Tommy Tune News

Buddy, The Buddy Holly Story starring Kurt Jenkins as Buddy Holly returns by popular demand to rock the Ogunquit Playhouse's season to a close from October 2 to October 20. If you saw this record-breaking show last year, come see it again. For those of you who missed it now is your chance to see one of the most popular shows in Playhouse history!

Tony Award winners Tommy Tune and Ben Vereen will join theatrical icon Chita Rivera in a spectacular benefit concert honoring and starring Rivera as she celebrates her 80th birthday. Chita: A Legendary Celebration will play the August Wilson Theatre (245 West 52 Street, New York City) at 8 pm on Monday, October 7, 2013. The one-night-only performance will be produced by and benefit Broadway Cares/Equity Fights AIDS.

The Development Wing which has dedicated itself to nurturing new musicals via partnerships with regional, not for profit theaters will hold its exclusive, intimate one-night-only benefit concert featuring Broadway stars singing songs from several new musicals at the historic Tewksbury, New Jersey home of Cherie King, President, The Development Wing and her husband composer, lyricist and book writer, Jonathan Brielle, Artistic Director of The Development Wing and Vice Chairman, The Johnny Mercer Foundation.

Grab your skates and sweatbands as Theatre Under The Stars' (TUTS) Humphreys School of Musical Theatre (HSMT) takes you back to the 1980s for the Houston premiere of the hilarious roller skating musical Xanadu! Playing at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts tonight and tomorrow, September 13 - 14, 2013, Xanadu will feature an all-teen cast made entirely of local high school students who train at the professional and award-winning Humphreys School.

The season includes Hello Dolly, The Sunshine Boys, Footloose and The Will Rogers Follies.

Hotel Nikko San Francisco and Michael Feinstein are proud to welcome Broadway and West End performer, Alexandra Silber, to Feinstein's at the Nikko for two performances only - Friday, October 11 at 8 p.m. and Saturday, October 12 at 7 p.m.

The producers of Tennessee Williams' The Two-Character Play starring Tony Award winner Amanda Plummer (Agnes of God, Pulp Fiction,Hunger Games: Catching Fire) and Academy Award nominee Brad Dourif (One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, Lord of the Rings Trilogy, Deadwood), now playing throughSeptember 29th at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street), are pleased to welcome Rob Sedgwick and Elize (Lisi) Russell to the company. The pair will perform the roles usually played by Mr. Dourif and Ms. Plummer at the Monday, September 9 and Wednesday, September 11 (matinee & evening) performances, while Mr. Dourif is out of town attending a funeral of a close relative who recently passed away.

Dust off your dance belts and put on your thinking caps! Hotel Nikko San Francisco and Feinstein's at the Nikko are proud to announce the launch of Broadway Bingo, a weekly happy hour event featuring a mix of show-stopping entertainment, trivia and America's favorite pastime - BINGO! Hosted by San Francisco's favorite Russian redhead, The Countess Katya Smirnoff-Skyy, and San Francisco-based musician and cabaretist Joe Wicht, Broadway Bingo will occur every Wednesday from 7 - 9 p.m. in Hotel Nikko's Kanpai Lounge (222 Mason Street, San Francisco), located directly outside of the Feinstein's at the Nikko showroom.

Theatre Under The Stars (TUTS) is thrilled to announce the 45 Houston area high schoolscompeting in the 12th annual Tommy Tune Awards. Developed by TUTS in 2002, the Tommy Tune Awards honor musical theatre excellence at the high school level, celebrating outstanding student achievement in 15 categories. During the 2013-2014 school year, a team of Houston-based theatre professionals will evaluate the participating high schools' productions and announce the winners at a Tony Awards-style ceremony to be heldApril 16, 2014 at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts. The event will spotlight musical numbers from the nominated shows as well as reveal the winning performers, directors, choreographers, orchestras and designers who have defined excellence throughout the 2013-2014 school year. The Best Leading Actor and Actress, the most prestigious recognitions of the Tommy Tune Awards, will represent TUTS in an all-expense paid trip as they go on to compete at the national level for the Jimmy Award at the National High School Musical Theater Awards in New York City in June 2014.

The Broadway at Birdland concert series has announced that Donna McKechnie's new bi-monthly talk & variety show will premiere on January 6 at 7pm. Broadway legends Tommy Tune, Andrea McArdle, Faith Prince and Jerry Mitchell have all signed on to be part of the series, with dates to be announced.

Legendary multi-Tony Award-winning actor, choreographer and director Tommy Tune recently hosted a chic fete in honor of the one and only stage and screen performer Carol Channing and her return to New York City and a video of select moments from the event are now available.

