Marilyn News

Ripcord, a comedy of one-upmanship as two feisty senior ladies compete for their rightful place, comes to the Ottawa Little Theatre starting January 9, 2019.

The audience at Cafe Centro got a little confused last night and thought New Years Eve was still being celebrated during the Rob & Michael music night at the popular South Florida restaurant/cabaret. In addition to the suave Mr. Russell and pianist/entertainer Masci the Broadway/Cabaret star Avery Sommers and famed Concert and Cabaret artist Anthony Nunziata happened to be in the audience and wound up 'singing for their dinner'

Contra Costa Civic Theatre (CCCT) today announced the cast for its upcoming production of Humble Boy, directed by Ken Sonkin. Hailed in its recent London revival as "a modern classic", playwright Charlotte Jones' comedy of family dysfunction and theoretical physics plays February 15 through March 10 at CCCT. For tickets and information visit the theatre's website at www.ccct.org or call 510.524.9012.

BroadwayWorld has a first look at the North American tour of the acclaimed musical comedy, Spamilton: An American Parody. The tour launched at Playhouse Square in Cleveland, OH on December 20, 2018 and is now on tour across the country, playing ten multi-week engagements in its first season.

The Art of Alzheimer's presents The Artist Within opening January 8, 2019 in Seattle City Hall's Lobby and Anne Focke Galleries. The opening reception on January 10 from 4-6pm and the exhibition that runs through March 6, 2019 are free to the public and presented in cooperation with the City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, and Elderwise. Care providers, artists and their families will be at the opening reception to discuss the stories behind these 49 fascinating artworks created by seven persons living with Alzheimer's and other dementias.

LA Drama Critics Circle Award Winning Director Elina de Santos helms the contemporary comedy SMART LOVE opening January 12th at Pacific Resident Theatre in Los Angeles. The west coast premiere marks the second professionally produced full length play by writer/actor Brian Letscher. This and Letscher's previous work, WHEN THE LIGHTS COME ON, premiered at Jeff Daniels' The Purple Rose Theatre Company.

After 11 prior sold-out performances, television personality, pop singer, and author Luann de Lesseps- known as the Countess on "The Real Housewives of New York City"- returns to Feinstein's/54 Below with her hit nightclub act, #CountessAndFriends.  She will play for ten performances on January 19, February 20, March 12, 13, 14, 15, 16, 20 and 21 at 7pm and February 20 at 9:30pm.

The Academy of American Poets is pleased to announce that Joy Harjo and Natasha Trethewey have been named its newest Chancellors, an honorary position that has been held by some of the most distinguished poets in the United States, including W. H. Auden, John Ashbery, Elizabeth Bishop, Lucille Clifton, Yusef Komunyakaa, Adrienne Rich, and Mark Strand. Poets elected to the Board of Chancellors become an important part of the history of Academy of American Poets and as of 2019, only 115 poets have been elected to this board since it was formed in 1946.

The weekend started with Marilyn Maye and The Kravis Center Pops Orchestra Big Band conducted by Tedd Firth in a memorable concert by one of the most beloved singers of our generation. Marilyn Maye, arguably one of the finest vocalists ever to sing in a night club, concert hall, TV Studio or on a Broadway stage gave The Kravis Center Audience an evening of her artistry that will stay in their musical memory forever.

Birdland mainstays Jim Caruso & Billy Stritch return to Birdland Theater with 'The Sunday Set,' an evening of swinging standards Sundays, February 3, 10 and 17, with shows at 7:30pm. Bassist Steve Doyle will join the duo. Caruso and Stritch, who have performed extensively on their own, gained national exposure together as the host and musical director of the wildly popular open mic, Cast Party, which celebrates talent every Monday at Birdland in NYC, and tours nationally. The duo has also received critical acclaim during their seven years at Bemelmans at The Carlyle Hotel, and made international news when rock legend Bono joined them in an impromptu performance. The musical pair has also become the darlings of the show biz set, welcoming spontaneous performances by stars including Liza Minnelli, Michael Feinstein, Jane Monheit, Clint Holmes, Marilyn Maye, Stephanie J. Block, Steve Ross, Linda Lavin, Darren Criss, Luann de Lesseps, Laura Osnes, Liliane Montevecchi, Christine Ebersole, and Steve Tyrell.

