Betty Comden News

Penned by a pair of downtown revue writers (Betty Comden and Adolph Green), composed by a wunderkind New York Philharmonic conductor (Leonard Bernstein), choreographed by a Ballet Theatre soloist (Jerome Robbins) and originally directed by musical comedy master George Abbott, there's never been a musical on Broadway that mixes highbrow and lowbrow with such a wondrous cacophonous clash as On The Town.

Starting February 3rd with a kick-off signing event at the Lincoln Center Barnes & Noble store, 'Liza's At The Palace....' will be available wherever fine music is sold, for the suggested retail list price of $19.98.

The 92nd Street Y continues the 2009 season of Lyrics & Lyricists with DAVID ZIPPEL as host and artistic director of It Started with a Dream, February 21-23. Subtitled David Zippel - Lyrics He Wrote, Lyrics He Wishes He Wrote, the Tony award-winning, Oscar-nominated lyricist of City of Angels and Disney's animated Hercules and Mulan, presents highlights from his own scores and shares his inspirations and personal favorites from the American Songbook. The show features an all-Broadway cast, including vocalists KATE BALDWIN (Wonderful Town, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Full Monty), KEVIN EARLEY (A Tale of Two Cities, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Les Mis?rables), Tony Award-winner DEBBIE GRAVITTE (Jerome Robbins' Broadway, Chicago, Les Mis?rables), DANNY GURWIN (Little Women, Urinetown, The Full Monty), and Tony Award-winner LILLIAS WHITE (The Life, Dreamgirls, and. the voice of 'Calliope' in Hercules). One of the most acclaimed and sought-after lyricists working today, David Zippel's other credits include the Broadway musical The Goodbye Girl (written with Marvin Hamlisch and Neil Simon), The Woman in White (with Andrew Lloyd Webber, for which Zippel won another Tony nomination) and the musical stage version of Wendy Wasserstein's bestselling children's book, Pamela's First Musical, written with Wasserstein and City of Angels collaborator Cy Coleman. Series artistic director Deborah Grace Winer, in her first season at the helm, notes that this is the first time in over 25 years that L&L will devote an entire show to a contemporary Broadway songwriter at the height of his career--a return to the spirit in which L&L was founded, with the living lyricist as an active participant.

Various reports indicate that the 2009 Reprise Theatre Company season which was to present the world premiere of CHESS with a new book by Tony? winner Richard Maltby, Jr., has cancelled the production. THE FANTASTICKS, a musical they were planning for next season will now take it's place. CHESS was to play May 5th through 17th, 2009. Reprise is getting ready to open the classic international hit 'Man of La Mancha,' it begins performances on Feburary 14th.

The 92nd Street Y announces casting for the 2009 season of Lyrics & Lyricists, the Y's legendary American Songbook series. Polly Bergen, Lucie Arnaz, Tom Wopat and Marilyn Maye are among the storied cast members who will sing the songs of Richard Rodgers, Ira Gershwin, Mel Torm?, DeSylva, Brown & Henderson, David Zippel and others. This is the first season curated by new series artistic director DEBORAH GRACE WINER, and her inaugural line-up of guest artistic directors - MARTIN CHARNIN, DAVID ZIPPEL, ROBERT KIMBALL, REX REED, and BILLY STRITCH.

The Village Voice recently noted 'There's no business like Gaynor's show business' and now fresh on the heels of attracting a new generation of fans with her acclaimed PBS musical documentary, Mitzi Gaynor: Razzle Dazzle! The Special Years, -- Green Isle Inc. has announced the world premiere of Mitzi Gaynor's all new one-woman show, RAZZLE DAZZLE! MY LIFE BEHIND THE SEQUINS opening Saturday, January 10th (8:00PM) at the historic Herbst Theatre in San Francisco.

Starting February 3rd with a kick-off signing event at the Lincoln Center Barnes & Noble store, 'Liza's At The Palace....' will be available wherever fine music is sold, for the suggested retail list price of $19.98.

The 2008-2009 Reprise Theatre Company season continues with the classic international hit 'Man of La Mancha,' starring Brent Spiner as Cervantes/Quixote. Julia Migenes, the renowned opera and theatre performer, will play Aldonza/Dulcinea; Valerie Perri will play the role of Aldonza/Dulcinea at matinee performances; and Tony nominee Lee Wilkof will play Sancho Panza.

