William Blake News

Jim Caruso's Cast Party packed Birdland with a huge variety of talent on Monday night. The weekly open mic, recently called 'the best party in the universe' by the Australian Cabaret Confidential, was the place for Broadway folk like Amra-Faye Wright (currently starring as Velma in Chicago), supperclub star Clint Holmes (in rehearsal for his upcoming Café Carlyle run), country legend Larry Gatlin, jazz superstars Jane Monheit, Natalie Douglas and Sachal Vasandani, publicist and birthday boy Richard Hillman, 'Broadway Beat' host Richie Ridge, musical director/pianist Ron Abel, cabaret folks like Scott Coulter and Carole J. Bufford (this Monday's11 O'Clock Numbers revue at Birdland), and regulars Allana Adderly, Daniel Kirkley, Matthew Falber, William Blake, and LA diva Valarie Pettiford!

Calliope Theatre Company will present the world premiere of Children of the Future Age, a new play with music. Set in an abandoned building, the play follows three runaways as they compete to usher the second coming of the poet William Blake through vision and songs.

Composer/lyricist Scott Evan Davis will appear with special guests for one show only at Don't Tell Mama on March 14 at 8pm. Davis will present the music from his recently released debut recording - Cautiously Optimistic: The Music of Scott Evan Davis (Sonic Landscapes Music). In addition to all the music from his recording, Davis will introduce the opening number from an original, commissioned musical he's writing for PS 94's autistic children's program. The song is titled "If the World Only Knew."

The Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs (MAC) has announced the nominees for the 26th Annual MAC Awards. The winners will be announced live at the MAC Awards Show on Thursday, March 29th, at the world-famous B.B. King Blues Club & Grill.

Composer/lyricist Scott Evan Davis will appear with special guests for one show only at Don't Tell Mama on March 14 at 8pm. Davis will present the music from his recently released debut recording - Cautiously Optimistic: The Music of Scott Evan Davis (Sonic Landscapes Music). In addition to all the music from his recording, Davis will introduce the opening number from an original, commissioned musical he's writing for PS 94's autistic children's program. The song is titled "If the World Only Knew."

Park Avenue Armory has announced an additional concert in the line-up for its second Tune-In Music Festival, featuring four artists whose critical thinking and output have influenced and been influenced by Philip Glass and whose eclectic offerings represent a wide range of musical styles and genres. The Armory's Tune-In Music Festival will be held February 23-26, 2012, featuring and co-curated by the iconic composer Philip Glass on the occasion of his 75th birthday. The Armory's soaring 55,000-square-foot Wade Thompson Drill Hall, with its cathedral-like acoustics and informal character, will set the scene for a concert environment that is at once both immersive and intimate, erasing the confines and eliminating the formalities of traditional concert halls.

Calliope Theatre Company will present the world premiere of Children of the Future Age, a new play with music. Set in an abandoned building, the play follows three runaways as they compete to usher the second coming of the poet William Blake through vision and songs.

Park Avenue Armory announced today its second full season of cultural programming, comprising productions of visual art, dance, and music that are conceived and performed "outside the box" of conventional theaters and museums.

Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook returns to the elegant Allen Room in January for its fourteenth season celebrating the diversity of American popular song. Closing out Week One of the series was composer William Finn (Falsettos, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), along with guest vocalists, performing a song cycle inspired by the poetry of William Blake. BroadwayWorld was there for the concert, and we bring you full photo coverage from the event below!

TV: Lin-Manuel Miranda & Mandy Gonzalez Perform 'Empire State Of Mind' at AMERICAN SONGBOOK! Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook has returned to the Allen Room for its fourteenth season celebrating the diversity of American popular song. For 16 nights the series is exploring the best of the golden age of musical standards through to today's most dynamic songwriting. The series kicked off last night, January 11, with a concert by Lin-Manuel Miranda. The evening opened with a surprise appearance by his In The Heights co-star, Mandy Gonzalez, for a remix of Jay-Z and Alicia Keys' Gotham anthem, 'Empire State of Mind'.

Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook returns to the elegant Allen Room in January for its fourteenth season celebrating the diversity of American popular song. For 16 nights the series will explore the best of the golden age of musical standards through to today's most dynamic songwriting. Week One of the 2012 season will start off with a relatively new composer on the scene, multiple Tony-winning Lin-Manuel Miranda (In the Heights) who will be bringing his new rap composition about American historical figure Alexander Hamilton called The Hamilton Mixtape. Next up is the just-nominated-for-a-Grammy Award duo Chris Thile and Michael Daves, who play a dazzling, modern form of bluegrass that nonetheless references legendary bluegrass artists from the past. From the rock canon will be J.D. Souther, performing songs he wrote for Linda Ronstadt and the Eagles as well as newer compositions. To close out Week One, composer William Finn (Falsettos, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee), along with guest vocalists, will be performing a song cycle inspired by the poetry of William Blake.

Birdland (315 West 44th Street - between 8th & 9th Avenues) is set to present The Birdland Jazz Party with The Birdland Jazz Quartet featuring guest vocalist William Blake on Sunday December 4th at 6pm.

Park Avenue Armory has announced an additional concert in the line-up for its second Tune-In Music Festival, featuring four artists whose critical thinking and output have influenced and been influenced by Philip Glass and whose eclectic offerings represent a wide range of musical styles and genres. The Armory's Tune-In Music Festival will be held February 23-26, 2012, featuring and co-curated by the iconic composer Philip Glass on the occasion of his 75th birthday. The Armory's soaring 55,000-square-foot Wade Thompson Drill Hall, with its cathedral-like acoustics and informal character, will set the scene for a concert environment that is at once both immersive and intimate, erasing the confines and eliminating the formalities of traditional concert halls.

METROPOLITAN MUSEUM has announced CONCERTS for DECEMBER 2011 including Patti Smith and Friends , New York Philharmonic's CONTACT!, Homayun Sakhi, and Afghan Rubab Virtuoso. Metropolitan Museum Artists in Concert Begins Its Ninth Season. Judy Collins, Paul Winter, Anonymous 4, Vienna Boys Choir, Ebony Ecumenical Ensemble, and More Perform Christmas Concerts.

METROPOLITAN MUSEUM has announced CONCERTS for DECEMBER 2011 including Patti Smith and Friends , New York Philharmonic's CONTACT!, Homayun Sakhi, and Afghan Rubab Virtuoso. Metropolitan Museum Artists in Concert Begins Its Ninth Season. Judy Collins, Paul Winter, Anonymous 4, Vienna Boys Choir, Ebony Ecumenical Ensemble, and More Perform Christmas Concerts.

Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook returns to the elegant Allen Room in January for its fourteenth season celebrating the diversity of American popular song. For 16 nights the series will explore the best of the golden age of musical standards through to today's most dynamic songwriting. The music of Broadway, Latin culture and hip-hop, bluegrass, rock, and pop will be presented, along with three evenings devoted to great American composers and lyricists. The 2012 season - January 11 through February 11 - will bring to the stage some of today's most gifted interpreters of song, including Tony Award winners Laura Benanti, Michael Cerveris, and LaChanze, as well as the 'Queen of British Musicals,' the great Elaine Paige.

The Broadway at Birdland concert series is set to present 'Cautiously Optimistic: The Songs of Scott Evan Davis,' on Monday, October 31 at 7pm. Singer LIZ CALLAWAY has been added to the cast of talented theater performers.