Melissa Manchester News

What did our critic think of FUNNY GIRL at Aronoff Center?

“Stars in the House” will return for its second Election Day Vote-A-Thon with a star-studded lineup joining hosts Seth Rudetsky and James Wesley Jackson to talk about their voting experiences and deliver LIVE musical performances.

The national tour of FUNNY GIRL features a knock-out performance by the show's leading lady, Hannah Shankman, and culminates with an audience-pleasing big finish.

The national tour of FUNNY GIRL, currently playing at the Eccles Theater in Salt Lake City, is a gorgeous rendition of a timeless classic that runs the gamut of emotion from self-deprecating comedy to heart-wrenching drama to chill-inducing performance.

Astro Lab Productions will present a new musical, SIGNS OF LIFE, with book, music, and lyrics by Christopher DeLair, directed by James A. Rocco. Signs Of Life explores a young man's magical return to his chaotic childhood on Long Island. Learn more about the new musical.

And now we have the tour, currently playing at The Paramount Theatre. And it looks like the producers have learned their lesson with the “stunt casting” and just brought in people who can handle the part, such as Hannah Shankman as the irrepressible Fanny Brice, who is making her debut with the tour here in Seattle. And she has certainly left her mark on the role and on our town.

Tony nominees Ann Hampton Calloway and Joe Iconis are bringing their cabaret shows to Blue Strawberry Showroom and Lounge. Calloway will perform two shows on September 27 - 28, 2024. Iconis will visit the midtown showroom for two performances on October 18 - 19, 2024.  

Rise and shine, BroadwayWorld! It is September 6, 2024 and it's time to catch up on all of the theatrical happenings you may have missed in the last 24 hours.

Hannah Shankman will take over the role of Fanny Brice when the tour opens in Seattle on September 24th, 2024. She joins returning cast members Melissa Manchester as Mrs. Brice, Stephen Mark Lukas as Nick Arnstein, Izaiah Montaque Harris as Eddie Ryan, Walter Coppage as Florenz Ziegfeld, Leah Platt as Emma/Mrs. Nadler, Christine Bunuan as Mrs. Meeker, and David Foley Jr. as Tom Keeney. 

Jim Caruso’s Cast Party will return to the West Coast for one very special night, Wednesday, November 6 at 8:30.  The “extreme open mic” will take place at Catalina Jazz Club in Hollywood.

Ann Hampton Callaway dazzled audiences at 54 Below this week with Finding Beauty: Inspired Classics and Originals. The show continues with a final performance tonight. It features classics that inspire Callaway, like Carole King, James Taylor, Paul Simon, and Joni Mitchell, as well as some of her own originals. Check out photos here!

This reviewer was thrilled as song after song showcased her ability to command her voice to not only “hit the back of the room” but to literally envelope the famed venue with her reverberating crooning!

What did our critic think of FUNNY GIRL at BROADWAY AT THE HOBBY CENTER?

Are you trying to plan your entertainment for the week or looking for a fun show to see this weekend? We have you covered with a few top picks for jazz, cabaret, comedy, and more! NYC has so many incredible events, but here are a few top picks to consider this week including singer-songwriters, 'dragapella,' and plenty of jazz.

Next week, 54 BELOW will present some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond. See the lineup and learn how to purchase tickets.

Klea Blackhurst will present 'The Box Set,' at Chelsea Table + Stage featuring her acclaimed tribute to Hoagy Carmichael alongside Billy Stritch. Learn how to purchase tickets.

Next month, 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club & Private Event Destination, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz, and beyond. Check out the full lineup here!

Ann Hampton Callaway has announced three New York dates for her new show, Finding Beauty: Inspired Classics and Originals.

Funny Girl is a solidly entertaining vehicle for a high-profile performance by Katerina McCrimmon as beloved vaudeville performer Fanny Brice. Now playing at the Kennedy Center, this popular musical (from the original stage version starring Barbra Streisand and her Oscar-winning performance in the 1968 hit film –and the recent hit on Broadway starring Lea Michele) is a lively, sassy, and brassy summer musical treat. 

Ann Hampton Callaway - Finding Beauty: Inspired Classics and Originals will come to Herb Alpert's Vibrato Grill & Jazz next month. The performance is on Tuesday, July 16, 2024 at 6:00 PM.