Gay resort Fire Island was abuzz as Broadway legend Carol Channing arrived Friday to perform Saturday night at Cherry Grove's Ice Palace. The 92 year old showbiz legend was part of Daniel Nardicio's Icon Series. Last year Nardicio paired Alan Cumming with Liza Minnelli, this year Channing performed with cabaret performer Justin Vivian Bond. Scroll down for photos from the concert!

The Marsh announces that Don Reed's autobiographical journey CAN YOU DIG IT? The '60s - Back Down East 14th will move to The Marsh Berkeley, where is will start a limited engagement September 14 through October 27, 2013. From the Beatles to the Black Panthers, James Brown to The Jerk, and MLK to JFK to the KKK - CAN YOU DIG IT? The '60s - Back Down East 14th offers a view of the 1960s through the eyes of an awkward kid who's just trying to fit in. Reed, an Oakland-born comedian, is currently the opening act/warm-up comedian for The Tonight Show with Jay Leno. The third installment in Reed's hilarious coming-of-age trilogy, CAN YOU DIG IT? Performs Saturdays at 8:30pm and Sundays at 7pm in the The Marsh Berkeley Theater Stage, 2120 Allston Way, Berkeley. For tickets, the public may visit www.themarsh.org or call 415-282-3055 between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

Last night at his home Tommy Tunehosted a cocktail party the one and only Carol Channing welcoming her back to NYC. Ms. Channing was toasted and honored by guests including Tyne Daly, Donna McKechnie, Lucie Arnaz, Lorna Luft, Brooke Shields, Liliane Montevecchi, Robert Klein, Michael Riedel, Frank DiLella, Arlene Dahl, Peter Glebo, Wayne Gmitter, Jim Caruso, Bruce Vilanch, Chris DiLella Jamie deRoy, Richard Skipper and more. Cinderella's Laure Osnes and her husband Nathan Johnson serenaded Ms. Channing with Before the Parade Passes By.

The Wilkins Theatre season this year features the Haifa Symphony Orchestra, Dr. Ralph Stanley in his 'Farewell' Tour, Jersey's-own Sleepy Man Banjo Boys and Broadway vocalists Betty Buckley, Andrea McArdle, Maureen McGovern, Donna McKechnie and Faith Prince.

Hotel Nikko San Francisco and Michael Feinstein welcome 'THE X FACTOR' finalist and Bay Area local Jason Brock tonight, August 22 at 8 p.m. for one night only. Debuting his all-new show - San Francisco Razzle-Dazzle - Brock will perform songs from his days on the 'X-Factor,' musicals he starred in as well as pop, R&B and jazz tunes that you've never heard him sing before.

Broadway's legendary song and dance man Tommy Tune hits the stage showcasing his latest performance 'Taps, Tunes & Tall Tales' at the Westhampton Beach Performing Arts Center on Saturday, August 31 at 8:30pm. Tickets are $35 - $75 and can be purchased online at www.whbpac.org.

Grab your skates and sweatbands as Theatre Under The Stars' (TUTS) Humphreys School of Musical Theatre (HSMT) takes you back to the 1980s for the Houston premiere of the hilarious roller skating musical Xanadu! Playing at the Hobby Center for the Performing Arts September 13 - 14, 2013, Xanadu will feature an all-teen cast made entirely of local high school students who train at the professional and award-winning Humphreys School.

The Marsh announces that Don Reed's autobiographical journey CAN YOU DIG IT? The '60s - Back Down East 14th will extend its run at The Marsh San Francisco through September 8, 2013. From the Beatles to the Black Panthers, James Brown to The Jerk, and MLK to JFK to the KKK - CAN YOU DIG IT? The '60s - Back Down East 14th offers a view the 1960s through the blinking eyes of an awkward kid who's just trying to fit in. Reed, an Oakland-born comedian, is currently the opening act/warm-up comedian forThe Tonight Show with Jay Leno. Reed's solo show, the third installment in his hilarious coming-of-age trilogy, continues at The Marsh San Francisco now through September 8, with shows on Saturdays at 8:30pm and Sundays at 7pm in the Main Stage Theatre. For tickets, the public may visit www.themarsh.org or call 415-282-3055 between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm, Monday through Friday.

Producers Jeffrey Richards and John N. Hart Jr., in association with the American Repertory Theater (A.R.T.), have announced that the box office will open on Thursday, August 8th for the 17-week limited engagement of the critically-acclaimed revival of The Glass Menagerie at the Booth Theatre (222 W 45th Street) with performances beginning Thursday, September 5, 2013, and an opening night set for Thursday, September 26th. The production will star multiple Tony and Emmy Award-winner Cherry Jones as Amanda Wingfield, film and stage star Zachary Quinto as Tom, two-time Tony-nominee Celia Keenan-Bolger as Laura, and Brian J. Smith as Jim, the Gentleman Caller.