Ira Gershwin News

Celebrity Series of Boston will present An Evening with Christine Ebersole tonight, January 26, 8pm at Sanders Theatre, Memorial Hall, Harvard University, 45 Quincy Street, Cambridge. This is the Celebrity Series of Boston debut for Christine Ebersole.

Today in 1942, the first revival of Porgy and Bess opened at the Majestic Theatre, where it ran for 286 performances. First performed in 1935, with music by George Gershwin, libretto by DuBose Heyward, and lyrics by Ira Gershwin and DuBose Heyward, it was based on DuBose Heyward's novel Porgy and subsequent play of the same title, which he co-wrote with his wife Dorothy Heyward. All three works deal with African-American life in the fictitious Catfish Row in Charleston, South Carolina, in the early 1920s. Originally conceived by George Gershwin as an 'American folk opera', Porgy and Bess premiered in New York in the fall of 1935 and featured an entire cast of classically trained African-American singers-a daring artistic choice at the time.

The smash-hit Gershwin musical comedy, CRAZY FOR YOU, tap dances onto the West Fargo High School stage for six performances, February 15, 16, 22, & 23 at 7:30pm and February 17 & 24 at 2:30pm.

Nine time Grammy Award winner, Natalie Cole will return to the Van Wezel Performing Arts Hall on January 24, 2013. Fresh out of the studio, Natalie is excited to be back on tour in support of her new album, which will be released in the Spring of 2013, and will mark her exciting debut as a Latin artist. She recently presented the Latin Grammy Award for "Album of the Year," at the 2012 ceremony.

The Encores! 20th Anniversary season opens on January 30, and Encores! alums have been sending in their best wishes. Below, check out a video of Stephen Wallem, Victoria Clark, Mylinda Hull, Chuck Cooper, Elizabeth Stanley, Judy Kaye, Mayor Bloomberg and more riffing on their Encores! experiences!

Emmy and Tony Award winner Blythe Danner has joined the cast of Nice Work If You Can Get It for 12 weeks only, continuing through March 10th. Ms. Danner assumes the role of Millicent Winter, the mother of Matthew Broderick's character Jimmy Winter. The role was originated on Broadway by Academy Award winner Estelle Parsons, who played her final performance on Sunday, December 16. Check out photos of Danner in action below!

The Ocean Professional Theatre Company have announced their 2013 season. Tickets are now onsale for S'Wonderful, Seven Brides for Seven Brothers, Anything Goes, Cats, and much more!

The producers of the Tony-winning hit musical comedy NICE WORK IF YOU CAN GET IT have announced that Tony Award nominee Brad Oscar will perform the role of ‘Cookie McGee' beginning tomorrow, Tuesday, January 8th during Michael McGrath's two month leave of absence. This reunites Mr. Oscar with Matthew Broderick for the first time since they starred together in the original cast of The Producers.

Celebrity Series of Boston will present An Evening with Christine Ebersole on Saturday, January 26, 8pm at Sanders Theatre, Memorial Hall, Harvard University, 45 Quincy Street, Cambridge. This is the Celebrity Series of Boston debut for Christine Ebersole.

As Sir Robin carols merrily to King Arthur in Monty Python's Spamalot, 'In any great adventure, if you don't want to lose...you won't succeed on Broadway if you don't have any Jews.' Broadway Musicals: A Jewish Legacy is a new, 90-minute documentary by Michael Kantor, creator of the Emmy-winning series, Broadway: The American Musical. The special just aired on Great Performances yesterday, January 1 on PBS. Click below to watch!

As Sir Robin carols merrily to King Arthur in Monty Python's Spamalot, 'In any great adventure, if you don't want to lose…you won't succeed on Broadway if you don't have any Jews.' Eric Idle's cheeky lyric, which unfailingly generated knowing guffaws from Broadway audiences, proves to be more than a little grounded in truth, as BROADWAY MUSICALS: A JEWISH LEGACY convincingly attests.

A look at some of the musicals and operas South Africa had on offer in the 2012 season.

BroadwayWorld brings you the Best of Rockland/Westchester in the year 2012. Check out the Top Theatre Stories from each month during in the year 2012. We look forward to another exciting year of theatre in 2013!

Emmy and Tony Award winner Blythe Danner has joined the cast of Nice Work If You Can Get It for 12 weeks only beginning today, December 18th and continuing through March 10th. Ms. Danner assumes the role of Millicent Winter, the mother of Matthew Broderick's character Jimmy Winter. The role was originated on Broadway by Academy Award winner Estelle Parsons, who played her final performance on Sunday, December 16. Check out photos of Danner in action below!

'A Gershwinter Night', a once-in-a-lifetime concert, featuring the Sean Jones International All-Star Quintet with special guest Eli Degibri, the famed Israeli saxophonist and Director of the Red Sea Jazz Festival, will take place at the August Wilson Center for African American Culture on December 29 at 8 p.m. and December 30 at 2 p.m.

Emmy and Tony Award winner Blythe Danner will join the cast of Nice Work If You Can Get It for 12 weeks only beginning today, December 18th and continuing through March 10th. Ms. Danner will assume the role of Millicent Winter, the mother of Matthew Broderick's character Jimmy Winter. The role was originated on Broadway by Academy Award winner Estelle Parsons, who played her final performance on Sunday, December 16.

Librarian of Congress James H. Billington today announced that Carole King is the 2013 recipient of the Library of Congress Gershwin Prize for Popular Song.

We'll all have a few days off during the Holiday season, and the Paley Center in New York has some great activities for both locals looking for something to do in the city and the many tourists who will soon be visiting NYC. A great Rolling Stones exhibit with photos never seen in the US before, a mash-up of the many different versions of A Christmas Carol, and Michael Feinstein discussion about the Gershwin songbook.

Four Seasons Theatre has announced its 8th season, which will feature She Loves Me, The Gershwin Songbook, and Avenue Q.

Happy Birthday, Ira Gershwin! A lyricist, Gershwin collaborated with his younger brother, composer George Gershwin, to create some of the most memorable songs of the 20th century. With George he wrote more than a dozen Broadway shows, featuring songs such as 'I Got Rhythm', 'Embraceable You', 'The Man I Love' and 'Someone to Watch Over Me'. He was also responsible, along with DuBose Heyward, for the libretto to George's opera Porgy and Bess. The success the brothers had with their collaborative works has often overshadowed the creative role that Ira played. However, his mastery of songwriting continued after the early death of George. He wrote additional hit songs with composers Jerome Kern ('Long Ago (and Far Away)'), Kurt Weill and Harold Arlen.