Jule Styne News

As Sir Robin carols merrily to King Arthur in Monty Python's Spamalot, 'In any great adventure, if you don't want to lose…you won't succeed on Broadway if you don't have any Jews.' Eric Idle's cheeky lyric, which unfailingly generated knowing guffaws from Broadway audiences, proves to be more than a little grounded in truth, as BROADWAY MUSICALS: A JEWISH LEGACY convincingly attests.

The debut of 'The Phat Pack' to Las Vegas this month signified a wonderful gift to the city.

After taking Christmas Eve and Christmas Day off, Peter Pan plays through January 6th, 2013, at the Briggs Opera House in White River Junction, Vermont.

Riverside Theatre's Simply Amazing Season continues with the Broadway smash musical hit, Funny Girl. Nominated for eight Tony Awards including Best Musical Best Lead Actor and Actress and Best Original Score, the show was an immediate hit with audiences with an inspiring and beloved score including classic favorites 'Don't Rain on My Parade,' 'I'm the Greatest Star,' 'The Music That Makes Me Dance' and the iconic hit, 'People. Funny Girl performs on the Stark Stage from January 10 through 27, 2013 and is presented through the courtesy Riverside Theatre's Patron Producers.

The two-time Emmy Award winning and two-time Tony Award nominated production Cathy Rigby is PETER PAN returns to the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood for two weeks only; playing January 15 - 27, 2013. This engagement marks the first return of the production to Pantages Theatre in over 8 years.

Courtney Balan is set to star as Fanny Brice in Riverside Theatre's FUNNY GIRL, which will play the Stark Stage in Vero Beach, FL, Jan. 10-27, 2013. James Brennan directs and choregraphs the show.

Each year, the magic of the holidays fills the hearts of both the young and old. Keeping that magic alive and offering a fun family outing, Theatre Under the Stars (TUTS) is presenting Cathy Rigby in PETER PAN, which is a musical production of the play by Sir James Barrie with lyrics by Carolyn Leigh, additional lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green, music by Moose Charlap, and additional music by Jule Styne.

"For the first time in its charmed, yet pitiful, existence the New Directions has lost Sectionals," and, with that, indeed did "Christmas came early for one Sue Sylvester." As GLEE gave the gift of its inimitable takes on a number of musical theatre showstoppers - among them, songs from CHICAGO, COMPANY and HALLELUJAH, BABY - to gleeks around the world with last night aptly-titled "Swan Song" episode, the Lima-based glee club that now and always acts as the focal point of the show faced perhaps its most treacherous hurdle yet - and that's not even including Sue's evil shenanigans. In NYC, the temperature rose in much the same way that it actually unseasonably happened to do in Gothan itself this week with a spectacularly sexy "All That Jazz" and some seriously stage-worthy barn-burners courtesy of "Being Good Isn't Good Enough" - recently re-introduced to the world at large by no less than Barbra Streisand in her landmark 2012 tour (as well as on her recently released cut-out compilation RELEASE ME) - and COMPANY classic "Being Alive". While next week is sure to provide all the holiday cheer a show named GLEE could possibly muster - which is a whole lot - this week's "Swan Song" reminded us why GLEE connects and continues to express an all-too-rarely explored, expressed and enacted trope of those who are involved with the performing arts: competition inspires greater dedication.

Giselle Wolf Journeys: A Celebration has been invited back for a Special Return Engagement at the Metropolitan Room, 34 West 22nd Street, NYC for the New Year. The additional performances are: Thursday, January 17th & Friday, January 18th as well as Sunday, February 3rd and Monday, February 4th, 2013 at 9:30 pm. The musical direction and arrangements for the trio are by Ron Abel, and it is directed and developed with Karen Ludwig

How can Kritzerland make a Christmas show unusual and different? Well, you can either be exceedingly solemn and point the show in the 'Silent Night' direction, or pull out all the stops and run with the comedy. Kritzerland shows have one thing in common: they are never a drag. Bruce Kimmel sees to that whether Guy Haines is a guest or not. Solemn music? No, not in Kritzerland's nature! Fun, yes, always, as Kimmel's personality and anecdotes are full of the demon and amusingly interesting trivia about Broadway show tunes and Hollywood movie music. On Sunday December 2, at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal, Kimmel and his fine singers: Dan Callaway, Damon Kirsche, Emma Degerstedt, Lisa Livesay, Jane Noseworthy, and Jenna Rosen with very special guest star Bill Hayes, a 40 year veteran of Days of Our Lives, were on hand to present and celebrate Broadway, film and rock/pop holiday cheer. Lloyd Cooper served as musical director/accompanist extraordinaire throughout the 90-minute set that made up Kritzerland Records' Christmas with a Little Bit of Hannukah and a Lot of Cheer.

