On The Road (i) News

After a stunning response to the surprise announcement of their first tour in decades, The Revolution have now confirmed plans for an extensive North American tour.  The reunion, which began as just six dates, including a special show at Paisley Park for Celebration 2017, quickly expanded even further when demand made it necessary to add second shows in Chicago, New York and Philadelphia.  Now, the quintet are set to bring their exciting new show to the rest of the U.S. with additional dates that bring the band through the midwest and on to the west coast.  The current itinerary ends on July 15th in Seattle, with even more dates expected to be announced soon.

Every so often a person or an experience comes into your life, and you know that he/she/it will remain a part of you for a very long time. Beyond that, there is a feeling you get that cannot be explained and a sense of limitless gratitude for which no words seem adequate to express. For me, this is MFF and the incredible team of trainers who have been by my side for the last 4 years.

The most recent novel in a mystery series by R.E. (Ruth) Donald is one of the finalists for the inaugural Whistler Independent Book Award in the Crime Fiction category. The series features a long haul trucker who was once a homicide investigator for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police. Sundown on Top of the World takes place in the Yukon and bush Alaska, and was praised by a reviewer for the Alaska Dispatch News as a 'finely crafted [story] driven by well-defined characters and strong sense of place.' Donald, who calls her series 'The Highway Mysteries,' worked in the transportation industry for over twenty years and names each novel after a highway that her hero travels during the story. 'I wanted to write traditional mysteries - sometimes called whodunits - with a uniquely North American setting,' says author Donald. 'With a hero who's always on the road, I can use various locations. Much of my second novel, Ice on the Grapevine, is set in and around Los Angeles. The third one, Sea to Sky, is set primarily in the mountain resort community of Whistler, B.C., which happens to be where the award winners will be announced during the Whistler Writers Festival this October. Using new locations for each book takes a lot of research, but it keeps the scenarios fresh and interesting for readers.' The novel that launched the series is Slow Curve on the Coquihalla, named after the highway featured in Highway Thru Hell on the National Geographic channel. As one of the new breed of independent author-publishers, Donald founded Proud Horse Publishing, looks after both book publishing and promotion, and mainly targets the growing market of e-book readers, although all her books are widely available in trade paperback editions as well. 'My books have sold in Europe, South America and Australia as well as in North America and the UK. It's very gratifying to have complete strangers thousands of miles away contact me to say they love my books and can't wait for the next one. I may never become a household name, but my fan base grows with each new book,' says Donald. In the fall of 2015, a German translation of Sea to Sky was released, and award-winning translator Ingrid Könemann-Yarnell is now working on the translation of Sundown on Top of the World. (Könemann-Yarnell, received the Readers Choice award from Amazon Crossing during the 2015 Frankfurt Book Fair for her translation of a book by another Canadian author.) Donald is at work on a fifth novel in the series and Proud Horse Publishing hopes to have it available for readers later this year.

Following his critically acclaimed West End concerts, Ross Leadbeater, the award-winning singer-pianist and musical director, releases his debut EP and solo UK Tour to celebrate his musical favourites from the Great British Songbook.  

Claire Sweeney will play the role of Baroness Bomburst in Music & Lyrics and West Yorkshire Playhouse's production of the much-loved Sherman Brothers musical CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG, from Wednesday 3 August 2016.  The production is touring across the UK and Ireland until February 2017. Michelle Collins, who currently plays Baroness Bomburst, leaves the production on 30 July 2016.

From August 3, Claire Sweeney will play the role of Baroness Bomburst in Music & Lyrics and West Yorkshire Playhouse's production of the much-loved Sherman Brothers musical CHITTY CHITTY BANG BANG. The production is touring across the UK and Ireland until February 2017. Michelle Collins, who currently plays Baroness Bomburst, leaves the production on July 30.

The third installment of the 'I Am Comic' trilogy focuses on Don Barnhart's Battle Comics and their commitment to entertaining the troops stationed around the world.

Following his critically acclaimed West End concerts, Ross Leadbeater, the award winning Welsh singer-pianist and musical director releases his debut  EP ahead of his solo UK Tour celebrating his musical favourites from The Great British Songbook.       

The third installment of the 'I Am Comic' trilogy focuses on Don Barnhart's Battle Comics and their commitment to entertaining the troops stationed around the world.

Long before Facebook and the Internet, women gathered at host's house to chat and buy Tupperware at widely popular Tupperware parties. Think of it as word-of-mouth marketing and . While this practice has mostly moved online, there are still a few out there who prefer the face-to-face interaction. Dixie Longate is one of those people and she is coming to Orlando, home to the Tupperware headquarter, next week. We chatted with Dixie about her Tupperware Party.

Broadway star Robert Hartwell is doing something truly spectacular while on the Motown National Tour: He's teaching a new generation of Broadway performers with BROADWAY DANCE COLLECTIVE. 

Who has NOT grown up with Wizard of Oz? It was a very special annual event in my childhood home, and I am willing to bet most of you can say the same. I was excited to speak with Aaron Fried, who plays the Cowardly Lion in the national tour of WIZARD OF OZ, which opens at the Orpheum Theater in Omaha on Tuesday, December 8?.

PHANTOM OF THE OPERA continues to entertain audiences all over the world. The success of this musical shows its staying power everywhere it is performed. As PHANTOM OF THE OPERA comes to the Majestic Theatre in San Antonio, BWW caught up with Chris Mann who currently plays the role of the Phantom as it travels around North America.

Brent Harris talked today with us about his new show, THE SCREWTAPE LETTERS and what he had to do to prepare himself for such a difficult 90 minute monologue.

JEWISH JOKE, a one-man show about an irascible Jewish comedy screenwriter in 1950's Hollywood

Mamma Mia has come to The Overture Center in downtown Madison this week! The feel good musical that is jam packed with catchy tunes is going to be in the capital city for a few more days. Georgia Kate Haege, who is playing Donna Sheridan for the second time, as well as Jeff Drushal (who plays Sam Carmichael) were kind enough to provide me a little bit of time this morning. In the final stretch of the national tour, I got the chance to sit down with these two lovely performers to chat about their show and what they have going on next.

Reigning ACM New Artist Of The Year and multi No. 1 country radio hit-maker Justin Moore, (known for his hits 'Small Town USA,' 'Point At You,' 'If Heaven Wasn't So Far Away' and more), paid a goodwill visit to Hershey Fire Station in Hershey, Pa. to honor firefighters for their daily sacrifice and selfless display of courage on behalf of their local community.

Earlier this week, I had the pleasure of speaking with Broadway's Dylis Croman, who returns to the national tour of CHICAGO next week, as the fame-obsessed merry murderess, Roxie Hart. With five Broadway shows under her belt, and several national tours, Ms. Croman returns to Texas, having graduated from the Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. Ms. Croman is also no stranger to the musical CHICAGO; she's performed in the show alongside the likes of Billy Ray Cyrus, Bebe Neuwirth, Kara DioGuardi and John O'Hurley, to name a few.

After major label recording contracts, international hits, 15 albums/EPs and 16 years now of their ever-popular Holiday Soul Tour, The Blenders are celebrating their 25 years together doing what they do best -- presenting their annual Christmas concert (with a killer backing band) at Hennepin Theatre Trust's Pantages Theater (710 Hennepin Avenue, Minneapolis, MN 55403), December 12-14.