The Duplex News

On Monday May 25th members of the New York Broadway community gathered together to sing out for LGBT rights.

Today's Broadway Blogs on BroadwayWorld.com from Tuesday, June 2, 2009.

Transport Group, the winner of a special 2007 Drama Desk Award and a 2007 Obie Award, will present a workshop of the Richard Rodgers Award-winning musical See Rock City & Other Destinations, music by Brad Alexander, book and lyrics by Adam Mathias, June 6 - 13 at The New 42nd Street Studios. The workshop, which is directed by Transport Group artistic director Jack Cummings III, is being presented for an invited audience.

Award winning singer and vocal technician Marianne Challis will bring her new show, 'The Party Continues...Downtown!' to The Duplex on Thursday, June 4 and Friday, June 5 at 7pm.

One of the many reasons I've been a fan of the Opening Doors Theatre Company since their debut production of Bring Back Birdie two-and-a-half years ago is the consistent ability of their directors and choreographers to have as many as a dozen actors singing and dancing on the small cabaret stage of The Duplex (already occupied by a piano) without ever looking crowded. But that's not a concern with their newest venture, the hilarious and tuneful Cy Coleman/Michael Stewart 1977 musical, I Love My Wife.

World premiere of John Bale's STUCK at Center Stage NY Limited-run June 3-June 14, 2009 Heading this 6-Character Cast is the Remarkable Jacqueline Brookes and Michael Sorvino

KATE PAZAKIS will celebrate the release of her new CD, 'UNZIPPED' ~ Live at the Zipper with a CD Release Party at (le) poisson rouge on Monday, June 1st at 8pm. The party will include a short performance by Kate, who will be accompanied by Musical Director Brian J. Nash, with MaryAnn McSweeney on bass Ray Marchica on drums, Dan Davin on guitar & backup singers Victoria Huston-Elem & Eric Michael Krop. Broadway composer & Tony Award winner Jason Robert Brown will make a guest appearance.

'Family cabaret' is no longer an oxymoron! The Nat and Kat Duo has developed and proudly presents an exciting new cabaret series for the whole family. In this first episode of 'Nat & Kat's Adventures with the Time-Traveling Piano', Nat & Kat accidentally transport themselves and their audience to 1939 in the throes of the Great Depression.

Broadway Speaks OUT is back on May 25th for its monthly concert series. This time the star studded event will benefit The Ali Forney Center and is sponsored by NEXT magazine. So far the concert will feature Ano Okera, Frankie James Grande, and drag superstar Hedda Lettuce. The evening will be hosted by Martin Gould Cummings.

Laura Schutter (Mary Poppins) and Constantine Rousouli (Hairspray) will be joining the cast of stars for Broadway Speaks OUT on May 25th.

After the success of his nine month engagement at Metropolitan Room at Gotham in 2008, Marcus Simeone returns with his all new show 'Everything Must Change' for three very special performances only on Saturday, May 22 at 9:45, Sunday, June 28 at 7:00 and Saturday, July 11 at 7:30. Musical director Barry Levitt will once again lead the band.

Claude Canny (Michael Sorvino) once a passionate sculptor and cartoonist, has lost his desire to create in John Bale's STUCK. His wife Connie Canny (Roberta MacIvor) is determined to revive his interest. The irony is Claude blames Connie for killing his need to create, by consuming him with her overbearing pursuit in making him successful and commercializing his work. Uta (Jacqueline Brookes), the next door neighbor, a Holocaust survivor and Homeopathic healer drops in to help Connie. Claudes' anger and resistance building throws Uta out and attacks Connie.

As previously announced, The Manhattan Association of Cabarets & Clubs will celebrate the 23rd Annual MAC Awards on Monday, May 18th at 7:30pm at B.B. King Blues Club (237 West 42nd St, Between Broadway 8th Avenue). This year's performers/presenters include Polly Bergen (Recipient of the Lifetime Achievement Award), Klea Blackhurst, Tyne Daly, Karen Mason, Marilyn Maye, John McDaniel, Rex Reed, Steve Ross, and Julie Wilson among others.

Kate Pazakis, co-host of 'Mostly Sondheim' at the Duplex, will celebrate the release of her debut album, 'Unzipped: Live at the Zipper' with a CD release party and concert at (le) poisson rouge.

After the success of his nine month engagement at Metropolitan Room at Gotham in 2008, Marcus Simeone returns with his all new show 'Everything Must Change' for three very special performances only on Saturday, May 22 at 9:45, Sunday, June 28 at 7:00 and Saturday, July 11 at 7:30. Musical director Barry Levitt will once again lead the band.

Two-time Tony Award winners NATHAN LANE (The Producers, A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum) and BEBE NEUWIRTH (Chicago, Sweet Charity) will star as Gomez and Morticia in THE ADDAMS FAMILY, a new musical based on the bizarre and beloved family of characters created by legendary cartoonist Charles Addams. Produced by Stuart Oken, Roy Furman, Michael Leavitt and Five Cent Productions, by special arrangement with Elephant Eye Theatrical, THE ADDAMS FAMILY will open on Broadway Thursday, April 8, 2010 at a Nederlander theatre to be announced. Previews will begin Thursday, March 4, 2010 following a pre-Broadway engagement at the Ford Center for the Performing Arts, Oriental Theatre in Chicago that begins November 13.

On Monday May 11, 2009, New York Theatre Barn will celebrate its second anniversary with Untitled 3D: What Do You See? which explores the process, product, and perspective of three different new musicals currently in development.

She's coming home. On the heels of her recent success at The Gardenia in Los Angeles, California based singer Jan Abrams returns to her local roots for a very special one night only performance. The Bronx native, who relocated to Los Angeles several years ago, brings her sensational new show, On My Way To You into Manhattan's beautiful Metropolitan Room at Gotham for this one night only event with acclaimed musical director John Randall and directed by Bruce Kimmel.

Ars Nova (Jason Eagan, Artistic Director; Jon Steingart and Jenny Wiener Steingart, Executive Producers) presents the World Premiere of MEL & EL: SHOW AND TELL. This new comedy with original music, best described as a musical Laverne & Shirley-meets-Sex and the City, is written and performed by Melanie Adelman and Ellie Dvorkin, with music by Patrick Spencer Bodd, and developed with and directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel. Previews begin May 6 at Ars Nova, with an official press opening on May 15.

Ars Nova (Jason Eagan, Artistic Director; Jon Steingart and Jenny Wiener Steingart, Executive Producers) presents the World Premiere of MEL & EL: SHOW AND TELL. This new comedy with original music, best described as a musical Laverne & Shirley-meets-Sex and the City, is written and performed by Melanie Adelman and Ellie Dvorkin, with music by Patrick Spencer Bodd, and developed with and directed by Moritz von Stuelpnagel. Previews begin May 6 at Ars Nova, with an official press opening on May 15.