Gordon MacRae News

When Margaret Whiting died on January 10, 2011, the news was like a dagger into the heart of the New York cabaret community. Whiting was a beloved singer for almost seven decades, who seemingly delivered every American popular song ever written, conquered almost every musical art form--from Big Band to Country to Musicals to Cabaret, from radio to the recording studio. On top of all that, Whiting worked with and mentored many New York cabaret musical directors and performers, including the late Mary Cleere Haran and K.T. Sullivan, who along with Whiting's daughter Deborah, hosted a 90th birthday Whiting tribute show on Monday night at Carnegie Hall's elegant Weill Recital Hall. Presented by The Mabel Mercer Foundation, for which Sullivan is Artistic Director, It Might As Well Be Spring! A Celebration in Song of the Life of Margaret Whiting was an almost three-hour concert featuring two All-Star teams worth of cabaret stars spanning a few generations.

Over two dozen stars of film, stage and television were given a standing ovation by a sold out crowd for the 30th Anniversary of S.T.A.G.E. at the historic Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills, CA Saturday, May 10, 2014. And, on hand to get up close and personal with the stars, were BWW TV's longtime Los Angeles Correspondent and Co-Producer Michael Sterling with Videographer/Co-Producer, Jordan Santacana. Check out the video below!

The 30th Anniversary production, which featured an Emmy®, Grammy® and Tony® Award-winning cast, remains the world's longest-running annual benefit for HIV/AIDS funding

Terrence Mann, director of the recent production of LES MISERABLES at Western Carolina University, reflects on Javert directing Javert, on listening to people audition in front of him with 'Stars,' and on collegiate versus professional productions

Sheila MacRae, film, TV and Broadway actress known for her portrayal of 'Alice Kramden' on the TV series THE HONEYMOONERS, passed away Thursday, March 6, 2014. She was 92. Below, BroadwayWorld remembers the famed stage and screen actress.

According to published reports, Sheila MacRae, film, TV and Broadway actress known for her portrayal of 'Alice Kramden' on the TV series THE HONEYMOONERS, passed away Thursday, March 6, 2014. She was 92.

Point Park University's Conservatory Theatre Company will produce five works, including a special, student-devised production, a rock musical and a famous Irish play, in the 2013-2014 season. The season begins Oct. 18 and runs through April 19, 2014.

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) today announced the integration of streams to its historic Gold & Platinum (G&P) Program, the industry's premier award for recognizing artistic achievement in the marketplace. On-demand audio and/or video song streams will now be counted towards the 500,000 (Gold), 1,000,000 (Platinum) and 2,000,000 plus (multi-Platinum) thresholds required for G&P's Digital Single Award certification.

Today we are talking to a charming and affable presence onstage and onscreen who has scored in a wide range of roles in the West End and throughout the UK from his work as Bobby in COMPANY to MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG, MARGUERITE and many more to, now, starring in the Theatre du Chatelet production of SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE in the title role, Julian Ovenden. In addition to revealing details about the Paris Sondheim production, Ovenden also offers thoughts on his Sondheim work in general. Additionally, Ovenden illustrates his impressions of two spectacular small screen ventures - essaying the role of JFK in the musical-within-the-series on SMASH as well as preparing to play a pivotal role in the new season of DOWNTON ABBEY. Most importantly, Ovenden shares his deep affection for the music of Rodgers & Hammerstein and discusses his participation in the stupendous RODGERS & HAMMERSTEIN AT THE MOVIES and his continuing collaboration with master conductor John Wilson. Plus, Ovenden muses on potential future parts he would consider playing, shares details of his time in Maury Yeston's DEATH TAKES A HOLIDAY Off-Broadway, working with Sarah Brightman on the new feature film 1ST NIGHT - and much, much more!

Our reporter Amy Hanson talks to him about leopardskin pants, We Will Rock You and dream roles...

The Pepperdine University Fine Arts Division presents its fall musical, Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma!, at 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, November 8-Saturday, November 10, and Thursday, November 15-Saturday, November 17, with a 2 p.m. matinee on Sunday, November 11, at Smothers Theatre on Pepperdine's Malibu campus.

James Barry of Broadway's BLOODY BLOODY ANDREW JACKSON opens in Arden Theatre's NEXT TO NORMAL as husband and father Dan. He muses on his unexpected musical theatre career and the importance of Yorkey's writing.

There's a moment in the current production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's CAROUSEL at Connecticut's Goodspeed Opera House where James Snyder steps onto the dock which is constructed over the orchestra pit to deliver Billy Bigelow's famous "Soliloquy" that absolutely electrifies the audience. Snyder's strong stage presence and powerful singing voice had enraptured the crowd for most of the first act. Now he was literally in their laps singing of his character's concerns regarding impeding fatherhood. The moment has them sharing his outpouring of emotion.

Lyric Stage presents Rodgers & Hammerstein's OKLAHOMA!, with music by Richard Rodgers, book by Oscar Hammerstein II, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and original Dances by Agnes De Mille, based on the play GREEN GROW THE LILACS by Lynn Riggs. The show runs June 15-24, 2012 in the Irving Arts Center's Carpenter Performance Hall, 3333 N. MacArthur Blvd., Irving, Texas. Performances are tonight, June 15 and June 16, 21, 22 & 23 @ 8:00 PM and June 17 & 24 @ 2:30 PM. Tickets are available online @ www.lyricstage.org or by calling the box office @ 972-252-2787.

Lyric Stage presents Rodgers & Hammerstein's OKLAHOMA!, with music by Richard Rodgers, book by Oscar Hammerstein II, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and original Dances by Agnes de Mille, based on the play GREEN GROW THE LILACS by Lynn Riggs. The show runs June 15-24, 2012 in the Irving Arts Center's Carpenter Performance Hall, 3333 N. MacArthur Blvd., Irving, Texas. Performances are June 15, 16, 21, 22 & 23 @ 8:00 PM and June 17 & 24 @ 2:30 PM. Tickets are available online @ www.lyricstage.org or by calling the box office @ 972-252-2787.

In 1966 the Hallmark Hall of Fame presented a television adaptation of Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt's Off Broadway musical THE FANTASTICKS. Ricardo Montalban appeared as El Gallo and Bert Lahr and Stanley Holloway were the two fathers. The young lovers were played by Broadway's favorite ingenue, Susan Watson, and a clean-cut young man named John Davidson who had made a strong impression on Broadway audiences as Lahr's son in the musical FOXY.

Opera Idaho announces an all-Boise cast for its July performances of Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma! in Concert. Baritone Jason Detwiler and soprano Jena Carpenter will play the lead roles, Curly and Laurey, in performances July 13 and 15 at 7:00pm at the Idaho Botanical Garden.

Melva Niles Barborka, a Broadway leading lady, passed away on March 12 in South Jordan, Utah. She succumbed to chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyneuropathy, a neurological disease, at age 86. As Melva Niles, she stared in the Broadway runs "Song of Norway" and "Magdalena," creating the role of Solis.

The spotlight today falls upon Katherine Sandoval Taylor, one of Middle Tennessee's favorite performers, who tonight opens as Guenevere in The Arts Center of Cannon County's production of Lerner and Loewe's Camelot (which, interestingly enough, is produced by Darryl Deason, the focus of today's other Friday Five). She's known throughout the country as a concert soloist and is quickly gaining a reputation among the theaterati for her burgeoning resume of stage credits.