Ella Fitzgerald News

The ongoing Broadway concert series at Northport's stunning John W. Engeman Theatre is truly an event not to be missed. Broadway's best come together for a night of songs and stories about their careers.

The Sheldon Art Galleries in St. Louis announces a major retrospective exhibition of the work of St. Louis-born artist Al Hirschfeld to open on Friday, September 7, 2012 as part of The Sheldon's 100th anniversary celebration.

Today we are talking to a Tony Award-winning star known for her many impressive appearances on Broadway in JELLY'S LAST JAM, PLAY ON!, THE WILD PARTY and her tremendous title turn in the towering CAROLINE, OR CHANGE - the one and only Tonya Pinkins. Opening up about her career and many of her most memorable roles, Pinkins lets us in to her world and shares experiences of working with some of the most noted names in theatre - George C. Wolfe, Harold Prince, August Wilson, Stephen Sondheim, Lloyd Richards, Daniel Sullivan, David Esbjornson and many more among them - on everything from MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, her Broadway debut, to her many musical roles to August Wilson's THE PIANO LESSON and RADIO GOLF all the way to last season's Shakespeare In The Park double-header of THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR and MEASURE FOR MEASURE. Most importantly, Pinkins fills us in on all the details about her upcoming Ethel Waters tribute at 54 Below and what we can expect from one of musical theatre's most dynamic divas taking on the song catalog of an entertainment pioneer in this New York premiere of the in-development new musical solo spotlight showcase. Additionally, Pinkins shares some candid reminiscences about some of her most fondly remembered film and television roles - such as ABOVE THE RIM, BEAT STREET, ROMANCE & CIGARETTES, ENCHANTED and others - as well as offers her thoughts on the ever-changing world of soaps, having appeared in major roles on both AS THE WORLD TURNS and ALL MY CHILDREN. All of that, comments on her two upcoming feature films - HOME and NEWLYWEEDS - and much, much more!

The Kennedy Center hosts its 11th annual Page-to-Stage new play festival from Saturday, September 1, 2012 to Monday, September 3, 2012, featuring more than 40 theaters from the D.C. metropolitan area, all with a mission to produce and support new work. The three-day, Center-wide event offers a series of free readings and open rehearsals of plays and musicals being developed by local, regional, and national playwrights, librettists, and composers.

JAZZ ROOTS: A Larry Rosen Jazz Series, created by acclaimed record and television producer Larry Rosen, comes to The Smith Center for the Performing Arts this season. Considered one of America's premier concert series, JAZZ ROOTSbrings to life the story of jazz, while also providing local schools and universities the opportunity to work with American music legends.

Get ready to swing next month when Brisbane's own Queensland Pops Orchestra presents the next concert in its 2012 program, Music To Swing By today, 18 August in Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC's) Concert Hall.

The most exciting moment in ZACH's Theatre's history will happen this fall with the opening of the new Topfer Theatre. The once-in-a-lifetime first season will include a world premiere, an American musical with a full orchestra for the first time at ZACH, a beloved classic made new, an international concert guest star, and the biggest, snowiest holiday favorite of all time, all taking full advantage of the technological capabilities of the extraordinary new theatre.

Inspired by the 2009/10 inaugural Americas and Americans festival at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Music Director Gustavo Dudamel presides over a new edition of the Americas and Americans festival at the Hollywood Bowl from tonight, August 14, 2012 to Sunday, August 19, 2012. In keeping with his long-standing belief that barriers can be broken through art, Americas and Americans brings to life Dudamel's global vision of a multi-cultural community unified by music.

Inspired by the 2009/10 inaugural Americas and Americans festival at Walt Disney Concert Hall, Music Director Gustavo Dudamel presides over a new edition of the Americas and Americans festival at the Hollywood Bowl from Tuesday, August 14, 2012 to Sunday, August 19, 2012. In keeping with his long-standing belief that barriers can be broken through art, Americas and Americans brings to life Dudamel's global vision of a multi-cultural community unified by music.

Today we are talking to a multi-talented performer who has performed on Broadway in everything from BROOKLYN to WICKED who made her most recent Broadway bows standing by in both ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER and PRISCILLA, QUEEN OF THE DESERT - the dynamic and compelling Julie Reiber. Talking all about her new solo album, LOVE TRAVELS, and its various inspirations as well as casting a look back at her many Broadway, touring and regional roles thus far in her eclectic career - ALL SHOOK UP, SWEENEY TODD and many more included - Reiber and I attempt to illustrate her unique place on Broadway and what she would like to pursue in the future, both on the stage and in the recording studio. Additionally, Reiber opens up about her exhaustive song selection process for LOVE TRAVELS and shares candid stories of the recording process of her solo debut, including providing some background on the songs that did not make the cut, how the sterling arrangements arose out of the material and the process of becoming a singer-songwriter in her own right over the project's three-year-long creation. Also, Reiber outlines her experiences performing in the out-of-town tryout of the new musical adaptation of Armistead Maupin's TALES OF THE CITY penned by rock super group Scissor Sisters and expresses her desire to continue with future iterations of the 70s-set Broadway-bound tuner as she looks ahead to her new roles of recording artist, and, also, she is happy to announce, mother. Plus, Julie offers details on her role in the heretofore little-known Meat Loaf-inspired movie musical ECLIPSE OF THE HEART (hopefully released some red moon soon), expresses her thoughts on GLEE and SMASH, compared Broadway now versus a decade ago - and much, much more!

