Judy Garland News

It's been almost a decade since the Pittsburgh-born Billy Porter released a solo album, and since then much has changed for the award-winning artist, who grew up singing in the Pentecostal church. Perhaps best known for his Tony Award-winning role as 'Lola' in the hit Broadway musical Kinky Boots, Porter's musical background is based in gospel, soul and R&B. He released his first solo album, Untitled, on A&M Records, and a second album, At The Corner of Broadway + Soul, on Sh-K-Boom Records. Today, April 15, 2014, Porter releases his debut on Concord Records, Billy's Back on Broadway.

JSP Records is proud to announce that it will be releasing a 5-CD box set devoted to Judy Garland, entitled JUDY GARLAND: THE GARLAND VARIATIONS - SONGS SHE RECORDED MORE THAN ONCE, in late 2014 or early 2015.

We chat with skilled actress and star of The Arvada Center's END OF THE RAINBOW on her vast Broadway background and her thoughts on all things Judy!

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre, the acclaimed comedy/variety show, will continue its engagement at JOE'S PUB at The Public Theater on Sunday, April 20 at 7:00 PM with a celebration of the lauded actor, writer and director John Cameron Mitchell just in time for the Broadway debut of his celebrated musical Hedwig and the Angry Inch. After a highly-successful season at 54 Below, The Meeting* has returned to its downtown roots this year with shows through May. The Meeting* has been called 'delicious and delightfully droll' by The New York Post, and 'hilarious and sardonic' by The Village Voice. A recent story for Slate.com called the evening 'so deliciously icy that it left me shivering with fear and delight.' The April show will feature special guests Justin Vivian Bond (Tony Award nominated entertainer), Angela DiCarlo (Mad World of Miss Hathaway), Scott Matthew (Shortbus), Marty Thomas (Xanadu), Sven Ratzke (Hedwig in Berlin), Paul Dawson & PJ DeBoy (Shortbus), Shane Shane (La MaMa) and Derek Smith (Dixon Place). Tracy Stark serves as Music Director.

The clocking is ticking in this extended & explosive trailer for the return of 24. The series premieres on May 5th ( 9:00-10:00 PM ET/PT) on FOX.

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre, the acclaimed comedy/variety show, will make its premiere performance at THE BOOTLEG THEATER tonight, April 11 at 8:00 PM in conjunction with the Tingel Tangel Club.

Refresh you musical memory with a selection of classic melodies when The Society for the Preservation of Music Hall (SPMH) presents That's Entertainment with the Mighty Wurlitzer at Cincinnati's Music Hall on Thursday, May 15 at 10:30 AM and 7:00 PM. The popular theatre organ concert series is presented in cooperation with the Ohio Valley Chapter of the American Organ Society.

The Wallis Center for the Performing Arts presents Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life for 19 performances only from May 9 - 24, 2014 in the Bram Goldsmith Theater. Maurice Hines, a Tony Award nominee, is a celebrated dancer, choreographer, director, and singer, whose impressive career spans over 40 years. Directed by Tony Award nominee Jeff Calhoun (Broadway's Newsies and Grey Gardens), Maurice Hines is Tappin' Thru Life features D.C.'s dynamic tap-dancing duo, the Manzari Brothers, as well as the all-female, nine-piece big band, The Diva Jazz Orchestra.

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre, the acclaimed comedy/variety show, will make its premiere performance at THE BOOTLEG THEATER on Friday, April 11 at 8:00 PM in conjunction with the Tingel Tangel Club. After extended runs at 54 Below and Joe's Pub in New York, the show will make its Los Angeles debut with this show. The Meeting* has been called 'delicious and delightfully droll' by The New York Post, and 'hilarious and sardonic' by The Village Voice. A recent story for Slate.com called the evening 'so deliciously icy that it left me shivering with fear and delight.' The show will feature Frank DeCaro as special guest along with the previously-announced Jeff Hiller and Ryan O'Connor.

The beloved Bay Area cabaret singer Wesla Whitfield, joined by her husband, pianist and arranger Mike Greensill and John Wiitala on bass, will debut their new show, Who Cares (What Banks Fail in Yonkers!), at Feinstein's at the Nikko for two-performances only - Thursday, May 8 (8 p.m.) and Friday, May 9 (8 p.m.). The challenges of the world can make it tough to keep a smile in place. Let Wesla and Mike's new show take you on a delightful journey through the Great American Songbook that will re-unite you with your hopes and dreams. Tickets for Wesla Whitfield range in price from $30 - $45 and are on-sale now and available by calling 866.663.1063 or visiting www.ticketweb.com.

The Boy Sonata, a solo storytelling work in 5 parts, written and performed by Justin Sayre will be debut the Wild Project (195 East 3rd Street) on April 24th and 25th at 8pm.

Today we continue BroadwayWorld's newest column celebrating the classic clips from yesteryear featuring our favorite classic stage and screen stars with a spotlight on a legendary movie musical leading man and Broadway icon byway of the hit later-in-life revue SUGAR BABIES, Mickey Rooney.

What truly impressed me about this show and Judy's demise were the layers involved in her downward spiral and elevating this play with the absolutely stunning musical numbers.

Luminato Festival is thrilled to present the world premiere of IF I LOVED YOU: Gentlemen Prefer Broadway - An Evening Of Love Duets, conceived by composer, singer and songwriter Rufus Wainwright, for one night only on Saturday, June 14 at the Sony Centre For The Performing Arts.

Today the Smithsonian's National Portrait Gallery has installed a photograph of American entertainer Mickey Rooney with frequent co-star Judy Garland. The photograph was created by Harold E. Edgerton in 1939. It will be on view in a first-floor space that is designated for remembrance of recently deceased people represented in the museum's collection.

92Y presents an evening with the cast and creative team behind the best-reviewed show of the season, A Gentleman's Guide to Love & Murder. Robert L. Freedman (book/lyrics) and Steven Lutvak (music/lyrics) discuss the production's ten-year journey to Broadway, with performances from cast members Jefferson Mays, Bryce Pinkham, Lisa O'Hare, and Lauren Worsham on Sunday, May 11 at 8 pm. The original cast album is released today on Ghostlight Records.

Warner Bros. Home Entertainment (WBHE) has announced that six of their classic films with upcoming tent-pole Blu-ray anniversary and special editions will be featured at the 2014 TCM Classic Film Festival from April 10-13 in Hollywood.

Today, stars of stage and screen reacted to the passing of the stage and screen legend

According to TMZ, Mickey Rooney, who spent nearly his entire life in the show business, died today at 93, after being in ill health for quite some time. He appeared on Broadway in Sugar Babies (opposite fellow MGM legend Ann Miller) and The Will Rogers Follies.