Kenny Brawner News

Writers in Performance is a 12-week writing and performance workshop hosted by BMCC Tribeca Performing Arts Center, culminating in two public presentations. Throughout the course of the workshop, talented actors, playwrights, poets and storytellers have explored writing exercises, theater games, improvisation, movement techniques, and ensemble work in a safe, creative environment.

   The name Ray Charles is a Star on Hollywood Boulevard's Walk of Fame. The name Ray Charles designates a superstar worldwide whose legacy shaped and forever changed the face of American music.  Fellow musicians called Charles 'The Genius,' an appropriate title for the ramblin' musician, who never worked in just one style, but blended and beautified all that he touched.  He also earned the nickname 'Father of Soul'.   In just about every Hall of Fame that has anything to do with music, be it Rhythm & Blues, Jazz, Rock & Roll, Gospel or Country & Western, Ray's name is very prominently displayed. 

   The name Ray Charles is a Star on Hollywood Boulevard's Walk of Fame. The name Ray Charles designates a superstar worldwide whose legacy shaped and forever changed the face of American music.  Fellow musicians called Charles 'The Genius,' an appropriate title for the ramblin' musician, who never worked in just one style, but blended and beautified all that he touched.  He also earned the nickname 'Father of Soul'.   In just about every Hall of Fame that has anything to do with music, be it Rhythm & Blues, Jazz, Rock & Roll, Gospel or Country & Western, Ray's name is very prominently displayed. 

Kenny Brawner brings this music icon to life on the Sitnik stage July 11 at 8pm in "Ray Charles on My Mind" as part of Centenary Stage Company's 2015 Summer Jamfest. 

Centenary Stage Company's ever popular Summer Jamfest will 'raise the roof' of the Sitnik Theater during the summer months with a variety of high-energy musical guests perfect for all tastes. Running July 11 through August 8, CSC will host an array of talented musicians paying tribute to some of America's greatest musical artists.

Centenary Stage Company's ever popular Summer Jamfest will "raise the roof" of the Sitnik Theater during the summer months with a variety of high-energy musical guests perfect for all tastes.  Running July 11 through August 8, CSC will host an array of talented musicians paying tribute to some of America's greatest musical artists.

While reviewing What Makes a Man (WMAM), now playing at the Berkley Street Theatre, it's tempting to comment on what's not there, what could and should be there, rather than what is there. What is on display is a marvelous musical stage portrait of Charles Aznavour, the world renowned French singer/songwriter, actor and political activist/diplomat. A man of the world, he is capable of singing in five languages. One of the last surviving 'showmen,' he still is capable of filling the world's most prestigious concert halls. For example, a year ago he performed for the first time in 25 years at London's Royal Albert Hall. Demand was so great, a second concert was booked there for this past June.

This week at Joe's Pub at the Public, August 19-25, will feature FRANCINE REED, LATRELL LIVE TONIGHT, KAYLYN MARIE / SIMON PYLES, TATIANA EVA-MARIE AND THE AVALON JAZZ BAND, TRIBUTE TO LES PAUL, GABRIEL RIOS, BROMANCE IN CONCERT, NIKKA GRAFF LANZARONE, THE LOOKING, FRANK BANG & THE SECRET STASH, THE TEKTONIC BY DANA LEONG, ECHOES OF ETTA, KENNY BRAWNER IS RAY CHARLES, and OUR LADY J.

The American premiere of THE CITY CLUB, an original blues and jazz musical about the intoxication of music, opens off-Broadway tonight, April 23, at the Minetta Lane Theatre (18 Minetta Lane - one block south of West 3rd Street between MacDougal Street and Sixth Avenue).

The casting of the OFF-BROADWAY American Premiere of "THE CITY CLUB," an original Blues and Jazz Musical about the indisputable intoxication of music, is complete. The new musical will star KRISTEN MARTIN as Crystal Labelle, ANDREW PANDALEON as Chaz Davenport, ANA HOFFMAN as Maddy, PETER BRADBURY as The Lieutenant and KENNY BRAWNER as Parker Brown with AUTUMN GUZZARDI as Rose, KAITLIN MESH as Lily, PATRICK O'NEILL as Jacobus "Jake" Olsen, EMILY TYRA as Candy and ROBERT J TOWNSEND as Prince Royale.

The casting of the OFF-BROADWAY American Premiere of "THE CITY CLUB," an original Blues and Jazz Musical about the indisputable intoxication of music, is complete. The new musical will star KRISTEN MARTIN as Crystal Labelle, ANDREW PANDALEON as Chaz Davenport, ANA HOFFMAN as Maddy, PETER BRADBURY as The Lieutenant and KENNY BRAWNER as Parker Brown with AUTUMN GUZZARDI as Rose, KAITLIN MESH as Lily, PATRICK O'NEILL as Jacobus "Jake" Olsen, EMILY TYRA as Candy and ROBERT J TOWNSEND as Prince Royale.

The Public Theater will continue the 2011-2012 Public Forum season in February with a night of conversation and songs featuring Stew, Heidi Rodewald and Michael Cerveris. This Public Forum event will coincide with the new musical, The Total Bent, premiering in February as part of the Public Lab series. This intimate evening featuring three great singer-songwriters will take place on Monday, February 27 at 9:30 p.m. at Joe's Pub. Member tickets, priced at $15, are on sale now. Single tickets, priced at $20, go on sale Thursday, January 26.

The Public Theater announced new February dates today for THE TOTAL BENT by Stew and Heidi Rodewald and directed by Joanna Settle. The shift in dates for this Public Lab production is due to an unforeseen construction-related delay that prevented the show from getting into the theater on the scheduled start date. The Public Theater's building renovation has been underway since fall 2008 and is expected to be completed on time this summer.

The Public Theater will continue the 2011-2012 Public Forum season in February with a night of conversation and songs featuring Stew, Heidi Rodewald and Michael Cerveris. This Public Forum event will coincide with the new musical, The Total Bent, premiering in February as part of the Public Lab series. This intimate evening featuring three great singer-songwriters will take place on Monday, February 27 at 9:30 p.m. at Joe's Pub. Member tickets, priced at $15, are on sale now. Single tickets, priced at $20, go on sale Thursday, January 26.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's first season led by Robert Battle is playing New York City Center this month. Ailey's performances will continue to play with new works and Alvin Ailey's inspiring Revelations through January 1st.

Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater's first season led by Robert Battle is playing New York City Center this month. Ailey's performances will continue to play with new works and Alvin Ailey's inspiring Revelations through January 1st.

A bucket of New Orleans Mardi Gras beads, now a mocking memory of happier times, sit in front of what remains of a house - and one family - in the lower Ninth Ward after the storm of the century: Hurricane Katrina.

TheatreWorks, the nationally acclaimed theatre of Silicon Valley, presents the world premiere of CLEMENTINE IN THE LOWER 9, a blues-fueled new play by Dan Dietz with music by Justin Ellington, who will also be the Musical Director for this production.

Casting has been announced for The City Club, a reading of a new ‘noire' jazz blues musical, produced by Roll You Own, LLC., to be presented on Friday, January 28th, 2011 at Theatre Row's Beckett Theatre.