Whitney Houston News

Starting rehearsals at The 5th Avenue Theatre this week is the critically-acclaimed Broadway musical, A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN.

Today, three of the folks most closely associated with the production - director Moore is joined by cast members Sarah Shepherd and Maggie Pitt - fall under our Friday 5 spotlight, allowing us to get to know more about what makes them tick and why each of them believe audiences should flock to Darkhorse Theatre to see their racy rendition of Aristophanes' Lysistrata.

This April, the BROADWAY SINGS concert series will present its 11th show with Broadway Sings Whitney Houston. A cast of 15 Broadway stars will sing completely new arrangements of the legendary diva's greatest hits, accompanied by a 14-piece orchestra playing original orchestrations. Previous artists honored in the series include Adele, Michael Jackson, Beyonce, Sara Bareilles, and Billy Joel.

Bay Area author and poetess Joy Elan has resided all of her life in Oakland and Berkeley, CA. In her younger years-after having earned undergraduate and graduate degrees from U.C. Berkeley and Stanford University-she was an avid keeper of personal journals. After later publishing three well-received books of poetry, Elan began referring back to diaries that she recorded as long as ten years ago. She decided to share her personal life, dreams and life's lessons in a new biographical novel titled 'Life Is A Canvas.' Elan commented, 'Writing this book involved me going back in time and recreating some things that occurred in my life during 2005 and 2006.'

Kevin Smith Kirkwood, who is now appearing on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning musical Kinky Boots, is bringing CLASSIC WHITNEY: ALIVE! back to New York by popular demand. Hot on the heels of its sold-out debut at Joe's Pub last year, Kirkwood will once again channel the voice, look and spirit of the late legend Whitney Houston at The Cutting Room on Wednesday, March 2 at 7:30 PM. In honor of the upcoming performance, Kevin took a moment to reflect on five Whitney performances that he finds have helped inspire him and his performance for the show. BroadwayWorld brings you his selections, from classics to medleys, below! 

Flashback Friday! The Board of the Gay and Lesbian Entertainment Critics Association, which is comprised of over 140 film and TV journalists and/or critics nationwide, had fun last February picking its choices for the very best (or at least dishiest) movies through the years that have somehow included the Academy Awards ® in their storylines (note: GALECA is not affiliated with the Academy of Motion Pictures, Arts and Sciences). Let's revisit GALECA's Top 10 Movies That Costar Oscar ®, ranked from 1 to 10 below, shall we? 

A brand new season of West End musicals, gripping dramas, dynamic dance and one night concerts with RICHARD FLEESHMAN, MAXWELL CAULFIELD, JOE MCELDERRY, LISA RILEY, DOREEN TIPTON, JOE LYCETT, AISLING BEA, NISH KUMAR, GEORGE McCRAE, RAYMOND FROGGATT, JUSTIN HAYWARD, THE STYLISTICS, JIMMY OSMOND, CHRIS PACKHAM and TONY CHRISTIE.

On March 18, Deep Well Records/Virgin Records will release THE PASSION: New Orleans, the soundtrack for FOX's two-hour inspirational television music event airing LIVE from New Orlean

Didn't have time to check in on your favorite Broadway stars? Well don't worry BroadwayWorld has rounded up some of the biggest stories from this week from Broadway and beyond with BroadwayWorld's 'This Week in Pictures.'

KEVIN SMITH KIRKWOOD - now appearing on Broadway in the Tony Award-winning musical Kinky Boots - is bringing CLASSIC WHITNEY: ALIVE! back to New York by popular demand.

This past Monday, the BROADWAY SINGS concert series presented its 10th show withBroadway Sings Billy Joel. A cast of 20 Broadway stars sang completely new arrangements of the Piano Man's greatest hits. The performers were accompanied by a jazz orchestra playing original orchestrations. Previous artists honored in the series include Adele, Michael Jackson, Beyonce, and Sara Bareilles.

New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) presents an evening with comedian and actor Mike Epps of Survivor's Remorse on STARZ, Hangover 3 and Next Friday Fame slings his sharp observations about life at large in an exclusive appearance with special guests Gary Owen & Cocoa Brown. Friday, March 11, 2016 8:00 PM at Prudential Hall. Get your tickets now at NJPAC.org or 888.GO.NJPAC (888.466.5722)

As part of their 50th Anniversary Season, the critically acclaimed and award-winning Roundabout Theatre Company is proud to present, direct from Broadway, the national tour of SAM MENDES (Skyfall, American Beauty) and ROB MARSHALL's (Into the Woodsand Chicago, the films) Tony Award-winning production of CABARET, playing this weekend, February 23-28 at the Marcus Center for the Performing Arts as part of the Associated Bank Broadway at the Marcus Center and Broadway Across America-Milwaukee series.

WaterTower Theatre Producing Artistic Director Terry Martin today announced details for the second annual WOMEN IN THEATRE series. The event is presented under the auspices of Women of WaterTower Theatre (WOW!) and it is co-chaired by Karol Omlor and Andrea Redmon. This is the second lecture in the series (the first was held last year and featured female directors), and it will be held on Tuesday, March 22, 2016 from 7:00 pm to 8:00 pm (with a post-lecture reception in the lobby with the artists). The event will be held in the Main Space at WaterTower Theatre. The lecture will be moderated by the Dallas Observer's Arts and Culture Editor Lauren Smart, and features Pam Dougherty, Jenny Ledel, Denise Lee, Sarah Elizabeth Smith and Wendy Welch.

As BroadwayWorld reported this afternoon, Paper Mill Playhouse has just revealed its 2016-17 season, featuring four musicals, one play and a highly anticipated US premiere. Following the company's annual picture game inspiring audiences to guess the upcoming season, Paper Mill has followed it up with a second image, this time explaining the first. How many productions did you guess correctly?

Following its annual season guessing game, Paper Mill Playhouse announced today the lineup for its 2016-2017 season, featuring four musicals, one play and a highly anticipated US premiere. Season subscriptions are on sale now and are available by calling 973-315-3717 or by visiting the theater's website at www.PaperMill.org.

Terri Hatcher D'Onofrio and Diana Rogers shine in this love letter to country music's finest singer.

David Mirvish has announced today the 14 shows in the 2016 - 2017 Mirvish Theatre Season. There will be seven shows in the Mainstage Subscription Series, three in the Off-Mirvish Subscription Series, and four bonus shows not on subscription.

Arena Stage just announced an exciting, starry 2016/17 season, which will showcase the theater's mission of American voices and artists.

Broadway In Chicago has announced its next season line-up: the Broadway musical HAMILTON, the North American tour premiere of Disney's ALADDIN, 2014 Tony Award-Winning Best Revival of a Musical HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, the 2015 Tony Award-Winning Best Play THE CURIOUS INCIDENT OF THE DOG IN THE NIGHT-TIME and THE BODYGUARD.