Michele Lee News

Further to Vantage Press's release of "The Persian Room Presents," New York's Plaza Hotel will be hosting a public signing for author and Plaza resident, Ms. Patty Farmer on Thursday, March 29th at 5:00 to 7:00 pm, at 768 5th Ave, New York. A portion of the proceeds from each sale will be donated to Childhelp for the treatment and prevention of child abuse.

Sporadically shedding its former skin as a mainly musical endeavor, last night's "The Coup" episode of NBC's musical dramedy series SMASH stepped outside the box and presented a drama-focused show heavy on the plot and light on the musical numbers - with surprisingly strong results, believe it or not. As has become abundantly apparent, in the seven episodes up until this point, SMASH seems to have excelled in its musical sequences which floated high, flying, adored (like Eva Peron in EVITA) above everything else; enlivening the proceedings where the story fell short - usually, with Ivy (Megan Hilty) dominating the Marilyn Monroe show-within-the-show songs and Karen (Katharine McPhee) making the very most of an impressive melange of pop covers - but, as penned by Scott Burkhardt and directed by GLEE veteran Paris Barclay, "The Coup" showed that SMASH has legs and can sustain a character/plot-focused story from time to time, too. And, anyway, it's hard to complain too much about a lack of songs when we were presented with perhaps the most unique and stylized pop musical number to date in the form of the Top 40-ready Ryan Tedder-written potential Marilyn burlesque routine - that is, if Derek (Jack Davenport) takes the show-within-the-show in an entirely new direction and leaves Tom (Christian Borle) and Julia (Debra Messing) by the wayside. That potential prospect seems highly unlikely, though - to say the very, very least. Speaking of high, "The Coup" flew the coop as far as daring to do what many may have thought unlikely or impossible - namely, weaving in almost seamless, fully-integrated musical sequences such as Ivy & company's down and dirty bowling alley cover song set to the funky 60s sounds of Sly & The Family Stone's "Dance To The Music", or, (almost) effortlessly managing to make a contemporary song in a musical theatre milieu actually function (more or less) and come alive in the form of the sexy and titillating 'Touch Me'. Yes, "The Coup" stylistically diverged from what has come before on SMASH, but the more risks taken, the more rewards reaped. Definitely don't count all the eggs in the SMASH basket before they're hatched!

The long-running Off Broadway favorite Love, Loss, and What I Wore will close tonight, Sunday, March 25, 2012 after playing for two and a half years and 1,013 performances. (March 15th marked the show's landmark 1,000 performance.)

Further to Vantage Press's release of "The Persian Room Presents," New York's Plaza Hotel will be hosting a public signing for author and Plaza resident, Ms. Patty Farmer on Thursday, March 29th at 5:00 to 7:00 pm, at 768 5th Ave, New York. A portion of the proceeds from each sale will be donated to Childhelp for the treatment and prevention of child abuse.

Special guests Marge Champion, Barbara Van Orden and Tony Butala join author, Patty Farmer Wednesday, March 7 at 7:00 pm, for a Q&A and to sign copies of "The Persian Room Presents." A portion of the proceeds from each sale will be donated to Childhelp for the treatment and prevention of child abuse. The event will be held at Barnes & Noble (82nd & Broadway).

Special guests Marge Champion, Barbara Van Orden and Tony Butala join author, Patty Farmer Wednesday, March 7 at 7:00 pm, for a Q&A and to sign copies of "The Persian Room Presents." A portion of the proceeds from each sale will be donated to Childhelp for the treatment and prevention of child abuse. The event will be held at Barnes & Noble (82nd & Broadway).

Producer Daryl Roth announced today that the long-running Off Broadway favorite Love, Loss, and What I Wore will close on Sunday, March 25, 2012 after playing for two and a half years and 1,013 performances. (March 15th marks the show's landmark 1,000 performance.)

Call it the biography of a place, a collaborative memoir, a history-but whatever you call it, The Persian Room Presents will transport you to the most elegant and magical night spot New York has ever known. In this dishy, personal, and compulsively readable book, dozens of celebrities reminisce about their experiences performing and partying at the Plaza and they all agree on one thing: there's never been anyplace like it.

