Davis Gaines News

Broadway star Davis Gaines, who has performed the title role in Andrew Lloyd Webber's The Phantom of the Opera over 2,000 times, will present Music of the Night: An Evening with Davis Gaines, an intimate concert to benefit SOSMentor, a not-for-profit organization fighting childhood obesity.

On Sunday evening January 23, Jason Graae brought his electric 80th birthday tribute to Jerry Herman called Perfect Hermany: The Songs of Jerry Herman to Sterling's Upstairs @ Vitello's. Graae has long been a favorite comic actor/singer, because what he does on stage is totally Graae. No one makes you laugh constantly quite like Graae: he defies description; you must be in a room with him to fully appreciate the breadth and scope of his enormous talent. Adding to the comic anecdotes and songs during the 75-minute set were two solos on the oboe and one on the piano. Lee Tannen directed and John Boswell served as musical director/accompanist extraordinaire.

The Town Hall (123 West 43rd Street) New York's landmark concert venue presents the 11th season of its acclaimed Broadway By The Year® series, created, written and hosted by Scott Siegel for The Town Hall on Valentine's Day, Monday, February 14th at 8PM. Kicking off the 90th Anniversary of The Town Hall, the Broadway By The Year® season will begin with THE BROADWAY MUSICALS of 1921, celebrating the great music that was performed the same year the historic building came to be.

Join Emcee Bruce Vilanch, Davis Gaines and former HELLO DOLLY!, DOLLY's Carole Cook, JoAnne Worley and evening's host Phyllis Diller and others as they come together to honor Broadway's original DOLLY with memories, humorous storytelling and, of course, several of her signature tunes. An unplugged evening that follows a simple format, as the Los Angeles theatrical community features three time TONY Award-winner CAROL CHANNING on center stage to celebrate her 90th birthday with one of their highly acclaimed concert series entitled MUSICAL MONDAYS - A series of Cabaret events in the lobby of the historic Pantages Theatre. Produced by John Bowab and Martin Wiviott, the intimate concerts has featured some of theatre's finest performers including Brian Stokes Mitchell, Melissa Manchester, Peter Gallagher, Valarie Pettiford, Alice Ripley, Emily Skinner, Sam Harris and Stephen Schwartz. Proceeds from this evenings benefit will go towards The Dr. Channing/ Kullijian Foundation for the Arts and The Actors Fund's comprehensive programs and services.

Principal cast changes have been announced for the Broadway production of Andrew Lloyd Webber's THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA, the longest-running show in Broadway history.

Lyric Stage, Dallas County's only locally produced professional musical theater company, presents THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER, October 29 - November 7 in the Irving Arts Center's Carpenter Performance Hall. Performances are October 29, 30 and November 4, 5 & 6 @ 8:00 PM and October 31 and November 7 @ 2:30 PM. Tickets are available online @ ww.lyricstage.org or by calling the box office @ 972-252-2787. Ben Harper steals ten thousand dollars. Just before being sent to prison he hides the money in his daughter's doll, setting in motion a thrilling, frightening, and heartfelt story. For sharing Ben's prison cell is Harry Powell, aka The Preacher, who will do anything to get his hands on the stolen money. Anything, including murder. In 1954, Davis Grubb's southern gothic tale THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER hit the New York Times Best Seller list and stayed there for several weeks. The 1955 film version directed by Charles Laughton (his only time behind the camera) and starring Robert Mitchum and Shelley Winters has gone on to be named one of the 100 greatest films of the 20th Century. Now Stephen Cole (book & lyrics) and Claibe Richardson (music) have adapted Grubb's novel into a musical thriller. Lyric Stage is proud to present this great new American musical, winner of the prestigious Edward Kleban Award, with a full orchestra. Davis Gaines will star as The Preacher (Mitchum) opposite Theatre World Award winner Julie Johnson as Willa Harper (Winters). Cheryl Denson will direct Lyric Stage's production with music direction by Scott A. Eckert. Scenic Design is by Scott Osborne, Lighting Design is by Julie Simmons Moroney and Costume Design is by Drenda Lewis.

