Sis News

When it comes down to it, trying to convince rabid or even casual fans of the hit Broadway blockbuster WICKED into seeing the show again (and again… and again) when it comes to their town really doesn't take much of a struggle. No matter how many times over the years that the Broadway blockbuster has landed in our own backyard, the demand for tickets is still high (hence the often long engagements the show has on our stages). Now finishing up the final week of its national tour's latest return engagement at Orange County's Segerstrom Center for the Arts in Costa Mesa through March 6, the 'popular' musical continues to be a must-see favorite, and shows no signs of slowing down. So, 15 years later... is WICKED still worth seeing at a city near you for the umpteenth time these days? Absolutely! And here are 10 pretty good reasons why...

North/South Consonance, Inc continues its series of free-admission concerts on Tuesday evening March 15 when members of the North/South Chamber Orchestra perform first performances of recent works by composers representing three generations and various aesthetic points of view. Benet Casablancas, Christopher Ha Chun, David Colson, Max Lifchitz and Carlos Rodriguez. The works by Chun and Rodriguez are being performed in collaboration with the Texas-based American Festival for the Arts (AFA). The event will be held at the auditorium of Christ & St Stephen's Church (120 West 69th Street) on Manhattan's Upper West Side. The free-admission concert will start at 8 PM and end around 9:30 PM. The auditorium is ADA accessible. No tickets or reservations needed.

BABYMETAL--2015's breakout all-girl-fronted Japanese heavy metal/teen-pop hybrid group--partnered with BBC Radio and SiriusXM's Liquid Metal this week (2/25) to premiere their lead single, titled 'KARATE,' from the groups forthcoming sophomore album METAL RESISTANCE, set for release April 1 (also known as the 'FOX DAY') on RAL/Sony Music Entertainment (in the U.S.).

For two weekends, in two Seattle neighborhoods, you can see some of the best new work from veteran producers and emerging artists:  from serious drama to family-friendly fare, from burlesque to sketch to dance duets, from highbrow to lowbrow to no-brow-Seattle Fringe Festival has something for everyone.

I first met the lovely and talented Dani Marcus 20 years ago when she was playing Louise to my Herbie in Gypsy. I was roughly 4 years older than her, but it was a barn in the middle of Vermont and no one seemed to care. Spending my summer with her, I knew she'd continue on to great things. A true talent - hilarious onstage, with a stunning voice and presence, it was a privilege to be onstage with her.

Tonight, Irving Berlin's White Christmas the Broadway musical opens at The Music Hall in downtown Portsmouth. Presented in a partnership between The Music Hall and the Ogunquit Playhouse, this production marks the largest show on The Music Hall's stage and the largest show of Ogunquit's season. This delightful classic stars Broadway veteran Jeffry Denman reprising his role as Phil Davis, which he played to critical acclaim on Broadway, and Broadway's Joey Sorge, who starred in the Ogunquit production of Nice Work If You Can Get It earlier this season, as Bob Wallace. The singing Haynes sisters are played by Broadway actresses Kate Loprest as Betty, and Vanessa Sonon as Judy. Complete with magical sets and iconic songs, the show is a Christmas Card come to life.

Emerald City's holiday production of A CHARLIE BROWN CHRISTMAS is a treat for young and old alike. As television holiday classics go, you can't get much better thant 'A Charlie Brown Christmas' and Eric Schaeffer's stage adaptation offers up a sweet, live action version that that is itself an instant holiday classic.

'Tis the season! Step Up Productions is pleased to continue its 2015-16 season with the return of its wildly popular HOLIDAZE, a hilarious and heartwarming line-up of original holiday-themed short works by Jake Carr, MT Cozzola, Mia McCullough, Steven Simoncic, Steven Peterson and Joshua Rollins. Curated by Tara Branham, HOLIDAZE will play November 20 - December 20, 2015 at The Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave. in Chicago. Tickets go on sale Thursday, October 15 at www.stepupproductions.org or by calling The Athenaeum Box Office at (773) 935-6875. The press performance is Tuesday, November 24 at 8 pm.

Ollie (aka Green ARROW, played by Stephen Amell) and Diggle (David Ramsey) uncover the truth about Diggle's brother. Hint: it involves Damien Darhk (Neal McDonough), Thea (aka Speedy, played by Willa Holland) loses it and Felicity (Emily Brett Rickards) is again adorkable in this week's ep, Brotherhood. Keep your eye on the target, we'll get you caught up.

Red Reddington and Liz Keen are trying to clear her name, but Agent Samar Navabi has bigger fish to fry: terrorist Zal Bin Hasaan is in the US. The FBI and Mossad will have to cooperate better than Donald Ressler and the CIA Director are doing.

Get ready to howl with laughter! On Sunday, November 15 at 2:00PM, join us at the Morris Museum's Bickford Theatre for a production of 'The Queen of Bingo.'

Ollie (aka ARROW, played by Stephen Amell) and Diggle (David Ramsey) counter to knock heads, meta-humans call Star City home and Laurel (aka Black Canary, played by Katie Cassidy) and Thea (aka Speedy, played by Willa Holland) head to Nanda Parbat to resurrect Laurel's dead sis Sara (Caity Lotz) only to find opposition to their plan from an unlikely person. Keep your eye on the target and your quiver full, we'll get you caught up.

The company also includes Janine DiVita, as Anne, Daren A. Herbert, as Stephen, and Marc de la Cruz, as David. Get to know the three newbies below!

'Tis the season! Step Up Productions is pleased to continue its 2015-16 season with the return of its wildly popular HOLIDAZE, a hilarious and heartwarming line-up of original holiday-themed short works by Jake Carr, MT Cozzola, Mia McCullough, Steven Simoncic, Steven Peterson and Joshua Rollins. Curated by Tara Branham, HOLIDAZE will play November 20 - December 20, 2015 at The Athenaeum Theatre, 2936 N. Southport Ave. in Chicago. Tickets go on sale Thursday, October 15 at www.stepupproductions.org or by calling The Athenaeum Box Office at (773) 935-6875. The press performance is Tuesday, November 24 at 8 pm.

Author Dorothy H. Arnold knows that everyone has a secret pain or obstacle in their lives that they keep to themselves. In 'Tootsie's Chick, Life Without a Mother' (published by Xlibris) she tackles these issues in a story of loss, courage and triumph.

Well, hello again! Didn't we just see each other? Oh yes, we were only afforded a mere six day break before the premiere of the latest installment of the "Bachelor" franchise: Season 2 of "Bachelor in Paradise"! And paradise we are in indeed, as this season opens up in Sayulita, Mexico, a vacation destination that I have been dying to go to for years now. Hopefully these fools don't contaminate every hot tub in town before I get there. Let's get started, cause this was a three-hour event, and these people switch partners more often than I did in college. 

Pratidhwani - a Seattle area based organization of South Asian performing artists - will present Dance Like a Man – a play in English by Mahesh Dattani, produced in collaboration with ACTLab, in the Bullitt Cabaret at ACT Theatre in downtown Seattle. The production will run July 24th through August 9th with performances at 7:30PM on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays and 2:00PM matinees on Sundays.

BET Networks kicks off the summer season with a hot new docu-series, “DESEAN JACKSON: HOME TEAM” starring the Washington Redskins player as he navigates his life on and off the field.

BET Networks kicks off the summer season with a hot new docu-series, “DESEAN JACKSON: HOME TEAM” starring the Washington Redskins player as he navigates his life on and off the field.

The Board of Directors and Artistic Director, David Leidholdt, have announced Millbrook's opening production of The Queen of Bingo in the Poorman Cabaret opening June 11, 2015.