Jim Caruso News

BIRDLAND THEATER will present John Manzari – the acclaimed dancer, singer, actor, and choreographer currently appearing on Broadway in Funny Girl – in a special event on Monday, May 23 at 8:30 PM.

The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation’s 12th annual Broadway Belts for PFF! raised a record $475,000 in a new hybrid format on April 29. The sold-out gala at New York City’s Edison Ballroom, live streamed for the first time, is the single largest fundraiser in the Foundation’s history.

The Fred Ebb Foundation in association with the Roundabout Theatre Company presented the seventeenth annual Fred Ebb Award for aspiring musical theatre songwriters to the team of Isabella Dawis & Tidtaya Sinutoke.

After four sold-out Skokie Theatre concerts, Chicago musical favorite Russ Goeltenbodt returns to the theater for his first concert in five years - Live At 65. Marking his 65th year, Russ will musically cover his younger years growing up in Skokie, his love life and his next chapter. Russ will be backed musically by the Mark Burnell Trio and joined with special guest Carla Gordon.

BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB will present Nashville vocalist Wendy Moten – best known for her 2021 run on NBC’s “The Voice” – in a special concert on Monday, May 16 at 7:00 PM. Her show will include songwriter Richard Whiting hits including “He’s Funny That Way,” “My Ideal,” “Miss Brown,” and “Too Marvelous For Words.”

Birdland presented singer/actress Karen Akers, who premiered a brand new, very personal concert on Monday, April 25.  The show, titled “Water Under The Bridge,” was musical directed by Alex Rybeck, with Tom Hubbard on bass.

There may be an age difference between the women in this Duo Act but Ava Nicole Frances and Charlotte Crossley are, most certainly, simpatico.

Artists appearing at Birdland Jazz Club include Jane Monheit, Meg Okura Pan Asian Jazz Ensemble, Bill Charlap Trio and Solo and Andy Farber Big Band. 

BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB will present acclaimed vocalist and songwriter Amanda McBroom in her new show “Crimes of the Heart” on Monday, May 2 at 7:00 PM. McBroom’s concert will feature songs of passion, politics, and just plain love, written by the likes of Stephen Sondheim, Irving Berlin, Leonard Cohen, and of course, Amanda McBroom.

Derrick Davis (The Phantom of the Opera, The Lion King, Carousel, Film's A Christmas Story, Can a Song Save Your Life), Arielle Jacobs (Aladdin, Wicked, Between the Lines, and In the Heights) and Telly Leung (Aladdin, Rent, TV's Glee, and Allegiance) will join the star-studded cast featuring previously announced performers.

Arielle Jacobs and Telly Leung have been added to the lineup for the 12th annual Broadway Belts for PFF!, an unforgettable evening of entertainment featuring some of Broadway's hottest stars.

Below, you'll find details on all jazz programming at Birdland Jazz Club and Birdland Theater running April 18 - May 1. Artists appearing at Birdland Jazz Club include Cyrille Aimée, Ashley Pezzotti with the Birdland Big Band, Jane Monheit and Meg Okura Pan Asian Jazz Ensemble.

The thirty-sixth annual MAC Awards were presented on Tuesday night in a ceremony that was widely remarked upon for the length of its duration.

On Monday, April 11, Tony winner Debbie Gravitte premiered her new series “Debbie Gravitte Plus One” on the Birdland stage.  She welcomed her longtime friend Stephen Schwartz for some friendly conversation and intimate performances of his most beloved songs. 

BIRDLAND JAZZ CLUB will present acclaimed vocalist Karen Akers in the new show “Water Under the Bridge” on Monday, April 25 at 7:00 PM.

The Eugene O'Neill Theater Center is now accepting applications for the Cabaret & Performance Conference Fellows Program. The professional program, helmed by Artistic Director John McDaniel, will take place August 10-20, 2022 on the O'Neill's seaside campus.

The 36th MAC Award Winners were announced Tuesday, April 12, 2022 at a LIVE ceremony at NYC’s Symphony Space. BroadwayWorld was there and you can check out the photos here!

Debbie Gravitte had an idea and she took it to Jim Caruso and, now, Birdland has the next big thing.

In their first live ceremony since lockdown, the Manhattan Associate of Cabarets presented their annual awards to the members of the MAC organization.

Following up his critically-acclaimed Birdland debut this past November, BroadwayWorld Award-winner Robbie Rozelle returned to the scene of the crime with “The Inevitable Return” on Monday, April 4.