Loni Ackerman News

Every week director Robert W Schneider and actor Kevin David Thomas pull back the curtain on neglected, forgotten, and under appreciated musicals, as well as bizarre performances, endearing television appearances, and all things show business. This week: Stephen & Seth!

Get out your calendars as Rob, Kevin and special guest Todd Buonopane, host of the amazing podcast Broadway Stories, sit down and discuss all the shows slated to open in the 2016-2017 Season. From plays to musicals, revivals to special events, these three folks cover it all! Plus: Donny & Marie's summer stock appearances, the brilliance of The Great Muppet Caper, and Alton Brown's dinner theatre experience! 

Fosse. Bennett. Robbins. Scott Wise got to know and work with them all. His incredible dancing skills were featured in 13 Broadway musicals including A CHORUS LINE, CATS, CARRIE, and JEROME ROBBINS' BROADWAY, for which he won the Tony Award.

Every week director Robert W Schneider and actor Kevin David Thomas pull back the curtain on neglected, forgotten, and under appreciated musicals, as well as bizarre performances, endearing television appearances, and all things show business. This week: The power of illumination! 

For over fifty years, the big, belt voice of Karen Morrow has been filling theatres and TV screens. While audiences across America will fondly remember her numerous appearances on The Merv Griffin Show, it is her live appearances on Broadway, blasting the roof of numerous theatres, that epitomize Karen Morrow. Joining Rob & Kevin via phone, Karen reminisces on how she became known as 'the flop queen', what it was like to share the spotlight with Buddy Hackett,  and how she counted Ethel Merman among her biggest fans.

You would be hard pressed to find someone who loves the theatre more than Peter Filichia. For years, Peter's observations on musical theatre have inspired countless actors, directors, and writers to start a career in show business. Now, Peter talks to Rob and Kevin, his two biggest fans, about the importance of arts education, for whom a critic should be crafting their reviews, and why he still loves the theatre. Plus, memories of Senator Joe, The Wiz, and My Fair Lady! 

Every week director Robert W Schneider and actor Kevin David Thomas pull back the curtain on neglected, forgotten, and under appreciated musicals, as well as bizarre performances, endearing television appearances, and all things show business. This week: Great writers. Great director. Great actors. Where did they go wrong?

For over fifty years, the beautiful voice of Carol Lawrence has filled our hearts. No one will capture the love, yearning, and heart break of Maria, the doomed heroine in WEST SIDE STORY, better than the actress who originated the role: Carol Lawrence. Joining Rob and Kevin from her home in California, Carol talks about the power of WEST SIDE STORY, what it was like working with Jerome Robbins, and how the theatre still has the power to heal all souls!

Bruce Yeko is one of the most fascinating men in show business. If it wasn't for Bruce we wouldn't have the original cast recordings of such musicals as THE BAKER'S WIFE, IN TROUSERS, PRETTYBELLE, and countless other musicals that no commercial record company would have produced. Selling off his massive baseball card collection, Bruce used those funds to  produce over 300 cast recordings, earning him a place in the Guinness Book of World Records.

The Broadway at Birdland concert series was proud to present "DUETS with thewriteteachers.com Volume 4," in a special LGBTQ+ Edition. This one-night-only event benefitted the One Orlando Fund. BroadwayWorld has photos from the concert below!

In his 78 years of entertaining, Lawrence Merritt has truly seen it all. From dancing on Broadway in GOLDEN RAINBOW and PIPPIN, to modeling for the greatest magazines, to being an underwater dancer in Paris, Lawrence is not short on amazing stories.

Zia, who was last seen as Joanne in RENT at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, will join  DUETS with thewriteteachers.com: LGBTQ+ Edition', at Birdland Jazz on August 8th.

Ryan Andes, (Encores' Wild Party, NBC's Peter Pan LIVE!, Big Fish) joins the Broadway at Birdland concert series presentation of DUETS with thewriteteachers.com Volume 4,  the LGBTQ+ Edition.  This one-night-only event will benefit the One Orlando Fund.

Corey Mach (Hands on a Hardbody, Godspell, Invisible Thread), joins the Broadway at Birdland concert series presentation of DUETS with thewriteteachers.com Volume 4, the LGBTQ+ Edition. This one-night-only event will benefit the One Orlando Fund.

Every week director Robert W Schneider and actor Kevin David Thomas pull back the curtain on neglected, forgotten, and underappreciated musicals, as well as bizarre performances, endearing television appearances, and all things show business. This Week: James Lipton writes a musical & Kevin extols the virtues of having three names! 

Every week director Robert W Schneider and actor Kevin David Thomas pull back the curtain on neglected, forgotten, and underappreciated musicals, as well as bizarre performances, endearing television appearances, and all things show business. This Week: Rob and Kevin go to two very different churches! 

Every week director Robert W Schneider and actor Kevin David Thomas pull back the curtain on neglected, forgotten, and underappreciated musicals, as well as bizarre performances, endearing television appearances, and all things show business. This Week: The grandfather of Broadway choreography and a look into the songs lost on the road to Broadway!

Max Crumm (Disaster!, Grease) joins the Broadway at Birdland concert series presentation of DUETS with thewriteteachers.com Volume 4, the LGBTQ+ Edition. This one-night-only event will benefit the One Orlando Fund.

Orchestrator Larry Moore has been praised by the New York Daily News as 'one of the most ingenious practitioners in his profession,' and you'll find no argument in that statement once you hear Larry's fascinating story. Stopping by to pull back the curtain on the role of an orchestrator, Larry tells Rob and Kevin what it was like orchestrating such musical series favorites as 'Unsung Musicals' and 'Lost in Boston,' which recording is the greatest cast album of all time, and how he got Stephen Sondheim his Pulitzer Prize!

Every week director Robert W Schneider and actor Kevin David Thomas pull back the curtain on neglected, forgotten, and underappreciated musicals, as well as bizarre performances, endearing television appearances, and all things show business. This Week: June is bustin' out all over and the birds are flying down to Rio!