Cyd Charisse News

Happy Birthday, Cyd Charisse! Charisse began starring in films in the 1940s. Her roles usually focused on her abilities as a dancer, and she was paired with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly; her films include Singin' in the Rain (1952), The Band Wagon (1953), Brigadoon (1954) and Silk Stockings (1957). She stopped dancing in films in the late 1950s, but continued acting in film and television, and in 1992 made her Broadway debut.

Stephen Sondheim, Liza Minnelli, Angela Lansbury, Christine Ebersole and other great stars of American music and musical theatre share the spotlight with the country's most passionate music preservationist as MICHAEL FEINSTEIN'S AMERICAN SONGBOOK returns to PBS for a new star-studded, three-part season Friday, April 5, 2013, 9:00 p.m. ET.

Today we are shifting our focus from the stages of Broadway and beyond to the stages of the previous 84 Academy Awards telecasts that have transpired to date, in anticipation of Sunday night's big, big, big show. After all, this year's Academy Awards is of particular interest and excitement to theatre fans around the globe, especially because super-producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are behind it - the men responsible for the hit stage-to-screen adaptations of CHICAGO and HAIRSPRAY, as well as the small-screen successes GYPSY, LIFE WITH JUDY GARLAND: ME & MY SHADOWS, ANNIE, and, most recently, NBC's musical series SMASH, to name a few of their many marvelous musical-friendly credits. They told me themselves earlier this week that this year's telecast would be the most music-packed Academy Awards show to date, and, just judging from the announced tributes, performers and presenters thus far it is clear to see that they were not kidding - reunions of the casts of the film versions of CHICAGO and LES MISERABLES live onstage, singing their film's most famous songs to Jennifer Hudson leading a DREAMGIRLS tribute all the way to a James Bond 50th anniversary celebration featuring Adele and Shirley Bassey on some famous Bond themes, as well as Barbra Streisand herself singing 'The Way We Were' in memory of friend and collaborator, three-time Oscar-winner Marvin Hamlisch.

Today in 1955, Silk Stockings opened at the Imperial Theatre, where it ran for 478 performances. Silk Stockings is a musical with a book by George S. Kaufman, Leueen MacGrath, and Abe Burrows and music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The musical is loosely based on the Melchior Lengyel story Ninotchka and the 1939 film adaptation it inspired. It ran on Broadway in 1955. This was the last musical that Porter wrote for the stage.

Ballroom dance champion and Broadway actress Victoria Regan, who has been cast in the leading role of the famous aging Russian ballerina Grushinkskaya in Grand Hotel at TheatreZone next month, still dances on her tiptoes.

In 1928 Berlin, the world is between wars and the stock market is booming. The center of the action is the illustrious Grand Hotel, through whose revolving doors pass a cavalcade of desperate, ambitious characters, all yearning for one last, glorious chance at a better future.

This year's Second Annual Gold Coast International Film Festival will present two programs that capture all the excitement and energy of Hollywood and all that it evokes: 'West Side Story: Celebrating 50 Years' and 'Conversation with Budd Burton Moss & His Hollywood Friends.'

Slipping and sliding back into Fathom-equipped movie theaters nationwide for an encore engagement on August 22 in honor of its sixtieth anniversary, the iconic and legendary 1952 movie musical masterpiece SINGIN' IN THE RAIN makes its grand return to the silver screen in a brand new HD remastering that any movie musical fan, film fanatic or Broadway baby will definitely want to experience first hand - especially on the very night before Gene Kelly's 100th birthday. A special event presented by Turner Classic Movies - also featuring an exclusive behind-the-scenes documentary hosted by Robert Osborne and spotlighting original film star Debbie Reynolds - this Wednesday's encore showing of SINGIN' IN THE RAIN is one more enduring entry in a continuing series of classic releases shown in HD for the first time in Fathom-equipped movie theaters across the country - past highlighted films have included SCARFACE, WEST SIDE STORY, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, CASABLANCA and many more. So, in celebration of SINGIN' IN THE RAIN splashing its way back to the silver screen one more time, today we are going to take a look back at some of the most well-known and best-loved scenes from the film - boasting a star-studded cast led by Gene Kelly, Donald O'Conner and Debbie Reynolds; directed by Kelly and Stanley Donen, with songs by Nacio Herb Brown and movie musical magnate Arthur Freed - as well as partake in the many famous and infamous homages paying tribute to the rightly well-regarded movie musical gem over the years since its release. Gene Kelly to Gwyneth Paltrow to Kurt Browning to Usher; GLEE to THE MUPPET SHOW to FAMILY GUY; A CLOCKWORK ORANGE to FAME to SPAMALOT and far, far beyond; this retrospective look at one of the most important and influential - and just plain fun - American movie musicals ever produced certainly has it all; and then some! Ain't it great to stay up late (again)?

Gene Kelly, Debbie Reynolds and Donald O'Connor sing and dance their way back onto the big screen in the "Turner Classic Movies (TCM) Presents 'Singin' in the Rain' 60th Anniversary Event" tonight, July 12 at 7:00 p.m. local time, with special matinees in select theaters at 2:00 p.m.

