Marty Thomas News

Tony Award Winner Len Cariou (Sweeney Todd, A Little Night Music) and Rue McClanahan (The Women, TV's 'The Golden Girls') have just been added to the Broadway Backwards concert benefiting the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual & Transgender Community Center.

Sandra Bernhard (I'm Still Here... Damn It!, TV's 'Rosanne'), Florence Henderson (Fanny, TV's 'The Brady Bunch'), Maureen McGovern (Little Women, Nine) and Ron Palillo (Hot L. Baltimore, TV's 'Welcome Back, Kotter') will be performing at Broadway Backwards this year, joining previously announced performers Cheyenne Jackson (Xanadu, All Shook Up), Tony Award nominee Sally Mayes (She Loves Me), Kate Reinders (Good Vibrations, Gypsy; one-half of TASTiSKANK) and Tony Yazbeck (Gypsy, A Chorus Line), Mario Cantone (Assassins, TV's 'Sex and the City'), Alan Cumming (Cabaret), Gina Gershon (Cabaret, Showgirls), Whoopi Goldberg (Producer: Thoroughly Modern Millie, TV's 'The View'), Aaron Lazar (Les Mis?rables), Megan Mullally (Young Frankenstein, How to Succeed in Business..., TV's 'Will & Grace'), Jai Rodriguez (TV's 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,' Rent), Christopher Sieber (Spamalot), John Tartaglia (Avenue Q), Marty Thomas (Xanadu); and TV's 'Ugly Betty' stars Becki Newton and Michael Urie. Joining the roundup on Monday, February 9, 2009 as Host will be Jim Caruso, who recently appeared alongside Liza Minnelli in Liza's At The Palace!, singing, dancing and celebrating the music and arrangements of the late Kay Thompson and the Williams Brothers. And for the past six years, Jim Caruso has hosted a Monday night showbiz bash called 'Jim Caruso's Cast Party,' which was honored with a New York Nightlife Award, as was his Broadway at Birdland concert series.

Cheyenne Jackson (Xanadu, All Shook Up), Tony Award nominee Sally Mayes (She Loves Me), Kate Reinders (Good Vibrations, Gypsy; one-half of TASTiSKANK) and Tony Yazbeck (Gypsy, A Chorus Line) have just been added to the roster of performers to be featured in Broadway Backwards 4, joining previously announced performers Mario Cantone (Assassins, TV's 'Sex and the City'), Alan Cumming (Cabaret), Gina Gershon (Cabaret, Showgirls), Whoopi Goldberg (Producer: Thoroughly Modern Millie, TV's 'The View'), Aaron Lazar (Les Mis?rables), Megan Mullally (Young Frankenstein, How to Succeed in Business..., TV's 'Will & Grace'), Jai Rodriguez (TV's 'Queer Eye for the Straight Guy,' Rent), Christopher Sieber (Spamalot), John Tartaglia (Avenue Q), Marty Thomas (Xanadu); and TV's 'Ugly Betty' stars Becki Newton and Michael Urie.

Carly Jibson (Cry Baby, Hairspray), Tony Yazbeck (Gypsy, On the Town, A Chorus Line) Sally Wilfert (Assassins, Make Me a Song), and Jonathan Rayson (Little Shop of Horrors, I Love You, You're Perfect...) will perform highlights from the songbook of the composing team David Dabbon and Tom Bruett at Manhattan's Metropolitan Room Sunday January 18th.

Complete casting has been announced for the upcoming concert presentation of the off-Broadway hit, Zanna Don't at the Theatre at St. Peters Church (619 Lexington Ave at 54th St.) for one night only on Tuesday, February 3rd at 7:30 PM. Tickets for the event are $50 and can be purchased at www.glsenstore.org, at the door or by calling Solonje Burnett, GLSEN Special Events Manager at 646.388.6589.

On Monday, January 12, from 7pm - 10pm, the New York Company of WICKED will host DEFYING INEQUALITY, a special benefit dance party and performance promoting equality and civil rights. Held at The Gershwin Theatre Lobby, 222 West 51st Street, and featuring cast members from WICKED as well as special guest performers, this special one-night-only event will benefit Empire State Pride Agenda, Equality California, Garden State Equality and Vermont Freedom to Marry Task Force.

Carly Jibson (Cry Baby, Hairspray), Tony Yazbeck (Gypsy, On the Town, A Chorus Line) Sally Wilfert (Assassins, Make Me a Song), and Jonathan Rayson (Little Shop of Horrors, I Love You, You're Perfect...) will perform highlights from the songbook of the composing team David Dabbon and Tom Bruett at Manhattan's Metropolitan Room Sunday January 18th.

