Hal David News

The Cleveland area has a full schedule of summer theatre entertainment. Here are some of the upcoming stagings:

The Fulfillment Fund is proud to announce the 7th Annual "The Songs of Our Lives" concert, which will pay special tribute to the songs of internationally acclaimed Songwriter's Hall of Fame and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Inductee, songwriter Lamont Dozier and the legendary Songwriter's Hall of Famer, two-time Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, singer-songwriter, David Crosby. "The Songs of Our Lives" is a benefit concert showcasing award-winning songwriters performing the hit songs they have written over the course of their career. The Songs of Our Lives provides a unique opportunity to experience these pieces as the songwriter envisioned them. The intimate setting of this event gives guests the chance to be up close and personal with these artists. Award-winning songwriter Charles Fox, a longtime Fulfillment Fund board member along with his wife Joan Fox, created "The Songs of Our Lives" as an opportunity to combine entertainment and philanthropy in a meaningful way to support the Fulfillment Fund's important work in the community. Songwriters who have participated in The Songs of Our Lives include Academy and Grammy Award winning songwriters such as Burt Bacharach, Carole Bayer Sager, Marilyn and Alan Bergman, Hal David, Mac Davis, Kenneth "Babyface" Edmonds, David Foster, Steve Karmen, Jerry Leiber, Kenny Loggins, Barry Mann, Alan Rich, Mike Stoller, Cynthia Weil, Paul Williams, Bill Withers, and many others. Freda Payne as well as Scherrie Payne and Lynda Laurence (Formerly of The Supremes) have been added to the program as well.

'Somewhere Over the Rainbow,' the iconic song from 1939's The Wizard of Oz, will be honored by the Songwriters Hall of Fame, now celebrating its 45th anniversary.

The 2014 Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway will be handed out on Sunday, May 4, 2014 at NYU Skirball Center beginning at 7:00pm EST, and hosted by acclaimed husband and wife actors and comedians, Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman. This year's event will once again benefit The Actors Fund.

Local HIV/AIDS nonprofit Golden Rainbow is accepting talent submissions for the 28th annual "Ribbon of Life" spectacular now through Monday, April 28. The fundraising production, hosted by returning emcees TV personality Chris Saldaña and Edie of Cirque du Soleil's Zumanity, will take place in The Penn & Teller Theater at Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino on Sunday, June 22 at 1 p.m.

Famed orchestrator honored at fund-raiser at the Embassy of Italy.

A dream cabaret pairing comes to Segerstrom Center for the Arts when Grammy® Award-winning artist Jimmy Webb and Grammy and Drama Desk-nominated vocalist Maureen McGovern perform three concerts in their Cabaret Series debuts today, April 11 - 13 in Samueli Theater. This will also be Webb's Center debut, while McGovern appeared at the Center during the 2004 - 2005 Broadway Series as Marmee in the national tour of Little Women. The New York Times proclaims McGovern as 'blessed with a vocal technique second to none' and says that Webb is 'at the top of his game.'

Nick Ziobro, the 17 year-old pop/jazz vocal sensation, will release his debut album A Lot of Livin' to Do on Tuesday, May 20. The new disc, produced by Michael Feinstein - the two-time Emmy and five-time Grammy Award-nominated vocalist, pianist and musicologist - and available through Titanium Entertainment, will be available in stores and digital outlets such as iTunes and Amazon.com. The album's debut single 'This Guy's In Love with You' is now available on iTunes.

The Off-Broadway League today announced nominations in 18 categories and one special award for the 2014 Lucille Lortel Awards for Outstanding Achievement Off-Broadway. The Lortel Awards will be handed out on Sunday, May 4, 2014 at NYU Skirball Center beginning at 7:00pm EST, and hosted by acclaimed husband and wife actors and comedians, Megan Mullally and Nick Offerman. This year's event will once again benefit The Actors Fund.

TV star and Broadway vet Ariana Grande performed the classic Whitney Houston ballad 'I Have Nothing' at the White House for the Women of Soul event

Kristin Chenoweth stopped by Conan last week on TBS and talked about bringing her boyfriend to meet her conservative Christian family in the south, and how the experience ended up a little '50 Shades of Grey'. Check out the clip below!

