Jason Mraz News

The Fresh Beat Band, Nickelodeon's popular preschool music group and stars of the hit TV series of the same name, are adding a second leg (50 cities, 70 performances) to their current sold-out nationwide concert tour and will play PlayhouseSquare on Saturday, October 13, 2012, at the State Theatre FOR ONE PERFORMANCE ONLY. After a brief break from the road, the tour will resume Aug. 23 in Melbourne, Fla. More than 200,000 fans will have seen the live show by the end of the first run making it one of this year's most successful music tours. Tickets and Fresh Beat Band VIP packages will be available at www.freshbeatbandlive.com and www.ticketmaster.com beginning Friday, April 13. Nickelodeon and Ticketmaster will offer pre-sale tickets and VIP packages beginning Thursday, April 5, at 10 a.m. local time in each city. Citi® card members will also have access to pre-sale tickets beginning Thursday, April 5, at 10a.m. through Citi's Private Pass Program at www.CitiPrivatePass.com.

Pop Theatre has announced a new series of audition and performance workshops. Its inaugural six-week workshop, running Monday nights April 16-May 21, will cover contemporary pop musical theater technique and repertoire. It will be lead by Broadway performer Andrew Kober, director Stephen Agosto, and composer/lyricist Drew Gasparini.

The Fresh Beat Band, Nickelodeon's popular preschool music group and stars of the hit TV series of the same name, are adding a second leg (50 cities, 70 performances) to their current sold-out nationwide concert tour and will play Melbourne on August 23rd at the King Center for the Performing Arts. More than 200,000 fans will have seen the live show by the end of the first run making it one of this year's most successful music tours. Fresh Beat Band tickets and VIP packages will be available at www.kingcenter.com and www.freshbeatbandlive.com beginning Friday, April 13th. Tickets start at $33.50, inclusive of ticketing fees. Tickets can also be purchased by calling the ticket office at 321.242.2219. Preferred tickets are also available for Citi® card members through Citi's Private Pass Program at www.CitiPrivatePass.com.

The Fresh Beat Band, Nickelodeon's popular preschool music group and stars of the hit TV series of the same name, are adding a second leg (50 cities, 70 performances) to their current sold-out nationwide concert tour. More than 200,000 fans will have seen the live show by the end of the first run making it one of this year's most successful music tours. After a brief break from the road, the tour will resume Aug. 23 in Melbourne, Fla. The band will travel to theaters and amphitheaters across the country including New York City's Beacon Theater, Los Angeles' Nokia Theater L.A. LIVE, Atlanta's Fox Theater, the Chicago Theater, Vienna's Wolftrap, The Great Allentown Fair and the historic Bethel Woods Center for the Arts.

The Fresh Beat Band, Nickelodeon's popular preschool music group and stars of the hit TV series of the same name, are adding a second leg (50 cities, 70 performances) to their current sold-out nationwide concert tour and will play South Bend on October 17 at Morris Performing Arts Center at 6:30pm.

Atlantic recording artist Jason Mraz has announced plans for a major worldwide tour, dubbed 'TOUR IS A FOUR LETTER WORD.' The newly announced dates will celebrate the upcoming release of his hugely anticipated new album, 'LOVE IS A FOUR LETTER WORD.'

On last night's episode of ABC's DANCING WITH THE STARS themed 'The Most Memorable Year of My Life,' the remaining eleven couples were challenged to perform a meaningful dance using any style dance of their choice.

Poway Center for the Performing Arts Foundation's Fall 2012 Season will feature an array of artists continuing the POW! Foundation's eclectic programming. The Season begins in September with O Berkley, Where Hart Thou? featuring a line-up of San Diego folk, country and bluegrass musicians recreating the Academy Award-winning soundtrack to O Brother, Where Art Thou? Ukulele player Jake Shimabukuro takes the stage in October followed by an encore performance from Natalie MacMaster. The Fall 2012 offerings come to a conclusion with Vicki Lawrence: A Two Woman Show in December. Four more shows will be offered in the 2013 Professional Performance Season.

