Let My People Come - 1974 - West End Articles Page 2

The most important figure in musical theatre history is gone; let's celebrate his life by listening to his incredible works. Reviewer Peter Nason gets you started by listing his choices for the 91 greatest Sondheim songs.

In the wake of Stephen Sondheim's passing, there has been an outpouring of grief from the Broadway community and beyond. Read them all here.

Robert Battle, Artistic Director of Alvin Ailey American Dance Theater, announced today that internationally renowned performer, choreographer, director, and multi-disciplinary artist Francesca Harper has been appointed Artistic Director of Ailey II, the Ailey organization's acclaimed company of young dancers. Ms. Harper will assume her duties on September 7, 2021, and will immediately begin preparing for Ailey II's return to the stage.

San Francisco’s revered 42nd Street Moon kicks off its 2021 “Moonbeams” season with Jason Graae in Perfect Hermany, a tribute to the late, great Jerry Herman, writer of such classic musicals as Hello, Dolly!, Mame and La Cage Aux Folles. The title Perfect Hermany is an unusually apt one as Graae is the perfect interpreter of Herman’s work, having starred in a much-lauded production Herman’s The Grand Tour in LA and toured for years with Herman in Hello, Jerry!, a revue of Herman’s work. Perfect Hermany is available for streaming on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays through May 2, 2021. For additional information and to purchase tickets, visit 42ndStreetMoon.org. Among his many credits, Graae has appeared on Broadway numerous times, toured extensively as The Wizard in Wicked, performed with major symphonies across the country, recorded dozens of musical theater albums and has enjoyed a long association with 42nd Street Moon. He is known for the improbable combination of his antic, go-for-broke comedic style and the impeccable musicianship of his soaring tenor. He is the type of performer who can make you bust a gut one moment, and then melt your heart the next.   BroadwayWorld caught up with Graae last week from his home base in LA soon after he had completed filming Perfect Hermany. We talked about his long association with both Herman and 42nd Street Moon, his favorite Herman songs, a couple of key roles that somehow got away from him and a few he still hopes to have a go at. Graae is always a blast to talk to. It seems the guy just is incapable of not being funny, but he is also thoughtful and kind, and sort of a walking treasure trove of theatrical lore. The following conversation has been condensed and edited for clarity.

Earlier this month, Dress Circle Publishing released THE UNTOLD STORIES OF BROADWAY, VOLUME 4, the latest in a series by acclaimed historian and producer Jennifer Ashley Tepper. Can't wait to get your hands on it? While you're waiting for your copy, let BroadwayWorld hold you over with a special sneak peek from a chapter all about the Golden Theatre.

From one beloved songwriter to another: Happy Birthday. Now, here's a new version of one of your greatest songs!

BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the 91 greatest Sondheim songs from stage, screen and beyond. See if your favorites made the cut! What's at #1?

The awards honored six musicals from Broadway, Off-Broadway, and the West End with nominations for Best Musical Theatre Album - 'Jagged Little Pill,' 'American Utopia,' 'Little Shop of Horrors,' 'The Prince of Egypt,' 'Soft Power,' and Amélie.'

In a new interview, Jeffrey Sherman, son of famed lyricist Robert Sherman, revealed that it was his experience being vaccinated for polio that inspired the hook to the classic tune 'A Spoonful of Sugar' from Mary Poppins.

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.

BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the 101 greatest Motown songs from 1960-1994. See if your favorite songs or artists made the list!

BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the 101 greatest scenes in cinema from 1901 to 2020. See if your favorite movie moments made the list!

BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the 101 greatest Beatles songs, including some of the fab four's solo works. They're all here: 'Twist and Shout,' 'In My Life,' 'Helter Skelter,' 'Imagine,' 'Something,' 'Maybe I'm Amazed,' 'Let It Be.' See if your favorites made the grade!

The Beatles! Rihanna! Michael Jackson! Johnny Cash! Kanye West! The Rolling Stones! Aretha Franklin! Bob Dylan! Miles Davis! Nirvana! BWW Reviewer Peter Nason chooses the greatest albums from the rock and rap era (1950-2020); see if your favorites made the grade!

MAC Award-winning duo Ray DeForest and Doris Dear are nominees again this year and Stephen Mosher just had to talk with them about their life together, how they came into being, and what it is that makes the perfect American housewife.

For three days, Jersey City will be transformed into Merseyside when Fab Four fans a?oecome togethera?? once again to the Hyatt Regency for The Fest For Beatles Fans from March 27 a?" 29. The Fest is the longest running and largest annual gathering of Beatles aficionados anywhere in the world. Now in its 46th year, it will commemorate the 50thanniversary of a very momentous year in Beatles history a?" 1970. In that year alone, The Beatles released the a?oeLet It Bea?? Album and Film, as well as solo albums from McCartney, Lennon, Harrison and not one, but two, from Starr.

Acting and singing dazzle in an otherwise stale and dated WORKING.

From December 11th-22nd, Theatre in the Park will be presenting their 45th anniversary production of A Christmas Carol. I recently had the great pleasure of interviewing the show's playwright, Ira David Wood III, who is not only back directing this year, but he'll also be alternating the role of Ebenezer Scrooge with his oldest son, Ira David Wood IV.

The National has announced the release of a live three-cassette box set, Juicy Sonic Magic, from their September 24th and 25th, 2018 Greek Theatre shows in Berkeley, CA at the end of their Sleep Well Beast tour. The Berkeley shows were taped by producer and engineer Erik Flannigan using The Mike Millard Method, which replicates the vintage analog recording equipment the legendary taper used in the '70s and '80s. The triple cassette limited release will come out November 29th exclusively as part of Record Store Day Black Friday. Both Flannigan and The National's Matt Berninger spoke to Relix about the upcoming release, which will be accompanied by a short documentary of the same name about Millard and the process of taping the Berkeley concerts from the audience, directed by David DuBois. Record Store Day Black Friday releases are available only at independent record stores starting 11/29.

Today's top stories: The Lion King film is on track to have the biggest opening for a Disney live action remake of an animated film!

Renowned guitarist, multi-platinum-selling singer-songwriter, bandleader and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Steve Miller has opened up his voluminous archive of recordings for the first time ever to present a milestone 3CD + DVD box set. WELCOME TO THE VAULT covers Miller's genre-blurring six-decade career over 52 audio tracks, pairing a number of greatest hits and certifiable rock 'n roll classics with 38 previously unreleased recordings that span demos, rehearsals, outtakes, vintage concert performances and 5 newly uncovered original Steve Miller Band songs recorded in the 1960s and 1970s.

Over the course of each Broadway season, unexpected and unique storylines inevitably pop up. This morning, with the announcement of the 2019 Tony Award nominations, a number of new narratives have come to life.

John Godber talks about his life in theatre and about his Brexit flavoured play, Scary Bikers, running at Trafalgar Studios in April.

The 2019 Tribeca Film Festival, presented by AT&T, today unveiled its feature film lineup. Continuing its tradition of elevating exceptional storytelling rooted in today's global film communities, the 18th annual Festival will showcase debut works from emerging talent and new works from notable filmmakers. The program includes discoveries, comedies, music-centered, political and social films. The 2019 Tribeca Film Festival takes place April 24 - May 5.