Bill Russell News

Prediction:  for the next few days, everyone will be talking about Hugh Panaro and his mesmerizing solo concert debut here in New York City, at 54 Below.  What took so long? Who Knows.  But that doesn’t matter anymore because his two-day run on October 5th and 6th is totally sold out, which means he’ll be back and, surely, be exporting this all over the country, to London, Canada, and Australia, where audiences love exactly what he is giving them- BROADWAY, and plenty of it, but through the singular lens of his career. 

It's Miss America meets RuPaul's Drag Race! Pageant, The Musical Comedy Beauty Contest, will open Island City Stage's 11th South Florida season in glamourous over-the-top style on October 20! The glittering, grandiose and glorious musical comedy runs through November 20.

Phillip Officer was a prevalent name in NYC cabarets in the 1990s and early 2000s. He made a name for himself on Broadway in the cast of the original SIDE SHOW. And his cabaret evenings were always highly regarded by critics and audiences alike. But as he explained this evening, in 2008 he packed everything he owned into several large bags and not quite knowing why boarded a plane to Las Vegas, a place he had never been, with the intent of starting a new life. His baggage was lost along the way. How’s that for a metaphor?

BIRDLAND THEATER will present singers Stacy Sullivan and Todd Murray in the new show “I’m Glad There Is You – The Musical Romance of Frank Sinatra and Peggy Lee” on Monday, October 31 at 8:30 PM.

BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB will present vocalist and pianist Steve Ross in a special new show “Autumn Serenades” on Monday, October 24 at 7:00 PM. Ross will sing a few mellow seasonal ballads, including “September in the Rain,” “Autumn Leaves,” “September Song,” and “When October Goes.”

Island City Stage, creating quality professional theatrical experiences focused on the LGBT+ community for a universal audience, has announced its 11th South Florida Season. Coming off a successful 10th anniversary run, the theater company will open its 11th year in October with the glittering, grandiose and glorious musical comedy Pageant.

BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB will present a special musical evening with three great musical talents Victoria Shaw, Jim Brickman, and Peter Cincotti, in “Three Friends, One Piano” on Monday, October 10 at 7:00 PM.

More than a New York minute -- it's been a New York decade since one of NYC's favorite singers stepped into the spotlight here. PHILLIP OFFICER returns September 26 at 8:30pm to make his Birdland Theater debut with LET ME SING AND I'M HAPPY. Phillip built a commanding reputation for his musicality and commitment to lyrics. 

Making his Birdland Theater debut, Phillip Officer will play his new show LET ME SING AND I'M HAPPY September 26th.

BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB will present Julie Halston – the brilliant Tony Award-winning comedic actress – on Monday, October 17 at 7:00 PM. Ms. Halston returns to the Birdland stage – live and in person – after two-and-a-half years of global pandemic Zoom meetings and green screens.

Star of the Day announces its September musical Side Show The Musical written by Bill Russell, Henry Krieger, and Bill Condon based on the true story of Violet and Daisy Hilton, conjoined twins and famed entertainers.

Birdland Jazz Club and Birdland Theater are open this September with a full slate of nightly performances!

BIRDLAND THEATER will present the return of Mairi Dorman-Phaneuf – the acclaimed cellist celebrating her recent album Music of Broadway for Cello and Piano – on Monday, September 19 at 8:30 PM.

Abingdon Theatre Company has announced details for their upcoming 30th Season, including one Off-Broadway premiere, a new season of Around The Table Readings, the return of their downtown cabaret series Broadway on the Bowery, and a new season of ATC's popular One Night Only series.

Birdland Jazz Club will present a special evening with renowned pianist and singer Billy Stritch and award-winning jazz vocalist Gabrielle Stravelli on Monday, September 19 at 7:00 PM.

Daniel Henning, the Founding Artistic Director of The Blank Theatre in Hollywood, is stepping down after 32 years, effective October 8, 2022. Henning founded The Blank Theatre in 1990.

BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB will present Bobby Conte – currently playing the role of PJ in the Broadway revival of Company – in his acclaimed solo concert “Along the Way” on Monday, August 15 at 7:00 PM.

Former heavyweight boxing champion and mayor of Kyiv, Vitali Klitschko, will be honored with the Arthur Ashe Award for Courage at the 2022 ESPYS, airing live on ABC. The award is given to a deserving member of the sporting world who makes a difference far beyond the field of play, impacting the world in indelible ways.

Joshua Henry will head the cast of Brave New World: The Musical (as World Controller Thomas Mond) for an invitation-only industry reading on May 23rd in Midtown Manhattan. Joining Henry will be Solea Pfeiffer, Ephraim Sykes, and more.

'Mirror, mirror of success, who will be Miss Glamouress?' Six contestants emerge from behind a gold shimmer curtain to take part in an epic battle of hairspray and cheesy quatrain in the musical comedy Pageant, the latest mainstage show presented by The Ritz Theatre Company.