Mae West News

Written in 1928 by Mae West, the stage play "Diamond Lil" has been called many things including 'critically acclaimed,' 'more sinful than Sodom,' and 'a drama of the underworld.' The seedy underbelly of the old Sixth Ward is well represented here with a cast of actors portraying prostitutes, procurers, sex traffickers, jewel thieves, gigolos, hornswogglers, and con men.

After almost a year of touring North America, the Roundabout Theatre Company's buoyant Tony Award-winning revival of ANYTHING GOES has finally docked its madcap ship of lunatics at the Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa for a shamefully-short one-week engagement through September 29. Featuring an incredible lead performance by Broadway vet Rachel York as Reno Sweeney, this old-fashioned crowd-pleaser is, hands-down, one of the most jubilantly entertaining revivals in recent years. It's pure smile-inducing, gimmick-free musical comedy fun.

Aurora Theatre Company continues its 22nd season with the Bay Area Premiere of Samuel D. Hunter's edgy and earnest A BRIGHT NEW BOISE. Aurora Artistic Director Tom Ross helms this comedy about faith, family, forgiveness, and second chances, featuring Robert Parsons, Patrick Russell, Gwen Loeb, Megan Trout, and Daniel Petzold. A BRIGHT NEW BOISE playsNovember 8 through December 8 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley. For tickets ($32-60) and information the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org.

In the pre-Depression building frenzy of 1927, a hotel named Park Central, a nod to nearby Central Park, opened in Midtown West. Now, following an immense multi-million dollar renovation, this landmark property at 870 7 th Avenue now features newly refurbished guest rooms, and will unveil elegant interiors and public spaces in October inspired by Central Park and other iconic New York locations.

Written in 1928 by Mae West, the stage play "Diamond Lil" has laced itself into a position of public awareness once again. Three events in August, that led to whoopee, winks, and ink in The New York Times, The Village Voice, The Brooklyn Courier, etc., lifted the petticoats of petulance from the attitudes of no less than 300 Manhattanites who have missed Mae West.

Famed female impersonator Randy Roberts returns to San Francisco by popular demand with two not-to-be-missed shows in two different venues. Beginning with a limited engagement of only 12 performances of Randy's signature show RANDY ROBERTS LIVE! at the Alcove Theatre - 414 Mason St. (at Geary St.), 5th Floor, in SF 94102 - Oct. 10 - Nov. 2, 2013 (Thurs. Fri. & Sat. - 9:00 pm).

Aurora Theatre Company presents Bay Area cabaret star Craig Jessup in concert with A SWELL NOËL. Celebrating the season with masterful music-making, Jessup (last seen at the Aurora in Mae West's SEX) performs favorites from his wide-ranging career in cabaret and musical theater, along with classic holiday tunes, and original songs.

The Emory Cinematheque, a weekly series of free 35mm screenings, presents 'American Comedy Classics,'beginning Wednesday August 28 with Billy Wilder's 'Some Like it Hot' (1959). The screenings take place each Wednesday (plus one Sunday evening) in White Hall 205. A screening of Buster Keaton's films will take place on Sunday, September 29 at 7:30. A special screening of Paul Schrader's 'Mishima' (1985) will be held on Wednesday September 25 as part of famed composer Philip Glass's visit to Emory.

On Sunday, July 21, Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal in North Hollywood presented Gregg Marx and Sharon McNight, Together Again for the First Time. Gregg, a former Emmy-winning soap-opera star turned singer and Sharon, a thirty-five-year show-biz veteran, including Broadway, provided definite contrasts in style and material. That's not always a successful combination for a cabaret show, but in this case it worked.

This is poetry, poetry for the mind to sink into and be overwhelmed. To paraphrase Mae West, goodness has nothing to do with it. Nor does badness. It comes from some amoral place in Wilde's psyche and appeals to that place in ours.

Dirty Blonde explores the phenomenon of the Mae West, one of America's most enduring and controversial pop culture icons. Best Play nominee for 2000, the musical drama features songs from West's films, including She Done Him Wrong and I'm No Angel. It comes to Middlebury's Town Hall Theater for 4 performances, July 18-20.

