Kurt Weill News

For their annual summer festival, Skylark Opera is presenting the Leonard Bernstein classic operetta Candide and the musical revue Berlin to Broadway with Kurt Weill.

Peggy Eason is one of those characters who seem to have been made for the New York cabaret scene. She's a bodacious woman who is ubiquitous at the local clubs, possesses a passion for singing, and bills herself as the 'Chocolate Diva,' although on stage she's more like a Red Hot Mama. Eason opened her third solo cabaret show, I'll Show Them All, at Don't Tell Mama on Monday night (she's appearing again at the club on Sunday at 7pm) with the decidedly politically incorrect titled song written especially for her by David Conforte, 'Black, Blind and Beautiful' (Hey, 'African American, Visually Challenged and Beautiful' doesn't have the same ring to it.). But there was little that was incorrect about her fast-paced and entertaining show that was often poignant and funny at the same time.

Long Beach Opera Artistic and General Director Andreas Mitisek announces the company's 2015 season featuring works by contemporary North American and English composers: the US premiere of Gavin Bryars' Marilyn Forever, the Los Angeles premiere of Tobias Picker's Therese Raquin, and a new production of Philip Glass' Hydrogen Jukebox. Kicking off the season, LBO will perform the Southern California premiere of John Adams' I was looking at the ceiling and then I saw the sky.

Summer is just around the corner, and we are looking ahead in anticipation to the start of Carnegie Hall's 2014-2015 season! Listed below are classical music highlights at Carnegie Hall, including details on UBUNTU: Music and Arts of South Africa, a three-week festival from October 10 to November 5, featuring an exciting array of events to be presented at Carnegie Hall and partner venues throughout New York City, inviting audiences to explore the incredibly dynamic and diverse culture of South Africa.

Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston will present South Pacific from today, June 12-22 at the Robinson Theatre (617 Lexington St. Waltham, MA, 02452). South Pacific will open Reagle's 46th Annual Summer Season, followed by Me and My Girl (July 10-20) and Singin' In the Rain (August 7-17).

Kim Smith is a regular visitor to the Adelaide Cabaret Festival, and we just can't enough of his style of cabaret.

Jay Records, with the support of The Kurt Weill Foundation, digitally released the first complete recording of composer Kurt Weill and lyricist Ogden Nash's score to the 1943 musical ONE TOUCH OF VENUS on October 7, 2013, and the sterling recording had its physical CD release on May 13, 2014. Originally announced over ten years ago, fans eagerly anticipated the album for years. Luckily for us listeners, the recording was well worth the wait.

Seven years was a long time to wait for another appearance by the fabulous Parisian cabaret chanteuse, Caroline Nin, but the wait was more than worth it.

Melba Moore will play two shows at New York's Metropolitan Room on June 20, 2014, at 7pm & 9:30pm. Price $35.00 - $115.00.

Musical theatre performers MARY LOU BARBER, EDWARD PLEASANT and BEN RAUCH will be performing dramatic readings of excerpts from The Very Reverend James Parks Morton's forthcoming memoir at the 12th Annual James Parks Morton Interfaith Awards gala tonight, June 5 at the New York Hilton Midtown. This is the first time in the history of the Interfaith Center of New York (ICNY) awards dinner that a theatrical event has been presented.

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. The Jeff Awards, Theo Ubique's future plans, Jennifer Hudson performs, 'Damn Yankees' at LOW, 'The Beverly Hillbillies,' 'Coraline,' 'The Last Ship' and the Chicago Musical Theatre Festival debut, 'Spelling Bee' starts, 'Avenue Q' extends and BroadwayWorld Chicago hosts a Tony Party!

The second Plett Fringe Festival starts on 26 June and there is something for everyone: from magic to music and comedy to dance. This year the festival is also introducing matinee family shows for the little ones. The festival is held to benefit the Kids of Kurland School Project, a charitable organization started by two dynamic ladies in the area, Ann Fermor and Janet Holding, who had a goal to 'focus on human resources on behalf of the parents, community and school governing body' of the school. Since 2001 The Kids of Kurland School Project has helped with raising funds for The Crags Primary school and currently employs two teachers, a special needs teacher and a part time social worker.

Musical theatre performers MARY LOU BARBER, EDWARD PLEASANT and BEN RAUCH will be performing dramatic readings of excerpts from The Very Reverend James Parks Morton's forthcoming memoir at the 12th Annual James Parks Morton Interfaith Awards gala on Thursday, June 5 at the New York Hilton Midtown. This is the first time in the history of the Interfaith Center of New York (ICNY) awards dinner that a theatrical event has been presented.

Florida Rep's Education Department is pleased to announce the opening of URINETOWN, The Musical! This hilarious and irreverent tale of greed, corruption, love, and revolution plays this weekend, May 30 at 7pm and May 31 at 2pm and 7pm in the Historic Arcade Theatre.

The National Ballet of Canada opens its summer season with a mixed programme of twentieth century works.

Melissa Errico, Brent Barrett and Ron Raines from ONE TOUCH OF VENUS will appear at Barnes & Noble (Upper East Side, 86th/Lexington) with host Ted Chapin on for a performance and CD signing tonight, May 28, 2014 at 7 p.m.

Reagle Music Theatre of Greater Boston will present South Pacific from June 12-22 at the Robinson Theatre (617 Lexington St. Waltham, MA, 02452). South Pacific will open Reagle's 46th Annual Summer Season, followed by Me and My Girl (July 10-20) and Singin' In the Rain (August 7-17).

It's hard to believe with the weather we've had, but summer is just around the corner. And if you're a musical theater fan like I am, it's going to be a great one! Here are a few summer musicals I'm looking forward to this year.

Penn State Centre Stage will present the regional premiere of Tom Kitt and Brian Yorkey's powerful rock musical Next to Normal from June 4 - 14, 2014 in the Penn State Pavilion Theatre. Directed by Cary Libkin and starring Ariela Morgenstern, Asa Somers, Raymond Sage, Tommy Hart, Christina Kidd, and Gregory LaMontagne, Next To Normal tells the story of a mother struggling with worsening Bipolar Disorder and the dramatic effect that her illness has on her family. Previews at 7:30 p.m.: June 4 and 5; Evenings at 7:30 p.m.: June 10, 11, 12; Evenings at 8:00 p.m.: June 6, 7, 13, 14; Matinee at 2 p.m.: June 7. Evenings: $30; Preview/Matinee: $20; Opening Night Reception/Show: $60 (Includes pre-show hors d'ouevres, show, and post-show desserts) Doors open at 6:30 p.m.; show begins at 8:00 p.m. For additional show information, visit www.theatre.psu.edu. Tickets are available at Penn State Tickets Downtown, Eisenhower Box Office, Bryce Jordan Center, or by calling (814) 863-0255 or 1 (800) ARTS-TIX.

Today we continue the 2014 edition of our annual BroadwayWorld feature series spotlighting the very best Tony Awards-related moments of all time with a special focus on one of the most revolutionary musicals of all time, COMPANY.