Mary Liz McNamara News

Jenna gives a rundown of where she's been and what's coming up in the world of cabaret (and sometimes beyond!) This week's column features Cast Party at Birdland, the Danny Leary Variety Extravaganza at Comix, and a look at the week ahead!

The BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop announces its Winter Smoker, a semi-annual showcase for new songs from Workshop writers.

The BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop announces its Winter Smoker, a semi-annual showcase for new songs from Workshop writers.

The critically acclaimed open mic series, continues into the Holiday Season! Billed as a delicious gathering for the musical community, Big Night Out is a unique and supportive environment for performers and composers of all backgrounds to come together and perform the music that they love.

The Arts and Artists of St. Paul will present their annual HOLIDAY SONGBOOK on December 13th at the New York Public Library at the Bruno Walter Auditorium. The concert will be directed by John Znidarsic, who also hosts and produces the event. The free concert will begin at 2:30pm.

The critically acclaimed open mic series, continues into the Holiday Season! Billed as a delicious gathering for the musical community, Big Night Out is a unique and supportive environment for performers and composers of all backgrounds to come together and perform the music that they love.

The Arts and Artists of St. Paul will present their annual HOLIDAY SONGBOOK on December 13th at the New York Public Library at the Bruno Walter Auditorium. The concert will be directed by John Znidarsic, who also hosts and produces the event. The free concert will begin at 2:30pm.

Theater Resources Unlimited (TRU) is pleased to announce the winning selections of the 2009 TRU Voices New Musicals Reading Series. In a series that is unique because it develops new producers as well as new musicals, three works were chosen from submissions by emerging or established producers, as well as writers. The works will be read on Monday, December 14; Tuesday, December 15; and Monday, December 21, 2009 at 7pm at the Players Theatre, located at 115 MacDougal Street, NYC.

'If they don't know who the hell I am by now,' the evening's star deadpans to the Metropolitan Room staff member who asks if she has any press releases to distribute, 'they can just cut open my neck and count the rings.'

I mean it with the most sincere amount of respect and admiration for both gentlemen when I write that Peter Gallagher seems to have morphed into Jerry Orbach.  At least in his portrayal of Bernie Dodd, the hard-driving Broadway director convinced that when the star of his new play suddenly leaves for a Hollywood gig he can get a great turn out of the washed-up alcoholic actor whose performances twIce Thrilled him many years ago.  He's the best part of Mike Nichols' new production of Clifford Odets' The Country Girl (which has undergone some text tweaking by Jon Robin Baitz).  His tough, but passionate mannerisms and gruff speaking voice bring out a sense of urgency to the proceedings as he convinces a skeptical producer (Chip Zien), a reluctant actor and his long-suffering wife that his high-stakes risk can pay off big.  By the end of the evening I was half expecting the man to send his star on stage with an exhilarated, 'Think of musical comedy!'

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Wednesday, July 22, 2009.

The BMI Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop has announced the names of the incoming members of the 2005 First Year Composer-Lyricist class

Maya Days, Trent Armand Kendall and deRoy herself will perform in the season finale of Jamie deRoy & friends at the Encore on June 30th

The 2005 MAC Awards were presented April 25 at the Peter Norton Symphony Space. Click here to see all the winners!

Celebrated cabaret performer Jamie deRoy brings her MAC Award-winning variety show, Jamie deRoy & friends, to The Encore (266 West 47th Street) the last Thursday of every month now through June with performances on March 31, April 28, May 26, and June 30 at 7:30 p.m.

Special guest stars Joy Behar, Bruce Vilanch, Sutton Foster, Ute Lemper, Maureen McGovern, and Kate Clinton will perform in honor of the winners!