Maureen Taylor News

Betsy Wolfe, Andrew Samonsky, John Ellison Conlee, Ann Harada and more complete casting for Transport Group's concert presentation of The Music Man. Hosted by Joe Iconis,the evening will include 58 actors, and the original orchestration featuring 20 instruments, conducted by Joey Chancey,original choreography by Jeffry Denman,.to The Irene Diamond Theatre at The Pershing Square Signature Center on Monday August 11th, 2014. The evening will be directed by five-time Drama Desk nominee, Jack Cummings III.

Family historians, beginner and experienced genealogists alike will gather in New York City on November 2 at The Genealogy Event. Sponsored by Ancestry.com, the event will be held at the Metropolitan Pavilion, 125 West 18th Street, between Sixth and Seventh Avenues, from 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

Transport Group, the Drama Desk, Outer Critics, and OBIE award-winning theatre company, presents the one-night-only, all-star concert of the acclaimed 1959 Broadway classic musical Once Upon A Mattress tonight, June 17 at 7pmat the The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre in The Pershing Square Signature Center, 480 West 42nd Street.

Transport Group, the Drama Desk, Outer Critics, and OBIE award-winning theatre company, has announced additional casting for the one-night-only, all-star concert of the acclaimed 1959 Broadway classic musical Once Upon A Mattress on Monday, June 17 at 7pmat the The Romulus Linney Courtyard Theatre in The Pershing Square Signature Center, 480 West 42nd Street. Joining previously announced Jackie Hoffman as Princess Winnifred and John 'Lypsinka' Epperson as Queen Aggravain are Tony nominee Danny Burstein (Follies) as King Sextimus, Tony nominee John Cariani (Fiddler on the Roof) as The Jester, Jill Paice (Curtains) as Lady Larken, Drama Desk nominee Lewis Cleale (The Book of Mormon) as Sir Harry, OBIE winner Jonathan Hammond (The Boys in the Band) as The Wizard, Stanley Bahorek (Queen of the Mist) as The Minstrel, and Drama Desk nominee David Rossmer (Peter and the Starcatcher) as Prince Dauntless.

Unless the host is particularly warm, funny, and charismatic (think Dana Lorge and her new monthly vehicle at the Metropolitan Room) or the show is a way to champion a good cause (like Joseph Macchia's Cabaret Cares events), for the most part cabaret variety shows are clunky affairs which can be too long, too rambling, give too much time to average talent or not enough of a showcase to outstanding talent. I ran into one of the rare exceptions last month (April 23) in the form of the The Concerts for City Greens' First Annual Gala & 2012 Songwriting Contest Finale, a variety show at the Laurie Beechman Theatre that served as a fund raiser for the launch of a new non-profit called Music and Art for Green which will incorporate Concerts for City Greens within its umbrella.

The Concerts for City Greens may be a Spring and Summer music extravaganza held in the lovely early evening air of Manhattan's East Side, but Broadway actress and cabaret headliner Raissa Katona Bennett, who is the concert series' founder and producer, is launching the 2013 season indoors-with a gala benefit concert featuring a star-studded lineup of performers, including quadruple-platinum songwriter and Today Show regular David Friedman as a special guest performer (with Bennett in photo, left). A celebratory retrospective of the program's first five seasons will be staged at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 West 42nd Street, tonight April 23 at 7pm.

The Concerts for City Greens may be a Spring and Summer music extravaganza held in the lovely early evening air of Manhattan's East Side, but Broadway actress and cabaret headliner Raissa Katona Bennett, who is the concert series' founder and producer, is launching the 2013 season indoors-with a gala benefit concert featuring a star-studded lineup of performers, including quadruple-platinum songwriter and Today Show regular David Friedman as a special guest performer (with Bennett in photo, left). A celebratory retrospective of the program's first five seasons will be staged at The Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 West 42nd Street, on Tuesday April 23 at 7pm.

