Berger News

Three high school jazz bands took top honors on Sunday night at the 17th Annual Essentially Ellington High School Jazz Band Competition & Festival, presented by Jazz at Lincoln Center. The bands were chosen by a panel of judges composed of distinguished jazz musicians and historians, including Jazz at Lincoln Center's Artistic Director WYNTON MARSALIS; DAVID BERGER, BILL DOBBINS, JEFFREY HAMILTON and SHERMAN IRBY. The three top bands were chosen from a field of 15 finalist bands that participated in the three-day Competition & Festival from May 4-6.

Jared Zirilli (of Fat Camp, Lysistrata Jones, Wicked 1st natl tour, aida at the drury lane, AltarBoyz etc) brings you episode 20 of the Jared Zirilli Blog BACKSTAGE at FAT CAMP with exclusive interviews with the cast! Jared's official website can be found at jaredzirilli.com.

Tony Award-winner Julie White (THE LITTLE DOG LAUGHED) is set to host the 2012 Page 73 Spring Benefit on Friday, May 11 at 7:00pm at City Winery (155 Varick Street) in Manhattan, it has been announced by Page 73's Executive Directors Liz Jones and Asher Richelli.

When the Rain Stops Falling is a heartbreaking story of a journey across time where the acts of the past prove devastating to the next generation. Spanning 1959 to 2039 and featuring four generations of a family, the play was named Time Magazine's Best New Play of 2010, Circle stages the Chicago Premiere of When the Rain Stops Falling.

Jared Zirilli (of Fat Camp, Lysistrata Jones, Wicket Tour, Aida at the Drury Lane, Rent etc) brings exclusive cast video from backstage at opening night of Fat Camp in Episode 19 of the Jared Zirilli blog. The show features Casey Hushion, Marcus Neville, Michael Mendez, Cale Krise, Daniel Everidge, Carly Jibson, Nancy Renee Braun, Charles Barksdale, and Michael Buchanan. Watch the video below!

ROZ RYAN will play Miss Bea Haven and as Lucille, Liberace's secretary and Nurse Lil'Lil in Alexander DeJong's pre-Broadway workshop presentation of ALL THAT GLITTERS. The musical is aiming for an April 2013 Broadway Opening.

Landless Theatre Company presents the DC Premiere of Spidermusical, written by Timothy Michael Drucker and Randy Blair (creators of Perez Hilton Saves The Universe and Fat Camp), with music by Matt Roi Berger. The production is directed by Melissa Baughman, with music direction by Charles Johnson.

Reeve Carney and the cast of SPIDER-MAN TURN OFF THE DARK celebrated Green Goblin Patrick Page's birthday onstage at the Foxwoods Theatre at the curtain call, with a surprise appearance by Paige Davis (Mrs. Patrick Page, 'Trading Spaces'), yesterday, April 27. BroadwayWorld brings you photos of the event below!

UNESCO Director-General Irina Bokova and UNESCO Goodwill Ambassador Herbie Hancock will kick-off the first annual International Jazz Day with a full day of events including live performances, Master Classes, and discussions featuring Marcus Miller, Barbara Hendricks, Hugh Masekela, Dee Dee Bridgewater, plus much more. Please visit http://unesco.org for complete details.

The BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop announces its Spring Smoker, a semi-annual showcase for new songs from Workshop writers. The event will be held in the 30th Floor Media Room of BMI's New York office at 7 World Trade Center/250 Greenwich Street tonight, April 26, at 5:30PM and is open to members of the entertainment industry as well as Workshop members. Reservations are a must: Ssantana@bmi.com or 212 220-3177. Running time is 70 minutes.

Coming off Syfy's most watched First Quarter ever in total viewers, Adults 18-34 and key women demos, Syfy and Chiller President Dave Howe today ignited the imagination of the advertising community by unveiling the next phase of the channel's largest original programming slate in history.

The BMI-Lehman Engel Musical Theatre Workshop announces its Spring Smoker, a semi-annual showcase for new songs from Workshop writers. The event will be held in the 30th Floor Media Room of BMI's New York office at 7 World Trade Center/250 Greenwich Street on Thursday, April 26, at 5:30PM and is open to members of the entertainment industry as well as Workshop members. Reservations are a must: Ssantana@bmi.com or 212 220-3177. Running time is 70 minutes.

As first reported on Deadline.com, Syfy has announced that it has given the greenlight to five new reality series, including HOT SET, a spin-off from the network's popular competition series for makeup artists Face Off.

Jared Zirilli, a cast member of FAT CAMP (as well as Lysistrata Jones, Wicked's first National Tour, Aida at Drury Lane and more) goes backstage at FAT CAMP to collect exclusive and hilarious interviews with the show's stars and ensemble. In this latest (18th) blog installment, he features new interviews with Bridie Carroll and Michael Buchanan. Watch the video below!

What do you get when you cross a Danish Orthodox Jew and a simple Israeli girl from a kibbutz? You get Charlotte Cohn, who at nineteen was already a Commander in the Israeli Army, but had her sights on a different path. Join her in this eclectic evening of music ranging from Puccini to The Beatles and hear the real stories that brought her from Ben Yehuda Street to Broadway.

Ars Nova (Jason Eagan, Artistic Director; Jeremy Blocker, Managing Director) will present the premiere of Justin Sayre Is Alive and Well... Writing, an evening of short plays by the acclaimed comedian and writer Justin Sayre, directed by Ben Rimalower.

Ars Nova (Jason Eagan, Artistic Director; Jeremy Blocker, Managing Director) will present the premiere of Justin Sayre Is Alive and Well... Writing, an evening of short plays by the acclaimed comedian and writer Justin Sayre, directed by Ben Rimalower.

Yesterday, April 18, Reeve Carney celebrated his 29th birthday at the Foxwoods Theatre. As a gift, the Spider-Man Turn Off The Dark house crew compiled a video retrospective of the star's journey with the show from rehearsal through opening and BroadwayWorld shares it with you below!

Jared Zirilli, a cast member of FAT CAMP (as well as Lysistrata Jones, Wicked's first National Tour, Aida at Drury Lane and more) goes backstage at FAT CAMP to collect exclusive and hilarious interviews with the show's stars and ensemble.

VH1's love gurus and Master Matchmakers(R), Steve and JoAnn Ward are getting 'tough' again on the newest season of VH1's TOUGH LOVE. An all-new cast of unlucky-in-love women hit 'The Big Easy' for Steve's brutally honest love lesson on why they are still single. 'Tough Love: New Orleans' premieres on Sunday, April 15 at 9 PM/8c.