After working in the Warner Brothers Manhattan office mailroom, Playwright Neil Simon got his first big break as a staff writer on Sid Caesar's celebrated television series 'Your Show of Shows,' a live 90-minute variety show starring comedy legends Sid Caesar and Imogene Coca that ran from 1950 to 1954. The writing staff had a staggering talent pool that included; Mel Tolkin (All in the Family), Carl Reiner (Dick Van Dyke Show, The Jerk), Mel Brooks (Young Frankenstein, Blazing Saddles, Space Balls), Michael Stewart (Bye Bye Birdie, Hello Dolly!), Joseph Stein (Fiddler on the Roof), Lucille Kallen (worked on Broadway), Danny Simon (The Carol Burnett Show, Diff'rent Strokes) and his brother Neil Simon (The Odd Couple, Murder by Death). As a way of sharing his own experience working as the 'new kid' learning the ropes from the other, more experienced writers, Neil Simon wrote the outrageous comedy LAUGHTER ON THE 23rd FLOOR, now brilliantly staged at Little Fish Theatre in San Pedro through May 20.
Legendary performer Carol Channing has been named the honoree for the Professional Dancers Society's (PDS) annual Gypsy Awards Luncheon, it was announced by PDS President, Mitzi Gaynor and PDS Board Chairman, Joni Berry.
Drury Lane Theatre continues its 2017-2018 season with the Pulitzer-winning play The Gin Game written by D.L. Coburn, featuring Chicago theatre legends and Jeff Award winners John Reeger and Paula Scrofano, and directed by Robbie Lehman. The Gin Game runs June 22 - August 22, 2017 at Drury Lane Theatre, 100 Drury Lane in Oakbrook Terrace.
Oprah Winfrey, Carrie Fisher, Mark Hamill, Stan Lee, Julie Taymor, and other remarkable contributors to the Disney legacy will be honored as official Disney Legends during D23 Expo 2017.
Legendary performer Carol Channing has been named the honoree for the Professional Dancers Society's (PDS) annual Gypsy Awards Luncheon, it was announced by PDS President, Mitzi Gaynor and PDS Board Chairman, Joni Berry.
Coming to The Way Off Broadway Dinner Theatre this spring is the area's regional theatre premiere production of the high-flying musical Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. The family friendly production, based on the classic film, was announced as part of the theatre's 2017 Mainstage Season last year by producers. The musical will take flight at the area's only year-round producing theatre beginning April 7th.
Cast members - the hardest working man in Music City show business Patrick Kramer and the outrageously funny Katie Bruno - from director Jason Tucker's cast found time from their rigorous rehearsal schedule to take on our Friday 5 (+1) questions to offer us some insider information about the show and what makes them tick, after a theatrical fashion.
Bye Bye Birdie is a Hit!BYE BYE BIRDIE hit the musical stage in the early 1960's. The story line was inspired by the popularity of Elvis Presley and his draft notice. BIRDIE is full of great tunes that most will recognize. 'How lovely to be a woman', 'Kids', 'The Telephone Hour' and 'Put on a Happy Face', made famous by Dick Van Dyke in the 1963 film adaptation.
On last night's WATCH WHAT HAPPENS LIVE, actress and singer Jennifer Lopez shared some details about starring in the future NBC musical BYE BYE BIRDIE! and teases that Nick Jonas' name 'has come up' in early casting discussions.
Today, Disney has shared a first glimpse of Golden Globe winner Emily Blunt as Mary Poppins in MARY POPPINS RETURNS, the all new sequel to Disney's 1964 film “Mary Poppins.” Check it out below!
In addition to new parodies which re-work selections from Adele, Rent and Bruno Mars to hilarious, effect punctuated by zany Laugh-In style zingers, Bunny has widened her---don't go there!--repertoire to include some actually insightful social commentary. (Well, she thinks it's insightful, anyway.)
2nd Story Theatre in Warren is currently offering Sam Bobrick and Ron Clark's 1979 classic MURDER AT THE HOWARD JOHNSON'S. Did I say classic? What I meant was a shallow, pithy, superficial, farcical, and light-weight comedy. Bobrick and Clarke cut their teeth writing tv comedy for some of the smartest television of all time like The Smothers Brothers Comedy Hour, The Dick Van Dyke Show and The Steve Allen Show. (Look these up if you have to.) This is a comedy about murder and infidelity-now who couldn't like that? 2nd Story says they were shooting for 'a pain-reducing balm' to what we've been experiencing the past months, and I think they more or less delivered. The audience was laughing and, my God, needed it.
Disney has confirmed rumors from back in December that Angela Lansbury has joined the cast of 'Mary Poppins Returns,' the all-new sequel to Disney's 1964 film 'Mary Poppins' currently filming at Shepperton Studios. She will feature as the Balloon Lady, a treasured character from PL Travers' series of Mary Poppins children's books. The film is scheduled for release December 25, 2018.
The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica recently presented the one and only spectacular Broadway legend Chita Rivera in a unique, one-night solo concert event - CHITA: A LEGENDARY CELEBRATION, and I can honestly tell you the girl's still got it and knows exactly how to use it to bring Broadway magic to the stage! The incomparable Tony Award winner recreated signature moments from her legendary career including numbers from Sweet Charity, Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Bye, Bye, Birdie, The Rink, The Visit, and from her electric performance as Anita in the original Broadway premiere of West Side Story which brought her the stardom she so richly deserves.
As BroadwayWorld sadly reported last week, Tony Award winner Mary Tyler Moore - best known as a television icon for The Mary Tyler Moore Show- passed away at 80 years old. According to her publicist, she was with her husband and friends at the time of her passing.
'Mid Century' is in renaissance. Mid-century decor, mid-century fashion, mid-century architecture (although Palm Springs architecture has never left the '50's and '60's). Now we welcome a resurgence of Mid Century entertainment at The Walnut, America's oldest theatre and a National Historic Landmark.
The Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC) will present MICHELE LEE with its 2017 Lifetime Achievement Award at the 31st Annual MAC Awards to be held Tuesday, March 28 at 7:00 pm at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill in New York City.
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