Lesli Margherita News

As they close in on the August 1st fundraising deadline, and having reached 57% of the $250,000 goal, Cabrillo Music Theatre enthusiastically announces that local businessman/developer John Notter has partnered with the Conrad Hilton Foundation to pledge $30,000 to the fundraising drive. At the same time, Notter and the Foundation ask the community to do the same, and now the race is on to reach the deadline in the next eight days. If fundraising and season subscription goals are reached, Cabrillo Music Theatre can move ahead with its 2014-2015 season, featuring MARY POPPINS, MEMPHIS, OKLAHOMA and COMPANY. Meanwhile, fundraising events continue across the country.

Last night 'Villain: DeBlanks' made its New York debut at 54 Below, and the photos say it all. Beginning the night collecting words from the audience, and then reading the resulting script - unedited and unrehearsed - the uproarious first night cast included Bobby Cronin, Bernard Dotson, Barrett Foa, Lesli Margherita, Nancy Opel, Ryann Redmond, and Heather Shisler. Check out a first look below!

UnsungMusicalsCo. (UMC) continues its 2014 developmental reading series at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center with a special presentation of I Had a Ball, the 1964 Coney Island musical comedy with a book by Tony Award winner Jerome Chodorov (Wonderful Town) and a score by Stan Freeman & Jack Lawrence. The reading, directed by Ben West (Unsung Carolyn Leigh, The Fig Leaves Are Falling, Make Mine Manhattan), will be held today, July 24 at 2:30 PM in the Bruno Walter Auditorium.

54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents three benefit performances of 'Villain: DeBlanks,' a fill-in-the-blanks whodunnit, at 11:30 pm tonight, July 24 and July 31, and August 7. The performances will benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Written by Billy Mitchell, 'Villain: DeBlanks' is a late-night fundraiser where the cast needs the audience as much as the audience loves the cast.

Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: FOOL FOR LOVE opens at WTF, THE LIGHTNING THIEF strikes off-Broadway, and it's Kristin Chenoweth's birthday!

UnsungMusicalsCo. (UMC) continues its 2014 developmental reading series at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center with a special presentation of I Had a Ball, the 1964 Coney Island musical comedy with a book by Tony Award winner Jerome Chodorov (Wonderful Town) and a score by Stan Freeman & Jack Lawrence. The reading, directed by Ben West (Unsung Carolyn Leigh, The Fig Leaves Are Falling, Make Mine Manhattan), was held earlier this week in the Bruno Walter Auditorium. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from inside the reading below!

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com or call (646) 476-3551.

On Monday, July 21st the Theater People Podcast welcomes two-time Tony-nominee Robin de Jesus. De Jesus discusses making his professional acting debut in the cult-hit indie film CAMP, making his Broadway debut as an understudy in RENT, creating the role of Sonny in the groundbreaking IN TH EHEIGHTS, co-starring as Jacob in the 2010 revival of LA CAGE AUX FOLLES alongside Kelsey Grammer, and receiving Tony nominations for the latter two roles.

Craving a show after the show? 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, is expanding its popular late-night series with fresh faces and hot new performances to keep the party buzzing into the wee hours. To purchase tickets or for more information, visit www.54Below.com or call (646) 476-3551. 54 BELOW welcomes you to loosen your tie and embrace the night at its upcoming events:

UnsungMusicalsCo. (UMC) continues its 2014 developmental reading series at The New York Public Library for the Performing Arts at Lincoln Center with a special presentation of I Had a Ball, the 1964 Coney Island musical comedy with a book by Tony Award winner Jerome Chodorov (Wonderful Town) and a score by Stan Freeman & Jack Lawrence. The reading, directed by Ben West (Unsung Carolyn Leigh, The Fig Leaves Are Falling, Make Mine Manhattan), will be held Thursday, July 24 at 2:30 PM in the Bruno Walter Auditorium.

The 16th Annual Broadway Barks took place yesterday, July 12, in Shubert Alley. Founded by Mary Tyler Moore and Bernadette Peters, this star-studded dog and cat adoption event featured celebrities from the hottest shows on Broadway to benefit New York City animal shelters and adoption agencies.

The 16th Annual Broadway Barks took place yesterday, July 12, in Shubert Alley. Founded by Mary Tyler Moore and Bernadette Peters, this star-studded dog and cat adoption event featured celebrities from the hottest shows on Broadway to benefit New York City animal shelters and adoption agencies.

On Monday, July 7th, the Theater People Podcast welcomes Tony Award-winner Tonya Pinkins. Pinkins is currently co-starring on Broadway in HOLLER IF YA HEAR ME, a mostly rapped-through musical featuring the music, lyrics, and poetry of Tupac Shakur.

BROADWAY BARKS announces their 16th annual star-studded dog and cat adoption event featuring celebrities from the hottest shows on Broadway to benefit New York City animal shelters and adoption agencies. Founded by Mary Tyler Moore and Bernadette Peters, the event, produced by Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS will take place on Saturday, July 12 in Shubert Alley (located between 44th and 45th Streets, between Broadway and Eighth Avenue). The festivities begin at 3:00 p.m. where you can meet all the adoptable dogs and cats; celebrity presentations of pets from animal shelters citywide will take place between 5-6:30 p.m. The event is free and open to the public.

54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents three benefit performances of 'Villain: DeBlanks,' a fill-in-the-blanks whodunnit, at 11:30 pm on July 24, July 31, and August 7. The performances will benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Written by Billy Mitchell, 'Villain: DeBlanks' is a late-night fundraiser where the cast needs the audience as much as the audience loves the cast.

54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents three benefit performances of "Villain: DeBlanks," a fill-in-the-blanks whodunnit, at 11:30 pm on July 24, July 31, and August 7. The performances will benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS. Written by Billy Mitchell, "Villain: DeBlanks" is a late-night fundraiser where the cast needs the audience as much as the audience loves the cast.

On Sunday night, Birdland was proud to launch a new summer series, "Jane Monheit's Jazz Party," which will continue through September. The series provides Jane the opportunity to develop new material, and to collaborate with invited musical guests in a relaxed environment that is part concert, part jam session, part workshop and all fun. Scroll down for photos from the kick-off concert!

Cabrillo Music Theatre is thrilled to announce that as of Friday, June 27 it had passed the $100,000 mark (from over 400 donors!) towards its goal of raising $250,000 to keep its doors open and launching its 2014-2015 season, featuring MARY POPPINS, MEMPHIS, OKLAHOMA and COMPANY. With still six weeks to go in its fund-raising efforts, Cabrillo "Family" members have initiated two fund-raising events "Coast-To-Coast" with a special benefit concert at the Triad Theatre in New York City on Monday, August 4 and a "CabrilloDance-A-Thon" scheduled on Friday, August 1-2 in Thousand Oaks!

Last month Look Up Point Design's Kristie Roldan designed Olivier Award winner Lesli Margherita's critically acclaimed nightclub act, ALL HAIL THE QUEEN, for its premiere at 54 Below, Broadway's Supper club.

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, June 29, 2014 - Sunday, June 29, 2014.