Sid Caesar News

Harvey Granat closes out 2018 with events on composers Cy Coleman and Harry Warren, featuring special guest performers and speakers.

It's highly traditional that children follow in their ancestors' footsteps, but what if your grandfather was a mad scientist who stumbled upon the secret of bringing the dead back to life? Do you join the "family business" or do you stick to your life as the dean of anatomy at a prestigious New York university? Such is Frederick Frankenstein ("… it's pronounced FRONK-EN- STEEN…) in Young Frankenstein: The Musical, written by Mel Brooks and Thomas Meeker, based on the screenplay by Mel Brooks and Gene Wilder. Young Frankenstein: The Musical opens at Newnan Theatre Company on October 18, and runs through October 28.

Local actress Carolyn Michel recently won the 'Best Actress of the Year' award in Aosta, Italy at the Oniros Film Awards. Michel was recognized for her portrayal of 'Tanya,' a hard-drinking, smoking, Russian Cossack stunt rider in the film 'Katia.'

BEN BUTLER by Richard Strand begins Sep 25 through Oct 21, opens for reviewers Friday September 28, 2018. When a runaway slave demands sanctuary at a Union Army garrison, the General in charge is faced with moral quandary: follow the letter of the law, or make a game-changing move that could alter the course of US history? "…Part comedy, part historical drama and part biography… by turns sarcastic, droll and witty." NY Times

BroadwayWorld is sad to report that legendary playwright Neil Simon has died at 91. 

Loni Ackerman will star as George Sand in a private industry reading of the new musical IMPOSSIBLY GEORGE: A Soiree with Madame George Sand with music by Elliot Finkel, lyrics by Phillip Namanworth and book by Finkel and Namanworth, directed by Tony nominee Walter Willison on Monday August 6th, at Pearl Studios in New York City.

In 1983 Phyllis Diller had to dress up in drag to sneak into a men's only Sid Caesar's Friars Roast. Last night women's champion Friar Gloria Allred resplendent in an attractive pants and gold jacket was escorted through the front door of The Monastery for that time-honored Friar privilege of being Roasted. BroadwayWorld was there for photos only. What's said in the Friars, stays in the Friars.

The Group Rep presents Neil Simon's classic farce RUMORS, directed by Doug Engalla, produced by Alyson York for the Group Rep. Five neurotic couples gather for a dinner party celebrating one couple's 10th anniversary. The best laid plans go wildly awry when guests arrive early only to discover their host has shot himself, the hostess and servants are missing, and dinner not ready. As confusions and miscommunications mount, the evening spins off into farcical hilarity. The play runs June 15 through July 29 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood, at the edge of the NoHo Arts District.

The Group Rep presents Neil Simon's classic farce RUMORS, directed by Doug Engalla, produced by Alyson York for the Group Rep. Five neurotic couples gather for a dinner party celebrating one couple's 10th anniversary. The best laid plans go wildly awry when guests arrive early only to discover their host has shot himself, the hostess and servants are missing, and dinner not ready. As confusions and miscommunications mount, the evening spins off into farcical hilarity. The play runs June 15 through July 29 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood, at the edge of the NoHo Arts District.

Cockpit In Court Summer Theatre kicks off its eight weeks of live summer entertainment.  The month of June includes the broadway shows Avenue Q & Laughter on the 23rd Floor. July will include Disney's The Little Mermaid & Come Back to the Five and Dime Jimmy Dean, Jimmy Dean, with a special children's theatre presentation of Disney's The Lion King, Jr. JUNE 15 through July 1st

The Group Rep presents Neil Simon's classic farce RUMORS, directed by Doug Engalla, produced by Alyson York for the Group Rep. Five neurotic couples gather for a dinner party celebrating one couple's 10th anniversary. The best laid plans go wildly awry when guests arrive early only to discover their host has shot himself, the hostess and servants are missing, and dinner not ready. As confusions and miscommunications mount, the evening spins off into farcical hilarity. The play runs June 15 through July 29 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood, at the edge of the NoHo Arts District.

