Burt Bacharach News

New York City Center will celebrate the 20th Anniversary of its Tony Award-winning Encores! series on November 12 with a Gala Benefit starring Raul Esparza and Kelli O'Hara, and featuring performers who have starred in Encores! productions over the past two decades.

Promises promises is a 'musical' of two halves. I say 'musical' loosely as it is more a play with songs that don't particularly enhance the story. On top of this Burt Bacharach's score never reaches any great soaring heights, it is more a commentary of the action taking place. Its highlight is Turkey Lurkey Time at the conclusion of Act 1, by this stage, unfortunately, the audience has already been lost by some pretty uneventful script and direction.

Joanna Strand will make her New York cabaret debut at The Metropolitan Room (34 West 22nd Street - between 5th & 6th Avenues) in "Fly Transatlantic," described as 'an epic, yet beautifully contemplative, journey of musical discovery.' Performances are Sunday, October 28 and Monday, October 29 at 9:30 p.m. There is a $20 music charge and a 2-drink minimum requirement. For reservations please call 212-206-0440 or visit www.metropolitanroom.com.

Following the success of two stellar productions in season 2012 The Producers and Chess, The Production Company's final production for 2012 is the award-winning Broadway musical Promises, Promises.

This week marked the third X FACTOR/GLEE combo Thursday on Fox and both shows continued to deliver the chill-inducing trills and riff-tastic runs we have come to expect from the entertainment extravaganzas showing off TV's top vocalists, performers, celebrities, hottest songs and guest stars. Evidently, Sarah Jessica Parker and Britney Spears sure can spice up and heat up a cooling late-September autumnal soup!

Atlantic recording artist Rumer has announced the U.S. release of her new album, 'BOYS DON'T CRY.' The collection -- which follows recent domestic release of the British singer/songwriter's acclaimed debut, 'SEASONS OF MY SOUL' -- arrives on these shores today, September 25th.

Tony and Emmy Award Winner Kristin Chenoweth visited Toronto today to coach and mentor the nine girls currently vying for the role of Dorothy on the CBC reality TV show Over the Rainbow. The Broadway superstar sat down to talk with BWW about her advice for the girls, her recent injury, embracing being different and why she hopes Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber will create a great role for a forty-something short blonde girl!

Following the success of two stellar productions in season 2012 The Producers and Chess, The Production Company's final production for 2012 is the award-winning Broadway musical Promises, Promises.

Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal welcomes television and Los Angeles Ovation Award nominated theatre composer and performer Brett Ryback in the premiere of The Kid with The Keys tonight, September 16, 2012.

The French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF), New York's premiere French cultural center, opens the 2012 Crossing the Line festival with three unique concerts by Grammy Award-winning guitarist and composer Bill Frisell. In a career spanning more than 35 years and more than 250 recordings-including over 40 albums of his own-the guitarist, composer and bandleader has established himself as a visionary presence in American music.

Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal welcomes television and Los Angeles Ovation Award nominated theatre composer and performer Brett Ryback in the premiere of The Kid with The Keys Sunday, September 16, 2012.

In her current cabaret show at 54 Below, Marin Mazzie, who has starred in Passion, Ragtime, Kiss Me Kate, Man of La Mancha, Spamalot and Next to Normal, pays homage to her childhood and teenage years in Rockford, Illinois, to the songs her parents loved, and to some of the 1960s and 1970s hits that fed Mazzie's passion to be a singer. ("These songs were the foundation for what was to come.") And man, was she sexy doing it.

With her star turns in the original productions of LES MISERABLES and PHANTOM OF THE OPERA she gave us our first Cosette, our first Christine. Much loved and much honoured, she is Australia's leading lady - welcome to Marina Prior's brain on musical theatre!

The Recording Academy released a statement on the passing of Hal David yesterday, September 1st, at the age of 91. 'Grammy winner Hal David was an exquisite lyricist who penned timeless songs that have become classics in the American songbook...' President/CEO Neil Portnow began.

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington has released a statement on the passing of Hal David.

Early Saturday morning, legendary lyricist Hal David passed away at the age of 91, so today we will be celebrating his life by partaking in some of the most memorable and entertaining moments from his starry, sixty-year career as captured on the internet.

The Associated Press reports that at age 91, 'Hal David died of complications from a stroke Saturday morning in Los Angeles, according to Jim Steinblatt, spokesman for the American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers.'

The French Institute Alliance Française (FIAF), New York's premiere French cultural center, opens the 2012 Crossing the Line festival with three unique concerts by Grammy Award-winning guitarist and composer Bill Frisell. In a career spanning more than 35 years and more than 250 recordings-including over 40 albums of his own-the guitarist, composer and bandleader has established himself as a visionary presence in American music.

Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal presents television and Broadway star Ilene Graff in First You Dream tonight, August 26.

Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal presents television and Broadway star Ilene Graff in First You Dream on Sunday, August 26.