Mark Murphy News

The South Orange Performing Arts Center celebrates the contributions of local leaders at its 2019 Gala, November 2.  This annual event is an important part of the Center's fundraising, as well as recognizing the very valuable contributions of the people and organizations that support SOPAC in various ways. 

Two-time Grammy nominee Tommy Emmanuel, one of Australia's most respected guitarists, once again brings his passionate and infectious live show to Pepperdine University's Smothers Theatre at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, December 11 and Thursday, December 12 at the Lisa Smith Wengler Center for the Arts. This show marks Emmanuel's eight performance at Pepperdine.

You can physically build a welcoming and attractive Cabaret Room (in this case Mr. Finn's at Barrington Stage). You can have a name on the door that represents important musical theater (William Finn). However it really doesn't have any greatness unless the music and artists that appear on it's stage are of the highest order.

Jazz singer Mark Winkler has just released a new album on singer Bobby Troup and will do a CD release party at Feinstein's Upstairs at Vitello's on August 23. In our chat, Winkler talks about his background, his love for Troup, jazz and the overall world of music. Tell our readers about your background. Where are you from? How did you get interested in music, especially jazz?

The New York Musical Festival (NYMF) and Sharp Women, LLC present Overture the Musical, a new story celebrating the extraordinary grass-roots efforts to save the Kansas City Philharmonic, with music and lyrics by Krista Eyler, book by Krista Eyler and Barbara Nichols. Ms. Nichols directs a cast of twelve, including Krista Eyler, Joel Morrison, Kay Noonan and Kipp Simmons with Whitney Armstrong, Erica Baruth, Jennifer Cannady, Stasha Case, JC Dresslaer, John Edmonds, Mark Murphy, and Rob Reeder. Five performances will be staged at The Alice Griffin Jewel Box Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center, 480 West 42nd Street in New York City, from July 24-28, 2019.

Birdland will kick-off their great week of programming with Veronica Swift with the Emmet Cohen Trio, Nancy Kelly, Eve Marie Shahoian, and more!

Birdland Jazz Club announces July 2019 Schedule featuring Veronica Swift with the Emmet Cohen Trio, Freddy Cole Quartet, Steve Smith's Groove Blue Organ Trio, John Pizzarelli: Two-week engagement, Nancy Kelly, Konrad Paszkudzki and Pasquale Grasso, Lew Tabackin Trio, Michael Wolff Trio, Laura Osnes, Alyssa Allgood Quartet, Ladybugs, The Lineup with Susie Mosher, Jim Caruso's Cast Party, and more.

 The New York Musical Festival (NYMF) and Sharp Women, LLC present Overture the Musical, a new story celebrating the extraordinary grass-roots efforts to save the Kansas City Philharmonic, with music and lyrics by Krista Eyler, book by Krista Eyler and Barbara Nichols. 

The fourth Musco Center for the Arts season at Chapman University will run September 2019 through May 2020 with a packed schedule of artists and groups from the worlds of opera, dance, theatre, and classical music as well as Broadway, jazz, country, and American roots music. Among the special events will be several spectacular holiday celebrations, culturally specific performances and festivals, and a live orchestra accompaniment of Disney's Pixar movie music to screened excerpts from the studio's most popular films.

When describing vocalist and arranger Paul Jost, two words come to mind … “passionate” and “storyteller”. To Paul, each lyric offers a story, a message, and a vehicle to convey his own interpretation and message. While Paul is a multi-instrumentalist, composer and arranger, it's his vocal style that makes him standout. With his reputation as a vocalist growing, Paul has been filling rooms on the New York club scene as well as captivating audiences on festival stages both in the US and Europe.

Sinatra & Mercer....What a perfect pair! While International Sinatra Tribute Singer Richard Shelton, takes you on a journey of Sinatra with his music and stories, 'Opera Great turned Jazz Great' Rose Kingsley, returns to Lincoln Center, with songs and stories of the Great Johnny Mercer. All Mercer songs have been arranged for Rose by, Bob Corwin, who was Johnny Mercer's Musical Director and Pianist for 20 years. This special event is supported by the Mercer Family in an effort to keep his music alive for future generations.

