Madonna News

One of Motown's prized musical instruments, a nine-foot 1877 Steinway grand piano, made its debut at a charitable event to benefit Motown Museum at Steinway Hall in New York City on Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012, where Motown founder Berry Gordy and Paul McCartney played it for the first time following its extensive restoration.

This year's breakout pop sensation Carly Rae Jepsen releases her eagerly anticipated U.S. debut album, entitled, Kiss, today via 604 Records/Schoolboy Records/Interscope Records. The Canadian singer and songwriter wrote or co-wrote songs on the album, collaborating with songwriters and producers Max Martin, Dallas Austin, LMFAO's Redfoo, Toby Gad, Marianas Trench singer Josh Ramsay and Matthew Koma. "This Kiss," another surefire pop earworm co-written by Jepsen and produced by LMFAO's Redfoo and Cherrytree/Interscope artist Matthew Koma, is the first single from the album which Billboard says is "poised to be the Canadian's singer's second stuck-in-your-head hit" while Entertainment Weekly raves about the track's "fun fizzy dance beat."

For the past 25 years, veteran entertainment journalist Francine Brokaw has interviewed countless celebrities, such as Johnny Depp, Madonna, Kevin Spacey, and Tom Hanks-and she's now discussing the memorable moments of her career (as well as those she'd like to forget) in her new book, Beyond the Red Carpet: The World of Entertainment Journalists (Sourced Media Books; September 2012; $14.99; ISBN 978-1937458225, Paperback).

YG Entertainment and Live Nation announced the first ever U.S. tour dates by world famous Korean group BIGBANG. Two concerts have been confirmed in the United States, part of the BIGBANG ALIVE GALAXY GLOBAL TOUR 2012, including November 3rd at the Honda Center in Anaheim, California, and November 9th at the Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey. Tickets for both shows go on sale at 10:00 am (ET/PT) Saturday, September 22, 2012 at LiveNation.com.

According to contactmusic.com reports that superstar singer Adele has recorded the theme song for the upcoming James Bond film SKYFALL. The report ends months of speculation and rumors that the singer would voice the track for the highly-anticipated film.

When AMERICAN IDOL's 12th season debuts in January 2013, superstar judge Mariah Carey - the best-selling female recording artist of all time - and returning judge Randy Jackson, a Grammy Award-winning producer whose expertise and beloved persona have been instrumental in discovering IDOL talent from the beginning, will be joined by two new judges: quadruple-platinum singer, songwriter, rapper and fashion icon Nicki Minaj; and Keith Urban, a four-time Grammy Award winner who has sold more than 15 million albums.

'Molly Pope, Okay? is an intimate evening of favorite songs with the critically-acclaimed cabaret chanteuse at that beloved West Village institution, The Duplex. This downtown diva covers all the bases from Mozart to Madonna, branding all with her signature stamp of neo-retro verve. Playing it fast and loose, she beguiles the audience in an evening that brings to mind the heyday of mid-century New York City cabaret, spiked with a post-modern twist. Named a 'Village Voice Best of NYC 2011' for Best Singer to Turn Life Into a Cabaret, she is joined on piano by Obie winner/Tony Award-nominee Kenny Mellman. Okay?

O Sole Trio, one of New York City's leading cabaret acts, with soprano Erin Shields and baritone Giuseppe Spoletini, vocals; and David Shenton, piano and violin; will be bringing their exhilarating and unique show that captures the essence of Italy and features a program that showcases a cornucopia of beloved Italian opera arias, popular Neapolitan songs as well as jazz standards made popular by such singers as Louis Prima, Dean Martin, Peggy Lee and Rosemary Cloney, to various venues throughout New York and New Jersey.

