Fred Astaire News

The Raymond F. Kravis Center for the Performing Arts continues its star-packed 25th anniversary season in March 2017 with amazing performances from Hollywood to Bollywood, several fascinating lectures, two of Broadway's biggest hits, and the much-anticipated return of Michael Feinstein & the Kravis Center Pops Orchestra.

Producer Stephen DeAngelis, who brought five amazing Broadway performers to Ocean State Theatre in October, returns with an all new concert featuring another five great 'straight-from-Broadway' performers - including Rhode Island's own Richard H. Blake.

The U.S. National Tour of ANNIE, now in its third smash year, will return to the State Theatre in Easton on Friday, February 24.   Directed by original lyricist and director Martin Charnin for the 19th time, this production of ANNIE is a brand new incarnation of the iconic Tony Award-winning original.

Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to announce the continuation of the fourth season of Chicago's hit "lost" musicals in staged concert series, Porchlight Revisits Little Me, music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Carolyn Leigh and book by Neil Simon based on the novel by Patrick Dennis, with direction by Porchlight Artistic Director Michael Weber, musical direction by Linda Madonia, choreography by Craig Miller with special guest choreography by veteran Bob Fosse dancer Jane Lanier and starring Jeff Award-winner Matt Crowle. 

When Betty Nichols was about 12 years old, she came down with rheumatic fever, and the treatment in rural Carbon County more than seven decades ago was to send people with the illness to bed for three months. That was the typical prescription, but awfully boring for a young child.

The producers of the new musical Bandstand, directed and choreographed by Tony Award winner Andy Blankenbuehler (Hamilton) and featuring music by Richard Oberacker and a book and lyrics by Robert Taylor and Richard Oberacker, have just announced compete casting and an award-winning design team.

Joe Sirola, who has been called the 'King of Voice-Overs' - having been heard or seen in over 10,000 commercials throughout his long and fun career - co-starred with the great Jimmy Cagney in his last film (Terrible Joe Moran). Lately, Joe has turned his talents to the New York stage as a producer, and one of his shows is the current off-Broadway hit, CAGNEY. Today, Joe recorded the new radio advertisement for his, and Jimmy's, musical. Below, listen to a clip from Joe's radio spot for CAGNEY!

Cagney, the hit musical about Hollywood's tough guy in tap shoes, welcomes back Broadway's Jeremy Benton (42nd Street, national tour of Irving Berlin's White Christmas) to the company beginning tonight, January 11th.

The New Jersey Symphony Orchestra presents song-and-dance standards from the golden age of Hollywood musicals in a Valentine's-weekend pops program, February 10-12 in Red Bank, Newark and New Brunswick. Broadway veterans Joan Hess and Kirby Ward join the Orchestra and guest conductor Gemma New, performing classics inspired by Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Gene Kelly and Eleanor Powell.

Composer, musical director, arranger and orchestrator Buddy Bregman has passed away at the age of 86.

Cagney, the hit musical about Hollywood's tough guy in tap shoes, welcomes back Broadway's Jeremy Benton (42nd Street, national tour of Irving Berlin's White Christmas) to the company beginning Wednesday, January 11th.

Broadway performers Deanna Doyle (Tuck Everlasting, Phantom of the Opera) and Netanel Bellaishe (Aladdin) just unveiled a new video nodding to classic movie musicals and honoring legends such as Fred Astaire, Ginger Rogers, Gene Kelly, and Judy Garland. Watch Doyle & Bellaishe singing, dancing, and reminiscing about the glorious days of black and white and technicolor below!

The LEXington Theatre Company has announced that Laura Bell Bundy (TONY Nominee - Legally Blonde, Hairspray, Television's Fuller House, Anger Management), Leslie Kritzer (Something Rotten, A Catered Affair, Legally Blonde, Hairspray), Krysta Rodriguez (Spring Awakening, The Addams Family, First Date, Television's Smash) and Matthew Scott (An American in Paris, Jersey Boys, A Catered Affair, Sondheim on Sondheim) will be joining this year's line-up of Broadway Vets for "Concert With The Stars," on Sunday, January 8 at 3:00pm, at The Lexington Opera House (Lexington, KY.)

Debbie Reynolds is, of course, most fondly remembered as a star of musicals on stage and screen - but Reynolds did much more for Hollywood beyond standing in front of its shining lights. She is responsible for saving many of the items we today consider priceless historical artifacts, including an iconic pair of Dorothy's ruby slippers.

The Carlyle, a Rosewood Hotel, will welcome Chris Gillespie, Champian Fulton and Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch to Bemelmans Bar for Sunday night residencies throughout the winter 2017 season.

The Park Theatre is partnering with Sunflowers Cafe in Jaffrey for "New Year's Day Brunch with Fred." The film portion of the event will be presented at a private "sneak preview" of the new River Street Theatre, a project of The Park Theatre.

Cagney, the new hit musical about Hollywood's tough guy in tap shoes, celebrates its 300th performance, today, December 21 at the Westside Theatre, upstairs. Cagney had its official opening on April 3, 2016 following 21 preview performances.

Cagney, the new hit musical about Hollywood's tough guy in tap shoes, celebrates its 300th performance, today, December 21 at the Westside Theatre, upstairs. Cagney had its official opening on April 3, 2016 following 21 preview performances.

Cagney, the new hit musical about Hollywood's tough guy in tap shoes,will celebrate its 300th performance this afternoon, December 21, at the Westside Theatre, upstairs. Cagney had its official opening on April 3, 2016 following 21 preview performances.

The 1940s-60s is widely considered to be a Golden Age of movie musicals. With dynamic stars like Gene Kelly, Judy Garland, Shirley Jones, Cyd Charisse and Fred Astaire lighting up the big screen time and time again, the years that followed the second World War undoubtedly brought us some of our most beloved classics. In 2002, a blockbuster called Chicago proved that the movie musical could be not only a commercial and critical success, but cool again. Since then, the world has seen a resurgence in a genre that was long-considered dead, bringing an American tradition back to the forefront of popular culture. This holiday season, the movie musical is back in full force with the critically-acclaimed La La Land, featuring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling. With the arrival of perhaps the best movie musical in decades, we're bringing you an in-depth timeline of the past ten years in movie musicals. Are we in a second Golden Age? Decide for yourself!