Karen Akers News

Feinstein's At Loews Regency will continue its Winter/Spring 2012 season with the debut joint engagement of director and vocalist Eric Michael Gillet and jazz singer La Tanya Hall.

The cast of the 10th Annual Nightlife Awards continues to grow with one stellar performer after another added to the bill. Terri White (Follies), who spent a great many years as one of New York's most exciting piano bar entertainers, will be honored with a Special Award for her Contributions to New York Nightlife. As is always the case with The All-Performance Nightlife Awards, Terri will take the stage to sing. A guest star joining the cast is the heralded TV and nightclub comedian, Ray Ellin. Also returning to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Nightlife Awards by performing are two former Nightlife Jazz Vocalist winners, Allan Harris and Karen Oberlin.

Joining the already announced performance of the re-united Chris Durang & Dawn, the special 10th Anniversary celebration of the Nightlife Awards will also present 90 year old Jazz Legend Jon Hendricks.

Friar Jamie deRoy chose the Friars Club as the setting for the latest addition of Jamie deRoy & Friends, which is in it's 21st year. The show included performances by Karen Akers, Tony DeSare, Heather Mac Rae Kevin Meaney and Julia Murney. Musical Director was Don Rebie and direction was by Barry Kleinbort.

Chris Durang launched a comic nightclub act in 1989 called CHRIS DURANG & DAWNE (John Augustine and Sherry Anderson) that came back to play clubs all over the New York area for the next eight years until they made their last public performance in January of 1996.

Starving Artist Studios, a new performing arts training facility in Central Florida, brings Tony-Award winning composer and lyricist Jason Robert Brown to Orlando for a Concert and Master Class.

The Carlyle Hotel's legendary Café Carlyle just kicked off a concert series last night, January 10, featuring Tony winner Paulo Szot. Szot will ring in the New Year with an all new program in a three-week return engagement through January 28 with Billy Stritch, Musical Director.

Actress & nightclub entertainer Lucie Arnaz and Tony Award-winning actor and clown Bill Irwin have been named co-hosts of the 10th Annual Nightlife Awards at Town Hall.

Beginning Thursday, December 1 through Friday, December 30, The RRazz Room will celebrate its first annual 'Season of Giving,' a benefit to raise funds for San Francisco Bay Area nonprofits making a difference in our communities.

Beginning Thursday, December 1 through Friday, December 30, The RRazz Room will celebrate its first annual 'Season of Giving,' a benefit to raise funds for San Francisco Bay Area nonprofits making a difference in our communities.

On Saturday, November 26, Tony Award©-Winning Composer Jason Robert Brown will appear in a masterclass to the students of the Pasadena Musical Theatre Program (Ryan Scott Oliver, Artistic Director).

Today, BroadwayWorld is extremely proud to present an extensive conversation with the modern master of the musical theatre himself, Stephen Sondheim, all about the incredibly revealing and thoroughly riveting second volume of his complete collected (and annotated) lyrics (covering 1981-2011) - following last year's superlative FINISHING THE HAT - titled LOOK, I MADE A HAT. With ample insights pertaining to the Pulitzer Prize-winning SUNDAY IN THE PARK WITH GEORGE, INTO THE WOODS, ROAD SHOW, THE FROGS and many more, Sondheim and I also discuss some of his Hollywood endeavors - the proposed film adaptation of INTO THE WOODS, as well as the never-produced SINGING OUT LOUD and his Oscar-winning work for Warren Beatty's DICK TRACY - and his affection for - and process of adapting (in the case of WEST SIDE STORY, the CYMBELINE setting in THE FROGS and his recent scoring of the Public Theatre's production of KING LEAR starring Kevin Kline) - the works of William Shakespeare. Additionally, we discuss the upcoming Encores! revival of MERRILY WE ROLL ALONG starring Lin-Manuel Miranda, the currently-running revival of FOLLIES starring Bernadette Peters (as well as its brand new cast album), the West End transfer of the Michael Ball/Imelda Staunton-led SWEENEY TODD in the UK and much, much more!

Andrea Marcovicci - the acclaimed singer and actress dubbed 'The High Priestess of the American Songbook' by The New York Times - will celebrate her landmark 25th anniversary at the famed Oak Room of the Algonquin Hotel. Her new show 'No Strings' runs from November 15 to December 30, featuring Music Director Shelly Markham on piano and Jered Egan on bass. For the second year in a row, Andrea will offer a special holiday performance on Monday, December 26 at 7:30 PM. The sophisticated entertainer holds the record for the longest continuous run in the Oak Room's history. Check out photos from her show below!

On Saturday, November 26, Tony Award©-Winning Composer Jason Robert Brown will appear in a masterclass to the students of the Pasadena Musical Theatre Program (Ryan Scott Oliver, Artistic Director).

Jason Robert Brown, the Tony Award winning composer, will be an honored guest at the Opening Night of his musical 13, Friday December 9 at ACT. On Thursday night, December 8 at 9:00pm, following the preview performance, Jason will present a 90 minute benefit concert at the Falls Theatre at ACT, 700 Union Street, Seattle WA.

This year's New York Musical Theatre Festival will host the New York premiere of The Big Bank, a timely musical about a bank that loves to foreclose, written by Daniel and Jacob Seligmann, directed by David Glenn Armstrong.

This year's New York Musical Theatre Festival will host the New York premiere of The Big Bank, a timely musical about a bank that loves to foreclose, written by Daniel and Jacob Seligmann, directed by David Glenn Armstrong.

Last night, September 12, FOLLIES opened on Broadway at the Marquis Theatre. Performances began on Sunday, August 7th for James Goldman and Stephen Sondheim's FOLLIES, directed by Eric Schaeffer, with choreography by Warren Carlyle and music direction by James Moore. With a 28-piece orchestra, FOLLIES features a cast of 41 and stars two-time Tony Award winner Bernadette Peters as Sally Durant Plummer, four-time Tony Award nominee Jan Maxwell as Phyllis Rogers Stone, two-time Tony Award nominee Danny Burstein as Buddy Plummer, three-time Emmy Award nominee Ron Raines as Benjamin Stone and Olivier Award winner Elaine Paige as Carlotta Campion. Below, BroadwayWorld brings you photo coverage of the opening night arrivals!

This year's New York Musical Theatre Festival will host the New York premiere of The Big Bank, a timely musical about a bank that loves to foreclose, written by Daniel and Jacob Seligmann, directed by David Glenn Armstrong.

Ray Jessel to make Palm Dessert appearance on July 31st with Songs From The Ridiculous To The Romantic By Ray Jessel