Beth Leavel News

Today in 1992, Crazy for You opened at the Shubert Theatre, where it ran for 1622 performances. Crazy for You is a musical with a book by Ken Ludwig, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and music by George Gershwin. Billed as 'The New Gershwin Musical Comedy', it is largely based on the songwriting team's 1930 musical, Girl Crazy, but interpolates songs from several other productions as well. Crazy for You won the 1992 Tony Award for Best Musical. The Broadway production was directed by Mike Ockrent and choreographed by Susan Stroman.The cast included Jodi Benson as Polly, Harry Groener as Bobby Child, Bruce Adler as Bela Zangler, John Hillner as Lank Hawkins, Michele Pawk as Irene Roth, Jane Connell as Mother, and Beth Leavel as Tess.

Tony Award-nominee Stephanie D'Abruzzo (Avenue Q), Drama Desk-nominees Chip Zien (Into the Woods, Falsettos) & Karen Mason (Sunset Boulevard, Mamma Mia!), Sebastian Arcelus (Elf, A Time to Kill), Nightlife Award-Winner Mark Nadler, Jillian Louis, Danny Gardner and the Broadway by the Year Chorus have been added to Town Hall's 14th season opener of its Broadway by the Year Series on Monday, February 24 at 8pm, THE BROADWAY MUSICALS OF 1915-1939. They join previously announced Tony Award-winners Tonya Pinkins and Beth Leavel, Tony Award-nominees Carolee Carmello, Stephanie J. Block, Karen Akers and Emily Skinner, Drama Desk Award-nominee Julia Murney, Grammy Award-winners Lari White and John Easterlin, Noah Racey (Curtains), Camille Saviola (Nine), concert and recording artist Howard Fishman and Nightlife Award-winner Carole J. Bufford. Individual tickets ($57 and $47) are on sale at www.TicketMaster.com or by phone at 800-982-2787; series subscriptions ($180-$220) are available at www.TheTownHall.org.

On Saturday evening, March 1st at 7:30pm Pace University will present American Showstoppers, with the 13 piece Fred Barton Orchestra, AN EVENING OF JERRY HERMAN. The evening is directed and choreographed by Scott Thompson and produced, orchestrated and hosted by Fred Barton.

This February and March at 54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond, including Christopher Sieber, Annaleigh Ashford, Randy Graff, Melinda Doolittle, Jeff Daniels, Linda Eder, Andrea McArdle, Sondheim Unplugged, Taboo: 10th Anniversary Reunion Concert, Beth Leavel, Lindsay Mendez and Derek Klena.

This February and March at 54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond, including Christopher Sieber, Annaleigh Ashford, Randy Graff, Melinda Doolittle, Jeff Daniels, Linda Eder, Andrea McArdle, Sondheim Unplugged, Taboo: 10th Anniversary Reunion Concert, Beth Leavel, Lindsay Mendez and Derek Klena.

On Monday, January 26, the Broadway at Birdland concert series hosted another evening of Jamie deRoy & Friends on the historic stage. Jamie and her guests Dee Snider, Beth Leavel, Isabel Keating, Patrick Paige, Kevin Meaney, Clint Holmes, Michele Brourman, Matthew Stocke, Jeff Kready and Lauren Worsham sang, laughed, cavorted and dazzled the sold-out house. Barry Kleinbort directed and Ron Abel served as musical director. Check out a look back below!

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra (NJSO) today announced its programs for the 2014-15 concert season, conductor Jacques Lacombe's fifth year as the Orchestra's Music Director. Fulfilling its mission as a statewide orchestra, the NJSO brings subscription programs to venues in Newark, New Brunswick, Princeton, Morristown, Red Bank and Englewood, with 14 weeks of subscription classical programs, four pops programs and three family concerts, as well as several special concerts.

Celebrated producer and cabaret performer Jamie deRoy will be hosting a special edition of her multi-MAC Award-winning Variety Show, Jamie deRoy & Friends, on Monday, January 27 at 7pm at Birdland. Jamie's special guests will be Beth Leavel (The Drowsy Chaperone), Kevin Meaney (Hairspray), singer-songwriter Dee Snider, known worldwide as the frontman for Twisted Sister, and Lauren Worsham, who is currently starring in A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder.

