Just Say No - 1988 - Off-Broadway Articles Page 11

Rachelle Rak has been performing at the Broadway level for the majority of her life and is one of the most resilient people in the business. With almost 30 years of experience, she has seen it all and more. But she has never backed down and never refused to stop growing as a performer. I got the chance to speak to this strong Broadway gypsy about her experiences with mentors like Ann Reinking and Gwen Verdon, her upcoming show at 54 Below, and of course her signature mantra, SAS.

Any visit by celebrated chanteuse Barb Jungr to a New York cabaret stage or theatre is a cause for jubilation. Slightly less than a year since she rocked 59E59 with her week long run of Dancing In the Dark, Jungr was back on that stage with a new show based on her recently released, highly-acclaimed CD, Hard Rain: The Songs of Bob Dylan & Leonard Cohen. But where Dancing In the Dark was Jungr's introspective take on some classic pop songs (including some Dylan and Cohen), her Hard Rain set is truly dark and Jungr doesn't apologize for that. In fact, often during this collection of songs written by two of pop music's foremost dark poets of the soul (with stirring arrangements by Jungr and her CD Producer Simon Wallace), Jungr readily admits the set is depressing because her intent was to focus on Dylan and Cohen songs that were at once powerful, personal, political, philosophical, and often prophetic.

John Lasseter is the Chief Creative Officer at Pixar, Walt Disney Animation Studios, and DisneyToon Studios. A special place where he spoke on the topic of .Cool Japan'.

Sting's THE LAST SHIP marks The Police lead singer's Broadway debut tonight, but he's far from the first music industry transplant on the Great White Way. Scroll down to learn more about some of the greatest music stars turned Broadway composers, and be sure to tell us your favorite (or any we left out) in the comments below!

The Fantasticks is an amazing show in all sorts of ways. It's the world's longest running musical, 42 years in its original incarnation (1960-2002), and eight years and counting in its off-Broadway revival. Among the actors who've taken roles since its opening in 1962 are Jerry Orbach (who originated the role of El Gallo), Liza Minnelli, Elliott Gould, Glenn Close and Kristin Chenoweth. It continues to enjoy over 250 productions annually around the world.

Theatre Royal Bath Productions welcomes Richard Schiff, Nigel Lindsay and Lindsay Lohan in David Mamet's SPEED-THE-PLOW, helmed by Lindsay Posner at London's Playhouse Theatre and opening officially tonight, October 2, for a strictly limited run. A high-octane modern classic, SPEED-THE-PLOW is a brilliantly satirical portrayal of Hollywood filled with Mamet's trademark wit and mesmerizing dialogue.

David Yazbek has shown himself to be a Broadway composer-lyricist to be reckoned with, after a splashy debut with 2000's "The Full Monty," and a meaningful follow-up with 2005's "Dirty Rotten Scoundrels." Both film adaptations, they won Drama Desk Awards for him, as well as Tony nominations. 2010's "Women on the Verge of a Nervous Breakdown", also a film adaptation, was Tony-nominated for its score as well, though it suffered a truncated run of only 69 performances. Theatre at the Center in the Chicago suburb of Munster, Indiana, is the location for the show's world regional premiere.

Due for release on November 24, the superbly packaged eight disc (six CDs and two DVDs) set brings together, for the first time, remastered editions of all The Moody Blues' Polydor era albums, spanning the period 1986-1992.

Mia Farrow and Brian Dennehy star in A.R. Gurney's Love Letters, opening tonight, September 18, at the Brooks Atkinson Theatre. Let's see what the critics had to say...

Alliance Theatre just opened the world premiere of BULL DURHAM, a new musical based on the beloved 1988 film. Directed by Kip Fagan (Off-Broadway: The Revisionist), BULL DURHAM has a book by Academy Award-nomineeRon Shelton (director and screenwriter of the Bull Durham movie) and music and lyrics by Susan Werner, whom the Chicago Tribune called, 'one of the most innovative songwriters working today.' Broadway veterans John Behlmann, Melissa Errico, and Will Swenson star as the Veteran catcher 'Crash' Davis (Swenson), rookie pitcher Ebby Calvin 'Nuke' LaLoosh (Behlmann) and Annie Savoy (Errico).

BEDBUGS!!! tells the story of Carly, an exterminator, determined to avenge the bedbug related death of her mother. In the process of concocting a bedbug pesticide, Carly accidentally morphs New York City's bedbugs into blood-sucking, heavy metal rock gods. Recently, BEDBUGS!!! creators, Paul Leschen and Fred Sauter, sat down with me to give me all the juicy details about the new Off-Broadway production.

