Bette Midler News

Two iconic female performers are remembered and honored in song and story at Florida Studio Theatre's Court Cabaret. The final show in FST's Summer Sidekicks Series, Somewhere Over the Rose: The Songs and Stories of Judy Garland and Bette Midler, opens August 5 and runs through August 31. Single tickets are on sale for $32. Tickets may be purchased online at FloridaStudioTheatre.org, by phone at (941) 366-9000, or by visiting the Box Office.

MPAC goes retro with a blast of 80s rock Thursday, August 7 at 8 pm. Rock of the 80s features The Romantics ('What I Like About You'), The Smithereens ('A Girl Like You'), Marshall Crenshaw ('Someday, Someway') and Tommy Tutone ('867-5309/Jenny'). Tickets are $39-69.

Jonathan Tolins' outrageous new comedy 'Buyer & Cellar' featuring Michael Urie (TV's 'Ugly Betty') opens at the Center Theatre Group/Mark Taper Forum on Sunday, July 13, 2014, at 7 p.m. Directed by Stephen Brackett, this New York runaway hit continues through August 17.

The Public Theater will open its 2014-15 downtown season with the world premiere of Bridget Everett's ROCK BOTTOM at Joe's Pub.š Created by Bridget Everett, Marc Shaiman, Scott Wittman, Adam "Ad-Rock" Horovitz, and Matt Ray, ROCK BOTTOM was originally commissioned as part of the Joe's Pub 2013 New York Voices series.

Breakthrough Workshop Theatre, a rising San Diego-based educational theatre, announces the World Premiere of MISS M SAVES THE UNIVERSE!

Following a successful engagement late last year, actress, singer-songwriter and musician Melissa Manchester returns to the Suncoast Showroom August 9 and 10.

Annie Ross has been an abundant contributor to the art of jazz for over 50 years and audiences have the opportunity to see her perform in all her glory every Tuesday at 9:30pm at the Metropolitan Room.

Christina Bianco is best known for her cover of 'Let It Go' that went viral at the height of Frozen frenzy. In the video, she impersonates everyone from Barbra to Celine from Bernadette to Alanis and at her show titled 'Diva Moments' at Rockwell on Sunday, June 29th , she brought those divas and more to a packed house of enthusiastic fans.

World-renowned drummers, educators, authors and instructional DVD creators Mark Schulman (P!NK/Foreigner), Daniel Glass (Brian Setzer/Bette Midler) and Bruce Becker (Mike Stern/Ron Carter) will debut their first-ever drum camp July 18th - 20th at the Hilton Woodland Hills/Los Angeles located at 6360 Canoga Ave., Woodland Hills, CA. Produced by MUSO Entertainment, the Triple Threat 3-day drum camp offers a limited number of students the chance to play with and learn from three of the world's most experienced, educated and passionate drummers in an ultra-intensive, intimate classroom setting and a full day in the recording studio. At the camp each student plays along with the instructors on an individual practice drum kit allowing for an incredibly intense, hands-on educational experience that guarantees results. Each student will also receive playing time analysis in the Drumchannel.com recording studio.

'Rise 'n Shine with Bette & Juliette' is a brand-new-stage 'morning' talk/variety show hosted by Bette Midler (Craig Taggart) and Juliette Lewis (Chris Pudlo). The second stage-episode will hit the stage on Tuesday, July 15!

Kenneth 'Babyface' Edmonds, one of the producers on Barbra Streisand's highly anticipated duets album, has revealed that the project is almost finished.

'Buyer & Cellar' featuring Michael Urie begins previews July 9, 2014, at the CTG/Mark Taper Forum. Jonathan Tolins' outrageous new comedy, directed by Stephen Brackett, opens July 13; performances continue through August 17.

The biggest challenge in personalizing a tribute show is when the set list is structured to tell a story about the performer's life. Those songs better be good, that life better be interesting, and that storytelling patter better be clever, humorous, and self-deprecating or an audience (let alone a reviewer) will tune you out quicker than a liberal accidentally hitting FOX News on the remote. I recently saw two different shows at The Duplex from enchanting young women performers—Carly Ozard and Nikki MacCallum--who deftly managed to weave their love of a singer (Bette Midler for Ozard) or a songbook (Kander & Ebb for MacCallum) into a tale of life journey and personal growth to produce charming and entertaining shows.

Breakthrough Workshop Theatre, a rising San Diego-based educational theatre, announces the World Premiere of MISS M SAVES THE UNIVERSE!

Bette Midler recently launched a program called the Stages for Success Initiative in association with The Jeckyl Foundation in hopes to raise money for schools with inadequate auditorium and rehearsal space. In 2012, the foundation completed renovation on a middle school in the South Bronx.

The Shakespeare Theatre Company is proud to present Buyer & Cellar as a part of its STC Presentation Series. Written by Jonathan Tolins and directed by Stephen Brackett, Buyer & Cellar will launch its North American tour in Chicago in May before coming to D.C. Buyer & Cellar had its world premiere in April 2013 at Rattlestick Playwrights Theater, where it received rave reviews and played a sold-out, extended run before transferring to the Barrow Street Theatre where it opened June 24, 2013. Buyer & Cellar stars Michael Urie (Ugly Betty) as a struggling (and recently fired) L.A. actor named Alex More, who finds himself taking an odd job working in the Malibu basement of a Hollywood mega-star (and though her name is not mentioned, there are numerous similarities to Barbara Streisand). When the A-lister makes a rare appearance one day, the comedy launches into an outrageous look at fame and the price that accompanies it. Buyer & Cellar will run from June 20-29, 2014, at STC's Sidney Harman Hall (610 F Street NW).

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Read about the EIGHT new musicals from Broadway In Chicago, the BIC Millennium Park concert, extensions for 'Days Like Today' and 'Avenue Q,' new work from Kokandy and New Colony, 'Caged Dames,' 'Myths And Hymns,' two films in downtown Aurora and Petterino's in downtown Chicago!