Aretha Franklin News

Amas Musical Theatre (Donna Trinkoff, Producing Artistic Director; Rosetta LeNoire, Founder), will celebrate its 40th Anniversary with a Gala evening on Monday, March 30th featuring a special 'Blast from the Past' concert of songs and numbers from four decades of Amas Musicals, including Bubbling Brown Sugar, It's So Nice to Be Civilized, Zanna Don't!, SHOUT! The Mod Musical, Four Guys Named Jose, Stormy Weather, Langston Hughes's Little Ham, From My Hometown, Lone Star Love, and Wanda's World, among others. The event will take place at the Lighthouse International, 111 East 59th Street, at 7pm.

SonyBMG Chief Creative Officer and three-time GRAMMY? winner Clive Davis and The Recording Academy? will present the annual Pre-GRAMMY Gala on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009, continuing the party that has been a Davis legacy for nearly 30 years. This exclusive, star-studded celebration - attended by artists and industry VIPs in music, film and television and featuring special musical performances - again will take place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., the evening before the 51st Annual GRAMMY Awards.

Put on your go-go boots this month for BEEHIVE, the 60's musical revue, sponsored by California Closets, at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre February 3 - 22, 2009. Go back in time and celebrate the era of peace, love and rock and roll with favorites from The Supremes, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin and more! With six amazing vocalists onstage, relive the 60's and the coming of age of women's music. BEEHIVE is directed and choreographed by Mark Martino, the Carbonell nominated Director of last season's The Boy Friend, who is returning to the Maltz Jupiter Theatre for this fun-filled revue. The creative team includes Music Direction by Tom Frey (2 Pianos 4 Hands), lighting design by Donald Thomas (Carbonell winner of Best Lighting in Man of La Mancha), wig design by Gerard Kelly, costume design by Jose Rivera (Carbonell winner of Best Costume Design in The Boy Friend), projection design by David Esler, set design by Dan Kuchar (Carbonell winner of Best Scenic Design in The Boy Friend) and sound design by Keith Kohrs. Grab your Aquanet and come enjoy beloved hits and blasts from the past at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre. Tickets for all of the Theatre's season plays, musicals and limited engagements are now on sale! Call the box office for more information at (561) 575-2223 or visit us online at www.jupitertheatre.org.

Grammy Charity Online Auctions ? In celebration of the 51st Annual Grammy Awards, this auction offers more close to one hundred exclusive items including once-in-a-lifetime VIP experiences, memorabilia from world-renowned celebrities and official Grammy merchandise signed by participating stars backstage during rehearsals and show day of the anniversary telecast. The lots are available for bid in two cycles now through Feb. 19 at www.ebay.com/grammy, presented in partnership with Kompolt. All proceeds will benefit MusiCares and the Grammy Foundation.

Violin virtuosos Black Violin (BV) to headline New York's oldest and most active theatre in the heart of the Broadway district from March 11- 22, 2009. Combining a daunting array of musical styles and influences to produce a signature sound that is part maestro, part emcee, the group features two classically trained violinists and their DJ. With influences from Shostakovich and Bach to Jay-Z, Black Violin blends the classical with the modern and creates a sound that not only stimulates the senses but penetrates the soul. Black Violin features Wil B on the viola and Kev Marcus the violin. Showtime at the Apollo champions, these musical magicians have toured and worked with artists from Alicia Keys to Aerosmith to Aretha Franklin and Tom Petty. From The Eagles to P. Diddy, Black Violin's true mission is to help under privileged kids get ahead through education and awareness. The New Victory Theatre is the perfect place for Black Violin to showcase their unique live show that features intense violin duets intertwined with an entertaining flow of information that strives to educate and excite young minds. New Victory's dedication to children's education and their families fits perfectly into Black Violin's commitment to enriching the lives of kids through music. Black Violin's Wil B says, 'We understand the influence we have over kids that's why we want to give back. We want to help them think outside of the box.'

Put on your go-go boots this month for BEEHIVE, the 60's musical revue, sponsored by California Closets, at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre February 3 - 22, 2009. Go back in time and celebrate the era of peace, love and rock and roll with favorites from The Supremes, Aretha Franklin, Janis Joplin and more! With six amazing vocalists onstage, relive the 60's and the coming of age of women's music. BEEHIVE is directed and choreographed by Mark Martino, the Carbonell nominated Director of last season's The Boy Friend, who is returning to the Maltz Jupiter Theatre for this fun-filled revue. The creative team includes Music Direction by Tom Frey (2 Pianos 4 Hands), lighting design by Donald Thomas (Carbonell winner of Best Lighting in Man of La Mancha), wig design by Gerard Kelly, costume design by Jose Rivera (Carbonell winner of Best Costume Design in The Boy Friend), projection design by David Esler, set design by Dan Kuchar (Carbonell winner of Best Scenic Design in The Boy Friend) and sound design by Keith Kohrs. Grab your Aquanet and come enjoy beloved hits and blasts from the past at the Maltz Jupiter Theatre. Tickets for all of the Theatre's season plays, musicals and limited engagements are now on sale! Call the box office for more information at (561) 575-2223 or visit us online at www.jupitertheatre.org.

The Blumenthal Performing Arts Center will host a live TV broadcast of President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration, including the swearing in ceremony and related festivities, on Tues, Jan. 20. The event will take place in the McGlohon Theatre at Spirit Square (345 N. College St.) and is free and open to the public. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. and seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are not required. Pizza and beverages will be available for purchase

So you didn't win the lottery for a prime seat along Pennsylvania Avenue on Inauguration Day? Not to worry. Bring your neighbors and come in out of the cold as Bay Street Theatre once again throws open its doors for a not-to-be-missed event. On Tuesday, January 20th, with history in-the-making, Bay Street invites the public to gather for the Inauguration of the first African American President of the United Statesby watching it all unfold on the big screen with family, friends, and co-workers. Students and groups are welcome too. The doors open at 10am, and coffee and refreshments will be available for purchase.

