Lainie Kazan News

BroadwayWorld.com reported yesterday the sad news that actress, singer and stage veteran Polly Bergen died today at her home in Connecticut, at 84 of natural causes. The star was surrounded by friends and family at the time of her passing. Today, we take a look back at photos of the star, taken by BWW's Walter McBride.

Actors & Others for Animals presents a unique theater experience, CELEBRITY AUTOBIOGRAPHY, featuring Roger Bart, Mindy Cohn, Florence Henderson, Lainie Kazan, Laraine Newman, Eugene Pack, Dayle Reyfel, Steven Weber, Fred Willard and A&O President, JoAnne Worley, on Monday, October 13, 2014 at the El Portal Theatre.

The Crescendo Chapter of The Guilds of Segerstrom Center for the Arts has announced its popular 2014 - 2015 Celebrity Series that presents fascinating and informative lectures by notable personalities from the arts, entertainment, education, sports and literature.

The Crescendo Chapter of The Guilds of Segerstrom Center for the Arts has announced its popular 2014 - 2015 Celebrity Series that presents fascinating and informative lectures by notable personalities from the arts, entertainment, education, sports and literature.

The Los Angeles Jewish Symphony has announced a celebratory concert to commemorate the orchestra's 20th Anniversary on Sunday, September 7 at 7:30pm at the John Anson Ford Amphitheatre in Hollywood. LAJS will be joined by award-winning and critically acclaimed pianist, actor, playwright, producer, and composer Hershey Felder, who has written an overture specifically for this occasion. With the anniversary concert, LAJS will be making its 11th consecutive appearance in the Ford Summer Partnership Concert Series.

Sterling's Upstairs - housed at popular LA hot spot The Federal in North Hollywood's NoHo Arts District - has not only been described by the Los Angeles Times as "LA's cabaret destination;" but was just cited by LA Weekly as one of Los Angeles's top five supper clubs, With an arsenal of similar accolades from LA based media, Sterling's Upstairs celebrates its eight-year anniversary this month with Broadway performers Maura Hanlon Smith (June 9), Sandy Bainum (June 22) and Bernard Dotson (June 29-June 30). Kritzerland Records' Nobody Does it Better... The songs of Dorothy Fields kicked off the month-long celebration on June 1st featuring Tara Browne, Cynthia Ferrer, Zachary Ford, Kim Huber, Jenna Lea Rosen, Sami Staitman, Sarah Staitman, Robert Yacko and Special Guest... Broadway's Kerry O'Malley.

After months of grueling competition and fan anticipation, Bianca Del Rio bested Adore Delano and Courtney Act to be crowned the winner of this season of Logo TV's hit reality competition series, 'RuPaul's Drag Race.'

Breaking Glass Pictures is excited to announce the June 10, 2014 DVD release of the romantic comedy Oy Vey! My Son is Gay!

Hotel Nikko San Francisco and Michael Feinstein are thrilled to welcome Coco Peru to Feinstein's at the Nikko for one performance only - Saturday, April 26 at 7 p.m. Coco loves to reminisce. In fact, she's very good at it. In A More Intimate Evening with Coco Peru, Coco performs some of her favorite monologues and songs spanning her long career, as well as some new stuff too. Whether you've heard all or some of these stories, or if you're a Coco virgin, come see why Lily Tomlin called Coco 'one of the last great storytellers' and experience the trailblazing Queen who elevated drag whilst still wearing sensible heels. Tickets for Coco Peru range in price from $25 - $40 and are on-sale now and available by calling 866.663.1063 or visiting www.ticketweb.com.

It's hard to believe that it has been 50 years since Barbra Streisand portrayed Fanny Brice in the 1964 Broadway stage production of Funny Girl, and 46 years since she reprised her critically acclaimed role for the 1968 feature film, winning her an Oscar. The reason that it's so hard to believe is because she's still as relevant as ever and has to be the greatest Broadway export of all time. On April 29, Capitol/UMe will release the Gold-certified Funny Girl: Original Broadway Cast Recording in a 50th Anniversary Deluxe Edition boxed set with a digitally remastered CD and vinyl LP, as well as a 48-page book featuring exclusive photos from the production and a new essay by Jay Landers, her longtime A&R executive, who has worked with her on many recordings. The remastered original cast recording will also be available for digital purchase, including 192k and 96k high definition audio on HDtracks.

