Rex Reed News

On February 7, 2009, the Lyric Stage League presents CABARET '09: THE LEGENDARY DAYS OF LAS VEGAS, the annual fund-raising event for Lyric Stage. Marilyn Maye, fresh from her latest New York City triumph, will headline this year's gala at the beautiful Four Seasons Resort and Club. Billy Stritch, direct from his engagement with Liza Minnelli on Broadway at the Palace Theater, will accompany Ms. Maye. Call 972-594-1904 for tickets or more info. Marilyn Maye was one of the brightest lights of television, supper clubs and the recording industry during the 1960's. She became a fixture on THE TONIGHT SHOW with Steve Allen and Johnny Carson and enjoyed a great recording career with RCA. After an absence of over 15 years, she made a triumphant return to New York City last fall. THE NEW YORK OBSERVER's Rex Reed proclaimed 'This woman has everything. She can belt, and she can sing ballads with the kind of warmth that makes your heart smile. She has a theatrical flair that captivates and enthralls, and jazz-spiced chops that can reach notes most singers one-third her age can't even hit in their dreams. The standing ovations were unlike anything I've seen since the halcyon days of Lena Horne at the Waldorf. She's the real deal.'

Gingold Theatrical Group's PROJECT SHAW Presents A Rarely Seen Comedic Frolic: 'BUOYANT BILLIONS' by George Bernard Shaw Monday, February 16th at 7pm At the Players Club 16 Gramercy Park South PROJECT SHAW, now in its third of four years, continues tackling every play George Bernard Shaw ever wrote. This will be its 35th presentation. This rarely performed comedy by George Bernard Shaw will be performed on Monday, FEBRUARY 16th, 2008 at 7 p.m. at the Players Club, 16 Gramercy Park South. David Staller is producer and director.

Gingold Theatrical Group's PROJECT SHAW Presents A Rarely Seen Comedic Frolic 'BUOYANT BILLIONS' by George Bernard Shaw. Presented Monday, February 16th at 7pm At the Players Club, 16 Gramercy Park South PROJECT SHAW, now in its third of four years, continues tackling every play George Bernard Shaw ever wrote. This will be its 35th presentation. This rarely performed comedy by George Bernard Shaw will be performed on Monday, FEBRUARY 16th, 2008 at 7 p.m. at the Players Club, 16 Gramercy Park South. David Staller is producer and director.

On Monday, January 26 at 7 PM, the 7th Annual Nightlife Awards Concert took place at Town Hall. BroadwayWorld.com's cameras were everywhere to bring you the excitement of the night! The Nightlife Awards are sponsored, in part, by ASCAP, TheaterMania.com, Thoroughbred Records, Jill & Irwin Cohen, The Edythe Kenner Foundation, Trattoria Dopo Teatro, Edith & Ervin Drake, Barbara & Peter Leavy, Ghostlight Records, Steve Ernst, Lynn DiMenna, Jamie DeRoy & Friends, Fred Landau, Stuart E. Bloom & Robert L. Aaron: Lightstyles, LLC.

Van Hill Entertainment is proud to announce that the Off-Broadway premiere of ROOMS a rock romance, starring Leslie Kritzer and Doug Kreeger, will begin performances on Friday February 27th at New World Stages/Stage 2 (340 West 50th Street). Opening Night is set for Monday March 16th (7 PM). ROOMS a rock romance has music and lyrics by Paul Scott Goodman (Bright Lights Big City) and book by Goodman and Miriam Gordon, and will be directed by Scott Schwartz (Golda's Balcony, Bat Boy: The Musical, tick, tick... BOOM!, Jane Eyre).

