Fred Astaire News

The greatest songwriters revered him. And his songs-from 'All the Things You Are' to 'The Way You Look Tonight'-remain a vital part of our cultural conversation. It is no accident that Jerome Kern is also known as 'The Dean.' Author and Lyrics & Lyricists series artistic director Deborah Grace Winer takes the helm as artistic director/writer/host for The Song is You: Jerome Kern Coast to Coast, on May 4, 5 and 6. Winer is joined by vocalists Karrin Allyson, Debby Boone, Jeffry Denman, bassist Jay Leonhart, Howard McGillin, Paula West and Karen Ziemba, with special guest Barbara Carroll.

Two college veterans are friendly trumpet rivals looking for spots in Artie's Shaw's big band in this hilarious musical comedy, SECOND CHORUS (1940), available in a DVD/Blu-ray combo pack May 14 from Film Chest on the HD Cinema Classics label.

I'm sad to report that I may have missed several moments of The Producers, currently playing at San Antonio's Woodlawn Theatre. The downside of having to wipe tears of laughter out of your eyes is that you miss a few seconds of action. Of course, that's hardly a complaint about this solid, polished, and professional production. Woodlawn Theatre's current production of The Producers illustrates exactly why the show was such a hit when it opened in 2001 and why it continues to please audiences. Despite the occasional offensiveness and cheekiness, the show is an enjoyable laugh riot that you can't help but love.

On Monday, June 3 at 7:30pm at New York University's Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, the 31st Annual Fred & Adele Astaire Awards will honor dance legend Marge Champion with its Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award and Ted Chapin with a brand new award, Outstanding Achievement in the Preservation of Musical Theatre. The Astaire Awards is the only awards show to honor excellence in dance and choreography on Broadway and in film and were first started in 1982 by the late Fred Astaire and the late Douglas Watt (a critic and writer for the NY Daily News and The New Yorker).

On Monday, June 3 at 7:30pm at New York University's Skirball Center for the Performing Arts, the 31st Annual Fred & Adele Astaire Awards will honor dance legend Marge Champion with its Douglas Watt Lifetime Achievement Award and Ted Chapin with a brand new award, Outstanding Achievement in the Preservation of Musical Theatre. The Astaire Awards is the only awards show to honor excellence in dance and choreography on Broadway and in film and were first started in 1982 by the late Fred Astaire and the late Douglas Watt (a critic and writer for the NY Daily News and The New Yorker).

Described as having the dazzling technique and 'wild passion' of Vladimir Horowitz, the footwork of Fred Astaire and the glam sensibility of David Bowie, renegade organist Cameron Carpenter will make his Houston debut tonight, April 10, at 8 p.m. at Christ Church Cathedral (1117 Texas Avenue), presented by Society for the Performing Arts.

Jon Peterson will revive Song Man, Dance Man on Tuesday, May 7 at 7:00 at Stage 72 at The Triad, 158 west 72nd Street near Broadway.

Off-Broadway's Theater Breaking Through Barriers (TBTB) continues its 33rd Season with the Off-Broadway premiere of ACCORDING TO GOLDMAN by Bruce Graham (THE OUTGOING TIDE, ANY GIVEN MONDAY), with previews set to begin tonight, April 6, prior to its official press opening April 14, at Theatre Row's Clurman Theatre (410 West 42nd Street). TBTB artistic director and founder Ike Schambelan directs.

Stephen Sondheim, Liza Minnelli, Angela Lansbury, Christine Ebersole and other great stars of American music and musical theatre share the spotlight with the country's most passionate music preservationist as Michael Feinstein'S AMERICAN SONGBOOK returns to PBS for a new star-studded, three-part season tonight, April 5, 2013, 9:00 p.m. ET.

The 2013 Boston Pops season, May 8-June 15, under the direction of Keith Lockhart, will present a season-long tribute to the world of movie music, along with programs featuring a wide variety of American musical styles, including jazz, bluegrass, country, gospel, pop, classic standards from the 50s and 60s, and show-stopping songs of Broadway and the American Songbook. For the programs focusing on the season theme, 'Best of Hollywood Film Music,' audiences will hear their favorite music from classic movies and today's popular soundtracks performed live by the Boston Pops, while the accompanying movie clips are projected onto a giant screen suspended above the orchestra. Tickets to the 2013 Boston Pops season go on sale to the public on Wednesday, December 5, at 888-266-1200 or www.bostonpops.org.

Following development in New York City and Washington, D.C., including a sold-out run at the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF), Trav'lin - The New 1930s Harlem Musical receives its Regional Premiere at Fort Worth's Jubilee Theatre, the original home of African-American theater in North Texas,beginning Friday, March 29, 2013. Opening Night is Friday, April 5, and the show runs through April 28, 2013.

Trav'lin - The New 1930s Harlem Musical, will receive its Regional Premiere production at Fort Worth's Jubilee Theatre in Spring 2013. The musical, which received a developmental production in 2010 as part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF), runs tonight, March 29, 2013 through April 28, 2013.

Top Hat, which opened in London last year starring Tom Chambers and Summer Strallen, has picked up seven Oliviers nominations, as revealed this morning.

The shorthand response for why the original production of It's a Bird… It's a Plane… It's Superman only managed to eke out a three and a half month run on Broadway has traditionally been that the show opened during a newspaper strike.

TheatreWorks, the nationally acclaimed theatre of Silicon Valley, presents the hilarious new play WILD WITH HAPPY written by and starring award-winning playwright Colman Domingo. The production plays previews Wednesday, June 5 to Friday, June 7, 2013, with a press opening on Saturday, June 8, 2013. WILD WITH HAPPY will close on Sunday, June 30, 2013.

Described as having the dazzling technique and 'wild passion' of Vladimir Horowitz, the footwork of Fred Astaire and the glam sensibility of David Bowie, renegade organist Cameron Carpenter will make his Houston debut Wednesday, April 10, at 8 p.m. at Christ Church Cathedral (1117 Texas Avenue), presented by Society for the Performing Arts.

L.A. Contemporary Dance Company (LACDC) presents their Spring Repertory Concert THEN. NOW. ONWARD! April 4-7, 2013 on Thursday - Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 7pm at the Diavolo Dance Space in the Brewery in downtown L.A., located at 616 Moulton Ave., Los Angeles, CA 90031. The concert features new work by L.A. choreographers Arianne MacBean, Lindsey Lollie, and Artistic Director, Kate Hutter. The performance will also feature live performance of original music by composers Peter Gonzales and Austin Wintory. Tickets are $20 online or $25 at the door. More info and tickets: onward.brownpaperticket.com

Audiences will not want to miss this one-woman theatre extravaganza from legendary Broadway star, Donna McKechnie. Centenary Stage Company will welcome this true triple threat performer to present her one woman cabaret show, My Musical Comedy Life tonight, March 16th at 8 p.m.