Anita Gillette News

The new cast for Scott Siegel's Broadway Ballyhoo this coming Thursday night, January 12th, at 11 PM at Feinstein's will be the Nightlife Award Winner Marilyn Maye, Maya Days (Aida), Joan Almedilla (Kim in MISS SAIGON), and vocalist Natalie Douglas.

The latest cast for Scott Siegel's Broadway Hootenanny show this past Thursday night, December 29th, at 11 PM at Feinstein's was led by Drama Desk Nominee Kerry O'Malley (On A Clear Day...), Kristen Beth Williams (Anything Goes), Morgan James (Godspell), Scott Coulter (Multi-Award Winning Vocalist), and more. The new Feinstein's show features a rotating cast of talent performing different Broadway show tunes each Thursday night.

This exceptional cast will perform Broadway show tunes in the new hit show that changes every Thursday night with a new cast singing entirely different songs every week.

The Broadway at Birdland concert series has announced that Tony Award Nominated actress & singer Anita Gillette will be presenting a wonderful evening of music and memories while taking an intimate, touching, and hilarious look behind the scenes from Broadway to Hollywood in her new autobiographical one-woman show "After All."

This exceptional cast will perform Broadway show tunes in the new hit show that changes every Thursday night with a new cast singing entirely different songs every week.

It was announced today that the cast for the third smash week of Scott Siegel's BROADWAY HOOTENANNY will be Tony Award Winner ALICE RIPLEY (NEXT TO NORMAL), JOAN ALMEDILLA (MISS SAIGON), Drama Desk Nominee CHRISTINA BIANCO (Forbidden Broadway, Newsical: The Musical), and MORE!

Feinstein's at Loews Regency is currently hosting Scott Siegel's BROADWAY HOOTENANNY, which features different stars performing different songs every Thursday night at 11pm. Created, produced and hosted by Scott Siegel, the show features musical direction by Jesse Kissel. Now approaching its third week, casts have included Larry Gatlin, William Michals, Jon Fletcher, Claybourne Elder, Jamie deRoy, Courtney Simmons and Paul Pontrelli. It was just announced today that the next installment will feature Alice Ripley (Next To Normal), Joan Almedilla (Miss Saigon), Drama Desk Nominee Christina Bianco (Forbidden Broadway, Newsical: The Musical), and more.

It was announced today that the cast for the second week of Scott Siegel's BROADWAY HOOTENANNY will be Country Superstar Larry Gatlin (Will Rogers Follies), William Michals (Emile de Beque in Lincoln Center's production of South Pacific), Jon Fletcher (Bonnie & Clyde), and MORE! This exceptional and varied cast of top-flight entertainers will perform at 11 PM on Thursday, December 15th. They will be followed in the weeks and months ahead by an ever-increasing number of major names signing on to sing.

Musical powerhouse Avery Sommers, who just wowed the crowds as Motormouth Maybelle in the Actors' Playhouse production of Hairspray (for which she just received a BWW Florida Award Nomination), is returning to The Colony Hotel for her fifth engagement since making her Royal Room debut in August 2008. She starred on Broadway in the long running, critically acclaimed musicals Ain't Misbehavin' (where she replaced Nell Carter) and Showboat, and in two national tours: Chicago with Joel Grey and Chita Rivera and The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas with Ann-Margret. A frequent co-star of Burt Reynolds (B.L. Stryker, The Man from Left Field), she also starred in Menopause, the Musical and as Bloody Mary in South Pacific. In addition, she produced and co-starred in the film Hiding Victoria with Anita Gillette. At the Monaco International Film Festival last December, Sommers received the Best Supporting Actress Award at the Angel Film Awards.

On Friday, November 4th, The American Songbook Project held its annual signature event, their 'Name That Tune' benefit at the historic Hudson Theater in New York. Their mission is to preserve the American Songbook by bringing professional singers in the NYC schools. This year they honored Broadway composer Jerry Herman and Guild Hall (East Hampton), both of whom celebrated their 80th birthdays this year. Liz Smith emceed the Jerry Herman tribute and her passionate, loving remarks about her friend included 'It is said by show biz insiders that Jerry is so universal the you just hear a song of his once and you can hum it or sing it. And you probably can't stop. That is pretty damned great. He is universal in the musical theater, the songsmith of modern American life.' Mr. Herman's tribute included performances by James Darrah recreating his role of Ambrose Kemper from the last Carol Channing revival of Hello Dolly singing 'It Only Takes a Moment;' Meredith Patterson and Jeffry Denman performing 'Tap Your Troubles Away' from Mack and Mabel; and Andrea McArdle singing 'If He Walked into My Life Today' from Mame accompanied movingly by nine-year old Kyrian Friedenberg on trumpet.

