Michael Brown News

SHOWTUNES Theatre Company leaps over the rainbow and finds a pot of gold with the second concert of their 16th season. The rarely produced FINIAN'S RAINBOW runs just after St. Patrick's Day, for two performances, today and tomorrow, March 19 at 8pm and March 20 at 2pm in Benaroya Hall's Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall. This 70-year-old musical is filled with beautiful songs and powerful themes that resonate today with renewed depth and relevance.

When Jackie Sibblies Drury wrote WE ARE PROUD TO PRESENT A PRESENTATION ABOUT THE HERERO OF NAMIBIA, FORMERLY KNOWN AS SOUTHWEST AFRICA, FROM THE GERMAN SUDWESTAFRIKA, BETWEEN THE YEARS 1884-1915 (yes, that's the complete title), in 2012, she couldn't have known the maelstrom that would be upon us in 2016. Since the shooting of Michael Brown led to protests in Ferguson, Missouri, race relations in the United States have been declining. According to a survey, they're currently at their worst in recent history.

American composer Mark Abel brings his signature style to his first foray into opera with this, his third recording for Delos. The two-disc set features the world premieres of a poignant new opera with music and libretto by the composer, coupled with his most recent song cycle in which he sets to music the writings of Los Angeles poet Kate Gale.

SHOWTUNES Theatre Company leaps over the rainbow and finds a pot of gold with the second concert of their 16th season. The rarely produced FINIAN'S RAINBOW runs just after St. Patrick's Day, for two performances, March 19 at 8pm and March 20 at 2pm in Benaroya Hall's Illsley Ball Nordstrom Recital Hall. This 70-year-old musical is filled with beautiful songs and powerful themes that resonate today with renewed depth and relevance.

From the pages of Sandra Brown, the author of sixty seven New York Times best sellers, comes the crackling suspense and fiery emotional drama WHITE HOT, starring Shenae Grimes-Beech

The Lark, a 22-year-old play development lab dedicated to expanding the range of perspectives represented on stage in the United States, is proud to announce the continuation of its partnership with The New Black Fest, a theater organization celebrating provocative storytelling, film and discussion from the African Diaspora.

The Chicago Humanities Festival (CHF) announces the launch of the 2016 Spring Festival,Style, with more than 20 programs taking place in and around Chicago April 28-May 1. Exploring how style shapes who we are as individuals and what we value across cultures, CHF is making the bold statement, 'style matters.' 

Sundance Institute presents 72 short films that will leave a lasting impact on audiences long after the lights go up at their screenings at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, today, January 21-31 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Sundance and Ogden, Utah.

The Metropolitan Museum recently announced new performances and talks as part of the spring 2016 season. Leading with live arts by visionary artists, the 2015-16 season has presented unexpected and adventurous offerings in new spaces, and this spring, that line of singular programming will continue with newly added events.

The Broadway at Birdland concert series was proud to present composer/lyricist Neil Bartram and an extraordinary cast of singers in 'New Songs For A New Year' on Monday, January 4 at 7pm. Scroll down for photos from the concert!

The Broadway at Birdland concert series is proud to announce that multiple Drama Desk Award nominated composer/lyricist Neil Bartram will be bringing 'New Songs For A New Year' to the historic music room on Monday, January 4 at 7pm. 

With a song list comprised partially of holiday numbers, partially of high points in his Broadway career having nothing to do with Christmas, and partially of--I don't know, how would you categorize “Fever” in this context?--Norm Lewis is making his debut at Feinstein's/54 Below this week (9:30 shows continue tonight and tomorrow night) in a show called 'Norm Lewis Wishes You a Swingin' Christmas,' directed by veteran Broadway actor/singer/dancer Richard Jay-Alexander.

Norm Lewis finished his Feinstein's/54Below 5 night run last night, on Christmas Eve. Norm's show, NORM LEWIS WISHES YOU A SWINGIN' CHRISTMAS, played to packed houses and the venue had an amazing week, with Michael Feinstein also making his debut at the newly namesaked club, doing the 7:00 P.M. shows and Norm conquering the 9:30 slot. By the way, Mr. Feinstein plays through the 30th, while Norm enjoys his Christmas Holiday and then can find him at the Smith Center in Las Vegas, on New Year's Eve with friends Patina Miller, Capathia Jenkins, Eric Bergen and Clint Holmes.

Sundance Institute announced today its full lineup of 72 short films that will leave a lasting impact on audiences long after the lights go up at their screenings at the 2016 Sundance Film Festival, January 21-31 in Park City, Salt Lake City, Sundance and Ogden, Utah.

Author Ken Dye released a new book, Michael Brown, Jr. didn't have to die, which compiles data and reports from multiple sources about the shooting death of Michael Brown, Jr. on August 9, 2014 by Darren Wilson, a police officer of Ferguson, Missouri. Dye weaves all the conflicting accounts of the incident into one analysis and identifies opportunities which could have averted the situation and much of the destructive aftermath.

Actor's Express will kick of 2016 with an electrifying production of the eight-time Tony Award winner and Sondheim masterpiece Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street.

Rehearsals started this week at The 5th Avenue Theatre for the exultant classic musical, Rodgers & Hammerstein's The Sound of Music, the iconic show sweeping Seattle for the holidays. Boasting such beloved songs as 'Do Re Mi,' 'My Favorite Things,' 'Sixteen Going on Seventeen,' and 'Climb Ev'ry Mountain,' this production of Rodgers & Hammerstein's The Sound of Music will be presented as only The 5th can do, complete with a sensational live orchestra, stunning costumes, and incredible sets. Under the direction of David Bennett and with choreography by Trina Mills and music direction by Kat Sherrell, this musical will feature an exuberant all-local cast of fresh faces and favorite performers that includes Anne Allgood as the Mother Abbess, joining the previously announced David Pichette as Max Detweiler and Jessica Skerritt as the Baroness Elsa Schraeder, with Hans Altwies as Captain Georg von Trapp and Kirsten deLohr Helland as Maria.

NYU Skirball Center for the Performing Arts will present the New York Premire of The Minstrel Show Revisited, a reworking of Donald Byrd's 1991 Bessie Award-winning dance/theater production that takes a satirical look at the derogatory song and dance tradition of minstrelsy and illuminates the lingering scars of racial, religious and sexual bigotry.  There will be a free a post-show discussion and Q&A with artists from Spectrum Dance Theater after each performance.