Aretha Franklin News

BET Networks announced today that Mariah Carey, Jennifer Hudson, Janelle Monae, Tamar Braxton, Smokey Robinson, Karen Clarke Sheard and Wayne Brady are set to bring down thehouse at the Warner Theatre with a series of powerful and magnetic performances for 'BET Honors' 2014.

Grammy Award winning producer and music mogul, Sean 'Diddy' Combs will serve asco-executive produceralong with Rick Ross on 'Mastermind,' the sixth studio album fromtherap superstar it was announced today.

Electric Youth (EY) 2014, the international touring ensemble of talented singer-dancers trained at the Franklin School for the Performing Arts (FSPA), will debut at Showcase Live, Patriot Place, in Foxboro on Friday, February 28 at 7:30 p.m. Backed by the eight-piece Boston Show Band, Electric Youth delivers a fun, energetic evening of high-powered family entertainment. EY's show features an extensive range of contemporary pop and classic rock hits fully choreographed to delight audiences of all ages. Hear the best of Aerosmith, The Beatles, Kelly Clarkson, Michael Jackson, Bruno Mars, Frank Sinatra, Stevie Wonder and more.

Riding the wave of enthusiasm for his newly released book 'Ham: Slices of a Life,' singer and entertainer extraordinaire Sam Harris played to a sold-out crowd at Feinstein's at the Nikko in San Francisco. They came expecting a great show and he did not disappoint. Calling his performance a 'liter-usical,' a combination of literary book tour and Broadway musical extravaganza, he alternated between reading juicy morsels (amuse-bouche, if you will) from his book with songs that served to highlight the chapters of his life.

Sarasota shares its love with Tony Bennett this Valentine's Day at the Van Wezel on February 14, 2014 at 8pm. With too many awards to tally including countless strings of Grammy's and Emmy's, with albums selling both Platinum and Gold and a Citizen of the World Award from the United Nations, Tony Bennett epitomizes the phrase 'a living legend'.

'Dreamgirls' star Jennifer Holliday stopped by ABC's THE VIEW and performed a song from her new solo album, 'The Song is You.' Check out the appearance below!

Non si puo dire che la stagione teatrale 2013-2014 non abbia una curiosa attrazione per il "paranormale". Dopo L'ULTIMA STREGA, il delizioso FANTASMI A ROMA e l'esilarante FRANKENSTEIN JUNIOR, le scene romane tornano a essere infestate da presenze ectoplasmatiche con un altro musical la cui trama prende le mosse dal confine tra l'aldiqua e l'aldila. Sto parlando di GHOST, l'ultimo sforzo produttivo di M.A.S. e Poltronissima S.r.l., gia reduci dai fasti di PRISCILLA, LA REGINA DEL DESERTO. Lo spettacolo, diretto da Stefano Genovese (gia regista di GYPSY, AVENUE Q e THE MISSION) e basato sull'omonimo successo cinematografico del 1990, si avvale delle musiche di Dave Stewart (ex membro degli Eurythmics) e Glen Ballard e del libretto firmato da Bruce Joel Rubin. Dopo il debutto londinese nel 2011, lo show si e trasferito a Broadway nel 2012 ricevendo, in entrambi i casi, una tiepida accoglienza. La critica newyorkese, con cui mi trovo d'accordo, lo ha definito un "giretto canoro e privo di emozioni in un parco a tema" che "fa per lo piu affidamento su scenografie video elaborate, modesti effetti speciali e la familiarita della storia d'amore fantasmatica." Altri hanno rincarato la dose affermando che "senza questi trucchi sbalorditivi, lo show non offrirebbe niente di che": lo script toppa, le musiche sono "innocue e dimenticabili" e alcuni numeri sembrano essere motivati solo dall'effetto visivo che provocano e non dal loro essere strettamente necessari all'economia dello spettacolo. È anche vero che, purtroppo, in Italia si ragiona secondo parametri ancora totalmente diversi - se non opposti - rispetto a quelli di Broadway. Pertanto, nella stesura della recensione, mi limitero a commentare la messinscena italiana senza far riferimento alle fallacie strutturali che questo spettacolo presentava gia a monte.

The Broadway production of A Night With Janis Joplin will play its final performance on Sunday, February 9 at 7PM at the Lyceum Theatre (149 West 45th Street). On that date, the show will have played 22 preview performances and 141 regular performances. A Night With Janis Joplin will move to a new home in New York City this March.

World-renowned and award-winning harpist Catherine Michel will perform as soloist for the world premiere performances on February 9, 10 and 11.

Academy Award-winning actor, producer, director and 2014 Image Award nominee, Forest Whitaker is set to receive the NAACP Chairman's Award during the 45th NAACP Image Awards

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

At last night's 56th Annual Grammy Awards, Grammy nominee Sara Bareilles appeared in a special performance with four-time GRAMMY winner and 2014 MusiCares Person of the Year Carole King.

Craving a show after the show? 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, is expanding its popular late-night series with fresh faces and hot new performances to keep the party buzzing into the wee hours. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th St., 54 BELOW welcomes you to loosen your tie and embrace the night at its upcoming events:

According to a post on Jennifer Holliday's Facebook page, the Broadway star and singer will appear at the Barnes & Noble Upper East Side (86th and Lexington in NYC) to sign copies and celebrate the release of her new album 'The Song Is You' today, January 24, 2014.

It was announced today that Carole King will be honored as the 2014 MusiCares() Person of the Year tonight, Jan. 24, 2014.

Iconic Tony Award-winning DREAMGIRLS originator and notable recording artist Jennifer Holliday performs 'At Last' along with a number of other memorable standards such as 'The Look Of Love', 'Love Dance' and more on her new album, THE SONG IS YOU, which is now available on CD and digital download.

A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN will play its final performance at the Lyceum Theatre (149 West 45th Street) this February (exact date will be announced shortly), prior to moving to a new home in New York City this March.

Dance Theatre of Harlem appeared at the New Jersey Performing Arts Center on Friday for their Reverend Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. Celebration.

On Thursday January 16 Blake McIver showed a whole new side to his musical art when he premiered selections from his new CD at Don't Tell Mama in WeHo. Set for release in February, the CD is pop, R&B based and is a showcase for McIver's own compositions, many of which are quite poignant, some downright depressing, about his struggles in a journey to find his true self, but there is a ray of hope which permeates throughout with melodious strains of sheer ingenuous expression. What is sad doesn't necessarily come across that way, for much of the tempo is upbeat, big and riveting, like an evangelist at a revival meeting out to save your soul at the eleventh hour. You want to clap your hands, stand up and almost join in the celebration of newfound life.

Chicago Children's Theatre has announced casting for its world premiere of Mr. Chickee's Funny Money, an all-new, rhythm and blues family musical playing tonight, January 18 - March 2, 2014 at the Ruth Page Center for the Arts, 1016 N. Dearborn, Chicago. Press opening is Friday, January 24 at 7 p.m.