The Act is a musical with a book by George Furth, lyrics by Fred Ebb, and music by John Kander.
It was written to showcase the talents of Kander and Ebb favorite Liza Minnelli, who portrayed Michelle Craig, a fading film star attempting a comeback as a Las Vegas singer. The musical premiered on Broadway in 1977.
Annie, that spunky, optimistic and determined orphan who first appeared in the 'funny papers' of the nation's newspapers in 1924 - only to become one of the most beloved musical theater heroines ever to express her hope for 'Tomorrow' in song on Broadway - returns to that magical levitating stage of Chaffin's Barn Dinner Theatre in a colorful and sprightly new revival helmed by the multi-talented Martha Wilkinson.
On Wednesday July 6 Kritzerland at the Gardenia presented a salute to the lesser known music of Kander and Ebb - The Kander and Ebb Album - two of the most prolific composers of the 20th century. Think Chicago or Cabaret, and you need go no further. These two wildly popular shows still receive international mountings and provide us with some of the greatest Broadway pop tunes ever. Ahead of their time, Kander and Ebb produced shows with a substantially dark and biting edge not found in other composers' music and lyrics. Bruce Kimmel, whose Kritzerland recording company continues to enjoy enormous success worldwide, again served as narrator of the evening telling short, funny anecdotes about his encounters with John Kander and also detailing Kander and Ebb's failures as well as successes. Liza Minnelli's Broadway career soared because of K & E - it started with Flora the Red Menace in the 60s and continued through the next couple of decades with hits and flops such as The Rink and 1977's The Act, which began in LA as Shine It On. K & E certainly didn't fare too badly either with Liza's name on their bill. Think of what she did for the movie Cabaret with her Academy Award winning turn as Sally. However, such was not the case with their film New York, New York which received some pretty scathing reviews in the late 70s; the pair were none too pleased that a small musical The First Nudie Musical (Bruce Kimmel)fared far better than their multi-billion dollar disaster. It's always such fun for theatre lovers to hear about the down side of the business, and particularly via Kimmel's straight-forward, droll take on it.
On sale to State Theatre Members Tues, Aug 2 (Box Office window at 453 Northampton Street opens at 6 AM; Online Ticketing and Phone lines open at Noon). Tickets will go on sale to the Public August 16 at 10 AM.
Liza. Four letters say all you need to know about Broadway. She is Broadway, after all, and in many ways the ultimate Broadway icon, just as her mother Judy Garland was the ultimate Hollywood icon. No one in their prime was better. Just recently in Tony Awards history, Miss Minnelli proved she could rock the socks off of the entire world with her magnificent performance of "And The World Goes Round" - the capper of the 2009 Tony Awards opening number, perhaps the biggest of all time. Today, we take a look at Liza at the Tony Awards - and, considering today is Tony's Eve, the timing is just right. How else does a real Broadway baby spend a Saturday night - all alone in your room (or not) - than with Miss Minnelli?
Hit making group and Soul Train Hall of Fame members The Pointer Sisters are set to perform their greatest hits of the 70s and 80s at The Orleans Showroom, July 16 and 17, each evening at 8 p.m.
The New Museum is pleased to announce that Alice Waters, chef, author, activist, philanthropist, proprietor of Chez Panisse Restaurant and Café in Berkeley, CA, and internationally admired pioneer of the sustainable food movement, will give the third annual Stuart Regen Visionaries lecture on the evening of May 23, at 7 p.m. in the New Museum Theater.
Nashville's Artist's Cooperative Theater 1 - ACT 1 - today announces its 22nd Season. The upcoming Season will offer audiences modern classics, a musical, a play about singing, and a rarely produced classic comedy.
Once upon a time, right here in New York City, storied clubs - swanky hotel supper clubs, zebra-striped celebrity showcases, smoky after-hour boîtes - ruled the night. Places like The Stork Club, Copacabana, Persian Room and Latin Quarter (run by Lou Walters, father of Barbara ) were meccas where songwriters, singers and society mingled and fueled American popular music. Author and Lyrics & LyricistsTM series artistic director Deborah Grace Winer takes the helm as artistic director/writer/host for The Crowd's at El Morocco: The Heyday of the New York Nightclubs, on April 30 and May 1, 2. Joining her are vocalists Debby Boone, La Tanya Hall, James Naughton, Billy Stritch and Karen Ziemba.
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts presents C.I.C.T./Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord's production of Fragments running April 14 to 17 in the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater. Co-directed by Peter Brook and Marie Hélène Estienne, Fragments brings together four short plays by Samuel Beckett including Rough for Theatre I, Rockaby, Act Without Words II, Come and Go, as well as the poem, Neither. Press night will take place on Thursday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m.
Once upon a time, right here in New York City, storied clubs - swanky hotel supper clubs, zebra-striped celebrity showcases, smoky after-hour boîtes - ruled the night. Places like The Stork Club, Copacabana, Persian Room and Latin Quarter (run by Lou Walters, father of Barbara ) were meccas where songwriters, singers and society mingled and fueled American popular music. Author and Lyrics & LyricistsTM series artistic director Deborah Grace Winer takes the helm as artistic director/writer/host for The Crowd's at El Morocco: The Heyday of the New York Nightclubs, on April 30 and May 1, 2. Joining her are vocalists Debby Boone, La Tanya Hall, James Naughton, Billy Stritch and Karen Ziemba.
Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) will present the smash-hit Broadway Musical Urinetown, featuring Broadway star Andrea McArdle, April 14 - 17 & 27 - 30, 2011 in the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre on the Storrs campus.
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts presents C.I.C.T./Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord's production of Fragments running April 14 to 17 in the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater. Co-directed by Peter Brook and Marie Hélène Estienne, Fragments brings together four short plays by Samuel Beckett including Rough for Theatre I, Rockaby, Act Without Words II, Come and Go, as well as the poem, Neither. Press night will take place on Thursday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m.
The New Museum is pleased to announce that Alice Waters, chef, author, activist, philanthropist, proprietor of Chez Panisse Restaurant and Café in Berkeley, CA, and internationally admired pioneer of the sustainable food movement, will give the third annual Stuart Regen Visionaries lecture on the evening of May 23, at 7 p.m. in the New Museum Theater.
American Ballet Theatre will premiere an all-new production of the Igor Stravinsky classic The Firebird, with original choreography by Alexei Ratmansky, on March 29, 2012 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California, it was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.
Connecticut Repertory Theatre (CRT) will present the smash-hit Broadway Musical Urinetown, featuring Broadway star Andrea McArdle, April 14 - 17 & 27 - 30, 2011 in the Harriet S. Jorgensen Theatre on the Storrs campus.
The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts presents C.I.C.T./Théâtre des Bouffes du Nord's production of Fragments running April 14 to 17 in the Kennedy Center Eisenhower Theater. Co-directed by Peter Brook and Marie Hélène Estienne, Fragments brings together four short plays by Samuel Beckett including Rough for Theatre I, Rockaby, Act Without Words II, Come and Go, as well as the poem, Neither. Press night will take place on Thursday, April 14 at 7:30 p.m.
American Ballet Theatre will premiere an all-new production of the Igor Stravinsky classic The Firebird, with original choreography by Alexei Ratmansky, on March 29, 2012 at Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, California, it was announced today by Artistic Director Kevin McKenzie.
American Stage Theatre Company's Susan R. Hough Cabaret, "After Hours" series and Hot Off the Press play reading series in the Raymond James Theatre continue with eight productions in March, STILL HOT FOR PEGGY LEE; ME, MYSELF AND I…MUSICAL MEMOIRS; 321; I AM A CUBAN SANDWICH; PRIVATE PROCEEDING; PATRICK MCINNIS COMEDY HYPNOSIS EXPERIENCE; ARETHA FRANKLIN BIRTHDAY BASH and THE VAGINA MONOLOGUES.
Rochelle Slovin, Director of Museum of the Moving Image, today announced the complete schedule for the screenings and programs that will celebrate the grand re-opening of America's only museum dedicated to film, television, and digital media.
HBO rings in the New Year from Las Vegas next month when BETTE MIDLER: THE SHOWGIRL MUST GO ON features the entertainment icon in a musical extravaganza chock-full of the colorful entertainment that is the hallmark of the 'people's diva.' The 70-minute special, Midler's first on the network since 1997, debuts FRIDAY, DEC. 31 (9:00-10:10 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.
Rochelle Slovin, Director of Museum of the Moving Image, today announced the complete schedule for the screenings and programs that will celebrate the grand re-opening of America's only museum dedicated to film, television, and digital media.
HBO rings in the New Year from Las Vegas when Bette Midler: THE SHOWGIRL MUST GO ON features the entertainment icon in a musical extravaganza chock-full of the colorful entertainment that is the hallmark of the 'people's diva.' The 70-minute special, Midler's first on the network since 1997, debuts FRIDAY, DEC. 31 (9:00-10:10 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.
Count Dracula, the world's most famous vampire, returns to the New York stage in DRACULA by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston, based on the eponymous novel by Bram Stoker is set to begin previews December 14, prior to its official press opening January 5 at the Little Shubert Theatre (442 West 42nd Street). Paul Alexander to direct. BroadwayWorld.com got an exclusive first peak at the show's set while the cast is in rehearsal at the theatre!
Count Dracula, the world's most famous vampire, returns to the New York stage in DRACULA by Hamilton Deane and John L. Balderston, based on the eponymous novel by Bram Stoker is set to begin previews December 14, prior to its official press opening January 5 at the Little Shubert Theatre (442 West 42nd Street). Paul Alexander to direct. BroadwayWorld.com got an exclusive first peak at the cast in rehearsal at the theatre!
HBO rings in the New Year from Las Vegas next month when BETTE MIDLER: THE SHOWGIRL MUST GO ON features the entertainment icon in a musical extravaganza chock-full of the colorful entertainment that is the hallmark of the 'people's diva.' The 70-minute special, Midler's first on the network since 1997, debuts FRIDAY, DEC. 31 (9:00-10:10 p.m. ET/PT), exclusively on HBO.
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