Performances began October 12 at 8 pm at the Booth Theatre for Jon Robin Baitz's critically acclaimed new play OTHER DESERT CITIES directed by Joe Mantello. This Lincoln Center Theater production features Stockard Channing, Rachel Griffiths, Stacy Keach, Judith Light and Thomas Sadoski. The production officially opened last night, November 3 and below, BroadwayWorld brings you photo coverage of the starry theater arrivals.

The onetime Broadway musical It Girl is about to open in her 4th play off-Broadway this year.

Returning to the Royal Room for her sixth engagement since 2003, Baby Jane Dexter is a 'triple crown winner' in cabaret, having received two Bistro awards from Back Stage, six top vocalist awards from the Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs (MAC) and both the 2009 and 2010 Nightlife Award for top cabaret singer. She will be celebrating the release of her new live CD, The Real World on Quannacut Records. Following a sold out run in New York City, The Real World is a powerful, inspiring and funny potpourri of unique songs and arrangements given Ms. Dexter's one of a kind haunting spin. The eclectic song list includes gems by the likes of Billie Holiday, Janis Ian, Roy Orbison, John Sebastian, Alec Wilder and many more. This new show promises potent musical moments along with the singer's trademark blend of profound and artistically whimsical bon mots. As always, Baby Jane challenges as much as she inspires. That is the hallmark that has sustained her remarkable career. The show's musical director is Ross Patterson.

For her October shows the title should have been Jamie deRoy & her very talented Songwriter friends. Jamie, as she always does, interacts with her guest artists in a way that stimulates them to give performances that are unique and hugely entertaining. As William Finn (who appeared in a prior Jamie deRoy & Friends) remarked, 'Jamie's interview of me was the best I've ever had'. The show was directed by Jamie's extremely creative friend Barry Kleinbort who also displayed his wonderful performance abilities. Music Director was Shelly Markham.

To celebrate the success of this nearly ubiquitous device, and since so many of us equate summer fun with listening to some great tunes, it seemed like the perfect time to bring back BroadwayWorld.com's popular summer feature in the theatre world with the simple question of 'What's on your iPod?' Looking through the responses, what's certain is that the taste of those on and around the Great White Way is as varied (if not more so!) than the shows on Broadway.

Love, Loss, and What I Wore alumnae Anita Gillette ('30 Rock') and Aisha de Haas (Caroline, Or Change) will return to the hit Off Broadway show, completing the cast that begins today (Wednesday, July 6) and runs through Sunday, August 7, 2011 at the Westside Theatre (407 W 43rd Street). They join previously announced cast members Alison Fraser (The Divine Sister), Marla Maples ('The Ex-Wives Club') and Zuzanna Szadkowski ('Gossip Girl').

If I Were a Rich Man, Little Tin Box, Til Tomorrow, She Loves Me, Will He Like Me and Sunrise, Sunset are just a few of the tunes that were be brought to life on Monday, May 16, 2011, at New York's legendary National Arts Club. The Theatre Museum paid tribute to legendary Broadway lyricist Sheldon Harnick -- the Museums 2011 Career Achievement Award recipient. The award was presented from longtime colleague Hal Prince, winner of an unprecedented 21 Tony Awards.

Classic tunes from Fiddler on the Roof, Fiorello!, She Loves Me, The Apple Tree, and others will fill the air at New Yorks legendary National Arts Club on Monday May 16, 2011 as The Theatre Museum pays tribute to famed Broadway lyricist Sheldon Harnick -- its 2011 Career Achievement Award recipient.

If I Were a Rich Man, Little Tin Box, Til Tomorrow, She Loves Me, Will He Like Me and Sunrise, Sunset are just a few of the tunes that will be brought to life next Monday -- May 16, 2011-- at New Yorks legendary National Arts Club as The Theatre Museum pays tribute to legendary Broadway lyricist Sheldon Harnick -- the Museums 2011 Career Achievement Award recipient.

According to published reports, Woody Allen will get his own 'American Masters' documentary on PBS. The two-part program will air this fall.