John McDaniel News

Upright Cabaret producers/hosts Chris Isaacson and Shane Scheel proudly present Broadway star and Los Angeles native Eden Espinosa in her first solo effort entitled EDEN ESPINOSA - ME to be directed by Broadway & recording star Billy Porter with Ben Toth taking over Music Direction. During the last month of Wicked's run at the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles, where she is currently starring as Elphaba, Espinosa will take off the green to perform four solo concerts which will feature a different special guest each night. Special guests T.B.A.

A Benefit Concert will take place tonight, Monday, December 8th, at the Hudson Mainstage Theatre in Hollywood. The concert will benefit the Musical Theatre of Los Angeles. The event will feature selections from this past season of shows: Chicago (nominated for two Ovation Awards), The Last Five Years, Ragtime, West Side Story, plus Les Miserables. Eden Espinosa of Wicked will make a special appearance, singing a song from RENT.

A Benefit Concert will take place next Monday night, December 8th, at the Hudson Mainstage Theatre in Hollywood. The concert will benefit the Musical Theatre of Los Angeles. The event will feature selections from this past season of shows: Chicago (nominated for two Ovation Awards), The Last Five Years, Ragtime, West Side Story, plus Les Miserables. Eden Espinosa of Wicked will make a special appearance, singing a song from RENT.

Eden Espinosa, star of WICKED (currently at the Pantages Theater in Los Angeles) makes her solo debut directed by Billy Porter at L.A.'s renowned Upright Cabaret at Mark's Restaurant, 861 N. La Cienega Blvd., West Hollywood, CA 90069. She will perform Monday evenings, Mon, Dec 15, 22, 29, 2008 and Jan 5, 2009 at 9pm

This February, THE STORY OF MY LIFE, a new musical comes to Broadway. Starring Will Chase (Rent, Aida, The Full Monty) and Tony Award nominee Malcolm Gets (Amour, Merrily We Roll Along, 'Caroline in the City'), the show is directed by Tony Award winner Richard Maltby, Jr. (Ain't Misbehavin', Song & Dance), THE STORY OF MY LIFE features a score by Neil Bartram and a book by Brian Hill. Performances begin Tuesday, February 3rd on Broadway at The Booth Theatre (222 West 45th Street). Opening night is Thursday, February 19th at 7:30PM.

Billy Porter returns to Joe's Pub for an evening of song, featuring new American Broadway standards, gospel, and soulful originals.

Eden Espinosa and Megan Hilty, who originated the roles of Elphaba and Glinda in the Los Angeles production of WICKED, return to the production on Friday, October 31, through the end of the engagement at the Pantages Theatre.

Bob Boyett, Nice Productions, Inc., McCoy Rigby Entertainment, CBS Corporation, Tom Miller and La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts are thrilled to present the second production of La Mirada Theatre's 2008-2009 season of shows, the launch of the national tour of HAPPY DAYS -A New Musical, book by Garry Marshall, music and lyrics by Paul Williams, directed by Gordon Greenberg, Music Arrangement and Music Supervision by John McDaniel and Choreographed by Michele Lynch. HAPPY DAYS - A New Musical will begin performances on Friday, October 31 (with a press opening on Saturday, November 1) and will run through Sunday, November 16 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue.

Goodbye gray skies, hello blue - HAPPY DAYS - A New Musical launches its national tour at La Mirada Theatre in October 2008. Based on the hit Paramount Pictures' television series, HAPPY DAYS - A New Musical reintroduces one of America's best-loved families, the Cunninghams, and the days of 1959 Milwaukee. This time capsule is complete with familiar friends: Richie, Potsie, Ralph Malph, Joanie and Chachi, Pinky Tuscadero and of course, the king of cool: Arthur 'The Fonz' Fonzarelli. Arnold's, the famed drive-in malt shop, is in danger of demolition, so the gang teams up to save it with a dance contest and TV-worthy wrestling match. Complete with varsity sweaters, hula hoops and jukebox sock-hoppin', HAPPY DAYS - A New Musical brings back the nostalgia of the '50s in a perfect family entertainment.

Eden Espinosa and Megan Hilty, who originated the roles of Elphaba and Glinda in the Los Angeles production of WICKED, return to the production on Friday, October 31, through the end of the engagement at the Pantages Theatre.

Details are coming out fast and furious about 'Rosie's Variety Show' as production ramps up. On Rosie's blog, she notes that John McDaniel will be coming aboard as Music Director along with a full orchestra.

Bob Boyett, Nice Productions, Inc., McCoy Rigby Entertainment, CBS Corporation, Tom Miller and La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts are thrilled to present the second production of La Mirada Theatre's 2008-2009 season of shows, the launch of the national tour of HAPPY DAYS -A New Musical, book by Garry Marshall, music and lyrics by Paul Williams, directed by Gordon Greenberg, Music Arrangement and Music Supervision by John McDaniel and Choreographed by Michele Lynch. HAPPY DAYS - A New Musical will begin performances on Friday, October 31 (with a press opening on Saturday, November 1) and will run through Sunday, November 16 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Boulevard in La Mirada, near the intersection of Rosecrans Avenue.

BroadwayWorld.com has learned that The Roundabout Theatre Company will be presenting a reading of the new Broadway-bound musical BONNIE & CLYDE on February 9, 2009. The show features a book by Ivan Menchell, music by Frank Wildhorn, lyrics by Don Black, direction by Jeff Calhoun and musical direction by John McDaniel.

New York's eternally boundary-pushing theater company Naked Angels (Geoffrey Nauffts, Artistic Director and Brittany O'Neill, Managing Director) has announced that it will present the Off Broadway premiere of The Talk, a new American play by Frank Pugliese, directed by Sheryl Kaller.

The swinging '60's meet Broadway when Robin and the 7 Hoods, a brand new musical comedy, opens in New York during the 2009-10 season, it was announced today by the show's producers (Bruce Charet, Dennis Mastro, Dennis Farina, Billy Campbell; Barry Brown, executive producer)

Goodspeed Musicals, the only two time Tony Award winning theatre in the country, is proud to announce the world premiere production of Jim Henson's classic holiday favorite Emmet Otter's Jug-Band Christmas, adapted for the stage. Families across Connecticut are invited to celebrate and create a new holiday tradition complimented by the beauty of the Goodspeed Opera House bedecked for the season.

Goodspeed Musicals announced today that 'Happy Days: A New Musical' will continue to play to enthusiastic audiences for 7 additional performances.

On Tuesday May 6th, 2008 the 2008 MAC Awards were announced at BB Kings.

Goodspeed Musicals, the only two time Tony Award winning theatre in the country, presents Happy Days: A New Musical. This tuneful musical comedy comes to the Goodspeed after a sold out run last summer at the Goodspeed's smaller musical performance space. The full scale musical celebration of 50's nostalgia begins April 11th and runs through June 29, 2008

The producers of Hairspray have announced that Karen Mason will join the Broadway company on Tuesday, April 8 in the role of Velma Von Tussle at Broadway's Neil Simon Theatre, 250 West 52 Street. (Mary Birdsong plays Velma through Sunday, April 6.)