Peggy Lee News

?Ghostlight Records will expand their special single from stage and screen star Melissa Errico with the third song, "Walking Happy." The digital exclusive is available today, June 23, 2015, on iTunes here.

Over a hundred years ago, in the land now known as Czechoslovakia, a Moravian biologist named Dr. Vladimir Úlehla walked the cemeteries and fields of Stražnice. He composed folk songs, enchanted by a world between the wings of grey doves and the hooves of the hussar's horse.

Music Theatre of Connecticut presents actress/singer Leslie Orofino for one night only with her hit show, 'Red Hot and Blues.' The performance will take place tonight, June 20 at 8pm at The Melissa and Doug Theatre at Music Theatre of Connecticut, 509 Westport Avenue (Route One, behind Jones New York and Nine West in Norwalk, CT. Tickets are $30-40, includes a complimentary glass of wine (for patrons 21 and over), and reservations are suggested. For tickets, call Music Theatre of Connecticut at 203.454.3883 or visit www.musictheatreofct.com

Lincoln Center Out of Doors one of the country's longest-running, free, summer outdoor festivals opens its 45th season on July 22, 2015. A range of concerts, dance performances, family events, related film screenings, talks, and an exhibition will be presented across three weeks, from July 22 - August 9.

Harper Clements looks back over her forty years, working in the White House.

Monica Lewis, a former Benny Goodman vocalist who headlined the very first broadcast of the 'Ed Sullivan Show,' was THE VOICE of the popular Chiquita BANANA cartoons, clowned opposite Jerry Lewis, Red Skelton and Danny Kaye, turned down a marriage proposal from Ronald Reagan and went on to play co-starring roles in such films as 'Earthquake,' 'Airport 1975' and 'The Concorde--Airport '79,' died on June 12 of natural causes at her apartment in Woodland Hills, CA. She was 93.

Mario Cantone -- comedian, actor and Broadway star -- is taking the stage this summer with a new stand-up routine called ON THE WAY TO BROADWAY, which features his signature, irreverent humor and wickedly funny impersonations. Cantone just stopped by AOL HQ to talk about the show, which he hopes to actually bring to the Great White Way, and more. Watch the interview below!

New Jersey Performing Arts Center is proud to announce the TD James Moody Jazz Festival, headlined by the legendary Tony Bennett, from November 7-15, 2015. With help from NJPAC Jazz Advisor Christian McBride, this festival promises to be one of the largest gatherings for jazz fans on the East Coast, showcasing all-star line-ups with some of the country's best musicians, such as Dianne Reeves, Sharon Jones and The Dap-Kings and the Sarah Vaughan Vocal Competition. Now in its fourth year, the festival offers nine days of concerts, panel discussions and workshops around Newark, in honor of saxophonist, bebop pioneer, and Newark native James Moody. 

Music Theatre of Connecticut presents actress/singer Leslie Orofino for one night only with her hit show, 'Red Hot and Blues.' The performance will take place on Saturday, June 20 at 8pm at The Melissa and Doug Theatre at Music Theatre of Connecticut, 509 Westport Avenue (Route One, behind Jones New York and Nine West in Norwalk, CT. Tickets are $30-40, includes a complimentary glass of wine (for patrons 21 and over), and reservations are suggested. For tickets, call Music Theatre of Connecticut at 203.454.3883 or visit www.musictheatreofct.com

Oasis (298 11th Street), San Francisco's hottest new nightclub and cabaret theater, kicks off the summer season with a diverse lineup of new and returning musical acts, comedy shows, dance parties, and drag performances.

It takes a woman of considerable wit, style, and maturity to tackle (let alone celebrate) the subject matter of men. In her new show, Celebrating Men (Bless Their Hearts), seen last Thursday night at the Metropolitan Room, happily, Charlotte Patton possesses all those traits as she leads us on her guided tour of all the various male idiosyncrasies that can drive a woman wild--or mad.

