Kenny Neal News

Tonight, before a gathering of theatre artists and patrons, theatreWashington announced the nominees for the 2016 Helen Hayes Awards, drawn from 202 eligible productions presented in the 2015 calendar year. Scroll down for the full list of nominees!

NextStop Theatre Company's 3rd professional season continues in January 2016 with the suburban dramatic comedy, Middletown. Will Eno's play echoes the beloved classic, Our Town. NextStop's production, directed by Michael Chamberlin, will open January 14 and run through February 7, 2016.

With the holidays right around the corner, Cleopatra Blues will be releasing a Louisiana-flavored Christmas album from New Orleans blues singer/guitarist, Kenny Neal titled “I'll Be Home For Christmas.”

Multiple award-winning theatre, film and television actress, Ebony Jo-Ann releases her new Blues CD, Please Save Your Love for Me on her independent label, Blackgold Production on Friday, September 18th.

1st Stage, Tysons Corner's award winning professional theater, announces the extension of Old Wicked Songs by playwright Jon Marans. Michael Chamberlin directs the production at 1st Stage.

Sadness and joy is a recurring motif in music. In Jan Marans' provocative play, Old Wicked Songs, it is a motif that is played out both figuratively and musically. In Marans' play Viennese music professor Josef Mashkan points out that only those who have suffered can truly emote beautiful music. Countries that have seen centuries of war and oppression can express music more passionately than those that haven't (which, he claims is why there are no true great British, American, or Japanese composers).

1st Stage, Tysons Corner's award winning professional theater, announces tonight's April 10 opening of Old Wicked Songs by playwright Jon Marans. Michael Chamberlin directs the production at 1st Stage.

1st Stage, Tysons Corner's award winning professional theater, announces the April 10 opening of Old Wicked Songs by playwright Jon Marans. Michael Chamberlin directs the production at 1st Stage.

The Welders-Washington's only playwrights' collective devoted exclusively to developing and producing new work-have launched their third production. happiness (and other reasons to die), a new play by Bob Bartlett, opens May 30, 2015 at the Atlas Performing Arts Center. Gregg Henry will direct.

PINKALICIOUS, at the Adventure Theatre - Musical Theater Center, in Glen Echo Park, directed by Carl Menninger, based on Victoria and Elizabeth Kann's children's novel, and adapted by the authors, with music and lyrics by John Gregor, is a winner. Although it is aimed at young children, it has plenty to delight parents and older kids as well.

Z2 Entertainment will present Tab Benoit at the Fox Theatre on Tuesday, September 16th, 2014. Tickets are on sale for $20.00 in advance or $25.00 day of show.

BAT BOY THE MUSICAL is now playing at 1st Stage in Tysons and it's a must see. The creators used the old magic “What if…? and came up with a doozy of a story. Funny, touching, edging on camp, BAT BOY is tuneful terror done right.

Debbie Davies Band at Bridge Street Live is set for Friday, April 25th, 2014 at 8:00 PM. Tickets are $15 GA, $25 VIP, and available at http://41bridgestreet.inticketing.com/evinfo.php?eventid=363537.

James Montgomery Blues Band will play Bridge Street Live on Saturday, April 12th, 2014 at 8:00 PM. Tickets are $42 GA, $57 VIP, and available at http://41bridgestreet.inticketing.com/events/368555.

Ronnie Earl & The Broadcasters will play Bridge Street Live on Friday, September 27th, 2013 at 8:00 PM. Tickets are $42 GA, $57 VIP, to order, visit http://41bridgestreet.inticketing.com/events/258332.

Debbie Davies Band will perform at Bridge Street Live tonight, August 16, 2013 at 9:00 PM.

Davies rise to the upper echelon of blues music started at an early age as she absorbed the music heard constantly in her home. Her (professional) musician parents were either sitting at the piano or spinning discs on their turntable, filling the air with the sounds of big band jazz, harmony vocal groups, or the pop icons of the day. But the young Davies was particularly attracted to the bluesier sounds of her father's Ray Charles records, and by the age of 12 realized that her affinity for an instrument was not for the piano, but for the guitar.

Sioux Falls Jazz and Blues Presents Hadden Sayers tonight, January 19, 2012 at 8 pm at the Orpheum Theater Center.

It's called a Blues Harmonica Blowout for good reason. Mark Hummel and his band are joined by an all-star harmonica lineup: Lazy Lester (who worked with Slim Harpo and Lightnin' Slim), Rick Estrin (of Little Charlie & The Nightcats), Grammy-nominee Kenny Neal, Kim Wilson (The Fabulous Thunderbirds), and guitarists Charlie Baty (in a rare reunion with his Little Charlie colleague Estrin) and Joe Louis Walker (who has worked with everybody, including John Lee Hooker, Muddy Water, Jimi Hendrix, and more), all paying tribute to Jimmy Reed. Sponsored by Capital Public Radio.

Sioux Falls Jazz and Blues Presents Hadden Sayers Saturday, January 19, 2012 at 8 pm at the Orpheum Theater Center.