Only Kidding! 1989 - Articles Page 3

Early in her career Deborah Stone used her body as a dancer in demand and left her voice to its own devices. Now, the singing actress from The Snarks has found that her voice works just as well when set to music as it does when reciting dialogue, and the cabaret community has taken to that voice like a toddler to an ice cream cake.

Mere minutes after Disneyland California announced that, come June 15th, out-of-state residents would be welcome to visit the park -mask-free for vaccinated folks, no less - I did what any sane person would do: I booked my butt on a last-minute flight to California and, miraculously, scored a ticket to the brand-new Avengers Campus. (Hey—you only live once, and who knows whether Thanos will ever return and snap his fingers again?) 

And now for something ethereal, funny and more than a little trippy. On June 26, The Marsh presents 'Astronautica,' a musical drawn from the words of women who have traveled through outer space, to its digital platform, MarshStream. Conceived and performed by Hai-Ting Chinn, Lindsay Kesselman & Kirsten Sollek. BroadwayWorld speaks with Ms. Chinn.

This week (June 21-28) in live streaming: Kate Reinders, Amanda Kloots and Jennifer Nettles visit Backstage Live, Fredi Walker-Browne shares Ten Minute Tidbits, a Kerry Butler masterclass, Tovah Feldshuh in Becoming Dr. Ruth, and so much more!

I thought I’d compile some of the highlights from each show I saw as not only a way for me to remember some pre-COVID times but to also give advice for theatregoers once the West End begins to reopen.

If you’re a senior in high school, this headline is not news to you. You’re well in the thick of it.

American Repertory Theater has announced virtual Fall 2020 Programming including the Civically Speaking discussion series; the Behind the Scenes series; and Kidding Around family programming.

In this world we live in now, it can feel like we are floating all alone on an island. Personally for me it has felt like I am the only one going through what I am going through. In actuality, the more I have talked to my peers and my friends has made me realize that we are all going through this together. 

Ah, just when we need it the most, here is the perfect tonic for our troubled times! The Marsh is bringing back comedic legend Geoff Hoyle in his latest work 'What Will I Be When You Grow Up?' Presented for one night only on Saturday, March 20th at 7:00PM PDT, this filmic version of Hoyle's show will be followed by a live post-performance Q&A with The Marsh Founder/Artistic Director Stephanie Weisman. Visit The www.themarsh.org for more information. Born and raised in England before coming to America in the 1970a??s, Hoyle has had a fascinating career and at this point has become a veritable Bay Area institution. After first coming to local attention as part of the Pickle Family Circus, he went on to perform with Cirque du Soleil, create the role of Zazu in the original Broadway company of The Lion King, act in plays at virtually all the major Bay Area theater companies, and create numerous solo shows, many of them at The Marsh. BroadwayWorld recently caught up with Hoyle by phone from his home in Inverness, California.

The Groundlings alumni and Austin Powers fan favorite Mindy Sterling will be special guesting on The Groundlings weekly online Wednesday show THE CRAZY UNCLE JOE SHOW July 29, 2020, zooming at 8p PST. This hour of improv starts with suggestions from the audience and weaves characters through time and hysterical situations. The always funny cast of CRAZY UNCLE JOE includes Stephanie Courtney, Roy Jenkins, Brian Palermo, Leonard Robinson and Christen Sussin.

What better way to spend a summer evening than in the company of artistic genius in the form of iconic composer Ludwig van Beethoven as interpreted by renowned musical theater artist Hershey Felder? On Sunday July 12th at 5pm PDT, TheatreWorks Silicon Valley will present a livestream of the hit show Hershey Felder: Beethoven, an intimate and theatrical portrait of the legendary composer. Tickets to the livestream are available on TheatreWorks Silicon Valley's website (www.theatreworks.org) with proceeds to benefit TheatreWorks while the Tony-winning regional theatre remains dark due to the Covid pandemic. Inspired by an account of a Viennese doctor who spent his boyhood by the Beethoven's side, this enchanting musical features masterful performances of some of the composer's greatest works, from a?oeMoonlight Sonataa?? to the a?oeNinth Symphonya?? and the a?oeEmperor Concerto.a?? The enormously popular show's 2017 World Premiere still holds TheatreWorks Silicon Valley's box office record to date. BroadwayWorld recently had the pleasure of speaking with Felder from his home in Florence, Italy where he will be performing the livestream. As cicadas whirred in the background (really!), we had a wide-ranging discussion about Beethoven, Felder's relationship with TheatreWorks, the pandemic and the wonders of Florence. In conversation, Felder is an engaging amalgam of seemingly contradictory qualities, at once erudite and folksy, brainy and empathetic, quick with an arcane cultural factoid or a self-deprecating remark, equally expressive of joy and sorrow.

