James Taylor News

Direct from her critically acclaimed performance as Norma Desmond in the Ogunquit Playhouse's production of Sunset Boulevard, Stefanie Powers makes a rare Bay Area appearance in a brand new show featuring the music of Lorenz Hart.

Few stars - or even legends, like this one - boast a resume that includes a Tony Award, the leading role on one of the most cherished sitcoms of the early eighties, a star-making film debut in one of the greatest horror films ever made (with one of the most exciting casts ever assembled), as well as an unparalleled career on the concert and cabaret stages around the world - in addition to a dozen or so leading roles in musicals on Broadway and in the West End, and just as many notable film roles, ranging from intimate indies to big-budget behemoths. Yes, Betty Buckley has conquered every arena of entertainment and it is a rare thrill to reveal such exciting news as Ms. Buckley revealed to me in our comprehensive conversation yesterday. In this portion of the forthcoming BroadwayWorld Exclusive InDepth InterView we discuss her upcoming albums, BOOTLEG: BOARD MIXES FROM THE ROAD and GHOSTLIGHT - the latter produced by Oscar and Grammy-winning producer extraordinaire T Bone Burnett - both in connection to her Town Hall concert on October 16th. Here you will also find the first news of working with Jason Moore, Jake Shears and the rest of the cast and crew of the hotly anticipated new musical based on Armistead Maupin's TALES OF THE CITY premiering next Spring in San Francisco where Ms. Buckley is creating the lead role of Anna Madrigal. We also talk the recent big Emmy-winner out of all of TV this year, HBO's miniseries THE PACIFIC. In this illuminating conversation, Ms. Buckley bares all and reveals that it is the supreme dedication to excellence and unwavering commitment to craft that has helped her to become one of the biggest Broadway names of our age with an astoundingly accomplished career almost beyond any comparison. And if all of this breaking news weren't enough, be sure to stay tuned to BroadwayWorld next week for the complete unedited conversation where we also look back and talk about everything from CARRIE to TENDER MERCIES, CATS to SUNSET BLVD, William Finn to WYATT EARP, Roman Polanski to Robert Duvall, cabaret to country concert stage and much, much more. We'll wait until next week to let the memory live again - for now, it's all eyes on the extraordinary future in the life and career of the legendary Betty Buckley!

On Sunday, December 5, 2010 @ 3pm for $25.00, ABIGAIL Zsiga will come to the Rrazz Room. In Concert - A Holiday Music Event Not To Be Missed!

UPRIGHT CABARET is thrilled to announce the performers for their first concert at the Scherr Forum Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, 2100 Thousand Oaks Blvd. in Thousand Oaks.

The Rrazz Room at hotel Nikko is a sophisticated night club offering the finest in the world class cabaret, jazz, comedy and popular music entertainment.

Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Center Presents A Broadway Close Up Series Special Event: Fire & Rain: The Songs of James Taylor Monday, October 4, 2010 at 8 pm

Direct from her critically acclaimed performance as Norma Desmond in the Ogunquit Playhouse's production of Sunset Boulevard, Stefanie Powers makes a rare Bay Area appearance in a brand new show featuring the music of Lorenz Hart.

The Kaufman Center has announced performers for its 'Broadway Close Up' series at Merkin Concert Hall.

Direct from her critically acclaimed performance as Norma Desmond in the Ogunquit Playhouse's production of Sunset Boulevard, Stefanie Powers makes a rare Bay Area appearance in a brand new show featuring the music of Lorenz Hart.

Direct from her critically acclaimed performance as Norma Desmond in the Ogunquit Playhouse's production of Sunset Boulevard, Stefanie Powers makes a rare Bay Area appearance in a brand new show featuring the music of Lorenz Hart.

Katy Visual & Performing Arts Center's Encore Players kicks off their fall 2010 Season with Working, The Musical. Directed by Jonathan Gonzalez and sponsored by Jason's Deli, the show opens this weekend October 1, 2 & 3 and next weekend October 8, 9 & 10. All shows begin at 8:00pm, except for Sunday's which are matinees beginning at 2:00pm.

On Saturday, October 23, 2010, at 8:00 PM, Musica Sacra opens its 46th season with a program featuring three great Baroque masters. The concert opens with Vanitas Vanitatum (Vanity of Vanities) by the revered Italian Baroque composer, Giacomo Carissimi.

Katy Visual & Performing Arts Center's Encore Players kicks off their fall 2010 Season with Working, The Musical. Directed by Jonathan Gonzalez and sponsored by Jason's Deli, the show opens this weekend October 1, 2 & 3 and next weekend October 8, 9 & 10. All shows begin at 8:00pm, except for Sunday's which are matinees beginning at 2:00pm.

Merkin Concert Hall at Kaufman Center Presents A Broadway Close Up Series Special Event: Fire & Rain: The Songs of James Taylor Monday, October 4, 2010 at 8 pm

The reveal of the brand new Broadway Playhouse was held yesterday.

Broadway In Chicago and the producers of WORKING have announced casting for the upcoming production, which begins previews on February 15, 2011 at the Broadway Playhouse at Water Tower Place (175 E. Chestnut). WORKING will star Chicagoans E. Faye Butler, Barbara Robertson and Gene Weygandt. Additional casting will be announced at a later date.

Geva Theatre Center's 2010/11 Season continues with Broadway and recording star Maureen McGovern in a new production.

The Kaufman Center has announced performers for its 'Broadway Close Up' series at Merkin Concert Hall.

The Philadelphia Orchestra today announced that Renée Fleming and Paul Simon will appear as its special guests for the Academy of Music 154th Anniversary Concert on Saturday, January 29, 2011.

