Jim Donica News

What did our critic think of CHITA: THE RHYTHM OF MY LIFE WITH SPECIAL GUEST, BROADWAY FAVORITE GEORGE DVORSKY at North Shore Music Theatre, Beverly, MA?

Lorna Luft is a consummate entertainer. That’s no surprise of course. She was born to entertain. Her mother, Judy Garland was arguably the greatest entertainer of the 20th century. And Lorna has been entertaining professionally herself since she was 14 years old. Her high-profile turns in the film Grease 2 and as Miss Adelaide in the national tour of Guys & Dolls are only two of her many film, television, and stage credits. She has also been a very in-demand nightclub performer for decades. Over the years she has known and worked with some of the very best.

Avenue Q and Sesame Street's Jennifer Barnhart returned to The Laurie Beechman Theatre on Sunday March 8th at 7pm, with a final encore performance of her critically acclaimed debut cabaret show. 'It's About Time'

Avenue Q and Sesame Street's Jennifer Barnhart returns to The Laurie Beechman Theatre on Sunday March 8th at 7pm, with a final encore performance of her critically acclaimed debut cabaret show. 'It's About Time'

The Legendary Chita Rivera keeps on moving in her extraordinary nightclub act at 54 Below.

This Month, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond.

Jennifer Barnhart was such a hit in her first solo cabaret show at the Laurie Beechman Theatre this month that due to popular demand, she's been invited back for an encore performance of "It's About Time!" on Sunday, May 19th. Showtime is at 7pm. Click here for tickets.

After years of playing well with others - whether singing backup for friends' shows, or crooning alongside a cast of puppet characters - Jennifer Barnhart stepped into the spotlight and slayed in her debut solo cabaret, fittingly titled, 'It's About Time!' at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, downstairs at the Westbank Cafe on 42nd Street.

Broadway stars Major Attaway, Catherine Brunell, Natalie Cortez and James Moye will form a special cast for When Broadway Goes Dark, Van Dyk Goes Live, a benefit concert to support Alzheimer's awareness Monday, November 12th at 7:00pm at Bergen Performing Arts Center in Englewood, NJ.

Eowyn Ivey's debut novel The Snow Child is reborn as a magical new musical featuring a score that combines Alaskan string-band traditions and contemporary musical theater. On November 17t, SubCulture will present the show in a concert adaptation featuring KATE BALDWIN, MATT BOGART, FINA STRAZZA, GERARD CANONICO, SALLY MAYES and WILLIAM PARRY.

Broadway stars Major Attaway, Catherine Brunell, Leslie Kritzer and James Moye will form a one-night-only cast for When Broadway Goes Dark, Van Dyk Goes Live, a concert to support Alzheimer's awareness Monday, June 4 at 7pm at Van Dyk Park Place.

Williamstown Theatre Festival (Mandy Greenfield, Artistic Director) has announced additional casting for the 2018 summer season, including Eden Espinosa, Samira Wiley, Krysta Rodriguez, Rachel Tucker, and many more.  It was also announced that two-time Tony Award® winner Chita Rivera will perform a one-night-only solo concert benefitting Williamstown Theatre Festival's New Play & Musical Development Initiative. 

Next week, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com/Feinsteins or call (646) 476-3551.

On Friday, January 12th, 2018 at 8:00PM, the The John and Alice Coltrane Home in Dix Hills along with Integrated Medical Foundation have the pleasure of hosting JAZZnJAM 2018 - A Benefit Concert for Prostate Cancer Awareness and The John and Alice Coltrane Home honoring Michael Blueweiss at Port Washington's Landmark on Main Street!

The Sunday matinee performance of Chita Rivera and Robert Klein, on October 8, 2017 at Queensborough Community College's QPAC (Queensborough Performing Arts Center) was sold out. Before either of the two headliners of film and Broadway stepped onto the stage, QPAC's artistic director, Susan Agin, welcomed the audience. Ms. Agin's enthusiastic persona had the audience ready for this show and many of the shows coming up for this season. I found this endearing and personal because she promoted other headliners by playing snippets of these artists' hits and to encourage everyone not to miss these shows. Brilliant! A few of those upcoming artists are Darlene Love, Debbie Boone, Tony Orlando, and many more headliners from that era. The unique feature of this venue is that there are big stars booked, yet also a neighborhood feel of those that attend performances here.

THIRTEEN's Great Performances will air a re-broadcast of Chita Rivera: A LOT OF LIVIN' TO DO tonight, July 21st at 9:00 pm/et. (Check local listings.) The 60-minute career retrospective features interviews, archival performance footage, and newly filmed songs from Rivera's concert repertoire.

THIRTEEN's Great Performances will air a re-broadcast of CHITA RIVERA: A LOT OF LIVIN' TO DO on Friday, July 21st at 9:00 pm/et. (Check local listings.) The 60-minute career retrospective features interviews, archival performance footage, and newly filmed songs from Rivera's concert repertoire

“Shouldn't I be somewhere at 8:00?” That is a fair reaction for the Chita Rivera to have to once seeing boards and bus ads for CHIGAGO, BYE BYE BIRDIE, and WEST SIDE STORY a few years back while they were all simultaneously running, a story she regaled the audience with in the intro to her WEST SIDE medley at the Café Carlyle last week. When your name has become synonymous with iconic shows, maybe as iconic as the shows themselves, you have somewhere to be at 8:00… and people will be there to see.

The Eli and Edythe Broad Stage in Santa Monica recently presented the one and only spectacular Broadway legend Chita Rivera in a unique, one-night solo concert event - CHITA: A LEGENDARY CELEBRATION, and I can honestly tell you the girl's still got it and knows exactly how to use it to bring Broadway magic to the stage! The incomparable Tony Award winner recreated signature moments from her legendary career including numbers from Sweet Charity, Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Bye, Bye, Birdie, The Rink, The Visit, and from her electric performance as Anita in the original Broadway premiere of West Side Story which brought her the stardom she so richly deserves.

Viva La Diva!: The Music of Carole King, Barbra Streisand, Patsy Cline, Peggy Lee, Aretha Franklin (and many more), starring Broadway and recording artist Carter Calvert, will play the Algonquin Arts Theatre on October 15, 2016.