Lari White News

More importantly, perhaps, since I know where the bodies are buried-both literally and figuratively-I am provided a unique perspective on the personalities that have shaped theater in Tennessee for at least the past 30 years (I was five years old when I started in this gig). Today you will be introduced to one of the finest actors to ever walk onto a Tennessee stage via our brand new feature series…WHERE ARE THEY NOW? Our first subject is Mark Delabarre, who who spoke with us from his home in New York City.

The ?American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) at Northwestern University will present a 'by-invitation-only' workshop presentation of the new musical 'Scrooge In Love!' for Northwestern theatre faculty, students, staff and Chicago theatre industry members, on Sunday, Nov. 23.

Eric Michael Gillett brings 'Man About Town: The Wit and Wisdom of Noel Coward' to the Laurie Beechman Theatre (407 W. 42 Street, between 9th and 10th avenues), tonight, October 10 and October 11, 20, 27, and November 3, 2014.

Eric Michael Gillett brings 'Man About Town: The Wit and Wisdom of Noel Coward' to the Laurie Beechman Theatre (407 W. 42 Street, between 9th and 10th avenues), October 10, 11, 20, 27, and November 3, 2014.

Legacy Recordings' Classic Christmas Album series rings in this year's holiday season with new collections by Frank Sinatra, Barbra Streisand, Il Divo, Perry Como, Johnny Mathis

A hilarious musical adaptation of a Gilbert and Sullivan comic opera, a return engagement of a popular Imagine U family production and a National Theatre Live broadcast of a classic Shakespeare tragedy are highlights of Northwestern University's SummerStage 2014 season.

A vacant building on Howard Street, Evanston's first craft brewery and an 18-hole public golf course are sites for the three off-campus productions in the S.I.T.E. Festival, co-presented by Northwestern University's Virginia Wadsworth Wirtz Center for the Performing Arts -- formerly known as the Theatre and Interpretation Center. The plays will run through June 7.

If you are even a semi-regular reader of this column of reviews, you know that about every three or four months, I post a compilation of observations of shows from the previous quarter of the year. This cabaret critiquing mash up happens for a number of reasons, not the least of which is that I admittedly see too many cabaret shows for the amount of time I have to promptly review them (and then, of course, the usual writer's procrastination sets in). So I have to prioritize the timeliness of the reviews based on the prestige of the performer, the length of a show run, the strength (or lack thereof) of the performance, etc. The quality of the shows in these compilations—which can range from a half dozen to a dozen reviews in one shot—are usually a mixed bag of outright raves, qualified positives, and constructive pans (I'm not a fan of the word “negative” in the reviewer lexicon). With that in mind here are a collection of cabaret show reviews going back to the start of a very harsh winter.

Michael Feinstein will join Nick Ziobro, the 17 year-old pop/jazz vocal sensation, as a special guest for his CD release concert at Birdland Jazz Club (315 West 44th Street in Manhattan) on Thursday, May 22 at 6:00 PM. The CD's all-star band - led by Tedd Firth and featuring music legend Bucky Pizzarelli on guitar, Jay Leonhart on bass, Ray Marchica on drums, Brian Pareschi on trumpet and flugelhorn, and Marc Phaneuf on saxophone and clarinet - will also join the concert. Nick's debut album A Lot of Livin' to Do is produced by Michael Feinstein, the two-time Emmy and five-time Grammy Award-nominated vocalist, pianist and musicologist. Tickets - which include a complimentary CD - are $20 with an additional $10 minimum. Visit BirdlandJazz.com for more information.

Nick Ziobro, the 17 year-old pop/jazz vocal sensation, will release his debut album A Lot of Livin' to Do on Tuesday, May 20. The new disc, produced by Michael Feinstein - the two-time Emmy and five-time Grammy Award-nominated vocalist, pianist and musicologist - and available through Titanium Entertainment, will be available in stores and digital outlets such as iTunes and Amazon.com. The album's debut single 'This Guy's In Love with You' is now available on iTunes.

Broadway's Mandy Gonzalez (Wicked, In the Heights, Dance of the Vampires, Lennon) has joined the cast of The Amanda McBroom Project, set for tonight, March 14, 15, and 17 at 7pm at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W. 42 Street (Between 9 and 10 Avenues.)

The Amanda McBroom Project...continuing the journey will play tonight, March 14, 15, and 17 at 7pm at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W. 42 Street (Between 9 and 10 Avenues).

