Billy Strayhorn News

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) Senior Deputy Chairman Joan Shigekawa announced today that Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts is one of 150 not-for-profit organizations nationwide to receive an NEA Challenge America Fast-Track grant. Brooklyn Center for the Performing Arts is recommended for a $10,000 grant to support their April 27, 2014 presentation of the Smithsonian Jazz Masterworks Orchestra's A Tribute to Ella Fitzgerald.

NJPAC will welcome Newark's own virtuosic tap dancer Savion Glover for a special holiday presentation featuring the music of Duke Ellington today, December 8 at 4 pm in Prudential Hall. Glover, who holds the unofficial title of Newark's tap master, will be joined by singers Lizz Wright and Priscilla Baskerville, the David Berger Jazz Orchestra, and Dance Theater of Harlem students. Adding to this magical afternoon -- 48 students from the Arts High Advanced Choir will perform David Berger's arrangement of Ellington's 'Sing Out'.

Among her 6 concert offerings, Spider Saloff's, 'The Memory of All That' is one of the rare, officially sanctioned acts of the Gershwin Centennial. Her other shows also celebrate many of the writers of the American songbook and some original material.

NJPAC will welcome Newark's own virtuosic tap dancer Savion Glover for a special holiday presentation featuring the music of Duke Ellington on Sunday, December 8 at 4 pm in Prudential Hall. Glover, who holds the unofficial title of Newark's tap master, will be joined by singers Lizz Wright and Priscilla Baskerville, the David Berger Jazz Orchestra, and Dance Theater of Harlem students. Adding to this magical afternoon -- 48 students from the Arts High Advanced Choir will perform David Berger's arrangement of Ellington's "Sing Out".

A rare and intimate glimpse into the dynamic process of creating and launching new plays, Playwright: From Page to Stage follows two outstanding young playwrights through the writing, development, staging, rehearsal, and public performance of their plays.

Among her 6 concert offerings, Spider Saloff's, "The Memory of All That" is one of the rare, officially sanctioned acts of the Gershwin Centennial. Her other shows also celebrate many of the writers of the American songbook and some original material.

The Music Institute of Chicago welcomes families for Duke It Out, a concert showcasing both traditional and jazz-inflected versions of The Nutcracker Suite, Saturday, December 7 at 10 a.m. and 11:45 a.m., preceded by an open house at 9 a.m., at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston.

Dyad Plays Puccini has upcoming shows through October, including shows in New York and New Jersey. Dyad Plays Puccini features Lou Caimano on saxophone, and Eric Olsen on piano.

Celebrity Series of Boston will present Abyssinian: A Gospel Celebration featuring Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis,on Sunday, October 27, 2013, at 7pm at Symphony Hall, 301 Massachusetts Avenue, Boston. Media partner is 89.7 WGBH.

The name has changed, but the mission remains the same: entertaining, educating and illuminating. As always, Park City Institute (formerly known as Park City Performing Arts Foundation) serves up a smorgasbord of eclectic, electrifying, awe-inspiring and internationally acclaimed dancers, musicians, family entertainers, speakers, actors and full throttle performance troupes. Park City Institute presents its 17th season at The George S. and Dolores Dore Eccles Center for the Performing Arts from October through May. Tickets and season punch cards are currently on sale.

Dyad Plays Puccini has upcoming shows through October, including shows in New York and New Jersey. Dyad Plays Puccini features Lou Caimano on saxophone, and Eric Olsen on piano.

To kick off its 20th Anniversary Season, Smuin Ballet will head to Montana, the home state of late founder Michael Smuin, to present a tour that includes Smuin's much-loved Sinatra ballet Fly Me to the Moon, as well as the acclaimed Dear Miss Cline from company Choreographer-in-Residence Amy Seiwert and Jazzin', a saucy and seductive work by Darrell Grand Moultrie. Smuin Ballet's Montana tour will play today and tomorrow, September 8 - 9 in Michael Smuin's hometown of Missoula at the Montana Repertory Theatre and September 13 at the Mansfield Theatre, Great Falls. Tickets are available by calling each venue's box office (see info at the end of the release). The Great Falls performance will benefit McLaughlin Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, with which Smuin Ballet shares a close connection.

Who says classical music can't be fun?

Dyad Plays Puccini has announced their upcoming appearances and new CD, featuring Lou Caimano- Alto Saxophone and Eric Olsen - Piano. Details below!

Jane Harvey, who recorded a string of classic hits with the Benny Goodman orchestra in the 1940's and later sang with Desi Arnaz, died Aug. 15 at her home in West Hollywood. She was 88 and the cause was cancer.

Dyad Plays Puccini has announced their upcoming appearances and new CD, featuring Lou Caimano- Alto Saxophone and Eric Olsen - Piano. Details below!

An All Star Celebration of the music of Billy Strayhorn, featuring Roni Ben-Hur, guitar, Ray Drummond, bass, Lewis Nash, drums, and Amy London, vocals, is set for tonight and tomorrow, August 9 & 10 at Jazz at Kitano, at the Kitano Hotel, 66 Park Ave (E.38th St), New York, NY.

An All Star Celebration of the music of Billy Strayhorn, featuring Roni Ben-Hur, guitar, Ray Drummond, bass, Lewis Nash, drums, and Amy London, vocals, is set for August 9 & 10 at Jazz at Kitano, at the Kitano Hotel, 66 Park Ave (E.38th St), New York, NY.

Theatre Aspen is presenting a staged reading of the new musical Cross That River today, July 28th, at the Hurst Theatre in Aspen, Colorado. The musical is subtitled 'a new musical about the black west' with a book by Allan & Pat Harris and music and lyrics by Allan Harris (based on an original story by Allan & Pat Harris). Regge Life is the director.

To kick off its 20th Anniversary Season, Smuin Ballet will head to Montana, the home state of late founder Michael Smuin, to present a tour that includes Smuin's much-loved Sinatra ballet Fly Me to the Moon, as well as the acclaimed Dear Miss Cline from company Choreographer-in-Residence Amy Seiwert and Jazzin', a saucy and seductive work by Darrell Grand Moultrie. Smuin Ballet's Montana tour will play September 8 - 9 in Michael Smuin's hometown of Missoula at the Montana Repertory Theatre and September 13 at the Mansfield Theatre, Great Falls. Tickets are available by calling each venue's box office (see info at the end of the release). The Great Falls performance will benefit McLaughlin Research Institute for Biomedical Sciences, with which Smuin Ballet shares a close connection.