Friends and colleagues including Bruce Vilanch, Valarie Pettiford, Rachel York, Rita McKenzie, Carole Cook, Thom Troupe, Kathryn Jootsen, Lily Tomlin, Florence Henderson, Donna Mills, Jackie Joseph, Channing Chase, Tippi Hedren, JoAnne Worley, Kate Linder and the Los Angeles cast of RENT among others were more than thrilled to turn out for this special engagement of 'The First 80 Years are the Hardest,' that marked Carol Channing's return to the stage after her accident last year that forced her, for the very first time in her 70 year career, to cancel all scheduled performances.
The 92nd Street Y announces final casting for the 2009 season of Lyrics & LyricistsTM, the Y's legendary American Songbook series. Linda Purl, La Tanya Hall, Johnny Rodgers and Hilary Kole join Polly Bergen, Lucie Arnaz, Tom Wopat, Marilyn Maye and more who will sing the songs of Ira Gershwin, Mel Torm? and DeSylva, Brown & Henderson. Charles Osgood returns to L&L as host, for the latter show. This is the first season curated by new series artistic director Deborah Grace Winer.
Comedian Brian Regan will be coming to the Providence Performing Arts Center on Thursday, April 16, 2009 at 7:30P. Called one of the premier comedians in the country with the perfect balance of sophisticated writing and physicality, Brian Regan fills theaters nationwide with fervent fans that span generations.
Bringing the best of the 60s to the Keswick Theatre, Jay Black, former lead singer of Jay and The Americans, and teen sensation Lesley Gore will perform their greatest hits on Saturday, March 28th.
With Jay Black as lead singer, Jay and The Americans charted a string of hits including This Magic Moment, Walkin' In The Rain, Cara Mia, Only in America, Come a Little Bit Closer and Sunday and Me, the first hit written by Neil Diamond. It was singer-songwriter Black's magnificent voice that gave the group the distinctive sound that allowed it to turn out 21 chart singles.
The Magic Castle announces a special engagement of 'The First 80 Years are the Hardest,' an intimate evening with Carol Channing on March 2nd & 3rd at 8pm. Miss Channing will be launching Cabaret at the Castle which is being developed as additional theatre space (currently boasting five theatres from the Parlour of Prestidigitation to the Palace of Mystery) in the Magic Castle's lower level, known as The Inner Circle (7001 Franklin Avenue, Hollywood, CA 90028).
The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences has confirmed that Hugh Jackman will host the 81st annual Academy Awards.The Academy said Friday that the 40-year-old Australian actor, recently named People magazine's 'Sexiest Man Alive,' will host the Oscars.
Hugh Jackman tell the Associated Press he'll be bringing plenty of nudity to this years Oscar telecast. Jackman discussed his upcoming Academy Award hosting duties saying, 'I haven't told anyone this, but we are going to do most of it naked and we're going to sing through the whole show,' the affable actor joked during an interview backstage at the Kodak Theatre. 'In fact, all the acceptance speeches are going to be sung. There will be some interpretive dance behind them, and I really think it will be beautiful and touching.'
IMDB.com and other sources are reporting that Academy Award nominee Anne Hathway is now set to be part of the opening number for this Sunday's Oscars with a 'song and dance routine' that she's been spotted rehearsing along with Hugh Jackman in preparation for Sunday's awards.
Comedy icon Joan Rivers met her fans at the Barnes & Noble at Lincoln Square, as she signed copies of her two newly published titles. BWW TV was there to spend the evening with the entertainment legend!
ABC's Barbara Walters, who interviewed Hugh Jackman for her annual Oscar-night special, says the actor's role as host of Sunday's Oscar broadcast has given him a trace of pre-show jitters. Walters revealed, 'He's nervous about it. He's never done it before!' She added, 'I said, 'What would REALLY make you nervous?' And he said, 'Looking in the front row and seeing Jack Nicholson.'
E! Online is reporting that stage and screen star (and Oscars' host) Hugh Jackman won't be the only one singing and dancing at this Sunday's Academy Awards. They report that he'll be joined on stage by stars including Beyonce, Zac Efron, Vanessa Hudgens, Amanda Seyfriend, Dominic Cooper & more.
