Sylvia Syms News

Broadway World Cabaret has collected a few select videos of just some of the women who have made their mark on the cabaret and concert stages of the world.

Association of Theatrical Press Agents & Managers  retired member Terry M. Lilly. Terry was a Press Agent on Broadway, Off-Broadway, and across the country, who came into membership in September of 1977. He passed away peacefully at home on November 24, 2021 after a long illness, surrounded by loved ones.

Farewell GBS culminates on Sunday 13th December with two more free 'zoom theatre' presentations. Shakes versus Shav, from SHAW2020 and Shaw's First and Last Thoughts, from Michael Friend Productions.

The official companion soundtrack for the anticipated documentary, Billie, about legendary jazz singer Billie Holiday, is now available on CD, LP and digitally for streaming and download via Verve/UMe.

The Pandemic Playlist is back with a look at the people who made cabaret what it is today.

Below is the upcoming schedule at Birdland Jazz Club and Birdland Theater February 3 through February 16: 

Birdland Jazz Club and Birdland Theater are pleased to present the schedule for the month of February! At Birdland Jazz Club, catch the iconic Lionel Hampton Big Band Featuring Jason Marsalis, current GRAMMY nominee Catherine Russell, the Birdland debut of AGUAS Trio with Omar Sosa, Yilian Cañizares and Gustavo Ovalles, and iconic vocalist Jane Monheit. Internationally recognized trumpeter Rachel Therrien, the Seth Weaver Big Band, and The Voice contestant Melinda Rose Rodriguez will also be performing upstairs. 

Since its launch in 2015, the Film Movement Classics label has been dedicated to seeking out distinctive films of the past from around the globe, and offering these digitally restored classics to cineastes everywhere. Following the recent theatrical releases of FRITZ LANG'S INDIAN EPIC and Bill Forsyth's coming-of-age classic GREGORY'S GIRL and the home entertainment releases of French farce THE MAD ADVENTURES OF RABBI JACOB and King Hu's pioneering wuxia film, THE FATE OF LEE KHAN, Film Movement has acquired a baker's dozen of British classics from the '40s-'60s for Blu-ray and digital release on the Film Movement Classics label beginning this December.

Birdland will kick-off their great week of programming with the following acts:

Birdland Jazz Club announces July 2019 Schedule featuring Veronica Swift with the Emmet Cohen Trio, Freddy Cole Quartet, Steve Smith's Groove Blue Organ Trio, John Pizzarelli: Two-week engagement, Nancy Kelly, Konrad Paszkudzki and Pasquale Grasso, Lew Tabackin Trio, Michael Wolff Trio, Laura Osnes, Alyssa Allgood Quartet, Ladybugs, The Lineup with Susie Mosher, Jim Caruso's Cast Party, and more.

Birdland will kick-off their great week of programming with the following acts:

On the penultimate night of the 2016 Cabaret Convention, presented by the Mabel Mercer Foundation, 11 fantastic cabaret artists---those who are celebrated in the form as well as those who are emerging alike---assembled to salute the late and legendary Sylvia Syms. The evening, hosted by one of Syms' closest confidants, the critic Rex Reed, was brassy, delivered wonderful anecdotes, and was ultimately very moving musically, much like Syms herself. A black and white photograph of Syms, accurately capturing her maternal warmth, hung high inside the Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center throughout the evening, which was formatted in two distinct segments. Act One was comprised of each performer taking to the stage alone to sing one of Syms' lesser known cabaret staples, or the songs which she "rescued" from obscurity such as those cut from golden age musicals. Act Two saw the performers again take on a Syms staple, but those which were more well-known hits and standards, displaying the full range of Syms' nightclub chops.

