Mickey Rooney News

The wry, witty, and sophisticated Tony nominee Jane Summerhays swings by Shetler Studios to look back on her incredible career in such musicals as A Chorus Line, Me and My Girl (for which she was nominated for the Tony), Lend Me A Tenor, The Wild Party, and what it was like to learn from artists like Barbara Cook, Wally Harper, and Mabel Mercer.

FEINSTEIN'S/54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, presents Cristina Fontanelli www.cristinafontanelli.com in "Love Italian Style".  Award-winning Singer/PBS-TV host Cristina Fontanelli carries the Italian torch in her debut at Feinsteins/54 Below.  This Feinsteins at the Regency regular (appearances included  singing Happy Birthday to Mickey Rooney for his 90th Birthday Party documented in the "Life and Times of Mickey Rooney", Simon & Schuster (2015) Excerpt from the 'Life and Times of Mickey Rooney')  Boston Pops soloist, and PBS-TV host for Andrea Bocelli and Il Volo, explores the theme of love with a passionate, Italian flavor in her new show Love Italian Style. 

The Salzburg Festival comes to Los Angeles for a screening of festival founder Max Reinhardt's 1935 film A Midsummer Night's Dream. Presented as part of the 2018 Los Angeles Jewish Film Festival, the program includes a pre-film panel discussion featuring Dr. Helga Rabl-Stadler, President of the Salzburg Festival. The discussion and screening will take place on Thursday, April 26 at the Landmark Regent in Los Angeles's Westwood neighborhood, beginning at 7:00 p.m.

Now onstage at Brentwood's Towne Centre Theatre, Ludwig's Shakespeare in Hollywood (not to be confused with the musical Shakespeare in Love, which is based on an Oscar-winning film) once again takes audiences to 1934 to tell the story of the mirthful hijinks surrounding Austrian stage director Max Reinhardt's efforts to film an adaptation of his Hollywood Bowl production of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream. Reinhardt's film treatment of the work is, perhaps, more critically acclaimed now than when it was first released back during the heady days of Hollywood's golden era and the director has been lauded with praise for his one and only film that starred several silver screen legends in roles that went creatively against type, presenting the actors with tremendous challenges.

Tony Award-winning producer Margot Astrachan (A Gentleman's Guide to Love and Murder) will be joined by composer David Friedman and Grammy-nominated album producer Rob Sher on the Guild Hall stage on Wednesday, April 16 at 7pm for an insightful discussion answering the question, 'How do all those original cast recordings of our favorite musicals get made?'

From April 10th-12th, two-time Tony Award-nominee Stephanie J. Block will join the Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Broadway star Ramin Karimloo and conductor Steven Reineke to present ON BROADWAY, an evening of Broadway's greatest hits at the Roy Thomson Hall in Toronto! BroadwayWorld's Taylor Long sat down with Stephanie ahead of her upcoming concert with the TSO.

It is the 96th Anniversary of the birth of the brilliant Judy Garland on June 10, 2018. As such it feels entirely appropriate to rediscover the music and legacy of Hollywood's golden age songbird. Vegas Theatricals is presenting critically-acclaimed Tribute Artist Peter Mac in his award-winning musical recreation of a flawless triumphant 1960's-era Judy Garland.

Since its debut on Broadway in 1959, GYPSY has been hailed as one of the most perfect examples of the musical theatre artform. From the lush score of Jule Styne to the inventive lyrics of a young Stephen Sondheim to the funny- and ultimately heartbreaking- book by Arthur Laurents, it is hard to find a flaw in this show. However, as years pass and the genre evolves, it becomes easy to cynically think of the classics as dated period pieces to be looked at respectfully, but only with a sense of retrospect. However, the production of this musical fable playing at the Riverside Theatre in Vero Beach through March 25th reminds you from the opening moments of the power and poignancy, excitement and insight that the American musical standard-bearers still possess.

