Donna McKechnie News

Disney's Aladdin, a new musical comedy based on the Academy Award-winning animated film, opens tomorrow night, March 20th. Produced by Disney Theatrical Productions, the show features music by Tony Award and eight-time Oscar winner Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, Newsies, Sister Act), lyrics by two-time Oscar winner Howard Ashman (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid), three-time Tony Award and three-time Oscar winner Tim Rice (Evita, Aida) and two-time Tony Award nominee Chad Beguelin (The Wedding Singer), with a book by Beguelin, and is directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Casey Nicholaw (The Book of Mormon). Scroll down to learn more about the full company, plus watch interviews with the cast!

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

From One Singular Sensation to The Way We Were, composer Marvin Hamlisch left a legacy of hits that have brightened Broadway and the musical catalogue of America forever. And so, The Philly POPS presented 'Marvin Hamlisch - A Musical Tribute' conducted by Larry Blank, Hamlisch's conductor, and three of his favorite singers: Donna McKechnie, Jodi Benson and Doug LaBrecque. The tribute took place on Friday, March 14-16 in Verizon Hall at The Kimmel Center. Blank and the guest artists not only presented wonderful musical memories with the audience, but they shared personal recollections of Marvin Hamlisch as well. Look below to check out photos from the event!

Birdland Jazz Club has announcde their line-up of talent for March 24-30, including Cheyenne Jackson, Donna McKechnie and more!

Last Call Theatricals will present a special 75-minute Industry-Only Preview of a new musical, BOYS VS GIRLS, written by Drew Overcash, directed & choreographed by Josh Rhodes (Cinderella) on Tuesday March 25th at 12:30pm and 3:30pm at Pearl Studios (500 Eighth Avenue). The cast will feature Carla Stickler (Wicked, Mamma Mia), Brent Diroma (Jersey Boys, Avenue Q), Billy Harrington Tighe (Pippin, Wicked, La Cage Aux Folles), Adam Kaplan (Newsies) and Merissa Czyz (Hair). William Demaniow will serve as Musical Director.

When four dynamic, award-winning musical stars from Broadway, film, TV and recordings come together for one night on the same stage, what transpires is an evening of song, dance, laughter and memories that will leave you seeing stars. 4 GIRLS 4 is a fabulously flirty, funny, frolic, featuring four famous females - Leslie Uggams, Maureen McGovern, Andrea McArdle and Donna McKechnie - and it takes the State Theatre stage on Friday, April 4th.

Nikki MacCallum is returning to The Duplex with her new cabaret titled Familiar Things, which highlights the music of Kander & Ebb. With music direction and arrangements by Mark Hartman and direction by Kelvin Moon Loh, the show takes us from familiar childhood memories that one-day become unfamiliar to the unfamiliar challenges of adulthood that one-day become familiar. Throw in a middle school performance of Mr. Cellophane and Sara Lee as an eleven o'clock snack number and you have Familiar Things. The piece began development at the Eugene O'Neill Cabaret Conference this past summer, which was under the direction of John McDaniel.

The new documentary about stage and screen legend Elaine Stritch, Elaine Stritch: SHOOT ME is set for a limited release beginning today, February 21, 2014 at New York City's IFC Center and Lincoln Plaza Cinema. The film just had its New York City premiere earlier this week and BroadwayWorld was there to capture photos of Stritch and friends on the red carpet. Check out full coverage below!

The Cleveland POPS Orchestra with Carl Topilow pays tribute to the musical genius of Marvin Hamlisch in a special concert at 8:00 p.m. tonight, February 21st in Severance Hall. The concert will feature three of the performers who worked with Hamlisch and knew him well. Broadway legends Donna McKechnie, Jodi Benson, Doug LaBrecque, along with POPS conductor Topilow, will share behind-the-scenes experiences and personal conversations they had with Marvin.

Nikki MacCallum is returning to The Duplex with her new cabaret titled Familiar Things, which highlights the music of Kander & Ebb. With music direction and arrangements by Mark Hartman and direction by Kelvin Moon Loh, the show takes us from familiar childhood memories that one-day become unfamiliar to the unfamiliar challenges of adulthood that one-day become familiar. Throw in a middle school performance of Mr. Cellophane and Sara Lee as an eleven o'clock snack number and you have Familiar Things. The piece began development at the Eugene O'Neill Cabaret Conference this past summer, which was under the direction of John McDaniel.

