Judy Garland News

HOW TO SUCCEED star Tammy Blanchard has booked a three episode arc on THE BIG C, a dark comedy series on Showtime.

In this clip from The Rosie Show on OWN, Liza Minnelli remembers Michael Jackson, Whitney Houston and Elizabeth Taylor and talks about how she may have been better prepared for stardom.

Tony Award winner Liza Minnelli will perform at The Stamford Center for the Arts and Palace Theatre's 3rd Annual Palace Gala on Friday, March 30 at 8pm. She will also be honored with the Arts Legacy Award. In addition, Widland and Moira K. Lyons will be presented with the Arts Ovation Award.

The 23rd Annual GLAAD Media Awards will be held in New York City at the Marriott Marquis Hotel on Saturday, March 24. SMASH producers Neil Meron and Craig Zadan will be honored with the Vito Russo Award.

Steppenwolf Theatre Company adds five additional performances to the acclaimed, sold-out production of Ike Holter's Hit the Wall, directed by Eric Hoff, presented by The Inconvenience.

It is a rare enough occurrence for a genuine born and bred Broadway star to emerge post-millennium, but one as astonishingly versatile as Raul Esparza, having scored accolades since his blazing debut in a string of hit plays and musicals, ranging from Mamet and Sondheim and Pinter to CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG and his aforementioned Broadway bow in THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW, is a downright cause for celebration. Esparza makes his grand return to the Broadway stage in a musical with his upcoming starring role in Alan Menken & Glenn Slater's adaptation of the Steve Martin film LEAP OF FAITH, featuring a country and gospel influenced score and a spirited, energetic production by Christopher Ashley (who, incidentally, helmed Esparza's first Broadway show, ROCKY HORROR). While Esparza has been seen in many - most, if not quite all - Broadway seasons in the decade since 2001, he has also scored in leading roles in regional productions such as 2002's spectacular SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE and MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG revivals, part of the unprecedented Sondheim Celebration, as well as the Cincinnati Playhouse COMPANY, directed by John Doyle, which transferred to Broadway and was subsequently preserved on DVD and Blu-ray, in addition to being presented on PBS as part of Great Performances. Besides Esparza's many notable musical revival performances (lest we forget his essaying of the Emcee in CABARET), he also created the Broadway iterations of his roles in the controversial and brilliantly scored TABOO, produced by Rosie O'Donnell and composed by Boy George, as well as the stage adaptation of the hit family classic CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, as well as originating the lead role in TICK, TICK...BOOM! Having played three of Sondheim's most memorable male roles was not enough, though, apparently, for Esparza recently took on the part of the hapless Hapgood in Sondheim's ANYONE CAN WHISTLE when it was revived at City Center's Encores! - with Tony-winners Donna Murphy and Sutton Foster his co-stars, no less - with much success. Yet, in one of a myriad of examples of the broad spectrum of Esparza's abilities, it is instructive to remember he first made a name for himself with the role of Che in an Andrew Lloyd Webber & Tim Rice show, directed by no less than the ultimate man of the theatre himself, Harold Prince - EVITA, which, of course, is being revived this season with Ricky Martin in the role of Che. Besides Esparza's many musical roles throughout the past decade and prior, he has also carved out a seriously impressive straight drama resume, having appeared in plays by the great playwrights of our age, such as Pinter (THE HOMECOMING), Mamet (SPEED-THE-PLOW), Stoppard (ARCADIA) and, the greatest of all, Shakespeare (AS YOU LIKE IT, part of Shakespeare In The Park). ROCKY HORROR to ARCADIA to, now, with LEAP OF FAITH, Esparza constantly and consistently surprises fans and audiences alike with his audacious choice in roles and electrifying performances that are indelibly enjoyable in their uniqueness, variety and sheer breadth of emotion - time and time again. Yes, indeed, Raul Esparza is the best of the best Broadway has to offer, so let us hope LEAP OF FAITH is the ideal star vehicle for one of the most charismatic and multi-talented leading men of the 21st century and that it brings him his well-deserved Best Actor Tony at last.

'Judy and Liza Together Again', starring internationally acclaimed entertainers Rick Skye and Tommy Femia, nominated as 'BEST DUO' this year by the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC), has been extended again at Don't Tell Mama's (343 West 46th Street). Teaming up for an evening of 'Just POW!', these MAC and Bistro Award winning performers (Best Impersonation) pull out all the stops, singing classic solo's, parodies, duets and just plain whooping and hollering by the greatest mother/daughter team in show biz history. The gaiety continues bi-monthly with performances on: March 10th, March 24th, April 14th, April 28th, May 12th, 26th, June 23rd and June 30th at 8:30pm.

