Liz Callaway News

It's no surprise that Bruce Kimmel's monthly Kritzerland series (this is show #38) has gained such a loyal following at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal. For true musical lovers it is the rare opportunity to hear beautiful, funny and surprisingly touching songs from musicals you may never get to see.

For four magical nights this week, the Mabel Mercer Foundation will present a sparkling array of America's leading cabaret stars. Among the 60 outstanding artists who will take the stage at the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center from today, October 7th through 10th are multiple Grammy Award winner Jack Jones, Marilyn Maye, Steve Ross, Karen Akers, Nellie McKay, and Barbara Carroll.

Broadway Close Up takes you behind the scenes of musicals old and new with eye-opening interviews and inspiring performances by some of Broadway's greatest talents. The 2013 performances kick off with the annual Bound for Broadway show hosted by Liz Callaway and continues with Tony-nominated lyricist Amanda Green, an evening with the fascinating women from the musicals of Cy Coleman, and an enchanting exploration of duets, trios, quartets and ensemble numbers by Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein and Irving Berlin among others.

Ten years ago, as a reaction to over-amplification of musicals, Scott Siegel had the crazy idea that there might be an audience for a concert of Broadway show tunes performed the way they used to be sung: without microphones. And Scott had the perfect place to try out his theory, the acoustically wonderful Town Hall on West 43rd St. With no money, but the support of a great many singers who wanted, literally, to be heard in a way that was no longer possible on Broadway, he launched the first Broadway Unplugged, boasting 'Sound Design by God.' BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the special concert below!

Myrna and Freddie Gershon hosted a full house at 54 Below on Thursday the 26th of September for the 30th Anniversary Celebration of songwriting team Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty.

The premiere 'Mentor Monday' segment takes place during the first hour of Cast Party at Birdland tonight, September 30. Composer Jacob Tischler, a recent Carnegie Mellon University graduate will be paired with the current star of Newsies, Corey Cott.

Ten years ago, as a reaction to over-amplification of musicals, Scott Siegel had the crazy idea that there might be an audience for a concert of Broadway show tunes performed the way they used to be sung: without microphones. And Scott had the perfect place to try out his theory, the acoustically wonderful Town Hall on West 43rd St. With no money, but the support of a great many singers who wanted, literally, to be heard in a way that was no longer possible on Broadway, he launched the first Broadway Unplugged, boasting 'Sound Design by God.'

Last night, Thursday, September 26, 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, launched its first of six performances celebrating the extraordinary 30-year collaboration of Tony Award-winning songwriting team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Ragtime, Once on This Island, My Favorite Year, Seussical, Lucky Stiff, the upcoming Rocky, and more). In 'Nice Fighting You: A 30th Anniversary Celebration,' September 26 - 28, Ahrens and Flaherty offer six very special concerts featuring their best known songs, rare gems and even some never-before-heard material, performed by a rotating cast of Broadway stars. Last night's opening night concert featured Tony nominee Stephanie J. Block (The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Anything Goes), Tony nominee Liz Callaway (Baby, Anastasia), Tony Award winner LaChanze (Dessa Rose, Once on This Island), Kecia Lewis (Dessa Rose, Once on This Island), Sean McCourt (Wicked, A Man of No Importance), Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell (Ragtime, Kiss Me Kate) Tony Award nominee Mary Testa (42nd Street, Lucky Stiff), and musical direction by Tony Award Winner Ted Sperling (South Pacific, The Light in the Piazza, and The Other Josh Cohen). The evening features musical arrangements by Neil Douglas Reilly.

Nice Fighting You: A 30th Anniversary Celebration will run at 54 Below, tonight, September 26 - 28, 2013, with featured guests each night.

Jim Caruso's Cast Party, Birdland's 'extreme' open mic, has announced a new segment called MENTOR MONDAYS, which will take place on the last Monday of every month. MENTOR MONDAYS will pair up-and-coming singers and composers with established artists to create a featured performance for the historic Birdland stage. MENTOR MONDAYS will give emerging young performers the once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to collaborate with some of New York's most talented musical theater songsmiths, including Adam Guettel, Lisa Lambert, Frank Wildhorn, Amanda Green, John Bucchino and Georgia Stitt, as well as singers Jane Monheit and Billy Porter.

BARITONES UNBOUND, featuring MARC KUDISCH, BEN DAVIS & JEFF MATTSEY have joined the 10th Annual Concert at Town Hall lineup on Monday, Sept. 30th at 8 PM.

Starring in the Musical Salute are Kennedy Center Award Honoree/Tony Award winner Barbara Cook, four-time Tony Award winner Harvey Fierstein, Tony Award winner Lin-Manuel Miranda, record setting multi-Tony Award winnerHarold Prince, beloved TV and Stage Icon Charlotte Rae, multiple Academy, Grammy, Drama Desk Award winnerStephen Schwartz, Academy and Grammy Award winner David Shire and nine time Tony Award winner Tommy Tuneamong others, all performing songs with lyrics written by Mr. Harnick.

