Martin Short News

The Broadway at Birdland concert series will present "Here Goes Nothing," an evening of songs by Drama Desk-nominated lyricist Jack Lechner, on Monday, June 25 at 7pm. Guest performers will include Nancy Anderson, Jeremy Schonfeld, Chris Critelli, Desmond Dutcher, Jeannine Frumess, Andy Monroe, Lucas Steele, and Karen Ziemba. The music director will be Boko Suzuki.

Talk Show Listings For Tuesday, June 12

Michael McGrath is the recipient of this year's Tony Award for Best Performance by an Actor in a Featured Role in a Musical for NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT.

Christopher Gattelli is the recipient for this year's Tony Award for Best Choreography for NEWSIES.

Emmy Award winning actress Jane Lynch will host this year's Backstage at the Geffen fundraiser, which recognizes leadership in the theater community while raising support for the theater's artistic and outreach initiatives, honoring Hollywood legend Carol Burnett and Chairman and CEO of Fox Filmed Entertainment Jim Gianopulos. Ms. Burnett will receive the Distinction in Theater Award and Mr. Gianopulos will be presented with the Distinction in Service Award by entertainment icon and longtime colleague Warren Beatty. The star-studded event will be co-chaired by Chairman and CEO of The Walt Disney Company Robert A. Iger and his wife, journalist Willow Bay. This irreverent evening of laughter, music and stories, which is sponsored by City National Bank, will be held tonight, June 4, 2012 at the Geffen Playhouse.

Transport Group, the Drama Desk and OBIE award-winning theatre company, has announced final casting for its one-night-only, all-star concert of the acclaimed 1983 Broadway musical Baby, which will take place Monday, June 18 at 7pm at the Lucille Lortel Theatre, 121 Christopher Street.

Ronica V. Reddick joins the cast of Off-Broadway's smash hit SILENCE! The Musical tonight, June 1st, replacing Deidre Goodwin in the role of Ardelia Mapp. Winner of the 2012 Off Broadway Alliance Award for Best Musical, SILENCE! is the unauthorized parody of The Silence of the Lambs, with book by Hunter Bell, music & lyrics by Jon and Al Kaplan, and direction & choreography by Christopher Gattelli, and is currently playing to sold out crowds at The 9th Space Theatre at Performance Space 122, 150 First Avenue (at 9th St.) As previously announced, Tony Award winner Shuler Hensley will take over as Dr. Hannibal Lecter June 1 - 24.

Ronica V. Reddick will join the cast of Off-Broadway's smash hit SILENCE! The Musical this Friday, June 1st, replacing Deidre Goodwin in the role of Ardelia Mapp.

As we welcome the unofficial beginning of summer with the Memorial Day weekend and make our way on into June, I trust you will want to include attending a couple of the numerous shows currently playing (some of which will bring their run to a close THIS week!) at one or more of the many theatre and live performance establishments here on the California Central Coast!

Nationally-syndicated morning show 'LIVE! with Kelly' announces the lineup of guest co-hosts who will join Kelly Ripa this week, May 28 - June 1, 2012.

As we make our way toward the end of May, I hope you will find or make the time to attend some of the many productions currently playing (a number of which will soon bring their runs to a close) at any of the various live performance and theatre venues that make their home here on the Central Coast of California!

American Conservatory Theater (A.C.T.) Conservatory Director Melissa Smith previously announced that honorary master of fine arts degrees would be conferred on acclaimed actress and comedian Mary Birdsong and California Shakespeare Theater Artistic Director Jonathan Moscone.

The 20th Anniversary season of New York City Center's Tony Award-winning Encores! series will open on January 30, 2013 with Fiorello!, the show that launched the series in 1994. The season will continue with It's a Bird...It's a Plane...It's Superman, followed by On Your Toes. A Gala Encores! at 20 Celebration on November 12, 2012 will star Tony Award nominees and Encores! alumni Rauil Esparza and Kelli O'Hara.

The Ford's Theatre Society recently announced that the Tony Award-winning musical "1776," directed by Peter Flynn, has surpassed revenue records to become the highest grossing theatrical production since the historic theatre reopened as a working playhouse in 1968. But due to previous commitments by the actors and Ford's Theatre, "1776" must close tonight, May 19, 2012.

The company of the first North American tour of WICKED welcomes PJ Benjamin as The Wizard on Tuesday, May 8 and Nicole Parker as Elphaba on Friday, May 18 in Denver, CO.

Nationally-syndicated morning show 'LIVE! with Kelly' announces the lineup of guest co-hosts who will join Kelly Ripa during the week of May 28 - June 1, 2012:May 28, 2012 - MARK CONSUELOS co-hosts with Kelly today. Emmy Award winner Jim Parsons chats about heading to Broadway in 'Harvey,' and 'Pawn Stars' Rick and Corey Harrison and Austin 'Chumlee' Russell stop by. Plus, author and TV host Katie Brown shows Kelly and Mark fun outdoor games for the summer.

On June 10, 2012, The Actor's Fund will present its 16th Annual Tony Awards party at the Skirball Center, this year honoring Jason Alexander with the Julie Harris Award for Lifetime Achievement.. Scott Bakula will host the gala and this year's Honorary Celebrity Committee includes: Julie Bowen, Nancy Dussault, Dann Florek, Elliott Gould, Steve Guttenberg, Garry Marshall, Chita Rivera, Susan Sarandon, Holland Taylor and Zachary Quinto. The event includes cocktails and a silent auction followed by ainner and a live telecast of a live feed of the Tony Awards as they happen in New York.

BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was thrilled to sit down and speak with nearly all of this year's Tony Award nominees at the official Tony Brunch on May 2, 2012, and we will be bringing you special coverage on all of them throughout the awards season. Today's the spotlight's on dancing man Christopher Gattelli, nominated for Best Choreography for Newsies.