Tedd Firth News

For 45 years, the National Theater Institute has offered young theater artists a springboard to the professional world at the two-time Tony Award-winning Eugene O'Neill Theater Center. With a singular schedule and an unmatched breadth of training, NTI's credit-earning, semester-long programs are taught by industry professionals and master teachers like Alexander Gemignani.

On April 8, 2015 at 7:30 pm, Essential Voices USA (EVUSA) will present BEYOND BROADWAY: COMPOSERS GO CHORAL at the DiMenna Space for Classical Music, 450 West 37 Street (between 9th & 10th Avenues), New York City.

Jim Caruso's Cast Party is where the brightest Broadway, jazz and cabaret stars hang out, celebrate and entertain each other until the wee hours of the morning. Birdland has been the Manhattan home to the 'extreme' open mic for twelve successful years, and with a newly signed 20-year lease, there are many, many nights of madcap, shocking and musically thrilling impromptu performances in store.

THE METROPOLITAN ROOM presents Kevin Dozier in 'A NEW YORK ROMANCE' on March 17, 2015, April 8 2015, and May 13, 2015.

As the days dwindled down to a precious few in 2014, a few cabaret goers and performers in what is affectionately but also self-mockingly called the “cabaret community” would sidle up and ask if I was planning my annual end-of-the year “Best Of” column, similar to the “Top 20 Bests and Favorites” piece over the first half of the year I posted back in early July. I would respond in the negative with very reasonable and believable excuses, but the truth is I didn't want to reveal my “Bests” of the year until the voting for the 2014 BroadwayWorld New York Cabaret Awards had ended. There's enough baggage and backstage whispering that comes with administering the BWW Awards, so I wasn't about to publish any opinions that might influence the vote while it was in process. I may be crazy but I'm not masochistic. But now all bets are off. You want lists? I'll give you lists.

Don't Tell Mama presents Scott Siegel's All-Star Fundraising Festival, tonight, January 13 - 19, starring Karen Akers, Tom Wopat, Mary Testa, Christina Bianco, Barbara Walsh, Jason Gotay, Steve Ross, John Bucchino, Julie Gold, Sidney Myer, and more to be announced.

Don't Tell Mama presents Scott Siegel's All-Star Fundraising Festival, January 13, 19, starring Karen Akers, Tom Wopat, Mary Testa, Christina Bianco, Barbara Walsh, Jason Gotay, Steve Ross, John Bucchino, Julie Gold, Sidney Myer, and more to be announced.

The Broadway at Birdland concert series presented Alysha Umphress, currently starring as "Hildy" in the Broadway revival of On The Town, and Tony-nominated songwriter Jeff Blumenkrantz, on Monday, January 5 at 7pm. The duo celebrated the release of their new CD, "I've Been Played," which features Jeff's swinging songs and arrangements performed as only Alysha can! "I've Been Played" is on the Yellow Sound Label, and available now for pre-order on Amazon.com.

Alysha Umphress, currently starring in the new Broadway revival of ON THE TOWN, and Tony Award-nominated composer and performer Jeff Blumenkrantz celebrate the release of their new album, 'I've Been Played: Alysha Umphress Swings Jeff Blumenkrantz.' The pair appeared in a release concert at Birdland last night.

Alysha Umphress, currently starring in the new Broadway revival of ON THE TOWN, and Tony Award-nominated composer and performer Jeff Blumenkrantz just celebrated their new album, I've Been Played: Alysha Umphress Swings Jeff Blumenkrantz with a concert at Birdland (315 W. 44th Street, New York, NY 10036). Check out photos from te special night below!

Broadway's 40 theatres aren't the only places to catch performances from your favorite stars! Well after Broadway orchestra's begin their overtures, ensemble members take their dance breaks, and performers belt out their eleven- o'clock numbers, the party continues at various cabaret venues throughout New York City. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you some cabaret highlights for this week as picked by our theatre editors, including: Alysha Umphress Swings Jeff Blumenkrantz: 'I've Been Played,' Amy Spanger: This Must Be the Place, Broadway Loves Celine Dion, Starring Jeremy Jordan, Taylor Louderman, and More, The Best of Ann Hampton Callaway, and Starry Starry Night: An Evening of Mini-Concerts.

If you've been a regular reader of this particular reviewer's musings, you know that every year there are long stretches of time where I just haven't been able to critique all the shows I've seen that deserve commentary. So I end up playing what they call in sports, 'Catch-up ball,' and post a mash up of belated reviews from past shows. It's kind of like a critic's version of the song 'Six Months Out of Every Year,' from Damn Yankees. Give or take a month or two, that's usually the time period during which I store unpublished reviews in my fevered brain and then unload them all in one seemingly endless column-like this one is going to be. If my cabaret-show reviewing days will be over (as chronicled here), I might as well go out with a bang-and relieve my procrastination guilt during holiday season. Now I can scratch one New Year's resolution off the list.

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its end-of-year schedule, running December 31 - January 18, including: The Birdland Big Band featuring Jane Monheit on New Year's Eve, Dave Stryker Group, Barbara Carroll, Joe Lovano, and more!

This January and February 54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54thStreet. For a detailed schedule of upcoming performances at 54 Below and to purchase tickets, visit www.54Below.com.

It seems like Christmas albums are truly a dime a dozen. Everyone has one, and most of them get relegated to the $4.99 bins at Target, Best Buy, and Wal-Mart the season after they come out. Fortunately for consumers, John Schneider and Tom Wopat have released HOME FOR CHRISTMAS, a Christmas album that is sure to become a staple in the holiday collection of any discerning music lover. With snazzy, jazzy arrangements, the electric duo is bringing back 'The Rat Pack' aura for our Holiday enjoyment.

This holiday season, Birdland Jazz Club presents a special two-week engagement with beloved performer Michael Feinstein through December 27, 2014. A long-time friend of the club and frequent special guest at Cast Party, this NYC holiday tradition kicks off a year-long, global, centennial celebration of Frank Sinatra with a program of Ol' Blue Eyes favorite standards from the great American songbook. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you photos of the show!

Tony nominee Jeff Blumenkrantz chats with BroadwayWorld about his upcoming album I'VE BEEN PLAYED: ALYSHA UMPHRESS SWINGS JEFF BLUMENKRANTZ.

John Schneider and Tom Wopat -- the original stars of 'The Dukes of Hazzard' -- have hit the Billboard Top 10 with their new album Home for Christmas. For the week of December 20, the recording debuts at #10 on the 'Traditional Jazz' chart.

Time is ticking on your last chance to vote for the 2014 BroadwayWorld Cabaret Regional Awards! Check out the latest live stats as of December 19th. Voting closes at the end of the year!

Alysha Umphress, currently starring in the new Broadway revival of ON THE TOWN, and Tony Award-nominated composer and performer Jeff Blumenkrantz will celebrate their new album, I've Been Played: Alysha Umphress Swings Jeff Blumenkrantz with a concert at Birdland (315 W. 44th Street, New York, NY 10036) on January 5, 2015 at 7pm. Tickets are available now at www.birdlandjazz.com.