Duke Ellington News

On June 14 at 5:00pm, Jazz at Lincoln Center will partner with The Harlem Children's Zone to present Uptown Family Swing, a free community concert featuring the Jazz at Lincoln Center Orchestra with Wynton Marsalis and Mr. Aubrey's Show Kids.

Chicago native, pianist, composer, singer, teacher and thinker Peter Saltzman, now a playwright, producer and actor as well, is putting himself quite on display in the new theater piece, "Piano Diaries," which opened in Studio One at the venerable Athenauem Theatre last weekend for a run through July 6, 2014.

The Houston Symphony kicks off the summer with a sensational line-up of FREE concerts, including an expanded 10 performances around Houston as part of its Summer Neighborhood Concert Series, 5 performances as part of the ExxonMobil Summer Symphony Nights at Miller Outdoor Theatre, and the free July 3rd performance at Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion.

Westport Country Playhouse announces a world premiere musical revue, 'Sing for Your Shakespeare,' as the second production in its 2014 season, running tonight, June 3 - 22. Directed by Mark Lamos, and co-conceived by Lamos, Wayne Barker, and Deborah Grace Winer, the show is based on an original idea and production for 92nd Street Y's Lyrics & Lyricists, New York, NY. Celebrating its 84th season, Westport Country Playhouse was recently named Theater Company of the Year by The Wall Street Journal.

Looking at his resume, you are struck by the fact that he has done it all - starred in numerous hit Broadway Musicals, is a three-time Tony Award-winner, wrote, directed and choreographed for both television and theatre. On Tuesday June 3, Hinton will unveil a new chapter in his career when 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club presents Hinton Battle Something New, a performance introducing his soon to be released new CD, by the same name. With his unique take on classic tunes, Battle pays tribute to the genius of Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Dizzy Gillespie, and Miles Davis and honors the memory of some of his dance contemporaries and legendary tap dancers that have influenced his career.

The Hollywood Bowl's upcoming production of Hair, the American Tribal Love-Rock musical, which won the Tony and Drama Desk Award for best revival of a musical in 2009, will star Kristen Bell as Sheila, Hunter Parrish as Claude, Amber Riley as Dionne, Jenna Ushkowitz as Jeanie and Beverly D'Angelo as Mom. Adam Shankman will direct and choreograph. Hair will be conducted by Lon Hoyt. Zach Woodlee will serve as associate director and associate choreographer. Additional casting is to be announced.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com or call (646) 476-3551.

Today, REVOLT TV announced a new community initiative, HELLO Harlem, designed to raise interest, awareness and support for the Boys & Girls Club of Harlem

Look, we get it, whether due to budget or geography, you didn't see every show of the Broadway season, but that doesn't mean you can't be fully up-to-date for this Sunday's Tony Awards. To help get you prepared for theatre's biggest night, BroadwayWorld has put together the ultimate Tonys Crash Course. We've outlined all of the shows nominated in the Best Musical and Best Revival of a Musical categories, and provided you 'study materials' as only BWW can, by mining our one-of-a-kind archives.

Mesa Arts Center today announced its 2014-2015 Performing Live Season, which begins with Lyle Lovett & His Large Band on July 24, and includes performances with Tony Bennett, MythBusters, Bill Cosby, Joshua Bell, Evil Dead the Musical, Molly Ringwald, and many more. The shows unveiled today are in addition to the six series packages announced on May 1, including Broadway on Center, Classical, Dance, Jazz, National Geographic Live, and Spoken World.

This June, July and August, 54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street.

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its schedule for June 9 - June 15, featuring Stacey Kent, Lorna Luft, David Ostwald's Louis Armstrong Eternity Band, and more!

Media impresario and humanitarian Quincy Jones has been selected as the 99th recipient of the Spingarn Medal. Jones will receive the distinguished medal on July 23rd at 105th NAACP National Convention in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Cleveland Play House enthusiastically welcomes dance legend Maurice Hines to Cleveland in the toe-tapping extravaganza, Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life. Co-produced with Alliance Theatre and Arena Stage, CPH audiences will be dazzled by this infectious production, which brings the history of American tap to life. Directed by Tony-nominee Jeff Calhoun (Newsies) and featuring contemporary tap icons The Manzari Brothers and music from the all-female big band The Diva Orchestra, Tappin' Thru Life will dance its way onto PlayhouseSquare's Allen Theatre stage for an extended run from today, May 30 - June 29. Special gratitude is given to CPH's generous sponsor, Zinner & Co.

Something Old, Something New: Sing For Your Shakespeare Launches in Westport

54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club presents Otis Sallid's Big Otis Jump Up Blues Revue, for one night only tonight, May 29th at 9:30pm. The show features the music of Big Joe Turner, Julia Lee, Duke Ellington, Joe Liggins, La Vern Baker and Nellie Lutcher. It is steeped in the tradition of speakeasy shows that became popular during the rise of the Harlem Renaissance, performed in after-hours joints all across the Midwest and East Coast.

United States Navy veteran and Washington, D.C. native Paul Hurley joins the company of the new theatrical dance piece Healing Wars, a world-premiere production from choreographer Liz Lerman that explores the aftermath of war.

The upcoming City of London Festival includes the following highlights:

Birdland Jazz Club has announced the launch of a new summer series, Jane Monheit's Jazz Party, on Sundays at 6pm, beginning July 6. The series will provide Jane the opportunity to develop new material at Birdland and collaborate with invited musical guests, in a relaxed environment that is part concert, part jam session, part workshop and all fun.

Legacy Recordings, the catalog division of Sony Music Entertainment, releases 'Duke Ellington: The Original Recordings That Inspired The Broadway Hit After Midnight' today, May 27th on iTunes (iTunes.com/DukeEllington) that other digital retailers. The CD version hits stores June 17th.