Michael M. Kaiser News

Avi Scher & Dancers presents its third New York Season, unveiling three World Premieres, from April 7-9, 2012 at the Ailey Citigroup Theater, 405 W. 55th Street, NYC (at Ninth Avenue). Performances: Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 3pm, Monday at 8pm. Tickets are $29 ($16 for students) and are available at www.smarttix.com or by phone at 212-868-4444.

Avi Scher & Dancers presents its third New York Season, unveiling three World Premieres,from April 7-9, 2012 at the Ailey Citigroup Theater, 405 W. 55th Street, NYC (at Ninth Avenue). Performances: Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 3pm, Monday at 8pm. Tickets are $29 ($16 for students) and are available at www.smarttix.com or by phone at 212-868-4444.

Coming to the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre direct from Broadway for six weeks only, the Kennedy Center's critically acclaimed Broadway production of James Goldman and Stephen Sondheim's "Follies," has now completed casting. "Follies" stars four-time Tony Award nominee Jan Maxwell as Phyllis Rogers Stone, Tony Award winner Victoria Clark, two-time Tony Award nominee Danny Burstein as Buddy Plummer, three-time Emmy Award nominee Ron Raines as Benjamin Stone and Olivier Award winner Elaine Paige as Carlotta Campion. Maxwell, Burstein, Raines and Paige are all returning to the roles they originated on Broadway.

CBS and the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts announced today a new agreement that will keep the annual KENNEDY CENTER HONORS broadcast on CBS through 2018. The new deal further extends one of the longest broadcast partnerships in television history. The special has been broadcast on CBS each year since its debut in 1978.

Avi Scher & Dancers presents its third New York Season, unveiling three World Premieres, from April 7-9, 2012 at the Ailey Citigroup Theater, 405 W. 55th Street, NYC (at Ninth Avenue). Performances: Saturday at 8pm, Sunday at 3pm, Monday at 8pm. Tickets are $29 ($16 for students) and are available starting March 7, 2012 at www.smarttix.com or by phone at 212-868-4444.

On Saturday, January 14, 2012 YoungArts honored actor, director, activist and founder of Sundance Institute+ Film Festival Robert Redford with the Arison Award; visual artist and 1986 YoungArts winner Doug Aitken with the Alumni Award; and arts administrator Robert L. Lynch, president and CEO of Americans for the Arts, with the YoungArts Leadership Award, at the historic Gusman Center for the Performing Arts and the J.W. Marriott Marquis Hotel at An Affair of the Arts Performance and Gala.

On Saturday, January 14, 2012, at An Affair of the Arts Performance and Gala, YoungArts will honor actor Robert Redford with the Arison Award; visual artist Doug Aitken with the Alumni Award; and arts administrator Robert Lynch, President of the Americans for the Arts, with the YoungArts Leadership Award. The gala, held at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts and the J.W. Marriott Marquis Hotel, will bring together prominent artists, community leaders, philanthropists and celebrities to celebrate the 2012 national YoungArts winners.

The Kennedy Center's critically acclaimed Broadway production of James Goldman and Stephen Sondheim's Tony Award®-winning musical Follies will transfer to the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles for six weeks, and as BroadwayWorld reported last month, Bernadette Peters will not continue on with the rest of the cast for the transfer of the production. Now we have confirmed that Tony winner Victoria Clark will take over the role of Sally in her place. Also now officially confirmed to transfer with the production are co-stars Jan Maxwell, Danny Burstein, Ron Raines and Elaine Paige.

The critically acclaimed Kennedy Center revival of FOLLIES, book by James Goldman and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, begins its final 16 performances tonight at the Marquis Theatre (1535 Broadway). The production, directed by Eric Schaeffer with choreography by Warren Carlyle and music direction by James Moore, will play its final performance on Sunday, January 22 prior to an engagement at the Center Theatre Group/Ahmanson Theatre in Los Angeles for six weeks only, May 3 through June 9, 2012.

Washington National Opera (WNO) today announced several new initiatives as part of a long-range plan to build on its tradition of artistic excellence, including the Washington premiere of Richard Wagner's complete "American Ring" cycle and a multipart New American Works Project for young American composers and librettists.

