Jule Styne News

Week three of Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook brings to The Allen Room a soulful tribute to black music, a bluegrass legend, a genre-busting singer and the concert debut of a gifted actor, all celebrating the diversity of American popular song. On February 4th Soul Deep, an ensemble of some of the top black singers from Broadway and beyond will perform music - black music - that is the basis for most of the popular music heard today. The next night, bluegrass reigns with The Del McCoury Band (top right), who started out in the 1960s and remain so on top of their game that their latest CD is nominated for a 2009 Grammy. A new voice on the scene, and one that is electrifying all within range, is Lizz Wright (bottom left), who performs two shows on February 6th. She will perform songs from The Orchard, her third CD, as well as other pieces that shine with her expressive treatment. Next up on February 7th is the concert debut of the always surprising actor Alan Cumming (bottom right). Equally at ease in film and on the stage, this classically-trained star has never sung a concert before, and he has selected Dolly Parton and Cindi Lauper tunes, among others, to celebrate this new dimension in his career. American Songbook is presented in the spectacular Allen Room of Frederick P. Rose Hall. The Allen Room possesses one of New York's greatest settings - a stunning vista of Central Park and the Manhattan skyline provides an evocative backdrop for the performers.

Current GRAMMY Award nominees Kenny Chesney, Coldplay, Jonas Brothers, Lil Wayne, and Katy Perry are the first performers announced for the 51st Annual GRAMMY Awards telecast. The music industry's premier event will take place live on Sunday, Feb. 8, at STAPLES Center in Los Angeles and will be broadcast in HDTV and 5.1 Surround Sound on the CBS Television Network from 8 - 11:30 p.m. (ET/PT).

Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook returns in January for its eleventh season celebrating the diversity of American popular song. For 17 nights of pop, folk, cabaret, R&B, country, rock, show tunes, bluegrass and multimedia, the series will explore the best of the golden age of musical standards through to today's most dynamic contemporary songwriting. The 2009 season - January 14 through March 6 - will bring to the stage some of today's most gifted interpreters of song, including top vocalist Kurt Elling and country's winning Patty Loveless. It will feature the rare opportunity to hear Paulo Szot, star of Broadway's South Pacific, and film and stage star Alan Cumming, in intimate concert settings.

The award winning, critically acclaimed smash hit production of GYPSY played its final performance at the St. James Theatre (246 West 44th Street) on Sunday, January 11, 2009.

The award winning, critically acclaimed smash hit production of GYPSY, originally announced to close on Sunday, March 1, 2009, will play its final performance at the St. James Theatre (246 West 44th Street) today, Sunday, January 11, 2009.

Starting February 3rd with a kick-off signing event at the Lincoln Center Barnes & Noble store, 'Liza's At The Palace....' will be available wherever fine music is sold, for the suggested retail list price of $19.98.

The second week of Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook brings to the Allen Room stage a jazz great, a new singer/songwriter, a country music classic and Broadway's newest heartthrob, all celebrating the diversity of American popular song. Singer Kurt Elling will re-create the standout recording that singer Johnny Hartman made in 1963 of the music of John Coltrane. Saxophonist Ernie Watts, The Laurence Hobgood Trio and the string quartet ETHEL will join Elling for this show, entitled Dedicated to You.

The 2008-2009 Reprise Theatre Company season continues with the classic international hit 'Man of La Mancha,' starring Brent Spiner as Cervantes/Quixote. Julia Migenes, the renowned opera and theatre performer, will play Aldonza/Dulcinea; Valerie Perri will play the role of Aldonza/Dulcinea at matinee performances; and Tony nominee Lee Wilkof will play Sancho Panza.

New York critics and theatre audiences fell under the spell of Liza Minnelli's unmatchable magic when she returned to Broadway's legendary Palace Theatre and played a recent sell-out engagement. Now, music lovers around the world will get the same chance when 'Liza's at the Palace....' the new original cast recording of her incomparable show will be released on February 3rd (Hybrid Recordings).