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its schedule for January 27-February 2, featuring: Joey DeFrancesco, Jared Gold Organ Trio with Dave Stryker, Jamie deRoy & Friends with Dee Snider, Beth Leavel, Kevin Meaney & Lauren Worsham, David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band, Mentor Mondays at Jim Caruso's Cast Party featuring Tony Award-Winner Lillias White, and more. Details below!

Tony Award Winner Beth Leavel (Drowsy Chaperone; Baby It's You) will be performing in a benefit concert along with other Broadway performers Sunday, at the Laurie Beechman Theater, 407 West 42nd Street on Sunday, January 26 at 7:00 p.m. Doors open at 6:00 p.m. for dinner and drinks.

On Monday, February 24 at 8pm, Town Hall will kick-off the 14th season of its Broadway by the Year Series with THE BROADWAY MUSICALS OF 1915-1939 which will feature Tony Award-winners Tonya Pinkins and Beth Leavel, as well as Tony Award-nominees Carolee Carmello, Stephanie J. Block, Karen Akers, and Emily Skinner, Drama Desk Award-nominees Aaron Lazar, Julia Murney and Kerry O'Malley, Grammy Award-winner Lari White, and Noah Racey (Curtains), Camille Saviola (Nine), concert and recording artist Howard Fishman and Nightlife Award-winner Carole J. Bufford. Individual tickets ($57 and $47) are on sale at www.TicketMaster.com or by phone at 800-982-2787; series subscriptions ($180-$220) are available at www.TheTownHall.org. Bank of America is proud to support Broadway by the Year with additional support provided by The Edythe Kenner Foundation.

January will certainly heat up when celebrated cabaret performer Jamie deRoy brings a special edition of her Multi MAC Award-winning Variety Show, Jamie deRoy & friends, to Birdland (315 West 44th Street) on Monday, January 27th (7PM) for its acclaimed 'Broadway at Birdland Series.' Proceeds from the evening will benefit The Actors Fund.

This year the holiday show at Bucks County Playhouse is MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS: A RADIO PLAY. They are keeping with the tradition of performing a holiday themed radio play where the audience plays the part of a live studio audience of the radio show. MEET ME IN ST. LOUIS: A RADIO PLAY is based on the 1944 movie-musical of the same name that starred Judy Garland and Margaret O'Brien. We had a chance to speak with one of the actors in the show at Bucks County Playhouse, Garth Kravits, about the musical, growing up in a theatre family and the importance of the arts to the community.

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:

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:

THE PREACHER AND THE SHRINK, a new play by Merle Good starring Dee Hoty, opened last night, November 18th, at The Beckett Theatre at Theatre Row, 410 West 42nd Street. The limited engagement is set to run through January 4th. Under the direction of Steven Yuhasz, THE PREACHER AND THE SHRINK also featuresTom Galantich (Mamma Mia!, City of Angels, Dirty Rotten Scoundrels), Mat Hostetler (War Horse, "Boardwalk Empire," "White Collar"), Adria Vitlar (The Columnist, Blood and Gifts), and Nicholas Urda (Love's Labour's Lost). BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening night festivities below!

KEVIN CARTER, Bobby Cronin, Scott Evan Davis, Drew Gasparini, Julia Meinwald, Blake Pfeil, Jeff Thomson, and Amanda Green star in INSPIRED 2: A Benefit Concert for the Humane Society of NYC and The Last Resort Rescue of NJ, today, Monday November 18th, 7pm at Stage 72/Triad.

Last night, November 10, Tony Award winner Billy Porter was honored at the NYMF 10th Anniversary Gala, presented at the Hudson Theatre. The special event also celebrated 10 years of creating and nurturing new musical theatre under the leadership of NYMF Co-Founder Isaac Robert Hurwitz. BroadwayWorld was there for the special event and you can check out photos below!

The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) has announced the full slate of talent from the musical theatre set to appear at the NYMF 10th Anniversary Gala, presented at the Hudson Theatre on Sunday, November 10th.

As BroadwayWorld.com continues to celebrate the site's landmark 10th anniversary, with a variety of special features, today we're turning our spotlight on the wonderful photography of Linda Lenzi.