Burt Bacharach News

Russell Thompkins & The New Stylistics will play the RRazz Room for the following five dates.

Kat Gang, an international jazz vocalist with a mix of old and new, upbeat and blue, has taken the venerable Algonquin Hotel by storm. Suddenly -- and seemingly from nowhere -- has come a young vocalist whose delightful swing and stirring ballads echo some of the brilliance of the composer's whose songs she sings -- from Cole Porter to George Gershhwin to Burt Bacharach.

Variety reports today that the biographical musical about composer Florence Greenberg by Million Dollar Quartet producer and book writer Floyd Mutrux is being prepped for a 2011 Broadway opening. Entitled Baby, It's You, the musical is aiming to open in the winter of 2011, co- directed by Mutrux and Sheldon Epps. Mutrux and Epps also collaborated on the Pasadena Playhouse production in November of 2009. The show premiered at the Coast Playhouse in Los Angeles prior to its Pasadena run.

I grew up listening to the music and lyrics of Burt Bacharach and Hal David, and I've always had a warm spot in my heart for their tuneful pop confections. So, it was with a considerable amount of anticipation that I looked forward to getting a chance to see a production of their 1968 hit PROMISES, PROMISES, which combines their songs with a funny and touching script by master comedy scribe Neil Simon (a rare adaptation by the finicky writer of I.A.L. Diamond and famed film director Billy Wilder's original screenplay from their Oscar-winning film, The Apartment). Stages St. Louis has put together a stunning production that completely captures that swinging 60's vibe. An exceptional cast and sparkling direction combine to make this a must-see event.

Hailed as 'one of the wittiest young choreographers around' (Deborah Jowitt, The Village Voice), Monica Bill Barnes brings her trademark blend of theatricality, intelligence, humor, and physicality to Jacob's Pillow Dance, July 28-August 1.

The Chichester Festival Theatre production of Love Story will transfer to the West End previewing at the Duchess Theatre from 27 November, with press night on 6 December 2010. Love Story, which is produced in the West End by Michael Ball - making his producing debut, Adam Spiegel and Stephen Waley-Cohen, is currently booking until 26 February 2011.

The Harbor Lights Theater Company brings Broadway to Staten Island. Don't miss this opportunity to see an amazing cast of Broadway stars right here on Staten Island.

Today, July 21, PROMISES, PROMISES celebrates its 100th performance on Broadway. BroadwayWorld was on hand to capture stars Sean Hayes, Kristin Chenoweth, Tony Award winner Katie Finneran, Tony Goldwyn, and Dick Latessa host a champagne toast to their successful run so far. See below for photo coverage!

The Harbor Lights Theater Company brings Broadway to Staten Island. Don't miss this opportunity to see an amazing cast of Broadway stars right here on Staten Island.

In the year 2000, the face of Sean Martin Hingston became quite familiar to New Yorkers; not just theatergoers, but the average Joes and Janes who traversed the city via public transportation. Susan Stroman's innovative CONTACT was playing at Lincoln Center and its ads were blazoned on every bus, taxi, and subway billboard. The artwork featured the ravishing Deborah Yates as 'The Girl In The Yellow Dress being pursued by the forlorn-looking Boyd Gaines. Looking on was the menacing presence of Sean Martin Hingston. The image remains in the memories of almost everyone who saw it.

PROMISES, PROMISES and MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET will hold special performances to benefit the Actors Fund.

Jason Alexander, artistic director of Reprise Theatre Company, will star in 'They're Playing Our Song,' September 28 to October 10 (press opening September 29) at UCLA's Freud Playhouse, to open the company's 2010-2011 season. Single tickets are available for 'They're Playing Our Song' at www.reprise.org or through the UCLA Central Ticket Office at 310/825-2101.

The Stages St. Louis production of PROMISES,PROMISES will be produced and presented from the original script and score that premiered on Broadway at the Shubert Theatre in 1968. Adapted from Billy Wilder's 1960 Oscar-winning film The Apartment, PROMISES,PROMISES focuses on a rising executive, Chuck Baxter, who tries to curry favor with his superiors by letting them borrow his apartment for romantic trysts. Set in the Mad Men era of Manhattan's Madison Avenue, Promises, Promises remains slick, hip and timeless. With its propulsive score, eye-catching dances, dazzling designs, and laugh-out-loud hilarity, PROMISES,PROMISES is a show you will long carry in your heart.

Producer Orin Wolf and Off the Aisle Productions have announced that It Must Be Him, a new comedy by Kenny Solms, co-creator and writer of the legendary, Emmy Award-winning 'Carol Burnett Show,' will premiere this summer at the Peter J. Sharp Theatre (416 West 42nd Street). Directed by Daniel Kutner, It Must Be Him will begin performances on Tuesday, August 24, and officially open on Wednesday, September 1. The limited engagement ends Sunday, September 26.

Auburn, New York's Merry-Go-Round Playhouse is currently presenting PROMISES, PROMISES. The lively musical, with music by Burt Bacharach, lyrics by Hal David, and book by Neil Simon, is based on the classic film 'The Apartment' and includes such songs as 'I'll Never Fall in Love Again' and the title song. The story follows Chuck Baxter, who attempts to find success both in business and in love.

On December 1, 1968, Promises, Promises, the musical version of Billy Wilder and I.A.L. Diamond's The Apartment, opened at the Shubert and took Broadway by storm. The show was such a breath of fresh air, with its hilarious book by Neil Simon, and pop-sounding and brilliant score by Burt Bacharach and Hal David. When that overture began, you knew the sound of Broadway had just changed forever - it was electric in the best way.

The Harbor Lights Theater Company brings Broadway to Staten Island. Don't miss this opportunity to see an amazing cast of Broadway stars right here on Staten Island. The premier production of The Harbor Lights Theater Company at Snug Harbor, BACK TO BACHARACH AND DAVID, will take place July 23 - Aug 1st, 2010. Performances will be held Fridays (8 PM), Saturdays, (8 PM) and Sundays (3PM) at Snug Harbor Veteran's Memorial Hall, 1000 Richmond Terrace, Staten Island.

Act II Playhouse (56 East Butler Ave, Ambler) presents its world premiere of BURT & ME from July 6th to August 1st. BURT & ME was written by local playwright Larry McKenna who has turned his passion for the music of acclaimed songwriting team Burt Bacharach & Hal David into the new romantic musical comedy.

Local playwright Larry McKenna has turned his passion for the music of acclaimed songwriting team Burt Bacharach & Hal David into a new romantic musical comedy, Burt & Me, which is being presented at Act II Playhouse July 6 to Aug. 1 as a season-extra show.

Ramon Del Barrio has been in show business for some forty years. At the age of seven he became a Billy The Kid clothing model, officially entering this business we call show. Joining us as we travel through Ramon's life will be such names as JERSEY BOYS, GUYS & DOLLS, CHITA RIVERA, DONNA McKECHNIE, FRED ASTAIRE, GENE KELLY, BRIAN STOKES MITCHELL, DESI ARNAZ, JOSE FERRER, JUDITH JAMISON, DES McANUFF, BOB FOSSE, MICHAEL BENNETT, LUCIE ARNAZ, and a few others.