Mitzi Gaynor News

The Fred and Adele Astaire Awards will once again recognize excellence in dance on both stage and film. This year's Awards gala will take place May 15,2011 at the Skirball Center for the Performing Arts at New York University, 566 LaGuardia Place) New York City 10019.

Ava Astaire and Patricia Watt have announced the nominating committee for the 2011 Fred & Adele Astaire Awards, the only awards that recognize excellence in dance on Broadway and in film.

Irving Berlin's Alexander's Ragtime Band took the musical world by storm after its publication on March 18, 1911, and remains one of the most popular songs in American music to this day.

Internationally renowned singer, recording artist, and humanitarian Dionne Warwick and the legendary musical theatre performer Carol Channing will be honored, along with 16 other members of the New York cabaret and jazz community, at the 26th Annual Bistro Awards, which will take place on Tuesday, April 26 at Gotham Comedy Club, located at 208 West 23rd Street (between 7th & 8th avenues).

Actress/singer Rita McKenzie accomplishes something quite rare: she channels the charisma and voice of Broadway legend Ethel Merman. This is more than just capturing the essence of a character; in McKenzie's case, it is really becoming that person. She looks like Merman, sounds like her, sings like her and has all the body movements down pat. In this latest version of Ethel Merman's Broadway, that she has been doing for some 20 years, there are some delightful additions, including a 7 piece onstage orchestra, a huge video screen and several colorful costume changes. There's also more dialogue about the 4 marriages, Merman's daughter, who died under questionable circumstances, and a more casual and realistic look at the woman, whom many feared and despised, as well as adored. Dynamic McKenzie lets it all hang out and makes us feel like we are in the presence of a star and a lady.

The Great White Way seems to be buzzing lately with rumors about potential recreations of iconic characters that include that of Streisand mounting Merman's GYPSY, LuPone channeling Channing's DOLLY, and the as yet to be announced contender for Lansbury's MAME. While other's are talking the talk about these legendary characters, Rita McKenzie is walking the walk as her highly promoted 'Pre-Broadway Engagement' of ETHEL MERMAN's BROADWAY opened this weekend in Los Angeles at the historic El Portal Theatre.

On January 16, 1964 theatergoers at the St. James Theatre first experienced what was to become perhaps the most memorable scene in musical comedy, when the curtains part atop the stairs of the Harmonia Gardens Restaurant and Dolly Levi appears in her red Freddy Wittop gown to begin her descent to 'rejoin the human race.' Forty-seven years (not to mention over 5,000 performances) later and 3,000 miles away, patrons of the Pantages Theatre in Los Angeles were able to revisit a little bit of theatrical history as Jerry Herman's first Dolly, Ms. Carol Channing, again entered through parting red curtains and took the stage wearing her original 1964 gown in celebration of her 90th birthday.

Actress/singer Rita McKenzie accomplishes something quite rare: she channels the charisma and voice of Broadway legend Ethel Merman. This is more than just capturing the essence of a character; in McKenzie's case, it is really becoming that person. She looks like Merman, sounds like her, sings like her and has all the body movements down pat. In this latest version of Ethel Merman's Broadway, that she has been doing for some 20 years, there are some delightful additions, including a 7 piece onstage orchestra, a huge video screen and several colorful costume changes. There's also more dialogue about the 4 marriages, Merman's daughter, who died under questionable circumstances, and a more casual and realistic look at the woman, whom many feared and despised, as well as adored. Dynamic McKenzie lets it all hang out and makes us feel like we are in the presence of a star and a lady.

Irving Berlin's Alexander's Ragtime Band took the musical world by storm after its publication on March 18, 1911, and remains one of the most popular songs in American music to this day.

DIETRICH & CHEVALIER: The Musical, the hit musical by Jerry Mayer, starring Robert Cuccioli, Jodi Stevens and Donald Corren, will conclude its Off-Broadway run Sunday, December 26th at St. Luke's Theatre, 308 West 46th Street (between Eighth & Ninth Ave.) DIETRICH & CHEVALIER: The Musical began performances June 5th, with the opening night on June 20th.

