John Lewis News

LA's newest monthly musical series, Feinstein's Presents mostlyNEWmusicals, returns Monday, January 20th, 2020 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day), with FREEDOM RIDERS: The Civil Rights Musical by Richard Allen and Taran Gray.

The Casting Directors' Guild (CDG) in partnership with Spotlight is pleased to announce the nominations for its second CDG Casting Awards, which will take place on Tuesday 11 February 2020 at Ham Yard Hotel London. This year's event will feature six award categories: Best Theatre, Best Musical, Best Film, Best TV Drama, Best TV Comedy, Best Commercial. The CDG and Spotlight would like to welcome for the first time, headline sponsors Identity Agency Group.

The 48th season of the popular Highlights In Jazz continues on March 19, 2020, when producer Jack Kleinsinger presents 'Ellington Everlasting.' The concert turns the spotlight on the maestro's timeless compositions and enduring legacy, through the dynamic vision of featured performers like trombonist Art Baron & The Duke's Men, drummer Bernard Purdie, bassist Bill Crow, saxophonists Bill Easley and Mark Hynes, pianist James Weidman and vocalist Ira Hawkins. In keeping with the beloved HIJ tradition, a surprise special guest will be on hand for the concert, to be held at BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center.

t Recordings has announced the release of The Savoy 10-Inch LP Collection, which spotlights Charlie Parker's groundbreaking bebop sessions for the legendary jazz label, spanning 1944 to 1948. The deluxe, four-LP box set-also available digitally-features newly restored and remastered audio, faithfully reproduced artwork from the original 10-inch albums, plus a booklet containing vintage photos, rare ephemera and new liner notes from GRAMMY® Award-winning journalist and author Neil Tesser. These historic recordings, reissued as the world celebrates the 100th anniversary of Parker's birth, feature such jazz greats as Miles Davis, Dizzy Gillespie, John Lewis, Bud Powell and Max Roach. Set for a February 28th release date, The Savoy 10-Inch LP Collection is available for pre-order today (1/8), while the instant grat single, 'Ko-Ko,' can now be streamed or downloaded on all major digital outlets. 'Ko-Ko' was one of Bird's early masterpieces and his first recording as a leader. In 2003, 'Ko-Ko' was added to the National Recording Registry, categorized as a recording that is, 'Culturally, historically or aesthetically important, and/or inform or reflect life in the United States.'

Broadway's Deon'te Goodman (currently performing in Hamilton) will be flying from NYC to LA just for this special performance of FREEDOM RIDERS: In Concert on Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day. He will be playing civil rights activist John Lewis. The concert, presented by MostlyNEWmusicals will be at Feinstein's at Vitello's in Studio City, California on January 20th.

Some of Aretha Franklin's greatest performances happened at the Kennedy Center - chief of which may have been a 2015 performance of '(You Make Me Feel Like) A Natural Woman' at the Kennedy Center Honors that made Barack Obama shed a tear in the Presidential box.

Director Ava DuVernay's Selma tells the story of the events leading up to Dr. Martin Luther King's landmark 1965 march for voting rights a?" an event that forever changed history. In honor of Dr. King's birthday and Black History Month, The Soraya will screen Selma on the large screen a?" with its score performed live by its composer, acclaimed jazz pianist Jason Moran a?" artistic director of Jazz at the Kennedy Center a?" with the New West Symphony conducted by Cheche Alara on Saturday, February 1 at 8:00pm at The Soraya.

After being on Broadway twice, God has finally arrived to London. And She's a woman! A lesbian, specifically comedian Zoe Lyons. Displeased with how people have been taking Her Ten Commandments too literally, She's decided to descend onto Earth to give a new, updated, and more modern list first-hand so not to be misinterpreted once again. She's accompanied by Her two best Archangels, Michael (Matt Tedford) and Gabriel (Tom Bowen), who will help Her answer people's questions and set things straight for the future of the universe.

