Mary Ann News

The Unsigned Only Music Competition, geared toward musical artists who are unsigned to a major record label or its affiliates, announced its 2015 winners today. The competition recognizes the best in up-and-coming artists worldwide and acts as a benchmark for excellence in contemporary music. Winners were selected from 7,000 entries from all over the world and represent musical genres in contemporary music. More than $100,000 in cash and prizes is awarded to a total of 26 winners. The winning songs can be heard at http://www.unsignedonly.com/winners. Judges include: Aimee Mann; Dustin Lynch; The Killers; David Crowder; Robert Smith (The Cure); Ray Wylie Hubbard; Aaron Shust; Lucero; Kelly Price; Colt Ford; Frank Foster; Rapsody; Kool And The Gang; Anthony DeCurtis (Contributing Editor, Rolling Stone); Kyle Anderson (Senior Writer, Entertainment weekly); Josh Jackson (Co-Founder and Editor-In-Chief, Paste Magazine); Shirley Halperin (Music Editor, Billboard and Hollywood Reporter); Hardeep Phull (Music Critic, New York Post), and many more. The 2015 Grand Prize goes to Australian (California-born) Jared Porter and New Zealander Kaylee Bell for their acclaimed duet and co-written song, "Pieces." In addition to winning $10,000 in cash and $20,000 in merchandise and services, Porter and Bell also receive the opportunity to be mentored by the top echelon of record company professionals, including Presidents and top-level executives from Atlantic, Warner Bros., Sony Music Nashville, RCA, Capitol, Big Machine, Roc Nation, Vanguard, Sugar Hill, and American Recordings

For two weeks in December, the Lovelace Studio Theatre at the Wallis Annenberg Center for the Performing Arts will be transformed into the intimate nightclub world of Cabaret. This brand-new series will bring some of today's most heralded cabaret acts today to The Wallis for the first time including Amanda McBroom, Christine Andreas, Alice Ripley, Freda Payne, Melissa Manchester, Ute Lemper and Jeff Goldblum.

Jennifer Jiles, Ex-Rockette, is Kicking and Screaming for Joy as her film, 'Mother of the Week', screens at The Big Apple Film Festival, Nov. 7, NYC Mother of the Week,' is an official selection of The Big Apple Film Festival!

Amanda McBroom -- American international theater and cabaret performer and writer of the hit song, 'The Rose' -- will return to 54 Below tonight, September 30th and October 1st at 7pm with her new show, UP CLOSE AND PERSONAL, featuring unheard songs from her own songwriter's trunk, plus music by some of her favorite writers including Leonard Cohen, Judy Collins, Fran Landesman, John Bucchino, Jacques Brel and more.

A talking donkey, a singing ogre, a feisty princess, a sassy cookie, tap dancing rats, and a striking band of  misfit fairytale characters will be working their magic for children of all ages when Reston Community Players opens its 49th season with the Tony Award-winning fairytale adventure Shrek The Musical, October 16-November 17.

BIRTH!  One word. One half of soul-singing duo, The Black-Ups, performance artist James Jackson, Jr. is turning 40. What better way to celebrate than to round up the troupes and throw a legendary BIRTH Anniversary Party.

The New 42nd Street celebrates the 25th anniversary of its founding tomorrow, September 18, 2015.

MasterVoices kicks off the 2015-2016 season with The Pirates of Penzance; or, The Slave of Dutyon October 15-16, 2015 at 8pm at New York City Center, 131 W. 55th Street, New York City. Following the success of our 2012 Mikado at Carnegie Hall, MasterVoices' semi-staged presentation of The Pirates of Penzance will feature a cast of stars from the Broadway and opera worlds, along with Orchestra of St. Luke's performing Arthur Sullivan's original orchestrations under the direction of Artistic Director Ted Sperling. Single tickets are $30-$130 and are available at NYCityCenter.org.For more information visit: www.mastervoices.org/city-center-series.

TELLY LEUNG - star of this season's new Broadway musical Allegiance opposite George Takei and Lea Salonga - will celebrate his new solo CD Songs for You at JOE'S PUB at The Public Theater on Monday, November 23 at 7:00 PM.  

The Unsigned Only Music Competition, geared toward musical artists who are unsigned to a major record label or its affiliates, announced its 2015 winners today.

Critically acclaimed Front Foot Theatre presents the Pulitzer Prize and Tony Award winning play, Proof.

Grace and Glorie by Tom Ziegler opens Oct. 2, 2015, kicking off the new season for both Academy Theatre and Impact Theatre Atlanta.

Sining-Lahi Polyrepertory, the resident student theater group of Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), will stage Yoji Sakate's 'A Contemporary Noh Play: Three Sisters' this week, September 1-2, 2 and 5 p.m., at PUP Theatre (COC Building along Anonas Street, Santa Mesa, Manila). Admission is free.

Sining-Lahi Polyrepertory, the resident student theater group of Polytechnic University of the Philippines (PUP), will stage Yoji Sakate's 'A Contemporary Noh Play: Three Sisters' on September 1-2, 2 and 5 p.m., at PUP Theatre (COC Building along Anonas Street, Santa Mesa, Manila). Admission is free.

YELLOW SOUND LABEL has announced the new album from TELLY LEUNG, star of this season's new Broadway musical Allegiance opposite George Takei and Lea Salonga.

Amanda McBroom -- American international theater and cabaret performer and writer of the hit song, "The Rose"  -- will return to 54 Below on September 30th and October 1st at 7pm with her new show, Up Close and Personal, featuring unheard songs from her own songwriter's trunk, plus music by some of her favorite writers including Leonard Cohen, Judy Collins, Fran Landesman, John Bucchino, Jacques Brel and more.

Shakespeare & Company presented the first full American production of Red Velvet, written by Lolita Chakrabarti, directed by Daniela Varon, and starring OBIE Award-winning actor John Douglas Thompson last night and Broadwayworld's Stephen Sorokoff was there. This powerful and emotional drama joins the Tina Packer Playhouse repertory and runs through September 13. Check out photos from the production below!

Opening Night of the American screwball comedy His Girl Friday, John Guare's adaptation of Ben Hecht and Charles MacArthur's original play The Front Page and the screen version of His Girl Friday took place at Barrington Stage Co. and Broadwayworld's Stephen Sorokoff was there. Julianned Boyd artistic director of BSC was the director.

Kino Lorber is pleased to announce the U.S. theatrical premiere of HOW TO SMELL A ROSE: A VISIT WITH RICKY LEACOCK IN NORMANDY beginning tonight, August 12, at New York's Film Forum.