Come Live With Me - 1967 - Broadway Articles Page 17

On Thursday, three-time Tony Award-winning Broadway composer Richard Adler passed away at the ripe old age of 90. Responsible for two of the biggest Broadway smash hits of the 1950s, THE PAJAMA GAME and GAMN YANKEES, Adler never quite managed to equal his career-high double-hitter of that era, yet his earlier work with Tony Bennett ('Rags To Riches'), Doris Day ('Everybody Loves A Lover') and Marilyn Monroe (the iconic 'Happy Birthday, Mr. President') surely shall solidify his place in the firmament of entertainment history along with his two classic musicals from the Golden Age. Winning both Best Score and Best Musical for both THE PAJAMA GAME and DAMN YANKEES, Adler's partnership with lyricist Jerry Ross - which began on Broadway in 1953 with JOHN MURRAY ANDERSON'S ALMANAC - was tragically cut short just months after the DAMN YANKEES premiere when Ross was diagnosed with lung disease and passed away soon thereafter. Yet, thanks to the beloved film versions of THE PAJAMA GAME and DAMN YANKEES and continued interest in the entities as expressed in the revivals and reappraisals of both onstage from Broadway to Biloxi to Bombay year after year, the snappy, snazzy tunes of Adler and Ross live on eight times a week all around the world - even now, more than fifty years after they premiered. Unfortunately, Adler's subsequent shows with other collaborators post-1955 failed to capture the early magic of his previous projects with Ross and his earlier musical and theatrical endeavors in the pop arena, with the racially charged KWAMINA flopping on Broadway in 1961 (though he took home a Best Composer Tony Award for his efforts anyway) and the awkwardly titled MUSIC IS failing to recreate the magic of its source material, Shakespeare's TWELFTH NIGHT, in 1976. A MOTER'S KISSES, starring Bea Arthur and a young Bernadette Peters, died on the road, as well. In the intervening years, Adler attempted musical adaptations taken from a number of intriguing sources - OF HUMAN BONDAGE and others among them - though only his ballet scores seemed to reach an audience; particularly his last, commissioned for a new production of Lorca's THE HOUSE OF BERNARDA ALBA in 1998. Of course, THE PAJAMA GAME has had two Broadway revivals - most recently the rapturously received Kathleen Marshall-directed production starring Harry Connick, Jr. and Kelli O'Hara; and DAMN YANKEES famously returned to the Great White Way with much ado in 1994 starring Victor Garber. Now seems particularly ripe for remounting YANKEES, as we approach twenty years in its absence - especially given the musical's seriously smashing showing at Encores! in 2007. Who knows, perhaps some risky producer will even take a chance on a new production of KWAMINA, MUSIC IS, A MOTHER'S KISSES or one of the bottom drawer shows someday soon to see if they possess any of the limitless potential shown by Adler's earlier work. Or maybe a stage treatment of his TV musical GIFT OF THE MAGI (originally composed for then-wife Sally Ann Howes)? Or, better yet, how about a revue? What a stupendous songstack Adler created over the course of his career - 'Whatever Lola Wants' to 'Hey There' to 'Hernando's Hideaway' to 'You Gotta Have Heart' to 'Steam Heat' to the aforementioned Bennett, Day and Monroe standards and so many more chestnuts.

Today we are talking to an iconic Tony Award-winning star who made her name as a teenager singing on TV variety shows - THE LAWRENCE WELK SHOW and SING ALONG WITH MITCH included - and then went on to a multimedia career in film and theatre, conquering Broadway with her Tony-winning turn in the Jule Styne/Arthur Laurents musical HALLELUJAH, BABY! in 1967 and returning to the stage in the subsequent decades in a host of Broadway productions, such as BLUES IN THE NIGHT, JERRY'S GIRLS, ANYTHING GOES, August Wilson's KING HEDLEY II and her celebrated Muzzy in THOROUGHLY MODERN MILLIE - a role she reprises in the new Muny production of the Tony Award-winning Best Musical beginning this week - the one and only Leslie Uggams. Taking a thorough look back at her career thus far, Uggams opens up about her many successes and how she has endured for fifty years in show business and shares recollections of many of her most noted co-stars and collaborators, all the way up to the recent 2012 Encores! PIPE DREAM. Additionally, Uggams comments on her film and TV appearances over the years, speaking about her work in INHERIT THE WIND, TWO WEEKS IN ANOTHER TOWN, ROOTS and beyond. Plus, she shares her candid opinions on GLEE, SMASH, Broadway then versus now, future plans for her Lena Horne solo show and thoughts on other roles she would enjoy pursuing - and much, much more!

