Chick Webb News

In celebration of what would have been Ella Fitzgerald's 101 on April 25th, a new show and book about the Legendary Ella Fitzgerald, with full support of the Fitzgerald estate and foundation, has been produced and written by Emmy(R) Award winner, Grammy(R) Award nominee and best selling author, Geoffrey Mark.

Delaware Theatre Company dazzles this spring with their final 2017/2018 season production, Ella: First Lady of Song! Written by Lee Summers (Off Broadway: From My Hometown) and conceived & directed by tap dancing legend Maurice Hines (DTC: Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life, Film: The Cotton Club). This enchanting regional premiere peeks into the key scenes and songs that changed Ella's struggles into a celebrated jazz career.

The Jazz Ensembles of Mount Holyoke College present the 13th edition of The Big Broadcast! on Saturday, March 3 at 2PM & 7:30PM at Chapin Auditorium, Mount Holyoke College, in South Hadley, MA. Created and directed by Mark Gionfriddo, who is also onstage as "Matt Morgan", The Big Broadcast! is a re-creation of a live 1940's radio show featuring the Mount Holyoke College Big Band, Vocal Jazz, and Chamber Jazz Ensembles performing well-known tunes from the swing era and the American songbook. WWLP-TV meteorologist Brian Lapis is emcee "Fred Kelley" for his 11th consecutive season.

The Music Institute of Chicago celebrates the 100th birthday of The First Lady of Song Ella Fitzgerald with a tribute concert Today, November 11 at 7:30 p.m. at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston.

By the time Ella Fitzgerald and Louis Armstrong collaborated on their first duet together, they were each already jazz giants. Fitzgerald was an acclaimed solo artist for Decca with many hits and more than 200 songs under her young belt, first with the Chick Webb Orchestra and then as leader of her own big band.

Trav'lin - The 1930s Harlem Musical comes home to New York City for an invite-only industry reading featuring Brenda Braxton, who starred in the sold-out debut production at the New York Musical Festival (NYMF) in 2010.

Trav'lin - The 1930s Harlem Musical comes home to New York City for an invite-only industry reading featuring Brenda Braxton, who starred in the sold-out debut production at the New York Musical Festival (NYMF) in 2010.

The Music Institute of Chicago celebrates the 100th birthday of The First Lady of Song Ella Fitzgerald with a tribute concert Saturday, November 11 at 7:30 p.m. at Nichols Concert Hall, 1490 Chicago Ave., Evanston.

The Houston Symphony will kick off the 2017-18 BBVA Compass POPS Series with Ella at 100, a celebration of jazz icon Ella Fitzgerald during her 100th birthday year. Led by Principal POPS Conductor Steven Reineke in the first concert of his inaugural season, the program will feature Fitzgerald favorites including 'Dream a Little Dream of Me,' 'It Don't Mean a Thing (If It Ain't Got That Swing)' and 'Summertime.'

Ann Hampton Callaway Presents THE ELLA CENTURY at Myron's Cabaret Jazz at the Smith Center in Las Vegas

Even if you've never heard a note sung by Ella Fitzgerald (and if that's the case, you should stop reading this review immediately and look up some of her recordings on YouTube) Andrea Frierson's duo-bio solo show, ME & ELLA, can be related to by anyone whose life was influenced by a popular artist they've never met.

Centenary Stage Company's exciting 2017 - 18 season of events are now available for purchase to the general public.  As Northwest New Jersey's premier regional theater, Centenary Stage Company's upcoming 2017 - 18 season boasts over 20 individual events ranging from self-produced professional plays and musicals to a host of explosive concert, dance and special events.

                Music, dance and special events fill the Lackland Performing Arts Center as Centenary Stage Company announces its 2017 - 18 full season line up of events.  In addition to CSC's theatrical events the 2017 - 18 season will see the return of audience favorite series, such as, the January Thaw Music Festival and the annual Dance Fest all while hosting an array of exciting guest artists.

The Connecticut premiere of Trav'lin - The 1930s Harlem Musical opens this weekend at Waterbury's Seven Angels Theatre, following productions at Houston's Ensemble Theatre and Fort Worth's Jubilee Theatre, and development in Washington, D.C. and New York City, including a sold-out run at the New York Musical Festival (NYMF).  Performances being Thursday, May 11, Official Opening is Saturday, May 13, and the show runs through Sunday, June 11, 2017.

Following productions at Houston's Ensemble Theatre and Fort Worth's Jubilee Theatre, and development in New York City and Washington, D.C., including a sold-out run at the New York Musical Festival (NYMF), Trav'lin - The 1930s Harlem Musical receives its Connecticut Premiere at Waterbury's Seven Angels Theatre, beginning Thursday, May 11, 2017. Opening Night is Saturday, May 13, and the show runs through Sunday, June 11, 2017.

Connecticut Shows Enjoying Awards Season on Broadway. Here's What's happening and Top Picks Coming Up in May.

The Ella Fitzgerald Charitable Foundation, Verve Label Group and UMe are pleased to announce some of the major initiatives confirmed as part of this year's Ella 100 centennial celebration honoring one of the most beloved and influential vocalists of all time, Ella Fitzgerald. T

Verve/UMe is proud to announce, as part of Verve's 60 th anniversary celebration, new vinyl reissues on June 24 for two long unavailable live performance classics by a pair of jazz legends the peerless Ella Fitzgerald's Mack The Knife: Ella In Berlin and funk-master Jimmy Smith's Root Down: Jimmy Smith Live!.

The Ensemble Theatre in Houston, Texas, is offering Trav'lin - the 1930s Harlem Musical as its season finale, Artistic Director Eileen J. Morris has announced. Official opening is June 25, 2015 with performances from tonight,  June 20 through July 26. The new staging follows a sold-out run of the show at the 2010 New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) and a successful 2013 production at the Jubilee Theatre in Fort Worth, Texas.

Summer is coming and luckily for you, here in Houston there is no shortage of nice, air-conditioned theaters for you to choose from. With so many choices it can be a daunting task, so let the BWW Houston editors give you their picks for the upcoming summer season.