Slipping and sliding back into Fathom-equipped movie theaters nationwide for one night only on July 12 in honor of its sixtieth anniversary, the iconic and legendary 1952 movie musical masterpiece SINGIN' IN THE RAIN makes its grand return to the silver screen in a brand new HD remastering that any movie musical fan, film fanatic or Broadway baby will definitely want to see first hand. A special event presented by Turner Classic Movies - also featuring an exclusive behind-the-scenes documentary hosted by Robert Osborne and featuring original film star Debbie Reynolds - the July 12 showing of SINGIN' IN THE RAIN is one more enduring entry in a continuing series of classic releases shown in HD for the first time in Fathom-equipped movie theaters across the country prior to their release on Blu-ray - past highlighted films have included SCARFACE, WEST SIDE STORY, THE SOUND OF MUSIC, CASABLANCA and many more. So, in celebration of SINGIN' IN THE RAIN splashing its way back to cinemas next week, today we are going to take a look back at some of the most well-known and best-loved scenes from the film - boasting a star-studded cast led by Gene Kelly, Donald O'Conner and Debbie Reynolds; directed by Kelly and Stanley Donen, with songs by Nacio Herb Brown and movie musical magnate Arthur Freed - as well as partake in the many famous and infamous homages paying tribute to the rightly well-regarded movie musical gem over the years. Gene Kelly to Gwyneth Paltrow to Kurt Browning to Usher; GLEE to THE MUPPET SHOW to FAMILY GUY; A CLOCKWORK ORANGE to FAME to SPAMALOT and far, far beyond; this retrospective look at one of the most important and influential - and just plain fun - American movie musicals ever produced certainly has it all; and then some! Ain't it great to stay up late?

Today we are talking to an iconic Tony Award-winning star who made her name as a teenager singing on TV variety shows - THE LAWRENCE WELK SHOW and SING ALONG WITH MITCH included - and then went on to a multimedia career in film and theatre, conquering Broadway with her Tony-winning turn in the Jule Styne/Arthur Laurents musical HALLELUJAH, BABY! in 1967 and returning to the stage in the subsequent decades in a host of Broadway productions, such as BLUES IN THE NIGHT, JERRY'S GIRLS, ANYTHING GOES, August Wilson's KING HEDLEY II and her celebrated Muzzy in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE - a role she reprises in the new Muny production of the Tony Award-winning Best Musical beginning this week - the one and only Leslie Uggams. Taking a thorough look back at her career thus far, Uggams opens up about her many successes and how she has endured for fifty years in show business and shares recollections of many of her most noted co-stars and collaborators, all the way up to the recent 2012 Encores! PIPE DREAM. Additionally, Uggams comments on her film and TV appearances over the years, speaking about her work in INHERIT THE WIND, TWO WEEKS IN ANOTHER TOWN, ROOTS and beyond. Plus, she shares her candid opinions on GLEE, SMASH, Broadway then versus now, future plans for her Lena Horne solo show and thoughts on other roles she would enjoy pursuing - and much, much more!

Feinstein's at Loews Regency will continue its Spring 2012 season with the debut of Broadway and Hollywood legend, Janis Paige for two nights only tonight May 20 and May 21.

Few musicals capture the flavor of the early Cole Porter revues and Busby Berkeley musical films quite as well as Dames at Sea. Its constant silliness, instantaneous breaks - for no apparent reason - into song and dance... and parody of just about every musical show, especially 42nd Street, make it delicious, frothy and lots of fun. Now onstage at the Colony Theatre, under the smooth direction of Todd Nielsen, Dames at Sea starts out a tad slow, but builds momentum and gives its audience what they came for: a rollicking good time.

Randy Skinner will direct and choreograph Infinity's stage production of 'Dames At Sea', 'Annapolis's Tap-Happy, Navy-Crazy Musical,' which comes to the CTA Theatre Complex (near Sandy Point State Park) this season.

Today in 1957, Brigadoon opened at the Adelphi Theatre, where it ran for 47 performances. Brigadoon is a musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. Songs from the musical, such as 'Almost Like Being in Love' have become standards. The story involves two American tourists who stumble upon Brigadoon, a mysterious Scottish village that appears for only one day every hundred years. Tommy, one of the tourists, falls in love with Fiona, a young woman from Brigadoon. The original production opened on Broadway in 1947 and ran for 581 performances. A 1954 film version starred Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse. A 1966 television version starred Robert Goulet and Peter Falk.

Liza Minnelli, Joel Grey, Debbie Reynolds and 'Baby Peggy' Diana Serra Cary, along with film noir leading ladies Peggy Cummins, Rhonda Fleming and Marsha Hunt are the latest stars scheduled to appear at the 2012 TCM Classic Film Festival.

FEINSTEIN'S AT LOEWS REGENCY will continue its Spring 2012 season with the debut of Broadway and Hollywood star, JANIS PAIGE for two nights only on May 20 and May 21. For her one-woman show, Paige shares favorite songs and recounts tales from her lifetime in show business -- from achieving a dream of Hollywood stardom to her leading roles on Broadway, the famous people who influenced her life and career, her personal and professional triumphs, and the losses and laughs of a long and highly-successful career. Ms. Paige will appear for two shows only at the Loews Regency Hotel.

Feinstein's at Loews Regency will continue its Spring 2012 season with the debut of Broadway and Hollywood legend, Janis Paige for two nights only on May 20 and May 21.

Today in 1947, Brigadoon opened at the Ziegfeld Theatre, where it ran for 581 performances. Brigadoon is a musical with a book and lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner and music by Frederick Loewe. It tells the story of a mysterious Scottish village that appears for only one day every hundred years, though to the villagers, the passing of each century seems no longer than one night. Brigadoon then received a West End production opening in 1949 that ran for 685 performances, and many revivals followed. A 1954 film version starred Gene Kelly and Cyd Charisse. A 1966 television version starred Robert Goulet and Peter Falk.

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