Sandra McFarland News

The Friars archives and Wikipedia have finally been corrected. Nineteen Eighty Eight was a watershed year for women. They gained membership to numerous private men's clubs that heretofore were off limits to women. The Friars, being one of the more famous of the bunch had an article heralding the event written by a less than factual reporter for The New York Times. The paper of record, in an early forerunner of fake news only listed the first 7 women and overlooked number 8...Jamie deRoy who was in that initial group, along with Liza Minnelli, Joan Rivers, Brooke Shields, and other prominent female entertainment figures was not mentioned.

Last night The York Theatre Company honored the musical theatre writing team of Tom Jones and Harvey Schmidt in a Fantastick gala concert and award ceremony directed by Richard Jay-Alexander. The 2017 Oscar Hammerstein Award for Lifetime Achievement in Musical Theatre was presented to the legendary team (The Fantasticks, I Do, I Do!, 110 in the Shade, Celebration) at the event held at the Asia Society on Park Ave in NYC and BroadwayWorld was there. Check out photo coverage below!

It was chilly in SoHo last night but poolside at the SOHO playhouse it was sizzling with non stop laughter during the 80 minutes of Bright Colors And Bold Patters which was written and performed by Drew Droege and directed by Michael Urie.

Monty Hall could not have offered a more spectacular deal. Four women had the right price and were the top bidders at last year's Primary Stages Gala's Silent Auction. As a result, Tony Award-Winning Broadway legend Betty Buckley came through door #1 at Jamie deRoy's apartment and sang at a private party organized by the winners . Jamie, Catherine Adler, Paula Kaminsky Davis and Christina Rose.

Show business tour de force Jamie deRoy brings her star-packed Jamie deRoy & friends cabaret show to New York's famed Birdland, Sunday, October 16, at 6 p.m.

The New York Pops started it's 34th season off with a glorious concert celebrating the legacy and timeless works of Alan Jay Lerner and Frederick Loewe. In the closing concert of his inaugural season in 2010, music director and conductor Steven Reineke celebrated the music of Lerner and Loewe and the response was so heartwarming that he decided it was the right time to revisit the material.

 Critically acclaimed artists Stacy Sullivan and Todd Murray brought a thought provoking, sometime humorous, and musically entertaining look at the very human quandary of 'should I stay or should I go with '  with their show Separate Ways to Feinstein's/54 Below last night and Broadwayworld was there. They say that breaking up is hard to do; most certainly. But with writers such as George Gershwin, Joni Mitchell, Adam Guettel, Adele, we find that skies can be sunny blue or grey, and goodbyes can be happy. Songwriters have looked for ways to express the angst of people's need to be joined and separate at the same time. Todd and Stacy are masters at bringing honesty and life to their lyrics.

The Dozen Divas (Dorothy Bishop) performed at at the Metropolitan Room last night and Broadwayworld was there.  This was a special show to celebrate the birthday of Sandra McFarland and all the  divas present came wrapped up in one person: international performer and 'America's Got Talent' finalist Dorothy Bishop.

The Broadway at Birdland Concert Series welcomed Jamie deRoy & friends for a star-studded cabaret show last night and BroadwayWorld was there.

Fyvush Finkel, 93 year old Broadway veteran, Yiddish Theater star, movie and TV actor was accompanied by his two sons Ian and Elliot Finkel and opened at the Metropolitan Room last night.  BroadwayWorld was there, along with many actors, musicians, and comics, who turned out to see the legendary performer take the packed room on an emotional musical journey with some hysterical humor, wonderful singing, and brilliant character acting by Mr. Finkel.  Ian Finkel who is billed as the world's greatest xylophonist, more then lives up to that title with his virtuoso exciting style, and along with powerful piano interpretations by Elliot Finkel, the show is a great musical experience.

Haley Swindal brought her new show 'Pay to Win' to Feinstein's/54 Below last night - and BroadwyWorld was onhand to capture the evening!

After her rousing performance at the Tony Awards this year, Broadway powerhouse Lisa Howard made her solo debut at Feinstein's/54 Below this fall! Lisa was most recently seen on Broadway in her Drama Desk-nominated performance as Jenny in It Shoulda Been You. BroadwayWorld brings you photos from her big night below!

Jamie deRoy came to Jim Caruso's Broadway at Birdland last night and Broadwayworld was there. In the world of show business everyone is always everyones friend. After 25 years of having enormously talented friends perform on her stages and loyal friends fill the seats at her shows, the consistency of participation points to the fact that most are real friends. Jamie's friends stick together. The hugs are real, the laughter is genuine, and the happy feeling everyone has after an episode of Jamie deRoy & friends always seems to linger in the air for many days after the show is over.  Such was the case of her latest entry in the series which always at this time of year features everything "TONY".

After receiving popular acclaim from a limited sold-out off-off Broadway run last season, Fabulous! The Queen of NewMusical Comedies a high seas musical romp taps into the newly built Write Act Repertory Theatre at the Times Square Arts Center (300 West 43rd Street). The production opened last night, Monday, September 8th (7:30PM). Check out a look back at opening night below!

Last night at the JW Marriot Essex House, Inside Broadway held it's annual Broadway Beacon Awards benefit. This year the honorees included Neil Mazzella, the Chairman of Hudson Scenic Studio, Stephen Batta, General Manager of the JW Marriott Essex House, Tony Award nominated actress of A Raisin In The Sun, Anika Noni Rose, Tony Award nominated actor Andy Karl from ROCKY and the Tony Award show All The Way.