Loni Ackerman News

This February and March at 54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond, including Christopher Sieber, Annaleigh Ashford, Randy Graff, Melinda Doolittle, Jeff Daniels, Linda Eder, Andrea McArdle, Sondheim Unplugged, Taboo: 10th Anniversary Reunion Concert, Beth Leavel, Lindsay Mendez and Derek Klena.

This January and February at 54 BELOW presents an exciting lineup of the brightest talent from Broadway and beyond. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street.

Richard Maltby, Jr. and David Shire are among the top songwriting teams working in the musical theatre today. Their shows written together, including Starting Here Starting Now, Baby, Closer Than Ever, Big, Take Flight, Love Match, and How Do You Do I Love You will be celebrated by Broadway's best in story and song. Their work was just celebrated at 54 Below with WHAT COULD BE BETTER, which was performed earlier this month. Check out highlights from the concert below!

Richard Maltby, Jr. and David Shire are among the top songwriting teams working in the musical theatre today. Their shows written together, including Starting Here Starting Now, Baby, Closer Than Ever, Big, Take Flight, Love Match, and How Do You Do I Love You will be celebrated by Broadway's best in story and song. Their work was just celebrated at 54 Below with WHAT COULD BE BETTER, which was performed last night, December 17. Check out photos from the concert below!

Richard Maltby, Jr. and David Shire are among the top songwriting teams working in the musical theatre today. Their shows written together, including Starting Here Starting Now, Baby, Closer Than Ever, Big, Take Flight, Love Match, and How Do You Do I Love You will be celebrated by Broadway's best in story and song. Expect original cast performances recreated, as well as brand new interpretations, and even a world premiere song!

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

Richard Maltby, Jr. and David Shire are among the top songwriting teams working in the musical theatre today. Their shows written together, including Starting Here Starting Now, Baby, Closer Than Ever, Big, Take Flight, Love Match, and How Do You Do I Love You will be celebrated by Broadway's best in story and song. Expect original cast performances recreated, as well as brand new interpretations, and even a world premiere song!

Richard Maltby, Jr. and David Shire are among the top songwriting teams working in the musical theatre today. Their shows written together, including Starting Here Starting Now, Baby, Closer Than Ever, Big, Take Flight, Love Match, and How Do You Do I Love You will be celebrated by Broadway's best in story and song. Expect original cast performances recreated, as well as brand new interpretations, and even a world premiere song!

54 Below just welcomed a part of its December line-up for a special performance preview, including Tony Award-winner Randy Graff, Tony nominee Todd Graff, and Nikka Graff Lanzarone from 'The Graff Family Holiday Special' (running 12/14 & 16); Tony-nominated song-writing team Richard Maltby, Jr. and David Shire (running 12/17); Tony nominee Euan Morton (running 12/12); and Chip Zien (running 12/5 & 11). Check out photos from the previews below!

Some of Broadway's brightest stars, including Tony Award nominees Howard McGillin ('Phantom of the Opera', 'Sunday in the Park With George') and Barbara Walsh ('Company', 'Falsettos'), along with Loni Ackerman ('Evita', 'Cats') and Penguin favorite Richard Kline ('Wicked', 'Three's Company'), headline a cast of more than 15 in A Salute to Sondheim tonight, October 5 at 8 p.m. at SUNY Rockland Community College in Suffern, New York.

Some of Broadway's brightest stars, including Tony Award nominees Howard McGillin ('Phantom of the Opera', 'Sunday in the Park With George') and Barbara Walsh ('Company', 'Falsettos'), along with Loni Ackerman ('Evita', 'Cats') and Penguin favorite Richard Kline ('Wicked', 'Three's Company'), headline a cast of more than 15 in A Salute to Sondheim Saturday, October 5 at 8 p.m. at SUNY Rockland Community College in Suffern, New York.

Actress/singer Valerie Perri, best known for her role of Eva Peron in Evita, will open as Norma Desmond in MTW's Sunset Boulevard Saturday July 13 in Long Beach. In our chat she discusses the challenges of portraying bigger than life fictional silent movie queen Norma Desmond.

