Leslie Uggams News

Acclaimed vocal supergroup Broadway Inspirational Voices have surpassed the Kickstarter goal for their new album GREAT JOY II.

There may not have been 76 trombones, but Florence Henderson and Constantine Maroulis did excellent impersonations of librarian Marian Paroo and Harold Hill of 'The Music Man' fame, as they lead a 28 piece marching Broadway band into the Skirball Cultural Center in the new Guerin Pavilion/Herscher Hall to begin an evening of co-hosting for the Actors Fund's 18th Annual Tony Awards® Party. Check out the photos below!

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: It's Tonys weekend, of course!

In April 2014, Artistic Director Vincent J. Cardinal announced that Tony and Emmy Award-winning actress Leslie Uggams would be starring as Rose in Connecticut Repertory Theatre's (CRT) production of GYPSY: A Musical Fable July 10-20. This announcement quickly spread through social media circles and the theatre community and set off a firestorm of discussion on message boards and Twitter about casting an African American actress in this iconic role.

Broadway legend Leslie Uggams returns to 54 Below for two performances only! Best known for her Tony Award-winning role in Hallelujah, Baby!, as well as the groundbreaking miniseries, Roots, Ms. Uggams' storied career has spanned television (her own CBS variety show), film (Skyjacked) and Broadway (Her First Roman, Blues in the Night, Jerry's Girls, Anything Goes, King Headley II, Thoroughly Modern Millie, On Golden Pond). This June, look for Leslie delighting audiences on West 54th Street. Get your tickets now - they'll go fast! $40-50 cover charge. $25 food & beverage minimum.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com or call (646) 476-3551.

Virginia Repertory Theatre announces the opening of The Color Purple at the Sara Belle and Neil November Theatre, 114 West Broad Street on Friday, June 20, 2014 with a Preview on Thursday, June 19. The show runs through August 3, 2014. Based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel by Alice Walker, this joyful musical and epic story follows the life and personal awakening of Celie, a downtrodden young African American woman. With a book by Marsha Norman and music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis, and Stephen Bray, the uplifting score features jazz, ragtime, gospel, African music and blues. The Broadway production earned eleven Tony nominations.

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, June 1, 2014 - Sunday, June 1, 2014.

In honor of the 1st of June, watch Leslie Uggams perform 'June is Bustin' Out All Over' from CAROUSEL, then check out on the next page an interview in which the singer reveals how she almost had to 'invent a new language to cover the 'slipped' lyrics' in the now You-Tube famous performance of the Rodgers and Hammerstein tune. Click below!

This June, July and August, 54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street.

Grammy award and Tony award nominee Michael McElroy and Broadway Inspirational Voices (BIV) are gearing up for their second holiday album 'Great Joy II: Around the World'. They are kicking off their fundraising with a Kickstarter campaign, running from May 15th through June 15th. BIV members and friends from the Broadway community who have supported in the campaign include BIV board president Phylicia Rashad, Mario Cantone, Lin Mañuel Miranda, Stephanie J. Block, Leslie Uggams, Angela Robinson, Billy Porter, Adriane Lenox, Alice Ripley, Gavin Creel, Shoshana Bean, Eden Espinosa, Montego Glover, Tom Kitt and many more. Watch the pitch video below!

The fourth annual 'Night Of A Thousand Judys' - presented by The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre - has announced a new round of stars, including Sierra Boggess (The Phantom of the Opera), Austin Scarlett ('Project Runway'), Karen Wyman (celebrated 60s pop singer), Alison Fraser (two-time Tony Award nominee), Jackie Hoffman (Hairspray) and Aaron Weinstein (acclaimed jazz violinist).

Leslie Uggams performed 'Now I Have Everything' from the musical FIDDLER ON THE ROOF at Symphony Space's FIDDLER AT 50 gala celebration on April 28. Watch her sing in the video below!

John Schreiber, NJPAC's President and CEO, and David Rodriguez, Executive Producer of the Arts Center, announced today a 2014-15 season packed with new, NJPAC- created, season-long series', collaborations with renowned artists and companies, an expansion of diverse programming, further integration of NJPAC's arts education programs within mainstage performances, and a continuation of the Arts Center's 17-year tradition of presenting world-class artists. With over 100 performances and special events announced for the acoustically superb 2,800- seat Prudential Hall, intimate 514-seat Victoria Theater, 250-seat Chase Room, and outdoors in Theater Square, by artists ranging from Patti LaBelle to The Metropolitan Opera Rising Stars; from Chris Botti to Potted Potter: The Unauthorized Harry Experience; from Golda's Balcony with Tovah Feldshuh to the Brick City Jazz Orchestra; from Bela Fleck to Lula Washington Dance Theatre; from Beres Hammond to Audra McDonald; and from The Second City to Dinosaur Train Live!, NJPAC's new season has something for everyone.

Tony® nominee Kate Baldwin (Big Fish, Giant, Finian's Rainbow); two-time Tony Award winner Katie Finneran (Annie, Promises Promises); three-time Tony Award winner Hinton Battle (The Tap Dance Kid, Miss Saigon, The Wiz); three time Tony-nominee Dee Hoty (The Will Rogers Follies, Footloose); Tony Award winning producer, singer and actor Tamara Tunie (producer of Spring Awakening, performed in Broadway's Oh Kay!); and Tony Award winner Leslie Uggams (Hallelujah Baby!, On Golden Pond) all gathered last week to preview their upcoming shows at 54 Below. BroadwayWorld was there for the sneak peek event and you can check out photos below!

In honor of this weekend's sure-to-be spectacular BroadwayWorld special event EVERYTHING'S COMING UP BROADWAYWORLD.COM: A JULE STYNE TRIBUTE, today we honor the man behind the music for many of the greatest musicals of all time.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? This weekend's big news: The musical horror comedy film STAGE FRIGHT hits theaters today, BroadwayWorld.com's Jule Styne Tribute is set for Sunday, and Mother's Day doesn't have to be tame with free shows at BROADWAY BARES!

Hotel Nikko San Francisco and Michael Feinstein welcome Broadway veterans Glory Crampton and Franc D'Ambrosio to Feinstein's at the Nikko with their acclaimed show, Angel of Music - A Salute to Andrew Lloyd Webber for two performances only - Friday, June 6 (8 p.m.) and Saturday, June 7 (7 p.m.). Featuring songs from some of Andrew Lloyd Webber's most acclaimed shows, including Sunset Boulevard, Evita, The Phantom of the Opera and Jesus Christ Superstar, Crampton and D'Ambrosio present an unforgettable evening of music and storytelling. Tickets range in price from $35 - $50 and are available by calling 866.663.1063 or visiting www.ticketweb.com.

On Sunday, May 11th, 2014 at 7:00pm, BroadwayWorld.com will continue its 2014 concert series at legendary cabaret venue Joe's Pub at The Public Theater, hosting an all-star tribute concert and benefit celebrating the music of incomparable multi-award-winning composer Jule Styne, while also honoring Mother's Day and raising funds for The Breast Cancer Research Foundation, and, today, we offer you a first glimpse at the eye-grabbing, elegant and evocative poster created by gifted designer Alex Botero.