The Society of British Theatre designers are delighted to announce the twelve performance designers selected to represent the United Kingdom at the prestigious Prague Quadrennial.

A new theatrical adaptation of Mary Shelley's seminal 1818 gothic horror novel Frankenstein is set to depict Shelley onstage, as she unfolds her monstrous tale of creature and creator. Adapted by award-winning writer Rona Munro and co-produced by leading company Selladoor (in the company's tenth anniversary year), Matthew Townshend Productions, Belgrade Theatre Coventry, and Perth Theatre at Horsecross Arts, the production will tour nationwide from 2 September - 30 November 2019. Further dates and casting are yet to be announced.

THE GREEN ROOM 42 Broadway's newest intimate concert venue will present Alyson Cambridge, featuring the Alex Minasian Trio, on Friday, March 29 at 9:30 PM.

Mark Murphy has announced his decision to leave REDCAT (Roy and Edna Disney CalArts Theater), the California Institute of the Arts' contemporary performing arts and exhibition space located in The Walt Disney Concert Hall, at the end of the 2018/2019 season, in order to focus his attention on initiating new creative programs and productions in a variety of US and international cities. Murphy has led REDCAT for more than seventeen years, starting as its founding Executive Director in 2001, before overseeing the grand opening of the facility in 2003. Edgar Miramontes, Associate Director at REDCAT, will assume additional duties of interim leadership until a permanent appointment is made.

Mark Murphy has announced his decision to leave REDCAT (Roy and Edna Disney CalArts Theater), the California Institute of the Arts' contemporary performing arts and exhibition space located in The Walt Disney Concert Hall, at the end of the 2018/2019 season, in order to focus his attention on initiating new creative programs and productions in a variety of US and international cities. Murphy has led REDCAT for more than seventeen years, starting as its founding Executive Director in 2001, before overseeing the grand opening of the facility in 2003. Edgar Miramontes, Associate Director at REDCAT, will assume additional duties of interim leadership until a permanent appointment is made.

Segerstrom Center for the arts presents Grammy® Award-winning vocalist Kurt Elling in a special holiday set “The Beautiful Day” - Kurt Elling Sings Christmas for two performances on December 15 at 7 pm and 9 pm. Declared by The New York Times as “the standout male jazz vocalist of our time,” Kurt Elling returns to the Center with a special program that will feature a repertoire of songs from his holiday album, The Beautiful Day. Elling says, “I knew I didn't want to make a 'religious' record, just as I knew I didn't want to make a standard, swingin' jazzy Christmas. I'm trying to expand my consciousness and embrace the goodness of the season, and I want to include everybody. For me, Christmas is a time of consideration, of pondering mysteries.”  Inventive and fresh, this very special program reimagines the sounds of Christmas, mixing traditional carols decked out in new arrangements with songs that are revelations and rediscovered treats. Elling wraps the universal themes of hope, light, wonder, mystery, and goodwill in musical packages full of delightful surprises.

Segerstrom Center for the arts presents Grammy® Award-winning vocalist Kurt Elling in a special holiday set “The Beautiful Day” - Kurt Elling Sings Christmas for two performances on December 15 at 7 pm and 9 pm. Declared by The New York Times as “the standout male jazz vocalist of our time,” Kurt Elling returns to the Center with a special program that will feature a repertoire of songs from his holiday album, The Beautiful Day. Elling says, “I knew I didn't want to make a 'religious' record, just as I knew I didn't want to make a standard, swingin' jazzy Christmas. I'm trying to expand my consciousness and embrace the goodness of the season, and I want to include everybody. For me, Christmas is a time of consideration, of pondering mysteries.”  Inventive and fresh, this very special program reimagines the sounds of Christmas, mixing traditional carols decked out in new arrangements with songs that are revelations and rediscovered treats. Elling wraps the universal themes of hope, light, wonder, mystery, and goodwill in musical packages full of delightful surprises.

As BroadwayWorld sadly reported last week, composer/lyricist/actress Carol Hall passed away at age 82. We remember the Broadway veteran below.

BroadwayWorld is sad to report that composer/lyricist/actress Carol Hall has passed away at age 82.