Liza Minnelli News

Carolyn Griffin has announced that MetroStage will be presenting the premiere of a new musical, Josephine Tonight, with book and lyrics by Sherman Yellen, and music by Wally Harper, Jan. 26-Mar. 18, 2012.

Porchlight Music Theatre will present the Chicago premiere of John Bucchino and Harvey Fierstein's A Catered Affair, directed by Nick Bowling with music direction by Doug Peck, at Stage 773, 1225 W. Belmont Ave.

KIM SMITH, the acclaimed international performer called 'all decadence and sly appeal' by Back Stage, will bring his critically-acclaimed concert 'Misfit' back to New York for one night only. 'Misfit' premiered in March 2011 at New York's Laurie Beechman Theatre, and performed at Café Sabarsky and Duane Park Supper Club throughout the year. The next performance of 'Misfit' will take place at The Laurie Beechman Theatre (407 West 42nd Street at 9th Avenue) on Sunday, February 12 at 9:30 PM. Tickets are $15, with an additional $15 food and beverage minimum. For reservations, please call (212) 695-6909 or visit www.beechmantheatre.com.

The cast of the 10th Annual Nightlife Awards continues to grow with one stellar performer after another added to the bill. Terri White (Follies), who spent a great many years as one of New York's most exciting piano bar entertainers, will be honored with a Special Award for her Contributions to New York Nightlife. As is always the case with The All-Performance Nightlife Awards, Terri will take the stage to sing. A guest star joining the cast is the heralded TV and nightclub comedian, Ray Ellin. Also returning to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Nightlife Awards by performing are two former Nightlife Jazz Vocalist winners, Allan Harris and Karen Oberlin.

Today we are honoring the first animated film to be nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, which went on to win in the categories of Best Song and Best Score for Broadway's own Alan Menken and Howard Ashman - Disney's tale as old as time; the much-beloved and cherished BEAUTY & THE BEAST. Based on the French fairytale of its namesake, BEAUTY & THE BEAST was a landmark achievement in animated film and proved that Disney's previous animation renaissance mega-hit THE LITTLE MERMAID - also penned by Alan Menken and Howard Ashman - was much more than merely a fluke. A new age of animated film treated totally seriously by critics and audiences alike allowed for Disney to continue on with even more success in the following years with even bigger family-friendly hits like ALADDIN and THE LION KING. Yet, BEAUTY & THE BEAST is the most elegant and enrapturing of all Disney animated films from the last century and just may be the very finest of all their animated features that came to pass during that era of renewed interest in the late-1980s and early-1990s. Featuring the vocal talents of legendary stage and screen star Angela Lansbury - check out our extensive InDepth InterView for a few recollections about that experience here - as well as Broadway's own Paige O'Hara and TV/film notable Robby Benson - both of whom will be featured in extensive InDepth InterViews right here on BroadwayWorld next week. Beginning with a prologue and opening song sequence - "Belle" - to rank among the very best not only in film, but stage musicals, as well, BEAUTY & THE BEAST is a rich French country meal topped off by a dizzying array of aural, visual, emotional, comedic and dramatic treats. 'Belle' is merely the starter bread - or, should I say, pain. So, today, we pay tribute to BEAUTY & THE BEAST as it roars back to movie theaters nationwide, now in a diligently-recreated and astonishingly imagined brand new 3D realization. Before you go see all the stunning sights and sounds of the film itself, whether sampling the 3D version in your home 3D studio or out at the Cineplex, here we have some of the finest musical moments to delight in from the storied history of the immensely successful Disney classic in all three of its versions - original animated film, Broadway stage musical and 3D movie experience.

Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame legend Darlene Love and Broadway's Mary Testa join Julie Halston, Andrew Rannells, and Seth Rudetsky for the Second Annual Broadway Belts! for PFF (Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation) Benefit on February 27, 2012 at 7:00pm at Birdland Jazz Club (315 West 44th Street). For tickets visit bit.ly/broadway2012 or (312) 239 - 6636.

