Allan Sherman News

Ninety percent of the way into her ebullient show last night at Birdland, So, As I Was Saying, Anita Gillette quotes a 1977 review of her performance in Neil Simon's Chapter Two that stated the warmth she exudes could melt glaciers. (The artist wasn't bragging, but was referring to her then difficulty in finding any glaciers, i.e., men to melt.) The description applies today. A packed audience comprised both of devoted civilian fans and theatrical luminaries cheered on the latest iteration of Gillette's dramatized life. Once again directed by Barry Kleinbort with musically directed by Paul Greenwood (who also appealingly sings duets), with Ritt Henn on bass and John Redsecker on drums, the show is as sincere and bubbly as the lady herself.

Christine Lavin, prolific (and dang funny) songwriter and performer of the east coast cabaret and folk scenes, creates a hootenanny during her residency at Don't Tell Mama most Wednesday nights in September. Co-hosting the series is Don White, folk singer-songwriter and activist out of Lynhurst, MA. The special guest on the evening of September 9 was LA-based lyricist, singer, producer Hillary Rollins. Each weekly show features a guest with whom Lavin and White will sing and laugh and swap stories. It's a good time.

terraNOVA Collective and IRT Theater present the New York Premiere of LAST CALL, by Terri Girvin. Directed by Drama Desk Award nominee Michael Leeds (Broadway's SWINGING ON A STAR) with an integrated soundscape by Grammy nominated sound designer Phil Palazzolo (Broadway's HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH), previews begin October 9 at IRT Theater. Opening night is slated for Thursday, October 15.

A musical parodist in the broad, juvenile yet clever tradition of Mad magazine, 'Weird Al' Yankovic is known for adding his own gently satirical lyrics to current hit songs. His shaggy, hangdog appearance, affection for slapstick, and amiable willingness to do seemingly anything for a laugh made him a natural for videos. Yankovic is undoubtedly the most successful comedy-recording artist in the world, with more than 12 million albums sold. His newest tour offering, The Mandatory World Tour, covers his latest album Mandatory Fun (RCA Records), fresh from winning a Grammy and topping Billboard's album chart, for what can be deemed his most successful musical comedy endeavor to date.

Florida Studio Theatre's Summer Mainstage Season kicks off with the wayward, witty world of Inspired Lunacy, the Tour de Force production of The Hound of the Baskervilles, and the funny and heart-warming play, Over the River and Through the Woods. The Summer Cabaret Season will consist of the eclectic musical stylings of Six Guitars, by Chase Padgett and Jay Hopkins, the boot-tapping songs from Kings of Country, by Eric Scott Anthony, and the hip-swinging, hand-jiving sounds of The Swingaroos, by Kimberly Hawkey & Assaf Gleizner.

Celebrate Cy Coleman with a new collection!

Florida Studio Theatre's Summer Mainstage Season kicks off with the wayward, witty world of Inspired Lunacy, the Tour de Force production of The Hound of the Baskervilles, and the funny and heart-warming play, Over the River and Through the Woods. The Summer Cabaret Season will consist of the eclectic musical stylings of Six Guitars, by Chase Padgett and Jay Hopkins, the boot-tapping songs from Kings of Country, by Eric Scott Anthony, and the hip-swinging, hand-jiving sounds of The Swingaroos, by Kimberly Hawkey & Assaf Gleizner.

Celebrate Cy Coleman with a new collection!

UnsungMusicalsCo. (UMC) will present Unsung Carolyn Leigh, Vol. 2 at 54 Below on Thursday, November 20 at 7 PM and 9:30 PM. The evening, showcasing songs by the Tony- and Grammy-nominated lyricist of Peter Pan, Little Me, and How Now Dow Jones, is created and directed by Ben West (Unsung Carolyn Leigh, The Fig Leaves Are Falling).

When Broward Stage Door Theatre's artistic director Derelle Bunn mentioned to director Michael Leeds and choreographer Kevin Black that she had an open time slot for a show, and asked them if they'd be interested in 'doing something', they jumped at the chance. "Kevin and I have wanted to work together for a while, and this was a terrific opportunity," says Leeds. "And then, of course, the question became - what should we do?!"

Weird Al Yankovic's latest album Mandatory Fun was announced as the new number one album in the country for the week ending July 20. Billboard confirmed the news after a about a week of speculation about who would claim the top spot.

Next Show: THE (pre) FOURTH OF JULY SPECIAL - CLASSIC AMERICANA

It's that time of year again. School's almost out and summer is closing in. What better time to celebrate the season than with a musical comedy based on Allan Sherman's clever parodies of classic and classical music. Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah will open at the Broward Stage Door Theatre tonight, May 30th, and run through July 6th.

Artists in Partnership (AIP), a non-profit cultural arts organization, will host its 12th Annual Cabaret Festival today, May 15-18 at the Long Beach Public Library, 111 West Park Avenue, Long Beach, NY. All performances are FREE to the public. The festival will be a celebration of the cabaret genre honoring the Great American Songbook with performances by renowned local and New York City-based artists.

Artists in Partnership (AIP), a non-profit cultural arts organization, will host its 12th Annual Cabaret Festival today, May 15-18 at the Long Beach Public Library, 111 West Park Avenue, Long Beach, NY. All performances are FREE to the public. The festival will be a celebration of the cabaret genre honoring the Great American Songbook with performances by renowned local and New York City-based artists.

It's that time of year again. School's almost out and summer is closing in. What better time to celebrate the season than with a musical comedy based on Allan Sherman's clever parodies of classic and classical music. Hello Muddah, Hello Faddah will open at the Broward Stage Door Theatre on May 30th, and run through July 6th.

Artists in Partnership (AIP), a non-profit cultural arts organization, will host its 12th Annual Cabaret Festival May 15-18 at the Long Beach Public Library, 111 West Park Avenue, Long Beach, NY. All performances are FREE to the public. The festival will be a celebration of the cabaret genre honoring the Great American Songbook with performances by renowned local and New York City-based artists.

Artists in Partnership (AIP), a non-profit cultural arts organization, will host its 12th Annual Cabaret Festival May 15-18 at the Long Beach Public Library, 111 West Park Avenue, Long Beach, NY. All performances are FREE to the public. The festival will be a celebration of the cabaret genre honoring the Great American Songbook with performances by renowned local and New York City-based artists.

Jennie Litt and David Alpher, Brooklyn's own married songwriting duo, celebrate the May release of their debut recording, TWO APPLES, with an appearance at New York's Metropolitan Room on Thursday, June 5 at 7pm. TWO APPLES is a collection of eleven original songs covering topics ranging from lingerie to gym addiction to the random miracle of existence. Ms. Litt describes Alpher&Litt as 'eclectic writers inspired by American popular song and most comfortable in an idiom that's equal parts musical theatre, Tin Pan Alley, and Allan Sherman.' Additionally, Litt is an award-winning fiction writer and Alpher a world-renowned composer.