Jerry Herman News

FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents Jesse Luttrell with the Fred Barton Broadway Band on January 29 at 9:30PM. Jesse Luttrell unleashes his shattering voice and theatrical, post-modern vaudevillian style on an evening of treasured swing, big band, and show songs. Jesse's repertoire runs the gamut from Jule Styne, Cy Coleman and Rodgers & Hart, to Anthony Newley, Jerry Herman specialties, and Peter Allen showstoppers. Fred Barton has created high-octane new arrangements and will lead his 8-piece Broadway Band. 54 Below favorite Seth Sikes will make a special appearance with Jesse, as they strut the stage in rare Jule Styne barn-burner that never fails to bring down the house. Jesse Luttrell and the Fred Barton Broadway Band play Feinstein's/54 Below (254 West 54th Street) on January 29 at 9:30PM. There is a $25-$35 cover charge, with premium seating at $65, and a $25 food and beverage minimum. Tickets and information are available at www.54Below.com. Tickets on the day of performance after 4:00 are only available by calling (646) 476-3551.

As BroadwayWorld reported this morning, Bette Midler will indeed return to Broadway in one of the most cherished shows in musical theater history when she takes on the role of Dolly Gallagher Levi in Michael Stewart's (book) and Jerry Herman's (music and lyrics) masterpiece, Hello, Dolly!. Directed by four-time Tony Award® winner Jerry Zaks, Hello, Dolly! will begin performances on Broadway on March 13, 2017, with an official opening night of April 20, 2017. Rehearsals begin one year from today. This new production of Hello, Dolly!, the first new production of this classic musical to appear on Broadway since it opened more than fifty years ago, will have at its helm Jerry Zaks as its director, and will feature choreography by Tony Award-winner Warren Carlyle. The new Dolly! will pay tribute to the original work of legendary director/choreographer Gower Champion, which has been hailed both then and now as one of the greatest stagings in musical theater history. Below, reacquaint yourself with the creative team, old and new!

Long rumored, and first reported last night by BroadwayWorld after the star teased the news on Twitter, it's now Official! Producer Scott Rudin announced this morning that Bette Midler will indeed return to Broadway in one of the most cherished shows in musical theater history when she takes on the role of Dolly Gallagher Levi in Michael Stewart's (book) and Jerry Herman's (music and lyrics) masterpiece, Hello, Dolly!.

UPDATE: Bette Midler has announced on Twitter that she will indeed be making her return to Broadway next year in Jerry Herman & Michael Stewart's Tony-winning musical HELLO DOLLY!

AMERICAN SHOWSTOPPERS - featuring Fred Barton & His Orchestra and starring a cast of today's best Broadway performers - will present "An Evening with Cole Porter" at Pace University's Schimmel Center in New York on Friday, March 4 at 7:30 PM and then Kingsborough Community College's Goldstein Center in Brooklyn on Saturday, March 5 at 8:00 PM.  The cast of outstanding Broadway performers includes Beth Leavel (Tony Award winner for The Drowsy Chaperone), Sean McGibbon, Paula Leggett Chase, Damon Kirsche, Karen Murphy and Jesse Luttrell in addition to the Scott Thompson Dancers. The show is produced, orchestrated, conducted and hosted by Fred Barton with direction and choreography by Scott Thompson.

The University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre and Dance will hold a free workshop performance of HELLDRIVERS OF DAYTONA in the Oscar G. Brockett Theatre today and tomorrow, January 15th-16th at 7:30pm. A new musical with music by Berton Averre (The Knack), lyrics by Rob Meurer ('Sailing') & book by Mark Saltzman (The Tin Pan Alley Rag, The Adventures of Milo and Otis).

Jerry Herman's classic musical comedy, Hello Dolly! opens in a lavish production by Scottsdale Musical Theater Company February 3-6, 2016 at Tempe Center for the Arts.

After winning a Tony for HOW TO SUCCEED, Reilly fought homophobia to become one of television's most popular stars.

