Alicia Keys News

The Brooklyn Youth Chorus Academy (BYCA) board of directors is pleased to announce the appointment of its new Executive Director, Valerie G. Lewis. Ms. Lewis brings extensive and multi-faceted experience in leadership and marketing to BYCA, which provides performance-based music education to a diverse student body of 285 students and which supports the celebrated Brooklyn Youth Chorus (BYC), one of the foremost children's choruses in America.

Fresh from the January 2009 inaugural working-visit to South Africa, the new not-for-profit Broadway in South Africa announces its Second Annual Benefit Concert. This star-studded evening will feature a guest performance by South African hit recording artist and producer Sipho 'Hotstix' Mabuse. Like the first, this concert will also feature world-premiere songs created by Broadway and New York composers, like Jeff Bowen, performed by Broadway stars like Shoshana Bean and Eden Espinosa. Through the support of honorary chairs and board members, like award-winning singer-songwriter-actress Deborah Cox, this benefit concert will raise awareness of and celebrate the work Broadway in South Africa does to provide artistic and educational opportunities for underprivileged youth. The concert will take place on Monday, October 5, 2009, at 7:30 p.m. at Peter Norton Symphony Space, located at 2537 Broadway at 95th Street. VIP guests will enjoy pre- and post-concert events.

Performing one of her latest singles, award-winning singer-songwriter and Broadway veteran Deborah Cox will take the stage alongside Broadway's brightest stars, who will perform original new works created by leading composers in a spectacular concert to benefit a new non-profit, Broadway in South Africa on Monday, October 5th at 7:30pm at Peter Norton Symphony Space.

Fresh from the January 2009 inaugural working-visit to South Africa, the new not-for-profit Broadway in South Africa announces its Second Annual Benefit Concert. This star-studded evening will feature a guest performance by South African hit recording artist and producer Sipho 'Hotstix' Mabuse. Like the first, this concert will also feature world-premiere songs created by Broadway and New York composers, like Jeff Bowen, performed by Broadway stars like Shoshana Bean and Eden Espinosa. Through the support of honorary chairs and board members, like award-winning singer-songwriter-actress Deborah Cox, this benefit concert will raise awareness of and celebrate the work Broadway in South Africa does to provide artistic and educational opportunities for underprivileged youth. The concert will take place on Monday, October 5, 2009, at 7:30 p.m. at Peter Norton Symphony Space, located at 2537 Broadway at 95th Street. VIP guests will enjoy pre- and post-concert events.

Due to popular demand, the following shows have added additional performances: F#@KING UP EVERYTHING - Sat, Oct 17 at 11pm SING, BUT DON'T TELL - Sun, Oct 18 at 3pm

Performing one of her latest singles, award-winning singer-songwriter and Broadway veteran Deborah Cox will take the stage alongside Broadway's brightest stars, who will perform original new works created by leading composers in a spectacular concert to benefit a new non-profit, Broadway in South Africa on Monday, October 5th at 7:30pm at Peter Norton Symphony Space.

Inspired by the hit TV show, GLEE, the NFT Performing Arts Academy announces the new Youth Ensemble Show Choir! This singing and dancing based program will rehearse and perform this fall at Pheasant Run Resort (4051 E. Main St., St. Charles, IL; admin telephone 630-443-0438).

Due to popular demand, the following shows have added additional performances: Encore: Friday, October 2nd at 5pm Fat Camp: Friday, October 2nd at 4pm

MTV turned New York City inside out for the '2009 Video Music Awards' as the network celebrated a legend and brought together the biggest names in music, TV, film and sports. Live from Radio City Music Hall, VMA icon Madonna opened the show and introduced the emotional and heartfelt tribute to Michael Jackson. Janet Jackson was joined onstage by the most renowned choreographers in the world and Michael's tour dancers, all of whom were influenced by the 'King of Pop,' for a memorable and high energy performance. To honor her brother and his illustrious career, the dancers recreated some of his most memorable music videos including 'Thriller,' 'Bad,' 'Smooth Criminal' and 'Scream.' The celebration received a standing ovation and set the tone for the most important evening in music and pop culture.

In the glory days of the movie musical, folks joked that MGM stood for 'Makes Great Musicals' and it boasted more stars than in the heavens.

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) today announced the complete schedule for the 2009 Festival, which will begin September 28th and continue through October 18th. A full breakdown of this year's performances and venues follows.

