Dessa Rose News

Virginia Repertory Theatre announces the opening of the Tony Award-winning musical, Fiddler on the Roof, at the Sara Belle and Neil November Theatre, 114 West Broad Street on Friday, November 22 with a preview on Thursday, November 21. The show runs through January 12, 2014. Based on the tales by Shalom Aleichem and set in Tzarist Russia in 1905, this touching musical tells the story of Tevye, a poor milkman, who must weigh his family's happiness against the traditions that have preserved a way of life in his village for centuries. His eldest daughters want to marry for love rather than an auspicious match, and outside political forces threaten everything he holds dear. The beloved score with a book by Joseph Stein, Music by Jerry Bock and Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick celebrates 50 years in 2014.

Virginia Repertory Theatre announces the opening of the Tony Award-winning musical, Fiddler on the Roof, at the Sara Belle and Neil November Theatre, 114 West Broad Street on Friday, November 22 with a preview on Thursday, November 21.

Now in its 16th season, Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook will continue to expand its scope celebrating the best in American singing and songwriting. New this year, the opening night concert will befree, in the David Rubenstein Atrium, on Wednesday, January 22, 2014. 'Live From Lincoln Center,' the Emmy Award-winning program broadcast nationally on PBS stations, will shoot four of the first week's American Songbook concerts in The Allen Room: by James Naughton, Lawrence Brownlee, Jason Isbell, and Patina Miller. These performances will be broadcast nationally beginning in Spring 2014. In addition, American Songbook concerts taking place in the Stanley H. Kaplan Penthouse at Lincoln Center will be live-streamed via http://watch.lincolncenter.org.

Bay Area Cabaret presents Tony Award nominee Norm Lewis in his West Coast concert debut. A commanding yet affable presence, Lewis took Broadway by storm, starring opposite Audra McDonald in the highly-acclaimed The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. His performance brought the singer/actor critical praise, as well as Best Leading Actor nominations for the Tony, Drama Desk, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle Awards.

Hotel Nikko San Francisco and Michael Feinstein announced today that Tony Award winner LaChanze will bring her acclaimed show Love Hangover: LaChanze Sings Diana Ross to Feinstein's at the Nikko for two performance only - Friday, December 20 at 8 p.m and Saturday, December 21 at 7 p.m. In a salute of a woman who broke barriers and challenged stereotypes throughout her legendary career, Love Hangover will feature such legendary songs as "Love Hangover," "Do You Know Where You're Goin' To?," "Endless Love," "Good Morning, Heartache" and more! Located within Hotel Nikko (222 Mason Street, San Francisco), Feinstein's at the Nikko presents a wide range of entertainers from stage and screen all within an intimate 140-seat cabaret setting. There is a $20 food and beverage minimum per person inside the showroom which guests can use towards cocktails as well as a variety of small plates crafted exclusively for Feinstein's at the Nikko by Executive ChefPhilippe Striffeler, through Restaurant Anzu. Cheese and dessert platters will also be available in the showroom. Tickets for LaChanze range in price from $30-$50 and are available now by calling 866.663.1063 or visiting www.ticketweb.com.

Broadway Actress Soara-Joye Ross (Les Miserables, Dessa Rose, Dance of the Vampires) will be making her Solo Cabaret Debut in 'This Is My Life…Gotta Fly!' at The Laurie Beechman Theatre on October 7th at 7pm for one night only.

Last night, Thursday, September 26, 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, launched its first of six performances celebrating the extraordinary 30-year collaboration of Tony Award-winning songwriting team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Ragtime, Once on This Island, My Favorite Year, Seussical, Lucky Stiff, the upcoming Rocky, and more). In 'Nice Fighting You: A 30th Anniversary Celebration,' September 26 - 28, Ahrens and Flaherty offer six very special concerts featuring their best known songs, rare gems and even some never-before-heard material, performed by a rotating cast of Broadway stars. Last night's opening night concert featured Tony nominee Stephanie J. Block (The Mystery of Edwin Drood, Anything Goes), Tony nominee Liz Callaway (Baby, Anastasia), Tony Award winner LaChanze (Dessa Rose, Once on This Island), Kecia Lewis (Dessa Rose, Once on This Island), Sean McCourt (Wicked, A Man of No Importance), Tony Award winner Brian Stokes Mitchell (Ragtime, Kiss Me Kate) Tony Award nominee Mary Testa (42nd Street, Lucky Stiff), and musical direction by Tony Award Winner Ted Sperling (South Pacific, The Light in the Piazza, and The Other Josh Cohen). The evening features musical arrangements by Neil Douglas Reilly.