On Sunday, December 10 at 5PM, Urban Stages (Frances Hill, Founding Artistic Director), assisted by director/lyricist Peter Napolitano have announced that they will close their celebrated cabaret series WINTER RHYTHMS with the New York Premiere of Steve Ross's Irvin Berlin Show. The show will be followed by a champagne supper. Tickets for this event are $75 ($50 for MAC Members) and can be purchased by visiting www.SmartTix.com or calling 212 868-4444. Urban Stages is located at 259 West 30 Street

On Sunday, December 10 at 5PM, Urban Stages (Frances Hill, Founding Artistic Director), assisted by director/lyricist Peter Napolitano have announced that they will close their celebrated cabaret series WINTER RHYTHMS with the New York Premiere of Steve Ross's Irvin Berlin Show. The show will be followed by a champagne supper. Tickets for this event are $75 ($50 for MAC Members) and can be purchased by visiting www.SmartTix.com or calling 212 868-4444. Urban Stages is located at 259 West 30 Street

On Wednesday, December 7 at 7PM, Tony Award winner Tonya Pinkins will headline Barry Levitt's Jazz Jam along with as Mary Foster Conklin, Cleve Douglass, and Kat Gang.

Thursday, December 1 at 7PM, Urban Stages (Frances Hill, Founding Artistic Director), assisted by director/lyricist Peter Napolitano will kick-off a two week musical celebration entitled WINTER RHYTHMS with a evening honoring Donald Smith, founder of the Mabel Mercer Foundation.

Magda Katz is joining forces with Richard Skipper to launch Richard Skipper Presents...A New Monthly Series at the Triad that will be partly a cabaret show, partly a party! And They ALL will benefit The Dr. Carol Channing-Harry Kullijian Foundation For The Arts (www.ChanningArts.org).

Magda Katz is joining forces with Richard Skipper to launch Richard Skipper Presents...A New Monthly Series at the Triad that will be partly a cabaret show, partly a party! And They ALL will benefit The Dr. Carol Channing-Harry Kullijian Foundation For The Arts (www.ChanningArts.org).

F.A.C.T. (Friends Always Creating Theatre) will kick-off their 3rd season this year again with a Benefit production entitled 'Untucked' and have they have teamed with Baruch Performing Arts Center in collaboration with Baruch College's LGBT Graduate Society and Graduate Arts Association for three performances, October 23-24-25 @ 7:30pm.

F.A.C.T. (Friends Always Creating Theatre) will kick-off their 3rd season this year again with a Benefit production entitled 'Untucked' and have they have teamed with Baruch Performing Arts Center in collaboration with Baruch College's LGBT Graduate Society and Graduate Arts Association for three performances, October 23-24-25 @ 7:30pm.

An Equity stage reading of MARY - A MUSICAL, a story of Mary Magdalene, will be presented on Tuesday afternoon, July 19, 3:00pm, at the Theatre at St. Peter's, home of the York Theatre Company, 619 Lexington Avenue at 54th Street, NYC.

An Equity stage reading of MARY - A MUSICAL, a story of Mary Magdalene, will be presented on Tuesday afternoon, July 19, 3:00pm, at the Theatre at St. Peter's, home of the York Theatre Company, 619 Lexington Avenue at 54th Street, NYC.

Comedian Danny Leary (Logo Network, MTV, here! TV, Animal Planet) and his brand new variety show will celebrate the release of Patti LuPone's Memoir in the plush new Copper Room at the comedy nightclub Comix on September 30th at 8:00 PM.

Comedian Danny Leary (Logo Network, MTV, here! TV, Animal Planet) and his brand new variety show will celebrate the release of Patti LuPone's Memoir in the plush new Copper Room at the comedy nightclub Comix on September 30th at 8:00 PM.

The Tudor City Greens concert series will present 'A Night at the Opera: Vocal and Instrumental Classics' on August 3 at 6pm, cabaretexchange.com reports. The concert will be hosted by Raissa Katona Bennett, whose credits include THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA and CHESS.