Friars Club News

Gilbert Gottfried, the comedian's comedian, and Chip Ambrogio, Friars Club Roast writer and Garden State native, performed a sold-out standup gig at the Black Box PAC on June 27.

It can be quite intimidating to perform in the Friars Club. Pre show a performer might be relaxing in the Billy Crystal Room on the main floor or upstairs in the Barbra Streisand Room.

Funnymen Gilbert Gottfried and Chip Ambrogio will appear at the Black Box PAC in Teaneck for an unforgettable evening of side-splitting standup comedy to raise funds for the theater's educational programs and Bergen County's Shakespeare in the Park.

On Thursday, June 27th at 8pm famed comedian and actor Gilbert Gottfried will perform a comedy show at the Black Box Performing Arts Center in Teaneck, NJ. This event will serve as a fundraiser for various programs at the Black Box Performing Arts Center, including the upcoming Shakespeare in the Park in Bergen County and educational programs.

Friends, Fans, and Friars gathered in the Frank Sinatra Dining Room last night as host and theater historian Richard Skipper 'celebrated' Julie Budd. Julie shared songs and stories from a career that saw her appearing in every major venue, on every major Television Show, and with most of the legendary performers of our generation.

'Ladies & Gentlemen, Julie Budd'…….That intro has been said by Frank Sinatra, Ed Sullivan, Johnny Carson, Carol Burnet, Danny Thomas, Marvin Hamlisch, Joan Rivers and Liberace among others. Last night it was Jim Caruso who introduced Julie to a room full of her fans in the Birdland Theater. As Jim pointed out to an excited audience, Julie was one of the first artists he thought of for Birdland's new space.

Singer Christina Connors was named the winner the 6th Annual 'Tomatoes Got Talent' Contest at The Triad on Monday, April 15.  Celebrating the talents of extraordinary women over 40 who have made their marks and their livings outside of the entertainment world, but who consider the craft of singing and performing to be integral to their lives, the juried contest was hosted by Randie Levine-Miller, who co-produced with Cheryl Benton, the founder and publisher of Thethreetomatoes.com, the event's lead sponsor. Paul Chamlin music directed the sold out show, which featured a guest appearance by 15-year-old rising star jazz singer Anais Reno, as well as the 2018 winner Sheree Sano.

Richard Pryor, Jr visits Los Angeles with IN A PRYOR LIFE as part of multi-city tour. The book released on April 8th has already sold out its first printing and into its second.

12 uniquely-talented women have been hand-picked to compete in the 6th Annual "Tomatoes Got Talent" contest which celebrates the talents of women over 40.  

FX's 'Fosse/Verdon' premieres April 9! In honor of the anticipated new series, BroadwayWorld is flashing back to some of our archive photos of Bob Fosse and Gwen Verdon. Check them out below!

Richard Pryor, Jr returns to his home town of Peoria to share the Glitz, the Glamour and The Gutter of IN A PRYOR LIFE, then onto Altoona Iowa

Richard Pryor, Jr Recently Announced the Publication of IN A PRYOR LIFE: Richard, Jr.'s self proclaimed 'Freakish Life' paralleled his famous father's and namesake in many ways. A Peoria whorehouse, abuse, alcohol and drug addition, as well as frequent bad decisions. However, he survived. And that's what his book is about, a real-life story of overwhelming obstacles, surviving, and thriving.

Actor Amadeo Fusca puts an original spin on the famous off-Broadway one-man show Men an Are From Mars. Women Are From Venus LIVE! at the Straz Center on March 28-31. Part theatre, part stand-up and based on the best-selling book by John Gray, Amadeo covers the stages of a relationship in a series of vignettes intermixed with real-life anecdotes and male and female characterizations.

The Footlighters Club was ground zero for Comedy yesterday as Freddie Roman, Dick Capri, Scott Record and Rick Corso celebrated one of their peers, the acclaimed entertainer Sarge who is one of the most admired improvisational comedians, singer and musical piano savant in show business. President and producer of the event Errol Dante started off the afternoon with his stirring rendition of Granada but then it was all laughs as the jokes flew wild and feverishly and there were probably more laughs at the Miami Shores Country Club per square inch than any other place on the planet. The humor heard at the Footlighters event must out of political necessity stay inside the Footlighters but rest assured no one was left unscathed.

Richard Pryor, Jr Recently Announced the Publication of IN A PRYOR LIFE: Richard, Jr.'s self proclaimed 'Freakish Life' paralleled his famous father's and namesake in many ways. A Peoria whorehouse, abuse, alcohol and drug addiction, as well as frequent bad decisions. However, he survived. And that's what his book is about, a real-life story of overwhelming obstacles, surviving, and thriving.

Born in Peoria, Illinois, on April 10, 1962, at only 6 months, the first-born son of Richard Pryor and his first wife, Patricia Watts, had to stay in the hospital for several weeks until he reached 5 pounds - and he was so small, his parents had to buy doll socks to fit his feet. 

Amas Musical Theatre and The Amas Musical Theatre Lab, in association with LaVie Productions, will present staged readings of Victory Train, a new musical, with book, music and lyrics by David Buskin and Jake Holmes.

The McCallum Theatre presents Catskills on Broadway on Friday, February 22, at 8:00pm. The Catskills Mountains of New York, the cradle of American humor, launched the careers of many of our greatest comics. In this new version of the 1991 Broadway hit, Freddie Roman, Sarge, and Mark Schiff will have you laughing at good old-fashioned comedy that brings back the golden years of the Catskills. Freddie Roman, creator and star of Catskills on Broadway, adopted the attitude that if Broadway couldn't come to the mountains, he would take the mountains to Broadway. Catskills on Broadway was a new format for the Broadway community and the production earned Freddie acclaim and a stint on the Tony Awards broadcast.

Edward R. Matthews, CEO of ADAPT Community Network, announced its 2019 ADAPT Leadership Awards Gala to take place on Thursday, March 14th, at Cipriani 42nd Street in New York City. The event will be hosted by Cara Buono, co‐star of the hit Netflix series Stranger Things, and Emmy‐ nominee for her role on Mad Men. The awards honor the accomplishments of extraordinary individuals and corporations who have made an impact on people with disabilities and have inspired others through their professional and charitable endeavors. The gala benefits the important ongoing programs and services of ADAPT Community Network. This year's honorees will be announced next month.

There will be a special industry reading of THE WRATH OF CONNIE by Jon Marans and directed by Brian Hargrove to be presented by the Friar's Club and Chris Massimine. This special Friars and invitational presentation will be on Wednesday, January 30th at 8:00 p.m. at the Friar's Club, 57 East 55th Street (between Madison and Park Avenues) in the Milton Berle Room.