Ira Gershwin News

Norm Lewis makes his eagerly anticipated solo debut at American Songbook on Saturday night at 8:30pm. The show is SOLD OUT, and has been for weeks, and he has been in what he calls 'training' for the last few months. His musical director is Joseph Joubert (Motown, The Color Purple, Violet, Leap of Faith) and the evening is directed by Richard Jay-Alexander., for whom Norm did 'Javert' along with Hugh Panaro as 'Valjean' in last summer's blockbuster success of LES MISERABLES at The Muny in St. Louis.

Musicals Tonight!, the Obie-winning company dedicated to the revival of neglected musicals, under the leadership of Mel Miller, presents the Obie-winning musical Little Mary Sunshine, with performances today, March 4 through 16 at the Lion Theatre (410 W 42nd Street) on Theatre Row.

After watching Crazy for You in New York City in 1992, Claudia Raia dreamed of one day producing this musical in Brazil. Two decades later, she finally makes her wish come true with an outstanding show at the Teatro Bradesco, São Paulo, directed by José Possi Neto, original choreography by Susan Stroman, and starring Jarbas Homem de Mello, who has been increasingly recognized as one of the most complete performers of musical theater in Brazil.

The Smith Center announced today that single tickets for The National Tour of THE GERSHWINS' PORGY AND BESS, winner of the 2012 Tony Award for Best Musical Revival, will go on sale today, Feb. 21 at 10 a.m.

Based on DuBose Heyward's novel 'Porgy' and the play of the same name, which he co-wrote with his wife Dorothy Heyward, the Broadway revival of The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess is a stunning and stirring new staging with a magnificent 23-piece orchestra, including such legendary songs as 'Summertime,' 'It Ain't Necessarily So,' and 'I Got Plenty of Nothing.'

Today in 1992, Crazy for You opened at the Shubert Theatre, where it ran for 1622 performances. Crazy for You is a musical with a book by Ken Ludwig, lyrics by Ira Gershwin, and music by George Gershwin. Billed as 'The New Gershwin Musical Comedy', it is largely based on the songwriting team's 1930 musical, Girl Crazy, but interpolates songs from several other productions as well. Crazy for You won the 1992 Tony Award for Best Musical. The Broadway production was directed by Mike Ockrent and choreographed by Susan Stroman.The cast included Jodi Benson as Polly, Harry Groener as Bobby Child, Bruce Adler as Bela Zangler, John Hillner as Lank Hawkins, Michele Pawk as Irene Roth, Jane Connell as Mother, and Beth Leavel as Tess.

FST's Court Cabaret heats up with TOO DARN HOT tonight, February 19, and will run through June 7, 2014. The show is developed by Richard Hopkins, Jim Prosser, and Rebecca Hopkins.

Musicals Tonight!, the Obie-winning company dedicated to the revival of neglected musicals, under the leadership of Mel Miller, presents the Obie-winning musical Little Mary Sunshine, with performances March 4 through 16 at the Lion Theatre (410 W 42nd Street) on Theatre Row.

Tickets for The National Tour of THE GERSHWINS' PORGY AND BESS, winner of the 2012 Tony Award for Best Musical Revival, are now on sale. Part of the BROADWAY PHILADELPHIA season, presented by the KimMel Center for the Performing Arts and The Shubert Organization, THE GERSHWINS' PORGY AND BESS arrives at the Academy of Music for a limited engagement beginning today, Feb. 18 - 23. The official press opening is tonight, Feb. 18 at 7:30 p.m.

The Smith Center announced today that single tickets for The National Tour of THE GERSHWINS' PORGY AND BESS, winner of the 2012 Tony Award for Best Musical Revival, will go on sale Feb. 21 at 10 a.m.

Grammy Award-nominated singer and renowned interpreter of the Great American Songbook, Michael Feinstein, returns to Carnegie Hall with a special concert featuring a variety of love songs in celebration of Valentine's Day, tonight, February 14 at 8:00 p.m. He is joined by special guests Laura Osnes (Broadway's Cinderella, and Maria in Carnegie Hall's The Sound of Music) andJulian Ovenden (Season Four of PBS's Downton Abbey, the West End's Finding Neverland, and as John F. Kennedy in the 'Bombshell' production on NBC's Smash).

The Negro Ensemble Company, Inc. opens the 47th season of inspirational, innovative and exciting stage productions with a special Valentine's Day concert starring the dynamic, award-winning singer/actress Lillias White in two performances of 'A Woman On Love' tonight, February 14, 2014

Academy Award winner Estelle Parsons returns to the stage in The Velocity of Autumn, an explosive new play by playwright Eric Coble. Tony Award winner Stephen Spinella co-stars in this wickedly funny and poignant story about a 79-year-old artist in a showdown with her family over where she'll spend her remaining years.

The Negro Ensemble Company, Inc. opens the 47th season of inspirational, innovative and exciting stage productions with a special Valentine's Day concert' starring the dynamic, award-winning singer/actress Lillias White in two performances of 'A Woman On Love' on Friday, February 14, 2014. Ms. White will grace the stage of the Langston Hughes Auditorium at the Schomburg Center for Research in Black Culture, 515 Malcolm X Boulevard, New York, NY 10037-1801 with shows at 7:00 pm and 10:00 pm. There will be a VIP Reception immediately following the second concert.

The Princeton Symphony Orchestra is celebrating 10 years of Broadway POPS! with a concert starring Michael Feinstein, master of The Great American Songbook, tonight, February 8, at 8 pm at Richardson Auditorium on Princeton University Campus. The concert continues a tradition of quality pops programming featuring top Broadway artists accompanied by the PSO, and will be conducted by Sam Kriger.

The Yale Club of Chicago presents "Gershwin in Blue: A George and Ira Gershwin Songbook Celebration," Wednesday, February 26, 8 p.m. at the Jazz Showcase, featuring vocalists Ava Logan and Charles Thomas.

It might surprise many to find that the original 1935 Broadway production of 'PORGY AND BESS' ran only 124 performances. The reasons were many including the all Black cast, some of the overtones of the script were perceived by some to be 'too Negro,' the opera format was considered 'not Broadway,' while some railed that it 'had racial overtones.' Other suppositions were that the heavy dependence of a strong story line was not a familiar format during the era of escapist comedies, follies and vaudeville. Not to be overlooked was the fact that the production lasted four hours, with two intermissions.

Beverly Hills' big 100th Birthday celebration was held on January 28th at 7 PM with a star-studded Centennial Concert and Sing Along at the historic Saban Theatre (8440 Wilshire Boulevard, Beverly Hills). Scroll down for photos!