The Musical Theater Project presents PERFECTLY MARVELOUS: THE SONGS OF JOHN KANDER on Saturday, Oct. 31 (8pm) and Sunday, Nov. 1 (2pm) at the Allen Theatre at Playhouse Square.
Encompass New Opera Theatre (Nancy Rhodes, Artistic Director) and Gala Honorary Chairs Sheldon Harnick, Charles Strouse, and Maury Yeston will honor legendary Broadway performer BARBARA COOK - on the exact day of her 88th Birthday - and lyricist LEE ADAMS (Bye Bye Birdie, Golden Boy, Applause) with a star-studded musical salute on Sunday, October 25.
BroadwayWorld has just learned that Tony Award-winner Beth Leavel (THE DROWSY CHAPERONE) will star in the Muny's new cabaret, MUNY MAGIC, at Sheldon Concert Hall.
Rita Moreno returns to music with her first all Spanish Album- Una Vez Mas. The album was produced by Grammy winning producer Emilio Estefan and Nicholas Tovar. The album contains for the first time in Spanish, 'Somewhere' from West Side Story. Rita is the first Hispanic artist to win all four major American entertainment award including an Oscar, an Emmy, a Grammy and a Tony. In December, Rita will receive the Kennedy Center Honor.
The Great American Songbook Foundation and the Center for the Performing Arts have just announced Ira & George Gershwin, Steve Lawrence & Eydie Gorme, and Chita Rivera as the three 2015 Songbook Hall of Fame honorees, to be recognized at the SONGBOOK CELEBRATION gala on Saturday, October 3, 2015 at the Palladium.
Liza Minnelli once said, 'The greatest thing about [John] Kander and [Fred] Ebb is you sing their songs and you feel good.' She was referring to the multi-award winning Broadway writing team who gave the world such songs as, 'How Lucky Can You Get?,' 'Maybe This Time,' 'All That Jazz,' 'Cabaret,' and 'But The World Goes Round.'
The Actors Fund, in association with Michael Childers, will present a one-night only special event, Tradition: The Jewish Legacy of Broadway, a celebration of the great Jewish composers, lyricists and performers who graced the stages of Broadway from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, on Monday, December 14 beginning at 7:30 p.m. at John Jay College (524 West 59th Street). All proceeds will benefit the programs and services of The Actors Fund.
On Friday, October 9, noted orchestrator and conductor Fred Barton will bring the music of Broadway and the American Songbook to the Schimmel Center at Pace University, in American Showstoppers: An Evening of Johnny Mercer. In his seventh concert at Pace, Fred Barton now brings the power of Mercer's music and lyrics front and center, with a 14-piece orchestra and a cast of 16 Broadway singers and dancers, with direction and choreography by Scott Thompson. The cast is headlined by Damon Kirsch, Tony nominee Lee Roy Reams, two time Tony nominee Vivian Reed, Nick Spangler, Tony Nominee Lauren Worsham, and Tony Award winner Karen Ziemba. The cast also features Jesse Luttrell, Sean McGibbon and Molly Pope.
Playwright Frank D. Gilroy, whose 1964 Broadway debut, THE SUBJECT WAS ROSES was the recipient of a Pulitzer Prize, a Tony and a Drama Critics' Circle Award, passed away on Saturday
The replacement star. One of the trickiest and most problematic facets of any production facing an enterprising producer and director is casting a fitting replacement, particularly for a star role. Of course, John Kander and Fred Ebb's vaudeville-based performance opportunity extravaganza CHICAGO allows for a copious amount of star turns, so the likely candidates for filling the famous shoes of the roles of Roxie, Velma, Billy Flynn and Matron Mama Morton are nearly overwhelming to consider. Furthermore, August 8 marked the momentous day in Broadway history when legendary Broadway and Hollywood superstar Liza Minnelli famously stepped in for an ailing Gwen Verdon in the original Bob Fosse production of CHICAGO on Broadway. Now, with notable pop star Brandy Norwood as the current Roxie and reality competition show standout Rumer Willis poised to take over in early September giving a slew of fresh buzz to one of Broadway's longest-running musicals of all time, the 1996 revival of CHICAGO, now is an ideal time to consider some familiar faces who have excelled in the role in the past and could continue the tradition and keep the momentum going for a production that has now played nearly 8,000 performances on the Great White Way. Time may have marched on, but these ladies certainly still have the stuff!
If It Only Even Runs A Minute 15 is the fifteenth edition of the Bistro Award-winning series of rare songs, behind-the-scenes tales, and inspiring photos from underappreciated Broadway and off-Broadway musicals.
Though the weather is still warm, soon the leaves will be turning and the Fall 2015 theatre season will be upon us. Here's a list of some of the offerings from September through December.
The journey from the 21st Century back to Hollywood's glamourous golden age is an inspiring one when your "tour guides" are the legendary Ginger Rogers and Fred Astaire - portrayed by Darien Crago and Jeremy Benton in Westchester Broadway Theatre's production of Lynnette Barkley and Christopher McGovern's Backwards in High Heels: The Ginger Musical, running August 13-September 20.
Schimmel Center at Pace University is proud to announce the 2015 | 2016 season at The Schimmel Center at Pace University, located at 3 Spruce Street between Park Row and Gold Street in downtown Manhattan, adjacent to City Hall and the Brooklyn Bridge. Schimmel Center is a world-class performing arts and culture series with an emphasis on showcasing the globe's greatest talents in the areas of theatre, music, cabaret, dance, film and family entertainment.
Westchester Broadway Theatre is taking audiences back to the glory days of Hollywood's Golden Age with its upcoming production of Lynnette Barkley and Christopher McGovern's Backwards in High Heels: The Ginger Musical, running August 13-September 20. As the cast, under the leadership of director/choreographer Jeremy Benton, got into the serious business of rehearsals, photographer Jake Primmerman was on hand to commemorate the work that goes into bringing the world of the 1930s movie musical to life onstage at WBT.
Westchester Broadway Theatre to present BACKWARDS IN HIGH HEELS, conceived and developed by Lynnette Barkley and Christopher McGovern, with book/musical arrangements/original songs by Christopher McGovern. Directed and choreographed by Jeremy Benton, with musical direction by Jose Simbulan, the show runs August 13 - September 20, 2015, starring Darien Crago as Ginger Rogers.
Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: James Lecesne brings 'ABSOLUTE BRIGHTNESS' off-Broadway and more!
The brand-new Lexington Theatre Company opened its inaugural production of 42ndStreeton Thursday, July 23. Tony Award-Winner Karen Ziemba, plays Dorothy Brock, alongside other Broadway veterans and up-and-coming actors.42nd Street is presented by Variety Live at The Opera House with Co-Producing Sponsor Kentucky One Health, and runs July 23-26 at the Lexington Opera House. Check out an exclusive shot from opening night below!
The brand-new Lexington Theatre Company presents its inaugural production of 42nd Street. Tony Award WinnerKaren Ziemba, will play Dorothy Brock, alongside other Broadway veterans and up-and-coming actors. 42nd Street is presented by Variety Live at The Opera House with Co-Producing Sponsor Kentucky One Health, and runs July 23, through July 26 at the Lexington Opera House. Check out a first look below!
The brand-new Lexington Theatre Company presents its inaugural production of 42nd Street. Tony Award Winner Karen Ziemba, will play Dorothy Brock, alongside other Broadway veterans and up-and-coming actors. 42nd Street is presented by Variety Live at The Opera House with Co-Producing Sponsor Kentucky One Health, and runs July 23, through July 26 at the Lexington Opera House. Check out a sneak peek at rehearsals below!