Barbara Cook News

Ravinia Festival President and CEO Welz Kauffman has been selected to lead a team of Illinois decision-makers-including leaders from the Illinois State Board of Education, The Polk Brothers Foundation and the University of Illinois-at a multi-state Education Leadership Institute convened by the National Endowment for the Arts. The Illinois team joins four others-led by the Oregon Arts Commission; Washington States Arts Commission; New Hampshire State Council on the Arts; and the Ohio Arts Council-at the NEA Institute in Chicago on July 26-28. The goal is to create strategies to strengthen arts education. The Illinois team will explore the role of the arts in developing 21st-century skills.

It's just been announced that today's matinee performance of Sondheim on Sondheim at Studio 54 has been canceled.

Royal George, 1641 N. Halsted, raised the curtain at 7:30p.m. on Monday, May 3rd, 2010 in honor of Michael Cullen, owner of the Mercury Theater and Cullen's Bar and Grill, and a thirty five-year veteran producer and pioneer in the development of Chicagoland theater as it is known today. Recently suffering from a stroke, Mr. Cullen requires extensive therapy treatments. The evening, directed by Michael Weber, featured Chicago's Entertainer Ron Hawking, Gretchen Cryer (Writer and star of I'm Getting My Act Together) and cast members from Million Dollar Quartet. The evening also featured cast members appearing from some of the many dynamic productions that Michael Cullen produced including Steel Magnolias (Nancy Baird), A Couple of Blaguards (Howard Platt), Pump Boys And Dinettes (Malcolm Ruhl, John Foley, Shawn Stengel, Tom Mendel, Mary Launder, Rick Pickren, Tammy Mader, Liza Jaine, Tiffany Herlien, Shaun Whitely, Brian Burke and Maggie LaMee) & The Irish And How They Got That Way (Jane Baxter, Miller, Kent Lewis, David Girolmo, Justine Serino, and Susan Voelz.). Chicago Tribune Theater Critic Chris Jones made a special appearance that was the highlight of the evening. Thousands of dollars were raised for Mr. Cullen's rehabilitative care.

Today, Friday, February 19, Keith Lockhart and the Boston Pops announced details of the orchestra's 125th anniversary season, May 4-June 20, 2010, outlining programs that celebrate the orchestra's rich tradition of performing the great music of this country's past and present, for which the Boston Pops is so well known.

Nominations in 26 competitive categories for the American Theatre Wing's 64th Annual Antoinette Perry 'Tony' Awards were announced May 4, 2010 by Broadway Star Lea Michele and Tony Award Nominee Jeff Daniels.

The Tony Awards Nominations were announced this morning on Tuesday, May 4th. The Tony Awards will be broadcast in a live three-hour ceremony from Radio City Music Hall on the CBS television network on Sunday, June 13, 2010.

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) announces a two-week extension of Sondheim on Sondheim through Sunday, June 27th, 2010.

The American Theatre Wing has announced that their Annual Spring Gala, to be held on Monday, June 7, 2010 at Cipriani 42nd Street (110 East 42nd Street), will celebrate the centennial of Academy and Tony Award-winning composer Frank Loesser.

The Tony Award winning actress Yvonne Constant returns to the Metropolitan Room for an exclusive engagement from May 23 through June 7, as she continues her fascinating exploration of the French popular songbook of the 60's and 70's.

The Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted, raises the curtain at 7:30p.m. on Monday, May 3rd, 2010 in honor of Michael Cullen, owner of the Mercury Theater and Cullen's Bar and Grill, and a thirty five-year veteran producer and pioneer in the development of Chicagoland theater as it is known today. Recently suffering from a stroke, Mr. Cullen requires extensive therapy treatments.

Barbara Cook's Spotlight Series at Washington DC's Kennedy Center brought Tony Award-Winner, Laura Benanti to it's Terrace Theatre on Friday night. The series has presented a more intimate experience with stars such as Jane Krakowski, Christine Ebersole and Karen Akers and will feature husband and wife team, Jessica Molaskey and John Pizzarelli on June 4th of this year.

