Duke Ellington News

Chicago Tap Theatre (CTT) will present the world premiere production of Circo Tap, choreographed by CTT Artistic Director Mark Yonally with music direction by CTT Music Director Kurt Schewitz, playing at the Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave., tonight, June 27 at 8 p.m. A press preview is Sunday, June 21 at 3 p.m. at the Joel Hall Dance Center, 5965 N. Clark. Tickets are $35 for adults, $27 for seniors (65 years or older) and $22 for students and dancers. Group discounts are also available. Purchase tickets at www.athenaeumtheatre.org or 773.935.6875. For more information go to www.chicagotaptheatre.com or call the Chicago Tap Theatre office at 773.655.1175.

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its schedule for July 6-12, featuring John Scofield Trio, the Broadway Cast of Phantom of the Opera, Rotem Sivan Trio and more!

THE BLACK BOX, downtown Franklin's new theater, music, and event venue, presents two evenings of great jazz to kick off the first annual Summer Concert Series.

America's Oldest Continuing Summer Chamber Music Festival, Music Mountain, continues its 86th anniversary season on Sunday, July 19th (3pm) with Enso String Quartet and Soyeon Kate Lee, piano performing Moravec, Schumann, and Dohnanyi. Also, the weekend welcomes The New Black Eagle Jazz Band on Saturday, July 18th (6:30pm) plus a pre-show dinner at The Falls Village Inn (5pm). The summer of chamber music, country, jazz, and folk concerts, plus salutes to Broadway and opera continues thru September 27th.

On Thursday, June 25, Fulton Theatre named Lancaster Mennonite High School as the 2015 Beth Bash Award recipient for their production of William Shakespeare's 'The Tempest.'  Play director Danielle Hofstetter will accept the award plaque prior to the evening performance of "The Wizard of Oz".  The student actors and crew were awarded complimentary tickets to the performance, and will be recognized and hailed with praise. 

?GABRIELLE STRAVELLI - the celebrated pop/jazz vocalist called an "outstanding singer" by The Wall Street Journal and "hotter than the equator" by The Village Voice, will debut at The Cornelia Street Cafe (29 Cornelia Street in New York) on Monday, July 13 at 8:30 PM.

 Michael Ingersoll and Metropolis present the next season of Artists Lounge Live at Metropolis, featuring top Broadway and Broadway in Chicago stars in solo concerts.

54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents Raffael Pacitti in "Body & Soul" on Wed, July 22, 2015 at 9:30pm. Following his recent appearances at Etcetera Etcetera's Piano Room and the Metropolitan Room, Raffael debuts at 54 Below with Body & Soul, a Cabaret exploring the crazy lengths we'll go to to find physical contentment and spiritual bliss!

?Ghostlight Records will expand their special single from stage and screen star Melissa Errico with the third song, "Walking Happy." The digital exclusive is available today, June 23, 2015, on iTunes here.

Orange County, Calif.-June 18, 2015-Inspired by the creative minds and unique backgrounds of its musicians, Pacific Symphony and its Board of Directors awarded four orchestra members with a "Musician Innovation Grant" totaling $20,000 to fund new artistic projects. The grant's purpose is to give musicians the opportunity for original expression, creativity and experimentation, with the goal of serving new communities and developing new or deeper interest in classical music. These four chamber music performances explore such diverse themes as obsession, synesthesia, suppressed musical treasures of the 20th century, as well as classical and Broadway music. Taking place from June through next season, each of the events is free or low-cost to attend and features a chamber ensemble of Symphony musicians and outside artistic collaborators. For more about these projects and Pacific Symphony, call (714) 755-5799 or visit www.PacificSymphony.org.

Michael Feinstein and the Pasadena POPS open their one of a kind, popular outdoor summer concert series with vocalists Marilyn Maye and Michael Andrew in BIG BAND SWING tonight, June 20th in a show sure to get all ages dancing in the aisles at the Los Angeles Arboretum.

GABRIELLE STRAVELLI - the celebrated pop/jazz vocalist called an 'outstanding singer' by The Wall Street Journal and 'hotter than the equator' by The Village Voice, will preview songs from upcoming album at Cafe Noctaubulo at Pangea Restaurant (178 Second Avenue, between 11th and 12th Streets) tonight, June 20 at 7:00 PM and 9:00 PM. For reservations please call (212) 995-0900. Stravelli will be joined by Art Hirahara on piano and Pat O'Leary on bass.

The Ensemble Theatre in Houston, Texas, is offering Trav'lin - the 1930s Harlem Musical as its season finale, Artistic Director Eileen J. Morris has announced. Official opening is June 25, 2015 with performances from tonight,  June 20 through July 26. The new staging follows a sold-out run of the show at the 2010 New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) and a successful 2013 production at the Jubilee Theatre in Fort Worth, Texas.

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its schedule for June 29 - July 5, featuring Ravi Coltrane Quartet, Birdland Jazz Party with ith Carole Bufford, Barbara Carroll, and more!

In celebration of their new collaborative jazz album Cheek To Cheek, Tony Bennett and Lady Gaga will join forces tonight, June 19 at Radio City Music Hall, New York.

In 1983 an abandoned movie house was saved from the wrecking ball, and on November 3, what has become the cornerstone of arts and entertainment in Clarksville-Montgomery County opened to a grand ovation.  Now in 2015, the Roxy Regional Theatre is poised to celebrate 33 years of providing an educational and artistic outlet for the Southeast, beginning with the first production of their 33rd year: Lionel Bart's Oliver!

In 1983 an abandoned movie house was saved from the wrecking ball, and on November 3, what has become the cornerstone of arts and entertainment in Clarksville-Montgomery County opened to a grand ovation. Through grit, determination and support from likeminded individuals, the Roxy Regional Theatre is now poised to celebrate 33 years of providing an educational and artistic outlet for the Southeast.

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its July 2015 schedule, featuring Ravi Coltrane Quartet, John Scofield Trio, The Birdland Big Band, Stacey Kent, John Pizzarelli sings Paul McCartney, The Broadway cast of Phantom of the Opera, Birdland Jazz Party with Carole Bufford, Jim Caruso's Cast Party, and more. Scroll down for details!

ZACH Theatre announces the full cast of Sophisticated Ladies the Duke Ellington musical review starring Broadway's original Dreamgirl, Jennifer Holliday. ZACH Theatre Associate Artistic Director ABE REYBOLD will direct the musical in the Topfer Theatre on the Karen Kuykendall stage July 15, 2015 - August 23, 2015. A full onstage orchestra backs superb jazz vocalists, extraordinary tap dancers, dazzling deco costumes, and unforgettable torch singers who bring classics like 'Mood Indigo,' Take the A Train,' 'It Don't Mean A Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)' to vivid life in this grand Tony Award-winning Broadway musical.