Laurie Beechman News

If you're looking for some cool cabaret/nightclub shows over the next month, try these on for size: Darren Williams (July 26) and Lauren Robert (August 7) are ready to rock Iridium, while two lovely ladies of cabaret will be featured at Feinstein's: Karen Oberlin (July 24-28) and Raissa Katona Bennett (August 21-25).

Songs from the new musical FICTION IN PHOTOGRAPHS will receive an industry performance on Tuesday August 7th at 3:00PM at the Laurie Beechman Theater located at the WestBank Café at 42nd Street and 9th Avenue.

After sold-out shows at the Canal Room and the Laurie Beechman, Cutting-Edge Composers brings its latest concert to NYMF tonight, July 23rd at 7 and 9:30 pm at the Theatre at St. Clement's (423 w. 46th Street). Up-and-coming musical theatre writers are teamed with Broadway's hottest performers at the concert directed and produced by Laura Pietropinto (Next to Normal), co-produced by Jillian Robbins, and musically directed by Virginia Hart Pike.

Matt Yee, described as 'that wonderfully funny Entertainer, Artist, Comedian from Hawaii, & evidence that 'Asian Men Are Huge,' brings his Outrageous Adult Sing Along Show to the Laurie Beechman Theater on 42nd Street.

With her thick accent and slippery grasp of the English language, campy Cuban chanteuse MARGARITA PRACATAN has been wowing audiences for decades with her devastating renditions of Broadway standards and pop favorites by the likes of ABBA, Boy George, and Britney Spears.

Tonight, July 20th at 8pm a mixture of Broadway talent and nightlife personas will gather at Elmo is Chelsea to celebrate the 25th Year of Marti Gould Cummings, Brad Gardner, and Joey Contreras. This annual triple birthday event will feature some of NYC's brightest talents celebrating these three young men. Elmo is located in Chelsea on 19th Street and 7th Avenue.

After several workshop productions and an LA Premiere, Alec Mapa (Desperate Housewives, Ugly Betty, The View, RuPaul's Drag Race, The Gossip Queens, Sharpay's Fabulous Adventure) will present the official New York Premiere of ALEC MAPA: BABY DADDY. It will be presented for a 2-week limited engagement opening tonight, July 19 at The Laurie Beechman Theater at West Bank Café.

With baseball season in full swing, NATIONAL PASTIME, a new screwball musical comedy, will make its New York debut, beginning performances Off-Broadway on August 8, 2012 at the Peter Jay Sharp Theater at Playwrights Horizons in Manhattan (416 West 42nd Street).

The Laurie Beechman Theater will present a special edition of 'Broadway Sessions' with casts of Off Broadway shows, featured singers, and guest host Emily McNamara (My Big Gay Italian Wedding, The Awesome 80's Prom).

Shana Farr is set to perform her accalimed show, 'Whistling Away the Dark: Through Songs of Julie Andrews' tonight, July 18th at 7:30 p.m. at the legendary Players Club, located at 16 Gramercy Park South. The performance is free and guests are welcome. Julie Andrews' biographer, Robert Windeler, will be joining Farr at this one-time-only performance.

Grab your Magic 8 Ball and see if signs "point to yes" in the World Premiere of Love. Guts. High School, a co-production of the Midtown International Theatre Festival, tonight, July 17th - August 2nd @ Dorothy Strelsin Theatre. The show is written and performed by Jeanette Bonner and developed with Peter Michael Marino.

With her thick accent and slippery grasp of the English language, campy Cuban chanteuse MARGARITA PRACATAN has been wowing audiences for decades with her devastating renditions of Broadway standards and pop favorites by the likes of ABBA, Boy George, and Britney Spears.

Joe Iconis is a Tony Award-winning composer in the making, but until he wins that ultimate prize he's making a few stops along the way, like tonight when he and his 'Family' perform a concert of his 'Greatest Hits' at 54 Below.

Right from the Broadway production of Godspell, Hannah Elless joins the cast of Michael Ogborn's award winning musical Baby Case, playing the role of Adela St. John. Baby Case is directed by Jeremy Dobrish and produced by Charlie Fink, Michael Ogborn, Robert Soslow, Juliana Schauerman, Dorothy Flynn, Caroline Castagno, Glenn Gunderson, Kathy Lou Leone, Diane Santillo, and Anne Makara. Baby Case plays from tonight, July 16 - July 22, 2012, at The Pershing Square Signature Center (480 W 42 St). Baby Case is presented by The New York Musical Theatre Festival.

Joe's Pub has announced its upcoming performances, tonight, July 16 through July 22, 2012, including 'All Aboard the Soul Train: A Tribute to Don Cornelius,' Tori Scott, Jeff LeBlanc, Carolyn Wonderland, Our Hit Parade, David Dondero, Amy LaVere, Josh Rouse, Eleni Mandell, Batz, Howard Fishman, Amber Martin, Quarteto Olinda and Pedro Moraes. See full details below!

When Phil Geoffrey Bond was named Programming Director at 54 Below, it became a given that the theatre district's spanking new nightlife venue would include on its schedule Broadway-centric evenings geared for the knowledgeable musical theatre fan who appreciates both past glories and upcoming works in progress.  The producer/host of the Laurie Beechman Theatre's popular Sondheim Unplugged series now makes a significant debut in the same capacities with New Mondays, dedicated to giving audiences a sampling of fresh material from accomplished theatre composers and lyricists.

Musical Momentum, a very unique benefit concert series, will present its second event, True Colors 2.0: A Benefit/Fundraiser for the Trevor Project at the Laurie Beechman Theater in New York on Sunday, July 29th.

Bette Midler tribute artist Donna Maxon revisits the glorious 70's with her new cabaret show BETTE & BARRY: BACK TO THE BATHHOUSE co-written by Maxon and director Michael Schiralli. Maxon stars as the Divine Miss M, performing a hilariously bawdy act of tunes, monologues, and jokes. The show co-stars musical director Fonda Feingold as Barry Manilow, and the duo proudly pays homage to the partnership that Midler and Manilow began at New York's Continental Baths in 1970.

On July 20th at 8pm a mixture of Broadway talent and nightlife personas will gather at Elmo is Chelsea to celebrate the 25th Year of Marti Gould Cummings, Brad Gardner, and Joey Contreras. This annual triple birthday event will feature some of NYC's brightest talents celebrating these three young men. Elmo is located in Chelsea on 19th Street and 7th Avenue.

Tonight, July 12th, Broadway Sessions welcomes casts and performances from new works being featured in The New York Musical Theater Festival. - The evening will feature performances from Flambe' Dreams, 6, Prison Dancer, Trouble, Stand Tall, Zapata!, Ari Gold's Bshert, Shelter, Swing State, Stealing Time and The Groove Factory. For more schedules and more information on the featured productions please visit www.nymf.org.