Glam rock icon Michael Des Barres announces his forthcoming CD release 'Carnaby Street' on Gonzo MultiMedia, UK, for July 10, 2012.

Blue Note Jazz Festival has announced upcoming performances for June 15-18th for its LATE NIGHTS, BRUNCH & MONDAY NIGHT.

In a return engagement with the Israel Philharmonic Orchestra (IPO), The Collegiate Chorale will perform 11 concerts in Tel Aviv and Haifa with the IPO under the baton of renowned conductors Zubin Mehta and Riccardo Muti. They will then travel with the IPO to Austria to make their Salzburg Festival debut, the first performance there by an American choir since the Chicago Symphony Chorus appeared in 1989.

In 1976, Coal Miner's Daughter, country star Loretta Lynn's autobiography (written with journalist George Vecsey) became a New York Times Bestseller; in 1980 the book was made into an Academy Award-winning film starring Sissy Spacek and Tommy Lee Jones. Now, it's headed for Broadway, with actress Zooey Deschanel playing Loretta Lynn.

In recognition of The Barn's 45 years of bringing the magic of live theater to the stage, we continue our special series of Onstage at The Barn: Memories from The First 45 Years, with actress/music director/singer/songwriter/new mom Jaclyn Brown, who is one of the most accomplished multi-hyphenates to be found in Nashville, taking on a wide range of roles and responsibilities at Chaffin's Barn (she served as music director for Too Old For the Chorus (But Not Too Old To Be A Star), the show now onstage in West Nashville. Today, Jaclyn adds the memories of her Barn experiences to the ones that we've been sharing for two weeks to celebrate the 45th anniversary…

In recognition of The Barn's 45 years of bringing the magic of live theater to the stage, we continue our special series of Onstage at The Barn: Memories from The First 45 Years, with actor extraordinaire Eric Tichenor, who made his debut at the Barn in the hit 1990 musical comedy A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, and who has provided Nashville theater audiences a whole slew of theater memories since…

Tickets for the bergenPAC show lineup are now available: Gilda's Club Presents "Pumps and Punchlines" (May 19th), Hot 97 Presents: Salt-n-Pepa (July 20th), The B-52s (August 8th), and Rock and Blues Fest (August 14th) on sale Friday, March 23rd at 11:00am. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com or bergenPAC.org or by calling the box office at 201-227-1030.

In recognition of The Barn's 45 years of bringing the magic of live theater to the stage, we continue our special series of Onstage at The Barn: Memories from The First 45 Years, with actress Joanna Hackman, who recently made her debut at the Barn in the hit comedy Boeing Boeing, and who will be leaving Nashville shortly to give the West Coast a shot at her (and those of her husband Daniel Hackman) talents…

Tickets for the bergenPAC show lineup are now available: Gilda's Club Presents "Pumps and Punchlines" (May 19th), Hot 97 Presents: Salt-n-Pepa (July 20th), The B-52s (August 8th), and Rock and Blues Fest (August 14th) on sale Friday, March 23rd at 11:00am. Tickets are available at Ticketmaster.com or bergenPAC.org or by calling the box office at 201-227-1030.

In recognition of The Barn's 45 years of bringing the magic of live theater to the stage, we continue our special series of Onstage at The Barn: Memories from The First 45 Years, with actress Joy Tilley Perryman, who this past holiday season starred in It's A Country Christmas, Carol. Today, Joy shares her memories of her Barn experiences to the ones that we've been sharing for two weeks to celebrate the 45th anniversary…

The Highline Ballroom has announced upcoming shows for March 12th through April 12th. All shows will take place at the Highline Ballroom at 431 West 16th Street between 9th Avenue and 10th Avenue. Tickets may be purchased through Ticketweb, online at ticketweb.com or at the Highline Box Office from noon until doors close at 866-468-7619.

The April 2012 at the B. B. King Blues Club and Grill, NYC, has been announced, featuring Melanie and Oleta Adams.

In their 2011-12 Centennial Season Music Director Michael Tilson Thomas (MTT) and the San Francisco Symphony (SFS) will break new ground with a far-reaching month-long American Mavericks Festival of music by pioneers of the American sound at Davies Symphony Hall in San Francisco March 8-18; on a national tour to Ann Arbor, Chicago and Carnegie Hall through March 30; and with educational partnerships, experiential learning and a host of new media tools to engage audiences in this music.

