Laurie Beechman News

The Outside the Box Musical Theater Group is casting a new musical. Choreographer Kay Cole (the original Maggie in A Chorus Line) and veteran casting director Michael Donovan are behind the table with director Stephen Findle. Who's auditioning? What's the show? Who will be cast? Stay tuned. The episode also features Calvin Remsberg (Sweeney Todd), Barry Pearl (Grease, the movie, Baby It's You), and many others.

An official choice of the 2012 Chicago and San Francisco Fringe Festivals, CrAzYToWn: my first psychopath is a comic take on how an encounter with psychopath helped an over-eager therapist get over herself - when nothing else seemed to be working. In this storytelling show with original music real-life therapist/performer Jude Treder-Wolff takes audiences down the rabbit hole of belief that led to her experience of being blind-sided by reality, in a cautionary tale about how authentic a completely fake person can be.

PlaidBird Productions and Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal will present 'Bird Amongst the Blossom-A Tribute to the First Blossom Dearie Songbook' at Sterling's Upstairs at The Federal on Monday, February 18th, 2013 at 7pm. Reservations Required, Seating 5:30-6pm. Featuring Jaye Maynard (vocals), Nick Fryman (Musical Director/piano) and Chris Conner (upright bass).

Zack Zadek is hosting a debut solo concert at Joe's Pub on January 28th. The 9:30 PM show will feature songs from Zack's hit musical "6" (NYMF), an intimate telling of six New Yorkers who, by six degrees of separation, unexpectedly alter each other's lives, and a sneak preview of his current project "The Crazy Ones," detailing the biography of Steve Jobs and the formation of Apple, Inc. through the rock and acoustic revolutions of the seventies.

Broadway Sessions is described as an evening of musical performances, games, comedy and open mic featuring a new Broadway guest each week. The show is created/hosted by Ben Cameron (Broadway's Wicked, Aida and Footloose) and features musical direction by Joshua Stephen Kartes. This week, tonight, January 17th, Broadway Sessions will welcome female cast members from the Broadway smash hit Newsies, Jared Zirilli and more.

Jason Michael Snow performed 'Lowdown-Down' at Broadway Sessions on November 29th, 2012. Watch him sing in the video below!

Greenlist Productions presents Ryan Raftery's return to the Laurie Beechman Theatre for his fifth solo show, "Ryan Raftery is Black and Better Than Ever: A Caucasian Celebration of the African-American Songbook" on Sunday, March 3rd at 9:30pm.

Red Mountain Theatre Company has the cure for the common song and it's coming just in time for Valentine's Day!

Kim Coles, the hilarious star of hit TV shows Living Single, Frasier and In Living Color, will present the New York Premiere of her acclaimed one-woman show OH BUT WAIT, THERE'S MORE!?.? Written and performed by Kim Coles and directed by Scotch Ellis Loring, this limited engagement will be presented for three performances only, February 1 - 3 at The Laurie Beechman Theater at West Bank Café.

Broadway Sessions is described as an evening of musical performances, games, comedy and open mic featuring a new Broadway guest each week. The show is created/hosted by Ben Cameron (Broadway's Wicked, Aida and Footloose) and features musical direction by Joshua Stephen Kartes. This week, Thursday, January 17th, Broadway Sessions will welcome female cast members from the Broadway smash hit Newsies, Jared Zirilli and more.

After sold out shows at the Canal Room, the Laurie Beechman, and NYMF, Cutting-Edge Composers will be at Joe's Pub on Monday, February 4th at 7:00pm at Joe's Pub in New York City. $25 tickets can be purchased at www.joespub.com. Up-and-coming musical theater writers are teamed with Broadway's hottest performers in this concert series directed and produced by Laura Pietropinto (Next to Normal) and co-produced by Jillian Robbins with Musical Direction by Julie McBride.

Legendary singer-actress Lainie Kazan and versatile performer Maurice Hines will be honored, along with 16 others, at the 28th Annual Bistro Awards gala, which recognizes outstanding achievement in New York cabaret, jazz, and comedy. The celebration will take place on Monday, March 4 at Gotham Comedy Club, 208 West 23rd Street (between 7th & 8th avenues).

Jeff Harnar, one of the most celebrated performers of the American Popular Songbook, will return to The Laurie Beechman Theatre in the show 'Does This Song Make Me Look Fat? (Lighter Fare for a Winter Night)' for four shows at 7:00 PM: Monday nights from tonight, January 14 to 28 and then Friday, February 8.

The award winning benefit cabaret series returns in 2013. The series that raises funds for Help Is On The Way Today which assists children and youth living with HIV and AIDS. The series which has raised over $74,000 since its start has featured some of the most talented performers from Broadway and the New York cabaret community.

Tanya O'Debra's New York Innovative Theatre Award nominated solo show, RADIO STAR, is being presented by the Horse Trade Theater Group for its Encore Series. Performances are tonight, January 12 @ 6:30pm and Monday, January 14 @ 7pm at The Kraine Theater, 85 E. 4th St. NYC, NY.

After an acclaimed run at the 2012 Edinburgh Festival Fringe, writer/performer Peter Michael Marino returns to NYC with his comic autopsy on his $6 million West End musical fiasco Desperately Seeking Susan in DESPERATELY SEEKING THE EXIT. Directed by Obie Award winner John Clancy, performances of this solo tell-all comedy run January 17 & 20 at The Triple Crown Underground.

Performer John Sloman (TVs Mad Men, and Broadway's Big and The Music Man) is asked to star in a career-defining role in a new musical. Will he accept the role? What is the new musical? Stay tuned. The episode also stars Angel Reda (currently Chicago on Broadway).

Marty Thomas presents DIVA is a weekly show at Industry Bar in midtown Manhattan. Featuring a cast of Alexa Green (Wicked, Company), Kelly King (Babyface, Michael Bolton) and Marissa Rosen (My Big Gay Italian Wedding), it is hosted and produced by Marty Thomas (Xanadu, The Secret Garden and Wicked). DIVA celebrates fabulous female vocalists paying tribute to some of histories most over the top icons! The cast performs a brand new show every week with exciting new guests rotating.

Led by Lauren Fox, a lively group of New York cabaret all-stars, staged a rousing and highly entertaining late night benefit show called 'Cabaret Rocks the Rockaways' to raise funds for the people out in the far reaches of Queens who are still suffering from the ravages of last November's Hurricane Sandy.

The Laurie Beechman Theater continues its reign as The Happiest (and Gayest) Place on Earth as Dallas DuBois presents a return engagement of DISTORTED DIZNEE. After a 3-month run this summer, this late night cult hit featuring drag stars Holly Dae, Bootsie LeFaris, Pixie Aventura, Shenea DeDranke, and hostess Dallas DuBois begins an open-ended run tonight, January 4.