FEINSTEIN'S AT LOEWS REGENCY opened its Winter 2012 season with the return of Lucie Arnaz in a show based on her new CD 'Latin Roots.' In an eclectic celebration of her musical heritage, Arnaz playfully wended her way through pop south of the border sounds, enduring American standards, enhanced with a Brazilian accent or basted by a Bossa Nova beat and she took on some of the fiery Latin classics of her father, Desi Arnaz. Check out photos from the concert below!

Broadway favorite Michele Lee attended a preview of Off-Broadway's THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER starring Jim Brochu and Cady Huffman this past Tuesday, November 29th. The celebrated stage & film star was the first to leap to her feet at the end of the performance, leading the standing ovation. Check out a photo of Lee with Brochu below!

The LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards, celebrating theatrical excellence and achievement during the 2010-2011 season, were presented on Monday, November 14, 2011 at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. Click here for a full list of winners.

The LA Stage Alliance Ovation Awards, celebrating theatrical excellence and achievement during the 2010-2011 season, were presented on Monday, November 14, 2011 at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. Click here for a full list of winners. Check out photos from he event below!

The LA STAGE Alliance Ovation Awards, celebrating theatrical excellence and achievement during the 2010-2011 season, were presented on Monday, November 14, 2011 at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Los Angeles.

The Hartt School Dance Division presents DIVULGE, the Fall Senior Dance concert, on Friday, October 28, at 7:30 PM, and Saturday, October 29, at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM, in the Edward C. and Ann T. Roberts Black Box Theater, Mort and Irma Handel Performing Arts Center, 35 Westbourne Parkway, Hartford. Ticket prices are $20 for adults with discounts for senior citizens, students, alumni, educators, and groups of 10 or more. University of Hartford students, faculty, and staff are eligible to receive one free ticket with current University ID. To purchase tickets, contact the University of Hartford Box Office at 860.768.4228 or 1.800.274.8587 or visit www.hartford.edu/hartt.

The Hartt School Dance Division presents DIVULGE, the Fall Senior Dance concert, on Friday, October 28, at 7:30 PM, and Saturday, October 29, at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM, in the Edward C. and Ann T. Roberts Black Box Theater, Mort and Irma Handel Performing Arts Center, 35 Westbourne Parkway, Hartford. Ticket prices are $20 for adults with discounts for senior citizens, students, alumni, educators, and groups of 10 or more. University of Hartford students, faculty, and staff are eligible to receive one free ticket with current University ID. To purchase tickets, contact the University of Hartford Box Office at 860.768.4228 or 1.800.274.8587 or visit www.hartford.edu/hartt.

Multi-award winning lyricist Hal David will be honored with a musical tribute, in celebration of his 90th birthday, Monday, October 17, at the Music Center of Los Angeles County. 'Love, Sweet Love' features a star-studded evening of music and dining, benefitting The Blue Ribbon of the Music Center and The ASCAP Foundation. Paul Williams will emcee.

The Hartt School Dance Division presents DIVULGE, the Fall Senior Dance concert, on Friday, October 28, at 7:30 PM, and Saturday, October 29, at 2:00 PM and 7:30 PM, in the Edward C. and Ann T. Roberts Black Box Theater, Mort and Irma Handel Performing Arts Center, 35 Westbourne Parkway, Hartford. Ticket prices are $20 for adults with discounts for senior citizens, students, alumni, educators, and groups of 10 or more. University of Hartford students, faculty, and staff are eligible to receive one free ticket with current University ID. To purchase tickets, contact the University of Hartford Box Office at 860.768.4228 or 1.800.274.8587 or visit www.hartford.edu/hartt.

Broadway's biggest luminaries both current and classic, including Ethel Merman, Frank Loesser and Zero Mostel were the featured subjects in more than 2 dozen performances and presentations aboard Crystal Cruises' 'Film and Theatre' themed voyage from San Francisco and Tinseltown to New York City from August 25 to September 13, 2011.

Barnes & Noble (The Grove at Farmers Market, 189 Grove Drive Suite K 30, Los Angeles, CA 90036) will welcome Tony-award winning singer and actress, Lea Salonga, for a performance and signing in celebration of her new CD, The Journey So Far. This live CD contains songs from musical theater, film, and the jazz and pop worlds.

Multi-award winning lyricist Hal David will be honored with a musical tribute, in celebration of his 90th birthday, Monday, October 17, at the Music Center of Los Angeles County. 'Love, Sweet Love' features a star-studded evening of music and dining, benefitting The Blue Ribbon of the Music Center and The ASCAP Foundation. Paul Williams will emcee.