The incomparable life and extraordinary, trailblazing career of jazz titan and influential composer Charlie Parker will be honored throughout 2020 with a worldwide celebration commemorating the 100th anniversary of his birth (August 29, 1920). Lovingly dubbed Bird 100 after the nickname of the preeminent alto saxophonist who was one of the fathers of bebop and progenitors of modern jazz, the centennial will include a host of major initiatives including exciting new music releases, a tribute tour, festivals and events, prestigious exhibitions, special partnerships, a unique graphic novel, exclusive collectible art, and myriad of independent appreciations and concerts.

On the heels of last year's sensation Won't You Be My Neighbor?, Focus Features is set to produce an upcoming documentary about former Chief Official White House Photographer Pete Souza.  Sundance Special Jury Prize and Peabody Award-winning director Dawn Porter (Gideon's Army, Bobby Kennedy for President, and the upcoming film Good Trouble about Congressman John Lewis) will direct and produce the film about the prolific and outspoken photojournalist.  Academy Award®, BAFTA® and Emmy Award® winning producer Evan Hayes (Free Solo) will produce under his ACE Content banner alongside Academy Award®-nominee and Emmy Award®-winner Laura Dern and her Jaywalker Pictures partner Jayme Lemons, in association with Platform One Media.

It's the most wonderful time of year! The Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and music director Marcus Printup continue a beloved annual tradition with Big Band Holidays. Featuring soulful, big band versions of classics like a?oeJingle Bells,a?? a?oeJoy to the World,a?? and a?oeBrazilian Sleigh Ride,a?? Big Band Holidays is an uplifting holiday program that plays to sold-out audiences around the country every December.

David Archuleta has announced he will release his brand new pop single “Paralyzed”on August 27, 2019.  “Paralyzed” is the first new music from David since 2017's “Postcards In The Sky” release.  Fans that sign up for David's newsletter here: DavidArchuleta.com will receive a link to stream the song before the August 27 release date. 

The Lyric is one of the UK's leading producing theatres, creating world-class theatre from the heart of Hammersmith - its home for more than 120 years.

From Duke Ellington's rocking rhythms, Thelonious Monk's melodious thunks to Mary Lou Williams' spiritual swing and Michel Camilo's island improvisations, the Newport Jazz Festival has been the premier showcase for pianists for decades. This year's edition features a wide variety of keyboardists, shaping the state of jazz to come.

Headlong, one of the most ambitious and exciting theatre companies in the UK, has today announced that Jana Bennett OBE has been selected to join its board of trustees.

Gloria and Emilio Estefan's smash-hit musical comes to London direct from Broadway for a strictly limited season. On Your Feet! is the inspiring true love story of Emilio and Gloria and charts their journey from its origins in Cuba, onto the streets of Miami and finally to international superstardom. Let's see what the critics are saying...

David Archuleta has announced he will hit the road this fall with a 2019 Christmas tour which is sure to feature songs from his 2018 hit holiday album Winter In The Air.  The album featured such hits as “Christmas Every Day”  (which went Top 10 on the Billboard Holiday chart) as well as title track “Winter In The Air”  with the video featuring World of Dance dancer Cassidy Forsyth and So You Think You Can Dance & World of Dance dancer Ezra Sosa.

Ford's Theatre Society celebrated the legacy of President Abraham Lincoln at its Annual Gala on Sunday evening, June 2, 2019, at Ford's Theatre (511 10th Street NW). For more than 40 years, the Society has hosted this bipartisan event, which provides crucial support to the non-profit's theatrical and educational programs.

Brooklyn College will celebrate its 94th Commencement on Thursday, May 30. More than 4,300 graduating students-3,097 undergraduate students, 1,183 master's candidates, and 61 students receiving advanced certificates-makes the class of 2019 one of the largest among Brooklyn higher education institutions. The ceremony will be held at Barclays Center in Brooklyn. Students in the graduating class come from more than 125 countries and speak over 80 languages. Fifty-three members of the class are veterans or currently enlisted in the U.S. military and approximately 98 members identify as having a disability.