Jim Donica News

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its October 2014 schedule, featuring Chita Rivera, Dave Leibman Big Band, Miss Coco Peru, Benny Green Trio, Kenny Baron and Dave Holland, Barbara Carroll, Ron Carter Nonet, Jane Monheit's Jazz Party, Jim Caruso's Cast Party, and more.

The incomparable CHITA RIVERA returns to Birdland (315 West 44 Street) for seven shows only, Tuesday, October 7 through Saturday, October 11. In the intimate setting of Birdland, CHITA'S BACK will feature Ms. Rivera performing some of her favorite songs, a special tribute to her dear friends John Kander and Fred Ebb, as well as recreating signature moments from her legendary career. She will be accompanied by her long-time music directorMichael Croiter, associate music director/pianist Michael Patrick Walker and Jim Donica on bass. She just chatted with BroadwayWorld about the upcoming series and below you can catch the full interview!

Birdland Jazz Club has announced the Season lineup for Broadway at Birdland, featuring Chita Rivera, Jessie Mueller, Rosie O'Donnell, James Snyder, Andrew Lippa, Jim Caruso, Trevor McQueen and more!

The incomparable CHITA RIVERA returns to Birdland (315 West 44 Street) for seven shows only, Tuesday, October 7 through Saturday, October 11. Tickets are on sale now.

Dynamic talents, such as triple-threat Chita Rivera, rarely give up. They are having too much fun to retire. Passionate, warm, funny and forever loyal to her art, Miss Rivera has always captivated her audiences and is still very much doing so, based on her performance on Saturday January 25 at the Valley Performing Arts Center in Northridge. It was a stroll down memory lane, and a delicious one, as Rivera took the stage in Chita Rivera: A legendary Celebration with 'I've Got a Lot of Living To Do' from Bye Bye Birdie and sang, moved vibrantly with rhythm and grace and told terrific stories about Leonard Benstein, Cy Coleman, and Kander & Ebb, among others.

Revered Broadway legend Chita Rivera rings in 2014 at 54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, for a special New Year's Eve engagement tonight, December 31 at 7PM and 11PM. Guests will enjoy a sumptuous multi-course dinner and toast the future with one of Broadway's most beloved stars.

Revered Broadway legend Chita Rivera rings in 2014 at 54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, for a special New Year's Eve engagement tonight, December 31 at 7PM and 11PM. Guests will enjoy a sumptuous multi-course dinner and toast the future with one of Broadway's most beloved stars.

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 Jennifer Holliday, Chita Rivera, Jeff Daniels, Steve Kazee, After Midnight Swings the Holiday and more. Details below!

Revered Broadway legend Chita Rivera rings in 2014 at 54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, for a special New Year's Eve engagement on December 31 at 7PM and 11PM. Guests will enjoy a sumptuous multi-course dinner and toast the future with one of Broadway's most beloved stars. Rivera just chatted with BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge about the performances and you can check out what she revealed about the show below!

Revered Broadway legend Chita Rivera rings in 2014 at 54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, for a special New Year's Eve engagement on December 31 at 7PM and 11PM. Guests will enjoy a sumptuous multi-course dinner and toast the future with one of Broadway's most beloved stars.

For the second week in a row, Lorna Luft brought her fund-raising 'Pink Party' to the Broadway at Birdland stage with thrilling results. After a recent bout with breast cancer, the award-winning performer decided to 'give back' with two sold-to-the-walls events benefitting The Actors Fund's Phyllis Newman Womens Health Initiative and the Tower Cancer Research Foundation's Dr. Philomena McAndrew Fund. BroadwayWorld brings you exclusive highlights from the evening below, including performances from Liza Minnelli, Brian Stokes Mitchell, Nick Adams, and more!

For the second week in a row, Lorna Luft brought her fund-raising "Pink Party" to the Broadway at Birdland stage with thrilling results. After a recent bout with breast cancer, the award-winning performer decided to 'give back' with two sold-to-the-walls events benefitting The Actors Fund's Phyllis Newman Womens Health Initiative and the Tower Cancer Research Foundation's Dr. Philomena McAndrew Fund. Check out a look back!

Revered Broadway legend Chita Rivera rings in 2014 at 54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, for a special New Year's Eve engagement on December 31 at 7PM and 11PM. Guests will enjoy a sumptuous multi-course dinner and toast the future with one of Broadway's most beloved stars.

Were you like Seth Rudetsky in the ‘70's? Not just overweight with a Jewfro, but also obsessed with POSEIDON ADVENTURE, AIRPORT '75, EARTHQUAKE, THE SWARM etc...AND obsessed with Casey Kasem's top 40 countdown? Didn't you wish there were some way they could combine? Well, now they have... in DISASTER! DISASTER! is a 1970's disaster movie musical, written by Seth Rudetsky and Jack Plotnick, featuring your favorite songs and disasters from the '70s.

A winner of the Presidential Medal of Freedom and a national treasure, Chita Rivera made her annual pilgrimage to Birdland for four very special concerts this past weekend. Of course, the theatrical community showed up to celebrate the ultimate singer/dancer, including Cherry Jones, Stephanie J. Block, Phyllis Newman, Tommy Tune, John McDaniel, David Cromer, Hunter Ryan Herdlicka, Billy Stritch, Rob Bowman, Louis St. Louis, Gerald McCullouch, Valarie Pettiford, Erich Bergen, Eric Ulloa, and Women on the Verge cast members Laura Benanti, Nikka Lanzarone, Justin Guarini, and Mary Beth Peil. The concerts were part of the Broadway at Birdland series, which celebrate performers and composers from the Great White Way.

The legendary CHITA RIVERA returns to Birdland (315 West 44 Street) for four shows only Friday, November 26 and Saturday, November 27 at 8:30PM and 11:30 PM.

The legendary CHITA RIVERA returns to Birdland (315 West 44 Street) for four shows only Friday, November 26 and Saturday, November 27 at 8:30PM and 11:30 PM.

The legendary CHITA RIVERA will perform at Birdland for six shows only Wednesday, October 14 through Saturday, October 17. The show will feature the multi-Tony Award-winning Broadway star performing selections from her most celebrated musicals including numbers from West Side Story ('America'), Sweet Charity ('Where Am I Going?' and 'Big Spender'), Chicago ('All That Jazz' and 'Nowadays') and The Rink ('Chief Cook and Bottle Washer') and more. Ms. Rivera will be accompanied by a six-piece band led by music director Michael Croiter that includes Andy Ezrin, Jim Donica, Entcho Todorov, Charlie Pillow, Trevor Nuemann.

'And Now I Swing,' the latest solo recording project of the inimitable Tony Award winner Chita Rivera arrives in stores today, October 13. From classic theatre songs to jazz standards, this new album pays homage to Chita's stage legacy while also displaying her passion for jazz. All tracks featured on this album have received new arrangements recorded by New York's finest musicians, reimagining some of Chita's favorite tunes.

The legendary CHITA RIVERA will perform at Birdland for six shows only Wednesday, October 14 through Saturday, October 17. The show will feature the multi-Tony Award-winning Broadway star performing selections from her most celebrated musicals including numbers from West Side Story ('America'), Sweet Charity ('Where Am I Going?' and 'Big Spender'), Chicago ('All That Jazz' and 'Nowadays') and The Rink ('Chief Cook and Bottle Washer') and more. Ms. Rivera will be accompanied by a six-piece band led by music director Michael Croiter that includes Andy Ezrin, Jim Donica, Entcho Todorov, Charlie Pillow, Trevor Nuemann.