Charles Busch News

The Pulitzer Prize and OBIE Award-winning Theatre for the New City (TNC) held its 10th Annual LOVE 'N' COURAGE benefit gala last night, February 25, 2013 at the National Arts Club (15 Gramercy Park South in Manhattan), this year honoring award-winning actor and playwright Charles Busch. Hosts for LOVE 'N' COURAGE were composer and singer Phoebe Legere and playwright/filmmaker Matt Morillo ('Maid of Honor'). The performers at this year's show included Mr. Busch, The Love Show, dancer/choreographer Kitty Lunn and Infinity Dance, juggler supreme John Grimaldi, Carol Freeman, Luba Mason, KT Sullivan, Tammy Grimes, Drew Pulver, Mark Marcante and Crystal Field. BroadwayWorld was there for the celebration and you can check out full photo coverage below!

Thrillpeddlers has announced its 6th annual Theatre of The Ridiculous Revival with a Spring production of the next Cockettes Musical, Tinsel Tarts in a Hot Coma, a new full-length, restored version of The Cockettes' 1971 musical extravaganza. This is the 42nd Anniversary of the original production, produced as a Nocturnal Dream Show and performed at midnight at the Palace Theatre in Chinatown in SF. Tinsel Tarts in a Hot Coma celebrates the Cockettes' fascination (in the early 70s) with everything Art Deco.

It was announced today that tickets for The Broadway Beauty Pageant go on-sale. The seventh annual beauty contest is set for Monday evening, May 20th, 8p.m., at the NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts (60 Washington Square South). The popular event is the annual benefit of New York's Ali Forney Center.

Blank Canvas Theatre presents The Cleveland Premiere of Psycho Beach Partyb y Charles Busch, directed by Patrick Ciamacco, tonight, February 22 - March 9, running Today & Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 7pm.

Beginning Friday, March 8, BUNNICULA will play added Friday and Saturday evening performances at 7 p.m.

Join Event Chair Tyne Daly for Gingold Theatrical Group's GOLDEN SHAMROCK GALA on Sunday, March 17 (St. Patrick's Day) at the Players Club (16 Gramercy), honoring the prodigious talents of actress/director Judith Ivey and everyone's favorite television host, TCM's Robert Osborne; and, of course, George Bernard Shaw.

Blank Canvas Theatre presents The Cleveland Premiere of Psycho Beach Partyb y Charles Busch, directed by Patrick Ciamacco, February 22 - March 9, running Friday & Saturday at 8pm and Sunday at 7pm.

{Your Name Here} A Queer Theater Company is proud to present their second reading of The Click of the Lock, a new play by Justin Sayre (The Meeting*, Night of a Thousand Judys). The evening is co-produced by David Anzuelo and Artistic Director David Macke with special thanks to Labyrinth Theater Company. The cast will feature Brian Barefoot, Joe Beedles, Christian Coulson (Swan!!!, Harry Potter), Sean Dugan ('Smash,' Next Fall), Cole Escola (Logo TV's 'Jeffery & Cole Casserole'), Logan Ford, Randy Harrison (Silence! The Musical, Showtime's 'Queer as Folk'), Rob Maitner (Urinetown, NY Fringe Festival; Bistro Award for Fairy Tales at the WPA Theater), Allen McCullough and Chris Tyler. Mr. Sayre serves as Director. The show will be held at the Bank Street Theater (155 Bank Street in Manhattan) at 7:00 PM. Tickets, available to industry only, are available at tcotlreading@gmail.com.

Playwrights Horizons (Tim Sanford, Artistic Director; Leslie Marcus, Managing Director) and Primary Stages (Casey Childs, Founder & Executive Producer; Andrew Leynse, Artistic Director; Elliot Fox, Managing Director) have announced casting for their World Premiere co-production of THE CALL, a new play by Tanya Barfield (Blue Door at Playwrights Horizons/PH).

On Tuesday, February 11, singer Lorna Luft debuted her new nightclub act at Birdland - and there were some showbiz heavy-hitters in the house to cheer her on! Lorna's bff Barry Manilow (on his night off from an 8-show week of Broadway concerts) led the applause, sister Liza Minnelli started the first of many standing ovations, and playwright/actor Charles Busch cheered heartily. Scroll below for photos from the concert!

Bucks County Playhouse has announced that Charles Busch's Tony Nominated play The Tale of the Allergist's Wife, directed by four-time Tony Award winner Boyd Gaines will be the final production of the 2013 Summer season. Performances run from Thursday, August 15th through Sunday, September 1st at the Bucks County Playhouse (70 South Main Street in New Hope, PA). The cast will be announced shortly.

Playwright Charles Busch has created a number of entertaining and offbeat works, and PSYCHO BEACH PARTY is no exception. Focusing on the exploits of the Gidget-like 'Chicklet Forrest', the play combines elements that evoke the psychological horrors of Alfred Hitchcock, while also poking fun at teenage surfer films and the slasher genre. It's a zany and outlandish potpourri that's a compelling laugh riot.

From Kristin Chenoweth to Deborah Cox to Idina Menzel to Barbra Streisand to Michael Crawford to the Ladies of THE VIEW to Adam Pascal, Patti LuPone, Raul Esparza, Alan Menken, Lea Salonga, Bernadette Peters, Laura Osnes, Victoria Clark, GLEE and Everything in Between - It's the BroadwayWorld.com 2013 Valentine's Day Special - It's the Biggest Ever!

Off-Broadway's acclaimed DR2 Kids Theatre continued its partnership with Theatreworks USA -- the nation's leading not-for-profit professional theatre for young audiences and present 'Rabbit Season' at the DR2 Kids Theatre!, which kicked off yesterday, February 10, 2013. BUNNICULA: A Rabbit Tale of Musical Mystery, features a book by legendary New York playwright and Tony Award nominee Charles Busch (The Tale of the Allergist's Wife), music by Sam Davis and lyrics by Drama Desk nominee Mark Waldrop (When Pigs Fly). BroadwayWorld has photos from the opening celebration below!

Comic actress Julie Halston will take to the stage in her inimitable fashion with the new evening, CLASSICAL JULIE on Mondays, March 4, 11, 18 and 25 at 7 p.m. at Birdland (315 West 44th Street in Manhattan) as part of The Broadway at Birdland concert series.

Award-winning Pipeline Theatre Company will present the World Premiere of CLOWN BAR by Adam Szymkowicz, with music & additional lyrics by Adam Overett. Staged in a Lower East Side 'dive' bar, this environmental production is directed by Andrew Neisler. Previews begin February 27 at Parkside Lounge with opening slated for Friday, March 8.

Alison Fraser will lead the reading of Wendy Beckett's Off-Broadway - bound production of LOVE THERAPY. This new play, directed by Evan Bergman is the fourth in a series of Ms. Beckett's plays that will be brought across the pacific from Australia by Pascal Productions. The reading takes place on Sunday, February 3rd at 3PM at TACT Studios (900 Broadway at 20th Street - Suite 905) and is open to the public by reservation only. For tickets, please contact adamgm@kefproductions.com. Additional casting is soon to be announced.

The Beautiful Soup Theater Collective's production of the first ever revival of Arthur Bicknell's Moose Murders, the most notorious flop in the history of modern theater, celebrated its opening last night, January 30, 2013 at The Connelly Theater. BroadwayWorld was there for the festivities and you can check out full coverage from the theatre arrivals below!

Back by popular demand, Well-Strung: The Singing String Quartet, will return to play a limited three-week engagement (February 28-March 16) at The Marjorie S. Deane Little Theater (10 West 64th Street - located in the YMCA).