How do you get to Carnegie Hall? The punch line of that old joke is "practice", however in the world of classical music it also takes concerned citizens to support an nurture young artists. Few have been more supportive and inspiring in this endeavor than the legendary performing piano duo of Melvin Stecher and Norman Horowitz. These two distinguished musicians created the Stecher and Horowitz Foundation, a non-profit organization as an outgrowth of The Stecher and Horowitz School of the Arts in Cedarhurst, New York.
Marilyn Maye took the 54 Below stage with her solo Frank Sinatra tribute, HER WAY, on April 23 & 25 at 7PM & April 24 at 8:30PM. Check out photos of the event below!
You've probably heard a variation of this joke at a cabaret performance. The performer will say something like "if you know the words, please don't sing along." Ann Hampton Callaway teasingly cajoles her audience to join in while she's singing a musically complex scat arrangement during her act. When John Pizzarelli asked the The Carlyle audience to sing along as he and Daniel Jobim sang the nights closing number (Antonio Carlos Jobim's Aqua De beber), it wasn't funny. The many Brazilians filling the seats in the Cafe expertly chanted in Portuguese. Sometimes I find it difficult to handle the syncopated rhythms which accent the second beat of a measure in Bossa Nova, but this crowd didn't.
William Ivey Long the Tony Award winning costume designer visited the 970 AM radio studios dressed handsomely in a very traditional sport jacket shirt and tie. He then had a spirited conversation with Peter LeDonne and Jamie deRoy about costumes, Broadway, movies, plus of all things, the spirits he serves up in his two establishments on 2nd Avenue in New York City. In addition to his life in the theatre and his 14 Tony nominations, William is also the proprietor of Ninth Ward and Shoolbred's, both on 2nd Avenue. Besides being a genius with clothes William was an excellent conversationalist, and it was suggested that it was his other life as a saloonkeeper that made him such a great guest on Backstage with Peter LeDonne.
?The Emmy Award winning actor Fyvesh Finkel jokes, 'I'm 92, but looking at this audience I realize that's no big deal.' Fyvesh was the star of Yiddish Night at the Friars Club last night, although his co-stars were his sons Elliot, Ian, and the special menu of traditional Jewish favorites prepared by the staff.
If you are a Friar you receive an "Opening Act" email that introduces you to a new member. Sadly, you also get a "Final Curtain" email when a member leaves the stage. In true theater tradition an "After Party" was held for one of the clubs esteemed members in the Frank Sinatra Dining Room last night. It was organized by Actors Fund President and CEO Joseph Benincasa to remember Irv Welzer, a beloved member of the club. With song and story a few of Irv's fellow Friars reminisced. Mayor David Dinkins, Danny Aiello, Bernadette Peters, Dominic Chianese, Mark Simone, Robert Creighton,Carol Skarimbas,Will & Anthony Nunziata, and Stewie Stone all participated in this party, which celebrated a much loved member of the theatre community.
Lyrics and Lyricists at the 92Y in New York City and the Live at Lynn American Songbook series at Lynn University in Boca Raton Florida both achieve the same goal. They entertain and educate their audiences using talented performers and knowledgeable hosts. The Music and Times of Burt Bacharach produced by Jan McArt and hosted by Marshall Turkin at Lynn University was enthusiastically received by it's Boca audience and these events are 'hot' tickets in the sunshine state. One of the wonderful things about attending the varied theatrical and musical offerings at Live at Lynn is that you get to see, different artists, diverse performances, and Jan McArt's splendid wardrobe when she comes on stage to introduce the concerts.
Casting is now complete for Gingold Theatrical Group's PROJECT SHAW production of his 1912 one act comedyOverruled, on Monday, May 18 at 7pm, at Symphony Space's Leonard Nimoy Thalia Theatre (2895 Broadway at 95th St.).
Sally Kellerman, the Oscar-nominated “Hot Lips” of the original “M*A*S*H,” will bring her new show, “A Little Jazz, a Little Blues, a Little Rock and Roll” to the new Dave Koz Lounge at Spaghettini Beverly Hills on Friday, May 1 at 8:30 PM. The acclaimed show is a celebration of her 40-year cabaret career, from early years at Reno Sweeney in Greenwich Village up to recent performances in New York, Hollywood and San Francisco.