Principal Pops Conductor Jack Everly kicks off his 11th Pops season with the Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) in The Streisand Songbook with Ann Hampton Callaway on Thursday, October 10 at 8 p.m. at the Music Center at Strathmore, Friday, October 11 and Saturday, October 12 at 8 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall, and Sunday, October 13 at 3 p.m. at the Meyerhoff. Singer-songwriter Ann Hampton Callaway will sing some of Barbra Streisand's biggest hits, including favorites from Broadway musicals as Funny Girl to film hits such as A Star is Born. Furthermore, Maestro Everly will lead Callaway in a post-concert performance in the Meyerhoff lobby on Friday, October 11. Please see below for complete program details.

Birdland Jazz Club has announced their brilliant line-up of marvelous talent for the month of October 2013. Birdland will kick-off their electrifying month of programming with the following acts:

For four magical nights in October, the Mabel Mercer Foundation will present a sparkling array of America's leading cabaret stars. Among the 60 outstanding artists who will take the stage at the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center from October 7th through 10th are multiple Grammy Award winner Jack Jones, Marilyn Maye, Steve Ross, Karen Akers, Nellie McKay, and Barbara Carroll.

One of the biggest downers perpetrated by American culture is the characterization of Labor Day weekend as the 'unofficial end of summer.' But given what has passed for cabaret entertainment-at least the shows I was able to attend--since the 'unofficial start of summer' on Memorial Day weekend, the end of summer can't come soon enough. But my dismay over the hours lost watching average shows this season was tempered a bit by the pride and joy I felt watching the June performances of three strikingly attractive and talented 30ish brunettes with powerhouse voices-- Jackie Kristel, Karen Gross and Jodi Beck, who all staged entertaining shows as spring was turning to summer.

The Actors Fund, the nationwide human services organization that helps all professionals in performing arts and entertainment, will present the 2013 edition of Nothing Like a Dame: Lorna's Pink Party, a benefit for the Phyllis Newman Women's Health Initiative and the Dr. Philomena McAndrew Fund of Tower Cancer Research Foundation. This highly anticipated event, starring entertainment legend LORNA LUFT with her special guest LIZA MINNELLI will take place for two nights only on Monday, October 14th at 7 pm, and Monday, October 21st at 7 pm, at Birdland, 315 West 44th Street, New York City.

54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents the Tony Award-winning songwriting team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Ragtime, Once on This Island, My Favorite Year, Seussical, Lucky Stiff, the upcoming Rocky, and more) in celebration of their thirty years of collaboration. In 'Nice Fighting You: A 30th Anniversary Celebration,' September 26 - 28, Ahrens and Flaherty will offer six very special concerts featuring their best known songs, rare gems and even some never-before-heard material, performed by a rotating cast of Broadway stars including Annaleigh Ashford (Kinky Boots), Stephanie J. Block (Anything Goes, The Mystery of Edwin Drood), Liz Callaway (Baby,Miss Saigon, Anastasia), Kevin Chamberlin (Seussical, Dirty Blonde), Lilla Crawford (Annie),Lewis Grosso (Newsies), Tony Award winner LaChanze (The Color Purple, Ragtime, Once on This Island), Quentin Earl Darrington (Ragtime), Rebecca Luker (Cinderella, Mary Poppins, Nine), Marin Mazzie (Kiss Me Kate, Ragtime, Passion), Sean McCourt (Wicked, A Man of No Importance), Tony winner Brian Stokes Mitchell (Kiss Me Kate, Ragtime, Women on the Verge...),Jessica Molaskey (Sunday in the Park With George, Songs for a New World, A Man of No Importance), Bobby Steggert (Big Fish, Ragtime), Mary Testa (42nd Street, Lucky Stiff), and Tony Award Winner, Director/Music Director Ted Sperling (South Pacific, The Light in the Piazza, andThe Other Josh Cohen).

A new digitally delivered magazine focusing on the art of musical theatre, appropriately titled MUSICAL THEATRE, is now offering subscriptions as well as its very first issue, September 2013.

BroadwayWorld.com is very excited to announce that we will be returning to Joe's Pub at the Public Theater in 2014, kicking off a year-long celebration of the community and our 10th anniversary with regularly scheduled concerts, live streams and special events in a BIG way. The concert series will launch on January 20, 2014 with BROADWAYWORLD VISITS OZ, directed by Richard Jay-Alexander and with music direction by Mary-Mitchell Campbell. Tickets will go on sale on October 15, 2013 at 1pm. Below, watch a VERY special 10th Anniversary look back at the site's original concert series.