Jule Styne News

Broadway actress Michele Ragusa (Young Frankenstein, Urinetown, Ragtime) is no stranger to taking on major roles in the world of musical theater as she did when she took over for Megan Mullally in Young Frankenstein or when she was a replacement in Urinetown covering the roles of Penny and Hope. But now, Ragusa has taken on an iconic role that not only seems to suit her, but one that critics are raving about. The role, made famous by the legendary Ethel Merman is of course Mama Rose in Gypsy. Ragusa is currently playing the 'ultimate show business mother' at The Hangar Theater (which took home 9 awards at the 2012 Broadway World Awards) through this weekend. Scroll down for a first look at her in action!

Porchlight Music Theatre is proud to announce the first production in its new series presenting the 'lost' gems of one particular year in Broadway history, 'Porchlight Revisits...' The inaugural series focuses on the year 1964 and opens with Anyone Can Whistle, book by Arthur Laurents (Gypsy, West Side Story) and music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim (Follies, Sweeney Todd), starring Rebecca Finnegan, with direction by Christopher Pazdernik and music direction by Aaron Benham. Presented for one night only, Anyone Can Whistle plays Wednesday, Sept. 25 at 8 p.m.

Cape May Stage, South Jersey's premier Equity theatre, is thrilled to welcome Broadway, television and film star, Anita Gillette, in her one-woman show, 'After All...' With more than 50 years of performing and entertaining audiences worldwide, this is - unbelievably - her first one-woman show. Join this legend on Monday, August 5 at 8 p.m.

Full casting and creatives have been announced for LITTLE ME, with Music: Cy Coleman, Lyrics: Carolyn Leigh and Book: Neil Simon, in its first London revival in over 20 years. Meet the cast below!

Robyn Spangler returns to Palm Desert's Arthur Newman Theatre with 'Riddle, Ronstadt & Robyn' today, July 14th at 2 PM.

Everything's coming up roses July 17, as Maine State Music Theatre continues its 55th season of professional musical theater at the Pickard Theater on the Bowdoin campus in Brunswick, Maine with the smash musical fable, Gypsy. Scroll down for a sneak peek at Mama Rose and Gypsy Rose Lee!

About halfway through Jim Brochu's Saturday, June 29 performance at the Metropolitan Room of his new show Character Man, I realized I was witnessing what was probably the best cabaret show I'd seen this year, and perhaps was one of the best in my almost three years of reviewing cabaret. By the time the show ended, I had changed my mind. Not because the show fell apart in the second half, but because what Jim Brochu had created (and is opening tonight at the Broward Stage Door Theatre in Coral Springs, Florida, where it will be performed until August 11) was more than a cabaret show. Character Man is a delightful, extremely well-crafted Off-Broadway theater piece that is destined for a run that might rival his critically-acclaimed one-man Zero Mostel tribute show, Zero Hour, which played throughout the country between 2006-2012 and earned Brochu 2010 Drama Desk and Helen Hayes Awards.

Novato Theater Company opens its new season in its brand-new venue with a smashing historical drama, James Goldman's The Lion in Winter, a play full of plots, counterplots and unforgettable characters. Lion is directed by award-winning director Kris Neely and features Craig Christiansen as King Henry II of England and Maxine Sattizahn as Eleanor of Aquitaine. Assistant Director is Michael Walraven. NTC Executive Producer is Janelle Ponte.

Today Jeanne Pratt AC, Chairman of The Production Company, announces her company's new season.

Sugar, a hilarious Tony-nominated musical comedy based on the classic film Some Like It Hot, is the next show in the 2013 Music Circus season, at the Wells Fargo Pavilion from July 23 - 28. Like the 1959 film starring Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis and Jack Lemmon, Sugar follows the hysterical antics of two male musicians, disguised as women in an all-female band, as they experience a series of mishaps while fleeing from the mob. The brassy score is by Jule Styne(music) and Bob Merrill (lyrics), composers of the hit musical Funny Girl.

Five Towns College is honoring entertainment luminaries for their Contributions to the World of Entertainment by naming four schools, three centers, a theater and a new graduate library after them. The naming dedications are: John Lennon Music & Technology Center, Charles Strouse School of Music, Jule Styne School of Theatre, Maury Yeston School of Education, Stewart F. Lane School of Business, Frank Loesser College Theater, Ervin Drake Popular Music Center, Stanley Cohen College Library, Barbara Siman Dance Center, Richard Hayman Graduate Library and the Nederlander Worldwide Production Center. Scroll down for photos from last month's dedication ceremony!

Theo Ubique Cabaret Theatre's hit cabaret of over 30 songs by songwriter Cole Porter will be extended for an additional six weeks, running the rest of the summer. Artistic Director Fred Anzevino announced the extension on Tuesday, July 2.

The Madison Recreation Department and Playwrights Theatre present SIDE BY SIDE BY SONDHEIM a musical entertainment, music and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, and music by Leonard Bernstein, Mary Rodgers, Richard Rodgers, Jule Styne, continuity by Ned Sherrin, produced on Broadway by Harold Prince in association with Ruth Mitchell.

Richard Eyre will direct the world premiere of Stephen Ward, opening in the West End later this year. Tickets go on sale on 28 June 2013 for the production which will preview at the Aldwych Theatre from 3 December 2013 with press night on 19 December 2013 and is currently booking to 1 March 2014.

Robyn Spangler returns to Palm Desert's Arthur Newman Theatre with 'Riddle, Ronstadt & Robyn' on July 14th at 2 PM.

Broadway stars headed uptown to enhance a museum exhibit with similarly themed songs from Broadway.

Can't get enough of Patti LuPone? A documentary following the legendary performer has just been released on Youtube, titled 'Entrances, Exits, and Everything In Between.' Creator Josh Johnston writes: 'What she and I have collaborated on is our effort to show aspiring performers and fans of the arts what it's like in the shoes of a veteran of the craft: everything from the Sunset lows to the Rainbow Highs of performing, Patti LuPone has seen and lived it all.' Check out the fifth episode below!

Scot Albertson (Vocalist - Performer - Producer - Recording Artist) - www.scotalbertson.com) announces his sixth CD release concert, set for tonight June 17, 2013 at 7:30p.m. at Symphony Space Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre, located at 2537 Broadway & West 95th Street, New York City, NY.

The divas took all the top prizes at the 2013 Tony Awards, from Cyndi Lauper and Billy Porter (as Lola) of KINKY BOOTS through to Best Directors Diane Paulus and Pam McKinnon to Cicely Tyson, Patina Miller, Judith Light and Andrea Martin in the acting categories to Caroline O'Connor of A CHRISTMAS STORY to MATILDA, CINDERELLA, and beyond in smashing performances. Polished, practiced, poised and primed to deliver, the show was a splendid showcase for Broadway today, fabulously decked out to the nines (and over-elevens).

Celebrating the launch of her new solo album, 'ALL THIS HAPPINESS', on PS Classics, Judy Kuhn is making her debut at 54 Below, (254 W. 54th Street between Broadway & 8th Avenue) in, 'ALL THIS HAPPINESS' tonight, June 10th and Wednesday, June 12th at 7:00 p.m., featuring Dan Lipton, Musical Director, cellist Peter Sachon and percussionist Damien Bassman. The show will include songs from the new CD as well as some of her other favorites.