John F Kennedy News

The musical revue First You Dream opened at the Kennedy Center, and we have a first look at the photos from the event. Check them out below!

Berkeley Playhouse closes its 2011-12 main stage season with a delicious adaptation of ROALD DAHL'S WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY. Berkeley Playhouse founding Artistic Director Elizabeth McKoy helms this musical treat, based on Roald Dahl's stylish children's story about the world famous candy man, starring noted Bay Area singer/songwriter, musician, and recording artist Vernon Bush in the title role. ROALD DAHL'S WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY plays July 14 through August 19 at the Julia Morgan Theatre in Berkeley.

To celebrate what would have been Judy Garland's 90th birthday, Peter Mac has composed a brand new phenomenally original show - in the form of a play - like hisEvening with Kate Hepburn, in which he relates stories and anecdotes from Galand's multi-faceted career in vaudeville, on the concert stage, at MGM and on television. It's a meticulously researched, complete life bio, there are 9 costume changes & 4 wigs and it's simply grande entertainment for one and all. The show will run all this month and most likely into the first two weeks of July. Cake was served after Saturday and Sunday's performances, June 9 & 10 with a sing-a-long 'Happy Birthday, Judy' tribute.

As BroadwayWorld first reported in March, the John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts will produce, in association with La Jolla Playhouse, a re-imagining of Henry Krieger and Bill Russell's Side Show.

In the videos below, FIRST YOU DREAM cast members James Clow and Alan H. Green talk about their journey from hometown to Broadway and the excitement of performing in the Kander & Ebb First You Dream revue at The Kennedy Center, beginning performances tonight!

The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts previously announced casting for its production of First You Dream: The Music of Kander & Ebb in the Eisenhower Theater tonight, June 8 to July 1, 2012.

Mayor Michael Nutter announced today that James Earl Jones-one of the country's most critically acclaimed stage and screen actors-will receive the 2012 Marian Anderson Award. Mr. Jones will accept the Award at a Gala Concert produced in partnership with The Philadelphia Orchestra on Monday, November 19, 2012, at the Kimmel Center for the Performing Arts.

Celebrate Brooklyn! previously announced its lineup for this year, which begins today, June 5 with a free concert by reggae icon Jimmy Cliff.

OPERA America, the national non-profit service organization for opera, is pleased to announce details of Opera Conference 2012: Creative Resurgence, to be held in Philadelphia, PA from June 13-16. Co-hosted by Opera Company of Philadelphia and in association with Opera Volunteers International, this largest annual gathering of opera professionals in North America will convene at venues along the Avenue of the Arts, in the heart of Center City. This marks the second time that the conference is being held in Philadelphia; the city previously hosted in 1997.

The cast and director Eric Schaeffer of the musical revue First You Dream, set to open this month at the Kennedy Center, discuss the work of their show's muses, John Kander and Fred Ebb, the songwriting team who created Cabaret, Chicago, Kiss of the Spider Woman, Zorba, and many more Broadway hits. Watch video interviews, plus footage of the cast in reherasal, below!

TODAY heads across the pond once again to broadcast live from London for Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee. NBC special correspondent Meredith Vieira will report live from London beginning today, Friday, June 1, and Matt Lauer will co-anchor a special split-edition of 'Today' from London Tuesday, June 5.

Drury Lane Theatre presents the Tony Award-winning Broadway and West End smash hit THE 39 STEPS, previewing July 5, opening July 12 at 8 p.m. and running through August 26.

In a salute to Kirk Douglas, who first brought Spartacus to life in 1960, Liam McIntyre, of the STARZ Original Series 'Spartacus: Vengeance' and its creator and producer Steven S. DeKnight will join the iconic star at the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Goldenson Theater tonight, May 31st to discuss the cultural impact of 'Spartacus' then and now.

Violinist Jacqueline Levine, an 18 year-old senior at Plainview Old Bethpage-John F. Kennedy High School and a two-time scholarship award-winner of the Nassau Music Educators Association, has been awarded the new Isaac Stern String Scholarship at Usdan Center for the Creative and Performing Arts for 2012. The scholarship, funded by a generous grant from the Linda and Isaac Stern Charitable Foundation, covers tuition for a full summer of study at Usdan Center.

ReelzChannel - TV About Movies(R), telling big stories with big stars in major television events, today announced that additions to its programming lineup which begins this fall will feature another monumental mini-series, a docu-series and a scripted series.

Today, the U.S. Department of State announced it will raise the curtain June 19 on its groundbreaking cultural diplomacy initiative, Center Stage, which brings performing artists from Haiti, Indonesia, and Pakistan to the United States to engage American audiences in 60 medium- and small-sized towns and cities.

Sirius XM Radio previously announced that it would air A CONVERSATION WITH Conan O'Brien, a special event at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library during which the award-winning television host, comedian, writer and producer will discuss the art of comedy, his fascination with presidential history and politics and his connection to President Kennedy-live to its millions of listeners across the country tonight, May 24 at 6:00 pm ET on SiriusXM Book Radio, with numerous encore presentations airing throughout Memorial Day Weekend.

The University of Montana School of Theatre & Dance announces that the UM Dance Program will be featured in performance at The American College Dance Festival Association's (ACDFA) National College Dance Festival at The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts in Washington, DC, today, May 24 through May 27, 2012.

This fall The Public Theater will unveil its revitalized downtown home as the Company celebrates a milestone year that also includes the 50th anniversary of the Delacorte Theater, home to Shakespeare in the Park. The revitalization will transform the lobby into a piazza where audiences, artists, and the public will engage with one another. A central element of the project is the addition of The Library at The Public Theater, a new lounge serving food and drinks on the lobby's expanded mezzanine level. The Library at The Public Theater is named in honor of the landmark building's original use as the Astor Library, New York City's first public library.

The last production of the American Repertory Theater of WNY 2011-12 season features the annual Local Playwrights One-Act Showcase, on May 24 to June 2 at Buffalo East, 1410 Main Street, Buffalo. The showcase has been a highlight of ART's programming for a majority of this young theater's history and reflects the creative side of ART's mission to support a new generation of American playwrights and to utilize unknown or unproven talent.