Garry Marshall Theatre presents the West End and Broadway play The Mountaintop by Katori Hall.  The Mountaintop is directed by Gregg T. Daniel, who recently staged A Raisin in the Sun at A Noise Within (Ovation Award nomination for Best Director) and Her Portmanteau at Boston Court.

Blue Note Hawaii is kicking off 2019 with some of music and comedy's biggest names. G. Love will get you in the partying mood, followed by two rounds of comedy with Patton Oswalt and Gary Owen. Swing kings Big Bad Voodoo Daddy return, Anthony David performs the music of Bill Withers and guitar phenom Jonny Lang performs for four nights. Singer-songwriter Joshua Radin makes his Blue Note debut. The Beach Boys' Al Jardine is sure to please crowds, '90s R&B supergroup All-4-One perform for three nights and John Sebastian from the Lovin' Spoonful will take you down memory lane. Local artists include Tim Rose in his "Aloha for Now" show, the incomparable Willie K, reggae artist Sister Nancy, the exciting Dae Han Quintet, local favorites Good Foot Hawaii and Punahou alum Willy Falk.

The Marsh San Francisco announces a one-night-only Marsh benefit performance of Not a Genuine Black Man, the longest running solo show in San Francisco theater history by award-winning actor, playwright, and talk show host Brian Copeland. This funny, honest, and harrowing piece recounts the struggles Copeland faced growing up in what was declared one of the most racist suburbs in America. "In the current political climate, empathy seems to be a lost commodity. By showing people the world through the eyes of a bullied and lonely little African-American boy, I hope they will develop compassion for the demonized 'other,'" says Copeland. The San Francisco Chronicle described the show as "relentlessly introspective and disarmingly honest, Copeland takes apart the false notion that black masculinity is some monolithic concept, in a way that has continued, unfortunately, to be relevant long after the show's 2004 premiere." Not a Genuine Black Man will play as a Marsh benefit performance for one-night-only at 8:00pm, Thursday, January 10, 2019 at The Marsh San Francisco, 1062 Valencia St., San Francisco. For tickets ($30-$35 sliding scale, $55-$100 reserved) or more information, the public may visit www.themarsh.org or call The Marsh Box office at 415-282-3055 (open Monday through Friday, 1pm-4pm).

Start the new year with a showdown! Ensemble Theatre Cincinnati is pleased to present the regional premiere of Ripcord by Pulitzer Prize-winning playwright David Lindsay-Abaire (Rabbit Hole, Shrek the Musical). This uproarious new comedy sets two spirited senior citizens against each other in a head-to-head battle of wits and wagers, leading to discoveries about friendship, forgiveness, and free falling. Playing January 19-February 16 and directed by D. Lynn Meyers. Production Sponsor is the Schueler Group.

The Art of Alzheimer's presents The Artist Within opening January 8, 2019 in Seattle City Hall's Lobby and Anne Focke Galleries. The opening reception on January 10 from 4-6pm and the exhibition that runs through March 6, 2019 are free to the public and presented in cooperation with the City of Seattle Office of Arts & Culture, and Elderwise. Care providers, artists and their families will be at the opening reception to discuss the stories behind these 49 fascinating artworks created by seven persons living with Alzheimer's and other dementias.

Huntington Theatre Company will present the North American tour of the acclaimed musical comedy, Spamilton: An American Parody from February 12 through March 10, 2019 at the Calderwood Pavilion at the BCA. The tour launched at Playhouse Square in Cleveland, OH on December 20, 2018 and is now on tour across the country, playing ten multi-week engagements in its first season.

Next week, FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond

What good is sitting alone in your room this week? If you don't already have plans to see a Broadway show, come out to see your favorite Broadway stars in a cabaret act instead. Highlights this week include: Chita Rivera, Fra Fee, and a benefit concerts for A Thousand Oaks, California.

The Metropolitan Opera announced today that Thomas Lausmann, currently the Head of Music at the Vienna State Opera, will become the Met's Director of Music Administration at the start of the 2019 20 season. Lausmann will replace Assistant General Manager John Fisher, who is stepping down after many years at the Met to resume his freelance musical career. Fisher will continue to coach many of the world's top singers on a freelance basis, including on occasion at the Met.

A talented cast of 6 actors will be featured in A Classic Theatre's production of David Lindsay-Abaire's hilarious new comedy, Ripcord. It's a battle of wits between two feisty roommates at an assisted living facility with nothing in common but a rivalry to make Bette Davis and Joan Crawford look like amateurs.