Singer/PBS-TV host Cristina Fontanelli carries the Italian torch in her debut at Feinstein's/54 Below. This Feinsteins at the Regency regular (appearances included singing Happy Birthday to Mickey Rooney for his 90th Birthday Party documented in the 'Life and Times of Mickey Rooney', Simon & Schuster (2015) Excerpt from the 'Life and Times of Mickey Rooney')

Internationally renowned and critically acclaimed diva La Voix is touring the UK with her sensational variety show.

Rubicon Theatre presents a timely and trenchant production of Shakespeare's tragedy KING LEAR as the centerpiece of the company's 20th Anniversary Season. Directed by Co-Founder James O'Neil, the production features a 20-member cast led by acclaimed actor and company memberGeorge Ball, who has starred in previous Rubicon productions of All My Sons, Man of La Mancha, and Jacques Brel… (New York, L.A., and international companies of the latter).

Long Wharf Theatre, under the direction of Managing Director Joshua Borenstein, presents Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Mystery, directed by Brendon Fox.

Michael Oblowitz focuses on the torrid relationship of Frank Sinatra and Ava Gardner in FRANK & AVA, and in so doing has also profiled a turbulent crossroads in American history. Featuring stunning performances by Rico Simonini and Emily Elicia Low. One of the features at this year's Sedona International Film Festival.

We're taking you deep into the archives of BroadwayWorld photographer Walter McBride for exclusive flashbacks to Broadway past. Today, check out these shots of Ann Miller and Mickey Rooney with his wife Jan Chamberlain backstage after a performance of Sugar Babies in 1980.

Singer Lynn Henderson returns to Don't Tell Mama this spring with A Skitch in Time: My Friendship with Maestro Skitch Henderson, a tribute to the New York Pops founder who built the Pops from an idea to a beloved international institution. The two Hendersons, who are not related, met and bonded over music at a benefit dinner in Connecticut, where they both lived at the time. Skitch assisted Lynn, who was Chairnan of Deck The Halls benefits for New Milford Hospital, by bringing his New York Pops All Stars to Connecticut. He mentored Lynn as she created a show about his friend, Cole Porter, for a local club with a cast ranging in age from five to eighty five. Later, Lynn and her musicians brought her cabaret shows to Hunt Hill Farm - the cooking school, store and gallery which were the Connecticut home of Skitch and his smart, dazzling wife, Ruth. A Skitch in Time: My Friendship with Maestro Skitch Henderson is directed by Klea Blackhurst, with Musical Direction by Douglas J. Cohen. Bob Sabin will play bass. 

All it took was a single step through the front door of The Winter Park Playhouse to be immediately transported back into the golden years of Hollywood-and the days where Judy Garland and Mickey Rooney captivated audiences through their work on screens and stages of all sizes.

Long Wharf Theatre, under the direction of Managing Director Joshua Borenstein, presents Ken Ludwig's Baskerville: A Sherlock Holmes Comic Mystery, directed by Brendon Fox.

The Winter Park Playhouse continues to sing and dance its way into the hearts of audiences with their latest hit in a series of professional musicals with the Florida premiere of, Babes In Hollywood: The Music of Garland and Rooney. Performances are Friday and Saturday evenings at 7:30p.m., Thursday andSaturday matinee performances at 2 p.m. and select Friday and Sunday matinees at 2 p.m.

Based on true events, Desert Warrior is an autobiographical tale of an actor's involvement in the most controversial film of the decade. After a critically acclaimed run at the 2017 Hollywood Fringe Festival, this award-winning solo performance returns to the stage January 19th - February 3rd, 2018; Today and Saturday performances, at 8pm; tickets on-sale at http://desertwarrior.brownpapertickets.com/. A special PRESS PREVIEW night on January 13th 8 pm for the media. Please email: miranda@mirandaspigener.com for press credentials.

Based on true events, Desert Warrior is an autobiographical tale of an actor's involvement in the most controversial film of the decade. After a critically acclaimed run at the 2017 Hollywood Fringe Festival, this award-winning solo performance returns to the stage January 19th - February 3rd, 2018; Friday and Saturday performances, at 8pm; tickets on-sale at http://desertwarrior.brownpapertickets.com/. A special PRESS PREVIEW night on January 13th 8 pm for the media. Please email: miranda@mirandaspigener.com for press credentials.