Michele Lee News

Boomermania Productions is thrilled to announce that the West Coast Premiere of its smash-hit, brand new musical, BOOMERMANIA - The Musical about the Baby Boomers!, written and directed by Debbie Kasper & Pat Sierchio, with choreography by Edward Carignan, musical direction by Mary Ekler and produced by Michael Anthony Gremo is EXTENDING through Sunday, May 15th at the El Portal Forum Theatre, 5269 Lankershim Blvd. in North Hollywood.

The Broadway Beauty Pageant adds Lee Roy Reams to open the show in a special number 'Beautiful Boys' created by Gerard Alessandrini. The award-winning Tovah Feldshuh will be the host for this not-to-be-missed event on Monday, March 21st, 2011 at 8:00 PM, benefiting The Ali Forney Center, NYC's primary housing resource for homeless LGBT youth. The annual show will again be at the Peter Norton Symphony Space, 2537 Broadway (at 95th Street). This year's contestants are: Matt Anctil, La Cage aux Folles; Michael Cusumano, Chicago; Raymond J. Lee, Anything Goes; Brandon Rubendall, Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark; and James Tabeek, Mary Poppins. Conceived by Jeffery Self and directed by Ryan J. Davis, The Broadway Beauty Pageant is musically directed by Christopher Denny, choreographer is Erin Porvaznika. Brian Tovar is the lighting designer The evening is produced by Wil Fisher, Ryan J. Davis, Jeffery Self and Matthew Oberstein.

Boomermania Productions is thrilled to present the West Coast Premiere of a brand new musical, BOOMERMANIA - The Musical about the Baby Boomers!, written and directed by Debbie Kasper & Pat Sierchio, with choreography by Edward Carignan, musical direction by Mary Ekler and produced by Michael Anthony Gremo.

Boomermania Productions is thrilled to present the West Coast Premiere of a brand new musical, BOOMERMANIA - The Musical about the Baby Boomers!, written and directed by Debbie Kasper & Pat Sierchio, with choreography by Edward Carignan, musical direction by Mary Ekler and produced by Michael Anthony Gremo.

Boomermania Productions is thrilled to present the West Coast Premiere of a brand new musical, BOOMERMANIA - The Musical about the Baby Boomers!, written and directed by Debbie Kasper & Pat Sierchio, with choreography by Edward Carignan, musical direction by Mary Ekler and produced by Michael Anthony Gremo.

Paul Williams took center stage in the Crystal Ballroom of the Millennium Biltmore Hotel on Sunday, January 30th to praise the career of friend and colleague, Hal David. Singing snippets of Hal's hits like 'Raindrops Keep Fallin' On My Head,' 'I'll Never Fall In Love Again,' 'Close To You,' 'Walk On By' and many more, Williams declared 'If we tried to cover all of his work, we would have to continue this tribute tomorrow night.' An Honorary Committee that consisted of entertainment industry elite such as Charles Fox, Burt Bacharach, Michele Lee, Carl Reiner, and many more made the Music Center and Club 100's annual 'Magic Moments' gala THE place to be in Los Angeles on Sunday. Though many were on hand to praise Mr. David and his career, the patrons seemed to revolve around two primary tables. That of Mr. David himself, which included the evenings host, Paul Williams and Sally Kellerman (Who would later treat the audience to a selection of Mr David's songs from the stage) and table 10, hosted by noted cabaret singer Barbra Van Orden, which included Tippi Hedren, Florence Henderson, Robert David Hall, and Gary Austin. 'I had to be here tonight, if only to personally express my appreciation to Mr. David for his music and how much it has meant to me,' said Ms. Hedren. Ms. Henderson added, 'I thought I had a good idea about Hal's body of work when I arrived tonight, but as the evening progressed, I caught myself saying, 'He wrote that ... and that as well?' ... It's amazing to think how many great pieces of music he has given us.'

This week, we are going to go a bit off of the beaten path in an attempt to remove the doom and gloom of midwinter as the snow nearly suffocates the Great White Way and take a look at some truly gloriously guffaw-inducing items from the legendary fifty-year-career of Broadway and Hollywood comedy icon Joan Rivers who is also this week‘s InDepth InterView participant. Ed Sullivan to Johnny Carson, red carpets to talk shows to her two weekly TV series FASHION POLICE and JOAN & MELISSA: JOAN KNOWS BEST? - as well as her best and most outrageous comedy special to date and an interview with Lucille Ball herself!

Joe's Pub at The Public Theater debuted in October 1998 and has quickly became one of New York City's most celebrated and in-demand showcase venues for live music and performance. With its genre-blind booking and vast diversity of interests, the stage at Joe's Pub gives voice to a world of varied and stellar artists.

Joe's Pub at The Public Theater debuted in October 1998 and has quickly became one of New York City's most celebrated and in-demand showcase venues for live music and performance. With its genre-blind booking and vast diversity of interests, the stage at Joe's Pub gives voice to a world of varied and stellar artists.

