Vanessa Williams News

The Drama League launches its Fall 2014 Charity Auction online today, September 9th at www.biddingforgood.com/thedramaleague or at www.dramaleague.org.

Keke Palmer makes her Broadway debut by stepping into the title role of Rodgers + Hammerstein's CINDERELLA tonight, September 9, 2014, thus making history as the first African-American Cinderella on Broadway. Sherri Shepherd also joins the production as 'Madame' this evening.

MIAMI, Sept. 8, 2014 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ The National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts), the non-profit organization that contributes to the cultural vitality of the nation by supporting the artistic development of talented young artists, is celebrating YoungArts Awareness Day, a nationwide initiative to 'keep arts alive' today, Monday, September 8, 2014. Encouraging everyone who has a creative instinct to take part, YoungArts Awareness Day will feature pop-up performances and events in Los Angeles, Miami, Nashville and New York City, and invites artists across the country to create and share their own work or their artistic experiences via social media with the tags #keepartsalive, #youngarts and #youngartsawarenessday.

Keke Palmer will be a guest on ABC's GOOD MORNING AMERICA on Tuesday, September 9th. The actress and singer will discuss her new role in Broadway's 'Cinderella.'

John Garcia's THE COLUMN is very honored to announce that they will be hosting a very special homecoming/VIP reception for TV/Stage/Film star Michael Urie on the opening night of his critically acclaimed one man show, Buyer & Cellar, which opens tonight, September 3, 2014 at the Dallas City Performance Hall, Buyer & Cellar is part of the Off Broadway On Flora Series with AT&T Performing Arts Center.

Tom Wopat - famed for his role as Luke Duke on 'The Dukes of Hazzard' - will play the title role of Will Rogers in the Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival's production of 'The Will Rogers Follies.' The show runs from today, Sept. 3 - 24 at the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse (MGR) in Auburn, New York.

John Garcia's THE COLUMN is very honored to announce today that they will be hosting a very special homecoming/VIP reception for TV/Stage/Film star Michael Urie on the opening night of his critically acclaimed one man show, Buyer & Cellar, which opens Wednesday September 3, 2014 at the Dallas City Performance Hall, Buyer & Cellar is part of the Off Broadway On Flora Series with AT&T Performing Arts Center.

Tony Award nominee Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Avenue Q; "Scrubs"), Melissa Dye (Into the Woods; Grease), and Abigail Ludrof (The HVAC Plays; Ghostlight) will join Tim Realbuto on the first stop of his Wunderkind tour this Monday, September 1st.

The National YoungArts Foundation (YoungArts), the non-profit organization that contributes to the cultural vitality of the nation by supporting the artistic development of talented young artists, today announces YoungArts Awareness Day, a nationwide initiative to "keep arts alive" on Monday, September 8. Encouraging everyone who has a creative instinct to take part, YoungArts Awareness Day will feature pop-up performances and events in Los Angeles, Miami, and New York City and invites artists across the country to create and share their own work, or their artistic experiences at museums and concerts via social media with the tags #keepartsalive, #youngarts and #youngartsawarenessday.

There is No Town Like Motown! Saycon Sengbloh (Hollar If Ya Hear Me, Motown, Fela), Marty Thomas (Pageant:The Musical, Xanadu, Wicked) and more are set to perform for Motown's First Baby Shower, honoring N'Kenge 'Mary Wells' (Motown: The Musical, Sondheim on Sondheim).

Tom Wopat - famed for his role as Luke Duke on "The Dukes of Hazzard" - will play the title role of Will Rogers in the Finger Lakes Musical Theatre Festival's production of "The Will Rogers Follies." The show runs from Sept. 3 - 24 at the Merry-Go-Round Playhouse (MGR) in Auburn, New York.

The 'Alley Theatre @ UH' season begins with Betty Buckley, Hallie Foote, Annalee Jefferies and Veanne Cox in award-winning Texas playwright Horton Foote's The Old Friends, a Southwestern premiere.

When Griffin Matthews, a young black American from New York City, ventured to Uganda in 2005 to help build a village school, he had no idea what a life-changing journey it would be. His six-week experience, in the company of a group of orphaned teenagers compelled the young writer/director/actor to want to do something to improve their quality of life. First he formed a non-profit aid organization, the Uganda Project, and later, after returning to the village year after year, Matthews, in a collaboration with Matt Gould, wrote the award-winning musical Witness Uganda which has brought new funding to the project. Having its world premiere at the American Repertory Theater earlier this year, the two men will perform a concert version of the musical at a Sunday, August 31st special Weston Playhouse event.

Head on downtown for the seventh annual Living for Today: "Shing-a-Ling: A Night with the Broadway Urchins" at Joe's Pub (425 Lafayette St) on Monday, October 27 at 7pm for a concert that will make you "feel the sturm und drang in the air!'

Chris Isaacson Presents has announced a one-night-only concert event at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre on Saturday, August 16 at 8pm. Broadway Under the Stars will star Tony Award-winner Jennifer Holliday (Dreamgirls) and will also feature (in alphabetical order) Obba Babatunde (Dreamgirls), Erich Bergen (Jersey Boys, stage and film), Rogelio Douglas, Jr. (In the Heights), Danny Gurwin (Little Women) and Tony Award-nominee Chad Kimball (Memphis). David Galligan will direct, and the music director is Gerald Sternbach.

Ms Tyson spoke exclusively to The Hollywood Reporter about her award-winning role, which she shared was one she always wanted to take on.

Producers of the Tony Award winning musical Rodgers + Hammerstein's CINDERELLA, Robyn Goodman, Jill Furman and Stephen Kocis, announce that actress, talk show host and recording artist Keke Palmer will make her Broadway debut by stepping into the title role on September 9, 2014, thus making history as the first African-American Cinderella on Broadway. Actors Equity honored CINDERELLA with their award "Extraordinary Excellence in Diversity on Broadway" in 2013.

The season finale of the Emmy nominated series 'Oprah's Master Class' with multiple award-winning living legend Cicely Tyson airs tonight, August 3 at 10:00pm ET/PT on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network. Check out a sneak peek below!

Today we are celebrating the lineage of Stephen Sondheim and James Lapine's family-friendly fairy tale musical INTO THE WOODS now that we have gotten our very first glimpse of the new big screen edition starring Meryl Streep and Johnny Depp late this week via an attention-grabbing new teaser trailer and production photos.

The season finale of the Emmy nominated series "Oprah's Master Class" with multiple award-winning living legend Cicely Tyson airs Sunday, August 3 at 10:00pm ET/PT on OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network.