Ilene Graff News

The Broadway at Birdland concert series presented Grammy-nominated recording artist, television and Broadway star Ilene Graff, along with her husband, ASCAP-Award winning musical director Ben Lanzarone, with their big band show 'It's Better With A Band' on the Birdland stage Monday, June 13.  The show featured Ben's one-of-a-kind arrangements of songs from Broadway, the movies, and the pop world played by twelve of the best musicians in town. Their very special guest was their daughter, Broadway performer and podcast host ('The Ensemblist'), Nikka Graff Lanzarone.

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its schedule for June 13-19, featuring Mike Stern and Bill Evans Quartet with Dennis Chambers, Bucky Pizzarelli, Sean Harkness Duo and more!

On Sunday, May 15, The Actors Fund gathered at the home of Western Council member Ilyanne Morden Kichaven and her husband Mike for their annual west coast celebration of Edwin Forrest Day and Shakespeare's birthday. The Actors Fund was honored to have acclaimed star of stage and screen Liev Schreiber as their special guest for the afternoon. BroadwayWorld has photos from the event below!

Birdland Jazz Club has announced its June 2016 schedule, featuring: Bill Charlap Trio, Maria Schneider Orchestra, Arturo O'Farrill Afro Latin Jazz Orchestra, Mike Stern and Bill Evans Quartet, Bucky Pizzarelli, Ravi Coltrane, ShowBiz After Hours with Frank DiLella, Birdland Big Band, Jim Caruso's Cast Party, and more.

The Broadway at Birdland concert series has announced that Grammy-nominated recording artist, television and Broadway star Ilene Graff, along with her husband, ASCAP-Award winning musical director Ben Lanzarone, will present their big band show "It's Better With A Band!" on the Birdland stage Monday, June 13, 2016 at 7 PM. For tickets, call 212-581-3080 or go to birdlandjazz.com.

How many of these great songs do you know from underappreciated musicals?

What do you think of when someone says 'Grease'? The movie? The most recent revival? The original Chicago production? Whichever one, chances are hand-jives, summer lovin' and Sandy's iconic 'bad girl' outfit are a few things that come to mind. Grease and it's beloved Pink Ladies and T-Birds (or Burger Palace Boys, as they were originally called!) have had a long journey from Chicago to Fox's upcoming production of Grease: Live, that will air tonight, Sunday, January 31st!

There's so much to look forward to every December in New York. The tree going up at Rockefeller Center; ice skating in Bryant Park; gorgeous window displays at Macy's and Bloomingdales. For many Broadway fans, the Gypsy of the Year concert and a new Carols for a Cure album mark the start of the holiday season. For me, it really feels like Christmas when I receive my favorite pre-holiday gift: the annual Broadway Cares snow globe. Behold, the 2015 globe:

Almost 80 students from The Dolores Mission School gathered for a wonderful opportunity to visit Hollywood and tour the recently decorated Hollywood Museum, enjoy the beautiful holiday decorations by Dr Christmas (Bob Pranga), as well as hear inspirational stories with interesting messages from local politicians and personalities. Scroll down for photos from the event!

The Actors Fund's Looking Ahead Program celebrated the 2015 Looking Ahead Awards with a star-studded gala on Thursday, December 3, 2015 at the Taglyan Cultural Complex in Hollywood, CA. Below, check out photos from the star-studded event, featuring Tatyana Ali, Alfonso Ribeiro, Rose Marie, and more!

Approaching 90, Ms. Charlotte Rae just keeps going and going and going - Ms. Rae's Rea's recent appearances at Sadri's in NY and B&N in LA, gathered a Standing Room Only crowd with an eclectic list of patrons among the fans including JoAnne Worley, Anna Maria Albergetti, Ilene Graff, Patricia Morison, John Bowab, Laura Pursell, Barbara Van Orden, Daisy Egan, Jerry Stiller and Gilbert Gottfried, among others.

The second annual Cabaret Is Alive and Well and Living in Los Angeles, a 4-night, 3-show, 3-venue celebration of Los Angeles Cabaret as a benefit for The Actors Fund will take place this weekend, November 13th-16th.

The second annual Cabaret Is Alive and Well and Living in Los Angeles, a 4-night, 3-show, 3-venue celebration of Los Angeles Cabaret as a benefit for The Actors Fund will take place November 13th-16th.

The Actors Fund celebrated Broadway's Biggest Night at the 19th Annual Tony Awards Viewing Party on Sunday, June 7, 2015 at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles. Sponsored by Wells Fargo and hosted by Daytime Emmy Award winner and three-time Tony Award nominee Kate Burton, this year's gala raised $250,000 and honored Tony's Leading Men Theodore Bikel ("The Sound of Music," "Fiddler On The Roof"), Tim Curry ("The Rocky Horror Show"), Alfred Molina ("Love Is Strange") and Joe Morton ("Scandal") with the Fund's Artistic Achievement Awards. BWW TV's Los Angeles on-air host and producer Michael Sterling was on hand for the festivities.

ILENE GRAFF, Grammy-nominated recording artist, television, and Broadway star, along with her husband, ASCAP-Award winning Musical Director BEN LANZARONE, present their big band show: 'IT'S BETTER WITH A BAND!' tonight, June 24, 2015 at 8:30 P.M. at Hollywood's premiere live music venue, Catalina's Jazz Club ( 6275 Sunset Blvd.).

It was a reunion 33 years in the making! At The Actors Fund's 19 Annual Tony Awards Viewing Party on Sunday night, Aileen Quinn reunited with her 1982 ANNIE co-star Tim Curry, who received The Actors Fund's Artistic Achievement Award. Also honored with Artistic Achievement Awards were Theodore Bikel, Alfred Molina and Joe Morton. Scroll down for photos!

Stars of stage, screen and television came out to celebrate Broadway's Biggest Night at The Actors Fund's 19th Annual Tony Awards® Viewing Party, held at the Skirball Cultural Center in Los Angeles on June 7, 2015.

ILENE GRAFF, Grammy-nominated recording artist, television, and Broadway star, along with her husband, ASCAP-Award winning Musical Director BEN LANZARONE, present their big band show: 'IT'S BETTER WITH A BAND!' on Wednesday, June 24, 2015 at 8:30 P.M. at Hollywood's premiere live music venue, Catalina's Jazz Club ( 6275 Sunset Blvd.).

On Monday, April 27, Jim Caruso's Cast Party at Birdland was the place to celebrate Andy Propst's new book, 'You Fascinate Me So: The Life and Times of Cy Coleman.' Scroll down for photos from the concert!

For the second time since December, sax superstar Dave Koz presented Jim Caruso's Cast Party in his new music room, The Dave Koz Lounge, which is located at Spaghettini in the heart of Beverly Hills, California. Scroll down for photos from the concert!