Brian Stokes Mitchell News

Happy Holidays Everyone! Well ... here it is ... our BIGGEST CD coverage EVER and just in time for some last minute 'stocking-stuffer' inspiration ... even though a few of these are better used as coal, if you know what I mean.

The 19th Annual Gypsy of the Year Competition announced a total of $3,927,000 had been raised by the over 64 participating Broadway, Off-Broadway, and National Tour companies to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

The 19th Annual GYPSY OF THE YEAR COMPETITION announced a total of $3,927,000 had been raised by the over 64 participating Broadway, Off-Broadway, and National Tour companies to benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. This beats the previous record of $3,420,000 set in 2004.

It was announced today that Melora Hardin will be moonlighting from her day job on the highly successful comedy 'The Office' to entertaining at the Catalina Jazz Club with her show 'At the Water Cooler.'

Check out the first interactive character card, for Sweeney Todd himself!

This Monday, December 3rd at 8:30 p.m. DEBRA and MARY will present a very special MUST-SEE SHOW. The guest will be Producer/Director RICHARD JAY-ALEXANDER.

On Monday, November 12 at the Cipriani Wall Street (55 Wall Street), Gerald Schoenfeld, Board Chairman of The Shubert Organization and The Shubert Foundation, received the Joan Warburg Humanitarian Award from The Acting Company. Legendary producer Edgar Lansbury was presented with the John Houseman Award honoring his commitment to the development of classical actors and a national audience for the theater.

After running for three years in New York City, the musical The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee will play its final Broadway performance on Sunday, January 20, 2008 at Circle in the Square Theatre (West 50th St., between Broadway and 8th). Upon closing, the award-winning musical will have played 1,136 performances and 21 previews on Broadway.

ONE OF THE GREATEST musical theatre teams fo the modern theatre, Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, have amassed a hug canon of songs and shows knownt he world over. They drop by to talk to us about their new show, The Glorious Ones, now playing at Lincoln Center at the Vivian Beaumont Theatre. The team informs us of where they get their ideas, how they write, and the hardest hitting question: who comes first... Ahrens or Flaherty?

You won't want to miss this jam-packed edition of Broadway Beat featuring Bob Saget in The Drowsy Chaperone, Opening Night of The Ritz, One-on-One with the cast and creative of Disney's The Little Mermaid, Brian Stokes Mitchell at Carnegie Hall and Greetings From Yorkville. Click now to watch!

Tony-Award Winner and Broadway legend Brian Stokes Mitchell made his solo concert debut at the renowned Carnegie Hall on Monday, October 15, 2007. The After Party was held at the legendary Russian Tea Room.

Tony-Award Winner and Broadway legend Brian Stokes Mitchell made his solo concert debut at the renowned Carnegie Hall on Monday, October 15, 2007. Proceeds from the one-night-only appearance benefited The Actors Fund, celebrating its 125th anniversary! Directed by Richard-Jay Alexander, with Paul Gemignani as conductor and musical director, Brian Stokes Mitchell was joined on-stage by special guests Heather Headley, Phylicia Rashad, Nikki Renee Daniels and Reba McEntire. Also during the event, Patti LuPone presented the Actors Fund Medal of Honor to John Breglio.

I sat with Brian Stokes Mitchell on the lobby steps of Carnegie Hall, where one week from tonight, he will make his solo debut on the world's most famous stage with a 42-piece orchestra. Here's what he had to say...

Jason Alexander, new artistic director of Reprise! Broadway's Best, announced that Cleavant Derricks, Meg Gillentine, Amelia McQueen, Ken Page, Ty Taylor, Lillias White and Jackee Harry would head up the cast of Damn Yankees. Damn Yankees will perform Tuesday, November 6 through Sunday, November 25 (opening November 7) at UCLA's Freud Playhouse.

A few weeks back, BroadwayWorld.com's international sources tipped us off to the fact that composer Frank Wildhorn was having quite the European adventure this past summer, with new productions of Dracula, Jekyll & Hyde, The Scarlet Pimpernel and Rudolf, taking the continent of Europe by storm in Germany, Italy, Austria, Hungary and more. In addition, a musical theatre festival named after him as well as word that the Far East is joining in the Wildhorn fever as well.

Tony Award ® Winner and Broadway legend, Betty Buckley, has become the first female artist signed to Playbill Records, a join-venture partnership with SONY BMG Masterworks Broadway. Buckley's first CD as a newly signed artist to Playbill is entitled Betty Buckley 1967 and will be released on October 16th, 2007.

In a stroke of good-timing for Broadway fans, Reba McEntire, who's new 'Reba Duets' album just hit #1 on the Billboard Charts, will be joining Brian Stokes Mitchell for his debut concert at Carnegie Hall on October 15. Click in for the scoop on what audiences can expect from this almost-sold out event!

The New York Chapter of The Recording Academy held a tribute to musicians Bon Jovi, Alicia Keys, Donnie McClurkin and the creators of West Side Story at Cipriani in New York City on Wednesday, September 26.

The 2007 Broadway Flea Market and Grand Auction raised a total of $559,810, beating the 2006 total of $505,832. Over the past 21 years, the Flea Markets and Grand Auctions have raised a total of $7,262,372.

Click now to watch the live Broadcast of the 21st Annual Broadway Flea Market & Grand Auction which benefits Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS from 10am - 7pm.