Ella Fitzgerald News

Trav'lin - The New 1930s Harlem Musical, will receive its Regional Premiere production at Fort Worth's Jubilee Theatre in Spring 2013. The musical, which received a developmental production in 2010 as part of the New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF), runs March 29, 2013 through April 28, 2013.

You know that saying that 'two is better than one?' Well it couldn't have been a more enjoyably appropriate description than the swingin'-est concert to hit Costa Mesa's Segerstrom Center for the Arts in some time: the double-bill of jazz powerhouses Jane Monheit and John Pizzarelli. The two talented stars--each accompanied by their own incredible traveling bands--played to an almost-packed house this past Friday, October 5 as the rousing season opener for the 2012-2013 Cabaret Series at the Center.

OBERON, the American Repertory Theater's second stage and club theater venue, presents THE LAST BUTCH STANDING, created and featuring singer and comedian Lea DeLaria on Monday, November 5 at 8pm. Doors open at 7:30pm.

An accomplished, world renowned jazz vocalist with a clear affinity for musical theater, Jane Monheit is set to appear in Costa Mesa on October 5 for a one-night-only concert alongside fellow jazz star John Pizzarelli as part of the Segerstrom Center for the Arts' 2012-2013 Cabaret series. Recently, the two-time Grammy nominated songstress chatted with BroadwayWorld's Michael Lawrence Quintos about her upcoming OC return engagement and why she's so in love with showtunes.

A genuine superstar of musical theatre, Elaine Paige is much loved on both sides of the Atlantic and here across the Pacific. As she prepares for a concert tour of Australia and New Zealand later this month, she took time out to share a little of her (legendary!) brain on musical theatre.

Queens Theatre (QT), through the support of Bank of America, presents the first performance of its Student Matinee series with ELLA, the new Ella Fitzgerald musical, today October 4, 2012.

Stamford Center for the Arts continues its stellar 2012-2013 Season celebrating the 85th Anniversary of the Palace Theatre with a concert featuring living legend Marilyn Maye with Billy Stritch on Friday, October 5th at 8 PM, sponsored by Courtyard by Marriott. Marilyn Maye will also be presenting a master class titled The Art of Performance today, October 3rd from 4:30 PM to 9:30 PM.

On Stage Touring, LLC, in association with Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc., announced today that it will kick off their 2012/2013 touring season of Elvis Lives 'The Ultimate Elvis Tribute Artist Event' in Wilmington tonight, October 2, 2012. Due to incredible demand from audiences coast to coast, this season's tour will travel to sixty cities, presenting 100 performances, more than triple the number of last season's tour.

Queens Theatre (QT), through the support of Bank of America, presents the first performance of its Student Matinee series with ELLA, the new Ella Fitzgerald musical, on October 4, 2012.

Queens Theatre, in association with Eva Price of Maximum Entertainment, presents the New York City premiere of ELLA, the new Ella Fitzgerald musical, from tonight, September 27 to October 7, 2012.

Bay Area Cabaret, the local non-profit organization devoted to presenting audiences with top performers who expand the definition of cabaret, has announced its lineup for the 2012-2013 season. Opening the season Sunday, October 28, 2012 is Motown legend and founding member of "Supremes," Mary Wilson, followed Sunday, November 11, 2012 by 9-time Tony Award winning singer/dancer/director/choreographer Tommy Tune, and December 9, 2012 by television, film, and Broadway star Peter Gallagher. The series continues in 2013 with "Broadway's golden couple," Marin Mazzie and Jason Danieley on February 17, 2013, "Britain's first lady of musical theatre" Elaine Paige on March 1, 2013, and a performance by singer/actress Nellie McKay featuring San Francisco's Grammy-winning a capella male chorus Chanticleer on March 23, 2013. Rounding out the season is a tribute to the late Marvin Hamlisch, with special guests to be announced, on June 2, 2013, which would have been the legendary composer's 69th birthday, with special guests to be announced.

In 1942, a teenage Sarah Vaughan won the Apollo Theater's amateur singing competition in a performance that was a launching pad for a career that transformed one of America's original art forms and elevated the craft of jazz vocal music. Seventy years later, Vaughan's legacy continues to resonate and will be celebrated with the Sarah Vaughan International Jazz Vocal Competition, part of the TD James Moody Democracy of Jazz Festival at NJPAC and at venues around Vaughan's hometown of Newark, N.J.

The 25th annual Thelonious Monk International Jazz Competition and 'Women, Music and Diplomacy' All-Star Gala Concert will be presented by the world-renowned Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz, in partnership with Cadillac, this year's Presenting Sponsor, on September 22-23. Through the competition and its numerous educational programs, the Institute is committed to identifying and training the world's leading young jazz musicians who will preserve the traditions of jazz while expanding the music in new directions.

Currently playing at the Metropolitan Room on Friday nights through September (at 9:30 pm), Two for the Road starring singer Shaynee Rainbolt and musical director/pianist Donn Trenner is a transcendent cabaret show infused with romantic nostalgia. While the pairing of Rainbolt, a critically-acclaimed jazz singer (and multiple MAC and Bistro-Award winner), with Trenner, an Emmy-nominated musical director, conductor, and arranger (who has played piano for a Hollywood Walk of Fame full of stars including Ann-Margret, Shirley MacLaine and Bob Hope) seems as close to a cabaret show slam dunk as you get, there is an intense connection between these two performers that is palpable from the moment Rainbolt wraps her luscious voice around Trenner's jazzy piano riffing for the show's opening number.

The National Symphony Orchestra Pops today announced that Megan Hilty, known nationwide as triple-threat Ivy Lynn on NBC's hit Smash, will perform with the Orchestra November 23-24, 2012 in the Kennedy Center Concert Hall. Ms. Hilty will perform three concerts paying tribute to the music of Frank Sinatra, as well as the Rat Pack, Ella Fitzgerald and Etta James. The performances will be led by NSO Principal Pops Conductor Steven Reineke.

Grammy Award®-winning international megastar Rod Stewart will return to HSN on October 26 at 8 p.m. (ET) to kick-off the holidays with the debut of his first-ever holiday CD, MERRY CHRISTMAS, BABY before its official release on October 30 (Verve Music Group). In 2010, Rod Stewart shattered HSN music records with his exclusive debut of FLY ME TO THE MOON: VOLUME V, selling more than 25,000 units during his one-hour performance. He continues to be the largest selling music artist on HSN. PR Newswire (http://s.tt/1nnBH)

Queens Theatre, in association with Eva Price of Maximum Entertainment, presents the New York City premiere of ELLA, the new Ella Fitzgerald musical, from September 27 to October 7, 2012.

Stamford Center for the Arts continues its stellar 2012-2013 Season celebrating the 85th Anniversary of the Palace Theatre with a concert featuring living legend Marilyn Maye with Billy Stritch on Friday, October 5th at 8 PM, sponsored by Courtyard by Marriott. Marilyn Maye will also be presenting a master class titled The Art of Performance on Wednesday, October 3rd from 4:30 PM to 9:30 PM.

The Sheldon Art Galleries in St. Louis announces a major retrospective exhibition of the work of St. Louis-born artist Al Hirschfeld to open as part of The Sheldon's 100th anniversary celebration. Accompanying program: In Conversation: David Leopold and Louise Hirschfeld, today, September 8, 10:30 a.m., admission free.