Peter Napolitano News

Urban Stages has confirmed the line-up for this year's award-winning series, WINTER RHYTHMS 2016, which will begin tomorrow, Thursday, December 1, and will feature some of New York's best musical performances through Sunday, December 11, 2016 at Urban Stages Theatre (259 West 30th Street, just East of 8th Avenue).

BroadwayWorld Cabaret is pleased to announce the nominees in 14 categories for the 2016 BWW New York Cabaret Awards.

Urban Stages and Stephen Hanks' Cabaret Life Productions has announced that on Saturday, December 3 at 7 pm, the 2016 Urban Stages Winter Rhythms Festival (December 1-11 at 259 West 30th Street, NYC) will present highlights from seven of the 16 shows that have been presented at Hanks' highly praised monthly series at the Metropolitan Room--New York Cabaret's Greatest Hits (Associate Producer, Fr. Jeffrey Hamblin, MD)--and two shows that will be featured in the series in 2017.  

Urban Stages has announced the line-up for this year's Award Winning series, WINTER RHYTHMS 2016, which will begin Thursday, December 1 and will feature some of New York's best musical performances through Sunday, December 11, 2016 at Urban Stages Theatre (259 West 30th Street, just East of 8th Avenue).

New York: As part of Urban Stages' mission to use theater as a means for conversation and education, Frances Hill, Founding Artistic Director of Urban Stages is proud to announce a special talkback series for their current production, Communion by OBIE, GLADD and Governor General's award-winning playwright Daniel MacIvor.  This series will include discussions with psychiatrists, therapists and grief counselors to address the issues featured in Communion.  Talkback are included with the price of a ticket to see Communion, they are $40 and may be purchased via OvationTix at www.urbanstages.org or by phone at 1.866.811.4111. The show will run at Urban Stages (259 W 30 Street) through October 30th.

Urban Stages (Frances Hill, Founding Artistic Director) will kick off its 33rd season with the American Premiere of the award-winning drama Communion by celebrated Obie Award- winning, Canadian playwright Daniel MacIvor, who will direct the production. This limited engagement will run at Urban Stages (259 West 30th Street, between Seventh and Eighth Avenues) will begin performances tonightand will run through October 30th, 2016 with Opening Night set for Thursday, October 6th.

Urban Stages will kick off its 33rd season with the American Premiere of the award-winning drama Communion by celebrated Obie Award- winning, Canadian playwright Daniel MacIvor, who will direct the production.

This Today, October 1, 2016 between 1-2pm, celebrated Obie Award-Winning playwright, Daniel MacIvor, who will be at The Drama Book Shop to meet and greet fans and sign copies of his plays.

Urban Stages kicks off its 33rd season with the American Premiere of the award-winning drama Communion by celebrated Obie Award- winning, Canadian playwright Daniel MacIvor, who will direct the production.

This Saturday, October 1, 2016 between 1-2pm, celebrated Obie Award-Winning playwright, Daniel MacIvor, who will be at The Drama Book Shop to meet and greet fans and sign copies of his plays.

'Without Dietrich, there would have been no Madonna...and no Gaga,' Janice Hall announced at the outset of her brilliant revival of GRAND ILLUSIONS: THE MUSIC OF MARLENE DIETRICH, the most recent installment of Stephen Hanks' New York Cabaret's Greatest Hits. Co-produced by Father Jeffrey R. Hamblin and flawlessly directed by Peter Napolitano, Hall's show---for which the former opera singer won both MAC and Bistro awards in 2011 and 2012, respectively---seamlessly weaves together the music and life of the enigmatic movie star and international cabaret sensation whose greatest creation, in Hall's words, 'was herself.'

Urban Stages will kick off its 33rd season with the American Premiere of the award-winning drama Communion by celebrated Obie Award- winning, Canadian playwright Daniel MacIvor, who will direct the production.