Classically-trained coloratura soprano Kristin Chenoweth stopped by last night's CONAN on TBS to gave host Conan O'Brien some tips on how to sing an aria.

As part of their 'In Performance at the White House' series, the President and First Lady will invite music legends and contemporary major female artists to the White House for a celebration of the great 'foremothers' of American music, with songs expressing the struggles and achievements of women. The program will include performances by Tessanne Chin, Melissa Etheridge, Aretha Franklin, Ariana Grande, Patti LaBelle, Janelle Monae and Jill Scott, with Greg Phillinganes as music director.

On Thursday, March 6 at 8:00 PM, Martinis Above Fourth Table + Stage and Sher Krieger Events are presenting 'Dennis McNeil CD Release Event and Performance.'

Today we are talking to a legendary leading lady famous for a few of the most iconic roles in some of the most memorable musicals of the 1980s and 1990s as well as a versatile vocalist and concert performer set to make her cabaret debut later this month - the ingratiating and amusing Randy Graff. Looking back at originating the role of Fantine in the original Broadway production of mega-hit mega musical LES MISERABLES and singing the unforgettable 'I Dreamed A Dream' eight times a week (and on the best-selling cast recording) as well as recounting her Tony Award-winning work in the endlessly entertaining Cy Coleman/David Zippel musical comedy CITY OF ANGELS, Graff share stories from behind the scenes and gives us a rare look at theatrical history in the making and her elemental role in both productions. Additionally, Graff opens up about some of her other most fondly remembered work, including her fantastic turn in Ed Kleban's A CLASS ACT, William Finn's FALSETTOS, Cole Porter's HIGH SOCIETY, the stage play and documentary MOON OVER BUFFALO co-starring Carol Burnett, the most recent revival of FIDDLER ON THE ROOF and much more. Most importantly, Graff generously outlines what we can expect from her upcoming solo shows at NYC hotspot 54 Below titled MADE IN BROOKLYN, in what will actually be the stalwart star's solo show premiere. In addition to all of that, Graff also touches upon some of her big screen and small screen work, ranging from LAW & ORDER to RENT, as well as recounts some theatrical tales involving theatre greats such as Stephen Sondheim, Leonard Bernstein, John Simon and more. All of that and much, much more awaits in this rich resume recounting retrospective with one of Broadway's best!

After a string of highly successful shows and CD's (culminating with the 2013 Bistro Award for Outstanding Recording for Some People's Lives), Moira Danis returns to the cabaret stage with a brand new show and a new venue. Oops…I Fell In Love!, which will open at the Metropolitan Room on Sunday, March 23, 2014 at 4:00pm, explores a love affair from beginning to end to beginning again.

BroadwayWorld.com has been buzzing for days since the news that Kristin Chenoweth was asked to reprise her iconic role of April Rhodes for GLEE's 100th Episode. Tonight, audiences are going to be even more excited, as the popular star kicks off the first date of a February 'mini-tour' with a limited run of five concert dates.

A dream cabaret pairing comes to Segerstrom Center for the Arts when Grammy® Award-winning artist Jimmy Webb and Grammy and Drama Desk-nominated vocalist Maureen McGovern perform three concerts in their Cabaret Series debuts April 11 - 13 in Samueli Theater. This will also be Webb's Center debut, while McGovern appeared at the Center during the 2004 - 2005 Broadway Series as Marmee in the national tour of Little Women. The New York Times proclaims McGovern as "blessed with a vocal technique second to none" and says that Webb is "at the top of his game."

New York Theatre Workshop (NYTW) Artistic Director James C. Nicola and Managing Director Jeremy Blocker have announced that What's It All About? Bacharach Reimagined will extend two additional weeks through Sunday, February 16, 2014 at NYTW, 79 East 4 Street, between Bowery and Second Avenue. The musical had originally been scheduled to run through January 5 and then, following rave reviews and strong box office, received a four-week extension through February 2.

Kristin Chenoweth will guest star on the next episode of TV Land's new comedy KIRSTIE. Get a sneak peek below!