Jerry Herman News

Watching Philip Quast perform at Hamer Hall, accompanied by Anne-Maree McDonald, was an absolute treat. Quast is one of Australia's most well regarded and internationally successful theatre performers. During this performance of Morning Melodies, presented by Arts Centre Melbourne, Quast shares memorable and comical stories about his incredible life and career, spanning several decades performing on the stages of Australia, The West End and Broadway.

Kicking off the New York City Center Encores! season is Mack & Mabel, running for seven performances February 19-23. Led by Broadway's Douglas Sills and Alexandra Socha in the title roles, the production will also star Major Attaway (Fatty Arbuckle), Michael Berresse (William Desmond Taylor), Lilli Cooper (Lottie Ames), Ben Fankhauser (Frank Wyman), Jordan Gelber (Mr. Kessel), Evan Kasprzak (Freddy), Raymond J. Lee (Andy), Kevin Ligon (Eddie), Janet Noh (Ella), and Allen Lewis Rickman (Mr. Bauman).

Check out Broadway's Douglas Sills and Alexandra Socha, along with Rob Berman on the piano, preview 'I Won't Send Roses' from the Encores! production of Mack & Mabel.

Steven Brinberg makes a rare West coast (Los Angeles) appearance at Feinstein's at Vitello's Supperclub (4349 Tujunga Avenue, Studio City CA 91604) on Friday, February 28 at 8:00 pm as SIMPLY BARBRA in THE LEAP YEAR CONCERT with musical director Michael Ferreri and a special guest Ben Palacios.

Michael Childers' presents One Night Only benefitting the Barbara Sinatra Children's Center. a?oeThe Way We Were: Songs of the '70'sa?? features the best of Broadway and pop music from that era, for one performance only on April 22 at 6:30 pm, at The McCallum Theatre. With Direction & Choreography by Scott Coulter and Music Direction by Todd Schroeder, the cast features the best of Broadway and Hollywood performers. I had the chance to catch up with director, Scott Coulter, as he was preparing the production for rehearsal. Here are a few excerpts from that conversation:

After 17 years of dreaming, the Diego Symphony has announced the inaugural season lineup and official name for the highly-anticipated permanent outdoor concert venue, The Shell. Opening in July, The Shell-a symbolic name inspired by the venue's dramatic shape and unique waterfront location-will be an acoustically superior and architecturally captivating structure within a newly upgraded public park. The Diego Symphony's first season at The Shell expands upon its wide range of musical genres -from classical concerts to Broadway, Jazz to R&B-that highlight the city's world-class orchestra, showcase the acoustical excellence of the venue, and will attract a wider range of audiences.

Up and coming cabaret artist Ari Axelrod continues his rise by capturing the hearts of a full house at the Upper East Side cabaret The Beach Cafe.

Why travel to Times Square, when you can experience the brilliance of Broadway steps from your home uptown?

Arizona Broadway Theatre (ABT) recently announced its Season 16 lineup to a packed house of invited donors and season subscribers. The eight full-scale productions will appear on ABT's Mainstage for the 2020-2021 Season - October 2020 through September 2021.

A producer cannot just license any property s/he wants. Yes, MAME is available for licensing on the Concord Theatricals website, but if I wanted to mount it on Broadway it would be a little more complicated than shelling out cash. Hurdles for non-professional productions are not substantial, but many professional productions require levels of permission. Jerry Herman, who passed away on December 26, 2019, was a man unlikely to give permission for professional productions of his shows unless he thought they would be good.

Sedos' presents The Musical of Musicals (The Musical!).

Following a highly successful run in Peoria at Arizona Broadway Theatre (ABT), La Cage aux Folles will move to Herberger Theater Center (HTC) in downtown Phoenix March 6 through March 22, 2020.* ABT has been a resident company at HTC since 2018 having partnered with HTC on productions such as A Christmas Carol, Beauty and The Beast, Mary Poppins, Sweeney Todd, An American in Paris and, most recently, the hilarious Addams Family in June 2019.