Dubbed "The greatest white female singer in the world" by none other than Ella Fitzgerald, star vocalist Marilyn Maye took Provincetown audiences by storm in her long anticipated debut at The Art House last season. She returns to The Art House by popular demand this summer tonight, August 7th and tomorrow night, August 8th at 7:00 PM featuring Billy Stritch on the piano.

Les Michaels Sundays In Summer at the Arthur Newman Theater in Palm Desert will present the multitalented impressionist Bethany Owen direct from the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas.

Get ready to swing next month when Brisbane's own Queensland Pops Orchestra presents the next concert in its 2012 program, Music To Swing By on 18 August in Queensland Performing Arts Centre (QPAC's) Concert Hall.

54 Below, Broadway's nightclub just below the legendary Studio 54, presents some of New York's brightest talents…

Dubbed "The greatest white female singer in the world" by none other than Ella Fitzgerald, star vocalist Marilyn Maye took Provincetown audiences by storm in her long anticipated debut at The Art House last season. She returns to The Art House by popular demand this summer on August 7th and 8th at 7:00 PM featuring Billy Stritch on the piano.

Les Michaels Sundays In Summer at the Arthur Newman Theater in Palm Desert will present the multitalented impressionist Bethany Owen direct from the Rio Hotel in Las Vegas.

Edmund Gaynes in association with Daryl Sledge/Mother's Boy LLC will present the Off-Broadway premiere of Rain Pryor's one-woman show, Fried Chicken and Latkes, beginning an open-ended engagement on Saturday July 21st at the Actors Temple Theater (339 West 47th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). BroadwayWorld brings you exclusive photo coverage of Pryor in rehearsal for the show below!

Today we are talking to Patricia Kelly, the widow of one of the most iconic and influential performers in entertainment history, Gene Kelly, all about her husband's incomparable career on Broadway and in Hollywood, in honor of his centennial. Tracing Gene Kelly's journey from his theatre roots starring in Cole Porter's LEAVE IT TO ME!, Rodgers & Hart's PAL JOEY and William Saroyan's Pulitzer Prize-winning THE TIME OF YOUR LIFE on Broadway to his unforgettable screen appearances in many of the greatest movie musicals ever made - COVER GIRL, SINGIN' IN THE RAIN, THE PIRATE, AN AMERICAN IN PARIS and many more included - Mrs. Kelly gives us a look into the life of one of the most important artists of the twentieth century. In addition to behind-the-scenes stories involving Kelly's frequent collaborators - such as esteemed director Vincente Minnelli, songwriter and producer Arthur Freed, arranger Saul Chaplin and others - Mrs. Kelly also shares candid anecdotes involving her husband's involvement with directing Rodgers & Hammerstein's FLOWER DRUM SONG on Broadway, helming the feature film adaptation of HELLO, DOLLY! starring Barbra Streisand, as well as his appearing in two idiosyncratic movie musicals later in his life, LES DEMOISELLES DE ROCHEFORT (THE YOUNG GIRLS OF ROCHEFORT) for Jacques Demy, as well as his au revoir to movie musicals in form of the Olivia Newton-John roller disco starrer XANADU. Additionally, Mrs. Kelly fills us in on all the details about this weekend's two-night Gene Kelly retrospective celebration, which she leads and narrates, as part of GENE KELLY @ 100 and her future plans for the multimedia presentation - each evening titled AN EVENING OF GENE KELLY and CHANGING THE LOOK OF DANCE ON FILM, respective - as she begins to tour the show across the country. Plus, reflections on SINGIN' IN THE RAIN's 60th anniversary and the recent Fathom HD premiere presentation in theaters, the impact of Kelly's work behind the camera, his choreographic legacy, what a legend is like at home, memories of attending the opening night of THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA (starring HELLO, DOLLY! lead Michael Crawford), what the master would say about GLEE, SMASH, BUNHEADS and today's movie musical renaissance, as well as much, much more!

Let The Game Begin is described as 'a nostalgia tinged, sultry song written and recorded in London. The track is packed with visual references, a nod to how the songstress finds music to be a very visual experience. The single is also available in vinyl format to pay homage to the era by which Helena is so heavily influenced. Let The Game Begin provides a stunning introduction to Helena's classic soul roots and cosmopolitan background, the first single from a stunning debut album.'

Cabaret and Jazz vocal stylist, New York and Los Angeles actor/singer - Pinkie Washington will perform her original cabaret show, ELLA AND HER FELLAS - the story behind icon - saluting Ella Fitzgerald, at the M BAR HOLLYWOOD, tonight, July 15, at 7 p.m., at the M Bar in Hollywood, Calif.