The University of Texas at Austin Department of Theatre and Dance will hold a free workshop performance of HELLDRIVERS OF DAYTONA in the Oscar G. Brockett Theatre on January 15th-16th at 7:30pm. A new musical with music by Berton Averre (The Knack), lyrics by Rob Meurer ('Sailing') & book by Mark Saltzman (The Tin Pan Alley Rag, The Adventures of Milo and Otis).

BROADWAY: BEYOND THE GOLDEN AGE, Award-winning director Rick McKay's anxiously awaited sequel to his 2004 hit film, BROADWAY: THE GOLDEN AGE, just made its World Premiere to a sold-out crowd at the 27th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival. Check out photos from the big night below!

This week, we go around our Broadway World to feature stories in Boston, Washington DC, Los Angeles, and more. Check out our top 10 stories around our Broadway World below, which include OLIVER! at Cape Cod, DANGEROUS DREAMS TOUR in DC, and highlights of LA's NEXT GREAT STAGE STAR 2016, just to name a few.

California Musical Theatre and BroadwayWorld bring you the 2016 lineup for Sacramento Music Circus at the Wells Fargo Pavilion, the 66th season for the venerable institution. The season includes four shows that have never been produced at Music Circus: The smash hit musical comedy Legally Blonde, based on the hilarious film starring Reese Witherspoon; the family favorite Seussical, a journey through the witty and whimsical world of Dr. Seuss; Nice Work If You Can Get It, the song-and-dance spectacular filled with the music of George and Ira Gershwin; and The Hunchback of Notre Dame, a brand new musical exploring the dark themes of the epic novel while featuring the beautiful music of the animated Disney film. The 2016 Music Circus season will also feature two shows that are all-time patron favorites, the irresistible musical theatre gem Hello, Dolly! and the Tony-winning Kander and Ebb classic Cabaret.

BROADWAY: BEYOND THE GOLDEN AGE, Award-winning director Rick McKay's anxiously awaited sequel to his 2004 hit film, BROADWAY: THE GOLDEN AGE, will make its World Premiere at the 27th annual Palm Springs International Film Festival tonight, January 7. The festival runs through January 11, 2016.

As Light Opera Works' 35th season recently concluded with December performances of GUYS AND DOLLS, general manager Bridget McDonough and artistic director Rudy Hogenmiller announced the company will debut a new name, to become official in its 2017 season.

A new batch of tickets are now on sale for the Off-Broadway premiere of Jerry Mayer's new comedy, 2 ACROSS, which began a open-ended engagement on November 14th at St. Luke's Theatre (308 West 46th Street, between 8th and 9th Avenues). Emmy Award nominee Evelyn Rudie ("Eloise") directs a cast that stars Andrea McArdle and Kip Gilman. Tickets are now on sale through March 20th. Wednesday Matinees at 2pm have also been added to accommodate the demand.

NJTV, New Jersey's public television network, and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) announced that the 3rd Season of the award-winning American Songbook at NJPAC series will be broadcast on NJTV beginning tonight, January 6, 2016 (check local listings).

Loosely patterned after 'an audition process', this 10th annual fully produced event is geared to discovering new talent between the ages of 18 and 32 for the musical theatre stage. This year the contest is generously sponsored/presented by Princess Cruises.

Leslie Uggams recently recorded a rendition of Curtis McKonly's latest tune, 'Wishing You a Happy New Year,' alongside a 41-piece orchestra in celebration of 2015 coming to a close. Check it out below!

FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents Jesse Luttrell with the Fred Barton Broadway Band on January 29 at 9:30PM.

When Faith Prince and Jason Graae first performed their show The Prince and the Showboy at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal in June, 2012, I wrote, '...there were enough sparks to set Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal on fire as Jason Graae and Tony Award winner Faith Prince seized the stage with the premiere of their new show The Prince and the Showboy to an adoring packed house. Graae's inimitable sarcasm and overdone delivery along with Prince's unique pauses and double takes made for a delicious evening of comedy through song as they focused on what makes them click as a team, namely the fun side of life'. Well, the show played 54 Below in New York and has returned to the Federal - December 27 and 28 for two nights only. It's now about 20 minutes longer, bringing it in at 90 minutes and allowing each of the stars to concentrate more fully on dramatic career transitions, especially for Prince.