Lyric Stage, Dallas County's only locally produced professional musical theater company, presents THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER, October 29 - November 7 in the Irving Arts Center's Carpenter Performance Hall. Performances are October 29, 30 and November 4, 5 & 6 @ 8:00 PM and October 31 and November 7 @ 2:30 PM. Tickets are available online @ ww.lyricstage.org or by calling the box office @ 972-252-2787. Ben Harper steals ten thousand dollars. Just before being sent to prison he hides the money in his daughter's doll, setting in motion a thrilling, frightening, and heartfelt story. For sharing Ben's prison cell is Harry Powell, aka The Preacher, who will do anything to get his hands on the stolen money. Anything, including murder. In 1954, Davis Grubb's southern gothic tale THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER hit the New York Times Best Seller list and stayed there for several weeks. The 1955 film version directed by Charles Laughton (his only time behind the camera) and starring Robert Mitchum and Shelley Winters has gone on to be named one of the 100 greatest films of the 20th Century. Now Stephen Cole (book & lyrics) and Claibe Richardson (music) have adapted Grubb's novel into a musical thriller. Lyric Stage is proud to present this great new American musical, winner of the prestigious Edward Kleban Award, with a full orchestra. Davis Gaines will star as The Preacher (Mitchum) opposite Theatre World Award winner Julie Johnson as Willa Harper (Winters). Cheryl Denson will direct Lyric Stage's production with music direction by Scott A. Eckert. Scenic Design is by Scott Osborne, Lighting Design is by Julie Simmons Moroney and Costume Design is by Drenda Lewis.

Lyric Stage, Dallas County's only locally produced professional musical theater company, presents THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER, October 29 - November 7 in the Irving Arts Center's Carpenter Performance Hall. Performances are October 29, 30 and November 4, 5 & 6 @ 8:00 PM and October 31 and November 7 @ 2:30 PM. Tickets are available online @ ww.lyricstage.org or by calling the box office @ 972-252-2787. Ben Harper steals ten thousand dollars. Just before being sent to prison he hides the money in his daughter's doll, setting in motion a thrilling, frightening, and heartfelt story. For sharing Ben's prison cell is Harry Powell, aka The Preacher, who will do anything to get his hands on the stolen money. Anything, including murder. In 1954, Davis Grubb's southern gothic tale THE NIGHT OF THE HUNTER hit the New York Times Best Seller list and stayed there for several weeks. The 1955 film version directed by Charles Laughton (his only time behind the camera) and starring Robert Mitchum and Shelley Winters has gone on to be named one of the 100 greatest films of the 20th Century. Now Stephen Cole (book & lyrics) and Claibe Richardson (music) have adapted Grubb's novel into a musical thriller. Lyric Stage is proud to present this great new American musical, winner of the prestigious Edward Kleban Award, with a full orchestra. Davis Gaines will star as The Preacher (Mitchum) opposite Theatre World Award winner Julie Johnson as Willa Harper (Winters). Cheryl Denson will direct Lyric Stage's production with music direction by Scott A. Eckert. Scenic Design is by Scott Osborne, Lighting Design is by Julie Simmons Moroney and Costume Design is by Drenda Lewis.

Asolo Repertory Theatre announced the complete cast of its upcoming production of Bonnie & Clyde a thrilling new musical with book by Ivan Menchell (The Cemetery Club, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang); music by Frank Wildhorn (Jekyll & Hyde, The Scarlet Pimpernel); lyrics by Tony Award-winner Don Black (Sunset Boulevard, Song and Dance); Music Supervision, Arrangements and Orchestrations by John McDaniel; and direction and musical staging by Tony Award- winner Jeff Calhoun (Deaf West's Big River and Pippin, Grease!). The production runs from November 16 - December 19, 2010 on the Asolo Rep mainstage-The Mertz Theatre. The press opening is November 19, at 8 p.m.

In a recent LA Stage Times article, previous Phantoms including Michael Crawford and Tim Martin Gleason, talked about the end of the PHANTOM OF THE OPERA tour, which will close on Halloween night at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles.