Liza Minnelli is a star who's truly earned the status of 'living legend' For her work on stage and screen, Ms. Minnelli has won all of the entertainment world's major awards, including the Oscar (for her iconic performance in Cabaret), the Emmy, the Tony, and the Grammy. For this engagement, Minnelli will bring a concert that's sure to include many of her greatest hits, and certain to light up NJPAC's Prudential Hall with some major star power.

The Drama League's 28th Annual Benefit Gala Online Auction goes live on Tuesday, January 17 at www.biddingforgood.com/thedramaleague with over forty-five exclusive and elegant items announced (please see list attached), some of the highlights include:

Chris Durang launched a comic nightclub act in 1989 called CHRIS DURANG & DAWNE (John Augustine and Sherry Anderson) that came back to play clubs all over the New York area for the next eight years until they made their last public performance in January of 1996.

Oscar-winning Hollywood legend Liza Minnelli has signed up to appear at a major charity gala in London on 29 April 2012 to celebrate the work of legendary songwriters Kander & Ebb. The all-star gala at the Victoria Palace Theatre is being produced by veteran promoter and producer Barry Mishon in collaboration with John Kander, and will be in aid of the Ovarian Cancer Action charity.

If you're looking for a quick roundup of this week's events, look no further: here are some of the best articles the week had to offer!

Liza Minnelli, originally scheduled to play the VAN WEZEL PERFORMING ARTS HALL on Friday, January 13, 2012 at 8pm has cancelled her tour.

Mentalist Marc Salem will take you on a captivating and surprising journey through the possibilities of the human mind when he returns to New York with a new show "Marc Salem - Mind Over Manhattan" opening Saturday, February 18th (8PM) at the Concert Hall @ the New York Society for Ethical Culture (2 West 64th Street @Central Park West).

Starving Artist Studios, a new performing arts training facility in Central Florida, brings Tony-Award winning composer and lyricist Jason Robert Brown to Orlando for a Concert and Master Class.

The Town Hall has just announced the 12th Season of their acclaimed BROADWAY BY THE YEAR® concert series which kicks off with THE BROADWAY MUSICALS OF 1946 on Monday, February 13, 2012. The show is created, written and hosted by Scott Siegel for The Town Hall. Initial casting includes Alice Ripley, the Tony® Award winning star of Next to Normal, Tom Wopat (Tony® Award nominated for his role of Frank Butler in Annie Get Your Gun revival/Catch Me if You Can), Kerry O'Malley (On a Clear Day…Annie Get Your Gun revival) and Noah Racey (Curtains), who will also choreograph. The evening will feature songs and dance from Irving Berlin's classic Annie Get Your Gun and other musicals including Call Me Mister, St. Louis Woman and Park Avenue. Ross Patterson is the musical director.

Contirbuting to the 'Shit Girls Say' phenomenon that has been blowing up Youtube recently is Broadway veteran Christine Pedi, who in the video below pays tribute to stage legend Liza Minnelli. Click below to check out her hilarious impersonation in 'Shit Liza Minnelli Says.'

The Carlyle Hotel's legendary Café Carlyle just kicked off a concert series last night, January 10, featuring Tony winner Paulo Szot. Szot will ring in the New Year with an all new program in a three-week return engagement through January 28 with Billy Stritch, Musical Director.

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 continues its Winter 2012 season with the return of three-time MAC Award nominee Jenna Esposito in "Italian Undercover!" In this one-night only appearance, Jenna revisits the music of some of the most popular and influential Italian-American pop singers of the 20th century, each of whom changed their names and performed "undercover".

Actress & nightclub entertainer Lucie Arnaz and Tony Award-winning actor and clown Bill Irwin have been named co-hosts of the 10th Annual Nightlife Awards at Town Hall.

The Coterie is set to present Cortes Alexander, star of Broadway's Liza's at the Palace, in an exclusive Los Angeles two-week residency.