San Francisco's 42nd Street Moon (Daren A.C. Carollo and Daniel Thomas, Co-Executive Directors) has announced the titles for the Company's upcoming 2020-2021 season. The 2020-2021 season will include A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC (September 24 - October 11, 2020), MAME (December 3 - 20, 2020), THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS (February 11 - 29, 2021), A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING (April 15 - May 2, 2021), WONDERFUL TOWN (May 13 - June 13, 2021) and MY SISTER EILEEN (May 20 - June 13, 2021).

San Francisco's 42nd Street Moon (Daren A.C. Carollo and Daniel Thomas, Co-Executive Directors) has announced the titles for the Company's upcoming 2020-2021 season. The 2020-2021 season will include A LITTLE NIGHT MUSIC (September 24 - October 11, 2020), MAME (December 3 - 20, 2020), THE SCOTTSBORO BOYS (February 11 - 29, 2021), A GRAND NIGHT FOR SINGING (April 15 - May 2, 2021), WONDERFUL TOWN (May 13 - June 13, 2021) and MY SISTER EILEEN (May 20 - June 13, 2021).

Today's top stories: Plaza Suite, starring Matthew Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker, begins its pre-Broadway run in Boston, and more!

Sutton Foster, since her Tony Award-winning break through as the title role in Thoroughly Modern Millie, has been one of the select leading ladies who have held a decades-spanning monopoly on Broadway's biggest musicals. Foster holds the distinction of being one of the gawkiest, most palatably quirky actors working in the commercial theatre today. Unlike other recurring ingenues, Sierra Boggess, Laura Benanti, or Laura Osnes, Foster is just off-kilter enough to headline productions of Shrek the Musical as the ogre/ princess Fiona or revivals of Anything Goes as Reno Sweeney. Meanwhile, she is still conventionally attractive enough to be a safe, viable option to helm profitable productions of Sweet Charity, Violet, or the upcoming Broadway revival of The Music Man. The Celebrity Series of Boston hosted Foster along with a three-piece jazz combo (Michael Rafter, Leo Huppert, Matt Hinkley) and her Little Women co-star Megan McGinnis in a concert of musical theatre selections and jazz standards at the Sanders Theatre in Cambridge.

Michael Feinstein produced a memorial event at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, featuring performances by: Feinstein ('I Won't Send Roses'), Kristin Chenoweth ('If He Walked Into My Life'), Sutton Foster ('I Don't Want to Know'), Kelli O'Hara ('Before the Parade Passes By'), Leslie Uggams ('I Am What I Am'), Bernadette Peters ('Time Heals Everything'), Betty Buckley ('Hello, Dolly!'), Klea Blackhurst and Tyne Daly ('Bosom Buddies'), John Bolton ('It Takes a Woman'), Lorna Luft ('Gooch's Song'), Ron Raines ('Mame'), Jason Graae ('You I Like'), Marilyn Maye ('It's Today'), Jeremy Jordan ('It Only Takes a Moment'), Lee Roy Reams ('The Best of Times'), and Debbie Gravitte ('Wherever He Ain't'), with Alice Borden, Jane Dorian, and Harvey Fierstein, and special video tributes from Angela Lansbury and Paul McCartney. Marc Bruni directed the event with Larry Blank serving as music director, and Don Pippin (guest conductor).

As BroadwayWorld reported last month, Tony Award winning composer and lyricist Jerry Herman passed away at 88 years old. Just yesterday, Broadway united to remember the legend. Michael Feinstein produced a memorial event at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre, featuring performances by: Kristin Chenoweth, Harvey Fierstein, Sutton Foster, Kelli O'Hara, Bernadette Peters, Betty Buckley, Klea Blackhurst, Alice Borden, Jane Dorian, Lewis Stadlen, Lorna Luft, Ron Raines, Jason Graae, Marilyn Maye, Jeremy Jordan, Don Pippin, Lee Roy Reams, and Debbie Gravitte, with special video tributes from Angela Lansbury and Paul McCartney. Marc Bruni directed the event with Larry Blank serving as music director.

STAGES St. Louis and the City of Kirkwood are thrilled to announce the naming of the Main Stage Theatre at the Kirkwood Performing Arts Center (PAC). Thanks to a very generous gift from Don and Nancy Ross, the theatre will be named The Ross Family Theatre.

Today's top stories: Broadway gathers to remember Jerry Herman tonight, and more!