Melba Moore News

Actress, comedian and New Jersey native Sunda Croonquist returned to her home state on Monday, Apri 3rd, to host the 'Stars Shine on Autism New Jersey' benefit - at the Memorial Auditorium of Montclair State University (MSU).

To celebrate the 121st birthday of lyricist E.Y. 'Yip' Harburg, Richard Skipper has assembled a brunch time cabaret tribute to the legendary lyricist, to be staged at the Laurie Beechman Theatre on April 8, with cabaret stars Karen Oberlin, Leslie Orofino, Maureen Kelley Stewart and a special appearance by Anita Gilette.

Actress, comedian & talk show host  Sunda Croonquist returns to her home state for the sixth  annual  Autism New Jersey benefit  scheduled to take place on Monday, April 3, 2017   at the Memorial Auditorium of Montclair State University (MSU)  located at 1 Normal Avenue  in Montclair , NJ. The 'Stars Shine on Autism New Jersey' benefit - presented in partnership with MSU's   Public Relations Student Society of America (PRSSA) chapter  - is set to begin at 7:30pm.   

Judy Garland's 'Over the Rainbow' Barbra Streisand's 'People' and the original cast album of Broadway's THE WIZ are among the 25 titles which will be preserved by the Library of Congress' National Recording Registry for 2016.

Richard Skipper will be joined by Karen Oberlin, Leslie Orofino, Maureen Kelley Stewart and a very special celebrity Mystery Guest (Star of Stage, Screen and Television)!

Jammins Events presents the T.J. Hemphill powerful stage play, 'Perilous Times' at Brooklyn's Kings Theatre.

Jennifer Diamond is set to make her Joe's Pub solo debut on March 27th, at 9:30 P.M. After selling out at FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, with her debut act, IT MY FIRST TIME: PLEASE BE GENTLE, she's bringing it to the LES's music hot-spot with IT'S MY FIRST TIME: DOWNTOWN EDITION. Both were directed by longtime pal Richard Jay-Alexander. They first worked together on LES MISERABLES and a number of benefits, and Jay-Alexander found her uniquely talented and versatile enough to put a special spin on a debut act for her, visiting her arrival into the business, her story as an up-and-coming actress and all the good and bad (and bad) that goes with it. New material has been added and, of course, new stories continue in the saga of "Girl comes to New York to Take Broadway By Storm."

We all know that February is Black History Month, but did we all take a moment to reflect and celebrate? Well we did just that, Broadway-style, at Sessions on February 23rd. Not only did we invite a starry roster of Broadway's best and brightest to share music representing the influence, importance and impact of African American legacy on Broadway, but we also paid homage to some Broadway trailblazers like Diahann Carroll, Ben Vereen, "Stokes" and more. We even challenged our audience to "name that African American Tony winner," which of course gave us the opportunity to bask in the glorious voices of Melba Moore, Hinton Battle, Heather Headley, Ted Ross, Jennifer Holiday and many more. Check out these amazing performances by Aisha de Haas, Kenita Miller, Daisy Hobbs, Imari Hardon, Zurin Villanueva, Ta'Rea Campbell, Marcus Paul James, Nora Schell, T. Oliver Reid, Charity Angel Dawson and more!

Jammins Events proudly presents the T.J. Hemphill powerful stage play, 'Perilous Times' at Brooklyn's Kings Theatre.  Grammy award-winning Gospel recording artist, Fred Hammond alongside multi-award winning Gospel legend, Vickie Winans join forces with recording artist Tim Bowman Jr., Actors Clifton Powell, Christian Keys and VH1 Love & Hip NY cast member and The Wire actress Snoop, just to name a few to headline the Easter weekend festivities.

In addition to new parodies which re-work selections from Adele, Rent and Bruno Mars to hilarious, effect punctuated by zany Laugh-In style zingers, Bunny has widened her---don't go there!--repertoire to include some actually insightful social commentary. (Well, she thinks it's insightful, anyway.)