No matter the song, style, or setting, Janice Hall, the multi-talented opera singer, cabaret chanteuse, and character actress, is her own master. She broke into the cabaret scene in 2010 in a big way with the 2011 Bistro Award Winner for Best Tribute Show and 2012 MAC Award Winner for Best Female Vocalist. The show that earned her those awards? 'GRAND ILLUSIONS: THE MUSIC OF MARLENE DIETRICH,' which Hall debuted in 2010 and will revive for one night on September 13 at 7:00 pm at the Metropolitan Room. Before Hall takes the stage this upcoming Tuesday night, we sat down for a discussion on career invention, reinvention, and versatility--- both Dietrich's and her own.

Cabaret audiences who fell head over heels for opera singer Janice Hall's 2010-2011 solo debut show—Grand Illusions: The Music of Marlene Dietrich—will get to fall in love all over again (and a new audience can become smitten for the first time) when Hall reprises her Award-winning show at the Metropolitan Room on September 13 at 7 pm, in the 12th installment of Stephen Hanks' monthly New York Cabaret's Greatest Hits Series (Associate Producer, Fr. Jeffrey Hamblin, MD). Hall's Marlene Dietrich show is directed by Peter Napolitano, with Matthew Martin Ward as Musical Director/Pianist and Ritt Henn on bass and ukulele.

In her A-line black and white polka dot dress with petticoats, a lively (and lithe!) Maureen Taylor delivered an entertaining tribute to lyricist Bob Merrill at the Metropolitan Room (on July 13). Originally directed by Peter Napolitano when the show debuted in 2008-09, Taylor Made is the latest installment of Producer/Promoter Stephen Hanks' outstanding New York Cabaret's Greatest Hits, which almost always lives up to its name.

In 2009 and 2010, opera singer turned cabaret performer Maureen Taylor staged a cabaret show tribute to Bob Merrill's music at the Metropolitan Room in New York and critics raved. Six years later, on July 13 at 7 pm, Maureen Taylor will reprise her highly praised show, Taylor Made: Bob Merrill, at the Metropolitan Room in cabaret's hottest monthly series, New York Cabaret's Greatest Hits, produced by Stephen Hanks (with Fr. Jeffrey Hamblin, MD, Associate Producer). Taylor's Musical Director is Matt Castle on piano, with Joe Brent on guitar, mandolin, and violin. Her special guest performer is two-time MAC Award winner Rev. Yolanda (Roger Anthony Yolanda Mapes).

The angel of death did not pass over Dana Lorge's house last night and the world of New York cabaret is grieving as a result. During the evening of the second Passover seder, the New York cabaret community was shocked to learn that MAC Award-winning performer and variety show host Dana Lorge died from complications of lung cancer, which was diagnosed just a few months ago.

Urban Stages celebrates its critically-acclaimed 32nd season at the Central Park Boathouse on Monday, May 23rd at 6:30pm. This year's annual gala will honor the renowned Karen Akers with Urban Stages Musical Artist Award presented by ten-time Tony Award winner Tommy Tune.

At a ceremony held earlier this week in New York, the Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs announced the winners of the 2016 MAC Awards. A Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Amanda McBroom. Also honored with a Board of Directors award was Maryann Lopinto. Jamie deRoy received the Ruth Kurtzman Benefit Award on behalf of her work with The Actors Fund: Jamie deRoy & Friends Cabaret Initiative. Sally Darling received the Hanson Award. The show was produced by Julie Miller and directed by Lennie Watts, with musical direction by Matt Baker.

Urban Stages will extend its critically acclaimed World Premiere of Mabel Madness written and performed by Tony Award Winner Trezana Beverley (For Colored Girls...) tells the dramatic story with music about the life of the famous cabaret chanteuse, Mabel Mercer. Co-directed by Frances Hill and Peter Napolitano with musical direction by Tuffus Zimbabwe, Mabel Madness began performances on February 19 and was originally set to end its run on March 20, will now play Wednesday nights at 7PM and Sundays at 3PM & 7PM through April 10, 2016. Tickets are $40 and are available at www.urbanstages.org or by calling 1-866-811-4111.