KT Sullivan made an astute call and turned over the creation of the third night of the Cabaret Convention to host Rex Reed.  If there is anyone in the world who symbolizes music sophistication with a flawless comprehension of what good cabaret performance is about it is the elegant Mr. Reed. The Convention's final evening is yet to be heard (tonight), but last evening must have been one of the finest chapters in the long history of Donald Smith and the Mabel Mercer Foundation's twenty seven year old creation. The musicians, singers, and material, which honored the legendary cabaret performer Sylvia Syms truly represented the highest quality of cabaret performance. Rex also made an important artistic decision….he included himself as one of the vocalists.  Rex Reed was a participating member of the golden age of New York life and his unique ability to verbally convey it's history honored Sylvia Syms, who as Rex pointed out at the start of the evening…..died the way she wanted, singing in a  nightclub (Oak Room Algonquin)  to a standing ovation.  She collapsed into the arms of audience member Cy Coleman.  

the 2016 Cabaret Convention returns to the Rose Theater, Jazz at Lincoln Center's Frederick P. Rose Hall, from Tuesday, October 18th through Friday, October 21st  to present four different music programs. More than seventy singers are scheduled to appear, and the productions include specific tributes to the songs of Stephen Sondheim, the lyrics of Sheldon Harnick, the melodies of Charles Strouse, and the repertoire of legendary jazz artist Sylvia Syms.

It's not exactly a secret that cabaret has for decades been a world dominated by female entertainers. Sylvia Syms, Julie Wilson, Margaret Whiting, Karen Akers, KT Sullivan, Karen Mason and myriad others have assumed the top notches of the art form. But, perhaps, men might be taking their place among the front lines and a perfect example this past week were the shows from cabaret veterans Kevin Dozier and Frank Torren.

A SUMMER IN THE SOUTH is a tribute to Colette, one of France's greatest writers. This celebration of her work is brilliantly brought to life for one evening only at Birmingham Repertory Theatre by acclaimed actors Sian Phillips and Robert Powell.

After four years reviewing cabaret shows, more than two for BroadwayWorld, our lead New York cabaret critic Stephen Hanks will be giving up reviewing shows to be the BWW Cabaret section's Editor and lead feature writer. Here's how he became a cabaret reviewer, why he's giving it up, and who he's brought on board to make up BWW's new cabaret reviewing team.

59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer) welcomes Nihal Theatre Company in association with Louise Chantal Productions to Brits Off Broadway with the US premiere of DON'T WAKE ME: THE BALLAD OF NIHAL ARMSTRONG, written by Rahila Gupta, directed by Guy Slater, and starring Jaye Griffiths. DON'T WAKE ME: THE BALLAD OF NIHAL ARMSTRONG begins performances on Tuesday, April 1 for a limited engagement through Sunday, April 20. Press opening is Sunday, April 6 at 7:30 PM. The performance schedule is Tuesday - Thursday at 7:30 PM; Friday at 8:30 PM; Saturday at 2:30 PM & 8:30 PM; and Sunday at 3:30 PM & 7:30 PM. Performances are at 59E59 Theaters (59 East 59th Street, between Park and Madison Avenues). Tickets are $25 ($17.50 for 59E59 Members). To purchase tickets, call Ticket Central at (212) 279-4200 or visit www.59e59.org.

Lampkin Music Group is proud to present the NY Solo Debut of Singer, Laury Shelley, in 'My Time With Legrand' at the Metropolitan Room tonight and Wednesday, October 8th and 10th at @ 9:30 p.m. Two Shows Only! Music Cover : $20.00. Two Drink Minium. MAC Member Discount - $15.00. 34 West 22nd Street, NY. RSVP @ 1-212-206-0440.

Lampkin Music Group is proud to present the NY Solo Debut of Singer, Laury Shelley, in 'My Time With Legrand' at the Metropolitan Room on Monday and Wednesday, October 8th and 10th at @ 9:30 p.m. Two Shows Only! Music Cover : $20.00. Two Drink Minium. MAC Member Discount - $15.00. 34 West 22nd Street, NY. RSVP @ 1-212-206-0440.