Paul Lynde News

BroadwayWorld presents a comprehensive weekly roundup of regional stories around our Broadway World, which include videos, editor spotlights, regional reviews and more. This week, we feature LITTLE SHOP, PIPPIN, MAMMA MIA and More!

One person who we have to thank for the influencing the tradition of summer stock theatre is none other than John Kenley, whose legacy lives on today. From the 1940s - 1990s, John Kenley championed summer theatre and brought shows to small towns across America.

A beloved entertainment icon borne from showbiz royalty, it was certainly no surprise that living legend Liza Minnelli-a past recipient of four Tony Awards, an Oscar, a special Grammy, two Golden Globe Awards, and an Emmy Award-was greeted with thunderous cheers and ovations during her recent return appearance on June 30, 2018 at Orange County's Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa, accompanied by her friend and fellow music phenom Michael Feinstein. The one-night-only special event-billed as "Liza Minnelli and Michael Feinstein: In Conversation and Performance"-featured the award-winning singer, actress and stage superstar as, naturally, the night's main attraction, which had her singing (while seated) through a few classics while, in between, waxed nostalgic about her storied career and, of course, her famous parents, film icon Judy Garland and renowned director Vincente Minnelli.

On May 31st, Rich Little, arguably the most famous impressionist in the world, was honored by the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce during their Hollywood Hero ceremony with the Johnny Grant Award, along with Diahann Carroll (receiving the Mary Pickford Award).  

On June 7, 2018, Charles Strouse, the Tony Award-winning composer of Annie, Bye Bye and Applause, and some of the most popular music from the last 60 years of Broadway, film and television, turns 90. To mark the occasion, a year-long celebration of events, including tributes, concerts, revivals and international productions, will take place across the United States and around the world.

Salty Brine announces a new cabaret-theater hybrid production of I'm A Lot Like You as the latest installment in his series, The Living Record Collection. I'm A Lot Like You is inspired by Weezer's alternative rock album, Pinkerton, and Puccini's iconic opera, Madame Butterfly. The show will perform at Pangea (178 2nd Avenue) on May 23, 30 and June 6, 13, 20, 27. Doors will open at 6:00pm with performances beginning at 7:00pm.

Salty Brine announces a new cabaret-theater hybrid production of I'm A Lot Like You as the latest installment in his series, The Living Record Collection. I'm A Lot Like You is inspired by Weezer's alternative rock album, Pinkerton, and Puccini's iconic opera, Madame Butterfly. The show will perform at Pangea (178 2nd Avenue) on May 23, 30 and June 6, 13, 20, 27. Doors will open at 6:00pm with performances beginning at 7:00pm.

The smart and witty script by Stan Zimmerman & Christian McLaughlin keeping the one-liners and puns steadily coming make for a fast-paced one-act. Easy to tell the writers really know their way around gay and Jewish life. Zimmerman most assuredly directs his talented cast of four in a quick stride, with real-time, heart-felt dramatic situations emerging out of the more comic set-ups.

Before his guest starring role on Young Sheldon, last season's off-Broadway production of The Portuguese Kid and of course nearly a decade as George Costanza on Seinfeld, Jason Alexander was a song and dance man on Broadway. He made his Broadway debut in Merrily We Roll Along in 1981, followed by a continual decade of shows: The Rink, Broadway Bound, Jerome Robbins' Broadway (in which he won a Tony Award for his performance) and Accomplice. Highlights of how his Broadway career began will be hilariously re-told next week, as his tour heads back to his home state of New Jersey to perform with the New Jersey Symphony Orchestra at NJPAC in Newark and the State Theater in New Brunswick. Newark is actually where Alexander was born before growing up in Maplewood and Livingston.

Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to announce the final production in its 2017 - 2018 season of Chicago's hit musical revue series, New Faces Sing Broadway. New Faces Sing Broadway 1975, hosted by Donica Lynn with direction by Christopher Pazdernik and music direction by David Fiorello, is Tuesday, June 5 at The Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln Ave., Skokie at 7:30 p.m. and Wednesday, June 6 at The Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E. Ontario Street, at 6:30 p.m. (The Arts Club presentation also includes a pre-show reception at 6:30 p.m. with performance at 7:30 p.m.). In tribute to the original New Faces series that ran on Broadway and on film from 1934 - 1968, Porchlight Music Theatre created the Chicago musical revue series, New Faces Sing Broadway as a showcase for the best emerging music talent now performing on Chicago stages. Each edition is a "time-machine" journey from the start to the finish of an entire musical season from the classic days of Broadway, peppered with photos and films of the era in an exciting multimedia presentation with a favorite Chicago theatre veteran like Donica Lynn hosting and introducing the next generation of music theatre artists while acting as your guide through a vintage year on the Great White Way. General admission tickets at Skokie Theatre are $22 and at The Arts Club of Chicago are $35 and are available at porchlightmusictheatre.org or at the Porchlight Music Theatre box office, 773.777.9884.

Never Before Available on Digital Platforms, THE CAROL BURNETT SHOW: THE LOST EPISODES, Premieres on iTunes and Amazon on 3/9

Porchlight Music Theatre made its debut at The Arts Club of Chicago, 201 E. Ontario Street, with its hit musical revue series, New Faces Sing Broadway 1959, hosted by Gene Weygandt, directed by Adrian Abel Azevedo with music direction by David Fiorello, Tuesday, February 27.

What do Jay-Z, Kobe Bryant, Archie Bunker, Lin-Manuel Miranda, Ed Koch, Bart Simpson, Bruce Campbell, Bonnie and Clyde, and J-Lo have in common?  The answer: Charles Strouse (and his hit songs)!

Get out your notebooks (and your dead president$) for an American history lesson you soon won't forget!

Porchlight Music Theatre and Artistic Director Michael Weber are proud to announce the second production in its 2017 2018 season of Chicago's hit musical revue series, New Faces Sing Broadway 1959, hosted by Gene Weygandt, directed by Adrian Abel Azevedo with music direction by David Fiorello, Monday, Feb. 26 at Skokie Theatre, 7924 Lincoln Ave in Skokie at 7:30 p.m. In tribute to the original New Faces series that ran on Broadway and on film from 1934 1968, Porchlight Music Theatre created the Chicago musical revue series, New Faces Sing Broadway as a showcase for the best emerging music talent now performing on Chicago stages.

Salty Brine proudly announces an encore production of his cabaret, How Strange It Is, as the latest installment in his series, The Living Record Collection.

Downtown alternative supper club Pangea -- a leader of the burgeoning alt-cabaret movement -- will showcase some of its most distinguished signature artists in a one-week festival of innovative cabaret art in January. Pangea's Winter Alt-Fest, running from Wednesday January 10 to Tuesday January 16, is programmed by Pangea's booker and co-owner Stephen Shanaghan.

It's not going to be a lazy afternoon when the great Golden Age musical comedy star, Kaye Ballard, sits down with Rob in her Palm Springs home to look back on her incredible career that includes the original productions of THE GOLDEN APPLE, CARNIVAL, MOLLY, PLUS TOP BANANA with Phil Silvers, THE MOTHERS-IN-LAW with Eve Arden, CINDERELLA with Julie Andrews, and countless appearances on THE TONIGHT SHOW WITH JOHNNY CARSON, THE LOVE BOAT, FANTASY ISLAND, and THE MUPPET SHOW.

Salty Brine has announced an encore production of his cabaret, Welcome to the Jungle, as the latest installment in his series, The Living Record Collection.

Salty Brine has announced an encore production of his cabaret, Welcome to the Jungle, as the latest installment in his series, The Living Record Collection.