Billie Holiday News

Mile Square Theatre, Hudson County's leading professional theatre, kicks off its 2018 season with Alfred Uhry's powerful masterpiece Driving Miss Daisy. Set in the South between the late 40's and early 70's, the play explores an unlikely friendship between an elderly white Southern Jewish woman, Daisy Werthan, and her African-American chauffer, Hoke Colburn.

With the arrival of 2018, the long-running smash SISTAS: THE MUSICAL had its seventh New Year's celebration at St. Luke's Theatre in the heart of the Theatre District. Produced by three-time Tony winner Hinton Battle and directed by Kenneth Ferrone ( Smash, Grease Live! ), SISTAS: THE MUSICAL opened Off-Broadway October 23, 2011. The show was released on DVD and digital download (iTunes, Netflix) by RLJ Worldwide/One Village Entertainment in 2013, and has been nationally broadcast on the BET Network. The production is now the longest-running African American musical in New York history.

The Marcus King Band has announced that they will support Tedeschi Trucks Band and The Drive-By Truckers on TTB's 'Wheels Of Soul' 2018 tour. Hailed by audiences and critics as 'a champion of the summer concert season'

Echo Prize-Winning Jazz Singer Lucia Cadotsch Makes Her U.S. Debut in January 2018 with Her Berlin-Based Speak Low Trio Featuring Saxophonist Otis Sandsj and Bassist Petter Eldh. Lucia appears with her Speak Low trio in New York City on January 13 as part of a Sound It Out series double-bill at Greenwich House. Lucia, Otis & Petter will be performing music from their debut album, Speak Low, which earned five-star raves in both DownBeat and The Guardian along with glowing reviews for its companion remix album, Speak Low Renditions.

From rituals of mourning to exuberant celebrations, from rebellion to times of healing, history has always had a soundtrack to mark key events, figures, and movements. A concert at Temple Israel of New Rochelle, January 26 will highlight how music has reflected and inspired change throughout history.

Since 2003, Hologram USA has delivered more than 700 successful projects, making groundbreaking strides in how people experience live events and communicate with each other using dynamic, cutting edge Holographic 3D technology. Their holographic experiences allow audience members to sit in a theater and feel as if they are attending a live three-dimensional concert or nightclub performance right in front of their eyes. Sounds too incredible, right? That's what I thought until I attended their latest creation, Billie Holiday Alive! at the new Hologram USA Theater in Hollywood

WRITE ACT REP announces PREZ, a solo show written by playwright Willard Manus, in celebration of Black History Month, and returns to Los Angeles, as part of a Festival Series at Write Act Rep's Brickhouse Theatre called THREE BY WILL IN REP. The Series includes two World Premiere's along with the return of the acclaimed PREZ, which chronicles the unique life of jazzman Lester Young, featuring Leslie A. Jones. The intimate drama is produced by John Lant II, and will be directed by Daniel E. Keough. The show is set to open February 4th, 2018. All performances for PREZ will be on Sunday at 2PM, through March 11th, 2018, as part of the three production Series, 'THREE BY WILL IN REP'.

Centenary Stage Company kicks off the New Year and the annual January Thaw Music Festival on Sunday, January 14 at 2 pm in the Lackland Performing Arts Center with Freda Payne: A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald.

Popular opera and musical theatre star, David Hobson, international opera luminary Yvonne Kenny and Australian entertainment legend Normie Rowe are among the star-studded lineup for Arts Centre Melbourne's Morning Melodies 2018 program. The feel-good one hour concerts held each month at Hamer Hall will showcase an eclectic mix of celebrated Australian and international artists from the worlds of jazz, musical theatre, opera and dance.

In January 2018, Joe's Pub at The Public presents its annual slate of showcases coinciding with APAP NYC 2018, January 12-16, the annual Association of Performing Artists Presenters conference drawing presenters from around the world.

Wilton's Music Hall will host the European premi re of Songs For Nobodies (running 21 March 7 April), a brand new play with songs featuring music from five iconic divas; Judy Garland, Pasty Cline, Billie Holiday, Edith Piaf and Maria Callas. Accompanied by live musicians, this funny and moving performance was written especially for Bernadette Robinson by Joanna Murray-Smith (Honour, Bombshells, The Female of the Species) and directed by Simon Phillips (Priscilla Queen of the Desert, the Musical).

The Public Theater announced the exciting national and international line-up today for the 14th annual UNDER THE RADAR FESTIVAL, running January 4-15, 2018.

Asha Pieper kicks off 2018 with a brand new video in tow for 'Voices.' Voices sets the tone for what women are facing in the world today. This rich track features vibes and violin and Asha's voice has been compared to Nina Simone, Billie Holiday, Fiona Apple, and Esperanza Spalding.

On January 16, 2018 at 7:00pm, join Harlem Stage -- the legendary uptown venue that for over 30 years has been promoting the creative legacy of Harlem and artists of color -- for a special winter benefit performance that will honor the life and work of Ella Fitzgerald. This intimate evening will feature jazz icon Dee Dee Bridgewater and singing sensation W McDonald, of The Voice fame, as they pay tribute to the legendary Ella Fitzgerald in honor of her centennial. In the spirit of the best traditions in jazz, both of these artists will perform their own inimitable interpretations of the songs made famous by Ella.

In 2018, Joe's Pub at The Public launched a new program The Vanguard Residency. The inaugural recipient of the award is Grammy-nominated, art and funk rock pioneer NONA HENDRYX.

Verve Label Group and UMe are proud to announce the induction of trailblazers Nina Simone and Sister Rosetta Tharpe into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.

For our first autumn as a producing venue, Jermyn Street Theatre created an Escape Season. The plays circled around themes of escaping entrapment of different kinds. In spring 2018, we are presenting the Scandal Season. These productions are about people who break the rules, outraging their contemporaries and blazing their own trail.

To commemorate the 1918 holocaust lynchings of eleven African Americans, including Mary Turner and her unborn baby in Brooks County, Georgia, The Billie Holiday Theatre and RestorationART present the New York Premiere of A Small Oak Tree Runs Red by Brooklyn's own LeKethia Dalcoe, directed by renowned actor and director, Harry Lennix. Performances will begin February 2, 2018 with the Opening on February 8 and running through March 4 at The Billie Holiday Theatre, 1368 Fulton Street, Brooklyn, NY 11216.

To ring in the new year, Theatrical Outfit proudly stages Lady Day at Emerson's Bar & Grill, a riveting look into one of jazz and blues legend Billie Holiday's final performances, starring Atlanta's own Terry Burrell (Alliance Theatre's Ethel; Broadway's Thoroughly Modern Millie, DreamGirls, Into the Woods).

Irish Arts Center (IAC), the arts and cultural center dedicated to projecting a dynamic image of Ireland and Irish America for the 21st century, announces its Spring 2018 lineup, featuring a characteristically wide range of theatrical, musical, dance, literary, podcast, interdisciplinary and educational events.