Sondra Lee News

With the final performance of its critically acclaimed Off-Broadway musical 'The Golden Bride' on Sunday, The National Yiddish Theatre Folksbiene brought to a close its three-month performing arts festival KulturfestNYC. Scroll down for photos from the closing festivities!

When a show at the Metropolitan Room starts over thirty minutes late because the staff is frantically trying to find chairs and room for the better part of New York's cabaret community, you know you're in store for something truly special. And unless there's a chair thief on the loose in Flatiron who doesn't like Broadway, someone clearly oversold this show and/or lost track of comps; this was extremely vexing with a heat advisory in effect. Still, the mood was festive in anticipation of Jeff Harnar's 1959 Broadway Songbook, the 12th installment in Stephen Hanks' impressive (and increasingly well-known) New York Cabaret's Greatest Hits series. Harnar's show premiered 25 years ago at the Algonquin's Oak Room. Two years later, PBS filmed the collaboration with musical director Alex Rybeck, whose arrangements honor the original compositions but reimagine them in sometimes astonishing ways, making them genuinely creative acts.

In one of the first festivals of its kind, a panel of Broadway Producers and Emmy winning writers has compiled its final list of performances for the upcoming New York New Works Theatre Festival (August 29th - October 5).

Despite firm denials from both press rep Rick Miramontez and producer Scott Rudin, as well as the star's age (95), the NY Post's Cindy Adams insists she has heard rumors that Carol Channing could be up for playing the matinee 'Dolly'

When New York cabaret community insiders and frequent club goers heard that Marissa Mulder was planning a Marilyn Monroe-themed show, the consensus was the vocalist's naturally breathy voice paired with a roster of songs from Monroe's films would be a good fit. Sidestepping expectations, Mulder and Director Sondra Lee have instead put together a one-woman theater piece with almost as much monologue (using Monroe's own words) as music. Equally surprising, the impressionistic show (currently in the midst of a four-show run at the Laurie Beechman Theatre after launching in February at the Metropolitan Room) features not Monroe's familiar material, but rather songs that reflect what its creators intuit as her internal life.

Film Forum has added an additional guest to their Sunday, May 15 screening of GREASE: Broadway legend Sondra Lee.

At a ceremony held earlier this week in New York, the Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs announced the winners of the 2016 MAC Awards. A Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Amanda McBroom. Also honored with a Board of Directors award was Maryann Lopinto. Jamie deRoy received the Ruth Kurtzman Benefit Award on behalf of her work with The Actors Fund: Jamie deRoy & Friends Cabaret Initiative. Sally Darling received the Hanson Award. The show was produced by Julie Miller and directed by Lennie Watts, with musical direction by Matt Baker.

At a ceremony held last night in New York, the Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs announced the winners of the 2016 MAC Awards. A Lifetime Achievement Award was presented to Amanda McBroom.  Also honored with a Board of Directors award was Maryann Lopinto.  Jamie deRoy received the Ruth Kurtzman Benefit Award on behalf of her work with The Actors Fund: Jamie deRoy & Friends Cabaret Initiative.  Sally Darling received the Hanson Award. The show was produced by Julie Miller and directed by Lennie Watts, with musical direction by Matt Baker.

Legendary jazz singer and lyricist Jon Hendricks, dubbed 'The Poet Laureate of Jazz,' celebrated jazz vocalist and actress Annie Ross, and acclaimed jazz singer Janis Siegel are among the artists who will be honored at the 31st Annual Bistro Awards gala tonight, March 8 at 6:30 pm at the Gotham Comedy Club, 208 W. 23rd St. As is the Bistro Awards tradition, the evening will feature performances by the winners.

Legendary jazz singer and lyricist Jon Hendricks, dubbed 'The Poet Laureate of Jazz,' celebrated jazz vocalist and actress Annie Ross, and acclaimed jazz singer Janis Siegel are among the artists who will be honored at the 31st Annual Bistro Awards gala on Tuesday, March 8 at 6:30 pm at the Gotham Comedy Club, 208 W. 23rd St. As is the Bistro Awards tradition, the evening will feature performances by the winners; for the full list, see below!

Last night KT Sullivan & Jeff Harnar concluded their Sondheim Review titled Act Two, Another Hundred Years at The Laurie Beecham Theatre and BroadwayWorld was there.

On Thanksgiving Day, BroadwayWorld announced the nominees in 14 categories for the 2015 BWW New York Cabaret Awards. BroadwayWorld's cabaret editors and reviewers congratulate all the deserving nominees and everyone who performs in the great art of cabaret in New York. But today, as you munch on the leftovers from last night's dinner, it's time to actually vote for that one performer who you think is the absolute best in each category. Voting ends on December 31 and after a review of the ballots, winners will be announced officially early the week of January 4, 2016. (Note: There will not be a BWW Awards Show this year.)

Happy Thanksgiving Day, Cabaret Fans! Here's some breaking news you can discuss and debate in between courses at tonight's dinner: It's the final nominees for the 2015 BroadwayWorld New York Cabaret Awards. This year, the cabaret editors and writers at BWW have cited 116 nominees (including duos and variety show/recurring series producers) in 14 categories. In addition, this year six performers or musicians have been cited for special “Editor's Choice Awards,” led by veteran New York cabaret stars Karen Mason and Mark Nadler who have been named “Performers of the Year.”

NJTV, New Jersey's public television network, and the New Jersey Performing Arts Center (NJPAC) announced a talent-rich line-up for season three of the award-winning American Songbook at NJPAC series.

Two classic theatrical telecasts make their Blu-ray debut!

Two classic theatrical telecasts make their Blu-ray debut!

I could tell you that KT Sullivan and Jeff Harnar have done it again, but the truth is that they've done it even better. Their first foray into the Stephen Sondheim songbook last summer, Our Time, consisted of she sings, he sings--each watching the other perform then offering duets. This iteration titled Another Hundred People: Sullivan and Harnar Sing Sondheim—Act II (both at the Laurie Beechman Theatre), beautifully directed by Sondra Lee, considers both characters theatrically, not just vocally, but visually.

Sondra Lee, who portrayed Tiger Lily in the 1954 Broadway production of PETER PAN, as well as the 1955 telecast, spoke about Thursday night's live broadcast on NBC.

VH1.com just unveiled a PETER PAN 'oral history' piece featuring interviews with original players Cathy Rigby, Sandy Duncan, Sondra Lee, Heller Halliday and more chatting about their part in the musical's legacy, their thoughts on NBC's upcoming live production and more.

This month, Islington's King's Head Theatre is to stage the world premiere of Norris Church Mailer's stage play Go See, a gripping exploration of personal, cultural and sexual identity in a big city. Directed by Sondra Lee and designed by Klara Zieglerova with lighting design by Mike Robertson, the show runs tonight, November 12 to 29, 2014. Press night is slated for November 14 at 7.15 p.m.