Andrea Frierson News

Julia Murney (Wicked, The Wild Party), Brittain Ashford (Natasha, Pierre & the Great Comet of 1812) and Rema Webb (Escape to Margaritaville, The Color Purple) will be the featured vocalists in the April 22nd installment of 'Russ Kaplan's Broadway Jazz Session,' the popular series which presents In Transit composer Kaplan's innovative jazz interpretations of current Broadway favorites.

As magical as the evening was, after Freddie Gershon gave an impassioned presentation to the duo, Harvey Schmidt and Tom Jones hit the stage and brought the house down at ages 88 and 89 respectively. They joined forces onstage to perform a song from their musical The Bone Room, described by Jones as being about 'the pleasures of dying and being embalmed in this great country of ours.' Below, watch as they perform together for the last time. BWW feels privileged to share with you a bit of highlights of these two legends together before a rapt and ecstatic audience who precded to shower them with a (well deserved) standing ovation... RIP Harvey Schmidt. 

Joanna A. Jones (Hamilton) and Laurel Harris (Beautiful) will be the featured vocalists in the February 18th installment of 'Russ Kaplan's Broadway Jazz Session,' the popular series which presents In Transit composer Kaplan's innovative jazz interpretations of current Broadway favorites.

Robert Taylor, Jr., Amber Barbee Pickens, Tyla Collier, David Bloom, Teddy Smith, Marcus Pe a, Andrea Frierson and Coreisa Janelle Lee are among Broadway performers, Grammy Award honorees-nominees, musicians, recording artists, entertainers, pro athletes, journalists, media personalities and other notables participating in 'PUMP An End To Hunger with the Broadway Brunchtime Series' A Season to Help Serve Soup, Sandwiches, Snacks, Sips and Songs on Thursday, January 25, 2018 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. during GRAMMY Week at the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen (www.holyapostlessoupkitchen.org) located at 296 Ninth Avenue at the corner of West 28th Street in New York City.

The York Theatre Company honored legendary musical theatre writing team Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt (The Fantasticks, I Do, I Do!, 110 in the Shade, Celebration) with the 2017 Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre at the 26th Oscar Hammerstein Award Gala on Monday evening, December 4, 2017 at The Asia Society (725 Park Avenue). BroadwayWorld has more photos from the celebration below!

Recording artist and Broadway vocalist Marva Hicks (Motown; Caroline, or Change) will be the featured vocalist in the December 17th installment of 'Russ Kaplan's Broadway Jazz Session,' the popular series which presents In Transit composer Kaplan's innovative jazz interpretations of current Broadway favorites.

Last night The York Theatre Company honored the musical theatre writing team of Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt in a Fantastick gala concert and award ceremony directed by Richard Jay-Alexander. The 2017 Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre was presented to the legendary team (The Fantasticks, I Do, I Do!, 110 in the Shade, Celebration) at the event held at the Asia Society on Park Ave in NYC and BroadwayWorld was there. Check out photo coverage below!

This Weekend we reached out to Richard to fill us in on the event and what attendees can look forward to. We found him in the midst of rehearsals and planning for the event to take place at The Asia Society with cocktails beginning at 6:00 PM and the Award Presentation starting at 8:00 PM.

The York Theatre Company, dedicated to the development of new musicals and preserving musical gems from the past, will honor legendary musical theatre writing team Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt (The Fantasticks, I Do! I Do!, 110 in the Shade, Celebration) with the 2017 Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre at the 26th Oscar Hammerstein Award Gala on Monday evening, December 4, 2017 at The Asia Society (725 Park Avenue).

Andrea Frierson, Ashley Bryant, Tyler McKenzie, Sean Carvajal, Robert Taylor, Jr., Marcus Pe a, Goldwyn Banton, Dana Walker Boyd and Coreisa Janelle Lee are among Broadway performers participating in 'PUMP An End To Hunger with the Broadway Brunchtime Series' New Season to Help Serve Soup, Sandwiches, Snacks, Sips and Songs on Monday, November 20, 2017 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen (www.holyapostlessoupkitchen.org) located at 296 Ninth Avenue at the corner of West 28th Street in New York City. Find out more on the Facebook event page at https://www.facebook.com/events/296782660816524/

Andrea Frierson, Sean Carvajal, Robert Taylor, Jr., Marcus Pe a, Goldwyn Banton, Dana Walker Boyd and Coreisa Janelle Lee are among Broadway performers participating in 'PUMP An End To Hunger with the Broadway Brunchtime Series' - New Season to Help Serve Soup, Sandwiches, Snacks, Sips and Songs on Monday, October 30, 2017 from 10:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. at the Holy Apostles Soup Kitchen.

Banned Together: A Censorship Cabaret welcomes director, Ari Edelson (Building the Wall, 24 Hour Plays) and writer/performers John Cariani (Something Rotten, Author of Almost, Maine), Andrea Frierson (Me & Ella (author & star); Once on this Island- original Broadway cast) and Christine Toy Johnson (The Americans, The Music Man - Broadway revival).

Dramatists Legal Defense Fund's Banned Together: A Censorship Cabaret welcomes Ra l Esparza (Law & Order: SVU), Zainab Jah (Broadway's Eclipsed), Daniel Jenkins (Oslo, Billy Elliot) and Lisa Kron (book/lyrics for Broadway's Fun Home).

Tony Award winner Debbie Gravitte (Jerome Robbins' Broadway, Chicago, Les Miserables) will be the featured vocalist in the October 1st installment of 'Russ Kaplan's Broadway Jazz Session.'

Andrea Frierson, Marcus Pe a, Jackie Schiffer, and Marcus Goldhaber are among Broadway performers participating in 'PUMP An End To Hunger with the Broadway Brunchtime Series' New Season Kick-Off to Help Serve Soup, Sandwiches, Snacks, Sips and Songs on Monday, September 25, 2017.

Birdland, the venue that has presented so many music luminaries in it's long history had the Grammy Award-winning singer/songwriter Melissa Manchester on it's stage last night. Melissa, one of the true giants of the music world made her Birdland debut and celebrated the release of her 21st album, The Fellas. The album pays tribute to the male singers, Frank Sinatra, Nat King Cole, Johnny Mathis, Mel Torme, and others who influenced her as a young artist.

Banned Together: A Censorship Cabaret welcomes director, Ari Edelson (Building the Wall, 24 Hour Plays) and writer/performers John Cariani (Something Rotten, Author of Almost, Maine), Andrea Frierson (Me & Ella (author & star); Once on this Island- original Broadway cast) and Christine Toy Johnson (The Americans, The Music Man - Broadway revival).

Andrea Frierson (Me & Ella, Once On This Island) and Chris Dilley (Broadway Inspirational Voices, Voca People) will be the featured vocalists in the September 10th installment of 'Russ Kaplan's Broadway Jazz Session,' the popular monthly series which presents In Transit composer Kaplan's innovative jazz interpretations of current Broadway favorites. Guests slated to appear later this year include Tony-winner Debbie Gravitte (Jerome Robbins' Broadway, Chicago) on October 1, and Marva Hicks (Motown; Caroline, or Change) on December 10.

The York Theatre Company's Jerry's Girls, led by Tony Award-nominee Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Avenue Q), Christine Pedi (NEWSical the Musical), and Stephanie Umoh (Ragtime), with music and lyrics by Jerry Herman and concept by Larry Alford, Wayne Cilento, and Jerry Herman celebrated opening night last night! 

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Today's big news: a staged reading of THE SECRET LUNCHES OF CHELSEA & IVANKA, starring Melissa Rauch and Zosia Mamet comes to Joe's Pub tonight.