Judy Garland News

Two-time Tony Award winner Sutton Foster, Colin Donnell, Alexander Gemignani, and Tony Award nominee Joshua Henry star in Violet with Ben Davis, Annie Golden, Emerson Steele, Austin Lesch,Anastacia McCleskey, Charlie Pollock, Jacob Keith Watson, Rema Webb and Virginia Ann Woodruff. Violet officially opens on April 20, 2014 at the American Airlines Theatre on Broadway (227 West 42nd Street) for a 20-week limited engagement.

In the late '70s, Vivian Reed captured a Tony Award nomination and won a Drama Desk Award for her work in the Broadway musical Bubbling Brown Sugar, and although Reed has delivered some critically-acclaimed work in the many years since (a Tony nomination for the 1992 musical The High Rollers Social and Pleasure Club and a star turn in the revue Three Mo' Divas), during the last decade she had gone and stayed away too long, mainly to take care of her ailing mother. Last November, she dipped a toe in the New York nightclub waters, producing a one-night show at 54 Below that was highly praised and offered hints of great things to come. But this past Monday night—the first of what will ultimately be a four-show run of “An Evening With Vivian Reed” (the next three dates are April 14, May 20 and June 19)—this performing powerhouse established her return in earnest. With Reed's still expressive voice tackling musical genres ranging from R & B to Jazz to Great American Songbook standards to Gospel (even a dash of Opera), her electric and passionate show was cabaret/nightclub performing as revival meeting in more ways than one. Reed is not only reviving her singing career, she is inspiring impassioned converts at the same time.

Today, BroadwayWorld is thrilled to kick off a brand new weekly column celebrating some classic celluloid moments from theatre history - whether culled from TV, film, vintage footage or even more obscure sources - with a very special focus on the best and brightest stars of yesteryear, thusly titled THEATRICAL THROWBACK THURSDAY!

When the host requested a sampling from the concert, Chenoweth happily obliged by belting out the Judy Garland classic, 'Somewhere Over the Rainbow.'

Good Theater has announced the world premiere of Stephen Underwood's UNDERWATERGUY playing April 2-13 for twelve performances at the St. Lawrence Arts Center, 76 Congress Street, Portland. For tickets and more information contact Good Theater at 207-885-5883 or go to www.goodtheater.com .

Diversionary Theatre and Martinis Above Fourth | Table & Stage in beautiful Hillcrest are excited to announce a new collaboration in 2014, presenting for the first time ever performances of Diversionary's adventurous Cabaret series in San Diego's premier Dinner Theatre!

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre, the acclaimed comedy/variety show, will make its premiere performance at THE RRAZZ ROOM on Thursday, April 17 at 8:00 PM. After extended runs at 54 Below and Joe's Pub in New York, the show will make its Pennsylvania 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 special guests Colleen McHugh.

The Arvada Center is making a bold move with its current main-stage production. The regional premiere of END OF THE RAINBOW follows Judy Garland during a six week run in London six months before her tragic death. While it includes many of Judy's actual arrangements of some of her most loved songs, it isn't a musical. It is a play with music. This week, 'In Focus' host Eden Lane takes viewers behind the scenes for some of the early rehearsals to meet the creative team and the cast. Click below!

Justin Sayre and The Meeting* - known for a signature blend of outrageous comedy, politics, culture and everything in between - were named among the Top nightclub shows of 2013 by Time Out New York, and received the 2012 Bistro Award for 'Comedy Artistry' and a 2011 MAC Award nomination for Best Male Comedy Performance. Each month, the I.O.S gathers to honor an artist or a cultural work that is iconic to the gay community. Justin Sayre, the show's creator, writer and host, serves as the Chairman of the Board of the International Order of Sodomites and brings his singular wit to essential business of the day through such regular features such as 'Letters to the Chairman' and 'New Rulings from the Board.'

Today we are talking to a multi-talented creative force who has had a hand in crafting a wide range of memorable and vivid characters over the course of his career as both a screenwriter and a director - the earnest and energetic Richard LaGravenese. Detailing the finer points of his forthcoming stage-to-screen iteration of Jason Robert Brown's beloved cult musical THE LAST FIVE YEARS starring Anna Kendrick and Jeremy Jordan, LaGravenese traces the development of the project from his earliest inspiration through to the final finished film, now awaiting distribution. Additionally, LaGravenese opens up about the casting process and reformatting of the piece for the cinematic medium, as well as previews some of the standout moments we can anticipate when the film is finally released - musical, dramatic, stylistic and otherwise. Besides all about THE LAST FIVE YEARS, LaGravenese also discusses his screenplay for the recent rapturously-received HBO Liberace biopic Behind the Candelabra and reacts to its international success, as well as shares thoughts on the cast and the script as it was realized on film by director Steven Soderbergh. Plus, LaGravenese offers us the exclusive 411 on his upcoming currently untitled CW TV series, directed by Taylor Hackford, and sheds some light on his contributions to Angelina Jole's new film UNBROKEN, as well as previews his forthcoming WE TV project coming up later this year, too. All of that, a look back at P.S. I LOVE YOU and more in this expansive conversation with a noted modern entertainment master.

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 to be announced.

Bay Area Cabaret concludes its Tenth Anniversary Season by presenting the award winning Karen Mason in her new show, 'SECRET OF THE ANCIENT DIVAS.' A performer who has mastered both playing starring roles on the Broadway stage as well as projecting her own presence in intimate cabaret settings, Ms. Mason now comes to San Francisco for a performance in homage to her personal idols, including iconic singers Judy Garland, Barbara Streisand, and Peggy Lee. Ms. Mason will perform at the historic Venetian Room of The Fairmont San Francisco, 5pm, Sunday, May 18, 2014.

Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC) will celebrate its annual Gala tonight, March 27, 2014 at BB King's Blues Club in Times Square, hosted by the vivacious singer, band leader, and multiple MAC Award winner, Terese Genecco. The gala will be produced by Julie Miller and directed by Lennie Watts, the current MAC President.

Walnut Street Theatre's 2013-2014 Independence Studio on 3 season continues with the Olivier Award-winner for Best Comedy, THE RISE AND FALL OF LITTLE VOICE. Written by Jim Cartwright, and directed by Dan Olmstead, the production opens tomorrow, March 27th and continues through April 13th in the Walnut's Independence Studio on 3. Show times are Tuesdays-Sunday evenings at 7:30pm and Saturday and Sunday matinees at 2:30pm. Scroll down to see some photos from the production!

Award-winning biographical musical rollercaster, Somewhere Under The Rainbow: The Liza Minnelli Story, is to get it's eagerly awaited London premiere at the Landor Theatre from Monday 12 - Saturday 17 May.

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. On April 15, 2014, Porter releases his debut on Concord Records, Billy's Back on Broadway. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you an exclusive first listen to the album's featured track 'I'm Not My Father's Son' from KINKY BOOTS!

Internationally renowned Wizard of Oz and Judy Garland expert John Fricke will visit Oakland University for a lively and engaging talk from 7-9 p.m. on Tuesday, April 1 in Oakland Center Banquet Room A. The author, entertainer and historian has written several books on the iconic film and actress, including 'The Wonderful World of Oz: An Illustrated History of the American Classic,' released in 2013.

The Arvada Center will open the regional premiere of End of the Rainbow directed by Rod A. Lansberry today, March 25 running through April 13 in the Main Stage Theater.