Berkeley Playhouse closes its 2011-12 main stage season with a delicious adaptation of ROALD DAHL'S WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY. Berkeley Playhouse founding Artistic Director Elizabeth McKoy helms this musical treat, based on Roald Dahl's stylish children's story about the world famous candy man, starring noted Bay Area singer/songwriter, musician, and recording artist Vernon Bush in the title role. ROALD DAHL'S WILLY WONKA AND THE CHOCOLATE FACTORY plays July 14 through August 19 at the Julia Morgan Theatre in Berkeley.
THE RRAZZ ROOM, San Francisco's premiere nightclub, presents the debut solo engagement of Valerie Simpson running now through May 13. Ms. Simpson wrote some of the greatest love songs of a generation with her husband and writing partner, Nick Ashford, including "Ain't No Mountain High Enough," "You're All I Need To Get By," "Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)" and "Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing." But when he died of throat cancer in August at the age of 70, Simpson was cast adrift. After spending more than four decades together, she didn't know if she would ever get back on stage. Valerie performs all their greatest hits in this moving concert experience. See below for photos of Valerie's opening night performance!
As the concluding concert of its 2011-12 season-Chamber Treasures Meet Chicago Jazz-The Orion Ensemble presents "All That Jazz!" featuring a world premiere by guest pianist Miguel de la Cerna, a Faure quartet and Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. Performances are May 6 at Music Institute of Chicago's Nichols Concert Hall in Evanston, May 9 at Roosevelt University's Ganz Memorial Hall in Chicago and May 13 at Fox Valley Presbyterian Church in Geneva.
The Rrazz Room, a San Francisco nightclub, presents the debut solo engagement of Valerie Simpson from tonight, May 8 to May 13. Ms. Simpson wrote love songs with her husband and writing partner, Nick Ashford, including 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough,' 'You're All I Need To Get By,' 'Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)' and 'Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing.' He died of throat cancer in August at the age of 70. Valerie will perform all their greatest hits in this moving once in a
lifetime concert experience. The RRazz Room has been the Bay Area 'home' of Nick & Val since its inception.
The Rrazz Room, a San Francisco nightclub, will present the debut solo engagement of Valerie Simpson from May 8 to May 13. Ms. Simpson wrote love songs with her husband and writing partner, Nick Ashford, including 'Ain't No Mountain High Enough,' 'You're All I Need To Get By,' 'Reach Out and Touch (Somebody's Hand)' and 'Ain't Nothing Like The Real Thing.' He died of throat cancer in August at the age of 70. Valerie will perform all their greatest hits in this moving once in a lifetime concert experience. The RRazz Room has been the Bay Area 'home' of Nick & Val since its inception.
On Monday, April 16, Natalie Douglas brought her new concert, 'Freedom Songs,' to the Broadway at Birdland stage. The show was a celebration of the union between music and civil rights activism, and highlighted songs from the fight for equality of all people, regardless of color, religion, sexual orientation, or gender.
The GRAMMY Foundation® Grant Program announced today that $250,000 in grants to help facilitate a range of research, archiving, and preservation projects on a variety of subjects will be awarded to 18 recipients, in the United States, Canada, and the Dominican Republic. Research projects include a project that will use technology to enable parents of premature babies to have a presence at their child's bedside even when they are away from the hospital. Preservation and archiving initiatives include a Los Angeles Philharmonic project that will protect live recordings of such performers as Marian Anderson, Louis Armstrong, Ella Fitzgerald, Mstislav Rostropovich, and Nina Simone, among others; and an effort to digitally transfer and provide access to an archive of fragile reel-to-reel recordings of live performances and related oral histories in the collection of the oldest continuously running folk music coffeehouse. A complete list of grant awards and projects is below. The deadline each year for submitting letters of inquiry is Oct. 1. Guidelines and the letter of inquiry form for the 2013 cycle will be available beginning May 1 at www.grammyfoundation.org/grants.
The GRAMMY Foundation® Grant Program announced today that $250,000 in grants to help facilitate a range of research, archiving, and preservation projects on a variety of subjects will be awarded to 18 recipients in the United States, Canada, and the Dominican Republic.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, recognized by U.S. Congress as a vital American "Cultural Ambassador to the World," will visit Las Vegas from March 20-21 for two performances led by dynamic Artistic Director Robert Battle. Following critically-acclaimed sold out performances in New York City, Ailey's extraordinary dancers will move audiences in a series of premieres and new productions that launch an exciting new era in Ailey history.
As the concluding concert of its 2011-12 season-Chamber Treasures Meet Chicago Jazz-The Orion Ensemble presents "All That Jazz!" featuring a world premiere by guest pianist Miguel de la Cerna, a Faure quartet and Gershwin's Rhapsody in Blue. Performances are May 6 at Music Institute of Chicago's Nichols Concert Hall in Evanston, May 9 at Roosevelt University's Ganz Memorial Hall in Chicago and May 13 at Fox Valley Presbyterian Church in Geneva.
Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, recognized by U.S. Congress as a vital American "Cultural Ambassador to the World," will visit Las Vegas from March 20-21 for two performances led by dynamic Artistic Director Robert Battle. Following critically-acclaimed sold out performances in New York City, Ailey's extraordinary dancers will move audiences in a series of premieres and new productions that launch an exciting new era in Ailey history.
The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) and Sh-K-Boom Records will present NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation winner Dawn Cantwell in Concert. Dawn Cantwell will perform at Joe's Pub (425 Lafayette Street) on Saturday, February 25, 2012 at 11:30pm. The concert is directed by Travis Griesler, with musical direction by Alexander Rovang. Tickets, priced at $15 in advance and $20 at the door, are currently available at: www.joespub.com or by calling 212-967-7555.
The New York Musical Theatre Festival (NYMF) and Sh-K-Boom Records will present NYMF's Next Broadway Sensation winner Dawn Cantwell in Concert. Dawn Cantwell will perform at Joe's Pub (425 Lafayette Street) on Saturday, February 25, 2012 at 11:30pm. The concert is directed by Travis Griesler, with musical direction by Alexander Rovang. Tickets, priced at $15 in advance and $20 at the door, are currently available at: www.joespub.com or by calling 212-967-7555.
Tennessee Shakespeare Company, the Mid-South's professional classical theatre, features legendary Broadway composer Charles Strouse in performance for its Third Annual Valentine's Gala on Friday, February 10 at 6:00 pm at Germantown Performing Arts Centre.
