Michael John LaChiusa News

Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook returns in January for its eleventh season celebrating the diversity of American popular song. For 17 nights of pop, folk, cabaret, R&B, country, rock, show tunes, bluegrass and multimedia, the series will explore the best of the golden age of musical standards through to today's most dynamic contemporary songwriting. The 2009 season - January 14 through March 6 - will bring to the stage some of today's most gifted interpreters of song, including top vocalist Kurt Elling and country's winning Patty Loveless. It will feature the rare opportunity to hear Paulo Szot, star of Broadway's South Pacific, and film and stage star Alan Cumming, in intimate concert settings.

The second week of Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook brings to the Allen Room stage a jazz great, a new singer/songwriter, a country music classic and Broadway's newest heartthrob, all celebrating the diversity of American popular song. Singer Kurt Elling will re-create the standout recording that singer Johnny Hartman made in 1963 of the music of John Coltrane. Saxophonist Ernie Watts, The Laurence Hobgood Trio and the string quartet ETHEL will join Elling for this show, entitled Dedicated to You.

The Official Idina Menzel fan club is reporting that the Tony winning star will be performing various concert dates in March 2009. You find the most updated schedule, the Fan Club will add dates as they become available.

The Official Idina Menzel fan club is reporting that the Tony winning star will be performing at the Count Basie Theatre in Red Bank, NJ on March 21, 2009. Tickets go on sale Wednesday, December 17th at 12PM EST. However, members of Idina's official fan club will have access to pre-sale tickets.

According to her official website, Idina Menzel will be performing at the Tilles Center in Greenvale, NY (Long Island) on March 28, 2009.

The American Theatre Wing's 'Working in the Theatre' Features 'Arias to Showstoppers: The Worlds of Opera and Theatre' on CUNY TV Premieres Sunday, November 16 at 5 p.m. Additional Air Dates: Friday, November 21 at 9 a.m, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, November 22 at 11 a.m.

The American Theatre Wing's 'Working in the Theatre' Features 'Arias to Showstoppers: The Worlds of Opera and Theatre' on CUNY TV Premieres Sunday, November 16 at 5 p.m. Additional Air Dates: Friday, November 21 at 9 a.m, 2 and 7:30 p.m. Saturday, November 22 at 11 a.m.

Transport Group, the winner of a special 2007 Drama Desk Award and a 2007 Obie Award, has announced that its acclaimed production of Irwin Shaw's Bury the Dead, directed by Joe Calarco, will be taped for the New York Public Library for the Performing Arts Theatre on Film and Tape Archive on Friday, November 21th.

The year was 1980, and Patti LuPone was starring as 'Evita' on Broadway. She was en route to winning the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Musical, and cementing her status as a Broadway star. But there was another Patti LuPone performance taking place -- one that only a comparative handful of people were aware of: Every Saturday night at midnight, for 27 weeks, after performing one of the most demanding roles ever, she made her way to Les Mouches - a legendary nightclub in New York City, to perform a solo concert...This was a one-woman tour de force that -- until now -- only the lucky few who were on hand knew about.

According to her official website, Idina Menzel will be performing at the Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on November 27th, 2008.

Transport Group, the winner of a special 2007 Drama Desk Award and a 2007 Obie Award, will present the first major New York revival of Irwin Shaw's Bury the Dead, directed by Joe Calarco, beginning performances Friday, October 31, at 220 East 4 Street, between Avenues A and B (6 to Astor Place, W/N to 8th Street or F/V to Second Avenue). The opening has been scheduled for Sunday, November 9, at 3pm.

Where Are You Taking Me?: What's Next in Musical Theater is a free, day-long symposium with musical theater practitioners from around the country.

Happy Holidays Everyone! Well ... here it is ... our BIGGEST CD coverage EVER and just in time for some last minute 'stocking-stuffer' inspiration ... even though a few of these are better used as coal, if you know what I mean.

Asolo Repertory Theatre's Producing Artistic Director Michael Donald Edwards announces the full cast for the theatre's upcoming production of Barnum the musical.

Lincoln Center's acclaimed series American Songbook returns in January for its eleventh season celebrating the diversity of American popular song. For 17 nights of pop, folk, cabaret, R&B, country, rock, show tunes, bluegrass and multimedia, the series will explore the best of the golden age of musical standards through to today's most dynamic contemporary songwriting. The 2009 season - January 14 through March 6 - will bring to the stage some of today's most gifted interpreters of song, including top vocalist Kurt Elling and country's winning Patty Loveless. It will feature the rare opportunity to hear Paulo Szot, star of Broadway's South Pacific, and film and stage star Alan Cumming, in intimate concert settings.

Come enjoy a special evening featuring emerging composers and excerpts of new musicals presented by Chicago theater companies this season, including Annoyance Productions, Bare Boned Theatre, Bohemian Ensemble Theatre, Theatre Building Chicago Musical Theater Workshop, a special first look at American Theater Company's Yeast Nation, Victory Gardens' own The Snow Queen, and more.

Andrea Martin, Michael Cumpsty and Tony Yazbeck have been cast in On the Town, the opening production of New York City Center's 2008-09 Encores! season, running November 19 - 23. On the Town, the first Broadway musical written by Betty Comden and Adolph Green with a score by Leonard Bernstein, will be directed by John Rando with music direction by Todd Ellison and choreography by Warren Carlyle

Transport Group, the winner of a special 2007 Drama Desk Award and a 2007 Obie Award, will present the first major New York revival of Irwin Shaw's Bury the Dead, directed by Joe Calarco, beginning performances Friday, October 31, at 220 East 4 Street, between Avenues A and B (6 to Astor Place, W/N to 8th Street or F/V to Second Avenue). The opening has been scheduled for Sunday, November 9, at 3pm.

TODD ALMOND to celebrate the release of his new CD, MEXICO CITY.

Broadway In South Africa: The Concert is a star-studded evening that will feature world-premiere songs created by award-winning Broadway composers, including Grammy Award winner Henry Krieger, performed by Broadway stars such as Eden Espinosa and Billy Porter. This benefit concert will raise money for the January 2009 South African initiative of a new, not-for-profit organization called Broadway In South Africa (BSA), and will take place on Monday, October 6, 2008 at 7:30 p.m. in the Peter Jay Sharp Theater at Peter Norton Symphony Space, located at 2537 Broadway at 95th Street.