Whitney Houston News

SiriusXM Radio (SIRI) announced today that rock icon Rod Stewart will celebrate the release of his new album Time and talk with fans and answer their questions during a Q&A session with an audience at SiriusXM's New York studios as part of the SiriusXM 'Town Hall' series.

The Broadway at Birdland partnership with multi-Grammy and Tony nominated composer Frank Wildhorn continues with another 'Frank & Friends' concert on Monday, May 20 at 7pm, featuring Broadway performer Capathia Jenkins and supperclub star Clint Holmes, with Wildhorn at the piano. Jason Howland will act as musical director.

On the supercharged dance/pop title track to her highly anticipated debut EP Superstitious, Shevyn Roberts (www.shevynroberts.net) sings playfully about astrological signs and the things presumed to bring us good and bad luck. In the infectious song, penned by EP's producer Louis Yoelin, she may be looking up at the stars wondering which boy to hang with—but in real life, the multi-talented singer and dancer is fully grounded with an intense work ethic and a burning desire to get out there and spread her joyous sense of fun.

Ryan Raftery returns to the Laurie Beechman Theatre for Ryan Raftery IS BLACK AND BETTER THAN EVER: A CAUCASIAN CELEBRATION OF THE AFRICAN-AMERICAN SONGBOOK! with very special guest Romelda Teron Benjamin (Catch Me if You Can, Bare) and musical direction by Daniel Lincoln. The show will be presented on Wednesday, May 29 and Wednesday, June 26, at 9:30 pm at Laurie Beechman Theatre.

Shoshana Bean will play two Orlando concerts tonight, May 10 and tomorrow, the 11th, 2013 at the Orlando Cabaret Festival.

Sherri James Buxton and Friends, featuring the Bob Shepherd Trio, Charles Neville and Paul Green, is a live concert at The Colonial Theatre on June 1 at 8pm to benefit Community Resources for People with Autism. At 6pm there will be a pre-concert VIP reception in The Colonial Theatre lobby, catered by Shiro with wines from Kelly's Package Store. Those who purchase the VIP reception tickets will also be treated to pre-show entertainment by Dominic Annand on the piano.

The Americana at Brand, in partnership with Chris Isaacson Presents, will host OWN: Oprah Winfrey Network star Jake Simpson and Recording Artist & Broadway star Shoshana Bean.

The Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) today announced the integration of streams to its historic Gold & Platinum (G&P) Program, the industry's premier award for recognizing artistic achievement in the marketplace. On-demand audio and/or video song streams will now be counted towards the 500,000 (Gold), 1,000,000 (Platinum) and 2,000,000 plus (multi-Platinum) thresholds required for G&P's Digital Single Award certification.

Ghostlight Records will present the Original Broadway Cast Recording of RODGERS + HAMMERSTEIN'S Cinderella with a digital release today, May 7 and the CD in stores on June 4.

On Saturday, June 1 at 8pm, 9-time Tony Award-winner Tommy Tune will take the stage at The Town Hall (123 West 43rd Street) to offer "Steps in Time" - A Broadway Biography in Song & Dance, highlighting his nearly 50-year career as an actor, dancer, singer, theatre director, producer, and choreographer.

On Sunday April 28 at Sterling's Upstairs at the Federal, Matt Zarley debuted his new show Broadway to Billboard, celebrating his latest album Change Begins With Me. It won the 2012 OutMusic Award as Best Single and Album of the Year. This guy with his powerhouse voice and delicious, down-to-earth charm had his audience swooning from the top. First up, a colorful video montage followed by his opening number, a medley of tunes representing all the Broadway roles he has played so far. Entitled My Great White Way, he included 'What I Did For Love', 'Pinball Wizard' from The Who's Tommy, 'Memory' from Cats, 'Kiss of the Spider Woman', 'All That Jazz' from Chicago, a triumphant march from Les Mis, and closing with another round of 'What I Did For Love' from A Chorus Line, which was his first Broadway show in 1988. When Zarley sings, it's an ecstatic, full-throttle experience. This opening provided all that...and... this was just the beginning.

When you're a cabaret reviewer on the evening show prowl between Monday night and Saturday evening (although not every night, thank goodness), you'd like to think that the God of Cabaret would make Sunday a day of rest. No such luck, since the weekend allows clubs to book shows as early as brunch time. I learned this again early this month when I felt compelled to attend three shows starring charming female singers-Corinna Sowers-Adler at Stage 72 (the Triad), Eva Kantor at the Laurie Beechman, and Lianne Marie Dobbs at the Metropolitan Room. I didn't break my personal Sunday record of four shows in one day set in late January (yes, I should be committed), but there was a two-hour break in this mix so it still turned out to be an 8-hour cabaret extravaganza. (Thank you, oh God of Cabaret, for press comps!) While it would have been sweet for the musical marathon to have been a clean sweep of excellent shows, as Meat Loaf might croon, 'Two Out Of Three Ain't Bad.'

What happens when the squares of Seville meet the streets of New York? Find out tonight, April 26 when Carmen's Place (A Fantasy) opens at the Castillo Theatre on 42nd Street, running until June 16. Featuring some of opera's best-loved music as well as six original musical numbers, Carmen's Place (A Fantasy) is helmed by the 2012 AUDELCO Award winner for directing, Gabrielle L. Kurlander, whose production of Sally and Tom (The American Way) was a popular and critical success at Castillo last season.

For the first time in American Idol history, 5 girls made up the top 5. It may have been obvious from the beginning, but it wasn't an easy road for any of the ladies.

We talk to the actress about her Olivier nomination and putting together a show as iconic as The Bodyguard...

British soul chanteuse and two-time BRIT Award nominee Jessie Ware releases her critically acclaimed UK Top 5 debut album Devotion in the U.S. today, April 16th through Cherrytree Records/Interscope.

Ghostlight Records will present the Original Broadway Cast Recording of RODGERS + HAMMERSTEIN'S CINDERELLA with a digital release on May 7 and the CD in stores on June 4.

Greenlist Productions presents Ryan Raftery's return to the Laurie Beechman Theatre for his fifth solo show, 'Ryan Raftery is Black and Better Than Ever: A Caucasian Celebration of the African-American Songbook'. The show sold out on March 3rd, and Raftery has added a second performance tonight, April 10 at 9:30 p.m.

In celebration and recognition of women who have made a difference in the world through their chosen art form, The Riverside Theatre today announced it has selected Dr. Cissy Houston as the recipient of the 4th Annual Women of Excellence in the Arts Award. This year's event will take place at the Theatre (91 Claremont Ave., bet. 120th & 122nd St.), on Friday, April 26, starting at 7:00 p.m. (preceded by a special reception at 6:00 p.m.), where Houston will discuss her book, "Remembering Whitney." Co-Chairs for this very special evening are R&B singers Chuck Jackson and Smokey Robinson!

The Garden Theatre has announced the concert Jessica D and Four Boys from Jersey, tonight, April 5, 2013 at 8pm, produced by Penguin Entertainment.