With summer right around the corner, Bay Street is in full swing with a schedule chock full of events. The season kicks off with a bang in May as Bay Street Theatre hosts a star-studded, jam-packed evening to dedicate its new second stage.

The Tony Awards Administration Committee met today for the fourth and final time this season to decide the eligibility of thirteen Broadway productions for the 2010 American Theatre Wing's Tony Awards®, presented by The Broadway League and The American Theatre Wing. The thirteen productions discussed included: Come Fly Away; Red; Lend Me a Tenor; The Addams Family; Million Dollar Quartet; La Cage Aux Folles; American Idiot; Sondheim on Sondheim; Promises, Promises; Fences; Enron; Collected Stories and Everyday Rapture.

Sondheim on Sondheim opened officially on April 22nd, 2010 at Studio 54 on Broadway (254 West 54th Street) and Broadway Beat was there to cover the opening night party!

Outer Critics Circle, the organization of writers covering New York theatre for out-of-town newspapers, national publications and other media beyond Broadway publicly announced the nominees for the 2009-10 season on Monday, April 26th at the historic Algonquin Hotel. Outer Critics Circle posted award nominations in 23 categories and are the first major Broadway/Off-Broadway award nominees of the New York theater season. BrpadwayWorld was there to capture real-life siblings, Broadway stars Hunter and Sutton Foster make the announcements.

Award-winning composer CAROL HALL'S beloved classic 'JENNY REBECCA' received a prolonged and extremely enthusiastic ovation at FREDERICA von STADE'S farewell New York concert this Thursday evening, April 22nd at Carnegie Hall, Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage.

Outer Critics Circle, the organization of writers covering New York theatre for out-of-town newspapers, national publications and other media beyond Broadway publicly announced the nominees for the 2009-10 season on Monday, April 26th (11AM) at the historic Algonquin Hotel (59 West 44th Street). Outer Critics Circle posted award nominations in 23 categories and are the first major Broadway/Off-Broadway award nominees of the New York theater season.

New York City Center will celebrate Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winner Stephen Sondheim on the occasion of his 80th birthday on Monday, April 26 with a gala celebration featuring stars who have shone in Sondheim musicals including Michael Cerveris, Barbara Cook, Raúl Esparza, Victor Garber, Joanna Gleason, Angela Lansbury, Patti LuPone, Donna Murphy and Bernadette Peters. Directed by Tony Award-winner John Doyle, the evening will highlight shows for which Mr. Sondheim has written both music and lyrics, and will feature a full orchestra conducted by Encores! Music Director Rob Berman. The Benefit will help fund New York City Center's artistic and education programs. In addition, a portion of the evening's proceeds will go to Young Playwrights Inc, a charity of great importance to Mr. Sondheim.

Elegance and gorgeous music have a new home as Bay Area Cabaret moves into its new venue - The Empire Ballroom at San Francisco's iconic Sir Francis Drake Hotel (450 Powell Street off Union Square). Fresh off its sold-out Valentine's Day performance by Tony Award winner Sutton Foster, Bay Area Cabaret continues its sixth season of seasoned Broadway, pop and jazz vocalists on Sunday, March 28th when Broadway star Karen Mason (Mamma Mia!, Hairspray, Sunset Blvd) performs a new program of showstoppers and pop originals. Next up on Friday, April 16th is The Rose songwriter Amanda McBroom, performing a tribute to her songwriting inspiration Jacques Brel. The season closes with Grey Gardens star Christine Ebersole in a recent award-winning Carlyle program with Michael Feinstein's accompanist John Oddo leading a four-piece band on Sunday, April 25th.

Sondheim on Sondheim opened officially last night on April 22nd, 2010 at Studio 54 on Broadway (254 West 54th Street) and BroadwayWorld.com was there to cover the red carpet arrivals!