Co-Producers Juliana Hansen and Jonathan White will present a one night only benefit performance, ONE STARRY NIGHT: Hollywood and Broadway Come Together to Fight ALS, on Monday, January 13, 2014 at 8pm, hosted by The Pasadena Playhouse. The evening will also include a silent auction and VIP post-show meet-and-greet. Proceeds will provide critical funding for The ALS Association Golden West Chapter's mission priorities in care services, public policy, and cutting-edge global research toward treatments and cure.
CABRILLO MUSIC THEATRE welcomes Davis Gaines (Southern California's Longest-running PHANTOM) and Victoria Strong in the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza premiere of Cole Porter's most raucous, sexy, and best loved musical ever, KISS ME, KATE! Cabrillo Music Theatre's 20th Anniversary Season kicks off with the popular favorite tonight, October 18th, 2013, playing until Sunday, October 27th, at the 1,800-seat Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.
Hotel Nikko San Francisco and Michael Feinstein are excited to welcome home San Francisco's own, legendary, award-winning, extraordinary performer Connie Champagne to Feinstein's at the Nikko for one performance only - Wednesday, December 18 at 8 p.m.
CABRILLO MUSIC THEATRE announces its full cast to join the previously announced Davis Gaines (Southern California's Longest-running PHANTOM) and Victoria Strong in the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza premiere of Cole Porter's most raucous, sexy, and best loved musical ever, KISS ME, KATE! Cabrillo Music Theatre's 20th Anniversary Season kicks off with the popular favorite on Friday, October 18th, 2013, playing until Sunday, October 27th, at the 1,800-seat Kavli Theatre at the Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza, located at 2100 Thousand Oaks Boulevard in Thousand Oaks.
On Sunday evening September 1, Kritzerland celebrated its third anniversary and 37th show at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal. Entitled The Songs That Got Away II, it featured a batch of songs from various composers/musicals that Bruce Kimmel considers great but that over time have received far less airplay than deserved. In short, they have just not attained a solid popularity. Many of these songs are familiar like 'Some People' from Gypsy, but, it certainly did not gain the fame of, say, 'Everything's Coming Up Roses'... but should have. Some of the lesser known but beautiful tunes like 'It Must Be Spring' by Michel Legrand and the Bergmans are so good that it seems a shame it did get nominated for awards. Featured on this stellar program were dynamic singers Valerie Perri, Kay Cole, Jane Noseworthy, speciaLguest star Sharon McNight, Dan Callaway, Joshua Finkel, Jenna Lee Rosen, and sisters Sami and Sarah Staitman. John Boswell brilliantly served as musical director at the piano throughout the 90-minute set.
Kritzerland at Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal presents its third anniversary show, THE SONGS THAT GOT AWAY - II today, September 1, 2013 - 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM.
Kritzerland at Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal presents its third anniversary show, THE SONGS THAT GOT AWAY - II SUNDAY, September 1, 2013 - 3:00 PM and 7:00 PM.
Kritzerland at Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal presents its third anniversary show, THE SONGS THAT GOT AWAY - II, set for Sunday, September 1, 2013 at 7:00 PM.
On Sunday August 4 Kritzerland presented its monthly tribute this time in honor of composers Meredith Willson (right) and Gene de Paul. On hand were regulars host Bruce Kimmel, musical director par excellence Tom Griep and terrific singers Jane Noseworthy, Chelsea Emma Franko, Robert Yacko, and newcomers to Kritzerland: Charlotte Mary Wen, this year's winner of LA's Next Great Stage Star 2013, Allen Everman, Justin Jones, Bruce Merkle and David Zack. Special guest star was the beautiful Sue Raney who had a record contract at Capitol Records at the age of 17.
In opera and operetta, the storytelling is completely through music; there are few or no spoken words. Steven Cagan's world premiere Love Songs is a modern day operetta of sorts with a line or two of spoken dialogue here and there, but composed of 99% music. Now through July 28 at the Attic Theatre, Love Songs boasts a profoundly rich score, a wonderfully adept musical cast and superior direction from Kay Cole.
