Sidney Myer News

Christine Lavin, prolific (and dang funny) songwriter and performer of the east coast cabaret and folk scenes, creates a hootenanny during her residency at Don't Tell Mama most Wednesday nights in September. Co-hosting the series is Don White, folk singer-songwriter and activist out of Lynhurst, MA. The special guest on the evening of September 9 was LA-based lyricist, singer, producer Hillary Rollins. Each weekly show features a guest with whom Lavin and White will sing and laugh and swap stories. It's a good time.

 There was an explosion last night at the finale of 'Mama's Next BIG Act!' at Don't Tell Mama. In a giant win, Amorika Amoroso came out on top of a remarkably gifted and well-matched group of performers who treated the standing-room only audience to an evening of sustained artistry and passion.  Amoroso, a deliriously funny R&B and blues singer/bad-ass who slices and dices with stories of growing up unique, sang 'Moving on Up,' which not only blew the roof off the joint, but also served notice that a major star was marching onto the scene in New York cabaret.

Melbourne Theatre Company takes audiences young and old on an extraordinary journey of imagination and friendship with The Boy at the Edge of Everything. This charming family treat by Tasmanian writer Finegan Kruckemeyer, directed by Peter Houghton, brings a universe of sly observation and wry jokes together in an extra-terrestrial adventure for ages eight and up.

The Australian cast of the brand new production, Georgy Girl - the Seekers Musical, has been announced today with members of The Seekers in attendance. The much anticipated cast announcement was made at Melbourne's Sidney Myer Music Bowl, the scene of The Seekers' record-breaking concert in 1967 that drew a mammoth crowd of more than 200,000 people!

What are the songs of birds and men? 24th Street Theatre, the company that produced Walking the Tightrope to universal acclaim on its stage, on tour and, most recently, for CTG at the Kirk Douglas Theatre, presents the second production of its LAb24 resident experimental theater company. The U.S. premiere of Man Covets Bird by Finegan Kruckemeyer opens on September 26 at 24th Street Theatre in downtown L.A.

After another night jam-packed with daring artistry and scintillating talent, "Mama's Next BIG Act!" the genre-bending talent contest, is slimming down dramatically today.

?South Australian Minister for the Arts Jack Snelling today announced the appointment of a new chairperson and four board members to the Windmill Theatre Board.

The stakes and the excitement just keep getting bigger as the list of competitors grows shorter… On Tuesday night "Mama's Next BIG Act!" trimmed down to 16 competitors in front of a packed house filled with raucous fans.

It's an undeniable, outstanding, and extraordinary musical milestone, to be sure: 2015 marks the thirtieth anniversary of The Mabel Mercer Foundation! Not only has the organization survived the ongoing and vastly fluctuating public tastes in music, lyrics, and performers, it has proliferated and burgeoned in its three decades of commitment to the classic, "Great Popular Songbook" -- both past and present.

Karen Mason returned to the legendary theatre district cabaret nightspot Don't Tell Mama--which has been a launch pad for countless future stars in cabaret and theater since it inaugurated its cabaret rooms in November 1982- Karen returned again after a highly acclaimed run in March at Don't Tell Mama (343 West 46th Street) and BroadwayWorld was there. This is the very room that she and Nancy LaMott opened in l982. Mason at Mama's is her brand new show with great new arrangements of classics, new songs and some of the music she and her longtime composer/arranger Brian Lasser performed in those early days at Mama's. The show was directed by award winning  Barry Kleinbort, with Musical Direction and Accompaniment by Christopher Denny.

54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, presents TV stars Emily Bergl, Holt MaCallany, Broadway stars Rita Gardner, Anita Gillette, Amy Spanger, Lee Roy Reams, Raissa Katona Bennett and Cabaret stars Steve Ross, Baby Jane Dexter, Sidney Myer and Mark Nadler in 54 celebrates Julie Wilson tonight, May 14, 2015 at 7pm.

New York Cabaret Community Honors Actor/Director/Photographer RUSS WEATHERFORD With All-Star Show at Metropolitan Room.

54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, presents TV stars Emily Bergl, Holt MaCallany, Broadway stars Rita Gardner, Anita Gillette, Amy Spanger, Lee Roy Reams, Raissa Katona Bennett and Cabaret stars Steve Ross, Baby Jane Dexter, Sidney Myer and Mark Nadler in 54 celebrates Julie Wilson tonight, May 9, 2015 and Thursday, May 14, 2015, both shows at 7pm.

Legendary Theatre District nightspot Don't Tell Mama is announcing the first annual 'Mama's Next BIG Act!' a bigger than average, 12-week competition that mixes styles and genres. Beginning Tuesday June 9 at 9:30pm, and running for 12 consecutive weeks every Tuesday through August 25, 'Mama's Next BIG Act!' will break new water in the competitions field by attracting acts in multiple categories and then pitting the top votegetters in head-to-head competition during the contest's final weeks.

Legendary theatre district cabaret nightspot Don't Tell Mama--which has been a launch pad for countless future stars in cabaret and theater since it inaugurated its cabaret in November 1982--has announced it will present the first annual Mama's Next BIG Act! a 12-week competition for entertainers that mixes styles and genres. Beginning Tuesday June 9 at 9:30 pm, and running for 12 consecutive weeks every Tuesday through August 25, Mama's Next BIG Act! will attract acts in multiple categories and then pit the top votegetters in head-to-head competition during the contest's final weeks. Voted by the audience and a cavalcade of celebrity judges, the contest will invite solo, duo, and group acts in the following categories: music, magic, drag, burlesque, and variety. (All acts may use the contest's resident music director, or provide their own accompaniment.)

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com or call (646) 476-3551.

This May and June, 54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street.

Celebrating one of Australia's most loved groups, Georgy Girl - The Seekers Musical will have its world premiere in Melbourne this December at Her Majesty's Theatre. The musical will tell the remarkable story of legendary pop group The Seekers, the first Australian band to achieve international success.

54 Below, Broadway's Supper Club, presents TV stars Emily Bergl, Holt MaCallany, Broadway stars Rita Gardner, Anita Gillette, Amy Spanger, Lee Roy Reams, Raissa Katona Bennett and Cabaret stars Steve Ross, Baby Jane Dexter, Sidney Myer and Mark Nadler in 54 celebrates Julie Wilson on Saturday, May 9, 2015 and Thursday, May 14, 2015, both shows at 7pm.

Julie Wilson, who died at age ninety on April 5th, was celebrated and remembered by her peers in a special, one-time-only performance on Tuesday evening, April 28th at The Town Hall. The concert was underwritten by The Mabel Mercer Foundation.