Lucille Ball News

Annette Warren, the "secret" singing voice of Ava Gardner and Lucille Ball in such films as the MGM classic "Show Boat," and a nightclub, TV and recording star whose career spans the past 70 years, will return to the Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood on Tuesday, Feb. 19 with a the premiere performance of her new show, Professor Bob and the Old Broad, joined by accompanist Bob Remstein. 

Valentine's Day is right around the corner. It is prime time for lovers of all sorts, especially theater lovers. Select a 'dream Valentine' below and consider making a date to see her 'favorite show'.

Bid to win 4 Tickets to I Love Lucy: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom, a special one-night-only live radio theater performance on Sat, March 2, 2019, 7:00 pm in Beverly Hills, CA!

Well, next up in decluttering my apartment is clearing out the big, tall stack of different Guys and Dolls CDs I've spent a few decades collecting. I think I could hack this particular task without any tears (or maybe like you know without having to blog about it) were it not for that gorgeous black square with the orange and yellow title letters thrown into the air alongside perfect pair of cartoon dice. 1992 Grammy Award-winning New Broadway Cast Recording, it's gonna be hard to leave you, baby.

The National Comedy Center will celebrate the centennial year of legendary comedy innovator Ernie Kovacs with the acquisition and display of never-before-seen material and rare artifacts courtesy of the comedian's estate. The acquisition and exhibit were announced today – on Ernie Kovacs' 100th birthday – by the National Comedy Center and Kovacs estate executive Josh Mills.

The National Comedy Center will celebrate the centennial year of legendary comedy innovator Ernie Kovacs with the acquisition and display of never-before-seen material and rare artifacts courtesy of the comedian's estate. The acquisition and exhibit were announced today - on Ernie Kovacs' 100th birthday - by the National Comedy Center and Kovacs estate executive Josh Mills.

The Actors Fund announced today that television favorites Sarah Drew (Grey's Anatomy) and Oscar Nuñez (The Office) will portray Lucille Ball and Desi Arnaz in I Love Lucy: A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Sitcom by Gregg Oppenheimer, on Saturday, March 2 (7pm) at the Writers Guild Theater in Beverly Hills. All proceeds from this one-night-only live radio theater performance will benefit The Actors Fund's programs and services.

We all know and love these three icons, but who knew that Bernadette Peters, Cher, and Bob Mackie all appeared on the same episode of The John Davidson Show in 1981?

I hold each theatre to its own sliding scale of standards. As far as fare goes in Dallas/Ft. Worth, Broadway tours should be in the top echelon. However, on opening night December 18th at the AT&T Performing Arts Center in the auspicious Winspear Opera House, the touring troupe of Chicago failed to find its legs.

The McCallum Theatre welcomes the return of Lily Tomlin and "An Evening of Classic Lily Tomlin" on Saturday, January 12, at 8:00pm. Lily Tomlin has been delighting audiences since the first time she muttered "one ringy-dingy" on Rowan & Martin's "Laugh-In." In this hilarious one-woman show, Lily performs more than a dozen of her timeless characters, from Ernestine to Mrs. Beasley to Edith Ann. The Grammy, Tony, and Emmy winner uses a fantastic range of voices, gestures, and movements to conjure up a cast of characters "with all the apparent ease of a magician pulling a whole menagerie of animals from a single hat" (New York Daily News). This warm and affecting performance is filled with comic insights and wry, witty observations about the human condition.

Ken Berry, a much-loved actor, and dancer died Saturday at Providence St. Joseph Medical Center in Burbank, California.

Harvey Granat closes out 2018 with events on composers Cy Coleman and Harry Warren, featuring special guest performers and speakers.

Arizona Broadway Theatre presents MIRACLE ON 34TH STREET, directed by James Rio. Runs through December 29th.

In an era when stage adaptations of animated films are seemingly a dime a dozen, BEAUTY AND THE BEAST has stood the test of time, and for good reason. When the 1991 Disney film was adapted for Broadway in 1994, composer Alan Menken nearly doubled the number of songs, and the additions that he wrote with lyricist Tim Rice are every bit as stunning as the originals (with lyrics by the late Howard Ashman). Further, Linda Woolverton's book for the musical lends depth to characters previously left underdeveloped in her film screenplay, especially the Beast and his household. Drury Lane Theatre's new production honors both the film and Broadway versions, but director Alan Souza and his creative team deliver a refreshingly original vision, giving the talented cast space to breathe new life into familiar characters. The result is a beautifully designed, thoughtfully staged, and strongly acted fairy tale that should delight audiences of all ages.

THE GREEN ROOM 42 will celebrate its landmark 500th show this weekend as Rachel York, currently starring on Broadway in the new musical Head Over Heels, performs her concert "Thank You for the Music" on Sunday, November 18 at 7:00 PM.

I LOVE LUCY CHRISTMAS SPECIAL, a new one-hour special featuring two back-to-back colorized episodes of the classic series, will be broadcast Friday, Dec. 14 (8:00-9:00 PM, ET/PT) on the CBS Television Network.

Renée Willett is a New York actress and comedienne. She performs stand up and has an impressive acting resume. She took the time to speak with us about her latest project, Run With the Hunted, how she prepares for a role, and her interest in producing.

The Wick Costume Museum's sixth installation, "those were the days" pays homage to the Broadway shows, signature fashions and pop culture moments of the 1950's and 1960's. The interactive tour features a star-studded collection of costumes worn by Barbra Streisand, Bob Hope, Lucille Ball, Milton Berle, Cher, Lily Tomlin and more.

Zoo Company's artistic director, writer/performer Daniel Sugimoto will world premiere his latest creative endeavor MY DATE WITH DEATH - A MUSICAL ROMANCE for a limited run beginning November 10, 2018 at the Miles Memorial Playhouse. We had the chance to delve deep into Daniel's creative mind to learn of some of his creative processes.