Fred Astaire News

Broadway has given the world some of it's greatest songs, but the Broadway beginnings of some classics aren't known to all.

Ken Davenport and Michael Jackowitz, the producers of the new Off-Broadway musical DADDY LONG LEGS, are pleased to announce the deadline extension of their "Give A Girl Her Chance" Contest, which will gift an Off-Broadway debut to one talented young woman. The contest submission due date will now be Monday, March 28th at 11:59pm, and the age limit for submissions has been removed.

The story and music of America's Composer come to life on stage when The Town Hall presents HERSHEY FELDER AS IRVING BERLIN, a new play with music written and performed by award-winning actor and musician Hershey Felder (Broadway's George Gershwin Alone, Maestro Bernstein). Directed by Trevor Hay, HERSHEY FELDER AS IRVING BERLIN plays one night only, Monday, June 6 at 8PM at The Town Hall (123 West 43rd Street).

DADDY LONG LEGS celebrates their 200th performance on Tuesday, March 22nd at the Davenport Theatre.

New Conservatory Theatre Center crowns its 2015-16 season with the West Coast premiere of a whimsical reimagining of On a Clear Day You Can See Forever, the classic American musical featuring music by Burton Lane, lyrics by Alan Jay Lerner, and a new book by Peter Parnell, based on the original book by Lerner. This mesmerizing and enchanting new look at the classic musical is just your typical musical comedy - about hypnosis, a gay florist with commitment issues, a love triangle with a therapist, and past life as a 1940s chanteuse.

Every time I attend something in jazz pianist Ronny Whyte's estimable weekly series at the welcoming, modern Saint Peter's Church (619 Lexington Avenue at 54th Street), I'm glad I came. The place is airy, peaceful, and sunny with spacious pew and tiered seating. Acoustics are splendid. The audience is respectful. And they have Billy Strayhorn's piano. Yesterday's easy-going hour featured Alex Leonard on piano and vocals (one forgets how fine a vocalist he is), David Kingsnorth on bass, and veteran Al Gafa on guitar.

Put on your swankiest outfit, grab a cocktail and join us for a glamorous evening of entertainment as our 85 singers and dancers and a hot seven-­piece band recreate some of the most memorable musical moments from the silver screen.

Full casting was announced today for In The Secret Sea, a new American play by Cate Ryan (The Picture Box) and directed by Tony Award© winner Martin Charnin (Annie). The cast will feature Shelly Burch (original company of Nine, 'One Life to Live'), Paul Carlin (Temporal Powers at the Mint), Malachy Cleary (The Field at Irish Repertory Theatre), Glynnis O'Connor (TV's Our Town, 'The Boy in the Plastic Bubble'), and Adam Petherbridge (Da at Irish Repertory Theatre).

Ken Davenport and Michael Jackowitz, the producers of the new Off-Broadway musical DADDY LONG LEGS, have announced the "Give A Girl Her Chance" Contest, which will gift an Off-Broadway debut to one talented young woman.

Continuing to break all box office records during its National Tour, the smash hit Hershey Felder as Irving Berlin is returning to Chicago for a limited, four-week engagement starting Thursday, April 7, 2016 in Felder's Chicago theatrical home, the Royal George Theatre, 1641 N. Halsted Street, Chicago. The show will run through Sunday, May 8, 2016 with a press opening on Sunday, April 10 at 2:00 p.m. The Chicago presentation will immediately be followed by a special One-Night-Only New York Presentation at The Town Hall on June 6, 2016, broadcast internationally by the WFMT Radio Network with the entire Berlin family in attendance.

His middle initial stands for Quinn, but close friends call him Colby Q. Colby has recently joined the cast of Off-Broadway's song and dance extravaganza, TRIP OF LOVE where he surfs, shimmies and shakes to the pop sounds of the 60's. A graduate of Oklahoma City University, he's appeared on Broadway in WICKED, toured with Radio City, and danced on television in SMASH and BOARDWALK EMPIRE. Get to know a little more about Colby as he talks dance, underwear, and working for Madonna.

Leapin' lizards! With more than 400 performances under her belt, the new U.S. National Tour of ANNIE will play the National Theatre for one week only, March 15 - 20, 2016. Directed by original lyricist and director Martin Charnin for the 19th time, this production of ANNIE is a brand new physical incarnation of the iconic 1977 Tony Award-winning original.

The Hawai'i Symphony Orchestra (HSO) will take concertgoers Over The Rainbow and beyond on Friday, March 18 at 7:30 pm at A Tribute to Judy Garland featuring acclaimed vocalist and recording artist Hilary Kole. A Tribute to Judy Garland celebrates the timeless wonder of music made famous by Garland - the singer Fred Astaire called 'the greatest entertainer that ever lived.' Tickets start from $27 and are on sale now.

Starting rehearsals at The 5th Avenue Theatre this week is the critically-acclaimed Broadway musical, A NIGHT WITH JANIS JOPLIN.

From earthquakes to tidal waves to shark attacks, it wasn't safe to go to the movies that decade.

Broadway's Anna is headed to Connecticut this summer! Long Wharf Theatre will welcome Tony Award-winning THE KING AND I star Kelli O'Hara at its annual Gala on Monday, June 6, 2016.

Happy Birthday, Cyd Charisse! Charisse began starring in films in the 1940s. Her roles usually focused on her abilities as a dancer, and she was paired with Fred Astaire and Gene Kelly; her films include Singin' in the Rain (1952), The Band Wagon (1953), Brigadoon (1954) and Silk Stockings (1957). She stopped dancing in films in the late 1950s, but continued acting in film and television, and in 1992 made her Broadway debut.

Put on your swankiest outfit, grab a cocktail and join us for a glamorous evening of entertainment as our 85 singers and dancers and a hot seven-­piece band recreate some of the most memorable musical moments from the silver screen.

Legacy Recordings has just released SUMMERTIME: WILLIE NELSON SINGS GERSHWIN, available today, February 26, 2016.

Today in 1955, Silk Stockings opened at the Imperial Theatre, where it ran for 478 performances. Silk Stockings is a musical with a book by George S. Kaufman, Leueen MacGrath, and Abe Burrows and music and lyrics by Cole Porter. The musical is loosely based on the Melchior Lengyel story Ninotchka and the 1939 film adaptation it inspired. It ran on Broadway in 1955. This was the last musical that Porter wrote for the stage.