joan Ross Sorkin and Music & Lyrics by Carmel Owen, and Goodbye Barcelona, written by Judith Johnson and K.S. Lewkowicz at The York Theatre Company at Saint Peter's (Entrance on East 54th Street, just east of Lexington Avenue). The readings are open to the public with a suggested donation of $5.00.

Cafe Carlyle will welcome back GRAMMY Award-winner Steve Tyrell for a two-week engagement, May 6-17. Celebrating his 10th anniversary at the legendary venue, the singer returns with a new show, The Great American Songwriter, featuring the songs of Dorothy Fields, Oscar Hammerstein, Sammy Cahn, Rodgers & Hart, Cole Porter and more. Joining Tyrell on stage will be musical director Quinn Johnson (piano), David Finck (bass), Bob Mann (guitar), Kevin Winard (drums) and Jon Allen (keyboards).

The York Theatre Company continues the 2013-2014 season with the world premiere of the new musical revue, Inventing Mary Martin, conceived, written and directed by Stephen Cole, with music supervision and arrangements byDavid Krane. Inventing Mary Martin is co-directed and choreographed by Bob Richard and has music direction byLawrence Goldberg. Performances began April 15, 2014 for a limited engagement that has been extended through Sunday, May 25, 2014 at The York Theatre Company's home at Saint Peter's. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from opening night below!

Kritzerland at Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal presents AT LONG LAST - COLE PORTER on Sunday, May 4, 2014 at 7:00 PM.