Marvin Hamlisch News

Hottest Articles on BroadwayWorld.com from this weekend Sunday, February 24, 2013 - Sunday, February 24, 2013.

Today we are shifting our focus from the stages of Broadway and beyond to the stages of the previous 84 Academy Awards telecasts that have transpired to date, in anticipation of Sunday night's big, big, big show. After all, this year's Academy Awards is of particular interest and excitement to theatre fans around the globe, especially because super-producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are behind it - the men responsible for the hit stage-to-screen adaptations of CHICAGO and HAIRSPRAY, as well as the small-screen successes GYPSY, LIFE WITH JUDY GARLAND: ME & MY SHADOWS, ANNIE, and, most recently, NBC's musical series SMASH, to name a few of their many marvelous musical-friendly credits. They told me themselves earlier this week that this year's telecast would be the most music-packed Academy Awards show to date, and, just judging from the announced tributes, performers and presenters thus far it is clear to see that they were not kidding - reunions of the casts of the film versions of CHICAGO and LES MISERABLES live onstage, singing their film's most famous songs to Jennifer Hudson leading a DREAMGIRLS tribute all the way to a James Bond 50th anniversary celebration featuring Adele and Shirley Bassey on some famous Bond themes, as well as Barbra Streisand herself singing 'The Way We Were' in memory of friend and collaborator, three-time Oscar-winner Marvin Hamlisch.

The Oscars 'In Memoriam' segment will feature a performance from singer and actress Barbra Streisand, it was revealed today.

Bay Area Cabaret will present the singer, songwriter, and actress Nellie McKay in a special performance with San Francisco's multiple Grammy winning a cappella ensemble, Chanticleer.

Largely responsible for the movie musical revolution of the 21st century, setting the stage first with their mega-successful work on TV in the 1990s like GYPSY, CINDERELLA and ANNIE, then, with their feature film entries since - beginning with CHICAGO and continuing with HAIRSPRAY and many more - executive producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron have bridged the gap between Broadway and Hollywood like no other producers - and, all the while, on their own terms. Opening up about a vast array of projects, ranging from the aforementioned modern classic TV musicals all the way through to the films and stage shows - successful revivals of PROMISES, PROMISES and HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING included - and their affiliation with NBC's musical drama series SMASH, Zadan and Meron paint a vivid portrait displaying their fierce dedication to the performing arts and desire for excellence in all of their many, many endeavors. Plus, most importantly, Zadan and Meron clue us in on what we can anticipate from this Sunday's Academy Awards telecast, which they are producing - such as their experiences collaborating with controversial triple-threat host Seth MacFarlane, amassing the starriest assortment of musical performers in Oscar history (Barbra Streisand, Adele, Shirley Bassey, Norah Jones, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Jennifer Hudson among the performers announced so far), creating spectacular tributes to both James Bond in his fiftieth year on film and the modern movie musical revolution (showcasing no less than the reunions of cast members from CHICAGO, DREAMGIRLS and this year's multi-nominated hit LES MISERABLES) as well as what will make this show truly unique. Additionally, Zadan and Meron shed some light on their current and future plans and productions, among them: a BONNIE & CLYDE miniseries for the History Channel starring Emile Hirsch; the currently-running second season of NBC's musical drama series SMASH; two original movie musicals in development and original stage projects, too. All of that, memories of the remarkable LIFE WITH JUDY GARLAND: ME & MY SHADOWS, Lifetime's record-breaking broadcast of a new STEEL MAGNOLIAS, comments on DROP DEAD DIVA's recent cancellation, news on the upcoming e-book edition of Zadan's peerless SONDHEIM & CO. biography, the NBC TV version of THE SOUND OF MUSIC starring Carrie Underwood and much, much more!

A CHORUS LINE has opened at the London Palladium - here are some shots from the after-party!

A CHORUS LINE has returned to the West End! The show, starring John Partridge and Scarlett Strallen, is running at the London Palladium.

A Chorus Line hasn't been performed in the West End since the original London production closed in 1979, making its first revival one of 2013's most anticipated theatrical events.

A CHORUS LINE, starring John Partridge, Leigh Zimmerman and Scarlett Strallen, opened at the London Palladium February 19, 2013.

A Chorus Line, the Tony and Pulitzer Prize award-winning musical about Broadway dancers auditioning for spots on a chorus line opens March 8, 2013, at Theatre Memphis with a gala event featuring the original A Chorus Line cast member and Tony Award winner for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Musical, Donna McKechnie. The event is being held on opening night and will feature a cocktail buffet, live auction that includes a trip to New York City and a pre-show presentation by Ms. McKechnie with drinks and desserts with the cast after the show. Member tickets are available for $75 per person and non-member tickets are $100 each. Reservations can be made by calling 901.682.8323. The full production runs through March 30, 2012.

A CHORUS LINE, starring John Partridge, Leigh Zimmerman and Scarlett Strallen, opens at the London Palladium tonight!

Forget 'defying gravity' … Kristin Chenoweth defies everything, including the laws of nature, in a brand new show conceived specially for Lincoln Center Presents THE AMERICAN SONGBOOK.

Eric Michael Gillett and friends will present We Lost It at the Movies, the premiere of a new bi-monthly series, beginning tonight, February 17 at 7pm at the Laurie Beechman Theatre, 407 W. 42 Street.

Linda Eder will perform tonight, Feb 16, 8 & 10pm (8pm $46; 10pm $36) at Yoshi's San Francisco.

A one-night stop on their 50th anniversary tour, The Chieftains will join the Houston Symphony in an unforgettable evening of Irish folk music tonight, February 15. Known for bringing in local talent while on tour, The Chieftains will be joined on stage throughout the performance by the Clear Creek High School Chamber Singers, bagpipe performers from the Houston Highlanders and NASA astronaut and flutist, Cady Coleman.

Audiences will not want to miss this one-woman theatre extravaganza from legendary Broadway star, Donna McKechnie. Centenary Stage Company is proud to welcome this true triple threat performer to present her one woman cabaret show, My Musical Comedy Life on Saturday March 16th at 8 p.m.

Audiences will not want to miss this one-woman theatre extravaganza from legendary Broadway star, Donna McKechnie. Centenary Stage Company will welcome this true triple threat performer to present her one woman cabaret show, My Musical Comedy Life on Saturday March 16th at 8 p.m.

Bay Area Cabaret presents the Bay Area concert debut of Britain's dazzling Elaine Paige. Dubbed 'The First Lady of Musical Theatre,' Ms. Paige will perform an evening of the career-defining showstoppers that earned her a place among Broadway and the West End's most treasured performers.

Tony and Grammy Award-winning singer and actress Jennifer Holliday will play The Iridium, tonight, February 14, 2013. Best known for her iconic performance of 'And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going' from Dreamgirls, Jennifer will headline The Iridium's annual Valentine's Day celebrations, which feature a special dinner menu and sets at 7 p.m. and 9 p.m.

Apart from the first pairing up of actors Nikki Gil and Lorenz Martinez, another interesting aspect of 9 Works Theatrical's (9WT) latest stage production, the classic Broadway musical 'They're Playing Our Song,' is the artistic contribution of Joseph Tolentino, musical director, and Gemini Quintos, choreographer.