Cy Coleman News

Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook enters Week Two of its twelfth season celebrating the diversity of American popular song.

The 2009-2010 season of Reprise Theatre Company continues with Rodgers and Hammerstein's 'Carousel,' January 26 to February 7 at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. Alexandra Silber stars as Julie Jordan, direct from her critically acclaimed portrayal of Julie Jordan in 'Carousel' at the Savoy Theatre in London's West End (TMA Award - Best Actress).

Philadelphia Music Theater Works will present a benefit gala, VINTAGE: A CELEBRATION OF BROADWAY'S GOLDEN AGE, this January 25, 2010 at 8PM at the Ethical Society Building on Rittenhouse Square. Now in our second year, Philadelphia Music Theater Works will present an evening of songs from Broadway's most cherished catalog of musicals spanning the Golden Era of Broadway.

In a journal entry on the Arts Beat blog, New York Times theatre critic Ben Brantley writes of his recent outing to two of the most-talked about shows in the West End at the moment: the revival of 'Sweet Charity' running at the Menier starring Tamzin Outhwaite and 'The Misanthrope' with Kiera Knightley making her West End debut.

Spirit Catalogue Holdings ('SCH'), in conjunction with Spirit Music Group ('SMG') announced today the acquisition of Threesome Music, the song catalog of acclaimed multiple Grammy, Oscar and Emmy-winning songwriters Alan and Marilyn Bergman - two of the most respected names in the Great American Songbook.

Reprise Theatre Company presents Audra McDonald in Concert for one performance only on Monday, February 1 at 8:30 pm, at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. Audra McDonald is the latest in Reprise Theatre Company's tradition of presenting Broadway stars in concert, which have included Patti LuPone, Carol Burnett, Ben Vereen, Kristin Chenoweth, and Brian Stokes Mitchell.

Two-Time Tony Award winner Chita Rivera will perform songs from her legendary Broadway career in her own concert CHITA RIVERA: MY BROADWAY. The tour kicks off on Sunday, January 17 at Ruth Eckerd Hall in Clearwater, Florida. Rivera will be accompanied by an 11-piece orchestra, led by musical director Michael Croiter, and will perform selections from her most celebrated musicals, including numbers from West Side Story ('America'), Sweet Charity ('Where Am I Going?' and 'Big Spender'), Chicago ('All That Jazz' and 'Nowadays'), Kiss of the Spider Woman, Bye, Bye, Birdie and The Rink, and featuring the music of Leonard Bernstein, John Kander & Fred Ebb, Charles Strouse, Stephen Sondheim and Cy Coleman among others.

Broadway, television and recording star Sam Harris returns to Birdland for a one-night-only event on Monday, February 1st at 7pm. Tickets will be $30 for side seating and $40 for center seating.

Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook returns on January 13th for its twelfth season celebrating the diversity of American popular song. For 16 nights of pop, folk, cabaret, country, rock, and show tunes, the series will explore the best of the golden age of musical standards through to today's most dynamic contemporary songwriting.

Tony nominee Gregg Edelman will make his Feinstein debut on February 7th and 8th with the presentation of his cabaret show, 'Back in Town.' Edelman presents a host of old-time, cabaret standards that were highlights at some of the hottest clubs across the country that included places like the Empire Room in Chicago, the Coconut Grove in Los Angeles and the Persian Room in New York City.

City Hall Restaurant and MJS LIVE, Inc. announce 'A Brand New Year Me!', A New Year's Eve celebration with Tony & Emmy Award Winner Lillias White at the exciting new 'old time' venue The Granite Room - ‘Neath the Sidewalks of New York. This special New Years Eve celebration is scheduled for two shows at 8:30 PM and 11:30 PM. Accompanying Ms. White is the masterful pianist Miles Dalto.

Two-Time Tony Award winner CHITA RIVERA will perform songs from her legendary Broadway career in her own concert CHITA RIVERA: MY BROADWAY coming to The Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall on Wednesday, Jan. 20 at 8 p.m. Tickets are $30-$45 (with limited 'smart seats' available at $10).

The 2009-2010 season of Reprise Theatre Company continues with Rodgers and Hammerstein's 'Carousel,' January 26 to February 7 at UCLA's Freud Playhouse. Alexandra Silber stars as Julie Jordan, direct from her critically acclaimed portrayal of Julie Jordan in 'Carousel' at the Savoy Theatre in London's West End (TMA Award - Best Actress). Silber is joined by Robert Patteri as Billy Bigelow ('Scarlet Pimpernel,' 'Beauty and the Beast'.) Veteran character actor M. Emmet Walsh appears as the Starkeeper. Michael Michetti, co-artistic director of The Theatre at Boston Court, will direct, with choreography by Lee Martino and musical direction by Darryl Archibald.

The Miami Herald reports that Miami producer and former director of Miami's Coconut Grove Playhouse, Arnold Mittelman, who ran Miami's Coconut Grove Playhouse from 1985 until it's closing in 2006 is planning the first Broadway revival of The Rothschilds, a 1970 musical written by Sherman Yellen and featuring a score by Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick.

Two-Time Tony Award winner CHITA RIVERA will perform songs from her legendary Broadway career in her own concert CHITA RIVERA: MY BROADWAY coming to the Fillmore Miami Beach at the Jackie Gleason Theater on Monday, April 19th at 8pm for one show only! Tickets will be available on LiveNation.com.

Sam Harris is bringing the joy of the season to Youtube with some holiday songs for all. Click on the names of the songs to go to them on Youtube. They are available to download free of charge in the 'more info' section.

Theater message boards became very busy places on September 10, 2009. The curtain had hardly wrung down when theatergoers reached for their blackberries to post their opinions about the first preview of BYE BYE BIRDIE. In fact, there were a few who posted their comments during intermission. Everyone and their grandparents wanted to express their opinions about the 39 year old musical that was being revived by The Roundabout Theatre. At times the chatter became quite acrimonious and the discussions went on for days. It seems that these people forgot that the show had just given its first preview and the house was filled with an audience that had stood on line during one of the hottest days in the summer to get ten dollar tickets for this one performance. Perhaps that's why they felt they had a right to be so vocal about their opinions.

Some of the greatest songwriters of the past 50 years convened in New York City on Tuesday, December 8 for The Songs of Our Lives: Performed by the Songwriters Who Wrote Them, a benefit concert for Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.

Some of the greatest songwriters of the past 50 years will convene in New York City on Tuesday, December 8, 2009 for The Songs of Our Lives: Performed by the Songwriters Who Wrote Them, a benefit concert for Fiorello H. LaGuardia High School of Music & Art and Performing Arts.

Matthew White is directs the Tony Award-winning musical Sweet Charity at the Menier Chocolate Factory. Sweet Charity began previews from November 21st and opens tonight, December 2nd. The show runs through March 7th, 2010.