Returning to Cleveland after acclaimed performances in The Color Purple on Broadway and Gone with the Wind in London?s West End, NaTasha Yvette Williams takes the stage in the lead role of The Cleveland Play House production of Mahalia: A Gospel Musical. Since 1997, when she performed in The Play House production of (I Could) Stop On a Dime and Get Ten Cents Change, Williams has also played in several Broadway national tours and performed her gospel music all over the world. Kent Gash, Associate Artistic Director of The Alliance Theatre in Atlanta, GA, is directing Williams in this musical tribute to the most celebrated gospel singer of all time. Mahalia: A Gospel Musical begins in the Bolton Theatre at The Cleveland Play House on Friday, January 30 and runs through Sunday, February 22, 2009. Tickets are on sale now at The Cleveland Play House box office by calling 216.795.7000 ext 4 or online at www.clevelandplayhouse.com. Mahalia: A Gospel Musical is presented in promotional partnership with Time Warner Cable and The Kulus Foundation. The media sponsor for Mahalia: A Gospel Musical is 107.3 FM The Wave WNMV.

Echoing last week's headlines about the sex trade in South Korea, the off-Broadway Castillo Theatre will present Fred Newman's Coming of Age in Korea,co-directed by Gabrielle L. Kurlander and Desmond Richardson, which tells the story of three GIs, who fall in love with South Korean prostitutes, one of whom is brutally raped and killed. Coming of Age in Korea opens Friday, January 16th and runs through March 1, Fridays and Saturdays at 7:30 p.m. and Sundays at 2:00 p.m., at the Castillo Theatre, 543 West 42nd Street. TDF accepted; group rates available. For tickets call 212-941-1234.

Amas Musical Theatre (Donna Trinkoff, Producing Artistic Director; Rosetta LeNoire, Founder), will celebrate its 40th Anniversary with a Gala evening on Monday, March 30th featuring a special 'Blast from the Past' concert of songs and numbers from four decades of Amas Musicals, including Bubbling Brown Sugar, It's So Nice to Be Civilized, Zanna Don't!, SHOUT! The Mod Musical, Four Guys Named Jose, Stormy Weather, Langston Hughes's Little Ham, From My Hometown, Lone Star Love, and Wanda's World, among others. The event will take place at the Lighthouse International, 111 East 59th Street, at 7pm.

During the first live show on Saturday 10th January, it was announced that world-renowned lyricist Diane Warren would be joining the Eurovision: Your Country Needs You team, providing the lyrics to the song that will be written by Andrew Lloyd Webber.

The Blumenthal Performing Arts Center will host a live TV broadcast of President-elect Barack Obama's inauguration, including the swearing in ceremony and related festivities, on Tues, Jan. 20. The event will take place in the McGlohon Theatre at Spirit Square (345 N. College St.) and is free and open to the public. Doors open at 10:30 a.m. and seating will be available on a first-come, first-served basis. Tickets are not required. Pizza and beverages will be available for purchase

SonyBMG Chief Creative Officer and three-time GRAMMY? winner Clive Davis and The Recording Academy? will present the annual Pre-GRAMMY Gala on Saturday, Feb. 7, 2009, continuing the party that has been a Davis legacy for nearly 30 years. This exclusive, star-studded celebration - attended by artists and industry VIPs in music, film and television and featuring special musical performances - again will take place at the Beverly Hilton Hotel in Beverly Hills, Calif., the evening before the 51st Annual GRAMMY Awards.

THE ZIPPER FACTORY THEATER (336 West 37th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues) will present the following entertainment events in January 2009. For advance tickets to all Zipper events call OvationTix at 212-352-3101 or buy online at www.thezipperfactory.com (For IN-PERSON purchases, The Zipper Box Office opens one hour prior to curtain for all events).

This week on AfroSolo TV is the award winning pianist, Tammy L. Hall. The live broadcast takes place at this Friday (December 19th) 6:30 pm on Comcast Cable Station 76 in San Francisco.

THE ZIPPER FACTORY THEATER (336 West 37th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues) will present the following entertainment events in January 2009. For advance tickets to all Zipper events call OvationTix at 212-352-3101 or buy online at www.thezipperfactory.com (For IN-PERSON purchases, The Zipper Box Office opens one hour prior to curtain for all events).

Upright Cabaret producers/hosts Chris Isaacson and Shane Scheel proudly present Broadway star and Los Angeles native Eden Espinosa in her first solo effort entitled EDEN ESPINOSA - ME to be directed by Broadway & recording star Billy Porter with Ben Toth taking over Music Direction. During the last month of Wicked's run at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles, where she is currently starring as Elphaba, Espinosa will take off the green to perform four solo concerts which will feature a different special guest each night. Special guests T.B.A.

Eminent artist friends and peers of this year's six honorees converged in Washington, D.C. Sunday night, December 7th to present entertaining and heartfelt tributes at THE 31ST ANNUAL KENNEDY CENTER HONORS. BroadwayWorld.com's cameras covered the gala event to bring you all the starry celebration.

Eden Espinosa, star of WICKED (currently at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles) makes her solo debut directed by Billy Porter at L.A.'s renowned Upright Cabaret at Mark's Restaurant, 861 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069. She will perform Monday evenings, Mon, Dec 15, 22, 29, 2008 and Jan 5, 2009 at 9pm