Michelle Obama News

FELA!, the landmark Broadway musical, which won three Tony Awards (Broadway's highest honor) including Best Choreography (Bill T. Jones), is coming to Lagos from April 20th to 25th.

Proceeds from the April 16th performance of Political Subversities will be donated to the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund. Additional donation opportunities will also be available at thisperformance.

The Ailey Extension offered free dance classes to over 50 New York teens on Sunday, April 10th.

A tribute to Principal Dancer Jose Manuel Carreño will highlight American Ballet Theatre's Opening Night Gala at the Metropolitan Opera House on Monday, May 16 at 6:30 P.M.

Proceeds from the April 16th performance of Political Subversities will be donated to the Japan Earthquake and Tsunami Relief Fund. Additional donation opportunities will also be available at thisperformance.

teve Silver's Beach Blanket Babylon, the world's longest running musical revue in history, will hold a post-performance talkback and Q&A session with the cast, crew and artistic team from the show on Friday, April 1, 2011. Jan Wahl - San Francisco's favorite show biz critic - will be on-hand to moderate. The talkback provides audience members the rare opportunity to get an inside look at what it takes to put on the world's longest running musical revue. Tickets for this performance range in price from $25 - 130 and are available by phone at 415-421-4222, at the Beach Blanket Babylon Box Office (678 Green Street, San Francisco) or online at beachblanketbabylon.com.

The U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution 'recognizing the artistic and cultural contributions of the Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater and the 50th Anniversary of the first performance of Alvin Ailey's masterwork, Revelations.' Authored by Senator Kirsten Gillibrand, and cosponsored by Senators Charles E. Schumer and Robert Menendez, this resolution honors Revelations as a timeless classic 'beloved by people around the world' with universal themes 'that illustrate the strength and humanity within all of us.'

On Wednesday, March 30th, First Lady Michelle Obama will host a special event during the annual celebration of Women's History Month at the White House.

In recognition of his work as a philanthropist and environmentalist, Nickelodeon will honor actor and musician Justin Timberlake by presenting him with The Big Help Award during Nickelodeon's 2011 Kids' Choice Awards on Saturday, April 2, at 8:00 p.m. (ET/Tape delayed for West Coast). Timberlake will be honored during the star-studded telecast, hosted by Jack Black at USC's Galen Center in Los Angeles. The Big Help Award recognizes individuals who take actions to better the world and whose significant impact on their community has inspired kids to do the same.

On Wednesday, March 30th, First Lady Michelle Obama will host a special event during the annual celebration of Women's History Month at the White House.

Talk show listings for Thursday, March 24.

Cellist Alisa Weilerstein will perform Shostakovich's Cello Concerto No. 1 with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra in 15 North American cities in March and April 2011.

New Orleans has been selected as one of only three US cities for the upcoming tour of Corella Ballet Castilla y Leon, Spain's only classical ballet company.

Talk show listings for Thursday, March 24.

Decca Classics has signed an exclusive recording contract with cellist Alisa Weilerstein, whose natural virtuosic command, technical precision and impassioned musicianship led New York magazine to describe her as 'arguably Yo-Yo Ma's heiress apparent'.

teve Silver's Beach Blanket Babylon, the world's longest running musical revue in history, will hold a post-performance talkback and Q&A session with the cast, crew and artistic team from the show on Friday, April 1, 2011. Jan Wahl - San Francisco's favorite show biz critic - will be on-hand to moderate. The talkback provides audience members the rare opportunity to get an inside look at what it takes to put on the world's longest running musical revue. Tickets for this performance range in price from $25 - 130 and are available by phone at 415-421-4222, at the Beach Blanket Babylon Box Office (678 Green Street, San Francisco) or online at beachblanketbabylon.com.

Cellist Alisa Weilerstein will perform Shostakovich's Cello Concerto No. 1 with the St. Petersburg Philharmonic Orchestra in 15 North American cities in March and April 2011.

Tony Award-winning vocalist Idina Menzel will perform one night only with the Nashville Symphony on Tuesday, June 7, at 8 p.m

For this week's FLASH FRIDAY we have a host of Harry Connick, Jr.-related clips, including a special look at his new CD/DVD and Blu-Ray ON BROADWAY, which is available now and currently showing on PBS Great Performances. From New Orleans jazz done with Broadway flair in clips featuring material from his stage musical THOU SHALT NOT, to trailers for the stupendous film version of Tracy Letts's Off-Broadway play BUG, directed by William Friedkin, that he co-stars in with Ashley Judd and Michael Shannon, to COPYCAT co-starring Sigourney Weaver to some fun music videos and soundtrack contributions and much, much more inside! Plus, check out Harry's appearances on THE COLBERT REPORT and TODAY from earlier this week if you missed them live!

Yesterday, President Barack Obama will present the National Medal of Arts to eight recipients for their outstanding achievements and support of the arts. (Ten medalists were announced; however two are not able to attend the ceremony. Their medals will be presented at another time.) The medals will be presented by the president in the East Room ceremony at the White House. Mrs. Michelle Obama will also be in attendance. The National Medal of Arts is a White House initiative managed by the National Endowment for the Arts. Each year, the NEA organizes and oversees the National Medal of Arts nomination process and notifies the artists of their selection to receive a medal, the nation's highest honor for artistic excellence.