New York critics and theatre audiences fell under the spell of Liza Minnelli's unmatchable magic when she returned to Broadway's legendary Palace Theatre and played a recent sell-out engagement. Now, music lovers around the world will get the same chance when 'Liza's at the Palace....' the new original cast recording of her incomparable show will be released on February 3rd (Hybrid Recordings).

The 92nd Street Y announces casting for the 2009 season of Lyrics & Lyricists?, the Y's legendary American Songbook series. Polly Bergen, Lucie Arnaz, Tom Wopat and Marilyn Maye are among the storied cast members who will sing the songs of Richard Rodgers, Ira Gershwin, Mel Torm?, DeSylva, Brown & Henderson, David Zippel and others. This is the first season curated by new series artistic director DEBORAH GRACE WINER, and her inaugural line-up of guest artistic directors - MARTIN CHARNIN, DAVID ZIPPEL, ROBERT KIMBALL, REX REED, and BILLY STRITCH.

Jesse Tyler Ferguson and Lea DeLaria sing Comden and Green - Tuesday and Wednesday, December 16th and 17 at 9:30 PM, Jesse Tyler Ferguson (The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, TV's The Class and Ugly Betty) and Lea DeLaria (Warner Brothers Jazz Recording Artist, Broadway's The Rocky Horror Show) join forces again for the first time in years in a show that pays homage to songwriting team that introduced them to the New York Stage (in the 1997 revival of ON THE TOWN).

The Village Voice recently noted 'There's no business like Gaynor's show business' and now fresh on the heels of attracting a new generation of fans with her acclaimed PBS musical documentary, Mitzi Gaynor: Razzle Dazzle! The Special Years, -- Green Isle Inc. has announced the world premiere of Mitzi Gaynor's all new one-woman show, RAZZLE DAZZLE! MY LIFE BEHIND THE SEQUINS opening Saturday, January 10th (8:00PM) at the historic Herbst Theatre in San Francisco.

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director) will honor Tony? Award-winner George S. Irving with the 17th Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre Monday, December 8th.

The 2008-2009 Reprise Theatre Company season continues with 'I Love My Wife' with book and lyrics by Michael Stewart and music by Cy Coleman, December 2 to 14 at the Brentwood Theatre. Lea Thompson and Patrick Cassidy join Vicki Lewis and Jason Alexander. 'I Love My Wife' will be directed by Larry Moss with choreography by Lee Martino and music direction by Michael Skloff.

The 2008-2009 Reprise Theatre Company season continues with 'I Love My Wife' with book and lyrics by Michael Stewart and music by Cy Coleman, December 2 to 14 at the Brentwood Theatre.

On the Town, the opening production of New York City Center's 2008-09 Encores! season, opened, November 19th and played a final performance on Sunday November 23rd. On the Town, the first Broadway musical written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green with a score by Leonard Bernstein, was directed by John Rando with music direction by Todd Ellison and choreography by Warren Carlyle. BroadwayWorld's cameras joined the starry cast at the closing night party!

On the Town, the opening production of New York City Center's 2008-09 Encores! season, opened, November 19th and played a final performance on Sunday November 23rd.. On the Town, the first Broadway musical written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green with a score by Leonard Bernstein, was directed by John Rando with music direction by Todd Ellison and choreography by Warren Carlyle. BroadwayWorld's cameras had a 'helluva' time joining in on all the fun!

On the Town, the first Broadway musical written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green with a score by Leonard Bernstein, opens New York City Center's 2008-09 Encores! season on November 19, running November 19 - 23, directed by John Rando with music direction by Todd Ellison and choreography by Warren Carlyle.

On the Town, the opening production of New York City Center's 2008-09 Encores! season, opens tonight, November 19th.

The 2008-2009 Reprise Theatre Company season continues with the classic international hit 'Man of La Mancha,' starring Brent Spiner, written by Dale Wasserman with music by Mitch Leigh and lyrics by Joe Darion. The production will be directed by Michael Michetti, co-artistic director of The Theatre at Boston Cout.