Jack Benny News

This week's Theater Stories features Studio 54! Learn about the star-studded parties during the venue's nightclub days, with artists artists including Dolly Parton, Diana Ross, Liza Minnelli, and more; the long-running revival of Cabaret starring Alan Cumming and more!

The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre is set to celebrate the holiday season this year by paying tribute to television Christmas specials. For decades, Christmas specials have been a staple of the holiday season, bring families together to celebrate the joy of the season with some of their favorite characters and celebrities.

In 1945, an immigrant Irish Catholic priest newly arrived in Los Angeles called Bing Crosby, and asked him to help create a radio program to talk about prayer. Bing, along with many other big named stars, said yes, igniting a family and faith-based production company that still exists today. 

The Wilder Family and HarperCollins Publishers are pleased to announce the digital audio release of Thornton Wilder's The Bridge of San Luis Rey, The Cabala, Heaven's My Destination, The Ides of March, and The Woman of Andros by legendary audio imprint Caedmon.  The latter four titles are available on audiobook for the first time in history.  Caedmon will publish Thornton Wilder's The Eighth Day and Theophilus North in digital audiobooks later this year.

In celebration of what would be legendary film and television icon Ricardo Montalbán's 100th birthday in 2020, the historic Hollywood theatre, The Montalbán, whose moniker is “where entertainment begins,” is unveiling new plans to fulfill Ricardo Montalbán's dream of diversity and inclusion. This year, the owners of The Montalbán, Ricardo's son in law and President of The Montalbán Company, LLC, Gilbert Smith, and daughter Anita, have plans to expand the theatre's musical performances, beginning with The Company Men on February 21 and 22; and The Soul of Broadway Starring Terron Brooks on February 28 and 29.

The most unique and most beloved man in the cabaret business came out of retirement in 2018 and discovered he still had it. That's why he is PANGEA'S choice to ring in the new year with their discerning clientele.

In addition to her celebrated work as a television actor and on SNL, Ana Gasteyer is a trained singer who has starred in multiple Broadway and televised musicals as well as at The Hollywood Bowl.

'Music to My Years, Life and Love Between the Notes' (ISBN: 978-0983655039) by film and TV composer and conductor Artie Kane won the 2019 Readers' Favorite Gold Medal in the Non-Fiction and Music/Entertainment category at the annual Reader's Favorite awards held on November 23, 2019 at the Regency Hotel Miami.

Justin Sayre's camp-horror-soap-opera, twelve-episode serial RAVENSWOOD MANOR will take the Celebration Theatre stage beginning October 17, 2019 for a six-week run. Novelist/playwright/TV scripter/performer/host Justin took some time to answer a few of my questioning queries on his various functions as novelist/playwright/TV scripter/performer/host.

Vocalist Jan Daley, who resumed her career last year after a nearly 20-year absence, landing two bestselling CD's at the top of the Billboard Jazz Chart, will perform her new show, a?oeBroadway Memories,a?? at the popular Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood on Tues., Nov. 19 at 8:00 PM.

Last night, Monday, September 9, 2019, The Players honored Tony Award-nominated composer and writer Joe Iconis (Be More Chill) with a Pipe Night, a club tradition that has celebrated significant cultural figures for over a century.

Celebrated singer/actress Valerie Perri and her twin sons composer/singer/multi-instrumentalists Jack and Benny Lipson are set to bring their unique musical show All in the Family, directed by Barbara Epstein, to the Rubicon Theatre in Ventura for two performances only on Saturday, August 24 at 8pm and Sunday, August 25 at 2pm, it was announced today. In this special, personal evening of music, the family trio interprets selections from the playlist of their unconventional artistic home, spanning Broadway classics, 60s pop hits, and original compositions. Videos, photos, and amusing anecdotes from their lives on and offstage make for a colorful evening, showcasing three voices that blend with an ease only families can achieve.

One of the things actor Steven Patterson discovered during his first run with Gareth Armstrong's play “Shylock” at the Orlando Shakespeare Theatre back in 2007 was a way of getting inside Tubal, its main character, by viewing him as a Catskills tummler.

Bridge Street Theatre presents a?oea??And Every Tale Condemns Me For a Villain,' two solo shows in rotating rep.

The North Fork TV Festival announced Kelsey Grammer as recipient of this year's Canopy Award. A formal ceremony will be held on Friday, October 4 at the Greenport Theatre in Greenport, NY.

The North Fork TV Festival announced Kelsey Grammer as recipient of this year's Canopy Award. A formal ceremony will be held on Friday, October 4 at the Greenport Theatre in Greenport, NY.

Casting is set for a private invite-only workshop reading of The Raconteurs: A Story Of George Burns & Gracie Allen to be presented on Aug 5th at 7 pm in New York City.

For more than 50 years, public television has provided unsurpassed access to the performing arts, including the very best of theater, dance, opera, classical, jazz, popular music, and comedy. Now, New York metro-area public television station THIRTEEN presents the exclusive broadcast premiere of a new, innovative documentary designed to put viewers in direct conversation with Sid Caesar, one of the most influential comedic masters of the 20th century. SID CAESAR: ON THE LANGUAGE OF COMEDY premieres Friday, July 19 at 10:30 p.m. on THIRTEEN, thirteen.org and THIRTEEN Explore. Special encore presentations air Monday, July 22 at 10:30 p.m. on THIRTEEN, WLIW21 and NJTV.

On behalf of the Gisela Johnson and the Johnson family, we are informing you that Emmy winning comedic actor, Arte Johnson has passed at 1:45am, July 3rd, 2019.  There are no services planned.  His ashes will be taken to his home away from home in HI, were a private ceremony will be held.

Fans of Oscar Wilde's comedies and the British sitcom Fawlty Towers -- and those who simply love to laugh -- will not want to miss the latest entertainment offering coming to the corner of Franklin and First in Historic Downtown Clarksville.