Entertainment director Rob Russell made sure the always beautiful Royal Room had some extra Botanical additions in honor of Jim & Billy's 4 day engagement in the Royal Room and BroadwayWorld was there.
“Lover, when I'm near you . . .” sings the debonair Todd Murray this past Monday night at Birdland, mere feet away from rapt eyes into which he pours himself. He's performing the waltzy song acoustically, voice full out in opposition to lyric mood. The back of the house undoubtedly finds sound muted. “This is how you would've heard a band singer in 1925, before a new technique called 'crooning',” he tells us. “From the time I started working, they always called me a crooner.”
Last night (April 13th) acclaimed performer and recording artist, Deborah Silver performed at The Royal Room of The Colony Hotel in Palm Beach to benefit NAMI of Palm Beach County. BroadwayWorld was there.
Corinna Sowers inaugurated a cabaret showcase of her students at the Metropolitan Room last night and Broadwayworld was there. Some talented youngsters from her NiCori Studio performed for a packed room which consisted of many family and friends of these rising stars. Singers presented in the show were Talia Wynzel, Zoe Gelman, Julia Maskin, Samy Cordero, Lauren Barr, and Kevin Bergen. Also performing was the shows host Corinna Sowers. Deborah Martin was at the piano and Nicholas Adler was managing the house.
Good morning, BroadwayWorld! Because we know all our readers eat, sleep and breathe Broadway, what could be better than waking up to it? Today's big news: 39 STEPS brings madcap adventure off-Broadway, THE 24 HOUR MUSICALS returns to NYC, and Lane, Hall & Groff are among tonight's gala honorees!
On April 10, 2015 at 8:00PM, The New York Pops closed its 32nd subscription season at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, with four of today's finest entertainers - Tony DeSare, Storm Large, Frankie Moreno, and Ryan Silverman - in a celebration of the centennial of America's original idol, Frank Sinatra. Below, BroadwayWorld takes you right into the after-party!
On April 10, 2015 at 8:00PM, The New York Pops will close its 32nd subscription season at Carnegie Hall's Stern Auditorium/Perelman Stage, with four of today's finest entertainers - Tony DeSare, Storm Large, Frankie Moreno, and Ryan Silverman - in a celebration of the centennial of America's original idol, Frank Sinatra. This afternoon Maestro Steven Reineke rehearsed the orchestra and BroadwayWorld was there.
54 Below presented a special night with LUBA MASON - the Broadway star of Chicago, Jekyll & Hyde, The Capeman, among many others, last night and Broadwayworld was there. Fresh off the smash success of the Off-Broadway musical Pretty Flilthy - for which she was hailed as 'outstanding' by The New York Times, 'deliciously droll' by The Hollywood Reporter and 'straight up and affecting' by The New York Daily News - she will present an updated version of her concert Mixtura. Luba's trademarked blend of different musical currents, Mixtura is hybrid musical format consisting of various styles that can also be in any language. The 54 Below evening will include the work of diverse songwriters such as Van Morrison ('Moondance'), Cole Porter ('Love For Sale'), Kander & Ebb ('All That Jazz') and Lou Reed ('Pale Blue Eyes'), in addition to original songs from her Brazilian jazz album Krazy Love. Mixtura will also feature a special version of her breakout number 'Beautiful' by Michael Friedman from Pretty Filthy. You can watch the song 'In Performance' from The New York Times here. Previous incarnations of Mixtura were called 'powerful' by The Huffington Post and 'rapturous musical heaven' by Times Square Chronicles. The evening will feature musical director and arranger Felipe Fournier on vibes.
Essential Voices USA (EVUSA) presented BEYOND BROADWAY: COMPOSERS GO CHORAL at the DiMenna Space for Classical Music last night and broadwayworld was there.
Fresh off of her Tony Award-winning run as Yitzhak in the Broadway revival of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, Lena Hall makes her Cafe Carlyle debut with SIN AND SALVATION. With her rocker sensibilities, she is turning the intimate venue on its head with a show that features a fascinating blend of rock, pop, blues, and even a touch of rap.
Just coming off of her Tony-winning performance in Broadway's HEDWIG AND THE ANGRY INCH, Lena Hall made her Cafe Carlyle debut last night, April 7. The show continues through April 18. Check out a first look at the show below!
