Ilene Graff News

“The Fabulous Chickies In Concert-a Benefit For The Actors Fund”  will be live streamed on Friday, April 30, 2021 at 5 PM PST/8 PM EST.

Today's Theater Stories features the Ethel Barrymore Theatre! Learn about Ethel Barrymore herself, shows to have graced the theatre's stage, including An Evening with Patti LuPone and Mandy Patinkin, Chaplin, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, The Band's Visit, The Inheritance, and many more!

Dress Circle Publishing has announced the release of THE UNTOLD STORIES OF BROADWAY, VOLUME 4, the latest in a series by historian and producer Jennifer Ashley Tepper. The book will be available on Tuesday, March 9 to commemorate the one-year anniversary of the 2020-2021 Broadway shutdown.

Guests this week include: Ilene Graff ('Mr. Belvedere,' Grease, I Love My Wife), Zach Pizer (Dear Evan Hansen, Wicked, Sweeney Todd), Ben Hale, and Postmodern Jukebox singer Therese Curatolo.

The Pajama Cast Party creator will not rest, as long as there is supreme talent to be showcased.

Like the woman in her recently released tribute, Michele Brourman is small of physical stature, but enormous of greatness

Joan Ryan may be keeping socially distant but her social media keeps her socially active!

a?oeTHE FABULOUS CHICKIES IN CONCERT - A BENEFIT FOR THE ACTORS FUNDa?? will be live streamed on Saturday, October 3, 2020 at 5 PM Pacific on the Actors Fund YouTube channel.

The Actors Fund, the national human services organization that provides a safety net for performing arts and entertainment professionals, is proud to announce a special one-night-only streaming event reuniting the cast of the beloved television show, 'Mr. Belvedere.'

On Friday, May 29th at 5:00pm PDT / 8:00pm EST, fans and friends will join the cast of 'Mr. Belvedere' for a special Zoom Reunion - The whole family will be there; Rob Stone, Tracy Tofte Wells, Brice Beckham, Ilene Graff and Bob Uecker! The cast will be talking about making the show, favorite episodes, on-set practical jokes, and they will answer all the fans questions.

BroadwayWorld is saddened to report on the passing of the legendary Kirk Douglas, who died today at age 103.

This past weekend, The Hollywood Museum held its first Lobby tribute of 2020, reuniting three remarkable leading ladies, Joan Van Ark, Michele Lee and Donna Mills, for the 40th anniversary of 'Knots Landing,' unveiling costumes worn by the three Knots' stars on the series, on loan from Warner Brothers and personal collections.

Actress/singer Ilene Graff may be best remembered to TV audiences for 'Mr. Belvedere' and for her varied performances on Broadway, but for Los Angeles audiences no one holds a cabaret audience more captivated than this down.to.earth yet sparklingly talented lady. On Saturday December 21, Graff brought a fun-filled holiday show to a packed audience at Feinstein's Upstairs at Vitello's. Backed by superb musical director/husband Ben Lanzarone at the piano, Jamey Tate on drums and Dominic Genova on guitar and bass, the 80 minute set was a real family entertainment with Graff's brother Tony nominated Todd Graff as special guest star. Another special guest was Harlan Boll, a pr rep by day and singer by night. Being a holiday show, Graff interspersed her anecdotes of growing up in Brooklyn and being a Jew with colorful Christmas tunes. When she was asked why as a Jew she sang Christian songs, she delightfully replied that Yiddish music is so sad and, 'OK, Im going to sing, but you're not going to enjoy it.' It is this kind of self-deprecating humor that makes Graff so loved and admired.

The annual holiday extravaganza SPARKLE: An All-Star Holiday Concert returned to New York City on December 1 for its 8th consecutive year, once again benefiting the programs and services of The Actors Fund.

Cast members gathered this week to celebrate the new Back to the Future Trilogy Exhibit at The Hollywood Museum.

Among the individuals from the three films in attendance were Bob Gale (co creator/producer/writer of all 3 films), Charles Fleischer (Terry, BTTF 2 / voice of Roger Rabbit), Don Fullilove (Mayor Gordy Wilson , BTTF 1 &2), Darlene Vogel (Spike, Griffs Gang BTTF 2), Richie Gaona (Stuntman/Back to the Future II) and Ricky Dean Logan (Data BTTF2, & needles gang BTTF 3).

FEINSTEIN'S AT VITELLO'S presents THE ILENE GRAFF HOLIDAY SHOW for one night only on Saturday, December 21, 2019 at 8 P.M.

On Monday night, Over Here! The Big Band Musical was back in New York at The Triad Theatre for the first time since its original 1974 Broadway production and the joint was jumpin'. Veteran's Day proved to be the perfect time to revive this beloved celebration of the American spirit and optimism that defined the 1940's. To make it even more worthwhile, a portion of the proceeds from the evening was donated to Vietnam Veterans of America. Over Here! is one of this journalist's favorite musicals, so I was thrilled to have it back on the boards. Under the razor-sharp direction of Will Nunziata, who is quickly becoming a go-to director, this feel-good show sparkled and shined like a freshly polished diamond. It featured a stellar cast of 19, plus an 11-piece swing band, under musical director extraordinaire Blake Allen. Choreographer Andrew Black used every inch of space to give us one eye-popping musical number after another.

Los Angeles' famed 'Princess of Patter' Keri Kelsey recently hosted the 6thAnnual 'Cabaret is Alive and Well and Living in Los Angeles' last week, benefiting the Actors Fund.