Joel Grey News

Rubicon Theatre Company celebrates Black History Month with THE DEVIL'S MUSIC: THE LIFE AND BLUES OF BESSIE SMITH, starring singer and actress Miche Braden of the original Off-Broadway production (named one of the 10 Best Off-Broadway productions of the year by the N.Y. Daily Times). Described by CBC as a, "bawdy, bluesy, boozy rollicking night out at the theatre," the show follows the life, loves and career of blues and jazz singer Bessie Smith, called the "Empress of the Blues."

Prominent figures from the arts, politics, human rights, social justice, the media, and academia gathered for a continuous reading of Nobel Peace laureate Elie Wiesel's seismic Holocaust memoir, 'Night,' at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, 36 Battery Place, on Sunday, January 29, 2017. The all-day 'Night' event took place in front of an overflow audience at the Museum. BroadwayWorld has photos from the reading below, plus footage from the event!

Prominent figures from the arts, politics, human rights, social justice, the media, and academia gathered for a continuous reading of Nobel Peace laureate Elie Wiesel's seismic Holocaust memoir, 'Night,' at the Museum of Jewish Heritage, 36 Battery Place, on Sunday, January 29, 2017. The all-day 'Night' event took place in front of an overflow audience at the Museum. You can watch footage of the entire event, produced by Folksbiene executive producer Christopher Massimine (edited to 4:30 hours), below!

Salty Brine announces upcoming programming for February and March as part of his cabaret series, The Living Record Collection.  Programming will include the premiere of a brand-new cabaret based on Radiohead's album Ok Computer and a special Valentine's Day show with Heather Christian based on The Carpenters' The Singles 1969 - 1973.

Gingold Theatrical Group, under the leadership of Founding Artistic Director David Staller, will honor Tony and Emmy-winning actress and GTG/Project Shaw alum Tyne Daly at its annual Golden Shamrock Gala, March 17 at 6;30pm, at 3 West Club (3 West 51st Street).

Luminaries, friends, and community leaders payed tribute to Elie Wiesel in a community reading of Wiesel's seminal work, Night, on Sunday, January 29th at the Museum of Jewish Heritage. Scroll down for photos from the event!

Kander and Ebb's legendary musical has never been more timely.

Come, here the music play. CABARET at Wilmington Drama League continues to be politically relevant and especially thought-provoking in our current time.

As BroadwayWorld sadly reported last week, Tony Award winner Mary Tyler Moore - best known as a television icon for The Mary Tyler Moore Show- passed away at 80 years old. According to her publicist, she was with her husband and friends at the time of her passing.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! This weekend's big news: The HAMILTON parody SHAMILTON arrives in the Windy City, and Audra McDonald kicks off her 2017 tour with her hubby Will Swenson in California!

The productions discussed were The Encounter; Holiday Inn; Oh, Hello on Broadway; Heisenberg; The Cherry Orchard; The Front Page; Falsettos; Les Liaisons Dangereuses; Natasha, Pierre & The Great Comet of 1812; A Bronx Tale; Dear Evan Hansen; In Transit; and The Present.

Charles Busch's SLEEPING BEAUTY OR COMA and VAMPIRE LESBIANS OF SODOM are difficult plays to produce, but Desert Rose's director (Jim Strait) and its performers are up to the task. The double bill is the company's annual Gay Heritage presentation, which succeeds spectacularly.

TheatreZone closed their sold-out run of "George M!" with a surprise audience guest who's no stranger to George M. Cohan's trademark songs and signature performance style. George M. Cohan III, George M. Cohan's great-great nephew and Florida resident, came to enjoy "Over There," "Give My Regards to Broadway," and, of course, "You're a Grand Old Flag,' complimenting the theatre on their moving tribute to the theatre icon. BroadwayWorld has photos of Cohan's appearance below!

Salty Brine announces upcoming programming for February and March as part of his cabaret series, The Living Record Collection.  Programming will include the premiere of a brand-new cabaret based on Radiohead's album Ok Computer and a special Valentine's Day show with Heather Christian based on The Carpenters' The Singles 1969 - 1973.

Broadway vet and musical comedy genius Jason Graae will be one of several incredible performers that will be presenting JERRY HERMAN: THE BROADWAY LEGACY CONCERT at Orange County's Segerstrom Center for the Arts from January 19 - 21, 2017. For three performances at the Center's Samueli Theater---the campus' intimate cabaret space---Graae and five other artists will be taking the stage to pay tribute to Jerry Herman's musical legacy, highlighted by musical numbers from his many classic shows that include MAME, MACK AND MABEL, HELLO, DOLLY!, and LA CAGE AUX FOLLES.

I had the pleasure of attending the 7th Annual Clive Barnes Awards on January 9, 2017 at the Walter Reade Theater of Lincoln Center. Last year, I also attended this ceremony, which supports artists from both the theater and dance worlds through financial gifts and accolades in memory of the indefatigable Mr. Barnes. Interestingly enough, I believe that having the privilege to be there again allowed me to see how much this foundation impacts the nominees and the winners.

Rubicon Theatre Company presents GULF VIEW DRIVE , the third and final play in Arlene Hutton's Nibroc Trilogy, directed by Indy award-winning Katharine Farmer with the same cast reprising their critically-acclaimed roles from the Los Angeles Times "Critic's Choice" productions of Last Train to Nibroc and last season's See Rock City. Lily Nicksay ("Boy Meets World"/The Wild Duck at A Noise Within) and Erik Odom("The Twilight Saga: Breaking Dawn - Part 2"/Sons of the Prophet at The Blank) return as May and Raleigh, along with See Rock City featured cast membersClarinda Ross (Spit Like a Big Girl/Steel Magnolias) and Sharon Sharth (Waiting for Grace/ member of Actors Studio and Circle Rep in New York). Joining the cast is returning Rubicon artist Faline England (Crimes of the Heart (Indy Award)/Turn of the Screw (Ovation Nomination).

The Clive Barnes Foundation announced today, Monday, January 9, 2017, that Khris Davis (The Royale) has won the Seventh Annual Clive Barnes Award for Theater and that Indiana Woodward (New York City Ballet) has won the Seventh Annual Clive Barnes Award for Dance.

On Sunday, January 29, 2017, the Museum of Jewish Heritage - A Living Memorial to the Holocaust joins with the National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene to honor the memory of Nobel Laureate Elie Wiesel, who died on July 2, 2016, by presenting a community reading of his landmark memoir NIGHT, which tells of his experience in German concentration camps with his father during the Holocaust.

At the end of every 'backstage' interview, BroadwayWorld's Richard Ridge asks his guest, 'What is the best bit of advice that you've been given, either personally or professionally, that you still live by?'