Al Green News

Stew and Heidi Rodewald of the band The Negro Problem and the songwriter team who created the Tony, Drama Desk and Obie-winning musical Passing Strange are hitting the road with a new act called Staged Dives, which they're previewing at the Ancram Opera House in Columbia County, New York June 28 and 29 before bringing it to Joe's Pub in August. They talked with Dan Dwyer of Off Script about the new show and their twenty-year collaboration.

The classic story of an innocent man wrongly, but deliberately sent to his demise and his brilliant strategy for revenge against those who betrayed him. Dashing young mobster Edward is a guileless and honest young man whose plans to marry the beautiful Mercedes and live a better life are abruptly shattered when his best friend who wants Mercedes for himself, deceives him. Told through a Chicago 1920s lens this dance adaptation brings to life the tale of The Count Of Monte Cristo.

Brothers Patrick and Gregory Kane are marking three decades since the release of the classic live album by hitting the road with some very special stripped back shows, including one at Pyramid Arts Centre on Friday 18 October.

On Sunday night, the Tony Awards honored legendary orchestrator and arranger Harold Wheeler with one of three 2019 Lifetime Achievement Awards. Wheeler is currently represented on Broadway with AIN'T TOO PROUD - THE LIFE AND TIMES OF THE TEMPTATIONS. Watch Howard Wheeler accept the 2019 Lifetime Achievement Award here.

THE TORONTO FRINGE FESTIVAL returns this summer with an extensive line-up of productions by award-winning artists, the popular POSTSCRIPT pop-up patio, and for the first time, will venture to the East End with 16 shows presented at main venue Streetcar Crowsnest. The TORONTO FRINGE takes place July 3 July 14, 2019 with 151 shows at 46 venues presented across the city, and all venues are fully accessible.

Playing with Fire Productions in association with The Toronto Fringe Festival presents Sketchy Adventures in the Enchanted Forest comes to the Al Green Theatre, 750 Spadina Avenue (Spadina and Bloor).

New York-based Soul artist, Isaiah Jamel, is pleased to announce the upcoming release of his anticipated record, Transparency Part 2: United, out August 18th, 2019. Following the success of Transparency Part 1, where Jamel depicted his own truths, the album extends to unite everyone in their quest for honesty and authenticity. Working alongside Grammy-winning producer Charles 'Chally Mikes' Haynes and world-renowned Engineer Jon Lammi, Isaiah Jamel brings together hope, pain, confusion, questioning and happiness into one record. Transparency Part 2: Unitedis also the first record to be presented through his multi-media umbrella company, TunedForward.

Good Noise Vancouver Gospel Choir (Good Noise) presents what promises to be the blockbuster concert of the season with, The Return of Soul Gospel, May 25 at 3pm and 8pm at Christ Church Cathedral. Following two previous Soul Gospel concerts, Good Noise will be joined by award- winning gospel singers Dawn Pemberton and Warren Dean Flandez in an exuberant celebration of gospel music filled with high energy praise songs that will have audiences raising the roof with pure joy and adoration.

Renowned maestros and superstar vocalists will deliver unforgettable performances spanning the classical music canon and the Great American Songbook during New Jersey Performing Arts Center's 2019-2020 Classical Series and American Song Series. 

Next week, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond.

Renowned maestros and superstar vocalists will deliver unforgettable performances spanning the classical music canon and the Great American Songbook during New Jersey Performing Arts Center's 2019-2020 Classical Series and American Song Series.

Good Noise Vancouver Gospel Choir (Good Noise) presents what promises to be the blockbuster concert of the season with, The Return of Soul Gospel, May 25 at 3pm and 8pm at Christ Church Cathedral. Following two previous Soul Gospel concerts, Good Noise will be joined by award-winning gospel singers Dawn Pemberton and Warren Dean Flandez in an exuberant celebration of gospel music filled with high energy praise songs that will have audiences raising the roof with pure joy and adoration.

FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents A Decade of Soul. A classic Soul & Motown Tribute Revue on Wednesday May 15th. A Decade of Soul takes you back in time down memory lane to the decade of 1964 to 1973, performing classic platinum hits from not only the Motown label, but from every record label & genre of classic soul music.

Next month, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond.

According to the New York Times, actress Rosemary Harris, musician Harold Wheeler and playwright Terrence McNally will all be honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards at the 2019 Tonys.

The International Festival of Arts & Ideas today announced complete details for Festival 2019, which opens on June 8 and continues for two weeks through June 22 in New Haven, Connecticut.

Live For Live Music's The Funk Sessions is headed to New Orleans! The monthly residency, which typically takes place at Cervantes' Other Side in Denver, CO, will make its way to Frenchmen Street for a special edition of the event during the daze between Jazz Fest weekends. This version of The Funk Sessions will feature members of Turkuaz, Dumpstaphunk, The Motet, Thievery Corporation, and Electric Beethoven, and will take place at The Maison on Tuesday, April 30th. Up-and-coming local favorites The Iceman Special will open up the night.

Dance for Life Chicago announces a lineup of popular companies and artists returning to the stage August 17 at the Auditorium Theatre, 50 E. Ida B. Wells Dr., Chicago. Dance for Life, which mobilizes Chicago's dance community by raising funds through dance, presents this annual benefit performance, which this year is followed by a gala reception at the Hilton Chicago.

Lauded jazz vocalist Dee Dee Bridgewater, accompanied by THE MEMPHIS SOULPHONY, will be bringing her latest show MEMPHIS: YES, I'M READY, based on her latest musical release Memphis: Yes, I'm Ready to The Wallis for one night only March 23, 2019. The most warm and delightful Ms. Bridgewater managed to entertain and enlightened me on the phone for an informative, heartfelt forty-five minutes.

R&B/soul singer-songwriter Allen Stone has released a new single and accompanying lyric video today for his song 'Naturally' via ATO Records. Written with the impending birth of his first child in mind and galvanized by his overwhelming love for his new wife, Stone explains, 'The inspiration behind releasing this song comes from having my first child. In this journey that is about to commence we are choosing not to find out the sex of the child until the day of. Whichever bits this kiddo comes out with, we want he or she to arrive into a world where women are celebrated. Judged not by their physical attributes but rather the fiber of their traits. I hope the world of the future nourishes and cherishes all women.”