Jerome Kern News

Bayou City Concert Musicals has a track record of enjoyable and wholly entertaining performances. They burst onto the Houston Theatre scene with a concert production of FOLLIES. Since FOLLIES, Paul Hope has astounded audiences with productions of FALSETTOS, SHE LOVES ME, 70, GIRLS, 70, ASSASSINS, FIORELLO!, THE SECRET GARDEN, PAL JOEY, ON THE TOWN, GENTLEMEN PREFER BLONDES, FINNAN'S RAINBOW, and ONE TOUCH OF VENUS. Each of these shows was a sensational hit in its own time, but has been notoriously neglected as time merrily rolls along. Each of these concerts has been accompanied by a live orchestra, which only increases the price tag for producing the fabulous productions. To help keep ticket prices affordable, Paul Hope utilizes showcase cabarets as fundraisers. Like his concert productions, the cabarets are jam packed with the best of the best of Houston's musical theatre talent who only aim to captivate and enthrall. The latest cabaret, JEROME KERN IN HOLLYWOOD, is no exception.

BAYOU CITY CONCERT MUSICALS continues its popular cabaret series with Jerome Kern in Hollywood, on three consecutive Monday nights in February, beginning tonight, February 4, and continuing on February 11 and February 18 at 7:30 p.m. The evening of song will again be presented at the Performance Centre of the Ensemble Theatre, 3535 Main between Holman and Berry Street, in the heart of Midtown.

It's hard to believe that Amanda McBroom--who many consider to be one of the country's leading cabaret performers--had never played the elegant Cafe Carlyle before the current run of her new show A Valentine Rose. But better late than never because few things could warm the cockles of a romance-craved heart more on a frigid early February evening than McBroom sweeping into the Carlyle and singing songs about the vagaries of love that fit her special definition: 'Like a double expresso--a slice of life ground under pressure with a little bit of steam.'

Broadway legend Barbara Cook returns to Segerstrom Center to celebrate her 85th birthday year with a performance in the Renee and Henry Segerstrom Concert Hall on Saturday April 13 at 8 p.m.

Two-time Tony Award-winning actress Christine Ebersole made her Celebrity Series of Boston debut at Sanders Theatre with an intimate cabaret performance that brought much-needed warmth to a cold January night. The former "Not Ready for Prime Time" player on SATURDAY NIGHT LIVE is now the toast of Broadway and Harvard Square.

Houston Grand Opera presents SHOW BOAT, which opened January 18. BroadwayWorld has a first look at the production below.

Houston Grand Opera presents SHOW BOAT, which opened January 18. BroadwayWorld has a first look at highlights from the show below.

Houston Grand Opera opened their Winter Repertory offerings with an impressive and rousing production of Jerome Kern and Oscar Hammerstein II's iconic book musical SHOW BOAT. The musical historically changed the face of American Musical Theatre and introduced a genre of entertainment that many feel OKLAHOMA perfected and solidified. Despite it's classification as a musical, the show's score is incredibly operatic and requires many classically trained voices to effectively pull off a production.

California Musical Theatre Executive Producer Richard Lewis announced a varied lineup of musicals for the 2013 season of Sacramento Music Circus at the Wells Fargo Pavilion, the 63rd season for what has become a Northern California summer tradition. The five-show season will include the Music Circus premiere of the Kander and Ebb hit Chicago; a production of The Wizard of Oz based on the iconic movie; the Wells Fargo Pavilion premiere of the American theater masterpiece Show Boat; the Rodgers and Hammerstein classic The King and I; and Sugar, the stage version of the classic film comedy Some Like It Hot.

On Saturday January 12 and Sunday January 13 internationally renowned Cabaret pianist/singer Steve Ross, who has been called the 'Crown Prince of Cabaret', brought one of his many evenings of song The Music of Fred Astaire called Puttin' On the Ritz to Vitello's Upstairs in Studio City. Ross began his career, some forty years ago, primarily as a pianist, at Ted Hook's Backstage in New York. With no singing experience, he thrust himself into the spotlight singing at the piano, developing his unmatched, uncanny style of song and repartee... and the rest is history.

Legendary Manhattan based singer/pianist Steve Ross brings his critically acclaimed Puttin' on the Ritz... The Music of Fred Astaire to Vitello's Upstairs Jazz and Supper Club located in the trendy Tujunga Village of Studio City, CA for two performances only: today, January 12; and Sunday, January 13, 2013.

BAYOU CITY CONCERT MUSICALS continues its popular cabaret series with Jerome Kern in Hollywood, on three consecutive Monday nights in February, beginning Monday, February 4, and continuing on February 11 and February 18 at 7:30 p.m. The evening of song will again be presented at the Performance Centre of the Ensemble Theatre, 3535 Main between Holman and Berry Street, in the heart of Midtown.

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!

Broadway Theatre of Pitman kicks off its mainstage season with Showboat, featuring music by Jerome Kerns, lyrics and book by Oscar Hammerstein II and based on a book by Edna Farber. The production runs today, January 11 through Feburary 3, 2013.

Today in 1946, the second Broadway revival of Showboat opened at the Ziegfeld Theatre, and ran for 418 performances. Show Boat is a musical in two acts with music by Jerome Kern and book and lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II. It was originally produced in New York in 1927 and in London in 1928, and was based on the 1926 novel of the same name by Edna Ferber. The plot chronicles the lives of those living and working on the Cotton Blossom, a Mississippi River show boat, from 1880 to 1927. The show's dominant themes include racial prejudice and tragic, enduring love.