Judy Garland News

William Ross will conduct the Oscar orchestra for the Academy Awards, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today.

The Segal Centre for Performing Arts and Copa de Oro Productions will present the world premiere of The Mahalia Jackson Musical, starring the legendary Ranee Lee as the Queen of Gospel. Written and directed by Roger Peace and featuring a live choir on stage, this 'roof-raising, foot-stomping' gospel celebration will be presented at the Segal Theatre from March 3rd to March 24th, 2013.

Last year's Academy Award winners Meryl Streep, Jean Dujardin, Octavia Spencer and Christopher Plummer will return to present on this year's telecast, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today.

The Bob Baker Marionette Theater celebrates its 53rd season with an open-ended run of the perennial puppet favorite 'Something To Crow About' beginning performances today, February 2, 2013.

The Old Globe today announced the complete cast and creative team for the world premiere of A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder, a new musical comedy with book by Robert L. Freedman, music by Steven Lutvak and lyrics by Freedman and Lutvak. Former Old Globe Co-Artistic Director Darko Tresnjak returns to the Globe to direct the production. Based on the novel Israel Rank by Roy Horniman, the musical also features choreography by Peggy Hickey. A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder will run March 8 - April 14, 2013 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run March 8 - March 12. Opening night is Wednesday, March 13 at 7:00 p.m. A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder is a co-production with Hartford Stage. Single tickets go on sale Sunday, Feb. 3 at 12 noon. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.

Baltimore Symphony Orchestra Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly leads vocalist Ashley Brown in a performance of beloved Broadway hits on Thursday, February 21 at 8 p.m. at the Music Center at Strathmore and Friday, February 22 at 8 p.m., Saturday, February 23 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, February 24 at 3 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. Ms. Brown, known as Broadway's original Mary Poppins, will perform popular Broadway selections including "Make Someone Happy," "A Spoon Full of Sugar," "Le Jazz Hot," "Defying Gravity" from Wicked and more. Also on the program is a medley of popular Disney tunes, including "Bibbidi Bobbidi Boo" from Cinderella, "A Whole New World" from Aladdin, "Someday My Prince Will Come" from Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and "Once Upon a Dream" from Sleeping Beauty. Please see below for complete program details.

Dean Bryant directs musical theatre legend Trevor Ashley in the divinely decadent drag cabaret, I'm Every Woman at The Famous Spiegeltent from Tuesday 19 - Saturday 23 February. A diva of multiple personalities, Trevor Ashley will delight audiences with a degustation of drag interpretations of Whitney Houston, Liza Minnelli, Shirley Bassey and many more.

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (NJSO) today announced its programs for the 2013-14 concert season, conductor Jacques Lacombe's fourth year as the Orchestra's Music Director. The season exemplifies the dynamic programming and high-quality artistry that have led the The New York Times to call the NJSO 'an ambitious, admirable orchestra.' The season features 14 weeks of subscription classical programs, four pops programs in both Newark and New Brunswick and three family concerts, as well as several special concerts.

If you have always dreamed of getting married on the most romantic day of the year, here is a opportunity to make it even more special. Now you and your beloved can get married Somewhere OverThe Rainbow on Valentine's Day, February 14th.

Even her biggest fans among the opening night crowd were likely befuddled, slightly bothered, and even a tad bewildered when they heard that Christine Andreas' first cabaret show at 54 Below was called "Bemused," and not exactly sure what that meant. But they would ultimately end up being thoroughly bewitched by a wonderfully engaging show by this totally entertaining pro. While most current or former Broadway stars who are staging shows at 54 Below are performing what amounts to mini-concerts, the lady who first became a Broadway audience favorite as Eliza Doolittle in the 20th anniversary production of My Fair Lady (and is two-time Tony Award nominee) knows her way around cabaret and developed a charmingly creative conceit for this run (continuing on Jan. 29, Feb. 1, 2 at 8:30 pm and Jan. 30, 31 at 7 pm), which included songs from Broadway, pop, the Great American Songbook, and even Edith Piaf.

Warner Bros. Records has announced that it has signed vocalist and award-winning actress Emmy Rossum to its roster. The New York City native will release her first album for the label, a collection of covers of classic songs that span the '20s to the '60s entitled SENTIMENTAL JOURNEY, today, January 29th, 2013.

Grammy(R) Award-winning singer-songwriter Norah Jones will perform 'Everybody Needs a Best Friend' from the motion picture 'Ted,' telecast producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today. 'Everybody Needs a Best Friend,' with music by Walter Murphy and lyrics by Seth MacFarlane, is nominated for an Original Song Oscar. This will be Jones' first time performing on an Oscar show.

Two-time Tony Award-winning actress Christine Ebersole made her Celebrity Series of Boston debut at Sanders Theatre with an intimate cabaret performance that brought much-needed warmth to a cold January night. The former "Not Ready for Prime Time" player on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE is now the toast of Broadway and Harvard Square.

Today we are talking to a phenomenally talented performer who has starred in a string of contemporary musicals, ranging from replacement gigs in the Broadway productions of Elton John & Tim Rice's AIDA and Stephen Schwartz's WICKED to creating lead roles in Jim Steinman's DANCE OF THE VAMPIRES and Lin-Manuel Miranda's IN THE HEIGHTS, in addition to her memorable contributions to the Laura Nyro revue, ELI'S COMIN', Off-Broadway - the one and only Mandy Gonzalez. Discussing her time spent in many of the aforementioned shows as well as her experiences inhabiting the wildly different characters within each, Gonzalez shares her infectious enthusiasm for performance and her appreciation for having participated in such landmark shows. Most importantly, Gonzalez shares stories from the heated rehearsal rooms backstage at the 24-Hour Musicals celebration and what participating in the event that would form the basis for ONE NIGHT STAND, a documentary film being released in select cities this Wednesday, January 30. Additionally, Gonzalez reflects on her new role as a mom, as well as roles she would enjoy pursuing in the future, onstage and off, as well as her own favorite shows and scores. All of that and much, much more!

Los Angeles' premier cabaret room, The Catalina Jazz Club, hosts cabaret artist Karen Gedissman for a special performance tonight, January 27th at 7pm.

"The musical as a motion picture genre has had a remarkable renaissance in the last decade," said producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron. "We are excited to showcase three musical films -- 'Chicago,' 'Dreamgirls' and 'Les Miserables' -- on our Oscar show."