As BWW reported earlier this evening, comedian and Academy Award-winning actor Robin Williams died this morning, August 11, 2014, of an apparent suicide. He was 63. A slew of stars took to Twitter following the announcement to express their gratitude to the performer and wish him well. Scroll down to see what they had to say, and check back for updates later tonight and tomorrow morning!

Let's see what the critics had to say...

The 18th Long Island Al Jolson Festival coming up on August 16 is a whole-day affair featuring film presentations, lectures, memorabilia displays and sales, and a performance--'The Heart of Al Jolson'--by singer and Staten Island native Tony Babino (photo below), who can sing Jolson songs like, well, you ain't heard nothin' yet. The other day, like clockwork, I received my yearly invitation to attend from Oceanside, LI resident Jan Hernstat, who for the past 10 years has been the President of the 62-year-old International Al Jolson Society (which was formed in early 1950, a few months before Jolson died), an organization with a worldwide membership hovering around 1,000. I am proud to say that for 30 years, I've been one of them. I'm even prouder to say that I've been an Al Jolson fanatic for much longer. Here's my story about how it happened.

Universal Music Enterprises (UMe) continues its popular ICON series with a brand-new selection of collections available today, including a hit-stacked 2-CD collection from American legends

Coming immediately on the heels of the always emotionally taxing Hometown visits, each of Season XIII's remaining Idols performed three songs on Wednesday's penultimate performance show. The first round was made up of songs suggested by the surprisingly not-worthless 'full-time' mentor, Randy Jackson. The next round was songs that the judging panel of Keith Urban, Jennifer Lopez, and Harry Connick Jr. selected, and the final round consisted of songs the Top-3 had previously performed on the show and were determined by their hometown fans (and by hometown fans, I mean the show's producers).

Neil Patrick Harris returns to Broadway in the new production of Hedwig and the Angry Inch, the musical with book by John Cameron Mitchell and music and lyrics by Stephen Trask, directed by Michael Mayer. The limited engagement, featuring Lena Hall (Kinky Boots, lead singer of The Deafening), opens tonight, April 22 at the Belasco Theatre. Let's see what the critics had to say...

Pivot, Participant Media's network targeting Millennials, age 18-34, today unveiled a robust development slate, and a greenlight for 'Fortitude,' a 12-episode Sky/Pivot original series starring Stanley Tucci, Michael Gambon, Sienna Guillory, and Luke Treadaway.

HEATHERS: THE MUSICAL, the new musical stage adaptation of Daniel Waters' iconic 1989 dark comedy film, opens tonight, March 31, 2014 - the 25th Anniversary of the film's release - at New World Stages (340 West 50th Street). Let's see what the critics had to say...

Mothers and Sons, the new play by four-time Tony Award-winning playwright Terrence McNally and starring Tyne Daly, opens tonight, March 24, 2014 at Broadway's John Golden Theatre. Let's see what the critics had to say...

The latest in unauthorized gossip and buzz from the heart of Chicago's showtune video bars, and musical theater news from Chicago to Broadway. 'Passion,' 'Road Show' and 'Into The Woods' celebrate Sondheim's birthday, 'Dessa Rose' and 'Rent' rake in the reviews, Black Ensemble and Bailiwick announce spring shows, new musicals from Writers Theatre and Chicago Shakespeare, plus Ravinia and Court plan summers 2014 and 2015 and more....

BroadwayWorld is thrilled to share with you an interview series featuring the cast of Woodlawn Theatre's current production of Into the Woods.

BroadwayWorld is thrilled to share with you an interview series featuring the cast of Woodlawn Theatre's current production of Into the Woods.

Pacific Symphony announces what is perhaps its most significant season to date for the 36-year-old orchestra-the 2014-15 Hal and Jeanette Segerstrom Family Foundation Classical Series and special events, celebrating Music Director Carl St. Clair's 25 years at the helm. Filled with giant stars and giants of the repertoire that have moved listeners for centuries, the season is pure St. Clair-embracing and celebrating all that great music can mean to the human heart.

Cabrillo Stage, the professional musical theatre company in residence at Cabrillo College, concludes their 32nd repertory season with the premiere of a re-imagined work, Lunch, playing today, January 3 through 19 at the Cabrillo Crocker Theater.