Anthony Newley News

Backed by a super-performer quartet (Count Basie's drummer and an Emmy-winning pianist among them) and his daughter, Tony Bennett shows no sign of slowing down yet, and audiences won't let him

The stars came out on Wednesday, July 17 to see Mimi Hines as she celebrated her 80th birthday with a special, one-night-only concert at Broadway's nightclub, 54 Below. Among those in attendance were 'Late Show with David Letterman' bandleader Paul Shaffer, from TV's 'The Nanny' and 'Happily Divorced' start Fran Drescher, and Broadway favorite Lee Roy Reams (The Producers, 42nd Street, Beauty and the Beast) and Tony Award winners Donna McKechnie (A Chorus Line, Company) , Faith Prince (Annie, Guys and Dolls) and Liliane Montevecchi (Nine). BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge was there for the special concert celebration, and you can check out concert highlights and interviews with the many guests below!

The stars came out on Wednesday, July 17 to see MIMI HINES as she celebrated her 80th birthday with a special, one-night-only concert at Broadway's nightclub, 54 Below. Among those in attendance were 'Late Show with David Letterman' bandleader PAUL SHAFFER, from TV's 'The Nanny' and 'Happily Divorced' start FRAN DRESCHER, and Broadway favorite LEE ROY REAMS (The Producers, 42nd Street, Beauty and the Beast) and Tony Award winners DONNA McKECHNIE (A Chorus Line, Company) , FAITH PRINCE (Annie, Guys and Dolls) and LILIANE MONTEVECCHI (Nine). Check out a behind the scenes look at the celebration below!

About halfway through Jim Brochu's Saturday, June 29 performance at the Metropolitan Room of his new show Character Man, I realized I was witnessing what was probably the best cabaret show I'd seen this year, and perhaps was one of the best in my almost three years of reviewing cabaret. By the time the show ended, I had changed my mind. Not because the show fell apart in the second half, but because what Jim Brochu had created (and is opening tonight at the Broward Stage Door Theatre in Coral Springs, Florida, where it will be performed until August 11) was more than a cabaret show. Character Man is a delightful, extremely well-crafted Off-Broadway theater piece that is destined for a run that might rival his critically-acclaimed one-man Zero Mostel tribute show, Zero Hour, which played throughout the country between 2006-2012 and earned Brochu 2010 Drama Desk and Helen Hayes Awards.

Only two nights removed from the last of my three solo debut shows at the Metropolitan Room celebrating the Don McLean Songbook, I was already experiencing the post-performance depression I'd heard tell about from cabaret veterans. I needed someone to lift me up where I belonged, so my instincts took me to Birdland for another trip through memory lane with Nostalgic Natalie Douglas. The last time I had heard the dynamic Ms. Douglas was 14 months before when she powered her way through her historically and politically passionate Freedom Songs. This time, Natalie's nostalgic trip was a much more personal adventure she called Scrapbook 2.0, which traversed everything from the musical influences of her late parents to the tunes she loved while growing up in Southern California. By the time Douglas was finished flipping the pages of her musical scrapbook--and delivering some adorably homey stories along with them--my gloom had been transformed into gladness.

Some shows are iconic, known by everyone - that would be LES MISERABLES. Others are iconic and not known, best identified by individual songs that everyone knows by heart, while many people know the songs and have no clue that they are show tunes. That would be THE ROAR OF THE GREASEPAINT, THE SMELL OF THE CROWD. Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley wanted to recreate their success in STOP THE WORLD - I WANT TO GET OFF, and the result was the show that gave us 'Who Can I Turn To?' Opening in England in 1964, the show was slight enough not to open in the West End, but David Merrick decided to give it a chance on Broadway.

Once again, Bryant Park will be a destination for film buffs on summer nights in New York City, with an incredible line up for the 21st year of the HBO Bryant Park Summer Film Festival presented by Bank of America with the Wall Street Journal and Magnum Ice Cream in association with Bryant Park Corporation.

Oyster Mill Playhouse in Camp Hill will present its first musical and fourth production for its 2013 season, The Roar Of The Greasepaint, The Smell Of The Crowd. It is produced by special arrangement with Tams Witmark. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

If you haven't had the chance to catch up on your theater news, look no further than today's recap of all things theater - exclusive features, interviews, reviews and more! - around the Broadway World for the week of May 6!

Jon Peterson will revive Song Man, Dance Man tonight, May 7 at 7:00 at Stage 72 at The Triad, 158 west 72nd Street near Broadway.

I can't help but borrow from the genius of Anthony Newley and Leslie Bricusse when I affirm it was The Roar of Kritzerland, The Smell of the burgers at the Federal on Sunday May 5 - Cinco de Mayo, no less - as Kritzerland presented its 33rd show in its current home at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal, entitled Once in a Lifetime: The Songs of Anthony Newley & Leslie Bricusse. And it was a lollapalooza of an evening!

Oyster Mill Playhouse in Camp Hill announces its first musical and fourth production for its 2013 season, The Roar Of The Greasepaint, The Smell Of The Crowd. It is produced by special arrangement with Tams Witmark.

Dahl's classic novel comes to life on stage at the Lincoln Theatre in CCT's delightful production of WILLY WONKA. Adapted for stage by Leslie Bricusse and Timothy Allen McDonald with music and lyrics by Leslie Bricusse and Anthony Newley, this timeless story reminds us of the magic of theatre and obsession of chocolate.

On Sunday April 7 Kritzerland presented its monthly tribute to great composers, this time around in honor ofthe incomparable lyricists Betty Comden and Adolph Green, entitled Just in Time: The Songs of Betty Comden and Adolph Green.

Jon Peterson will revive Song Man, Dance Man on Tuesday, May 7 at 7:00 at Stage 72 at The Triad, 158 west 72nd Street near Broadway.

Quasimodo, the last great unproduced musical by Oliver! composer Lionel Bart, is getting its World Premiere, 50 years after it was written. In a major coup for the King's Head Theatre in London, Quasimodo will play for a 4-week season from last night, 20 March through 13 April 2013. Scroll below for a first look at the show's stars Steven Webb and Zoe George!

Ahead of the first public preview tonight, producers have released rehearsal footage and creative interviews for Quasimodo, the last great unproduced musical by Oliver! composer Lionel Bart, which is getting its World Premiere, 50 years after it was written. In a major coup for the King's Head Theatre in London, Quasimodo will play for a 4-week season from Wednesday 20 March - Saturday 13 April. Click below to watch the behind-the-scenes video!

Fifty years after he started writing it, Quasimodo, a major musical by Oliver! composer Lionel Bart, will finally get its World Premiere at the King's Head Theatre in London this month, March 2013.

Delaware Theatre Company has announced the cast of Daryl Roth's presentation of LOVE, LOSS, AND WHAT I WORE, coming to the DTC stage this month.

The incredible Elaine Page brings her one woman concert to the McCallum Theatre tonight for a one-night-only, intimate look into her life and her career, singing the songs and recreating the magical moments from her many hit shows on Broadway and the West End. I had the opportunity to catch up with Ms. Paige as she was preparing for her concert this evening at The McCallum Theatre. Here are a few highlights from that conversation.