Bay Area Cabaret, devoted to presenting audiences with top performers who expand the definition of cabaret, enters its 10th season this fall with a gala series at the Fairmont San Francisco's historic Venetian Room. To celebrate this significant milestone, Bay Area Cabaret presents a star-studded lineup of performers making their Bay Area Cabaret debuts, as well as the return of a few favorites from the past decade. Opening the seas tonight, September 21, 2013 with a bang is Broadway's Megan Hilty, known to millions as the powerhouse 'Bombshell' on NBC's television program Smash. The season continues October 20, 2013 with Tony nominee Norm Lewis (The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess) and November 10, 2013 with 'America's romantic piano sensation,' multi-platinum selling recording artist Jim Brickman, joined by special guest Broadway heartthrob David Burnham.

Continuing its 10th Anniversary Season, Bay Area Cabaret presents Tony Award-nominated Broadway star Norm Lewis. Mr. Lewis comes to the Bay Area for this special one-night-only engagement 5:00pm, Sunday, October 20, at the historic Venetian Room of the Fairmont San Francisco, 950 Mason Street. Tickets ($43-$48) are available at www.bayareacabaret.org or by phone at City Box Office (415) 392-4400.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. Bailiwick's 'Carrie,' Munster's 'Women On The Verge' and 'Godspell,' Aurora's 'Heights,' the 'Evita' and 'Once' tours, lots of Porchlight, 'Merrily' on the big screen and more!

Bailiwick Chicago Theater has just announced its 2013-14 Season, featuring two stunning musicals in their Chicago premieres. In March 2014, Artistic Director Lili-Anne Brown directs an intimate production of the stirring musical drama DESSA ROSE by Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty, the Tony Award-winning team behind Ragtime, Once on This Island and Seussical!, with music direction by Collective Member James Morehead. Immediately following in May 2014 comes a unique resurrection of the 1988 musical CARRIE with book by original screenwriter Lawrence D. Cohen, lyrics by Academy Award-winner Dean Pitchford, music by Academy Award-winner Michael Gore, directed by Collective Member Christopher Pazdernik with music direction by Collective Member Aaron Benham. The 2013-14 Season also marks Bailiwick Chicago's participation in Victory Gardens Theater's inaugural Resident Theater Program. Tickets for the 2013-14 Season will go on sale at a later date.

54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents the Tony Award-winning songwriting team of Lynn Ahrens and Stephen Flaherty (Ragtime, Once on This Island, My Favorite Year, Seussical, Lucky Stiff, the upcoming Rocky, and more) in celebration of their thirty years of collaboration. In 'Nice Fighting You: A 30th Anniversary Celebration,' September 26 - 28, Ahrens and Flaherty will offer six very special concerts featuring their best known songs, rare gems and even some never-before-heard material, performed by a rotating cast of Broadway stars including Annaleigh Ashford (Kinky Boots), Stephanie J. Block (Anything Goes, The Mystery of Edwin Drood), Liz Callaway (Baby,Miss Saigon, Anastasia), Kevin Chamberlin (Seussical, Dirty Blonde), Lilla Crawford (Annie),Lewis Grosso (Newsies), Tony Award winner LaChanze (The Color Purple, Ragtime, Once on This Island), Quentin Earl Darrington (Ragtime), Rebecca Luker (Cinderella, Mary Poppins, Nine), Marin Mazzie (Kiss Me Kate, Ragtime, Passion), Sean McCourt (Wicked, A Man of No Importance), Tony winner Brian Stokes Mitchell (Kiss Me Kate, Ragtime, Women on the Verge...),Jessica Molaskey (Sunday in the Park With George, Songs for a New World, A Man of No Importance), Bobby Steggert (Big Fish, Ragtime), Mary Testa (42nd Street, Lucky Stiff), and Tony Award Winner, Director/Music Director Ted Sperling (South Pacific, The Light in the Piazza, andThe Other Josh Cohen).

THE COLUMN Awards Board of Directors and Executive Director/Producer/Founder John Garcia have the esteemed honor to announce today that one of Broadway's biggest and most sought after stars, Rachel York will serve as Co-Host for the 15th Annual Column Awards Gala. The gala will be held Monday February 24, 2014 at the Patty Granville Performing Arts Complex with a cocktail reception at 7:00pm, curtain at 8:00pm. For all info and tix info go towww.thecolumnawards.org

