Cab Calloway News

The Palais Royale - South Bend's Premier Event Facility -- is pleased to host its tenth annual New Year's Eve gala event on Saturday, December 31, which starts at 8:00 p.m. By popular request, this year's event features the return of The Tom Milo Big Band, an 18-piece big band well-known to dance couples, playing a wide selection of music, ranging from the Glenn Miller tunes of the 40's, to Frank Sinatra, to the contemporary hits of artists such as Whitney Houston and Billy Joel. Many of the band members have toured with top name musicians such as Stan Kenton, Les Elgart, Duke Ellington, and others. Join us on New Year's Eve for a fine dining experience and the opportunity to ring in the New Year on the area's most historic dance floor. Again this year, black tie is optional.

PBS announced today an expansive slate of programs profiling the rich history, culture and contributions of African-Americans. The programs air as part of PBS' celebration of Black History Month, February 2012.

The Fox Performing Arts Center in Riverside has announced its initial line-up of shows for the Winter/Spring of 2012!

On Twitter Watch, Alan Menken wrote 'Three days of ALADDIN meetings starting today. Back with Casey and Chad. This bouncing between projects is crazy! The 5th Avenue Theatre's production of Aladdin features Adam Jacobs and Courtney Reed as Aladdin and Jasmine, James Monroe Iglehart as the Genie, and Seattle mainstay Seán G. Griffin as the Sultan. Jonathan Freeman takes the stage to embody the role he originally voiced for the film, the Royal Vizier Jafar. He is joined by comedic favorite Don Darryl Rivera as Iago. Aladdin restores a trio of characters originally conceived by the film's creators: Omar, Babkak, and Kassim, played by Andrew Keenan-Bolger, Brian Gonzales, and Brandon O'Neill, respectively. Several 5th Avenue veterans return for the production, including acclaimed director and choreographer Casey Nicholaw, who received his first professional choreography gig at The 5th Avenue Theatre (The Prince and the Pauper, 2001) and where he later choreographed My Fair Lady (2002). On Broadway, Nicholaw won praise as the choreographer of Spamalot, and director/choreographer of The Drowsy Chaperone and Elf: The Broadway Musical, garnering three Tony nominations for his work. Music for Aladdin is by Alan Menken (Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, Tangled), who has won a total of eight Oscars, more than any living person; lyrics are by the late Howard Ashman (Little Shop of Horrors, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid) and Tim Rice (Jesus Christ Superstar, Chess, The Lion King). Librettist Chad Beguelin wrote the books for The Rhythm Club, Wicked City and The Wedding Singer, which premiered at The 5th Avenue in 2006. Menken and Beguelin contribute additional lyrics. This new Aladdin incorporates all of the beloved songs from the film's Oscar-winning score plus never-before heard Menken/Ashman songs restored from early drafts of the score. It marks a return to the authors' original vision: a loving homage to the Hope-Crosby road pictures with a score invoking the jazz sound of stars like Cab Calloway and Fats Waller. '

Mandela Bellamy plays Gwen Brown in 'Glamour Girls,' a lead role that is partially based on the experiences of director and co-writer Gloria Hendry in the original production that continues Friday and Saturday (Nov. 4-5) at the Barbara Morrison Performing Arts Center in Leimert Park.

Cover charges vary by performer. Most shows range from $15 to $35, with some exceptions. Each show's cover charge is listed in the show information on the calendar page. Feel free to call the Metropolitan Room with any questions regarding cover charges.

Returning to the Royal Room for her sixth engagement since 2003, Baby Jane Dexter is a 'triple crown winner' in cabaret, having received two Bistro awards from Back Stage, six top vocalist awards from the Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs (MAC) and both the 2009 and 2010 Nightlife Award for top cabaret singer. She will be celebrating the release of her new live CD, The Real World on Quannacut Records. Following a sold out run in New York City, The Real World is a powerful, inspiring and funny potpourri of unique songs and arrangements given Ms. Dexter's one of a kind haunting spin. The eclectic song list includes gems by the likes of Billie Holiday, Janis Ian, Roy Orbison, John Sebastian, Alec Wilder and many more. This new show promises potent musical moments along with the singer's trademark blend of profound and artistically whimsical bon mots. As always, Baby Jane challenges as much as she inspires. That is the hallmark that has sustained her remarkable career. The show's musical director is Ross Patterson.

The Palais Royale - South Bend's Premier Event Facility -- is pleased to host its tenth annual New Year's Eve gala event on Saturday, December 31, which starts at 8:00 p.m. By popular request, this year's event features the return of The Tom Milo Big Band, an 18-piece big band well-known to dance couples, playing a wide selection of music, ranging from the Glenn Miller tunes of the 40's, to Frank Sinatra, to the contemporary hits of artists such as Whitney Houston and Billy Joel. Many of the band members have toured with top name musicians such as Stan Kenton, Les Elgart, Duke Ellington, and others. Join us on New Year's Eve for a fine dining experience and the opportunity to ring in the New Year on the area's most historic dance floor. Again this year, black tie is optional.

Looking to change-up your Halloween routine? Hoping to escape the macabre and the ridiculous? Diversionary Theatre has the antidote or the answer for whatever you crave-Dead From New York: It's Pepper & Sam! Smart, hip and hilarious, Pepper & Sam will bring their downtown New York act to Diversionary beginning Friday October 21, 2011.

Dead from New York: It's Pepper & Sam! Reanimated brother and sister act, Pepper & Sam are coming to San Diego to launch Diversionary Theatre's new Cabaret Series on Friday October 21, 2011.

MASTERWORKS BROADWAY, recently praised by the Wall Street Journal for its ongoing reissue campaign, continues to make good on its promise to open its vaults with more classic cast recordings previously unavailable in the CD era.

Cover charges vary by performer. Most shows range from $15 to $35, with some exceptions. Each show's cover charge is listed in the show information on the calendar page. Feel free to call the Metropolitan Room with any questions regarding cover charges.

Anthony Nelson will perform on Fri., Oct. 14 & Sat., Oct. 15 with 9pm & 11pm sets. He will be joined by Larry Willis (10/14) on the piano and Allyn Johnson (10/15) on the piano, as well as Steve Novosel on the bass and Howard 'Kingfish' Franklin on the drums.

Anthony Nelson will perform on Fri., Oct. 14 & Sat., Oct. 15 with 9pm & 11pm sets. He will be joined by Larry Willis (10/14) on the piano and Allyn Johnson (10/15) on the piano, as well as Steve Novosel on the bass and Howard 'Kingfish' Franklin on the drums.

Dead from New York: It's Pepper & Sam! Reanimated brother and sister act, Pepper & Sam are coming to San Diego to launch Diversionary Theatre's new Cabaret Series on Friday October 21, 2011.

Popejoy Presents is thrilled to announce their 2011-12 Broadway in New Mexico Series in Albuquerque, featuring the New Mexico premiere of the Broadway phenomenon Disney's The Lion King in October 2012 at Popejoy Hall.

Multi-platinum recording artists Big Bad Voodoo Daddy will play their trademark big-band sound at The Orleans Showroom, September 24 and 25, each evening at 8 p.m.

Kirk Reinert, a painter in the genres of fantasy, horror, and science fiction, will debut a new collection of original fine art at Animazing Gallery of SoHo this September.