Len Cariou News

Following twelve sold out shows, The Laurie Beechman Theatre will continue their hit series, SONDHEIM UNPLUGGED, for a thirteenth installment, Monday, April 25 at 7pm. Included in the cast are an array of Broadway and cabaret alums.

Following twelve sold out shows, The Laurie Beechman Theatre will continue their hit series, SONDHEIM UNPLUGGED, for a thirteenth installment, Monday, April 25 at 7pm. Included in the cast are an array of Broadway and cabaret alums.

Four-time Emmy award-winning actress Michael Learned and veteran actor Granville Van Dusen find unexpected love in Kathleen Clark's perceptively witty and poignant play, Southern Comforts, directed by Jules Aaron. The four-week run ends April 10 at International City Theatre in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center.

Hosted by Christine Pedi, the 2011 MAC Awards will take place on Tuesday, Mat 10 and B.B. King Blues Club and Grill. The ceremony will honor Annie Ross for Lifetime Achievement and George Sanders with the MAC Board of Directors Award.

Following eleven sold out shows, The Laurie Beechman Theatre will continue their hit series, SONDHEIM UNPLUGGED, for a twelfth installment, Monday, March 28 at 7pm. Included in the cast are an array of Broadway and cabaret alums, including Karen Akers (Nine, Grand Hotel), Christina Bianco (Drama Desk nominee, Forbidden Broadway), Eric Michael Gillett (Kiss Me, Kate, Sweet Smell of Success), Steve Ross (Present Laughter), Steven Lutvak (Kleban & Larson award-winner) and Alysha Umphress (American Idiot). We're also pleased to welcome back three very special guests, all of whom created roles in Sondheim musicals: Annie Golden (Assassins), Teri Ralston (Company, A Little Night Music) and Sarah Rice (Sweeney Todd). Recently, Sondheim Unplugged received the 2011 Bistro Award for Outstanding Cabaret Series.

Following the news this week of the passing of Elizabeth Taylor, we are taking a look back at some of her most memorable screen appearances over the years, beginning with LASSIE COME HOME and NATIONAL VELVET, and ranging from Vincente Minnelli's loveable comedies FATHER OF THE BRIDE and its equal sequel FATHER'S LITTLE DIVIDEND, to her unforgettable dramatic performance in A PLACE IN THE SUN, to the series of legendary pictures produced alongside her (sometime) husband and (always) love of her life Richard Burton, in roles ranging from Antony and Cleopatra in, of course, CLEOPATRA, to BOOM! Based on Tennessee Williams' THE MILK TRAIN DOESN'T STOP HERE ANYMORE - with a screenplay by Williams himself (his sole screen adaptation) - and one of the greatest films in cinematic history, based on one of the most important plays of the latter half of the twentieth century: Edward Albee's WHO'S AFRAID OF VIRGINIA WOOLF? That's not even mentioning her iconic performance in Williams' CAT ON A HOT TIN ROOF and SUDDENLY, LAST SUMMER - plus, BUTTERFIELD 8 (her first Oscar win), A PLACE IN THE SUN and GIANT. Who knows, there may even be time for a little FLINSTONES action, as well! Here we have a surefire spangled salute to one of the last great stars Broadway and Hollywood has known.

Reprise Theatre Company presents Barry Manilow in Concert for one performance only on Tuesday, March 22 at 8:00 pm, at UCLA's Royce Hall. This special event is presented by Reprise Theatre Company as its Annual Gala Performance. Ticket sales from Barry Manilow in Concert support Reprise's mission to produce musical theatre of the highest artistic quality and to make this art form accessible to new audiences through education and outreach programs.

Today we are talking to the current Prior Walter in Michael Grief's off-Broadway revival of Tony Kushner's Pulitzer prize-winning ANGELS IN AMERICA, and also a headliner of Monday night's SPRING AT LAST! Gala to benefit The Harvey Milk School, late of ABC's smash-hit comedy UGLY BETTY, the charmingly candid and overwhelmingly talented Michael Urie! In this exclusive conversation we tackle topics ranging from Shakespeare to Sondheim to the power and legacy of ANGELS IN AMERICA and what songs and words of hope we can expect from him at the SPRING AT LAST! Gala alongside headliners Lance Horne and Wanda Sykes. Plus, Michael gives us the first news on a number of films he has coming out in the next year and much, much more!