The Group Rep presents Neil Simon's classic farce RUMORS, directed by Doug Engalla, produced by Alyson York for the Group Rep. Five neurotic couples gather for a dinner party celebrating one couple's 10th anniversary. The best laid plans go wildly awry when guests arrive early only to discover their host has shot himself, the hostess and servants are missing, and dinner not ready. As confusions and miscommunications mount, the evening spins off into farcical hilarity. The play runs June 15 through July 29 at the Lonny Chapman Theatre in North Hollywood, at the edge of the NoHo Arts District.

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.

In 1993 Neil Simon penned his experiences as a young writer for Your Show of Shows on early 50s television in a play entitled Laughter on the 23rd Floor. At that time he was a novice learning from the likes of series star Sid Caesar and fellow-writers Mel Brooks, Larry Gelbart, Carl Reiner, and Selma Diamond among others. The seven member team plus Caesar collaborated on sketch comedy that ran live weekly on NBC. Daily work was hellish with the crazies bringing their personal issues and divergent styles of expression every hour of every day to the writers' room. The sketch material was not only affected by their various personalities clouded by bold ethnic traits but also by the world around them that included the infamous attacks of McCarthyism. In the arts actors, writers, directors and other artists were endangered of being branded a communist and fired from their work. NBC found Your Show of Shows to be too sophisticated and thereby made cuts threatening the show's existence. It was cut back to an hour. In the play Sid Caesar is Max Prince (Pat Towne), an alcoholic and drug addicted tyrant who will stop at nothing to prove his point. He fights NBC; of course, to no avail. Laughter... plays the Garry Marshall Theatre through April 22, brilliantly directed b

The 7-Disc Set, Available for the Very First Time at Retail, Features 26 Complete, Remastered Episodes from the Landmark Emmy® And Golden Globe®-Winning Series. Season Three Guest Stars IncludeJohnny Carson, Peter Sellers, Michael Caine, Bob Hope, Diana Ross, Sonny & Cher, The Monkees, Carol Channing, Buddy Hackett, Sid Caesar, Tennessee Ernie Ford, Debbie Reynolds, Jack Benny, Engelbert Humperdinck, Peter Lawford, Phyllis Diller, Roger Moore, James Garner, Bing Crosby, Tony Curtis, Andy Griffith, Carl Reiner, Ringo Starr and More!

According to the New York Times, Tony and Emmy Award-winning star of the stage and screen, Nanette Fabray passed away yesterday at her California home. She was 97 years old.

Westport Country Playhouse will present a Script in Hand playreading of 'Better Late,' a romantic comedy by Larry Gelbart, on Monday, February 26, at 7 p.m. Gelbart was a creator and producer of the television series 'M*A*S*H,' and a co-writer of the film 'Tootsie' and the Broadway musicals 'City of Angels' and 'A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum.'

1812 Productions is pleased to present a special limited engagement production of Jennifer Childs and Tony Braithwaite's newest cabaret A Few of Our Favorite Things. A Few of Our Favorite Things will play for five performances only, from February 14th thru 18th, at Plays & Players Theatre, 1714 Delancey Place in Center City. All tickets are $35 ($30 for 1812 subscribers) and can be purchased at 1812productions.org or at 215-592-9560.

The National Academy of Television Arts and Sciences (NATAS) today proudly announced that Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes, stars of television, film and stage and Sid and Marty Krofft, two legendary television producers, will be honored with Lifetime Achievement Awards this year during the Daytime Emmy® Awards.  The Krofft Brothers will be celebrated at the 45th Daytime Creative Arts Emmy® Awards which will take place on Friday, April 27th, 2018, while Bill Hayes and Susan Seaforth Hayes will be celebrated on Sunday, April 29th, 2018 at the 45th Daytime Emmy® Awards.  Both presentations will take place at the Pasadena Civic Auditorium in Southern California.