Lyrics of two beloved songs from Peter Pan, with paintings by Amy June Bates, are transformed into a magical picture book sure to enchant the musical's legions of new and returning fans. Acclaimed songwriters Betty Comden, Adolph Green and Carolyn Leigh know a thing or two about crafting songs that touch hearts and imaginations and endure for generations. They hit one of their many pinnacles with this pair of lovely odes to "a place where dreams are born" and the joys of flying--whether over a sleeping city or inside one's very own bedroom.

As Sir Robin carols merrily to King Arthur in Monty Python's Spamalot, 'In any great adventure, if you don't want to lose...you won't succeed on Broadway if you don't have any Jews.'

As Sir Robin carols merrily to King Arthur in Monty Python's Spamalot, 'In any great adventure, if you don't want to lose…you won't succeed on Broadway if you don't have any Jews.' Eric Idle's cheeky lyric, which unfailingly generated knowing guffaws from Broadway audiences, proves to be more than a little grounded in truth, as BROADWAY MUSICALS: A JEWISH LEGACY convincingly attests.

Today in 1991, the second Broadway revival of Peter Pan opened at the MInskoff Theatre, where it ran for 48 performances. Peter Pan is a musical adaptation of J. M. Barrie's 1904 play Peter Pan and Barrie's own novelization of it, Peter and Wendy. The music is mostly by Mark 'Moose' Charlap, with additional music by Jule Styne, and most of the lyrics were written by Carolyn Leigh, with additional lyrics by Betty Comden and Adolph Green. The original 1954 Broadway production, starring Mary Martin as Peter and Cyril Ritchard as Captain Hook, earned Tony Awards for both stars.

The classic story of 'Peter Pan' has aged well, as has its star, the legendary Cathy Rigby, who took her first trip to Never Land in 1990 and was nominated for a Tony for Best Leading Actress in a Musical for her efforts. Playing a limited engagement now through November 25, 'Cathy Rigby is Peter Pan,' shimmers with fairy dust, magic and wonder.

The Warner Archive Collection (WAC) - the Warner Bros. Digital Distribution (WBDD) division dedicated to releasing on DVD previously unavailable films and television shows - today announced the launch of its first Blu-ray titles. The two titles, Deathtrap and Gypsy, will debut today, November 20. Beginning in February 2013, WAC expects to release a minimum of one to two Blu-ray titles per month. Future titles include The Hudsucker Proxy and Fearless.

Dedicated to enhancing the theater-going experience, 'Hodges and Hodges' act as your very own dramaturges, theatre critics and local tour guides so that you can fully immerse yourself in the show - even before you enter the actual theater. It's nothing you couldn't look up yourself - but why bother when they've already done the research for you? So, sit back and enjoy the trip and get ready for the full-on Never Never Land experience of 'Peter Pan!'

Dedicated to enhancing the theater-going experience, 'Hodges and Hodges' act as your very own dramaturges, theatre critics and local tour guides so that you can fully immerse yourself in the show - even before you enter the actual theater. It's nothing you couldn't look up yourself - but why bother when they've already done the research for you? So, sit back and enjoy the trip and get ready for the full-on Never Never Land experience of 'Peter Pan!'

New Christmas CD: JASON PAUL CURTIS "Lovers Holiday" is set for release today, November 16, 2012. Featuring JASON PAUL CURTIS on vocals and the 'Swinglab', with John Dahlman on bass, Woody Hume on drums and Ray Mabalot on piano.

The Warner Archive Collection (WAC) - the Warner Bros. Digital Distribution (WBDD) division dedicated to releasing on DVD previously unavailable films and television shows - today announced the launch of its first Blu-ray titles. The two titles, Deathtrap and Gypsy, will debut on November 20. Beginning in February 2013, WAC expects to release a minimum of one to two Blu-ray titles per month. Future titles include The Hudsucker Proxy and Fearless.