Jennifer Holliday News

Broadway, film and television star Norm Lewis headlines NJSO POPS programs featuring music from his famous theater roles and album, this weekend, beginning tonight, April 15. It continues through April 17 in Red Bank, Newark and New Brunswick. Lewis -- who replaces previously announced singer Cheyenne Jackson, who was forced to withdraw for scheduling reasons -- has garnered critical and audience acclaim and made history as Broadway's first African-American Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera. Frequent NJSO guest conductor and audience favorite Thomas Wilkins conducts.

Sonia Friedman Productions announces today that tickets for the long awaited UK premiere of Tony Award-winning musical Dreamgirls go on sale this week. The brand new production begins preview performances at the Savoy Theatre from 19 November with Opening Night on Wednesday 14 December 2016.

Amas Musical Theatre, New York City's award-winning pioneer in diversity and multi-ethnic casting in the performing arts since 1968, celebrates its 47th Anniversary at a gala benefit tonight, Monday, March 28th, 2016 at the Baruch Performing Arts Center(East 25th Street between Lexington and 3rd Avenues). Honorary Chair for the event is Tony Award winning actress, singer and dancer Donna McKechnie.  The master of ceremonies for the evening is noted theatre journalist Peter Filichia.

Following last month's big news that GLEE and THE WIZ LIVE!'s Amber Riley will star as 'Effie' in the UK debut of DREAMGIRLS this winter, the star sat down with the Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye to discuss her journey to the iconic role.

NOW That's What I Call Music!, the world's best-selling multi-artist album series, has announced that they are set to release their first ever NOW That's What I Call Broadway! on Friday, April 29, 2016. The album will feature 18 music tracks from the original cast recordings of some of the Great White Way's most legendary shows. The album features liner notes by David Cote, theater editor for Time Out New York as well as a playwright and librettist/lyricist.

Broadway, film and television star Norm Lewis headlines NJSO POPS programs featuring music from his famous theater roles and album, April 15-17 in Red Bank, Newark and New Brunswick. Lewis -- who replaces previously announced singer Cheyenne Jackson, who was forced to withdraw for scheduling reasons -- has garnered critical and audience acclaim and made history as Broadway's first African-American Phantom in The Phantom of the Opera.

Directed with confidence by a young director - Matthew Hayes Hunter, who was a 2013 First Night Most Promising Actor - and performed by an eager and energetic cast (led by a quartet of extraordinary actresses portraying the four Dreams and another First Night MPA [who very nearly steals the entire production right out from under everyone else onstage] in the role of James 'Thunder' Early - CFTA's Dreamgirls delights its audience from the beginning, engaging them with focused performances that come from the heart to inspire and entertain.

Amas Musical Theatre, New York City's award-winning pioneer in diversity and multi-ethnic casting in the performing arts since 1968, will celebrate its 47th Anniversary at a gala benefit on Monday, March 28th, 2016 at the Baruch Performing Arts Center (East 25th Street between Lexington and 3rd Avenues). Honorary Chair for the event is Tony Award winning actress, singer and dancer Donna McKechnie.

Doubtless, there's a lot of hustling, bustling and what-not going on at Murfreesboro's Center For The Arts today as the company prepares for tonight's premiere of the musical extravaganza Dreamgirls. Directed by 2013 First Night Most Promising Actor Matthew Hayes Hunter (who may or may not answer to the name of "Matt" these days), the grand-scale production features four of the loveliest, most talented and mesmerizing leading ladies to be found on any stage, anywhere: Ra'Shaun Simon (playing Deena Jones), Brianna Booker (Lorell Robinson), Brittany Easley (Michelle Morris) and Robbyn "Vyrgo" Daniel, who plays the clarion-voiced Effie Melody White, the part made famous on Broadway by Jennifer Holliday.

Happy Birthday, John Williams! The Cincinnati Pops be celebrating his FIFTIETH Academy Award Nomination March 4-6 with an all-Williams first half as part of An Evening of Comedy & Song with Jason Alexander. For more information, visit: cincinnatipops.org

As BroadwayWorld reported just two days ago, GLEE and THE WIZ LIVE! star Amber Riley will take on the role of 'Effie' when DREAMGIRLS makes its UK debut at London's Savoy Theatre this winter. And Riley is no stranger to the musical's challenging anthems.

Big news in the DREAMGIRLS world tonight! The Daily Mail's Baz Bamigboye just revealed the news that GLEE and THE WIZ LIVE! star Amber Riley will play 'Effie' when the musical makes its UK debut at London's Savoy Theatre this winter.

Still not over Jimmy Fallon performing at #Ham4Ham? Have you been too anxious for BroadwayCon this weekend? Didn't have time to check in on your favorite Broadway stars? Well don't worry BroadwayWorld has rounded up some of the biggest stories from this week from Broadway and beyond with BroadwayWorld's 'This Week in Pictures.'

Jacob Langfelder in partnership with Arts-For-All, Jill Bernard and Rashad Chambers presented a one-night-only concert on Monday, featuring Tony and Grammy Award-winner Jennifer Holliday, along with FUN HOME Tony winner Michael Cerveris, Tony-winning star of the upcoming Roundabout Theatre production of SHE LOVES ME, Laura Benanti, and THE COLOR PURPLE's Rema Webb, along with some of her fellow cast members, including Jennifer Hudson. Click below to watch Holliday's show-stopping performance of 'And I Am Telling You, I'm Not Going' from DREAMGIRLS and more!

Jacob Langfelder in partnership with Arts-For-All, Jill Bernard and Rashad Chambers presented a one-night-only concert on Monday, featuring Tony and Grammy Award-winner Jennifer Holliday, along with FUN HOME Tony winner Michael Cerveris, Tony-winning star of the upcoming Roundabout Theatre production of SHE LOVES ME, Laura Benanti, and THE COLOR PURPLE's Rema Webb, along with some of her fellow cast members, including Jennifer Hudson. BroadwayWorld has photos from the event below!

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? This weekend's big news: THE HUMANS starts previews tomorrow, the HUNCHBACK recording is released and more!

Poway OnStage is elated to participate as a featured stop in the Upright & Grand Piano Festival presented by The San Diego Symphony on January 15th, 2016 at the Poway Center for the Performing Arts (15498 Espola Rd Poway, California). The evening will include a presentation of Liszt's Black Gondola, Shostakovich's Symphony No. 1, and Beethoven's Piano Concerto No. 5: Emperor, led by conductor Cristian Macelaru. The performance will feature renowned and award-winning pianist Jeremy Denk.

Jacob Langfelder in partnership with Arts-For-All, Jill Bernard and Rashad Chambers will present a one night only concert featuring TONY and Grammy Award winner Jennifer Holliday along with the TONY Winning star of the upcoming Roundabout Theatre production of She Loves Me, Laura Benanti and The Color Purple¹s Rema Webb. 

acob Langfelder in partnership with Arts-For-All, Jill Bernard and Rashad Chambers will present a one night only concert featuring TONY and Grammy Award winner Jennifer Holliday along with The Color Purple¹s Rema Webb.  Julie

MAURICE HINES TAPPIN' THRU LIFE is a swinging, song and dance musical that celebrates the astonishing showmanship of one of the last great tap dancers of a by-gone era still working today and whose collaborators were a jaw-dropping, who's who of theatre, music, film and television. Co-starring the fierce tap dancing Manzari brothers and the all female vivacious Diva Jazz Orchestra, the show is directed by Jeff Calhoun (Newsies, Deaf West's Big River, Grease). Performances began December 23rd at New World Stages (340 W. 50th Street), and opening night is tonight, January 11th.