Fresh from the January 2009 inaugural working-visit to South Africa, the new not-for-profit Broadway in South Africa announces its Second Annual Benefit Concert. This star-studded evening will feature a guest performance by South African hit recording artist and producer Sipho 'Hotstix' Mabuse. Like the first, this concert will also feature world-premiere songs created by Broadway and New York composers, like Jeff Bowen, performed by Broadway stars like Shoshana Bean and Eden Espinosa. Through the support of honorary chairs and board members, like award-winning singer-songwriter-actress Deborah Cox, this benefit concert will raise awareness of and celebrate the work Broadway in South Africa does to provide artistic and educational opportunities for underprivileged youth. The concert will take place on Monday, October 5, 2009, at 7:30 p.m. at Peter Norton Symphony Space, located at 2537 Broadway at 95th Street. VIP guests will enjoy pre- and post-concert events.

Hollywood favorites, and theatre's newest stars, Anne Hathaway and Daniel Craig have been included on Vanity Fair's 2009 International Best-Dressed List.

46664 and the Nelson Mandela Foundation today announced that Stevie Wonder, Alicia Keys, Will.i.am, T-Pain, Gloria Gaynor, Jesse Clegg and Whoopi Goldberg will join the lineup of artists performing at the Mandela Day concert celebration on July 18th, Nelson Mandela's 91st birthday. The concert originally announced for Madison Square Garden will now be held at historic Radio City Music Hall. The additional performers will join Aretha Franklin, Wyclef Jean, Queen Latifah, Dave Stewart, Josh Groban and Jesse McCartney, along with Angelique Kidjo, Baaba Maal, the Soweto Gospel Choir, Yvonne Chaka Chaka, Chris Chameleon, Freshlyground, Emmanuel Jal, Loyiso, Sipho Mabuse, Vusi Mahlasela, Thandiswa Mazwai, Suzanna Owiyo and many more.

SHREK THE MUSICAL star and 2009 Tony Award nominee Brian d'Arcy James helped New Yorkers kick off a massive week-long volunteer effort in honor of Mandela Day, Mr. Mandela's 91st birthday celebration, with a reading of 'Nelson Mandela's Favorite African Folktales' for over 100 children ages 5-9 from the Harlem School of the Arts at Washington Square Park on Monday, July 13th.

The Rock Tenor makes its debut this summer beginning July 8, starring vocalist Rob Evan (Broadway performer and lead singer for the multi-platinum band The Trans-Siberian Orchestra), who conceived the show with director Vincent Marini (former Producing Artistic Director of New Jersey's Lenape Regional Performing Arts Center) officially opens July 15 and closes August 23. The Rock Tenor fuses rock and roll anthems, Broadway classics, opera favorites, country rhythms and classical melodies in a unique performance that showcases these familiar works in a whole new light. The Rock Tenor will be performed at The Wilma Theater, located at 265 South Broad Street. Tickets are $25-$40 and are available at www.therocktenor.com or by phone at (215) 546-7824.

Recording artist and Broadway performer Sasha Allen (Hair) will perform the song 'Huddled Masses' from the upcoming new musical LIBERTY at the reopening of the Statue of Liberty crown, which was closed after the 9/11 attacks, on Saturday, July 4, 2009. The ribbon-cutting ceremony will begin at 9:00 a.m. on NYC's Liberty Island with the performance taking place at 9:40 a.m. The City Lights Youth Theatre will perform 'Huddled Masses' and 'Horizon' on Liberty Island at 11:00 a.m. and 1:30 p.m.

With the success of this year's Academy Award-winning Best Picture, 'Slumdog Millionaire,' Bollywood, the informal term popularly used for the Hindi-language film industry based in Mumbai, India, has become all the rage around the world. And the world of dance has received a second wind as a result.

ARI GOLD: Gay Pride Celebration With Sasha Allen of Broadway's HAIR, Sunday, June 28 at 9:30 PM 'steeped in sticky pop melodies, sing-along hooks, and butt-shakin' funk rhythms...solid radio-ready material!'- Billboard Magazine

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) today announces the 15 musicals that have been invited by NYMF to be presented with the 12 previously announced Next Link Project productions. NYMF will also continue its popular Dance Series with three new works still to be announced. This year's festival will be presented September 28- October 15.