The musical review was created by David Grapes (the former artistic director of Tennessee Repertory Theatre), with musical arrangements and medleys by Andrew Philip Herron, and traces the careers of Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney from early on, as the two made their way to Hollywood and became America's Sweethearts, through their sensational careers both in Hollywood and on Broadway.

Opening Wednesday, March 7, 2012, and playing through March 31, ArtsWest presents THE RISE AND FALL OF LITTLE VOICE. Winner of the Laurence Olivier and Evening Standard Awards for "Best New Comedy," when it first appeared in London in 1992, THE RISE AND FALL OF LITTLE VOICE is written by British playwright, Jim Cartwright.

Nick Jonas, star of HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING on Broadway invites fans to help support Stop Diabetes, the American Diabetes Association's movement to end the devastating toll diabetes takes on millions of individuals and families, by purchasing Broadway show tickets through Givenik.com. Check out what he has to say about the cause in the video below!

Steppenwolf Theatre Company extends the acclaimed, sold-out production of Ike Holter's Hit the Wall, directed by Eric Hoff, presented by The Inconvenience, for five additional performances. The ensemble cast of ten remains intact, with one change: the role of Roberta-originally played by Shannon Matesky-will be played by Daeshawna Cook for the added performances.

Actress/singer/comedienne Kaye Ballard remains one of the great living legends of stage, screen and television. She did comedy and sang with bandleader Spike Jones. She was the costar of TV's The Mothers-In-Law and The Doris Day Show, and the very funny film The Ritz among many others and too many Broadway musicals and road shows to mention. This lady brings mirth and goodwill wherever she appears. Animals are close to her heart, so it is no wonder that she, Lee Roy Reams and Liliane Montevecchi are mounting Doin' It For Love, for two nights only at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre March 9 and 10 to benefit PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals). In our chat she talks about PETA, her love of animals and offers choice bits about her accomplishments and costars.

'Judy and Liza Together Again', starring internationally acclaimed entertainers Rick Skye and Tommy Femia, nominated as 'BEST DUO' this year by the Manhattan Association of Cabarets and Clubs (MAC), has been extended again at Don't Tell Mama's (343 West 46th Street). Teaming up for an evening of 'Just POW!', these MAC and Bistro Award winning performers (Best Impersonation) pull out all the stops, singing classic solo's, parodies, duets and just plain whooping and hollering by the greatest mother/daughter team in show biz history. The gaiety continues bi-monthly with performances on: March 10th, March 24th, April 14th, April 28th, May 12th, 26th, June 23rd and June 30th at 8:30pm.

The RRazz Room, San Francisco's premier nightclub announces upcoming performances for January, February, and March.

The Meeting* hosted by Justin Sayre will present their newest edition on Thursday, March 15 at 9:30 PM. The Meeting* - the monthly gathering of the I.O.S. (International Order of Sodomites) - is a gay romp through politics (sexual and otherwise), social news, music, comedy skits, and other important life-changing information.

Mario Cantone is set to perform at the Ridgefield Playhouse for a night of stand up comedy, music and more on March 2nd.

Emmy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Tammy Blanchard will star opposite Kristin Davis in the original Lifetime TV movie "Of Two Minds." Blanchard plays Davis' younger sister who is dealing with schizophrenia. "Of Two Minds" premieres on Lifetime network on Saturday, March 10, at 8pm.

The Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs (MAC) has announced the nominees for the 26th Annual MAC Awards. The winners will be announced live at the MAC Awards Show on Thursday, March 29th, at the world-famous B.B. King Blues Club & Grill.

Emmy Award winner and Tony Award nominee Tammy Blanchard will star opposite Kristin Davis in the original Lifetime TV movie "Of Two Minds." Blanchard plays Davis' younger sister who is dealing with schizophrenia. "Of Two Minds" premieres on Lifetime network on Saturday, March 10, at 8pm.

Opening Wednesday, March 7, 2012, and playing through March 31, ArtsWest presents THE RISE AND FALL OF LITTLE VOICE. Winner of the Laurence Olivier and Evening Standard Awards for "Best New Comedy," when it first appeared in London in 1992, THE RISE AND FALL OF LITTLE VOICE is written by British playwright, Jim Cartwright.