Sarah Rice News

The Huntington's Disease Society of America ~ Greater New York Chapter (HDSA) will host its seventh annual CURTAIN'S UP FOR A CURE: A Broadway Holiday Concert, a celebration of life featuring songs by Broadway's greatest songwriters as well as holiday favorites, on Monday, December 9,2013.

It may not be like getting a gift on every one of the 12 Days of Christmas, but for cabaret and musical theater lovers, the 5th Annual Urban Stages Winter Rhythms series--presented over a dozen nights at the not-for-profit Off-Broadway theatre on 259 West 30th Street--could be the closest thing to opening a daily present by the tree. From December 3-15, dozens of singers and musicians will perform in an eclectic mix of a dozen shows plus late night and matinee 'extras,' with all the proceeds from ticket sales dedicated to the Urban Stages 'On Tour Outreach Program that brings more than 200 free multicultural theater and music programs to elementary and middle school age children and their families in libraries and schools throughout NYC five boroughs. Three years ago, Urban Stages Artistic Director Frances Hill brought in MAC and Bistro award-winning director, lyricist and producer Peter Napolitano to produce the Winter Rhythms program and broaden its scope.BroadwayWorld.com Cabaret Columnist Stephen Hanks recently caught up with the Sol Hurok of Urban Stages to learn how Napolitano has helped Winter Rhythms evolve and to get some insights into this year's program.

'Love Makes The World Go 'Round, A Benefit Concert for Zani's Furry Friends' is set for the Laurie Beechman Theatre tonight, November 30, from 7 to 8:30 p.m.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

Craving a show after the show? 54 BELOW, Broadway's Supper Club, is expanding its popular late-night series with fresh faces and hot new performances to keep the party buzzing into the wee hours. Located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th St., 54 BELOW welcomes you to loosen your tie and embrace the night at its upcoming events, featuring no cover charges and low minimums:

The musical comedy about nightclub singers and night-time musical fantasies - Humpty Dumpty Cracks Up: The Nightmare of Cabaret --- will be performed in Manhattan on November 23, 24, and 25. The cast includes cabaret singers themselves in prominent and cameo roles, along with singer-actors who are kids, teens and adults (senior citizens among them). In the year marking her triumphant nightclub return, not resting her laurels or her tuffet, singer KAREN WYMAN is featured as Little Miss Muffet, writer of self-help books for arachnophobes and bullied teens. Cabaret-goers will find other favorites in the cast such as TERESA FISCHER as the Old Woman Who Lived in a Shoe. Rotating guests in cameo and featured roles include such folks as RICKY RITZEL at the first performance, The Duplex's THOMAS HONECK at the middle performance, and CHRISTINE LAVIN on the Monday night. As the legendary Little Bo Peep, TANYA MOBERLY sheepishly appears at the first and third performances. The plot concerns a first-time cabaret performer (WENDY RUSSELL), her singer pal (BRENDA BERGMAN) and strange dreams about nursery rhyme characters putting on cabaret acts.

Urban Stages (Frances Hill, Founding Artistic Director), in association with producer/director/lyricist Peter Napolitano announces a series of musical evenings entitled WINTER RHYTHMS 2013, beginning on Tuesday, December 3 and running through Sunday, December 15, 2013 at Urban Stages Theatre (259 West 30th Street). Tickets are $30 per show (unless otherwise noted).Tickets may be purchased on www.smarttix.com or 212 868-4444.

Well Hello, Little Girl... There were Giants in the Sky last night at 54 Below when host Phil Geoffrey Bond (Sondheim Unplugged) and some of Broadway and cabaret's spookiest talents (along with a ghoulish trio of Sondheimhood's creepiest musicians) collided for a night celebrating the music of these two landmark musicals.

Beyond a common composer, Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods are drastically different shows. But maybe they have more in common than one would believe at first glance. Phil Geoffrey Bond, who oversees the monthly Sondheim Unplugged concert at 54 Below, was inspired to combine songs from each show for a special Halloween concert, and found some surprising similarities between them. The result is Into Sweeney Todd's Woods, a one-night event at the year-old concert venue that will feature performers like Len Cariou (Sweeney Todd's original Sweeney), Sarah Rice (Sweeney Todd's original Johanna) and Pamela Winslow Kashani (Into the Woods' original Rapunzel).

Attend the Tale... 54 Below, Broadway's Nightclub, is thrilled to celebrate Halloween (Tonight, October 31 at 9:30pm) with a special evening of songs from two beloved musicals: Stephen Sondheim's masterpieces, Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods. Expect a night of chills and thrills as some of Broadway and cabaret's spookiest performers descend on the midtown boite for what promises to be an All Hallows Eve to remember.

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

Sondheim Unplugged, New York's long-running hit revue (currently in residence at Manhattan's 54 Below), will make a special, one night only appearance in Putnam County on Saturday, November 23rd at 8pm at the Philipstown Depot Theatre, located on Garrison's Landing in Garrison, NY. Tickets, $25, may be obtained by visiting www.brownpapertckets.com or by calling 1.800.838.3006. A smash, sold-out success when it was presented at the Depot in 2011, the show makes its' triumphant return this Fall - get your tickets fast!

Coming up this week, 54 BELOW, the performance venue located just below the legendary Studio 54 at 254 West 54th Street, presents some of the brightest stars from Broadway, cabaret, jazz and beyond:

Attend the Tale... 54 Below, Broadway's Nightclub, is thrilled to celebrate Halloween (Thursday, October 31 at 9:30pm) with a special evening of songs from two beloved musicals: Stephen Sondheim's masterpieces, Sweeney Todd and Into the Woods. Expect a night of chills and thrills as some of Broadway and cabaret's spookiest performers descend on the midtown boite for what promises to be an All Hallows Eve to remember.

The Episcopal Actors' Guild will celebrate its 90th Anniversary tonight, October 6th with the presentation of 90 YEARS OF BROADWAY: EAG's Theatrical Journey, an original musical revue highlighting the organization's unique and important history. The benefit will take place at the Grand Ballroom of the New York Open Centerat 22 East 30th Street, NYC.

The Episcopal Actors' Guild will celebrate its 90th Anniversary on Sunday, October 6th with the presentation of 90 YEARS OF BROADWAY: EAG's Theatrical Journey, an original musical revue highlighting the organization's unique and important history. The benefit will take place at the Grand Ballroom of the New York Open Centerat 22 East 30th Street, NYC.

Following an unprecedented thirty-one show run, SONDHEIM UNPLUGGED, the acclaimed and award-winning cabaret series, continues on Sunday, October 20 at 7pm at 54 Below. Sondheim Unplugged is currently celebrating the third year of it's smash run, having begun this journey of celebrating Sondheim in July of 2010.

The musical "McGoldricks' Thread" sowed up three major awards at the closing ceremonies last night of the sixth Origin's 1st Irish Theatre Festival, held at Papillon Bistro & Bar, 22 East 54th Street. The crowd-pleasing show, brimming with Irish step dancing performed by a youth-dominated cast, won for Best Production, and Best Direction for Kira Simring. The production also was honored with the Festival's Special Jury Prize.

Nominations for the top awards of Origin's 1st Irish 2013 are being announced today for an Awards Ceremony hosted by Papillon Bistro & Bar, 22 East 54th Street on Monday September 30 at 7pm. In all eight plays were seen in competition during the month-long festival which began on September 2. The sixth annual edition of 1st Irish, the first and only festival in the world dedicated to Irish playwrights, welcomed two productions from Ireland, and six from the U.S. by contemporary Irish playwrights from Belfast, Dublin, Boston and New York. A total of six were world premieres.