LIVE AT BARNES & NOBLE, has announced a series of special performing arts programming to showcase writers, composers, Broadway casts, recording artists, etc. on the occasion of book publications or CD/DVD street dates. These events will launch artist memoirs & bios, original cast recordings, companion books or special compendiums, solo albums and other related merchandise that is available for sale at Barnes & Noble. This is both a re-launch and expansion of the hugely successful series formerly know as 'Live at Lincoln' that will now span various Manhattan locations.

DIETRICH & CHEVALIER: The Musical, the hit musical by Jerry Mayer, starring Robert Cuccioli, Jodi Stevens and Donald Corren, will conclude its Off-Broadway run Saturday, December 11th at St. Luke's Theatre, 308 West 46th Street (between Eighth & Ninth Ave.)

DIETRICH & CHEVALIER: The Musical, the hit musical by Jerry Mayer, starring Robert Cuccioli, Jodi Stevens and Donald Corren, will conclude its Off-Broadway run Saturday, December 11th at St. Luke's Theatre, 308 West 46th Street (between Eighth & Ninth Ave.)

DIETRICH & CHEVALIER: The Musical, the hit musical by Jerry Mayer, starring Robert Cuccioli, Jodi Stevens and Donald Corren, will conclude its Off-Broadway run Sunday, December 26th at St. Luke's Theatre, 308 West 46th Street (between Eighth & Ninth Ave.) DIETRICH & CHEVALIER: The Musical began performances June 5th, with the opening night on June 20th.

Though times certainly have changed from when the Greatest Generation showed true heroism in the battlefields of European and Tropical soil, it's staggering to realize that in 2010, racial issues still feel like a haphazardly patched wound reopened. Prejudice, no matter what the decade, still stings. These themes were boldly explored back in 1949, the year the original production of Rodgers and Hammerstein's SOUTH PACIFIC first wowed audiences. In this new, exquisite, magnificent revival, director Bartlett Sher lets loose an oustanding, revitalized production that is now playing for a two-week engagement at the Orange County Performing Arts Center through October 24. It's a classic beautifully reborn.

The Deep Throat Sex Scandal, a new play by David Bertolino, directed by Jerry Douglas, will have its Off-Broadway premiere at 45 Bleecker Street Theatre (just east of Lafayette Street), beginning performances Friday, September 17th. Opening Night is set for October 10th.

The theatrical trailer for the highly anticipated 'Burlesque' has been released. Christina Aguilera will make her big screen debut alongside Cher and Stanley Tucci, who are additionally joined by Alan Cumming, Eric Dane, Dianna Agron, and Kristen Bell.

Debbie Reynolds, Miss Burbank, returns to her roots in this rare Los Angeles appearance of Debbie Reynolds: Alive & Fabulous, with a gala celebrating the 55th annual Thalians Red Carpet Celebrity Benefit with special guests Nigel Lythgoe, Sharon Lawrence, Ruta Lee, Patty McCormack, Anne Jeffreys, Joe Tremaine, Mitzi Gaynor, George Chakiris, Abbey Dalton, Richard Herd and many more.

Debbie Reynolds, Miss Burbank, returns to her roots in this rare Los Angeles appearance of Debbie Reynolds: Alive & Fabulous, with a gala celebrating the 55th annual Thalians Red Carpet Celebrity Benefit with special guests Nigel Lythgoe, Sharon Lawrence, Ruta Lee, Patty McCormack, Anne Jeffreys, Joe Tremaine, Mitzi Gaynor, George Chakiris, Abbey Dalton, Richard Herd and many more.

The Deep Throat Sex Scandal, a new play by David Bertolino, directed by Jerry Douglas, will have its Off-Broadway premiere at 45 Bleecker Street Theatre (just east of Lafayette Street), beginning performances. Opening Night is set for October 10th.