Lainie Kazan News

Legendary jazz singer and lyricist Jon Hendricks, dubbed 'The Poet Laureate of Jazz,' celebrated jazz vocalist and actress Annie Ross, and acclaimed jazz singer Janis Siegel are among the artists who will be honored at the 31st Annual Bistro Awards gala tonight, March 8 at 6:30 pm at the Gotham Comedy Club, 208 W. 23rd St. As is the Bistro Awards tradition, the evening will feature performances by the winners.

NiCori Studios and Productions in association with the Oakeside Bloomfield Cultural Center announces a new installment of the monthly concert series, Music at the Mansion, on Sunday, February 28, at 3pm. Performers include 4th Wall Theatre, Ami Brabson, Peggy Eason and Michael Colby.

 Two dozen wise and witty "songs of experience" with charming melodies and smartly crafted lyrics.International City Theatre opens its 2016 season with a recently updated version of Closer Than Ever, the Outer Critics Circle Award winner for Best off-Broadway Musical that also netted Drama Desk nominations for lyricist Richard Maltby, Jr. and composer David Shire. Directed and choreographed by Todd Nielsen, with musical direction by Gerald Sternbach, and starring ICT favorites Kevin Bailey (Abigail/1702),Valerie Perri (The Sweepers), Adam von Almen (The Heir Apparent) and newcomer Katheryne Penny, Closer Than Ever opens February 12at ICT's home in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center. Two low-priced previews take place on Feb. 10 and Feb. 11.

The fascinating life of Chicago newspaperman turned legendary playwright, screenwriter and novelist Ben Hecht takes center stage in Grippo Stage Company's world premiere of THE BEN HECHT SHOW, written and performed by James Sherman and directed by Dennis Za?ek.

MadKap Productions will present BEAU JEST by local playwright James Sherman, for ten performances at the Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln Ave in Skokie, February 5 - 21, 2016.

Legendary jazz singer and lyricist Jon Hendricks, dubbed 'The Poet Laureate of Jazz,' celebrated jazz vocalist and actress Annie Ross, and acclaimed jazz singer Janis Siegel are among the artists who will be honored at the 31st Annual Bistro Awards gala on Tuesday, March 8 at 6:30 pm at the Gotham Comedy Club, 208 W. 23rd St. As is the Bistro Awards tradition, the evening will feature performances by the winners; for the full list, see below!

Two dozen wise and witty 'songs of experience' with charming melodies and smartly crafted lyrics. International City Theatre opens its 2016 season with a recently updated version of Closer Than Ever, the Outer Critics Circle Award winner for Best off-Broadway Musical that also netted Drama Desk nominations for lyricist Richard Maltby, Jr. and composer David Shire. Directed and choreographed by Todd Nielsen, with musical direction by Gerald Sternbach, and starring ICT favorites Kevin Bailey (Abigail/1702), Valerie Perri (The Sweepers), Adam von Almen (The Heir Apparent) and newcomer Katheryne Penny, Closer Than Ever opens February 12 at ICT's home in the Long Beach Performing Arts Center. Two low-priced previews take place on Feb. 10 and Feb. 11.

MadKap Productions will present BEAU JEST by local playwright James Sherman, for ten performances at the Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln Ave in Skokie, February 5 - 21, 2016.

Librettist/Lyricist Michael Colby will bring a concert adaptation of his well-received memoir, THE ALGONQUIN KID: ADVENTURES GROWING UP IN NEW YORK'S LEGENDARY HOTEL to Winter Rhythms at Urban Stages, 259 West 30th Street, NY 10001 on Dec. 13th at 2:00pm.

Below, check out first trailer for MY BIG FAT GREEK WEDDING 2, the sequel to 2002's hit romantic comedy hitting theaters on March 25, 2016.

On the heels of a successful run of their first cabaret act, Look Who's in Love, distinguished entertainers Christine Reisner-Rebic (an international cabaret chanteuse and dancer) and Don Rebic (Broadway and cabaret musical director, jazz pianist and composer) took their cabaret act into the recording studio.

On the heels of a successful run of their first cabaret act, Look Who's in Love, distinguished entertainers Christine Reisner-Rebic (an international cabaret chanteuse and dancer) and Don Rebic (Broadway and cabaret musical director, jazz pianist and composer) took their cabaret act into the recording studio. "Lucky in Love" features timeless standards as well as four songs of their own: "You're Making Me Nervous," "Two Heads Are Better Than One," "Leap of Faith" and the title track, "Lucky in Love."

In his new show at the Metropolitan Room, Give My Regards to Broadway (which opened on July 18), Jacob Storms wholeheartedly disproves the perception that a singer making their debut in the cabaret arena need a director or more than just a pianist to prove their greatness. Over at Don't Tell Mama, former Oak Room show producer Arthur Pomposello has re-emerged with a new regular blues supper club show.

Founded by BroadwayWorld TV's own Michael Sterling (On-air Producer and Host for live entertainment news events in Los Angeles), Sterling's Upstairs first opened its doors at the renowned Vitello's Restaurant in Studio City, CA. where it single handedly brought back to Los Angeles the art of intimate upscale cabaret concerts which had all but vanished from the cultural scene in movie town, USA.  However, in due time, the venue was whole heartedly embraced by enthusiasts of LA's performing arts community and continued to thrive for 6 successful years in a former storage room that was transformed by Sterling into a true supper club environment.  

Penn Jillette and Teller make their long-awaited return to the Broadway stage this summer with Penn & Teller On Broadway, now in performances at the Marquis Theatre (46th Street between Broadway and 8th). The production opened last night, July 12 and will play a strictly limited six-week engagement through August 16. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from the red carpet arrivals below!

Today we salute a Broadway and Hollywood star just announced to be making her return to Broadway later this year in WICKED.

The West Coast Premiere of renowned Chicago playwright, James Sherman's comedy THE BEN HECHT SHOW opens Friday, July 24th at the Zephyr Theatre (7456 Melrose Ave ?Los Angeles, CA  90046.) The play runs Friday and Saturday at 8 PM and Sunday at 2 PM, July 24th through Sunday, August 16th. Tickets are $25 and are available at plays411/benhecht or by calling (323) 960-7861

After the hilarious musical/comedy hit, 'AIN'T FOOD WONDERFUL', Jimmy Ferraro's Studio Theatre, 5732 Main Street, New Port Richey, FL presents, the Musical Play , 'AMERICAN HEARTBEAT!', by director/writer/composer Dr. Martha Velez, PHD, the author of the award winning play, 'Power of the Powerless!'.

'THE STARS COME OUT FOR SURVIVORS - NYC' is slated for tonight, May 9th at Webster Hall in NYC, with a special full benefit concert by Indigo Girls presented by the award-winning Survivor Mitzvah Project.