Elton John News

I was one of the lucky ones who had the chance to see Billy Elliot: The Musical on Broadway before it closed on January 8, 2012. Although this scaled-down NETworks version may lose some of its grandiose sets and sparkle, Billy Elliot still transmits enough electricity to power all of Columbus' Palace Theatre.

NETworks Presentations, LLC, Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films and Old Vic Productions bring the multi-award-winning Billy Elliot the Musical to the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center from June 19-24. Based on the international smash-hit film and featuring music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, choreography by Peter Darling and direction by Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot the Musical has earned critical acclaim on Broadway including 10 Tony Awards®.

The JAZZMATICS™, a new contemporary jazz and R&B band, will perform in public for the first time on April 22 at The Canyon Club in Agoura Hills, California. Individually, the group's members have accompanied such stars as Stevie Wonder, Madonna, Tower of Power, Santana, George Benson, Elton John, Kelly Clarkson, Bette Midler, Michael Jackson, and many more. Now they are coming together as The JAZZMATICS to create a blend of jazz, pop and funk.

Shea's Performing Arts Center has just announced their 2012-13 season. Celebrating 25 years of Broadway in Buffalo, BILLY ELLIOT, JEKYLL AND HYDE, PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT, THE BOOK OF MORMON, and more are set to run throughout the season!

A brand new weekly chat show for theatre will launch on Resonance 104.4FM on Monday 26 March 2012 at 8pm. Hosted by Tim McArthur, the hour long programme will take a light-hearted look at the current state of London theatre, showcasing both established and up-and-coming talent, both on stage and behind the scenes.

Eddie Edwards has been mimicking and impersonating celebrity actors with uncanny precision ever since the 1970s. His skill as a vocalist and makeup artist eventually landed him a spot in La Cage aux Folles, where he performed and sang for many years as Ms Midler, Barbra Streisand, and Cher. For Legendary Divas, Edwards brings five members of the cast of La Cage to Stoneham, along with six Las Vegas dancers. The show runs from Thursday, March 22 through Sunday, March 25.

The Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza Foundation and Chris Isaacson present "Tell It to My Heart: Up Close and Personal with Taylor Dayne" in her glorious return to the stage. Her debut performance at the Janet and Ray Scherr Forum Theatre will take place at 8:00 pm on Saturday, April 14, 2012.

Broadway Theatre Project (BTP), which has spent the past two decades helping thousands of young, aspiring actors, singers and dancers to realize their potential in the performing arts, gets a taste of another vehicle with a similar purpose, FOX's American Idol, when the television series' Associate Musical Director, Michael Orland, and Vocal Coach, Peisha McPhee, visit the Tampa-based summer musical theatre intensive this summer.

SHN today announced the complete five-show 2012-2013 Season under the direction of Carole Shorenstein Hays. Productions joining the previously announced engagement of 2011 Tony Award-Winning Best Musical - THE BOOK OF MORMON are: the pre-Broadway world premiere of DINER, Disney's THE LION KING, the Tony Award-winning revival of ANYTHING GOES and Bay Area favorite WICKED.

NETworks Presentations, LLC brings the multi-award-winning Billy Elliot the Musical to the Palace Theatre march 20-25.Based on the international smash-hit film and featuring music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, choreography by Peter Darling, and direction by Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot the Musical has earned critical acclaim on Broadway including 10 Tony Awards.

NETworks Presentations, LLC, Universal Pictures Stage Productions, Working Title Films and Old Vic Productions bring the multi-award-winning Billy Elliot the Musical to the Fox Cities Performing Arts Center from June 19-24. Based on the international smash-hit film and featuring music by Elton John, book and lyrics by Lee Hall, choreography by Peter Darling and direction by Stephen Daldry, Billy Elliot the Musical has earned critical acclaim on Broadway including 10 Tony Awards®.

The Broadway premiere of End of the Rainbow, a new play with music, begins previews tonight at the Belasco Theatre.Opening night is set for Monday, April 2. Michael Cumpsty, Tom Pelphrey and Jay Russell join two-time Oliver Award-winner Tracie Bennett in Peter Quilter's acclaimed play about the legendary Judy Garland, directed by the Tony® Award winning Terry Johnson.

Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS presents the 15th and grand finale edition of THE BROADWAY BEARS tonight, March 18, 2012 at 8 PM at B.B. King Blues Club & Grill on West 42nd Street. THE BROADWAY BEARS is an annual Broadway auction of teddy bears dressed in museum-quality outfits based on original costumes and created by acclaimed designers..

NETworks Presentations, LLC brings the multi-award-winning Billy Elliot the Musical to Atlanta's Fox Theatre through March 18, 2012, as part of the Fifth Third Bank Broadway in Atlanta 2011-12 season.

Everything about them was a statement. Their clothes, a rejection of materialism. Their drugs, a quest to get closer to God. Their long hair, a flag of freedom. They were hippies, the social watch dogs of the 1960s, and they played a pivotal role in American pop culture.

After years of development, Clyde 'n Bonnie: A Folktale premiered in suburban Atlanta at Aurora Theatre yesterday, March 15. Aurora Theatre first encountered the show in 2009 at the New York Musical Theatre Festival, the annual showcase of potential Broadway hits, like the Tony Award and Pulitzer Prize winning Next to Normal. Clyde ‘n Bonnie is the musical brainchild of Broadway stars Hunter Foster and Rick Crom.

The New Orleans premiere of Disney's THE LION KING opens tonight, Friday, March 16 at 8 p.m. at the Mahalia Jackson Theater for a limited engagement of five weeks through Sunday, April 15. In New Orleans, THE LION KING plays Tuesday through Saturday evenings at 8 p.m., Sunday evenings at 6:30 p.m. and matinees on Saturdays at 2 p.m. and Sundays at 1 p.m., with an additional performance on Thursday, April 12 at 2 p.m.

The multi award-winning British lyricist, Sir Tim Rice, will receive the Olivier Special Award at this year's Olivier Awards with MasterCard in celebration of his outstanding contribution to musical theatre, taking place on Sunday 15 April 2012.

The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), the nation's lesbian, gay bisexual and transgender (LGBT) media advocacy and anti-defamation organization, today announced it will honor film and television producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron (Chicago, Hairspray, Smash), writer and producer Shonda Rhimes (Grey's Anatomy, Private Practice, Scandal), financial services company Wells Fargo and Facebook at the 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards presented by Ketel One and Wells Fargo.