Ginger Rogers News

Attending a Steve Ross show is often akin to time travel. The audience is transported back to eras when urbanity and dash were watchwords, when interpretation meant being as true to the period as the meaning of lyrics. The classy Mr. Ross, known primarily for iconoclastic solo performance, appeared at Birdland Monday night with a zealous 11-piece band helmed by long time confederate Brian Cassier. The joint was jumpin'.

Nostalgic musical revue, LET'S DANCE AGAIN recently performeda at the Royal Festival Hall, and BroadwayWorld was on the scene to snap some photos. Check them out below!

It's been quite a fall for one of Broadway's crowned princes. At the end of August, Santino Fontana finished filming the first season of SHADES OF BLUE, opposite Jennifer Lopez and Ray Liotta, which premieres on NBC on January 14th. Then, the next day, he married Jessica Hershberg, whom he met backstage at Birdland in 2011, both waiting to perform. The couple, who briefly overlapped as cast members in RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA, then headed to L.A. where Fontana began shooting the new musical comedy CRAZY EX-GIRLFRIEND. Hershberg, having adopted her married name, just recently headed back to New York to begin rehearsals for the Transport Group's production of ONCE UPON A MATTRESS, where she will star opposite Jackie Hoffman (Lady Larkin and Princess Winnifred respectively).

In a one-of-a-kind concert created especially for Valley Performing Arts Center (VPAC), the world's most seasoned Gershwin interpreter, Peter Nero, will perform Gershwin's timeless works from Broadway and film on Saturday, November 14 at 8pm. This two-part program will be a special evening dedicated to the work Gershwin composed in Los Angeles after relocating from New York. 

From Ginger Rogers to Hal Le Roy to Eleanor Powell to Tommy Rall.

Broadway director/ choreographer Randy Skinner talks about his new production of DAMES AT SEA.

In 1964, HELLO DOLLY opened on Broadway, starring a relatively unknown, 43-year-old Carol Channing as the lead. Reviving the show in 1978, 1981, and 1995, Channing's personality is almost synonymous with the title character. With the demanding role requiring someone with a true star quality, many celebrities have tackled the bold character (including Ginger Rogers, Pearl Bailey, Phyllis Diller, Ethel Merman…and, of course, Barbara Streisand). It is no surprise that Arlington Player's has gambled on a local small-town-star as the headliner in their current production.

Nick Winston began his career as a performer, appearing in the West End productions of Chicago, Fosse, Kiss Me Kate and Disney's Beauty & The Beast. His extensive choreographic work has been seen across Europe, America and Asia. Credits include, Annie (National Tour), Flash Mob (Sadler's Wells), White Christmas (West Yorkshire Playhouse), Calamity Jane (National Tour), Sweeney Todd (The Royal Exchange), Sondheim at 80 (Royal Albert Hall), Loserville (West End), The Wizard of Oz (Royal Festival Hall), The Adventures of Pinocchio (Opera North), Il Turco in Italia (Garsington Opera) & Fortunio (Grange Park Opera). 

Some shows I can see again and again, especially those composed by the forever upbeat Jerry Herman. Hello Dolly bowed on Broadway when I was a teenager in the 60s and it had a long run with original star Carol Channing, followed by turns with Ethel Merman, Ginger Rogers, Pearl Bailey, Martha Raye and Molly Picon, to name a few. Every major star wanted to do it because the role offers a female actress the chance to sing, dance and act the hell out of it. It's a big, splashy gut buster about a woman who has more moxy than the Pied Piper and enough wisdom and panache to win over an army or a whole kingdom, for that matter...and, for the audience, it's one of those extra-special feel-good musicals that just doesn't quit... for a moment. You leave the theatre actually humming the tunes.Welk Resort's current production of Dolly! in Escondido through November 15 is right on target...it's wondrously delectable.

Mio Infante, the scenographer and costume designer of this production, talks about the herculean tasks he had to go through along with his team to put on a show that will not only be remembered because of its great lead actors--Michael De Mesa and Audie Gemora as Georges and Albin/Zaza, respectively--but also because of its production values.

Top Hat, WINNER of 3 Laurence Olivier awards including 'Best New Musical', 'Best Theatre Choreographer', and 'Best Costume Design'?brings the glamour of Hollywood's golden age and the glorious, tap-dancing magic of Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers to the stage in one of the greatest dance musicals of all time.

Westchester Broadway Theatre presents BACKWARDS IN HIGH HEELS, conceived and developed by Lynnette Barkley and Christopher McGovern, with book/musical arrangements/original songs by Christopher McGovern. Directed and choreographed by Jeremy Benton with musical direction by Jose Simbulan, the production began last night, August 13, and runs through September 20, 2015. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the cast in action below!

Westchester Broadway Theatre presents BACKWARDS IN HIGH HEELS, conceived and developed by Lynnette Barkley and Christopher McGovern, with book/musical arrangements/original songs by Christopher McGovern. Directed and choreographed by Jeremy Benton with musical direction by Jose Simbulan, the show runs tonight, August 13, through September 20, 2015, with opening night slated for August 14th. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in rehearsals below!

The CUNY Dance Initiative (CDI), a university-wide residency program now in its second year, announces its fall 2015 public events.

Westchester Broadway Theatre presents BACKWARDS IN HIGH HEELS, conceived and developed by Lynnette Barkley and Christopher McGovern, with book/musical arrangements/original songs by Christopher McGovern. Directed and choreographed by Jeremy Benton with musical direction by Jose Simbulan, the show runs August 13 - September 20, 2015, with opening night slated for August 14th. BroadwayWorld has a sneak peek at the cast in rehearsals below!

The journey from the 21st Century back to Hollywood's glamourous golden age is an inspiring one when your "tour guides" are the legendary Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire - portrayed by Darien Crago and Jeremy Benton in Westchester Broadway Theatre's production of Lynnette Barkley and Christopher McGovern's Backwards in High Heels: The Ginger Musical, running August 13-September 20.

Westchester Broadway Theatre is taking audiences back to the glory days of Hollywood's Golden Age with its upcoming production of Lynnette Barkley and Christopher McGovern's Backwards in High Heels: The Ginger Musical, running August 13-September 20. As the cast, under the leadership of director/choreographer Jeremy Benton, got into the serious business of rehearsals, photographer Jake Primmerman was on hand to commemorate the work that goes into bringing the world of the 1930s movie musical to life onstage at WBT.

Westchester Broadway Theatre to present BACKWARDS IN HIGH HEELS, conceived and developed by Lynnette Barkley and Christopher McGovern, with book/musical arrangements/original songs by Christopher McGovern. Directed and choreographed by Jeremy Benton, with musical direction by Jose Simbulan, the show runs August 13 - September 20, 2015, starring Darien Crago as Ginger Rogers.

Cabaret star Steve Ross will debut STEVE ROSS ON BROADWAY: Songs He's Always Wanted To Sing and Songs You've Always Wanted to Hear at Birdland Jazz Club on Monday, July 7th at 7pm. Mr. Ross' very special guest star will be International icon Liliane Montevecchi, featuring Jesse Bielenberg on bass. The wide-ranging program includes songs by George and Ira Gershwin, Howard Dietz and Arthur Schwartz, Jerome Kern, Cole Porter, Stephen Sondheim and others.

The Old Globe's presentation of Kiss Me, Kate, the classic musical comedy featuring a book by Sam and Bella Spewack and an iconic score by Cole Porter, will now add a week by popular demand and run through August 9 on the Donald and Darlene Shiley Stage in the Old Globe Theatre, part of the Globe's Conrad Prebys Theatre Center. Tickets for the extension will go on sale this Sunday, July 12 at noon.