Carolyn Leigh News

The Gretna Theatre has announced their 2010 summer season. Productions will include Nunsense starring Sally Struthers, The Marvelous Wonderettes, The Will Rogers Follies, The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Peter Pan, Mr. Hobbs' Vacation, and Mame. The season will begin with Nunsense, opening June 3rd.

Desert Stages Theatre will present a production of ZANNA, DON'T! written by Tim Acito anAlexander Dinelaris and with music and lyrics by Tim Acito and Alexander Dinelaris as well. ZANNA, DON'T will play from February 5 - April 25 as a part of the Actor's Café.

Desert Stages Theatre will present a production of ZANNA, DON'T! written by Tim Acito anAlexander Dinelaris and with music and lyrics by Tim Acito and Alexander Dinelaris as well. ZANNA, DON'T will play from February 5 - April 25 as a part of the Actor's Café.

Christian Youth Theatre Kansas City presents 'Peter Pan', Showing February 25 - 28, March 4 - 7 at The Bell Center, Mid America Nazarene University

Desert Stages Theatre will present a production of ZANNA, DON'T! written by Tim Acito anAlexander Dinelaris and with music and lyrics by Tim Acito and Alexander Dinelaris as well. ZANNA, DON'T will play from February 5 - April 25 as a part of the Actor's Café.

Following its critically acclaimed developmental production as part of the 2009 NY International Fringe Festival, the revised version of How Now, Dow Jones (www.HowNowDowJones.com) is now available for licensing through Samuel French, Inc. With book by Max Shulman, music by Academy Award winner Elmer Bernstein and lyrics by Tony Award nominee Carolyn Leigh, the new version has revisions by Ben West (Old Acquaintance).

Jenna gives a rundown of where she's been and what's coming up in the world of cabaret (and sometimes beyond!) This week's column features Aaron Weinstein, Cast Party, Wednesday Night at the Iguana, and a look ahead to the coming week.

This holiday season, take off on a high-flying adventure as the Beck Center for the Arts presents Peter Pan, a musical based on the classic play by J.M. Barrie, on the Mackey Main Stage, December 4, 2009, through January 3, 2010.

The Laurie Beechman Theatre, located within The West Bank Café, is pleased to announce upcoming performances in January, including performances by Carey Anderson, Donna Lynne Champlin, Michele Dowdy, Joan Treacy Egan, Karen Finely, Judy Gold, Steven Lutvak, Liz McCartney, Laura Osnes & Joan Rivers.

This holiday season, take off on a high-flying adventure as the Beck Center for the Arts presents Peter Pan, a musical based on the classic play by J.M. Barrie, on the Mackey Main Stage, December 4, 2009, through January 3, 2010.

This holiday season, take off on a high-flying adventure as the Beck Center for the Arts presents Peter Pan, a musical based on the classic play by J.M. Barrie, on the Mackey Main Stage, December 4, 2009, through January 3, 2010.

Though Julie Wilson was certainly not the first and by all means not the last great singer to have her heart stomped upon by Kurt Weill and Bertolt Brecht's 'Surabaya Johnny,' there is no one I can name more deserving to claim it as their signature song.  (Okay, maybe Lotte Lenya, but you know that's a special case.)  Though for many years now the 83-year-old beloved cabaret star has been singing songs less and less and speaking them more and more, there are few who can match her for painting vivid word pictures and bringing complex dramatic subtext to a lyric.  With pianist Christopher Denny doing a marvelous job of softly supporting her many pauses and tempo changes, Wilson's crushing performance of Marc Blitzstein's translation, played to a pin-drop silent crowd on opening night of her new show at The Metropolitan Room, is an emotionally striking portrayal of a woman who can explode with anger at the mistreatment she endures from her faithless lover while moments later barely control a sob at the admission that she still loves him.  Through the years I've seen Julie Wilson sing 'Surabaya Johnny' many times but her performance that night was the best I've ever seen or heard from anyone.  (And as is typical of her modesty, she actually introduced the song by complimenting Donna Murphy's performance of it on Broadway in LoveMusik.)  She follows it with a devilishly humored 'Mack the Knife' (also Blitzstein's translation) that builds so slowly and precisely that she goes through the entire song twice in order to hit the climax.  I heard no complaints.

42ND STREET 'Shuffle off to Buffalo' with this lavish, singing and dancing extravaganza! 42nd Street is the winner of multiple Tony awards and a two time winner for Best Musical of 1980 and 2001. 'The Lullabye of Broadway , ' 'You're Getting to be a Habit With Me ,' ' Young and Healthy , ' and ' Shuffle off to Buffalo ,' are just a few of the fabulous songs in this famous score!

The new developmental production of How Now, Dow Jones starring Cristen Paige (Spelling Bee, The Visit, Cry-Baby), Colin Hanlon (Rent, I Love You Because) and Fred Berman (The Normal Heart, Room Service) will begin performances this Saturday at the Minetta Lane Theatre (18 Minetta Lane) as part of the 2009 New York International Fringe Festival. This new production will also restore an Elmer Bernstein-Carolyn Leigh cabaret favorite to the show: 'Shakespeare Lied'.

The new developmental production of How Now, Dow Jones (www.HowNowDowJones.com) starring Cristen Paige (Spelling Bee, The Visit, Cry-Baby), Colin Hanlon (Rent, I Love You Because) and Fred Berman (The Normal Heart, Room Service) will be presented at the Minetta Lane Theatre (18 Minetta Lane) as part of the 2009 New York International Fringe Festival.

The new developmental production of How Now, Dow Jones (www.HowNowDowJones.com) starring Cristen Paige (Spelling Bee, The Visit, Cry-Baby), Colin Hanlon (Rent, I Love You Because) and Fred Berman (The Normal Heart, Room Service) will be presented at the Minetta Lane Theatre (18 Minetta Lane) as part of the 2009 New York International Fringe Festival.

The new developmental production of How Now, Dow Jones (www.HowNowDowJones.com) starring Cristen Paige (Spelling Bee, The Visit, Cry-Baby), Colin Hanlon (Rent, I Love You Because) and Fred Berman (The Normal Heart, Room Service) will be presented at the Minetta Lane Theatre (18 Minetta Lane) as part of the 2009 New York International Fringe Festival.

The new developmental production of How Now, Dow Jones (www.HowNowDowJones.com) starring Cristen Paige (Spelling Bee, The Visit, Cry-Baby), Colin Hanlon (Rent, I Love You Because) and Fred Berman (The Normal Heart, Room Service) will be presented at the Minetta Lane Theatre (18 Minetta Lane) as part of the 2009 New York International Fringe Festival.

The new developmental production of How Now, Dow Jones starring Cristen Paige (Spelling Bee, The Visit, Cry-Baby), Colin Hanlon (Rent, I Love You Because) and Fred Berman (The Normal Heart, Room Service) will begin performances this Saturday at the Minetta Lane Theatre (18 Minetta Lane) as part of the 2009 New York International Fringe Festival. This new production will also restore an Elmer Bernstein-Carolyn Leigh cabaret favorite to the show: 'Shakespeare Lied'.

The new developmental production of How Now, Dow Jones (www.HowNowDowJones.com) starring Cristen Paige (Spelling Bee, The Visit, Cry-Baby), Colin Hanlon (Rent, I Love You Because) and Fred Berman (The Normal Heart, Room Service) will be presented at the Minetta Lane Theatre (18 Minetta Lane) as part of the 2009 New York International Fringe Festival.