On Saturday May 10 S.T.A.G.E. (Southland Theatrical Artists Goodwill Event) will present its annual show at the Saban Theatre on Wilshire Blvd in Beverly Hills, this year entitled S.T.A.G.E. Goes to the MOVIES, directed by David Galligan with musical direction from the incomparable John McDaniel. Grammy, Tony and Emmy winning composer, musician McDaniel took time out of his busy rehearsal schedule to chat about the evening.

For the eighth installment of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center's ongoing series, Conversations With Coco-Miss Coco Peru's series of live, unscripted interviews with celebrated performing artists-the L.A. drag legend welcomes the legendary, quadruple-threat entertainer Miss Liza Minnelli to the Center's Renberg Theatre.

RuPaul is back with a new crop of celebrity guest judges to help transform 'herstory' with the highly anticipated sixth season of the ground-breaking series, 'RuPaul's Drag Race.'

Broadway, television and film star CHEYENNE JACKSON will make his first appearance in the 30th Annual Southland Theatre Artists Goodwill Event (S.T.A.G.E.) "S.T.A.G.E. Goes to the Movies," being held on Saturday, May 10th at the historic Saban Theatre in Beverly Hills. LAINIE KAZAN, RICHARD CHAMBERLAIN, MITZI GAYNOR, and JASON GOULD will also be making their first S.T.A.G.E. appearances and Tony® Award winner BETTY BUCKLEY will make her second S.T.A.G.E. turn.

On the heels of their one-year wedding anniversary, distinguished entertainers Christine Reisner-Rebic (an international cabaret chanteuse and dancer) and Don Rebic (Broadway and cabaret musical director and composer) will join forces for the New York City debut of their first full-length cabaret act as a duo. 'Look Who's in Love' features their original songs as well as songs by veteran Broadway composer Albert Hague (Christine's uncle) and timeless jazzy standards by Irving Berlin, Jule Styne, Jimmy Van Heusen, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. The show is directed by Michael Bush. The performance is set for Wednesday, February 19, 2014 at The Laurie Beechman Theatre at the West Bank Cafe, 407 West 42nd Street (at 9th Avenue), NYC. TICKETS: $20 cover charge ($15 for MAC members) plus a $15 food/beverage minimum. RESERVATIONS: 212-695-6909 or www.LaurieBeechmanTheatre.com.

For the eighth installment of the L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center's ongoing series, Conversations With Coco-Miss Coco Peru's series of live, unscripted interviews with celebrated performing artists-the L.A. drag legend welcomes the legendary, quadruple-threat entertainer Miss Liza Minnelli to the Center's Renberg Theatre.

On the heels of their one-year wedding anniversary, distinguished entertainers Christine Reisner-Rebic (an international cabaret chanteuse and dancer) and Don Rebic (Broadway and cabaret musical director and composer) will join forces for the New York City debut of their first full-length cabaret act as a duo. 'Look Who's in Love' features their original songs as well as songs by veteran Broadway composer Albert Hague (Christine's uncle) and timeless jazzy standards by Irving Berlin, Jule Styne, Jimmy Van Heusen, Betty Comden and Adolph Green. The show is directed by Michael Bush.

Broadway vet Jesse L. Martin has signed on to co-star opposite Grant Gustin in the upcoming CW pilot THE FLASH, based on the DC comic.

Happy Birthday, Jesse L. Martin! Martin is best known for originating the role of Tom Collins in the Broadway theatrical production of Rent, and for his portrayal of NYPD Detective Ed Green on the NBC drama television series Law & Order. He made his Broadway debut in Timon of Athens, and then performed in The Government Inspector with Lainie Kazan. In 2010, Martin returned to the stage for one of his biggest theater commitments since Law & Order performing in the productions of The Merchant of Venice and The Winter's Tale as a part of The Public Theater's Shakespeare in the Park at the Delacorte Theater in Central Park. He played the roles of Gratiano and King Polixenes, respectively. The Merchant of Venice later transferred to Broadway to the Broadhurst Theater for a limited engagement, during which time Martin reprised his role as Gratiano.