Boomermania Productions is thrilled to present the West Coast Premiere of a brand new musical, BOOMERMANIA - The Musical about the Baby Boomers!, written and directed by Debbie Kasper & Pat Sierchio, with choreography by Edward Carignan, musical direction by Mary Ekler and produced by Michael Anthony Gremo.

Joe's Pub at The Public Theater debuted in October 1998 and has quickly became one of New York City's most celebrated and in-demand showcase venues for live music and performance. With its genre-blind booking and vast diversity of interests, the stage at Joe's Pub gives voice to a world of varied and stellar artists.

This past Wednesday and Thursday, host Jim Caruso and musical director Billy Stritch oversaw another Hollywood edition of Cast Party, the wildly successful open mic night, which tours the country celebrating local talent.

Legendary stage, film and television star Dick Van Dyke brings Step In Time! A Musical Memoir to the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theatre @ the Geffen Playhouse opening December 16. He has much to say in our interview about his career and the people he's worked with.

Parks & Recreation Commissioner Adrian Benepe and Cultural Affairs Commissioner Kate Levin today unveiled a new plaque at the TKTS booth in Duffy Square, honoring the site's history and recent restorations, while also lauding the efforts of Mayor John V. Lindsay. Mayor Lindsay was a passionate supporter of the Broadway Theatre and was instrumental in the creation of the original TKTS booth with the Theatre Development Fund in 1973, making Duffy Square ever since a destination point for those in search of reduced-price theater tickets. Also in attendance at today's unveiling were State Assembly Member Richard Gottfried; Broadway producer Hal Prince, who is Chair of the Theatre Industry Committee to Honor John Lindsay; as well as leaders of the Times Square Alliance, Theatre Development Fund, Broadway League, Broadway Association, and members of Mayor Lindsay's family.

One of the most beloved and enduring characters in the history of American popular culture is aiming to finally make her way to the Broadway stage. Hazel - the saucy maid whose wry attitude, infallible wisdom and heart of gold has captured the hearts of millions for more than 60 years - will be in the spotlight again in an exciting new Broadway musical with music by composer Ron Abel and lyrics by Chuck Steffan. The veteran duo has acquired the rights to Hazel from the estate of creator Ted Key and are hoping to bring the show to the Great White Way in 2011.

Daniel Radcliffe will make his Broadway musical debut as J. Pierrepont Finch in a new production of the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize-winning musical comedy HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING opening at Broadway's Al Hirschfeld Theatre (302 West 45th Street) Sunday, March 27, 2011, at 5pm. Radcliffe has just completed his decade-long, critically-acclaimed performance starring as Harry Potter in the largest grossing franchise in motion picture history. Directed and choreographed by Tony and Emmy Award-winner Rob Ashford, HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING has a book by Abe Burrows, Jack Weinstock and Willie Gilbert, based on Shepherd Mead's satirical self-help book of the same name and music and lyrics by Frank Loesser. Further casting will be announced shortly. The 50th Anniversary production of HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING begins previews Saturday, February 26, 2011, at 8pm, and is produced by Broadway Across America (John Gore, Thomas B. McGrath, Beth Williams), Craig Zadan, Neil Meron, Joseph Smith, Michael McCabe, and Candy Spelling.

'Let's see if we can do this without a microphone,' peeped Jo Sullivan Loesser, as she prepared to fill the 1,495-seat Town Hall with 'Somebody, Somewhere,' which she introduced in the 1956 original Broadway production of The Most Happy Fella.  While the age of the widow of the great Frank Loesser is a fact you'll not find via Google, let's just say she's a few decades beyond the point where audiences would expect to hear such lovely, expressive and, yes, loud soprano tones from an unamplified voice.  The house, still and silent for those few minutes of bliss, finally erupted with appreciative cheers for the brief reminder of a time when all Broadway musicals were sung that way.

Yesterday, October 17, The Town Hall presented Broadway Originals. The afternoon featured songs and memories with performers reprising songs they introduced either in the original Broadway production or revival. This three-concert series, written and hosted by Scott Siegel for THE TOWN HALL, took place over one weekend and included Broadway Melody Makers on Friday, October 15th and Betty Buckley in Concert on Saturday, October 16 at 8PM.

BROADWAY MELODY MAKERS on Friday October 15th at 8PM, was directed by Scott Coulter, with musical direction by Ross Patterson. The cast also includes Tony Award ® winners Alice Ripley (Next to Normal, Sideshow) and Michael Cerveris (Assasins), along with Nellie McKay (Threepenny Opera), Tom Wopat (Annie Get Your Gun, A Catered Affair), and Mary Testa (Xanadu, On the Town). The concert featured songs by Jerome Kern, George Gershwin, Richard Rodgers, Cole Porter, Harold Arlen, Irving Berlin, and so many others down through the decades to the likes of Jule Styne and Cy Coleman, among others.

Lucie Arnaz (They're Playing Our Song), Sarah Uriarte Berry (A Light in the Piazza), Carole Demas (Grease), Loni Ackerman (So Long, 174th Street) and Nancy Opel (Urinetown), join the cast of The Town Hall's Broadway Originals on Sunday, October 17th at 3:00 PM.