Lights Out: Nat 'King' Cole/book by Colman Domingo & Patricia McGregor/music supervision:John McDaniel/directed by Patricia McGregor/Geffen/Gil Cates Theater/through March 17
A much anticipated musical in Los Angeles has been Lights Out: Nat 'King' Cole, which has received previous tryouts back east. Penned by Colman Domingo and Patricia McGregor, who also directs the piece, the show is supposedly based on real facts from Cole's life and includes most of his standard hits arranged by John McDaniel. Currently onstage at the Gil CatesTheater of the Geffen Playhouse in Westwood, Lights Out is spectacular entertainment, especially from Dule Hill as Cole and Daniel J. Watts as Sammy Davis Jr. but its book is in need of some major retooling.
It is December 17, 1957 in the NBC Studio in Burbank where Cole's final 30 minute TV variety show is about to be presented live with the Nelson Riddle Orchestra and Randy Van Horn Singers. Fifteen minutes to air time, Cole is in a deep state of depression over this being the final show. Why? He has millions of fans. Southern states have refused to continue paying for advertising on the show. Cole is a Negro, pure asnd simple. In spite of his fame, it's Lights Out for him. Guest star Peggy Lee has not shown up and friend Sammy Davis Jr. comes in to replace her with his amazing style of frantic comed
Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts has just announced the cast list for its production of 'INTO THE WOODS: IN CONCERT'. There will be three performances, March 8 at 8 p.m. and March 9 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m. Ticket prices range between $39 - $69, plus applicable fees, and are available online, by phone or at the box office. For more information, visit PatchogueTheatre.org, call the Patchogue Theatre Box Office at 631-207-1313, or stop by 71 East Main Street, Patchogue, NY.
The students of Colony High School in Dallas, Texas have quite the exciting legacy with their production of Bonnie & Clyde. All their sets, costumes and props, which includes three cars, come from the original Broadway production which starred Laura Osnes and Jeremy Jordan.
Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts will present the next production within its 'In Concert' series, 'INTO THE WOODS'. There will be multiple performances, March 8 at 8 p.m. and March 9 at 2 p.m. and 8 p.m.
Broadway & Pose Star Billy Porter has teamed up with Broadway YouTuber Michael Korte to deliver some vocal magic! For Korte's 'One Take' acoustic sessions, Billy sings his original song 'Love The Pain Away'
Annie Golden (Netflix's "Orange Is The New Black"), Isabelle McCalla (The Prom), Taylor Iman Jones (Head Over Heels), Joseph Allen (Something Wicked This Way Comes), Mackenzie Dade (The Sound of Music), Morgan Siobhan Green (Be More Chill), F. Michael Haynie (Charle and the Chocolate Factory), Charlotte Maltby (The Sound of Music), Destinee Rea (The Book of Mormon), Brian Charles Rooney (The Three-Penny Opera), David Rowen (Bob Marley's Three Little Birds), and Nathan Salstone (Harry Potter and the Cursed Child) have joined the cast of 54 SINGS LADY GAGA at Feinstein's/54 Below, Tuesday, January 8th, 2019, at 9:30PM.
For this week's #TBT, I dug back into the BroadwayWorld archives and found the Opening Night video of Bonnie and Clyde on Broadway! The show opened this week, seven years ago! Watch the video below as a young Jeremy Jordan and Laura Osnes talk about tackling the dynamic gangster couple!
THE GAME, a new musical with book and lyrics by Eric Kornfeld and music by John McDaniel, will be presented in a private industry presentation, Thursday, December 6 at 3:30pm and Friday, December 7, 2018 at 11am. Presentations will be held at Pearl Studios.
Patchogue Theatre for the Performing Arts is proud to present an original concert production, "Queen of Soul: A Musical Tribute to Aretha Franklin," on Thursday, Nov. 15 at 8 p.m. that will be directed by Grammy and Emmy Award winner John McDaniel.
Billy Porter was a guest on 'The Wendy Williams Show' on Thursday November 1st. During his interview, Porter dishes about his role on 'American Horror Story' and 'Pose'. Billy goes on to talk about coming out to his family and reveals why he wrote an op-ed about being sexually abused when he was younger. He also explains why he and his husband only had a 16 day engagement.
Theatre Philadelphia proudly announces the 2018 nominees for the Barrymore Award for Excellence in Theatre. Celebrating the rich, diverse professional theatre scene in the Greater Philadelphia region, the Barrymore Ceremony will be held on Monday, November 5, 2018 at 7:00pm at the Bok Building at 1901 S. 9th Street in South Philadelphia. Guests will continue the festivities with an after-party Celebration at the same location. Tickets for artists, supporters, and the general public start at $50 and are now on sale at www.theatrephiladelphia.org.
World-renowned tenor Anthony Kearns sang the National Anthem and 'God Bless America' at the 2018 Jim McKay Maryland Million Day at Laurel Park on Saturday, October 20, 2018. This was the fourth year Kearns sang at this extraordinary day of racing for Maryland-sired Thoroughbred horses, started in 1986.
Barb Jungr joins forces with the formidably talented Grammy and two-time Emmy Award winning U.S. composer, arranger and Music Director, John McDaniel to bring their exciting '1968-Let The Sun Shine In' back to New York City for one show at Birdland on Oct. 22nd, before moving on to Chicago, St. Louis and Los Angeles before the end of the month.
Birdland will kick-off their great week of programming with week two of the "Second Annual Celebration of Ron Carter" with the Ron Carter Quartet, Capathia Jenkins & Louis Rosen 'PHENOMENAL WOMAN: The Maya Angelou Songs,' Alex Frondelli Quartet, and more!
Billy Porter won a Tony Award for his performance as Lola in Kinky Boots. His other Broadway credits include Shuffle Along, Miss Saigon, Five Guys Named Moe, Grease, and Smokey Joe's Caf . Off-Broadway,
Birdland will kick-off their exciting month of programming with Dee Dee Bridgewater with the Theo Croker Quintet, Kevin Eubanks Quartet, Anita Gillette, Ron Carter's Great Big Band, Quartet and Golden Striker Trio, Alan Broadbent Trio, Capathia Jenkins & Louis Rosen, Jay Leonhart, Pasquale Grasso Trio, Ken Peplowski with Special Guest Sinne Eeg, Jim Caruso's Cast Party, and more!
