Jerome Kern News

Classic Stage Company, under the leadership of Artistic Director Brian Kulick and Executive Director Greg Reiner, presented its 2014 Annual Gala, MUSICAL MASTERWORKS, Monday evening, May 12 at the Hudson Theatre at the Millennium Broadway Hotel (145 West 44th Street). Tony Award-winner and CSC Associate Director John Doyle helmed an evening of memorable numbers from iconic American musicals-a rich and vital heritage that CSC has begun to explore with last season's critically-acclaimed production of Passion and the upcoming production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's Allegro. Check out photos form insod ethe special event below!

Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's Show Boat opens San Francisco Opera's Summer Season on June 1 with nine subsequent performances through July 2, 2014. A watershed of American musical theater, Show Boat receives its Company premiere in director Francesca Zambello's new grand-scale "beautifully sung, smartly staged and handsomely designed (Chicago Tribune)" production. A beloved story of life on the Mississippi in the 1880s, Show Boat is both a poignant love story and a powerful reminder of America's bitter legacy of racism. The score is filled with unforgettable songs such as "Ol' Man River" and "Can't Help Lovin' Dat Man," and the dazzling production features large, colorful sets, sumptuous costumes and exhilarating dance numbers. Of recent performances at Houston Grand Opera, the Houston Chronicle wrote "[This is] a towering work. . . there's a magnificence in its music, its narrative sweep, its deep awareness of something bigger than ourselves."

BroadwayWorld.com is proud, and feels very privileged, to have been given EXCLUSIVE access to the evening's historic performance.

The professional chorus Cantus Columbus and the talented Vega String Quartet will present the fourth in their series of collaborative concerts of show tunes from the American Song Book: Can't Help Singing: The Music of Jerome Kern, at 7:30 PM on Saturday, May 31 in the wonderful acoustics of Legacy Hall. Earlier concerts in the series presented works by Cole Porter (2007), Rodgers & Hart (2008), and George & Ira Gershwin (2010). The concert will be preceded by an optional dinner.

Hotel Nikko San Francisco and Michael Feinstein welcome Broadway veterans Glory Crampton and Franc D'Ambrosio to Feinstein's at the Nikko with their acclaimed show, Angel of Music - A Salute to Andrew Lloyd Webber for two performances only - Friday, June 6 (8 p.m.) and Saturday, June 7 (7 p.m.). Featuring songs from some of Andrew Lloyd Webber's most acclaimed shows, including Sunset Boulevard, Evita, The Phantom of the Opera and Jesus Christ Superstar, Crampton and D'Ambrosio present an unforgettable evening of music and storytelling. Tickets range in price from $35 - $50 and are available by calling 866.663.1063 or visiting www.ticketweb.com.

THE LAGUNA PLAYHOUSE invites you to enjoy music, memories, midnight, mystery & murder in its 2014-2015 season of shows! The season starts out rockin' with BUDDY: THE BUDDY HOLLY STORY; followed by Linda Purl starring in Joan Didion's play about the triumph of the human spirit in THE YEAR OF MAGICAL THINKING; then the holiday season will ring in the musical STRIKING TWELVE; followed by the songs of one the greatest musical writers of all time - HERSHEY FELDER AS IRVING BERLIN; plus enjoy the smash-hit, Off-Broadway musical whodunit MURDER FOR TWO; and a 'To Be Announced' production; add in two bonus options for our audiences and subscribers including the MAGIC OF MOTOWN and Emmy Award-winner Ed Asner starring as FDR for a year of engaging music, memories and more!

The Production Company announces it's 2014 Season. All tickets for The Production Company's 2014 Season go on sale at 9am next Monday, May 5.

Monday night is the last NYFOS After Hours this season--a reprise of this January's Juilliard show, 'The Land Where the Good Songs Go.'

May and June sees some new artists and some returns at The Crazy Coqs, including: Harold Sanditen (May 2-3); Simon Green with David Shrubsole (May 6-10); Lauren Fox with Jon Weber (May 13 - 17); Gary Williams (May 20 -24); KT Sullivan and Mark Nadler (May 26-28); Opera Tottie (May 29 - 31); Bryan Batt (June 3 - 7); Judy Carmichael with Colin Oxley (June 10 -14); Elaine Delmar (June 17 - 21) and more. Details below!

As the result of her recent successful appearances at the Metropolitan Room, singer Peggy King will be joined by the entire All-Star Jazz Trio for her next show on Tuesday, April 29 at 7 PM. The award-winning group consists of Andy Kahn on piano, Bruce Klauber on drums and Bruce Kaminsky on drums and they have been performing with King for the past year, but this will mark their debut at the Metropolitan Room.