It was incredibly educational, moving, and I am not only grateful for the opportunity but I'm eager to do it again (and again and again!)

This year's recipient for the MAC Award for Lifetime Achievement knows how to thrive, survive and stay alive in a business that can be unforgiving. Anita Gillette doesn't just take the prize, she takes the cake. Here, she talks with Stephen Mosher about her lifetime of achievements.

With so many gifted cabaret artists to populate today's nightclubs, Stephen Mosher takes some time out to remember Nancy LaMott, one of the talented artists from the past.

'While the world is being forced to stay at home, why not find a glimmer of light in the darkness?'

Respected jazz singer-songwriter Nicole Zuraitis focused on Women's History Month for her show at The Beach Cafe, but for this kind of music, it should be the Year of The Women

Two acclaimed companies will present family-friendly puppetry shows with music in March: The last month of the 2019-20 Just Kidding family performing arts season presents a lively and exciting roster of kid-centric shows every Saturday. The March lineup includes colorful and humorous puppetry from two internationally touring groups.

You might recall that, in early 2019, a little news story broke about a certain college admissions scandal. It was something that people suspected must happen in back rooms, but confirmation was finally being brought out into the light. What you might not know was that, a year before that, a local creative duo started working on an original musical after speaking to their high school students about what problems were foremost on their minds. The students kept coming up with the same answer: the relentless pressure placed on them by peers, parents, society, and themselves to be the best-with their grades, sports, everything. Thus, Ranked, A New Musical was born. Debuting to rave reviews just weeks after the scandal was revealed, it paralleled that story and highlighted the concerns that the students confided in those two teachers, Kyle Holmes and David Taylor Gomes. Since that time, Ranked has seen extraordinary things happen and there are no signs of slowing down. As Ranked's first birthday approaches, it seems a perfect time for Holmes and Gomes to release their concept album. On February 28, Ranked will be available for everyone to hear on Spotify and Apple Music. Broadway World Sacramento recently spoke with Holmes and Gomes to hear all about their journey to a New York reading, the making of the album, and their upcoming HBO special.

They say that lightning doesn't strike twice in the same place...but Mike Super's BRAND NEW Magic Show begs to differ. The star of 'America's Got Talent' and winner of NBC's 'Phenomenon,' stuns audiences with his spectacular illusions! After a sold out show last year, Mike Super returns to The Ridgefield Playhouse with Mike Super Magic & Illusion 2.OH! Sunday, March 22 at 4pm, part of Northern Trust Broadway & Cabaret Series with support from Teed & Brown, and Bruce Bennett Nissan Family Series, sponsored by The Ridgefield Press.

Emmy Award-winning Full Frontal with Samantha Bee has promoted veteran writers Mike Drucker and Kristen Bartlett to co-head writers of television's #1 ad-supported late-night show among young adults. Premiering in 2016 as the only female-hosted late-night program, Full Frontal continues to bring a unique voice and worldview to primetime, shining a bright light on the darkness that is Decision 2020 with a new episode airing tonight at 10:30 p.m. (ET/PT) on TBS. Season five of the late-night talker premiered last week following the unveiling of their new parental leave policy that's the best in late-night. The innovative plan offers staffers 20 weeks full pay for moms and primary caregivers, 4 weeks full pay for spouses/partners, health insurance and job protection for up to a year if they want to take more time off. Full Frontal with Samantha Bee is part of TBS' escapist, lean-back line-up of smart, imaginative programming that tells stories with heart and a comedic edge.

The acclaimed SHOWTIME comedy series KIDDING, starring Golden Globe® winner Jim Carrey, returns to television for its second season on Sunday, February 9 at 10 p.m. ET/PT, airing back-to-back episodes at 10 p.m. and 10:30 p.m. ET/PT every Sunday. Season two hosts an impressive roster of guest stars including Grammy® winners Ariana Grande and Tyler, The Creator, NBA all-star Blake Griffin, Emmy® winner Dick Van Dyke (Mary Poppins), Rachel Boston (500 Days Of Summer), Mae Whitman (Good Girls) and Oscar® and Golden Globe nominee Eric Roberts (The Dark Knight). Tara Lipinski and Jenna Alvarez have signed on to return as guest stars for the second season.

Union Hall has released its upcoming schedule. See below for details!

The Wild Woman of Cabaret is back with her summer smash hit THE BRASS MENAGERIE. Stephen Mosher talks with Amy Jo Jackson just days before her encore run at The Duplex opens

One of the cabaret community's newer artists, Deborah Stone, comes of age in her new show HERE I AM! After a run downtown at Pangea, she debuts at The Beach Cafe. In this interview with Stephen Mosher, Stone talks about the journey that got her where she is.

Two Variety show on consecutive nights in Midtown Manhattan are still taking NYC by storm every week, and it's all due to the hosts who created them