Rolex presents NEW YORK NEW YORK - Career Transition For Dancers' 29th Anniversary Jubilee on Monday, October 6, 2014 at 7:00 pm at New York City Center, 131 West 55 Street (btwn. 6th & 7th Aves) NYC followed by dinner at The Grand Ballroom at The Hilton New York. From Broadway to the Battery, NEW YORK NEW YORK will take you on a rockin' ride through the most inimitable, iconic entertainment capital of the world - a mecca for arts and culture. Dance with us around our town, the most diverse city alive! This one-night-only entertainment event of the season features the best talent in theatre and dance performing with the Jubilee Orchestra. The show is produced and directed by Ann Marie DeAngelo.

Broadway, television and film star CHEYENNE JACKSON will make his first appearance in the 30th Annual Southland Theatre Artists Goodwill Event (S.T.A.G.E.) "S.T.A.G.E. Goes to the Movies," being held on Saturday, May 10th at the historic Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills. LAINIE KAZAN, RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN, MITZI GAYNOR, and JASON GOULD will also be making their first S.T.A.G.E. appearances and Tony® Award winner BETTY BUCKLEY will make her second S.T.A.G.E. turn.

The Broadway at Birdland concert series has announced that Donna McKechnie's new Talk/Variety show will return on Monday, March 24 at 7pm. Andrea McArdle has signed on to be Donna's Very Special Guest.

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre will present the fourth annual 'Night Of A Thousand Judys' on Monday, June 16. The Pride concert to benefit The Ali Forney Center will take place at Merkin Concert Hall at the Kaufman Center (129 West 67th Street in Manhattan). Called 'a rambunctious, uproarious, unpredictable all-star concert' by The Wall Street Journal, 'Night Of A Thousand Judys' will honor the iconic Judy Garland with special skits, tributes and songs from her legendary career as movie star, recording artist and stage performer. This show will also help celebrate the landmark 75th Anniversary of The Wizard of Oz. There will be a pre-show VIP reception at 6:30 PM and the performance at 8:00 PM. The evening is written and hosted by Justin Sayre, and directed and choreographed by Jason Wise, with special guests to be announced. For more information, visit www.aliforneycenter.org/judys.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

Birdland Jazz Club's March 2014 schedule will feature Quest: with Dave Liebman, Richie Beirach, Ron McClure & Billy Hart, Billy Hart Quartet, Kevin Mahogany, Cheyenne Jackson; Now This: with Gary Peacock, Marc Copland & Joey Baron, Bill Charlap Trio, Jim Caruso's Cast Party, Billy Stritch; and more! Check out full details below!

A "5, 6, 7, 8," the countdown begins for Segerstrom Center's popular Six Days of Broadway musical theater summer camps returning June 23 through July 6. During the week-long sessions, students learn and participate in musical performance, monologue interpretation, audition technique, scene work, dance and much more.

We reached out to Associate Producer and Director Mark Demeter to see if we could access the interview, who happily complied! BECON TV's mission is to use broadcast television and the most current technologies to develop and deliver quality multi-media instructional, educational and community programming to enhance student achievement and life-long learning.

The Atlanta Symphony Orchestra (ASO) will celebrate the remarkable musical legacy of Marvin Hamlisch at its POPS! Concerts March 28, 2014, at 8:00 p.m. and March 29, 2014, at 8:00 p.m. in Atlanta Symphony Hall at the Woodruff Arts Center.

Today we are talking to a terrifically talented triple-threat diva known for her legendary Broadway performance as the title character in the iconic original production of ANNIE as well as notable appearances on Broadway since in STARLIGHT EXPRESS, LES MISERABLES, STATE FAIR and more - the engaging and passionate Andrea McArdle. Opening up about her life after 'Tomorrow' as well as sharing memories of her time in ANNIE, McArdle sheds some light on her idiosyncratic showbiz career and shares sensational stories from her past and present while also looking ahead to the future. Additionally, McArdle looks back on many of her most famous roles to date, including her roller skating days in STARLIGHT EXPRESS and her recent stint as MAME herself, as well as her various Judy Garland-related properties, too - the TV biopic RAINBOW and the stage adaptation of MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS among them, not to mention her sensational star turn as the opener of the recent sold-out series of 10th anniversary concerts at Joe's Pub, BROADWAYWORLD.COM VISITS OZ, directed by Richard Jay-Alexander and MaryBeth Abel, where she exquisitely performed 'I'm Always Chasing Rainbows'. Plus, McArdle comments on her recent Broadway Records live album 70'S & SUNNY and the material and decade that inspired it. Most importantly, McArdle looks ahead to her new series of solo shows kicking off at 54 Below this week titled DREAM ROLES and previews some of the stupendous song selections she has chosen for the show - with material by Stephen Sondheim, Charles Strouse and more included! All of that and much, much more awaits in this career-spanning chat with one of Broadway's best and best-loved leading ladies.