Paul Williams News

Birmingham Hippodrome has announced details of a spectacular new season of outstanding live entertainment. The 2013/14 season features a host of new productions, an outdoor event transforming the Southside district, and the return of a much-loved favourite with priority booking for Hippodrome Friends.

Amy Anzel for Sunday Monday Ltd in association with Todd Ruppert of RTR International, just announced that West End leading man and "Emmerdale" star, Ben Freeman, will take on the iconic role of 'The Fonz' in the UK Premiere and national tour of HAPPY DAYS - A New Musical, alongsideCheryl Baker as 'Mrs Cunningham' and the previously announced Heidi Range as 'Pinky Tuscadero'.

Marlene Ver Planck sings a story the way the rest of us wishes we could tell one: with polish and panache, convincing listeners that each and every lyric is her own. She has backed-up Frank Sinatra and Mel Torme and has been out front of the Beneke, Miller and Dorsey orchestras, singing those stories like no one else. A long list of recordings documents her talent, many featuring the arrangements of her gifted late husband, Billy. Seven of his takes on Cy Coleman, some Harry Warren and Marlene's favorites from Ivan Lins, Paul Williams and Ronny White make up her new CD, Ballads...mostly (Audiophile).

La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts & McCoy Rigby Entertainment will present the first production in its 2013-1014 season of shows, the Tony Award-winning play, BROADWAY BOUND, written by Neil Simon and directed by Jeff Maynard. BROADWAY BOUND will preview on Friday, September 20, 2013 (with a press opening on Saturday, September 21) and run through Sunday, October 13, 2013 at La Mirada Theatre for the Performing Arts, 14900 La Mirada Blvd in La Mirada.

I would like to take some time to introduce you to someone very special- someone many of you, if you are in the theatre profession, may already know....

Marlene Ver Planck sings a story the way the rest of us wishes we could tell one: with polish and panache, convincing listeners that each and every lyric is her own. She has backed-up Frank Sinatra and Mel Torme and has been out front of the Beneke, Miller and Dorsey orchestras, singing those stories like no one else. A long list of recordings documents her talent, many featuring the arrangements of her gifted late husband, Billy. Seven of his takes on Cy Coleman, some Harry Warren and Marlene's favorites from Ivan Lins, Paul Williams and Ronny White make up her new CD, Ballads...mostly (Audiophile).

Oscar nominee and Broadway actress Karen Black passed away yesterday, Thursday, August 8, at 74 after a two-year battle with cancer. Below, BroadwayWorld remembers the enigmatic stage and screen star.

The Rainbow Connection is going digital, as Walt Disney Records celebrates the upcoming 35th Anniversary of the classic frogs-to-riches story, 'The Muppet Movie,' with the re-release of its Grammy-winning soundtrack album.

Breaking Thirty presents Rocks and Hard Places by Tanja Mariadoss, running today, 30 July to Saturday 3 August 2013. Performances at 7.45pm. Directed by Amanda Hill, the cast features Susanna Goldsworthy and Tanja Mariados. Creative team: pianist Alex James Ellison; and lighting/sound operator Paul Williams.

Opera House Players' Summer Youth Theater presents BUGSY MALONE, JR. tonight, July 26 and Saturday, July 27 at 7 pm at the Broad Brook Opera House, 107 Main Street, Broad Brook, CT 06016. All tickets are $10 (non-reserved seating) and can be ordered by calling the box office at 860-292-6068 or purchasing tickets at the door on the nights of the performance. BUGSY MALONE, JR. is suitable for all ages and families are invited to introduce live theater to their children.

Marlene Ver Planck will celebrate her new CD 'Ballads...mostly' with a gig in New York tonight, July 25th. Ver Planck comes to Jazz at Kitano, 66 Park Ave, NYC (@ 38th St).

Opera House Players' Summer Youth Theater presents BUGSY MALONE, JR. on Friday, July 26 and Saturday, July 27 at 7 pm at the Broad Brook Opera House, 107 Main Street, Broad Brook, CT 06016. All tickets are $10 (non-reserved seating) and can be ordered by calling the box office at 860-292-6068 or purchasing tickets at the door on the nights of the performance. BUGSY MALONE, JR. is suitable for all ages and families are invited to introduce live theater to their children.

In the interest of promoting “smooth and sophisticated sexiness” as well as a clean, confident and healthy image, the makers of Nad's, with offices in Los Angeles and Sydney, Australia, performed its annual duty poring over a year's worth of celebrity interviews, photographs and taped appearances in an effort to single out the “most smooth,” both literally and figuratively. Five men and five women were selected as nominees by the Nad's experts, and a vote was then taken by customers and social media followers of the global beauty brand to determine the very smoothest of the smooth.

Breaking Thirty presents Rocks and Hard Places by Tanja Mariadoss, running Tuesday 30 July to Saturday 3 August 2013. Performances at 7.45pm.

The McKittrick Hotel is a unique nightlife and entertainment destination in New York City's Chelsea District. In addition to being the home of Sleep No More, the hotel has hosted a variety of special guest performers including the famed Preservation Hall Jazz Band, musician Jim James, country music sensation Lady Antebellum, French artists Soko, actor Neil Patrick Harris, performer Dita von Teese, actress Evan Rachel Wood, and DJ Junior Sanchez, among many others.

"The Hebrew Hillbilly", written by and performed by singer-songwriter Shelley Fisher in a one-woman cabaret style concert at a 2 PM matinee performance today, July 7th at Arthur Newman Theatre in The Joslyn Center Theater in Palm Desert. The show chronicles Ms. Fisher's Hollywood odyssey that begins in the heart of the Mississippi Delta in her hometown of Memphis, Tennessee. Shelley grew up surrounded by Rockin' Roll, Blues, and Bar B Que with a flamboyant but very Jewish mother who frowned on her dating the local redneck boys. But that never stopped her dreams from an early age of being a Hollywood star and she has been singing since before she could walk.

The McKittrick Hotel is a unique nightlife and entertainment destination in New York City's Chelsea District. In addition to being the home of Sleep No More, the hotel has hosted a variety of special guest performers including the famed Preservation Hall Jazz Band, musician Jim James, country music sensation Lady Antebellum, French artists Soko, actor Neil Patrick Harris, performer Dita von Teese, actress Evan Rachel Wood, and DJ Junior Sanchez, among many others.

Happy Days are here again with the premiere of a brand new UK tour based on the hit TV series, featuring the unforgettable 'King of Cool' Arthur 'The Fonz' Fonzarelli.