Harold Arlen News

Internationally acclaimed pianist Kevin Cole and Broadway dance sensation Ryan VanDenBoom join musical forces with two-time Grammy Winner, Sylvia McNair to debut their sparkling new show "3 of a Kind" on Bay City Players Stage, April 11-14.

Park Square Theatre announces a 2013-2014 Season composed entirely of area, regional and world premieres - opening with David Lindsay-Abaire's dark comedy Good People and closing with the first ever stage depiction of Nero Wolfe, the famously eccentric detective genius created by best-selling author Rex Stout. The talent bringing these stories to life includes bold-faced names and theatre favorites, including the Minnesota stage debut of James Denton of Desperate Housewives fame, the return of Emmy-nominee Linda Kelsey playing Mary Todd Lincoln and the Park Square directing debuts of Joe Chvala and Amy Rummenie.

Bay Area Cabaret will present the singer, songwriter, and actress Nellie McKay in a special performance with San Francisco's multiple Grammy winning a cappella ensemble, Chanticleer.

Superman finds his Lois Lane! Joining Edward Watts (Superman) in the New York City Center Encores! production of It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman will be Jenny Powers as Lois Lane and David Pittu as the evil Dr. Sedgwick, along with Erich Bergen, Alli Mauzey, James Saito and Will Swenson. Superman will play at City Center for seven performances, tonight, March 20 - 24, and will be directed by John Rando with choreography by Joshua Bergasse and music direction by Rob Berman.

Strike up the (big) band for a one-of-a-kind concert experience as Pacific Symphony Pops celebrates the greatest team of collaborators in American music history: George and Ira Gershwin. 'The Gershwins: Here to Stay' is a unique multimedia event that illuminates the lives and music of the composer and his lyricist brother with home movies, original photos and rare audio and video footage.

Wednesday night was the second of Marilyn Maye's first 54 Below run (which will continue until March 16) and she sashayed around the stage in front of an almost full house like a woman of 35. Like most of her shows, Maye's performance was a 'live' cabaret Master Class for budding cabaret performers and seasoned professionals alike, and this 'Maye-den Voyage' never went adrift (thanks in part to solid and unobtrusive support from Tedd Frith on piano, Tom Hubbard on bass, and Jim Eklof on drums).

Austin Haller and Kara Bliss, along with Pat Harris, will take the TexARTS cabaret stage in their show entitled Spring Forward, March 8-9 at 7:30 p.m. This trio has dazzled audiences with their interpretations of jazz standards and other musical gems from the American songbook. The set list will include 'Spring Can Really Hang You Up the Most,' 'Lush Life,' 'Too Darn Hot' as well as other great songs from composers, Cole Porter, Harold Arlen, George Gershwin and more.

Strike up the (big) band for a one-of-a-kind concert experience as Pacific Symphony Pops celebrates the greatest team of collaborators in American music history: George and Ira Gershwin. 'The Gershwins: Here to Stay' is a unique multimedia event that illuminates the lives and music of the composer and his lyricist brother with home movies, original photos and rare audio and video footage.

Now in its 15th season, Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook celebrates the best in American singing and songwriting with a new chapter in the Songbook story: 'American Songbook in the Penthouse,' a series of weekend-only performances by performers and composers presented in the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse, an intimate yet elegant venue that brings artists closer to the audience in a cabaret-style setting. The second weekend of Kaplan Penthouse performances, the sixth week of American Songbook 2013, runs April 5-6, 2013. April 5th belongs to Cristin Milioti, who was nominated for a Tony Award in 2012 for her lead role in the musical Once.

Bay Area Cabaret presents the Bay Area concert debut of Britain's dazzling Elaine Paige. Dubbed 'The First Lady of Musical Theatre,' Ms. Paige will perform an evening of the career-defining showstoppers that earned her a place among Broadway and the West End's most treasured performers.

Superman finds his Lois Lane! Joining Edward Watts (Superman) in the New York City Center Encores! production of It's a Bird…It's a Plane…It's Superman will be Jenny Powers as Lois Lane and David Pittu as the evil Dr. Sedgwick, along with Erich Bergen, Alli Mauzey, James Saito and Will Swenson. Superman will play at City Center for seven performances, March 20 - 24, and will be directed by John Rando with choreography by Joshua Bergasse and music direction by Rob Berman.

Bay City Players will present 3 OF A KIND on Thursday, April 11 at 7:30 (with talkback session following), Friday & Saturday, April 12-13 at 7:30 p.m. (with wine and dessert reception - Afterglow, $15 ticket required) and Sunday, April 14 at 3 p.m. (with talkback).

If the Broadway revival of a few years back demonstrated the deadly results that can occur when overthinking and underplaying a quality farce, the new Paper Mill mounting is a fast a furious example of Ken Ludwig's madcap Lend Me A Tenor done right.  Director Don Stephenson doesn't throw any fancy curveballs with the material, but he and his perfectly cast company of Broadway vets nail every door slam and verbal ping-pong volley with hilarious aplomb.

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, including two-time Tony nominee Tom Wopat, Broadway star Elizabeth Stanley, BACKSTAGE award-winning vocalist, director and Broadway actor Eric Michael Gillett, singer/songwriter Tony Desare, singing sensation Hilary Kole, and multiple award-winner Sarah Rice.

Broadway's 'Golden Couple', husband and wife team Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley, will bring their newese show He Said/She Said to The Annenberg Theatre for one very special performance tonight, February 23 at 8:00 pm.

Today, February 23 and February 24 and 25 Lyrics & Lyricists tours Miss Peggy Lee's hip musical landscape with guest artistic director Billy Stritch and vocalists Barbara Fasano, La Tanya Hall and Gabrielle Stravelli. Cabaret legend Marilyn Maye, who frequently includes Peggy Lee classics in her shows, joins the show as a special guest.

Bay Area Cabaret will present the singer, songwriter, and actress Nellie McKay in a special performance with San Francisco's multiple Grammy winning a cappella ensemble, Chanticleer.

Now in its 15th season, Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook celebrates the best in American singing and songwriting with a new chapter in the Songbook story: 'American Songbook in the Penthouse,' a series of weekend-only performances by performers and composers presented in the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse, an intimate yet elegant venue that brings artists closer to the audience in a cabaret-style setting. 'American Songbook in the Penthouse' embraces adventuresome performers and celebrates composers and lyricists, both newer and veteran. With a seating capacity of just 225, the Kaplan Penthouse allows acoustic performers to be heard the way they intend - near to the audience and without elaborate amplification. The size of the space also allows performers to interact with their audience to make them an integral part of their performance, something difficult to do in a larger, more formal venue.

The Studebakers, known for their beautiful vocal blends and swinging harmonies will appear as part of The TexARTS Cabaret Series tonight, February 22 at 8p.m. Expect to rediscover those marvelous melodies from the 1920's, '30's and '40's in an evening that will feature such hits as, 'Mr. Sandman,' 'Boogie Woogie Bugle Boy' and 'Dream a Little Dream of Me.' The Studebakers have been a staple of the Austin music scene for over 20 years and are known for their fresh renditions of the classics made famous by the Andrews Sisters, Ella Fitzgerald, Louie Armstrong and others.