On Monday, January 12, from 7pm - 10pm, the New York Company of WICKED will host DEFYING INEQUALITY, a special benefit dance party and performance promoting equality and civil rights. Held at The Gershwin Theatre Lobby, 222 West 51st Street, and featuring cast members from WICKED as well as special guest performers, this special one-night-only event will benefit Empire State Pride Agenda, Equality California, Garden State Equality and Vermont Freedom to Marry Task Force.

The Broadway Boys presented 'BROADWAY SINGS FOR TOYS!' a benefit for Toys For Tots. This year was the 4th installment of this special holiday concert/celebration. The benefit took take place December 14th at 9PM at The Zipper Factory, 336 W. 37th Street.

The Broadwayboys present 'BROADWAY SINGS FOR TOYS!' a benefit for Toys For Tots. This year will be the 4th installment of this amazing holiday concert/celebration. Come watch as the Broadway Boys welcome everyone's favorite Broadway performer's after their shows. They all come by to sing their favorite holiday music and songs of hope and inspiration.

The Broadwayboys present 'BROADWAY SINGS FOR TOYS!' a benefit for Toys For Tots. This year will be the 4th installment of this amazing holiday concert/celebration. Come watch as the Broadway Boys welcome everyone's favorite Broadway performer's after their shows. They all come by to sing their favorite holiday music and songs of hope and inspiration.

Tickets are on sale today for preview and regular performances of PEEPSHOW, the sexy new production set to open at Planet Hollywood Resort & Casino in Las Vegas. PEEPSHOW, starring pop superstar and television personality Mel B., will open for preview performances on March 30, 2009, with an opening night gala planned for April 18 of 2009.

Starting October 24th, 2008 filming will commence on a new feature musical film 'Big Gay Musical'.

Broadway's finest made the kick off event an unforgettable night when B'way After Dark opened its doors on August 31st. Hosts, Creator/Executive Producer of the event Rogelio Douglas Jr. of In The Heights, and Co-producer/Public Speaker Shaun Derik set the stage ablaze at Touch NYC. This time around B'way After Dark has a Masquerade theme, just in time for Halloween. With a DJ, live band and performances* by; Tony award nominee Brenda Braxton - (Chicago), Tituss Burgess - (The Little Mermaid), Matt Caplan - (South Pacific), Merle Dandridge - (Spamalot), Marcus Paul James - (Rent/In The Heights), Kelly King, Tracy McDowell - (Rent), Luis Salgado - (In The Heights), Saycon Sengbloh - (The Color Purple), Rhapsody - 'Siren Assassins', & Featuring Mistress Of Ceremonies Britney Houston!!

Broadway Artists Alliance, the dynamic not-for-profit educational organization that is gaining a reputation for ensuring the future of great Broadway talent by bringing together Broadway artists and promising young performers announces their 2008/2009 series of monthly master classes.

On Friday, October 10th, THE AFTER PARTY hosts the fifth annual Brandon and Ray's Birthday Bash. This annual event celebrates the birthdays of The After Party's own Brandon Cutrell and Ray Fellman. Now going strong its third year, THE AFTER PARTY is billed as 'a weekly schmoozefest for the theatrically inclined.'

The 22ND ANNUAL BROADWAY FLEA MARKET & GRAND AUCTION was held this Sunday, September 21 from 10 AM - 7 PM in Shubert Alley (225 West 45th Street). Celebrities of theater and daytime television came out to show their support. As in previous years, Broadway and daytime fans had the opportunity to get their photo taken with various celebrities at the Celebrity Photo Booths.

Jamie McGonnigal and Joe's Pub presented 'Broadway Loves the 80's Vol. 4,' on Sunday September 7th, the concert featured your favorite Broadway stars singing their favorite hits of the awesomest decade ever! Directed by McGonnigal and Xanadu's Marty Thomas, 'Broadway Loves the 80's Vol. 4' continued the fun of having those 80's classics performed by Broadway's best! The totally rad host of the past three concerts, Mo Rocca (Spelling Bee, VH1's I Love the 80s) took a break from his round-the-clock political convention coverage, to return for this 4th incarnation.

Jamie McGonnigal and Joe's Pub present 'Broadway Loves the 80's Vol. 4,' a concert featuring your favorite Broadway stars singing their favorite hits of the 'awesomest decade ever!'

The cast of Broadway's Xanadu, including stars Kerry Butler, Mary Testa, and Marty Thomas, with roller skates in tow, rolled into Serendipity 3 to taste test the Xanadu themed 'Strange Magic' Sundae!