Everyone's favorite 'Adelaide,' Faith Prince, will be reprising the role she made famous on Broadway in two concerts with the Orlando Philharmonic this October. Prince will star alongside Davis Gaines as Sky Masterson in a concert version of Guys and Dolls that will run at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Center on October 9, 2010 and 2:00pm and 8:00pm. Christopher Wilkins conducts the concert, and Mad Cow Theatre's Alan Bruun will direct.

I will say upfront that I have never been a great fan of Phantom. I have always found it hokey in part, even though it has pretty music and some dazzling effects. This touring production, I must admit, has held up fairly well after so many years, and the production is fresh and vibrant - more vibrant, with one major exception, than the production that I first saw in LA in the late eighties (1986-first performed in the UK).

Paul Garman, Producing Executive Director, and Steven Glaudini, Producing Artistic Director of Musical Theatre West, are proud to announce the cast of its production of 1776. 1776 will run July 9-25, 2010 at the beautiful Carpenter Performing Arts Center in Long Beach.

In addition to the previously announced Steven Glaudini (John Adams), Tami Tappan Damiano (Abigail Adams) and Davis Gaines (Richard Henry Lee), Musical Theatre West is pleased to announce the full cast of 1776 including Steve Vinovich (Benjamin Franklin), John Bisom (Thomas Jefferson), Andy Umberger (John Dickinson), and Robert J. Townsend (Edward Rutledge).

Paul Garman, Producing Executive Director and Steven Glaudini, Producing Artistic Director of Musical Theatre West are proud to announce that Davis Gaines, (LA's Phantom of the Opera) will join the cast of MTW's 1776.

As BroadwayWorld reported yesterday, The New York Philharmonic's SONDHEIM: The Birthday Concert, which took place on March 15-16, 2010 at Avery Fisher Hall, will be broadcast on THIRTEEN'S Great Performances on PBS on Wednesday, November 24 (check local listings). WNET, Channel 13 in New York City, will air the concert at 9:30 p.m. that evening. The concert includes songs and orchestral pieces from Sondheim musical theater favorites such as Company, Follies, A Little Night Music, Sweeney Todd, Merrily We Roll Along, Into the Woods, and Sunday in the Park with George. Today, it has been announced that in addition to the PBS telecast, the concert will be released on DVD in November by Image Entertainment.

History buffs aside, most people would probably cringe at the thought of sitting through what could be-on the surface-a boring, classroom-like history lesson disguised as a stage musical that runs more than two and a half hours long.But yet, almost immediately, those fearful first impressions wonderfully faded away as soon as the curtain rose to reveal a stage full of men, of varying shapes and sizes, dressed in impeccable 18th-Century period garb.What could have been a long, excruciating theatrical exercise, is instead a riveting, edge-of-your-seat drama with plenty of heart and soul and a generous amount of genuinely comical moments. Musical Theatre West's production of '1776' (with performances running through July 25) is unquestionably brilliant, intensely affecting, and deeply moving-from its rousing beginning to its glorious end.

Everyone's favorite 'Adelaide,' Faith Prince, will be reprising the role she made famous on Broadway in two concerts with the Orlando Philharmonic this October. Prince will star alongside Davis Gaines as Sky Masterson in a concert version of Guys and Dolls that will run at the Bob Carr Performing Arts Center on October 9, 2010 and 2:00pm and 8:00pm. Christopher Wilkins conducts the concert, and Mad Cow Theatre's Alan Bruun will direct.

You say you want a REVOLUTION? Musical Theatre West kicks off the summer and the celebration of the birth of our great nation with its upcoming production of 1776.

In addition to the previously announced Steven Glaudini (John Adams), Tami Tappan Damiano (Abigail Adams) and Davis Gaines (Richard Henry Lee), Musical Theatre West is pleased to announce the full cast of 1776 including Steve Vinovich (Benjamin Franklin), John Bisom (Thomas Jefferson), Andy Umberger (John Dickinson), and Robert J. Townsend (Edward Rutledge).