On Monday, April 1, Jim Caruso's Broadway at Birdland concert series welcomed the return of Broadway actress and cabaret star Karen Mason with her brand new show, 'Secrets of the Ancient Divas.' Scroll below for photos from the performance!
When Dana Lorge's run as a Variety Show hosted ended at the Iguana Restaurant last July-and after winning two 2012 MAC Awards for 'Best Variety Show' and 'Best Variety Show Host'-who knew she'd be reduced to being a cabaret audience member searching for a new showcase? But a Metropolitan Room Mentch has come to the rescue in the form of Bernie Furshpan (the Met Room's General Partner and Manager), who has provided Dana with a monthly forum for her unique brand of cabaret shtick beginning Friday, April 5 at 7-8:15 pm. While the new show won't be the two-hour plus extravaganza of yore featuring more than a dozen performers, Dana's new 'Variety Show' promises to feature a solid group of experienced and well-known cabaret and musical theater pros. For the April 5 opener, the Lorge Lineup features Richard Skipper, her former Award-winning Co-host from the Iguana days; film and stage actor Jim Brochu (of Zero Mostel One-Man Show fame), singers LaTanya Hall (from the CBS show 'Blue Bloods) and Peggy Herman Klat, Rick Crom (Creator of Newsical the Musical), and Mr. Furshpan, who will show off his stand-up comedy chops. But the real star of the show will always be the hilarious, unpredictable, darling Dana, who will both crack you up with her infectious humor and surprise you with her engaging singing performances.
Walnut Street Theatre's President and Producing Artistic Director Bernard Havard has announced the 2013-2014 Independence Studio on 3 season, noting 'the plays I've selected are a dramatic blend of new work and American classics. It's the most ambitious season yet for our intimate theatre. Several of the shows have larger casts and more challenging scenic elements, which will be exciting to see our creative designers bring to life. I'm thrilled to share our upcoming season with Philadelphia audiences.'
The Baltimore Symphony Orchestra (BSO) and Maestro Michael Krajewski present Bond and Beyond: 50 Years of 007, a celebration of the world's favorite secret agent on Thursday, April 11 at 8 p.m. at the Music Center at Strathmore, and Friday, April 12 at 8 p.m., Saturday, April 13 at 8 p.m. and Sunday, April 14 at 3 p.m. at the Joseph Meyerhoff Symphony Hall. The program features soloist Debbie Gravitte and includes musical selections from five decades of Bond films, such as Casino Royale, Goldfinger, From Russia with Love and Skyfall. Please see below for complete program details.
'SCARY MUSICAL… The Musical!', with Book by Richard Hochberg and Music and Lyrics by Richard Hochberg and Michael Paternostro, will be directed by Daniel Goldstein and produced by Kevin Spirtas in a workshop presentation slated for February 2013.
The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. That Oscar show, the fall season of national tours from Broadway In Chicago, 'See What I Wanna See,' two from Theo Ubique, Mary Zimmerman's 'Jungle Book,' interesting cabarets at Davenport's and more!
Following their performances on last night's 85th Annual Academy Awards, Adele and Shirley Bassey are expected to receive a rather large bump in music sales, according to Billboard.
Promises, promises - those made, broken, surpassed and a few prolonged. Last night's Academy Awards telecast was one of the most entertaining and exceptionally glamorous in many a year and executive producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron made good - hell, great - on their promise to deliver a true blue tribute to music in the movies as well as a whole lot more. And deliver they did - it was absolutely excellent in almost every conceivable way. Really. What more could you want?! Especially for fans of Hollywood and Broadway, it was an unforgettable awards show to cherish, with a sleek, witty and delightful presentation - snappy, smart and precisely planned (extended running time notwithstanding). As Seth MacFarlane said prior to Meryl Streep's presentation of Best Actor, “Ladies and gentlemen, our next presenter needs no introduction,” and, so, we real movie musical fans should have assumed this would be a jubilant joy - and so it was. A triptych of movie musical showstoppers thanks to Catherine Zeta Jones & CHICAGO, Jennifer Hudson & DREAMGIRLS and Hugh Jackman, Anne Hathaway (and company) & LES MISERABLES, as well as Shirley Bassey and Adele setting the stupefyingly gorgeously designed (sets by Derek McLane), lensed and presented show alight with “Goldfinger” and “Skyfall” as part of a James Bond 50th Anniversary showcase all the way to a refined and resplendent Barbra Streisand/Marvin Hamlisch memory for us to let linger lovingly in our memories - and, with relish - last night's Oscars was a Broadway baby's dream and an awards show junkie's delight as well as much, much more. Was it long? Yes. Was it overlong? Perhaps. Was it worth it and then some? Yes, yes, yes - oh, yes. Oh, and as far as heretofore question-mark host Seth MacFarlane and making the most of his unenviable duties? F*** yeah, man! Ted, too. And, oh, yeah - Jennifer Lawrence tripped on her gown on the way to the stage! But, so what?! Like the rest of the night, it was a refreshing slap in the face and a reminder of how wonderful awards shows can be.
For the first time, viewers in the U.S. will be able to stream tonight's Oscars show in its entirety across multiple platforms including ABC.com, the ABC Player app and the free, ad-supported Hulu and Hulu Plus subscription service.