Hugh Jackman tell the Associated Press he knows the Oscars ceremony isn't about him, but he's looking forward to enjoying it all the same. The screen and stage superstar chatted with the AP in a phone interview yesterday, Friday, February 13th, less than two weeks before the Feb. 22 ceremony which will be airing on ABC.
Super Ensemble Saves the Day: True, it's not a great musical. True, they used a television show to pick the leads for Broadway. True, you've probably seen the 1978 movie and perhaps some incarnation of the musical somewhere since its debut in 1971. True, Taylor Hicks will not appear anymore in Baltimore. So...why see this production at the Hippodrome which runs through Sunday, Feb. 15?
Sharing the stage to sing their chart topping hits, Jay Black, former lead singer of Jay and The Americans, and 60s teen idol Lou Christie come to the St. George Theatre on Saturday, May 9th.
On February 7, 2009, the Lyric Stage League presents CABARET '09: THE LEGENDARY DAYS OF LAS VEGAS, the annual fund-raising event for Lyric Stage. Marilyn Maye, fresh from her latest New York City triumph, will headline this year's gala at the beautiful Four Seasons Resort and Club. Billy Stritch, direct from his engagement with Liza Minnelli on Broadway at the Palace Theater, will accompany Ms. Maye. Call 972-594-1904 for tickets or more info.
Marilyn Maye was one of the brightest lights of television, supper clubs and the recording industry during the 1960's. She became a fixture on THE TONIGHT SHOW with Steve Allen and Johnny Carson and enjoyed a great recording career with RCA. After an absence of over 15 years, she made a triumphant return to New York City last fall.
THE NEW YORK OBSERVER's Rex Reed proclaimed 'This woman has everything. She can belt, and she can sing ballads with the kind of warmth that makes your heart smile. She has a theatrical flair that captivates and enthralls, and jazz-spiced chops that can reach notes most singers one-third her age can't even hit in their dreams. The standing ovations were unlike anything I've seen since the halcyon days of Lena Horne at the Waldorf. She's the real deal.'
February 3rd, 2009 was a very special day at the Music Box Theatre because August: Osage County celebrated its 500th performance (that's a lot of drugs, fights, fish and smashed plates!), BroadwayWorld sent in the cameras to capture all the 'family fun'! Original cast members Kimberly Guerrero, Sally Murphy, Troy West and Mariann Mayberry returned to their roles direct from their recent smash-hit limited engagement in London. And, to top things off, Tony winner Elizabeth Ashley joined the cast in the role of 'Mattie Fae'.
With the closing of The Cutting Room, legendary comedian JOAN RIVERS brings her her live stand-up act to The Lower East Side. Beginning February 3rd, Rivers presents an evening of her newest and most outrageous riffs on Hollywood, pop culture, celebrities, and award show fashions at The Slipper Room, 167 Orchard Street (on the corner of Orchard and Stanton Streets, one block below Houston -- accessible from the F&V trains at 2nd Avenue). Rivers performs live every Tuesday at 7:30pm from February 3 - 24. Tickets are $30 with a portion of the proceeds going to Joan Rivers' favorite charities: God's Love We Deliver and Guide Dogs for the Blind. For reservations call 212-352-3101 or visit www.SpinCycleNYC.com. Doors open one hour before showtime, with food and a full bar available.
August: Osage County, winner of five 2008 Tony Awards as well as the 2008 Pulitzer Prize, is proud to welcome Tony Award winner, ELIZABETH ASHLEY who joins the cast beginning Tuesday, February 3, 2009 at 7:00 pm. ASHLEY, celebrating her fifth decade on Broadway, will play the role of 'Mattie Fae Aiken.'
The New York Times has reported that Tony winner Rob Ashford will lend his talents to director Baz Luhrmann's staging for Hugh Jackman's opening number for the 81st Annual Academy Awards. The Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences announced on December 12th, 2008, that Hugh Jackman will host this year's Oscar telecast. Previous hosts have usually been TV or film comedians including Bob Hope, Johnny Carson, David Letterman, Billy Crystal, Whoopi Goldberg, Steve Martin, John Stewart, Chris Rock, Ellen DeGeneres and others