This just in! With music, comedy and a kickin' band, Mario Cantone brings his pre-Broadway tour, On the Way to Broadway, to the Parker Playhouse in Ft. Lauderdale Florida on Saturday, June 13 at 8 p.m. The new show features his irreverent humor and wickedly funny impersonations. Though no additional dates have yet to be announced, we can't help but wonder -- next stop = Broadway?

With music, comedy and a kickin' band, Mario Cantone brings his pre-Broadway tour, On the Way to Broadway, to Parker Playhouse on Saturday, June 13 at 8 p.m.  The new show features his irreverent humor and wickedly funny impersonations.

St. Dunstan's Theatre Guild of Cranbrook presents Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical, written by James Rado and Gerome Ragni, with music by Galt MacDermot. This 1960s musical remains timely and popular because of its commentary on love, peace, and politics. The story focuses on Berger (Gannon Styles, Northville), Claude (Dan Clair, Canton), and Sheila (Bridget Leary, Bloomfield Hills), along with the rest of the 'tribe' as they attempt to reconcile their desire for personal freedom with the traditional expectations put in place by their parents and society. Hair will be a crowd-favorite with hit songs 'Aquarius,' 'Let the Sunshine,' and 'Hair'.

Stacy Sullivan is a warm and amusing storyteller with an entertaining family history. The first six numbers of her new Metropolitan Room show on Thursday night, Since You Asked (after the Judy Collins song), are bridged by tales of her parents, grandparents, great grandparents, and her upbringing in Oklahoma. Unfortunately, five of these songs have only the most tenuous relationship to material that follows, diminishing reception with thoughts of--Where's the connection? What's she trying to say?

Raise your glasses Las Vegas! The men are singing, celebrating and toasting 100 years of the American Popular Songbook by showcasing female lyricists and songwriters in Guys Sing Dolls - A Feminine Toast with a Twist of Testosterone for two performances only at Cabaret Jazz at the Smith Center today, May 23, 2015. The unique show will put a twist on some classics and explore many popular genres of music including songs from the movies, Grammy winning pop tunes, Broadway, Country, Jazz & Inspirational standards, performed by some of the best male singers from Broadway to Las Vegas.

What's up BroadwayWorld?! Welcome back to my weekly blog here at the Goodspeed Opera House! Last week I gave you a bit of an inside look at the rehearsal/production process of our show. This week, I thought it might be fun to get to know a bit more about the Composer / Lyricist of this masterpiece: Frank Loesser.

In the famous 1960s hit 'Is That All There Is?' by Jerry Leiber and Mike Stoller, Peggy Lee croons the melancholy lyric, 'If that's all there is, my friend, then, let's keep dancing. Let's break out the booze and have a ball, if that's all there is.' While this song ironically doesn't make it into the eclectic catalog of tunes that fuel THE LAST TWO PEOPLE ON EARTH: AN APOCALYPTIC VAUDEVILLE, currently in its world premiere at the A.R.T. in Cambridge, it could easily have become the show's theme song. When a flood of epic proportions wipes out all but two scraggly survivors, played as a pair of Estragon and Vladimir-style hobos by Mandy Patinkin and Taylor Mac, there is very little left for them to do but sing and dance.

St. Dunstan's Theatre Guild of Cranbrook presents Hair: The American Tribal Love-Rock Musical, written by James Rado and Gerome Ragni, with music by Galt MacDermot. This 1960s musical remains timely and popular because of its commentary on love, peace, and politics. The story focuses on Berger (Gannon Styles, Northville), Claude (Dan Clair, Canton), and Sheila (Bridget Leary, Bloomfield Hills), along with the rest of the 'tribe' as they attempt to reconcile their desire for personal freedom with the traditional expectations put in place by their parents and society. Hair will be a crowd-favorite with hit songs 'Aquarius,' 'Let the Sunshine,' and 'Hair'.

“One of the best jazz bands in NY today,” (Forbes), The Hot Sardines boogies onto The Eccles Center stage tonight, April 11. Foot-stomping – there's even a tap dancer – and brassy jazz sizzles as this young group resurrects the music of the 1920s, '30s and '40s, making it hot, hot, hot. Park City is privy to the sizzling Sardines' first ever U.S. tour. Show starts at 7:30 p.m.