What a year it has been here at BroadwayWorld, truly an astonishing 12 months of talent and excitement in the world of theatre and beyond! As always we have strived to bring you the very best, but as always you've got the final say and boy did your numbers show it in regards to what you found most exciting story wise. We tallied the numbers, combed the archives and are proud to bring you the top twenty articles of 2008! Relive the memories, revisit the opening nights and remember the magic of 2008, we can't wait to bring you whats ahead in 2009! Happy New Year from the entire BroadwayWorld.com team.

Counted among the world's elite classical performers, The King's Singers with conductor Rob Fisher will join The New York Pops in the orchestra's 20th annual holiday celebration at Carnegie Hall on Friday, December 19 and Saturday, December 20 at 8:00 PM. Entitled A King's Singers Holiday, the concert will include countless time-honored carols to ring in this sentimental season along with treasured songs by Irving Berlin, Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn. Mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne will make a guest appearance on the program.

Savvy BroadwayWorld.com visitors noticed a message up on Telecharge.com for those purchasings tickets to Gypsy's final performances back when they were to be in March. The good news for fans of the show, who were worried that the show's early closing might have derailed those plans is that the message is back up for the shows between January 2 and January 4, 2009.

Producer Howard Panter for Ambassador Theatre Group and co-producers Tulchin/Bartner/Jenkins, Bill Kenwright, Northwater Entertainment, Darren Bagert, and Tom Gregory announced the complete cast and design team for the new Broadway production of the greatest musical comedy GUYS AND DOLLS. The first joint Broadway project by two-time Tony Award winning director Des McAnuff and choreographer Sergio Trujillo since their collaboration on the Tony Award winning musical Jersey Boys, GUYS AND DOLLS will begin previews on February 3, 2009 at Broadway's newly refurbished Nederlander Theatre (208 West 41st Street). Opening Night is March 1, 2009.

The award winning, critically acclaimed smash hit production of GYPSY, originally announced to close on Sunday, March 1, 2009, will now play its final performance at the St. James Theatre (246 West 44th Street) on Sunday, January 11, 2009.

The list of nominations has been announced for the 51st annual Grammy Awards. The Grammy Awards will be presented on February 8, 2009, at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

The 2008-2009 Reprise Theatre Company season continues with 'I Love My Wife' with book and lyrics by Michael Stewart and music by Cy Coleman, December 2 to 14 at the Brentwood Theatre. Lea Thompson and Patrick Cassidy join Vicki Lewis and Jason Alexander. 'I Love My Wife' will be directed by Larry Moss with choreography by Lee Martino and music direction by Michael Skloff.

Producer Howard Panter for Ambassador Theatre Group and co-producers Tulchin/Bartner/Jenkins, Bill Kenwright, Darren Bagert, and Tom Gregory announced today that Craig Bierko (Tony Award nominee for The Music Man; Scary Movie 4) will star as 'Sky Masterson' and Kate Jennings Grant (Proof) will also star as 'Sarah Brown' in the new Broadway production of the greatest musical comedy GUYS AND DOLLS.

The 2008-2009 Reprise Theatre Company season continues with 'I Love My Wife' with book and lyrics by Michael Stewart and music by Cy Coleman, December 2 to 14 at the Brentwood Theatre.

Savvy BroadwayWorld.com visitors have noticed a new message up on Telecharge.com for those purchasings tickets to Gypsy's final performances.

Counted among the world's elite classical performers, The King's Singers with conductor Rob Fisher will join The New York Pops in the orchestra's 20th annual holiday celebration at Carnegie Hall on Friday, December 19 and Saturday, December 20 at 8:00 PM. Entitled A King's Singers Holiday, the concert will include countless time-honored carols to ring in this sentimental season along with treasured songs by Irving Berlin, Jule Styne and Sammy Cahn. Mezzo-soprano Marilyn Horne will make a guest appearance on the program.