Leonard Bernstein News

Veteran director Anne Bogart and her innovative SITI Company are pleased to announce their 2009-2010 first full-New York season. Considered by many to be one of America's national treasures, the ensemble theater company SITI has garnered praise for its thought-provoking and visually compelling work, emphasizing the cross-cultural exchange of dance, music and art, and international collaborations.

The smash hit revival of WEST SIDE STORY announced today that slight changes have been implemented into the current Broadway production at the Palace Theatre (1564 Broadway at 47th Street). 'A Boy Like That' is now predominately sung in English to the original lyrics and selected dialogue and lyrics in 'I Feel Pretty' have reverted to English. The changes went into effect last Thursday, August 20, 2009.

Eight-time Academy Award winning composer Alan Menken will be joined on stage by Broadway's John Treacy Egan (The Little Mermaid, The Producers), Penny Fuller (Dividing the Estate), Victoria Mallory (A Little Night Music, Follies) and Kurt Peterson (Follies, Dear World) in Broadway Tonight on Sunday, September 13, 2009 at 7:00 pm at the Tarrytown Music Hall, 13 Main St, Tarrytown, NY.

Matt Cavenaugh, Tony in Broadway's West Side Story, and Jenny Powers, the co-star of LCT's recent musical Happiness, are getting married in Boston today, August 23rd, at the Gate of Heaven Catholic Church in Boston. The Rev. Lawrence J. Drennan, a Roman Catholic priest, is to perform the ceremony.

Upright Cabaret, L.A.'s premier theatrical showcase featuring an eclectic mix of artists from stage, screen and recording, announces the complete cast for its third and final of its wildly successful 'WICKED' Summer Night at the Ford, featuring the man who has given the world such musical theatre treasures as Wicked, Pippin, Godspell, The Baker's Wife and many more, STEPHEN SCHWARTZ: MAKING GOOD, featuring the West Coast premiere of songs from his new opera Séance on a Wet Afternoon, with musical direction by Chris Bratten, directed by Upright Cabaret Artistic Director Billy Porter and performing ONE NIGHT ONLY, Sunday, August 23 at 7:30pm at the Ford Amphitheatre, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East in Hollywood.

Upright Cabaret, L.A.'s premier theatrical showcase featuring an eclectic mix of artists from stage, screen and recording, presents its third and final of its wildly successful 'WICKED' Summer Night at the Ford, featuring the man who has given the world such musical theatre treasures as Wicked, Pippin, Godspell, The Baker's Wife and many more, STEPHEN SCHWARTZ: MAKING GOOD, featuring the West Coast premiere of songs from his new opera Séance on a Wet Afternoon, with musical direction by Chris Bratten, directed by Upright Cabaret Artistic Director Billy Porter and performing ONE NIGHT ONLY, Sunday, August 23 at 7:30pm at the Ford Amphitheatre, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East in Hollywood.

Pull-Tight Players, Inc. kick off their 41st season with the timeless and thought-provoking show West Side Story.

FEINSTEIN'S AT LOEWS REGENCY, the nightclub proclaimed 'Best of New York' by New York Magazine and 'an invaluable New York institution' by The New York Post, will open its star-studded Fall 2009 season with the first joint engagement of the club's founder Michael Feinstein and two time Tony Award winning Broadway and TV star Christine Ebersole from September 8 - 12. Their new duet show 'Good Friends' will feature classic standards and Broadway hits by Cole Porter, Johnny Mercer, Rodgers & Hart and Jerry Herman, in addition to never-before-heard rarities from the Great American Songbook. Feinstein's longtime Musical Director John Oddo will lead the all-star band. All shows take place at the Regency Hotel (540 Park Avenue at 61st Street).

Roundabout Theatre Company (Todd Haimes, Artistic Director) is pleased to announce the full cast for Ordinary Days, a new musical with Music & Lyrics by Adam Gwon, directed by Marc Bruni. Ordinary Days will feature Lisa Brescia as 'Claire,' Hunter Foster as 'Jason,' Jared Gertner as 'Warren' and Kate Wetherhead as 'Deb.' This production marks the first musical presented in the Black Box Theatre.

Following the success of last year's centenary celebration of Olivier Messiaen's birth, the Yale School of Music (YSM) turns again to a great musician on his 100th birthday. On Saturday, September 26 at 7:30 p.m., YSM opens its third annual Yale in New York series with The Classical Legacy of Benny Goodman. The gifted alumni, students, and faculty of YSM present six 20th-century works linked with the legendary clarinetist.

Alan Gilbert will launch the New York Philharmonic's 168th season's subscription concerts in his new role as Music Director, conducting works that reflect his interest in creating programs that feature established repertoire and new and lesser-known music in innovative contexts.

Fri, Sept. 7 -Oct 16 Blake Shirley: Purple and Blender Jorgensen Gallery Open 11 am - 4 pm, Monday-Friday, and 1 hr. before performances

The New York Times reports the sad news that actress Ruth Ford has passed away at the age of 98.

Upright Cabaret, L.A.'s premier theatrical showcase featuring an eclectic mix of artists from stage, screen and recording, announces the complete cast for its third and final of its wildly successful 'WICKED' Summer Night at the Ford, featuring the man who has given the world such musical theatre treasures as Wicked, Pippin, Godspell, The Baker's Wife and many more, STEPHEN SCHWARTZ: MAKING GOOD, featuring the West Coast premiere of songs from his new opera Séance on a Wet Afternoon, with musical direction by Chris Bratten, directed by Upright Cabaret Artistic Director Billy Porter and performing ONE NIGHT ONLY, Sunday, August 23 at 7:30pm at the Ford Amphitheatre, 2580 Cahuenga Blvd. East in Hollywood.

Award-winning chanteuse, actress and comedienne Christine Ebersole returns to the Orange County Performing Arts Center for her third visit October 8 - 11 in the intimate Samueli Theater to open the 2009-2010 Cabaret Series.

Friends In Deed has tapped Tommy Tune's brand new road show, Steps in Time, for their one-night-only spectacular Broadway Benefit Gala which will take place at The Gerald W. Lynch Theater at John Jay College (899 Tenth Avenue) on Monday, September 21st at 8:00 p.m. All proceeds benefit Friends In Deed - The Crisis Center for Life-Threatening Illness.

Barbra Streisand discusses her new album, Love Is The Answer, in an exclusive video on Amazon.com.

JOY FRANZ and CHERYL STERN will join the cast of Saul Ilson's musical comedy revue 'DON'T LEAVE IT ALL TO YOUR CHILDREN! at The Actors Temple Theatre, 339 West 47th Street, NYC on Wednesday, August 12th.

Broadway Cares/ Equity Fights AIDS has announced the exciting news that Broadway star, Tony, Grammy and Golden Globe Award winner, and long-time BC/EFA friend and Trustee Bernadette Peters will perform a special one night only concert 'Bernadette Peters: A Special Concert for Broadway Barks Because Broadway Cares' on Monday, November 9 at 8 PM at Broadway's Minskoff Theatre (1515 Broadway).

The Talent Company will present the Leonard Bernstein-Stephen Sondheim-Arthur Laurents musical classic, 'West Side Story,' July 9 through August 9 in the NewTimes Theatre at the New York State Fairgrounds.