Chromolume Theatre has announced its next production, the world premiere of Love Songs, A Musical with book, music and lyrics by Steven Cagan, and directed by Kay Cole. Featuring orchestrations and arrangements by Doug Walter and music direction by Richard Berent. Opening is set for tonight, June 22 at 8pm. Love Songs will play a limited engagement through July 28 only.
Chromolume Theatre has announced its next production, Love Songs, with book, music and lyrics by Steven Cagan, and directed by Kay Cole. Featuring orchestrations and arrangements by Doug Walter and music direction byRichard Berent, there will be one preview performance on June 21, andopening is set for Saturday, June 22 at 8pm. Love Songs will play a limited engagement through July 28 only.
LA MIRADA THEATRE FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS & MC COY RIGBY ENTERTAINMENT will present the Southern California regional theatre premiere of the Tony Award-winning musical, NEXT TO NORMAL, music by Tom Kitt, book and lyrics by Brian Yorkey, musical direction by Darryl Archibald and directed by Nick DeGruccio. NEXT TO NORMAL will preview on Friday, May 31, 2013 (with a press opening on Saturday, June 1) and runs through Sunday, June 23, 2013 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.
On Sunday, February 3, 2013 at the North Hollywood Church of Religious Science some of Hollywood and Broadway's finest gathered to honor and remember Paul Ainsley, who passed away on January 20, 2013. The afternoon was not a memorial as much as it was a celebration - a roast - a closing night party. It was an event that would have had partying right next to all his friends. Scroll below for photos from the event!
The Outside the Box Musical Theater Group is casting a new musical. Choreographer Kay Cole (the original Maggie in A Chorus Line) and veteran casting director Michael Donovan are behind the table with director Stephen Findle. Who's auditioning? What's the show? Who will be cast? Stay tuned. The episode also features Calvin Remsberg (Sweeney Todd), Barry Pearl (Grease, the movie, Baby It's You), and many others.
Directors Lab West Steering Committee has announced the dates for the 14th annual Directors Lab West. The 2013 Lab will take place May 18-25 in residence at Pasadena Playhouse. The Lab will continue its tradition of bringing together dedicated theatre directors, choreographers and master artists for a week of intense discussions and exploration of the art form.
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.
The combination of music (mostly Broadway and Great American Songbook fare) and California gourmet cuisine at this North Hollywood, NoHo Arts District hot spot, registers cool chic as Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal which - by its very mission - engages thoughtful sensibilities and the good taste of its namesake and producer Michael Sterling. In other words, Sterling's offering of a west coast supper club with an east coast mentality translates to New York style cabaret planted smack dab in the middle of movie town, USA. And to seal the deal, talent like Lainie Kazan, Tony Award winners Faith Prince and Daisy Eagan; Tony nominee Euan Morton; Broadway's Kim Huber, Beth Malone, Jason Graae, Melody Hollis, Kay Cole, Ilene Graff, Cortes Alexander, Nikka Graff Lanzarone, Bruce Kimmel's Kritzerland Records monthly salutes, and a host of other musical theatre A-listers from one side of the county to the have appeared on the stage at Sterling's. But they're not the only performers who illuminate Sterling's Upstairs (formerly housed at Vitello's Restaurant in Studio City, CA) now in its 6th year of operation, and 6th month at The Federal.
Simply to recite a list of the recently deceased Marvin Hamlisch's awards--three Oscars in 1973 for The Way We Were and The Sting; a Tony and Pulitzer Prize for A Chorus Line; three Emmys, two Golden Globes, four ASCAP awards, and a Grammy is enough the inspire awe. But as host Bruce Kimmel reminds us during the fabulous 26th Kritzerland Show at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal in NoHo on October 7, he had his share of flops too like The Goodbye Girl, or Jean Seberg. But even a flop show can have some beautiful songs in it, and Kimmel includes a number of these among the twenty selections offered.