The 92nd Street Y continues the 2009 season of Lyrics & Lyricists with DAVID ZIPPEL as host and artistic director of It Started with a Dream, February 21-23. Subtitled David Zippel - Lyrics He Wrote, Lyrics He Wishes He Wrote, the Tony award-winning, Oscar-nominated lyricist of City of Angels and Disney's animated Hercules and Mulan, presents highlights from his own scores and shares his inspirations and personal favorites from the American Songbook. The show features an all-Broadway cast, including vocalists KATE BALDWIN (Wonderful Town, Thoroughly Modern Millie, The Full Monty), KEVIN EARLEY (A Tale of Two Cities, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Les Mis?rables), Tony Award-winner DEBBIE GRAVITTE (Jerome Robbins' Broadway, Chicago, Les Mis?rables), DANNY GURWIN (Little Women, Urinetown, The Full Monty), and Tony Award-winner LILLIAS WHITE (The Life, Dreamgirls, and. the voice of 'Calliope' in Hercules). One of the most acclaimed and sought-after lyricists working today, David Zippel's other credits include the Broadway musical The Goodbye Girl (written with Marvin Hamlisch and Neil Simon), The Woman in White (with Andrew Lloyd Webber, for which Zippel won another Tony nomination) and the musical stage version of Wendy Wasserstein's bestselling children's book, Pamela's First Musical, written with Wasserstein and City of Angels collaborator Cy Coleman. Series artistic director Deborah Grace Winer, in her first season at the helm, notes that this is the first time in over 25 years that L&L will devote an entire show to a contemporary Broadway songwriter at the height of his career--a return to the spirit in which L&L was founded, with the living lyricist as an active participant.

Two-time Tony Award winner Christine Ebersole returns to the legendary Caf? Carlyle for the first time since her critically acclaimed 2002 debut. She opened last night Tuesday, January 20, 2009 and BroadwayWorld was there to mix and mingle with the very starry crowd. The evening includes songs by Rodgers & Hart, Irving Berlin, Billy Joel and Fleetwood Mac - and even a little bit of opera. John Oddo (Musical Director) leads a quintet. Tony Award-winner Scott Wittman directs. The Caf? Carlyle is located in The Carlyle Hotel - 35 East 76th Street at Madison Avenue. The performance schedule is: Tuesday-Saturday at 8:45 PM with additional shows at 10:45 PM on Saturday, January 23rd, Friday, January 30th & Saturday January 31st. There will no performance on Tuesday, January 27th. There is a $50 music charge for the Tuesday-Thursday performances and a $65 music charge for the Friday and Saturday performances. Dinner is served from 6:30PM. For reservations please call 212-744-1600.

On February 7, 2009, the Lyric Stage League presents CABARET '09: THE LEGENDARY DAYS OF LAS VEGAS, the annual fund-raising event for Lyric Stage. Marilyn Maye, fresh from her latest New York City triumph, will headline this year's gala at the beautiful Four Seasons Resort and Club. Billy Stritch, direct from his engagement with Liza Minnelli on Broadway at the Palace Theater, will accompany Ms. Maye. Call 972-594-1904 for tickets or more info. Marilyn Maye was one of the brightest lights of television, supper clubs and the recording industry during the 1960's. She became a fixture on THE TONIGHT SHOW with Steve Allen and Johnny Carson and enjoyed a great recording career with RCA. After an absence of over 15 years, she made a triumphant return to New York City last fall. THE NEW YORK OBSERVER's Rex Reed proclaimed 'This woman has everything. She can belt, and she can sing ballads with the kind of warmth that makes your heart smile. She has a theatrical flair that captivates and enthralls, and jazz-spiced chops that can reach notes most singers one-third her age can't even hit in their dreams. The standing ovations were unlike anything I've seen since the halcyon days of Lena Horne at the Waldorf. She's the real deal.'

The 92nd Street Y announces casting for the 2009 season of Lyrics & Lyricists, the Y's legendary American Songbook series. Polly Bergen, Lucie Arnaz, Tom Wopat and Marilyn Maye are among the storied cast members who will sing the songs of Richard Rodgers, Ira Gershwin, Mel Torm?, DeSylva, Brown & Henderson, David Zippel and others. This is the first season curated by new series artistic director DEBORAH GRACE WINER, and her inaugural line-up of guest artistic directors - MARTIN CHARNIN, DAVID ZIPPEL, ROBERT KIMBALL, REX REED, and BILLY STRITCH.

The 92nd Street Y announces casting for the 2009 season of Lyrics & Lyricists?, the Y's legendary American Songbook series. Polly Bergen, Lucie Arnaz, Tom Wopat and Marilyn Maye are among the storied cast members who will sing the songs of Richard Rodgers, Ira Gershwin, Mel Torm?, DeSylva, Brown & Henderson, David Zippel and others. This is the first season curated by new series artistic director DEBORAH GRACE WINER, and her inaugural line-up of guest artistic directors - MARTIN CHARNIN, DAVID ZIPPEL, ROBERT KIMBALL, REX REED, and BILLY STRITCH.