On Tuesday, acclaimed singer and songwriter Seal returns to the ballroom performing 'Lean On Me' from his latest album 'Soul 2.' His soulful performance will be accompanied by four members of the Troupe. Also hitting the stage is best-selling country vocal group, Rascal Flatts, with a network TV debut performance of 'Changed,' the title of their new album due out April 3rd.

Two-time Tony Award nominee Gavin Creel will star as Elder Price in the First National Tour of THE BOOK OF MORMON, the production announced today. THE BOOK OF MORMON, winner of nine Tony®Awards including Best Musical, will launch the First National Tour in Denver from August 14-September 2 at the Ellie Caulkins Opera House. Additional casting will be announced soon.

Today, country music fans have the power to choose the Academy of Country Music's Entertainer of the Year, powered by the Ram Truck brand, and New Artist of the Year by casting their votes on www.VoteACM.com. The winners will be announced live on the 47th ANNUAL ACADEMY OF COUNTRY MUSIC AWARDS, to be broadcast live from the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas, Sunday, April 1 (8:00-11:00 PM, live ET/delayed PT) on the CBS Television Network.

After a second sold-out show engagement at Joe's Pub in January, songwriter Drew Gasparini has been invited back to the famed NYC venue for a third concert on Tuesday, March 27, 2012 at 9:30pm. The evening will feature brand-new material from Drew's show Circles, and his upcoming serial killer musical, Make Me Bad.

Today we are changing it up a bit by aiming our focus on a Grammy-winning pop/folk sensation who has created quite an impressive catalog of songs in his decade in the spotlight - some of his best work in live shows in lieu of studio albums, making him an ideal fit for this particularly performance-based column - the geek in the pink himself, Mr. Jason Mraz. This week marks the release of his new EP, titled LIVE IS A FOUR LETTER WORD, which acts as the appetizer to his much-awaited follow-up to the incredibly successful WE SING, WE DANCE, WE STEAL THINGS - which featured his biggest hit to date, "I'm Yours"; along with the Grammy-winning Best Pop Duet, "Lucky", which was also featured on Season Two of GLEE - LOVE IS A FOUR LETTER WORD. Four letters or more, Mraz proves time and time again he is a master storyteller with an unmistakable, singular style all his own - the handful of new songs featured on this spectacular live album attesting to that with grand, soulful regard. Even allowing for some audience banter and amusing back-and-forths, the LIVE IS A FOUR LETTER WORD EP is the ideal way to bring us all up to date with one of the most compelling solo acts that you can consistently find out on the road trying out charismatic and dramatic new material, the new compositions featured here in a special solo YouTube concert acting as a perfect counterpoint in a career packed with a vast array of musical styles, aural sounds and sonic textures that only Mr. A-Z would dare compose and expose to the world. If the rest of the album follows the lyrical strength and musical dexterity of this EP release, we are in for quite a ride come April 17. Plus, we also have a look at his moving and memorable new single, "I Won't Give Up"!

Ovation, the only network dedicated to art, artists and all forms of artistic storytelling, will premiere the second season of the critically acclaimed original series, In Search of Food, beginning Monday, April 16 at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT. The 3-part program spotlights Jason Mraz, Ann Cooper and Joel Salatin, three heroes of the 'locavore movement' -- cooking with locally sourced ingredients.

CBS has announced it's schedule of upcoming guests on LATE SHOW with DAVID LETTERMAN for the weeks of February 13th to March 1st.

SPARC presents a unique concert event on Sunday, June 3, 2012 at 5:00 p.m. in Richmond's premiere Carpenter Theatre at CenterStage, featuring children of all abilities (with and without special needs), performing alongside some of Virginia's best professional musicians.

CHRIS ISAACSON has announced the performers for UPRIGHT CABARET's AMERICAN ICON SERIES' second show of their 3rd Season, THE TROUBADOURS, starring American Idol's JACKIE TOHN, MATT WOLPE (The Buddy Holly Story) YVETTE CASON (Dreamgirls, Play On!, Stormy Weather) and JAKE SIMPSON (Star Search Grand Champion, Arena: Born to Rock, Oprah favorite) celebrating the music of Bob Dylan, Carole King and James Taylor!

After a show last year, songwriter Drew Gasparini will ring in 2012 with a return engagement at Joe's Pub in NYC on Sunday, January 22, 2012 at 9:30pm.