Singer, songwriter, drummer, percussionist and founder of Newban (later changing its name to Atlantic Starr), the Rhythm and Blues hit machine from the '70s and '80s, Porter Carroll, Jr. with Wali Ali & The Tambourine Band are bringing 'The Evolution of Cabaret' to The Metropolitan Room on February 25, 2017 at 9:30 PM.

???????Russ Woolley proudly presents Richard Skipper Celebrates...Liza Minnelli (on her Birthday!) He will be joined by Julie Reyburn, David Sabella, introducing AmeliaRose Allen, and a very special Well Known Mystery Guest...!

Porter Carroll, Jr. Singer, songwriter, drummer, percussionist and founder of Newban (later changing it's name is Atlantic Starr), the Rhythm and Blues hit machine from the 70's and 80's. As a drummer and one of four singers/creator of Atlantic Starr, Porter helped make hits that made the group and it's amazing vocals and energetic performances famous world wide. He has worked with chart topping recording artists through the years including Shania Twain, Spyro Gyra, Melba Moore, Donny Osmond, Michael Bolton, Howard Hewett, Marion Meadows and Bob Baldwin. Porter has also worked as a composer for Sony Publishing, where he evoked the heart of R & B and pop with thought provoking song arrangements, of which top artists like Luther Vandross and The Temptations have covered his much sought after compositions. 

Singer, songwriter, drummer, percussionist and founder of Newban (later changing its name to Atlantic Starr), the Rhythm and Blues hit machine from the '70s and '80s, Porter Carroll, Jr. with Wali Ali & The Tambourine Band are bringing 'The Evolution of Cabaret' to The Metropolitan Room on February 25, 2017 at 9:30 PM.

'We starve, look, at one another Short of breath. Walking proudly in our winter coats Wearing smells from labrotories Facing a dying nation Of moving paper fantasy Listening for the new-told lies With supreme visions of lonely tunes'

All The Way West Productions, Inc. proudly presents its Black History Production of PERIPHERY by Ed Simpson and Directed by celebrity director/actress Lorey Hayes opening on Saturday, January 21, 2017 and running weekends throughFebruary 26, 2017, Fridays and Saturdays at 8:00 p.m. and Sundays at 3:00 p.m. at The Hudson Backstage Theatre located at 6539 Santa Monica Blvd., Hollywood, CA 90038. 

AN EVENING WITH Phyllis Hyman, a world premiere musical the creators of the Broadway bound musical Mighty Real: A Fabulous Sylvester Musical, has added an additional three-performance weekend to the previously announced performances due to popular demand. The previously announced performances on Saturday, January 28, 2017 at 8pm, Sunday, January 29 at 2pm, and Sunday, January 29 at 7pm are now SOLD OUT, and additional performances will now take place on Saturday, February 4 at 8 pm, and Sunday February 5 at 2 & 7 PM. BroadwayWorld takes you inside rehearsals for the special event below!

Artistic Director Les Waters and Managing Director Kevin E. Moore are delighted to announce the cast and creative team for Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill. This commanding and moving play, written by Lanie Robertson, directed by Bill Fennelly and featuring Deidrie Henry as Billie Holiday, is set in the intimate atmosphere of the Bingham Theatre.

There are undoubtedly other productions worthy of merit in 2016 which I did not cover. This list is based only on what I saw and reviewed. (alphabetical listings; Equity, Equity-waiver & Non-Equity productions are mixed) (artists performing outside LA may be included in performance categories) No set, costume, technical awards. I leave that to the bigger awards and to the expertise of those who really know those fields inside out.

Artistic Director Les Waters and Managing Director Kevin E. Moore are delighted to announce the cast and creative team for Lady Day at Emerson's Bar and Grill. This commanding and moving play, written by Lanie Robertson, directed by Bill Fennelly and featuring Deidrie Henry as Billie Holiday, is set in the intimate atmosphere of the Bingham Theatre.