Dirty Blonde explores the phenomenon of the Mae West, one of America's most enduring and controversial pop culture icons. Best Play nominee for 2000, the musical drama features songs from West's films, including She Done Him Wrong and I'm No Angel. It comes to Middlebury's Town Hall Theater for 4 performances, July 18-20.

After its workshop production at the York Theatre in NYC in Nov. 2011, Chance - A Musical Play about Love, Risk & Getting it Right -will be having the its world premiere staging at The Alcove Theatre in SF, beginning tonight, July 5, and running through July 28, 2013.

A warm summer night, dinner by the rushing Otter Creek, and a wonderful play at Middlebury's landmark Town Hall Theater. It doesn't get any better than this.

Closing Aurora Theatre Company's 21st season is the Bay Area Premiere of Neil LaBute's dark, edgy comic drama THIS IS HOW IT GOES, directed by Aurora Theatre Company Artistic Director Tom Ross (A Delicate Balance). Ross helmed LaBute's The Shape of Things, the first LaBute play produced in the Bay Area, in 2003. Featuring Aldo Billingslea (Collapse), Gabriel Marin (Collapse, Jack Goes Boating), and Carrie Paff (A Delicate Balance, Collapse, Betrayal), THIS IS HOW IT GOES presents a one-two punch after LaBute's Fat Pig (staged at Aurora in 2009).

Actress/comedienne Jo Anne Worley needs no introduction. One of the stars of the classic TV variety show Rowan and Martin's Laugh-In, Worley will be at Welk Resorts in Escondido displaying her comic versatility as she presents her one-woman show Keep Laughin' June 26-30. In our recent chat, she did indeed have me laughing as she talked about her show, her take on what makes something funny, her favorite stars, and Actors and Others For Animals, which remains close to her heart. She's a tremendously joyous lady with terribly strong vibes about people and the biz and proves an overall endearing human being.

Joe's Pub at The Public welcomes world premieres, highly-anticipated debuts and the return of many esteemed performers this May and June. Funny girl JULIE KLAUSNER makes her debut with two evenings of cabaret. Legendary downtown performance artist JOHN KELLY returns to premiere Rebel Songs. The 60s-inspired flight attendant PAM ANN returns for five nights in the Cockpit. Elsewhere: Tony Award-winners TONYA PINKINS and LIN-MANUEL MIRANDA, Once star CRISTIN MILIOTI, TAYLOR MAC'S epic exploration of popular music, a special appearance from Justin Vivian Bond, JOEY ARIAS, the greatest rapper in the world, CHAMPAGNE JERRY and more. Read on for more May and June cabaret, comedy, Broadway and musical theater highlights at Joe's Pub at The Public.

After its workshop production at the York Theatre in NYC in Nov. 2011, Chance - A Musical Play about Love, Risk & Getting it Right -will be having the its world premiere staging at The Alcove Theatre in SF. July 5 -28, 2013.

Closing Aurora Theatre Company's 21st season is the Bay Area Premiere of Neil LaBute's dark, edgy comic drama THIS IS HOW IT GOES, directed by Aurora Theatre Company Artistic Director Tom Ross (A Delicate Balance). Ross helmed LaBute's The Shape of Things, the first LaBute play produced in the Bay Area, in 2003. Featuring Aldo Billingslea (Collapse), Gabriel Marin (Collapse, Jack Goes Boating), and Carrie Paff (A Delicate Balance, Collapse, Betrayal), THIS IS HOW IT GOES presents a one-two punch after LaBute's Fat Pig (staged at Aurora in 2009). Tweaking perspectives of truth and interpretation to broach sharp questions about race, love, and manipulation,THIS IS HOW IT GOES, about which the Chicago Tribune raved "Highly recommended! LaBute's play has a lot of sting and nothing is as it seems!" plays June 14 through July 21 at the Aurora Theatre in Berkeley. For tickets ($35-60) and information the public can call (510) 843-4822 or visit auroratheatre.org.