Broadway's Mandy Gonzalez (Wicked, In the Heights, Dance of the Vampires, Lennon) has joined the cast of The Amanda McBroom Project, set for March 14, 15, and 17 at 7pm at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W. 42 Street (Between 9 and 10 Avenues.) For Reservations: 212.695.6909Music charge $20. Food/drink minimum $15

The Amanda McBroom Project...continuing the journey will play March 14, 15, and 17 at 7pm at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W. 42 Street (Between 9 and 10 Avenues). Reservations: 212.695.6909. Music charge $20; Food/drink minimum $15.

The Johnny Mercer Foundation and the American Music Theatre Project (AMTP) at Northwestern University will present the 9th Annual Johnny Mercer Foundation Songwriters Project. The weeklong songwriting workshop for emerging songwriters and writing teams will take place from June 22 through 28, on Northwestern's Evanston campus.

Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Chip Zien, Karen Mason, Sebastian Arcelus, Tonya Pinkins, Beth Leavel, Carolee Carmello,Stephanie J. Block, Karen Akers, Emily Skinner, Julia Murney, Lari White, John Easterlin, Noah Racey, Camille Saviola, Mark Nadler, Jillian Louis, Danny Gardner and the Broadway by the Year Chorus all took part in Town Hall's 14th season opener of its Broadway by the Year Series on Monday night, February 24 at 8pm, THE BROADWAY MUSICALS OF 1915-1939. BroadwayWorld was there for the special concert and you can check out backstage photos below!

Stephanie D'Abruzzo, Chip Zien, Karen Mason, Sebastian Arcelus, Tonya Pinkins, Beth Leavel, Carolee Carmello, Stephanie J. Block, Karen Akers, Emily Skinner, Julia Murney, Lari White, John Easterlin, Noah Racey, Camille Saviola, Mark Nadler, Jillian Louis, Danny Gardner and the Broadway by the Year Chorus all took part in Town Hall's 14th season opener of its Broadway by the Year Series last night, February 24 at 8pm, THE BROADWAY MUSICALS OF 1915-1939. BroadwayWorld was there for the special concert and you can check out photo coverage below!

Tony Award-nominee Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Avenue Q), Drama Desk-nominees Chip Zien (Into the Woods, Falsettos) & Karen Mason (Sunset Boulevard, Mamma Mia!), Sebastian Arcelus (Elf, A Time to Kill), Nightlife Award-Winner Mark Nadler, Jillian Louis, Danny Gardner and the Broadway by the Year Chorus have been added to Town Hall's 14th season opener of its Broadway by the Year Series on Monday, February 24 at 8pm, THE BROADWAY MUSICALS OF 1915-1939. They join previously announced Tony Award-winners Tonya Pinkins and Beth Leavel, Tony Award-nominees Carolee Carmello, Stephanie J. Block, Karen Akers and Emily Skinner, Drama Desk Award-nominee Julia Murney, Grammy Award-winners Lari White and John Easterlin, Noah Racey (Curtains), Camille Saviola (Nine), concert and recording artist Howard Fishman and Nightlife Award-winner Carole J. Bufford. Individual tickets ($57 and $47) are on sale at www.TicketMaster.com or by phone at 800-982-2787; series subscriptions ($180-$220) are available at www.TheTownHall.org.

Off-Broadway's tastiest new musical The Chocolate Show! opens tonight, Valentine's Day, February 14 at 7pm at the 47th Street Theatre, 304 West 47th Street between 8th and 9th Avenues. Audiences at the opening night performance will each receive the world's most expensive chocolate truffle by chocolatier Fritz Knipschildt. The Chocolate Show! is written by Alan Golub (book, music and lyrics) & Laura Goldfader (book and music), with direction by Dan Foster, choreography by Grady McLeod Bowman and under the music direction of Jeffrey Klitz.

Therefore, Bob O'Hare's Recovery at Don't Tell Mama on the evening of November 17th may well be one of the greatest surprises beheld in many a moon....It's not simply the fact that O'Hare's truly-lovely voice emerges as never over-coached and with a really terrific natural sound. It's not simply that he's made truly impeccable choices in terms of material, both for not being terribly precocious but also very carefully selected. It is, in point of fact, that this really is what an act is supposed to represent both as what cabaret was in its heyday and what the art form is supposed to be from this point on....The evening's first true high-point rears its head with 'One Step' by Malby and Shire, featuring a spectacular patter sequence, followed shortly thereafter by 'Journey to the Past' by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty. Award-winning director Eric Michael Gillett once again proves himself as a master of the genre here...O'Hare emerges as triumphant at every turn. The guy has very simply been through hell and back, and it never shows. He couldn't be more quick with a smile or generosity of spirit, and it's truly one of the feel-good evenings of this or any other of the several last cabaret seasons. Should Bob O'Hare and Recovery return, please visit the process. It couldn't possibly be more worth visiting.' - Andrew Martin, NiteLifeExchange