Noted thespian and master theatre and film director Kenneth Branagh has found himself at a career peak in 2011, excelling in both entertainment arenas with his striking, visionary blockbuster THOR being one of the year's biggest hits as well as his simply incredible portrayal of Laurence Olivier in the new film MY WEEK WITH MARILYN generating considerable Oscar buzz. Sharing his cordial and candid insights on a number of topics ranging from his beginnings in Shakespeare to his directing and acting in a string of Shakespearean stage plays and films - his iconic films of HENRY V and HAMLET among them - Branagh also illustrates his impressions of fellow acting titans such as Sir Anthony Hopkins, Sir John Gielgud, Ralph Fiennes, Dame Judi Dench, Simon Callow and many more. Plus, he shares his deep affection for the most famous musical theatre Shakespeare adaptation of all time - the classic WEST SIDE STORY; based on ROMEO & JULIET - as well as his love of the work of Stephen Sondheim as a composer/lyricist in his own right. Plus, news on his desire to do Broadway in the future, as well as all about Branagh's new lead role in the Belfast-to-West End transfer of THE PAINKILLER - and much, much more!

MICHAEL BALL's recent UK concert tour has been captured on film by Universal and will be released on dvd on November 14th.

It was a night of new victors and returning champions at 'The 45th Annual CMA Awards' Wednesday night in Nashville. Taylor Swift won her second CMA Entertainer of the Year trophy. Newlyweds Miranda Lambert and Blake Shelton won Female Vocalist and Male Vocalist for the second consecutive year. Jason Aldean won his first two CMA Awards for Musical Event of the Year with Kelly Clarkson, and Album of the Year for My Kinda Party.

Michael Ball's recent UK concert tour has been captured on film by Universal and will be released on dvd on November 14th. The 28-track ‘HEROES LIVE' proves once again that Michael Ball, dynamic performer, platinum-selling recording artist and No. 1 Olivier Award-winning UK musical theatre star, is at the top of his game. ‘HEROES LIVE' was recorded at Birmingham Symphony Hall on June 11th when Michael performed his outstanding new show, Heroes, named after his Top 10 album in which he paid tribute to some of his favourite singers such as Billy Joel, Barry Manilow, Scott Walker, Frank Sinatra, Tony Bennett and more. ‘HEROES LIVE' is a must-have for the loyal legions of Ball fans up and down the country who love to watch their hero in action and for the growing thousands of fans who tune in to ‘Michael Ball's Sunday Brunch' on BBC Radio 2. Check out a sneak peek of the DVD below!

Lyric, Oklahoma's leading professional theatre company, announces its 2012 Season, including XANADU (January 25- February 11); SPRING AWAKENING (March 28- April 14); BYE BYE BIRDIE (June 26-30); SWEET CHARITY (July 10-14); A YEAR WITH FROG AND TOAD (July 13-28), Irving Berlin's CALL ME MADAM (July 24-28); CHITA RIVERA: MY BROADWAY (August 7-11); THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEP (October 10-27) and LYRIC'S A CHRISTMAS CAROL, presented by Devon Energy (November 30- December 29).

JOE'S PUB at The Public Theater, reopened October 4th, 2011 from a top to bottom renovation, debuted in October 1998 and quickly became one of New York City's most celebrated and in-demand showcase venues for live music and performance. With its genre-blind booking and vast diversity of interests, the stage at Joe's Pub gives voice to a world of varied and stellar artists. Check out the full November schedule below!

The original Jersey Boy Frankie Valli will headline a one-night-only concert for his first-time-ever appearance at the Civic Center of Greater Des Moines on Friday, Oct. 28, 2011. With his three-and-a-half-octave vocal range, over 100 million records sold and a multi-decade career, iconic Frankie Valli, along with his The Four Seasons, demonstrate why they are still the hottest ticket in town with a catalog of hits like: 'Can't Take My Eyes Off Of You,' 'Big Girls Don't Cry,' 'Rag Doll,' 'Grease,' 'Dawn,' 'Let's Hang On,' 'Sherry,' 'December 1963 (Oh What a Night)' and so many more.

MICHAEL BALL's recent UK concert tour has been captured on film by Universal and will be released on dvd on November 14th. The 28-track ‘HEROES LIVE' proves once again that Michael Ball, dynamic performer, platinum-selling recording artist and No. 1 Olivier Award-winning UK musical theatre star, is at the top of his game.

Belgium born Tonia Bern-Campbell has won international acclaim as both an actress and a singer. At the age of 13, she went to study acting and music at the Conservatoire Royale in Brussels and won her first stage success in Paris at age 16.

Belgium born Tonia Bern-Campbell has won international acclaim as both an actress and a singer. At the age of 13, she went to study acting and music at the Conservatoire Royale in Brussels and won her first stage success in Paris at age 16.