David Clarke - Page 21

Last December, Texas treasure Holland Vavra made her 54 Below debut in Cuz We're F#cking Talented, a concert where a handful of artists showed off their skills. Last night, she made a special trip from Houston to premiere her tribute to Frank Sinatra, Holland at the Sands: My Blue Eyed Sinatra. With her own brand of lovable, quirky humor and her golden instrument, Vavra made her solo cabaret debut a delightful spectacle.

Recently, Migguel Anggelo returned to Joe's Pub in New York City with an encore performance of his latest concert, I, Inmigrante. Like his pervious concert, Between Dreams / Entre Sueños, the set featured music from both of Anggelo's solo albums, his electrifying energy, his brilliant vocal range, and his unique artistry. Anggelo's latest cabaret is a dynamic treat sewn together with palpable heart and rib-tickling humor.

It's summer, which means its time to turn the radios up, dance in the streets, soak up the sun, and enjoy life's journey. That's exactly what New Yorker by way of Ohio Aiden Leslie is doing. With his music climbing the charts, I recently sat down with the popular pop vocalist to chat about his music and LGBTQ advocacy. Aiden Leslie will have a busy NYC Pride Week, and plans to be spreading his dance inducing beats all summer long.

Summer in New York City is always a great time to brush up on your Shakespeare. It seems there is always some novel way to (re)experience the works of William Shakespeare. Fitting into this idea, Alex Ates and Patrick Greeley's THE SHAKESPEAREAN JAZZ SHOW is a triumphant tour de force that pristinely blends Shakespeare's poetry with a catchy New Orleans jazz beat.

After a four year run in Los Angeles, Brad T. Gottfred's hit comedy WOMEN ARE CRAZY BECAUSE MEN ARE A**HOLES is running Off-Broadway at New York City's Cherry Lane Theatre. The outlandish comedy is about four couples coming together for a brunch to celebrate the minting of a new couple. With a premise ripe for a fun-filled romantic comedy, it's a shame that the play is such a staggering disappointment.

MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET is a crowd-pleasing favorite of both theater and music fans alike. The vibrant jukebox musical tells the story of the world's most infamous impromptu jam sessions. Filled with toe-tapping hits and tons of heart, I chatted with Gabe Bowling (Carl Perkins) and Bryan Langlitz (Sam Phillips) about the spirited musical.

The Toxic Avenger, based on Lloyd Kaufman's character and film by the same name and winner of the Outer Critics Circle Award for Best Off-Broadway Musical, returned to New York City on Monday night for a special one-night-only concert reunion at 54 Below. Following a critically acclaimed run at The Alley Theatre in Houston, TX, the quirky musical about a New Jersey based radioactive mutant superhero may have its sights set on Broadway.

It's that time of year, and I can't help but wonder if your CD collection and iPod are Tonys ready. It's just a handful of hours until the 69th annual Tony Awards, which will be broadcast live on Sunday, June 7, 2015 at 8/7c on CBS. This Broadway season has some exciting contenders in the musical categories, and to get you ready for the big night, I'm recapping the albums you should be listening to (or at least pre-ordering).

Last week, Betty Buckley returned to Joe's Pub to debut her newest cabaret concert DARK BLUE-EYED BLUES. Thrilled to have been recognized as a chanteuse in recent reviews, Buckley programmed the evening to be the "musings of a chanteuse," packing the set with standards and contemporary hits. The Broadway legend performed with tangible vivacity and charm, making this intimate evening a joy to experience.

June is just around the corner. In New York, this means that spring is melting into summer and that New York City's annual celebration and remembrance of the original Stonewall riots is here. While the official NYC Pride website only lists a week's worth of activities late in June, denizens of the city are aware of festivities spanning the whole month. One of the most popular is the annual, star-studded NIGHT OF A THOUSAND JUDYS fundraising concert.

Back by popular demand, March's SIDE SHOW: ADDED ATTRACTIONS concert returned to 54 Below this week. Packing in two more performances, the Monday evening show celebrated the short lived Broadway run of the revival of Side Show, the March concert, and the upcoming release of Broadway Records' SIDE SHOW: ADDED ATTRACTIONS - Live at 54 Below.

On April 6, 2015, Broadway Records invited me inside New York City's Avatar Studios to get a sneek peek at the recording of JOHN & JEN (2015 Off-Broadway Cast Recording). The Keen Company production of Andrew Lippa and Tom Greenwald's JOHN & JEN starred Kate Baldwin and Conor Ryan.

Spend a two-show day at Theater Under the Stars' THE MUSIC MAN with Charles Swan, who plays Oliver Hix. Join him for a tour of the show's backstage world.

In December of 2013, stage veterans Gabe Bowling and Michelle Vezilj released their first EP as Drink Me Up. Pulling from the traditions of singer-songwriters and indie rock, the duo's eponymous debut release quickly became an album I couldn't get enough of. Today, Drink Me Up is releasing a video for the catchy song "Karma," and the sexy single still packs a fabulous punch.

James Snyder got this week off to a great start when he brought James Snyder: Prince Charming to Birdland as part of the venue's ongoing Broadway at Birdland concert series. Existing partly as a way to promote the upcoming production of Ever After at Paper Mill Playhouse, this intimate cabaret concert was really just a great excuse to get to hear one of Broadway's favorite leading men sing a collection of songs.

No stranger to stages around the world, internationally acclaimed singer Josh Groban released his lush album STAGES late last month. The album is a sparkling collection of some of musical theater's greatest songs, giving fans of Broadway and fans of Josh Groban many reasons to rejoice. Josh Groban was drawn to these songs because of their arrangements, melodies, and the stories they tell, and across the disc his passion for these songs shows.

Yes, interactive Off-Broadway shows are a thing, and they can be really entertaining. The latest offering in the genre is THAT BACHLORETTE SHOW, which is a flirtatiously fun 90 minute dance party from the creator of THE AWESOME 80S PROM. More party than theatre, this frivolous concoction packs in the laughs and keeps the beats coming. You'll have a blast dancing the night away with Adrianna Orlando and her stable of aspiring beaus.

To celebrate the release of his debut solo album ALL THAT'S AHEAD, Brian Gallagher performed an intimate set in Birdland's ongoing Broadway at Birdland concert series on Monday, April 27. Joined by Megan Hilty, he and his robustly talented band brought music from the album to dazzling life. With exuberance and a down-to-earth, geeky charm, Gallagher truly rocked the packed-to-capacity audience.

For actors looking for work in New York City and for audiences looking to see some of Broadway's biggest hits in an intimate venue at extremely affordable prices, Brooklyn's Gallery Players consistently provides those opportunities. This past weekend they opened a production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice's hit musical EVITA. Unfortunately, Gallery Player's serving of EVITA arrives overdone.

Long after the Waldos coined the term '420,' composer Dan Studney, lyricist Kevin Murphy, and actor/producer Christian Campbell decided that it was time to test the waters in New York City for the return of the hit cult musical REEFER MADNESS. Lighting up at 54 Below, they wanted to see just how high the 17-year-old material gets modern audiences while also celebrating the 10th anniversary of the film adaptation of the show.