Richard Perry News

With the challenges of putting a brand new musical on its feet, finding a moment where actress Alysha Umphress could steal away from rehearsal for this interview was a challenge of its own. And when we did connect, it was not without technical difficulties on my end, and a coffee spilling fiasco on her end as she prepared for her long day of rehearsal. Through it all, Alysha, who has appeared on Broadway in AMERICAN IDIOT, ON A CLEAR DAY YOU CAN SEE FOREVER, PRISCILLA QUEEN OF THE DESERT, BRING IT ON and ON THE TOWN (starring opposite DFW's Jay Armstrong Johnson), was upbeat, down-to-earth, excited to talk about her new big gig, and just as happy to humor me with stories from her early career.

Perseverance Theatre has announced the formation of The Writer's Circle. Perseverance Theatre has awarded participation into The Writer's Circle to five playwrights. The award includes commission, including development support, for a two-year period of time to write and develop a new Alaskan play.

The One-Minute Play Festival (1MPF) (Dominic D'Andrea, Producing Artistic Director & Caitlin Wees, Associate Producer) and Perseverance Theatre (Art Rotch, Executive Artistic Director, & Joshua Lowman, Anchorage General Manager) continue their dynamic partnership for The 4th Annual Alaska One-minute Play Festival with part of the proceeds to benefit The Alaska Native Voices Project, dedicated to serving and uplifting native Alaskan artists.

Steve March Torme, the first-born son of legendary jazz singer Mel Torme presents a magical evening of music and memories on Monday, February 6, at 8:00pm at the McCallum Theatre. Steve March Torme, accompanied by a ten-piece band playing iconic arrangements by Marty Paich, sings his father's best-known songs, interspersed with personal Torme photos and video clips. From the opening strains of "Sweet Georgia Brown" to the up-tempo excitement of Duke Ellington's "It Don't Mean a Thing if it Ain't Got That Swing," the concert covers a sweeping arc of many of the songs Mel performed over a 50 years plus career, including "Stardust," "A Nightingale Sang In Berkeley Square," "Lulu's Back in Town," and "The Folks Who Live on the Hill."

Rita Wilson once again brings her vocal and songwriting talents to the Audrey Skirball Kenis Theater at the Geffen Playhouse for six all-new shows in September, this following sell-out performances at last fall's premiere of Liner Notes.  

American Ballet Theatre (ABT) Studio Company opened their three-day performance schedule on the evening of April 15, 2016, at The Joyce Theater. The troupe offered a  program of five balletic acts that included one world premiere and two New York City premieres. With a full house, numerous supporters of the ABT attended. I recognized a few corps de ballet members of the company, principal dancer of ABT Gillian Murphy, and the extraordinary ballerina Alessandra Ferri in the audience. It was a lovely gesture for them and for many other guests to see the upcoming dancers who could someday be part of the ABT main company.

The One-Minute Play Festival (1MPF) (Dominic D'Andrea, Producing Artistic Director & Caitlin Wees, Associate Producer) and Perseverance Theatre (Art Rotch, Artistic Director & Joshua Lowman, Anchorage General Manager) continue their dynamic partnership for The 3rd Annual Alaska One-minute Play Festival with part of the proceeds to benefit The Alaska Native Voices Project, dedicated to serving and uplifting native Alaskan artists.

The Recording Academy announced its Special Merit Awards recipients today, and this year's honorees are: the Bee Gees, Pierre Boulez, Buddy Guy, George Harrison, Flaco Jimenez, Louvin Brothers, and Wayne Shorter as Lifetime Achievement Award recipients

Today, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame announces its Inductees for 2015.

It's showtime! Today, Sprite Films pulls back the curtain to reveal the winning short films created by student filmmakers who showcase bold creativity and a relentless passion to tell stories through film.

The New York based company, The One-Minute Play Festival (#1MPF) (Dominic D'Andrea, Producing Artistic Director) and Perseverance Theatre (Art Rotch, Artistic Director) create dynamic partnership to bring The 1st Alaska One-Minute Play Festival, to Anchorage with part of the proceeds to benefit Perseverance's community based and artistic ourtreach programming in Anchorage.

Joe's Pub has announced its lineup for this week, November 4-10, 2013, featuring Son Lux, Griffin House, Turnpike Troubadours, Polkabjorn & Kleine Heine, Ed Kowalczyk, Words & Music by Dan Wilson Co-Presented with WFUV, Mark Olson, The Hot Sardines, Never Sleep Alone, Marcelle Davies-Lashley, Joe's Pub 15th Anniversary Celebration featuring Bridgett Everett: Rock Bottom a Night to Benefit New York Voices, Nora York: Water Water Everywhere / Nay Any Drop to Drink, and The Joey Arias Experience. Details below!

Barneys New York's Mark Lee and Daniella Vitale hosted a cocktail event celebrating the newly renovated beauty floor, A New Foundation, at Barneys New York Madison Avenue.

MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL opened last night, April 14, 2013, at Broadway's The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 West 46 Street). Many of the legendary stars that were part of the actual MOTOWN sound came out to celebrate the show and we got them all! Check out the photos below...

MOTOWN: THE MUSICAL opened last night, April 14, 2013, at Broadway's The Lunt-Fontanne Theatre (205 West 46 Street). Many of the legendary stars that were part of the actual MOTOWN sound came out to celebrate the show and we got them all! Check out the photos below...

Baby It's You! will play its final Broadway performance Sunday, September 4, 2011 at 3pm, at Broadway's Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44th Street). Baby It's You will have played 33 preview and 151 regular performances.

The producers of Baby It's You! have announced the show will play its final Broadway performance Sunday, September 4, 2011 at 3pm, at Broadway's Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44th Street). Baby It's You will have played 33 preview and 151 regular performances.

The original cast recording of the new Broadway musical BABY IT'S YOU! will be released by Universal Music Group's Verve label, and produced by legendary music producer Richard Perry and associated produced by Rahn Coleman in New York City between Sunday, April 17 and Monday, April 25, 2011. BABY IT'S YOU! will be in stores everywhere Tuesday, June 14, 2011. Pre-order available at Amazon. BABY IT'S YOU! began previews Saturday, March 26, at the Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44th Street), and opens Wednesday, April 27, 2011, at 6:30pm. Inspired by the true story of Florence Greenberg, the woman who in the late 1950's took the male-dominated music industry by storm, BABY IT'S YOU! is conceived by Floyd Mutrux, directed by Floyd Mutrux and Sheldon Epps, and written by Tony nominated book writers Mutrux and Colin Escott, the team behind Broadway's MILLION DOLLAR QUARTET, with musical supervision and arrangements by Rahn Coleman, orchestrations by Don Sebesky and musical direction by Shelton Becton.

The new Broadway musical Baby It's You! tells the inspiring story of Florence Greenberg, the woman who changed the recording world forever when she discovered The Shirelles and created Scepter Records, becoming the music industry's first female powerhouse. Starring Tony Award winner Beth Leavel as Greenberg (just nominated for a 2011 Tony for the role), conceived by Floyd Mutrux, directed by Floyd Mutruxand Sheldon Epps, and written by Tony nominated book writers Mutrux and Colin Escott, the team behind Broadway's Million Dollar Quartet, Baby It's You! began performances at Broadway's Broadhurst Theatre (235 West 44th Street) Saturday, March 26, 2011, and opened on, April 27, 2011. Prior to Broadway, the production held an out-of-town try out at the Pasedena Playhouse in California. In celebration of the show's progress and success, friends of the Pasadena hosted a pre-Broadway opening reception at Angus McIndoe. BroadwayWorld was on hand and brings you photo coverage below!