Following eleven sold out shows, The Laurie Beechman Theatre will continue their hit series, SONDHEIM UNPLUGGED, for a twelfth installment, Monday, March 28 at 7pm. Included in the cast are an array of Broadway and cabaret alums, including Karen Akers (Nine, Grand Hotel), Christina Bianco (Drama Desk nominee, Forbidden Broadway), Eric Michael Gillett (Kiss Me, Kate, Sweet Smell of Success), Steve Ross (Present Laughter), Steven Lutvak (Kleban & Larson award-winner) and Alysha Umphress (American Idiot). We're also pleased to welcome back three very special guests, all of whom created roles in Sondheim musicals: Annie Golden (Assassins), Teri Ralston (Company, A Little Night Music) and Sarah Rice (Sweeney Todd). Recently, Sondheim Unplugged received the 2011 Bistro Award for Outstanding Cabaret Series.

Four-time Emmy award-winning actress Michael Learned and veteran actor Granville Van Dusen find unexpected love in Kathleen Clark's perceptively witty and poignant play, Southern Comforts, directed by Jules Aaron. The four-week run opens March 18 at International City Theatre in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center. Low-priced previews take place on March 15, 16 and 17.

Following ten sold out shows, The Laurie Beechman Theatre will continue their hit series, SONDHEIM UNPLUGGED, for an eleventh installment, Monday, February 28 at 7pm. Included in the cast are an array of Broadway and cabaret alums, including Kristy Cates (Wicked), Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Tony nominee, Avenue Q), Michelle Dowdy (Hairspray), Christine Pedi (Talk Radio) and Nicholas Rodriguez (Tarzan). We're also pleased to welcome back our special guest, Sarah Rice, who created the role of Johanna in the original Broadway production of Sweeney Todd

Four-time Emmy award-winning actress Michael Learned and veteran actor Granville Van Dusen find unexpected love in Kathleen Clark's perceptively witty and poignant play, Southern Comforts, directed by Jules Aaron. The four-week run opens March 18 at International City Theatre in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center. Low-priced previews take place on March 15, 16 and 17.

The Theatre Department at Kean University presents the Stephen Sondheim / Hugh Wheeler musical, Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street on February 25 through March 5 in the Zella Fry Theatre on the Union, NJ campus.

This year's 56th Annual Drama Desk Awards, scheduled to take place in May, will undergo a major overhaul designed to enhance its national visibility and outreach and provide all segments of New York Theater a larger national footprint than ever before. Announcement of those changes were made public yeterday, February 24, at a News Conference in the Inc Lounge. As reported, one of these changes includes the televising of the ceremony on Ovation, hosted by Harvey Fierstein.

Following ten sold out shows, The Laurie Beechman Theatre will continue their hit series, SONDHEIM UNPLUGGED, for an eleventh installment, Monday, February 28 at 7pm. Included in the cast are an array of Broadway and cabaret alums, including Kristy Cates (Wicked), Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Tony nominee, Avenue Q), Michelle Dowdy (Hairspray), Christine Pedi (Talk Radio) and Nicholas Rodriguez (Tarzan). We're also pleased to welcome back our special guest, Sarah Rice, who created the role of Johanna in the original Broadway production of Sweeney Todd

The Theatre Department at Kean University presents the Stephen Sondheim / Hugh Wheeler musical, Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street on February 25 through March 5 in the Zella Fry Theatre on the Union, NJ campus.

William Atherton, Matt Cavenaugh, Lisa O'Hare, Carol Lawrence, Millicent Martin and Jason Graae are the acclaimed film, Broadway and West End stars who will lead the cast of Reprise Theatre Company's second production of the 2010-2011 season, 'Gigi', playing February 15 to February 27, 2011 (press opening February 16, 2011) at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. The musical - with book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe -- will be directed by veteran musical theatre director David Lee, with choreography by Peggy Hickey and musical direction by Steve Orich.

BROADWAY BACKWARDS 6, the one-night-only event held Monday at the Longacre Theatre, raised a record-breaking $281,243 to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center (the Center). This year's total far surpassed last year's previous record total of $186,780.

BROADWAY BACKWARDS 6, the one-night-only event held Monday at the Longacre Theatre, raised a record-breaking $281,243 to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS and The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center (the Center).

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS (BC/EFA) and The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center (the Center) announced today that BROADWAY BACKWARDS 6, the only Broadway event custom-made for the gay and lesbian community, its friends and families, will feature 'American Idol' runner-up Clay Aiken (Spamalot) and Tony winners Alan Cumming (Cabaret and CBS's 'The Good Wife') and Denis O'Hare (Take Me Out and HBO's 'True Blood').