Today we are talking to a spectacularly talented composer/lyricist noted for his incredibly impressive and accomplished oeuvre thus far, having collectively composed more than twenty full-length musicals, operas and specialty performance pieces - Michael John LaChiusa. Discussing his vast array of projects from BUZZSAW BERKELEY to FIRST LADY SUITE, HELLO AGAIN and THE PETRIFIED PRINCE Off-Broadway through to his double-header in the 1999-2000 millennial season with MARIE CHRISTINE and THE WILD PARTY both on Broadway to his Off-Broadway, regional and international successes since, ranging from LITTLE FISH to another two-show-season in 2006 with BERNARDA ALBA and SEE WHAT I WANNA SEE as well as THE HIGHEST YELLOW and the recent Americana-themed epic musical pseudo-trilogy of LOS otros, QUEEN OF THE MIST and GIANT. Additionally, LaChiusa touches upon some of his lesser-known work, such as his musical revue HOTEL C'EST L'AMOUR, various operatic pieces, additional material he provided for pieces such as THE SEVEN DEADLY SINS and his previous and upcoming solo musicals for continuing collaborator Audra McDonald, such as SEND (who are you? i love you) and MARLENE DIETRICH'S ABCs OF LOVE. Most importantly, LaChiusa takes us behind the scenes of the sparkling new deluxe cast album for GIANT, starring Brian D'Arcy James, and discusses the themes, ideas and adaptation of the Edna Ferber novel itself in a fascinating and revealing analysis of the vast, enveloping and vivid score he has composed for GIANT. Also, LaChiusa offers the 411 on this year's Tony Awards specialty song composed for host Neil Patrick Harris and some starry cohorts (Megan Hilty, Laura Benanti and Andrew Rannells), as well as previous Tony show one-offs penned for Hugh Jackman and others. Plus, LaChiusa clues us in on his upcoming projects - including FIRST DAUGHTER SUITE - and much, much more in this career-spanning conversations with one of modern musical theatre's most daring and prolific artists.

If It Only Even Runs A Minute 11 is the eleventh edition of the Bistro Award-winning series of rare songs, behind-the-scenes tales, and inspiring photos from Broadway musicals that may not have been fully appreciated the first time around. The most recent show featured a cast reunion of the entire original cast of Maltby & Shire's Starting Here, Starting Now: Loni Ackerman, George Lee Andrews, and Margery Cohen, who shared stories about creating the show and singing numbers that they originated in 1977. BroadwayWorld brings you concert highlights below!

If It Only Even Runs A Minute 11 is the eleventh edition of the Bistro Award-winning series of rare songs, behind-the-scenes tales, and inspiring photos from Broadway musicals that may not have been fully appreciated the first time around. The most recent show featured a cast reunion of the entire original cast of Maltby & Shire's Starting Here, Starting Now: Loni Ackerman, George Lee Andrews, and Margery Cohen, who shared stories about creating the show and singing numbers that they originated in 1977. BroadwayWorld was there for the concert and you can check out photos below!

If It Only Even Runs A Minute 11 is the eleventh edition of the Bistro Award-winning series of rare songs, behind-the-scenes tales, and inspiring photos from Broadway musicals that may not have been fully appreciated the first time around.

The Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs will present the 27th Annual MAC Awards on Thursday, March 21st, at B.B King Blues Club & Grill in New York City.

Cabaret performer Jamie deRoy hosted an evening of her Multi MAC Award-winning variety show, Jamie deRoy & friends, on Friday, December 28th (7PM) at Manhattan's cabaret hot-spot Metropolitan Room. Joining Jamie on this holiday evening were Broadway favorite Loni Ackerman; Singer, performer and concert sensation Michael Amante; two-time Emmy Award-winning comedian Judy Gold; Tony Award-nominated actress and singer Valarie Pettiford; Broadway veteran and Tony Award winner Tonya Pinkins and London's own stage, TV and cabaret star Giselle Wolf. BroadwayWorld was there and brings you photos from the concert below!

Join celebrated cabaret performer Jamie deRoy when she hosts an evening of her Multi MAC Award-winning variety show, Jamie deRoy & friends, tonight, December 28th (7PM) at Manhattan's cabaret hot-spot Metropolitan Room (34 West 22nd Street ~ btw. 5th & 6th Avenues).