FIDDLER ON THE ROOF Director Norman Jewison Dies at 97
Fiddler on the Roof director Norman Jewison has passed away at 97. He was nominated for an Oscar for directing the 1971 film adaptation of Fiddler on the Roof, starring Topol, Norma Crane, Leonard Frey, Molly Picon, and Paul Mann. Jewison also directed Moonstruck, which won Cher an Academy Award.
Interview: Playwright Jerry Mayer on his Writing Career and New Comedy Jews R 2 Much Fun
Jerry Mayer, a nonagenarian from St. Louis has written and/or produced for many classic TV shows and specials. In 1986, his first play, Almost Perfect, debuted at Santa Monica Playhouse which has led to almost a dozen more - so far! I decided to speak with him about his latest comedy, Jews R 2 Much Fun, at the Santa Monica Playhouse as well as his long-running and extremely successful TV writing career.
Interview: Mary Beth Webber of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF at Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza
The classic 1964 musical Fiddler On the Roof arrives in Thousand Oaks on Thursday, March 9 and prior to opening we had a chat with Mary Beth Webber, who plays the part of Yente in the show. Mary Beth is jubilant and honored to join this amazing cast and crew as she makes her national tour debut. Her favorite roles include M'Lynn (Steel Magnolias), Elsa (The Sound of Music), and Mama Noah (Children of Eden), however, her most important role to date is Mom to her seven daughters.
18 MINUTES OF FAME to Open at Theatre West in December
Theatre West will present 18 Minutes of Fame: A Musical Journey with Barbara Minkus, a show business memoir with songs, written by Susan Morgenstern and Barbara Minkus. The production, starring Barbara Minkus, is directed by Susan Morgenstern and produced by Matt Aaron Krinsky and Diane Baroni.
Remaining Summer Movies Announced at Sarasota Opera House With Additional and Rescheduled Movies
Sarasota Opera announces an added title in its “HD at the Opera House” series with a screening of “Der Rosenkavalier” on Sunday, September 25. This historic Salzburg Festival production stars legendary soprano Elisabeth Schwarzkopf. Sarasota Opera also rescheduled a film of Verdi's Rigoletto to September 11 (from May) with tickets for these “HD at the Opera House” films on sale for $22, and $20 for Sarasota Opera subscribers.
18 MINUTES OF FAME Opens in July at Theatre West
18 Minutes of Fame is subtitled A Musical Journey with Barbara Minkus. You've seen her ---a lot: On stage, on screen and especially on television. Other than the fact that she never became actually famous, she's had what most performers would consider an enviable career. Because she started out as, and remains, an accomplished singer, her show business memoir is a musical one.
Summer Movies at Sarasota Opera House Will Begin in May
Sarasota Opera has announced the lineup for the 2022 summer movie series: HD at the Opera House and Classic Movies at the Opera House. HD at the Opera House featuring filmed performances of opera and ballet from around the world will open on Sunday, May 22nd at 1:30 p.m. with Giuseppe Verdi's Rigoletto from the Royal Opera House, Covent Garden in London, with tickets at $22, and $20 for Sarasota Opera subscribers.
VIDEO: On This Day, July 10- Celebrating Composer Jerry Herman
Herman is known for his work on Broadway classics such as Hello, Dolly!, Mame, La Cage Aux Folles, Dear World, Mack & Mabel, The Grand Tour, Milk & Honey and many more. He has been nominated for five Tony Awards, and won twice, for Hello, Dolly! and La Cage Aux Folles. He received a Lifetime Achievement Tony Award in 2009, and a Kennedy Center Honors in 2010.
TCM Announces Big Screen Classics Series Featuring FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, ANNIE & More!
'Surely, you can't be serious!' In 2020, 14 of movie history's greatest romances, funniest comedies, scariest monsters, boldest visions, ultimate adventures, and most unforgettable dramas will be back in movie theaters across the country as Fathom Events and Turner Classic Movies present the fourth annual, yearlong TCM Big Screen Classics series.
Stage Door Records Launch 'Lost Broadway' Album Series
Following the critically acclaimed 'Lost West End' album series, Stage Door Records present the launch of 'Lost Broadway', a new series of albums that will focus on celebrating Broadway's forgotten and obscure musicals. With each album dedicated to specific years in Broadway history, the 'Lost Broadway' series launches with 'Lost Broadway 1961', a particularly abundant year in the Broadway calendar for musicals whose residencies were short lived but deserve not to be forgotten.
Theater For The New City Announces 24th Annual LOWER EAST SIDE FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS
To celebrate the official kick-off of Summer, Theater for the New City (Crystal Field, EXECUTIVE Artistic Director) will host the 24th Annual LOWER EAST SIDE FESTIVAL OF THE ARTS, a FREE Summer Arts Festivals HOSTED BY Theater for the New City (155 First Ave. at 10th St.). The festival will take place over Memorial Day Weekend, May 24 - 26, 2019 from 6pm - MIDNIGHT and will feature theater, music, art, dance, video, film, aerial arts, poetry, magic and comedy with over 270 performances, OVER 70 GROUPS, over the course of the weekend. For the full list of performers and schedule please, visit www.theaterforthenewcity.net or call 212-254-1109.
BWW Review: Betty Buckley a Glorious Dolly Levi
Some shows I can see again and again, especially those composed by the forever upbeat Jerry Herman. Hello Dolly bowed on Broadway when I was a teenager in the 60s and it had a long run with original star Carol Channing, followed by turns with Ethel Merman, Ginger Rogers, Pearl Bailey, Martha Raye and Molly Picon, to name a few. Every major star wanted to do it because the role offers a female actress the chance to sing, dance and act the hell out of it. It's a big, splashy gut buster about a woman who has more moxy than the Pied Piper and enough wisdom and panache to win over an army or a whole kingdom, for that matter...and, for the audience, it's one of those extra-special feel-good musicals that just doesn't quit... 'It Only Takes a Moment' to fall in live with it.. You leave the theatre actually humming the tunes. The first National Tour of the latest Dolly! at the Hollywood Pantages Theatre through February 17 is just about the best starring thje glorious Betty Buckley..
Podcast: Jackie Hoffman, David Henry Hwang & More Stop By on the Latest Episodes of THE FABULOUS INVALID!
Theater stalwart Jamie Du Mont, Lucille Lortel Award winner Leslie Kritzer, writer and theater critic Rob Russo, and Tony Award nominee Jennifer Simard recently launched their brand-new Broadway-centric podcast, The Fabulous Invalid. The inaugural season will consist of 40 episodes, released weekly between Broadway performances on Wednesday two-show days. Select episodes will be taped from the group's 'usual table' at the famed theater restaurant Orso.
Catch up on some of the latest episodes below!