The internationally-acclaimed Pacific Chorale in Orange County, CA will be presenting a new work created by American opera composer Jake Heggie, and the versatile librettist Gene Scheer entitled 'THE RADIO HOUR'. The choral opera will be conducted by Pacific Chorale's Artistic Director, John Alexander, and stage-directed by James R. Taulli. The premiere work will be performed by the organization's chamber choir, The John Alexander Singers, accompanied by an 8-member ensemble of musicians who are members of Pacific Symphony. The performance is on Sunday, May 18 at 5:30 p.m. at the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall in Costa Mesa, CA. Scroll down to see an interview with composer Jake Heggie and conductor John Alexander!

The South Orange Performing Arts Center (SOPAC) announces Broadway and Cabaret legend Barbara Cook will appear at its annual Gala on Sat., May 31. Ms. Cook's highly anticipated performance will take place at 9 p.m. following an elegant dinner in the SOPAC Loft at 6 p.m., coupled with an online and live auction of unique and precious gifts and experiences. Families will join the celebration during the day with a Super-Hero workshop by Kidville at 10:30 a.m. and a free performance by fun and funky musician Bobby Beetcut at noon. Seating is available for the gala dinner and Ms. Cook's performance, or for the performance only. The gala is being presented in support of SOPAC's Arts Education and Programming.

Margaret Whiting was one of America's favorite and most venerated singers for more than sixty years. She delivered stellar performances on record, radio, television, and the musical comedy, concert, and cabaret stages. She received twelve Gold Records. She offered a repertoire that ranged from Jerome Kern to Leon Russell, and from Rodgers & Hart to Michel Legrand and Alan & Marilyn Bergman.

The Geffen Playhouse has announced four plays for the eight-play 2014-2015 season, including the Co-World Premiere, with the Sydney Theatre Company, of the Geffen commissioned, Switzerland, written by Joanna Murray-Smith (The Female of the Species); the West Coast Premieres of The Night Alive, written by Olivier and Evening Standard Award winner and Tony nominee Conor McPherson (The Weir, The Seafarer) and directed by Geffen Artistic Director Randall Arney; and The Power of Duff, written by Stephen Belber and directed by Peter DuBois (Rapture, Blister, Burn); and The Gospel According to Thomas Jefferson, Charles Dickens and Count Leo Tolstoy: Discord, written by Scott Carter.

San Francisco in June may be gloomy, but the lineup at Feinstein's at the Nikko will be HOT! Hotel Nikko San Francisco and Michael Feinstein are thrilled to announce the lineup for the month of June, featuring award-winning stars from stage and screen, including two-time Tony Award-winner Judy Kaye, YouTube sensation Christina Bianco, Tony Award-winning singer/songwriter Levi Kreis, cabaret legend Justin Vivian Bond, Broadway star and recording artist Shoshana Bean, and Franc D'Ambrosio & Glory Crampton's tribute to Andrew Lloyd Webber.

As its final presentation of the 2013-14 season, Lakewood Theatre Company will open May 2, 2014 with a new production of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's glorious American musical, Show Boat, on the Headlee Mainstage at Lakewood Center for the Arts.

Hayes Theatre Co is thrilled to be hosting experienced masters of the craft of cabaret , such as Mark Nadler, David Campbell and John Bucchino, Rhonda Burchmore and Donna Lee; up-and-coming young stars like Tom Sharah, Gillian Cosgriff, Brendan Hay, Matt Gilbertson, and Hilary Cole; and even a show where the two worlds meet - Phil Scott's collaboration with Blake Bowden, Mario.

Nick Ziobro, the 17 year-old pop/jazz vocal sensation, will release his debut album A Lot of Livin' to Do on Tuesday, May 20. The new disc, produced by Michael Feinstein - the two-time Emmy and five-time Grammy Award-nominated vocalist, pianist and musicologist - and available through Titanium Entertainment, will be available in stores and digital outlets such as iTunes and Amazon.com. The album's debut single 'This Guy's In Love with You' is now available on iTunes.

The CSO's last Luken Holdings Pops Series concert of the 2013/14 season pays tribute to the greatest team of collaborators in American music history – George and Ira Gershwin. Here to Stay: The Gershwin Experience is a multi-media concert with a top-notch touring party, including Grammy Award-winning soprano Sylvia McNair. This concert event provides an unprecedented insider view into the legendary duo, and offers rare audio and video footage of the Gershwins.

The CSO's last Luken Holdings Pops Series concert of the 2013/14 season pays tribute to the greatest team of collaborators in American music history – George and Ira Gershwin. Here to Stay: The Gershwin Experience is a multi-media concert with a top-notch touring party, including Grammy Award-winning soprano Sylvia McNair. This concert event provides an unprecedented insider view into the legendary duo, and offers rare audio and video footage of the Gershwins.