Liza's at the Palace...! opened on Broadway last night, December 3rd and BroadwayWorld.com was invited to the star-studded Opening Night party so we could share the celebration with you!

Before there was TV's hit Dancing With The Stars, there was Mitzi Gaynor --- the original television star dancer! Mitzi Gaynor dazzled audiences with her annual award winning network television variety spectaculars, from 1968 to 1978, averaging over 30 million viewers each, showcasing the singing, dancing and comedic talents that made her a star in the theatre, film, television, nightclub and concert worlds. In celebration of the 40th anniversary of her first televised special (Mitzi, NBC, 1968) and the 50th anniversary of her break-through Golden Globe nominated performance in the blockbuster film Rodgers & Hammerstein's South Pacific, City Lights Home Entertainment in association with Green Isle, Inc. is releasing 'Mitzi Gaynor ? Razzle Dazzle! The Special Years,' a new documentary encompassing the ultimate collection of song and dance performances from Gaynor's classic network television specials unseen for three decades.

59E59 Theaters (Elysabeth Kleinhans, Artistic Director; Peter Tear, Executive Producer) welcomes Jeff Harnar with critically acclaimed cabaret show THE 1959 BROADWAY SONGBOOK.

The 92nd Street Y announces casting for the 2009 season of Lyrics & Lyricists™, the Y's legendary American Songbook series. Polly Bergen, Lucie Arnaz, Tom Wopat and Marilyn Maye are among the storied cast members who will sing the songs of Richard Rodgers, Ira Gershwin, Mel Tormé, DeSylva, Brown & Henderson, David Zippel and others. This is the first season curated by new series artistic director DEBORAH GRACE WINER, and her inaugural line-up of guest artistic directors - MARTIN CHARNIN, DAVID ZIPPEL, ROBERT KIMBALL, REX REED, and BILLY STRITCH.

The producers of Russian on the Side understand that we are in midst of tough times, and in tough times, even lovers of great theatre could use a break. For a limited time only, the producers are offering 20 tickets for each performance available at the price of $20 per ticket.

'Mitzi Gaynor:Razzle Dazzle! The Special Years' aired last night, October 11th on New York Public Television WLIW. Mitzi Gaynor herself appeared live and in person between 'acts' of the airing. BroadwayWorld was there to bring you photo coverage of the special event!

There's a great pleasure in talking to veteran performers. They've been through it all and have many great stories to tell. Such was the case recently in a conversation with dancer/ singer/ actress/comedienne Mitzi Gaynor. This great lady starred in such Hollywood successes as THERE'S NO BUSINESS LIKE SHOW BUSINESS with Ethel Merman, THE JOKER IS WILD with Frank Sinatra, the re-make of ANYTHING GOES with Bing Cosby and Donald O'Connor, LES GIRLS with Gene Kelly and SOUTH PACIFIC with Rossano Brazzi. She also wowed television audiences in the 60's and 70's with a series of specials that captivated America and had schoolboys rushing home from sporting events to watch them. Without a doubt, Mitzi Gaynor was a show business phenomenon and she remains one today as she prepares for the public television airing of her new documentary called 'Mitzi Gaynor: Razzle Dazzle! The Special Years.'

O.K. Everyone .. THIS IS A WARNING! DO NOT MISS THIS PBS WORLD PREMIERE on Saturday night - if you live in the TRI-STATE area. The rest of the country has to wait 'til December to see this very special SPECIAL.

Before there was TV's hit Dancing With The Stars, there was Mitzi Gaynor --- the original television star dancer! Mitzi Gaynor dazzled audiences with her annual award winning network television variety spectaculars, from 1968 to 1978, averaging over 30 million viewers each, showcasing the singing, dancing and comedic talents that made her a star in the theatre, film, television, nightclub and concert worlds.

Drunk with affection for the singer Marilyn Maye, New Yorkers are licking their lips in anticipation of Maye's fifth Metropolitan Room engagement.