Karen Akers News

Today (May 12) in live streaming: It's the Day of the Show Y'all with Spencer Glass, Ken Davenport chats with James Snyder and so much more!

Today (May 11) in live streaming: Join the BroadwayWorld Book club, JRB and Georgia Stitt visit Stars in the House and so much more!

Feinstein's/54 Below continues their #54BelowAtHome series tonight with 54 Sings Grand Hotel: The 25th Anniversary Concert!

Feinstein's/54 Below has added shows to #54BelowatHome, a series of streamed performances to provide theater fans everywhere with artistic content from their favorite artists.

Jeff Harnar is chock-full of the guy-next-door magnetism of the bygone era of Hollywood's Golden age of male stars.  He is someone that the audience knows they can trust, is easy to enjoy with just a hint of mischievousness to keep things interesting.  He is the modern day equivalent to film stars Van Johnson or Gene Kelly.  

On Monday, March 30th, the 2020 MAC Awards were broadcast via Facebook Live from the living rooms or Lennie Watts and Amy Wolk/Lorinda Lisitza in a split-screen presentation in which The Three Stooges of Cabaret made their community of artists laugh with many hi-jinks, giggles, grins, silliness, and an ongoing series of the new MAC Award theme song, penned by Wolk and Lisitza themselves. The intent was to bring some levity to a difficult time in the world and, judging by the comment scroll during the home-made telecast, the hardworking trio tickled the funnybones of many. As names were announced, recipients called in to say a few words (apropos to the proceedings, Mr. Watts' telephone ringtone is the Benny Hill theme song) and particularly moving speeches from the proceedings came from Lisa Viggiano, Meg Flather, and Jeff Harnar. The entire show can be seen on Broadway World HERE. Results of the voting can be seen below.

With the Coronavirus stopping all social gatherings and causing the closing of Don't Tell Mama for the duration, MAC has made a change from the previously announced event which was to be held at the club.

The MAC Awards were scheduled to be celebrated on March 30th at Sony Hall. Instead they will be announced via Facebook Live from Lennie Watts' home. The times are a little different now, but the celebration of art is the same.

The Manhattan Association of Cabarets (MAC) has announced the 2020 MAC Award nominees. The nominees were determined by votes cast by the active MAC membership, except for the four song and recording categories, which were determined by special committees.

Stephen Mosher looks back at the cabaret scene, as captured by his camera in 2019

Urban Stages (Frances Hill, Founding Artistic Director and Tom Toce , Musical Director) announces the line-up for this year's award-winning series, WINTER RHYTHMS 2019, which will begin Wednesday, December 11 featuring some of New York's best musical performances through Saturday, December 21, 2019 at Urban Stages Theatre (259 West 30th St., East of 8th Ave.)

New York: Urban Stages (Frances Hill, Founding Artistic Director and Tom Toce , Musical Director) announces the line-up for this year's award-winning series, WINTER RHYTHMS 2019, which will begin Wednesday, December 11 featuring some of New York's best musical performances through Saturday, December 21, 2019 at Urban Stages Theatre (259 West 30th St., East of 8th Ave.)

Kicking-off the holiday season, Jill Center & Co. return for a very special presentation of CELEBRATE THE MOMENT on Monday, November 25, 7:00 p.m. at The Laurie Beechman Theater, 407 West 42nd Street.

Choreographer Joanna Rush appeared on Broadway in A CHORUS LINE (also as Sheila in the Los Angeles company), Shirley MacLaine AT THE PALACE starring Shirley MacLaine, in films including The Night They Raided Minsky's, A Killing Affair costarring with O.J. Simpson and Elizabeth Montgomery, and the TV remake of William Inge's Splendor in the Grass, which she also choreographed. Miss Rush currently tours the US in her one-woman show KICK and her newest show, SEX & POWER.

The Tony Award winning musical gets the concert treatment in an Actor's Fund Benefit at The Green Room 42

THE GREEN ROOM 42 a?" the new intimate concert venue dubbed Broadway's a?oeoff-night hotspota?? by The New York Times a?" has announced that John Schneider has been added to the cast of the one-night-only event Grand Hotel: A 30th Anniversary Celebration In Concert to benefit The Actors Fund on Monday, November 11 at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM.

John Schneider has been added to the cast of the one-night-only event Grand Hotel: A 30th Anniversary Celebration In Concert to benefit The Actors Fund.

There was so much heart, love and entertainment on the stage of The Rose Theater last night, as The Cabaret Convention celebrated the legacy and the music of the legendary Judy Garland

THE GREEN ROOM 42 a?' the new intimate concert venue dubbed Broadway's a?oeoff-night hotspota?? by The New York Times a?' will present a special one-night-only event Grand Hotel: A 30th Anniversary Celebration In Concert to benefit The Actors Fund on Sunday, November 11 at 7:00 PM and 9:30 PM. The 1989 Tony Award winning Broadway musical has songs by Robert Wright & George Forrest, book by Luther Davis, and additional music and lyrics by Maury Yeston. The concerts a?' written and directed by Tony nominee Walter Willison, and dedicated to the memory of original Grand Hotel star Liliane Montevecchi a?' will take at The Green Fig, adjacent to The Green Room 42 (570 Tenth Avenue at 42nd Street, on the 4th Floor of Yotel).

Day two of the 2019 Mabel Mercer Foundation's 2019 New York Cabaret Convention filled Rose Theater at Jazz at Lincoln Center with a lot of Heart and Soul and the music of Frank Loesser last night. The Convention audience was immersed with the music of one of the greatest Broadway songwriters as one by one 23 renowned Cabaret artists performed Frank Loesser hits. The one and only Marilyn Maye brought the evening to a stunning conclusion with her rendition of Joey, Joey and her exciting 3/4 time version of Luck Be A Lady Tonight all arranged and played by the remarkable pianist Tedd Firth.