Singer Barbara Cook, singer and songwriter Neil Diamond, cellist Yo-Yo Ma, saxophonist and composer Sonny Rollins and actress Meryl Streep will receive honors for 2011 on THE 34TH ANNUAL KENNEDY CENTER HONORS, to be broadcast Tuesday, December 27 (9:00-11:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network. The special has been broadcast on CBS each year since its debut.

Last night, The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts honored its 2011 recipients of their distinguished award. The 2011 honorees include Barbara Cook, Neil Diamond, Yo-Yo Ma, Sonny Rollins & Meryl Streep. The gala will be broadcast on CBS on December 27, 2011 at 9:00-11:00 p.m., ET/PT

Casting for the Los Angeles engagement of Follies has not yet been announced, and while it is presumed that at least some of the cast will be heading west, one star who will not make the trip is Bernadette Peters, who plays Sally Durant. A spokesperson for Peters tells BroadwayWorld that the star has concert obligations she must fulfill next spring, which will prevent her from continuing with the production. Peters will, of course, finish out the Broadway run through January 22.

On Saturday, January 14, 2012, at An Affair of the Arts Performance and Gala, YoungArts will honor actor Robert Redford with the Arison Award; visual artist Doug Aitken with the Alumni Award; and arts administrator Robert Lynch, President of the Americans for the Arts, with the YoungArts Leadership Award. The gala, held at the Gusman Center for the Performing Arts and the J.W. Marriott Marquis Hotel, will bring together prominent artists, community leaders, philanthropists and celebrities to celebrate the 2012 national YoungArts winners.

The LA Times is reporting the breaking news that 'Center Theatre Group announced Tuesday that it would import the production now on Broadway that originated in May at Washington's Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. Michael Ritchie, CTG's artistic director, said "we are currently in discussions" to lure members of the Broadway cast led by Bernadette Peters, Elaine Page, Jan Maxwell, Jayne Houdyshell and Danny Burstein. "Follies" is scheduled to close on Broadway Jan. 22 after a four-month run.'

Last night, The John F. Kennedy Center for Performing Arts honored its 2011 recipients of their distinguished award. The 2011 honorees include Barbara Cook, Neil Diamond, Yo-Yo Ma, Sonny Rollins & Meryl Streep. The gala will be broadcast on CBS on December 27, 2011 at 9:00-11:00 p.m., ET/PT

PS Classics, the label dedicated to the heritage of Broadway and American popular song, will release the new two-disc set Broadway cast album of the Kennedy Center's acclaimed revival of FOLLIES on Tuesday, November 29, 2011. On Thursday, December 1st, Stephen Sondheim, Bernadette Peters, Jan Maxwell, Danny Burstein, Ron Raines, Elaine Paige and other members of the cast of FOLLIES will sign copies of the album at Barnes & Noble (150 E. 86th St; between Lexington & 3rd Ave.) beginning promptly at 4:00 p.m. and ending at 5:30 p.m. The album is produced by Tommy Krasker.

The Broadway cast of FOLLIES will be heading to the recording studio this week, and PS Classics is set to release the new cast recording for the revival on November 29. To pre-order the double-disc album online at $14.95, visit www.psclassics.com.

PS Classics, the label dedicated to the heritage of Broadway and American popular song, will release the new two-disc set Broadway cast album of the Kennedy Center's acclaimed revival of FOLLIES on Tuesday, November 29, 2011. NPR is currently featuring an exclusive first listen of the album, which you can check out by clicking here.

PS Classics, the label dedicated to the heritage of Broadway and American popular song, will release the new two-disc set Broadway cast album of the Kennedy Center's acclaimed revival of FOLLIES on Tuesday, November 29, 2011. On Thursday, December 1st, Stephen Sondheim, Bernadette Peters, Jan Maxwell, Danny Burstein, Ron Raines, Elaine Paige and other members of the cast of FOLLIES will sign copies of the album at Barnes & Noble (150 E. 86th St; between Lexington & 3rd Ave.) beginning promptly at 4:00 p.m. and ending at 5:30 p.m. The album is produced by Tommy Krasker.