Billie Holiday News

As their award-winning theatre home in Bed-Stuy's Restoration Plaza undergoes a multi-million dollar facelift, The Billie Holiday Theatre (BHT) has announced a move that will bring their acclaimed productions to Brooklyn's flourishing Downtown Cultural District. Thanks to a special partnership with the Brooklyn Music School Playhouse, BHT will kick off a two-year residency with a high profile run of the play Brothers from the Bottom, starring actor and TONY Award-winning producer Wendell Pierce (SELMA, Treme, The Wire). The play, written and directed by BHT artistic director Jackie Alexander, will run tonight, March 6th - 29th at the Brooklyn Music School Playhouse, 126 Saint Felix Street between Hanson and Lafayette, in the heart of the BAM Cultural District.

On April 9-12, Jazz at Lincoln Center's Billie Holiday Festival will honor Billie Holiday celebrating an artist of monumental innovation on the centennial of her birth. The Billie Holiday Festival will include three nights of concerts and pre-concert discussions at Frederick P. Rose Hall, home of Jazz at Lincoln Center, located at Broadway at 60th Street, New York, New York.

Harlem Stage is pleased to present the world premiere of Notes of a Native Song, a new work by Tony and Obie award-winning playwright, singer-songwriter Stew (Passing Strange), co-composed with his long-time collaborator Heidi Rodewald, who also performs.

The mesmerizing songstress Audra McDonald, will grace the Van Wezel stage on March 22, 2015 at 7:00pm with a dazzling performance of her favorite show-tunes and songs from her new album Go Back Home. Her breadth and versatility as both a singer and an actress combines to make her the powerhouse artist that she is. With a record six Tony Awards, two Grammy Awards, and a whole catalogue of other awards to her name, making her one of today's most highly regarded performers.

The Hill House Association (www.hillhouse.org) will present six-time Tony Award winner Audra McDonald in concert for one night only. The performance will begin at 8 p.m. on Wednesday, April 15(th) at the landmark Byham Theater.

Vocalist Joey Arias is not what he appears to the uninitiated. This is not a drag performer executing pastiche, but rather an artist serious about music with the talent to offer a full-blooded show. Lifelong affinity for Billie Holiday first professionally surfaced in 1987's Recording Arias on Holiday and continued with the Off-Broadway run of Strange Fruit, an homage to the icon. Her concert Wednesday night for Lincoln Center's American Songbook series, with evocative musical arrangement by Matt Ray, brings Arias' devotion "all the way from downtown above 14th Street."

This March, 54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street. Below, find the schedule for upcoming events over the next month.

On March 7, Target First Saturday celebrates Women's History Month with an evening of music, film, and more. Highlights include music by D.J. duo JSMN (Jasmine Solano) and MeLo-X, Alissia & the Funketeers and Princess Nokia; screenings of LaDonna Harris: Indian 101 and Didn't I Ask for Tea?; a discussion with Tavi Gevinson, founder of Rookie Magazine; and a performance workshop with Colored Girls Hustle.

Now in its 16th season, Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook continues to expand its scope in celebrating the best in American singing and songwriting, with Joey Arias in A CENTENNIAL TRIBUTE TO BILLIE HOLIDAY tonight, February 25, 2015 at the Appel Room.

MIGHTY REAL: A FABULOUS SYLVESTER MUSICAL, the hit musical celebration of the life and music of the original 1970s 'Queen of Disco,' Sylvester, will come to Philadelphia for one weekend only, performing at the Painted Bride Art Center (230 Vine Street, Philadelphia, PA 19106) for five shows only: Friday, April 3rd, 2015 @ 8pm; Saturday, April 4th, 2015 @ 2pm & 8pm; and Sunday, April 5th, 2015 @ 3pm & 7:30pm.

54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents Maureen McGovern in 'Celebrating Women Singer/ Songwriters.' Maureen celebrates women singer/songwriters in her powerful new show and forthcoming CD, Sing, My Sisters, Sing!.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: BROOKLYNITE and BRIGHT HALF LIFE open off-Broadway, Ralph Fiennes stars in MAN AND SUPERMAN at the National and more!

A dramatisation of the true story of the Jena Six, black teenasgers jailed for attempted murder after beating up a white student

April is Jazz Appreciation month and in recognition, the Nash announces a new series of classes for the public to learn about the history of jazz by examining the great masters. This four-part series will be led by ASU jazz instructor, Dr. Jeffry Libman, who will present four weekly Wednesday morning sessions in April each focusing on a different jazz instrument and its master musicians and vocalists. Dr. Libman will lead the discussions with histories and recordings from the great masters such as John Coltrane, Dizzie Gillespie, Thelonious Monk and Billie Holiday.

?The city of San Francisco will honor the legendary disco singer Sylvester, along with the opening of MIGHTY REAL: A FABULOUS SYLVESTER MUSICAL -- the acclaimed celebration of the life and music of the original 1970s "Queen of Disco" -- with San Francisco Supervisor, Scott Weiner, set to present a proclamation for "Mighty Real Day: Honoring Sylvester & His Music" on Friday, February 13, 2015 at 2:00 p.m. (Pacific) at Sylvester's star on the Castro Rainbow Honor Walk. MIGHTY REAL: A FABULOUS SYLVESTER MUSICAL began performances at the Brava Theater Center (2781 24th Street) on Wednesday, February 11th and will open on Saturday, February 14th, 2015. The limited San Francisco engagement is scheduled through Sunday, March 1st.

Join Cassandra Wilson as she celebrates Billie Holiday's 100th birthday with a preview of her upcoming album, Coming Forth By Day: A Celebration of Billie Holiday. Harris Center for the Arts is one of her stops on a worldwide promotion tour of this homage dedicated to the beauty, power, and genius of Billie Holiday.

She's new to the music scene but her vocals sound as if she's been around forever. Kat Edmonson is not only part of The Ridgefield Playhouse Emerging Artist series but also part of the No. 109 Cheese & Wine 'Evening of Art, Wine and Jazz'. Saturday, March 7, kicks off at 7:15 p.m. with a free wine tasting and art by photographer Bonnie Edelman in the lobby before being treated to the music of retro-soul chanteuse Kat Edmonson, who has been compared to everyone from Billie Holiday to Nora Jones.