This week saw the premieres of not one, but two of the biggest entertainment extravaganzas currently on show in the vast TV landscape, both on Fox - the season two debut of the reinvented reboot of the reality singing competition show THE X FACTOR (with Britney Spears and Demi Lovato as new judges), as well as the season four premiere of the returning, albeit re-jiggered, half-NYC-set GLEE (with a memorable Kate Hudson, and, also, Sarah Jessica Parker joining next week). While one may have been more successful than the other in pulling off its grand switcheroo (especially insofar as overall transitional smoothness, THE X FACTOR really seems to be finding its voice, pardon the puns), the sheer enjoyment levels achieved by each was enough to make both recommendable and worthy of review given their intrinsic ties to the performing arts realm and their exploration, exhibition and employment of the titular x factor. Individuals with that oh-so-unmistakable allure were on ample display both on THE X FACTOR and GLEE, making both properties once again worth revisiting each week this year, like last year - look no further than jaw-dropping X FACTOR audition of Carly Rose Sonenclar for clear-cut proof of that. Plus, next week, THE X FACTOR and GLEE shall share a similar theme when GLEE gets 1,2,3 (or, more to the point: 5,6,7,8) with a second Britney Spears tribute, "Britney 2.0"

'Molly Pope, Okay? is an intimate evening of favorite songs with the critically-acclaimed cabaret chanteuse at that beloved West Village institution, The Duplex. This downtown diva covers all the bases from Mozart to Madonna, branding all with her signature stamp of neo-retro verve. Playing it fast and loose, she beguiles the audience in an evening that brings to mind the heyday of mid-century New York City cabaret, spiked with a post-modern twist. Named a 'Village Voice Best of NYC 2011' for Best Singer to Turn Life Into a Cabaret, she is joined on piano by Obie winner/Tony Award-nominee Kenny Mellman. Okay?

This week on OUT LOUD & LIVE! WITH JC ALVAREZ, airing tonight, September 14th at 9PM EST:

Jackie Beat, the self-professed bastard child of 'Weird' Al Yankovic and buxom Bette Midler, returns to Times Square with JACKIE BEAT'S GREATEST TITS at The Laurie Beechman Theater (inside West Bank Cafe at 407 West 42nd Street -- at Ninth Avenue, accessible from the A,C,E,N,R,V,F,1,2,3 trains at 42nd Street). Performances are tonight, September 13- Sunday, September 16 at 7:30pm. Tickets are $22 plus a $15 food/drink minimum. To purchase tickets call 212-352-3101 or visit www.SpinCycleNYC.com. A full bar and waiter service is available throughout the performance.

Food Network leaps into fall with three news series and eight season premieres of primetime and daytime favorites.

Breaking Glass Pictures is proud to announce the October 30 DVD Release of Marcelo Laffitte's ELVIS & MADONNA (SRP $24.99). During its run, 'Elvis & Madonna' has screened at over 30 film festivals, including Tribeca, Frameline, the Los Angeles Brazilian Film Festival, Montreal Image + Nation, and Philadelphia QFest.

This week on OUT LOUD & LIVE! WITH JC ALVAREZ, airing Friday, September 14th at 9PM EST:

Penguin Rep Theatre presents The Kosher Comedy Tour featuring three of today's funniest Jewish comedians Peter Fogel, Cindy Miller and Stu Moss, for one performance only, Saturday, September 22 at 8:30 pm at SUNY Rockland Community College's Cultural Arts Theatre in Suffern, New York.

The Thousand Oaks Civic Arts Plaza Foundation presents Benise: En Fuego! in the Fred Kavli Theatre at 8:00 pm tonight, September 11, 2012.

Hosted by comedian Kevin Hart, the '2012 MTV VIDEO MUSIC AWARDS also featured performances by Frank Ocean, who sang 'Thinkin About You', Rihanna who performed 'Cockiness' and 'We Found Love', One Direction singing 'One Thing' and Taylor Swift with her new single, 'We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together.' Check out all four performances below!

Honoring excellence in theater, Guinness World Records recognizes the Andrew Lloyd Webber musical "The Phantom of the Opera" as the 'Longest-Running Show (musical or play) on Broadway', having reached the unprecedented milestone of 10,000 performances at The Majestic Theatre in New York earlier this year. The cast celebrated this special honor just yesterday, and BroadwayWorld was there to bring you full photo coverage below!

Tony Sheldon performs 'Be Happy' at Broadway Sessions on August 16th, 2012. Join us every Thursday at 11:00PM at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, 42nd & 9th, NYC. Hosted by Ben Cameron with Joshua Stephen Kartes on piano.