Donna Summer News

Anything Barbra Streisand-related is well worth attending (are you kidding?!), and on Friday, October 5, there was an invited dress rehearsal on the Temple University campus in the Liacouras Center as Barbra Streisand: BACK TO BROOKLYN got its feet wet for the first time in front of about a thousand people.

The full cast is announced for Sheffield Theatres' production of Simon Beaufoy's The Full Monty directed by the company's Artistic Director Daniel Evans. Leading the company are Kenny Doughty, Craig Gazey, Simon Rouse, Keiran O'Brien,Roger Morlidge and Sidney Cole.

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Foundations has announced the nominees for 2013 induction. For the first time in its history, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame will offer fans the opportunity to officially participate in the induction selection process.

Grammy Award Winner Julie Gold returns to her "home" in the West Village, the Duplex Cabaret Theatre, performing her series "An Evening with Julie Gold" on the 1st Monday of every other month starting this month, tonight, October 1.

BAAD! - The Bronx Academy of Arts and Dance - begins its fall season with the BlakTinx Performance Series from October 5 through November 16, 2012. This annual festival celebrates art and performance in various disciplines by African Americans, Latinos, and other artists of color will include several evenings of Bronx dance companies alongside companies from around the world, plus theater, performance art and a sexy comic book workshop.

Bounce TV (www.bouncetv.com) -- The nation's first-ever broadcast television network designed for African-American audiences -- will turn one on Sept. 26 and its first year on-the-air has been overwhelmingly successful, with accelerated growth and expansion among station groups and distribution, advertisers and viewers alike.

The About Face Theatre Associate Board presents HOMOTOWN 3: A Tribute To Etta, Whitney & Donna tonight, September 24, 2012 at Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted St., Chicago. Doors open at 6 pm, show begins at 7 pm. All proceeds benefit About Face Youth Theatre. Tickets are available at www.aboufacetheatre.com.

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director), in association with Robert D. Wachs (producer of the hit films Beverly Hills Cop, Beverly Hills Cop 2, Coming to America), present the developmental lab of the new disco musical, Last Dance, featuring songs by the legendary Academy, Emmy and Grammy Award-winning pop master Paul Jabara (Enough is Enough, It's Raining Men, Last Dance, and more) with book by Shaun McKenna (Lord of the Rings, The Musical).

Beth Shak, the shoe connoisseur, delivers her premiere shoe collection, the eponymous Beth Shak, designed for stylish women of the world who desire high quality fashion footwear at a reachable price. Designed by Shak and reflective of her personal style, love of accessories and all things sexy, the collection offers fashion-forward detailing, entirely made of Italian leather, at a great price point.

Grammy Award Winner Julie Gold returns to her "home" in the West Village, the Duplex Cabaret Theatre, performing her series "An Evening with Julie Gold" on the 1st Monday of every other month starting in October 2012.

The About Face Theatre Associate Board presents HOMOTOWN 3: A Tribute To Etta, Whitney & Donna on Monday, September 24, 2012 at Sidetrack, 3349 N. Halsted St., Chicago. Doors open at 6 pm, show begins at 7 pm. All proceeds benefit About Face Youth Theatre. Tickets are available at www.aboufacetheatre.com.

Today we are focusing a super-special spotlight on one of the Fall's most intriguing musical entries trying out in New York, the York Theatre Company's lab mounting of the new Paul Jabara jukebox musical LAST DANCE, by talking to the show's lead, recognizable TV and film star Rob Morrow, and the show's lead producer, noted comedic shepherd and filmmaker Robert D. Wachs, whom filled me in on all aspects of the show in a comprehensive chat late last week just prior to this week's start of rehearsals. In this all-encompassing conversation, Morrow, Wachs and I discuss the genesis of the new disco-themed musical celebrating the life and career of Jabara, the accomplished Emmy, Grammy and Academy Award-winning composer of Broadway shows (RACHAEL LILY ROSENBLOOM… AND DON'T YOU EVER FORGET IT), movie songs ("Last Dance" from THANK GOD IT'S FRIDAY; the titular "The Main Event") and numerous pop/rock/disco hits, such as "It's Raining Men" by The Weather Girls, Barbra Streisand and Donna Summer's epic disco duet "Enough Is Enough (No More Tears)" and his many solo hits, as well as the finer points of the story, concept, casting and the ultimate goals of the new Philip William McKinley-directed production, which features a book by Shaun McKenna. Additionally, Morrow and Wachs each generously share showbiz tales from their storied careers involving such big names as Eddie Murphy, Michael Bennett, Jonathan Larson, Tony Scott and many more and both copiously convey their infectious enthusiasm for the forthcoming fully-produced lab presentation of the new musical that will play for five performances beginning September 20 as they prepare for its first viewing before a paying audience. All of that and much, much more awaits!

The York Theatre Company (James Morgan, Producing Artistic Director), in association with Robert D. Wachs has announced final casting with the addition of Katrina Lenk (SPIDER-MAN Turn Off the Dark) and Anastacia McClesky (Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) to the cast of the developmental lab of the new disco musical, Last Dance, featuring songs by the legendary Academy, Emmy and Grammy Award-winning pop master Paul Jabara (Enough is Enough, It's Raining Men, Last Dance, and more) with book by Shaun McKenna (Lord of the Rings, The Musical).

Nashville's own American Idol finalist-and Belmont Unviersity almuna-Melinda Doolittle leads a cast of powerhouse vocalists in Smokey Joe's Cafe, Studio Tenn's first musical production of its 2012-2013 season, opening September 20 at the historic Franklin Theatre.

When Lauren Robert powerfully performed her early August show at Iridium Jazz Club, her 12-song set of blues, R&B and gospel tunes included four original songs off her recently-released CD, Listen-I Mean It. But if her live show was just offering a titillating CD tease, the disc itself is a soulful seduction-a 15-song package of passion, intimacy, vulnerability, and risk, all wrapped in lyrical expressiveness, melodic intensity, and some of the best blues/rock/gospel singing to come down the pike since Janis asked the Lord to buy her a Mercedes Benz.

Beginning tonight, July 12, and through August 20, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz will host the 34th annual Seaside Summer Concert Series at Coney Island and the 30th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Concert Series at Wingate Field in Crown Heights.

Beginning July 12 and through August 20, Brooklyn Borough President Marty Markowitz will host the 34th annual Seaside Summer Concert Series at Coney Island and the 30th annual Martin Luther King Jr. Concert Series at Wingate Field in Crown Heights.

In honor of the untimely passing of music icon Whitney Houston, the 2012 BET AWARDS pulled together an unprecedented pairing of today's divas, family members, friends, and cast mates for an emotional tribute that even brought BET AWARDS 12 double-winner Beyonce to tears. View the moving tribute to Whitney Houston below!

Live from the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles on Sunday, July 1st, BET AWARDS 12 kicked off with a bang when G.O.O.D. Music artists Kanye West, 2 Chainz, Big Sean, and Pusha T exploded onto the stage for a medley of their hits 'Mercy' and 'Cold'

The Hollywood Bowl officially launched its 91st season with the 13TH Annual Hollywood Bowl Hall of Fame and Opening Night Concert, last night, Friday, June 22, at 8 pm, which for the first time honored all women artists.