The L.A. Gay & Lesbian Center's Lily Tomlin/Jane Wagner Cultural Arts Center celebrates Black History Month with two concurrent free events highlighting some of the cultural contributions African Americans have made to our society: A Tribute to African American Authors, in which renowned actors and singers perform selected works; and a reception for the new exhibit Ain't Just Paint: Works from the CCH Pounder Collection. Both events take place today, Feb. 25, in the Renberg Theatre and Advocate & Gochis Galleries at the Center's Village at Ed Gould Plaza. The Tribute will begin at 7:30 p.m., followed immediately by a reception in the Galleries.
For the first time, viewers in the U.S. will be able to stream tonight's Oscars show in its entirety across multiple platforms including ABC.com, the ABC Player app, and the free, ad-supported Hulu and Hulu Plus subscription service. The show will also be available via ABC On Demand, the network's fast forward-disabled VOD service.
At tonight's 85th Annual Academy Awards, Halle Berry and Shirley Bassey paid tribute to the James Bond movie franchise, which is celebrating its 50th Anniversary this year. In the video below, check out some of the best Bond moments, as well as Bassey perform some of the series' most iconic songs!
Today we are shifting our focus from the stages of Broadway and beyond to the stages of the previous 84 Academy Awards telecasts that have transpired to date, in anticipation of Sunday night's big, big, big show. After all, this year's Academy Awards is of particular interest and excitement to theatre fans around the globe, especially because super-producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron are behind it - the men responsible for the hit stage-to-screen adaptations of CHICAGO and HAIRSPRAY, as well as the small-screen successes GYPSY, LIFE WITH JUDY GARLAND: ME & MY SHADOWS, ANNIE, and, most recently, NBC's musical series SMASH, to name a few of their many marvelous musical-friendly credits. They told me themselves earlier this week that this year's telecast would be the most music-packed Academy Awards show to date, and, just judging from the announced tributes, performers and presenters thus far it is clear to see that they were not kidding - reunions of the casts of the film versions of CHICAGO and LES MISERABLES live onstage, singing their film's most famous songs to Jennifer Hudson leading a DREAMGIRLS tribute all the way to a James Bond 50th anniversary celebration featuring Adele and Shirley Bassey on some famous Bond themes, as well as Barbra Streisand herself singing 'The Way We Were' in memory of friend and collaborator, three-time Oscar-winner Marvin Hamlisch.
Seth McFarlane will host the 85th Academy Awards in his first appearance on Oscar's stage. The 85th Academy Awards will be held this Sunday, Feb 24, at the Dolby Theatre at Hollywood & Highland Center, and will air live on the ABC television network. For an idea of the prowess MacFarlane brings to the stage, click below to watch him sing 'Ya Got Trouble' from The Music Man in the BBC Proms 2012!
Multiple Academy Award winners Jack Nicholson and Dustin Hoffman will present on this year's Oscar telecast, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today.
Academy Award winner Jane Fonda will join Jennifer Garner, Kristen Stewart and Kerry Washington to present on the Oscar telecast, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today.
Largely responsible for the movie musical revolution of the 21st century, setting the stage first with their mega-successful work on TV in the 1990s like GYPSY, CINDERELLA and ANNIE, then, with their feature film entries since - beginning with CHICAGO and continuing with HAIRSPRAY and many more - executive producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron have bridged the gap between Broadway and Hollywood like no other producers - and, all the while, on their own terms. Opening up about a vast array of projects, ranging from the aforementioned modern classic TV musicals all the way through to the films and stage shows - successful revivals of PROMISES, PROMISES and HOW TO SUCCEED IN BUSINESS WITHOUT REALLY TRYING included - and their affiliation with NBC's musical drama series SMASH, Zadan and Meron paint a vivid portrait displaying their fierce dedication to the performing arts and desire for excellence in all of their many, many endeavors. Plus, most importantly, Zadan and Meron clue us in on what we can anticipate from this Sunday's Academy Awards telecast, which they are producing - such as their experiences collaborating with controversial triple-threat host Seth MacFarlane, amassing the starriest assortment of musical performers in Oscar history (Barbra Streisand, Adele, Shirley Bassey, Norah Jones, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Jennifer Hudson among the performers announced so far), creating spectacular tributes to both James Bond in his fiftieth year on film and the modern movie musical revolution (showcasing no less than the reunions of cast members from CHICAGO, DREAMGIRLS and this year's multi-nominated hit LES MISERABLES) as well as what will make this show truly unique. Additionally, Zadan and Meron shed some light on their current and future plans and productions, among them: a BONNIE & CLYDE miniseries for the History Channel starring Emile Hirsch; the currently-running second season of NBC's musical drama series SMASH; two original movie musicals in development and original stage projects, too. All of that, memories of the remarkable LIFE WITH JUDY GARLAND: ME & MY SHADOWS, Lifetime's record-breaking broadcast of a new STEEL MAGNOLIAS, comments on DROP DEAD DIVA's recent cancellation, news on the upcoming e-book edition of Zadan's peerless SONDHEIM & CO. biography, the NBC TV version of THE SOUND OF MUSIC starring Carrie Underwood and much, much more!
Oscar show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today that Kristin Chenoweth and Seth MacFarlane will participate in a special show closing musical performance.
Academy Award winners Jennifer Hudson, Catherine Zeta-Jones and Russell Crowe join this year's Oscar nominees Hugh Jackman and Anne Hathaway along with Amanda Seyfried, Eddie Redmayne, Aaron Tveit, Samantha Barks, and Helena Bonham Carter in a celebration honoring movie musicals of the last decade, show producers Craig Zadan and Neil Meron announced today.