Rundgren, IU's ninth Wells Professor, will teach the middle two weeks of a four-week, one-credit hour honors course designed for a maximum of 25 Wells Scholars and Hutton Honors Scholars. The class commences in late October and finishes in mid-November. Co-teaching the class will be IU Professor of Music Glenn Gass -- whose relationship with Rundgren helped make the professorship possible -- and IU Distinguished Professor of Sociology Bernice Pescosolido, who was instrumental in helping to plan the course. Gass, a professor at IU's world-class Jacobs School of Music, said he sees Rundgren's engagement at IU as the start of a trend in which legendary rock stars share their knowledge with a new generation. Rundgren, who performs frequently, gave a concert at Clowes Memorial Hall at Butler University in Indianapolis on Sept. 11. 'Todd is a treasure trove of memories, knowledge, stories . . .,' Gass said. 'This class is a way for him to celebrate what he's done and allows him to share his experiences with students who really want to hear what he has to say.' In addition to learning about the culture, politics and economics of the music business, from the 1970s through today, students will visit Professor of Anthropology Nicholas Toth at IU's Stone Age Institute to view some of the earliest tools used for making music. 'I think the students will love it. For us, the appeal of the class is really both Todd and Glenn,' said Professor of Physics Tim Londergan, director of the Wells Scholars Program. Londergan is a self-professed rock 'n' roll fan who has audited three of Gass' courses. The Rundgren course is currently full with a waiting list, and course auditors/visitors, including IU students not registered for the class, cannot be accommodated. During his stay in Bloomington, Rundgren will give a public lecture titled 'LONGHAIR: Todd Rundgren on the Beatles Effect' at 7 p.m. Oct. 28 in Ballantine Hall 013. He will also present a Halloween-night recital titled 'CLUSTER: The Birth of the T Chord' at 8 p.m. Oct. 31 in Auer Hall. Both are free and open to the public. Gass said he asked Rundgren to talk about the Beatles both because of Rundgren's collaborations with various members of the band and because of the window it will provide into his own music. 'If it was going to be 'Todd talks about Todd,' he may have felt awkward,' Gass said. 'By asking him to talk about the Beatles, we can get more insight into his music, too.' Rundgren's unique associations with the Beatles include a number of covers, participation in the Ringo All-Star Band and co-producing the power pop band Badfinger with George Harrison. When Harrison died, Rundgren did a highly acclaimed version of 'While My Guitar Gently Weeps' for a tribute album. In 1980, Rundgren and his then-band Utopia, did a loving sendup of the Beatles (Deface the Music) that Gass calls 'just genius.' Rundgren is also a longtime Beatles fan who credits Harrison with inventing the 'lead guitar' player, Gass said. 'When Todd was in the band Nazz, he wasn't the lead singer -- he was the lead guitar player -- which in the 50s meant one of the backup musicians. Because of George, lead guitar now means you're one of the band's leaders.' Glenn Gass Print-Quality Photo Gass initially met Rundgren in Hawaii, when Gass and his wife were on sabbatical for a year (and where they spent the past two summers). 'The kids start taking the bus together and the next thing you know, you're going to cookouts at Todd's,' Gass said. 'I quickly learned that everything they said about him was true. He's brilliant, articulate, really interesting -- and interested in things far beyond his own work and even his music. He's just a really engaged human being.' Rundgren is also known for staying true to his artistic muse. 'He refused to take the easy way out,' Gass said. 'The easy way would have been to do five more songs like 'Hello, It's Me.' He paid a price for that, but in the long run, in 50 years, I think that's why he'll matter more than starts who may have had more hits.' Rundgren was the highest paid producer of the 1970s, producing bands that ranged from the New York Dolls, The Band and Patti Smith to Meat Loaf, Hall & Oates and Cheap Trick. On Aug. 1, 1981 -- the evening MTV debuted with 'Video Kills the Radio Star' by the Buggles -- Rundgren was ready with his music video for 'Time Heals,' which premiered on MTV the same evening. Always a fan of technology, Rundgren made his music available through online downloads about 10 years before iTunes ('Everyone had dial-up connections then,' Gass commented. 'His fate is always to be just a few years ahead of his time.'). Gass said after the Beatles broke up, he was personally attracted to singer-songwriters like James Taylor, Neil Young, Carole King, Joni Mitchell -- and Todd Rundgren. 'Todd was always one of the best and most interesting performers. Even in those early albums, it was clear he wasn't just a singer-songwriter,' Gass said. At turns, Rundgren played with electric guitar or classical riffs, producing his own double album in 1972, on which he also played all of the instruments. From the time he met Rundgren in Hawaii, Gass starting thinking of ways to bring the performer to IU. A confluence of events sparked by a Rundgren speaking engagement at DePauw University led to the IU professorship. DePauw's executive director of media relations, Ken Owen, is 'a huge Todd scholar -- Todd to him is like the Beatles to me,' Gass said. 'All of a sudden it went from being a day dream to being a real possibility, and now it's actually happening,' Gass said. 'He really can call himself Professor Rundgren. This is not a gimmick: He is the Wells Professor.' About the Wells Professorships The Wells professorships are made possible by gifts from the IU classes of 1941, 1942 and 1963. Previous Wells professors have included the Honorable Helen Suzman, a South African political leader (Class of 1941 Wells Professor in 1993), Sir Malcolm Bradbury, a novelist-screenwriter-critic (Class of 1942 Wells Professor in 1997), and Holocaust scholar Christopher Browning (Class of 1943 Wells Professor in 2003). The most recently appointed Wells Professors were Sir (now Lord) Timothy Garden (Class of 1941 Wells Professor) and artist Robert Colescott (Class of 1943 Wells Professor), both of whom taught at IU in 2004.