Today we are talking a phenomenally talented performer known for his decades treading the boards in a number of featured and lead roles, most recently wowing crowds with his turn as one of the title characters in THE GERSHWINS' PORGY & BESS - the engaging and golden-voiced Norm Lewis. Discussing many of his most celebrated roles as well as some more obscure, Lewis paints a vivid picture of his career trajectory thus far and shares compelling and candid stories of working on productions as varied and diverse as the original Broadway versions of THE WHO'S TOMMY, SIDE SHOW, THE WILD PARTY, AMOUR, THE LITTLE MERMAID and SONDHEIM ON SONDHEIM as well as his sensational work regionally in projects such as his recent essaying of Javert in LES MISERABLES at The Muny (to say nothing of the 25th Anniversary live at the 02) as well as turns in SWEENEY TODD and THE WIZARD & I: THE MUSIC OF STEPHEN SCHWARTZ among many others. Additionally, Lewis sheds some light on his recent onscreen work, clueing us in on how he became involved with hit nighttime soap SCANDAL and how he enjoyeds working with co-stars Kerry Washington and Tony Goldwyn on it - and if we will possibly see him in Season Three, perhaps. Plus, Lewis opens up about his upcoming solo gigs and performing plans - including first news on his starring part in the upcoming Public Theater musical version of THE TEMPEST - as well as touches upon a host of topics ranging from his appearances at spectacular special events - DREAMGIRLS: IN CONCERT, HAIR: IN CONCERT, TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA in the Park - to his appearance in SEX & THE CITY 2 (opposite Liza Minnelli) to recording studio work, dream projects, future goals, favorite workshop/reading experiences and much, much more!

Happy Birthday Rachel York! York has appeared on Broadway as Fantine in Les Miserables; Norma in Victor/Victoria (Drama Desk Award) with Julie Andrews; Marguerite in The Scarlet Pimpernel; Miss Fancy in Sly Fox with Richard Dreyfuss; and Christine Colgate in Dirty Rotten Scoundrelswith Jonathan Pryce. She appeared off-Broadway opposite Julie Andrews in Stephen Sondheim's Putting It Together and in the Lincoln Center Theater production of Dessa Rose. Most recently, Rachel was seen in The Best Is Yet to Come: The Music of Cy Coleman and created the role of Cruella de Vil in The 101 Dalmatians Musical directed by Jerry Zaks.

It's just been announced that Tony Award-Winner LaChanze has been cast in If/Then, the new musical by the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award-winning creative team behindNext To Normal, Tom Kitt (music), Brian Yorkey (book and lyrics), andMichael Greif (director). The musical will play Broadway's Richard Rodgers Theatre (226 West 46th Street) in spring 2014, beginning preview performances onTuesday, March 4, and officially opening on Thursday, March 27, 2014.

The Old Globe today announced that the San Diego Premiere of the crime classic Double Indemnity will receive an additional week of performances and will now run through Sept. 1. The production begins previews on July 27 and was originally set to close on Aug. 25. Opening night is Aug. 1. Double Indemnity is adapted by David Pichette and R. Hamilton Wright from the book by James M. Cain and is directed by John Gould Rubin. Tickets for the extension week are currently available to subscribers only and will go on sale to the public on Friday, July 26 at 12 noon. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.

Bay Area Cabaret presents Tony Award nominee Norm Lewis in his West Coast concert debut. A commanding yet affable presence, Lewis took Broadway by storm, starring opposite Audra McDonald in the highly-acclaimed The Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. His performance brought the singer/actor critical praise, as well as Best Leading Actor nominations for the Tony, Drama Desk, Drama League, and Outer Critics Circle Awards.

An audience of theatre enthusiasts waited in anticipation at the Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts last night, when Founding Artistic Director Robert Kelley and Managing Director Phil Santora of TheatreWorks, the nationally-acclaimed theatre of Silicon Valley, unveiled the thrilling line-up for its 2013-2014 season. Opening with a groundbreaking World Premiere developed at last season's New Works Festival, the line-up will also give Bay Area audiences their first look at a Broadway hit by playwright Jon Robin Baitz (The Substance of Fire, A Fair Country, Three Hotels); an Off-Broadway smash by Kenneth Lin (Fallow, Po Boy Tango); and a historical drama from Lauren Gunderson (Exit, Pursued by a Bear). Also announced is an enchanting musical journey told through little-known Stephen Sondheim gems.

The Old Globe today announced the cast and creative team for the San Diego Premiere of the crime classic Double Indemnity, adapted by David Pichette and R. Hamilton Wright from the novel by James M. Cain. Directed by John Gould Rubin, Double Indemnity will run July 27 - August 25, 2013 in the Sheryl and Harvey White Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Preview performances run July 27 - July 31. Opening night is Thursday, Aug. 1 at 8:00 p.m. Tickets can be purchased online at www.TheOldGlobe.org, by phone at (619) 23-GLOBE or by visiting the Box Office at 1363 Old Globe Way in Balboa Park.